Sweet Victory [Threadvember]

Another Anon prompt, this time "Sweet"!

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It was no secret that Katsuki was the pickiest student in their class about nutrition and properly fueling his body. It was also no secret that he baked an amazing chocolate cake – along with most other sweets. He didn't often deign to grace them with the glory of his baking, but when he did, the entire dorm went apeshit.

And as it happened, exams were approaching. If ever there was a time to succumb to stress eating, the weeks leading up to their final exams were that time.

Izuku was no saint, and he had certainly given in to the urges, munching on packets of salty potato chips as he studied, rewarding himself with icecream or pudding when he finished with a subject. As the countdown to their practical exam begin, he started to notice the changes – he was sluggish in training, his jumpsuit was a little less comfortable around the waistline, and the muscles he'd worked so hard to build up were becoming a little less defined when he looked in the mirror.

"I'm going on a diet," he announced, as he sat down beside Ochako, wondering if he fell too heavily onto the couch. "No more junk food until the practical exam is over!"

"Admirable," Tenya nodded once, contemplating. "Proper nutrition is key to performance, after all. And while the occasional treat does no harm, our habits have all been less than stellar the past few weeks."

"Exactly! I've been slacking so much while we've been doing the written exams! I just want to be in the best shape possible by the time we do our practical!"

"I'll join you!" Ochako beamed, patting him on the shoulder fondly. "I'm a sucker for sweets, I've been awful! We can make a meal plan and cook together!"

"Sure!" Izuku agreed. "It'll be the most fun diet ever!"

He pulled out his laptop and together they began researching, looking up their ideal calorie intakes and nutrient macros, planning out exactly how much of what foods they should be eating. With their numbers sorted, they turned to recipes – finding exciting and tasty looking meals that would fit with their needs, stomachs growling as they got excited over delicious looking dinner ideas.

"Oi, eat."

Izuku looked up to find Katsuki lording over them, holding out a tray that steamed in his hands. The smell made Izuku's stomach growl, and he cringed when he saw the fresh cookies, thick and soft, just the way he liked them.

"I can't," he pouted. "I'm on a diet."

"Haaah? Since when?"

"Since I've been gaining a bunch of weight from stress eating and I don't want to suck in the practical exam!"

"You're gonna suck anyway," Katsuki snorted, shoving the cookies in front of Ochako's face. "You on a diet too, Pink Cheeks?"

"Yup, starting tomorrow!" she grinned, accepting two hot cookies and ignoring Izuku's look of betrayal. "This can be my last hurrah!"

"You sure, nerd?" Katsuki teased, smirking as he waved them under Izuku's nose. "Last chance before the asshole squad gets their grubby mitts on them."

"I can't! Thank you Kacchan but if I have one now I'll never stop! I made myself a promise!"

"Whatever, nerdass." He took the plate away, and Izuku almost whined again as he watched it go. "You, Four Eyes? You on Team Winner or Team Lame Diet?"

"A cookie would be lovely, thank you."

Izuku pouted when Katsuki left, Tenya and Ochako munching on either side of him, and he slumped in his seat to sulk.

"You guys suck," he grumbled, sinking into his baggy hoodie. "I'm gonna eat so many cookies after exams end."

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The first day of Izuku's diet went surprisingly well. After how intensely he'd controlled his diet and exercise regime in his time with All Might, a simple healthier eating routine was like a breeze.

Except, of course, when Katsuki was baking again, filling the dorms with the smell of chocolate chip muffins.

"Why are you torturing me?" he whined, when Katsuki passed one to everyone else in the room, stopping in front of him with a last steaming muffin in hand. "Are you just doing this because I said I was on a diet?"

Katsuki smirked, but didn't answer, and Izuku shook his head pathetically.

"No thank you, Kacchan. I appreciate the offer, but I'm serious about my diet!"

Ochako sank guiltily in her seat as she munched on her muffin, carefully avoiding his eyes.

"You're a stronger person than me," she said sheepishly, when their eyes finally met. "I can't do it, I can't say no when they smell so amazing!"

"Kacchan is a good cook," Izuku acknowledged. "I can't blame you, honestly."

He was proud of himself for resisting, proud that he was strong enough to say no not only to the sweets, but also to the temptation of Katsuki making kind gestures. After all, how often did that happen?

As it turned out, daily. By day three, Izuku knew Katsuki was just messing with him. And by day five? It was just getting ridiculous.

"Why are you doing this?" Izuku asked, watching Katsuki slide a tin of his favourite sponge cake recipe in the world out of the fridge. "This must have taken you hours."

"Yup."

"Where did you get the strawberries?"

"Picked them myself at a local place."

"You're joking."

"Yeah, farmer's market."

"Why do you want to tempt me so badly?"

"It's funny."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Sorry," Katsuki amended, shocking Izuku with the word. "It's hilarious."

"I'm not going to let you beat me."

"Oh, it's a competition now? Then I'm definitely gonna beat your ass."

"Kacchaaaaan!"

"Too late nerd, now it's on."

He scooped up a spoonful of the test mixture, a little cupcake case he'd cooked first for tasting purposes, and with the most glorious smirk in the world on his lips, he poked it at Izuku's lips.

"Say 'ahhhh', nerd."

"The exam is in three days," Izuku squirmed away. "Can't you make me cake in three days?"

"What fun would that be?"

