'There is so much to do with so little time to do it.'

Izuku knew this well. The mantra was one repeated among many a people in hushed whispers, loud protests, and even in his own mind. Two kingdoms stood separated by shores; a kingdom of land reigned by a temperamental king and a cluster of domains within the ocean with a just leader whose health was continually declining. And the two were held together via a treaty, one that upheld an ostensible peace between the two that did little to rid either species of their hidden prejudices.

Be them mages of the land kingdom or merpeople from his domains, stories were known among the two about harassment despite the laws explicitly condemning such acts. But from what Izuku came to understand as he got older, rules didn't change who people already were, they only restrained them from acting on underlying urges. And with the history that their two species had there were many urges to act upon under the table.

Forget about it. Izuku shook his head vehemently trying to void it of such pessimism. It was true that there were many troubles plaguing both their people but right now wasn't the time to think about them. Not when these quiet hours were the few he managed to sequester out of his day to not think about anything. Izuku swam faster, the emerald folds on his fin and on his slender hips dancing beside him as he swept through the ocean at an alarming speed.

Being late to this leisure time was something he hated doing. His life was already restless as it was and wasting what little time he had was the worst. But helping others was his job—permanently would be someday sooner rather than later, regrettably—and Izuku couldn't really complain about it. He loved helping others but not at the cost of what he loved most. Thankfully, Ochako and Katsuki took the load off his shoulders when he starting clamoring over the time and allowed him a chance to escape from the onslaught of questions after a certain meeting. The bad news, though, were that he would most certainly get in trouble for ditching that in particular.

Regardless of whatever punishment came, Izuku knew that it'd be worth it in the end. It was always worth it.

The sun settled along the horizon of the ocean as it descended setting the waters aglow in the warm crimsons, golds, and oranges. Swimming just below the surface made it harder for anybody to spot Izuku as he approached the shoreline. Closer and closer until he reached a cliff that connected to the sands a few meters beyond. Many mages who frequented the beach and the merpeople who left for home after a day's work were already long gone, leaving the white sands bereft of any person. Nobody regardless of species stayed outside after lighthours; it just wasn't safe for either mage or merperson.

And it made it the perfect time for anybody that didn't want to be seen to be out and about. Izuku scanned the shoreline well, half his face barely peeking over the surface of the water, before he dove back down and deeper down to the seafloor. Near the bottom of the cliff was a bed of seaweed that swayed back and forth with the coming and going of the waves overhead. Izuku made his way through the thicket swiping away at any stray weed that caught the end of his fin and swam through an opening on the side of the cliff. The small opening was wide enough for him to squeeze through as he went deeper into the space but widened once he reached the pond inside a cavern on the other side of the winding waterway. It wasn't big by any means but it was comfortable enough for Izuku to swim around. The deeper end where he emerged from remained hidden from view by large boulders weathered by the water. Izuku peered over one said boulder onto the shallower end where a makeshift shoreline made of pebbles, rough sand, and vines rested and sighed somewhat disappointed to see it empty.

The cavernous pond he was in was hidden, both entrances by either sea and land hard to find except for those who knew where to look. Izuku had found the seafloor opening a few years back when he had the time to spare as a younger guppy. It was his personal getaway. It was too risky for a little merboy to approach the shores, his mother had told him, but that never deterred him. In fact, all those words of warning did was encourage him to find another way to see the world that existed beyond his own home. And through his doggedness he found this gem of a place. Far enough from prying eyes but close enough for him to be able to go into town if he wanted to. Traversing the beach town though wasn't something he did as often as he'd like to; transforming into a human took a toll on his people, especially on those like Izuku that could barely maintain that form for longer than a few minutes without using potions. But the few times he managed to were a treasure to the young merman since those rare times were when he visited an antique shop near the shore.

Despite their people being so on edge, Izuku had to commend the artistry and history of mages. Suffice it so say that the pieces he found most intriguing and wonderful were the ones he bought and brought back to this cavern of his. Returning with them to the ocean would just cause them to deteriorate that much faster after all. But none of those treasures compared to the grand one he came across on one of his excursions on land.

"Izuku."

The deep timbre of that voice and the small light that became brighter and larger the closer its source approached made Izuku's heart beat faster than his swimming had. Once the person was in full view, Izuku swam from the deep end as fast as he could to the shore and perched on one of the larger rocks. Mossy eyes alight, he raised his hand to wave, "Over here, Shouto-kun!"

