Mute

24 | Cookies

I blinked as my doorbell rang. I was in the middle of making Halloween cookies, so my entire house smelled nice. Present Mic was at Aizawa's house again, probably annoying him, and Akito was at a group study session with his friends.

I checked the cookies one more time before wiping my hands on a towel and answering my door. I smiled brightly at Todoroki.

"Hey."

I waved him in, motioning for him to wait a second while I pulled the next batch of cookies out of the oven.

"You're baking."

I nodded with a smile, carefully placing the still hot cookies on a cooling rack.

"I should come back another time, I didn't mean to interrupt."

I quickly waved him down, taking my phone off the counter and quickly writing. "No, I like company when I bake. You can help me ice if you'd like."

"I've never iced a cookie before..." He admitted. I laughed lightly and shook my head, handing him an icing bag and a plain cookie. I quickly filled another and demonstrated how to put it on the cookie before smoothing it with a butterknife.

He clumsily copied me, and it was adorable. Especially when he went back over it to even it out a bit. I smiled and showed him how to add eyes and a mouth. He did okay, but clearly wasn't pleased with his work.

"May I try again?"

I nodded and put another cookie in front of him, taking his hands and demonstrating how to do it again. Once I had finished I handed him another cookie, watching as he did a new cookie, this one looking much better. I smiled brightly and began working on my own set of cookies, witches. Akito was attending a Halloween party and I'd offered to bake for it, leaving plenty of leftovers for us.

"Do you do this every year for the holiday?"

I nodded, focusing on the witch's hat.

"For your brother?"

Again i nodded. I was actually used to doing it with my mother, so him just being here eased my pile of nervousness and fear.

"Emiko...you live here because this is Present Mic's home right?"

I nodded.

"And Akito too?"

I glanced up curiously, wondering what he was getting at but nodding anyway. He stared at me with a carefully neutral expression.

"But you used to live in America...with your parents."

I nodded, much, much more slowly.

"Oh." He didn't push the topic, and I relaxed. I really didn't want to talk about it, far too many counselors had already tried. I'd already lost track of how many therapists my uncle had tried sending me too. Of course I'd always gone, but I'd never communicated with them in any way, purposefully keeping my phone on mute so I wouldn't accidentally use it. If they didn't know I had it on me they couldn't ask me to write on it, not that they hadn't tried with pen and paper.

We worked in silence for a while, until we finished the cookies and I lay them aside to finish cooling and setting. Once we had completely finished I led Todoroki to my couch and sat down, pulling out my phone and typing.

"Sorry, you had a reason for coming over right? I didn't mean to distract you."

Todoroki smiled. "Not at all, I only came to hang out with you, I wasn't distracted." I flashed a smile as he ruffled my hair, finding it very comforting. "Besides, I got to help you decorate cookies, it's better than whatever I would have come up with."

I shook my head, typing. "No, I like your ideas, they're always fun!" I flashed a smile to prove my point, and he looked away.

"Then, if you'd like I can come up with more ways for us to spend time together."

I nodded, my stomach fluttering at the words. By now I'd become fairly accustomed to the warmth I felt around him, but not to the weird fluttering. I knew damn well what it meant, but I hated it. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, and besides, no one I'd liked had ever liked me back. I didn't want to raise my hopes for failure.

"I'll definitely try then, though I enjoy your ideas too."

I wrote some more on my phone. "Are you doing anything for halloween?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so, most of my friends are going trick or treating."

I nodded, writing down some more. "If you feel like hanging I'll be passing out candy, Akito has a halloween party."

"I'd love to help you pass out candy. What time would you like me here?"

I shrugged tapping a number on my phone and tilting my head. He nodded.

"I'll be here at 5 then."