Chapter 16 - Dinner With Friends

As Bakugo continued showing Yuuki how to play a few basic drum patterns, her soft laughter filled the room whenever she missed a beat or dropped a stick. Bakugo tried not to smirk every time she pouted and huffed adorably at herself, though it was obvious he was holding back a chuckle.

He leaned over, tapping the snare with the end of his stick. "You're hitting the hi-hat too early. Focus on the rhythm, not your hands."

Yuuki nodded quickly, her expression serious as she tried again. "O-okay! Like this?"

She tapped out the rhythm once more, this time smoother, and Bakugo gave a low grunt of approval. "Better. You're not terrible anymore."

Yuuki smiled softly at that, her eyes bright despite his blunt tone. "T-thank you... I think," she murmured shyly, fidgeting with the drumstick in her lap.

Before Bakugo could respond, a familiar burst of energy entered the room. Mina and Uraraka came running in, both looking flustered and half-laughing.

"Bakugo!" Mina called, waving her arms. "You gotta come help us before we all starve!"

"Yeah," Uraraka added with a laugh, "Everyone's arguing about dinner and it's total chaos. Half the class wants curry, and the other half wants ramen, and Kaminari keeps saying pizza!"

Bakugo groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You extras can't even make dinner without turning it into a disaster?"

Uraraka crossed her arms with a playful huff. "We're trying! But nobody can agree!"

Jirou laughed and strummed her guitar lazily. "Sounds like a you problem," she teased, but Bakugo was already standing up, looking annoyed.

"Tch. Fine. Move it, I'll deal with it," Bakugo muttered, marching toward the kitchen area. Mina and Uraraka followed him eagerly, clearly relieved someone competent was coming to the rescue. Yuuki blinked and hurried after them, her curiosity getting the better of her.

The scene in the kitchen was exactly as chaotic as they'd described. Sato was arguing with Kaminari over how much salt to use, Kirishima was trying to keep Mineta away from the vegetables, and Iida was shouting about proper kitchen safety while holding a ladle like it was a sword.

"Oi!" Bakugo's voice cut through the noise like an explosion. Everyone froze instantly.

"Shut up already!" he barked, glaring at them. "You're all useless when you start yelling like this."

Everyone quickly turned toward him, quiet but wide-eyed. Even Yuuki flinched a little, clutching the edge of her sweater.

Bakugo folded his arms. "If you morons can't decide, I'll pick. We're making mapo tofu. Spicy. With rice. Simple."

Immediately, there was a chorus of mixed reactions — some excited, some hesitant.

"Ohh, spicy food!" Kirishima grinned. "Sounds manly, I'm in!"

Sero nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, Bakugo's spicy cooking is the best!"

But Yuuki raised a small hand timidly from the back of the group. "U-um... I don't really like spicy food..." she said softly, her voice almost drowned out by the chatter.

Everyone turned to her, and she shrank a little under the attention.

Bakugo sighed, muttering under his breath before looking at her again. "Fine. I'll make a non-spicy version for you, then."

Yuuki blinked in surprise, her big eyes widening. "Wh-what do you mean you'll make it?" she asked, her tone innocent but curious.

That question made everyone laugh — even Jirou, who had just walked in, grinned.

Mina giggled, nudging Uraraka. "Wait, Yuuki, you didn't know?"

Uraraka smiled, nodding. "Yeah! Bakugo's actually really great at cooking. He's kind of a pro, honestly."

Yuuki looked between them, then back at Bakugo, who was already tying an apron around his waist like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Y-you cook?" she stuttered, tilting her head.

Bakugo shot her a sharp look. "Yeah. You got a problem with that?"

Yuuki quickly shook her head, flustered. "N-no! I just... didn't expect it!"

Midoriya smiled from his spot by the counter, his tone fond. "Bakugo's been cooking since we were kids. He's really good at it — everything he makes tastes amazing."

Bakugo scowled at him. "Don't say it like that, nerd."

Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "S-sorry!"

Mina giggled again. "You should've seen Yuuki's face! She looked like you told her Bakugo could sing love songs or something."

Yuuki's cheeks turned bright pink. "I-I didn't mean it like that!" she stammered.

Bakugo rolled his eyes and turned toward the stove, already grabbing ingredients with sharp, practiced movements. "You all talk too much. If you want dinner, shut up and let me cook."

As the sizzling sound of the pan filled the kitchen, the others started to settle down, watching in awe as Bakugo worked — quick, precise, and focused, completely in control of every step.

Yuuki stood quietly off to the side, her hands clasped in front of her as she watched him move. There was something strangely calming about it — the way he concentrated, the way the light from the stove flickered across his determined face.

She smiled softly to herself, whispering just loud enough for Uraraka to hear, "He's... kind of amazing when he's not yelling."

