Chapter Text
Izuku watched the myriad of expressions pass over Ochako's face. First, there was the initial surprise from where he startled her. Then, that surprise morphed into shock as she stared at him. After a few seconds, shock gave way to disbelief, and he waited with bated breath as she sat there with wide eyes and parted lips.
He knew he had taken a huge risk in revealing himself to her so soon, and he swallowed, his entire form eerily still.
Then, as the sun continued to disappear behind the horizon, painting them both in hues of orange and pink, he saw that disbelief turn into something else:
Curiosity.
Not skepticism. Not fear. Not rejection. Curiosity.
Taking a deep breath through his lungs, he slowly released some of the tension in his body, dropping his hand down from the back of his neck. The motion made her snap out of her thoughts, and her eyes lifted up to his face, where he met her gaze fully.
They stayed there like that for who knows how long, but to him it felt like hours. She took in a shallow breath and held it, as if trying to figure out what to do with it. Finally, she exhaled, her body kind of crumpling in on itself.
"Guess this explains why you're so good at swimming," she said weakly.
He blinked owlishly at her, before the faintest of smiles touched his lips. "It helps, yeah. But to be fair, I'm not using fins when I'm working or during our swimming lessons. They kinda draw attention, you know?"
She nodded slowly, the joke not quite hitting its mark. Her fingers came up to her lips in thought, before she asked, "S-so… when you pulled me out of the water that night… the scales I saw…?"
He nodded back, glancing out over the water, because maintaining eye contact through this was hard. "Yeah. I often swim at night like this, because no one can see me. I just happened to be nearby when you fell in, and well, it's not like I had time to think about you possibly seeing me. Someone's life is far more important than whatever secrets I might have."
"W-well, thank you," Ochako replied softly, rubbing her arms in a bout of nervousness, because it certainly wasn't cold out. She paused, tilting her head as she looked down at the water. "What about… the rest of my memory of that night?"
Izuku hummed, thinking about what she had said earlier that day. "I did give you oxygen, yeah. It's something I can do; I'll not explain the mechanics right now. And the song is… well, that's part of the reason I want to talk to you. You said you heard a song, right?"
Ochako furrowed her brow. "I mean, yes, but… it's one my mother hummed to me as a child, so–"
He lifted a hand, and she stopped, cutting herself short. And then her eyes widened as he began to sing softly. It was a wordless melody, but it was one well known by his kind.
But the way her hands came up to her lips as the recognition spread across her face said everything he needed to know.
She knew the song.
He stopped after a short beat, exhaling softly. She stared at him, and he offered a small smile. "Sounds familiar, huh?"
"Yes, but… how?" Ochako asked, although it was clear from her expression she was starting to put the pieces together.
"Well…" Izuku started, considering his words carefully and ignoring the nervous knot that had replaced his stomach, "that song is one that all my people know. It is used to communicate to each other that we're nearby. So, for your mother to know it and to sing it to you as a child makes me think she wanted you to recognize it."
"W-wait," Ochako stuttered, shaking her head, "are you implying that my– my mom was – I mean! She didn't have fins! Or gills or–"
Izuku nodded patiently. "And up until now, you thought I didn't, either."
She froze at that, clearly trying to process the possibility he presented to her. After a few seconds of silence, Izuku gently continued, "I am pretty sure your mother, maybe even both of your parents, had sea blood. And if they did, it's been passed on to you. Which would explain everything you've told me regarding your sudden interest in the ocean."
Slowly, she looked up at him, uneasy confusion on her face. "Sea… blood?"
He nodded, gesturing to himself. "Think of it like an inherited trait passed down from a parent. It's what lets me look like this, what fairytales would call 'merfolk'. But there's no 'full blood' or 'half blood' thing like in fantasy books. You either have it or you don't, and it's dormant until the right conditions are met. At least, that's what I've noticed, for those of us who were born on land."
He watched her eyes dart back and forth as she tried to take what he told her and apply it to the experiences and information she had. He could see from her face that pieces of this large puzzle she had were falling into place. Well, at least, some of them.
Truthfully, he had no idea why her parents hid this from her, although he could take some guesses. It was very clear they had never told her anything, but the fact they had prepared for her to find out after they died seemed to imply some regret around that decision.
It made him sad.
"Okay, um," Ochako stuttered, steepling her hands in front of her mouth as she tried to process what he said, "let's, uh, let's pretend I fully believe you, and this is real, and I'm not dreaming. What– what are the conditions? And–and aren't merfolk supposed to have tails?"
The latter question made him bite back a smile, and he chuckled softly. "Well, the first question actually answers the second. Sea blood stays dormant in someone until they're exposed to the ocean. Something about the sea water acts as the catalyst. From there, one starts feeling strong desires to be in the water. Your skin feels dry and itchy until you submerge yourself. You feel calm when you're in the water. You dream about the ocean. The smell of salt is alluring. And so forth. But that's just the call. The call is your body asking you to make a choice."
"A… choice?" Ochako echoed, confused.
