Of course, at lunch, his friends immediately went up to him. Some classmates praised him for being open about that stuff, but Mina and Sero were just full of questions along with Midoriya.

"Do the medications have an affect on your quirk?"

"What are the benefits of your medications?"

"What mental illnesses do you have?"

"You said you took multiple. Does that mean more than two or just more than one?"

"You have a therapist? What's her name?"

"Is she cool?"

"How long have you been doing therapy?"

"Oh! How long have you been taking your medications?"

He's left reeling in the shock of all the questions as more people surround the table he's seated at.

Other students of UA join them and look at him as they ask more questions. Questions that are way too personal and kind of make him angry.

"Is it because of what your dad did to you?"

"That was real?"

"You didn't make that up?"

"Did he actually raped you?"

At the last question, he hears an explosion, and makes eye contact with Shinso who was pushing people away from him since he had gone with Bakugo to get food.

Having his trauma and business go public sucked.

Midorya, Mina, and Sero also have the audacity to look ashamed for starting the whole thing.

Bakugo just yells at everyone around them to leave them alone while Shinso keeps pushing people away.

Thank god no one actually touched Kaminari. There was so much going on besides the loud pounding of his heart, so one small touch could have set him off if it came down to it.

When Shinso is closer, he finally finds his voice and yells at everyone.

"What I don't disclose is none of your business. And why the fuck would you all ask a victim if what they went through was real? Yes I was raped by my dad. It's not made up, assholes," he yells. The word will never be easy to say.

It makes him embarrassed and has a wave of shame roll over him.

And the raw anger in his voice has everyone looking at him.

He's frowning and breathing hard.

"What kind of heroes don't believe the victim? What kind of heroes question the victim without giving a fuck?"

He shoves people away hard and leaves with Shinso trailing behind him audibly.

He also hears Bakugo yelling at people even as he walks further away from the cafeteria and towards the 2-A classroom.

His appetite is gone, stomach now full of shame and anger and just so much regret about what he did.

"That was so embarrassing," he grits out, embarrassment leaving his body in anger.

"Who does that? I know Mina, Sero, and Midorya were just curious, but why would they ask me so many questions and so loudly? We were in the cafeteria for fucks sake and they just brought a whole bunch of attention to me."

"And then the other people?" He seethes, "How would they think that was okay?"

He kicks his chair and it falls loudly in the empty classroom as Shinso watches, letting the blond expel the negative feelings in the way he needed to.

Kaminari's hands wave angrily in the air as he goes on about why victims of rape- yes he said it again which made Shinso worry- don't come out and report what happened to them.

"Because people shame them. Make them feel like- like- like it didn't happen. It was in their heads. They made it up," Kaminari looks at Shinso as he says, "And believe me I wish I had just made it up. But I didn't. There was a time I thought I made it up, too. And it made me hate myself even more."

Kaminari looks back down and Shinso's eyes are filling with unshed tears.

Looking at his best friend- his boyfriend like this.

"Why would they do that?" Kaminari asks.

"They weren't thinking," Shinso answers, "because they don't have to think about it. They have the luxury to just be curious."

Kaminari hasn't cried or looked sad.

He's just visibly angry, but as Shinso speaks, he calms down.

"It's not fair to you what they did. They just don't get that they're privileged enough to have to ask questions instead of being the ones to answer them."

Both of them jump as the door swings open and their heads turn to the door where Aizawa is standing, panting from running.

He sighs in relief before standing up straight when he looks at Kaminari.

"Are you okay?" Aizawa asks.

And his voice is full of pure worry, so it has Kaminari stepping back slightly. He doesn't know why, but the emotion behind the question feels like a lot.

"I-" he pauses for a long time, "no. I'm not. It sucks and I'm embarrassed. Everyone knows, and they go and ask questions like if I'm just some source of entertainment for them. 'Wow! This kid has gone through some rough trauma. Let's ask him about it and bring up all those memories of the unwanted pain!'," he mocks.

Aizawa nods.

Like he understands.

Like he doesn't blame Kaminari.

Like it's not his fault.

Because it isn't his fault

"I'm going to Arai and then the dorms. I need to be out of school for the day," Kaminari says, walking towards the door, looking down.

Shinso doesn't know what to do. He just stands there watching his boyfriend leave without a word.

The only comfort is that Aizawa does the same, unsure of how to go about the situation.

The door closes and both people left in the room look at each other.

"How do I help him?" Shinso asks.

