Chapter Text
Life as the personal guard of King Toshinori and Queen Inko wasn’t a particularly exciting one. No one but the most foolish would attempt an attack. Sorahiko’s job required him to follow his Lord and Lady about, watching for anything out of the ordinary as he listened to stuffy men in pompous garments drone on and on about commerce, taxes, building relations, and other such nonsense. Humans loved hearing themselves talk. More often than not he found himself wishing his job had a bit more excitement.
Staring at the stains of blood and ashes scattered about the chambers before him, filled with sounds of gasping breaths and screams, he regretted ever having desired such a thing.
It had been a trap from the start, under the guise of meeting to discuss the terms of a truce. And they had fallen for it—he had fallen for it. He should have been more alert; should have seen this coming. Shouldn’t have grown comfortable enough to let his guard down.
The dust that coated him was proof enough of that.
“Toshinori.” He tugged at his king, prying a bolt of silver out of his shoulder once they were safely behind a corner, hiding them from view. Toshinori didn’t so much as flinch, staring at his hands with wide, unseeing eyes. Hands that, just moments ago, had been clutching his wife to his chest as he attempted to use his body as a shield to protect her. Now, only glowing shards lingered in his grip, like little pieces of starlight. Sorahiko shook his king roughly. “Toshinori, we can’t stay here. We have to move!”
The sound of a click and the scraping of wood and metal had Sorahiko moving in an instant. The human that had found them didn’t even have time to raise his crossbow before claws were tearing into his throat, ripping out his jugular with a spray of blood. In the next moment, Sorahiko was back at Toshinori’s side, who was using the wall as support now. There was a hole going through his stomach, blood sluggishly dripping from the gaping wound. Blackened veins crawled up the side of his neck and trailed down the length of his arm.
“Sorahiko,” Toshinori rasped, his voice hardly more than a hoarse whisper, “listen to me. Return to the castle. Warn the others of what happened. Tell…tell Izuku that I…that we loved him.”
“You can tell him yourself when we get back—” Sorahiko made to grab his king's wrist, but Toshinori grasped his instead. His middle twisted as he stared into his eyes, a bright, almost ethereal glow to them now.
“Go, now,” Toshinori ordered, causing a jolt to surge through Sorahiko at the command. His body went rigid as he fought against it. Toshinori continued on, “Protect Izuku. Make sure he grows up right.”
“Toshi—” Sorahiko tried one last time, but his king would not hear it.
“Go!” Toshinori commanded once more as he heard more footsteps in the distance.
This time he could not disobey, his body moving against his will and fleeing even though he desired to stay and fight to the bitter end. It’s what he should have done. He should have been the one to give his life for his king and queen, not the other way around!
As he ran he cursed the humans; cursed their wretched kingdom; cursed King Todoroki. But most of all, he cursed himself. He had never trusted that wretched human king, had always felt that his gaze contained poorly hidden hostility—even as he played at being hospitable. But after multiple meetings between the vampire and human royalties, Sorahiko had inadvertently let his guard down.
They had been discussing terms of peace between them for a long time now. While there hadn’t been war between the vampires and humans for many years, the two were on neutral ground with each other. King Todoroki had extended an invitation to make a formal truce between their kingdoms, one that would bolster trade and hopefully create friendly relations between their peoples. Today was supposed to wrap up negotiations and finalize their truce.
Toshinori had been so optimistic, so hopeful.
How quickly things could change. Sorahiko grit his teeth as he ran faster, his mind screaming at him to turn around and go back for his king, but his body was forced to obey his king’s last order as he passed back into vampire territory.
There would be an uprising when the news spread—he just knew it. The vampires would not stay quiet about what had been done to their king and queen. If King Todoroki had been looking to incite a war, he would get one. Revenge killings would start, vampire to human and human to vampire. And Izuku…
Izuku.
The sight of the royal castle looming ahead in the distance sent a sharp pain through Sorahiko’s chest. He didn’t want to be the one to have to break the news to the prince. How did someone even break news like this?
He didn’t have much time to plan his words as he passed through the main doors and into the foyer.
Izuku hummed as he read through the thick book that Mirai had selected for his lessons, flipping through the pages. He stifled a yawn, eyes scrolling down the text. It detailed the history of humans and their strange customs, from the complexity of their royalty keeping track of their lineage, to how nobles rose and fell in their standing in accordance with whom they married. Izuku was made to study who was who, to not forget anyone’s names and what said person did for the region they controlled, lest he insult someone.
Personally, he thought it was a little dull and stifling, but Mirai had insisted it was important. Knowing more about the humans and their customs would only aid their interaction with them. With his parents in the middle of negotiations with them and Izuku being expected to one day join them, it was crucial information.
Later Mirai would be teaching him how to properly greet humans in according to their status and how to address them correctly—
His ears perked when he heard the main doors of the castle open up with a loud bang. A wide smile grew on his face, little fangs poking out from behind his lips. They were back!
Immediately he stood up from his chair, the book all but forgotten as he hastily made his way down the halls and spiraling stairs. Izuku wondered what they had brought back this time. His mother always liked to pick out new books for him to read, mostly tomes or scrolls detailing the finer points of the magic humans preferred. Izuku would eagerly drink in their contents, hungry for the knowledge contained within them.
Meanwhile his father often brought back trinkets or even human treats for him to try. It was never filling, but the strange foods they made never failed to pique his interest. From little cookies and cakes to sweet, glazed breads and pies full of sugary fruits—
Izuku paused in his step when a strong scent drifted through the air. His eyes glowed as he caught the smell of blood, an ache forming in his fangs as he struggled to recall the last time he had eaten.
He clenched his teeth and ignored it, but the closer he grew to the foyer the stronger the smell became. And when he finally arrived at the last set of stairs leading down and looked over the railing, he did not see the entourage he had expected. Nor were his mother and father there to greet him. It was empty and still, save for the guards standing at their posts.
But the droplets of blood that were splattered against the marble flooring did not escape his notice.
Disappointment welled up in him when he realized his parents hadn’t returned after all. Then it shifted into curiosity. Had someone entered the castle injured and seeking help? The blood had been that of a human—could one have wandered in on their own?
Renewed excitement bubbled up inside him at the thought. He hadn’t seen many humans before, having never left the safety of their lands or even ventured far from the castle—for his own safety, or so Mirai liked to insist. Most of his days were spent within, learning and training, with only his tutors and servants around to keep him company.
It was rare that he would meet others around his age, vampires of noble houses, but they weren’t much fun to be around. Always keeping their distance because of his status as a prince and speaking to him with unfalteringly polite tones. They never acted like he was just another kid like them or played with him.
It made him feel lonely, at times, even with the others around. Especially when his parents left on long trips.
But a human…a human might not know who he was and then finally he could make his first real friend! Now to find them…
The trail led deeper within the confines of the castle, passing through the corridors and various rooms. Guards and servants would greet and bow to him as he passed, to which Izuku gave a short greeting in return before resuming his search. He wondered why they weren’t more curious as well. It wasn’t every day that a human entered their abode after all.
The scent of blood was growing stronger with each step, his anticipation growing. It led down a corridor, one that went to Mirai’s personal studies. A pang of worry shot through him—were they going to kill the human for trespassing?!
Izuku sped up his pace, picking up the faint voices just behind the door that grew in volume the closer he got.
“—can’t just let them…” said a voice he recognized. Gran’s, he concluded. He had come back then? Then why weren’t his—
“...I know. But how do we…” another spoke, this one belonging to Mirai. His voice was strangely tight.
“I don’t know! How do you tell a kid something like that?” Gran snapped irritably.
“We have to tell him,” Mirai said resolutely. “We can’t possibly keep the fact that Queen Inko and King Toshinori are…are dead from the prince.” Mirai’s voice cracked a little. There was a pause as he fought to recollect himself. “We’ll have to break it to him gently—”
Izuku stilled just as he went to reach for the handle, feeling like the breath had just been stolen from his lungs. He…had he heard that right? His parents…they were gone?
He stumbled back on numb legs, his mind swirling. That couldn’t be right. That wasn’t possible! His parents were the strongest people he knew, they wouldn’t just die!
Izuku bit at his trembling lip as he fought to keep tears at bay, fangs pricking at his skin. His efforts were in vain though as a small whimper left him. Mirai and Gran stopped talking, pausing to listen.
“Izuku—?” Gran murmured, and Izuku heard his footsteps nearing the door.
He turned and ran before it opened, ignoring the call of his name as he fled back upstairs to his room, not caring who he bumped into or knocked over in his rush. He threw open the door upon reaching it and slammed it shut once inside, locking it behind him, his whole body trembling as their words circled in his head.
Only then did he let the tears flow freely, unable to contain them anymore as a choking sob tore from his throat.
His parents…were they really dead? How? Why? His mom and dad were good people! They didn’t deserve to die!
It was a lie. It had to be a lie! Just another one of Gran’s pranks!
The sound of footsteps echoed from down the hallway. Izuku tightened the grip around his legs and gritted his teeth. Sure enough, Gran and Mirai were soon at the door.
“Izuku!” Gran called out as he pounded on the door. “Izuku, we need to talk to you. You weren’t supposed to overhear that—”
“Go away!” Izuku snapped angrily.
Mirai sighed wearily. “My Prince, please. If you would take a moment to let us explain…”
“No!” Izuku denied, burying his face in his knees. “I don’t want to talk to either of you! You’re both liars!”
There was a moment of silence from behind the door, before Izuku’s ears picked up Mirai’s hushed whisper to Gran, “When did we lie?”
“They’re not dead!” Izuku shouted in denial, answering him. “You’re LYING and it’s not funny!”
“We would never joke about something like this, Izuku,” Gran said in a grave tone. “I…” A sigh, and a small thunk sounded out, as if someone had dropped their forehead against the door. “This is not how I wanted you to find out,” Gran murmured.
Mirai’s voice came to Izuku very softly, “My Prince, please let us in.”
There was a long pause in which Izuku merely sat there, quietly crying. Then he slowly got to his feet, wiping at his face with the sleeve of his clothes with a little sniffle before turning to the door, unlocking and opening it. He was greeted with the sight of Gran, covered in dried, flaking blood, and his retainer Mirai, who looked almost as miserable as Izuku felt.
Even still, Mirai’s sharp eyes softened at the sight of him.
“I-Is it really true?” Izuku dared to ask, hoping with everything he had that it wasn’t. “Are they really gone?”
“Yes,” Mirai spoke softly, his voice barely audible even with his supernatural hearing. Izuku looked down, hands clenching at the front of his pants as his eyes welled up with more tears. For once, Mirai forwent the standards of his station, kneeling down to Izuku’s level and pulling the boy into a hug. “Oh, My Prince…I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“W-Why?” Izuku asked through a hiccuping sob, pulling away from Mirai. “How…how did they…?”
“Let’s sit down and I’ll explain,” Gran said, to which Izuku nodded. He was led to his desk and made to sit in his chair. Gran inhaled deeply, blowing out a soft sigh. Then, reluctantly, he began to tell Izuku everything that had happened. Of the peace treaty, of how tenaciously his parents had been working towards a truce between their races.
Of how King Todoroki had betrayed them.
“But…but why?” Izuku asked after he had finished. “All Mama and Daddy wanted was peace!”
“I don’t know,” Mirai replied, his voice hard and cold. “But rest assured, Your Highness, that this will not go unpunished.”
“Mirai, this isn’t the time or place,” Gran said curtly. “We’ll summon a council of the nobility and discuss what our first move is then. Right now, we need to make sure that Izuku stays safe. Those were Toshinori’s last wishes.”
“Of course,” Mirai said, clearing his throat and collecting himself. “I’ll have the security around the castle updated at once. Guards will be stationed by Prince Izuku’s side at all times. Meanwhile, you and I will—”
Izuku stopped listening as Mirai droned on, dull eyes drifting to the floor as reality settled in.
His parents were gone. And nothing he could do would ever bring them back to him.
Izuku walked swiftly down the corridor, trying to outpace Mirai who was hot on his heels.
“It’s simply preposterous!” Mirai was ranting. “The war is still ongoing and you’re here thinking about things such as this? I just cannot condone—!”
Izuku tuned him out, having heard the same spiel almost every day since he’d brought up his idea. He understood where Mirai was coming from, as hostility between the vampires and humans was currently at its peak; the war leaving many of them with sleepless nights. But Izuku didn’t think Mirai understood where he was coming from.
Between being thrown into war councils, being expected to govern his people as king, and being expected to still keep up with his studies—all at the tender age of eleven—Izuku was tired. It had only been five years since the death of his parents, and in the tumultuous period that came after, he felt as if he had barely had the time to mourn.
And as those years passed and stresses rose, Izuku found himself longing. He missed his parents greatly, and he wished more than anything to have them back. He couldn’t do this alone. Gran and Mirai were excellent counsel, but it wasn’t the same.
Izuku fell asleep every night wishing for comforting arms to wrap around him. For someone to be there solely as his support; to give him unconditional love. He wanted more than Gran or Mirai could give him. He wanted his parents.
And that desire only grew everyday, but Izuku would never have his parents back. So after a lot of consideration, he had decided: he would find a new parent. A dad. Someone strong that he could lean on and feel safe with. He thought it was a great idea.
His advisors, unfortunately, didn’t agree. When he had first presented his idea to find a human man to turn into his new dad, Mirai had flipped. Ragging on and on about how Izuku should be focused on the war and his studies, not on frivolous and silly ideas.
It hadn’t stopped Izuku from slowly putting together a list of potential candidates though. And as he walked, shutting out Mirai behind him, he crossed another name off his list.
None of them had fit. None of them were the one.
“My King, are you even listening—”
“No,” Izuku answered bluntly, grumbling in frustration and scowling at the paper as though it had personally wronged him. Without breaking stride, he turned to look at Mirai, ignoring his twitching brow. “Where’s Gran? He should have more prospective names to give me by now.”
“He’s likely already at the war council. Which we should be heading to. There were important details to go over—”
“Right. We’ll head there first, then,” Izuku muttered, making a sudden turn in the direction of the meeting. He didn’t want to go, but he would never hear the end of it from Mirai if he missed another one. And it also saved him from having to search for Gran later.
“Finally, you’re seeing some sense,” Mirai sighed from behind him. “Now we need to go over details for securing our defenses. The humans have been making bolder attacks as of late—”
“Mhm,” Izuku hummed, pretending he was listening as Mirai continued to talk, almost relieved when the large mahogany doors were upon them. A spacious room opened up before them, containing a regal table lined with plush chairs; most of them occupied with members of the nobility. They glanced up at their arrival. Izuku took his own place at the head of the table, pleased when he saw Gran was already seated on his left. Mirai joined them on Izuku’s right.
“You’re late, brat,” Gran said, shifting impatiently in his chair.
“Sorry, got a little held up. Mirai needed to speak with me,” Izuku said with a small grin. “Anyway, now that I’m here, you wouldn’t happen to have more names to give me, would you?”
“Not now,” Gran hissed, turning his attention to a noble that was standing up. “I’ll give it to you after the meeting.”
“My King.” The noble, one whom Izuku recognized as Iida Tensei, bowed deeply before retaking his seat.
Izuku inclined his head to him in acknowledgment, the next noble standing and bowing to him after he had done so. They went around the table like that, Izuku nodding to each person as they greeted him with due esteem. He felt it was a silly tradition, having to do this at every single meeting, but Mirai insisted on it, and so Izuku let it happen. He didn’t want to have to put up with another lecture on “upholding proper customs” and “reminding the council that you are the king and they must show deference to you”.
Most of the nobility respected Izuku, as his parents had been beloved by the nation. But he still felt as though they also looked down on him for his age. Izuku was trying—he really was—but it was just so much all the time. He had learned a lot about war in the last five years, but there was a reason Mirai and Gran had taken charge. They made most of the decisions, though they needed Izuku’s official approval as king to go forward with anything new. And he was fine with that. It was a relief really, to have so much help.
“Your Majesty?”
Izuku blinked. Oh. He had zoned out. “Ah, yes?” he inquired.
“Will you approve this request as made by the council?” Iida Tensei repeated.
Oh, he really hadn’t been paying attention. What request? Izuku glanced over to Mirai with poorly hidden panic in his eyes.
Mirai’s lips thinned in disapproval, but he nodded his head, indicating that whatever the request was, he felt Izuku should approve it.
Izuku turned back to Iida. “Yes,” he said with a confidence he didn’t feel, “I will approve it.”
Iida bowed once more. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Good,” another noble snorted. “Hopefully it will be enough to slow All for One down.”
“All for One?” Izuku muttered—mostly to himself.
“Aye. He’s been getting far too close to our borders for my comfort,” Gran stated.
Izuku had been hearing more and more about that man. All for One was a vampire hunter, one of the rare few who had been one before the war had started. More hunters had cropped up as hostility rose between the two species, but they were sloppy and fuelled by anger. All for One, on the other hand, was an expert. It was easy to tell he had trained all his life to hunt vampires, and he did so with brutal efficiency.
All for One was like a one-man army, and the war council considered themselves lucky that he did not officially affiliate himself with the human military. He had yet to even cross into the vampire kingdom, preferring to stay on human lands and hunt down any vampires who came onto their territory. Still, even though he wasn’t a part of the army, he was enough of a threat on his own that he was getting brought up more and more by the council.
Izuku couldn’t help but feel intrigued by him.
“What has he done now?” Izuku pressed, curious to know more.
“What hasn’t he done?” Gran muttered irritably. “Stopped supplies from reaching our soldiers at the borders, prevented troops from marching into the kingdom of Yuei. His latest accomplishment has included killing a number of our soldiers and even one of the top lieutenants while they were on patrol beyond the border.”
“The Shirakumo family hasn’t taken the loss of their heir well,” said another solemnly.
“Nor have the heirs of Aizawa or Yamada,” added the head of the Yaoyorozu house, tossing a lock of raven hair behind her. “The three were quite close from what I recall.”
“How is he so dangerous? Shouldn’t a group of vampires be able to stop him?”
“All For One is an accomplished sorcerer for starters,” Kan Sekijiro answered for him, crossing his large arms. “They say he’s mastered nearly every type of magic a human can learn. On top of that he’s been hunting our kind for years, learning everything there is to know about vampires. Knows how to prey on our strengths and weaknesses.”
“So he’s very strong then,” Izuku concluded, tugging at his lip in contemplation.
“Quite so. I daresay even your father may have struggled against him.” Kan nodded before tensing as he realized what he had said. But Izuku didn’t seem upset, seeming to be deep in thought. Beside him though, Mirai glared at Kan and his poor choice of words.
“I see,” Izuku said, his eyes lighting up. “Is that all for the meeting then?”
Mirai nodded, frowning at him. “For the most part My King, but there’s still the matter of—”
“Great!” Izuku beamed, grinning ear to ear now. “I’ve made my decision then.”
“Er…your decision for what?” Mirai blinked as Izuku stood abruptly.
“Of who my new father will be, of course,” Izuku answered as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I haven’t even given you the list yet, brat,” Gran grumbled from his seat.
“No need!” Izuku waved him off, leaving the council room with a new skip in his step. “I’ve made my choice!”
He heard Gran and Mirai skitter across the floor to catch up with him as he marched into the corridor. “Well?” Mirai asked impatiently. “Who’s the fool you’ve chosen—against advice—as your new…father.”
“All For One!” Izuku answered cheerfully.
Gran started choking. Mirai tripped over his own feet.
“Are you insane?” Gran managed to wheeze out after a few minutes.
“What? I don’t see the problem.”
“Your Majesty, please,” Mirai all but begged. “I’ll take back everything I’ve said about your idea and help you look for someone. Just—Just anyone but him!”
Izuku tilted his head. “But we just finished discussing how much of a problem he is. When I make him my new dad, that will remove him as an obstacle from the war. It’s a win-win.”
“Not when!” Mirai cried. “Please don’t say ‘when’. If you make him your father, you’ll only be creating a new problem instead.”
“When I make him my father”—Izuku ignored Mirai’s pained groan—“he won’t be able to hunt down vampires anymore. I’ll be saving lives by doing this.”
“Why him?” Gran asked in a tone of weary acceptance.
“He’s strong, right? The strongest hunter ever; which means he’s hard to kill. And once he’s a vampire, he’ll be even harder to kill,” Izuku said.
His answer earned him soft looks of understanding, and Mirai sighed. “May I ask that you at least sleep on the decision, Your Majesty? Give it a few days.”
With his newfound excitement, Izuku felt impatient, but waiting a few days couldn’t hurt. Especially if it would appease his advisors. “Alright,” he agreed.
As he turned left at a fork in the corridor, and Gran and Mirai went right, Izuku could still hear their voices echoing down the hall in hushed tones.
“We have to talk him out of this,” Mirai whispered.
Gran snorted. “For sure.”
Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 2
Summary:
With his newfound excitement, Izuku felt impatient, but waiting a few days couldn’t hurt. Especially if it would appease his advisors. “Alright,” he agreed.
As he turned left at a fork in the corridor, and Gran and Mirai went right, Izuku could still hear their voices echoing down the hall in hushed tones.
“We have to talk him out of this,” Mirai whispered.
Gran snorted. “For sure.”
Chapter Text
“...Surely this one would be a better candidate, My Liege,” Mirai said as he brought forth a document detailing a human he thought would be more suitable to be Izuku’s new father as Izuku sipped from his glass at the dinner table. “He’s in his thirties, doesn’t have any kids and runs a fabric shop. He’s well known for having made attire for the nobility—”
“No,” Izuku said for what felt like the hundredth time that day alone, placing his glass down. He had long since grown weary of Mirai’s attempts to find a better human to be his new dad. Gran was no better.
“What about this one?” Gran persisted alongside Mirai, sliding forth his own papers. “He makes weapons, tools, and armors for the military. He has a daughter, but—”
“No,” Izuku hissed out, irritated now. “I’ve already made my decision. My new father is going to be All For One. I’ve thought about it for the past several days like you asked, but I haven’t changed my mind. All For One is the best choice.”
“Your Majesty, be reasonable—!”
“No more.” Izuku held up a hand to stop whatever Mirai was going to say. “I won’t hear any more arguments against this. Now, I’ll need help tracking him down and finding where he’s going, so I need you to look into the future and…”
“No,” Mirai said in refusal. “I won’t. This is dangerous. This is insanity. Do you realize what you’re asking of me? How would you expect me to face your father in the afterlife if anything were to happen to you?
“He’s right Izuku,” Gran sighed softly. “Can you imagine what he would say to us if we—”
“No, I can’t!” Izuku snapped, slamming his hands down the table and startling the pair as his bright green eyes started to glow and his fangs extended in his anger. Cracks formed in the wood, knocking his drink to the floor and shattering the glass into pieces. Blood spilled across the marble flooring. “My dad is dead! I don’t know what he would have said or what he would have done, because I’m not him! All I know is that I can’t do this alone anymore!”
“My Liege, you aren’t alone. You have us as your advisers and—”
“I don’t want advisers, trainers, servants, or retainers! I want someone that will be there for me when I need them, someone that will treat me like a person, not a symbol!”
Mirai looked at a loss for words, while Gran looked at him with pity.
“Izuku, you know that was never our intention. We only want what’s best for you; to help you lead your people.”
“Then you can start helping by learning where my new father is going to be,” Izuku said lowly.
Mirai grimaced. “My Liege, I don't—”
“That wasn’t a request!” Izuku hissed sharply, the intense glow of his eyes burning into Mirai’s own as he felt his whole body seize against his will. “You will look into the future and find him for me. Now .”
Izuku knew his order had worked when Mirai’s eyes fogged over with white, a telltale sign he was using his foresight. He didn’t like having to use the innate power he had over other vampires—a power that came with being part of the royal bloodline—but Mirai and Gran were giving him no choice but to forcefully compel them to obey him. So he resolutely ignored Gran’s disapproving scowl as he waited for Mirai to come back to them.
Once he had, Izuku looked at him expectantly. “Well?”
Mirai licked his lips. “Without his blood to attune my magic to, I cannot see into All For One’s future specifically.”
“Well, what did you see?” Izuku asked impatiently. He knew that if Mirai didn’t attune his magic to look into a particular person’s future, his foresight would give him a vision of the general future, but surely he had to have seen something useful.
“I saw him standing by your side, though he didn’t look happy about it,” Mirai said. “And before that I saw a vision of a large group of vampires that will sweep through a few human towns near the border and completely annihilate them. If such a thing were to occur, one could predict it would be likely that All For One would be in that area as well, hunting down the vampires responsible for the massacre.”
“But we don’t know for sure…” Izuku bit his lip. He turned to Gran. “I need you to work on tracking down All For One.”
Gran sighed. “Izuku, you know how I feel about this whole situation.”
Izuku deflated. “Please, Gran. Don’t make me force you to do it.” The old vampire just shook his head stubbornly and looked at Izuku with tired eyes, waiting. Izuku groaned in frustration. “Gran Torino, you will track down All For One’s location and give it to me,” he ordered.
Gran shuddered as the compulsion fell over him, bending him to Izuku’s will.
Izuku then turned back to Mirai. “Use Gran’s blood to look into his future. Tell me if he will successfully find his target and if so, where All For One will be.”
Mirai blinked dazedly and nodded. He took off the necklace he wore, which held a small pendant that was shaped like an intricate ceremonial dagger. The little dagger had a sheath on it, concealing the fact that it was actually quite sharp and usable. It was a necklace Mirai had commissioned for when he needed to use his foresight on a specific person, preferring not to get his own claws dirty.
He approached Gran, pricking the man’s thumb with the dagger and licking the blood off of it. His eyes then fogged over once more as he looked into Gran’s future. After a few minutes had passed, he turned back to Izuku. “Gran will track All For One down. He is going to be near the border, but I am unable to tell if his presence there will have anything to do with the possible group of rogue vampires I saw earlier. It seems likely, but I do not know for sure.”
Izuku put a hand to his chin in thought. “Do you know where near the border?”
Mirai inclined his head. “I am unfamiliar with the names of the towns in the human kingdom, but I saw a brief flash of the map Gran will use to track All For One’s location, and I saw the place he circled on it of where the hunter will be. If we can get a map now, I can point out that area on it.”
“Then let us head down to the archives,” Izuku decided, already moving along the long corridors. The archives would have all the historical documents and maps detailing the geography of the continents. Hopefully the map Mirai saw in his vision would be there as well. If not, he would simply have an assortment purchased and brought to his study, where they could comb over them until they found the right one.
Mirai and Gran followed behind him with sulking expressions, looking far less pleased with how things were turning out.
Thankfully, it did not take long for them to get to the archives; a guard standing in front of the door as they approached. After a small word of greeting and a bow, Izuku waved the guard aside and entered.
A musty scent struck his nose, wrinkling it in distaste as the door shut behind them. Scrolls lined the shelves, alongside ancient books and heaping stacks of parchment. He reached for one, prying it loose and straightening it out on a nearby table.
“Let’s start combing through all this then, shall we?” Izuku said, wiping away a layer of dust from the map.
A pair of reluctant sighs were his answers, but Gran and Mirai did not voice their complaints as they set to work.
Map after map they examined, each time Mirai shaking his head. Some were so ancient that the geography of times long since passed no longer matched that of the world today. Briefly, Izuku wondered what it must have looked like back then, and how things had changed as they did.
What must have been hours passed, until Mirai finally answered with something other than “No, My Liege, that isn’t it”.
“Here,” Mirai said quietly as his gaze raked over one of the newer maps within the archives. He pointed to a small settlement right at the edge of their border. “It would appear the village All For One will be at is called Aldera.”
“You’re certain?”
“Of course,” Mirai sniffed, looking a little miffed that Izuku had expressed even the slightest bit of doubt.
“Good. Thank you, Mirai,” Izuku said gratefully. His retainer didn’t respond, pursing his lips into a thin line.
“I still don’t like this,” Gran muttered lowly.
“I know.” Izuku sighed at the elder vampire’s words. “But there isn’t anyone else I trust that can do this, Gran.”
Gran grumbled in answer, turning to leave to carry out the order he had been given, when Izuku stopped him.
“Before you start your search, I need to know something,” Izuku began, rolling up the map and handing it to Gran, who took it with an annoyed grunt. “I need to know exactly how to turn a human into a vampire. You’ve done it before, right?”
Gran looked flabbergasted. Mirai stared at Izuku with his mouth agape.
“You mean to tell me that you were planning on turning someone without even knowing how?” Gran asked irritably.
“That’s impossible,” Mirai stated. “You’re a born vampire. The knowledge to turn should be instinctive—”
“I know how!” Izuku huffed, his pale cheeks slightly flushed. “I mean, in theory at least. I’ve read about it of course, but I’ve never actually even bitten a human before. I need to make sure I get this right!”
“If you don’t even know that much, then you shouldn’t be—”
“Gran,” Izuku cut him off sharply, eyes glowing once more. Izuku sighed when Gran squared his jaw and narrowed his eyes, refusing to say anything even as he was frozen to the spot. “Gran Torino, tell me exactly how the turning process is supposed to go.”
Izuku could almost hear the click as Gran was forced to unclench his jaw, the words flowing unwillingly from his mouth.
“You have to bite the human and partake of their blood, while injecting the venom contained in your fangs into their bloodstream,” Gran answered reluctantly. “Once that’s done, they will begin the first step of the transformation. Then you need to give them your own blood in order to complete the process.”
“Does it matter how much blood I have to take? How much do I need to give in return?”
“Whatever you do, do not drink so much blood that you end up killing them. It’ll all be moot if that happens,” Gran informed him. “But as long as you don’t drain them dry and they drink at least a few drops of your blood, then they will become a fully fledged vampire.”
“I see. Thank you, Gran.”
“Can I get on with my duties now, Your Majesty?” Gran growled out.
Izuku withheld a wince at his words. Gran must have been furious if he resorted to using Izuku’s formal title. It made him feel bad for having to forcibly order the elder vampire, but he had been left with little choice. They wouldn’t help him otherwise.
“You may. Stay safe, alright?”
Gran uttered a hmph as he left, leaving Izuku alone with Mirai.
“...I should return to my duties as well,” Mirai spoke softly, looking paler than usual, his expression one of weariness. Izuku felt the guilt coil inside him once more, knowing that he had been the cause. Mirai’s gift of foresight did not come without cost, sapping him of his energy. Repeated use left him exhausted and thirsty, requiring him to feed shortly after. Migraines were not an uncommon result either. “Unless there is something else you need of me, Your Majesty?”
“No, that’s all for now,” Izuku said, standing up from his chair. “But let me know when Gran returns. I want everything ready for when we go to find All For One.”
Mirai nodded, a distant look in his eyes. “As you wish, My Liege.”
Izuku tugged on the hem of his cloak, drawing it a little closer to himself as he walked along the dirt road towards the village of Aldera. He was thankful for the lingering chill of winter despite spring being in full bloom, as no one would question why he was so heavily covered from head to toe.
He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous, his normally slow beating heart pulsing every other minute now. Even before the war he had never stepped far outside his home, or visited the city streets beyond its gates, and after it started Mirai had insisted he remained sheltered within its protective walls.
Now though, he was outside his own country, in the kingdom of the humans, alone. Mirai had insisted he take an entourage of guards with him, but Izuku had denied his request. If the humans caught so much as a whiff of the presence of vampires, his plans would be ruined. Mirai had nearly lost his mind when Izuku said he would travel alone, citing everything that could possibly go wrong. Izuku had to go so far as to order his retainer to calm himself due to the frantic state he had worked himself into.
Mirai’s only consolation was that Gran would stand by in one of the nearby villages, hidden from sight. For the peace of mind of his retainers, Izuku relented so long as Gran would only interfere if absolutely necessary.
He couldn’t help but wonder if he should have listened to Mirai though. He had passed by a number of human soldiers after he had crossed the border, though none of them had taken notice of him. But if they were to discover his presence, learn who he was and alert the capital…
Izuku shook such thoughts from his mind, steeling his resolve once more. He had come this far. It was too late to turn back now, not when he was so close. From all the intel that Gran had gathered and Mirai’s visions, All For One would be in one of these villages.
Soon, he would have his new father. He would have a family again.
It was that resolve that allowed him to keep his hope going strong, even when the last two villages he had looked through had held no sign of All For One. Izuku knew he had to be in the general area, and he would find him. If he wasn’t at Aldera, he would move on to the next town. He was determined to not go home until he found his new dad.
He had almost made it to Aldera when a scream reached his ears. Izuku froze momentarily, before picking up his pace and running down the road, following the scent of blood on the air. The sight that greeted him upon his arrival to the village had his eyes widening in shock.
Aldera was destroyed.
Not entirely, but there were overturned market stands, houses with smashed doors and windows—a few were even on fire. Debris littered the road, along with…
Bodies.
A multitude of corpses were strewn about. Izuku’s mouth watered at the enticing scent of human blood, but at the same time his stomach churned sickeningly at the sight of how mutilated the bodies were. Throats were ripped out, intestines were spilling from abdomens and looking chewed on.
Mirai had mentioned seeing a vision of a group of rogue vampires attacking human villages, but vampires didn’t eat human flesh. So what…? What had done this?
The screams that had drawn him into the village were absent now, silence filling the air as Izuku stood in the aftermath of a massacre.
He had never seen something like this before. As much as he was involved in the war councils and planning, Izuku had never actually been on a battlefield or anything of the like. He did all his combat training from the safety of the castle grounds, and had only experienced death and destruction through stories and pictures and other people.
Seeing it first-hand was a very different thing.
Izuku walked through the village slowly as if in a trance, his body trembling with horror. Occasionally, he would come across someone twitching as they clung to life, but the light always left their eyes before he could reach them, their bloody gurgle of death making him clap his hands over his ears. He wanted to cry. He wanted to close his eyes and be far away from here. He wanted his mom and dad to hold him and—
His dad.
Izuku’s breath caught in his throat. What if All For One had been killed in this slaughter? What if he was lying in the streets right now, dying?
Izuku tried to reassure himself even as he began to jog through the village, searching among the bodies for any sign of a man who looked like he might be All For One. But there was no way he would be here, right? All For One was strong—that was why Izuku picked him. If he had been here, he probably would have been able to stop this from happening at all, right? So there was no way he could be among the dead.
And as Izuku continued to look, he figured he was right. None of the bodies bore any weapons that might single them out as being a hunter. All For One was nowhere to be found, which meant he hadn’t arrived at Aldera yet.
…Which meant he was probably on his way.
Something like this would definitely draw the attention of a hunter like All For One. Mirai had theorized that All For One would likely be tracking the group of rogue vampires—if it even had been vampires who did this. So if Izuku waited, he would probably show up. And if Izuku pretended to be a survivor of the attack, he might be able to lower All For One’s guard, giving him a good opportunity to claim his new dad.
Acting distressed wouldn’t even be a problem. Izuku was distressed. And it was with minutely shaking hands that he bent down to gather some of the blood that was spilled in the streets, wiping it on his clothes to dirty himself up.
It was as he was doing this that he heard a low snarling, and Izuku straightened, a bolt of fear flashing through him. He crept over to where the sound had come from, peering around the corner cautiously. Relief made his shoulders slump when he saw that it was just a vampire, standing in the doorway of a broken house. Fresh blood covered their cheeks and mouth, dripping down their neck in thick rivulets.
Maybe he could get some answers now. “Hey,” Izuku called, “what happened here? Who did all of this?” Even if Mirai had foreseen a group of vampires causing destruction in his vision, Izuku just couldn’t fathom that vampires had done something like this. They didn’t tear people apart barbarically. They didn’t eat human flesh. There was no way it had been vampires—or at least, only vampires.
But the vampire in the doorway only looked at him blankly, tilting their head curiously as if trying to decide what to make of him. “Uhm, hello?” Izuku tried again. “Are…Are you ok? What’s going on?” They didn’t look well. Their eyes were empty in a way that sent shivers down Izuku’s spine.
It was in that moment that his sensitive ears picked up the sound of a man cursing; of strong, steady footsteps in the distance.
All For One had arrived. He must have. Who else would it be?
Izuku had to make it look like he was in trouble. That would be the best way to get both the man’s attention and his trust.
Desperately, Izuku turned back to the rogue vampire. “Chase me,” he ordered as they continued to stare at him with vacant eyes. They jolted as the command trickled through them. For a moment, there was only silence, and Izuku wondered if his order had actually failed.
Then the next, he was jumping to the side as the vampire lunged at him.
Izuku turned and began to run, ready to put on the act of a helpless victim. Only to gasp in shock when claws snagged his shirt, grazing his skin and ripping the fabric. He glanced over his shoulder in confusion as he ran. He had commanded the vampire to chase him, not attack him. What were they doing?
Well, he supposed it didn’t matter that much. It would help to sell the act.
Izuku continued to run as he tried to figure out where All For One was. The vampire behind him was snarling and making guttural noises in their throat that were actually rather disconcerting, but Izuku put it out of his mind to focus on his goal.
Though he had perhaps been a bit too focused, if the way he tripped over a corpse told him anything about his lack of attention to what was in front of him. He hit the ground hard, scraping his palms.
The other vampire pounced on him, their teeth snapping near his ear as Izuku reared back in alarm.
Had they just tried to bite him?!
“Wha—?” Izuku started, but sharp claws interrupted him. He cried out as they slashed at him wildly, drawing blood. “Stop it!” he demanded, pushing back. They were scrabbling at him in a frenzied manner, eyes full of bloodlust. It was…It was almost animalistic.
Izuku managed to kick them square in the chin, scrambling back to his feet and taking off once more, this time with genuine fear in his veins as he sought to outrun the other vampire for real. “Stop!” he yelled behind them as they lunged for him once more. He dodged to the side again. “Stop it!”
They didn’t listen.
“Stop!” he commanded.
They kept coming.
“STOP!”
They were still chasing him. The order had failed.
A bubble of panic unlike any he had felt before welled up within him. What was happening? Why was this happening?! He felt hunted. “Help!” he screamed. “Someone help, please!”
Hisashi grimaced as he took in the sight of the ruins of yet another village he had failed to save. Houses laid in devastation, doors having been smashed in, windows shattered or stained. More than a few were smoldering after having been burned down.
Scowling, he kept his grip tight on his blade, keeping his eyes sharp in the hopes of spotting any survivors—as well as the monsters who had caused this massacre in the first place. Yet he found neither as he searched through the wreckage of houses. Only the corpses of humans that littered the ground, throats torn out and deathly pale after having been entirely drained of their blood. Some even appeared to have been partially eaten, atypical of vampires.
He had been tracking this group of vampires for some time now, hoping he could arrive ahead of their destination and catch them before they launched their next attack, but he had no such luck. Their movements were erratic and unpredictable, leaving him chasing after their trail without a hint as to what their next destination would be.
It did not help that the few that had straggled behind the constantly moving group had been unlike any vampire he had encountered before. Where vampires usually had as much intelligence as a human, allowing him to manipulate the beasts into familiar patterns and predict how they would react in a given situation, these creatures appeared to be almost mindless. They attacked without reason; without thought to their prey or even their own wellbeing.
Having spent decades building his career as a vampire hunter, Hisashi couldn’t help but feel that something was…off. He had first encountered a vampire like these ones shortly after the war had begun, and ever since, more and more had been cropping up over the land and attacking settlements.
Despite his best efforts, moving swiftly from place to place, he could not stop them all, resulting in the loss of human lives. If the soldiers had not been so spread out due to the war, such devastation might have been avoided. As it was, only competent hunters such as himself could be depended on, and they were few and far between.
The blatant destruction and genocide made something in his chest ache. There had been a time when Hisashi would bring the bodies of unfortunate victims back to their families for burial. Or, in the cases where he couldn’t do that, he would take the time to bury them himself, giving them the proper respect and funeral they deserved. But ever since the war had started, he could no longer do that.
There were far too many corpses these days. He had no time to bury them all. He had to focus on those who were still alive; those he could still help by hunting down the monsters set on exterminating them.
Even as his worrying thoughts grew, he continued to scour through the village, overturning the wreckage, searching through the now abandoned houses for any crevice that a person might use to hide in. He sighed as he left yet another building, half-burnt to the ground, having found nothing but more drained corpses. Once again, he was too late to save anyone. Just like—
His thoughts were cut short when a pained shout tore through the air, alongside the sound of scuffling feet.
“Help! Someone help, please!” a young voice called out in desperation, feral snarling and guttural cries following afterward.
He was moving before the plea had even fully registered, following the direction he had heard the voice coming from, past the smoldering ruins. Turning the corner of a partially collapsed building, he found the source.
A small, green haired boy was running for his life from a sallow-skinned vampire that chased him. His face was pale with terror, his clothes torn and bloodied. The vampire lashed out, claws tearing through fabric and flesh with ease.
The boy stumbled into the dirt with a cry, head snapping to gaze over his wounded shoulder. The vampire lunged at him once more, and he crawled forward quickly just as its hands swiped for where his legs had been a moment ago.
Hisashi forced himself to move that much faster, gritting his teeth as he realized he wouldn’t make it in time on foot. The beginning of a spell was already bubbling to his lips even as he rushed forward, blade in hand. His other crackled with lightning halfway through the incantation, and he raised it up towards the vampire when he saw that the boy had backed himself into the corner of what had once appeared to be a shop, curling in on himself. Large, fearful green eyes stared up at the approaching vampire, tears spilling over his cheeks.
“S-Stop! Get away, get away!” the child screamed, holding up his arms up in front of him in defense, closing his eyes and turning his head away. The vampire ignored his plea, pouncing towards him with a horrible shriek—
And stopping in place as a spear of lightning pierced through its chest, staring down at the glowing energy, sparks of gold and orange dancing across seared flesh. The vampire reached for the spear with a rasp just before it exploded into ash, a shower of dust floating downwards and coating the area like a layer of grey snow.
Hisashi heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that the child was alive, though he trembled fiercely in the corner he had trapped himself in. The boy opened his eyes again, now watching Hisashi’s every movement. When he took a step forward, the child pressed further into the corner in response.
“It’s alright,” Hisashi spoke softly as he sheathed his blade, holding up a placating hand as he approached slowly. “The monster is gone now. You’re safe.”
Looking him over, Hisashi grimaced, the stirrings of guilt rising as he saw that he was worse for wear. His clothes were marred with dirt and blood, scuffed and shredded through with claw marks. Beneath the ripped fabric he could see torn flesh.
“D-Don’t hurt me,” the boy whimpered as Hisashi kneeled down before him. He really was young looking, perhaps a pre-teen at most; staring at him with those big green eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Hisashi promised in a soft, gentle voice, not wanting to frighten the boy more than he already was. “I need to check your wounds. Will you let me do that?”
The child hesitated, then slowly nodded. Hisashi took careful hold of his arm, which bore a series of long claw marks from his shoulder to his elbow.
“What’s your name?” Hisashi asked, hoping to distract him.
“I-Izuku…”
“It’s nice to meet you Izuku,” he said kindly, giving him a comforting smile. “My name is Hisashi.”
“You…you’re All For One?” the boy asked, a certain nervousness about him. “The vampire hunter?”
“I am. You’ve heard of me then?” Hisashi asked with mild surprise, to which he received a nod as he rolled up Izuku’s sleeve. The boy winced when the fabric stuck to the wound, Hisashi giving him a sympathetic look as he examined the scratches. They weren’t especially deep, but they were no doubt painful, and he seemed to have lost a lot of blood given how pale his skin had become. He searched for other such wounds, finding a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing as bad as his arm.
Izuku never took his eyes off him the entire time.
“I have some medicine in my pouch to help with your injuries, but you’ll need to see a healer to be properly tended to,” Hisashi said after a moment, once again cursing himself for his inability to use healing magic. It would certainly come in handy for moments such as these. “I’ll take you to the nearest village. Can you stand?”
The boy placed a hand on the wall, attempting to get up from the ground and stand on shaky legs, but he only managed a few steps before he fell again, too weak from blood loss and shock to keep himself up.
“I-I’m sorry…” he said, shaking his head, tears welling up in his eyes again.
“You don’t need to apologize,” Hisashi soothed, reaching forward to gently brush away his tears. “I’m going to pick you up. Is that alright?”
Izuku nodded with a sniffle, allowing Hisashi to scoop him up off the hard ground and cradle him to his chest. Little arms wrapped around his neck as Izuku buried his face in his shoulder. He seemed to…sniff?…Hisashi—though surely he was mistaken. The boy was probably just trying to steady his breathing after such a close call.
As Hisashi began to carry him away, he spoke up again. He didn’t want to ask, to bring up the terrible event that had just happened, but he had to know. “Did you see any other survivors?” he asked softly.
Izuku shook his head. “They’re all gone…”
Hisashi winced. That meant the boy’s family was dead too. “I’m sorry for your loss,” he murmured.
Izuku shook his head again. “It’ll be alright. I’m getting a new dad.”
Despite the situation, Hisashi felt a flicker of amusement at the odd statement. “Oh? You are?”
“Mhmm,” Izuku confirmed. “And he’s gonna be real strong, so nothing bad will ever happen to us again.”
Hisashi’s chest tightened with sympathy. “…I hope so kid.”
He felt Izuku relax more in his arms once they made it out of Aldera, leaving the carnage behind. He knew that not too far ahead there was a small well just off the side of the road where travellers could refill their water canteens. He carried Izuku there, wanting to use some water to wash out the boy’s wounds and refresh the both of them.
He saw Izuku eye the well curiously when they reached it, and smiled gently as he bent to set Izuku down. The boy’s feet touched the ground, but his arms stayed wrapped tightly around Hisashi when he tried to straighten up, and Hisashi chuckled at the clingy behaviour. “I think it would be best to—”
Something sharp pierced his neck, breaking him off with a choked gasp. His body stiffened involuntary in confusion as he tried to make sense of the—
Fangs. They were fangs.
The boy was a vampire.
Just as the realization came to his mind, a burning feeling spread out through him from the bite. It was a strange sensation, as if something was being pumped directly into his veins that was both hot and cold at the same time. It burned through him like acid, lighting him on fire from within, and Hisashi’s mouth fell open in a wordless cry.
He immediately tried to push Izuku away, to pull the boy off of him and shake himself free, but it was as if the child had the strength of ten men, his little arms as immovable as stone. Hisashi gasped, a cold tingle beginning in his fingertips as Izuku fed on him hungrily.
The fire under his skin continued to spread, sweat breaking out on his brow, and Hisashi collapsed to his knees, feeling woozy.
Get him off. He had to get him off. He couldn’t go down like this—this was pathetic!
“S-Sto…p.” Hisashi grabbed the vampire by the hair, trying to yank him back, but his arms felt heavy and weak, unable to grasp anything firmly. And Izuku only pressed himself closer in response, his fangs sinking deeper into Hisashi’s neck, who cried out.
Hisashi began to pant, his whole body hot with fever, gritting his teeth against a pained groan as his eyes clenched shut. His limbs were numb; his head dizzy. Everything ached and even as his extremities were cold, he was convinced he was burning up from the inside.
He was no stranger to pain in his line of work, but this hurt. It hurt in a way he had never experienced before. He writhed weakly in Izuku’s hold, desperation rising up as the boy continued to drink and drink and drink. Small, muffled noises of pain escaped him as he lost himself to the fire in his veins.
He felt his body slump forward, no longer having the strength to even keep himself sitting up with so much of his blood being stolen. When the length of teeth were pulled out of his neck, he dared to feel a moment of relief that it was over. Only to gasp once he realized the little vampire was merely readjusting his bite when they sank back into his flesh, widening the puncture wounds as they dug in harshly.
Was this really how he was going to die? He had thought it would be in the blaze of battle, maybe against a horde of vampires, fighting to his last breath to take as many down with him as possible. Not like this. Not in the dirt, having been gullible enough to fall for the tricks of this tiny monster that was draining him dry, unable to even defend himself.
Hisashi was barely able to keep his eyes open now, coherent thoughts leaving him as he could only focus on the fire that coursed through his body while his veins grew colder and colder.
When the fangs finally withdrew it was with a shuddering breath from the little vampire and a soft moan of pain from Hisashi. He began to fall to the side when the arms around his neck relinquished their hold, only for a small hand to grasp his shoulder, guiding him to the ground and laying his back against it. He stared up blankly at the sky above him.
Just as he thought his suffering was over, a new pain flowed through him. The liquid flames coursing under his skin had reached his heart, causing it to throb horrifically with each sluggish pulse it made as it began to slow down. Hisashi clenched his jaw in agony, fingers digging hard into the dirt and eyes stinging as tears rolled down the sides of his face. The fine tremors that now wracked his body grew into spasms, convulsing him sharply with every breath he fought to take.
His teeth began to ache, like they were being filled with acid. All the moisture in his mouth seemed to have evaporated, leaving his tongue feeling like a dead weight as the unbearable dryness seeped into his throat.
A harsh, scratchy rasp tore away from him when something sharp pricked at his lower lip. Something warm and wet clung to his teeth, now feeling too long and awkward to fit properly in his mouth. It dripped down his parched throat, and for a brief moment, he felt relief from the barren desert his mouth had become.
Though it lasted only a few seconds, it was in that moment that he knew; a singular thought now pervading every corner of his mind.
He needed more.
Thirsty. He was so thirsty. More. More. He had to have more!
A flash of green appeared above him before disappearing just as quickly; a murmur pressing against his ear that he couldn’t make sense of. He raised a weak hand to grasp at whatever was in front of him, a frustrated hiss leaving him when he only grabbed empty air.
More mumbling followed, his vision once again filling with green when something pale hovered over his face, stained a bright, vibrant red. It was as though time had slowed as his eyes latched onto the sight of a heavy droplet forming. Then it was falling, perfectly round and glistening in the light.
And when it fell into his mouth, it was as though it were the first sip of water he had taken on a three day march during the harsh heat of the summer months.
Something in the back of his mind was screaming at him, that this was wrong, urging him to resist, to fight.
But. He. Needed. More.
Hisashi sunk his teeth into a wrist that pressed against his lips with a savage growl, deaf to the whimper of pain it brought. He cared only for the crimson that flowed past his teeth, over his tongue and down his throat, soothing the terrible dryness and dousing scorching flames that had been burning through his body this entire time.
He did not stop until he had had his fill, chest heaving as he panted heavily. He relinquished his harsh grip on the limb he was holding, his face stained red, blood dripping from his chin before his head was lolling back to rest on the ground.
A shadow moved over him once more, bright green eyes meeting his own red ones with fear and concern. He felt something touch his hair.
“Dad? A-Are you okay?” the boy spoke with a tremor in his voice. “Do you need more blood?”
At the sight of him, Hisashi felt his lips pull back into a snarl.
Notes:
AFO: I’m sorry for the loss of your family
Izuku: It’s ok, I’m getting a new dad
AFO, oblivious: Oh! That’s nice :))
As always 👀 thanks for reading!
Chapter 3
Summary:
He did not stop until he had had his fill, chest heaving as he panted heavily. He relinquished his harsh grip on the limb he was holding, his face stained red, blood dripping from his chin before his head was lolling back to rest on the ground.
A shadow moved over him once more, bright green eyes meeting his own red ones with fear and concern. He felt something touch his hair.
“Dad? A-Are you okay?” the boy spoke with a tremor in his voice. “Do you need more blood?”
At the sight of him, Hisashi felt his lips pull back into a snarl.
Notes:
So I have recently discovered my hatred of walnut litter. Yes. That exists. It’s environmentally friendly but it’s brown and it’s DUSTY 😤 There is dark litter dust ✨everywhere✨ the counters, the floors, the sink. Even my ceiling fan!
I am going back to the wheat litter which is also compostable and ten times better and doesn’t. Get. Up. My. Nose. 👏👏
Anyway thanks for listening to this PSA on walnut litter. Enjoy the chapter and our updated fic summary 💪
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When Izuku finally sank his fangs into All For One’s neck, he did so with excitement and joy, injecting venom from his fangs into the man’s bloodstream immediately to begin the transformation. What he did not expect was just how satisfying it would be to actually bite something while he fed. All his life Izuku had drunk blood from a chalice. The blood he received was given willingly by the humans that lived in the vampire kingdom. Instead of money, the vampires collected a blood tax. The exchange worked very well, and many humans had freely come to live in their kingdom, enticed by not having to pay a monetary tax.
As such, Izuku hadn’t actually bitten a human before; he’d never had to. And he was unprepared for how much better it was. There was no dull ache in his fangs while he fed, and the blood that rushed into his mouth tasted impossibly fresh and addicting. There were many factors that gave each person’s blood a unique taste, and the blood of those who possessed strong magic had a different quality to it, one that left Izuku feeling buzzed and craving more.
When All For One fell to his knees and slumped forward, Izuku pulled back slightly to readjust his angle, eagerly biting down again to gorge himself on the best meal he’d ever had in his life. All For One didn’t stand a chance of getting free. Not only was Izuku a born vampire, he was part of the royal line, which meant he was stronger and more powerful than others of his kind. He easily ignored the human’s attempts to pull him off, tightening his grip on the man to make sure he couldn’t escape. He could already feel the injuries he had sustained from the rogue vampire healing over.
By the time Izuku’s bloodlust faded enough for him to notice just how weak All For One had gotten, it was close to being too late. Gran’s warning of not drinking too much from his target flashed through his mind, and Izuku immediately ripped his fangs free, wincing at the pained noise his rough movement elicited. Panic seized him at the sight of All For One’s stark white complexion—as if all the blood had been drained from his body.
All For One was breathing shallowly, and when Izuku pulled back, he fell limply to the side, causing Izuku to have to dart forward and catch him, lowering him to the ground.
He was okay, right? He was breathing, which meant he was alive, which meant Izuku hadn’t gone too far, right? He wasn’t going to die…right?
All For One began to convulse on the ground, his face twisted in agony.
Izuku gasped in horror, hands fluttering about indecisively. Was this supposed to happen?! Was this normal?! He hadn’t thought to ask Gran how the transformation affected the human. This didn’t look good, it looked very, very, very bad. Was the turning supposed to cause this much pain?!
“Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no…!” he mumbled to himself frantically as he leaned over All For One. He was panicking on what to do when a clumsy hand swiped at him, making him rear back. Izuku looked down at hazy, unfocused eyes and the new, sharp fangs that had appeared in All For One’s mouth, and it clicked. Right! The blood! He had to give the man some of his blood to complete the transformation.
Izuku hastily used his own teeth to slice open a cut on his forearm, offering it out to All For One. His soon-to-be-father’s pupils constricted, and he bit down savagely on his wrist. Izuku yelped in pain, almost drawing back instinctively, but All For One—Hisashi. All For One the vampire hunter was no more now that he was a vampire himself—clenched down harder, preventing him from pulling away.
He drank for a long time, confirming Izuku’s concerns that he himself had taken too much from the man. When he finally released Izuku, he slumped back on the ground, eyes closing as he panted. He looked worn out and unwell, and Izuku leaned over him worriedly, causing red eyes to reopen. Izuku reached out, running his fingers through Hisashi’s hair the same way his parents used to do for him when he was sick or upset. “Dad? A-Are you ok? Do you need more blood?”
Rage filled those red eyes, and bloody lips twisted into a snarl aimed at Izuku.
It still took Izuku by surprise when he suddenly sat up, lunging for Izuku with ill intent. Only to stop dead before he could actually touch Izuku. Confusion played across his features as he stared at his hands that were frozen in midair. Izuku watched with mild amusement as Hisashi pulled back, unsheathing a knife that was strapped to his thigh, and moved to attack Izuku again.
And froze in midair once more before he could reach Izuku, his hand involuntarily dropping the knife as if it had burned him.
Izuku laughed. “You can’t attack me, silly. Vampires can’t hurt the one who turned them.”
Shock (was that despair he saw too?) and anger wrote themselves into Hisashi’s face, and he stared down at his hands as if they were foreign to him.
Izuku tilted his head in consideration. “On that note: you will not attack or harm anyone else in the vampire kingdom either,” he commanded, then paused before adding, “…Unless it is necessary to do so in defense of someone’s life.”
Hisashi nodded mechnically, looking as though he had barely registered Izuku’s words, eyes focused on his hands with a strange sort of emptiness. Izuku shuffled forward on his knees, taking note of the minor tremble to Hisashi’s shoulders and the sweat on his brow. The transformation looked like it had taken a lot out of him.
“Are you feeling ok, Dad?” he asked worriedly. “Do you need to drink more?”
“…I’m not your father,” Hisashi mumbled back numbly.
“You are now!” Izuku exclaimed. He was so happy this had worked out, relief that he hadn’t killed Hisashi still running through him like a drug. “I just adopted you.” He flung his arms around the man’s neck, hugging him the way he had when Hisashi had carried him out of the village.
Hisashi stiffened under his touch, but remained unmoving.
Izuku frowned. “Hug me,” he demanded.
Arms came up to wrap around him in response, holding him the way Izuku had craved and dreamt about for months. The safety and comfort of a parent was something Mirai and Gran had never been able to give him, and Izuku smiled giddily at having what he had wanted finally in his grasp.
He relished the hold for a while longer, content to have his new father’s arms wrapped securely around him. But there would be time for more hugs when they were back in the safety of the castle, where he could learn anything and everything he wanted to know about his new dad.
The thought alone had him grinning ear to ear as he drew away, relinquishing his hold on Hisashi, who seemed to be at a loss as all he did was stare. Izuku ignored it, focusing instead on the blood that was beginning to dry on Hisashi’s face and neck, then at his own stained wrist that was already healed.
“We should get cleaned up, ” Izuku said as he stood, eyes drifting to the stone well. He hadn’t ever used one before, but it was simple enough to figure out, letting the rope slide through his hands until he heard the splash of water, then drawing it back up and tying it off around the post. He took the bucket in hand and brought it back over to Hisashi, who hadn’t moved from where he sat, watching numbly as Izuku placed the bucket down in front of him.
Izuku tore off a piece of fabric from his clothes that was less filthy than the rest, dipping it into the water and holding it up to dab at the bite wound first. His face fell when he realized just how deep the holes went into Hisashi’s neck, the flesh surrounding it torn and marred from Izuku’s greedy fangs. The twinge of guilt only grew when Hisashi hissed at the contact, jerking away with one hand clasped over the wound, the other making as though to shove him away, only to stop before it could reach him.
“I’m sorry,” Izuku apologized softly. “I should have been more careful. Hold still, okay? I promise I’ll be gentle.”
As if he had been ordered, Hisashi went motionless as Izuku pried away the fingers clutched over his neck, dabbing gently at the blood. Once satisfied, he dipped the cloth back into the bucket, wringing out the excess water before bringing it back up to clean the blood from his father’s face.
“I can do it,” Hisashi said through clenched teeth, an almost desperate look in his eyes as he watched Izuku’s every movement. Izuku huffed with a little pout, but drew the cloth back for his father to take.
“Okay,” he acquiesced, and heard a shuddering breath of relief when Hisashi’s shoulders slumped. He paid no mind, plunging his own arm into the bucket and washing away the residual blood. He looked up when he was done to see his father clutching the cloth in a shaking hand, his chest rising and falling more quickly than it had been before. Izuku blinked. Was he afraid?
“It’s alright,” Izuku assured him as he took the much larger hand in his own, drawing his gaze once more. “Everything is going to be alright, I promise! We just need to go get Gran, and then we can head home. Just follow me, okay? Gran said he’d be waiting in a village not far from here.”
Something flashed in Hisashi’s gaze, but before Izuku could determine what it was, his dad was getting to his feet. It was shaky at first, but he eventually managed to find his footing and stay standing. He beamed when his father squeezed his hand tightly, and Izuku began leading the way down the dirt road.
“Oh, and make sure you keep your neck covered,” he said, turning back to look at the man. Hisashi did so, tugging the collar of his cloak up and close to hide the bite wounds there. “I can’t wait to show you our home. You’ll love it!”
What was happening? Hisashi couldn’t stop the tremble in his hands as he stared down blankly at the strip of fabric he held. Bloody fabric. Blood. From his mouth.
He felt sick.
None of it had seemed completely real—more like a fever-dream. His body hadn’t been in his control, mindlessly obeying the little vampire. Hisashi had been disconnected from it.
But the sensation of drying, crusted blood on his chin and neck had snapped him back. And as he looked at the blood-covered cloth, he felt his breathing pick up. He had done that. He had drank blood. Granted, from a vampire. But still. A numb sort of horror sat low in his stomach, shock covering up the rage he knew was still simmering inside of him. His mind was unable (or perhaps unwilling) to fully process what this all meant. What had happened.
A small hand slipped into his own, startling him. The boy—monster, his mind whispered—began to prattle on about something, but Hisashi couldn’t fully pay attention. All his focus was on the hand clutching his; on memories of how deceptively strong that little hand was. Of how the being it was connected to had tricked him, violated him, changed him fundamentally.
“—can head home. Just follow me, okay? Gran said he’d be waiting in a village not far from here.”
Hisashi managed to tune back in to catch the end of the vampire’s words. There was another? Another person this monster had victimized and turned into an obedient puppet for himself? This…Gran? Hisashi struggled to get to his feet, going slow, his body once again compelled to follow whatever the vampire child said. When told to cover the wound on his neck, his hands moved without him even thinking about it, pulling his cloak up to hide the bite marks.
The boy tugged at his hand, and Hisashi gritted his teeth as he was pulled along down the path against his will; as one leg continued to move in front of the other no matter how desperately he wanted to go the opposite direction. It terrified him how this tiny monster could control him with a single word; from freezing him in place to being forced to follow him.
He had become a prisoner in his own body, subjected to the whims of a mere child. One that had so effortlessly brought him to his knees—something that countless vampires had tried and failed to do—without so much as uttering a spell or lifting a blade.
It was humiliating.
All because he had been too gullible to see through his tricks and too weak to stop him.
And now he had paid the ultimate price for his weakness. But how could he have known? Vampire children, actual, born children, were almost like mythical creatures. Hisashi had heard of them; read about them during his many years of training, but no one had seen a vampire child in centuries. Their species had a low reproduction rate, with most new vampires being created through turning rather than being born.
How could he have possibly known to suspect the child he had saved was actually a vampire? It had completely blindsided him, allowing the monster to take advantage of him. And in the end, he was the fool. But he should never have been overpowered, the child was so much smaller than him! He should have been able to fight him off. And yet he hadn’t, and because of that he had…he’d been…
No, don’t think about it. DON’T THINK about it. Don’t think about it, not right—
Hisashi swiped his tongue over a sharp fang. A fang that didn’t belong in his mouth. He shuddered, stumbling for a step as he fought to take in his next breath. Don’t think about it. The boy looked back over his shoulder at him curiously, giving him an encouraging smile that Hisashi wanted to wipe off his cheeky face. How dare he look at him like that. How dare he. How dare he call him “Dad” and hug him and be cheerful as if he hadn’t—
Breathe. Slowly.
He had to keep a clear head. There was a tidal wave of emotions and thoughts that were threatening to overwhelm him, but this wasn’t the time for it. He couldn’t allow himself to drown right now.
Pushing it all back, Hisashi forced himself to listen to the vampiric child chatter endlessly as they walked, talking about how things would be so much better from now on, how he wouldn’t be left wanting for anything, that they were going to be a family. Completely oblivious to the fury that burned behind Hisashi’s eyes.
His mind was swirling. It felt as though it had been both an eternity and only a scant few minutes before they came upon their destination. Hisashi could hear the faint bustle of people milling about their day in the nearby village long before they arrived. Apparently, so did the child, as his whole face suddenly lit up. The hand wrapped around his own tightened its grip.
While the monster was filled with enthusiasm at the sight of the town, Hisashi could only feel a sense of dread. Was it going to attack another settlement with a swarm of vampires, then? Or would it look for another hapless victim to claim, as it had him?
Hisashi couldn’t let that happen. He had to break free, to warn somebody that they were in danger—
“We’re nearly there!” the little vampire exclaimed, interrupting his thoughts as he continued to drag Hisashi along, looking back at him with bright green eyes full of excitement. He quickened his pace and Hisashi was forced to match his stride.
Hisashi scowled as he was pulled along, moving down the road without his consent. The closer they drew, the louder the sounds that pressed against his ears became until it was nearly painful. He could hear a vendor haggling over the price of their wares, the jovial laughter that roared from the nearby tavern, and even an old couple arguing over what to cook for dinner. It was too much all at once, a headache already forming in his temples that only grew worse with every step they took. He knew vampires had sensitive hearing, but this was ridiculous.
Focus, Hisashi told himself, clenching his jaw as he tried to drown out the noise. First he tried to concentrate on the vampire still talking to him, but all that accomplished was deepening the swell of hatred in his chest. A stream of curses threatened to burst from his lips, wanting nothing more than to rage against the monster that had stolen his humanity—
Hisashi banished the thought before it could fully form, biting down hard to keep the words from spilling forth. As much as he wanted to scream and shout at the wretched creature that continued to smile and look up at him with eyes full of deceptive innocence, he knew better than to risk its anger. Not when it could put everyone around him at risk.
Breathe, he told himself once more, trying to steady his thoughts as he focused on that simple task; on the rhythmic steps of their feet.
His awareness drifted in and out, at times feeling as though he were merely spectating his own body as they walked on. He was snapped out of his daze when all too soon they were at the village gates, his frame trembling as he saw the number of people moving about. The boy took a moment to look up at him.
“You don’t need to be scared. Everything is going to be fine,” he said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
Hisashi grimaced, tightening his grip on the boy’s hand in turn. It wasn’t himself that he was worried about; he was already lost. But he wouldn’t let the little monster take anyone else.
“It’s so busy,” the child commented as he led Hisashi through the crowds, head turning every which way as he looked at all the people moving about who were ignorant of the danger they were in. Hisashi kept his eyes sharp, searching as they moved through the marketplace. He was so focused that he nearly tripped when they came to a jarring halt.
“Look!” the vampire exclaimed excitedly, and Hisashi felt his neck crack from how quickly his head involuntarily turned to stare at whatever it was that had caught the boy’s attention. His eyes were lit up with stars, gazing upon a stall that had an assortment of books and scrolls, some old and tattered and others with much newer bindings and crisp pages. The boy relinquished his hold on Hisashi, moving closer to examine the merchandise while Hisashi groaned as he raised a hand to his now sore neck.
Wait.
His hand was free.
Cautiously, he stepped away from the vampire that was now chatting with the merchant, finding he was no longer bound to follow the boy.
“Interested in learning magic are you?” the vendor greeted with a chuckle, to which he received a rapid nod.
“How much is this one?” the boy asked as he fumbled for a pouch on his hip, his attention now entirely on a large tome.
Hisashi slowly, quietly, backed away, slipping into the crowd. Calm, he told himself and his racing heart. He had to stay calm. And put as much distance between himself and that monster as possible until he could find what he was searching for.
Fortunately, the familiar armor of those who served in the royal army stood out like a sore thumb, and Hisashi made a straight line for the man leaning against the side of a store, conversing animatedly with a fellow soldier. The man gave a start when Hisashi abruptly grabbed his arm, cutting him off.
“What’s the meaning of this—” the soldier snapped, yanking his arm free. Or at least he would have, were it not for Hisashi’s unrelenting grip, squeezing so tightly the man gasped in pain.
“Listen to me,” Hisashi said quickly as he glanced around, tightening his grasp into a death hold. The man’s expression grew fearful when there was a creak of bone. “Everyone here is in danger. You have to—”
“U-Unhand me!” the guard shouted, raising his hand to pry away the one holding him, but he couldn’t budge Hisashi an inch. “H-How dare you assault a member of the royal guard—”
“Listen to me!” Hisashi repeated with a harsh snap, shaking the man. “There’s a—”
“Daaaaad!”
Hisashi tensed as a chill ran up his spine at the sound of that dreaded voice. He turned to look behind him, and sure enough he was greeted with the sight of green hair and eyes, the boy’s face upturned in a little pout. Hisashi quickly whipped back to the soldier to warn him—
“Dad, you promised you wouldn’t get distracted and stay with me!” At the monster's words it was as though a bolt of electricty shot through him, his body already moving towards the boy involuntarily of his will as he was forced to release his grip on the soldier. Once again, a small hand wrapped around his, holding tightly. The vampire let out a little huff. “Don’t you remember that meeting we’re supposed to get to? You shouldn’t talk to strangers about your war stories right now!”
Hisashi felt his mouth snap shut, and a brief spark of sheer panic shot through him when he was unable to open it again. Just how far did this creature’s hold over him go? If he told Hisashi to stop breathing, would he? If he commanded his heart to stop beating, would he drop dead?
He wasn’t given much time to think on it as he was tugged through the streets once more, until they came across a small inn. It wasn’t very busy inside, but Hisashi was almost knocked off his feet by the overwhelming smell of food permeating the place. Oddly, the scent wasn’t appetizing; it didn’t make his mouth water or his hunger rise. It just…smelled. Assaulting his senses with how strong it was. He had to fight against the instinct to cover his nose with his free hand.
The boy surveyed the sparse amount of people occupying the tables, and frowned. “Gran must be in his room,” he muttered. He gave Hisashi’s hand another squeeze. “This way!”
They went up the stairs to where the rooms were, and had just stepped foot in the hallway when the door to one of them further down burst open. A blur shot towards them at incredible speed, catching Hisashi off guard entirely as he was suddenly body slammed into the wall.
The snarling face of an older, middle-aged vampire was inches from his, fangs bared. Hisashi only had the time to process the thought of “this must be Gran” before a fist was flying at him. He caught it instinctively and twisted the arm it was attached to, using his hold to switch their positions and pin the vampire to the wall in his place.
The vampire kicked out at him, connecting with his knee and causing Hisashi to stumble. He took advantage of that, swiping at Hisashi with his other hand, sharp claws extended. Hisashi dodged, and only one nail managed to slice a shallow cut across his cheek.
He could hear the child shouting in the background, but paid it no mind as he drew a dagger from his belt, the blade plunging into the wall when Gran ducked under his swing. Hisashi felt a brief moment of surprise at the fact that he was even able to attack. But then again, when ordering him, the boy had mentioned he could fight in defense of someone. Hisashi supposed he himself counted as a someone.
The dagger ended up left in the wall as Gran, from his crouched position, swiped Hisashi’s legs out from under him, sending Hisashi crashing to the floor. He made to jump on top of him then, but Hisashi kicked him in the chest solidly, causing him to reel back.
Adrenaline and rage pumped through his veins and Hisashi drew his sword and—
“STOP!”
Both he and Gran froze mid-motion.
Izuku did not look happy.
Izuku was not happy. Not only had his new dad already tried to run away from him—and the panic he had felt when he had turned around and his dad was gone—but now he and Gran were fighting. And Izuku didn’t even know why.
He scowled at the two men who were looking at him with wide eyes. Izuku squared his shoulders and put his hands on his hips, emulating what his mom used to do when she was upset. “What is this about?” he snapped. “Gran? What do you think you’re doing?”
“My job!” Gran gritted out, visibly struggling against the command if the tremor of his hands and the curl of his fingers were anything to go by. Izuku’s frown deepened.
“What are you talking about, Gran?”
“You were hurt,” Gran hissed with a snarl, eyes roving over his torn and tattered clothes before shifting his scorching gaze over to his father, who returned it with a glare of his own. “I can smell the blood on you! On him!”
“Oh. That,” Izuku muttered as he looked over himself. “That wasn’t because of Dad, though! It was another vampire that did that. Dad saved me!”
“That’s ridiculous,” Gran said in utter disbelief.
“But it’s true!” Izuku insisted, crossing his arms with furrowed brows, annoyed that Gran didn’t believe him. “A weird vampire attacked the village and then attacked me. Right, Dad?” Izuku turned to his father. Fury blazed across Hisashi’s face as he remained silent despite obvious attempts to speak, jaw clenching tightly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot. You can talk to Gran and I.”
“Then why do I smell so much of your blood on him?” Gran demanded to know, eyes narrowed now.
Izuku gave him a dumbfounded stare. “Because I had to feed him my blood to complete the turning?” The duh was left off the end but rang loud and clear through his words. He then looked at his father expectantly. “Tell him you saved me.”
“I saved him,” Hisashi said automatically, his left eye twitching.
“Did you save him?” Gran asked.
“Yes,” Hisashi grit out.
Izuku frowned. “He just told you that, why did you ask him a second ti—” he cut himself off at Gran’s flat look and chuckled sheepishly. “Oh, right.”
His dad looked confused, but Gran kept going, “Fine then. But why the hell didn’t you disarm him? You’re just letting him walk around carrying all his weapons like this?”
“I told him not to attack anybody unless it was out of defense!” Izuku claimed. “He’s harmless.”
Gran all but squawked, “He’s not harmless!”
“He was only defending himself—”
“Izuku,” Gran interrupted, giving him a stern look. “All For One is the kingdom’s most renowned hunter with a reputation of mercilessly tracking down and killing vampires at any given opportunity. Are you really willing to let him keep his weapons and risk others' safety knowing that?”
Izuku bit at his lip in uncertainty. He had confidence that he would be able to stop something like that from occurring. But the fight that had just happened replayed in his mind and he gave a reluctant nod.
“...Alright.” He sighed, looking at Hisashi. “Let’s go,” Izuku ordered the both of them, watching as they broke out of their frozen states.
Gran rolled his shoulder as he followed Izuku back to the room, while his father scrambled back to his feet before doing the same. Izuku closed the door behind them securely once inside, looking from Gran by the curtained window, who was giving him the same firm glare, to Hisashi, whose sheer, clear-as-day panicked eyes made Izuku feel a little guilty.
“This isn’t necessary—” his dad tried to argue, hand clutching the hilt of his sword in an unrelenting hold, but Izuku shook his head.
“Remove all your weapons and enchanted items, then place them on the bed. Don't touch them again after you’re done.”
The hand that had been so desperately clutching the silver sword removed the blade attached to his side, walking over to place it on the bed with a pained expression. Anger quickly overwrote that pain as Hisashi’s hands pried other weapons from his person. Daggers and knives soon joined the sword, along with a growing pile of accessories such as rings, a necklace, and even his vambraces, all of which emanated a faint magical aura. Pouches full of what seemed to be powder were dropped onto the sheets. Izuku could only stare at the growing pile with increasingly wide eyes.
By the time Hisashi had finished he looked furious, making more than one attempt to reach forward and take his stuff back, only for his fingers to stop just short of touching them like there was an invisible barrier blocking him.
“Harmless, huh?” Gran repeated sarcastically.
Izuku puffed his cheeks and huffed. “Are we ready to head back now? Did you scout the border?”
“Aye. Patrols are more lax during the day, so we should be able to pass by unnoticed,” Gran answered with a nod, before his eyes raked up and down Izuku’s form. “Provided we don’t give them a reason to be looking at us.”
Izuku frowned, glancing down at himself, taking in the sight of his torn and shredded clothes that were stained with blood. “Oh,” he said, realizing what Gran was talking about. Worry creased his brow. “But what are we supposed to do? I didn’t bring another set of clothes!”
“I swear if it weren’t for Mirai…” Gran sighed, shaking his head wearily. “Thankfully he had the foresight to look ahead and pack some essentials.” Gran moved past Hisashi and over to a bag that contained the few belongings that they had brought with them. From within, he pried a set of simple but well-made clothes, handing them over for Izuku to take.
“I’ll be sure to thank him when we get back,” Izuku promised as he grabbed hold of them.
“Before you put them on, you should have a bath and get yourself clean,” Gran interrupted him as he was about to change. “You reek of blood.”
Izuku paused, bringing up an arm and sniffing, a tinge of pink blooming on his cheeks when he realized Gran was right. He glanced around the small room, confused when he didn’t see any sign of a designated washing area. Thankfully, Gran saved him once again.
“Go to the woman in front of the counter downstairs and ask her to have water drawn for a bath. She’ll ask for a few coppers in return,” Gran instructed as he plucked coins out of a pouch that hung from his side, pressing them into Izuku’s hand.
“Right.” Izuku held up the coin, observing it closely before tucking it away into his pocket. He looked down at his fresh clothes, then back up at Gran and nodded. His gaze shifted to Hisashi, taking in the sight of his dirtied clothes. They weren’t nearly as bad, but it still made him frown. “What about Dad though? He needs some new clothes too.”
“I only have the one set for you and we don’t have time to go shopping right now. Your…father will have to wait until we return home so that we can find something for him.”
Hisashi stiffened at the words, but Izuku couldn’t see his expression when he turned to face Gran.
“Where exactly is…home?” Hisashi asked in a low, quiet voice.
“Don’t tell him! I want it to be a surprise!” Izuku butted in before Gran could respond. Gran's eyes rolled up, and he shook his head in exasperation. Izuku ignored him, smiling at Hisashi. “But I promise that you’ll love it, Dad!”
“I’m sure he will, but you know the sooner you get cleaned up the sooner we can leave,” Gran reminded him.
“Right! I’ll be back soon. Stay with Gran, okay, Dad?” He was given a stiff nod in answer, and Izuku headed to the door. Just before he opened it he turned back, giving the pair a stern look. “Don’t hurt each other while I’m gone,” he ordered before heading out, clutching his fresh clothes close and hurrying down the stairs with a skip in his step. He was beaming at the thought of returning home with his new father; at having a family again.
Everything had gone perfectly, and it would only get better from here on.
Notes:
If Izuku had known how good AFO's blood would have been beforehand:
Izuku: Hm...do I want him as my father or my dinner? Choices.
AFO: Excuse me, what—
Hisashi really be losing this time around 👏😩 Thanks for reading everyone!
Chapter 4
Summary:
Izuku ignored him, smiling at Hisashi. “But I promise that you’ll love it, Dad!”
“I’m sure he will, but you know the sooner you get cleaned up the sooner we can leave,” Gran reminded him.
“Right! I’ll be back soon. Stay with Gran, okay, Dad?” He was given a stiff nod in answer, and Izuku headed to the door. Just before he opened it he turned back, giving the pair a stern look. “Don’t hurt each other while I’m gone,” he ordered before heading out, clutching his fresh clothes close and hurrying down the stairs with a skip in his step. He was beaming at the thought of returning home with his new father; at having a family again.
Everything had gone perfectly, and it would only get better from here on.
Notes:
This chapter is a personal favourite of both of us authors 👏👏👏 We’ve been excited to share this one. That being said:
‼️TRIGGER WARNINGS ARE IN END NOTES‼️ Please check them out if you need to before reading.
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi waited until his new, sensitive hearing could no longer pick up the sound of the boy’s footsteps before he turned to the middle-aged vampire, who—from what he had just witnessed—was just as much the child’s puppet as he was.
“We need to leave while he’s gone,” Hisashi said urgently, his voice barely above a whisper.
He was trying desperately to ignore the renewed tremble of his fingers; the tingle of anxiety down his spine at having been divested of all his equipment. It had been years since Hisashi had last been truly without a weapon on hand. Even when not actively hunting, he could never fully go without at least a knife on his person. And while he certainly wasn’t completely defenceless, still having both magic and hand-to-hand combat abilities, he felt…exposed. The fact that his equipment was also right there and yet he couldn’t even touch it made his skin crawl.
So he stood there, weaponless, in front of a vampire who had already attacked him once. It was wrong. It was so wrong. But he couldn’t do anything about it, and so for now he just had to ignore it like everything else.
Gran was giving him a funny look, standing there with his arms crossed and making no move to leave. “What are you on about? We ain’t going nowhere.”
“Look, I don’t know how long that little monster has had you under his thrall, but this might be our best chance to break free,” Hisashi urged. “We can help each other.”
The older man just stared at him for a long moment, before bursting into a bout of rough laughter, slapping his knee as if Hisashi had just told him a good joke. “You really think I’m not here of my own volition? Practically had to beg the kid to let me come along with him at all. Besides,” Gran snorted, “awfully hypocritical of you to be calling him a monster. Have you looked at yourself recently?”
Hisashi suppressed a flinch at the barbed jab. “I’m not a monster,” he breathed, the words barely audible as he tried to reassure himself. “I will not become a monster.” It was a promise. He would never let himself be a monster. He knew exactly what he would do to prevent it.
Gran’s ears still picked up his whisper. “Eh? You’ve been a monster for a long time, killing off our people left and right. If I had my way you wouldn’t be standing here. And if you ever hurt Izuku, I don’t care what he says; I’ll slaughter you with my bare hands,” he hissed.
The threat didn’t phase Hisashi. “You can have your way if you would just help me.” He was not begging. He wasn’t. “Surely you remember what it was like when you went through this? Or did he warp your mind so much you’ve forgotten? What did he even turn you for? To be his bodyguard?”
“Ha! I am like his bodyguard actually.” Gran seemed to be almost enjoying his desperation, and Hisashi’s jaw clenched in anger. “But Izuku certainly didn’t turn me, and he can’t ‘warp minds’ or whatever it is you’re thinking.”
Hisashi’s brows furrowed, face scrunching in confusion. “But he…You were forced to obey him earlier too! You must be under his thrall just as I am.”
“It ain’t quite like that.” Gran rolled his eyes with a scoff.
That didn’t clear anything up. “What? Then what are you—”
“Stop.” Gran raised a hand. “This conversation is over. I won’t be your cohort, and I’m certainly not your friend. I have nothing more to say to you.”
With that he turned away, and Hisashi couldn’t help his flash of rage at the fact that Gran would show his back to Hisashi, as if Hisashi wasn’t a threat to him at all. A tense silence fell between them then, Gran not even looking at him as they waited for the boy to return.
All Hisashi could do was sag against the wall, his head tilted back as he told himself to just breathe. Yet his eyes still remained open by a slit, never taking his gaze off of the vampire in the room; constantly hyper-aware of his lack of weapons despite his best attempts to keep his mind from thinking of anything at all.
And that was how they remained until the boy came back to the room, freshly clean and with a big smile on his face. “Okay! Are we ready to head out?” he asked eagerly.
“As we’ll ever be,” Gran answered as he turned around to face him.
“Good! Then let’s go!” Izuku said impatiently, moving over to Hisashi who tensed at his approach. Once again the boy took hold of his hand, forcing Hisashi up with a, “C’mon, we gotta hurry!”
Hisashi clenched his free hand as his legs moved against his will, the boy all but dragging him towards the door. His gaze turned to the weapons on the bed, wishing more than anything that he could grasp one and—
“Don’t get too excited, Izuku,” Gran chided gently as he locked eyes with Hisashi, a warning burning in them. “We still need to get past the patrols without being seen.”
“I know. I’ll be careful so that the guards won’t notice us,” Izuku reassured him before turning to look at Hisashi. “You need to be extra quiet when we cross over since they might try to stop us if they notice anything. And make sure—”
“I think he gets it, Izuku,” Gran interrupted. Izuku gave the elder vampire a little look but nodded all the same. Gran gestured to Hisashi’s weapons. “Let me gather up all his junk and we can go. Don’t want to be leaving it behind for somebody else to get a hold of.”
“It’s not junk!” Hisashi hissed indignantly, watching with envy as the older vampire grabbed up his equipment, stuffing it into his bag and slinging Hisashi’s sword over his shoulder. Hisashi’s palms itched to wrap around it; the familiar feeling of the hilt in his grasp was something that calmed him.
But small hands suddenly tugging at his clothes had Hisashi’s head quickly swivelling back to focus on the boy, who was looking at his cloak consideringly. “Your shirt has blood stains, but your cloak is dark enough that the dirt doesn’t show much on it,” Izuku murmured. He grabbed the cloak from where it was gathered over Hisashi’s shoulders, pulling it around Hisashi to cover his shirt as much as possible.
Hisashi made to roughly knock Izuku’s hands away, but a simple “don’t” stopped him in his tracks once more. He could only watch as Izuku took an expensive looking brooch off his own clothes, using it to pin Hisashi’s cloak closed at the front. “There!” he said brightly. “That’s a bit better. I promise we’ll get you some nicer clothes once we get home, Dad.”
His hand was taken hold of again (and seriously, just how long was he going to be forced to hold this kid’s hand for?!) and the next thing Hisashi knew, they were walking out of the tavern and into the streets, the loud hum scraping against the inside of his ears as they traveled through the village. They were back on the roads far sooner than he wanted, and Hisashi was all too aware of what direction they were heading in.
He had been near the border multiple times to stop vampires from crossing over into the human kingdom, but he had never actually stepped foot over the border himself. As powerful as he knew he was, even he couldn’t fight the swarm of vampires that resided on the other side. Something of that scale took an army to accomplish—and a competent one at that.
As they made their way to it, Hisashi found himself trying to dig his heels in more than once. To turn around and go the other way; to simply stop dead in his tracks; anything that would slow their steady pace. But his body refused to obey his commands, even as he grew more and more exhausted the longer they walked. Hisashi wiped the sweat from his brow as they continued on, suddenly all too aware of the rays of sunlight shining down on his skin. Both the boy and his bodyguard had hoods on over their heads, not seeming quite as bothered.
It was a myth that vampires burned under the light of the sun, but it did weaken them. Hisashi had used that weakness to his advantage several times in the past, but now he was feeling the full effects of it himself—another reminder of what he wasn’t anymore.
They had almost reached the border when Hisashi stumbled over his own feet for the fourth time, and Izuku abruptly stopped. “We should take a break,” he declared.
Hisashi noticed Gran didn’t seem to argue much with the boy—as if Izuku held some sort of authority over him. Gran simply shrugged and said, “Alright.”
Relieved but refusing to let it show on his face, Hisashi took the opportunity to sit down for a moment, doing so slowly and carefully so as not to let on to how tired he was feeling. He didn’t want to show any sort of weakness to these two monsters; they already had enough advantage over him. One hand unconsciously moved to the side of his neck where his wound was, covering the still-throbbing bite marks protectively.
“Gran, can you let Dad have some of that? I think he needs it.”
Hisashi looked up at the sound of Izuku’s voice to see a displeased look on Gran’s face, but the man handed Izuku the waterskin he was holding anyway. The boy thanked him and brought it over to Hisashi, offering it out to him with a smile.
Hisashi looked back and forth between the waterskin and the boy a few times, confused. He had his own canteen of water, so why was Izuku trying to give him this? When he made no move to take it, Izuku shoved it under his nose, and Hisashi’s mouth watered immediately, his fangs suddenly beginning to ache.
Blood. The waterskin contained blood, not water, and Hisashi’s hands instinctively reached up to grasp the source of that tempting smell.
He did not, however, make any further move, his rational mind thankfully kicking in to scream at him. He wasn't going to drink it. He wouldn’t. He refused to stoop so low. He was no monster. The scent of the blood was so appetizing; yet at the same time, Hisashi could feel his stomach churning with nausea at the thought of drinking it.
Izuku frowned. “Come on, at least try a sip,” he encouraged.
As always, Hisashi couldn’t stop his body from complying with the boy’s words. His hands tipped the waterskin up, and the hated contents entered his mouth. He felt the compulsion to obey abate as soon as the sip was taken, but the blood that had poured out onto his tongue immediately made his taste buds light up, the dry thirst in his throat returning.
Hisashi still spewed it out defiantly, refusing to swallow any of it. In a fit of rebellion, he chucked the waterskin as far away from him as he could, watching blood spill out of it and onto the ground with satisfaction.
“The hell d’you do that for?!” Gran shouted angrily as he rushed over to the waterskin, swiftly snatching it up from the ground to save whatever was left. His scowl deepened when he peered inside, his heated gaze snapping over to Hisashi. Hisashi watched Gran’s lip curl into a snarl, fangs flashing. “You wretch! There’s only a mouthful left!”
Hisashi ignored him, hand swiping for the canteen at his hip, swiftly undoing the cap and bringing it to his lips. Cool water flowed into his mouth, and he swished it around briefly to wash away the residue of blood clinging to the inside of his mouth before spitting it out. Hisashi repeated the process until the taste of blood no longer lingered so strongly on his tongue, which had grown drier with each swish of water.
Then he brought it back up to his lips, to quench his thirst like a normal human being and ignoring the boy’s warning of “I wouldn’t—” when he swallowed.
Immediately his throat felt as though it were on fire, the canteen falling to the ground as his hand shot up to grasp his throat with a rasp. The boy was shouting something but he could hardly focus on the words as suddenly he was doubled over and heaving, vomiting the water he had just ingested onto the ground.
He was panting rapidly when his body purged the last of the fluid, eyes wide and unseeing, fingers curled in the dirt. Faintly, he was aware of the sound of the others talking and of shuffling feet, when a small hand suddenly grasped his face, tilting his head up as the waterskin was brought back to his lips.
“Swallow,” the boy ordered as Hisashi once again felt the rush of blood entering his mouth, and Hisashi felt his throat constrict in response. The horrible burning sensation of his inflamed throat became immediately soothed as the blood flowed down it.
Hisashi was thankful he had thrown the waterskin on the ground. There was so little left in it now he didn’t have to suffer through drinking more than a mouthful or two (and he ignored the strange new instinct inside of him that howled for more). He ripped himself away from the little monster’s grip, glaring at him furiously.
“I tried to warn you,” the boy sighed. He was standing there with his hands on his hips, giving Hisashi a stern expression that he would have called endearing on a human child.
Hisashi scoffed and looked away.
“Idiot,” Gran hissed out, grumbling as Izuku handed him back his now empty waterskin. “Did you really think that would work?”
“It’s not his fault he didn’t know. It’s still only his first day as a vampire,” Izuku defended him from Gran, who rolled his eyes. The boy turned back to Hisashi with an apologetic look in his eyes. “Sorry. I should have told you earlier…”
“Have any more bright ideas?” Gran asked scornfully. “Maybe next you’ll swallow powdered silver or step in front of a loaded crossbow. Would save us the trouble of having to—”
“That’s enough, Gran,” Izuku chided the elder vampire, who continued to mutter under his breath irritably. “Do you need another few minutes, Dad?” he asked Hisashi worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Hisashi snarled out, ignoring the hand that was offered out for him to take. He stumbled back onto his feet, slapping Izuku’s hands away when they reached out to steady him.
Why did this little monster keep pretending as if he cared about Hisashi at all? After what he had done? Was this all some sick joke to him?
“Well, let’s continue then,” Gran said. “We’re right next to the border now. We’ll be home soon enough.”
Izuku didn’t look convinced, biting his lip. “I don’t think Dad—”
“He said he’s fine, Izuku,” Gran groaned with annoyance. “We can’t wait around forever. Let’s go.”
“...Alright. But let us know if you need to stop to rest okay?” Izuku insisted with a worried look. Hisashi almost scoffed. As if he would show any more weakness to these monsters than he already had.
He stayed quiet for the rest of the walk to the border, where he was then ordered to keep his mouth shut and not draw any attention to them. Hisashi screamed and raged internally at that, wanting nothing more than to bring focus to his situation and watch the two monsters get captured or killed by human guards.
The anger was useful to cover the ever growing panic he felt inside as they stepped over into vampire territory. Outwardly, Hisashi kept his face stoic, but he knew with horrible clarity that his chances of escape had dropped even lower now that they were on the vampires’ home turf. In the human kingdom, there had at least been a possibility of being able to gain help from other humans.
Now Hisashi was on his own.
The taste of blood that still lingered behind soured in his mouth as he was forced to walk away from all he had ever known.
In less than the span of a single day, he had lost everything. Clearly, all of this had been planned from the start. They had come for him purposefully; had hunted him down. It made sense, considering how much of a threat he was to vampires, but he didn’t understand why they would send a child after him. Why didn’t they just kill him? Why turn him? Was it perhaps that they want to humiliate and torture him before they end him? They would know that turning him into what he hates would be a worse fate for him than death.
But why was Izuku pretending to be so nice then? Call him Dad?
It didn’t make any sense. None of it did.
Hisashi refused to make any sort of conversation with his captors after they crossed the border, purposefully numbing his mind and shutting out the world around him as he was dragged onward. All he knew for a long while was the pounding of his feet on the ground as they walked.
But he was eventually broken from the trance he had put himself in when the boy excitedly hugged his arm. “There’s the city!” Izuku chirped.
Suddenly, the world was rushing back around Hisashi in a mix of sounds and colors. It took a moment to gather himself from his daze, but when he did he found himself looking ahead in the same direction as the boy. He felt like he almost couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing.
A large city spread out before them, with a huge castle in the distance on the other side of it. The city was teaming with vampires and…and—
With humans.
…Humans?
What were humans doing in a city of vampires? Were they all captives? Slaves? Was that what Hisashi was brought here for?
Oddly enough though, they seemed…happy?
But that wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. Hisashi had dedicated his life to studying vampires. Mostly how to hunt and kill them, but still. Neither his mentor nor any of the books he had ever read mentioned anything about vampires living in civil societies. They had to be enthralled or in a trance or—or—
Why were people staring at them?
Everywhere he looked he could see vampires turning to eye them, their gazes filled with curiosity and something almost akin to…to wonder?
…Maybe it was because Izuku was so young. Searching among the crowd, Hisashi couldn’t see any other vampire children. He must have been right before in that they were likely incredibly rare.
Izuku was looking around wildly at every shop and stall they passed, his eyes impossibly bright and seeming oblivious to the stares. Hisashi could feel the hand around his own tighten when something caught the boy’s attention, and mentally prepared himself to be pulled in a different direction. But Izuku then glanced back at him, biting at his lip and shaking his head to himself before looking resolutely ahead.
…Perhaps if he could get away for a moment, he could convince one of the humans around here to help him. Hisashi wasn’t sure how to distract Izuku and Gran’s attention from him though—especially when he had already run once before. Izuku was unlikely to let go of his hand for anything.
Hisashi couldn’t help but glance about the buildings and houses they passed by with a growing pit of dread forming in his stomach. He wondered which belonged to the boy. Would he ever see the light of day again once inside? Not that the light of day felt good on his skin anymore, but it felt better than his unknown future.
Yet they showed no signs of stopping. In fact, it seemed as though they were leaving; continuing down the streets closer to the castle. Was Izuku rich? Was his family important? Important enough to live near the castle? To have a bodyguard like Gran?
The number of houses grew thinner and grander the closer they got, but Izuku dragged him past all of them. Did he have business in the castle itself then? Perhaps he was required to register someone who was newly turned. Like branding cattle so they knew who they belonged to? Or had he been sent by the royal family to retrieve Hisashi so they could enact revenge on him for all the vampires he had killed?
While all these possibilities raced through his mind, he could see Gran grinning in amusement as his confusion only continued to grow. Hisashi sent him a questioning look, hoping for answers, but the man only shrugged.
His already frayed nerves didn’t get any better as they approached the large gates of the castle. The gates were already open, inviting whoever walked by to go inside. When they passed through and into the outer courtyard, Hisashi finally worked up the gumption to break his self imposed silence. “...Why are we here?” he dared to ask.
Izuku released his hand, spinning to be in front of him and stepping back a few paces, his arms spread wide out. “Surprise!” he announced cheerfully. “Welcome home, Dad!”
“Home?” Hisashi repeated faintly.
“Mmhmm.” Izuku nodded.
It was hard to understand. “You live here? Among the royal family? Are you close to the king?” He had heard of the murder of the previous king and queen, of course. But he wasn’t sure who had assumed the throne.
“No, silly! I am the king!”
Hisashi felt like his brain was going to melt out of his ears. He didn’t even think, his mind simply going “nope!” as he swivelled on his heel to race back out the gates.
A hand caught the back of his cloak, choking him as the brooch pressed painfully against his throat when he came to a sudden, dead stop, getting yanked off his feet entirely. The wind was knocked out of his lungs when his back collided against the stonework of the bailey.
“There’s no time to look around right now, Dad! Mirai is waiting for us!”
This wasn’t happening, Hisashi thought frantically, claws scraping into the stone with a horrific screeching noise as he was dragged. This. Wasn’t. Happening!
Izuku hummed happily as he dragged his dad by the cloak through the courtyard, Gran behind them laughing uproariously. Hisashi kept wriggling like a furious, wet cat to get free, but Izuku wasn’t going to let it spoil his good mood.
He’d brought his new dad home! Everything had gone so well! They were currently causing a bit of a public spectacle, but that was ok!
Izuku looked over his shoulder in amusement as his dad began to yell at Gran. “Keep on laughing!” Hisashi spat, shaking his fist. “We’ll see who’s laughing in the end!”
“You look like a worm on a string!” Gran cackled.
“I swear that I’ll make you suffer for this! When I get free—”
“Yeah, yeah.” Gran waved him off, fangs flashing in a widening grin. “Good luck with that! Seems like that’s working out real well for you so far.”
“DON’T YOU ‘YEAH YEAH’ ME!” Hisashi screeched.
Izuku reached back with his free hand to pat his dad on the head. “We all know you’re very strong and tough, Dad,” he said soothingly. “That’s why I chose you!”
“For what?!”
“For my father, of course. I’ve already told you multiple times.” Izuku knew Hisashi couldn’t see his eye roll, but he hoped the man could feel it.
“Are you insane?!”
“That’s what I said,” Gran butted in with a chortle.
Izuku ignored them both, waving cheerfully to the guards they passed who were giving them wide-eyed stares.
“Mirai should be in his study right about now,” Izuku contemplated, quickly moving through the foyer. When he realized he wasn’t feeling any more resistance, he glanced back to see Hisashi with his arms crossed, looking resigned. “Cheer up, Dad! You can take a nap right after, ok?”
“I am not a child!” Hisashi shouted back at him, turning his head to glare at him, hands grasping onto the cloak in a vain attempt to rip it away from Izuku’s hold. “Let go of me!”
“Old men take naps too!” Izuku reassured him. “Just look at Gran!”
“I’m thirty-five!”
Izuku almost tripped. He hadn’t thought about that. “Oh, wow!” he exclaimed. “That’s right! Humans age differently from vampires. I forgot about that. You actually mean you’ve only been alive for thirty-five years when you say that, huh? Crazy! I’m older than you!”
“No, you’re not,” Gran interrupted. “You’ve been alive for longer, but that doesn’t mean you’re actually older. You have to take into account the human and vampire maturity rate difference.”
Izuku pouted. “Why do you always have to ruin my fun?”
“This isn’t fun,” Hisashi grumbled from the ground.
“You’re just cranky because you’re tired and hungry. After I have Mirai measure you for your new clothes, I’ll take you to your room and get you a drink. You must be exhausted from everything that’s happened today,” Izuku said sympathetically.
“Don’t you dare. Don’t you even dare!” Hisashi hissed.
He didn’t seem very happy about Izuku’s generous offer. Weird. But he was sure once his dad was clean and had something to eat he’d calm down. Izuku knew he himself got really grumpy when he was hungry, and Hisashi probably had all these confusing new instincts he was dealing with on top of that.