Izuku nodded, nervously playing with the webbing between his toes. "So… despite all of that, you won't just grow fins or gills. You have to accept who you are. Actually, let me rephrase. You have to embrace who you are. The more you are happy and comfortable with yourself, the more you can be part of the ocean. Fully acknowledged sea folk look a lot like your classic… merfolk. Fish tails, fins, gills, scales, all that. Someone who only partially accepts it may take on some parts of the appearance, but not all. And… someone who rejects this part of themselves remains looking human, and if you ignore the call enough, it goes back into dormancy."
Ochako exhaled, wide brown eyes on him as she processed all of that. Then, as he predicted, her eyes fell down to his legs. He smiled slightly at the unspoken question, glancing back out over the water. "You're wondering if I don't accept myself, huh?"
"Y-yeah, it's a pretty obvious follow-up after that explanation," she replied softly.
He flashed a wry grin in return. "So, I'm a special case. Kinda. I purposely don't accept all parts of me, because I have a role I need to play. I embrace that I am of the sea, but I acknowledge I can't truly be happy in the ocean knowing that some of my kind are lost on land. So until the day comes when all of my people are finally home, I can only look like this. And because I don't fully accept myself, I can actually appear human as needed."
He watched her tilt her head, brow furrowed as she considered his words. "So you purposely choose to stay on this island to find others? Wouldn't somewhere more populated do better?"
"You'd think that," Izuku laughed, smiling as he looked out over the water, "but, no. This island is kind of a gateway. Don't know how or why, but over the years, lost ones seem to find their way back here, so we always have someone stationed here to help them find their way back home, should they want it."
Ochako's face lit up in understanding. "So you volunteered?"
He shrugged a little, looking back at her. "I did, yeah. When I learned about the lost ones, I immediately volunteered to do the job once I got old enough. Been here since I was sixteen, actually, after the last person retired back to the sea. Despite what I said, it's not like I am unhappy. There is joy in knowing I can help others."
She paused thoughtfully, before a faint smile touched her lips. "You know… I'm not even surprised."
"What do you mean?" he asked, unsure of how to interpret her words.
She didn't immediately respond, that smile blooming across her face in a way that made his heart speed up ever so slightly. "I mean that if I had to name a person who would take on such a purpose in life, to help others, you are definitely at the top of the list."
He blinked several times before he felt his cheeks pink and he smiled. "I'm glad you think so."
She nodded, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "Guess that explains why you offered to teach me how to swim, huh?"
He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean… I wasn't sure at first. You said something about how your mind was trying to convince you diving in the water would be great, and it was enough to make me curious and want to help out. Besides, if I was wrong, then you'd still feel more confident in swimming, so it still felt like a worthwhile endeavor. But after that first lesson, I realized I was probably right. You looked so happy and relaxed. I just– I wanted to continue. I wanted to see what happened. And, well…"
He hesitated, chewing on his bottom lip before he quietly admitted, "and I wanted to get to know you better. You, specifically. Even if I was wrong about your heritage."
She paused at that, and he could see that, despite the rapidly declining daylight, she was smiling. "So you would have kissed me even if I didn't have this… sea blood?"
His face burned, but he nodded, refusing to shy away from his admission. "Yeah. I would have. Would, um. Would you still kiss me knowing what I am now?"
Her hesitation made him nervous, but then she rubbed her shoulder and smiled shyly down at the water. "Maybe."
He stiffened. "O-only maybe?"
"Come find out."
His breath left him momentarily as he realized it was an invitation, and he nervously considered whether or not he should shapeshift into his human appearance. He swallowed, before finding the courage to hop over to the rock she sat on, taking a seat beside her.
They looked at each other, him with no small amount of uncertainty, and her with a blatant curiosity. Now in front of him, she wasted no time scrutinizing his appearance in the fading sunset, and given it was the first time in ages someone had done that, he felt almost uncomfortable with the attention. Despite that, he held still, eyes on her as he dug his claws into his thighs, using the discomfort to ground himself.
Carefully, she reached forward and touched his arm, marveling at the smooth texture of his green and black skin. His eyes darted between her face and her fingers, watching as she curiously explored the folded fins, the clusters of scales around his wrist and elbow, and the way his skin changed in both appearance and texture the closer she got to his shoulder.
He tried not to shudder at the touch, but it was a doomed attempt as her fingers ghosted up his arm. He closed his eyes, teeth pulling at his bottom lip, and he was so grateful that his mixed appearance did not have sharp teeth or his mouth would be a bloody mess right now.
That errant thought died a sudden death when he felt her fingers trace along his jaw. He opened his eyes to find her right in front of him, both hands coming to rest on his cheeks.
It felt hard to breathe, and he wondered if she could hear how loud his heart was pounding. If she could, she made no comment on it, eyes searching his face. He hoped he didn't look as nervous as he felt. They stayed there like that for what felt like an eternity before she leaned in and pressed a wonderfully soft kiss to his lips.
He held still, keeping his hands in place as his eyes closed and he kissed back, mouth moving against hers. Honestly, he had no idea if he tasted or smelled different like this. It wasn't like he made a point of making out with random people while sporting his scales, and now he was having all sorts of worries about the possibilities.
However, the steady caress of her lips against his soothed over any concerns he had, and the lovely way her teeth tugged at his bottom lip made sparks dance behind his eyelids.
