Katsuki was out front watering his plants when he saw her. She was wearing a black spaghetti strap top and blue shorts that came down to her mid-thighs. That wasn't what caught his attention though. No, what caught his attention was the intricate art covering her. Her arms were completely covered in tattoos, showing no bare patch of skin anywhere. There was one peaking over her left breast, some on her thighs, and a few by her ankles. Her short green hair was shaven on her left side, giving him an easy view of the many piercings in her ear.
He sneered at her when she turned to look at him from across the street, her dazzling big green eyes falling on him. He hadn't even spoken to her and he was already beyond annoyed with her. She must be the new tattoo artist that Toshinori had been talking about when he came in for his weekly bouquet. The tall burly blond man liked to buy some of Katsuki's flower arrangements to brighten up his tattoo parlor, and it wasn't like Katsuki could stop the man from talking to him about his personal life. But, out of all the shop owners on the street, he disliked Toshinori the least, so he tolerated the man, barely.
But now he had hired a young-looking, probably super irritating, a new artist who was most likely an entitled brat who had a holier-than-thou attitude. Yeah, he didn't like her already. He especially didn't like the bright smile she sent his way, accompanied by a friendly wave. He flipped her off and stormed back into his shop, refusing to look out the front window, where he knew he'd see her probably pissed off expression. None of the shop owners on their street liked him, save for Toshinori, but he was fine with that. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to interact with the new hire.
His hopes were, evidently, pointless, because the next day, before he even opened his shop, the woman was standing out front looking in.
"Oi," he snapped, causing her to jump in surprise. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Ah! Sorry," she apologized, smiling awkwardly as she scratched the back of her neck. "I was just admiring your flowers! They're so beautiful! Is this where Toshinori gets his from?"
"You see any other flower shops on this damn street?" he asked, cocking an unimpressed brow at her.
"Your arrangements are lovely," she beamed, seemingly undeterred by his grumpy expression.
"Do you need something?" he asked impatiently.
"Oh, uh," she stammered, face turning pink in embarrassment. "I just thought I'd introduce myself! We do work across from each other, after all."
"Who the hell asked you to introduce yourself?" he snarked, turning away to unlock his shop.
"Uh," she said, clearly caught off guard. "It's kinda just common curtesy, y'know?" she tried to laugh off.
"Well, you can take your common courtesy and stick it up your ass," he told her before slamming the door to his shop shut, effectively ending their conversation. Maybe she'd leave him alone now.
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He'd been wrong. At around midday, right when there was a lull in customers, the bell on his door rang.
"Welcome to Ground Zero Flower Shop, what the fuck do you want?" he asked from the back, where he had been repotting one of his daffodils.
"Um, hi," the woman's voice sounded, causing him to roll his eyes in frustration. He finished potting the plant and carried it out to the front, annoyed to find her standing there nervously.
"What the fuck do you want?" he repeated, brushing past her as he went to set the pot in it's designated place.
"I was wondering if you'd like to grab lunch?" she asked, causing him to give her an unimpressed look. "I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier. I'm on break right now, so, if you're free, I'd like to get you lunch," she explained with a slightly nervous smile and a faint blush on her cheeks. "What do you say?"
"I say you should piss off and stop wasting your time," he drawled, sneering at her.
"Oh! It's not a waste at all," she assured, evidently missing the point. "I'd love to take you out to lunch and get to know you! You seem really interesting. I-I'm Midoriya, by the way. Midoriya Izuku," she told him, extending her hand out for him to shake. He merely glared down at the offered hand before shooting her another unimpressed look.
"Are you done yet?" he inquired and continued before she could speak. "If you ain't here to buy something, get the fuck out." To his irritation, she merely chuckled. "What the fuck is so funny, hah?"
"N-nothing, sorry," she waved off, her bright laugh making his heart jump. "It's just that, Toshinori said you were a bit, uh, rough around the edges."
"Yeah, you should probably stay away from me then," he said, rolling his eyes as his cheeks turned ever so slightly pink. "Now, as I said, either buy something or get the hell out."
"Ah! Right," she said, looking around his shop, evidently planning on buying something. Whatever. "Oh! This!" she declared, pointing to a bamboo plant that had seemed hellbent on dying on him.
"That one?" he asked judgmentally. "It's gonna die on you."
"Well, maybe," she shrugged, bringing the sorry-looking plant to the counter. "But, no one else is gonna wanna take him home, so, I will!"
"The fuck kinda reasoning is that?" he asked as he rang up her order.
"I know, it's a bit silly," she laughed. "But, I dunno. I think he's cute, and I promise I'll take good care of him!"
"Whatever," he said, rolling his eyes. "That'll be 1550 yen." She nodded and pulled out her credit card and paid for the sad little bamboo plant. "Good, now get the fuck out."
"Bye, I'll see you later!" she said, waving cheerily at him as she walked out the door, cradling the bamboo plant to her chest protectively.
"I really fucking hope not," he yelled back, to which he received a laugh in response. He shook his head and dragged a hand down his face before heading back to work. God, she was annoying, with her bright smile, her friendly nature, her stupid attractive face...
'No,' he thought to himself, shaking his head vigorously. 'I am not attracted to that dipshit,' he insisted. He scowled to himself and angrily went about the rest of his day, his thoughts consumed by how much he did not like the stupid tattoo artist that worked across the street.
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His front door opened, accompanied by the tell-tale ring of the shop bell.
"Good morning Katsuki!" someone said, causing him to look up from what he was doing.
"Eh?" he asked, shooting the person who came in a scowl. "Oh, it's you."
"What? Not happy to see me?" she laughed as the door shut behind her.
"Not really, no," he answered as he went back to what he was doing.
"Aw Katsuki, that's mean," she pouted as she walked further into the store, looking around at his plants.
"To be honest, I don't care," he told her as he continued to prune one of his plants. "What the hell are you doing here anyway?"
"I dunno," she said, walking over to him to see what he was doing. "I'm on break right now, and I thought I'd come by and say hi!"
"What makes you think I want you here?" he asked, looking up to glare at her.
"I dunno, I just felt like coming to hang out with you," she smiled, leaning back against the counter. He scoffed and went back to work, resolutely choosing to ignore her. There was silence for all of five seconds before she spoke up again.
"That plant I got is doing well," she informed him brightly.
"It's been two days," he spat, his pruning becoming more aggressive as his irritation increased.
"He now lives in my tattoo room," she went on.
"He?" Katsuki asked, looking up at her with a confused expression on his face.
"Yep," she smiled. "His name is Milton."
"You gave him an American name?" he asked, unamused.
"Haha, I guess Toshinori is rubbing off on me," she laughed as she scratched the back of her neck. "He has a lot of stories about his time in America. I'd love to go sometime, especially if it's as great as he says he is."
"Great, just what I need, another America obsessed tattoo artist to bother me," he scoffed, shaking his head at her.
"Haha," she laughed, her laughter ringing throughout his empty store. He resolutely ignored his heart stuttering in his chest at the noise.
"Y'know," she went on as he moved on to do something else. "I don't think you're as bad as everyone says you are."
"What?" he asked, looking back to glare at her.
"I think people just get the wrong impression of you," she continued. "You're a bit intimidating when people first meet you, but you're not bad."
"You don't know me well enough to make a judgment like that about me," he shot back, irritated.
"Maybe not, but I think if you were a little less intimidating, people wouldn't incorrectly judge you," she said, before pondering for a moment. "Oh! I know! A cute nickname! Like, Kacchan!"
"What!?" he yelled, giving her an almost horrified expression.
