Work Text:
That day when Kirishima invited Bakugou to a coffee shop to study, he would have said no. As reckless and wild as people said he was, the straight-A student hardly enjoyed stepping out his daily routine of high school, gym, and food. His classmate and friend knew he could not resist a quality cup of coffee, but he also knew that he often opted for the solitude that store-bought coffee grounds allotted to him. Bakugou hardly enjoyed going to fast food restaurants let alone a coffee shop.
Plus Ultra Cafe happened to be the closest place to their school. That morning, the blond recalled tossing the bag of his favorite Dark Roast blend into the trash can. Even before then, he had to suffer through a watered down version of his favorite drink because his stupid coffee maker couldn't keep up. For whatever reason, Kirishima was trying to sell this place like the funds fed his family.
Bakugou decided to go if for any reason but the fact that he had been caffeine-deprived that entire day. His throbbing headache plagued him.
"So, Sero is gonna meet us a little later," Kirishima explained as he hustled in the direction of the cafe's entrance. He noticed how Bakugou lead the way. Perhaps, he was a bit more eager than he let on.
The smooth, earthy scent certainly lured him. When he pulled the door open, a bell chimed and the tune of new age easy listening music assaulted him as soon as he stepped onto the rug-topped wood floors. He had never been to an establishment of its kind, but he already hated the pretentious atmosphere of Apple laptops and over-the-top pop art on the walls. Earthy colors like bark and rose coordinated the couches and walls in a way that made Bakugou's eyebrow twitch.
He would have turned around and gone to the nearest convenience store instead, but the particularly round face of the sole barista caught his eye. She jumped and turned around like she feared his intimidating glower. How amusing. As he shuffled his feet and gravitated towards the counter, a malicious grin grew on his face. She certainly differed from most of the people in the shop.
While he could not name the contrasting traits, she piqued his interest enough for him to stick around and find out. Kirishima went off to claim their table and Bakugou stalked his prey. Slamming a hand onto the counter, he ordered, "Okay, round face, I want a venti dark roast blend - black." Odd. She failed to jump when he hit the wood surface. Most people would have.
She nodded before glancing over her shoulder to read the chalkboard menu on the wall behind her. "Um," she stammered. "So how many creams and sugars do you want?"
"I said black!"
"Sorry, I'm new," she apologized with a giant smile as she turned back to him. "Is that all?"
Bakugou grumbled and barked, "Even an idiot knows what black coffee means."
Pulling her long, brunette bangs back, she sheepishly smiled as she scratched her temple, "Yeah, I guess I'm not much of a coffee drinker. I do like tea. I'm learning, though!"
Such cutting honesty. She had the audacity and strength to admit to her faults and ignorance. Since Bakugou avoided other flavorings, he too had remained ignorant to much of the coffee world. But he would never admit that.
"Okay!" she declared as she raised a black sharpie in the air. "One large dark black coffee coming right up! You're Bakugou, right?"
How did she know his name? He took a double take of her name tag.
"Oh, hey, Uraraka. When did you start working here?" asked Kirishima as he folded his arms behind his head.
Uraraka squinted her eyes to concentrate on spelling her customer's name. "Today, actually. Did you want anything, Kirishima?" she greeted with an equally pleasant smile from before.
Bakugou muttered, "Uraraka." The winds of her name skated through his teeth. Her coffee brown hair and her almond colored eyes and round, pink cheeks all chimed a series of bells in Bakugou's mind. They went to the same school and had the same classes.
He mused over that as he stomped back to his seat and waited for her to finish his drink. From his chair, he had a clear view of her across the room. And he kept it clear by shifting in his seat as people crowded his line of vision. Analyzing her behavior, he twirled the coffee straw he picked up from the counter.
Sero had apparently joined Kirishima along with Kaminari. For whatever reason, they didn't order but of course, that didn't matter to Bakugou. A few times they tried to break his concentration, but to avail, he stayed fixated on the pathetic barista.
Several people entered the shop and bombarded her with their arbitrary orders and specific requests because the guy that usually works there does such a good job. He watched as she spilled scorching hot water on the floor and nearly dodged to avoid a severe burn. All the while she kept that offensively white smile on her face with a focused glint of determination in her eyes.
Someone shouted at her for the blunder. Bakugou bent the straw in half and slammed it on the table before marching back over the counter. He cut past several people in line. "What's going on? Where's my drink?" he demanded to know the obvious - she got caught up with other customers. He didn't like that. If anyone would snatch her attention with their scathing demands, he wanted it to be him.
Bakugou smirked at the tiny furrow in her brow as she glared up at him. Chills washed down his back as he continued to leer down into those deep, earthy eyes of hers. Not only was he amused by her confidence, he was impressed.
"You interrupted my order," complained a young, irrelevant man from behind.
Jumping up and sliding over an empty space on the counter, he grabbed a cup and labeled it "hipster jackass number 1." With dry, crimson eyes he made eye contact and asked, "I'll take your order since this barista doesn't know a cup of coffee from a cup of shit." After he noticed the wavering fervor in the trembling man's disposition, he noticed a cheat sheet plastered that dictated the combination of all the drinks they showed. "Tall Machiato, you said? Sit your ass down, and it'll be ready in a second."