By the time the kiss ended, the sun was gone, and Izuku opened his eyes to find Ochako regarding him intently in the near-dark, her soft hands still holding his cheeks between them ever so sweetly.
"I guess that answers your question," She said quietly, and it was everything in Izuku's power to not lean in and kiss her again.
They stayed like that for a moment before she pulled back, hands sliding down to take his and hold them. He let her, watching as she rubbed her thumbs over his knuckles, then dip between his fingers to feel the webbing between them. After a moment, she spoke, her voice barely audible over the waves.
"I need some time to process this. I… I believe you – that I have this sea blood. It explains all the weird things I've felt since I got here, but it also raises so many questions. My parents left me all these letters, and as I've gone through them, I realize the hidden piece - the things they don't say are about, well, this. And I'm confused. I'm–I'm hurt, because I don't know why they hid this from me. I don't know why they left this place, or why they chose to r-refuse this part of their lives, of my life. And– and I can't even ask them now, because they're gone, and I just, I–I feel so lost!"
She was crying now, and Izuku felt his heart ache in response. Carefully, he reached up to wipe the tears on her cheeks, and she leaned into his touch in a way that was so needy, so desperate, that he found himself pulling her close, cradling her in his arms.
She cried into his shoulder as the last bit of light disappeared, leaving them sitting under the stars.
XX
She dreamed of the ocean again, endless and deep, in beautiful shades of blue. She was swimming, but this time, scales were on her arms, and the water rushed past her as she wove around ridges and reefs. Someone was beside her, swimming at the same speed. A song passed between them, resonating in her and filling her with so many wonderful emotions.
Acceptance. Belonging. Peace. Happiness.
She let those feelings slide over her like the ocean itself, and when webbed fingers slid through her own, she smiled, turning to look at beautiful green eyes full of affection and pride.
XX
The next morning came with cloudy skies, scattered rain showers, and fleeting memories of ocean dreams. Ochako lay tangled in the sheets, staring through her tousled hair at the stack of letters on the table of her small rental.
She thought over what Izuku had told her, and how that changed what she knew, and what she had learned about her parents.
Her stomach churned uneasily, but after several minutes of staring out into the low morning light of the room, she dragged herself out of bed to make a cup of tea.
Sitting down in the plastic chair by the table, she took a bite out of a breakfast bar, stirred her tea bag, and reread over the letters she already opened.
One by one, she revisited each tidbit, each scene, each story, and slowly she began to understand what wasn't being said.
Her eyes fell to the last two letters. Technically, she should read the last one tomorrow, but she couldn't find it in her to follow those instructions anymore. Quietly, she opened the first of the last two, eyes skimming the contents. Her brows lifted, and she blinked away tears that wanted to form.
Slowly, carefully, she reached for the last letter, and as she pulled out the folded pages, she noted the dried blotches where water had plopped onto the paper during its composition.
As she read through the final letter, fresh new blotches fell to match the old ones.
XX
Mina sighed, looking over at her coworker, who had barely said two words all during her shift. Ochako was in her own little world, quietly refilling condiments on the tables in between serving those seated. It wasn't like the girl was the most talkative person in the world, but there was a change in her demeanor that was… different.
Like she was mourning.
Mina knew Ochako had lost her parents. The brunette had mentioned it was a recent thing, and that it was part of the reason she had moved to the island. Perhaps just now it was catching up to her? Everyone processed grief in different ways, after all. Still, Mina hated seeing her look so sad, and so she waved at Ochako when the other girl came back from refilling Mirio's coffee.
"Hey, girlie," Mina said, gently touching Ochako's shoulder, "do you need to go home? I can cover the last few hours of your shift."
The brunette blinked, looking over at the pink-haired waitress. "What? Oh–no, it's fine. I'm just… going through some things."
Mina lifted her brows, pinning her with a look. "Yeah, that's obvious, like. You don't need to tell me what, but it's pretty clear you're not in a good head space today."
"Oh," Ochako replied, brow furrowing, "no, I'm… it's not that bad. I just finally got some answers to some things my parents never told me, and it's a lot. I'll be fine. I promise."
"Well, since you promised," Mina replied, although there was a lingering concern in her words. She glanced out at the street before changing subjects. "How are those swimming lessons going?"
Ochako blinked, looking over at her coworker. "Oh… they're going well. Izuku's, hm. He's really patient and gentle. I've learned a lot from him, and, honestly, our meet-ups are my favorite part of the week."
Mina's eyes lit up as Ochako looked out at the seating area to see if anyone needed anything. Unable to resist teasing the other girl, especially if it helped pull her out of her head, the pink-haired girl jokingly prompted, "Is he as good of a kisser as he is a swimmer?"
"Pretty close," Ochako replied absently, before the realization of what she just said caught up to her. Wide eyes turned to look at Mina, who put her hands to her cheeks and squealed in delight.
"Oh. My. GOD."
Quickly, before Mina could hound her for details, Ochako took off to engage Todoroki in a riveting conversation about UFOs.
XX
Izuku walked down to the cove, running a hand through his wet curls. After receiving Ochako's text to meet up after work, he'd only taken a quick detour to get groceries for dinner and drop them off at the house. It would have been faster to swim out to the cove, but sometimes walking down the streets like a normal person helped maintain appearances.
