Shoto could hear screaming as he ran down the hall. His mother was leading him, Liliana, and a group of guards through halls that Shoto had never seen before. They had entered a door that was hidden behind a portrait of his grandfather. It led them down a staircase to a hall that was lit only by torches that were bolted to the walls. The second the door had slid open the screams of agony hit Shoto's ears. His heart shattered as he realized that they were from Izuku. Without a moment of hesitation he bolted down the stairs and his mother quickly gained on him. She was surprisingly fast despite being in a dress. The closer they got to the door at the end of the hall the louder the screams got. Liliana could be heard sobbing as they ran and some of the guards looked uneasy.
Within minutes they were at the door and Shoto's mother ordered the guards to break it open as it was clearly locked. As they broke the heavy door down commotion could be heard on the other side. Someone was talking and another could be heard moving things around. The screaming abruptly stopped. Shoto panicked as the worst possible outcome flashed through his mind. Izuku, dead. The guards finally knocked the door down and moved aside for the royals. Shoto stepped over the wooden shards and barely had time to deflect the hand of one of his father's physicians as she charged at him with a syringe in her hand. He wrenched her hand behind her back and she cried out in pain. He threw the syringe to the ground and it shattered, spreading a clear liquid in a puddle on the floor. She struggled in his grip and, with a quickly raised hand, hit the side of her head and watched as he body crumbled to the floor. With the physician incapacitated Shoto was able to enter the room with his mother and Liliana not far behind.
He looked around and his eyes quickly landed on his father. His sapphire eyes were blazing with fury and shock. Behind him was Izuku. He was chained to a table and his eyes were red from tears. He had blood on his temple and running in a thin line down his torso. Shoto's blood began to boil. He turned back to his father and called for the guards. At the sight of them the king's face hardened. Shoto reached to the side and unsheathed one of their swords. He lunged forward in a blind rage. Enji, taken by surprise, was quickly looking down at the blade that was now pressed against his throat. Shoto could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. To his surprise, his father held up his hands and the guards quickly swarmed him. Two held his arms as another cuffed him in heavy shackles. Shoto handed the sword back to the guard he had taken it from and watched as they led his father away. He instructed Liliana to go with them. She looked skeptical and kept nervously glancing back to Izuku but the queen reassured her that he was in good hands.
Once they had left Shoto ran over to the table. Izuku was breathing heavily and he looked exhausted. Shoto's mother was quickly at his side as well and began to undo the chains. They all quickly fell to the floor and Shoto gently put his hand under Izuku's head to help him sit up slowly. It was an agonizing process to watch as the mer grunted and hissed in pain as he sat up. Once he was steady Shoto gently cupped his freckled love's face. Teary green eyes met his own duel colored ones and Shoto began to feel his own tears run down his face. He lent forward and wrapped his arms around Izuku. The smaller man gently held him back, tho it was significantly weaker than his normal hold. Sobs wrecked Shoto's body as he processed what happened.
"I was so scared I had lost you again", he cried out.
Izuku's gentle hands rubbed soothing circles on his back. He felt another set of hands on his shoulder and looked up to see his mother's soft gaze.
"Let me see his wounds", she said gently.
Shoto moved back but Izuku quickly grasped his hand like it was a lifeline. His mother inspected Izuku's head and chest. She grabbed a damp rag from the small table next to the one Izuku was sat upon and dabbed away the blood. After the wounds were cleaned it was clear that the one on his head was not that deep but the line down his chest was a good half an inch in some areas. She wrapped them with gauze that were on a shelf to ensure that they were protected util he could see a proper medic.
Izuku thanked her in a low whisper that showed the strain screaming had put on his voice. He turned to Shoto who looked at him will full attention.
"I'm sorry Sho", he said hoarsely.
"No, don't apologize", Shoto replied. "I should have paid more attention to who was around".
Izuku simply looked at him with hazy eyes and lent forward to rest his head on Shoto's chest. The taller man supported him with a hand on his back. He looked over to his mother for instructions on what they should do.
"You two should leave", she said.
"What?", Shoto asked in bewilderment.
"I said that you should leave. It isn't safe here for Izuku and I'm not going to send him away without you at his side. I can send orders to have a ship prepared for the two of you by morning".
