Felinis: My roommate promised she'd pay for my animation paper and coffee if I wrote her a 20k fanfic... Did I mention I take commissions? Because I take commissions. Also on name spelling I've seen it spelled both Shouto and Shoto... I just went with the later, because when I was double checking spelling on wiki that's what came up.

If Shoto were to openly say what he hated most about his job it would not be the loud humdrum of customers or the hours of standing in mindless tedium. No, it would be the acidic odor of coffee that forever haunted his nose since he started working. It's more common that people would like to think to develop a distaste or even an allergy to something constantly exposed to the senses. Shoto had never hated the smell before. In fact, he had even liked it at times! Now, he was sick of the constant scent of grounds and the way the odor clung to him like a diseased sweat. At least the pay was nice. Shoto sighed as he held a hand on the coffee cup freezing it enough to be chilled and sweet for the customer… Yeah, it's a day.

He pays little mind to any of the customers till one fumbles at the register and finally says his order. It's kind of cute how much boy awkwardly shuffles out of the shop door and almost splashes himself in coffee. The Hero's Brew coffee shop is a rather simple place. It wasn't popular nor was empty. It just was and that was fine. Days and time would pass with him doing work and going through life. It was just a temp job till he got out of college and can do something worth his time. Until then he'd live with the smell of roasted coffee beans and the chatter of millennials.

Izuku was a boy of a different circumstance. If anything, he loved his job a little too much. A point that his teacher would say was obsessive. He often found himself being forced on break after sketching for endless hours or spending a day with his face pressed near the fabric focused on his stitches. At times, he would admit to his addiction, but he just had so many ideas and so many ways he wanted to express them. So many fabrics, forms, textures, stitches, patterns, accessories! So many infinite combinations of clothing for people to wear. Izuku was a naturally awkward person, but he found his teacher Toshinori's words rang true when he dressed nicely.

"Clothes don't make the man, but they can put you step closer to acting the part you want."

When Izuku dressed up he felt so much more confident and sure of himself. Izuku could hold his head higher and smile wider. He felt… good. He was so focused on his work for a new summer dress that he hardly heard Toshinori coughing to get his attention. "What if I did a pattern here… and then added some tie-dye… but with this shape… maybe a handkerchief cut… needs to be subtle… hmm, the sleeves…"

"Midoriya!" Izuku was bolted from his work from the sound of his teacher's voice.

"Yes! What! I'm here!" He squeaked accidentally flinging one of his many sketchbooks to the side. Toshinori shook his head in a mix of amusement and disappointment. Izuku stretched a long awkward smile. "What- what can I do for you, sir?"

"Are you aware it's five in the morning?"

Izuku blinked. "Oh, it is?" It was so hard to tell when he didn't have windows.

"When was the last time you slept?"

Izuku blushed in embarrassment. "… Yesterday... afternoon."

"Another all-nighter. Honestly, you can't keep doing stuff like this with how young you are. Sleep is vital for a healthy lifestyle." Toshinori scolded and Izuku lowered his head. He did know better than to push his body but when ideas struck he just found himself viscously strapped to his work who danced like a perverse mistress. Izuku subconsciously found his hands drifting to paper with new ideas all over again. Toshinori snatched the notebook away from him in a quick swipe. "It's break time young man. Ideas are important, but you can't always strap yourself to work. Go get some coffee at least if you plan on to keep working. One for me as well."

He wants to protest, but now that he's actually stopped focusing his eyes are starting to cloud with sleep and he can feel the numbness of his body. Coffee sounded lovely about now. "Okay. I'll get some quick coffee and get back to work." Izuku patted his face and stood up with a long stretch. His bones really had been sitting for too long. There was much to enjoy about walking after so much time spent working. His feet drifted across the paved streets in a desperate hunt for a coffee shop. It was then Izuku found it not a block away from the studio. An average looking shop that he gladly entered.

