Out of the Oven and into Your Heart 1/1
Sep. 19th, 2022 06:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crezhulTitle: Out of the Oven and into Your Heart
Author:crezhul
Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia
Pairing: Midoriya x Todoroki
Category: Romance, Fluff
Rating: T
Content: Yaoi
Summary: The way into a man's heart is through his stomach. The baker Midoriya hires Todoroki to carry out carpentry work. But is that all Midoriya wants from Todoroki?
Out of the Oven and into Your Heart
Shouto sat on the cafe deck that evening, indulging himself with a warm and buttery cheese croissant.
He loved those flaky pastries, savouring the way they melted in his mouth and so he took another bite of the croissant while glancing at the patrons in his vicinity.
Chomping down on a powdery doughnut, was the young boy sitting with his mother on Shouto's left. Meanwhile the women on Shouto's right, chatted over chocolate-frosted cake and coffee.
In all it was shaping up to be a peaceful dining experience at Mighty Sweets and Treats for Shouto, until the owner toted a tray of food over to a table at the head of the deck.
The receiving customer kicked up a fuss, drawing Shouto's gaze to a curious scene playing out. Izuku was seemingly apologising to an irritated man before moving to grab a chair from a vacant table for the man to sit on.
What happened to the chair? Pondered the carpenter in Shouto, lifting a brow. He wanted nothing more than to examine the piece of furniture in that moment, to fix it up if possible. However, the face Izuku made before turning away, urged Shouto to do otherwise.
Getting up, Shouto abandoned his meal and followed his bothered friend indoors, catching up to him by the counter.
"Are you okay?" Shouto gazed down at Izuku with concern.
The long pause Izuku took before replying, suggested that Izuku was anything but okay. "Let's talk in there." Izuku gestured at the lunch room.
Accordingly, the two men walked beyond the counter to the small room that was thankfully empty.
"I'm...I could've hurt my customer just now." Izuku admitted, shaking his head in disbelief.
"How do you mean?" Shouto asked, despite having a gist of what had happened.
Looking away, Izuku broke eye contact and stared at the floor. "He was sitting on a crooked chair...he could've fallen and gotten paralysed."
"And it's my fault, I should've known the chair was bad. This is my fault."
Shouto frowned at the remorse colouring Izuku's voice. Harming anyone was the last thing Izuku could ever want; Izuku was too kind of soul after all.
Shouto had experienced that kindness first hand when Shouto drifted into the bakery cafe, lost and very new to the town. Izuku helped him figure things out and treated him to a croissant free of cost. Now it was Shouto's turn to return the gesture by helping Izuku now.
"These things happen, Midoriya. You would not have noticed the damage a week ago." Shouto began, keeping his tone soft and gentle.
"What matters is what you do now. You can check the rest of chairs for damage and I can replace the bad ones for you."
Izuku's gaze lifted to Shouto's, his round cheeks filling with colour. "That's...a very good way of looking at things, Todoroki-san."
"But what do you mean by replace?"
The answer would earn Shouto a once over. "I am a carpenter, I can make you new chairs."
"Wow, I had no idea, it explains how you could say what you did though."
Truth be told, Shouto hardly felt like a carpenter these days, his dry spell of customers had been on going for far too long. However, Izuku's next words could break that cycle.
"Well in that case, you can swing by in morning. I'll let you know how many chairs are bad and we can take things from there." Izuku suggested.
Shouto's tone hid his relief and hopefulness."It is a plan."
And seeing that all seemed well with the baker, Shouto opted to leave and strode toward the door. "I will let you back to work."
To his surprise, Izuku grabbed Shouto's hand on the way out, flashing Shouto a grateful smile."Thank you Todoroki-san."
The prospect of gaining a potential job, had Shouto beating the alarm clock next morning, eager for his meeting with Izuku.
And so with the extra time on his hands, Shouto prepared a hearty breakfast and carried out some chores around the house before getting ready.
Loosening the top button on his shirt now, Shouto stepped into the workshop, his mismatched eyes falling on the array of equipment and tools in the room.
Naturally, the urge to use them tugged at Shouto's skin since Shouto hardly used his tools outside of his work on personal projects; few people had been willing to trust the carpentry services of the new comer in town.
"Maybe things will change, " Shouto said, grabbing his bag off the desk.
And with that thought on his mind, he strode out the door.
Ochako had been manning the counter at Mighty Sweets and Treats when Shouto walked in and waved Shouto over with her signature smile. "Good morning, Todoroki-san, are you looking for Deku?"
"Ah yes, can you let him know that I am here please." Shouto asked.
"Of course, I'll get him for you!" She chirped.
Grateful, Shouto thanked her and idly wondered if a bubbly personality was a prerequisite for working at the bakery cafe. Spotting Kouta, the serious janitor thereafter, Shouto quickly snuffed out the thought. 'No it isn't.'
Soon enough Ochako appeared with Izuku in tow. "Morning Todoroki-san, would you like anything before we get started?"
The two men eventually settled at a table in the quieter section in the restaurant. Izuku watched Shouto over the rim of his tea cup."You know, I didn't peg you for a carpenter."
A red brow arched in amusement. "Oh? What did you think I was?"
"An artist." Izuku answered a beat later.
Shouto could not help the tiny smile that tugged at his lips. After all, Shouto considered carpentry to be a form of art. "You were close."
Chuckling at that, Izuku leaned forward. "Can I have a look at the work you've done?"
"Of course." Shouto reached into his bag, retrieved his portfolio, handing it to Izuku to peruse.
Carefully, Izuku studied the glossy pages showcasing Shouto's best work but whatever pride Shouto felt about his own projects faded when Izuku reached the end of the portfolio too fast.
"It is probably not as extensive as you expected." Shouto flicked a wary gaze at Izuku, hoping the man was not discouraged by the quantity of Shouto's work. "I haven't been in the business for very long."
To his surprise, Izuku waved the concern away, saying. "We all have to start somewhere...besides I know good work when I see it."
All Shouto could do was let out a huge breath before uttering a grateful. "Thank you."
From there the men discussed the findings of Izuku's chair inspection and later moved to the deck for Shouto to take measurements of one of the cafe chairs.
The carpenter would spent the greater part of the day calling hardware and lumber stores in attempt to work out the estimated cost of building said chairs.
"These are fresh from the oven." Izuku announced, setting down a plate of savoury muffins on the table where Shouto sat.
"I can tell." Shouto inhaled the scent of rosemary and thyme that wafted from the cheesy baked treats; they smelt heavenly.
The two were meeting again at bakery cafe to discuss the projected cost of building new chairs for the deck. Thus Shouto was a mere step away from securing the job with Izuku.
Drawing a chair, the baker got seated at the table and cut to the matter at hand. "What's the damage?"