"Yeah! Kacchan! Oh, that's so cute! I'm going to call you Kacchan," she cheered, bouncing on her feet excitedly.
"You are not calling me that!" he ordered, stomping over to the tower above her.
"Sorry, Kacchan, I didn't catch that," she flashed a shit-eating grin.
"You little shit," he growled, utterly fuming. "How about I give you a humiliating nickname?"
"Kacchan giving me a nickname?" she asked, her sparkling green eyes going wide. "Oh! I would love that!"
"Tch," he scoffed, thinking of something to call her. "I know, Deku," he smirked down at her. "Yeah, Deku suits you perfectly."
"Thank you, Kacchan!" she beamed, clapping her hands together happily. "I'm honored! Now, I'm really sorry, but I should be getting back. Don't want to be late!"
"Yeah, fuck off," he muttered as he watched her go.
"Bye, Kacchan! I'll see you soon!" she waved over her shoulder as she exited the building. She crossed the street to the tattoo parlor and waved to him one more time before heading inside. Once she was out of sight, he shook his head and went back to work.
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"Hey Kacchan," Deku greeted as she walked into his shop, an annoyingly bright smile on her face.
"What the hell do you want now?" he asked, glaring at her in annoyance as he was trying to spray down some of his saplings.
"I like coming in here," she answered as she looked around. "It's inspiring, y'know?"
"Yeah, whatever you say," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Don't you have anyone else to pester at the tattoo parlor? Why the hell are you talking to me?"
"Well, I can talk with my coworkers all day when I'm working," she shrugged as she inspected some of his hydrangeas. "I only get to see you a few minutes a day, so I wanna make the most of it, y'know?" she said, smiling at him. Her smile was so earnest and warm, it made his chest hurt. "Do you have any other workers, Kacchan? I never see anyone else in here working with you. Do you really run everything by yourself?"
"Yeah," he nodded as he moved on to spray another bed. "I don't trust anyone else to not fuck it up. Plus, it's a small enough shop."
"Wow!" she praised, her eyes sparkling in awe. "Kacchan's amazing!"
"Whatever," he growled as he turned away, the tips of his ears hearing up in embarrassment. "Shouldn't you spend your break eating or some shit? You're gonna be hungry all day."
"Oh, I already ate," she assured him. "But, thanks for worrying about me," she smiled.
"I'm not worried about you, dumbass nerd," he barked angrily. "I just don't want you coming back later complaining about how hungry you are!"
"Haha, will do," she saluted.
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"So, Kacchan," she began as she leaned against his counter, looking at some succulents he had displayed. "Why did you decide to open a flower shop in the first place?"
"Why the hell do you want to know?" he asked as he moved a few bags of fertilizer into the back.
"Just curious," she shrugged. "Running a flower shop doesn't seem suited to Kacchan, at least at first glance. So, what piqued your interest?"
"Again, why the hell do you wanna know?" he asked as he made his way back to the front.
"I wanna know more about you," she smiled up at him, her eyes closed as the tops of her cheeks flushed. "Sooooo?" she asked, cocking her head as she blinked imploringly at him.
"Tch," he scoffed as he looked away. "If it'll get you to shut the fuck up, I'll tell you."
"Yay!" she cheered, giving him her full attention.
"I decided to open a flower shop because I wanted to be surrounded by flowers all the time," he admitted, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Being around flowers, it calms me down. Tending to them, cultivating them, keeping them alive, it's calming for me... It sounds fucking stupid when I say it out loud."
"No! It's not stupid, I get it," she assured him quickly. "Being surrounded by plants is scientifically proven to boost your mood! It's really cool," she went on. "In fact, I'm gonna get another plant, a succulent! To keep Milton company," she smiled as she picked up one of the less than pretty plants, cupping it carefully in her hands.
"You're fucking weird as shit, y'know that?" he asked as he began to ring up her purchase. "1500 yen."
"Hah, yeah, I get that a lot," she laughed as she fished out the money. "But, it's not a bad thing, not in my eyes, anyway."
"Hmm," he made a noncommittal hum, handing her her change. "Take your fucking plant and get the fuck out."
"Thanks," she smiled as she took her newest succulent. "I'll tell you what I name it next time I come in, yeah?"
"How about you keep that shit to yourself?" he called out after her as she left. "Better yet, don't come back at all!" She merely laughed brightly as she walked through the door and walked across the street. Deku was a fucking enigma that he couldn't make heads or tails of, but she definitely broke up the monotony. . .
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She didn't come in the next day...
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"Hey Kacchan," she greeted as she came in the day after. "Sorry I didn't come in yesterday."
"What makes you think I fucking care?" he asked in irritation, because no he didn't miss her, didn't look up hoping to see if she was coming in every time the bell rang only to be disappointed when it wasn't her. . . no, he didn't miss her.
"Haha, typical Kacchan," she laughed easily. "I gave my newest plant a name! Wanna guess it?" she asked in a sing-song voice.
"Not really, no," he drawled as he went around clipping some overgrown potted trees.
"Boo, Kacchan," she pouted at him. "C'mon! Guess, guess, guess! I'll give you a hint, it's also an American name. And! This one is also a boy. So guess!"
"Piss off!" he shouted at her, causing her to jump back in fear.
"Scary!" she shrieked, the color draining from her face. "Fine, I'll tell you. It's Fredrick! Isn't that neat?"
"Fascinating," he drawled. "Is that all you came in to tell me? Can you piss off now?"
"Awe! So mean," she pouted again.
"Pouting ain't gonna do shit," he snapped at her.
"Don't you like spending time with me?" she asked, giving him puppy dog eyes.
"You're annoying," he answered flatly.
"Well, you didn't say no!" she cheered with a childish smile. "I always love coming in here."
"I swear I lose a year of my life when you come in," he huffed, eliciting a giggle from her.
"You're a laugh, Kacchan," she laughed, the smile never leaving her face. "Anyways, I should get going. I gotta help Ochako-chan with a design and only had time to pop over for a minute. I'll see you later! Bye!" she bid as she left the shop. He had to mentally remind himself to not call out to her, because he most certainly did not miss her, and he most certainly did not want her to stay longer.
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Deku started coming by every day during her break with a little sketchbook in hand, just drawing his flowers and attempting to make small talk. He resolutely ignored her in an effort to quell the weird feelings stirring up inside of him, which was a bit difficult, because she had such a magnetic personality. Admitting that to himself really pissed him off, and he was tempted to throw something at her, make her leave him alone so he'd stop feeling this way.
"Kacchan!?" Deku cried, bursting into his store, almost causing him to knock over an entire plant rack. "Do you make flower crowns!?" she asked loudly.
"Don't just barge in here like that, you damn idiot!" he shouted angrily.
"Sorry!" she said, waving her hands in a placating manner. "I just got really inspired and I wanted a real-life reference instead of an online one. Is there any way you could make a flower crown that looks like this?" she asked in a rush, holding up her phone and showing him a small flower crown with two white flowers with dark centers and round greenish-blue leaves. There was also a blueish-purple flower along with some small grayish flowers.
"What's it for?" he asked with mild curiosity.
"Oh, it's for a client," she said, beaming at him with her obnoxiously bright smile. "So, can you make it?"
"Do I look fucking incompetent to you?" he sneered, turning away to collect the flowers needed.
"Thank's Kacchan!" she cheered, following him around the shop as he grabbed the necessities for the crown.
"Do you fucking mind!?" he roared as he rounded on her.
"S-sorry!" she stammered, taking a few steps back. He huffed under his breath as he began to weave the flowers together, fashioning the flower crown to look like the one in the photo she had shown him. She watched him as he worked until he sent her a death glare, at which point she backed off and began to wander around his shop, looking at all the flowers and pots on display.
