Pairing: Eren/Mikasa

Setting: Modern AU; They're in their mid-late twenties

Words: 1972

Rating: K

Day 16 – Baking Cookies

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause

Mikasa was ready to throw everything on her kitchen counter right into the garbage, or out the window, she wasn't sure which right now but her levels of irritation as she looked at the mess in front of her was enough to throw something. All she wanted to was bake some cookies for the Christmas party and yet all she had was a disaster of flour, butter, batter, spices, eggs, sugar, and batches of burnt tasteless cookies in the garbage.

She really just wanted to give up and buy the damn things at the supermarket down the street but no, she refused to let food of all things defeat her. With a frustrated groan, she lifted the recipe book back up to her face. It was simple, it was simple fractions mixed together to make a whole. She had measured everything together perfectly; she couldn't understand why her cookies were turning out like utter crap.

Mikasa tossed the cookbook back down on the counter, covering it even more mess. With a sigh, she reached for her measuring cups and started to pour more flour in to try again.

She really shouldn't be bothering. She had been at this for hours with no luck and she didn't think another chance would give her that luck but Mikasa couldn't give up not when her mother-in-law could cook magic out of anything and Mikasa couldn't even make a batch of homemade cookies. She started to stir the new batter much harder than she needed to.

It was sticky and didn't really look like what she thought it should look like; she was even scared to try and taste it. Another heavy sigh of frustration left her lips. She probably would have thrown the bowl if she hadn't felt a small bit of pressure coming from her stomach. Mikasa held the bowl against her chest as she reached a hand down to her swollen stomach covered by the batter splattered apron.

"I know," she said, rubbing her hand over where the baby had kicked. "I shouldn't get upset over cookies but, little girl, you try bringing a box of store bought cookies when Nana made the whole Christmas dinner from scratch." Another kick. "Yeah, if you did it, everyone would love it."

Mikasa reached back up to keep stirring the batter but it wasn't looking any better. She knew Eren would probably get upset with her for causing herself so much stress over nothing but she just wanted to bring homemade cookies for once, good tasting homemade cookies for once. She dipped one finger into the batter just to taste a little bit of it and she immediately regretted it. With a groan she dropped the bowl on the counter, letting it fall over, she just didn't care anymore. This was a disaster.

"Hey, Mama, we're home!"

The door swung open causing Mikasa to look up to see Nicolas running into the apartment with Eren shutting the door behind them, both still decked out in their winter clothing.

"Wow," Nicolas said, wrinkling his nose. "It smells funny in here."

Mikasa dropped the spoon she was still holding onto the counter; she knew he didn't mean anything but now she just wanted to cry.

Eren seemed to be the first to react. "Okay, buddy, why don't you go get changed and play in your room for a bit okay?"

"Okay!" the five year old took off towards his room, pulling off his boots, hat, gloves, jacket all along the way.

She heard Eren taking off his own jacket and boots before he walked the short distance to the kitchen. She propped her chin up with her hand as she leaned over the counter in defeat. "You don't have to say it; I know it's a mess."

"Well, the kitchen is, yeah, and maybe you a little bit too."

She shot him a glare as he walked into the kitchen but she was only met with a toothy smile and bright eyes; it was nearly impossible to stay mad, especially when someone was now doing summersaults in her stomach.

Eren reached out to press his hands to her shoulders. "Why don't you let me clean up and we'll go to a nice bakery and get some homemade cookies there."

"No, Eren, that's not what I want," she said straightening up to face him. She very well knew she was being whiney, but she just wanted to do this herself for once. "Carla, my mom when she was alive, all the moms at Nick's school they are all these homebody, Martha Stewart women who can make anything at the drop of a hat and I can't even make one halfway decent batch of cookies for our family on Christmas."

"Mikasa," he said, his voice a little softer though his eyes looked rather amused. "You don't need to be able to bake cookies to be a good mom. Besides, we've never exactly been one for conventions here, and that's okay."

"I know that," she mumbled, looking away from him slightly. It didn't mean she didn't have this stupid desire to do it.

Eren placed his hand under her chin bringing her gaze back to his. He leaned in to press a kiss to her lips that still made Mikasa's heart skip a beat; that or the baby was just kicking her again. "But," he said as he pulled away, walking over to the oven and grabbing an apron off the hanging rack. "If you want to make cookies, then we'll make some cookies."

"Eren, you don't have to-"

He shook his head before she could finish though. "I'd love nothing more than to make cookies with my girls." He reached out to rub his fingers against her stomach as he walked by. "Besides." He grabbed the bowl Mikasa had tossed aside and started to empty the batter in the garbage. "I used to do it all the time with my mom, even before you lived with us."

