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“The sea is emotion incarnate. It loves, hates, and weeps. It defies all attempts to capture it with words and rejects all shackles. No matter what you say about it, there is always that which you can't.”
― Christopher Paolini, Eragon
The ocean air fills Bakugou’s lungs and sweeps his hair out of his face. The sun shines in all its glory, blinding and merciless, as its rays seep through his white long-sleeved shirt. His biceps and lower back are starting to burn with the effort of rowing the simple boat he's on. He guesses 2 hours have passed by now, based on how tiny the dock and its town look. Thankfully, the sea is calm today, allowing his travel to be easier than at other times.
Bakugou rows, and rows, and rows, until the town looks minuscule and he can appreciate the sea stacks in all their glory. He stops in the middle of the sea, making sure the oars are locked in place to the rigger so he doesn't lose them in the ocean. Bakugou throws the Danforth anchor over the bow and, once he feels it’s reached the bottom, he sits back down to set it, rowing away from it until the boat jerks to a stop. He lets the movement of the boat settle before standing, stretching his back, arms, and legs.
The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore has dimmed down to almost nothing now that he is far away. Seagulls fly over Bakugou’s head, close enough that he can feel the flapping of their wings, which makes him jerk his head down in instinct. They chirp almost mockingly at the blonde, continuing their destination towards the dock where they will no doubt steal fish from the market nearby.
With one last irritated huff, Bakugou contemplates the endless blue before him. A tiny smile adorns his face as he raises his fingers to his mouth and whistles as hard and loud as he can. He knows he doesn’t necessarily have to—what with Eijirou’s acute hearing—yet he still worries that the redhead won’t hear him over the sounds the depth of the ocean makes. He sits back down, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the hem of his shirt and pulling his baggy trousers up to his calves.
And now, all Bakugou has to do is wait.
He inhales deeply, muscles relaxing despite the heat that threatens to overtake him. The ocean had always been his primary source of comfort; there was something about the salt water that kept him coming back each time. The crashing waves calmed his mind and the cold water never failed to bring his racing thoughts to a halt, but what he loved the most was how mysterious it was. There were too many wonders to be discovered, too much beauty in its coral reefs and its fauna. The diversity in its wildlife never ceased to amaze Bakugou. He had read almost every single book and scientific paper that had been published about recent discoveries in the oceans. Plants, animals, caves, shipwrecks, underwater volcanoes, everything fascinated him.
The ocean was his second home.
A sudden movement in front of him catches Bakugou’s attention. He barely has time to grin when a large, maroon fin breaks the surface of the water, the ripples that follow it growing in speed as the fin disappears underwater again. Bakugou braces himself for the ruckus he knows is coming.
Eijirou leaps out of the water, vaulting high over Katsuki’s head, the shadow of his body covering the blonde entirely. Bakugou can’t help the soft gasp he lets out at the altitude Eijirou can reach—he almost looks like he’s suspended in the air. The splash when he dives to the other side is big enough to make Katsuki’s boat sway harshly, but he doesn’t care when he can see Eijiriou repeat the jump. Bakugou’s loud chuckle bounces off the water ripples that Eijirou’s jumps cause. With one more jump over his head, Bakugou receives a happy clicking noise in return, before Eijirou disappears into the water once more.
“I get three jumps today? You must’ve really missed me, huh?” Bakugou can’t help how smug he feels, grin growing by the second. The rocking finally comes to a sway, when Eijirou’s head pops near the side of the boat. Eijirou lets out a series of happy clicking noises that always remind Bakugou of dolphins and a series of trills that he has learned to recognize as Eijirou’s excitement.
The merman is smiling, wide and beautiful, sharp teeth on full display as his ruby-red eyes shine with contentment. His red locks stick to his forehead and the sides of his face now that his head is out of the water. Bakugou can see the faint white stripes that start at Eijirou’s shoulder and go down his body, covering his tail completely. Katsuki can glean the outline of his dorsal fin as Eijirou moves his tail around to stay in place. He leans over the boat, reaching down to swipe the merman’s bangs out of his forehead. That earns him a happy click. Kirishima leans into the touch as he closes his eyes and Bakugou can’t help but giggle delightedly at the reaction.
“‘Suki! You’re back!” Eijirou places his hand on the edge of the boat, pushing himself up, the sheer force of him making it sway. This allows Bakugou to see the webbing between his hands, the stretch of them showing the tiny veins on them. His fingernails are sharp and pointed, probably meant for tearing through his prey and making it easy to eat. Eijirou frowns at him with a little pout. “You took too many sun eaters.” It was clearly a reprimand, for it had been almost a week since Bakugou had come to see him.
