A Flower's Affection (KiriBaku Flower Shop AU)

Eijiro Kirishima - Tab Left, Swipe Right

        The brunch cafe Katsuki's mother had selected was a rather quaint, healthy eating style of a place. It looked rustic, and organic, and Eijiro desperately hoped that it wouldn't be vegetarian. Mitsuki led the way while Todoroki held the door, and Midoriya darted inside before anyone could corner him. A nice young guy about their age, whose name tag read 'Kirigaya,' took a glance at their party and gathered a stack of menus and silverware, leading them to a corner table by wide, open windows looking out over a patio area. He set the menus on the table and darted off towards the kitchen.

        Katsuki shoved Eijiro into the window seat and pulled another chair out for Inko whiling shooting a long glare at his mother, who took the window seat across from Eijiro. Todoroki took the seat across from Inko, waiting for Midoriya to return from wherever he disappeared to. Mitsuki's foot tapped under the table, chewing over something disparaging to say to Eijiro, but their waiter returned with six glasses and a large, glass, milk-bottle shaped carafe of ice water.

        Katsuki picked up a menu when he
stepped back and smiled. "Good morning, Mrs. Bakugo. I see you've brought company with you today. Can I interest you in any speciality drinks or starters?"

Mitsuki rolled her eyes at the boy, apparently a regular of this place. "I'd say a vodka tonic, but you don't make those here. Whatever the orange one is, I don't care."

        Eijiro leaned far to the right. "Specialty drinks?" He whispered.

        "Fancy fruit juices," Katsuki answered tilting the menu to let him look while their waiter gathered drink orders from the others.

        The menu came with pictures, but those drinks looked too pretty to drink. Even so, Katsuki grumbled under his breath and jabbed his thumb at one of the pictures before tossing the menu hazardously at the table.

The waiter's eye twitched, but he picked the menu up and resisted the visible urge to smack him with it. "Always a pleasure with you. How about Ms. Midoriya, hm? The usual?"

She smiled at him and ordered something very green for her and her child. Todoroki looked at the whole menu indecisively and traded a look with their server.

        The moment the man turned to leave, Eijiro felt the harsh crimson stare of Katsuki's mother bore into him. Her look felt so challenging, daring him to disappoint her, to do anything so that she may be rational in voicing her disapproval. He hated that she frightened him, but he still took Katsuki's hand under the table.

        The motion drew Katsuki's attention and he squeezed Eijiro's hand, pulled away from the mostly silent, and slightly panicked, conversation he and Midoriya managed to have with their eyes.

        Todoroki, oblivious to all the tension, broke the silence in the most Todoroki of ways. "I have a question for you, Inko," he said, because Inko had once said that 'just Inko' was fine and poor Todoroki had taken it at face value. "Izuku denies it, but maybe I can get a clearer answer out of you. Is Izuku All Might's secret lovechild?"

        Inko blinked at him. "Huh?!"

        He asked it so honestly. So genuinely curious, like he really did want an earnest theory confirmed.

        Midoriya did not agree. "Shoto!"

        Mitsuki gave the boy a scathing look. "Really?"

        Not sensing the disdain, Todoroki answered with complete sincerity. "Really."

        Katsuki kicked at Midoriya under the table. "I thought you explained everything to him, nerd."