A/N: This wasn't supposed to be like this. But the babies demanding baking time and who was I to deny a cute scene3
Summary: Getting caught baking with his childhood rival would usually result in an explosion and several threats being made on her life, but Ochako knew there was more to it.
She knows she's the only one allowed to see the true friends as they are privately and she's aware it's a privilege that could be revoked at any time.
October - Second Term - Third year
Uraraka couldn't deny the way certain relationships started changing around her as they hit the second trimester of their third year. Everyone's quirks were getting stronger and adapting, making team-ups more intricate as the courses kept increasing in difficulty. It wasn't unusual for her to be teaming up with the powerhouses of the class, using her zero gravity to swing them around.
As the third year internships also were in full swing, Uraraka finds herself grateful for the past Saturdays she had off.
Gunhead, her mentor since first year, prides himself on the schedule he created for his staff, allowing the more inexperienced students to work on the weekends. Since she's not part of that particular group, Uraraka finds herself pulling various shifts throughout the week—ranging from patrols to being required for rescues and combat—and she ends up using precious Saturday mornings to catch up on her sleep.
Uraraka emerges from the elevator at 9 AM, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She halters on her steps once she hears the ruckus coming from the kitchen.
"You dumbass! It's all fucked up now!"
"I don't see you doing any better! I'll just rewind the video back."
"Don't touch it!'' Bakugou shouts, "Your hands are fucking filthy!"
Uraraka can't help but stare openly at the scene before her. Bakugou and Midoriya are dressed in aprons, surrounded by several bowls, a measuring cup, and baking essentials from the cupboards. Midoriya's bangs are pulled up in a top ponytail while Bakugou sports a headband; neither of them noticing her presence, too engrossed in the tablet on the counter, trying to manipulate a video with dirty hands.
Uraraka tries to creep back around the corner but accidentally bangs her knee on the wall. She grimaces.
Graceful, Ochako. Good job.
Both heads whip up to her. Embarrassed, she greets them with a wave, rubbing her sore knee.
Bakugou huffs and looks back down at the tablet, but Uraraka can see the light blush dusting his cheeks. Getting caught baking with his childhood rival would usually result in an explosion and several threats being made on her life, but Uraraka knew there was more to it.
She knows she's the only one allowed to see the true friends as they are privately and she's aware it's a privilege that could be revoked at any time.
"What are you two doing? Does Sato know you're wasting precious ingredients?" She moves to sit on a stool at the bar as Bakugou finally triumphs at managing to rewind the video. Uraraka sits on her knees, leaning over the counter to peek at the screen.
"We're using our own stuff. And it's Kacchan's fault." Midoriya frowns at the tablet. As she focuses on him, Uraraka can vaguely hear Bakugou's retort coming from behind. Her relationship with Midoriya had started changing last year, but after meeting Soul Knitter, it had gotten just awkward. Everyone and their mothers (literally) knew of their mutual love for each other but their resolve to be the strongest and best heroes they could be clashed against the fear of the distractions a relationship could bring.
Last year around this time, they had decided to try and go on a few dates, taking things slow and see what would happen one step at a time. And the dates had been so much fun! Midoriya had become her safe space, her best friend, and her number one fan. But after their second kiss, they had both agreed something wasn't right. It wasn't bad but it felt... off? Mina chalked it up to lack of experience while Tsuyu mentioned it could be a lack of chemistry. Uraraka now thinks it might have been both.
Uraraka turns to Midoriya to fully take him in. Even when he is in full muttering mode, he is still handsome by all definitions of the word, but it's when he was solving problems, that his eyes shined the brightest. It truly took her breath away. He hasn't shaved in a few days, leaving faint scruffy patches on his jaw that seemed to counter the cuteness of the blue and cream polka dot apron adorning his chest.
She wonders idly if Bakugou was still jealous that Midoriya had been the first to grow facial hair. He had come as far as challenging his rival to a fight when the wispy black hairs first came in.
Yep, Midoriya is extremely attractive, so why does it stop there? Even back when they experimented, she didn't feel the urge to deepen the kisses or run her fingers over his torso. She snorts into her hand at how foreign those thoughts were, waving off the curious look from Bakugou. But the tug on her being never went away—pulling her toward Midoriya. She likes to hold his hands, to hug him. Oh man, and cuddles? The absolute best.
