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Eijirou doesn’t even register the bell on the café door jingling when it opens, too engrossed in the trailer for the newest All Might movie and frantically searching for any sign of his favorite hero. He drags the slider back to the beginning of the video, exhaling on the counter when he can’t find any sign of him.
There’s a gentle cough above him. Startled, Eijirou nearly shoves his phone off the counter and stands at attention, eyes going wide at the person standing in front of him. “I’m so sorry about that,” he says, but feels his jaw physically drop at the gorgeous man laughing in front of him.
“Oh, you’re fine.” The man assures him. God, I sure hope you think I am! Eijirou runs a hand through his red hair, a bit self-conscious as the pretty boy continues talking. “And besides, I’d recognize the All Might trailer anywhere! He’s my favorite superhero of all time, honestly. I’ve already dissected the entire thing with my best friend and I’m sure he’s sick of hearing me talk about it, oops. Were you trying to find something in it?”
“I’m looking for a certain hero,” Eijirou admits. Is he about to out how much of a nerd he is to the cutest guy he’s ever seen? He’s done even worse impulsive things, so what’s he got to lose? “Crimson Riot? It’s really rare to find stuff for him, but I was trying to see if there’s a chance he’s in the new movie—”
“Oh my god, yeah!” The guy exclaims. “May I see your phone really quick? I promise I’m not gonna do anything like, weird to it, but I know there's a reference to him in the trailer!” Eijirou stares and nods, sliding his phone over as the guy pushes a green curl behind his ear and starts fast-forwarding on the video.
Eijirou takes the time to admire the stranger that still hasn’t realized he’s walked into a café and instead got dragged into a superhero chat. He’s shorter than Eijirou, but he’s just as bulky as he is, with curly green hair and eyes so vividly green, he wouldn’t be surprised if someone could make emeralds out of them. He’s also got a solid number of mismatched tattoos on his forearms, and Eijirou feels himself swallow when the guy rolls up his sleeves to lean his arms on the countertop.
“Here we go!” The man says excitedly, gesturing at the screen. “There’s a few logos that flash on the screen when All Might calls for help, right? Well, in the very back, and it’s super hard to see, there’s a logo that seems really similar to Crimson Riot’s! At least, I’m pretty sure it is.”
Eijirou grins widely and lets out a whoop, throwing his fist into the air as he gets his phone back. “I’d recognize those horns anywhere! That’s definitely his logo! Dude, thank you so much! Your drink and whatever food you want are on me today!”
The man flushes as he realizes he is, in fact, standing in the middle of a café. Luckily for both of them, the place isn’t busy, but it’s still a tad bit embarrassing. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry for taking up so much of your time! And you definitely don’t have to do that, please don’t feel obligated—”
Eijirou takes a deep breath and musters up every bit of courage that his best friend has attempted to instill in him when it comes to romance. He’s got a shot, so take it! “Honestly, you’ve already been the best part of my day,” Eijirou admits. “It’s not often I meet someone so dedicated to heroes like this, so please let me buy your meal! You’ve really made my day!”
It might be a bit forward, but it works as the guy blushes and rapidly nods, using a hand to rub the back of his neck. “Could I at least have the name of the guy paying for my meal today?” He asks shyly, and Eijirou flushes. “Kirishima Eijirou, at your service! The second best worker at this café according to my manager.”
“Midoriya Izuku, second best tattoo artist according to my best friend.” Midoriya laughs, making his curls bounce, and Eijirou nearly melts. “Looks like we’re both almost the best, so we’re kindred spirits! Speaking of, do you have any tattoos? I always like asking people, but I’m sorry if that’s super invasive!”
“I don’t, actually.” Eijirou shrugs, ringing up what Midoriya asks for. He notes that Midoriya’s twisting a fidget ring on his thumb, supposedly nervous about something. When he takes another customary glance at it, he notices that there’s a dragon twisting around the ring, giving it texture as it gets spun. “I’ve been trying to find one to start my tattoo journey, but it’s hard finding something I want! You got any ideas, hot shot?”
Midoriya steps to the side just in case there’s someone standing behind him, and his cheeks turn a very interesting shade of pink. “Well, I take commissions if you’re willing to see what I can cook up? I’ve got a good mix of geometric and colors, along with just symbols, I guess? People come to me for constellations or something vibrant. Depends on what you want! Or I could refer you to my friends there who do realistic artwork or animals, since I’m not the best at those.”
Eijirou, behind the counter and heating up pastries, pauses as he takes a moment to think about a weird, crazy idea. It takes him a moment to mix the ice in the blender, but he’s still a true multitasking champion. It’s what makes him so damn good at his job.
See, Kirishima Eijirou likes adventure in his life. He was the “yes man” in college, and he was known to never back down from a dare or anything else he wanted to do. It meant that he asked out a few people in his life, and in turn was also asked out, so he knows a thing or two about adapting to people’s love languages.
