BBHG: Ramen (Ch. 7)
Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x Reader
Words: 4,625
Summary: A chance encounter in the Shibuya Train Station leaves you with a sore shoulder and a mysterious bento box. You’re willing to write the incident off and move on, otherwise preoccupied with navigating a new city and a new job, but a bombastic blond, meddling friend, and fate itself seem to have other plans.
Genre: Pro Hero AU, fluff, strangers to lovers, medical setting
Links: Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Masterlist | Cross-posted on Ao3!
Ramen - A Japanese noodle dish with Chinese origin, consisting of Chinese wheat-style noodles in a savory broth with various toppings. Nearly every region of Japan has its own variation of ramen, and it is overall one of the most popular foods in Japan.
The day you came back to work, your stomach was full of butterflies, but not the good kind. These weren’t the type of butterflies that made you want to bat your eyelashes and flash coy smiles. These were the type of butterflies that made you want to digest them and then throw them up in the bathroom stall, or at the very least move cities. You couldn’t concentrate if your life depended on it, and the worst part was that you couldn’t even blame your illness. After four days of sleeping, sleeping, and more sleeping, you were feeling as good as new.
Plus, Bakugou’s aggressive bedside service certainly helped you improve. He gave you no choice but to get well, after all.
But right now, just the thought of him made you want to groan in frustration because he was the reason you were feeling this way. Him, and his stupid, absurd, outlandish idea to invite you out to lunch today to celebrate your recovery. That in itself wouldn’t have been too bad. In fact, it would have been something you would have looked forward to, if he hadn’t casually dropped the bomb that “shitty-hair and dunce face wanted to thank you personally” and “racoon-eyes and soy sauce-face insisted on coming too, the nosy fuckers.”
After that conversation, a quick Google search and some critical thinking revealed your worst fears. Not only would you be getting ramen with Pro-Heroes Chargebolt and Red Riot but also Pro-Heroes Pinky and Cellophane, too. And Bakugou, Pro-Hero Dynamight, who was in a league of his own in your mind. If you had told yourself you would be in this situation a year ago, or even two months ago, you wouldn’t have believed it. You would have laughed in your own face at the mere thought of it. Why on earth would you be eating lunch with Japan’s top heroes? Yet here you were, anxiously checking your watch as the minutes slowly ticked down towards noon.
“Are you seriously that worried about your lunch?” Hina asked, catching your spaced-out look once again.
Of course, she was the first person you told about this. She was also the one who had connected the dots about Cellophane being “soy sauce-face,” although you had no clue how she figured it out. You thought his face had a completely normal amount of definition to it and had no similarities to the condiment in question.
“What do you think?” you deadpanned, leveling her with a skeptical stare.
She laughed, dismissing your distress with a wave of her fingers.
“You literally eat lunch with Bakugou every day, and I can promise you that out of the friend group, he’s the hardest one to get along with. If you can handle him, then I’m sure the others will be a total breeze.”
“But they’re pro-heroes,” you whined. “A lot of them, and I’ll have to meet them all at once.”
“And that’s just now bothering you?” Hina exclaimed. “Girl, who do you think you’ve been flirting with for the past month?”
“I mean- I haven’t been flirting with him!” you argued. Hina just rolled her eyes in response.
“No? Well I think that he’s been flirting with you.” She pointed her finger at you accusingly. “Plus, he’s said something to his friends about you that made them want to meet you in person, so I’d definitely consider that more than merely ‘lunch buddies.’”
You sighed, not wanting to continue the conversation that would only go in circles. You knew Hina had a point, but also, you couldn’t shake the nervousness that wracked your mind whenever you checked the time.
“I’m so boring compared to them,” you muttered. Your eyes wandered toward the vending machine, pointedly avoiding Hina’s stare. “I literally wouldn’t even know how to begin talking to them. They’re way out of my league in every way.”
You expected a sympathetic coo, or at least a pat on the back, but all you received was a scoff that had you turning your gaze toward her in shock. Hina had her hands on her hips, giving you a piercing glare that made you think that she was almost angry at you.
