AN: Hi guys!
Yes I am alive, and I'm not giving up on this. This chapter is not as long as Chapter 7, but it helps progress the plot a little further- even if there's not as much fluff. I hope you enjoy it!
And this time, I recommend listening to Bad Day while reading- it'll cheer you up!
Chapter 8. Lucky Charms and the Magic of Baristas
A Cup of Magic looks as it always does: the door is still pulled open and never quite closed by the countless students who need their caffeine fix, the mahogany colors of its wooden furniture still make Shouto think of fairies and the people inside are still smiling, as if caught in a fairytail.
Except it isn't the same as always, because Uraraka isn't there and because Shouto's hands still remember the shape of Momo's waist and curl around thin air without giving Shouto's brain a heads-up or reasonable explanation for it.
He stares through the window, debating whether to break another one of his habits and go home today. He isn't sure why he keeps replaying the events of yesterday in his head, neither does he know why his cold side feels warmer than usual, but he's sure the two are intricately linked. He doesn't usually feel excitement over meeting people, but he can't deny getting used to the pleasant emotion that tingles in his body like electricity when he sees Momo. Today, he can't make out what he's feeling, because apprehension stings in his chest at the thought of seeing her onyx eyes fixed on him, piercing through his soul, and yet at the same time he needs to see her.
The need to see her eventually wins, and Shouto steps into the store and goes about his usual routine. Or so he'd like to say, but the truth is that his eyes lock on Momo as soon as he recognises her lila apron and the way in which she ties it, managing a perfectly symmetrical bun that hugs her waist, a waist that Shouto now knows is slender and where his palms fit perfectly and he almost walks into the person sitting in front of him in the queue.
Taking a step back, Shouto breathes in the coffee and spices and focuses on the smell, trying to get back to normal. He doesn't know what his- their- normal is, either, but it clearly isn't recognising the smell of her perfume from a foot away- is it Coco Chanel? That's the one his sister always wanted to buy, if he remembers correctly.
The question keeps him occupied long enough for the other clients to order. He advances in the queue mechanically, and by the time Momo is in front of him he still has no idea what to expect or how to behave.
"Hello," she muses, and it sounds like her usual cheery voice. Shouto peeks from behind his bangs, but she's already scribbling his order on the cup. When she finally looks up, their eyes meet for a brief second before hers dart to the receipt being spit out by the machine, and a faint blush colors her cheekbones. Shouto's first thought is "It suits her", the second one is "So she remembers too" and the third one makes him talk.
"Did you by any chance also catch a cold?"
He probably sounded more urgent than he needed to, because she blinks blankly at him for a few seconds before chuckling warmly. "I didn't," she assures him with that smile that Shouto is sure could be sold for millions, but that would be spoiled by the public eye and robbed of its purity. When she slides the bancnote out of his hand, he ponders giving her double just for the smile, but perishes the thought quickly- nothing is quite as precious.
Watching her smile makes him feel lighter, and his heart oozes with warmth and floods his stomach with a sort of fuzzy feeling that doesn't make him sick or uncomfortable. It's the same thing he felt last night, when he spun with her in the cafe, when her slender fingers touched his shoulder and her hand found its place in his, as if they were made to match. It's the same feeling he got when he visited his mom in the hospital for the first time in years and she hugged him with tears streaming down her withered cheeks.
He could get used to this- acceptance, belonging, feeling home, or whatever the generally accepted term was. He could even learn to like change- as long as she was there.
It's a hectic day, Shouto concludes as he watches people pour into the cafe, just as waves flood the shore, only exiting to make room for new customers. Momo is engaged in her neverending dance, pulled by an invisible string tying the bar and the machines together, preparing one drink after another with a speed and precision that Shouto didn't have the chance to appreciate before. He's certain that she knows the cafe like the back of her hand and that she loves it deeply, because not even once does her smile falter or an involuntary sigh escape her lips.
A Cup of Magic is so busy that not even Sato enters the kitchen for any other reason than to bring out new cakes, and Shouto figures that must be taking a toll on the cook. He even ponders offering to help again, but an orange-haired employee beats him to it when she glides behind the bar and starts helping Momo at the counter. He's seen this girl only once before, when he was working in the kitchen last Saturday, so she must be working on the weekend shifts. If she had to be called in, Shouto guesses the shop is in a real pinch.
It's not until the clock beats 9pm that the density of customers starts shrinking and he gets to see Momo again. She's swiping, but she doesn't hum like she usually does while cleaning, and no matter how wide the smile she offers Shouto is, he can still read the exhaustion in her eyes.
