The Ship of Dreams

Chapter 3: "Miss King"

(A/N: I recommend listening to "Puppy Love" by Paul Anka this chapter.)

Day 2

Enji escorted Izuku and Ochako to their night quarters and headed back to his room for the evening. Luckily for Izuku, he and Uraraka didn't sleep in the same bed. Something about him "controlling his urges", and "saving her purity". Little do they know that Izuku has no trouble controlling urges. He doesn't even have any. Not with her, anyway. Not with a woman.

Izuku was in his room, about to go to bed. He was looking at a necklace his mother had given him, to give to Uraraka on their wedding day. It was a tradition in the Midoriya family and belonged to Inko before, and then his grandmother, great-grandmother, etcetera. The Midoriya women wore this heart-shaped emerald, as a sign of their love for the family, and their loyalty to the Midoriya name.

Izuku often found himself gazing upon the necklace that was usually worn on his mother's wrinkled neck. Wondering if it could be him wearing the necklace. The 56 carat, rough heart-shaped jewel was something he yearned for. Not for a wife. Not for a partner. But for himself. He wanted that symbol, that prettiness, that, and to be frank: femininity. And what was so wrong with that? Kings from the past and all around the world wear jewels; decorating their necks, heads and knuckles.

But apparently, that symbol was meant for Ochako. It was meant for a woman. It was meant for a woman with luscious hair. Who had dainty hands. Who had child-bearing hips. Who wore dresses, and skirts and was allowed to.

He sighed, closing the box. It quickly snapped shut, like an elastic force was putting it back into place. Putting the box into his closet safe, he got into bed; his mind began to wander to the disaster of what tonight was.

'Bakugou.'

He tilted his head. 'Bakugou Katsuki.' Thinking more about him, he chuckled. 'So...Interesting. I've never seen anyone who looks like him. He's- Classic. Nothing wrong with his appearance. Simply- Handsome. Cute, even. Hah. 'Cute'.' His breath hitched at his thoughts.

'Stop it, Izuku. No.' He scoffed and rolled over to his side, drifting off into a deep sleep. His subconscious kept wandering back to a certain blond though.

'What an interesting man.'

Before Enji could drag him and Ochako away from the deck, he asked Bakugou if they could meet tomorrow, maybe walk around the first-class portside outdoor area, to thank him. His cheeks were most definitely flushing, but that could just be blamed on the cold. Bakugou stuttered a bit, bringing Izuku back to his point of, well, cute. The man was cute. And with such a strong name, like Bakugou Katsuki. He had (and has, frankly) no right to come off so playfully charming and free. Not with a name like Bakugou.

Katsuki was starstruck. He could barely comprehend what happened a few hours ago. Now he's, what, laying in bed? Acting as none of tonight happened? Get a good night's sleep and wake up and see the man tomorrow? The blond just saved a man's life after he attempted suicide! The most beautiful man he had ever seen, mind you.

Midoriya Izuku was his name.

What kind of a name was that? Katsuki received a small card telling him what spot to meet Midoriya at tomorrow. The card also had the man's name spelt on it. How unique...Using the kanji for 'Green' and 'Valley' in the Midoriya surname, while Izuku is spelt with the kanji for 'Exit' or "Come out", and 'Long time'. It's funny to Katsuki, at first. A part of the man's first name can be read as Deku, essentially meaning 'Useless'.

Such a rich, beautiful, and emotional man, having his name be useless. Well, not the whole name, Katsuki tells himself.

He doesn't know when he drifted off to thoughts of the man's name and breaking it down, but, he can't help but be fascinated with the man. Katsuki feels a sudden wave of inspiration waft through him but chooses to ignore it at the moment. He'd wake up everyone in the small room if he turned on a light to sketch now. He'd have to keep that mental image to use later though. That image of Midoriya hanging off of the ledge, tension thick in the air. Katsuki imagines that the sketch would convey heavy emotion, but for some reason, he can't remember anything else in the environment.