“Oh! And tomorrow I can show you the rest of the castle! I can’t wait; there’s so much for you to see!” Izuku added, buzzing with excitement.
“Oh, joy,” Hisashi muttered sarcastically.
The door to Mirai’s study opened at the end of the corridor they were walking down, revealing a tired looking Mirai behind it, one hand raised to his temple as though to ward off a headache.
“Mirai!” Izuku called out jubilantly, waving excitedly at his retainer. “We’re back!”
“I knew your return would be noisy, but honestly do you have to be so loud? I was hoping I could avoid the migraine this would give me,” Mirai complained. He began to pinch the bridge of his nose but paused when he actually took in the scene before him.
Izuku watched his gaze rake up and down Hisashi, evaluating him the way one would a particularly disgusting bug they wanted to squash.
“Bring him in,” Mirai muttered with barely hidden disdain. “You wanted him fitted, yes?”
“Yep!” Izuku chirped, dragging his father past Mirai and into the study. “Ok, you have to get up now, Dad.”
“Don’t say it like I was unwilling to before.” Hisashi cracked his back with a pained expression as he stood, and Izuku winced.
“But you were unwilling before,” Izuku pointed out. “You refused to walk inside.”
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Mirai sighed, and with a twist of his fingers a tailor’s measuring tape was suddenly in his hand. He held one end and let the other fall to the floor.
Hisashi scowled as he neared, stepping away. “Don’t touch me!” he snapped.
Izuku eyed the way he was trembling with barely contained rage. “Can’t you just cooperate for once, Dad?”
“Cooperate?!”
“If he doesn’t hold still I can’t get the precise measurements,” Mirai said, a knowing glint in his eye as the corner of his mouth upturned into the tiniest of grins. Hisashi tensed, eyes widening as he glanced from Mirai to Izuku.
“C’mon, please, Dad? Just stay still for Mirai so he can get this done!”
Smug satisfaction rolled off Mirai as his father went still as a statue, panic-stricken eyes flickering between the three. Izuku raised a brow in confusion when he heard Gran laughing from the door he was leaning against.
Oh, right. It was easy to forget sometimes just how simple it was to make his father obey him. He didn’t even have to issue a full on compulsion to force him to comply. It was useful, but Izuku did feel a little bad about it. He knew he’d have to watch himself more carefully in the future to make sure he didn’t say something he didn’t mean. If he accidentally made Hisashi do something terrible or get hurt because he was careless with his words, Izuku would feel horrible. Gran and Mirai seemed to be enjoying this far too much though.
“I need him to take off the cloak,” Mirai said as he finished measuring down from Hisashi’s shoulders.
Izuku rolled his eyes. Literally, Mirai could just take it off himself. Hisashi couldn’t fight him over it. “Dad, remove your cloak,” he ordered anyway.
“Stop telling me what to do you little monster,” Hisashi snarled as his hands moved to take off the cloak automatically. “I’ll—”
He was cut off abruptly as Mirai struck him across the face, snapping his head to the side and leaving a series of claw marks across his cheek. “How dare you speak to the king like that!” His tone was low and full of threat.
“Mirai!” Izuku snapped angrily, glaring at his retainer. “Don’t hurt Dad!”
Mirai closed his eyes for a moment as he visibly attempted to compose himself. “I am not sorry, My Liege,” he said tightly. “I will not tolerate such blatant disrespect towards you. And certainly not from scum like him.”
“That ‘scum’ is my father!” Izuku growled. “You don’t have to like him, but I expect you to respect me by at least being civil.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Mirai relented.
Hisashi was fuming, clutching at the scratches across his face even as they were already healing. The cloak lay on the floor at his feet, and Izuku cringed as he got another look at the bite wound he had left on Hisashi.
They were crusted over with dried blood, having still kept leaking even after Izuku had done his best to wipe the area clean. The whole section of Hisashi’s neck around the wound was swollen and reddened, looking quite painful. It took Izuku by surprise a little, as Hisashi hadn’t given much indication of being in pain since the turning. He’d mostly just seemed tired.
Gran whistled from behind them. “So that’s why I smelled so much blood on the two of you,” he spoke up, pushing off the door. “You really mauled him, eh? Didn’t I warn you not to drain him dry?”
“W-Well—”
Mirai’s mouth had dropped open. “Izuku!” he said, sounding appalled, and Izuku winced as his retainer addressed him by name and not by title. That meant Mirai was upset. “Did we not teach you manners? Look at that! Such a lack of decorum and self-control is not befitting a king!”
“…Sorry,” Izuku mumbled.
“That will definitely scar.” Mirai sniffed. “Let it be a reminder of your mistakes.”
“I-It was the first time I’ve ever bitten someone!”
Gran shrugged. “Probably should have warned you about that.”
Hisashi, surprisingly, hadn’t said anything. His eyes were firmly fixed on the floor, a muscle in his jaw jumping, his body taut as a bowstring.
After one last disappointed stare, Mirai turned and continued with the measurements. No longer bound to stay still after that order had been replaced with the request to remove his cloak, Hisashi fidgeted under Mirai’s ministrations, subtly flinching each time Mirai’s hands brushed against him in any way.
“There,” Mirai said as he finished the last measurement, dispelling the tape with another wave of his hand. “I’ll have them sent to the royal tailor immediately to have proper attire made for him as quickly as possible.”
“Speaking of proper attire,” Gran spoke up, waving the sword he still held. “What would you like me to do with his equipment, Izuku?”
“Oh, that. You can take it to the room where we keep our enchanted weapons and artifacts? Some looked pretty old and the enchantments seemed fascinating. I’d love to look them over later, once Dad is settled in.”
“Those are mine!” Hisashi snarled. “Do you know what I had to go through to get those—”
Izuku brightened. “No, but you can tell me all about them! I’d love to hear about your adventures, and you can tell me everything about your items! You will, won’t you?”
“Why are you doing this to me?” Hisashi gritted out between clenched teeth.
“I had the same thought,” Mirai huffed as he moved back to his desk. “It’s far better than you deserve.”
Izuku sent Mirai a brief warning with his eyes. “I told you,” he sighed to Hisashi exasperatedly. “I chose you as my new dad. That’s the whole point of this.”
“But why me? How did you even find me?” Hisashi emphasized.
“I told you that already too!” Izuku threw his hands up. “You don’t listen very well do you, Dad?”
“That doesn’t explain how you knew where I would be!” Hisashi insisted.
Izuku waved a hand. “Magic,” he said simply.
“That’s—”
“You should take him to his room, Your Majesty. I have things I need to discuss with Gran,” Mirai suggested as he filled out paperwork. “And please, send a servant to clean up the mess later.”
Izuku squinted in confusion at the strange words, but shrugged them off. Mirai really wanted Hisashi out of his study, and Hisashi looked…well. Kind of like someone who had been dragged out of a grave. He seemed completely drained.
“Come on, Dad,” Izuku called, and once Hisashi approached him he grabbed the man’s hand, ignoring the groan of annoyance the action received. “You need a bath. And sleep. And a drink.”
“Yeah, I’d like a stiff one,” Hisashi muttered as Izuku led him back out and through the castle corridors.
“A stiff one?” He didn’t understand.
“Drink. A stiff drink,” Hisashi clarified.
Izuku blinked. That didn’t actually clear anything up. “How can a drink be stiff?” he asked incredulously. “It’s liquid!”
“You’re too young to understand.”
Izuku just shrugged. Fine. He would drop it. “If you say so.” He took the well worn path to his rooms, having already decided he was going to put his new father next to his own chambers.
“I think you’ll like your room. I didn’t know what kind of stuff you’d like to decorate with so it’s a little plain at the moment. But now that you’re here you can add your own flare to it. I’ll make sure Mirai gets whatever it is you want.”
“Mhm,” Hisashi grunted dully.
Izuku almost kind of missed the anger and yelling. He preferred it to this more sullen version of his father. Though surely after some rest he would feel better.
They traveled up the stairs and through the long, winding hallways, until they finally reached the wing where Izuku had spent most of his nights. He had refused to move into his parents’ old chambers despite being king now; their rooms going untouched. The memories of his parents still surrounded him there, and it was more than he could bear.
“Here’s your room,” Izuku explained as they came to a stop. “It’s right across from mine. See?” He pointed to the door on the opposite side. Hisashi simply nodded, making Izuku frown. He had better get on that bath and drink quickly. “How about you go inside and sit down for a little while? I’ll fetch a servant to run a bath and bring you a bite to eat.”
He waited until he saw Hisashi disappear into his new rooms, then set off to do as he had said.
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Hisashi engulfed in blessed silence for the first time since he’d been turned. He sank down against the door, collapsing to the floor as his breath left him and then refused to return to his lungs. Breathe, he told himself for the hundredth time that day. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Distantly, he could tell that his chest was rising and falling, and yet it felt like no air was getting into his lungs. His knees curled up to his chest, and Hisashi rested his forehead against them, hands yanking at his hair.
He couldn’t do this.
He had thought he’d appreciate being left alone; it had been what he had wanted since this all started. But now that he was, everything was crashing down on him. All the things he had been repressing making themselves known. An ugliness began to rise in his chest, something dark and full of hatred. Towards his circumstances. Towards the vampires. Towards himself.
And the boy. The boy said he was going to bring something back with him. Bring someone back with him. For Hisashi to eat.
It was bad enough that he had been forced to drink human blood once already. But this? This was too much. How could he let himself become what he hated the most? Become one of the vile monsters that had killed—
Hisashi shot to his feet in a fit of mania. Blood rushing through his ears. No. He would not subject someone else to the fate that had befallen him. He would not. Become. A. Monster. He would do anything in his power to prevent that. He WILL do anything.
He stumbled around the room frantically, eyes casting about over everything in search of something that could help him. He tore open the closet, ripped out drawers, searched through a desk. But there was nothing suitable, and in a fit of rage, Hisashi picked up the desk chair and threw it.
The sound of wood cracking drew his attention. His eyes landed on the chair, and on the one leg of it that had been half broken off, leaving a sharp edge behind.
Hisashi scrambled over to the broken leg, wrenching it free and snatching it up with a shaking hand. He held it out, observing the jagged end. Would this be able to pierce through his chest? Was it sharp enough?
Hisashi shook his head. It was; it had to be.
He flipped the makeshift stake around, pressing the sharpened tip against his heaving chest—
And hesitated.
He didn’t…He didn’t really want to die in such a way. He’d always figured he would go out in battle at some point. Not by his own hands.
But he was a hunter. He hunted and he killed vampires. And now that…that he was…
He would do his job. And in a way, he supposed he was going out battling a monster.
“I can do this. I can do this,” Hisashi told himself firmly, tightening his grip around the stake. He could do it. All he had to do was push it through his chest and then he’d be nothing more than a pile of scattered ashes—the proof of a soulless monster.
Soulless. That’s what he was now. Empty. The void that swirled inside him was evidence enough that he had been stripped of all his humanity. So now the best thing he could do would be to rid this world of at least one more monster.
Good. Riddance.
Anything was better than this type of existence; of having to feed on innocent people just to survive.
Hisashi took a deep breath. He closed his eyes. He raised the stake. The muscles in his arms bunched and tensed in preparation to plunge it down into his chest.
The door opened.
“So the servants will be coming up in a few minutes to help with the baaAATH?!”
Hisashi’s eyes flew open to meet with panicked green.
“What are you doing?!” the boy shrieked in sheer, frantic terror.
Hisashi wasted no more time, knowing what the boy would do next, so he quickly thrust the stake down towards his chest—
“STOP! STOP RIGHT NOW!”
Hisashi felt his body lock up in an increasingly familiar way, the end of the stake mere centimetres from his heart. “NO!” Hisashi screamed as Izuku rushed to his side, yanking the chair leg out of his frozen grip and tossing it away.
Little hands trembled as Izuku looked him over, shaking like a leaf in the wind, the chalice he had brought with him laying forgotten as its contents spilled over the floor. “Dad! Dad, why would you—”
“I AM NOT YOUR FATHER!” Hisashi roared.
Izuku flinched back, a hurt look on his face. His skin had paled in fear and shock at the sight he had walked in on. Hisashi watched as he shifted through multiple emotions, clearly still working to try and comprehend what had just happened.
Shock became hurt became terror became anger, and the boy’s fists balled up at his sides. “How could you do this?” he demanded, tears coming to his eyes as he glared at Hisashi. “How could you even think of resorting to this?”
“Haven’t you taken enough from me already?!” Hisashi bellowed out. “At least allow me to die with dignity!”
Izuku recoiled as though slapped, and his lips pulled back, showing his fangs as his face twisted into a snarl. Hisashi hadn’t actually seen him mad before, and he watched with trepidation as green eyes darkened. “No,” Izuku said, and his voice was far too steady for the situation. “You can’t die. I won’t let you die. I am never, ever losing another parent. You aren’t allowed to leave me!”
Hisashi hissed, his own fangs displaying in an instinctive response he couldn’t yet control.
Small and unnaturally strong hands took hold of his cheeks, their claws pressing into his skin but not breaking it. Izuku’s face came too close to his for comfort. “You will not ever do something like this again. You hear me? You are NOT allowed to attempt to kill OR harm yourself purposefully in ANY manner EVER again,” he growled, and the sheer amount of force and will behind the command made Hisashi’s body shudder, to the point that he could almost feel it settle in his bones.
Tears flowed unbidden from Hisashi’s eyes, a sob tearing from his throat as he clutched at his hair and screamed as his tormentor pulled him into his chest, resting a freckled cheek against the top of his head as he held Hisashi in a tight, unrelenting hug. He didn’t release him no matter how much Hisashi spit and struggled, unable to stop the embarrassing cries that escaped his throat, nor the flow of tears down his face. The boy simply held him there, murmuring soft, meaningless comforts, a hand rubbing at his back in a soothing gesture.
It wasn’t long before Hisashi’s eyes were slipping shut despite his best efforts. He didn’t want to fall asleep here; to leave himself in an even more vulnerable state in front of the monster that had turned him. But his already exhausted body was rapidly crashing as the adrenaline high wore off, leaving him unable to fight. Despair took hold of him, the sheer weight of knowing there was no escape pressing down on him. That he was cursed to this hated existence, and all he could do was mourn for who he used to be.
He had become the very thing he sought to destroy.
Gran waited impatiently with his arms crossed for the fogginess to leave Mirai’s eyes. It was taking longer than it normally did. Finally though, the fog passed and his golden gaze returned.
“Well?” Gran asked, tapping his foot.
“…How disappointing,” Mirai muttered lowly, a heavy sigh leaving him. He reached over his desk to retrieve a glass of rich, dark blood, taking a long sip of the liquid until he had completely drained it.
Gran groaned in frustration. “So I’m guessing it didn’t happen then?”
“No.” Mirai shook his head, wiping the residue of blood from his mouth with a dab of his cloth. “His Majesty got there in time.”
“Figures,” Gran muttered, snapping his fingers in a mocking manner. “I told you we should have distracted him.”
“He would have suspected something.”
“True.” Gran rubbed his chin. “Izuku is far too attached already, and he’s only had All For One for a day.”
“There is still time. He’s already at the brink as it is. Just a little longer and I’m sure he’ll make a second attempt.”
“Yes, but it’s going to be harder. You saw how Izuku reacted when you slapped him. He won’t stand for us insulting or hurting his…father,” Gran spat the last word out.
“We’ll just have to be more careful; more subtle,” Mirai insisted.
“Eh? Who do you think you’re talking to? Subtle. Right. Maybe if we hadn’t been so subtle to begin with we wouldn’t have ended up in this situation,” Gran hissed out. “You said there was a high probability of Izuku killing All For One himself by drinking him dry if we didn’t warn him ahead of time and look how that turned out.”
“Or perhaps if you had been a little faster and actually managed to deal a fatal blow before the king could stop you,” Mirai shot back.
“I’d like to have seen you try to be faster than someone that can stop you with a word!”
Mirai’s lips curved in amusement. “Are you admitting to getting slow in your old age then, Gran?”
“Pfft, please. There isn’t a vampire alive faster than me.”
“Except His Majesty’s mouth apparently,” Mirai pointed out dryly.
Gran cackled. “Boy can that kid sure run his yap!” His face returned to being serious. “There has to be something more we can do though. The others won’t take All For One becoming the ‘father’ of their king well.”
Mirai’s brow raised in contemplation. “Maybe the people will revolt actually, or at least enough to kill off All For One themselves. We both know no vampire would ever touch His Majesty.”
“A revolt is the last thing we need right now,” Gran muttered. “We have enough trouble at the borders as it is with Todoroki’s forces. A rebellion would only make things worse.”
Mirai sighed. “You’re right.” He was silent for a moment. “…Perhaps the nobles then? I know we don’t want All For One anywhere near our war planning—there’s no way he should be allowed into our secrets—but if we do let him be brought to a meeting, the nobles might just finish him off for us.”
Gran shrugged. “Worth a shot at least. What’s the worst that can happen? Other than inside information being leaked, of course.”
“We’ll simply have to convince His Majesty to coax All For One into secrecy. That way he can’t possibly reveal our plans.”
Gran nodded in agreement. “Alright. I suppose we’ll just have to see how it goes.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll get rid of him. One way or another.”
“Agreed.”
Notes:
2000DragonArmy drew some fantastic art based off of this chapter! Go check it out! Their tumblr has more amazing art as well 👏👏
Trigger warnings:
—Attempted suicide
—Thoughts of self harm and self hatred
—Minor panic attackIf you would like to avoid the mental spiral entirely, it begins in the page break after the line “He waited until he saw Hisashi disappear into his new rooms, then set off to do as he had said.”
And ends with the next page break which begins with the line “Gran waited impatiently with his arms crossed for the fogginess to leave Mirai’s eyes.”
If you would prefer to just skip past the suicide attempt only, it begins in seriousness with the line “He stumbled around the room frantically, eyes casting about over everything in search of something that could help him.”
And ends after the line “…the sheer amount of force and will behind the command made Hisashi’s body shudder, to the point that he could almost feel it settle in his bones.”
A summary for those who do skip any of these parts:
Hisashi spirals in a fit of self-hatred after being left alone, and makes an attempt on his life that is stopped by Izuku, who then orders him to never try something like it ever again and does his best to comfort Hisashi.
As always, thanks for reading!
Chapter 5
Summary:
Mirai sighed. “You’re right.” He was silent for a moment. “…Perhaps the nobles then? I know we don’t want All For One anywhere near our war planning—there’s no way he should be allowed into our secrets—but if we do let him be brought to a meeting, the nobles might just finish him off for us.”
Sorahiko shrugged. “Worth a shot at least. What’s the worst that can happen? Other than inside information being leaked, of course.”
“We’ll simply have to convince His Majesty to coax All For One into secrecy. That way he can’t possibly reveal our plans.”
Sorahiko nodded in agreement. “Alright. I suppose we’ll just have to see how it goes.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll get rid of him. One way or another.”
“Agreed.”
Notes:
Hewwo here we are again uwu
If you haven’t seen it yet, redoaktreehill did an amazing piece of art inspired by chapter 3!
AND 2000DragonArmy drew some beautiful artwork based off of chapter 4!
Go check out their blogs! Both artists have great content and other artwork 👏👏👀
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku hadn’t been able to leave his father’s side all night after the…episode he had had. He kept watch over him as he slept, Hisashi’s face peaceful and smooth. It was a far cry from the utter distress and misery that had been plastered over it before. He still looked tired and drawn, but Izuku was sure that was just due to a lack of blood at this point.
Nothing a little rest and proper eating couldn’t fix, right?
But even as he tried to reassure himself, worry continued to gnaw at his insides uncomfortably. He raised a hand to his father’s head, strumming his fingers through strands of curly white hair. He had ordered Hisashi to never try something like that again, but he was still scared.
When he had come into the room only to see…that…he had never been so terrified before in his life. His stomach had dropped. Not even the vampire that had attacked him had made Izuku feel as frightened and sick as he did then.
It had only been one day, but he couldn’t stand the idea of losing another dad. And he didn’t—he didn’t understand. Why had Hisashi done that? How could he be willing to do that? Izuku knew the man hated vampires, but surely with time and exposure his dad would learn to enjoy his new life. Would see that vampires were people and deserving of love too.
Izuku had never anticipated such an extreme reaction. What had happened to Hisashi to make him hate vampires so?
Maybe…Maybe if he knew what his dad liked; what kind of hobbies he enjoyed—besides hunting vampires—it would help ease him along? He liked weapons, obviously, but Izuku couldn’t allow him near them just yet. Maybe in the future when he had more trust in him.
Oh! Maybe they could even spar in the future! All For One hadn’t been the best for no reason, and while Izuku was learning combat as a part of his lessons, there was something exciting about the idea of practicing with his dad. But that was much further down the road. For now, Izuku had to find something they could bond over. Having his dad made him happy, but Izuku had to keep in mind that he also needed to make his dad happy.
So reading, perhaps? Izuku had heard All For One knew all sorts of magic—would Hisashi be interested in learning from the tomes and books that were kept in the royal library?
A sudden, soft groan interrupted his thoughts, and he looked over to where his dad was. Izuku had moved them to the bed after Hisashi had fallen asleep, and had stayed with him there all night. Now as the man slowly awakened, Izuku couldn’t stop the rush of pure relief that went through him. Hisashi’s brows were pinched as if in pain, and so Izuku leaned over, uncaring of his dad’s still dirty state as he wrapped his arms around him comfortingly. He heard a grunt of confusion, then Hisashi tensed in his hold.
“Let go,” his father hissed, trying to push Izuku off of him.
Izuku frowned unhappily but did as requested, letting his dad have some space. He really missed when the man had held him and hugged him of his own volition—back when he had rescued Izuku. Those arms had cradled him close protectively, and it had been so nice, so caring, and Izuku had felt so safe.
He told himself he would have that again eventually. His dad just needed time.
“Did you sleep well?” Izuku asked as Hisashi sat up, refusing to look Izuku’s way.
For a moment, it seemed as though he was going to ignore Izuku completely, but eventually he replied in a low mutter, “…Fine.”
“That’s good.” Izuku smiled gently. “I can have a hot bath drawn for you if you'd like? Since you weren’t able to take one after…after last night.”
Hisashi winced at the reminder, fingers curling against his palms tightly. Izuku reached forward and placed a hand over Hisashi’s in an effort to console him, but a pang of hurt struck his heart when Hisashi jerked his hand away as though he’d been burnt by the touch.
Hisashi released a shuddery breath, and Izuku tilted his head in concern. His dad…he wasn’t…he wasn’t scared of Izuku? Was he?
…No. That was a ridiculous thought. He was probably still just upset about last night. It had been a lot after all.
“A bath is fine,” his father murmured.
“Alright.” Izuku stood up, heading for the door. “I’ll bring a drink for you afterwards.”
“Not thirsty,” Hisashi said reflexively, shaking his head in refusal.
Izuku restrained himself from rolling his eyes. “You’re not going to feel better if you don’t drink, Dad. We have to get you healthy again.”
“Not. Thirsty,” Hisashi repeated through gritted teeth.
Maybe he would change his mind once Izuku brought him something. The smell might awaken his appetite.
“…I’ll be back in a moment then,” Izuku informed him as he opened the door, but his father didn’t answer him. Izuku looked back, hesitant to actually leave the room. He knew it was dumb, considering Hisashi wouldn’t be able to try anything now due to the orders Izuku had put on him. And yet, Izuku couldn’t help but fear that his dad would disappear the second he took his eyes off of him.
Still, he wouldn’t get better if Izuku didn’t help him. And it was that thought that allowed Izuku to be able to step out of the room.
Finding a few servants to help was a simple enough task; leading them up to the large, private baths reserved for use only by the royal family. Stone columns surrounded an empty rectangular basin in the floor, and torches magically lit with a smokeless blue fire gently illuminated the room. Three large spouts, one on each wall surrounding the bath, stuck out over the basin, and a servant quickly began to spin the small wheels next to each spout to open them. Water gushed out of the spouts and into the basin, slowly filling it as magical enchantments heated it up.
Izuku waved a hand to a servant that came in carrying towels. “Give it the works,” he ordered. “It’s Dad’s first bath here and I want it to feel special.”
The servant nodded, quickly moving about to fulfill their duties. Izuku watched them as they did, pouring essential oils, herbs, and flower petals into the rising water, a relaxing, fragrant scent soon filling the room.
Satisfied that everything was going smoothly, he left to find his father something to drink while the bath took time to fill. He grabbed a glass of blood from the kitchens before quickly making his way back upstairs.
“Dad?” Izuku called out as he opened the door, feeling more than a little nervous after what he had walked in on last night. Opening it fully, he was relieved to find his father still in the room—not about to hurt himself—and sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at his hands that were facing palm up in his lap.
The bedroom was still kind of a mess from last night; the contents of drawers strewn across the place from…whatever Hisashi had been doing before trying to kill himself. Izuku hadn’t wanted to leave his dad’s side at all last night, and he figured he could probably clean it all up while Hisashi was busy taking his bath.
He approached Hisashi, smiling at him reassuringly when he lifted his head to look at Izuku with dull, empty eyes. Izuku’s fingers nervously tapped on the chalice he held that was full of blood, but he offered it out to his father anyway.
“I said I wasn’t thirsty,” Hisashi told him through clenched teeth. “Take it away.” His hands shook as Izuku drew closer, and with a strained voice he forced out, “Please.”
Izuku worriedly chewed at his lower lip. “Just a little bit then,” he coaxed. “You don’t have to drink all of it right now.” He held the glass out further, and he could see the way his dad’s pupils dilated at the scent; could see the way his tongue unconsciously licked at his lips.
Hisashi shook his head, turning away. “I’m not thirsty,” he said again. “I’m not. I’m not.”
He wasn’t sure who Hisashi was trying to convince: Izuku, or himself.
“…I know you are,” Izuku said carefully. “You don’t have to lie to me.”
Hisashi whipped around to glare at him. “I don’t want it!” he hissed.
Well. That was a step up from lying about not being thirsty, he guessed. “Alright,” Izuku relented, placing it on the table. “I’ll leave it here in case you change your mind…” he trailed off, not wanting to have to make Hisashi but knowing it might be inevitable. “I’ll give you until tonight to drink it, ok?”
“And then what?” Hisashi spat out angrily. “You’ll force me to drink it?” Izuku pursed his lips, looking down and away. He didn’t want to, but if he had to…Hisashi sneered at him, bitterness coating his voice as he said, “That’s what I thought.”
“It doesn’t have to be like that!” Izuku burst out.
His dad only scowled at him. “Then don’t do it!”
“If you drink at least a little—”
“I’m not bargaining with you,” Hisashi cut him off.
“Well then you’re forcing me to force you!” Izuku exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “I will not let you starve.” Quickly realizing the conversation wouldn’t go anywhere with how stubborn his dad was, Izuku decided to drop the topic for the time being. “Your bath should be ready now. Do you still want it?” It was a rhetorical question. Izuku wasn’t about to let his dad continue going around filthy after all. But he hoped the illusion of having the choice would make Hisashi feel better.
Hisashi grunted in affirmation.
“Then if you would follow me, I’ll take you there, okay?”
Hisashi hesitated in rising from the bed, his eyes narrowing at Izuku before he slowly got to his feet. When he neared, Izuku reached out, but Hisashi quickly whisked his hand away, clutching it to his chest.
Izuku tried his best not to pout, mentally reminding himself to give Hisashi a little time and space. “Come on then,” he sighed, beckoning Hisashi to follow him as he led the way to the bathing room.
They walked in silence, Izuku deep in thought, and when they neared the doors to the royal baths, he turned to his father. “Is it…the fact that it’s human blood that makes you not want to drink it?” he asked.
Hisashi looked at him in a way that implied he thought Izuku was stupid.
Izuku sighed. “Would you accept vampire or animal blood? It’s not as nutritious for you, but it could help while we get you comfortable with transitioning to human blood. You could even drink from me if you want, like before,” he offered.
“I wouldn’t drink from you again if you paid me. Drinking your cursed blood is how this happened,” Hisashi spat.
Izuku puffed up indignantly at that. “It’s not cursed.”
Hisashi snorted. “I hate to break it to you, but normal blood doesn’t transform people into monsters if they end up drinking it.”
“You mean human blood,” Izuku pointed out.
“Yeah. Normal blood,” Hisashi insisted.
You know what? Izuku didn’t feel like touching that subject right now. He simply opened the doors to the royal baths and ushered Hisashi inside.
“…What is this?” Hisashi asked after taking a few steps in, eyes roving over the basin and the servants standing to the side in waiting.
Izuku wasn’t sure why he looked so bewildered. “The bath?”
“This is the bath?” his dad repeated incredulously.
“Yes?”
“There are flower petals in the water!” Hisashi gestured to the roses floating about.
Izuku just blinked. “Uh. Yeah. Those are for your skin. The scented oils help soften your skin and make you smell nice.”
His father seemed mildly offended at the implication that he smelled bad, but he didn’t deny it.
One of the servants took the initiative to approach them with a polite smile. “Everything is ready for you, My Lord.”
There was a long pause, then Izuku got to watch his dad’s face colour in surprise when he realized the servant was addressing him. Izuku backed away as the servants stepped up to do their job, reaching out to divest Hisashi of his clothes.
“What are you doing?” Hisashi bared his fangs and slapped away the hand of a servant that grabbed the back of his shirt to pry it away. “Don’t touch me!”
“Dad, they’re just doing their job,” Izuku said tiredly. Everything was a fight with Hisashi.
“I can undress myself!” Hisashi protested indignantly.
When the servants glanced at Izuku, seeming to ask for permission with their eyes, Izuku nodded and waved them off. They stepped back obediently, allowing Hisashi to remove his own clothes.
Hisashi made no move to do so.
“…Well?” Izuku prompted.
“I’m not going to do it while you’re all staring at me!” His dad looked flustered.
Izuku rolled his eyes, and noticed some of the servants looked like they were trying to hold back amusement at the situation. Still, they wordlessly turned their backs to Hisashi.
“Are you happy now?” Izuku asked sarcastically.
“I don’t want you here either,” Hisashi informed him shortly.
Izuku shook his head in exasperation. Really, he was being so difficult. “Fine, fine. If it’ll make you feel better.”
As he turned to leave, he saw Hisashi hesitantly begin to strip out of the corner of his eye.
He had just stepped out the door when his father started hollering once more, “GET AWAY! I CAN WASH MYSELF TOO! DON’T EVEN THINK OF TOUCHING ME—”
So, so difficult.
After pinching clothes from Gran’s personal wardrobe for Hisashi (and receiving a wet towel to the face from his dad in return for his generosity), Izuku was finally showing his begrudging father around the castle. Hisashi kept getting distracted though, alternating between pulling at the collar of his shirt and the bottom of it. It was a tight fit, and left a sliver of his midriff showing due to being too small, but it was the best Izuku could find on the spot. Hisashi was an incredibly tall man, and the only person whose clothes would have truly fitted him well would have been…Dad.
But Izuku couldn’t bring himself to go into his parent’s old room; wouldn’t be able to handle seeing Dad’s old clothes on his new father without feeling like his heart was being crushed. So Gran’s clothes would have to do until the royal tailor had at least one outfit ready for Hisashi, and Izuku would just have to put up with the complaining until then. His dad had come out of the bath clean, but grumpier than before he went in.
At least he smelled nice now.
And Izuku could finally show him everything today! Though he was admittedly a little less excited about it all in the wake of what had happened last night. It kept swirling in his mind, and Izuku so badly wanted to bring it up; to talk to Hisashi about it and find out all the whys. But he had a feeling bringing it up now would be too soon. He wanted to give his dad some time, and hopefully make some good memories today so that his dad would see that he could be happy here. Happy with Izuku as a family.
“Stop messing with it,” Izuku groaned, slapping Hisashi’s hands away from tugging on his shirt again.
Hisashi sent him a frosty glare. “It’s uncomfortable,” he protested.
“Pulling on it isn’t going to make it any less uncomfortable,” Izuku pointed out. His dad grumbled incoherently under his breath and Izuku exhaled heavily. “Just take it off then if you hate it so much.”
Hisashi looked scandalized. “No!”
“I could try and find some sort of bathrobe or something else if you prefer,” Izuku offered. “It would be a more loose fit.”
Hisashi still looked scandalized. “I’m not walking around in a bathrobe.”
“Suit yourself then.” Izuku rolled his eyes. “Now, come on, we’re nearly to the hall of magical artifacts. It’s my favourite place; I think you’re really gonna like it. But, don’t touch anything, ok?”
Hisashi only muttered under his breath some more, but he followed Izuku as the tour continued. Izuku was inwardly vibrating with anticipation as they neared the hall. He was sure his father was going to like this room—especially if the amount of enchanted items they had taken off of Hisashi yesterday said anything about his interests.
Being a place full of incredibly valuable and powerful magical items, the hall had guards stationed outside of it at all times. Those guards bowed and opened the doors for them at Izuku’s approach, revealing a large room filled with every sort of artifact and relic a person could imagine. From suits of enchanted armor standing at the walls; to shelves lined with talismans, necklaces, and rings set into ornate stands; to old, decorative boxes that hadn’t been touched in centuries; to unusual masks; and even a large, beautiful mirror in the corner. There were also weapons: daggers laying on pillows of silk; swords held in display over the walls; a couple of glowing, frosty spears; and a bow with no visible string.
Izuku glanced up towards his dad discreetly. There was a spark in Hisashi’s eyes that he hadn’t seen before, something bright and interested. “Is there anything you’d like to look at in particular?” Izuku asked as he led his father deeper inside.
Hisashi said nothing, even as his gaze darted about, lingering on some objects more than others. But Izuku still felt a flutter of hope in his chest. It was a tiny bit of progress, but progress all the same.
“This is an accumulation thousands of years in the making,” Izuku began, slowing his pace to give Hisashi ample time to look at everything. “A few pieces even go as far back as the reign of the first vampire. I think we might even have a few artifacts from the kingdom of Yuei.”
Hisashi still made no move to approach anything, though Izuku could see his fingers twitch as if he was holding himself back. So he decided to give his dad another nudge, tugging him by the sleeve towards a large pedestal in the middle of the room. On that pedestal was one of the most valuable items in the hall—and certainly one close to Izuku’s heart.
“This one is my favourite,” he told Hisashi.
A large, sharp broadsword gleamed from the top of the pedestal, emanating a faint glow from within. The sword was elegant but strong, the blade engraved with enchantments and runes from a language long dead. The hilt was etched with spells as well, ones Izuku knew would boost the holder’s strength and magical power as soon as their hand wrapped around the grip. Rust and age did not touch the sword, nor did it dull with time.
“This,” Izuku said proudly, “is One For A—”
“—All,” Hisashi echoed quietly. Izuku turned to see his dad’s eyes were wide and full of wonder, his face lit up with excitement. “The Blade of Yuei! This sword is legendary! Did you know it was—”
Izuku beamed as he listened to Hisashi rant about the sword, his voice vibrant and full of life as he spoke. He certainly knew a lot about it, most of which Izuku already knew as well, but it was refreshing to see his father happy about something for once. He was content to listen to Hisashi ramble on—reminding Izuku a lot of himself actually.
Izuku blinked when Hisashi abruptly cut himself off mid-sentence, freezing in place all of a sudden. He looked up curiously to see his dad studying him from the corner of his eye, and when their gazes met, Hisashi’s cheeks flushed faintly and he turned away, clearing his throat. “It’s um. It’s fine,” he muttered. “A cool sword, I guess.”
Izuku bit his lip hard to prevent a giggle from escaping, not wanting to put his dad off more. “Super cool,” he agreed. “Check this one out.” He dragged Hisashi over to a different weapon and began to go on his own tirade about it, trying to make his dad feel comfortable again.
It worked. As Izuku showed him all of his personal favourite items, talking about them extensively, Hisashi slowly began to lower his guard again, adding his own comments in here and there until the both of them were chatting excitedly about the artifacts. Izuku could have spent the entire day examining each and every artifact with his father, who grew more thrilled with every item they looked over. The tension seemed to flow off his shoulders, and Izuku could have sworn he even saw a smile at one point. He would have too, if it hadn’t been for the knock at the door and a cough interrupting Izuku’s latest rant.
“Your Majesty,” Mirai called out from the entrance. “My apologies for interrupting your…bonding, but I’m afraid it is nearly time for the meeting.”
“The meeting?” Izuku blinked, tilting his head in confusion.
“The war council, My Liege,” Mirai reminded him patiently. “We’ve been waiting for your return to go over some important details concerning the border and…” Mirai paused, narrowing his gaze at Hisashi. Izuku looked to his father, the warm feeling in his chest fading when he saw that he had returned to being hard and guarded, jaw clenched and mouth pulled into a thin line. Mirai’s gaze returned to him. “...and other such matters.”
“I’ll be there shortly then,” Izuku conceded, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Mirai bowed and took his leave. Izuku paused for a bit with a sigh, wishing the moment could have lasted a little longer, then gestured for his father to follow him.
Hisashi did so with an annoyed grumble. “What would vampires need a council for?” he asked with skepticism as Izuku led him out.
Izuku furrowed his brow at his dad’s tone. “For the same reason humans do?” he answered. “For laws, legislation, taxes, reforms, overseeing the needs of each region…”
“I never thought I’d see the day that beasts would play at politics.”
“Beasts?” Izuku repeated with a frown. “Vampires aren’t beasts.”
Hisashi pulled at the collar of his shirt once more, revealing the reddened bite marks Izuku had left on him. “Really?” he drawled sardonically. “You could’ve fooled me.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Izuku apologized. He truly did feel bad about mauling Hisashi like that. Vampires healed from most wounds very quickly unless they were either severe, or the vampire hadn’t drunk any blood for a while. But a turning bite always left behind a mark, and Mirai had mentioned Hisashi’s would be quite the scar. “I’d never bitten a human before and I kind of…got lost in it. That’s no excuse, I know. But you tasted amazing.” Izuku tacked on the compliment to try and make his dad feel better.
All it did was make Hisashi cringe. “Don’t ever say something like that to me again. I don’t want to hear about how you think I taste. That’s weird.”
Oh, oops. “Um. Sorry again then,” Izuku mumbled.
“Whatever.”
He wasn’t sure Hisashi fully believed how sorry he was, so he tried again. “It’s just that really powerful magical blood has an…addicting taste. Which means you’re super strong!” There. Maybe wording the compliment differently would help? “But I am really, really sorry. It’s a good thing you’re so strong, because I drank more than I should have and almost…” Izuku trailed off, shuddering at the thought of having nearly killed his dad.
Hisashi still picked up on what he had been about to say. “I wish you had,” he muttered under his breath.
Izuku felt his chest constrict. “Don’t say things like that!” he snapped aggressively.
Hisashi startled before glaring at him. “The point is: you’re beasts. And I don’t care what you say, you’ve already proven that to me.”
Irritation, mixed with guilt and sadness, bit at Izuku’s consciousness, but he shoved it aside until he could deal with it properly later. “Let’s just. Go to the meeting,” he groaned.
Notes:
Izuku: My dad is being so uncooperative!
Gran and Mirai: I can’t imagine how you must be feeling, My Liege.
Other AFOs from various universes looking at the happenings of this AU: Man. This guy has a perfect, family-obsessed, possessive Izuku, and he doesn’t even appreciate it! Wretched. He’s not allowed in the club. Ashamed to consider him an All For One. We must steal his Izuku, he doesn’t deserve him.
Cue infighting of the other AFOs as they all try to call dibs on vampire Izuku.
Thanks for reading 👈👀
Chapter 6
Summary:
“But I am really, really sorry. It’s a good thing you’re so strong, because I drank more than I should have and almost…” Izuku trailed off, shuddering at the thought of having nearly killed his dad.
Hisashi still picked up on what he had been about to say. “I wish you had,” he muttered under his breath.
Izuku felt his chest constrict. “Don’t say things like that!” he snapped aggressively.
Hisashi startled before glaring at him. “The point is: you’re beasts. And I don’t care what you say, you’ve already proven that to me.”
Irritation, mixed with guilt and sadness, bit at Izuku’s consciousness, but he shoved it aside until he could deal with it properly later. “Let’s just. Go to the meeting,” he groaned.
Notes:
We’ve both been looking forward to this one 👀👀👀👀👀 another personal favourite chapter of the authors. That means good things to come obviously 😇
Don’t forget to give some love to the wonderful people who have drawn art inspired by this fic! ❤️
Redoaktreehill did an amazing piece of art based on a scene from chapter 3!
And 2000DragonArmy drew some beautiful artwork based off of chapter 4!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi scowled as he followed the little monster through the long hallways, having fallen strangely silent after their disagreement once they had left the artifacts room. Though he would never admit it, he found himself longing to return so he could look over each and every item. He wanted to meticulously pick apart every spell and enchantment; discover what it was each of them did.
He also wouldn’t admit to the pure excitement that had filled him upon seeing the legendary Blade of Yuei: One For All.
Hisashi had first heard of the sword back when he was a mere apprentice under his mentor. A weapon that would increase the user’s natural strength and enhance their magical capabilities ten fold. In ancient times it had been used by renowned hunters to protect the kingdom and its people from countless monsters. It had been passed down from hunter to hunter for ages beyond counting, allowing them to hold the tide against the beasts that threatened to overwhelm them.
Up until it had suddenly disappeared from history roughly seven hundred years ago, along with the hunter that had last wielded it, whose name was as lost to the tide of time as the blade itself. What was left behind was only rumor and speculation passed through word of mouth and written text. There were stories of the last wielder having sacrificed his life to seal away an ancient evil; having simply lost the blade and died shortly after; and even a tall tale of him being bewitched by a wicked vampire sorceress.
What exactly happened no one knew. Hisashi had combed through every record, book, document, and scroll he could find to retrace their steps in the faint hopes of finding the sword for himself. If he had One For All, no vampire would have been able to stand against him.
To think it had been here all this time, in the hands of the monsters it was meant to strike down. It was sacrilege.
Hisashi had wanted nothing more than to reach out and grasp the hilt of the blade he had spent a lifetime searching for and dreaming about. To have the fabled One For All. When he had looked at his reflection in the blade, he’d had a vision of grabbing it and striking down the little monster next to him; of being free. With One For All in hand, Hisashi was sure he would be able to slaughter every vampire in his way and leave their kingdom without anyone able to stop him.
But he had not been able to so much as brush the tips of his fingers against it. It had been right there, and yet it was farther out of reach than it had ever been before. And Hisashi had allowed himself to get carried away; to be excited by all the powerful, ancient artifacts surrounding him. He’d forgotten himself for a moment. Forgotten who he was and what he was supposed to do. Forgotten what he had become.
Hopefully this meeting he was being dragged to would prove…fruitful. Surely there was important information he could glean from it that he could use in the future. Information he could possibly pass to others in Yuei. Somehow.
“Alright.” The boy turned to him as they stopped outside large double doors. “We’re here.”
“But I don’t hear anything?” Hisashi muttered.
“Most of our rooms are soundproof. Except for Mirai’s. He hates people coming into his study unannounced,” Izuku explained. When Hisashi raised a curious brow, he continued with, “It’s because our hearing is so sensitive. Otherwise no one would have any privacy.”
“Ah. Well that—”
“Your Majesty.”
Hisashi bristled at the sight of Mirai coming down the hall towards them.
“Oh, Mirai!” Izuku exclaimed in surprise. “I thought you were already inside?”
Mirai dipped his head and said, “I forgot a few notes. But your timing is fortuitous, My Liege. There was an important matter I needed to discuss before the meeting began.” Hisashi glowered when those calculating yellow eyes shifted to gaze at him with contempt.
“Yes?” the boy answered, watching the exchange of scowls between the two.
“Since you insist on bringing your father,” Mirai said the word acidicly, like it burned his tongue, “to the meeting, then I must insist that you convince him to remain quiet about all of its proceedings.”
Hisashi huffed through his nose, hands clenching at his sides. Of course he would try to cut him off from doing anything he possibly could to help people.
“Hmm.” Izuku looked contemplative. “But it’s not like Dad can go anywhere…”
“You never know what might just slip past closed doors, My Liege. One can never be too careful.”
Hisashi instinctively tensed when the boy turned to him, biting his lip unsurely. Any hope that he had fell to the pit of his stomach when Izuku gave a little nod.
“Dad, you’re not to speak or reveal the contents of this meeting, or any meeting, to anyone outside of the council,” he ordered, in that strange way that caused Hisashi’s body to shudder as a new set of invisible chains weighed down on him. They made Hisashi feel like he was trapped inside of his own mind at times, yanked around like a puppet on strings to do the boy’s bidding.
“Thank you, My Liege,” Mirai said appreciatively.
When Izuku looked away, Hisashi saw the barest of smirks on the man’s face when he met his eyes. Hisashi bared his teeth with a quiet hiss.
Though not quiet enough as Izuku looked back over his shoulder at the two men, who both schooled their faces into neutrality. Mirai followed on the boy’s heels, “accidentally” trying to shut the door in Hisashi’s face as he brought up the rear.
“My apologies,” Mirai simpered fakely.
Hisashi wanted nothing more than to reach out and strangle the vampire by the throat. But he quickly discovered that he had a new problem as soon as he stepped foot inside the council room. The quiet murmurs he had been able to hear as soon as the door had opened went dead silent as the others caught sight of him. The child had already moved to take his seat at the head of the table, his loyal lapdog beside him, leaving Hisashi alone in the middle of the floor with all eyes on him.
“Who the hell—”
“Is that…”
“It is! How is he—”
“I know that face! All For One!”
The voices grew steadily more angry. Hisashi’s hand instinctively went to his waist, seeking his sword, but grasped empty air, reminding him of how much of a disadvantage he was at. Still, his feet shifted in preparation, and he was neither surprised nor caught off guard when a blue haired vampire raced towards him at incredible speed—though he was not as fast as Gran.
Hisashi swiftly stepped back and out of the way of the kick that had been aimed for his side, crouching low as he lashed out with his leg to swipe the vampire off his feet. The vampire crashed to the ground hard, a startled gasp escaping him.
“Wait—!” Hisashi heard the boy cry out, but it was lost in a cacophony of shouts and yells as he stepped to the side and struck at another vampire that was attempting to gouge out his throat with their claws, sending them skidding backwards with a kick to the stomach. Hisashi had no time to savor actually being able to retaliate as he was forced to jerk his head back when a dagger was suddenly flying towards him, embedding itself into the wall where he had just been.
The first vampire had finally reoriented himself and lashed out again, forcing Hisashi to dart out of the way to avoid the kick aimed at him. He ended up in the path of another vampire that he hadn’t heard sneaking up behind him, and attempted to twist on his heel to avoid their outstretched hands, their claws sharp and glinting in the light.
“I’ll take care of this!” he heard a female vampire say, and he whipped around to see her having snuck up in his blind spot, the tips of her fingers crackling with magical energy as she slashed at him.
Her hands missed due to his quick reflexes, but the magic still bolted out and struck him, zapping him and causing his body to seize. The others took advantage of this, surrounding him on all sides. Suddenly, there were hands pulling his arms behind his back and he was forced to his knees. More hands gripped his hair tightly and yanked his head back to expose his neck, and the cool sensation of a sharp blade was pressed to the column of his throat.
“I SAID STOP!”
The windows rattled, but the whole room froze as every vampire in it was forced to a standstill. All eyes fell onto the boy, who had ripped himself out of his chair, fangs bared. And as he glared at them, Hisashi could almost swear those green eyes were glowing.
“Your Majesty, this is—” one of the nobles spoke up, but was immediately interrupted.
“My father!” the boy snapped. “Take your hands off him! NOW!”
The gasps and absolute shock on the other vampires’ faces would have made Hisashi snicker in any other situation. As it were, he still felt the blade pressed against his skin, coming dangerously close to cutting him with every breath he took. But now that he had a moment to think, Hisashi almost wanted to press himself forward into that dagger, to free himself of this nonsense, but the order from last night held his body fast in its clutches.
Yet the hands that held him relinquished their grip at the boy’s command, the vampires’ gazes shifting from their child king and then back to him.
“Return to your seats at once. Don’t ever try to harm my father again,” the boy hissed out.
“But Your Majesty, he—”
“I know who he is,” Izuku growled. “I know what he’s done. Now sit down so we can start the meeting.”
The vampires did as ordered, but not without distrustful glares and scowls at Hisashi. “Vile beasts,” Hisashi muttered as they walked away from him.
One of them whipped around, nostrils flared. “What did you say?!”
“Did I stutter?”
“SIT. DOWN.” The boy slammed his hands on the table. With a glance to Hisashi he added, “That includes you, Dad.”
Hisashi glowered at him as he rose back to his feet. His eyes scanned the rows of chairs down the long table, and found only a single vacancy—right next to Mirai. Lovely. He exchanged a look of disgust with the other man as he sat down, noticing Gran on the boy’s other side, looking far too entertained.
“My King,” the vampire with dark blue hair spoke up as he sat, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. “How did you…? What do you mean by…father?”
“You already know that I was looking for a new father before I left,” Izuku said, taking a deep breath to calm himself.
“Yes, but…” The vampire’s eyes flicked to Hisashi. “All For One?”
“Do you disapprove of my choice?” Izuku’s voice edged on dangerous.
“He…that is to say…”
A different vampire spoke up then, their voice incredulous, “How did you possibly get HIM to agree to this?”
“Agree?” Hisashi squinted in confusion.
“It was…a surprise adoption,” he heard the boy mutter, and saw a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks.
The blue haired vampire from before looked appalled. “But Your Majesty! The laws!”
“I AM the law,” the boy said petulantly.
“Laws?” Hisashi repeated skeptically. “You monsters have laws? What law?”
The blue haired vampire looked very disapproving, though Hisashi wasn’t sure if it was aimed at him or the boy. “It is against our laws to turn a human without their consent.”
Shock didn’t fully fit what Hisashi felt hearing those words. His mind was still trying to wrap around the idea of vampires having laws they abided by. Laws that apparently included needing consent of all things to transform a human into one of them. But as the implications of what that meant settled on him, rage welled up.
“You little beast—” Hisashi snarled, claws digging into the arms of his chair, eyes focused solely on the child who was the source of all his misery. The boy ignored him.
“I removed a dangerous enemy fighting against us in the war, one that even our top soldiers couldn’t stop,” the boy said sharply. “And I did so on my own, without the loss of any lives. Are you really going to argue with how I did it?”
Hisashi ground his teeth, fangs bared in anger. What was he, some sort of trophy for the boy to prance around?! His fury flared even more as he saw some of the council members nodding their heads in approval. He wouldn’t stand for this. Actually, he couldn’t stand at all due to the order, but that wasn’t going to stop him. He opened his mouth to shout—
“If we can get on with business,” Mirai spoke up, shuffling through papers. “I believe there is a matter of delivering supplies to the front. Trade routes have been under siege as of late, and it’s been harder to get meals out to our soldiers positioned inside the human kingdom.”
“What, you can’t just make a meal out of the humans you kill?” Hisashi sneered.
Mirai’s lips thinned. “No,” he said shortly. “Back to the matter at hand, My King, we need to—” Hisashi’s snort cut him off, and Mirai closed his eyes in exasperation.
“Continue, Mirai,” the boy encouraged.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Mirai inclined his head in a brief nod. “As I was saying, our routes through Yuei have been attacked, leaving our troops lacking dire supplies. If we can secure better roads…”
“We could disguise them as human caravans,” a noble offered up. “If they think they’re simply travelling merchants in the kingdom, then perhaps—”
“There’s no hiding the fact that you’re monsters,” Hisashi interjected. “You won’t be able to fool anyone into thinking you’re human.”
“Izuku fooled you, didn’t he?” Gran shot back at Hisashi gleefully, grinning ear to ear.
Hisashi jolted to stand, but simply jittered in his chair as the order kept him down. “Shut the hell up!” he yelled. “That was—”
“Dad!” the boy snapped. “Enough!” He gestured to the council. “Please continue,” he said tiredly.
“Whatever you might think,” the female vampire that had attacked Hisashi before addressed him, “we do try not to attack or otherwise disturb any human villages that are not a part of their militia. There’s no need for unnecessary conflict and the loss of innocent life.”
“Oh really?” Hisashi muttered sardonically. “Is that why you bloodsuckers are going around decimating entire villages?”
Gran shot him a dirty look at the comment. “Those weren’t ours.”
Hisashi laughed meanly. “Sure. Then I guess it was some other kingdom’s vampires slaughtering innocent people. Please, don’t hold back your true nature just because I’m here. I’m well aware of what you freaks are like.”
“Dad,” Izuku warned once more, narrowing his eyes. “Enough.”
Hisashi just glared viciously at him. “You shouldn’t have brought me here if you didn’t want to listen to the truth. I have no qualms calling a monster what it is.”
He saw one of the boy’s eyes twitch, the glow they held earlier alighting once more. Hisashi felt a smug satisfaction at getting a rise out of him, watching as he visibly took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “Mirai,” Izuku said slowly.
Hisashi wasn’t going to let him off so easily. “Ignore me all you want,” he accused. “That won’t change anything.”
The room seemed to grow darker, but Hisashi hardly cared as he watched the boy’s hand curl, claws digging into the stone of the long table and leaving grooves in their wake. Around him he could see the nobles exchanging worried glances with each other. But there was a dark sort of joy inside of him at being able to torment his tormentor. It felt good; a way for Hisashi to release all the ugliness he felt inside on someone who deserved it. Just a little more…
“You’ll never be more than a filthy aberration,” Hisashi pressed on, heedless of the looks being sent his way, and of the light buzz of energy in the air that was prickling against his skin. “A blot on this planet that needs to be exterminated, just like your bloodsucking, parasite parents—”
“ENOUGH!”
The shriek echoed around the room, bouncing off the walls and inside his head, making everyone in attendance wince in pain. All the windows of the room creaked in their frames, cracks forming up the glass. The entire chamber seemed to shake, various items falling over and small bits of debris coming loose from the ceiling before the room settled once more.
Hisashi’s mouth worked open and closed uselessly, eyes wide. “I—” the aborted noise died in his throat, and he felt as though a hand had suddenly wrapped around his neck.
“HISASHI,” the boy hissed, and a spark of lightning flew from his mouth. The table rattled. Hisashi felt his hair stand up as the air filled with static electricity.
He tried desperately to keep his face neutral, not wanting to show just how unnerved he was at hearing his actual name come from the child’s mouth. The boy’s rage was almost tangible, and if not for the order keeping him in his seat, Hisashi would have likely fled already.
“I. Have had. Enough. You will NOT refer to any of us vampires as monsters or beasts or bloodsucking parasitic freaks or ANY derogatory term EVER again. Do you understand me?!”
Hisashi nodded mutely. As though he could do anything else as the new order settled inside of him. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Gran!” The boy's attention diverted from him, snapping over to the elder vampire, who jolted sharply at the beginnings of an order, body going rigid. “Take Hisashi to his room. IMMEDIATELY.”
In the span of time it took to blink, Gran was by his side, grasping a firm hand around his arm and all but yanking him to his feet. The chair he had been sitting on clattered to the floor, but Hisashi paid it no mind as he found himself firmly pinned under Izuku’s fierce glower. “And Hisashi, you will stay there until I return.”
And with that, Hisashi was being yanked out of the room, the eyes of every vampire still there lingering on his back as he left. He thought they maybe would have laughed at him if they weren’t also feeling rather frightened by the little king’s display. He himself couldn’t help the pulse of fear in his own chest.
Gran didn’t speak to him the whole time he dragged Hisashi through the castle, but that was perfectly fine as he didn’t wish to talk to the other vampire either. Once they had reached his new room however, Gran all but tossed him inside with a, “Nice job screwing that up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Izuku so angry.”
Hisashi huffed and looked away. His gaze happened to land on the glass of blood that was still sitting innocently on the dresser, and he felt his veins go cold. Crap. He had forgotten about that. If Izuku came back and saw that he hadn’t touched it, Hisashi had no doubt that he would be even more furious.
He didn’t want to admit how much that idea terrified him.
Gran was still blabbing, “I do have to say though, that was the most entertaining meeting we’ve had in a while. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a grown man get put in timeout before.”
“S-Shut up!” Hisashi felt his face flush.
“If it was me, I would’ve thrown you in the dungeons. You should be glad Izuku is so attached to you.”
“Attached?” Hisashi snarled furiously. “That little monster has taken everything from me!”
“To be fair, you didn’t have much,” Gran shot back.
“I had my humanity.”
“I think that’s something you lost long before you ever met Izuku,” the elder vampire snickered, ignoring how it made Hisashi seethe with anger. Gran followed his gaze to where it was still focused on the glass of blood. “You don’t mind, do you?” he asked as he moved to the dresser, snatching up the chalice in a clawed hand. “Kid has been running me ragged these days. I need a drink.”
“Please, be my guest,” Hisashi muttered.
Gran tipped the glass to him. “To your good health,” he jeered. He drained the chalice with ease, sighing contentedly afterwards. “Wow, Izuku sure brought you the good stuff.”
Hisashi ignored the pang of hunger gnawing at his stomach as he watched the elder vampire lick away residual drops of blood from his lips as he set the chalice down, turning to look at Hisashi once more. Gran’s grin seemed to widen and his eyes glimmered with mirth. “Want me to leave the door open for you?” he offered with a mocking smile. “I’d like to see how far you can get.”
Hisashi just sneered.
“Anyway.” Gran waved behind him as he walked out. “Good luck when Izuku comes for ya!”
Without anything to do but wait, Hisashi let himself collapse tiredly on the bed.
…And when the door slammed open moments later, he startled awake, jolting upright. He looked around dazedly, blinking sleep out of his eyes and—
Oh. He must have fallen asleep at some point. Not that it had helped any; he still felt just as exhausted as he had ever since being transformed. How long had it actually been since the meeting though? He wondered this as tired eyes turned to focus on the small figure stomping towards him.
“What is wrong with you?” the boy began immediately with a snarl. “Are you trying to make everyone hate you?!”
“They already hate me!” The protest didn’t come out as angrily as Hisashi wanted it to, his voice still bogged down by sleep.
“I know this has been hard for you, but you didn’t have to insult everyone!” Izuku continued.
Hisashi crossed his arms and muttered, “It’s not an insult if it’s the truth.” Sitting down as he was, the boy was almost eye-level with him, and Hisashi found he had to work harder to avoid his gaze, not wanting to see glowing green eyes again—though it seemed some of Izuku’s anger had fizzled out by now.
“If you would at least give vampires a chance—”
“A chance for what?” Hisashi snapped. “To kill people? Eat them? Destroy villages?”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Vampires can be people; vampires are people. We aren’t monsters.”
“I’ve yet to see anything that proves otherwise in all my career as a hunter,” Hisashi retorted. “People don’t prey on others to survive; people don’t drink blood or turn others into something that goes against nature!”
“Look. I—” Izuku sighed. “I know I didn’t ask permission to change you, but you never would have agreed anyway.”
“Yeah, I wonder why!” Hisashi growled. “Can’t fathom why I wouldn’t want to be a m—a mo—a—UGH!” He couldn’t even get the word out anymore due to that stupid order.
“It was for the greater good!” Izuku insisted.
“So you stole my humanity, my soul for the ‘greater good’?!” Hisashi snarled, not liking the way he sounded a little hysterical.
“Stole your soul?” Izuku repeated incredulously, eyes going wide. “Vampires are not soulless!”
Hisashi burst into ugly laughter. “Oh, yeah? I’ve pretty much felt empty inside since you turned me! I know I lost my soul. You probably just can’t tell because you were born a soulless m-m—” And there it was again.
The boy’s expression became…complicated. “You—You aren’t soulless, I promise. I don’t even know where you got that idea from! Vampires are people. We have souls, emotions, families; we care about each other. We can feel love, hate, and sadness just like humans can!”
“You’re just mimicking human emotions!” Hisashi insisted.
The boy began to look slightly frustrated, throwing his arms up. “Where are you getting this from?”
“Years of studying and hunting,” Hisashi informed him. “I’ve seen how your kind is; how they hunt and kill and destroy without remorse.”
“No more ‘your kind’, YOU are a vampire now too. So tell me, do you not feel emotions anymore? Do you have an insatiable desire to kill people?” Izuku flung the questions at him rapidfire. Hisashi snorted angrily and opened his mouth to retort, but the boy kept going, “You’re so set on insulting us, but you’re one of us now. Everything you’re calling us and saying about us would apply to you if it were true!”
“You think I don’t know that?!” Hisashi roared, shooting up from the bed and glaring down at the boy venomously. “I KNOW WHAT I'VE BECOME!”
Izuku blinked, taken aback. “…We’re not monsters,” he said softly. “You’re not a monster.”
“Yes, I am. And so are you. Nothing you say can change that fact,” Hisashi seethed.
The boy looked like he wasn’t sure how to respond, seeming aware that the conversation was pointless. He simply thinned his lips. “No, we aren’t. And I’ll make you see that one day!” he promised.
Hisashi just sneered and turned his head. He heard the boy walk away, and then his young voice spoke up again, “It’s empty…” He sounded slightly amazed, and Hisashi peaked over to see him holding the empty chalice in his hand. The boy looked to Hisashi with wide, hopeful eyes. “Did you throw the blood out?” Izuku asked him, and the answer was bubbling to his lips with a swell of panic before he could stop it.
“No,” he said truthfully, nearly sighing in relief when that was all that came forth.
“And all of it was drunk? Every last drop?”
“Yes,” he answered once more. He wasn’t technically lying, after all. For the first time in his life he found himself grateful for the presence of a vampire.
The boy smiled proudly. “Dad, that’s amazing! I’m so happy!”
Hisashi tensed when suddenly those little arms wrapped around him in a tight hug as the boy jumped him. All he could think of were those same little arms holding him down in iron grip. And when he beamed up at Hisashi, fangs on display, all Hisashi could think of was how those teeth were too close to his body.
A hand shot up to instinctively cover the bite wound on his neck. The boy’s smile fell as he noticed, and one of his small hands moved up to try and pry Hisashi’s away to look. “Does it still hurt?” The boy almost sounded concerned, but Hisashi wasn’t fooled.
“It’s fine,” he said lowly. “I don’t need your help.”
But Izuku kept pulling at his hand until Hisashi was forced to relent and reveal the still swollen, reddened bite marks. The boy winced. “I’m sorry I didn’t offer before, but I can get some bandages for you to cover it if you’d like. I’m sure Mirai knows of some sort of poultice we can apply to it to help the healing process.”
“I don’t want your help,” Hisashi repeated.
He felt himself being pushed backwards, and locked his legs to try and stand his ground. He didn’t understand how this child who was less than half his size could so easily overpower him.
“I can’t see it as well from here. Sit down for me, would you?” Izuku requested.
As always, Hisashi’s body moved without permission, sitting back on the bed. “Stop ordering me,” he ground out, hands clenching into fists at his sides. “Please, stop ordering me.”
Izuku patted him on the arm. “Sorry,” he said, not sounding all that sorry. “That wasn’t even a true order. It’s just that turned vampires are instinctively compelled to obey and not harm the one who turned them. The compulsion effect will wear off somewhat as time passes.”
So that’s what was happening. “You mean I won’t be forced to obey your every word?”
“I mean that you’ll have more luck ignoring non-direct orders. You’ll always feel compelled to obey me to some degree, but it gets better eventually.” The boy leaned into his personal space, and Hisashi shifted uncomfortably. “Now, let me take a closer look…” He leaned in even more, eyeing the mark on Hisashi’s neck with concentration.
Hisashi suddenly could feel the boy’s breath on his skin, and he panicked.
“NO!” he shouted, jerking back. His body kicked out automatically, not consciously intending to harm so much as get away, and he felt a faint flicker of surprise underneath his overwhelming terror as the kick connected, forcing the boy back.
Izuku stumbled with a yelp, eyes wide and just as shocked, but Hisashi didn’t pay much attention as he scrambled further up the bed. Both hands were on his neck now, covering it from view as he stared at the boy with wild eyes, his body trembling.
“I-I…I’m sorry,” the boy stuttered, his hands held up in surrender. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean to…”
“Don’t touch me!” Hisashi’s voice cracked on a sob, but he choked any panicked tears down.
“I just…I just wanted to help…” Izuku said weakly.
“You’ve done enough!”
“Okay…Okay.” The boy licked dry lips. “I won’t touch the bite, but is there anything I can get you for it? Do you want the bandages or poultice?”
“Just…Just go. What I want is to be left alone!”
The boy winced. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?!” Hisashi snapped, knees curled to his chest protectively. “I can’t do anything and you know it! You’ve made sure of that!”
“I don’t want you to be alone!” the boy cried. “It…The thought of you being alone scares me!”
Hisashi felt nothing but confusion. “Hah?! Why the hell would that scare you? Don’t act like you care! We don’t even know each other!”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t care!” Izuku insisted. “You’re my dad now! I care about you and want you to be happy!”
“I’m not your father! No matter how many times you say it!”
A scowl crept over the child’s face. “Yes, you ARE!” He stamped his foot. “I’ll make you say it if I have to!”
“DON’T—”
“Say you’re my father,” the boy demanded.
Hisashi tried to keep his lips shut, slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the words that came out of it. “I’m your father.”
Izuku’s scowl deepened. “Uncover your mouth and say it again!”
Hisashi’s hand fell, and he was unable to lift it up again as the sentence was forcibly pried from between clenched teeth. “I’m your father.”
“Again.”
“I’m your father,” Hisashi spoke in a whisper, his breath catching in his throat, desperation rising in his chest when the boy forced him to repeat the words again.
“Louder!”
“I’m your father!” he shouted, shutting his eyes tightly, chest heaving as he wrapped his arms around himself. How many more times was the child going to force him to do this?! He just wanted it to stop—
“Are you my father?!”
“I’M YOUR FATHER!” Hisashi screamed, eyes flying open and falling into a shocked silence once the words had left him. He hadn’t even been ordered to say them that time. He could only stare as a smile curled at the boys lips, hoping beyond hope that this ordeal was over—
The boy looked pleased. “Good. Now, call me your son.”
Hisashi looked at him pleadingly, dead tired even as his mouth moved without permission once more. “You’re my son.”
“Say it again.”
“You’re my son.”
“Call me Izuku.”
“Izuku.”
The boy beamed and Hisashi tugged at his hair in frustration, but he couldn’t even pull it hard enough to hurt himself due to the order from last night. “Why are you doing this?!” he cried in a strangled voice. “Stop! Please!”
“I want you to be happy,” Izuku said firmly.
“How is this supposed to make me happy?!”
“You will be happy. I’ll make sure of it.” The boy’s eyes softened. “Just give it time, Dad.”
Hisashi glared at him accusingly. “You don’t want me to be truly happy!” he spat. “You just want me to accept what you want! You don’t care about my happiness, you just want me to be happy for your own sake!”
The boy huffed. “No, I want you to be happy because you enjoy your life! I want you to be genuinely happy! I just know that I can make you happy. You’ll be happy with me.”
Hisashi shook his head wildly. “No!”
“You will.” Izuku sounded dead certain. “Now, come here.”
A short scream climbed up Hisashi’s throat as he was once again forced to move, approaching the boy. “STOP!” he all but begged.
“I won’t hurt you,” the boy promised. “Hug me.”
Hisashi found himself leaning down and engulfing the boy in his arms. His body was taut as a bowstring while Izuku relaxed in his hold.
“I won’t touch the bite,” Izuku said. He hugged Hisashi’s waist in return. “See? Isn’t this nice? When was the last time someone held you with love? We have each other now. We’re family.”
“Stop,” Hisashi pleaded once more, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes. “Please, please just stop.”
It was hard to deal with the boy’s childish mood swings on top of his already chaotic emotions. One moment Izuku seemed to be sympathetic and caring, the next he was demanding Hisashi do what he wanted. Hisashi wasn’t sure why he had expected otherwise—Izuku literally was a child. A child who desperately missed his parents and had no one in a position of authority above him who was able to tell him he couldn’t just force others to do what he wanted.
“You’ll see,” Izuku promised, burying his face into Hisashi’s chest. “I’ll make you understand.” After a moment of silence where Hisashi desperately choked back tears while the boy hummed happily in their embrace, Izuku perked up again. “Oh! I almost forgot! I had a gift bought for you yesterday, but I haven’t had the chance to give it to you yet. Wait here and I’ll go get it!”
Hisashi nearly cried with relief when the boy let go of him, turning on his heel and practically flying out the door. Hisashi barely had time to make it back to sit on the bed again before it swung open once more, and he tensed when he heard the small footsteps walking back over to him.
“Here you go!” The boy presented an expensive looking leather-bound book. “Happy adoption day, Dad!”
Hisashi accepted the book with numb fingers, opening it to see blank pages.
“It’s a journal,” Izuku said, pointing out the obvious. “I thought you might like some way to be able to organize your thoughts and get all of your feelings down.”
That would be nice actually. Though Hisashi had the sinking suspicion that the boy would try and snoop through his journal at some point to read it. He would have to hide it well if he used it.
He looked over at the boy who was beaming at him, all bright-eyed and with fangs flashing, as if the past ten minutes had never happened. “Oh, and from now on you’ll refer to me as Izuku or your son, okay?” the child commanded casually, as if he wasn’t chaining Hisashi down with yet another order against his will.
Hisashi’s throat felt so dry as he swallowed. “Okay,” he agreed quietly, if only so the child would stop. He felt his mind disconnecting from the reality of his situation, shutting down to keep him safe.
“So what do you want to do now, Dad?” Izuku asked eagerly.
“Sleep,” he muttered.
Izuku frowned. “It’s not bedtime yet though!”
“M’tired, Izuku,” Hisashi mumbled with an exhaustion that was more mental than physical—and he felt plenty physically tired.
“…Are you sick?” A small hand came up to press against Hisashi’s forehead, and he didn’t bother trying to avoid it, only shuddering when it came into contact with his skin.
Hisashi shrugged.
“Well…if you really need to…” the boy trailed off with a little pout.
“Thank you,” he whispered dully.
“Sleep well, okay, Dad? We have another big day ahead of us tomorrow,” Izuku said, giving Hisashi one last hug.
Hisashi just grunted, and once Izuku had left the room he ripped the infuriating, too-small shirt off of his body with righteous anger, hurling it across the room before flopping down on the bed again. He buried his face into the pillow and screamed into it, cursing everything in his life that had ever led up to this moment.
What had he done to deserve this? What god did he anger to possibly deserve being the slave of a childish monster? How long was he expected to endure this? Hisashi wasn’t sure how much more he could take.
Notes:
Izuku: why is it I can’t make dad feel better? Everything seems to upset him!
Gran: could it possibly be the fact that you tricked him and forcibly turned—
Izuku: shh. I don’t want to hear it.
Good old classic conditioning 👈👈👀 come through 🙌 Izuku uses gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss: ✨manipulation✨ It’s super effective!
The other AFOs:
Anyway thanks for reading!
Chapter 7
Summary:
“Sleep well, okay, Dad? We have another big day ahead of us tomorrow,” Izuku said, giving Hisashi one last hug.
Hisashi just grunted, and once Izuku had left the room he ripped the infuriating, too-small shirt off of his body with righteous anger, hurling it across the room before flopping down on the bed again. He buried his face into the pillow and screamed into it, cursing everything in his life that had ever led up to this moment.
What had he done to deserve this? What god did he piss off to possibly deserve being the slave of a childish monster? How long was he expected to endure this? Hisashi wasn’t sure how much more he could take.
Notes:
When will Izuku come back from the war in the manga? Never. He’s going to the war, but he sure is taking his SWEET time getting there smh 🙄
Check out the artists who’ve drawn some pieces inspired by this fic! 😍
Redoaktreehill did an amazing piece of art based off chapter 3!
And 2000DragonArmy drew some beautiful artwork based off of chapter 4!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku walked through the castle corridors, mumbling to himself under his breath. He was concerned, but he wasn’t sure what to do. His dad was…not doing the best. Hearing him rant on about being empty and soulless and a monster, it—well. It hurt Izuku. It hurt knowing his dad hated them all; hated himself. He kind of felt bad about blowing up the way he had earlier, but Hisashi had just made him so mad. He always seemed to try and purposefully press Izuku’s buttons.
And the insult to his parents had been unforgivable.
But while he still resented Hisashi for his callous words, that didn’t abate his worry. His dad wasn’t adjusting well. Izuku knew it had only been two days, and that it would probably take more time, but Hisashi could at least try to cooperate. If he’d just give it a chance, Izuku could show him how happy he could be here. Hadn’t they had a good time earlier that day when looking at all the magical artifacts? Why couldn’t Hisashi be like that all of the time?
Izuku knew that his dad hadn’t exactly chosen this for himself; he knew he had turned his dad against his will. But it truly wasn’t that bad, was it? Really, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks! But Hisashi insisted on fighting him about everything.
Izuku didn’t exactly like having to order his dad to do everything. He wanted his dad to have free will and be happy. But Hisashi even refused to do things that were for his own good. His unwillingness to take care of himself frightened Izuku. He’d been on edge since finding his dad like…like that the other night. So if he had to force his dad to listen to him then he would.
If Hisashi wasn’t going to do it on his own, then Izuku would force him to eat. Force him to bathe. Force him to accept medical care. Force him to be healthy. He would even force him to accept Izuku’s love. After all, everyone needed love—Izuku knew he certainly did. It had been years since he’d felt quite as content as he had when Hisashi had hugged him in his arms. It made Izuku feel like everything would be ok. He just wished his dad would do all of that of his own volition.
Oh well. It would just take time. It didn’t mean Izuku wouldn’t be frustrated until then, but hey, at least his dad drank blood on his own today! Though he wasn’t sure why Hisashi was still so tired. He probably just needed more; new vampires required a lot more blood for the first while after their turning.
So Izuku was making a mental list before he went to bed. In the morning he’d bring his dad some more blood, new clothes that fit, and some bandages and poultice for his wound. Even if his dad didn’t ask for those things, Izuku would do them. They were family now, and family took care of each other.
Though Izuku wasn’t quite sure what to do about his dad’s…emotional state. His panic earlier had made Izuku panic. Hisashi was tired, withdrawn, upset, and miserable—and Izuku wasn’t sure how to help him. He wanted to; he wanted to hold his dad and make it all better the way Izuku’s parents had always done for him. But Hisashi didn’t want that; didn’t seem to enjoy Izuku touching him. And so Izuku wasn’t sure how to help him, other than comforting him regardless and hoping that Hisashi eventually calmed down.
He figured Hisashi just wasn’t used to such things, and had to be shown how nice they could be. Maybe Izuku just had to keep forcing Hisashi to give him affection, and force affection on Hisashi in return. Then his dad would see how good it could be; how happy family could make him.
Yeah, that was it. Surely if Izuku just continued to show his dad how wonderful being a family was, Hisashi would learn to accept it. He would realize vampires weren’t bad after all, and would come to love Izuku if Izuku continued to show him love. Then Hisashi wouldn’t be sad anymore; he would be content. He would forget he ever hated this to begin with and never even think of hurting himself again. And Izuku would have the perfect father who cared for him and doted on him and protected him and loved him.
Izuku just had to have patience. Which, granted, he wasn’t very good at. But surely it wouldn’t take too much longer, right? And if Izuku had to force it along sometimes well. It was all leading towards a good goal in the end.
Yeah. Things would be perfect.
Something was shaking him. Hisashi groaned and rolled away from it, pulling the blankets around him higher up his shoulders.
“Dad. Dad. Dad.”
His cheek was being incessantly poked. Hisashi slapped whatever was doing so away.
“Dad. Dad. Dad. Come on, Dad. Wake up!”
Heavy eyes cracked open with a lot of effort, and Hisashi blinked up at a blob of green in front of him. When his eyes cleared, the blob turned into Izuku.
“Dad, are you awake now?”
Hisashi groaned in frustration.
“Oh, good! Get up! Get up! We have a lot to do today. I brought some stuff for you.”
Realizing he was not going to be left alone, Hisashi reluctantly flipped the blankets off and sat up, rubbing his face. “What?” he asked tiredly.
The boy paused, peering at him with narrowed eyes. “…Are you still sleepy, Dad? But you went to bed super early last night! You’ve been sleeping for over thirteen hours!”
Had he? Hisashi felt as if he’d been awake for three days straight, his body heavy and aching. He simply grunted in reply, waving the boy off as he got out of bed. He stumbled briefly, but managed to catch himself on a bedpost, ignoring how his legs felt like jelly.
“Look!” Izuku said excitedly, holding up a shirt. “I got you some clothes! I paid the tailor to work overtime and concentrate on at least one full set of clothes so you’d have something to wear for today.”
“That’s nice,” Hisashi muttered, not really caring. He stretched, rolling his shoulders and ignoring Izuku still chattering on in the background, flitting around the room like some sort of overly energetic bird.
Hisashi had just reached for the shirt that was on the end of the bed to pull it on, when the ghost of a finger traced a line down his back, making him nearly jump ten feet in the air.
“Oh, sorry!” Izuku giggled nervously. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t scare me,” Hisashi sniffed.
“I was just…Where did you get those?” the boy asked quietly.
Hisashi stiffened at the question, pulling the shirt over his head quickly to hide the long, deep scars that were gouged into his back. “…They happened a long time ago,” he said shortly.
Izuku didn’t look like he was going to let the subject drop that easily. “You have a lot of scars, but those ones…those ones look bad.”
Yes, Hisashi supposed they did. They were his biggest scars, stretching from his shoulder blades down to the small of his back. Four large, even lines, like claws. The scar tissue there was ropey and a faint pink. He snorted at Izuku’s careless comment. “Thanks,” he said dryly.
“Ah!” Izuku waved his hands around frantically. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean it like that! I—”
“I got them the day my little brother was murdered,” Hisashi interrupted him.
“O-Oh,” Izuku stammered, eyes widening in surprise. “I…I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“It was a long time ago,” Hisashi said gruffly as he pushed his arms through the sleeves of his new shirt. He ignored the look Izuku was giving him, biting at his lip and looking from Hisashi’s now covered back to his face.
He clearly lost the battle with his own curiosity as he asked, “I…How did he…?”
“How do you think?” Hisashi retorted sharply, red eyes meeting green in a heated glare.
“I—”
“What did you want?” Hisashi cut him off before Izuku could say anything else. He didn’t care what the boy had planned for the day, but he wasn’t going to dredge up his past and old wounds if he could help it.
Izuku looked uncertain. “Are you…Are you saying a vampire killed your brother? Gave you those scars?”
“What else would it have been? Now drop it.”
“But I—”
“Can’t you take the hint?!” Hisashi hissed. “I don’t want to talk about it!”
Izuku flinched back but set his lip in a stubborn pout. “Fine. What about that one though?” He gestured to his inner bicep, and Hisashi knew he was referring to the burn mark he had there.
“Oh, that one.” Hisashi didn’t mind talking about that one. Most of his scars weren’t as…sensitive in nature. “A burn I received in a tournament against a mage that specilized in fire magic.”
“You’ve been in tournaments?” Izuku asked, his face lighting up with amazement.
“Yeah,” Hisashi answered with a huff. “It was good for money and testing my skills. And sometimes they would offer rare weapons or accessories as a prize.”
“Really?” Izuku’s eyes widened. Hisashi frowned. The boy acted as though he had never seen a tournament before, but surely that was impossible. It seemed like the kind of thing a royal brat like him would order his servants to set up for his own entertainment. “Is that how you got all of your equipment?”
“Some of it,” Hisashi responded gruffly.
“I bet you were amazing!” Izuku sounded excited. “We should spar sometime! Not like, for real or anything. We won’t hurt each other. Just to practice.”
That made Hisashi interested. “You wouldn’t last two minutes,” he laughed.
Izuku only looked more determined at that. “Then you’d just have to teach me so I could get better!”
If it put a weapon back in Hisashi’s hand, he’d do it. “Fine.”
“Great!” The boy looked like he was vibrating on the spot now. “I usually have combat lessons every weekend. Oh!” He darted over to the dresser, picking up a small jar and a roll of bandages before bringing them over to Hisashi. “I also got you that poultice and some bandages for your wound.”
“I told you I didn’t need them,” Hisashi gritted out, even as he took them from the boy’s hands. Better he put it on himself than being forced to. The memory of last night was painfully fresh. He wasn’t going to give Izuku a reason to order him around against his will if he could help it.
Izuku rolled his eyes. “That’s what you said, yeah. But you do need them. I also got you some more blood to drink.”
“Again?” Hisashi felt faint. “I just had some last night.”
“You’re still a new vampire!” Izuku explained cheerily, pushing the cup towards him. Hisashi resisted the urge to lick his lips as the enticing smell wafted up to his nose. “New vampires need a lot of blood when they’re first turned.”
“I’m still full from last night,” he tried to excuse as he dabbed the poultice onto his neck, unwrapping the bandages and binding them over the bite wounds afterwards.
“You really should have it…”
“Can I drink it later?” Hisashi asked carefully.
Izuku thought it over for a moment, and Hisashi felt relieved when he finally nodded. “Ok, as long as you have it before dinner time. I had something special planned for you tonight too!”
“What is it?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what Izuku thought of as “special”. Could be a live meal for all he knew. His stomach churned at the thought of drinking blood from an actual person.
“I know becoming a vampire has been…difficult for you. So I thought I would have the servants prepare a banquet for you!” Izuku answered as he placed the glass of blood down on the table. “One with all sorts of human foods to eat. I even had Mirai hire a few human chefs to make sure everything will be cooked perfectly!”
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked, genuinely surprised by the gesture. The thought of real food made him hopeful. “That…sounds nice,” he admitted.
“Is there anything you like in particular? I can have them prepare it for you!”
Hisashi knew what he wanted; what he craved. But he hated himself for it. So instead he answered with, “Roasted duck?”
“Alright, I’ll make sure your request reaches the kitchen.” Izuku grinned at him. “Now, let’s go, Dad. We don’t want to be late for lessons.”
“Lessons? What lessons?”
“Education lessons, of course!”
Hisashi’s face twisted in a grimace. “…And why do I have to attend those with you?”
“I told you yesterday: I don’t want you to be alone,” Izuku explained. The boy’s expression turned mischievous then. “Although, if you really hate the idea, I could always ask Mirai or Gran to watch you for the—”
“No! No,” Hisashi said quickly, “it’s fine.”
As much as he resented the little vampire, at least Izuku liked him (unfortunately). Gran and Mirai, on the other hand, didn't bother much to try and hide their hatred of him. And while Hisashi didn’t care whether they liked him or not, he didn’t want to spend the day in awkward, tense silence with them.
Though he was a bit hesitant to find out what constituted as “education” for a vampire—and a royal one at that. He hardly had what one would call a formal education himself to help envision it; having only been taught what he knew from his mentor and learning what he could throughout the years on his own.
He wasn’t given much time to think on it when Izuku’s hand wrapped around his. Hisashi suppressed the urge to groan as he was led out of the room, the boy beaming up at him brightly as they went through the corridor and down the winding steps. Before long, Izuku had stopped in front of a door that Hisashi hadn’t seen yet. He opened it, and on the other side was a…
What it was, Hisashi actually wasn't sure. He stared blankly at the beady black eyes that peered back at him. “The hell?”
Izuku smacked his arm lightly. “Don’t be rude! That’s Nedzu! He’s my teacher.”
“But…! But he’s a…” Hisashi frowned. “What are you exactly?”
“A bear? A dog? A mouse? Who knows!” the thing answered in a high pitched, jovial tone; a skinny, furred, and rat-like tail twitching behind it. “But you may call me Nedzu.”
“This is my new dad, Nedzu!” Izuku announced proudly. Hisashi just sighed.
“I see! I’d heard rumors but I’d yet to meet him myself,” Nedzu said, and Hisashi could feel those creepy black eyes intensely searching him.
“You know what? I don’t think I’d mind spending the day with Mirai,” Hisashi muttered, inching backwards towards the door.
“Don’t be silly, it’s too late for that now, Dad! Come sit down.”
“Indeed! The lesson is about to begin. Please, take a seat.” Nedzu gestured towards the desk that was much too small for Hisashi.
Hisashi was tugged over to the desk by Izuku, where a second chair had already been set out for him. He squeezed into the space uncomfortably, feeling ridiculous as Izuku vibrated excitedly next to him.
“I’ve never had lessons with a classmate before!” the boy said happily. “I’ve heard school is more fun with others.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Hisashi muttered, shifting in the chair in a vain attempt to make himself more comfortable. “Never went to school myself.”
Izuku’s eyes widened in surprise. “Eh? You didn’t? How did you learn to read and write then?”
“Parents teach their kids the basics, but most of what I learned was from my mentor.”
Izuku only looked more curious. “What about your numbers?”
Hisashi shrugged. “The basics.” He knew how to count money, addition and subtraction and such, but nothing too complicated. There hadn’t been many books on such subjects available to the common folk in the kingdom.
“But isn’t it important to know?” Izuku wondered. “Shouldn’t everyone learn this stuff?”
“Most people only ever need to learn their parents’ trade,” Hisashi answered. “That’s how education works for the average human. Trades get passed down through families. Woodworking, baking, whatever. Most don’t learn much outside their trade.”
“But what if they want to be something else? What if they’re good at something other than their parents' trade?”
“In such cases a parent might bring their child to someone else and ask for them to be taken on as an apprentice and trained.”
“Oh. That’s so different from what it’s like here,” Izuku said. “Mom and Dad opened schools for the kingdom’s children a long time ago…”
Hisashi nearly jumped out of his too-small chair when a heavy book was suddenly dropped onto the table in front of Izuku.
“Alright, that’s enough talking now,” Nedzu interrupted them, walking back to the front desk and jumping into the chair behind it. Hisashi would have laughed at the sight of its head just barely peeking over the desk if he wasn’t still unnerved by whatever the hell the creature was.
The lesson began, and Hisashi actually found himself somewhat interested. He propped a hand under his chin and listened to the…whatever it was…go on and on.
They cycled through multiple subjects, Izuku clearly a bright and attentive student, his tongue occasionally peeking out the side of his mouth while taking notes in a way that Hisashi refused to acknowledge as adorable. When they did get on to the subject of maths though, Hisashi blinked heavy eyes, not fully understanding all the equations they were going through. His eyes itched and burned with exhaustion, and surely it would be fine to close them just for a moment.
His moment was interrupted when his shoulder was shaken. “Huh? What? What?” he mumbled.
“Dad.” Izuku was staring at him incredulously. “You fell asleep!”
Hisashi frowned. “No, I didn’t,” he protested.
“You were definitely asleep,” Izuku snorted. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you get enough last night?”
“It…was a bit restless,” Hisashi muttered, blinking his eyes multiple times until he was more alert. It was a challenge, given how heavy they felt. “Just takes a while getting used to sleeping in a new place I guess.”
“Is your bed not comfy enough?”
“Nicest bed I’ve ever slept in,” Hisashi admitted. He didn’t like the way the creature was looking at him with a curious gleam in its eyes. He had no doubt it was taking in the bags under his eyes and his drained pallor.
“I knew you should’ve drank the blood this morning,” Izuku sighed.
“I’m fine, Izuku,” Hisashi assured him. He found himself shifting again under the intense stare of the creature. There was a knowing glint in those beady eyes that unsettled him. It seemed far too smart for its own good. “I’ll drink it when I get back, alright?”
“You promise?” Izuku asked, giving him a little look.
“Yeah,” Hisashi lied, leaning back in the chair with a weary sigh. “I promise.”
“So how much longer is he going to last, Mirai?” Gran asked as he shut the door behind him, plopping down into a seat before Mirai.
Mirai stared at the ceiling with a groan. “It’s been decades, and you still. Don’t. Knock,” he grumbled.
Gran cackled. “Don’t worry! I won’t knock in the coming years either.”
Mirai sighed, shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Anyway!” Gran continued, “You took a good look into his future with the blood you got from him when you clawed All For One’s face, right?”
“Yes.” Mirai adjusted his posture, sitting up straighter. “There is a strong possibility of him attacking a human tonight at the banquet.”
“Oh?” Gran hummed in curiosity, placing his feet on the desk.
Mirai glared at him for that. “Yes. It could happen anywhere, but we should try and get some human servers out on the main banquet floor. If it happens in front of everyone in attendance, it won’t be as easy to hide. His Majesty would have to do something to punish All For One for his offence.”
“A bit risky, don’t you think? What if he kills ‘em?”
“It won’t happen,” Mirai assured with a wave of his hand. “There will be plenty of people to stop him before he goes too far. And the both of us will know to be on the lookout as well. As long as the human is attacked, that breaks our laws.”
“And Izuku? He still doesn’t have a clue?”
“He seems to have an idea that something is wrong, but he’s not yet suspicious as to the cause.”
He watched Gran purse his lips. “I gotta say. All For One has lasted longer than most. It’s been three days now; most newly turned vamps wouldn’t have held out this long.”
“He is exceptionally strong-willed,” Mirai admitted with reluctance, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them. “But he will not hold out much longer. All that is needed is a little…push.”
Gran’s face cracked with a wide grin. “I think I could arrange a little something like that.”
“Oh?” Mirai raised a brow at the elder vampire.
“Just wait and see,” Gran said, tapping his foot as he held his arms behind his head. “I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeves.”
“Don’t mess this up Gran,” Mirai warned him with a sharp look.
“Quit being such a killjoy, Mirai. That’s why you’ve never been popular with the ladies.”
Mirai sniffed. “I don’t ne—”
“Need marriage because you're happy with your job and your books and this stuffy little room. Yadda, yadda. I’ve heard it all before. You never did appreciate any of my efforts to set you up on a nice date.” Gran rolled his eyes, sitting up straight. “Just be ready when the time comes. Is there anything else I should be aware of?”
Mirai frowned, leaning back in his chair as he contemplated. He could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on from having used his foresight multiple times that day already, but he had to make certain that everything went according to plan, and so he used his magic again.
The room around him faded, a sound akin to wind whipping around him filling his ears as his sight shifted to that of the banquet hall that would be laid out before them tonight. The general vision of the future tugged and pulled, sometimes slow and steady, while other moments were filled with jerky and sudden movements. Multiple possible futures laid out before him, with the one with the highest probability playing out the most clearly in his mind’s eye. All of them involved All For One attacking a human in some manner, and Mirai was confident that they would be able to make it as public as possible.
He would have to remind His Majesty of their laws and the consequences of breaking them, and encourage him to punish All For One for his crime once the man committed it.
“Nothing that you should be worried about,” Mirai finally answered Gran as he sagged in his chair. There was a pounding behind his eyes now and his throat ached with dryness. He idly rubbed at his temples with a grunt.
Gran slapped his knees as he stood. “Right then. We just have to wait until tonight. I’ll get you a drink, shall I?”
“Please,” Mirai requested wearily. “Make sure it’s been aged for at least forty years and is an A-positive.”
“Geeze, you sure are picky.”
Mirai merely waved him off, leaning his head back as he tried to will the headache away.
Hisashi couldn’t help the sense of dread that coiled in his chest as Izuku took him back to his quarters. Even after the long hours of studying, once the strange creature that was Nedzu had dismissed them for the day, the image of the chalice of blood was immediately at the forefront of his mind. He knew if he didn’t think of something quick he wouldn’t have any choice but to drink it.
“Dinner should be ready by the time we get down,” Izuku chattered beside him, and Hisashi could feel his heart give a sharp throb when they stepped off the stairs and he caught sight of his bedroom door down the hall.
“Sounds wonderful,” he muttered idly, a sweat breaking out over his skin. It was only a few feet from them now.
“Everyone is going to be there too,” Izuku continued on, oblivious to the fact that Hisashi was barely paying attention to him.
A room full of vampires was currently the second to last place he wanted to be at that particular moment. “That’s…That’s great,” Hisashi muttered.
Izuku swung the door open and all but dragged him inside. The scent of blood drifting about the closed room nearly knocked Hisashi off his feet. He licked his lips and swallowed thickly as his gaze lingered on the chalice.
“I’m hoping you’ll be able to make a few friends at the banquet tonight,” Izuku said, sounding a little nervous. “I know you got off to a bit of a bad start with them, but this is your second chance to make an impression—”
“Impression,” Hisashi echoed. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll…I’ll do that.”
“Ah! That reminds me; I need to grab your new set of clothes for the banquet. You can’t wear this down there,” Izuku said as his gaze raked Hisashi up and down. “I’ll go and get them for you, alright?”
Hisashi squinted, looking down at himself. “What’s wrong with these?” He thought they were perfectly nice clothes. Probably some of the most expensive fabric he’d ever worn even.
“Those are your casualwear! Not formalwear.”
Hisashi huffed. Whatever. If it was going to get Izuku out of the room then… “Fine.”
“I’ll be right back then. And don’t forget to drink your blood!” the boy called over his shoulder as he left out the door.
Hisashi only grunted in answer, waiting a minute after Izuku had left before grabbing the blood and looking around the room frantically. He couldn’t dump it anywhere inside; the smell alone would alert the boy to the fact that he hadn’t drunk it.
…So…the window?
Hisashi approached the window and looked down. It would have to do. He didn’t really have many options. Quickly unlocking the latch and throwing the glass panes open, he hardly paid attention to what he was doing as he tossed the chalice’s contents out—or to the startled yelp that followed shortly after. He just quickly shut the window and placed the cup onto the table once more.
Just in time too, as the boy re-entered the room with a new set of clothes held in his arms. He paused as he eyed where Hisashi stood next to the chalice on the dresser, then grinned brightly. “Good job, Dad!”
“Y-Yeah.” Hisashi forced a smile that felt as though it would crack his face. What was he? A pet? He didn’t need to get praised for something like this.
“Now take off your clothes and put these on!” Izuku instructed as he laid the clothes across the freshly made bed. The boy himself had changed as well, wearing an outfit for the banquet that was definitely fit for a king.
Hisashi grabbed the bottom of his shirt to pull it off, but hesitated when he saw Izuku tapping his foot impatiently. “…Are you just going to watch?”
“What’s the matter? You got dressed in front of me this morning!”
“That was different.”
“How?”
“Just turn around!”
The boy rolled his eyes but did so, with a mutter under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, “why are you so difficult?”.
Hisashi sent a glare at the back of his head before pulling off his clothes, then grabbing the new set Izuku had brought for him. He wrinkled his nose as he held them up. They were so…fancy. Not that he particularly minded, but he wasn’t used to wearing such things. Nevertheless, he adorned them, the material feeling like silk under his hands. The outer coat swept down to the floor, a deep, wine-purple with gold clasps and embroidery along the edges.
Hisashi had always thought fancy clothes would be stuffy, but these actually felt comfortable. The perks of royalty, he supposed.
“Are you done yet?” the boy asked impatiently.
“Yes.”
Izuku clapped when he got a good look at him. “Dad, you look amazing!” He came closer, walking in a circle around Hisashi and nodding to himself.
“Can we get this over with now?” Hisashi muttered wearily.
“In a minute. I have these for you as well.” Izuku pulled a few rings out of his pocket, slipping them onto Hisashi’s hands.
“Uh….” He blinked, raising a hand to stare at the jewelry now adorning his fingers. He didn’t feel the pleasant hum of magic in them, so they weren’t enchanted. But then why was he being made to wear them?
“It’s customary for the royal family to wear jewelry.” Izuku tapped one of the rings. “This one is engraved with our house’s symbol, marking you as one of the family.”
Hisashi had a lot of complicated feelings about that, but he knew better than to voice them then and there.
“Now let’s go! Everyone will be waiting for us!”
When Izuku grabbed his hand to lead him out, Hisashi felt a brief wave of vertigo fall over him, making him stumble behind the boy.
Izuku looked over his shoulder. “Oh, sorry! Did I pull you too hard?”
“I-I’m fine,” he assured, despite the lightness in his head.
“I’ll try to be more careful from now on,” Izuku promised, even as he sped through the halls.
Hisashi didn’t reply, focused more on keeping upright and both his feet steady as he was dragged through the castle once more.
Before long, a mix of smells began to assault his nose. Faint at first, but growing in intensity with every step they took. There was a soft hum of chatter in the air, the voices becoming more distinct the closer they drew to what must have been the banquet hall. Once again, Hisashi found himself rather disconcerted by just how unappetizing the scent of real, human food was. But he would force himself to eat, no matter how unappealing it smelled. Anything to assuage the hunger gnawing in his gut.
Izuku came to a halt just outside the open doors of the hall. He squeezed Hisashi’s hand to get his attention, and gave him a serious face. “Please behave, Dad.”
Hisashi looked at him in affront. “I’m not a child. As I’ve said before.”
“Well, given how you acted last time…”
Hisashi refused to admit that had been childish. There was nothing wrong with calling a monster a monster. He simply huffed and set his jaw. “I’ll be on my best behaviour,” he ground out between clenched teeth. It wasn’t like there was much he could say or do anyway.
“Thank you! Oh, and you’re also going to be sitting right next to me, okay?”
“As I expected,” Hisashi muttered. This kid had him under constant supervision.
“Now smile! This is supposed to be a celebration!”
Hisashi gave a smile that likely came out as more of a deranged grimace, if the way Izuku winced was any indication.
“...Nevermind. You don’t have to smile.”
Victory! Hisashi sighed in relief, letting Izuku pull him inside the banquet hall without further complaint.
The sight that lay out before him wasn’t quite what he had expected. He’d never been to such a large banquet before; the long table that stretched across the room was heavily laden with food and made his eyes widen. Visually, it looked amazing. Cooked to perfection.
The same vampires he had seen before sat in the chairs that lined the table, though there were a few more he didn’t recognize, but guessed to be family members of the nobles he had met. He felt their gazes lingering on him as Izuku led him forward to the head of the table, where the boy took his seat in the king’s chair, then gestured for Hisashi to take a seat on his right. As he did so, Hisashi glanced over to see Mirai nearby, his lips pressed in a thin line as he inwardly seethed. Hisashi couldn’t help but smirk at his anger. It felt good to know he wasn’t the only one suffering.
Gran sat directly to the boy’s left, as usual, with Mirai next to him. The older vampire seemed supremely unbothered by the man fuming right beside him, or to Hisashi sitting across from him. “You just had to be fashionably late, huh?” Gran chided playfully to Izuku.
“I learned how to make a grand entrance from you, Gran!” Izuku retorted cheerfully.
“Yeah, well your grand entrance is forcing me to wait longer for my taiyaki.”