Bakugou can’t help the snort that comes out of him at the phrasing and Eijirou’s frown deepens, openly glaring at Katsuki for laughing at him. He was still learning human language and concepts, so he tended to mix his wording from what he was able to understand. Katsuki had to explain to him the concept of days passing—since in the depths of the ocean there wasn’t really a difference between night and day—so the easiest way Katsuki thought of teaching him this was by using the sun as reference. Once it disappeared over the horizon, a day had passed. Katsuki had used the word ‘eat’ by accident when he’d explained it the first time, so now Eijirou fully believed the ocean ate the sun in order for days to pass. It was honestly endearing to Katsuki.
“Yeah, sorry I took so long.” Eijirou shakes his head, almost as if to say it doesn’t matter anymore. He gives Katsuki another smile that makes his eyes crinkle, and from this close Bakugou can appreciate the slit of his pupils. “I had to work back in town for a while, but—” He turns around, looking for the tiny basket where he had stored all his food for the day. “—I brought you something I know you’re gonna like.”
He picks up the tiny bag Fat Gum had given him specially for Kirishima and takes one of the baked goods. Is a strange and, to human standards, disgusting combination. A muffing made out of vanilla, but stuffed with raw salmon and anchovies, and sprinkled with pepper flakes. He's glad FatGum is always willing to make the weirdest treats for him even when he doesn't know the full truth about Kirishima. He just thinks of the redhead as a very weird friend of Katsuki's. ‘Well, at least nothing gets wasted’, the big blonde man tells him with a joyous laugh every time Katsuki comes to pick up his weird food requests.
Kirishima immediately opens his mouth so Katsuki can feed it to him—he learned from last time that most human food dissolves in the water—and the moment the pastry hits his tongue, he's clicking loudly, a mix of human and animal noises that make Katsuki laugh, endeared.
Eijirou finishes swallowing and immediately opens his mouth for more. Katsuki feeds him small pieces as he talks, telling him all about his recent travels to nearby towns and explaining the concept of a party to the merman. Eijirou listens dutifully, paying attention to Katsuki's every word and paying special attention to his mouth so he can imitate the shapes when he speaks. Is how he learned Katsuki's language after weeks of the blonde speaking with him and only being able to respond back with animal noises. After that, Katsuki tried his best to teach him proper syntax and he's been learning ever since.
Eijirou's curiosity about the human world knows no bounds; that's how he got stuck in Katsuki's fishing net, in the first place. Swimming too close to the town, not knowing that if it had been any other person who found him thrashing in their nets, he would have been sent to a circus by now, or worse, eaten by the wealthy in one of their ostentatious parties.
When Katsuki helped him get back to the ocean, the merman had disappeared immediately, leaving only the imprints of his ginormous form on the sand. Katsuki had felt the whole event was a fever dream—a merman! In his net! If he told anybody without proof he would have been sent to the looney bin immediately, but the slimy film on his hands and his wet feet were proof enough that all of it was real.
The blonde thought that was it, that he would never see the merman again, the event would just become a vivid memory that confirmed how little we truly know about the ocean. Imagine his surprise when he found the same merman tangled in his net again the following week. It happens enough times that Katsuki suspects it is on purpose, and as much as he would like to indulge in seeing such a magnificent creature up close, it is too dangerous. So this time, before releasing him from the net, Katsuki sat down and gave the merman a good reprimand. He wasn't sure if the redhead understood him at all, but the way those bambi eyes stared at him in wonder, Katsuki hoped the worry in the tone of his voice was at least enough to keep the merman away for good. Katsuki had asked for the merman's name and in exchange he had received melodic syllables:
E I J I R O U
That's what Katsuki had pieced together from the strange song, so he baptized the merman with that name and let him go, hoping it would be the last time he saw him this close.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
The merman seemed to have grown attached to Katsuki, so the blond made him a deal: Katsuki would come to him instead. Eijirou appeared more than elated by the proposition and they shook hands on it. The rest is history.
Katsuki tries his best to visit Eijirou as much as he can, making sure to keep him far away from the town. He’s grown more fond of the merman, to the point he considers him a true friend and he will do anything in his power to keep him safe. Even if he has to row to the middle of the ocean to do so.
Eijirou makes a high-pitched noise of disappointment when Katsuki shakes the empty bag in his face. The blonde laughs, “I’ll make sure to tell Fat Gum you loved them.” Eijirou smiles and trills.
“He’s friend,” the merman says, licking his lips so as to not waste a single crumb from the pastry.
“Yeah, he’s amazing,” Katsuki agrees with a nod. Eijirou stands up and stretches, breathing salt and sizzling under the sun, his vibrant red hair and scales standing out like a sore thumb amidst all the azure. Katsuki quirks a playful eyebrow at his friend. “You got some space for me over there?”