"Here you go." Shouto opted to let the numbers do the talking and passed the estimate to Izuku before picking up a savoury muffin.
Be that as it may, Shouto forgot to chew the thing upon seeing Izuku lift a green in a brow in question. Did Shouto overcharge Izuku on the estimate?
Fortunately that assumption proved false. Setting the paper down, Izuku shook his head and confessed. "I thought this was going to be more expensive."
"I wanted to be fair," Shouto leaned back in the chair, starting on the muffin again.
Running a finger across a freckled cheek, Izuku questioned him."That's hard to do, isn't it?"
"Hm?" Shouto's eyes followed the movement.
"I mean striking the balance between labour and pricing. You want to make a profit off your work but you don't want to rip your customers off either."
Truth be told, Shouto shared the sentiment, leading him to always choose quality lumber and building materials at the best rates, to keep costs reasonable for his customers.
Considering the man that sat across the table from Shouto, Shouto made a pointed look at the patrons in the bakery cafe.
A good crowd had turned out that morning, filling their bellies with the delicious food the restaurant served. Others waited in line eager to be dispatched food and drink to consume on the go. "Yes, it can be hard but by the look of things, I say you are doing things right. "
The compliment brought a smile to Izuku's face."I guess you're right."
Growing serious, Izuku added the words Shouto had been itching to hear. "The same goes for you, I look forward to working with you, Todoroki-san."
"As do I." Shouto nodded, determined to make the best chairs for his new client. "I will not let you down, Midoriya."
"Beautiful." Shouto lay a palm down on teak board, marvelling at the smooth texture beneath his hand. He deemed the wood type perfect for making durable outdoor furniture, thus he chose to use it in his new project.
Preparing to cut the board, Shouto put on gloves and goggles per safety and picked up his power saw. The tool revved to life just like Shouto's soul always did at the start of every project. And effortlessly he made the first cut to the wood, then another, sending woodchips scattering in the air.
Those cut pieces of board would be glued together and shaped into a seat; a few steps among the many involved in chair making.
Accordingly, the carpenter delved into the woodworking process all week as if he was making up for previous weeks of downtime. Therefore, Shouto was too fixated on smoothing out the chair in front of him to notice the presence of another in his workshop that afternoon.
"Todoroki-san?" A familiar voice called out to Shouto, giving him pause.
Looking up, Shouto met the gaze of his client. "Midoriya? What brings you here?"
The answer would soon bring heat to the carpenter's face.
"Ah, well, I didn't hear from you in while, so I thought I'd check in on you."
Shouto set the card scraper down, averting his gaze. "I'm sorry, I should have contacted you but...I lost track of time."
Perhaps it had been too long since the last job, too long since he worked with wood. Still he had the terms of his contract to follow and he failed to do so by not updating Izuku with his progress on the project. "It is not an excuse."
Eyes filled with understanding looked at Shouto. "Maybe not but I know what it's like to lose yourself in something. It happens to me all the time, especially when I'm trying new recipes out."
"So don't worry about it okay? I knew you weren't the type to slack off anyway."
An unnamed emotion flitted across Shouto's face, stemming from the empathy and understanding that Izuku had shown him once more. Shouto counted his lucky stars for having Izuku for a friend. "Thank you for believing in me."
Izuku gave him a wink and walked towards the set of chairs resting on on the table top. "I see the chairs are coming along well!"
"Yes, those ones over there are nearly done, they only need a coat of wood finish." Shouto reported his progress on them. "I will do that after I make the rest of chairs."
Seemingly satisfied, Izuku nodded. "Keep up the good work then!"
"I will."
Thinking this was probably the cue Izuku might take to say goodbye and leave for the bakery cafe, Shouto prepared to see him off. Nonetheless, the other man had something else in mind.
"Say Todoroki-san, did you have lunch all ready?" Izuku asked.
Shouto shook his head. "Not yet."
"Oh good, I brought us lunch." Izuku patted the green bag on his shoulder.
Shouto's eyes widened at the sweet gesture, warmth flooded his chest. Never had anyone made Shouto any meals save his mother and sister. "How nice of you."
Scanning the room thereafter, Shouto quickly searched for an appropriate spot for Izuku and himself to share the meal. "We can sit on that bench over there, unless you want to go up stairs."
Izuku was content with the first choice. "The bench is fine."
Wood shavings crunched under the pairs' feet as they made the short walk to a corner of the workshop, away from the tools and equipment.
Once seated on the bench, Izuku unzipped the lunch bag and handed Shouto a thermos flask and lunch box that was opened up to reveal two delicious steak sandwiches, consisting of beef, red pepper, spinach, cilantro and mozzarella layered between fresh ciabatta bread.
Biting into the divine sandwich, Shouto realised he had missed Izuku's cooking and talking with the man at the cafe. "How are things going with you?"
Izuku set his cup down. "Okay for now. I added black forest cake to the dessert menu, it's been selling pretty well."
"I have to try it then," Shouto said despite not knowing what type of cake it was. He only knew it was tasty since Izuku made it.
Izuku grinned. "I'll save you a slice."
"I will hold you to your word." Shouto responded in kind before taking a sip of tea.
While taking a bite of his own sandwich, Izuku latched his gaze onto the chairs again. "You know, I still can't believe you weren't doing carpentry for very long, you look like a natural."
"I make mistakes." Shouto was guilty of spoiling good wood in the past when he overestimated the measurements. "But I try to learn from them and do the best job that I can."
"That you do," Izuku said softly, shifting a jean-clad leg.
And as if wanting to know about more about Shouto's carpentry, Izuku followed up with a personal question. "What made you switch to carpentry, if you don't mind me asking?"
Shouto looked down at the cup in his hand, recalling images of his traditional styled childhood home and its beautiful wooden furniture that captivated him from the start. "All my life I admired the craftsmanship and designs of the woodwork around me but I never gave thought of becoming a carpenter...I went into the family business like all my siblings had."
"However I sat in my office one day and realised that I did not want to spend the rest of my life working there. So I quit my job, went to trade school and became a carpenter." Reflected Shouto with hint of pride in his voice. "It felt right."
"I'm glad you followed your heart." Izuku said, his expression thoughtful.
"So am I."
There was a lull in the conversation as the two men worked on their sandwiches in comfortable silence. Shouto's thoughts drifted to Izuku and Izuku's motivations for becoming a baker. Was it inevitable for someone so fiercely talented at cooking?
It only took one more gaze at Izuku for the question to form on Shouto's lips. "What made you go into baking?"
A look on wistfulness settled on Izuku's face before he gave Shouto an unlikely answer. "It began with the orphanage I grew up in. The food was horrible there, I used to dread eating anything."
Eyes shining Izuku continued. "That all changed when my father adopted me....he'd make the most delicious food and treats that would cheer me up and make me smile."