Izuku snorted, and Hisashi watched on silently as the boy nodded his head in greeting to those at the table who addressed him. Hisashi had to resist the urge to sink down in his seat. It was ridiculous. He was not a self-conscious man; had never before been bothered by public attention. But his head was aching and his eyes burned and his body felt weak with exhaustion. And he was surrounded by vampires. Again.
“Are we going to eat or not?” he mumbled, irritation leaking into his voice.
“Aye, aye. They’re just about to bring out the wine now,” Gran told him. “Izuku’ll probably make some sort of speech, and then we can dig in.”
“You can drink wine?” Hisashi asked incredulously.
“Sure!” Gran laughed. “It's a special wine.”
“…Special wine?”
“It’s mixed with blood,” Mirai spoke up stiffly. “Not pure alcohol, but it means it has more of an effect on us.”
Guess he couldn’t even drink the wine then. Oh well.
Once the wine had been brought out, servers filling the glasses of everyone at the table, Izuku stood and raised his cup, and the room went silent. “Thank you everyone for attending,” he called out. “We are here tonight to celebrate the adoption of my father, and the induction of a new member into the royal family.”
A polite smattering of applause met the boy's statement.
Izuku continued, “I know many of you have your doubts, but rest assured I did not make my choice lightly, nor will I be questioned on it. You will show my father the respect he is due as a member of the royal family. From this day forth, All For One is dead! Now please, give a warm welcome to Midoriya Hisashi!”
Midoriya Hisashi? Hisashi stiffened in his chair. That wasn’t his name—what gave this kid the right to take his name away from him? He hadn’t been consulted on this at all! Hadn’t had any idea! Izuku couldn’t just…do that. Could he? And what did he mean “All For One is dead”? He was still right here! He was still All For One!
But looking around, Hisashi saw that no one dared to even question the boy. Certainly not Gran, or even Mirai, who looked miserable at the statement. In comparison to everything else that had happened to him, a name change shouldn’t have been a big deal. But it was the only thing that was still his. For even that to be stripped away…
What was left of his identity now?
“You never said anything like this was going to happen!” Hisashi hissed in an angry whisper to the boy as the rest of the room applauded.
Izuku looked at him in genuine confusion. “Huh? What’s the problem, Dad? I thought this was obvious?”
“That isn’t my name!”
“Of course it’s your name, silly!” Izuku laughed. “It’s been your name since the moment I claimed you!”
“If I’m the one that’s supposed to be your father, doesn’t that mean you should be taking my name?!”
“That’s not how the royal line works,” Mirai interrupted. “For vampiric royalty, all those who marry or are adopted into the family take the family name, regardless of gender or circumstance. The Midoriya line has ruled the vampires for over several thousand years. As far back as our recorded history goes, there has never been another royal family line.”
Hisashi…hadn’t known that. “Then what does that make me?” he muttered.
Gran snickered. “A Midoriya now, I suppose.”
Hisashi shot him a dirty look before addressing Izuku again, “If I’m your father, does that make me king of the vampires?”
Izuku giggled. “No, I’m the king. It just makes you the king’s father.”
Hisashi groaned, shoulders heaving with a sigh. That was the one thing that could have possibly made this situation all worth it. If he was king, Hisashi could’ve removed the threat of the vampires that way. They would have had to obey him, right? But no. He was stuck in this kingdom that was under the rule of a literal child.
“What are you waiting for, Dad?” Izuku asked. “Eat! Eat!” The boy began piling food on his plate for him until Hisashi shooed his hands away.
“I can do it myself,” he grumbled. His lack of appetite for the food before him had only further lessened after the surprise announcement. Even still, he grabbed a roll of bread from one of the many trays spread out on the table, then looked at the strange, bone-in meat dish that had been formed into a circle, roasted and seasoned to perfection. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, or even what kind of meat it was, but it couldn’t have been bad if the way Gran was tearing into his own piece was any indication.
Hisashi brushed away the hands of the server that tried to cut away a piece for him, filling up his plate with a few more portions; from an assortment of glazed vegetables to cylindrical pieces of potato resting in what he could only assume was some kind of butter sauce. Looking down at his plate, filled with food more extravagant than anything he ever had before in his life, he still didn’t feel the slightest bit of hunger at the sight of it. Instead, he found his gaze shifting to the chalice of tainted wine that had been poured for him, unconsciously licking his lips as he glimpsed at the red liquid within.
Hisashi pushed it further away, forcing himself to ignore it, and grabbed hold of his fork and knife, hands nearly shaking as he focused on the plate of food before him. From the corner of his eye, he could see Izuku looking at him excitedly as the boy ate his own food. Stabbing into a piece of potato, Hisashi all but shoved it into his mouth, ignoring the disgruntled look Mirai was giving him for his lack of table manners.
The flavor of savory, buttery potatoes exploded on Hisashi’s tongue, with a subtle fragrance of herbs he couldn’t identify. It was amazing. His eyes lit up a little as he slowly chewed, taking his time to enjoy the flavor and texture of actual, real food in his mouth for the first time in days. When he swallowed, he quickly prepared another bite, eager to alleviate the hunger clawing inside of him—
Only to discover it did nothing of the sort.
Hisashi paused mid-chew, frowning in confusion, then gulped down another bite. And again, it was as though nothing settled in his stomach, even as he felt it go down. He might as well have been eating air for all the good it did him. Hisashi stared at the food before him, a pit growing in his stomach. His mouth felt even dryer than it had before.
“How is it, Dad?” Izuku asked in a hopeful tone.
“It…It tastes great,” Hisashi admitted truthfully, cutting a piece of the meat away and trying again. He was met with the same result.
Breathe, Hisashi told himself, trying to relax his expression back into neutrality as a disquieting sensation fell over him. Breathe.
“That’s great! I was worried it might not be to your preference.” Izuku sounded relieved, looking as if a weight had been lifted from his little shoulders. “It’s not often we have human food, so I wasn’t sure what you would like…”
“It’s fine,” Hisashi managed to reply evenly, getting a hold of his emotions. “I’m not picky.”
Across the table, he could see Gran watching him carefully as he dug into his own food. There was a look in his eye that Hisashi didn’t appreciate, and he narrowed his own briefly in return before focusing back on his food.
Hisashi hadn’t been paying much attention to the servers around them, but a sudden, sharp gasp drew his attention. He looked up again in time to see Gran catch a human woman who had been about to fall, steadying the tray in her hands.
“Easy does it!” Gran said. “Wouldn’t want to fall and hurt yourself, would ya?”
“I’m so sorry!” the woman apologized.
“No, no. I’m sorry, I think I nicked ya there.”
She waved him off. “It’s alright, you caught me and prevented a worse accident.”
“Is that roast duck you’re carrying? You can set that tray down in front of him.” Gran gestured over to where Hisashi was, and Hisashi watched the woman thank him and make her way towards him.
Hisashi felt a small, natural smile come to his face as the woman approached him. It was nice to see a human around. “Thank you—” A strong, irresistible scent hit his nose like a slap to the face, causing his mouth to instantly salivate. And it only grew more potent the closer she got to him.
“Dad? Are you okay?” Izuku asked, brow furrowed in confusion once he noticed how tense Hisashi had gone in his seat.
Hisashi unconsciously grasped the arms of his chair, nails digging in as his attention hyper-focused on the smell that was coming closer and closer. “Fine…just…fine,” Hisashi managed after a moment, focusing on breathing through his mouth.
It didn’t help.
When the tray was set down on the table in front of him, the woman’s sleeve rose up, revealing a small line of red along her inner arm. Izuku said something else, but Hisashi couldn’t make it out, everything sounding as though it were underwater as his eyes fixed on that bright, beautiful red.
He felt the fangs in his mouth lengthen and ache, the dryness in his throat more apparent than it had ever been before. The smell of blood from the chalice was nothing compared to this. Everything around him seemed to fade away.
And Hisashi craved.
He was reaching out before he even registered his own movement, hands clenching around the outstretched arm and yanking. A startled gasp echoed through his ears, followed by the sharp clatter of things falling onto the table due to his sudden movement. But he didn’t care.
He wanted. He NEEDED.
He twisted and grabbed the warm body that was the source of that wonderful smell, throwing it down onto the table and pinning it with one hand, extended claws piercing flesh and drawing out more of that addicting scent. He leaned down, barely aware of how his chest heaved for air. Something gathered at the tips of his fangs, dripping down and speckling the warm flesh beneath him.
There was only one thing in his mind:
DRINK.
Hisashi’s mouth opened wide and he lunged downwards—
“DAD!”
His teeth stopped centimetres away from warm flesh. He could hear the pulse of blood beneath the skin. The frantic beat of the woman’s heart. The panicked, labored breaths she took. Wide brown eyes stared up at him in terror, pupils constricted to pinpricks.
Because of him.
Hisashi froze. Time seemed to stand still for a moment. The overwhelming urge to drink still thrummed through him, but a small voice was now screaming inside his head, thrashing in the confines of foreign instincts.
“Please,” the woman under him whimpered.
Begged.
A wave of revulsion unlike any other crashed over him.
Hisashi threw himself away from the table, hand over his mouth to conceal the venomous fangs protruding from his lips. Tears gathered in his eyes. Stomach acid licked up the back of his throat. “I…I’m sorry…” he apologized, voice barely even a whisper. “I-I’m sorry!”
What had he done?!
Truly, he was a monster. A beast. An animal.
As his other senses started coming back to him slowly, Hisashi noticed the room had fallen silent. All eyes were on him, the faces around the table looking shocked and appalled. And they had a right to.
He really was disgusting.
Hisashi stumbled back and collapsed to the floor, hands grabbing at his hair. He felt numb with horror, sickened by what he had done. “I’m sorry,” he kept repeating quietly, voice breaking. “I’m sorry…”
“I-It’s okay!” Izuku assured, standing up from his seat and rushing to Hisashi’s side as Mirai moved to help the shaking woman up, murmuring consoling words to her. “It was…It was just an accident!”
The boy’s words sounded as empty as Hisashi felt inside.
“Your Majesty, he attacked someone,” Mirai spoke up sharply. “You cannot let this go unpunished.”
For once Hisashi agreed. He deserved that.
“I...No! Dad is still new to all of this! You can’t blame him for one mishap!” Izuku countered, a hand on Hisashi’s back in an attempt at comfort he didn’t deserve. Hisashi kept flinching away from his touch, but it only followed him.
Mirai began to help the woman along towards another pair of servants. “My Liege, surely you must see that—”
“She’s not to leave!” Izuku cut him off with the command, standing back up to and marching over to them. His eyes were glowing vibrantly, but there was no rage in them.
Hisashi watched distantly—as if he wasn’t inside his own body—as the boy actually bowed to the woman in apology, offering her money.
“My sincere apologies for this,” Izuku said, once he had insistently put extra coin in the woman’s hands. Then he looked up, right into her eyes, and his own glowed even brighter. Her’s glazed over, brown becoming a luminous green that matched the boy’s own. “You will forget this incident ever happened. You will go home and not remember serving at this banquet tonight at all.”
“Your Majesty!” Mirai nearly shouted, his expression one of utter shock as the rest of the room began to buzz with murmurs and gasps.
The woman didn’t react to any of it, only nodding dazedly and walking away as if in a dream.
“King or not, that is an unacceptable abuse of power!” Mirai started ranting.
Hisashi curled tighter into a ball, burying his face in his knees.
“Be silent!” Izuku snapped, and mouths everywhere clicked shut as he turned a glare to the rest of the vampires in the room, who all stared at him in turn with wide eyes. “You will not ever speak of or reveal what transpired here tonight to anyone. Is that understood?”
Silent nods met the order, Hisashi feeling the command wash over him as well. But for once it was alright. He never wanted to talk about this night ever again. Didn’t even want to think of it.
He wished the boy would make him forget too.
Hands were suddenly urging him to his feet, steadying him as he swayed. And for the first time, Hisashi didn’t mind the little hand that clasped around his own, feeling incredibly grateful as he was pulled from the room. “Take it easy, Dad,” Izuku murmured to him as he led Hisashi away, keeping him from falling due to his weak, unsteady feet. “I’m taking you to your room, alright?”
Hisashi didn’t respond, his throat feeling tight.
They walked in silence until they neared his room, where Izuku spoke up once more, “I’m sorry that happened, and that you missed your banquet. I can have someone bring up a plate of food for you if you’d like?”
Hisashi shook his head. “No. I just want to sleep.”
Izuku frowned in concern. “…Are you sure? I won’t let anything like that happen to you again.”
“I just want to sleep, please. Don’t talk about it,” Hisashi begged.
“It’s okay,” Izuku promised him, arms wrapping around him tightly in a hug. “It’s not your fault.”
“It IS my fault!” Hisashi shouted, voice pained. “I’m a m-m—a mo—” Curse that order.
“No, you’re not.” Izuku raised his hands to Hisashi’s face and cupped his cheeks, gently turning his head so that Hisashi was forced to look the boy in the eye. “You’re not a monster.”
“But I…”
“Accidents happen,” Izuku said firmly. Then his nose twitched. “Though, err. If you needed more blood you should have told me, Dad. Lack of blood can…” Hisashi watched with a sinking stomach as realization flashed across the boy’s features as he trailed off. “…make someone lose control,” he finished quietly.
Hisashi waited with bated breath as Izuku looked at him intensely for a long moment.
“Have I been starving you, Dad?” he asked with worry.
Hisashi shook his head as best as he could in that grip.
“But this shouldn’t be happening to you…” The boy seemed suspicious.
“Please, let me sleep,” was all Hisashi said.
“Okay…” Izuku relented hesitantly, giving him one last, reassuring hug. “I’ll wake you up early tomorrow morning to give you more blood.”
Hisashi felt his stomach churn at the idea. He didn’t bother changing once Izuku had left the room, simply flopping face-first down on the bed in exhaustion. He was out in seconds.
Notes:
Hisashi: *Huddled on the floor, having a mental breakdown.*
Gran, sipping from his wine and sighing contentedly: “You can't buy entertainment this good.”
But also the role reversal going on in this fic lmao. Like.
Izuku: *Forces Hisashi to accept his love. Forces care on Hisashi when Hisashi won’t care for himself. Constantly has Hisashi under supervision. Forcibly changes Hisashi’s name to Midoriya.*
Hisashi: “Just WHO exactly is the parent here?”
As always, thanks for reading! ☺️
Chapter 8
Summary:
Hisashi waited with bated breath as Izuku looked at him intensely for a long moment.
“Have I been starving you, Dad?” he asked with worry.
Hisashi shook his head as best as he could in that grip.
“But this shouldn’t be happening to you…” The boy seemed suspicious.
“Please, let me sleep,” was all Hisashi said.
“Okay…” Izuku relented hesitantly, giving him one last, reassuring hug. “I’ll wake you up early tomorrow morning to give you more blood.”
Hisashi felt his stomach churn at the idea. He didn’t bother changing once Izuku had left the room, simply flopping face-first down on the bed in exhaustion. He was out in seconds.
Notes:
Hnnnng it be going.
‼️TW‼️ for minor suicidal ideation/mention of suicidal thoughts
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku carried a large goblet of blood towards his father’s room with tired determination. He had stayed up later than he should have the previous night, anxiously ruminating over what had happened. He felt guilty. Guilty for letting his dad lose control like that. Guilty for the poor woman who had been attacked. But most of all, guilty for how he had been afraid for his dad more than he had for the victim of the attack.
Hisashi had broken the law, but Mirai’s exclamation of his dad needing to be punished for it had caused Izuku’s breath to freeze in his lungs. He wouldn’t allow any harm to fall to his new dad. Nothing would ever hurt one of his parents ever again. Izuku wouldn’t lose another one. Even if it seemed everything was trying to take his new dad away from him. Izuku. Wouldn’t. Let. It.
He couldn’t understand why the attack had happened though. A vampire shouldn’t lose control like that unless they were truly starving. Izuku worried he hadn’t been feeding Hisashi enough. But even if he hadn’t, it still shouldn’t have caused him to attack someone like that. That type of loss of control came from vampires who hadn’t had anything to drink at all, and Hisashi had had two glasses of blood before then.
Izuku’s first thought was that perhaps Hisashi had lied; had somehow gotten rid of the blood without drinking it. But he had commanded Hisashi to tell him if the blood had gotten drunk that one time, and the answer had been yes. His dad couldn’t have lied against a direct order.
So what was going on?
Izuku entered his dad’s room, forcing a smile to his face. “Good morn—!”
Hisashi was still asleep.
Why was he still asleep? He had gone to bed at dinner, long before a normal bedtime. Yet he was still sleeping now, looking dead to the world. Just like the other day. Had he not slept well again? Hisashi had been looking so tired recently…
Izuku set the goblet down and made his way over to his dad’s side, reaching out to gently shake him awake.
Hisashi didn’t stir.
Izuku shook him harder. “Dad?” he called.
Hisashi grumbled and buried his face into his pillow.
Izuku huffed, lightly smacking his dad’s side repeatedly. “Dad! Wake up! Why do you keep sleeping so late?” It worried him.
Slowly, his father roused, looking around in confusion before his eyes cleared. “Izuku,” he mumbled.
“Come on, Dad. We have a lot to do today,” Izuku encouraged, tugging the blankets off Hisashi.
He watched his dad push himself up on shaking arms, looking as though it took a massive amount of effort. “‘M up…” Hisashi slurred.
Izuku twisted his hands around, concern only rising. “Are you ok?” he fretted. “You don’t look good. What’s wrong?”
His dad waved him off. “Nothing. ‘M fine…” Izuku was forced to step back as his dad swung his legs over the bed and stood up.
He didn’t expect Hisashi to fall, and didn’t move quick enough to catch him before he crumpled to the floor. “Dad!” Izuku called out, rushing to his side and crashing to his knees. “Dad, are you alright?!”
Hisashi was panting. His eyes were unfocused, claws digging into the floor and limbs trembling with the effort it took to move.
Izuku felt panic bubble up inside of him. “What’s wrong with you?!” his voice pitched up with fear.
Hisashi said nothing, his gaze flickering up to Izuku’s face, mouth agape as he struggled to breathe properly. Izuku gave a start when a hand swiped at him, Hisashi baring his fangs, venom beginning to drip from their sharp tips.
This shouldn’t be happening. This only happened to starving vampires, and Izuku had already asked his dad if the blood had been drunk yesterday and…
“Dad!” Izuku called out when Hisashi made another weak grab at him. “Dad, sit up!” he ordered.
The man wheezed, clenching his eyes shut. It seemed to take everything Hisashi had just to push himself up off the floor. Izuku had to help him the rest of the way, ignoring how tightly the hand over his arm was gripping him, or how hungrily he eyed his neck. Had his dad managed to lie against his order yesterday? But Izuku had directly asked if the…
If the blood had been drunk.
“Dad…” Izuku began slowly, “did you drink the blood I’ve been giving you?”
“No…” Hisashi managed through labored breaths.
Helpless frustration and anger flowed through Izuku, exhaustion and exasperation following close behind. He should have paid more attention to his own words. Clearly, Hisashi was sneaky.
He leaned his dad back against the side of the bed. “Stay there,” Izuku ordered firmly as he moved to get up, going over to the dresser and grabbing the goblet of blood before returning to Hisashi's side.
His dad was muttering, “No, no, no…”
“You’re going to drink this,” Izuku told him.
“No…”
He was sick of the man’s games and avoidance. “Drink. This. Blood. All of it.”
Hisashi’s hands wrapped around the goblet, a desperate, pleading look in his red gaze. Izuku felt no sympathy for him. Those hands trembled as he brought the goblet up to his lips, and Izuku wrapped his own around them to help steady him. Hisashi squeezed his eyes shut tightly when the blood spilled into his mouth. His throat constricted, swallowing the mouthful through a choked sob. But he did not stop drinking.
“That’s it,” Izuku coaxed, tipping the cup further as it was slowly drained, “every last drop.” When it was finished, Izuku smiled tightly, no trace of cheer in his expression. “Don’t even try to throw it up.”
Hisashi shuddered with a rasp, leaning his head back against the bed as he let the cup fall from his hands. Izuku could see tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes. “No more…” Hisashi whispered.
“Are you full?” Izuku asked.
“Yes.”
“Tell me the truth.”
Hisashi sobbed. “No.”
“So you need more?”
“Yes!” Hisashi cried out, hands over his eyes as his breath caught in his throat and his voice cracked.
Izuku nodded. “Right.” He pulled his dad to his feet. “Up, up. We’re going to the storeroom, and you’re going to drink as much blood as you need until you’re full.”
“Please, Izuku,” the man begged him, weakly pulling against his grip. “No more! I don’t want anymore!”
“But you need more.” Izuku closed his ears to his dad’s continuous pleas as he dragged the man down to the storeroom.
Bottles of blood lined the shelves there, and Izuku stood in front of the entrance after they had entered to prevent Hisashi from trying to escape. The man glanced around the room, taking in the sight of a countless number of bottles with a look of abject horror. He turned to face Izuku, eyes locking on the still open door behind him. In response, Izuku firmly shut it and crossed his arms, giving his dad a stern look. “Drink.”
“No!” Hisashi refused, shaking his head rapidly.
“Drink until you’re full,” Izuku commanded him.
Hisashi’s expression was one of despair as he glanced at the nearest shelf, his hand prying loose the closest bottle. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his claws scrambled to remove the cork, bringing it to his lips.
It was a little bit sad, watching Hisashi try to drink while actively crying, his body out of his own control. But Izuku needed to do what he needed to do. He sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t force me to make you do these things.”
“I hate you!” Hisashi screamed after he finished the bottle, throwing it to the floor in a shower of glass before the order forced him to grab another.
Izuku felt his own eyes grow warm at that, but he sniffled and shoved it down. Hisashi wasn’t in his right mind at the moment; he would feel more clear-headed once he was better. Once he realized Izuku was doing this all for his benefit, surely he’d be grateful. Still, it hurt. “Don’t say things you don’t mean,” he murmured.
Hisashi’s glare was venomous. “I do m—”
“Shut up and drink!” Izuku snapped. He didn’t want to hear it.
Hisashi drank.
When he had finished, finally having his fill, his hands rose up to cover his face. Hisashi moved into a corner, as far away from Izuku as possible, tucking his knees into his chest. He muttered under his breath, burying his face as cries racked his body.
Izuku decided to give him a few minutes. But he couldn’t just stand there and listen to his dad cry—even though he knew Hisashi probably wouldn’t want his comfort. It went against Izuku’s very being to simply watch someone suffer. And so quietly, he approached his father, crouching down in front of him and placing a hand on his knee. “It’s okay,” Izuku reassured him.
Hisashi jerked away from his touch violently, lifting his head to glare with eyes full of hatred. “Nothing is okay!” he snarled. “You’ve had your laugh, just leave me be!”
Izuku frowned. “I’m not laughing. Nothing about this is funny. You were starving yourself, Dad!”
“What else am I supposed to do?!” Hisashi accused.
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Izuku’s tone rose to match his father’s.
“You already know what it means! You KNOW!”
“Stop it!” Izuku yelled. “You will never starve yourself again!”
“You stop! Stop forcing me to live like this!”
“It’s for your own good!”
“You mean YOUR good! What else are you going to take from me?!” his father shouted at him. “You took my life, my name, my freedom, my humanity! I’m just a puppet being pulled by your strings!”
“But I’m giving you something so much better in exchange!” Izuku insisted. “If you weren’t so resistant you wouldn’t be forced to do things! I’ve only been taking care of your health!”
Hisashi just shook his head wildly and clapped his hands over his ears in a clear indication he didn’t want to hear anything else. “I don’t want this. I never wanted any of this!”
Izuku winced. He crawled forward, pressing himself up against his dad’s side and hugging him. Hisashi stiffened at the touch, a shuddering gasp leaving him. More tears slipped from his eyes, dripping down his chin onto the stone flooring below. “I…I know,” Izuku whispered. “But you’ll be happy. I promise. Just give it time. I can make you happy.”
Hisashi ignored him.
The rest of the day had passed by in a blur for Hisashi, who felt as though he was watching his body from afar as the day rolled by, inwardly seething with rage. With how despondent he had been for the rest of the day—merely allowing himself to be pulled from place to place and barely reacting—Izuku had eventually relented and allowed him to return to his room, though with the threat of bringing more blood for him to drink the following morning. Hisashi had all but crashed onto the bed, eager for the oblivion of sleep and the reprieve it offered him.
It was the middle of the night (by vampire standards) when he awoke. After everything that had happened that day, Hisashi’s slumber had been fitful and restless. But now that he was awake, and feeling stronger thanks to having been forced to drink blood, the thought occurred to him:
The boy had never said he couldn’t leave his room.
Hisashi had been ordered not to hurt, starve, or kill himself, but he hadn’t been ordered to stay in his room at night.
Currently, it was sometime in the early hours of the morning, after the sun had just risen. That meant the vampires would be asleep for many more hours, leaving the castle barren other than guards. Hisashi had discovered that while the vampires preferred to be nocturnal (which he already knew), due to the humans in their kingdom, they had compromised in order to coexist with the humans more seamlessly. And so the vampires tended to go to bed sometime around four or five in the morning and sleep until noon. Izuku wouldn’t wake for several more hours yet.
Which meant if Hisashi left now, and was able to sneak out successfully, he’d be able to get away hours before anyone noticed he was missing.
That thought had him scrambling up out of bed, throwing on his clothes and darting for the door. He was confident he could sneak past a few guards.
And he did. Hisashi made it out of the castle and through the city without being stopped. Exhilaration flooded through him, and hope made his steps light. He’d had to leave behind all of his equipment sure, but he could start over. If he could just reach the human kingdom, he could start over. He would be free.
He would need to find a map in order to figure out where he was in relation to the border, but that shouldn’t be too hard. He would look for one in the next town, as he wanted to get out of the current city as fast as possible—it was too close to the castle.
Izuku carried a chalice of blood in hand as he made his way up the stairs and towards his father’s bedroom to wake him. But he paused before the door, the memories of yesterday playing over in his mind. Of how distraught Hisashi had been; how he said he hated Izuku. His chest still hurt from the harsh words. From how miserable his father had been. After the…incident, Hisashi had been little more than a zombie throughout the rest of the day, his eyes distant and dull, only speaking when spoken to and with one or two words—if at all.
Izuku stared at the glass of blood he held, chewing his lip. The scent that drifted up was less appetizing than it normally was, but the blood of animals was never as good as that of a human’s. He hoped his father would be more responsive to it though, given the distaste he had shown for human blood. And once Hisashi grew accustomed to drinking it, then he could try human blood again and would realize how much better it was. As long as Hisashi didn’t fight him over this too.
Izuku took in a slow, deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for the possibility of another argument, and turned the handle of the door. “Dad?” he called out as he pushed the door open. “I brought you your—”
Only for his heart to stop when he saw his father was nowhere to be seen.
“Dad?!” Izuku shouted, head whipping about the room as he glanced from the messy bed to the half opened drawers of the dresser. “Dad, this isn’t funny!” Panic rose up, and he scanned the room again more desperately. There was no ash to be found, but he still hadn’t received an answer. “Dad, come out right now!”
Silence followed his command. There was no shuffle of movement or low, annoyed groan with a number of curses being spoken under a quiet breath. At the lack of response, the budding panic swelled into overwhelming terror. The glass fell from Izuku’s hand and spilled across the floor as he turned and ran out of the room, all but flying down the stairs and through the corridors.
He called out for Hisashi again and again, attracting more than a few stares as he ran about the halls before making a sharp turn towards Mirai’s study. From afar he could make out the distant sound of voices, but he could hardly make sense of them. His whole body was hot and shaky, a constant ringing piercing deeply into his ears as they were filled with the sound of his own racing heartbeat.
As he got closer, he could vaguely make out Gran’s voice, unusually low and quiet, “Should make sure he doesn’t…”
“I know,” came Mirai’s exasperated voice then, breathing a soft sigh. “If we wait until—”
The words were lost to Izuku as he all but slammed the door open and cut off whatever Mirai had been about to say. He caused the two to start sharply, their eyes roving his panicked form.
“Izuku, what’s—” Gran began, but Izuku cut him off immediately.
“Gran!” he called, the start of the order causing Gran to seize. The elder vampire was wholly unprepared for it, his expression one of surprise. But Izuku brushed away the stirrings of guilt as he continued on, “Search the entire castle for Dad, as fast as you can! Tell me if you find him or not!”
Gran hardly had time to make sense of the order before he was compelled to carry it out, disappearing from the room faster than Izuku could track him, the gust of wind left behind being the only proof he had even been there. Izuku’s eyes snapped to Mirai then, whose mouth was hanging open slightly at what he had just witnessed.
“Your Majesty—” was all Mirai could get out before another order began spilling from Izuku’s lips.
“Mirai, look into the future and tell me where Dad is going to be!”
Mirai’s voice died out with a choked noise as he was cut off, his eyes immediately fogging over with magic. His body stiffened in his chair as the future played out before him. Izuku anxiously waited for him to come back, a cold sweat breaking over his skin as the moments passed.
A gasp escaped Mirai when the fog finally left his eyes. He turned to stare into Izuku’s panicked green ones, a response prying itself free from his throat before he could do anything else. “He’s on the run,” Mirai answered with a shuddery breath, licking his lips. “The vision was foggy, but I saw a map in his hand. I would assume he’s searching for the quickest route to the border.”
A mixture of terror and anger coiled in Izuku’s chest as he took in the information. “Look again and tell me if he’s going to make it across!”
Mirai did so, coming back more quickly than he had the first time. He held a hand to his throat with a wince, the pallor of his skin pale and his lips now cracked and dried. “I think he will.”
“You think?!” Izuku growled.
Mirai shook his head. “Without his blood, I can’t specifically see into his future, only a vision of the most likely general future. But I saw that in two day’s time, a commotion would break out at the border, and there would be an uproar in the human kingdom. I can only speculate, but my guess is that Hisashi makes it to the border, where he will be caught and revealed as a vampire, possibly causing the riots to happen as the humans will not take kindly to his new nature.”
Izuku felt like a fist had grasped his lungs and squeezed. No. Oh, by the gods, NO! He was not going to lose another parent!
“Where at the border?!” he demanded, fists clenched. “Did you see where?!”
Mirai visibly shuddered as the order washed over him. “The—The forest,” he said. “I couldn’t see specifically where, but somewhere in the forest. I assume he will be hiding there to try and skirt around the border patrols. If something is not done quickly, he will pass into the Kingdom of Yuei.”
Mirai’s visions gave him the most likely future, but that didn’t mean it had to be the actual future. Izuku wouldn’t let it be. He would find his dad before anything bad happened. “Alert all the guards to search for my father! They’re not to rest until he’s found!” Izuku ordered Mirai as the door swung back open, Gran stepping into the room just as Mirai stood up, already making his leave.
“He’s not in the castle,” Gran told Izuku as he watched Mirai go by, the two sharing a look as he did so.
Izuku walked over to Gran, expression set into a determined scowl, taking hold of the elder vampire's hand. “We’re going to search for dad. NOW. We’re not going to stop until we find him,” Izuku informed Gran as he led them out of Mirai’s study and out of the castle. “He is NOT going to make it over the border. I won’t let him.”
He wasn’t going to stop until his father was found and back home. Even if he did cross the border, Izuku would go after him. He would find him, no matter what it took. He wouldn’t let Mirai’s vision come to pass.
Hisashi had been on the run for two days now. He remembered it only taking one to reach the castle when he had first been captured and brought over the border, but it seemed as though some sort of alert for him had gone out—or perhaps people just recognized him as All For One.
The local soldiers in the last village he’d been in had chased him after someone had spotted him, yelling at him to halt. They had been a strange mixture of vampires and humans—who were most likely enthralled to do the vampires’ bidding. Hisashi had lost them, but he’d been forced to take detours, and even spent a few hours hiding in a pile of hay on a nearby farm he’d happened to pass by in order to lose the guards on his tail. There was no doubt by now that the boy was looking for him, and anyone able to give an account of having seen him was dangerous, forcing him to be even more cautious as he traveled.
Which was why Hisashi was currently in the woods, away from civilization in order to avoid being spotted as he slowly made his way in the direction of the border. He’d had to kind of zig-zag instead of heading in a straight line to it, but he figured he would reach the border by the end of the evening if he were able to keep a fast, consistent pace.
Hopefully it wasn’t being heavily guarded in an attempt to catch him.
At the moment, he had slowed for a break, sitting on a log to rest. He was definitely feeling the effects of not drinking again in the past few days since he’d ran. The weakness and exhaustion were familiar to him by now. But he refused to succumb to it. Not when freedom was so close.
He wasn’t sure what it was that made him turn suddenly to look over his shoulder; some base instinct he couldn’t identify. But when he did, he saw a large blur shooting towards him, flying past him. It turned almost immediately, heading back to where Hisashi was jumping to his feet, and stopped in front of him.
Gran.
“He’s over here!” the man yelled.
Hisashi growled under his breath, grit his teeth and booked it. He couldn’t attack Gran due to the order he was under, and he knew he couldn’t outrun him, but Hisashi wasn’t going to just sit there and give up.
So he ran.
Surprisingly, Gran didn’t chase him. When Hisashi glanced back in confusion, the man simply gave him a cocky, evil grin.
It didn’t take him long to find out why.
Another person quickly came into view, a small green figure that was crackling with lightning, darting about the trees and the underbrush. Hisashi felt his mouth go dry as he looked into glowing, furious eyes.
“HISASHI!” Izuku screeched angrily.
Hisashi nearly tripped, righting himself at the last moment and making a sharp turn as he continued to run even faster, the adrenaline giving him a boost as he attempted to get away from the little monster that was chasing him. But he did not manage to get far before he was barrelled into from behind, the force knocking him flat to the ground.
“DAD,” the boy growled into his ear. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?!”
Hisashi didn’t answer.
“What do you have to say for yourself?!”
He stayed silent, struggling under the boy.
A small hand twisted into his hair, yanking his head back until his neck craned uncomfortably. Hisashi felt the prick of sharp fangs on the shell of his ear and yelled out in fear, “GET OFF! GET OFF ME!”
Izuku didn’t listen, but the fangs retreated. “You will NEVER run away again. You will NOT leave the castle!” he commanded.
Hisashi wheezed in response, and the hand released him. Izuku finally crawled off of him, and Hisashi was manhandled (surprisingly gently) to his feet. The boy glared at him with fury even as he brushed dirt and leaves off of Hisashi’s clothes.
“Guess I just can’t trust you to be alone at all, ever,” he grumbled. Hisashi set his jaw and looked away. Izuku only scoffed at his lack of response. “Come on,” he said, taking hold of Hisashi's hand, “let’s go home.”
“Let go of me!” Hisashi tried in vain to fight back, unable to stop his legs from moving or tear his hand free, even as he used his other hand to grasp his wrist and try to pull away.
Izuku’s only response was to squeeze his fingers tighter. Hisashi hissed in pain, instinctively trying even harder to pull away from the source of the discomfort. “Stop it!” Izuku reprimanded him. “Stop struggling!”
Beside them, Gran was walking with his arms crossed behind his head, whistling a foreign tune as though he wasn’t watching a grown man being forcibly pulled against his will by a small child. The grin that pulled at the elder vampire’s lips only fuelled the anger welling up inside of Hisashi.
But Hisashi didn’t stop struggling. He’d come so far! He couldn’t just give up now!
Izuku spun around to face him, causing Hisashi to bump into him as he failed to stop on time. “Do you want me to drag you by your cloak again?!” Izuku asked angrily. “Or throw you over my shoulder? You might be too big for that but that doesn’t mean I won’t try!”
“Oh, that must be a tough choice for Hisashi,” Gran commented, amusement coloring his tone. “I’d love to see him get dragged through the dirt, but why not have him carry you back instead, Izuku? It’s a long way to the castle and he did make us run around for two days.”
Hisashi felt dread when he saw the considerate look on the boy’s face. “Fine. I won’t struggle,” he lied quickly.
But it was too late.
“Really? I don’t believe you. Carry me,” Izuku demanded.
Hisashi released a frustrated growl through his teeth as he found himself reaching down to pick the boy up.
“No, not like that,” Izuku amended. “I want a piggyback ride.”
“As His Majesty wishes,” Hisashi grit out.
“Son,” Izuku corrected him sharply. “Call me your son.”
Hisashi tried to fight against the order, but it was for naught as the words were forcibly pried from his mouth through clenched teeth. Even still, the anger and resentment in his voice was unmistakable as the order forced him to say, “…Yes, my son.”
The boy grinned happily as he jumped on Hisashi’s back, wrapping his arms around his neck. Hisashi felt all of his hair stand on end at the fact that Izuku’s face was now level with his throat. Especially as the boy rested his chin on Hisashi’s shoulder. “Follow Gran back to the castle,” he ordered. Hisashi snarled wordlessly, and received a bop on the head. “Don’t complain. This is your own fault to begin with. You shouldn’t have tried to run away.”
Hisashi said nothing as he walked onward, following behind Gran in silence. Though it didn’t take long before Gran grew bored of the quiet, as he glanced back over his shoulder at them, flashing a toothy grin at the pair. Hisashi bared his own fangs in return for the man’s part in his current humiliation. But it only served to amuse Gran further, his eyes glinting. “How’s the view from up there, Izuku?” he called out to the boy, ignoring Hisashi’s heated glare.
“I haven’t been up this high in ages!” Izuku laughed. “Not since…” he trailed off.
“Yeah,” Gran said softly, his voice going strangely somber. “I know.”
Hisashi didn’t know, but he also wasn’t sure if he cared to ask. He was irritated at his ruined escape and didn’t wish to speak to either of them. Yet curiosity still burned inside of him. He hadn’t seen any vampires as tall as himself in the castle before.
“…Ah.” The boy suddenly sounded guilty. “You must be hungry, Dad! It’s been a few days, hasn’t it?”
Had he felt Hisashi’s trembling frame? “I’m fine,” he growled.
“Are you really?”
“…N-No,” escaped him without permission.
“Will you give him a drink from your waterskin Gran? He’ll need it for the walk back.”
Gran sighed reluctantly but passed over his waterskin, all but shoving it into Hisashi’s hands. “If you throw it again, you're going to end up with missing teeth,” the elder vampire warned.
“He won’t throw it,” Izuku assured him. “Dad, drink.”
Blood rushed down his throat as his body obeyed, slaking his thirst. There was a strange sort of…spice to the blood, the aftertaste clinging to the inside of his mouth. Hisashi wrinkled his nose at the sensation, scowling at the waterskin with disdain.
“Was my favorite kind too,” Gran complained irritably. “Bet he doesn’t even appreciate it.”
“Sorry, Gran!” Izuku called. “I’ll have the kitchen put in a special order of blood-filled taiyaki for you when we get home, okay?”
“Now you’re talking!”
“And I’ll have them prepare some katsudon for me.” Izuku hummed happily at the thought. “Katsudon is my favorite.”
“What’s even the point?” Hisashi muttered under his breath. “It doesn’t do anything. It’s just…there.”
“We can still enjoy the taste!” Izuku said. “Even if human food isn’t filling or appetizing, it can still taste good!”
“I couldn’t live without my taiyaki,” Gran chimed in from up ahead. “Cafe in town makes the best taiyaki I’ve ever had. I go every day to grab a bite.”
“It’s a waste of food!” Hisashi argued back.
“If you enjoy it, then it’s not a waste!” Izuku insisted. He tapped Hisashi on the cheek. “Keep drinking, Dad, you only took a few mouthfuls. I don’t want you to collapse before we get home.”
“Then get off my back,” Hisashi grumbled as his hand moved up of its own accord, placing the waterskin back at his lips and forcing him to swallow another swig of blood.
“I don’t weigh that much!” Izuku huffed. “Or are you not strong enough?”
Hisashi knew he was saying that just to get a rise out of him, but he still felt insulted. “I was the strongest vampire hunter in Yuei,” he spat out vindictively.
Izuku only hugged his neck tighter. “You said it in past tense!” he exclaimed. “I’m so proud of you, Dad! You’re accepting who you are!”
Hisashi clenched his jaw. “Don’t bet on it.”
He felt Izuku shift on his back until the boy was able to wiggle forward and press their cheeks together, ignoring Hisashi’s disgruntlement. “It’s okay, I know it’ll take time. But this is a good start!”
Hisashi had to resist the urge to turn his head and bite the boy’s nose. He determinedly ignored Gran’s amusement, keeping his eyes firmly ahead as he was forced to walk back to the large, gilded cage he was being imprisoned in.
Hisashi had hoped Izuku would have hopped off his back when they finally arrived at the castle, but he merely clung even tighter than before. Sighing, he started the trek towards the stairs, wanting nothing more than to fall into the abyss of sleep, but was interrupted.
“Go to Mirai’s study,” Izuku ordered.
“Why?!” Hisashi demanded to know even as his legs began moving against his will once more.
“So I can keep a better eye on you.”
“But I’m tired.” That had always worked before, Izuku letting him sleep whenever he mentioned being exhausted.
“Too bad,” Izuku said petulantly. “Maybe if you hadn’t run away you wouldn’t be so tired right now. Besides, you know it’s from lack of blood, not lack of sleep. You just need to drink some more and you’ll feel fine.”
“I don’t want more.”
“Too bad!” Izuku repeated. “I’m not going to let you go hungry, whether you like it or not.”
Everyday it felt like the noose around his neck got tighter, and yet it never choked him no matter how much he wanted it to.
Ahead of them, Gran practically kicked the door inwards as they reached Mirai’s study, laughing at the string of complaints and curses he received for doing so. “We’re back!” the older vampire announced unnecessarily. “He was right where you thought he’d be.”
Mirai gave Gran a heated glare from where he sat at his desk, papers scattered everywhere, then looked over to Hisashi and Izuku, who was still clinging to his back. “As I expected,” Mirai muttered, a hand over his face in exasperation at Gran’s antics. “And please. Knock.”
“I did this time!” Gran insisted. “I knocked with my foot! Once!”
Mirai dragged the hand down his face. Hisashi felt pleased to watch someone else suffer—at least until the man opened his mouth again and said, “Welcome back, Midoriya Hisashi. Did you enjoy your little venture?”
Hisashi growled low in his throat. Bloodsucker just had to rub it in.
“Still. I’m surprised it took you so long to find him, Gran,” Mirai continued dryly. “You’re not as fast as you used to be.”
“And your vision ain’t twenty-twenty anymore either. Think your inner eye there needs some glasses, Mirai,” Gran shot back.
Hisashi could hear Izuku giggling quietly in his ear. “What in the hell are you two talking about?” Hisashi groaned.
Mirai ignored him, looking highly offended at Gran’s words. “You know very well that nothing is set in stone, no matter how likely a scenario might be. Fortunately,” Mirai said, and something in his voice implied that it was anything but, his sharp eyes flickering briefly over to Hisashi, “this time the most likely outcome didn’t come to pass. And please, Your Majesty, take him to bathe afterwards. He hid in a barn at one point.”
“Bet he fit right in there!” Gran laughed uproariously.
“And how would you know that—”
“I can smell it on you,” Mirai sneered. “It doesn’t take a genius to make the obvious deduction.”
“Okay, okay,” Izuku interrupted. “Stop teasing Dad. He’s already grumpy.” Hisashi was relieved when the boy finally jumped off of his back. Only for dread to fill him with Izuku’s next words, “Go ahead and take the blood you need, Mirai.”
“Wait—” Hisashi began to backpedal towards the door. “Hold on, what—? No. No. No.”
Izuku turned to him with a reassuring smile. “Dad, stop.” Hisashi froze. Behind Izuku’s back, he saw Gran flash his fangs at him suggestively. “It’s okay! It’s just a prick!” Izuku insisted. “Mirai won’t bite you.”
“Why does he even need my blood?!”
“So he can keep track of you!” Izuku explained as he tugged Hisashi forward, despite him digging his heels in.
“You want him to spy on me?!” Hisashi hissed. That was a violation of his privacy!
“You’re very sneaky, Dad,” Izuku admonished him, though he didn’t actually sound all that upset. “You keep finding ways around my orders and getting away from me.”
“Maybe that means you should take the hint.”
“Maybe you should give us a chance as a family!”
“What ‘us’? There’s no ‘us’!”
“There could be!”
“Besides,” Mirai interrupted, clearly having had enough of them as he took out a flask from his desk and removed the necklace around his throat. “It’s hardly the first time I’ve taken a look into the future concerning you. It is, after all, how we managed to find you. Both times.”
Hisashi stared at the man incredulously. “The future? You can see into the future?!”
“Of course I can,” Mirai sniffed impertinently.
Hisashi felt a creeping sense of dread down his spine at the realization. If Mirai could see into the future, then it was no wonder that nothing he had tried thus far had panned out. Izuku would know his every move before Hisashi even—
Wait.
If Mirai could see into the future…then why had Izuku been surprised by Hisashi’s actions? Would he not have known about them beforehand?
Wouldn’t Mirai have mentioned…
He made eye contact with the man as he approached Hisashi with a small knife from the end of his necklace. Mirai had a knowing glint in his eye, and also something of a warning. Behind him, Gran shared the same malevolent look.
“Be still,” Mirai commanded as he took hold of Hisashi’s hand, slicing the tiny blade across his fingers. Deeply.
Hisashi instinctively pushed the man away with a hard shove, curling his wounded hand to his chest.
“Dad, come on, just cooperate for once, please?” Izuku asked exasperatedly.
“Think I can help, Izuku,” Gran said, and in a flash he was by Hisashi’s side, grasping his hand and jerking it out. Mirai approached again, looking far more disgruntled and irritable. When he held the flask beneath Hisashi’s fingers, Gran squeezed.
Hisashi swallowed a noise of pain, not wanting to give these monsters the satisfaction. The sound of his blood dripping into the flask seemed abnormally loud in the otherwise quiet room. The blood continued to trickle in a steady stream, and Hisashi writhed in Gran’s hold, angered at being touched.
“Don’t worry,” Gran whispered in his ear, low enough that Hisashi himself had a hard time hearing him, “we’ll put this to good use.”
Mirai pulled away only once the flask was filled to an adequate amount, eyeing the contents before sealing the cap. Gran’s hold loosened slightly then and Hisashi ripped himself away.
“This should do, My Liege,” Mirai informed Izuku. “I will be able to keep a better eye on any more attempts with this.” Mirai met Hisashi’s eyes again as he spoke, the gold flashing. Hisashi realized then that without a doubt, Mirai knew.
He had known, and had never said anything about anything to Izuku beforehand. Hisashi, due to the orders he was under, wasn’t able to harm himself in any way. But now he realized that perhaps he wouldn’t have to.
“Excellent!” Izuku clapped his hands. “Now, come on, Dad. We need to go have a talk.”
“A talk?” Hisashi repeated in a murmur as he shook out his now healing hand, his mind still going over the revelation as Izuku led him out of the room.
Izuku didn’t respond to him as he took Hisashi up through the castle, heading towards Hisashi’s room. When they arrived, Izuku shut the door behind them and leaned his forehead against it for a moment.
A deep sigh came from the boy. “Why did you run away?” he asked, turning to fix Hisashi with a tired look.
Hisashi scoffed. “You can’t seriously tell me you don’t understand why I’m acting the way I am. How would YOU feel in my situation?”
“You can’t just keep doing this!” Izuku snapped, ignoring Hisashi’s question. “I know this was all thrust upon you unexpectedly, but you’re not even trying to make it work!”
“And why the hell would you expect me to?!”
“What else are you going to do now?!” Izuku threw his hands up. “What? Do you think you can just go back? There’s no taking this back! There’s no returning to your old life!”
“It would be better than staying here!”
“You would die!” Izuku shouted, pointing at him accusingly. “You would DIE because you refuse to take care of yourself!”
“And what a tragedy that would be!” Hisashi yelled back.
Izuku stomped towards him, and despite himself Hisashi found himself backing up. Ridiculous really, that he would run from a child.
“It would be!” A small finger poked his chest. “It would be a HUGE tragedy and I won’t let it happen.”
“For you, maybe!”
“For you too! You don’t even realize that! And you don’t because you refuse to let yourself see how good of a life you could actually have here! Give it a chance! Why won’t you let yourself be happy? I know it’s not what you chose, but at least try to make this work.”
“I refuse to just lay down and take what you’ve forced on me!”
“I only force it on you because you won’t do it yourself!” Izuku’s voice suddenly cut out from its angry yelling, the boy putting his face in his hands and taking deep breaths to steady himself before looking back up at Hisashi. “Why won’t you take care of yourself?” Izuku asked him in a hushed whisper, eyes watery and clearly upset. “Why aren’t you happy? You have everything you could possibly want—”
“I don’t want any of this!” Hisashi roared, cutting the boy off with a start. “I didn’t want my whole life ripped away from me! I didn’t want to come here, or be trapped in this castle! I didn’t want to become a vampire, and I don’t want to be forced to drink blood!”
“Then tell me what you do want! What will it take to make you happy?! Tell me and I’ll give it to you!” Izuku pleaded loudly, hands balled into fists and eyes shut in his anger, before opening them again in another yell, “Tell me! Tell me what you want!”
“I want to die!” Hisashi screamed back, and for once, the order and his own will came together in conjunction with one another as he glowered down at the child. He opened his mouth to say more, to let Izuku know just how much he despised his existence—
Only to pause at the sight of the boy’s face.
Izuku stared at him with impossibly wide eyes full of shock, which gave way into utter terror. Then they shifted again, into what Hisashi could only describe as pure anguish. He smelt the salt on the air as thick, fat tears formed in Izuku’s eyes, followed by a tiny sniffle. The sniffle became a hiccup, and before long a sob was tearing itself out of Izuku.
Hisashi didn’t know what to make of the situation before him. The boy looked absolutely miserable. Something he thought he would enjoy, given everything Izuku had put him through. But there was an uncomfortable knot of something twisting in his chest as those tears started falling down Izuku’s cheeks in droves. Something that was uncomfortably close to guilt.
“I—” Hisashi tried, but Izuku would hear nothing from him as he turned on his heel and fled.
Notes:
Izuku trying to trick Hisashi into drinking blood like:
Izuku: *places chalice in front of Hisashi*
AFO: “what is this?”
Izuku: “………red wine.”
Izuku complaining to Gran later because that didn’t work:
Izuku: “Gran, Dad still isn’t happy!” 😩
Gran: “maybe because you keep tricking him.”
Izuku: “he NEEDS to eat. He’ll die otherwise!”
Gran: “and what a pity that would be.”
Izuku: “exactly!”
As always, thanks for reading!
Chapter 9
Summary:
Hisashi didn’t know what to make of the situation before him. The boy looked absolutely miserable. Something he thought he would enjoy, given everything Izuku had put him through. But there was an uncomfortable knot of something twisting in his chest as those tears started falling down Izuku’s cheeks in droves. Something that was uncomfortably close to guilt.
“I—” Hisashi tried, but Izuku would hear nothing from him as he turned on his heel and fled.
Notes:
Anyone else here have cats that like to steal your towels and carry them around the house while SCREAMING at the top of their little kitty lungs? Honestly.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku all but flew from the confines of Hisashi’s room, racing down the stairs with tears blurring his eyes and a sob in his throat. More than once he stumbled and tripped, but it hardly slowed him down as he ran through the corridors, ignoring any startled servants or guards that might have seen him pass. He didn’t stop running until he came upon the entrance to the royal gardens, all but slamming the doors open, a sharp crack of splintering wood echoing through the halls.
But he didn’t care, racing past the broken doors and into the garden, his eyes seeing through the darkness easily as he followed the path that led deeper within, the glow of the moon casting a silvery light on the landscape. Only once he was deep within the confines of the garden did he stop, the sight of a bubbling fountain greeting him and the smell of the surrounding flowers assaulting his nose, from roses to white lilies, violets, camellias, and lilacs. He kneeled by the fountain, arms resting against the edge as he buried his face in them while tears continued to pour down his cheeks.
He knew Hisashi was unhappy. He knew the man didn’t want any of this. But Izuku still had hope that if he would at least try, then perhaps they could make something good out of all this. To eventually be a family.
But to hear…that. To hear so blatantly that Hisashi wanted to die…Izuku knew, but it still frightened him unimaginably. He was so terrified of losing his dad, and with knowing just how many times Hisashi had weaseled his way through various orders…What if he managed it one day? What if he got away? Left? Died? Izuku couldn’t imagine a third headstone next to the honorary graves of his parents. The mental image of Hisashi crumbling to dust before his eyes…
Izuku didn’t want to think about it. He wouldn’t lose another parent. He hated Hisashi for saying that. So many things kept trying to take Hisashi away from him, and his dad seemed perfectly fine with that. It was like Izuku cared more about him than Hisashi cared about himself.
What was Izuku doing wrong? What would it take to show the man that things weren’t as bad as he thought they were? Why couldn’t Hisashi see how much Izuku cared about him?
He wished his mother and father were here to tell him. To comfort him and show him everything would be alright; to hold him tight in warm hugs and ease his worries.
But they weren’t here anymore. Worse, his new dad seemed to hate him.
Izuku was trying to be understanding. He really was. He tried to comfort Hisashi, take care of his health, make sure others didn’t harm him. But the man never seemed to want anything Izuku gave him. Always resistant to everything around him, always so difficult. Izuku had the suspicion also, that if he himself had been human, things would have gone very differently—Hisashi would probably be nice to him. But his dad still hated vampires despite being one, and refused to allow Izuku to show him they were good people. And Hisashi’s self-hatred only made the wound in Izuku’s chest widen.
Another sob tore from his throat, his form shuddering from the unending cries. He wanted to ask Mirai and Gran for help; to talk to them. But he knew they would only be happy with the situation, that they didn’t want his dad around. His wails only grew louder at the realization that there wasn’t anyone to help him; anyone that wanted to help him. He was alone, as he had been since the day his parents never came back home.
Caught up in his grief, Izuku didn’t hear the footsteps behind him. So when a hand landed gently on his shoulder, he was startled sharply, jerking away from it and turning to stare at whoever had encroached on him.
Dark blue hair and eyes filled with concern greeted him, alongside a mouth set into a slight frown.
“My King?” Iida Tensei spoke quietly, drawing his hand away after realizing he had frightened Izuku when all Izuku did was stare, chest rising and falling more quickly than it had before.
“W-What are you doing here?” Izuku demanded in an accusing tone, managing a glare through his tears.
“I was taking a stroll through the gardens after finishing sorting through the affairs of my house for the day,” Tensei explained. “That’s when I saw you running into the gardens and crying. I thought…Did something happen, My King?”
Izuku bit his lip, stifling a hiccup as he fought to still his heart and steady his breathing. More tears rolled over his cheeks. When he managed to speak through them, his voice cracked and faltered, “My…m-my dad…he…”
“I heard he…left. Were you not able to find him?”
“We…we did. But dad…he…he doesn’t…” The words were lost as Izuku’s voice broke, heaving a shuddering breath and turning away as the tears overwhelmed him again. After a moment, he managed to regain enough composure to speak once more, though it was barely above a whisper, “Dad…D-Dad hates it h-here. He’s been trying to...to…a-and I’m the only o-one that cares! I-I have to force him to not…not hurt himself, o-or starve a-and…!”
“It sounds like this has been hard for both you and him,” Tensei said. “A big adjustment like this takes time, you know?”
Izuku wiped his nose miserably. “I know…but I just thought—I don’t know. That…That everything would be fine. That Dad would see we aren’t monsters. But he’s so stubborn about it! And he keeps…he keeps…”
Tensei sank down onto his knees beside him. “Well. This is a lot for him, isn’t it? Old prejudices are not so easily tossed aside. Especially when some of those prejudices were proven true when your father was turned without his consent.”
Izuku cringed at the reminder. “Yeah, but I eliminated All For One by doing so!” he defended himself. “He was a threat to our kind, and now he isn’t.”
Tensei held a hand up. “I’m not saying you didn’t do a good thing, eliminating such a strong enemy, even if it was by breaking the law. I’m simply saying think about how he must be feeling now. How would you feel if someone forcibly transformed you into an entirely different species, then kidnapped you from everything you’ve ever known?”
Izuku was quiet for a good long while, staring at the water rippling in the fountain. “…Probably really horrible,” he admitted. “But it’s not like I took him away from a family or anything, he never had one! I know what I did wasn’t…the best. And I would be upset in his situation too, but he’s not even trying. He knows there’s no going back to his old life now, and so the best thing would be to try to adapt and move on, but he won’t! I’ve been trying to show him how happy he could be here, and what I could offer him as his family. And when he’s sad I try to comfort him the way Mom and Dad used to comfort me. But no matter what I do, he always rejects me.”
“Trying to force someone to move on because they can’t go back isn’t the best way to help someone, My King,” Tensei pointed out gently.
“T-Then what am I supposed to do?” Izuku asked, looking down and away.
“It sounds like your heart is in the right place, wanting to be understanding, but you are lacking some patience. He needs a lot of time to come to terms with all the changes in his life.”
“And I want to help him with that!” Izuku exclaimed. “I’m looking out for his best interests.”
“Think of what he actually needs, My King, rather than what you think he should want or what you want for him. Right now, I believe it would be best if you were to give him the time and space to come to terms with everything that’s happened,” Tensei spoke softly, placing a hand on Izuku’s head and carding his fingers through his hair. “I know you miss your parents, and I know you crave the affection that only a parent can give you, but if you continue to try and force him to accept everything at once, he will only resent you more for it.”
“But what if he…what if he never does?” Izuku sniffled, wiping his eyes with his sleeves. “What if he always hates the way things are?”
“Hisashi will come to understand that vampires aren’t as bad as he believes them to be once he learns more about us. That we are people too, just like humans.”
Izuku chewed at his lower lip, looking uncertain. Then he peeked back up at Tensei. “...Do you really think so?” he asked unsurely. Tensei nodded, offering a small, comforting smile.
“Yes, My King. All you need is the patience to allow him to come to that realization himself. It cannot be forced upon him.”
“...Okay,” Izuku mumbled after a moment of consideration, giving a tiny nod. “I-I’ll try to be more understanding and patient.”
“Things will get better,” Tensei assured kindly. “You’ll see.”
“T-Thank you, Tensei,” Izuku said with a tiny sniff.
“Of course, My King. I will be here for you whenever you are in need of me.”
Izuku took a deep breath as he stood outside his dad’s door, reminding himself of his conversation with Tensei last night. Patient. He had to be patient.
Unlike other times, this morning Izuku knocked on the door softly, waiting a moment before opening it. “Dad?” he called, peeking his head inside.
“...What is it?” He heard the tired grumble from the bed, Hisashi’s face scrunching up as he rose from the pillows, blinking several times to clear his vision. His frown only deepened at the sight of Izuku.
But Izuku tried to keep it from bothering him, forcing a smile to his face. He tapped a claw nervously against the glass of blood he held. “It’s time to get up.” He shifted the new outfit he held pinned under his arm. “I brought another completed clothing set from the tailor for you.” He didn’t bother mentioning the blood aloud, simply placing it down on Hisashi’s dresser along with the clothes, hoping his dad would take the hint.
“...Thanks,” Hisashi muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the palm of his hand. Hisashi slowly rose from the bed, his eyes studying Izuku’s face warily.
“I um. I can leave so you can get dressed?” Izuku offered after a moment. He was holding back a giggle at the sight of his dad’s hair. After his talk with Tensei, Izuku had ordered some servants to get a bath prepared for Hisashi. He hadn’t been ready to see Hisashi himself again, but he’d remembered Mirai’s comment on his dad smelling like a barn. Clearly though, his dad had gone to bed with wet hair, and his current bed-head was. Wild.
“I don’t care if you leave. It doesn’t matter either way,” Hisashi grumbled out, stepping over to the dresser and taking the new clothes in hand with a sigh.
Izuku felt his eye twitch. What did he mean it didn’t matter? It had mattered to him the last time! “I’ll just turn around then.” He faced the door, waiting until his dad was done. “And there’s a comb in the dresser!” he called back as he heard Hisashi shuffling about.
A grunt was Hisashi’s only reply.
Izuku waited until he no longer heard the soft shuffling of clothes before turning around again. “You look nice!” he complimented, watching his dad run the comb through his hair. It was curly and unruly like Izuku’s, and didn’t seem all that interested in being tamed.
“...What is it you want today?” Hisashi asked after he finished, sounding resigned as he dropped the comb back onto the dresser with a clatter. Izuku winced at the touch of bitterness in his tone.
“Nothing,” Izuku said quietly, shaking his head.
Hisashi’s red eyes narrowed in suspicion, clearly not believing him. “Then why are you here?”
Izuku shifted on his feet. “I…thought it might be fun if we did something you wanted today?” he suggested lightly.
Hisashi froze. Then he regarded Izuku with suspicious eyes. “What’s the catch?” he asked.
“Um…nothing?” Izuku couldn’t help the pang of hurt that his father assumed there would be a catch.
“There’s always a catch with you,” Hisashi accused.
“No, there isn’t!” Izuku huffed, before taking a deep breath and reminding himself to be patient once more. “No catch,” he repeated in a softer tone. “We can do anything you’d like today.”
“...What is there to even do?”
Izuku racked his brain. “Uh. Well. You liked looking at all the artifacts in the hall last time, right? We didn’t get to go through them all.”
Hisashi’s eyes lit up suddenly, as though only just remembering something. Hope bloomed in Izuku’s chest. But the brief moment of excitement on his father’s face fell once his gaze turned to the glass still sitting on the dresser. “And I suppose you’re going to make me drink this before we go?” he asked bitterly.
Izuku shook his head. “I’d like you to, but no. You won’t be able to starve yourself anymore, so I’ll leave it up to you when you want to drink it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“The order will eventually kick in,” Izuku warned him gently. “It might not be now, and it might not be later. But it will eventually, and then you’ll have to drink something. But the order doesn’t specify what you drink from. Do you really want to risk losing control again?”
Hisashi stiffened at the reminder, expression going cold and hard. “Is that why you’ve been hiring human servants?” he asked accusingly, anger laced through his words.
Izuku’s nose wrinkled in offence. “No,” he denied curtly. “I hired more human staff because I had hoped it would make you feel more comfortable. I can get rid of them if you want.”
“Don’t!” his dad said quickly, then winced. “…They shouldn’t have to lose their jobs because of me…”
“I won’t fire them then,” Izuku assured him. “Now, are you going to drink the blood or not?”
Hisashi eyed the glass with trepidation. Izuku held his breath as the man considered it. But when nothing happened, Izuku sighed.
“I…” Hisashi began, reaching out to grasp it, only to stop short and draw his hand back as if burnt.
“...Why do you hate it?” Izuku asked carefully.
Hisashi’s expression twisted into a scowl, glaring at Izuku with a look that clearly said it should have been obvious. “Why wouldn’t I hate it?! It’s blood! Blood you take from innocent people! People you had to kill!”
Izuku felt his mouth drop open in shock. “Kill?!” he repeated shrilly. “We don’t kill people for this blood! It’s given to us by our human citizens’ own free will!”
“You honestly expect me to believe that?” Hisashi snorted contemptuously.
“Yes! Because that’s the truth!” Izuku said earnestly. “Why do you think there’s so many humans in our kingdom? Surely there wouldn’t be if we killed them! We offer them a life here without having to pay money taxes, and instead ask only for a blood tax in return. They all know that before they settle down here, and they choose to do so and accept the conditions.”
“I’ve never heard—”
“I can take you to Mirai and prove it to you! Or we can go into the city and ask the people there!” Izuku offered. He put his hands on his hips. “Honestly, aren’t you supposed to be like a vampire expert? How do you not know this?”
Hisashi’s face flushed lightly. “T-That’s…Obviously when learning to hunt vampires I didn’t need to know anything about their taxes. Killing them was the important part. Nothing in any of the materials I read talked about taxes.”
“Well now you can learn more about how vampires actually work instead of the nonsense you read in those books.”
Uh oh. His dad looked offended. “It wasn’t nonsense! I learned everything I needed to know.”
Izuku sighed. “But learning a little more isn’t going to hurt, is it?”
Hisashi just crossed his arms and grumbled incoherently.
“Anyway,” Izuku broke off the conversation of his father’s lacking education, not wanting to accidentally anger him further. “The blood?”
Hisashi’s eyes flicked over to the glass once again, his expression twisted. He made no move towards it, so Izuku walked over slowly and picked it up, offering it out silently with hopeful eyes.
His father took a step back from him but paused, and Izuku could see the struggle happening inside of him as he bit his lip, eyes locked on the glass. “Please,” Izuku murmured.
“...No one was hurt for this?” Hisashi spoke quietly, throat bobbing as he swallowed thickly.
Anticipation welled up inside of him, and Izuku smiled reassuringly. “No one. This was freely given.”
“If I find out you’re lying to me…”
“I’m not. I swear it.”
Izuku saw the moment his dad gave in, reluctance written all over his face as he reached slowly for the glass Izuku held out to him. His hands shook as he brought it up to his mouth to willingly drink for the first time, and Izuku wrapped his own around Hisashi’s to help steady them as he took his first sip.
Finally! Izuku did his best to hide his excitement. Finally, his dad had done it! This was an improvement! Tensei had been right! Izuku just had to be patient and let Hisashi come to things on his own—although maybe a little coaxing wasn’t out of place. But even if the order prevented Hisashi from starving himself, his dad had still drank blood of his own volition for the very first time! Izuku hadn’t had to force him. It felt relieving, freeing.
“That’s enough,” Hisashi said as a shudder went through him, lowering the glass from his lips. It was half-empty now. Izuku would have preferred it if he drank the whole thing, but it was still a huge improvement from before!
“Okay,” Izuku agreed happily, taking the glass away and placing it back on the dresser. Hopefully Hisashi would finish it later. Izuku had to hold himself back from his first instinct to hug his dad to show him how happy and proud he was of him, arms twitching at his sides. “Did you want to go to the artifacts room today then? Or maybe do some sparring? Oh, and we have this huge library that you haven’t seen yet! It’s filled with everything you could imagine!”
“...The artifact room sounds good.”
“Alright!” Izuku made an aborted motion to grab his father’s hand, remembering himself at the last moment. “Follow me!”
Once again, One For All was right there and yet still out of his grasp. Hisashi was enjoying checking out everything in the hall he hadn't had the chance to see the last time, but he found his eyes kept returning to the sword.
“—and this is from the house of Yaoyorozu, as a gift from when they officially joined the kingdom a thousand years ago.” He could hear Izuku ramble on about a different sword, as he had been doing about various artifacts for the past several hours now. “They have a unique ability to make things out of their own blood. It’s still as sharp as the day it was crafted and if the blade were to ever be damaged, all it needs is blood to repair it.”
“Huh,” Hisashi said. That would be useful. A damaged sword could mean death in battle. If all he had to do was use his own blood to fix it…
“And this one—!” Izuku rushed over to a different stand, but looked over his shoulder when he realized Hisashi hadn’t followed. “Dad? Are you even paying attention?” he asked exasperatedly. “I thought you wanted to come here.”
“…Sorry, kid.”
“Don’t call me kid.”
“Child?”
“No.”
Hisashi rolled his eyes. “Alright, boy.” He saw Izuku flinch at that and felt his interest pique.
Izuku frowned, but said nothing about it. “Anyways, as I was saying—”
“Yes, yes, continue, my dear boy.” That definitely got a reaction, Izuku’s eyes wincing with a pained expression. A former term of endearment then? Likely from one of his parents, if it caused him to react as such.
“Stop it,” Izuku demanded, hands clenched.
Hisashi felt a smirk growing on his lips at the boy’s scowl, drawing a sliver of enjoyment out of his discomfort. It was a small bit of payback that was long past due, especially considering the humiliation Hisashi went through yesterday.
“What do you want?” Izuku asked. “Clearly you aren’t actually interested in this.”
“Can you tell me more about One For All?” Hisashi pressed as he approached the blade. “How did it come to be here?”
“It…It belonged to someone close to me,” Izuku answered vaguely, eyes flickering to the side, refusing to meet Hisashi’s own.
Hisashi felt his brows shoot up. “Oh? Who?” Clearly Izuku didn’t want him to ask more about it, but Hisashi didn’t care. He’d spent his whole career obsessing over the blade and he wouldn’t just let this opportunity slip through his fingers. “I’d love to know more about the previous holder.”
“I’m sure you would,” Izuku muttered.
“So? Won’t you tell your dear old dad, my boy?”
“Don’t call me that,” Izuku seethed.
“Why not?” Hisashi egged him. “You did order me to address you as my son, didn’t you, my boy?”
“I said stop,” Izuku hissed out, drops of venom flying from his mouth in anger.
Hisashi could feel the tinge of static in the air, an impression of danger coming over his senses. It felt exhilarating. “Then tell me who the previous owner was. Surely it can’t be a secret.”
“It…” Izuku seemed to try to take a moment to steady himself, taking several slow, deep breaths as his gaze shifted from Hisashi to the blade. His voice was so quiet even Hisashi’s enhanced hearing nearly failed to pick it up when he finally responded, “...It belonged to my father.”
Hisashi moved to step up behind him, but paused as his brain tried to process the words. “…What?”
“My father,” Izuku repeated. “It was—”
“Yes, yes. I heard.” Hisashi still wasn’t sure if he’d heard right though. “Your…father? As in the last king of the vampires? He wielded the sacred sword?” Hisashi shook his head in denial, glowering. “That’s sacrilege! One For All was built to slaughter your kind. To think it was in the hands of a—” And he couldn’t say monster. Of course.
There was a tiny spark of lightning around the boy, and the pedestal under Izuku’s left hand cracked. “My father was not a monster,” he hissed out.
Hisashi scoffed. “I didn’t say it! You did.”
“My father was the greatest man ever! Do. Not. Insult. Him.” Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, whipping around and turning his back to him, refusing to even look at Hisashi. His body was trembling slightly, hands curled tightly in anger and muttering under his breath. “Patience.” Hisashi could hear him say. “Be patient.”
Hisashi felt a thrill go up his spine. Skirting danger, he placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder in a fatherly, comforting hold. “It’s okay,” he crooned into Izuku’s ear. “Calm down, my boy.”
A whiff of salt briefly struck his nose before the scent of burnt ozone swiftly replaced it. Hisashi could barely make out a faint sniffle when there was a sudden, thunderous CRACK. In the next instant, all the light in the room seemed to vanish, but Hisashi had no time to register it as a blinding flash of electricity consumed his vision.
He didn’t even have time to put up his hands before he was sent flying across the room by an invisible force, crashing back into a display and feeling the artifacts fall on top of him. Hisashi managed to lift his spinning head to see the boy walking towards him, a maelstrom of lightning flickering around his skin and through his hair. Izuku’s eyes were brighter than Hisashi had ever seen them, the glow almost consuming the whites of them. Markings shimmered across his skin, radiating a bright, shining red with speckles of glimmering white.
A strange, primal sort of fear filled Hisashi, and he found himself scrambling backwards on his hands, eyes fixed to the figure stomping towards him with dangerous intent. “I-Izuku—” Hisashi tried to call out to the boy as he neared, those small hands grasping the front of his shirt. He winced at the smell of his clothes burning in Izuku’s grasp and the sting of energy surging from the boy’s fingertips into him.
“Don’t ever call me that again,” Izuku hissed as he bared down on him, fangs extended. “I’m your son, but I’m not your boy.”
“I—” Hisashi didn’t managed to even get a word out when one hand gripped his chin bruisingly, the tips of Izuku’s claws breaking through his skin in warning.
“Don’t” was the only thing Hisashi was told before he found himself flying through the air again, skidding across the floors and bashing through the doors of the hall with enough force to fling them open.
He rolled to a stop with a groan, ignoring the gasps and incredulous stares of the guards as he flipped to his front with a rasp for air, limbs shaking as he fought to push himself up. When he glanced back and saw Izuku standing at the door, Hisashi’s eyes widened in terror. He scrambled to get away, shuffling backwards until he was pressed against a wall. He tensed up as Izuku neared, but the boy simply walked past him with a condescending sneer, his eyes hard and jaded.
Hisashi didn’t move until he could no longer hear Izuku’s footsteps.
Demon. The child was a demon.
The clearing of a throat interrupted his chain of thought, and Hisashi looked up.
“So,” Gran began, frowning sharply and regarding him with a curious look, a brow raised, “the hell did you do?”
“Nothing!” Hisashi claimed defensively.
“Forgive me if I don’t buy that for a second,” Gran scoffed. “You did something to tick him off, that’s for sure.”
Hisashi stood slowly, brushing off still-smoking clothes. “It’s not my fault he’s so sensitive about names,” he grumbled.
“Oh? What did you call him then?”
“He told me to refer to him as a son, but got all upset over ‘my boy’.” Hisashi rolled his eyes, trying to cover how shaken he still was.
“Ah,” Gran hummed, realization washing over his face. Though realization of what, Hisashi didn’t know. “I probably would have electrocuted you too, if I were him.”
“What? Why?!” Hisashi huffed. “He was clearly overreacting!”
“That’s what Toshinori used to call him,” Gran explained, glancing at the hall that Izuku had disappeared down. His gaze sharpened when it fell back on Hisashi. “Still…for him to be that upset…did you keep on about it or what?”
“…No,” Hisashi denied, looking away.
“Hah! That’s the face of a liar if I ever saw one,” Gran snickered with a grin.
Hisashi scowled. “So what? I’m sure his father used to call him ‘son’ too but he doesn’t get all up in arms about that.”
Gran looked at him flatly. “‘My boy’ is special to Izuku. He had a very close, loving relationship with his real father. That nickname holds a lot of memories and a lot of hurt.”
“It’s just a name,” Hisashi insisted with a mutter.
“Would you still say that if you lost someone dear to you?”
“You think I haven’t lost someone dear to me?” Hisashi spit, instinctively baring his fangs in anger. “You think I don’t know what that’s like?!”
“Then why did you think it would be a good idea to step on the memory of someone he loved, if you know how it feels?”
“…I didn’t know I was ‘stepping on a memory’ when it happened.”
“Uh-huh,” Gran said disbelievingly. “Hmm. Let’s see…” the older man paused and pretended to dramatically think about something. “Ah, yes! Was it perhaps ‘Sashi for you?”
Hisashi bristled. “Shut up!”
“Oh? Does that hit a sore spot? Did I step on a bad memory, ‘Sashi?”
Oh, if only Hisashi could attack this man! “Shut the hell up!” he snapped again.
“Should I pick another nickname to call you then? How about princess?”
Hisashi did his best to fight down a blush at that. That was totally humiliating! “Hell no! I get it! I get it, okay? ‘My boy’ is sensitive. Now leave off.”
“Just keep that in mind next time then,” Gran suggested teasingly. Then his grin seemed to widen, his eyes glimmering. “Unless you want Izuku to kill you of course.”
Hisashi remained silent, not wanting to confirm or deny.
He wanted to die. He didn’t want to live like this. And yet, when it came down to his life being threatened, by Izuku, by Gran, by the council…Hisashi had always instinctively tried to fight back or get away instead of allowing them to kill him. He told himself it was because he didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. He wouldn’t go out in such a pathetic way. He’d go out on his own terms.
“But ah, what am I talking about? Of course you wouldn’t want something like that,” Gran said with a mockingly weary sigh. “I’d refrain from speaking about Toshinori in front of him too, just to give you a heads up.”
“What was so great about the guy anyway?” Hisashi muttered.
“You mean other than being Izuku’s dad and the former king of vampires?” Gran’s brows shot up. “He was the last holder of the fabled One For All.”
Ah. Someone who wasn’t afraid to talk about it. Perfect. Hisashi schooled his expression into a look of curiosity. “Oh? I’m sure that’s an interesting story. Mind telling me more?”
“Why don’t we chat somewhere else, hm?” Gran suggested. “I have some duties I’d love to shirk. Besides, once Mirai sees all this…” He gestured from the smashed door of the hall, to the broken shelves inside and scattered artifacts, to the blackened scorch marks that marred the stone. “He’ll throw a fit and I don’t want to be around to hear it.”
“That’s all Izuku’s fault,” Hisashi insisted.
Gran just laughed. “For some reason I doubt he’ll believe you!” He waved for Hisashi to follow him. “Come on.”
Hisashi glanced about, pausing for a moment as he contemplated his options. He was curious to learn more and Izuku hadn’t said he had to go back to his room, just that he couldn’t leave the castle. And if he returned there he had a feeling he’d run into the boy sooner rather than later, and that was the last thing he wanted right now.
“You coming or not?” Gran called out from over his shoulder.
“Fine,” Hisashi grumbled, following after Gran, ignoring the lingering stares of the guards.
Just as they turned the corner, Hisashi heard a shrill shriek.
“What happened here?!” Mirai’s distressed voice carried through the halls.
“Time to scram!” Gran announced, grabbing Hisashi’s arm and putting on a burst of speed.
Hisashi was unprepared and stumbled for a moment before getting his feet below him properly, annoyed at being dragged around once more. But he had no time to complain as Gran took him through a series of corridors and staircases he wasn’t sure he’d been through before. Izuku’s tour had only covered so much and the castle really was sprawling. He could hardly make sense of all the turns they were making at the speed Gran was going.
When they finally slowed down, Hisashi pretended he wasn’t out of breath. He had great stamina, but the speed Gran could run at. Yikes.
“Here we are,” Gran said, and Hisashi took a moment to glance around between (hopefully subtle) gasps for air.
“Is this…the kitchen?” he surmised after a moment, taking in the sight of the stove and cutlery around them.
“Yep! They won’t think to look for us here!” Gran patted his own back proudly. The elder vampire walked over to some cabinets, throwing them open with a mischievous grin. “They keep some wine here too,” he proclaimed as he pried out a bottle.
Hisashi hesitated. On one hand, he hadn’t been properly smashed in a long while and by One For All did he deserve it. On the other, that wine contained blood—though it was apparently freely given blood.
Ah, what the hell? He was already doomed either way.
“Here you are,” Gran said, all but tossing it to him while grabbing another bottle from the cabinets for himself. Hisashi easily snatched it out of the air.
He stared at the bottle in his hand and sniffed. The faint aroma of blood reached his nose, enticing him. At first he looked around for a way to remove the cork, but then he watched as Gran used a claw to pop the cork out, chugging straight from the bottle with a noise of satisfaction. Examining his own claws, Hisashi then did the same. He raised the bottle to his lips, almost sighing as the burn of alcohol rushed over his tongue. It was a dry red, tangy almost, and yet it was the sweetest thing he’d tasted in a while.
“So…you were telling me more about One For All?” Hisashi asked after another small sip.
Sorahiko wasn’t sure what it was that sparked him to drag Hisashi off for a talk. He certainly didn’t like the man, but Sorahiko also wasn’t one for ignoring his own whims. When a person had lived as long as he had, you learned to take entertainment where you could find it. And besides, if he talked to Hisashi about all the questions the man no doubt had, that would prevent him from upsetting Izuku with those same questions.
“Where to begin…” Sorahiko hummed in thought after chugging a bit of wine. “Hm…I think it was six or seven hundred years ago? Back when the borders between our kingdoms weren’t as defined as they are today. My old friend Nana was queen and—”
“What does this have to do with Toshinori?” Hisashi interrupted.
“I’m getting there! Be patient!” Sorahiko snapped, reaching out to bonk the man on the noggin. He forgot how young the guy was. Kids these days had no patience. “As I was saying, Nana was queen at the time, and was looking to bring in an era of peace. There were large factions of vampires and humans causing trouble back then, and Nana had started laying down new laws in return. She didn’t want things continuing on as they had been. Vampires hunting humans, humans hunting vampires; a cycle that never seemed to end.”
Hisashi opened his mouth and Sorahiko pointed his bottle at him threateningly. “Ah! Still not done. Save the questions for after. Now, Inko, Nana’s daughter, was very passionate about the work her mother was doing, and was very insistent upon helping. ‘Course, Nana and I wanted her to stay safe, but there was nothing you could do to convince Inko once she got an idea in her head, much like little Izuku.”
“You’re telling me,” Hisashi muttered. “Stubborn little—” At Sorahiko’s glare, he paused and coughed. “…Go on.”
“So we agreed she could be more involved, and she became a delegate of sorts in Nana’s stead. Meeting with various human nobles as a representative for her mother, trying to improve the standing between our races—only so long as I went with her, of course.”
“Just what was your relationship with the queen?” Hisashi muttered under his breath, giving Sorahiko a suspicious look.
“We were very close.” Sorahiko shrugged. “Anyway. It was when we were on our way to one of these meetings that our carriage happened to come under siege by a small band of humans. They were vampire hunters looking to take out a noble or two. They had no idea that they had just stumbled upon the queen’s own daughter. Those fools were completely unprepared for what they walked into.” He paused, taking another sip and savoring the taste before he continued. “When they realized that the entourage they attacked was far more heavily guarded than they initially thought, they panicked. Most fled, leaving their fellow hunters for dead. All but one, that is.”
“So you and Toshinori killed the hunters then?” Hisashi surmised. “And one of them had One For All?”
Sorahiko snorted. “Oh no. Toshinori was a hunter; the only one who stayed behind. A headstrong idiot he was, always fighting for what he thought was right, even when he was so misguided back then. With One For All in hand, he wasn’t doing too bad on his own, but he had clearly been green. Didn’t take long before I had him at the end of my claws.”
“Excuse me?” Hisashi blinked, lowering the bottle, staring at Sorahiko incredulously. “Are you trying to tell me that the last hunter to hold One For All and the former vampire king are the same person?”
“Aye, that’s exactly what I’m tellin’ ya.” Sorahiko cocked his head to the side and decided to take another jab at the man. “Ain’t very bright, are ya?”
Hisashi looked satisfyingly irritated.
“Anyway, you’re interrupting the story again.” Sorahiko took another swig of the wine, enjoying the light buzz building up inside of him. “So I had him at the end of my claws. I was ready to tear out his throat when Inko burst outside from her carriage and demanded I stop.”
“…The princess did?” Hisashi looked at him in surprise.
“Why do you keep repeating everything I say like it’s pinging off your brain cells?” Sorahiko retorted, rolling his eyes. “But aye. She did. Inko was always too soft-hearted and kind for her own good. Even when it came to a man that tried to take her life. She even demanded we take him back to receive proper care after she healed him herself.”
“So you kidnapped him too.” Hisashi looked smug, and Sorahiko was excited to be able to wipe that expression off his face.
“Nope!” he said, popping the word out of his mouth. “He took one look at Inko and that boy was gone. Completely starstruck I tell ya. Would’ve probably followed us home anyway like a lost puppy if she hadn’t asked us to bring him back.”
“That’s…” Hisashi’s face scrunched up, anger, confusion, and disbelief all flashing across his face. “You’re lying. You have to be. There’s no way a hunter would fall in love with a vampire!”
“Hah?” Sorahiko squinted, lowering the bottle back down when he had been about to take another sip. “What would I get outta lying about this?”
“To make yourself look good?” Hisashi said it like it was obvious.
“Please,” Sorahiko huffed. “Boy, you’re really reaching.”
“Don’t call me boy,” Hisashi grumbled.
“Why? You don’t like it?” Sorahiko laughed. “You and someone else we know. But when you reach your six hundredth year, maybe I’ll stop.”
Hisashi glowered at his own bottle as though it had offended him, swishing it around as he stared down its neck and eyed the remaining contents. Then, begrudgingly, he muttered, “...I did hear a tall tale once of a vampire sorceress who bewitched the last One For All holder to end their line.”
“Bewitched him with her beauty and kindness maybe, but nothing more.” Sorahiko shrugged. “Powerful as she was, Inko was never adept in such things. Wasn’t much one for combat either. But she was the finest healer I ever did see.”
Hisashi looked like he wanted to argue further, but instead drained the rest of his wine bottle and accepted the second one Sorahiko handed him. “So then what?”
“The clumsiest attempts at courting I ever had the misfortune of enduring,” Sorahiko mumbled as he uncorked another bottle for himself, flicking the stopper away. “It was like that love-struck fool had never laid eyes on a woman before in his life.” He paused. “You know what? He probably hadn’t either.”
That received a laugh covered as a snort from Hisashi, who immediately put his bottle back to his lips to hide his smile. “And One For All?” he asked.
“Offered it as a dowry in exchange for Inko’s hand after he somehow managed to win her affections. Toshinori may have come from a line of proud, prestigious hunters, but he didn’t have much to his name he could offer a queen. Nothing ‘cept that fancy sword of his,” Sorahiko went on. “But Nana refused to take it. She said if he was going to marry her daughter then to hurry up and get on with it. She was never one to mince words, Nana.” He smiled fondly to himself at the memory, eyes softening a tad.
Hisashi’s face showed clear distaste for the romance. “…So One For All just got put on a shelf to rot then, huh?”
“No. Toshinori carried it for many years later, after he became a vampire himself and married Inko. Those were dangerous times. One For All was used to help secure the peace and establish the firm boundaries of our kingdom. It’s laid in our hall as a symbol of peace and prosperity of our people. The blade meant to kill us was used for us.”
“So who turned him?” Hisashi asked curiously. “I don’t even want to imagine what a marriage would be like with someone who can compel them with a careless word.”
Sorahiko snorted. “Nana did of course. A good thing too. He became an exceptionally powerful vampire because of it.”
Hisashi scoffed, glancing away with his brows pinched together in a scowl. “As if that’s a good thing.”
In Sorahiko’s opinion, he seemed jealous. “Don’t worry,” he reassured, “you’re a very powerful vampire too.”
Hisashi looked at him as if he was old and crazy. “Sure. Right. That’s why I keep getting dragged and tossed around so easily.”
“Hey, you’re up against Izuku for that.” Sorahiko laughed into his drink. “Ain’t no vampire out there stronger than Izuku right now.”
Hisashi’s eyes widened. “…Pardon?”
“Royal line keeps getting stronger and stronger with each child,” Sorahiko explained. “Which makes Izuku currently the most powerful vampire in existence.”
The man looked. Stumped? Shocked? Horrified? All of the above. “…So what happened after their marriage?” he asked weakly, tipping his bottle up and gulping the rest of it down.
“They continued to try and unify the country and strengthen our people while building better relations with the humans in the centuries that followed,” Sorahiko’s voice lowered, becoming much darker as the memories washed over him. “Right up until that day Todoroki Enji betrayed them under the guise of finalizing a new peace treaty.” Sorahiko’s grip tightened around the bottle, claws digging into the glass. “So many people died that day…I had to watch Inko shatter right in front of me.”
Hisashi looked…sympathetic actually. Huh. The drink must be getting to him. “Shatter?” he repeated slowly. “Vampires burst into dust. They don’t shatter.”
“The royal ones do,” Sorahiko explained, subdued. He needed more than two bottles for this. “Shatter like glittering diamonds. It was like she became a thousand stars, glowing with a soft, gentle light. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen…and the most horrifying.”
“…Ah,” was all Hisashi said.
Sorahiko smirked wryly. “You ain’t good at comforting people, are ya?”
Hisashi shrugged. “I’m good at killing.”
“Ah, yes. Just the words people want to hear when you’re consoling them.”
“I’m not that bad!” Hisashi scowled. “I’m just…rusty.” He stumbled and leaned against the kitchen counter for support.
A grin tugged at Sorahiko’s lips. “You’re a real lightweight, huh? You’re only on your second bottle! Don’t tell me you’re gonna tap out now, hmm?”
Hisashi bristled the way he expected. “Of course not!” the man said haughtily. “Hand me another.”
Sorahiko did so with delight, grabbing a third for himself as well. “Bottoms up!” he challenged, tipping his back and chugging.
Hisashi, as he thought, refused to be outdone and attempted to match him, draining half his bottle before coming up for air. Meanwhile Sorahiko continued to drink.
He finished before Hisashi, and put the bottle on the counter firmly. “I win that one!”
“No…No fair old man,” Hisashi hiccuped, swaying dangerously.
“Come on, you ain’t done.” Sorahiko pushed the end of Hisashi’s wine bottle back up to the man’s mouth, thoroughly enjoying this. “Keep going.”
Hisashi’s face was flushed from the alcohol, but he was easy to goad on, and eventually put his finished third bottle on the counter next to Sorahiko’s.
“Ready for the next?” Sorahiko asked teasingly.
“Nnn…” Hisashi groaned as he stumbled on his feet until he bumped into the wall and slid down it slightly. “Youuu…gotta be kiddin…” he slurred.
“Nonsense!” Sorahiko cackled. “Here ya go!” He grabbed another and tilted it back after uncorking it. “Try this one! I think you’ll really like it. Got a nice zing to it.” He held the bottle out to Hisashi, and watched with amusement as the man’s hand swiped clumsily through the air, not even close to it. Sorahiko shook the bottle teasingly, and laughed aloud as Hisashi stepped forward to grab at it again, but stumbled to the side and almost crashed into the counter. “Can’t handle it?”
“Shove off, old geezer,” Hisashi grumbled, allowing himself to face-plant on the counter.
“Aye, aye. Maybe it’s time for you to stop then. Can’t hold your liquor.”
“Hah?” Hisashi looked at him with hazy, vaguely offended eyes. “Can hold…Can hold anything. I’m so good at holding. You don’t…even know.”
Sorahiko couldn’t contain his laughter, placing the bottle down so he wouldn’t drop it as he bent in half from heaving cackles.
“Shove…shove off,” Hisashi repeated. “‘M gonna go…”
The man pushed himself up on wobbly arms and tried to make his way out of the room, but didn’t get far before he started tipping over. Sorahiko jumped forward to catch him before he could hit the ground, not wanting to have Izuku mad at him for his father getting hurt. They had to get rid of Hisashi in a way that wouldn’t incriminate them at all, otherwise Izuku might lose all trust in them.
“I doubt you could find your way out of a box right now,” Sorahiko snickered, hoisting the man up and holding him steady. “Why don’t I take you back to your room for a nice nap, hm? If you’re so good at holding things you can even hold my hand on the way up so you don’t fall over. Would you like that, princess?”
He was surprised when instead of a scowl or an insult in return, the man did just that, letting Sorahiko wrap his one arm over his shoulders to support him, and reaching out to grab Sorahiko’s other hand in his for…some reason. Sorahiko had meant it as a joke, but he sighed and let Hisashi hold it.
“C’mon, let’s get you upstairs then. You must be really out of it,” Sorahiko grumbled as he led the man away from the kitchens.
He kept Hisashi steady through the halls as he stumbled and tripped along the way. Leading him up the stairs was a challenge in and of itself, Hisashi unable to coordinate his feet and slipping and sliding several times, forcing Sorahiko to practically carry the man up.
“Alright, here we go,” Sorahiko muttered as they finally made it to Hisashi’s bedroom door. The man grumbled something at him, but it was too garbled for Sorahiko to make sense of it.
He was just about to open the door when the one behind him creaked open. Crap.
“...Gran? Dad?” Izuku muttered as he stepped out of his bedroom. Sorahiko was relieved that there was no anger to be heard in his little voice; he sounded bewildered if anything.
“Hey, Izuku.” Sorahiko smiled widely. “Just bringing Hisashi back to his room.”
“Is Dad okay?” Izuku rushed over, placing a hand on Hisashi’s arm to help him along as they brought Hisashi inside his room.
“Just had a little too much to drink is all,” Sorahiko assured him.
“He’s not dying is he?!”
Sorahiko huffed an incredulous chuckle. “Why would you think he’s dying?”
“He’s holding your hand,” Izuku pointed out.
“Oh, right.”
“Dad?” Izuku called again, moving in front of the man to get a good look at his flushed face. “A-Are you okay? I…I’m sorry about earlier!”
Sorahiko watched Hisashi’s unfocused eyes squint to look at Izuku. “…I’m so good at holding things,” Hisashi declared in response.
“Huh?” Izuku blinked in confusion.
Sorahiko decided to be helpful. “Hisashi, how about you hold Izuku, yeah? He looks like he could use it. And you’re the best at holding things, after all.”
Hisashi looked at him for a long moment, then looked at Izuku, eventually releasing Sorahiko and reaching a hand out for the boy. Izuku was quick to take it.
“Help him to the bed, won’t you, Izuku?” Sorahiko asked, watching Izuku’s face both light up and crease in confusion. Sorahiko let go of Hisashi completely, knowing Izuku could easily handle the weight. He cracked his back and headed for the door.
“Wait!” Izuku called. “But what do I do with him?”
“Just let him sleep it off! He’ll be fine.” And have one heck of a hangover, but that wasn’t any of Sorahiko’s concern.
Notes:
A Danger Barely Dodged
Izuku: Thanks for all the advice, Tensei.
Tensei, smiling warmly: Of course, My King.
Izuku, tilting his head to the side, consideration gleaming in his eyes: ...You know, I've never had a big brother before.
Tensei, a chill running down his spine: Now wait just a second here—
Tensei has no idea about the bullet he barely missed 👏😩 the situation could’ve turned out very different for him.
Also this is basically Izuku’s theme song for the entire fic as soon as he picked AFO as his new dad lmao
👀Anyway, thanks for reading👀
Chapter 10
Summary:
“Help him to the bed, won’t you, Izuku?” Sorahiko asked, watching Izuku’s face both light up and crease in confusion. Sorahiko let go of Hisashi completely, knowing Izuku could easily handle the weight. He cracked his back and headed for the door.
“Wait!” Izuku called. “But what do I do with him?”
“Just let him sleep it off! He’ll be fine.” And have one hell of a hangover, but that wasn’t any of Sorahiko’s concern.
Notes:
Just so y’all know. Here’s how the writing process goes:
RianMoeru, an American: writes a few sentences
Ilentari, a Canadian: follows behind adding in the missing “u”s to words like colour and honour
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku shifted his balance as his dad slumped further on his shoulder. “Just a few more steps, okay, Dad?” he coaxed, keeping his grip tight as Hisashi stumbled through the room. His dad was practically nuzzling into his hair, but thankfully the bed wasn’t too far. “Can you get up there on your own?”
“Uh-huh,” was all he got in response, and Izuku wasn’t sure he was convinced.
“...Let me help, okay?” Izuku offered. He didn’t mind at all. In fact, he was trying hard not to squeal with joy at how accepting his dad was of his touch right now. Hisashi was practically plastered all over him, being almost fully supported by Izuku.
“Mhmmhmm,” Hisashi hummed, allowing Izuku to help him onto the bed, flopping down onto his back with a sigh as his head sunk into the pillow.
However, he had not released Izuku as he dropped down onto the mattress, his clinging hands managing to yank Izuku off his feet by surprise. Izuku yelped and flailed, falling on top of Hisashi, whose arms immediately snaked around him in a tight hold.
“D-Dad?” Izuku stammered in confusion.
“Hmm?”
“Are you…Are you okay?” Izuku asked in genuine concern.
“Mhmm,” Hisashi hummed again. He squeezed Izuku lightly, eyes closed but looking happy.
“…I’m sorry about losing my temper earlier,” Izuku repeated. His dad hadn’t responded to his apology last time, and Izuku wanted to make it clear he felt regret.
“‘S my fault,” Hisashi muttered. “‘M sorry.”
Izuku almost choked on his tongue. He hadn’t expected to ever hear those words from his dad. The bubbly, warm feeling that had been simmering in his gut since Hisashi grabbed his hand burst open, and he smiled into the man’s shirt. “You’re not mad then?” he asked.
“‘M tired.” Hisashi yawned, nuzzling into Izuku’s hair, cheek resting against it.
This was everything he had wanted since the beginning! Izuku twisted slightly so he could hug back, perfectly content to lay there with his dad if he wanted to take a nap. Hisashi really did give amazing hugs.
He was sending Tensei the rarest bottle of wine he could find from Mirai’s personal collection. He would give the Iida house a boon and grant whatever favor the man wanted.
This. Was. PERFECT!
Now to get his dad to act like this when sober.
Hisashi groaned as he awoke, face twisting at the pounding pain behind his eyes and the throbbing ache radiating through his head. He hissed as he opened his eyes a sliver, the light streaming into the room causing his headache to intensify, making him close them again immediately after. He shifted, trying to sit up and gain his bearings—
Only to find there was a weight on his chest, his arms wrapped around whatever it was. Managing to crack his eyes open once more, he lifted his head and peered down in confusion.
Bright, green eyes stared back intensely.
A jolt shot through Hisashi, his heart beating much faster than it had been the moment before. Had the kid just been staring at him in his sleep?! And why the hell was Hisashi hugging him?!
Izuku either didn’t notice how startled he was or he didn’t care as he smiled brightly, little arms squeezing him in an embrace. “Good morn—”
Izuku never got the chance to finish what he was saying as Hisashi grasped a pillow from behind his head and shoved it into the boy’s face, smothering him.
Izuku sputtered and gasped, pushing it away. “Hey—!” he complained as he managed to grab a lungful of air before receiving a faceful of pillow once more, squirming to get away. He hopped off the bed, giving Hisashi a little scowl. Hisashi returned it with his own glare. “Dad, what gives?!”
“Don’t ever do that again,” Hisashi grumbled as he sat up, wincing at the sound of his own voice and the spike of pain it caused. “Do you have any idea how creepy it is to wake up to someone just staring at you? What were you even doing in my bed?!”
Izuku huffed, placing his hands on his hips and giving Hisashi a look. “You’re the one that hugged me to sleep in the first place! And if I had moved, it would have woken you up!”
Hisashi felt his face flush and firmly decided to ignore the first accusation. “Should’ve just woken me up.”
A small smirk played across Izuku’s lips. “But then you would have complained about having nothing to hold. You’re the best at holding things, remember?”
“Shut up!” Hisashi chucked a pillow at the boy, feeling satisfied with the yelp he received as it smacked Izuku in the face once more. He flopped back down on the bed, putting a hand over his eyes and groaning. Hangovers sucked.
There was a quiet shuffling of feet, and then something soft smacked him in the face. Hisashi squawked and pushed back against it, but a weight suddenly settled on top of his waist as Izuku sat on him and began hitting him (gently) with the pillow over and over again. Hisashi could hear light giggling above him.
“Hey—”
Smack.
“Wait—”
Smack.
“Izuku—”
Smack.
“Stop—”
Smack.
“Stop it!”
Smack.
Hisashi reached out blindly, managing to snag the boy by his shirt, and yanked him sideways to topple Izuku off of him. Izuku landed on the bed somewhere next to him, and Hisashi scrambled up, grabbing the offending pillow and whacking the giggling boy with it multiple times in revenge before he threw it across the room so that Izuku couldn’t get ahold of it again.
“You’re such a nuisance,” he muttered—but there was no ire in his tone for once.
“You started it!” Izuku reminded him cheerfully. “Now, come on, Dad, it’s the weekend! That means combat lessons. We can spar today!”
