I'm almost done with the next chapter of Call Me Deku! It will be out very soon. Thank you guys for all your support and patience!

:)

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Learn to Breathe

Chapter 6

~Flashback: 9 Years Earlier (Bakugo is roughly 8)~

Bakugo swam around quickly, his tail muscles burning for him to slow down and rest. But he didn't want to; he had to become stronger—the best. His body twisted with power and grace far beyond what someone his age should be able to control, maneuvering through tall weeds and sharp rock projections with ease.

"Katsuki! You little shit! Get back here!" his mother yelled, her arms crossed with irritation.

"Eh! You old hag! I'm working on my speed and agility right now!" he shouted back. But he still made a complete turn and swam over to her, grumbling as she pulled him into a crushing embrace. "Let me go, woman. I'm not a little kid anymore…"

"Yes, you are! You're my little kid and you're only eight years old. Show some respect for your mother!" Mitsuki hissed, giving him a light whack on the head. There wasn't any real reprimanding tone in her voice though.

The female Mer was the leader of their small group. She was loud, combative, and often times far more aggressive than necessary for any given situation, but it had kept her and her pod alive. In the vastness of the oceans and seas, she'd learned early on that power and the ability to make harsh decisions was required for survival.

Of course, she'd gone and fallen in love with someone who was the complete opposite. Masaru, her mate, was quiet and calm. His kindness and patience had slowly won over her heart, but she'd known from the very first time she met him that he needed protection.

She was pleased when their son's personality turned out more like hers than her mates. Katsuki wouldn't need to be sheltered from the unforgiving dangers of the open waters because he was born with natural ability and fierceness.

"Tsk… whatever hag… I can do what I want!" Katsuki growled, pulling away from his mother. "We need more fish to eat so unless these extras are going to go get them I will."

The rest of the pod simply rolled their eyes, having long since learned to ignore the rude abrasiveness of the two fiery Bakugo's. If for whatever reason they did have an issue, it was much simpler to just ask Masaru to speak with them anyway.

"Fine. Go and catch something for us you obnoxious brat. But don't you dare swim too far away or I'll knock you into next week!" Mitsuki dismissed, a strong thrum of pride in her voice. She watched him scoff and take off, smiling to herself.

Bakugo huffed and kept swimming despite her warning. Even if he was arrogant when it came to his skills, he wasn't stupid; he'd be careful.

Katsuki darted around, easily catching fish in the net he'd proudly made himself, letting it trail behind him as his red eyes searched for more prey and any potential danger. As he counted his hoard, his sensitive ears picked up a familiar sound and he looked up.

"Tsk… stupid whales" he muttered, watching as a pod swam through the water above him. To him, they moved so slowly, like they never had somewhere to be, but deep down he envied them. Aside from Orca's, they seemed to be immune to everything else dangerous in the ocean… at least in his naïve, child mind.

Their smooth yet loud sounds echoed in his ears, making him smile despite himself. They were having a conversation of some sort—clearly a family. Although he couldn't understand everything, he knew enough to find it endearing.

Every so often, they'd breach the surface of the water, spouting and breathing in air. Bakugo had never been allowed to do something like that; it was simply too dangerous since he could be seen. So, even though he cursed the massive creatures for their slow movements, he watched anyway, living vicariously through them.

He was so focused on them that he didn't notice how another large shape had floated up next to them, ominously following the creatures that were none the wiser. Then a piercing screech nearly deafened him, and blood billowed into the water around the pod.

Their pain-filled calls were so loud that he couldn't make out what was hurting them; it blocked out the sounds of spears being shot into the water, the sickening vibrations of when they tore into the whale's flesh.

He found himself swimming towards them, as fast as his tail would go, only to be captured by strong, familiar arms and dragged back down. "Let me go! They're crying out for help!" he shouted, twisting in his mother's arms.

"Katsuki!" she scolded, giving him a harsh slap across the cheek to break his panic and bring his focus to her. "There's nothing you can do."

Bakugo closed his eyes and shook his head, turning to hide it in Mitsuki's chest. But she turned him back around roughly and pressed him firmly against her as she spoke once more.

"Don't look away, my son. You need to know what humans do; what cruelty their kind is capable of."