"Let me do that," he says and takes the broom out of her hands before she can protest. That doesn't mean she doesn't voice her thoughts on the matter, in fact she insists to clean the shop herself, but her voice is quiet and when Shouto shows her to a chair in response, she plops on it with little of the elegance than she puts into her moves most of the time.
"Thank you," she mutters, stretching her legs as Shouto swipes under her table. "Your helping yesterday and now this- we really ought to pay you."
Shouto frowns. "I didn't ask for payment."
"Of course not," she answers, and there's something ludic to her voice. He doesn't know why, but when he looks up the onyx is molten and the tiredness is joined by amusement, so he doesn't question it much. "But still, you've been a huge help. I owe you one."
He would like to say otherwise- she has been helping him all along, and simply seeing that diamond smile is more than enough. But he knows her well enough to know she'll try to repay him anyway, so he says, "I'll cash it in when I'll need it."
This response seems to satisfy her, and she hums a tired answer. Shouto peeks at her through his bangs while swiping- now that she's finally resting, the exhaustion of the day makes itself visible. Her shoulders slump and she cushions her chin on the bed of her arms, in a position that allows Shouto to observe some strands of hair fighting for their liberty, content with any random position as long as it is out of her ponytail.
They don't talk for several minutes, but Shouto finds it refreshing. It's so simple, yet her mere presence there makes him feel at ease. She's watching him quietly, without prying- just observing, perhaps lost in thought or maybe thinking of nothing at all, curled up in herself, and Shouto finds the sight of "tired Momo" just as breathtaking as "cheery Momo".
There's something raw about her beauty and the way in which she can exist without feeling the need to reaffirm herself using words- "just like classical music", he remembers- the way in which she understands him without asking, the way in which she loves this shop so much she doesn't even complain about today, and Shouto finally figures out why A Cup of Magic feels different from other places. It's the love everybody who works there pours into their job, and the attachment they have to the place and to each other.
His movements pick up, and he makes himself clean the place until it sparkles. Momo chuckles faintly at his sudden change of heart, and he smiles without facing her.
"Are you going to get help around here?" he eventually asks, making a mental schedule of when he could take shifts.
She hums affirmatively. "I put up an announcement for interviews last week, and I will hold them tomorrow. I should have done it earlier- November and December are the toughest months. Also the most productive ones," she says with the flat voice of a businessman. It doesn't sounds natural for her to be this detached, and Shouto blames it all on stress.
"If you need, I think I could take some shifts every now and then."
She's silent for a moment, and when Shouto whips his head around to face her, she's squared her shoulders again and her eyes sparkle. "Thank you. That's really sweet." She pushes herself up and adds, "I appreciate it, but I wouldn't be a good barista if I let you do all the work. So wish me luck with the interviews tomorrow?"
It comes out as a question, but Shouto nods anyway. And then she takes the broom and waves him goodbye before he can find any smart closing remarks.
If this cafe is magical indeed, Shouto is pretty sure Momo is its source of magic- and that he's addicted to it.
Everyone has a story- it's the exchange money used in relationships. After all, Momo is painfully aware that people don't empathise with a person, but with the story behind them- she learnt that at a young age, and the thought stings at the back of her mind, like a chronic migraine. Perhaps that's why she was set on gathering all sorts of stories at A Cup of Magic, and why her parents always insisted on her seeing beyond the summary on the cover.
Ochako came last year- bubbly and a tad bit awkward, she was a natural at spreading happiness. Her story was a nice memory- going to A Cup of Magic for her first date with her boyfriend, and wanting to help others live such wonderful things. "To be honest," she told Momo during the interview, "I need the money. I came to get the job because of that- but then I sat here, waiting for my turn, and watched the staf joke with each other even when they were crazy busy, and it occured to me that this was the sort of people I wanted to be with."
Others, like Kirishima, came there to get a fresh start. One late summer night, when they were doing the seasonal cleaning, he told Momo that he never considered himself someone others would look up to, and if he couldn't be that, he wanted to at least be part of the "what made my day bearable" of a handful of people. Momo smiled back then, as she does now- Kirishima is the most energetic morning employee, and every customer feels pumped up after talking to him.
