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Morton loved to eat, there wasn’t any doubt in that. Being the biggest of the Koopalings, his appetite knows no bounds. That’s why aside from training with his weapons and magic, he took up cooking as a hobby.
Recipes were to tedious to follow as he admits he isn’t as smart as the other Koopalings so he often just watched the chefs on what to do and base his tastes from then. He loved experimenting with different ingredients which made finding others to share in his cooking a bit hard to find. His siblings were supportive in a way, especially their Dad but it’s like he was just going along with the others. It all changed when Luigi, their father’s rival’s brother entered the picture.
He just came to the castle one day and it was history from there. He slowly made connections with everyone. The man had interests that resonated with everyone in the castle.
He came to the kitchens one day and saw him working on his experimental dish when he asked what he was making. That was the first time someone ever took an interest in what he was cooking. The chef’s usually asked out of courtesy or fear that certain ingredients would be unavailable . Luigi was different. He asked questions and looked at him without judgement and Morton found himself opening up despite his and many reservations with their former enemy in the castle.
Luigi was delighted when he found out the young Koopaling loved cooking and they’d usually share the space together. He learned so much from cooking with the human. He learned not only recipes but the histories of certain foods he never knew especially Italian recipes from the human world. He loved pizza and pasta they always made fresh or would bulk make pastas and sauces for quick meals and snacks.
It opened his hobby into new territory. Luigi imparted really great advice and words such as ‘food brings people together’, ‘something’s don’t come together as we hoped for’ and his favorite ’measure with your heart’. Ever since then the apprehensive looks he received when asking others to try his food was now met with excitement.
Then…Luigi stopped coming by and he didn’t know why and nobody would tell him anything. His dad was looking the most forlorn and his siblings looked miserable. He tried to act like usual but even he felt Luigi’s absence even the food he made dozens of times tasted different.
Another day passed and the misery was suffocating. Morton sequestered himself in the kitchen as usual when the chefs had vacated for the time being. He sighed as he looked over his recipe book filled with notes and little tidbits of information, most in his messy scrawl and a few in Luigi’s cursive. He could say Luigi's absence wasn't affecting him but it was a lie. He was engrossed in thinking of what to make that day that he didn't notice someone enter the kitchen.
“Coin for your thoughts?” A familiar voice asked. Morton turned around so fast his shell hit the counter but he didn’t care. There before him with the same warm smile and curled mustache was Luigi.
He barreled towards the man and Luigi had his arms outstretched to receive him.
“You came back” Morton murmured against the man’s shoulder and a gentle hand ran through his head with sparse tufts of hair.
“Not for long il mio piccolo cuoco. Just here for to fulfil a few duties. I-a have to leave soon, mi dispiase” Luigi said as Morton pulled away looking at him with sad eyes.
“What did you call me? Coocoo?” Morton asked curious making Luigi chuckle.
“Il mio piccolo cuoco. It means little chef” Luigi said and smiled at the look of wonder on Morton’s face.
“I’m not a chef though” he tried to argue but the man just smiled.
“To me and to anyone who cares about you. You are and so much more” He laughed when he saw the koopaling look away with his cheeks stained red.
“When will you come back?” He asked cautiously.
“I don’t know Morty, I can't come and go as I please anymore'”
“Did…did Morton do something wrong?” He asked as his eyes began to water.
“No! Never! Don't even think that. Your padre and I…we’re working through some things. Please don’t ever think either you or your siblings have done anything wrong, si?” Luigi said gently cradling the larger koopalings head in his hands.
Morton could only nod and lean against the man’s shoulder again for comfort.
“Now, no more sadness Il mio piccolo cuoco. Show-a me what you were making” Luigi urged and Morton became excited as he lead the man to his station.
Luigi didn’t have a lot of time to spare but he worked with Morton to make multiple batches of cookies with various mix in and flavors. Time moved fast until it was time for Luigi to leave.
“I-a have to go Il mio piccolo cuoco. How I’ve missed this time with you” Luigi said as he readied to leave.
Morton handed him a container full of the cookies they just helped bake.
“Morton miss Luigi. Come back if have time? Morton wait” he looked sad but hopeful. It tugged at Luigi’s heartstrings as he pulled the koopaling into one last hug before he left.
Morton sighed as he finished cleaning up his station which wasn’t much since Luigi did majority of the cleanup before he left. He took one of the cookies and plopped it into his massive maw and…it was amazing! The flavors he was missing, the feeling of happiness he hadn’t felt in a long time. He thought it was silly to have love as an ingredient but it really made a difference.
He prepared a platter of cookies of various varieties as he made his way to the playroom. It wasn’t as lively as it used to be cause of the whole Luigi situation but everyone still did their thing.
He entered the doors and all eyes were on him. It took a second before the smell of cookies filled the room and the younger Koopalings approached with excited looks. The others joined not having anything better to do and freshly baked cookies were a treat.
As soon as everyone bit into their respective cookies, the room erupted in a cacophony of sounds.
“These are amazing!” Junior complimented stuffing his maw with a chocolate chip cookie in each hand
“To die for!” Wendy exclaimed at the sugar cookies
“Yummy!” Lemmy hummed with a snickerdoodle
Morton smiled at the praise but his smile faded as he told everyone why they tasted so good.
“Luigi…Luigi helped Morton make cookies. Morton use same recipe like always but cookies taste better when Luigi help” he admitted looking sad.
“He was here?!” Ludwig questioned looking worried.
“No fair! We didn’t get to see him!” Roy huffed crunching on a walnut cookie
The others started to argue but Morton scolded them. “Luigi said no bad emotions with food! No disrespect food” he scolded making the others look guilty.
“That is something Luigi would say” Iggy said with a sad smile
“I miss him” Junior said eyes already watering.
“We all do” Ludwig said giving Junior's head a little pat as everyone agreed.
Everyone lapsed in silence as they sat down to enjoy the treats as Morton told them what happened that day. The platter of cookies was empty by then.