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Izuku never expected to fall down a well, or have some weird magical-holy-crystal-rock thing in his body, or get involved with a half-demon with anger issues, or find out he somehow has powers that only women are supposed to have or….
Okay, there's a lot Izuku never expected would happen to him.
But most of all, he never expected to be where he is now: in the dining room of a demon lord's palace with said demon lord staring intently at him from across the table as he does his best to entertain one fox demon child and one little girl.
It's a lot. He feels like he’s been thrown into this scene with absolutely no context nor preparation.
The young girl, Eri, is clinging to his arm, her eyes lit up as he shows her an art history textbook. "I didn't know books could look like this," she says.
In his lap, Kouta smugly turns the page to show her a photo of a statue. "Of course, they can look like this," he says, his tail swishing behind him as Eri makes an appreciative sound.
"Was it expensive?"
Izuku nods once, smiling warmly at her. She's only a kid, after all, and likely had no say in his coming here. "Yes but only because a lot of people wanted it but the seller didn't have enough copies," he explains. Briefly, he wonders if there's any point in trying to further explain the concept of supply and demand only to dismiss the notion when he notices the way Shouto leans forward.
The thing is, that action is somehow both exhilarating and terrifying. Is he interested in economics or is Izuku one wrong sentence away from becoming a human popsicle? He wants to believe Shouto wouldn’t do that but he has an incomprehensible air about him, one that comes off as frigid at best, and Izuku isn't sure how to approach him because of it. So, for now, continuing to interact with the kids is definitely the safer option.
“Does that mean you’re rich?” Eri asks, looking up at him with wide eyes.
“Well, uh, sort of.”
“Izuku is definitely rich,” Kouta says, “How else would he be able to afford sweets with such shiny wrappers on them? In fact, I bet he’s leagues richer than Lord Shouto.”
No, he definitely isn’t. In fact, he’s fairly sure Shouto would be able to buy his family’s shrine fifty times over and still have enough money to go buy half of Tokyo while he’s at it. Any amount of money Izuku has in comparison is nothing more than a speck of dust.
“No way! Lord Shouto has a whole room full of treasures and shiny stuff. He’s richer,” Eri argues.
Kouta frowns at her. “Oh, yeah? Then prove it,” he says, stubbornly crossing his arms.
She pouts, her cheeks puffing slightly as she looks at Shouto. “Can I show him the treasure room, please?” she asks.
“If you wish.”
Eri lights up and jumps to her feet, grabbing Kouta’s arm and dragging him from the room before he or Izuku have a chance to object. The two are quickly out of sight, leaving Izuku sitting alone with Shouto.
Now that they’re gone, the snacks that had been placed on the table look irresistible, but Izuku can’t bring himself to reach out when he can feel Shouto staring holes into him. He clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably as he says, “So, uh, Eri is really sweet. She seems to like you a lot.”
“Yes, she is a good child. Her manners are impressive for a common human.”
Izuku smiles awkwardly. He thinks it’s possible to take that as an insult but one look at Shouto tells him it was a genuine compliment. “That’s good,” he replies.
The only response he gets is a quiet hum, and the ensuing silence is too much for him to handle. “I was curious, um, why did you bring me here? I mean, it’s a very nice palace and all, don’t get me wrong. Just, uh, you picked me up so suddenly, I didn’t really get a chance to explain anything to Kacchan.”
“Why do you call him that?” Shouto asks, tilting his head as he watches Izuku.
Is he going to just completely ignore Izuku’s question?
“It’s a nickname.”
“Hm, I see,” he says, sitting up straighter as he pushes one of the plates of food closer to Izuku. “I brought you here because I was curious about you.”
“Curious?”
“Yes. About your….clothes,” Shouto explains, glancing away as Izuku caves and picks up chopsticks so he can eat. “They are odd.”
He supposes that makes sense. Granted, it’s just his summer uniform, but anyone from this time period would find a buttoned shirt, slacks, and sneakers weird. They’re all too tight, the colors are too bold, and the material is nicer than most common people would have access to at this time.
“This is normal where I’m from.”
“The future, yes?”
“Right.”
Shouto nods once, looking back at Izuku. A few white strands of his hair slip over his shoulder, falling gracefully into his lap, and Izuku can’t help wondering how he manages to keep such fine hair so neat all the time. Maybe it’s a demon thing.
