《When Paths Converge: A MHA Fanfic》43. Coffee and Questions
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“Sorry, nee-chan, I’m showing Toshi how to use the capture scarf today! I gotta go, but have fun and say hi from me! Love you guys!” Izuku called out before he was dashing out the door. Yui groaned as she flopped onto the couch.
“You know, if you’re not feeling up to it today, you can reschedule.” Aizawa pointed out. She really wanted to take up the offer but...
“No, I’ll be okay. It’s gonna be chill. It’s just the first time hanging out when we’re not in school. I can’t be distracted by training. I’m just being a wuss about it. I’m used to Izu being a buffer for social interactions.” She sighed, “Would it be rude to bring something to tinker with?”
“That’s probably not a good idea since you’ll be around cats, kiddo.” Yamada smiled softly as he sat down beside her, “I’m just happy you’re going to go out and hang out with kids your age. Who knows what mischief you’ll get into.”
“Don’t encourage her, Zashi. I don’t want a call that she tried to set something or someone on fire.”
“Oh, ye of little faith. You wouldn’t be getting a call since I won’t get caught. I’ve been taught better than that.” Yui couldn’t help but snicker as she sat up. “You should be more concerned with Izu and Toshi scaring people at the park.”
“Izuku will just make people feel bad that they got scared by him. I know that problem child knows how to manipulate people.” Aizawa muttered.
“The worst part is that it’s completely unintentional. He doesn’t realize he’s pulling at your heartstrings until it’s too late. He should really learn how to capitalize on it... actually, he might become too powerful.” She shrugged before she stood up, “I guess I should head over to Sunshine’s. I should be back before dinner.”
“Okay, kiddo, have fun!” Yamada grinned as he ruffled her hair, “Text us if anything come up, okay? Oh, and take lots of pictures.”
“Can you pick up some more beans for me?” Aizawa asked as he reached into his pocket to pull out the yen. “We’re getting a little low.”
“Sure. Your special blend, regular or both? Actually, that’s a stupid question, I’ll get both. Want me to bring back muffins or something?”
“Oh! See if Yuki made any of those Mic muffins please?”
“Sure thing, pops. I’ll see you guys later. ” Yui smiled softly as she pocketed the money, before she started to head to the café. At least the day was nice, cloudy but warm enough with a nice breeze. She pulled out her phone and opened the messenger with Yuki.
ElectricTeal:
I’m heading over. Please don’t let it slip that Eraser and Mic are my dads.
CoffeeQueen:
I remember! I won’t blow your cover.
I can’t wait to meet your friends though! I made so many different sweets to prepare for them!
ElectricTeal:
Okay, so be prepared to roll home, I gotcha.
It didn’t take long for Yui to get to the café, the door giving a cheery little ring when she walked in. She paused when she saw Hado, Amajiki and Togata in the booth she liked to occupy in the back. “Yui! You really came!” Hado beamed at her, “Look, I made a friend, this is Foam!” She pointed at a fluffy white Persian on her lap that was purring up a storm.
She walked over to them, “I hope you haven’t been waiting long?” She slid into the spot next to Amajiki, smiling softly when he lifted his hand in a little wave.
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“Just about ten minutes or so. We wanted to scope the place out.” Togata grinned at her, “Plus, I love cats but my dad’s allergic. So no feline friends for me.” He had a large tabby cat on his lap.
“We have the opposite problem. Dad would adopt all the cats he’d find if it wasn’t for pops. You should see him when we find a stray and bring it to Yuki instead of home. He gets all mopey.” She picked at a tear in her jeans. “Um, did you guys meet Yuki? The owner?”
“We heard her voice but she hasn’t come back yet. I think she called out something about muffins?” Togata smiled softly, “Say, how are you feeling? After the thing with your Quirk?”
She scrunched up her nose at the reminder, “I’m fine. Recovery Girl fixed me right up. I have to use my Quirk on a person a day to try to get it back to what it used to be. It’s just...”
“Frustrating?” Amajiki asked softly. She nodded as she slumped back in her seat.
“Very. I don’t like relying on my Quirk but, I can’t believe I actually let it deteriorate that much. I thought if I used it on electronics I’d be okay.”
