Author's note: Sorry for the late chapter !
As soon as work began again, things became hectic, and I feel like it will not calm down for a while *sigh*
Well, at least, here is a small? huge? dose of fluff, the chapter being more centered around Denki. Summer is here for them, and here is the first part of their summer camp!
Take care and I hope to be able to post something soon !
The heavy smell of smoke clouded his mind, as his eyes fluttered painfully open. A piercing whistle drilled his eardrums, making him feel dizzy, like the world around him was spinning endlessly.
His head throbbed with a painful sensation, and it took him a whole minute to figure out what was the strange taste in his mouth.
Copper.
He was bleeding. Somehow. Somewhere.
Forcing his pulse to not quicken with fear, he focused on getting out of this haze to have a better grasp of what the hell was going on…
Breathing was not that painful, so his lungs and ribs were alright… He guessed.
He could move his arms just fine. His legs were stiff and his ankle probably sprained, judging by the telltale pain radiating from his left foot.
A touch on his face taught him the source of his bleeding: a split lip and a nasty cut to his right cheekbone.
But all in all, except for the throbbing headache and prickling sensation behind his eyes due to the smoke, he was fine.
It took him a minute again to remember what happened. First patrol of their stay in Hamamatsu, a nice seaside resort town who was renown for its lake and its music instrument factories.
The class split in team of three to survey different areas of the town. Ended with Uraraka and Tokoyami to patrol downtown.
Earthquake…
His hand immediately reached for his earpiece to radio them.
"Chargebolt reporting in, Chargebolt reporting in… Uravity, Tsukuyomi, are you reading me?"
Static hurt his already sensitive eardrums, as he tried to get up groggily. He did his best to rest his weight on his unhurt foot, and took in his surrounding.
Some old buildings had partially collapsed, he remembered: he had been passing in front of one of them during the first light tremors, and after helping civilians to evacuate to the nearest shelter, he had been projected against a crumbled wall due to another seismic wave before he could take shelter himself. He shouted for the civilian who was waiting for him to come inside to shut the door and not panic. Debris were already falling from the sky, as the nearby hotel shook from the violent tremors, bricks collapsing in a rain of dust.
He knew he was supposed to stay outside, far from any buildings… But with this most recent development, he only had one solution.
So he ran as fast as he could toward the nearby recent-looking office building, and launched himself under the huge reception desk who seemed to have some kind of alcove in the front. He had put so much force in his legs that he knocked his own head up and felt unconscious for awhile.
The place he took refuge seemed intact except for the glass windows which didn't withstand the violence of the shaking, but the street was in shambles: debris had destroyed some of the neighboring houses and apartment buildings, and created holes in the road concrete. The smoke seemed to come from a nearby fire probably caused by a broken gas conduct, and power seemed out.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, after another failed attempt to radio his teammates.
"Uravity? Are you alright?"
"Sorry for not answering the radio, it seemed that you couldn't hear me but I could hear you just fine… What a relief! I'm fine, I'm with some civilians in a building. Tsukuyomi apparently succeeded to stay outside and warn the local pro hero agency and our teacher."
"I couldn't stay with the civilians in the shelter since the nearby building was already collapsing, but I managed to take cover. Nothing major on my end, I'll try to reach the authorities and give a hand."
"Take care, Chargebolt, keep in touch."
"Same, Uravity."
He hung up, before another buzz made his phone vibrate anew.
He didn't take a look at the caller, mechanically unlocking his phone.
"Hello?"
"Thank god you're okay!"
"Kyo... huum… Earphone Jack? You alright?"
"Yeah, currently working with the research team, I could pinpoint the arrival of the shaking by sound so I've been helping with several evacuations. You weren't answering your radio or your phone, I… we were getting worried…"
"Seems that my radio is broken, and I was knocked out for a while," he said, panicking quickly at his poor choice of wording when he heard her inhaling sharply," but I'm fine, a few cuts and I sprained my left ankle. Nothing serious, really!"
"Okay, I'll report that to the relief team HQ… I guess they'll call you if they need you, now that we know you're safe."
"Roger, I'll stay up and about."
