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“He said what?”
“Hell no, kick him to the curb, stat.”
“What Denki said. That is, like, totes not okay, Miss Rei.”
Rei gingerly picks up her glass and takes a long sip of her cocktail through the dainty straw. The tequila in it makes the back of her tongue prickle but the sweetness of the peaches smooths it out. This might be her favorite drink so far of her weekly, solo date adventures.
Though, tonight she can no longer consider this a solo outing.
She takes another sip and looks up at the three young people who have decided to join her. It’s a mystery as to why they would want to spend their night off with a middle aged woman in the corner of a bar. But Rei isn’t one to deny the company. Besides, they’re not strangers, they’re Shouto’s friends. Any one of them is welcome to share a space at her table for all they’ve done for her son.
“Alright,” says Ashido, “We’re gonna have to give him a piece of our mind.”
“Well, I dunno about that,” Kaminari says, scratching the back of his head. “Is he really worth that kinda effort? I mean, isn’t the trash just taking itself out here? Just block him.”
“You cannot be serious right now, babes,” Utsushimi says. “After talking to Miss Rei like this? Nah uh, not on our watch.” She holds up Rei’s cellphone that still displays the text thread.
Rei wonders if she should maybe have kept it to herself; she was not expecting this level of outrage over a few less than savory messages from a man none of them have ever met, including her. A conversation was all she was going for. She thought a glimpse into her stumbles through the dating world as a newly single woman for the first time in thirty years might prove to be an interesting enough topic of discussion. Maybe even relatable.
She wasn’t wrong. Perhaps she’ll see this through.
“Can we text this fool for you, Missus Todorok—I mean, Miss Rei?” asks Ashido, her pink cheeks flushing red with righteous indignation on her behalf.
“Yeah, like, we are so okay with doing the dirty work for you,” says Utsushimi, tucking strands of her hand behind both ears with her well-manicured fingers.
With raised brows, Rei turns to Kaminari who seems to have quickly renounced his hesitation. His lips quirk in a half grin and he shrugs. “Honestly, he’s got it coming,” he says. “Someone’s gotta put these shitty men in their place, am I right?”
Rei chuckles, amused. There’s a prickle of sadness and shame, too, that doesn’t linger too long. It’s not a concept she’s familiar with but one she’s ready to take up in this second chance at a real life of her own. These ladies seem quite apt for the task and she is more than happy to learn from them.
With a smile she nods. “I hope you don’t mind mentioning that his haircut is rather abysmal while you’re at it?”
Ashido throws her head back in a cackle while Kaminari says, “Oh man, shots fired”. Utsushimi nods in profound agreement.
“Highkey, chopped AF,” Utsushimi adds sagely, taking the phone from Ashido to look at the man’s dating profile again. She makes a face. “I, like, wanted to say something earlier but I didn’t, like, wanna insult your taste. But you are so out of his league, like, you are beyond gorg.”
“The hottest mom in town for real.” Kaminari’s eyes go wide as soon as the words leave his mouth. Ashido glares at him and makes him yelp with an apparent kick to the shins under the table.
“Uhh, my bad,” he sheepishly says to Rei. “I just mean, uh, I was just, you know, you are good-looking and—shit, Shouto’s gonna kill me, and then Katsuki’s gonna—oh my god I’mmm just gonna go get us all another round okay B-R-B.” Kaminari practically leaps out of his seat and rushes to the bar.
Rei feels her cheeks burn at the barrage of compliments. The feeling is unfamiliar but not uncomfortable.
“I am so sorry about him,” Ashido says with a sigh. “He’s just a dumbass sometimes.”
Rei smiles and looks after the blond. “It’s okay. That was very sweet of him.”
“A dumbass but an absolute charmer,” Utsushimi says. She looks over her shoulder then back at Rei, her eyes taking on a twinkle. “Like, he’s not my type but he sure knows how to show a girl a good time, if you know what I mean.”
Rei blinks. “I’m not sure I do.”
“Denki took her out once a longgg time ago,” Ashido supplies, waving her hand flippantly. “Clearly didn’t work out but Camie’s not wrong. He’s a good time, if anything. Makes your life a little better, a little brighter, and he knows it too. He’s definitely one of the good ones but his luck’s pure crap.”
Rei hums. “I see.”