Eijirou nods excitedly, happy clicks leaving his mouth and submerging enough to round the boat in fast circles. Katsuki wastes no time stripping off his shirt, doing a perfect dive into the chilly water. It instantly soothes his overheated skin and he just stays there for a second, suspended in time as he opens his eyes. Sunlight filters and dances over his pale skin, it flickers with the waves, its own natural version of twinkling Christmas lights. There is only darkness when he looks down, but the current of movement at his right makes him turn, coming face-to-face with Eijirou.
His hair looks even more beautiful down here, framing his face like a ruby halo, the sun hitting it just right to make its vibrancy ethereal. Even with his blurry vision, Bakugou can make out the way his gills move around his ribs and tail to give him the oxygen he needs. It’s easier now to see the true extent of the white stripes that cover his entire body and Katsuki is reminded once again of the similitudes Eijirou shares with tiger sharks, down to the shape of his powerful tail that swishes from side to side to maintain him stable. The redhead waves his hand excitedly, the webbing of his fingers making icy currents around him that make Katsuki shiver. He shows every single one of those pointed, dangerous teeth when he gives Katsuki a smile that could combat the sun in its brightness.
It hits Katsuki then, how Eijirou is supposed to be a fantasy. A mirage. Only alive in fairy tales and the mouths of sailors who tell cautionary tales of the treacherous sea. Yet, he’s here; alive and breathing underwater, flesh and animal all in one, a creature from the depths of the ocean who comes to the surface for a human’s company. Eijirou is smiling at Katsuki like he’s the one who is lucky to be in his presence. Katsuki wishes he could stay suspended in this moment, feeling as light as a feather, being able to admire Eijirou’s beauty forever, in the element that he’s supposed to shine the most. But he’s just a man and his human lungs burn for oxygen, forcing him to swim up and heave a breath the moment he breaks the water's surface.
Eijirou pops up after him, clicking loudly while he circles Katsuki. “Wanna race?” It's a dumb idea, Katsuki knows he’s unmatched when it comes to speed but Eijirou gets excited every time he suggests it, so he holds on to Kirishima’s fin and lets himself be dragged farther from the boat.
They race and, even though Katsuki knows he’s gonna lose, he gives it his all. His muscles and lungs burn with the strain, but he’s smiling through every stroke, nothing but blue and red in his vision. Being last is worth it when he can hear Kirishima chanting his name, cheering him on like he’s first place; chest burning and heart soaring, but so fucking happy he believes he will explode into fine sand, finally becoming one with the ocean.
Eijirou nuzzles his cheek with his own once he touches the boat. “You did it!” Katsuki giggles, fighting to catch his breath. “So fast!”
“I’ll take your word for it.” He smiles at the merman as he grabs the edge of the boat so he can just float there without much effort.
Eijirou’s smile turns wistful. He rests his head on Katsuki’s shoulder and sighs, “I missed you, ‘Suki.”
Katsuki lays his head on top of Ei’s, a tiny smile on his lips. “I missed you too, Ei.”
It’s a confession he wouldn't usually make, but Eijirou has always been an exception. He just brings out another side of Katsuki everytime they are together; softer, gentler, loving. Katsuki doesn’t feel any shame being seen by Eijirou. It’s one of the reasons he finds himself drawn towards the merman. There is something to be said about being experienced by another with such awe and wonder in their eyes.
He wishes he could blame something as supernatural as the hypnotic siren song the sailors would warn them about for the way he keeps returning to the middle of the ocean to have just a few hours with Eijirou. Something out of his control that would explain the gravitational pull he feels towards the merman. An external source he can accuse of dragging him into the water, leaving him no choice in the matter but to swim.
Katsuki can’t find a single excuse in his arsenal for how right it feels to be here.
Overhead the seagulls cry once again, announcing their departure from the town, having stolen enough to keep their bellies full for the day. They look briefly at the pair as they pass and Katsuki wonders if there is recognition in their amber gaze when they look at Ei, a sort of acknowledgment of a creature that exists despite its statistics. Eijiriou clicks at them and they caw back, continuing their flight towards the horizon, the sun reflecting over the small waves.
𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼
The next time Katsuki sees Eijirou, another week has passed. The sun is setting this time, painting the sky in watercolor tangerine, rose, and gold. The only reason he doesn't get reprimanded for making Eijirou wait so long is because the redhead is too busy talking his ear off, excited about some new human behavior he saw on a cruise. From the details, Katsuki could piece together that Eijirou had witnessed a couple being romantic towards each other.
“And then they… they…” Eijirou’s eyebrows furrow as he rummages about his brain for the word. He shakes his head and claps his hands together, mushing them from side to side, “did this with their face.”
