Chapter Text
“Yes Father, the threat has been dealt with,” the red and white haired man said into his cell phone as he sauntered down the busy streets of Tokyo. He had just taken out a troublesome gang with intent to sell stolen goods. Subduing them was easy enough, but he was annoyed he had to do it in the first place. During the fall months, crime usually slows down. Unfortunately, these villains did not have the same sentiment. “You really should learn how to delegate. There are plenty of capable sidekicks at our agency. There really was no need to call me in on my day off,” he huffed. “I am delegating. I delegated this job to you didn’t I?” Endeavor barked through the phone. Shoto rolled his eyes and proceeded to enter his favorite coffee shop, giving a polite nod to the cashier as she looked him up and down in his hero costume. He didn’t normally like to be seen in it outside of patrols but a trip home just to change seemed inefficient. He’d just have to endure the extra stares. “I suppose. I’ll email you the full incident report tonight. Goodbye.” “Shoto wait-.” He hung up before his father could have a chance to finish, not wanting to spoil what he had left of his day off. A small smile graced his lips as he addressed the cashier. “My apologies. May I please have a small black coffee.” She nodded and got to work on his coffee while he scanned the cafe. He enjoyed this particular cafe because of their open mic nights. He liked the relaxed atmosphere and also not being the center of attention for a while. Hero work had its perks, but the pitfall was always feeling like he had to maintain his hero image. Shoto was a civil servant after all. He was not only representing himself but his father by extension. Even though he and Endeavor had their issues, he was still going to be respectful if even just for the agency’s sake. After receiving and paying for his coffee, he eyed a free booth with a good view of the stage. In the booth in front sat another cafe regular that he had seen many times before, her long black curls and rich chocolate skin catching his eye more than once. She often sat alone with a book in hand and he wondered why a woman so beautifully unique as her would be unaccompanied. Even as he wondered and walked over to his empty booth behind her, he decided not to bother her. Perhaps like him, she enjoyed the peace and quiet atmosphere alone.
As Shoto took his seat, two women unceremoniously walked into the shop, ruining any semblance of the tranquility he so craved. “Omg, you will not believe the night I had last night. Kaneki took me dancing and we like, danced and stuff. But I got soooo drunk that I kept like singing all the music at the top of my lungs! It was so hilarious!” Her nasally voice boomed through the once quiet cafe. Shoto sighed and sipped his coffee, hoping she would just settle down and find a seat, his ears perking up as he heard a soft sigh from the booth behind him. “I love hearing you sing, girl! What are you going to sing for the open mic tonight?” The annoying mystery woman's friend inquired. “Oh, nothing today. My vocal coach said I need to be on vocal rest since I overdid it last night. Such a shame too. I would have totally dominated,” She cackled like a witch as they both took a seat and continued their conversation. “You’re doing it wrong,” a small voice came from behind him. In surprise, he let out a rare but small chuckle.
Aimee blushed, not realizing she said her snide comment loud enough that the man behind her could hear. She bit her plump bottom lip gently, as she tried not to break into giggles. She didn’t intend to be rude, but she just couldn’t help herself. Those two probable trust fund bimbos were talking loud enough for the whole cafe to hear their conversation. If that woman was really supposed to be on “vocal rest”, she is not going to see good results and honestly, she found that hilarious. Internally, however, she knew it was bad gris-gris to tease people, no matter how justified. She resigned to quietly sip her iced coffee in peace (or what’s left of it) because as the kids would say, “that’s none of my business.” Just as she was about to finish her drink, she heard a low voice from behind her, “If her singing voice is anything like her speaking voice, she is perhaps doing us a kindness.” Startled and pleasantly surprised, Aimee choked on her last bit of coffee. The two loud women suddenly looking back at her “causing a scene” only made her cough and laugh more. Todoroki immediately stood from his seat and went to the ravenette’s aid, apologizing profusely. “My apologies, that was terribly rude of me. Are you alright? May I get you some water?” Aimee shook her head, giggling through her tears as her eyes watered from the short lack of oxygen. “No, no! I’m fine. It was actually pretty funny. You just caught me off guard is all.” Todoroki paused and took in her face as she wiped her eyes. To put it simply, she was exquisite. Her large brown almond eyes looked into his as a playful smile tugged at the corners of her full lips. Her womanly body jiggled and bounced as she laughed, a sound he wanted to never end. Looking down at her from where he stood, he noticed how her bright yellow shirt complimented her smooth dark skin and how the modest V neckline revealed her abundance of cleavage. He couldn’t help but feel a slight warmth fill his cheeks as he stared down at her. “You must have either a really good, or a really poor sense of humor to find me funny.”
As Aimee caught her breath she took a moment to really look at the duel-quirk hero. She had seen him several times before in the cafe, but never up close. He was quite tall, with lean muscle pulling against the blue fabric of his hero costume. His peppermint hair dangled in front of his eyes until he nervously brushed them aside, revealing her favorite trait. His eyes. One cool grey, one turquoise blue. The rumors were true. You could get lost in those heterochromatic orbs. He definitely lived up to the hype. Aimee was pulled out of her thoughts as Todoroki cleared his throat, awkwardly shifting his weight. “May I… join you?”
Aimee unconsciously quirked an eyebrow at him. Join me? What would a super hot (and cool) pro hero want with me? Not to be rude, she of course nodded and he slipped into the booth opposite of her after retrieving his coffee. He’s just trying to get to know his constituents, she thought. No big deal.
