Chapter Text
“What about her?” Principal Nezu asked. They were looking for alumni to give their new first years a welcome speech, most of the students that had been previously suggested were either: abroad, not available, declined the request with some unbelievable excuse or left the wrong- or out of date- contact for the school. Nezu pointed at a girl-you- on the yearbook with scruffy looking hair and eyes that indicated you’d rather have been anywhere but there. Aizawa vaguely remembers you, you were a third year when he was a teaching assistant, a few years before he started working here fully. You always seemed to be the cause of trouble and often dragged your whole class in with you, you always seemed to either be in excess or lacking, never in the middle. You spoke back to everyone with no exception and wore your skirt inches too short. That was about what he could remember about you, he didn’t know that much about you except for the fact that you were an infamous problem student that managed to come out top of your class.
Aizawa was silent, his silence conveying his thoughts along with his raised eyebrow and lips pursed into a thin line
“What do you think? She seems like a good fit.” Principal Nezu continued, his voice indicating that he wanted a vocal reply as he began tracing his stubby fingers underneath her name.
“Is she really the one you want to give a welcome speech to our students?”
Nezu laughed, he was fully expecting that answer from Aizawa “Yes, though she may have had quite the reputation as a student she still did well regardless. And I heard she’s doing quite well for herself these days.”
Aizawa stared down at your photo in the yearbook, still skeptical, from the way Nezu talked he had already made up his mind “I think there are more suitable candidates for-
“Well that’s too bad because I’ve already gone through the whole process of digging up her information so I guess you’re just going to have to find her.” Nezu shrugged, he hopped off his stool and opened a drawer. He brought out a large binder and held it up to Aizawa. “Might as well get to work.”
Aizawa drudged out of Principal Nezu’s office clutching a binder and walked to to the teachers lounge. His lips downturned, when Nezu summoned him to his office he didn’t think it would be because of this, he had papers to grade and sleep to catch up on, did the first years even need a welcome speech? They were already well adjusted enough, it’s been three weeks already. Nezu’s way of doing things had always confused him but this in particular irritated him, evident from the way he dumped the file on his desk and slumped onto his chair, running a calloused hand down his face.
“Should I be worried?” Hizashi snorted looking up from the video game he was playing on his desktop
“No.” Aizawa huffed, flipping open the binder, he wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible. The first page was an enlarged picture of your yearbook photo giving him a clearer view of the dead look in your eyes and your messy hair. Below it was your name and contact information he took note of your hero name and your quirk; Canvas, anything you draw becomes 3D. He flipped through pages of your grades and sheets of behavioral sanctions until he finally came across information he actually needed. According to this sheet you went to England right after graduation, it’s not specified where but you stayed there for about three years. You had signed with an English hero agency and also started a hero suit design company. From the information Nezu provided it seemed to have been doing well, he flipped to a page of your annual sales…really well…but you closed it down and a few months later moved to Japan. That made him raise an eyebrow, what possibly could have made you close down a booming business
“Oh yeah, Canvas!” Hizashi smiled, he had snuck behind Aizawa and been reading over his shoulder, he was sure Aizawa had noticed but just didn’t say anything but the way his shoulders slight tensed showed otherwise
“What about them?” Aizawa asked turning to Hizashi who pushed up his yellow tinted glasses
“They recently opened up a store, most of it’s still under construction though but I went there to get my headphones fixed.”
Aizawa’s eyes turned to the blonds headphones, they did look better, less bulky and obnoxious. “So you know where it is then, give me the address.”
“Whoa whoa whoa what do you need it for? Nothing on your suit needs to get fixed…does this have to do with what Nezu called you in for?”
Aizawa sighed and pinched his nose bridge “Yes, so give me the address.”
“I’ll do you one better, I’ll take you there!” Hizashi beamed. Aizawa groaned at the thought of getting in Hizashi’s rocky car, blasting music higher than the advised level and speeding through the streets. He’d rather not get car sick today or any day for that matter.
“I’d rather not.” He mumbled
“I’ll pick you up this weekend.” The blond winked, slapping Aizawa on the shoulder as he walked back to his desk.
Why could nobody do anything the way you wanted? Why were you surrounded by a bunch of incompetent fools? Was it really hard to get things right? No, no it wasn’t.
“Um…do you want me to tell them to stop?” Your assistant Hitomi asked, clutching her clipboard to her chest, her nose scrunched up as she observed the electricians.
You released your hand from the fist it was balled up in and let out a breath. It was the weekend, you should be grateful you found a crew that doesn’t charge extra for working on the weekend. You were supposed to be a cool, calm and collected lady, not yelling like a child that just witnessed someone take the last toy on the shelf.
“Yes please, tell them these aren’t the lights I ordered. And I want them to be in the centre not spread around this isn’t a damn child labour factory.” You huffed, the last part of the workspace wasn’t going how you envisioned at all. It was supposed to be low hanging lights in the middle were products were showcased and then work spaces illuminated by lamps in each corner of the room. You’d make the damn lamps if you could but you didn’t have time for that right now. You’ve already spent months making products and advertising out of the spare room in the house Hitomi and you shared while construction of the main building was going on. You needed it done, so people would take you seriously instead of getting ready to report your shop as a scam. Despite what happened with your last business you were determined this one was going to work out, new name for the business, new environment, new materials, new people, well except Hitomi you needed her. Your alarm went off and you quickly pulled your phone out of your back pocket to shut it off.
