Toxic Thoughts

Chapter 12: Comfort

Everyone agreed to act normal around Bakugou and to let him open up to them at his own pace. Meanwhile they still needed to make sure he was okay and someone was with him at all times. Which lead to Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido and Sero all staring over the kitchen counter at how skilfully Katsuki cut up the ingredients and prepared dinner. It already smelled delicious and they were really thankful that the angry teen still wanted to cook for them.

Bakugou had explained to Eijirou that it was one of his coping mechanisms, together with writing those poems and making those drawings. It kept his mind distracted, allowed him to express himself. Besides, he liked it.... He would never let anyone take his cooking away from him, not if he had any say in it at least.
"What are you making Kacchan?" Deku asked as he entered the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

"Katsudon!" Mina answered for him.
"Really?!" the green head gasped, getting super excited about it.
"Oh shut up, I know it's your favourite but that's no reason to freak out about it" Bakugou hissed, trying to focus on what he was doing even with all those eyes on his back. It made him feel uncomfortable, at least in this setting. When he was out destroying everyone that stood in his way on the battlefield, people could stare all they want.

But now he felt vulnerable, doing something so completely ordinary and having this many people watching.
"Aw Kacchan~ You're making Midoriya's favourite for him? That's so cute" Kaminari teased.
"Fuck off Pikachu! I'm not making it for him!" Katsuki snapped, glaring at him.
"Hm, no dunce face. I see that as improvement" Sero commented to Kami, who was laughing with Bakugou's predictable reaction.

"Oh come on guys, lay off" Kirishima said, yet unable to hide a chuckle as well.
"That's enough! Out of my fucking kitchen!" Bakugou yelled, his palms releasing small explosions in a threatening manner.
"We're not even in the kitchen though-" Denki began.
"Fuck off! Get out!"

Kirishima was reminded of the moment Bakugou woken up from his nightmare and instantly wanted to push him away. He's uncomfortable...
"You guys leave, I can watch him on my own" Kirishima said, starting to push them away and adding in a more quiet tone.
"He obviously doesn't like it and we shouldn't push him too much right now"

"Yeah, you're probably right... Come and get us when the food is done, okay?" Mina asked, giving one last smile before dragging the others along with her. Izuku left too and it was just Eijirou and Katsuki. The ash blonde felt a lot less suffocated already and returned to his cooking as the red head walked around the counter, now fully entering the kitchen.
"You don't like the teasing, do you? I'll go talk to them if you want? Get them to stop-"

"It's not that I don't like it..." Bakugou mumbled, glaring at the food before sighing and glancing at the red head.
"I-I don't... I haven't had this before, okay?"
"This? You mean friends?" Kirishima asked carefully.
"I've always been alone and nobody dared come near me, let alone tease me... People are scared of me, Kirishima. I've been treated like a villain so much I... I don't know how to act like a hero... Let alone a friend"

The room fell quiet after that as Eijirou tried not to faint. Bakugou had used his actual name, oh my God! He would be freaking out a lot more if it hadn't been in such a serious setting.
"You don't have to force change upon yourself dude. Take your time, we're not going anywhere" he smiled, catching those ruby eyes for a moment.
"I'm not going anywhere..."
Katsuki gave him a small smile, nodding.

"Yeah, okay..."

Oh that little smile... Eijirou hoped to see it more in the future. He wanted to make him smile, to make him happy. He deserved it, maybe even more so than anyone else because of what he's been through. And maybe also because of his crush, that had only been developing more and more as time went on. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help falling for Katsuki... He's handsome, can cook, keeps everything clean and organised... The perfect wife!