Shoto falls in love with Shinso's cooking skills

Hitoshi wasn't a great cook by any means, but years of being in the system taught him how to be self-sufficient: adults weren't always the most reliable. Actually, they rarely were, especially in orphanages where children were many and staff was composed of only few people.

Hitoshi had learnt at a young age to reheat leftovers, to make some pasta or to make some hamburgers. He liked hamburgers, they were filling and tasty even when the orphanage could afford only the low quality meat. It kept him and, more importantly, the younger children, full for longer. Being an orphan made children learn to not be picky with food and fast. The few people that managed the orphanage didn't have the patience or energy to make sure everyone ate, especially these who were throwing a tantrum. New kids always threw tantrums, agitated from the change in environment and missing their parents, they grew stressed and fussy, most of the time refusing to eat.

Hitoshi couldn't really blame them, he was in their shoes once. He remembered the despair, the steadfast conviction that his parents would come back for him, the bitter disappointment. The refusal to eat anything that wasn't made from his parents, the tears in the pillow, the feeling of void in his chest.

That night one of the older orphans had crept in the room he was sharing with four other boys. They had carried a mug filled with warm milk and honey. They had sat near him and gave it to him, gently encouraging him to drink.

Hitoshi still remembered how sweet it tasted and how filling it was. He felt better after drinking it, and the other had stayed with him for a whole hour until he had succumbed to sleep, his small body exhausted.

That boy had long since been moved to foster care, so Hitoshi took upon himself to make milk and honey for the new ones and be a solid presence for them while they started the slow and painful process of grieving. They grieved for their old life, for their innocence lost in the way and for their parents, because even if they were alive, they were never going to come back, so it was as if they were dead. He didn't sleep much anyway; insomnia wasn't a rare drawback for mental quirks, together with headaches that could become migraines, so he didn't sleep much anyway, he could stay with any new orphan for as long as they needed.

He basically acted as an unofficial older sibling for the younger ones in the orphanage until he was moved to foster care.

Foster care was less crowded but it was just slightly better when it came to food. He had to use what was in the kitchen to satisfy his hunger, so he had learned a few tricks.

Now that he was in UA's dorm the situation was league better than anything he's ever known: the pantry and the fridge were always full of any and all ingredients he might need. He just had to open the fridge to be greeted with fresh veggies and fruit, rich chicken or beef stock, eggs, ham, meat, cheese, fish and whatever dessert Sato had made.

The dorms had a strict schedule of chores: after a week or so they apparently discovered that not many people could cook a satisfying meal, so the job of cooking breakfast and dinner was given to these who could actually cook, namely Bakugo, Midoriya, Tsu, Uraraka, Ojiro and Sato.

Apparently, Mina, Sero and Kaminari were too chaotic to be left alone in the kitchen and expected them to not lit anything on fire. Kirishima was fine as long as he was with someone who actually knew what they were doing. Aoyama would only serve cheese and Kouda couldn't stomach the thought of cooking meat, the poor guy. Iida, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu were from rich privileged families so they barely knew what a kitchen was and their first contact with cooking food was from Summer Camp, but no one liked to talk about that one time villains kidnapped a classmate, so Hitoshi wasn't sure how that went.

Tokoyami, Jiro and Hagakure simply weren't interested so they never learned.

Before he was expelled no one let Mineta cook because no one trusted him not to mess with the girls' food.

Shoji knew the basics and was a great helper, but preferred to just assist.

Hitoshi was a bit baffled by how many people didn't know how to use a kitchen, but Jiro explained to him that the cooks would once a month teach the class how to make basic meals so they would survive on their own.

Hitoshi had to admit that was a good solution.

Tonight it was his first time cooking for the class and by the way Bakugo was hovering behind him with an aura of menace, he was going to be judged harshly. Hitoshi wasn't really sure if he should give up before the blond exploded on his face for stepping foot in 'his' kitchen or make the best dish of his entire life and shove it in Bakugo's face.

"Kacchan, please stop trying to intimidate Shinso-kun out of the kitchen." Midoriya sighed while passing said angry guy, followed by Todoroki.

