Bakugou x Marinette (sister's BFF)

Unspoken Admiration

"I need the car today, remember?" I called out while running down the steps with my school bag slung over my shoulder.

"I know, Kat! Stop reminding me!" my sister huffed, stuffing her lunch into her bag with a frown.

"Fatty," I teased, giving her a light shove. She responded by slapping my back.

"Rude! Marinette would hate you if you ever—" she started to shout.

"I would never call her fat! You're my sister, that's why I annoy you! I would never fucking hurt her!" I retorted, grabbing the car keys. I headed towards the door with Kanami following close behind.

"Sorry, my bad," she chuckled, getting into the passenger seat.

I needed the car after school for some errands, so I was taking it and would pick up Kanami after her classes.

"Remember, you need to pick up Marinette. Don't forget," she reminded me as I started the engine.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, driving off towards Marinette's apartment.

When we pulled up, Marinette came running out with a bunch of fabrics in her arms, along with a measuring tape and several sketchbooks precariously balanced on top.

"Woah—" Kanami started, but I cut her off by jumping out of the car and rushing to help Marinette.

"Give me something, stupid. You could get hurt carrying all this shit. You're fucking clumsy as shit," I groaned, grabbing the rolls of fabric from her.

"You can be nice without insulting me, Bakugou," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Her exasperation made me chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, shaking my head. "Get in the car."

We all piled into the car, Marinette in the backseat with her mountain of fabrics and sketchbooks. As we drove towards the university, I glanced in the rearview mirror to see Marinette fidgeting with a piece of fabric, lost in thought.

"You okay back there?" I asked.

"Yeah, just thinking about this design. Thanks for the help, Bakugou," she said, giving me a small smile.

"No problem. Just don't make a habit of carrying all that crap on your own," I replied, my tone softer than usual.

When we arrived at the university, Kanami jumped out first, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "See you later, Kat! Thanks for the ride!" she called out.

Marinette followed, struggling slightly with her load. I got out and helped her again, ignoring the amused glances from passing students.

"Thanks, Bakugou," she said, her eyes meeting mine briefly before she looked away.

"Take care, okay? And don't let Kanami drag you into any trouble," I said with a smirk.

"Right, because she's the troublemaker," Marinette laughed. "See you later, Bakugou."

"See you," I replied, getting back into the car.

Marinette's POV:

Kanami and I walked towards our first class, chatting about our plans for the day. I couldn't help but think about Bakugou's unexpected kindness. It was rare to see that side of him, and it left me feeling a bit flustered.

"Hey, you okay?" Kanami asked, nudging me with her elbow.

"Yeah, just thinking," I replied, shaking off my thoughts. "About the designs."

Kanami gave me a knowing look but didn't press further. "You'll figure it out. You always do."

We went through our classes, but I found it hard to focus. My mind drifted back to Bakugou, his protective demeanour, and how he looked at me this morning. There was something different about him lately, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.