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“Hey,” Kirishima barks, practically bounding into Uraraka’s shop. The werewolf radiates hopefulness, his aura bright, light, and unbelievably warm as he approaches the witch. “You got any more of those special cookies?”
Behind him, his tail wags eagerly. Uraraka giggles. He couldn’t hide his feelings if he tried, she thinks. The thought tugs her lips up into a smile.
“Cookies?” she muses, tapping the corner of her mouth. “Well, I suppose I do.” She giggles again and wipes her hands on her smock.
There isn’t actually anything special about her cookies. They’re standard chocolate chip. And really, she shouldn’t be letting him wolf so many down. All that chocolate can’t be good for his heart. Though she supposes he’s human enough to stomach the sweet.
“What’s a guy gotta do to earn a few?” Kirishima asks, happily hanging on Uraraka’s every breath.
“I’ve got some boxes that you can move for me,” Uraraka replies with a shrug.
“Shitty Hair!” Bakugou bellows from the shopfront. “She doesn’t need your damn help. Stop pining. Let’s go!”
Kirishima looks ready to protest, but Uraraka doesn’t give him a chance.
“Here,” she says, pulling her wand from her sleeve. With a quick flick, she conjures a cookie from the kitchen and offers it to him. She doesn’t need his help anyway. With her magic, she can easily move the boxes.
“You’re the best!” Kirishima beams. His ears twitch slightly, and he threads a hand through his messy red locks, his cheeks pinker than before. Uraraka can tell there’s more sitting on the tip of his tongue, but he decides to save it for another day, turning tail and following Bakugou out of the shop.
“That wolf likes you,” Asui says, blunt as ever and unapologetically so.
“Huh?” Uraraka squeaks, straightening from the counter. She’d been working on compiling their herb order for the next month and hadn’t noticed the amphibious witch sneak up.
“That one you keep giving cookies,” Asui clarifies.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Uraraka says, her pink cheeks saturating in color. “I think he just likes cookies, you know?”
“Ochako.” Asui’s flat voice feels flatter than usual. “I don’t think he even eats them. Have you ever seen him eat them?”
“Of course, he eats them! I’ve seen him… Well, I think that… I’m sure he eats them!”
“He doesn’t, ribbit. He just uses them as an excuse to talk to you. You should ask him out.”
“What?!” Uraraka splutters. “Why would I ask him out?” She waves her hands furiously as if she can wash away the accusation that she knows is about to roll off her friend’s lips. She’s too obvious, and Asui reads her like an open book every time.
“Because you like him too.” Asui blinks as if it’s the most obvious conclusion in the world, and dammit, she’s right.
“I don’t like him,” Uraraka lies, her words thick and dry in her mouth. “I mean, I like him, but I don’t have a crush on him. That’s just...silly.” Her shrill laugh does nothing for her defense.
“Sure, Ochako. Just stop giving him all of our cookies. Those are for paying customers.”
Uraraka hasn’t the foggiest idea how this all started. Okay, that’s an outright lie told by the last strands of her denial. She does know how it started.
Her family has been running the Lunar Light Apothecary since before she was born, and now, she’s taken the helm, managing the shop and working alongside her best friend and fellow witch.
It’s an honest living, and with more hands in the shop, her parents have been able to step back and enjoy life more, which thrills Uraraka more than she can put into words.
Still, selling herbs day in and day out isn’t all that interesting. Sure, she gets all types in her shops, everything from the occasional dragon to her witch regulars and everyone in between, but it grows dull on long, slow weeks.
Her dreams have always involved helping her parents, but they eventually evolved. Now, she wants something for herself too.
She dreams of magical medicine and wants to use her powers to help others when herbs cannot.
In her free time, Uraraka studies under Recovery Witch and moonlights at the woman’s clinic as a medic in training. It’s been going well, and Uraraka grows more sure of her desires by the day. Helping others comes naturally to her, and she’s been able to meet so many new and amazing people through working at the clinic.
Kirishima included.
He hasn’t been a werewolf for long. In fact, Bakugou, who Uraraka has come to know quite well thanks to his frequent bloody scraps with other werewolves, dragged Kirishima in personally to get him diagnosed with lycanthropy.
Of course, they could have waited until the next full moon and found out easily enough, but Bakugou had demanded that they check him out. Apparently, Kirishima had been bellyaching over aches and pains, and Bakugou had had enough of the worrywart’s ‘what-if’s to last a lifetime.
Uraraka had hovered over Recovery Witch’s shoulder as the older woman poked and prodded the poor werewolf-to-be, looking at his teeth, taking his temperature, and drawing his blood. He’d been a good sport, but a few whines and whimpers escaped him nevertheless.
Thinking back on it, Uraraka can’t deny that she’s found Kirishima unfairly attractive from day one. His eyes shine like garnets, and his red hair, once black, looks soft to the touch.
After his first transformation, he’d grown broader and more confident. His canines are long and sharp now too, but his goofy smile dissipates his chances of being intimidating.