"Here," he said once he finished, looking up to find where she had gone. To his secret amusement, she was knelt down in front of a few orchids, sketching in her little book with a look of concentration on her face. It was kinda cute if he was being honest. He walked over to her and plopped the flower crown onto her head, evidently startling the woman.
"Eep! O-oh, Kacchan," she said, turning around and placing her hand on her head.
"There," he said, gesturing to the flower crown as she pulled it off her head.
"Woah! It looks so amazing!" she praised, her eyes wide as she inspected the flower crown, turning it delicately in her hands. "You're so talented! Thank you, Kacchan!" she beamed up at him, her smile almost blinding.
"Whatever," he scoffed, turning away as the tips of his ears turned pink. "Are you gonna annoy me about anything else, or can you go away now?"
"My break's almost up, so yeah, I'll probably get going," she said, standing up and closing her sketchbook. He eyed the sketchbook and quickly snatched it from her grasp, causing her to gasp. "Ah! Kacchan!"
"You're always in here drawing my flowers," he said, holding the sketchbook out of her reach. "I deserve to see." He began to flip through the pages, silently marveling at how beautiful they were. He flipped between pages and paused when something caught his eyes. He paused and focused on the two specific pages, filled with sketches of him. She had drawn a few different expressions, each with a few little notes next to them.
'Resting bitch face Kacchan >u<' she had written next to an image of him with a grumpy expression.
'Focused Kacchan >:D' she had jotted down next to a drawing of him with his brows furrowed in concentration.
'Peaceful Kacchan UwU' was written down next to an image of him with a calm expression.
'Happy Kacchan! :D so pretty!!' she wrote next to a picture of him with a slight smile on his face. He furrowed his brows in confusion because he couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled. Apparently, this moment was enough for her to snatch the sketchbook from his hands. He looked down at her, amused to find her face bright red and eyes wide.
"K-Kacchan!" she shrieked, clutching the sketchbook to her chest. "Wh-what!"
"Didn't know I was that pretty to you, nerd," he teased, an impish smile on his face, enjoying how she ducked her head in embarrassment.
"I-I just d-d-draw wh-what I s-see," she mumbled, slightly catching him off guard.
"What?"
"M-my breaks over!" she shouted, her face still red. "B-bye, Kacchan!" she yelled as she raced out of the front of his store and ran across the street, only barely avoiding being hit by a car on her way.
"Fucking idiot," he murmured to himself as he fondly watched her stumble her way into the tattoo parlor, his face feeling hot. He shook his head as that thought passed through his mind because he wasn't fond of that stupid Deku.
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Katsuki was angrily replanting some sprouts as he thought about the other day. He couldn't get his mind off of the pictures stupid Deku had drawn of him, along with the shitty little notes she'd written. They made his chest feel funny, and he fucking hated it. Where the fuck did she get off, making him feel like this? Actually, she was probably too fucking oblivious to notice what she was doing to him, and that thought pissed him off even more. Why did she have to be so confusing!? Gah, whatever.
What did she even see in him? He was cynical and always angry, it was a miracle he had any friends. Sure, people tried to flirt with him because he was pretty good looking, but after opening his mouth, he drove pretty much everyone away. But not shitty Deku, apparently. She didn't care, for whatever reason, that he was an angry bastard. He didn't know if he liked that she stuck around, or if it pissed him off. Probably both. . .
But, apparently, after he snatched her sketchbook, she had taken to avoiding him. It pissed him off beyond belief because this felt like a huge step back in. . . well, he didn't exactly know. In their relationship? They didn't really have a relationship. . . he said she pissed him off, and she did, but, it was in a way he didn't always mind. Did she like him? Well, obviously she liked him to some extent, but did she 'like-like' him?
God, he wanted to smack himself for thinking that. What was he, a love-struck schoolgirl? He wanted to say, based on the drawings and her notes, she liked him, but maybe that was her artistic interpretation. . . Fuck, she was so goddamn confusing!
He heard the door open and the bell ring, signaling someone had come in.
"One sec," he shouted as he set down his small digging trowel, took off his gardening gloves, and headed to the front. "Welcome to, oh. . . hey, Deku," he greeted, once he saw the greenette standing in front of the counter.
"Hi, Kacchan," she greeted shyly, looking down and fiddling with her hands. "Um, I-I just wanted to apologize, f-for the other day. I-if I made you u-uncomfortable. . ."
"Why the fuck are you apologizing?" he barked, the tops of his cheeks turning pink. "Who the fuck said you made me uncomfortable, huh? Stop assuming shit," he huffed, brushing past her so she couldn't see his darkening face.
"O-oh! S-sorry! I-I shouldn't have assumed," she rambled, nodding at his words.
"Stop fucking apologizing all the fucking time, God damn," he snapped, frustrated.
"Okay, s-sorry- wait," she paused, causing him to let out an amused scoff.
"You're fucking hopeless," he huffed, ruffling her hair obnoxiously. "You're lucky you're cute."
"What?"
"I'd like to take you up on your offer," he plowed through, doing his best to keep his face impassive.
"Eh?" she asked, blinking at him with wide, confused eyes.
"Your offer for lunch," he elaborated, cocking his brow in annoyance.
"Oh! Yeah!" she beamed, her expression elated. "Yeah, we can do that! I'd love to take you out to lunch!"
"I'll pay," he assured her, waving off her offer. "I'm sure you don't make much over there."
"Oh, actually, I make plenty!" she told him cheerily. "Most customers are really good tippers," she finished with a light laugh. "Plus, you're running your own business! That can't be easy on your wallet, so, I'll pay."
"Tch, fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'm free this Sunday, 'round 1, if you want."
"Sounds perfect!" she beamed. "It's a date then! Mm!" She slapped her hand over her mouth as her face turned bright red. He merely let out a bark of laughter at her expression.
"Damn, for a badass looking tattoo artist, you sure do blush easily," he teased, ruffling her hair affectionately. "But yeah, it's a date," he cooed, smirking down at her as he winked.
"I-I uh, um-" she stuttered, brain fried with embarrassment. Cute.
"Yooooou gotta head back?" he suggested, a wry grin still on his face.
"Y-yes!" she squeaked, a nervous smile on her face. "Y-yes! Uh, m-my break is almost over. I-I should be getting back!"
"See you Sunday, nerd," he called after her as she fled the shop.
"Y-yeah! S-Sunday."
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"Oi, you finally showed up, eh?" he asked as he saw the tattoo artist rush over to him, her face a little red from running.
"S-sorry," she panted, a look of embarrassment on her face. "I got held up with a client. My bad."
"Whatever, you're here now, let's fucking go," he said, turning to walk down the sidewalk. That was partial because he was secretly anxious over their date, and partially because he needed to hide the blush on his face. Since when did Deku look so put together? Normally her fashion sense was shit. . .
"Wah! Kacchan! Wait up!" she yelled, the sounds of her footsteps sounding behind him. "So, um, where are we going? I haven't had much time to see a lot of the local restaurants, I've only been to a few. Is there any particular place you had in mind?"
"Eh, I'm not really welcome at the local restaurants. Least the closest ones," he told her, rubbing at the back of his head.
"Huh! Well, why not?" she asked, giving him a worried look.
"When I first opened up shop, a few came to stop by, and of course I never wanted their fake ass kindness, so I told them to fuck off," he explained, earning an exasperated laugh.
"Hah, I'm not surprised. Kacchan is Kacchan, after all," she said with a shake of her head. "Well, is there a restaurant that you do like nearby?"
