Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Have a nice day!” Izuku waves a little at the customers leaving the store. You will never understand how he can be so friendly and sweet to complete strangers like that. He turns to the next customer and takes their drink order while you watch.

You sigh, resting your head against the counter. Around you are the supplies to make beautiful flower arrangements for people, just sitting unused. Unlike Izuku’s counter which gets used every fucking day. Customers walk into the joint coffee and flower store, but they almost never visit your part. No, they all go to smiley, happy, fucking perfect Izuku.

As he provides his service with a smile, you can do nothing but hope someone buys some flowers, and watch him deal with a throng of people. He is very handsome, you know this. You can’t blame the people for being drawn in with his smile, the big green eyes and freckles spattering his cheeks. You fell for it too, when you first met him. Fell for this Mr. Perfect, happy all the time, can do no harm Izuku Midoriya. He plays the part well, drawing people to him so easily.

When you first set up shop here, it was just a small venue filled with flowers. Your quirk, Floristry, really made you dive into flowers and plants. Floristry gives you the ability to make any plant have an effect based on their symbolism. So, of course you had to look into flowers and plants more than most people. Along the way, you fell in love with them. How they smell, look, the intricacies of meanings and growing them. It fascinated you as a kid, and still does as an adult.

It only made sense that you would go into the flower business eventually. You started off by selling online, offering people bouquets of flowers that not only look and smell beautiful, but can have an actual effect on you. Arrangements that help people stay healthy, help them have good luck, cheer a grieving loved one up- you could make an arrangement for anything, and people loved it. It took some time of course, but eventually you had saved up enough to afford a small store front in a little shopping center. Right next to an equally small coffee shop that always looked busy.

It made sense to rent the space next to it. The foot traffic would surely help with getting new customers, it would be great! You worked your ass off to get the space ready. Painting walls, building the shelves to hold several vases of fresh cut flowers and setting up a room for you to keep the more intense meaning plants. Don’t want to accidentally sell lust inducing flowers to people. Finally, you opened shop and were so excited for how your business would grow. Your regulars from the online store even held a little celebration for you at the store, it was amazing.

Soon, though, all that hope faded into stress. You had been open for an entire month, and barely made enough to cover the rent. The utilities were only covered by your savings, which was not a good position to be in. You knew it would be hard, but you had still hoped. You were closing up one night, counting down the pitifully empty register, when the guy from the coffee shop next door walks in.

“We’re closed.” You barely glanced up, too tired to really deal with someone.

“I know! I just, ah, haven’t had a chance to come over since you’ve opened up. If this isn’t a good time…”

You closed and locked the drawer, looking up at him. “No, it’s fine. Sorry, just been a long month.”

He smiled, and you almost had to look away with how bright it was. “Great! I baked this for you, a little welcome to the shopping center gift, heh.” He lifted the box in his hands, making you finally take note of it. “It’s just a plain vanilla, I didn’t know what you’d like, so played it safe. Sorry it’s so late, I almost never get closed up before ten, and by then you’re usually gone.”

You offered a smile back, rounding the corner so you could take the box from him. Inside, you could see a beautifully decorated cake, with little flowers all over it. “You didn’t have to do that. This looks incredible, you made this? I didn’t realize you were a bakery as well as coffee shop. No wonder you’re always busy.”

He scratched at his neck, looking away bashfully. “Ah, yeah, once you get your footing things really pick up. But don’t worry if you aren’t super super busy yet! When I first opened up last year, I didn’t make any profit for months.” He seemed to realize what he said and rushed to take it back. “I mean! Not that I think you aren’t profitable! I haven’t seen a lot of people in here, is all- but that’s- your shop is really really pretty, I mean, and I’m sure you will get a lot of business eventually- or-“

You finally cut off his rambling with a laugh. As cute as it was to watch his face get redder and redder, making the freckles really stand out, he seemed to be spiraling a little. “Hey, it’s okay! You’re right, I’ve not really gotten much business, its okay to acknowledge it. It helps to know you went through the same when you first opened up. You always seem so busy.”