And if this one was formed by his place of employment? He could work with that! He just had to add a certain flair from his own workplace, and meet Midoriya in the middle. Eijirou grabs the whipped cream can and dramatically flourishes it, grinning as he caps the coffee and slides it on over to Midoriya. “I’ve got a proposition for you,” he says to the tattoo artist, noting with delight that Midoriya seems captivated by his performance. “If you come back and talk with me about the new All Might movie and its trivia, along with whatever else you wanna talk about, I’ll get a tattoo from you. I’m gonna get an animal first from your friend and you can customize it however you want, okay? I’d really like your number when the tattoo is done so I can take you on a date!”
Midoriya blinks at him, eyes wide as he takes in the gravity of the situation and also his iced coffee. “Hold on, a date? And getting a tattoo?? That’s! That’s permanent, you know! And a huge commitment! With a lot of Aquaphor!”
Eijirou grins and waves the whipped cream can around, sliding over the warmed pastry as well. “I’m a fully committed guy to things I really like! You’re really interesting, and I’d like to get to know you better! If not, no worries! Please don’t feel pressured by this. I would like to talk to you about my first tattoo, though, but I understand if this is a lot.”
There’s a lot of mixed emotions on Midoriya’s face, but he straightens up and gives Eijirou a charming smile that nearly makes him weak in the knees. “I’d love a date after this,” Midoriya assures him. “No one’s ever been so upfront with me, so I’m a bit caught off-guard! You seem really nice and I’ll definitely come back to talk to you. I hope you don’t get in trouble with your manager, though. Please let me know if I’m being too much, though!”
“I’m sure you won’t be,” Eijirou laughs. “Enjoy the coffee!! I’ve been told it’s pretty good!”
Midoriya pauses from where he’s halfway out the door, iced coffee raised in a farewell. “You…you’ve never had your own coffee, Kirishima? I thought all baristas tend to drink their own creations? Or if you’re lactose intolerant, which I completely understand.”
“Ah, nah.” Eijirou snickers, trying and failing to keep from laughing at Midoriya’s gobsmacked expression. “I make my own protein shakes for my workouts. I’ve never had a sip of coffee in my life!”
“You’re a fascinating man, Kirishima Eijirou.” Midoriya lovingly shakes his head. “I’ll see you around!” He waves once more and heads on out, bell jingling behind him.
Eijirou wonders when he’ll notice the heart he made with whipped cream, and resolves to hide his blushing face in his apron, face as bright as his hair.
His first tattoo appointment goes really well, actually. He made an appointment with Kouda Koji, one of Midoriya’s coworkers, and talked his ears off while the stencil was made and got a few nods or a thumbs up. At some point, Kouda raised an eyebrow that clearly asked if Eijirou was ready for the tattoo, and he gave him a genuine grin and nodded rapidly. “Absolutely! I bought a huge tub of Aquaphor in advance just so I could get every inch of ink! I’m super excited, I saw your artwork on the walls and a few Instagram posts so I knew I was making the right choice!”
Kouda scrunches up his nose and exhales in a soft laugh, giving Midoriya, who’s hovering around the corner, a Look. Midoriya gives him a pleading look and gives Eijirou some heart eyes before vanishing, not wanting to spoil the surprise before it was his turn to tattoo Eijirou.
And honestly? Eijirou gets his very first tattoo like a champ. The stencil is huge, spanning his entire back and looping over his right shoulder. He does all the linework in one day and gets forced by everyone else to take a break. During his café shifts, it itches horribly, but such is the fate of owning tattoos. The Aquaphor tub is an absolute godsend.
Midoriya continues to come to the café, armed with so much knowledge he could win every single trivia night ever invented. He talks about limited edition figures and lost tapes and even comes one day after pulling an all-nighter with information about Crimson Riot, just to see if Eijirou knew everything.
“I’ve got a bid on this site to get a limited edition Crimson Riot merch set that only sold about 200 bundles,” Midoriya says one day, completely serious. He’s got bags under his eyes and he looks like he’s about to keel over dead. Eijirou loads his coffee with some espresso shots and another whipped cream heart, letting Midoriya sleep for about an hour at a table.
His new crush/potential date feels like a breath of fresh air in his life. Eijirou’s so used to his own group of friends, a chaotic bunch that keep his life interesting, but Midoriya’s so passionate and invested in nearly everyone else’s business that he can’t help but feel charmed.
And finally, on a day that Eijirou had to beg Midoriya that he was ready, it’s time to get his full tattoo from him. Eijirou practically bounces into the tattoo parlor where the receptionist, a guy with red and white hair, raises an eyebrow at him. “Back for your full color session already?”
“Hell yeah!” Eijirou says with a huge grin, not realizing that Midoriya and Kouda have poked their heads out to watch him. “I’ve been waiting for this day since I got the lineart done on my back. Do you need my ID again?”
“Nah, we know who you are.” Todoroki shrugs. “Give it a few minutes, Midoriya’s still setting up his station. You sure you‘re ready for a full color piece today? There’s no shame in needing a few more sessions to get all of it done.”
