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Izuku was misting down the flowers in her nursery when the bell at the front of her store rang, signaling that someone had walked into her shop.
“I’ll be with you in a moment!” she said cheerily, setting down the spray bottle and whipping off her hands. She came around to the front of the store with a bright smile on her face. “Hi! Welcome to Plus Ultra Flowers!” she cheered, pumping her fist in the air with a small laugh. “Hehe, what can I get for you?”
“I need a carnation,” the man before her said bluntly, his voice full of irritation. He had explosive ash blond hair with the underside shaved, as well as ears full of piercings. He also had his nose pierced and a couple of lip rings, and he was wearing loose baggy black clothes. The most notable feature were the tattoos that were littered across his body, from his neck to his arms, and probably more under his clothes. There was so much to look at!
“Oh, um,” she said, a little caught off guard. “Sure,” she said, giving her head a shake before quickly recovering, “what kind of arrangement would you like? And what kind of colour scheme are you interested in?”
“I don’t need a whole fuckin’ bouquet,” the man snapped, face pulling into a sneer. “I just need one fuckin’ flower.”
“Oh! Sorry,” she laughed easily, gently smacking her forehead. “Is there a particular colour you want?”
“Any fuckin’ colour is fine,” he waved off, looking pissed. “Just hurry the fuck up already.”
“Right! Sorry,” she apologized as she grabbed a pair of sheers and walked quickly towards her display of carnations. She glanced across her display before settling on a pinkish red one with white flecks. She carefully used her sheers to snip the stem and held it up with a smile. She walked back to the register and began to ring it up.
“Okay! That’ll be 300 yen please,” she smiled as she wrapped a shiny red ribbon around the stem. The man pulled out his wallet and slammed a 500 yen note on the counter with a muttered ‘keep the change’ before stomping towards the door. “Wait!” she cried, realization dawning on her.
“What!?” he snapped, whirling around to face her and level a glare in her direction.
“Are you one of the new hires next door?” she asked, referring to the tattoo parlor that was next to her flower shop. He clicked his tongue, which was forked, of all things! and turned back to her.
“What’s it to ya?” he asked, eyes narrowed in irritation.
“It’s nice to meet you!” she beamed. “I’m Midoriya Izuku! What’s your name?”
“Bakugou Katsuki,” he said after taking an irritated sigh, turning away to walk out the door.
“I’ll see you around!” she called as he ripped the door open and stomped out. She smiled to herself as he stormed past the storefront to head back to the tattoo parlor. It had been a while since anyone new had started working on that street, and it was nice to see a new face. She went about the rest of her day humming merrily to herself, mentally planning on a flower arrangement to give to Katsuki-kun as a welcoming gift.
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The next day, during her break, she walked into the tattoo parlor with the bouquet in her arms.
“Midoriya,” one of the shop owners, Aizawa, greeted in his typically bored tone. “What brings you here?”
“Is Katsuki-kun here?” she asked sweetly. “I wanted to give this to him, as a welcome gift!”
“Piss off, stupid Deku!” she heard his voice come from one of the back rooms.
“D-Deku?” she repeated, cocking a brow in confusion.
“We’re pretty busy at the moment,” Aizawa explained, as evident by the rather full waiting area. “What did you want to give him?”
“Oh, this!” she said, holding out the bouquet for him to take. It was a small bouquet made up of black roses, babies breath, and red carnations, and it looked pretty nice, if she did say so herself. “I hope he likes it.”
“It’s very beautiful, as always, Midoriya,” the older man said with a nod. “I’ll be sure to give it to him later.”
“Thanks, Aizawa-san, hi Shinsou-kun!” she smiled and waved as she turned to leave the parlor, the owners’ son waving back to her
“Oh, excuse me, ma’am?” one of the patrons asked. She was stopped by a few of the people in the waiting room who had been impressed with her flower arrangement and wanted one of their own. Despite being on break, she took down a few orders and practically skipped back to her store to get working. It was always nice to get more customers.
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The next day, Katsuki stormed into her store while she was watering her plants, almost causing her to drop her watering can in surprise.
“Ah, Katsuki-kun,” she greeted warmly, which only seemed to make the man more angry. “Welcome back! Did you need something?”
“How much?” he asked, crossing his arms angrily.
“E-excuse me?” she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“For the flowers, dumbass,” he clarified, baring his teeth at her. “How much do I owe you?”
“Oh! Nothing,” she waved off with a laugh. “It was a gift. Did you like it?”
“I don’t need your fuckin’ charity, Deku,” he growled.
“Deku?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, still confused by the name. “M-my name is Izuku, actually.”
“Well too fuckin’ bad, I’m callin’ you Deku,” he taunted, a sneer on his face.
“Alright, that’s fine,” she said as she turned away, before whispering under her breath, “Kacchan.”
“The fuck did you call me!?” he roared, slamming his fist down on the countertop. “I’ll kick your ass!” She merely laughed at his outburst and held her hands up in surrender.
“Sorry, sorry,” she laughed.
“Tch, whatever,” he said before turning and stomping out the shop. “Stay the hell away from me!” he finished, slamming the door behind him.
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“Welcome to Plus Ultra Flowers! I’ll be with you in a- oh! Hi Kacchan!” she greeted as she took off her gardening gloves.
“Don’t fucking call me that,” he snapped with an angry sneer. “I need another flower,” he scowled, hands shoved in his pockets.
“Sure! What kind?” she asked as she came around to the front of the counter.
“Fuckin’, I dunno,” he sighed angrily, rubbing at the back of his head. “They mentioned something about wanting a flower meaning love’r some shit.”
“Ah! Okay,” she beamed, clapping her hands together. “Well, the most obvious ones are roses, of course. Red roses symbolize lust and passion. Lavender coloured roses symbolize love at first sight. Coral coloured roses mean desire, and yellow roses with red tips symbolize friendship and falling in love,” she rambled.
“Baby’s Breath symbolizes everlasting love and innocence. Orchids represent love and beauty, while white jasmines mean sweet love. Ah, sorry, I’m rambling,” she laughed, her face turning pink.
“Whatever,” he shrugged, looking around the flower shop. “I need one that means love and lust. And one that means, I hate you.”
“For love and lust you’ll want roses and coriander,” she said, walking over to her display of corianders. “And, um, there aren’t many options for flowers that outright mean ‘I hate you.’ But, a yellow carnation means rejection and disdain. Black roses also mean hatred, and they’re a little more obvious, I think. Not to mention more aesthetically pleasing, but that’s just my opinion.”
“Those’ll do,” he said with a nod. She smiled and went to grab her sheers to clip off a few flowers for him.
“Alright, that’ll be 800 yen,” she smiled as she rang up his order, tying a red ribbon around the small bundle. He silently handed her the money and she cheerfully handed him the flowers. “Here you go, have a nice day, Kacchan!”
“Fuck off, damn Deku.”
