Song I associate with this chapter: "Nicest Thing" by Kate Nash
He turned his head to follow your eyeline and, sure enough, something disrupted the water sitting still aside from the push and pull of gentle waves created by the cool evening breeze. Narrowing his eyes and sitting up from your lap his jaw clenched on instinct as a second pair of ruby eyes stared back at him just above the water's surface.
A wretched growl echoed from Bakugou's throat as he bared his fangs in the direction of the eyes which disappeared quickly into the darkness of the water when their owner realized they'd been spotted. Your voice captured his attention nearly startling him out the sudden rush of possessive energy.
"Bakugou, what-"
"Don't move," he ground out as softly as he could manage as he turned to you, seeing the questioning look of concern in your eyes. Without another word he maneuvered out of your lap and dove into the water. Your voice called out to him but it was cut off and muffled as he swam with rabid intensity towards the direction of the eyes.
The water was almost pitch black as he swam, the only light source being the shining moon floating far above the ocean. Bakugou knew the area by now, however, and navigated easily enough as his muscles worked furiously, still tired and recovering from the long swim earlier.
Finally - with teeth bared and claws outstretched - he saw a swish of crimson cutting through the darkness and knew his target was close.
"KIRISHIMA! GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!" Bakugou screamed as he swatted unsuspecting fish out of the way who couldn't escape fast enough.
"NOT WITH THAT MURDEROUS LOOK ON YOUR FACE!" he yelled back, though it was muffled from the distance and water between them. Kirishima's sass only pushed Bakugou faster as he caught up to the red-tailed merman who looked back at him with wide-eyed panic. "Dude!"
With a snarl Bakugou reached out and grabbed Kirishima's tail at the juncture where the main body met the tail fins, causing Kirishima to jerk back abruptly with a yelp. "I said slow the FUCK down!"
"Let go!" They were both out of breath, their gills working heavily to filter out oxygen quickly enough to supply their aching muscles. Kirishima held his hands up defensively as Bakugou closed in with eyes ablaze with fire…or at least as close to fire as someone could reach while underwater. "I didn't mean-"
"You spying bastard. The hell did I tell you earlier, huh?" His jaw was clenched as a vein was about to burst in his temple, bubbles spitting from his nose like an angry bull.
"You said try and keep up." Of course Kirishima couldn't help but get in one last smartass comment before Bakugou rounded on him poised to attack. "Sorry! I said I was curious, don't be mad!"
"You're so…stupid!" Bakugou yelled before running his claws through his hair in frustration. "If you're that close to shore you have to be careful no one sees you. You said yourself humans are dangerous, right?" The stern shift in his voice caught Kirishima off-guard: he was giving a warning, a proper scolding for possibly jeopardizing their secret existence when Bakugou was always careful. "If something just sits out in middle of the water it looks suspicious, which is why I always come up under the pier until I KNOW it's safe…dumbass," he muttered through gritted teeth and steely eyes.
Kirishima slowly lowered his hands from his attempt at protecting his face seeing Bakugou was now stewing rather than outright raging. In his haste to know more, to follow Bakugou and sate his playful curiosity, he could have been seen by someone keeping an eye on the open water rather than the pier. Bakugou was considering their own safety; he was always keen on thinking ahead despite his impulsive nature, and this situation proved no different. "Shit…dude, I didn't even think-"
"No, you didn't," he said rounding once more on his companion. "You better fucking hope no one noticed besides (y/n)."
"They saw me?" Kirishima pointed back at himself, secretly wondering what they thought he was if Bakugou didn't tell them before barreling off in an angry huff.
"Yeah, saw you before I did."
"Ha, you did look kind of distracted…watch it!" Bakugou smacked him on the arm for that one though his cheeks were dusted pink keeping the smirk on Kirishima's face. "OK so…can I meet them now?"
Bakugou sputtered in place before spitting out a reply. "You can't be serious. You just-"
"Just one meeting and I'll be out of your hair about it!" He clapped his hands together as a spray of bubbles erupted from the quick gesture. He was curious about a lot of things concerning the situation, honestly. For one, he wanted to know more about humans, wanted to hear what they sounded like and how they moved around. He'd always been told that humans were dangerous and to stay away from them, so this might be his only chance to actually meet one who wasn't hostile. Kirishima also wanted to try some of that food Bakugou bragged about: no one could mention delicious food around him without his mouth salivating just a little. Finally, he wanted to know the type of person that could make his normally surley friend look so flustered. They had to be special, and Kirishima wanted to know why.
Bakugou ran a tired hand over his face as he looked at his pleading friend. It was almost pathetic how much groveling he was doing. "If I let you do this, you have to SWEAR to not be stupid, got it?"
Kirishima opened one ruby eye to see if Bakugou was being serious; the look on his face and crossed arms said he was, indeed, serious. "Really? You'll let me?"
A voice in the back of his head told Bakugou this was a bad idea, but if Kirishima kept bugging him about it - and especially now that he'd seen the two of you together and knew where he went everyday - he might as well get it over with rather than drag out more excuses he knew Kirishima wouldn't listen to. "Fine, but not today, it's too late now. Come back tomorrow before the sun sinks down, and don't be late this time, moron," Bakugou muttered. Before Kirishima could give a proper reply Bakugou swam off back in the direction he'd come - back to the human - leaving Kirishima in a cloud of bubbles and darkness.
