Chapter Text
“Beach~, beach~, beeeach~”
Izuku smiled fondly as he glanced at his son chanting about the beach in excitement from the passenger seat.
These past few weeks he’d been up to his neck with work at the local fire station. Everyone had gone crazy during the summer as there were more fires than usual. Izuku couldn’t even count the number of times he’d been dispatched on an emergency because someone didn’t man the BBQ properly, or because some idiot dumped a burning cigarette in the dry grass.
Don’t get him wrong, Izuku loved being a firefighter; saving people felt good. He just wished they stopped putting themselves and others in danger due to neglect. It was unnecessary.
However, the summer heat must’ve gone to all of their heads because this was Izuku’s first day off in a long time.
“You excited, Katsuma?” Izuku asked, ruffling the boy’s brown locks before shifting gear.
“Yes!” the boy chirped, vibrating a bit in his seat. The car accelerated out on the highway, leaving their quiet suburban neighborhood behind.
“Is papa excited, too?”
“Of course,” Izuku told his half-truth with a reassuring smile.
Sure, Izuku would’ve loved to spend this rare, precious holiday sleeping in and maybe catching up on the latest episodes of All Might Adventures. He and Katsuma usually watched it together, gathering pillows and blankets on the couch to form a cozy nest. They bundled inside and shared snacks and soda while analyzing the action scenes. He also looked forward to assembling the new Lego set he’d gotten Katsuma for his seventh birthday a few weeks back.
Despite all that, Izuku would do anything to keep his son smiling as wide as he was now. So yeah, he could sacrifice a calm day at home for the hot, sandy beach with its screeching seagulls, loud people, overpriced ice cream, and—
“I bet Mahoro and her dad are there already!” Katsuma cut off his train of thought. “They always wake up suuuuper early.”
And that.
This wasn’t just a father and son outing to the beach.
No.
No, no, no.
Katsuma had made a new friend since he started the kendo club. From what he told him, Mahoro-chan was three years older and quite the fierce little girl. But that wasn’t what made Izuku inwardly sigh. He didn’t mind Mahoro, in fact, he was happy Katsuma made a new friend. What made him reconsider making a U-turn at the next available possibility was Mahoro’s dad.
You might think Izuku didn’t like the man, but he actually never met him. When Katsuma brought up the idea a few days ago, it was obvious that he was hiding something with the way he kept fiddling with the hem of his shirt. With some coaxing, Katsuma admitted that not only was this a playdate for him and Mahoro, but also a setup for “their single dads” as Mahoro had put it according to Katsuma.
And Izuku was not looking for a date.
His life was good enough as it was. He was happy with it just being him and Katsuma, and he did his best to make up for the absence of a mother. Even if there were times when he missed having someone to hold or be held, he didn’t have time for it. Katsuma and the fact that he had a job where he could save people was all he needed.
He just hoped Mahoro’s dad wasn’t expecting this to be a real date.
Izuku barely got their stuff out of the car before Katsuma took off down the beach with his inflatable ball clutched to his chest.
“Be careful!” Izuku yelled after him.
Katsuma came to a halt and glanced over his shoulder. He divided his attention between the sea of people with their parasols and blankets and Izuku. Biting his bottom lip for two seconds, he toddled back.
That planted a smile on Izuku’s lips.
“Wanna go together?”
Katsuma nodded like the excited little squirrel that he was, his sun hat bouncing a bit in the movement. Despite the eagerness to find his friend, Katsuma fidgeted left and right or pulled down his hat whenever someone passed by. New environments affected him, after all.
With a beep, Izuku locked the car. He gathered the cooler bag with their lunch and snacks in one hand, their own parasol under his arm, slung on their backpack, and took Katsuma in his free hand.
“Let’s go then!”
The hot sun was already burning on his neck. Even with a protective layer of sunscreen, his freckles would stand out even more after being exposed like this. The dark shades and the All Might cap could only do so much for extra protection.
His t-shirt and shorts looked good, or at least he hoped so. While he hadn’t dressed to impress, he didn’t want to make a bad impression either.
“There they are!” Katsuma tugged on his hand and gestured ahead.
Izuku looked up from his already sand-covered sneakers and followed Katsuma’s gaze to a black and orange parasol. It stood out in the sea of vibrantly colored ones.
He gulped a lungful of the warm salty air, letting the scent of summer calm him to the sound of crashing waves to his right.
“Katsuma!” a girl Izuku guessed must be Mahoro peeked out from under the parasol and waved enthusiastically with her whole arm.
To Izuku’s surprise, Katsuma let go of his hand and sprinted the last part himself.