"Take care…", she whispered softly, adding a "Love ya" quickly before hanging up on him.
"Really, let me reply at least", he muttered for himself. A last look at his phone showed him how much she had been worried, with a dozen of missed calls and several texts messages from her and his classmate. He sent a message on their group chat to let them know his status and location, and headed outside, looking for any survivor he could help.
He expected this summer to be eventful, but he was far from imagining this kind of start only a few hours after their arrival.
...
"Thank you Chargebolt. We wouldn't be able to do anything without your help."
Denki nodded shortly and made an "ok" sign, several cables in his mouth preventing him from speaking a lot.
Of course, he was supervising the back-up generators on different areas, providing them with electricity while the engineers were working on restoring the energy network.
The hospital had been the first place he had been sent to, the two generators not enough to supply the building with the amount of emergency operations increasing each time a wave of new wounded people entered the place.
Since then, he was going back and forth to different locations, and he was grateful for his training: it extended his limits, but he nonetheless received the order to not go overboard. It was better for the relief team for him to charge every generator regularly rather than fully charge a few of them.
The aftermath of the earthquake had been an organized blur: with the help of AllMight and the local pro heroes, the authorities quickly came with a plan that took advantage of the student's Quirks.
That's how Bakugou had been in charge to explode the biggest debris along with Uraraka who was clearing them, how Kyoka had been on active research duty, how Momo was supplying the town with the most needed items…
Denki took a look at his watch: doing this task for two days allowed him to estimate roughly the time needed to reach the right amount of electricity. He held 7 fingers up for the man that was accompanying him around the city, who nodded with a smile in response.
The situation had been tiring for them but mostly for the civilians. The city hall employees who were able to help were everywhere, eager to lend a hand to the relief effort: they always were paired with a hero or a student, driving them to different locations or providing with help or supplies.
Furukada-san had been with Denki for two days, and they got along well: the man was nearing the end of his forties and worked as the head of the maintenance department, so he knew every single location of the generators and their specs. He was always making silly jokes and had strange eating habits that made Denki crack up, like dipping fries in orange juice during their daily lunch at what the man had called "the best fast food restaurant in the whole world."
It motivated Kaminari to do his best, the kindness he received fueling him more than anything. Furukada-san was giving his all even if he had lost his house during the earthquake, but he never talked or complained about it, always having a smile or a kind word for his coworkers or the students.
The blonde-haired teen let go of the cables, as the older man approached him to plugged them back. Denki took the closest to him and put it back himself.
"Thank you again. Are your brain okay, Chargebolt?"
"Yup, don't worry! And you can call me Denki, Furukada-san. It somehow strange to hear my hero name coming from you."
"Why not? You're a hero after all, you've proven yourself plenty."
Denki scratched his head awkwardly.
"If that's the case, you're all heroes too, you know. I mean, what makes heroes heroes in the end?"
Furukada-san hummed thoughtfully as he finished his task.
"You know, that's a good question that I never bothered asking myself…."
Kaminari grinned.
"The only difference between you and me is that I have been thinking about this sooner by enrolling in UA, because I actually chose this as a career… But lately, I've been thinking that everyone should wonder about what really is hero at some point in his life."
"That's quite deep for a sixteen-year old boy… You seemed like a goofball but there's more than meet the eyes."
"I got that a lot! Well, we can call it a day I guess. Thank you for today, Mr Juicy fries!"
The man barked a loud laugh, patting Denki's back forcefully.
"What was that?"
"Maybe your hero name, who knows?", laughed the teen after regaining his balance.
"I'll take that as a compliment, Denki!", replied Furukada-san as he gathered his maintenance tools.
Denki grabbed his own bag and slouched it on his shoulder.
"You should, because it was one!". Denki enthusiastic tone matched his smile, as his thumb went up: the features of the older man lit up, the corner of his eyes crinkling in mirth.
They exited the facility, laughing and playfully bantering about Juicy Fries' hero costume, the soft and warm breeze of the summer transporting their joyful exchange among the city sky.
...
"Happy belated birthday Denks!"
He stood in the entrance of their inn, mouth agape and bag dropping, like a fish out of the water tank.