"Eh, yeah, there's this bomb-ass Indian place nearby. They serve some awesome food, almost as good as my food," he boasted.
"Oh, Kacchan is complimenting something, so it must be good," she beamed, pressing her hands together in excitement. "I'm so excited!"
"Tch, calm down, stupid nerd," he scoffed, looking away. For some reason, he found her reaction really cute, and fuck it was difficult for him to deal with. "As I said, my food is better."
"Well," she said, her cheeks a bit pink. "I-I guess I'll have to try your food afterward then, e-eh?"
"Mm, y-yeah," he said, his own cheeks feeling pink as he cleared his throat. "Anyways, it's not far, so we'll be there soon."
"Mm, sounds good!" she smiled. "It's so nice out if a bit chilly. But I like when the weather's on the colder side, everything just tastes better that way."
"Eh? The fuck are you going on about?" he asked, cocking a brow at her.
"Well, when it's cold out and you eat a warm meal or have a warm drink, it just feels a lot more comfortable. It's a nice relief from the chill, y'know? It's cold outside, but warm inside, and it just feels nice. Does that make sense?" she asked, smiling at him in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's hard to explain."
"Tch, idiot," he scoffed, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from making any weird comments. God, she was so damn cute and pure. "Y'know, for someone who looks like such a badass, you're really cute."
"Eh!?" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide as her cheeks turned pink. "K-Kacchan! Y-you can't just say something l-like that!"
"Too bad, Deku, I do what I want," he announced, holding his head up high. "You'll just have to learn how to deal with it. You don't like it, you can fuck off."
"Haha, don't worry, Kacchan," she said softly. "I wouldn't want you to change a thing about you." Her earnestness and honesty was too much for him to handle.
"Keh, you must be an idiot then," he barked. "No one likes me."
"Well, that's too bad for them. You really are a good person, Kacchan. And, I like being around you," she trailed off as her cheeks turned pink again. "I know you're a bit rough around the edges, but I like you just as you are." He felt his face warm at her comments, looking down to see her embarrassed face.
"Whatever," he mumbled in embarrassment, refusing to meet her gaze until his face cooled off. "Anyways, we're here." He opened up the door and stepped inside, the warm and delicious scent of food wafting over to them. They were quickly seated and ordered their food, leaving them alone to talk for a while.
"What made you wanna get tattoos anyway?" he asked, actually curious about the answer.
"Oh, well, um," she started nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "Eh, w-well.."
"Just spit it out already," he snapped, finding himself irritated.
"It's... it's not a really, eh, happy, reason," she warned, looking up at him apprehensively.
"I wanna know anyways," he shrugged, sitting back in his seat.
"Well," she said, taking a deep breath. "I first got them to cover up my, um... my self-harm scars."
"Oh," he said, at a loss for words all of the sudden. Now he felt like an asshole, why did he press her when she was clearly uncomfortable? He was such an idiot. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to, sorry."
"No, it's fine, I don't necessarily mind talking about it. It was a while ago. But, y'know, it makes other people uncomfortable, talking about this sort of thing," she shrugged, laughing nervously.
"Well, if you wanna talk about it, I'll listen," he said. She smiled at him before sighing, biting her bottom lip. "I mean, we're friends, right?" he asked awkwardly.
"Mm, yeah," she nodded with a tender little smile before letting out a breath. "Well. . . When I was little, I wasn't very well-liked by the other children," she said, recalling her youth. "They thought I was weird, too into books, not pretty enough, stuff like that. Even as I got older, I was socially rejected and ignored. The girls never bullied me too much, but the boys liked to find me and beat me up. As I got older, I had a harder and harder time dealing with it. . . so, I started cutting. Mostly on my wrists, some on my inner thighs. . .
"I got really depressed as I got older, what with everyone telling me that I'm not good enough. I began to fail academically, my prospects weren't looking so good. . . And, I, eventually, got to the point where I... I tried to kill myself." Katsuki felt his eyes go wide at that statement, unable to fathom a bubbly girl like her ever feeling so low.
"Shit," he whispered, brows pinched in worry.
"Yeah," she sighed, nodding her head. "I was hospitalized for, for a while, and it didn't seem like anything was going right. I was kind of just waiting for them to release me so I could try and kill myself again. But, then, I met Yagi," she said, a smile appearing on her face. "He was volunteering at the hospital to entertain the kids, and I was absolutely smitten with his stories about America and his tattoos. I'd sit with him for hours, just listening to his stories and admiring his art. He eventually encouraged me to start drawing with him. He'd bring his drawing supplies with him, show me different techniques, teach me different things. . . And after that, things started turning up. My mood was better, my grades went up, I had a will to live again. Course, things weren't perfect, but, they were so much better.
"After spending so much time with him, practicing when he wasn't around, he took me on. Once I graduated high school and turned 18, I moved in with him and became his apprentice, learned the tools of the trade, and all that stuff. I think, at first, I wanted tattoos just so people wouldn't consider me so plain, but then I just fell in love with putting art on my body. My first tattoos were on my wrists and inner forearms, Yagi did them for free." She pushed her sleeves up and showed him her forearms. One her left arm, the themes were dark, showing her dark and sad past, including a long arrow down the center of her forearm. It must've been the slice where she tried to kill herself, he thought grimly. But, on her right, the images were vibrant and blooming with life, consisting mostly of flowers. He could barely see any of her scars, only able to pick a few out amidst the collages of art.
"They're beautiful," he said, eyes tracing over her tattoos.
"Hmmhm, thanks," she laughed, tugging her sleeves back down. "I still get depressed, and I sometimes have the urge to cut myself, but I don't want to ruin any of the pieces," she said, rubbing her pulse with her thumb. "It's hard sometimes, really, really hard, but, I try my best every day," she finished, looking up at him with a smile, making his heart pound in his chest. She was, fuck, she was amazing.
Their food came quickly after that. "Mm! It smells so good!" she beamed, looking down hungrily at the food before eagerly digging in.
He watched her contemplatively for a moment, finding that he was seeing her in a new light. She wasn't just some entitled airhead tattoo artist like he had first thought. . . She was a much more complex person than he had figured. She had deep-seated issues, a dark past that she clearly struggled a great deal with, even having a close brush with death. She was strong, resilient, and optimistic because she had been to such a dark place before and was now much better.
"Kacchan? Aren't you going to eat? You're food's gonna get cold," she said, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Mind your damn business, shitty Deku," he scoffed without any heat, shoveling a serving of food into his mouth. She merely giggled to herself good-naturedly and continued to eat her own food. He ended up having. . . a really good time with Deku, like, a really good time. He couldn't remember connecting with someone in the same way he was connecting with her. It was fucking weird. Sure, he had friends: Shitty Hair, Soy Sauce Face, Raccoon Eyes, and Pikachu, but, something about Deku was different. All he wanted to do was stare at her, was she always this pretty? Oh shit, what was happening to him?
Oh god, he was fucked.
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"I really enjoyed getting dinner with you, Kacchan," she smiled at him as they left the restaurant, slowly walking down the sidewalk together. "It was a lot of fun!"
"Yeah, it was alright, I guess," he shrugged. "But it's late, and I'm tired as all hell."
"Eh? But, Kacchan, it's only 10 o'clock," she said, giving him an adorable half-smile.
"I fuckin' know that it's fuckin' late," he grumbled, suppressing a yawn.
"Kacchan's an old man," she giggled, making him balk in response.
"Wha-eh, I am not!" he shouted at her, which only made her laugh more. He wasn't going to ever admit that her laugh made his heart beat faster in his chest.
"You are!" she insisted. "What person in their 20's goes to bed by 10?"
