Chapter 16: Bro You're The Manliest

Chapter Text

Denki Kaminari had a problem. A huge muscular, red haired, shark toothed problem. It wasn't that he didn't think Kirishima liked him back. As bad as he was at picking up on the finer points of social interaction, it was impossible to miss the dopey eyed way the other boy stared at Kaminari or the extra physical affection he got from his friend. No, he knew Kirishima felt the same way he did. Denki's problem was that Kirishima was obsessed with manly men.

Don't get him wrong here, Denki was well aware that Kirishima was a very loud trans ally. The teen was always quick to put transphobes in their place and his "trans men/women are real men/women" lectures were the stuff of legends. He was even more supportive of Denki when he came out than his own parents had been. (Which was a feat considering Denki's parents had accepted it immediately when he came out in middle school and the next day he had an entire new wardrobe including binders and books on figuring out what level of transition was right for you).

The problem was all in Denki's head and he knew that. It was hard to feel like your crush found you attractive when he was constantly talking about how Crimson Riot was the pinnacle of manliness. Logically , Denki knew he was referring to the hero's beliefs and not his rippling muscles, but Kirishima modeled his own physique on his favorite hero and one of his best friends, Tetsutetsu, who was "super manly" had the same kind of body. Denki couldn't help that every time he looked at the Crimson Riot poster in Kiri's room he wanted to tear off his own skin because he would never look like that.

Denki didn't have the kind of body that would build muscles like that. He worked out and lifted weights, but he was slim and his muscles were subtle instead of bulging. Slender hips and thin arms that mocked him on his bad days. His body was soft and had curves that he hated and how could a boy who liked that kind of body find his attractive? So when Kirishima commented on how manly Kaminari was when he managed to go up in weight during his lifting routine, the blonde started crying.

He was having a bad day with his dysphoria and he'd worn extra baggy clothes that made him look even smaller than usual. He felt gross and small and then beautiful Kirishima called him manly and his stupid hormonal brain just turned on the waterworks because it made him so fucking happy. Then he realized he was full on ugly crying in the middle of the school gym and turned to flee to the locker room. That's where Kirishima found him, crying like a baby hunched over on a bench in the stinky locker room. An arm settled around his shoulders. "Is it a dysphoria day?" Denki nodded and buried his face in Kirishima's chest. "Sorry, bro I didn't mean to make it worse." He mumbled something and his friend chuckled, rubbing his back. "Denks, I can't understand you when you talk into my chest like that."

He pulled away just enough to look up at Kirishima. "You didn't make it worse. I was just so happy when you called me manly even on such a shit day and then I was crying like an idiot."

The redhead brushed away his tears. "Dude it's super manly to cry when you're happy."

Something about this situation erased all his fears just long enough to ask, "Kiri, do you think I'm attractive? Not in general, like are you personally attracted to me?"

"Of course I am!" Kirishima rubbed at his cheek, looking wary. "I thought it was obvious."

Denki smiled bigger than he had all day. "I knew you returned my feelings, but I was all in my head about not having the body you'd like. Cause, you know, Crimson Riot and all that."

"Dude, Crimson Riot is a great hero and a manly person, but that's not the kind of guy I'm into physically." Then he froze, his brain lagging for a second. "Wait. Did you say returned ? As in, we feel the same?" Denki bit his lip and nodded. Then Kirishima was pressing his lips to Denki's and everything felt right in the world. All his fears seemed so silly in that second because it just felt natural to be kissing Kirishima like this. Sure there would be bad days in their future, Denki would need reassurance about his body just like anyone would, but he knew Kirishima would be there to help him, just like Denki would be there for him in return.