Katsuki narrows his eyes at the motion, an entertained smile on his face, “They…kissed? Is that what you mean?”
“I don’t know! That’s why I’m telling you!” His gills flare in exasperation, his lips forming a cute pout. “She made that noise you make, the ‘hahaha’,” Bakugou snorts at the way Eijirou tries to imitate his laugh, “so she was jappy.”
“Happy,” Bakugou corrects with a smile.
“Happy, that.” Eijirou nods so hard that hair falls on his face. Katsuki pushes it back. “So what is that?”
“What they were doing?” The merman nods again. “Well, I think what you describe is kissing, but I’m not sure. I’ll bring you some photos next time to show you and you’ll tell me if that’s what you saw.” Eijirou trills at that, as the trinkets of the human world fascinate him. “But overall, I think they were in love.” Katsuki leans his cheek on the edge of the boat, running his fingers through Eijirou’s wet hair gently, the merman letting out small clicks from the touch.
“Lob?”
“Love.”
“What is that?” Eijiro blinks up at Katsuki, swimming closer so he can get better head scratches.
Bakugou huffs a laugh, “Ain’t that the question of the century?” Kirishima tilts his head to the side, scanning the blonde’s face. Katsuki bites his bottom lip in thought. “Remember when I taught you what ‘missing someone’ is?” The merman nods, listening attentively. “Well, that is something that can happen when you are in love. Love is a feeling, but it’s combined with other emotions.” Eijirou nuzzles into Katsuki’s palm, his way of asking for face caresses. Katsuki complies, softly tracing Eijirou’s cheekbones with the back of his fingers. The merman melts into the touch, closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh. “There are different types of love. There’s platonic love, family love, self-love, and romantic love like the one you saw that couple’s got. Well, I guess those are romantic gestures, but they’re a way of showing someone that you love them.”
“What is…cupul?”
“Couple. It’s when two people are in a romantic relationship with each other.” Kirishima hums, digesting the information. A beat passes before he speaks again.
“Is love good?”
“Yeah, it can be good. Can be very destructive too.”
“Dis…Distrac…Dis…”
“It just means really bad. Like… breaking something to the point of no repair. Like when you break the clams against a rock to eat them.”
“Oh… so… love… breaks clams?”
Katsuki laughs. “No, it breaks people like clams. Sometimes. Loving can be painful, but it’s also very beautiful. That’s why it's worth a shot most of the time.”
“Can I love?” Eijirou lets out a supple purr that makes the water around him vibrate when Katsuki scratches underneath his chin.
“I’m pretty sure anyone can love, so yeah.”
“But how do I know if I love?” EIjirou places his cheek on Katsuki’s palm, looking at him with bright, tender eyes.
“You mean the love you saw on the cruise?” The merman nods. Katsuki looks up at the orange sky like it will give him the answers. “Well, when you love someone, you want to see them all the time. When you see them, your whole day gets better and you feel happy. Your brain gets all mushy and your heart starts beating super fast when you’re near them.” He takes a glance at Eijirou; his pupils have expanded, eating away the red until it’s barely visible. Katsuki suddenly feels very aware of his body, his face starting to flush. He retrieves his hand from Kirishima’s face, returning his eyes to the sky and swallowing down the spark of nerves that randomly overtakes him. “Your stomach turns into knots and you might feel like you’re gonna pass out. It’s like… being trapped in a net, but you don’t want to get out.” Katsuki misses the way Kirishima nods wildly like he perfectly understands. “But love can also be… gentle. You feel safe with that person and you know they will be there for you, no matter what. They are calm waves after a storm. Solid and reliable like a coral reef. You can stare at them forever and never get tired of it. They become part of your world, the ‘star in your eyes’ or whatever that saying is… It's… hard to explain… I guess when you know, you know.”
Eijirou gasps and Katsuki barely has time to catch his bearings when the merman pulls the boat down by the edge. Katsuki’s grip on the edge slips, the movement almost sending him into the water.
Bakugou barks, “Ei, what the fu—?!” His words get stuck in his throat when he raises his gaze, Eijirou’s face inches away from his own. The merman’s eyes twinkle like bioluminescent water, his smile is so big it crinkles his gaze at the edges.
“‘Suki, I love you!”
Katsuki blinks rapidly, his face flaming the second the words register. He would never admit to the startled sound he makes as he stumbles back, falling on his ass and covering his mouth like that would help hide his blush.
“W-What—?!”
“I love you!” Eijirou repeats with the same enthusiasm, cocking his head to the side, and closing his eyes with joy. His tail wags, causing ripples behind him.