Something seems to dawn on Ashido then, and her expression shifts. A tacit conversation is exchanged between the two girls with just a look. Unable to decipher the meaning of Ashido biting the inside of her cheek and Utsushimi’s puckered lips and raised eyebrows, Rei finishes the last of her drink.
“Alllright.” Kaminari appears with an armful of more.
“Why didn’t you just get a tray, dummy?” Ashido asks, quickly helping him.
“Because I’m a strong and capable man who don’t need no—whoops! We’re good, we’re good!—who don’t need no tray.” Kaminari grins, a little winded. He swipes away a drop of sweat from his temple. The girls have another silent conversation which she doesn’t try to interpret this time.
“So,” Kaminari says, easily reclaiming his seat across from Rei and between the girls. “We ready to demolish this jerk now or what?”
Rei folds a hand around her glass, cooling the condensation. She unlocks and slides her phone back to the center of the circular table, placidly taking in the diabolical grins.
“But first, a toast,” says Ashido. “Can’t skip a toast!”
“Oh, totally.” They all pick up their glass, Rei with a bit of a prompting from Utsushimi. “Cheers! To a good time!”
Rei smiles. She understands now why her son is so very fond of these friends of his. She repeats the words and their glasses clink.
With that, Kaminari picks up the phone and poises two thumbs over the screen while Ashido and Utsushimi press in close to him from either side.
Ashido clears her throat and begins to dictate: “Dear Fuckwad Tiny Dick.”
Oh my.
Rei takes another long sip.
❄️⚡️❄️⚡️
The diligent crafting of the message takes a good half hour. Rei learns a lot about many different things at once during that time including even more unfamiliar slang.
Part way through she wonders if this is even appropriate. It’s not as if she sought this out but should she have excused herself and let the young folk enjoy their evening together? After noting her sitting alone, did they feel obligated to give her company? Or because she is Shouto’s mother? She hopes it wasn’t just for those reasons.
She did make an effort to invite friends of her own age. She’s still not well-established with them and it’s all very new but Inko and Mitsuki were simply busy. They assured her they would join her for the next happy hour.
It was frightening at first, to venture out into the world. To have to rebuild something for herself with her newfound independence. Frightening, but also freeing.
“It’s always easier once you have friends.” Shouto’s words from the day she first moved into her own apartment continue to ring true everyday. She knew of his experience with loneliness. The way years of isolation can make it difficult to leave your cage even when the door is now open.
She remembers getting to meet Mitsuki, Inko, and then the Kirishimas at the UA shelters, then again under much better circumstances. They were wonderful. Their perspectives and life experiences, different from her own, began to open up her world.
She supposes this is the same thing. This time with Ashido, Utsushimi, and Kaminari isn’t something she should dismiss or walk away from. While she is nearly twice their age, she finds that she has a lot to learn from them as well. In an odd way, she feels like she is getting to witness and experience a phase of life she didn’t get to when she was in her twenties.
And now that she has the opportunity, she doesn’t want to let it go.
“Any final changes, Miss Rei?” Kaminari asks as Rei reviews the long paragraph. She winces at some of the wording, adds a few punctuations where she sees fit, but edits nothing else. It might not be something she would send—she wasn’t planning to reply to the man at all—but she’s satisfied.
“None,” she says.
“Perf! Will you do us the honor?”
Rei presses send. The three cheer loudly at the whoosh sound that follows.
“Okay, now we block him ‘cause good riddance,” Ashido mumbles, taking the phone, tapping about, then returning it to her.
They all grin at her.
“That was, like, so fun,” Utsushimi says. “I’m so glad we were here for that.”
Rei smiles, “Me too.”
“Oh my god, could you imagine if Shouto saw the dude’s message?” Kaminari quips. He shudders visibly and Rei grimaces as well. “We’d have a crime scene on our hands. No offense.”
“My son does have a strong sense of justice,” she agrees. “And he can be quite protective. Katsuki definitely has much to say about that,” she chuckles.
“For what it’s worth, we’ve got your back too,” Kaminari says, the sincerity in his voice making her feel warm. “Hit us up any time. Here, lemme give you my number.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that.”
Rei hands her phone and watches him type, looking up when the girls slide out of their seats in unison.
“I think we’ve gotta skedaddle, you guys,” Ashido says, hooking her handbag onto her shoulder. “Eiji and Hanta just got out of their movie.”
