***Hello everyone! This is the last chapter of the fic! Thank you to all who have read this extra-rare pairing story! I hope you enjoyed it! I never planned on making this a long fic to begin with, and I think I did a good job of keeping it short.
***Warnings: Mild language, love-making (on AO3), fluff, romance, and humor
***Please read and enjoy! Thank you again!
Chapter 4: The Longest Winters
Hitoshi's heart was racing as he rode on Izuku's back through the forest, going further than the pond this time. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the vast meadow. Izuku said this is where he wanted to take him, and Hitoshi had never seen so many flowers. Various sizes, shapes, and colors stretched far as the eye could see. The gentle breeze passed through the flowers as if they were waving at him. Izuku said that the 'special place' is not too much further. Hitoshi was barely listening as they passed through the field of flowers, still admiring the area from the cloud-filled blue sky to the colors below.
The flowers eventually faded as they crossed over into what Hitoshi thought were oversized grass weeds. The leaves above produce pockets of shade. For a moment, Hitoshi wondered if this is how small animals feel when hiding in tall grass from predators. Did they shrink? No. Izuku would have told him. This place was just as magical as the rest.
"Here we are," Izuku says after he transforms. "What do you think?"
"It's…bigger than your thicket,"
"Yes. This is a special one that I made when I want to relax,"
Hitoshi watches as Izuku moves the gathered foliage around as if making a nest, which he was probably doing. It brought a blush to Hitoshi's face. The 'nest' consists of moss, grass, flowers, leaves, and cotton. When Izuku settled in the nest, he beckoned Hitoshi to join him. Hitoshi's throat went dry at the sight of Izuku's bare and welcoming body. His mind went blank- unsure of what to do or how to do it.
"You don't have to be shy," Izuku chuckles and holds out his arms. "Please, Hitoshi, come here."
"I…I should be…bare like you first. Right?"
"If you'd like?"
Hitoshi, still embarrassed and blushing, turned around to begin undressing. He could feel Izuku's eyes on him until he was completely bare. To further his embarrassment, that part of his body was already semi-erect.
"You have a lot of muscles," Izuku tells him. "It must be hard work being a human."
Hitoshi finally turned around, looking away from Izuku but nodded. "Yes. It's…a very challenging life."
"I'm sorry your people have to struggle to live," Izuku says and, sensing Hitoshi's shyness, got up from the nest to embrace him. He pressed their naked bodies together, staring into Hitoshi's eyes before giving him a chaste kiss. "I love how you look. You don't have to be so shy; I can guide you. There's only us here," he pulls Hitoshi to the nest, bringing them both down to sit upon it. Hitoshi still wasn't looking at him. Izuku's ears drooped. "Is something wrong with me? Am I not attractive enough for you? What can I do to make it better?"
"No!" Hitoshi whipped his head around and grasped Izuku's narrow shoulders. "No, there is nothing wrong with you! You are the most perfect being I've ever seen! It's me who is-" he blushed softly. "I've just…never done anything like this before, and I don't…want to disappoint you. I'm not a man if I can't please my lover."
Izuku chuckled softly, leaning forward to nuzzle Hitoshi's neck. "I don't care about that at all. I don't want you to feel like you have to impress me," Izuku straddled Hitoshi's lap, enjoying the look of surprise on the other's face.
~*Read the love-making scene on my AO3*~
"You feel so warm," Izuku tells him, rubbing his lower belly and stretching.
"Was I alright?" Hitoshi asks.
"You were perfect," he leans up to bring their lips together in a passionate kiss. "I want more. Mount me again, please?"
They coupled together twice more, one with Izuku riding Hitoshi and the last one in Hitoshi's lap. Now, they lay together on the foliage bed, side-by-side, and holding hands.
"Hitoshi, I don't want you to ever leave me," Izuku says.
"And I don't want to leave you," he says. "But… I'm not welcomed in this world. I can only come and visit and hope Bakugo doesn't find a way to stop us."
Izuku rolls over to face him. "Then, maybe I can come and live with you."