“I didn’t used to be. It takes a while, but I know you’ll get busy in no time! Your store is gorgeous, I keep meaning to hop over to buy some flowers, but I get so distracted by work.” He grinned again and you couldn’t help the way it made you smile too.

“Well, why don’t I go ahead and get you some then, yeah?” You grabbed a sleeve from the counter and started around the store, picking out flowers as you went. “My name is y/n by the way!”

“You don’t have to- oh! I’m Izuku Midoriya!”

That night, you made him a bouquet of different bright flowers to fit his bright smile. Now, seeing him still wear that smile months later, you can feel rage bubbling inside of you. Stupid fucking Izuku Midoriya and his stupid bright smile. It’s getting closer and closer to closing time, and still nothing. Not one single person has bought flowers today. You’ve watched him server hundreds of people, watched him point over to you while talking about the flowers decorating his service counter. It is infuriating to watch him get continuous business while you are barely scraping by.

“-my partners actually!” You catch the tail end of something Izuku is saying to a group of girls, gesturing towards you. “She grows them all, you know, it’s pretty amazing! You should buy some, flowers always make you smile.”

The group look over at you, and you wave a little, but their faces screw up immediately. “Maybe…” one of the girls turns back to Izuku while the other giggle.

“What if I offered you a free coffee if you show proof of purchase of the flowers?” Your stomach drops.

“Weeelllllll, I might just have to get some then.” She leans closer to him. “See you tomorrow for my usual~” She and the other girls turn and leave. As they exit, you hear one of the others speaking.

“That’s the third time he’s offered the freebee to me, you know. You aren’t special!” Their voices fade out, leaving you shell shocked. How long has he been trying that? Telling people they can have a free coffee if they get flowers- is this why you’ve had a small uptick in costumers? It isn’t huge, but it was something. Has that been because of him? You knew business went up thanks to merging with him, another thing that was his idea. That sends you over the edge, and you make a decision as you glare at him doing the last few sales of the day. As soon as you close, you are confronting him.

When he first brought the idea up to you, you were hesitant. “Merge? But… that makes no sense for you, what would you get out of that?”

“Well, honestly, it would be cheaper on both of us. Plus, I would be able to work around all these beautiful flowers!” His face got red, though you didn’t know why.

“I… guess you’re right…” You had been open for about three months at that point, and were still drowning. Business had picked up a little, but not enough to make you profitable yet. And most of those sales were Izuku himself, honestly. Ever since that first night, he had been stopping by every week to buy new flowers. He didn’t know anything about them, apparently, and he liked learning about them. Every week you exchange one flower from that first arrangement with another, telling him the meaning behind it. He’s easily bought more flowers than any of your regulars, visiting so often.

“If you don’t want to, I understand, I just thought maybe it would be a good idea. I have so many customers ask about the flowers in my store, this way I can just walk them to your counter!” He smiled that signature grin, making your stomach tie in knots. Not because it was cute or anything, but because it pissed you off. His whole nice guy thing can’t be real, you’ve long decided. And this just had to be part of his effort to rub his success in your face. And yet…

“I…” You looked around your store with a sigh. With no one to buy them, your flowers end up coming here to die with no one to appreciate them. And Izuku got so much business, maybe being in the same store would help that bleed over… “I’m not against it. But we’d have to renovate, which means changing my lease to allow it.”

“Oh, it’s no problem! I actually own my space, so we could just renovate it with anything you need. If that’s okay with you…?” He looked at you with those stupidly pretty emotion filled eyes, and you couldn’t say no.

“Okay. Okay, let’s… let’s merge.” You gave in, thinking it would help you.