Of course, it also meant he ran into Todoroki standing outside of the ice cream parlor, and it was a very awkward two minutes of being subjected to a wary, distrustful glare over a blue and red snow cone as he crossed the intersection.
Ochako was waiting for him, her back to the shore as she sat on one of the rocks. One leg was dipped in the water, waves lapping at it, while she hugged the other to her chest, chin resting on the knee.
It had been three days since he'd seen her or heard from her, and admittedly, he'd been nervous she was going to cut off communication entirely. So for her to request him to meet her at the cove was a relief, even if he knew there was a possibility she was going to reject her sea blood.
It was her choice to make, and he would respect it. But if she did, it would make him incredibly sad.
He reached the sands and kicked off his sandals, grabbing them and hopping up onto the rocks. The waves masked what few sounds he made, and knowing he had a running tally of spooking her, he called out softly, "Hey!"
She jumped slightly, but it was a marked improvement from previous encounters. When she looked over her shoulder, he gave a tiny wave and a smile, making his way to sit on a rock next to hers, a polite distance away.
Just in case.
She turned to face him, still holding her knee, although the angle meant she had to pull her other leg out of the water. She made a face at that, but did so anyway, droplets painting a temporary picture on the stone.
"Thanks for coming out," she said softly, offering a faint smile.
He nodded, crossing his legs. "Of course."
Unsure of what else to say, he opted to sit patiently, quietly regarding her countenance. She seemed thoughtful, but no other details on her expression gave way to what thoughts she might be having. After several seconds, she took in a breath and met his gaze.
"I reread all the letters my parents left me and the last ones I hadn't opened. You're right. My mom had sea blood," she explained, looking out over the water. "The last two letters actually told the story. Filled in the blanks. My father was a fisherman. Accidentally fished up my mom who was exploring near the island."
She paused, laughing a little. "I can see why they saved this story for last, because I would have scoffed at reading it before now. Apparently they kept meeting up and fell in love. Wasn't sure what to do about it, so Mom planned to reject part of her sea blood so she could exist on the island with Dad. But…my grandfather passed away shortly after, leaving behind my grandmother who couldn't care for herself. So, my mom had to make a choice. The ocean, or my dad. She chose my dad, and they sold the fishing boat and moved inland."
Ochako sighed, hugging her knees tightly. "Moving to the mainland nearly broke my mother. She alluded to it in earlier letters. Mentioning loneliness, sadness. But in the last ones… she went into details. Dad had little free time between work and helping care for my grandmother. Mom was going through withdrawal from the ocean, and it made her feel sick a lot. She was also terribly lonely. All her life experiences were around the sea, and she didn't have that anymore. My dad encouraged her to try and make friends, but warned her to keep her origins a secret. Unfortunately, my mom was young and naive. Despite Dad's warnings, she ended up telling people she thought she could trust. As you can imagine, it didn't go well. She got ridiculed a lot. It made her depression worse."
Her eyes fell to the stone. "Dad didn't know what to do. He didn't make enough money for them to move closer to the ocean, and my grandmother wasn't really fit to move, either. He offered to save up money to send her back to the island alone, but Mom refused. Not only did she not want to leave him, she was also scared to face her own people, knowing she had left with hardly a goodbye."
Ochako paused, pursing her lips. "Wasn't much later that Mom realized she was pregnant with me. At first, she was elated at the idea of having a child. Someone she could bond with. But then, she realized I would have sea blood, and she feared I would be born with fins and scales. She wanted to give birth at home without aid. My father refused, too scared to lose her if something went wrong. They argued over it a lot, but finally settled on a midwife and hoped for the best. I was born, and to my parents' relief, I looked like a normal human baby. I guess because Mom had suppressed her sea blood, mine was dormant when I was born."
Izuku nodded quietly at the hypothesis. He'd heard enough similar stories from others.
Ochako continued, "Because of what my mom went through, my parents decided to keep my heritage a secret until I was old enough to understand. They didn't want me to go through what she did with being ostracized or bullied. However, each time I reached the milestone they had agreed upon, they found another reason to not tell me. …They were scared."
She paused, pursing her lips and giving a painful smile. "One year, when I was twelve, my school organized a trip to the beach. I was so excited, because I really wanted to go. I'd never been to a beach before! But my parents told me they couldn't afford for me to go. Money was pretty tight at the time, so it made sense. I was so sad, but I wasn't bitter. I knew it wasn't my parents' fault that we were always tight on money. We had my grandmother to take care of, they were trying to raise me on one income. But apparently that was the cover story. They didn't want me to touch the ocean and get the call. They… weren't ready to have that talk yet."
Ochako worked her jaw, and Izuku watched the muscles of her arms flex as she held her knees even tighter. "Each time they had a chance, they didn't take it. I understand why, but that doesn't change how much it hurts. Even these letters… it took so long to get to the point. They said– they said in the last letter that they wanted me to read them one day at a time so that I would spend time on the island. They figured I'd be more accepting of the truth if I was experiencing the call when I found out. Guess they figured I'd get curious and go swimming. Doubt they planned for me to nearly kill myself scattering their ashes though."