"And leave this paradise? Izuku, my world is cold and dark. Here, it's always springtime. There's no need to hunt or harvest for food. Humans are cruel to each other. Not all of them, but the different tribes don't always get along."
"I don't care about all that. So long as we're together, we can keep each other safe. I could learn to live like a human."
Hitoshi kissed him. "I can't ask that of you,"
"I want to, though."
"We still have to contend with Bakugo."
Izuku lowers his ears. "That's true…he won't let me go, and you can't fight him. But I don't want to sneak around all the time, either."
Hitoshi didn't want to let on to the trap and his plan to win Izuku. "We should be getting back."
Izuku whined and stretched, laying his naked body on Hitoshi's. "No…not yet!"
"We've been gone too long. I'm sure Bakugo will be suspicious by now."
Izuku sighed. "I know. You're right," he sits up. "I'll take you back to the entrance."
Hitoshi thought about their coupling the entire way back, picturing what his life would be like living with Izuku. He didn't want to leave without seeing Bakugo, so he stayed a little bit longer at the entrance, talking with Izuku. When Bakugo still was not coming around, Hitoshi took out his fife and started to play. Izuku began to dance to the music.
'Come out, Bakugo,' Hitoshi says to himself. 'Just come and try to take Izuku away.'
As if his thoughts were answered, a loud bellow from nearby stopped the music and dancing. Izuku gasps, saying that it's Bakugo and that Hitoshi should leave. Hitoshi drops his fife and moves to stand in front of Izuku. Izuku asked what he was doing, and Hitoshi answered to leave it to him.
Bakugo comes rushing out of the woods, eyes blazing red and antlers bursting with orange flames. Hitoshi wasn't expecting Bakugo to come from the opposite way, so he turned and ran in the direction of the trap. He ignored Izuku's cries, looking to see Bakugo gaining quickly on him. Hitoshi ran faster and saw the trap's glimmer hidden underbrush up ahead. Holding his breath, Hitoshi leaped over the length of the trap. He slides to a stop and hears the snapping sound of the traps' release switch followed by an angry, pained bellow.
"CAUGHT YOU!" Hitoshi grins at the sight of not one but BOTH of Bakugo's back legs caught in the trap. Bakugo kept snorting and hissing as the iron burned the flesh. The large stag kept trying to pull himself out by his front legs.
"KACCHAN!" Izuku came running, and his eyes filled with tears when he saw Bakugo in the trap. "Oh no! Kitchen!"
Bakugo transforms into a human. "GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!"
Izuku accidentally touched it, and it burned him. "Ouch!"
"Stop!" Hitoshi says, moving to stand between the both of them.
"Damned human!" Bakugo sneers. "You set this trap!"
Hitoshi nods. "I did. But, for a good reason."
Izuku looks at Hitoshi with tears in his eyes. "Hitoshi? Why would you do this?"
Hitoshi stares down at Bakugo. "It's said that if a human catches an elemental, they must grant them a wish. ANY wish."
Bakugo's deer ears lay flat against his head as he glares and sneers at Hitoshi. The human wasn't wrong; he and the rest of the elemental race were bound by that stupid truce from ages ago. His legs were slowly burning.
"What is it that you want, human scum?"
"I want Izuku to be free to be with me as a mate," Hitoshi tells him. "I want to be able to visit him here without any trouble."
Bakugo narrows his eyes in Izuku's direction. "Deku, do you really want to be with a human?"
Izuku fiddles his fingers. "I…I love Hitoshi, Kacchan. Yes, I want to be with him."
"You're a useless idiot, Deku! You're ruining your life more than it already is being powerless!"
"Don't talk to him like that!" Hitoshi countered.
"STOP!" A voice familiar to only Bakugo and Izuku came into the glen.
Hitoshi's eyes widened at the sight of the unicorn. The unicorn transformed into a human with the horn, ears, hooves, and tail of a horse. His hair was half red and half white, along with his eyes, almost mismatched. One was brown and the other teal.