Well, at least now he has an answer as to why he's here. Izuku carefully chews what tastes like beef and thinks for a long moment. So far, Shouto hasn’t done anything rude or dangerous, which means Izuku can probably get away with speaking more directly. “Maybe you could ask next time? Being taken so suddenly was a bit surprising and….a little scary, too,” he says.
“But I made sure to bring your ward with you, as well.”
He must be referring to Kouta, which Izuku appreciates, now that he thinks about it. The thought of leaving Kouta and Kacchan alone is worrying, at best. One of them will be seriously injured by the time he gets back, and he doubts it would be Kouta.
Shouto doesn’t know any of that, though. Still, he had good intentions. Izuku smiles warmly and says, “Yeah, I appreciate that, but it was still surprising. In the future, just ask if you want to talk to me.”
“Very well.”
“Okay,” Izuku says, feeling a little more relaxed, “Was there anything else you were curious about?”
“Do you like it here?”
That’s a weird question, right? Izuku isn’t really sure how to answer it. Maybe he’s got some luck, though, because before he has to, there’s a loud crashing sound from a nearby part of the palace. It’s followed almost immediately by Kacchan’s familiar, angry voice shouting, “Where the fuck did you put my Miko, you bastard?!”
Okay, maybe he would have preferred a less objectifying rescue, but Izuku will take what he can get for now.
Izuku stares at the top of the well, the clear blue sky filling the frame it creates. A few clouds are rolling by, creating an idyllic picture Izuku would appreciate more if he weren’t regretting how much his mother packed in his bag. He has to carry it out of the well with him, after all, and it’s not like he can just climb a ladder. Instead, he has to haul himself out using vines, praying with each inch that they don’t suddenly break. He’s already fallen to the ground enough times to know bruises on his ass hurt.
At this point, he’s just procrastinating.
Izuku takes a deep breath and begins the tedious process of climbing out of the well. The vines dig into his skin as he wraps them around his hands, using them to pull himself up before finding stable enough footing to grasp the next vines. With each tug, he can hear the well itself creaking under the weight of him and his backpack combined.
He’d be terrified if he weren’t so busy trying to breathe through the ache in his muscles and the shaking of his hands. By the time he’s halfway up the well, it’s almost unbearable. His hair is sticking to his forehead, too, but he can’t risk pushing it out of his face since he might lose his grip and fall back down.
If he’s learned anything from this, it’s that he really should start working out to build up some muscle.
The top of the well is finally in reach, making it all the more tragic when Izuku’s foot slips out of its foothold just as he’s reaching up to grasp the edge of the well. His heart jumps into his throat, a sudden feeling of weightlessness crashing through him as his fingers just barely brush against the wood. Izuku squeezes his eyes shut, somehow thinking it will hurt less if he can’t see the sky receding above him.
But he doesn’t fall. Instead, a strong hand grabs his forearm at the last second, the tips of sharp nails pricking lightly against his skin. The person easily pulls Izuku out of the well, too fast for him to properly see them before he’s set on his feet again.
He would think it’s Kacchan but they were too gentle for that to be the case.
Izuku looks up, his thanks dying in his throat as he meets Shouto’s blank gaze.
“Are you hurt?”
Why does he care? Maybe he’s just still curious? Izuku decides that’s the reason he wants to believe, which makes it far easier to process what’s happening.
He nods once and hesitantly pulls away, glancing down at the hand that’s still holding his arm. The grip isn’t tight anymore but he still feels it would be impossible to free himself from it. “Uh, no, thank you,” he says, forcing himself to look back up, “Why are you here?”
Shouto is silent for a few seconds before letting go of Izuku’s arm and looking away. From the new angle, the bright sun shines off his hair, making the white nearly blinding and the red brighter than a flame. “Eri asked to see you,” he finally says, his tone stiffer than before.
“Oh! Is she in the village?” Izuku asks, relaxing some now that he knows the reason is innocent enough. When Shouto nods once, he smiles and asks, “Would you like to walk with me?”
It’s only polite, after all, and not because Izuku somehow feels a compulsion to spend more time with Shouto. Because that would be weird. He shouldn’t want to be around a demon lord rumored to have a bottomless disdain for humans; if that were true, he’d be just as likely to gut Izuku for coughing out of turn as he is to walk silently ahead of him.