It did help, truthfully. It took you and Izuku only a few weeks to fully renovate his space to suit your needs. In that time, you got learn a lot about him. That he is quirkless, preventing him from being the hero he wanted to be originally. He ended up finding a passion for baking and making custom drinks and sweets for people based on things he observes abut them. He has a knack for making the perfect thing for people, though he insists it’s purely accidental.

You learned that he comes into work every single day at four in the morning to start preparing for the day. You, of course, were horrified by that discovery. Who in their right mind would willingly wake up that early? Izuku had laughed and explained that he loved it. Loved the quiet stillness around the city, the tranquility he felt as he made pastries and warmed up various machines before opening. Which was another thing you learned- his arms are thick, not from hitting the gym, but from kneading dough all the damn time. He has little scars covering his hands and arms, all from different kitchen accidents that he told you about while looking absolutely mortified.

Honestly, renovating the store together was both amazing and horrible. On the one hand, it was great to get to know him. On the other, it just filled you with anger. Because there was no way that he is who he pretends to be. No one is as sweet and caring and dedicated and hard working as he is. No, people like that don’t exist. Which meant that he had to be faking it. That smile and the boyish laugh he has, the sympathy and kindness have to be fake.

Which is why you are confronting him tonight. You can’t take this shit anymore. It is torture working with him so closely and knowing he has to be putting on a front. It’s impossible to not be attracted to him, to not lose yourself in someone as amazing as he pretends to be. You have been so careful to not let yourself catch feelings, reminding yourself he has to be lying. And today you will finally call him out on it. It’s going to implode the business, but who cares anymore? You can’t take this anymore. Knowing he is trying to bribe people into buying from you, because he thinks you can’t do it on your own?

Months of convincing yourself that Izuku is mocking you, is looking down on you are finally building to the point that you can’t ignore it. You watch as he cleans up his space, having finished closing down your half long ago. You feel a pit in your stomach bubbling over as you watch him move, grinning and singing without a care in the world. If you didn’t know he was a fake, you’d be starry eyed thinking about how cute he is, dancing around like that. But you do, so you definitely do not think that.

You wait for him to head back to grab his things before making your move. You follow, and slam the door behind you. He jumps, whirling to look at you. “Oh! Y/n, you scared me. What’s wrong?” His face scrunches up in concern and you pounce.

“What’s wrong is you, Izuku!” Your volume and tone make him recoil.

“What… do you mean?” He has the audacity to look confused, as if he isn’t guilty. He must think you’re blind.

“You know what I mean! God, just drop the fucking act already, okay?! I know you’re having fun showing off your success, how amazing and busy you are, but I am done being looked down on!”

“I have no idea what-“

You cut him off, slamming your hand on the table. “Yes you do! Ever since day one, you’ve been rubbing my nose in it, lording the fact you are so much better over me! You brought me that stupid cake, humble bragging about how you were soooooo busy you couldn’t welcome me sooner, then coming back every fucking week to buy flowers to show off in your store! You think I don’t know why you kept buying them? I’m not stupid! I thought you were actually trying to help, expose more people to them and send them my way, but that’s not true, is it?” You’re on a roll, months’ worth of bottled-up anger coming out. He is staring at you with wide eyes, and it just fuels the fire.

“And then, ohhh, then you so graciously offered to merge, acting like you wanted to help me and you’re just so nice, huh? Helping the poor broke girl out, right? Yeah, well, I see though that too. You just wanted to have a front row seat to me crashing and burning! Fucking offering people free coffees if they show a receipt from me?! Thank you soooo much for advertising how badly my business is doing! I don’t need your fucking pity, or your faux help, alright?! I am not less than you, so stop acting like I am!”

You’re left panting after yelling so hard. Izuku is still staring at you, slack jawed. Surprised. At least it isn’t the stupid smile. The silence stretches on for several moments, tension building and building. Until Izuku drops his things, and stands up straight. You’ve only seen him look this serious when he’s making up new combinations and recipes, but even then, there wasn’t this… flame in his eyes that you see now. His jaw is tight as he takes a step towards you.