With everything that happened, they didn't really celebrated his birthday as a class. They all had wished him a happy birthday during the day, but every one of them was awfully busy with exam and duties as heroes, not to mention preparing for the trip.
He had gone on a date with Kyoka, and celebrated it the weekend before departing to Hamamatsu with his parents, Takuto and his girlfriend. Both of this moment were enough for him, as he had been surrounded by the most important people in his life.
The photo they had taken that night with Kyoka brought a smile on his face each time he was unlocking his phone, the leather bracelet adorned with purple and yellow strings rarely removed from his wrist. They had been on a picnic in the campus park, at the foot of their tree, with their playlist disrupting the ambient silence. She then kissed his cheek suddenly, the sound of the shutter on her phone resounding louder than it should have.
He really had a dumb face on this picture, with his widened eyes and slightly open mouth. But the soft glow of the late afternoon, the smile he could decipher on her lips set on his cheek, and the warmth of the memory made him love it more than any other pictures in his phone.
So really, he wasn't expecting a true celebration nearly 10 days after the date, moreover with all the work they had since their arrival.
Was it okay for him to feel moved, happy when some people were struggling? The question he had just asked himself internally must have shown somehow on his expression, for Kyoka, Eijirou and Deku gave him the infamous "look" like he had labeled it, the one that was telling him to stop the crap and not overthink too much.
So he happily smiled, shouting a "Thanks everyone" from the top of his lungs, receiving Mina's hug, Bakugou's scowl for his tardiness, Sero's pat in the back.
As he bowed from gratefulness to the owner of the inn who was congratulating and thanking him, he thought about how everyone just seemed happy and relaxed, drinking and eating and laughing away, Aoyama making the robot dance with Iida, the girls taking pictures, Eijirou and Shoji arm wrestling under the cheers of Hagakure and Ojiro.
He started to feel his cheek hurt from smiling that much, the cheery chaos of his classmates infectious.
"Finally, you're getting in the mood…." Izuku stood next to him, offering a glass of soda."I thought you were going to freak out earlier."
Denki took the drink and sipped it slowly. "I truly didn't expect a surprise birthday party, I got a bit overwhelmed… and my mind does that strange stuff every time it happens."
Deku nodded in understanding and waved back at Uraraka, who was holding the camera and snapping pictures of Iida and Aoyama.
"You know, we were planning the party for a while, and we wanted to do it around the city summer festival next week, but everyone decided to do this sooner. I guess we also needed a breather with all the reconstruction work, and everyone knows how much you are requested with it."
"Best decision ever… I feel that it had been ages since I've seen everyone this relaxed."
Bakugou was screaming in frustration as he lost his round against Eijirou, requiring a rematch under the laughing fit of Sero and Mina.
Deku and him exchanged an amused glance, the green-haired boy moving forward toward them with a teasing smirk.
"What about a match against me, Kacchan?"
Denki whistled loudly and exclaimed "I'll take the bets ladies and gentlemen!", fetching a piece of pizza, even if he was thinking that popcorn would be more appropriate. If the relationship of the two childhood friends had improved drastically, they still were rivals at heart, and Izuku had been surprising everyone with some taunts here and there, that never failed to rile up Katsuki.
"Prepare yourself, Deku, you're going down!", replied the explosive hero with a smirk of his own, as he prepared another table for the both of them.
Everyone was gathering around them, as Kaminari dutifully wrote the incoming bets: it only added to the tension, Deku clearly being the favorite.
The hollering and cheers echoed for hours, the competition moving next to video games with an intense session of Mario Kart followed by Just Dance, Mina taking advantage of the unresolved match between the two to propose her own challenge (and gather some blackmail materials with hilarious clips that she preciously stored on multiple drives).
Denki was putting a blanket on Eijirou, Sero and Bakugou's sleeping forms on the couch of the common room of the inn: after all, the latter was way past his usual sleeping hour, and the crazy evening they just spent got the last of their energy.
Thankfully for them, the inn had been booked only for UA's student and personnel, so some of them sleeping there wouldn't be inconvenient.
Even if he had spent his day charging batteries and his evening laughing like a madman, sleep wasn't claiming him yet.