“N-No, I heard you the first time.” He shakes his head like that will help dissipate the heat in his cheeks. “Why would you even say that?” Katsuki tries to breathe through his nose in an attempt to calm his erratic heart. This is ridiculous! He doesn’t even know what he’s saying, idiot! Don’t get excited.
Eijirou just blinks dumbly at him. “Well, you said if I feel those things, then I love. And I feel those things with you!”
“That doesn’t mean you love me, dumbass!”
Eijirou huffs, looking slightly offended. “Yes, it does! You said it was love!” Bakugou opens his mouth to talk, but Eijirou interrupts him before he can utter a single syllable. “I don’t like when too many sun eaters pass because I miss you, and I feel happy when you come, and look—” Eijirou reaches for his hand and pulls Katsuki to him. The blonde fumbles again and catches himself before he leaves his teeth embedded in the wood. Eijirou places Katsuki’s hand on top of his heart, letting him feel the rapid thumping against his chest, ”—heart fast! So, it’s love! I love you!”
Katsuki can feel the heat steaming out the top of his head as he lays his forehead on the edge of the boat. His ears are burning and he’s sure he’s going to combust on the spot. “You’re such an idiot…” He murmurs, his voice barely audible to his own ears from the way blood pounds into them.
Eijirou leans closer, moving his head around to try and peek at the blonde’s expression, keeping his hold over Katsuki’s hand on his chest. “‘Suki? Are you okay?” Katsuki’s hum comes strained, Eijirou’s heartbeat quickening under his fingers at their proximity, every thump sending little jolts of electricity running through his body. “You look like my hair!” He comments cheerily.
Katsuki groans, curling over himself when he can feel the heat spread down to his neck. “Shut up.” Eijirou laughs, pressing his forehead to the crown of Katsuki’s head, clicking happily.
There is something to be said about the way Katsuki reacts to it all, the way his own heart seems to join Eijirou’s in a frantic drumline, energetic and loud in their chest, but synchronized in their chaos. The way his nerves come alive with joy, his whole body overheating over three simple words. But he doesn’t want to analyze that right now.
For now, for today, he can have this— Eijirou’s soft skin under his palm, his drum of a heart, the gentle sway of the boat in the ocean, the taste of sea salt on his tongue—and nothing more. He can worry about everything else tomorrow.
But for now, just for today, he can have this.
The sunset comes as a settled heart to the horizon, as if the sky itself could speak of love.
𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼
Katsuki comes back after three days. There’s an urgency to his strokes now, a string in the center of his chest that pulls him into the open sea. Although there is a knot in his stomach that he’s not able to get rid of, no matter how much he shakes his limbs. It even has him hesitating his whistle call, fingers trembling as he raises them to his mouth. He still does it, even if he has to make multiple attempts because his whistle keeps breaking.
He pulls out the album and Fat Gum’s dessert from the bags to keep his hands busy as he waits. It’s not long before he sees a fin peeking through the water and Eijirou pops out with the same excitement as always.
“‘Suki! Hi! Hi!” His clicks fluctuate in pitch, making the sound almost melodious. He raises his arms towards Katsuki, hands closed into fists. “Surprise!” He singsongs, shaking his head a little.
Bakugou laughs, “I can’t see the surprise if your hands are closed, Ei.”
“Oh.” He blinks and repeats his movement with the same enthusiasm, opening his hands this time to reveal a bundle of shiny rocks of different colors. “Surprise!”
Katsuki laughs again, taking the bunch of rocks in his hands to inspect them closer. “Thanks, Ei. They’re very beautiful. Look!” He raises what he’s sure to be an Agate near Eijirou’s face. “This one looks like you.” Eijirou chirps, delighted.
“For your…election!”
“My collection?” he corrects and Eijirou nods. “You remember that?” It was something he had said in passing, maybe twice; he didn’t think Eijirou was paying that much attention to it.
The merman nods again with a big smile. “You like?” His eyes sparkle in expectation.
Katsuki doesn’t bother hiding his endeared smile. “I love it. Thank you.” He reaches down to ruffle the merman’s hair and Eijirou giggles.
He points to the rocks still in Katsuki’s hand. “Tell their story!” He grabs the edge of the boat and pushes down on it enough so he can lay his cheek on it without losing sight of the blonde.
Katsuki goes one by one, explaining to Eijirou the difference between each rock and how they’re formed. Igneous rhyolites, basalt, gabbro, granite, obsidian, and pumice; sedimentary siltstone, conglomerate, and sandstone; metamorphic rocks like milky quartz, chert, chalcedony, amethyst; there are even different sizes and color variation of sea glass that, when lifted towards the sun, paint their skin in an array of greens and blues that remind Bakugou of the stained glass windows in churches.