Utsushimi pops a piece of gum in her mouth, then tosses one onto the table in front of Kaminari. “But hey, the night’s still young! You kids keep having a fun night, yeah? Oh, the view from the rooftop restaurant down the street is amaze, especially at sunset. Denki-boy, you gotta take Miss Rei to check it out.”
Kaminari’s eyebrows furrow, his gaze lifting from the screen to the two girls. He looks confused for a moment.
“Wait, what do you—oh shit, really?”
Rei opens her mouth to politely decline, freeing the young man of an unnecessary responsibility. But he abruptly turns to her, cheeks ruddy but his eyes glinting with determination.
“Have you been on a date with any of these chumps yet?” Kaminari gestures to the phone.
Rei slowly shakes her head. “I have not. I’ve actually never…” She trails off, suddenly hyperaware of her own inexperience with what are considered “normal” things.
Utsushimi gasps. “Oh em gee, no.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never been on a date!” Ashido’s whisper is loud.
Rei swallows, folding her hands in her lap. Quietly, she says, “Not in an official capacity, no.”
The brief silence is deafening.
“Well, good thing the king of first dates is here, huh?” Kaminari says, puffing up his chest.
Ashido snorts. “Yeah, ‘cause a first is all you can ever get.”
Kaminari is undeterred. “And I make the one freaking count!”
“The crown’s all yours, babes,” Utsushimi says, looping her arm through Ashido’s. “We’ll leave you to it. Have a blast, Miss Rei! Remember,” she blows a bubble with her gum, which pops as she winks, “let him show you a good time. See ya!”
With that, the girls amble out of the bar. Rei stares after them. She is suddenly out of her depths, even more so than usual.
“Do you have to close your tab?” Kaminari asks, standing up.
Rei takes a second to process. “No, I don’t. But Kaminari, I don’t think—”
“Great! We don’t have a rezi but I’m sure I can flash ‘em my hero license and get us a good table.”
“Oh. That’s wonderful but—”
“Unless you wanna go somewhere else? We can keep it lowkey if you’d like.”
“Yes, I think I’d prefer that but, Kaminari—”
“Call me Denki. Feels too formal and weird if I’m taking you out and I—”
“Kaminari.”
The sternness in her voice gets him to finally pause.
“You are very sweet,” she says kindly. "I’ve always known that, Shouto’s told me plenty. And I do not doubt your abilities to entertain a date.”
“I said I’m the king, not the court jester,” Kaminari jokes and Rei laughs softly.
“Your abilities to royally impress a date then,” she amends. “But that date cannot be me.”
“Why not?” Kaminari challenges. He sits back down, slips the piece of gum into his mouth, and crosses his arms on the table. Listening. Waiting.
Rei wasn’t entirely prepared for a push back.
“Because you’re young,” she says.
Kaminari tips his head one way then the other in consideration. “Sure. But I’m an adult.”
Rei nods. “You’re twenty-five.”
“Twenty-six as of two-weeks ago actually!”
Oh dear. “And I am a woman in my fifties. You are young, Kaminari.”
“Denki.”
Rei huffs through her nose. “Denki. You have a whole life ahead of you. And you deserve someone who you can share it with. That person is not me.”
Kaminari doesn’t say anything immediately. He just searches her face, neither put off or discouraged.
“Miss Rei. Rei, should I call you Rei?” His nose scrunches. “Uh, that’s not the point but just hear me out—man, I’m being so weird right now, okay okay.” He laughs nervously and physically shakes his head a bit. Then he reaches out and takes one of Rei’s hands between both of his own.
“Maybe this isn’t ‘proper’, and maybe it’s just not your thing. Either way, that’s fine. But, like, I’m not trying to be Shouto’s step-dad or something here.” Kaminari wrinkles his nose again and closes his eyes, tipping his head back to groan at the ceiling. He looks back down.
“God, I’m fucking this up.”
“Don’t worry, I haven’t noticed,” Rei says.
Kaminari snorts. “You’re Shouto’s mom alright. Ugh, why do I keep bringing that up!”
“Because it’s true,” Rei says gently. “Which is another reason this is not necessary.”
Making an impatient sound, Kaminari says, “But don’t you get it? This isn’t about necessity or being required to. I want to take you out.”
Rei blinks at him in surprise.
“You are hot as hell, Miss Rei. Wait, is that an insult because of, uhh, your quirk?”
Rei remains speechless so she shakes her head.