Soul Knitter's words from a few months back were like a bright beacon shining through a deep darkness. They haunted her, day and night; she hasn't been able to get them out of her head.
"Platonic soulmates are those who keep you together, grounded, and safe. A natural attraction but not necessarily physical… Midoriya, all who you connect with will feel comforted by you… Uraraka, there will never be misunderstanding. There will never be a moment when you cannot reach them."
The question is: does Midoriya feel the same? Or is she trying to label one-sided affection? She sighs. Romantic comedies never mentioned this kind of love.
"Kacchan and I are trying to make these peach pastries for our moms," Midoriya finally speaks up from his muttering, "Hey, I think it's the batter. Did you add each egg one at a time?" Uraraka watches as Bakugou comes back to the island to reread the recipe.
Her heart flutters as Bakugou narrows his eyes at the screen. She didn't even want to try and decipher that reaction right now.
"Where does it say that?" Midoriya points at the line and Bakugou growls. "Why did they ask for this? This is so fucking stupid."
"Wait, pause. What's happening here?" Uraraka picks up the tablet, ignoring the disgruntled Bakurage response, scrolling quickly through the recipe. Her eyes widen as she realizes that they were trying to make choux pastries. Sato told her once that they are very complicated to make and that the first step of slowly boiling the milk was crucial to not mess up.
Midoriya smiles, measuring out the liquids they needed for round two as Bakugou moves to peel more peaches.
"We got day passes to go home," Midoriya comments, "so we are making pastries for our moms. Well actually-"
"The hag demanded we bring something for a barbecue that she's having with Auntie," Bakugou growls. "Bitch probably planned it just to piss me off. Argh, fuck! Why are peaches so sticky?" Bakugou throws down a peach into the bowl, face scrunched up.
Midoriya coughs to cover his chuckle.
"But why peaches?" Uraraka wonders, "Plain choux with a chocolate sauce would be just as good and less headache. I mean, still difficult but you wouldn't have to deal with the peaches."
"Auntie loves peaches."
"Mom loves peaches."
They responded in unison. She smiles fondly, realizing she had interrupted a tender moment between the two. Edging back to a normal, sitting position on her stool and pulling the tablet close to her chest, she's hit with the sudden realization she misses baking with her mom. The rich scent of the peaches and sweetness of the batter fill her nostrils and she fidgets as the intimacy of the moment weighs down on her.
"I didn't mean to intrude. I can leave?" she offers.
"You're not interrupting anything." Midoriya smiles softly, reaching for the tablet. "You've been baking with Sato right? Maybe you can come help! And as a reward, Kacchan will make us breakfast!" He winks at her and grabs her hand. How did he know what she needed?
She smiles and mouths, "Thank you."
Bakugou grunts from his new position at the stove. He pours the milk into the overheated saucepan, not understanding that it was about to have the same result as the last time.
"Ha. It's almost lunchtime." After looking at the clock on the wall, his gaze falls upon her. "Round Face slept the day away." His vermillion eyes dare her to argue. Uraraka knows the glint in his eyes- they glimmer with the anticipation of hoping she'd take the bait, which she does, making a show of rolling her eyes.
"It ain't even ten yet, Bakugou!" He chuckles and her fingers run through her hair as she tries to soothe her heart at his flash of a smile. "'Sides, Mama's peach bread travels better. Even beginners like you could handle it!"
Midoriya barks out a laugh while Bakugou glares at her, although they both know they enjoy the banter.
She slips off the stool, walking over to the stove. Uraraka turns off the stove and snatches the spatula out of Bakugou's hands, and shooing him away. When he refuses to move, she hip-checks him.
"You got a lot of spunk this morning, Floaty," he says, grinning widely.
She sticks her tongue out at him as she pours the milk down the drain. Midoriya sports a smug expression as his eyes drift down to her hips. Bakugou had unknowingly hovered his hand near her hip as she moved the hot milk.
Bakugou rips his body away from her, shoving his hands into pockets, and stomps around the island. He pauses to pull the apron off, throwing it at Midoriya's head, before continuing to move to the front door.
