#i didn’t forget izuku’s staff in the last panel

[xskyll]

Midoriya: Wow, I sure am glad this VR thing doesn’t have some kind of sensor that can tell when I’m blushing. I’d sure be in trouble then! Haha!

Prev / Next

First page

[andypantsx3]

unconventional | 4 | midoriya x reader

summary: HeroExpo is incredible, and that’s not even counting the really cute hero fanboy you just met. Well, you think he might be cute under that Deku cosplay. It’s hard to tell because it’s really, really good. Like, too good.

length: est ~15,000 words | 5 chapters

tags: romance, pro hero au, misunderstandings, conventions/fandom culture

warnings: aged up characters, eventual smut

notes: I meant to give this a real editing pass and then like, didn’t. I hope you still enjoy!

HeroExpo @heroexpo_official Hey hero fans, ready to meet your faves? Don't forget to line up early for meet and greets! Rooms are capped at 300, so get in while you can!

mrs shouto todoroki @lmmbb5889 replying to @heroexpo_official omg shouto's face when that girl tried to feel his bicep. i s2g i thought it was about to turn into a meet and yeet.

Iida Tenya’s Right Nipple (งʘʘ)ง @in_vineration 📣 ATTENTION 📣 Hot Deku cosplayer is actually Deku confirmed. I saw him buying at least fourteen sheets of All Might stickers in artist alley.

green bean protection squad @bunnnniboi replying to @in_vineration yeah that's definitely him OMW

xinju @greenhopp replying to @in_vineration y'all, actual dynamight is here too and he looks abt three seconds from nuking table A17

The next morning rushed by in a blur of menial tasks and idle daydreams.

You woke up early and caught the train in the silvery hour just before dawn, arriving at the convention center just as the sun’s rays began to limn the top of the building in gold. A couple plain-clothes officers and sleepy heroes were already lingering around the entrance to the convention center, and you felt distinctly like a secret agent when you flashed your staff pass at them to get inside.

You helped yourself to a coffee in the staffroom, and then set about your volunteering under the direction of the event organizers. You helped check audio equipment for some afternoon panels, scrubbed down some of yesterday’s attendee messes, and assisted a few under-caffeinated artists setting up their tables. As busy as your hands were, your mind was even busier, turning over the events of last night again and again, boring through them with all the singular focus of a laser beam.

You couldn’t believe Izuku was real. You couldn’t believe he’d spent the entire day with you, asked you to dinner, and then at the end of things, not only had he not run screaming from you, but he’d turned around and given you his phone number. You’d checked your phone every ten minutes on the train, certain it had to have been nothing more than a bizarrely realistic daydream on your part. But every time you did, there it was, nestled snugly at the center of your contacts list.

Izuku.

Your brain hummed pleasantly like a hive of satisfied bees.

Over the memory of his sunny smile and sturdy biceps, you unpacked boxes of promotional merch, buzzing back and forth between storage and the dealer’s room like an indecisive bee yourself, stopping only when the first of the con-goers began to trickle into the convention center. Another volunteer staffer came to find you and relieve you from your shift.

You dug out your phone and started texting Izuku as soon as you were freed. It took several minutes to craft an appropriately level-headed message, as you kept typing things out and immediately deleting them, feeling strangely girlish and shy.

Finally, you settled on a cool, hey! i just got off shift. i’d love to meet up if you’re still free?

Your phone buzzed immediately with an incoming call. Your heart shot into your throat at the sight of Izuku’s name flashing across the screen.

“Y/N,” he said when you picked up. That gentle tone sounded just as good over the phone. Your stomach swooped and you frantically scrabbled for the threads of human language lurking somewhere in your brain.

“Izuku, hi!” you said, inanely. Your face heated at how eager you sounded, but Izuku didn’t seem to mind.

“I, um, was thinking of going to Creati’s panel,” he said. His voice was warm in your ear. “I was hoping you might want to come…”

“Yes!” you squeaked, abandoning all pretense of sounding cool and collected. “Yes, that sounds great!”