Shouto spun on his heels and smiled, gray and sea-glass blue softening at the sight of him. Keeping the small flame that played on the palm of his left hand lit, he went about lighting the number of candles that littered the cavern. With a flick of his fingers, the flame on his palm jumped out of his hand and bounced around the wicks kindling them. The small flame that remained afterwards jumped around towards Izuku, leaving a faint trail of crimson and gold as it danced around him. Izuku's laugther burst like the soft popping of bubbles surfacing from underwater. The smile on Shouto's lips turned more tender at the sight of Izuku's blissful glee and as he approached him, he reached his right hand out to him.

Izuku didn't hesitate to take it and with it he urged Shouto closer. The young mage obliged with the same amount of eagerness and stepped closer to Izuku, wrapping his arms against the slick waist of his. A soft glance at each other was all the seconds they could spare before leaning forward to kiss. Tenderly, softly.

It wasn't like when they first met anymore. There wasn't any fear or uncertainty. Just unadulterated and blissful affection. A small love that blossomed out of a chance encounter, from a gambled talk, and by a fated touch.

Unable to contain himself, Izuku smiled against Shouto's lips making the latter pull back and ask, "Did I do something strange?"

"Not at all." Izuku finished and reached up to cradle Shouto's face in his hands to bring him close again and chastely kiss his lips again along with his nose and forehead. "I'm just happy to see you again, Shouto-kun. It's been awhile since we last saw each other."

"I'm sorry about that. It's been harder for me to sneak out recently."

The young merman shook his head and scooted over before patting the space he'd made beside him. Shouto took it leaning in closer from behind him to keep his arms around Izuku's waist and to rest his head against his shoulder. Even after the months they've been coming in and out of their secret alcove to meet each other, Izuku still found it fantastical and almost surreal that such a wonderful person could be with him like this. That disbelief that made him count and treasure every little moment got him to take a deep breath to savor the feel of his cool cheek against his damp shoulder. Reaching up with one hand, he ran a hand through locks of snow white and fiery red before leaning back against Shouto.

"It's been hard for me too. I heard there's going to be a festival here soon."

"The Festival of Ilios and Fengari."

"Oh, I know that story," Izuku said with glee, his fingers drawing symbols in the air as he talked on. "It's about the sun and moon. They uphold the balance in the sky by making day and night but because of that, they can't be together. It's only once every four years during eclipses that they can be together, right?" Shouto nodded, his even breath tickling Izuku's drying skin. The heaviness of his body against his made Izuku worry and he turned his head to face the top of Shouto's. "Maybe you should've gotten some more rest. You look exhausted."

Shouto's grasp tightened around his waist and that told Izuku a lot more than his explanation did. "It's been hectic at home. Everybody in the kingdom prepares for the festival so things have been tense for a few weeks now."

"I can see how it's taking its toll on you. Have you been eating well at least?"

"Sometimes."

Hearing that, Izuku's brow knitted a bit out of chagrin. "That's not good. You have take care of yourself."

"You're one to talk. You're drying up already."

He wanted to deny this but there wasn't a way to do so when Shouto's arms were touching the skin on his hips that trailed off into his scales to blend it with his flesh. Though it wasn't the best thing for a merperson like him to be too much out of water without meaning to shapeshift, Izuku didn't want to let go now that they were together. It'd been a long time for both of them. So instead he opted to do the latter. Focusing as much as he could, he forced the innate magic that most merfolk could perform to work on himself.

Shouto's hand on his dark emerald tail made him suddenly lose focus and stare up at bicolored eyes that stared back. "Don't force yourself. My going into the water is less stressful on your body."

"But more cumbersome on your magic." Izuku knew well, after endless hours of studying when he first learned about Shouto's dual magic, the harm that being in water, more specifically being wet, could bring. Ice could freeze him much faster that way and his fire was practically nonexistent in the water. Smiling sweetly, Izuku patted his hands so he could be released. Reluctantly, Shouto complied.

Izuku focused again, this time bringing his hands to his scaled lap. Slowly but surely he felt the little bit of magic he could muster work its way through his lower part. The emerald sheen receded back to change his long flowing tail and fin into a pair of limbs after a few minutes. Shouto helped him as he stood up, placing his own coat over Izuku's body as the shapeshifted merman took a few precarious steps off of his seat. Once he could stand well enough and get the familiarity back from having legs, Izuku did his best to tie at the waist the coat that fit him large enough to fall to just mid thigh. A clumsy knot but it'd do. Taking a few steps made the slight pain that came with changing poignant but Izuku did his best to hide any sign of it from his face. What he couldn't hide was that it was causing him trouble to walk and it showed plainly as could be the moment he tripped on his own feet. Shouto caught him without a problem and held him safely by either arm.

