It was rare that Yaoyorozu was able to spend much time with (L/N). Much of her time was devoted to her studies, and what few precious hours weren't spent on homework and review were often spent in the company of Jiro and Ashido and her other classmates, and (L/N)'s disinclination toward people meant that any time she spent with him had to be spent alone. Not that she was complaining. She treasured the moments they shared, no matter how fleeting or mundane. But the hours they stole were few and far between, and often came at the sacrifice of sleep. All this to say, a full day for them to share in each other's company was a welcome treat.

Once the pain and fear had subsided, Yaoyorozu offered to read to him. Leading him gently by the hand to her bedroom, she picked up the book from her nightstand and opened it to the chapter they had left off on at the end of their last visit while (L/N) stood awkwardly next to the door. Sitting on her bed, Momo patted the spot next to her and smiled as (F/N) nervously walked over to her and sat down. She pushed herself further onto the bed and rest her back against the headboard, waiting for him to do the same before starting to read. 

Two hours saw the book finished, but neither of them made to move, so, holding (F/N)'s hand, Momo began to talk. She told him about her hobbies: horseback riding, crochet, calligraphy, and sadō, and she asked more about him. What other instruments he played and how his supplemental quirk training was going.

"Can you feel the stars?" She asked him, repeating the question she had asked at the training camp.

He nodded in response. "I can." He said. He told her how the light from the sun and stars was easier to sense than those from manmade sources. That it felt purer and came with greater clarity. She looked up at him with astonishing wonder as he told her he could feel the constellations, and that when he concentrated, he could even make out the swirling nebulas and spiraling galaxies. How he could feel the very universe itself.

"When I was younger, I always used to dream about seeing the stars up close." She told him. "I wanted to be an astronaut for a long time."

Though reluctant for the moment to end, hunger eventually forced them from their languid idyll. (L/N) stood in the hallway just outside the door, waiting for Yaoyorozu to change out of her school uniform. Five minutes later she stepped out in a cashmere sweater and corduroys and once again took his hand, guiding him to the kitchen.

"Let's see." Yaoyorozu muttered as she opened one of the cupboards. She listed a few options as she moved some of the items around, but other than boxed pasta, there wasn't a great selection. She tried the fridge next, but most of what was stocked were raw ingredients, and Yaoyorozu having grown up in a household catered by personal chefs had very limited kitchen abilities outside making tea.

She withdrew her head from the fridge with a resigned sigh. "I suppose we could order in." She suggested.

She was just about to close the refrigerator door when (L/N) came up behind her. Placing one hand on the top of the door, he reached around her, causing a blush to rise on her cheeks at their proximity.

"What are you doing?" She closed the fridge and followed him to the counter, watching curiously as he set out a spread of different vegetables.

"Sashimi." He stated simply.

"You're... cooking for me?" More heat flooded her already pink cheeks at the prospect. It was one thing for (L/N) to make dinner for the entire class, but for him to prepare food for her and her alone was another matter entirely. But by the way he hummed nonchalantly in response, Yaoyorozu gathered he didn't understand how intimate a gesture it was.

"How can I help?" She asked, eager to assist in any small way she could.

Setting a pot of water to boil for the rice, Momo watched in a mixture of amusement and awe as more ingredients flew from the fridge and cupboards, carried by an invisible force to where (F/N) was washing his hands. A bowl marched passed Yaoyorozu's head and settled on the counter next to (L/N) just in time to catch a cucumber that fell apart into thin slices. Meanwhile, (L/N) carefully selected the yanagiba from the knife block and, quickly running his thumb acrost it to check its sharpness, set to work expertly carving fillets of salmon. Yaoyorozu set to work brewing a pot of green tea in the meantime, timing it so that it was fresh from the pot by the time (L/N) finished with the fish thirty minutes later.

Yaoyorozu suggested they take advantage of the last of the warm weather and eat outside. There were benches on either side of the front steps, but the grass seemed more inviting. Yaoyorozu produced a large picnic blanket and sat with her legs to one side. She looked up to find (L/N) shuffling his feet in place, unsure how close to sit. Setting her plate aside she reached up to him and gently pulled him by the hand as to encourage him to sit next to her rather than several feet away. She thanked him for the food, and he her for the tea. And then they ate in companiable silence, chopsticks in one hand while the others sat joined in the small space between them.

They were nearly finished with their food when (L/N) heard the first signs of their classmates. Yaoyorozu looked up just a few seconds later to see them only a stone's throw away, the five girls at the head of the pack. Both were surprised that they hadn't noticed sooner, and they might have realized how odd the fact the other hadn't was, were they not both embarrassed as to what had distracted them in the first place.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Jiro teased as she approached, grinning at the blush on her best friend's face.

"I-I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Yaoyorozu casually tried to brush off. "We're just having lunch."