Though, if that were really true, he wouldn’t be trying to take care of a human child, right?
“If you insist,” Shouto replies, pulling Izuku from his thoughts long enough to imagine a nearly imperceptible upturn of Shouto’s lips before the demon lord is turning. He starts towards the forest surrounding the well and its clearing, walking slowly enough that Izuku doesn’t have any issue catching up.
The walk is mostly silent with only the sound of Izuku’s footsteps and the general chatter of the forest filling the space around them. Unlike the time at Shouto’s palace, Izuku doesn’t feel the need to say anything to alleviate his own discomfort. Instead, he feels at ease enough to say, “I heard you don’t like humans.”
Shouto glances down at him, studying his expression for a moment before looking away again. “There are times I do not understand them. Otherwise, if the human is polite, I usually feel indifferent,” he explains.
“Then, what do you think of me? You were curious, right?”
“I still am.”
Izuku hums and picks up his pace enough to cut Shouto off, standing in his way as he tilts his head. With each second that passes without a sign of anger or annoyance, he feels himself growing bolder. When he gets past the initial unease, he finds it interesting to search for the hidden meaning behind Shouto’s words. “What are you curious about?”
“Many things.”
“Well, I’ll try to answer a few questions until we get to the village,” Izuku promises, smiling brightly as he begins to walk backward.
Shouto follows after him, looking down at Izuku’s feet as he manages to avoid the roots that would trip him. “What kind of shoes are those?” he asks.
“Sneakers. They’re made especially for running or other sports.”
“Do you participate in these sports?”
“No, I just like how they look, and they’re comfortable.”
“What is your purpose for being here?”
Well, that’s a weird way to ask but Izuku doesn’t pay it too much mind. “I promised Kacchan I’d help collect the jewel shards since I technically broke it.”
“What will you do when you are done?”
“I’ll probably go home but still visit here often. I’ve made a few friends that I don’t want to leave behind.”
“Friends?”
“Yeah, like Kacchan and Kouta. There’s also Ochako and Eijirou and Tenya. Oh, and Eri, too.”
Shouto frowns slightly, the expression subtle but clear to Izuku nonetheless. “They are your only friends?”
Izuku isn’t really sure what he’s getting at. Is he supposed to have more than them? He hasn’t really met many other people, though. “Yeah, pretty much. I have a few back home, too, but that’s not relevant to the people here.”
If anything, this answer just makes Shouto frown harder. “I see,” he says.
The air around them grows tense, leaving Izuku even more confused than before.
“I have more questions for you.”
The sudden voice nearly scares Izuku out of his own skin, his heart thundering in his chest as he looks over his shoulder to see Shouto standing by the secluded spring. He either timed this to intentionally catch Izuku alone or Izuku just has the worst luck to be caught in the middle of taking a bath.
Thankfully, he’s learned to bring swim trunks with him after Hanta, a wolf demon, stole his clothes as a prank.
He swallows around the panic bubbling in his throat and slumps back against the edge of the spring. “It’s kind of rude to interrupt someone who’s bathing,” he says, looking up at Shouto.
“The half-demon would interrupt us otherwise.”
Well, he does have a point there.
Izuku is quiet for a moment before nodding and motioning for Shouto to sit down. As he does so, he finds himself wondering if whatever annoyed Shouto the last time they spoke has been forgiven.
“Why do you bathe daily? Most commoners do not.”
“When I’m from, it’s normal to bathe daily. Besides, I like feeling clean,” Izuku explains, turning so he can fold his arms on the edge of the spring and rest his head on them.
“Are there demons in your time?”
“I’m not sure, actually. I haven’t tried looking.”
“Are you scared when you have to fight against demons?”
Izuku is quiet for a few moments before looking away from Shouto, focusing instead on an ant crawling across the rocks next to him. “When the fight starts, yeah,” he admits, shrugging his shoulders casually. “I mean, I don’t even have full control of my powers, my aim is terrible half the time, and I feel like I’m useless in a fight compared to everyone else. If I get hit, I’m done for. Usually, I just feel like dead weight when we have to fight. Besides, all I’m really good for is just detecting where the jewel shards are, right?”
