Crossing Fates : Special Story 7 - The Divided (BakuDeku)

17 - Future

Wandering around the fire table, Izuku picked up Katsuki's tumbler of scotch and finished it.

"Okay." He set the empty glass down and squared his shoulders.

Like giving birth, the only way out of this was to go through it.

"Once upon a time, there was a dragon who lived so long he saw the world fill up with all kinds of people and creatures, and they didn't all get along. But the dragon was clever and good at adapting, so he stamped out his kingdom in this growing world, and he ruled it very well."

A hint of male satisfaction eased the tightness of Katsuki's expression. Strolling over, he poured another scotch. "He did, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. He was most excellent at outplotting and outthinking and outfighting all his competitors and enemies." He rubbed the long line of his husband's back. "But then he ran into this whackadoo creature and mated with him, don't ask me why, and they started having children, so like a lot of married couples, they moved out of the city and into the suburbs. Suddenly they had baby carriers for their cars and preschool to think about. College came into the conversation. And none of this was exactly what the dragon had been expecting in his life."

Katsuki burst out laughing. "When you put it like that, it does sound startling."

"Yes, it does," he told him with a grin. "The whackadoo creature was pretty startled by all of it too, you know." Sobering, he searched his expression. "Katsuki, did we make a mistake? We left the city for good reasons, but is all of this too tame for you?"

He gestured at the house and grounds. "If we did make a mistake, all you have to do is say so. We can change everything, do anything. I will follow you anywhere. Do we need to go back to Musutafu? Hey, let's do it! Our penthouse is back there waiting for us. Or, what if..."

This next bit. Oh, this next bit was hard.

He had to swallow down a growing lump in his throat and clench his whole body tight just to force the words out of his mouth.

"...what if being married isn't what a dragon needs to be? What if he needs more freedom to fly, and he would be happier visiting his mate once in a while instead of living with him every day? I've heard of Nyr mates who do th-"

Katsuki spun to face him, ablaze with anger, and hissed, "Shut your mouth!"

Never, in all the time they had been together, not even in the worst of their arguments over the past few weeks, had Katsuki ever spoken to him like that.

He was caught staring at him, mouth open and eyes wide.

Some kind of gigantic emotion held the dragon in its grip, and his eyes shone with lambent fire. Moving slowly, but with inexorable deliberation, he gripped Izuku's arms.

"Izuku," he growled, "you are MINE, and I am NEVER letting you go. I am NEVER leaving you. I don't care what other marriages are like or what other Nyr mates work out between themselves."

His lips trembled. He had needed his husband's restrained ferocity from the very beginning, and that was still true. But sometimes it was tough to face.

"I was only trying to tell you that I love you enough to do anything you need, even that."

"I don't need that!"

The patio underneath him shook with the force of Katsuki's exclamation. Then he drew himself up, sucked in a breath. Let it out.

Passing a hand over Izuku's hair, Katsuki kissed his forehead and then his nose, and then his mouth, lingering over the caress as Izuku himself touched Katsuki's cheek and ran the short spiky silken strands of his ash blonde hair through his fingers.