The merman just ahh’s and ooh’s at every word that comes out of the blonde’s mouth. He asks questions and waits for explanations of the words he doesn’t understand, but most of all, he listens. Attentive eyes never leave Katsuki’s face, taking in every word like it’s fresh water and he has been thirsty all his life. It makes Katsuki a little nervous when he catches himself rambling about a specific rock for too long, making heat bloom in his cheeks.
Bakugou carefully wraps the rocks in a tiny towel and places them in one of the bags, picking up the album he had set aside. “I also brought you something.” Eijirou perks up at that, looking intensely at the album in the blonde’s hands. Katsuki scoots closer to Eijirou so he doesn’t have to pull the boat down as much, he opens the album and points to the first photos. “These are called photographs or photos, for short. They’re taken with a camera, but these are old photos, so they were taken with a disposable one. That’s why they look this way.” He thumbs at the slight yellow tint all the photos possess by now. “The newer cameras are way better.”
Eijirou gasps, pointing at an image on the bottom of the page. “Tiny ‘Suki!”
Bakugou laughs when he recognizes the photo Eijirou is referring to. It’s one of him as a child, probably around 4 years old. It’s very clear he’s trying to escape his crib, a tiny concentrated frown as he tries to raise one little leg over the slat, the soft fabric of his baby blue onesie making him slip. He’s more hair than baby, his distinctive blonde spikes sticking out in every direction.
“Yup, that’s me. And this one too.” He points to a picture of him and Masaru in the kitchen, his father teaching him how to make onigiri. Masaru looks at him with an adoring smile as he watches how Katsuki squeezes the rice ball too much, making it spill between the gaps of his fingers. “This is my dad.”
“Big ‘Suki?” Eijirou frowns, tilting his head in that adorable way he does when he’s confused. He interchanges his gaze between Katsuki and a picture of Mitsuki.
Katsuki snickers. “As if. That’s the hag.” Eijirou tilts his head to the other side. “My mom,” he clarifies, pulling up the album next to his face so Eijirou can see the comparison easier, “I’m a damned carbon copy. She lacks originality.” Katsuki rolls his eyes, but there’s a fondness to his tone that Eijirou has learned to recognize. He likes it when Katsuki speaks to him like that.
“Is my story here too?” Eijirou searches the pages, trying to find what he had seen at the cruise last time.
“Yeah, I think so.” Bakugou flips through the album until he finds the part that contains his parents’ wedding. There is a photo of them kissing by the cake, the extravagant veil of his mother taking most of the frame and the six tier cake has so many flowers it’s barely distinguishable. But the love and happiness of that day radiates from the picture, perfectly encapsulating one of the happiest days in his parents’ lives. “Is this what you saw?” Eijirou clicks and trills, nodding hard and fast. He stares at the picture with wonderment.
“Is that a kith?”
“A kiss. Yeah, that’s one type of kiss.”
“There’s more?!” Eijirou gapes at him, truly bewildered by this information. Bakugou tries not to laugh. Cute, his brain supplies over and over again.
“Yeah, there is. This one you can only give to your lover, though. Like the couple you saw on the boat.”
Eijirou ruminates with the information. There’s a deep purr that rumbles throughout his chest, one Bakugou can recognize as his Thinking Purr™. “Why kiss?”
“Because it’s a way of showing that person that you love them.” Eijirou perks up at that, grabbing at the edge of the boat to pull it closer to him again.
“Is for love?”
“Yeah, you kiss that way when you really love someone.”
Eijirou leans in, with an urgency to understand behind his starry eyes. “‘Suki, can everybody kiss?”
Bakugou scoffs. “Of course, it’s not like it’s hard. See?” He points at another picture of his parents, this one seems to be taken on their honeymoon, the beach behind them making the perfect backdrop for a romantic photo.
Eijirou doesn’t even glance at the picture, eyes fixated on Katsuki. “Does that mean I kiss too?”
Bakugou shrugs, closing the album and placing it where he knew it wouldn’t get wet. “If you wanted to, sure. I don’t see why not. You’re half-human anyways… at least, I think so.” He examines Eijirou’s form quickly. He’s essentially half-human half-shark, no? He could learn human customs, although it’s not like he knows any other humans to associate with.
“Is kiss like happy?” Bakugou frowns at him, silently telling him to explain a little bit more. So Eijirou does. “It’s in here?” He touches his own chest and that's when it clicks for the blonde.
“You want to know how it feels.” The merman nods, smiling, glad to be understood. “It can make you feel happy. And nervous—”
“What’s nurvus?”
“Nervous. It’s when your heart starts beating really fast and you feel tingly all over, you can’t breath well and you might start to sweat—ugh, I don’t think you know what sweat means… W-Whatever, it doesn’t matter! It’s another emotion, just like happy. That’s all you need to know. But yeah, when you kiss someone, usually people say you feel sparks and shit, or butterflies, or fireworks, that type of thing. It’s all in your, uh, stomach? You can feel it there, I guess.”
