Work Text:
Izuku started his day like he always did, rolling out of his bed, downing an energy drink, getting dressed, before heading to work. Today though as he was walking down the steps from his apartment something caught his eye. A jar with a piece of fake coral in it, sitting on his downstairs neighbor's grill. Normally he'd mind his own business because this neighbor was always causing issues. Yet something told Izuku to look again and oh is he glad he did. Laying at the bottom of that jar, was a little betta mermaid.
The little mer wasn't moving at all except for a little flick of his tail every now and then. His dull orange tail had scratches across it, and a few of the dark green tips on his flared fins were torn off. The poor thing's eyes were closed but his soft round face and fluffy blonde head rested on his arm, while he took heavy shallow breaths. It was in the mid 30°s currently even though it was just mid morning. Summer heat was no joke.
Izuku looks around making sure no one is around, taking a deep breath he quickly but carefully grabs the jar off his neighbors grill. Tucking the jar holding the little mer close to him he quickly makes his way back up the stairs cursing under his breath. Little bright red eyes glare up at him as he moves up the stairs but the mermaid doesn't move from his spot on the bottom of the jar. Izuku just hopes he wasn't too late in saving the mermaid. He also hopes Eijirou, his own betta mermaid, won't mind the new addition.
- - -
Eijirou happily swims around his tank after his owner leaves. He hums to himself as he carefully rearranges a leaf into a better spot. He can see the TV light through his water, though the image is blurred. His owner is very kind and leaves on the TV playing different shows or movies for Eijirou, so he doesn't get bored. All he has to do is swim up to the edge of the tank that has a little ledge for him to sit on so he can watch the shows. His ledge is very simple, a smooth surface, with soft moss stretched over it. It's nothing elaborate but Eijirou loves it.
The front door opening and being slammed shut startles him. Eijirou whips around in his tank swimming to the front of it to see what's going on. His owner, Izuku, is back way too soon. Did he forget something? Eijirou watches with wide curious eyes as Izuku quickly shuffles his shoes off and runs over to the counter where Eijirou's tank sits. Concerned Eijirou, swims and hauls himself up onto his little ledge.
He watches as Izuku places a small jar not far from his tank. Squinting, Eijirou leans over the edge of his tank trying to get a closer look. He can't help but let out a gasp when he sees another betta mermaid laying at the bottom of the jar his owner set down. The other mermaid was thin with many scratches over his skin and scales, but he was the prettiest thing Eijirou had ever laid his eyes on.
"Hey Eijirou I hope you don't mind but I need some of your water for our new friend over here okay? I promise to put more in your tank, but I know your water is healthy and it will help him." Izuku tells him, as he approaches the mer's tank.
Eijirou just nods fast, moving his red fantail up completely on the ledge to make it easier for his owner. Watching as Izuku fills the large cup up with water from his tank. Izuku places Eijirou's cleaning tank down on the counter next to the jar holding the other mermaid, putting the water from the tank in it. The process repeats a few times until the cleaning tank is halfway full. With the last cup of water Izuku carefully and slowly starts pouring that into the small jar.
"Thank you Ei, sorry about that though. I found the poor thing sitting outside in this jar and well I couldn't leave him."
Nodding in agreement, Eijirou watches as the other mermaid starts to move a bit. Lifting up his blonde head, glaring at Izuku before turning his attention to him. Scarlet eyes met his carmine,and though he couldn't hear the other mer, Eijirou watched as his lips pulled pack into a hiss. Anger and hurt cross that beautiful face as the other mer curls into himself trying to hide unsuccessfully.
"Okay, okay sorry little guy." Izuku speaks calmly before moving away from them, only to return a few seconds later with a long black lid.
"I know you are curious about him, Eijirou, but he's scared and male bettas don't typically get along." Izuku tells him before leaning the black lid on the side of his tank effectively blocking the redhead's view of the other mer.