"Ten's fuckin' late," he scoffed, "I'm normally in bed by 8:30."
"Bwuahahahah!" she burst out, doubling over as she clutched at her stomach. "O-oh, my god! Kacchan! You're so weird!"
"I am not!" he shouted at her, his face and ears heating up as she laughed. "You damn nerd! Who names their plants? Weirdo nerds! That's who!"
"Knck, says the nerd who goes to bed at 8:30," she snorted, elbowing him in the side. "Anyways, I guess I'll let you get your beauty sleep, Kacchan. Want me to walk you home?"
"Eh, no, that's fine," he waved off, "I live right above the shop."
"Oh?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Yeah," he nodded, "what about you?"
"Ah, I live in the XX district," she said with a grin.
"Ain't that on the other side of town?" he asked, cocking a brow at her.
"Mmhmm," she nodded.
"Why don't, eh," he cleared his throat, his face feeling hot. "Do you maybe just wanna crash at my place? I gotta couch, or, fuckin', I don't mind sharin' a bed. I mean, y-you don't have to, i-it's fine, eh, I mean-"
"Kacchan," she interrupted, making him close his mouth with a loud click before she smiled. "I'll take you up on the offer. Today was a long day, I'm pretty tired, it'll be nice not to have to go all the way across town."
"Right, uh, follow me," he said as they crossed the street. He unlocked his shop and let her inside, closing and locking the door behind him.
"Is it back here?" she asked as she walked through the back.
"Yeah, gimme a minute," he said as he stomped over. He unlocked the door that opened up to the stairs that led up to his flat. "Follow me," he said as he began to tromp up the stairs, the wooden stairs creaking under his weight. He headed upstairs, trusting Deku to follow behind him as he made his way to his apartment door. He opened the door and flicked on the lights, kicking off his shoes as Deku stepped inside.
"Wooooah," she awed, looking around at the flat interior. "There are even more plants in here!" she commented.
"Oi, take your damn shoes off, idiot!" he shouted at her, making her jump.
"Eh! Right! Sorry," she apologized as she shucked off her shoes, taking her coat off in the process. Now in her socks, she began to wander around, stopping by every plant and looking it over.
"Tch, what, are you saying hi to every plant?" he asked with a scoff. Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away, making him go deadpan. "Are you fucking serious?"
"Well, they only see Kacchan, and this is my first time over! I feel like I should say hello to everyone who lives here," she said, pursing her lips in a pout. He shook his head, trying to stamp down the fondness that rose inside of him at her actions.
"Well, I'm hella tired, let's get to bed," he said as he began to walk down the hall. "C'mon dumbass!" he snapped.
"Coming!" she called out, quickly padding over to him. "It's really warm up here!"
"Well, yeah, I live above a fuckin' greenhouse, what'd you expect?" he asked, cocking a brow over his shoulder at her. "Anyways, I've got a few things you can sleep in, lemme grab them for you."
"Mm, okay," she nodded as she waited in the doorway of his bedroom. He riffled around in his drawers for a shirt and a pair of shorts that would fit her. He found an old pair of shorts that shrunk in the wash, and an old band t-shirt, and came back out.
"Here, these should fit," he said as he handed them to her. "The bathroom is right there," he said, leaning over to open up the bathroom door for her. "Here."
"Mm, thanks," she smiled as she quickly ducked into the room. He quickly changed into his own bedclothes, tossing his dirty clothes into the hamper as he pulled on a tank top and sweatpants. Deku came out a moment later, prompting him to turn around, and his heart jumped. "Thanks for the clothes, Kacchan," she smiled at him as she set down her folded clothes on one of his dressers. She turned to him, a cute smile on her face as his shirt hung off her smaller form. The shirt was clearly far too big for her, hanging off one of her shoulders to expose her clavicle, falling down to her mid-thighs. His eyes roved over her exposed skin, every inch decorated by all sorts of tattoos.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, blinking curiously at him.
"Eh, nothing, fuck off," he grumbled, trying to suppress the blush on his face. "Now get in the bed, dumbass"
"Where're you going?" she asked as she set down her phone.
"Brushing my teeth, idiot," he snapped.
"Aaah, okay," she said as he left the room. He took a deep sigh as he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door, bracing himself against the sink.
"Damn Deku," he muttered as he dragged his hand down his face. He sighed and began to wash his face, placing a mask on as he brushed his teeth. After he finished his nighttime routine, he took a deep breath before coming back into the bedroom, surprised to see Deku looking at one of the photos on his dresser. "Hey," he greeted, making her jump in surprise.
"Wah-cchan! Oh," she breathed out, "you scared me."
"I noticed," he said as he walked over.
"Ah, sorry," she said, putting the photo back. "I didn't mean to pry."
"Nah, it's fine," he said, picking the frame back up and looking at the photo. "This is me and my parents, it was when we went to Mount Takao."
"Oh, I heard it's beautiful there," she smiled.
"Yeah, it is," he nodded. "This was right after I dropped out of college and decided to open a flower shop. So, that was about four years ago."
"You all look so happy," she said softly.
"We all enjoy going on hikes, though my folks aren't as adventurous as I am, so we only do the more mild ones together," he explained.
"I haven't gone hiking in ages," she lamented. "Hey! We should go together next time! Doesn't that sound fun?"
"Uh, yeah, sure. That's fine," he nodded as he walked around to the other side of the bed. She giggled as he grumpily wormed his way under the covers, Deku following suit. He froze up as he finally realized his bed was smaller than she remembered, if he moved even a bit closer to her, he'd be able to feel her body heat. He sighed and rolled onto his back, glancing over to see Deku smiling at him. It made his face heat up as he looked away with a huff, making her giggle at him.
"You're a pain in the ass, y'know that?" he grumbled.
"Mm, maybe," she laughed, shifting beside him. He froze up as she threw her arm across his chest, his head turning back to face her, noticing she had her eyes closed.
"Eh, what're you doing?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from wavering.
"Hmm?" she asked, peeking one eye open. "Oh! I-I'm sorry!" she apologized, pulling her arm back against her chest. "I-I just, I usually hold a-a pillow against my chest, i-it helps me sleep, s-sorry," she apologized, her face pink in the dark.
"I-it's fine," he grumbled, cursing the way his voice cracked. "Just, it caught me off guard is all, don't worry about it.." he trailed off.
"O-oh," she whispered. An awkward silence washed over them. Katsuki couldn't take it anymore and, with an irritated grunt, took her arm and laid it across his chest like she had done before. She let out a small 'eep' at the action, but didn't move... he kept his hand around her wrist, where he'd pulled her arm over, and began to nervously caress his thumb against the back of her hand. She sighed and moved closer to him, assumingly to get more comfortable, and he, for some reason, threw his arm around her for her head to rest on. She sighed, tucking her face against him as she relaxed, which in turn made him relax, if only a bit.
"Goodnight, Kacchan," she sighed.
"Yeah, 'night," he managed without stuttering. He felt himself stay awake as she fell asleep beside him, her little breaths hot against his chest. Her body was so warm, and she was pressed perfectly up against him. He took the time to look over her tattoos, each piece melting and blending into the next like a living work of art. He didn't even realize he'd fallen asleep...
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When he woke up the next morning, his body was warm but his arm was numb. Confused, he turned his head to the side to see-
"Holy-" he choked on his words as he ripped his arm out from under her and turning away.
"Wh, Kacchan?" she slurred out her voice gravely from just waking up. "What are you?"
"Pull your fucking shirt down, idiot!" he shouted, his ears turning pink.