He didn’t mean to unload like that but now that everything has been said, Izuku doesn’t regret it. Getting all of that off his chest feels nice. He feels something faintly touching his head, the sensation gone by the time he looks up to find Shouto hasn’t moved an inch.
It was probably just a breeze or something, right?
“Your companions should protect you,” Shouto says.
“Well, sure, but I don’t like not being able to do anything to help them.”
Shouto nods, thinking for a moment. He closes his eyes, giving Izuku the opportunity to unabashedly stare at his face. Even with the scar over one eye, he’s unfairly beautiful. If Izuku had seen him in the modern era, he probably would have started crying at the very sight of him.
After a few seconds, he opens his eyes again and meets Izuku’s gaze. “You will get better,” he says, sounding utterly sure of himself, “If I understand correctly, this is all still new to you. Some time is allowed for you to accustom yourself to this time and the demands of it. I am sure none of your companions think of you the way you see yourself.”
Izuku never expected to be comforted by a demon lord but, somehow, it makes him feel a lot better. He doesn’t think Shouto is the type of person to say something he doesn’t mean. Everything he’s said so far has been fairly straightforward and literal. So he must actually believe in Izuku’s ability to adapt and grow.
He can’t help the bright, unrestrained smile he gets at the realization. “Thanks, I really appreciate you saying that,” he says, leaning closer to him. “Did you have more questions for me?”
Shouto slowly nods, his eyes a little wider than before as he looks at Izuku. “Why are you smiling like that?” he asks.
Izuku blinks, processing the question before a quiet laugh slips past his lips. He quickly covers his mouth, looking away as his cheeks burn. “It’s, um, it’s because I’m happy,” he says, clearing his throat to get himself under control. “That is, I’m happy you comforted me.”
“I only spoke the truth.”
“And it made me happy to hear.”
Shouto hums softly and seems to accept this. “I have one more question.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Do you consider me a friend?”
Oh. This is similar to the last time they spoke, right? But Izuku didn’t mention Shouto when he was listing the people he thought of as friends. Maybe that’s why things got awkward?
That’s….kind of cute.
Izuku pauses when he realizes what he just thought. He didn’t realize it was possible to think of a demon lord as cute but here he is. How many other people can say they've thought the same?
The idea of being the only one makes him happy in a way he doesn’t understand.
“Yeah, I think we’re friends,” he finally says, smiling at Shouto once more.
“I see,” Shouto replies, looking away from Izuku to gaze at the water, “I am….glad to hear that.”
This time, the tiny smile that tugs at Shouto’s lips is obvious enough that Izuku can’t dismiss it as him seeing things. He feels speechless at the sight, his palms somehow sweaty and his heart thumping hard in his chest and-
Oh no.
Izuku is used to danger by now. He's used to the adrenaline rush or being two seconds from death, used to panting and bleeding and hurting, used to the crashing relief when he realizes he's still alive at the end of a fight.
That doesn't mean he finds any sort of enjoyment in it.
Take right now, for example. There's a gash over his left eye, blood dripping down and nearly blinding him, his ribs ache from being thrown into a tree at the beginning of the fight, he was chased away from his friends by a centipede demon, and Kouta is clinging to his back like he's a lifeline.
Honestly, his odds aren't looking so great right now.
"Kouta, I need another arrow," he whispers, holding a hand up to his shoulder.
He feels Kouta shift before an arrow is placed into his palm. It's followed immediately by Kouta saying, "That's the last one."
Izuku bites the inside of his cheek, his mind running through his options. Right now, they're hiding behind a bush and the centipede is searching the area for them. With one arrow left, he either has to make this shot fatal or he has to use it as a distraction so Kouta can run away and hide. Neither option sounds great; his aim still sucks most of the time and there's no guarantee the centipede wouldn't notice Kouta running away.
He takes a deep breath to calm himself down before setting the arrow and his bow on the ground. "Kouta," he whispers, reaching behind him and placing the fox demon in his lap. Izuku smiles reassuringly and pushes his hair out of his eyes. "Stay here and hide. Kacchan should come through here soon and then you can show him the direction I went in. Okay?"
Kouta looks ready to argue, his fists clenched at his sides and his bottom lip wobbling. In the end, he apparently decides it's not an argument he can win, so he looks down and nods once.