She trailed off after that wry remark, digging her chin into her knees. They sat in silence, Ochako with a heavy heart, and Izuku unsure of what to say. On one hand, he could easily imagine the kind of pain Ochako's mother had gone through, and how that led her to not want to tell Ochako about who she was. On the other hand, she had taken a choice away from her daughter, and let fear drive a wedge in their relationship.
And now that damage could never be undone, because her parents were gone.
After a long moment, Izuku replied, "Thank you for telling me. What can I do to help?"
Ochako laughed, the sound somewhat stilted, and Izuku could see she was trying hard to not cry. The response confused him, and he gave her a worried look. In return, she shook her head, wiping away tears from her eyes.. "Sorry. I'm just…the last thing in the final letter was about you. Indirectly. Mom wrote that… if I wanted to embrace the call, there would be someone on the island to help me. There was always a watcher, and I just needed to look for someone who was always in the water and who would always lend a hand, and that person could show me the way."
Izuku smiled, feeling his cheeks warm slightly.
Ochako took a moment to compose herself before speaking again, letting go of her legs so that she could better wipe the tears from her face. "I… want to know who I am, Izuku. Will you help me discover it?"
The smile on his face widened.
"I'd be honored."
XX
Their meetings after work continued, although Ochako still jokingly called them swimming lessons. Izuku happily offered his free time, and Ochako eagerly accepted. Izuku explained that once Ochako embraced who she was, her body would begin to change, but he couldn't tell her exactly when that would be. It could be the same day, or several days later. However, everyone got their gills first, so it was at least easy to hide.
But once she got her gills, the rest of her changes would follow quickly after. When that began, she needed to be prepared to wrap up her loose ends on the island. Izuku recommended that she tell people she had to move back to the mainland. It happened often enough that no one really questioned it, and it was better than just going 'missing'.
He also reassured her that he could guide her to the closest colony - it was only about an hour's swim, even with a new tail.
They moved their meeting location to the cove for better privacy, and each day Ochako showed up first, eager and excited. Sometimes Izuku showed up by walking through the trees, other times he came up out of the water with a graceful splash, scales glittering. They would swim together, Ochako growing bolder and more confident in her abilities. Izuku never left her side, patiently monitoring her to ensure she didn't end up in distress. She was still somewhat inexperienced, and until she had gills, he didn't want her to take big risks.
What Izuku didn't know, however, was that despite her visible excitement, something still held her back. She kept silent on it, unsure of how she wanted to address it, but despite that, her gills came in a week later.
She woke up with a strange feeling in her chest, and with the skin on her ribs feeling sensitive and tender. It took her mid-way through her work shift to realize just why. Her sides itched and pulled as the muscle and flesh reshaped itself, and she was entirely grateful she had decided to wear a loose bralet and oversized t-shirt instead of her usual sports bra and tank top. The mere idea of fabric rubbing up against her sides made her skin crawl uncomfortably.
The end of her shift couldn't come fast enough, and she practically sprinted her way back to her rental. The door wasn't even closed before she was stripping her clothes off and standing in front of her small bathroom mirror with an arm up over her head and her eyes on the newly formed gills decorating her ribs like a three-dimensional tattoo.
She proceeded to fumble for her phone and leave Izuku a rushed voice message, only realizing after she sent it she probably made no sense whatsoever. She hesitated, before sending a second, slightly clearer message. Tossing her phone on the bed, she sat down and ghosted her fingers over her sides, feeling the new part of her body. It took a lot of willpower to not rush down to the cove to test them out, but she knew it was better to wait for Izuku. They would be meeting in a couple of hours anyway.
A stray thought made her freeze, and she lifted her eyes up to her swimsuit hanging on the drying rack. A swimsuit that very clearly covered her sides.
Crap. What was she supposed to wear now?
XX
It took Izuku listening to the messages about three times to understand exactly what was being said. At first, he mistook excitement for panic, and he started to worry something had happened. However, by the third time, he understood her gills had come in, and she was not panicked. She was elated.
He smiled as he walked back to his house from the mariculture farm, dropping off his phone and belongings. Finding a spot where no one could see him, Izuku dove into the water, letting his appearance shift once he was submerged. What used to take him several minutes when he was younger now took mere seconds, and with a twist, he kicked off, speeding around the shoreline towards the cove. The urge to flip out of the water was strong, but being too close to shore kept him from doing so. Even if so far no one else had shown up at the cove while they had been there, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Instead he found himself quietly coming up out of the water enough to see the cove, spying Ochako sitting on a rock. There was no one else nearby, so with a smile, he dove back under and reappeared beside her, fins and all.
She smiled brightly at him as he pulled up onto the rock.
"Do I get points for not making you jump this time?" Izuku asked without preamble.
Ochako giggled, wiggling in place with unbridled excitement. "I was watching for you. Saw you come up."
"That still counts," Izuku replied cheerfully as he looked over at her. His eyes fell to her sides, and he blinked at the adjustments she had made to her swimsuit. "I… huh. Didn't think about, uh, that."
She pinked a little in response, glancing down at one of her sides, and the cut she had made into the fabric to give her gills room to breathe. "I… wasn't sure what else to do. Not ready for skinny dipping yet."
