midoriya couldn't remember when he wasn't confined to a small tank; he couldn't remember what it was like not to have faces smushed against the glace peering up at him with wonder. he couldn't remember his mother's voice as she warned him when he went to play with the other kids. he couldn't remember his childhood friend's nickname for him. he couldn't remember what his home looked like, what it was like outside of the wretched halls of the aquarium.
he could remember, though, what he felt as he was ripped out of the water. he could remember the fear as his arms and tail were caught in the fishing net. he could remember the terror upon being lifted out of the water and into the boat. he could remember how hard it was to breathe and how he thought he was going to die.
he was six when he was taken and thrown into a small pool. he was still a guppy, crying for his mother and hoping the humans would let him go. at first, they poked and prodded at him, his arms littered with scars where they had sliced him open and pricked him with needles.
when the humans had done their experimenting, he was thrust out into the open. a sea full of ugly faces staring up at him as he was debuted to the public. small ones with disgusting smiles, and big ones with flashing cameras and grotesque looks of awe. the awful, resonating pound that echoed throughout the tank as people banged on the glass despite the clear label near his exhibit description. the horrid sensation of starving until he did the trick the humans wanted him to.
he needed out before he died.
you had always had a love for marine biology, studying it intensely through your childhood with numerous books. your bedroom was aquatic themed for years, and even as you grew out of the obsessive phase, you still kept the seashells danging from the ceiling and a few of the bigger textbooks.
your mother had given you a lifetime pass to the local aquarium when you were younger. you would visit almost every single day, enough for the employees to recognize you and give you special access to secret exhibits or smuggle you into ticketed events. even the managers adored your love of all things marine-based, and they were impressed with your vast knowledge. the merman, though, was your favorite; you would sit in front of his tank, talking for hours on end; keeping him company and yelling at the other little kids who would hit the glass and scare him.
you found a friend in the merman, and he found one in you.
but once you hit middle school, your trips ceased. your life was turned upside down by having multiple classes a day, and crowded hallways you could barely squeeze through, and mountains of homework that was to be completed and turned in the next day. and even in the summers, you had work to do. with advanced placement classes and were often sent of to your grandmother's across country.
that was, until you reached the summer after high school. you had an entire summer to lounge around and do what you pleased before college started, where you'd be attending an out-of-state college for marine biology. you had gotten a full ride due to the hard work in middle and high school, and the rich aunt on your mother's side was going to pay for all that you needed that wasn't covered.
you had started to pack up your room two months before you had to leave, just to give yourself enough time. you had gone through your old books, choosing some to donate and most to keep. you had filtered through the little knickknacks you collected through your childhood and threw the majority of them away. but as you sifted through your desk, a small card fluttered out of the old wallet you'd picked up.
"hey mom!" you called from your desk chair.
the woman poked her head in from the hallway. "yes?"
you held up the old card, "look what i found."
her brows knitted, and she entered the room. "is that--"
"the aquarium pass you got me," you replied. "i haven't been there in years."
"you could still go," she said, "it is a lifetime pass, after all. that's what i paid for."
you shrugged, "i don't see why not. i still have plenty of time to pack."
"you can use the car if you want," your mother smiled, "just be sure to fill up the tank on your way back."
"okay, thank you," you replied.
the aquarium wasn't too crowded when you got there for a warm summer saturday; children were running about with their parents, couples walking hand in hand and looking at all the displays, groups of students wandering around as they took their summer school field trips. there was the decent hum of constant chatter and the intercom announcing events coming up within the hour.
you made sure to make your rounds to your favorite childhood exhibits. there were the jellyfish floating around in a dark room, sea otters darting about their tank and playing around with the children peering up at them, small fish minding their business as they swam around without a care in the world.