And it did sound great. Creati was one of the most strategic and creative thinkers in the history of heroics, and her quirk was mega cool. (And if anything would have sounded great coming from Izuku, even dumpster diving, well, that was beside the point.)

You agreed to meet him in Hall B, and hung up, feeling giddy. You were thankful he wasn't already in sight by the time you made it there, as you nearly wiped out again in your haste to get there.

You peered into the teeming crowds of cosplayers, wondering who among them was Izuku. You’d forgotten to ask who he’d be dressed as today, if not Deku again, and every flash of a shapely bicep was setting off your alarms. You carefully eyed several All Mights, presuming that to be Izuku’s likeliest next choice, but none of them seemed much like him, either in their build or their features.

Then again, you didn’t really know what Izuku looked like under the makeup he’d had on yesterday.

Eventually, a mess of inky green curls drew your eye to the far edge of the hall. Your gaze trailed down from there, over a set of broad shoulders, down to a trim waist, the play of muscles along his back somehow very familiar...

The Deku cosplayer leaned in, speaking in low tones to someone in a very convincing Dynamight cosplay. From where you stood, you might have actually mistaken him for the real Dynamight. Those grenade bracers were obnoxiously accurate, at any rate, even scuffed in some places as though they’d seen use. It was a nice touch.

It was hard to tell from a distance, and with his back turned, but it did seem an awful lot like Izuku, in yet another Deku cosplay, speaking to a friend. You approached cautiously.

As you neared, the Dynamight cosplayer made some kind of dismissive noise in Deku’s direction, and waved him off, turning to stalk down the hall with nary a glance back at his friend. He threw up a middle finger as a bright peal of laughter floated after him, light and fizzy and sweet and absolutely recognizable after yesterday.

“Izuku?” you asked.

The Deku cosplayer turned—and sure enough, it was Izuku. Though he was just as perfectly in-character as yesterday, that sunny smile was one you knew you would recognize anywhere.

You slowed your pace, highly aware of the way the sight of him went straight to your knees and made you liable to trip on any rogue strand of rug fiber. He rushed over, a light tinge of pink sweeping over his nose bridge.

“Y/N!” he said, stopping in front of you. The color over his nose spread across his cheeks, creeping under those freckles. “Um, I mean, hi!”

You couldn’t help but grin up at him. “I mean hi to you too.”

He scrubbed a hand through that green hair again, his smile turning wry. “I, um, looked for you this morning but I didn’t see an All Might wandering around…”

You laughed. “I may have been deliberately hard to find when they were looking for volunteers again.”

He laughed, too, and you found yourself grinning helplessly back at him.

You didn’t know how to explain it but it felt like your day had finally clicked into place now that you’d seen him—which was so utterly wild, considering you’d barely known him for more than a day at this point. But he just felt so familiar, somehow. So trustworthy, and safe, and so maddeningly good.

He grinned and politely offered you an arm, something shy in the gesture. It made you feel somewhat shy, too, but you seized the opportunity to latch onto one of those biceps with enthusiasm.

Which immediately turned out to be a mistake. His arm was so solid under your fingers that you felt like you might be getting the vapors, and then you were mostly clinging to him in order to stay upright, rather than for the purposes of enjoyment.

Izuku guided you into the exhibition room, finding a spot near the back for the two of you. It was a Herculean effort to release him, and you rather thought you deserved some kind of award when you finally managed it and sat down.

Creati soon made her appearance, and launched into the panel. It was a testament to how interesting her talk was that you were able to retain any of it at all, most of your mind still fixed on the feeling of Izuku’s arm under your hands. Creati talked through her career as a hero, candid about her failures and her learnings, and her rise as one of the chief strategists in the heroics community.