"Arai tells me that you just being there helps. Even if you don't say anything. Do that. Go to the dorms and be there for him. I'll have you train with him tomorrow if he's up for attending," Aizawa says, waving him off. "Take both of your bags. I'll text him, but you should, too. Keep doing what you're doing. It helps. Arai is there for you to talk to her if you need to, too."

"Okay, sir. I will. Thank you," he says, and with that he grabs their things and leaves for the dorms.

~~~~~

It's over an hour later when Kaminari walks into the dorms, and Shinso is waiting for him on the floor next to the door of his room.

He looks exhausted and just done with everything and everyone, but he lights up when he sees Shinso.

It makes Shinso feel warm inside. Seeing how he has a visible affect on his boyfriend.

He doesn't smile or become happy automatically, but his posture changes just slightly, and something in his eyes change.

"I got your stuff," Shinso says.

He's all showered and changed, holding Kaminari's bag in his lap.

"Thank you," he says, and then clears his throat, "Listen, I know you're understanding about all of this. It's really good for me- you're really good for me, but I'm really sorry about how this is taking a toll on you, too."

Shinso's heart drops and his face falls. "Are you breaking up with me?" He instantly asks, and Kaminari shakes his head so fast, waving his arms in front of him.

"No no no. I'm not breaking up with you."

Shinso sighs in relief and relaxes so hard his body practically melts into the wall.

"I'm just apologizing. I swear I'm just apologizing. I'm- I keep depending on you- almost. I know my stuff hurts you too. I know you care about me and you treat me so well. I'm not doing the same with you, though. I do care about you with my whole being, but I'm not treating you like you should be treated. This is a relationship. A two-way street. I'm going to be a better partner, okay?"

Kaminari kneels on the floor and grabs Shinso's hands, meeting his eyes.

"I'm going to keep working on myself so I can be better for the both of us," Kaminari finalizes.

Kaminari smiles, and Shinso smiles back reassuringly.

"I'm also going to start going with Arai," Shinso tells him.

Kaminari smiles and hugs his boyfriend. "That's so good. I really hope she helps you as much as she's helped me. I'm so lucky to have all of you in my life."

They probably look ridiculous right now, and if anyone from Kaminari's floor were to come into the dorms right now, they'd probably walk away. Seeing two teenage boys hugging and crying on the hallway floor right outside of Kaminari's door would probably be a weird sight.

It feels good, though. To let out those built up emotions so openly with their partners.

It's freeing and they both needed it desperately. Just to cry with each other.

Holding each other through it.

But when they're done crying, pulling back with stuffed noses and puffy eyes?

That's funny, so they laugh.

And laughing always feels good after a well-needed crying session.

~~~~~

Kaminari was angry before, but now he's just embarrassed. Well, also still angry.

He knows that Sero, Mina, and Midoriya are going to apologize to him and it'll be annoying because they'll either avoid him until they can build up the courage to do so, or they'll act so awkward it hurts until they break and apologize.

Either way, there was going to be an apology and Kaminari kind of wishes they didn't do that.

Yes, he deserves an apology from them, but does he want it?

Does he want to go through the awkwardness of their apologies and hopes for his forgiveness? Hell no.

He wishes they could all just think of this as a bump in the road and get over it. He's dreading it, and no matter how many times Arai says he shouldn't feel embarrassed for things like this, he can't help it.

Everything makes him feel embarrassed.

Even that's embarrassing.

Having friends is embarrassing. Having a partner is embarrassing. Standing up when no one else is, is embarrassing. Walking is embarrassing.

Literally everything.

He can't help it. Things like that just make his heart beat too fast and they also make him feel weird.

Maybe it's because his parents were the type of people to tease him over every little thing and while having that every now and then would have been funny and playful, having it constantly made him insecure about everything.

He doesn't know, that's what Arai proposed.

They're working on that, though. Kinda.

He doesn't know if those habits that he picked up throughout his life will stick or not.

He hopes they don't. It sets him back. Makes him different from everyone else. Makes him weird for having to work his way around those habits.

The point is, though, that Kaminari hated what happened.

The situation he was put through because of his friends.

As he and Shinso are just relaxing in his room, Smushy alternates between them. She doesn't shed a lot, thankfully, and if they ever do get her hair on their clothes, it's never enough to need a lint roller.

Just brush off the hairs and boom, hair free.

She's also very quiet. Even at night when most cats usually go crazy.

The loudest she's been is when she knocks stuff to the ground, meows for food, or when she's purring right by their ears.

Kaminari spins in his chair as he scrolls through social media and Shinso lies on his stomach on the bed, Smushy currently with him.

