#loveismagic

“Hello? I have a delivery!” A young man’s voice called out to you from the front of the shop.  

Typically your orders arrived in a crate with a puff of smoke on your doorstep just minutes after tapping your wand against the magical botanical catalogue. You tossed your gloves to the side and clambered out to receive the delivery. 

The delivery person looked more like a strong gardener. He had to be strong for his scarred arms to hold a large crate securely in place against his chest while waiting for you to retrieve the order. 

“Delivery for…” He scrutinized the shipping tag and then said your name. You nodded. With that confirmation, he opened his arms to allow the crate to hover towards you. It settled in the air by your side while you signed for the delivery.

“I always wondered who ran the potion shop! It’s so good to finally meet the potion master who has placed so many orders. I’m Izuku Midoriya, the lead botanist at Midoriya Magical Gardens.” 

“You’re not just the delivery person?” You handed him the paperwork and watched as it rolled and disappeared in a shower of silver and green sparks around you. “If you’re the lead botanist, have you been the one writing the extra notes on my orders? 

Izuku flushed, remembering all of the little notes he liked to leave for patrons. They were usually helpful tips for continuing to care for the magical plant in someone’s home garden or a suggested usage of the herbs. He couldn’t help himself. If he saw the opportunity to share something interesting or help someone out beyond fulfilling an order, he was happy to help. That sentiment shone through the helpful notes. 

“I do that for everyone - patrons find it helpful!” Izuku explained with a bright smile.

“Well I appreciate it! I never would have thought to use those extra leaf clippings as a pest repellant.” You couldn’t help yourself from talking to him. It had felt like ages since anyone was willing to speak with you outside of a potion consultation. You admired how radiant the botanist was and wondered if it was because he spent his time outdoors in the sun and fresh air, using his magic to bring life to plants.   

“Happy to help.” Izuku beamed. “I wish I could talk more but I have to get back to the gardens and finish harvesting some things. Big orders coming up. Some of the harvesting and care has to be done by hand and we’re a little short staffed.”

“Do you need help?” The question caught you both by surprise. You winced in embarrassment, rushing to fidget with the stained apron under your cloak. You had a limited knowledge of caring for plants. Why would you ask if he needed help if you were in no position to provide it? 

“I can handle it. Thanks for asking.” Izuku replied, running a hand over the back of his neck. He seemed just as nervous as you felt. He hesitated and pointed over your shoulder towards the interior of your shop towards the jars and beakers on the large prep table. “Besides, it looks like you’re busy too.” 

You followed his gaze and saw that the jars now swirled with various colors and were already being marked with twine and a tag with the name of the client burnt onto the wooden tags. Just in the span of this conversation, an order of a dozen sleeping aid potions had gathered on the prep table. Even from outside you can hear the glass clattering against the wood as the bottles arrange themselves into groups, set aside for filling and prep. 

“It looks like I am.” You sighed. “Thank you for the delivery and I’m sure I’ll hear from you again soon…” 

“Absolutely! Have to keep the best potion brewer in town happy!” Izuku interrupted with that sunshine smile of his and you could feel your heart burning inside your chest. 

You signaled for him to wait a moment before you dashed into your shop. You grab a tall bottle off the shelf and return out to greet him. The bright green liquid shimmered inside the frosted glass as you hold it out for him to accept.

“Energy potion, on the house.” You explained and Izuku’s eyes shined with gratitude. Even the thought of an energy potion was enough to perk him up after the past few weeks of work.

“Cheers!” He replied and immediately took a swig. He shivered where he stood, feeling the jolt of energy begin to pulse through him. Almost as quickly as he took that first sip, he pressed the stopper back into place. He’d have to ration it out a bit. 

“Thanks for the drink and your business! Also be careful with the bark, there’s a lot of sap still on them—!” He hiccuped and with a snap of his fingers he disappeared in a shower of sparkles, teleporting him to his next destination. 

The floating crate followed you back into the shop and the door shut itself behind you. You grabbed yourself an energy potion and took a sip to tackle the increasing bottles of order requests. You carefully inspected the row of bottles, recognizing the typical refill orders. 

When you start work the next day, you’re surprised to find a small bouquet of flowers on your shop’s table with a card that says Midoriya Magic Gardens. They decorated the space well as you focused on the straightforward sleep aids, love potions, and healing ointments that you could make with your eyes closed. 