You sat worriedly on the edge of the pier waiting for Bakugou to return. He'd seen whatever you pointed out on the surface of the water and sped off without an explanation leaving you to only guess at what, or who, it was that made him bristle so angrily.
"Shit, I hope he's alright…" You checked your phone: it was past ten o'clock at this point, the sun now completely gone leaving you in almost complete darkness aside from the scattered lamps that illuminated the pier, though half of them needed new bulbs leaving spots of flickering shadows. Yawning you waited for him to return, one leg dangling over the side of the pier, toes curling as the air grew cooler and filled your nose with salt.
Hardly a minute later a splash caught your attention near your feet. As you looked down your eyes met familiar ruby ones bringing an automatic smile to your face, though you noticed he was breathing heavily and he looked a bit agitated.
"Bakugou! The hell happened? You just…swam off!" you whispered with a wide gesture towards the open ocean, eyes darting around quickly to make sure you were both still alone. Tonight seemed unusually quiet making you wary of raising your voice too much in case someone came too close to the road or happened to take a late night stroll on the beach. Bakugou wasted little time in making his way onto the pier for a second time that night before plopping down on his back, chest heaving and arms splayed out to the side on the wooden planks with a groan. His tail hung limply over the edge, the fins ghosting across the top of the water like silk. "Hey, it's fine, just rest for a minute."
Looking him up and down you didn't notice any blood or injuries, so that was a good sign. You crawled over to him, laying on your stomach and resting your head on your forearm while the other ghosted across his scalp knowing the familiar touch often calmed him down. After a minute his breathing slowed, lips parted slightly as his wet skin glistened brilliantly under the moonlight; the sight of him never got old as you basked in his beauty that, even now, you sometimes thought was all just an elaborate dream.
When he turned his head and opened his eyes to look at you, though, the dream ended and brought you back to the reality of staring into the eyes of someone you cared for deeply and honestly. Bakugou's expression softened before speaking, though his brows were still pulled together in a crease.
"Someone...stupid…want to meet you," he muttered through gritted teeth while averting his gaze and turning his head back to look straight up into the starry, cloudless sky. Your hand never stopped caressing his damp hair.
"So the thing we saw in the water…wait, ah no way! Another person like you?" You couldn't contain the excitement in your voice at the idea that there were more merpeople out there like Bakugou. Sure, you knew he wasn't the only one and that he technically had a home, but he rarely talked about them openly. This meant he wasn't really alone, that there was someone else out there to keep him company when you weren't around; the thought brought you comfort.
Bakugou, on the other hand, looked almost offended at your enthusiasm.
"No, no, don't take it the wrong way," you said with a light laugh. "Still proving how needy you are wanting all my attention for yourself."
"Tch, am not," he objected.
"Are too."
He growled, too tired from swimming to argue…even if he knew your words rang true and he was just too stubborn to admit it.
"C'mon, don't fall asleep before you tell me what's going on," you said, taking the soothing touch of your hand away from his hair earning you a low growl of annoyance. "The sooner you tell me the sooner we can both sleep." You yawned, Bakugou peeking one scarlet eye open to memorize how you looked when sleepy; he also couldn't argue with your logic.
"I meet…friend," he said with a tinge of spite thinking about how much trouble Kirishima caused him today, "who meet me sometimes. From home. Tells me news." Bakugou remained on his back but turned his head to face you again as he grabbed your hand and placed it back on his head with an expectant look. You rolled your eyes but continued running your fingers through his hair; he was spoiled with affection, but you had no one to blame but yourself.
"Mm, I'm glad you have a friend you can talk to. I guess you haven't been to visit your home since leaving then…right?"
The question hung heavy in the air like thick fog, but Bakugou shook his head and said nothing.
"Sorry. But this friend visits and keeps you company sometimes, then?" You knew he didn't like talking about his home that much, so you kept the conversation going about this new companion.
"He annoying."
"Not annoying enough for you to stop hanging out, though," you countered. Bakugou clenched his jaw at how well you could read him at this point. As agitating as Kirishima was at times, there was something about him - some unnameable magnetism of acceptance and friendliness - that Bakugou just couldn't pull away from. "Anyway…keep going." Your hand never paused, still moving like wind through stalks of golden wheat after a heavy rain.
He'd picked up human mannerisms along with his language lessons which made you hyper aware of your actions when around him. Bakugu ran a hand down his face in an expression of exhaustion making you wonder how many times he'd seen you act it out yourself. "I…mention you…" He tried unsuccessfully to keep the tinge of pink from his cheeks as he avoided your sparkling eyes. "And he annoy me. Want know more human things. Followed me here."
You nodded in understanding. "So he wants to see how awesome I am then, right?" Bakugou raised his eyebrows. "Don't give me that look, you've said I'm awesome before so you can't deny it." Maybe it was tiredness catching up to him in addition to the lingering grumpiness created from the idea of Kirishima intruding on his private meetings with you, but Bakugou couldn't shake off his bad mood. "C'mon, it's fine. Maybe I can pry some embarrassing stories from him."
"He can't talk human," Bakugou replied with a knowing smirk. Bakugou would have to act as translator since you wouldn't be able to understand Kirishima and he knew nothing of human language; it was extra work on his part, but it kept Kirishima from knowing anything he shouldn't or spilling unwanted information from his fat mouth. Bakugou could technically control the conversation, and that suited him just fine.
"Oh yeah, makes sense…so, when am I gonna meet your friend, then?"
"Tomorrow," he said, eyes cutting between you and the stars overhead.