"Good. Don't worry, I'll be just fine," Izuku promises, ruffling Kouta's hair before grabbing his bow and arrow.
He flashes one more reassuring smile before crawling away from the bush as quietly as he can. The centipede is still searching an area across from them, so Izuku makes his way to the right of it.
Once he's far enough away from Kouta and is in a good position to run, he slowly stands and aims his arrow at the centipede's head. If he can manage to put enough purifying energy and actually hit his target, then everything will be fine.
Izuku swallows around the lump in his throat and shoots, watching pink energy glow around it as it embeds into the centipede's neck. Well, at least he can say his aim is definitely improving compared to the first time he shot an arrow.
The centipede whirls around, an angry spitting hiss the only warning Izuku gets before it dives towards him. He turns and runs as fast as he can through the forest, both relieved and terrified when the centipede continues to follow him.
For someone who grew up in Tokyo, forests were already difficult to navigate. Adding the fact that it's currently the middle of the night, Izuku knows he's at a huge disadvantage in comparison to the giant bug that can just barge over roots and through trees. Still, he's somehow managing to be incredibly nimble, a feat he knows he could never recreate after this.
Izuku was already in bad shape before he started running again, but now it's really catching up to him. His breath is wheezing in and out of his lungs, the gash above his eyes has begun bleeding again, mixing with his sweat to drip down his face, and he's doing his absolute best to ignore the spots threatening to spread from the corners of his vision.
It's no wonder he ends up tripping over a root, just barely managing to roll onto his back in time to see the centipede rear up above him. Izuku’s arms are shaking as he grips his bow in both hands, wielding it like a sword as the centipede hisses again before shooting down towards him. The best he can hope for is blocking its pincers and praying that buys him enough time to either purify the damn thing or be saved by one of his friends.
As the centipede gets closer, he has the sudden, terrifying thought that he might just die here. Izuku feels his heart sinking at the realization. He tightens his grip on the bow, determined to at least cause the centipede as much trouble as he can before dying.
Only, the air around him grows cold just as the centipede is close enough to touch him. His breath is visible when he exhales and that's almost enough to distract him from the flash of white that shoots out from behind him, crashing through the centipede and stopping it in its tracks. Izuku blinks as it convulses just inches above him, spasming as black blood drips down what he now realizes is a jagged spear of ice.
The grip on his bow loosens until it falls to his lap, his limbs shaking even harder than before. He just barely survived. He could have died. Who saved him?
"Are you okay?"
Izuki slowly looks away from the centipede, turning to see Shouto standing behind him. He looks impeccable for a person that just saved his life, not a single hair is out of place and his clothes are smooth, and Izuku thinks he must look awful in comparison.
"Miko?"
"Izuku."
Shouto blinks, obviously confused at his response. "That is your name, yes," he says, taking a few steps forward. He hesitates before crouching down next to Izuku and picking him up, one arm around his shoulders and the other under his knees.
Izuku clings to the front of his robes without thinking about it, his breath hitching at the sudden movement and close proximity. The faint scent of smoke and fresh snow nearly overwhelms him as Shouto begins walking away from the centipede.
His brain is having trouble catching up to what's going on, just barely managing to process the last thing Shouto said. Izuku grasps onto it tightly and replies, "I meant you should call me by my name."
It's just barely noticeable but Izuku thinks he feels Shouto’s steps falter. He bites his lip and glances up, hoping he hasn't somehow offended the person who saved his life. Relief crashes through him when he sees Shouto’s expression is the same as before.
"Doing so would be impolite," Shouto replies.
Izuku can't help a bark of laughter at that, letting his head fall onto Shouto’s shoulder. "You just saved my life. You've seen me when I'm bathing. You're currently carrying me in your arms and definitely getting your nice clothes dirty," he points out, smiling a little at the sheer absurdity of this, "I think it's okay if we're a little impolite with each other."
Shouto considers this for a moment, coming to a slow stop just outside a clearing. Moonlight is streaming in through the trees, turning his white hair into a glowing silver and Izuku has to hold himself back from reaching out to touch it.
"I do not care about these clothes getting dirty. They can be laundered."
