DawnoftheAgez

The war had been hard on all of them, they all had different anxieties and issues now more so than before. Shoto had found solace in Tenya after the battle, having him by his side the whole time had done more for him than he had ever expected.

After graduation it had been hard, class A had been bonded. Starting lives apart had been difficult to say the least.

Tenya hadn't expected to find Shoto outside of his apartment door less then a month after graduation, his face tear stained.

"Shoto?"

"I- I can't be alone Iida… I- I need to just.. Can I- Can I come in?"

Tenya's eyes softened, he offered his arms and Shoto fell into them. Tears streaming down his face. The two sat in the doorframe, crying into one another. It felt cathartic to cry, it felt like the only right thing to do at that moment.

Tenya rested his chin on Shoto's shoulder. "You can stay here with me you know," Iida offered, "if you want."

"I- I uhm… Would like that. I can get my stuff by next week, it isn't much anyway…"

"Where have you been staying?"

"Home, with my mom and dad… It hasn't been easy."

Tenya sighed, Shoto had always had a good heart. "You're moving in with me."

"Okay, if you insist."

"I do," Tenya muttered, "you deserve to be living on your own, I know it isn't easy to see your mom caring for him after all he did but you need to live without their influence. Without the fear your father put into you."

Shoto smiled faintly, tears still falling. "Thank you."

Iida held him, slowly scooting them inside so he could close the door. "Do you still get nightmares?"

"Every night…" Shoto admitted. He held out his wrist and Tenya saw it, a quirk suppressant cuff. He cocked a brow.

"I set my bedroom on fire the first night home in my sleep," Shoto explained, "I ca-can't sleep."

Tenya's heart broke. "H-How long have you been having this bad of nightmares?"

"Since the year ended…. I-"

"Shoto, you could have told us?"

"I know I'm not the only one who has them, I felt like out of all of us I should be the least concerned. Hell Bakugo died and came back, Izuku lost his quirk…. Ochako nearly bled out. I-"

Tenya cupped his chin. "You went through hell too, we all have yes but that is also part of the point. We all have gone through so much that we should be there for one another. Don't you understand." Shoto pulled his knees into himself, Tenya held him tight. "Shh, it's okay."

"Tenya…"

"Yes Shou?"

"Thank you. Thank you for being there for me, without you I don't know if I could have done any of what I did during the war."

"Anything for you," he smirked readjusting his glasses. Tenya moved swiftly, picking Shoto up and carried him towards his room. "I'll be here if you have a nightmare."

"You need sleep too."

"I'll be okay." Tenya grinned, laying Shoto on his bed. "Go on, sleep." Shoto smiled as he felt Tenya lay beside him, Shoto snuggled into his chest just trying to breathe. Tears were welling up in his eyes but he was more than grateful to Tenya for accepting him in with open arms. Tenya looked down at Shoto, kissing the top of his hair. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he replied with a smile. "Now. Thank you, Tenya."

Tenya squeezed his arm, holding him. Shoto curled up into him, Tenya kept an eye on him for a while until Shoto was fully asleep. He waited about an hour, but Shoto didn't budge. Tenya finally felt like he could sleep, he held him to his chest and the two slept soundly for the first time in a long time.

Shoto work that morning in bed alone.

He sat upright quickly, panic in his eyes.

Then he smelt cooking food.

He had slept through the night, his eyes widened a bit as he made his way to the kitchen. Tenya had pancakes prepared for him. "Tenya?"

"Pancakes," he grinned, "did you get some good rest?"

"Yes," Shoto smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Of course. I'm glad to have you here. You know, you could have called I would have picked you up."

"I am sorry for showing up unannounced. Really."

"Don't apologize, I'm more than glad you're here."

Shoto blushed deeply, Iida offered a plate of strawberries over with the pancakes. His smile deepening watching Shoto eat, he was happy to see that he was settling in.

"Are you sure you're okay with me being your roommate?"

Iida smirked and nodded. "Shoto, I say this not to be mean, but I know if I am not straightforward with you then you may never get this. I love you, not just as a friend but romantically as well. I want to have you here, not just as a roommate if you feel ready for that eventually."