Uraraka giggled. "Yeah," she whispered back, grinning. "Don't tell him that, though. He'll get a big head."

•••

Everyone decided to let Bakugo handle dinner after seeing how focused and in control he was at the stove. Mina, Kaminari, and Kirishima retreated back to the living area where they set up another round of video games, yelling and laughing like usual. Uraraka and Momo lingered for a bit to watch Bakugo cook before joining them, leaving only Yuuki quietly standing nearby. She wasn't sure why she didn't leave too—maybe it was because she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

The kitchen was warm and filled with the delicious aroma of sizzling tofu and sauce. The way Bakugo moved fascinated her. His sharp, precise actions were nothing like the explosive energy he usually showed during training or arguments. His expression was serious, but there was a calm rhythm to everything he did—chopping vegetables with perfect precision, stirring the sauce just right, and tasting the broth before adjusting the seasoning.

Yuuki stood near the counter, fidgeting with the sleeves of her sweater, the soft fabric twisting between her fingers. She wasn't sure if she should say something or just keep watching. But after a few seconds, Bakugo looked up from the stove, and his eyes met hers.

"The hell are you staring at, huh?" he barked, his voice loud enough to make her jump.

Yuuki squeaked, stepping back. "I-I wasn't! I mean—I was just—!" she stuttered, her words tumbling over themselves as she hid behind her hands.

Bakugo scowled but turned back to the stove. "Tch. Don't just stand there doing nothing. If you're gonna hover, make yourself useful."

She blinked, startled. "H-huh?"

He pointed to the cutting board next to him. "Get over here and slice those green onions. Thin, not chunky. Got it?"

Yuuki hesitated, her heart racing. She wasn't used to being that close to Bakugo, especially when he was so intense. But she nodded quickly, shuffling over to the counter. "O-okay... I can do that."

"Then hurry up," he muttered.

Yuuki grabbed the knife carefully, her hands trembling slightly. She'd cooked plenty of times before—especially when helping the girls make snacks—but being next to Bakugo made her nerves skyrocket. She tried to focus on cutting the green onions evenly, but her fingers were shaking, and her mind was racing with thoughts like don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up.

Bakugo was stirring the pan beside her when he glanced over and froze. The knife in Yuuki's hand slipped just a little too close to her fingers, and before she even realized it, Bakugo's hand shot out lightning-fast, grabbing her wrist.

"Oi!" he snapped. "Watch what you're doing!"

Yuuki gasped, looking up at him with wide eyes. Her breath hitched when she saw how close he was—his hand still gripping her wrist firmly, his brows furrowed in that usual intense way, but there was something else behind his eyes. Something like... worry.

"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked, pulling back slightly, her cheeks burning. "I didn't mean to—I was just trying to—"

Bakugo clicked his tongue and released her wrist, though not without giving her a sharp look. "You don't gotta say sorry every two seconds. Just focus."

She nodded quickly, fidgeting again. "O-okay..."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You said you can cook, right? You act like you've never held a knife before."

Yuuki's lips curled into a tiny pout. "I can cook... I really can! I just—um—get nervous sometimes..." she admitted softly, glancing down.

Bakugo raised an eyebrow. "Nervous? Around me?"

Her face turned pink immediately. "N-no! I mean—well, yes—but not because I'm scared! I just don't want to mess up or make you mad!" she stammered, her voice high and flustered.

Bakugo blinked, caught off guard for a moment, then looked away with a huff. "Tch. You're hopeless." But the corner of his mouth twitched, just barely, like he was fighting a smirk.

Yuuki noticed it, her shoulders relaxing just a bit. "S-sorry," she murmured again out of habit, and Bakugo groaned loudly.

"What did I just say about apologizing?"

She froze. "Oh—right! S-sorry!—I mean—oh no, I did it again!"

Bakugo pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Unbelievable..." under his breath before shoving a small bowl toward her. "Here. Mix that sauce for the non-spicy version. You can handle that without slicing your fingers off."

Yuuki blinked, then smiled softly as she took the bowl. "Okay!" she said cheerfully, trying her best to look determined. She started whisking the sauce carefully, her movements small and precise.

Bakugo side-eyed her as he turned back to his own pan. She looked so focused, her brow furrowed slightly, lips pursed in concentration. Her sleeves kept slipping down her wrists, and she kept pushing them back up with a tiny, absent motion.

He exhaled through his nose, muttering quietly, "You really are something else..."

"What was that?" Yuuki asked, looking up.

"Nothing," he said quickly, turning back to the stove with his usual scowl.

For a few quiet minutes, the kitchen was filled with the rhythmic sounds of sizzling food and the faint laughter of their classmates from the living room. Despite the chaos earlier, the two of them worked together surprisingly well—Bakugo giving quick, blunt directions, and Yuuki following them carefully, doing her best not to mess up.