“Okay, cool. But yeah, I don’t think you realize just how attractive you are. And hilarious and fun to hang with. And, like, if me saying all that makes you wanna twist my ear or something go ahead. But I just wanna take you out. I wanna get to know you some more. One evening. Some food and a good time. I’m not asking for anything more. That can’t hurt, yeah?”
Rei finds her heart racing. She’s never had someone look at her with such innocent desire before. A simple plea for her time and attention. No higher purpose or agenda beyond just…her.
“If the answer’s still no, I’ll shut up right now,” Kaminari says. “No hard feelings. But if it’s just about what you think people might say or judge you about, or that you think there’s some kinda invisible gun to my head right now, then I beg you to reconsider. Casual. Nothing crazy. So whaddya say?”
The gears spin in Rei’s head. It’s hard. She doesn’t know how to make selfish decisions, it was never an option. It’s not like she doesn’t find herself drawn to Kaminari. He’s kind and safe. He’s everything Enji was not. She isn’t the least bit afraid of him. She realizes she wants to experience this.
“But, Shouto…”
“Oh, that’s easy!” Kaminari fishes out his phone from his pocket. “I’ll text him right now if that’ll help.”
Anxiety and embarrassment wells up inside her but Kaminari has finished texting before she can say anything.
“Look!” He turns the screen to her so she reads.
<<< hey dude me and the girls ran into your mom at the
bar and im gonna take her out on a date now. Cool?
Rei watches with bated breath as three bouncing dots appear. Then disappear. Then reappear. The dots bounce for what feels like hours when at last a reply appears.
Shotoroki Todo 😎
>>>I see. I will have to process this
>>> if that is my mother’s wish, then yes
>>> you are my friend and i care for you
>>>but tread lightly
An additional message appears at the top of the screen from a different contact.
Bomb Voyage 💣
>>> one wrong move and I run you over with my car Pikachu
Kaminari sees the expression she makes and takes the phone to look. His eyes light up.
“See! He’s all in!”
“I apologize for their threats,” Rei says but Kaminari just waves her off.
“Nah don’t worry about it. This is them being nice. Well, Blasty anyway. Shouto’s always nice so when he’s scary he’s scary. But he’s a good guy, I love him. So? Is that a yes?”
Rei bites her lip. She goes through every argument to discourage this. To dissuade herself from accepting.
Kaminari picks up her hand, looks her in the eye, and presses a kiss to the back of it.
“Yes,” she breathes.
Kaminari’s grin is as bright as a flash of lightning.
⚡️❄️⚡️❄️
They decide to get ice cream instead. The place isn’t far and the summer sun is still above the horizon so they go on foot. With each step, Rei is very aware of Kaminari’s presence beside her. How the height of his shoulder isn’t too far above hers. The way he accidentally veers into her as he walks and talks, apologizes, steps back to his side, then does it again. There’s mild static that raises the hairs of her arm every time their hands brush.
She wonders if that’s a constant thing or if he’s simply nervous. Despite his air of confidence she can tell he’s not entirely relaxed either.
It’s her inclination to soothe that has her closing the minute distance and taking his hand in hers. He stops talking mid sentence and looks down with large eyes. He slowly rearranges their fingers so that they’re intertwined, then looks up with a crooked grin.
“Didn’t think you’d wanna hold hands,” he says. “Probably noticed that mine get staticky.”
She smiles back. “And mine get very cold.”
The final crosswalk is a busy one. Clutching her handbag close to her side, Rei allows Kaminari to walk a step ahead of her, guiding them through the crowd. Every time he glances back to check that she’s there brings about an unfamiliar bubbly feeling inside her. She enjoys it.
“Hell yeah, Machi’s working!” Kaminari exclaims as they approach the ice cream parlor. Rei squints through the glass and spots a young woman with a mint green bob serving behind the counter. “She always gives me a free scoop,” Kaminari explains proudly.
The bell tinkles as they enter and Rei takes a moment to appreciate the interior. The old school aesthetic is instantly welcoming.
Black and white checkered tiles. Pastel blues and pinks and yellows for the chairs. The wooden planeling beneath the counter is a pastel green, along with the wallpaper that is just a tad lighter in shade. Artistic renditions of ice creams of various flavors—in cones, in cups, even in a wine glass—are framed on every wall as decor.
On the wall behind the counter are several more frames, this time of photographs. Rei gasps softly as she recognizes many familiar faces including Shouto’s. Katsuki and Kirishima are in one frame together. Lemillion sits at a table in another one, with young Eri across from him.