"Eh? Bakugou?"
"Calm your tits, Cheeks. I'm going to get our day passes," he calls back to her. "Deku, make sure she doesn't fuck up the peaches. We won't have time to go get more."
As the door closes, Uraraka can't help but sigh. Bakugou had also been acting strangely toward her since they met Soul Knitter. After their snack run a few weeks back, Bakugou had been more freely teasing her, standing in her personal space. They had even started sparring together some days a week. And she had found herself being more bold with the blonde, which sent sparks to her chest whenever it happened. But he always kept his physical distance when Midoriya was in the room.
She immediately pushes the memory away once Midoriya clears his throat.
"Hey, Uraraka? We should talk."
Uraraka sighs and pauses from gathering the dry ingredients to look at him. His mouth is twisted in a bow as he struggles with words. Uraraka leans on the counter, cocking her hip and waiting for the words to come. After a minute, she groans, looking toward the ceiling. "Midoriya, what in the hell are we doin'? What's wrong with us?"
A strangled cry comes from him as he scrubs his face. "I don't know! I was hoping you knew!"
She jumps back and points a finger at him. "Me?! You're the brains of the operation! You can't think I know what's going on this entire time!" Her breathing is heavier and her finger drops at seeing his expression, his eyes are narrowed, slack jaw, and flour dusting over his face.
She looks at the microwave, seeing herself in its reflection, equally funny with her hair still a mess from bed and a streak of flour on her cheek she didn't realize was there.
Midoriya reads her mind as they both doubled over in laughter at the situation.
"You look ridiculous!" He snorts in between breaths.
"I just woke up!'' she counters, "What's your excuse?"
She wipes her eyes and takes a deep breath to center herself, then moves towards Midoriya, closing their distance as he smiles brightly at her. She grabs his scarred hands. They are rougher now, bigger, and hold more power than she would have ever imagined from the boy she saved from tripping on himself the day of the entrance exam.
"I'll start.'' He inhales deeply. "I love you, Ochako. I care about you deeply and want to continue to be your best friend." He rubs his thumbs across her knuckles, bringing them up to his mouth. She knows her eyes are watering but she really can't help it. "But I don't want to date you, and you don't want to date me. I want to stay best friends. Tell me your secrets, joys, and burdens, even when it involves me."
Her lower lip wobbles and she feels her nose is about to run. He places a soft, delicate kiss on her knuckles before looking at her, waiting for her response. What should she say? Thank you for loving me? Thanks for reading my mind?
"Neat." They both freeze at the unemotional response she had given through tears and snot. His laugh is loud as her face turns red. "No-No wait! I meant...oh my lord. I can't believe I just... Where'd that come from?" She tries to pull her hands away but he grips them tighter. "Izuku, stop your laughin'! I'm redder than a tomato!"
"I can't help it! We should have done this months ago." Midoriya crushes her into a bear hug. "Ochako, I think we're soulmates. But even if we aren't, you're important to me, so let me hang around in your life, okay?" She heaves a relieved sob into his chest. The weight of these last few months has lifted and she missed this. Missed them. Him. Where did the crying boy from year one go?
"When did ya get so wise, Izuku?" she says into his chest. He releases her far enough to see her teasing smile. He messes her hair as she smacks him on the chest to let her go.
"When I met this young lady who likes to look at the stars so much the Fates decided her soul mate would make them. Now, let's get started on the bread before Kacchan comes in and yells at us for being so lovey-dovey."
"Oi!" Bakugou's voice startles them. "WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?"
Uraraka's head snaps back in a roaring cackle. Midoriya just shoves her over to the dry ingredients while looking at Bakugou, whose eyes are twitching with barely contained rage.
"Because we didn't. Ochako and I had to talk about something important. Did you get the passes?" Bakugou widens his eyes for a brief moment, his steps stuttering before he smooths his stride out. He drops the passes on the island sitting on the stool Uraraka left.
"Tch. Of course I did. Now, how much longer 'til we can leave?" Bakugou grumbles.
Uraraka finishes mixing the batter as Midoriya pulls out the two bread pans.
