Chapter Text
Another busy day was finally over.
Iida rubbed absently at his sore shoulder, and set his bag down on the kitchen counter just a bit too carelessly. Exhaustion sat heavy in his limbs, but dinner wouldn’t cook itself, and he still needed to shower.
I suppose I’ll indulge myself tonight, and just get something delivered... His favorite restaurant’s menu had become a permanent fixture on his refrigerator, but at this point, he ordered from them so often that he didn’t even need it. One quick phone call later, his order was placed, and he was heading for the bathroom to finally wash away the aches and pains in his muscles.
But as he passed by the sliding glass door that opened to his balcony, he stopped.
Right across from it was another balcony, perfectly lined up facing his. It had been dark since he moved in a few months earlier; nobody had moved into the apartment it was attached to.
But now, a faint yellow light glowed from beyond the other balcony doors; someone was inside the apartment, and on the floor outside, Iida could see a small plant that hadn’t been there before.
Somebody moved in, he thought curiously. As a precaution, he drew the curtains shut, and continued on his way to the bathroom to take the shower he so desperately needed. Eventually, he’d probably run into his new neighbor and exchange hellos, but for now he had to rest; tomorrow was probably going to be another long day at work.
Adults liked coffee, right?
Midoriya regarded it as some kind of ritual that he hadn’t yet started to take part in; after all, he’d been busy with school and training, and maybe he hadn’t really considered himself all grown up until he’d officially gotten his new job, even if he was already twenty five years old.
So he walked into the cafe near his new apartment -- Ingenium Coffee, the sign said in stylized block lettering -- completely unsure of what to expect.
The shop wasn’t completely packed, but it was still pretty crowded. Despite the morning rush, the lines moved at a steady pace, giving Midoriya little time to appreciate the warm lighting and cozy decor. He’d glanced over the menu mounted high on the walls beneath the counter, and couldn’t really settle on a decision -- and when he finally got up to the register, his mind blanked out completely.
The barista at the register was hot.
Not like your typical ‘oh hey, that person is pretty attractive’ hot that you’d think every now and then when you passed strangers as you went about your day; this guy seemed like he belonged in a superhero movie. His jaw looked like it was chiseled from diamonds, and the tight black shirt he was wearing looked like it was practically painted over his muscles; his biceps were almost the size of Midoriya’s thighs, and the dark blue apron he wore did little to hide his muscular chest.
“Good morning, and welcome. What can I get for you?” he asked, clearly a little tired but still perfectly pleasant.
Even his voice, Midoriya thought helplessly. “A... uh...” Embarrassment flared hot and heavy in his stomach as he felt himself turn absolutely scarlet. “Uhm... the... l-large black coffee? Please?” he squeaked.
“Of course. Anything else?” His voice was deep, and his eyes were so beautiful, and -- oh, right, he was asking Midoriya a question.
“N-no, that’s all!” Midoriya stammered.
“Okay. That’ll be 300 yen, then.” His smile was unfairly beautiful, and made his dark blue eyes crinkle just a bit; Midoriya was desperately proud of himself for only fumbling with his credit card a little instead of dropping it, which he very nearly did.
It was almost a relief to move from the line over to the end of the counter, where a harried barista was quickly making drinks. Midoriya let himself gaze at the cashier for a while longer -- Iida, Store Owner, his nametag read -- until the barista nearby snapped him from his thoughts.
“A large black coffee?” he asked, his smile bright despite the dark circles under his eyes.
“O-oh yeah, that’s mine! Thank you!” Quickly, he took it in hand and moved out of the way of a woman reaching for her own drink, and took an experimental sip.
Immediately, his face scrunched up in displeasure. Bitter! Why do people like black coffee so much if it tastes so gross?! Maybe it’s an aesthetic thing? He glanced at his phone as he took another sip, and realized with a start that he was in danger of being late.
Coffee in hand, he walked briskly from the shop -- not realizing that the barista at the register had been watching him the entire time.
Well, it hadn’t been as bad as the day before.