Pouting Eijirou sinks back down into his tank. He swims around hopeful that maybe somehow he can see the other beautiful mermaid again but all he can see is Izuku as his own works next to his tank most likely with the new mermaid. He continues to pout as his owner even when Izuku refills the water in his tank and gives him a treat of brine shrimp. Of course Eijirou doesn't refuse the shrimp but he makes sure to give Izuku big, sad eyes along with his pout.
Izuku just smiles at him and shakes his head with a chuckle, before looking over past the barrier with a small frown. With a sigh Izuku straightens up before grabbing his things and leaving once again. After a few minutes Eijirou swims back up to his ledge, climbing up on it once again.
He tries to look over it but he can't out of fear of falling out of his tank. With a heavy sigh Eijirou just sits there with a frown. Then it hits him, just because he can't see the other mer doesn't mean he can't hear him. He'll just have to speak loud enough and hope for the best.
"Hey!" He calls out cheerfully
Silence
"I don't know if you can hear me, but my name is Eijirou. It's really nice to meet you!"
Silence again.
"Either way I am very happy to have you here. I don't know your story or what happened to you but I hope you feel better soon. Being in a jar like that can not be fun, I can't even imagine it. Anyways I hope we can be friends." He can't help but smile at the thought of having a friend.
Eijirou continues to ramble on with no response from the other side until Izuku comes home. Little does he know for most of the time as he rambled and explained the plot of his favorite show the other mer glared at the lid blocking their view of each other with only the top of his head sticking out of the water so he could hear every word.
When Izuku arrived back home some time later, Eijirou happily swam and did little flips under the water before swimming back to the top to greet his owner as usual with a little wave and happy trills. The green haired man smiled at him, gently patted his head with a single finger.
"Hey buddy." Izuku greets him back before looking over past the barrier at what Eijirou can only assume is the other mer before letting out a sigh of relief "Oh good you're alive. I was worried all day about you little guy."
Eijirou's eyes widened, he didn't think the other mer was that bad off for his owner to worry about him not making it. Tears fill his eyes at just the thought of the pretty mermaid next to him having passed while Eijirou just talked about a stupid show. He couldn't help but sob at the thought which got Izuku's attention once again.
"Oh Ei what's wrong sweetheart?" Izuku asks, reaching his hand out towards him. Eijirou quickly wraps his tiny arms around one of Izuku's fingers, hugging it tightly, and wipes his teary face on it
Even when he isn't upset Izuku has a hard time understanding what Eijirou is saying even though Eijirou learned how to speak the same language as humans from a young age, because he was so small he naturally spoke at a higher octave that humans couldn't hear well. So Eijirou didn't try to say exactly knowing it would all just come up as choked up sobs.
"Is it because you don't like the new betta mermaid?" Izuku asks softly.
Eijirou quickly shakes his head no.
"Okay, is it because of what I said about thinking our new friend might not have made it?"
Eijirou nods, letting out another choked sob, finally looks up at Izuku with teary eyes, hoping his owner will reassure him that the new mermaid was okay.
"Oh, you are so sweet, Eijirou. Our new friend is doing okay, not as good as he could be but he's swimming around a bit. I'm going to get him a new bigger tank tomorrow. But this barrier will have to stay up, he's very stressed and even hissing at me. Even with you being so sweet I don't want instincts to kick in and have you two trying to fight each other and hurt yourself from banging on the glass okay?" Izuku tells him while gently petting his head again while Eijirou still clings on to his finger.
"Okay." Eijirou squeaks out even if he doesn't agree. He is sure that he's going to be friends with the other mermaid.
- - -
Katsuki listens to the weird freckled freak as he talks to the red and black mermaid he saw earlier when the freak brought him in. He had said his name was Eijirou during his rambling and that the humans name is Izuku or Deku or something like that. Katsuki didn't care, it was only a matter of time until this human stopped caring about him. Just like they all did. So he just sits under the water so he can't hear them anymore, back turned to them as he tries his best to his under the plant the human has put in the bowl with him.