Shoto nearly dropped his fork, his eyes rounded in surprise.

"Wait… you do?"

"Shoto, I have had a crush on you since the first day I met you."

Shoto's face was nearly the same color red as his hair. "Iida… I."

"You don't have to agree now, or anytime soon. I don't want you to feel pressured. The guest bedroom is yours unless you want to share, but even then we can share platonically."

"I- I want to be with you. I just hope you don't feel obligated to."

Iida looked over Shoto, a soft smile on his face. "Shoto, you are anything but an obligation. You are incredible, and you know very well that you've helped me become the man I am today. Without you I may not have been standing here today. You, Shoto, are anything but an obligation."

Shoto felt the tears start again, he stood and rushed to Iida. The two heroes held one another tightly. "So you'd be my boyfriend then?"

Shoto nodded. "Yes, yes I would like that very much."

Billy Hargrove had been hunting for a certain merman for a long time, but what he didn't know was this merman had been hunting him too. They had met under a moonlit sky, the stars sparkling above them. Billy had been on a small boat then, rowing and fishing. What he caught had been a merman instead of fish, he was exactly upset he hadn't caught dinner that night. They had stayed up for hours, talking. The merman, Eddie, found him very interesting. Though they lived in two different worlds, Eddie had returned to his home in the depths and Billy had returned to the shore with a rumbling belly.

Eddie had stuck around his boat however, he kept an eye on him for a long time. The young merman had found that Billy had taken up a life as a pirate, his boat was far larger now. Eddie was a bit concerned that he was going to be a dangerous man now. He wondered if he was unwilling to continue a conversation with Eddie, even possibly a relationship.

But Eddie stayed close, he followed him as his ships grew larger and his crew doubled.

Billy was on the hunt for the merman who he had fallen for, every relationship he could have with a normal man didn't feel right. When he closed his eyes he saw the curly hair and the dark eyes of the merman.

Eddie followed the large boat, he wanted to speak to the pirate captain but he didn't trust any of the crew. Pirates were known to hurt and harm mermaids and mermen, and while his short meeting with Billy made him feel he wouldn't harm him, he was still nervous about the possibility. It had been a long time since he had last spoken to Billy, from the ocean he watched Billy change from a younger fishermen to a pirate. He wondered if he had done something to upset the man, he had watched his change begin after their meeting.

Eddie was nearly positive he wasn't part siren, but he couldn't be so sure. It made him slightly nervous that he had done something he didn't even mean to. Eddie continued to follow the pirate ship, port to port until finally the ship was in the open ocean.

"Are you alright captain?"

"Yes, Steve," Billy sighed as he leaned against the railing, "I've just been searching for any signs of the one I have been looking for and I haven't heard any tales… I haven't seen anything. No sighs, no… Nothing."

"I am sure we will find him captain," Steve patted his back, "we will find the merman. We have found the special treasure sir, so we just need to find him now. We will find the merman you are searching for."

Billy gripped the seashell necklace that was cool against his skin, he had gone to the ends of the earth to find a special necklace that was said could aid a merman in walking on land. Allowing for them to choose to have a tail or legs at will. He only hoped it was real.

They had been hunting the merman, listening for stories of any mer around.

They didn't know that the merman they had been hunting for was beneath the boat at this very moment.

"Would you lower a dingy? I'd like to just be alone for a bit. I'll yell for you later on when I want to come up."

"Aye captain," Steve smiled.

Billy was lowered slowly into the waves, the soft bob of the water brought a smile to his face. He lowered his hand in the water, leaning forward and thinking hard. "I'll find you eventually, one day. Eddie."

Eddie was bobbing beneath the boat, listening.

He was nervous about what he needed to find him for. He wasn't sure if he would be safe, he wanted Billy to be kind to him. He wasn't sure what kind of man he had become since they last spoke, but what he did know was that he hoped he was a good man and that he wouldn't hurt him.

