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Eijirou watches as Izuku falls into Katsuki's arms, as one soulmate catches his other. He hides his tears, feeling his heart break once more. They found each other again.
He wonders when they will find him. If they ever will.
“De— Izuku,” Katsuki says. “I'm sorry for everything.”
Eijirou watches as Izuku falls into Katsuki's arms, as one lover catches his other.
“Shitty Hair,” Katsuki turns to him. they're both looking his way, expectation in their eyes. He marches toward them, wiping off his tears.
He falls into their arms.
They catch him.
Eijirou feels relieved.
Kirishima Eijirou is 14 when he remembers his first soulmate. He's reading an article about a kid his age that ran into danger to save his friend from a villain. There's no name, no picture, yet he knows.
Midoriya Izuku.
His soulmate.
Eijirou is 14 when he hears about Midoriya Izuku for the first time. a kid his age that ran into danger to save a friend from a monster. news has traveled to his village. There's no name, no picture, yet it's enough.
The next year, he's on the road.
He even meets him.
Midoriya Izuku.
His first soulmate.
Meeting his soulmate while he still doesn't remember you is a bittersweet experience.
First comes expectancy. When is he going to recognize you? What will be the astounding and spectacular moment that will become the bridge between all your shared past lives? There's also some awkwardness. Izuku doesn't know who he is or how he feels; he cannot tell him or he may never remember. Finally, arrives fear. What if he never does?
Eijirou tries not to let that thought dwell for too long, but the more memories he gets from his past lives, the more anxious he gets.
Because since their first life together, Izuku never remembered him. not even once.
When Katsuki gets taken away, Eijirou sees the absolute defeat in Izuku's eyes. there's a pang in his chest he doesn't quite understand, but he knows they'll have to go.
He doesn't question why offering his hand to Izuku in the hospital didn't trigger his soulmate's memories.
Still, it hurts.
Kirishima Eijirou is 15 when he remembers his second soulmate. Izuku asks him to reach out to Katsuki in his place, telling him he's the key to their success. When Katsuki grabs his hand while they fly over the Kamino Ward, all of their shared lives crash into his mind. this time, there’s no excitement — all that's left is weariness. Because, just like Izuku, there isn't a single life where Bakugo Katsuki remembers him.
“You idiots,” Katsuki smirks as they leave the villains to all might.
Eijirou smiles, tightens his grip on Katsuki's hand.
He wants to cry.
Eijirou is 15 when he meets Bakugo Katsuki. Izuku asks him to reach out to their companion in his place, telling him he's the key to their success. When Katsuki grabs his hand while they fly into the monster's lair, all he feels is excitement. and maybe a little more, but perhaps it's the adrenalin making his heart beat so fast.
“You idiots,” Katsuki smirks as they hear the beast howl in anger behind them.
Eijirou smiles, tightens his grip on Katsuki's hand.
He's happy he met him.
Bakugo Katsuki.
His second soulmate.
Eijirou often wonders why they were three of them if they never remember him. Are the moments they share in every life so insignificant to them that they cannot trigger their soulmate bonds? Are the memories they have from their first life not worth remembering? All he can do is watch his soulmates dance around one another until they eventually set their bond off. He stays on the sidelines, witnessing as they recognize each other for the thousandth time.
It's cruel, he thinks, being the link between his soulmates until they remember each other and he is left behind.
Sometimes he thinks about telling them the truth before it happens, but he can't. he cannot risk their bond being broken, even when it's to save his.
Kirishima Eijirou is 19 when he dies.
It's an accident, shouldn't have happened. It's unfair, he thinks, dying so young. The last thing he sees is the faces of his soulmates over him, trying to stop the blood loss. they're crying, beg him to stay alive.
“I—,” he chokes, “m'sorry—,”
For dying, for leaving you behind, for not being worth remembering.
The last memory of his first life comes to him. Why does he always go so young?
He wishes he had more time.
Midoriya Izuku and Bakugo Katsuki are 19 when they remember their soulmate.
It's an accident, shouldn't have happened. It's unfair, dying so young. They try to stop the blood loss. they're crying, beg him to stay alive.
“I—” his voice is low. they almost don't hear him, “m'sorry.”
What for? They want to ask, but a memory they didn't have one second ago starts to overlap the scene before their eyes.
Their soulmate always dies at 19.
That's when they remember him.
Eijirou sits between his new-formed soulmates, watching as the sun rises behind the forest below.
“What memory do you think will trigger the soulmate bond?” he asks.
“I hope it's the first time I hear of you,” Izuku answers. “I don't want to spend a single second around you not knowing who you are.”
“'Better be that time you idiots crash that stupid monster's lair to rescue me,” Katsuki smirks. “So I can smack your head right after for doing something so dumb.”
“What about you?” Izuku turns to him.
“Well...” Eijirou hums. “I think... when we hug after finding Izuku in the forbidden forest.”
“I like this memory too,” Izuku smiles fondly.
“Yeah,” Katsuki agrees. “S'not a bad one.”
End
- alternate ending: pirates au -
Eijirou lies on the deck, the sun's warmth stroking his face. The sea is peaceful today, the waves gently rocking the ship, slowly lulling him to sleep. He suddenly feels a pair of footsteps on the wood and a shadow hovering over him.
He opens his eyes, sees two figures standing before him. They look down at him with a strange look on their face. Like they're gonna cry.
“Who are you?” he asks. “What are you doing on my ship?”
The green one crouches in front of him, takes a sip from his bottle of rum before offering it.
“Wouldn't miss your birthday, Ei,” he says.
“What does it feel like to finally reach 20?” the other one smirks.
“Huh?”
“You don't have any memory left to remember, but we can make new ones,” the first one talks again. “Maybe it'll be enough for our next lives.”
Our… next lives?
Eijirou is close to throwing them overboard for disrupting his nap only to talk him nonsense. However, he's got an inkling, a hunch that he shouldn't. That he doesn't want to. He doesn't know why, but he thinks of that heavy feeling he carried in his heart his whole life.
Against his better judgment, Eijirou grabs the bottle and drinks straight from it. The liquid invades his throat, clears his mind.
When he's done, he sees that both men still look at him like they're going to cry.
He still doesn’t know why, but he feels like he could too.