“Take care of this please, I need to be at that appointment.” You sighed shoving your phone back into your pocket
“Of course, don’t worry get going, don’t wanna be late.” Hitomi smiled, giving you a thumbs up. You nodded and started walking out of the back of the building, in cue your phone rang, you groaned and picked it up, not bothering to look at the caller ID, you had a good feeling as to who it was. “Calm your tits girl I’m on the way.”
You could hear her roll her eyes over the line “Well hurry the fuck up, it’s swarmed in here, I’m understaffed and you promised-
“I know what I promised so just calm down I’m like ten minutes away.” You sighed. Nira was the one person apart from Hitomi that you could trust, partly because she was your only cousin, who ran a questionable business but…it was a business nonetheless and she was family.
“Bitch!”
“Bitch.” You raised your eyebrow even though she couldn’t see, you knew she’d be able to feel it through the phone
“Better be here in ten minutes or else I’m going to shove you into my coffee brewer.”
“Yeah, I’d like to see you try, you little shit.” You smiled, cutting the call before she could say something snarky. You shook your head and sped up your walk, tripping on a pebble. God did you miss your car, unfortunately it’s not that easy to conspicuously ship a car over several countries borders. Your car, Daizy, was now with that old woman you had sold her to, she was in good hands you hoped, she was practically married to you, having to sell it off for a ridiculously low price was one of the most heart wrenching moments of your life. You prayed to whatever God was up there that she was okay as the view of Nira’s shop came into view, it had a vintage pastel pink and white stripped exterior, with a picture of a cat shaped coffee mug as the logo ‘Whiskers Coffee’ the sign said in a cream white cursive font. You braced yourself as you entered, the bell above the door dinged softly and you were met with the immediate chatter and smell of coffee.
“Hi there! Welcome to Whisker’s Coffee. What can I get you?”
You jumped at the sudden greeting. You quickly composed yourself and let out an unneeded cough “Uh no actually I’m here for Nira I’m the person she’s been yelling at on the phone.” You shrugged taking in the waiters outfit, you felt your stomach drop at the sight, that was going to be you in a few minutes in a frilly black and white maid outfit, thigh-high white socks,furry cat ears and a sickeningly sugar-sweet smile. You shuddered.
“Oh yes, come with me, she’s been waiting for you.” The waitress’s smile seemed to dip into a smaller, genuine smile when she realized that you weren’t a customer. She led you through the cafe, to the area where the cats were then finally the backrooms where Nira was pacing back and forth going over something on a clipboard
“Hey there boss.” You smirked, the maid that led you here left and shut the door behind her.
“Ugh,” She slammed her clipboard down and came up to hug you “you’re finally here!” She let go of you and smacked your shoulder “get dressed, my one cashier is drowning out there.” She moved to a box and brought out a pink long-sleeve button down and cat ears, you were more relieved that it wasn’t a maid outfit but those damn ears…
“How’d you come up with this idea for a business anyways, you could’ve just made a normal cafe.” You frowned slipping off your shirt
“There are dudes out here that get zero play and leave hella tips to see a cat girl in a maid outfit wave at them, why wouldn’t I capitalize on the unfuckability of dweebs.” Nira shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world as you buttoned the shirt
“What a wonderful way to talk about your customers.” You snorted. You turned to a mirror debating on how many buttons you should leave open, you settled for three. This push up bra was expensive and you’d be damned if you didn’t get to show off what it could do
“They do leave pretty good tips so the staff are happy, I’m happy well not really I hate doing owner work, like fucking taxes.”
You hummed in reply and put on the cat ears as you looked into the mirror, you fought the urge not to rip them off and walk right out of the building but there was a high probability that Nira wouldn’t even even let you get two steps away before she pounced on you “I better be getting paid for this shit.”
“In your fucking dreams, now go go go, I have customers.” She pushed you out of the back rooms and towards the cash register “You remember how to use this right, or did you forget after all your time in England.”
“Bitch.” You simply replied, you rolled your eyes and turned to face your customer “Hello…oh…” you turned to Nira who looked as shocked as did, you turned back to the customers, a blond with high hair that defied gravity, yellow tinted glasses, a thin moustache and headphones you recognized beside him was a disheveled looking man in all black, matching black hair and eye bags.
“It’s not often to see you at a loss for words.” Hizashi smiled extending his hands to shake yours
“How’d you know I was here?” You asked, wearily shaking his hand “Heck how’d you even remember me?” You recognized Present Mic not from his podcast or all the flashy magazines he’s been in but from the short time you knew him in UA, he was frequently there when you were getting told off in the teachers lounge. You hadn’t expected him to take notice of you, and if he did, you certainly didn’t expect him to remember you and end up in the same store as you. The last time someone had shown up at your building unannounced…well let’s just say it didn’t go so well
“Never mind that, my friend Eraser here has a proposal for you.” He smiled gesturing to Eraserhead who simply glowered at him. You’ve heard of Eraserhead before vaguely, in passing conversations.
“Well before that would you be interested in buying anything?” Nira piped up pointing at the menu and nudging me with her elbow
“Yes we have excellent uh,” what drinks did they serve anyways? “Uh coffee yeah, freshly brewed and all that good shit- stuff.” You made an attempt at a smile and also pointed to the menu. You already regretted agreeing to this.