"But what about the kingdom? Who is going to rule? What about Fuyumi and Natsuo?"
"I will rule until Natsuo is ready. He was the obvious choice all along but due to the fact that your father killed Toya he refused to take his place for fear of the same fate. He will be a great king Shoto and you will live the life that you deserve"
"Thank you mother".
They slowly adjusted Izuku to where Shoto held him in a bridal style so that they could transport him easily. He was slipping in and out of consciousness and Shoto refused to leave his side. He followed his mother out of the room and they began the trek back up to the main part of the palace. The weight of Izuku in his arms was reassuring. One of the mer's hands was unconsciously grasping at Shoto's shirt and it helped to keep the duel haired man grounded. As they climbed the stairs rushing footsteps could be heard from above. As they exited the staircase Momo and Jirou appeared before them. They were panting heavily and looked frantic. Jirou looked at Izuku and then at Shoto.
"We heard the news from Liliana", she explained. "Bring him to my quarters".
Shoto obediently followed her. Momo walked at his side with an encouraging hand on his back. When they reached Jirou's quarters she opened the door for them to enter and instructed Shoto to lay Izuku on the cushioned table by a cabinet of medicine. He gently placed the smaller man down on the surface and held his hand as he watched Jirou set to work.
She quickly removed his blood stained shirt and apologized as he gave a weak groan of discomfort. With a pair of shears she removed the bandages that Shoto's mother had put on and began to disinfect the wound on his chest. Izuku's small frame shook as the antibodies met the exposed muscle but no other sounds came from him. Shoto gently squeezed his hand to show that he was there. Once she was done disinfecting, Jirou went to her cabinet and rummaged around the different jars and boxes until she found what she was looking for. She quickly set to work at a small station, grinding up different herbs and mixing in oils to form a salve. After she was sure that it was prepared properly the violet haired woman walked back over to Izuku and gently began to apply the ointment onto Izuku's wound. His body visibly relaxed as the herbs began to work.
"Mo, could you bring me the bandages please?", she asked as she finished up applying the salve.
"Of course", the raven haired woman answered.
Shoto watched as Momo grabbed a large roll of gauze and adhesive from the cabinet and brought them over to Jirou. The small woman thanked her and began to wrap up Izuku's torso. She had to ask Shoto to help lift him a few times to that she could get the bandages around his back properly. After a few minutes of tedious maneuvering Izuku was finally bandaged up. Jirou applied a small amount of numbing ointment to Izuku's head injury and assured Shoto and his mother that the mer would be fine, if only exhausted. Shoto thanked her with a hug and gave another to Momo for their help. A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn around. His mother was looking at him with a soft smile on her face.
"You should take him to your room for the remainder of the night. I'll have guards sent to be stationed outside of your room and instruct for a ship to be prepared for you by sunrise", she said softly.
"You're leaving?", Momo asked with a sad expression on her face.
Shoto nodded. "It's the only way to keep Izuku safe", he explained.
"I understand", Momo replied, her eyes downcast.
"Promise that you will at least visit or let us come to see you?", Jirou said with a stern look in her eyes.
"I promise. Once we are settled I'll have Felix deliver our position to you".
"You better", Jirou said with a teasing glint in her eyes.
Momo still looked uneasy but Shoto knew she would eventually come to terms with the new development.
"I'll be off then", his mother said as she headed towards the door. "You should all head to bed. It has been quite an eventful night".
With that she was gone, the soft clicking of her heals was the only thing heard of her as she left to deliver the orders. Shoto turned back to the table and slowly picked up Izuku. His eyes opened slightly and a tired smile spread across his face. Shoto smiled back and tightened his grip so that he did not possibly drop him. Izuku turned his head towards Jirou.
"Thank you", he said softly before turning his head back to rest on Shoto's chest.
Jirou nodded to him and Shoto wished her and Momo a good night. They both promised to be at the dock for when the ship departed to say one last goodbye. Shoto then made his way down the palace halls until he reached his room. Two guards were already stationed their and two more were on their way to stand at either entrance to the area. He nodded to them and one opened the door for him with a slight bow. He made his way towards the bed and put Izuku down in a sitting position.
