Flufftober

Cooking

The kitchen was a disaster waiting to happen. Pots rattled on the stove, dishes were scattered across the counters, and the scent of something burning lingered in the air. Hawks stood at the centre of the chaos, feathers puffed up with determination, his golden eyes focused on a frying pan that was far too hot.

"I got this, babe," Hawks insisted, gripping the spatula with a firm sense of misguided confidence. "I'm gonna make dinner tonight! You just relax."

Dabi leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his usual smirk dancing on his lips. He couldn't help but find Hawks absolutely adorable when he was trying to be domestic. Sure, the whole kitchen was probably on the brink of destruction, but watching Hawks try so hard—completely oblivious to the chaos he was creating—was endearing.

"Relax?" Dabi chuckled, his voice low and teasing. "With you in the kitchen? I might as well call the fire department ahead of time."

Hawks puffed up his chest in mock offense. "Oh, come on! I'm not that bad." He shot Dabi a playful glare, but as soon as he turned back to the stove, the frying pan let out a sharp hiss, and a small flame erupted.

"Okay, maybe a little bad," Hawks admitted sheepishly, yanking the pan off the heat and waving his wings frantically at the flame.

Dabi snorted, but before he could say anything, Toga popped her head into the kitchen, her eyes widening at the sight. "Hawks, what are you doing?!" she shrieked, rushing over. "You're going to burn the whole place down!"

Twice appeared right behind her, looking equally distressed. "Split! Get him out of here before we all go up in flames! Burnt! Feathers and fire don't mix!"

Hawks laughed, sheepish but unfazed. "I'm fine! It's under control!" He waved them off with his wings, but Toga grabbed the spatula from his hand while Twice yanked the frying pan from the stove.

Dabi, still leaning against the counter, watched it all unfold with a small smile. He could see how stressed Toga and Twice were, but Hawks' determination to help was just too cute to intervene. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Hawks' shoulder, pulling him back gently.

"You're really trying, birdbrain," Dabi said softly, his tone much gentler than before. "But maybe cooking's not your thing."

Hawks' wings drooped slightly, and he pouted. "I just wanted to help. You're always the one making dinner."

Dabi's heart softened at that. As reckless as Hawks could be in the kitchen, the sentiment behind his efforts was sweet. Dabi pulled him closer, wrapping an arm around Hawks' waist. "I get it," Dabi murmured, brushing his lips against Hawks' temple. "But you don't need to cook to help me out."

Hawks leaned into the touch, his face warming under Dabi's affectionate gaze. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice a little softer now, the frustration melting away.

"Yeah," Dabi said, smiling. "Besides, I think it's cute watching you try. Just maybe leave the stove alone next time."

Toga groaned dramatically from the other side of the kitchen, holding up a slightly scorched pan. "Cute? I don't see cute—I see disaster!"

Twice nodded in agreement, waving his hands. "Disaster! Cute! Disaster!"

Hawks turned his attention to them, grinning sheepishly. "Alright, alright, point taken. I'm banned from the kitchen."

Dabi chuckled, squeezing Hawks' waist before leaning down to whisper in his ear. "You might be banned from the kitchen, but you're not banned from standing here and looking pretty while I do the cooking."

Hawks flushed, his wings twitching at the teasing tone. "Oh, you think I look pretty, huh?"

Dabi rolled his eyes but smirked as he turned back to the stove, much calmer now that he had taken control. "Shut up and keep me company, will you?"

As Dabi began cooking for real, Hawks stayed by his side, no longer trying to take over but watching with a soft, affectionate look. The chaos had passed, and even though Hawks wasn't exactly a master chef, his attempt to help had filled the kitchen with warmth. Toga and Twice might not have seen the charm in it, but Dabi could. And to him, that was all that mattered.