------Author's Note------

Okay I saw this picture up there on Twitter and couldn't stop laughing because it just reminds me of Bakugo.

•°•°•°•

I smile up at Todoroki as I turn and he removes his hand from my shoulder. "Would you care to find something to eat?" He asks, expression blank. 

I nod and we head off. "Were you at the reception last night when the attack happened?" I illuse to make conversation. 

"I had met with the others and before we could go in, the building went into lockdown. The heroes had been captured, so we decided to rescue them."

"Very heroic of you guys." The boy merely nods in response, falling silent as we explore the street full of restaurants. Every now and then, I point to one that looks interesting, but he always shakes his head. As we reach the end of the road, he finally speaks up. 

"Not one soba restaurant," he states in disbelief. 

I pat him on the back and lead him back to one of the places I thought looked good. "It's not a predominately Japanese island. People from all cultures are here, so there's a wide, but shallow variety."

We end up eating at a quaint British restaurant. As usual, we remain silent as we eat, but even as we wait for the check, the boy across from me doesn't try to make conversation. He seems to have gotten over his disappointment and is acting in a way I would classify as "normal." 

He's silently playing with his napkin as he stares out the window and up at the rafters. He occasionally let's his eyes drift over me, as if examining me, but never says anything. A part of me desperately wants to say something to break the silence, but I can't think of anything. And it doesn't seem to bug him. 

My skin crawls at the lack of conversation. While the silence is awkward, I want to say the right thing, but waiting to say something is proving to make for an even more uncomfortable moment. 

As I steel my nerves to break the silence, our waiter comes over to give us the check. Without a moment's pause, Todoroki pays for both our meals and stands to walk out. 

"Let's go," he says plainly. 

I sigh and go to follow him, the elderly waiter sending me a sympathetic look. Of course I know how this must've looked: like I was on a date with somebody who wanted nothing to do with me. 

But that's crazy. Of course this wasn't a date and he just isn't a talkative person, I tell myself as I follow the half and half boy out into the sun. 

"Did you like your meal?" I illuse after a moment of walking silently. He nods, making a noncommittal sound. 

Why can't we find that groove we were in last time? Maybe we should do something fun!

"How about we explore the amusement park part of the expo?" I suggest. 

"We could, but I don't think we should go on anything since we just ate," he replies, looking around. "We should look through the pavilion."

I try to disguise my disappointment, but agree anyway. The inventions may be cool, but you can only look at them and read about them. Not to mention, it's all indoors on such a nice day like this. I want to go somewhere and do something fun! Looking at all the gadgets is just another reason for us to not talk. 

We spend the next couple hours walking slowly through the pavilion. Yes, hours. We take our time to explore and see all we can see, while I grow gradually more and more impatient. Every now and then, Todoroki points out an invention that interests him with a small grin, but I can't focus on anything anymore. I let his small expressions of interest flit through my head as I absentmindedly follow him through the exhibits. 

When he finally suggests we go back to our hotels to get ready for the barbeque, I have to fight to not sigh in relief. On the way back, he says, "we should find a time for those cooking lessons."

"Sometime before camp," I suggest and he nods in response. 

Eventually, we part ways to go to our separate hotels and I tell myself to look on the bright side as I look back on our dull day. He said he likes spending time with me and nothing he's done today has opposed that. He just doesn't like to talk, okay? It's not like he hangs out with any of the other girls in our class except for Ochaco. And even then, it's always with Midoriya and Iida as well. He never seemed to be uncomfortable or aware of making the situation awkward. It'll all be okay. His...different personality is just something to...adjust to. 

We need to find something fun that he'll enjoy. Maybe he'll like cooking! Maybe we can go ice skating again. I know he likes that. Ugh, why does this have to be so hard?

I swipe my key card to get into the building and head up to our room. I had gotten a text from Reina while in the pavilion that she is hanging out with the rest of her siblings while our class goes to dinner. 

I change into normal clothes, acid washed jean shorts and a loose navy blue t-shirt, then head out. I find Iida, Midoriya, Ochaco, Momo, and that pretty blonde girl from yesterday already at the meeting point. She's wearing khaki shorts, a white sweater vest, and a teal polo, a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. 

