Working from Home

 Elly yawned as she opened up her laptop. She rubbed sleepily at her furry ears, blinking as she tapped some commands in and set up her camera.

It was time to check in with the teenagers at U.A and see how they were coping with staying indoors during a villian-induced pandemic. No one could leave their living areas and she'd been busy seeing as it had begun stressing people out.

The teenagers logged in one after another, chatting while they did and waving at her onscreen. She stifled another yawn before giving in to the need for caffeine. 

"Okay, guys, I'm a little sleepy so hang on while I get a cup of coffee."

<b>Midoriya</b>: <i>Of course, Ms. Cheshire.</i>

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>Kiss ass.</i>

<b>Mina</b>, <b>Ochaco</b>: <i>Bakugo!</i>

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>Deal with it.</i>

<b>Iida</b>: <i>You shouldn't speak to the school counselor like that. Not only is it unbecoming of a hero, she -</i>

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>WHO THE HELL IS THAT</i>

A tall, blond man with his hair tied up in a messy bun and red glasses strolled casually out of the hallway scratching his chest. As he came closer the class noticed he was almost completely naked.

<b>Mina</b>: <i>Oh my GOD!</i>

<b>Midoriya</b>: <i>Is - is that Present Mic?!</i>

<b>Jirou</b>: <i>Oh no</i> 

<b>Jirou</b>: <i>Oh no no no no NO</i> 

<b>Ochaco</b>: <i>We saw him during that hostage exercise, remember? That's him.</i>

<b>Midoriya</b>: <i>We didn't see</i> that <i>much of him.</i>

<b>Jirou</b>: <i>...</i> 

<b>Jirou</b>: <i>Nope</i> 

(<b>Jirou has left the session</b>)

Hizashi yawned, stretching his arms over his head and blinking sleepily. He turned and, rather unfortunately for him, faced the camera head on.

He was wearing a leopard print thong slung low on his hips and nothing else. 

<b>Iida</b>: <i>EVERYONE LOOK AWAY!</i>

<b>Kirishima</b>: <i>It's not like we can unsee it, bro.</i> 

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>I wish.</i> 

<b>Tsuyu</b>: <i>I guess it's true what they say about tall guys.</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>Is not! Short guys have just as much...</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>...</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>...wait</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>Is he even human?!</i>

<b>Iida</b>: <i>No one should be commenting on our teacher's physical appearance! That is highly inapropriate!</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>THAT'S highly inapropriate!!!</i>

<b>Mina</b>: <i>You owe me, Kiri!!!</i>

<b>Kirishima</b>: <i>You're crazy good at spotting people hooking up. But I gotta ask - how has he not noticed us yet?</i>

<b>Sero</b>: <i>I don't</i> think <i>he's awake yet..?</i>

<b>Mina</b>: <i>How has he not noticed?!</i>

<b>Midoriya</b>: <i>I - I can't do this I can't -</i>

Hizashi turned again and grinned slyly, obviously spotting Elly in the kitchen.

"Hey, babygirl," he crooned in a voice thick with innuendo. "I'm gettin' cold back there by myself. Why'd ya <i>leeeeeave</i>?"

<b>Mina</b>: <i>Awwww ♡♡♡</i>

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>Ewwww</i>

"Zashi!" Elly rushed into the room, coffee cup sloshing brown liquid everywhere and panic clearly written all over her blushing features. "The session with 1-A!"

He blinked and finally noticed the coffee table where her laptop was sitting open. He looked slowly down at himself. Once his mind finally caught up with what she'd said his golden eyes grew giant and he threw himself noisily to the floor.

<b>Bakugou</b>: <i>Gross. Didn't need to know our teachers were fucking.</i>

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>How long ago do you think they were -</i>

<b>Mina</b>: <i>You'd better be talking about them dating and NOTHING else.</i>

<b>Iida</b>: <i>Yes... well, excuse me for being so forward, but are you two a formal couple?</i>

<b>Bakugo</b>: <i>Again, gross. Didn't need to think about our teachers having random hookups, either.</i>

Elly sighed as she sat down, setting her half-empty mug beside the laptop. "We're in a serious relationship."

