I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.
- Martin Luther King
~~
It started because of an English reading comprehension they needed to answer. And the word 'God' was written several times in the text they tried translating.
"Do you think Greek Gods actually exist?" Sero asks, spinning a pencil between his fingers.
Ashido looks at him like he'd asked how to spell the letter G, "Of course they do. They have to!"
They, in fact, do not have to exist. But Kaminari wasn't about to say anything.
Kirishima grins, some hair falling into his face, "Heck, they could even be among us in disguise. Wouldn't that be pretty cool?"
Bakugo, the only one still actively trying to translate the text (not that Kaminari can't already tell what the text says), says, "Gods or no gods, it doesn't fucking matter to me. I'll crush them all if they come at me."
And then there's a bout of silence. One that lasts until Kaminari snorts into his hand. The rest follow in cackles, to which Bakugo threatens them for.
Bakugo wouldn't stand a chance against the Gods if he tried. No human here could, for that matter.
Sero says as much, almost earning himself a blast to the face.
"Actually Kami, what do you think? You think they exist?" Kirishima asks.
Kaminari pauses only for a second that, to anyone but him, is probably unidentifiable.
He puts a hand to his chin as if he's thinking, then grins, "Well, I believe they're out there somewhere."
He wants to be as vague as possible.
He decides he sounds too serious (he blames his self-consciousness), so he adds, "Imagine if they're watching all of us like some freaky reality TV show. Wouldn't that be hilarious? Do they watch us take bathroom breaks?"
No, they actually don't care about humans enough for that, most times.
Sero scoffs, "Dude, why would you even think that?"
"I wondered too, actually." Kisirihima adds sheepishly.
Bakugo snorts, "Typical fucking idiots, thinking up the most stupid things."
Ashido hums, "You know, I low-key thought you'd say you didn't believe gods exist."
Oh?
Kaminari blinks owlishly at her, "What, why?"
A few others look at her in question. So she explains.
"Well, it's just that you always get this blank look on your face anytime someone brings it up."
Kaminari's heart beats so fast, it almost feels like it actually stopped instead. But he purposefully keeps his shoulders relaxed.
Bakugo narrows his eyes at him, so Kaminari shrugs and leans back, putting his phone down. Does he look that spooked?
He makes his smile as wide as possible without looking like a creep, "Nah, I think you mean my thinking face." He tilts his head to the side as if thinking, "I actually think about Gods a lot, so I end up in my head about it whenever it's brought up."
That is not a full truth, nor is it a full lie.
Jirou, who'd been passing by them on the chairs raises a brow, "You actually know how to think?"
Thank you Jirou; great timing!
"Rude! Of course I think, sometimes…"
After that, the table launches into how often Kaminari thinks, Ashido's comment forgotten by everyone, including her. Eventually, they're forced back to work by Bakugo, though.
Kaminari leaves it at that.
It is forbidden that a God have a child with a mortal. They can seduce a mortal, love a mortal, have sex with one, but once you start popping babies it's all sour grapes.
He doesn't know what his mother was thinking, being a God herself. Aphrodite, even. Denki's father was a man, who on the outside was a handsome person who worked at the bank, but actually was a sucker for romance novels and the leader of a Greek Mythology club.
One day, Aphrodite wanted to see for herself what mortals thought of them out of curiosity, and found herself there…
Fell in love, and wanted to show that both worlds combined can be beautiful-
The rest is history. It would be sweet, had this been a romance novel. But Kaminari does not feel like swooning.
For he is the shape of their "treason."
He remembers everything from the day he was born (all gods–and demigods(?) do.)
And the way his mother fought with one of her handmaidens. She found out about Aphrodite's secret; him. Where he was cradled in his mother's arms. He'd been kept in hidden chambers most of his first year of life, watching pearl walls shimmer and his mother's acrylic nails she loved too much.
"But you can't keep him! He'll be killed if they find him. And You'll- You'll be-"
Aphrodite had put a hand to the woman's cheek, gold eyes going soft as she pushed the woman's curly black hair away from her tear streaks on her bronze cheeks.
(Did Kaminari mention most gods are polyamorous?)
"Don't you find it sad? That we treasure all kinds of love and pleasure, but we are ashamed to show a symbol of something so beautiful, Anila?" Aphrodite said, smiling the saddest smile Kaminair had ever seen.
She was not as vain or ill-tempered as the mortals said, but she definitely thought extremely high of herself. And was quite pushy. She was a romantic in every way of the word, made the bitter cold world out to be better than it was, or at least, so he's heard from his father. (he said it fondly.)