Bakugou leans into the crook of his elbow watching Uraraka's hands fold in the peaches. He looks like a child pouting, watching a game he isn't allowed to play.
Midoriya skims the recipe to make sure the oven is at the correct temperature before answering.
"About twenty minutes until the bread is cooked, another ten for it to cool enough for icing. Then another twenty or so for the icing to dry for wrapping." Midoriya glances at the clock as Uraraka is pouring the sticky goodness into the pans. "We've got an hour to get dressed and head to the train station. Luckily, there's a ten forty-five train we can catch if we use this time wisely."
Bakugou hums in agreement while continuing to watch Uraraka closely. Suddenly self-conscious about the flour streak on her face, she wipes her cheeks with the back of her hands. Her eyes flick over to Midoriya, to Bakugou, and back down to the floating peaches in the batter. Maybe he was tired? This wasn't super early for him so maybe he was just…
A knock on her head has her jerking up, surprised to see Bakugou's hand hovering nearby. Uraraka tries to read his face but he pulls back from her too quickly.
Midoriya grabs the day passes, purposefully swatting Bakugou's head. "Let's meet back here in an hour? And don't worry about Kacchan. He's just jealous he missed out of our talk."
"Fuck off, Deku," Bakugou growls, pulling his hood on and laying his head back on the counter.
"Oh, Izuku, be nice," Uraraka chides softly. Midoriya merely winks at her before strolling to the elevators.
They watch Midoriya until the doors close. Uraraka bites her bottom lip, struggling with whether to say something to Bakugou or not. She opens her mouth to ask if he needed anything but his muffled voice cuts her off.
"So, it's Izuku now,'' he says, a clear statement rather than a question that has a hint of something else in it.
She smiles thinking about the conversation she had mere minutes ago. They hadn't even realized that they had switched to first names.
"Uh. Yeah? Yep. It's Izuku now. You'll be the only one still using his pet name." She giggles at his glare. She can imagine him thinking something along the lines of: how dare she hint that Deku is a term of endearment just like Kacchan.
Uraraka turns to put the bread in the oven. Maybe she should take the chance to talk about the weirdness in their dynamic too? The idea of going through the same patch of awkwardness with him as she had done with Midoriya makes her heart clench. No, she would just go with her gut.
"So is it Katsuki or Kacchan?" she says, a little louder than intended. Uraraka slides both bread pans in and shuts the oven door. "I guess I could still call you Blasty anyways. It's not like you use my first name either." She hears him move from the stool as her fingers fiddle with the timer. "Not that I mind much. If you were to say my first name, I mean. That's if ya even know it. And no, it ain't Round Face or Cheeks or Floaty so don't even try—"
His hand is warm as it slides across her waist. He pulls her back against his chest and lowers his mouth next to her ear. "Katsuki." His words caress her earlobe and she shivers. A burst of heat ignites in her chest, a chill crawls up her spine and the hairs on her neck stand up straight. "For you, it's Katsuki."
Her lips part slightly as he takes a step back. Neither move as the weight of the moment lies heavily in the air. Turning around slowly, brown eyes meet vermillion before he moves toward the stairs. The pull jolts her forward as she reaches for his elbow but she is too slow.
"Katsuki?" His name is still foreign, yet smooth on her tongue. "Where ya goin'?"
He glances over his shoulder, and her heart stutters at the smile that accompanies the lightest of blushes along his cheeks. "We have less than an hour before we got to leave, and Deku got you a pass too. Don't be late, Ochako."
The stairwell doors shut as Uraraka feels her gravity let go.
He called me Ochako.
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To say that Uraraka was exhausted by the time they got on the 7 PM bus back to campus would be an understatement. The barbecue had been in the Bakugous' backyard, and other families from the neighborhood had been invited. The trio were all questioned at first—mostly the boys about their growth, and she about her quirk—but were eventually left to their own devices.
Inko Midoriya was as welcoming as ever, pulling Uraraka into a deep hug and made sure to introduce her to everyone at the party. They had grown close over the years with Inko texting Uraraka every so often to make sure that Midoriya was taking care of himself.
