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Shouto doesn’t know how he got here.
Well, that’s false. He knows exactly how he got here, on the porch of a beach house overlooking the ocean. He knows he got here after a suggestion from Izuku, a call from the school, and an argument with his father that Natsuo had to break up. He also knows he’s probably in for hell when he returns home but Shouto can’t really bring himself to care.
He’d packed his clothes, gotten into Inko’s car, and left. Five hours and much car karaoke later, the three of them checked into a modest beach house overlooking the water. Inko had let them order anything they wanted from room service, which Izuku was particularly excited about.
When Inko retired to her room leaving the two boys alone with their food, they’d whispered and giggled about all kinds of stupid things until the food was gone and the moon was well into the starry sky. Then, Izuku plugged both their phones into their chargers and they sank into their shared mattress, exhausted.
So yeah, Shouto knows exactly how he got here. He just doesn’t know how he got so lucky.
He’s on the porch as the wind tosses a few strands of his too-long hair into his eyes and just when he notices a few seagulls pass over the beach below him the screen door opens and Inko Midoriya walks out with a pair of black reflective sunglasses and an ice water.
“Here, honey. It’s so bright out, don’t want you catching a headache on such a beautiful day.” Inko smiles and hands him the sunglasses. Shouto takes them gingerly, then the water is passed to him as well. The glass sweats in his hand, dripping onto the wood of the porch.
“Thank you, Ms. Midoriya.” He says, but she just waves him off like her kindness doesn’t mean anything.
“It’s nothing. Keep them. I think Izuku wants to go to the beach, will you join him?” Inko asks. Her hair, the same color as her son’s, gets picked up by the wind that passes by and dances around her kind face.
Shouto feels a drop of sweat slide between his shoulder blades. The beach sounds great, partly because he’s about to melt in this heat and partly because Izuku will be there. “Yes ma’am, I’ll go with him.”
“Oh honey,” Inko laughs a little, “there’s no need for honorifics. Just call me Inko.”
Shouto ignores her. “Yes ma’am.” His father taught him with an iron fist, after all.
“Alright,” Inko just keeps smiling. She’s always smiling. “Izuku’s inside when you’re ready.”
The screen door closes behind her and Shouto touches the sunglasses sitting in his palm. A gift. They’re pretty cheap, the shiny plastic rims smearing slightly with the sweat on Shouto’s hands. There’s a silver logo on the side, one he’s never seen in the high-end stores his father shops at. He decides he likes them.
The screen door slides open a few minutes later and this time a familiar nest of green hair attached to a freckled face pops out into the sun.
“Wanna go to the beach?” Izuku asks by way of greeting. It’s not like he really needs to be polite anyway. Shouto is charmed just the same.
“Yes.” He answers and slips the sunglasses into his pocket.
Thirty minutes later the two boys are setting down one large towel which Izuku anchors with some rocks he finds in the surf. They’ve brought a cooler too, full of ice cubes provided by Shouto himself, ice pops and two water bottles. One is All Might themed, the other is just plain silver.
When they’re finished setting up camp one of Izuku’s scarred hands finds one of Shouto’s and it doesn’t take much for Izuku to drag him into the water. There’s a couple people on the beach, enough to make it seem busy, but the two boys swim out far enough that they don’t have to share space with anyone else.
Izuku smiles then, closing his eyes against the neon sun. Shouto chose to wear the sunglasses Inko had given him into the ocean and he’s thankful for them. The only place brighter than this beach had to be heaven because his eyes feel seared into his skull. Izuku doesn’t seem to mind, though. In fact, he seems to enjoy the heat of this place.
Izuku dives under the water for a minute and Shouto feels his leg being grabbed by a familiar hand. He smiles and lets Izuku do whatever he wants, as per usual. He’s half expecting to get pulled down by that hand, but it stays against his skin, fingers shifting only to accommodate the pulling of the tide. A few seconds later the hand releases, followed by Izuku’s head popping out of the waves. He’s smiling as saltwater runs in rivulets down his face and chest.
“Here, hold out your hand.” He says, and Shouto obeys. A small wave brushes past them and Izuku reaches out to hold his shoulders, then sets something in his open palm.
It’s a shell, cream colored and beaten by the waves. Half of it is missing, probably lost in the current somewhere. Another gift, he thinks. This is like Christmas.