The morning and lunch rushes were both over, and Iida was using the downtime to take inventory of the items near the register. The other barista on shift was cleaning the dining room and chatting with a particularly surly customer that nobody else in the store could get along with -- thank goodness for Kirishima, Iida thought with a sigh -- when a customer walked in.
The man from this morning, Iida thought as he walked up to the register. There was no bounce in his step like there had been before; he seemed tired, but not unhappy, if the sparkle in his eyes was any indication.
Strangely enough, the moment he saw Iida standing at the register, he became visibly flustered. Just like he did earlier, Iida thought with no shortage of confusion. “Good afternoon,” he said pleasantly. “What can I get for you?”
“A... um.” He wrung his hands in front of him, and glanced at the menu for only a moment before his gaze fell to the floor. “A... u-uh, large black coffee! ...Please?”
“Of course. Anything else?” he asked as he reached for a paper cup.
“N-no, thank you,” the man stammered as he reached for his wallet. He nearly dropped it, but gave Iida his credit card with slightly shaking hands. After he rang him up and gave the card back, he quickly filled the cup with fresh coffee and handed it over -- are those scars on his hand? -- and couldn’t help but smile as the customer stammered out his thanks.
The man turned away and took a sip of the drink; he made a displeased face, and Iida abruptly remembered that he’d done it earlier in the day too. Does he hate it? he wondered. He watched him set the cup down on the condiment table and add a ton of sugar and cream; the entire time, the customer avoided looking back at him, and Iida could see that the tips of his ears were bright red.
“Like the view?” Kirishima teased. Immediately, Iida blushed down to his collarbones; he’d been caught openly staring at the customer’s impressively perfect ass. “It is pretty nice,” Kirishima whispered. “Those skinny jeans are a good look for him.”
“I was not staring,” Iida said defensively, “n-not... much.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Kirishima laughed with a grin that perfectly said ‘I don’t believe you at all’.
Iida couldn’t find it in himself to be all that annoyed; more than anything, he hoped the customer came back at least one more time so they could have a proper conversation.
Again, the light in the other apartment was on, and the balcony across from his was bathed in a soft, golden glow.
But still, Iida couldn’t catch sight of whoever lived there.
Suddenly, his phone began to vibrate; he turned from the balcony to answer it, pleased when he heard his older brother’s voice on the other end of the line. “Tensei! How are you?”
“I’m fine,” he laughed, his voice as warm as always. “It’s been a while since the accident, so I started physical therapy the other day, like I said I would. Y’know, just to try and keep the muscles in my legs from falling into atrophy, even if I can’t actually walk. It’s hard, but... nice. Feels good to be doing something. How’s the shop?”
“It’s been fantastic,” Iida gushed. “Business has remained steady, or even seen a slight increase in some areas, and the employees are all happy and productive. I’ve been...” He trailed off, but then his voice swelled with quiet pride. “I’m doing my best, and I think it’s going wonderfully.”
Tensei chuckled. “I knew the shop was in good hands when I left it to you, Tenya. But promise me you’ll take care of yourself too, okay? I know how you tend to overwork yourself, and I worry. When’s the last time you had a day off?”
“Just six days ago!” Iida said a little defensively. “I stayed at home all day.”
“But did you do paperwork or put in orders for the shop, or anything like that?” Tensei asked knowingly. Iida remained silent, and Tensei chuckled. “Do what you can, Tenya. Maybe find a friend to enjoy your time off with. Or go on a date sometime!”
Without meaning to, he immediately thought of the cute customer that didn’t seem to like his coffee. No, that’s just wistful fantasy, he mentally scolded himself. “I... I suppose. If the opportunity presents itself,” he conceded.
“That’s all I ask,” Tensei said. Iida could almost feel his soft smile through the phone. “Enjoy the rest of your night, little brother. Thanks for talking with me.”
“Of course! Take care.”
With a heavy sigh, he leaned against the wall, and found his gaze drawn to the balcony across from his once again. Perhaps he’s right... I’ll try to take a real day off soon, he promised himself. Even as he turned the thought over in his mind, he checked his work email one last time before he made his way to the shower -- where he tried very hard not to think about the intriguing, cute customer that had been in the shop twice in one day.