All in all, he’s devastatingly charming, and Uraraka has been more than happy to keep feeding him cookies just to keep him coming around.
Darn Asui for forcing her to face her feelings. She’s been more than happy with the status quo, but…
Maybe she should say something. She’s a strong, independent witch, after all. Surely, she can manage such a mundane task.
“Uraraka!” Kirishima greets, bumping a sage display with his tail. “Got any cookies today?”
He’s at her side before she can blink. Looking up, she feels her cheeks heat. He’s standing so close!
“Ah! Uh, good morning,” she manages, her voice only a touch strained as she leans back against the counter to create space between them.
“It is, isn’t it?” He nods in agreement, as amiable as ever.
They stand in silence for a moment: Uraraka trying and failing to start her brain back up and Kirishima waiting eagerly.
“Cookies?” he prompts.
“Cookies,” she replies dumbly.
Then, because Asui’s words have been swirling in her mind for the better half of the day, she blurts, “No.”
“No?” Kirishima cocks his head, his ears perking attentively. “So, you don’t have any?” His tail slows its rapid wagging, and his eyes lose some of their usual shine.
“No, no.” Uraraka shakes her head. “We have them, but I don’t think I should give you more. They’re not good for you.”
“Not good for me?” Kirishima echos.
“You’re a werewolf. Chocolate is bad for you.”
“Oh.” Kirishima seems to be having a hard time processing this sudden shift. Uraraka has never denied him before, let alone over cookies.
“I’m just worried,” Uraraka adds hastily, waving her hands. “It’s not good for your heart and…” She trails off and swallows hard, stealing herself.
“And,” she starts again, “I c-care about your...heart.”
“Huh?” Kirishima scratches behind his ear, his brow wrinkled in confusion. “Well, I mean, I guess I could go get it checked out. It has been acting kinda funny whenever I get cookies. Like it beats a bit too fast, and I feel sweaty and anxious. Is that normal? Do cookies make werewolves sweaty?”
“Oh, dear.” Uraraka flushes. All this time, she’s been giving him cookies that make him sick! She knew better but had given him them anyway. How awful, she moans inwardly. She’s been so selfish this whole time, indulging his whims so that he’ll return to her.
“You’re both hopeless, ribbit,” Asui says.
Uraraka and Kirishma jump in unison. Has she been here this whole time? She really ought to announce herself.
“Wha-huh?” Uraraka’s cheeks are now as red as Kirishima’s hair.
“Kirishima, Uraraka is on her break now. Will you take her to lunch?” Asui asks, ignoring her friend’s embarrassed spluttering.
“Take her to lunch?”
“As a date,” Asui clarifies.
A deep blush blossoms across Kirishima's face. He’s red from head to toes now, his tail frozen and puffy.
“Tsu!” Uraraka whines, attempting to shove her friend away from Kirishima. “You can’t just—”
“Okay,” he says, shocking her into silence. “Uraraka, will you, uh, go on this date with me?”
Uraraka wants to squeak and bolt from the shop, anything to hide her embarrassment. She doesn’t get the chance, though.
“Shitty Hair!” Bakugou barks, entering the shop. “Did you get your damn cookie or not? Let’s go. Pack’s waiting!”
“Actually,” Kirishima says, his voice warm, bright, and sure. “I’ve got plans—if Uraraka is okay with that.”
“Plans?” Bakugou deadpans. “Did you finally ask her out?”
“Bro!”
“Round Face, hurry up and say yes. He won’t shut up about you, and I’m sick of it. Go on your damn date already.”
Looking properly chastised, Kirishima turns back to Uraraka, awaiting her response.
“I, uh,” she starts, her voice shaky. “I would like that very much.”
“Great. Peachy. Get the fuck out of here, then,” Bakugou snarls. “Don’t waste my time again, Shitty Hair. If you have a date, just fuckin’ say so.”
With that, Bakugou stalks out of the shop, presumably to rally the rest of his pack.
“You heard him,” Asui says. “Get going, ribbit.”
Thoroughly embarrassed and equally red-faced, the pair leave to find lunch.
Their date goes well, and Uraraka decides she’s grateful for blunt friends, even if they are a bit of a pain.
They talk and share magic-infused mochi that tastes like stardust and the last day of summer. Uraraka gets some on her nose, and before Kirishima can think better of himself, he licks it off. It’s all too much in the best way, and Uraraka can’t seem to shake the grin that’s plastered to her face, the same way that Kirishima can’t seem to get his tail to stop wagging.
So, when he asks her if she’d like to go out on a proper date sometime, one that isn’t set up by their friends, she says yes—but only after telling Kirishima that he can’t come by for chocolate chip cookies anymore.
He agrees and confesses his sweet tooth isn’t actually that sweet. His real addiction has been to the pink-cheeked witch with the charming personality this whole time.
Uraraka swats at him and thinks that her blush might be permanent.