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**I Hate Coffee (But I Love You)**
Natsuo wasn’t sure what he expected when he visited the little café his brother had started working at after getting out of prison, but it sure as hell wasn’t this.
“Dabi,” he hissed, tugging at his older brother’s sleeve as they stood in line. “Why is Japan’s former number one most wanted felon taking my order?”
“First of all,” Touya muttered, looking bored, “I go by Touya now. Second, he’s not ‘Japan’s former number one most wanted felon.’ He was, like, number three.”
“Oh, my bad. That makes it so much better.”
Before Touya could retort, the man in question—Shigaraki Tomura, or rather, Shimura Tenko, as he was apparently going by these days—stepped up to the counter, pushing back his sleeves with a slow, deliberate movement. His red eyes were half-lidded with disinterest as he fixed Natsuo with a stare that sent a shiver down his spine. Not in fear, though. Which was... unexpected.
“Welcome to Kurogiri’s,” Tenko drawled, voice rough like he still wasn’t used to talking to normal people. “What do you want?”
Natsuo blinked. “Uh. Coffee?”
Tenko sighed, looking very put-upon. “You look like you don’t even like coffee.”
“I don’t,” Natsuo admitted, before he could stop himself.
There was a pause. A long, painful one where Tenko just stared at him, then turned slowly to glare at Touya. “This your idiot brother?”
“Yeah,” Touya said, smirking. “Cute, isn’t he?”
Tenko scoffed. “That’s a strong word.”
Natsuo bristled, ready to snap back, but something in the way Tenko’s lips twitched told him the insult wasn’t entirely serious. Which was interesting. More interesting than the fact that his fingers twitched when he handed over Natsuo’s drink, like he was barely resisting the urge to do something—grab him, maybe? He wouldn’t mind.
Wait. What?
“Drink your overpriced swill and leave,” Tenko said, before turning his attention to the next customer, effectively dismissing him.
Natsuo walked back to their table, sat down, and stared at his drink in confusion. “I think I just developed a crush on an ex-criminal.”
Touya took a sip of his own drink and snorted. “Took you long enough. Welcome to the family.”
---
Natsuo tried to ignore the way his heart did a weird little flip every time they visited the café. Which, coincidentally, became a lot more frequent after that first encounter.
“I don’t know why you bother coming here,” Touya muttered one day as Natsuo set his bag down in their usual corner booth. “You hate coffee.”
“I like the atmosphere,” Natsuo replied, avoiding his brother’s knowing stare. “It’s cozy.”
“It’s a run-down dump.”
“Cozy,” Natsuo repeated firmly.
Touya rolled his eyes, slumping against the seat. “Whatever. Just don’t start getting weird about it. I don’t need to watch my little brother embarrass himself over some crusty gamer-turned-barista.”
Natsuo frowned. “You’re meaner than usual today.”
“Yeah, because I have to watch you eye-fucking my coworker like some lovesick idiot.”
Natsuo opened his mouth to argue, but a voice interrupted him before he could.
“Lovesick idiot?” Tenko echoed, appearing beside the table. His gaze slid lazily between them before settling on Natsuo with a look that was either mild amusement or deep disdain. “I can’t tell if that’s insulting or accurate.”
Natsuo flushed. “Neither.”
Tenko hummed like he didn’t believe him. “Right. Your usual?”
Natsuo perked up slightly. “You remember my order?”
“Unfortunately.” Tenko sighed, scribbling something on his notepad. “Which means I know you don’t actually drink it half the time.”
Natsuo winced. “I just forget—”
“You just don’t like coffee.” Tenko shot him a flat look. “So why are you here?”
Natsuo blinked. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He looked to Touya for help, but his brother was very obviously enjoying this.
“Uh,” Natsuo finally said. “Atmosphere?”
Tenko snorted. “Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
He left before Natsuo could say anything else, disappearing behind the counter. Natsuo let out a breath, rubbing his face. “That was humiliating.”
Touya cackled. “That was the best thing I’ve seen all week.”
Natsuo groaned, slumping over the table. “I hate you.”
“Love you too, baby brother.”
---
The next time they came in, Natsuo’s coffee had a small, messy heart drawn on the lid. Tenko didn’t say anything about it, just rolled his eyes when Natsuo looked at him in surprise. But Natsuo could’ve sworn there was the faintest hint of pink dusting his cheeks as he turned away.
Natsuo, emboldened by this, decided to start flirting. Badly.
“So, Tenko,” he said one day, leaning against the counter in what he hoped was a casual, effortless manner. “Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I keep coming back until it happens?”
Tenko stared at him. “Are you flirting?”
“Depends,” Natsuo said. “Is it working?”
“No.”
“Ouch.”
Tenko sighed, rubbing his temples. “Just take your drink before I decide to start charging you extra for annoying me.”
But the next time Natsuo came in, there was an extra cookie in his order. No note, no explanation, just a cookie.
And then one day, when Natsuo tripped over his own feet and spilled coffee all over himself, Tenko had dragged him into the back and thrown a spare shirt at him with a muttered, “You’re an idiot.”
Natsuo smiled. “Yeah, but I’m your idiot.”
Tenko froze.
Natsuo realized what he had just said.
“Oh,” he breathed. “Oh.”
Tenko groaned. “If you’re going to confess, at least don’t do it while covered in coffee.”
Natsuo grinned, heartbeat pounding. “So if I confess when I’m not covered in coffee…?”
“Maybe,” Tenko muttered, looking away. His ears were red.
Natsuo decided he loved coffee after all.