"the merman show will be starting in five minutes. those attending please make your way to exhibit showroom six."
your ears perked up. you remembered being a younger child and sitting in front of the merman tank for hours. so, you turned on your heel and made your way to the showroom. it probably wasn't the same merman from your childhood, you couldn't imagine a place would be so cruel as to keep someone in a small fraction of space for so long.
it was mostly children within the room, parents hanging back near the walls and conversing with one another. some children had their faces pressed against the glass, others were sat criss-cross with wild smiles and wide eyes. the tank in front of them was large, the glass spanning nearly fifty yards up and nearly seventy yards in length. this room had to be their biggest one, a new development as you had never been in here.
there were rocks jutting out from behind the glass, framing the tank on either side of the large panel. small fish darted across and occasionally ran into each other. from the angle you were at, you couldn't see if the tank was open from the top, but judging by the sunlight filtering through, you suspected it was. there were groups of coral jutting up from the rocks and seaweed dancing in the slight manmade-current. but there was no merman in the tank, not yet at least.
"good morning, everyone!" an employee announced; a small girl with brunette hair and rosy cheeks standing in one corner of the tank. "are you all ready to see a real life merman?"
almost every single child screamed in excitement.
"well, first we have to go over some rules," she said. "first, please don't touch the glass or hit it. it's not nice, and it startles the sea life. plus, the merman's not too fond of it. second, please turn off your flash if you wish to use your cameras. once again, the merman isn't too fond."
she proceeded to tell the room of a few more rules, but you weren't listening too closely. there was the vague memory of hearing these rules often before, this being your younger self's favorite exhibit.
"now, without further adieu, if you could all direct your attention to the tank, i present to you, the merman midoriya!" the girl beamed at the crowd. you stood back with your arms crossed as you watched the tank closely.
in a dart of brilliant green, a figure showed itself in front of the tank. the room immediately erupted into cheers and laughs and children's screams. but you stood there in shock; the merman looked almost the same as the one from your childhood, only just a tad bit older, like he'd grown up alongside with you. his hair was still wild, seaweed green, and in a curly mess around his head. he still had those forest green eyes that you wished your own looked like, only they were fearfully darting about the room. and his tail was still a shimmering emerald, only longer, looking more adult-like, if that made any sense.
he was doing flips within the water, doing the same job he'd had even as a seven year old merman to make children laugh. the girl at the podium started to name some tricks, and he would perform them effortlessly. the show came around to a close, but it was announced the merman would be out and about for the next hour around lunch for the children to enjoy.
you subconsciously moved closer to the tank and pressed yourself against the wall, hoping for a better view. your eyes scanned the small crowd, a small smile coming to your lips at how happy the children looked, but then you noticed one beginning to raise her fist at the glass, and you jumped into action. she hit it once, and out of the corner of your eye, you noticed the merman flinch.
"hey!" you called, kneeling in front of the small girl and grabbing her fist before she could land another blow. "hey, you really shouldn't do that, you know."
she pouted in your direction, "wh-why not?"
"it hurts their ears," you replied. "it's like when you see the small fish in a pet store, you shouldn't tape the glass as the sound reverberates around the tank."
"oh," she mumbled. "i'm sorry."
you shook your head, "it's okay, but you might want to say sorry to the merman."
you both turned back to the tank, and you nearly jumped when you noticed him directing in front of you with wide, disbelieving eyes trained solely on your face. his mouth was parted slightly, and he lifted a hand to the glass.
your face turned red, and you looked away. vivid memories of those same green eyes keeping you company as you stayed at the aquarium while your parents were always busy with work. how you would talk to him about elementary school and your friends and how you wished you could be like him.
"i'm sorry, mr. merman," the little girl behind you spoke, breaking you from your flashbacks. and then she skipped off, probably to find her mother and boast about the merman she'd seen.
you turned your attention back to the tank, the green eyes that were watching the small child turning back to you, his hand still pressed against the glass. hesitantly, you placed your hand in front of his, a shaky smile coming to your lips.
"you... you remember me?" it came out as a whisper, and you cleared your throat.
he tilted his head, confused as to why you looked so sad.
"i can't believe it. i...," you removed your hand from the glass. "it's been like, almost ten years."
a few bubbles passed through his lips, and he motioned you to stay put with his hands. he darted up towards the surface, disappearing while you stood there in disbelief.
"he seems to like you."
you jumped, turning your head to see the employee approach you. "huh?"
"midoriya, seems he likes you," she reiterated. "he doesn't like to get close to the glass, but he even tried to make contact."
"oh," you said. "i... i think he remembers me, i used to come here a lot as a kid."