"You should probably change out of these soiled pants", he explained as he walked over to his dresser.
He pulled out a pair of light cotton pants that tied at the waist and brought them back to Izuku. He helped him out of the blood stained garment and into the clean trousers. He tied them securely around Izuku's small waist then helped him get situated in bed. It took a few minutes as they both actively tried not to aggravate his wound. Once he was sure that the mer was comfortable he too changed into more comfortable cloths. He decided to leave his shirt off and instead just went with a pair of silken trousers that hung low on his waist. After he finished pulling the pants on he crawled into bed and pulled the covers over the two of them. Izuku snuggled into his side and Shoto wrapped his arms around him and relaxed as their bare torso's touched, warming up his previously chilled skin. He closed his eyes and let exhaustion take over.
Morning soon arrived and Shoto gently roused Izuku. The greenette groaned in refusal but eventually got up. He was able to walk and stand on his own, only swaying a few times. They both got dressed, not worrying about being formal. They grabbed a bag and packed as many cloths from Shoto's dresser as they could into it then went to Izuku's room to grab some cloths for him. Once they were done packing the guards led Shoto and Izuku to the docks. On the way they told Shoto how his father was being imprisoned for attempted murder on a guest of the crown as well as illegal acts and abuse to his family. The duel haired man thanked them for the news and continued on the trek to their destination.
Upon arrival it was clear that many people had head of the night's events and wished to say their stairwells to the two lovers. Momo and Jirou stood on the dock closest to the large ship that the queen had prepared for them. Natsuo, Fuyumi, and the queen all stood in a group a small ways away from Shoto's two friends. Even Tenya was there with his elder brother.
Shoto led Izuku to the dock and he first met with the Iida's. Tenya wished him luck on his journey and assured him that him and his brother would take care of his siblings and mother and see to it that his father got what he deserved. He also explained to Izuku how Liliana had wished to see him off but was busy giving her report to the guards of what transpired the night before. Izuku nodded in understanding. Shoto thanked him and gave him a hug. Izuku waved awkwardly to him in thanks. They then went over to the royal family. Fuyumi was holding a small bag with golden embroidery around the top where it was drawn together by a cord. She handed it to Shoto who took it with a curious gaze in his eyes.
"Its the tea blend that we drank when we were kids with mom. I thought you might want some to remind you of home", she said with soft smile.
"Thank you", Shoto replied as he hugged her tightly.
Izuku got a hug as well and he found that he rather enjoyed the contact. Natsuo simply ruffled Shoto's hair and made a quick joke about how he was ditching his princely duties. It was all in good fun and Shoto smiled brightly at his elder brother.
"Toya would be proud of you", he said fondly.
Shoto nodded to him then turned to his mother. She pulled both him and Izuku into a tight embrace. When she pulled back she gently cupped Shoto's face.
"I'm so proud of you. I know you will go far in life. Keep each other safe".
They both hugged her again and Izuku thanked her for everything that she had done for them. She merely smiled back at them with her soft grey eyes shining with pride. After they had said a final farewell to Shoto's family they made their way to Momo and Jirou. Momo had tears in her eyes and Jirou was comforting her with a hand on her back. She was holding a small jar of ointment. Shoto tilted his head in question and she merely handed it to him.
"The ship is already stocked with the basic medical supplies and a book on how to use them but this is something that takes a bit more than the basics to make. It should be enough to last you for a few years", she explained.
"Thank you Jirou", Shoto said as he inspected the jar. It was quite heavy despite it being no larger than a regular drinking glass. Izuku thanked her as well and she gave them both a hug, being sure to not squeeze Izuku too tight.
Shoto turned to Momo who refused to look at him. He looked saddened and Izuku too felt his heart sink. She had done so much for them and had been a dear friend to Shoto for years. This goodbye was defiantly going to be the hardest.
"I'm going to miss you" she said softly, her voice shaking.
Shoto handed Izuku the bag of tea and the jar and he took Momo into his arms. She sobbed softly and he held her in silence as she wept against him. After a few moments she pulled back. Jirou wrapped an arm around her waist comfortingly.
"You promise that I you will come visit?", she asked.
"I promise. What would I do without my first mate?", Shoto asked with a smile.