At least this bowl was bigger than the jar and the plant was soft and didn't scratch him like the coral did. Part of him hoped that he would get a tank like Eijirou had but he shoved that thought down quickly. It was stupid to hope for something like that. This human would get bored with him or hate his attitude and throw him back outside just like the other owner did. It was always the same.
There was a time, when he was a guppy, he admired humans but that lesson was quickly learned. Once he was demend old enough though they separated him from his mother, placed him into a small plastic cup, threw that cup into a box and shipped him off. Next thing he knew his little cup was being placed next to other betta mermaids in similar cups all lined up in a row. The mermaid to his right constantly flaring up at him and hissing and the one on his left just laid at the bottom of the cup and barely moved.
It was boring, hard to breathe, and the water in the cup quickly got gross. It was horrible and Katsuki had no idea how long he sat in that cup, he just got angier each day. He started hissing at people when they picked up his cup, which always had them putting him down. It wasn't until a new brown haired round faced new worker started that Katsuki got a little hopeful.
She didn't put him down when he hissed at her, she made sure to feed him regularly along with the other mermaids being kept there, and she stayed late to carefully change everyone's water at the end of the day. Round Face or Ochako, but Katsuki liked calling her Round Face more, also talked to them. She seemed to especially like talking to Katsuki, calling him her little firecracker.
"One day, once I have enough money saved I promise I'll get you out of here and into a really nice tank, Katsuki." she would tell him while she let him sit in his cup next to her as she changed everyone's water for the night. "I just wish I could take all of you out of here."
Katsuki continued to hiss and keep his fins tucked in to not show off his colors at other people who picked him up. Not out of fear or hate like he used to, but because he wanted to go home with Round Face one day, just like she promised. She even came over to show him the ten gallon tank she saved up to get him once she purchased it with excitement. He grinned up at her, he couldn't wait.
"I just need to get the flitter, rocks, plants, and water conditioner now! Then I'll just have to get you! Just a few more weeks Katsuki!" She said, squeezing the tank close to her as she jumped up and down in excitement.
He should have known better than to hope.
The next day Ochako was off and it was a normal boring day. Katsuki sat with his back against the cup ignoring the humans as they walked. It wasn't until he was suddenly jostled around his cup did he flare up and look at who had just picked him up. A blue haired human with skin peeling off his lips was holding his cup and running with him. Right past workers and customers alike. The human was grinning and laughing as he ran out the door not caring as Katsuki was sloshed around the cup hitting his head against the sides and lid.
"NO!" He growled and banged his fist against the cup at this thief, who either didn't hear Katsuki or just ignored him. The human rounded a corner and now Katsuki had no idea where he was. All he knew was that he would never see Round Face again and his hopes of having a nice tank to call home were shattered. There was no way that this human who looked like he could barely take care of himself would take care of him.
Katsuki almost laughed when he realized how right he was. The human, Shigaraki as his friends called him, Katsuki decided he was going to call him Crusty, had been dared by those friends to steal a mermaid from the store simply out of boredom. So as soon as Crusty brought Katsuki to his home, Katsuki was just dropped into a jar. With nothing in it at all. Despite his curses, hisses and growls he was ignored completely.
One of Crusty's friends, a blond girl with space buns, ended up dropping a fake piece of what she called coral into the jar a few days later. She laughed when the sharp coral cut his tail, Katsuki hissed and bared his teeth at her, but it just made her laugh even more.
"There that should spruce up the place for him! What do you think of it, Shiggy?" She giggled pulling Crusty off the couch for once making him look at her 'improvement'.
"It's whatever, don't really care about that dumb thing, he probably won't survive a week." Crusty groans and walks away. Out of pure spite, Katsuki decided he was going to survive. Despite the poor water conditions, lack of food and uncomfortable coral rock, he was going to live in spite of that bastard.