When she got to the Q&A portion, a hand in front of you drew her gaze your way. As she turned, her expression instantly slipped into something surprised. She seemed to freeze, her full mouth parting and a thin, dark eyebrow went up, almost as if in question. She must have been looking at the guy who'd raised his hand, but it felt like she was looking at something behind him, almost right at you...

Her gaze lingered for what felt like several moments too long, but then she seemed to recover herself. Her lips drew into a smile and she pointed to the guy in front of you who’d had the question. Next to you, Izuku muttered something, and fidgeted in a way that suggested he was embarrassed. The tips of his ears, red against those green waves, seemed to confirm it.

A small wave of suspicion rolled over you. You wondered if maybe he had a thing for Creati, and the intensity of her dark eyes in your direction had been a bit much for him. You couldn’t really blame him, smart and beautiful as she was—but a small, hot spark of something almost jealous flickered to life in your chest.

If only his tastes ran to scrubby little support engineers instead.

You tried to push that thought out of your mind as the panel ended and people began to filter out of the room. You succeeded only by dint of Izuku leaning in towards you, shoving all other thought right out of your brain.

He tapped his notebook, smiling warmly. “She’s amazing. And her new suit is a definite upgrade from the old one.” He gestured to several lines of atrocious handwriting, that presumably would be related to Creati’s costume once deciphered. “Especially the various zippers, so she can adjust as needed.”

You nodded. It was definitely an upgrade compared to all the exposed skin that used to be on open and quite precarious display. To each their own, but you'd always thought there was something rather stupid and dangerous about leaving your bare skin unguarded in a profession like heroics. The thought of improvements launched you right back into support mode.

“I was thinking, what if her quirk was adaptable in the same way Edgeshot’s is?” you asked.

Izuku's green eyes flicked up to yours, alight with the beginnings of curiosity. “Adaptable in the same way?” he asked.

“His costume is made with pieces of his own hair fibers, right? To allow it to change shape in the same way.” you said.

Realization lit Izuku’s gaze. “You mean, what if you made Yaoyorozu’s suit the same way?” he asked, his tone growing excited. His fingers twitched in his gloves, like he was already itching to write the idea down.

You nodded. “Exactly. Someone would have to run tests on her hair fibers to confirm, but assuming it works in a similar manner, her entire suit could be designed to let anything she creates pass through it. Then she wouldn’t even need to stop and fiddle with all those zippers.”

The combination of wonder and approval in Izuku’s gaze made you flush hot all the way down to your toes. “That’s amazing,” he said. “You really are amazing. I...You should meet her, she’d really want to work with you.”

It was like he’d stuffed you into an oven cranked to broil. You scrubbed at your scorching cheeks. “It’s someone else’s support tech, not mine,” you offered awkwardly, suddenly desperate to get his attention off of you. “Plus, I don’t know how I’d get an appointment with her. I’m just a student,” you reminded him.

Those emerald eyes moved over you again, slowly, Izuku’s brow wrinkling as if in thought.

The reminder that you were still in school probably made your idea seem a little less amazing, and a little more childish. His expression definitely read like he was considering something he hadn't before. You didn’t care to find out what that was, so you nudged him instead.

“Anyway,” you said, loudly. “Do you feel like exploring Artists’ Alley and the dealer’s room with me? I unpacked a bunch of the merch this morning and there’s an All Might silver age figurine that I don’t remember them announcing, plus a couple other things I saw that you might like.”

Izuku perked up immediately at the mention of All Might merch. His expression cleared and he leapt to his feet with a speed that even Deku himself would have envied.

“All Might figurine? I, um, yes!” he said, handing you to your feet as well. “I’d really like that!”

You laughed at his exuberance, and led the way to the dealer’s room, immediately beelining for the booth bearing the All Might merchandise. You could feel Izuku practically vibrating behind you with the need to speed ahead, so you kept your pace quick, darting through the crowds of cosplayers with efficiency.