After a last check on his classmates, he opened the sliding door that opened to the garden, and sat on the wooden stairs that lead to it.
The moonlight gave an eerie feeling to the vegetation, the leaves rustling gently with the warm breeze, the sound joining the concert of the usual summer music, the cicadas' song and the distant crash of the waves against the nearby cliff where the traditional building stood.
His eyes closed, he let the soothing effect works his magic, his mind wandering in the starry sky along with the wind. Tension he wasn't even aware of seemed to leave him, the peaceful quiet of the night easing everything that clouded his mind.
Warmth encased him, spreading through his back.
"Here is the king of the party…."
Kyoka was hugging him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder, her arms circling around his torso.
"Don't know if I'm the ling of the party, but I'm glad my birthday was the pretense for it… We all needed to blow off some steam."
She hummed in response. "Your birthday was the real motive in the first place, they really were upset that you were the only one who didn't have something planned with the class. We were able to do something for Toru and Sato mid June after all."
His right hand reached for her arm and squeezed it lightly, his head resting against her a little bit more.
"I wouldn't have minded if we hadn't celebrated as a class… But it was great and I really enjoyed it."
"You had a dumb moment, right?"
He sighed and nodded, enjoying the weight of her body against his back. "Yeah, I admit it. But three pairs of eyes kept me in check. I'll be able to not do that one day, I know it."
She nuzzled the exposed skin on his shoulder, holding back a tired sigh.
"It's time for the queen to go to bed…."
"Queen?"
"If I'm the king of something, you're automatically the queen of it."
The 'duh' was evident in his voice, even if he didn't say it. She laughed softly, a yawn escaping her lips.
"Well, your Majesty, I'd like to go to the royal makeshift bed I prepared in the common room for us… If you're okay with staying with me tonight…"
He felt the warmth of her blush on his shoulder and smiled. It was the perfect occasion to do so, the teachers wouldn't blame them for falling asleep along other classmates.
"Let's go then, we both need our beauty sleep."
They tiptoed around their friends asleep bodies to reach the two blankets that Kyoka had settled down and slipped between them, snuggling against each other. For someone who wasn't tired fifteen minutes before, Denki fell in one of the deepest sleep he had in a long time, lulled by Kyoka's slow breathing.
...
"Thank you all for your hard work! I hope you'll enjoy the remaining of your stay in Hamamatsu."
The mayor concluded his speech by raising his glass in the air, under the crowd cheer.
A week after the earthquake, thanks to the collective effort of both civilians and heroes, the town had overcame all the emergency situations. There still was a lot to do, and time would be needed for the city to be restored fully, but immediate dangers and complications were avoided for now.
The students had been in the spotlight at the beginning of the speech and praised for their dedication and attitude, bringing embarrassed expressions or downcast eyes on their face. It was better than being scorned or dismissed, but the same thought had crossed their minds at the same time.
Maybe I could have done more.
As the majority of the people in attendance was drinking or eating hors d'oeuvre, the students were offering their own thanks to the persons who had accompanied them all week. They all talked about this two days prior and everyone wanted to do something for the adults that took care of them and provided support: so they had been shopping or crafting something as a token of their gratitude.
Denki held his present up to Furukada-san, a drawing of him as Juicy Fries in his hero costume. The older man was smiling and blushing as the same time, bowing to the blonde hero slightly.
"You weren't obliged to, Denki."
"I wanted to, so please accept it as a memory of our time together!"
"I'll do it, even if I don't need a memento. You're a bunch of great kids, and I bet that a lot of people will keep an eye on what you're becoming in the future."
"That means a lot to us, thank you!"
"You're here for another week don't you? I'm sure we'll see each other again, maybe for a last lunch!"
"With pleasure! We'll be training in the nearby mountain but I know we'll have the weekend off, so let's say Saturday, if that's good with you?"
"Perfect! Oh, and you'll be able to enjoy the festival too, I hope! You could go on a date with your girlfriend, I know a place or two where you can fully enjoy the fireworks."
The wink Furukada-san gave him was full of innuendos that made him blush.
