i. the magic shop
so show me,
and i'll show you
the brightest star in the galaxy.
Izuku stared.
There was a café here. Since when was there ever something like that here?
He's been here, always running this way whenever he felt too upset to talk to his mother and too caged in to stay in his room. Whenever he was tired of the world. Today was no different. But he's never seen this place before.
It was small, more like a hole in the wall than anything. There weren't any eye-catching decorations that cafés usually had. No name signs or menu plaques- maybe that's why he's never seen it; he's just never noticed. A large window takes up the wall space, a curtain behind little potted plants that stopped him from peeking in. There's a little alcove for the door, the wood a warm brown; it reminded him of fresh cinnamon. A silver bell hung from the top of the frame. If anything, it was really plain. But he thought it was a bit charming, too.
The only indication it was even open was the slightly ajar door, barely wide enough for a foot to slide between. A breeze slipped by.
Oh, he blinked. It smells good.
It was faint, but the scent of something sweet and warm wafted through the cool air. Izuku unconsciously wrapped his jacket tighter around his body. It wouldn't hurt right? He would just take a peek, maybe buy something with the little pocket money he had if it looked as good as it smelled. His feet brought him to the door before any other thought could cross his mind and his hand reached for the handle. Before he pulled it open though, he saw words. They were small and inconspicuous against the glass of the door window, and even harder to notice in front of pale curtains. But they're painted on with what seemed like utmost care.
"the magic shop"
A weird name for a café- the magic shop. He dismissed the thought and pulled the door open, the bell lightly jingling. The curtain swayed and he lifted it up to walk in.
He wasn't sure what he was expecting but he didn't think it was this.
It's small, no bigger than his school classroom, and yet it just seemed the perfect size. Mellow light glowed from hanging lamps, swathing the entire place in the warmest yellow. Shadows danced on the walls, one side a dusty gray brick, the other a smooth wood. There were a lot of plants; baskets draped with flowers and leaves hung down from the ceiling. A lot of couches, too, he realized. Several soft looking couches covered in cushions lined one side of the café. Tables stood in front of them, and pillowed benches in place of the usual chairs. The other side of the café was different. The innermost corner had the counter, with display cases filled with baked goods and unfamiliar machines lining the tops. The pleasant smell from before became so much richer and he was tempted to buy them all. Menu plaques were on the wall above. Just like the words on the door, they seemed carefully painted on.
Izuku dragged his gaze towards a series of bookshelves. They were shaped weird, almost like Tetris. Books weren't the only things there- potted succulents, little cans of who knows what, photo frames, whatnot. Two armchairs faced the shelves, separated by a small coffee table between them. Next to where he stood and attached to the window was a little reading nook. It looked soft and plush and all he wanted was to sit there and do nothing.
Woah. It's warm and cozy and he was in love.
And then suddenly there was movement in the corner of his eye and he found himself looking at a woman dressed in simple clothes and an apron.
He floundered and flushed, pulling himself together enough to bow in greeting. He prayed that his voice wouldn't crack when he opened his mouth to say something random when-
"Welcome,"
-it was like something washed over him. Her voice was low and soft, but there was nothing unpleasant about it at all. It's soothing, like when his mom used to pat his head to sleep. He felt his nerves sizzle out, his muscles relaxing, and he's never felt something quite like it. When he raised his head, he met her eyes (they're a cloudy gray, almost blue) and the same calm rushed over him once more. She looked at him with the warmest smile on her face, and even though he knew he was the only one here, he couldn't help but question whether it was for him or someone else.
"to the Magic Shop."