Kendou came there out of inertia. She was the model barista, never misspelling a name, never messing up an order, always on time, always there. Momo had no reason to turn her down- and yet, something felt out of place. Only when she started letting loose, chatting with Sato and making jokes with Mina did Momo understand what was missing- having fun. Kendou never thanked Momo outright for anything, but sometimes, she'd smile with a softness that Momo hadn't seen back in her first month at the cafe, and that's a precious souvenir Momo keeps in her smiles collection.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there's Mina- always gleeful and always eager to try something new. She started working here by chance and messed up the most out of everyone, but she came to love the place just as much as anyone else. She's the spice of A Cup of Magic, and if not for Mina once telling Momo that this is the only place where she feels she belongs, she would have never guessed how much they mean to her.
And Sato. Sato's the only one who has always resonated with A Cup of Magic's core. He's been there for four years now, he's practically grown with the cafe and he knows Momo better than any other barista. He works there full-time, and even over the opening hours, and his stamp on the kitchen is visible even for newcomers, but he never accepted to become the official patissiere. His dream is to open his own bakery, "one with an atmosphere as eerie as the one here". When Momo offered to fund his passion project, he turned her down without second thoughts. "There's no meaning if I can't do it on my own."
"Creati," Sato says, and his voice startles Momo. He gently nudges her with a cup. "You need to stay hydrated," he smiles and nods towards the beverage.
Momo smells the coffee and the butterflies in her stomach stir all in the same direction for once. Sato first made this blend for her when she had her entrance exams for university, when she was stressed, tired, and functioning solely on caffeine and cakes. He found her health poor, and developed a decaf blend that never fails to help her settle down and clear her head.
She smiles gratefully, though the corners of her lips shake a little, and takes a greedy sip. The warmth fills her system and she finally realizes how cold her fingertips really are.
"Man, you really are a bundle of nerves, Creati," Sato chuckles and props his elbow on the counter after he exchanges a quick glance with Kendou and she nods in approval of his stepping out. Returning his undivided attention to Momo, he adds soothingly, "It's going to be okay."
Momo knows he isn't just saying that- Sato means every word that comes out of his mouth- but she still feels a heavy burden hanging on her shoulders. "I'm just scared I'll pick the wrong person," Momo admits and glances out the window at the queue starting to form. Who knew so many people wanted a part-time job at A Cup of Magic? "Half of them are in just for the money," Momo thinks out loud.
"But half of them aren't," Sato points out. Momo sighs anxiously- it's like she's the one being interviewed, and not the interviewer. "Look, even if they aren't going to be the one you're looking for, we'll always back you up. We've got each other's backs, don't we?" Sato asks with a grin, holding his fist up.
"Always," Momo answers and fistbumps him.
The suit feels too preppy, but Momo knows it's part of the course for the interviewer. Still, the constant fear that she may stain it with Sato's delicious coffee and the stiffness of the attire makes her second-think her clothing choice. Is it too pretentious?
She's been worrying about this yesterday too, and she was thankful the day was busy enough to keep her from being a jittery mess. She wasn't this nervous for her entrance exams- words on paper can't lie, but humans can and often do deceive one.
She's shaken out of her neverending train of concerns when someone sits across from her. White and red hair fills her vision field and her cheeks color behind the blush she's applied scarcely- she sat at Shouto's table out of habit.
"So, you're here as a customer today?" he asks, removing the lid on his tea cup- the first cup he was ordered in a while that hasn't her handwriting on it.
"Kind of. I'm here to get my caffeine fix before I start looking for a suitable barista." His presence makes her suddenly too aware of the red lipstick she's wearing and she feels even more overdressed. At least her hair is up as usual, a soothing voice in her head whispers in a vain attempt to get her to calm down. It's not even Shouto's fault that she is this anxious- though granted, the fact that he has been a lot on her mind lately doesn't help much, either.
"Are you nervous?" he reads her like a book. The lack of confidence in her own decisions isn't something she needs to worry her staff with- and she doesn't want to bother Shouto either.
"A bit," she eventually admits and mulls on the margin of her paper cup, staining it with red. His eyes are fixed on hers, encouraging her to pour her soul out. "This isn't about me- but about what's best for the cafe. The staff here loves working together, and taking on someone new is like adopting a child. I want to find someone who isn't in just for the cash or the CV reference, but because they want to add to their smiles collection."
She wonders if she's sputtered too much nonsense, but Shouto nods gravely. "I think it's impossible not to like this place," he looks sincere as he says it, and Momo wonders if this is a backhanded confession that he likes it here. A bit of her confidence returns at the prospect. "And you have a good eye for people," he adds matter-of-factly. "I'm sure that's why the staff here trusts you with the interview- as do I."