"We'll announce it properly now." Hizashi's voice floated up from where he was hiding.

"We kept it mostly under wraps since Mic is a celebrity hero," she explained. "There's less fuss this way."

"I just wanted to <i>cuddle</i>," he whined unhappily, his face popping up to peer at her computer screen. "Not that lettin' everyone know is a bad thing! But <i>this</i> freakin' sucks."

Everyone agreed.

Elly rubbed the side of her face with one hand. "Look, we all know what happened. We'll try much harder on our part to make sure it doesn't, ever again. Does anyone have any other questions or concerns?"

Hizashi's eyes narrowed when Mineta started typing. "Anyone <i>else</i>?"

<b>Mineta</b>: <i>Aw, c'mon!</i>

Beyond the sea 10

 Elly had no idea that something was watching her while she had gotten ready for her date that day. A dark, ominous shadow hovered in the deep as she readied herself, getting larger as it grew closer... but at the last moment before it revealed itself it darted behind the reef.

Once she was gone the shadow emerged, whipping several tentacles out to grab the coral and climb into her nest. It was Aizawa, and he looked more tired than ever. His eyes were fully bloodshot and he carried a woven kelp bag similar to the one she owned. He silently reached into hers and removed the few supplies that were almost empty. As he did so several tentacles brought newer ones around to replace them. 

His little companion flashed around him in excitement, carrying bits and baubles of pretty colors and shining stones that he pocketed in another bag he carried with him. When the unicorn fish nudged Elly's nest, however, eyes pleading, he shook his head.

"She'll guess it was us." An incredulous look met his flat statement and he shrugged. "The replacements aren't full, little one. I've carefully measured it all to be more, but not new. Trust me," he added, patting her fondly as she blew out an exasperated string of bubbles. "It's for the best. Why don't you take one - <i>one, mind you</i> -- of your treasures and place it on the sand below? She's sure to find it."

As she wiggled away happily to put a pebble down he noticed her bedding was flat. It was difficult to learn how to weave the surroundings plants and she was just learning. It wasn't a bad effort, but it could be far more comfortable if it were padded differently. He plucked more strands of sea grass and added a layer, his weathered features bleak. When he was satisfied her small area was the best it could be without drawing too much attention he motioned to his companion that it was time to go. Unfortunately as they were starting their descent a sudden sound alerted Aizawa. He snapped his head down, his hair a mass of floating dark like the foliage around them while his body flickered into a riot of colors to match the reef. 

Another mer swam by, snapping her tail as she whipped past. This one had green hair and a bright orange body with white markings - a clown fish. 

"<i>Aizawa</i>! I'm gonna find you, you know! You can't just disappear on me like that!"

He grit his teeth and stayed hidden, praying she didn't notice Elly's poorly hidden nest. He made a mental note to remind her she needed to make sure everything appeared as natural as possible while he waited. After a long time the unicorn fish scouted ahead for him and he nodded, relieved, when she indicated it was all clear. She touched his arm in worry, her little face somehow expressing concern.

"I know," he sighed as they drifted back to their home. "I can't leave like the last few times, though. Not now. If we have to we'll move where we sleep. Maybe that will be enough."

When Elly got back several hours later she was exhausted with hope strongly coursing through her with every beat of her heart. She was in love, and, more importantly, he appeared to be accepting the life-altering change she'd made to her body. Sighing, she reached out to grab some items from her hidden bag and surfaced for a moment to use them.

The toothpaste she used first splorted freely out and she blinked, startled. 

<i>I guess I had more of this than I thought</i>. She put the tube away after brushing, submerged, and patted her bedding. No matter; tommorow was going to be a great day! She would be swimming with Hizashi and could show him so many gorgeous parts of the reef and its creatures. The thrill of being in the water with him was no joke, either. Her heart pounded harder in her chest as she imagined hugging him, being held close for the first time without any barrier between them. 