"Well that's soon. Alright, guess I'll bring an extra snack, then. Just tell him to be careful if he's not usually around the area." You took your hand away from his hair and stretched out on the pier with another yawn. "I think it's time to sleep, for both of us."
Bakugou groaned at the thought of a wasted day with so little time with you, but he couldn't deny the exhaustion making his eyelids heavy.
"The quicker you sleep, the faster tomorrow will come," you said with a tired chuckle before standing up from the pier and gathering up your things. "Our swimming lessons will need to wait for another day, then. Those will be for us only, how's that sound?"
His eyes fluttered open to look up at you looming over him, his sour mood dissipating at your suggestion as he watched the gentle movement of your hair against the cool breeze silhouetted against the dark night sky thinking your eyes looked like sparkling stars. All he could do was nod in response.
You smiled kindly at him while leaning down to place a gentle hand on his cheek, his own hand coming up to cover yours as he leaned comfortably into the touch. Unfortunately, the distinct sound of his stomach rumbling from lack of dinner brought him out of the peaceful moment with a groan.
"You haven't eaten? I really have spoiled you, huh? It's not really cold anymore but…" you reached down into your bag and pulled out a package that smelled distinctly of tuna and wasabi. "Nothing fancy today, but hopefully it'll do." As soon as the smell hit his nose Bakugou's mouth started watering, hunger and lack of energy overtaking his dignity as he nearly snatched the package from your hand.
"Is spoiled bad?" Bakugou asked as he ripped open the package.
You shook your head while still hovering over him. "Nah, not for you anyway. I don't mind." Giving Bakugou a gift of food seemed minimal in comparison to everything he'd provided you with, honestly, even if those things - besides the pearls - weren't physical. "Get some sleep, Bakugou."
Before he bit into the fish Bakugou grabbed your retreating hand and ran his webbed fingers through yours with a quick squeeze, craving one fleeting touch before you left. "Night."
"Goodnight," you whispered before pulling your hand away and turning to walk home, the old wood creaking under your steps until Bakugou could only hear the familiar sounds of the sea.
The next day before heading out to the beach you changed out of your work clothes and into something more casual and breathable; today felt unusually warm so anything to help cool you off would help. Grabbing a simple hat from your closet you took one last look in the mirror.
"I'm meeting Bakugou's friend today, I guess…mmhm, I'm glad he has someone else around to keep him company. He's alone whenever I'm not around…" Sometimes you felt guilty that you couldn't spend more time with him during the day, but evenings after work when the beach was empty were all you could manage while avoiding unwanted attention. There were a few times you'd been tempted to just pick him up and whisk him away to your apartment for a weekend, but the idea of basically stranding him in a bathtub left a bad taste in your mouth. Maybe if you found a better solution you'd consider it again, but right now wasn't the time to entertain the idea. "Oh! Almost forgot.." Before leaving you grabbed something from your bedside table and stuffed it in your pocket; your eyes lingered on the empty and dried oyster shell making you smile before heading out the door.
By this point you'd become well-versed in the schedules of any officers patrolling the area and when the shop owners closed for the evening, so avoiding prying eyes wasn't as difficult compared to when Bakugou first started appearing to you regularly. Just as suspected the coast was clear as you walked with a bag slung over your shoulder heavy with the items you took with you daily: food for yourself and Bakugou (and one extra, today), a bottle of water, a towel, a pair of binoculars, a waterproof flashlight, and a sturdy pair of scissors along with a few other things rolling around at the bottom; half of the items were added after specific incidents, so you just kept them handy in case of an emergency.
Your feet dangled lazily above the water, toes curling and uncurling as you leaned back on your hands to look at the open ocean in front of you. Most people only saw the beauty of the sea once, maybe twice a year if they were lucky or on vacation; you saw it everyday, and it honestly never stopped being beautiful as light glittered off the surface like dancing fairies.
A familiar touch graced across your foot. You looked around the beach and behind you to make sure the coast was clear before tapping on the wood, a signal to let your companion know it was safe to surface.
Looking over the edge of the pier you saw the familiar pale blonde hair and ruby eyes poking up out of the water. "Welcome back," you said with a smile. "Where's your friend?" He let out a huff underwater as bubbles floated up from his nose, mouth, and gills before rolling his eyes and dipping back under for a moment.
When Bakugou came back up, he wasn't alone.
A second pair of red eyes - wider and larger - met yours, along with a mop of bright red hair. He looked around nervously, eyes glancing around at the beach empty of people and the tall highrise condos that jutted up against the sky. His face was filled with wonderous curiosity at the new environment as you looked between him and Bakugou, whose sour mood from the previous day seemed to have returned. He was so spoiled keeping you all to himself, annoyed that he now had to share your company.
"Do all merpeople have red eyes?" you asked, curious at similarities between different merpeople. Your voice brought the newcomer's gaze back to you.
Bakugou shook his head. "Not all, just some," he replied. The red-head now looked between Bakugou and yourself before giving you a beaming smile with a mouth full of sharp teeth. He then issued a series of odd clicking sounds. Bakugou replied with similar sounds. This must be how they communicated - through a series of clicks similar to dolphins.
"Oh, cool…" you muttered to yourself. The new addition to your normally one-on-one meetings reached a hand up in an attempt to touch your foot, but Bakugou slapped it away with a possessive growl. "Bakugou…he's just curious and they're just feet. Remember when you were obsessed with my toes?" Averting his gaze he blew out another stream of annoyed bubbles. "What's his name?"