“Hey, it’s okay! It just means you’ll have to train hard to get your Quirk to what it used to be and better! And we’ll help you!” Hado chirped out as she scratched under Foam’s chin. Yui really hoped her smile didn’t look strained; yeah, that had worked so well last time. What if something new happened with her Quirk and she ended up hurting them? It’d probably be best to work it out at home, at least Aizawa would be around to cut off her control. Or would that be too much of a hassle?
“Sorry about the wait! Ah, Yui! I was hoping it was you! And these must be your friends. Hi, I’m Yuki, it’s really nice to meet you!” Yuki beamed as she came out from the kitchen, balancing a tray of muffins before she put them in the display case.
Yui was just happy for the convenient arrival, “Hey Yuki. Switching up your hair color again? I like it, it’s pretty wild.”
“Aww, thanks, hun!” Yuki twirled a pink and orange lock around her finger. “It was an accident though. This is just what happens when my purple starts to wash out, I have to go in soon. But hey, it reminds me of sunset colors. Anyway, introduce me to your friends.” She beamed as she walked over to the table with menus.
“Guys, this is Yuki Amai, owner of Sunshine’s Cat Café. She’s Izuku’s and my unofficial big sister. Yuki, This is Mirio Togata, Tamaki Amajiki and Nejire Hado, my friends from U.A.” Yui pointed out each of her friends as she named them.
“Awww, you actually introduced me as your sister!” Yuki gave a little squeak, pulling the teen into a hug.
“Unofficial.” She grumbled as she squirmed against the embrace, her face feeling a little warm. Yuki only grinned as she held on tighter.
“You can’t take it back now! Anyway, I can’t believe I’m finally meeting Yui’s friends! I thought I’d have to wait a year or so before she brought you around. I hope you all like sweets because I baked a whole bunch!”
“Oooh, Yui. Do you talk about us?” Yui groaned at the teasing tone in Togata’s voice. She should have just said the park like Amajiki had offered.
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“Yeah, I told her about these three insane people who wanted to befriend me. I have brightly colored accents to warn people to stay away from me.” She replied dryly.
“You’re not poisonous, Yui. Stop being dramatic.” Yuki huffed, “We all know you’re a huge softie.”
“Lies and slander.”
“Oh yeah? So last week when you teared up because you accidentally stepped on Foam’s tail, and rambled out apologies, and held her the entire time you were here and gave her extra treats? Doesn’t make you a softie?” Yuki asked as she crossed her arms, “And don’t get me started on the Disney movies.”
“That doesn’t make me a softie...that just doesn’t make me a monster. I was wearing my steel toe boots that day.” Yui mumbled as she slumped down in her seat a bit. “Can we please get the conversation away from me? You were talking about sweets...?”
Yuki snapped her fingers, “Oh right! I have Livewire and Mic muffins, Midnight’s Delight, Lavender shortbread cookies, lemon bars, and a mixed berry pie. If none of those speak to you, I can make something else. Oh, and here are some menus, I have no idea how hungry you all are.”
“Thank you! It smells amazing in here, I can’t wait to try your food.” Togata smiled wide as he took two menus and passed one to Hado. “Oooh, you do American food here?”
“Yep! I thought a different kind of food would be nice to serve since there aren’t many places that make American diner food. I add certain foods when I'm trying out new recipes too. My dad is my resident taste tester.” She beamed at him, “But if that doesn’t appeal, I can make something else. As long as I have a recipe, with my Quirk, it usually turns out good.”
“What’s your Quirk? Is it related to food? Tamaki, you have a food-related Quirk too! You guys can compare!” Hado smiled wide as she rambled, running her hand through Foam’s fur.
“S-She hasn’t even answered yet...” Amajiki mumbled as he looked down at his lap, picking at the edges of the sleeves on his hoodie.
“You have a food related Quirk too? I’d love to hear about it! Well, all of yours, actually.” Yuki giggled. “So, my Quirk is called ‘Just Right’. Like, from Goldilocks and the Three Bears? As long as I focus, whatever I’m making, as long as it relates to food, turns out delicious. It took me years of experimenting to get it right, but it is a pretty handy Quirk to have when it comes to running a café. My dad’s Quirk is similar, except it only works on coffee beans. So, he roasts the beans we use here.”
“That’s so cool! And it is really useful for working at a café.... I thought civilians weren’t supposed to use their Quirks without licenses though?” Togata asked.