“Um, hello? Do you know who you are?” she asked, the questions rhetorical as she gave you no chance to respond before continuing her thoughts. “You’re an incredibly smart pediatric to-be who is killing it in one of the most high-pressure units in the hospital. You’re an amazing cook, and you have a really neat quirk that is perfect for helping people. In fact, I’d argue it’s even more useful than getting super hard, or releasing tape from your elbows.”
You stood stunned at her aggressive pep talk, a slight burning in the back of your eyes warning you of tears to come. You had no clue how to even begin to process her words or thank her for her support, so instead you blurted out the only thing you could think of.
“Getting super hard? That’s what she said.”
Hina groaned in frustration, throwing her hand up into the air. “Are you serious? Is that seriously all you got out of everything I just said?”
You laughed, stepping forward to give her a warm hug which she quickly reciprocated.
“I also heard you compliment my cooking which I’m definitely holding above your head from now on,” you quipped. “But in all honesty, thank you. It might sound bad, but I really needed to hear that. You know just what to say to me, as always.”
Hina smiled, stepping back from the hug. “Because I’m an amazing friend, obviously.”
You heartily agreed with her, laughing as she struck a pose. As she put one hand on her hip and the other on her head, she turned to the side, her attention momentarily diverted from the conversation. In a sudden fit of determination, she stalked over to the bulletin board in the corner, unpinning a piece of paper before returning.
“Speaking of your cooking-” she began as she thrust it into your face, “-you need to win this.”
You squinted, grabbing the flyer and holding it away so you could read it. The background was a pinwheel stripe of navy and sky blue, with big bubble white letters announcing the name of the event: ANNUAL CURRY COOK OFF!
Below the title, smaller white print detailed the instructions: Dust off your aprons for this year’s annual Tokyo Central Hospital Curry Cook Off! Each participant is allowed to enter one (1) dish and must register on the portal by the end of next Friday. The cook off will be held during the following Friday’s lunch break from 11:00 - 13:00 in the Main Event Hall with results announced at 14:00. Include description and allergens on a separate card, and bring plenty to share!
At the bottom of the page was a collection of cartoon vegetables jumping for joy along with the grand prize: a reservation for two at Sukiyabashi Jiro.
Your eyes widened in shock at the prize, re-reading the words to make sure you weren’t making a mistake. However, they remained firm, printed in bold, red letters and surrounded by a white bubble for emphasis.
Sukiyabashi Jiro was a bucket list destination for you when you had moved to the city. You desperately wanted to experience sushi from the hands of Jiro Ono, one of the most renowned living chefs of the century, but the insanely long reservation line and high cost made your wish nothing more than a pipe dream. You had no clue how the hospital managed to get reservations, but you were definitely not going to pass on this chance.
“Is this for real?” you muttered, more to yourself than to Hina.
She responded anyway. “The department announced the cook off while you were sick last week, and I had to listen to Gia go on about how she had the ‘best curry recipe in the world’ for days, even though I know for a fact that yours is better than hers.”
She pointed at the prize with her finger. “Plus, isn’t that the sushi restaurant you were telling me about when we were first starting? Sounds like an everything win if you ask me.”
“You think I have a chance?” you asked.
Hina rolled her eyes as she nodded enthusiastically. “Obviously.”
You laughed, needing nothing else to convince you. “I’ll do it!”
Walking over to the bulletin board, you pinned the paper back in its original place after snapping a picture of it with your phone. You were already beginning to plan ingredients when you checked the time, gasping in shock. The minutes that once been moving excruciatingly slowly had flown by, and if you didn’t leave now, you could be late for your lunch.
“I’ll register once I get back, but I have to go!” you said to Hina, rushing towards the exit.
“Give’em hell!” she called out behind you as you sped-walked down the corridor. You sent her a final wave before exiting the wing, making your way out of the hospital and toward your impending lunch date.
