:) I still consider this one of my most inspired stories... Please enjoy!
Warning: There is a reference to abuse in this chapter. It occurs in the final section *FlashBack*, so PLEASE be careful if you could be triggered.
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Learn To Breathe
Chapter 18
~Time Skip: They're 18 Now~
"So, have you gotten anywhere with convincing Bakugo?" Todoroki questioned as he waited for Midoriya to finish getting dressed. "With us mating, I mean?"
The Mer sighed heavily while he pulled the tunic over his head, wishing he could give his boyfriend better news. "No, he still thinks it's a terrible idea… I mean, he isn't necessarily wrong, but…"
Todoroki nodded in understanding. As humans that constantly wore shirts, he and Kirishima could both cover the marks they would receive with relative ease, but Bakugo and Midoriya couldn't. They'd have to explain their respective bindings to the entirety of Yuuei and without Midoriya or him being Kings yet, it wouldn't go over well.
"Well, at least we're finally getting to go somewhere together…" He offered, smiling as he slipped a cloth cap over the teen's unruly hair.
It had been months of intensive training and Bakugo had finally decided that he and Midoriya were ready to leave the beach area. It was common knowledge that Todoroki had a half-Mer for a servant at this point so all they had to do was keep Midoriya and Bakugo from being found out.
"I know!" Midoriya chirped in excitement. "Where are we going to go though? It's earlier than we usually meet."
Todoroki's grin widened at the wonderous curiosity his boyfriend always seemed to have, waiting until they'd made their way to Kirishima and Bakugo before answering. "Nothing too big for our first outing… We're going to go to some orchards' just outside of the city's limits. Here, Bakugo, this material is to cover your eyes with; it should still be thin enough for you to have some ability to see."
The blonde begrudgingly took the offering, wrapping the strip of cloth around his head in order to shield the red of his eyes from anyone who might see them. As Todoroki had said, his vision was impaired, but he could still see enough to know if there was danger around.
"What the fuck is an orchard?" he questioned. "What do I need to be paying attention to?"
"It's just a big group of trees, Katsu!" Kirishima hummed happily. "We plant huge fields of them with different kinds of trees; these have fruits on them that we can eat and use to make special drinks, sweets, and other yummy stuff!"
Midoriya's eyes lit up from the explanation. Bakugo didn't look too impressed but after spending years with the temperamental Mer, he knew there was the barest hint of intrigue slipping through his friend's staunch opposition to uncertain situations.
"Anyway, picking season doesn't officially start until next week, so, there shouldn't be people where we're going." Kirishima continued, taking Bakugo's arm in his own to help lead him just in case someone did take notice of their little group. "We'll be fine!"
Todoroki offered his arm to Izuku as well, grinning lovingly when his boyfriend bounced and nearly tugged him along in the direction he'd said they would be going. It was worth the nervous fear in his chest for every second spent seeing Izuku so happy.
This was the first time Bakugo and Midoriya had been deep enough into land terrain that they could see grass and true dirt, more wooded vegetation, and flowers. It was a good thing they'd decided to meet early that day because the small Mer couldn't help but stop at every new sight to ask questions and absorb the information.
"What's that, Shoto?!" he'd squeak happily, his smile never faltering even when the response wasn't all too different from ones he'd received earlier.
"That's just a different type of flower, Izuku," His love would respond, detailing its unique name and properties if he knew them. "This one is called an Iris… to my people it symbolizes hope."
"You assholes make up all kinds of useless nonsense, don't you?" Bakugo snorted as Kirishima picked a particularly fragrant plant up for him to sniff.
His fellow Mer twisted around to stick his tongue out before going right back to frenzied awe, quickly finding something else to ask Shoto about as he somewhat skipped around the path. Bakugo simply scoffed again though, refusing to admit that he was having a good time.
"Aw, come on Katsu…" Kirishima encouraged.
The blonde 'tsked' and tossed his head but accepted the next item Kirishima offered to him. He frowned at the sensation, however, recognizing the feeling. "This is a fossil… a sea fossil."
"Yeah…" Kirishima agreed. "According to the books in Endeavors library, everything we're standing on was once part of your world, under the ocean. Isn't that cool?"