"When was the last time you changed?" he asked while steadying him on his newly formed legs.

"A few weeks maybe. It's fun to watch sometimes."

"Really?"

Izuku nodded, a grand smile coming to his face. Deviating from that, he gazed over a small alcove made by the natural forming rocks, "Should we go sit down?"

Walking proved a tad bit too hard after not having shapeshifted in such a long time so Izuku ended up getting to the small spot with Shouto's help. Both sat on the floor against the wall and hidden by the opening that made a makeshift alcove inside their cavern. After months of meeting there, both had brought things to make it more comfortable and a bit more theirs. Some cushions and blankets for comfort were they could be, books that mostly Shouto brought for Izuku and toys and intricate knick knacks that Izuku brought for Shouto trifle with. It was a place where they learned not just about each other but about their respective worlds that despite being so close could not be any more segregated.

Once settled on their common spaces, Shouto covered Izuku with a blanket and made Izuku a bit sheepish about his state of undress. That was saying something too when taking into consideration that he had no shame the first time he transformed in front of him not knowing what the point of clothes and what they covered. Thankfully, Shouto was levelheaded enough to explain it to him; now, the embarrassment was mostly out of the discomfort that Izuku caused him.

Before sitting down beside him, Shouto raised a pointed finger for Izuku to wait as he dug through the bag that hung over his shoulder and procured a small stack of books with a smile. "Since you finished the other ones I brought last time, I thought it'd be good to bring some more."

"Oh, thank you, Shouto-kun!" Izuku took the books into his hands and laid them on his lap while Shouto took his rightful place beside him. "Any favorites of yours?"

"This one." Shouto picked one of the bottom books, a thin one with a white cover and drawings on the front of a little blonde boy standing on what looked to be the moon.

Picking that one out of the bunch, Izuku thumbed through it to skim it before lifting his mossy gaze to Shouto. " 'The Little Prince.' A children's book?"

Shouto nodded and leaned back against the slightly arched cavern wall. "My mother read that story to me when I was little. I'd forgotten about it a long time ago. Until I met you."

"Me?"

Lifting a hand, Shouto brushed the back of his fingers gently against Izuku's cheek. "My rose." The odd name made Izuku's brow knit together in utter confusion which got a soft chuckle out of Shouto. Lowering his hand from his face to take Izuku's hand and help him open the book, his gaze fell to the first page. "Would you read it with me?"

It was a request that to most would sound childish but to Izuku, it was an invitation allowing him into something precious of Shouto's past. One that he seldom liked talking about. So he took it with open arms.

" 'Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest. It was a picture of a boa constrictor in the act of swallowing an animal. Here's a picture of that animal'."

It took an hour or so to read through the book with all the extra commentary they threw in every other pages. By the end of it Izuku understood why him being Shouto's 'rose' was a beautiful and endearing thing for him to say. It made him want to stay all the more. Izuku hated to have to part with Shouto but he knew better than to ask more than was already being given. Lifting his head from where it rested against the crook of Shouto's neck, Izuku closed the book as he finished reading it, " 'Look up at the sky. Ask yourselves: is it yes or no? Has the sheep eaten the flower? And you will see how everything changes . . . And no grown-up will ever understand that this is a matter of so much importance!'"

Izuku took a deep breath before turning to Shouto, "What a wonderful story."

"I forgot about the sheep," Shouto pointed out, resting his hand over Izuku's and the book's back cover. "You think it ate the flower?"

"I think the little prince got there in time to save her. She's his after all." He splayed his hand and fingers wide open to let Shouto's own fall between them.

"And he is hers too," Shouto murmured next to Izuku's ear before grasping their entwined hands firmly. Tilting his head down to better see Izuku, gray and sea-glass blue stared at mossy green before leaning down to let their lips touch.

A deep breath rose from Izuku as he savored the sensation. Warm and cool just like him. But just as his lips were parting to deepen the kiss, the tolling of bells rung through the air and faintly echoed through the damp walls of the cavern, shaking a few drops lose from the ceiling with every knell. Both parted to watch the tiny drops hit the floor of their cave and after eleven of them silence came back cutting deeper into them than the chiming had.

Eleven. Guards in both land and sea made their rounds at midnight. It's time to go home. But even saying that in his head made it sound absurd. His mother told him when he was little that home was where he felt safe and where the people he loved were. And though Izuku loved his family and his friends, he couldn't help the feeling that this felt right—being here with Shouto was home to him.