“Everyone kiss, yes?” Bakugou nods. “Can we kiss?”
Katsuki’s brain reboots. “W-What? Why do you even wanna do that?” Kirishima frowns at him like Katsuki is the one being dumb.
“‘Cause I love you,” he says it like it’s the simplest of things, like he’s not turning Katsuki’s world upside down, giving him one of the strangest gay panics of his life.
“I already told you: you don’t love me like that.” Bakugou blushes a strong cherry-red, avoiding Eijirou’s intense gaze.
The merman huffs, insulted. “Yes, I do! I will show you with kiss! Like your dad and mom. They love. I do, too!”
“You can’t just kiss me, Ei!”
“Why not?!”
Bakugou stutters at the insistence, “B-Because!”
There is truly no reason why they couldn’t. Is not like anyone is here to judge them. It’s just them and the open sea and a choice. There is no argument he can tell Eijirou to convince him to not want to kiss Katsuki. And the thing that scares Katsuki the most is how he just now realizes how much he wants to do that. How he’s been wanting to do that from the first time he bought Eijirou Fat Gum’s strange pastries.
Oh, God, does Katsuki want.
The realization has him reeling, feeling his joints expanding inside his body until he’s tingling all over. Katsuki wants and he wants bad.
“I wanna kiss!” Eijirou pulls at Katsuki’s sleeve to get him closer.
“You don’t even know how to kiss!” Katsuki pulls his sleeve away, but Eijirou just pushes himself up until he can be face to face with the blonde, the boat swaying wildly from the force.
“Then teach me!” Eijirou pouts and Katsuki has to fight back the desire to cup his face between his hands. “I’m good at learning. Fast, like you!”
“Ei—”
“Don’t you love me?” The way sadness colors the merman’s voice makes Katsuki falter in his response.
Katsuki has to look away, afraid that every emotion is openly displayed on his face. “I—!...didn't say that…” He’s sure his skin will perpetually be stained pink.
“Then kiss me,” the merman whispers, breath hot against Katsuki’s cheek and the blonde shivers. The air around them shifts with anticipation, tension settling heavy in Bakugou’s limbs. He feels stuck to his seat, yet his nerves buzz with the desire to burst into movement, chaotic and without direction, commanded by pure adrenaline.
Bakugou looks back at Eijirou, their faces mere inches apart. Eijirou’s eyes are filled with hope, pupils dilated so big Bakugou can see his own expression reflected back. He bites the inside of his cheek, gaze falling to the album, then back to Eijirou. He takes a stabilizing breath before he speaks through gritted teeth, trying to find a way to sound more annoyed than flustered:
“If I kiss you, will you shut up?” Eijirou nods vigorously. The merman waits patiently for Katsuki, having a front row seat to the battle behind the man’s eyes as he weighs his options. Bakugou sighs shakily, pushing Eijirou back into the ocean until he can’t see the mermans face, if only for a second to recollect himself. “Fine! Just…give me a minute.”
Eijirou pops out, shaking his head like a dog and laughing. He nods again at Katsuki’s request. He’s sure he would wait an eternity if Katsuki asked him to. “You look like my hair again!” Eijirou points out happily. Katsuki just gets redder.
“Shut up, don’t look at me!” Eijirou just laughs.
“Okay.” But he doesn’t stop looking. He lets a few minutes pass, watching in delight as Katsuki starts pacing in the limited space he has as he shakes his hands and murmurs like a madman. “Are we gonna kiss now?”
Katsuki just slaps his cheeks various times before he sits down near Eijirou, facing him with a determined look on his face. “Y-Yeah.” Eijirou clicks and trills, nuzzling his cheek into the trembling hands that come to cradle his face. The quick flicker of Eijirou’s gaze to his lips leaves Katsuki shivering. “ One. You get one kiss. Got it?” Eijirou whines, trying to give Katsuki his best puppy eyes. “No, don’t give me that face. This is just so you realize you’re not in love with me.”
“But I am!”
“You’re not. You’ll see.” Eijirou rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed by not being taken seriously. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?” Eijirou frowns.
“Because that’s how kisses work.” Katsuki gently pushes Eijirou’s bangs out of the way, so he can actually see his whole face.
“But I wanna see you!” The redhead protests again. A kiss shouldn’t have this many steps!
“You want a kiss or not?” Eijirou grumbles, but finally complies. Katsuki feels ten times lighter without Eijirou’s eyes on him. He can do this, it doesn’t even have to be a long kiss, a quick peck can suffice. “‘Suki?” He jumps at the merman’s low voice.