"Hey, Yamada!" Midoriya calls out to me as I approach. I wave and come to a stop between Ochaco and Momo. He gestures to the tall girl beside him and says, "this is Melissa Shield."

"So nice to meet you," she chirps, holding her hand out for a handshake. 

"Koto Yamada," I illuse, giving her a small smile and taking her hand. Her eyes widen in shock at the fact that my mouth isn't moving and suddenly I'm being pulled towards her. 

She bends down to look at me critically. "Is that part of your quirk? Does it have to do with your vocal chords or is it a mental quirk? Can you only make sound around you? Or do you have a wider range? I don't get a lot of experience working with people with mental quirks, so I'm curious if a support item could help you."

I blink a few times, slowly backing away. She seems to catch what she's doing because she immediately backs off and apologizes. Having met everyone else already, she chats with me until everyone arrives and even as we walk to the place where the cookout is being held. I answer all the questions she has about my quirk and that, no, I don't have use for a support item, though I appreciate her offer. In return, she tells me about her life on the island, going to the academy. 

We seem to arrive at our destination because Melissa pauses in front of a park entrance. The green expanses of lawn stretch out to the water of one of I-Island's great lakes. There is a quaint stone pavilion outlooking the lake and trees dotting the landscape. 

"My father and All Might go way back," Melissa tells me. "He reserved this park for us today, so have fun. I'm gonna go see if Uncle Might needs any help!"

With that, she walks briskly over to the number one hero who stands at a small charcoal grill, twirling a spatula in his fingers. The rest of my classmates spread out, some to take pictures, others to talk. Kaminari, Sero, and Hagakure immediately run for the appetizers set up in the pavilion. 

I glance over to the picnic tables, deciding to snag one, when my eyes find one already occupied by a certain explosive porcupine. Knowing the rest of his squad will flock to him soon enough, I resign myself to my fate and take the seat across from him.

He only huffs at my presence, but doesn't say anything. Instead, I decide to start the conversation. I illuse, "so what actually happened last night?"

"You forced me into a terrorist attack," he growls. 

"You're a hero in training!" I hastily counter. "Besides, it was probably better that you were there. From what little I heard, it seemed like you guys could've used a few extra hands."

"I was perfectly fine by myself!" He shouts, hands sparking. 

"I'm sure," I respond calmly, looking around to make sure we're not making a scene. "But you saved people, right?"

He clicks his tongue. "Of course I fuckin' did. Those idiots were hiding behind bushes when we found them and Round Face was gonna get murdered by robots if I hadn't stepped in."

My breath hitches. She didn't tell me that. Was she really that close to death?

"She's fine, dumbass."

I glance away to see her playing yard games with Midoriya, Iida, and Tsu. Yeah, I guess she seems okay.

"Thank you for protecting her," I illuse quietly, staring down at the wood grain of the table. He doesn't say anything, so I continue, "and I'm glad you're okay too."

I meet his ruby eyes as they stare me down. "Tch, whatever." He rolls his eyes and looks away, prying a sliver off the surface of the table. 

I'm about to apologize for the tickle assault last night, as I'm sure that made him uncomfortable and it put him into that terrible situation, when Eijiro comes running over with four kebabs in his hands. He takes a bite from one of them and hands two to Bakugo. "These are amazing, man! You gotta try 'em!"

As the angry blonde narrows his eyes at his friend, Kaminari runs up beside him with four in his own hands. He offers two to me, bowing and with a smirk saying, "m'lady."

I roll my eyes, but can't fight my smile as I take the food from him. Sero and Mina join us at the table as the other two take a seat. True to Eijiro's word, the food is delicious. The skewers consist of chicken, zucchini, and tomatoes. Wow, All Might's a pretty good cook.

That being said, I nibble on one, knowing it'll be enough to fill me up, but the other remains in my hand, as I have no clue what to do with it. I notice Bakugo has finished both of his and is eyeing the grill to probably grab more. Not wanting to waste food, I illuse, "wow that's a really pretty bird," causing the entire table to look the other direction as I shove the untouched skewer in his direction and take one of his empty ones. 

He glares at me, but I shrug, taking a tiny bite from the zucchini. As the rest of our table is still looking away, he sneers and bites down into the middle of his kebab, freeing his hands so he can sign, "you better have a good ass reason for not eating."