Anila, sighed, "But is it worth it? There must be another way? There are already rumors, Dee."
"It's already been done. I love him so, so much."
Anila gave a wet smile and sighed, "What's his name?"
"Keraunós, god of lightning and thunder."
His name was so cool. Too bad barely anyone calls him that now-
Anila finally smiled for real, "Beautiful, as he is."
They'd kept him hidden for a little longer.
But eventually, Aphrodite couldn't hold off the suspicions any longer, and she knew Kaminari would die a painful death if found out.
So she went to see her beloved on earth in disguise with the child.
"I cannot keep him up there much longer. They'll find him." She said, holding out the child.
Kaminari had the eyes of his mother, and the bright blonde hair of his father. He was practically glowing on that dim, stormy night.
The man looked grim, but took the child, "I'll protect him."
He was registered as Kaminari Denki, from then on. Which, also means Lightning and thunder when he thinks about it. And at age four, he was registered with a "quirk" of electricity. His father had quite the challenge keeping him out of trouble as a child because he haboured the energy of a lightning bolt on a daily basis, and never wanted to fully hide his abilities.
They had to convince a child at his preschool that she was imagining things when Kaminari tried zapping the poor child off the swings for taking one of his tangerine slices.
And he missed his mother, her stupid acrylic nails and her pearl ceilings.
He would receive letters from Aphrodite often. And sometimes she'd come down in human form for visitations. She helped him dim his aura so that he appeared more human-like and less… 'beautiful' because of Aphrodite's genes.
And his dad helped him come up with limits for his 'quirk.' which he taught was a little over the top.
It was bright and as his father would say, so wonderful that everyone would instantly know it was divine power. (Kaminari, at the age of seven, was quite doubtful.)
But for a symbol of their love, they sure kept him hidden. How ironic. Yeah, he didn't want to die .
But should I even be here? Or anywhere? He always wondered.
He felt quite jealous of Hermaphroditus, who he had gotten close to because his mother felt bad he couldn't go up to see anyone, (They were several years older) but Kaminari loved them all the same. They had been sworn to secrecy after having accidentally found out Kaminari's background at a young age. And liked to tease Kaminari with his God name.
It wasn't that unusual for Hermaphroditus, who liked to go by Phrodi, (which sounded weird to Kaminari) to loiter on earth confusing the shit out of people with their gender.
"Why in the name of Olive branches are Demi-Gods so feared? You're a fucking bean." Phrodi would always say.
They'd sit on the balcony of his father's apartment watching the sunset. Or the sunrise. Or that darkness .
Anything.
Kami shrugged, "Beats me."
Kaminari Denki does not know why. He never knew why.
Perhaps fear of change, or maybe fear of what a person of both worlds could possibly do to destroy the status quo. All he knows is that all Demi-Gods were killed long ago with methods no one dared speak about, but everyone knew.
The Trial Of Fire. A divine flame that burns only those that are seen as guilty by a majority vote.
So to everyone but himself, Phrodi and his parents. (Anila included), knew who he was.
And to all of UA, he was an ordinary human being.
He'd made himself as average as possible, getting into UA and eventually into the dorms.
Which was where things were starting to get a little harder to hide.
He's a master at limiting his powers, and pretending to be stupid whenever he want over his "limit."
He even made friends other than Phrodi. (Middle school was…middle school.)
Anyway, it sucked that he had to hide a part himself. But it would be hell if word got out about him. And his father was so paranoid about it. Why would Kaminair want to cause him more stress than necessary?
…But had a feeling he wouldn't be able to run forever.
Today is mail day!
Since moving into the dorms, every Friday, most students in the dorms look through a basket full of letters from family as they're not allowed to contact family haphazardly in case of info leaks unless planned beforehand.
The common room, packed with excited students causes Iida to lose it. It truly is chaos.
"Everyone! Please make two lines in alphabetical order!"
Everyone complies, if it'd get them to the mail any faster. Kaminair pairs up with Kirishima who's vibrating as much as the rest of them are.
When they dive in the basket at their turn, Kaminari knows which one was his from the tell-tale red rose stamped on the front from his mother and the one from his father which simply had his name. He smiles at them. He appreciates that they still try to contact him despite everything they're risking.
Too excited, Kaminair opens one, reading up on his way up the stairs. Krisihiam reading his on the dorm room couch.
Hey, Kera! Hope things are well with you. So let me tell you how it's been up here-
He bumps into someone, quick reflexes letting him hold the rail but his papers go flying to the ground anyway.