"really? that could be it," she replied. "i—" she paused, a small buzz coming from the talkie she kept on her hip. "oh, well, i guess you should come with me then."
your brows furrowed, "what, why? i'm not in trouble am i?"
she laughed as she shook her head, "no, not at all. midoriya actually wants to talk to you."
"t-talk to me?"
"yeah! come on, he's really nice, i promise. follow me," she said, beginning to lead you through an exhibit hall and into a door marked employees only. "i'm uraraka, by the way."
"(last name)," you replied. your eyes were wide as you recognized the hallway, old employees leading you through as they smuggled you into different events and closed exhibits not yet open to the public.
she stopped in front of a large blue door, "here we are. this is the one that leads to midoriya's pool. well, it's not really a pool, it's probably the biggest enclosure we have on the property." she twisted the knob, and you blinked from the sun hitting your eyes and temporarily blinding you.
"where are—" your voice caught in your throat as your eyes readjusted to the sunlight.
leaning on the ledge outside of the pool was the merman you'd known since childhood. he was talking animatedly to another employee, webbed hands moving as he spoke. there was the occasional splash behind him from the flick of his tail. he seemed to be deep in conversation with the man.
"sorry to interrupt, but, iida-kun, i got her!" uraraka announced. "izu-kun, is this who you were talking about?"
the merman froze, green eyes wide as he looked over at you; he couldn't believe it was really you. the only human he would ever describe as his best friend, the only human he allowed himself to like as a guppy. you were older now, taller, your hair just a bit different, but your eyes were definitely the same. yours were the only shade of (eye color) he'd ever seen before, eyes that had been imprinted in his memories.
he was surprised to see you in the crowd. he was sure you had forgotten about him, or maybe even moved away and he'd never see you again. he once believed that you died a long time ago. and yet, there you were, standing in the doorway next to uraraka.
"h-hi," he stammered, cringing at how stupid he sounded. his cheeks were flushed, and he wanted nothing more than to hide in the water and pretend he didn't just make a fool of himself.
you smiled, "hello."
he gave you a shaky smile in return. "i-i hope it wasn't weird for me t-to ask to see you."
you shook your head, "n-no, it's okay."
"good," he replied.
iida and uraraka exchanged a look, nodding to one another. "we'll leave you to it. just don't fall in, he might drown you," uraraka grinned.
your eyes widened, and midoriya froze, "n-no, i won't! i would never!"
"just kidding," the girl laughed. "be careful, though. we'll be back for your next show, izu-kun."
"please don't fall in, though," the man said to you. "the oils on your skin may make midoriya-san or the other inhabitants sick."
you nodded, "of course. thank you."
"see you guys later!" the two left, and you stood there awkwardly with your hands clasped behind your back, occasionally shifting on your feet.
midoriya watched you. he was always a little intrigued by human behaviors. he didn't really enjoy living in captivity, something he'd told iida and uraraka plenty of times, but he did enjoy being able to observe humans up close. he was curious to see how legs worked, and how unlike merfolk tails, you had knees to help you move and walk and run. to him, human legs were restrictive, but so were merfolk tails. he couldn't exactly leave the water and hope to scoot around, yet legs could still help you swim in his own environment.
"so," you started, "midoriya, huh?"
he jumped and nodded, "y-yeah, midoriya izuku. and-and you are?"
"(last name, first name), but you can call me (name) if you want," you said.
"(name)," he tested the name out on his tongue.
you nodded, "yeah. should i just call you midoriya-san?"
he blushed. "you can call me whatever you like. though uraraka likes to call me izu-kun, so if you want to call me that, i don't mind."
"izu-kun," you spoke, "i like it. izu-kun it is then."
he smiled.
"so, izu-kun, you-you asked to talk to me?"
"y-yeah, i... you... do you want to sit down?" the boy asked. "i promise i won't pull you in."
you nodded, "sure, but you better not. i... i wouldn't do so well, seeing as i can't swim."
he gaped, "you-you can't swim?!"
"nope," you took a seat in front of him, legs criss-cross as you situated yourself. "my parents never took the time to teach me, and well, i spent most of my time here as a child."