This time, Midoriya was not going to make a fool out of himself.
He was an adult with a job, and he needed caffeine, and damn it, he was going to have a normal interaction with the hot barista at the register, regardless of how incredible he looked.
...Probably.
He opened the door and got in line, and tried to pay attention to the menu and its helpful descriptions. Black coffee was gross, and the last two times he’d only ordered it out of panic. This time would be different. Maybe he could get a... hot chocolate? No, that probably wouldn’t give him enough energy, even if it tasted good. Perhaps a--
“Good morning. What can I get for you today?”
Oh, god, he was smiling and Midoriya was so, so screwed. “Ah... u-um...” Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh c-- “Large black coffee!” Dammit! “Please,” he added a bit pitifully.
“Certainly.” The rest of the exchange proceeded much like the previous two, albeit with slightly less nervousness on Midoriya’s part. As soon as he had the drink in hand, he added a ton of sugar and cream once more, but still couldn’t quite contain the impulse to wrinkle his nose with slight distaste.
When he glanced back over his shoulder, Iida and the other barista were both hard at work once more. But for just a moment, Iida looked up, met his gaze --
And smiled.
Midoriya’s eyes widened, and he felt himself smile back. Before he even realized what he was doing, he waved at Iida; as soon as he’d realized what he’d done, he immediately left the shop, his coffee held just a little too tightly in his scarred hand.
“Ask for his phone number next time he comes in,” Kirishima grinned.
“What!” The shop was mostly empty now that the lunch rush was long over, aside from a couple sitting near the windows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. That cute guy! Dude, you gotta. He’s totally into you.”
“I don’t have to do anything,” Iida grumbled. He waved his hands as he spoke, cutting short, sharp arcs through the air in front of him. “Besides, I don’t know anything about him. We’ve barely interacted just three times. And how could you even tell if he’s ‘into me’?”
Kirishima didn’t even try to contain his incredulous laughter. “Are you kidding me? He can’t even make eye contact with you without turning as red as my hair. He stares at you like he wants to jump you.”
“Jump me?” Iida asked, clearly confused.
“Like, he wants to bang you. You know, sex. You do know what sex is, right?” At Iida’s scandalized expression, he started laughing again. “Sorry, sorry. But maybe you could talk to him.”
“If he’s here when it’s not busy,” Iida conceded. “Besides, I meant to anyway! I don’t think he likes what he keeps ordering. A lot of people newer to coffee aren’t aware of the alternatives.”
Kirishima nodded, and looked incredibly pleased with himself. “All right, good! And then from there, you can have a real conversation.” At Iida’s sputtered protest, he laughed once more, and went back to cleaning the countertops. “I’m rooting for ya!”
Forty five minutes later, Midoriya walked through the door.
He looked just as tired as he had the previous afternoon, but the moment he laid eyes on Iida, he flushed again. This time, he managed to look back up and maintain eye contact, and graced the store owner with a shy smile.
“Hello...”
“Welcome back,” Iida greeted him warmly. “What can I get for you?”
“Um...” He glanced at the menu, openly baffled and unsure of himself. “I...”
“Please feel free to take your time. There’s no rush, especially when it’s not busy like it is in the mornings,” Iida said calmly. “Forgive me if I sound presumptuous, but every time I’ve seen you in here, you don’t seem to enjoy coffee. Is it not something you enjoy?”
“I... uh!” Midoriya looked at the ground a little guiltily. “I don’t really like bitter things, but I thought... maybe it’d help me in the mornings, and it seems like part of so many peoples’ routines, so...”
Iida crossed his arms and nodded sagely. “I see. Never fear. There are plenty of other options, if you’d like some suggestions. Do you prefer sweet things, then?”
“Yeah!” Midoriya smiled. “I’ve always just had light teas with sweetener before now... I still drink it a lot during the day, but I wanted a little extra kick in the mornings.”
“Ah! I have an idea!” Iida said. “Some teas can have quite a lot of caffeine. Do you like spicy drinks?”
