Third person pov

Hizashi and Nemuri are as understanding as Shota knew they'd be. Still, that doesn't mean he wanted to bring them to their special spot.

It feels like it's been months since they've last been to the cove even though it definitely hasn't. It's the exact same as the way they left it, wooden dock still intact and sand still as clear and golden as it always had been. Hitoshi and Atlantis take a running head start, tearing down the wooden walkway with laughter and excitement on their lips. Aizawa watches them both dive through the air, ripping their respective necklaces off midair. Their tails form just in time for them to hit the water, spiraling into a pair of perfect dives that sent water splashing up. Hizashi lets out a gasp of awe, and Nemuri is stunned by the novelty of it all.

They stay there for a long time. Hitoshi speeds around the in water, tail practically glowing beneath the waves. The ocean is happy to see them. Even Aizawa can tell this much as he sits at the end of the dock, legs hanging out and into the cool water. Nemuri and Hizashi join him, much less tolerant of the salty water getting on them, but just a little too stunned to care all that much at the moment. Their eyes track Atlantis and Hitoshi as they dance, spinning around each other and performing complicated leaps out of the water. It's a stunning sight. It's almost enough to make Shota want to cry. He wonders how much of that is Atlantis.

Hitoshi is boundless with energy. Magic pumps through his veins, more potent than he can recall it being. He and Atlantis stop only to drop their necklaces off with Aizawa, not wanting to let go of and lose them by mistake. He takes them carefully and stows them around his own neck for safe keeping. The pearl hanging around his neck hums in greeting to the piece of crystal and coral, and Shota can feel them say their hellos back in their own, odd sort of way. It's comforting, and Shota smiles as Hitoshi tries out every trick he can, wanting to use his tail a much as he can.

"Mermen. They're mermen." Hizashi said for what had to be the millionth time now, shaking his head in continued disbelief as Hitoshi talked animatedly to his cousin and the dolphins who'd joined them. "How do you get into these situations?"

"No idea." Shota snorted, eyes never straying from Atlantis' beaming face. He gazes at Hitoshi with such open love and gratefulness. He had been so worried about his cousin upon hearing his story. Aizawa is glad Hitoshi has his tail back, even if the means through which it returned are odd. "Can't complain, really."

"No shit you can't. You've got a hot husband and now a kid, and both are mythical creatures." Nemuri waved a hand in a way that managed to be both graceful and flippant. She pulled her legs up out of the water, tucking them under her. She doesn't want her toes to prune. "This is a hell of a secret, Sho. What are you going to do if the wrong person finds out?"

"Nezu will help. We will too! It's not like they're animals or anything. We can almost pass it off as a quirk anyway." Hizashi argued, but it was a good question. There had to be people out there who knew of merfolk and would immediately coin Hitoshi and Atlantis' true nature if they heard about half the things they could do.

"I'm not sure, honestly. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that." Aizawa's eyes slid over to his friends. It feels... admittedly nice to talk to them again. It felt like it had been forever, and he hadn't realized just how much he'd missed them until now. He would apologize for worrying them were he a more caring and emotional person. They knew better, however, and so did Shota. This-- him opening up, finally, after all this time-- was enough. Even if it wasn't his choice. Hitoshi ejecting a chunk of coral into his oven and then flopping onto the tile like a dead fish had pretty much been a dead give away. Atlantis bursting excitedly through the door hadn't helped either. Shota wasn't blaming them, of course, but he couldn't come up with a plausible explanation that would've thrown his two friend's off of the truth.

They sit there and talk until Hitoshi swims himself into exhaustion. It doesn't take too terribly long with the healing ritual he performed. A rejuvenating as the sea is, even it can't push the stress done to Hitoshi's body off forever. That doesn't stop Hitoshi from lingering in the water for as long as he can, singing jaunty songs with his cousin and the sea creatures who're drawn in by their tunes. Hitoshi's voice is broader and stronger than Atlantis', beautiful, deep, and with a haunting undertone that seems to highlight his claim to be a siren. It makes Nemuri and Hizashi both sway to the rhythm, hypnotic. Shota would be too if he relaxed a little more. He's pretty sure it's his bond to Atlantis that keeps him from becoming too enraptured by the sound.

Aizawa has to all but carry the teen back, depositing him on the couch before grabbing Atlantis to drag him off the bed after Hizashi and Nemuri finally fucked off. The mer doesn't protest, smiling brightly. His cheeks are rosy with color and joy. This day had been a very good one. A busy one, but a good one nonetheless. It makes the following day seem almost moot. Plain compared to the awing things they'd acted out and witnessed. 

Shota wants to stay home, and Hitoshi wants to go to the beach. Atlantis is the one who shakes his head and puts his foot down. Hitoshi still needs to learn and not miss class, and Atlantis has Recovery Girl relying on him, even if he is still worn out. He points out that it might be suspicious if they don't come in and do business as usual. The insightfulness is surprising from someone so new to society, but Shota is still endlessly proud. He gives his husband a grin and a kiss on the lips that makes Hitoshi gag mockingly. They know he doesn't mean it, and their laughter is telling of such.