And there's Shinsou, looking a little shocked, "Woah, sorry. I was in my head just now."
"Oh, don't worry about it." But Kaminair isn't watching him, but his letter on the ground, itching to pick them out. But he doesn't want to look too frantic .
But Shinsou seems to remember himself, and lends down to pick up the letters.
Kaminari almost squeaks, leaning down, "No, no. I'll do it-"
But it's too late; Shinsou picks it up before him. Brows furrowing as he catches a word or two on the page.
And the world s l o w s d o w n… for a second.
Kaminari suddenly wants to die.
Shinsou slowly hands them off to him, " I think I accidentally read something?"
Kamnari's sweat drops increase, "I-Is that so? Like what?"
"Not to be rude, but why is this person referring to themself as a God?"
Universe please kill him. He thinks fast, remembering something Phrodi told him he could use in a 'what if' scenario.
Kaminari acts embarrassed, "O-oh, it's just that my sister likes to roleplay a lot..haha."
"You have a sister?"
"Yeah, she's uhm, my step sister."
"Oh..okay. I'm sorry for reading without permission." Shinsou rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish.
Kaminari snorts,"It's fine."
Technically, he does have step sisters, but he doesn't know any of them personally. Unless Phrodi counts… since they're both?
"I'll see you around!" Kaminari says; he awaits no answer.
But darts up the stairs to his floor, then to his room. He should've taken the elevator in the first place!
Shinsou finally transferred to their class two weeks ago, but found it just fine as he was already friends with Midoriya. But eventually also became friends with the Bakusquad because Kaminari wasn't going to let him become an anti-social bastard.
But Shinsou freaks him out sometimes. He seems to be susceptible to energy changes while Kaminari is almost unaware of Shinsou. And Kaminari always picks up on these things. Also quick to notice a change, like Bakugo and Ashido.
And the fact that he has a big fat crush ok the guy. Since day one, really.
And he's too observant for his own good. So Kaminari acts like an actual stupid person around him, getting all defensive and stuff.
Which isn't helping his case.
But he gets through the letter from both his parents, talking about various things going on with them and around them. Kaminari writes one back to each of them making sure they're properly sealed.
Then, he puts them in the basket assigned for send out without much difficulty, getting ready for class.
That night, they decide to watch a movie. But this time, they weren't able to convince Bakugo to stay.
Everyone is engrossed, including Kaminari. They're at the romance scene.
He says, loud for several people to hear, the unspeakable, "Bet they're gonna get cockblocked."
Many groan, and he snickers when someone tells him he's disturbing the movie. And they groan even louder when they actually do get cockblocked.
He just loves ruining romantic moods.
But, out of nowhere, a chill suddenly comes over the room. He narrows his eyes, looking around the room, shoulders tense. Someone was staring at him. Hard.
"Kami? Are you good?" Sero whispers.
No one else seemed to notice his sudden change in demeanor. So he shrugs, "Nothing, I just felt this weird…chill."
"You felt it too?" Shinsou asks.
Kaminari tries not to flinch, where did he come from again?
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
Midoriya shivers, "Anyone else suddenly felt kind of cold?"
"Yeah, I did." Ashido says, throwing him an extra blanket, "Cover up."
Good to know he wasn't the only one. But no one does anything about it, moving on with the movie.
Though Kaminari can't fully relax.
He can't shake the feeling that something is out there.
He runs his hands over his covers and sighs. Why does sleep never come to him when he wants it?
That night, since he's restless, he decides to sneak out for a bit. He unlocks his window. Then, he sneaks down to the common room entrance and unlocks the front door; he doesn't usually use the door. But in case he can't jump back up to his window, he needs some way out, right?
He gets back to his room, simply jumping out the window and landing fine. With a few mild streaks of lightning in the air.
The night is cool, it always is. Best for naps. What a waste.
He strolls around for a long while, aimless. He finds himself under the streetlight where he sometimes meets Phrodi. Of course, they're not here right now.
He hums a song under his breath, looking up at the cloudy skies.
Not even the stars want to see him; huh.
Until he feels the presence, building at the side of his skull. He leans off the streetlight, hands out.
"Who's there?" He asks, voice cold.
He makes a symbol with his hands, a bright light forming as he brings out a bright, golden set of nun-chucks that lights up the deadly night.
Which only shows just how dark it is. And how alone he is in this darkness.
He turns around.
Nothing.
He turns the other way.
Nothing.
He turns again.
There is a note on the floor.
We'll come find you, Keraunos.
Kaminari's blood runs cold.