It was a long time before she slept, but she drifted off eventually.

Beyond the sea 9

 Depressed, Elly slept all day until it was around the time she usually met Hizashi at the beach. In fact, she would have overslept if her stomach didn't start to ache. Trapped in the water without the means of cooking food or going to the grocery store, she had to learn to eat food raw. She liked sushi, but was having trouble adapting to the fact that she had to catch and eat it immediately. Thus the hunger pangs that woke her as she lay curled up in her tiny, carved out reef section.

She shook herself awake and cleaned up, using her fingers to comb out her hair and what few health supplies she'd brought with her. The supply was dwindling and she fussed about that for a few minutes, gathering everything to stare forlornly at the small pile. Eventually she realized she couldn't think about that right now; she had to make her way to the beach. As she sped off through the water her mind was filled with thoughts of Hizashi.

It didn't take long to get to their usual meeting place. She was pleased to see he'd had a small area dug out and shored off on one section to act as a man-made tidal pool. This was admittedly bigger and could fit her standing on her tail as well as resting laying down.

"Did you have this done this morning?" Elly touched the side of the rocky wall. It was very sturdy and not yet covered in algae.

Hizashi's smile was huge. "D'ya like it? I want to maybe get the guys to extend a tunnel out towards the house. The bottom floors have a huge pool, and I could drain it and set it up with saltwater an' stuff!"

Her jaw dropped. "Really? You'd go through all that trouble for me?!"

"Trouble?" He scrunched his nose up, wiggling his mustache at her. "This isn't trouble at all. In fact I kinda thought you wouldn't like it... it's, uh, not really done yet. I want it to look as natural as possible -"

"It's <i>wonderful</i>, Hizashi."

He blushed and sat down in a chair beside her. "I'm glad, then. I wanted to make it easier for you to visit."

"I'd visit you even if I had to drag myself onto the beach dry, but thank you. Really." She held his hand and his blush grew darker.

Their visit that day was as simple as their others. They talked and shared a meal together until it grew dark.

"By the way, I'm off on the weekend," Hizashi told her shyly, digging a finger in the sand and pushing it around. "D'ya wanna, I dunno, do something different? We could swim together."

Elly smiled at him. "I'd like that," she said, forgetting for the moment the magic that bound her. A couple seconds later when she remembered her eyes grew wide and she panicked, not knowing how to stop him without giving herself away. "I - but is it safe? I know you swim a lot, but -"

"Oh? You know I swim a lot?" Hizashi's smile grew. "How long've you been watching me?" His tone dropped rich and low, and it caused a shiver to run up her spine.

"Um..!"

Hizashi chuckled, stroking a thumb over the top of her hand. "Just joking. I swim great! Plus if you're there I shouldn't worry, right?"

"Oh, yeah." She brightened at once. "I'll <i>never</i> let anything happen to you."

"Aww." He squeezed her hand gently. "Thanks, baby." He paused. "Can you get here like, around lunchtime then? There's less chance of random people trying to sneak onto the beach 'cause they're eating or just ate. We should be okay, but just to be safe."

"I can do that," she agreed.

"I guess you gotta go." Hizashi sighed deeply. "I <i>hate</i> this part. I feel like an idiot missin' you when we're going to see each other so soon."

"Me, too. How about a kiss good night?"

He wiggled his eyebrows at her and got up off the chair to sit next to the pool. Elly, in turn, hoisted herself partially out of the water onto a ledge apparently built for this purpose. "I thought you'd never ask."

Their kisses grew longer, lingering until he hummed softly in such unbridled pleasure that she forgot herself. Her fingers wove through the ponytail he fixed his hair in, finding the tie and unfastening it. He pulled back, a knowing smirk on his lips to go along with the mischevious glint in his eyes. As she watched he casually shook the golden tresses down so they fell over his shoulders and back, framing the dear, sweet face she'd fallen so hard for.

Elly's defenses fell as he reached for her. She shivered as his warm palms caressed her back, expecting a play for her breasts, but his fingers moved lower out of curiousity.