"Kirishima," Bakugou replied while keeping an eye on the merman next to him bobbing up and down in the water. Kirishima's curious eyes looked at Bakugou questioningly as he reached forward once more towards your feet. When he didn't get another slap and his hand made contact with the calloused skin under your toes his mouth curled into another smile. You already observed he seemed more happy-go-lucky than Bakugou.
While Kirishima occupied himself with exploring your feet - his touch wasn't as delicate as Bakugou's, so it was more entertaining than ticklish - Bakugou wasted no more time in making his way onto his usual spot on the pier next to you. He watched as Bakugou sat next to you, red eyes meeting red eyes. A silent hand wrapped around your back until his palm made contact with the hem of your shirt, though his attention was focused on his companion mesmerized by your feet and legs.
A series of clicks from below echoed up towards Bakugou who replied back with more sounds you couldn't understand. "What'd he say?" you asked.
"He said feet are weird." Bakugou just smirked because, honestly, Kirishima was right - feet were weird. He'd come to like yours, though; the way your toes curled when you laughed, or how the muscles and tendons in your feet and legs shifted when you stretched or walked…Bakugou noticed things, storing trinkets of information away even though they may never come up in any important capacity.
"Tch, yeah, he's right. But some people really like feet, don't ask me why." You thought of all the people out there with bizarre fetishes, though you quickly shoved those judgements away since you'd finally conceded to having severe and inescapable feelings towards Bakugou, a beautiful man with a fish tail; couldn't get much weirder than that, honestly. "You hungry?" you asked, wanting to change the subject. "I brought extra for your friend, too."
When Bakugou looked over at you - just the smallest tilt of his head was all it took - you knew you were smitten, his gaze pooling into you effortlessly and softening for you and only you. Now wasn't the time for confessions, however, not with a third-wheel watching the both of you from the water below.
You reached behind you to grab your bag and pulled out several small boxes of food. Bakugou's eyes widened at the offering, noticing you'd put his favorites in there along with a heaping spoonful of wasabi. You set your own box on your lap before dangling the last one out past your knees, gaining the attention of Kirishima who was now losing interest in your feet and ankles in favor of the new and interesting smell hitting his nose.
Bakugou didn't bother waiting for his friend as he stuffed a piece of marinated fish into his mouth, but jerked his head towards the empty side of the pier next to you while you gave the dark wood a pat, indicating that it was alright to sit.
Kirishima let go of your feet and smiled once more before diving under the water and coming back up to catch himself on the edge of the pier, just as Bakugou did. Kirishima's eyes scanned the length of the beach from the new height, taking in the buildings and road before housing himself up next to you. Bakugou's cautious eyes were trained on him, while yours were trained on Kirishima.
He seemed a bit taller than Bakugou, but not by much. The most noticeable difference was his bright red and black tail. It was nearly identical to Bakugou's aside from the scars, but there were also no glittering gold flecks that bounced back the golden sunlight as it slowly hid behind the flat horizon of the shifting ocean in the distance. Kirishima was also…attractive. Were all merpeople this handsome and buff? You took in the sight while Bakugou stewed silently behind you, angrily stuffing fish into his mouth.
He looked at you with a smile to rival the sun and you couldn't help but smile back. Ducking behind you suddenly there were more clicking sounds before Bakugou leaned back as well and - apparently - had an exchange that ended with Kirishima getting his cheek pulled, a red mark on his skin visible when he came back up next to you.
"Why are you bothering to hide while talking…? I can't understand you anyway," you asked Bakugou before opening up your own box of dinner.
"He…nervous." It was a terrible lie and he knew it, because Kirishima was, obviously, the complete opposite of shy as he shamelessly grabbed one of your hands and held it up to his, comparing the lack of webbing to his own. He couldn't let you see his face when Kirishima asked embarrassing questions, though.
"Sounds like bullshit but alright, fine, keep your secrets…" You mumbled before taking back your hand and offering up the extra box of food to your new companion. Kirishima watched both you and Bakugou and copied your movements as he opened the lid to reveal a sensation of new smells and colors and textures unfamiliar to his normal palette of raw still-alive fish. His eyes sparkled at the sight.
He promptly gobbled up the first piece before pausing. You looked at him with concern, wondering if he didn't like the food…until his face screwed up tightly into a bizarre mixture of exaggerated pleasure and sadness before shoving the rest of the food into his mouth, hardly taking a moment to chew before swallowing every last bite.
Bakugou's manners weren't quite as bad now compared to when the two of you first met; they were decidedly better now as he ate just one piece at a time.
"Uh…I guess he liked it?" you asked, turning to Bakugou with a concerned look.
He nodded. "He likes meat, not picky," he replied, but was cut off when a splash of red sprung forward as Kirishima wrapped his arms tightly around your shoulders and snuggled into the side of your face.
"What?!" You managed to shriek out at the unfamiliar touch and sudden contact. Hardly a moment later, though, Bakugou let out a growl before prying Kirishima's arms from you and shoving his face away from yours before pulling you to his chest. You'd nearly dropped your food down into the water from the struggle as you gathered your bearings.
Kirishima looked unsure, then apologetic as he looked between you and Bakugou who was poised at your back, a strong arm snaked around your middle. Another series of clicks bounced between the two mermen - Bakugou's more a hiss than anything else - before Kirishima lowered his hands and made no more initiative to come closer.