His headache only seemed to worsen at that. “Ugh.” Hisashi didn’t feel like sparring or anything of the like today. He wanted to isolate himself in the darkness until he felt like a normal person again.
“I’ll bring you some fresh blood! That ought to help you.” Izuku was already up and halfway to the door as he made the offer, clearly planning on doing so whether Hisashi wanted him to or not. But he couldn’t deny that the idea of getting rid of his hangover actually made blood sound appealing for once.
He ran a hand down his face, trying to aggravate his hangover as little as possible as the memories of yesterday flowed over him, some more blurred than others. He involuntarily shuddered at the memory of being all but tossed from the artifact room after he had ticked the kid off. Then his mind shifted to how he had followed Gran in the hopes of actually learning more about One For All.
Even through the increasingly drunken haze, he had latched onto every word the elder vampire spoke, eager to learn more about its lost history. He had attentively listened to everything Gran had said, the curiosity and excitement that bubbled within him growing stronger the longer the vampire spoke and the more history he revealed to Hisashi. But now that he was sober, he found himself questioning Gran’s story. The very idea that the last hunter to hold One For All in hand—the person he had idolized and aspired to be like since his youth—and the former vampire king were the same person…It was the biggest disgrace to a hunter he could imagine—if it were true.
But Gran’s revelation that Toshinori had fallen in love with a vampire of all things made him cast doubt that he had ever willingly became one. It had to be a lie. How could a human ever fall in love with a vampire? She must have bewitched Toshinori, enthralling him to do her bidding and later turned him to make him her slave in order to secure One For All. She had likely forced him to be her “husband”, a puppet she could parade around as a “king”.
Just like how the boy had turned him against his will, forcing him to be his “father”. Like mother, like son, Hisashi supposed. He shouldn’t be surprised though—what more could he expect from their kind?
Hisashi winced when there was a particularly sharp stab in his head, closing his eyes as he sat back on the bed and kept as still as possible. It was too early for such thoughts. If he focused on them too much he’d spiral downwards again and then not want to get out of bed or do anything, so it was best to shove it on the backburner and think about the possible sparring session Izuku wanted to have.
Not long after he decided that, Izuku was opening the door with a chalice of blood in hand, a too-bright smile on his face. Hisashi could’ve sworn it radiated light. It hurt to look at.
“Back!” Izuku called out, causing Hisashi to groan from the volume of his voice. He held out the glass, offering it for Hisashi to take. “Here you go, Dad.”
“Keep it down,” Hisashi complained, reaching out wearily for the glass. He sighed heavily and stared at his reflection in the blood for a long moment, before deciding to get it over with and chugged it back, knowing if he hesitated he might gag.
“Oh, sorry,” Izuku apologized, lowering his voice. The smile plastered across his face only seemed to grow bigger though, and his eyes were just as bright. “Is it because of your headache? From drinking?”
“Yeah,” Hisashi answered simply. “Give me like. A few minutes.” He prayed it would start to abate soon. He wasn’t sure if vampires had teas or tonics for headaches like humans did. Hopefully the blood would help the way Izuku had said it would.
“Okay,” Izuku conceded, taking a seat on the chair at the desk (a replacement chair Izuku had brought up after what Hisashi had done to the last one), swinging his legs as he waited.
“…Are you just gonna sit there and stare at me again?” What was up with this kid and the constant staring?
“I was wondering what you were doing with Gran yesterday,” Izuku piped up, ignoring Hisashi’s question. “I thought you didn’t like him?”
Hisashi was loath to bring up the boy’s father or One For All again considering what had happened the other day. “We were running away from Mirai. And I don’t.”
“Oh yeah,” Izuku muttered, quickly looking away, avoiding Hisashi’s gaze. “Mirai was pretty upset yesterday about the…the mess I made in the hall…”
Hisashi felt like he was walking on eggshells. He had to tread carefully. “Mmm. Seems like the kind of guy who enjoys cleaning up and organizing though. You did him a favour, really.”
Izuku giggled, before his eyes lit up in a sudden realization. “Oh, that reminds me! I’m having Mirai plan a ball in the coming weeks. For you!”
Hisashi felt his stomach drop out. “Oh hell!” He thumped his head back against the bed, trying to convince himself he heard wrong. “Please, no. Why?”
“To celebrate, of course! It isn’t often that someone is adopted into the royal family, after all.”
“Wasn’t the banquet enough?” Hisashi asked in a strangled voice.
“Well, considering how it turned out…and no one can talk about it…”
Hisashi stared at the ceiling and contemplated his options. “…What do I have to give you for you to not do this?”
“Hm…” Izuku hummed, a teasing tone in his voice before he looked at Hisashi with utter seriousness. “A hug! A big one!”
“…And then you won’t have the ball?”
“I’ll consider it.”
That wasn’t a guarantee! Hisashi thought his eyes might pop out of his head with how hard he rolled them. The headache that had been abating pulsed in his head again at the news of a ball, and the very idea of giving this kid a hug wasn’t at the top of his to do list.
But if it kept him from having to attend a ball…he might as well grit his teeth and bear it. “Let’s get this over with then,” Hisashi said with a begruding sigh as he sat up, throwing his arms open wide.
The boy flung himself off his chair eagerly and dove towards Hisashi, impacting with his chest hard enough to make him “oomph”. Hisashi enfolded Izuku in his arms reluctantly, feeling small hands cling to his back as Izuku hummed happily. He had to make this good, so that Izuku would put an end to the ball planning. Hisashi did not want to attend a ball. The very idea of an extravagant event full of snooty vampires in expensive clothes trying to possibly talk to him made him feel ill. He had nothing in common with them. What would he even say?
With that in mind, Hisashi tightened his hold on the boy and carefully cradled him the way he remembered doing long ago to his little brother. In fact, apart from Izuku, Hisashi couldn’t remember the last time he had hugged anyone. He’d had grateful people he’d rescued from monsters hug him for sure, but he’d never really hugged back. It had been awkward.
He felt Izuku shift in his hold, green hair tickling the underside of his chin as Izuku moved to look up at Hisashi with an expression he could only describe as pure happiness. Bright green eyes stared into his red ones. The same shade of green that would look up at him so long ago whenever they needed help or comfort. The same green that had been looking at him in desperation just before Yoichi—
A sudden, sharp ache twinged in his chest, and Hisashi instinctively pushed the source of his pain away, unable to deal with the memories. He shoved Izuku back without warning, curling his arms in on himself instead.
“W-What was that for?!” Izuku demanded as he bounced on the bed, scrambling to his knees to glare at Hisashi.
Hisashi didn’t want to answer that question. “…Sorry,” he offered instead in a mutter.
“That wasn’t nice,” Izuku scolded, puffing his cheeks out petulantly as he crossed his arms.
Hisashi just shrugged. He’d probably ruined his chances at the ball being cancelled now.
“Fine then.” Izuku huffed as he hopped off the bed, confirming Hisashi’s thoughts with his next words, “I hope you like ruffles and puffy sleeves!”
Ugh. Hisashi winced in distaste. He was going to look so stupid. Like a clown. “Might as well introduce me as the new royal court jester instead of your father then.”
Izuku rolled his eyes, still looking a bit miffed. “If you give it a chance, you might like it,” the boy stated.
Doubt filled him with those words, but Hisashi brushed it aside. He needed to run damage control now. Izuku being in a bad mood had so far never turned out well for him. Reaching out, he awkwardly patted the boy on the head. “My headache is better,” Hisashi informed him as he stood up. “Are we still going to spar, or not? You wanted me to teach you, didn’t you?”
Izuku didn’t look super pleased by the head pat, but the pinch between his brows smoothed out. “Yeah. But now we’re going to be placing bets on the winner,” he said. “Come on.” He led Hisashi out of the room and down the hall, presumably towards the training grounds.
That made Hisashi laugh, a smirk tugging at his lips. “A bet, huh? Think you can best me in a fair fight, do you?”
“Don’t get too smug!” the boy said haughtily. “You don’t know what kind of tricks I have up my sleeve.”
“Mm. What DO you have up your sleeve? Ruffles?”
“No!” It garnered the reaction Hisashi wanted though, as he could see the slight upturn of Izuku’s lips that the boy was trying to hide.
“You’re what, nine?” Hisashi pointed out. “Not a lot of time to get practice in. I’ve been doing this for a living for most of my life. Do you really think you can win?”
Oh, now Izuku looked offended again. “I’ve been training for twenty years now! And I’m eleven!”
Well, shoot. He’d been training for about as long as Hisashi had. He tried not to let the surprise show on his face. I’m older than this kid, he reminded himself. Mentally, physically, emotionally. He’s just got more years. That’s all.
“How do vampire years even work?” he grumbled under his breath.
Of course, Izuku’s excellent hearing picked up his words anyway. “It’s complicated,” the boy said dismissively.
“Oh yeah?” Hisashi felt mildly curious now. It wasn’t something his mentor or his books had ever mentioned in detail. He knew vampires lived long lives that spanned the centuries, but he didn’t know the extent of it. “Try me.”
“You should ask Gran or Mirai,” Izuku shot back. “They’ll be able to describe it better than I could. And Gran is like, a thousand years old! He’d know for sure.”
“What?” Hisashi huffed in exasperation. “Why can’t you just tell me?”
Izuku shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. We like…slow down on our growth the older we get. So physically we only grow a little every few years or so. Which slows even more as we get older.”
Hisashi felt majorly confused. “…What?”
Izuku sighed. “So when young…ok. Um. So I’m roughing the estimates but think of it this way: right now, I age maybe one year for every five human years or so. But as I get older, my growth rate will slow down, and I’ll start aging one year for maybe every ten human years, and so on and so forth. That’s why Gran still looks only middle-aged while he’s a thousand.”
“...And it’s like that for every vampire?”
“For the most part,” Izuku answered vaguely. “It depends on your lineage too.”
Hisashi felt dumbfounded. “So it’s complicated,” he repeated weakly.
Izuku nodded. “It’s complicated.”
“Let’s…just get to the training grounds, yeah?” Hisashi suggested. Swinging a blade didn’t require nearly as much thought as processing all of that.
“We’re nearly there,” Izuku told him, but as Hisashi looked through the hallways he saw no sign of any such place leading outside. If anything, they seemed to be heading deeper into the castle.
“Aren’t you going the wrong way?” he asked.
“No?” Izuku glanced back, giving him a confused look. “It’s sunny today. We’ll be training inside.”
“What’s wrong with training outside on a nice sunny day?” Hisashi muttered to himself.
Izuku ignored him, running forward to throw open a set of doors and gesture inside. “Tada! The training room!”
It was the most expensive training room Hisashi had ever seen. Training dummies were scattered about, targets were placed up for those who preferred a bow or long range magic. It was impeccably clean, with plenty of room to practice maneuvers and courses, and a door at the side, likely leading to a storage room where they kept all their equipment. Hisashi couldn’t help but raise a brow at it all. A yard of dirt had always suited him perfectly fine for training when he was younger. Still, he couldn’t deny it was nice.
“My instructor is waiting for us over there.” Izuku pointed to a vampire standing off to the side. The lower part of his face was covered by a mask, his strangely styled silver hair angled partially over his face, obscuring one eye from view.
“Wonderful,” Hisashi said in a tone that made it clear that it was not, in fact, wonderful.
“It’ll just be me and you though,” Izuku assured, before waving a hand towards his instructor and addressing them, “You can leave early for the day, Kamihara. My dad will be teaching me!”
The instructor in question looked concerned. “Are you…sure, My Liege?” He eyed Hisashi not so subtly.
“Of course! Everything is going to be fine, I promise. He won’t hurt me.”
The instructor didn’t look at all reassured, but he also couldn’t disobey a direct command, bowing in acquiesce and swiftly exiting the room—though not without a firm glare back at Hisashi.
Izuku hardly noticed, moving over to the nearby storage room. The clinking and clanging was sharp in both their ears as Izuku rummaged through its contents. A moment later, he pried out two swords for them to use, practically skipping over to Hisashi and handing him one. Hisashi stared at the blade with a flat look, his disappointment palpable. “What is this?”
“A sword!”
“It’s wooden.” Hisashi waggled said wooden sword.
“It’s a training sword, dummy. Of course it’s wooden!” Izuku laughed at him.
“You can’t honestly expect me to use this thing—”
“Why not?” Izuku frowned.
“I did all of my training with real weapons, why are you using wooden ones? This is ridiculous.”
“So we don’t accidentally maim someone?”
“You just patch yourself up and get back to it!” Hisashi insisted. “It helps you train better when there’s a chance of losing a limb if you mess up.”
“...Just what kind of mentor did you have?” Izuku asked incredulously.
“The best!” Hisashi nodded to himself. “He was very devoted to all things hunting. I gained my passion from him.”
“…Sure. Okay. But we are not going to be risking our lives just for a bit of training. That’s stupid.”
“But we heal super fast?” Hisashi didn’t get the boy’s hang-ups. “Even if we get injured we’ll be fine, no need to stop and apply first aid.” He really wanted to get a real sword back in his hands.
“Alright. I’ll let Gran and Mirai know when I’m missing an arm then? I’m sure they won’t be too upset when they find out.”
Hisashi blanched. “…Wooden swords are fine, I guess,” he grumbled.
“You’re like a petulant child,” Izuku sighed in exasperation.
Hisashi snorted with a huff of loud laughter. “Look who’s talking!”
“Anyway,” Izuku disregarded him. “Can we start training now?”
“I thought you mentioned something about bets?” Hisashi reminded him, taking a few practice swings to get a feel for the weight of the sword.
“Oh yeah!” Izuku nodded, his expression becoming pensive. His brows knit together as he thought it over. “If I win…you have to give me a kiss on the forehead and a hug!”
Hisashi made a show of gagging.
Izuku looked at him unimpressed, clicking his tongue. “Childish.”
“I’m childish? You’re the one asking for kisses and hugs! But anyways, if I win?” Hisashi pressed.
“You’re the one who refuses to show basic affection to his family,” Izuku clapped back. “As for if you win…Anything you want?” he offered, and Hisashi immediately felt his hopes rising. Only for them to be instantly dashed with Izuku’s next words, the boy giving him a warning look. “Within reason. Don’t ask for anything outrageous.”
“Oh, come on,” Hisashi complained. “You can’t put conditions on an offer!”
“I can rescind the offer entirely if you prefer?”
“You can’t do that either!”
“Yes, I can!” Izuku crossed his arms and huffed.
“Now who’s being childish?!”
“Do you want to make a bet or not?!” Izuku snapped.
“Yes! Okay! Fine!” Hisashi threw up his free hand. If he couldn’t have his freedom or ask for One For All, then what else was there? The return of his equipment, maybe? Or…
“Well?” Izuku tapped his foot impatiently.
Hisashi’s thoughts returned to the sunny sky he had seen beyond the windows he had passed along the way. He hadn’t been able to enjoy being outside since he was turned. Between being dragged everywhere, his two-day stint hiding and being on the run, and being trapped inside this castle, he was starting to forget what actual sunlight felt like.
“I want to go outside,” he decided. “Actually outside, into the city for a day.”
“The city?” Izuku repeated, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “We can do a father-son bonding trip!” The boy looked like he was practically vibrating.
“I’d prefer to go alone,” Hisashi muttered.
“No.” He was denied instantly. “But we can go together!”
Hisashi sighed wearily, shoulders slumping a little. “Can’t you just order me to prevent me from running away and then let me go on my own?”
“No.”
Well. It seemed like this was the best he would get. “Fine then,” Hisashi relented. “As long as I can see something else besides the inside of this castle.”
“We’ll have so much fun together!” Izuku bounced on his toes.
Somehow, Hisashi doubted that. “Shall we start the training?”
“Right!” Izuku exclaimed, moving into a ready stance and tightening his hold on his sword.
Contrarily, Hisashi remained in a relaxed state, watching lazily for Izuku to make the first move, his posture open.
Izuku eyed him for a few long moments, seemingly not the type to rush in without analyzing his opponent. When Hisashi made no move to prepare himself for an attack, Izuku finally lunged towards him experimentally. Immediately, Hisashi went from relaxed to ready, side-stepping the boy and swiping his own sword up, catching him off guard. Izuku fumbled to readjust his sword to parry in time, jumping back and reevaluating Hisashi.
“Don’t broadcast your movements,” Hisashi told him. “Analyzing your opponent is good, but try to be more subtle about it. Your face and body gives away what you’re thinking; it’s easy to predict your moves.”
Izuku huffed, but looked as though he was seriously considering Hisashi’s advice.
After a few moments, as the boy re-thought his strategy, Hisashi made a move, catching Izuku off guard. “You’re taking too long,” he chided again. “You can’t spend too much time thinking in a real fight unless you have the element of surprise or considerable distance between you and your opponent.”
Izuku, to his credit, was incredibly fast, and managed to block Hisashi’s swing, pushing him back with incredible strength. His feet skidded across the floor, and he felt a brief moment of surprise. He kept forgetting just how strong this tiny kid was.
But strength alone wasn’t enough to win a fight.
He had just got his footing back when Izuku disappeared between one blink and the next, and Hisashi only turned in time due to the faint whisper of air that caressed his skin as the boy rushed by. Their wooden swords met with a thunk, and Izuku grinned up at him brightly. “How was that?” he asked.
Hisashi hid the responding grin that was trying to tug at the corners of his mouth. “Better.”
The duel continued, with Hisashi having the upper hand most of the time. He knew the boy couldn’t match him in terms of skill, and Izuku must have known that too.
Which is why he decided to take Hisashi off guard by pulling a dirty move.
He was prepared for when Izuku rushed at him, but instead of swinging his sword the way Hisashi had expected him to, it was thrown, the wooden blade soaring through the air so fast that it whistled. And it was aimed directly at his face.
Hisashi quickly brought up his own sword to block the incoming projectile, managing to deflect it at the last moment due to years of honed reflexes. The immediate danger gone, he returned his attention to Izuku—
“Ugh!” Hisashi groaned as he was tackled to the ground, all the air leaving his lungs as a weight bore down on him. Small arms suddenly wrapped around his own, tightening their hold until his were pinned to his sides. “Hey!” Hisashi wiggled, and the arms around him tightened just a bit more in response.
“Got you!” Izuku laughed. “I win!”
“You cheated!” Hisashi accused.
“Do you always fight fair in a real battle?” Izuku asked him.
Hisashi felt his eye twitch and refused to answer. No. No he didn’t. But that was different.
His silence was answer enough however, as Izuku grinned ear to ear at him. “See? I thought so!”
“This isn’t a real fight though—”
“Maybe not, but you never said there were rules,” Izuku quipped cheekily. “Besides, if I wanted to, I could have won right away just by making you surrender with an order.”
“That wouldn’t have counted!” Hisashi complained. “That wouldn’t have even been a duel!”
“It would have if I said so!” Izuku declared cheerfully. “I’m the king!”
Hisashi rolled his eyes. “You can’t just use your position as an excuse to—”
Izuku’s arms tightened around him again as he struggled once more. “Are you the king?” the boy asked.
“Alright, alright!” Hisashi grumbled. “No.”
“Then you can’t tell the king how to use his power, can you?”
“As your ‘father’ I can!”
He could tell he had trapped Izuku in a corner when the boy paused for a moment before pouting. “No fair,” he mumbled. “That’s a dirty tactic, Dad.”
“You’re the one who wanted a dad, so don’t complain now.”
“…I’m still in a higher authority position than you as king,” Izuku grumbled.
Hisashi wriggled again, his arms still frustratingly pinned down by the boy who was clinging to him like a leech.
Then the boy’s pouting face gave way to a pleased smile. Hisashi’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But I suppose I’ll let it go. You just called yourself my father on your own for the first time!”
Oh gross. He did too.
Izuku gave one last squeeze before releasing his hold, crawling off of Hisashi and getting back to his feet. He gave Hisashi a cheeky grin as the man pushed himself up, grumbling under his breath all the while.
“...What?” Hisashi asked after a moment of recollecting himself, finding himself pinned under the boy’s stare.
“I won the bet!”
“No, you didn’t!” he protested. “You cheated!”
“I still won! Now, my prize?”
“Can’t recall what it was,” Hisashi lied. “Cheaters don’t get prizes anyway.”
“Dad.” Izuku crossed his arms, frowning at him. “Now you’re just being a sore loser!”
“Gee, wonder why I’m feeling sore about ‘losing’…”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Okay, how about if you give me my prize, we can still go out into the city like you want. Fair?”
Hisashi debated it for a long moment, considering his options. On the one hand, he really, really, didn’t want to give Izuku anything. On the other, he would literally kill to be outside the castle walls, even if only for a bit. Choices…
“Or you can give me my prize and get nothing,” Izuku pointed out when Hisashi took too long.
“Okay! Fine,” Hisashi groaned, staring down at the expectant boy, his left eye twitching.
“Well?” Izuku impatiently rocked on his heels.
“I’m doing it. I’m doing it.” He leaned down hesitantly, before planting the quickest, most chaste kiss ever on Izuku’s forehead. One down, one to go.
“And my hug!” Izuku reminded him, spreading his arms out wide.
“How many hugs do you even need in one day?” Hisashi grumbled as he wrapped his arms around the boy.
“All the hugs!” Izuku giggled, returning it happily.
“Why don’t you ask Gran for hugs or something?” Hisashi asked. Surely there were other people willing to give this clingy child hugs.
“Because Gran always tries to give me a wet willy.” Izuku shuddered. Unbidden, a smile pulled at Hisashi’s lips at the thought. At least he wasn’t the only person Gran enjoyed teasing.
“Then what about Mirai?” he persisted.
“He’s as stiff as a board. It’s like hugging a corpse,” Izuku complained.
“And mine aren’t?”
“You’ve got like the nicest, warmest hugs ever!” Izuku praised him, snuggling deeper into his hold and hugging him a little tighter.
“Uh-huh,” Hisashi grunted disbelievingly, giving the boy a dubious look as he pulled away. It took a moment longer than he would have liked to dislodge Izuku’s arms from him, but the boy eventually let go, only seeming a little disappointed. “Happy?”
“Yeah.” Izuku then tilted his head, looking considerate. “Maybe we should make goodnight forehead kisses a thing though. I liked that.”
“No,” Hisashi said firmly.
“What if I let you have your sword back?”
“…Maybe.” They stared at each other for a minute. “…Add the vambraces too and you have a deal.”
“That’ll cost an extra hug!”
“Why do you drive such a hard bargain?!”
“And a bedtime story.”
“This is just ridiculous now!”
“Do you want them or not?”
Hisashi threw his head back and screamed, “FINE!”
“Yes!” Izuku exclaimed, doing a little fist pump of victory. “Now, let’s go! I have to let Mirai know we’re leaving the castle so he doesn’t freak out while I’m gone.”
“I don’t know, I think it’d be kind of funny if he freaked out,” Hisashi mumbled, imagining it.
“Well if you want to be on the receiving end of one of his lectures…” Izuku gave him a look that told him he absolutely did not want to be.
Hisashi merely rolled his eyes. “I’m an adult and I don’t have to listen to him.”
“Well…I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. As long as Mirai doesn’t find out,” Izuku insisted with a stern glare. “But we’ll need to get our parasols first.”
Hisashi blinked, sure that he must have misheard the boy. “Our what?”
“Parasols!” Izuku repeated as he led the way out of the training room.
“Do I look like a dainty lady?!” Hisashi asked in offence as he followed behind him. “I don’t need a bloody parasol!”
“You really do though,” Izuku persisted as they headed off through the corridors, making a brief detour to grab said parasol from a rack laddened with them. Hisashi had expected many things from a castle of vampires, but a rack of parasols wasn’t one of them. “It’s very sunny today.”
“Yeah, that’s why I want to go outside. Why would I take a parasol?” Hisashi scoffed, ignoring the one Izuku offered out to him.
Izuku shrugged, placing it back up on the rack without a fight. “Suit yourself. Are you ready then?”
“To get out of this castle? More than I’ve ever been for anything in my life.”
Izuku nodded, a glimpse of excitement and…something else…glinting in his eyes. Hisashi felt his own narrow slightly, a tinge of worry creeping up on him before he brushed it aside.
“Well then, let’s go!” Izuku chimed, flashing a brilliant smile. “You can leave the castle so long as you stay with me. Stick by my side and I’ll take care of you.”
“I don’t need you to; I can take care of myself.”
“Mmhmm!” Izuku sounded like he didn’t believe him.
Hisashi ignored it, looking up eagerly as they exited the castle and into the outside world. He hissed as his eyes landed on the sun above, covering them with a hand. Right. That’s what he got for looking directly at the sun like an idiot.
“Sure you don’t want my parasol?” Izuku offered again with a mischievous look, twirling the purple and white parasol around. “If you lift me onto your shoulders we can both use it!”
“You just want an excuse to get another piggyback ride,” Hisashi called him out.
“Worth a shot!” Izuku laughed.
They went through the courtyard, Izuku humming happily as they walked. Hisashi glanced about, taking in the sights properly now that he wasn’t literally being dragged across the castle grounds, or fleeing them in an attempt to regain his freedom. It was…nice enough, he supposed, noting the fine stonework, the well taken care of hedges, and the fragrant smell of the flowers. Nice for a bunch of vampires at least.
Still, he couldn’t help but drink in the sights and the fresh air. He had been cooped up for far too long. Having spent the majority of his life constantly on the move, he rarely stayed in one place for more than a few days—a week at the most. It made him antsy, just sitting about in the same place day after day. It was good to be outside, beneath the open sky and rays of sunlight. Even if it did make his skin tingle unpleasantly.
Before long, they were upon the city, the sounds of people going about their day buzzing in his ears. He raised a brow when he saw that Izuku wasn’t the only one carrying a parasol around. Weird. Must have been a vampire thing.
“Ooh! Let’s go this way!” Izuku tugged his arm excitedly. “I’ve heard there’s a huge bookstore over here and I’ve always wanted to check it out.”
“Then why haven’t you done so before?” Hisashi wondered as he let the boy pull him along. He was getting used to that.
“Mirai always said it was best for me to stay inside the castle—at least since the war started and everything anyway. Safer. He and Gran really worry about me since…Well. I’m the last royal. Or, err, I was the last royal,” Izuku amended.
“...But didn’t you go out on your own to find me?”
“Gran came with! I kind of had to force them to do it though…They were really against it.”
“Can’t imagine why,” Hisashi commented dryly.
“But finding you was the most time I’ve spent outside the castle in ages!” Izuku went on. “I think that was the first time in five years I actually stepped outside the grounds.”
That was kind of sad. It also sent a shiver up Hisashi’s spine at the knowledge Izuku would probably continue to spend most of his days inside the castle, meaning Hisashi would now spend most of his days stuck in the castle. Never leaving. Never moving around. Trapped.
“You need to get out more,” Hisashi insisted, hoping he could convince Izuku to leave more often to prevent that. “It’s important to get enough sunlight. Good for your health.”
“Not for vampires,” Izuku laughed. “But look, there’s the store!”
Hisashi was pulled inside the bookshop, his jaw dropping slightly when they entered. There were more books on the shelves than he had ever seen before in his life. He wondered if they had any books on rare magic or mythical artifacts. He stared around, interest piquing at the sight of old symbols on books that looked as though they had never been touched.
“Oh, look at this one!” Izuku exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a thick, heavy looking book bearing the crest of Izuku’s family and labeled with the name “Midoriya Hikage”. The boy pried the book free from its shelf, inspecting the aged cover written in an old language. “I didn’t think they would have this here!”
“What is that?” Hisashi asked.
“A book about the history of the royal bloodline. This one is pretty much a biography of my ancestor, Midoriya Hikage. He died relatively young for a member of the royal family so it’s kind of short. I might get it for a bit of light reading.”
“Oh.” Hisashi stared at the book incredulously. If that was light reading he shuddered to think what the boy must consider heavy reading. It didn’t sound very interesting to Hisashi either. He doubted the history of a “short-lived” vampire would be all that engaging. Izuku must enjoy history, or at least what he thought was history. Undoubtedly, the book would have been written to paint his ancestor in a more positive light than how history actually played out. Still, Hisashi didn’t dare voice his thoughts on the matter aloud, instead muttering, “…That’s nice.”
Izuku smiled up at him. “How about you pick out a book or two you like?” he offered. “We can take them home with us.”
Hisashi nodded and began to look over the shelves more intensely, sifting through the store slowly in search of something interesting.
He was reluctant to admit that more than one caught his eye. From a tome describing the intricacies of a complex series of ice spells to scrolls detailing the art of melding into shadows. He even spotted one that talked about how to use warping magic. That could be useful, even if he couldn’t use it to escape the castle. It would make hiding from the boy and the others easier at the very least. He could already picture the disgruntled look on Gran’s face when he warped away from the man’s insufferable teasing with one middle finger raised.
Looking over the price though, his eyes widened and his stomach dropped, quickly whisking his hand away from the book as if burned.
His sudden recoil caught Izuku’s attention however, and the boy wandered closer. “What? What happened?”
“Nothing,” Hisashi assured, hoping he hadn’t damaged the book in some way. There was no way he could ever afford to pay it back if he had.
“Oh, did you want that?” Izuku surmised as he picked up the book Hisashi had just been looking over. “Hm…it’s not too much. We can get it if you’d like?”
Not too much? Hisashi felt dizzy. Izuku was acting like the price was barely more than pocket change. As if it didn’t cost more than Hisashi had ever usually carried on him at any one time.
“It’s fine,” Hisashi said, not wanting to be in the boy’s debt. There was no way he’d be able to afford to pay him back—unless Izuku wanted currency in the form of hugs rather than coin. Sadly, Hisashi didn’t doubt that he would. The boy almost seemed desperate at times for any hint of affection. He couldn’t help but find it a bit odd, given Izuku had plenty of people around him that would gladly spend time with him, such as the nobles or Gran and Mirai. And yet, he only seemed to want Hisashi's attention, for reasons he didn’t understand.
“But you were interested in it?” Izuku persisted, laying the small book onto the growing stack he held, then pointing to another one. “I saw you looking at this one earlier too, so I went ahead and grabbed it for you!”
“I could find…something else…” Hisashi trailed off as he looked at the other book Izuku had already picked up for him.
Had he just been grabbing everything Hisashi had looked interested in? Was he even caring about the ridiculous price this would all cost?
“Okay! I think these will do for now. Unless you want more?” Izuku asked and Hisashi could only shake his head. Izuku nodded, humming with a cheerful smile as he effortlessly carried the stack of heavy books through the store, laying them down onto the clerk’s countertop, who stared at them with amazement, as if stunned.
Hisashi watched as Izuku removed a heavy pouch from his side. He couldn’t help but stare as he caught a glimpse of the bag's contents, filled to the brim with gold coins. That was more money in one pouch than he had accumulated in his entire life!
“This should be enough—” Izuku started as he reached over to place the coins onto the counter, only for the clerk to shake his head.
What? Hisashi thought, blinking incredulously. Was this guy really refusing to accept the patronage of his king?
“No, no, My King,” the shopkeeper said, waving his hands dismissively. “I couldn’t possibly take your coin.” He pushed the books back towards Izuku. “Please, take them. Consider it as a gift from myself!”
“But I—” Izuku started, frowning deeply now, still holding out the coins for the clerk to take.
“I insist!” the shopkeeper said again.
Hisashi squinted at them. “But if anyone can afford to pay you for expensive books, wouldn’t it be the king?” he pointed out. “Kid’s loaded. He’s literally royalty.”
“So are you now, Dad.”
“DAD?!” The shopkeeper’s jaw dropped, their eyes widening.
Great job, Izuku, Hisashi groaned internally. Why did he have to run his mouth like that? “That’s besides the point,” Hisashi muttered. “The point is, he’s clearly not hurting for money. You should take it.”
Izuku and the clerk were both ignoring him now. “Yep!” Izuku told them. “He’s my new dad! I just adopted him!”
The clerk’s face brightened, and they shook Izuku’s hand enthusiastically. “Oh, congratulations, Your Majesty! This is wonderful! He looks kind of familiar though…But no matter! Please, please, take the books on the house. As a welcoming gift for your new father.”
Hisashi couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Thank you!” Izuku said, though Hisashi noticed that the smile that pulled at his lips did not quite meet his eyes. He was stashing away the coins back into his purse when the clerk offered a basket for him to carry his new books in. Izuku thanked him again, carefully placing his items within before heading out of the store.
“Do you want me to carry them for you?” Hisashi offered after a moment. He wasn’t sure why he did though—it just slipped out.
Izuku shook his head and held the basket closer. “No, you need to keep up your strength.”
…What did that mean?! Was he making a jab at Hisashi about being stronger than him?
“Let’s walk around for a bit,” Izuku said, looking at Hisashi hopefully. “I’ve heard Gran talk about how there’s all kinds of vendors and shops. Some even sell sweets!”
Hisashi shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”
Izuku did a little skip. “I want to get a blood-pop!”
“A what?”
“It’s like a lollipop, but made with blood.”
Hisashi felt his face twist into a grimace at the thought of candied blood. “That…doesn’t sound very appetizing…”
Izuku looked at him disapprovingly. “It’s sweet and delicious! Besides, I want to know how long it takes to get to the center!”
“Is there anything else you’d like to try?” Hisashi insisted, and Izuku nodded his head excitedly.
“Ice cream! They make a kind with blood swirls! Oh, or blood pudding! I’ve heard that’s really good too!”
“Anything without blood?” Hisashi practically begged. He tugged at the collar of his shirt briefly, feeling overwarm.
Izuku twirled his parasol in hand thoughtfully. “Hm…well…what about cookies or cake? I think I smell a bakery nearby. They probably have lots of stuff!”
“Fine, let’s look there.” Hisashi sighed in relief. While they were there, he’d see if they had any tarts available. A woman had once given him a tart she had made as thanks for slaying the beast that had killed her husband. It had been one of the best things he’d ever eaten.
He followed Izuku through the winding streets without complaint, taking notice of their surroundings. The city reminded him somewhat of the higher-end neighborhoods of the capital Musutafu in the Kingdom of Yuei, with roads made of stone and shops, vendors, and houses on every avenue. It was cleaner than he had seen in Musutafu though. Certainly more so than the low-end boroughs of the poorer streets where the commoners lived.
As they walked, they passed several people, some of which were vampires that held parasols similar to Izuku. Far more of them were human than Hisashi expected, but almost everyone slowed their pace to stare at the two of them. Or more accurately, at the boy. They wore surprised expressions as they walked by and more than once Hisashi caught a few whispering behind their hands, which did nothing to prevent his sharp hearing from picking up their voices.
“Is that really…?” he could hear some say. Along with: “He left the castle! I wonder why…” in a tone of mild shock. Once he even heard: “Must be important if he brought such an imposing chauffeur along”, which gave him a little boost to his pride, to know that his presence was still intimidating. But it also made him bristle that anyone would think that he was Izuku’s chauffeur of all things.
Izuku ignored all the whispers and stares, focusing straight ahead instead. But Hisashi didn’t miss how his grip on the handle of the parasol tightened, nor how his cheerful smile seemed a little more strained.
Hisashi made no comment on it as they continued to wander though, eager to drink in the fresh sights and stretch his legs. As they continued on, one thing that really stuck out to him was that at several of the local cafes, eateries, and shops, there were vampires mingling with humans. The odd pairs would be chattering on about their day, making small talk about their lives or complaining about their jobs—he even caught a pair sharing a few jokes. The vampire laughed, fangs flashing, but the human didn’t seem put off by it in the slightest, grinning right alongside them. Like they were conversing with a normal person. Like this wasn’t out of the ordinary in the slightest.
It was surreal. Hisashi didn’t know what to make of it. And he had yet to see the dull, glazed eyes that signalled someone was being enthralled. No one they passed seemed to be in danger; no one screamed for help. Neither had he seen a vampire draining the life out of one of the many humans, either out in the open or hidden in an alley.
But he couldn’t make sense of it any other way. They had to be…right? Or were they really—
Hisashi shook his head out of such ridiculous thoughts, returning his attention to the boy as they searched for the bakery. They got lost for a moment while Izuku tried to find the bakery simply by using his nose, but eventually they stumbled upon it. “Just ask for directions next time,” Hisashi grumbled.
“No. People get weird around me…”
“Weird?” Hisashi repeated with a frown.
“...It’s nothing,” Izuku muttered.
Hisashi rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. Then I’ll ask for directions next time.”
“Hey, we found it didn’t we?” Izuku huffed as they entered the store, the door wide open and allowing the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries to drift through the air—likely a calculated move to lure in potential customers. Hisashi fanned his face with a hand at the heat that pervaded the inside. “You alright?” Izuku asked him quietly.
“Fine. It’s just warm in here.”
“It is!” The boy pranced over to the counter, eyeing the selection of baked goods with greed. “Mmm! What do you want, Dad? It all looks so good!”
“Hm…” Hisashi hummed, looking through them before his eyes landed on just what he had been hoping for. “That tart looks pretty good.” He pointed at a custard filled one with a caramelized top.
“Oooh. That does look good.” Izuku looked up at the lady behind the counter. “We’ll take one of those please. And…are those chocolate truffles fresh?”
“Of course, My King,” she answered with a nod, stars in her eyes. Hisashi noticed Izuku’s smile fall a little at the words. “How many would you like?”
“Six please!”
“Here you are,” she said after she had gathered the sweets, placing the treats into little bags for the boy to take.
“Thank you! How much?” Izuku reached for his coin purse.
“For you, Your Majesty? On the house!”
Hisashi watched Izuku’s smile freeze on his face. “I couldn’t…possibly,” he said.
“It’s not every day the king comes into my humble little shop!” The baker didn’t seem to notice Izuku’s tenseness. “Please accept these as a sign of my gratitude.”
“…Okay. Thank you.” The boy made an effort to look genuine, and it at least seemed to pass the lady’s perception.
As they left the store, Hisashi squinted. “...Are you okay?” he asked as he and Izuku sat on a nearby bench, the boy handing him his custard tart while he all but shoved a truffle into his mouth with a heavy scowl.
“Fine,” the boy mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate. Around them, Hisashi could see more people turning to stare and look at them as they walked past. He frowned, glaring at one such person that was lingering for too long, and was satisfied when they noticed and hurried off with a start.
“If you haven’t left the castle in years, how do people keep recognizing you?” he wondered.
“My hair. Only the Midoriya royal line has pure green hair, and usually green eyes as well. Grandma Nana was an exception—her hair and eyes were such a dark green they were practically black,” Izuku explained.
“Oh,” was all Hisashi said before he took a bite of his tart. He savored the sweetness of the rich, creamy custard. The crust was nice and flaky, baked to a golden brown perfection. It had been too long since he had such a delicate treat. “Don’t let it go to your head though,” he chided after swallowing, an almost playful tone in his voice as he smirked at the boy. “They don’t have any idea how much of a brat you are.”
Izuku shoved him with his shoulder, a small grin on his lips. Hisashi swayed with the push, a random spell of dizziness coming over him, but he managed to shake it off.
“Yeah, well. You eat like an animal,” Izuku teased in return. “No manners.”
Hisashi shoved him back. “You were just talking with your mouth full!”
“I’m a kid! I’m allowed that,” Izuku huffed.
“I think Mirai would disagree.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Mirai never lets me have any fun,” he said after biting into another truffle.
“He does seem to be that type,” Hisashi conceded, taking a slow, deep breath and a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. Why did he feel so hot? It wasn’t even that warm out!
Izuku was eyeing him weirdly again. “You okay? You’re flushed.”
Hisashi licked his lips, which felt strangely chapped, trying to shake the sudden daze from his head. “I’m fine,” he tried to reassure Izuku as he leaned back against the wooden bench after finishing his tart. “Just…a little warm. Could use a drink…” he muttered as he swallowed dryly. Izuku raised his parasol above Hisashi’s head to shade him, but Hisashi batted it away. “Put that thing down.”
“We can get a drink,” Izuku agreed, letting the parasol lower until it only covered himself again. “Just let me finish my truffles.”
“Sure.” Hisashi closed his eyes to rest as Izuku ate.
It felt like it had been ten minutes by the time he peeked them open again, watching the boy eat another truffle. Was it just him, or was Izuku being slow? The truffles were bite-sized, surely it couldn’t take this long to eat them! Hisashi didn’t complain though, continuing to wait for Izuku to finish as patiently as he could. He shifted around uncomfortably as a few more minutes passed, feeling hotter and hotter, until finally at one point Hisashi felt like he was boiling. Their bench was in direct sunlight, and he felt as though he had walked into a sauna—though Izuku looked perfectly unaffected under his parasol.
When Hisashi looked down at his hands, they were a light pink. Same with his arms and the rest of his visible skin, all flushed with a sunburn. That couldn’t be right though, could it? He’d only been outside for just over an hour at most! And while he had never been someone who tanned, he didn’t burn so easily after many years of long days spent in the sun.
“Alright, I’m done!” Izuku announced after a moment that felt like it had lasted an eternity. “Ready to go, Dad?”
Hisashi groaned and made to stand, surprised when his legs wobbled under him for a moment. “I don’t…feel very good…” he admitted.
Izuku’s face immediately twisted in concern, but somewhere under the fog of heat flooding his brain, Hisashi registered the boy’s eyes as containing hidden glee. Izuku reached out to him, urging him back down onto the bench and placing a hand on his forehead. It felt cool against Hisashi’s skin, and he leaned into it as Izuku hummed and nodded to himself.
“Oh dear, you’re burning up, Dad! Let’s get you home then, okay?” he said, taking hold of Hisashi’s clammy hand. “You should really take the parasol.”
“I don’t want the stupid parasol,” Hisashi grumbled.
“Are you sure?” Izuku asked, eyes gleaming. “It’ll help keep you cool.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay!” Izuku sounded far too cheerful, and if Hisashi hadn't been so addled by the oppressive heat, he would have narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the boy. “Just hold on to me then, I’ll take care of you.”
Hisashi stumbled as Izuku took off with him in tow, being pulled back down the streets they had first come from. His thoughts were a bit fuzzy at the edges, as if his brain was being cooked like an egg. “I’m melting,” he complained, feeling sweat soaking through his shirt and the tenderness of his skin. It was as if the sun was sizzling him under its rays.
He felt weak, his throat dry and parched, his mind in a haze. It almost reminded him of when Izuku had first bitten him, and the flush of sudden, burning heat that had consumed him from the inside. His arms and legs felt like jelly and it was harder to breathe. What was happening to him? Hisashi’s brain worked frantically for an answer. Was it a lingering side-effect? Was he dying again?!
Izuku glanced over at him when he stumbled a step, basket of books and parasol under one arm, his other hand firmly around Hisashi’s. “It’s not much further, Dad. Don’t worry.”
“You…did you bite me again?” Hisashi mumbled through the haze.
Izuku frowned, brows pinched in confusion. “No? You would know if I did.”
“But I feel…so hot,” Hisashi accused dazedly.
“That’s because you have a fever, silly!”
“Never…Never had one…” he said in a rough voice. He really, really wanted something to drink right now…
Izuku paused, making Hisashi almost trip over him when he stopped so suddenly. “What? Are you making a joke? Humans get sick all the time.”
“Not me,” Hisashi insisted. “‘M too tough…”
Izuku stared at him in bewilderment, one brow raised as tried to make sense of his words, before deciding to shrug it off. Hisashi felt himself being pulled forward once more then as Izuku continued walking, the castle gates now in view. Hisashi felt he barely had the strength to stand, let alone keep walking. He just wanted to sit down and rest.
So he did. “I’m just gonna…sit here,” Hisashi murmured tiredly, plopping down suddenly as his legs gave way.
“What? Dad, no. Come on, we’re nearly there. Then you’ll be in your bed and I can bring you something to help you cool off.”
“‘S fine. ‘M just gonna take a quick nap,” Hisashi insisted despite Izuku tugging on his arm to coax him back up—though the boy didn’t tug hard enough to forcibly pull him anywhere.
Eventually though, Izuku gave up on that futile endeavour. “Alright, Dad, time to get up,” he said, hoisting Hisashi onto his shoulders as best he could.
Hisashi could barely understand what was going on around him now, vision going dark at the edges. He was just so tired. And so hot…
A nap. A little nap wouldn’t hurt…
Notes:
The consequences of being stubborn? Or devious plan?
Hisashi: “I don’t need a stupid parasol.”
Izuku, who knows perfectly well what will happen: “Okay!” 😊
Hisashi, immediately suspicious: “…Why aren’t you arguing with me about it?”
Izuku: “No reason! Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll take good care of you!” 😊😊
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 11
Summary:
“'S fine. 'M just gonna take a quick nap,” Hisashi insisted despite Izuku tugging on his arm to coax him back up—though the boy didn’t tug hard enough to forcibly pull him anywhere.
Eventually though, Izuku gave up on that futile endeavour. “Alright, Dad, time to get up,” he said, hoisting Hisashi onto his shoulders as best he could.
Hisashi could barely understand what was going on around him now, vision going dark at the edges. He was just so tired. And so hot…
A nap. A little nap wouldn’t hurt…
Chapter Text
Izuku wrung a cloth out over the bowl, cold water spilling through his fingers as he did so. He folded the cloth, placing it carefully on his dad’s forehead and watching the man’s pinched expression ease a little under the coolness. Hisashi’s skin had turned a bright pink from where it had been under prolonged exposure to the sun and was hot to the touch, and his breathing had grown more labored than before.
Izuku did feel kind of bad, knowing he had just let his dad get sick like this. But at the same time, it was a good opportunity. Izuku remembered how his mom used to care for him on the rare occasions he didn’t feel well when he was younger, and how it had made him feel closer to her. He hoped that this would bring him and Hisashi closer too; that his dad would feel the warmth of his love and realize that Izuku really did care for him.
Besides, he had tried to warn him. Several times even! But as usual, Hisashi refused to listen to him. So he got what he got for being stubborn. Next time maybe he would learn from his mistake and remember to bring a parasol with him on a sunny day.
It wasn’t too bad either—his sickness that was. Hisashi would recover in a day, two at most. Izuku smiled at the thought of being at his dad’s side, fretting over him and taking care of him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, lifting Hisashi’s upper body and supporting it as he grabbed a glass of blood that was nearby. Izuku whispered a small spell to chill the blood before tipping it to his dad’s lips and making sure he swallowed at least a few mouthfuls.
“Nng…” Hisashi groaned as Izuku set the glass back down on the nightstand and shifted further into the bed, resting his dad’s head back on his lap and readjusting the cloth to sit properly.
“Shh,” Izuku soothed, petting Hisashi’s hair.
Hisashi’s red eyes fluttered open, looking dazed and distressed. “Wha…Wha’s wrong with me…?” he managed to get out, shuddering as water from the cloth dripped down the side of his face, fear flashing across it. “Dying…A-Am I…Am I dying?”
Izuku suppressed a giggle. Hisashi was so dramatic. As always. “You’re just sick,” he reassured. “The sun isn’t good for vampires, I told you that earlier.”
“Never…Never been sick before,” Hisashi insisted again. “Must be…Must be dying.”
“You’re going to be fine, silly,” Izuku assured him gently. Then he frowned as a thought crossed his mind. “Do you…want to die?” he asked.
“No…” was the answer that came in a low whisper.
Hisashi wasn’t all there at the moment, delirious in his sickness as he was. But Izuku thought that perhaps he was more truthful right now, with his usual walls lowered by the illness.
“That’s good,” Izuku murmured, feeling the light sting of tears in his eyes before he blinked them away, brushing a hand through the white curls of Hisashi’s hair.
Why was his dad always saying he did when he asked at other times then? Was he just being stubborn as usual? Izuku wondered if he should ask again when Hisashi was feeling better, and if he said yes, Izuku would then know he was likely lying. It didn’t seem like his dad wanted to die at all right now, given how very concerned he was that he might be.
“Where…Where am I?” Hisashi asked as he glanced about, looking confused.
“Your room,” Izuku told him, drawing those red eyes to his own green ones. They seemed to widen a little, almost looking frantic. Hisashi raised a shaking hand to Izuku’s face, cupping the side of it.
His next words were slurred, “'S ‘ou?”
Was he…trying to say “Izuku”?
Izuku leaned down eagerly. “Yeah?”
Hazy eyes stared into his intensely. “Nnn…Love you…”
Izuku’s breath caught in his throat, and his heart swelled, feeling warm. Tears came to his eyes again, but Izuku tried to blink them away once more. “I love you too, Dad!” he cried.
“Yoichi…” Hisashi murmured, hand falling back down in exhaustion. “Y’chi…missed ‘ou.”
Izuku’s heart stilled, and he swore he felt a small crack forming in it. “Y-Yoichi?” he repeated, voice thin and wobbly. “Who’s Yoichi?”
“Lil’ brother,” Hisashi answered quietly.
Izuku felt a brief flash of hatred for this Yoichi, which was immediately followed by guilt and sorrow as he remembered his dad mentioning his brother once before. A brother who was killed by vampires.
“I…” Izuku began, his voice breaking a little before he managed to beat it back. “W-What happened with Yoichi?”
Hisashi’s face scrunched up, appearing pained. “Died,” he answered after a brief moment, never once looking away from Izuku’s eyes. “Watched you die.”
Izuku knew he should tread carefully, but he was so curious. “How did he die?” he asked quietly.
A single tear rolled down the side of his dad’s face, his gaze seeming far away. “Vampires. Pinned us down. Tortured us…killed you…”
“I’m…I’m sorry…” Izuku spoke softly, his throat feeling thick all of a sudden.
Hisashi shook his head, looking firmly at Izuku again. “Avenged you,” he whispered, eyes closing as a tremor ran through him. “All for you. All For One.”
“Oh…So that’s where your name came from,” Izuku muttered. “Because it was all for Yoichi? To…To avenge him?”
Hisashi seemed not to hear him though, his gaze roving Izuku’s face intently before settling on his eyes once more. Relief filled Hisashi’s, and he released a soft sigh. “Yoichi?” his dad called, staring at Izuku while seeing someone else entirely. “I love you.”
Izuku felt his heart clench, and took a deep breath that shook in his chest. “I love you too,” he murmured, raising his dad’s head to hug him, resting a cheek against his hair. “…Big brother,” he whispered brokenly, the words bitter on his tongue.
But it was worth it to see the beautiful, dazzling smile Hisashi gave him.
“Just…rest,” Izuku told him, taking hold of his hand. Hisashi gripped onto it tightly, as though afraid Izuku, Yoichi rather, might disappear if he let go. Izuku swallowed against the lump in his throat. “I’m here. I’ll take care of you, okay?”
“'Kay…”
Hisashi’s eyes slowly closed, the man drifting into sleep as he was held in a warm, comforting embrace, a soft smile painted on his lips. Izuku brushed his fingers through the curls of his dad’s hair once more, teardrops falling down his cheeks and onto Hisashi as he desperately tried to stifle the cries that threatened to escape him.
Hisashi hissed as awareness steadily trickled over him, somehow feeling as bad as he had the previous morning. Except instead of a hangover pounding in his skull, he felt tender and sore, an overly warm sensation pervading into his skin all over his body.
“Ugh,” he groaned as he slowly sat up, something soft falling into his lap as he did. Couldn’t he wake up for once and not be in pain? He’d been having such a nice dream too. He had been talking to his little brother again, alive and well. Everything had been as it was, before…
Taking in the sight of the room around him, however, confirmed that he was still in the castle. It took a moment to recollect his thoughts, and Hisashi frowned when he did. How had he ended up here? Hadn’t he and Izuku been in the city? He remembered stopping by a couple of places, sitting down for a rest because he felt so hot, and then…He frowned when his memory began to fuzz and blur, unable to fully recall what had happened after.
He was deep in his thoughts when a small voice spoke up from behind him, and Hisashi nearly jumped out of the bed from how unexpected it was, his heart beating a mile a minute. “Dad?” Izuku called out quietly, causing Hisashi to whip his head around, a hand clutching his chest.
“Stop doing that!” Hisashi chided, taking a moment to catch his breath.
“Oh, sorry!” Izuku looked apologetic. “…You scare easy, huh?”
“I do not!” Hisashi defended himself. “And why are you in my bed? Again?!”
“I told you I would take care of you! You were sick.” Izuku pointed to Hisashi’s lap, where a damp cloth lay.
“Sick?” Hisashi repeated incredulously. He had never been sick before (that he could remember). Not even once. “Sick from what?”
“The sun!” Izuku said it like it was obvious. “I did tell you to take a parasol, remember? I warned you the sun wasn’t good for vampires. You got heat-sick.”
Hisashi stared at the boy, then glanced at the cloth, picking it up. The damp coolness felt pleasant against his too-warm skin, which he noted had a slightly pinkish hue to it. Hisashi pressed a hand to his face, holding back a groan as he gave Izuku a weary look. “...And you couldn’t have warned me?”
“I did!” Izuku protested. “I literally just told you! I warned you multiple times!”
“You did not warn me about heat-sickness!” Hisashi insisted. “You just said ‘the sun isn’t good for vampires’ and left it at that! That doesn’t tell me anything!”
“Would you have believed me even if I had?”
Hisashi’s mouth audibly snapped shut. He didn’t want to answer that.
“Besides,” Izuku continued pressing him, “didn’t you ever see vampires suffer under the sun as a hunter?”
Hisashi looked away and crossed his arms. “I know vampires weaken under sunlight, but I never spent enough time around one to watch them get heat-sickness,” he muttered under his breath. “Most fights don't usually last more than a few minutes.”
He heard the boy sigh in exasperation, before a small hand snuck up to press against his cheek. It was cool on his heated skin, and Hisashi had to actively stop himself from leaning into it. “Well, at least now you know,” Izuku said. “Next time you’ll bring your parasol when it’s sunny outside. You’re not too hot anymore either.”
Hisashi brushed the hand away and moved to get off the bed, noticing the lingering tenderness all over his skin. He snatched the chalice of blood from the nightstand, quickly gulping it down. He shuddered at how chilled it was, but it helped combat the heat that was still settled in his flesh. The sooner he recovered from this, the better. It was his first time being sick and Hisashi quickly found himself never wanting to experience that sensation ever again.
A glance out of the corner of his eye revealed Izuku’s thrilled face, green eyes darting between the empty chalice and Hisashi. Hisashi glared at him, daring him to say something about it, but the boy kept his mouth shut for once, just smiling happily.
“So,” Hisashi began, setting the chalice back down, “what is it we’re doing today? More sparring lessons?”
“You should take it easy today, Dad, you’re still recovering.”
“I’m fine,” Hisashi insisted. He didn’t particularly like having to follow Izuku wherever it was he went, but it was better than being stuck inside this stuffy room all day.
Izuku bit his lower lip. “You should really stay in bed…”
“Izuku, I will lose my mind if I have to stay here,” Hisashi informed him. He hated being still. He wasn’t used to not moving around.
“Alright, alright.” Izuku blew out a soft sigh. “But I have to be at a council meeting today. Are you sure you want to go?”
Oh. Oh he did not want to go. The last council meeting had both started and ended poorly.
…But it was still better than being stuck in bed.
“Yeah,” Hisashi answered in spite of his misgivings. “And afterwards, we can train. I still need to look through those books you bought.”
“We can look through the books, totally!” Izuku clapped his hands. “But no training. Not until tomorrow, at least.”
Hisashi frowned. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“I'm the king.”
“I'm your father.”
Despite the little pout Izuku gave him at that, Hisashi could see a glimmer of happiness in his eyes.
“If you feel fine after the meeting, maybe we can practice a few simple spells,” Izuku relented. “But nothing too strenuous, okay?”
Why did this kid “adopt” him, insist Hisashi was his father, and then proceed to try and parent him instead?
Izuku clearly could read the disapproval on his face and shrugged. “Or you can make yourself sick again by overworking yourself too soon. I’d just have to take care of you again.”
“Alright, I get it,” Hisashi grumbled, rolling his eyes. He reached for a fresh set of clothes sitting on his dresser, holding them out to look over them. Then he glanced back at Izuku. “Are we going or not?”
“We can go once you’re ready.”
“Well, what time does it start at? You don’t want to be late.”
“The meeting doesn’t start till I get there because I’m the king,” Izuku informed him.
“You have to stop using that as an excuse.”
“It’s not an excuse if it’s true!” Izuku insisted as Hisashi removed his shirt and slipped on the new one.
“Other people have things to do with their day too, Izuku,” Hisashi said sternly. “You can’t waste their time. Just because you’re the king doesn’t mean others don’t deserve respect too.”
“...Okay,” Izuku mumbled, and out of the corner of his eye Hisashi noticed he was looking at the bed, biting the inside of his cheek.
Hisashi sighed. “Just keep to your word, okay? When you give someone your word, don’t go back on it. That’s what makes a king good, and a man great.”
Izuku seemed to seriously consider his words, and nodded. “I will,” he said determinedly as Hisashi slipped on his boots. “You ready?”
Hisashi stretched, his back cracking satisfyingly. “Think so,” he mumbled.
“Then let’s go!” Izuku exclaimed, hopping off the bed.
Hisashi automatically held his hand out to the boy, before realizing what he was doing and letting it fall. Right. He didn’t need to hold Izuku’s hand. He had just gotten used to Izuku always grabbing him.
The boy’s brief smile faltered a little, before he tried to cover his disappointment with an even bigger one. “We should hurry,” Izuku said as he opened the door, allowing Hisashi to exit first. “Don’t want to be late! Go, go!”
Hisashi smirked at his newfound desire to be on time, deciding to have a little fun of his own for a change. “Ah, I seemed to have forgotten how my legs work…” he said sarcastically, purposefully making his legs wobble beneath him.
“Dad,” Izuku grumbled as small hands pushed into Hisashi’s back, forcing him to move forward, feet skidding across the floor.
Hisashi leaned more of his weight into those hands, knowing Izuku was more than strong enough to hold him. “Sorry, Izuku, they’re just so heavy. Won’t cooperate. I don’t think I can—” He let himself fall backwards onto the boy entirely.
Izuku yelped beneath him, clearly unprepared for the move. “Dad! What are you doing? Come on!”
“Don’t think I can make it,” Hisashi bemoaned dramatically. “Just abandon me. Leave me here to rot.”
“You’re being ridiculous!” Despite his words, the boy was still holding him up.
“This is the end for me!” Hisashi cried out, a hand to his forehead.
He could practically feel Izuku roll his eyes. He shifted around beneath Hisashi until Hisashi felt an arm under the bend of his knees and another behind his back, and he found himself suddenly picked up and held against a tiny chest. Hisashi felt his already sunburnt cheeks inflame.
…What had just happened?
Izuku huffed above him. “You choose now of all times to be silly.”
This had immediately turned embarrassing. “Put me down!” Hisashi demanded, pushing at Izuku’s shoulders in the unrelenting hold.
“Weren’t you the one that just said you couldn’t walk?” Izuku retorted with a mischievous grin. “At least this way we'll be on time now!”
“Fine! I’ll walk! I’ll walk!”
“Oh, so you get to have your fun but I can’t have mine?”
“This isn’t fun! I swear if the others see this I’ll—”
“Don’t worry, Dad,” Izuku reassured him. “I’ll put you down.”
“Thank y—”
“Right into your chair at the meeting.”
“Why you little—!” Hisashi wriggled furiously, but Izuku had an iron grip on him.
This shouldn’t even be possible. No one had ever picked Hisashi up before. He was far too tall! And he should have been too tall for Izuku as well—being over twice the boy’s size—and yet the child held him like it was nothing. They must make quite the humourous sight.
Sometimes he really hated Izuku’s strength.
They were getting close to the council room now. Far too many guards had seen him like this already and Hisashi hadn’t missed their faint laughter as they passed by. “Okay. Seriously. You can put me down now,” he said.
“Oh? But we’re almost there. C’mon, Dad, it’s not going to be as bad as you think.”
“Yes it will!” Hisashi insisted, renewing his struggles with every step closer they got to the door, panic building up at the thought of the sheer humiliation he would be forced to endure if a bunch of stuffy nobles saw him like this. “Put me down! I’ll do anything you want, just put me down!”
“Anything I want?”
“Anything you want!”
“I want to carry you into the meeting!” Izuku said cheerfully.
Hisashi was never going to live this down. Mirai and Gran would see this, and Gran would never let him forget it for as long as he lived. Of all the ways he could have died, why did it have to be of embarrassment? He would never be able to show his face again.
But he would be forced to at that stupid ball.
Hisashi covered his face with his hands as Izuku approached the doors to the council room, kicking them open. “We’re here!” the boy announced.
“About time—” Gran’s gruff voice abruptly cut off, and Hisashi could feel his eyes staring straight at him.
The room went dead silent as everyone took in the sight before them.
Gran broke it with a bout of hysterical laughter. From between his fingers Hisashi could see a few nobles hiding their smiles behind their hands or papers. Hisashi felt his face turn hotter under his own hands. “Please, just kill me now,” he begged.
“NO,” Izuku said firmly. Then his voice lightened, “Besides, you don’t actually want to die, Dad. You’ll be fine.”
Gran’s laughter was contagious, and while most of the other nobles attempted to maintain some form of decorum, Hisashi could still hear quiet titters and chuckling from the vampires gathered at the table. Through his fingers, the only one he could see who wasn’t involved was Mirai, who looked thoroughly unamused.
“My Liege, this is rather…inappropriate for a meeting, is it not?” Mirai commented.
“Dad’s still sick,” Izuku claimed, “and he said he felt weak.”
“Then why is he even here?” Mirai massaged his temples.
“He wanted to be here!”
Hisashi felt Mirai’s suspicious stare on him as Izuku carried him over to the vacant spot next to the man, pulling the chair out with his foot and setting him down on it. Hisashi kept his face covered with both hands, refusing to make eye contact with any of the vampires around him.
He could hear Izuku sit down as if nothing had happened, asking, “So what’s on the agenda today?”
“Reports of attacks along the southern front of the border,” Mirai answered, followed by the sound of his neatly arranged papers being shuffled. “There has been an increase in their numbers as of late, as well as their morale.”
“Then should we not send more of our troops down to better secure it?” Izuku suggested.
“A possible solution.” Mirai sounded considerate, but Hisashi could almost hear the frown in his voice as well.
“We don’t have too many men to spare though,” someone else across the table muttered.
Hisashi peeked through his fingers to better follow who was speaking.
“It wouldn’t be an issue if we had more able-bodied recruits,” said another with bright purple hair. “Perhaps if humans were required to be turned when they join the army, it would give us the edge we need to turn the tide of battle in our favor.”
Hisashi felt a pit open up in his stomach, and slowly lowered his hands a little to pay more attention.
“We could raise the blood tax,” a woman countered. “More access to blood supplies will strengthen our troops.”
Hisashi bristled. Forceful turning? Demands for more blood? These greedy, rotten—
“No,” Izuku rejected outright before Hisashi could say anything. “We are not forcing humans to become vampires when they already willingly join the army to fight against Todoroki.” The boy gave a sharp look to the noble who had suggested it. “Even if that was a good idea, the number of people enlisting would drop dramatically upon learning they’d be forced to be turned.”
“They can at least give more blood then! Our armies—”
“We’ve already raised the tax twice,” Izuku snapped. “Anymore and humans could end up dying! We will not make impossible demands of our people.”
Hisashi stared at the boy, blinking slowly as those words registered in his mind. He hadn’t expected Izuku to be so adamantly against such things—especially given he had forcibly turned Hisashi into a vampire himself. And to hear him defend humans and think of them as his people…Hisashi wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“Our armies need more supplies!”
“Then we will send blood from the royal storage,” Izuku declared. “There is centuries worth of it saved up there.”
Mirai gasped. “But Your Majesty! Some of that blood is precious! It has been saved for—”
“I don’t care what it’s been saved for. Our people need it,” Izuku shut him down.
Hisashi didn’t know how he felt about all of this. Surprised, definitely. Izuku was the last person he thought would be so…reasonable and level-headed when it came to such matters. Relief washed over him at the assurance that Izuku wasn’t going to let himself be bullied into abusing his human subjects. A tiny smile curled at Hisashi’s lips, and he felt a little lighter than he had before as some of the tension eased out of his shoulders.
“There’s another matter that I’ve been meaning to address as well. I meant to bring it up sooner, but I’ve been a bit...distracted as of late,” Izuku said, causing all eyes to drift back to him, filled with varying levels of confusion. “When I was on the outskirts of the border, there was a strange vampire in the destroyed village where I found my father. One that attacked me.”
Hisashi frowned, regarding Izuku with a curious look. He had assumed that that vampire had been one that Izuku had purposefully used to lure him into saving the boy and letting his guard down. But if that wasn’t so…it certainly explained why the boy had been so genuinely terrified at the time.
A series of shocked murmurs had rippled around the table at Izuku’s claim. Mirai stared at Izuku as though he had grown a second head, eyes impossibly wide. Gran’s own narrowed, brow furrowed.
“That’s not possible,” one noble muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Perhaps it was simply a traitor?”
“But to be able to attack the king?” the blue haired vampire asked incredulously.
“I commanded him to stop,” Izuku said gravely. “He didn’t.”
“What?!”
“How could that happen—”
“The vampire…he seemed almost mindless. Feral.” Izuku shuddered at the memory. “Like a wild animal.”
“Izuku, are you sure you’re remembering correctly?” Gran asked quietly.
Izuku nodded. “Yes. Multiple times I told him to stop, but he kept attacking me.”
“But then how did you get away?” one of the nobles asked with concern.
“Dad saved me,” Izuku answered, flashing a brilliant smile as he gestured towards Hisashi.
All eyes returned to Hisashi briefly, who sunk down in his seat at the attention.
From the other end of the table, another noble stood. “I too, have heard reports of something similar,” they admitted. “The attack that resulted in the death of the Shirakumo heir.” For some reason the noble gave a strange, nasty side-eye to Hisashi as he spoke. “A human survivor of the battle mentioned coming across animalistic vampires, but said they weren’t sure if that’s what they really saw or not.”
“…I had been coming across vampires like that more and more often during my travels,” Hisashi muttered, reluctantly giving some input. “Vampires that attacked without thought or reason. One that gave no care to their own wellbeing as they chased down their prey. From what I could gather, they appeared to be completely mindless beyond base instincts.”
Eyes returned to him once more, but this time Hisashi didn’t shy away, though he kept his gaze mostly fixed on the table.
“I’ve never heard of vampires acting like that before,” someone said. “Why should we believe you?”
Seriously? Hisashi thought. They were literally just believing the other nobles who had said something about it! He stared at them flatly. “Because I’ve probably spent the most time out of everyone here studying them? I was tracking them down, trying to catch one to determine what it was. I was working on eliminating a large group of them when someone interrupted me.” He stared pointedly over at Izuku, who just smiled sheepishly. “These ones had been eating flesh, not just drinking blood. I’ve never seen vampires act like that in all my years as a hunter. Not until recently, at least.”
“I have.” Everyone turned to Gran as he stood. “…They aren’t vampires,” he claimed in a low voice, looking more serious than Hisashi had ever seen him. “Not true vampires, at least.”
“What do you mean Gran?” Izuku asked, confused.
Hisashi stared at the elder vampire, just as bewildered. What were they then, if not vampires?
“They are the result of a failed or unfinished turning,” Gran answered grimly. “Those that died during the process and unnaturally resurrected afterwards are ghouls; they are the ones who would eat human flesh. The other type are what we call ‘half-lifes’: those who never received the blood of the one that initiated the change. Permanently stuck between one life and the next, caught between two species.”
“…What’s so important about receiving the blood of the one who bit you?” Hisashi asked curiously. Nothing he’d read had ever mentioned vampires needing to transfer their own blood to their victims in order to create a new vampire.
“It’s required to slake the initial thirst of the newly turned and finish the transformation. And it must be blood from the same vampire whose venom began the turning process in the human,” Gran responded. “Otherwise, the would-be vampire is in a constant state of insatiable bloodlust, searching for the specific blood that would finish their turning. They go mad, attacking everything around them to try and satisfy their craving. A half-life would kill their own family if they were put in front of them, unable to recognize them.”
“How do you know this?” Hisashi’s eyes narrowed.
“They were commonplace during Nana’s rule,” Gran informed him. “Back when hostilities between vampires and humans were at their peak; when there were no laws in place to prevent such things. Some did so intentionally. Others were simply starving vampires that couldn’t control the venom in their fangs in their desperation for a meal.”
“But…why are they cropping up again?” Izuku asked, looking as concerned as the rest of the nobles. “It isn’t on our side, is it? We haven’t heard of any incidents like that happening in our kingdom.”
“…It seems like it’s originating somewhere in the human kingdom,” Hisashi admitted reluctantly. “I chased that group towards the border, but they started off further inland. Wherever they’re coming from, it’s on the inside.”
Izuku nodded thoughtfully, then turned to his retainer. “Mirai, will you look into the future and tell us what you see?”
The man folded his hands over each other, expression pensive. “I could try, but there is no guarantee I will see anything to do with them. I cannot control my visions of the general future. There is no telling what I might get.”
“Please,” Izuku pleaded.
“As Your Majesty wishes.” Mirai bowed his head in acquiesce.
Hisashi watched with mild alarm as Mirai went still beside him, the gold of his eyes disappearing as a fog of white consumed them. Several long moments passed as the room waited patiently.
When the gold of his eyes returned, Mirai shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Well, what did you see?” Gran asked.
“A boy,” Mirai answered, eyes darkening. The pallor of his skin was paler than it had been moments before. “His face stricken in horror as he stood in a dimly lit room, staring into a cell with a corpse chained to the wall.”
“Do you know who the boy was?”
“No. No idea.”
Izuku deflated slightly. “Well, thanks for trying, Mirai.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Mirai swallowed thickly, licking dry lips.
“I want an investigation started on this,” Izuku ordered, expression stern. “If someone is intentionally leaving people half-turned…”
“I will gather together an intelligence group to begin looking into it,” Mirai offered. “Leave the investigations to me.”
“Thank you, Mirai.” Izuku nodded gratefully.
The meeting then resumed as normal, and dragged on for what must have been hours as they discussed every little detail possible. Sending more troops to areas of the border that were most under siege, attacking weak points along Yuei’s side of the border, tracking their supply lines, and securing a stronger base of operations further within the kingdom. Hisashi listened to every word attentively, even if some stuff went over his head.
When the meeting was near its end, the others beginning to gather up their stuff, Izuku stood once more, his face upturned in a brilliant smile. Hisashi groaned quietly, knowing what it was going to be.
“One last thing before we adjourn for the evening!” Izuku announced jubilantly, beaming at all of them. “I have decided to throw a grand ball in celebration of my new father. And everyone's invited!”
Nobody looked particularly enthusiastic, and Hisashi felt vindicated that he wasn’t the only one.
Izuku didn’t seem to notice though. Or more likely, he simply didn’t care. “And Gran will be delivering the invitations!”
“Say what now?” Gran grumbled from his seat, casting the boy a side-long glare.
“Yep! You will, won’t you, Gran?” Izuku gave the man a puppy-eyed look.
“You know that doesn’t work on me—aah, geeze.” Gran heaved a sigh. “Fine.”
“Thank you!” Izuku chirped.
“The dress code and regulations will be in the invitations,” Mirai spoke aloud as he gathered his sheaf of papers. “Please put your best foot forward.”
“Best foot?” Hisashi mumbled to himself.
Mirai, being right next to him, overheard it. “There will be dancing, of course,” he explained, casting Hisashi an amused glance—if the curl at the corners of his lips was anything to go by. “Our traditional dances may be too complicated for you, but surely you know the basics of the waltz?”
“O-Of course,” Hisashi lied through gritted teeth, forcing himself to smile while glaring daggers from his eyes.
Mirai returned it with a grin just as fake. “Excellent! After all, you will be required to take part in the first dance. As the new royal, all eyes will be on you, of course.”
Hisashi wanted to die.
“Wonderful!” Izuku exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair. “Meeting adjourned!”
“Are you going to carry your father out of the room now too?” Gran laughed, casting Hisashi a wry grin.
“I feel better now!” Hisashi said quickly, standing up from his chair in a flash.
“You sure, Dad?” Izuku asked teasingly. “I don’t mind!” He reached a hand towards Hisashi, who jumped away like Izuku was on fire.
“I’m sure!” he claimed loudly, ignoring the quiet chuckles of the others around him. He swiftly made to leave the table, keeping a safe distance from Izuku in case the boy got any sudden ideas.
He heard a mischievous giggle behind him as he started walking away, and looked over his shoulder to see Izuku coming up behind him. Hisashi quickened his pace, and Izuku sped up to match. His walk turned into a jog, and his ears caught the sound of Izuku beginning to run.
Hisashi was chased out of the meeting room as the boy cackled.
Faintly, he could hear renewed laughter from the council room before the door shut again. Izuku persisted after him though, a devious grin plastered across his face.
“Leave me alone!” Hisashi called back, racing through the corridors.
“But we’re going to train! Remember?” Izuku laughed from behind, and Hisashi felt his pulse quicken at how much closer his footsteps sounded. “You said you wanted to!”
Hisashi urged his long legs to carry him faster. “Yes! I did! But you don’t have to chase me there!”
“You're the one running! What do you expect? Plus, you’re going the wrong way anyways!”
“I will find it eventually!” Hisashi shouted back as he made a sharp turn, nearly bumping into a servant as he did so. She startled with a yelp, dropping the clothes she had been carrying, but Hisashi had no time to stop and apologize with Izuku hot on his heels.
“You’ll just tire yourself out first before you do and then not want to train!”
Izuku’s voice was far too close now. How was he so fast?! Hisashi forced himself to move even quicker than before, ignoring how his breath caught in his chest.
“Then I’ll just—” Hisashi was cut off when something collided against his back, little arms wrapping around his neck and causing him to stumble from the unexpected tackle. He managed to catch himself before he fell, but only just.
“Got you!” Izuku crowed with delight. “It’s your turn to carry me!”
Well. That was more acceptable than being carried. “Ugh, fine,” he groaned as Izuku shifted on his back. “Hey, what’re you—Ow!” Hisashi started as the boy pulled himself up until he was sitting on his shoulders, resting his head atop his own. “I’m not a tree!”
“But I like the view up here,” Izuku giggled, his chin nested in Hisashi’s hair happily. “Your hair is fluffy and curly! Like mine!”
“Thanks,” Hisashi replied dryly, an eye twitching. “Now which way is it?”
“Left!”
Hisashi went left, feeling the vibrations of Izuku humming as he walked, following all the boy’s directions.
“Ugh, finally,” he sighed in relief as they came upon the training room from yesterday, and Izuku hopped off of him. Hisashi rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, giving him a glare. “Next time you’re walking.”
“I can give you a piggyback next time if you want,” Izuku offered.
“NO. I’m—Just. No.”
“Suit yourself!” Izuku grinned cheekily. “I can have the books brought down for us too if you’d like, so we can practice straight from them. Or you can just show me some spells that you already know, if you’d rather?”
“Sure,” Hisashi agreed easily. He hadn’t had the chance to use his magic since before he was turned. He was eager to test out a few spells—wouldn’t want anyone to think he was getting rusty after all. He cracked his knuckles in preparation.
Izuku wrinkled his nose. “Stop cracking your bones, it's nasty.”
Hisashi scoffed a laugh. “When you’re older, your bones will crack too.”
“You’re not old!” Izuku corrected with a roll of his eyes. “You’re only thirty-five. You won’t be old until you’re like, eight hundred!”
Hisashi’s brain hurt thinking about that. “I can’t even fathom being eight hundred,” he muttered.
“Well, you better get used to it!”
“Yeah, yeah. You wanna see some magic or not, kid?”
“Don’t call me kid!” Izuku huffed.
Hisashi reached out and ruffled Izuku’s hair roughly with his knuckles, laughing at the loud protest he received. “Anyways. Let’s see some real magic, hm? I doubt your instructors have taught you more than the basics.” Hisashi looked at a training dummy, focusing his attention on it as he decided on a spell.
Izuku’s eyes went wide with excitement and anticipation as he watched Hisashi, paying rapt attention as Hisashi began to cast.
Hisashi would admit he felt a little bit cocky at that. He’d never really had the chance to actually show off to someone before, and Izuku’s full attention had him wanting to give it his best. So he chose one of his most flashy, powerful spells, focusing the magic into his palms as he whispered the incantation under his breath, feeling the familiar tingle of magic run through him. Oddly enough, it felt a bit different than before, but Hisashi didn’t pay it much mind as he aimed and set his spell loose.
A spear of fire formed in the air above the dummy, the orange-white glow so intense it hurt to look upon, and far, far bigger than it had been anytime before. It shot downward, cleaving through the target with ease before it hit the ground. Hisashi barely had time to brace himself, instinctively grabbing hold of Izuku’s hand and pulling him into his chest, curling over the child just as a massive explosion ignited from where the spear had struck.
An intense wave of heat and fire washed over his back, and the smell of burnt fabric and flesh suddenly overwhelmed his senses as his clothes and skin melted. Hisashi grit his teeth, trying to muffle any sounds of pain as he bore through the agony, face twisting. He clutched Izuku closer, pressing the boy’s face into his chest as he did his best to shield him.
When the initial blast of the spell wore out, and only scorch marks and traces of fire were left behind, Hisashi tentatively uncurled a bit, whimpering quietly as he did so, but keeping Izuku in his arms as he looked around carefully. With his hold loosened, Izuku reached up to clutch at him in return.
“Dad!” the boy called out, staring up in alarm when Hisashi cried out in pain from where those little hands brushed against his back. “D-Dad, are you okay?!”
Hisashi felt his eyes water and squeezed them shut to stop them. “Fine,” he bit out weakly. He didn’t want to imagine what his back looked like—especially not if it looked anywhere near as bad as it felt.
What had happened?!
“Hold still!” Izuku said frantically, wiggling out of his hold completely to take a look at his back. It must have looked awful given how Izuku gasped and his voice immediately went thick with tears. “D-Dad…”
“Not the first time I’ve been burned.” Hisashi tried to lighten the mood, wanting to seem okay to prevent Izuku from crying. He didn’t like to see kids cry. Even though he himself kind of wanted to as well right now. Frick, it hurt!
“L-Let me help,” Izuku insisted, and before Hisashi could protest, he felt the familiar tinge of magic in the air and saw a vivid, green glow in the corner of his vision.
A wave of coolness rippled down his back, making him gasp. The pain began to fade as the cool sensation seemed to soak into his skin.
“T-There,” Izuku said after a few moments, and a small hand ran across his back, which was no longer screaming with agony. His skin felt strangely sensitive, and Hisashi craned his head to look behind him, but could only see Izuku and his tear-filled eyes, biting at his trembling lip. Izuku raised a palm to wipe the wetness away, the glow of his hands fading.
“What…What did you just do?” Hisashi asked as he stood back up.
“I healed you,” Izuku answered, his eyes roving over Hisashi’s back still. “It was—It was really bad. Your whole back…” he trailed off and shook his head, forcing a wobbly smile instead. “Well. It’s like new again now. All your old scars are gone since your skin had to completely repair itself.”
His scars…were gone? Hisashi blanked. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. On one hand, they were ugly reminders of the worst moment in his life. On the other…they reminded him of his goal. Of what he worked for. Of why he was All For One. And now they were just…gone.
“I…Thank you?” Hisashi murmured, unsure of what to even say. “...Where did you learn healing magic?” Such skills were rare and valuable, and not easily taught due to the complexities involved with said magic.
Izuku looked saddened by the question, oddly enough. “My mom…she was the best at healing.”
“Oh.” Hisashi knew better than to press into the subject of Izuku’s parents. Instead, he simply said, “She taught you well.”
Izuku nodded, and for a moment, neither said anything to the other, Izuku too choked with emotion and Hisashi not knowing if he should comfort the boy or not.
Eventually, Hisashi hesitantly extended a hand, laying it atop of Izuku’s green curls. “It’s…it’s alright,” he offered—though it sounded more like a question than a reassurance. “It’s not like it was your fault it happened.”
“Are you…upset?” Izuku ventured, looking up from beneath the hand.
Hisashi’s brow furrowed. “Upset?”
“Your scars are gone, but you…you don’t sound very happy about it.”
“It’s…complicated to explain.” Hisashi sighed softly, letting his hand fall to the side.
Izuku shifted on his feet, looking very hesitant. “You said…You said you got them when your brother died. That you watched him die.”
Hisashi felt his heart twist. “Yeah,” his voice sounded empty even to his own ears. “I did.”
“…How did he—How did you get them?”
It felt strange to talk about them, knowing they were gone now. “It…vampires attacked my village,” Hisashi muttered, feeling the words fall from his mouth with the ease of pulling out an infected tooth. “By the time they reached my home, everyone was either dead or had run. But my brother…he was frail and sickly. He couldn’t have outrun them, so we tried to hide.” His eyes unfocused, staring distantly at a scorch mark on the floor.
“…But they found you?” Izuku prompted in a tiny whisper.
“They found us.” Hisashi nodded grimly. He didn’t know why he was talking about this; why the words were spilling from his lips. But it was as though a dam had burst, and he found himself unable to stop them as they flowed forth. “They dragged us out of the house, laughing and jeering. Our pain was a delight to them. They pinned my brother down in the dirt as he struggled. And I was…I was trying to get to him, kicking and screaming.”
“How did you get away? You survived that…”
Hisashi shrugged. “I didn’t. Get away that is. I tried to fight back; to get to my brother. They didn’t like that. So they—they…Claws. My scars…And Yoichi…They made me watch as they took turns biting and draining blood from my brother. I knew I was next, but I couldn’t—” his voice cracked, shoulders trembling. “I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t save him…They had me pinned down too. And he…he was staring right at me while he was dying. Begging. Pleading for me to help him. Calling out to me over and over. I barely felt my own pain, because I was so focused on his.”
He felt a small hand grab his own and squeeze comfortingly. Izuku had tears in his eyes as he listened, but Hisashi returned his gaze to the floor in order to find his courage to continue speaking.
“A hunter came along. My mentor. That’s how I survived. He saved me, but. But it was too late for Yoichi…”
“I’m…I’m sorry…” Izuku spoke softly. “I…know how hard it is to lose the people you love.”
Hisashi shifted uncomfortably. He’d never told anyone that story before, and it felt awkward to receive genuine sympathy—and from a vampire no less. “My scars. I hated them. But they were a reminder of what I stood for, and why I do—did—what I did.”
“All For One,” Izuku said. “All For Yoichi.”
Hisashi blinked, surprised the boy had put that together. “...Yeah. That’s why I picked the name.”
Izuku nodded. “And that’s how you met your mentor?”
“Yes. He taught me everything I knew.”
“…How old were you?” Izuku asked quietly.
Hisashi breathed out a long sigh. “Fourteen. My mentor took me with him that day and started training me as soon as I recovered from my wounds.”
“And you were a hunter ever since?”
“Yeah. It’s because of him that I became the strongest hunter.”
“I—” Izuku started, but whatever he was going to say was cut short by the sound of the door slamming open, and behind it was…Mirai?
Mirai looked frantic. Hisashi and Izuku both stared at him as his golden eyes raked over the room, flickering over the blackened stone, to Hisashi’s burnt clothes, and then to Izuku. “What the HELL was that explosion?!” he screamed. His hair and clothes were disheveled, likely from having run all the way there, his brow pinched in a furious glare.
Hisashi had never seen the man so rankled.
Izuku put his hands up, and tried to calm his retainer down. “It was just an accident! We were training.”
“What kind of training involves such a spell?!” Mirai sounded strangled.
“I asked Dad to show me some of his magic and—”
Mirai zeroed in on Hisashi, eyes hardening. He was in front of Hisashi in a flash, hands fisted in the remains of his clothes. “You did this,” he growled. “I should’ve known…”
“Get away from me!” Hisashi hissed, shoving away Mirai’s hands, but the man was stronger than he gave him credit for as he managed to maintain his hold.
“Mirai, Dad didn’t do anything wrong—!”
“Enough, Izuku!” Mirai snapped, and Hisashi saw a flash of surprise go over the boy’s face. He wasn’t able to think too hard on it, however, as Mirai leaned in close to him, fangs bared and snarling lowly, “I know what you’re up to. Mark my words: I will make you pay. You think you can just make an attempt like this and walk free? You must be more stupid than I thought.”
“You think I tried to hurt him on purpose?” Hisashi snapped back, baring his own fangs in turn as he wrapped a hand around Mirai’s wrist, forcibly tearing it away from him. “I can’t hurt him!”
“Of course I think that! I know how much you resent what he did to you. I know you’re only playing along because you’re just waiting for the opportunity to get your revenge. You might be able to fool a child, but you can’t fool me!”
“He was just teaching me a spell!” Izuku butted in, looking frustrated. “Where are you coming up with these ideas, Mirai?”
“Izuku,” Mirai grit out, “the adults are talking right now.”
Izuku stamped his foot. “No, you’re not! Look, I’ll even show you!” He rolled up his sleeves and concentrated, emulating what he had seen Hisashi do.
“Izuku—!” Hisashi and Mirai shouted in tandem as the boy gathered his magic, but it went unheard as he focused.
The incantation was muttered, and Hisashi’s eyes widened. He could only watch in vague horror as the spell was released.
Mirai reacted immediately as an enormous arrow formed, snatching the boy up and racing towards the door as Hisashi stood there stunned, mouth open at the sheer size of the spell, the white-hot glow it radiated burning into his retinas.
The arrow descending snapped him back to his wits, and Hisashi pivoted on his heel and followed after Mirai hastily, slamming the doors shut behind him just as the first shockwave of the explosion hit, the doors rattling in their frame. Hisashi had only managed to get a few feet away when the second shockwave struck, and the metal doors were blown outward by the force, releasing a plume of fire and smoke, propelling Hisashi forward. Around him the stonework of the castle shook, bits of rock and dust shaking loose before everything settled.
Hisashi’s ears rang in the aftermath, the corridor silent other than their panting breaths.
“Izuku! Izuku, are you alright?!” Mirai's voice was laden with panic, setting the boy down in front of him, eyes looking over every inch of him. He held his clawed hands over Izuku, searching for any wounds and cupping his face, wiping away a smear of ash and dust from his cheeks before pulling the boy in for a tight hug. “Oh, thank goodness,” Mirai whispered in relief, a hand at the back of Izuku’s head, burying Izuku’s face in his shoulder.
“I’m fine, Mirai!” Izuku’s voice was muffled in the man’s clothes.
Mirai’s eyes sharpened over Izuku’s head as they landed on Hisashi. “Why would you teach him a spell like that?!” he demanded.
“Wh—I didn’t! I didn’t teach him!” Hisashi defended himself. “I showed him the spell once!”
“There’s a reason Izuku’s instructors have only shown him basic spells so far!” Mirai snapped harshly. “You would have been able to figure that out, if you had two brain-cells to rub together!”
“I didn’t expect him to pick it up after seeing it one time!” Hisashi shot back. “How was I supposed to know he’d learn it that quickly?!”
“You shouldn’t have even been showing him something that dangerous anyway! He’s eleven!”
“It wasn’t supposed to turn out the way it did!” Hisashi snapped. “My magic has never been that powerful before! I didn’t think—”
Izuku slipped out of Mirai’s arms. “Dad—”
“That is clearly a given! You never do, and I should never have agreed to leave you alone with Izuku at any point,” Mirai spit acerbically.
“Mirai—”
“Excuse me?!” Hisashi hissed in a fury. “I’m the one that was forced here against my will!”
“Dad—”
“And you’re the one about to be forced out of here too when I—”
“GUYS!” Izuku shouted at them, and both men blinked down at the boy, whose arms were crossed, one foot tapping on the floor and clearly unhappy with the both of them. “That’s enough. I don’t want to hear anymore arguing!”
Mirai looked constipated. “Your Majesty—”
“No! Stop it!” Izuku demanded, shaking a finger at him. “It was an accident! We were only trying to train with magic!”
“Don’t ever use that spell again,” Mirai told him sternly. “Not without supervision. And only ever outside, far, far away from the castle.”
Izuku winced, lowering his head dejectedly. “Okay…”
Mirai eyed Hisashi. “That goes for both of you.”
“I am not a child!” Hisashi growled out. How many times did he have to say that?!
“You just admitted to having little control over the strength of your magic, and I believe you said you were thirty-five?” Mirai snorted contemptuously. “You’re hardly more than a baby.”
Hisashi bristled. Don’t let it get under your skin, he told himself uselessly. Don’t let him get to you. “I know you’re just trying to insult me,” he hissed. “You know that human and vampire growth standards—”
“Clearly don’t apply to you. You must be a special case,” Mirai sneered.
Oh, Hisashi hated this guy.
“You—” Hisashi started, only to be broken off by a little sniffle, and both men glanced down to see tears falling down Izuku’s cheeks.
“Why—” Izuku hiccuped. “Why do you have to fight?” A little sob. “Just stop!”
“Ah, Your Majesty, please—” Mirai started, looking alarmed when Izuku took in a shaky breath, rubbing at one of his eyes with a sullen expression. “We weren’t fighting!” he insisted, holding out both hands in a placating gesture. “We were just…We were just talking. Right, Hisashi?” Mirai looked pointedly at him, his eyes promising death if he disagreed.
Hisashi met his gaze dead on. “We were fighting.”
Izuku began wailing.
Mirai sent him a look that said “good job, you idiot!” and placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, My King. Why don’t we go down to the kitchens and get a little snack, hm? Perhaps a fresh pastry or some ice cream? Then we can put this all behind us. Does that sound good?”
Izuku nodded miserably, lifting his hands towards Mirai, who sighed heavily but picked the boy up regardless. He gave Hisashi one last scathing glare that Izuku couldn’t see, a silent promise that this wouldn’t be the end of things, before he turned and walked away.
Hisashi watched them leave, and when Izuku glanced at him over Mirai’s shoulder, the boy’s eyes twinkled with mischief, his tears nowhere to be seen as he grinned widely and gave a little wave. Hisashi couldn’t help it when his own lips twisted into a smirk, a snort of laughter escaping him that he tried to cover as a cough. The kid had played them both and came out on top. He couldn’t help but feel mildly impressed.
Stretching, he was reminded of his tattered clothes. He looked over his ash covered body and decided he needed to change, and probably bathe. He wondered if there was a servant nearby that could help him. Maybe get him that scented soap he used last time.
Hisashi wandered off to track someone down.
Notes:
Hisashi being Dramatic™️ about being carried.
Hisashi: This is the end for me...Write in my will that you're not allowed to have my stuff.
Izuku: First of all, you're not dying. Second, RUDE. I pretty much own you anyway.
Hisashi: There's the light...I can see my brother’s green eyes...
Izuku: Uh, those are MY green eyes.
Izuku’s surprise at Mirai.Mirai: *calls Izuku by his first name*
Izuku:
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 12
Summary:
Hisashi watched them leave, and when Izuku glanced at him over Mirai’s shoulder, the boy’s eyes twinkled with mischief, his tears nowhere to be seen as he grinned widely and gave a little wave. Hisashi couldn’t help it when his own lips twisted into a smirk, a snort of laughter escaping him that he tried to cover as a cough. The kid had played them both and came out on top. He couldn’t help but feel mildly impressed.
Stretching, he was reminded of his tattered clothes. He looked over his ash covered body and decided he needed to change, and probably bathe. He wondered if there was a servant nearby that could help him. Maybe get him that scented soap he used last time.
Hisashi wandered off to track someone down.
Chapter Text
The scratching of pens against paper was the only sound that Mirai had heard for the last several hours as he worked through the morning to finish the invitations for His Majesty’s grand ball. On either side of him hovered pens, writing down the names of each individual noble and the members of their houses, alongside his own name as the king’s spokesperson. The invitations detailed the date, acceptable attire, and who the ball was being thrown for.
Mirai sighed wearily as he finished the last one, observing his calligraphy critically and deeming it acceptable. With a motion of his hand, the pens clattered to the desk as Mirai reached for a stamp with the symbol of the royal house, officially sealing each invitation before leaning back into his plush chair. Thank goodness for magic.
Lifting one, he couldn’t help but scowl at the thick paper as though it had personally offended him. He was against the idea of throwing a ball in the first place, as they needed to focus their efforts on the war, not on displays of grandeur. Especially when the one they were “celebrating” was All For One. But His Majesty had been insistent, and Mirai had been forced to relent. His nose wrinkled in distaste, he was almost tempted to shred through the invitations with his claws in spite of the long hours he had just spent making them.
Closing his eyes, Mirai placed the one he was holding back on the desk and forced himself to calm down, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. He repeated the process a few more times until he regained a firm hold over his emotions. It wasn’t easy though—what with the incident from a few days ago still fresh in his mind. It had been all he could think about, as of late. And who could fault him for it?
That wretched hunter had tried to kill His Majesty under the guise of training. But Mirai saw right through it. All For One had attempted to circumvent the orders and his inability to physically harm His Majesty by “showing off” a high level spell, one that had ended up putting a crater in the training room. Thankfully, His Majesty had gotten away unscathed and All For One had been caught in the blaze of his own magic.
And then, of course, His Majesty just had to cast the very same spell shortly after. In that moment, Mirai didn’t even think when he saw the formation of the fiery spear—he simply took hold of His Majesty and ran. The resulting explosion had shaken the foundations of the castle and reduced the training room to little more than a smoldering hole in the wall.
Hisashi, unfortunately, had managed to survive, narrowly escaping the blast radius. Mirai felt his lip curl in distaste. The man was like a cockroach. He just wouldn’t die. Then to try and excuse his actions as training when he taught Izuku that spell…No doubt that had been his back up plan in case his first attempt failed, knowing Izuku would want to try it out himself. And with His Majesty’s inability to fully control his incredible, innate abilities, the results would be devastating—had been devastating.
But unlike His Majesty, Mirai was not fooled.
Izuku, too young, too naive and trusting, was unable to see it for what it was, blinded by the desperate need to have a father figure. Mirai knew better. If only His Majesty would heed his warnings…
But no matter. Mirai would protect him regardless. Even from himself, if he had to. He would not allow further harm to come to the royal family, nor for King Toshinori’s death to have been in vain. And he had a new plan to achieve that. With any luck, Hisashi would be…taken care of…during the ball. With so many people at such a large event, it wouldn’t be hard to keep His Majesty distracted while others got rid of the current royal problem.
Gathering up the neatly stacked invitations and using magic to tie them up, Mirai carefully placed them within a messenger bag, ready to be delivered. Now he just had to actually find the deliverer. Usually Gran was around somewhere, poking his nose into other people’s business and being a rather large, sharp-tongued fly on the wall. But after the last meeting had concluded, the man had virtually disappeared. Leaving Mirai to actually have to go find him.
Typical.
Mirai had a few ideas where Gran might be lounging about, given he’d likely want to be unbothered after His Majesty decided to send him on a round trip across the country as his errand boy. The cafe in the city came to mind, as well as the wine cellar, or even the training grounds for new recruits. Gran loved watching and heckling the young soldiers on their forms and techniques, much to their terror.
Well. He supposed he would check the closest locations and go from there.
It was on his way to the wine cellar that a flash of light hair caught his eye, and Mirai felt his hackles rise, assuming Hisashi was lurking about. He spun on his heel and marched back down the fork in the corridors he had passed, entering into the hall of kings and queens of ages past. Portraits lined the walls, displaying the line of nobility from its inception all the way down to its previous ruler—his Majesty having yet to have his own made for the hall.
There was a tall, light-haired man at the other end of the hall. But it wasn’t Hisashi.
“Gran?” Mirai called out to the elder vampire, who didn’t so much as twitch at the sound of his name. He was standing between two of the portraits, his gaze distant and forlorn. “Gran?” Mirai repeated, more softly this time as he drew closer to the other man, nodding politely to the portraits he passed.
“What is it?” Gran spoke after a moment, with none of the usual cheer and snark in his voice.
“…The invitations are ready to be sent out,” Mirai informed him. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he answered, his tone sharper than Mirai expected it to be. He turned to Mirai, holding his hand out and regarding him with a hard look in his eyes. “Hand them over then. I want to get this over with quickly.”
Mirai hesitated, studying him. Despite his age, Gran always radiated an aura of good cheer and youthful mischief. But now, he appeared older than Mirai had ever seen him, face lined and weary. Mirai handed the letters over slowly. “Do you remember the plan?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Gran grunted, taking a tight hold of the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. “Make sure to deliver it by hand and in person. Mention All For One by name to our target to gain his interest.”
“Yes.” Mirai nodded. “Please don’t forget. Otherwise he won’t come.”
Gran snorted. “Oh, I’m well aware of that. Haven’t seen the boy myself in years. Social recluse that one.”
“Good. Do you require anything else before you leave?” Mirai asked, looking the man over. He had his waterskin, fully stocked with a supply of blood, a pouch of coins, a cloak for when it was sunny, and his favorite pair of boots. “A meal before you go? Taiyaki perhaps?”
“Bah. I can grab that stuff out in the city.” Gran waved a hand. “No, I think I’ll head out right away. Faster I go, faster I’ll come back.”
“Very well,” Mirai relented. “I look forward to your return, then. Come find me when you do.”
“Will do,” Gran replied shortly before making his leave. Mirai blinked against a brush of wind, and when he opened his eyes again, Gran was already gone.
Sorahiko observed the encampment nestled at the border from the hill he sat atop, watching soldiers milling about ceaselessly in the dark of the night. Training, moving equipment, delivering reports, drinking and chatting. He leaned forward with narrowed eyes, an arm pressed against his knee as he observed the sea of faces.
Mirai had said their target was stationed in this section of the border, defended by a fort and high walls, but Sorahiko had yet to see hide nor hair of him. Within the fortress perhaps? But he wasn’t the type to stay cooped up in safety while others were fighting.
Sorahiko leaned forward more, squinting harder—not that it helped much.
A clawed hand dropped down on his shoulder, fingers digging into his skin.
“What are you doing here?” a voice asked.
It was only Sorahiko’s long lifespan that prevented him from startling, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the man he had been looking for. One who had found him first and managed to sneak up on him. An impressive feat.
“Searching for you, actually,” he answered, brushing the hand off his shoulder as he stood and turned to face the man. Tired, shadowed eyes framed by strands of lanky black hair and creased by a frown set in his face met Sorahiko’s own gaze. “I have news from the castle.”
“…What news? Am I being relocated?”
“Not exactly,” Sorahiko retorted as he dug a hand into the bag at his side and pried out one of the letters within, specifically addressed to the man in front of him. “Here, special delivery for you, Aizawa.”