It has been months now, maybe even close to a year. Space buns was the only one who remembered to feed him and sometimes she changed his water. Crusty continued to ignore him which was fine by Katsuki. Until one day Crusty decided to feed the mermaid himself. The idiot stuck his nasty fingers in Katsuki's water,and Katsuki finally got his long awaited revenge. Instantly the blond mer shot up from the bottom of the glass and bit down as hard as he could on the nearest finger.
Crusty flung his finger making Katsuki hit the glass before tumbling down and hitting the coral as well. The coral tore his fins and skin but he didn't care, it was worth it to get that bastard back for stealing him and keeping him in this jar for so long.
"You little shit!" Crusty shouted as he inspected his finger that Katsuki bit. The betta mer continued to just grin at Crusty, even letting himself chuckle for the first time in a while.
"Oh you think that's funny? Let's see how funny you find this." Crusty grinned right back as he lifted up the jar and walked towards the door.
Katsuki's face fell instantly,his heart beating heavily in his chest thinking the worst.
"See how you like being an outside fish now. Maybe something will come and eat you or maybe you'll die from the heat as your water boils around you. Guess we will see! Bye bye asshole." Crusty says as he places the jar on an old grill that is sitting by some stairs outside, waving bye at Katsuki as he walks back inside. Leaving the mermaid outside as the sun starts to set.
Even with night fall it is still hot and muggy, a sticky film sets on top of the water in the jar, making it harder to go up for air since there was no oxygen in this water at all. Eventually Katsuki just gets tired and falls to the bottom of the jar. Only swimming up when he absolutely needs air. When the sun rises again the water starts to get hotter, the temperature around him quickly rising.
'This is it' Katsuki thinks before closing his eyes 'I'm actually going to die in this stupid jar.'
He lets himself dream of what could have been if Ochako was able to get him sooner or if Crusty had never stolen him. He lets out a heavy sigh but smiles at the thought. His smile turns into a frown though when he feels the jar being moved. Opening his eyes he sees a green haired human covered in freckles carefully taking him up the stairs. Katsuki can't find it in him to care though.
It does feel nice when fresh water is poured into the jar, even though the water smells like another mermaid. The smell was really nice too, like seagrass and sunlight. That intrigued him enough to look around only to be met with two tiny crimson eyes staring back at him in wonder. The other mermaid's tank was beautiful and lush green from what Katsuki could see, just like the betta mer looking right back at him. But then the human was pouring more water slowly into the jar which made him hiss.
He could see that the hiss startled the other mermaid as he backs away slightly and that causes the human to put a black lid between the beautiful mer and Katsuki. The human mumbled something that Katsuki couldn't hear still in shock of his whole new ordeal.
Eventually the human carefully placed Katsuki into a new tank. It was small and round, the human called it a cleaning tank, but it was better than the jar. The coral was gone, instead there was a single fake plant in the center of it which was very soft. Katsuki still glared at this new human though until he left. Settling down a bit, Katsuki tried to rest knowing he'd need his strength, not knowing what's next. Until he heard a soft sweet voice talking, it was muffled under the water so Katsuki swam up until his head and ears were just above the water. He stayed there and listened as Eijirou talked the whole day.
- - -
Eijirou happily swam between his plants chasing the cleaner shrimp in his tank. He wouldn't hurt them but it was so much fun to chase them. They scuttled away as he lazily swam behind them, only stopping to peek through his tank glass to try and see what Izuku was doing.
Today he had watched as his owner brought in a new tank, more rectangular and wider than his but also much shorter.
Izuku had told him it was the same size as his tank, just a different shape. It was going to be their new friend's home. Earlier Izuku had even snipped some of his plants' babies off to be planted in the new aquarium.