All Pro heroes eating ice cream at this very place.
Rei chuckles in delight.
“Kinda cool huh,” Kaminari says, pointing at a photo of himself. “I think this is how I knew we made it in the big leagues. We even have our own flavors now!”
“Even I couldn’t believe it when the Chargebolt lemon sherbet became a best seller around here.”
Rei peels her gaze from the photo wall to Machi who has a teasing smirk on her face. “Nobody likes lemon,” she adds.
“Correction: you don’t like lemon,” Kaminari quips back. “Everyone else has taste.”
“Sure they do, Sparky.”
Machi folds her arms atop the display and turns her attention to Rei. Her impish grin doesn’t falter and her jade-green eyes sparkle. “Speaking of taste…”
“Good evening,” Rei tips her head politely.
“Oh, good evening,” Machi says, drumming her fingers on the glass. “Say, would you like a little taste of Denki?”
Beside her, Kaminari gasps and then proceeds to a coughing fit. Rei pats his back in alarm. When he straightens, he directs a glare at Machi who is unperturbed, holding out a mini plastic spoon with pale yellow ice cream.
“It’s got shortbread mixed in,” she supplies happily.
Rei takes it from her and studies it before slipping it into her mouth. As it melts on her tongue, she relishes its taste and flavor profile. The texture of the shortbread pieces is just perfect.
She looks to Kaminari with a smile. “You taste good,” she compliments.
Machi snorts.
Kaminari’s cheeks flush and he gets a bizarre look on his face before he clears his throat. “T-Thank you, uh, thanks, yeah.”
“You’re welcome. Is there any other flavor you recommend?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Kaminari looks at the display. He points to one on the far left. “That one’s Shouto’s, you should try it. It’s a strawberry-vanilla swirl with fresh strawberry chunks.”
Rei nods then looks at Machi. “I’ll have one scoop of each, please.”
“Comin’ right up! Cup or a cone?”
“A cup is fine, thank you.”
“No problem. And you, Denki?”
Kaminari seems to have recovered from his brief self-conscious spell. Rubbing his hands in excitement he orders, “A scoop of Riot’s red velvet rocky road, the Tsukuyomi black current, and a Uravity bubble gum on a cone, please and thanks!”
“Weird combo but you got it.”
“Last time when I came here with the gang I got five scoops and Katsuki almost had a conniption,” Kaminari tells Rei gleefully, making her chuckle.
“Did you happen to at least get his flavor?”
“He didn’t,” Machi answers, handing Rei her cup. “You know that’s why the poor dude was butt hurt that day,” she tells Kaminari with a disapproving frown.
Kaminari throws up his hands. “Who the hell comes up with spicy caramel as a flavor?!”
“Don’t act surprised. You’re just a bad friend.”
“Rude!” Kaminari says, though not looking entirely offended. Still, Rei touches a hand on his arm.
“That’s not true, you’re a very good friend.”
Kaminari grins sheepishly. “Thanks Miss Rei.”
“‘Miss’, huh?” says Machi, handing Kaminari his ice cream tower with an amused look.
“Shuddup Machi,” he says good naturedly. They shuffle to the register where Kaminari easily blocks Rei’s access to it, paying with a tap of his phone. He gestures to her with his hand in the shape of a gun and clicks his tongue.
“Wanna sit over there?” he asks Rei, pointing to the empty corner table by the windows where the evening sunlight pours in like honey.
“I would, yes.” Grabbing a wad of napkins on the way, Rei follows after him.
Once they take a seat, Kaminari takes a dramatic lick of all three flavors of his ice cream. His eyes glitter like gold in this light. Rei scoops a spoon of hers as well.
“Okay,” Kaminari says, resting his elbow on the table. “If you could have your own flavor, what would it be?”
Rei hums, pondering the intriguing question. “Perhaps a jasmine green tea flavor,” she answers after a while.
Kaminari’s face brightens. “Hell yeah, wait I love that so much. Speaking of tea, oh my gosh this one time Momo made us some at one of her parties and…”
As Kaminari excitedly gets into his anecdote, Rei listens intently while enjoying her treat. He’s an animated story-teller, his gestures entertaining. His quips and jokes make her laugh. His questions to her are interesting and make her think. The random turns into various topics aren’t the easiest to follow but that doesn’t matter.