Aizawa stared at the letter as if Sorahiko was trying to hand him a venomous snake. He gingerly reached out and plucked it from Sorahiko’s fingers, face twisted with distaste. “The royal seal? ...Why are you giving me this?” he demanded dryly, the irritation clear in his tone.
“It involves your duties as a member of a greater noble house. You’ll get to take a break from the war and attend the king’s ball. Doesn’t that sound nice?” Sorahiko’s voice was sarcastic even to his own ears.
“I don’t want to attend a ball,” Aizawa sneered.
“King’s orders I’m afraid.” Sorahiko shrugged, rolling his right shoulder.
“What? Why? We have a war happening. What could the young king possibly want to throw a ball for?”
“Celebrating the adoption of his new father, of course,” Sorahiko said, as though it were painfully obvious. It wasn’t, given the look of confusion he received, Aizawa staring at him as though Sorahiko had told him the sky wasn’t blue. “It’s a very special event. Izuku wants everyone there.”
Aizawa’s left eye started twitching. “I’m sure His Majesty will understand if I can’t attend.”
“Ah, that’s a shame.” Sorahiko sighed in mock disappointment, shaking his head, eyes softening a tad. “I thought you might be interested in avenging your friend.”
“…What?”
“That’s what you’ve been working so hard out here for, isn’t it?” Sorahiko asked, knowing he had caught the man’s attention with the way his eyes heated. “You want the chance to meet him? To take your revenge?”
“Your point?” Aizawa snapped.
“You’ll find it might be closer than you think.” Sorahiko inclined his head down to the letter. “Read it.”
Aizawa glared suspiciously at him before using a claw to open the envelope, tearing free the letter contained within. Tired eyes scanned it over intently. Sorahiko watched those eyes widen as Aizawa read the letter, and the special note Mirai had left for him.
Those black eyes flashed into a brilliant red as they snapped back to Sorahiko, Aizawa’s jaw squared and teeth clenched. “Is this a joke?!” he hissed angrily, the paper crumpling in his hand.
“Do I look like the type of person who would come all the way out here to deliver a joke letter?” At Aizawa’s flat stare, Sorahiko sighed. “Don’t answer that.”
“WHY?!” Aizawa’s voice wasn’t a shout, but it was the loudest Sorahiko had ever heard it get. “Why him? How could His Majesty do this?!”
“It’s complicated,” Sorahiko said, not wanting to get into everything. “Izuku figured by adopting All For One, it would remove the man from the war as an enemy. And technically it has.”
“Why keep him alive?! After all he’s done?! Why not just kill him if His Majesty wanted to remove him as an obstacle for us?”
“He wanted a strong father,” Sorahiko answered simply, “and All For One was the strongest hunter in the Kingdom of Yuei. Two birds, one stone.”
Aizawa’s nostrils flared as he breathed heavily, rage clear on his features. “…I can’t accept that,” he hissed. “I can’t accept his continued existence.”
“Mirai and I share the same sentiment,” Sorahiko continued on. “But neither of us can make a move against All For One openly. Not without Izuku catching wind of it. That’s why Mirai left you that note in your invitation. If you are of like-mindedness, we can work together. We will help provide the distraction, and you will do the dirty work.”
Aizawa took a moment to consider the offer, gaze flickering back to the paper he held in his hand, now riddled with wrinkles and holes from his claws. When his eyes hardened and his grip tightened, Sorahiko knew he had won him over.
“...Fine. If it means getting rid of him,” Aizawa seethed.
“Excellent!” Sorahiko exclaimed with a dangerous grin, clasping a hand to Aizawa’s shoulder, claws cutting into the fabric of his clothes. “And remember—this is strictly between us three.”
“What about Yamada?” Aizawa asked quietly. “He’d want in on it too if he knew.”
“Hm,” Sorahiko hummed, tapping his chin thoughtfully for a moment. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt. But he’s not to know of our involvement. He’s a blabber mouth from what I recall.”
Aizawa nodded. “I can agree to that.”
“Good.” Sorahiko’s eyes raked over Aizawa’s ragged, dirtied clothes. “Though I hope you clean up as well as you fight. Mirai won’t be pleased if you arrive looking like a beggar.”
Aizawa snorted contemptuously, stuffing the invitation into his pocket as he walked off into the night, silently fuming.
Izuku glanced up at his dad, who looked as though his eyes were swirling. “So? What kind of fabric?” Izuku was holding up a variety of cloths the tailor offered, letting Hisashi inspect each one.
“Something more durable than these,” Hisashi muttered, mouth twisting in a frown. “They would tear the first time I wore them.”
“They’re special clothes, Dad!” Izuku explained, again. “You’re only wearing them for formal events, not everyday. They don’t have to be super durable. And these fabrics won’t tear that easily unless you purposefully try to rip them.”
Hisashi tilted his head back, releasing a great sigh before pointing to one. “That one I guess. It’s not too soft.”
“…Do you actually like it, or are you just randomly picking to get it over with?” Izuku asked, leveling Hisashi with a flat stare.
“Trying to get this over with,” Hisashi mumbled, resting his cheek on a hand, elbow propped up on the table. “I don’t know why you brought me here. I don’t know anything about frilly clothes or fashion. Useless stuff if you ask me.”
Izuku sighed. The whole point of bringing his father here was to make sure he had a say in what he wore and enjoy his outfit for the ball. As usual, Hisashi wasn’t making things easy. “Don’t you want to like what you’re going to wear?”
“What’s the point if I’m only going to wear it one time?”
“You might wear it again for another event!”
“Would I really? Or would you have more new clothes commissioned for it?” Hisashi accused.
Izuku glanced back at the fabrics strewn about on the table in consideration before concluding with, “Both! That way you have options.”
“Mmhmm,” Hisashi hummed in disbelief.
Izuku ignored it. “Okay! Well. We have a fabric. Now we can pick out patterns!”
Hisashi groaned loudly and smacked his head down on the table. “Can’t it be something simple?” he pleaded, not bothering to lift his head from the wood. “I don’t want to wear anything fancy. Or with ruffles. Or poofy.”
“But this is your grand entrance!” Izuku insisted. “You need to look your best! Make a good impression!”
“No ruffles or frills,” Hisashi stated firmly, glaring at Izuku as if daring him to say something. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“But I also don’t want you to be boring!”
“Rude!” Hisashi huffed into the table, but Izuku could see the corners of his lips were tugging upwards.
“Fine,” Izuku sighed. “No ruffles or frills.”
“Or poofy sleeves,” Hisashi added.
“Or poofy sleeves.”
“Thank you.”
“Okay, but what about the colour? Do you have a preference?” Izuku persisted.
“Black,” Hisashi answered immediately. “Everything goes with black.”
“But you could be so colourful!”
“No!”
Izuku huffed. “You’re being difficult again.”
Hisashi looked up at him. “You’re being difficult,” he shot back.
“You’re both being difficult,” the tailor butt in, rolling his one visible eye and taking the fabrics from Izuku, placing them down. “Now, as for the style?” He brought over a well-worn journal and dropped it on the table before the both of them. “I have some ideas, if you care to hear them?”
“Please,” Hisashi agreed, gesturing for him to continue as he leaned back in his chair.
The tailor flipped the book open, leafing through the pages. “I keep my designs in here. And I have a few I think you may be partial to. I would, of course, alter them to be personalized to you, but you can get an idea of the look you want from the drawings.”
“Hm…” Izuku heard his dad hum as he flipped through the pages of the book. He made faces at several of them, wrinkling his nose in distaste, or rolling his eyes at others. Eventually though, he seemed to have found something he liked when he paused, consideration in his eyes. “...This one isn’t too bad,” he admitted, tapping the page and sliding it over to show the tailor.
“I see,” the tailor said, taking in the sketch. “Simple, but tasteful.”
“Let me see!” Izuku leaned in eagerly. “Oh! It’s nice. It doesn’t stand out all that much though…”
“If I may, Your Majesty,” the tailor said. “I believe this design will stand out once on him. It’s elegant, and I will tailor it to fit his form perfectly. He will make a striking figure, I assure you.”
“Alright then.” Izuku nodded, conceding. “Can you place the family crest on it as well?”
“Of course.” The royal tailor nodded back, then studied Hisashi critically for a moment. “I think silver coloured detailing would be best, considering the undertone of your skin…Mm. Yes, yes. I can already see it.”
“...Are you sure this guy isn’t crazy?” Hisashi muttered to Izuku, keeping a wary eye on the tailor.
Izuku sniffed. “Hakamata is the best royal tailor our house has seen in centuries. Trust me, he can perform miracles. His magic is incredibly well-suited to his profession.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Hisashi spoke disbelievingly.
“Yes, yes. You will look lovely during the dance!” Hakamata said enthusiastically.
“Y-Yeah,” Hisashi mumbled, looking away now, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
“Mhm!” Izuku bounced on his heels in excitement. “You get to dance with me, Dad! No need to be nervous!”
“I’m not nervous,” Hisashi denied nervously.
Izuku paused and looked him over. A thought occurred to him then. “Have you ever danced before?”
He watched Hisashi sink in on himself, a blush creeping into his cheeks as he refused to make eye contact with Izuku. “…‘Course. All the time.”
Izuku placed his hands on the table and leaned in, face to face with his dad. “Really?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. “If I ask you again, would you still say that?”
Hisashi slid down in his chair, looking like he wanted to hide under the table. His dad said nothing.
“That settles it then!” Izuku exclaimed with an excited chirp. “We’re going to have dancing lessons, starting now!”
“Nooo,” Hisashi groaned miserably, sliding even further down, his white curls nearly disappearing under the table's edge.
Izuku grabbed him by the shoulders before he could fall out of his chair, easily pulling his dad back up to sit properly at the table. He smiled eagerly at the man. Another opportunity for father-son bonding had just opened up! This was excellent!
“It’ll be fun!” Izuku assured him. “I know all the steps!”
“I don’t want to!” Hisashi protested.
“Would you rather make a fool of yourself at the ball?” Izuku pointed out.
“...” was Hisashi’s answer, who then buried his face in his hands with a long-suffering groan. “...I want to train afterwards.”
Izuku clapped his hands. “Okay! We’ll practice dancing right after we finish up here. Then we can train. Though, er. We’ll have to do so outside for now since the training room is…still under construction considering what happened last time.”
“You mean you happened last time.”
“I was only copying you!” Izuku insisted.
“I didn’t ask you to!”
“Anyway!” Izuku brushed aside Hisashi’s accusation, turning to Hakamata, impatience rolling off of him. “Are you almost done? We need to go soon!”
Hakamata, who had been tidying up the fabrics he had set out on display, sniffed. “Unless Your Majesty has another request? Yes, we are done. You can leave the rest in my capable hands.”
“Good!” Izuku buzzed with enthusiasm as he turned back to his father. “C’mon, let’s go, Dad!”
Hisashi stood and stretched, and Izuku heard Hakamata gasp from behind him. “Ack! What have you done? Look at that loose thread!”
“What?” Hisashi stared down at himself in bewilderment.
“Right there!” Hakamata pointed at the hem of his shirt, glowering at the man. “I must insist you allow me to fix that before you leave.”
“How?”
“Hakamata’s magic is amazing!” Izuku told him. “Go ahead, please!” He gestured to the royal tailor, granting permission.
“Wait, what—” Hisashi went to protest, but they could both already feel the gathering of magic in the air as Hakamata curled his fingers, like a puppet master pulling on strings. Izuku watched as his dad gave a start when something tickled against his skin, glancing down to see the loose threads Hakamata had been complaining about moving. The frayed end tucked back into place, as if it had never been torn loose to begin with.
“Woah!” Hisashi’s eyes widened. “You can manipulate fabric? Incredible!”
“Yes, indeed,” Hakamata hummed, but he was still frowning, a hand over his mouth as he tutted.
“What are your limits?” Hisashi wondered. “How much can you handle at one time? What can you do with it?”
“Some fabrics are easier to manipulate than others,” Hakamata explained as he leaned in closer than his dad would clearly like, staring intensely at his shirt. “As for how much, allow me to demonstrate for you. I need to fix this properly.”
Izuku watched on as Hisashi’s shirt began to completely unravel from both the sleeves and the hem, threads flying into the air.
“Wait, wait, what are you doing?! Stop!” Hisashi demanded as he grasped at the withering strands of his clothes, attempting to keep them from slipping away into tiny threads.
But the shirt was gone before he could solidly grab it, and Izuku snickered at his horrified expression.
Hakamata simply paused, unravelled fabric floating about him as he eyed Hisashi with a hand rubbing his chin. “Hmm. Those need an adjustment too…”
Hisashi frowned, arms clutched over his chest. “What are you—?” More strands of thread began to fly through the air. “STOP!” came the desperate cry, the fabric stripping apart before his very eyes.
Izuku began to laugh.
“Ok! I get it! I get—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Those are my PANTS!”
“And the smallclothes as well. I can make you a much more comfortable pair. Just give me a moment. Oh, I’m so glad you brought him in to see me, Your Majesty. I need to fix these immediately.”
Tears blurred Izuku’s eyes as he doubled over, wheezing cackles escaping him as his dad screeched in scandalized outrage.
“DON’T YOU DARE! YOU LEAVE MY UNDERWEAR ALONE YOU—”
“It’ll just take a moment,” came the assurance as Hakamata observed them thoughtfully. “Really, you won’t even notice!”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WON’T NOTICE?! I’M BEING STRIPPED NAKED! STOP IT!”
“The sooner he gets it over with, the sooner you can have your clothes back, Dad!” Came Izuku’s cracking voice as he struggled to breathe over his laughter.
“Why are you letting him do this?!” Hisashi screamed in betrayal.
“Oh, you’re fine!” Izuku insisted. “It’s not the end of the world!”
“It’s the end of my dignity!” Hisashi cried. “I—NO! I SAID STOP!” He wailed as the last bit of threads began to pull themselves away from him, quickly grasping onto a seat cushion from a nearby chair and covering himself. Hisashi’s face was completely red now, fangs bared and form trembling as he glared at Hakamata. “I will never forgive you for this. When I get my hands on you—!”
“You’re so dramatic, Dad.” Izuku shook his head. “You act like being naked in front of others is the worst thing that could happen to you.”
“And you act way too blasé about it!” Hisashi accused. “This isn’t normal!”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Yes, it is!”
“In what world could this possibly be considered normal?!”
“You’ve chased away all the servants who try to help you, but they’re supposed to assist you with dressing and bathing and everything. Nobody cares about your nakedness in these situations. You’re the only one making it abnormal!”
“Shut up!” his dad snapped, throwing the pillow into Izuku’s face.
Izuku caught it before it could fall to the floor, his sides aching at the look of absolute mortification that crossed Hisashi’s face when he realized what he’d done. The man covered himself as best as he could, reaching out to swipe the pillow back. Izuku merely stepped out of reach, grinning ear to ear.
“Give it back!” Hisashi demanded desperately.
“No!” Izuku denied with cheer, dangling the pillow tauntingly. “You just have to get used to stuff like this. You’re a part of the royal family now.”
“You little—!”
Really, his dad was so difficult. But sometimes it was hilarious.
Hisashi vehemently refused to even so much as look Izuku’s way as the boy led him off to another section of the castle, his cheeks still burning from the humiliation he had just endured. He had his clothes back—thank goodnesss—but he would never live that moment down, what with it having been permanently seared into his brain.
At least Gran hadn’t been there to see it.
There was a tug on his sleeve, but Hisashi didn’t acknowledge it. He heard a soft sigh as he focused solely ahead of him.
“Aw, c’mon, Dad. It wasn’t that bad!” Izuku tried to console him. “He fixed your clothes as good as new!”
Maybe so, but they had both ignored Hisashi’s requests for them to stop, and despite them not finding the situation embarrassing, he had still felt uncomfortably exposed. He didn’t care if it was supposedly normal for high-class individuals to have servants dress them or bathe them or any of that. The disregard to his privacy despite his pleading for it burned.
Izuku had laughed at him.
“...I’m giving you your sword and vambraces back after we’re done with the lessons,” the boy put in after a moment. “You can even train with them if you’d like! Will that make you happy?”
“...You will never allow something like that to happen again,” Hisashi answered in a hiss through his teeth. “Otherwise I’m flinging myself off the nearest tower.”
“Don’t you dare!” Izuku frowned. “It really wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“Then don’t let it happen again,” Hisashi warned. “Maybe it wasn’t a big deal to you, but it was to me.”
“I was just—”
“I don’t know who taught you manners, but clearly they didn’t teach you to have consideration for others!”
Izuku looked upset. “But I do! I just don’t understand why this was a big deal for you!”
“Then try to look at it from my perspective!” he snapped irritably. “Normal people don’t have servants dress or bathe them, or whatever else it is you nobles do! Maybe you grew up with that, and you’re used to it, but I’m not! Even if you can’t understand it yourself, you should still at least respect how I feel about it!”
“Oh,” Izuku said quietly, at least having the decency to look a little ashamed as he glanced away from Hisashi’s scorching gaze. “I thought you were just. Surprised. And being dramatic. I didn’t think it actually bothered you that much.”
Hisashi huffed, looking down at his newly repaired shirt, fiddling with one sleeve. “…You laughed at me,” he mumbled quietly.
“I…I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” Izuku peeked up at him, guilt flashing in his eyes.
Hisashi’s shoulders hunched. “You claimed it was normal, then proceeded to laugh like it was a spectacle.”
“You were just…it…” the boy tried to say, but words failed him and he bit his lip. “...It won’t happen again. I promise,” he settled on.
Hisashi just shrugged. He wasn’t sure if he trusted that. “Whatever.”
They walked the rest of the way in silence, save for the sound of their footsteps echoing through the halls. Before long, Hisashi found himself being brought into another room. It wasn’t the largest he’d seen, but it wasn’t the smallest either. The floor was made of polished wood, and there was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, as well as large, curtained windows that were allowing slivers of the evening light to filter in.
“This will be a good place to practice,” Izuku said quietly after letting Hisashi’s hand drop, glancing up at him with worry. “Do you still want to?”
No, he really didn’t. But he felt like if he declined, then they wouldn’t train either. And if they didn’t train, he wouldn’t get some of his stuff back. He grunted, murmuring, “Let’s get it over with.”
Izuku didn’t say anything at first as he stepped in front of Hisashi, shuffling awkwardly. “Okay, grab my one hand like this,” Izuku began to explain, reaching up to grasp Hisashi’s hand. Hisashi furrowed his brow and frowned, but obliged. “Now, place your other hand on my back.”
“Excuse me?” Hisashi asked dryly.
“It’s part of the dance,” Izuku huffed. “You’ll be expected to do the waltz with a few ladies at the ball, so at least try.”
“I don’t think anyone is going to want to dance with me,” Hisashi muttered, but he placed his hand awkwardly on Izuku’s back.
“Okay, forward left,” Izuku went on, moving his left foot up and expecting Hisashi to do the same.
Hisashi shuffled to match, moving with the boy, trying to follow his steps. Though it was more difficult than Hisashi would have liked.
“Just…follow my lead,” Izuku insisted after Hiashi managed to step on his toes by mistake.
Hisashi worked to keep up as Izuku led him through the steps, feeling clumsy. “…I don’t think this is working,” he said.
“We just started!” Izuku rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, but it feels weird! I’m way too tall for you to practice with.”
“No, you aren’t. I’m used to dancing with taller people! When I was little, I was taught by my—” Izuku cut himself off, his face looking pinched. Before Hisashi could question it, however, the boy continued, “But I could go get Mirai if you prefer.”
“I’m good!” he relented quickly. It was bad enough to learn how to dance with Izuku, but Mirai? Especially after he already claimed he knew how? The man’s smug face would be unbearable. Even Gran would be better, and Gran was just as insufferable. “Alright, how does this go again?”
“Here.” Izuku led him through the steps a few more times, their speed picking up with each round as Hisashi gained confidence in the moves. “Although, at the end of this one,” Izuku explained after they finished another step, “you would twirl your partner.”
“You aren’t twirling me,” Hisashi told him flatly.
“Then you can spin me!”
The boy seemed weirdly excited about it, and Hisashi sighed but lifted his arm, letting Izuku spin happily. A giggle left the boy, a smile pulling at his mouth. “Very good!” Izuku praised after he came to a stop. “See? You can do this!”
“Uh-huh,” Hisashi grumbled as Izuku led him through the steps once more, practicing again and again until their movements were fluid. “How long are we supposed to do this?”
“Until you’ve got it down pat! We can practice more on other days before the ball too. There are other dances that will happen; traditional vampire dances.”
“You never said anything about other dances!”
“Well, as etiquette dictates, you’re only required to do the first few dances, and then you won’t have to keep dancing. But I think you might want to learn a few more!”
“How long is this ball supposed to go on anyway? Am I expected to stay all night?”
Izuku shrugged. “They can last for hours.”
Great, Hisashi thought, suppressing a groan. That was more than enough time to make a fool of himself in front of the vampiric nobility.
“But you don’t have to stay for the whole thing, just the main parts. They usually last such a long time because people like to party. It’s an excuse for everyone to let loose,” Izuku explained.
“I want a large bottle of wine waiting in my room for when I get back,” Hisashi demanded. There was no way he was going to get through the ball without some alcohol in his system.
“Okay!” Izuku agreed easily. “Now, let’s do a few more rounds and we can be done for the day. And then next time we can practice other dances. Ones where you have more complicated moves like this.”
Hisashi did not expect the sudden hands on his hips that lifted him and spun him through the air.
“Put me down!” he yelled indignantly, grasping at the boy’s hands and trying to yank them away.
Izuku was giggling again. “But isn’t it fun to fly through the air?”
“No! It’s weird!” Hisashi protested. “I’m a grown man!”
Izuku scoffed but set him back on his feet, smiling brightly. “Well, I’m not!” he announced. “My turn!” He lifted his hands expectantly.
Hisashi gave him a venomous glare, but Izuku only continued to stare at him with big, bright eyes, looking hopeful. Hisashi’s shoulders slumped as a heavy sigh left him, and he reached down to pick the boy up.
Izuku cheered as Hisashi twirled him through the air. “Faster!” the boy demanded.
Hisashi spun them in a circle faster.
“Faster!”
Hisashi spun even faster.
“FASTER!”
He was feeling dizzy, but his feet moved faster, spinning in place on his heel.
Izuku whooped.
Hisashi lost his footing.
They both tumbled to the floor with a yelp.
“Oof!” Izuku groaned as he rolled to a stop. Then he was laughing, sitting up with a grin that threatened to split his face in two. “That was so much fun! Again?”
Children had such strange ideas of fun. The ceiling spun above Hisashi as he lay on his back. “Later,” he muttered, trying to regain his thoughts as they jumbled around in his head. After a moment, he sat up, a hand to his head. Maybe training should wait until tomorrow. He glanced at the still giggling boy. “...Didn’t you say I could have my stuff back?”
Izuku was not listening. “Hey! Check this out!”
Hisashi watched as the boy removed his shoes, running on the polished wooden floor with socked feet and sliding halfway down.
“You’re going to get hurt doing that,” he warned, raising a brow at Izuku.
Izuku just laughed, sliding around happily before he skidded towards Hisashi. “Boop!” He tapped Hisashi’s nose with a finger, and a jolt of static electricity shocked him.
“Ow! Why you…” Hisashi grumped, a hand flying to cover his face as he narrowed his eyes at Izuku.
“Can’t catch me!” Izuku cried out as he zoomed away before Hisashi’s arms could snatch him.
Hisashi rolled to his feet, chasing after the boy. He had an advantage with the traction his shoes gave him, but Izuku’s slippery, socked feet allowed him to keep dodging Hisashi at the last second.
“Almost!” he would taunt. “So close!” the next time. Izuku’s cheerful, boyish laughter rang through the room, and Hisashi tried his best not to let it infect him.
It was hard though.
But finally, he found success. “Got you!” Hisashi exclaimed triumphantly when he grabbed hold of the boy, arms wrapping around his waist and yanking him off the floor. Izuku only laughed even more, little hands grasping onto Hisashi’s forearms as he was pulled up. He glanced back at Hisashi, giving him the brightest, most dazzling smile Hisashi had ever seen.
He would deny how his own lips quirked upward at the corners of his mouth until the day he died.
“Come on, you little scamp,” Hisashi said. “You have something of mine.”
“Aww, but we were having so much fun…” Izuku pouted, crossing his arms in Hisashi’s hold. “Can we play a little longer? Please?”
There was a strange note of desperation underlining the boy’s tone. Hisashi didn’t understand it. “Tomorrow, maybe. If you’re good.”
Izuku kicked his legs happily. “I’ll be the best!” he declared.
“Then you can start by doing what you promised. Remember what I said about promises?”
Izuku nodded sagely, the super-serious look endearing on a face that was still chubby with baby-fat. “We can go get your stuff! You can even have one of your enchanted rings back too!”
“Hey, hey!” Hisashi teased. “Now who said I could be bribed?”
Izuku’s eyes widened impossibly. “It’s not a bribe,” he said—far too innocently to be believed. “You can even train with them as long as we put some rules in place.”
“What kind of rules?” Hisashi asked suspiciously.
“Just. Basic stuff. So no one gets hurt! Not much different from what’s already in place.”
Hisashi just hummed and headed for the door, but Izuku’s wiggle both stopped him and reminded him that he was still carrying the boy.
“My shoes,” Izuku said, pointing to where his shoes lay off to the side of the room.
“Oh.” Hisashi looked back at where they lay. He didn’t want to have to walk all the way back, so instead he shifted Izuku to one arm and raised a hand, feeling the thrum of magic in his fingers before releasing the minor spell. The shoes lifted in place, before drifting towards them.
And continued picking up speed as they went.
Hisashi had to step out of the way as they shot directly towards them like an arrow, smacking against the wall loudly before they finally came to a stop. Both he and Izuku were silent for a long minute, just staring at the shoes. Then Izuku twisted in his arms to look back up at him with a flat stare.
“What?” Hisashi asked defensively. “That wasn’t supposed to happen!”
“...You really need to practice with your magic more, Dad.”
“I don’t know why it’s doing this!” Hisashi insisted. “I have excellent control of my magic! This has never happened before.”
“It’s probably because you’re a vampire now!”
Hisashi groaned. “Oh, of course that would change my magic too!”
“It’s just stronger than it was before, that’s all!” Izuku insisted. “And…maybe you should change your magical affinities a little…”
“There’s nothing wrong with my magical affinities!” Hisashi denied. “They don’t need to change. I just…need to get used to this.”
For whatever reason, Izuku beamed.
Hisashi didn’t appreciate just how joyful that smile was. “What?” he asked again.
“Don’t worry!” the boy began, twisting further in his arms to suddenly throw his own around Hisashi and squeeze him in a tight, nearly bone-breaking hug. “I’ll help you, okay? It’s a little late to be training now, but I can get my trainers to pitch in too next time!”
Hisashi sniffed in offence. “I don’t need trainers. I’m already very skilled, thank you. I can figure it out on my own.”
“You mean you can blow up another training room?”
“YOU did that.” Hisashi ruffled the boy’s hair aggressively as Izuku squeaked in protest.
“Okay, well. My shoes are a lost cause. You’re going to have to carry me out. Since you’re so good at holding things and all,” Izuku informed him.
“Really?” Hisashi scoffed, rolling his eyes. When was the boy going to let that go? “They’re perfectly undamaged. We can just pick them up.”
“Lost cause!” Izuku repeated louder. “And I’ll have a glass brought up to drink!”
“Is it the same…‘flavour’ as before?” Hisashi asked. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was getting used to drinking the blood Izuku brought him. He wanted to try something that tasted different.
Hisashi wandered over to pick up Izuku’s shoes. Obligingly, he didn’t set the boy down, carrying him out of the room despite not understanding why he was choosing to humour the boy.
Izuku tilted his head curiously at him. “Did you want to try a different kind?”
Hisashi didn’t really want to say it outright so instead he grunted. “...What was it Gran had? It tasted strange compared to the other stuff.”
“Dunno!” Izuku shrugged. “But Gran has his own little supply section in the store room. We can snatch one of his bottles if you want to have some of it.”
Hisashi snorted a chuckle. “Sure! Let’s blame it on Mirai too.”
“Perfect!” Izuku laughed as he was carried along. He waved at the first servant they saw when they wandered into the hall, causing the servant to stop in place immediately, bowing before Izuku and Hisashi. “Bring a bottle of Gran’s stash into the royal chambers. And make sure it’s chilled!”
The servant didn’t even question it, nodding before scurrying off to do as requested.
“Now to get your stuff.” Izuku hummed. “The artifacts room is to the right. Go straight for a bit and then take a left.”
Hisashi nodded, hiking Izuku further up in his arms and quickening his pace, eager to get some of his possessions back in his hands. The (now familiar) doors of the artifacts room soon came into sight after several minutes of walking, repaired from the damage that had been incurred upon them from back when he had…upset Izuku.
“You stay here,” Izuku spoke up, wiggling himself free of Hisashi’s grip and landing on the (scorch free) floor with socked feet. “I’ll be right back!”
That was fine with Hisashi. Despite how he longed to see the room’s contents again and examine all it had to offer, he still shuddered minutely as he recalled the incident of last time. He had no desire to remind Izuku of it. “Wait,” he called out before Izuku could disappear into the room, causing the boy to turn and look back at him. “There’s something…specific I want.”
The boy’s brow furrowed slightly, regarding him with a bit of suspicion. Hisashi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Thankfully, Izuku didn’t outright deny his request, asking, “What is it?”
“An enchanted pendant,” Hisashi informed him. “It’s a chain strap attached to a basic, metal oval with a clasp on the side. It’s of simple make, so it’ll stand out from the rest of my collection.”
“It’s not dangerous is it?” Izuku pressed, to which Hisashi shook his head.
“No,” he answered, “it’s just a pendant.”
“Hm…alright,” Izuku conceded after a second, giving a nod. “Just a moment then.”
With that, Hisashi watched as the boy disappeared behind the doors. He stood there, anxiously waiting and awkwardly locking eyes with the guards now and then as the boy took his time within. What only took a few minutes felt like it had stretched on for hours when Izuku opened the doors again. Hisashi withheld a snicker when he saw that the boy had slipped the vambraces on, his arms far too small to wear them properly. In one hand he held Hisashi’s sword, effortlessly carrying its weight. In the other, he held the pendant Hisashi had asked for.
Hisashi tried not to look too eager as Izuku approached him. He could feel his hands twitching to touch his stuff again, but waited patiently until the boy was in front of him offering up the sword.
“You can touch your belongings again,” Izuku said, a surge rushing through Hisashi as the previous order was lifted. “And you can train and spar with them. But you can’t seriously injure or kill anyone with them!”
Hisashi nodded in understanding. Izuku watched him carefully, holding the sword up higher for him to take. Instead, Hisashi reached for the pendant, filled with worry. He knew it was likely still safe, but who knows who had been rummaging through and touching all of his stuff? He had to make sure it was still there. Izuku seemed surprised when Hisashi ignored the sword for the necklace, turning it over in his hands, thankfully finding no signs of tampering.
Cupping his hands as best he could to hide the necklace from view, he flicked the clasp on the side of the large pendant open, and he couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him upon seeing his most precious possession still safe and intact inside. He brushed one finger gently over the crude, wooden carving, feeling something settle in his chest.
“...Thank you,” Hisashi said after a moment, tucking the carving and its leather strap back into the pendant and clicking it shut once more, ensuring it was properly locked before placing the metal chain over his neck and tucking it under his shirt.
“What is it?” Izuku asked curiously, tilting his head a little.
“Something personal,” Hisashi answered vaguely, placing a hand on the boy's head and ruffling his hair. Protests met his ears, Izuku waving him off with a little huff. “Do you think the blood will have been brought to the room yet?” Hisashi asked, making a show of licking his lips and touching his throat. “I’m a little thirsty…”
Izuku looked delighted at his admission. “I’m sure it will be there by the time we head up!” He held out Hisashi’s sword once more. “Did you still want this?”
“Of course.” Hisashi snorted a laugh, reaching out to take it. He strapped the scabbard to his hips with a smile, the familiar weight of his blade lifting his spirits as he wrapped his hand around the grip, its grooves as familiar to him as his own fingerprints.
“Can I wear the vambraces until we get to the room?” Izuku looked up with big, bright green eyes, impossibly wide and glimmering. “They’re cool!”
“I think they’re a little big for you,” Hisashi commented wryly, raising a brow at him.
“They’re still on!” Izuku insisted, pumping his fist upwards.
Hisashi watched the vambrace slide down the boy’s arm to settle around his bicep.
“Okay, maybe they are,” Izuku admitted, pink tinging his cheeks. “But I can grow into them!”
“In what? Two hundred years?”
Izuku crossed his arms and pouted, cheeks puffing out indignantly. Hisashi chuckled quietly at the childish display, shaking his head. “Fine, fine. As long as you give them back to me once we’re back in my room.”
Izuku beamed at him. “Of course!” he exclaimed excitedly. A small hand reached for Hisashi before Izuku hesitated, drawing it back to his side with a contemplative expression.
Hisashi eyed him but made no comment, one of his hands still firmly on the pommel of his sword where it usually rested. His other hand was free, but he had conflicted feelings about all of it. He was glad, at least, that Izuku actually seemed to be considering Hisashi and not just himself for once.
The trek towards the wing of the castle where his quarters resided felt shorter than it typically did. Maybe due to the excitement of having his stuff back. Or maybe it was just becoming routine to Hisashi as he gradually mapped the layouts and routes leading to his room. Either way, before long they were at his door, Hisashi opening it and letting Izuku in first. His bed was freshly made and the room spotless. On the table sat a bottle, magically chilled if the frost and gentle whisps of vapor flowing off it were any indication, with two small glasses on either side of it.
“See?” Izuku chimed. “I told you it would be here by the time we got back!”
“So you did.” Hisashi smiled faintly as he closed the door behind him. Izuku began to take the vambraces off and hand them to Hisashi, looking only a little disappointed when Hisashi took them. He relished in the feel of them, slipping them on. They were a comforting weight that he had missed dearly, the gentle hum of the enchantment in the vambraces strumming through his fingers.
“So what do they do?” Izuku asked as he watched Hisashi strap them into place.
“Do?”
“They’re enchanted, aren’t they? I felt magic in them,” Izuku clarified.
“Ah, right.” Hisashi paused for a moment, considering how best to explain it. “It’s a simple but useful enchantment that strengthens my grip, allowing me to keep a better hold on my weapons so that they aren’t easily knocked out of my hands.”
A too pleased grin was slowly forming on Izuku’s face, his eyes dancing with mirth as he stared at Hisashi.
“What?” Hisashi asked somewhat defensively.
“So it’s a spell of holding then?” Izuku sounded delighted.
“No! That’s not…” Actually, it kind of was. Hisashi harrumphed and looked away.
Izuku clapped, giggling. “You really are the best at holding things, Dad! This proves it!”
Hisashi groaned. “Whatever. Can I have a drink now?”
“Ok! I’ll get the blood!” Izuku chirped as he turned, moving to the table. Hisashi tried to hide a smirk when Izuku had to stand on the chair in order to reach the bottle on the tall desk. Izuku poured its contents into the glasses, hopping down once finished. He took hold of both and walked back to Hisashi, who had moved to sit on the bed.
Hisashi accepted one of the glasses when it was offered, and snorted when Izuku reached out with his own glass to tap it against Hisashi’s. “Cheers!” Izuku said.
Taking a sip, Hisashi found it held that strange “spice” he had tasted once before from Gran’s waterskin. What it was he didn’t know, his nose wrinkling slightly at the taste. He wasn’t sure if it was good or not. Maybe it was an acquired taste? He’d drink it though, considering he had specifically asked for something different than what Izuku usually gave him.
The boy didn't seem to have any issues with the flavour, leisurely sipping from his glass and chattering on about…something. Hisashi wasn’t really listening, idly observing his equipment between sips.
“Dad?”
He looked up. “Hmm?”
“I um,” Izuku started, before his gaze fell to the floor and he cupped both hands around his glass nervously. His eyes flickered back up, meeting Hisashi’s own. There was an indent in his cheek from where he must be biting the inside of it. “I’m…I’m sorry. About earlier. For laughing at you.”
Hisashi tried not to allow his surprise to show on his face. He hadn’t expected the child to actually, properly apologize for anything. “…It’s fine,” he sighed.
“You’re not mad anymore?” Izuku asked worriedly.
Oh, Hisashi was still plenty upset about what had happened, but he wasn’t really angry about it. “No, I’m not mad,” he reassured Izuku.
Izuku was scrutinizing him closely. “You promise?”
“Why do you keep asking?”
“Well, it’s just—” Izuku shifted. “I mean. You still seem…unhappy.”
He was. Hisashi was still upset. But he didn’t want to have whatever heart-to-heart it seemed Izuku was trying to go for, and the boy seemed genuinely sorry, so he just took a sip of his blood and smiled softly. “I’m fine, Izuku. I’m not mad at you. I wasn’t happy you laughed at me, but I forgive you.”
The boy perked up at that. “Okay…Can I still have my hug and goodnight kiss then?” he asked hopefully.
Hisashi sighed but nodded. It was a part of their deal after all. He set his glass down on the night table and held out his arms to Izuku, who quickly flew into his embrace.
“Goodnight, Dad!” Izuku snuggled into his chest.
“Goodnight…Izuku.” Hisashi brushed back the boy’s curls and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
Notes:
If the chairs in this AU had wheels, and why Hisashi should be thankful they don’t.
Izuku: *zooming through the castle driving his dad around*
Hisashi: *hanging on for dear life, screaming*
Mirai: *looks at skid marks through the halls* “You're such a bad influence.”
Hisashi: “ME?!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 13
Summary:
The boy perked up at that. “Okay…Can I still have my hug and goodnight kiss then?” he asked hopefully.
Hisashi sighed but nodded. It was a part of their deal after all. He set his glass down on the night table and held out his arms to Izuku, who quickly flew into his embrace.
“Goodnight, Dad!” Izuku snuggled into his chest.
“Goodnight…Izuku.” Hisashi brushed back the boy’s curls and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
Chapter Text
Hisashi glanced about the outdoor training grounds before him. It was spacious, nestled within the castle grounds, and there were already others beginning their training regimen for the day. Moody clouds hung in the sky above, blocking out the sunlight. A perfect day for training without distractions.
If he ignored the vampire child bouncing eagerly next to him, that was. Along with the stares that turned his way wherever he went, and the whispers that followed.
“We can do some more serious training today since you got your sword back. What do you want to work on first?” Izuku asked excitedly, eyeing the blade strapped to Hisashi’s waist. “Swordplay? Or maybe magic? You need to brush up on it, remember?”
Hisashi gave him a sharp look. “My magic isn’t that rusty,” he defended himself. “It’s just stronger than normal.”
“Maybe we should keep it to simple spells then, just to be safe?” Izuku suggested lightly. “I’m sure we could call over one of the instructors to help you get a feel for your new power level too.”
“I’m fine on my own,” he retorted. “Just make sure you don’t blow something up again.”
Izuku crossed his arms and raised his chin. “Maybe I’ll rethink this training session then,” he huffed with a pout.
Hisashi squinted, confused as to what the boy was getting all hung up on now. “…Why? Don’t enjoy hearing the truth? Gonna go cry to your—” He cut himself off fast before he could make the mistake of mentioning the boy’s mother. “…father?” he finished weakly. Now he just sounded lame.
Hisashi wanted to bury his head in the dirt.
Izuku shot him a dirty look, eyes flashing briefly before flickering away. Hisashi winced. Yeah that hadn’t been a good one. He hadn’t even been aiming to actually insult Izuku, simply using a playful tease he used to say to Yoichi as a child. Said tease apparently was not appropriate when the subject of the joke had no parents.
Thankfully, Izuku chose to ignore the remark, moving over to a rack that held a number of swords, where he claimed a shortsword for himself. He swung it around a few times to test out the weight of the blade, not even looking back at Hisashi once.
Hisashi wondered if he should apologize. He wasn’t used to doing so, having had no one around to apologize to in decades. But Izuku had apologized to him last night, and if a child could do it, surely he could too, right? So why did the idea make him feel so uncomfortable?
Izuku would probably let it go, but Hisashi refused to be outdone by a child, and so he stepped up and cleared his throat, readying himself to apologize—
“Why don’t you let me have a shot at him, Izuku?” a new voice interrupted suddenly, causing the pair to turn around. Hisashi glanced over to see Gran standing by the entryway.
“Gran!” Izuku called out exuberantly, racing towards the elder vampire. “When did you get back?”
“A little while ago,” Gran answered with a grin. “Would have been here sooner, but I had to check in with Mirai on a few things first.”
“Were you able to deliver all the invitations?” Izuku asked, looking concerned.
“Of course,” he replied with a snicker. “Who do you take me for?”
“Thank you!” Izuku said gratefully, smiling ear to ear now. “Though…maybe you should rest for a bit? You only just got back right?”
“I’m fine, Izuku. I’m not so old yet that a little jog ‘round the country would tire me out.” Gran ruffled the boy's hair. “Besides, I've been itchin’ to get a bit of practice lately, you know what I mean? Bit pent up and I could go for a good fight. Thought Hisashi might be up to snuff for a few rounds.”
“Training? With you?” Hisashi asked incredulously before Izuku could say anything else, astounded that Gran would even make such an offer to him when it was no secret that they hated each other. Was the man planning something? Trying to humiliate him?
“Eh?” Gran regarded him with a raised brow. “What? Afraid you won’t be able to hold your own?”
Well that was a hit to his pride. “I can hold my own!” Hisashi snapped irritably. He had been a hunter for decades and held his own against countless vampires. The insinuation that he wasn’t skillful enough to do so against Gran (even if Gran had at least thousand years on him) was insulting.
“Ah, that’s a shame. I was hoping to relieve a bit of stress.” Gran sighed, shoulders slumping in mock disappointment. “Good luck trying to find someone else that’ll train with ya.”
Anger rippled through him at the accusation, and Hisashi bared his fangs at Gran. “I can train and win against anyone!”
Gran stared at him for a moment, critically studying his reddened face. Then his mouth twitched upward, fangs flashing as a too-wide grin formed. “Is that so?” he quipped wryly. “Why you so afraid to try me out then? Scared I’ll trump you in a real fight, mister mighty hunter?”
“Of course not!” Hisashi refuted pridefully. He huffed with indignation, casting Gran a snide look. “But what would I gain from training with you?”
“A lesson in experience,” Gran said, crossing his arms in amusement. “I’ve been around, y’know? Seen a little bit of everything; picked up plenty of techniques over the years and across the countries, so I’ve got a lot to offer. You could learn a thing or two from me I bet.”
No matter what the situation, Hisashi felt the familiar indignation of someone offering to teach him well up. He knew what he was doing! “Learn from you?” he started. “I—”
“You what?” Gran cut him off with a leer. “Scared I’ll put you in your place? Ain’t used to not being the best of the best, are ya?”
A snarl started building in the back of his throat. “I am the best of the best,” Hisashi declared heatedly.
Gran looked as though he was enjoying himself way too much. “Really? I think I could knock ya down a peg or two. Besides, if you really think you are, then what harm is there in training with me?” His large fangs flashed in a wide smirk. “Unless you’re afraid of losing to an old man, that is. Tell ya what, I’ll even give ya a handicap: I won’t use magic. That way you’ll have a fighting chance. Sound fair?”
Hisashi felt a hit to his pride at that. As if he needed a handicap! His hand gripped tightly on the hilt of his sword, struggling to reign himself in and not rise to Gran’s bait. He knew the man was trying something, though he didn’t know what exactly. Was it another attempt at his life? Or was he trying to have Izuku angry with Hisashi?
To his dismay, he could see several of the soldiers watching them, along with the passing of coin between them as they bet on who would win in hushed tones.
“Who do you think? Gran or All For One?” he heard one soldier whisper to another.
“Gran, obviously,” someone responded, scoffing as if in disbelief that the question had even been asked. “Five silver pieces that Gran beats him in five minutes!”
“You’re on! What about you?”
“Gran,” another chimed in, “All For One knows he’s gonna lose anyway. That’s why he doesn’t want to fight.”
And that was enough. Hisashi was not going to let anyone call his courage into question and think he was too cowardly to fight Gran.
“Fine!” he snapped, already feeling a headache building. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with!”
“Dad, why are you so upset?” Izuku asked as he tugged on his sleeve, glancing up in confusion. “Gran just wants to train with you!”
“You’d think the famous All For One would jump at the chance to train and spar with someone a thousand years his elder.” Gran hummed, hand on his hip as he locked eyes with Hisashi, a glint in their dark depths. “Maybe he isn’t up for the challenge though.”
“I’m more than capable of taking you on!”
“Then prove it, yeah? Hopefully you’ll put up more of a fight than I usually get,” Gran goaded him on, stretching his arms out and already walking over to the other side of the training grounds.
Hisashi grumbled to himself, checking over his own vambraces and sword as he took his own place on the opposite side of Gran. When Izuku followed him, his brow creased, and he made a shooing motion with his hand. “Go stand on the sidelines. It’s not safe for you to be in the middle of a fight.”
“Okay!” Izuku agreed easily, but he gave Hisashi a stern look in return. “But if you two are going to train together, it has to be fun and fair okay? I don’t want anyone getting hurt!”
“Right.” Hisashi just sighed, watching as Izuku skipped over to the edges of the training grounds to watch them from a distance. He turned to face Gran once more, scowling at the elder vampire, his brow twitching as he grasped the pommel of his sword. Gran was taking his sweet time looking through the swords on the rack. “What’s taking so long? Pick a weapon and let’s go already!”
“Just observing my options.” Gran casually tapped a claw against the hilt of a sword. “What do you think?” he asked Hisashi, taking hold of the blade, dangling it between two fingers and showing it off to him.
“Have you ever actually held a sword in your life?!” Hisashi accused, watching Gran haphzardly gripping the blade like it was a toy and not a deadly weapon.
“Once or twice.” Gran shrugged. “You’re the best at holding things, remember? Care to give me a few pointers?”
Hisashi saw red. He didn’t wait for Gran to ready himself; he didn’t wait for the match to properly start. He bolted forward and lunged at the infuriating man, swiping at him viciously.
“Oh? Did I touch a nerve?” Gran chortled as he held back Hisashi’s blade with a quick block, going from lax to guarded in the blink of an eye, his fangs flashing as he laughed. “You’ll have to do better than that!”
Hisashi couldn’t help himself after so many barbed hits to his pride. “I’m more than a match for an old geezer like you!” he hissed. He put more force behind his sword to push Gran back, but the man didn’t yield an inch.
“That so?” Gran snorted before his free hand shot up, grasping Hisashi’s hand in a tight, unrelenting hold just above his vambrace. “Forgive me if I have a hard time believing that. You’re using that sword of yours like a country bumpkin. Not much of a surprise considering your background, but I expected more outta the Master of Holding.”
Rage filled Hisashi and his mouth fell open, a retort bubbling to his lips, when Gran’s grip unexpectedly twisted, and a sharp crack came from his wrist. The sword fell from Hisashi’s grip as he muffled a pained scream through clenched teeth.
A sudden kick to his midsection sent him flying across the grounds, smacking harshly against the wall. The air tore itself from his lungs as his back collided with the stone, and it was a struggle to get to his feet again. His wrist burned, even though with a horrible crunch sound it swiftly healed and returned to its normal position.
He glanced up, seething with anger as he saw Gran pick up his sword, laying it flat across his shoulder.
“Aw, that was hardly any fun. I thought you would last longer than that. Gotta work on your skills there, princess,” Gran commented, twirling the smaller blade in his other hand. “But it looks like you might get to learn a thing or two after all. How about a best two outta three? Unless you’d like me to give you something else to hold that ain’t your sword. Maybe a handkerchief to wipe the tears from your face.”
“Hey,” Izuku called out to them, frowning at Gran. “This is supposed to be training, remember? Fun and fair. Don’t get carried away!”
Hisashi paid no attention to the boy, whispers flying out of his mouth as he prepared a spell. He knew his magic was stronger; more volatile. And he was counting on that. He didn’t care about controlling it right now. The idea of being able to throw massive power at the geezer taunting him and stealing his things was too great.
He took a deep inhale, stepped forward—
And breathed out a massive stream of fire.
The only reaction he received was a split-second flash of surprise on the older man’s face. “Oh, using magic now are we?” Gran smirked even as the plume of fire raced towards him. “Fair is fair right? Two can play at that game!” He casually dropped both swords to the ground.
And blurred out of sight.
Hisashi only had time to blink when Gran suddenly appeared right next to him, smashing a fist into the side of his face and sending him stumbling. But this time, Hisashi wasn’t going to allow the man to play games with him. He blocked the next blow with his vambrace, heeding the quiet hiss of pain Gran let out as his knuckles impacted with the hard armour.
They moved back and forth across the training ground as if in a dance. Gran was the fastest opponent he’d ever faced, making him incredibly difficult to hit, but Hisashi was both physically and magically stronger. When he did manage to land hits on Gran, they were hard hits. Spells and magic and the ripples of wind Gran left behind all flew about, gathering quite an audience as the two went at each other.
Izuku called out occasionally from the background. Talking about “fun” and “fair” and “not killing”. Neither he nor Gran were particularly listening.
“Where’s that smug grin now?” Hisashi taunted as they both drew back for a moment to regroup, standing across from each other.
Gran’s fingers grazed a wound on his side from a spear of ice Hisashi had thrown at him, drawing them back to reveal they were coated with blood. “...Alright then,” came the too quiet murmur from him as his wound sizzled closed. “No more games.”
Hisashi frowned, confusion creasing his face. “What—”
Gran disappeared.
And then all Hisashi knew was pain.
Cuts ripped through his flesh from unseen claws, a whirlwind of air tearing at his hair and clothes in a vicious cyclone. Hisashi did his best to fight back, but he was without his sword and in the middle of what had practically turned into a tornado, cutting off any thought of using long ranged spells. The most he could do was touch-based magic, alighting his skin with a spell that would cause Gran to receive a painful backlash for each blow he landed on Hisashi.
He wasn’t sure how long had passed, all his focus narrowed in on shielding his body as best as he could, when suddenly…
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Izuku’s voice shouted from over the gale, and Hisashi’s body locked up in that terribly familiar way. Fear flashed through him as he was now at the mercy of his attacker, unable to move at all.
But the gale around him died down slowly, and a flash of yellow in the corner of his eye showed that Gran had been forced to a standstill as well, his claws raised, ready to rake at Hisashi’s back.
Izuku rushed over to them, ignoring the whispers of the soldiers and their stares. “What part of making this a fun and fair sparring match did you two not understand?!” he snapped at the two of them, but they could only flick their eyes in his direction. The boy sighed wearily, shaking his head. “I expected this of you, Dad, but really, Gran?” He turned to scowl at the elder vampire. “Just what were you thinking?!”
“That I would put this whelp in his place!” The words came reluctantly from Gran’s lips, forcibly pried from him, and only served to deepen Izuku’s scowl. Gran’s expression said he clearly knew the answer was a mistake the moment it came out of his mouth, and he quickly set about trying to rectify it. “Izuku, I—”
“No. No!” Izuku held up a hand. “You’ve just told me the truth.” He looked furious and Hisashi stayed silent, trying not to draw that ire his way. Izuku stomped right up to Gran, shoving a finger in his chest. “Now, I don’t know where you got the idea that you have any right to put my father ‘in his place’. That is NOT your responsibility. I will deal with my father, and I alone.”
Gran did not look cowed by the boy at all, and Hisashi inwardly admitted that that was mildly impressive, considering they’d both seen what Izuku’s anger could do. Gran tried to speak again, “Izuku, listen—”
“No, YOU listen,” Izuku hissed back. “You will NOT have taiyaki OR move faster than a walk for a week!”
“WHAT?!” Gran looked gobsmacked, true, utter horror dawning on his face. “You can’t do that! My taiyaki—!”
“Is being revoked!”
Hisashi watched Izuku turn away from Gran despite the man still loudly protesting. Anxiety buzzed under his skin as Izuku approached him—or perhaps that sensation was just his healing wounds. He was recovering from them decently fast, but there were so many that his body was still working on them.
“Are you okay, Dad?” Izuku asked worriedly, eyeing the many cuts in Hisashi’s clothes, blood having seeped through into them. The boy frowned, raising a hand that began to glow with a soft, green light, and placing it on Hisashi’s chest. The light flowed over him, seeping into the wounds and sealing all of them shut in mere seconds. Izuku took hold of his still frozen hand, then said, “C’mon. Let's go and get a drink, okay? You need it after that.”
Izuku shot another sharp look at Gran, who looked incredibly frustrated, fangs bared and fury blazing in his eyes.
Despite the fact that Hisashi wasn’t sure if Izuku was going to rip into him later or not, he still felt a sense of vindication at seeing someone else get the full brunt of Izuku’s anger for once. He glanced back at Gran over his shoulder as Izuku led him away, the boy having thoughtfully picked up Hisashi’s sword to carry it for him. When Gran met his eyes, Hisashi couldn’t help the hint of a smirk that tugged at his lips. The scathing, hateful glare he received in turn made all of the earlier humiliation he’d endured worth it.
But they didn’t even manage to leave the training grounds before they were intercepted.
“Ahem,” Mirai coughed from where he stood in the entryway, golden eyes taking in the situation. “My apologies for coming at an inconvenient time and interrupting your plans for a meal, Your Majesty, but I have been informed by Hakamata that he has finished his latest work. He wishes to show you immediately.”
“Right now?” Izuku sighed wearily, giving Mirai a tired look.
Mirai nodded. “He claims it is some of his finest work.”
Izuku’s lips twisted in displeasure, but he acquiesced. “Fine. If I don’t go now, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“You know how he is,” Mirai said mildly.
Hisashi felt a sense of dread pool in the bottom of his stomach when he saw the familiar short, stylized hair of Hakamata and his extravagant choice in clothes. He didn’t move from the door when they entered, watching warily from afar as the man fretted over a wooden dress form, muttering to himself as he observed every little detail of the outfit that was on it. Hisashi couldn’t get a good look at it from where he was, but he didn’t dare move closer.
“Dad,” Izuku called out to him, tugging on his hand gently. “It’s okay. Hakamata isn’t going to do anything. I promised, remember?”
Hisashi couldn’t help the disbelieving look that came over his face, but there was nothing he could do as Izuku pulled him along. Hakamata turned to greet them, doing so with a small gasp as his visible eye widened.
“Don’t even think about it,” Hisashi warned as Hakamata’s scandalized eyes roved over his tattered and bloodied clothes, a tongue of flame erupting from Hisashi’s mouth. “I’ll incinerate your fabrics if you do!”
The tailor turned to Izuku with a pleading expression, and Hisashi deflated with relief when Izuku shook his head. Hakamata’s lips thinned in displeasure, but he simply sighed and turned back to his work, displaying it for Hisashi and Izuku.
“Oh wow!” Izuku exclaimed as he eyed the outfit up and down, taking in the smooth black fabric and the fine silver detailing that curled about the vest and overcoat. The royal family crest was emblazoned on the left breast of the waistcoat, right over where Hisashi’s heart would be.
“It’s…nice,” Hisashi begrudgingly admitted as he did the same. A little more extravagant than he would have liked with all the detail, but at least it wasn’t stuffy or ridiculous.
“It’s adequate,” Mirai sniffed contemptuously.
“I do believe I’ve outdone myself with this one.” Hakamata’s chest puffed out proudly. “Now, you simply must try it on. I promised you would make a striking figure and I intend to see that through!”
“I’m not changing in front of all of you,” Hisashi said immediately, glaring at them.
He felt Izuku’s touch on his elbow. “We can give you some privacy.”
“Thank you,” Hisashi replied, eyeing the trio and waiting for them to take their leave.
Izuku gestured to the other two with a nod for them to go.
Mirai sighed, arms crossed. “Is this really necessary?”
“It’s what Dad wants!”
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Hakamata admitted, “but as you wish, Your Majesty.” He bowed to Izuku and left.
“Come on Mirai, that means us too,” Izuku insisted, causing Mirai to pinch the bridge of his nose before reluctantly following behind the boy.
Hisashi felt his shoulders relax once they had all left, and took a moment just to breathe as he contemplated the outfit before him. Truly, it wasn’t as bad as he had imagined it might be. Still fancier than anything he’d ever worn before, but more simple than he’d assumed he would be allowed to wear. The black was classy and familiar to him, and there were no ruffles or puffy sleeves to be found. A miracle, really.
Now to try it on.
…Which was not as easy as it looked.
“How do you even get this on?!” Hisashi grumbled as he fought to get into the vest, struggling to fasten the multitude of buttons correctly. When he looked down at himself, he groaned when he found that it was uneven, having missed a button, which left one end lopsided.
How. How could clothes be so difficult? Hisashi felt an eye twitch.
The overcoat was easy; he simply had to slip it on. Or, it was easy until he got to the cuffs, at least, which needed to be folded back and clasped with cufflinks. That was a difficult thing to do with only one free hand while the other was used to try and hold the sleeve up.
He struggled with it for a few minutes before there was a knock on the door, and Hisashi heard it open just a crack. “Dad? Are you almost done?”
“In a minute!” he called back in a flustered shout, giving up on the cuffs and pulling on the pants instead. Those at least were simple. The sleek, black leather boots they came with however, were probably the nicest footwear Hisashi had ever seen, and he was happy to find them comfortable when he slipped them on.
Hakamata picked up on his tone. “Are you perhaps having difficulties, My Lord?” he asked. “I am here to assist you should you need it.”
“No! I’m fine!” Hisashi snapped as he fumbled with the buckles to secure the boots. Under his breath, he muttered, “The day I ask you for help is the day I lose my mind.”
“Are you almost done now?” Izuku asked impatiently.
“As I’ll ever be,” Hisashi grumbled, looking himself over for a moment. The door swung back open, revealing the three on the other side, all wearing wildly different expressions. Hakamata was thoughtful as he looked Hisashi up and down, Mirai looked as though he had swallowed a live bug, and Izuku was biting back a smile.
“I, uh,” Izuku began, trying to clear away the laughter Hisashi knew was threatening to break free. “I think you might need a little help there, Dad.”
“I got most of it!” Hisashi defended himself.
Mirai scoffed. “Can’t even dress himself. Honestly, what a—”
“Mirai,” Izuku said warningly. Mirai huffed, but fell silent.
Hakamata stepped forward automatically and began to fiddle with Hisashi’s sleeves, rolling them properly and securing them into place with expert fingers. “There we are,” Hakamata commented as he straightened out Hisashi’s clothes. “Fix a button here, smooth out the crease there…Oh, and the cravat of course. The outfit wouldn’t be complete without that.”
“The what?” Hisashi asked as Hakamata moved to a flat box on the table, opening it and lifting a dazzling piece of silver-coloured fabric with black detailing strewn through it.
Oh no. There were the ruffles. Hisashi should have known.
Hakamata zipped in and placed it around his neck, chasing Hisashi backwards when he automatically reared away, unsettled with any vampires being so close to his neck after what had happened last time. Hakamata had the cravat secured and positioned within seconds, however, and had removed himself from Hisashi’s person before any sort of true panic could bubble up inside of him.
“I said no ruffles or frills!” Hisashi grumped, hand grasping onto the silky smooth cloth.
“It’s not!” Izuku insisted in spite of his protests. “It’s just a cravat, Dad! Like…a neck scarf.”
“It’s stupid is what it is!”
Izuku sighed wearily, looking tired. “It’s not stupid. It’s normal. And I think you look great!”
Hisashi’s face tinged pink, not used to such compliments, and he turned his head away with a huff.
“It’ll do I suppose,” Mirai remarked with a contemptous sniff. “At least he won’t be a public embarrassment to us at the ball now.”
The smile on Izuku’s face twitched, but he ignored Mirai, turning to Hakamata instead. “You did excellent work!” Izuku praised, and the tailor beamed with delight. “It’s just missing one last thing…”
“There’s more?” Hisashi groaned—no, it was not a whine.
“Mhmm,” Izuku hummed, staring straight at Hisashi now. Or rather, at his forehead. “I think one of our crowns would go nicely with this! And it would show your status as a member of the royal family to everyone at the ball.”
A crown?
Hisashi laughed nervously. “Ah, that’s, uh. Really not necessary.”
“Yes it is. You will wear a crown.” Izuku’s tone brooked no argument.
“I’m afraid I must agree with Hisashi on this,” Mirai spoke up, a tenseness in his voice. “The crowns are simply too valuable to allow someone to wear them so flippantly, Your Majesty.”
Izuku scowled. “What’s flippant about it? Dad will wear a crown to the ball that’s in his honour and hosted solely for the reason of welcoming him into the royal family. Thereby necessitating the need for a crown to symbolize his new position.”
Hisashi felt a spark of wariness at the boy’s turn in mood, recognizing the familiar rise of anger in it from having experienced it first-hand several times already—not to mention with Gran earlier. He clamped his mouth shut while Mirai continued to run his.
“It’s one thing to parade him around as your replacement father,” Mirai began, golden eyes narrowing at Hisashi with loathing, “but it is another entirely to dress him in the finery of the royal family. He is a disgrace to the noble line of Midoriya! He knows and cares nothing for our rich history and ways of life. Why, I doubt he even knows the difference between a bow and a curtsy.”
“Mirai,” Izuku uttered through clenched teeth. Hisashi almost instinctively stepped back when he saw those green eyes start to glow—he certainly stiffened. “Bring me the crown meant for the prince. Now.”
Mirai drew himself up. “No,” he refused. “That crown was worn by…him…before he ascended the throne. I will not have its memory tarnished by the likes of this mongrel.”
Static filled the air, making all the hair on Hisashi’s body stand up. He heard Hakamata inhale sharply.
“You dare insult the royal crown? Mirai,” Izuku’s voice came out as a hiss, a thunderous warning before the lightning struck, “you will bring the crown here, and apologize to my father for your insult.”
But to Hisashi’s astonishment, Mirai did neither, even as Hisashi watched his body stiffen as the bindings of the command wrapped around him. As someone very familiar with the compulsions of orders, Hisashi felt a little awed at Mirai’s resistance.
He also felt a strange curl in his stomach upon thinking about just how much the vampire must hate him to be able to muster the will to resist the order at all.
Mirai was viciously biting his own lip, fangs sinking deep into his flesh and drawing beads of blood that trickled down his chin. At his sides, his hands shook fiercely, fingers curled and claws cutting into his palms, red streaming through his fingers in rivulets. His whole body was trembling from the strain, but as the seconds ticked by, Mirai did not yield to the urge to obey.
Hisashi watched as Izuku’s eyes widened with utter shock, his jaw slackening as Mirai fought the order, a vein throbbing in his temple due to the stress. From the look on the boy’s face, Hisashi was certain this had never happened before.
“Mirai!” the boy shouted, and Hisashi watched as the man’s eyes squeezed shut as he desperately tried to fight against the order he knew was coming. “Bring me the crown! NOW!”
Mirai’s body began to move stiffly, unnaturally, like a wooden puppet on strings. Hisashi stared at the strange display as the man began to cast a spell, teeth bloody from biting his lip, face strangled and pained and furious. When the spell finished, the crown swirled into view above Mirai’s hand, magically summoned. Izuku caught it before the man’s stained palms could grasp it, but he did not turn to place it on Hisashi’s head as he thought the boy would. Instead, Izuku glared at Mirai, eyes still holding their luminous glow.
“Clean your hands,” Izuku ordered his retainer, who trembled and shook as he wiped the blood away from his already healed palms, using the fabric of his clothes until his hands were clear of crimson. Izuku then held the crown out for Mirai to take, his voice cold and hard. “Put the crown on my father.”
Mirai started. “Your Majesty—”
“Shut. Up. Do as I say.”
Mirai plucked the crown from Izuku’s hands, moving stiffly over to Hisashi. Hisashi eyed him somewhat nervously, both enjoying watching Mirai be humiliated, and disliking the sheer tension in the room. Not to mention the crown that glinted at Hisashi with menacing promise. He didn’t want to wear it, but like hell he was going to complain with Izuku in the mood he was currently in.
He stood stock-still as Mirai placed the crown on his head, the jeweled circlet of gold magically expanding in size as it adjusted to fit him perfectly. Hisashi was forced to stare Mirai directly in the eye, their faces close together. Malice glinted back at him from gold irises, a threat burning within them. “I will make you regret the very day you were born,” Mirai promised him, in a whisper so quiet even Hisashi barely heard it. Then Mirai stepped back.
And spit at Hisashi’s feet.
He heard both Hakamata and Izuku gasp.
“How DARE you! Apologize to my father!” Izuku roared, lightning crackling around him. Hisashi couldn’t help but be fearful for his life as he watched the maelstrom around the boy grow, all too aware of the metal now around his head. He skittered backward instinctively before forcing himself to stop.
“S-Sorry,” Mirai grit out through his teeth, the word barely audible to their ears, and clearly insincere.
“An insult to my father is an insult to me,” Izuku snarled furiously. “I could punish you for contempt against the crown, but I’m lenient. Get down on your knees, bow to my father and beg for his forgiveness.”
That was…a little much in Hisashi’s opinion. It wasn’t like it was even the first time someone had spit on him. Still, there was a sense of dark satisfaction that rose in him when Mirai crashed to his knees under the weight of the order, bowing low to Hisashi despite the enraged look on his face.
“My sincerest apologies to His Majesty’s father,” Mirai hissed, refusing to lift his eyes from the floor and meet Hisashi’s own as the words were ripped from his mouth. “I pray I can be forgiven for my grievances.”
There was a pause, and Hisashi felt a brief spike of panic when Izuku’s fierce gaze turned on him, before he realized Izuku was just waiting to see if Hisashi would grant forgiveness or not.
A part of Hisashi didn’t want to; wanted to find out what would happen to Mirai if he refused the apology. However, that part of him was overshadowed by the great desire to just get this over with in order to calm Izuku’s wrath. “It’s, uh. It’s fine,” he answered awkwardly. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately. “You’re…forgiven.”
With the command fulfilled, Mirai stood up and backed away, looking humiliated. When he said nothing, merely glaring at Hisashi with unfathomable hate, it only seemed to worsen Izuku’s anger.
“Mirai, bring me your most prized vintage.” A spark of lightning flew from Izuku’s mouth as he spoke, crackling with rage.
“Y-Your Majesty, please—” Mirai pleaded, even though his hands were already moving as they cast the spell. An ancient bottle came into existence, quickly caught by Mirai’s shaking grip, the man cradling it close. “Not this. Anything but this! King Toshinori gave this to me—”
“Do not speak HIS name to me right now!” Izuku snarled out. He pointed to Hisashi. “Give it to my father!”
Tremors wracked Mirai’s body as he walked over to Hisashi, holding the bottle out for him to take. Indignation was written across his face and Hisashi swore he could see tears in the man’s eyes. Hisashi accepted the aged bottle automatically, holding it carefully even as his hands trembled from anxiety. Mirai looked like he wanted nothing more than to yank it back and rip out Hisashi’s throat for good measure.
“Izuku,” Hisashi spoke up before the boy could say anything else, beyond ready to leave, but knowing he had to say so carefully so as not to arouse more ire. “Izuku, why don’t we go back to my room? We still haven’t looked at those books you bought for me. You and I can read through them together.”
Izuku was still glaring furiously at Mirai, who was scowling back. He didn’t look like he was about to let this go.
Hisashi tried again, touching a hand lightly to his forehead to sell his next line. “Please, my son? I-I don’t…feel well. I could use a drink…”
Izuku’s attention snapped to him, and Hisashi had to stifle the instinct to flinch. Izuku brushed past Mirai and towards Hisashi, still seething in anger. Hisashi moved to close the distance when he saw Izuku start to glance back. He quickly took hold of one of Izuku’s small hands in his own much larger one, diverting Izuku’s attention back to him with a gentle squeeze as Hisashi began to lead him out into the halls. He didn’t dare let go, tugging the boy along the now familiar path through the corridors and up the stairs.
Hisashi almost breathed a sigh of relief once they were back in his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and leaning against the wood wearily. A little tug on his hand reminded him that he still hadn’t let go of Izuku. He looked down at the boy, who stared up at him. The rage that had been boiling in those green eyes had died into a low simmer, now appearing more concerned than anything.
“Are you ok, Dad? You don’t feel well?” Izuku asked worriedly.
“I have a bit of a headache,” Hisashi sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He was reminded of the crown he still wore when his fingers brushed against metal. “I’ll be fine. Just…needed to be away from there.” The tension had been unbearable. Even if Hisashi hated Mirai, even if he enjoyed watching the man suffer, he knew he had to do something to get the boy to calm down.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Izuku apologized, anger still swirling in those green eyes as they looked up at him. But for once, Hisashi was relieved, as Izuku was angry for him rather than at him. Izuku’s little fists clenched in frustration. “I just can’t believe—Mirai has never done something so disrespectful before.”
“It’s fine,” Hisashi tried to reassure him as he moved to place the aged bottle he held next to the one that already occupied the table. “You didn’t have to do all that though. I can handle a bit of attitude.”
Izuku puffed up. “You shouldn’t have to be handling anyone’s attitude! You are a part of the crown now. Your station is technically above Mirai’s and Gran’s. No one is allowed to speak to you or treat you with disrespect. Even if they don’t like you.”
“Really, it’s fine. Let me deal with it next time,” Hisashi insisted, wanting to drop the conversation and relax. He reached for a set of glasses that were on the table from earlier, popping open the newer bottle of blood and pouring himself and Izuku a moderate amount each. He handed the boy a glass before taking a long sip from his own.
Hisashi sighed contentedly as the hunger that had been gnawing at his stomach abated, but winced when his fangs ached with a dull throb. He frowned, taking another sip. When the blood flowed past them, they gave another aching pulse. Hisashi lowered the glass from his lips, face contorting in a grimace as he picked the bottle up and squinted at the label. Was it past the date?
“What is it?” Izuku asked upon seeing his expression.
“Nothing,” Hisashi muttered, bringing up his thumb and index finger to grasp one of his fangs, wincing at the sensitivity. “…Why are my fangs hurting?”
“Oh, that.” Izuku hummed as he scooted to sit on the bed. “It’s normal. I wondered about it myself for a while too when I was younger. It just means you want to bite into something while you eat.”
The very thought made Hisashi cringe. “But I haven’t felt like this before?”
“You just started drinking regularly,” Izuku pointed out. “Before that you were starving, remember? Your body would have just been focusing on getting any blood it could at all, no matter the source.”
“Oh…”
“Don’t worry, the feeling gets easier to ignore over time,” Izuku told him. “And if it really bothers you, I’m sure we could find a human that’s willing to let you drink from them.”
“No!” Hisashi practically shouted before lowering his voice again. “No. I’m fine with just this.”
Izuku shrugged. “If you say so.” He seemed to contemplate something, nibbling his lower lip. “…You could also bite me if you needed to, just to get rid of the urge.”
“NO,” Hisashi denied instantly, shaking his head. Izuku looked mildly offended and he winced. “I…I don’t want to bite anyone. Especially not my son.”
Izuku’s upset expression immediately morphed into delight, and Hisashi mentally congratulated himself with a small smile.
When Izuku finished sipping the last of the blood from his glass, he set it onto the night table. “You know,” he said conversationally, “you’ve been doing really well, Dad!”
“Have I?” Hisashi pondered, raising a brow at the boy's words.
“Mmhmm! We had a bumpy start, but you’re really starting to adjust well now. Drinking blood, learning to dance, not…not wanting to…y’know. I’m so proud of you! You’re so much healthier than you were in the beginning. Go on, take a look!”
Izuku directed him towards the mirror in his room. Hisashi allowed himself to be corralled in front of it, and stared back at his reflection.
And froze.
That was…Was that him? That person in the mirror all dressed up in finery? Wearing clothes more expensive than anything he had ever worn in his life? Holding a glass of blood in his hand, with drops of red staining his lips and fangs poking out from them? His face held a healthy complexion to it that he hadn’t seen on himself in a long time. Curly white locks brushed against his forehead, and a crown sat regally on top of them. A symbol of royalty. A symbol of…
A symbol of the boy who owned him.
Hisashi’s fingers went numb, the glass almost slipping from his grip as he drowned in the reflection of his own red eyes. That was what he was now, wasn’t it? What was it Izuku had said earlier? “An insult to my father is an insult to me”. Disrespect on him reflected on Izuku, because Hisashi was Izuku’s.
What exactly did that make him? A pet? A slave? A father, he supposed. Though one that had no authority over his own “son”. Here he stood, stripped of not only his title but his name, with the crest of the royal family stamped over his heart, and a crown on his head that might as well be a collar around his neck.
…What had he been doing? Thinking? Allowing himself to be pulled along into all of this and ceasing his attempts to fight back? Letting himself grow comfortable with his life as a…a…
Monster.
He couldn’t breathe.
“Dad?” Izuku cried out in alarm when Hisashi stumbled away from him, gripping onto the edge of the table. Feeling as though he might collapse at any moment now, he dropped the glass onto the table with a clatter. When Izuku reached out to steady him, Hisashi jerked away with a shuddering gasp.
“S-Stop,” he begged, dropping into a crouch, both hands still grasping the table for stability as he hung his head in between his arms and choked. “I…I’m not. I’m not!”
Faintly, he registered Izuku crouching next to him, but the boy didn’t touch him again. “Dad,” Izuku called softly. “Dad, just breathe. It’s okay.”
“It’s not—” Hisashi felt himself beginning to hyperventilate, chest rising and falling rapidly. “It’s not!”
“It is,” Izuku said, and though his voice was admirably steady, Hisashi could still pick up the anxious undertone. “It will be. Don’t think about anything, okay? Just breathe. Don’t think.”
Hisashi, feeling like he was going to drown in his own despair, clutched onto the advice, not wanting to think. He tried his best to just breathe, but his lungs wouldn’t cooperate, not allowing him to take in the proper air. He let go of the table with one hand, bringing it to rest on his throat instinctively as he panted.
“Dad? Dad!” Izuku sounded somewhat panicked now. “Please, calm down! Just breathe!”
“I can’t!” Hisashi wheezed.
“Breathe!”
There was a strange feeling inside of him, as if his organs stuttered to a stop and restarted, before blessed, clear air rushed into his lungs, and Hisashi inhaled deeply.
“Breathe out.”
Hisashi exhaled.
“Breathe in.”
Another intake of air, soothing the burn in his lungs.
“Just like that,” Izuku coaxed gently. A hand hesitantly laid itself on Hisashi’s back. “Breath in and out slowly until you’ve calmed.”
Forced into obedience, Hisashi stayed crouched there silently, Izuku’s hand rubbing circles on his back as he simply breathed until the action once again felt natural. For once, he found himself grateful for the intervention; for the orders.
“Dad?” Izuku finally spoke up again after a stretch of time.
“The mirror. It isn’t…I-It’s not me,” Hisashi managed through a strained voice before he took in another deep breath, releasing it slowly. “Just…Just…not me.”
“…What are you talking about?” Izuku asked, clearly bewildered.
“I’m not…I’m not me anymore.”
“Yes, you are,” Izuku attempted to soothe, even as his brow creased in confusion. “You’re still you.”
“I’m exactly what killed my brother!” Hisashi wailed, hands grasping his head.
“No, you’re not,” Izuku firmly denied. “You’re nothing like them.”
Hisashi let out a dry sob, his eyes squeezing shut. “I only do what you make me do! I’m whatever you order of me! I don’t even have my own free will anymore!”
“I…I haven’t been ordering you though!”
“You could!” Hisashi protested. “You could make me do anything, and I’d never be able to stop you! Just like you did with Mirai! Force me to act like this, force me to feel…to feel…” Hisashi couldn’t even bring himself to say it.
What had he been thinking? What had he been thinking?!
He had grown complacent. Comfortable. Living day by day trying to please the boy to make his own life easier. He shouldn’t. Shouldn’t be growing used to living in this gilded cage; of drinking blood like it was normal or living as a vampire.
Shouldn’t be feeling a small spark of affection when he looked at the boy.
“Dad,” Izuku spoke quietly, crouching close to Hisashi, but maintaining enough distance that Hisashi still had his own space. “It’s okay for you to feel happy. You don’t need to feel bad for that.”
“It isn’t!” Hisashi shouted at him. “I shouldn’t be! Not here! Not like this! Not with you! How do I even know if it’s real?! How do I know you didn’t force me to?!”
“WHAT?!” Izuku reeled back in offense. “You would know if I tried!”
“Not if you ordered me to forget!” Hisashi accused. He hadn’t stopped thinking of that one human woman he had attacked, back during the banquet. Of how Izuku had so easily commanded her to just forget an entire night. Hisashi couldn’t help but wonder if Izuku had ever done that to him.
“I can’t do that to vampires!” Izuku denied instantly.
“Why should I trust that? How can I trust you? Everything could be a lie! I wouldn’t even know it!” The desperate, strangled tone in Hisashi’s voice got louder with each statement.
“I can prove it to you!” Izuku shouted, furious tears in his eyes now. “Dad, forget all the memories of your brother!”
Hisashi seized up in a panic as soon as the words left the boy’s mouth, terror coiling in the very core of his being.
…But nothing happened. There was no jolt as the order was spoken, no mental weight being pressed against him. The image of bright green eyes set into a frail face, framed by strands of white hair, remained as clear as ever within Hisashi’s mind.
He stared at the boy and stammered, “W-What?”
“Dad, what’s your brother’s name?” Izuku asked him, scowling at him through tears.
“Shigaraki Yoichi,” came out of Hisashi’s mouth automatically.
“See?” Izuku pointed out to him.
“But…But how?” Hisashi whispered in disbelief.
“I told you! I can’t warp the minds of vampires! I can’t make them forget; make them believe what I want them to believe; make them feel a specific emotion; or anything like that!”
Hisashi didn’t understand. “But the banquet…that woman…”
“Orders work differently on humans and vampires,” Izuku explained, rubbing away the angry tears that fell down his cheeks. “I can only physically control vampires, whereas I can only mentally control humans. I can make your body do what I want, but I can’t touch your mind. The human woman that night though, I couldn’t make her physically do what I wanted, I could only control her mind and compel her that way.”
Hisashi hadn’t known there was a distinction. “Oh.”
“Now do you believe me?” Izuku asked exasperatedly.
“...Y-Yeah.” Hisashi nodded numbly, still at a loss. If Izuku couldn’t actually change his mind or make him feel differently…
“You are still you,” Izuku stated firmly.
But he was different. Hisashi knew it—even if Izuku couldn’t manipulate who he was. And if it wasn’t Izuku doing it, that meant…
That meant it was all him.
Hisashi felt the prick of tears in his eyes, but caught the sob that threatened to escape him as his breath hitched in his throat.
“It’s okay,” Izuku repeated again, hesitantly moving to hug Hisashi, the hold light and careful. Hisashi almost hated himself for the sense of comfort it brought, Izuku’s small voice acting as an anchor. When Hisashi didn’t move to pull away, Izuku held him a little tighter. “It’s okay, Dad. I’m here.”
And for once, completely voluntarily and without any coercion, Hisashi twisted and hugged back, clutching Izuku to his chest.
Notes:
If Izuku had joined in the betting.
Izuku: *collecting his money after Gran wins*
Hisashi: “HEY! You bet AGAINST me?!”
Izuku: “Sorry, Dad, but Gran always wins. Always.”
The one in which Izuku clearly has a bias.
Hisashi: *initiates using magic in a sword duel and gets his butt handed to him*
Izuku: “Oh no, Dad! Are you okay?” 🥺
Gran: *stares* “Hey, what about 'Are you okay, Gran?' huh?!”
Izuku: “Choke.” 🙃
Y’all know what it is 👏😩 Thanks for reading!
Chapter 14
Summary:
Hisashi felt the prick of tears in his eyes, but caught the sob that threatened to escape him as his breath hitched in his throat.
“It’s okay,” Izuku repeated again, hesitantly moving to hug Hisashi, the hold light and careful. Hisashi almost hated himself for the sense of comfort it brought, Izuku’s small voice acting as an anchor. When Hisashi didn’t move to pull away, Izuku held him a little tighter. “It’s okay, Dad. I’m here.”
And for once, completely voluntarily and without any coercion, Hisashi twisted and hugged back, clutching Izuku to his chest.
Notes:
Ilentari has new job. Lots of training. Am very tired hakjsodjsnsmsns So updates might not always come weekly anymore due to schedule changes.
Also, unrelated, but we (mostly RianMoeru) have been cursed by the wawa's. What's a wawa you might ask? No clue but it's what google thinks we're trying to type whenever a word that starts with “w” comes up.
Enough with the wawa's google, we don't want them DX And quit changing “could” to “coil” while you're at it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
For once, Hisashi awoke before Izuku knocked on the door to get him up in the morning. It had become a daily routine for them both, and it felt a bit strange to not be woken up by the quiet rap of knuckles on wood, or Izuku calling out “Dad? It’s time to get up!” to greet him. Just another thing he was getting used to.
Still, minutes passed by as he climbed out of bed, put on a fresh set of clothes, and ran a comb through his hair, and Izuku still hadn’t arrived. Not that he didn’t mind the peace and quiet for a change, but it was odd that it was taking him so long. Shrugging, Hisashi rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms, sighing in satisfaction when his back gave a sharp pop.
Well, he might as well take advantage of the moment of solitude while it lasted. Hisashi eyed the door cautiously for a moment, and when it didn’t open, he moved back to his bed, lifting the mattress and prying out the journal hidden under it. He made his way over to the desk, flipping it open to the most recent entry and grabbing a fountain pen as he prepared to write in another. He had only recently begun to write in the journal, having feared Izuku would snoop around in search of it to read his innermost thoughts. But then he’d had his panic attack two weeks ago. And though he would never admit it aloud, he had been grateful for Izuku’s presence during it.
Which only made him that much more confused.
His emotions were still tumultuous and conflicting, leaving him confused and unsure of what to think or feel at times. There were days where when he thought about his current life, he wanted to push back against his predicament as his anger would grow. Anger towards Izuku. Towards his prison. Towards himself for becoming more and more complacent.
But other days, he found himself growing more and more content as he slowly eased into this new life. Izuku always made sure he was never left wanting for anything, be it blood, food, fresh clothes, or books. If Izuku so much as caught a whisper of a complaint from Hisashi, he always made sure to rectify it in an instant. It was…endearing in its own way, that Izuku cared so much about whether or not Hisashi was happy. And as the days passed, Hisashi found himself growing more fond of the boy as they continued to spend time together. Izuku was there whenever his thoughts would begin to spiral, acting as a tether and a comfort that kept him grounded.
Occasionally, he found himself horribly anxious when his tumultuous emotions collided with each other, leaving him unable to cope with the conflicting thoughts. Which is why he had decided to start putting them down in his journal, regardless of if Izuku went searching for it. Getting them out of his head and onto paper allowed him to work out the complicated mess of emotions bubbling inside of him, rather than waiting for them to boil over until he was ready to explode. Still, he made certain to hide the journal after he was finished—just in case. So far, he hadn’t found any sign that Izuku had been rifling through his things, but he couldn’t be too careful.
He had just finished writing a paragraph when there was a knock on the door. Hisashi quickly stashed the journal away into his desk when he heard it crack open, followed by a quiet call of, “Dad? Are you awake?” from Izuku.
“Yeah,” Hisashi answered as he stood up from the chair, the door opening fully to reveal the green haired child carrying a chalice of blood. He shut the door behind him before approaching Hisashi, offering a sheepish smile when he accepted the chalice.
“Sorry I’m late this morning,” Izuku apologized. “It’s been really busy with the ball preparations.”
“Ah,” Hisashi hummed, taking a long sip from the chalice to hide his grimace of distaste for the upcoming event. “I was wondering what was taking you so long.”
“There’s lots of last minute things that need to be done before it starts tomorrow,” Izuku explained, and Hisashi couldn’t help the anxiety that welled up inside of him at the thought of it; of having to dance in front of a bunch of vampires. If he made a fool of himself, which he had no doubt he would, he would never be able to live it down. Gran wouldn’t allow it.
Not to mention having to wear that crown.
“I’m going to be really busy getting everything ready, so I won’t be around much today,” Izuku continued on, oblivious to Hisashi’s worries. His words made Hisashi blink, staring at the boy and wondering if he had heard him wrong. Izuku hardly ever let him out of his sight, let alone for an entire day.
“Oh,” he murmured, uncertain of what to make of this development. He had grown used to following the boy around, joining him on whatever activity he had planned for that particular day. “...What am I supposed to do then?”
“Whatever you want to do, as long as you stay on the castle grounds, and don’t hurt anyone or yourself,” Izuku informed him. Then he fixed Hisashi with a little look. “Promise you won’t get into any trouble?”
Hisashi rolled his eyes dramatically. “I’m not a child, Izuku,” he huffed. “I’m not going to go looking for trouble if I can help it.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Izuku smiled gratefully. Hisashi finished the last dregs of blood from his glass, setting it aside when Izuku looked up at him, eyes big, bright, and full of hope. “...Can I have a hug before I go?” he asked, wringing his hands together as he waited for Hisashi to answer.
“Yeah.” Hisashi nodded, and watched as Izuku’s face brightened once more with a beaming smile, causing a matching one to tug at his own lips. He crouched down, allowing the boy to wrap his arms around him. Hisashi returned the hug, enveloping Izuku with his broad arms and rubbing a hand up and down his back soothingly. Izuku hummed happily in the embrace, content to stay that way for a moment longer before he eventually pulled away.
“I’ll see you later, okay?” he said as he stepped towards the door. He had nearly left the room when he glanced back over his shoulder, calling out, “And remember your promise!” before closing the door behind him.
Hisashi scoffed, shaking his head. He honestly didn’t get that boy sometimes. Izuku wanted him to be his father, and yet half the time he acted as though he were the parent. It was ridiculous.
Still, he couldn't help the smile that formed, or the huff of laughter that followed. But a frown quickly overtook those as silence filled the room in response. What was he supposed to do now? He had become so used to always having company…
Going for a casual stroll around the castle was out of the question, given the number of guests that had filled the halls and extra rooms in the days leading up to the ball. He really didn’t want to bump into anyone and get stuck in awkward conversation with a stranger. And while he would go to the artifacts room and look around there, he also didn’t want the guards reporting him for doing so while Izuku wasn’t with him. Of course, he could also check out the library instead, but he had yet to visit it, and thus had no idea where it was.
Hisashi sighed wearily, gaze trailing about the room as he went through the choices available to him, when his eyes landed on the row of books that had been neatly arranged on an admittedly mostly empty shelf. Busy as he had been with lessons in dancing, etiquette, and generally how to act like a “royal” in front of the nobles, he hadn’t even had the chance to glimpse through them. Now was as good a time as any, he figured. He had the whole day to himself after all.
So he pried the smallest book from the shelf, labeled “A Beginner’s Guide To Warping”. Warp magic would be infinitely useful if he could master it. Being able to travel from place to place within an instant was a rare, invaluable skill. Book in hand, he took a seat at his desk and flipped it open to the first page, reading its contents.
Only to find his head spinning within the first few sentences.
Bizarre words such as “longitude” and “latitude” kept cropping up, along with detailed explanations on how it was necessary to understand a location's coordinates. It went in depth on complex equations Hisashi had never even seen before, the level of math it was describing beyond his comprehension. Skimming through the next few pages, he saw that it only grew more difficult.
Hisashi closed the book with a heavy sigh, quickly realizing that with his current understanding of math, there was no feasible way for him to perform warp magic. Not unless he wanted his body parts strewn about in different locations—the book warned there was a risk of that occurring if the spells were performed incorrectly. He would need to expand his knowledge if he wanted to even begin to master it.
He could attend those classes Izuku often went to if he wanted to learn more. But that would mean subjugating himself to listening to that talking rat, and feeling utterly ridiculous being in that too-small chair and desk. Not to mention he hated the idea of being taught by anyone.
…Maybe he could simply ask Izuku if he would bring books on the subject for Hisashi to study on his own. Izuku would have questions no doubt, but Hisashi was confident that he could handle that. At least that way he could teach himself.
He stood up from his chair and put the book back in its place, then went about hiding his journal once more before grabbing his sword and vambraces, deciding he could look at the other books later. Right now, with the way his brain was pounding, he just wanted to hit something.
Izuku wandered into the ballroom, searching for the event coordinator who had wanted to speak with him about the decorations and theme. He had been working tirelessly, wanting everything to be absolutely perfect for his dad. This was Hisashi’s big celebration after all! Izuku wanted to make sure he felt welcomed into their kingdom. And with the ball officially starting tomorrow, he hardly had time to spare as he checked over the finishing touches. From the menu, to the types of blood that would be served (both alcoholic and regular), to the seating arrangements, and the types of music that would be conducted for the event.
Not to mention the nobles that had already started to arrive in droves in the weeks beforehand, diverting his attention whenever they saw him. He would be hosting all of them at the castle overnight of course, as tradition dictated. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t already exhausted by their guise of platitudes and congratulations while they sought to speak with him on other matters entirely.
Izuku hadn’t seen his dad since that morning, having given Hisashi permission to do whatever he wanted—with a few conditions, of course. His dad had seemed rather stumped on what to do, but Izuku had had to go; so many things needing his attention and so little time to give it to them. He hoped that Hisashi had found something to do. Izuku really missed him, despite it having been less than a day since they last saw each other. He had gotten used to having his dad by his side all the time.
He decided that after he was done here, he would go find Hisashi. Izuku was dead tired, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he saw his dad again.
“My Liege?” a nearby noble called out to him, and Izuku had to resist the urge to sigh, schooling his face into a polite smile instead.
“Yes?” he greeted, looking away from where he had been checking off his list.
“I was hoping you would have a moment to speak? Concerning the seating arrangements,” the noble began, and Izuku could feel a vein throbbing in his temple. “If I may, I would like to suggest…”
Where’s Mirai when I need him? Izuku thought frantically as the man began to ramble on and on about the best placement for him to sit and who was seated next to him—as if Izuku didn’t have better things to do with his time. Granted, he and Mirai still weren’t on the best of terms right now after Mirai had so blatantly disrespected his father. And even if Izuku felt guilty for losing his temper like he had, he also couldn’t allow Mirai to get away with such insolence and flat out rudeness towards Hisashi. He had only seen his retainer a few times in the last two weeks since that incident, and their exchanges had been short and to the point.
“My Liege?” the noble called.
Izuku blinked back to the present moment. “Yes?”
“You approve the final seating arrangement then?”
“As long as my father is on my right-hand side, then yes,” Izuku said tiredly.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The noble walked away.
Izuku turned on his heel, but had only gotten halfway across the ballroom when someone else called out to him. He held in a groan and turned to them with a polite smile, gesturing for them to speak.
On and on it seemed to go, one person after another coming up to talk with him. People interrupted him while he was giving directions to servants, double and triple checking the venue, ensuring the entertainers had perfected their routine, and generally making certain everything was in perfect condition. The newly polished floors had to be spotless, the curtains free of dust and adjusted just so, the windows wiped clean. By the time Izuku had a moment to breathe, his head was spinning. He felt exhausted, and he definitely needed a drink.
But he needed to see his dad more.
The burning desire to lay his eyes on Hisashi and see that he was doing okay was overwhelming. Other than the time he had run away, his dad hadn’t been far from him ever, and Izuku missed him. He just had to find him. And if there was anything he had learned about Hisashi in the last month or so that they had gotten to know each other, it was that he loved practicing with his weapons and magic.
So, without a second thought, Izuku made his way to the training grounds, ignoring anyone else that might have called out to speak with him, quickening his pace to lose them that much faster. The closer he drew to where the soldiers sparred and traded blows, the more the sound of their calls dwindled away, while the clanging of metal grew louder and louder.
He almost breathed a sigh in relief when he opened the doors to the training grounds and spotted the tall form of his father by himself, blade in hand and practicing his strikes against a dummy. The area surrounding him was rougher than last Izuku had seen it, the ground uneven in some places and blackened with scorch marks in others. His father didn’t seem to notice his arrival, focusing instead on the magic crackling in his free hand, wind visibly swirling around it before he clenched his fist and struck at the dummy, hitting it squarely in the chest.
At first, nothing seemed to happen other than the wood cracking under the blow. The next moment though, it was as though all the air surged forward, gathering at where Hisashi’s hand met wood. Izuku watched in amazement as the dummy’s top half was completely torn off, landing on the ground a ways away with a heavy thud.
Hisashi stepped back with a sigh, shaking out his hand and muttering, “Not good enough…”
Izuku caught the scent of blood in the air moments after, and hurried over in concern, ignoring how his steps were a bit wobbly. “Dad? Are you okay?” he asked in worry.
“Hmm? What?” Hisashi startled minutely, whipping around and looking down at him with surprise, clearly having not expected him. He settled right after though, the tension easing out of his shoulders when he realized it was just Izuku. “Oh, yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”
Izuku still took his dad’s hand in his to inspect it. Bruised and bloodied knuckles were healing over before his eyes, though the small trails of blood that had leaked out lingered on his skin. Izuku resisted the urge to lick them up, still remembering how delicious Hisashi’s blood had been when he first bit him. But he didn’t think his dad would appreciate Izuku trying to get another taste, even if the blood had already been shed.
“...What were you doing?” Izuku asked curiously, looking from his father to the destroyed dummy.
“Training,” Hisashi pointed out the obvious. “I need to get a tighter hold over my magic, so I’ve been practicing with simpler spells. It hasn’t gone as well as I’d hoped though.” He huffed as he observed the knuckles of his hand, scowling even as the remaining splotches of bruises faded away, leaving behind healthy, unblemished skin.
“Maybe it would help if you had a training partner?” Izuku suggested, more than willing to train with his father and spend time with him.
Hisashi looked confused. “Who?”
Izuku felt briefly offended that the obvious answer didn’t come to him right away. “Me,” he clarified for his dad, staring at him flatly.
Hisashi winced. “You remember the last time we trained together though…”
“That was an accident!” Izuku exclaimed, wishing Hisashi would simply drop that already. “And I can keep to simple spells too, so nothing like that happens again!”
Hisashi didn’t look totally convinced, hand cupping his chin and fingers tapping thoughtfully. “I don’t know…It wouldn’t be a fair fight…”
Izuku shook the man’s arm in exasperation. “Come oooon.” He pouted, bouncing up and down on his toes. “Please, Dad?”
“Oh, fine.” Hisashi made a big show of relenting, but Izuku thought he secretly didn’t mind all that much.
Happy to do another bonding activity with his dad, Izuku raced to grab a blade for himself, ignoring his exhaustion. They began to spar—though Izuku could quickly tell Hisashi had dialled back, allowing Izuku to practice more on his forms than having to focus on keeping up with his dad.
But they had only been practicing for five minutes when Izuku stumbled a step, losing his grip on his sword and taking a moment longer than he would have liked to regain his bearings. Hisashi regarded him with furrowed brows. When Izuku picked up his sword from the dirt, Hisashi sheathed his own.
Izuku frowned. “What?”
“You’re in no condition to be using a sword right now,” his dad chided him gently.
“I’m fine,” Izuku grumbled, but Hisashi wasn’t swayed.
“Why don’t we sit down for a minute?” he suggested.
Izuku shook his head, scowling a little. “No! I can keep going!” he insisted. “I want to practice!”
“Well, I need to rest for a moment,” Hisashi countered. “I’ve been practicing all day.”
Izuku’s eyes widened in concern, a swirl of guilt spinning in his chest. “Oh! I hadn’t even considered that! I’m sorry, Dad. We can sit down if you’re tired.”
Hisashi yawned widely (and for some reason, Izuku couldn’t help but feel it seemed a bit fake) and pointed to a bench off to the side. “Let’s rest there for a second.”
Izuku nodded in agreement, doing his best to stifle a contagious yawn of his own. He rubbed at his eye—just to remove a smudge of dirt!—ignoring how heavy they felt. When he peeked back up, the corners of Hisashi’s mouth seemed to twitch, but he covered it with hand quickly enough that Izuku couldn’t tell for sure. Hisashi coughed briefly and wandered over to the bench to sit.
Izuku set his sword down and followed his dad, plopping heavily onto the bench next to him. “What kind of spells have you been using?” he asked quietly as Hisashi leaned back and stretched his arms out with a loud groan.
“The usual; mostly standard beginner spells. Fireballs, earth formations, manipulating wind, and the like,” Hisashi explained. “Basic magic to help build up towards my more powerful spells.”
“Hm. Are you sure you don’t want to use one of my trainers?” Izuku asked.
Hisashi scoffed at the suggestion. “I can handle it on my own. Nothing hard work and practice won’t be able to fix.”
“If you say so…” Izuku murmured, eyes feeling unbearably heavy as he leaned onto his father. “Have you gotten any better at controlling it yet?”
“A little,” Hisashi answered with a shrug, holding a hand out and wobbling it side to side. “Not enough to risk using more advanced magic.”
“Oh. What other kinds of complex spells do you know?” Curiosity burned at him despite his exhaustion.
But as Hisashi began to explain, Izuku found his eyes getting lower and lower. The baritone of his father’s voice rumbled in his ears, the words sounding farther and farther away until they were no more.
Hisashi paused for a moment when Izuku’s head suddenly landed on his arm. “…Izuku?”
No response.
Hisashi tilted his head. He leaned down slightly, jostling his arm, but all it did was make Izuku slump further against him. What was—?
Oh. He was asleep.
Hisashi blinked in surprise, freezing in place to avoid waking the boy. Izuku had clearly been tired, but Hisashi hadn’t expected the boy to fall asleep on him like that. Though, now he was at a bit of a loss as to what to do as he stared down at Izuku. Did he leave him here and fetch a servant to have him taken to his room? Find Gran or Mirai to do it instead? Wake him up so he could go up to his room himself?
“Izuku,” he called to the boy again, giving him a light shake. Izuku’s face scrunched up a little, but he remained fast asleep, curling against Hisashi in response, his head falling to rest on Hisashi’s lap.
Hisashi hadn’t actually seen Izuku asleep before. He’d always been the one who fell asleep first, and it seemed Izuku woke up earlier than him to attend to his royal duties. This was his first time seeing Izuku sleep, his eyelashes fluttering against freckled cheeks that were still somewhat chubby with baby fat, the boy letting out small noises and little breaths.
It was…kind of cute. He’d feel really bad to disturb him.
Hisashi glanced around, looking to see if anyone was watching them, before wrapping his arms under the boy and scooping him up, holding him to his chest. Izuku’s little hands immediately clung to his shirt in a tight grip, snuggling into Hisashi’s warmth. He gazed down at him, once again realizing just how tiny Izuku was.