He's avoiding the subject. Izuku pouts a little and sighs, loosening his grip on Shouto’s robe. "You can just say if you don't want to use my name," he tells him.
"Izuku."
It's so sudden, Izuku doesn't have time to prepare himself for the deep, flowing sound of his name in Shouto’s voice. His heart thumps harder in his chest as he looks up again, wondering if he's just imagining the slightly pink tint to the tips of Shouto’s ears. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" he asks, unable to help teasing him.
Shouto clears his throat quietly, resolutely looking in the opposite direction of Izuku. "You could do the same," he says.
Izuku blinks, taking a few seconds to make sure he heard right before breaking out into a huge grin. "Okay, Shouto!"
It’s been over two weeks since Shouto saved Izuku from that centipede and he hasn’t shown his face once. Normally, this is fine, it’s not even unusual. But Izuku has been waiting to properly thank him and, if he’s being entirely honest with himself, he really just wants to see Shouto again.
He slumps down by the well, leaning his head back against the cracked wood. He came here to relax for a few minutes while everyone else is resting in the village. As much as he loves his friends here, there’s no denying all of them are almost too energetic.
After a few seconds of staring at the sky, Izuku glances at his bag next to him and pulls it into his lap. He digs through the main pocket until he finds the carefully packed gift. It’s small and, if he’s being honest, probably not at all befitting of a demon lord.
But Izuku thinks it would suit Shouto well.
The last time he spent a few days in the future, he went shopping with his mom. They happened to pass an accessory store with a display of ribbons in the window. He only glanced briefly but his gaze stopped on a pure white ribbon with tiny gold flowers embroidered along it. Without thinking twice, he bought it.
And now he just has to figure out how to actually give it to Shouto.
He sighs and gently rubs his thumb across the ribbon, enjoying the feeling of the satin.
“Are you busy, Izuku?”
He must be really lucky today, huh?
Izuku looks up to find Shouto standing next to him, staring down at his lap with a curious expression. He follows his gaze straight to the ribbon and can’t help a tiny smile. “Nope, not at all. Sit down,” he replies, patting the spot next to him.
A few seconds pass before Shouto is sitting on the ground, his outer robe brushing against Izuku’s arm as he leans in closer. “Why do you have a ribbon? Your hair is not long enough for it to be of use.”
“Oh, it isn’t for me, though.”
“Then, it is a gift?”
Izuku grins and nods, looking up at Shouto as he holds it out. “A gift for you, actually,” he says, suddenly feeling a little sheepish as he adds, “It’s to say thanks for saving my life a few weeks ago.”
“You do not need to thank me. I did not save your life to receive a gift.”
“I know. But I want to give you something to show my appreciation. Would you prefer something else?”
Shouto looks conflicted for half a second before his expression relaxes and he shakes his head. “No, I will accept the ribbon. It looks very nice,” he says, getting a tiny smile as he reaches out to brush a finger across one of the flowers.
“I’m glad! Can I braid it into your hair?”
It’s only after the words have left Izuku’s mouth that he realizes how they must have sounded. Kacchan mentioned it briefly once, but a demon’s hair is a precious thing. They don’t let just anyone touch it. Being allowed to do so is a sign of great trust, something humans usually aren’t allowed.
He quickly opens his mouth to rescind the offer and apologize only for Shouto to say, “If you would like.”
Izuku blinks, quickly closing his mouth as he stares at Shouto. When his expression doesn’t change, he realizes he was serious. And that means he trusts Izuku, right? Isn’t that kind of….extraordinary?
“Right, um, okay, let me just move,” Izuku says, scrambling off the ground and moving to sit on the edge of the well instead. He positions himself behind Shouto, grateful the demon can’t see the way his hands are shaking as he stares down at the gleaming red and white hair. “Is just one braid okay?”
“Yes.”
Izuku nods even though Shouto can’t see and wipes his palms on his pants before carefully running his fingers through Shouto’s hair. It feels softer than he imagined, slipping through his hands like water without tangling. He swallows around the sudden lump in his throat as he gathers Shouto’s hair and divides it into three parts.
“Um, I know I already said it, but I really do appreciate you saving me. I mean, it’s weird to think I almost died that night but it’s thanks to you that I was able to see my mom again.”
Shouto turns his head slightly to look over his shoulder at Izuku. “Are you often in danger like that?” he asks.