Momo smiled back at him. She nodded and hugged him one last time then moved to hug Izuku. Once they were done Shoto took the bag and jar back from the greenette and they boarded the ship. They waved one last goodbye to their friends and Shoto's family as the guards untied to boat from the dock and they set sail. Izuku watched as Shoto whistled and Felix flew over to the ship and landed on the mer's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek affectionately. Shoto put the bag of their cloths into the sleeping quarters along with the tea and jar of ointment. When he came back he took the weal from Izuku who had been holding the ship steady as they departed the harbor. Izuku stood close to him and wrapped his arms around Shoto's waist as he gazed out over the waves.
"Where are we going?", he asked in curiosity.
"I was thinking the small island that had the cove where we first met", Shoto replied.
"Really?", Izuku asked excitedly.
"Mhm. I figured we could anchor the ship in the cove and you would still be able to go to your village".
"You're the best", the mer said as he hugged the taller man tightly.
Shoto merely chuckled and refocused on the sea ahead of them. They had a long ways to go.
A few weeks passed they were finally docked in the cove and had settled down in a comfortable way of life. Izuku's wounds were fully healed and his strength had recovered tenfold. He would often go swimming for hours during the day, usually grabbing a fish or two for him and Shoto's meal. Shoto would spend the hours that Izulu was away studying up on medicine and even exploring the island for possible herbs. At this moment Izuku was swimming back to the ship with a satchel slung across his torso that housed a large fish that he had been able to snag while in the kelp forest. He had gone to visit his mother. The first time he had shown up the poor woman had fainted. She scolded him for leaving her but after he explained what happened she forgave him. Ochako had tackled him in a hug and insisted on knowing where he had gone. They both learned of Shoto and Izuku's imprinting. They had congratulated him and told him that they would love to meet the man who stole his heart one day, even if they did seem a bit wary. He was grateful that they did not outright refuse to meet his lover and was happy that it would happen eventually.
He surfaced next to the boat and pulled on the rope that hung off the side of the ship. Him and Shoto had come up with a mechanism for alerting each other when one was back from being out and needed to get back onto the boat. They had found some old bottles on the ship and tied them together so that when the rope that hung into the water was pulled they clanged together. Within moments Shoto's head peaked over the side of the ship with a broad smile on his face. He dropped another rope that had a large knot tied onto it so that Izuku could sit and be lifted up. Izuku hoisted himself up onto the rope and wrapped his tail around the knot so that he did not fall off. Shoto hoisted him up with practiced ease. Izuku handed him the satchel and shifted his tail into legs. He smiled coyly as he caught Shoto looking at his unclothed rear while he put on a pair of pants. With a cheeky wink he took the satchel back from Shoto and set off to the kitchen to cook their dinner.
He found that it was not a hard task and he had even managed to make the food taste similar to how Sato had made it when he had first met Shoto. He brought the fish back up to the deck and set it on the table that they had moved from the sleeping quarters to outside so that they could eat while watching the waves. Felix quickly flew over and sat on a small perch that Shoto had made for him out of pieces of a wooden crate. Izuku cut off a sliver of meat from the fish and handed it to the falcon who chirped happily and began to eat. Shoto came up behind him and kissed his cheek.
"Smells amazing", he said with a pleased hum.
He sat down across from Izuku and placed a bottle of rum onto the table. Izuku looked up at him with a curious glint in his eyes only to be met with a smile from Shoto.
"What's the occasion?", he asked.
"Nothing really. I mean we are officially settled down now, so why not celebrate a little?", Shoto replied.
Izuku nodded and let Shoto pour him a cup of the hardy liquid. He took a sip and savored the burn that rested in the back of his throat. After the burn had subsided he dug into the fish. He looked up at Shoto to gauge his reaction. Shoto took a bite and closed his eyes, humming as he chewed.
"Is it good?", Izuku asked.
"Its amazing 'Zuku", he said as he took another bite.
They ate in relative silence, giving Felix portions here and there and sipping their rum. Once the fish was cleaned of its meat they dumped the carcass over the side of the boat and Izuku went to the kitchen to quickly clean the dish. When he returned to the deck him and Shoto simply sat at the table and enjoyed their beverages. Before they knew it they had finished the whole bottle. Izuku's head was fuzzy and a light blush covered his face. Shoto was in much of the same condition. The greenette stood and wobbled slightly but quickly regained his balance. Shoto looked at him curiously only for Izuku to smile mischievously at him.