“Is that really what you think? That-that I was just setting you up to fail? For what, my own enjoyment? Y/n, that’s not at all what was happening- is happening.” He smacks a hand against his chest, eyes alight with emotions. “I know how hard it is to get started out. I know how hard it is to find your footing, to finally get profitable. I told you before, it took me months to finally get out of the red and be able to actually start making money. I struggled alone for a long time, and I didn’t want to leave you struggling like that. I wish I had had someone to help me, to prevent me from having to take out loans and live with my mother for so long, to help me not think I was so stupid for trying to branch out on my own. I want to help, not because I think I’m better than you! I don’t! I just want to help my friend not go through the hell that I did.”

You huff. “Yeah, sure. You think I couldn’t have made it. There you go looking down on me again-“

In the blink of an eye, Izuku is shoving you up against the wall, hands on either side of your head as he crowds you. His voice is low, sending chills down your back in a way you don’t want to admit is good. “I have never once looked down on you. I am so sick of people that I admire thinking that.”

Your voice is soft, but he’s close enough to hear. “Admire…? Why would you…”

“Because you’re amazing. You are determined and dedicated to succeeding, to making it even if its an uphill battle. You throw yourself into doing everything you can to make it. To the point you clearly haven’t been seeing everything around you.” He laughs a little, looking away from you. “I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask you out for a long time, you know.”

That takes you by surprise. “You- what?”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve been very subtle either, honestly. I thought maybe you just were too focused to realize that’s why I kept visiting your store all the time. And now that we work together, I was sure you’d realize how into you I am.” Izuku shakes his head, turning his focus back to you. “But now I know that you thought that I was looking down on you, so I guess your dedication has a little drawback. Y/n, I am incredibly, hopelessly attracted to you. I’ve had a crush since I first saw you fixing up your space to open. And it’s only gotten worse getting to know you. So, no, I don’t look down on you. I have never looked down on you. I’m sorry that I made you think that.”

He starts to pull away, but you pull him back by the shirt. Your lips crash together in a passionate kiss. Months of repressing and squashing any feelings for him are flooding forward. All this time, you’ve been making up this whole thing about him looking down on you and not allowing yourself to fall for him. Someone like him couldn’t exist, and yet here he is, being this real and genuine person. He takes control of the kiss, pressing you back against the wall as he nips at your lips. God, why didn’t you let yourself do this again?

All the tension that has been building for so long finally feels like it’s being sliced through as your hands shove up under his shirt. He licks into your mouth, body pressing against yours and fucking Christ, he wasn’t kidding about being into you. You can’t help but roll your hips against him, making him moan into your mouth. Everything is moving so fast and yet it feels like you have been building to this for a long time now. He grips your hips, spinning you around and bullying you up onto the table. There’s a clatter of trays, but it doesn’t slow you down.

Izuku pulls away to look at you, lips kiss swollen. “Is this okay? Is it too fast? I can stop-“

You use his belt to pull him between your knees, hand groping over the bulge in his pants. “Don’t you dare.”

He grins and gives you a quick peck on the tip of your nose before moving to bite a mark into your neck. How he can manage to go from sexy to cute and then right back is enough to make you dizzy. Or that could be your blood singing from the press of his cock against your sex. You cling to his shoulders as he leaves a trail of bites and kisses down your neck, pausing to rip your shirt open and send buttons flying around the room. You can’t protest, though, too caught up in the feeling of his lips on your chest, tracing the line of your bra.

You reach to undo your bra for him, only just managing to get the clasp off before he slides a hand into your pants to palm at you. You’d be embarrassed at how quickly you’ve gotten turned on to this level, but the heel of his hand is grinding perfectly against your clit, so there is no room for thoughts. Bra discarded, Izuku makes eye contact as he sucks a nipple into his mouth. How did you ever think this man was cute? This is pure sex and sin, green eyes dark with lust while his tongue flicks against you. You grind against the hand in your pants, head falling back as he works you over.