The thoughts of the curry competition kept you preoccupied as you wound your way through the busy streets of Tokyo, but all too soon, you arrived at the cafe. It was a hole-in-the-wall location for sure, set off the main pathways and nestled in between a small group of residential homes. The only indication you had arrived at the correct place was a small banner displaying the word “RAMEN” flapping lazily in the cool breeze. You squared your shoulders, taking a deep breath in and out before pulling open the door.
The inside of the restaurant was as unassuming as the outside, although it did have a quaint charm about it. A small collection of wooden tables and chairs were in your direct vision, while cream paneled screens in the back denoted the area leading into the private rooms. A hostess stood in front of you behind a tan podium, looking up and smiling as you entered.
“Good afternoon!” she greeted, bowing. “How can I help you?”
You shifted on your feet, unsure of what to say. You didn’t realize that there were reservations made.
“Um, I’m joining some friends for lunch? I’m a friend of Bakugou’s…” you trailed off lamely.
A slight sweat began to form on your forehead. What if Bakugou used a fake name here? Or what if you came off as some stalker fan and she called security? A blank yet friendly customer service smile was still plastered on her face, so you couldn’t read her at all in the moment. You were just about to dial a panicked call to Bakugou when the chime of the door rang out behind you.
“Yo! If it isn’t my favorite nurse,” called a cheery voice. You whipped around, tension dissipating from your body as a smiling Kaminari sauntered forward, placing a hand on your shoulder in greeting. He was easily recognizable in his full hero costume, his leather jacket crinkling as he shot finger guns at the hostess.
“She’s with us today,” he grinned.
The hostess simply nodded, turning on heel and leading you both to the back of the restaurant where the private rooms were.
“This place has the best Tonkotsu ramen in the city, although Bakugou has definitely argued with me about it before,” he commented. You simply nodded along, letting him ramble as you wound your way past the common area toward the private rooms. As you approached the last of the rooms, a cacophony of animated voices rose in volume. The hostess stopped, motioning to the screen in front of you. Before you could even bow, or perhaps run away, Kaminari had already thanked her, yanking the screen back to reveal three pro-heroes sitting around the table. At your entrance, all chatter ceased as they sized you up. You braced yourself for the worst but were unprepared for the sudden chaotic mess of voices as they all eagerly clamored to greet you.
“Yo, welcome in.”
“Bakugou didn’t say his bento buddy was so cute!”
“Thank you for your help as my nurse!”
You offered up a nervous smile, eyes flickering between the three heroes. On your left sat Pinky, her bright eyes sparkling as she grinned up at you. She patted the open seat next to her, and you glanced back at Kaminari, thinking that the gesture was for him. However, he simply pushed you forward, laughing at your stunned expression.
“We don’t bite, I promise,” he winked. “Unless you ask, of course.”
You groaned, rolling your eyes at him. “That definitely won’t be happening.”
Your comment caused Sero to snicker at Kaminari, jabbing him in the ribs as the hero sat down between him and Kirishima. That left only the spot next to you and Kirishima open, which you noted with relief.
As the group quieted down, you cleared your throat nervously, introducing yourself. However, you didn’t have to be nervous for long, as Pinky, who insisted you call her Mina, was the first to break the ice.
“So, tell me all about yourself! I want to know about the amazing nurse who not only saved my friends but also somehow managed to get the grumpiest man in existence under her thumb.”
You spluttered in response, waving your hands. “I don’t know about all of that! To be honest, I think I was mostly just in the right place at the right time when it came to being assigned as their nurse. Also, I don’t think Bakugou would ever willingly be under anyone’s thumb. The only reason he tolerates me is because of my bentos.”
Mina laughed, nudging your side. “Well you know, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
You agreed before fully comprehending her statement. However, when you did, a flush began to form on your cheeks as you desperately tried to talk your way out of her implication.