"Eeeh… Thank you I guess… God, that's embarrassing!", replied Denki as he averted his eyes, his gaze landing accidentally on Kyoka. His blush intensified, and it didn't go unnoticed by the man in front of man, that laughed heartily.
"Sorry kiddo, didn't mean to pry. Anyway, it could be a good occasion to confess too…"
Denki groaned in frustration, crossing his arms in front of him with a pout. He wasn't so sure to enjoy their next lunch that much...
...
All in all, he was grateful for the old man's tips, as he straightened one last time the yukata he had rented at the shop Furukada-san had recommended. The black cotton fabric was light and comfortable, making his golden hair and eyes shine a little bit brighter, the dark yellow obi matching complimenting his overall look. Golden strips ending in swirls adorned the bottoms of the sleeves and lower part of the traditional garment, the wooden sandals matching the color of the obi. A black simple hairpin kept one of his bangs out of his face
He checked his phone and headed to their rendezvous point, his personal belongings resting in a small Pikachu satchel attached to his hip, a gift from Furukada-san.
The alleys around the temple buzzed with a good-natured atmosphere, the children laughing while trying to catch goldfish, traditional music accompanying the animated conversation between groups of high-schoolers. As he walked toward the bottom of the stairs leading to the temple, his nostrils perceived the salivating aroma of yakisoba and takoyaki, making his stomach growl in anticipation.
"Man, I can't wait to taste these yakitori…"
Denki jumped slightly, as the deep voice of Eijirou reached his ears.
"Yeah, my mouth is already watering… A good festival is a festival where you eat a ton!", exclaimed the red-haired boy, clad in a simple red yukata with a black squared pattern.
Kaminari laughed at his friend, who was rubbing his belly with a large grin on his face.
"Oï, Shittyhair, festival is about winning every single game, not stuffing your face!"
Denki turned around and waved at Bakugou who was a few feet behind them. He gave him an enthusiastic thumb up as he commented his friend's appearance. "It suits you, Bakugou! They had the perfect yukata for you!"
Katsuki scoffed, straightening his back and broadening his shoulders. "Everything would have been good on me anyway, but I admit that your address was a good one."
The pattern of the black yukata was complex and colorful, with intertwined lines of orange and green forming some kind of whirlpool, with splash of red here and there who looked like fireworks.
They bantered back and forth as they were closing in on the group formed by their classmates who were already waiting at their meeting spot.
From afar, he could tell that everyone had played along the yukata rule they had all set, and he smiled at how every single yukata fitted perfectly its wearer, from Todoroki's icy blue one with red strings to Aoyama's royal blue garment with silvery and golden flower similar to dandelions.
Sero was waving at them, and Kaminari wondered why none of the girls were in sight as he waved back.
"You all are quite handsome gentlemen, on this fine evening!", he said with a faux noble tone as he formally bowed in front of them, under several rolling eyes or refrained chuckles.
"Mayday, mayday...Dork attack incoming, dork attack incoming…"
Denki turned around as the well known sarcastic tone in the voice of his favorite person in the world ringed along a chuckle.
His retort died in his throat as his eyes landed on her silhouette, his eyes widening slightly.
If their goal had been to make an impression, the girls obviously had succeeded, for several of their male classmate seemed frozen in time, making Ochaco and Momo blush, Mina, Toru and Kyoka grin, and Tsuyu shrug.
That's a sly attack, thought Denki, who still couldn't tear his gaze from his girlfriend, the vibe emanating from her a mix of shyness and confidence, of feminine elegance and sarcasm.
Her purple haired were slightly curled, a yellow peony clip holding back some strands. The white and black yukata was embroidered with purple orchids, and the very light make-up she had on her eyes made them sparkle...
All the teasing he had suffered from the old man was definitely worth it, for he had to see a different side of her, for he had the chance to stroll around with her at his arm...
And to protect her from insidious gaze, or so it seems: he just noticed a group of boys around their ages whispering to one another and glancing insistently at the group of girls. And judging by Shoto and Deku reactions, he wasn't the only one to be bothered by it...
He crossed the few feet separating him from Kyoka and extended his hand to her in a silent plea, smiling and mouthing something to her that made her faintly blush. She intertwined their fingers and squeezed his hand, and they joined the others who were gathering around Midoriya.
