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Shouta didn't know how he had gotten so lucky. Standing here, amongst their family and friends about to say his vows with Izuku. His amazing soon to be husband in the next few minutes. A man he never expected to get to know in any other way than professionally. But things had a strange way of working out.
They had met at a cat cafe, one owned by Shouta's older sister. He'd taken to spending his leave there, using it as a place to escape everything that reminded him of his late fiance. Hizashi Yamada had been his since their first year at UA. They had been engaged and set to get married when Hizashi had been called in about a villain attack two days before. Only, he hadn't come home from that attack. Not alive at least.
He had been a mess, his sister offering a safe haven for him to hide away from everything. Everything in their home reminded him of what he'd lost and he wanted to be there as little as possible because of the pain everything caused. He'd been hiding away for two weeks when he'd caught sight of a man with messy green hair wearing an over large hoodie and a pair of bright red shoes that didn't match one bit. He looked like he carried the whole world on his shoulders.
It turned out his name was Izuku and he was an analyst for the HPSC. When Shouta had asked him about it, it had been revealed that he was known by the name of "Cypher". He was the one who worked nights with the underground heroes. He had helped Shouta out with a lot of his missions and even saved his life a handful of times.
They started meeting there every third day when they both had off - it turned out the commission had paired them together like they tended to do with underground heroes. Each underground hero was paired with an analyst because they were so necessary for the more gritty missions.
"I wish he'd had someone like you to help him," Shouta quietly said one day when they were sitting on a blanket in the park for a small picnic. "Maybe you could have kept him alive."
"Who?" Izuku had asked, brushing a strand of hair from the dark haired man's face. "Let me in, Shouta."
"Hizashi," he croaked out and damn, did the name still stab him in the heart. But somehow, at the same time, it wasn't as bad as it used to be. The pain had begun to lesson over time. "Present Mic... he... we were supposed to be married two days later."
Izuku had stared at him with sadness. They sat in silence before the green haired man quietly explained, "I was there. I was shopping when the villain attacked. I watched... he died a hero's death. But I tried... I was on the phone with another analyst and after, I was the one administering CPR until the medics got there. I wish I could have done more."
That knowledge had helped him. Had given him a kind of closure that he never realized he needed. Izuku had held him while he cried, had assured him that it was okay to mourn his first love. That Hizashi would want him to be happy and find that light again. It didn't mean that he would ever forget what Hizashi meant to him, but he could stop closing himself off.
After that day, they had started meeting up for different things. Dinner, movies, festivals. Before Shouta had realized, he had fallen for the nerdy green haired man.
It was five months into relationship when Shouta had been walking home from the grocery store. He heard shouting, a familiar voice, and laughter as he heard what sounded like something hitting flesh. His bag of groceries had instantly been dropped and he turned the corner to see Izuku beaten and bloody on the ground while some man spit on him and told him he needed the money for his rent by tomorrow.
Shouta saw red at that. He had grabbed the man in his capture weapon and punched him hard enough that he was knocked out from that single hit. He called Tsukauchi directly along with a medic, needing Izuku to be okay.
"I don't... need to be... seen," Izuku said, coughing between words. "I'm fine."
He'd brushed off Izuku's insistence that he was fine. He was injured and needed to be seen. It was not only logical but also protocol. Unfortunately, he quickly learned why Izuku so vehemently refused. As soon as the medics saw his shoes, they sneered and tried to insist that he was fine. It was only Shouta being a pro-hero and Detective Tsukauchi insisting Izuku be seen to that made the medic do their job.
Once given the clear, or clear for a quirkless individual, Shouta took Izuku back to his place. He cleaned the cuts and bruises while he was texting back and forth with Chiyo who was on her way to look him over as a favor. He was furious about how Izuku was being treated, but the other man just sat silently with a grimace which told Shouta all he needed to know.
"Does the HPSC treat you like this?" Shouta demanded.
Izuku shook his head. "There are a few who look down at me," he admitted. "But I'm too important to the commission. They treat me better than anyone else ever has. Besides you."
"Move in with me." Was it impulsive? Yes. Did it matter to him? Absolutely not. Izuku's safety was his priority. "You'll get away from that slumlord and this house is too big for me alone."
They moved Izuku's things in the next day. Into the spare room, but it turned out to not be necessary. They hadn't started having sex yet, but they slept together, both comforted and sleeping better having someone else next to them.
With moving into Shouta's house also came meeting his friends and Nedzu. The rat had tried to steal Izuku by offering him a position at the school. It would give Izuku more of an opportunity to spend time with Shouta, but that would mean giving up his position with the commission. And not being able to keep Shouta safe. Instead, they agreed to twice weekly chess matches so Izuku could spend Shouta's lunch period with him.
A year to the date of their first meeting, Izuku had insisted on a trip to the cat cafe. Shouta had been surprised to see Nemuri, Tensei, Chiyo, and even Nedzu there though he stayed firmly on Tensei's shoulder and out of paw from the cats eyeing him with hungry eyes. He'd looked around in confusion before turning and to Izuku who was smiling as he took Shouta's hand and led him into the center of the room.
"Happy Anniversary," he softly said, getting up on his tip toes to kiss Shouta. "You've given me so much, baby. A life where I don't have to watch my back every moment of every day. You've taught me how to live when all I've ever done is just survive and you can call me selfish, but I want to keep you and this life we've created forever." He stepped away, going onto one knee as he pulled out a small black box. "Shouta, will you marry me?"