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“Welcome to-“
“Oi, shut the fuck up already nerd, it’s just me,” Kacchan snapped as he stomped angrily into the store, which was full of other patrons. “Fuckin’ hate hearin’ you say that every time.”
“Kacchan! Language!” she chastised, glancing pointedly at the mother and daughter nearby. He rolled his eyes and played with his lip ring in irritation, but didn’t retort. ”Do you need more flowers?”
“Yeah,” he said, “you got any, uh, ‘Birds of Paradise’?”
“Yep!” she chirped, leading him to the display. “They mean joyfulness and magnificence, you know.”
“Fascinating,” he drawled, rolling his red eyes. Did he wear contacts? He wore eyeliner, they really made his eyes pop. It was really attractive..
“It really is,” she beamed, ignoring his disinterested tone. “It can be a great way to share your true feelings with someone if you’re too shy to say them directly. It’s very romantic.”
“Unless you’re tryin’a tell someone you don’t like’em n’all they see‘s you givin’em pretty flowers,” he pointed out, unamused. “Plus, if you don’t got the balls to confess t’someone directly, then you shouldn’t even be tellin’em in the first place.”
“Well,” she said, pouting a little, “I think it’s romantic,” she finished with a small smile.
“Tch, course you would, fuckin’ nerd,” he scoffed, flicking her forehead. “Now, can y’get me the fuckin’ flower?”
“A-ah! Right, sorry,” she said, scrambling to clip the flower he desired. “Here, one Birds of Paradise!”
“Thanks, nerd,” he said, handing her a fiver and sauntering out the door, but stopping. “Oi, what flower means ‘anger’?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at her and cocking a pierced brow.
“Oh, hmm, let’s see,” she said, pondering the question. “Well, Peonies, according to the Victorians, represented anger. Nowadays, Peonies are related to marriage, romance, or even bashfulness,” she finished with a smile.
“That’s fucking stupid,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “Bye, nerd.”
“See you later, Kacchan!” she called after him, earning her a middle finger over his shoulder, which she laughed off.
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“Good morning, Midoriya-kun!” Hizashi greeted as she opened the door of the tattoo parlor. “What can I do for you?”
“H-hi, Hizashi-san, Shinsou-kun,” she greeted nervously, her voice shaking. “Um, y-you do p-piercings here, r-right?”
“We sure do! Why do you ask?” the blond man responded cheerfully, his voice entirely too loud, like usual. Shinsou was busy tattooing someone, pausing and looking over occasionally to listen in on their conversation.
“W-well, I-um, I-I’d like to get my ears pierced,” she told him, nervously tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Hizashi let out a loud, dramatic gasp at her statement.
“Really!?” he shouted excitedly, causing her to wince. “Oh man, I’ve been waiting for you to finally get something done here!” he said, to which Shinsou nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, it’s about time,” the lavender haired man said with a tired smile.
“Oi!” Kacchan yelled from the back, throwing open his door angrily. “What the hell’s all the noise about?”
“Midoriya-kun is getting her ears pierced!” Hizashi cheered, clapping his hands in excitement. Kacchan’s expression turned shocked before it turned impassive.
“You? Gettin’ y’ears pierced?” he asked, looking at her with a scowl. “Ha! Like hell.”
“Oi, Bakugou,” Hizashi pipped up, seemingly oblivious to the tension between them. “You should do it! You’re qualified.”
“Eh?” he balked, giving the man in charge a disbelieving look. “Me? Why me!?”
“You’re not busy right now, yeah?” Shinsou asked, cocking a challenging brow at him and smirking. “Why not you?” Kacchan’s head whipped to her and he let out a ‘tch’ sound.
“Tch, fine, whatever. Get the hell in here, nerd,” he sighed, opening up his door wider and beckoning her in with his head. Izuku gulped as she nodded and followed him into the back room, after quickly signing a consent form that is. She could feel herself shaking nervously as she stepped inside, watching as Kacchan fiddled with something out of her sight.
“Sit,” he instructed, gesturing with his head to the chair.
“Ah! R-right,” she said, bustling over to the chair and sitting down. She looked around the room anxiously, trying to calm herself down.
“Oi,” he suddenly barked, surprising her, “where do you wanna get pierced?”
“Oh, uh, j-just my lobes, please,” she requested, fisting her hands in her lap.
“Nervous?” he asked, almost gently, glancing down at her clenched hands and then back at her face.
“Y-yeah,” she laughed self consciously. “I-I’ve n-never done anything l-like this before.”
“Yeah, I can tell,” he said in a flat tone, coming up to her and wiping her ear lobes with a cotton pad that reeked of alcohol. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” he said as he tossed the pad into a small trash can, as well as changing his gloves. He grabbed a small pen and drew one dot on each of her ear lobes before fetching a mirror for her.
“This look good?” he asked as she inspected the placement of the dots.
“Mm,” she hummed with a nod, to which he nodded and set down the mirror. Her heart hammered in her chest as he walked to his counter to pick something up, kicking a sterile tray over to her in the process.
“Okay, you want a stud, barbel, or ring?” he asked, holding up the options to her.
“U-um,” she stuttered, looking between the options. “H-how about a-a r-ring?” He merely cocked a brow at her but nodded shortly. He changed his gloves one last time before grabbing a long needle and bending over to brace it by her ear.
“Okay,” he began in a soft voice as Izuku screwed her eyes shut and tensed up. “Take a deep breath. In,” she inhaled in, “and out,” he said as he stabbed the needle through her ear. She winced in pain as he fiddled with the piercing before going to her other side.
“Okay, again. In,” she tensed up. “Relax, Deku. In,” she breathed in, “and out.” Again, his words were followed by a sharp pain in her lobe, after which, again, Kacchan fiddled with the earring before standing back up.
“Alright, you’re done,” he said, grabbing a set of cotton pads and wiping her ears down with them. “Here,” he said, holding up the mirror to her.
“O-oh, wow,” she said, turning her head from side to side to look at her new piercings. It felt surreal, having her ears pierced after not having them done for so long. She’d always wanted to get them pierced.
“Here,” he said before he pressed the cotton pads firmly against her ears. “Alright, you keep those there for a while. You want them to scab over, not drip.”
“Ah, thank you so much, Kacchan,” she beamed up at him, although she winced as he pressed the pads to her ears. “Ow.”
“Yeah, it’s gonna hurt, dumbass,” he scoffed.
“Thank you for doing such a good job, Kacchan,” she said, smiling at him. “It didn’t hurt as much as I had expected it to. Not that it didn’t hurt, haha.”
“It’s gonna hurt more in about ten to fifteen minutes,” he said, pulling something out of a cabinet. “You’ll want some pain killers or some shit. Here,” he said, handing her a bottle of pills.
“Ah, thanks,” she said, opening the bottle and shaking out a few pills. He handed her a small cup of water for her to drink and she downed the pills in one swig. “Thank you.”
“Whatever,” he said, brushing her off. “Now fuck off. Let me know if you need anything,” he added, his statements juxtaposed to one another.