"So I wanted the food I made to do the same thing for others."
You are amazing. Thought a touched Shouto at the end of Izuku's heart felt story. How could anyone's motivations be this pure and sweet?
Locking eyes with Izuku, Shouto praised him. "Your food absolutely has that kind of effect, even right now."
"I'm glad to hear that." Izuku's face reddened, lighting up the freckles on his cheeks like fireflies.
Before long the lunch boxes and thermos flasks were empty and Shouto offered to wash them, only to have Izuku decline. The baker insisted that Shouto return to his chair-making instead.
"Keep up in touch," he had said upon departing, leaving Shouto with a deepening appreciation for the man.
Obeying his client's wishes, Shouto kept Izuku updated on the project and was pleasantly surprised by the daily lunch that Izuku prepared and sent to him via Kouta; it made Shouto's heart feel full.
Another week found Shouto parked in Mighty Sweets and Treat's parking lot with a crowd of 3 waiting outside his van.
Opening the rear door, he revealed the completed set of teak cafe chairs to Izuku and Izuku's employees.
"Wow, they're absolutely gorgeous with the wood stain applied!" Exclaimed Izuku, his eyes roving over the glossy wooden furniture, with a gleam. "Excellent work, Todoroki-san!"
Appraising the new chairs, Kouta grunted in approval.
"These look even better than the old ones, even though the design is pretty much the same!" Ochako grinned, giving Shouto the thumbs up.
A shy Shouto rubbed the back of his neck, murmuring, "thank you." He was not used to receiving that many compliments at once.
"Let's get these inside guys," Izuku ordered.
Everyone handled the shiny new chairs with care, lifting them carefully into their new home. Come tomorrow they would be placed on deck for the customers to sit on.
Speaking of chairs, Shouto remembered the old ones and so he turned to Kouta, with a question. "Do you know what Midoriya did with the old chairs?"
"He sent them to the dump." Kouta slung a bag across his shoulder.
"He beat me to it," Shouto said, casting his gaze at the man in question who was taking a call on his cell.
And had not Shouto been distracted, Shouto would notice that Kouta and Ochako were watching Shouto watch their boss.
"Now that you're done with the chairs, will you be coming around again?" Ochako asked, her tone hopeful.
"I will." Shouto nodded. "It has been a while."
Ochako piped up. "Great! Deku really missed y-"
Whatever she wanted to say was cut off by a red-faced Izuku who startled his employees when he appeared beside them. "Ochako. Kouta. Don't you have somewhere to be now?"
Ochako tried to stifle a laugh behind her hand. "Ah right! See you guys later!"
Bidding Shouto and Izuku a quiet goodbye, Kouta followed Ochako out of the bakery cafe, leaving the two men alone.
Izuku went off to fetch Shouto's pay, cheque but he returned with more than just the payment. The baker brought over a plate of walnut banana bread and a glass of cold milk as a treat for his contractor.
"Thank you for the stellar service." Izuku opened up the bill holder, produced a cheque and handed it to Shouto.
"Thank you." Shouto tucked the cheque away, his fingers tingling at the compliment, compensation or both. "It has been a pleasure working with you."
A smile quirked Izuku's lips. "Same for me too."
That said, the baker's subsequent request would still take the carpenter back. "Would you mind taking a look at the deck before you go? I think a board is creaking."
"Of course not." Shouto blinked, his face going slack.
Onward to Sunday morning, Shouto was down on the decking, knees pressed against hard board as he made measurements with a pencil and speed square.
His inspection of the deck had revealed worn boards, resulting in Izuku hiring him to repair it over the weekend.
Mismatched eyes traced the recently pencilled lines on the wood now, taking in the area that Shouto needed to cut out before slotting a new board in place; Shouto likened the activity to swapping out worn pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and fitting in new ones.
Nonetheless those newly fitted 'pieces' soon stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the older 'pieces' and so Shouto worked to make them blend in, hence preparing the deck for wood staining.
He was in the thick of things, hosing the deck down with the pressure washer when a hint of green caught his eye.
Standing on the grass was Izuku holding a tray in his hands. Shouto's lips curved and he powered down the pressure washer and walked over to him.
"Hi Midoriya." Shouto's nose caught a waft of cocoa and vanilla.
"Hey Todoroki-san, I thought you could use a snack." Izuku broke eye contact to glance at the wet deck. "But by the look of things you'll have to eat this inside."
The snack in question was brought into the cafe thereafter, leading Shouto to gaze down at a decadent looking slice of chocolate cake that was paired with cherry tea.
"Is this Black Forest cake?" Shouto asked, moving a forkful of fluffy cake towards his mouth.
Across the table, Izuku's eyes widened. "Yes, you remembered."
How could I forget when its involves your cooking?" Shouto's toes curled at the explosion of flavour in his mouth. There was no wonder why the cake sold well; it was heavenly.
"Good thing I keep my promises then." Izuku teased, voice leaking with humour.
"Feel free to make more of them." Shouto quipped, curling his fingers around the tea cup. "This is delicious."
# # #
After the break, Shouto dove back into the deck cleaning, working tirelessly throughout the day to bring a shine to the boards. So it had been evening when Izuku popped around to visit him again.
"You sure work fast, Todoroki-san!" Said Izuku, raking his gaze across the deck. "You look like you're nearly done."
Shouto was spreading wood stain on the stairs, carrying out the final phase of his job. "This type of job can be done in a day if you're using the right deck cleaner and wood stain."
"Well whatever you chose totally saved me from having to close in the week." Izuku laughed.
Shouto liked the idea of saving Izuku and his customers from such an inconvenience. "Glad it was helpful."
There was a pause as Izuku shifted on his feet weight before dropping a tempting offer. "I'm about to make dinner, do you care to join me later?"
Hand stilling on the brush, Shouto looked over at Izuku, meeting green expectant eyes. "Yes I will come by."
Oddly enough, time ground to a halt following the invite, crawling as Shouto completed his work, packed up the tools and drove the short distance to his own house.
Once home, he showered and changed into a dark sweater and snug jeans, making an effort to top his usual look for a reason Shouto still had yet to discover.
Knocking on Izuku's door later that evening, Shouto ignored the dance of nerves in his stomach as he waited for Izuku to answer.
Said man appeared in the doorway soon after, sliding an appreciative gaze up and down Shouto's body before seemingly remembering his manners. "Y-you're right on time, come on in."
"Thank you for having me." A pleased Shouto stepped inside, unaware that something was heading his way.
Bounding towards Shouto was a black feline that nuzzled Shouto on the leg.
"Your cat, Midoriya?" Shouto bent low and rubbed its furry head, receiving a contented purr from the black cat.