"Uh, Bakugou-"
He seemed to calm down at the sound of your voice, the raspiness subsiding and the grip around your torso loosening a small fraction.
"OK, we need to have a chat, here," you sighed before wiggling out of his grip and turning to face Bakugou fully. "You can't get mad every single time I'm talking with someone else. It was just a hug. An unexpected one, but still. I don't belong to you, I don't need protecting all the time."
His brows furrowed, mouth pulled into a tight line. "I know that!"
"Do you?" You met his stare with an equally unwavering look. Normally his protective nature was flattering when he wanted to keep you close, wary of those who might cause you harm. Since meeting Bakugou you'd become more sure of yourself, more resolute in what you wanted, and more outgoing; he made you feel confident and not as afraid to hide behind the masks that everyone around you grew familiar with. Now, though, he was even jealous of his friend - someone he wouldn't have let near you if Kirishima was dangerous - so you finally needed to draw a line in the sand. "We'll talk about this later…" you muttered while carding a hand through your hair.
Bakugou was silent as he tossed the uneaten pieces of fish off to the side with a scowl, no longer hungry.
In an attempt to dispel the awkwardness from the air and give Bakugou some space, you tried to teach Kirishima a couple of words, though it seemed he wasn't as quick a learner as Bakugou, struggling to make the correct sounds or pick up meanings. He also made sure not to touch you and kept a respectful distance after Bakugou's display. He sat leaning against one of the pillars at the corner of the pier watching your exchange with his friend with furrowed brows, rarely interjecting just to provide a translation. His gaze was listless as he stared across the ocean, strong arms folded across his chest as if guarding something unseen.
After a while you let out a sigh knowing what you said caused Bakugou's current mood. Leaving Kirishima to fend for himself for a minute you walked over to Bakugou, sitting down next to him as your legs dangled on the side of the pier normally to your left. He didn't look up, and instead tensed at your closeness.
"Look…sorry for what I said. I just don't want you to think I can't take care of myself, or tell someone 'no' when I need do. You've helped me be more confident with all that, honestly." You scratched the back of your neck while glancing up to gauge his reaction; he was looking at you from the corner of his eyes, though his body language was still reserved. "And I don't know why you get jealous anyway…it's not like anyone could ever replace you or take your spot, you're one-of-a-kind. You're special. I wouldn't exchange our time together to spend it with someone else. So don't feel, like, threatened or anything. Understand?"
Finally his shoulders relaxed and the muscles in his neck sunk down to a more unwary position as he turned to look at you with those ruby eyes that always caught the breath in your throat like a fist tangled up in warm crimson velvet.
"Yeah.." he finally replied with a long sigh. "You not…mine." Though he tried not to show it, to appear vulnerable and wanting, you could see the longing in his eyes and the inflection hidden behind the last word on his tongue. Your heart palpitated in your chest with the idea that he may want something more: you weren't his property, but someone meaningful to him…and you were, but the look in his eyes told a story of craving more than just a friendship with fleeting touches and soft words whispered under moonlight. He didn't like others touching you, but he needed to understand you wouldn't let anyone get between you two. You were cut off from your thoughts - hoping he couldn't sense your racing pulse - as he continued.
"You strong. I know that." He was about to say something else but a creak in the wood brought his attention over to Kirishima who was lounging on his stomach, head in his hands, looking at the two of you with playful intrigue even though he had no idea what either of you were saying. Bakugou's eye twitched.
"Hey," you said, grabbing his attention back towards you. "You know I'm not going anywhere, right?" You needed to reassure him that you had no plans to go anywhere, to travel outside his realm of existence no matter how confined it was to the edge of an old weather-worn pier jutting out from a beach littered with broken sand castles and empty aluminum cans and memories meant for family photo albums.
The gentle breeze of the ocean glanced through strands of pale golden wheat, a gust pushing a section away from his face as he nodded. You brought your palm up to cup his cheek like a warm pillow kissed by the last rays of the setting sun before it sunk behind the horizon. "I know," he said once more, words repeated and words remembered.
The moment was heartfelt and tender, but with a third-wheel watching you didn't want it to get too sappy…so you decided to change the subject and, in turn, possibly make it even sappier. "I know what'll cheer you up!" You smiled while taking your hand away and stuffing it into your pants pocket. "Oh, close your eyes."
Bakugou blinked at the sudden change in your demeanor before squinting, mentally questioning your next move. "Why?" Rolling your eyes you paused in your movements.
"I'm giving you something, and it's gonna be a surprise. So…close your eyes and hold out your hand."
Red eyes met red eyes as he looked over at Kirishima - who still had no idea what was happening - who'd watched the affectionate display silently, red and black tail swishing just above the water like a foot tapping impatiently. With a sigh Bakugou closed his eyes and held out his hand, palm up, ready to receive whatever you had planned.
Instead he felt something wrap around his wrist, your fingers brushing his skin as you secured whatever it was before retreating. "OK, open your eyes."
Wasting no time he opened his eyes to stare at the strange object now wrapped around his wrist. It was a bracelet made of woven strands, not very wide but thick enough to show off the patterning of different colors weaving in and out of each other: orange, pale yellow, and black. A weight tugged at the bracelet, pulling it down with gravity to reveal a charm. It was marbled in color, off-white mixed with warm brown that tapered into a tip like a long triangle held onto the bracelet with a golden clasp.