“It’s pretty,” Shouto smiles and Izuku grins back, brushing salt out of his eyes and shaking his hair like a dog.
“I’m gonna find some more.” Izuku says, then disappears under the water just as he had before. Shouto feels the familiar grasp of Izuku’s hand against his ankle and smiles. This is a lot more fun than staying home would have been.
When Shouto’s hands are full of shells they return to their little camp. Shouto tucks all of Izuku’s finds in a side pocket of their cooler while Izuku takes some of the ice cubes from inside it and holds them against his cheek, sighing. The ocean was nice and cool, and as soon as they got out the heat of the beach yet again crashed around them. Needless to say, both boys rushed back into the water as soon as they could.
“C’mon, lets go as far out as we were before.” Izuku suggests, and Shouto obeys because of course. Of course. When they’re safely away from all the kids and parents there’s yet again this sense of privacy.
A wave laps at Shouto’s chin as Izuku reaches out to grab his shoulder again so the current doesn’t drift them apart.
“You’re burning a little, I think.” Izuku says after a while and his fingers touch the skin of Shouto’s collarbone.
“Am I?” Shouto tries to look down at himself, at the spot that Izuku’s hands so delicately touch. He goes cross eyed.
“Yeah,” Izuku laughs at him, “you’re a little red right here.” His fingers run back over the spot, dragging salt and sand with them. It makes his fingers feel rough, though Shouto knows they’re quite soft for a hero.
“It’ll be okay,” Shouto replies, but Izuku will have none of that.
“It’s no good to get burned the first day here, trust me. It sucks.” Izuku says, his hands still pressed against Shouto. “Let’s go put more sunscreen on.”
When they had first arrived, Izuku’s mom had bought the spray kind of sunscreen, 50 SPF. Apparently, sunscreen went bad after a year in storage so they’d had to buy more anyway, not just because Shouto didn’t own any. He’s grateful, but Shouto also can’t help but despise the spray because of how it always gets in his mouth.
“Okay, here. Turn around this way,” Izuku moves Shouto so he’s facing the wind, “and close your eyes for me. I’ll get your front.”
Shouto does as he says. At first, the initial coldness of the sunscreen makes him jerk and he hears Izuku laugh. He sprays him from head to toe, then turns him around to get his back. As a final touch, Izuku lets the sunscreen gather in his hand before rubbing his palms together. He applies the stuff carefully to Shouto’s face, touching his cheeks, his brow, his cupids bow. He even slicks up the tips of Shouto’s ears.
“Okay,” Izuku says finally, after Shouto feels like his entire body is covered in grease and Izuku’s searing fingerprints. “Now you do the same to me.”
And Shouto does. He probably uses too much sunscreen, but neither of them really care.
“Better to use too much than too little,” Izuku says, smiling.
When they’re both greased up enough Izuku drags them back into the water yet again. This time they just swim, Izuku holding on to Shouto’s shoulders as he lies on his back in the waves. A few go right over Izuku’s head, causing him to splutter and shoot seawater out of his nose and Shouto finds this very funny even when Izuku squawks and hits his chest weakly.
They relax into the current and stay there long enough that the tide begins to go out, leaving their small camp far away from the edge of the water. This is when Izuku finds some real treasures: little clams, crabs, gorgeous shells with sea snails still inside, and even a jellyfish. The jellyfish gets left alone, but everything else is brought to Shouto so he can see.
When the tide seems so far out that it can’t go any farther they decide to return to the beach house for dinner, which Inko has ready for them as soon as they walk in the door. Shouto is ravenous and it seems Izuku is too, by how fast they descend on the entire pack of hamburgers Inko cooked. Afterwards, they all take turns showering one by one and Shouto steps out, squeaky clean and wearing nothing but shorts that must be Izuku’s because Shouto isn’t allowed to have All Might merch. They must have gotten mixed up in the bag they’d shared.
Inko retreated to her room as soon as dinner was over, so he and Izuku had the living room, porch and their bedroom to themselves. When Shouto walks out of the bathroom into the bedroom and gets an eyeful of Izuku with a lighter in one hand and a joint in the other it seems like they’re going to be taking advantage of their privacy tonight.
Izuku just smiles. “Want to?” He holds up the joint, twirls it around his fingers a little bit.
