So, uh... Working from 4:30 AM-3:00 PM has really been fucking with my sleeping schedule... Especially since I also work as a manager at another job as well and those hours are completely different (like 3:00 PM- 1:30 AM)...
I'm Fucking Exhausested Ya'll.
Anyway, writing Fanfiction and then getting to read everyone's reviews/comments is my main source of happiness so I'm trying to get in some writing in between work and taking care of my grandma!
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Learn To Breathe
Chapter 8
~Time-Skip: 2 Months~
Bakugo swam past Midoriya and Todoroki as they met in the water, heading straight for where Kirishima was lounging lazily on the high-tide wettened bluffs. He made a gagging noise when he heard Deku giggling and not so subtly kissing the human, and moved a bit faster to get out of earshot.
"Oi shitty-hair!" he called, his heartbeat picking up when the teen sat up and smiled at him with his overly sharp teeth poking out cutely.
"Hey, Bakugo!"
"Are you just going to sit up there on land like a dipshit or are you going to get your ass in here?" Bakugo grunted impatiently. "You asked me to train you to use your gills more efficiently and my time is damn valuable."
Kirishima laughed as he jumped in, his cannonball splashing water onto Katsuki who suppressed the urge to smack the playful teen. He swam down, his face in a fake pout. "Aww, come on bro! Can't we take one day off? I've been doing a lot better and practicing on my own too! I can talk and use my gills at the same time really easy now!"
Bakugo rolled his eyes, swimming in circles around the half-Mer with ease. It was true that Kirishima had made a remarkable improvement in the two months since their first real meeting, but he didn't know what they would do if it wasn't training. Truth be told, that was the only thing Katsuki was actually good at. "Tsk… I'm not Deku. I don't take the day off whenever the fuck I feel like it."
Kirishima did a little roll, his red eyes locked onto Bakugo's mischievously. "Pretty manly of you if you ask me! Okay, so, you don't like to play games or anything… How about you teach me how to do something else instead?"
That got Bakugo's interest, his pride surging with the knowledge that someone looked up to him. It was even better that they didn't despise his personality and weren't Deku. "Fine" he agreed, his lips twitching into a smile. "How about we test your stomach today?"
"Eh? My stomach?" Eijiro questioned, doing his best to keep up with Bakugo as they headed towards the reef area. Despite his half-blood status, he couldn't swim any faster than an average human and the blonde rarely waited up for him.
Katsuki smirked when he stopped, pulling the spear from his waist. With one deft movement, he plunged it forward and stabbed a nearby fish, yanking its lifeless body off the tip right after. He handed it to Kirishima, his smug expression only growing with the shock on the teen's face.
"You've been eating cooked food most of your life, right? Since you want to bitch about gill training today, let's see if that delicate half-human stomach can handle what full Mer's eat every day."
Eijiro just laughed though, his red hair swishing around his tan face in such a way that it almost took Bakugo's breathe away, not that he really noticed. "What? You think I can't do it? You're on bro!" he stated boldly, taking a large chomp out of the raw food.
Katsuki couldn't deny that he was impressed with how gung-ho Kirishima always was, but he was still desperately trying to pretend that he hadn't begun to develop feelings for the boy. "He's just some half-breed! I don't need anyone… especially not... fuck. It's only been two damn months for fuck's sake! Fuck… he's so cute when his cheeks are all puffed u—no! Shit. Go back to training. Nothing else is important."
"How'd I do?" Kirishima grinned, pulling Bakugo from his intrusive thoughts.
"You ate a damn fish… not like it's a huge feat," Katsuki responded, his cheeks heating up slightly.
"Well, I think I deserve a gift for meeting all of your expectations!"
Bakugo cocked his eyebrow and crossed his arms over his muscled chest, scoffing at the boy's continued boldness. "Yeah? You think you're hot shit because you can breathe underwater without choking every few minutes and can eat raw food?"
Kirishima swam just a bit closer, that mischievous grin back on his lips. "That's right and it's only manly for you to reward me for being so awesome!"
Katsuki felt two urges, one to lean forward and kiss the redhead and the other to pull back and blush furiously. He fought against both, keeping himself exactly where he was with his resting bitch face. "Just tell me what the fuck you want, shitty-hair."
Eijiro held out his hand, almost vibrating with triumph and excitement. "Take me for a swim! I want to see how fast you can go!"