The smell of roasting beans and the noise of patrons helped bring some life back into him. He smiled and stood in line as the other patrons focused on their phones or the menu. Izuku really didn't want anything special. Just hot and caffeinated as sin. The other patrons were giving him odd looks and he figured it must be his clothes coupled with his mess of a face. Izuku had actually dressed up yesterday simply for the hell of it and when he got to the studio had changed into… work pants. Sweatpants… So with his sleep void face, mess of hair, blazer, t-shirt, designer leather shoes, and sweatpants he must be getting odd looks. A blush suddenly crept his face and he tried to curl in on himself a little. Izuku wonders if he should go back and change when suddenly it's his turn and he's caught off guard by the man at the register. The best way to put it is… the barista is fascinating… In a world of quirks and superheroes, Izuku has never seen a man quite like him. His face is handsome in a traditional way until Izuku looks at the large uneven patch of skin that is reminiscent of a burn, yet even still it's complementing. His eyes and hair both two distinct colors and something about them makes Izuku shiver. He wishes he had his pad with him because he knows this man is inspiring.

"Hey, you gonna order?"

Izuku jumps and stutters out his order and moves to the side. He tries not to stare at the barista, but he knows he is and when he takes the coffee he awkwardly almost spills them on himself. It's embarrassing, to say the least. But, he does know one thing: he'd like to go back.

Shoto had noticed the new regular more and more over the past week. He never ordered anything special and usually stuttered his order before lingering around for a minute. Shoto only knew his name was Izuku because he kept writing it on his cups on busy days. He was interesting… He always showed up disheveled, but in clothes that were usually fairly nice. His eyes always looked sleep deprived but he still had this adorable smile. One day, Izuku came in well put together and with a worn notebook in hand. It was odd because Shoto almost didn't recognize him.

He was well dressed. Snazzy and stylish with something that spoke of professionalism, but with his face it was mostly adorable. Adorable was a good word for Izuku. While in line he was quickly writing or doing something on the paper and it had Shoto curious. "What are you doing?"

The man squeaked and slammed the thing shut. "Sorry. Just a regular coffee please."

"What were you writing?"

Izuku blushed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I… I was just jotting down ideas."

It's all Shoto gets from him and all he needs. His days don't change with the new addition. Izuku is just one more customer in a long line. But, he does start to notice him more and more. There's no regular schedule to his arrivals, but he does seem to always come in tired and Shoto wonders if he works nights. But, he shows up at any and all times the place is open so he's not sure. Izuku seems to know how to dress too even if at times his clothes look disheveled. He doesn't always come in with the notepad, but when he does he writes fervently. He doesn't need to know more about him, but Shoto eventually gets curious.

"What do you write in there?"

Izuku laughs and rubs the back of his head. "Promise you won't think it's weird?"

"Sure." Shoto shrugs.

"I'm a fashion designer in training…"

It clicks and Shoto nods. "Interesting."

Izuku finds himself staring pitifully at his work and hating it. This dress seemed like a good idea on paper, but now looking at it he could safely say it just doesn't work. Maybe if he changed the shape? He just groaned. Izuku needed to get away from this and start fresh. Of course, he'd reuse the materials and make edits as he went but looking at the disaster in front of him was depressing. Purple stripes… God, what had he been thinking!

His feet unconsciously drifted him to Hero's Brew and he sighed over and over in line. A disaster… Complete disaster! A horrid piece!

"Is something wrong?" Izuku was torn from his thoughts as the barista Shoto gave him a worried glance. He must have been acting really weird just now.

"Oh, it's just." His head fell. "My latest piece is a mess. There's no way I can put in my portfolio. I mean, purple vertical stripes on a canary yellow chiffon evening dress! I'm so ashamed."

"You just have to fix it." Izuku nods taking a deep breath. Yes, it's not the end of the world. It's just a dress and he can still figure out a way to make it work. "What's it look like?"

Izuku scrambles for his phone and checks that he does indeed have a picture of the abomination. "Here."

Shoto gave it the briefest passing of a glance. "Makes me think of a butterfly."

Butterfly… That's it! He grabbed the barista's hand giddily. "Thank you so much!" And just like that, he was gone.

Shoto found himself genuinely laughing at this. He can't imagine getting so worked up over his job, but then it's not like he does more than brew coffee and deal with customers. He's curious now what the designer has planned. It's not every day that something interesting happens around here. Shoto returns to work secretly hoping for the next arrival of Izuku.