Bakugou didn't speak as he brought his wrist to his face to better inspect the striped bracelet now attached to him. His eyes were wide and lips parted slightly as he analyzed the patterning and charm. "What…is it?" he asked, eyes flickering to you for an answer. At this point you couldn't tell if he actually liked it or not which made your stomach twist into knots.
"It's a bracelet, it's like jewelry I guess. I wanted to give you something to keep, just like how you gave me something. Not food, or stories, but something to take with you when I'm not around. I, uh, made it. Sorry if it's kinda-"
"You made it?!" he spat out, now mesmerized by the bracelet after realizing the fingers he enjoyed intertwining with his own could also create things like this for him.
"Uh, yeah." You hadn't expected such an outburst at the idea you could make something, even if it was just a simple bracelet. "So, remember the books I showed you a while back? About animals?" Bakugou nodded but his attention was still on the gift. "I remembered that you liked tigers, and their colors are kinda like your tail…so I just smooshed the two together! And the charm is a rock shaped like a tiger tooth because…you can't legally buy real tiger teeth…also illegal ones are expensive. Anyway!" Your arms moved wildly while avoiding his face, still worried that he might not like the gift. "I thought about a necklace at first, but then I thought your gills might get in the way and didn't want anything around your neck…I don't even know if you have jewelry or anything where you're from…shit, now I'm just rambling."
"So…it's mine?" he asked almost hesitantly, double checking that this was indeed his.
"Yeah, it's yours to keep. Do you like it?" The question hung in the air while you waited for an answer. It had taken some time to figure out something to gift him that wouldn't deteriorate in water - you used some fairly durable thread after doing some preliminary research - but still make it personalized to him with the colors and attached charm; a reminder of you to wake up to.
A smug grin suddenly lit up his face as he held up his hand in the air to show it off to an invisible audience. He lowered his hand, palms flat against dark wood of the pier as he leaned forward into your personal space. "I do like it," Bakugou admitted easily with a smirk as he seemed to move closer to you with each passing second…before suddenly falling to your right as Kirishima grabbed his wrist to look at the bracelet with intense curiosity.
They bickered for a minute clicking back and forth to each other - Bakugou through gritted teeth and Kirishima with a wide grin - before they devolved into more hushed whispers as you grabbed the bottle of water from your bag. Even though you couldn't understand what they were saying the conversation seemed serious, studying Kirishima's gestures as he pointed at the bracelet and yourself, Bakugou following along with a soft scowl.
"Does he want a bracelet, too?" you asked, bringing their attention back to you. Bakugou's expression softened - as it often did - when he turned back towards you.
He shook his head, though, pulling his wrist away from his friend's grip. "No," he answered with a huff and…if you weren't mistaken, the smallest hint of dejection flickered across his face before disappearing as quickly as it arrived. You could tell he was being reserved with information, but you didn't want to push it and cause another bad mood. Kirishima, laying on his stomach while looking between Bakugou and yourself, also carried an unreadable expression distinct from his earlier jovial ones.
"I wouldn't make him one, anyway. It's just a gift for you." The fingers of Bakugou's free hand ran gently across the woven texture of the bracelet as if to memorize each and every strand, the lines of his brow and mouth finally relaxing into something comfortable. Kirishima tapped Bakugou's tail with a knuckle and said something with another series of clicks. Maybe he sensed an air of tension and wanted to change the subject as he pointed to the flickering lamps spaced evenly down the pier.
Bakugou rolled his eyes as he, too, let whatever was on his mind slip off his shoulders like a stray water droplet sliding down the curve of a car after heavy rain. "He ask how the lights work."
Well, it seems he asked one of the few things you couldn't confidently answer: how to explain the concept of electricity to someone with zero prior knowledge. "Uh…it's hard to explain? As in, of course I know how it works but it would take too long to explain electricity and electrical current to someone in one night…obviously." Bakugou raised a skeptical eyebrow before giving what you could only assume some made-up explanation to Kirishima, who seemed enamored with whatever his answer was.
The questions continued as the sky shifted to the familiar darkness highlighted by the bright moon sitting still above the waves. Eventually you made your way back to your spot by Bakugou, sandwiched between the blonde and the red-head, though Kirishima continued to keep his distance.
Bakugou continued to act as translator, though you suspected he was getting annoyed by the continual flow of questions. Some of the questions Bakugou posed seemed slightly made-up, like he'd edited whatever Kirishima said, but you answered anyway with a knowing look. A few times Bakugou outright refused to translate but he wouldn't tell you why, though seeing Kirishima's eyebrows move up and down you could only guess at what he wanted to know.
"Was I this annoying?" he asked after you answered a question about the purpose the tall buildings at the far end of the beach.
"Mm, no, not to me anyway. I don't mind answering questions. It's kinda weird, though? Because everything you guys ask about is just…normal to me? But your experiences and what's normal to you are things I don't see, either. I like knowing more about you, though." You leaned your head against his shoulder, hands perched behind you on the cold wood. Despite having another person there, you weren't particularly embarrassed about closing the occasional gap between Bakugou and yourself; if anything, you wanted to show him - reassure him - that his friend wouldn't come between the two of you.
The red-tailed merman caught his attention with what you assumed was another question, though he looked hesitant to ask it. Bakugou seemed to mull it over for a moment before translating. "He ask…what would happen if humans found us. Besides you."