Momo truly blushes now, and she downs the rest of her coffee before thanking him. "You're something else, Shouto," she chuckles at the irony of it all- she approached him to make him believe in magic, but now he's her lucky charm.
Shouto isn't usually influenced by how others feel, but he'd have to completely lack common sense not to notice the tension floating in the air in A Cup of Magic. It isn't even floating- it's much too dense for that- but more like pressing onto everyone. It strikes him as very uncomfortable and he wishes for the interviews to be over as soon as possible.
The last thing he wishes for, however, happens, and one of those jittery baristas-to-be sits down in front of him.
He wouldn't have even bothered to look up at the guy if he hadn't asked "Is this seat taken?" Shouto is about to say "yes" and pray that Momo needed a sudden coffee refill and steps out, but something about the guy makes him grunt a negative comeback. Maybe it's the unusual blond hair, or the charming smile, but the fact remains that he sits across from Shouto and stretches lazily.
"Are you also here for the job?" he asks, but it's only smalltalk. After all, Shouto's physics assignments are spread on the table in full view.
"No," he replies still. "But I suppose you are."
"I guess you could say so," the guy says and smiles sheepishly. Shouto makes one of his eyebrows disappear curiously under the mop of white hair. "I'm not here for the job per se. I mean I want the post, of course," he corrects himself with wide gestures, "but not because I want to be a barista that badly. Then again, the baristas here aren't really baristas," he shakes his head. "I don't make any sense, do I? I'll shut up if I'm annoying you."
There's something about the way he talks that makes his blabbering endearing instead of annoying and natural instead of overly friendly. The fact that he has enough common sense to stop is also a factor that plays into Shouto's decision to talk. "What do you mean?" he asks instead of shutting him up. Maybe Momo's kindness has rubbed off him.
His smile is electric. "The staff here doesn't give off the 'I'm just doing my job and I want to get out of here as soon as my shift is over' vibe. It's like they're part of the natural landscape here, you know? And they always make their clients smile- I wanna find out how they do that."
Shouto thinks the guy sitting in front of him already has the answer to that question- the way he easily interacts with an unknown person proves that he's no stranger to the way people's hearts work, so he can't help but further inquire, "I assume you have a reason for wanting this information."
The guy flashes his teeth in another dazzling smile. "I'm a music major, but you could say I'm in a bind. You see, sad stuff isn't my thing- I want to compose songs that bring a smile on people's faces no matter how miserable their day was. You know Bad Day? Kinda like that. A Cup of Magic has the same effect on people- and I'd like to partake in that."
Maybe Momo's habits have indeed rubbed off him, or his intuition was right and this guy already is charismatic, but Shouto smiles the smallest smile, surprising himself in the process. The honesty of this blonde stranger strikes a chord somewhere in the list of qualities Shouto appreciates in people and he finds himself saying, "I think you're quite suited for the job."
"Really?" His eyes grow wide- he must not get compliments often. "Thanks dude! But there are many people here, so I'm not sure it'll be that easy."
"I want to find someone who isn't in just for the cash or the CV reference, but because they want to add to their smiles collection." Shouto remembers and bites back a chuckle. Looks like Momo was worrying over nothing. "I'm pretty sure she'll like you if you're honest."
"She?" the guy repeats, confused.
Just then, Momo peeks outside the door of the office and calls the name of the next candidate. "Kaminari Denki?"
"That's me!" The guy- Kaminari- gets up and smiles coyly. "Thanks for listening," he tells Shouto and holds out his fist. At first, Shouto isn't quite sure why, but then he remembers Midoriya would sometimes fistbump Iida, and he pushes his own fist against Kaminari's in a 'good luck' gesture.
As he watches the door close behind him, he wonders what name his tag would have. For a split second, he even thinks that Kaminari has a little of the magic of the cafe growing inside of him- and then he begins wondering what magic even is.
AN: Hello again!
It's been a long time, hasn't it? Many of you told me A Cup of Magic helps you relax after a bad day, so this chapter is exactly about that, and how friends can help you cope with nervousness. Speaking if friends, I really love the relationship between Sato and Momo, and I was considering writing a special chapter for their brotp, if you'd like it. Not now though, because next comes Kamijirou!
The next two chapters will be quite heavy on the Kaminari-Jirou interactions, but worry not! Todomomo will appear too, and they'll grow through watching their friends!
Quick info: you can always find me on tumblr ionica01 if you want to chat! I hope you've enjoyed this and I'll see you next time with another cup of (decaf) coffee~