Eren started to clean the bowl in the sink while Mikasa tried to wipe her hands on her apron. "What recipe were you using?"

She gestured to the batter coated book on the counter.

Eren took the clean bowl and looked over at the recipe with a frown. "Maybe we'll try a different one." He flipped through the pages a little bit before stopping at one. "Here we go, a little bit easier, still festive, and we have all the ingredients."

Mikasa looked over the picture. "That one looks nice."

"The trick with ingredients it to do them in order." He ran his finger down the list. "Add them in the bowl as it says on the list." He started to measure out the flour. "Why don't you take the liquids and I get the dry ingredients?"

Mikasa nodded as she reached for the set of measuring cups Eren wasn't using and started to pour the appropriate ingredients into the proper measures. "Did you two have fun at the park?" Mikasa asked, finally feeling like she didn't want to throw things at the wall.

"Oh yeah, we made a snowman, had a snowball fight, built a snow fort, all the good things about the snow." Eren was pouring the flour out, puffs of it hitting his face.

She reached over to brush some of it off his face but he only squeezed the bag at her causing the flour to puff out and cling to her apron and face. "Eren!" she cried but it was quickly taken over by her laughter.

"That's what I like to hear." He was grinning again and Mikasa couldn't even bite back her smile if she tried.

"You're cleaning the floor now," she said..

"It was worth it. Ready?" He held up the bowl towards her.

Mikasa nodded and poured in her ingredients into the bowl whenever Eren called them out. She peered in when everything was put together. "It looks better already."

He grabbed the discarded spoon and started to mix the materials together. "Let's see if it will taste better too."

"I hope so, I'm sick of tasting bad cookies."

"I'm sure they didn't taste that bad."

Mikasa gave him a look. "I appreciate you getting in your good husband quota but they were pretty disgusting."

Eren chuckled as he looked down into the bowl, trying to get all the dry batter into the rest of the batter so it would all stick together. It was looking more like cookie dough that anything Mikasa had made previously. Of all things, it somehow didn't surprise her that Eren was good at baking. Despite the desire to do it on her own earlier, she was grateful for his help like always.

"Here we go," Eren said as he put the bowl down on the counter. He dipped his finger in and popped a small bit of matter into his mouth. "Mmmm, okay that's good, here." He reached back into the bowl and put a bit more on his finger and reached like he was going to put it in her mouth but rubbed it on her cheek instead. "I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be eating raw eggs," Eren said as she went to wipe it off her face.

A smirk crossed her lips as she looked up at him. "I'll have to find other ways then." She reached her flour and batter coated fingers up to his face, pulling him into her as her lips met his. She could still taste the lingering spices, sugar, and flavor on his lips and on his tongue. The rest of it was Eren, but of course she loved that too.

"Mmmm," Mikasa echoed against his lips as she pulled away slightly. "That is good."

He placed his arms around her lower back to pull her in as close as he could. "I agree." He moved to kiss her again while her hands reached up to run through his hair.

That was until sounds of disgust made Mikasa turn her head to the doorway behind them.

"I thought you were making cookies, not kissing," Nicolas said looking like he had smelt something awful.

"Who says we can't do both?" Eren asked but Nicolas still wrinkled his nose.

"Cookies sound more fun."

"I can guarantee you won't feel that way forever." Mikasa laughed as she reached down to pick Nicolas up and place him down on the counter so he was up at their level too. "But cookies are good for now." She dipped her finger into the batter and went to give him some, but dabbed it on his nose instead.

"Hey!" he laughed, trying to reach it with his tongue.

Eren reached over with a finger full of batter too but swiped it on his cheek.

Nicolas was nearly rolling with laughter before he just reached a finger up to get the batter off. "Mmmm, Mama, that's really good."

She knew she couldn't take all the credit but Eren wrapped his arms around her from behind, his hands resting on her swollen stomach and making the baby kick where his touch was. "See, so don't ever let anyone say your mama can't bake."

Nicolas wiped the batter off his nose and stuck it in his mouth, his noises of approval clearly agreeing. "Can I have more?"

"When the cookies are done, there'll be nothing left if you eat all the batter," Mikasa said, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

He looked like he was contemplating it for a moment before giving a wide grin. "Can I have some more?"

"A for effort, kid," Eren snorted.

Mikasa felt Eren place a kiss on her neck, as Nicholas let out noises of defeat. As much as she wanted to do this on her own, she had to admit, this was a lot better.