He kissed her again. At this rate he never wanted to stop, his mind clouded with desire but lucid just enough as his hands began to wander. All he could focus on was the kisses ...and the shiny tail close to his fingertips. Hizashi's hands slipped smoothly over the scales, gripping gently.

<i>This really is real</i>, he thought even as his arousal grew. <i>There's no extra layer here, no seam. This is skin</i>.

"H - Hizashi..."

"So beautiful." His fingers stroked, coming around towards the front of the massive fish tail. There was one spot where the scales didn't line up exactly, but his gentle fingers getting too close caused her to stiffen and jerk backwards.

"We should stop," she gasped.

Hizashi swallowed his disappointment, forcing himself to roll away. "Yeah. Yeah, okay."

"I don't know, um. I don't really understand my body yet."

"Ya don't hafta justify your decision, babe." He paused in thought, frowning for a minute. "Wait, you don't know? It's <i>your</i> body."

Elly took a deep breath. "I wasn't born like this, Zashi. It's not natural." Her heavy tail beat in the shallow pool once in agitation, sending a spray of salt water over them. "S - sorry. I'm nervous."

"Not natural? What?"

"I did this to myself." She dug her hands in the sand and blurted out, "it's magic."

Once upon a time the music professor would have laughed this off as a joke, but he was far less dubious now that his girlfriend was half fish. Still, he frowned harder. "Magic?"

"Well... yeah."

Hizashi sighed, leaning back on his elbows to stare up at the starry sky. As she waited nervously for his reply he absently sought out familiar star clusters and constellations that had been with him since he was small. "Magic," he repeated.

"I know it's a lot -"

"You're living proof, yeah?" He looked over at where she lay, his gaze lingering on her shining tail. He'd <i>touched</i> her there, and he knew what fish felt like. It was identical; a living, blood-coursing part of her. "I accepted that already. Shouldn't be a lot more to believe in magic."

"But it is?"

"Eeeehhh..." Hizashi rocked a hand back and forth. "I love music, yo. All kinds! Have since I was a kid, an' I remember listening to stuff like <i>In the Hall of the Mountain King</i>. Like, really seeing the troll king in my head." He grinned at her. "I had nightmares for a week."

She giggled a little. "I know what you mean. There was some classical piece this kid's show paired with a mummy skit and it scared the shit out of me! The music still kind of does, too."

He nodded. "But like, what I'm gettin' at is that it's kept me open-minded, I guess..? I dunno."

"I'm glad. But still nervous."

"Don't be." He took her hands in his, looking earnestly into her eyes. "You can tell me whatever you want. We can go slower, whatever. All I really want is to be with you."

Elly smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks, Zashi."

"Still on for that swim, right?"

She waved at him from the dark sea. "I can't wait!"

It wasn't until he was rinsing off in his shower before bed that he realized he had more questions.

"Wait, she said she did this to <i>herself</i>, didn't she?"

Sls final

 "Wait, so what you're telling me is, <i>you</i> made that hurricane on your wedding and yet you blamed your brother?!"

Pepa looked uncomfortable, and a fogbank obscured her face as she answered. "Yessss... I took his joke too seriously."

"You're both okay now, right?" 

There were a few conversations like that during their meal as Elly was told by various family members the stories of what happened after Bruno left and then came back. Most were a little awkward, at best, and her man tossed some salt backwards at the table at the end of breakfast for good luck. He wasn't quite sure everything was going to go as smoothly as they wished, and they could use all the extra luck they could get.

They retired to his tower to discuss plans, and she was silent the entire trip up. 

"Is everything all right, love?"

"Yes!" She hugged him before flinging herself onto a comfortable chair. A rat scurried onto the back with a brush in its paws, wriggling its whiskers and staring at her hair with longing.

Bruno raised an eyebrow at it. "<i>Not now</i>," he mouthed silently, shooing it away with a panicked look. The furry creature pouted but ran off.

