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It was a cold Sunday afternoon in Late November, and Izuku, Himiko and their children were all huddled under their custom-made Lightly Labs kotatsu, luxuriating in its warmth. They’d put a movie channel on the tv at a low volume, the murmur of some children’s film or other serving as a pleasant backdrop as they worked on a puzzle together. Surprisingly, Aiko and Hana were the ones leading the charge here, enthusiastically turning over and testing pieces, slowly inching towards a complete puzzle. Izuku supported their efforts, of course, and Sakura and Keito were just happy to be involved. Himiko and Mai, however, found themselves somewhat understimulated by the quiet domestic scene.
Himiko tried her best to hide it, of course, but Izuku had been married to her for 15 years now, and knew her for 3 years before that, so he’d long since learned how to read her. He could see her boredom in the slight furrowing of her brow, the disinterested way she turned the pieces around her fingers, the subtle frown of fangs pressing against her lips.
Mai, on the other hand, lacked her mother’s already rather thin tact. She openly huffed and sighed and pouted, as though she were a child half her age. Ironically, Keito, who was a child half her age, was far better behaved, though somewhat more engrossed in the films than the puzzle.
Izuku hummed and took a sip of his coffee, “Himiko,” his wife’s golden eyes darted towards him, “how about we tell the kids a story?”
The children seemed to prick their ears at that, though Aiko and Hana were still more focused on the puzzle. Mai, on the other hand, shot her head up from where it rested on the table. It was adorable how, even as a 14 year old starting to consider high schools, she never quite shook off her admiration for him. She tried her best to model herself after his own example, and made it quite clear that one of her goals in life was to be a hero, and specifically to use her Quirk, Energy Vampire, and stockpile enough blood to bring her to the boundless limits of Izuku’s own One For All. Consequently, she also loved hearing any stories about him or his life.
And, fortunately, this admiration for him was something Himiko wholeheartedly supported. With her help, he could use one story to entertain and engage his wife and his daughter.
His genius frightened him sometimes.
Himiko grinned, eyes sparkling, “That depends on the story, Izu.”
He considered it for a moment. Most parents in this situation might tell the story of how they met, but that was… something of a difficult topic for them - he was bloody and broken, and she was trying to stab his best friend. Hardly the definition of a ‘meet cute’. There weren’t many particularly good stories from when they were dating, either, unless they wanted to delve into why exactly all their dates were through a perspex screen. Granted, Mai, Aiko and Hana had already had the talk explaining Himiko’s… difficult past, but they didn’t want to spring it on Sakura or Keito until they were ready for it.
Then it struck him, “What if we told you all how I proposed to your mom?”
That grabbed their attention. Even Hana perked up slightly - her hidden passion for romance always hungry to be fed.
Himiko chuckled and smirked, “Are you sure , Izu?”
He just smiled back, “Always.”
She grinned, “Then lemme start!” At his nod, and at the children’s expectant faces, she cleared her throat, “So, this was just a little while after Izu graduated from UA, and I, uh, graduated too, in a way.”
Izuku snorted at the way she described parole, but continued the story from her, “We’d been dating for almost two years at that point, but I was positive she was the one .”
It was Himiko’s turn to snort now, “Are ya sure about that, Izu?”
Izuku shuffled his feet and checked the time on his phone for the third time in as many minutes. The rundown building in front of him remained motionless, devoid of any sign of life. Along the street, rough-looking people gathered around similarly worn out buildings, the cracks in the masonry revealing their age. The state of the pavement was the same, green shooting through the concrete. This was certainly no place for any freshly-graduated hero student, let alone one of his particular fame and calibre.
Fortunately, a mask covered the lower half of his face, and his forest green hair was stuffed into a cap, making his emerald eyes the only distinctive feature of his still in view. Even so, the shifty gazes he received from a passing group made their thoughts clear; they may not know who he was, but he had been marked as a clear outsider in this neighbourhood.
He tapped his foot against the pavement, wondering if he should ring the doorbell again. Before he had the chance to, however, the splintered door rattled open, and Himiko rushed out.