Bakugo fought the grin that tugged at his lips but failed to fully hide it, eventually giving in and twisting to catch Kirishima in his arm and pull him flush against his side. "I guess so, Ei… but only because you think so."
The redhead was about to respond, but Midoriya's voice rang out loudly with a gasp, his pace going from a zigzagged walk to a full-on sprint.
"Izuku!" Todoroki chuckled, calling after his love as he began running too. "Wait, you're going to trip!"
"AH?" Bakugo grunted in a confused panic, almost taking off his blindfold before Kirishima also began laughing. "What the fuck is going on?"
"We're here, Katsu… I guess Izuku got a little too excited."
The blonde groaned and rolled his covered eyes, hating that his predictions for how his best friend would behave were, as usual, correct. "Fucking idiot; I don't think he even knows what it means to be careful. Hurry up, Ei, I don't want that little pest getting too far ahead of us."
Todoroki watched with adoration as Izuku snored some, breathing in the sight of his peaceful face. The Mer had probably eaten his weight in apples while darting around the rows and rows of towering, leafy trees. Now he was sleeping soundly beneath one, shaded from the sun and cooled by a gentle breeze.
The Prince couldn't imagine a more relaxing, perfect day than the one he'd just spent with his boyfriend. Bakugo and Kirishima had stayed close enough to be of help if something did go wrong, but so far, no one had happened across their little group.
He peered over at their faithful friends, finding that Kirishima had curled up against Bakugo to take his own nap, wrapping himself across the blonde's chest with bliss. Todoroki almost couldn't believe how soft Bakugo's expression had become throughout the day, even if part of his face was still covered by cloth.
"Izuku says you're still against us binding to one another…" He stated plainly, voice low enough not to wake either teen. "Do you really expect us to wait until we've each taken our thrones?"
The blonde crinkled his nose with irritation but let out a defeated sigh soon after. "No."
"You say that, but you know that Izuku won't bind with me until you give your blessing. He listens to you, Bakugo… trusts your judgment on most everything. Why won't you give Izuku the same respect?"
Bakugo's demeanor stayed tense as Todoroki spoke, his arms tightening around Kirishima with what looked an awful lot like protectiveness. "It's got nothing to do with fucking respect, you human bastard. I don't know how it's even possible after everything he's probably been through, but Deku is an idealistic dipshit with too much trust for his own good. He's naïve and good-natured and can't understand that the world doesn't work like he thinks it should. It's my job to protect him from that."
"I'm not going to hurt Izuku, Bakugo," Todoroki responded firmly, mimicking the Mers movements as he held Midoriya more tightly. "I would hope after all this time you'd know that."
"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot." The blonde hissed back. "I know what your kind is capable of and even if you aren't a bastard like the rest of your species, that doesn't mean that Deku won't get hurt; all that means is that you won't be the one to do it."
"I'm a Prince and will be King one day—so will he. We are going to change this world for the better."
Bakugo seemed to stall for a moment at the statement, his jaw tightening while his adam's apple spasmed repeatedly. "Neither of you are Kings yet and I know better than anyone that promising things will be different doesn't mean that they actually will be. I swore to protect my last Pod and they're all dead… every one of them. Deku and Kirishima are my Pod now and I'm not going to leave their fates up to some bullshit idealistic future."
Todoroki was taken aback by the statement. From what Midoriya had told him, Bakugo rarely, if ever, offered up personal information. The smaller Mer had never said what had happened to the blonde's family, but there wasn't a shortage of orphans at Yuuei… Despite his harsh disposition, there was no doubt that Bakugo was truly afraid of losing the people he loved again.
"Isn't that the main reason Izuku was chosen as successor to your King?" Todoroki eventually countered, hoping to prove that this connection they wanted to create wasn't a bad thing. "He is always working on a better future for you and the rest of your people. Us binding won't change that… if anything it will only reinforce what he and I have been trying to convince you of. Izuku and I love each other, so much so that—"
"I get it," Bakugo interrupted as he tucked his chin down to stare at the snoozing redhead at his collarbone. "Fucking hell I get it. But not everyone at Yuuei will and there isn't a way for Deku to hide your mark. Since it's humans that started this war and are the ones that won't let it go, I… damn it. Why can't you three just use rational judgment for once?"
