victory_road | It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

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It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

Who: Izuku Midoriya (

mightdoriya) and Katsuki Bakugo (

apshot)

Where: Pallet Town

When: Sometime in October

Summary: Izuku's Milcery very much wants to evolve, but the sweets to get her there are...expensive. Izuku's gotta pay his dues

Rating: PG, Katsuki's got a mouth on him otherwise nothing else should happen

Log:

[The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a haze for Izuku. He's not really sure what it is- maybe it's the seasons changing, or the fact sinking in slowly that in a few short months he'll have been in this world for a full year while his own falls apart at the seams- but he's definitely been working to shake some pre-winter slowness. His team hasn't entirely been following in his footsteps of course, still as spry and energetic as they always are, but they can tell that their trainer is feeling some kind of way. He's recovered from his injury a couple months ago at least, so he doesn't have that to think about.

But as all things tend to go, it's his Pokemon who have different plans for their trainer even if he's feeling a bit uncertain as to where he wants to go next. Sugar the Milcery has been antsy lately, which is a little unusual since she's one of Izuku's more shy teammembers. Now normally he could suss out what the issue was relatively easily, but every suggestion he posed was shot down pretty quickly by the little floating blob. It isn't until he's played a bit of Pokemon charades with her that the answer to their issue is finally discovered. She's ready to evolve.

The only problem is a big one: Milcery needs a sweet to evolve, and an expensive one at that. One that Izuku could technically afford, but he'd be pretty broke after...and he'd been trying to actually save some money for the upcoming holidays (and close friends' birthdays, naturally).

That's how he's found himself in Pallet town today at Mille's Bakery, lending her a helping hand to be able to afford the cost of the coveted sweet that he still hasn't even decided on yet. Izuku had been tasked with helping in the front of the store, tending to customers and stacking up displays. It's not difficult work, but it's not that he's finding to be a unique challenge persay...]

Kacchan, is the order for 2:00 ready? The customer should be here in a few minutes.

[He pokes his head in through the door leading back to the kitchen where Katsuki had been tasked to work. Why was he here at all? WELL...turns out, the Milcery he caught likes him quite a fair bit, and she had gotten quite upset at the idea Izuku would be heading out to get her sweet alone without him. Izuku still wasn't sure if Katsuki came because he didn't want to hear the Pokemon whining or maybe for the opportunity to work in another professional kitchen...either way, he's here too, and by the end of their work he should be able to take home a sweet for himself if he's so inclined. Sugar, meanwhile, had been floating happily above the counter while Izuku worked, though she'd been spending all of her extra time perusing the sweets held behind a glass display case.]

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Aw, don't say that. She's being harmless.

[Mostly. Izuku knows that Sugar has been sort of all up in peoples' business today since she's so eager to get a sweet. They just won't actually get their hands on one until their work here today is finished, so she has to be patient. Fortunately for everyone, she listens to Katsuki and moves around his neck before floating back into the front of the store with a little trill and a twirl to do exactly that. Izuku sighs as he watches the Milcery leave, pulling a ticket off a nearby ticket holder that Katsuki had been referencing for that particular customer so he can affix it to the box.]

It's a big decision to make. It'd be one thing if she just evolved into one type, but...

[He knows how hard it is to decide when you have two options, let alone more. There's a reason Mighty has yet to evolve, after all.]

[ Bakugou groans and rolls his eyes as he starts to knead this dough by hand. Gotta make it good for the next order while cookies bake. ]

I'm saying it so that her goopy self can contribute! It's a known fact that people who think she's fucking cute will see her bubbling about in the window and come to check her out. Then in the process they look at the displays and think "well shit I am hungry" or "Fuck, my partner would like one."

[ See? It's all for marketting. ]

[Izuku smirks, though he's quick to hide that smile when he notices the owner pass by the front, who sort of glances back over with a frown when she hears Katsuki swearing aloud as if to offer him a silent warning to watch his mouth when customers could be walking in.]

You do have a point. And since this bakery is well known for making the sweets that help Milcery evolve, that will make trainers want to come pick one up even more. It's no wonder they're so expensive, though...they seem tricky to make.

[Izuku isn't sure if Katsuki has been tasked with that special objective, though he wouldn't at all be surprise if he was. If anybody could figure out how to make them, it'd be Katsuki.]

[ Yeah, see... This is why Bakugou is baking and not actually dealing with people. The glare is just met with the middle finger and he moves on. He doesn't care about whether or not he's actually working here. The reason that he's here at all is because of Sugar. ]

I mean... It's not the hardest crap I've thrown together. Not really easy and I still hate sweets. Just time consuming.

