Love Deeper than the Ocean | IzuOcha Mermaid AU

Chapter 17 | Mama Midoriya

Izuku's Pov.

  He felt terrible about what he said to Ochaco for some reason. It seemed to make her feel guiltier than before. 

  "We're here," he whispered to her. "Be really quiet. I'm not sure if Mom's home or not..."

  He really should've checked that beforehand. It was a bad idea that he brought her here in the first place! What was he thinking!? What if she was spotted by someone? What then!?

  He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down or Ochaco might freak out too. 

  But, he really needed to get her inside his house before the neighbors saw her. He didn't spot anyone yet, but that didn't exclude the possibility that they would see her. 

  "Okay... Just be careful. If Mom sees you, it's game over," Izuku whispered, beckoning to come in. 

  He saw Ochaco glance around his home and then she gave him a smile.

  "I think it's lovely," she said in a quiet voice. This was most likely because she knew there might be sirens around. 

  "Izuku? Are you home?" his mother called.

  "Ack!" Izuku pushed Ochaco into the nearest hiding spot he could find. This was very, very bad! Why was he this stupid!? 

  He glanced around the room, making sure she wasn't there at the moment. She wasn't. 

  "Ochaco, stay here and be quiet, okay?" he told her quickly. After she nodded, he left her.

  "Yeah! I'm here!" he told her, moving away from the hiding spot he squeezed Ochaco in. 

  "You're not a figment of my imagination?" she swam up to him and touched his face before hugging him. "You're never home anymore! Especially not this early!"

  "Yeah... I know..." he felt flustered and glanced at Ochaco quickly while his mother wasn't looking. She really didn't have to see this... It was so embarrassing that she was watching this...

  "Have you been meeting someone?" she wondered, pulling away from him. "Do you have a mate?"

  "N-No!" he sputtered, choking on nothing. Of course, he was meeting someone. That someone was in this room now! But Ochaco was not by any means his mate! (Although he wished she was.)

  "I know you're about that age, but still..." she seemed to be choked up. "My baby's all grown up!"

  Now this was very embarrassing... But he wanted to cheer his mom up. 

  "It's not like that," he assured her. "I guess you could say I'm trying to diversify what I'm doing, that's all. I'm not seeing anyone."

  He didn't like to see Mom so upset like this. He didn't realize that she was hurting this much... Maybe he could've stayed with her more so she wasn't lonely. 

  "But you're even wearing your necklace more!" Mom went on. "And you've been talking to it frequently too! You must be seeing someone!"

  "I promise I'm not in a relationship," he vowed. "I would've told you about it."

  "Are you sure?" his mom looked up at him. 

  "I swear," he gave her a soft smile.

Ochaco's Pov.

  She felt a grin consume her face. Izuku was sweet to everyone. 

  His mother looked similar to him in some aspects: The green tail that wasn't as vibrant as their hair, the green hair, and green eyes. You could definitely tell that they were related. His mom seemed nice... Also lonely... Was Ochaco keeping Izuku from her?

  "I promise I'll spend time with you later. For now, I need to leave again. I'll talk to you later," Izuku gave her a quick hug before swimming through the door (or at least where it was supposed to be. Apparently, sirens didn't have doors and there was a gaping hole in the wall instead).

  'Did he forget about me!?'

  He couldn't have! How could you forget that you hid someone in your house?

  She wasn't sure what to call his mom... So she just decided to call her "Mama Midoriya" in her head for now until Izuku gave her a proper name. 

  Mama Midoriya stared at the way Izuku swam out of, looking sad and almost heartbroken. Like she was grieving the loss of someone close to her. Soon she turned around and left to go into a different room, looking disappointed and sorrowful. 

  Ochaco could only describe her feelings as guilt. She stole Mama Midoriya's son away because of what? They liked to talk? She felt horrible! Mama Midoriya didn't even know who she was... Or what she was... 

  That was when she noticed Izuku peeking his head in his house and then swimming in silently. He held out of his hand, and she took it. 

  After they were a fair distance away from his house, Ochaco started talking again. 

  "Izuku... Why are you spending so much time with me? Mama Midoriya's... Just so lonely..." she told him. 

  He stopped swimming, chuckling a bit. 

  "What are you laughing about? Your mom is so lonely!" she put her hands on her hips. 

  "I didn't mean it like that," Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "I just can't take the nickname you gave her seriously!"

  She felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. 

  "Her real name is Inko, but I think if you met her face to face she would love the nickname," he told her. "I wish you guys could actually meet..."

  "Why don't we? Wouldn't she keep a secret that I have legs?" Ochaco wondered. Izuku started swimming again, moving slightly slower than before so it was easier for her to hear him. 

  "It's not that... She just might... I don't know... Be really freaked out? Maybe pass out? I'm not sure..." Izuku tried to explain. "Maybe sometime... But, I don't know..."

  "That's okay. Maybe some other time," she suggested.

  "Yeah," he nodded his head. 

  "Izuku," she said his name. "Could you sing me a song?"

  "You know what could happen if I did that," he gave her a sad smile. 

  "Momo listened to one of Shoto's songs and was fine," she pointed out.

  "Maybe later..." Izuku told her. 

  "Uraraka! Midoriya!" Shoto swam up to them at speeds faster than she realized sirens could swim. His eyes were widened in terror and he was panting hard, his gills flaring up. He looked back at the way he came and then at them. She never saw him like this. Ever. 

  "Shoto, are you okay?" Izuku asked him, putting a hand on the siren's shoulder, but the other male pushed the hand off him quickly.

  "No! They got Momo!" 

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Author's Note: Okay, so "Mama Midoriya" is one of the names that Mama Cosplay (a cosplayer that teaches cosplay classes [although, it's mostly just talking about anime and goofing off] that I go to) uses when she cosplays Inko! I decided to use it because it was a good name, but she gave me the idea for it! Her classes on Outschool are really fun! I go to the My Hero Academia Cosplay Friendship Group a lot, but she does many other classes!