"I'm going to head to bed. You're welcome to join me", he said with a wink as he slaughtered off to their quarters.
The sound of chair legs moving against the boards of the deck was heard as Izuku opened the door to him and Shoto's quarters. Boots clicking closer step by step was next then, just as Izuku was about to close the door behind him, a hand wrapped around his waist. He spun around and wrapped his arms around Shoto's neck and accepted the hungry kiss that his lover gave him. Their lips crashed together in a heated fever. Shoto griped Izuku's waist tightly as the smaller man devoured him. He moved a hand up to tangle in curly green locks and pulled. A moan of approval from his freckled love and he slipped his tongue into Izuku's mouth. Izuku grasped at his shirt as their tongues tangled together. They broke for air but quickly returned to the kiss once they had acquired the necessary oxygen.
Shoto gently bushed Izuku back until his knees gave out as they hit the edge of the bed. They tumbled onto the plush surface and Izuku's giggle rang like a siren's song in Shoto's ears. The greenette smiled at him with half linden eyes and crawled backwards towards the center of the bed. Shoto followed him on all fours and was soon looming over him. Izuku's emerald eyes shined brightly with desire and Shoto dove back in to kiss him. Izuku moaned happily and pulled Shoto closer by his shirt. His cool hands fiddled with the buttons until he had them undone. He tugged the shirt open and Shoto quickly broke the kiss to sit up and throw off the offending garment. It landed in the far corner of the room and he lent back down to continue kissing his lover.
Small hands roamed over his chest, sides and back as if they were attempting to memorize them. He broke away from Izuku's mouth and trailed his lips over his jaw and throat. Izuku craned his neck back to give him more access and Shoto smiled again the newly exposed skin. He couldn't help himself as a sucked a large mark onto the area directly under Izuku's jaw. The pleased groan in response spurred on his actions. He kissed his way to his collarbone and bit lightly on the skin. He was very happy that the mer had decided not to wear a shirt after his swim because it allowed him access to all of his torso. He bit down a little harder and a shudder ran through Izuku's body.
"Sho", he said breathlessly.
He whispered his name like it was a prayer and who was Shoto to deny such glorious praise. He sat up and looked down at the flushed face of his lover. His chest rose and fell with every deep breath that he took and his large eyes shined with lust. Shoto moved his leg between Izuku's and gently ground his knee against the smaller man's crotch. A loud moan erupted form the greenette and Shoto smiled smugly. He repeated the motion and felt as Izuku's erection began to strain against his pants. He moved his knee away and received a frustrated groan from the freckled man below him. He smiled at him in reassurance and kissed a trail down his chest. He made his way to his navel and tentatively put a hand onto Izuku's erection and rubbed him gently through the confines of his trousers. He watched as Izuku arched his back off of the bed in ecstasy. After a few minutes of careful touches designed to pleasure Izuku but not get him any closer to his emending orgasm Shoto moved his other hand up to grab hold of the button of Izuku's bottoms. He looked up for confirmation and smiled as the mer nodded quickly, panting heavily.
With practiced ease he undid the clasp of the button and pulled the pants off of Izuku's hips, along with his undergarments. He licked his lips as Izuku's member appeared before him. He lent in a licked it from base to tip. A sputtering moan from the man below him and he sank down. He moved into a comfortable position and swirled his tongue around the head and sucked softly. He had to hold Izuku's hips down to keep him from thrusting into his mouth. He wanted to move as his own pace and reveled in the knowledge that rum made Izuku so much more sensitive. He bobbed his head and quickly picked up a rhythm, tasting the slightly bitter precum as it began to leak out. Izuku's moans rang through the room and encouraged Shoto's movements.