[It's a thin line Katsuki walks. The only reason he hasn't been kicked out on his ass for that behavior is because he's so good at what he does. Otherwise, it would likely not have been tolerated. Ever since he and Izuku came by to volunteer their time, however, the store has been quite busy...turning over far more of a profit than it normally might in a sleepy, quiet town like Pallet.

Izuku dips out just long enough to pass the finished box of sweets off to the front before he turns his attention back to Katsuki. There's a little time for him to wait for the next batch to be prepared, so he'll probably busy himself with helping clean some dishes or something. It'll be an excuse to stay back here and talk to Katsuki for a bit longer, which...is not something that really got to happen often, back home.

He'll take advantage of every opportunity like that he gets, here.]

...why do you hate sweets so much, Kacchan?

[ During that time, the sough has been prepared and now Katsuki diligently works to form it into the shape of whatever cute Pokemon is on special for this month. Likely those pumpkin-like ones that Bakugou doesn't remember the name of ~~that's a lie but you know~~

When Izuku comes back, he has a couple done, but is pulling out the cookies instead. ]

Hah? I don't know. Why do you hate things that are too spicy?

[The Halloween themed treats are very cute. They're probably never lacking for ideas here, especially when there are so many Pokemon that either look like pumpkins, bats, cats, or are just straight up ghosts even.]

...because it hurts to eat them? And I wouldn't say I hate spicy food...I just don't feel like I can enjoy what I'm eating as much if I'm focused on it hurting my mouth or making my tongue numb, you know?

[ he groans and rolls his eyes as he scrapes off the cookies and sets them on the cooling rack. ]

Okay, smartass. Name something you actually hate then.

[Something he actually hates?

Izuku worries his bottom lip between his teeth as he thinks that over, making his way to the sink on one side of the kitchen so he can grab a pair of rubber gloves from one of the drawers to pull on.

When he does finally come up with something, it's said matter-of-factly.]

Licorice.

[ Something bitter... That makes sense, Bakugou supposes. At least it's something to work with as he goes back to molding the dough so that he can put it in the oven soon too. ]

Okay... So what is it about licorice that makes you not wanna put it in your mouth.

["Shouldn't that be obvious?" he finds himself thinking, but he decides to humor that line of conversation anyway as he starts to put some recently-used cake pans and cookie sheets into the sink so he can start washing them.]

I just don't like the way it tastes...it's bitter, and it's not pleasant to eat. It kinda makes me feel a little sick? Like not really sick, but it's just...not good to me.

There you go. Same exact fucking reason. Because it's not pleasant to eat and the sweetness makes me feel nauseated.

[ Not everything has to have some sort of elaborate reason, Izuku. ]

Oh, well...I guess that's fair, when you put it that way.

[Too many sweets can make you feel sick after all. Katsuki just must be a lot more sensitive to it than most.]

Do you like sour things, then?

[ Who knows why he is... People are just built different. Everyone is allowed to have different tastes, right? ]

In moderation, I guess. I don't have the same reaction to bitter or sour things that I do sweets.

[ He clicks his tongue against his teeth in thought. ]

Bitter chocolate might be better.

That's where our paths would diverge...I can't do dark chocolate.

[Too bitter, No Thanks.]

But I guess a lot of desserts that use it make it so the bitter balances out the sweet...or something.

[He's not the baker here, so he's not sure.]

Yeah, more or less.

[ OKAY! The bread is now going into the oven. It's going to be a hot seller, that's for sure. ]

Or for people who don't really care for sweet shit. 'Course I also like chili powder on things too.

Chili powder...wait, that reminds me-

[Izuku turns to look at Katsuki over his shoulder, the sound of water running passing over their conversation now that he's started to wash the dishes.]

I remember hearing about Riegfried and Soy holding a cooking contest or something before I got here...you made something for that, didn't you?

[...]

Was it spicy?

[ Oh... Oh yeah he had participated in that, hadn't he? That had been ages ago, feels like. It really hadn't been. It had been done a while back but Kirishima and Bakugou had taken the vacation tickets and - ]

Who told you that I did?

[ Kirishima, probably... ]

[Izuku stiffens, then immediately ducks his head a little sheepishly. Was he not supposed to know, he wonders...]

Uh. Kirishima-kun...?

Of course that fucker did...

[ It's not necessarily that he wants or doesn't want people to know. Just seems weird that Eijiro would bring it up at all? ]

Yeah. I got second place. Made some spicy shit, obviously. Also some ice cream with hot pepper in it.

H...how does ice cream with hot pepper work?

[ Giving this asshole a feral grin. ]

Want me to make some?

[Izuku, if he cared about self preservation, would wisely just say...thanks, but no thanks.

Instead, he blurts-]

Can you...make ice cream here?

[His first mistake was offering a challenge, let's be honest.]

Ha? Of course... There's some pastries that require it?

[ Or the ability to use blast chillers and the like. Custards and such. He could totally make it here. ]

[HM. Hm. He should back out now. There's literally nothing to be gained from this.

