Plus Ultra! [BNHA One-Shots]

Mesmerised [2/5]

(don't look at me i forgot it was monday okay shhhh-)

CW: Blood & Injury, Canon-Typical Violence

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Chapter Summary:

The squad meets a motherly, seafaring captain and instantly get adopted

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The sea was close – Izuku could sense it. He wiggled in his seat, fingers digging harder into the stuffed backpack on his lap. Iida gave him another concerned once-over from the seat next to him on the minibus, but Izuku couldn't find it in himself to feel embarrassed for acting so bizarrely, even if he had been squirming more and more and grinning wider and wider the closer they got to the coast.

Asui and Yaoyorozu were quietly conversing behind them. Across the aisle from them was Kacchan and Todoroki, and whilst his childhood friend was glaring out the window, elbow set precariously on the tiny ledge and hand propping up his head, Todoroki had mostly been staring blankly ahead of him throughout the journey. All Might sat at the double-seat in front of them, spending most of the ride reading through a lot of informational booklets and books with marked pages, all of which seemed to revolve around nautical and coastal themes. Occasionally he would raise his head and glance around to check on the students, offering a private smile to Izuku when they met eyes, clearly bemused by his excitement.

Finally, the minibus rumbled to a halt, and the doors opened. Izuku opened his mouth and took a deep breath of the salty air as it swept inside. All Might heaved himself up, tucking his reading material into his bag, and then padded off the vehicle.

"Make sure you don't forget anything on the bus!" He called over his shoulder before he stepped off.

Izuku shot to his feet and scrambled past Iida with a hasty apology, swinging his backpack over one shoulder and sprinting off the minibus, Kacchan's snarling fading into background noise when the roar of the ocean hit his ears. He barely managed to stop himself from launching straight towards the beach, forcefully locking his legs into place next to his mentor and staring hungrily at the glimmering waves.

It was a rural, beautiful location. A little cottage was nestled a little aside where they had stopped, more a beach house than anything from its vantage point just shy of where the sand began. It was surrounded by a few wind-swept trees and had a small, fenced-in front garden. Green lawn was split down the middle by a stepping-stone path, and there were flowerbeds inside the perimeter. A vertical pallet with beanstalks climbing upwards was set against the front wall of the quaint cottage, and on the other side of the carved wooden door, cherry tomatoes were growing in a neat line. Bindweed and brambles were creeping in from the wild outside, winding around the fence but not quite leaning into the garden.

He looked past the building, lured in by the sound of waves crashing against the shore. It was nearly a secluded cove, with low, curving cliffs on either side and an expanse of sand in between. Driftwood and seaweed ran along the tide-line, with a few glints of sea-glass scattered amongst the tangles. Gulls circled overhead, crying loudly at the new arrivals, then swooping down to peck at the seaweed, in search of snacks. On one side of the beach was a wooden pier stretching out into the ocean, and a boat was moored at the end, bobbing merrily in the gentle turbulence. A figure was standing next to it, crouched down with a tool of some sort and repeatedly pressing it against the hull.

"You seem excited, Young Midoriya," All Might remarked.

Izuku blinked up at him, eyes big and earnest. "I love the ocean."

"Ah," he hummed, glancing back towards the waves. "I didn't know that..."

Iida stepped into place next to his friend, already applying copious amounts of sunscreen over every inch of exposed skin, even though he'd done the same back at UA. "That must be Netptune-san. It would be impolite of us to keep her waiting."