Chapter Text
Izuku sat down on the little bench the gym had near the entrance, scrolling on his phone and listening to music while he waited for his mom to pick him up when he felt the little tap on his shoulder. Startled, he pushes one of his headphone pieces to the side and looks to see a blonde guy with a black streak in his hair, looking way to energetic for someone who, judging by the amount of sweat on his body, had probably just finished a work out.
“Hi, can I help you?” Izuku asked, slightly nervous.
The blonde throws the him biggest smile Izuku had ever seen. “Dude sorry, I’m not trying to be weird or anything, but your piercings are dope. Where do you get them done? I’ve been wanting to get a couple, but I haven’t heard of any good shops nearby. Yours look really good.”
Izuku has a couple piercings. He doesn’t have an absurd amount, but definitely more than the average teenage Japanese boy. He has a septum ring, two lobe piercings with the first ones slightly stretched, a tragus piercing and an industrial piercing. And he did them all himself.
He started watching piercing videos and tutorials in the 9th grade. He read on proper piercing techniques, how to keep them clean and take care of them, even what type of jewelry to do it with to get the best results. He filled notebooks with piercing facts and information, adding to his collection of notebooks of his favorite bands and artists. And when he finally felt comfortable enough, he bought a piercing kit.
The piercing kit spent weeks hidden under Izuku’s bed in fear of his mom finding it. Inko Midoriya was a nervous woman when it come to any of that type of stuff. She had been warming up to the idea of him being more alternative in the last couple of years, but Izuku was still afraid to ask for a piercing and get a no and a lecture in response. That’s why he bought the piercing kit in the first place, because somehow, he managed to convince himself that when it came to things like that, it was better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
Nearing the end of 9th grade, he finally decided to sit down and do his first piercing. He sanitized everything, put on gloves, prepared the needles and jewelry pierced both his lobes. His hand shook slightly as he held them up to his ear, but once he pushed the needle through, he realized it wasn’t nearly as painful as he thought it was going to be. He had fawned over how much he liked them for hours in his room, too scared to go out into the apartment and his mom see them.
The next day after school, Izuku had stood outside his apartment door for way too long, mentally preparing himself for the lecture he was going to get once he stepped inside. And lecture did he get. His mom freaked out. Asking him how he dared pierce himself. Telling him how people on the street will judge him for it. He tried his best to explain to her, but it was pretty much useless. That night he went to bed feeling particularly guilty.
By the next week that feeling was gone. The feeling of wanting another piercing had overtaken him now, causing him to completely forget the trouble he was going to get in. He sat himself down and pierced his tragus, too excited to think about anything else.
When Izuku pierced his second lobes, his mother had just accepted it. No longer worrying and making it a big deal. Just a long sigh when she saw the new piercing, and reluctant acceptance.
By the time Izuku built up the courage to pierce his septum, he had completely fallen in love with piercings.
He researched all different types of piercings to do in the future. All different piercings styles he so badly wanted to try out. He just didn’t have anyone else to practice on.
Well, except for this blonde guy sitting next to him.
Izuku feels the nerves of answering truthfully sneak up on him, but he pushes them down as soon as they come. He knows he needs to be more confident, or he’ll never actually get to put himself out there in his work.
“Oh, um, thank you. I- um, I actually did them myself.” He curses himself for the stutter. God how old was he? He needs to sound more confident, or this guy was going to change his mind.
“Whattttt?! No way dude. You’re totally lying.”
“Ha-ha yeah no, I do them myself.” God he probably looked so awkward.
“Where’s your shop?” Ugh. This is definitely the part where he changes his mind and doesn’t want to let Izuku pierce him. He probably thinks he’s older than what he actually is. Of course, Izuku doesn’t have a shop. He hasn’t even pierced a single person besides himself. Doesn’t really have many friends that are willing to volunteer themselves. Well, he doesn’t really have many friends in general.
“I actually, um, don’t have a shop. I really have only pierced myself. But I want to get into piercing! Maybe when I’m older ill be able to open up my own shop.”
“Wait, how old are you?”. The blonde looks shocked to hear his age. Izuku definitely looks like an 18 year old, maybe a bit shorter than most, but pretty average. But he guesses the guy mistook him for a college student or something like that.
“I’m 18”, Izuku said smiling.
“Dude, me too. Do you think you can pierce me? I really want an industrial. Oh, I have a friend that would totally let you pierce him too.” The guy looked so excited Izuku was starting to get nervous.
“I mean, yeah. But again, you would be the first person I pierce other than myself. If you’re okay with that then I am totally willing to pierce you. And maybe your friend should see my piercings before anything. I’m not a professional or anything.” Izuku muttered that last part out, suddenly feeling shy at the thought of piercing other people.
“Trust me, he’s been bugging me about how he wants a piercing but only wants the best of the best. Hes a perfectionist. But trust me, once he sees yours, he is going to be convinced. Here, give me your number and we can set something up. How much would you charge?” The guy pulled his phone out of his gym bag and opened up his contacts.
“Well, I wouldn’t consider myself the best.” He’s full on blushing now. But he musters up the courage to give him his phone number and name and excuse himself to leave since his mother texted him right at that moment that she had arrived at the gym and was waiting for him to answer.
That night he receives a message that has him nervous and excited all at the same time.
Unknown Number
Hey it’s Denki, from the gym. Does tomorrow work?