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Katsuki’s love language was food. Mitsuki had figured it out from the time he was four and helped her bake cookies. He had been so careful to make sure he was doing everything right. They had cut them out in pieces, and he redid them a couple of times before they were good enough. She had made sure to put them in the fridge for a while so they would retain their shape as much as possible. Once they were baked, she watched as her son picked a couple of them out and placed them on a plate.
She had thought they were for him, but no. He refused to touch them or let her touch them until Masaru got home. Katsuki went and pushed him to the kitchen, making him sit down and eat the cookies in front of him. Katsuki looked so nervous as his dad took a bite before declaring they were the best cookies he had ever had.
That’s when Katsuki proudly declared he had made them. He was so proud of himself that he even brought some more cookies for his dad and made her eat some too. Masaru and Mitsuki realized their son liked to be in the kitchen that day and tried to involve him in some way every time one of them had to cook. Small things at first, like helping wash vegetables, measuring the ingredients, and helping mix them.
It was no surprise how fast Katsuki picked up cooking and baking. By the time he was twelve, he would make dinner for all three of them at least once a week. Mitsuki could see him perk up at their compliments after their first bite of food. He never lost that small sparkle in his eye when he saw someone enjoying his food.
That’s why, when Mitsuki found Katsuki baking in her kitchen in the middle of the night, she knew something was going on. Katsuki had come home for a couple of days. He didn’t give a reason, and Mitsuki didn’t need one to have her baby home. So, finding him mixing something in the largest bowl they owned while cursing softly under his breath meant she had a lot of questions.
“What’s going on here, brat?” Mitsuki asked as she looked over the ingredients on the counter. From what she could see, Katsuki was making a chocolate cake or something similar.
“I need to make a cake,” Katsuki answered, even though he didn’t really look up at her as he cursed under his breath. “I think the whisk is broken,” he huffed as he pulled the whisk out, and Mitsuki saw one of the wires had come loose.
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to throw that one out, but I haven’t gotten around to buying a new one,” she explained.
“The fuck,” Katsuki said to her, as if he expected better of her.
She rolled her eyes as she walked to one of the cabinets. “Use the hand mixer, it’s fine. Your dad took his sleeping pill and won’t wake up to the sound.”
Katsuki stared at her for a second before mumbling a thanks.
“So, why do you need to make a cake?” Mitsuki asked.
Katsuki shrugged.
“Katsuki, tell me, or you can’t use the oven.”
That made his head snap up to look at her as if trying to guess if she was bluffing or not. She raised an eyebrow, and that was enough for him to start talking.
“It’s Kirishima’s birthday tomorrow,” he mumbled.
She knew that kid. A redhead boy who had gotten close to Katsuki during their first year, and who she had always wondered if there was something else there. She tried her best not to tease him. “You could have bought one. Isn’t that what your class usually does when it’s someone’s birthday?”
“Yeah, but all the cakes were fucking ugly and horrible,” Katsuki huffed.
Mitsuki only nodded, knowing exactly what this meant. “Do you want me to help?”
“No, I got it,” he told her.
“Okay, I’m heading back to my room. Just make sure to clean up the counter. You can leave the dishes for me tomorrow if you get too tired.” She walked up to him and kissed his cheek, even if he let out an annoyed groan.
She was almost out of the kitchen when she heard the soft “thanks, Mom.”
The next morning, she found a chocolate cake with black and red frosting with the words Happy Birthday Ei on top. As well as finding Katsuki fast asleep on the living room couch. Some frosting was still on his face. She only shook her head slightly before placing a blanket over him and going to wash the dishes her son had been too exhausted to clean.
She offered him a ride to school the following day. Katsuki had made the cake a whole day before he had to head back in case he had to remake it. Mitsuki watched as he sat in the backseat, nervously holding on to the cake. Yelling at her to slow down or go easier on the brakes. She was tempted to kick him out of the car more than once. She yelled back at him about not appreciating her taking time out of her day to do this.
They finally arrived back at the dorms. Katsuki pulled the cake out before realizing he couldn’t take out the plates he had bought for the cake while carrying it. Mitsuki rolled her eyes, but mostly to be dramatic. “I’ll take them in for you. Whatever special edition Crimson Rogue plates you had in special order with overnight shipping,” Mitsuki told him.
“Crimson Riot ,” Katsuki corrected with a huff, but didn’t say another word as he marched to the front door, only stopping to let her open it for him.
Mitsuki opened the door for him, tempted to let it go so it would hit him. Then again, she knew he was only lashing out because he was nervous. His hands had been sweating so much that she had seen him cleaning them on a handkerchief in the backseat.
It didn’t take long for all of Katsuki’s class to realize he was carrying a cake and start crowding around him. Katsuki seemed annoyed by all of them, but Mitsuki saw the way he softened when Kirishima showed up. She saw the nervous way he shifted his weight from one leg to another before placing the cake on the counter and uncovering it for all to see.
The oohs and aahs gave way to a bunch of chatter and questions about where Katsuki had gotten the cake, and then shock that he had made it himself. Mitsuki watched Kirishima’s face turn red, and she wondered why her son hadn’t asked him out yet. Then again, she should let them take their time.
She placed the plates next to the cake and somehow was able to get all of the kids to gather around the cake to sing happy birthday to her future son-in-law. She made sure to get Katsuki to stand next to him, and might have taken some photos and videos, insisting it was because the cake looked so amazing. Totally not to print out and put around the house.
After the singing, she helped cut up the cake and served a piece to everyone, except for one slide. The first slice that Katsuki cut out for Kirishima, handing it over carefully and waiting for the reaction. The way Katsuki lit up with every compliment that came from Kirishima’s mouth.
Mitsuki knew that Katsuki would be baking or cooking a lot more from now on, and she couldn’t wait to hear all about it.