So Katsuki did as he was told, opening his burning eyes to watch as the water above them became red and muddled, the scent of blood making him sick. He watched with hatred burning in his heart when the smallest whale's movements slowed and went limp.

"That one is just a pup." He hissed, watching as ropes were wrapped around the pods now lifeless bodies and hoisted up.

"It WAS a pup…" Mitsuki corrected. "Don't be foolish. All predators prefer the young and the old because they are the easiest to kill. But humans are different than all other species that share this world with us."

The younger blonde hiccupped, fighting the urge to full-blown sob at the scene. "Why are they different? How?"

His mother squeezed him more tightly, her own anger causing her to tremble. "Just watch, my son."

Katsuki did. They stayed silent for what seemed like hours as the humans dug around in the whale's carcasses, making them choke on the scent of the mutilated dead mammals. But then he saw what his mother was talking about as those wretched wooden boats finally left.

"They didn't take the bodies? Why did they kill them if it wasn't for food?" he questioned, turning to look at her equally disgusted face.

"Humans often kill for sport or to obtain materials that are not necessary for survival. That is what I want you to understand and take away from this experience Katsuki. When we, or sharks, or other creatures attack, it is not because we derive pleasure from the act as humans do." She explained, running her hand through his hair softly. "They take life without mercy or regret, and then they leave their victims to rot away just like that family of whales."

The younger blonde snarled, cursing the wasteful ways of a species he'd never actually met in person. He'd never like them, he'd never trust them, and he swore to be strong enough to defend his pod against them if it ever came to that.

~Current Day~

"You're such a fucking dumbass, Deku!" Bakugo shouted, his harsh voice making the smaller Mer flinch and hiss at the pain that followed. "And pick up the pace. Sharks are going to come after us if we don't get back to Yuuei soon."

"Kacchan… I already said I'm sorry! And I'm not going slow, you are. I didn't mean to hit your tail that hard. If you want I can help-"

"I don't need your damn help!" Bakugo seethed, turning his angry red eyes to Midoriya. He reached out and grabbed Izuku's shoulders, forcing him to face him. "Do you have any idea what kind of shit those bastard humans are capable of? What if something happens to you because you're too fucking trusting?"

Deku dropped his eyes, though his jaw was firmly set. He felt anger towards Bakugo because he was very obviously saying that Shoto was evil, but also conflicted. He'd known Katsuki for years now and could see how worried he was, this time so much so that he'd openly expressed fear of something happening to him.

"Then come with me." Midoriya challenged, finally raising his eyes once more. "You're second only to me in our combat class and you've been wanting to be one of my personal guards since I was chosen to succeed All Might… This could be good practice for you."

"Tsk. You fucking shit. I don't need any damn practice… But fine. I'll watch your dumbass hang out with that ugly land walker but you stop fucking lying to me. If we're going to do this stupid shit then you tell me everything. Got it?" Bakugo grunted.

He used one of his sharp nails to slice into his own palm, holding it out for Midoriya. Blood bonds were sacred to their people; they were promises that went beyond words alone. In the water, even small doses of blood could attract predators to them. So, when two Mer's used it during a deal, it showed their acceptance of potential consequences and dedication to upholding their end no matter what.

Izuku sniffled as well as he could underwater and rubbed his stinging eyes, mumbling out a thank you as he too cut his hand. They shook firmly, solidifying their decision to continue something one thought could bring ruin to their people while the other believed it could be the start of salvation.

"Oh no! Deku, what happened?" Ochaco questioned, rushing over to the injured Mer and hastily checking him over. She saw the blonde next, soon realizing that the two had gotten into it—only this time it appeared that what was usually a light tussle had been a dangerous fight. "What the hell, Bakugo?" she snapped accusingly.

"Tsk… Little fuck picked a fight with me; he should have known he'd get his ass kicked." Katsuki snorted, swimming past her and towards his room. He insisted on taking care of any wounds he received himself unless it was actually threatening his life.

Uraraka turned back to Midoriya and sighed, taking his good hand in her own. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary…."

Izuku apologized and let her drag him along, knowing that it would be the easiest thing to do. She was as hard-headed as he was once she decided on something. But he was always grateful for her friendship; Ochaco was the first person his own age to actually befriend him once he got to Yuuei.