“As long as Midoriya’s willing to go as long as he wants, then I can do the exact same thing.” Eijirou says confidently. “Thanks man! Just let me know when he’s ready!”
“I’m ready now, actually.” Midoriya replies from the hallway. “Ah, if you wanna take a water bottle with you, it’s recommended you stay hydrated so you don’t pass out. Not that I think you would! I just want to cover all bases just in case!”
“I appreciate it,” Eijirou teases him, following Midoriya to his station and taking a swig of water. He takes off his tank top and gets comfortable on his stomach, feeling excitement start bubbling in his chest. “Whatcha think of the lineart that Kouda did for me?”
Midoriya takes his first look and inhales, eyes wide as he takes in the large dragon that spans Eijirou’s entire back. It twists and twines along his spine, claws flared and sharp, and the head has a mouth full of fangs that ends above his right shoulder blade. For all things considered, it’s gorgeous, and Midoriya clearly thinks so too as he gently brushes the ink. Eijirou shivers at the feeling of Midoriya’s fingers trailing up his back, and does his best to hide his blush.
“It’s perfect for you,” Midoriya breathes. “I can’t believe you want me to work on this! Do you have any preference for colors, or anything else? I’ll also warn you that white ink will hurt a bit more, but it’s obviously your choice!”
Eijirou prepped for this as well. He cranes his neck and replies, “Surprise me. I figured I could make you a drink after this and I tip you, so I don’t mind whatever colors you think would look good with this. You have any in mind?”
Judging by the critical look in Midoriya’s eyes, he definitely does. “If you’re sure,” he trails off, turning a bright shade of red when Eijirou reaches to grab his hand and squeezes it gently. “I’m positive! Go ham. Just let me know whenever you need a break.”
“I feel like I’m supposed to be the one telling you that,” Midoriya jokes before prepping his needles and colors. With an initial wipedown, they’re off to the races, and the buzz of the needle fills the air. Eijirou has an impressively high pain tolerance, so as the minutes turn into hours and they make light conversation, he finds himself starting to get sleepy.
“You can take a nap, if you want.” Midoriya offers from where he’s bent over Eijirou’s back. “Might be fun for you to wake up and see the surprise!” It’s a pretty good idea, so Eijirou gives a thumbs up and drifts off to sleep, letting the buzz of the needle act as white noise for him.
It takes a few hours, but Eijirou wakes up when Midoriya gently applies the covers and makes sure it’s entirely covered. “There we go,” Midoriya murmurs, and there’s a proud glint in his eyes. “Gotta make sure the ink doesn’t fade either. This might be my best work, honestly.”
“If it’s from you, I’m sure it’s gorgeous.” Eijirou croaks, feeling how dry his throat is. Midoriya hands him the water and blushes, helping Eijirou stand and gently push him towards the full length mirror after he gets his bearings. “Could you snap a photo of my back while you’re at it? I wanna keep it on my phone before my friends see it in person.”
“Of course.” Midoriya smiles. He expertly snaps a photo and Eijirou pockets his phone, feeling the nervousness build in his fingers as he steps up to the mirror. Deep breaths. He’d trusted Midoriya’s judgment since the day Midoriya found Crimson Riot in the All Might trailer, and he never looked back since.
He twists around in the mirror.
Midoriya’s wringing his hands, his fear on full display. “Is it okay? Or did I mess up the color palette? Oh my god, I should’ve checked with you halfway through, or before I started shading, or even seeing if it was good from the start! You hate it. It’s bad. Is it bad? I really liked some of it, but, um, if you don’t like it, then I can try to see if I can fix it—”
“Midoriya,” Eijirou says, his breath entirely gone as he stares at the dragon tattoo in the mirror. “It’s fucking beautiful.”
And it is! The dragon’s multiple shades of red, orange, yellow, warm colors embodying most of the piece. The claws and fangs are stark white to add to the contrast, and there’s darker shades of blue and green on the scales to add more color to the tattoo. Best of all, there’s a tiny black “CR” skillfully hidden among the scales, making a great reference to Crimson Riot.
“I’m in love with this,” Eijirou laughs in disbelief. “I have no words for how incredible this is, Midoriya. It’s so vibrant! It’s gorgeous! This is a work of art, just like you.”
Midoriya, who’s been on edge this entire time, relaxes into a full-body sigh. “Oh thank goodness. I thought you hated it! I was super scared, I did my absolute best to see what colors would fit—”
Eijirou closes the distance between them, and cups Midoriya’s jaw. “Is this okay?” He asks, waiting for his consent. Midoriya, eyes wide, nods, and lets himself get guided into their first kiss. “I really wanna go on a date outside of work with you,” Midoriya admits, laughing quietly at how weird their situation is. “It feels right, y’know? I’m taking my next step in life with you.”
“We can go watch the All Might movie when it comes out as our second proper date,” Eijirou says, a promise in his voice, and Midoriya smiles back at him, grinning as bright as the sun.