Work Text:
If asked, Todoroki would have to hum and agree he’s a somewhat sheltered guy. He has never worked a single day of his life, nor does he need to. He is one of a lucky few whose living expenses and college fees are all paid for by his parents. In Todoroki’s case, his pushy, domineering father. Nonetheless, Todoroki is grateful for the money and makes good use of his advantage to become a better person than his father ever will be.
Since he has never had a job before he also has zero experience in customer service. Social interaction is his achilles heel. Today, he finds himself behind a cash register in a baker’s uniform one size too small, with a small hat perched atop his head.
Earlier this afternoon he popped in to check on his friend, Midoriya. It was Midoriya’s first day at work. Midoriya greeted him as cheerfully as ever, waving his hand, “Ah, Todoroki!”
He was absolutely horrified and so was Midoriya’s co-worker, a blond haired guy with a black lightning bolt. “Oh my god! Midoriya, don’t move your hand like that! We’re going to the hospital right now.” The co-worker fussed over the bloodied towel wrapped around Midoriya’s hand and dragged him out the door by the wrist.
The co-worker popped his head back in looking apologetic. He ran a flour-covered hand through his hair, “I’m so sorry about this, uh…”
“Todoroki. Pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Kaminari. Anyway, Midoriya’s accidentally cut himself and I know this is sudden, but could you watch the bakery for us while we’re gone? It’s only counting change. There’s a spare uniform at the back.” Kaminari gestured vaguely at the door behind the counter.
Before Todoroki could reply Kaminari ushered Midoriya into a taxi with incredible speed. It wasn’t until later that Todoroki had a sudden epiphany: It would have been more efficient if he had taken Midoriya to the hospital instead.
So begins Todoroki’s first work experience. It is exactly as Kaminari predicted; a slow day for the bakery. Nobody has come in for the past two hours. Hopefully, Midoriya’s hand is in one piece. The breads and cakes lie on their racks, covered in gleaming cellophane tied with red and gold ribbons at the top. The packaging does nothing to seal in their scent. Soft, comforting red bean, raisins soaked in rum, a tropical dream in shredded coconut, the velvety rich smell of milk and the warmth of freshly baked bread–Todoroki takes it all in. He almost dozes off behind the register when his first customer arrives.
His first customer is a screeching, inebriated man.
Todoroki slow blinks at the turn of events. Deep down, he knows he is not at all equipped to handle such a customer. However, his stubborn nature doesn’t allow him to give up so easily. He needs to rise above his shortcomings and take proper care of the bakery he’s been entrusted until Kaminari and Midoriya come back.
He straightens up behind the register and puts forth a professional appearance. He waits for the customer to stop screeching around the bakery. Instead of wincing at the volume and sighing in resignation like he wants to, he wears a small, polite smile. He hopes it looks like the ones on t.v. commercials because that’s where he’s drawing all of his non-existent customer service knowledge from. “Can I help you, sir?”
“I want three hundred fucking mcnuggets!” The man looks almost feral when he slams his hands down on the counter with unnecessary force. All wild, platinum blond spikes, red eyes and black piercings, the man is seething with rage. He also reeks of alcohol.
Todoroki has no idea what to do. “I’m sorry, sir. We don’t sell mcnuggets here, but we do have breads, cakes and pastries.”
That seems to catch the man’s attention. The man glares in his direction. Their eyes meet. Todoroki still has no idea what to do so he does his best customer service smile.
Three seconds later the man lets out a surprised scream, “AHH!” The man’s tough, volatile facade melts away, leaving behind startled eyes, an adorably flushed face and–
Oh, no! Are those tears? This is not good. Todoroki comes to an understanding that he should never run a bakery. He has to fix this before the customer starts yelling and crying.
“We can offer you two hundred potato breads.” Yes, that sounds like a reasonable alternative, Todoroki believes.
The man nods, scrubbing at his eyes.
Todoroki sighs in relief and goes to pack the breads. Thankfully, they had exactly two hundred. From what he can see it’s the least popular, most likely because it’s not sweet and it doesn’t have fancy fillings. He finishes preparing seventeen bags for the man to take home and rings up the order. “That comes to six hundred dollars in total.”
But the store is empty. His eyebrow twitches in annoyance. He worked really hard to fit the breads in as few bags as possible to make it easier to take home.
A small snore can be heard, making Todoroki jump a little. He leans over the register and finds the man passed out on the floor. Under any other circumstance he would have found this man cute. He supposes he’ll have to wait for the man to wake up to charge him for the bread. For now, he finds a sheet and lays it over the man.
Finally, Kaminari and Midoriya come back.
“Midoriya, how’s your ha–”
“Oh my god, who died? What happened!” Kaminari rushes over to the sleeping customer.
It then dawns on Todoroki that the customer must look like a dead body. He had covered them head to toe with the sheet.
Kaminari pulls back the sheet, surprise, then amusement wash over his features. “Bakugou?”
“Kacchan!” Midoriya exclaims. “Todoroki, did he try to order a crazy amount of chicken nuggets?”
“Yes, do you both know him?”
“Yea. He’s a lightweight and hates to admit it. All it takes is one drink. He does this when he gets drunk,” Kaminari laughs.
“I see. I got him to order two hundred potato breads instead.”
+
The next day Bakugou wakes up complaining about the worst hangover in the world. “Urgh, I think somebody spiked my drink. There was this super ripped god handing out bread.”
“Oh, did he have white and red hair?” Kaminari struggled not to laugh.
Bakugou chokes on his water.
“Bakugou, that wasn’t a dream.”