Nezu doesn't call them in and Recovery Girl doesn't bring it up. All Might is nowhere to be seen, no doubt still wrung from the ritual. Aizawa begrudgingly wanders off to go teach whilst Hitoshi drags himself off to class, complaining the entire way about how tired he is and how much this sucks. It's in character so they don't berate him for it. The only eventful thing to happen with Atlantis is that Izuku Midoriya comes in with another broken bone. Recovery Girl offers to take care of it, but Atlantis is already pouncing on the boy with open curiosity. Izuku is too confused to say much of anything.

"What happened?!" Atlantis can't help but gasp, grabbing his freckled face and moving it around to inspect it. Izuku lets it happens, clearly perplexed but too polite to outright say anything. Or perhaps he's too surprised to muster up words to reply. "The ocean likes you, yes, yes, but now it is alive. Inside of you! It's very, very happy. Did something happen? Do you feel different?" 

"Atlantis." Recovery Girl regrets not explaining One For All to the young man now. He wouldn't tell anyone, being a mer and probably not understanding a single bit what in fresh hell it implied. It is interesting that Midoriya seems effected after All Might's healing, however. She makes mental note to tell Nezu later. If he isn't already listening, anyway.

"O-Oh, um, nothing happened? At least, I don't think anything did." Izuku sputtered as water came to wrap around his two broken fingers, cheeks flushing a little at the intent gaze of UA's newest nurse. "I... I guess I've felt a little more alert today. Or contented, maybe? I think it's because the Sports Festival is in a few weeks. It was just announced today. It's pretty crazy that they're still holding it, but I'm excited!" 

Atlantis wants to ask a million questions. Izuku Midoriya is, without a doubt, not a mer. Absolutely not. This much he is certain of. It should've been impossible for a human to possess mer magic as such. Toshinori was a very similar case of this, but the feeling had felt stronger and more present in Izuku. It had since day one, but today it was practically blaring out like a beacon it was so strong and bright. Even Hitoshi must've managed to pick up on it were his classroom on the same hall. It shone like a cheerful light, very jumpy and happy today. Alive in its own regard, as most mer magic appeared to be. 

"I see..." Atlantis trailed off, glancing at Recovery Girl. The woman visibly relaxed. This had to be one of those things he did not yet know. It was itching at him-- there were so few mer left in the world, to find traces like this so strongly immediately interested him-- but he was patient. This boy was in his husband's class. He'd find something out one way or another! He just had to be optimistic. Besides, blending in was a lot more important right now.

The day progressed steadily. Atlantis dozed off a little and ate lunch with his husband, Hizashi, and Nemuri. They all chatted about mundane things. Atlantis listened with much interest as Mic explained the innermost workings of his radio show, a radio being a device that could be broadcasted to on different frequencies. It was all very interesting, even if he had no idea how it worked or the technicalities behind 'transmissions' and such. Even Shota had been at a loss on how to explain that one. That was fine by Atlantis. Even them just trying was enough for him.

Hitoshi spent his day pretending to declare war on Class 1-A so he could get a glimpse at whoever had such strong mer magic radiating from. He and Atlantis both practically beat Aizawa for answers on Izuku Midoriya. What was his favorite color? Did he like the beach? What was his favorite food? Did he collect seashells? Did he know any merfolk? Aizawa had essentially no answers and foamed at the mouth at the multitude of inquiries, promising he'd keep an eye on the freckled boy for them so long as they agreed to stop asking and leave Izuku alone. The teenager didn't seem to have any clue what in fresh hell anything had to do with the ocean. Atlantis and Hitoshi had been forced to lay down their arms and agree.

Things were peaceful. Preparations for the sports festival meant lots more injuries coming in. All Might returned after three days, cheeks fuller and tinted with healthy color. He strode into the nurses office with a broad grin and teary eyes, capturing Atlantis in a large hug. He'd gained a lot more weight even though it hadn't been that long, his body working overtime to store nutrients. He'd been able to eat every single one of his previous favorite foods that the meager remains of his stomach had been unable to handle beforehand. Atlantis was all too willing to pat the man's back, smiling in a confused way as though what he'd done hadn't been a big deal.

It was nice, but Atlantis still couldn't knock the nagging worry that gnawed in the back of his head, stewing. Where had Toshinori gotten that injury? He wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure it was his place. It was obviously quite the secret. He wasn't even supposed to know the man's hero identity, even if the title meant little to him in the long run. He hadn't immersed himself far enough in hero culture for the title "All Might" to hold that much weight. He knew he was good at fighting, but Atlantis' priorities were a bit more pressing in his mind.

"It's all just odd." Atlantis ran a hand through his hair, sitting propped up in he and Shota's bed as his husband changed into his hot pink sweatpants for the night. "The way Hitoshi's coral shot out wasn't natural. If it was going to come out, I would've thought it would be during the healing ritual. I... I don't like it. I think the ocean was trying to tell us something the best way it knew how from a distance."