Izuku immediately handed over a card the second he got to the booth, snapping up one of the figurines with the enthusiasm of only the most die-hard of fans. He pressed the back of a hand to his mouth, laughing with a little embarrassment when both you and the booth attendant chuckled at his fervor.

“He, um, means a lot to me,” he said, blushing under those freckles again. God, he was so cute.

You grinned. “Glad I could get you the inside scoop, then.”

Izuku smiled back at you, that boyish sliver of sunshine, and your heart instantly sent itself into fits inside your chest. He really was way too handsome to be permitted, even with allowances made for whatever changes his cosplay had wrought. The open sincerity of his every expression made things even worse, made you helpless to do anything but grin back at him.

After that, the two of you floated around the dealer's room, Izuku gawking at everything with the reverence of a true hero fan. He stopped at nearly every booth, and made sure to buy something at every single stall belonging to a UA alumnus, happily packing things away into a bag that was rapidly growing overstuffed.

You gawked openly too, lingering over a pair of fluffy slippers shaped like moon boots at the Uravity booth, a line of insanely nice headphones put out by Earphone Jack’s agency, and some hot-and-cold coffee thermoses that you were certain pro hero Shouto didn't even know he'd licensed. Eventually, you caught sight of a vibrant square of green, and steered Izuku in the direction of the Deku booth, sure he’d be interested in merch to match his costume.

But Izuku’s ears went that same, curious shade of red as you approached, and he made an aborted movement towards his hair, as if he’d meant to ruffle it nervously.

You wondered what that was about.

There was really no hiding that he was a massive Deku fan, not with how he’d dressed as him for two days in a row now. The accuracy of his costume and all of his accessories suggested he'd paid a truly intense level of interest to the hero. Did he really think that you didn't already know, that you would find it embarrassing or surprising?

You determinedly led the way over to the booth, pulling him over to a table full of neatly folded forest green hoodies, nearly the same shade as his hair. “You don’t need to be embarrassed,” you told him, eyeing him as his ears went even more scarlet.

“I think I do,” he muttered.

You rolled your eyes. “Literally you do not. People love Deku for a reason. And this merch is amazing, just look at it.” There was really no shame in the fanboy game, you wanted him to know.

Izuku looked like he wanted to curl up on himself like a prodded grub, but he came over to look over your shoulder. You caught a whiff of something clean and cottony, his fabric softener already a familiar, if dizzying scent to you. Up close, you could feel the warmth of him through his suit, and you directed an irritated oh for god's sake at your knees when they went a little wobbly.

You stood straight, and pointedly focused your attention on unfolding a hoodie modeled after Deku’s suit, gesturing to Izuku to observe.

And honestly the moment you did, you wanted one for yourself.

It was made of a plush material, warm and soft against your fingers. The designer clearly had an eye for detail. The hoodie replicated the exact pattern of his suit, from the black geometric patterns at the ribcage, to the white shoulder straps, buttoned neatly in place. The neck was even fashioned after the steel mouthguard that Deku often wore at his throat.

Not a thread was out of place as far as you could tell, and the agency had clearly not cut corners on the design nor the quality of the materials.

“Wow, wait, this is so good,” you said, almost forgetting Izuku entirely. You slipped your fingers inside, sighing at the warm fleecy lining.

Honestly it was just the sort of thing you’d wear in the arctic environment of the support lab, warm and comfortable—especially on days where you were sure to sleep in the support building, unable to drag yourself farther than the set of beanbags shoved into the corner.

A glance at the price tag, however, suggested it was slightly out of your student budget. After the lunch with Izuku, you needed to watch your funds a little more carefully, especially if you wanted them to take you all the way through lunchtime tomorrow.

You dug out your phone, snapping a picture, and then typed out the details in your notes app.

Izuku watched you curiously. “Are you...sending it to a friend?”

You shook your head, pocketing your phone. “No, saving for when I can save the money up. That thing looks cozy as hell, and any support engineer worth their salt would be very appreciative of the level of detail. I will definitely be coming back for it.”