That statement made Izuku's brain fizzle for a solid five seconds, and it was only when Ochako poked his cheek did he snap out of his daze. "Well, your mind went places with that–"
"No!" Izuku replied, waving his hands in denial. "It did not!"
The arched brow she gave him told him exactly how much she believed him, but she graciously let it slide. "So, does my body just… know what to do? Can I just jump in?"
Izuku lowered his hands, redirecting his focus. "Not quite. It's fairly instinctual, but sometimes the first time is a little bumpy. Like, I've heard stories of people who dive in and the brain sends mixed signals and they try to breathe through their nose instead of their gills, and so forth. Better to ease in until your body's used to it."
Ochako nodded, but the motion was a little stiff, like her nerves were getting the better of her. Izuku smiled and pushed himself into the water with a small splash. Reaching up, he held his hands out. "C'mon. We'll stay afloat so your nose doesn't do anything silly. Once you've got the hang of it, you can try diving under."
She bit her lip before she took his hands and slid into the water beside him. He let her orient herself, putting her hands on his shoulders, and he let his fall to her waist. After several seconds Ochako looked at him and said, "I'm still breathing through my nose."
Izuku gave a lopsided smile. "Try pinching your nose. See if you can signal to your brain that you have another option."
She blinked at him, considering that, before one of her hands left his shoulder to clamp down over her nose. He bit back a laugh at the way she puffed her cheeks with air just in case. He waited patiently, amusement coloring his face as he watched her concentrate, brows furrowed.
After several seconds, she snapped her gaze to meet his, eyes wide. He knew just by that expression she'd figured it out, and he grinned in return. "Okay, so… now the real trick is making sure you don't switch back when your face is underwater. Do you want to try? I'll be right here if something happens."
Ochako let go of her nose and nodded. "Y-yeah!"
He dropped down first, and she followed him after, plunging her head under the water. The refracted light hitting the water's surface created a bright background, illuminating the way her hair fluttered around her and the nervous, wide-eyed look she had on her pale face.
They hung there for a few seconds, suspended in water and salt and blue, and then Ochako's face broke out into a wide smile as her body did what it needed to do.
Watching her find herself, and the happiness that came from each forward moment, was beautiful. She was beautiful, and Izuku found himself captivated by everything about her as she floated there, breathing through her new gills.
And he became even more captivated when she suddenly grabbed his hands and pulled him forward, her mouth finding his for an underwater kiss.
His eyes widened only slightly before they fell closed as he met her kiss enthusiastically. Her hands found his shoulders, and before he could figure out what to do with his, she pulled herself to him and hooked her legs around his hips so they wouldn't float apart.
He kind of lost track of what he was doing after that, but at least they didn't have to worry about breaking for air.
XX
Breathing underwater was an exhilarating thing, but admittedly, kissing someone underwater without having to worry about breathing was even more exhilarating. She felt Izuku's tongue slide against hers, and the taste of salt only seemed to make the moment better.
His hands had found purchase on her back, arms loose around her to avoid her gills. Idly, she was intrigued by the way her body wasn't trying to pull air in through her nose. She had no idea what sort of workings had changed internally, but she was very grateful this moment wasn't being interrupted by her choking on water somehow. That would be awful.
No, instead, she was free to explore the way Izuku kissed under water, and if she had to describe it, it was…delightful. Satisfying. Addicting. So many ways she could describe how she felt, and with a happy mental sigh, she thought to herself,
'Damn, I have it bad for you.'
She blinked when Izuku paused in kissing her, as if something had caught his attention. And then, to her alarm and utter horror, she heard him respond in her head, 'Um… I wasn't supposed to hear that, was I?'
Ochako flailed, pulling apart from the kiss like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Izuku was staring at her with an embarrassed look on his face. 'Realizing I should have mentioned how we communicate sooner. Uh, oops?'
Oh, she was going to murder him.
The tiny 'eep' she heard in her head indicated he'd heard that, too.
XX
"Ochako, I'm so sorry," Izuku pleaded as she pulled herself up onto a rock, water dripping off of her form.
In response, the woman turned to glare at him hotly. "You seriously forgot something that important?"
"I-I didn't want to info-dump everything on you at once! Normally that part doesn't kick in till the end of the transformation, so I thought I had time!" he insisted, crawling up beside her with a soggy splash.
She scowled, looking more adorable than intimidating, and yet he still felt like he was in a pot of boiling water. Finally, she pushed her hair away from her face and let her disgruntled expression drop. "What about singing then?"
Izuku gladly latched onto the opportunity presented. "Oh! Songs can carry over long distances, kinda like whale songs. We use them to communicate general concepts, but that's about it. The one your mother taught you - that's a welcoming song, like an invitation to one's house. If you hear it, others are nearby. And, well, when we're close by, we can communicate telepathically. It's pretty short-range, though. Like, maybe five meters max. B-believe it or not, it's not hard to choose what thoughts to communicate with a little bit of practice."
She stared at him, before sighing. "Are there other things you've not told me yet?"
"A few," Izuku admitted, nervously playing with the webbing between his toes. "I really just didn't want to overwhelm you. I'm sorry."
"Well, I want to know everything," Ochako responded firmly as she stood up and began to make her way back towards the shore. "So, you're going to tell me everything. Over dinner! You're buying."