She tried to smile innocently, but there was something in the knowing look Jiro and Ashido were giving her that made her falter. Following their eyelines, she looked down at her and (L/N)'s hands, still touching. Blushing, she quickly pulled her arm across her body.

"Riiiiight." Jiro nodded and stepped closer. "And what are we having for lunch?"

"Looks like sashimi." Ashido came up to Jiro and leaned her elbow on the other girl's shoulder.

"Hmm, that's interesting." Jiro feigned intrigue. "I don't think Bakugou's made sashimi for dinner since before the provisional license exam. And I'm pretty sure it only keeps for a day or two at most. Isn't that right Ashido?"

"I think you're right, Jiro." Mina flashed one of her devilish grins.

Even closed, (L/N)'s eyes could still roll in exasperation. He didn't understand what the big deal was. After all, he made dinner for the entire class on a regular basis, so he wasn't quite sure what Jiro and Ashido were getting at, nor why Hakagure, Uraraka, and Tsu were all giggling silently off to the side. To make matters worse, the rest of the class had caught up and they were starting to gather round, quickly turning what had been a private moment into a public spectacle.

His nose wrinkled as Ashido dropped between himself and Momo, prompting him to push himself to his feet and make his way towards the doors as the pinkette decided to help herself to the remaining salmon.

"Mmm, well aren't you a lucky girl, Yaomomo. This is delicious."

Yaoyorozu laughed nervously as Ashido nudged her in the side. She didn't know why, but she had the overwhelming suspicion that her friend was up to no good. And sure enough, once she started looking for them, Yaoyorozu spotted the telltale signs that Ashido was putting one of her schemes into play. Her head was turned ever so slightly, and she wasn't even looking at Momo anymore. Instead, she was peering out the corner of her eyes, eyes that carried with them a mischievous glint.

"(L/N)'s a really great cook!" She said much too loudly to only be talking to her friend who was sitting right next to her. "In fact," she basically shouted, "I'd say he's even better than Bakugou!"

There came a sudden slight sound of shoes dragging across pavement, and then silence. Everyone's head slowly turned in the direction of the sand blonde who had been ignoring the whole ordeal up until that moment. Now he was still, his right foot still on the bottom step of the white cement stairs.

There were a handful of seconds in which nobody breathed. Then, with a scornful 'tch', Bakugou continued up the stairs.

"Oh, sorry Bakugou." Ashido said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did I hit a nerve?"

"Please." Bakugou growled. "Like there's even a contest."

"Hey, now that's a great idea." Mina kicked her legs out and leaned back on the palms of her hands. "Why don't we have a little contest. Bakugou versus (L/N). And with nineteen judges, there'll be no questioning who's the better chef."

"Huh, you know, I kinda like the sound of that." Sero said thoughtfully as the others murmured their assent.

"Yeah," Oijiro nodded, "it's definitely something I could get behind."

"Tch, yeah right." Bakugou scoffed. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to, Racoon Eyes. You're just looking to get yourself a free meal. But if you really think I'm gonna fall for tha-"

"Aw, what's the matter, Katsuki?" Ashido made sure to emphasize her use of his first name. "Sounds to me like you're scared."

Bakugou's teeth ground together, and his face scrunched into an enraged snarl. The rest of the class braced themselves while those standing nearest him took several hurried steps away. They were all familiar with the telltale signs of Bakugou's anger reaching it's boiling point.

"Well, that's too bad." Ashido sighed dramatically. "But it's like you said, Bakugou. I guess it wouldn't really be much of a contest. I kind of thought you were talking about yourself, but if you're so scared you won't even try, (L/N) must be the better-"

"What did you just say?" The boy exploded and rounded on the girl. "I'm not scared of that dumbass's second-rate cooking!" He then turned back around to shout at (L/N) who's retreating figure had slipped back inside. "Hey, blindfold! Get back here!"

A loud crash echoed throughout the building as the front doors burst open from a powerful kick. Hands stuffed in his pockets, Bakugou angrily stormed inside. The rest of Class 1A followed several paces behind him, led by an excited Ashido who was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

A few of the people in the back of the group bumped into those in front of them as the queue came to a sudden stop. Peering around Sato, Yaoyorozu saw that Bakugou had come to a stop and was eyeing (L/N) from across the living room, who was just about to escape down to his room.

"And where the hell do you think you're going?" Kacchan growled lowly.

"I, uh-"

"You think you're better than me, is that it?" Bakugou's voice grew louder with every word.

"What?" (L/N) asked in genuine confusion. "I never said-"

"All right, that's it! Get your knives and be in the kitchen in five minutes! Time for me to teach you a lesson."

Bakugou angrily checked (L/N) in the shoulder as he passed, knocking the other boy off balance and sending him staggering into the wall. Breaking away from the others, Yaoyorozu caught (L/N) under the arm and helped him back to his feet.

Dumbfounded, (L/N)'s ears followed Bakugou's thunderous footsteps up the stairs until the loud slamming of a door caused everyone to jump.

"What... just happened?"