Something strange flashed over Izuku’s face.

He shifted a thigh, ducking his head shyly as he said, “You, um, could have it if you wanted.”

You squinted at him, the words not really registering at first. That was the point. You did want to have it, so you were gonna save up for it.

“I...what?” you asked.

Izuku reached out, gesturing at the table of hoodies. Your eyes greedily followed the shift of a bicep, your mouth going kind of dry.

“I mean I could...give one to you, if you wanted…” Izuku looked uncertain, like he thought he might be overstepping.

A little thrill went through you.

Was he really...offering to get one for you? After only a little more than a day of acquaintance? Sure, that was more than enough time for you to already be absolutely and completely whipped for him, but in your defense there was a dearth of stupidly cute boys who were also smart enough to talk shop with you. You didn't really know what Izuku's own thoughts were, and far as you could tell, the feeling only ran one way.

But the implication here....that he liked you at least well enough to give something to you...

Was it really what you thought it might be...?

The thought thrilled you even more than the promise of the sweatshirt.

You fought down a furious wave of bashfulness, looking up to catch Izuku’s gaze. Those guileless green eyes stared back, over a blush so deep it might have been medically concerning, if you weren’t certain you were feeling the exact same level of shyness.

“I, um, actually would really like that,” you said, reaching up to flatten your hair self-consciously. “And I can pay you back, too!” you added quickly, lest he think you were taking advantage of him. “When I do save up the money. I have your phone number and everything…”

Izuku shook his head, smiling shyly. Even that tiny little grin was unreasonably pretty. “It’s really no trouble.”

God, you could have exploded from how cute he was.

You nodded, then busied yourself with picking up a hoodie and trying it on for something to keep your attention off of him. You felt certain the both of you might combust if you waffled around each other for much longer. Izuku excused himself to go speak to the booth attendant while you pulled the hoodie on, frantically fanning yourself in hopes of cooling your cheeks.

The hoodie was sinfully soft, and just as cozy as you had anticipated. You ran your fingers appreciatively over the sleeve lining, reveling in the soft slip of the fabric. Okay, so Izuku was maybe feeling something slightly more intimate that acquaintance, if his reaction was anything to go by. It was cool, totally cool...you could be cool...

Izuku was still a little blushy by the time he made it back. You suggested continuing into Artists’ Alley, to give you both something to look at other than each other until you could calm down.

The thought that Izuku had wanted to get you something, a something that matched his own cosplay was...very heartening. And the fact that he’d been so bashful about the whole thing, probably just as shy about it as you had been…

Well, that made your heart leap into little somersaults in your chest.

Artists’ Alley proved a fairly fruitful distraction. Everything was eye-catching, and Izuku immediately set about collecting every single All Might sticker pack in sight. He was effusive in his praise, and the artists seemed to soak up his smile like eager little sponges, exactly the way you might have. He stuffed everything away in his bag, looking like a little kid who’d made out really well on Christmas.

He also lingered longingly over a set of pins featuring Creati, Ingenium, and Froppy, plus a cute little Uravity phone charm. At one booth towards the end of the row, he was startled into a laugh, a happy, pleased little noise that instantly drew your attention. In his hands, a Dynamight sticker pack depicted cartoon versions of Katsuki Bakugou in various piques of tantrum—crossed arms, surly pouts, and crackling explosions dotted the sheet.

“It looks just like him,” Izuku laughed as he purchased the set—his expression just somewhat guilty, you thought.

But he was clearly pleased with it, and his smile was infectious. You smiled up at him, unable to help yourself—and Izuku’s eyes seemed to catch on your mouth. For a horrible second you thought he might have just been staring at something caught in your teeth. But then his eyes trailed slowly downwards, down the lines of your new hoodie, and his ears went that charming shade of scarlet again. He pressed a gloved hand to the back of his mouth, flushed as if he’d caught a fever.