"Everything's better now than it's been for years," Elly continued with a smile. 

He stared at her for a moment, coughed, and sat on the bed beside her. "I don't think my mother -"

"She doesn't approve of me for some reason. I know. She didn't when we were kids, and she doesn't now."

He shrugged. "I don't care. The present is more important than the past."

"And the future?" She paused, hesitating and unsure. "Bruno, <i>our</i> future?"

He sighed, rubbing his arms and withdrawing into himself. "Please don't ask about such things."

Elly apologized at once. "I'm sorry, I just - you know I'm scared. If I lost you again I don't know what I'd do."

He stared at the floor for several long minutes before sighing. "If you want, I'll share one with you, but! It might not be what you expect, and it may show you what you do not wish to know." 

"I - I don't want to cause you pain."

"The visions themselves don't hurt," he informed her, rubbing his temples. "It's what I See, when and how much, along with the stress of trying to decipher it all. And, and, well... it's worse when it's unexpected or I wake up with the remnants of one like this morning."

"People interpret your visions badly, right?"

He nodded. "<i>Si</i>."

"But there's different sides and ways of seeing things... like Mirabel realized. Right? I'll chance it. I want to share this at least once, since it's a big part of you." She took his hands in hers and held them to her lips. 

He watched her silently for a few long seconds and then sighed dramatically loud. "All right." 

"Thank you."

"But we have to go outside here. The room before this has the area I do this in."

"The one with the candles." He nodded and helped her up with a hand gone suddenly cold. Elly frowned in concern but as soon as she was up he was out, preparing the sandy floor beyond.

The room was circular, as it was the top of the tower, and flanked with sconces that held candles. Green glass depictions of his previous sessions were set into the wall in intervals, peppered liberally throughout with the trials of human life. They weren't all depressing, she noticed - the few she could see showed happy marriages and similar scenes. She watched as he readied his viewing space.

"Okay." At last Bruno sat inside the circle and crossed his legs, taking a deep breath as he lit the leaves around them. "I - I need to do this, to help me..."

Elly curled her tail neatly around herself and sat across from him. "You don't have to explain if you don't want to. It's stressful enough and I appreciate your efforts."

He nodded gratefully and closed his eyes. When he opened them a moment later the green was lit from within, though curiously blank as he looked at what she couldn't see right away. The fire between them roared up and sand spiraled into a cone around the couple, whirling rapidly. She laid her ears back but sat quietly watching the sand as it began to coalesce into images. The dark-haired man suddenly stood, his poncho whipping about himself and his hands balled into fists.

It was two older people; both, however, easily identified. His older self lay on a bed and a a grandmotherly Elly sat beside him, holding his hand. She kissed it, then laid it on his chest before setting her forehead on his motionless arm to weep.

"Oh," Elly whispered as the scene unfolded, sobbing. "Oh my god."

His knees gave way and he crumpled to the ground, still-glowing eyes pouring tears down ravaged cheeks. He instinctively caught the glass piece the vision produced from the sand and held it up, tilting it this way and that. "Now you know," he husked. The fire in his eyes went out all at once.

"Why are you sad?" Elly grasped his face in her hands and covered him in kisses, still crying a little. "Everyone is going to die someday, but your vision shows we'll be together right until the very end. It's bittersweet, yeah, but look how much we're in love."

"There was death but <i>you saw love</i>?" His large eyes focused on her, wet with tears and filled with wonder. "You - you really still want to be with me?" 

"There are no bad visions," she insisted. "It's life. There's no way to escape it. You don't make these things happen, Bruno. I won't leave. I love you."

"I showed you <i>death</i> -" his voice broke and he took hold of her by the shoulders, tilting his head as his eyes still poured tears. "Or something close to it, my <i>gata</i>, my precious one... and you? You still..?"

She looked deeply into his eyes and nodded. "There is no life for me unless I can be with you until the end."

"I - I can't..!" He sniffed loudly, then grasped her around the waist with a determined grunt. "The - the <i>official</i> marriage can wait. I can't anymore." He lifted her in his arms and purposefully carried her into the living quarters.