Shouto knows that his mouth is open in surprise just as he knows he should probably close it. “Wh- how did you even...” He stutters and Izuku suddenly seems shy.
“I got it from Shinsou. It actually helps a lot with my chronic pain.” Izuku explains, his green eyes searching for something in Shouto’s face.
“Oh, that makes sense.” Shouto purses his lips, glancing at the joint then back at Izuku. He’s seen weed before, smelled it whenever it seeped through the cracks between the dorm doors at Yuuei. And as much as Shouto seems like he’d be a stickler for drugs and alcohol he really doesn’t care. He’s even been curious before. He’s curious right now. “Can you show me?”
Just as fast as the nervousness came, it disappears from Izuku’s face. “Yeah! Yeah, of course. You don’t have to smoke if you don’t want to, I just thought I’d offer.” Then Izuku starts rambling about strains and flavors and Shouto listens, because of course. What else would he do while Izuku talks?
They sneak out to the dark balcony that Shouto was sitting on just this morning and Izuku lights up the joint. It takes a few seconds for the smell to really hit him, then Izuku’s lips are against the paper and he’s inhaling and inhaling and inhaling. Honestly, his lungs must be supersized. Izuku holds it in his throat for a while, then he’s coughing. Big puffs of smoke retreat from Izuku’s lips as he coughs, chokes really, and expels all of it. He sniffles, his green eyes watery, before turning to Shouto.
“See?” And he’s got this little smile on his face, half playful half shy, the unshed tears in his eyes winking in the dark. And it’s that expression that’s got Shouto wanting. “S’ not so bad. Just burns. Wanna try?”
Why not? Shouto nods and Izuku grins. The tip of the joint is cherry red now and Izuku is careful to keep it away from the both of them as he hands it over.
“There you go,” Izuku says softly as Shouto’s thin fingers wrap around the thing. It feels unnatural to hold and he wonders how many joints Izuku’s smoked in order to look so natural with it. “Now,” Izuku leans closer, “you’re gonna put it up to your lips and inhale. It’s okay if you can’t hold it in your lungs, but that’s the goal. The longer you hold it in the more it’ll take effect. You’re gonna cough. It’s gonna burn,” Izuku touches the tips of his fingers to the hollow of Shouto’s throat, “right here.”
Shouto pulls his lip between his teeth. He’s never been high before. “What does it feel like?”
Izuku hums and pulls away. “When you inhale? It feels like you’ve swallowed fire.”
“No, when you’re high. What does it feel like?”
Izuku purses his lips for a second. “The best way I can describe it is that you’re light as a feather and heavy like a boulder at the same time. My thoughts get weak and it’s a little hard for me to think, but it’s not uncomfortable that way. Sometimes my skin buzzes.” His eyes wink again. “It’s okay if you don’t want-”
But Shouto’s already got his lips on the joint. He inhales, inhales, almost as long as Izuku did before he pulls it from his mouth and tries with all his might to hold the smoke in. God, when Izuku said it felt like fire he wasn’t kidding. Shouto’s being burned from the inside out. He chokes, splutters, hands the joint back to Izuku just so he can wipe at his leaking eyes.
And of course, Izuku is watching him all the while, his green eyes still sharp and bright. He laughs when Shouto starts choking and he takes another hit from the joint before putting it out on the hardwood. There’s still more than half of it left.
“You weren’t kidding.” Shouto’s voice sounds wrecked to say the least. He laughs at himself.
“Hurts like hell, doesn’t it?” Izuku giggles next to him, brushing his curly hair out of his face as Shouto nods. “It’ll just be a few minutes until you feel it. I’ll put this,” he waves the joint, “away and get us some water.”
“Alright.” Shouto replies, and Izuku steps back into the beach house. Shouto’s throat is still burning with the remnants of that joint and even though it hurts like nothing he’s felt before it’s also strangely comforting. It reminds him just a little of when Bakugou gave him a sip of Fireball to try.
Izuku takes his sweet time getting those waters, and by the time he’s come back Shouto is slumped and feeling the effects. His skin just barely hums, with electricity or blood or something , he doesn’t know. It’s not a bad hum, just very noticeable. His mouth is dry too, and he takes the water bottle that Izuku hands him with a quiet thanks. There’s only one, so it seems they’ll be sharing.