“What?”
“Your heart is loud.” Katsuki bristles, blushing all the way down to his chest where his heart is indeed thumping against his ribcage so hard, he wonders if a bruise will appear on his skin.
“N-No, it’s not!”
Eijirou just hums, his eyes opening but staying half lidded, those rubies focusing on his mouth. “Are you nervous?” There’s a sultry, breathy quality in Eijirou’s voice now; it makes Katsuki swallow and the merman’s gaze follows the movement. He shivers when Eijirou licks at his dangerous teeth, eyes stuck to his throat. Eijirou brings his own hands up and places them gently on Katsuki’s wrists, wetting him in the process. His gaze travels up like a caress and settles on Bakugou’s plump lips. “It's okay, ‘Suki. You don’t need to be nervous. I love you! I promise…” Eijirou leans in, brushing his lips with Katsuki’s own and the blonde’s breath hitches at the contact. “Kiss me?” Eijirou pleads softly, lashes fluttering prettily.
Katsuki doesn't bother answering with words, choosing to finally press his lips onto Eijirou’s own.
It’s a clumsy kiss, just pressure and no movement, but Katsuki feels every nerve in his body come alive at the touch. It’s the most stupid and inexperienced kiss he has ever shared, yet it’s immediately ranked as his favorite. The butterflies in his stomach flutter around incessantly. The kiss lasts mere seconds, but he feels like a lifetime has passed when he pulls back, panting way too much for a kiss this short. Eijirou is staring at him, dazzled, big bambi eyes blinking slowly like he’s coming back to Earth. His lips are red from the force. Katsuki can’t help the way he stares at them for a second too long before connecting eyes with the merman. Katsuki gulps down his nerves at the lack of reaction from Eijirou.
“S-See? Told ya’. You don’t lo—Mmph!”
Katsuki barely finishes his sentence before his face is cradled by Eijirou’s hands and he’s being pulled down just enough for Eijirou to kiss him again. Eijirou’s inexperience is compensated by his eagerness, a deep purr in his chest as he kisses Katsuki over and over again. The happy sound rattles around Katsuki’s ribs and settles there as clear evidence that Eijirou liked kissing him. That Eijirou wanted to kiss him.
Katsuki slips his hands into wet scarlet hair and dares to lick at Eijirou’s bottom lip. The growl he gets in response makes him giddy. Eijirou tastes like ocean salt and mystery, and Katsuki knows he will become addicted. The merman—ever the fast learner—imitates the action, adding a soft bite that has Katsuki shivering.
They kiss and kiss and kiss, tilting their heads to different angles until they set a pace comfortable for them, hands exploring every inch of skin they could reach from the neck up. They kiss until Katsuki can’t breathe anymore, his lungs betraying him with the need for air while Eijirou could probably keep kissing for eternity. Katsuki has never cursed his humanity more than this moment.
They part with a wet squelch, lips bitten and swollen, glistening like the sun over the waves. They stay close, forehead to forehead, eyes closed as Katsuki catches his breath. His heart is pounding in his ears, loud and insistent in showing Katsuki what a fool he is if he ever thought he could run away from his feelings.
The melody of Eijirou giggling makes Bakugou open his eyes. “What’s so funny?”
Eijirou shakes his head, his sharp fingernails lightly scraping at Bakugou’s cheek where Eijirou tenderly thumbs at it. “I’m happy. It’s a good kiss. With love, that’s why it’s good!” Bakugou blushes, scoffing at the craziness of it all. “Told you! I show I love you with kiss.” Eijirou smiles smugly, pulling one of Katsuki’s hands that is tangled in his hair to place it over his frantic heart.
“Yeah, you showed me all right.” Eijirou purrs and leans in for another kiss. Bakugou tries to fight the smile on his lips so as to not disturb the pace Eijirou is trying to set, but the irony of it all has him giggling into Eijirou’s mouth.
Katsuki grew up with the legends of deadly mermaids that would lure any sailor brave enough to venture into the sea to their early deaths. Cunning and beautiful, these creatures would intoxicate your mind with their beautiful melody, making you bend to their will until they had you jumping from your boat to be dragged to the depths of the ocean, where they left you to drown. Yet their kisses were said to be magical, otherworldly, giving humans the ability to breathe underwater or revive them from their near deaths. Katsuki can now say with full confidence that both those legends held some partial truths. He’s more alive than he’s ever been in years and he would jump into the bottom of the ocean if Eijirou merely requested it of him. He’s transfixed, truly bound to this mystical merman who kisses him like he’s oxygen, like he’s the ocean itself, his lips the perfect place to call home.
Katsuki has succumbed to the song of the siren.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.