They all exchanged a glance, and screamed loudly "Happy birthday!", as the green-haired hero turned as read as Eijirou's hair and began rambling in waves of incoherent mumbles.
After a large amount of friendly laughs and pats on the back, wishes and congratulations, Izuku managed to regain his composure, thanking everyone.
"Don't thank us yet, for we're not done with you!", grinned Eijirou.
"Don't say it like that, you'll scare him... We just planned a little celebration in a more private place, Deku-chan, but for now, let's enjoy the festival!", said Tsu as she laid a hand on Deku's arm in a reassuring manner.
"Indeed, it is time for us to depart, for we are attracting some attention", added Tokoyami, who was scanning their surroundings.
"Don't worry about it too much. It is a festival after all, so merry people are a given!" exclaimed Mina excitedly, pumping her fist in the air.
"The fireworks will be launched at ten, don't forget about it", warned Momo in a soft voice, as she nervously clutched at the hem of her burgundy yukata sleeves. She had been uncomfortable ever since the girls put a foot outside the rental store, overly conscious about the gaze she thought she felt on her. She had wondered why she never bothered about it with her hero costume, but the answer was obvious: it was her duty, her work, and the costume was the most efficient way for her to use her Quirk. It wasn't like she tried to get unwanted attention...
But in a more private context, it was another story... Thus her downcast gaze and more reserved attitude, and the apprehension of what was supposed to be a great evening.
"Yaoyorozu-san?"
Her head shot up abruptly, and her eyes met the bicolored gaze of Todoroki. She felt a hint of worry in his eyes, and she quickly composed herself. "What's the matter, Todoroki-san?"
"I should be the one asking that question… You seem… uneasy ever since you arrived."
She quickly shook her head and hands in dismissal, but she knew she wasn't convincing. She finally sighed as he raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I'm fine… I guess… I'm just uncomfortable with all the attention I've… we've been gathering."
A white lie, a lie nonetheless. She didn't mind that they stood out as a group in the slightest, but it was embarrassing to talk about the gaze she felt on her, especially to him. It could be taken as bragging, and it was so far from what she was feeling.
Shoto understood immediately what was troubling her… since it was troubling him too. He couldn't exactly tell why, but the surge of irritation he had felt earlier when those men was leering at his female classmates had been intense… especially since said men gaze were directed at her.
He had been very protective toward Yaomomo the past months, even more so since her injury. She was a promising hero and a great friend, someone he enjoyed to talk to. He wasn't unaware of her feminine charms, but what drew him to her was her caring mindset and her sense of duty.
There was no way he would allow this unwanted attention to ruin her night and her smile.
He extended his arm for her to take, and his deep voice took a gentle tone.
"I see…If it is fine with you, I'll be happy to accompany you tonight."
Her dark eyes lit up with relief, and she let her first smile of the evening appear on her lips.
"Thank you very much, Todoroki-san."
"The pleasure is mine."
She linked her arm with his, and they fell in a quiet conversation quickly.
Denki nudged Kyoka softly when he saw the interaction, earning him a smack on his shoulder.
He looked at her with indignation, and pointed Momo and Shoto with his chin. She gasped lowly and shared a secret smile with him.
She then silently pointed Ururaka and Deku who were sitting near a stand where you could catch goldfish, laughing heartily as the gravity heroine's paper scooper cracked under the fish weight.
As they scanned their surroundings, they found their friends splitting slowly in small groups, the girls all under escort. Mina and Toru were hanging with Sero, Ojirou, Aoyama, Mineta and Shoji around different food stalls. Bakugou and Eijirou were still arguing about what was the best thing to enjoy in a summer festival. Tsu was looking at animal masks and accessories with Tokoyami, Koda and Iida.
The soft and colorful lights coming from the paper lanterns gave a particular glow to all of their faces, softening and warming the smiles and eyes. Kyoka leaned a little bit more against Denki's shoulder as he rested his head against hers, their hands intertwined, and wishing for every single member of the huge and crazy family they had chosen for themselves to be the happiest in the world.