"It's time go," he forced himself to say while busying himself with putting the books away in the makeshift shelf of his to keep from looking at Shouto.

He was stopped short though when Shouto held him in place by grabbing his arm to keep him from moving. "We still have time."

"The guards will go around town soon. And the later it gets the more dangerous it'll be for you too, Shouto-kun."

"I can freeze anybody who tries getting near me."

That he said that so nonchalantly made Izuku almost believe him though he was sure that if pushed to such things, Shouto wouldn't defer from doing exactly as he said. "It'd be best to avoid such confrontations altogether if at all possible. Besides, you said it's been hard to get some rest. It'd be better to leave now to do so."

Gray and sea-glass blue eyes went askance as if thinking about his words but eventually, after a hard and long sigh, he gave in. "I suppose so. It's just that...it might be awhile before I have any time to come back here. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting only to be disheartened."

"It's alright, Shouto-kun. I don't think I'll have much free time t come back soon either." Izuku took a deep breath to let it out slowly before leaning his head against Shouto's chest. "I don't want to but I might have to stall our next meeting for month." Saying that pained Izuku; over the past few months they'd been together, they had never been unable to meet for more than a few days. Now the mere thought of not seeing him for a whole month made him want to give in to Shouto's request and stay longer. But he knew better. They both did.

"We'll meet then." Shouto pulled Izuku back and took his chin in his hand before bringing his head down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. "It'll only be a month. I'll bring you more books and some desserts from the festival, so don't go and risk attending, alright?"

"I'll do my best," Izuku replied with a soft chuckle. Shouto knew him too well if he was already trying to stave him from going on land the day of the festival. Both knew that laws didn't allow merpeople not of age to freely tread on land. With exceptions, of course. Sadly, Izuku wasn't one of them.

"And if you do end up coming—" Shouto added after catching the blatant innuendo of his words, "come with that friend of yours, the Siren."

"Kacchan?" Izuku inquired to which Shouto nodded. Well, Izuku supposed that was a sound idea second only to not coming. Sirens being those exceptions to the 'merpeople of age' rule weren't allowed on land for nothing; they were capable soldiers of the sea domains and Katsuki was one of the best there was. But by the sound of it, he guessed that Shouto's words were more suggestions in case Izuku was curious enough—or dumb enough—to risk being found during the festival.

Instead, he nodded and made his promise. "I won't attend. I've got other things to do then anyway so I doubt I'll have the time to enjoy any of it even if I wanted to come."

"If it's any consolation," Shouto assured him with a drawn out sight of his own, "I doubt I'll have much time to see much of it either. I'll be sure to get some souvenirs though so we can enjoy them together."

"That sounds wonderful." The plans of their meeting settled, Shouto helped Izuku back into the water where it made it easier for his legs to transform back into his luscious emerald tail. Twirling around to face him, Izuku rose a bit from the water, hoisting his upper body by his arms to be closer to Shouto. The young mage smiled and bend forward to share one last kiss with him before both begrudgingly parted ways.

"Hate these goddamn stuffy clothes."

The mere sight of Katsuki trying to pry off the necktie that he had around his neck made Izuku screech inwardly and reach out to keep his friend's hand away from his neck or the tie. "Kacchan, don't touch it. All Might said this meeting is important and that we have to be presentable before King Enji."

The reminder of their leader and the person that the two of them admired most made him retract his hand and instead shove them into the pockets of his slacks. "Still doesn't change the fact that they're stuffy."

"Well, you've gotta admit that mages do have a great fashion sense in the very least!" Ochako, another friend of his, twirled on her legs and made her dress flounce around her slender figure. A white rose was clipped to the side of her hair that she adjusted every so often to make sure it didn't fall. "We rarely get any time to spend up here freely, so let's enjoy it after this! How does that sound?"

"Like hell. I'm not babysitting either of you more than I have to," Katsuki protested with a poignant glare Ochako's way.

Her cheek puffed at that comment and she sent a playful glare Katsuki's way. "Well, you're not the only one working overtime, Bakugou-kun." Ochako turned to Izuku with a completely change in her demeanor and adjusted the red tie that he clumsily tied around his neck. " And well, a glance or two after we finish won't hurt. Right, Deku-kun?"

"Yeah."