Hisashi ignored how it made his heart feel full.
He stood and left the training grounds at a brisk pace, trying to take the least busy route back to their rooms. The castle had been far busier than he had ever seen before today, with a number of vampires in stuffy looking clothes having strutted about the halls, chatting and gossiping with one another. He had no desire to speak with any of them, striving to keep out of their sights to avoid catching their attention.
So, of course, he ran into the one vampire he dreaded seeing the most.
“The hell are ya doing?” an irritatingly familiar voice called out to him from a corridor ahead, a figure stepping out of it and causing Hisashi to jolt sharply as he startled.
He stopped the unconscious rocking motion he’d been soothing Izuku with, glaring at Gran. “What does it look like?” he snapped. “He fell asleep. Be quiet or you’ll wake him.”
“And you’re taking him to his bedroom?” Gran asked skeptically.
Hisashi felt himself bristle. “And what of it? What’s it to you? It’s not a big deal.”
“Thought you’d be happy to be rid of him for a while.” Gran said it like a statement, but Hisashi took it as an accusation. “Since when did you care about his well being?”
Hisashi sputtered, “It’s—I’m—He’s just a child! It would be wrong of me to leave him there. Or would you prefer that I had?” He didn’t like how Gran’s brow rose, or how his gaze seemed to pierce right through him. Hisashi huffed impertinently, scowling at Gran. “I’m just going to drop him off in his room and that’s that.”
Gran snorted, a glint of amusement flickering through his eyes. “Alright. Best of luck to you then.”
What the did that mean?
Hisashi decided not to think much on it as he made to pass the older man, instinctively clutching Izuku tighter when he drew near Gran—as if some part of him feared Izuku being snatched away from him. But that was ridiculous, really. He just didn’t want to drop the boy, that was all. Still, he could feel Gran’s intense gaze on his back as he walked away.
He carried Izuku through corridors and up multiple flights of stairs, until he reached the wing where the royal chambers resided. Hisashi went past the door to his own room, going over to the one Izuku had pointed out before as belonging to him. Hisashi had never actually been in the boy’s room yet, so he couldn’t help his curiosity as he opened the door and stepped in for the first time.
And the sight inside was not quite what he had been expecting. It was fit for royalty, certainly, but it was devoid of anything that might indicate it belonged to a child. There were no toys, no scribbles on the walls, or a cluttered mess on the floor. Instead, he was greeted with the sight of shelves of books, some of which Hisashi knew Izuku studied in his classes. There were also other books, such as historical accounts detailing the finer points of wars or other events, and even books on proper etiquette. And yet, there was nothing that sounded like it would be particularly interesting to an eleven year old boy.
He took note of a small, prim and proper desk that was not unlike the kind that Mirai had in his study. It looked like it was crafted for a mini-adult rather than a child, laden with heavy tomes and sheafs of paper. A book was splayed open there, filled with numbers and dates that Hisashi couldn’t make sense of.
Shrugging it off, he walked over to the bed, which was far larger than a child Izuku’s size needed, but still smaller than his own. The perks of royalty, he supposed. He sat on the edge of the bed, the plush covers sinking beneath his weight as he shuffled Izuku carefully in his arms. The boy was still clinging to him, so Hisashi leaned down until Izuku’s body was laying on the bed, then proceeded to pry Izuku’s hands off of his person.
Only to find that they refused to relinquish their hold, clutching even tighter in response to his attempts. Hisashi huffed silently and pulled harder, his fingers trying to uncurl Izuku’s from his shirt. The only thing he did successfully was make the boy whine in his sleep, nose scrunching up and shifting on the bed.
“Izuku,” he spoke softly as he tried a new tactic, gently brushing his fingers through the boy's hair. “Izuku, my…my son. You need to let go.” He softly pat at Izuku’s hands instead of pulling on them, trying to coax Izuku into releasing him. “Let go now. You need to sleep.”
He had some success, as those little hands eased their grip slightly, allowing him to carefully remove them from his shirt. He did so slowly so that Izuku wouldn’t instantly grasp back onto him, and sighed in relief once he had nearly lowered Izuku’s hands down to the bed.
Only for Izuku’s legs to wrap around his torso.
Hisashi huffed and immediately tried to break free, but his jostling made the boy stir.
“Nng…” Izuku groaned, face twisting in the squishy pillows, brows furrowed and twitching. His small hand curled, gripping onto the sheets.
Hisashi froze. “Shhh,” he hushed.
Izuku seemed to respond to his voice, other hand reaching out in his direction. Hisashi attempted to dodge, but it was hard with Izuku wrapped around him. That hand landed on his shoulder and curled around his neck, Izuku clutching him tightly. And now he was in a worse state than he had started with. Great. Was this what Gran had meant earlier? How was he supposed to get out of this mess?
Hisashi began to talk quietly again, hoping to convince Izuku to let him go as he gently pushed back against the boy. But Izuku only clung tighter, releasing the sheet to reach up with his other hand until he was hanging off Hisashi with all four limbs like a koala. Hisashi bit back an annoyed groan. What was he supposed to do now? Every attempt to pry Izuku away only made the boy cling to him that much more. Hisashi considered his options, of which he didn’t have many that didn’t involve waking the boy. Maybe if—
He frowned when he heard a soft whimper from Izuku, the boy’s hands fisting tightly in his clothes.
“Mama…” Izuku muttered quietly in his sleep, fabric tearing as his claws dug holes into Hisashi’s shirt.
Glancing down, Hisashi saw his expression was one of discomfort, eyes squeezing tightly as his face scrunched up. Hisashi felt a flash of panic as tears were gathering in the corners of Izuku’s eyes.
Izuku shook his head against the pillow, soft whines escaping him as he murmured near incomprehensibly. “No, Mama…” he called out again, sounding distraught. A pang of hurt arched through Hisashi’s chest when the boy sniffled, tears trailing down his face and staining the pillow below. “Don’t…don’t go…”
Hisashi felt his heart clench. Yoichi used to call out for their mother in his sleep sometimes…It had always been Hisashi’s job to comfort him. That had been years ago, though. And yet…
“Shhh, it’s okay, Izuku. Mama’s not here, but it’s alright. You’ll be alright.” He pat the boy on the head to comfort him.
“Daddy…?” Izuku called out quietly, watery eyes cracking open a sliver when Hisashi brushed the curls away from his forehead, but they drifted back shut soon after.
“I’m not…” Hisashi started, but he was unable to finish the sentence when Izuku smiled, just a little, in his sleep.
The boy snuggled deeper into his chest, burying his face there. “Daddy,” he murmured again, hugging Hisashi tighter.
Hisashi found himself swallowing against a lump in his throat. “…Yeah,” he whispered. “Daddy’s here. Go back to sleep, okay?”
Izuku’s face smoothed back out, a contented countenance gracing his features as he settled down. Hisashi sighed wearily, but he couldn’t stop a tiny, curling smile of his own from forming. With Izuku soothed, he attempted once more to lay the child on the bed.
But Izuku still refused to let go.
With a heavy sigh, Hisashi lifted him up once more, shifting to flop onto the bed himself. He might as well accept that he would be stuck there until Izuku released him. He ignored the small part of himself that didn’t mind it, the warmth in his chest and the fullness in his heart.
He looked down at the boy, whose head was resting peacefully on his chest. Hisashi curled his arm around Izuku and rested a hand on his thick, fluffy hair, fingers stroking through the locks. He held Izuku closer as his own eyes began to slip shut, resigned to the fact that he was stuck there for the night.
It wasn’t so bad though. At least the bed was comfortable.
Hisashi awoke when an arm slapped him across the face. He jolted in surprise, throwing the arm off groggily and sitting up. “Wha…?” he moaned, raising a hand to his face as irritation laced through him. Izuku was still asleep next to him, drooling slightly on his pillow, arms and legs starfished across the bed. Hisashi’s brows knit in confusion, taking in the sight of a bed and a room that wasn’t his, before the memories of last night came rushing back.
Ah, right. He’d been trapped by Izuku’s clinginess and unable to return to his own quarters. He glanced once more at the child still asleep beside him, who began to squirm around and turn on his side. When that hand once more reached for where Hisashi was, Hisashi didn’t even think before acting. He rolled off the bed immediately, quickly grabbing and placing an extra pillow in his spot, letting Izuku grasp onto it instead. Thankfully, the boy seemed satisfied with it as he held it close to his chest.
Hisashi blew out a soft sigh of relief. At least he was free now.
And in Izuku’s room, where he’d never been before. The lack of personal or boyish items made him interested. Surely Izuku, the king, would have his own stuff somewhere? Why would he hide it? Was it secret? But who would even dare snoop through the king’s rooms?
Well. Besides himself that is.
Ignoring the twinge of guilt that bit at him, Hisashi glanced around the room once more, taking in the same sight that he had last night. There wasn’t much to look at, but there had to be something. He peered at the closet on the other side of the room suspiciously. He remembered when he was younger, he and Yoichi used to shove everything in their old one when they were told to clean. He also remembered how their parents would chide them for it when they inevitably found out.
So he strode over to Izuku’s closet, quietly opening it. The bubble of excitement that rose quickly turned into disappointment when all he saw were a vast assortment of clothes, shoes, and even a few hats here and there; all neatly organized and lined up in a way that indicated Izuku was not the one responsible for putting his clothes away. No sign of any kind of toy hidden away or any such thing a child might like.
Hisashi reached through the hanging robes to knock softly on the back of the closet, but no hollow sound echoed. No secrets to be found there either. Huffing, he shut the doors and turned around, eyeing the lavish but sparse decor and furniture.
Hisashi flit through a dresser next, pausing once when Izuku made a groan, but found nothing there either—except for a strange hairpin that couldn’t possibly be the boy’s. Perhaps his mother’s? But no secrets. He then perused through the books on Izuku’s shelves and desk, but they were all either school books or just boring. Not even a single fantasy novel that a child might like was present. That was a bit sad; Yoichi had loved fantasy. Granted, they had only owned one book because it was all they could afford, but Yoichi had read it religiously.
Hisashi paused in thought, narrowing his eyes. Where would a clingy eleven year old like Izuku hide something? Somewhere he would be able to keep a close eye on it, surely? Somewhere that was close by and always within reach…
He scanned the room once more, frowning slightly as he mulled over various hiding places. His eyes were drawn to the bed when Izuku shifted in his sleep, Hisashi freezing in place once more. Those green eyes didn’t open, but a hand flopped off the side of the bed next to the nightstand.
Oh. The nightstand.
Hisashi crept forward, keeping his steps light as he neared the bed, and eased the top nightstand drawer open. Inside was a notebook of some sort, with a few fountain pens and crayons clattering around the bottom.
Now that could contain secrets.
Hisashi assessed Izuku’s sleeping form for disturbance once more, before deftly snatching the notebook up. Below it was a second notebook, one that seemed a little old given the tattered corners and the slightly yellowed pages, alongside some pieces of crumpled up paper that shuffled around the bottom of the drawer. He would look at those afterwards.
Hisashi flipped open the first notebook, taking in the crisp pages as he started at the beginning. There was a loose sheet of paper at the front, a drawing that Hisashi didn’t think much of, until he noticed that the adult next to the small green figure had white hair and red eyes. He snatched the paper up, inspecting it more closely. The two childishly drawn people in the picture were holding hands and smiling. At the bottom of the picture was written “Me and Dad”.
Oh. Oh that was…that was him. Izuku had drawn him? When?
Carefully, Hisashi placed the picture back neatly in place before turning to another page. This one was filled with curled, jointed words, making it difficult for Hisashi to read, but he managed to make out small phrases. Such as “first day with Dad”, “Dad is going to train me!”, and “we went to the city today!”. On and on it went, far more than Hisashi could understand, seeming to go into express detail about his everyday life.
Had…Had Izuku been keeping track and writing down everything they had been doing together? Hisashi didn’t know how to feel about that. It was kind of cute, in an excited-puppy type of way, that Izuku was just so enthusiastic about having him around. But it was also a little bit creepy how obsessed the boy was with him. Surely that wasn’t healthy.
Hisashi closed the notebook after skimming through the rest of the pages, realizing he probably already knew most of what was in it anyway, having lived those days for himself. Gently laying it on the nightstand, he reached for the other notebook and the bits of paper that littered around it. The writing in the first pages of the second notebook was messier than the fancy scrawl of the first, clearly written by the small, untrained hands of a younger child. Hisashi only skimmed through the pages, most of the entries rambling on about random thoughts and childish fantasies—things that didn’t make total sense.
He paused, however, when he came across pages near the end that seemed as though they had been soaked in water, big, fat circles stained into the crinkled paper. The words were wobbly and a bit mishapened, the ink smeared across the page.
Hisashi struggled to read the words, smudged as they were. But what he was able to make out had him wincing:
WHY?! WHY WHYWHYWHYWHYWHY. THEY’RE GONE? HOW CAN THEY BE GONE? DADDY AND MAMA WERE SO STRONG!
IT’S A LIE THEY’RE LYING TO ME THEY HAVE TO BE LYING THEY CAN’T BE GONE.
WHY WOULD THEY LEAVE ME? DIDN’T THEY LOVE ME? WAS I NOT ENOUGH? DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG?
COME BACK COME BACK COME BACK COME BACK! DON’T LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!
There was a big strike-through on the page, as if the pen had been crushed and spilled ink all over, the words beneath it lost. The next page had a few more organized sentences, dispersed amongst distressed, messy scrawl and blots of ink.
Gran said Todoroki Enji betrayed them. Hisashi made out, squinting a little. I hate him. I hate him. I HATE HIM HATE HIM!
Hisashi flipped the page again when the words trailed off. The next few were missing, stubs of paper left behind where they had been torn out. But the next entry after that was…enlightening. It was dated a very long time after the others, the writing on it neater and more put-together.
I will find another. I’m tired of being alone. I want Mom and Dad. But they LEFT me. So I’ll get another. A new parent; one who will be everything I want. One who will never leave me.
I’ll find them. I’ll make sure of it.
Hisashi tried to shrug off the shudder reading those words sent down his spine, flipping instead to the very last page of the notebook. There were only two words, written large enough to cover the entire page:
FOUND HIM.
Hisashi decided that perhaps secrets should have stayed secrets.
…But that still didn’t stop him from pulling out the crumpled papers at the very bottom of the nightstand. Curse his curiosity.
He winced at the noise it made when he straightened out the crumpled pieces of paper, eyes flickering to Izuku cautiously. Beyond a soft grunt though, he didn’t stir. On the page, Hisashi saw three figures: one a very small boy, with green hair and eyes; another was a woman, rather short, with the same green hair as Izuku, trailing down to the small of her back; and the last was that of a tall, well-built man with a mane of bright blond hair, absolutely towering over the other two. Izuku and his parents, clearly.
So that was Toshinori? Hisashi mused curiously, examining it closely. While it was the crude drawing of a child, he couldn’t help the stir of excitement at getting his first glimpse of the last hunter to hold One For All. He wondered if there were any other depictions of him in the castle. As the previous king, surely there would be a portrait of him somewhere? Hisashi mentally made a note to look for one at some point in the future.
A yawn interrupted him, Izuku rolling onto his back and rubbing his eyes. Hisashi hastily shoved everything back in the drawer, and looked around in a slight panic, wondering what to do so as not to look guilty of snooping.
“…M’ thirsty,” Izuku complained sleepily.
And as the boy sat up, Hisashi flopped down on the ground next to the bed. He heard Izuku shuffling about further, before the boy almost stepped on him getting up.
“Wha—?! Dad? What are you doing on the floor? Why are you in my room?”
“You, uh. Fell asleep at the training grounds,” Hisashi said—not too quickly though, he didn’t want to appear suspicious. “I took you to your room and you held me hostage until I fell asleep.”
Izuku squinted. “Okay, but why are you on the floor?”
“…You kicked me off the bed in the middle of the night,” Hisashi lied.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Izuku apologized, looking worried now. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. You were just super clingy. I decided to stay down here once you knocked me off.”
Izuku pouted. “You could’ve come back up on the bed. Nothing wrong with cuddling.”
“And be kicked in the ribs again?” Hisashi retorted. “I think it’s safer down here.”
“Is it?” Izuku raised a brow, still perched on the edge of the mattress from where he had frozen to avoid stepping on Hisashi.
The boy suddenly laid down.
“Don’t you dare!” Hisashi warned, seeing the mischievous grin on his face. “Izuku, I mean it—!”
Izuku rolled off the bed right on top of Hisashi, who flailed but didn’t manage to move in time. Hisashi let out a wheeze as Izuku impacted with his abdomen, squashing the air out of his lungs.
Izuku only giggled, snuggling into his chest and wrapping his arms around his torso. “Good morning, Dad!” he sang cheerfully.
“Ugh…” Hisashi moaned, taking a moment to regain his breath, head flopping back. Then he glanced down at the boy, who was beaming at him, flashing little fangs. “...Didn’t you say you were hungry?”
“Oh, yeah,” Izuku hummed thoughtfully. “We can head to the kitchens to get a drink. They’ll be busy preparing the feast for the ball though—” Izuku cut himself off, eyes going wide as realization struck him. “The ball! The ball is today!” he exclaimed, quickly getting to his feet. “Hurry up, Dad! We need to get ready! Up, up!”
Izuku began tugging on Hisashi’s prone form. “We could pretend it’s not today,” Hisashi suggested weakly. “Then we don’t have to go.”
“No!” Izuku refused stubbornly. “Everyone’s already here!”
“Doesn’t mean we have to be there,” Hisashi grumbled as he was pulled to his feet.
“The ball is in your honour!” Izuku reminded him. “You have to go!”
Hisashi let out a long, loud groan, which earned him a huff.
“Come on, Dad. You’ve been practicing for this and everything! We’re doing the dance tonight! You’ve gotten so good at it!”
Hisashi didn’t know about “so good”, but whatever.
“Now, let’s go get cleaned up and get your outfit!” Izuku insisted, shifting behind Hisashi to push him towards the door.
“...Can I at least bring my sword and vambraces?” Hisashi asked, glancing back at Izuku. The boy gave him a flat look in return.
“Daaad, this is a ball, not a battleground! We can’t take weapons into the ballroom!” Izuku informed him, shaking his head. Hisashi sighed, disappointed but not surprised. It had been a feeble hope to begin with.
He resigned himself to his fate, allowing Izuku to excitedly steer him to his own room, rambling on about the ball with childish glee. Oh well. It was just a ball, right? A little dancing, drinking, and chatting. That wasn’t so different from a typical tavern, right? Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Notes:
Hypocrisy at its finest.
Hisashi: “I’m hesitant to write in my journal because what if Izuku snoops through it? Snooping in other people’s privacy isn’t good.”
Also Hisashi at the first opportunity to see Izuku’s room: “Time to snoop!” 😊
Looks like The Daddening™️ is officially fully on the tracks now for Hisashi, and there's no turning this train around. Full steam ahead! 🚂
Lmao thanks for reading y’all! Can you believe we’ve hit over 100k words? And this story still has much to come 👀
Chapter 15
Summary:
“Daaad, this is a ball, not a battleground! We can’t take weapons into the ballroom!” Izuku informed him, shaking his head. Hisashi sighed, disappointed but not surprised. It had been a feeble hope to begin with.
He resigned himself to his fate, allowing Izuku to excitedly steer him to his own room, rambling on about the ball with childish glee. Oh well. It was just a ball, right? A little dancing, drinking, and chatting. That wasn’t so different from a typical tavern, right? Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Notes:
We be back with the longest chapter of the fic so far 🎉
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Except, of course, it was. There were so many more people at the ball than in a tavern. All dressed up in expensive clothes and with snooty expressions on their faces (though, maybe Hisashi was imagining that part). He could feel their eyes following him as Izuku led him through the ballroom. Hisashi focused squarely ahead of himself, trying not to meet any of their gazes. But with so many people surrounding him, it was an impossible task.
“Keep your head up,” Izuku had told him before they had made their grand entry. “Don’t duck your head or try to hide. You’re a royal now; you’re above all of them. So hold your head high. They MUST respect you.”
Easier said than done for someone used to living on the edges of civilization and hunting monsters solo. Being the center of attention was not something Hisashi was used to. Especially not the attention of literally hundreds of vampires. There were a few humans around, but Hisashi was too nervous to approach them—the last time he had been near a human still fresh in his mind. He didn’t want a repeat of that. So he stuck close to Izuku, trying not to shrink under all the eyes on him.
His only consolation was that he hadn’t had to wear that cravat. Neither he nor Izuku knew how to tie it properly, and Hisashi had refused to allow a servant to help him, both too embarrassed to ask for help for something such as that, and too eager to not have to wear the flashy piece of fabric. Though idly, he wondered if he should have, considering the scar on his neck was only partially hidden by the rise of his collar. He had caught more than a few people staring at it as they walked by, causing him to tug the collar up to try and hide it better as his self-consciousness rose.
Izuku was unbothered by the curious stares, or how the whole room was anticipating their every move, a buzz of whispers and murmurs humming in Hisashi’s ears. When they reached the far end of the room, stopping just before the throne, a hushed silence fell over everyone.
“Thank you all for coming tonight!” Izuku called out, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. “Tonight is a very special occasion. We are here to celebrate the official coronation of my father into the royal family!”
He paused, and the crowd clapped.
“My father has already been adopted into the family, but tonight we honour his elevation to royalty, and his position as the King Father.”
From the side, Mirai approached carrying the crown Hisashi had worn days ago. It sat on a velvet purple pillow, and though Mirai’s face was fixed in a neutral expression, Hisashi could see the twitch of his eye and the scowl that wanted to pull at his lips. Mirai brought the crown to Izuku, bowing to the king as he presented it. Izuku thanked him quietly, carefully picking the crown up in both hands.
Hisashi knew what came next. Izuku had briefed him on the crowning ceremony days prior, but he still felt red creeping into his cheeks against his will when he had to kneel in order for Izuku to place the crown upon his head. It fit perfectly; a circlet of twisted gold with teardrop emeralds set into the precious metal. Izuku gave him a secret smile after he placed the crown on Hisashi, leaning in and giving Hisashi a royal kiss of blessing on his forehead before turning to address the crowd once more, Hisashi standing back up behind him.
“Everyone give a warm welcome to Midoriya Hisashi, the King Father!” Izuku announced.
The crowd broke out into loud cheers, though Hisashi didn’t think they were doing so genuinely so much as they were out of obligation. He doubted anyone here liked him. Even he didn’t like himself being here with this showy circlet around his head. The weight of it was heavy with what it symbolized for him; another chain that bound him to Izuku. He could feel everyone staring at it, at him, and it made his shoulders tense, but he refrained from shifting uncomfortably under their scrutinizing gazes. Instead, he fixed his attention on Izuku, his presence offering some comfort in the sea of anxiety Hisashi found himself swimming in.
“Now, let the dance begin!” Izuku shouted for everyone to hear, taking hold of Hisashi’s hand and leading him onto the dance floor.
Hisashi was certain his face would burst into flames at any moment when music began to play from the orchestra. As it started, Izuku began to lead him in the steps of one of the several dances they had been practicing for the last month. Hisashi’s body followed the familiar pattern while his mind tried to ignore just how stupid he must look at that moment.
A light squeeze to his hand brought his attention back to the boy, gaze flickering down at bright green eyes that were doing their best to be encouraging. “Try to loosen up,” Izuku whispered helpfully. “You’re too tense.”
Easier said than done, Hisashi wanted to say. But he didn’t, instead trying to follow the boy’s advice and relax, focusing on the music rather than the sea of faces as they moved in tandem.
Others soon joined them however, grabbing their partners and moving to the flow of music. Hisashi began to feel claustrophobic with the number of people surrounding him, only an arm’s length away. There hadn’t been anyone else in the room whenever he had practiced with Izuku, so the crowd of people all dancing around him was unfamiliar and nerve wracking.
Izuku gave his hand another squeeze then, bringing Hisashi’s attention back to him once more. “Just focus on me, Dad,” he said encouragingly.
“Right,” Hisashi muttered, trying not to think too much right now. It was just a dance, he told himself. He could do this. What was a little dancing compared to fighting?
Thankfully, Izuku was helpful. Hisashi noticed his son the boy sending small glares and warning looks to other vampires who seemed as though they were about to butt in and ask for a dance. For once, Hisashi was grateful for Izuku’s rather…strong possessiveness.
It went on like that for a while, one dance after another, Izuku chasing off anyone that so much as dared to look at him. When the music shifted to a gentler tune and attendees began to pair off and slow dance, Hisashi took that as his opportunity to bow out for a bit and get a break. “I’m going to sit for a few minutes,” he told Izuku. “My feet are killing me.”
Izuku smiled. “Okay! You’ve been doing great so far, Dad. I’m going to dance a little longer though. But our seats are over there!” Izuku pointed to the most extravagant table in the ball, and Hisashi had to fight the instinctive desire to roll his eyes at it. “If you want a drink or food, just wave a server down and they’ll bring it for you.”
“I can get my own food and drink, thank you,” Hisashi huffed. He mentally planned to find a nice, dark corner to chill out in for a bit. Get away from all the people watching him.
“If you say so.” Izuku shrugged.
“Have fun dancing. Don’t let anyone get handsy or too close to you,” Hisashi instructed. Izuku was young, so he felt it was right to do so. “If anyone does something you don’t like, tell me and I’ll kill them.”
“Daaaad,” the boy whined, giving him a look, “I can take care of myself!”
Hisashi waved him off. “I know, I know. You’re strong.” And goodness was Izuku ever strong—physically speaking anyway. “But you’re also eleven and you don’t need to have to deal with that. I’m your father, right? Shouldn’t it be my job to look out for you?”
Izuku gave him a little pout, but a smile broke through it as he nodded. “Okay, I’ll be careful. And you make sure you don’t get into any fights!”
“I won’t start fights,” Hisashi conceded, “but I’ll end them.”
When Izuku gave him a very unimpressed look, Hisashi pretended he didn’t see it. “You’re always so dramatic,” the boy muttered.
Hisashi rolled his eyes and grabbed Izuku’s shoulders, turning him around and lightly shoving him back into the crowd of dancers. “Go dance.”
Izuku didn’t have a chance to say anything more as a noble grabbed his attention. Hisashi took the opportunity to go to the table Izuku had pointed out, but found getting across the room to be incredibly difficult. For some reason, multiple vampires tried to waylay him, touching his shoulder or skimming their hand down his arm to grab his attention. Hisashi found himself keeping up a constant stream of “excuse me, excuse me” as he made his way through the crowd.
At one point, someone grasped his arm a little more firmly than he expected, causing him to whip around and yank his arm free, giving the vampire an unamused glance. Thankfully, they backed off, looking sheepish. Hisashi withheld the urge to huff in irritation, resuming his path to the table.
And, having not fully turned around to look where he was going, ran smack dab into someone.
“Sorry!” Hisashi said quickly, righting himseslf and backing away as embarrassment burned through him. “I wasn’t—” He began to apologize, only for the words to catch in his mouth as he saw just who he had bumped into.
Golden eyes flared with irritation, Mirai glancing down at the large stain of red on his white dress robes, then to his now half-empty glass, and finally back to Hisashi. “I knew you would spill blood tonight, but I was hoping not to get any on myself,” he muttered contemptuously. “What a waste of a perfectly good glass of wine. That beverage had been aged for a hundred and fifty-eight years!”
“Sorry,” Hisashi bit out insincerely, trying to keep his lips from curling into a smile, feeling a twinge of satisfaction at ruining Mirai’s clothes and drink. “I wasn’t paying attention—”
“Clearly.” Mirai sniffed rudely. Hisashi watched Mirai run his fingers over the stain in his clothes, the blood vanishing from sight as his hand traveled over it. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. “You never do. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”
Hisashi’s first instinct was to growl and display his fangs at the man, but he resisted the urge, all too aware of the people around watching him. Instead, he fought to keep himself collected as he calmly replied with, “Is that any way to speak to the King’s father?”
“Quite right,” Mirai said thoughtfully, tilting his head in acknowledgement. Then his voice lowered to a whisper, so quiet that Hisashi could barely hear it over the buzz of the ballroom, “It is a good thing, then, that you are not.”
Hisashi opened his mouth for a retort, when he heard a pleased hum and footsteps growing closer. He stiffened as he saw highly stylized blond hair and a flamboyant outfit. Hakamata’s visible eye roved over Hisashi, and he couldn’t help the feeling of dread that crawled up his spine. He didn’t care what Izuku said—if Hakamata stripped him of his clothes to “fix” them in the middle of the ballroom, surrounded by hundreds of vampires, he would murder the man.
“You’re looking radiant, Your Majesty,” Hakamata greeted with a polite bow. Hisashi felt his eye twitch at the title. “I must say, your outfit suits you perfectly. A shame you decided to forgo the cravat, though. It added just the right amount of flare, if I do say so myself. Did you have trouble getting it on?”
“No,” Hisashi lied, working to keep his face neutral. “I thought it looked better without it.”
Mirai scoffed, a smirk playing at his lips as he saw right through Hisashi. “You don’t know how to tie it properly, do you?”
“If you were having difficulties, you should have asked me to assist you, Your Majesty. I would have gladly helped you,” Hakamata offered, frowning a little. “It is my job as the royal tailor, after all.”
“I can dress myself just fine, thank you,” Hisashi insisted. There was no way he was ever going to ask Hakamata for help, considering what he had done the first time he’d offered his “help”.
Hakamata seemed unfazed though, cupping his chin and tutting thoughtfully. “I really should have shown you how when first displaying your outfit. I simply didn’t have the opportunity before the…spat between His Majesty and Mirai—”
Mirai’s hand tipped forward, splashing Hakamata’s clothes with the remaining contents of his glass, red seeping into the fabric of the tailor’s shirt and spreading. Hakamata all but shrieked, eye going wide as he glanced down at himself, hands hovering over the new stain in his precious clothes.
“My apologies,” Mirai simpered falsely, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. “I’m afraid my hand slipped. You were saying?”
But Hakamata wasn’t paying attention, frantically trying to clean up the blood, looking as though he were on the verge of a full panic attack now.
Hisashi took his chance and decided to excuse himself while their attention was elsewhere, not wanting to be sucked into another conversation with the pair. He quickly made his way over to the table, ignoring how other people were still trying to get his attention. Hisashi shrugged them all off, eager for a moment to himself. He didn’t get why they were all so interested in talking to him.
Maybe it was a vampire thing? Were other vampires clingy like Izuku then? He hadn’t met many outside the castle as it was, and also hadn’t had any desire to get to know any of them, so he couldn’t be sure. One thing he was certain of though, was that these vampires were radically different from the ones he had dealt with in the Kingdom of Yuei.
Now, as he sat at the table, having waved off the servant who had approached him as soon as he sat down, Hisashi took the opportunity to look around. He hadn’t been paying much attention to the room overall, nervous as he was about the ceremony and the dance. He could see some other vampires had taken their leave of dancing as well.
They stood in pairs or groups, sipping from their glasses or sampling a taste of the food, all the while chatting and laughing with one another like everyday people he had seen in taverns. Only much snootier. It was somewhat surreal. He could see Mirai (who fit right in with them all) speaking with Hakamata, who seemed to have calmed down now that his clothes were pristine again, mingling and looking at ease.
It was so…disconcerting. All his life Hisashi had been taught that vampires were nothing more than vile, bloodthirsty beasts. And yet right now, they appeared the same as any other human having a good time.
The music wasn’t bad either, Hisashi concurred as he listened to the soft, gentle tune that was currently being played by the orchestra—the group being conducted by a vampire with long blond hair. It was almost enchanting in its own way, and he found himself easing back into his chair, content to just listen for a moment. He did his best to ignore the people crowding the ballroom, and how their lingering stares made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. But movement caught his eye as someone took a seat next to him.
Hisashi turned, startled, to see a woman. She was pretty, looking up at him through long lashes. “Taking a break?” she asked.
“I…yes?” Hisashi stammered with a blink. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be dancing?”
“Thought I’d maybe keep you company. Someone like you shouldn’t ever be alone.” She smiled at him, placing a hand over his own and gripping lightly.
What was that supposed to mean? Was it a jab at his former human status? Former hunter status? She hadn’t said it like it was an insult, but he wasn’t sure how else to take it. Still, he didn’t want to start any fights. “I’m fine, thank you,” Hisashi reassured her. He started looking around for an escape, subtly glancing to the table on the other side of the room where the refreshments were being served. “I’m, uh, actually a bit thirsty…”
The woman looked him up and down coyly. “Mmm. Me too. Shall we get a drink together? Just me and you?”
Hisashi felt alarm bells ringing in his head and stiffened, tugging his hand away from her grasp in a panic. Did she want to drink from him?! Was she going to try and feed off him?! He began to stand in a hurry.
“Oh, don’t go just yet!” she pleaded, taking hold of his arm. “Why don’t you take a drink from me if you’re really thirsty?”
That wasn’t any better! The idea made him cringe. “N-No, thank you,” Hisashi said quickly, gently but firmly prying her hand off him once again. “If you’ll excuse me.”
He skittered away from the table in a rather undignified manner, though he couldn't bring himself to fully care. He weaved through groups of people, trying to find somewhere to hide that would put him out of the woman’s line of sight. Seeing that the banquet table was crowded, he swiftly made his way towards it in the hopes of putting a few bodies between himself and her.
It was halfway there that he heard a loud smattering of giggles, and glanced to the side in confusion. He saw Gran, surrounded by a rather large group of women who were laughing and smiling. A few of them were even leaning on Gran, their arms looped around his.
Hisashi felt his mouth fall open in shock. Gran? Surrounded by women? It didn’t make sense to his brain. The older man was such a sarcastic, jeering jerk. Hisashi couldn’t imagine his personality doing him any favours in attracting women—or anyone else for that matter.
“Easy, Takeyama,” Gran laughed, brushing a curvy blonde woman off. She drew away with a pout, and when she did Hisashi saw a print of lipstick against Gran’s cheek. “Others might want a chance at that too.”
Hisashi only realized he was gawking and should stop when Gran’s gaze suddenly met his, the man waggling his brows at Hisashi.
“Struck out, didja?” Gran mused as his eyes roved over Hisashi and back to his table, where the woman from before was looking fairly irritable as she walked off. “You’re never going to get any practice talking with women at this rate. I could give you a crash course if you’d like.”
The women went “oooh!” and giggled at Gran’s statement, looking delighted and making Hisashi’s face flush beet-red.
He ignored Gran’s jab at him, still unable to process Gran’s apparent popularity. “How did you even…I mean…Why would they—”
“Not bad for an old man is it?” Gran grinned lecherously. “I told you—ah, not yet, Uwabami, I’m in the middle of a conversation,” Gran spoke to another woman, one who had sat on his lap and wrung an arm around his shoulders. She leaned in close to Gran, her fangs flashing as she pressed them against the man’s neck.
Hisashi felt like he shouldn’t be watching the display, averting his eyes. “Th-This is inappropriate,” he muttered. “You’re in public!”
“A bit of affection ain’t gonna kill anyone.” Gran snorted, keeping his eyes on Hisashi as he pressed a kiss onto the cheek of the woman in his lap.
Another woman with long, dark hair raked her eyes up and down Hisashi in a calculating way. She kept her eyes on him, even as she wrapped her arms around Gran’s neck and nuzzled the side of his face—much to the chagrin of the other woman on Gran’s lap. Hisashi stiffened under her intense gaze, feeling as though she were seeing right through him. “I don’t know, Sorahiko,” she commented. “He looks like he may just collapse from a bit of attention.”
Sorahiko? Who the hell was Sorahiko? Hisashi wondered. Wait—no. Gran? Gran’s name was Sorahiko?
“You think so?” Gran hummed thoughtfully, fangs showing as a too-wide grin formed. “Why don’t one of you girls test out that theory, hm?”
As soon as one of the ladies took a step towards him, Hisashi scrambled to flee. He absolutely did not let out a yelp, or a squeak, or any other embarrassing sound. Nope. Certainly not. He didn’t run either. He just…had places to be.
He ignored Gran’s booming laughter that followed him as he rushed away.
Where were the drinks? He really, really needed a drink. Right now. Something strong so he could forget what he just saw. His brain couldn’t deal with the knowledge of Gran being swarmed by women.
He was rather relieved to find several bottles of wine on one of the long banquet tables, alongside an assortment of delicacies. Not far down from that, he spotted a miniature fountain of blood; people taking bits of appetizers, ducking them under the roving sheets of scarlet, and savoring the bites. Hisashi shuddered at the sight. As much as he was slowly growing used to some aspects of vampirism, that just seemed in poor taste. Not wanting to see it any longer, Hisashi grabbed a random bottle off the table and turned on his heel.
Only to crash his legs into something small. Something that let out a little shriek and fell over.
He looked down, startled, to see a very tiny girl with long, white hair now laying on the floor. Oh hell. “Sorry!” he said quickly, reaching down to help her back up. Good going, Hisashi, he berated himself, you knocked over a child.
The girl’s eyes spun a little as she straightened before blinking rapidly, her gaze settling on him after a moment. Then her eyes flickered away, glancing towards the floor as Hisashi carefully brought her to her feet.
“Are you alright?” Hisashi asked, drawing her eyes back to him briefly. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. I should have been more careful of where I was going.”
She didn’t seem to be paying him much attention though, looking flustered. “M-My…I dropped my…”
Hisashi, concerned, reached out a hand to her. “What is it, sweetie? What did you drop?” He cast his gaze around as well, searching. Not paying heed to where his hand was. At least, not until he felt a stabbing pain lance through it, causing him to seize in place. His eyes snapped back to the girl, focusing in on the teeth that were now piercing his flesh.
Fangs. In his body.
A cold sweat broke out over him immediately, nausea and panic choking his throat. Hisashi instinctively moved to throw the threat off of him, his other hand raised and body stiff.
But a small whimper gained his attention, helping Hisashi quickly grind his actions to a halt before he did something he would regret. This was a little girl. A child younger than Izuku. Calm down, he screamed to himself. Get a hold of yourself! He would NOT hurt a kid—even if they were a vampire. The very thought made him feel ill.
Tears brimmed in the girl's eyes after a moment, and she bit down even harder. Hisashi hissed through his teeth in pain. “...I need you to let go.” He managed to keep his voice level despite the panic stirring inside him. “I can’t help you find what you lost if you don’t let go.”
A moment passed where he thought his words fell on deaf ears, before slowly, very slowly, she released her bite from his hand, drawing away with drops of his blood staining her teeth. “...M-My fangs hurt…” she murmured.
Was that why she bit him? Hisashi crouched down to be closer to her level, shaking the pain from his hand as the bite began to heal over. “Mine do too sometimes,” he admitted quietly, sharing it with her like it was a secret.
That earned him a small giggle. “But you’re old!”
“I’m only thirty-five,” Hisashi huffed good-naturedly.
“Oh. I’m forty-two!” she said, eyes wide and full of curiosity. “You’re younger than me! But you’re so tall...”
Her words made him feel a bit lightheaded. He could never wrap his mind around the weird aging vampires did. “Thank you?” he replied weakly. “I’m sure you’ll grow big and strong one day too.”
The girl laughed again, her eyes drifting to the side. “Oh! My toy!” she suddenly exclaimed, and Hisashi followed her stare to the table, where the leg of a stuffed animal was poking out from under the fancy tablecloth that draped to the floor.
Hisashi plucked the toy up, inspecting it. The toy was a unicorn and seemingly made of…leather? Odd. He hummed curiously, but quickly handed it over for the girl to take. She smiled happily as she did so, clutching the toy tightly to her chest.
And then immediately sinking her little fangs into its neck.
Hisashi had to work to keep his face neutral as he watched her happily naw on the toy.
“Umm, thank you for helping me find it. Since you’re younger than me and said your fangs hurt sometimes, umm…I guess I could share with you if you ever want,” she offered shyly after a moment.
That was…sweet, he supposed? “I-I’m good, but thank you for the offer,” Hisashi declined gently.
She just nodded, and Hisashi watched as a touch of pity filled her red eyes then. “And I’m sorry for what happened to your brother.”
…What?
Hisashi gaped at her for a few moments, completely stunned and unsure of what to say. How would she even know about Yoichi?
“I…It’s alright…?” he managed after a moment, swallowing thickly. “Anyway, I think you should get back to your parents now. Do you know where they are? Do you need help finding them?”
“My daddy is nearby,” she replied. “He has red eyes like you. Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” Hisashi echoed in confusion. He didn’t get the chance to think on it for long, however, as the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. Hisashi whipped around to see—
Oh, it was just Izuku. But he did not look happy. Hisashi quickly began to rack his brain for what he might have done to earn Izuku’s ire.
Yet, Izuku didn’t even look at him, glaring instead at the girl. “Who are you?” he demanded to know, a possessive growl in his voice.
“Eri,” the little girl said simply, the word slightly muffled around her toy.
“Stay away from my dad,” Izuku commanded as he grasped Hisashi’s hand, quickly tugging him away.
“Izuku!” Hisashi gasped. As always, he couldn’t get free, but it didn’t stop him from being disappointed. “What was that about? What is the matter with you? There was no need to be rude to that little girl,” he scolded.
Izuku just scowled back at him. Hisashi had no idea what to make of the boy's sudden mood swing—or what might have caused it—as he was pulled back onto the dance floor. Izuku looked at him expectantly as a new song began, moving into the beginning steps of another dance and pulling Hisashi along.
“...You never act that way towards me,” Izuku muttered after a moment. “And you let her bite you!”
Was he…Was he jealous?
“I didn’t let her,” Hisashi refuted. “She took me by surprise. I wouldn’t have let her if I had known.” Izuku remained silent and grumpy, so Hisashi added, “Besides, you don’t have any reason to be jealous.”
Izuku perked up slightly. “Are you gonna let me bite you again?” he asked hopefully.
Seriously? “NO,” Hisashi said firmly. “I don’t want anyone biting me, thank you.”
“Then I’ll remain jealous!” Izuku declared stubbornly, “accidentally” stepping on Hisashi’s foot.
Hisashi bit back a grunt of pain, then glowered at Izuku for the action. “Why are you like this?” he grumbled with exasperation.
“You’re my dad! Not hers,” Izuku muttered petulantly.
“Of course I’m not her dad! I talked to her for all of five minutes, Izuku!” If Hisashi had had a hand free, he would have rubbed his temples.
Izuku continued pouting.
“…How about I make it up to you with a bedtime story tonight then? Will that make you happy?” Hisashi offered.
Izuku cocked his head in consideration. “Will you cuddle with me?”
Hisashi sighed. “Sure.”
“Then you’re forgiven!” Izuku beamed happily.
Hisashi’s eyes rolled up as he shook his head. Honestly, this kid…
Izuku smiled as the music swelled, the end of the dance nearing. “Don’t forget to spin me!” he reminded Hisashi.
Hisashi couldn’t help his smile, nor the chuckle that escaped him, as he held his arm up and spun Izuku in place before letting go. The boy laughed jubilantly, his joy spreading to others. Throughout the night, Hisashi had noticed that the vampires around them would smile whenever Izuku smiled or laughed, looking genuinely pleased to see their king so happy.
When the next song began to play, Izuku clapped his hands, eyes lighting up. “I love this song!” he claimed.
Hisashi stuttered, “Uh, I don’t think you taught me the dance to this one—”
Izuku grabbed him and began to lead him along once more. “Don’t worry, you’ll catch on! It’s only a few steps before you change partners.”
“Switch partners?” Hisashi’s eyes widened, tripping slightly as he tried to keep up with the boy.
“Yeah! You never know who you’ll end up with!”
“Izuku, I don’t think I—” Hisashi tried to excuse himself, but his words were ignored.
“Have fun!” Izuku suddenly twirled him away with force, and Hisashi stumbled back.
Before he knew what was happening, his hands were grabbed by a random stranger, who led him back into the same dance steps they had just completed. Hisashi flushed and tried to excuse himself a second time, but his new partner had a joyful twinkle in their eye and just laughed. And before he knew it, he was being twirled out again and snatched up by someone else. The dance got faster each time they switched partners, and Hisashi’s head was spinning. How much longer would this dance last?
The next time he was spun out and pushed into the crowd of dancers, he found himself caught by someone familiar.
“You looked a little upset earlier. Jealous of all the women around me?” was murmured into his ear.
Hisashi could have screamed as he was now face to face with Gran. Nope. No. He wasn’t doing this. This wasn’t happening.
“I’m going to go now,” Hisashi said instantly, making to pull out of Gran’s hold. But the elder vampire’s grip tightened, keeping him in place. Hisashi bared his fangs angrily, but he couldn’t jerk away without causing a scene. Gran knew that too—if the infuriating smirk on his face said anything.
“Aw, what’s the matter, princess?” Gran teased, wrapping an arm around Hisashi’s waist and closing any distance there was between them. Hisashi felt his face burn as their chests met. “Don’t tell me you’re shy!”
“I’m not shy,” Hisashi hissed through his teeth. “I’m just tired of dancing, Sorahiko.” Maybe that would tick him off. Hisashi hadn’t even known Gran’s real name before today, so he assumed the man hated being called by it.
“Ooooh, on a first name basis now, are we?” Gran hummed, a smirk tugging at his lips as he forced Hisashi to move along to the music. “I didn’t know we had gotten so close. We should have another drinking competition later. Who knows? Maybe you’ll hold your liquor better this time. You’re the best at holding things, remember?”
“NO!” Hisashi practically screamed, having had enough of Gran for one evening. He ripped himself backwards at the same moment the song sped up again, and Gran lunged forward, grabbing him by the shoulders.
“Ah, well, guess my time is up,” Gran said in mock disappointment. “Pity. Hopefully the next one will have better luck than me.”
Hisashi was quite literally thrown away, knocking into someone from the force. His crown was jostled from the collision, forcing him to straighten it properly, lest it fall to the floor. The person he had hit, however, wasn’t phased for very long, and Hisashi soon found his arms being occupied by a dark haired woman, who stared at him with a hungry look in her eyes. The same woman he had seen with Gran earlier.
“Oh my,” she crooned in delight, licking her lips in a manner Hisashi could only call predatory. “How delightful that a handsome young man just happens to fall into my arms.”
“S-Sorry,” he muttered.
“Oh, don’t be sorry. I’m quite enjoying the view.”
Hisashi averted his eyes from her intense stare, making the mistake of just so happening to glance down. The woman was very…voluptuous, her dress leaving little to the imagination. Hisashi immediately looked back up, face burning.
“Like what you see?” she asked, smirking at him.
His mouth opened and closed a few times, but Hisashi could find no words. Though, the woman didn’t seem to mind at all, as she simply stepped in closer, pressing her…ahem…against him. He tried not to think about it.
“I-I uh…” Hisashi tried, and failed, to say. A well-manicured and painted claw came up to trace his jawline, the woman humming appreciatively.
“My, you really are good looking,” she complimented. “You’re the best looking man I’ve seen all night, without a doubt. And so shy! It’s so…adorable. Certainly not what I expected of the king's new father.”
“I-I’m not shy! Or adorable.” Unfortunately, even as Hisashi said those words, he could feel his blush deepening and spreading down his neck.
“Tell me, is every part of you as chiseled as your face? How far down does that blush go, I wonder?” she asked, and before Hisashi could even make sense of her words, he felt a hand against his back. A hand that went lower and lower and lower—
Hisashi squeaked, jumping.
The woman laughed. “It’s almost like you’ve never even been with a woman before,” she teased. “Have you never been with a woman before?”
Now that was a hit to his pride. “I have!” Hisashi defended himself, reaching back to grab her wrist and remove her hand from his backside.
“Really?” she said disbelievingly, licking her lips again. “Because I’d be all too happy to show you the ropes. I have a really nice name, and I’d love to hear you get comfortable saying it.” She leaned in to whisper in his ear. “It’s Nemuri.”
Hisashi felt his ears burst into flames.
“I-I really don’t think—” The song ended, and Hisashi felt a wave of relief. He could get out of this situation now.
Except, Nemuri refused to let go. She had a grip on him like iron, and began dragging him off the dance floor.
At first, he followed willingly as he did not want to dance any longer. But once she continued to pull him away, Hisashi spoke up, “Hey, wait. Um, I don’t—”
“Don’t worry, we’re just going some place where we can have a bit of privacy,” Nemuri insisted. “And a little fun.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. I shouldn’t—”
“Shh.” A finger pressed to Hisashi’s lips. “No one has to know, if you want to keep it our little secret.” Nemuri winked.
And she kept pulling him away despite his protests. Hisashi was sure he would be able to get away if he used all his strength—he was much bigger than she was—but Nemuri was definitely strong. A born vampire likely. Hisashi wasn’t sure if he’d be able to escape her grip without hurting her, which he didn’t want to do, and so he was reluctantly dragged out of the ballroom.
“I think this will do.” Nemuri nodded thoughtfully as she eyed the entrance of the garden, tugging him along. “I doubt anyone will find us here.”
And, well, Hisashi had wanted to get away from the crowd. He’d been looking for places to hide since the dance started, and now here he was. Except, he was not alone, and his current company made him somewhat…uncomfortable. He felt like he was about to go somewhere that he wouldn’t be able to make it back from unscathed.
“Oooh, let’s go this way!” Nemuri insisted, dragging him down a path full of roses. “So romantic, don’t you think?”
“Uh.” Hisashi didn’t know what he thought. He kept glancing over his shoulder. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up again, the way it had when he’d been talking with Eri, but he didn’t see Izuku—or anyone else.
“Now…where were we?” Nemuri purred as they came to the end of the path, a small fountain bubbling away. “Oh yes, I believe we were right…about…here.” She enunciated every word, moving closer with each one. Her hands fell on his chest, then began to wander.
Hisashi cleared his throat and shifted, his skin tingling wherever she touched him. She certainly wasn’t bashful in any way, her hands taking liberties Hisashi was surprised by, and deftly avoiding his when he tried to catch them and stop her.
“I really think we should—” he began, but choked on his own words as she pressed against him again.
Her hands wrapped around his torso and held him close, fingertips teasing just under the edge of his shirt at the small of his back. He could feel the brush of her painted lips against the unscarred side of his neck, and the tip of a fang just barely grazing his skin. It sent a heady mixture of both attraction and fear through him, Hisashi’s body tensing even as he shivered.
“You’re new to being a vampire, aren’t you?” Nemuri murmured against him, kissing his neck softly. “Why don’t I show you all the perks, hm?”
Hisashi froze as her fangs pressed to his neck with intent.
Sweet heavens, this woman was going to eat him!
“That’s enough!” he practically shouted, grasping the woman by her shoulders and firmly pushing her away from him, adrenaline shooting through him. “Get away from me! I’m not interested!”
Nemuri looked genuinely hurt at that, and Hisashi felt a small pang of guilt.
“I-I’m sorry. I just. I can’t,” he tried to apologize, turning away and quickly taking his leave, unable to bear her presence any longer.
Why did every vampire he came across want to bite him?! He was a vampire now! Why were they still after his blood?! What was up with that?!
Hisashi didn’t pay any particular attention to where he was going, rather just letting his legs take him wherever they pleased as he strode through the garden. Hopefully, Nemuri wouldn’t follow him. He really needed some time alone right now. That had been a bit…a bit much.
At least Gran hadn’t been watching. Hisashi would never have lived it down if he had. But now that he thought about it, he only ended up with Nemuri because Gran had pushed him into her. If Hisashi didn’t know any better, he’d say that Gran knew what she was like, and was back in the ballroom laughing to himself at Hisashi’s misfortune.
Well. At least he was away from the ballroom now; away from all the music and chatter. Hisashi sighed wearily as he came upon a bench, eagerly sitting down to take a moment to just breathe.
…Why did he still feel wary, though? Like he was being watched?
Hisashi narrowed his eyes, taking in his surroundings carefully. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just some hedges, decorative statues, and—
He paused, staring at the statue’s shadow. Was it just him, or had it moved?
He watched it closely, but it didn’t move again, even as he kept his eyes on it for a few minutes. But curiosity was burning bright in him now, and Hisashi inched closer, wanting a better look.
Only to jerk backwards when a dark tendril shot forward from the depths of shadow. Not quickly enough though, as it left a cut across his cheek.
What the hell?! Hisashi gasped, a hand rising to his wounded cheek as he stumbled backwards, the cut sealing shut seconds after.
He had little time to prepare when something large burst out of the shadow, seeming to almost unfold right from the darkness and into the shape of a man. As the details of the form filled in, Hisashi’s gaze met bright, red eyes that peered into him, burning with fury. A glint in the moonlight brought Hisashi’s attention to the dagger the man was holding, but he quickly refocused on the man’s movements as he leapt for Hisashi.
“Who the hell are you?!” Hisashi demanded, dodging a swipe of the blade that went for his throat.
The man didn’t answer, immediately engaging Hisashi in close combat.
Now, Hisashi did better with long-ranged magic. And while he certainly wasn’t shabby at hand-to-hand by any means, he had no weapon on him, and this man had a knife. Which meant his best option was to try and create distance and use his magic to defend himself.
When Hisashi ducked beneath another swipe, he kicked his assailant in the stomach, sending him several feet away. Hisashi used the chance to gather his magic, as the man grunted in pain and took a moment to recover, glaring at Hisashi. He muttered an incantation, ready to cast the spell—
But no magic stirred in his palms.
…What?
Hisashi tried again, to no result. Momentarily distracted by confusion and horror, he wasn’t quick enough to fully dodge the dagger as it came towards him again. The blade meant for his heart plunged into his shoulder, and Hisashi screamed in pain, the wound burning.
He pressed his hands to the stranger’s chest, but again, no magic came to his call when he tried to cast a spell. The man’s eyes glowed red, glaring at him with malevolence. He twisted the blade in Hisashi’s shoulder before ripping it out, and Hisashi cried out. He hugged his arm to his chest, now rendered effectively useless due to the injury’s severity. And it wasn’t healing. Which meant…
Silver. The blade was made of silver. Blood began to pour from the wound quickly as it remained open.
That wasn’t good!
He had to get out of there. He was at a grave disadvantage. No weapons, no magic, and against an opponent that had clearly been waiting for this opportunity.
But the man wasn’t going to let him just leave that easily. Hisashi lashed out with his good arm, swinging at the man, and managing to land a punch to his face that resulted in the sound of cracking bone. When the man’s head wrenched to the side from the force of the hit, Hisashi noticed his red eyes flicker out and go black, before returning to red once more as the man turned back to him. A bloody snarl erupted from the man as his shattered cheek began to heal, Hisashi able to hear the horrible sound bone shifting.
Hisashi shuffled back, his eyes never leaving the man as he backed up, blood leaking down his front and staining his clothes, dripping to the grass below. He pressed his good hand against the wound to slow the bleeding. “What do you want from me?” he asked, trying to distract the man. He had to get away somehow.
The man didn’t respond, instead bolting forward.
This time, Hisashi was somewhat prepared. He grabbed at the greenery around him at random, chucking flowers in the man’s face, making him sputter in surprise as pollen got in his eyes. Hisashi used the chance to run, hand pressed firmly to the wound in his shoulder.
But he didn’t get far as something wrapped around his leg and yanked his feet out from under him, causing him to land hard against the ground. His crown went flying, rolling across the stone pavement and landing a few feet away.
“You aren’t leaving this place alive,” came the low, quiet voice of his attacker.
Hisashi flipped around to see the man holding a taut grip on a shadowy tendril that was wrapped around Hisashi’s ankle. The man’s eyes were watery, and he was blinking them furiously as he kept his reddened gaze on Hisashi. Hisashi bared his fangs and hissed, and the man returned the gesture as he strode forward, more shadowy tendrils springing forth from the darkness to bind Hisashi’s legs, preventing him from standing.
Oh hell, this really wasn’t good.
Hisashi struggled, but couldn’t break free. Called on his magic, but felt no response. His hands were weaponless and his shoulder was bleeding and he really might die this way.
Crap… Crap! He had to do something, find a way out of this! Pain bloomed in his legs like cat scratches, the shadow tendrils somehow digging into his skin and creating small cuts. Hisashi swiped at the man with his claws when he neared, causing a hiss of pain when they tore through flesh. In response, another shadow wrapped around his wrist, drawing blood.
The man stood above him, looking triumphant. “Know this,” he said, pointing his dagger at Hisashi. “This is for Oboro.”
WHO?! Hisashi thought wildly as the dagger came swinging down once more. He sucked in a sharp breath and jerked unexpectedly with all his might, managing to turn himself enough that the blade once more missed anything super important, piercing the edge of his abdomen at an angle, sticking out through the side.
Hisashi couldn’t help the ear-piercing scream that tore from his throat, the taste of blood coating the inside of his mouth as he bit his tongue accidentally. The man growled above him, ripping the dagger out and using his other hand to press Hisashi down into the dirt, holding him in place as he raised the weapon once more—
A bright, blinding light consumed Hisashi’s vision, pain shooting through his eyes from the sheer intensity. They watered and stung, the smell of ozone sharp in the air as he heard the rumble and crack of thunder, followed by a loud shriek that did not sound human, but more like an animal.
Panic lanced through Hisashi as he lay there, expecting himself to burst into dust any second now.
But he did not feel the heated bite of the blade again. Instead, he heard a dull thud next to his head, a surprised gasp, and a pained grunt from his attacker as the shadowy tendrils dispersed from around his legs. Hisashi struggled to open his stinging eyes, tears dripping down from them as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The animalistic screaming was still filling the air, but now Hisashi was able to make out some words in it, and realized it wasn’t actually an animal at all. The repetitive sound of fists hitting flesh and pained noises reached his ears under the rage-filled wailing.
“HOW DARE YOU!”
Those words were the most comprehensible Hisashi had heard so far. Managing to clear his eyes somewhat, he caught sight of a small figure with teal-coloured hair atop a larger, darker one. Erratic bolts of lightning emanated from the smaller form, glowing red marks adorning pale flesh. Red marks Hisashi recognized.
“I-Izuku?” he whispered as he attempted to sit up, a groan of pain leaving him as it aggravated his wounds.
Izuku didn’t seem to hear him, his hands buried in black hair and smashing the man’s face into the ground over and over. Hisashi watched as his assassin reached up with a hand to futilely push Izuku away. The boy responded with a fierce snarl, grasping the man’s arm at the elbow and giving it a harsh squeeze.
Hisashi didn’t think he would ever forget the sound of bone shattering so effortlessly beneath that small hand, or the howl of agony it drew from his attacker. The assassin had no time to regain his senses before Izuku was burying his bloodied face into cracking stone once more.
Hisashi knew just how strong the boy was; how easily he could injure the man. And while Hisashi didn’t particularly care if the man died, he knew Izuku would feel horrible about it after. To his knowledge, the boy didn’t have blood on his hands, and Hisashi didn’t want to be the reason that changed. “Izuku!” he called again.
“YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS. I’LL MAKE YOU PAY!” Izuku screeched, seething as he once again slammed the man’s head into the stone, leaving a growing crater in its wake. He kept his small hand on the assassin's head, pressing his face against the dirt and keeping him pinned as the boy raised his other hand. His claws seemed to absorb some of the lightning around him, the nails glowing a vibrant, teal hue that crackled with concentrated energy.
“IZUKU!” Hisashi cried, lashing out to grasp the boy’s wrist before those claws could tear into the man.
Izuku lurched at the touch, yanking his hand away with ease as he turned his furious eyes towards whoever had dared to stop him, consumed entirely by the same energy that flowed around him. His little chest was heaving violently as he stared at Hisashi, and Hisashi could feel his gaze traveling over his wounds. He felt a little light-headed, both knife wounds still oozing fresh blood, and the tips of his fingers felt cold.
“He hurt you,” Izuku whispered in a feral growl. “He HURT you!”
“I know.” Hisashi spat some leftover blood from his mouth, the wound he bit into his tongue having healed at least. “I know, and it’s not alright. But don’t act rashly. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
Izuku’s teeth ground together, and Hisashi could see he wanted to disregard his words, but the boy eventually nodded curtly. “You’re right. He should be punished publicly, and according to law for attacking royalty.”
The word “publicly” made Hisashi almost regret what he said. He stammered, “We should call the guards. Let them handle him until the trial—”
“No.” Izuku shook his head, reaching down and grabbing a fistful of black hair, deaf to the cry of pain the action received. “We’re dealing with him now.”
Hisashi tried and failed to get to his feet, slumping to his knees, weak from blood loss as Izuku stood. Izuku’s grip on the man tightened as he took notice, stepping closer to Hisashi with a glowing hand. Hisashi felt the coolness of healing magic washing over him, and though it lessened his wounds, it did not heal them fully, nor replenish the blood he had lost. Izuku bared his fangs angrily at the realization.
“Let’s go,” he hissed through his teeth, taking hold of Hisashi’s arm and supporting a good deal of his weight as he led them out of the garden, dragging the man behind him with no care. Izuku paused only briefly to pick up the crown Hisashi had lost during the altercation, hooking it over his arm. “I’ll have medicine and fresh blood brought for you as soon as we’re done.”
Hisashi nodded, but only felt dread as they got closer to the ballroom, the entire crowd going dead silent when they entered. Hisashi figured they must look a sight, him coated in blood and Izuku still crackling with occasional bouts of lightning, all while pulling a beaten, half-conscious man along the floor by his hair.
The crowd parted as Izuku led him forward. “Let this be a lesson,” Izuku announced loudly, throwing the man ahead carelessly, and Hisashi watched the would-be assassin skid and roll limply across the floor until he bumped into the stairs leading to the throne, “on exactly how I will deal with ANY who dares to harm the King Father.”
Nobody dared speak as Izuku focused his attention on Hisashi, helping him cross the rest of the room and up the stairs, Izuku kicking the man’s body out of their way as they went, completely ignoring the moan of pain it elicited.
“Take a seat, Dad.” Izuku gestured towards the throne, and Hisashi couldn’t help but swallow thickly as he felt every pair of eyes watching them. But he didn’t argue, doing as instructed—though he more or less collapsed on the throne. As soon as he sat down, Izuku came up to his side and made a show of placing the crown back on Hisashi’s head. He wrapped an arm around Hisashi’s shoulders possessively (or was it protectively?), glaring at the room at large before whispering into Hisashi’s ear, “No one will ever hurt you again.”
Izuku then pulled himself up onto the throne and sat across Hisashi’s lap. He situated himself comfortably before turning to face the room. Hisashi wearily took notice of how shocked everyone appeared—though he didn’t know if it was from him sitting on the throne, or because of everything else that was happening. Among the sea of faces, he could make out Gran and Mirai, looking just as stunned as the rest.
“Aizawa Shota,” Izuku called out coldly, “sit up.”
The bloody lump on the floor pushed himself up on shaking arms, kneeling before the throne.
“You have committed treason against the crown. Your crimes stand thus: conspiracy against the crown, and attempted assassination of the King Father. Do you deny it?”
“No,” came the answer.
Murmurs and gasps broke out across the room. Hisashi noted Gran and Mirai did not look pleased.
Despite his weak and beaten state, the man—Aizawa—glared furiously at Hisashi, not even sparing a glance towards Izuku.
Izuku noticed this quickly. “DON’T EVEN LOOK AT HIM!” he roared, then took a moment to visibly calm himself, his shoulders and chest heaved rapidly, as Aizawa was forced to look elsewhere. “Why have you attempted to murder the King Father?” Izuku demanded to know, and though Hisashi couldn’t see it, he knew Izuku’s eyes must have been blazing.
“To avenge Shirakumo Oboro,” Aizawa answered through clenched and bloodied teeth.
“Did anyone help you tonight?”
“Yamada Hizashi,” came the reply, though very reluctantly as it was barely more than a whisper. “He conducted the orchestra so others wouldn’t notice the fighting—”
“Yamada Hizashi! Come forward to the throne, NOW!” Izuku shouted for everyone to hear, his voice echoing across the hall.
A thin man with long, blond hair bound by a tie strode forward until he too was before Izuku, casting a fearful, worried glance to Aizawa. “Y-Your Majesty, please, he needs healing—”
“Enough! For the duration of this trial, you will speak only when I ask you a question,” Izuku snapped. “How long have you been planning this?”
“S-Since we heard about the ball, and who it was being thrown for,” Yamada answered.
If Hisashi was slightly less woozy and exhausted, he would probably feel more unsettled with the current proceedings. As it was, Izuku’s presence was a comfort, and Hisashi focused on him rather than the huge crowd all staring at them.
“Conspiracy against the crown and attempted murder of the royal family is punishable by death,” Izuku informed them in a grave tone. “But my father has suggested leniency towards you. Be grateful he is a better man than you are.”
Hisashi took in a deep breath as Izuku turned to face him, giving him an expectant look.
“What do you think, Dad?” Izuku asked of him. “They attacked you. How should they be punished?”
Oh no. Hisashi was not mentally prepared for this. He didn’t know! He didn’t know anything about royal punishments, or crimes against the crown, or whatever! And now everyone was paying attention to him! Again!
Earlier, while in the moment, Hisashi hadn’t really cared if his attempted murderer was killed or not. But now…he didn’t really want them to die, even if they had tried to kill him. Hunting and slaying monsters was one thing, but Hisashi didn’t think he could look a person in the eye and condemn them to death. He also didn’t want to put that blood on Izuku’s hands. So, after a long moment of internal panicking, he said, “Just…get them out of my sight, please. I don’t want to see or hear them right now.”
Izuku nodded. “Very well.” He turned back to the two men before them. “Aizawa Shota, you will not open your eyes from this moment henceforth for the next month. Afterwards, if you ever lay your eyes on my father again, you will avert your gaze, then kneel and bow at his feet for as long as you are in his presence—forever more.”
Hisashi watched, with a detached feeling of horror and fascination, as Aizawa’s eyes slammed shut against his will, despite obvious attempts to resist, head ducking low to the floor.
Then Izuku turned his attention to Yamada, who visibly flinched. “Yamada Hizashi, you will not speak for the same duration as Aizawa’s punishment: one month,” Izuku ordered, fixing the man under what must have been a fierce glare. “And whenever you see my father henceforth afterwards, you will sing his praises in his presence until he dismisses you.”
Yamada gasped soundlessly before his mouth snapped shut firmly, and he raised a shaking hand to his throat.
Izuku pointed at the two men and commanded, “Guards! Get them out of my sight! Remove them and their families from the castle grounds, immediately. And throw these two onto the city streets!”
Guards swarmed in quickly to obey, dragging the two men off as Hisashi watched.
“That concludes the trial. Let it be known that I will not be so merciful the next time someone attempts such an act against my father,” Izuku spoke to the crowd, his hand moving to grasp Hisashi’s own clammy one in a tight grip. He frowned after a moment when all anyone did was stare in silence. “Well? What are you waiting for? This is a party, isn’t it? The night’s still young! Continue the festivities until the morning light!”
Hisashi felt that ordering people to continue partying was a little overkill, but he didn’t dare comment on it, knowing Izuku’s temper was still on the edge.
However, Izuku turned to him, eyes filled with concern. “You’re very pale…” he muttered.
“Nothing a drink or two won’t fix,” Hisashi muttered wearily. “You had that bottle brought to my room, didn’t you? Like we talked about a few weeks ago? I’d like to have a glass right about now…”
Izuku worried his lower lip, looking upset. “Of course, but…” He threw his arms around Hisashi’s neck, uncaring of all the eyes that were still unsubtly lingering on them. “I’m sorry, Dad! I planned this because your banquet went so poorly, and now look what’s happened…”
“It’s fine.” Hisashi sighed tiredly, but he hugged Izuku back all the same, wrapping his arms around him reassuringly. “There’s always next time.”
“But this was supposed to be special! For you! And I—” Izuku broke off with a small, dry sob.
Hisashi patted his back gently. “I’d say it was special enough. Don’t worry about it, Son.”
The boy tried to smile at him at that, but it was wobbly and weak. “You almost died!” he cried. “I couldn’t—What if I hadn’t made it in time?! What would have…”
“But you did, and everything is fine,” Hisashi reassured him, reaching a shaking hand up and wiping away his tears. “Everything is fine, Izuku. I’m still here. Don’t focus on what could have been, focus on what is.”
Izuku sniffled but nodded. “I just…I just don’t wanna lose you,” he whispered.
“You won’t,” Hisashi spoke quietly, rubbing soothing circles into the boy’s back. “Let’s head back upstairs. I think I’ve had enough dancing for one evening.”
Izuku sighed and stood up, though when Hisashi made no move to leave, he raised a brow. “Dad?”
“You ordered us to continue the festivities until the morning. That applied to me as well,” Hisashi explained.
Izuku looked somewhat sheepish at that. “Oh, right. Dad, my last order no longer binds you.”
“Thank you.” Hisashi pushed himself up slowly and immediately stumbled, grateful when Izuku jumped forward to help steady him. “Let’s get going. I believe I promised you a bedtime story, didn’t I?”
Notes:
If Mirai had been the one Hisashi danced with instead of Gran.
Hisashi: …
Mirai: …
Hisashi: “Let me go or I’ll kill you.”
Mirai: “Kill me? You can’t even dance.”
Hisashi: “Excuse me?! I can dance SO good. Way better than you!”
Mirai: “BET.”
Hisashi and Mirai proceed to make a spectacle trying to show each other up dancing, while simultaneously trying to kill each other.
Hisashi: shocked and oblivious.
Hisashi: “How?! How can Gran get so much attention from women?! Why haven't any come on to me?! I'm way better than he is!”
Also Hisashi: oblivious and ignorant to the signals women gave him all night long, brushed off their attempts to get his attention and fled from them no less than three times
Hisashi: “It just doesn't make any sense!”
If Mirai had been there when Eri bit Hisashi’s hand.
Mirai: “Allow me, I'll just pull her off.”
Mirai: picks up Eri
Mirai: “Alright, here we go! On the count of three!”
Hisashi: “NO!”
Mirai: “One...two....three—”
Hisashi: “NO! NO! NO! NO!!!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 16
Summary:
Izuku sighed and stood up, though when Hisashi made no move to leave, he raised a brow. “Dad?”
“You ordered us to continue the festivities until the morning. That applied to me as well,” Hisashi explained.
Izuku looked somewhat sheepish at that. “Oh, right. Dad, my last order no longer binds you.”
“Thank you.” Hisashi pushed himself up slowly and immediately stumbled, grateful when Izuku jumped forward to help steady him. “Let’s get going. I believe I promised you a bedtime story, didn’t I?”
Chapter Text
Izuku helped his father down the steps from the throne, supporting much of his weight as they stumbled across the ballroom. Those that stood in their path quickly made way for them, Izuku willfully ignoring the many stares they received as he helped Hisashi hobble along—though he did give a warning glare and a hiss to anyone that dared to get too close to them.
At one point they passed by a server carrying a tray filled with glasses of fresh blood. The servant appeared more than a little nervous when Izuku approached them. However, Izuku only snatched one of the glasses and offered it to his dad, who took it without complaint and swiftly downed its contents. When the glass was finished and handed back to the server, Hisashi straightened up slightly, a bit of strength coming back to him. Izuku was pleased to find there was already a little more colour to his father’s skin.
“Bring medicine to treat silver poisoning to my father’s room. Right now,” Izuku ordered the servant.
They nodded, swiftly moving to fulfill the order.
Izuku looked up at his dad then, worry still flowing through him. He squeezed Hisashi’s hand, both to comfort his dad and to reassure himself that everything was going to be alright. His heart caught in his throat when Hisashi squeezed back in return, glancing down at him and giving him a small, reassuring smile.
“Let’s hurry back to your room,” Izuku encouraged, unable to shake the anxiety that clawed at him. “I’ll help you with the medicine when we get there.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Hisashi nodded tiredly, though with the fresh blood in his system, his steps were a little more steady as they moved on.
Even still, Izuku clutched his dad’s hand tightly as they walked through the halls, refusing to move so much as an inch from his side. The adrenaline and anger of everything that had just happened was fading away, leaving him feeling clammy and ill. With all that had been going on—the music, the dancing, and the constant attention of the nobles—Izuku almost hadn’t seen his father leaving the ballroom for the gardens. He had wanted to follow Hisashi right away; to bring him back to the ball since it was being held in his honour. He had wanted his father to enjoy every moment of the celebrations, and to feel welcomed and more at ease with everything.
But Gran had stopped him, mentioning how Hisashi likely wanted some privacy with his new friend, and that the adults needed “alone time” with each other. Izuku didn’t know exactly what that meant, but he did know that his dad appreciated time to himself. He also knew Hisashi wasn’t yet used to too much social interaction, and so Izuku had relented and remained put despite his own misgivings.
But when Nemuri had returned in tears, and more importantly, alone, anxiety had dug its claws into Izuku then and refused to be shaken until he saw his father again. Ignoring any and all calls for his attention, he had headed for the gardens where Nemuri had just come from in order to search for Hisashi. But he had walked along multiple paths and past rows of tall hedges, and there hadn’t even been a hint as to where his dad was. Izuku hadn’t been able to find a single sign of him.
Not until he had suddenly heard shouting, and a familiar voice cried out in pain from somewhere deeper in the gardens.
His father's voice.
Izuku had instantly turned in the direction he had heard him, heart hammering away in his chest like never before, his surroundings becoming a blur from how quickly his feet carried him.
Then, he’d heard Hisashi’s ear-piercing scream of agony, and the world around him disappeared in the blaze of blue-white lightning, an overwhelming rage consuming him at whoever dared to attack his father. Izuku had torn through the gardens without care in his mad dash towards the scene.
He would never forget the sight of Aizawa pinning Hisashi to the ground, a blade of silver held over Hisashi’s chest and glinting with menacing promise in the moonlight.
His father had almost died. Again. If Izuku hadn’t made it in time; if he hadn’t gone searching; Hisashi would have died.
If he hadn’t let Hisashi out of his sight, this wouldn’t have happened.
And that singular thought was what now kept replaying over and over in Izuku’s head as they made their way to Hisashi’s room. Fear of what could have happened—of what almost had happened—had steadily begun to overwhelm him now that the adrenaline was fading. His arms felt like noodles and his legs shook beneath him. And with every step he took it only seemed to worsen, tremors beginning to course through his body. His eyes grew wet and warm, and his sight blurry.
Finally, Izuku could take no more as his legs gave out under him, crashing him down on his knees to the floor as a hiccuping sob left him. He wrapped his arms around Hisashi’s leg, unable to move and unwilling to let go as tears fell from his eyes once more.
“Izuku?” he heard his dad call out softly.
Izuku shook his head, burying his face in the side of Hisashi’s leg.
A hand landed on his head, one that trembled minutely from exhaustion, but stroked his curls regardless. “Izuku, my son, come on now,” Hisashi spoke soothingly. “We’re still in the hall, we have to get to our room.”
“I-I can’t,” Izuku admitted. He felt frozen in fear, which was strange considering the situation had happened easily over fifteen minutes ago. “I can’t m-move.”
“You’re in shock,” Hisashi explained gently. “It’s alright. Everything is alright, Izuku.”
Izuku sniffled, nuzzling up into his dad’s hand. Large, strong arms lowered to him, hands lifting him from under his arms and hoisting Izuku up, where he was cradled against Hisashi’s chest. He clutched at the back of the man’s clothes, ignoring the blood drying on them, and buried his face in Hisashi’s unwounded shoulder.
He always felt the safest in his dad’s arms.
A brief pang of worry lanced through him when his dad stumbled on his first steps forward, but Hisashi mumbled reassurances to him and steadied his footing, carrying Izuku up to their rooms. His breathing grew a little heavier when climbing the stairs, but he made no complaint. And when Izuku sniffled, tears slipping from his eyes, Hisashi laid a hand on his back, gently rubbing up and down as he murmured soft comforts.
Izuku continued to cling hard even when Hisashi reached their rooms, heading to his own and attempting to set Izuku down on the bed. But Izuku grumbled and clutched at his dad, not wanting to be separated yet. What if he let go and something took Hisashi away from him?
Hisashi sighed, seeming to resign himself to Izuku’s clinginess as he pulled out the desk chair and sat down, still holding Izuku close. He situated the two of them to be more at ease, and patted Izuku’s back comfortingly.
“How do I use this?” he asked after a few minutes of silence, causing Izuku to glance up from where he had buried his face in his father’s shoulder. In Hisashi’s hand was a jar of medicinal cream.
Izuku wiped at his eyes and straightened up just a little. “You apply it directly to the wound. Since you got…got…” He let out a little sob before continuing, “S-Stabbed with silver, I couldn’t heal you fully because the silver poisoned the wound.”
“Alright. Can you lean back so I can apply it?” Hisashi asked, raising a hand and gently brushing away a few of Izuku’s tears.
Izuku instead reached out and took the cream from his dad, opening the jar and shifting to face Hisashi better. “I can help,” he said. “The poison probably leaked into your blood, so we’ll have to cleanse your blood as well and replenish it with fresh stuff.”
Hisashi looked a little nervous at the idea of cleansing his blood. “Then it’s a good thing I asked for a large bottle to be brought up to my room beforehand. Think it tastes better than the swill being served at the ball?” he joked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
Izuku attempted a smile, but it was weak and wobbly.
Hisashi began to try and unbutton his shirt, and Izuku watched his hands shake, uncoordinated. After a few moments, he batted his dad’s hands aside impatiently, grabbing the shirt at the neckline and simply ripping it open, a few of the buttons flying off.
“…Well. The tailor isn’t going to like this,” Hisashi quipped, a tired smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
“He can make more,” Izuku replied stubbornly, scooping out a bit of the medicine as he looked down at the stab wound below his dad’s shoulder. The sight of it made fresh tears well up, his throat becoming choked with emotion. The flesh around it appeared swollen, and the wound itself was blackened, with dark, sickly veins spreading out from it.
Izuku couldn’t help but think about how different this night would have gone, had that wound been just a little further inward.
It would have hit Hisashi’s heart.
The thought of having dust on his hands right now instead of cream made Izuku’s gut churn sickeningly. He bit his trembling lip to keep himself from sobbing, the tips of his fangs piercing into his skin and drawing blood as he fought to steady himself. Slowly, carefully, he applied the medicinal cream to the wound, unable to tear his eyes away from it.
“Hey now,” Hisashi’s voice came, snapping Izuku out of his reverie, his tone lightly scolding, “don’t do that. You shouldn’t bite yourself.” His hand came up to wipe away a small trickle of blood from Izuku’s chin.
Izuku immediately stopped biting, not wanting to cause his dad anymore pain, physically or emotionally. “C-Can I see the other one?” he asked, glancing down to the other splotch of blood in his father’s clothes, the red blooming like a flower from beneath.
His dad shifted, pulling his shirt fully away from his abdomen, a quiet hiss escaping him when the shirt ripped away from where it had stuck to some of the dried blood around the injury. Izuku winced to hear it, quickly turning his attention to the second stab wound on his dad’s side. He started applying the cream, feeling terrible about having to dip his fingers into the wound to get the medicine in there, Hisashi’s face pinching with poorly hidden pain at the action.
“I-I should have done more,” Izuku murmured after he was done, anger colouring his voice as furious tears threatened to break free. “I shouldn’t have let them…not after…after they almost…!”
“It’s alright, Izuku,” Hisashi tried to soothe.
“NO, IT’S NOT!” Izuku burst out suddenly, feeling Hisashi jump slightly beneath him in surprise. “They almost took you away from me!” That one came out more as a whine; the sound of a sad, upset child. Izuku lowered his eyes in shame, but he didn’t stop speaking. “...You almost left me. Why…Why do my parents keep leaving me? Do I not deserve family?”
“Izuku…” Hisashi said softly, and Izuku felt a hand grasp his chin and tilt it up so that he was looking into red eyes. “They didn’t…They didn’t leave you—”
“Y-Yes they did!” Izuku insisted, cutting Hisashi off with a choked sob. “T-They left, and they never came back! They died and left me behind! And so many things keep trying to take you away from me too!”
Hisashi looked a bit at a loss for what to say, but his other hand moved up so he could cup Izuku’s face in both hands, thumbs gently rubbing Izuku’s cheeks. “They didn’t…mean to leave you. And I’m sure they never wanted to. It’s not that you don’t deserve family, or are unlovable, or anything like that. Things just…happen. Things we can’t always control. It’s not your parents’ fault, and it isn’t yours.”
“I can control you.” And Izuku knew that was a bad thing to say, as Hisashi’s face twisted briefly, but he pressed on, “But I…I still couldn’t control that from happening to you. I can’t control your life. I don’t—I don’t really want to control your life; I just want you to live! I want you to live. With me. Stay with me. Don’t leave me.” He was begging now, clutching desperately to Hisashi. A shuddering breath caused him to pause before he forced himself to continue, “But th-things keep…keep happening and I can’t stop them and what if…”
He couldn’t say it.
Hisashi was quiet for a long moment. “Izuku…I’m…I’m not going to die.”
It was a weak reassurance.
“You don’t know that!” Izuku snapped. “You can’t promise me something like that!”
“Izuku…”
“I’m s-scared,” Izuku admitted quietly, burying his face in the remains of father’s clothes and clinging tightly to him. He couldn’t keep his voice from breaking as he forced himself to speak. “I’m s-so scared all the t-time. W-What if you leave me too? What will I do then?”
Warm arms wrapped around him then, slowly at first, before tightening their hold on him as they embraced him. A hand rested on the back of his head, fingers curling into his hair.
“I won’t leave you. Or, I’ll try not to leave you,” his dad promised.
Izuku stared up hopefully. “You don’t…want to leave me anymore?”
“I…” Hisashi looked away, seeming to have some sort of internal struggle. “No,” he finally whispered. “...No, I don’t.”
“Do you…Do you mean that?” Izuku asked, heart hammering away in his chest as he dreaded the answer. What if Hisashi was lying? Should he force him to tell the truth? He should make sure it wasn’t a lie.
And yet…he wasn’t certain if he actually wanted to know.
“Yeah,” Hisashi answered quietly with a small nod, “I do mean it.”
Izuku choked on a sob, unable to stop the wail that tore from his throat as he held tightly onto his dad. Hisashi said nothing, simply holding Izuku and allowing him to cry until his tears were spent. Izuku slumped against the man with a shaky breath, curling into his hold.
He almost gave a start when his father spoke up once more, “Let’s not let this blood go to waste.” Hisashi straightened himself a little, shifting his hold on Izuku to one arm as he reached for the bottle. “I could really use a drink right now.”
Izuku immediately felt terrible. Here he was crying all over his dad while Hisashi was still injured and weak from the attack. And Hisashi hadn’t even complained! Hadn’t pushed him away or made any indication of discomfort.
“Oh, right,” Izuku mumbled.
“You mentioned uhh…Cleansing my blood?”
Izuku nodded, trying to wipe the mess of tears off his face. “Yeah. I, umm. I need to…to…drink your blood. To get the bad stuff out.”
It was a half-lie. The medicinal cream worked well enough to neutralize the poison in Hisashi’s system—though it would take a bit of time. But if Izuku manually drew out the bad blood and let Hisashi replenish himself with fresh blood, it would help him heal faster. It was also a bit of a selfish decision, he would admit, as Izuku wanted to feel close to his dad right now. Vampire children would occasionally drink from their parents to strengthen familial bonds. And other than the initial turning, Izuku hadn’t gotten to drink from Hisashi again.
He felt his dad shudder against him at the idea though, tremors going through his body and his face twisting into a grimace. He looked down at Izuku with uncertainty. “...Are you sure that’s the only way?”
“If you want to remove the poison as quickly as possible,” Izuku told him.
The man sighed wearily. “Why does every vampire I meet want to bite me?” he muttered to himself, before reluctantly conceding with, “Fine. As long as it helps with the poison.” He glared at Izuku with suspicion. “It is going to help with the poison, isn’t it?”
Other vampires wanted to bite his dad? Adult vampires only bit other adult vampires if they like-liked them! He remembered how his mother had been biting his father, the one time he came into their room without knocking. Izuku felt possessive jealousy well up. He didn’t want to share his dad with anyone!
…Though maybe a mom would be nice one day…
“It will help, I promise,” Izuku assured.
“F-Fine,” Hisashi agreed, clearly reluctant. “But not my neck!” he added quickly. “Only my wrist.”
Izuku pouted, but it was better than nothing. “Okay. But don’t forget you need to drink from the bottle of fresh blood while I draw out all the bad stuff.”
“That I can do,” Hisashi grumbled, taking hold of the bottle and uncorking it swiftly with a claw, not even bothering to pour a glass as he drank straight from it. He sighed contentedly after a mouthful, lowering it back down, then stared at Izuku expectantly.
Izuku took that as his cue to grab Hisashi’s free arm, pushing his sleeve up to bare his wrist. He felt his dad tense underneath him, but Hisashi made no move to stop him as Izuku lowered his head and brought the wrist to his mouth, sinking his fangs in as gently as he could.
The blood that rushed over his tongue was foul, the taste sharp and bitter as it slid down his throat—nothing at all like the first time he had drank his father’s blood. And it stung, burning Izuku’s taste buds and throat as though he had eaten something excessively spicy. He winced at the discomfort it caused, drawing away with a cough.
“What is it?” Hisashi asked, and Izuku could hear the frown in his voice.
“It just tastes…off. That’s all,” Izuku said. He made no mention of how drinking the poison would likely make him sick in Hisashi’s stead. Given that it had been weakened by the medicine, it probably wouldn’t be that bad, but still.
He mumbled an apology before sinking his fangs back into Hisashi’s wrist, and though he winced from the acrid taste, this time he did not let go as the blood settled unpleasantly in his stomach.
Meanwhile, his father took another sip of the bottle to replenish the blood being taken. This continued until the revolting taste of Hisashi’s began to ease, becoming smoother and lighter over time, indicating the poison was gone.
“T-There,” Izuku said as he drew away, barely able to stifle the groan as he felt nausea welling up. “I think I got it all. Do you feel better?”
“Yeah.” Hisashi sighed, staring into the now-empty bottle he was holding before turning to give Izuku a tiny smile. “Thank you.” That smile transformed into a frown quickly though, his eyes studying Izuku’s face critically. “Do you…feel alright?”
“I’m fine,” Izuku stated, refusing to let his dad know how sick he felt right now. “As long as you’re okay.”
Hisashi raised a brow at him, and Izuku wasn’t entirely certain he had convinced the man. But Hisashi said nothing more of it, gaze turning to the bed, and Izuku could see the clear exhaustion in his eyes as he looked at it longingly.
“…I promised you a bedtime story, didn't I?” Hisashi brought the topic up unexpectedly, causing Izuku to blink.
The next thing he knew, he was being lifted and carried over to the bed, where Hisashi sat down. He held Izuku securely, tousling the green curls as he eased his back onto plush pillows.
“Sorry, I don’t have any books to read you right now,” his dad apologized. “But there is one I know by heart; my brother’s favourite story when we were little.”
Izuku shifted, trying to get comfortable past the rolling nausea in his stomach. “Okay,” he agreed easily.
His dad began to tell him the story, Izuku able to feel the vibrations of his deep voice from where his head lay on Hisashi’s chest. As Hisashi spoke, Izuku’s hands unconsciously wandered over his father’s wounds, covering them protectively. He let his mind focus on the story, trying to drown out the anxiety that still buzzed in the back of his head.
Hisashi would pause occasionally to remember details, or allow Izuku to interrupt with questions. As the story progressed, the pauses grew longer and longer, Hisashi yawning occasionally before mumbling apologies.
“Dad?” Izuku asked when his father suddenly trailed off and didn’t pick back up after a minute. Izuku glanced up, brows knitted with confusion when he saw Hisashi’s eyes were closed. Panic immediately swarmed Izuku. “Dad?!” he nearly shouted, and was rewarded with a slight jerk. He blew out a sigh of relief as he watched his father’s chest rise and fall slowly.
He’s just asleep, Izuku reassured himself, even as he intensely watched Hisashi breathe. He was just sleeping. He wasn’t…wasn’t…And he would be fine! All the poison was out and the wounds were sluggishly beginning to heal.
Still…it wouldn’t hurt if Izuku helped it along. He didn’t want his dad to be in any more pain.
Pushing past his own exhaustion, Izuku whispered a small incantation, his hands obtaining a bright green glow as he held them over the still-open wounds. He poured his energy into the spell, willing for them to heal. It was more difficult and tiring than it normally was, but he pressed on regardless until the torn flesh knitted back together seamlessly. And soon enough, smooth, flawless skin was left behind in place of stab wounds, without even a scar to show they had ever been there.
If Izuku was a lesser vampire, his healing magic wouldn’t have been powerful enough to erase everything. His dad would’ve had to live with a constant reminder of what he’d gone through. But thankfully, Izuku wasn’t a lesser vampire, and his magic was unmatched power-wise. As long as he was around, nothing could hurt Hisashi again.
But it didn’t make it any easier to close his eyes and allow himself to sleep, his brain still spinning with worry. What if something came for his dad in the middle of the night? What if Hisashi died in his sleep? What if Izuku wasn’t watching and Hisashi got taken away?
He squirmed to sit up straighter in his father’s hold, but his movement made the arms around him squeeze, pressing him closer to Hisashi’s side.
“Izuku…” he heard his father murmur in his sleep, eyes closed. For a moment Izuku thought his heart might burst, and he wrapped his own arms around Hisashi in return.
“I’m here, Dad,” Izuku said quietly, easing into the hold and watching as Hisashi relaxed once more. Unable to move anymore without waking his father, Izuku cuddled into his side instead.
But he still didn’t dare close his eyes, keeping them sharp for any sign of another assassin.
It wasn’t until hours later that Izuku was able to get any rest, his body finally giving out from the exhaustion of trying to keep watch all night, leaving him to eventually blackout next to his dad.
Hisashi awoke groggily, his chest feeling strangely heavy. Why was…? He glanced down, blinking bleary eyes, to see Izuku there, fast asleep. Ah, that was why.
As his brain fully woke up, the memories of the previous night started flooding in, and Hisashi simply lay there for a while, digesting everything that had happened now that his mind was clear of exhaustion and pain. He looked back down, finding the stab wounds from last night were already gone. Vampire healing at its finest—something he was grateful for. Walking around with gaping holes in your body was highly unpleasant, as he knew from past experiences. However, the blood that had dried on his skin was not gone, and he was rather a mess. He felt gross.
Hisashi turned his gaze to the boy as he sat up. He would’ve thought Izuku dead, if it weren’t for slow, steady breaths that made his chest rise and fall. Izuku’s complexion was even paler than it normally was. And while he was usually a clingy octopus even in his sleep, right now his limbs were slack, allowing Hisashi some freedom of movement. Strange.
“Izuku?” Hisashi called out to the boy, laying a hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him.
He received no response other than Izuku’s face scrunching up a bit before he turned away on his side, tugging the covers over his shoulder.
Well. Hisashi supposed he should leave him to sleep then. Izuku must still be exhausted from the ordeal at the ball. Hisashi had never seen Izuku break down like that before, and it definitely wasn’t something he wanted to see again. Tears and frowns didn’t suit the boy’s face the way smiles and laughter did. Thankfully, Izuku had just done him a favour by rolling the other way. Hisashi held no illusion that he could’ve gotten Izuku off himself by his own strength.
Hisashi stood and stretched, bones cracking as he found himself a fresh set of clothes, taking notice of his parched throat. Maybe he could grab a glass of blood himself from the kitchen after he bathed, or ask to have one delivered to his room by a servant if he passed by any.
Sparing Izuku one last glance to reassure himself that the boy was sleeping peacefully, he took his leave and headed for the royal baths. The thought of soaking in the hot water and relaxing the tension out of his muscles had him eager to get there. He could almost smell the flowery, scented oils that had been used in his bath the last time. He was rather fond of that lily fragrance a servant suggested.
No, wait. He did smell scented oils.
Confused, Hisashi threw open the door to the royal baths upon arrival, where he was greeted with his worst nightmare.
Mirai. And Gran. Naked. In the bath.
“Don’t you know how to knock?” Gran snapped, head turning to face Hisashi as Hisashi entered the room.
“Oh, that’s just rich coming from you!” Mirai nagged Gran.
Hisashi watched the two of them devolve into a little argument, before his brain kicked into gear. “My bad,” he mumbled, spinning on his heel to beat a hasty retreat. He’d just sit around covered in crusted blood for the next few hours, thanks.
“Not so fast!” Gran called out.
And just as Hisashi had reopened the door, the handle was ripped from his grasp and it was slammed back shut. He could only stare at Gran, who was blocking him from leaving.
Gran. Standing right in front of him. Naked.
“You’re already here, aren’t ya?” Gran said, a wicked grin taking over his face. “Water’s nice and hot. Be a shame to let it go to waste, don’t ya think?”
“It wouldn’t go to waste!” Hisashi exclaimed, backing up several feet and shielding his eyes. “You and Mirai are here!”
Gran waggled his brows. “Sure, but we could use one more. Better conversation that way. Mirai can be pretty dull to talk to sometimes.”
Hisashi ignored the offended squawk of “Excuse you!” from Mirai in the background, his mouth opening and closing, trying to find something to say to that.
“N-No thank you!” he hissed eventually.
“But you can’t get into the bath like that,” Gran continued as if Hisashi hadn’t spoken, clicking his tongue as he crossed his arms, tapping a finger against his cheek. “Why don’t I help you out, hm?”
Hisashi only had a brief moment to feel panic before his world began spinning. Quite literally.
He flailed, feeling hands tearing at his clothes as he fought to keep himself upright. But he failed at that, falling on his back when his legs were swiped out from under him, all the air escaping his lungs at the impact. Hisashi had barely registered his boots being yanked off his feet, when he felt the mortifying sensation of hands on his hips. Before he could even blink, his pants were all but ripped away from him. He yelped when not even his underwear were spared, and his hands flew to immediately cover himself.
When the dizziness cleared from his eyes, he cracked them open again slowly. He heard a hum from above him, and followed the sound to Gran’s face, who was staring at him with a smirk, standing next to Hisashi with his hands on his own hips. Naked.
Hisashi felt himself instantly redden from face to chest. He could hear Mirai chuckle in the background. He quickly sat up, only to realize it put him at face level with Gran’s…
Hisashi shrieked, scooting backwards.
Gran began to laugh so hard Hisashi thought he might choke. He hoped he did. The wretch deserved to.
“I ain’t never met someone so prudish about nudity!” Gran cackled. “Especially around his own kind.”
Hisashi buried his face in his hands, then realized he’d left himself uncovered in more important areas, and his hands flew back down as he desperately tried to work through his embarrassment. He glared at Gran, unable to find words to express his anger. But then he blinked, and the man was suddenly gone from his view once more.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Gran crooned into his ear from behind, clawed hands gripping onto Hisashi’s shoulders. “The bath is over there!”
Hisashi found himself manhandled up, and felt a foot implant itself in the small of his back. He tripped forward, falling into the bath with awkward flailing and a surprised yelp.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Hisashi shouted after he resurfaced, coughing up the burning water that had worked its way into his lungs.
Gran slipped into the bath casually, snorting at Hisashi. “Me? What’s wrong with you? Ain’t never met a man so afraid of a wang.”
Hisashi sputtered. “I’m not afraid!”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Surprisingly, it was Mirai that had spoken. “Then again, you appear to be afraid of women too.”
“I am not!” Hisashi defended himself hotly. “Why am I even debating this with you?! I’m leaving!” He made to stand, but quickly realized that he was still naked, and the water provided at least some sort of coverage.
Gran raised a brow, waiting. “Well? Go on, then. If you’re brave enough.”
Hisashi…wasn’t. He quickly sat back down, not wanting the two seeing his nether regions. He wanted to drown himself in the bath actually, but he felt Gran and Mirai would enjoy that too much.
“What are you two even doing in here?” he asked them accusingly. “This is the royal baths! It isn’t for commoners!”
Mirai immediately bristled from the insult, while Gran only chuckled.
“If anyone here is a commoner, it’s you,” Mirai shot back contemptuously. “You’re nothing more than a swine dressed in finery.”
“Barn princess!” Gran guffawed.
“Don’t call me that!” Hisashi snapped, and he was mortified to hear light laughter from the sides of the room as a handful of servants came out, holding scented oils and flowers.
Had they…Had they been there the whole time?
Hisashi wanted to die. He had never been so embarrassed before. Not even the incident with Hakamata compared to this. “You’re not to speak of this to anyone!” Hisashi demanded of the servants hastily. “Absolutely no one!”
“Well, look at you giving out commands,” Mirai sneered.
“He certainly does better at taking them!” Gran added.
Hisashi, already flustered, all but jumped out of his skin when a servant came near with a washcloth, clearly intent on bathing him. “I can wash myself!” he insisted, all but yanking the cloth out of their hand. “Get out! All of you! OUT!”
“What do you think you’re doing?” Mirai asked with narrowed eyes. “They’re not going anywhere. This is part of their job.”
But two of the servants, who looked very vaguely familiar, were already whispering to some of the others, gesturing towards the door.
“I’m the King Father, aren’t I?” Hisashi pointed out, drawing the tiniest bit of satisfaction when Mirai’s face twisted in anger. “Doesn’t that mean I hold the second highest power in the land? That means they have to obey me!”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” some of the servants chorused.
Hisashi startled, automatically looking around for Izuku before realizing they were talking to him. It felt strange to actually be addressed that way.
But the servants did leave, bowing politely before exiting the room. Leaving him alone with Gran and Mirai.
Hisashi quickly grabbed a bottle of scented oils, throwing all of its contents into the bath and mixing it in so that the water became foggier. The room filled with the fragrance, nearly overpowering his sense of smell, but he didn’t care. Anything to spare him the sight of Gran. Naked.
Unfortunately, he was not prepared for when Mirai stood up, casually baring it all as the man went to grab the soaps and shampoos left by servants. Hisashi averted his eyes as quickly as he could, but was not fast enough to escape the sight.
“Do neither of you have any shame?!” he cried.
“If you hadn’t dismissed the servants, I wouldn’t have had to get up in the first place,” Mirai shot back as he settled into the bath once more.
“I don’t want some stranger trying to wash me!” Hisashi defended himself. “It’s weird!”
“You’re the one being weird. This is literally part of what they’re paid to do,” Gran retorted. “Ya wouldn’t want to be responsible for their docked pay, wouldja?”
Why did Izuku have to roll over and let Hisashi get up this morning? He could still be sleeping right now, unable to move. “Absolutely not! And I’m not weird!”