While you worked through the orders, your mind wandered to ways you’d strengthen the effects of the potions. Eventually you day dreamed about truth tonics and how they had been brewed before but with various degrees of success. The power was mostly dependent on the person and what they are being asked, but you wondered if there was something else that would make it have more consistent and powerful effects. 

Later that week and after several other surprise and regularly scheduled orders arrived, you finally sorted the crate from Izuku’s first delivery. Shelves floated to you as you placed the ingredients inside the wooden boxes. Your hand caught on the expected paper inside with the order and Izuku’s notes. The bark can make great tea! - Izuku was written at the top. You flushed when you realized that now you could practically imagine his voice saying the words, even after that brief conversation with him. He hadn’t visited lately but definitely made it clear that he was thinking of you through all of the flowers and comments he wrote.

Tea sounds nice, you thought and went towards the kitchen where a kettle was about to whistle.

•••

Izuku tried to ration the energy drink. It was a huge bottle and he made the mistake of drinking it too fast and was awake for days. Still, he wanted more, and so in the next shipment addressed to your potion shop, he carefully packed the bottle inside among the fruit. 

You removed the stopper with a satisfying pop and the charmed paper unfurled before you to reveal, Can I get a refill? 

You filled it with the bark tea that Izuku had recommended in the first delivery. While the base recipe came from Izuku’s suggestion, the other additions and the brewing time were all your own. It had a refreshing property that would work well after long days in the field or after late nights studying the latest in botany.

It would be nice to see him instead of just reading his notes, you found yourself thinking as you approached Midoriya Magic Gardens.

Midoriya Magic Gardens was designed like an open tent with a high pitch that was recognizable from far away. There were no walls - just the floating canvas as the ceiling. You navigated through the wide aisles of wooden shelves that presented a range of potted plants and fresh produce of the regular and magical variety. You tucked the bottle in the bag against your shoulder. 

“Excuse me, is Izuku here?” You asked the stout woman who was in the middle of magically sorting rainbow carrots. The woman looked at you and noted the potion master pin on your cloak and a sweet smile stretched across her round face. 

“He is! Let me go get him!” She exclaimed and stepped away from the carrots that continued to file into their appropriate places. She dashed through a curtain portal and vanished for a moment. The curtain parted mid-air and her arms were visible for a moment as she pushed Izuku forward towards you. She stayed behind the curtain, hidden back at their home cottage. 

“Mom! This is the third ti - oh, what are you doing here?” Izuku asked, his shocked gaze settling on you standing right in front of him. He scrambled backwards in surprise, nearly flipping himself backwards over the nearest shelf. It couldn’t be helped that his mother was a lot stronger than she looked and used her strength for good. 

Or meddling.  

“Your refill.” You gently placed the flask in his hand once he was steady again on his feet.

“Th-thanks!” He wondered if, based on the swirling purple liquid, that you used some of the bark from the last order but didn’t want to confirm.  He had other things he wanted to talk about instead. 

Izuku glanced nervously over his shoulder before making the potion disappear. He leaned in closer and whispered, “I want to show you something.”

In an instant you were transported outdoors into a small alcove of trees. The breeze rustled around you and drew your gaze out beyond the gardens and toward the white tent at the far end of the field, now a small cap in the distance that was beginning to shine a yellow color in the late summer sun.

“It’s this way,” Izuku said and tugged on your sleeve to follow a small, worn pathway. The pathway led you through rows of flowers and fruit trees. Tiny fairies fluttered in between the branches and picked up loose petals to take to their homes. You wanted to take a closer look at the different plants surrounding you, your head full with all of the potion possibilities, but Izuku just ahead of you was even more stunning. The golden sunlight settling on his features - his profile, his freckles, the muscles of his arms - took your breath away. You were grateful that he was walking just ahead of you so that he couldn’t see how truly distracted you were. 

With each new section of the garden you arrived at, you expected Izuku to stop and say that this is what he wanted to show you. Yet, the pleasant conversation kept going and you kept walking side-by-side as you both discussed your favorite plants and the careful attention and magic it took to make them grow. 

Soon you reached the edge of the rows of flowers and fruit trees where the dirt path became rocks. When you stepped into the clearing, an incredible wave of heat washed over you. Your eyes widen when you realize that you’re standing before the most beautiful magma bush in bloom that you’ve ever seen. In fact, it’s the only one you’ve ever seen before. Your only knowledge of magma bushes and their blooms were limited to photographs and generic info pages from your studies. It was an incredibly rare plant that required tedious attention. 

“You’re kidding.” You said, staring at it despite the burning sensation in your eyes from not blinking. 