“Thanks again,” she smiled as she left, closing the door behind her.
“Wow!” Hizashi cheered as she came to the front. “You look great, Midoriya-kun!”
“Yeah, Midoriya,” Jirou said, coming over to inspect her while her client took a break. “They look good. They suit you.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile, her cheeks turning pink. “H-how much do I owe you?”
“Oh, it’s on the house,” the blond waved off, much to her shock.
“Wh-what!?” she balked. “N-no! I-I couldn’t possibly-“
“Just shut up n’get outta here already,” Kacchan barked from his room, surprising her.
“A-ah, okay,” she said with a nervous nod, smiling at Hizashi. “Thank you for your generosity! I-I deeply appreciate it!” she declared with a small bow before heading out the door. Unbeknownst to her, after she left, Hizashi gave Katsuki a knowing look.
“She sure is cute, isn’t she?” he teased, watching in satisfaction as the tips of his employee’s pierced ears turned pink, the others in attendance laughing at his embarrassment.
“She’s a fuckin’ nerd,” he snapped, defensively crossing his arms over his chest.
“She looks really nice with her ears pierced, yeah?” he suggested again, just to see how far he could push him. To his amusement, Katsuki’s cheeks turned ever so slightly pink.
“Aren’t you a little gay t’be talking about’er like that?” he accused. “Also, I don’ think your husband would ‘ppreciate that.”
“Shouta agrees with me,” the loud blond laughed before saying, “you’d make the cutest couple.” The other employees nodded in agreement.
“Tch! Fuck off, all of you!”
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“Oi, nerd,” Kacchan walked into her shop, apparently content to ignore her ‘closed for lunch’ sign.
“M’ag ‘ere!” she called around her mouthful of food. A moment later, the angry tattoo artist was in the back of her shop with her, staring at her with his typical glare. “Hi, Kacchan! How are you?”
“I need you t’tell me s’more a’that flower meanin’ shit,” he said, whipping out a small notebook and a pen, sitting down on one of the milk crates she had. “How’re your piercings, by the way?”
“Oh, they’re good,” she beamed, gingerly touching her lobes. “They’ve taken a bit of getting used to. You’ve been asking about flower meanings a lot lately,” she commented.
“Tch,” he scoffed, his face pulled into a sneer. “Clients see your cutesy little flower shop and suddenly all they want is a flower tattoo. It’s irritatin’ as shit.”
“I’ve never had Aizawa-san, Hizashi-san or Shinsou-kun come in here asking about flowers, or any of the other new hires either,” she said contemplatively.
“I like to be more thorough,” he said, frowning haughtily. “Different approaches is all. Now shut up n’tell me what I wanna know.”
“Alright,” she smiled. He then drilled her about the different types of flowers and their meanings, including what the different colours meant. Then, she brought up Hanahaki disease.
“Hana-what?” he asked, looking up from his sketchbook with a cute confused expression.
“Hanahaki disease,” she repeated. “It’s the disease of unrequited love. Basically, if you love someone, and they don’t reciprocate those feelings, you begin to cough up flower petals, and eventually entire flowers. There’s generally no specific type of flowers you cough up, but they tend to be the love interest’s favorite ones, or flowers in their favorite colour. There are three ways the disease can be cured.
“One, is that your crush reciprocates your feelings of romantic love, it can’t be platonic, the flowers go away and you live happily ever after. The second, you get it surgically removed, with the side affect that your feelings for that person disappear. It keeps you alive, but can leave you feeling as if part of you is missing. Some versions of the myth say that you also loose your memory of that person, and your health severely declines afterwards.
“And the third,” she paused, feeling surprisingly emotional, “the third is, the flowers fill up your lungs until you can’t breathe, and you die.”
“Damn,” Kacchan said after a minute, looking a little dazed. “That’s. . . wow. . .”
“Yeah,” she said, sighing deeply. “It’s really tragic, but can be a very romantic folktale.” She sniffed as tears pricked at her eyes, causing her to laugh wetly. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Tch, sentimental nerd,” he scoffed, gently brushing some of her hair from her face. “Thanks f’r sharin’ with me.”
“Oh, it was my pleasure,” she assured him with a smile, wiping away her tears. “You can always just look up what the flowers mean too, y’know.”
“What, you don’t like my company?” he asked, cocking a pierced brow at her.
“N-no! Th-that’s not it! I-I like spending time with Kacchan! I-“ she paused as realization dawned on her. “Hey! You’re teasing me!” she cried, her face turning pink.
“Took y’long enough t’realize,” he chuckled, causing her to pout.
“Kacchan is so mean!” she whined as he ruffled her head again.
“Dumbass,” he said with a shake of his head. “My break’s over, so I’ll get outta your hair.”
“Alrighty,” she said as he got up off the milk crate. “I’ll see you soon, Kacchan,” she waved as he ducked out front.
“Later, Deku.”
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When Izuku was heading to work the next morning, she was surprised to see that Kacchan was standing outside her shop with Aizawa and a few police officers. She then noticed that the door to her shop was open and the glass door window was shattered.
“Kacchan!” she cried out as she rushed over. “What happened?”
“Are you the owner of this shop?” one of the officers asked, a pen and paper in his hand.
“Uh, yes,” she said, looking around in confusion. “What happened?”
“It appears your shop was broken into,” another officer said as she came over. “Thankfully, the would-be-robber was apprehended and there only seems to be damage to your front door, as of right now. You’re lucky this Good Samaritan was nearby.”
“Like I’d just let’er shop get robbed, I was right fuckin’ there. ‘S’not that big‘a deal,” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Ah! Kacchan! Your hands!” she cried out as she caught sight of his bandaged knuckles.
“There was a bit of a scuffle,” the first officer said, looking unfazed. “But he received medical attention and he should be fine.”
“Kacchan! How could you hurt yourself like that!?” she asked, checking over his hands worriedly.
“Oi, I saved your stupid fuckin’ shop from bein’ robbed! You should be grateful, you dumbass nerd!”
“Sir, please keep your voice down,” the female officer chastised, looking unamused.
“We’re sorry, ma’am,” Aizawa said, bowing to the officers. “Thank you for helping.”
“You’re very welcome, sir,” the officer said, bowing back at them. They asked her if she wanted to press charges, and when she declined, Kacchan blew up on her again.
“Have a good day sirs, ma’am,” the officers said once they stopped arguing, getting back in their squad cars and driving off.
“Have fun payin’ for the damages yourself, dumbass,” Kacchan snapped, stomping into Aizawa’s parlor and disappearing. She sighed in defeat as she looked at the broken door.
“Darn it,” she sighed, tears pricking at her eyes as she angrily wiped them away. She opened the door and slammed it shut behind her, heading back to find a broom to clean everything up with. She spent a little while making sure all the glass was properly swept up, allowing herself to calm down. She shouldn’t have shouted at Kacchan, he was just trying to help... she realized she ought to apologize, once everything was cleaned up.