“I’ve seen you here a lot,” Todoroki said softly as he sipped his coffee. Aimee paused for a moment, thinking he had something to add to it. Apparently, the rumors that he was a man of few words was true as well. “Yes…” she nodded slowly. “I have seen you as well,” she said slightly sarcastically with a small smirk tugging at her lips. “This place reminds me of back home. The live music, coffee, and sweet treats. They also have the best apple pie around, so there’s that.” She giggled and Shoto thought it was the sweetest sound in the world. He nodded as his cool eyes locked onto hers, suddenly feeling bold. “I assumed you weren’t from here. There are not many women in Japan like you.” “What, you mean Black?” She quirked her head to the side with wide eyes.
Shit! Todoroki’s left side abruptly erupted into flames. FUCK! Although it only lasted for a second, Shoto was so embarrassed. First, he made this gorgeous woman choke on her coffee, then he insults her, and to top it off he almost burns the poor woman! All in his sad attempt to flirt. “Whoa! Oh my God!” Aimee shouted in shock as she instinctively pulled away. His normally pale face flushed a deep red all the way to the tips of his ears. He hadn’t lost control of his quirk since he was a teenager. He was a goddamn adult! Scrambling to his feet he bowed deeply, spewing a plethora of hushed apologies.
Aimee blinked in surprise at the sight before her, instantly regretting her decision to tease the poor man. She never dreamed she could pull such an extreme reaction out of the usually stoic hero. Being snarky was just one of her many defense mechanisms when she felt exposed and vulnerable. And boy did the way Todoroki looked her make her feel exposed and vulnerable. In fact, she was still surprised one of the best (and hottest) pro heroes was even talking to her. “Hey…” she reached out for his (hopefully safe) right hand. She noted it was significantly cool to the touch. “At ease soldier. I’m the one who should apologize. I was just messing with you.” Todoroki looked down at her small soft hand, observing the contrast to his large and calloused own. He pensively looked up at her from under his bangs, only to catch her large brown orbs staring into his with an apologetic smile. “That was a pretty impressive display of power though.” She giggled and squeezed his hand gently, encouraging him to sit back down. Todoroki nodded and took his seat sat back across from her as Aimee cleared her throat, giving everyone else in the cafe the evil eye for staring. Somehow, although she barely knows this man, she already felt the need to protect the sweet lamb from unwanted attention.
“Anyway, your assumption is right. I’m American, from New Orleans, LA specifically. I moved here when I was 13 with my Dad. He’s a Colonel in the Marines and was stationed at Camp Kinser.” Todoroki nodded and took another sip of his coffee. “That’s a noble profession.” Aimee sighed and played with a few of her dark curls. “It is. But as a child, I used to hate it. Having to pick up and leave everything I ever knew behind. Being thrust into a new culture. It was hard at first and I felt like my Dad didn’t understand it, or just didn’t care.” The hero hummed in response. “I do have experience with difficult fathers.” The look on Todoroki’s face gave her the feeling that there was a lot to unpack there but she decided not to ask. He’s been through enough for one talk anyway. “Welp, it’s pretty much all good now. We’re still not super close but I don’t get to see him often. He’s a very busy man, keeping the world safe in his own way. But you, you’re right on the front lines. What’s that like?” Todoroki blinked rapidly, surprised to have the topic of conversation turned to him. He was hoping he could learn more about the captivating woman in front of him. “I… just do my best to help those in need.” “You know, this is a little embarrassing, but you’re my favorite hero to watch in a fight.” Todoroki slowly set down his coffee with a confused look, sure he misheard her. “The way you move and use your quirk in a fight… even though you obviously have great power, your moments are so fluid and somehow even gentle. I mean, you rarely fight with a closed fist. You make battle look so effortless and easy. Like a dance almost.” She likes my fighting? Who is this angel? Todoroki stared her in disbelief. He had never heard his fighting described in such a way. After years of struggling with accepting his quirk, and being called cold and distant in the tabloids, this woman called him gentle of all things. A familiar heat rose to his cheeks for the third time today and this time he didn’t really care. He looked up at her to find a similar but faint rosy color upon her cheeks. “Thank you.”
Aimee looked at her watch hummed. “Oh 20:00 already. I really should get going, my cat gets cranky when he’s hungry. As do I.” She laughed lightly and she stood up from the booth, putting on her coat. Shoto watched helplessly as she gathered her things. He didn’t want the conversation to end, but he also couldn’t be selfish and keep her there. “Well. Thank you for your service, Mr. Todoroki. And thanks for the… colorful conversation,” she said with a small smirk, turning on her heel to leave. “Wait.” He cautiously took her hand. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.” The smallest of twinkles flashed across her eyes, and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Shoto. “Aimee. Aimee Faurie.” “That’s a beautiful name.” She cheekily bit her bottom lip trying to suppress a wide smile. Aimee had already promised not to tease the man anymore, but she just couldn’t help herself. “Thank you. I got it for my birthday.” And with that, she turned and walked away towards the cafe exit. Todoroki sat stunned for a moment, mulling over her last statement before finally letting out another rare chuckle. Although the moment his eyes locked onto her hips as she glided out the door (and shamelessly all the way down the street) he found himself stunned for an entirely different reason. “Aimee. Until we meet again.”