"Shoto!" Izuku ran up to him and quickly explained the situation.
"I don't want that asshole here!" Bakugo shouts at Shoto. "This is my decision!"
Shoto walks over to Bakugo. "You sense it too, but you haven't said anything."
Bakugo growled at him.
Izuku looked at them both, then went to stand next to Hitoshi. "What are you talking about?"
Shoto turns to them. "That man there is not a full human. He is half elemental."
Izuku's ears perk up, and he grins at Hitoshi, who is dumbstruck.
"Izuku, you couldn't sense it because you don't have any powers, but Bakugo here already knew and chose not to say anything."
Bakugo crosses his arms and looks away with a huff.
"Then…does that mean…I can be welcomed here?" Hitoshi asks Shoto.
"You were raised by humans, so no, we cannot fully accept you here. However, we must honor the truce, and Bakugo has to grant you your wish," Shoto says. "Izuku, you need to choose if you want to live as a human or remain here with us. If you choose to be with humans, you cannot return here. However, if you choose us, then your human lover can visit but not stay."
Hitoshi swallows and turns to Izuku, waiting to hear his answer.
Izuku's bottom lip trembles, and he starts to cry. "B-But, I don't want to leave anyone! I don't want to leave you forever, Kacchan! But I want to be with Hitoshi, too!"
Bakugo growls, grinding his teeth and squeezing the flesh of his arms. "Stop crying, Deku! You worthless piece of moldy moss! I'll make the decision, not you and not this half-and-half bastard! My answer will work on all sides, which proves I'm the superior one!"
Shoto rolls his eyes.
"Deku, you can…stay with this human; BUT, after the end of this year, you are to come and stay here EVERY winter, with me, and leave the human to the cold! I don't ever want to see him here again, but you're not banished from this place. Got it? And if you forget to come, I WILL come and drag you by your stupid tiny tail!"
Izuku laughs happily and throws his arms around Bakugo's neck. "Thank you, Kacchan!"
"Don't touch me! You smell like a human!" Bakugo pushes him away.
Izuku goes back to Hitoshi, embracing him. "That's okay, right, Hitoshi?"
Hitoshi nodded, knowing it was as good as it was going to get. "Yes. I accept."
"Now, get this trap off of me!"
Hitoshi releases it, and Bakugo quickly heals himself. "Asshole human!"
"I have to say, I'm a little surprised by your choice, Bakugo," Shoto says.
"It's none of your business anyway, bastard!"
"But will Izuku be welcomed among the humans?" Shoto wondered out loud.
"They will," Hitoshi says. "I'm the next chief of the tribe, and Izuku will be under my protection as well as my life mate. If he could easily win my heart, then he will win the hearts of my people." He laces his fingers with Izuku's.
"Fine. Just get out of my sight before I change my mind!" Bakugo shouts, turning his back to them.
"Kacchan, thank you so much for this! You've made me so happy!"
Bakugo just tsked.
Shoto leaned in to whisper to Bakugo. "What's the real reason you're letting Izuku go?"
Bakugo smirked. "As if I'd tell you. Screw off." Bakugo did have another reason, and, staying in line with the truce, he managed to make it work in both their favors. Deku is useless here in the elemental world, but he can become something among humans. Deku brings nothing to the herd anyway and only exists to annoy him. He won't let Deku go for good; Deku was his before anyone else.
"Kacchan, I'll see you next winter, okay?"
"Whatever. Just don't get killed and try not to freeze to death! I've got things to do, so, get out of my sight!" He transforms and takes off into the woods.
Shoto transforms as well but walks up to Hitoshi and Izuku. 'I don't understand your choice, Izuku, but I'll accept it. And you can't go into a human winter like that,' Shoto touches Izuku's chest with the tip of his horn and copies Hitoshi's clothing. Soon, Izuku was dressed in human clothes.
"Shoto! Thank you! You didn't have to do this!"
'After years of Bakugo giving you a hard time, I guess you deserve something good. Farewell to you, Izuku.'
