Time in a Tree (All Might x Reader)

Blunder

Why do I get the feeling it's gonna be a long night? The smell of Han's cooking still filled your nostrils even hours after clocking out as you walked into your second job.

"Siren!" Koji called, meeting you near the door. "What's up?" You adjusted the bag on your shoulder, Cherry soon walked in behind you, tossing her arm over your shoulder. "Yeah, what's up?" She joined. "Bon actually needs a help in the kitchen this time." Koji ran a hand through his hair. 

"Whaaaat?" Your jaw dropped just the slightest. Using him as an excuse finally caught up with you. "No skates tonight then." Cherry knocked her temple against yours. "You won't be in there the whole shift," Koji corrected. "He just needs help right now."

"Oooh." You and Cherry nodded in unison. "That's no problem," you affirmed. "Let me just put my things down first."

"How can I help, Bonhomie?" You asked while sliding between the kitchen doors. 

It was a mess. A hot mess. 

Half prepped, half cooked food was everywhere. Nothing like the usual shining, catalog clean kitchen Bonhomie normally kept. What the hell happened in here? You reared your head back as you stepped over the random vegetables and sauces smeared over the tiled floor. "Koji sent you?" Bonhomie's head popped up, silver hair glued to his forehead with sweat. Yikes. "I told him I had everything under control."

"Well it doesn't look like you do." You walked up to the prepping table he was crouched behind. "You okay, Bon?" Trying not to sound overbearing, you wiped some on the scraps away so you could press your palms flat against the surface. Looking over the edge you saw he was attempting to clean the maelstrom he made. "Y-Yes." Bon nodded and brought himself up, gripping the table for support. "I'm alright."

"I don't mean to sound insensitive..." You started. "But can you use your quirk on yourself?" He shook his head sternly. "No. No when I try...I end up like this." He threw a hand up in frustration. Damn. "It never works and I..." He puffed, running shaking hands through his locks. 

"Take a seat, man." You turned this and that way, looking for a stool. When you couldn't find one, you resorted to stealing one from Tauros's bar, dragging it behind you and up to Bon. He looked at it then you. "Well?" You pointed at it wide eyed. 

With a sigh he complied, his palms pressed firmly on his kneecaps and fingers gripping the fabric of his checkered pants. "What made you...try?" You asked cautiously, leaning against the table. "I just...sometimes I get so down and I think: 'Well, maybe this time. This time it will work for me.' It does for about five minutes and then I turn into this...this." He motioned over the food strewn about. "I...I'm sorry you have to see me like-"

"How about I make you something?" You set a hand on his shoulder. "What?" His eyes met yours. You're so tired. "Let me make you something." You tried to give a comforting rub before you pushed off the table and walked over to the industrial sized sink, giving your hands a good scrub. 

"My mom would make this rice bowl for me and my sibling when we were feeling down." You moved to the cooler digging around until you found the chicken breasts, you set one aside. "Does she not anymore?" Bon asked from behind you. "I'm sure she still does for my brother, but since I'm in a different timezone it's a bit difficult for her to get it to me." You snatched up a handful of bell peppers and onions, and checked the rice cooker. Full. Nice.

"I-I see. I'm not sure why I was under the impression your family was here." Bon confessed while watching you move about, grabbing a pan and turning on the massive stove. I hadn't really noticed how impressive the size of this place is...Bon pushes all the orders out on his own, I guess he would need a place built for ten. 

"You're not wrong in that assumption." You glanced over your shoulder before oiling the pan. "You guys are my family, right? That's the feel you all have been giving since I got here." You began with the chicken breast. 

"Do...do you get homesick?" Bonhomie asked. "Of course, all the time." You said honestly, slicing and seasoning just liked your mom did. "I accepted that'd be a regular occurrence once I moved here." You tossed in your vegetables. "I don't see how you do it," Bon leaned, trying to get a good view of what you were doing as the rice was added. "All of my family is here." You sighed. "Frequent contact is how."

"It's nothing like seeing them, feeling them" I did not come here to be read. "You're right." You agreed and spooned the rice mixture into a bowl, packing it tight. "But I'm here now and everyday I'm finding a reason that makes me want to stay a little longer."

"That's a good thing I guess." Bonhomie rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm just an old man stuck in his ways as Tauros would say."

"Maybe...here ya go." You handed him the bowl and a spoon. "Thank you." He bowed lightly and took a bite. "No prob, Bon."

"It's good." He nodded and took another bite. "This is really good." Bonhomie tried to smile. "Your mother made this whenever you were sad?" You leaned back on the table. "She sure did." You inhaled the nostalgic aroma. "If I were you, I'd be upset all the time."

"Thanks, Bon." You chuckled at his comment, moving to put on gloves and start a cleaning of biblical proportions. "I'll clean." Bon went to set down his bowl. "No." You pointed at him, a broom in your other hand. "You finish that first. I can handle this."

By the time you swept five dinner plates worth of food together, Bonhomie had bounced up to make mop water, scrubbing behind you with the deck brush. It didn't take long to get the kitchen back to how he normally kept it, with the pair of you moving in a two person assembly line.

"Okay, Bon!" You flung the walk-in cooler door open, grabbing the first thing you knew needed attending to: shrimp. "Let's hop to it."

You didn't comment on it, but as he worked, you noticed his speed gradually increasing. He nearly finished the next two days worth when Cherry poked her head in. "I got an order for you, Bon." She piped. That's the first one this evening. Granted, you were there well before opening. "Alright." He stood from his stool, going to take the little slip from her hand. 

Cherry's eyes shot to yours for a second, then back to him. "You want me to get that?" You asked quietly. "I've got it." Bonhomie read it over. "I've got it." He repeated nodding to himself. You shot Cherry a thumbs up. "I'll come back when you call me." She disappeared behind the swinging doors. "What is it?" You asked. "Takoyaki." Bon turned towards the cooler. "Did we cut octopus?"

"You did." You scooted over, pulling out the tiny, sliced tentacles.

Quietly, you watched over his shoulder as he made the little octopus balls. "Never seen these made before?" Bon chuckled. "Never this close." You replied as he flipped them over.

"It's picking up out here, Siren." Koji popped in. "Think you can come on out?" You looked over from the takoyaki grill. "Um-"

"I've got it from here." Bon said while getting the serving dish ready. "You sure?" You failed at hiding the concern in your voice. "Look at me please." Bonhomie turned to you. "I am." It didn't take long for you to see he meant it and with a soft 'Okay' you took your leave with Koji.