When he arrived at Katsuma’s side, he dropped their belongings on the sand before he bent to duck his head under the parasol. “Sorry, we’re late. Traffic, you know?” Not wanting to look like a complete douche, he removed his sunglasses as he was about to introduce himself. “I’m—”
“Deku?” a rough voice cut him off and Izuku locked eyes with nostalgic crimson.
He dropped his sunglasses.
“K-Kacchan?!”
Kacchan, but not really the Kacchan he knew from a decade ago.
“What the fuck—” he cursed as he relied on his hands to straighten on the picnic blanket. The necklace against his bare chest twinkled from the sunlight. His sharp jaw hung low in bewilderment.
Izuku was vaguely aware of the fact that he was staring. It wasn’t just the shock of seeing him after so long, but also because of how much he changed. The once teenage boy had grown up to be hands—
Izuku froze.
The temperature suddenly felt much hotter than a moment ago.
“You already know each other?!” Mahoro gasped. It struck him back to reality. More precisely, it reminded him that he wasn’t in a white space devoid of everything but Kacchan.
Izuku met Mahoro’s eyes, but merely gaped like a goldfish instead of providing an answer. She wrinkled her features, and exchanged questioning looks with Katsuma.
Heat rushed to the top of his head; he averted his gaze to the ground.
Ah, look at that, his sunglasses.
Izuku wouldn’t say they knew each other exactly. Katsuki, or Kacchan, as Izuku had always called him, was the boy from the house down the street that Izuku once upon a time had called his best friend.
Back then, Izuku didn’t know what love was, he just knew that he wanted to spend his life with Kacchan. It was as simple as that. Or so he thought until they entered middle school and Katsuki started treating him differently.
“We—”
“—Grew up together,” Izuku interjected while picking up his dropped shades and hanging them on the collar of his t-shirt. He wasn’t ready to hear Kacchan deny their shared history as childhood friends.
Katsuki frowned, and it was like seeing a flash from the past, but he didn’t protest.
As if meeting Mahoro’s dad for a setup date wasn’t nerve-wracking enough, the dad had to be Kacchan?!
Oh, the irony.
“That’s wonderful!” Mahoro exclaimed with a smug look that any ten-year-old girl would be too young to wear, but with Katsuki as her dad, it wasn’t that surprising. “Bet you have lots of catching up to do! Katsuma, let’s go play!”
Izuku barely had time to put on Katsuma his arm floaties before Mahoro dragged him away towards the ocean.
“Don’t go too far out! And be careful!”
“We will!” Katsuma called back while his little legs struggled to keep up.
The sight of them grinning together made Izuku smile in return. They almost looked like siblings. Mahoro’s light brown hair swayed in its pigtails was almost a perfect match to Katsuma’s curls. He could feel himself relaxing, if only ever so slightly. If they were that happy, this day was worth making an effort for, even if that effort meant catching up with Kacchan. The one responsible for both his fondest and most painful childhood memories.
“So…” Izuku began as he settled onto the blanket, deliberately sitting as far away from Katsuki as possible. “How have you been?”
Katsuki frowned at him with an unreadable expression; Izuku swallowed. Had he already ruined this?
His eyes flicked to the ocean, where the kids splashed water at each other while shrieking and laughing before a quick glance back at Katsuki. Reading him now wasn’t as easy as it once had been. His gaze fell to his own scarred hands as he busied himself by brushing some sand off the blanket.
The uncomfortable silence between them was thick. It was almost hard to breathe despite the freshness of the salty air.
“The kids set us up, you know?” Katsuki eventually broke the silence, sidestepping Izuku’s question entirely. Still, he wasn’t about to point that out, not when there was a possibility of a conversation. Anything was better than the previous silence.
“Mm, I know,” Izuku hummed, raising his gaze once more. “Katsuma can’t lie to save himself.”
“Like father, like son.” Katsuki teased with a smirk, causing the tension between them to dissolve into the ocean. Where it would mingle with the foam of the waves before it was swallowed by the depths of the sea.
“Hey!”
“Still, I’m glad it’s you.”
Izuku’s eyes widened, mouth left agape. “Huh?”
“I hate having to play nice with random shitty parents.”
Oh.
Of course.
Of course, he wasn’t happy to see Izuku. He was simply relieved he didn’t have to pretend to be something he wasn’t.
Whatever.
Izuku shouldn’t care.
Just like middle school-Kacchan had ceased to care about Izuku.
From one day to another, Katsuki had pushed Izuku away without as much of an explanation. He started spending his time with other friends. When Izuku tried to join them, he was met with mean sneers and harsh words. The harshest of them all ‘Deku’ cut deep into the part of his heart that held all of his precious memories with Kacchan.