"I'll see you in the winter, Shoto. And thank you again!"
Once they were alone, Hitoshi turned to Izuku and said, "I'll miss you in the winters,"
"And I'll miss you. But we'll make it work."
"You need to put your hood up," Hitoshi attempted to do it for him but then realized that it would not go over the antlers. So, he took a knife and cut holes in the hood. Now it fits perfectly.
Izuku laughs and says, "I guess I should try to do all I can to look more like a human, huh?"
"No, you'll stay just the way you are." Hitoshi gathers all his things on the sled. "Are you ready to see your new home?"
"Yes, I'm ready!" Izuku turns back to the forest, feeling a little weepy about leaving the only home he's ever known. But he was going to start a new adventure with Hitoshi, and maybe, just maybe, he would find a place to belong with the humans with Hitoshi.
It was a long walk in the cold for Izuku, but he was transfixed with the snow, and Hitoshi showed him some things to do in it, like throw snowballs. He said he would show Izuku more once they get back to the village. Izuku was nervous and excited to see Hitoshi's village and learn how the humans live. Hitoshi's people were going to be his people as well. He vowed that he would do all that he could to win the people's hearts and rule by Hitoshi's side. Unlike the herd, he will no longer be the lowest one- he'll be the highest after Hitoshi. But Hitoshi would never think of him as a second.
"This is it," Hitoshi says, pointing to the arched entrance of the village.
Izuku stared at the wall of spiked wood that surrounded the village, feeling a slight ache in his heart for the loss of trees. Yet he must remember that humans must struggle to survive, and this wall offers protection. Hitoshi brings him under the archway, and Izuku looks at all the small thickets called huts or homes. They were made of rocks, wood, straw, and mud. He stayed close to Hitoshi as he felt many eyes staring in his direction from the tribespeople. They were murmuring and whispering about him. Some looked curious, while others seemed afraid.
"Don't worry about them," Hitoshi tells him. "They have never seen an elemental before. I'm taking you to meet our chief first, and I have something personal to ask him."
Izuku nodded, listening to Hitoshi but looking all-around at the new surroundings. Everything was so different here! He wanted to learn everything about humans! Then, when he entered the largest hut with Hitoshi, Izuku saw the chief, and Hitoshi's adoptive father, for the first time. Hitoshi spoke of him, but Izuku wasn't expecting the chief to look so exhausted with the same tired eyes as his lover. The chief had long black hair and stubble on his face. Like all the others, he wore the skins and pelts of dead animals. And, unlike the other humans, the chief wasn't surprised by him.
"Chief Aizawa, this is Izuku, my mate and lover." He takes Izuku's hand. "He is going to live with us during the spring, summer, and fall but will return to the elemental land every winter."
"H-Hello, Chief Aizawa,"
"...he has antlers and deer hooves," Aizawa plainly stated.
"Yes. He is a stag." Hitoshi plainly answered back. "I know he has a lot to prove as an elemental among humans, but I know he can win the hearts of our people."
Aizawa nods slightly. "I'm sure."
"There is something I need to ask you," Hitoshi took a step forward. "The other elementals told me that I am a half-blood. I am half elemental. Did you know this about me?"
Aizawa is silent for a moment, then he gives another nod. "I did. Since you know, I might as well tell you," he leans forward in his chair. "I found you as a baby in the woods, alive and crying next to the bodies of your parents. Something had killed them. Your mother was human and your father an elemental. I knew this because he had the ears and tail of a mountain lion, or something similar to that. They were not of our tribe. They could have been killed by their own people. I couldn't leave you to die in the woods, so I took you back and gave you to a family to raise. But then they didn't want you anymore, so I took you in. I wanted our people to respect you for who you are and not what you are," his eyes went to Izuku. "But seeing as you have chosen an elemental for your life mate, there is no reason to hide it from the tribe."
Izuku squeezes Hitoshi's hand. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, but it's just a lot to take in right now."
"Get some rest with your life mate," Aizawa says. "It was a long walk back here, I'm sure. I will speak to the village for you."