“S...spicy drinks?” Midoriya asked.
“It’s not like spicy foods,” Iida explained. He moved over to the bar where the drink equipment was, and began fiddling with several things. Without being asked, Kirishima went to the register to ring up another customer that walked through the door while Iida continued what he was doing. “Here,” he said as he handed Midoriya a tiny sample cup, “this is a chai latte. You can get them iced as well, if you’d prefer that instead.”
Midoriya took the cup, his nervousness seemingly forgotten as he took an experimental sip. “Oh! I like this a lot,” he beamed. “It’s really good!”
Iida nodded along, visibly excited. “Fantastic. Now, while those have a nice caffeine content, there is an option to give it a little extra kick, if you will. You can add an espresso shot or two -- it’s basically condensed coffee, I suppose -- and the flavor of the chai and milk will mask most of the bitterness that you dislike. And,” he added, “the hot version of the drink is usually made with milk and water. If I leave out the water, it’ll make it even sweeter and creamier.”
Midoriya was openly fascinated with this information. “Really? I’d like to try that!” He fell quiet for a moment as he thought, and then added, “Oh, but I guess... I should get a small one right now, since it’s already mid afternoon.”
“Here. I’ll make one without the espresso for you.” He fell silent as he worked, absorbed in the task, unbothered by the familiar whirring of the milk steamer.
Midoriya took the opportunity to watch him, and take in every detail of him that he could. It was impossible to hide the appreciation from his gaze, and when Iida handed him a small cup a moment later, he tried to play it cool while desperately hoping he hadn’t just been caught staring.
“T-thank you,” Midoriya stammered. “So I just ask for a... chai latte? With two espresso shots?”
“Yes,” Iida nodded. “With one shot, it’s often called a ‘dirty chai’. With two, I’ve heard many refer to it as a ‘double dirty chai’. Ah, I’ll remember how you like it, but if you go elsewhere, you may want to ask them to not add the water, either, so it stays creamier.”
“O-okay! How much do I owe you?” he asked after taking a sip.
Iida’s smile made his eyes crinkle. “Consider that one a gift. Will I see you in the morning, perhaps?”
“Yeah, definitely!” Midoriya said brightly. “Thank you so much again!”
Iida watched him go, somewhat dazed, until Kirishima playfully elbowed him in the side. “Hey, boss, nice. Damn, you’re a lot smoother than I thought you’d be!”
“I didn’t do anything,” Iida said as he waved his hands in front of him. “I gave him the same advice I’d give any customer!”
“Uh huh,” Kirishima grinned. “Anyway, here’s my advice: make sure you ask him what his name is, at some point.”
Iida grumbled to himself, and turned away in an attempt to hide the blush spreading over his face. But now that Kirishima had mentioned it, he couldn’t stop wondering--
What was that incredibly cute customer’s name?
Thankfully, Iida managed to get home almost an entire hour earlier than he had the previous night, though it was still already dark.
He dropped his bag in the same place he always left it, and turned on the kitchen light to get a glass of water. Idly, he wandered towards his balcony, where he once again saw light coming from the apartment just across from his.
Curious, he walked up to the glass door to take a closer look, and find out if he could actually see anything this time. Well, even if I can’t, it couldn’t hurt to get some fresh air and enjoy the evening. He slid the door open and stepped out onto the patio with a deep breath -- and quite nearly dropped his glass when a figure appeared in the doorway of the other balcony.
Recognition dawned on the other person’s face, quickly followed by a bright, beautiful smile that warmed every corner of his heart.
“Hi,” Midoriya said shyly as he approached the railing of his balcony. Only a short distance separated them, and the golden light of Midoriya’s lamps behind him made it seem like he was glowing.
For a moment, Iida nearly forgot how to breathe. “What a nice surprise,” he finally managed to say. “Well, if we’re neighbors of a sort now, we may as well introduce ourselves properly, yes? I’m Iida. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“I’m Midoriya!” he smiled. His cheeks were flushed, and Iida nearly ached with how fortunate he felt. “The pleasure’s all mine!”
to be continued in chapter 2