“This is the plant that I’ve been caring for! We had to wait for it 10 years to see if it’ll flower but if you look closer you can see it’s finally about to bloom.” 

You squinted at the spindly branches before you. The plant loomed at least three times your height and puffs of smoke rose from the trunk. You searched the branches for the clusters of coal-black bulbs. They pulsed black to a deep glowing red with each small heatwave. It was hauntingly beautiful and you couldn’t look away, even as one of the blooms opened up. 

“Look out!” Izuku shouted, grabbing your hand and pulling you back towards him and away from the incoming blast of magma. The deep red magma sizzled on the rocks several feet behind you. You could feel the warmth of his strong body behind you and you wondered if he was only warm because of the magma bush. You’re flustered but frozen in place as you watch the magma bush secure in Izuku’s arms. 

“You don’t think I could get a magma bulb for a potion?” You asked hopefully but rushed into your reasoning. “Magma bulbs increase the magic potency of potions and it could be the chance to make something really strong.”

“Magma bulbs are incredibly rare. I can’t just give them to anyone.” His tone was shockingly stoic. He sighed and gently released you from his grasp. 

“I’m a customer. I’d pay for it, if that’s the problem?” You deadpanned and Izuku felt a lump lodge in his throat.

“No, but you’re more to me than that - I mean, I want to give it to you but it’ll look like I’m playing favorites with clients.” He coughed through his sudden nerves, trying to backtrack. “Besides being difficult to use, it’ll definitely look like I’m playing favorites or make people continue to think the rumors are true.”

Izuku certainly wasn’t supposed to hear the whispers that Izuku was acting different ever since he made the in-person delivery to the potion master. Ever since he returned from that delivery with an interesting bottle and new energy, everyone figured the most dramatic outcome. They speculated that you had given him a love potion. Other townspeople and clients thought he was handsome and of course you as a potion master would have used your charms to win him for yourself - and were brazen enough to use a full bottle! 

Sometimes he wondered if it was true. You were a talented potion master and it would probably be easy for you to mix in a low-grade love potion into that first energy drink. It would definitely be an easy explanation to the way his heart raced whenever he thought of you. The way he would ensure that the best herbs and plants were supplied in your orders with additional freebie flowers under the premise of business partnership but with the motivation of something else. 

“You’ve never given me a love potion before, right?” Izuku forced himself to face you so he could watch your reactions carefully. He had to clear it up for himself at least to understand what he wanted to do next. This is what he wanted to talk about.

You shook your head no. It was against the potion master code to give someone something without saying its contents or purpose.

“Do you think someone gave you a love potion?” You asked and you’re a little surprised to feel your stomach drop at the thought of him being interested in someone else, even if it was through magical means.

Izuku chuckled at your concern.

“Other people think that you gave me a love potion… but I don’t think I need one with you.” Izuku replied, his face heating even more than the exploding magma bulbs. “Anyways, if you’re going to make a potion with a magma bulb we need to get it harvested now before they all open and become dangerous to use.” 

“Let’s hurry, then.” You beamed at him, choosing to ignore the silly smile that tugged at the corner of your lips to focus on the potion. Izuku regained the confidence to focus on sealing the bulbs in protective spheres. The sphere levitated toward him and severed the bulb from the plant. There was a small explosion but then it was ready. He set it aside and carefully placed the others in an anti-explosive crate. 

With a snap of your fingers you both returned to the main boiler room of your shop. 

You donned an apron and gloves and summoned a large cauldron and a potion book. A small cart stocked with ingredients rolled into the room and nearly tripped Izuku. You quickly prepared the ingredients, tossing in bundles of herbs while the cauldron rose to a boil.

Izuku stood transfixed at the sight of you brewing in your element but then remembered he was responsible for ensuring the bulb didn’t explode.

When you announced that the potion was ready for the final ingredient, Izuku lowered one of the bulbs into the cauldron and the potion flashed a bright white before settling back into a luminescent blue. The contents sparkled as it simmered and the steam smelled surprisingly sweet. You waved your hand for the liquid to rise out of the cauldron and begin to fill 200 tiny vials. 

“Leaving your shop this late won’t be good for the rumors…” Izuku yawned, hesitating at the threshold of the shop’s front door and the evening air. 

“That’s okay. And for the record, I don’t think I need a love potion to be falling for you either.” 

“Wait, are you saying…” 

“Good night!” You pushed him out the door. “Don’t forget my next order of creeping thistle and frog-flower petals!”