Gran merely chuckled at Hisashi’s indignant expression, before he waved to Mirai. “Hand me those flowers, will ya? My bath is never complete without them.”
Mirai’s expression wrinkled ever so slightly, but he did as asked, handing the bowl of petals over to the elder vampire. “Why don’t you ever try a different fragrance?” he asked as Gran scooped a handful out and sprinkled them into the water. “You always use the same kind every time. I would like to try different scents now and again.”
“You can choose next time,” Gran said dismissively.
“You say that every time,” Mirai grumbled. “...Wasn’t this Queen Nana’s favourite?”
Gran just shrugged. “Could be. It’s been, what? Five hundred years? So I can’t remember for sure.”
Hisashi saw the opportunity to take a shot back at Gran and butted in, “Enjoy smelling like flowers, do you? Rather girly, isn’t it?”
Gran…didn’t seem offended. “Sure! And we all get to smell like flowers today. Better than smelling like sweat and piss.”
Was that a snide remark at Hisashi? He squinted. “Good thing none of us smell like that then,” he muttered.
Gran snickered. “Sure they don’t. Barn princess.”
Hisashi resisted the urge to splash water at him, instead grabbing some soap and frothing a cloth with suds as he began to wash the dried blood off his chest, determined to ignore the pair for as long as possible. Unfortunately, they refused to leave him be.
“I see you’ve already recovered from your wounds last night,” Mirai commented dryly, his features pinched. “Remarkably fast, even for a vampire—considering the silver poisoning and all.”
“Thank you,” Hisashi replied, sarcasm heavy in his tone. “I’m touched by your concern. Funny how you knew I was poisoned by silver.”
“What else could it have been?” Mirai sniffed. “Silver is one of the only things a vampire can’t readily heal from.”
“But how did you know I wasn’t fully healed? Can you see under my clothes?” Hisashi needled him.
“Ya came back into the hall limpin’ like you weren’t healin’ right,” Gran pointed out.
“Uh-huh.” Hisashi narrowed his eyes at them. “Kind of ironic too, that I got led out into the garden right after you shoved me into that woman just before I was attacked.”
“What a funny coincidence!” Gran agreed lightly.
Hisashi scowled. “Oh, can you cut the crap? How did you even manage to convince a total stranger to attack me in the middle of such a large event?”
“Those are some dangerous accusations you’re throwing at us,” Mirai said.
“Are you denying them?” Hisashi asked. “You even admitted to knowing I would ‘spill blood’ last night. Looking back on it, I somehow doubt you were referring to your wine.”
Mirai just smirked.
“It wasn’t hard,” Gran confessed casually, dolloping some shampoo into his hand and working it into his hair. “You murdered his best friend after all.”
“Who?”
“Shirakumo Oboro.”
“WHO?” Hisashi still didn’t know who that was.
“Shirakumo Oboro was a vampire of the lesser nobility,” Mirai explained curtly. “He was a lieutenant in the army. He was scouting across the border when you came across him and his company, who were fighting what we now know were a group of half-lifes. He died fending you off so his men could escape.”
Hisashi didn’t remember him. “Well, I’ve killed tons of vampires, so. He mustn’t have been that good of a lieutenant considering he didn’t stand out. I have no memory of a decent foe in recent fights.”
Gran scoffed derisvely, sending him a wry grin. Hisashi ignored it.
“I’m sure that would be a great comfort for his parents to hear. Their house will likely go extinct due to his death,” Mirai replied dryly.
“Can’t they just have another kid?” Hisashi asked, hiding a wince. “Vampires live for centuries. Surely they have time to produce another heir.”
“Clearly you don’t know how hard it is for vampires to conceive.” Mirai scowled at him for his callous words. “His Majesty, Izuku, was only born fifty-nine years ago, after Queen Inko and King Toshinori had been married for seven hundred years. Let that sink in for a moment. I’m sure even you could put two and two together.”
“…Ah.” Hisashi shoved down any feelings that his heart was trying to have. He was not going to get sappy, dang it. Remorse wouldn’t do him any good at this point. What was done was done. “Uh, anyway, think you guys could like…Maybe take a break on trying to kill me for a bit? Getting kind of tired of it.”
Mirai squinted at him, gold eyes flashing while Gran raised a brow, fixing him with a flat stare.
“Oh?” Gran snorted. “I thought you wanted to die? You tried to kill yourself, after all.”
So they did know about that. Hisashi had admitted to Izuku the other night that he cared enough for the boy that he wanted to stay, but admitting the same to Gran and Mirai was…harder. “That’s none of your business. I’m allowed to change my mind on certain things.”
“So you don’t want to die anymore then?” Mirai pressed, looking displeased.
“Changed your mind? On what exactly?” Gran narrowed his eyes. “You gettin’ used to a cushy life? Taking advantage of our king?”
“I am not taking advantage of him!” Hisashi seethed angrily. “I’d never take advantage of a kid, much less my own s—!” Hisashi clipped his mouth shut before he could finish the word, but one look at the pair told him it was already too late.
Gran’s brows shot up, and Mirai’s jaw dropped.
Mirai recovered quickly though, rage overcoming his expression as he shouted, “He is NOT your son!”
“I didn’t—I didn’t say that!” Hisashi defended uselessly.
“Is that not what you were going to say?” Gran asked. “Forget yourself for a moment there, All For One?”
For some reason, the name felt like an arrow to the chest. Hisashi did his best to keep from showing how much it bothered him.
“Getting a little comfortable among vampires for a hunter, aren’t ya?” Gran continued. “Even growing attached to the very one who turned you against your will and captured you? For shame.”
“That’s not…I didn’t—!” Hisashi stammered, becoming more and more flustered as something ugly rose inside him at Gran’s words.
“What would the other humans you’ve spent so long protecting think of you now? Cozying up with your vampire captor.”
“SHUT UP!” Hisashi roared furiously. He hated thinking about it. Didn’t want to be reminded of his…rough start.
He cared for Izuku now, funny enough, in spite of everything. And it was hard to consolidate the boy he cared for with the monster who had ruined his life. Hisashi was making the best of what had happened, and was putting the past behind him.
Besides, he had seen Izuku for what he really was last night. Not a monster. Not even a king. Just a desperately lonely boy. A child who had made a bad choice, kidnapping and turning Hisashi against his will, but still a child. One who had made that choice in order to fill the hole the death of his parents left behind in his life. A hole that no one else had bothered to step in to fill, causing the child to seek someone out for himself.
Izuku was not a monster. He had never been a monster. He just wanted a family.
“You don’t even realize that what you’re doing is hurting him, do you?” Hisashi accused the pair. “I doubt you even realize how much his parents' death actually damaged him! Did you even try to help him cope with the loss of his parents?!”
“You dare accuse us of negligence towards His Majesty the King?!” Mirai spit. “Who do you think has been by his side since before he lost his parents?! Who do you think stepped up to help him when he was crowned king and facing a war?!”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You might have helped him with being a king, but you weren’t there for him in the way that he needed the most! It’s no wonder he’s as emotionally unstable and dependent as he is!”
“We are looking out for his best interests!” Mirai insisted.
“But you never treated him as a kid, did you?” Hisashi pointed out. “Never gave a thought to how he was an eleven year old boy. One whose parents were just murdered, and who had all the responsibilities of the crown shoved onto him. You never treated Izuku like Izuku. Like a person. You always treat him as a king before anything else!”
“Unfortunately, the life of a royal means making personal sacrifices for the good of your people and kingdom.” Mirai sniffed. “Izuku has been aware of that, and what it means to wear the crown, since he was old enough to speak.”
Gran sighed. Something flashed in his dark eyes, but it was gone so quickly Hisashi couldn’t make out what it was. “I’d love to see the kid acting more like a kid. But being king comes first. That’s just how it goes. Mirai and I have already taken on a vast amount of royal responsibilities since Izuku’s crowning, just so that the kid doesn’t have to. He should, in fact, be doing more than he is, but he’s just a kid. We’ve been trying to spare him as much as we can.”
“Why isn’t there anyone else that can? Why a literal child?” Hisashi demanded to know. “As ancient as the royal family is, surely there’s someone else that could take the mantle until Izuku is old enough!”
“Because there is no one else,” Mirai retorted sharply. “The royal family line runs in a straight line of succession. No member of the royal family has ever bore a second child. Could you imagine the chaos if they had?”
No? Hisashi could not. Plenty of human kings had multiple children—usually as backup in case the heir died. And they always seemed fine…Other than the occasional assassination and fight for the throne. But it always worked out in the end.
“Isn’t there like…I don’t know. A law or something for an adult to stand in place for the king until the king is of age?” Hisashi asked.
“Only a Midoriya can rule,” Gran explained with a hum. “And there’s only one Midoriya still alive.”
“I’m a Midoriya now, aren’t I?” Hisashi reminded them.
Gran’s eyes glinted dangerously, and Mirai suddenly looked furious.
“Is that a challenge?” Gran growled out, baring his fangs.
“Well, if neither of you are going to properly help my son,” Hisashi spit back.
“YOU ARE NOT HIS FATHER!” Mirai rose with a shout, absolutely trembling with rage. “You will NEVER be able to replace King Toshinori!”
Hisashi sneered, his hackles thoroughly raised. He stood as well in response, forgetting his nakedness in the heat of the moment. “I’m not trying to replace anyone! You can’t replace those you’ve lost! But I am his father now, or did you miss the ceremonies Izuku has held welcoming me into his family?”
Gran looked upset as well, but not enraged the way Mirai was over Hisashi’s claims. “You think you could even handle being king?” The old vampire snorted. “Don’t make me laugh. You wouldn’t last a day. You know nothing of our laws or ways of life—not to mention your rather lacking education. Think you could really be king when you can’t handle anything beyond basic addition?”
“I’m more than capable of learning the ropes,” Hisashi insisted, in spite of the fact that he knew Gran had a point.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the decades to spare to teach you, even if anyone actually wanted you, an infamous former vampire hunter, as king.” Gran shook his head. “We’re barely managing to keep Izuku up to speed as it is due to the war, especially with you distracting him as of late.”
“Was Toshinori not also a vampire hunter?” Hisashi pointed out. “Strange argument from you there, considering, don’t you think?” Internally, he shuddered at the thought of decades of lessons.
“King Toshinori was never a remorseless killer like you,” Mirai snapped. “I will never understand why His Majesty picked you. He deserves far better. As much as it pains me to know how sad he would be at your passing, I know it’s best to end this little…venture…early.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him that then,” Hisashi said lightly. “I can only imagine what he would have in store for the two of you once he learns what you’ve been doing. It would make last night look like a party trick, I bet.”
Gran and Mirai stiffened.
Finally. Something he could hold over them. “Cried over me all night, you know, begging me not to leave him. I’m sure he’d be perfectly pleasant if he discovered you’re trying to kill his new father. What do you think he would do to you, Mirai? Permanently blind you? Or what about you, Gran? Think he’d ever let you so much as walk ever again? That’s if he didn’t kill you two off the bat. Look at what he did to those guys from last night after just one attempt. You've tried to get me killed, what? Four or five times already?”
And oh, Mirai was fuming. And Gran’s jaw was clenched so tightly that Hisashi was surprised he hadn’t broken any teeth. Both men were glaring absolute daggers at him.
“Lay off for a little while, yeah?” Hisashi asked. “And I won’t have anything to say to Izuku.”
“Fine,” Mirai conceded through gritted teeth. Though reluctance was clear in his face and tone.
But it was satisfactory enough, and so Hisashi sat down again, fighting back another blush when he suddenly realized he’d just been standing there, airing it all out while they argued.
And now the tension in the room was killer.
“Well.” Gran stretched. “That’s my cue to go. Great bath. Feel like we all really got closer.”
Hisashi could practically feel his sarcasm. He said nothing as Gran and Mirai stood, closing his eyes to avoid having to see anything unpleasant. He simply listened as they changed and walked out.
Hisashi remained in the bath for a while longer after the two left, taking the time to enjoy the peace and quiet while he scrubbed himself clean and washed his hair. There wasn’t a spot of dirt or blood left on him by the time he was ready to get out, his skin slightly pruned. He reached for the fluffy towels that had been left on the side of the bath by the servants before they had left, drying himself off completely before going to grab his clothes to get dressed.
Only to find they were missing.
He froze, casting his gaze around frantically to see if they had been moved or misplaced, but there was nothing. Not even a sock.
“GRAN!” Hisashi screamed as he threw open the door, clutching the towel desperately around his waist. But there was no one in sight. “GRAN, GIVE ME BACK MY CLOTHES, YOU OLD GEEZER!”
There was no response, but Hisashi swore he could hear the faintest, mocking laughter reach his ears. He was probably hallucinating it though.
Ah hell. How was he supposed to leave the baths now? He couldn’t just walk around the castle in nothing but a towel! He would have to wait for a servant to come by and request they deliver him some clothes.
…But he had dismissed all the servants.
He was doomed.
Notes:
A summary of Hisashi, Gran, and Mirai's conversation.
Hisashi: “You better quit trying to kill me or I'm telling Izuku on you!”
Gran and Mirai: 😨😬
Hisashi used tattletale! It was super effective!
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 17
Summary:
“GRAN!” Hisashi screamed as he threw open the door, clutching the towel desperately around his waist. But there was no one in sight. “GRAN, GIVE ME BACK MY CLOTHES, YOU BASTARD!”
There was no response, but Hisashi swore he could hear the faintest, mocking laughter reach his ears. He was probably hallucinating it though.
Dammit. How was he supposed to leave the baths now? He couldn’t just walk around the castle in nothing but a towel! He would have to wait for a servant to come by and request they deliver him some clothes.
…But he had dismissed all the servants.
He was doomed.
Notes:
Hello, hello. Ilentari has been very sick 💀 Now Ilentari is feeling mostly better but Ilentari’s cat is sick 😭😭
And it’s still only January.
This fic has wonderful art based on it!
By Redoaktreehill:
here
here
here
here
And NEW!! hereBy 2000DragonArmy:
here
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The first thing Izuku registered upon awakening was the rolling in his stomach. The sick, oily feeling of the poison he had ingested sitting heavy in his gut. He groaned and rolled over, reaching out for the warm body that was always next to him these past few weeks. He was still exhausted from staying up as long as he could to watch over his dad, so his eyes had yet to open, but that was okay. The morning brought hope, and he and his dad were safe in bed.
His hand hit emptiness.
Confused, his brow scrunching up, Izuku patted his hand around, searching for Hisashi. He grumbled low in his throat in complaint, but nothing answered him. His hand only touched a cold mattress.
His dad…wasn’t there?
Izuku bolted upright, eyes shooting open and panic bubbling up inside of him—along with the contents of his stomach.
“Dad?” Izuku asked aloud, gaze wildly searching the confines of the bedroom for any sign of Hisashi. But only silence met his ears. “Dad?!” he called louder, to no response. “DAD?! DAD!” Frantically, he searched through the blankets and sheets on the bed, checking for the dust and ash that would indicate Hisashi had died. But there was nothing.
His dad was gone.
Someone had taken him away. As soon as he had stopped watching, something had taken his dad.
Izuku quickly jumped out of the bed, a cold sweat breaking out over his skin as he landed on his feet. He moved a little too quickly, though. His breathing had picked up, and he could feel himself gag involuntarily. His stomach lurched, Izuku laying one hand over his roiling stomach, while the other clamped over his mouth as bile rose in the back of his throat. But he was unable to stop the vomit from spewing forth between his fingers, bending over and hurling a mess of blackened blood onto the polished wood floor below.
He heaved a few more times, small amounts of black, clotted blood coming up, before he started coughing. But Izuku paid no heed to the mess he made, wiping his dirty fingers on his clothes before all but racing to the door and throwing it open, screaming for his father the moment it was.
“DAD! DAD, WHERE ARE YOU?!” he cried as he raced through the halls, his form almost a blur as he put on as much speed as he could.
He ignored the concerned and startled shouts of the servants he passed by, running blindly through the castle as he screamed for his father, tears streaming down his face. He had tried so hard. So hard. And Hisashi had still been stolen from him. Another parent lost. His greatest fear had come to life. He wailed.
As he continued to run through the halls, a flash of green and yellow hair greeted him from beyond the corridor, gold eyes widening in alarm at the sight of him.
“Your Majesty?” Mirai called out to him, Izuku skidding to a stop before him. He could feel Mirai’s gaze taking in his disheveled hair, tear-stained face, wrinkled clothes, and the sick that still clung to him. “What on earth is going on—”
But Izuku ignored the man’s bewildered look. If anyone could tell him where his father was, it was Mirai!
“W-Where’s Dad?!” Izuku ordered Mirai, cutting off his question. A hand shot up to cover his mouth when bile rose in his throat again, Mirai’s eyes further widening in concern when black liquid seeped through his fingers.
“In the royal baths, the last time I saw h—”
Izuku spun on his heel and took off before Mirai could even finish his sentence, heading straight for the royal baths.
When he got there, he threw the doors open recklessly, warmth and steam from the bath hitting him in the face as he entered.
“Oh thank the gods—” he heard Hisashi say, and Izuku had never before felt so much relief at hearing his father’s voice.
“DAD!” he yelled, and lunged forward into the room, leaping for Hisashi.
“WAIT! NO! DON’T HUG ME, I’M NAKED!”
A large hand smacked right into Izuku’s forehead as he tried to grab for his dad, stopping him at arm’s length. “Ow!” Izuku said reflexively. From between his fingers, he could just barely make out Hisashi clutching a towel tightly around his waist. “You’re not naked, you’ve got a towel on!” he pointed out.
“That’s still considered naked!” Hisashi insisted, refusing to let Izuku get any closer. “You are absolutely not hugging me when I’m like this.”
“But Daaaad!” Izuku whined, making little grabby hands at Hisashi. He wanted to feel his father’s arms around him, reassuring him that he was there and it wasn’t a dream.
“No buts!” Hisashi said sternly. “Now, if you would, please go grab me a set of clothes from my bedroom. I’ve been trapped in here for over an hour already!”
That made Izuku pause. Hisashi’s skin was rather pruned, indicating he’d been in the water for a long time. “Why’d you stay in for so long?” he asked. “And why didn’t you bring clothes with you, silly?”
“Gran stole my clothes,” Hisashi admitted, an eye twitching and red creeping into his face, “and I’m not about to go outside the baths naked.”
Izuku couldn’t help but giggle. “Yeah, that sounds like Gran! Wouldn’t be the first time he’s pulled something like that. And you’re not naked, Dad. Nothing wrong with going up to your room in a towel.”
“Someone could see me!” Hisashi protested sharply.
Izuku rolled his eyes but said nothing. He had to learn to accept his dad was really weird about nudity. “I’ll make sure the coast is clear before we leave then. Will that be okay?”
“Can’t you just go get me some clothes and bring them back?” Hisashi asked.
“I don’t want to leave you alone!” Izuku insisted, shaking his head. He didn’t want to let Hisashi out of his sight right now. His stomach rolled again at the very thought. “Please, Dad?” Izuku put on his best pleading face. “I promise I’ll send anyone away if they see you.”
Hisashi groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose, but then froze suddenly, eyes fixed on Izuku’s form. He seemed to study Izuku for a moment, taking him in, before sighing. “Alright,” he agreed after a moment, with a touch of reluctance. “But you should get your face cleaned up before we leave.”
“Oh,” Izuku muttered, raising a hand to the crusted blood smeared on his face, and the dried tear tracks mixed with it.
He supposed it must have looked bad, as Hisashi grabbed a washcloth and wandered over to dip it into the water, returning to gently wipe at the mess on Izuku’s face, one warm hand holding Izuku’s chin still.
“What did you do? Spill your breakfast all over yourself?” Hisashi asked when he drew the cloth away. His brows pinched when he stared at the dirtied rag. “Why’s it so dark?”
Izuku’s eyes flicked away, not wanting to answer. “Can we go now?” he asked instead.
“Fine, fine.” Hisashi rolled his eyes, dropping the cloth to the side of the basin for the servants to retrieve later. “Make sure no one is in the hallway first.”
Izuku nodded, watching his dad pick up a second towel and wrap it over his shoulders and abdomen as Izuku went to the door, sticking his head out. He looked both ways. “It’s clear!” he called back to his dad.
“Finally,” Hisashi muttered as he cautiously peeked out, following behind Izuku. His shoulders were tense and eyes sharp, looking for any sign that someone may be watching them. But thankfully, no one came up the stairs or poked out of one of the rooms as they traveled back to Hisashi’s bedroom.
Izuku giggled.
His dad scowled. “What?”
“You’re wearing a bunch of towels now but you look so stiff!” Izuku laughed.
“Just…don’t let anyone come up here,” Hisashi grumbled even as they neared the bedroom.
“I’ll protect you!” Izuku assured him.
“That’s not—Okay, whatever.”
Izuku’s laugh was cut short when he felt his stomach lurch again. He clamped a hand over his mouth quickly, stopping in place with a groan.
“What’s wrong?” his father asked, brows furrowed in confusion.
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as he tried to swallow the nausea back down.
“Izuku?!” Hisashi’s hand landed on his shoulder.
Izuku felt something climb up his throat and pulled away, leaning against the wall as he spewed up more poisoned blood. He heaved a few times, struggling to catch his breath afterwards. The bitter taste of poison coated the inside of his mouth, and he glanced to the side, wincing when he saw how wide Hisashi’s eyes had become.
He muttered, “I…I’m fine.” Trying to reassure Hisashi as he wiped the remnants from his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.
“There’s nothing fine about that!” Hisashi’s voice sounded somewhat strangled. “What the hell? Are you sick?!” His hand landed on Izuku’s back.
“I-It’s just a stomach ache!” Izuku insisted, unable to meet his father’s eyes. “I’m fine. I’ll be—” Izuku cut himself off, his cheeks puffing out as vomit rushed into his mouth again. He turned away to keep the sick from getting on Hisashi.
His dad cringed beside him as more blackish blood splattered on the floor. The hand ran up and down his back soothingly as Izuku heaved.
“…Maybe you should lie down?” Hisashi suggested. “Umm. Do you need fresh blood? I can get some for you? Medicine? A doctor?! I ca—”
“I’ll be okay!” Izuku promised, breathing a little more heavily and wiping his mouth again. Already, he could feel the pain lingering in his belly lessening now that it had purged all of the poisoned blood. His fingers still trembled minutely though, weariness coursing through Izuku now. “You don’t have to worry so much.”
“What do you mean I don’t have to worry?! You just got up and started vomiting this…this…Why is it black?!” Hisashi’s eyes narrowed, a frown set upon his face for a moment, before a thought seemed to strike him. Izuku watched his father’s eyes travel to his own chest, to where his wounds had been, before he looked back at Izuku.
Izuku waved his hands. “I-It’s nothing—”
“Izuku,” Hisashi started, fixing him with a stern look, “is this because of last night?”
Izuku shrunk under that gaze. “I just…I just wanted you to feel better. That’s all!”
“You drank the ‘bad stuff’ from me, to ‘cleanse’ me…” Hisashi mumbled under his breath, mostly to himself. His expression hardened and he took hold of Izuku’s chin, forcing him to look directly into Hisashi’s eyes. “Izuku, did you poison yourself in doing so?”
Izuku found he couldn’t lie to his dad’s face. “T-That’s…It wasn’t as bad as it was for you!” he insisted. “The medicine was already working, so it wasn’t as potent—”
“Oh, I could strangle you!” Hisashi shook him slightly by his shoulder. “You are NEVER doing that again! Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Because then you wouldn’t have let me!” Izuku protested. Hisashi blew out a heavy sigh, shaking his head.
“Let’s…just get in the room so I can get change and you can get cleaned up,” he said after a moment, looking very disappointed, and Izuku found himself being scooped up off the floor into his father’s arms. He took comfort in them for a moment, only for his stomach to sink as Hisashi continued with, “But we’re not done talking about this.”
Izuku grumbled, and received a light whack on the head.
“Don’t you complain! You brought this on yourself, and now it’s my job to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” his dad scolded him firmly.
Upon entering the bedroom, and making sure the door was shut behind them, Hisashi clearly caught sight of the puddle of black staining the carpet. Izuku turned away when his father’s glare intensified, and Hisashi deposited Izuku on the bed with a look that told him not to move.
“Turn your head around so I can get dressed,” Hisashi instructed, and Izuku did so with a quiet mutter under his breath about how it wasn’t a big deal. “I heard that!” his father scolded him, causing Izuku to jolt as he listened to the sound of shifting feet and fabrics.
Izuku blew a silent raspberry behind his dad’s back.
“Now,” Hisashi spoke slowly after a few moments, and Izuku peeked up to see that he was fully dressed. “Care to discuss about how you drank poison?”
“You were there when I did it!” Izuku threw his hands up in exasperation. “You watched me! I drank the poison right out of your blood to cleanse you and I told you as much!”
“You didn’t tell me it would make you sick!” Hisashi countered sharply.
“Well, what did you think would happen?!” Izuku crossed his arms and pouted petulantly. “I drank the poison out of you, did you just assume it would have no effect on me?”
“If you care to remember, I was half out of it last night! I wasn’t thinking coherently!”
“It still isn’t a big deal! I don’t know why you’re so worried!” Izuku persisted. “I heal quickly, so I’ll be fine!”
“Because you’re spewing this black shit all over the floor!” Hisashi’s voice raised. “It’s rather concerning! Why wouldn’t I be worried? You’re my so—”
He cut himself off, but Izuku felt his heartbeat pick up. He could guess what Hisashi had been about to say. “I’m what?” he pressed.
“A brat, is what,” Hisashi rectified, giving Izuku a stern, flat look. “A brat that is never going to do something like that again. Is that understood?”
Izuku brightened. “Aww, Dad, you care about me?”
“Shut up!” Hisashi snapped, but Izuku noticed it lacked the bite of anger.
Izuku’s chest felt warm. He jumped off the bed and at Hisashi, colliding with him solidly. “I care about you too, Dad!” He wanted to tell Hisashi he loved him, but he was scared to ruin the moment and chase his dad away with a sentiment like that.
“Ah-ah!” Hisashi chided and made to push him away. “You’re filthy. Go get washed and changed before you even think about hugging me!”
“Okay!” Izuku began to hurriedly strip as he stumbled for the door, ready to head to his room to get fresh clothes ready for his bath.
“NOT IN FRONT OF ME!” Hisashi screeched. “Wait—What are you—? IZUKU! DON’T GO INTO THE HALL NAKED EITHER!”
“Too late!” Izuku laughed, tossing his shirt to the floor and was rewarded with a sputtering of half-formed words and shouts of how he was being indecent. In return, Izuku chucked his pants directly at Hisashi’s face, streaking naked into the hall and down to his room.
“YOU LITTLE—” he heard Hisashi yelling angrily behind him before the door shut, muffling his dad.
After Izuku was freshly cleaned, dressed, free of sick, and Hisashi had chewed his ear off for his antics, he and Izuku headed downstairs to get themselves a drink and sent a couple servants they passed along the way to clean the mess upstairs. Hisashi wanted to stretch his legs for a change rather than having Izuku fetch a drink for him. Izuku had never so much as complained about doing so, but Hisashi was more than capable of getting it for himself and he was starting to feel a little guilty that Izuku always went himself every morning to get him a glass. Even more so now, considering that Izuku had spent half the morning vomiting.
“So what kind do you want, Dad?” Izuku asked Hisashi as they walked into the bustling kitchens, pointing to a glass cabinet containing rows of bottles that Hisashi knew contained blood. The glass had a light fogginess over it, frost clinging to the corners. Likely enchanted to stay chilled with a spell to keep its contents cool. “A-negative? B-positive? Oh, oh, what about O?”
“Oh?” Hisashi echoed, raising a brow in confusion.
“Yeah, O!” Izuku clapped his hands. “It’s usually the most popular among vampires in terms of flavour.”
“What’s with this weird way of categorizing blood?” Hisashi mumbled, staring at the various bottles and the labels plastered onto them that detailed the type it was and how long ago it had been preserved. Besides the kind that Gran preferred, Hisashi hadn’t really noticed a difference in what he drank. “Isn’t it all the same? It’s all blood.”
Izuku looked at him as if Hisashi was a barbarian. “There’s a difference!” he insisted. “Each blood type has its own flavour profile.”
Whatever that meant. “Where did you learn a sentence like that? Mirai?” Sounded like something Mirai would say.
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Every vampire knows it! Each person's blood tastes slightly different. And those with strong magic have the best tasting blood!”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Hisashi relented, not wanting to go too in-depth with the discussion. “Pick something I haven’t tried before then. It gets boring having the same thing over and over again.”
“Are you sure your taste buds aren’t broken?” Izuku muttered, but Hisashi watched him do as asked, looking over the selection before pointing to one high up. “That one!”
Hisashi easily reached up and plucked the bottle out, handing it down to Izuku. “And I want us to have breakfast. A real breakfast. You need it after puking your guts up.”
“But it doesn’t do anything for me,” Izuku reminded him.
“Doesn’t matter! Solid food is always good,” Hisashi insisted anyway.
“Alright.” Izuku handed the bottle back to him and scurried off to a different room in the kitchen, Hisashi watching him poke his head around the corner and order some of the servants inside to prepare a breakfast for them. It was only moments later that he was walking back over to Hisashi, beaming. “They’ll have it out soon! We can wait at the table while they prepare. Can you grab a couple glasses from the shelf?” Izuku pointed up to a high up shelf far beyond the reach of his short stature.
“What’s the matter, pipsqueak? Can’t get them yourself?” Hisashi teased.
“It’s not my fault you’re a giant!” Izuku retorted, giving him a light slap against his leg.
“It’s not my fault you’re tiny,” Hisashi shot back, ruffling the boy’s hair.
“I’m not short!” Izuku defended as he brushed Hisashi’s hand away with a pout.
“What do you call yourself then? Vertically challenged? Have you looked in a mirror? Or maybe you can’t see in one because they’re too high up for you?”
The boy huffed and turned away, arms crossed, refusing to look at Hisashi. Hisashi chuckled at the childish display, catching a glimpse of the red on Izuku’s cheeks before he set the bottle in his hand on the counter and bent down, scooping Izuku up from beneath his arms. The boy yelped, clearly having not expected the gesture as he was lifted off his feet.
“W-What are you doing?” Izuku stammered out.
“Showing you what it’s like to be tall.” Hisashi smirked, hoisting Izuku onto his shoulders and feeling the boy's hands grasp onto him as he steady himself. “Now can you reach the glasses?”
Izuku grumbled incoherently, but Hisashi heard the light ting of glasses clinking as Izuku grabbed two of them.
“Alright, which way is the table?” Hisashi asked.
“That way.” Izuku gestured with a foot, and Hisashi snatched up the bottle of blood before heading in the direction he was shown.
“Don’t forget to duck,” he warned as they approached the doorway, grinning when he heard Izuku make a sound of surprise when his head nearly collided with the door frame.
Izuku quickly squished his cheek down against Hisashi’s hair, small arms wrapping tightly around his throat, the cool glasses pressing against the side of Hisashi’s face.
Hisashi set the bottle of blood on the table when he reached it, taking the glasses from Izuku and setting them down as well. He then grabbed Izuku by the waist, lifting him off his shoulders. But instead of putting the boy down right away, Hisashi tossed him up, relishing in the surprised squeak Izuku let out as he went sailing up into the air before Hisashi caught him again, swinging him around and depositing him in a chair.
For a moment, it seemed all Izuku could do was stare at him, confusion and amazement flashing across his face in equal measure, before he smiled so purely that Hisashi could have sworn he was looking into the sun from how much light it radiated.
“Do it again!” Izuku requested, practically jumping up and down in his seat from excitement.
“Now, now, we don’t want to upset your stomach again so soon,” Hisashi cautioned him. “Maybe later.”
“Promise?” Izuku asked, looking at Hisashi with big, hopeful eyes.
Hisashi just smiled. “Promise.”
Izuku bounced in his chair as Hisashi proceeded to open and pour them some fresh blood, making sure Izuku got a sizable amount after what he had done last night. Not long after he took his own seat, servants began to come out with food.
They had a peaceful breakfast, with a strange egg dish that Izuku told him was called egg’s florentine, along with fat links of sausage, and a side of buttered toast.
“It tastes pretty good,” Hisashi admitted after a few bites, though he lamented the fact that it didn’t actually make him feel full in the slightest.
That was quickly rectified when he took a sip of his glass, the blood rushing down his throat easing his thirst and hunger. He tried to focus on the taste more than he usually did, curious if it tasted any different than what Izuku usually brought him. He found it was a bit…tangier than what he was used to? Or maybe he was just thinking too hard about it, and tricking himself into believing it had more flavor than it actually did.
Still, it wasn’t bad, he supposed.
“What do you want to do today, Dad?” Izuku asked him, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. Hisashi stifled a laugh behind his hand. He considered scolding Izuku for talking with his mouth full, but decided to leave that kind of thing to Mirai. Let the kid be a kid.
“Hm…” he hummed in thought, his mind wandering back to the little spellbook that rested in his room. “You’ve talked about the library before, but I haven’t been there yet. I’d like to see what a ‘royal library’ has.”
“We can go see it right after breakfast then!” Izuku cheered. “I love the library!”
Seemed a little odd to Hisashi for a young child like Izuku to enjoy reading books so much, versus playing outside or hanging out with friends. But then again, he himself hadn’t had much of a conventional childhood, so what did he know?
“Alright, but make sure you finish eating everything,” Hisashi insisted as he leaned back in his chair, sipping the remainder of his blood.
Izuku immediately began to shovel food into his mouth, barely chewing.
“Well, don’t choke!” Hisashi chided.
Izuku mumbled something muffled around his mouthful, before swallowing with an audible, hard noise that made Hisashi wince. “Let’s go!” Izuku exclaimed excitedly as soon as he finished, chugging his glass of blood and jumping out of his chair. “You’re going to love the library!”
Hisashi sighed at the boy’s antics, but stood as Izuku began to tug on his arm. “Alright, alright, I’m coming. The library’s not about to walk away from us or anything, you can calm down.”
“But we’re burning daylight!” Izuku claimed impatiently, rushing ahead to the entrance of the dining hall.
Hisashi followed along at a normal pace, watching Izuku pause up ahead and turn back to him, practically vibrating with anticipation as he waited for Hisashi to catch up.
“Daaaad, you’re moving too slow!”
“I am moving at my normal speed!” Hisashi insisted. “There’s no need to rush.”
Izuku seemed to disagree, letting out a little huff as he waited for Hisashi to catch up. He practically threw open the doors once Hisashi was close enough, hurrying through the halls only to double back when he noticed Hisashi was taking his time following. He grabbed Hisashi’s hand and began to pull him along behind.
“Easy, Izuku,” Hisashi chided playfully, “you’re going to throw my back out doing that.”
Izuku looked like he didn’t believe Hisashi, but it caused him to pause briefly, which was all Hisashi needed to scoop the boy up and toss him over his shoulder, trundling down the corridor at a relaxed walk.
“It’s that way!” Izuku called out from above him, pointing down the hall as he wiggled around on Hisashi’s shoulders until he was comfortably sitting on them instead.
“Aye, aye, captain,” Hisashi teased.
Izuku giggled in his ear, nestling his chin into Hisashi's hair as they continued on. Now and again Izuku would give new directions, guiding him along through the castle. It baffled Hisashi how much of it he still had yet to see, despite having spent the last several months living in it.
As they passed down another corridor, a flicker of movement through an open door caught Hisashi’s eye, and he paused, looking down a dim, wide hall through the door.
The room was filled with large, elaborate paintings, and as Hisashi caught a glimpse of the people within the canvases, he saw that they moved.
“What the…?” Hisashi murmured to himself, taking a step towards the room to get a closer look.
But the arms around his neck tightened.
“I don’t want to go in there,” Izuku said, his voice low and quiet.
“…Why not?” Hisashi couldn’t help but ask, thoroughly intrigued by the portraits inside.
“I just don’t,” was all Izuku responded with.
Hisashi knew it was best not to press when Izuku got like that. Still, he persisted with one more question, asking, “Can you tell me what room that is at least?”
“...The Hall of Kings and Queens,” Izuku answered after a moment.
Hisashi just nodded in acknowledgment before moving on, jostling his shoulders to bump Izuku around. “Alright then, to the library!” he announced with false cheer, trying to get Izuku’s mind off of whatever he didn’t like about that room.
Izuku curled his arms around Hisashi a little tighter, not so much that he was choking him, but as if he were afraid that if he let go, Hisashi might disappear. He felt Izuku burying his face in his hair silently, not saying anything as he followed the boy’s previous directions.
The doors to the library—when they arrived—were enormous. Hisashi’s eyes widened at the sight of them; huge wooden doors that stretched almost all the way to the high ceiling above. Guards stood on either side of the doors, and scrambled to open them upon the sight of the king and his father, bowing their heads respectfully as they passed.
And then Hisashi was staring in at the largest assortment of books he had ever seen in his life, making the shop he and Izuku had visited in the city look pale in comparison. Towering shelves climbed up the walls, with ladders leading up the length of them. There were entire corridors of shelves, rows and rows neatly lined about, all of them filled to the brim.
“Here we are!” Izuku pointed out the obvious, his voice brightening in sharp contrast to earlier. He wiggled around until Hisashi put him down, the boy practically bouncing.
“How do you even find anything in here?” Hisashi murmured in wonder. “There’s so much to go through!”
“The librarian!” Izuku chimed in answer, pointing over to a desk with a huge book splayed out on top of it. Hisashi stiffened and almost groaned when he saw who was behind it, beady black eyes peering into his own.
The rat.
Or whatever it (he?) was.
“So, what kind of books did you want to look at, Dad?” Izuku asked with a tug on his sleeve. “I’m sure we can find what you’re looking for!”
“Fantasy books for starters,” Hisashi replied, gaze flickering about in search of a storybook. Izuku didn’t have much in the way of childish fantasy from what he gleaned from his room. And Izuku had been asking him for bedtime stories as of late, and he knew of only the one by heart. A little variety never hurt either.
“Oh. We uh…We don’t have any fantasy books…”
An entire library full of books, and they had not a single fantasy story? Hisashi couldn’t believe it. He was sure that maybe Izuku just didn’t know where they were.
…But he also didn’t want to ask the rat. “We can just browse and find stuff on our own right?” he wondered.
“We don’t have to!” Izuku insisted. “Nedzu has everything catalogued! He knows where everything is. We can just ask, it’s much faster!”
“Fine,” Hisashi relented with a grumble, allowing Izuku to lead him over to the creature with a grimace.
Nedzu looked up with his soulless black eyes and a small smile, placing down his pen to address them. “How may I help?” the rat asked. As if he hadn’t heard everything they had been talking about.
“I was…wondering…” Hisashi said through gritted teeth, feeling like he was pulling them out one by one. He hated asking anyone (or anything in this case) for help. “If you…might know where the fantasy books are kept?”
“This library is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, gathered from across the ages and countries. I’m afraid children’s tales are not suitable for our collection,” Nedzu explained.
Hisashi felt like he was being insulted in some way. “Your king is a child, and yet you have no books that children might like to read? For fun? Kind of sad, don’t you think?”
“Dad,” Izuku spoke up, and Hisashi glanced down to see the boy was giving him a little look. “I’m not a kid!”
Hisashi just stared at him flatly. “No? Then why are you so short? What are these chubby cheeks?” He pinched Izuku’s cheeks playfully, much to Izuku’s disgruntlement. “Don’t deny the truth. You’re a kid, and you’re going to be one for a long time. If you were any shorter, you’d be a baby!”
Nedzu’s beady black eyes gained a particular glean to them that Hisashi didn’t like, but he ignored it as Izuku huffed in offense to his statement.
“I’m not a baby!”
“Who was asking me for a bedtime story the other day?” Hisashi pointed out.
“T-That doesn’t make me a baby!” Izuku defended himself, a blush blooming in his cheeks now.
“But you are a child,” Hisashi insisted.
“Regardless,” Nedzu interrupted them, “I’m afraid we don’t have any books of that nature. If there’s anything else you’d like, I’m certain I can find it for you.”
Hisashi held in the urge to snort derisively. He knew he’d be seeing the rat more in the future as he was Izuku’s tutor, and didn’t want to have bad blood between them so early on for petty reasons.
“I was also interested in some books concerning mathematics,” he admitted after a moment. “And maybe a history book or two.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Nedzu began to flip through the large tome in front of him.
Hisashi felt his eye twitch at the honorific. It would take a long time to get used to that.
Nedzu hopped off the tall seat behind the desk, disappearing for a moment only to show up in front of them seconds later. “Right this way, please.”
Reluctantly, Hisashi followed, Izuku still holding onto his arm.
The library was damn well like a maze, and Hisashi felt lost by the time Nedzu stopped in front of a large section of shelves. “These books contain the library’s handpicked selection of mathematics, as well as how mathematics applies to magic,” Nedzu said. “History should be just down that aisle on the left, and down the second aisle.”
“Thank you,” Hisashi managed to say, looking through the rows and rows of books and wondering which would help him. His head was spinning at the sheer number of them.
“Should you require further assistance, I will, of course, be available.” With that, Nedzu scurried off to…somewhere.
“So, what kind are you looking for, Dad?” Izuku asked, peeking up at him.
Hisashi began to peruse the titles and pry one out at random. He flipped it open and skimmed through it, only to quickly close the book and place it back when he saw the strange symbols that littered the pages. That seemed a little too advanced for him right now.
Izuku watched from his side. “How come you’re interested in math all of a sudden?”
“Uhh, I figured it’d help me with my magic control,” Hisashi excused, not willing to admit he needed it to learn new magic because he didn’t understand the equations involved in said magic.
“Oh! I can help you then!” Izuku insisted. “We can grab some math books that start with the basics and see what you know from there!”
“I don’t need you to teach me.” Hisashi sniffed.
“Would you rather have Nedzu?”
Hisashi shuddered. “I don’t need a teacher at all!”
“Pleaseeeee?” Izuku pleaded with a whine. “It’ll be more fun with the both of us!”
“How is doing math fun? By any means?” Hisashi wondered.
“Please!” Izuku begged again, clasping his hands together in front of him.
“Oh, fine,” Hisashi sighed, shaking his head when he realized Izuku wasn’t going to let it go. Honestly, why did the boy even want to help him? Didn’t he have enough to deal with when it came to his own studies?
“Yes!” Izuku cheered excitedly, eyes roving over the books before picking out one, then two, then a third. Hisashi felt a faint sense of dread at the sight of them. “I think these will do for now! We can go look at the history books too!”
Hisashi held back a groan. “Okay. What did the little rat say again? Down the aisle to the left? Or the right?”
“Left!” Izuku giggled. “And he’s not a rat, Dad!”
“Well, what the hell is he then?”
“Nedzu!” Izuku said simply, as if that answered everything.
It did not.
“That doesn’t tell me anything!” Hisashi rolled his eyes. “What’s a Nedzu?”
“Nedzu is Nedzu.” Izuku shrugged casually.
Hisashi had the feeling that if he wanted to know, he’d either have to ask Nedzu himself, or ask Gran or Mirai. Briefly, he contemplated which was the less evil of the three. Then he shook his head, deciding that he was probably better off not knowing.
“So what kind of history were you interested in reading?” Izuku pressed as they neared the section Nedzu had pointed out to them.
“Just…something so I can learn more about this place. About vampires? The books I studied from seemed to have…left some details out…” Hisashi admitted reluctantly.
“Oh, you wanna know our history?” Izuku asked excitedly. “We can do lessons on history, culture, etiquette—”
“Don’t go getting ahead of yourself,” Hisashi chided.
“I could hire a tutor for you too!” Izuku offered cheerily.
“I don’t want a tutor.”
Izuku looked genuinely confused. “But you want to learn?”
“I can teach myself,” Hisashi insisted. He ignored the look Izuku gave him, and his raised brow.
“If you say so…” Izuku murmured, muttering something about Hisashi being difficult again under his breath.
“I’m literate. I can read and learn on my own,” Hisashi said. Reading and writing had been one of the few subjects his parents had been able to teach him as a child. Everything else he’d learned had been taught to him by his mentor. Hisashi’s mentor had taught him a lot beyond basic survival and sword training, and it allowed him to teach himself everything else he needed to know over the years. Hisashi didn’t see why that needed to change now.
“But it never hurts to have help!” Izuku persisted. Realization seemed to strike the boy, his eyes lighting up suddenly. “Which is why I’ve decided to hire you a personal servant!”
“What?!” Hisashi snapped. “I don’t need that! I’ve been doing things on my own just fine!”
“Like with dressing?” Izuku pointed to a misplaced button on Hisashi’s outfit.
“They better not dare try to help me dress!” Hisashi hissed indignantly.
“And you can pick them out!” Izuku continued on as if he hadn’t heard Hisashi. “I’ll have Mirai gather potential candidates the next time I speak with him!”
“Well, I pick none!”
“You haven’t even given them a try. We can get you a human servant,” Izuku offered.
A human servant.
Hisashi felt a weird pang in his chest. It would be nice to talk to a human. But the last time he had…that had happened…What if it happened again? What if he couldn’t control himself?
“I’ll get better at dressing myself and stuff in time,” he mumbled.
Izuku sighed heavily. “Will you just look at potential candidates, at least? You don’t have to pick one out right away.”
“Fine,” Hisashi grumbled, knowing he wouldn’t be picking anyone. As long as he could get this over and done with so he’d never be bothered with it again.
“Thank you,” Izuku said as he grabbed a couple more books, the stack now so high it obscured the boy's face. “This should do for now! We need to start off light at first.”
Hisashi took all the books off Izuku’s hands. “Light. Right. Yeah.” He looked around at the tall shelves. “Uh. Where to? I didn’t see any tables or anything.”
“We can take them back to your room! I know you like your privacy.”
That was…very considerate of Izuku. “Sounds good. Do you know the way back out of here?”
“Yep! Just follow me,” Izuku said, gesturing for Hisashi to follow with a wave of his hand.
He had no qualms about doing so. Hisashi knew that little rat was still watching him with beady black eyes, and the sooner he could get away from that scrutinizing gaze, the better.
Notes:
The toss scene gone wrong.
Hisashi: “YEET!” *throws Izuku*
Izuku: *flies up and gets lodged into the ceiling*
Hisashi: “…”
Izuku: “…Dad, I’m stuck.”
Mirai: *FURIOUS HISSING* “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIS MAJESTY?!”
Gran: 😂💀😂💀😂💀😂
If Hisashi had tried to sneak out of the baths alone in a towel and Gran found him.
Hisashi: “I’m almost to the rooms! I can make it!”
Gran: *zooms by faster than the eye can see and snatches the towel, running off with it*
Hisashi: “Woah! What was that? Why is it suddenly a lot more breezy in here?”
Hisashi: …
Hisashi: …
Hisashi: “GRAN!”
If Hisashi had tried to sneak out of the baths alone in a towel and Hakamata the tailor found him.
Hakamata: “Oh, Your Majesty, just a towel? What a bold choice!”
Hisashi: 💀💀💀
Hakamata: “Hmm, no, no. It simply won’t do. This fabric is not befitting someone of your status. Let me help.”
Hisashi: “NO NO NO NO!”
Hakamata: *steals the towel*
The other universe AFOs looking into this AU.
Vampire Hisashi: “If you were any shorter, you’d be a baby!” *pinching Izuku’s cheeks*
The other AFOs: “What is he talking about?! That Izuku IS a baby! Clearly this man doesn’t know how to care for him.”
The other AFOs: “We must kidnap this Izuku.”
*every AFO calls dibs. A massive argument ensues. Fights break out.*
An AFO: “So, turns out we can’t get into this universe anyway. I tried to sneak in and bounced back.”
*a period of mourning begins.*
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 18
Summary:
Hisashi took all the books off Izuku’s hands. “Light. Right. Yeah.” He looked around at the tall shelves. “Uh. Where to? I didn’t see any tables or anything.”
“We can take them back to your room! I know you like your privacy.”
That was…very considerate of Izuku. “Sounds good. Do you know the way back out of here?”
“Yep! Just follow me,” Izuku said, gesturing for Hisashi to follow with a wave of his hand.
He had no qualms about doing so. Hisashi knew that little rat was still watching him with beady black eyes, and the sooner he could get away from that scrutinizing gaze, the better.
Chapter Text
Upon returning to Hisashi’s room, Izuku had carefully placed the books down, prying the math books out from the group first and setting them in front of Hisashi. A weight settled on Hisashi’s shoulders at the sight of them, but he still took a seat at his desk, grabbing a pen and a spare sheet of paper when Izuku excused himself.
Hisashi didn’t have time to question why before the boy was racing out the door, returning just as quickly with a chair of his own, a stack of papers, and a couple pens. Amusement flickered through him when Izuku placed it all next to him, and he hid a grin behind his hand when Izuku grabbed a pillow from the bed to get a bit of extra height at Hisashi’s too-tall desk.
Said grin quickly fell when Izuku opened the first of the three books, however, and Hisashi was not amused when Izuku began quizzing him on basic addition and subtraction. He wasn’t that ignorant when it came to math! Thankfully, Izuku swiftly closed that book and put it away when Hisashi proved more than capable of handling those kinds of equations, a smile twitching at the boy’s mouth—though he said nothing about the heated glare Hisashi gave him.
When it came to the second book, however, it proved a little more…difficult. Multiplication and division with letters and symbols that Izuku told him was called “algebra”. Hisashi had trouble wrapping his brain around the context, but after a bit of explaining on Izuku’s end, he managed to answer a few well enough.
The third book was a nightmare, something Izuku insisted was called “calculus”, but Hisashi swore it was just gibberish. His brain gave a sharp throb and his eyes swirled when Izuku tried to explain the complex equations, the information simply going in one ear and out the other.
Izuku quickly decided to put that one back, picking up the second book again instead. He seemed satisfied by something as he grabbed a sheaf of paper and began to write, handing it to Hisashi to look over afterwards. Hisashi withheld a groan when he saw that it was now filled with a series of mathematical questions, some more simple than others. But not wanting to lose face in front of the boy, he diligently began to work. Though, much to his embarrassment, Hisashi had to ask more than once for help when he became stuck on a problem.
Izuku, to his credit, was patient, helping Hisashi along whenever he was stuck, and answering whatever question Hisashi had in regards to a particular symbol or about the mathematical process.
On and on it went, the two of them going over basic and intermediate equations for several hours, before Hisashi decided he had his fill of math for the day. He pushed the papers full of scribbles away, reaching for one of the history books instead. History, at least, was easy—if a little boring.
Thankfully, Izuku said nothing about the sudden change, instead praising Hisashi for how well he had done on his math. Hisashi felt his face redden, uncertain whether to take it as a compliment or an insult when the boy set to work on another sheet of paper, muttering about preparing problems for Hisashi to solve later when they resumed his math studies. And though he certainly didn’t look forward to it, he made no complaint as Izuku set himself hard at work. It was sweet, in a way, that he was trying so hard to help Hisashi. Endearing even, Hisashi thought with a smile as he flipped through the first few pages of the history book.
Some time later, however, Izuku’s pen clattered to the table, the boy growing still as he rested his head against his arm. At the lack of movement, Hisashi looked up from his reading to find Izuku’s eyes closed, and his breathing deep and even.
…He had fallen asleep?
Well, they had spent hours pouring over history and mathematics. It wasn’t exactly fun stuff. If Hisashi was younger, he’d probably want to fall asleep too.
It was probably best not to wake the boy either. Izuku had dark circles under his eyes, and with how sick he’d been that morning, he was likely still exhausted. His body was likely just catching up to him on all the excitement he’d shown earlier about teaching Hisashi.
He couldn’t sleep there, though. He’d get a horrible crick in his neck, and his back would be aching by the time he woke up. So, Hisashi stood, warily watching the boy as he moved to his side, paying close attention to his hands as he slowly, carefully, picked him up. Izuku grumbled tiredly as Hisashi held him at arm’s length, carrying him over to the bed and laying him down, swiftly drawing away in case Izuku made a move to grab at him. It was only noon (by vampire standards) and Hisashi had no intention of being trapped for the rest of the day.
But he should probably leave a note for Izuku, in case he woke up to find Hisashi was gone. No need to repeat the panic of that morning. Hisashi had heard servants whispering about it all day; how Izuku had run around the castle looking for him, crying when he couldn’t find Hisashi.
He felt kind of terrible about that. He hadn’t even considered how Izuku might feel, waking up to him gone after what had happened last night at the ball.
But if Hisashi had found out about that through the servants’ gossip, he had no doubt that Gran and Mirai had heard about it too. He could only hope that that was the only grapevine growing today. Hisashi didn’t even want to imagine the servants talking about the incident in the royal baths earlier. It was a cold, feeble hope, however, knowing Gran and his big mouth.
…Oh, who was he kidding? Likely everyone in the castle knew at this point.
The thought alone had Hisashi’s face burning red, and had him thinking twice about ever leaving his room again. But he did really want to check out those moving portraits. Izuku might not want to go there, but there was nothing stopping Hisashi from taking a closer look by himself.
Sighing, Hisashi scribbled a note down quickly, explaining that he was just going to walk around the castle and stretch his legs. He left it on the bedside table, where Izuku would hopefully see it before descending into a panic. With that, he headed out, trying to recall where the portrait room was.
He would never admit to anyone that he may have gotten turned around once or twice along the way. Why did this place have to be so big? Why were there so many rooms and corridors and staircases?! What need did they even have for all this space?!
Hisashi was great at finding North; great at tracking animals and figuring out where he was in relation to both the sun and stars. But inside? Where every corridor and staircase looked the same, and the halls seemed endless? That was confusing. Not to mention his own childhood home had only been two rooms big. This place was just…excessive.
But eventually he found it. Eventually. It was all worth it in the end, when he stepped foot inside the dimly lit hall and saw some of the people painted in the portraits look at him curiously. He couldn’t help but shuffle a bit awkwardly on his feet as he met a few of their gazes. They were only paintings though, Hisashi told himself. Just paintings. Nothing to get himself worked up over. But oh, he had always hated being stared at, and people always seemed to like staring at him. He didn’t know why.
He began walking through slowly, taking his time to look at the portraits. He wanted to study them curiously, but it felt a bit odd doing so when they studied him back. The very first one was strangely empty, but the second painting had a man with pale green hair and a massive scar across his face in the shape of an ‘X’ lounging by a crackling fire, and when Hisashi met his eyes, they filled with what was unmistakably hatred.
It caught him off guard. What had he done to earn such a look? Was he not supposed to be here? Did they know him somehow? But how could they?
“Keep on walking,” a gruff voice spoke up suddenly, and Hisashi was startled out of his skin when he realized that it came from the painting.
“You talk?!” he couldn’t help but blurt out.
“What, are you deaf? Can’t hear these words coming out of my mouth?” the man sneered.
The man was rude like Gran. Hisashi couldn’t help feeling offended. He hadn’t done anything to deserve that sort of attitude. His fangs flashed at the man in the portrait briefly as he sneered back defensively.
“Hah!” The portrait-man grinned, baring his own in turn, his minty green eyes dancing with malicious delight. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Hisashi was so confused.
“None of your business.” The portrait waved him off, shifting in his chair. “Move on. Got nothing more to say to you.”
Hisashi gave him the middle finger as he walked away, along with a mumbled, “Bitch.” He didn’t know why, but that guy just really irked him for some reason.
Thankfully, the next portrait didn’t give him nearly as much trouble. The man depicted in it stared at him curiously. He wore a large strip of cloth around his head, with his green hair pinned up in a short ponytail underneath it.
“You’re new,” he spoke.
“Uh. Yeah. I’ve only been here a few months,” Hisashi answered, glad that this one wasn’t rude.
“Mm. You’re turned too.”
How did he know that?!
Hisashi’s surprise must have shown on his face, as the man in the portrait did his best to hide a smirk. “I can see the edge of a bite mark on your neck there. Your collar doesn’t fully cover it.”
“Oh,” Hisashi murmured, raising a hand to the side of his neck. His fingers brushed against the scar, tracing the large gouges that dipped deep into his flesh where Izuku had bitten him. The skin around it was raised with rigid scar tissue, a line striking through it from where Izuku’s fangs had scraped against his neck on his second bite.
“Looks like a pretty nasty scar,” the man commented. “Whoever bit you wasn’t nice about it.”
“…My son wasn’t particularly gentle, no.”
The man’s brows raised. “Your son’s a vampire? But you weren’t?”
Hisashi struggled to word his answer properly. “…I was…adopted.”
“He adopted you?” The man seemed surprised, brows shooting up even further.
Why did he have to make it sound so weird? “It’s complicated,” Hisashi grumbled, not wanting to discuss it further. “Nice to meet you.”
A bit stiltedly, he moved onto the next painting.
The next was a man with extremely pale green hair, who had twin scars running down his left eye and towards his mouth. Hisashi felt there was something a bit strange about his face, before he noticed the lack of eyebrows. The man didn’t speak, simply staring at him very intensely. Hisashi shifted under his gaze for a moment, wondering if he should say anything; if it would be impolite to just keep walking or not.
“Um…how’s it hanging?” Awkward. He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.
The man looked unimpressed. “On the wall,” he said flatly.
“S-Sorry. Just slipped out,” Hisashi quickly apologized.
The portrait next to the one he was conversing with burst out into loud laughter, and Hisashi felt his cheeks flush lightly. Whoever it was must be laughing at him, he just knew it.
Sure enough, when he walked by, he saw a grinning man with a bald head and a scruffy green beard, still chuckling away at him.
“Hey, that was great, kid! Do it again!” the bald man cheered.
“Uh…nice….beard?” Hisashi offered. “Um. Didn’t know vampires could be bald.”
“It’s a stylistic choice!” the man insisted.
“Don’t listen to him,” the one from before said. “My son had his hair badly cut and decided to shave it all rather than let it grow back out. And the day before his official royal portrait too! Forever immortalized as bald.”
The bald man rolled his eyes. “You make one rash choice,” he muttered.
“I know the feeling.” Hisashi chuckled quietly.
“But c’mon, kid. Make another joke! That other one was hilarious!”
It hadn’t been a joke though? Hisashi racked his brain for something to say, feeling very put on the spot as the bald man stared at him eagerly. “Umm. Uh. You look great nailed against the wall?” It was a strange compliment, but what kind of compliment could you even give a portrait anyway?
For some reason, the bald man started absolutely roaring with laughter, slapping his knees and cackling loudly.
Hisashi didn’t understand what was so funny.
The previous portrait sighed wearily and Hisashi could practically feel him shaking his head. The bald man managed to get enough of his breath back to say, “Go say hello to my son for me!” before descending back into gleeful laughter.
Hisashi awkwardly moved on. The next portrait had a younger looking man in it, with dark, forest-green hair. The lower part of his face was hidden beneath the high collar of his shirt.
“Uh, hello,” Hisashi greeted.
A weary look appeared in the man’s eyes as he glanced to his right, towards the previous portrait, and released a heavy sigh. “…I’m still not sure if he’s really my father,” the painting grumbled exasperatedly, side-eyeing the other one.
“I sure am!” the bald man spoke up. “I even watched you come out of your mother’s—”
Hisashi quickly moved on.
The next was the first woman of the line, with hair and eyes such a dark green that, were it not for the lighting, Hisashi would have sworn were black. He blinked at the sight of her, every inch of her form toned and muscled, from her arms to her calves. She had a mole dotting the side of her mouth and sharp eyes. A beautiful woman certainly, but dangerous. Hisashi couldn’t help but be put off by how formidable an opponent she would likely make if he had to meet her in a fight.
Still, she was not immediately aggressive, nor did she laugh at him, which he was thankful for.
“So. How are things in the castle?” she asked conversationally. “Is Sorahiko still running around?”
“Running around stealing people’s clothes, yeah,” Hisashi grumbled, still annoyed by what Gran had pulled on him earlier.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” The woman grinned.
“Yeah, that’s what Izuku said.” Hisashi tilted his head to the side, looking at her consideringly. “You’re Nana, aren’t you?”
“I am,” she confirmed with a nod, crossing her arms. “Did Sorahiko tell you about me?”
“Uh. They both did, a little bit. Not much though,” Hisashi admitted. “Though I heard you’re the reason that vampires here aren’t…” Hisashi paused for a moment, trying to figure out a way he could phrase his question. “…like they used to be? Hunting humans indiscriminately and such.”
“It was not a sustainable way of life,” Nana answered. “Why allow such reckless violence and hate when there could be peace and cooperation between our races? Neither needs to die for the other.”
Hisashi liked that. He agreed there was no need for reckless violence. The current war was stirring up such hatred in the human kingdom, and it festered and grew like a disease.
“Although, I couldn’t have accomplished it all on my own.” Nana gestured to the next portrait beside her. “Toshi and Inko were of great help to me.”
“I see,” Hisashi said, feeling a pang of excitement at the thought of seeing the next in line. He couldn’t help his eyes flickering impatiently to the side. Nana seemed to notice, a grin growing upon her face.
“Well? Go on ahead and introduce yourself!” she insisted, shooing him away.
He tried not to look like he was too eager as he stepped over to the next portrait. In it was the first person he’d seen that didn’t have green hair or eyes: a young, blond man with a striking blue gaze, who looked to be about the same height and build as Hisashi himself.
So this…was Izuku’s father?
The man smiled at him warmly from where he sat on a couch, radiating friendliness despite his hulking stature. Hisashi watched as the man got to his feet, walking right up to the front of the painting. His heartbeat quickened, but Hisashi denied any nervousness that threatened to creep up on him. There was nothing to be nervous about. It was just a painting. A painting supposedly of the last legendary hunter (turned vampire) that Hisashi had admired since his youth.
Even so, he wasn’t expecting the painting to be as welcoming as it was, giving him a slight start when it spoke.
“Hello there!” the man greeted, eyes glistening with cheerfulness. “I take it this is your first time to the Hall of Kings and Queens?”
“You…You’re…” Hisashi tried (and failed) to say.
“Midoriya Toshinori!” The man introduced himself in a booming voice, striking a pose. “And you are?”
“Shiga—Mi-Midor—Just Hisashi,” Hisashi mumbled, fighting down a blush over his own stammering. His last name was…complicated. Shigaraki felt natural for him to say, but…he was Izuku’s father now, wasn’t he? Didn’t that mean he accepted the name Midoriya? It was confusing. All he knew was that Midoriya Hisashi still sounded weird in his head.
“A pleasure to meet you, ‘Just Hisashi’!” Toshinori said, slightly teasing and with a bright, gleaming smile. The same kind of smile Hisashi often saw on Izuku. “Is there something I can help you with today?”
“Oh, uhm, no. Err, yes, but…I mean—I was just looking…” Hisashi paused, mentally trying to get a hold of himself and stop stammering. He looked back up at Toshinori, who seemed both interested and amused. “You’re the last One For All holder, aren’t you?”
“Indeed I am!” Toshinori nodded proudly. “Back when I was a hunter, my mentor passed it down to me before he died. That was before I met Inko though.”
“Yes, I heard you…‘fell in love’ with your supposed target,” Hisashi commented.
Toshinori raised a brow at his tone. “I may have been a bit ah…smitten when I first saw her,” he admitted, coughing into his hand to hide the hint of a blush on his painted cheeks. “But when you know, you know. You know?”
“…No?” Hisashi didn’t understand.
Toshinori just waved a hand. “Ah, well. You’re young. You have time.”
“You look younger than me!” Hisashi protested.
“Well I certainly couldn’t waste time!” Toshinori huffed good naturedly. “Vampires and humans age differently. I had to make my move while I could!”
“…Right.” Hisashi didn’t get it, but they were getting off topic. He wanted to ask about One For All. “So, um. About the sword. How exactly do you, er…pass it on? To the next hunter?”
“Oh, that?” Toshinori hummed in thought. “It needs to be passed from mentor to apprentice willingly in order for the next user to be able to fully use its power. The mentor and apprentice cut their hands on the blade together and mix the blood to transfer and bind the sword’s magical signature to the next user.”
“Oh.” Hisashi deflated a little. That meant he couldn’t use it then, as Toshinori was long dead.
Toshinori looked somewhat worried. “Why did you want to know? Is someone after the sword? A hunter? Are you safe? Is Izuku alright?”
“I-I’m fine. Izuku is fine,” Hisashi reassured him, a bit startled at how concerned the man suddenly was for his well-being. “Everything is fine.”
Toshinori seemed relieved. “Ah, that’s good, I—”
“Toshi?” a feminine voice spoke up suddenly. “Who are you talking to?”
Toshinori shifted slightly, as he had been taking up pretty much the whole portrait frame, having come right to the front when Hisashi had shown up. Behind him, a woman appeared.
Hisashi’s heart stopped, his jaw dropping slightly.
With hair and eyes the shade of emeralds, the woman was short and slender; well-endowed like her mother, but nowhere near as muscular as she had been. This woman did not have the mole her mother did, nor the same sharp eyes and dangerous air. Instead, her face was round and soft, making her appear gentle and welcoming. A lily was tucked into her viridescent locks.
She was gorgeous. Hisashi felt his face burn red at the sight of her. Bewitched. He was being bewitched.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to care even a little. In that moment, he felt as though he understood what it was Toshinori had been talking about. His heart was pounding in his chest now, beating faster with every step closer she came to him.
Hisashi couldn’t stop his eyes from roving, drinking in the sight of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. From her face, to her shoulders, and down further to the curve of her waist and hips. She wore a dress with a slit on the side, which gave him a peek at the flawless skin of her leg as she walked towards him. Hisashi stared at her, totally entranced. This must be who Izuku got his tiny stature from. She was so small he imagined that if he placed his hands on her hips, he could enfold his grasp around her waist almost entirely—
Suddenly, his view of her was blocked as Toshinori once again took up the whole portrait, his back to Hisashi as he spoke to the woman. “This is just a new face around the palace that’s come to visit, Inko!”
“Oh?” She hummed curiously, and Hisashi saw her small hand lay across Toshinori’s arm, gently moving it to the side and peeking around him. Hisashi found himself lost in deep green eyes, and his heart skipped a beat. “Did he say who he was?”
“This is ‘Just Hisashi’.”
Hisashi schooled his face from twitching at Toshinori’s teasing. But when Toshinori’s gaze went back to his, there was a level of warning in those blue eyes now, despite his still-bright smile. Hisashi stiffened slightly, but ignored the look. Sure, the man probably wasn’t happy that Hisashi was checking out his wife, but he was a portrait. What could he do about it?
“So.” The woman, Inko, moved to the front of the painting, bumping her husband out of the way with a hip check and a grunt from Toshinori. “What brings you to the castle? Are you a new guard?”
Hisashi stared blankly for a long moment, before his mind informed him that the pretty lady had asked him a question. “Uhh. Green!” he blurted out. He immediately flushed after in embarrassment. “I mean—Midori…ya Izuku. Izuku is why I’m here.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head curiously. “I haven’t seen Izuku in a long time. How is he these days? Have the real Inko and Toshinori been spending more time with him?”
Ah. So no one had informed the portraits of the king and queen’s passing. Hisashi shifted awkwardly, wondering what to do. It seemed a bit rude no one had told the portraits yet, considering how much life and intelligence they displayed. But was it really Hisashi’s place to say anything? If they hadn’t been told, there must be a reason for it, right? In which case telling them could mean trouble for him. But what should he do? Lie?
This must have been the reason Izuku hadn’t wanted to come in here, beyond simply having to see his parents' faces again.
“They’ve been a bit….uh…” Hisashi started, pausing as he tried to wrack his brain for a response. “A bit, um. Busy. That’s why Izuku brought me here. He’s been lonely without them.”
Both Inko and Toshinori frowned. “Busy?” Inko echoed. “What could they possibly be so busy with as to not have time for their own son?”
“The uh. The war,” Hisashi answered.
The couple’s eyes widened. “There’s a war?” Toshinori asked.
Oh shit. They hadn’t known about that either. Oops. “Y-Yeah,” Hisashi stammered. “Has…Has no one told you anything?”
“No.” Inko shook her head. “Aside from Gran, we don’t get many visitors. Not even from our real selves. We haven’t seen them since Izuku stopped visiting—” Inko froze briefly, realization flashing across her face. Her voice became soft and quiet then, pain appearing in her eyes. “Oh. I see.”
Uh-oh. Had she figured it out? Hisashi tried not to let anything show on his face. Was this good? Was it bad? Maybe he shouldn’t have come here.
“What is it, dear?” Toshinori asked, that bright smile of his falling and giving way to concern at the tone of her voice.
“It seems that the real Inko and Toshinori have…passed away…some time recently,” Inko surmised quietly.
Toshinori’s eyes widened, and when the couple looked at him, Hisashi couldn’t suppress a wince.
His silent reaction seemed to confirm Inko’s guess. “Oh,” Toshinori said quietly. He wrapped an arm around Inko’s waist, pulling her into his side to comfort her.
She wrapped an arm around him in return, and Hisashi couldn’t help the flash of jealousy that went through him. He quickly stamped down on it though. This was not the time for such things considering what the two had just learned. “…Sorry,” he offered.
They seemed lost for a moment, before turning their attention back to him. “...At least we know now,” Inko said softly. “Thank you for telling us.”
“Earlier…” Toshinori murmured. “When you introduced yourself. At one point you seemed like you almost said ‘Midoriya’. What was that about?”
“He….Your son…That is to say…” Hisashi found it hard to look the man in the eye, but was unable to look away from that brilliant blue gaze as it bored into him. “He…adopted me into his family. As…As his father.” He tugged at the collar of his shirt, trying to pull it up higher to hide the scar on his neck from Izuku’s rather…savage bite.
Inko’s eyes filled with sorrow and understanding. “Izuku…he must be so lonely…”
Toshinori looked somewhat troubled, but sighed. “I…I’m glad he has you, if you make him happy. We—this painting that is—were created before Izuku was born, and thus hold no personal memories of him. We were told by our real selves that he is our son, and have met him before when he has visited us in this hall. But while we don’t have much of a personal connection with Izuku, it’s strange to hear that he got himself another father as soon as I was gone.” Toshinori’s brows furrowed with grief. “Inko is right though; he must be incredibly lonely.”
“I’ve been doing what I can,” Hisashi informed them. And, well. He was now. But he had no intention of sharing his rather…rough start with the pair.
Especially with the way Inko beamed at him—though her eyes remained saddened. “Thank you. You must be a very good man to have stepped up to help.”
Hisashi’s blush spread down his neck at the praise and his heart fluttered, while a sheepish smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He definitely wasn’t telling them the real story now. “R-Right…”
Bright blue eyes flashed. “Let’s go sit down,” Toshinori told Inko, scooping the woman up into his broad arms, almost engulfing her entirely. His gaze flickered over to Hisashi, darkening a tad with a knowing glint. “We have a lot to think about right now.”
“I-I should—I should get going…” Hisashi mumbled, edging away.
“Please, come back and visit another time! We rarely see anyone these days!” Inko called out as Hisashi turned to leave. Toshinori looked somewhat displeased with her request.
“O-Of course,” Hisashi called back, hoping to see the woman’s smiling face one last time.
But Toshinori turned around completely, obscuring her from view entirely as he walked further into the portrait, towards a room in the back.
Hisashi sighed, his heart settling back into its slow, steady pulse as he made his way back down the line of portraits. It was mostly peaceful now, with only their curious eyes staring at him. Nana’s, however, were filled with sorrow, indicating she had likely heard everything he had talked about with Toshinori and Inko.
Hisashi nearly jumped out of his skin when the rude portrait from earlier suddenly shouted, breaking the silence in the hall. “Heads up, Pops! The doppelganger is heading your way.”
Hisashi rolled his eyes and told himself to ignore the man. He wasn’t going to argue with a painting. Though, he did briefly wonder who “Pops” was as he kept walking past.
“Hmm. I see my son wasn’t exaggerating. You look just like him.”
The new voice stopped him in his tracks.
Hisashi felt…he didn’t really know what. A tangled ball of emotions bounced to life in his chest, and he felt like the whole world slowed down around him as he turned his head to look at the speaker…
And Yoichi’s bright, green eyes stared back at him.
Hisashi stumbled in shock, mouth falling open. No way. No way.
“Y…Yoichi?!” Hisashi whispered in disbelief, staring into a slender face framed by smooth strands of light green hair. “H-How—”
“Yoichi?” the portrait repeated, brows furrowing as a sharp frown formed. A dark emotion filled those eyes, the likes of which Hisashi had never seen on his brother. “I am not your ‘Yoichi’. I am The First.”
“…The First?” Hisashi asked weakly, his brain feeling numb as he continued to drink in the sight of his little brother’s face on the man in the painting.
“Yes,” Not-Yoichi replied, “the progenitor vampire.” Hisashi felt those green eyes rake across his form intensely. “And you must be his descendant.”
It was the Oboro situation all over again. “Who?”
“My dear brother,” Not-Yoichi sneered. “And I’ll bet you’re a hunter as well. Or…” He looked at Hisashi’s neck, where the scar peaked out above his collar. “You were a hunter. Weren’t you?” He made it sound like an accusation.
“I…I was.” Hisashi swallowed thickly, feeling like he was both numb and on fire at the same time.
“Hmm.” Not-Yoichi gave him a look of disgust, the way one might to a bug they wanted to squash. It…hurt. It hurt to see that look directed at him from his little brother’s visage. “Figures that his descendants lived on. You humans breed like rats,” Not-Yoichi spat out in distaste.
“I don’t know.” Hisashi really couldn’t say whether or not he was a descendant of whoever this guy’s brother was. He wanted to deny it automatically, but… “Why do you look so much like my little brother?”
“I suppose my good looks run in the family.” Not-Yoichi shrugged casually. “Though judging from your reaction, your ‘Yoichi’ was nothing like me.”
“He certainly wasn’t a vampire,” Hisashi muttered. “It was your kind that killed him actually.” If this guy really was the very first vampire, as he claimed to be, then everything stemmed from him. All of Hisashi’s problems with vampires were thanks to this guy for creating more of his kind.
Not-Yoichi sneered at him, flashing his fangs. “I recognize that look. You’re exactly like him, thinking I’m a monster just for having existed.” Not-Yoichi scoffed, looking very haughty. “Let me guess, you think maybe I became a vampire through a deal with a dark god or a demon? An unholy ritual, perhaps?” Not-Yoichi’s expression grew more smug when Hisashi’s features pinched slightly. “Well, sorry to disappoint you, but as it happens, I was simply born this way.”
“I never said anything like that!” Hisashi protested, ignoring that it was somewhat true. “You’re just putting words in my mouth!”
“It was implied.” Not-Yoichi waved him off. “But the truth is that humans are far worse than any vampire.”
Okay, that was just plain bullshit. Hisashi scowled. “How?! Humans don’t kill and eat vampires the way vampires do humans.” And now he was arguing with a painting. Shining moment for him, really.
“Tell that to my brother.” Hisashi’s eyes went wide at the statement, but the painting continued on before he could ask what he was talking about, “But yes, vampires do drink human blood in order to survive. And yet, humans will kill one another to satisfy their own selfish desires. How often have they started wars with their own kind for the sake of greed and power, under the guise that they were doing so for righteous reasons?”
Hisashi snorted. “And how many vampires kill one another for the same? Greed and power aren’t exclusive fallacies to humans. We’re talking about interspecies violence, not human on human or vampire on vampire violence. The fact is that vampires prey on humans and have done so for centuries. Humans have fought back out of a need to survive.”
“Is that so?” Not-Yoichi hummed thoughtfully. “Because when I was a child, it was quite the opposite. When other humans discovered my existence, they hunted me down relentlessly. All for the crime of being different than they were.”
“Was it really because you were just ‘different’ or because you were eating and killing them?” It felt strange to Hisashi to have such anger and acerbic words spit at him from someone who bore his brother’s face.
Not-Yoichi’s eyes burned hotly, fixing Hisashi under a glare. “I was able to get by quite easily without hunting and killing humans, thanks to my mother and father. It was only when my older brother leaked knowledge of my existence to other people that I needed to kill to survive.”
“Sounds to me like you only ever saw your parents, and that as soon as other humans came by for the first time and you had the opportunity, you immediately resorted to killing them.” Hisashi paused for a moment, considering. If he had been in the position of this guy’s older brother…If his little brother had been born a vampire…Would he have done the same? He would have had no reason to hate vampires so much at that point in time. Wouldn’t he have instead done everything in his power to protect and hide Yoichi from those who would want to hurt him? Hisashi knew deep down he would have. “Sucks about your brother, though. Yoichi and I would have never betrayed each other.”
“How fortunate for you,” Not-Yoichi sneered. “My brother had no such reservations. But you’re wrong. The first time I took a life was to protect my mother, when we had been forced to flee when a mob descended on our home. My father died to give us the chance to escape. Mother took me and ran as everything I had ever known burned to the ground. Unfortunately, someone was already waiting for us outside when she fled the manor. Can you guess who?”
Hisashi felt a pang of sympathy. Mostly because he knew exactly what that was like. His eyes roved over the portrait’s familiar face for a long moment as he debated whether or not to say what he wanted to say. It would be only his second time telling the story, and it still hurt to do so. It felt strange to share something so private and vulnerable about himself. But…this guy had just shared his story. Hisashi figured he could return the courtesy.
“…A mob descended on my home too,” he said quietly. He didn’t want all the other portraits to overhear. “Vampires ravaged my whole village, destroying everything. I stayed behind with my little brother because he was too sickly to run. They dragged us out into the street and tortured us. I…I watched him die.” His voice cracked slightly. “He begged me for help, but I couldn’t do anything. They drank from him until he was empty…”
“Then you have a small inkling of what it was I went through,” Not-Yoichi conceded.
Perhaps they were alike. Both attacked by and lost family to the other species. Both developing intense hatred for that species.
“I took my first life that day. My brother watched from afar, smiling as his compatriots tried to rip me from my mother’s grasp. But she refused to let them have me.” Not-Yoichi paused, clearly lost in the memory for a moment before continuing on, “So they cut her down for refusing to give up her child, then tried to do the same to me. Tried being the key word. I still remember how easily my claws ripped through their throats. How that triumphant grin fell from my brother’s face when I killed them.”
Hisashi wanted to feel angry about that. Wanted to be upset and disgusted and offended. But…if he’d had the strength back then…the power…he couldn’t say that he also wouldn’t have slaughtered every vampire around in revenge for his little brother. He would have taken great joy in it too, for what they did to him.
Hisashi stared at his clawed hands as if they were foreign to him. “…I couldn’t do anything for my brother,” he whispered, and he wasn’t even really speaking to the portrait anymore. “I had to be saved. I was too weak.”
“There was no one there to save us, but I refused to let my mother be taken from me,” Not-Yoichi snarled. “I had no idea what I was doing then, following a base instinct I hadn’t been aware of before. All to save her. All I wanted was for my mother to stand up again. And she did, much to my brother’s horror. She became the very first vampire I ever created.”
“Maybe you had a tragic beginning,” Hisashi conceded. “But that doesn’t negate all the harm and damage vampires have done throughout the centuries. As the first, you’re responsible for that. My village…my brother…that’s all because of vampires.”
“What would you have done to protect your little brother?” Not-Yoichi countered. “When the whole world and everyone in it is trying to kill you both? I did what I had to in order to protect my family. By any means necessary.”
Hisashi would have done anything. Anything to save Yoichi. But he still recognized that one act didn’t outweigh years of violence. “…I would have done the same,” he admitted. “But it still doesn’t negate all the harm and damage vampires have done to humans over the decades. Maybe you can’t be blamed for others’ actions, but you can’t deny that they happened. That vampires have proceeded to prey on humans until Nana decided to end the cycle of death.”
“My people have only done what they must to survive, as have yours.” Not-Yoichi sniffed. “If animals suddenly developed the ability to speak and accused you of having hunted them for centuries as food, what would you say? You hunted and ate them to survive. Vampires have only done the same.”
“Nedzu already has the ability to speak,” Hisashi said wryly, shuddering at the thought of beady black eyes.
“The shapeshifter?” Not-Yoichi huffed a snort of laughter. “Compelling argument there, to be sure.”
“Shapeshifter?!” Hisashi yelped. “What do you mean shapeshifter?!” The rat was a shapeshifter?
…That made more sense than a talking animal actually. Hisashi couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought about it before.
Not-Yoichi shrugged. “I only know of what I overhear from the occasional visitor. As far as I could tell, he’s a vampire that was hit by a spell mid-transformation and became permanently stuck in an amalgamation of different forms as a result. Or perhaps he simply prefers the new form and decided to remain as such.”
Ah, so the rat was a vampire too. Hisashi should have known. “I don’t like the way he looks at me,” he muttered. “He’s creepy.”
“That’s likely why he prefers to remain as he is.” Not-Yoichi smirked humorlessly. “But I find myself growing weary of our talk, though I wouldn’t mind if we spoke again another time. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of my brother’s look-a-like being a vampire. Do come back again, won’t you?”
Hisashi scoffed, rolling his eyes as he watched Not-Yoichi turn his back on him, moving to the side and slipping out of frame, once again leaving an empty portrait behind. Hisashi got far more than he ever bargained for by coming here, both good and bad. Meeting Toshinori, the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered, and seeing his brother’s visage again.
…Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to visit once and awhile. Purely to learn more about the vampiric royalty, of course.
Gran paused for a moment, ear to the door of Mirai’s office. When he had confirmed the man was inside, he gleefully stepped back.
And kicked the door wide open.
“FOR THE LOVE OF—GRAN!” he heard Mirai snap immediately. “Cease and desist! Why do you keep doing this to me?!”
“You said you wanted me to start knocking!” Gran insisted as walked in, shutting the door behind him. He grinned at the sight of the inkwell tipped over on Mirai’s desk, spilling its contents over the table, the man having quickly lifted his papers to prevent them from being drenched in ink.
“I do! So why didn’t you?!”
“I did! I knocked just like last time! Once! With my foot!”
“That is not how you knock!” Mirai growled, golden eyes flashing heatedly as he righted the inkwell and waved his hand over the mess, banishing the ink before setting the stack of papers back down.
Gran put on an expression of being incredibly confused, scratching at his head. “Ah, geez. I must’ve missed the ‘knocking on doors’ lesson. Care to catch me up to speed with the rest of the class?”
“Will you please just—nevermind.” Mirai sighed in exasperation, pinching his brow.
“No, no, go ahead. Please show me.” Gran gestured to the door.
Mirai threw a paperweight at him.
He dodged it with ease, cackling as he sauntered over and slumped down in a chair. “So,” he began, grin widening at the man’s disgruntled expression, “any idea on what we should do now?”
Mirai steepled his fingers together, elbows resting on his desk. He thunked his forehead down on his hands and sighed again. “Things have gotten more complicated, certainly. I can’t believe that bastard had the audacity to threaten us.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised he hadn’t already, considering what he said in the baths,” Gran mused. “But if Izuku knew what we’ve been doing, we would know by now. So he’s kept his word on not telling the boy—as long as we don’t make any more attempts. For a while, that is.”
Mirai hissed under his breath disapprovingly. “We can’t afford to wait that long though. All For One has gotten too attached to His Majesty as it is. His Majesty even went so far as to poison himself by removing the silver-tainted blood from All For One.” Mirai’s voice became firm with resolution then. “We cannot allow that to happen again.”
Gran nodded in agreement. Poisoning All For One was absolutely out of the question when Izuku’s own life would be at risk.
Mirai grimaced. “But the longer it takes us, the harder it will be to separate them, and the more pain His Majesty will experience at the loss of his new…father.”
Of that, Gran had no doubt. Especially when considering what All For One had told them had happened after the ball; about how distraught Izuku had been after All For One had nearly died. How Izuku had cried over him all night. Not to mention how the boy had stormed the castle that morning when he thought All For One was missing.
Gran ignored the way it made his middle twist. Getting rid of All For One—Hisashi—was still the best plan. Izuku would understand that in time.
“What are we supposed to do then?” Gran asked. “Any attempts we make, even if we thoroughly distance ourselves from them, All For One will assume we were behind them.”
Mirai hummed thoughtfully. “We’d have to make sure any attempt is unmistakably an accident. A wet patch of floor at the top of a set of stairs. A pail tipping and falling out a window. Something that we could easily call him paranoid for if he tried to accuse us of said ‘accidents’.”
Gran snorted. “Sounds to me like we’re getting a bit desperate. I think what we should be doing is distancing Izuku from Hisashi as much as possible.”
“You make that sound like it’s easy to do.” Mirai sniffed. “His Majesty likes to spend the majority of his time with All For One. And while we could try and distance them with royal duties for His Majesty, he could also easily order us to stop, or allow All For One to accompany him.”
“Well, while I was supposed to be sorting through some paperwork, I did overhear a juicy tidbit of gossip from a few servants that might help us.”
“Oh?” Mirai raised a brow, leaning back in his seat with a practiced neutral expression that Gran knew was hiding eagerness. “Do tell.”
Gran laughed. “I knew you loved gossip! You try so hard to hide it but you love to hear it.”
“As if you’re one to talk!” Mirai snapped at him. “At least I don’t spend my time purposefully listening in on people’s conversations or barging into their rooms!”
“At least I ain’t trying to hide what I enjoy!” Gran shot back. “You put on such a pretentious front, but it’s all fake. Besides, I know you sometimes use your future vision on people when you think someone is talking about you behind your back.”
Mirai huffed and raised his chin, nose in the air. “I only do that for matters of…personal security.”
“Right, right.”
“Anyway. What was it you heard from the servants?”
“Eager to know, huh? Whatcha gonna give me for it?” Gran asked with a cheeky grin, making a little kissy face and laughing when Mirai glared at him with sparks flying from his eyes. “Fine, fine. It’s about that kid on the council. The Iida heir. I’ve heard he’s bringing his little brother up to the castle to visit. Supposedly to show him the ropes concerning the council and running family affairs. Going to be staying for at least a week, from what I hear.”
He saw the calculating look in Mirai’s eyes as the man pieced together what Gran was getting at. “You think we could distract His Majesty with another child his age? Separate him from All For One that way?”
“Izuku would jump at the opportunity to play with another kid. He’s never really had the chance to before.” The words left Gran with a bit of a sour taste in his mouth, loath as he was to admit that Izuku hardly had the chance to be a kid. The boy had been saddled with royal responsibilities from a young age. Meanwhile he had manipulated things to ensure he would never be shackled down, ladened with weighty responsibilities like that. Inadvertently, it meant they were all dumped on Izuku.
Gran withheld a sigh, feeling a heavy, uncomfortable sensation crawl up his back and over his shoulders, settling around his neck and weighing him down.
“True,” Mirai agreed, drawing Gran out of his thoughts. “It might be good for His Majesty to play with another child for a while. Though, it may be difficult to get the Iida boy separate from his brother. The Iida family is very protective of their youngest—for good reason, of course. Having had two children is a miracle and blessing.”
“It’s nothing we can’t manage,” Gran said confidently. “After all, what vampire wouldn’t jump at the chance to spend time with their king? Besides, once Izuku catches wind of another kid in the castle, he’ll probably drag the Iida boy away before the kid even knows what’s happening. In fact, imagine what would happen if word of his coming just happened to slip around Izuku?”
“He might get so excited he’d do our job for us,” Mirai mused. “Very well. We have our next course of action planned then.”
“Sounds good to me!” Gran exclaimed, slapping his knee. “Was there anything else we needed to discuss? I’ve noticed you've been getting more reports as of late.”
“Indeed,” Mirai muttered, staring down at one such paper with narrowed eyes. “There has been troubling news from the frontlines.”
“Of what sorts?” Gran asked, frowning.
“Encounters with humans of abnormal physical strength and magical capabilities. Some reports have even detailed sightings of a few with strange…mutations, as it were. If they are to be believed,” Mirai said quietly, eyes shifting over the paper. “It’s possible that it was merely delirium from lack of blood, or that the soldier who reported seeing such things simply snapped due to the stress of war.”
“But?” Gran pressed, sensing one in there.
“…But this is not the only sighting of this kind to have been reported.” Mirai folded his hands, deep in thought as he contemplated. “Something troubling is happening in the Kingdom of Yuei.”
“We already knew that though,” Gran pointed out. “With the half-lifes cropping up again, it would seem we have trouble with more than just the humans. Have you learned anything more about it from your spies in the kingdom?”
“I’ve managed to determine that the half-lifes are indeed appearing in startling numbers within the borders of Yuei. I’ve yet to uncover who exactly is behind it, however. It could be a vampire, or group of vampires, leaving humans half-turned to stir chaos within Yuei. Or, alternatively, they could be attempting to thwart our efforts. They could even possibly be trying to usurp the throne from His Majesty, by creating an army of half-lifes that cannot be controlled.”
“They can certainly try,” Gran hissed out, the beginnings of a growl climbing in his throat before he beat it down. “I won’t let anything happen to Izuku.”
“All the more reason that we find whoever is responsible behind these strange occurrences,” Mirai concluded grimly. “I do not believe these incidents will simply fade away if we ignore them.”
“Agreed.” Gran nodded in concurrence. “Was there anything else?”
“Not at the moment. I’ll keep you updated on future developments.”
“Right. You do that. Guess we’re done here for now then?” Gran asked, receiving a confirming hum. He stretched, getting ready to make his leave, when he regarded Mirai with a glint in his eye. “By the way, about those lessons…Don’t suppose you can show me how to properly get knocked up, do you?”
Mirai groaned loudly. “You’re intentionally twisting your words!”
Gran raised a brow. “You going to show me or not? I’d love to learn how to bang against a door.”
“Get out.”
Gran waggled his brows. “Or what?”
“Or you’ll find that the taiyaki shop you frequent so often might be closing its doors soon. Something about health violations and certain vulgar characters…”
“What?!” Gran cried dramatically, jumping from his seat and making a show of swaying in shock, a hand over his chest. “You play dirty, Mirai. I like that.”
“Oh, just go!”
Gran cackled as he sauntered from the room. “And don’t forget about our lessons! You’ll have to really hammer into me to make sure it sticks!” Gran called out just before he shut the door.
He heard another paperweight make contact with the wood a second after, sending him into a fit of uproarious laughter as he walked away.
Notes:
Knocking on wooden doors.
Mirai: “I, at least, have the courtesy to knock on doors, unlike some people.”
Gran: “You can knock on my wood anytime.” ;)
Inko has a type.
Hisashi: checking out Inko
Inko: eyes darting up and down Hisashi's form appreciatively. Looks to her husband. Looks back at Hisashi. Notes the similarities
Inko: “Hm...there's no law stating that I can't have two husbands. And he's already the father of my son, so...”
Toshinori: vibrating with possessive jealousy
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 19
Summary:
“What?!” Gran cried dramatically, jumping from his seat and making a show of swaying in shock, a hand over his chest. “You play dirty, Mirai. I like that.”
“Oh, just go!”
Gran cackled as he sauntered from the room. “And don’t forget about our lessons! You’ll have to really hammer into me to make sure it sticks!” Gran called out just before he shut the door.
He heard another paperweight make contact with the wood a second after, sending him into a fit of uproarious laughter as he walked away.
Chapter Text
“...And then you carry the x over here and—” Izuku paused as Hisashi stared blankly at the problem on the paper before him. They were back at it again, studying math just like the day before. Izuku could almost swear he saw smoke billowing from his father’s ears. He paused, tilting his head. “Dad? Are you okay?”
“…Fine. Just fine,” Hisashi said weakly, but Izuku could see his eyes were spinning.
“Do you wanna take a break?” Izuku asked. “We’ve been working on this for a while.” It was fun to teach! Much more fun than learning, Izuku found. And they had been making good progress!
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Hisashi leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand against his temple as though he had a headache. “I could definitely use some fresh air right now.”
Izuku decided not to point out the open windows in the room that were letting in fresh air. “Okay!” he agreed, closing the books with a marker so they would know where they had last left off. “Why don’t we go down to Mirai’s study? I still need to talk to him about hiring you a personal servant.”
Hisashi groaned loudly at his words, head falling back and staring at the ceiling in exasperation.
“We can go for a walk around the castle after if you want? There’s still some sights you haven’t seen!” Izuku offered, and was answered with an unenthusiastic grunt. “Or we could train?” he added, seeing how his dad’s expression had twisted at the mention of Mirai.
As he thought, Hisashi perked up at the idea of training, but glanced over to the window, where the warm, beaming rays of sunlight were streaming into the room through the parted curtains. “Has the training room been fixed yet?” he asked curiously.
“As good as new!”
“And you’re not going to destroy it again?” Hisashi teased.
Izuku huffed. “That was one time! And it was an accident!”
“Yes, well, try not to have any more of those kinds of accidents. I doubt the treasury can afford it if you keep blowing up the training room.”
Izuku crossed his arms. “Actually, it could, thank you. We have centuries of wealth built up in there.”
“Oh. Mind kicking some of it this way then?” Hisashi quipped jokingly with a small smirk.
Izuku tried to suppress his own grin. “Why? You want to hold some money, Dad? You do love holding things.”
“Will you please let that go already!” Hisashi exclaimed wearily. “It was one time and I was drunk!”
“Will you let the training room accident go?” Izuku shot back.
Hisashi paused, brows pinched in consideration, before shaking his head. “No.”
“Well, there you have it,” Izuku said cheerfully. “You’re gonna be the best at holding things forever!”
“And you’ll always be the gremlin that almost blew up the castle!”
“And whose fault is it for showing me such a dangerous spell?”
“Yours!” Hisashi insisted. “I didn’t tell you to cast it! You did that entirely on your own.”
Izuku pouted. “But Dad! I wouldn’t have even been able to cast it if you hadn’t first shown me the spell!”
He watched with satisfaction as Hisashi sputtered for an answer. Then he seemed to resign himself, muttering, “Alright, that’s enough of that.” A small smirk twisted the corners of Hisashi’s mouth, and the next thing Izuku knew he was being scooped up, knuckles roughly brushing against his scalp in spite of his protests. He was set down again a moment later as Hisashi stood, stretching his arms out, sighing in satisfaction when his joints popped. “Let’s go ahead and visit Mirai. The sooner we’re done with that windbag the better. Then we can train.”
“He’s not a windbag!” Izuku tried to defend his retainer. “He’s just…”
“Full of hot air,” Hisashi finished for him, grabbing his sword and strapping it to his waist.
“Yeah.”
“A pompous windbag,” Hisashi rectified.
Izuku giggled. “With ruffles and poofy sleeves!”
Hisashi chuckled lightly, ruffling Izuku’s hair. “Sure.”
He followed behind Izuku as Izuku skipped his way out of the room, heading for Mirai’s office. Hopefully, they could make the visit quick, so that Mirai and Dad wouldn’t have the chance to get into another argument.
When they arrived, Izuku turned to Hisashi gleefully. His father raised a curious brow at him. “Watch this! Gran showed me!”
Before his dad could question him, Izuku ran forward and kicked open the door with a loud bang.
“GRAN!” Mirai screamed from inside.
“What?! I’m right here!” Gran’s voice answered.
“Hey, Mirai! Hey, Gran!” Izuku greeted cheekily as he entered the room, eyes falling on Mirai at his desk and Gran in the chair in the corner.
“Oh. Your Majesty.” Mirai blinked slowly.
“You accused me while I’m sittin’ right next to ya!” Gran laughed gleefully with a slap to his knee.
“…Force of habit.” Mirai coughed awkwardly, hiding the faint tint of pink in his cheeks behind a hand.
“I’ve taught him too well it seems.”
Mirai gasped dramatically, brows set in a deep furrow. “So it IS your fault!” He pointed accusingly at Gran. “I knew it!”
Gran just shrugged, his unusually large fangs on display in a widening grin.
Izuku then watched both men’s countenances change the moment Hisashi appeared in the doorway; the relaxed, joking air between them disappearing in an instant.
“…So. To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from His Majesty and Hisashi?” Mirai asked after managing to ease his face back into neutrality. “Surely it must be of importance?”
“Not really,” Hisashi muttered, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere else as he shifted on his feet, leaning against the frame of the door.
“It is!” Izuku said, paying no mind to his father being a grump. “We’re looking to get Dad a personal servant. Someone human that he can be comfortable around.”
“There’s no ‘we’,” Hisashi grumbled.
“But you’re going to be picking them out! Remember, Dad?” Izuku reminded him.
He was answered with a weary sigh, Hisashi rolling his eyes at him.
“That way you can have someone you really like,” Izuku pointed out, hoping it would make Hisashi at least a little more agreeable to the whole idea.
“Uh-huh. I’m sure there’s tons of people lining up to be my servant,” Hisashi replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“A personal servant?” Mirai sniffed pretentiously, fixing Hisashi with his sharp eyes. “What need does he have for one? He chases away all the servants as it is.”
“Unless he wants someone to help him hold things,” Gran said. “What, you drop the soap one too many times? Or you just wanting someone to hold your thing?”
Hisashi groaned loudly. “That is hardly an appropriate thing to say around children!”
“For once, I agree with Hisashi,” Mirai stated, glowering at Gran. “Please refrain yourself from making such comments around His Majesty.”
Izuku didn’t understand. “What? What’s wrong with Dad holding things? He’s the best at it!” He had just made a joke about Hisashi holding things earlier, why were they suddenly saying it was inappropriate?
“See?” Gran pointed out. “It’s not a big deal. He doesn’t get it anyway.”
“Get what?” Izuku wondered.
“Anyway,” Hisashi cut him off from asking anything more. Izuku looked up to see his eye was twitching. “The servant?”
“…If it is of such importance to His Majesty, then I will search for suitable candidates,” Mirai conceded after a moment. “I will make a notice for potential applicants and look through the results personally.”
“Thanks, Mirai!” Izuku chirped. “Make sure they’re human!”
“As you wish, My Liege.”
“Shouldn’t be surprised that he wants a personal servant,” Gran commented from the side. “Seems every youth wants someone to wait on them hand and foot these days.”
“I don’t want a personal servant,” Hisashi griped from behind Izuku, and Izuku could feel his eyes staring holes into him. “But someone here is insistent on it.”
“You still have trouble with certain things, Dad.” Izuku reached back to pat Hisashi on the arm. “Like getting dressed.”
Hisashi flushed, while Gran for some reason burst out laughing. Izuku wasn’t sure why that was funny, but then again, Gran laughed at a lot of weird things.
“Shut up!” Hisashi growled at Gran. “It’s not my fault some of the clothes are so stupidly complicated!”
“Oh? Can’t do up your buttons, Hisashi?” Gran chortled.
Mirai let out a long-suffering sigh.
Izuku understood how he felt. “Anyway! Dad and I are gonna take a walk around the castle for a bit. We’ll be back later!”