Izuku curled his lips at the sight. "Yup, I think Juusan likes you."
"Do you now?" Shouto stroked her chin. He was fond of the little creatures too.
Juusan meowed as if answering the question and went over to her owner, allowing Shouto to take his shoes off.
Before long the cat wandered off and Shouto entered a room that was distinctly Izuku, with its mint walls, sprinkling of potted plants and modern furniture. But what caught Shouto's eye was the framed picture on the shelf.
Approaching the photograph, Shouto stared at the grinning blonde who struck a thumb ups pose together with a young Izuku. "Is he your father?"
"Yes, that's my dad." Izuku came to stand beside him and looked at the picture with a fond expression on his face.
"You two seemed close." Shouto observed.
The ensuing response would be unexpected. "We were until he died."
"I'm sorry, I did not know." Shouto's eyes filled with sympathy for the other man.
Despite the fact that Shouto was not close to his own father and found him overbearing most of the time, Shouto still wanted him around. Therefore, Shouto could only imagine how painful the loss must have been for Izuku.
"It was a few years back, don't worry." Izuku assured Shouto, his tone soft.
"I named the bakery cafe after him. All Might was his nick name."
That sweet and meaningful gesture put a small smile on Shouto's face. "That was a nice way to commemorate your father."
"Thank you, I think so too." Izuku smiled as well.
Leading the way to the dining room, Izuku urged his guest to sit at the table before Izuku left for the kitchen.
He returned balancing two food-laden trays with practised ease and set them down on the table, with a soft clink.
"This looks amazing." Shouto's stomach growled at the mouthwatering sight of beef gyoza, tempura prawn and crisp vegetables.
Green eyes danced in humour as Izuku picked up his chopsticks. "I hope it'll taste as good as it looks."
"It will." Shouto claimed, starting on the tempura prawn. He was hit immediately with a wave of sweet, crispy goodness, for Izuku had outdone himself again. "This is the best tempura prawn I ever tried."
Aiming for the gyoza, Izuku blushed, his face matching the shade of a tomato. "You flatter me."
Shouto shook his head. "No, I think you could run a full blown restaurant if you wanted to."
"Well that was an option I considered but I went with a bakery cafe cause I love baking better," said Izuku, between bites.
"I understand as I'm a qualified mason myself, I could take on mason work if I wanted to but I do not, I prefer carpentry."
The response earned Shouto a look of such profound thoughtfulness from Izuku. "We have a lot in common, don't we?"
"I do not think that is a bad thing." Shouto held Izuku's gaze, his heart warming at the thought.
A strange thing happened in the days that followed. Shouto received several requests for his carpentry services from the townspeople. He was clueless about the reasons for the sudden up-tick in business, but he was grateful for it. All he ever wanted was to be given the chance to make beautiful things with his own two hands.
Inside the airy workshop, Shouto hunched over bracketed sheets of laminated plywood, drilling screws into the future shelf of a wardrobe.
Pausing, he set the drill down and cast a glance at the doorway. He did not see anyone walking through it with a bright smile on their face or delicious food in their hands. The doorway was empty.
A pang of longing shot through Shouto afterwards, confounding the man about the source of the feeling. Everything he wished for was all ready there in the workshop and reflected in his full schedule, so there was nothing he could possibly want.
Little did Shouto know how wrong that assumption would prove to be. Thus things came to a head a few day later, just as Shouto was heading indoors after a long day of roofing repair.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and Shouto dug it out, blindly answering the call. "Shouto speaking."
"H-hi Todoroki-san...it's Izuku," said the unmistakable voice on the line.
Shouto's face brightened as the door clicked shut behind him. "How have you been?"
"I'm...um can you come down to the bakery cafe? Something is wrong with the deck."
Tender concern slipped into Shouto's mind over what could have possibly gone wrong with the deck. He hated the idea of his work causing trouble for Izuku, knowing how distressed the baker got over the chair incident with his customer.
"I will be there shortly." Shouto turned around, opened the door and strode purposely towards his van.
Night was pressing against the sky when the carpenter reached Mighty Sweets and Treats. His feet tapped the stairs as he approached the sole figure on the deck.
"What is wrong with the deck?" Shouto cast a look in Izuku's direction before flicking his gaze downward at the boards in search of damage.
The ensuing answer would halt Shouto in his tracks. "Nothing is wrong with it." Admitted Izuku.
Furrowing a red brow, Shouto flashed Izuku a puzzled look. "Why did you say it was?"
Izuku averted his eyes and wrung his hands together. "I'm sorry, I deceived you...it was an excuse to get you here."
"Why?" Shouto frowned, wondering the reasons that made Izuku resort to such tactics to get him here. All Izuku needed to do was simply ask and Shouto would come running.
"There's something I wanted to say to you... in person." Izuku let out an unsteady breath as if he were trying to settle his nerves. "You see I always had a line I'd never cross with any of my customers.
"Never get too personal, never flirt or fraternise with them but I just about crossed that line when you started coming to my bakery cafe."
Colour blossomed on Izuku's cheeks as he continued, locking eyes with Shouto. "Wh-what I'm trying to say is, I really like you Todoroki-san."
You like me? Shouto stared wide-eyed at the man, his mind blown in the aftermath of those words. There was simply no way Izuku referred to an ordinary type of like, otherwise Izuku would not have called him down here. This was a confession.
"I understand if you don't feel the same way, you probably wouldn't like someone like me, I'm always going on about baking, I'd bore-"
Despite the shock, Shouto interrupted the baker, refusing to let the kindest, sweetest person he knew put himself down any longer. Surely Izuku had to know his own self value and worth. "Anyone would be lucky to have you like them."
Bowing his head, Izuku murmured. "But not you, right?''
The dejection in Izuku's voice made Shouto's heart ache, forcing Shouto to consider his own feelings for the man.
Thinking back to the past months, they would have been impossible to get through if not for Izuku. The man cheered Shouto up with delicious food and delightful conversation, taking Shouto's mind off his failing business.
Furthermore, it had been Izuku who believed in Shouto's skills as a carpenter, hiring him when hardly anyone else did. What was more, Shouto always felt relaxed in Izuku’s company, Shouto loved the way Izuku's face lit up when Izuku smiled and most of all it was Izuku who Shouto had been longing for.
Drawing close to Izuku, Shouto reached out a hand, tilted Izuku's chin up and gazed into those green pools. "Especially me, I really like you too Izuku."
Izuku let out a soft gasp causing Shouto's gaze to dip to Izuku's mouth. Lowering his head, Shouto brushed his lips against Izuku's, capturing them in a sweet kiss that tasted of vanilla and cocoa.
They would go on to share many more kisses for Izuku had flown straight into Shouto's heart and stayed there forever.