“You’re right! But some Quirks can’t be turned off. Even if I don’t try to use my Quirk, I have to focus on the food I’m cooking and end up using it anyway. So, there are civilian Quirk licenses, as long as your Quirk isn’t a danger to society. I have mine right here.” Yuki pulled the card from her apron, “I have to get it renewed every five years, and I can’t have any Quirk related issues on my record. So I’m really careful with my Quirk,”
“I didn’t know civilians could get Quirk licenses... I thought only heroes or government officials could get those, but that makes sense! Some Quirks can’t turn off, I mean, just think about those with mutant type Quirks.” Hado hummed, her body swaying back and forth a bit. Yui wondered if she was kicking her feet under the table.
“Or those with touch-related Quirks, most of those can’t be turned off, or it takes a hell of a lot of training to advance the Quirk to that level of control. And then there’s side effects of Quirks in general, there’s so much research that can be done on Quirks, and we’d never fully understand them because they’re always mutating with each new generation.” Yui drummed her fingers on the tabletop as she talked, dropping into a ramble a bit. “Have you heard that theory going around? That Quirks are getting more volatile as people with stronger Quirks get together, and eventually Quirks will get too strong to control?”
“Oh, I’ve heard of that! And I’m not sure if I believe the last part. I think anyone can gain control and master their Quirk with the right amount of training. It’s what we do now, after all.” Togata grinned as he leaned forward. “I mean, most of the time, the person’s body can handle the Quirk right? It’s a type of evolution.”
“But that’s not always the case. There have been people that took the Quirk of one parent but got the body suited to the other parent. Like that one girl from Russia. She inherited her mother’s elasticity Quirk, but her father’s body had the structure of clay, so when she tried to extend her arm like her mother could, it plopped off. Luckily she could mold it back on but that’s kinda terrifying.” Yui countered, grinning as she leaned forward herself. The topic was something she’d done research on, considering how close to home it was with Dabi’s condition.
“Break it up, you guys! This sounds like homework! We’re supposed to be getting to know more about each other!” Hado had her cheeks puffed out as she pouted. “Yuki, how long have you known Yui, can you tell us what she was like as a kid? Do you have pictures?”
“Oi, you don’t gotta ask her-”
“Of course I do! She started coming in when she was eight. I got tons of pictures of her with the cats.” Yuki pulled out her phone to open up her gallery and show a picture of her and Izu surrounded by cats. “I was so surprised when she showed up with the little green bean.”
“Oh wow, look how small Izuku was! He looks like a dandelion with his poofy curls!” Hado giggled, as she leaned forward to look at it, “You used to be a string bean too Yui.”
“Yeah, the two of you are adorable.” Togata grinned, “You look so protective of him.”
“What she’s not telling you, is that after she took that picture, I woke up and threw an apple at her.” Yui grumbled as heat crawled up her neck. She should have thought this through better when it came to Yuki, especially with her obsession with pictures. Did any of those pictures have her scars showing? She really didn’t think they did. Wait...what about Izu’s scars? “Um, Yuki, can I have an iced coffee please?”
“Oh, dang! I’m sorry, of course. With caramel, cream and an extra espresso shot, right? What about you guys?” Yuki smiled as she pulled out her notepad to take their orders.
“You don’t have to apologize, we pulled you into our conversation! Um, can I try the sparkling lemonade please?” Hado asked.
“Of course, want anything special in it? People usually ask for strawberries, but I have other fruits like blueberries, raspberries, cherries, etc. If any of those sound better?”
“Oh! Can I try it with blueberries please?”
“Sure thing, sweetie. How about you, big guy?” Yuki pointed her pen at Togata, “I wanna say...you like frappuccinos?”
The blonde chuckled, “You’re right, I’m not totally into coffee yet but I like it with lots of milk and sugar. So, hit me with whatever you want, I’m adventurous.”
“Ooooh, a surprise. I like experiments. Okay, and how about you, hun?” Yuki grinned as she looked up at Amajiki, the attention making him shrink in on himself as he stared down at the menu.
Yui gently tapped her foot against his, making him jump like a startled cat. “You like tea, right? She has this new hibiscus dragon fruit tea that’s really good. It comes hot or iced.”
“O-Okay, I’ll try that, the hot one please?” He mumbled.
“Great choice! You’re not allergic to honey, are you?” At his head shake she grinned wider, “Do you mind if I add some in? I think it really compliments the tea.” He gave her a nod, “Awesome! Okay, kiddos, I’ll go get your drinks, so I’ll be right back!” She disappeared back into the kitchen.