"well, i can't walk, so i guess we're even," he replied with a smile. but then his expression changed to one you couldn't decipher. "uh, i... i remember you, you know. it was before i'd even learned human tongue."
your eyes widened. "o-oh. to be honest, i am quite surprised. you must see a lot of faces everyday."
"but none of those faces came almost every week to talk to me," he said, "even if i couldn't understand what you were saying."
"probably best you didn't understand," you laughed. "they were most likely wild stories, my parents usually told me tell you them when they didn't feel like listening."
"oh?"
"doesn't matter anyway, can't remember them now, and you couldn't understand then," you replied. "but, it is nice to be remembered. i-i can't believe you're still here."
he sighed, "i am, i'll probably even die here."
your scowled, staring off at something in the distance. "i hope not. i used to get so mad as a kid, and i'm still now."
"you would get mad? about what?" midoriya asked.
you sighed, "i was always so mad that you lived here. as much as i enjoyed talking to you, i had a secret hope that you would disappear one day because they decided to put you back in the ocean."
"oh," he mumbled. "no, i-i don't think i'll ever leave."
you were quiet for a moment; you wished you could help the merman in front of you, but there was nothing you could really do. you couldn't exactly carry midoriya out of the aquarium in your arms, nor did you think you would actually get away with it, there being cameras everywhere.
"i miss my mom," he whispered. "i can't even tell how long it's been, and she's most likely been traveling around the world trying to find me."
you nodded solemnly, "i wish there was something i could do. maybe i could--no, that wouldn't work, i can--no, not that either." you sat there for a moment, lost in thought as you tried to think of a way to help midoriya. it wasn't fair that he would be locked away for the rest of his life. you knew that even the dolphins and the sharks were only kept for a year or so before they were tossed back into the ocean. that was the only reason you came to this aquarium.
"you don't have to--"
"i got it!"
midoriya's eyes widened, and he jumped at your sudden outburst. he tilted his head, "you got... what?"
an idea of how to help him came to mind, and you smirked at the boy. "i know exactly what to do. i promise i'll get you out of here, izu-kun."
"wh-what?"
"it's simple, really," the boy leaned in as you beckoned him closer. "you would say you're friends with iida and uraraka, right?"
he nodded, "they're my primary caretakers. they're the only two i trust."
"perfect. so, what i was thinking," you immediately launched into your foolproof plan on how to get the merman back into the ocean and back to his family. how you would befriend iida and uraraka as well, and you'd come back everyday to build a trust with the aquarium staff again, and how right before you left for college, you would sneak him out at night with the cameras disabled, get him to your car, and drive him to beach so he could rejoin his family and get the hell out of suffocating captivity.
"that... that actually might work." the boy nodded to himself, thinking over everything and agreeing. "we would just need to talk to iida and uraraka."
"perfect," you replied. and thus started your plan to get the merman midoriya back home.
you had returned every single day to the aquarium after that, always after lunch and your mother letting you borrow the car. the staff had started to recognize you once more, and they would make casual small talk as they came across you. iida and uraraka began to warm up to you, too, and you weren't sure if midoriya had told them of the plan yet or not. though, you were sure uraraka knew, as one time she'd even admitted she didn't like having midoriya stuck in the aquarium. iida was a bit of a stickler, but you were sure that when the time came for it, he would stick his neck out for the merman.
midoriya had requested to see you every single day, though, he finished his show outside and lingered a bit just to cheer up the children. you told him how much of a laugh it was to see him play around, and how much the children enjoyed it; you were sure you saw an increase in his playfulness after that, or maybe it was a trick to the eyes.
the boy was excited to go home. he thought he would never have the chance to feel the waves tumbling over him, or the current pulling at him, or being able to hug his mother one last time. would she even recognize him anymore? how long had it even been since he was kidnapped? when he wasn't performing, the thought of his escape was always on his mind. it was all he could think of, and he was surprised that when he'd told iida and uraraka, both were on board.
and soon came time for the plan to actually come into effect.
you had asked your mother to borrow the car until late, claiming that you were going over to a friend's for a little while since it was their goodbye party. she gave you the keys and told you just to fill up the tank, and you left towards the aquarium. you were jittery, and just a little bit anxious, but you were confident this would work. with iida and uraraka already knowing the aquarium's inside layout, and how iida would disable the cameras for ten minutes, uraraka helping you lift midoriya into a wheelchair; it was a foolproof plan.
it was a bit cold out, and you pulled your jacket tighter as you knocked once on the door uraraka had told you about. it was only a moment, before said girl pulled you in quickly.