The End
A/N: My heartfelt thank goes out to my partner, without him I wouldn't have been able to finish this fic. Thank you for reading!
Author:
crezhulFandom: Boku no Hero Academia
Pairing: Midoriya x Todoroki
Category: Romance, Fluff
Rating: T
Content: Yaoi
Summary: The way into a man's heart is through his stomach. The baker Midoriya hires Todoroki to carry out carpentry work. But is that all Midoriya wants from Todoroki?
Shouto sat on the cafe deck that evening, indulging himself with a warm and buttery cheese croissant.
He loved those flaky pastries, savouring the way they melted in his mouth and so he took another bite of the croissant while glancing at the patrons in his vicinity.
Chomping down on a powdery doughnut, was the young boy sitting with his mother on Shouto's left. Meanwhile the women on Shouto's right, chatted over chocolate-frosted cake and coffee.
In all it was shaping up to be a peaceful dining experience at Mighty Sweets and Treats for Shouto, until the owner toted a tray of food over to a table at the head of the deck.
The receiving customer kicked up a fuss, drawing Shouto's gaze to a curious scene playing out. Izuku was seemingly apologising to an irritated man before moving to grab a chair from a vacant table for the man to sit on.
What happened to the chair? Pondered the carpenter in Shouto, lifting a brow. He wanted nothing more than to examine the piece of furniture in that moment, to fix it up if possible. However, the face Izuku made before turning away, urged Shouto to do otherwise.
Getting up, Shouto abandoned his meal and followed his bothered friend indoors, catching up to him by the counter.
"Are you okay?" Shouto gazed down at Izuku with concern.
The long pause Izuku took before replying, suggested that Izuku was anything but okay. "Let's talk in there." Izuku gestured at the lunch room.
Accordingly, the two men walked beyond the counter to the small room that was thankfully empty.
"I'm...I could've hurt my customer just now." Izuku admitted, shaking his head in disbelief.
"How do you mean?" Shouto asked, despite having a gist of what had happened.
Looking away, Izuku broke eye contact and stared at the floor. "He was sitting on a crooked chair...he could've fallen and gotten paralysed."
"And it's my fault, I should've known the chair was bad. This is my fault."
Shouto frowned at the remorse colouring Izuku's voice. Harming anyone was the last thing Izuku could ever want; Izuku was too kind of soul after all.
Shouto had experienced that kindness first hand when Shouto drifted into the bakery cafe, lost and very new to the town. Izuku helped him figure things out and treated him to a croissant free of cost. Now it was Shouto's turn to return the gesture by helping Izuku now.
"These things happen, Midoriya. You would not have noticed the damage a week ago." Shouto began, keeping his tone soft and gentle.
"What matters is what you do now. You can check the rest of chairs for damage and I can replace the bad ones for you."
Izuku's gaze lifted to Shouto's, his round cheeks filling with colour. "That's...a very good way of looking at things, Todoroki-san."
"But what do you mean by replace?"
The answer would earn Shouto a once over. "I am a carpenter, I can make you new chairs."
"Wow, I had no idea, it explains how you could say what you did though."
Truth be told, Shouto hardly felt like a carpenter these days, his dry spell of customers had been on going for far too long. However, Izuku's next words could break that cycle.
"Well in that case, you can swing by in morning. I'll let you know how many chairs are bad and we can take things from there." Izuku suggested.
Shouto's tone hid his relief and hopefulness."It is a plan."
And seeing that all seemed well with the baker, Shouto opted to leave and strode toward the door. "I will let you back to work."
To his surprise, Izuku grabbed Shouto's hand on the way out, flashing Shouto a grateful smile."Thank you Todoroki-san."
The prospect of gaining a potential job, had Shouto beating the alarm clock next morning, eager for his meeting with Izuku.
And so with the extra time on his hands, Shouto prepared a hearty breakfast and carried out some chores around the house before getting ready.
Loosening the top button on his shirt now, Shouto stepped into the workshop, his mismatched eyes falling on the array of equipment and tools in the room.
Naturally, the urge to use them tugged at Shouto's skin since Shouto hardly used his tools outside of his work on personal projects; few people had been willing to trust the carpentry services of the new comer in town.
"Maybe things will change, " Shouto said, grabbing his bag off the desk.
And with that thought on his mind, he strode out the door.
Ochako had been manning the counter at Mighty Sweets and Treats when Shouto walked in and waved Shouto over with her signature smile. "Good morning, Todoroki-san, are you looking for Deku?"
"Ah yes, can you let him know that I am here please." Shouto asked.
"Of course, I'll get him for you!" She chirped.
Grateful, Shouto thanked her and idly wondered if a bubbly personality was a prerequisite for working at the bakery cafe. Spotting Kouta, the serious janitor thereafter, Shouto quickly snuffed out the thought. 'No it isn't.'
Soon enough Ochako appeared with Izuku in tow. "Morning Todoroki-san, would you like anything before we get started?"
The two men eventually settled at a table in the quieter section in the restaurant. Izuku watched Shouto over the rim of his tea cup."You know, I didn't peg you for a carpenter."
A red brow arched in amusement. "Oh? What did you think I was?"
"An artist." Izuku answered a beat later.
Shouto could not help the tiny smile that tugged at his lips. After all, Shouto considered carpentry to be a form of art. "You were close."
Chuckling at that, Izuku leaned forward. "Can I have a look at the work you've done?"
"Of course." Shouto reached into his bag, retrieved his portfolio, handing it to Izuku to peruse.
Carefully, Izuku studied the glossy pages showcasing Shouto's best work but whatever pride Shouto felt about his own projects faded when Izuku reached the end of the portfolio too fast.
"It is probably not as extensive as you expected." Shouto flicked a wary gaze at Izuku, hoping the man was not discouraged by the quantity of Shouto's work. "I haven't been in the business for very long."
To his surprise, Izuku waved the concern away, saying. "We all have to start somewhere...besides I know good work when I see it."
All Shouto could do was let out a huge breath before uttering a grateful. "Thank you."
From there the men discussed the findings of Izuku's chair inspection and later moved to the deck for Shouto to take measurements of one of the cafe chairs.
The carpenter would spent the greater part of the day calling hardware and lumber stores in attempt to work out the estimated cost of building said chairs.
"These are fresh from the oven." Izuku announced, setting down a plate of savoury muffins on the table where Shouto sat.
"I can tell." Shouto inhaled the scent of rosemary and thyme that wafted from the cheesy baked treats; they smelt heavenly.
The two were meeting again at bakery cafe to discuss the projected cost of building new chairs for the deck. Thus Shouto was a mere step away from securing the job with Izuku.
Drawing a chair, the baker got seated at the table and cut to the matter at hand. "What's the damage?"
"Here you go." Shouto opted to let the numbers do the talking and passed the estimate to Izuku before picking up a savoury muffin.