“Wait, I didn’t mean that I’m trying to get to Bakugou’s heart through his stomach! I just meant that the statement is generally true, and it seems like cooking for guys can be a good way to make them like you. Not that I was purposefully trying to get him to like me by making bentos for him! At first it was a complete accident, but then it just kind of evolved into daily lunches…”
You trailed off, willfully ignoring the teasing glint in the eyes of your table mates. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, a deep voice rumbled from the room’s entrance. “Racoon eyes, stop interrogating her.”
Bakugou stood leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed against his chest as he took in the scene in front of him. Like the other heroes, he was in his full hero costume, and his biceps were distractedly on display.
You gave him a small smile, feeling your heartbeat quicken at the thought of him witnessing your terrible conversation skills. “How much of that did you hear?”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, plopping down beside you into the vacant seat. Kirishima gave him a firm pat on the back that would have sent anyone else flying forward face first into the table. However, Bakugou barely even flinched.
“Enough to hear that you’re completely selling yourself short.” He turned to the group before continuing. “She got chosen to take care of the two idiots here because she’s one of the most skilled nurses in the unit. And we eat lunch together because unlike you degenerates, she can actually cook a decent meal.”
Silence descended onto the group as the three other heroes stared at Bakugou with their mouths open, shock written all over their faces. You followed suit as though ensorcelled by a magic spell. Bakugou ignored everyone’s reactions, as though he hadn’t uttered the most astounding and unexpected compliments ever. However, when the silence continued, he was eventually forced to look up from the menu and address the issue.
“What the hell’s wrong with you all?” he groused. “Do you think I’d waste my time with a loser?”
Your eyes widened comically at this point, unaware that Bakugou had thought of you as anything but a loser. Sure, a loser who could cook, but given his dismissive view of the people around him, you hadn’t put yourself very high in his rankings.
Thankfully, you were spared even more embarrassment by the waitress who had now returned to take orders. After a hearty number of appetizers were ordered, she went around the table, asking each hero their ramen of choice. While Bakugou ordered his “usual” of spicy ramen, you opted for the tonkatsu ramen, based on Kaminari’s earlier comment. Bakugou took notice.
“Did dunce face over there already spread his lies about the tonkatsu ramen to you?” he asked, jerking his head over to a grinning Kaminari.
“Dunce face?” you asked, slightly mortified that he would say the nickname to Kaminari’s face. However, the electric hero just laughed, waving his hand in the air.
“It’s all with love. I called him Bakugou of the Kaachans once and almost got exploded.”
“Really?” you laughed. “When I first ran into him, I referred to him as ‘good-smelling asshole’ for three days straight, and that’s still his contact in my phone.”
You said the comment before you could think, a chill racing down your spine as you realized your admission. You pointedly looked at everything other than the man in question, despite feeling his gaze burning into you. Thankfully, you were spared further embarrassment by Kaminari, who spoke up with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Good-smelling? Come here bro, let me get a whiff.” He invaded Bakugou’s personal space with gusto, practically laying across Kirishima as he attempted to shove his face into the petulant blond’s neck.
Bakugou recoiled instantly, pushing him back into Sero.
“Get off of me you freak!”
He glared daggers at Kaminari, muttering under his breath how he should finish the electric hero off once and for all. However, in his flustered anger, he had his eyes on the completely wrong person. Taking advantage of Bakugou’s distress, Kirishima leaned in, inhaling with very loud sniff before nodding pensively, stroking the non-existent hairs on his chin.
“She’s right. A tangy and slightly leathery musk with subtle notes of something sweet underneath. Very manly.”
The table burst out into a fit of cackles as Bakugou covered his face with his hands, utterly defeated.
“Heathens, all of you.”
After that incident, the group quickly fell into a familiar pattern of practiced banter, with you now included. You learned that while Bakugou held nothing back, per usual, the other three didn’t either. By the time the food arrived, you had already found a co-conspirator in Mina and a surprisingly good conversationalist in Sero, happy to be able to hold your own in the group. However, these thoughts faded from your mind as a beautiful steaming bowl of tonkatsu ramen was placed before you.