"Oh…as in, what would they do to you?" He nodded. You lifted your head from his shoulder, the weight of the question sinking into you like an anchor. It was something you'd thought about a lot - the fear of what might happen if Bakugou was seen and captured by other people. It wasn't a comforting speculation. "I don't…know, exactly. I've told you that people think you're made up, not real. If someone found you…they'd probably steal you away. Take you from the ocean to study you somewhere far away."
Bakugou grimaced at your answer. "Take me away…?"
You leaned your chin in the palm of your hand, eyes heavy and unfocused. "Yeah. You've seen fishing nets. They'd probably capture you in a net, and you'd never see the ocean again." You fixed him with a hard stare as he processed the information. "Bakugou, that's why you - and your friend," you said looking quickly over to Kirishima, "have to be careful. People can be very bad, and I'd…if someone took you-"
He interrupted your train of thought as it started to spiral down into dangerous territory with a thumb pressed to your lips. His expression was stern with ruby eyes unwavering. "The promise I made."
"The…?" You weren't sure what he meant at first, trying to remember the moment he was referring to.
"To come back." A sensation like a sudden gust of wind fluttered into your lungs as the memory of his words filled your chest with the tickle of unseen flower petals. They were his words, and he remembered. The night he came back after disappearing, he'd promised not to go anywhere, to return to you. You couldn't help but smile.
"If someone took you I'd go in and kick their ass to get you back, anyway. As if I'd let some assholes keep you," you laughed as you leaned back and acted like you were about to punch him in the arm, but stopped short before you made contact. He grinned, fangs glinting under the remnants of light from the lamps farther down the pier.
"I'd kick their ass!" he said proudly, flexing his muscles proudly in a self-indulgent display. You cleared your dry throat with the reminder of just how attractive he was, especially because you now assumed he knew exactly what he was doing and tried to make you flustered on purpose. The wood on your other side creaked as, when you turned around, you saw Kirishima making a similar pose displaying his own muscles with a bright smile, wanting to copy his friend for no reason other than to feel included in the conversation. You missed Bakugou's pissed-off look behind you.
"Would you win against Kirishima?" Turning back around he quickly hid the snarl forming on his lips. "In a fight?" He looked at you almost offended that you even posed the question.
His body language oozed confidence as he gestured to himself, the bracelet on his wrist swinging from the motion. "Hell yeah." By the unwavering echo of his voice, the answer wasn't up for debate.
"Are you sure? He looks pretty strong…" You knew Bakugou wouldn't back down from a challenge to show off, especially if it meant proving he was the best at something. The goad seemed to work as he leaned over your lap and said something to Kirishima…who gestured back to himself as if to say I'm stronger, obviously.
"You would not!" he yelled suddenly, despite knowing Kirishima wouldn't understand. Bakugou reached forward in an attempt to swat at his friend and prove him wrong.
"Boys, boys!" you said, holding your hands up in mock truce to both of them as they seemed to bicker with a series of fast clicks and growls. "We can settle this with a little contest."
Both of them looked up at you, a plan formulating to settle the debate with some friendly competition.
Kirishima and Bakugou each hung off one side of a corner of the pier. It was dark at this late hour, but honestly the excitement of the night had given you a second wind when normally you'd be heading home by now. Bakugou gripped Kirishima's hand tightly, their elbows anchored into the hard wooden planks as you sat in front as unofficial referee.
"OK, you got the rules down?" Bakugou rolled his eyes but nodded. Kirishima mirrored the move after Bakugou explained the idea behind arm wrestling. "You guys ready?" You held up one hand and couldn't help but smile at the idea of judging a contest of strength between two mermen in the middle of the night.
"What I get when I win?" Bakugou asked confidently, red eyes cutting to you quickly before staring down his opponent who had an expression of equal excitement and concentration.
You tapped on your chin as you thought about it, wondering what might make Bakugou go all-out with something like this. A sudden, mischievous thought popped into your head, and it was perfect, something to elevate the stakes. Bakugou did a double take at your smirk.
"How about…a kiss?" It was completely innocent, right? A peck on the cheek, short and punctual. He always got you flustered, so why not reverse the game? Bakugou's eyes immediately went wide and his muscles stilled as he looked at you with parted lips, his cheeks flaring up viciously.
"A…?!" Words failed him, which you thought was honestly pretty adorable.
"So you better win!" You fixed him with a pointed stare knowing your own face felt flushed before he turned to Kirishima with a vicious look of determination. Kirishima had no idea why he suddenly looked so flustered, but he didn't let it distract him from trying his best to win.
As soon as you brought your hand down as a signal to start, the fight was on.
The muscles in Bakugou's arm trembled as he held onto the pier with the other, fingers digging into the edge of the wood. Kirishima grit his sharp teeth in retaliation, red eyes fixed on red eyes as neither backed down. The wood under Kirishima's hand started to splinter, his grip tightening as Bakugou started gaining ground like a charging bull enraged and energized at the sight of blood. It was a back-and-forth for nearly a minute as you watched with bated breath. You knew that if Kirishima won you wouldn't really have to kiss him since had no idea there was even a prize - he just wanted to win against his friend and prove he was strong.
If Bakugou won…well, he'd get the prize.
They both looked tired, sweat beading on their brows and jaws clenched tightly, hands stressed from the death grip they were giving each other. Bakugou seemed to falter for a split second before looking towards his opponent and, in the process, saw the bracelet hanging onto his wrist. His chest filled with a renewed fire as he let out a triumphant yell and slammed Kirishima arm into the wood, nearly shaking the whole pier in the process.