With time, Izuku learned that this was how things were going to be from now on. Still, he didn’t give up on their friendship. He continued to reach out, but it was all in vain. They couldn’t go back to the rose-tinted days when the summers felt endless and the vast world was theirs to explore.
Therefore, he should just be content with this surprisingly comforting banter they had going on and not let the disappointment squeeze his heart.
“Like you ever played nice,” Izuku countered with a playful smile of his own.
“Touché.”
“But I get what you mean,” Izuku continued. He wasn’t that good at parental gatherings either, and with this being some sort of date set up by their kids, well, now that it was Kacchan, he wouldn’t have to worry about setting things straight. They both already knew what they were.
Nothing.
“It’s always sports this and weather that.”
“And don’t get me started on that whole ‘my kid is better than your kid’ bullshit,” Katsuki scoffs. “My warrior princess is obviously the best one out there, so there’s no point in their useless bragging.”
Izuku caught an incredibly fond gaze in those red eyes as they sought Mahoro by the beach. He followed Katsuki’s line of sight, and landed on the kids, watching them toss the inflatable ball back and forth.
“Hmm,” Izuku hummed softly. “Can’t argue with you there, but as a proud parent, I gotta say Katsuma is the best.”
Katsuki actually chuckled a bit at that. A genuine laugh. A laugh Izuku couldn't recall ever hearing after things went badly between them. It was infectious and he couldn’t help but give in and laugh with him. Never in his wildest dreams had Izuku imagined something like this happening.
“Who would’ve thought we’d be sitting here as dads on a playdate when we got older?”
Katsuki got another strange look on his face that Izuku couldn’t decipher. When he spoke, his voice came out a bit strained. “Yeah.”
Damn, did Izuku ruin it again?
Just as he thought the silence was becoming awkward, Kacchan surprised him by taking the initiative once more.
“Still the same nerd I see,” he said, nodding towards the All Might-themed cap on Izuku’s head.
“Oh!” Izuku brightened at the topic. “Of course! Even now the show is still going strong and though I prefer the earlier seasons it’s still—“
Katsuki’s snort caused Izuku to halt his rambling.
“Nerd,” it didn’t hold the same spite it used to in their teenage years.
“Hey! Don’t pretend you don’t still like him too! I see that All Might keychain on your backpack,” Izuku pointed accusingly at a black bag behind Katsuki.
“That’s obviously Mahoro’s.”
“Mhm,” Izuku was not convinced. “And that Mulan backpack is yours then?” He countered with a teasing tone.
“Totally,” Katsuki replied without missing a beat.
“Right, silly me making gendered assumptions here.” Izuku snorted. “So, Mulan’s your fave Disney princess then?”
Katsuki’s gaze shifted upwards like he was seriously considering the question. “I think Belle’s more my kinda gal.”
“Oh? Why? ‘Cause you’re the beast?”
Another unidentified emotion flashed by, but it was gone so fast it might as well have been Izuku’s imagination.
“No,” Katsuki stated, pursing his lips. “‘Cause she takes no shit, and is smart.”
“Okay, okay, I see your point.”
“What about you? Cinderella?”
“Hmm,” Izuku tapped his chin in thought. “While I do admire her kindness and the strength it gives her, I still gotta go with Kida as my number one favorite.”
Katsuki barked a laugh. “Atlantis! Should’ve known you were into nerds getting the badass girls.”
“There’s nothing wrong with admiring a strong and brilliant character. Besides, Milo is not just a nerd; he has his own strengths.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Katsuki waved away the comment with nonchalance. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, nerd.”
Izuku’s bottom lip protruded into a pout.
“Anyway, ditch the geeky hat, and let’s go join the brats ‘cause I think my kid is teaching yours how to do a backflip underwater and we should probably make sure they don’t drown in the process.”
“Oh!” Izuku’s eyes darted to where Katsuma had been only seconds ago to see nothing but ripples and bubbles on the surface.
Katsuki was already on his feet, making his way to the water.
Instead of following him, Izuku lingered behind. The way the sun painted Katsuki’s hair golden mesmerized him. With that defined back, anyone would think he was a policeman or a firefighter, like Izuku. Kacchan’s workout routine probably rivaled Izuku’s strict one.
His slightly tanned skin lit an urge within him. An urge to catch up and touch him. It gripped at his heart, causing lost memories to flood his mind.
Summer days were spent together not unlike this one, just without the tension, instead they had been inseparable. Always in their own bubble. Always in each other’s personal space.