"Hmm?" she hummed. "Oh! Ah, I'm sorry," she said as she fumbled around. "Kacchan, I'm really sorry."
"What the fuck ever," he grunted as he got off the bed and stormed out. "I'm gonna make some breakfast, and you're gonna fuckin' like what I make, got that!?"
"Hahaha," her laugh flitted through the hallway as he walked. "Okay, Kacchan." He grunted to himself as he stomped to the kitchen, his face still hot as he got the ingredients to make breakfast. His mind was flooded with the image of Deku's shirt ridden up over her chest, leaving her breasts exposed to him. He couldn't get the image of her pierced nipples out of his head. Her breasts looked so soft, and the piercings were actually really cute. He never thought of nipple piercings as cute, but, then again, it was Deku, so he supposed anything was possible.
"Damn it," he scoffed to himself as he shook his head, focusing on cooking breakfast. He made a simple meal, just some omelets, but soon enough, the smell lured Deku out of his room, still in the clothes she slept in.
"Mmm! It smells really good!" she praised as she stood behind him, slightly bouncing in excitement.
"Oi, go change and wash up idiot!" he shouted at her, making her jump back.
"R-right!" she eep'ed as she ran off. He shook his head fondly and went back to cooking, seeing as how the omelets were almost done. He took his pan off the stove and plated up the food, setting the plates on the table as Deku came back. "Mm! It looks so good!" she praised as she took a seat, Katsuki doing the same. He watched as she stared with wide, awe-filled eyes as she took in the meal before her.
"Well, don't just stare at it!" he snapped, slamming his fist down on the table, startling her from her daze. "Fucking eat!"
"Ah! Yes," she nodded, picking up a fork and digging into the fluffy eggs. She brought it up to her lips and took a bite, a pleased moan escaping her as her face turned pink. "Mmm! It's so good, Kacchan! Really good!" she said as she took bite after bite. He huffed in embarrassment as he dug in himself, eating his food with less gusto than his guest. He blushed and grumbled as Deku praised his cooking.
"I wish I could have you make me breakfast every morning," she whined around a bite. "I'm no good at cooking. The last time I tried making anything, I had the fire department called."
"Tch, idiot." But he didn't deny the way his heart jumped at the idea of making her breakfast every morning...
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"Good morning Kacchan!" Deku sang as she came into his shop, a plant in hand. "How're you?"
"Fuckin' fine," he grumbled as he swept up some dirt. "What's that you got there?"
"Oh, you don't recognize him?" she asked, smirking slyly at him. "It's Milton! Remember him?" she asked, hopping up and down excitedly.
"Milton?" he asked, slowly raising a brow at her. "Wait, the plant you bought ages ago?"
"Yep!" she chirped. "He looks good, doesn't he?" she asked, holding the bamboo plant up to him. "He really likes it in my tattoo room, and I promise I give him plenty of sunshine!"
"I'm, surprised," he said slowly, inspecting the plant. "Mm. Guess you're not a total Deku after all."
"Fredrick's doing well too," she told him. Although I think I should get a third plant. My window is still is a bit empty, and I really like having the plants around. Do you have any more plants that need a good home?"
"Tch," he scoffed, amused by her desire to rescue the plants no one else wanted. "I do have kind of a crappy looking cactus. Want it?"
"Yes, please!" she nodded, following behind him as he went to grab the cactus. "Awe! She's so cute!" she exclaimed. "Look, Milton! A new friend!"
"You're so fucking weird," he said with a shake of his head.
"Am not," she pouted at him as she held both plants to her chest.
"I never said it was a bad thing," he grumbled, looking away in embarrassment. She giggled at him.
"So, how much is she?" she asked.
"Oh, you can have it," he brushed off with a shrug. Her head shot up and her eyes blew wide, her mouth hanging open in shock. He stood awkwardly beside her for a moment before tears started running down her face and she began sobbing. "D-Deku?"
"Th-thank you!" she sobbed, tears and snot running down their face. He scoffed, took the pots from her hands, and pulled her into a hug, not even minding that she was getting his apron messy.
"Damn emotional nerd," he said softly, gently petting her head. Her sobs eventually dissolved into sniffles as she eventually pulled away.
"Th-thank you, Kacchan," she sniffed, wiping at her face. "I-I promise I'll take good care of her!"
"I know you will, damn nerd," he chuckled, stroking her cheek tenderly. She looked up at him with wide eyes, her face turning pink. His movements stopped as he realized when he was doing, his own eyes going wide as his hand shot back. "Er, I-I," he stuttered, unsure of what to do or say.
"I-I, um," she swallowed, stepping back, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. He was nearly overcome with the urge to kiss them...
"We," he choked out, clearing his throat as he pulled his hand back. "We should, um, we should get dinner again, um, sometime soon. If, if you're up for that."
"O-oh," she said, looking away as she collected her plants. "Y-yeah, w-we should. Um, th-there's a nice seafood restaurant near the park, w-would you like to go there?"
"Sure, that sounds great," he nodded, cracking a small smile. "Any particular night you wanna do it on?"
"Um," she paused, thinking, "h-how about this Tuesday? If that's okay?" she asked nervously.
"It's a date," he blurted. The two of them blushed and looked away.
"Y-yeah, i-it's a date," she nodded, giving him a small smile. "Um, I guess I'll be going now? Uh, s-see you Tuesday."
"C'ya," he waved as she walked out. He couldn't help the giddy excitement building up inside of him.
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Katsuki was nervous when Tuesday came around. For some reason, she hadn't come to visit him that day on her break, which made him anxious. When he finally locked up for the night, he saw Deku standing outside the shop, looking just as nervous as he felt.
"Hi, Kacchan," she greeted with a small wave and a shy smile.
"Hey," he replied, walking over to her. "You didn't come to see me today."
"O-oh, yeah, um," she stammered, looking down at her feet. "S-sorry, I was a bit too nervous."
"Y-you were nervous?" he asked, slightly amused. "Heh, why are you nervous?"
"I-I dunno!" she whined, making him chuckle. "I-I just am," she pouted at the ground.
"Is it because I called this a date?" he questions softly, trying to keep the worry out of his voice.
"K-kinda," she admitted. "I-I mean! I-I want this to be a date! Mm!" she squeaked, slapping her hands over her mouth. "Uh-um, I-I, I was, I am... I really like you, Kacchan," she finished quietly. Katsuki's heart was racing in his chest as he looked down at the short woman, apprehensively fiddling with her hands.
"How about we skip dinner?" he suggested, confusing her. "Why don't we just take a walk?"
"O-oh, yeah, sure," she nodded, a smile appearing on her face. "Uh, there's a park nearby, it looks really pretty at night. Sometimes the local theatre group puts on plays, and there are some street vendors too. S-sound good?"
"Sure, nerd, let's do that," he smiled. "Lead the way."
"Y-yes! Right!" she shouted, turning and walking down the street. "F-follow me!" He chuckled and followed after her, listening to her nervous mumbling and chatter as they walked. He looked down at her hand as they walked, his fingers itching to link with hers. He huffed to himself before reaching out to grab her hand, threading his fingers with hers, refusing to look at her as his heated face cooled down. She leaned closer to him, a nervous but excited giggle escaping her lips as a pink flush colored her cheeks.
"What're you so excited about?" he grumbled. "It's just me, no need to get all happy."
"But," she said softly, glancing up at him shyly, "I'm only so excited because it's Kacchan." His heart leaped in his chest at her statement and she turned away with a scoff.
"Idiot," he muttered, squeezing her hand. "You're too fuckin' much, y'know that?"
"Heh, sorry," she apologized as she leaned against him.
"You're lucky you're cute," he scoffed, making her giggle.