"follow me," she murmured. "iida's about to shut down the cameras, so keep yourself hidden behind me."
you nodded.
the two of you turned into another hallway. "you know, we might get sent to jail for doing this, but... but as long as izu-kun gets to go home, i trust you."
you stopped in your tracks, "i... i didn't even think about that."
she turned to you, "iida and i had discussed it, and we're okay with it. izu-kun has been a really good friend to us, and if that's what will come to be, then that's just it."
you gulped, "are-are you sure? i can always say you had no idea, and iida can make up a lie about--"
"(name), it's okay," she replied. "now, hurry, we don't have much time, and midoriya is a pain to lift."
"right," you murmured.
the two of you quietly sneaked around the hallways, and you finally reached midoriya's door. he was sat there just outside the pool, back facing you and slightly crouched over. he was mumbling to himself, and he jumped as he felt you gently touch his shoulder. uraraka was unfolding the wheelchair behind you as you talked with midoriya
"ready?"
"ready."
"uraraka, help me," you wrapped one arm around your shoulder, and she grabbed the other to wrap around her own. "on the count of three. one... two... three." you groaned as you struggled to pick the merman up, and you dragged him over to the wheelchair. "alright, step one complete. are we sure iida-san disabled the cameras?"
uraraka nodded, "yeah, there'll be a blinking red light when they come back on. security should be on break right now, but be careful. i'm going to go check on iida."
"thanks," you gave a curt nod. "ready to go home, izu-kun?"
"of course," he beamed.
"oh, (name), one more thing," the girl called before you left to the hallways. "be sure his tail doesn't dry out, and he keeps hydrated. water is his oxygen, remember."
"right, thanks." you continued out, slipping past the corners and towards the backdoor. you had just made it outside when you heard alarms begin to go off, sending panic coursing through your veins. your head whipped around, eyes wide and looking for a camera. sure enough, there was a blinking red light, just as uraraka had told you. "hang on tight, izu-kun, we've got to hurry!"
the boy gulped and gripped the arm rests tightly. you shoved with all your might, nearly tipping the poor merman over with every turn you took until you'd gotten to your car. there was the faint echo of sirens, red and blue lights flashing through the streets.
"here," you unlocked the car and opened the backseat door, "climb in."
you kept a watchful eye out as you heard the boy grunt. it was a bit difficult for him to get in, but he managed. "okay, i think i'm good."
you nodded, "alright, a first class ticket to the ocean, here we go!" you clambered into the driver's seat, wheels screeching as you took off and rounded the corner's of the parking garage. "i promise we won't crash! we just have to get you out of here before those red and blue lights catch up! if they do, we're in deep shit, got it?!"
"g-got it!" he shouted, feeling queasy in the small vehicle.
it wasn't far to get to the closest beach, and you had managed to dodge every single cop car that you had seen just by acting normal. it almost seemed too easy as you pulled into the parking lot and watched as two more cop cars flew past you, not even giving your car a second glance. they probably thought it was a couple of kids just hoping for a nightly stroll.
you smiled to yourself, sending a quick message to uraraka before turning to midoriya. "izu-kun, we--izu-kun? izu-kun!"
the boy laid in the back unconscious, looking sick and pale, body shaking and weak. his eyes were closed, and his chest was barely moving.
"holy shit," you scrambled out of the car and ripped open his door, hands flying to his shoulders. "izu-kun, izu-kun, you have to wake up. we're-we're almost there."
but he only groaned. "can't... breathe."
your eyes widened. "shit. what do i do? i-i--"
"water. the... the water," he mumbled weakly.
