Chapter Text
The first time I walked into that cafe, I couldn't help but seriously wonder why I was there. It wasn't a place I usually frequented, and the unfamiliarity of it all made me uneasy. I sat down at a small table near the window, my thoughts racing as I tried to make sense of the situation. Why had I agreed to meet Nejire here? What was she planning? My mind started its usual muttering process, listing possible reasons and scenarios.
Just as I was lost in my mutterings, Nejire suddenly appeared in front of me, her bright smile and enthusiastic wave snapping me out of my thoughts. "Yo! You came!" she exclaimed, her voice full of energy.
I blinked up at her, momentarily stunned by her sudden arrival. "Uh, yeah, hi Nejire," I managed to say, feeling a bit flustered.
Without missing a beat, she plopped down in the chair across from me and immediately started firing off questions. "So, why do you think cats always land on their feet? And why do clouds float? Oh! Do you think All Might prefers chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Have you ever tried combining different types of tea? What's your favorite hero costume design?"
I stared at her, trying to process the barrage of questions. "Uh, well, cats have a righting reflex that helps them land on their feet," I began, answering each question in the order she asked. "Clouds float because they're made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that are light enough to be suspended in the air. As for All Might's ice cream preference, I think he might prefer vanilla because it's classic and simple, like his hero persona."
Nejire's eyes widened with interest, and she leaned in closer. "Really? That's so cool! What about the tea? And your favorite hero costume design?"
I couldn't help but smile at her curiosity. "I haven't tried combining different types of tea, but it sounds interesting. Maybe we could experiment with that sometime. And my favorite hero costume design... that's a tough one, but I think Eraserhead's is pretty cool. It's practical and suits his quirk well."
Nejire nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I totally agree! Eraserhead's costume is awesome. And experimenting with tea sounds like so much fun! We should definitely do that!"
Before I could respond, she suddenly stood up and headed to the counter. "I'm going to get us some drinks. My treat!" she called over her shoulder.
I watched her go, feeling a mixture of confusion and amusement. Nejire's energy was infectious, and despite my initial reservations, I found myself relaxing a bit. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.
A few minutes later, she returned with two cups of steaming tea. She handed one to me with a smile. "Here you go! I got us some Earl Grey mixed with Pu'er. I hope you like it."
This tea looks like it's steaming. Is she planning on burning me??
"Thanks," I said, taking the cup and taking a sip. The warmth of the tea and Nejire's cheerful presence made me feel more at ease. We sat there, drinking our tea and chatting about random topics, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, meeting Nejire at this cafe wasn't such a strange idea after all.
As we sipped our tea, Nejire's questions continued to flow like a river. Each answer seemed to spark another dozen queries, her boundless curiosity driving the conversation forward with an energy that was both exhausting and exhilarating.
"So, Izuku, how did you come up with your hero name?" she asked, leaning forward with her eyes wide and expectant.
"Uh, it was actually a nickname from my childhood," I explained. "People used to call me 'Deku' as an insult, but my friend Uraraka said it could mean 'you can do it,' so I decided to turn it into something positive."
"That's so cool!" Nejire exclaimed, her face lighting up with genuine admiration. "Turning something negative into a positive—you're really amazing, Izuku."
I blushed slightly at her praise, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the tea. "Thanks, Nejire. That means a lot."
She grinned, and for a moment, we just enjoyed our drinks in companionable silence. But it didn't last long.
"Hey, remember the first time we met?" she asked suddenly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
I chuckled, shaking my head. "How could I forget? It was definitely an interesting day."
I cast my mind back to that moment, the memory clear as day. Normally, I always followed my mother's advice and the guidance of adults like Recovery Girl. She had explicitly told me to stay out of her clinic unless it was absolutely necessary. Well, too bad I was there again, sitting on one of the beds with what seemed like a cast on my hand. Maybe I should have held back against Todoroki, but helping a friend unlock his full potential was worth… how many bones I broke.
I sighed, glancing down at my injured hand. "Guess I went a bit overboard," I muttered to myself.
Just then, a blur of blue came out of nowhere, and before I knew it, someone had landed right on top of me. I blinked in surprise, looking up to see a girl with flowing blue hair and bright, inquisitive eyes staring down at me. For a moment, I wondered if I was in some sort of rom-com.
"Hey! Are you okay? What happened to your hand? Does your quirk break your body? How many bones have you broken? Do you always end up in the clinic like this?" The questions tumbled out of her mouth one after another, leaving me struggling to keep up.
I could feel myself starting to mutter in response, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "Uh, well, yeah, sometimes my quirk does break my body, but I've gotten better at controlling it. I broke a few bones this time because I was trying to help a friend—"
Nejire giggled, cutting me off mid-mutter. "That's so cute! You're like a little detective, trying to figure everything out."
My face turned red at her comment, and I tried to muster a coherent response. "I, uh, thanks? I mean, it's just how I am. I like to analyze things."
She nodded, clearly fascinated. "That's awesome! You must be really smart. So, do you have a favorite hero? What's your favorite part about being in U.A.?"
As I attempted to answer her rapid-fire questions, we continued to talk, the conversation flowing naturally despite my initial embarrassment. Nejire's enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself relaxing more and more as we spoke.
Suddenly, Recovery Girl appeared, her expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Alright, lovebirds, that's enough. This is a clinic, not a dating spot. Out you go!"
Both Nejire and I blushed furiously, stammering apologies as we hurried out of the clinic. Once we were outside, Nejire turned to me with a bright smile. "Hey, Izuku, do you want to go to a cafe with me sometime? We could talk more without getting kicked out."
I blinked in surprise, feeling my heart skip a beat at her casual invitation. "Uh, yeah, sure! I'd like that."
As I sat back down at the cafe with Nejire, I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath, “Why the heck did she even invite me here?” I glanced at the steaming cup of tea in front of me, hoping it might help me make sense of this unusual situation.
This tea looks way too hot man...
Nejire, seemingly lost in her own world, let out a dreamy sigh that caught my attention. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what could be going on in her head.
“Hey, Izuku,” she said, her voice bringing me back to reality. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I replied, trying to shake off my confusion.
She looked at me with those wide, inquisitive eyes of hers and asked, “Are you single?”
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the conversation. “Uh, yeah, I am.”
Her eyes lit up even more, if that was even possible. “Great! Then, can you be my boyfriend?”
My jaw nearly dropped. “Wha—what?! That’s, um, what??? That’s literally out of left field!” I thought to myself, unable to process the request. It was so out of character for the situation that I felt like I might be dreaming.
“Uh, Nejire, I don’t think that’s really... appropriate,” I stammered, trying to find the right words. “We’ve only just met. I can’t just become the boyfriend of someone I literally just met.”
Nejire’s expression didn’t waver. In fact, she seemed even more determined. “Oh, I see. Well, I won’t give up that easily!”
I looked at her, my mind racing. Her enthusiasm was endearing, but her directness was something else entirely. I couldn’t help but smile at her stubbornness, even as I tried to wrap my head around what was happening.
“Well, that’s... something,” I managed to say, trying to navigate the sudden turn of events. “I guess I’ll have to think about it. But you’re definitely not giving up, are you?”
“Not a chance!” Nejire said with a confident grin. “I like you, Izuku. You’re interesting and brave. I won’t stop until you see that we could be great together.”
I laughed softly, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief. “Alright, Nejire. You’ve definitely made things interesting.”
She smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with determination. “That’s the idea! Now, let’s just enjoy our tea and see where things go.”
But this tea seriously looks like it'll scald me.... And...yep looks like I'll have to visit recovery girl because of tea...