He had been speechless, unable to say anything as he nodded dumbly. Izuku... the second light of his life, really wanted to be with him. He croaked out a small, "Y-yes," as the ring was slid onto his finger.
Izuku stood up before Shouta pulled him into a kiss, hot and possessive and yes he wanted this. He wanted Izuku, wanted to believe that Hizashi would approve of his new fiancé.
They had planned their wedding, but weren't in a hurry. It took them two years before they finally were ready. Despite the lovely woman that was Izuku's mother insisting he should be marrying a woman, they were going through with this. She would be there, but it was Izuku's grandfather who would be giving him away. A man who had never once had a bad thing to say about Shouta and had always been supportive of them.
"You look amazing," Shouta whispered as Izuku reached him. "I love you."
"I love you too," Izuku replied with a small smile.
They went through the beginning without a hitch until the vows.
"Repeat after me," the priest said, looking at Shouta. "I Shouta, take thee Izuku."
"I Shouta," he repeated, almost breathless. "Take thee Hizashi."
As soon as Hizashi's name left his mouth, he immediately realized his mistake. The sound seemed to have disappeared, leaving him deaf as he stared at Izuku in horror. Then the whispers began from Izuku's side of the aisle and some from his. He could feel the panic bubbling up in his chest as he tried to figure out what the other man was thinking.
Izuku stepped forward, hands reaching up to cup either side of Shouta's face. Their eyes met, Izuku's only showing understanding and love.
"Hey," Izuku softly said. "Look at me, Sho. Just at me, okay? It's okay. It's okay."
"I-I said... I didn't mean..."
"Shh, I know. I know you didn't mean to. It's okay, love. Do you want to try again or do you want us to go into another room so you can calm down a bit?"
He didn't know. He'd just ruined their wedding. He knew that Izuku wasn't Hizashi, he knew it and he still said the man's name.
Izuku's thumb brushed a tear from Shouta's cheek. "I love you, Shouta," he softly said. "I know that I'm just the other man. But Hizashi wouldn't want you to be upset today of all days, right?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered. He didn't know what else to say.
"There's nothing to be sorry for." He leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. "If you're not ready, that's okay too. We can tell them to enjoy the reception and we can go home."
"I-I want to do it," Shouta quietly said. "I want to marry you, but I..."
"I know." Izuku kissed his cheek. "You don't have to say anything. Just tell me what you want to do, love."
Shouta didn't know what he wanted. He wanted Izuku, but he didn't want to be there after making a fool of himself.
"I want to finish this," he finally said, putting a hand over Izuku's. "I want you to officially be mine."
Izuku nodded with a soft smile as he said, "I have a surprise for you when we're done."
Shouta was led back over to the stage they were standing on. He made extra effort to say Izuku's name and do his vows perfectly. As soon as they were told to kiss, he leaned down, pressing a kiss to Izuku's lips.
"We did it," Izuku whispered as they parted.
Shouta gave a watery smile as they walked back down the aisle, ignoring Inko's snide comments as they passed. They would have their friends make sure she wasn't at the reception. They didn't need that.
At the reception, Izuku led Shouta over to a woman with long white hair and grey eyes. She was talking to someone or something that Shouta couldn't see. It was almost creepy, assuring someone or something invisible that it was okay and that they all needed this.
"This is my friend Yukiko," Izuku introduced. "She has a special quirk and asked if she could use it as her wedding present to us."
Shouta looked between them in confusion before the woman explained, "My quirk is called Ghost. I can speak with the spirits that won't pass and help them do so by giving them one last conversation with their loved ones."
Shouta stared at her in shock. Did that mean that Hizashi hadn't passed to the other side? That he was holding on because of Shouta?
"Tensei and Shoto are going to run distraction," Izuku said gently. "Let's go into the other room."
Shouta was led into a room off to the side of the hall, Izuku closing the door behind them. As soon as he did, Yukiko's eyes began glowing gold before a figure stared appearing between them. It took a few minutes before Shouta was seeing the ghost of Hizashi standing in front of him.
"Z-Zashi," he choked out. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't apologize, baby," Hizashi said with a sad smile. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm so proud of you, baby. You've found happiness again and that's all I can ask for." He turned to Izuku. "Thank you for trying to save me."
Izuku shook his head with a small smile. "You don't have to thank me. You brought me to Shouta."
"I should go," Hizashi said, looking down at his corporeal form. "I just wanted to make sure you were happy before I did."
Tears were streaming down Shouta's cheeks as he saw Hizashi turn away and start walking away, his form fading until it was just the three of them again.
"Thank you," Izuku softly said, looking at Yukiko.
She nodded, leaving them alone.
Shouta felt Izuku's arms wrap around him as he finally broke down, crying on Izuku for everything he'd lost and everything he gained. His wonderful husband didn't say anything, just sat there as a comforting presence, running his fingers through the dark strands of hair.
He didn't know how long it had been until the tears ran out. He turned to look at Izuku who had a soft smile on his face. Fingers brushed the tears off his face, no judgement coming from his husband.
"Do you need more time?" Izuku asked. "Or are you ready to go face the masses?"
"Tensei and Nem will come looking if we don't show our faces soon," he replied with a small laugh. "I think I'll be okay. I love you."
"And I love you." Their lips met again, a soft, gentle kiss. "Forever and always."
Written by a human in Ellipsus.