Be that as it may, Shouto forgot to chew the thing upon seeing Izuku lift a green in a brow in question. Did Shouto overcharge Izuku on the estimate?
Fortunately that assumption proved false. Setting the paper down, Izuku shook his head and confessed. "I thought this was going to be more expensive."
"I wanted to be fair," Shouto leaned back in the chair, starting on the muffin again.
Running a finger across a freckled cheek, Izuku questioned him."That's hard to do, isn't it?"
"Hm?" Shouto's eyes followed the movement.
"I mean striking the balance between labour and pricing. You want to make a profit off your work but you don't want to rip your customers off either."
Truth be told, Shouto shared the sentiment, leading him to always choose quality lumber and building materials at the best rates, to keep costs reasonable for his customers.
Considering the man that sat across the table from Shouto, Shouto made a pointed look at the patrons in the bakery cafe.
A good crowd had turned out that morning, filling their bellies with the delicious food the restaurant served. Others waited in line eager to be dispatched food and drink to consume on the go. "Yes, it can be hard but by the look of things, I say you are doing things right. "
The compliment brought a smile to Izuku's face."I guess you're right."
Growing serious, Izuku added the words Shouto had been itching to hear. "The same goes for you, I look forward to working with you, Todoroki-san."
"As do I." Shouto nodded, determined to make the best chairs for his new client. "I will not let you down, Midoriya."
"Beautiful." Shouto lay a palm down on teak board, marvelling at the smooth texture beneath his hand. He deemed the wood type perfect for making durable outdoor furniture, thus he chose to use it in his new project.
Preparing to cut the board, Shouto put on gloves and goggles per safety and picked up his power saw. The tool revved to life just like Shouto's soul always did at the start of every project. And effortlessly he made the first cut to the wood, then another, sending woodchips scattering in the air.
Those cut pieces of board would be glued together and shaped into a seat; a few steps among the many involved in chair making.
Accordingly, the carpenter delved into the woodworking process all week as if he was making up for previous weeks of downtime. Therefore, Shouto was too fixated on smoothing out the chair in front of him to notice the presence of another in his workshop that afternoon.
"Todoroki-san?" A familiar voice called out to Shouto, giving him pause.
Looking up, Shouto met the gaze of his client. "Midoriya? What brings you here?"
The answer would soon bring heat to the carpenter's face.
"Ah, well, I didn't hear from you in while, so I thought I'd check in on you."
Shouto set the card scraper down, averting his gaze. "I'm sorry, I should have contacted you but...I lost track of time."
Perhaps it had been too long since the last job, too long since he worked with wood. Still he had the terms of his contract to follow and he failed to do so by not updating Izuku with his progress on the project. "It is not an excuse."
Eyes filled with understanding looked at Shouto. "Maybe not but I know what it's like to lose yourself in something. It happens to me all the time, especially when I'm trying new recipes out."
"So don't worry about it okay? I knew you weren't the type to slack off anyway."
An unnamed emotion flitted across Shouto's face, stemming from the empathy and understanding that Izuku had shown him once more. Shouto counted his lucky stars for having Izuku for a friend. "Thank you for believing in me."
Izuku gave him a wink and walked towards the set of chairs resting on on the table top. "I see the chairs are coming along well!"
"Yes, those ones over there are nearly done, they only need a coat of wood finish." Shouto reported his progress on them. "I will do that after I make the rest of chairs."
Seemingly satisfied, Izuku nodded. "Keep up the good work then!"
"I will."
Thinking this was probably the cue Izuku might take to say goodbye and leave for the bakery cafe, Shouto prepared to see him off. Nonetheless, the other man had something else in mind.
"Say Todoroki-san, did you have lunch all ready?" Izuku asked.
Shouto shook his head. "Not yet."
"Oh good, I brought us lunch." Izuku patted the green bag on his shoulder.
Shouto's eyes widened at the sweet gesture, warmth flooded his chest. Never had anyone made Shouto any meals save his mother and sister. "How nice of you."
Scanning the room thereafter, Shouto quickly searched for an appropriate spot for Izuku and himself to share the meal. "We can sit on that bench over there, unless you want to go up stairs."
Izuku was content with the first choice. "The bench is fine."
Wood shavings crunched under the pairs' feet as they made the short walk to a corner of the workshop, away from the tools and equipment.
Once seated on the bench, Izuku unzipped the lunch bag and handed Shouto a thermos flask and lunch box that was opened up to reveal two delicious steak sandwiches, consisting of beef, red pepper, spinach, cilantro and mozzarella layered between fresh ciabatta bread.
Biting into the divine sandwich, Shouto realised he had missed Izuku's cooking and talking with the man at the cafe. "How are things going with you?"
Izuku set his cup down. "Okay for now. I added black forest cake to the dessert menu, it's been selling pretty well."
"I have to try it then," Shouto said despite not knowing what type of cake it was. He only knew it was tasty since Izuku made it.
Izuku grinned. "I'll save you a slice."
"I will hold you to your word." Shouto responded in kind before taking a sip of tea.
While taking a bite of his own sandwich, Izuku latched his gaze onto the chairs again. "You know, I still can't believe you weren't doing carpentry for very long, you look like a natural."
"I make mistakes." Shouto was guilty of spoiling good wood in the past when he overestimated the measurements. "But I try to learn from them and do the best job that I can."
"That you do," Izuku said softly, shifting a jean-clad leg.
And as if wanting to know about more about Shouto's carpentry, Izuku followed up with a personal question. "What made you switch to carpentry, if you don't mind me asking?"
Shouto looked down at the cup in his hand, recalling images of his traditional styled childhood home and its beautiful wooden furniture that captivated him from the start. "All my life I admired the craftsmanship and designs of the woodwork around me but I never gave thought of becoming a carpenter...I went into the family business like all my siblings had."
"However I sat in my office one day and realised that I did not want to spend the rest of my life working there. So I quit my job, went to trade school and became a carpenter." Reflected Shouto with hint of pride in his voice. "It felt right."
"I'm glad you followed your heart." Izuku said, his expression thoughtful.
"So am I."
There was a lull in the conversation as the two men worked on their sandwiches in comfortable silence. Shouto's thoughts drifted to Izuku and Izuku's motivations for becoming a baker. Was it inevitable for someone so fiercely talented at cooking?
It only took one more gaze at Izuku for the question to form on Shouto's lips. "What made you go into baking?"
A look on wistfulness settled on Izuku's face before he gave Shouto an unlikely answer. "It began with the orphanage I grew up in. The food was horrible there, I used to dread eating anything."
Eyes shining Izuku continued. "That all changed when my father adopted me....he'd make the most delicious food and treats that would cheer me up and make me smile."
