Chapter Text
It’s been two weeks since Izuku had to deal with an Alpha customer who criticised him for sitting on the job, for the way his belly rolled and his thighs were large and in charge while pressed tightly together as he perched on his stool. An omega being curvy has never been a bad thing, but according to that particular Alpha, he was too curvy and it was indeed a bad thing. He’d shrugged it off as best he could in front of the little crowd in the shop, informing the Alpha that he was no longer welcome and should leave the premises as soon as possible, but the man continued on as though his words were wind rather than calmly formulated and spoken.
Izuku had expected the man’s rant to continue for a few more minutes before he eventually got annoyed and left, even expecting him to loudly proclaim that Izuku was the one at fault as many others had done before, but the Alpha’s next words were cut off by a hand covering his lips. Izuku had been shocked to see the customer that he’d called his Sexy Reader in his head was covering the Alpha’s mouth, shutting him up at the same time as he quickly forced him out of the shop, glaring harshly at the Alpha who looked as scared as he did frustrated. When the door swung shut and Sexy Reader had returned with a book tucked under his arm, Izuku had melted with relief as he caught wind of that scent. Fresh ink and dust curled around the Reader in a sweet way, and when his eyes met those dark ones, he was graced with softness and a nod.
He felt grateful then and added a free book to the man’s order when he came up to buy three books, waving the man off when he came back into the store the next day in an attempt to return the book that he was given. Izuku had the perfect, non-refundable excuse, and the man had sighed in defeat and thanked him for his generosity.
It was that same day that he’d found out the man was also an Alpha, one who hated being an Alpha because his instincts could get really annoying and spending a rut alone got on his nerves as much as teaching problem children ahead of his rut.
But it’s been two weeks and there hasn’t been any sort of change between himself and the Alpha, though Izuku doesn’t know why he was hoping there would be. The Alpha, his Sexy Reader, has kept to himself since he first entered the store and scoped out a spot in the back in a nook that is untouched where he could curl up in an armchair and read whatever book caught his eye upon browsing the shelves. He doesn’t even know the man’s name for heaven’s sake, and Izuku knows that’s pretty normal considering they share maybe a sentence between them that only happens when Izuku rings up his books.
The only change that has come are the notes, little notes that have been left in books that he sends home with the Alpha. He always takes out anything left behind in the books, either throwing them away or putting them in the random items bin. But when it comes to these little notes, he doesn’t know why, he just can’t seem to leave them or get rid of them. So, they go home with him every night, and with them begins a tradition that tends to leave him being teased. He shares them with his childhood best friend and his mate, and Kacchan and Hitoshi always tell him that they’re meant for him, though Izuku doesn’t believe it to be true.
Until he can’t deny it any longer that is.
It’s just another Wednesday, one filled with a quiet shop as is usual for the middle of the week. Izuku has just finished bagging up another online order, preparing to mark it ready for pick up when a throat clears. The gorgeous man stands before him wearing a soft look that doesn’t match his dark attire while holding three books. Izuku has to clear his own throat when he catches a burst of charcoal before the scarf is adjusted, but the scent lingers.
“Hi! Are you ready to check-out, or is there something else I can help you with?” asks Izuku as he settles the online order off to the side and steps up to the middle of the desk.
“I’m ready to–” The man’s voice is cut off by a shrill noise that sounds a lot like Present Mic’s voice, and he tugs out what looks to be a flip phone and glowers down at it before looking at him apologetically. “I’m ready to check out, but I need to answer this.”
“I’ll check you out,” says Izuku with a shrug before his cheeks start to burn as he realizes what he’d actually said. But he forces himself to go forward as he slides the small stack of books towards himself, fingers catching in the sleeves of his green sweater. “I’ll handle this, no problem, take your time.”
He doesn’t pay attention to a response, not that there’s one coming as the man takes three steps to the side to answer the call with a quiet growl of annoyance. Izuku shakes his head and starts moving through the books, checking the first two out before lifting the third one just as the Alpha comes back to the middle.