He laid her on the bed - <i>our bed,</i> she mused dreamily as she held her arms out towards him. <i>This is our bed now</i> -- and joined her, kneeling above. 

Clothing was shed as they kissed and caressed, writhing on the sheets and tangling them in places until he muttered and tossed them aside. He turned back as they fluttered to the floor and their eyes met and held.

"I've never done this before."

"Me, either." She held out her arms. "But I think we can figure it out, no?"

Bruno smiled then, a genuinely happy smile. "I think you're right. Here, maybe if..."

They shifted and moved together slowly until their bodies became one.

"<i>My god</i>," he gasped, shuddering. "You're so <i>hot</i> inside, <i>mi alma</i> - my soul -- I never thought..!" He fell over her, his forehead pressed to hers and his eyes dark with passion. His hair tented over them, giving them more intimacy as they came together in a devastating kiss.

"You feel so good," she moaned. "Please don't stop. Keep loving me."

He arched his back, sweat dripping from his brow and beading on his skin everywhere else. "I'll try my best," he wheezed, "but <i>this</i>, this is different. It's so much <i>more</i>."

She raised her legs along his sides and kissed him seriously. "Don't worry, give me what you can and I'll do the same."

"Oh god." He moved slowly for fear of losing control, his hips bucking now and then as a shudder of pleasure wracked his body. As predicted, however, the pleasure was simply too much; he couldn't hold back and lost himself in an explosive release of pleasure.

He needn't have worried, however.

His love was with him in body and in soul, as she would always be.

7/7/2022

 Hizashi took a long, deep breath and held it for three full seconds before letting it out. He arched his back, stretching, making the flow and pull of muscles smooth as possible and tossing his long ponytail over one shoulder.

All with his eyes closed.

His body was hot, naked and covered in a light sheen of sweat from previous exertions. He wasn't tired but there was that warm glow that comes from testing your limits just enough.

Making love to his girlfriend was one of his favorite pastimes. Unfortunately, due to a large amount of work he had recently they hadn't been able to be physical for a long time. This was his gift not only to himself but to her, as well - a long, leisurely weekend in a nice hotel. No one knew who they were and only important people knew <i>where</i> they were so they wouldn't be disturbed unless it was an all-out emergency.

They'd tumbled into bed as soon as they arrived, and this was the result. Hizashi was eager but seriously determined to take his time.

"Hey," Elly called softly, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Hey, you okay sweetie? You got real quiet all of a sudden."

His eyelids fluttered open, pupils blown wide with the concentric circles around them thick with passion. "Yeah. Just thinkin' how good you feel... hold me, babygirl," he panted hoarsely. "It's all <i>kinds</i> of awesome when you grab me tight."

"Harder than this?" Elly squeezed, then dug her nails lightly into his upper back.

He reacted as if electrified, jolting as far upright as he could in his position. "Shhhhhhit, yeah!"

"I don't want to hurt you."

"S'okay, mmhmm. It's better'n okay. Every little scratch from my kitty goes right to my dick."

"Hi<i>zashi</i>."

"Ain't gonna lie," he grinned slyly as he resumed thrusting. "So. I makin' ya feel good too, babe?"

"Yes." Her breathing picked up, chest heaving as he dropped his head to her neck and bit gently. "Zashi, <i>yes</i>..!"

"I wanna <i>hear</i> it," he sang out softly. "Tell me, sweet thing. Consider it part of my gift." He paused, groaned and kissed the blushing mark he'd just made. "You know I love it when you get loud."

"I know."

"Here, lover -" She snorted, amused, and he winked at her before gesturing. "Sit up a little, yeah? I'm gonna kneel."

"H - how are you going to..?"

Hizashi grinned at her and maneuvered her legs into the position he wanted. "All right?"

"Uh huh, but -"

"Hang on!"

"Oh my god."

"Yeah?"

"Oh my <i>god</i>!"