After that Eijirou couldn't see what was happening. Izuku kept the barrier up as he worked. The only thing Eijirou could see was Izuku's side. So he lets out a huff before continuing to chase his shrimp friends. Eventually they hide in the mouth of the dragon decoration that's in the middle of his tank, ending Eijirou's fun. Frowning, the redhead decided it was time for a nap. He found his favorite leaf that was closest to the light and surface of the water before curling up there and falling asleep.
Eijirou was having a wonderful dream, he was chasing the other mermaid in the next tank over, and they were laughing. It was wonderful. Unfortunately he was awoken rudely by a splash sounding in his tank. Sitting up, the red head trying to figure out what caused that splash when suddenly it happens again. He watches with his eyebrows knit together as a small pebble sink towards the bottom. Confused,but cautious Eijirou carefully peeks his head above his water, just in time to watch as another pebble flies over the barrier landing right in his tank just barely missing his long fins.
"Hey!" He shouts a little annoyed at the new mermaid rudely interrupting his nap and almost hitting him in the process "Can you please stop throwing things in my tank?"
A few seconds tick by in silence before the other mermaid talks, his voice is rough and strained like he hasn't used it in awhile. "Well you couldn't hear me when I was yelling so I resorted to other means to get your attention, shitty hair!"
"Excuse you, my hair is not shitty!" Eijirou retorts a bit offended "besides I was napping under water of course I wouldn't have heard you. What do you want anyways?"
There was another beat of silence before some mumbling came from the other side of the bearer that Eijirou couldn't quite make out. With a frown he yells back with a roll of his eyes "I can't hear you, you will have to speak up!"
"Fuckin! Nevermind then!" Comes that same angry voice
"Wait!" Eijirou shouts and when he doesn't hear a splash he knows the other mer stayed. "Come on man, look I know I was cranky when I first responded to you just now, but I really do want to be your friend. Looks like you need a friend too. Let's start over okay?"
Eijirou kept his voice loud but as calm as possible hoping to not frighten the other as he continued to talk. "My name is Eijirou, I'm a fan tailed betta mer, and I love funny cat videos Izuku plays for me on the TV at times."
There is a small groan from the other side "My name is Katsuki, I'm a crowntail betta mermaid, and my life sucks. I refuse to believe I will be here long despite this fancy tank shitty Deku put me in."
Eijirou frowns at Katsuki's words, he hates that the beautiful mer doubted he was safe. "I don't know what you've been through and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve the bad things that happened to you, but I promise Izuku is great. You'll be safe here. I've lived here for a long time and Izuku has always taken great care of me and I know he'll take great care of you too."
"Are you fucking pitying me?!" An angry growl comes from Katsuki
Eijirou admittedly is a bit taken aback but quickly shakes his head, and chuckles at the other mer's words. "Pitying isn't the right word. If anything I think you're incredibly strong and manly for surviving whatever happened to you."
There was a long pause of silence. Eijirou frowned, worried he offended Katsuki with his words and drove the other mer away. Until he heard a soft 'tch' followed by "Idiot."
Eijirou couldn't help but smile at the other's words, feeling his heart swell with affection for the other. He really wishes he could see Katsuki's face right now. All he can imagine is that soft round face with puffed up red cheeks as those beautiful scarlet eyes glaring at the barrier.
"Can you just talk again like you did yesterday? Tell me about yourself or whatever." An angry mumble came from Katsuki's side
At that Eijirou can't help but laugh, he laughs so hard his sides start to hurt. Until Katsuki angrily yells "Hey don't laugh at me asshole!"
"Sorry, sorry, just you are so cute,but angry that was a bit unexpected. But sure, I'll talk to you for as long as you want me to." Eijirou grins from ear to ear as he hears soft curses from the other side.
So that's how they spend their day and the next few days afterwards. Eijirou sits on his ledge, just talking about anything he can think of, answering any of Katsuki's questions and enjoying having each other's company. They would talk until Izuku came home, which is when Katsuki would go and hide, refusing to come out til the next morning when Izuku would leave for work or errands. He didn't even come out when Izuku would feed them. Eijirou wanted to ask why but also didn't want to upset Katsuki.