Yet, it's difficult to backpedal now that it's been brought up. And part of him...really wants to try some of Katsuki's sweeter cooking. Well, as "sweet" as hot pepper ice cream can be.]

...if you find time between the other work we have to do and make some, I'll try it.

I'll do it right the fuck now.

[ Because honestly? It'd probably sell anyway. He leaves long enough to ask permission - because he's not an ass like that.

Then returns and takes Izuku to the backrooms where cakes are decorated and stuff like that. ]

They'll get someone to take those buns out of the oven.

[Izuku wasn't expecting to be brought with Katsuki, but as long as they have permission he guesses it's fine...he still needs to do those dishes, but they're not urgent or anything. They can wait for a little bit. So he'll put the gloves he was using aside on the counter when Katsuki drags him to the back rooms, peering carefully through the door before he goes in since he hasn't actually been back here yet.]

O-oh! Well, alright...

[ Over the course of the next two hours, Katsuki starts to put everything together to make this chocolate cayenne ice cream. That's about how long it takes, really. Though he does put everything through an ice cream machine so that it can me ready quicker.

So in no time at all, it's there. Ready in a bowl and being served to Izuku. ]

Eat.

[As two hours go by, Izuku focuses on watching Katsuki's process as he puts the ice cream together that he'd made for the contest months ago. It's as impressive as always to be watching him work on anything really, but particularly this...Katsuki commands a shocking level of care and finesse for someone with a Quirk so violent as his. Not that that applies here, but...Izuku knows that he's learned to be delicate when any wrong move could result in an unintended explosion. That must count double for working with cold things, he suspects.

Before long, the ice cream is done. There it sits in a bowl in front of him, innocuous and unassuming.

Now, the question is...how hot is this ice cream?]

[ Honestly it's not going to be too spicy. There's going to be an after burn and it's not something that should be eaten quickly. That's all. ]

So eat it already.

[ A lot of people wouldn't really be able to guess that Katsuki is something of a cook, huh? Because it does command a level of finesse someone would suspect of someone with such a fiery temper and explosive Quirk. ]

[Eat it he shall! He's just being a little....cautious, with good reason.

Izuku tries it after a beat, working the ice cream around in his mouth and expecting it to hurt, but it...doesn't? Well, not right away, at least. He gets the full depth of the flavor long before it hurts, which is impressive in and of itself.]

Waah...Kacchan, this is- haaaah- [Oop, the burn is kicking in.] -h-a...r-really good...!

[ Don't mind him. Katsuki is just going to lean against the countertop and scoop up some for himself. Now he doesn't care for sweet things. However, this is something that he doesn't mind. It does have a bit of a bite even though he's toned it down for Izuku's sake. ]

It's not that hot, Deku.

I-it's not...I'm surprised, actually. It's like...pleasantly spicy? No wonder you did so well in the contest.

[He would have thought Katsuki would do well regardless though, since he's shown his prowess at cooking many times before.]

I take back what I said earlier about not being able to make ice cream spicy.

I didn't win. Came in second. If I had more showmanship, I might have won. Who the fuck even knows...

[ But they both know that Bakugou really isn't one to entertain crowds, right? So he was just looking for the most efficient way of making his meal. Which also probably says a lot about how much people actually liked it. ]

[He almost blurts "winning isn't everything", but, well. This is Katsuki we're talking about. He knows Katsuki has gotten better about that, but even so...second place is nothing at all to sneeze at, especially with the high caliber these contests tend to run at, he imagines.]

Well, with something that tastes like this, you won as far as I'm concerned. It really is good.

[So good, in fact, that the spice isn't going to deter him from continuing to eat it.]

[ Ahahaha. Yeah, no. For him? Winning is pretty much everything. bakugou wants to be the best and if someone its better than him then it should be because of skill. Not necessarily because they are just fucking fancier, right? At least that's his opinion of it.

Whatever. Though it shouldn't a surprise at all that shitty Deku likes his food. Bakugou's only been cooking for them all for a while. ]

Whatever. Even if it is pretty great, you're pretty biased as far as I am concerned.

[Izuku exhales on a startled laugh when Katsuki says that before he can stop himself, rubbing the back of his neck.]

W-well I mean...! Maybe a little...

[A "little".]

But I think even someone unbiased would think it's really good, too...

[ Look, he only means it because Deku is a fucking loser. Always looking at him thinking he's great even when Bakugou really isn't. Kind of annoying, really. Annoying in the sense that it isn't really deserved but given anyway.

Even more annoying is the fact that Katsuki doesn't necessarily want that fact to change. Only that he's going to actually do shit to make the fucking nerd look at him. ]

Tch. Unbiased people are weak since they get terrified to even try.

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It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake

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