The bowl was a dark navy with streaks of gold kintsugi providing a stunning contrast, but what stole your breath away was the mouth-watering scent wafting up from the ramen itself. The broth was a rich milky-white surrounding artfully placed pork belly and noodles. Scallions and nori were used as garnish, while two soft-boiled eggs and a dash of red pickled ginger added to the contrasting colors.
“See? What did I say!” Kaminari exclaimed, breaking your reverie. “This tonkatsu ramen is definitely the best.”
You nodded enthusiastically, letting out a slight sigh of contentment as you took a bite.
“It’s not that great,” Bakugou grumbled, watching your reaction intensely. “I could do better.”
You shook your head at him, motioning your head towards Kaminari. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to agree with him on this one. This is the best tonkatsu ramen I’ve ever had.”
“Is that a challenge?” Bakugou replied, a glint flashing across his carmine eyes.
“Why, do you think it’s one you’ll win?” You grinned back.
Bakugou scoffed, unamused at your attitude. “Obviously.”
“Oooh I want to be a judge!” Kaminari exclaimed.
“Me too! Me too!” echoed Mina. Before he could silence the two, Kirishima and Sero chimed in, all begging the blond to let them try a bite of his cooking as well. You laughed as Bakugou vainly attempted to dissuade his persistent friends.
“It’ll have to be after the mission though,” Sero said, shoulders sagging at the thought. At his comment, the mood of the table dropped significantly, with the friend group now very intent on their individual bowls of food. You raised your eyebrows in question, unable to catch anyone’s eye except Bakugou’s, who held yours with a pause before giving in.
“We’re starting a mission at the end of this week that will take us out of the city,” he said. “It shouldn’t be a big deal, yet these guys have been anxious all week for no good reason about it.”
“Actually, I think you should be more anxious about it,” Mina replied. “After all, we’re dealing with-”
A loud cough came from Kirishima as he did a very poor imitation of choking. He threw Mina a pointed look before glancing at you and then back for a brief second. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake, finishing her sentence with a hasty mumble of “with important things.”
You smiled awkwardly as silence began to stretch, throwing them a bone. “So, I take it this isn’t the first mission you guys have been on together, then?”
“Oh no, not at all!” Mina cried, looking relieved. “We’ve been working together since our first year of UA.”“Well, together is a pretty strong word, in my opinion,” Kaminari chimed in, side eyeing Bakugou as he spoke. “Someone was a little prickly at first.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes, Sero laughed, and just like that, the tension resolved.
However, even as conversation continued, there was no other mention of this mysterious mission, and you couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty at the thought of being a barrier to them speaking freely. If this mission was coming up so soon, they were probably wanting to strategize, not dance around the subject with you.
“-at the hospital?”
You caught the last bit of conversation as Bakugou nudged your shoulder.
“Hm?”
He sighed as he repeated his question.
“How are things at the hospital?”
“Oh,” you shrugged. “Busy as normal. Hina is glad to have me back, at the very least. Thankfully, there haven’t been any new Basilisk sightings, but I can tell that everyone is still on edge. Right now though, the main attention has been about a curry cook off happening in two weeks.”
“You’re winning, right?”
“I mean, I’m entering, but I’m not sure if I’ll win or not,” you clarified, although the answer appeared to displease him. He crossed his arms across his chest, shaking his head.
“Nah, you’re winning.”
“But-”
Bakugou leveled you with a glare that left no room for argument. “What will you win?”
You attempted to correct him one last time. “If I win, I get a dinner for two at Sukiyabashi Jiro.”
“I’ve heard of that place!” Sero cut in, pointing in your direction. “It’s supposed to be super hard to get into. The chef is famous worldwide.”
“Oh really?” Denki questioned. “That sounds cool! You need a plus one?”
Mina cast you a sly look before turning to the table. “There’s only one person here who she would ask to be her plus one, and we all know it’s not you, Denki.”
