Ashes, Ashes

[8]

   Kaminari is lost.

He also hates Monoma Neito, but he thinks that's a given to anyone.

But back to his original point– he's lost. Not physically, because the students were all sent to their forms separately to deal with an uncertain amount of the world's population being gone, but mentally. Not only are over half, and honestly, what the fuck because if so many of them are gone why isn't more than one person missing from Class 1-B? The rules for this whole disappearing act are seriously evading Kaminari's mind because what. WHAT. The "rules" of whatever has happened to the world have been extensively talked about by the remaining heroes-in-training in Class 1-A (minus one explosive blond with anger management issues, of course). It's a topic even Todoroki, in all his blunt honesty, has trouble breaching. The students instead find themselves sitting around and telling each other their favorite stories about their missing classmates. Kaminari fondly recounts the morning he, Kirishima, and Bakugo had all been up and about for a morning workout routine. That morning had been when the two stunned Bakusquad members had discovered that Bakugo makes a mean (ha, ha) smoothie, and how Kirishima spent every morning thereafter asking the blond to make him all kinds of fruit-combo energy drinks. Kaminari laughs as he explains how adamant Kirishma had been that having the smoothies frequently– "almost too frequently" Kaminari says, smiling– was okay, seeing as how they were healthy. After his story, the attention shifts to Tsuyu, who tells her classmates of a story about Ochako's apparent fear of heights. (Kaminari has a hard time believing this one because.  She has a gravity Quirk?  How can she be afraid of heights with a Quirk that can literally make you float?)

Kaminari lowers his gaze, his wistful smile turning into a frown. The group of students is gathered in the common room of Class 3-A's dorm, choosing to meet up and stay together rather than separate for long periods of time after what's happened. No one comments on the sudden change in demeanor, and the blond boy is thankful for everyone's attention not being on him for once. So he misses Kirishima, who doesn't? The boy is– is? was? how do I refer to someone who can't really be dead?– a ball of positive energy and smiles in times of stress. Kaminari twists his fingers around the hem of his shirt, thoughts pensive as his classmates avoid pondering over the situation at hand in favor of reminiscing of times past.

Unintentionally, Kaminari finds himself gravitating toward Bakugo, of all people. If I'm looking for some form of comfort from him, I'm looking in the completely wrong place, Kaminari thinks, frowning to himself. The explosive teenager had been beating whatever essence of life has been left in the lifeless punching bag in the gym before they parted ways. Kaminari had watched him from the sidelines, sitting cross-legged with his elbows propped up on his knees. The lightening-type Quirk user tilts his head, watching Bakugo release as much frustration as he can on the training equipment without the use of his Quirk. Kaminari is no stranger to the symptoms of grief– he keeps his bouts of sadness firmly under lock and key, and instead opts to play his personality as charming and carefree. It makes him genuinely happy to see smiles on his classmates' faces, which makes his efforts all the more worth it. Don't misinterpret, Kaminari isn't locking away a secret emo dark side or anything like that, he just finds that he likes the feeling of happiness and causing happiness. It makes him all fuzzy, and prone to accidental electrocutions, so maybe he should stop thinking about the fuzziness–

"What the fuck do you keep staring at me for, Pikachu?"

Now, Bakugo– Bakugo is a mystery. Kaminari furrows his brows the tiniest bit, quietly assessing the boy in front of him. The explosive Quirk user wears his emotions on his sleeve, and practically shouts his ideals for the world to hear. It's no secret he wants to be the Number One Hero after he makes his debut. (It's also no secret he hates-hated-hates Midoriya's guts, he reminds himself.) Kaminari supposes the boy's goal is completely understandable, and even admirable. But there is always something sitting just beneath the surface of his classmate– something that shows in a subtle glint in his eyes, that he tries to shake off with a nonchalant roll of his shoulders, that tickles the very outward of his peripheral actions. Kaminari isn't stupid, contrary to popular assumption– he knows Bakugo is hiding something, he just can't think of what. Apparently his pondering silence has gone on for too long, because Bakugo huffs angrily.

"If you wanted the damn punching bag, you should've said something, idiot." Bakugo
growls, leveling a nasty glare at the shocked student. With a permanent snarl etched on his face, the blond turns on his heel and storms from the gym, furthering Kaminari's confusion. That's what he's talking about. Bakugo is normally one to jump at the chance of a fight, at the chance to heighten the possibility of a confrontation. He's normally the one determined to emerge victorious, whether the original conflict included him or not. It's just in his brash nature. What had just happened, leaving Kaminari stunned and alone in 1-A's training gym, was not what should have happened. It's also weird since he outright knows that the electric-type Quirk wielder doesn't use the punching bag. He prefers other methods of increasing his strength and agility, so the punching bag is left firmly in Bakugo's territory.

So yeah, Kaminari's lost.

And it appears as though he's not the only one.

   Ashido's attitude with everything has been concerning, to say the least.  Kaminari likes to think he's observant (he's really not, but whatever), so he pays closer attention to the pink-skinned girl when she's around. She's very withdrawn (but who isn't?), her skin doesn't glow like it used to (who even would care about skin care when the world is possibly ending?), and there are huge bags under her eyes (has she even been sleeping?).  Kaminari knows he isn't being smart for noticing all these things, they're all things any decent friend would notice so why does it make his chest hurt when Ashido cries when he talks to her? The entire group's dynamic feels off without the other balls of sunshine to balance out his own inadequacy, but Kaminari will be damned if he won't try to help a friend. He drags her, and by extension Hagakure and Tsuyu, to Ashido's dorm room and pulls out every product for self-care he can think of while letting his thoughts out in a constant stream of word-vomit to fill the silence. Hagakure giggles wetly at his antics, whilst Asui merely watches him with a soft smile. Knowing what he is trying to do, Mina helps him, a genuine smile gracing her features for the first time in days. His rambling turns into banter between him and Mina.  Denki's heart feels lighter. The two bond over an age-old tradition, allowing a veil of mourning to slip past them as they see the empty space where their other 'beauty guru' friends usually occupied. Their vacancy is a dark scar on their hearts, but Kaminari turns a strained smile to the girls and encourages them to use any and all of the products at their disposal.

He doesn't think about the fact that his own insides are torn beyond repair. The sadness inside him feels like it is devouring him, and he's sure his painted smile has cracks in it that are visible to any who see it.  The teenagers fall into an uneasy silence every now and then, silences that are further accented by the small number of students in the room.  Kaminari doesn't want the number to stay this small forever. Ashido's an amazing friend, though, and only drags him into a tight, all-encompassing hug before sending him out for the night after hours of simple talking, nail-painting, and mindless self care.

   And if he lets his own grief out, silent tears streaming down his face and unreleased electricity buzzing inside his body, when no one else is looking, well... at least he could help a friend.

A/N
   Poor Kami :(.  I actually like him a lot, mainly for his huge character development in the series and potential as a future hero.  Next up is Jiro!
~Rain