Getting to be at least a little more mentally stable was impossible. Over a month into summer, a few weeks on his meds, and a whole lot of time with Shinso, he still hasn't gotten better.

Sure, it's usually all bad, but then there's these moments.

Moments that last briefly, but they didn't happen at all before.

Shinso leaving tons and tons of small kisses all over Kaminari's face while squishing his cheeks so that he keeps his face in place. Kaminari can't stop laughing, and his face is red in embarrassment, but Shinso is laughing too.

Their smiles are wide and they're both so happy, and for Kaminari, it's like his brain stops thinking so hard about the bad stuff, and the pit in his chest goes away for a few seconds.

Kaminari feels stupid giggling and enjoying this so freely, but it's enlightening.

It makes him feel like he's floating.

"You're so-" Shinso pauses in embarrassment, "so handsome."

Kaminari's face burns in between Shinso's hands where his cheeks are still squished together.

"Fuck you," he tries to say, but it comes out slurred from how his face is being held.

"Mean."

"You're mean," the blond fights back.

"Not true. I'm the nicest."

Kaminari pushes him away while rolling his eyes affectionately. His heart starts growing heavy again and he hates it. Why can't he just be normal?

~~~~~

It's just the four of them, and yes, Todoroki sticks around Bakugo like a kid with his favorite stuffed animal, and it's so cute that it has even Shinso smiling at how cute they are because no matter how much Bakugo says he hates Todoroki, everyone sees the look in his eyes when he thinks no one is looking.

The look in his eyes when he hears Todoroki's name, or when he actually looks at Todoroki.

It's either fond or full of passion.

Like he wants to fight or kiss him and he can't decide.

But when Todoroki talks.

Jesus Christ does Bakugo go soft.

And not only Bakugo. It's Todoroki, too. They're so disgustingly cute that it has people gagging around them.

---

"Shut up Halfie."

"Okay."

---

"Thank you Bakugo."

"Shut up! Fuck you dumbass!"

---

"God damn Half'n'Half you fucking reek. Go shower or some shit."

"Okay."

---

"Help me with the homework?"

"Don't act stupid. You know you fucking understood the Chemistry."

---

"Don't fucking dehydrate you idiot!"

"Thank you for the water, Bakugo."

---

But Kaminari and Shinso act like they aren't the exact same.

It's just as disgustingly cute and just as warm and soft. Okay, maybe Bakugo and Todoroki aren't warm and soft, but they are. Kaminari swears they are. Their type of romance is different from most, but it's so incredibly them.

It's the same for Kaminari and Shinso.

---

"Do you always fail at everything?"

"Oh shut up, Blondie, you act like you aren't worse."

---

"Ew Kami, you always smell like shit?"

"Fuck off."

---

"You must be joking. No way you actually knew that."

"I'm not fucking stupid. You know what, Blondie? You can't say anything."

---

Maybe it's not the typical butterfly bullshit, but they love it.

It's mean and fond and aggressive.

It's perfect for them.

It's a mutual unsaid agreement between the two not-couples that no matter what, they don't talk about the closeness between each other.

Sure, Kaminari will tease Bakugo or the other way around, but an actual conversation will never arise from them.

There isn't questioning.

It's just peace. They can be comfortable with the person they like in front of each other and it's nice. Freeing. It's an unsaid agreement, and it's amazing.

Respectful.

There's also the mental illness between the four of them that no one really mentions or brings up unless the problem is visibly taking form.

Like if Todoroki is shaken up about something on a particularly bad day, someone will step in and make sure he's okay, asking him what they need to know in order to be able to help him.

If Bakugo is flinching too much for small things, someone will ask him what's wrong, and he'll be honest.

Just anything like that going on with any of them and someone is around to see it, it'll be mentioned. And it feels good. It's only kept among them four. No one extra needs to see or hear about it. No one who they don't want to know, knows.

It's been like that the whole summer. Kaminari got paid in full already, and even though he did set aside some spending money- practically nothing- he can't help but freak out about how much he'll need in the future.

It's so unnecessary.

It's been eating and eating at him for- well for a long time until one day, it eases up.

It doesn't completely go away, but it's not as harsh.

Then a few days later, the pit in his chest calms the fuck down and his brain stops being so negative.

It's still there.

It's just easier and more-

What's the word?

More tolerable.

Like he won't kill himself if he accidentally stubs his toe on the way to the restroom when he wakes up.

And it stays like that in the days following.

At first he thinks it's some sort of high period where his depression and anxiety aren't as bad, but it continues like that for over a week and he finally tells Shinso.

And then Arai.

Then Bakugo.

And finally, Aizawa.

They're all happy for him and are glad that the medication he was prescribed is finally working for him.

He has hope.

The medication works, and he feels somewhat better.

Sure, he was hoping it would take it all away even if he knew that wasn't know it worked, but it's still good, and he's happy.

He stays like that for a while, and would've stayed like that, but then he went out with his friends to celebrate.

Then that really fucked it all up.

***
Word Count: 993
IKKKKKK THIS ISN'T A LOT, AND it's a cliffhanger, AND IT'S NOT EVEN THAT GREAT but I swear the chapter from Sunday will be good😈😈 (by good I mean angst). Oops. Anwayyyy my Easter break starts tomorrow LMAO i get Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and the Monday off 😈😈😈😈😈😈. Easy shit 😈 I hope you all liked this short as fuck chapter. The next one will be posted on Sunday at 8pm central time. I love you all and tysm for reading<3