- - -
Talking to Eijirou everyday was the highlight of Katsuki's life. For once he didn't feel unsafe,judged, or even have his fighting instinct kick in. It was relaxing and Eijirou's voice soothed him. If it wasn't for that damn nerd Katsuki would never let the redhead stop talking. Strangely even though his fighting instincts weren't kicking in with talking to another male betta mer everyday, others were. Like right now in the middle of the night instead of sleeping his instincts were screaming at him to build a bubble nest. So that's what he was doing.
All night Katsuki carefully blew and placed the most perfect bubbles he could. Placing them on the other side of the tank opposite of the ledge he sat on to talk to Eijirou. Right above the tall plant that had been placed in there. He has never seen or even built one before but he was going to make sure it was the best bubble nest ever. The whole time he built he couldn't help but think of soft crimson eyes, and bright red hair.
Katsuki even completely ignored Deku as he continued to build his bubble nest into the morning. He knew the human was watching but since he was almost done it didn't matter, it only mattered that he completed the best. It wasn't until Eijirou's soft voice called out his name did he stop building. He gave it one quick look over to make sure it was all perfect and sound before surfacing to climb up onto his ledge. He lets out a loud sigh which alerts Eijirou that he has surfaced and can hear him fully now.
"Good morning Katsuki!" Eijirou's chirps
"Yeah, yeah good morning to you too." Katsuki says trying to sound uninterested, even though his finned ears twitched with happiness at the sound of Eijirou's voice.
His heart flutters as Eijirou laughs from the other side, cheeks warming as he wonders what it would be like to actually see the other laugh. Once again he wonders if he has the strength to push the stupid lid away. Instead he glares at the offending plastic with a pout.
"Hey Katsuki, mind if I ask you a question and you don't have to answer it if you don't want to?" Eijirou ask his voice soft
"Depends on what it is." Katsuki grumbles in response
"Okay," Eijirou takes an audible deep breath before asking "What was your life like before Izuku found you? Again you don't have to tell me at all, I just want to know more about you."
Katsuki takes a deep breath thinking for a few minutes. He can hear Eijirou's tail splashing nervously into his water, while he waits for Katsuki's answer.
"Look, I will tell you but it's a lot." Katsuki says letting out a sigh, he knows Eijirou won't pity him, but there is a lot to go over. "So don't interrupt me until I'm done, you hear me!"
"Understood!" Eijirou shouts back before instantly going silent.
After another deep breath Katsuki starts talking. From the crowded tank he was born in, to the tiny cup on a rack at the pet store, Cheeks, being stolen, and living in the awful jar for a year with Crusty. Eijirou remained silent through it all as promised.
"That's about it. Nothing glamorous. I'm sure you went through something similar at least with the pet store stuff, so it sucks. But I survived it because I'm the best and refused to die in a stupid jar." Katsuki ends his story with that.
There is complete silence from the other side. Katsuki waits a few minutes biting his lip. Did he scare Eijirou away somehow? Did Eijirou think less of him? Fuck, he should have just told the idiot to mind his own business. Now here he is without a friend once again. All those thoughts quickly came to a halt though when the plastic lid between their tanks started to move.
"What the? Eijirou? What are you doing?!" Katsuki demanded back away from his ledge, a bit unsure what's going on.
Still there was no response, just more wiggling of the lid. After a few more minutes, Katsuki watched the lid with a glare, ready to jump into his water in case something came crashing down into his tank. When a flash of red caught his eye at the very top, and two small hands clinged to the ledge, claws digging into the plastic as those hands strained and lifted up red hair.
"What are you doing?!" Katsuki shouts as Eijirou's face peaks up over the lid now. His face is completely red matching his hair, sharp teeth gritting together as Eijirou lifts himself up.
"After that" Eijirou says between his pants "you deserve a hug!"