"So I wanted the food I made to do the same thing for others."
You are amazing. Thought a touched Shouto at the end of Izuku's heart felt story. How could anyone's motivations be this pure and sweet?
Locking eyes with Izuku, Shouto praised him. "Your food absolutely has that kind of effect, even right now."
"I'm glad to hear that." Izuku's face reddened, lighting up the freckles on his cheeks like fireflies.
Before long the lunch boxes and thermos flasks were empty and Shouto offered to wash them, only to have Izuku decline. The baker insisted that Shouto return to his chair-making instead.
"Keep up in touch," he had said upon departing, leaving Shouto with a deepening appreciation for the man.
Obeying his client's wishes, Shouto kept Izuku updated on the project and was pleasantly surprised by the daily lunch that Izuku prepared and sent to him via Kouta; it made Shouto's heart feel full.
Another week found Shouto parked in Mighty Sweets and Treat's parking lot with a crowd of 3 waiting outside his van.
Opening the rear door, he revealed the completed set of teak cafe chairs to Izuku and Izuku's employees.
"Wow, they're absolutely gorgeous with the wood stain applied!" Exclaimed Izuku, his eyes roving over the glossy wooden furniture, with a gleam. "Excellent work, Todoroki-san!"
Appraising the new chairs, Kouta grunted in approval.
"These look even better than the old ones, even though the design is pretty much the same!" Ochako grinned, giving Shouto the thumbs up.
A shy Shouto rubbed the back of his neck, murmuring, "thank you." He was not used to receiving that many compliments at once.
"Let's get these inside guys," Izuku ordered.
Everyone handled the shiny new chairs with care, lifting them carefully into their new home. Come tomorrow they would be placed on deck for the customers to sit on.
Speaking of chairs, Shouto remembered the old ones and so he turned to Kouta, with a question. "Do you know what Midoriya did with the old chairs?"
"He sent them to the dump." Kouta slung a bag across his shoulder.
"He beat me to it," Shouto said, casting his gaze at the man in question who was taking a call on his cell.
And had not Shouto been distracted, Shouto would notice that Kouta and Ochako were watching Shouto watch their boss.
"Now that you're done with the chairs, will you be coming around again?" Ochako asked, her tone hopeful.
"I will." Shouto nodded. "It has been a while."
Ochako piped up. "Great! Deku really missed y-"
Whatever she wanted to say was cut off by a red-faced Izuku who startled his employees when he appeared beside them. "Ochako. Kouta. Don't you have somewhere to be now?"
Ochako tried to stifle a laugh behind her hand. "Ah right! See you guys later!"
Bidding Shouto and Izuku a quiet goodbye, Kouta followed Ochako out of the bakery cafe, leaving the two men alone.
Izuku went off to fetch Shouto's pay, cheque but he returned with more than just the payment. The baker brought over a plate of walnut banana bread and a glass of cold milk as a treat for his contractor.
"Thank you for the stellar service." Izuku opened up the bill holder, produced a cheque and handed it to Shouto.
"Thank you." Shouto tucked the cheque away, his fingers tingling at the compliment, compensation or both. "It has been a pleasure working with you."
A smile quirked Izuku's lips. "Same for me too."
That said, the baker's subsequent request would still take the carpenter back. "Would you mind taking a look at the deck before you go? I think a board is creaking."
"Of course not." Shouto blinked, his face going slack.
Onward to Sunday morning, Shouto was down on the decking, knees pressed against hard board as he made measurements with a pencil and speed square.
His inspection of the deck had revealed worn boards, resulting in Izuku hiring him to repair it over the weekend.
Mismatched eyes traced the recently pencilled lines on the wood now, taking in the area that Shouto needed to cut out before slotting a new board in place; Shouto likened the activity to swapping out worn pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and fitting in new ones.
Nonetheless those newly fitted 'pieces' soon stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the older 'pieces' and so Shouto worked to make them blend in, hence preparing the deck for wood staining.
He was in the thick of things, hosing the deck down with the pressure washer when a hint of green caught his eye.
Standing on the grass was Izuku holding a tray in his hands. Shouto's lips curved and he powered down the pressure washer and walked over to him.
"Hi Midoriya." Shouto's nose caught a waft of cocoa and vanilla.
"Hey Todoroki-san, I thought you could use a snack." Izuku broke eye contact to glance at the wet deck. "But by the look of things you'll have to eat this inside."
The snack in question was brought into the cafe thereafter, leading Shouto to gaze down at a decadent looking slice of chocolate cake that was paired with cherry tea.
"Is this Black Forest cake?" Shouto asked, moving a forkful of fluffy cake towards his mouth.
Across the table, Izuku's eyes widened. "Yes, you remembered."
How could I forget when its involves your cooking?" Shouto's toes curled at the explosion of flavour in his mouth. There was no wonder why the cake sold well; it was heavenly.
"Good thing I keep my promises then." Izuku teased, voice leaking with humour.
"Feel free to make more of them." Shouto quipped, curling his fingers around the tea cup. "This is delicious."
After the break, Shouto dove back into the deck cleaning, working tirelessly throughout the day to bring a shine to the boards. So it had been evening when Izuku popped around to visit him again.
"You sure work fast, Todoroki-san!" Said Izuku, raking his gaze across the deck. "You look like you're nearly done."
Shouto was spreading wood stain on the stairs, carrying out the final phase of his job. "This type of job can be done in a day if you're using the right deck cleaner and wood stain."
"Well whatever you chose totally saved me from having to close in the week." Izuku laughed.
Shouto liked the idea of saving Izuku and his customers from such an inconvenience. "Glad it was helpful."
There was a pause as Izuku shifted on his feet weight before dropping a tempting offer. "I'm about to make dinner, do you care to join me later?"
Hand stilling on the brush, Shouto looked over at Izuku, meeting green expectant eyes. "Yes I will come by."
Oddly enough, time ground to a halt following the invite, crawling as Shouto completed his work, packed up the tools and drove the short distance to his own house.
Once home, he showered and changed into a dark sweater and snug jeans, making an effort to top his usual look for a reason Shouto still had yet to discover.
Knocking on Izuku's door later that evening, Shouto ignored the dance of nerves in his stomach as he waited for Izuku to answer.
Said man appeared in the doorway soon after, sliding an appreciative gaze up and down Shouto's body before seemingly remembering his manners. "Y-you're right on time, come on in."
"Thank you for having me." A pleased Shouto stepped inside, unaware that something was heading his way.
Bounding towards Shouto was a black feline that nuzzled Shouto on the leg.
"Your cat, Midoriya?" Shouto bent low and rubbed its furry head, receiving a contented purr from the black cat.
Izuku curled his lips at the sight. "Yup, I think Juusan likes you."