She decided to apologize in the best way she knew how, with a bouquet. She had a few flowers that meant ‘thank you,’ but she decided to go with campanula flowers, as well as purple hyacinth, for ‘I’m sorry.’ She wrapped up the small bouquet and headed over to the tattoo parlor when it got around to Kacchan’s break. She walked into the parlor and nervously looked around for the ash blond.
“You looking for Bakugou?” Aizawa asked as she came in. She looked down nervously and nodded her head. “He’s in the back. It’s just him in his room, so just head on in.”
“Thank you, Aizawa,” she said with a small bow, heading back to see her friend. She knocked on the closed door, waiting anxiously for him to open up. After a few moments of silence, she knocked again. “Ka-Kacchan?” she called out shyly. She heard footsteps before the door was suddenly wrenched open, revealing a disgruntled Kacchan.
“What?” he asked, his voice low and aloof. She swallowed and held the bouquet out for him to take, too nervous to look at him.
“H-here,” she said, pressing the flowers into his arms.
“The fuck is this for?” he asked, taking the flowers from her.
“It’s an apology, a-and a thank you,” she explained, wringing her hands together. “I-I shouldn’t have yelled at you earlier... you were only trying to help.”
“Well,” he sighed, going silent for a moment. “I should’ve been more careful, I guess. I acted without thinkin’, ‘n’that was stupid of me... I’m sorry too...” She looked up, surprised, and was even more surprised to see his cheeks were slightly pink. A happy smile spread across her face at his words finally computed.
“Apology accepted,” she said with a slight laugh. “Well, I’ll leave you alone then. See you tomorrow!” she called as she raced out of the parlor, suddenly too nervous to be in the same room as him.
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“Oi, stupid nerd,” Kacchan called out as he violently burst into her shop, the door now repaired.
“Kacchan! Careful! You’ll break the glass again!” she chastised from behind the counter. “How’re your hands?”
“Fuckin’ fine,” he said, rolling his eyes as he flexed his hands. “I need another flower. One that means ‘I might like you.’”
“For a tattoo?” she asked. “Hmmm, you’ll probably want Bittersweet, for the truth, and for ‘I like you,’ well, there’s not a lot of ‘I like you,’ just, ‘I love you.’ Well, you could use an orange rose for desire and enthusiasm, and any flower meaning ‘I love you’ would probably do.”
“Grrr, fuckin’ fine,” he snapped, looking antsy.
“Is everything okay?” she asked as she grabbed some bittersweet and an orange rose.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he groused, looking around distractedly.
“Well, here,” she said, holding out the flowers to him.
“What do I owe you?” he asked, pulling out his wallet.
“Oh, don’t bother,” she waved off, smiling warmly at him. “If you need them to help you make your art, take them.” He stopped and looked up at her, a mildly surprised expression on his face.
“Are you sure?” he asked, blinking slowly.
“Of course!” she assured him with a nod. “Good luck with your tattoos!”
“Whatever,” he scoffed, ducking his head and stalking out of the shop.
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“Hey, Deku,” Kacchan barked as he walked into her shop right before she closed for the night.
“Ah! Kacchan, hi,” she smiled as she made sure everything was straightened out properly. “I was just about to close up for the night. Did you need something?”
“I’ve been here a few months now, did you know that?” he asked instead of answering her question.
“Um, yeah, I guess it has been,” she nodded in agreement. “Time sure does fly, huh?”
“I haven’t gone out to eat at any’a the local restaurants,” he went on, looking at her intently.
“Oh! That won’t do!” she remarked. “You should explore around here! There’s lots of good restaurants.” He grunted in annoyance as he rolled his eyes.
“Damn idiot,” he barked, looking away. “I’m askin’ you t’take me out somewhere!”
“O-oh,” she said, her eyes widening and her face reddening. “Uh, y-yeah, sure!” she exclaimed, excitement bubbling up in her chest. “Um, l-let me grab my bag, ‘kay? I-I’ll be right back,” she said as she ran back to grab her bag and sling it over her shoulder.
“Ready?” he asked once she came back to the front, her heart pounding in excitement.
“Mm, ready,” she nodded, leading him out of her shop. She turned the lights off and locked the door before she led him down the street. “S-so! Um, w-what are you in the mood for, Kacchan?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Whatever you want,” he said, shrugging his shoulder. She thought about a good place to eat before the perfect spot came to mind. She looked back to reach for his hand and pulled him excitedly down the street.
“I have the perfect place,” she exclaimed happily as she practically skipped down the street.
“Tch, took you long enough,” he scoffed as he caught up to her. “Do you always mumble to yourself like that?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah,” she said with an embarrassed laugh. “Sorry, it’s a bad habit of mine. Sorry.”
“Whatever,” he said with a shrug. “Anyways, wha’d’ya have in mind?”
“There’s this really cute American place down the street! Wanna try that?” she asked.
“You want that unhealthy American crap?” he asked, his lips curling up in distaste.
“Mm, hehe, sorry, reminds me of my stepdad,” she said with a shrug.
“Yeah?” he pressed.
“Mm, my stepdad was born in Japan, but he lived in the United States for a while. He met my mom when he had come back to visit,” she explained. “They live in the states now, and I spent a few years of my childhood there. It’s kinda nostalgic for me. The cooking at this place reminds me of the food they served at a dinner close to our house,” she recalled, a fond smile appearing on her face.
“Hmm,” he hummed, nodding along with her. “Didn’t know that. Do you speak any English then?”
“Yeah, I speak English pretty well, I think,” she commented. “My stepdad began to teach it to me when I was younger and still able to pretty easily absorb languages.”
“That’s pretty badass,” he said with a smirk, causing a nervous giggle to escape her. She couldn’t ever remember seeing Kacchan smile, it made her heart race for some reason.
“Hehe, yeah, I guess it’s pretty cool,” she reasoned, self consciously rubbing the back of her head. “Ah! Here it is,” she said, tugging him into the little restaurant.
“Hey, Izuku!” one of the hostesses greeted. “Haven’t seen you in a while!”
“Ha! Yeah, I’ve been pretty busy,” she laughed off. She took a little while to catch up with the staff before she turned to introduce Kacchan. “This is Kacchan, eh, Bakugou Katsuki. He’s one of the new artists at Aizawa and Hizashi’s place!”
“Ah, yes,” one of the owners chuckled, having come out to say hi. “We’ve seen them around.”
“Can we order now?” Kacchan barked, looking irritated. “I’m fuckin’ starvin’.”
“Oh! Right, yeah, sorry,” she laughed. “Sorry, table for two please.”
“Right,” the hostess laughed, grabbing one menu. “I assume you’ll want your regular?”
“Mm!” she nodded. “I can recommend some stuff to you if you’d like?”
“What’s the spiciest shit they serve?” he asked.
“Um, I dunno,” she laughed. “I don’t like spicy stuff.”
“Tch, useless Deku,” he huffed as he shook his head. “Guess I’ll just get a burger. . . The fuck’re jalapeños?”