With that Eijirou pulls the rest of the top half of his body up, leaning forward. As he carefully looks down. Katsuki watches holding his breath as he watches this crazy mermaid continue to lean forward as far as his arms will let him, while still holding on to the plastic, before Eijirou just lets go and falls straight into Katsuki's tank.
Immediately Katsuki jumps into the water once Eijirou lands in it. Part of his brain tells him that he should attack the other betta mer for daring to enter his tank, but Katsuki quickly shoves that thought down. He's actually more worried that Eijirou is injured from a fall like that. Luckily it doesn't take him long to reach the other. Only pausing when he gets only a few centimeters away.
Eijirou is there swimming in pace right in front of him. No longer is he just the pretty mermaid from the other tank that Katsuki barely got to see when he first arrived and has listened to everyday sense. He's here and up close even more beautiful than Katsuki could ever imagine.
Chin length red, a soft, kind handsome face, with the tiniest scar above his right eyes, and the prettiest tail Katsuki has ever seen on another mermaid. Eijirou's fins were full, fan like as they flared out in the water keeping Eijirou in one place as the other stared back at Katsuki's as well. Red shimmering scales that faded into black, truly breathtaking. The urge to add more bubbles to his nest suddenly grew. They stayed there, carefully treading the water to stay in one spot as they studied each other.
"Hi" Eijirou finally broke the silence
"Hey" Katsuki responded, willing the redness that was creeping up behind his ears to disappear.
"Is it ok if I-?" Eijirou asks slowly, raising up his arms towards Katsuki, careful to not come off as aggressive.
Instead of responding Katsuki just swims straight forward as fast as he can without even thinking. His body just moved and moved him straight into Eijirou's waiting arms. There was a soft ompf from Eijirou but no protest as Katsuki wrapped his own arms around Eijirou's neck, as Eijirou carefully wrapped his own arms around Katsuki waist. Their tails intertwined as well.
For once in his life Katsuki truly felt safe.
- - -
Walking quickly up the stairs with many bags in hand, Izuku carefully balanced everything to the best of his abilities as he fished out his keys from his pockets. He had been out all day shopping for himself and his two mermaids. He stopped by Fat Gum's pet store to get much needed supplies. Taishiro always loved seeing pictures of Eijirou and always asked how the red mermaid was doing. The man was also very helpful in getting Izuku everything he needed for Katsuki, he had learned the mer's name from Eijirou, at a reasonable price too. Even though Shoto had offered to pay for everything. He still wasn't used to his boyfriend being so rich.
Opening the door, Izuku sets everything down, placing his food away first before grabbing the package of blood worms he got and heads over to Eijirou's tank. He's a little surprised when the redhead doesn't immediately pop up to say hello as always but maybe he's asleep. Izuku gently taps on the glass. After a few minutes and still no sign of Eijirou, Izuku starts to panic. Reaching his hand in moving plants and the flitter only to see little shrimp scurrying away with no signs of Eijirou.
Izuku started to panic more, there was no way Eijirou jumped out of his tank. The betta mermaid was always so happy, and very healthy. His heart drops, as he looks over, seeing tiny claw marks in the plastic lid that separated the mermaids from seeing each other. Tears are already gathering in his eyes as he steps back expecting the worst. A blood filled tank with one or both of his precious mermaids floating at the top.
Though as he looks over at the tank Izuku is greeted with clear water. The grass in the tank softly swaying as the flitter continues to pump the cycles water back into the tank. Izuku scans the tank slowly. From the side where Katsuki's ledge sits all the way to the other far corner of the tank. His eyes widening at the sight that greets him.
On top of the water sits probably the biggest bubble nest Izuku has ever seen. It took up the majority of that corner. Slowly he bends down just a bit to be met with an even more shocking sight. There sitting on the biggest leaf of the cherry leaf plant, curled up together was Eijirou and Katsuki. Katsuki was resting his head on Eijirou's chest with his eyes closed peacefully. Their tails wire wrapped together hanging off the leaf, as Eijirou held the blonde close to him, his eyes soft as he watched Katsuki sleep. Neither of them noticed Izuku.