The two fell silent once more.
*Flashback*
"Katsu, I need to talk to you about something," Kirishima stated solemnly while pressing something small and smooth into his boyfriend's palm.
Bakugo frowned when he opened his hand and found a rock, noting that it wasn't from anywhere near this area. For once, it seemed like his most boring class, 'Deep Ocean Fossil Theory', was actually coming in handy. "Where'd you get this Ei? This type of rock is from halfway across the world."
The redhead shifted uncomfortably. "It was the courting gift my grandfather gave to my grandmother. She gave it to me on her deathbed..."
"How did you even manage to keep it when—" The blonde stopped himself short, knowing that Kirishima's capture was a painful memory he didn't want to be reminded of. He lowered his head and kissed the boy's cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up."
"No," Kirishima insisted, shame once again marring his beautiful features. "That's why I showed it to you. I... I need you to know something... before our relationship goes any further."
The tone of his boyfriend's voice made Bakugo's skin bristle. Whatever he wanted to talk about was cutting him much deeper than his low self-esteem from being a hybrid. "Okay, Eijiro," he whispered. "I'm listening."
"This stone was in my pocket when I was captured, Katsuki. I'd forgotten I put it there and didn't notice I still had it until... until one of the dungeon guards m-made me..." Kirishima attempted, his voice becoming too choked to say anything more.
Bakugo felt stinging in his own eyes, putting together the pieces. He pulled Kirishima closer and let him cry into his shoulder, hating that something so vile had happened to him. "Did... Did he...?"
The redhead shook his head some, but still trembled pitifully. "N-no... j-just t-touched. B-but—"
"There's nothing wrong with you, Eijiro. You're perfect." Bakugo interrupted, now fully aware of what his boyfriend was thinking. "Nothing those bastards did to you or made you do is ever going to change that. I love you and I'm going to make you my mate, you understand?"
The redhead hiccupped and peered up, exposing his teary, red-rimmed eyes. Despite how sad he looked though, there was hope just daring to spark in his expression.
"Being a Mer, grandfather had to leave frequently so that he didn't get land-sickness... the last time he left though, my grandmother said she woke up in the middle of the night, terrified, and knew he'd been killed," Kirishima explained. "But she swore to me that within minutes, this rock began glowing like he'd come to see her one last time."
Kirishima swallowed thickly and pressed Bakugo's fingers closed over the heirloom. "When she gave this to me, she said that one day I'd find someone worth giving it to and I finally have, Katsu. Please, accept this as my courting gift."
*End flashback*
Bakugo laid on his sandy bed, staring up at his ceiling while thumbing the small rock he'd been presented months earlier. Kirishima's tears and guilt from what had been done to him were still just as vivid now as they had been back then. His boyfriend was so strong... so resilient. Bakugo would have never guessed that he'd endured such injustices with how kind and outgoing he was.
It made him sick to think about... made him feel inadequate as a potential mate. The love of his life was hurting and insecure and he hadn't been able to tell; what if there were even more wounds and doubts he hadn't learned about yet?
If they were bound to one another though, if he marked Kirishima as his own, then he'd never have to wonder again. He'd know immediately what his lover was thinking, feeling. He could silence those fears before circumstance forced them to surface.
But he hadn't been lying to Todoroki. Their worlds had been torn so far apart and with such hatred that he almost couldn't bring himself to hope anymore... not after what he'd lost... not with what he could lose now. And yet, the small exotic stone he'd been gifted needled his distrust, pulled him from protective isolation. Bakugo didn't want to wait either.
What could he do though? Neither Yuuei nor Endeavor offered a solution to their problem as it was unique and solely caused by a war they'd had no part in starting. But Bakugo didn't believe that this star-crossed status was so unprecedented that it couldn't be found in their two species histories... There had to be some aspect of their situation that had been explored before the knowledge had been lost to war.
If there was such information, there was only one place in the world Bakugo could think of that would have it. Failure meant certain death but success meant a chance at redirecting their doomed fates; was that not something worth dying for?
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Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think! :)