Ochako's bright attitude made this whole ordeal for Izuku a bit easier to handle. Thankfully, they were his only companions for this endeavor and although Katsuki was a bit hard to handle seeing how he already hated having to be on the surface on their only supposed day off, having both of them was something he was grateful for. On the bright side, once all this was over, they would enjoy a little leisure time at the festival that was going on in the city outside the castle walls they were in right now.

But that would come, of course, after they finished their business here and met with the king and his court. Further peace treaties needed to be negotiated after all and it would soon be his job as All Might's successor to uphold them. That would come later though, after he met with them and properly introduced himself as such. The fact that All Might had already chosen his successor had been a secret to the domains and his people until recently after all. Now it was his job to announce his position to the king since Izuku and whomever succeeded King Enji would find themselves upholding whatever negotiations he saw through his stay in the palace for the coming month.

For now, though, it'd be taking a step at a time. First, introductions were due.

The moment guards allowed the three of them to walk through the grand doors of the receiving room, Izuku and his friends were met with the peering eyes of many court mages that lined the stretch that it took to reach the throne. Anxiety and nervousness running rampant through his mind, Izuku let his focus stay on the king as he, Katsuki, and Ochako give a small bow to him—this despite the dogged unwillingness from Katsuki. He really hated nobles. Thankfully, he respected All Might enough to have this meeting go as well as he could make it. And that meant keeping his temper at bay no matter what he overheard from mages in the court or even from King Enji himself.

Sitting on his throne was said king himself in a dark red and black suit with flames licking at his arms, neck, and face like some kind of accessory to be flaunted. Having him at the center made Izuku's focus narrower and more precise and he thanked goodness for that. It made keeping his nonexistent cool a bit easier.

"Messengers of Imber, you stand before the king of Aldor, Todoroki Enji."

"Your majesty," Izuku said with another small bow before standing back up and letting himself stand tall before him.

Enji scoffed, his flames sweltering waves that followed his every miniscule movement. It made the king imposing and a blatant flaunt of power. "That man derides me by sending kids?"

Izuku inwardly cringed at hearing Katsuki click his tongue. He hoped that his quick response hid it while being paced enough to not appear offended. "I apologize for that but I'm afraid you've misunderstood. Though we may appear it, we are far from being simple children. These are Sirens who accompany me, your majesty."

"If that's the case, then who are you—" The sound of doors opening and closing almost took Izuku's attention away from the king but with how things had started he opted to not let it waver from him. Enji however easily tilted his head to the side to see who had interrupted their meeting only to scowl somewhat. "You're late."

"We're sorry!" a female's voice called a bit hurried and out of breath. "Natsuo couldn't find his—"

"I don't want to hear excuses." That statement alone seemed to quiet the ones who'd entered. Enji turned back to Izuku who kept his eyes on him. "If they're Sirens, then what are you, boy, that they're protecting?"

"All Might's heir, your majesty," Izuku said without preamble seeing that it would not bode well to beat around the bush with such a man as him. Spending time with Katsuki surely prepared him well to deal with short-tempered people. He would have to remember to thanked Katsuki for that somehow. "He deeply regrets his absence but has sent me here to negotiate in his stead with you and your court about the treaties."

"Damn the old man," Enji muttered under his breath. The tiniest of pops came from behind Izuku and he could only pray for nothing bad to happen. "Fine. If you're really to inherit the domains, then my people will see to you and your company. And since you will work with them in the future as well, brat heir, it's best you meet them now as well." Izuku followed the sweep of his hand to show the three that had entered the room.

"My children: Fuyumi, Natsuo—" Izuku's eyes swept over each of them in order but stopped and widened on the third child, the youngest and second son. The mere sight of similarly wide gray and sea-glass eyes—so beautiful and so familiar—froze Izuku in place without even having to use magic.

Izuku knew those eyes and the name before Enji even said it...just not the title that preceded it.

"And the crown prince of Aldor, Shouto."

A/N:

So much fantasy, fluff, and twist! I'm calling this a oneshot but believe me when I say that I had to restrain myself from writing more of it x3 I legit started as a simple AU for tododeku where they were a merman and mage falling in love. Then my brain just twisted the cute idea to make it this. I scrapped two previous version because they got too deep into backstory that I knew wasn't good for a oneshot. I've got them stored but who knows if I'll revisit this idea in the future. Right now, I've got other wips to work on :3

Speaking of them, writing this took my whole week with how much stuff has been going on in my life. But now with this uploaded, I can focus on working on CoU and TM again. Gotta keep writing to keep a somewhat okay schedule for that.

Well, that's all I have to say about this. Hoped you enjoyed this fluff/twist of a oneshot~

-Evie