Your heart fluttered.

Okay, not that you had that much experience, but...that had to be a good sign. Right? Guys didn’t just go all blushy around a girl for no reason. Guys didn't just give a girl something and then stare at her in it like they'd never seen another human before. That had to mean...something, right?

You ruminated on this thought as you and Izuku sat down to a super late lunch, as you talked your way through another couple of panels, and sketched out a few more designs in his blue notebook. Your conversation came easily, as it had before, but now it seemed tinged with a layer of intensity that hadn’t been there before. And you didn't think it was just your suspicions lending it that weight either. Izuku's keen green eyes were even more focused than normal, and he appeared fairly unable to detach from the sight of you in the hoodie for too long. He even missed a couple forkfuls of rice, and was all cutely embarrassed about cleaning them up. The more you caught him staring, the stronger your suspicions were, and the stronger your resolve grew.

You had to know what it meant.

By the end of the evening, you resolved to ask him out. Maybe you were misreading signs, but maybe not. If he declined, well, you could always carry on as you had been, talking shop and dissecting panels together. But if he accepted…

Well, you didn’t want to get too far ahead of yourself.

As the evening drew to a close and Izuku walked you to the train again, you rehearsed what you might say to him. But before you got the chance, a gloved hand took yours, and Izuku pulled you to a gentle stop just outside the train stop.

You looked up at him curiously, heartbeat quickening.

Izuku’s features were set in a look of determination, eyebrows drawn slightly together, the edge of his mouth pressed in a thoughtful line.

“I wanted to ask you, um, before you left,” he said, in his gentle tone. “I was thinking about what you said, about being a student, and not being able to meet with any pros. Your designs, and all the ideas you had for Yaoyorozu’s suit, and Iida’s, and mine...they were amazing, like really amazing.”

You flushed with the praise, your fingers shifting in his.

Izuku continued, “Would you, um, bring some of your designs tomorrow? And some of the smaller inventions you mentioned?”

You nodded, wondering where he was going with this. You were always happy to show off your work, especially to someone who could clearly appreciate its finer points. But you and Izuku had already been talking shop, basically the whole weekend…so what did he want with your work now?

Izuku smiled down at you, reassuring and kind. “I don’t know if you were planning on coming tomorrow, but if you wanted to—Yaoyorozu, Iida, Shouto and Ochako will be at my meet and greet tomorrow. I didn’t think people would want to meet just me, so I asked to make it more of a UA thing…”

You stared at him, suddenly unable to process what he was saying. The words made sense separately but they didn’t quite fit together, like he’d misspoken somewhere, used an incorrect particle…

Something prickled at the edge of your thoughts.

“I was thinking you could show them your designs there, if you wanted,” Izuku said. Then he added quickly, “If you’re working, I could also get you a different time with them, though! Maybe a meeting at my agency, if you’re, um, interested. I know I definitely would like to work with you on a new suit design…”

He trailed off, looking a little unsure of himself. Your lack of response seemed to unnerve him a little.

But you were having some difficulties processing exactly what it was he was saying. You felt like an old-timey computer, slowly loading only the most fragile of internet connections. Everything felt so weirdly disconnected. Izuku kept referencing “my meet and greet”, and “my agency,” as though a regular dude had any business having a slot at the convention. He kept saying things like “my suit,” and he spoke of the pros as if he was on familiar terms with them. As though he was familiar with them, as though he was a hero himself…

You froze.

Two and two suddenly added up into a very neat and very horrifying four.

Those emerald eyes roved over you in concern, and two gloved hands came up to take you by the shoulders, very, very gently.

“Are you, um, are you alright?” Izuku asked, ducking his head to peer at your face.

You watched from somewhere outside your body, as his hands moved over you, as if to reassure himself that you were alright.

As pro hero Deku’s hands moved over you, and pro hero Deku peered concernedly at your features.

Pro hero Deku...who you’d apparently been with the entire weekend.