All eyes drifted to Bakugou, who in tun scoffed at their antics. “She’ll ask whoever she want to.”
You fidgeted, attempting to once again hedge the truth until your eyes caught smoldering ruby ones. Feeling particularly bold off of the warm ramen and good vibes, you leveled your gaze at Bakugou, refusing to back down.
“Exactly. Whoever I want to, so you better be on your best behavior if you want it to be you.”
The table erupted into raucous cheers, Mina giving you a hearty slap on the back as she whooped at your comment. Yet the one person you were speaking to remain ever the stoic. In fact, his expression appeared to be even more serious than before. You were almost worried you had overstepped until you noticed a slight furrow of his eyebrow, followed by a small quirk of the lip. You had personally challenged the Bakugou Katsuki, and there was no way in hell he was going to back down now.
Before you knew it, your lunch hour had flown by, and you were forced to say your heartfelt goodbyes to the group. As the other four heroes headed in the direction of their agencies, Bakugou fell into step next to you.
“Thanks for inviting me Bakugou,” you smiled. “Your friends are a lot of fun.”
“They’re nothing but trouble, just like you,” Bakugou replied. “And you know, you don’t have to call me that anymore.”
You looked over at him, only to be met with the back of his head as he remained focused on something to his right.
“Call you what? You’re name?”
He shrugged, finally turning to stare directly into your eyes. “Well, I was thinking of ‘good-smelling asshole,’ but that too.”
For the second time that day, heat rose to your cheeks, and you almost wished he had continued to stare off into the distance instead of witnessing your utter embarrassment. However, then you would have missed the teasing glimmer in his ruby eyes which was too good to pass up.
Still, you huffed. “What would you want me to call you then?”
He paused, the words seemingly heavy on his tongue, and then - “Katsuki.”
“Katsuki.” you echoed. The word shimmered in the air, growing in intensity as the silence stretched afterwards. His stature was strong, but his eyes were still boring into yours, almost pleading, and you didn’t know what to do, how to feel. It was too intense.
“Are you sure you’d prefer that over Bakugou of the Kaachans?” you joked, and whatever strange bubble you had both insulated yourself in popped into flustered indignation. Bakugou spluttered out a curse, his expletives only growing as you continued your questions. “Where did that even come from anyway?”
“That damn nerd,” he grumbled under his breath. The previous conversation seemed all but forgotten as he began a very a very long tirade that lasted all the way to the hospital doors.
You paused at the entrance, reluctant to let the moment end. “You know, you can call me by my first name too. It’s only fair, after all.” Bakugou tensed in surprise, but you continued, your words pouring out of you in a jumble. “And you better come back from your super secret mission. I need an official curry taste tester for the competition, so please be safe, Ba-” you stuttered, pausing at your mistake. “Please be safe, Katsuki.”
His body reacted before his mind could, his eyes softening around the edges as he basked in the sound of his name from your lips once again. Yet the moment didn’t last long, his senses returning as he donned his signature wolfish grin that caused cameras to flash and Hero Heartthrob to rank him in the top ten sexiest heroes.
“I’ll beat this mission to a pulp and come back unscathed just for you, and that’s a promise.”
A/N: I LIVE! 2025 was a really tough year for me in a lot of ways, but I am once again back at it with the fic. While not wanting to go into everything, a flood occurred in my apartment, and my laptop with all of my assets and writing drafts were destroyed. Thankfully, I have some backups and write most of my fics on a website, so they were saved. However, between that and no longer having a laptop to work on, things were put on an indefinite hiatus as I attempted to get my life back together. However, I do have plans to finish this fic before the final episode airs in May. I also want to do the same for the other fic I have partially written for Hawks, Dabi, and Shigaraki. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me so far, and welcome to any new readers!
As always, reblogs and likes are greatly appreciated, but please do not repost here or on other platforms. However, fan arts, edits, or anything like that are beyond amazing and totally welcome! If you have a question about it, just ask me.
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