"Shut the fuck up Deku, the kitchen is my territory and I need to make sure the newbie won't burn it down." The other growled, not taking his eyes away from Hitoshi.

There was another sigh as Midoriya opened and rummaged through a cabinet. "Kacchan, please, nothing will catch on fire." He pleaded while taking out a stack of plates. Todoroki was near him in seconds and took half of the dishes from the other. Bakugo snorted.

"Yeah, right, you said the same thing when it was Half'n'half turn to cook." Midoriya sputtered, while Todoroki blinked slowly.

"Shoto-kun has never cooked before!"

"That's no excuse for trying to cook with his quirk." Bakugo rolled his eyes and Hitoshi's head whipped towards the heterochromatic teen, who just shrugged.

"It seemed like a good idea."

Hitoshi snorted and Todoroki's expression turned slightly smug.

"Ok, Shoto-kun's attempt aside, you shouldn't hover like that!" Midoriya chastised while moving to set the tables, still followed by the other who started to remind Hitoshi of a big, bi coloured dog.

"Shinso-kun, should we put out forks and knives or chopsticks and bowls?" Midoriya asked, tilting his head like an adorable puppy. What was with him and dogs analogies today? He was a cat person.

"I'm not sure. I can make either hamburger or some soba…" Hitoshi blinked as Todoroki visibly perked.

"Do you want soba, Todoroki?" He asked, unsure.

"If it's not too much trouble then yes, please."

"The bastard would live on cold soba if it were for him." Bakugo snorted, making Midoriya giggle at that, amused.

"He would. Shinso-kun please do not restrict yourself to cold soba, Shoto-kun already eats it enough during lunch."

Todoroki shrugged, unbothered. "Lunch Rush is really good."

Midoriya sighed, looking disappointed. "Yeah, he is...I should probably cut back on his katsudon, I'm gaining weight." He pouted, poking at his nonexistent belly. Hitoshi blinked.

"Midoriya, I think your definition of 'gaining weight' is a bit screwed"

"And you would be super cute with a bit more weight" Todoroki nodded sagely, making the other blush and sputter.

"Ok, enough dicking around you two, Eyebags needs to start cooking and I need to supervise." Bakugo barked.

"Kacchan, stop putting Shinso-kun under pressure! You come with us and leave him alone!"

Hitoshi tuned the argument out, ignoring the small explosions, the cackle of thunder and the change in temperature as he started getting out ingredients to fill a horde of hungry teenagers that expended lots of calories a day.

He started with the preparations: cutting, marinating, mixing, boiling. He vaguely registered Iida scolding the trio that was in the kitchen with him and making them leave him alone.

Hitoshi knew that not two people in the class had the same tastes, so he made a variety of dishes, something he was used to doing.

He boiled soba noodles, sauteed shrimps, stir fried veggies and tofu (mostly for poor vegetarian Koda), fried croquettes and cooked hamburgers.

It was hard work but it was worth it when he saw the enthusiastic face of his classmates. He just managed to set down in front of his hamburger when Todoroki turned to him, eyes sparkling, a bowl full of soba noodles with shrimps in hand.

"This is amazing, marry me."

Hitoshi had a moment of deja vu, remembering when he was accused of proposing to Midoriya, but this time he was the one being proposed to. Logically, he knew it was just a joke, but he couldn't help but feel the heat rise on his neck.

He could hear people trying really hard to not die of asphyxiation, dropping their utensils or squealing rather loudly. He took a deep breath and, with more calm he felt, smirked.

"Sure. No take backsies" He joked back, while a small part of his brain was screeching at him for saying stupid shit.

Todoroki paused and tilted his head like he was thinking. "Ok, but only if I can marry Midoriya too." Cue more choking and dying, especially from the green haired boy in question. "He's the best housewife."

Hitoshi laughed in surprise. "So you want to marry him just to have someone keep the house?"

Todoroki shrugged. "That, and he's adorable."

At that moment the class seemed to gather their wits enough to unleash total chaos on them. Oh well, at least everyone liked the food.