She can’t remember the last time she felt this comfortable talking to someone who wasn't one of her children. Even then, there is inevitably a sense of having to make up for lost time and lost connections. But that feeling doesn’t exist here.
Talking with Kaminari feels refreshing and easy. He definitely has more to say than she does but that only adds to the ease of it. Of sharing herself with someone without any fear.
They leave only when Machi apologetically tells them it’s time to close. Rei thanks her and waits for Kaminari to quickly wash his sticky hands in the restroom. When he offers his hand, she doesn’t hesitate to take it.
The sun has long since set but there are people still out and about. The streetlights illuminate the sidewalk, casting long, beautiful shadows. She catches a glimpse of hers and Kaminari’s and blushes, savoring the pleasant flutter in her stomach.
Kaminari convinces her to a short stroll through the nearby park. People glance their way, as they have been all evening, but don’t disturb them. She wonders if they don’t recognize Kaminari in his loose fitting civilian clothes or if they simply respect his privacy when off duty. Either way, she’s grateful for it.
They don’t talk as much on the walk, just relishing the breeze and the sights, which is equally pleasant. Kaminari hums a tune, at one point bringing her hand up to his mouth to casually press a kiss to it. Her heart skips a beat.
When they reach the other end of the park, Rei reluctantly speaks up. “It’s getting quite late. I should head back home and call Fuyumi.”
Kaminari checks his phone and balks. “Oh god, yeah, yeah. Man, I lost track of time, I was having too much fun.”
Rei chuckles. “This was wonderful,” she agrees. “Thank you.”
Kaminari grins. He shifts on his feet; the sudden awkwardness of having to part ways strikes Rei too. She decides to take on the burden of initiating and carefully slips her hands out of his hold.
“Let me walk you home,” he asks, reaching back out to hook his pinky with hers. “Please?”
“I was going to take the bus,” she says gesturing to the stop across the street from them.
“I’ll come with!” he says, fully taking her hand again. “Or better yet, I’ll grab us a cab. Like you said, it’s late. And a good date always walks you to your door,” he says, standing taller.
“You don’t have to—”
“Ah, ah,” he cuts her off, holding up a finger. “I want to, remember?”
Rei huffs, then nods. “That would be lovely.”
A cab is hailed quickly and Rei states her address to the driver once inside.
The drive takes less than fifteen minutes. Rei sits quietly while Kaminari makes friendly conversation with the driver. His hand rests on her knee the whole way, making her stomach swoop in a way that has nothing to do with the sharp turns of the vehicle.
When they pull up in front of her house, Kaminari whistles, impressed.
“Damn, this is a nice little neighborhood. Real adult vibes,” he says. With a laugh he adds, “Makes my apartment building look like a dump. Wait, don’t get out yet!”
Rei shakes her head fondly as Kaminari hurriedly gets out of the car and jogs to her side to open her door for her. She takes his offered hand and ducks out.
“D’you mind waiting for me?” he says to the driver. “I’ll be back.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Kaminari closes the door shut after her. She lets go of his hand to fix her skirt but before she can take it again, he settles it at her low back. The touch spreads like electricity from the point of contact.
“After you!” he says cheerfully.
Rei leads the way to the front door, aware that they’re approaching their time of parting a second time. Her heart thuds beneath her ribs as she tries to contemplate a less uncomfortable way of going about it.
Their shoes echo dully up the three steps to the door. The small light above them flickers on automatically. She turns, hands held together in front of her.
“Thank you, Kaminari,” she says. “I had a very good time. Truly.”
“Greatest first date, would you say?” he teases.
She chuckles, looking down at her shoes and strongly aware of how close they’re standing. The hand that was at the small of her back now hangs in the air between them. She can tell he wants to touch her again. Is waiting to. She realizes she craves it as well.
She looks up at him with a smile. “Best I’ve ever had,” she confirms. He laughs in delight.
Rei decides she likes the sound. She studies his face boldly, suddenly struck by his youth and handsomeness. The light freckles across his nose are endearing. His bejeweled ears and half-tied back blond hair is alluring in a novel sort of way for her.
Maybe it’s the safety of being at her own doorstep, or maybe it’s Kaminari that makes it easy yet again to be courageous, to say what she’d like to say.
“Do your first dates usually end with a kiss goodbye, then?”
Kaminari’s eyes widen in surprise and his cheeks turn rosy. He bites down on his bottom lip and takes a step closer. His hand finds her hip, cautious.