"AHH? Are you serious?" the blonde asked. For perhaps the first time in his life, he was a little self-conscious, wondering if he'd be able to swim fast enough to impress Kirishima.
"Mhmm!" the redhead hummed, snatching one of Bakugo's partially webbed hands.
"Tsk… Alright. Hold on tight dumbass; if you let go I'm going to make you swim all the way back yourself!"
Todoroki helped Midoriya get up into the most shallow part of the shore, being careful not to scratch his strong tail on the rocks and sand as his weight became less supported by water. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Come on… We spend all day playing around in the water and I want to know what it feels like to roll around in the sand!" Izuku pouted, peering up at Shoto lovingly.
The human rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile slightly. "It's going to feel like you're having your skin grated by a bunch of tiny rocks and then you won't be able to get it off until you're fully submerged again."
Midoriya stuck his tongue out as he was finally settled on the shore, his whole body out of the waters reach so that he could touch the dry areas with ease. He giggled loudly when Todoroki dropped behind him and kissed at the back of his neck.
"So, how long can you stay up here before it's bad for you?" Shoto murmured into his damp hair, wrapping his arms around Midoriya's chest sweetly.
Izuku leaned back into the embrace, resting his head on Todoroki's bare shoulder. "Hmm… I've never been on land before, so, I can't say for sure what my exact time limit is, but generally two days."
The human sighed and squeezed Midoriya a little more tightly, desperately wishing that he could be with him all the time. He'd even happily spend the rest of his days on a boat if it meant more time with Midoriya.
"Shoto…" Izuku mumbled, his body suddenly becoming very tense and rigid.
"What is it?" he responded worriedly, a sharp throng of pain shooting through his chest from the somber tone.
"There's something… You know I would come on land and spend that time with you if I could, right?" Midoriya asked.
Todoroki kissed down Izuku's neck, nodding in agreement. "And I would stay in the water with you if I could."
"No… That's not what I meant… I just… I need to tell you something and I know I should have before but, I was scared it might ruin our friendship. Now I'm scared that it will ruin our relationship but I think you need to know and I—"
"Izuku," Todoroki breathed, pulling the boy's chin back and up so that he could kiss his lips softly. It was a deep, loving kiss, one that expressed how dedicated he was to staying with the Mer. "You can tell me anything…"
Midoriya gripped the boy's hands and kissed his palms, doing his best to calm himself. "I… I'm a Prince… I mean I guess I wasn't born one, but our King chose me to be his successor. Once he passes I'll have to take over and I'll be responsible for so many Mer's. That's why I can't spend more than a few hours a week with you and why Kacchan is always so protective… My absence doesn't go unnoticed even now and when I become King… I don't know how I'll get to see you…"
Izuku waited for what he believed to be their inevitable break up; it just wasn't realistic to think that they could be together when he would eventually have to stay deep in the ocean and Shoto couldn't live underwater at all. Maybe if he wasn't a future King it wouldn't have mattered so much, but that just wasn't the reality.
To his surprise, Shoto started laughing. It was loud and guttural like everything depressing he'd just said was the most hilarious joke he'd ever heard. Izuku was about to object and say it wasn't funny when the teen twisted out from behind him and pressed him back into the sand, straddling his tail as he captured his lips in another kiss.
Midoriya blinked up at him, confusion written all over his blushing face. Shoto stood abruptly and jogged over to where he'd left his clothes farther on the beach, holding up a finger for him to be patient.
"What are you doing?" the Mer asked as he sat up.
Todoroki returned with his cloak and rummaged around in the largest pocket, withdrawing a shining woven silver band. He held it out for Midoriya to take, grinning brightly.
Izuku ran his fingers over the metal, realization dawning on him. "You mean you're royalty too?" he gasped. "You're a Prince of Endeavor?"
Shoto dropped to his knees beside Midoriya and took the item back, placing it on his head with a more subdued, gentle smile. "I'm the youngest, but I'm my father's choice for successor. I know my ancestors are the ones that started the conflict between Merfolk and humans, but, if you're willing to look beyond my family's past, I think you and I could change relations between our kinds for the better."
"Kiss me, Shoto." Izuku breathed, tugging the boy towards him as he fell back. He wrapped his arms around Todoroki's strong shoulders as he leaned over him, pouring his happiness into their affections.