“Ah! Those are a type of spicy pepper! My stepdad really likes them, though I don’t really care for them,” she said, sticking her tongue out in distaste.
“Right, I’ll get that then,” he nodded. He ordered his food and drink and they went back to talking, mostly about her time in America and about her family. Kacchan listened attentively to her as she spoke, nodding along and smiling when she got really excited.
“Sometimes I’d get a phrase wrong, and I’d get the weirdest looks,” she laughed after they were halfway through their meal. “Idioms are weird, y’know?”
“Mm,” he nodded as he swallowed a bite of his food.
“In fact, one of my dad’s friends had gotten him a book of idioms for my mom and I to look at,” she added. “I think my mom still has it with her in America. Like I said, I was more easily able to learn the language, being so young, my mom definitely had a harder time with English.”
“My parents traveled a lot when I was younger,” he commented, piquing her interest. “I picked up a few phrases here and there from a few different languages. Not enough to hold out a long conversation, but enough to, like, communicate basic shit, y’know?”
“That’s so cool!” she gasped, her eyes wide in awe. “Why did they travel so much?”
“My old hag’s a model, an’ my old man’s a photographer,” he said with a casual shrug. “When I was younger I did some modeling too.”
“Woah! Really!?” she asked, eyes widening in surprise. “That’s amazing!”
“Yeah, but then I turned 18 and started getting piercings and tattoos, so my modeling career was over,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “Not that I gave a shit. Modeling was annoying as fuck.”
“Mm? How so?” she inquired, cocking her head to the side.
“People were really fuckin’ fake,” he spat angrily. “Always singin’ fake praises an’ kissin’ ass for selfish reasons. While I got t’see a lotta cool shit, I never made any friends. The old hag says it’s just me, cuz apparently she n’dad have a shit ton of friends in the industry, but like I said, I don’t give a shit.”
“I take you didn’t enjoy it then?” she asked with a smile, amused by his rantings.
“I enjoyed traveling, I guess,” he shrugged as he took a sip of his drink. “But I’m glad to be done with it.”
“Mm, that makes sense,” she nodded along. “But, what did you mean when you said that your career was over? Aren’t there lots of models who have tattoos and piercings? I thought so?”
“Yeah,” he drawled, an irritated expression on his face. “But apparently it ruined my ‘boyish charm’ or some shit.”
“Well, that’s silly,” she commented. “If it makes you feel better, I think Kacchan’s very handsome,” she said, her cheeks turning pink in embarrassment.
“Shut up,” he scoffed, turning away in annoyance, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’m glad you found something you enjoy,” she told him. “Even if you’re successful, if you’re not happy, then what’s the point? It’s better to be happy than wealthy. Plus, everyone has different meanings of success. Like, I own my own business. It’s not super big or anything, and sometimes I stress over bills, but it’s mine, and I’m happy every day. So,” she paused, looking at him as he stared at her. He had a small, crooked smile and a soft look in his eyes, that made her feel warm inside. “Er, sorry, I’m rambling.”
“S’fine,” he shrugged. “I liked listenin’ t’you rambled ‘bout that.” Her blush deepened and she looked down at her fingers.
They left the restaurant, Izuku shivering at the cool night air.
“W-well,” she smiled up at him. “Um, thanks for coming with me.”
“Thanks for showin’ me this place,” he nodded at her. “Wasn’t as bad as I thought it was gonna be.”
“Glad you liked it,” she giggled, shivering again. “Got cold, huh?” He frowned and shrugged off his jacket before pulling it over her shoulders.
“Here,” he said as he closed it around her. “Don’t want your scrawny ass gettin’ a cold.”
“Wha, K-Kacchan, wh-what about you?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about me,” he dismissed, “I’ll be fine.”
“O-okay, if you’re sure,” she nodded, pulling the jacket tighter around her. It smelled good, like Kacchan. “Um, I-I’ll give it back tomorrow, okay?”
“Don’t bother,” he waved off. “I like seeing you wear it more,” he said lowly, making her breath hitch.
“I-I,” she stammered, unsure of what to say, but her face didn’t feel as cold as it was before. Her heart race as he reached out to brush a lock of hair behind her ear, his hand warm against her skin, she couldn’t help but lean into it.
“Deku,” he said softly, making her look up at him. He was illuminated by the red “open” sign and an overhead streetlamp, but he looked so handsome. “Can I..” he paused, nervously wetting his lips with his split tongue before pulling away with a sigh. “Want me t’walk you t’the train?”
“O-oh,” she said, disappointed for some reason. “Ah, s-sure, if you want.” He nodded and they headed to the nearest subway station, an awkward air surrounding them. When they reached the station and parted ways, Izuku couldn’t help but wonder what Kacchan really wanted to ask her.....
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“Hey, Deku,” Kacchan greeted her solemnly, his personality much more subdued than usual.
“Hi, Kacchan,” she said, her voice wavering slightly with concern. “You need some more flowers?”
“Yeah, but,” he paused, sighing deeply as he refused to look at her. “I think I’ll pick’em out myself this time,” he told her, then began to walk around her shop.
“Oh, a-alright, g-go ahead,” she said, looking down at her hands nervously. She wanted to see what he was doing, but she knew she’d find out when he checked out. He seemed to be selecting each flower with great care, taking a long time to make every decision. Eventually, he walked up to the counter, with the flowers hidden behind his back.
“A-are you all set?” she asked, swallowing anxiously. She had no idea why she was so nervous, but it looked like Kacchan was nervous too, but she couldn’t place why.
“Here,” he said, pulling out a bouquet of many different flowers, slowly handing them to her one by one: first was a black rose and a yellow carnation; hatred and disdain. Next, a purple lilac; first emotion of love. A striped carnation followed; refusal. After that was Foxglove; insecurity. White heather was after that; protective. Next one was a Honeysuckle; devoted affection. Coreopsis; always cheerful. Red rose; romantic love. And the final two: Alstroemeria; I love you and I am devoted to you, and daffodil; respect and return my affections.
She stared at the series of flowers, her mind racing as their meanings flew through her head. Tears had welled in her eyes without her realizing it before they started streaming down her face. He had made her a story of his feelings via flowers, bore his heart to her in a way that was dear to her.
“Well?” he asked, anxiously fiddling with one of his lip piercings, the tips of his tongue occasionally peaking out. She silently bustled out from behind the counter and snipped a flower from one of the displays. She carefully brought it back to him and held it out for him to take.
Ambrosia; love is reciprocated
His eyes widened as he gasped quietly, gently cradling her hands in his. He let out a light chuckle as their eyes met.
“Guess you were right,” he said with a smirk, confusing her. “I suppose this shit is actually pretty romantic.”
“Heh, told you,” she whispered, a wet smile on her face.
“Can I kiss you now?” he asked, reaching a hand up to cradle her face.
