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Katsuki knew something was amiss. Some people, Sakamoto, would call his observations creepy and obsessive but goddamn it something was wrong with his Izuku and what kind of partner would he be to not notice such a massive change. The change in question being Izuku being half a kilogram lighter instead of gaining a kilogram to help encourage a growth spurt.
Don’t get Katsuki wrong, he loves his Izuku as he is because it is heart melting when he climbs Katsuki and clings to him when he’s doing literally anything but Katsuki himself is about to hit a growth spurt (he can feel it coming, this has nothing to do with how infuriating it is that that Troll is taller than him. He’s not coping or anything) and having a miniscule partner is gonna wreak havoc on his neck in the long run so he’s trying to get Izuku to grow with him. Though considering Izuku takes after his mother so much there is a very real possibility that he doesn’t grow much more at all despite Katsuki’s best efforts.
It just doesn’t add up, he’s been cooking Izuku’s favourites for lunch the last month and all of the food is eaten, he checks the bento at the end of the day so he knows it’s not that Izuku isn’t eating. But something is simply not adding up and he will get to the bottom of it. Katsuki has gone through the extra effort every morning to be sure everything is measured and the amounts carefully increased so that he has the perfect portions keeping Izuku full (taking into account Izuku’s basic day-to-day lifting and maneuvering of large and heavy materials in the support department) until school lets out so when they have a café date planned Izuku has room for desserts without hitting that feeling of fullness that’ll make him feel gross. Even so, somehow Izuku is just not getting the extra nutrients and it’s driving Katsuki up a wall not knowing how it’s happening.
He has a plan. It’s a very simple plan. There is no way his plan can go wrong as he won’t be doing anything extreme, in fact he will be doing one thing less than usual. Today at lunch Katsuki will watch Izuku like a hawk, his eyes will not be leaving his pretty little broccoli boy. He won’t get distracted looking out for less than savoury glances thrown Izuku’s way, he won’t even let Hitoshi bait him into any petty squabbles. He will have his eyes on Izuku eating the entire time, going right to the source of the matter.
That was his plan and he stuck to it. And it took not five minutes before he found the source of the issue. Katsuki watching Izuku do his usual meal time ritual of separating his favourite bits of pork off to the side to eat last and that, step one of Izuku’s lunch routine, is where the culprit was caught. All was going as it should, the crispiest pieces of pork shuffled to the side so that Izuku could start digging into the rice (and hidden rolled omelet) when Katsuki from the corner of his eye spotted another pair of chopsticks enter Izuku’s lunchbox.
Watching in bafflement as Hitoshi nonchalantly takes Izuku’s crispy pork, and adds it to his own bed of rice. Wide red eyes switch between Hitoshi’s lunchbox to Izuku’s face, who upon feeling eyes on him turns to face Katsuki with a sheepish expression as he quickly shoves a big mouthful of rice into his mouth. Disgruntled by the clear avoidance of his unasked question Katsuki looks back at Hitoshi who, after checking Izuku isn’t watching, has a slight grimace on his face as he picks up as much crispy pork as he can and shoves it into his mouth. Hitoshi chews quickly then follows it up with the remaining crunchy bits and a swig of canned coffee to wash it down as he pulls a face.
Horrified by what he’d just seen Katsuki explodes.
“OI! YOU FUCKING TROLL WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!??”
Hitoshi fumbles and nearly drops his liquid life in a can at the sudden yelling by Katsuki. Irritated and confused Hitoshi gives Katsuki a mild glare and is ready to ask what his problem is now when Izuku quickly finishes his mouthful of rice to interrupt before his boys get into an argument.
“Kacchan it’s okay! Toshi can have my crispy pieces, I would have said if I minded!!” Katsuki and Hitoshi both look at Izuku dumbfounded and they speak at the same time.
“He doesn’t even like crispy pork”
“Wait, do you like the crispy pork?”
Izuku looks between Katsuki and Hitoshi with his mouth opening and closing trying to decide what to say but he ends up making a high keening noise like a deflating balloon and he lets out a short, confused wail of “Kacchaaan!” Immediately Katsuki is on his knees in front of Izuku, taking his lunchbox from his lap and setting it in his now vacant seat beside Izuku, Katsuki holds one freckled hand in his and with his other hand he cradles Izuku’s cheek who leans into the touch. Dazed by the speed at which Katsuki moved Hitoshi takes a moment to get with the program but once he gets over the initial shock, he is quick to cover his own lunchbox and set it on the ground to scoot closer on the bench until he is pressed against Izuku’s side, one arm going around the shorter boy to pull him ever so slightly closer and slips his free hand into Izuku’s.