The blond had told his boyfriend that he was dreading the apologies that he knew were coming, and now since it was well past school hours, it was only a matter of time before the knocking, awkward silence, and apologies were here.

Bakugo had texted him before.

Just making sure he was okay.

Aizawa had done the same.

At exactly five, a frantic knocking was heard and Kaminari rolled his eyes, groaning in annoyance already.

"I still don't even know what I feel about it," Kaminari sighs, looking over at Shinso.

"You gonna open that?" He asks.

"I don't wanna," Kaminari complains.

Shinso smirks and pouts mockingly, "Sucks to suck, babe."

Kaminari flushes red, and so does Shinso. He apparently didn't mean for that slip up as he sits up in shock at the pet name.

Kaminari immediately gets up and goes over to the door to hide his embarrassment.

Once the door is open, green hair takes up Kaminari's vision and then there's babbling. Ugh. Great. Well, most annoying one first.

"I'm so sorry I really didn't mean to be so loud when I was asking. I was just curious and I know it's not my place to even ask you. I should have been more thoughtful towards you because it's hard for you. I mean, obviously it is, what am I even saying? I just wanted to-"

"Oh my god, Midoriya," Kaminari interrupts.

He was talking way too fast and it was too annoying to try and pick up what he was saying.

"I get that you didn't mean for that to happen. You should have thought it through more. Thank you for apologizing."

And with that, he shuts the door to a surprised looking Midoriya.

They're both silent, and Kaminari stands in the middle of the room, waiting to hear the retreating footsteps. It takes a while, but, eventually, Midoriya does leave.

Kaminari sits down and sighs in relief, but not even five minutes later there's a knock.

After standing and opening the door, Kaminari is face to face with Sero who's wringing his hands nervously.

The black haired teen looks up instantly and sees the look in Kaminari's eye.

He's mad.

"Listen, Kaminari. I deeply apologize for what I helped cause in the cafeteria. It was rude and selfish to ask those questions, and even if I didn't ask about your past, my questions led up to that. I'm really really sorry," he says, and ends it off with a bow.

Just like Midoriya, Sero looked very apologetic and full of regret.

Less irritated with Sero, Kaminari nods at him, even though Sero can't seen from where he's still bowing.

"Stand up straight," he tells the sorry teen, "What you caused, sucked, and even though you didn't mean to, it still happened. Thank you for apologizing."

Once he closes the door, and turns around to look at Shinso, he receives a thumbs up.

"Two down, one to go," Shinso says, and Kaminari breathes out a laugh, hearing Sero walk away.

A long while later, Kaminari gets into the bed with Shinso. Hours passed, so Kaminari thought that Mina wouldn't be apologizing today.

They'd gone down for dinner already, and they hadn't seen her there. They did see other classmates, and some looked over at Kaminari, making sure he was okay, and once they deemed that he was, they minded their own business.

After pressing a kiss to Shinso's lips, Kaminari sighs heavily into his boyfriend's chest. "I was hoping to get all of their apologies over with today. It's gonna be annoying waiting to see when Mina decides to apologize."

"Yeah, but however long she takes, know that she's thinking about it the whole time. You know how she is. She'll beat herself up over it even after she apologizes," Shinso says.

He presses a kiss to the top of Kaminari's forehead and the blond smiles.

"Smushy probably hates you for taking up her cuddle time with me," Kaminari laughs.

Shinso smiles at him. "Sucks for Smushy cause you're all mine." Shinso even pulls him closer for good measure. Just so Smushy knows.

"You're fighting with a cat, weirdo."

"I'd fight anything for you."

"That was gross. Never say anything cheesy like that again," Kaminari complains, feeling his heart beat faster.

Shinso laughs, but is interrupted with a knock.

"Kami?" It's Mina.

"Oh look, I guess I won't have to wait for the next one."

Shinso reluctantly let's go of Kaminari so that he can get to the door.

The door opens.

"I owe you an apology for today. I never should have helped create a space for people to ask you such horrible things. Even the questions I asked were personal. Just know that I really am so sorry."

Mina looks him directly in the eyes. It looked like she had been crying.

"I told Sero this, too. I know what ended up happening wasn't what you intended, but it still happened and it still got to me. You guys are good people, and maybe I'm being dramatic, but I felt hurt. Thank you for apologizing."

Mina nods at him, understanding.

"Thank you for listening," she says and then walks away.

Closing the door, Kaminari laughs.

"I hate this."