The human was only too willing to oblige, bracing one forearm on the ground above Midoriya's head so that he could use the other to gently grab his sand-filled hair and claim his soft pink lips. He pulled back for air after a few minutes, both boys breathing heavily.
"How did I get so lucky to meet you?" Todoroki whispered, resting his forehead against Izuku's as he nuzzled their noses together.
Izuku blushed and leaned up to peck the teen's lips repeatedly. "I'm the lucky one…"
Bakugo and Midoriya sparred with each other, tumbling around in the water as they jabbed and swiped their weapons. Since it was just practice, the 'swords' were made of coral and weren't at all sharp, but they still hurt if you were hit hard enough.
After a couple of hours, both boys were panting and littered with fresh bruises, though neither would bring up that Bakugo had more on his skin.
"So, what the fuck is it, Deku?" Katsuki questioned, stretching his sore arms as best he could without wincing.
"What's what? I don't understand" Izuku lied, his eyes darting around nervously.
"Tsk, don't even start; you're the worst liar I've ever fucking met. You only ask me to spar outside of our usual times when something is bothering you, so just spill it already."
Midoriya groaned at his transparency, letting himself drift down to the sandy ocean floor so that he could gaze up at the sea life above them. "I swore I'd tell you everything right? Well… I'm going to tell you something now and I just know you're going to react badly even though I think it's a good thing."
"Fucking Deku; It's always something with you isn't it."
Izuku couldn't help but chuckle, finding the blondes predictable responses comforting in such an unsure time in his life. "I… I told Shoto what I am to our people and—"
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Bakugo shouted, his voice roaring through the waters like a sonic boom.
"Kacchan…" Midoriya whined, "Shoto's last name is Todoroki… He's a Prince too and—"
"Damnit Deku! Are you seriously telling me you're falling in love with the spawn of the instigators of our people's genocide? Un-fucking-believable. Now I've fucking seen everything. You stupid, worthless, backward waste of space. What the fucking hell are you going to do now?"
Izuku took the verbal beating with grace, patiently waiting for Katsuki's temper to settle down before he continued. He did admit that it seemed a little weird to have two Princes from two opposing families of two conflicting species miraculously meet and fall for each other but, he believed in fate.
"Well… He and I think when we're both the rulers of our respective peoples that maybe we can start to change the way things are now… I mean… who better than those that can't be defied by their followers right?"
Bakugo hovered over Midoriya and slammed his fist down, barely missing the boy's head… though Deku didn't flinch away at all. They kept each other's determined gaze for several minutes, refusing to admit that the other was right.
"And what if he's playing you to get information, Deku?" Katsuki growled lowly, red eyes boring into Izuku like daggers. "Now that we know he's royalty it makes sense for him to gain your trust; his family has sworn to exterminate us but don't know where to look."
"Shoto isn't like that!" Izuku replied firmly. "I've been spending time with him for over a year and he's a really great person… Besides, you've been hanging out with Kirishima and haven't noticed anything off with him! If Shoto wasn't being genuine, then the only other person he's close to would at least be suspicious right? Has he said anything?"
Bakugo grit his teeth together in anger, but eventually looked away and backed off, extending a hand for Midoriya to take. He didn't trust Todoroki yet, but he did trust Izuku and Kirishima; if they both said that the human Prince was a good person, then he'd begrudgingly take their word for it… for now at least.
"Tsk… You and shitty hair are naïve…"
Izuku chuckled lightly and felt all the tension leave his aching body. He started swimming back towards the inner city with Bakugo, feeling more hopeful than he had in his whole life. "So, what kind of courting gift are you going to bring Kirishima the next time we go?"
Katsuki scoffed, but his pinkening cheeks gave him away. "I'm not bringing that dipshit anything. I just hang around him since there's nothing else for me to do while you drool over that two colored bastard."
"Shoto says Kirishima talks about you a lot… Always calling you 'the manliest man he's ever met'…" Midoriya pushed, wiggling his eyebrows at the increasingly redfaced blonde.
"F-fuck off… I'll fucking kill you, Deku" Bakugo stuttered out, too embarrassed to even come up with a good insult to throw back.
Izuku just threw his head and roared with laughter, taking off at his fastest speed moments later when Katsuki got over his flustered paralysis enough to take a swing at him.
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:) Thank you for reading my story and for staying faithful despite how infrequently I update!