“You doing alright?” Izuku asks softly, taking the spot next to him. He watches Shouto swallow a few long drags from the water bottle before setting it down. Their legs are pressed against each other, warm and soft.
“M’ good.” Shouto replies and his voice sounds low and syrupy even to his own ears. It makes Izuku smile. His bright green eyes are dulled more than usual and sliced in half by the low slant of his eyelids, now thick and droopy. He looks drugged, in the most polite way possible. Shouto is sure he looks the same.
“You wanna go to the beach again tomorrow? I had a lot of fun today.” Izuku tilts his head to the side as his words filter slowly through Shouto’s ears.
“Of course,” Shouto replies, because of course he wants to do all this over again. He’s never had a beach trip this fun and he’s been here less than twenty-four hours. “You’re really good at finding things. In the ocean, I mean. You make it look easy.”
Izuku giggles. “It’s easier with another person there. Usually it’s harder because the current tries to drag me, but since you’re here I can just hold on to your legs and sift through the sand. My mom taught me how to do it.”
“It’s awesome.” Shouto breathes, smiling dumbly. He wishes he could look neutral, but the weed coursing through his body is making that impossible. He feels like he’s floating on cloud nine. Who wouldn’t be grinning like an idiot if they felt this way?
Izuku leans into him a little more until their arms press together and Shouto can feel salt gather between their skin. As much as he’s unused to physical contact, Izuku‘s made it enough of a habit that Shouto is unphased. Ever since the sports festival so long ago they’ve been close this way, a little closer than just friends. Neither of them care. It feels nice and he’d gratefully follow Izuku anywhere. Hence why he’s sitting on this porch with a buzz under his skin. It doesn’t help that Izuku will bring him along wherever he goes, at this point he just assumes Shouto will be with him or vice versa.
When Izuku yawns for the second time, Shouto suggests they retreat back to the bedroom. It’s cold inside compared to the humidity of the beach and Shouto immediately pulls on a sweater, uncaring if it’s his or not. It makes Izuku laugh as he flops down on their shared bed.
“You look like a real fanboy right now.” He smiles, and Shouto glances down at himself. The sweater is navy blue with a huge All Might decal that he missed before, though he doesn’t know how. It’s giant and very, very bright. Definitely Izuku’s.
“I do,” Shouto agrees, “If my dad could see me right now I’d be in so much trouble.” He runs his hands down the sweater, feeling the decal move smoothly beneath his fingers. Slightly high, wearing nothing but All Might merch, and about to sleep in the same bed as another boy. All Might’s protégé, no less. His father wouldn’t just kill him, he’d slaughter him. That makes Shouto laugh. It’s not funny, by any means, but he’s long grown past that.
“Good thing he isn’t here, then.” Izuku says from his spot on the bed. The blankets are still pushed around from last night and there’s a big pile of decorative pillows on the floor because really, who sleeps on decorative pillows? Shouto sits down next to Izuku’s prone form. “You okay? Not freaking out or anything?”
“I’m fine. It feels good.” Shouto replies honestly. He feels Izuku grab onto the sleeve of his sweater.
“Great, I’m glad. Now c’mon,” Izuku tugs and Shouto lets himself fall down beside him. The bedsheets feel delightfully cold against his cheek and Izuku is warm in contrast. “This is the best thing to do when you get high.”
“What, lay down?” Shouto asks. Izuku’s droopy green eyes are so, so close to his own and it makes the buzzing beneath his skin more erratic.
Izuku smiles and it makes his freckled skin crinkle. “No-- well, yes. The best thing is to smoke a little, lie down with someone, and go to sleep. Trust me, you’ll have the best sleep of your life.”
“I trust you.” Shouto says. It makes Izuku’s eyes crinkle even more. He reaches a freckled arm over Shouto to turn the bedside light off and suddenly the two of them are plunged into darkness. It’s a nice, warm, comforting darkness that wraps around Shouto’s chest and pulls him closer. Well, that’s mainly Izuku, but the dark does pull him a little too. Shouto can still feel the movement of the current through his limbs from so long in the ocean today.
“G’night, Shouto,” Izuku mumbles against Shouto’s side.
“Goodnight, Izuku.” Shouto replies, the buzzing under his skin fading as he drifts farther and farther. He sleeps like a rock, and so does his bed partner. They wake the next morning by the light of a midmorning sun, ready to do it all over again.