Cloth and Keratin
"How do I look?" Izuku asked shyly, Mashirao gave the Tiefling a smile.
"You look amazing."
"You've said that about the last three outfits."
"What can I say, you look good in anything." Izuku blushed at Mashirao's words, the blond boy had taken him on a shopping trip as a date, which Izuku was really glad for. Nezu had given Izuku a card with some money on it to get new clothes and other essentials, Mashirao jumped at the chance to take Izuku shopping and then out for some fun, just the two of them.
"Then I guess I can get these three." Izuku headed back to change into his clothes.
"You'll need some more stuff, we can head over to this specialty shop that carries clothes for people with horns and tails." Izuku came out of the changing room in the black tank top and tan shorts, Izuku paid for his stuff, with Mashirao showing him how to use the debit card. They left the shop going to the usual place where Mashirao buys his clothing, as they walked Izuku entwined his tail with Mashirao's causing the blond boy to smile, he spared a glance at Izuku who had a soft smile and light blush on his face.
They got the clothes shopping done, next on the list was toiletries, Mashirao had to hold back a laugh as Izuku went around smelling everything and chatting excitedly about each new smell. "Who knew there were so many smells. What is this one, it smells really good." Mashirao walked over to smell the body wash Izuku was holding.
"It's mango."
"What's a mango?" Izuku asked his solid green eyes shining with curiosity.
"It's a type of tropical fruit, it's supposed to taste really sweet."
"Oh this one's lavender and honeysuckle, I'll get this one. It reminds me of the flowers that grew near my house."
"You'll need some shampoo as well, and conditioner. Your hair needs some TLC." Mashirao ran a hand through Izuku's hair, causing the Tiefling to let out a content sigh at the sensation. "Maybe some lotion for your tail and horns."
"Do they all smell good?"
"We can get you that kind if you want." Mashirao really liked seeing Izuku smile and be happy, the two of the walked out of the store Izuku once more wrapped his tail around Mashirao's.
"I don't think I will ever get used to seeing so many humans, or the fact that they don't seem to even mind I'm here."
"Why would they mind you being here, you don't look all that strange, here people just think it's a quirk. Look over there." Mashirao gestured with his head at a group of girls one who had a tail and horns like Izuku's another with a lizard tail and red scales, the third had rock skin. "See you fit in this world just fine." Mashirao spotted a dessert stand selling things like candied fruits and frozen yogurt, he lead the Tiefling over.
"This is amazing!!" Izuku took another bite of the frozen yogurt, it was cold and sweet, never in his life had he ever had something like this. He picked up a piece of the mango fruit that he added to his frozen treat, the tangy sweetness coated his tongue sending Izuku into ecstasy.
Mashirao was enjoying the sight of Izuku, it was rather cute seeing the Tiefling just enjoying something as simple as frozen vanilla yogurt and a fruit that apparently didn't exist i his homeland, he was broken out of his thoughts at the sounds of fighting, the two boys looked around spotting the source of the commotion. It was Endeavor who was chasing the vigilante Cold Snap, and someone in a hooded cloak.
"Give in now, you two are under arrest for vigilantism." Endeavor had cornered his ex-wife and her accomplice, he had his sidekicks cover the exits, she would not get away again.
"I do believe he's jealous that you are much better at taking down villains than he is." Shrike commented to Rei, she laughed at the look on Enji's face.
"I do believe you have a point Shrike. Shall we make our dramatic escape?"
"Dramatic is what I do best, my fair lady." Shrike pulled out several vials of different liquids tossing them to the ground creating a multi colored fog, Endeavor backed away from the fog as his eyes stung, he made one of the sidekicks with him used his quick to blow the fog away, Endeavor let out a growl of frustration, Rei had escaped him once more.
"Make sure she doesn't escape, lockdown the mall, no one in or out." Endeavor ordered over his earpiece.
"What's going on?" Izuku asked Mashirao, the blond boy wasn't sure he managed to flag down one of the sidekicks to ask them.
"The mall is going into lockdown, stay here and don't move, there is a dangerous vigilante we are trying to locate." The sidekick ran off to follow their instructions. Mashirao took Izuku over to an unoccupied bench, the two of them sat down, they would have to wait until they were able to leave.
"I think I recognized that guy in the cloak." Mashirao gave Izuku a quizzical look. "It was the way he used those potions, I remember my mom knew an Alchemist that would come by from time to time, a Shadar-Kai; who used potions like they were magic spells."
"What's a Shadar-Kai?" Mashirao asked the Tiefling.
"A denizen of the Shadowfell, they're also called Shadow Elves. If he was partners with that woman then they are never going to find them, Shadar-Kai are masters of stealth and escape."
"Guess it will be a short wait them, so what's this Shadowfell place?" Mashirao was rather curious about Izuku's homeland and it's myths and legends.
"My mom told me stories of The Shadowfell, it's a sort of mirror world, but everything is filled with darkness and gloom, it is said to touch all planes of existence. But that is just a theory by The Shrike."
"You mean out world has a Shadowfell?"
"No, it would mean that The Shadowfell touches your world, it's its own plane of existence."
Mashirao pondered on that, could that mean that Izuku could go back to his homeland by traveling through this plane. "Has anyone ever gone there?"
"Yeah, loads of people have, there are stories of people accidentally slipping into The Shadowfell, there are portals everywhere."