"<i>Yeah, baby</i>!" He doubled his efforts and was rewarded by a steady stream of 'love you' and various stutterings of his name. He shuddered all over when she grew louder, losing her inhibition as she neared orgasm. Though his own pleasure was nearly crushing him with its weight he carefully gauged her closeness and nipped her ear her right as she flew over the edge.

"<i>Oh Zashi! You're amazing</i>!"

He choked, faltering for a moment as he processed her scream, then let one out himself as the pressure in his loins exploded in an intense release. It was almost too much to be pleasurable ...almost.

They lay breathing heavily for a few long minutes before she gasped out, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, baby." Hizashi pulled her in for a quick hug. "Gotta pee though, right?"

"Yeah..." She grimaced. "I think I'm gonna make a mess anyway. You kind of came a <i>lot</i>."

He chuckled sheepishly. "Uh huh. Next time, let's not wait 'til we're ready to pop, huh?"

"Absolutely."

Beyond the sea 8

 Hizashi couldn't sleep.

It was early, after all, he would normally have been in bed hours ago. But he had spent a wonderful night talking with Elly all the way into the morning. It had been so long since he felt such a connection to anyone that he not only desired them, but wanted to learn about their past, future and their dreams.

Wait -

He couldn't remember <i>ever</i> being this eager to know what someone else's dreams were.

<i>And that kiss</i>!

He tossed and turned for a half an hour until he felt trapped, not able to move his legs seperately. Hizashi jerked upright, panicked.

"Shiiiiit." The sheets were ripped out from where they'd been carefully tucked in on his large bed and tossing and turning enough had bound his legs up. After carefully untangling himself, he rolled out and cracked open the curtains nearby to let enough light in to see. "Ugh." Groaning, he flicked a few random strands of hair back where they'd fallen out of the loose top knot piled at the crown of his head. Stumbling around, he shoved handfuls of golden silk under his mattress until he was satisfied it wouldn't slide free again so easily. Of course all that exhertion caused more long, blond hair to fall out and tickle his cheeks.

"S'everything fucking coming apart?" He fumbled the drapes closed, plunging the room into darkness once more. After settling under the covers he took down his hair and redid it all, securing the mass of blond back on top with the black silk scrunchie that held it. "Nmmm. Sleep."

Hizashi flopped onto his pillow and closed his eyes, already replaying the kiss over in his mind. His lips curved into a sensual smile as he slipped into sleep at last.

Elly was also having problems sleeping, but she had some very different reasons.

Her mind raced, refusing to let her tired body rest. The foremost thought was that she needed to make sure Hizashi was protected in the water. She was okay with never walking again if it meant he was safe.

If she were honest with herself, this probably killed her chances with him. Elly bit her lip, staving off tears as she remembered the awesome connection they had, and the power of that kiss!

How could she have been so stupid?

She'd imagined her new body would enchant him and then she would get her legs back. She liked being a mermaid - it was exhilirating in certain ways -- but this wasn't how she wanted to live <i>forever</i>. Topside, the lease where she'd been renting had run out and that was fine, but her worldly possesions were in a storage locker. She couldn't work while she was like this so she was using her savings to pay for that. It wouldn't last forever.

She groaned. <i>Not that I have any place to keep them! Nothing is waterproof!</i>

Also, though she loved the ocean, it was pretty frightening being underwater all the time. There were four dimensions danger could strike from and you had to be alert all the time.

Thankfully she'd found a cave like Aizawa's awhile back, and while smaller, she fit if she curled herself up tightly. A fresh-picked bed of kelp made everything a little more comfortable, but while she eventually closed her eyes, sleep didn't come for hours.

Beyond the sea 7

 They stared at each other for a moment until he spoke again.

"Didn't need the tail, did you." It wasn't a question, but she shrugged and nodded anyway.

"Yeah... it's amazing. He likes me!"

"Congratulations," he muttered dryly.

Elly completely missed his sarcasm and nodded, clasping her hands between her breasts. "I just need to know how to change back and everything will be awesome!"