“Not always, no,” he murmurs. “But I, uh, I do wanna kiss you.”
Rei’s heart flutters like a hummingbird’s wings up in her throat. She’s nervous, but beyond that, she feels a thrill reminiscent of her first kiss on a roof top her second year of high school. It’s been so long. She’s missed having another person make her feel this way: young and carefree and desired.
She lets her gaze dip to his mouth and that seems to be the indication he needs. Kaminari surges toward her, lips capturing her own.
The kiss steals the air out of her lungs. Kaminari’s other hand finds her cheek, tucking back a strand of her hair and cupping it tenderly. The press of his mouth is light, the pressure increasing with each small closed mouth kiss. Still, it isn’t forceful but his need is palpable.
He takes another half step closer to her, offsetting her balance. She grabs his shoulder, her handbag dropping from her arm as she feels behind her for the door with her other hand.
“Sorry,” he breathes, continuing to walk. “Sorry.”
She hums, then gasps as her back hits the door. Kaminari’s tongue slips past her lips in that instant, eliciting a surprised sound from her. She feels Kaminari stiffen a bit and begin to pull away but she threads her hand into the back of his hair.
“You’re okay,” she whispers, scared to shatter the moment. “This is okay. I–I want this too.”
Kaminari moans and the sound makes Rei shiver. He kisses her with renewed vigor, tilting her head further to lick into her mouth. The hand at her hip skims up her side then back down. Tentatively, he untucks her top from her skirt.
His thumb slips under to caress bare skin. “S’this okay?”
“Yes,” she says, emboldened to wrap her arms around his neck.
The sounds of their kisses are slick, the path of his touches lighting little fires across her hip and back. When he squeezes her rear, she yelps, but laughs it off.
Taking a chance, she slips a hand up under the back of his T-shirt. His skin is smooth, occasionally interrupted by the ridge of a scar. She thinks she can feel twin dimples just above the waistband of his jeans.
“Miss Rei,” he whimpers softly and Rei can’t think clearly enough to discourage the use of the honorific. She can’t deny that a part of her brain finds it appealing.
Kaminari’s lips migrate to her jaw, then her neck. Rei fists her hands into the fabric at his back, panting. She opens her eyes slightly, remembering that the cab is still parked out front. A part of her feels shame at the disrespect toward the driver, to engage in such public displays of affection while he waits and can possibly see them. But the feeling is momentary, driven away by the sharp sting of Kaminari’s teeth beneath her jawline.
“Ah, careful, I-I—”
“No marks, don’t worry,” Kaminari assures her. After another playful nip he returns to kissing her skin sweetly, slowly but surely working his way back to her mouth.
Rei is left breathless.
The kisses soften again, the energy shifting to something tender and sweet. Right then her phone rings from her purse on the ground.
Rei makes a soft noise at the disturbance, smiling when Kaminari giggles. She pecks his mouth, then his cheek. He pulls away enough to snatch up her bag, looking both abashed and exuberant as she fishes through it to answer the call.
“Hello, Fuyumi?..Yes, yes I’m home…I’m safe. Yes, he’s—he was very sweet…I know, I’ll text him…thank you. Goodnight, sweetheart.”
After typing out a quick text to Shouto, Rei puts the phone away again. Kaminari’s hands that were idly playing with her short hair still return to her waist. She’s easily lured in for a lingering kiss.
“Can I see you again, Miss Rei?” He asks softly.
Rei takes in the hopeful look in Kaminari’s eyes. In her chest, she feels the same eagerness mirrored. Second dates. And second chances at a good life of her own. One that isn’t weighed with any more of her regret, one where she gets to decide how her story plays out. Her life is finally in her own hands.
“I do have your number now,” she says, running her hands up his arms and squeezing his lean but muscular biceps. “Perhaps I’ll take your offer and ‘hit you up’ as you requested.”
Kaminari throws his head back in a loud laugh. His grin is illuminating. The way he looks at her makes her believe that maybe she does know how to show someone a good time as well.
With one last kiss to her cheek, he reluctantly steps away. He winks and waves and heads to the cab and Rei watches him go, cheeks aching.
Taking a deep breath she turns to her door, unlocks it with her key. As she enters she absentmindedly looks up to see her home security camera, the red light blinking right at her. She enters and shuts the door, pausing in mild horror.
Oh my.
Her children have access to that.