“Not always but it happens sometimes. Usually, Kacchan is able to defeat the demon before it gets that bad, though.”
Watching the way Shouto’s red and white strands overlap each other and the ribbon is almost hypnotic as Izuku braids. He feels calmer, too, even though just thinking about what happened is usually enough to make him jittery for the rest of the day.
“Are you still scared?”
Izuku pauses, frowning slightly as he looks away from the braid to see Shouto is still looking at him. He doesn’t want Shouto to think he’s just another weak human who can’t handle something like a centipede. But when he thinks about lying, he finds it’s impossible.
He slowly lets out a breath of air and nods. “Yeah, kind of.”
Shouto doesn’t say anything after that. He just nods and faces forward again, leaving Izuku to focus on braiding.
He finishes quickly, securing the braid at the very end before taking a moment to admire his work. The ribbon looks nice without standing out too much, so he shouldn’t have the issue of other demons noticing it.
“Okay, all done.”
Without responding, Shouto stands and sits on the edge of the well next to Izuku. This time, their arms are pressed together and he’s leaning in close, a serious expression on his face that makes it impossible for Izuku to lean away. “Do not be scared. I will save you whenever you are in danger, Izuku,” he says, his voice lower than usual.
“You’ll save me?” Izuku asks, wondering if he’s somehow misunderstanding such simple words.
Shouto nods once. A warm hand covers Izuku’s, which is odd because he always imagined Shouto’s hands would be cold considering his use of ice. “Yes. No matter what, I will save you. Trust me.”
This is overwhelming. It’s too much. Izuku can’t process any of it, especially when Shouto is somehow leaning in closer until they’re barely an inch apart. He licks his lips nervously and asks, “Why?”
With Shouto this close, all Izuku can see is the slight upturn in the corner of his eyes when he smiles. Just that is enough to make him feel breathless, though. “Do you trust me?” he asks in return.
Izuku doesn’t even need to think about it to know he does trust Shouto. How could he not? Sure, the demon lord was kind of intimidating at first, but now he’s captivating and leaves Izuku breathless for completely different reasons. “Yeah, I do, Shouto,” he replies.
“Then trust that I will save you.”
Okay, yeah, Izuku can do that much.
When he nods, Shouto pulls away some. He stands from the well without letting go of Izuku’s hand. “I must go now but we will meet again soon,” he promises, lifting Izuku’s hand and brushing his lips across his knuckles.
And then he’s gone, leaving Izuku with his hand still in the air and the phantom sensation of cool lips lingering.
Izuku wonders if, maybe, Shouto will be the death of him.
Maybe it’s a given but Izuku really fucking hates Overhaul and his weird little clones. Especially when they’ve broken the group apart to target individual weaknesses.
Like right now.
Somehow, Izuku ended up alone against Overhaul, backed against the edge of a cliff with a deadly fall as his only escape. “Just give me your shards and I’ll leave all of you alone. I’ll even return the slayer’s brother to him. Aren’t I nice?” Overhaul asks, taking another step closer as he no doubt smirks behind the mask.
Izuku slides back a step, his heart jumping into his throat when his heel moves over the edge of the cliff. He glances behind him, feeling dizzy at the sheer distance he’d fall if he slipped.
“How about this,” he manages, turning to look back at Overhaul and desperately hoping his bravado is believable, “I’ll take your shards and you can crawl back into whatever hole you came from.”
“How bold for a mere human with nowhere to go.” The ledge shakes as spikes of earth break through the dirt and surround Overhaul, all of them aimed at Izuku. “If you won’t hand them over, then you can just die. So, I’ll give you one last chance.”
“Maybe I’ll just jump,” he says, swallowing around the lump in his throat.
Overhaul laughs at that, tilting his head as he says, “Go ahead. I can just as easily find your corpse later and take the shards.” The spikes slide closer along the earth and Izuku has to stop himself from taking a step right off the ledge.
Izuku grimaces at the response and looks over the edge once more; he can die from spikes or he can die by jumping off a cliff. Izuku wonders what kind of god is laughing at him right now. As he does, he suddenly remembers Shouto’s promise. He would be willing to bank on that but there’s nothing to suggest the demon lord is anywhere nearby. It would be foolish to just jump off a cliff with nothing to ensure he would be saved.