He doesn't hate being comfortable in his bed with his boyfriend and cat, though.

~~~~~

He thought things would be fine after they apologized.

You know, like not awkward, but no, things were awkward. The three classmates seemed to avoid Kaminari, and it hurt because Mina and Sero were his friends.

He didn't know if they were mad at him, but he had a right to be mad at them, so if they were mad at that, then they didn't have a right.

Maybe getting defensive already wasn't good.

Either way, it had been over a week of them being weird around him.

Bakugo went up to him asking him what happened because the other two wouldn't tell him anything, Kirishima was sad about the division in their group, and after Kaminari told Bakugo not to do anything, they left it alone.

Usually they would hang out in Sero's room, but after a week of no one initiating a hang out, and Kaminari not wanting them to stay drifted apart, he talked to Kirishima and Bakugo about having one in his room to invite Mina and Sero to make things go back to normal.

Obviously, he'd had that talk with Shinso first, so when he called Bakugo and Kirishima to his room, he was already on board.

Kirishima and Bakugo had spoken to the two of them already, and even though Bakugo was mad at them for keeping their distance from Kaminari, neither Kirishima nor Bakugo had tried to get them to stop that.

They also didn't hang out with them, just spoken to them briefly, but that's more than Kaminari has had.

Well, both Kaminari and Shinso.

Sero and Mina have secluded themselves. Well, together.

It's just way too much for something that should have been resolved already. Kaminari doesn't know why it's been taken this far.

Especially since he's the one who should be mad or at least trying to distance himself given what happened and how it happened to him. This isn't fair. The way they're reacting, but he's over it and now he just wants his friends back.

So, he sends a text to their group chat.

---

Bakusquad

Sparky: hey, you guys wanna hang in my room in a few?

Shark boy: hell yeah! 😈

Purple Guy: sure

Blasty: whatever

---

It takes what feels like ages for the other two to respond.

---

Bakusquad

Alien Queen: sounds good!

Tape Man: yupyup

---

Within the next half hour, everyone is in Kaminari's room, sitting around the space.

Smushy hid for a bit before deeming it safe and strolling around with her head held high. She's so cute.

She settled on Shinso's lap. He's the only other person who pets her for so long. Usually, people pet her for a minute or two before stopping and just having her on their lap, but Kaminari and Shinso pet her nonstop.

She's so spoiled.

Mina and Sero stick together, not really initiating any talk, which made Kaminari a bit mad, but it was fine.

He made sure to give Bakugo and Shinso a look so that they didn't say anything.

That only worked for so long before Shinso spoke up.

Kaminari was betting on Bakugo breaking if anything, but no. It was Shinso instead. Just great.

"Why are you guys being all weird still?"

He sounds annoyed.

They both open their mouth to talk as they turn to look at Kaminari, but they close their mouths right back up.

"This wasn't to gang up on you guys. Kaminari genuinely wanted to put this behind him, but you guys aren't trying. Why?" He elaborates.

Everyone is silent as they wait for an answer, and Kaminari doesn't like it.

"Can we- Can't we just, like, go back to normal? You guys apologized. It's done. I'm over it. So can you guys just stop avoiding me?" Kaminari asks.

Sero shakes his head and clears his throat.

"We thought you were still mad. We didn't know if we should really just pretend nothing happened."

"Then talk to me, don't avoid me," Kaminari sighs.

They both nod and sigh on relief across from the blond.

"And it's not like 'nothing happened', you guys both apologized already," Kaminari adds, getting up to sit next to Shinso, leaning up against him.

When the air feels calmer, Kirishima looks at Kaminari and then at Shinso.

And then back at Kaminari.

"Are you guys a thing?"

Kaminari snorts, and he can feel Shinso shaking from laughter from where he's pressed against his side.

"Yeah. For a while now."

The whole room erupts into cheers, and even though it's only Mina, Sero, and Kirishima cheering, it's loud and scares Smushy who dashes under the bed.

Bakugo just smirks, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head in amusement.

Shinso and Kaminari smile at the attention and positive feedback from their friends.

Kaminari just hopes Mina and Sero don't go back to being awkward.

***
Word Count: 3,630
yall I'm mad and there's way too much to rant about so I'll leave it in the comments because damn I'm upset. Anyway, this fic will die down soon. I hope yall still like the chapters lol 😭😭😭 thank you so much for your comments and votes on this fic. The next chapter will be posted next Sunday at 8pm central time. I love you all and tysm for reading<3
I DIDN'T MEAN TO POST LATEKMAOO I HADN'T HAD MY ALARM TO POST ON I'M SORRY 😭