Eddie slowly swam upwards, smiling as he brought his hand to his. Billy jumped back in surprise, the boat rocking.

He grabbed for his pistol, but waited before Eddie popped up. His head bobbing a bit as he leaned over the boat.

"It's been a long time."

"E-Eddie.. Y-You don't realize how long I have been looking for you. Hunting you down from every port."

"Hunting me have you?"

"Well I- Hunting is the wrong word… I've been looking for you for a long time. I wouldn't hurt you, I promise."

"Why have you been hunting me?"

"I've been, well I-." Billy grunted. "I found something for you," he smiled as he pulled the necklace off and offered it to Eddie, "it's magical.. From what I've heard… I've been searching for it for a long, long time. I was told that if a merman was to wear it and say they wanted to walk on land they would grow legs. They could also swim if they touched the water with their tail. You'd have both. If you'd join me on the ship."

Billy looked at Eddie expectantly, the merman took the shell necklace carefully. He put it on around his neck. "Thank you, how did you find this?"

"I found it, far from here. I took on a crew in order to hunt for this and for you, how did you find me? I've been looking all over for you."

"I've been hunting you too I guess. Following your ship, ever since our first meeting I haven't gone far from you until you're on the land."

Billy looked at him wide eyed, he had been following him too?

"Would you be willing to join me? Would you be willing to stay with me, on the ship. You could swim anytime you wanted, of course.. I wouldn't stop you from the ocean, it's your home and I know that. I ju-just have been following you for so long and I… I want to.. To keep you with me.. If you would.. You're the treasure I've really been looking for."

Eddie blushed at his comment, he slowly climbed onto the ship. His tail flicking side to side, he leaned into Billy bringing their lips together. Eddie mumbled with each kiss, Billy could taste the sea salt on his lips. He pulled Eddie closer, his smile wide.

Eddie brought his hand to his new necklace.

He could live with Billy, he could sail the seas and walk on land. It was clear to him neither of them had stopped looking for the other one since the day they met. They had been searching for one another for a long time. Billy brought his lips to his again, smiling big. He had finally got a hold of his treasure.

Dean and Sam Winchester were fairly sure that there was something going wrong in Hawkins, they just weren't sure what that thing was. When they first arrived in Hawkins they were unsure where to look, the woods and the nearby lab seemed like good places to begin checking.

The two brothers were driving past the lake when they both thought they had seen something strange. "Did you see that splash?"

"I did…"

"That was a huge splash for a lake."

"I- Do you think whatever is wrong with this place is in the lake? I thought bodies were going missing but nowhere near the lake."

Dean shrugged. "Maybe there is a few things wrong with this town. One of them, I think is at the lake."

Sam nodded, they drove down to Lover's Lake. They had been keeping an eye on the reports coming out of this small town, and it just continued to seem worst and worse. Anything that could be in the lake didn't make them feel like it could be the true issue.

The brothers parked near the lake and began to scope out the area, another large splash caught their attention. Their eyes growing wide. "I think I just saw a merman… I may be losing it. Hit me."

Sam did just as he was asked, punching his brother hard on the arm. Dean flinched but didn't react further. "I've not heard of a merman or mermaid being in a lake in a long time, siren's couldn't survive without the salt water."

"Right… I-"

"I think we need to get closer."

"I am not getting in the lake, swimming or on a boat."

"Big wimp, but you're right. If it is dangerous it may tip our boat or drown us. There is something wrong in this place, we just need to get to the bottom of it all and take out the monsters so they don't harm any more people."

They kept watching for a while, another splash or a flash of a tail every once in a while catching their attention. Then they heard a boy's voice behind them. "Please don't hurt him. He's scared and confused."

They turned quickly, a younger man with dark curly hair was watching them from the trees. "Jesus how long have you been there?"

"Only a little while, you startled me. I was just lucky you didn't notice me… You're right. There are weird things going on in Hawkins, this is just one of the strange things. It's the lab, there are evil people there."

"Can you tell us what's going on? We are hunters, we want to help." Sam promised.