"I like when you compliment me," she told him with a childish grin.
"Well, tch, you're lucky I like complimentin' you," he grumbled, making her giggle again. A breeze blew past and she huddled closer to him, her cheeks pink as she smiled up at him, and fuck she was just so damn cute. She tugged him along and they began walking through the park, and she even made a happy noise as the park light came on. They stopped to get some street food, and he almost dropped his chopsticks when she opened her mouth, waiting to be fed. It was all really nice and cute'n'shit, and at the end, he really, really wanted to kiss her.
"This was really fun, Kacchan," she smiled up at him. She had kept herself pressed against his side due to the chilly air, and while he enjoyed her body pressed up against his, he was worried she could hear or feel the racing of his heart.
"Yeah, it was fun, I enjoyed it," he said quietly as he smiled down at her.
"I-I hope I'm not being too forward," she said, looking down at her feet in embarrassment before looking up at him with a red face, "b-but, c-can I kiss you?"
"Do you even have to ask?" he laughed as he cupped her face in his hands.
"Wha-of course! Consent is very important, Kacchan! I don't want to overstep my-"
"Shut up," he chuckled, pressing his lips to hers to stop her rambling. She made a surprised sound in the back of her throat before pressing up into his lips. They pulled away after a few moments, both feeling breathless.
"Wow," Deku breathed out as her eyes fluttered open, a smile spreading across her face. "That, that was, wow," she giggled as she hugged him, her face pressed against his chest.
"You weren't so bad yourself, nerd," he said, making her look up at him with a pleased smile.
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Katsuki kept glancing at the clock, anxiously waiting for Deku to arrive. She normally had her break around this time, so where the fuck was she? Gah, he was being too clingy, wasn't he? He shook his head and went back to cleaning the countertop when a girl came up to the counter.
"Hello," she greeted with a flirty smile.
"What do you want?" he asked as he kept his gaze on what he was doing.
"I'd like to buy some flowers, please," she said, seemingly undeterred.
"Well, obviously," he scoffed. "This is a fuckin' flower shop, what else would'ya be here for?"
"Eh-heh, yeah," she laughed off with a blush. "Um, how much is this bouquet?"
"Did' ya not see the fuckin' price tag?" he asked her as he snatched the arrangement from her hands and checked the price. "Tch, it's 2,000 yen."
"Ah, sure," she nodded as she got out her wallet. "So, are you the only one who works here?"
"Do ya see anyone else with an apron on?" he asked her.
"Right, sorry," she laughed. "Do you arrange all the flowers yourself?"
"I do fuckin' everything myself," he snapped at her. "S'just me."
"They're very pretty," she said.
"Yeah, I know," he scoffed with a roll of his eyes.
"So, it's just you in here?" she asked him.
"I literally just said that," he said pointedly. "And I ain't lookin' to hire, so forget it."
"Well, it must get awfully lonely here, all by yourself," she cooed, trying to throw him a seductive grin, making him sneer.
"Look, lady, I," he paused as he heard the front door ring, glancing up to see Deku pop in.
"Kacchan!" she greeted as she came over. "Ah, sorry to interrupt you," she apologized with a smile.
"Y'weren't interruptin'," he said as she came around the counter. "I'm almost done here. She was just about to pay and get the hell out," he told her, sending a glare at the customer. "Why don't you wait in back for me, yeah?"
"Okay!" she smiled, leaning upon her tiptoes for a quick kiss, which he decided to keep out of reach. "Mmm, Kacchan!" she pouted up at him, though he just leaned back. "Ka-cchaaaan!" she whined.
"Alright, alright, fine," he chuckled as he leaned down to kiss her, at which point she made a happy noise in response.
"Um, excuse me?" the customer interrupted, the two turning to face him. She had a frown marring her face, her nose scrunched up like she'd smelled something rotten.
"Gimme a fuckin' second," he scowled before turning back to his adorable, red-faced girlfriend and kissed her forehead. "See you in a minute, okay?"
"Mm," she nodded, turning and heading into the back. He eyed her ass before turning back to the bitch of a customer.
"You're still here?" he asked, raising a brow at her, unimpressed. "Tell me what the fuck you want and leave."
"You're an ass," she hissed at him. He rolled his eyes and followed her to the front, stopping the door from being shut as he stuck his head out and shouted at her.
"A bigger one than what you've got," he called after her, closing and locking the door before she could retaliate. He hung up the 'be right back' sign and stalked into the back, a big grin on his face. He poked his head in to see Deku crouched down by a tray of saplings, talking to them, trying to figure out what they were.
"You kinda look like," she murmured, "mm, no, I don't think that's right... hmm." She was so damn weird and cute.
"I'm back," he announced loudly, startling her and making her fall back onto her ass with an 'oomph!'
"Kacchan!" she whined loudly as he laughed at her. "You scared me!"
"Oh, did I?" he chortled. "Couldn't fuckin' tell."
"You're so mean," she pouted as she got to her feet.
"You're fine, you big baby," he brushed off as he walked over to her and sat on a pile of stacked bags of soil, pulling her into his lap with an 'eep!'
"You're such a bully," she humphed at him as she looked over her shoulder.
"Mm, yeah, I am," he grinned wickedly at her. "Do something about it." She merely puffed her cheeks up at him, making him chuckle as he leaned down to bite her freckled skin.
"Ew! Kacchan!" she objected as he tightened his hold around her middle.
"You're so cute," he chuckled as her face turned red.
"'M not," she grumbled.
"Mhmm, sure," he drawled. "You tell yourself that, cutie."
"I'm not cute! I'm badass!" she objected. "I've got tattoos and piercings! I'm awesome!"
"That's true too," he nodded, "but you're a cute badass. My cute, little, badass girlfriend." Her face turned even pinker and he couldn't help but kiss her again.
"So, how's your day been?" she asked once her blush calmed down.
"Fine, I guess," he shrugged, "I've had some pain in the ass customers today," he complained.
"You think everyone is a pain in the ass," she teased.
"I'll be a pain in your ass," he shot back. "That lady was flirting with me when you came in."
"She was?" she asked, cocking her head up at him.
"Mm, fuckin' annoying," he huffed. "You should just stay with me all the time."
"Kacchan," she giggled. "You know I can't."
"Tch, not with that attitude," he scoffed, making her break down in giggles. "Maybe I should wear a ring'r somethin,'" he shrugged. "Eh, but they're a pain in the ass to deal with."
"You could get a tattoo on your ring finger," she suggested. "Lots of people do that."
"Hmm," he hummed. "Maybe, would you do it?"
"If you wanted, sure," she smiled. "But make sure you really want it."
"I really want you," he grinned wolfishly as he nibbled at her neck. She laughed as he kept her trapped against his chest, tickling her mercilessly. "But don't worry, I'll be smart."
"Mm, I know," she nodded, a little flushed and breathless from being tickled. She was fucking adorable, he couldn't take it.
"I love you," he blurted out.
"Wh-what?" she asked, turning around to look at him with wide eyes. "Y-you, you love, me?"
"W-well, yeah," he nodded, his face was hot, but he didn't take his words back. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to, to spring that on you.."
"N-no! Don't apologize!" she said as she turned some more in his lap. "I-I-"
"You don't," he interrupted, "you don't have to say it back," he said, his heart hammering in his chest as he looked away. He didn't want to hear her say she didn't love him back.
"Kacchan," she said quietly, tilting his head back to face her, before pressing her lips to his. He sighed and relaxed into the kiss, adjusting his grip on her hips before she pulled back.