"Do you now?" Shouto stroked her chin. He was fond of the little creatures too.
Juusan meowed as if answering the question and went over to her owner, allowing Shouto to take his shoes off.
Before long the cat wandered off and Shouto entered a room that was distinctly Izuku, with its mint walls, sprinkling of potted plants and modern furniture. But what caught Shouto's eye was the framed picture on the shelf.
Approaching the photograph, Shouto stared at the grinning blonde who struck a thumb ups pose together with a young Izuku. "Is he your father?"
"Yes, that's my dad." Izuku came to stand beside him and looked at the picture with a fond expression on his face.
"You two seemed close." Shouto observed.
The ensuing response would be unexpected. "We were until he died."
"I'm sorry, I did not know." Shouto's eyes filled with sympathy for the other man.
Despite the fact that Shouto was not close to his own father and found him overbearing most of the time, Shouto still wanted him around. Therefore, Shouto could only imagine how painful the loss must have been for Izuku.
"It was a few years back, don't worry." Izuku assured Shouto, his tone soft.
"I named the bakery cafe after him. All Might was his nick name."
That sweet and meaningful gesture put a small smile on Shouto's face. "That was a nice way to commemorate your father."
"Thank you, I think so too." Izuku smiled as well.
Leading the way to the dining room, Izuku urged his guest to sit at the table before Izuku left for the kitchen.
He returned balancing two food-laden trays with practised ease and set them down on the table, with a soft clink.
"This looks amazing." Shouto's stomach growled at the mouthwatering sight of beef gyoza, tempura prawn and crisp vegetables.
Green eyes danced in humour as Izuku picked up his chopsticks. "I hope it'll taste as good as it looks."
"It will." Shouto claimed, starting on the tempura prawn. He was hit immediately with a wave of sweet, crispy goodness, for Izuku had outdone himself again. "This is the best tempura prawn I ever tried."
Aiming for the gyoza, Izuku blushed, his face matching the shade of a tomato. "You flatter me."
Shouto shook his head. "No, I think you could run a full blown restaurant if you wanted to."
"Well that was an option I considered but I went with a bakery cafe cause I love baking better," said Izuku, between bites.
"I understand as I'm a qualified mason myself, I could take on mason work if I wanted to but I do not, I prefer carpentry."
The response earned Shouto a look of such profound thoughtfulness from Izuku. "We have a lot in common, don't we?"
"I do not think that is a bad thing." Shouto held Izuku's gaze, his heart warming at the thought.
A strange thing happened in the days that followed. Shouto received several requests for his carpentry services from the townspeople. He was clueless about the reasons for the sudden up-tick in business, but he was grateful for it. All he ever wanted was to be given the chance to make beautiful things with his own two hands.
Inside the airy workshop, Shouto hunched over bracketed sheets of laminated plywood, drilling screws into the future shelf of a wardrobe.
Pausing, he set the drill down and cast a glance at the doorway. He did not see anyone walking through it with a bright smile on their face or delicious food in their hands. The doorway was empty.
A pang of longing shot through Shouto afterwards, confounding the man about the source of the feeling. Everything he wished for was all ready there in the workshop and reflected in his full schedule, so there was nothing he could possibly want.
Little did Shouto know how wrong that assumption would prove to be. Thus things came to a head a few day later, just as Shouto was heading indoors after a long day of roofing repair.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and Shouto dug it out, blindly answering the call. "Shouto speaking."
"H-hi Todoroki-san...it's Izuku," said the unmistakable voice on the line.
Shouto's face brightened as the door clicked shut behind him. "How have you been?"
"I'm...um can you come down to the bakery cafe? Something is wrong with the deck."
Tender concern slipped into Shouto's mind over what could have possibly gone wrong with the deck. He hated the idea of his work causing trouble for Izuku, knowing how distressed the baker got over the chair incident with his customer.
"I will be there shortly." Shouto turned around, opened the door and strode purposely towards his van.
Night was pressing against the sky when the carpenter reached Mighty Sweets and Treats. His feet tapped the stairs as he approached the sole figure on the deck.
"What is wrong with the deck?" Shouto cast a look in Izuku's direction before flicking his gaze downward at the boards in search of damage.
The ensuing answer would halt Shouto in his tracks. "Nothing is wrong with it." Admitted Izuku.
Furrowing a red brow, Shouto flashed Izuku a puzzled look. "Why did you say it was?"
Izuku averted his eyes and wrung his hands together. "I'm sorry, I deceived you...it was an excuse to get you here."
"Why?" Shouto frowned, wondering the reasons that made Izuku resort to such tactics to get him here. All Izuku needed to do was simply ask and Shouto would come running.
"There's something I wanted to say to you... in person." Izuku let out an unsteady breath as if he were trying to settle his nerves. "You see I always had a line I'd never cross with any of my customers.
"Never get too personal, never flirt or fraternise with them but I just about crossed that line when you started coming to my bakery cafe."
Colour blossomed on Izuku's cheeks as he continued, locking eyes with Shouto. "Wh-what I'm trying to say is, I really like you Todoroki-san."
You like me? Shouto stared wide-eyed at the man, his mind blown in the aftermath of those words. There was simply no way Izuku referred to an ordinary type of like, otherwise Izuku would not have called him down here. This was a confession.
"I understand if you don't feel the same way, you probably wouldn't like someone like me, I'm always going on about baking, I'd bore-"
Despite the shock, Shouto interrupted the baker, refusing to let the kindest, sweetest person he knew put himself down any longer. Surely Izuku had to know his own self value and worth. "Anyone would be lucky to have you like them."
Bowing his head, Izuku murmured. "But not you, right?''
The dejection in Izuku's voice made Shouto's heart ache, forcing Shouto to consider his own feelings for the man.
Thinking back to the past months, they would have been impossible to get through if not for Izuku. The man cheered Shouto up with delicious food and delightful conversation, taking Shouto's mind off his failing business.
Furthermore, it had been Izuku who believed in Shouto's skills as a carpenter, hiring him when hardly anyone else did. What was more, Shouto always felt relaxed in Izuku’s company, Shouto loved the way Izuku's face lit up when Izuku smiled and most of all it was Izuku who Shouto had been longing for.
Drawing close to Izuku, Shouto reached out a hand, tilted Izuku's chin up and gazed into those green pools. "Especially me, I really like you too Izuku."
Izuku let out a soft gasp causing Shouto's gaze to dip to Izuku's mouth. Lowering his head, Shouto brushed his lips against Izuku's, capturing them in a sweet kiss that tasted of vanilla and cocoa.
They would go on to share many more kisses for Izuku had flown straight into Shouto's heart and stayed there forever.
The End
A/N: My heartfelt thank goes out to my partner, without him I wouldn't have been able to finish this fic. Thank you for reading!