But Shouto said to trust him. Maybe Izuku really is foolish, but he finds that even now he wholeheartedly trusts Shouto to somehow make it work. And, even if he does end up hitting the bottom of the cliff, at least he won’t have to look at Overhaul in his final moments.
He takes a deep breath and clenches his hands into fists so their shaking won’t be so obvious. “Good luck with that,” Izuku says, shooting one last glare at Overhaul before turning and jumping off the cliff.
Whenever Izuku falls from the top of the well, there is always weightlessness that lasts for a few seconds before he hits the bottom. This fall is similar, except the feeling just drags on as air rushes past him and the ground comes closer. This won’t end in just a few bruises.
Izuku can’t bring himself to look. He squeezes his eyes shut, curling into himself.
Oddly enough, he finds himself wondering if he was meant to die here. Is this how he was destined to meet his end?
Is destiny even real anyway? What kind of destiny throws someone into a chaotic feudal era? Is it comforting to think every choice he’s made has been predestined or would he prefer to think he forged his path as he walked it? Does he want to believe in free will or can he find dying more acceptable if it was always out of his hand?
No, actually, that’s even worse. Somehow, that thought makes him angry. If everything is destined, then that’s too cruel. Who gets to decide destinies, and what right do they have to dictate people’s lives so arbitrarily? Why do they get to choose Izuku to fall into a well, to fall for a demon lord he won’t get to see again, to fall off a cliff?
Well, whoever they are, they’ve got a sick fascination with falling.
Izuku can’t help the wry smile at his own joke.
Only a few seconds have passed and Izuku is starting to wonder if he should just open his eyes and meet the ground head-on when something crashes into him. The breath is knocked out of his lungs as arms wrap around his waist and the air around them turns icy. He doesn’t think twice before clinging to the person, nearly crying when he opens his eyes long enough to see a red and white braid with a ribbon running through it.
He shuts his eyes again, burying his face in Shouto’s chest until they’ve landed safely and Shouto asks, “Are you hurt anywhere?”
Izuku takes a deep breath and shakes his head, trying to hold back tears and get his wobbling lip under control. “I’m fine,” he manages, his voice cracking at the end despite his best efforts.
“You do not sound fine.”
“Well,” Izuku says, slowly calming down when he feels Shouto running his fingers through his hair, “I did just jump off a cliff.”
Shouto hums softly and pulls away enough to look into Izuku’s eyes. His hand moves to Izuku’s chin, gripping it firmly so he can’t look away. “That was reckless. Why did you do that?” he asks.
“Because you promised you’d save me.”
The hand on his chin loosens some and Shouto looks away, clearing his throat before saying, “You….have a lot of trust in me,” he says.
“Of course. You asked me to trust you.”
As he’s waiting for Shouto’s response, Izuku suddenly finds that he wants more. He nearly died and one of the last things he would have thought about is that he has feelings for Shouto. Maybe the near-death experience is what’s making him so bold but he wants to know if they’re reciprocated or if he’s imagining everything.
“Hey, Shouto, do you believe in destiny?” he asks.
“Sometimes. Why?”
“Do you think it was destiny that we met?”
Shouto is quiet for a long moment before frowning. “Maybe we were destined to meet, but was it not our own choice to continue meeting?” he asks.
It takes a lot of restraint for Izuku to not point out that most of their subsequent meetings were because Shouto sought him out. Still, he understands the gist of what Shouto is saying, and it’s undoubtedly reassuring.
“Do you trust me, Shouto?”
“Of course.”
“Can you close your eyes?”
Shouto nods once and does so, no more than two seconds passing before Izuku reaches up and kisses him. Rather than seeming surprised, Shouto immediately reciprocates, his hands sliding down to Izuku’s hips and tugging him closer.
Maybe making out at the bottom of a cliff is the last thing they should be doing right now. After all, Overhaul is still a problem and he shouldn’t let his friends think he’s gone missing; Kacchan would probably tear up half the mountain if he was gone too long.
But, then again, maybe they were destined to spend too long wrapped up in each other here. At the very least, it’s a convenient excuse for Izuku to acquiesce when he feels sharp fangs nip gently at his bottom lip.
He supposes destiny has its uses sometimes.