"I don't," she paused. "I-I think I love you, I-I'm sure I do, b-but, I'm scared. I'm scared that, that you'll realize I'm not special, a-and-"
"Oi," he snapped, making her look up in surprise. "You think any extra is able to put up with me? I think that makes you pretty special," he said, making her let out a wet little laugh.
"I-I'm sure there's someone better out there-"
"Well fuck them," he interrupted. "I'm not interested in some hypothetical, made-up person. I'm interested in you, with your stupid face, and your stupid tattoos, and stupid butt," she laughed again. "I'm not an easy person to love, Deku, I fuckin' know that, but if you're still with me after knowing what an asshole I am, still wanting to be with me, then I think you're pretty fucking special. You don't have to tell me you love me back, especially if you're not ready, I can wait." She choked on a sob before she curled into him as he held her tight.
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Deku hadn't come to see him for a few days, and she wasn't responding normally. He scrolled through their text conversation to find her address, closed the shop, and caught a train to her apartment, climbing the stairs until he found her door, and knocked. He waited patiently before knocking again and waited some more. He tested the doorknob, surprised and alarmed to find it was unlocked. He slipped inside and began to explore, looking around for his girlfriend. Her apartment was pretty nice, nothing fancy, but it definitely screamed 'Deku.'
"Deku?" he called out, not seeing a trace of her. "Deku?"
"Kacchan?" her voice came softly from down the hall. He walked towards the short hallway to see Deku poking her head out, a look of confusion on her face. "Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked as he approached.
"I was worried," he said, taking in her appearance. Her hair was disheveled, more so than usual, and dull. Her cheeks looked a bit sunken and her skin was pale. She had bags under her eyes and her clothes looked days old.
"I-I'm fine," she insisted quietly. "I'm sorry you came all this way."
"Don't be sorry," he said gently. "Have you eaten today?"
"I'm fine," she said, not looking at him, her gaze focused downwards.
"That's not what I asked," he replied. "Have you eaten?" She stayed silent but eventually shook her head no. "When was the last time you washed?" She shrugged, still staring at her feet. "Okay, you go and take a shower, I'll make you something to eat."
"Y-you don't have to-"
"I know," he interrupted her. "But I want to. Now, go bathe, I'll whip something up. I'm the best cook ever, remember?"
"Mm," she nodded as she padded quietly into the bathroom and shut the door. Katsuki let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as he made his way into the kitchen. Fuck, he'd never seen Deku like that before, it was all, wrong. She looked duller than normal, and it didn't sit well with him at all. He had to make her feel better, somehow. He began rifling through her fridge and pantry, relieved that she at least seemed well-stocked on food, so he began pulling ingredients out onto the counter. He remembered her once mentioning that katsudon was her favorite, so he would make the best damn katsudon she'd ever had.
He began cutting, chopping, stirring, pouring, doing everything with love and care. She didn't like her food too spicy, she preferred more savory flavors, so he made sure to keep it to her liking. He made sure there were enough for a few days, so she wouldn't have to worry about making food for a few days. Maybe he could do some shopping for her, she probably hadn't been feeding herself properly. That dumbass. He knew it wasn't her fault, but that was just how he reacted when he was worried. He knew she knew that, but he wanted to keep his temper in check for her wellbeing. She probably wasn't in the best mindset, and might not react well to his usual biting remarks.
He heard the water running in the background, and hoped she was doing okay. He shook his head, she could wash herself on her own, he didn't need to supervise her. But, he also recalled how she still struggled with thoughts of self-harm, and he didn't want her to hurt herself. He was close to finishing up the katsudon when he heard the water shut off, and a few minutes later, he heard the bathroom door open and her shuffling back into her bedroom. She didn't come out as he finished and served the food, so he put the stove on low and went to find her.
"Deku?" he asked gently as he rapped his knuckles on the door, poking his head in to see her laying down, still wrapped in a towel. "Hey, the food's done."
"Mm," she hummed. "Thanks, Kacchan. You don't have to stay anymore. Sorry to bother you."
"I'm not leaving," he said as he walked into her room. It was lived in, and a bit messy, but her desk by the window was an artistic explosion of papers, pencils, watercolors, and other supplies. "C'mon, get changed and we can eat together, yeah?" he posed as he rifled through her drawers to find her some clean clothes. He grabbed a shirt, shorts, and, with a red face, some underwear for her to wear, before turning back to her. Her towel was slumped down her back, revealing the wings and stars she had tattooed there, and it was just as beautiful as all her other ones.
"Here," he said as he sat down next to her and handed her the clothes. "Get changed, and brush your hair, yeah?" She deftly nodded her head and took the clothes, letting the towel drop as she began to get dressed. He quickly turned his head away to give her some privacy, his face red as he caught more of her chest than he'd meant to. "You done?"
"Mm," she hummed, causing him to turn back around.
"Let's get your hair brushed," he said as he took her hand and pulled her up, as well as grabbing her towel. He led her to the bathroom and toweled her hair dry, which was still dripping with water, before grabbing her hairbrush and carefully untangling it. They stayed silent as he brushed and ran his fingers through her wet curls, gently working through each catch and tangle before plugging in her hairdryer. He blew her hair dry, marveling at how soft it was as it got dryer and fluffier before he finished. She looked back at him with her big, confused, beautiful eyes, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"C'mon, the food's gonna get cold," he said gently as he led her to the living room. "I made your favorite, katsudon, right?"
"Mm," she nodded as she sat down on the couch, pulling her knees close to her chest.
"I'll grab it for us, wanna watch a movie?" he asked as he grabbed the bowls of food. She shrugged as he set her bowl in her hands. "I'll put something on," he nodded as he took a seat beside her. "Eat." She sighed and began to slowly eat, making a pleased little noise as she continued. That made him feel better. He turned the TV on and looked for a movie to play before he dug in. He felt her lean against him, a little sniff leaving her.
"You okay?" he asked as he set his bowl down and wrapped his arm around her. She shook her head as she choked on a sob, burying deeper into him as he held her close. "You wanna talk about it? You don't have to, whatever you want, I'll listen, or just hang out until you feel better, I-"
"Wh-why?" she asked with a hoarse voice. "I-I'm not worth a-all this-"
"Yes, you are," he interrupted, giving her a tight squeeze. "You're worth all of this and more. I love you, remember? You're important to me, and I don't want you to feel this way on your own, especially because you're not alone." She let out another sob as she clutched desperately to him, and he didn't even care about the tears and snot on his shirt, he just wanted her to feel better.
"I love you, Izuku," he said softly as he rubbed her back. "I don't know what thoughts are bouncin' around that beautiful head'a yours, but you're a lot greater than you think you are. I'm not, good at this, at dealing with mental health problems, I've never really had to deal with them, but I'll do whatever you need me to so you can feel better, okay? And I'm not leaving." She continued to weep into his shirt as he held her, patiently waiting for her to get it all out, murmuring 'I love you'd to her. Eventually, she seemed to get it all out, and pulled away with a sniffle, wiping away her tears.
"Want something to drink?" he asked.
"Y-yes please," she nodded, giving him a tiny, little smile. He nodded, pressed a kiss to her hairline and got up. "A-and another bowl, please?" He smiled at her before picking up their bowls and serving her some more food, bringing back the food and drink for her. He held her as she ate and drank, the two selecting a better movie to watch, and he was pleased to hear her begin muttering to herself during it.
"Feel better?" he asked her.
"Much," she nodded at him. "Not 100%, but, much better."
"That's good," he said, kissing the top of her head. "And I can stay here as long as you want. And after I get back to the shop, I can bring over some plants for you that need some love."
"Okay, Kacchan," she said as she curled into him.
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