"And you think it has something to do with All Might's injury?" Aizawa checked. He had felt Atlantis' worry steadily grow day by day through their bond. Even Hitoshi seemed on edge these days. Some nights, when he couldn't sleep, he could be found sitting at the kitchen bar fiddling with the coral necklace and looking deep and thought. He and his cousin had exchanged several concerned looks lately. Shota was beginning to worry, especially as his husband's smiles became slightly less frequent. This was weighing on him, and Shota could tell it was serious.

"And Izuku Midoriya, too. The feeling is the same, but... I-I don't know. That injury wasn't normal. We wouldn't have had to take him to sea to heal it if it was." Atlantis ran his hands down his face, frowning. "Something is happening. There's something I think we're supposed to... I-I don't know. I'm missing something. I feel like something monumental happened and I just... I missed it." 

Aizawa frowned at the stress lining his husband's face. It was uncharacteristic to see on someone who smiled so often, but he understood. He sighed, sliding into his side of the bed. Atlantis immediately leaned into him, sniffling a little and wiping at his eyes.

"It's okay, Atlantis. We'll figure it out." Shota reassured, brushing some of his hair back. Atlantis looked up at him, hesitant and tired. "After the sports festival we'll arrange a meeting with Toshinori and ask some questions. I'm sure he'll be happy to answer after all you've done for him." He better be. Aizawa would give him a whole new injury to worry about otherwise.

It was a small comfort, seemingly. Atlantis gave a smile, nodding. Shota carded a hand through his hair, smiling back and pulling him closer. Sleep wasn't going to come easy for his husband, Aizawa knew, but that was okay. It wasn't going to come easy for Shota either.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since taking Tomura to the sea, things had been... different, Kurogiri noted.

The young man was not nearly as irritable, though he retained some of his snappish nature. He seemed a bit more relaxed, and though he was still tired, it felt as though he'd grown a new sense of compassion and emotional awareness he hadn't held before. It was like a key part of him had simply... woken up. He helped Kurogiri out around the bar on occasion and was mindful of others. He didn't dig into the skin of his neck maniacally or act like he was constantly on the verge of a breakdown. It's like their visit to the beach had steadied him somehow. And that... well, it wasn't the only thing that had changed.

Kurogiri pressed his lips tightly together as he observed the roots of Tomura's hair. He'd been healthier overall, with skin not so dry and not so pale. His cheeks could often be seen holding a healthy dusting of rosiness you'd expect to see on anyone's face, his lips no longer painfully cracked and crusted. His eyes weren't irritated either, the itchiness cleared entirely and skin smoothed over. His hair wasn't as dry and coarse either. It was shiny and smooth, and it looked cleaner than ever. Only now...

"Do you see?" Tomura sounded almost excited by it. The younger villain wasn't sure why he was. he'd just... been so happy to see it in the mirror. To see that the roots of his hair, for some reason, had turned black. It should've been more concerning, but it wasn't! It had brought him such undeniable joy to see it. Like it was natural, good, even. It wasn't that the hair was growing in black, either. It wasn't any longer than it had been the day prior. It was simply turning that color.

"I do." Kurogiri frowned, leaning closer but not daring touch without permission. "Your hair is turning... black." 

"Yes!" Tomura whirled around in the barstool. The smile he had on wasn't one he'd seen since their time at the beach. Though he'd given a quirk of the lips here and there, this was a full-blown smile. It wasn't unhinged like would would expect from someone of his nature. It was genuinely happy, eyes bright and crinkled. Kurogiri felt his worries melt away slightly, a smile of his own forming under his misty guard. His glowing eyes curved into small arches as Shigaraki leaned back in his seat. "I can't explain it, Kurogiri, but it's supposed to be that way. I'm sure of it."

"Of course." Kurogiri agreed easily, nodding. And call him a sucker for being so taken by his ward's good mood, but he couldn't help but aim to score some brownie points. Even if he was a little concerned with this new hair development. "With the Sports Festival coming up, it seems we will once again have our hands full. Thus, I was wondering if you would be so inclined to go on another small trip. I know it's dark, but I'm not sure we'll have time later." 

Tomura's grin made it all worth it, and his laugh when the sea's waves finally rushed to greet him pushed any doubts Kurogiri had away. He watched the water almost bowl his ward over. The young man didn't seem to mind, meeting it head on and flopping into the water. The black in his hair seemed to spread further, staining further into his light blue locks as the sea wrapped around him. Kurogiri got the distinct impression that he was witnessing something amazing. Beyond what he understood. All he knew for certain was that Tomura needed this.

Elsewhere, Atlantis and Hitoshi both shot out of bed at the sudden downpour that certainly had not been on the forecast for that night. They rushed out of their rooms to meet each other, meeting eyes and coming to the same conclusion whilst Aizawa tiredly dragged himself after them.

The coral incident hadn't been a coincidence. The ocean was trying to tell them something. It was just a matter of what.