Watching her struggle like she had annoyed him to no end.
Sweat cascaded down Uraraka's forehead as she trembled. "Y-You're gonna help me? I don't know if you can do that," she weakly protested.
What happened to all that insolent spunk she had moments prior? Regardless, he would not have listened to her. "Shut up and get the foam shit ready!" Bakugou ordered. "You, lady with the stupid wig, what do you want?" He pointed to a middle age woman with a bright red wig.
"Okay," reluctantly agreed Uraraka as she slouched her shoulders and sighed.
Somehow, they made it through the crowd of customers that had gathered and even more impatient coffee addicts that entered, and everyone had either left or taken their spot in a corner of the quiet cafe. By the end of the line, the sun had set and nearly an hour had passed.
Uraraka bowed and smiled, "Thanks a lot, Bakugou. I really needed help. Hopefully, they hire another person soon. I guess it's kind of hard for just two people to trade shifts all the time, but I gotta do this no matter what." For her family. The coffee pot caught her attention, and she maneuvered to prepare another cup. Fortunately, it was hot enough. When she tilted the pot, a chocolatey, dark stream ribboned down into the cup she held a considerable distance below. Not a single drop spilled.
Quick learner. "Where was that skill earlier?" chided Bakugou as he pointed an accusatory finger at his temporary co-worker.
"Oh? I'm getting better or somethin'?" she chirped without carelessly averting her attention. Placing a lid on the top, she rotated the cup to reveal Bakugou's name written in simple, hirigana characters. She raised the cup a few inches in front of her and took a long whiff of the earthy scent of pure coffee. "One big, black and dark coffee for Bakugou."
Now, Bakugou recalled the sensation of a racing heart that often accompanied his hot cup of morning coffee, but he had never experienced it before taking a sip. By some anomaly, he noticed a peculiar boost of energy that caused small tremors in his knees and a twitch in his cheek. Bringing the edge of the lid to his mouth, he huffed away the steam before allowing the perfectly hot, artisan coffee cascade down his throat.
Simple. Strong. Flawless. Just like he liked it.
Her eyes widened as she gawked at Bakugou chugging the drink like it was iced tea. "Is that okay for you to drink like that?"
"Yeah, it was the best damn coff-," he began but then he immediately stopped as he caught sight of the ecstatic grin that swept across her face. Like a bolt of radiant energy shot through her body, she perked up her posture and widened her shimmering brown eyes. Did that almost compliment excite her to that degree? He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and damned the thought from his mind. After all, he could surely make a cup for her that would put every ounce of effort of hers to shame.
However, her sharp and quick gasp settled into a flustered sigh as she held her pink cheeks with her hands. "Deku," she sang in a sweet and calm tone.
Deku? As in his childhood dork of a friend? Sure enough, when he turned around, he saw the timid and awkward classmate at the counter directly behind him. She had been looking at him.
"Hey, Uraraka and Kacchan. I didn't know you worked here, too," noted Midoriya.
Bakugou immediately felt a shock of pain shoot through his chest - quick yet remarkable. His eyes never left her back as she moved past him, and he resented the fact that she had her back towards him in the first place.
Uraraka ran up to Midoriya like a helpless puppy and leaned over the counter for small talk. She put up her cream, white apron and washed her hands. "I guess we're going back to the dorms for the day. I'll see you at school tomorrow," she waved.
"Wait, you're not gonna leave me here, are you? I don't even work here!" he shouted. There's an idea. He could work there. Then, he'd be able to pick up where they left off and repeatedly overshadow her with his coffee-making expertise. Week after week he'd work by her side and watch her fumble over herself. He couldn't wait.
"Oh, Aizawa said I could leave at the end of my shift. He's in the back."
Bakugou tensed every muscle in his body as he looked back at the ominous brown door where an orange tabby cat scratched at the surface. Was that bastard in the back the entire damn time? Well, that was his door of opportunity - literally.
His ears twitched at the chiming of the bell near the door as Uraraka exited the cafe. A frown dropped on his face as he recalled the sensations of working next to her in the coffee shop. He felt the loss and hurried towards the door of the manager to remedy it.
The next day, Uraraka opened the door to her second day at work and slipped in. A slight sense of dread hung over her head. Sure, she had improved, but she wasn't confident that she would be as efficient on her own.
"Oi, round face, you need to start showing up earlier than that."
Her eyes dialated before recognizing that caustic, masculine voice. Turning around, a bright smile sparkled on her face as she gasped, "Eh? Bakugou?" Her heart floated before picking up speed, for, she had gotten a taste of the contact high of working in a coffee shop. Something new that accompanied the arrival of her new coworker.
Wonderful and promising euphoria.
A/N: *throws garbage bag into the world wide web before passing out* Goodnight, folks. I wanted to name this Coffeuphoria but nobody would remember that.