“Please?” she asked, standing up on her tiptoes so she could meet him halfway. As soon as their lips met, she felt warmth bloom inside of her, a smile spreading across her face. Kacchan hesitantly began to move his lips against hers, his lip piercings a strange sensation against her skin. Eventually, she couldn’t stand on her tiptoes any longer and she fell into his chest, giggling like crazy.
“You alright?” he asked, draping his arms around her waist.
“Fine, just a little overwhelmed, I guess,” she laughed, burying her face in his chest. “But I’m happy. I’m really happy, Kacchan,” she chocked on a sob, a smile still on her face. “I-I’m sorry, I-I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Emotional idiot,” he scoffed, petting her hair back as he kissed the top of her head. “But, it’s a good type of cry, yeah?”
“Definitely,” she sniffed with a nod, rubbing at her eyes as she smiled up at the tattoo artist.
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“You’re like the most annoying sunflower I’ve ever met,” Katsuki snipped at her one day as he came to pester her on his break. As the months went by, Izuku came to expect her boyfriend to come and visit her, her day didn’t feel right without him stopping by.
“Thank, you?” she asked slowly, assuming it was meant to be a compliment. “You look like a dandelion!” she exclaimed happily in a teasing tone of voice. He gave her an angry look before grabbing her by the back of the head and kissing her soundly on the mouth. She let out a noise of surprise but didn’t pull away.
“Stupid dumbass,” he grumbled, scowling at her after he broke the kiss.
“You okay?” she laughed, confused but amused by his behavior.
“I’m fuckin’ fine,” he snapped, crossing his arms angrily. “You... you just make me so fuckin’ angry sometimes. I hate you.”
“I love you too,” she giggled, enjoying how his angry face turned slightly pink and how her heart fluttered in her chest. “How’s work been?”
“Fine,” he huffed, leaning against her front counter. “People are still obsessed with your cutesy little shop. I’ve done more fuckin’ flowers since I’ve started workin’ere than I have in my whole goddamn life. It’s fuckin’ annoyin’.”
“Y’know, I was actually thinking about getting a tattoo,” she admitted shyly, causing him to freeze up.
“You what?” he asked in disbelief.
“I-I dunno, I’ve seen the art you make, a-and you’re really good... I... I kinda wanna get one,” she elaborated, fidgeting under his scrutiny. “Sorry, but it would obviously be a flower, haha.”
“I’m sorry,” he suddenly said, “but that’s really fuckin’ hot.”
“Ah- Kacchan!” she squeaked in embarrassment, covering her face. “Don’t say things like that!”
“What? It’s true,” he said with a shrug, a ridiculously attractive smirk on his face and his eyes darkening as he looked at her. “You with a tattoo? It’d be real damn sexy.”
“Mmm,” she whined, shaking her head. She heard him chuckle to himself before grabbing her by the back of the head again and kissing her forehead. She dropped her hands shyly as she took in his impish smirk.
“When you came in that day t’get your ears pierced, fuck I nearly lost it. Do you know how fuckin’ good you look with piercings? You’re the fuckin’ perfect amount of cute and sexy. I don’t know how you do it,” he ranted, complimenting her in the angriest way possible.
“Th-thank you, Kacchan,” she giggled, a little taken aback by the compliment. “Although, I’m never getting the same amount of piercings and tattoos you have. Well, maybe a few more piercings. I think the ear ones are cute,” she said, tugging on one of her ear piercings.
“That’s fine,” he shrugged, resting his chin on top of her head. “You’re still cute as shit.” Her face reddened at his comments, and she buried her face in his chest, their position a little awkward due to the counter between them.
“Did you need something?” she asked.
“Nah, just felt like pesterin’ my cute girlfriend,” he shrugged, causing her to blush again. “Workin’ in a flower shop is just so fuckin’ suited for you,” he added.
“Haha, thank you, Kacchan,” she smiled. “And working in a tattoo parlor is suited for you, too.”
“Yeah, that’s kinda fuckin’ obvious,” he scoffed, pulling her forward by the chin to kiss her again. “I gotta go now, break’s over.”
“Awe, okay,” she pouted, nuzzling against his face. “Bye, Kacchan.”
“Bye, Deku,” he said, pulling away and walking out of the shop. Izuku watched him go with a small smile and a wave, already missing him. She hadn’t known she could fall for someone as hard as she fell for Kacchan. They had known each other for close to a year now, but still, saying ‘I love you’ always made her heart race. She really did love him, a lot, and it appeared that he felt the same way, which made her very happy.
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Izuku was going about her day as normal when a customer came in. He didn’t particularly stand out to her, she had lots of customers coming in, interesting ones ever since the parlor opened up next door. A few other customers were in at that moment, so it wasn’t like they were alone in the shop.
“Hi, welcome to Plus Ultra Flowers! Let me know if you need anything,” she had greeted him, just like everyone else. She gave him her usual smile and went about her business, until he came up to her.
“Excuse me,” the man asked from behind her.
“Hi! How can I help you?” she asked cheerfully, like she always did. She barely took notice of the faint blush rising to his cheeks.
“Oh, uh,” he coughed nervously. “I was wanting to get a bouquet for my mom. But, hah, I have no idea where to start.”
“Awe, how sweet!” she commented, clapping her hands together happily. “You’ll either want to get her a bouquet with flowers that mean admiration, love and respect, or, you could just tell me her favorite flower and we could do something based purely off aesthetics. What do you think?”
“I think she’ll appreciate the second option more,” he said with a laugh.
“Sure, what kind of flowers does she prefer?” she asked as she headed to behind the counter to pull out a nice container to put the flowers in.
“Oh, well, uh, I’m not sure,” he admitted awkwardly. “What, uh, what’s your favorite flower?”
“Well, I like lots of flowers,” she told him with a laugh. “I love roses, as pretty much everyone does. Lilacs are also lovely. And, sunflowers,” she paused as she thought fondly about the flower. It was the flower that reminded her of Kacchan, bright and wonderful. He also, for some reason, called her his sunflower, so she had a bias towards them. Not that she minded, she thought it was cute. “I think sunflowers are my favorite.”
“Ah, okay, that should work,” he said with a nod. She smiled and went about collecting the necessary flowers for the bouquet, the man following her around closely. That didn’t bother her, he probably just wanted to keep an eye out on what she was doing. She added baby’s breath and lilacs as accents, liking the soft contrast they offered.
“Okay, these should do,” she murmured to herself as she took the flowers to the counter, placing them in the container she had set up. She began diligently arranging the flowers, making sure the lilacs didn’t overpower the sunflowers.
“Oi,” Kacchan snapped, startling her and the customer. A smile broke out on her face.
“Kacchan!” she greeted before pouting at him. “You made me lose my focus,” she whined as he shouldered past the customer. He walked behind the counter and rested his head on top of hers as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“What are you doing now, nerd?” he asked as he looked at her bouquet. Unbeknownst to her, he was also giving the customer side eyes and glares, to which the customer glared back.