The teenager looked them over for a moment, but he felt he could trust them. "The merman, his name is Steve…. He is from the lab. They took him, a normal boy and changed him into something.. This.. Creature. He is just as scared as we are, he wants to just go home."

Sam remembered seeing a missing poster for a boy, Steve Harrington.

"The lab?"

"They turn people into creatures, I am fairly sure they've opened some sort of portal between worlds. Monstrous things roam around the woods, they've hurt and killed people. There are a few of us, mostly kids or teens and a few adults, have been trying to figure out how to survive all of this. There are worse things, we call them demogorgons. They're horrifying creatures, hell bent on murder and destruction. Steve is a good person, was a good person.. I guess merman know. We don't know if we will ever get him back to his normal self but we do need help here. There are bad men and bad monsters. I don't know what kind of hunter you are, but if you take care of monsters does that include human ones?"

Sam and Dean looked one another over, usually they tried to keep people out of harms way but in this case they weren't so sure they could say all human lives were actually that important. If there were men out there turning teenagers into creatures and doing that kind of experimentation, then they felt they could easily take out some human monsters as well.

"It sure does." Dean said, with a nod."We can help you, we can try and help Steve too. We have a friend who may be able to bring him back."

Steve was watching from behind a rock after he had heard Eddie's voice, someone thought they could bring him back to his normal self? He smiled at the thought, flicking his tail side to side. He had grown used to his mermaid tail, swimming around in Lover's Lake wasn't exactly the worst fate he could be dead but he didn't love it. Fish were hard to stomach, and he was fairly sure he wouldn't eat another sushi roll a day in his life when he was hopefully returned to his glory. He swam towards the shore of the lake and smiled. "You're willing to help me?"

"Jesus H. Christ." Dean jumped, surprised by his sudden appearance. Eddie laughed, Sam chuckled a tad bit.

"We are going to do what we can to help you, yes." Sam replied as he slowly lowered himself towards the water. Steve was young, maybe seventeen. His lower half was no longer human legs but a long green blue tail. Eddie rushed to him, not caring if he grew wet. He wrapped his arms around the young merman.

"They're here to help," Eddie promised,"finally someone is here to help us."

Steve cried into Eddie's shoulder, his tail flicking side to side. While the teenagers had grown used to the tail he certainly didn't enjoy it, he hated the water, it made his skin feel strange. He had once been a swimmer but this was turning him away from anything to do with water or pools. Eddie held him tightly, his hand running up and down the young mans large tail.

"Thank you," Eddie smiled softly. "We've needed someone here who is willing to help us fight. I don't personally think a bunch of teenagers should have to be the ones doing battle with crazy scientists and otherworldly beings."

Dean nodded, showing his pistol. "I promise you kid, we will do what we can. We will have our friend come by, see what he can do. If we can get him to turn Steve back we will. Our friend is an angel, he should have some sort of ability to bring him back to you."

Steve flicked his tail a few more times, he couldn't wait to say goodbye to it.

The campers were laughing and following the older camp counselor up and around a bend. "Alright bats, remember to stick close to your partner."

Mike raised a brow. "Counselor Eddie we aren't bats…."

"What are you then?"

"Our group animal is the flying squirrel."

"Right, sorry.." The counselor laughed a bit. "Flying squirrels, bats, similar animals."

"I don't think those are similar," Jane giggled whispering to Max, the two girls laughed together. The kids continued to follow Eddie up and around another turn, doing their best not to trip over themselves.

"How far are we?" Dustin mumbled.

"The waterfall is like, a mile or two out still." Eddie remarked.

"A mile?!" Will and Lucas yelped. "Really?"

"Look, this is camping. Hikes aren't simple, and I promise you this is going to be totally worth it."

"This is the first hike we are doing and its like a million miles." Max complained.

"You flying squirrels are acting like mice," Eddie laughed, "you can handle it. Not much longer."

The kids sighed, following their counselor around another bend. Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin began to copy every movement Eddie made while Max and Jane were arm in arm, giggling and hip checking one another.