And then, she met Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugou, which was like the last puzzle piece falling into place. She finally understood that Bakugou was truly a blend of both his parents; where he might have gotten his physical looks and boisterous personality from his mom, the softer sides that she has been privileged to see these last few months had definitely come from his dad.
Watching the three interact had truly captivated her to the point that during a 'Tsuki squabble' as his dad called them, Masaru had leaned over to Uraraka, whispering, "Us Bakugou men need strong women to keep us grounded. Don't let my wife intimidate you. Bakugou prefers your kind of strength over hers!"
"Oh uh, actually sir—" Uraraka tried to tell him nothing was going on between her and his son when Masaru winked and patted her on the head. She couldn't stop the roaring blush that took over her cheeks that unfortunately Midoriya had caught and had yet to let it go, bringing it up as they get off the bus at U.A. gates.
"Hey, Kacchan, I think Ochako has a crush on Uncle."
Uraraka slaps Midoriya on the shoulder as both boys laugh at her pain. "Oh my god! For the last time, I do not have a crush on Mr. Bakugou! I'm just amazed at how closely you resemble both of your parents!"
Bakugou doesn't say anything just watches her out of the corner of his eye, as if he is interested in what she has to say.
Uraraka continues at his silence, blush prominent in her cheeks. "I mean, Katsuki, you're obviously your mom's son, but I see now you're more like your dad. I think you have your dad's humor. At least I hope so." She clasps her hands behind her back swaying back and forth. "I mean, even your quirk is a combination of your parents- one creates fuel for a fire and the other is the spark."
She spins to walk backwards, facing the two boys.
"It's kinda cool if you think about it! What about you, Izuku? What's your dad like?" She had witnessed Inko's quirk the last time she went over for lunch.
"Yeah, Deku. Tell her how much cooler your dad is than you," Bakugou mocked.
Without taking Bakugou's words into account, he says, "My dad breathes fire. It's pretty impressive actually. But he works overseas, so I actually don't have a lot of statistics about him as I want." Midoriya pauses for a moment as Uraraka feels the hair on her neck stand on end. Bakugou just groans and continues walking as the muttering starts.
"Good job, Round Face. Now you've set him off." Bakugou's finger pushes on her forehead to get her walking and leave Midoriya to mutter by himself. She frowns.
"I didn't mean to! Maybe I can get him to stop."
"I will pay you if you can do it without punching his stupid ass face." Bakugou feels the bad mood setting in. Seeing his folks and entertaining Uraraka and Midoriya is beginning to drain his social meter. As they turn the corner, he speeds up slightly when the dorm building comes into sight. A few hundred yards left.
"See, this is a moment where you should channel your father… wait, what?" Uraraka catches a phrase in Midoriya's muttering that makes her blood run cold.
She grabs Bakugou's sweater to halt his trek to the front door.
"Izuku, what do you mean you were quirkless?" Her frown deepens.
Bakugou feels lightning rush from the soles of his feet up through his skull. He slowly turns to stare at Midoriya, wide-eyed, trying to search his subconscious for what his rival had been muttering. He curses himself for learning to block the nerd out back in grade school. Midoriya glances at him and all Bakugou can do is look away to keep himself from alerting Uraraka that what she heard was indeed correct. That fucking nerd actually said something about him being quirkless.
"Izuku, what did you mean you were quirkless?" she repeats, taking a step forward, but Bakugou grabs her elbow. He shakes his head, mouth in a thin line, but eyes burning with secrets.
"This is what Soul Knitter was talking about, isn't it? You were quirkless."She points to Midoriya, who is rubbing his arm, looking at the ground. Then, she points to Bakugou. "And you knew about it!'' Uraraka accuses him. "I remember because you tried to kill him the first day of classes when he threw the ball and... Oh my god."
Bakugou can see Uraraka realization hitting her as she replays every fight Midoriya has participated in, connecting every dot imaginable. He knows she is one of the most perceptive people in the class. Her memory is astounding and with her added studies, her problem-solving ability rivals Yaoyorozu. Her usual pink cheeks are pale and her breathing is turning shallow; she is on the verge of a breakdown and all he can do is sit and watch it unfold.