Katsuki looks carefully over Izuku’s face to discern his emotions but quickly huffs and the gentle hand cradling Izuku’s face shifts into a playful pinch to stretch a pouty, freckled cheek that instantly has Izuku whining and pouting more fiercely as Katsuki scrunches his nose and bares his teeth in a tight smile as he is overcome with cuteness aggression.
“You silly overthinker, how can you be this magnificent little genius when you repeatedly do such dumb things, huh?”
Hitoshi watches in amazement as Katsuki stretches Izuku’s face like Hitoshi pulls apart his mother’s red bean mochi. Slightly confused still Hitoshi lets his arm drop off of Izuku’s shoulder to rest comfortably across his lower back and allows his hand to loosely hold Izuku’s slim waist instead. With quickly warming cheeks Hitoshi clears his throat and gives Katsuki a puzzled look once red eyes meet his.
Katsuki gives Hitoshi a slight scowl before he sighs and releases his hold on Izuku’s face, he rolls his eyes once before he finds Hitoshi’s lunch box on the ground next to him. Picking it up Katsuki pulls the cover off and quickly scans the contents before he tsks, shoves it back at Hitoshi and moves to grab his own box.
“Izuku’s favourite part of katsudon are the crispy edge pieces, he likes to eat his favourite parts last so that his last bites are the best. I don’t know why you started to take them from him when it’s very clear to see by the stupid faces you pull that you don’t even like the crispy parts but Izuku most likely thought that it was “”cute”” of you to steal bits of his lunch and didn’t say anything about it but I’m telling you right now Troll, that it stops today.”
All the while he was explaining Katsuki was taking crispy parts from his own lunch box and carefully transferred them over to Izuku who was trying very hard not to look so excited about it but was failing quite miserably. Hitoshi watches the way Izuku’s eyes light up and barely noticeable way his fingers holding his chopsticks twitch in anticipation. Feeling quite dumb for not noticing Hitoshi takes a breath and looks off to the side of the garden they’re sitting in and begins to explain himself.
“Ah. I … am the opposite, I eat my least favourite parts of any meal last so that I possibly won’t have to eat it if I get full before I get to them. And … Well… You are always so attentive with Izuku but I’ve noticed you’re a bit strict when it comes to meals so I thought that maybe… you were concentrated on your own diet and that you didn’t notice? I guess??? So, I thought that maybe… uh maybe I could…. Help.”
Embarrassed by how warm his face feels Hitoshi removes his hand from Izuku’s side to rub the back of his neck in his usual show of nerves as he takes a quick peek at Katsuki and Izuku before his eyes dart back away to look at the trees. A soft breeze helps to cool his face down a little and there is silence for a moment before Katsuki breaks it with a snort and he quickly slaps a hand over his mouth to smoother his laughter, trying not to seem like he’s laughing at Hitoshi since Hitoshi isn’t what he finds funny about the situation but rather how Hitoshi’s attempt at helping was mostly just eating something he doesn’t like thinking that it was something Izuku similarly didn’t like.
Indignant Hitoshi sends a glare at Katsuki but Katsuki gets one look at the still dark red splashed across his face and can’t contain the absolute barking laugh that escapes him, hearing Katsuki laugh then has Izuku biting his lip to try and muffle his own giggles but of course it doesn’t last very long. Hitoshi tries his best to fight off a grin at the sight of his idiot bestie and his boyfriend laughing at him but the sounds of Katsuki’s boyish laughter combined with the airy giggles of Izuku is contagious and soon enough Hitoshi is trying to disguise his own huffy chuckles as coughing but it is all together unconvincing.
Later that evening after the boys have all parted ways, Hitoshi receives a message from Katsuki.
[The Bestie]
i make our lunch, send me your current nutrition plan and whatever foods you like. i can make yours as well
you can bring desserts and drinks since you want to help so much, dork
[attached file: “Katsuki’s Best Ever Izuku Cookbook Vol. 4; Desserts”]
[Troll Hair]
Nutrition plan?
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that coffee is not an acceptable drink option
Vol. 4???? Oh bestie… you are whipped :^)
[The Bestie]
stfu
die
loser
[Troll Hair]
You have such a way with words
Okay but actually, nutrition plan??? Am I supposed to have one of those????
[The Bestie]
… i’ll tell Izu