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"Ouch! For fuck's sake will you just open up already?"
"Calm down, Aizawa-kun-you're just going to hurt yourself. You have to work at it. Be gentle but firm, get your fingers just inside and-that's it! Keep going--- and there's the nut."
Aizawa twisted the prickly husk in his hand and it popped open far enough for him to reach in and pluck the dark brown nut inside.
"So can you eat it like this?" He asked, holding the nut in his hand and discarding the husk on the ground.
Toshi laughed as he worked a pair of chestnuts out of the next husk, his gloved hands breaking open the husks with practiced ease.
"You could peel it and eat it, I suppose, but it might give you a real stomach ache. They're much better boiled or roasted in some fashion."
"I see." Aizawa placed his prize in their small plastic basket and moved on to the next fallen chestnut.
He still didn't know why he had agreed to this excursion. Normally, he existed off of what his friends ate and vitamin pouches from the local convenience store- he might have heard of chestnut harvesting in passing once or twice, but never gave it a second thought. When he had said as much to the older teacher, Toshi had balked at the confession.
"You've never harvested chestnuts?" He had said, completely blown away.
"Never."
"But--it's tradition! What are you doing this weekend?"
And somehow his fellow teacher had talked him out of his typical napping plans, into the heaviest pair of gloves the support department could make, and take him to a public orchard filled with chestnut trees.
Ouch. A sprine pricked him even through his heavy gloves, but that didn't stop him. He was determined to gather just as many as Toshi. To get the most out of this involuntary experience, of course. It was only logical to make the best of the situation and, when he stopped to think about it, spending time with Toshi was nowhere near as bad as All Might. The fake smile and loud demeanor were toned down to a normal human level he could actual stand. The next hour or so passed quickly, both picking up nuts and breaking them out of their husks when necessary. Their little yellow basket filled quickly and they left.
Toshi paid for their take home and Aizawa worried for a moment. He didn't know how to cook chestnuts- or much of anything really-and hoped he wouldn't be taking his share of the harvest home just to rot in his fridge.
"Do you want me to teach you my favorite way of cooking them?"
"Hmn. Sure. If you insist."
...
Toshi's apartment was entirely unlike what Aizawa expected the number one hero to live like. He expected a penthouse in Might Tower, expensive furnishings and so much more.... but where he was invited to was a small apartment on the third floor of a mediocre complex near UA. There were no decorations on the walls outside of a photo of himself when he was much younger with two others Aizawa didn't recognize. The furniture was sparse and plain. It was a little shoebox of an apartment much like his own.
Another surprise waited for him as he sat down on the tiny sofa in his living room. A tiny hiss sounded from somewhere, an immediately recognizable sound and he glanced around for its source. Something stabbed at his heel and when he looked down, a tiny black and white paw was extended from under the furniture and batting at his foot.
"Oh my god. Yagi-san--you didn't tell me you had a cat! Come here, little one..."
Aizawa clicked in the back of his throat to coax the little creature out from under the couch.
Toshi looked up from his place at the counter, the grocery bags still in front of him as he put them away, "Oh, that's Hibiki-kun."
"What kind of name is that?"
"Meow at him and you'll see why."
He followed Toshi's advice, summoning up his best meow for the cat, and out of nowhere came a meow just like it, this little black and white thing crawling out to greet him.
"Oh no, he's adorable. You're so cute, awwww come here--"
Toshi gave him a smile from the kitchen, "you can bring him with you, but didn't you want to watch?"
"Nah." Aizawa responded, his attention completely focused on the cat. He could care less about learning a recipe he would probably never use.
The blond just scoffed at him, "I see how it is." His voice was fake hurt, but Aizawa knew the man didn't mind-judging by the silly grin on his face.
He scratched under the cat's chin, setting off a loud purr in his throat. He was content. The day had been worth it. Toshi was cooking for him and he got to cuddle a cat.
Cats make everything worth it.