"What happened, Deku?" she asked, her big brown eyes flickering back to him. "Bakugo hasn't ever hurt you like this before…"

Midoriya gave a guilty smile and looked away, his brain spinning quickly to come up with something believable. Despite how he'd been sneaking away to visit a human for years now, he'd never once had to openly lie to anyone.

"I uh… He thought I was in danger and when I got onto him for it we just kind of… well… you know how he is."

Uraraka clicked her tongue and sighed. It would be just like Bakugo to jump to conclusions and then get pissed when he found out he was wrong. She often wondered where he even got such a personality. She supposed that it had something to do with being out in the deep seas alone for a while but Midoriya wasn't anything like him.

"Iida was worried about you… so was Tsu and Momo… everyone actually. We all wish you wouldn't go out on your own so much, or at all. What's out there that isn't here at Yuuei?" Ochaco asked.

Midoriya did his best to hide a deep blush, thinking about Shoto and how sometimes he would give the faintest smile when they'd play together. "Uh… it's not like that Ura… I love it here! It's just… I wish things were different for our kind, you know? We shouldn't be terrified to just go out for a swim because of humans."

"That is the way things are, Midoriya. Surely you have been keeping up with your study materials. You are going to be our future leader after all." Iida responded, swimming up to the two with Tsu, both with a disapproving look in their eyes. He looked to Ochaco, not needing to verbally express his question.

"Bakugo." She responded simply, leaning forward to touch his forehead to her own and then with Tsu.

Izuku waited until they'd finished to awkwardly clear his throat. The action was as common as humans waving hands, but he could tell that Ochaco and Asui held the position for a little longer than was really necessary.

"I'm fine guys… really. At least you all know he's going to be really good at his future job, right?" he jested, chuckling when they gave him disbelieving looks. "Kacchan is complicated, but I trust him with my life completely."

His friends simply sighed in unison, hoping that Midoriya's trust in the unwaveringly unpleasant blonde was not misplaced.

Todoroki paced in his room angrily, fighting with himself over what had happened earlier. Now that he'd had plenty of time to calm down and process everything, he was furious about Bakugo attacking him. "As if I am the dangerous one." He thought hotly, "I did nothing wrong and that animal tried to kill me and then beat Deku. What else should I have expected from one of their kind… No, that's not right… Midoriya isn't like that…"

Shoto kicked the edge of his bed, growling softly and rubbing his face. He wondered if he was wrong about Izuku, or if he was simply an anomaly among Merfolk. Bakugo was the only other full Mer he'd ever come in contact with and it didn't bode well for the rest of their species if they were anything like him.

Still, he couldn't see his sweet Izuku hurting anyone without extremely good reason. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever seen him look angry, even during that fight. Of course, most of it took place under the water, but before they went under and after they surfaced it was more worry than anything else.

"Kirishima!" he shouted, knowing that the boy was purposefully hiding in his own room to give him some space.

"Yes, Prince?" the redhead answered, peeking his head through the door.

"Your grandfather; tell me about him," Todoroki ordered, turning towards him with icy cold eyes.

Kirishima stepped forward slowly, carefully moving towards the Prince. He knew Shoto better than anyone and was eternally grateful for the kindness he'd been shown over the years, but he was also aware that the teen could be quite volatile when he became upset.

"Uh… sure… I didn't know him personally but I have stories from my mom. What do you want to know?" he offered, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

Todoroki scowled at him like he should already know exactly what he wanted to hear. But Kirishima just gulped and looked down as he often did when he was worried about disappointing him or getting in his way while he was pissed.

Shoto ground his teeth together and stalked over to his desk, gesturing to the opposite seat for the redhead to sit in. If there was one thing he despised more than his father or now potentially Merfolk, it was becoming like Enji. "Was your grandfather like that beast that attacked Midoriya and I today?"

Kirishima suppressed the urge to wince at the term, knowing that Todoroki wasn't meaning to insult him too. "No… I mean I don't think so… My mom said I take after him so if my personality is anything to go off of I don't think he was that bad of a guy."

Todoroki crossed his arms and clicked his tongue again. He guessed meeting more Merfolk like Kirishima wouldn't be that bad either. Not the brightest of course, but good-hearted and loyal all the way through. "Tell me more…"

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