"Let's see what your conditions are, then." Aizawa took a few scallop shells out of a chest on the sea floor and tossed them towards her. They slowly sank, some ending with the curved inside visible. These had markings on them that glowed red like his single eye for a moment.

He spoke without looking at her, his tone as enigmatic as his hidden face. "You'll change back if he drowns."

"Wh - what? I get legs again if he <i>dies</i>?!" The words sounded as hollow as her heart suddenly felt.

"It specifically says <i>drowns</i>."

"<i>NO</i>!"

"I can't change the conditions, nor did I make them. This isn't like a stupid fairy tale, you know. It's out to get you."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Elly reached out to touch his arm but he flinched backwards, his lower half flashing orange with surprise for a second. "Please?"

"No." The merman scowled darkly at her and crossed his arms. "You knew what you were getting into. Besides, if I could reverse this I'd have changed <i>myself</i> back a long time ago."

"What's your condition?"

He frowned. "I have to have... relations with a certain someone." A bitter sweep of his hand encompassing his rather frightening lower body spoke more than any words could say. "I chose not to burden her with my presence at all."

"So you're going to be like this forever."

"I'm certain of it."

"Why wouldn't you try? It's not like she has to <i>die</i> or anything." Elly angrily snapped her tail, stirring up the shells on the sea floor. She balled her hands into fists as she struggled to calm herself.

"It's more complicated than that now," he murmured.

She spun around so fast she created a line of bubbles that floated up towards the surface. "What was that?"

"I'll lose her for certain if I try," he said quickly, looking away and rubbing at the back of his neck. "You know, maybe this is a curse to pay us back for our impertinence."

"Impertinence?! Is love rude, or wrong?!"

Aizawa sighed deeply. "We were, in essence, looking for a way to enhance ourselves. Isn't that tricking them?" He gathered the shells in one pass of his tentacles, bringing them up to the box he opened with his hands. "I thought that as - as something that may have been her fantasy I'd have a chance."

"Don't you still have one? Damn it, Aizawa, Hizashi has to <i>die</i> but you only need to sleep with someone!"

"Oh? Would you like to be touched by these?" A rubbery row of suckers extended towards her but Elly stood her ground.

"Octopuses aren't bad," she said stubbornly. "And you're still a merman. It counts as a fantasy guy even if you don't have a fish tail."

"Does it?"

"Why not?!"

"Hnf." His lower half undulated in tandem as he thought. "Then would <i>you</i> care to see what I have to offer in regards to sex? It frightened <i>me</i> the first time I saw myself."

The outstretched tentacle curled towards her cheek as if to caress and this time she jerked back, her eyes wide. The dark-haired merman covered his face with a shaky hand, turning so she couldn't see his expression. His shoulders drooped in defeat. The unicorn fish darted around his head, sticking her face in the long hair floating around him until he straightened a little.

"It's useless," he muttered. "I knew it a long time ago."

"If you knew..." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You should've stopped me!"

He drew himself up, his hair rising in the current he created as if alive and his eyes burning bright. He even bared his teeth at her, the longer canines displayed in a sudden fit of rage. His companion fish swam off, startled, to hide behind a clump of coral.

"You pestered me for a month straight after you read about that stupid local legend! I begged you, if I remember correctly -" He faltered, his inner voice breaking, "and I do <i>not</i> grovel easily. But you didn't care. All you wanted was <i>him</i> any way you could get him." He deflated, sinking to the sandy floor as his fury wore off.

Elly screamed with rage and sadness and swam quickly away, causing small schools of fish nearby to scatter in fright.

He was right, but she was still furious. It was so much easier for her to feel anger at him than herself, even when she was fully responsible for her own decisions.

It was even worse because he was right; she would <i>never</i> hurt Hizashi. She was going to be stuck like this with only the octopus merman as a potential partner, and they both loved someone else.

Aizawa watched her go, his tentacles blushing a deep, distressed red and writhing restlessly. He slipped slowly backwards into the dark recesses of the cave without another word.