She looked different than she had before the war. Her twin buns had been replaced by a more mature hairstyle; a single bun at the back of her head, wreathed by a braid, and all tied together by a single red ribbon. She was older - turning 20 that August - and it showed, her face having shed the remaining scraps of awkward teenhood, and leaving her a refined, elegant woman. Her body, too, had filled out somewhat, having eaten regular meals for a few years, and she’d chosen to wear a blood red sweater, black skirt and thigh-high socks, and surprisingly sensible brown shoes, all of which served to accentuate her matured body.
Izuku tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling rather hot. He himself had opted for his usual date dress; a dark green shirt and plain, dark trousers and shoes. It was simple, yes, but it had served him well so far.
“Izu!” Himiko cried out, scrambling down the stairs of her parole house before leaping at him, forcing him to catch her - as if that was an issue, “I missed you so much!” She cheered, before grabbing his face, tugging down his mask, and pulling him in for a searing kiss.
After a minute, he was forced to pull away and catch his breath, “H-Himiko…” He panted.
She grinned, replacing his mask and hugging him, “ Hi~ ” She practically purred into his ear, sending shivers down his spine and giving him flashbacks to the day she was released, and their… passion that night.
Still, he managed to recover enough to smile behind his mask and offer her a breathy, “H-Hi.”
Beaming, she dropped from his hold, moving to instead stand by his side and taking his hand in her own, “So, how’ve ya been?”
Izuku hummed, “Busy, mostly. After graduating UA there’s still a lot of paperwork I have to get through before I can start hero work, and university’s barely just started and I’m already swamped.” He chuckled and softly squeezed her hand, “Still, I’m glad we could find this time together.”
She sighed dramatically, “Oh, Izu, I dunno why you’d wanna go back to school when you already left! Teaching’ll give you wrinkles and it’ll mess up your cute face!”
He flushed, but teased back, “So you’ll stop thinking I’m cute when we’re older?”
She grinned, fangs flashing, and planted a soft kiss on his lips, over the mask, “Never.”
“So,” he carried on before she could start teasing him relentlessly, “how’ve things been with you?”
“Eh,” she shrugged, “alright. I don’t really think anyone knows how to deal with me, exactly, so everyone just leaves me alone.” A smirk stole across her face, “Though they were mad about having to replace that bed we broke.”
Izuku spluttered, choking on the air, but couldn’t exactly deny the veracity of the statement.
Almost two years of dating without even being able to touch had left them both quite desperate.
He cleared his throat, “Uh, a-anyway, I had some stuff planned for us today?”
“Mm!” She nodded, “Lead the way!”
He was all too happy to, walking down the street and towards the nearby train station. Along the way, she mindlessly hummed a tune he’d heard from an anime, listening to him natter on about how he was getting on with university.
Honestly, a lot of people were rather surprised when Izuku announced he’d be attending university to study History, doubly so when he revealed his intention to get a teaching licence. Kacchan even accused him of giving up, but it really wasn’t like that. Yes, he had One For All coursing through his veins, but his time with Himiko, his conversations with Shigaraki, the experiences of the League as a whole, proved that not all heroes wore a costume, and in order to save someone, you had to do more than just save their bodies.
In a way, teaching was him giving back to UA and the world as a whole, and he planned to use that extra platform to promote good causes.
Fortunately, Himiko understood what he was trying to achieve, and supported him wholeheartedly.
God, he loved her. And wasn’t that a surprise? If someone had told him just after the training camp that he’d end up dating one of the villains there, well, he’d have thought they were crazy. But that encounter they’d had, during his time away from UA, had given them a greater understanding of each other, so that when she’d asked him to be her boyfriend on Okuto Island… he’d immediately said yes.
He chuckled to himself as she swung their joined arms. Best decision of his life.
Together, they hopped aboard the train that would take them to Musutafu City Centre, sitting next to each other in companionable silence the whole way. When they stepped off, Izuku paused for a moment to recall the route they needed to take, before setting off again.
“Sooo,” Himiko spoke up as they paced through the beating heart of Musutafu, “where’re we going?”
He smiled knowingly, “I think it’s a place you’ll like.”
“Boo!” She pouted, lightly stomping her foot, “You’re no fun!”