Izuku stared after her, trying to figure out if that was a punishment or a date. Either way, he wasn't going to say no.
XX
A day later, Ochako started getting scales on her arms. Izuku knew, because she sent him a text with a picture and said she called in sick from work. It seemed the last of her transformation was coming quickly, and Izuku was both elated and…
…sad.
He had been avoiding talking about the obvious - that he couldn't join her in the ocean. He could visit - he visited family once every couple of weeks, but he had a job to do on the island. He knew she knew that, but he wondered if she was so focused on everything else that the weight of what it meant hadn't reached her.
Even without her accidental confession, he knew she was very interested in him, and he was equally, if not more interested in her. Still, reuniting her with a life she had been denied was the most important thing, and even if it stung, it wasn't like he'd never get to see her. Maybe she'd be interested in a long-distance relationship?
He tried not to think about it too much, but it seemed no distraction lasted for long before his mind was back on the approaching deadline. The moment she got her tail, she would have to erase her life on the island. He would lead her to the closest colony, get her acquainted and settled in, then return to his life on the island.
It was really hard to compartmentalize his feelings. He knew he was allowed to be sad, just as he was also happy for her. He just had to make sure the former didn't show through and discourage her from doing what she wanted to do.
The apparent end of her transformation came while he was at work. When he took his lunch break and checked his phone, he had several texts that more or less told him that the rest of her appearance was coming in and she was going down to the cove to wait for him. He chewed on his lip more than he chewed on his onigiri, trying to figure out how to respond. Logically, he knew what to say. He'd helped plenty of others at this critical point.
None of the others had such a special place in his heart, though. Sighing, he fired back a text that he would take an early leave and get there as quickly as he could. To his surprise, he got an immediate response back, telling him she could wait. She was making arrangements and would just hang out around the cove exploring her new features.
He warned her to be safe and stay out of sight, but all his mind could think of was that he knew what those arrangements were, and he was grateful emotions were easy to mask over text.
By the time he managed to get free of work and get home to drop off his stuff, it was approaching mid-afternoon. The beach was hardly empty, and it took Izuku a bit to find a place he could safely dive in and not be seen. The rush of the water rising up around him did much to calm his nerves as he sunk down to the sandy floor and kicked off, aiming straight for the cove.
She'd figure out how to use her tail quickly enough, but he wanted to be there to give her some tips. Even if he hadn't had a tail in years, he still remembered the details, and he directed others frequently enough those details never got old. Same with how the fins worked. It would practically become second-nature. And –
He came to a stop when he heard a familiar call reach him under the waves. The soft melody was just outside of the cove, warm and inviting.
I'm here. Come find me.
He smiled, grateful that underwater no one could see tears in his eyes as he followed Ochako's song. The water was clear today, so the sunlight filtered down all the way to the sea floor, illuminating the reefs and highlighting the schools of fish that swam around him. He knew the area well, given that he'd lived here for years, and it was no surprise this was where Ochako was exploring. It was bright and pretty, with lots of things to see, and as long as she stayed low, no danger. Most fishing boats were further out, and divers didn't really come to this side of the island.
He came to a stop, looking around to see if he could find her, eyes skimming over his surroundings. Nothing stood out amongst the sea life, and so focused on looking for her, he failed to notice her sneaking up behind him. He jerked when her hands covered his eyes, but when he felt her press up against his back, he found himself smiling.
'For once, you snuck up on me!'
'Yup! With how fast you were going, you scattered all the fish! No way I didn't see you coming!'
He laughed in his head as she pulled her hands away, and he prepared himself to greet her in her new appearance.
Had he been on land, one might say his breath hitched, but given he was underwater, no such thing happened. His mouth was open though, brows high on his forehead as he landed his gaze on a lovely array of pinks and oranges. She smiled at him sweetly as he took in her appearance. Little scales wrapped around the sides of face and her eyes like cleverly detailed makeup, starting at her temples and ending right below her jaw. Those same scales dusted her shoulders, adding rosy accents to her pale skin.
From her elbows down, her arms were black with pink and orange stripes, with fins the colors of the sunset, and webbing between her fingers.
And her legs were the same.
He found himself staring at her, wide eyes fixating on the fact that instead of a tail, she floated before him with legs much like his, scales dotting her thighs and fins clinging to her calves and ankles in the same colors as her arms. Webbed toes flexed slightly as she kept herself in place, and she had a wide, beautiful smile on her face.
It didn't make any sense. 'Wait–you–you should have a tail.'
'Nope! This is exactly how I should look.'
His eyes moved from her legs to her face a few times, expression confused. 'But– this means–'
Her smile widened, showing off her teeth. 'It means I made my choice.'
For a moment, he stopped filtering water through his gills, and all he could hear was the pounding of his heart and the rush of blood in his head. Did she actually mean… 'Is this… actually what you want?'
She nodded, closing the distance between them and taking his hands in hers. They floated there like that for a moment, suspended in the tropical waters as fish swam by them without a care in the world. 'I asked you to help me find myself. And you did. This is who I want to be.'
'But…' He didn't want to question her, but he had to be sure.