"right," you nodded. you wrapped your arms around his chest and hauled him out of the car, nearly dropping him from his weight. "izu-kun, you're-you're too heavy. i can't--" you tried again, but it was no use.
you groaned, and a scene from some movie came into your mind. it would be a suicide mission, and it was probably the craziest, improvisational plan you would ever have been able to think. but, it seemed to be the only thing seeing as midoriya's tail felt like it weighed three thousand tonnes. it seemed that the car was the only way for you to bring him to the water, seeing as you left the wheelchair in the parking garage at the aquarium. and the only way to do that?
"hang on, izu-kun." you shoved him back into your car, eyes darting up to look at the unfinished pier just a quarter mile away. you'd seen tractor's be able to drive across the thing with no problem, and you only hoped your car would be the same. you skirted out of the parking lot. "you'll be home soon. i...."
you thought about the decision you were about to make. it was rash, and you knew there was very little chance of survival for you. but, you thought about how midoriya had to go back to the water, how he had a family waiting and looking for him, how he'd been trapped in the aquarium since he was a frightened, little boy, how you knew you were a hundred percent okay with sacrificing your own life as long as he got to be free once again.
the car sat at the beginning of the pier, engine humming as you readied yourself. you would have to hit the pedal to the floor to build up enough momentum to break through the small barrier they had at the end, the one that was there as a safety precaution so no one would fall in. you felt bad, seeing as this was your mother's car, but you knew she would somewhat understand. you had even left her a small note just in case things went awry, one she would find on the kitchen counter the next morning.
you took a deep breath. "don't forget me, izu-kun."
the tires squealed underneath the car as you drove it as fast as you could. you only had a small distance to reach the speed you needed, and you kept checking the mph as you got closer and closer to the edge. "almost... almost, and... ther--" your car rammed right through the small wall, gravity lifting you from your seat as your belt tried to keep you in place.
it was like when you went over a hill too fast, and there was the small flutter in your gut, or when a rollercoaster was just about to drop. you could see the nose of the car start to tilt downward, and you screamed, arms flying up to protect your face as the car entered the water.
the nose hit the seafloor, and you were shoved to the side, your head hitting the glass and cracking it. you sat in a daze as water leaked through, and you checked the backseat once more. midoriya was soon going to be free, and that was all you cared about as your vision faded and you passed out.
the merman felt the cool sensation touch his hand, rising quickly as it engulfed his whole body. he was finally able to breathe once again, and he jumped with a start, wide green eyes peering around the vehicle. he had passed out, and he was confused as to what had happened. he only remembered pulling into the parking lot at the beach. so... why was the whole car inside the ocean?
and then he saw you, body wafting in the water. only small bubbles left your nostrils, your eyes closed and a gash on your head as blood seeped out of the wound, getting lost in the water.
"(name)?"
you didn't answer.
"(name)." he shifted to press his ear to your chest. there was no heartbeat, and his blood ran cold.
oxygen. humans needed oxygen. and just like he had done in your car, you had passed out--this time from lack of air, rather than his lack of water. immediately, he rushed into action, grabbing your arm and shoving through the back window, glass slicing open his body and yours. he darted up to the surface.
he held you close to him as he broke through, waiting for you to wake up and breathe. but, nothing happened.
"(name)? (name), please. you-you have to breathe," he cried. "please."
there was one thing he did remember from his mother, one story that had always stood out to him more than the rest. the story of a merperson's first kiss, and how it was sacred and bonding, how it would cure all ailments and even had been rumoured to bring someone back from the dead. he was sure it was an old siren's tale that his mother loved to humour him with, but as your pulse got weaker, he was desperate.
in one desperate, final attempt, he placed his lips on yours. and yet, even when he pulled away, you were still unresponsive. maybe it really was just an old siren's tale, maybe he didn't do it right, maybe he just wasn't enough. and even though he was home, even though he was free, it didn't feel right.
his eyes welled up with tears as he thought back to when he was a child. how you were the one human he could stand. when you would yell at other kids for hitting his glass, when you would sit and talk with him for hours even though he couldn't understand you, when you became his best friend, and when you suddenly disappeared. he let out a loud sob, cradling you closer and feeling like he had failed you somehow.
he was so distraught he didn't feel the slight twitch in your arms. he was so upset that he didn't notice your chest start to move as you struggled to breathe again. he was so hysterical that he didn't see your eyelids flutter open.
the kiss had worked, and you were alive.