Time in a Tree (All Might x Reader)

Spare Time: Cherry's Tree

--hi! thank you all so much for 100 views! i'm so excited for you all to see where this goes. i'll take this opportunity to introduce you to Spare Times. they're meant to be just that - spare time. they'll be fast paced and not always as long as a usual chapter, but i hope you enjoy them nonetheless.--

Rhythmic thuds of your feet could be heard as you kept in time with the music blaring in your ears. You had a gym membership, might as well use it for its intended purpose. One more mile. You glanced down at the treadmill screen. Nowhere near where you used to be, you shook your head in disappointment and kept pushing. Your ringtone began playing, you rejected the call from your earbud without looking, and continued to run. I'll call them back. It began to ring again. Not now. You rejected it again for it soon to be followed by a text. You opted for it to be read aloud."New message from Cherry." Your phone's AI spoke.

"Ring ring, bitch."

"PFFFFT." You stumbled on the treadmill, clamoring off and dying of laughter. Thank goodness the gym was nearly empty. Oh shit. You wiped away tears pulling your phone out of its arm strap, dialing her back quickly. "What the hell are you up to?" She picked up. "I'm at the gym, what's up?" You replied. "Come get some tea with me? There's this cute cafe I think you'll like."You could tell her day was going great already from just her voice. "Sounds like fun. Shoot me the address and I'll meet you there."

"A cat cafe?" You raised an eyebrow looking over the establishment. You'd arrived before Cherry, deciding to head inside anyway. You were greeted and seated immediately. A kitten trotting over to you almost as soon as you sat down, brushing their head against your shin. "Hello, little one." You reached down, scratching behind its ear with just your index finger. It jumped into your lap. "You're the first he's done that to." You heard. "Oh, really?" You smiled at the little tabby as he sniffed around your collar bone. "I'm honored." He stayed with you for a while, then jumping down and scurrying off.

You followed him with your eyes seeing him take company with a group of various felines. All surrounding a man in dark clothes, with tired eyes and hair pulled into a low bun, who sat on the floor. He sticks out like a sore thumb in this room filled with pastels. "Excuse me?" You spoke up, his gaze turning to you. "I'm sorry to bother you, but are you by chance Eraserhead?" He nodded slowly. "Do I know you?" He asked in return. "No." You shook your head, and waved shyly. "I'm just a fan. It's nice to meet you."

"There you are! I thought you'd be waiting outside." Cherry came through the door, snatching your attention and taking a seat across from you. "How many times will you dye your hair, Sour Apple?" You looked at her neon green tresses. "These are wigs, ma'am." She shot. "Ya'know I had a feeling but I didn't want to ask."

Cherry shrugged. "I just dye those instead. Hey! You should let me dye your hair!" She leaned in, hands pressed firm on the table. "I haven't dyed my hair in forever." You pinched at its ends. "So you're experienced? Great." She grabbed your hand and stood up. "What about the tea?" You asked as you were tugged along. "I've got tea at home." But the cats! You turned to look as you were dragged out, taking the chance to at least wave goodbye to the hero who sat watching the charade.

"So this is my home." Cherry invited you into her cozy apartment. So many plants. You looked around at all the greenery, a television on and playing in the living area corner. "I like plants." She picked up a small potted one from her kotatsu, showing it off like a proud mother. "Especially succulents."

"It's nice, really comfortable in here." You smiled. "Come sit down. I'll go get my hair things." She motioned you over. "I don't recall agreeing to this." You raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall you declining." She shot finger guns and walked off down the connected hall. "Fair enough." You shrugged and took a seat on the floor, covering your legs at the table. 

"What color do you want?" Cherry hollered. "You got any blue?" You yelled back, hearing her shuffle around for a bit. "Not much." She came back armed with towels, gloves, a mixing bowl, and gloves. "There's not much left at all. We could get some more or I could do your ends." Your eyes widened and you perked up. "Just my ends! Then I'll have hair like Inosuke!"

"Who's that?" Cherry set everything on the couch behind you. "He's from one of the shows I watch." You answered. "I forgot we'd have to wash your hair, follow me." She waved you along. "Tell me about this show." She spoke as you pushed up and trailed behind her to a bathroom. "You...really?" Your head tilted watching her retrieve her shampoo from the wall of the tub. "Yeah. You always wear those wild shirts to work. I wanna know about what you like so much." Cherry popped the cap and squirted a massive glob of shampoo on the crown of your head. You shivered from the sudden cold spreading over your scalp. "Alright then..." you took a deep breath as her fingers started to lather. "It starts with this kid..."

"Whoa whoa whoa. Hold on a second." Cherry cut you off, blow dryer in hand and comb halted its running through your hair. "So he has to cut a boulder?" She asked, her reflection showing her confused expression. "Yeah." You nodded. "With just his katana?" You nodded again. "Don't tell me anymore, we're gonna watch this together." She went back to drying and detangling. "You want to? Really?" Your eyes widened, watching her in the mirror. "Uh yeah."

So there you sat, on the floor, legs warm under the kotatsu, and Cherry propped behind you on the couch. A pot of tea split between the two of you as she bleached your ends and watched this anime that got you so excited. Only pausing to get up and rinse the bleach out and begin the dying process. It was silent, except for the television. That was soon interrupted when your phone vibrated in your pocket. You slid it out, eyes still locked to the screen, only glancing at your phone for a moment. Then a second time and a third. Might? You opened his text.

How are you this afternoon?

Hey you!

I'm alright. How've you been?

Before you knew it you were engrossed in conversation about your days so far. Not noticing the smile spread across your face that accompanied the heat in your cheeks. So this is you making time, huh?

"Who're you talking to down there?" Cherry's sudden voice made you jolt. "N-No one!" You turned off the screen and hid your phone under your thigh. "Mhm. It's a boy isn't it?" She pressed. "No!" You shook your head, you hadn't even noticed she paused the anime. "Yes it is! What's his name?" She leaned down to catch your eye. Oh shit. "Not telling!" You turned away. "Tell meeee!" She grabbed your shoulders and rocked. "Noooo." You laughed. "Yeeees!" She shook harder. "Fine!" She's not gonna believe me. You threw your hands up in defeat and looked to her. "It's All Might. I'm texting All Might."

Cherry's eyebrow raised as high as it could. "So you're just not gonna tell me?" HA. "No, no I don't think I will." You shrugged. "Ugh fine, but you better let me meet him at some point." She poked your nose, leaving a smudge of blue behind. "Maybe." You snickered and turned back around. "How about this?" She continued dying. "You can meet my guy, then I'll meet yours."

"Oooh! You've got someone special?" You asked, your phone buzzing again. "I'm not sure yet, we've just been talking for a few weeks. A few dates here and there."

"You like him a lot, don't you?"

"I think I do." She giggled. "What about yours?"

"Uh..." Damn was it a good thing she couldn't see the look on your face. "We're friends." You gave a solid nod. "And I don't think anything will come of it, but that's okay."

"Awuh, that kind of sucks. For you, I hope it works out." Cherry nudged you with her knee for encouragement. I don't know about that one, chief. "Thanks." You reached for the remote and pressed play, then immediately went back to your conversation with All Might.