She squeezed his hands, still smiling at him sweetly. 'I have no attachments to the mainland, but I also don't have any attachments to the colonies you told me about. There is, however, one attachment I do have, and I'm not so keen to let it go.'
He was stunned in silence, not in a 'no thoughts, head empty' kind of way, but in a 'too many thoughts, and they're all one big tangled mess of kelp' kind of way. Her expression turned meek, and she glanced down at their hands. 'You talk about lost ones, and wanting them to find their way home. But you've never talked about how lonely this life must be, to not have anyone like yourself to bond with. It… I don't want anyone to go through what my mother went through, and while I know it's not the same, I thought, well, maybe… you'd like to not be alone?'
Underwater, no one could see him cry, but he was certain he was crying as he gave her his biggest smile. 'That would make me so happy.'
'Me, too.'
With mirroring smiles, they closed the distance between them to share a kiss that would be the start of a new stage in their lives.
XX
A few weeks later…
The early morning sun filtered in through the open windows of Izuku's beach house, announcing a day of clear skies and good weather. The ceiling fan knocked overhead, keeping the air circulating along with the gentle ocean breeze coming in through the windows.
The occupants of the house weren't too keen to wake up yet. Izuku lay on his back in a large hammock, dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts and his usual set of jewelry. One arm was tucked behind his head while the other was wrapped around the smaller form curled up on top of him, asleep in one of his t-shirts. Around her wrist was a set of bracelets made of seaglass that Izuku had crafted for her. The thin sheet that had been draped over them at the start of the night was piled on the floor, and neither seemed to care.
Izuku woke up first, eyes fluttering open when the sun got too bright to ignore. He exhaled softly, fingers mindlessly gliding up and down Ochako's arm as he allowed himself to wake up. The motion pulled her from slumber ever so gently, and she hummed, nuzzling her face into his chest. He made an amused noise in response, reaching up to brush her hair from her face. "Morning."
He received a grunt in response, and he smiled, looking up at the ceiling. It hadn't taken long for him to learn Ochako was not actually a morning person.
Still, after several minutes, she moved her head to look up at him with sleepy eyes, and he squeezed her against him in response. "Sleep well?"
She nodded sleepily, and reached up to cover a yawn before dropping her hand on his chest, fingers drumming against his skin lightly. "I dreamed of us swimming again."
He smiled. "Me, too."
"Mm… not as good as the real thing."
"Well, isn't it fortunate neither of us work today, and that we're going to meet up with my parents." he said lightly, tone amused.
She nodded, hair tickling his chest from the movement. "Is your mother going to ask us about marriage again?"
A painful groan escaped Izuku's lips. "...Probably."
A wicked smile pulled across Ochako's lips. "I'll tell her it's next month."
"Oh, don't you dare."
Ochako's laughter filled the room, and despite her teasing, Izuku couldn't help but feel he was living his best life.
XX
The cloudless sky allowed the sun to penetrate deep into the clear waters surrounding the island. Ochako's face was brimming with excitement as she did her best to keep up with Izuku, who swam ahead of her. He was purposely going fast, twisting and turning and forcing her to keep up in this game of tag as they made their way towards the colony his parents stayed at.
Any time she thought she caught up, he'd burst ahead and circle around, grabbing her playfully. Sometimes to kiss her, sometimes to tumble with her in the water. They would both silently laugh, their eyes conveying their emotions.
She didn't have the practice and experience that he did, but he reassured her she was doing swimmingly for having just gotten her fins, and she punched his shoulder for that terrible pun. His giggles echoed in her head, so she followed it up with a kiss to shut him up.
Sometimes he still checked in to make sure she was happy with her choice, and every time her answer was the same - she'd never been happier.
She was finally where she belonged.
Epilogue
When Shoto Todoroki took his usual seat at the diner, Ochako noticed how Mina immediately found herself cleaning up something in the kitchen. Rolling her eyes, she prepared Shoto's usual tea. She didn't actually mind, though. Over the last few weeks, they had developed an unusual camaraderie somehow, and Ochako had suspected the man was just lonely.
He didn't immediately respond to her greeting when she placed the tea before him, eyes on something on his phone. However, when she stood up to walk away, he spoke. "Uraraka."
Ochako half turned to find him staring at her intently. "I heard you moved in with Midoriya."
Her lips quirked upward. "I did. I'm afraid to tell you his house is quite normal inside. He doesn't sleep in a seabed or an aquarium."
Shoto narrowed his eyes. "He's probably hiding it from you."
"And even if he is, it wouldn't change a thing," Ochako replied warmly. "Really, Todoroki. He's actually a really nice guy. Taught me how to swim quite well. In fact, you should join us. There's a nice spot by the beach, and you can see how he swims very much like a human and not like a fish."
Shoto frowned, shaking his head. "I don't get near ocean water. I'm allergic."
Ochako stopped, blinking at him. "What?"
Shoto opened his mouth to respond, but then his phone started buzzing on the table. His eyes fell to the caller ID, and he hesitated before adding, "My skin always starts itching when I get in the ocean, and I have nightmares of being underwater for days after, so–argh, sorry, I have to take this call. It's my dad."
And without another word to her, he got out of his booth and walked off with his phone, leaving Ochako staring after him in shock.
Oh dear.