Did he just...? Did he look up how to sign swears? Cause I certainly didn't teach him that.

"My ass? I'd say it's about average," I reply, laughing at the shade of angry red his face becomes when he realizes his signed words could be taken out of context. "But I'm really just not hungry."

He's about to respond when Sero turns back to us and notices we've been signing. "Ooh, what're you guys talking about?" He asks, drawing the rest of the table's attention.

"Nothing," Bakugo growls, taking a big bite of chicken. They turn their attention to me, fully expecting that reaction from the boy. I just shake my head and nibble on my food, not giving them an answer. 

•°•°•°•

At nightfall, the party starts breaking up. I have to admit I had a good time. Kaminari and Sero destroyed Mina and I at ladder ball. We took some time to feed the ducks in the pond, although Bakugo stayed far away when we wouldn't stop calling him Ducky and insisting he hang out with his family. He even threatened to fry a few of them, so we backed off on the duck jokes for their safety. 

After we help clean up, the excitement for the dance performance is palpable. I assure everyone that it'll be casual and they're not expected to go over the top. 

"Aww, I was expecting a big ol' American line dance!" Mina jokingly complains. Eijiro had let slip earlier that I'm originally from America, which wasn't a secret, but the Bakusquad has been speaking in terrible American accents ever since. 

Is this what it's like for Bakugo when we call him Ducky?

"Yeah, I was expectin' a hoedown," Kaminari shouts, pretending to lasso Sero. 

"C'mon," the black haired boy says, "just humor us this once and we'll let it go!"

I sigh, scraping a hand over my face. Eijiro rubs my back comfortingly. "Fine! Fine," I illuse, glaring at them, "but I'm not doing it alone."

The rest of the class has started to gather at the park exit, but they start to migrate back over as I illuse the opening harmonica solo to Timber. I roll my eyes about what I'm about to do and hook my thumbs on my belt loops. Originally living in the Midwest, I'm no stranger to this type of dancing, but I still want to put my own spin on it. 

I go through a few basic moves as the song plays, stomping, kicking, and clapping. A few people try to copy my movements, but others just dance. Eventually, I give up on any sort of structure and just have fun. 

As usual, Bakugo has relegated himself to the sidelines, looking on, disinterested. I run over to him and gesture to where everyone else is. 

"Not a chance in hell, Curly," he growls. I pout, giving him my best puppy dog eyes, but he just shakes his head. I know they don't work on him, but I had to give it a shot.

"You don't have to dance, just do me a favor," I sign, backing up towards everyone again. "If you don't, I'll text that baby picture of you in the class group chat."

"Tch," his eyebrows pitch down steeply and he looks away while walking over to me slowly. "What?"

"Just stand still and make sure I don't fall with this hand." I take his right hand, pointing to it. He huffs, but stands with his feet shoulder width apart. 

Glancing over to the main group, I meet Eijiro's confused eyes and send him a wink, gesturing with my chin to the rest of the group. Before Bakugo can react to my blatant attempt to get people to watch, I take both his hands and spin so my arms are crossed in front of me with my right shoulder facing him. Then I move my left arm up and over my head to place his right hand on my right shoulder. I kick a leg up and bend down to spin under his arm. He thankfully keeps his hand between my shoulder blades so I can't fall, but as I move into my second spin and dip back, he loses his hold on me and I tumble to the ground. 

"Shit."

I giggle, standing up. Of course I hadn't expected him to do it perfectly the first time, but that's why I chose that move specifically. If Just Dance had taught us anything, it's that Bakugo would compete to be the best even in something like dancing. And since I tasked him with something he failed at, he's all the more ready to prove he can do it correctly. 

As the music continues, he scowls and looks away, but doesn't object when I take his hands again and start spinning. If anything, I notice his eyebrows pinched together in concentration as I finish my second turn. He does catch me, but just barely. I hold tightly onto his arm to keep myself steady and he pulls me back up. 

Cheers from our classmates can be heard over the music and Bakugo scowls in response. I put my hand up for a high five, but he trudges away to sit back down at a table. I don't let it get me down, seeing as it's to be expected from him. Instead, I join the rest of my friends in dancing. 

------Author's Note------

Here's a gif of what that dance move is supposed to look like. Sorry it's not great quality.

Thanks again for all the love and support! Stay sane, guys!