Shoto moved one hand from Izuku's hips to run it down his inner thigh lovingly. He took his mouth off of Izuku's straining member and kissed the skin of his thigh. He sucked another mark there and bit lightly on the skin. Izuku made a sound of encouragement and Shoto felt a hand thread into his hair which no reached to his shoulders. He looked up to see that the freckled man has his head thrown back against the pillows. His bottom lip was clamped between his teeth in an effort to keep himself from getting too loud. Shoto stored the image in the back of his mind so that he could revisit it again on his own time. He crawled up to kiss Izuku on the cheek and the mer instantly turned his head to kiss him properly. Shoto was not complaining and fit his hips between Izuku's spread legs and ground downwards. They both moaned simultaneously and Shtoto had to break away to gasp for air.
Hands at Shtoto's waist caused him to open his eyes that he never knew that he shut. He looked down to see Izuku fiddling with his belt and letting out little grunts as he struggled to get it undone. Shoto gently moved his hands away and undid his belt. He slid his pants and briefs down and threw them in the same direction as his shirt. He then bent down and simultaneously bit Izuku's neck and ground his own erection into Izuku's. The smaller man threw his head back with a cry of pleasure and wrapped his arms around Shoto's shoulders.
"God's 'Zuku", Shoto moaned out. He was becoming desperate. His member leaking onto Izuku's and causing their precum to mix.
He lent over to the table on the side of the plush bed and grabbed a vial of oil. He had made it with some of the supplies Jirou had given him with a note on how to make a lubricant. She clearly knew that they would be needing it sooner or later and he had plans to thank her accordingly the next time they saw each other. For now he would focus on the task in front of him, pleasuring Izuku. He dumped the oil onto his fingers and slowly brought his hand towards Izuku's rear. With a practiced motion he inserted a single finger into the tight hole. He felt Izuku tense up at the intrusion but quickly relaxed as Shoto began to gently thrust his finger in and out. He bent down to take one of Izuku's pert nipples into his mouth and sucked on the dusky bud. The small tremors that wrecked the body below him let him know that Izuku was feeling good. He quickly slipped another finger in along side his other and began to scissor them. He purposefully aimed his digits to hit the small bundle of nerves that made Izuku moan loudly.
"Sho, please", Izuku begged. He was panting and moaning around the words as they left his mouth.
Shoto sat up and removed his fingers and poured oil onto his hands. After thoroughly lubing up himself, he positioned his member and thrust into Izuku. The cry of pleasure that escaped the smaller man was music to Shoto's ears. He held himself still for a few moments and allowed Izuku to adjust to being filled. With a nod the mer let him know that he was ready and Shoto braced himself as he pulled back and slammed into the man beneath him. He choked out a moan as he felt Izuku's walls constrict around him. Izuku had grasped onto his back and he could feel him clawing against his pale skin as he continued to slam into him. With the rum in their body Shoto knew that neither of them would be lasting long. With this knowledge he reached between them and grasped Izuku's throbbing erection and began to pump his hands in time with his thrusts.
Izuku practically screamed out as the pleasure started to build. Shoto gasped as the mer's walls fluttered as he was brought closer to the edge. He too was getting close to the peak of pleasure. He leaned forward and grasped onto Izuku's hips and sped up his thrusts. Izuku was a babbling mess and could only seem to say the words 'yes' and 'more' over and over again. He pulled Shoto closer and bit into his shoulder as his orgasm hit, his semen coated him and Shoto's stomachs. Shoto groaned at the pleasurable pain and thrust a few more times before the convulsing of Izuku's walls pushed him over the edge. He saw white and panted heavily as he released his load. He put his forehead down in the divot between Izuku's neck and shoulder as he caught his breath. They both sat in silence as they came down from their highs.
After a few minutes they finally regained their breath and Shoto gently pulled out of Izuku. A shudder made its way through Izuku and he pouted at the emptiness he now felt. Shoto got up and grabbed a towel from a small shelf and wet it. He quickly cleaned up Izuku and put the vial of oil back where it belonged. Once he was sure that Izuku and him were both thoroughly cleaned, Shoto crawled into bed. He pulled the lush sheets and fur blankets on top of them and smiled to himself as he felt the small body of Izuku snuggle into his side. He wrapped his arms around him and closed his eyes. They were safe and together and that was all that he wanted. Tomorrow would be another day in their life together and he looked forward to what the years would bring. He fell asleep with his love in his arms and the knowledge that no one, not even his father, would take him away and ruin the little sanctuary that they had made for themselves.