Eddie stretched and the boys did the same. The girls noticed what they were doing and giggled, Eddie turned and the boys straightened up a bit.

"Alright you monsters, you can handle it a bit longer. Once we make it up to the waterfall we will set up for some lunch. Don't fret. Make sure you are drinking some water." The girls followed instruction, the boys were growing restless and sprayed one another with their water. Dustin accidentally got the back of Eddie's shirt. "Whoa alright children," Eddie shook his head but was honestly thankful for a spray of water. He couldn't wait till they made it to the waterfall. It was nice and cool in the summer day.

They continued to hike, he could feel his own muscles burning but he was sure the kids would be fine if he was fine. Being a camp counselor was honestly one of his favorite summer activities, and his favorite thing about this camp was this hike and what was at the end of it.

No one ever believed him, nor did they believe the campers about the magic of the waterfall. While Eddie came back to counsel every year because he actually enjoyed his time at the camp, and he pay was nice he came back every year for the mer who called the waterfall home.

"Come on, don't fall behind." Eddie clapped his hands as they continued up the mountain. The kids kicked at rocks but followed him up and around another bend. Eddie grinned, he couldn't wait to see the merman.

The kids sighed as they finally made it up, their eyes growing wide as they saw the waterfall.

"Whoa.." Dustin grinned.

"This is beautiful."

"Isn't it." Eddie grinned. "Just you wait."

Eddie slung his guitar around the front of him and sat on a turned over log, he began to strum on his instrument. The kids found places to sit around him, some on the ground others on rocks or stumps. Eddie sang, he knew his voice often got the mer's attention.

As he sang the kids swayed a bit, resting their legs. Max and Jane leaned into one another before their mouths formed into circles and their eyes widened. Eddie smirked at their expression, he turned and continued to sing and soon his voice was harmonized with another voice. The boys looked up past Eddie towards the water.

"Is that a merman?"

Eddie winked, he stopped singing. "He is," Eddie stood up, lowering his guitar. "Hey Stevie."

"You brought more friends?" Steve asked, flicking his greenish blue tail side to side. "I've missed you."

Eddie leaned forward, the mer leaning up and bringing their lips together. The kids made gagging noises but Eddie just smiled as he kissed him again. "I've missed you too, I brought you some new campers to meet."

Steve moved further forward, until he was sitting on the lakeside, his tail sticking outward.

"This cannot be real." Mike said as he stood, looking over the merman.

"You're right, they always say that." Steve chuckled.

Eddie laughed as she sat beside the merman. "I have sure missed you a lot," he squeezed Steve's hand carefully, "truly…"

Max and Jane were at the merman's side, smiling wide. They were fascinated by him and were excited to learn more about this merman. Eddie leaned in again, giving him another kiss. He loved being here in the woods and beside his mer. "This cannot be real." Will said again. "Is this some guy you just hired to look like a merman?"

"Nope, no jokes. This is a real bonified merman my friends."

Steve smiled, glad to meet the children. He always loved when Eddie brought people around to meet him, Eddie had been something of a mystery to him when they first met but he loved their interactions. The young man had been hiking when they first met, just wandering around to see where he should take young campers when Steve decided to say hello. he seemed just right, like someone who should matter to him. The only thing that Steve currently was a bit sad about was that he wasn't able to always be with him. He understood that they came from a different place, that one of them had legs while the other had a tail and was trapped to the water but he was glad Eddie made time for him.

Steve sat and allowed the young campers to examine his tail. "This is.. Amazing."

"I told you guys all you had to do was hike a bit longer and you would see something amazing yeah."

Steve laughed a bit, his voice light and cheerful. Little moments like this were very important to him, they made him feel free and full of joy. Steve leaned against Eddie while the young campers examined him, Will began to draw the scene, Eddie sitting beside the merman while strumming on his guitar. Steve smiled as he was flicked his tail once more, water spraying over the young campers. "Aren't you pretty, Stevie."

"I'm glad you came back around for me."

"I always will. Don't you worry about that. The hike isn't al that bad when you're the prize at the end."