"Wait, could we slip into the Shadowfell from here?" Mashirao got a little excited at the prospect of visiting another realm of existence.
"I never considered it, if the stories are true then we could theoretically go there and even go to my homeland. But I would never want to go there."
"Why?"
"Mom said that those who have been there warn others never to enter, most never come out the same, either they return raving lunatics, or empty husks or the person they once were. It's a plane of gloom, ennui, death, and decay, there is no light in this world. No sun, no moon, not even stars, any light you bring to this world is smothered by the oppressive dark, fire produces no heat. A truly terrible place." Izuku wrapped his arms around himself, he felt a sudden chill creep up his spine.
Mashirao drew Izuku into his side, he wrapped his tail around Izuku, hoping to provide some warmth to the horned boy, Izuku leaned his head against Mashirao's shoulder, the blond boy looked down to the ground seeing his shadow and Izuku's noting something rather odd.
"Your shadow has wings. I never noticed before, but you don't have any."
"It's a Tiefling thing, according to mom, depending on what lineage you are from, it can affect one's physical appearance as well as one's magical gifts."
"So what lineage are you from?"
"I'm a mix of two different lineages, a rare thing. I am an Shadow Tiefling from my dad's side, and an Incubus from my mom's side."
"Wait, Incubus, as in a male Succubus? I thought your mom was human." Mashirao looked at the boy next to him, his mind buzzing with questions. "I thought your mom was human?"
"She is..was, she was human." A look of sadness flashed across Izuku's face. "She was a Warlock like myself, her Patron was a powerful Succubus by the name of Sereina. When my mom married dad and had me, Sereina made me a part of her lineage as a sort of gift for all the years my mom served her. Said it would allow me to have access to powerful love spells and charms."
"So you can do these powerful spells?"
Izuku looked a bit sheepish. "Not really, I never got around to mastering them, I kinda focused more on my Tiefling lineage to be more like dad." Izuku had a fond look wash over his face as he talked. "I never got to meet him, he disappeared before I was born, and all the stories mom told me of him, it made me want to be like him, a great adventurer. Exploring dungeons, seeing exotic lands, fighting dragons."
"Why didn't you become an adventurer? You said you never went far from your home." Mashirao hugged Izuku tighter when he saw a haunted look cross his face.
"I don't want talk about that."
"Then tell me more about your Tiefling lineage, what is a Shadow Tiefling?" Izuku was grateful for the subject change.
"I supposedly have a connection to the Shadowfell and I'm able to use Shadow Magic without any negative repercussions, but since Mom didn't know any Shadow Magic, I never got to test this theory, I did learn a lot of enchantment spells from her thought, and when I made a Pact with my Patron I gained access to Destruction and Abjuration magic."
"So do you feed of sex like how a real Incubus would?" Mashirao wasn't sure why he asked that, maybe he was curious in that regards, Izuku shook his head.
"I can't feed off sex, but I do enjoy sex." Izuku blushed when he said that, Mashirao couldn't help but think Izuku looked so adorable right now. "I know it makes me sound like an easy person, but it's the truth."
"Is that why you and Shouji became friends with benefits?" Mashirao took hold of Izuku's hand, the greenette looked at him with a smile, it made Mashirao's heart beat fast.
"In a way yeah, but I also like Mezo, he's really kind, gentle, and he understand what it feels like to be different from everyone else due to their appearance."
"I can relate in that manner, so why didn't you and Shouji become boyfriends?"
"I think because we both enjoy each other but we don't have to be labeled as boyfriend's in order to be intimate." Izuku ran his thumb gently across the back of Mashirao's hand.
"What about Kirishima? Are you and he also going to become Bed Buddies?" Mashirao leaned a bit closer to Izuku.
"He wants to be boyfriends, but I am not sure about it, if we did we would have to be exclusive, and I don't want to cut Mezo out of my life like that. Is that selfish of me?" Izuku asked the blond boy, Mashirao had to think about that for a bit.
"I don't think it's selfish, well maybe it's a little selfish but you are allowed to be that, have you talked about it with Kirishima?"
"I haven't talked to him about it yet, he was a little upset when I told him I would make you the same offer I did to him." Izuku had leaned closer to Mashirao as well, they were inches away from kissing.
"What offer is that?" Mashirao asked as his lips brushed against Izuku in a chaste kiss.
Izuku pulled back slightly to answer. "That if you wanted, we could sleep together on the first date."
Izuku and Mashirao jumped apart when the Mall P.A. chimed, it was an announcement telling them that they could go home as the lock down had ended, Mashirao gathered half the bags and Izuku the others, this time Mashirao reached out with his tail wrapping it around Izuku's thinner tail, the Tiefling smiled at him, the two of the walking towards the exit.
"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer, but not today, not until you and Kirishima talk it out and see what you two will do."
Izuku agreed to the tailed boy's condition, suddenly Izuku turned to face an alley opening with a softball sized fireball in his hand, he heard someone calling out to him.
"Easy there kiddo, no need to toss Destruction magic at me, just had to see if it really was you." Shrike took out a vial of green liquid, he shook it causing the green to be come luminous and light up the dark alleyway, Izuku stood there with his mouth agape.
"Shrike!?"
"Hey kiddo, look how big you gotten."