Hitoshi thanked him and guided Izuku to his room. Izuku sits on the bed, bouncing a little on it. The bed was very different from moss, and Izuku realized how much he missed moss. His ears drooped.
"What's wrong?"
"Your nest is soft, but it's not mossy. I miss the moss."
"When it is spring, we'll gather all the moss you want, and we'll make a new bed. If you are conforming to human life, then I will adapt to the ways that make you most comfortable."
Izuku smiles at him. "I love you so much, Hitoshi! But, I don't love these clothes. I'd rather be without them." Izuku undresses to be naked and lets out a sigh of relief. "That's better. I'm not very comfortable wearing clothes…made from dead animals," his ears dropped again.
Hitoshi nods and says, "I will have all your clothes made of wool and linens. Those do not take life away from anything."
"Thank you, Hitoshi. I won't discourage anyone else if they wish to continue doing what they have always done." He smiles.
"That is just another reason our people will love you,"
Izuku pats the spot beside him, and Hitoshi takes a seat, then Izuku nuzzles him.
"Hitoshi, I am honored to be your life mate, and I promise to always be faithful, loyal, and true."
Hitoshi kissed the top of Izuku's head. "And I vow the same."
"I can't wait to share so many of life's adventures with you. I want to be by your side for every one of them!" he hugs Hitoshi's arm.
Hitoshi smiles and says, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He goes to lean his head on Izuku's, but the small prong poked his temple. "Ouch."
"I'm sorry! I'll find something soft to put on them!"
"No, it's fine. If you accidentally poke an eye out, I have a spare." he smiled at Izuku's laughter.
"I guess love can hurt," Izuku says and lays back on the bed. "Come lay with me,"
Hitoshi lays down beside him, holding hands between them. Hitoshi considered himself the luckiest person in the world. He has the privilege of falling asleep with those most beautiful being and waking up to those big, bright, moss green eyes and starry smiles.
~*~The Next Winter~*~
Throughout the year, Izuku had won the hearts of all the tribe members, which also elevated Hitoshi's standing in their eyes. Izuku had discovered that he DID have powers, but they only work in the human world. He made the fruit trees grow an abundance of fruit that filled the peoples' baskets. The crops always grew strong and healthy. The goats and sheep always produced milk and wool. Izuku's elemental powers had their village prospering. When it came time for winter, the village was stocked to the brim with food.
But today was the first day of winter, and Izuku had to leave for the season. The villagers were sad to see him go, but Izuku assured them that he would return on the first day of spring. So he and Hitoshi walked hand-in-hand to the elemental forest, silently enjoying each other's company.
They stopped when they saw Bakugo standing at the entrance. He was in stag form, antlers blazing with orange flames.
Izuku turns to Hitoshi and kisses him. "I'll miss you,"
"I'll miss you too. This is going to be the longest winter…."
"Stay true to me?"
"I would never stray from you,"
Izuku transforms and nuzzles Hitoshi, who hugs his head. He watches as Izuku walks towards Bakugo, looking back at him with every other step. Hitoshi waves to Izuku, his heart tight in his chest as Bakugo herds his life mate away and into the woods. It was the longest, coldest, and most lonely walk back to the village.
Spring has come.
Hitoshi woke up at dawn to make his way to the elemental forest, eager to be reunited with Izuku. Aizawa had stepped down as chief and passed the title over to him. It was thanks to Izuku that Hitoshi was able to easily make the transfer of power and win the respect of the tribe. He couldn't wait to tell Izuku and show him the necklace.
When Hitoshi made it there, Izuku was already waiting for him in human form. Izuku was sitting on the grass and weaving a second flower crown, humming softly. Hitoshi approaches him and sees Izuku's deer ears twitch. Izuku turns to him with a bright smile, and his deer tail wags. Hitoshi wants to rush towards his life mate and embrace him. But instead, Izuku gets up with the flower crown and places it on Hitoshi's head.
"Let's go home."
"Home for me is wherever you are."
The End