Until the bubble burst.
Together with Izuku’s heart.
“Oi!”
The loud call pulled him back to the present. Izuku hurriedly kicked off his red sneakers, took off his hat and shirt, leaving it all in a pile on the blanket. The sand was warm against the soles of his feet as he jogged down the beach to join them.
“Papa! Papa! Look!” Katsuma ducked down under the water, did a little jump, and spun around like he did a somersault.
When he emerged, he shook the water out of his hair like a wet dog and beamed up at Izuku.
“So cool, right?!”
“Yeah, very cool!” Izuku brushed the wet bangs from his forehead. “Just be—”
“Careful, I know,” Katsuma finished for him.
“Always the worrywart,” Katsuki chuckled.
“Well, he can’t swim yet, so…”
“What?” Katsuki knelt down to Katsuma’s level. “Hasn’t your dad taught you how to swim yet?”
“No,” Katsuma admitted, eyes trained on the water rippling between his fingers.
“What the hell have you guys been doing then?”
“Uhm,” Katsuma began, nibbling on his bottom lip before he broke out in a huge smile. “Watching a lot of All Might!” he declared proudly.
In a second, Izuku went rigid and an embarrassed blush crept up his neck. Okay, yeah, they did watch a lot of All Might but the way Katsuma put it made it sound like Izuku neglected life essential knowledge in favor of a show about a superhero. Was it considered child neglect to have been watching TV instead of practicing how to swim?
The pointed look Katsuki gave him seemed to imply that.
“It’s just,” Izuku sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “We haven’t really had the time to visit the beach or the pool so much.”
Maybe it was a lame excuse, but it was the truth. He gave Katsuma all the love a single parent could give and more. Surely it didn't count as neglect.
“That’s no good,” Katsuki decided. “Macch—Maho, show him the strokes while I hold onto him.”
For a moment, Mahoro stopped, just floating in the water while scrunching her nose at her dad, the next she was snickering while her gaze flicked between the two adults. Katsuki pinned her with a serious stare that had Izuku frowning. It felt like he was a bit left out of whatever they communicated with their eyes.
“Are you a swimming coach or something?” he asked, realizing he didn’t know as much about Kacchan as he used to do.
“Hah?” Katsuki looked up, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“No, silly papa!” Katsuma laughed while kicking his legs. “He’s a doctor, right?”
“Yes!” Mahoro chirped.
Oh, so not a policeman then.
“I also want to be a doctor when I grow up,” the boy declared.
“Wow! That’s amazing, Kacchan!”
It was brief, but Izuku thought he saw a small smile quirk the corner of Katsuki’s mouth before he turned his back on Izuku.
“Since superheroes aren’t real, I figured this was something I could do to win against the odds and save people.”
Izuku stood motionless, the water rippling around him. To think that it wasn’t just him who remembered their old childhood mottos. Izuku had also chosen to be a firefighter so he could save people and, as a result, win.
“Mm, I get what you mean,” Izuku nodded, feeling strangely at ease.
He might not know everything about Kacchan, but Kacchan was still Kacchan
And that’s how Izuku found himself wading waist-deep in the ocean, watching his childhood friend teach his son how to swim, while Mahoro swam in circles around them. There was something about that image that felt so right. It squeezed his heart as if to remind him of what the life he thought was enough had been missing all along.
A big family.
Growing up, it had only been Izuku and his mom. For Katsuma, he had wanted things to be different. Yet, his mistakes had cost Katsuma the chance to have a real family.
If Izuku now dared to hope that he and Kacchan could rekindle their old friendship and maybe get together more times.
Of course that came with the risk of heartbreak. Having Kacchan so close yet so far out of reach would be a double-edged sword, but then again, when had pain ever been a stranger in Izuku’s life?
A round of laughter burst his thoughts’ bubble. It rolled a smile over his lips. He could endure it if this was the reward.
Katsuma had accidentally splashed Katsuki in the face. In return, Mahoro kicked her feet to deliberately cause the same result. Katsuki pretended to scold them, but the slight scoff was more of a laugh than something born of annoyance.
Yeah, it was worth it, Izuku thought as tears threatened to escape the corner of his eyes. To hide it, he quickly submerged under water, making a big splash around him. His motion extracted another wave of laughter. With his eyes now open, he took the two strokes needed to join the others and made sure to create as much of a splash as possible when he broke the surface next to Kacchan, effectively drenching him.
It was liberating to join the kids in their laughter and team up against Kacchan as they all attacked him.
Behind that cheerful facade, Izuku was thankful he could blame his red eyes and wet cheeks on the salty ocean water and not his own tears.