“Okay! Time to be interrogated!” Hado grinned as she pulled a pocket-sized sparkly teal notebook from her purse. “I have questions, and you’re gonna answer.”
“You brought a notebook...and I hope you’ll answer mine. I know you all know each other but I’m still in the dark. And while I could hack into your U.A. files, I thought it’d be better getting the information straight from you guys.” Yui held up her phone, “I was gonna take notes so I don’t forget. So, how about, whenever you ask me something, you guys have to answer it too?”
“That sounds fair. I think Nejire has a list she’s been brainstorming a few days.”
“Yep! Alright, easy one. When’s your birthday? Mine’s October sixth.” Hado leaned forward, her pen posed over the paper as she waited for the answer. Yui pressed her index finger against her lip as she tried not to chuckle.
“March thirty-first. I turned fifteen right before school started.”
“Oooh! You’re a March baby like Tamaki! His birthday is March fourth.” Togata grinned, “Mine’s July Fifteenth.”
Yui blinked, pausing at her own note taking, “Your birthday is July Fifteenth? That’s Izu’s birthday.”
“Woah, really? You’re birthday buddies! We can have a double birthday party!” Hado giggled, clapping her hands together, “It’ll be so much fun to plan!”
Yui chuckled softly, how are we going to plan that when you’re not supposed to know who are parents are? “Yeah, that’ll be fun if we’re in town. We might be going to visit family in Kyushu.”
“Aww, well keep me updated in case plans change!” Hado grinned before Yuki came back with their drinks.
“Here you go, kiddos! I hope you like them.” She smiled as she put the drinks down in front of them. “Tell me what you think, blondie.”
Togata grinned as he took a sip, “Mmm…banana? I love bananas, how’d you know? I can only taste a little coffee!”
Yuki giggled as she gave him a thumbs up, “It just came to me. It’s a mocha banana frappucino. Maybe it’ll be a new signature item.”
“What’s a signature item?” Hado asked as she took a sip of her own. Yui swore she almost saw stars in her eyes, it must be pretty good.
“Oh, hehe..” Yuki rubbed a hand over her apron, “They’re items I make that are inspired by some of my favorite customers… Or heroes. I have banana chocolate chip muffins that are based on Present Mic. A special roast of coffee beans based off of Eraserhead. A triple chocolate dark chocolate cake for Midnight. I have lavender shortbread cookies I made after Izuku’s friend. The green bean special burger is based off of Izuku! And of course the Livewire muffins based off of Yui! I like to have fun with my menu.” She giggled.
“That’s a warning, if you keep coming here, she’ll make menu items based off of you.” Yui teased, sticking her tongue out when Yuki pouted.
“Wait, Eraserhead, Present Mic and Midnight come here?” Togata asked, “I’m kind of surprised Eraserhead visits, I didn’t know this was his type of place.”
“I told you, Miri! Eraserhead-sensei is nicer than everyone thinks!” Hado giggled, “I bet he comes in here just to pet the cats.”
“And the coffee, Eraserhead says we have the best coffee in Musutafu. Midnight is a riot when she visits, and really flirty. I think she tries to make me blush every time she’s here. Unfortunately, I don’t swing that way.” She sighed softly. “Anyway~ I see you guys are in the middle of something. If you need anything, just holler, okay? I’m experimenting with some blueberry honey biscuits.” She winked before she went back to the kitchen.
Yui glanced at Amajiki as he sipped his tea, by the little smile that curled his lips, it looked like he liked it anyway. “Hey, Amajiki. Weird question, but can you grow flowers if you eat something from it? Like, if you ate sunflower seeds, can you manifest sunflowers? If you could, you could form a pretty interesting team with Hayashi.”
“Oh, um, yeah. See?” He held out his hand, a green vine growing out of his fingertip that grew larger until a large pink hibiscus flower bloomed. Yui grinned as she watched, his Quirk was so cool and versatile depending on what he ate. Was it only limited to organic materials?
“Tama, that one turned out so pretty!” Hado giggled as she traced a finger over a petal, Amajiki pulled the vine free before he put the flower in her hand. She gave a little squeal before she wound it in her hair. “Thank you! It’s my favorite color too.”
“I should have known your favorite color was pink.” Yui chuckled.
“Oh right! Back to the questions!” Hado chirped.
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