“Actually, I don’t need that last one anymore,” The Alpha’s voice is quiet and filled with annoyance as he draws Izuku’s attention back to him.
Izuku tries to hide the surprise because the Alpha doesn’t normally speak much outside of telling him that he’s ready to check out if Izuku doesn’t automatically assume it, and muttering a thank you before he leaves.
This is new.
“Are you sure?” asks Izuku quietly as he moves the two books into a bag before settling a hand on the book that’s being left behind.
“I already have a copy at home. My friend wanted his own, but apparently one of his producers brought it to his show as an early birthday gift.” explains the man quietly, annoyance arching across his features delicately.
But Izuku knows there is nothing delicate about the man in front of him, even if it weren’t for the scars lining his fingers and the two on his cheek and eyebrow, he can just feel it radiating off him.
“Alright, would you like to pick another book then, or are you good with the two that are bagged up?” asks Izuku softly, as his finger hovers over the button to start the technological check out process.
“This is good for now, thank you,” murmurs the man softly as he tugs out his leather wallet.
“Well, then that will be ten dollars and twenty-five cents,” says Izuku as he presses the button before waving his hand for him to swipe his card. When the ding goes through, and Izuku can finally tuck a receipt in the man’s bag, he passes it over with a smile. “Thank you for stopping by, have a good day, and don’t forget to come again!”
The Alpha leaves with a soft nod, bag clutched to his chest, and Izuku lets a dreamy sigh escape him when he falls onto his stool after the door swings shut. He snaps himself out of it when the bell dings again, quickly calling out the greeting before watching the new customer disappear into the shelves. Then he takes the extra book, and does a quick flip through, as usual, to ensure nothing was left behind. Only on the 109th page, settled under a single sentence, he finds a note.
The sentence it’s perfectly settled under says, “If only he could see me too.”
It’s a first person book, one that Izuku knows well, a sweet love story about two strangers meeting unknowingly more than a few times until an introduction happens to show them that they’ve known each other all along. It’s cute, and always makes him smile. But then curiosity has his fingers unfolding the note before he can think better of it. The words are written carefully in blocky letters.
“Your smile will forever be contagious, sending flutters through me, even if it’s just a simple greeting. You are beautiful.”
There is no signature, no telling who it’s from or meant for, but Izuku still feels giddiness running through him. He knows who it’s from, he knows it’s for him, and this proves what Hitoshi and Kacchan have been saying.
His Sexy Reader is leaving him soft notes after that incident with a customer. He hadn’t been able to figure it out, even though it all makes sense now that the notes were from the Alpha. This isn’t the first time they’ve been left or been read without the Alpha’s eyes on him, but it is the first time the Alpha didn’t see him take the note from the book. Usually he’d set it aside and read it after the store closed when he couldn’t quell his curiosity any longer, but this one was in a book that the Alpha hadn’t taken with him. He’d been almost disappointed to not have seen a note in the other two, but it all makes sense now. He barely manages to hold back the squeal that wants to leave him because there’s a customer in the store.
This Alpha is being sweet to him, this man whose name he does not know is leaving notes for him that have been making him swoon for going on two weeks. He shouldn’t swoon, shouldn’t be excited because this Alpha doesn’t really know him, they barely even talk, but he wants to get to know him so much. His cheeks are burning, his lips are curving into a smile that will make his cheeks ache if he doesn’t get it under control, and he wonders if this is just a kind gesture or something similar to courting gifts.
It takes him ten minutes to snap out of the courting hopes that fill his brain as a customer comes up and hands books over to be checked out. They mutter about being in a hurry, about how it’s only five books so it shouldn’t take this long, even going as far as to grumble under their voice about him blushing when they haven’t said anything to him. That’s when he crashes as he passes the bag with five books and the receipt across the counter and watches as they leave.
That Alpha can’t want him, so maybe he’s trying to show him kindness in the face of the bullying he still deals with after all this time. Even with the dejection swelling around him, he tucks the note away to be put in his little box, that he hides in his desk at home, later.