They were both out of breath, but Bakugou didn't waste any time in pointing a finger in Kirishima's face to prove that he was, indeed, the strongest. Kirishima groaned before dropping down below to hit the water and cool off after the intense competition.
"You won! Holy shit you're strong," you said as Bakugou stretched his fingers and arm to loosen his muscles, a victorious grin and wild eyes plastered on his face.
"Don't move," he grit out as his heavy breathing slowed, pointing a finger in your face before dropping down just like Kirishima into the dark water below. After a minute they both came back up. Kirishima honestly didn't look that beat up about losing since it was a fair fight, and he knew it took every ounce of energy for Bakugou to beat him.
Bakugou hoisted himself back up onto the dark pier. Despite the lack of light his wet hair still danced and his ruby eyes still sparkled and his tail still glistened as salty water cascaded down from his head down to his tail and disappeared like forgotten rain into the wood. He turned to face you, the corner of his mouth pulling into a knowing smile. "Well?" You knew what he wanted, and who were you to deny what he earned?
"Fine, you're so greedy…" You laughed as you moved closer, paying no mind to the other merman sitting on the opposite end of the pier, though his eyes were focused curiously on the display.
You gripped Bakugou's chin gently feeling his pulse under your fingertips and the texture of his skin on yours as you moved in closer. You could see him swallow as if his throat was thick with molasses. When you were just inches from his face - beautiful and determined and unforgettable - you turned his head sharply as your lips made contact with the skin of his cheekbone.
He tasted like salt and your lips felt cool as you breathed in his scent of strong water and a faint whisper of firewood only noticeable when he was close enough to embrace. You felt his own pulse under your skin, alive and heavy and quick. A strand of golden hair brushed your nose as you pulled away, your tongue running along the inside of your lips to savor the fleeting taste of him. Your palm never left his jawline.
"One kiss is all you get…" The sea breeze stilled as he turned to look at you; it would only take a nudge to connect with him again, the smallest of pushes to brush your lips with his. Once again he gave you a look that could easily swallow you whole, an entire ocean of rose petals endless in his eyes, mesmerizing in their depth and hue.
"I keep winning, then," was all he said in response - a whisper only you could hear - the raspiness gone and replaced with the sweet heaviness of the molasses previously stuck in his throat as it clung to his tongue and the roof his mouth as he received a small taste of something wonderful.
Movement off to the side made the hair on the back of Bakugou's neck stand on end as he let out a low growl…he kept forgetting that they had an observer. You both looked over at the same time to see Kirishima grinning from ear to ear as he reached over nonchalantly and ate the rest of Bakugou's discarded dinner from earlier.
"Hey!" Bakugou reached over - pulling his chin from your grip - and lunged at Kirishima, though there was no malice or ill-will as they tussled for the remaining bites of food. You really were glad Bakugou had someone, a friend, that could understand him and give him company in ways you couldn't. Hell, you couldn't even swim, let alone help him in any capacity outside of the limited scope of the pier.
As you looked at the two mermen something in the distance on the beach caught your eye. Squinting and moving closer to the other end of the pier you got a better look at the blurred shadows moving slowly towards you. People...shit.
"Hey, hey!" You whispered, bonking Bakugou and Kirishima on the head to grab their attention and stop bickering. Holding up a finger to your lips Bakugou understood it meant "be quiet" and clapped a hand over his friend's mouth to shut him up as well. You jerked your head towards the beach, Bakugou looking out and seeing the figures. He scoffed, brows knit together and he knew this meant they had to leave.
"You gotta get outta here, alright?" You looked apologetic, staring at Bakugou as he continued to look out at the dark figures walking along the coast. You wanted to ask him about earlier - what he and his friend discussed in hushed tones over what you assumed to be your gift. If there was something wrong with it - maybe it was an offensive gift to give merpeople? - then you wanted to know…or maybe it meant something else and Bakugou was just too reserved to spill the truth to you. Either way, there was no time to ask about it tonight. He said something to Kirishima who also looked out into the dark sand of the beach. He nodded before turning to you with one finela smile before moving to ease himself down on the side of the pier parallel to the unseen road.
"Sorry we gotta cut this short. Tell Kirishima it was fun meeting him and he can come visit-"
"No," Bakugou grit out, thinking about the moments with you made awkward by the red-headed merman.
You just rolled your eyes. "…anytime. Yeah, yeah, that is up to you I guess. Be safe." Before heading over to Kirishima who was gesturing for Bakugou to hurry up, he pulled you in by the collar of your shirt, breath warm and incredibly close on your ear as your cheeks rubbed together. His lips brushed your skin as lightly as the flit of hummingbird wings against flower petals; it sent shivers down your spine all the way to your toes.
"I will, (y/n)." He pulled away and you felt another pang, an invisible magnetism to pull him closer…but he had to hide, had to flee. Bakugou let go of your shirt and, with one final glance, slipped silently over the edge of the pier after Kirishima and disappeared into the darkness with a small splash.
You avoided the shadows on the beach as you made your way home, tiredness finally hitting you since it was close to midnight at this point. Taking out your keys you slid it easily into your front door before closing it behind you before sliding down onto the floor. A heavy sigh escaped through your nose.
"I'm so fucked…" You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth as you closed your eyes as the corners of your mouth curved up into a smile. Shaking your head, you knew you'd dream of Bakugou's scent on your lips…silently hoping he was dreaming of the same thing.
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