"Will you save me a slice for later?"

"Goes bad within three days," Katsuki grinned, stupidly gleeful over the words. "Eat up, nerd."

"Kacchan, please," he whined. "I'm just trying to work hard and get better! I gotta make you and All Might proud!"

Katsuki went surprisingly quiet at that, huffing a little as he turned back to his cake. Izuku watched as he layered the cream on, sandwiching it between two layers of cake, and Izuku's stomach grumbled as he watched the cream smooth out prettily.

"Eat it," Katsuki demanded, hand raising again into Izuku's face.

"Kacchan, I ca-" he froze, eyes crossing, and immediately softened when he saw the strawberry in Katsuki's fingertips. "Oh. Thank you."

He started to lift his hand, but Katsuki just nudged it at his lips again, and he opened his mouth wide to let Katsuki stuff it in.

"So fresh," he murmured through his mouthful. "Yummy, Kacchan!"

He cut the rest of the strawberries in half, laying them in pretty circles over the top of the cake, and as he positioned each one perfectly, Izuku felt like he was starting to understand.

"Baking helps you de-stress," he said quietly, watching the long fingers tense into claws. "Sorry, I didn't think about what it might mean for you."

"Cooking," Katsuki corrected him, not looking up from his task. "Not just baking."

Katsuki cut a thin slice from the finished cake, pristine and perfect as he set it on a plate, and slid it across the bench to Izuku.

"If you eat this, I win," he said flatly. "And then I can move on from cooking sweet shit."

"I'm on a diet, Kacchan."

"Almond flour, stevia, greek yoghurt," Katsuki continued, as if Izuku had never spoken. "Plenty of protein and nutrients, and I'd hazard a guess at a hundred calories, maybe less. Didn't weigh the slice."

"What?"

"What are you not understanding, nerd?"

"Did... Did you do this for me?"

"Shut up and eat the cake."

Izuku teared up as he snatched the plate, taking a bite, and Katsuki just rolled his eyes as the nerd blubbered over his cake.

"It's so good, Kacchan!"

"And now I win, asshole."

"You win! I don't even care about losing it's so good!"

Katsuki cut a slice of his own, leaning back against the bench to eat, and together they stood in silence other than the occasional clink of a fork against a plate.

"I'm going running tonight," Katsuki announced. "If you wanna come."

"Can I?"

"I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it, dumbass."

"I'll be there!"

With a smile he took another slice of cake, ignoring the look Katsuki gave him for it.

"I'll work it off when we run," he grinned. "Thanks, Kacchan. You're the best."

"If I'm gonna kick your ass in that exam, you gotta be on top of your game or it won't be satisfying."

"I'll do my best! Whip me into shape, Kacchan!"

Izuku should have known he'd regret the words.

Before he knew it he was being dragged out to extra training sessions, handed plates of carefully measured and prepared meals, even lectured about his posture.

"You know, I didn't mean it literally, Kacchan," Izuku grumbled when Katsuki jabbed him in the upper back, making him sit up straight on the sofa. "You don't need to hit me."

"Shut up and eat your salad," he growled, dumping the plate in Izuku's lap. "Fish is still cooking."

"It's cute that he cares so much," Eijirou teased, making Katsuki twitch as he left the room. "Feeding you and inviting you on all those little workout dates, how sweet."

"Shut the hell up!" Katsuki barked, face burning bright red. "It's not my fault the damn nerd can't take care of himself!"

"Seemed like you were the knowledgable one, a few days ago," Eijirou smirked, the moment Katsuki left the room. "You really believe him? That he thinks you can't take care of yourself?"

The words weighed heavy on his mind, full of a sudden curiosity – he knew Katsuki better than just about anyone, and he was pretty sure it was true in reverse, too. Katsuki spent enough time calling him a nerd, after all – he knew Izuku would have done his research.

When he heard plates clinking he quickly finished off his salad, grinning as he held the empty plate up for Katsuki to take on his return.

"Eat it," Katsuki said sternly. "Exam tomorrow, you gotta at least give me a challenge."

"Thanks Kacchan!" he said brightly, as Katsuki leaned over to hand him fish and rice. "Oh, can you put it down here for me? Pretty please?"

He pointed at his lap and Katsuki gave him a sceptical look, leaning over a little all the same to set it down. With a cheeky smile, Izuku turned his head, planting a sweet little kiss on Katsuki's cheek.

"Thanks Kacchan!"

Katsuki flushed bright red, stammering when he tried to find words, explosions popping off in his hands.

"What time are we meeting tonight? For our gym date? Seven thirty again?"

Everyone waited with a surprising patience, eager for Katsuki's answer, but in the end they had to settle for a sharp nod. Katsuki turned on his heel, escaping from the room with his face still burning, and Izuku just grinned at his back.

"Thanks Kirishima!" Izuku laughed. "I can't believe I was so oblivious to why he was being so sweet!"

"I'm not sure I'd ever call Bakugou sweet," he laughed. "But you're welcome!"

"So are you two dating now?" Ochako asked, eyes wide. "It was that easy?"

"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "But I'll make it happen."

From the floors above, they heard a muffled sound of explosions and yelling, and Izuku could only smile fondly as every eye in the room turned to him.

"You wanna take that?" Eijirou laughed.

"Nah, he's good, I'm gonna go see if there's more cake."