“Okay, okay,” he laughed, “it’s a restaurant. I thought we’d get some lunch and then maybe go for a walk?”
“You charmer, Izuku!” She teased, though red dusted her cheeks, and she quietly added, “You’d really do that with me?”
“Well, yeah,” he shrugged, “why wouldn’t I?”
Her eyes twinkled at him, but she said nothing, only clinging tighter to his arm. When they rounded the corner, however, her jaw dropped.
Looking at it now, Izuku could hardly believe Dagobah beach had once been a dump. Where before the landscape was dominated by towering mounds of garbage and waste, now there was only powdery white sand and the glimmering sapphire ocean. Fortunately, it was a weekday, and not entirely beach season quite yet, so the place was more or less deserted, save for a few scattered people here and there.
He smiled as golden eyes drank in the picturesque scene, before gently turning her to one side and pointing her towards their destination: a restaurant that had recently opened, overlooking the beach, “That’s where we’re booked for lunch,” he explained, then added, “if you want?”
She nodded eagerly, and together they walked towards the restaurant. Izuku had reserved a table, but it didn’t seem to be necessary, as the place was less than half full. Still, he was glad he did it, if only to ensure they got a table on…
“The balcony.” The waiter showed them to their table, seated out on the balcony overlooking the ocean. The strong scent of salt washed over them, the crashing of waves against the sand a beautiful chorus. Himiko’s eyes gleamed as they sat, gratefully taking the menus from the waiter.
“Izu,” she whispered, “this is…”
“I wanted to bring you somewhere important to me,” he explained, red dusting his cheeks, “I hope you like it.”
She looked at him, stunned for a moment, then grinned widely, “I love it!”
He chuckled and smiled back, “I’m glad.”
From there they lapsed into a casual conversation, catching up with each other some more. Given its location, the restaurant primarily served seafood, but there was a strong selection of other meat on offer for those with a different palette. For her starter, Himiko chose pork cheek, while Izuku went with the scallops, which were perfectly cooked and beautifully seasoned, and expertly paired with a green apple foam. He let Himiko try a bit, and wasn’t offended at all when she didn’t offer him the same in return; years living on the streets had given her a strange relationship with food, and he could deal with some resource guarding.
Their mains followed a similar trend; Himiko chose the ribeye, cooked as rare as they possibly could - almost blue, in fact - and he went with the crab and chilli linguine. It was divine; the crab was tender, doused in a rich and creamy white wine sauce, and chilli kick was just enough to cut through an otherwise heavy meal. Like before, Himiko received a portion of his meal, and he did not receive the same in return. Still, from the satisfied look on her face once they were finished, she appeared to have enjoyed it very much.
They kept up a light and casual conversation throughout the meal, neither of them needing to force any issue, and every silence they lapsed into was comfortable.
She surprised him, however, when the waiter approached with a dessert menu. She took it from them, quickly scanned over it, then handed it back, “We’ll take the brownie to share, please!”
Izuku and the waiter shared a brief, equally baffled look, before she shrugged helplessly. They seemed to accept that, bowed, and left. He then turned to his girlfriend, eyebrow raised, “I didn’t realise you wanted to share food.”
Himiko pursed her lips, twisting a strand of flaxen hair around her finger as she glanced away, “Well… I wanna get better at it.” Her gaze darted to meet his eyes, gold locking with green, “For you.”
Heat rose to his face; it was rare for Himiko to be quite so open and honest with him. He was used to her manic energy, welcomed it even, but after her experiences with the League, it wasn’t easy for her to open up like this.
Despite his mild embarrassment at her earnestness, he smiled, “Thank you, Himiko.”
When the brownie arrived, it somehow tasted sweeter, to share it with the girl he loved, and once the meal was finished, and the bill was paid - thanks to All Might’s support - the taste lingered in his mouth as he led her out of the restaurant and down to the beach.
“I thought we could take a walk along the beach,” he explained, “if you want?”
A soft smile spread across her face, her eyes fixed on the horizon, “I’d like that.”