“Just making a bouquet for someone’s mother,” she said, gesturing to the customer. “How has work been?”
“Eh, s’been fine,” he shrugged, picking up one of the unused sunflowers and turning it around in his hand.
“Kacchan! Leave it!” she whined as she plucked it from his hand and placed it in the bouquet.
“Don’t tell me what to do, shitty nerd,” he shot back, tugging on a lock of her hair.
“Excuse me,” the customer interrupted, looking irritated.
“Ah! I’m sorry,” she raced out, shoving her boyfriend away so she could work more efficiently. “I’m almost done here.”
“Calm down, jackass,” Kacchan commented snidely, much to her mortification.
“Kacchan!” she admonished, cheeks red in embarrassment, before turning back to the disgruntled customer. “Sir, I am so sorry about him.”
“Ah, it’s fine,” he sighed, to her relief. “Is it normal for delinquents to harass you while you work?”
“Oi,” Kacchan bristled, and Izuku was grateful there was a counter between the two men. “You gotta fucking problem, dickhead?”
“Yeah, I got a problem with you harassing this poor woman!” he declared, drawing the attention of the other patrons inside.
“Eh?” Kacchan asked, rage emitting from him in waves. “Don’t come in here, acting like you know shit when you don’t.”
“K-Kacchan, th-that’s enough,” she whispered firmly, tugging on his sleeve.
“I think it’s pretty obvious,” the man sneered, hands clenching into fists.
“Yeah, I’m teasing my girlfriend, big fuckin’ crime,” Kacchan said, clearly relishing in the way the other man’s eyes widened in shock. “Now why don’t you pay for your fucking flowers and piss off before I do something you’ll regret!?”
“Kacchan, that’s enough,” she hissed angrily before turning back to the customer. “Sir, I am so, so sorry.”
“Whatever,” the man scoffed, pulling out his wallet. “Just give me my flowers so I can leave.”
“Y-yes, right away,” she stammered, adding the finishing touches to the bouquet. “Here, that’ll be 4,500 yen.” The man slammed the money onto the counter, grabbed the bouquet and stormed out, leaving the shop silent. Izuku breathed out a shaky sigh and hung her head, still utterly mortified by what had happened.
“Deku,” Kacchan spoke quietly, sounding unsure of himself. “I-“
“Not right now, Kacchan,” she sighed, taking a deep breath. “Later, okay?”
“Sure,” he agreed softly, surprisingly compliant with her request. She put on a smile as she turned her sign around to closed, and waited until the remaining patrons finished up and trickled out. She locked her front door and rested her head against the glass, letting out a shaky sigh. Kacchan was in the back, and she really needed to talk to him about his behavior, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. The last time she and Kacchan truly fought was when her store got broken into so many months ago, and she hated the feeling of him being mad at her, but she had to do this. With another deep breath, she headed to the back, finding Kacchan standing there, tapping his foot impatiently.
“Kacchan,” she greeted as she came in, causing him to turn and face her. “We need to talk.”
“No shit,” he scoffed, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.
“What you did earlier, it’s not okay,” she said, an uncomfortable feeling in her chest. “No matter what you feel, you can’t just act that way in front of my customers!”
“That guy was pissing me off,” he grumbled, face pulled into a frown. “Watching him flirt with you, I couldn’t stand it!”
“He wasn’t flirting with me,” she said, taken aback.
“Are you a fucking idiot?” he barked, sneering at her. “It was so damn obvious!”
“Well, even if he was flirting with me,” she argued, “that doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to antagonize him!”
“So what, I’m just supposed to sit back and watch him flirt with you?” he snapped, looking angry and dumbfounded.
“Yes!” she sighed with exasperation. “You can’t yell at my customers, it puts my business in a bad light. You can’t act like a delinquent just because you’re mad!” Kacchan growled before he scoffed and turned away, clearly angry and frustrated.
“Look, Deku, I... fuck,” he cursed under his breath before turning back to face her. “I’m sorry that I made a scene in your shop and put you in a bad position. But I’m not gonna sit back and watch some damn extra flirt with you. You’re my sunflower, not anyone else’s,” he finished softly, stepping closer to her and resting his forehead on top of her head.
“I accept your apology,” she told him, a smile appearing on her face despite herself as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “But you can’t blow up on people you think are flirting with me.”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked in frustration. “Just sit back and watch?” She sighed in fond exasperation and gently shook her head.
“Just looping your arm around my waist and calling me ‘babe’ would suffice,” she told him, rolling her eyes. “If they don’t take the hint, you let me handle it, yeah?”
“Tch, fine,” he sighed, looping his arm around the back of her neck and pulling her flush against him so he could kiss the top of her head. “I love you, stupid sunflower.”
“I love you too, dandelion,” she giggled back.
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“Oh, good morning, Midoriya-san,” Aizawa greeted her as she came in through the front door. “What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Aizawa-san,” she replied as she nervously walked up to the counter. “Um, you do walk ins, correct?”
“Yeah, what do you need?” he asked, cocking a brow at her.
“Um, well, I’d like to get a tattoo,” she smiled shakily, pulling out her phone and showing him the picture she had in mind. “A dandelion, to be specific.” Aizawa looked at it contemplatively before nodding slowly.
“I assume it has something to do with Bakugou?” he asked, quirking his lips into a small smile. Her entire face turned pink as she ducked her head.
“W-well, m-maybe,” she admitted shyly.
“Bakugou’s with someone right now,” he told her, causing her to look up at the shaggy tattoo artist. “But he should be done soon. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll grab the paperwork for you.”
“Yes, thank you,” she smiled, bowing her head at the tattooed man. He walked away and smiled when Shinsou walked over, Aizawa quickly returning with the paperwork.
“So, you’re getting a tattoo?” he asked, smirking at her as she ducked her head nervously, trying to focus on the paperwork.
“Y-yeah,” she nodded, fiddling with the pen.
“For Bakugou, right?”
“M-mm,” she nodded, her face turning even brighter pink.
“So, what is it?” he pressed.
“Um, a dandelion,” she admitted. Shinsou then burst out laughing, causing her to whine in protest.
“That’s fucking hilarious,” he said, wiping away an invisible tear. “It’s cute and funny. I’m sure he’ll like it.”
“I sure hope so,” she sighed, feeling anxious as she signed the bottom. “I kinda wanted to surprise him with it, but I feel like he’d be ticked off if I got my first tattoo done by someone else, y’know?”
“Mm, makes sense,” Shinsou nodded as Kacchan finally stepped out with his latest client. He was in the middle of talking to him before his eyes caught hers and zeroed in on her. He dismissed his client and marched over to her.
“Oi, what the fuck are you doing here?” he asked as she got up to greet him.
“Well,” she said with a shaky breath. “I’m getting a tattoo! And I’d like you to do it.” She watched carefully for his reaction, mildly nervous when it looked like he was rebooting.
“Excuse me?” he asked, eyes still slightly wide and disbelieving. “You’re what?”