Izuku moves to the other breast, fingers teasing over your opening. You were right- he isn’t as innocent as he seems. He plays innocent so well for someone whose fingers curl so deliciously inside of you, taking almost no time to find that perfect spot that has you moaning his name. It’s almost funny how quickly he works you to your orgasm, palm grinding against your clit as his fingers move inside of you just right. Your release builds hard and fast, flooding through you just as quickly. He works you through it, pulling back from your chest to watch your face.

“You are so beautiful, look at you… you’re so wet, look so good cumming on my fingers like this. So perfect, sweetheart…” He sounds wrecked just from working you over.

Once you finally catch your breath, you tug at his pants. He looks surprised almost. You shimmy your pants down and off your legs as you talk. “What, you think I’m going to let you do that and not want more? Come on, Zuku, fuck me.”

You undo his pants, watching his face get even redder. “Are you- you don’t have to-“

“Stop being so nice, and fuck me. You don’t get to finger me and not finish the job, babe.” You have to make a real effort to not react at the feeling of his cock in your hand. He is… bigger than you expected.

His eyes flutter as you stroke him slowly, thumbing over his leaking slit. “Oh god- alright.” His hands grip your shoulders and push you back to lay on the table. “But if at any point you want me to stop-“

“Jesus Christ, just shut up and- ah-“ You’re cut off by the feeling of his cock sliding over you. He groans as he slicks himself up with your wet, giving you a chance to actually feel how big he is. You steal a quick peek and holy shit. It looks bigger than it felt in your hand. Can a cock be pretty? You think maybe they can be- that or you’re really high on endorphins. Probably the latter.

You let out a strangled moan when he finally starts pressing into you. His face is scrunched up in concentration as he slowly pushes into you, stretching you so wonderfully. You try to stay focused on his face, but by the time he bottoms out, your eyes are shut tight.

“You’re so tight, oh fuck. A-are you okay?” And there he goes being amazing again.

You nod and roll your hips a little, making you both gasp. “Yes, yesyesyes, just move Zuku, please.”

That seems to be his breaking point. He shifts his grip to pull you closer to him and hold you down as he slides out of you slowly. You’re about to tell him to speed it up when he suddenly slams back into you, punching out a strangled moan. He keeps this slow and hard pace as the table shakes with each thrust. You can’t focus on anything but the feeling of being full of him, the feeling of him pulling you into each thrust basically so he can impale you on his cock.

He falls forward, propping himself up on the table with an arm as his thrusts speed up. “F-fuck, y/n, I’m not gonna last long, been wanting this so much-“

“Me too, don’t stop Zuku, please!” You wrap your arms around his neck, clinging to him as he pounds into you increasingly frantic. One of his hands slides between your bodies to trace tight circles around your clit, and you almost scream as your second orgasm crashes over you. He keeps fucking into you through it, chanting your name until his hips slam home one last time and he stills, warmth flooding you as he cums.

Izuku collapses against you as you both try to catch your breath. Future you will have to deal with the consequences tomorrow, the realization that he came in you. Present you just wants to lay here and feel his heart slowing against your chest. Future you can also have a panic about the fact you went from hating the guy to fucking him within minutes, and the realization that, yikes, you like him a lot don’t you? But again, that’s a problem for later on. Right now, you close your eyes and hug him close. You’re pretty happy right here.

Months down the line, when you and Izuku are living together, he still teases you for thinking he was doing anything but admiring you. While you deal with the midday rush of customers wanting flowers, you glare daggers at him as he makes those stupid lovey dovey eyes at you. Looking back, yeah, he was always into you. But it made sense at the time to think he was looking down on you dammit! It did!

And just like then, you are too busy and focused on other things to see Izuku hiding a little black box behind his counter. At least this time, you not paying attention to him properly is going to work in his favor. You’re going to be so surprised when he pulls that out on one knee…