Blushing, he offered her his arm, and she giggled slightly and entwined her own within it, and together, they set off along the powdery dunes. Neither of them spoke this time, both consumed with the simple beauty of the sun’s rays gently playing across the blue-green waves. The soft sand scattered under their feet, and even the seagulls’ harsh cries took on a musical tone.
The world was perfect here.
So why was Himiko crying?
He almost jumped out of his skin when he saw the first tear fall, and his brain shot into overdrive, reviewing every single microsecond of their date so far. Did he do something wrong, say something wrong? Was the food not good enough? Was he not good enough? Did-
Pause.
Rewind.
Review the situation properly, Izuku.
She still clung to his arm, seeming to press even closer into his side. Himiko had never been one to hide her emotions. She might occasionally throw up some walls, but she never actually hid how she was feeling. If she was upset with him, she would have made that abundantly clear.
So that explained what wasn’t wrong. But what was?
Well, only one way to find out.
Gently, making no sudden movement, he reached out and brushed away her tears, “What’s wrong?” He asked, voice soft and unaccusing.
She sniffed, reaching up to wipe away the rest of her tears herself, and stepped away from him slightly, “It’s nothing, just…” he met her bluff with a raised eyebrow, and she glanced away, “...how long is it going to be like this between us?”
His brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, ugh,” she scowled to herself, “all this ! This romance! It’s so, so … perfect!”
“‘Perfect’?” His frown deepened, “Himiko, what-”
“You!” She interrupted, turning to face him, “You’re so perfect! You’re the most thoughtful, romantic, amazing, wonderful boyfriend ever!” Tears sprung to her eyes, “So when will it stop ?!”
He stumbled back, “I-I… don’t plan to stop?”
“Of course you do!” Her voice was thick, her cheeks wet, “Everyone does, eventually! Someday, you’ll just get tired of me and leave, just like everyone else!”
Ah, now they came to the root of the problem. He stepped forward slightly, hands held out placatingly, “I won’t leave, Himiko. I promise.”
“‘Promise’?” She spat, “Everyone promises ! And they all lie! My parents, Jin-kun, Shiggy, Touya, everyone ! Everyone always leaves me in the end, so when are you going to?!”
Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat, acting more on instinct now than any rational thought, “I… Himiko, I never knew you felt that way. But I swear to you, on everything that I am, everything that I have, that I’ll never leave you.”
She scoffed, turning her head away, “Those’re just words. You can’t prove that.”
His eyes widened, suddenly realising what he had to do, and before he could give it a second thought, he rushed forward, gently clasped her hand in his own, then dropped to one knee in front of you, “I can… Himiko, you’ve made me happier than I think I’ve ever been in my life. You’ve shown me worlds I didn’t even know I was missing. So, Himiko…” he looked up at her, meeting her shocked golden eyes, “I’ll stay with you ‘til the day I die, if you’ll have me.”
He smiled, “Will you marry me?”
“...and then I squealed and said, ‘YES!’ and your dad was panicking about where to buy a ring, and six months later,” Himiko grinned, holding out her hand, her wedding band proudly displayed, “we got married!”
Izuku chuckled, eyeing the ring on his own hand as he placed another piece into the puzzle, “That’s not quite how I remember it.”
She stuck her tongue out at him, even as she interlaced her fingers with his own, “Well, that’s what happened, Izu!”
He shook his head fondly, “If you say so, Himiko.”
Mai snorted, “So you two getting married was a mistake ?” She gestured jokingly to her and her siblings, all of whom watched their parents raptly, save for Aiko, still focused on the puzzle, “What, were we mistakes too?”
Izuku and Himiko shared a look, “Well, I wouldn’t say mistake …” Izuku began.
“We definitely wanted kids at some point!”
“Just, well, Himiko got pregnant on our honeymoon…”
“And you kids just kept coming after that!”
“So not mistakes , just…” Izuku hummed, “early arrivals?”
“You make us sound like trains.” Aiko muttered, distracted.
He cleared his throat, desperately trying to get a hold of the situation, “W-well, anyway, how about this puzzle, eh?”
Himiko snorted and shook her head, “Oh, Izu, I love you.”
He smiled softly at her, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand, “I love you too.”