“Getting a tattoo!” she reiterated. “A dandelion, to be specific,” she added shyly. He was silent for a long moment before he spoke again.
“That’s fucking adorable. I fucking love you,” he said, leaning down and pulling her into a passionate kiss. She squawked in embarrassment, pulling away from his X-rated kiss.
“Kacchan!” she reprimanded, her face bright red.
“Please keep the PDA to a minimum,” Aizawa called out in an exasperated tone.
“Oh please,” Kacchan scoffed at the older man. “Like you weren’t dry humping your husband in the bathroom yesterday.”
“Please don’t talk about my dads that way,” Shinsou groaned.
“Oh, my god! Kacchan!” she squeaked, her face turning red. “Stop talking!”
“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” he teased, pulling on her cheek. “Alright, if you’re finished with the paperwork, come on back.”
“Mm,” she nodded as she followed him into his room where after he closed the door.
“Go ahead and sit down,” he said. “What do you want?”
“Oh, this,” she said, pulling out her phone and showing him the picture. He took the phone from her and tapped a few times before he handed it back to her and picked up his own phone.
“What size do you want it and where?” he asked her, looking up from the phone.
“Um, about this big, on the back of my arm,” she said, indicating a section on the back of her left arm, about the size of her phone.
“Mm,” he nodded, looking back down at his phone. “Right, I’ll be right back. In the meantime, go ahead and take off your jacket and shirt,” he said as he walked out of the room and closed the door after himself. She set her phone to the side as she shrugged off her jacket and, with pink cheeks, took off her shirt. She jumped in surprise as the door opened behind her, causing her to whip around in surprise.
“Oh gosh,” she gasped, sighing when she saw it was just Kacchan. “You scared me.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “Go ahead and place your elbow here,” he said, patting a padded arm rest while he fiddled with some papers. “Right, first were gonna figure out placement, okay? Keep still.” He pulled on some gloves, took a wipe of some sort and cleaned off her arm, causing her to shiver at the cold sensation. She felt him press something against her before he peeled it away.
“Okay, take a look,” he said. She nodded and got up to look in the mirror, a smile spreading across her face at the sight, biting her bottom lip in excitement. “Good?”
“Perfect,” she smiled.
“Great,” he nodded. “Now, take a seat and put your elbow back on the armrest facing me,” he instructed as he began to shuffle around for something. She set her arm down as she took her seat, mildly trembling as she waited for him to start.
“So, um, how much is this gonna hurt?” she asked, nervously tapping her foot, too anxious to look behind her to see what he was doing.
“It depends,” he shrugged, getting out his preferred tattoo gun. “Everyone has a different level of pain tolerance, and it also depends on how close to the bone it is, so if there’s more fat there, it’s less painful. But, don’t worry,” he said as he wiped something across her skin. “If the pain gets too much, just let me know and we can take a break, yeah?”
“Y-yeah,” she nodded.
“I’m gonna turn on the machine, alright?” he said. She nodded, her breath hitching as she heard the buzzing of the gun from behind her. “Okay, I’m gonna start now.”
“Ah, mm,” she nodded, clenching her fists in anticipation. She froze up as the needle was finally pressed into her.
“Remember to breathe, okay?” he reminded as he gently held her arm in place. She nodded her head at his words, trying to focus on her breathing instead of the painful sensation of the needle penetrating her skin. She was thankful the tattoo design was simple as she winced in pain, her nails digging into her palm. As he moved lower on her arm, she hissed out between her teeth, at which point Kacchan paused.
“You okay?” he asked, leaning over to press a kiss to the nape of her neck.
“Mm, yeah,” she nodded, flexing her right hand. “I’m okay, you can start again,” she said, looking over her shoulder at him. He nodded at her as he set down the tattoo gun and quickly changed gloves.
“Right,” he said as he picked his machine back up. “Ready?”
“Yep,” she said, taking a deep breath. Soon enough, the buzzing sound filled the air and he pressed the needle back into her skin. She bit her bottom lip as he continued downwards, trying not to flinch, too worried to even breathe. She kept her eyes closed as he continued to work on the piece, and before she knew it, Kacchan had finished.
“Alright, take a look,” he said, causing her to blink in surprise.
“Wait, are we done?” she asked, blinking at him in confusion.
“Yep,” he smiled as he turned to grab something while she got up. She turned her back to the full length mirror and zeroed in on the new tattoo she was sporting, a smile appearing on her face.
“Wow,” she awed, blown away by how good the linework was. “It’s beautiful!”
“Thanks,” he smiled as he took an alcohol wipe and cleaned off the area before pressing a clear plastic material around her arm and taping it down. “There, you’re all set.”
“Thank you so much!” she beamed at him. “How much do I owe you?”
“Weeeeell,” he dragged out, giving her a wry smirk as he towered over her, placing his hands on her hips. “Normally I’d charge 20000 yen,” he said, causing her jaw to drop in shock, “but from you? I’ll accept 20000 kisses.”
“Kacchaaaaan!” she whined, hiding her face in his chest.
“I’m kidding,” he said as he pet her hair. “Its only 6000 yen, but I’ll still accept those kisses.”
“I think you’d get tired of me if I gave you 6000 kisses,” she laughed as she pressed her chin against his collarbone as she looked up at him.
“I don’t think I’d ever get tired of kissing you,” he said quietly, cupping the side of her face. “Ever.”
“Mm,” she nodded as she hid her warm face against his chest, squeezing him in embarrassment.
“Mmm, if you don’t mind, maybe I should come to your place and help you take care of your tattoo?” he purred as he massaged her lower back.
“Uh-huh, that’s what you want to do, eh?” she asked, cocking a brow at her boyfriend.
“Of course,” he answered with a shit eating grin. “I need to take care of you, useless Deku.”
“Kacchan is mean,” she pouted at him, making him chuckle fondly.
“Yeah, I am,” he said as he placed his large hands on her hips and gently swaying. “But you love it,” he purred. She giggled and stood up on her tippy toes to try and kiss him, whining when he leaned away.
“Kaaaaacchan!” she cried out as he laughed. “kiiiiiss meeeee!”
“Reach me then nerd,” he grinned smugly.
“Kaaaaacchaaaan!” she cried again before jumping when someone banged on the door.
“You two better not be fucking in there!” she heard someone shout, making her face immediately burn up.
“Piss off shitty hair!” Kacchan snapped before sighing and turning back to her. “Guess you better head out,” he sighed.
“Y-yeah, sure,” she nodded, embarrassed as she and Kacchan headed out. “Um, what do I owe you? Really.”
“Oh, you can make it up to me later,” he smirked. She blinked in confusion before her face heated up, making her choke on her spit as he laughed.
“K-Kacchan!” she shouted at him, her entire face red as he laughed harder. She huffed in embarrassment even while she tried to suppress a smile. Despite her boyfriend’s vulgarity and teasing, she couldn’t really complain, she really enjoyed her life, and she wouldn’t change a thing.