Izuku's jaw dropped, unbelieving what he was seeing before him. Taking out his phone he snaps a picture of the two making sure he wasn't crazy. Two male betta mermaids in a tank, cuddling, not a spec of blood anywhere as they peacefully held each other. It was unheard of. Sure sorority tanks were a thing, his friend Ochako has one, with all female betta mermaids. Blinking and rubbing his eyes, Izuku looks again to make sure his eyes aren't playing a trick on him. They weren't, so he sends the picture to Ochako to see what she says.
Within ten minutes of the text being sent there were loud, frantic knocks on his door. Izuku immediately jumps and so do Eijirou and Katsuki, who he hasn't taken his eyes off of. The two mermaids look up at him, Eijirou with a smile and Katsuki with a scowl before they all look towards the door, which was currently taking a beating by whoever was knocking on it. Izuku makes his way over the door, opening it just a crack only to be instantly knocked on his ass when Ochako just barges in.
"Where is he!!!" Ochako yells at Izuku before grabbing him by the collar of the shirt, lifting him up. Since when was Ochako so strong?
"Whoa Ochako calm down. Who are you talking about?" Izuku asks, very confused as to why his friend was acting this way.
"My little firecracker! The one you sent a picture to me off. Also we need to separate them now! I don't care if they haven't killed each other yet. Their instinct can kick in and they can start fighting at just the slightest wrong movement.!" Ochako says as she looks around before spotting the tanks. She drops Izuku back onto the floor, and runs over to the tank.
"Hey wait a second! Firecracker? Are you talking about Katsuki? He's the one you were going to buy before he got stolen?!" Izuku yells back at Ochako getting up off the ground. He walks over to where Ochako is standing now.
She has her face very close to the tank, one finger pressed to the glass as Katsuki on the other side looks back at her eyes wide, with a smirk across his face. They stay there looking at each other as Eijirou sits back on the same leaf from earlier, watching them with a smile. Izuku just stands there shifting from one foot to the other, unsure what to do.
"Hey little Firecracker." Ochako whispers softly. Katsuki's grin wideness waving his hand in greeting.
Izuku stands next to Ochako, with a sigh he reaches his hand down into the tank letting his finger barely touch the water. Both mermaids surface at this. Looking at him confused, angry too in the case of Katsuki, looks.
"Come on Eijirou, let's get you back to your tank." Izuku tells them softly, moving his hand towards the redhead.
That movement was instantly met with Katsuki surging forward and biting the nearest finger to him. Causing Izuku to yelp in pain, pulling back his hand. He looks back to see Katsuki wrapping his arms around Eijirou's neck, ear fins pinned to the side of his head, as Katsuki hisses at Izuku. Eijirou trills, followed by so coos as he pets Katsuki's head in a soothing manner. Ochako and Izuku share the same shocked look when Katsuki instantly relaxes into Eijirou. What was especially shocking was the soft kiss Eijirou places on Katsuki's lips before pulling him closer.
"I don't think they want to be separated, Ochako." Izuku says, unable to help the smile that creeps across his face as Eijirou nods up at him giving Izuku an approving smile before sinking back below the water with Katsuki.
"I think so too. But wow is that rare, unheard of I believe." She mumbles moving away from the tank to sit on Izuku's couch. Izuku follows her. They sit together shifting between talking and watching the tank.
"Even more unbelievable is the fact that I'm getting to see Katsuki again. I thought after that day that would never happen." Ochako whispers, looking sadly at the tank as she talks "but I'm glad you found him and gave him such a wonderful home, Izu."
"I am too" Izuku agrees "though I'm definitely going to have to get a bigger tank. Maybe I will let Sho buy that one for me."
Art by Mintmaru24 on twitter