"Inko talked about wanting to sue that doctor for being wrong. And Mitsuki mentioned how lucky Inko was for not dealing with property damage when you were kids!'' More things seem to come to her mind, her eyes widening. "Oh my god, and then your relationship with All Might! And how you don't break bones anymore. I always thought it was weird how out of control you quirk was but it makes sense. You've had to squeeze fourteen years of experimenting into three..." Her voice is fast and high-pitched, trying to voice everything she has realized.
And then, there's a shift. Uraraka's face flushes red, her brows furrow. Her eyes dance with hurt and fury as she rips her arm out of Bakugou's grasp and marches over to Midoriya.
"You lied to me, Deku!" The boys wince as the nickname holds venom. Midoriya reaches for her but is knocked away with a resounding slap. Bakugou is frozen as he watches the two, unsure how to defuse the situation. To be fair, he isn't used to being the diffuser. The nerd might have fucked up more than they thought.
"I had to! It was a secret, Ochako. Like even now we really shouldn't be talking about it on the sidewalk. Kacchan, help me out!" Midoriya looks over Uraraka's head to the blonde but flinches as Uraraka also turns around, stalking back over to Bakugou.
"And you! You let him lie to me! How could you? I trusted you! I trusted both of you!" A tear falls on her cheek.
Bakugou's body moves by itself. In a quick motion, he has one of their hands interlocked behind his back, the other holding tight on her waist, in a makeshift hug. The last thing he needs is for her to try to throw them into low Earth orbit while Midoriya explains what's going on. One for All. The secret to saving the world. Being quirkless and then his childhood hero seeing something on him, changing his life completely.
"Cheeks, let the nerd talk." Although they're both breathing hard, Bakugou relaxes as she slumps against him. Her free arm snakes around his waist. If his heart wasn't trying to fly out of his chest before, it sure is now.
"Ochako, I can't give you all the details right now, but I was born quirkless. I was given this quirk to help save the world and the League of Villains know about it. It was kept a secret from you, mom, everyone to keep you safe." Midoriya pauses, eyeing the girl in Bakugou's arms. "Kacchan only knows about it by chance. Otherwise, only a few pros know... Ochako, you have to keep this a secret. Like, forget you know," he pleads.
Uraraka lifts her head from Bakugou's chest enough to nod in agreement. Midoriya and Bakugou share a sigh of relief, knowing this wasn't over completely but she would let it go for now.
The boys have a silent conversation where Midoriya thanks Bakugou for calming her down and Bakugou yells at him for being so stupid. After a moment, Midoriya makes a pushing motion with his hands. They've got to get to the dorms before curfew.
"You're gonna have to tell All Might you fucked up again, and I wanna be there when you do," Bakugou says, feeling Uraraka perk up slightly. Midoriya makes a strangled choking noise, reaching for his phone.
"I'll text him."
"And have him running over to give us lectures at eight PM? No way. Not tonight. I'm done with people. I'm done with you. I'm going to bed." He glances down, smirking. "Ochako is also done with you, so take the dishes to the kitchen."
Midoriya doesn't argue, his shoulders slumping as he takes the bags toward the dorm. When he is out of earshot, Bakugou releases Uraraka's hand, expecting her to bolt immediately. He is stunned when she doesn't move.
"He's gone. You can let go now, Floaty."
"Why did he lie to me?" Her muffled voice vibrates through his chest. Bakugou bites back a groan. He knew she wouldn't let it go so easily.
"Let us set up a meeting with All Might, and let the bastard explain it. It's his fault anyways, choosing that nerd to begin with. You're just gonna have to wait." He pats her back with hesitation, before pushing on her shoulders to let go. They start walking slowly to the dorms.
"What did you mean Izuku 'fucked up again'?" Bakugou trips on his shoe, catching himself on her shoulder, causing her to giggle. "I don't think I've ever seen you trip before!"
"I don't think I've ever heard you curse like that. 'S weird." He decides he likes her giggles.
"Well, between you and Izuku, it's a wonder I don't curse more often.'' She rolls her eyes. "But since you're avoiding any more questions about him, I have one about your parents."
Bakugou reaches for the door.
"Do you think they ever exploded stuff while they had sex?"
The handle explodes in Bakugou's hand.
They were definitely getting lectured by All Might now.
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