“Very well. I have other preparations that need to be tended to as well,” Mirai said as he shuffled through his papers. He leveled Gran with a sharp stare. “Did you tell the servants to prep the room like I asked? I won’t stand for subpar conditions for when our guests arrive.”
“Guests?” Izuku blinked owlishly. “What guests? I thought all the nobles that weren’t on the council left already.”
Mirai pushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead, affixing his glasses just so. “They did.”
“I’ll get to it eventually.” Gran shrugged. “They won’t be here for another week or two anyway.”
“Who?” Izuku asked again, itching with curiosity.
“Hmm?” Mirai glanced back over at him from where he had been sorting through his paperwork idly. “Oh, the Iida family’s youngest…Tenya, I believe his name is? He’ll be coming up with his older brother for council related purposes. They’ll be staying at the castle for a little while.”
Izuku instantly brightened. The youngest Iida? He was a kid like Izuku! They were around the same age! Izuku had never really gotten to interact with him much before, and he was excited to have the chance. Maybe they could even play together!
“Really?!” he exclaimed eagerly, practically bouncing on his feet now. “When will he be here? How long? How old is he? Is he going—”
“Easy, Izuku.” Gran chuckled, gesturing for him to calm down. “Should be here within a week or two. He’s around your age, maybe a little older.”
“Then we have to get his room prepared at once! Make sure it’s spotless and has everything he could want!” Izuku went on. “And when he gets here, maybe we can…”
“Aye, aye.” Gran held up his hands. “I already said I’m on it. I’ll get around to it in time, don’t you worry.”
What did kids his age even like to play with? Izuku wondered, deep in thought now. He spent most of his time studying and training, and he didn’t have any toys or stuff like that. He had long since grown out of that sort of thing. But he wanted to be able to play something with the other boy when he arrived…But what did normal kids like to play with?
He’d have to get something. Something fun. Something cool!
But there wasn’t anything like that in the castle. And his dad had mentioned wanting to get some fresh air, hadn’t he? This was the perfect opportunity! He turned to his father, looking up with the biggest, most pleading eyes he could muster.
“I want to go to the city. Will you go with me?” Izuku begged, tugging repeatedly on the sleeve of his dad’s shirt. “I want to look for something!”
Hisashi perked up from where he had been squinting at Mirai and Gran, seeming happy about getting out of the castle. “Right now?”
“Yeah! Right now! And this time, bring your parasol!” Izuku reminded him. But the thought of going outside into the city, with lots of people watching them, made his anxiety swell. He was still on edge from the incident at the ball, despite it being several days since then. What if something else went wrong? Something always seemed to go wrong when Izuku wanted to do an activity with his dad. He whirled around. “Mirai! Can you look into dad’s future and make sure nothing is going to go wrong on our trip?”
“Your Majesty, surely—” Mirai went to protest before Izuku glared at his retainer, eyes glowing softly in warning. Mirai relented with a sigh. “Very well then,” he muttered, standing up from his desk and moving over to a cabinet. He took out the flask of blood he had collected from Hisashi months ago, tipping a few drops into his mouth.
Mirai went stiff for a moment as his eyes fogged over, then eased once more as the vision ended. He turned to Izuku after placing the flask back, giving a small nod. “Everything will be fine,” he answered, and Izuku felt the anxiety ebbing away. But then Mirai locked his golden gaze with his father’s, eyes narrowed and stern. “But if you would: mind your own business,” Mirai warned him.
“Oooh, what’s he going to do, Mirai?” Gran asked, interest greatly piqued. He leaned forward in his chair, excitement radiating off the elder vampire. “You know how I love gossip. Don’t hold out on me now!”
“I’ll tell you about it later,” Mirai responded brusquely.
“It won’t be dangerous to Dad, will it?” Izuku pressed.
“No, not at all. Just make certain he keeps to himself, Your Majesty,” Mirai repeated, his words offering Izuku a good deal of reassurance.
Hisashi, however, bristled. “I don’t go sticking my nose into other people’s business!” he protested. “Unlike someone I could mention.”
Mirai didn’t look impressed, but Izuku didn’t want this to become another argument—which it was on the path of doing. He began ushering his dad towards the door.
“I’m going. I’m going,” Hisashi huffed, shooing Izuku’s hands away. “You don’t need to push me, Izuku.”
“Then hurry up!” Izuku insisted impatiently, grabbing hold of his hand and speeding through the halls with his father in tow.
Just before they turned the corner, he could hear Gran breaking into loud laughter. But he shrugged it off, making a quick stop to grab his pouch of coins, and two parasols for himself and Hisashi. His dad stared at them disdainfully when one was handed to him, but thankfully didn’t put it back.
Izuku twirled his parasol (which he made sure matched the one he grabbed for his dad) and took Hisashi’s hand again in his own, tentatively, looking up at him with hope. He wanted to hold hands as they walked through the city, the way he’d seen other children do with their parents.
And, to his surprise, Hisashi didn’t complain, even enfolding his large hand over Izuku’s much smaller one. The smile it brought to Izuku’s face was so big that it hurt. He bounced happily as they walked out together, swinging their arms as they left the confines of the castle.
“What is it you were wanting to look for anyway?” Hisashi asked curiously as the buzz of the city streets grew louder and began to hum in their ears. “You have a whole castle of stuff.”
Izuku felt his face grow warm with embarrassment, glancing to the side to avoid his father’s gaze.
“Um. It’s, uh. Well…I don’t really know,” Izuku admitted quietly. “Something for when Tenya visits the castle.”
Hisashi raised a brow. “Like what?”
“I don’t know…” Izuku muttered again, twisting his parasol around anxiously as he struggled to think of what exactly he was searching for. “Just…Something fun? Something we can play with together.”
“Ah.” Hisashi looked like he was thinking hard for a moment. “…My brother and I didn’t have a lot growing up, as we were poor, but we did have a ball. We played with that a lot. We also had a rope that we used to skip with.”
“A ball sounds fun!” Izuku perked up excitedly. A ball would be perfect! “Do you think they’ll have one in the city?”
“Most definitely.” Hisashi chuckled softly, flashing a small smile his way. “I’ve seen plenty of street vendors selling them in Yuei to kids before. They’ll probably have the same here. There’s plenty of human kids, right?”
“Yep!” Izuku chirped.
“Then there will be vendors selling them in the city. It’s just a matter of finding them.”
“I’ve never gone toy shopping before!” Izuku skipped forward. “I’m so excited!”
“Never?” Hisashi asked, disbelief colouring his tone. “What about when you were younger?”
Izuku shrugged. “I was just given toys. I never shopped for them.”
“...Where are your toys now then?” Hisashi persisted. “You didn’t have any in your room.”
Izuku wilted slightly thinking about it. “…They’re gone,” he mumbled. “I got rid of them years ago.”
Hisashi’s brows furrowed. “Why? You’re still a kid.”
Izuku shrugged. “I didn’t have time for them. I’m not a kid anymore, I’m the king. I have to think about my people, and the war affecting us. There’s no place for toys in war.”
Izuku pretended he didn’t see the look of pity his father sent his way, but it warmed his heart when he felt his hand being gently squeezed.
“Why don’t we make a quick stop at that bookstore again while we’re here? There was something there I saw last time that I was thinking about getting,” Hisashi suggested. “You can look for one of those treats you were talking about last time while I go get it. Shouldn’t take me long.”
“Sure!” Izuku nodded. “But you’ll need some coin to purchase the book you’re looking for.”
Izuku pried several gold coins from his pouch, handing them over to his dad. Hisashi took them with a hum, thanking him as he stashed them into his pocket. Izuku grinned, swinging their arms to and fro as they continued down the streets, glad to spend as much time out in the city with his father as possible.
Especially since he knew nothing would go wrong.
Hisashi left the bookshop with a wave goodbye to the store owner, new purchase tucked under his arm. The shopkeeper had been kind enough to wrap it in brown paper when Hisashi asked, as a way to keep it a secret from Izuku.
Speaking of whom, the boy was across the street, checking out a small stall. Hisashi made his way over to him, nudging his shoulder. “Find anything interesting?”
“Just some ice cream!” Izuku exclaimed as he observed the multitude of flavors laid out for customers to see, the gentle glow of an enchantment keeping the frozen treat nice and cool. “I think I’ll get the kind with blood swirls. Do you want some?”
Hisashi looked at it dubiously. “Uhh. Is it good? I’ve never had ice cream before…”
“Not even once?” Izuku asked, staring at him with shock written all over his face.
“Not even once,” Hisashi confirmed. And the exaggerated gasp Izuku let out made him snort in amusement.
“Then we have to get you some!” Izuku insisted, as though it were the most important thing in the world. He turned back to the vendor, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Two vanilla blood swirls please! Big ones!”
“Right away, Your Majesty!” The stall vendor nodded, grabbing hold of two strange, cream-coloured holders. Magic swirled about his hand before twisting around one of the containers holding the ice cream, scooping some out and into the hollow, cone-shaped thing the vendor was holding. The magic neatly twirled the ice cream up, a line of red curling through the soft white and ending with a small point. The cone thing was then given to Izuku.
“Huh,” Hisashi said as he watched the vendor repeat the action, handing the next ice cream over to him.
“Thanks!” Izuku chirped, reaching into his pouch to pry out a few coins and push them over onto the counter.
But a hand was held up to stop him before he could, and Hisashi was forced to watch that bright smile fade a little.
“Please don’t worry about it, Your Majesty,” the vendor said. “I couldn’t possibly make you pay!”
“Oh…” Izuku drooped ever so slightly, his eyes downcasted now.
Hisashi felt an eye twitch. He snatched the coins from Izuku and slapped them on the counter himself. “Then I’ll pay,” he declared firmly, eyes daring the vendor to say anything.
“I, uh…” was all the vendor could manage, startled by the action.
“Thanks, Dad!” Izuku beamed up at him, and Hisashi was happy to see his previous cheerfulness return.
“Let’s go,” Hisashi said, glaring at the man as he guided Izuku away from the stall, awkwardly trying to hold his parasol and ice cream in one hand.
Faintly, he heard the vendor echo a confused “Dad?” behind them as they left.
“You should go ahead and eat your ice cream while it’s still cold,” Izuku informed him, pointing up at the treat, “otherwise it’ll melt.”
“Maybe we should sit down?” Hisashi suggested. “So we have a hand free.”
“But I wanna keep looking!”
He sighed, but relented. “Alright, alright.”
It was a bit of a juggling act, keeping the book pinned under one arm while he held a parasol in one hand and an ice cream in the other, but he managed.
“Huh,” Hisashi mused after taking a hesitant lick. “It’s…not bad.” It was good. Very rich and sweet. Not something he was used to, but it was nice, and cool on his tongue.
“You can eat the cone too!” Izuku explained, and Hisashi glanced down to see his ice cream was already gone, the boy biting into the cone holder.
Hisashi stared incredulously at the boy. “What did you do, inhale it?” he asked in disbelief. “Did you even have time to taste the ice cream?”
Izuku rolled his eyes, licking his fingers. “Of course I tasted it! It was really good!”
“You’re going to get indigestion eating that fast.”
“It doesn’t do anything, remember?” Izuku reminded him again. “Only blood does, and it didn’t have much blood in it.”
Oh. That was right. He kept forgetting that. “Still,” Hisashi huffed playfully, “you can slow down and enjoy your food. No one’s going to take it from you.”
“I did enjoy it!”
“If you say so.” Hisashi chuckled, beginning to finish off his own.
“Besides, you’re eating too slow! Yours is melting.”
“I’m almost done!” Hisashi protested.
Izuku looked up at him, a twinkle in his eye. “Maybe you should eat it faster and you’ll enjoy it more.”
“Oh, for crying out loud, just let me enjoy it at my own pace,” Hisashi insisted.
Izuku rolled his eyes, a cheeky grin pulling at his lips. His eyes roved over to the paper-wrapped book held under Hisashi’s arm, and he tilted his head curiously. “So, what did you get?” he asked. “Another spellbook?”
“Something like that.” Hisashi shrugged casually. “I’ll show you when we get back to the castle.”
“Why’s it all wrapped up though?” Izuku persisted. “Is it fragile?”
“Err…” Hisashi thought frantically for a reasonable excuse. “Something like that, yeah. The, uh, shopkeeper offered to wrap it for me and I agreed.” He cursed himself for being such a terrible liar. But the shopkeeper had offered, so it wasn’t a total lie.
Thankfully, Izuku didn’t seem to pick up on it, conceding with, “Oh, okay. I can have Mirai help if you want to keep it preserved and well-kept! He knows all sorts of spells like that.”
“I’ll bet he does,” Hisashi muttered. “But thanks, Izuku.” He tucked the book a bit higher under his arm as he finished off his ice cream. “So, are you still wanting to get a ball?”
“Yeah!” Izuku nodded fiercely, a fire burning in his eyes. He scanned the streets, brows pinching and mouth pulling into a frown when he didn’t spot what he was looking for. “But where are we supposed to get one?”
Hisashi shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll come across a shop for toys somewhere around here. We could always ask.”
“I don’t want to ask,” Izuku grumbled stubbornly.
“Then I’ll ask.” Hisashi huffed, rolling his eyes. “That way we won’t be walking around in circles like last time.”
“But I like walking around in circles with you, Dad!” Izuku smiled up at him.
That was…kind of sweet. But Hisashi still narrowed his eyes. “Do you really?” he asked. “Or did you just like the fact that I got sick after a while of walking in circles?” He hadn’t forgotten how strangely excited Izuku had seemed about his illness.
“Of course not!” Izuku denied quickly. A little too quickly for Hisashi’s liking. “Besides, I told you to bring a parasol! And I kept offering mine for you, but you wouldn’t take it! It’s not my fault you didn’t listen.”
“You could’ve ordered me to take it,” Hisashi pointed out.
“I didn’t want to order you,” Izuku retorted, sounding a bit miffed.
“You seemed perfectly fine ordering me to do a bunch of other things. Especially if they were related to my health. But not the parasol situation.” Hisashi leaned down slightly, trying to meet Izuku’s eyes, but the boy was dodging them.
“I, uh…I didn’t order you about the parasol because you had made it clear you hated being ordered!” Izuku excused. “So I didn’t.”
“Uh-huh,” Hisashi said disbelievingly, squinting suspiciously at the boy.
Izuku finally looked up at him again, eyes purposefully wide and face innocent. “Besides, didn’t I take good care of you when you were sick?”
“I don’t think it counts if you purposefully let the person you’re taking care of get sick in the first place,” Hisashi quipped dryly.
Izuku cleared his throat and held a finger up, an air of self-importance about him. “Sometimes it’s best to let kids learn a lesson on their own, so that they’ll listen to you and remember better the next time.”
Hisashi blinked. Then gave Izuku a flat, unimpressed look. “Okay, first of all, I’m not a kid. Secondly, who told you that? Mirai?”
Izuku waved a dismissive hand. “Doesn’t matter. The point still stands. Sometimes people have to learn the hard way because even if you tell them, they won’t listen.” He stared pointedly at Hisashi.
Hisashi glared back in offense. “I listen!”
Izuku continued staring. “Since when?” he accused. “You won’t even listen when people are trying to help you!”
For some odd reason, Hisashi felt like he’d been backed into a verbal corner. “…I don’t need help,” he lied in a mutter.
“Everyone needs help sometimes,” Izuku told him. “You shouldn’t be so prideful about asking for it.”
“I’m not prideful!” Hisashi bristled. “I’m just…self-sufficient.”
Izuku still held that pointed stare. “And this is why I let you learn that lesson on your own.”
“Ah-ha! So you admit that you let me get sick on purpose!” Hisashi quickly caught the boy out, pointing a finger at him. “That’s kind of messed up, you know.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “I didn’t let you. As you like to say: you’re the adult. I can’t ‘let’ you do anything, can I?”
“And as you like to say: you’re the king,” Hisashi shot back. “So yes, you can.”
“Did you want me to order you?” Izuku retorted, giving Hisashi a little look.
“…No,” Hisashi admitted with reluctance.
“Well, there we have it then!” Izuku concluded, smiling victoriously.
Hisashi felt as if he had lost somehow, even though he still felt he was in the right. “Whatever.” His eyes scanned around. “Hey, are those toys over there?”
“Where?” Izuku’s face lit up, completely forgetting the previous topic as he whipped his head around in search of the shop in question. The small hand grasping Hisashi’s own tightened in excitement. “Oh, I see it!” Izuku exclaimed, practically bouncing on his feet. “Let’s go!”
Hisashi was more or less enthusiastically yanked towards the shop. “Easy, Izuku!” he chided the boy.
To his relief, Izuku slowed down enough so that Hisashi wasn’t being practically dragged through the streets. “Sorry!” Izuku apologized sheepishly, even as he kept a speedy pace towards the store.
When they got there, Izuku pretty much plastered himself to the glass windows, staring inside with a wide grin. Through the windows, carved wooden animal figures could be seen, from birds to bears to wolves. Handmade dolls sat on a top row of shelves, with button eyes and intricate dresses. On lower shelves were tiny horse-drawn carriages that appeared to actually roll along. Closer to the main counter was another row of dolls in the likeness of various animals—though these ones appeared to be more simplistic in design and made entirely of leather. And, in a bin sitting off to the side of the main room, was a collection of balls.
“They have them!” Izuku exclaimed excitedly, practically vibrating now as he jumped up and down, looking up at Hisashi with pure joy. “And they come in different colors! That’s so cool!”
Hisashi smiled to himself at seeing Izuku so happy, giddy with childish glee. It was good to see the boy getting to act like the kid he was for a change.
But a sudden flash of movement nearby caught Hisashi’s eye then, and he glanced over to see a man and a woman exiting a restaurant. The man’s hand was wrapped around the woman’s wrist, and he tugged her along somewhat forcefully.
“Oh, I don’t think we should…” Hisashi heard the woman mutter unsurely.
“Come on, no one will see,” the man replied, and as he spoke, grinning roguishly, Hisashi spied fangs in his mouth.
The woman, who was clearly human, tugged back against the man. “I said no!” she hissed. But regardless of her struggles, she was no match for a vampire’s strength, and was pulled behind the man into an alley.
“Let’s go inside!” Izuku said eagerly, shaking Hisashi’s arm to get his attention again.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Hisashi said off-handedly, his heart racing in his chest as he stared at where the pair had disappeared behind the corner. “I’ll catch up with you soon. There’s something I need to do quickly first. Hold on to the book for a moment, will you?”
Thankfully, Izuku was too excited by the idea of toys to be nervous about Hisashi going off on his own, taking the book when Hisashi passed it over to him. “Okay!” he agreed distractedly. “Don’t take too long, Dad!”
“I won’t,” Hisashi assured as Izuku ducked inside the toy store.
He began to walk swiftly towards the alley, dropping his parasol at the entrance, footsteps speeding up when he heard a yelp. His hand was already on his sword when he turned the corner, eyes assessing the scene before him.
The vampire had the woman pinned against a wall, arms on either side of her, crowding her in. His fangs were on display as he leaned down, the woman’s head tilted to the side, her chest heaving. Her hands were on the vampire’s shoulders, looking like she was trying to push him away.
Hisashi didn’t even think, feet carrying him down the alley faster than was humanly possible. He drew his blade from his sheath, the sound drawing their attention his way. Eyes went wide with fear, the vampire tightening his grip on the woman, claws pressing into her skin. Hisashi bared his fangs with a dangerous hiss, grasping hold of the vampire’s arm and ripping the attacker away. He all but tossed him to the ground, eliciting a strangled gasp from the vampire, and a scream from the woman behind them.
Funny enough, it was all surprisingly easy to do. Hisashi was slightly taken aback, as all the other vampires he’d tussled with so far had been strong, but this guy didn’t seem so in comparison. And as the vampire struggled to get up, Hisashi held the sword to his throat. “Don’t move,” he warned with a growl.
“Hey!” The woman grabbed his sword arm from behind, but for all her tugging, she couldn’t budge Hisashi.
Hisashi stepped further in front of her, protecting her from her attacker, using his free hand to push her back slightly.
The vampire on the ground scowled, baring his fangs aggressively. “Get your hands off my woman!”
Hisashi snarled. “She’s not your woman!” He wouldn’t allow her to be this vampire’s prey.
“L-Look,” the woman said quietly, voice wavering. “We don’t w-want any trouble here…Sir.”
Hisashi looked back at her briefly in confusion. “Oh, it’s no trouble at all, Miss,” he assured her. And it wasn’t. It wasn’t any trouble for him to help someone in need.
“What’s your deal?” the vampire growled from the ground, trying to get up again. “This is none of your business—”
The vampire broke off, going completely still when Hisashi pressed the point of his sword further against his throat, glaring down at him. The vampire grimaced when the silver of the sword burned his skin.
“I said don’t move,” Hisashi hissed.
“S-Stop!” the woman cried out, and Hiashi suddenly felt her small hands wrap around his wrist. He could feel her pulling with everything she had, but it had no effect on Hisashi, her strength nothing compared to his. He could smell salt in the air as tears formed in her eyes, her nails scraping against his skin now. “We’ll give you any money you want!”
Hisashi frowned. “I don’t need money for saving you.”
“Saving her?!” The vampire on the ground was trying to inch away from the point of his sword. “You aren’t ‘saving’ anyone! You’re interrupting us! What do you want?! We’ll give it to you! Just put the sword away. We’re sorry for upsetting you, you crazy bastard!”
“Sorry for interrupting your meal,” Hisashi spat sarcastically. In anger, he stepped forward, lifting a foot and bringing it down on the vampire’s chest, pinning him in place as the vampire groaned in pain.
The woman sobbed behind him. “P-Please…” she pleaded through her tears.
“It’s alright,” Hisashi tried to reassure her, the vampire wheezing as his hands rose up to try and pry Hisashi’s foot off of him. Hisashi merely pressed down even harder, squashing whatever air he managed to retain out of his lungs. He tightened his hold on his sword. “I’ll make sure he can’t ever hurt you again,” Hisashi promised, rearing the blade back to swing down onto the vampire.
Only for slim arms to wrap around his own.
“S-Stop! Leave my fiancé alone!” the woman screamed, using all her strength to try and stop Hisashi from swinging his sword.
Hisashi faltered. “Fiancé?!” he echoed in a strangled tone, frozen in place as he stared at the two.
The woman let go of him, shifting to stand in front of the vampire to shield him from Hisashi’s view. She stared at Hisashi in defiance, even as tears trailed down her cheeks. “I don’t know what kind of bad blood you two have between you, but please! We’ll give you whatever you want! Just leave us alone!” she begged.
“I don’t—” Hisashi began, words failing him as he struggled to comprehend her words. He stared into her watery, reddened eyes, wondering if he had heard correctly. “That’s not…You’re a human! He’s a vampire! You can’t be his…his fiancé.”
The woman looked upset. “You got something against humans?” she snapped. “I can marry a vampire if I want to, you racist bastard!”
And Hisashi never thought he’d one day be called a racist towards humans. “You…You’re enthralled. You have to be,” Hisashi went on, eyes wide and disbelieving, unable to comprehend her claims as truth. “A human can’t fall in love with a vampire!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” she demanded of him, bristling with anger now.
“It’s not possible for humans to have…relationships…with vampires!” Hisashi insisted. “The very idea of a vampire being with a human—”
“How dare you!” the woman screeched, her hand rising up to slap Hisashi across the face.
His head didn’t even tilt from the strike, but the sound of flesh meeting flesh was sharp in his ears. He reeled back, purely from shock, staring at the woman with wide eyes.
The vampire, now that Hisashi’s sword was hanging at his side and the woman was between them, stood up, eyeing Hisashi warily. “You’ve got issues, pal,” he declared heatedly. “What, are you from the sixth generation or something? Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but things have changed a lot in the time between the sixth and ninth generations!”
“What?” Hisashi looked between the two of them, thoroughly confused. “But—! But you—I was just…” What was even going on at this point, he didn’t know. The woman wasn’t acting enthralled, but why else would she be with a vampire?
“Are you okay?” the woman asked the vampire, briefly eyeing the burn across his throat before looking back at Hisashi venomously.
Hisashi barely registered it, feeling like his brain was about to melt. “But you dragged her into this alley!” he accused the man. “I heard you! She didn’t want to go!”
The woman scowled at Hisashi. “I didn’t want to be seen by other people. We’re in public.” She shot a glare to the vampire behind her. “I told you this was a bad idea.”
“I just wanted us to be alone for a moment!” the vampire defended himself wearily. “What’s wrong with wanting to make out with my fiancé on a date?! How was I supposed to know this lunatic would follow us like a creep and start swinging his sword around?!”
“M-Makeout?” Hisashi repeated feebly, feeling himself start to flush.
“Honestly, what did you think we were doing?” The woman looked very unimpressed.
“I thought he was going to eat you!”
The man snickered. “Well, I certainly do do that sometimes.”
The woman squeaked and smacked the vampire on the shoulder. “We’re in public!” she scolded, her cheeks reddening.
“Sorry, hun,” the vampire laughed.
Hisashi felt like his face had burst into flames, his brain stalling to a halt as he stared at the…the couple.
…He may have seriously misjudged this situation.
“R-Right.” Hisashi cleared his throat. “Well, I’m just…gonna…go…”
He began to awkwardly edge backwards, when a familiar voice called out from just beyond the alleyway. “Dad?”
Hisashi froze in place.
“Dad!” He heard Izuku call a second time, closer this time, and when he looked down to the entrance of the alley, he saw familiar green curls.
“Dad—” Izuku began again, only to visibly relax when he caught sight of Hisashi, the stirrings of panic in his eyes fading away, clutching the book close to his chest. “Oh, thank goodness.” Izuku sighed in relief, before he noticed the couple behind Hisashi and frowned. “What are you doing here? Who are they?”
“Oh shit,” the vampire muttered. “That’s…That’s the…Wait—” He looked back and forth between Izuku and Hisashi multiple times. “Dad?” he murmured to himself quietly in confusion.
Hisashi hastily sheathed his sword, trying his best not to look like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “…Oh, hey, Izuku. Um. I was, uh, just finishing up here. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“Nothing?!” the woman shrieked behind him. “You call what you just did nothing?!”
Izuku furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing between Hisashi and the couple a few times. “What’s she talking about, Dad?”
“Nothing!” Hisashi said quickly, feeling a nervous sweat on the back of his neck. “It was just a…misunderstanding.”
“You drew your sword on us!” the woman accused. “You threatened my fiancé!”
Hisashi saw Izuku’s brows raise. Oh no. “I-I was only trying to protect you—”
“I didn’t need your ‘protection’ and I certainly don’t want it, you jerk!”
“What is going on here?” Izuku asked firmly. He didn’t raise his voice, but he carried authority in his tone regardless.
Hisashi quailed.
“Honey, I think we should go,” the vampire whispered into the woman’s ear, sounding a little frantic. “That’s the king”—his voice lowered even more, glancing nervously at Hisashi—“and his…his father.”
The woman looked disbelieving. “Really?” At her fiancé’s nod, she blinked in surprise. “Being the king’s father doesn’t mean he can attack anyone he wants though!”
“Dad! You’re not allowed to attack people!” Izuku scolded, glaring at Hisashi disapprovingly now.
“I thought he was going to kill her!” Hisashi defended himself. Izuku would have to believe him, as the order placed on Hisashi would have forbidden him from attacking anyone otherwise. He could only do so to protect someone, and Hisashi truly had thought that the woman's life was in danger.
“Again, we were just making out!” the woman declared. “Which is none of your business to begin with!”
“It didn’t look like that to me!” Hisashi protested.
“Then learn to read a situation better!” she snapped irritably.
Hisashi blushed furiously, hiding his face behind a hand as he glanced away.
Izuku sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. He looked at the couple, the woman fuming with anger and the vampire seeming torn between being mystified and nervous. “I’m sorry for the trouble he’s caused you,” the boy said, bowing slightly in apology before prying a few gold coins from his pouch and offering them to the couple. His green eyes flickered to Hisashi with a stern look. “I’ll make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
The vampire held up his hands placatingly. “Oh, it’s fine, Your Majesty. You don’t have to pay us any compensation for—”
The woman snatched the gold coins up before her fiancé could finish speaking.
“…Well, alright then,” the vampire relented.
“Dad, apologize,” Izuku ordered, his arms crossed.
“I…I’m sorry,” Hisashi managed to say, still unable to even meet their gaze.
“Just don’t do it again.” The woman sniffed. “Let’s go, darling. I want to go shopping, and you’ve been needing a new pair of shoes for a while.”
The vampire’s expression looked pained, but he wisely said nothing as his fiance pulled him out of the alley, the woman giving Hisashi one last scathing glare before disappearing around the corner.
“I let you go off on your own and this is what you do,” Izuku stated flatly, clearly disappointed.
Hisashi groaned, still feeling the heat of embarrassment under his skin. “I misinterpreted the situation! That’s all.”
“Why is it I can’t take you anywhere without you causing a scene?” Izuku asked wearily.
Hisashi sputtered, his ears growing hot. “I-It’s not my fault!” he denied. “These things just happen! Besides, how was I supposed to know that a human and a vampire were...were together?” Hisashi shuddered, shaking his head. It still didn’t make sense in his mind.
“Um, because it happens?” Izuku didn’t look phased.
“No, it doesn’t! Who’s ever heard of a human and a vampire being together?!” Hisashi denied fervently, the words still sounding unreal to his own ears. “I’ve never seen…It’s just…impossible!”
“Maybe in Yuei it is, but it’s not uncommon here.”
“Well, I’m sorry that wasn’t the first thing on my mind then!” Hisashi threw his hands up. “I see a vampire with fangs close to a human’s neck, I don’t automatically assume that they’re kissing.”
“...You really need to get out more, Dad,” Izuku muttered.
“That’s rich coming from the kid who’s been hidden away inside his castle for years!”
“Maybe Hisashi just wanted to get in on some of the action himself,” a new voice interrupted them from above, nearly startling Hisashi out of his skin with a sharp jolt.
Both he and Izuku looked up, spying Gran sitting on the roof of the building beside them, casual as anything, with a fish-shaped pastry in his hand.
“How long have you been there?” Hisashi asked accusingly.
“Long enough.” Gran grinned after swallowing a bite. “Thought Mirai told you to mind your own business, eh?”
“Who the hell are you to talk?!” Hisashi nearly shouted. “Did you…Did you come here just to watch?! And you didn’t say anything?!”
“Nah, I was minding my own business.” Gran’s devious smirk told him he had, in fact, likely come just to watch. The elder vampire hopped down from the roof, shoving the last of his treat into his mouth and sighing contentedly. “Popped down to my favourite cafe; got some taiyaki; overheard some commotion; decided to check it out; and didn’t stick my nose in other people’s business.”
“Don’t play coy with me, you bastard!” Hisashi screeched, seething with anger. “Mirai must have told you! What, you don’t have better things to do than to spy on me?!”
“Wasn’t spyin’, just observing. Least I wasn’t so jealous of another couple that I felt the need to interrupt their makeout session.” Gran sniggered, flashing a fang. “What, you that desperate to swing your ‘sword’ around?”
“Shut up!” Hisashi snapped. “I wasn’t jealous of anything!”
“You want someone to push you against the wall like that? Is that it?” Gran teased.
“Can you not? Izuku is right here!”
“Why would someone do that?” Izuku frowned, tilting his head in confusion. “That’s just mean.”
…And of course it was all going over the boy’s head anyway. Hisashi looked to Izuku flatly and said, “Gran has cooties.”
“Ewww!” Izuku wrinkled his nose. “Gross!”
Gran rolled his eyes, grinning ear to ear now. “So did that couple! And that means Hisashi does too now!” he declared. “Can you imagine what else he could have caught from ‘em? I can think of a few things.”
“Like what?” Izuku asked innocently, eyes wide.
“Oh yeah, they spent some time together, y’know?” Gran egged on, eyes roving over to Hisashi’s reddened face. “And that’s just from the alley! Just think of what could have happened if they took him back to their place—”
“What?” Izuku asked again, confused. “What do you mean?”
Hisashi was biting back a retort to Gran’s irritating words. If he stayed quiet, it would force Gran to have to explain his innuendos and then take all the fun out of them.
Except Gran just chuckled and said, “I’m sure your dad can tell you. He knows all about the opposite sex.”
Oh no.
“...What’s sex?” Izuku asked, brow creased and looking right at Hisashi.
OH NO.
Hisashi felt like his brain was frying. “Uhhhh…”
Izuku was staring at him expectantly, while Gran was holding in laughter in the background.
Hisashi raked his mind for what he had been told. “It’s, uh. You, um…Well, I mean…S-Sex is when you insert the penis into the vagina until ejaculation occurs,” he finally blurted out after stuttering.
“…What?” Izuku still looked confused. “You sound like a doctor, Dad.”
“Hey, that’s what my mentor told me!” Hisashi said defensively.
Gran leveled him with a flat, deeply unimpressed stare. “...You’ve never been with a woman a day in your life, have you?”
Hisashi flushed darker, stammering for a response. “Yes, I have!” He took offense when Gran merely gave him a disbelieving look. “I have! Once, back when I helped a woman when I was a hunter! She—”
Gran began to roar with laughter, cutting him off. “Once?! Seriously?!”
“Well, if you’re such an expert, you explain sex to Izuku!” Hisashi’s hands twitched, wanting to cover his face again as Gran laughed at him.
“I think he gets the gist—” Gran began, only to pause when Izuku grabbed his hand with a little tug. Gran raised a brow at him, still chuckling away. “What is it, Izuku?”
“What’s ejaculation?” Izuku asked, his expression dead serious.
Hisashi watched with satisfaction as the mirth on Gran’s face instantly died away, mild panic replacing it. He was glad that the heat was now off of him. “Yeah, Gran,” he called. “Why don’t you tell him? I’m sure Mirai won’t be upset.”
Gran tried to tug his hand away and step back, going so far as to grab hold of his wrist with his other hand to pull away, but Izuku’s grip was unrelenting. If anything, his hold seemed to tighten, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Well, it’s like this,” Gran began to explain once he realized he couldn’t escape. “Men are like bees, and women are like flowers, yeah? And bees like to…‘pollinate’ flowers. Ya get it?”
“...That makes even less sense!” Izuku complained. “How can people be like bees and flowers?”
“Well, you know, they’re—” Gran suddenly pointed at Hisashi, gasping dramatically. “Hisashi! Behind you!”
Izuku whirled around immediately, alarm on his little face.
In doing so, he let go of Gran, who gave Hisashi a brief salute before disappearing in a blur.
Hisashi gaped. That rat bastard!
Izuku huffed, features pinched. “There’s no one there—” he began as he turned back around, only to find the elder vampire missing. “Gran?” Izuku called out, sighing when no one answered him.
He then grasped onto Hisashi’s hand, and Hisashi couldn’t help but tense as those green eyes looked up expectantly at him.
“I don’t get what’s going on,” Izuku grumbled irritably. “Can we just go get the ball now?”
Success!
“That would probably be best,” Hisashi agreed.
“And then you can explain what Gran was talking about on the way back.”
NOOOOO!
Notes:
About personal servants.
Gran: “Maybe Hisashi just wants someone to warm his bed.”
Mirai: *scandalized*
Izuku: “Oh yeah! That’s the best! When the servants put those warm heating pads under your sheets to warm up the bed for you in the winter!”
Mirai: “…He’s too pure for this world.”
Hisashi: 💀💀💀
If Gran took Hisashi shopping in the city.
Gran: “I’ll take you to the candy shop.”
Hisashi: “oh no.”
Gran: “I’ll let you lick the lollipop.”
Hisashi: “NO.”
If sex had been mentioned in a different setting.
Izuku, at a council meeting full of vampires: “What’s sex?”
*dead silence*
Izuku: “Well?”
A noble: “Your Majesty, why don’t you look at your father?”
Izuku: *looks to Hisashi*
All the other vampires: *FLEE*
Hisashi: “They…They deserted me…”
Izuku: “Huh. Why’d they all leave? Also Dad, we aren’t going until you tell me.”
Hisashi: “Guess this room will be our tomb then.”
Mirai finds out.
Gran, after fleeing from Izuku and Hisashi in the city: "Mirai?"
Mirai, drunk off a bottle of wine: "...Hm?"
Gran: "...Oh good, you’re inebriated. That will make this easier.”
Mirai: *squints suspiciously*
Gran: “So…I may have accidentallygivenIzukuthetalk."
Mirai: …
Gran: "Don't worry though, Hisashi has it covered now."
Mirai: "That's nice.” *closes eyes*
Gran: “…Well that was easy."
Gran: *turns to leave. The chair creaks. A hand wraps around his wrist.*
Mirai, glaring furiously: "You did WHAT now?"
Gran: “I was so close…” 😭
*screams echo throughout the castle*
Chapter 20
Summary:
He then grasped onto Hisashi’s hand, and Hisashi couldn’t help but tense as those green eyes looked up expectantly at him.
“I don’t get what’s going on,” Izuku grumbled irritably. “Can we just go get the ball now?”
Success!
“That would probably be best,” Hisashi agreed.
“And then you can explain what Gran was talking about on the way back.”
NOOOOO!
Chapter Text
“...You alright, Dad?” Izuku asked as he and his father walked through the doors of the castle, the guards having pulled them open upon seeing their arrival.
He glanced over at his dad, frowning when Hisashi somehow looked like he had aged ten years during the walk back from the city. There were weary shadows under his eyes, his shoulders were slumped, and he looked rather exhausted. Izuku didn’t know what could have caused his dad to be so tired, given they had walked straight back to the castle after purchasing the ball from the toy store. Maybe it was related to his dad trying to explain what he and Gran had been talking about?
Izuku still didn’t get it though. He understood some parts of it, but other parts his dad had either talked circles around or made up weird words for. In the end, Izuku had shrugged it off and continued on, his mind now swarmed with anticipation of Tenya’s arrival.
“I’m fine.” Hisashi sighed heavily. “Just great.”
Izuk had a feeling he was lying, but he let it go. “If you say so…” He bounced the ball on the ground a few times happily, giddy about the whole thing. He hadn’t had a toy in so long! But—oh, their purchases! That reminded him… “Did you want to go see Mirai for your book, Dad?”
“Please, no!” Hisashi groaned.
“...Okay?” Izuku blinked, confused. “We could go up to your room then? You seem kinda tired…”
His dad nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Just…a lot of excitement today.”
“Not least of all you attacking that couple,” Izuku reminded him chidingly.
“I thought the woman was genuinely in trouble, otherwise you know I would have never been able to attack, given the order you placed on me. Give me a break!” his dad begged.
“Did you actually assess the situation or did you just dive in on assumptions?” Izuku asked.
Hisashi grumbled and looked away.
“At least no one got hurt in the end.” Izuku tossed the ball up in the air slightly, catching it as it fell back down. He couldn’t help but smile. This was fun!
His dad paused as they passed a nearby servant, holding out his hand to stop them in their tracks. The servant blinked at the abruptness of his action, but said nothing. “Bring a bottle of wine to my room. A big one,” Hisashi ordered them. “You know what? Make it two bottles. Please.”
The servant nodded and scurried off.
“Ooh, two bottles? Can I have some?” Izuku asked mischievously as they continued on their way.
“Absolutely not!” Hisashi rejected the request immediately. “You’re not allowed to drink until you’re an adult. Or whatever the vampire standard for that is.” He paused. “What even is your age of majority here?”
Izuku blinked. “Uh. Since vampires age differently and complexly, I guess it would be around the equivalent to eighteen year old humans? Used to be different, and if the parents of a noble line die, the child inherits the noble house and seat on the council regardless of age. So it’s complicated.”
“Of course it is.” Hisashi sighed, shaking his head. But then curiosity gleamed in his eyes all of a sudden. “How long am I going to live then?”
Izuku just shrugged. “Probably several millenia! Gran’s a born vampire from the seventh generation that can trace his lineage all the way back to the first generation, and he’s over a thousand, but he’s still going strong!” Izuku informed him. “And since I’m the ninth generation of the royal family and the one that turned you, it means you'll be around for a super long time!”
Hisashi looked faint at that. “Over a thousand years…”
“Mmhmm!” Izuku beamed. “We’ll be family forever!”
“...Can we hurry up to my room?” Hisashi asked weakly, and worry crept into Izuku when he saw his father’s knees shake a little.
Izuku nodded, moving to his dad’s side and offering a hand to help steady him.
Hisashi brushed off his concern with a wave of his hand though, insisting that he was fine. He ran a hand through the curls of Izuku’s hair affectionately, but Izuku looked up in concern when he felt it tremble slightly in spite of his father’s reassurances. He didn’t know what had made his dad anxious all of a sudden, but Hisashi kept pace regardless as they headed upstairs, so Izuku brushed it off as another one of his dad’s quirks. He had several, and it seemed like Izuku found out about a new one every other day.
When they reached his dad’s room, Hisashi immediately popped the cork off one of the wine bottles waiting on the table and took a long drink.
“…Can I taste it?” Izuku asked.
His dad frowned. “No.”
“Just a little taste! A sip!”
“No. Not until you’re an adult.” Hisashi refused.
“Pleeeeeaseee?” Izuku put his hands together pleadingly.
“No!” Hisashi refused to budge.
“I could order you to do it,” Izuku pointed out.
“But that would make me sad,” Hisashi countered. “You want me to be happy, don’t you?”
Izuku paused. He did want his dad to be happy… “Okay…” he gave up with a dejected sigh. “I’ll just ask Gran later!”
Gran would totally let him have a taste!
Hisashi scowled. “I’ll tell Mirai.”
“But you hate Mirai!” Izuku pouted.
“And Mirai would hate you drinking,” Hisashi shot back. “That’s one thing he and I agree on.”
Izuku grumbled and wandered over to flop on the bed, rolling around while his dad drank his wine. “You’re no fun.”
“Yes, well, someone has to be the responsible adult here,” Hisashi retorted.
Izuku huffed, shifting to rest on his side and bringing his attention back to the ball in his hands, twirling it as he observed the round surface, a stirring of anxiety crawling up on him. Would this be good enough? Would Tenya prefer to play catch, or kick the ball between them? Should he have bought more, just in case? What if it popped, or he lost it, or, or—
“What’s wrong?” his father called out from the chair, snapping Izuku out of his spiraling thoughts.
Izuku bit his lip. “Nothing. Just excited for when the Iida brothers come,” he lied.
“You’re going to gnaw your lip right off if you keep doing that,” Hisashi scolded gently. “You don’t need to worry so much, Izuku. It’ll be fine.”
Izuku still felt unsure. “But how do you know?”
“Call it a father’s intuition.” Hisashi shrugged casually.
“I’ve seen Tenya before a few times, but we never really had much chance to interact. I want him to like me,” Izuku confessed.
“What’s not to like about you? Just be yourself.” His dad paused for a moment. “Actually, maybe be less possessive and you’ll be good.”
“Hey!” Izuku scowled at his father before turning his gaze back to the ball in his lap. “That’s not funny.”
“I’m not saying it as a joke. You tend to be a little…over-enthusiastic and territorial? Just be chill and you’ll get along fine, I’m sure.”
“I’m not possessive or territorial,” Izuku grumbled. “Everything is just mine.”
His dad looked SO unimpressed. “See that? Don’t do any of that. You’re a wonderful, smart boy. Share your things nicely, be considerate of other people and their feelings, and you’ll do fine.”
How am I supposed to do that? Izuku wondered, clutching the ball to his chest tightly. He didn’t really know how to interact with other kids. What if his dad was right? What if he scared Tenya away?
Izuku felt a sting in his eye as they grew warm. He struggled to hold back a sniffle, and curled in on himself when he felt a tear fall down his cheek.
“Oh, hey now.” The bed dipped next to him as his dad sat down. “What’s all this about?” A gentle finger came up to wipe his tear away.
Izuku said nothing at first, emotion strangling his throat and choking his words down, shaking his head and glancing away. Hisashi placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, waiting.
“I…” Izuku managed after a moment, his voice barely more than a whisper. He blinked his eyes several times, trying to will away the tears that kept threatening to overflow. “I don’t w-wanna mess this up.” He hated how his words cracked. He was the king. He should be stronger than this, strong like his daddy had been!
He wished Daddy and Mama were here. Izuku drew a ragged breath and buried his face in the pillow. They would have known just what to say to comfort him and make him feel better—
“Hey, you’re not gonna mess this up.” His dad’s voice was soft and soothing, a hand laying atop Izuku’s curls and petting his hair gently. “I’m sure making friends can’t be that hard, and you’re a likable little guy. Just think of how many people you already got wrapped around your finger, hmm?”
Izuku sniffed, finally managing to clear away some of the tears in his eyes with a small nod, still feeling uncertain even as the knot in his chest loosened somewhat at his dad’s words.
“What makes you think he won’t like you?” Hisashi asked.
“Everyone…Everyone treats me differently,” Izuku muttered, tucking his knees into his chest. “They don’t ever see me. They just see the crown and…and…”
“Well, those are all adults, right? I’m sure another kid won’t see your status first. Kids don’t think about those kinds of things…right? How many other vampire kids do you think he even gets to play with? I haven’t even seen anyone else your age besides that one little girl. I’m sure he’ll be just as excited as you are.”
“I don’t know,” Izuku admitted unsurely. “...I hope he’s like Tensei. I wish Tensei was my older brother.”
“You don’t need an older brother, you have me. Am I not good enough for you?” His dad huffed, sounding almost jealous. “Besides, you won’t know until you give him a chance, right?” Hisashi pointed out gently. “Don’t assume the worst right off the bat. That’s no way to live.”
Izuku rolled over to look at him, placing the ball to the side. “Of course you’re good enough, Dad. You’re the best!”
Hisashi sighed and asked wearily, “At holding things?”
“At holding things! And being my Dad.” Izuku giggled briefly before the smile fell from his face again. “I’ll…I’ll try not to worry about it anymore…Give him a chance.”
“Attaboy.” His dad clapped him on the back.
Izuku tried to smile for him again, but he just couldn’t. It felt like he had a little spiky ball inside of his stomach, bouncing around and making him nervous.
“...I have something for you,” Hisashi announced suddenly, the bed shifting as he moved off it and over to the desk. He grabbed the book he’d bought earlier, walking back over to sit on the bed again, and holding it out for Izuku to take. “I got you a present while I was at the bookstore. Go ahead and unwrap it.”
Izuku stared at him, mouth falling open when the book was placed into his hands. “You…You got me a present?”
“I did. I thought maybe we could read it together, since we couldn’t find anything interesting at the library.”
Izuku ripped the wrapping off the book eagerly and without delicacy, revealing the book underneath. His eyes widened, excitement filling him. It was a children’s novel, with a cool picture of a knight wearing a cape and holding up a glowing sword while a dragon flew overhead.
“I love it!” Izuku exclaimed, immediately turning to give his dad the biggest hug he could muster. Arms wrapped around him in return, despite the creaking of bone, a hand rubbing at his back. When Izuku pulled away, he glanced down at the book again, then back up to Hisashi as he hesitantly asked, “...Will you read it to me?”
Hisashi ruffled his hair. “I did say we could read it together, didn’t I?”
Izuku bounced on the bed happily, clutching the book to his chest. “Tonight! Tonight! I wanna read it tonight!”
Hisashi laughed. “Okay, okay. We can start reading some of it tonight. Once you’re ready for bed, I’ll read it to you.”
Izuku gasped. “I’m gonna get ready for bed right now!” he claimed, jumping off the bed.
“Woah!” Hisashi reared back to avoid being whacked by a stray limb as Izuku went by him. “Right now? Isn’t it still a bit early?”
“Right now!” Izuku insisted. “That way we can read more!”
“Alright, alright,” Hisashi relented with a tone of weary, but fond, exasperation.
Izuku was in and out of his room faster than he’d ever been as he raced through his nighttime routine. He skidded back into Hisashi’s room just as Hisashi had finished putting on his own pajamas.
“Izuku! Knock!” his dad scolded lightly.
“Sorry!” Izuku apologized, quickly making his way over to the bed and folding the neatly arranged covers back to dive in between them, wiggling around excitedly. “Hurry up!”
“I’m coming, be patient.”
After another five minutes, his dad finally made it over to the bed and scooted in next to Izuku, propping himself up with a pillow against the headboard. Hisashi glanced over to the table where the second bottle of wine sat untouched. “Guess I don’t get to drink my other bottle of wine.”
“Nope! It’s reading time!”
Hisashi chuckled. “Yeah, I figured.” He snagged the book from where it had been placed on the nightstand and opened it up. “Do you have a good view? The book has pictures sometimes—for the cool scenes anyway.”
“Uh-huh!”
“Alright, let’s see then…” Hisashi flipped to the first page and began the story.
Izuku sat up and leaned against his father’s shoulder as he listened to Hisashi read to him, his deep, rumbling voice soothing and calm as Izuku paid rapt attention.
He was content to listen for the rest of the night, occasionally taking turns to read himself, until he eventually drifted soundly into sleep.
Hisashi followed behind Izuku like a man marching to his death. It was time. The day he had been dreading was finally here. Mirai had narrowed down a list of potential candidates, and Izuku wanted him to select a personal servant from them. He’d been so anxious that morning he ended up drinking a second and third glass of blood in an attempt to calm his nerves. It hadn’t helped though, only churning uncomfortably in his stomach as they walked on.
He had no doubt that Mirai was going to set him up. Had likely tried to find the most awful people imaginable to be his servant; to make Hisashi’s life miserable.
“I don’t have to accept any of them, right?” he asked Izuku. “You said that a while back. I just have to look at them.”
“Well, I would prefer it if you do,” Izuku said. “But no. You don’t have to pick one if you don’t want to. Mirai can find other candidates better suited to the job if you don’t like any of the ones we meet today.”
“Maybe I don’t need a personal servant at all? I’ve gotten better at my buttons,” Hisashi protested.
“Will you at least give it a chance, Dad?” Izuku pleaded with those big eyes of his.
Hisashi sighed in defeat. “I’ll give it a chance. A chance.”
“That’s all I ask!” Izuku chirped happily.
When they made it to the room they had agreed to meet in—as Mirai’s office was too small to hold the lineup of candidates—Hisashi made sure to grasp Izuku’s shoulder. “Do NOT kick this door in.”
“Aww, but it’s fun!” Izuku complained. “Gran does it all the time!”
“And that’s why I don’t want you doing it. Don’t be copying Gran. He’s a bad influence.”
Izuku deflated slightly. “Fine.” He pouted.
“...And stop me if anything happens,” Hisashi requested quietly.
Izuku looked at him curiously. “What do you mean, Dad?”
Hisashi shifted, eyes going to the floor. “Like last time. When I was around multiple humans.”
“Oh. You don’t have to worry about that, Dad!” Izuku tried to reassure him. “You’ve been drinking your blood everyday! It’s not going to be like last time. Besides, you’ve been into the city with me a few times since the banquet, and you’ve had no issues around humans then.”
“Just…Promise me,” Hisashi implored.
“Okay! I promise!” Izuku agreed easily. Then he knocked on the door to announce their arrival before entering. “We’re here!” Izuku waved to Mirai and the others.
A majority of the candidates bowed politely at Izuku and Hisashi’s entrance, though Hisashi noticed a few did not.
“Ah, Your Majesty, yes,” Mirai greeted. “I have assembled a fine selection of humans to potentially fill the role you are looking for.” He then turned to the lineup of people. “Although, those who did not show the proper respect to His Majesty may leave.”
Mirai’s sharp eyes roved over those few in question, who stiffened under his gaze. They bowed in apology and left through the door Hisashi and Izuku had just entered.
Hisashi blinked in surprise, glancing around at those still in the room, some of whom looked significantly more nervous than they had before. He felt a stirring of hope in his chest. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad (or take as long) as he thought it would, if Mirai so readily dismissed potential servants for such a minor grievance.
Beside him, Izuku crossed his arms and huffed a little. “You’re always so strict with the servants Mirai,” he muttered in complaint, his tone lightly scolding. “You don’t need to be so harsh!”
Mirai was unfazed by the chiding. “You ordered me to find the best servant for your father, did you not? If they cannot even show the basic respect to their king, then they have no business serving in the castle,” he pointed out. “Or would you prefer if he had a servant of subpar capabilities?”
Hisashi watched Izuku pause and contemplate for a moment before nodding. “Carry on then.”
Mirai sniffed. “Excellent. Now,”—he turned to the lineup of potential candidates—“we will go down the line. Each of you will introduce yourself and list some relevant previous work experience or qualifications. Beginning with you.” He pointed to a human on the far right to come forward and begin his introduction.
Hisashi shifted awkwardly on his feet, staring awkwardly at the lineup of humans. In the enclosed, quiet space, he could clearly hear their nervous heartbeats, pumping almost as fast as his own. His eyes occasionally drifted to the pulsing carotid vein of whichever human stepped forward, swallowing thickly when his fangs ached just slightly at the sight, before tearing his eyes away and trying to focus back on what was being said. He wasn’t actually thirsty; Hisashi had made sure he wouldn’t be after learning today was the day he would be looking through potential human servants.
He listened idly as each person came forward and introduced themselves, some of them sounding nervous while others appeared confident. None of them particularly stuck out to him, until a younger girl stepped forward, visibly trying to portray self-assurance even though her hands trembled slightly.
“Good day, Your Majesties. My name is Uraraka Ochako. I’m eighteen years old, and previously I spent most of my life in service to the Fukukado family,” the girl stated.
“Fukukado?” Hisashi murmured. The way she spoke sounded familiar…And eighteen? She looked like a rather young eighteen year old.
“They’re a vampire family of lesser nobility,” Izuku explained to him.
“Ah.” Hisashi nodded to the girl. “Sorry for interrupting, please continue.”
“R-Right…” The girl cleared her throat. “So, I’ve been trained from a very young age in all areas of house service, and I’m very organized and self-motivated. I would be pleased to assist you with anything you need at any time, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you,” Mirai said curtly. The gold of his eyes flashed, narrowing slightly as they lingered over the girl for a long moment before moving on.
The next human, a young man in his early twenties, began to introduce himself the same way as the girl had, listing his qualities and references of previous jobs he held beforehand.
So on and so forth it went, Hisashi beginning to drone off a little as he listened to each person rattle off their experiences like they were reading from a list.
“Dad, pay attention,” Izuku whispered to him, nudging his side a little.
“I am paying attention,” Hisashi lied.
Izuku stared at him flatly, but didn’t respond as the next person was already stepping forward.
This man immediately stood out, appearing neither nervous nor confident, but instead incredibly composed. He appeared to be middle-aged, and held an air of experience and maturity about him that had been absent in the others, his face schooled, and yet his golden eyes seeming kind. Hisashi could make out a sheen of deep purple in his black hair where the light struck it.
“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Majesties.” He bowed politely, a hand over his chest. “My name is Kurogiri. My previous residence of employment was under House Shimura for twenty years.”
“House Shimura?” Mirai mused aloud, cupping his chin thoughtfully. “A previously well-known human family of significant status. If you worked for them for as long as you claim, then I take it you were there during the, ah…incident, then?”
Kurogiri’s expression did not change, but an air of sadness came about him. “Indeed, I was. I managed to get the youngest son of the family out with me, and he is now under my care. I am seeking a new job not to support myself, but the last remaining Shimura.”
Mirai nodded approvingly. “Loyal then.”
“Shimura Tenko is as much a son to me as he was to his parents,” Kurogiri replied.
Something in his words resonated with Hisashi, and a glance to the side told him Izuku felt the same way. Kurogiri’s situation was similar to theirs, and Hisashi admired his dedication and loyalty.
Mirai hummed contemplatively, nodding at Kurogiri before his gaze roved over the rest of the candidates. “Thank you all for introducing yourselves. Now, when I call your name, you will follow me into the next room for a short test,” Mirai instructed them. He glanced at Hisashi and Izuku. “Your Majesty, if you would come with me as well…”
“Just me?” Izuku asked innocently, clearly picking up on Mirai not having addressed Hisashi by a title.
“And your father as well,” Mirai said, a bit of terseness in his voice. “He is to help pick them, is he not?”
“Ah, true.” Izuku smiled, but Hisashi could see it was fake. “Sorry, I was just confused as you only addressed one of us.”
Mirai’s eye twitched, but he clearly upheld propriety in front of the gathered humans, and so he smiled, just as falsely as Izuku, and said, “My apologies, Your Majesties, it was a slip of the tongue.”
“Let’s go then, shall we?” Izuku took hold of Hisashi’s hand and led him into the adjacent room. “And bring Dad his crown,” Izuku ordered Mirai, green eyes darkening a little when Mirai tensed up a bit. “I want to make sure everyone remembers his status.”
“As you wish, My Liege,” Mirai conceded without argument.
Hisashi didn’t miss the way Mirai’s jaw clenched though. And he certainly couldn’t ignore the way Mirai’s eyes flickered to Hisashi’s own, contempt burning bright within them before Mirai managed to school his face back into cordial neutrality.
When Hisashi tore his gaze away to look around the room they’d just entered, he was surprised to see a table with dishware all piled in the middle, not set up. What was the purpose of this? Why were they meant to come in here?
He stood awkwardly to the side of the table, Izuku happily swinging their arms back and forth, having not yet let go of Hisashi’s hand. Not that Hisashi particularly minded anymore. Izuku’s presence at his side became more and more of a reassurance with each day that passed, and Hisashi had a feeling it was the same for Izuku.
It didn’t take long before Mirai came back into the room as well, one of the human candidates behind him. Mirai’s hands moved in a familiar gesture, magic twisting through the air as the same crown from before appeared into existence above his hand. Mirai held it carefully as he walked over to Hisashi.
Hisashi couldn’t help the curl of a smirk as Mirai offered it to him, bowing and refusing to meet his gaze. Izuku’s eyes narrowed at this, and he cleared his throat pointedly when Mirai said nothing.
“Your Majesty,” Mirai managed to force out, and Hisashi thought the man might choke on the words from how hard they seemed for him to say.
“Thank you,” Hisashi returned, taking the crown from the man. And though he was reluctant to place it upon his head, the satisfaction of watching Mirai internally fume as he did so more than made up for the discomfort of wearing it.
Mirai took the briefest of moments to physically compose himself after, before turning on his heel towards the candidate in the room with a tense smile. “Alright then, here is what you will do…”
Hisashi somewhat zoned out again as Mirai spoke. He got the gist of the test; the potential candidate would set the table without instruction to prove their skills as a trained servant. The type of dishware they chose and how well they did would either fail or pass them.
Hisashi and Izuku watched on as the test commenced, the first person passing, a second failing. On and on it went, until that one young girl entered the room. The one who intrigued Hisashi. There was something…off about her. Something in her eyes he couldn’t properly place. Something like desperation—but that seemed ridiculous.
Either way, when she showed up, he tuned back into what Mirai was saying.
“Please begin when you are ready,” Mirai said, having finished giving the instructions of the test to the girl.
“Y-Yes, My Lord.” The girl (Uraraka, she said her name was?) started, and Hisashi watched her nervously move over to the table to begin the same process as the others.
To her credit, she did far better than Hisashi thought she would, as she carefully selected the proper dishes and began to set out the utensils in the precise way that Mirai was looking for. The napkin was folded elegantly and everything was set at specific angles, creating a neat arrangement.
But Mirai’s hard, calculating expression didn’t let up at all, even as she presented him with the perfectly arranged table.
“You said you worked for the Fukukado family?” Mirai asked, eyes roving over the setup.
“Y-Yes, Sir.” She nodded, folding her hands before her and bowing slightly.
“Then tell me, why have you chosen silver utensils to create this placement?” Mirai asked, words dripping with acid. “As someone who has claimed to work for vampires her whole life, I can only assume that this is a purposeful jab at the royal family. Unless, of course, there’s something else going on?”
“N-No, of course not!” she tried to say, but her eyes refused to meet Mirai’s. “I-I was only…”
“Only—?” Mirai pressed.
Uraraka bit her lip, at a loss for words.
Mirai raised a brow at her, approaching her with his hands folded behind his back and a sharp frown pulling at his mouth. “Furthermore,” he mused as he looked over her trembling form. “You said you were eighteen?”
“I-I am—!”
“You don’t look eighteen,” Hisashi chimed in quietly. He couldn’t help but wonder the same things as Mirai. Why was this girl possibly lying about her age? How was it she could set a table so perfectly, yet use real silver, after claiming to have worked for vampires? It didn’t add up. “And your accent…I’ve heard it before,” he mused. “But not in this kingdom.” Hisashi frowned, brows pinched as he thought. “You…You’re from Yuei, aren’t you?”
Uraraka looked like a startled deer, eyes widening. “No!” she blurted out, much too fast and much too shaky to be true. “I’m not—”
“You are,” Hisashi said confidently, her reaction confirming his suspicions. He cocked his head, confused. “Why are you here though? For what purpose have you come?”
Uraraka’s hands fisted in the front of her clothes, clenching and unclenching as they twisted nervously. “I-I…I recently moved here with my family,” she explained, and Hisashi could hear her heart loud in his ears from how hard it was pounding in her chest. “After the nobleman I worked for had his lands and title taken, we didn’t have much choice but to cross the border in search of a better life. But I…” She paused, chewing her lip so hard Hisashi thought for a moment she might bite through it. “All I know is h-how to serve. And when I heard the castle was looking for human servants…”
Hisashi felt a pang of sympathy for the clear pain that was on the girl’s face. “If that’s the case, then why did you lie?” he asked. “Why claim you worked for the Fukukado family? Why not tell the truth from the beginning?”
“Because w-what vampire would want a human servant from an enemy kingdom?” Uraraka was looking down at the floor. “I didn’t want to lie but…I didn’t think I would be accepted if I had told the truth either. My parents…I need a job. I’m the only one who can work right now…”
Mirai sniffed, looking completely disinterested in the girl’s story. “Well, congratulations. With your lying you have assured that you will never receive a job here.”
Uraraka’s head shot up, panic on her features. “No, wait, please—!”
Mirai talked over her, “Thank you for applying, but we will not be needing your services. You are to—”
“Wait!” Hisashi called out, annoyance in his gut at just how callous and uncaring Mirai was.
Mirai stopped, but his nostrils flared in clear displeasure at Hisashi’s interruption.
Hisashi paid him no mind, looking at the girl. “…How old are you, really?” he asked.
“Sixteen…” she admitted quietly.
She was so young, and so desperate. Hisashi’s earlier instincts on that had been right. He turned to Izuku, trying to gauge how his son was feeling about the situation. “Surely we can’t just turn away a citizen so desperately in need?” he implored Izuku quietly.
“I don’t know…she did lie a lot,” Izuku mused, gazing at the girl curiously.
“Because she needs this job,” Hisashi explained to him gently, giving his hand a little squeeze. “People will do desperate things if they don’t know when their next meal is coming.”
“...So she lied because she’s hungry?” Izuku asked, eyes flicking from Hisashi to Uraraka. “We have places in the city to help people that can’t get enough food or blood on their own. She can always go there if she needs to.”
“That’s a good thought, and I’m sure it’s helpful to those having hard times, but it’s not a long term solution,” Hisashi pointed out patiently. “A job would allow her to have a stable income and be able to support her family.”
“Oh.” Izuku’s lips pursed in contemplation. He seemed uncertain as he glanced up at Hisashi, then over at the girl. But guilt wrote itself into his expression when he saw her pleading eyes. “...I don’t think she should be your servant though.”
“She doesn’t have to be,” Hisashi said. “She can work somewhere else in the castle. Surely it wouldn’t be burdensome on the crown to offer her a job elsewhere?”
“Hm…” Izuku hummed in thought when Mirai butted in.
“Your Majesty, I must strongly protest against this suggestion,” Mirai said. “She’s already proven herself untrustworthy multiple times. There are others better suited for work in the castle that are less…unsavory.”
Funny enough, Mirai’s protest seemed to be what caused Izuku to make up his mind. “She can work in the kitchens!” the boy declared, with a snide side-eye to his retainer. “She’ll be under supervision of the cooks and other attendants there, and it’s a good job.”
Mirai sighed in defeat. “...As you wish, My Liege.” He looked sharply at the girl. “You may take your leave then, and report to the kitchens at once. Your new job begins today.”
Uraraka looked relieved, barely even nodding to confirm she’d heard Mirai before turning to Hisashi and Izuku. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” She bowed. “I’m in your debt!”
Hisashi nodded awkwardly, and watched the girl scurry off to her new job as Mirai brought the next candidate in.
And so it began again, Hisashi staring on in mild boredom, until the last human—that Kurogiri guy—had completed the test. Of all the candidates, four remained as having been deemed acceptable by Mirai.
“Are there any more tests or can I choose now?” Hisashi asked, not wanting to sit through anything else.
“Well, I was planning to—” Mirai began.
Izuku cut him off this time, smiling brightly. “You want to choose, Dad? You have someone in mind?”
Hisashi shifted a bit on his feet, still feeling a little uncomfortable with the whole personal servant arrangement. But…
“...Kurogiri,” Hisashi confirmed his decision after a moment. “I think Kurogiri is the best choice.”
“Are you sure?”
Hisashi nodded. “Yes.” There was something about that man that made Hisashi feel like he could potentially be comfortable around him.
“Excellent!” Izuku exclaimed happily. “The rest of you may leave.” He waved off the others that hadn’t been picked, and Hisashi felt a little guilty at the air of disappointment they bore.
“I do believe this is an excellent choice,” Mirai commented—though he looked reluctant to say as much. “Now, concerning the detail of the work you’ll be expected to perform—”
“We can handle it from here, Mirai!” Izuku insisted, shooing off his retainer.
Mirai looked highly offended at being interrupted again. But Hisashi could also see the point in which Mirai mentally gave up. “As you wish, Your Majesty,” he said, giving Izuku a small bow and rushing out as fast as he could without seeming like he was running.
Hisashi stood there silently. He, for one, had no idea about the details of work Kurogiri would be expected to perform, and wasn’t sure why Izuku had sent Mirai away, as he figured Izuku probably didn’t know either. “Uh…”
Izuku just bounced on his toes. “I’m so happy you picked someone, Dad! I thought for sure you’d turn everyone down!”
“Yes, well…” Hisashi murmured, not knowing what to say. Picking Kurogiri simply felt…right, for some reason he couldn’t fully explain.
“I thank you for this opportunity,” Kurogiri bowed before them.
“A-Ah, please don’t,” Hisashi insisted. “You don’t have to bow every time.”
“Technically, he does,” Izuku quipped cheekily. “But anyway! Let’s show him the way to your room! He’s going to be helping you every morning from now on so he’ll need to know where your room is!”
“…Right.” Hisashi allowed Izuku to tug him along, Kurogiri following behind with a respectable distance between them. The walk up to his room felt awkward with a new person there, and Hisashi sought for a subject to break the silence with. “So…your, um, your son, how old is he?” he asked Kurogiri.
“Seven. Technically,” Kurogiri answered.
“Technically? What do you mean ‘technically’?”
“During the incident that fell the rest of the Shimura household, Tenko was six when it happened and…” Kurogiri paused for a very brief moment, before continuing on, “He was turned before I got to him. It’s been roughly five years since, so I believe by vampire standards he should be seven by now.”
“Ah…” Hisashi said. He wasn’t sure how to respond to something like that. His knee-jerk reaction was to say sorry, but he felt that wouldn’t be quite right. “What are your main goals then?”
“To become a vampire,” Kurogiri stated simply.
Oh. Hisashi blanked. He really didn’t have much in common with this man then, did he. “That’s…nice?” It came out more as a question.
“You want to become a vampire?” Izuku asked, staring back at Kurogiri.
The man nodded. “I do. I want to be around to continue taking care of Tenko, and I’m afraid I’m already forty-five. Unless I can become a vampire, I will be long gone before Tenko ever becomes an adult.”
“Oh, I see,” Izuku murmured, and something flashed in his eyes—he seemed pleased with the answer. “Maybe that can be arranged at a later time then? We would have to check the census for the ratio of humans to vampires first, since blood supplies have been more strained for the last several years, but we could definitely find a House that would be willing to take you in.”
“He can’t just ask a vampire to make him one?” Hisashi asked curiously, brows pinched in confusion. “Why does a House need to be involved?”
“It is illegal for a vampire to turn a human without the human’s consent, or the permission of the Lord or Lady who governs the region. It is the House responsibility to oversee newly turned vampires and teach them everything they need to know before reintegrating into society,” Kurogiri explained. At Hisashi’s befuddled expression, he added, “It is done so that the ratio of humans to vampires is maintained in a careful balance, so that one does not exceed the other.”
“Yeah!” Izuku nodded, confirming Kurogiri’s words. “If vampires went around turning any human that asked them to, the number of vampires could increase rapidly, while the human population would quickly decline. The sudden difference would cause a shortage of blood, and vampires would starve as a result. Which would then cause the humans' safety to be at risk when vampires can’t get enough blood.”
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked slowly, taking a moment to process everything they said. He hadn’t realized that legally becoming a vampire was so complicated. Especially considering how many of the rules Izuku had…skipped…when turning him. “So, do humans frequently ask to become vampires then? How do they decide who becomes a vampire or not?”
“They do, but not as common as you might think, and only a select few are granted the privilege,” Kurogiri answered this time. “While becoming a vampire would increase a human’s abilities and lifespan significantly, it also comes with its own drawbacks. Things like weakness to sunlight, difficulty in conceiving children, the inability to fully enjoy food, and watching friends and loved ones pass away while centuries lie ahead of you. A human also forfeits their exemption from monetary taxes, should they become a vampire. That alone is a significant deterrent.”
“Ah,” Hisashi hummed. That made sense, he supposed. He glanced back at the man, regarding him with a puzzled look. “...You’ve really done your research then. And you still want to be a vampire?”
“I do,” Kurogiri said without hesitation.
“We’ll see what we can do about that!” Izuku chirped from up ahead. He paused right after, bringing a finger to his chin and biting his lip in thought. “We’d have to find Dad another human servant though…”
“Well, I mean, we wouldn’t have to,” Hisashi said. “There’s no need to fire Kurogiri just because he gets turned.”
“You’re the one that said they had to be human!” Izuku pointed out.
“I did not say that!” Hisashi protested. “You wanted me to have a human servant to make me feel more comfortable, I said I didn’t need a servant at all!”
“Yes, you did!”
“No, I didn’t!”
“You did!”
“I did not!”
“Did too!”
“Excuse me,” Kurogiri interrupted.
Hisashi’s mouth snapped shut, his cheeks flushing when he remembered there was someone else there. Someone that had just watched him argue like a child with a child. He coughed into his shoulder in embarrassment.
“Oops! Got carried away!” Izuku laughed, not seeming bothered. He nudged Hisashi. “You still did though.”
Hisashi was not going to continue this, and just rolled his eyes. But he still wasn’t going to let Izuku win the war, reaching forward to scoop the boy up unexpectedly. Hisashi was satisfied with the startled yelp he received, hoisting Izuku up so that he was pinned to Hisashi’s chest, his hands gripping at Hisashi’s forearms and little legs kicking out.
“H-Hey!” Izuku made a show of complaining, but the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips gave away that he didn’t actually mind. “Daaaad, what are you doing? I can walk!”
“Usually you don’t want to, so I’m saving us some time,” Hisashi answered. “Besides, those short legs of yours are too slow.”
“They are not!” Izuku protested. “Remember that time you tried to outrun me but you couldn’t?”
“T-That’s just because you know the corridors better than I do!” Hisashi insisted.
“Nuh-uh! It’s because I’m faster than you!”
Hisashi snorted, forgetting once more that they weren’t alone. “No, you’re not!”
“Yes, I am!”
“No, you’re not!”
“Are too! We can have a race and prove it!”
“Are not! I could show you up anyday!”
“Fine! Put me down!” Izuku wiggled. “Let’s go. Right here, right now.”
Hisashi scoffed. “You’re on.”
A throat cleared behind them, startling Hisashi and causing him to clutch Izuku protectively close to his chest. He froze when he remembered—again—that he had a servant now. A furious blush climbed his cheeks once more.
“Excuse me,” Kurogiri said again, and this time Hisashi could see the beginnings of a small smile on his lips. “Please do not run in the halls.”
“Oh, fine,” Izuku huffed, shifting until he was more comfortable in Hisashi’s hold. “Guess you’ll just have to carry me the rest of the way, Dad.”
“We’re nearly there anyway,” Hisashi said, ruffling Izuku’s hair as they began to make their way up the stairs. “Seems like we’ll have to have our race some other time then.”
“Promise?” Izuku asked, tilting his head back to look at Hisashi.
“Promise,” he confirmed with a smile, unable to resist planting a small kiss on the forehead that was presented to him.
Izuku giggled happily, humming the rest of the way until they finally came upon Hisashi's room.
“Here we are,” Hisashi said. He moved to shift Izuku to one arm to get the door, when Kurogiri stepped forward and opened it for him. Hisashi froze as the man held it for him, waiting for him to step inside. There was a long moment where they simply stared at each other, Kurogiri in expectation and Hisashi in confusion. “Err…thanks,” he eventually mumbled, shuffling inside.
It was weird to have someone open a door for him. Izuku was really the only one to do so so far, and that was generally only because the boy was excited and made it to the door faster than Hisashi. He liked Kurogiri, but he wasn’t sure what to do now that there was another person—a veritable stranger—in the space that was usually only occupied by himself and Izuku. So he stood somewhat awkwardly in the middle of the room, still clutching Izuku to his chest in an unconscious gesture of comfort.
“So, your job,” Izuku began as Kurogiri closed the door behind him. “You’ll bring my father fresh clothes every morning and keep them clean. You’ll keep his room and belongings tidy, keep his linens washed, and make sure he gets dressed properly in the morning.”
“I can dress myself,” Hisashi mumbled. Izuku made it sound like he was incapable!
“And you’re to help him bathe when he goes to take a bath!” Izuku added—to Hisashi’s utter mortification. “Get the scented oils and soaps, fetch his towels, wash his hair, scrub him clean—”
“I can still bathe myself!” Hisashi protested loudly. “I don’t have any trouble with that!”
Both Izuku and Kurogiri were ignoring him.
“But I’m the one that gets to bring my dad his morning glass of blood,” Izuku proclaimed, glaring at Kurogiri as if daring the man to disagree with him.
Kurogiri did no such thing of course.
Izuku’s small voice suddenly darkened though, and he stared Kurogiri down fiercely. “And if you ever try to hurt my dad, I’ll break you. Is that understood?”
“Izuku!” Hisashi gasped. Why did Izuku have to go about threatening a servant on their first day?! “Don’t say things like that!”
“Understood, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said, and he sounded incredibly unfazed.
The darkness evaporated immediately. “So, you said Tenko was a Shimura, right?” Izuku asked, changing the subject abruptly. He looked strangely hopeful, and was practically buzzing in Hisashi’s grip.
Kurogiri nodded. “He is.”
“That means he’s related to me!” Izuku exclaimed with excitement. “Grandma Nana married a Shimura a long, long time ago! Her husband was a Shimura!”
“He wasn’t a vampire then?” Hisashi wondered.
“He was turned!” Izuku said. “They got married to secure alliances between vampires and humans. She offered to marry him, and in exchange the Shimura family would be granted lands and titles—as long as they remained in the hands of his human descendants.”
“Ah.” Hisashi blinked. “So Tenko is—”
“A distant cousin!” Izuku was practically vibrating in Hisashi’s arms. “Do you think you could bring him up to the castle sometime, Kurogiri? I’d love to meet him!”
“I’m afraid that might be a little…difficult, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri stated solemnly. “Tenko suffers from an acute form of agoraphobia.”
“Agora-what?” Hisashi squinted in confusion.
“It’s a strong fear of things such as public spaces and social situations,” Kurogiri clarified. “It can be rather debilitating for those who have it, and for Tenko it’s a challenge to convince him to even step outside our home.”
“Oh.” Izuku pouted childishly, looking thoroughly put out. “That’s too bad.”
“Maybe you could go visit him one day instead,” Hisashi tried to reassure Izuku, not wanting him to feel down.
Izuku’s eyes widened and he turned them to Kurogiri pleadingly.
Kurogiri smiled softly in return. “Perhaps.”
Yeah, Hisashi decided. Kurogiri wasn’t so bad.
Notes:
About Hisashi’s new immortality.
Izuku: “What does DILF mean?”
Hisashi, sweating: “…Dad is living forever! Yeah…”
Izuku: “Yes!! You are!!” :D
Not Hisashi’s area of expertise.
Hisashi, a man with no friends: “Don’t worry Izuku, making friends can’t be that hard!”
Izuku: “How do you know that?”
Hisashi: “…I don’t. I’m just guessing.”
A disturbance in the force.
Izuku: “I’m still considering adopting Tensei as my brother.”
*elsewhere in the kingdom*
Tensei: *shudders* “For some reason, I feel as though I should postpone our upcoming trip to the palace…”
Be careful Kurogiri.
Kurogiri: “The young king may be a bit tempermental, but it's nothing I haven't handled before with Tenko.”
Tenko (a very weak vampire)’s temper tantrums: *yells, throws stuff, cries*
Izuku's temper tantrums: *explodes into lightning, yeets full grown men, orders vampires to the point of tears*
Kurogiri: “It'll be similar, I'm sure. Nothing I can't handle.”
As always, thanks for reading! We really appreciate everyone who has read, commented, kudos-ed, and otherwise enjoyed this fic so far! 🙏
Chapter 21
Summary:
“Maybe you could go visit him one day instead,” Hisashi tried to reassure Izuku, not wanting him to feel down.
Izuku’s eyes widened and he turned them to Kurogiri pleadingly.
Kurogiri smiled softly in return. “Perhaps.”
Yeah, Hisashi decided. Kurogiri wasn’t so bad.
Chapter Text
Kurogiri knocked on the door to his lord's room with a short, polite rap of his knuckles, holding the freshly made clothes he had been tasked to deliver from the royal tailor so that His Majesty would have a new outfit to wear for the day. He received no answer, however, as only silence greeted him. His master must have still been asleep then.
If his master was still sleeping, then Kurogiri would simply deliver the clothing and tend to his other tasks in the meantime. And so, quietly, Kurogiri opened the door, keeping his footsteps light as he stepped into the room. The blackout curtains were drawn shut over the windows, leaving the interior of the room dark, but Kurogiri could still vaguely make out the form of a small, green-haired child sleeping on the chest of the tall, imposing form of his new lord.
Imposing that was, if, unlike Kurogiri, one wasn’t aware of just how socially awkward Hisashi was. Yesterday had been rather…enlightening about the type of man he would be serving from now on. At least Kurogiri had experience, considering what Tenko was like.
Kurogiri paused in his musings then, when he noticed green eyes were watching him closely. They were slitted in a half-asleep manner, but the colour of them almost glowed in the darkness of the room, staring at Kurogiri with intensity. Involuntarily, a shiver went down his spine, something deep in his brain categorizing that gaze as the threat of a predator.
He tried to shake it off, though. There was no threat, simply a child. A very powerful child who was draped across his father’s torso as if trying to protect him with his whole being. Kurogiri’s master, however, seemed to still be completely asleep, undisturbed by the child that was actively guarding him.
Kurogiri nodded to the young king to acknowledge him, then crept forward. He would just lay the clothes onto the dresser and take his leave until the two of them properly awoke.
Or, at least he would have, if he hadn’t bumped into a chair that, for whatever strange reason, was in the middle of the room. As it was, he banged his foot painfully with a stifled gasp, the chair making a sudden, loud scraping noise as it shifted. One that made the little king jolt quickly into alertness.
Izuku’s eyes sharpened, his whole body stiffening within an instant, and the only warning Kurogiri had was the raising of the hairs on his arms, before a bolt of green lightning shot towards him.
Thankfully, he had stumbled back upon hitting the chair, and the bolt struck the upper section of the door behind him instead, splintering the wood apart with a cacophony of sound. The racket had his master shooting up from the bed with a startled gasp, eyes flying open, wide and alarmed. His sudden movement knocked Izuku from his chest, who flailed with a yelp and clung to Hisashi as he fell backwards, pulling his father off the bed with him, where they both crashed to the ground in a mess of panic and limbs.
“WHAT WAS THAT?!” Hisashi yelled out in alarm.
“Daaaad, you’re squishing me!” the king complained from beneath Kurogiri’s master, pushing at him to move.
His master’s form was tense and shaky, fear radiating from him as he shielded his son from an unknown danger, his breath heavy and rapid as he gazed about the room. His eyes landed on Izuku beneath him, then traveled over to Kurogiri with clear confusion, and then to the ruined door, before going back to Kurogiri, obviously trying to make sense of the situation.
“The hell are you doing opening the door like that?!” his master demanded of him, managing to push himself up off the floor, pulling his son up with him and holding him protectively close, who gratefully took a breath of air now that he was no longer being crushed.
“Apologies, Your Majesty, but that was not me. I did disturb your rest, however, which resulted in the…door situation,” Kurogiri explained.
His master thankfully seemed to believe him, immediately turning to the boy in his arms with an accusatory look. “What did you do? Did you attack my servant on his first day? We talked about the threats already, Izuku.”
“I was half-asleep and he scared me!” the little king defended himself with a huff. “He could have been an assassin for all I knew! Like at the ball! I was just trying to protect you!”
“What do you mean an assassin?” Hisashi asked incredulously, one brow raised. “You approved his hiring!”
“So? That doesn’t mean anything. You never know.” The boy crossed his arms with a pout.
Hisashi groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Alright, from now on, new rule: no more attacking or threatening the servants. Understand?”
“But what if they deserve it?” Izuku asked.
“Don’t be difficult about this. I will throw you out the window,” Hisashi said tiredly.
“No, you won’t!” The boy smiled, wiggling out of his father’s hold and hopping back down to the floor.
“…No, I won’t, but please have some self-control. You got on my case for attacking that couple in the city—”
“Yeah, but that’s because you wouldn’t mind your own business! This was different!” the boy interrupted.
His master had done what now? Kurogiri blinked.
“Whatever! Either way, take your own advice and don’t attack people impulsively!”
Izuku gained a mischievous look in his eye, a grin tugging at his lips. “You mean like this?”
That was the only warning his master received before the young king launched himself at his father’s chest, tackling him to the ground again.
Hisashi shouted in surprise, wrestling to try and get his son off. But Izuku clung firmly, and instead they simply rolled to the side, the boy laughing as they tussled on the floor.
“Why you little bean-sprout!” his master snapped playfully at the boy, managing to free an arm from his grip and push at his shoulder. “Is this how you treat your father?!”
“I’m not a bean-sprout! You’re just an overgrown cauliflower head!” Izuku retorted.
“What kind of comeback is that?” Hisashi snorted. “Besides, if I’m cauliflower, then you’re a two foot tall piece of broccoli!”
“I am not!” His Majesty rebuked defensively, though a smile still tugged at his mouth.
Kurogiri watched them for a long minute, rather amused as they threw good-natured insults at each other. But eventually, he cleared his throat. “Good morning, Your Majesties,” he greeted to remind them he was there, bowing politely.
“Good morning!” the boy chimed back happily, separating himself from his father and jumping up—as if the last ten minutes had never happened. “You’re here earlier than I thought you’d be. We haven’t even had breakfast yet!”
“I didn’t wish to be late,” Kurogiri responded with a small uptick to his lips.
“I told you that bringing my father his morning meal was my job,” Izuku huffed, sounding almost possessive.
Kurogiri nodded, noting to be careful so as not to step on any toes. “As you said, Your Majesty, and as you can see, I have not brought any blood with me. But even as it is your job to bring your father his breakfast, it was not made clear whether or not it was my job to wake him in the mornings. I came prepared to do so, in order for him to be ready to welcome you when you arrived with his morning meal.”
“Ah, I see.” His Majesty nodded understandingly. “I always wake Dad up first thing in the morning. But I don’t mind if you do that sometimes.”
“I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“He spends half his nights here anyway,” his master grumbled, straightening himself.
“You promised to read to me!” Izuku pointed out with a little look to his father. “How can you read to me if we’re not in the same room?”
“I could read to you in your room too, you know. I could always sit next to your bed and read you the story.”
“But that’s not as fun!” the child huffed. “I want to see the pictures!”
“As fun as jumping up and down on my bed until I sit, you mean?”
“Exactly! Reading time is also cuddle time! That’s law!” Izuku said sagely.
“I’ll be sure to ask Mirai where that clause is stipulated.” Hisashi snorted in amusement.
“You won’t find anything because I’ve just decreed it now!” His Majesty declared.
“Uh-huh. What other sort of laws have you been decreeing without the council's awareness, you little tyrant?”
The little king’s eyes went wide, his face adopting a look of innocence. “Only good things. Like cuddle time!”
“You aren’t even following your own legal procedures!”
Izuku smiled mischievously at that. “Do you want me to? Shall I gather the council in order to officially decree a law of cuddle time with you, Dad?”
“NO! No. No, it’s fine,” his master assured the boy quickly. “I’m afraid it’ll have to stay a secret between us.”
Izuku clapped gleefully. “A special secret! You hear that, Kurogiri? You can’t tell anyone!”
“My lips are sealed, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said with amusement.
“Great! I’ll step out so you can get changed now, Dad. I’ll bring you back your glass of blood! Kurogiri, you help him!”
“That’s not—!” Hisashi began, but the sound of the door shutting cut him off. “…Necessary. Ugh, that boy, I swear…”
Keeping his expression composed, Kurogiri laid out the outfit still in his arms on the bed. “Shall I help you, Your Majesty?” he offered.
“I’m more than capable of putting on my own clothes,” his master grumbled, stepping over and taking hold of the shirt. Then Hisashi looked at him, and Kurogiri could see pink tinting his cheeks. “Turn around. Please. I don’t want you looking at me while I get dressed.”
A bit of an odd request, but his new master was a bit of an odd man. Kurogiri just nodded and did as asked. There was quiet shuffling behind him for a while, interspersed by a few whispered curses. But eventually, he heard an “okay” and turned back around.
And immediately clucked his tongue.
“W-What?!” his master stammered, the pink deepening into a vibrant red now.
“You have that backwards, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri automatically stepped forward and began to adjust his master’s clothes.
“I-It’s early!” Hisashi defended himself. “I was just…”
“As you say, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri nodded, straightening out the folds of Hisashi’s clothes, tucking in the cuffs and securing them properly, and fastening a button or two here and there. “And your comb, My Liege?”
“My comb?” His master looked confused.
“For your hair,” Kurogiri explained patiently.
“I know what a comb is!” His master’s face somehow flushed even deeper.
“I did not mean to imply you didn’t, Sire. I’m simply wondering where it is.”
“O-Oh. It’s in the dresser?” Hisashi answered, gesturing over to said dresser, but looking confused as to why Kurogiri asked.
Kurogiri simply collected the comb, and when he brought it back over and ran it through his master’s hair, Hisashi practically jumped out of his skin.
“I can comb my own hair!” he insisted, jerking away and snatching the comb from Kurogiri’s hand. “I’m not helpless!”
“Of course not, Your Majesty. You are royal.” Kurogiri did not feel offended by the man’s actions. Tenko was also currently going through a state of wanting to do things for himself.
His master combed his hair quickly, mumbling, “You don’t have to keep calling me ‘Your Majesty’ all the time. My name is Hisashi.”
“Pardon me, but it would be inappropriate for me to refer to my master by name,” Kurogiri said. “And please, do not be so rough on your hair.”
“I-I’m not your master!” he stammered, pausing between strokes to stare at Kurogiri. “Besides, Mirai and Gran don’t call me by my title either! I’m perfectly fine with Hisashi.”
“You are my master,” Kurogiri patiently explained. “You chose me as your personal servant. The Lords may call you by name, I suppose, as they are not servants and are nobility. I am but a commoner though, Your Majesty.”
“I’m a commoner too!” his master blurted out.
“Oh?” Kurogiri asked. With Hisashi thoroughly distracted, he managed to pluck the comb from the man’s hands and softly run it through his hair, testing to see if he’d notice.
Either his master did not, or he had given up. “Yes! I’m just—I was a hunter! I’m not royalty! Not really.”
“His Majesty thinks otherwise,” Kurogiri pointed out as he combed through stubborn, curly locks of white hair. “And you are the king’s father and a part of his family. That makes you royalty, Your Majesty.” Though, his master having been born a commoner—a hunter, did he say?—would certainly explain his awkwardness about having a servant assist him with daily tasks.
“Please call me Hisashi,” his master mumbled in defeat. “That’s…That’s an…order?” He sounded unsure of himself.
“…As you wish, Hisashi,” Kurogiri conceded.
Some of the tension in his master’s shoulders dissipated with that. “Thank you.”
“Dad?” The door cracked open a little and a tuft of green poked in. “Are you done dressing yet?”
“Izuku, what did I say about knocking?” Hisashi asked.
“Oops!” The boy ducked back out and closed the door. A knock sounded from the other side before the little king opened it again. “Dad! Are you done dressing yet?”
Hisashi placed a hand to his face and groaned, shaking his head. “Just…come in already, Izuku. I’m done.”
“Okay!” His Majesty exclaimed, happily entering the bedroom. He had changed into fresh clothes as well, and was carrying a tray with two glasses, with a bottle tucked under his arm. His eyes roved over his father’s outfit, and he nodded with a bright smile. “You look good today, Dad!”
“Are you implying that I didn’t look good on other days?” Kurogiri watched Hisashi huff, looking himself over before sighing, seeming to resign himself to something.
“No, you just look better today! More…put together,” His Majesty said, placing the tray onto the desk and uncorking the bottle. He poured himself and his father a glass, offering one to Hisashi with a grin.
“Thanks,” his master quipped dryly. He looked rather unamused, but took the glass anyway, sipping on the blood with a quiet grumble.
“Your hair looks actually styled for once!” His Majesty praised.
“Styled?” Hisashi muttered, lowering the glass and raising a hand up to his curly locks, before turning to face the mirror. Kurogiri watched his new master inspect his hair with mild surprise, eyeing the way the curls had been tamed and brushed neatly into place. “...It’s not too bad, I guess,” he admitted after a moment.
“See? This was a good idea!” Izuku insisted, giving Hisashi what was unmistakably an “I told you so!” look.
“I was still doing fine on my own,” Hisashi defended himself, drinking the rest of the glass’ contents in one big gulp and placing the empty cup onto the desk.
“Uh-huh,” His Majesty agreed without much argument, draining what remained of his glass with a sigh and doing the same. “Anyway, I have to go to my studies today. Did you want to come with me? I can get Nedzu to help you with your math!”
Hisashi’s face twisted into a grimace. “I don’t need the rat’s help. I can do it on my own.”
His Majesty looked unimpressed. “No, you can’t.”
“I can!” he insisted, in spite of His Majesty's words. “I was doing just fine with it the other day!”
“Because I was helping you.”
“That’s besides the point,” Hisashi grumbled stubbornly.
His Majesty squinted in confusion. “No? That’s the entire point? You can’t do it without help!”
“It’s one thing for my son to help me with something, but it’s another entirely to be asking help from that talking rat,” Hisashi stated. “He creeps me out. If there’s anyone in this castle that would kill me in my sleep, it’s him.”
His Majesty rolled his eyes, hands on his hips. “Nedzu wouldn’t do that! Besides, what is it with you and asking for help? There’s nothing wrong with needing help sometimes!”
“I can say the same thing about you and asking for directions!”
“I have a good reason for that!”
“And you think I don’t have a good reason?”
“You won’t ask for help for anything.”
“Well, I—”
Kurogiri sighed as both kings continued to argue. He’d been working for them only since yesterday and they’d argued multiple times already. “Your Majesties,” he attempted to interrupt, bringing their attention to him. “I believe it would be best if you were not late for your studies. I will help your father in your absence, regardless if he asks for it or not.”
The boy beamed while his father scowled.
“Thank you!” Izuku said.
“What do you mean ‘regardless’?” Hisashi huffed.
“It’s part of his job!” His Majesty insisted. “That’s why I hired him! So he’ll help you when you need it, even if you don’t think you do!”
“But I really don’t!”
“As you say, Sire,” Kurogiri tried to assuage Hisashi. He was going to have his work cut out for him with his new master.
“I’ll see you later, okay, Dad?” His Majesty said, moving to wrap his arms around Hisashi in a tight hug.
His master grumbled under his breath, but returned the gesture anyway, and His Majesty skipped out of the room with a glowing smile, leaving Kurogiri alone with his new master.
Hisashi turned to him with a serious look. “I don’t need help.”
“Of course. Just like you didn’t need my assistance with your clothes or your hair.” Kurogiri couldn’t help the little jab, but he made sure to keep his tone neutral so as not to offend.
“T-That’s—” Hisashi started, only to clip his mouth shut as his cheeks burned. “Just…nevermind. Don’t say anything to Mirai. Or Gran. Especially Gran.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri nodded in compliance.
His master’s face pinched a little. “Hisashi. Call me Hisashi,” he insisted.
“Apologies, Hisashi,” Kurogiri corrected himself.
Silence followed after, his master shifting awkwardly on his feet as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.
Kurogiri, on the other hand, began what were now his daily chores. He moved about the room, picking up any dirty clothes, cleaning the furniture, and fixing Hisashi’s bed, making sure the covers were folded neatly and each pillow was fluffed to perfection. A bit of magic ensured that his master’s belongings were arranged in their proper places, looking untouched. Kurogiri pushed the chair he’d initially tripped over back to the desk, then moved over to the door to pick up the shards of wood that littered the floor. He tutted at the sight of the damaged wood, making a mental note that he would need to send for someone to repair the door later.
Hisashi just watched him the whole time, still standing there in the middle of the room. Eventually, he shuffled over to the desk and picked up the empty, used glasses from his breakfast, placing them back on the tray they had been brought in on.
“Please don’t worry about that, Hisashi,” Kurogiri called to him. “I’ll take care of it. It’s my job.”
“I can’t just…stand here and not do anything,” Hisashi muttered, grabbing hold of the wine bottle and placing it upon the tray as well.
“Well, what’s on your agenda for the day?” Kurogiri asked.
“Uhh…” There was a long pause, before his master just shrugged. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “Usually whatever Izuku is doing…”
Kurogiri raised a brow slightly at the words, fighting down a tiny smile that threatened to upturn the corners of his lips. His master didn’t know what to do without his son, it seemed. “Why don’t you get started on your math homework?” he prompted.
His master flushed. “I-It’s not homework! I’m not in school or anything, I’m just teaching myself more so I can work on learning a new magic!”
That tiny smile was still trying to crawl onto his face. Kurogiri forced it down. “My apologies. Why don’t you get started on your independent studies then?”
Hisashi said something under his breath that Kurogiri couldn’t quite catch, moving to sit at the desk and grabbing one of the books stacked on it. He fished out a sheet of fresh paper and a pen before beginning to write down an equation.
As they both went about their own work, from the corner of his eye, Kurogiri could see Hisashi glance at him now and again, and when he noticed Kurogiri catching his looks, his face would further redden. This went on for a bit as Kurogiri continued cleaning the room, dusting shelves and opening the window to let in fresh air.
“I’m…going to go train,” his master spoke up after a while, letting the pen drop to the table with a clatter. Hisashi stood up, moving over to the shelf that contained a sparse collection of books and prying out a relatively small one.
Kurogiri immediately moved to tidy up the desk, shuffling the papers together and placing the pen into a wooden holding container. As he did so, he noticed that Hisashi hadn’t actually completed any equations, having still been working on the same one he had started when he first sat down.
His master looked over to Kurogiri then, and seemed to fluster all the more. “You don’t have to clean that up! Just—Just leave it there.”
“If I may,” Kurogiri began, having already finished tidying up the space in spite of his master’s protest, “what kind of magic are you trying to learn that requires an in-depth knowledge of mathematics?”
“...Warping,” Hisashi said quietly after a moment of pause. “It’s…more complicated than I thought it would be.”
Kurogiri glanced to the book Hisashi held. “May I see?” he requested.
His master paused, but shrugged and handed the book over, not meeting Kurogiri’s eyes. Kurogiri flipped the book open and began to skim through it. Hisashi was right in that the magic required a very in-depth knowledge of complex mathematics, as well as some understanding of basic physics.
“Anyway,” his master said, glancing at the window and the sunlight streaming through. “I’m going to the training room.”
“Very well.” Kurogiri nodded, handing the book back over to his master as Hisashi made to leave. He followed behind, keeping a few feet behind him to maintain a respectful distance.
“Y-You don’t have to follow me!” Hisashi protested as he headed down the stairwell, quickening his pace.
“It’s my job to attend to you and your needs, Sire,” Kurogiri said, speeding up to keep pace with the younger man.
“It’s Hisashi! And what I need is a little space!” he insisted.
In compliance, Kurogiri took a step back, but still followed behind.
His master groaned. “That’s not what I meant!”
“Apologies, Hisashi. As I am new to this position, I would like to familiarize myself with your routine and the castle,” Kurogiri excused himself. Secretly, he was following to make sure his new master didn’t run into trouble with his practice, or end up hurting himself attempting a new magic that he clearly didn’t understand.
“Just…Fine!” Hisashi relented, seeming to give up entirely and simply allowing Kurogiri to shadow him to the training room, cursing under his breath along the way.
Kurogiri sighed to himself over his master’s lacking social etiquette. But if Hisashi truly had been a commoner beforehand, then it was understandable. It didn’t mean Hisashi wouldn’t have to learn, though. If he was going to be a royal, then he was going to have to learn the lifestyle of one.
Perhaps it was a very good thing indeed that His Majesty had hired him. Kurogiri could help.
When they arrived at the training room, some of the tension that had built up in his master’s shoulders seemed to dissipate, a hand reaching to clasp the hilt of his sword before he held the book out in front of him, his expression twisting slightly. Kurogiri heard him muttering to himself quietly.
“...Shouldn’t be too hard, right?” Hisashi said, eyes skimming over the book's contents and looking like he was trying to will away a migraine at the sight of it.
Kurogiri sensed the stirring of magic gathering around the man, as Hisashi began mumbling an incarnation, but the way it twisted and swirled almost seemed to scream danger.
“Your Majesty—Hisashi,” Kurogiri quickly interrupted before his master could cast a spell, startling Hisashi and causing him to release the magic before the spell could be set free. Hisashi turned and faced him, looking bewildered. “If I may, could I see the book again?” Kurogiri asked. “I believe I may be able to help.”
Hisashi’s shoulders hunched defensively. “I don’t need help. I was doing fine.”
“Of course,” Kurogiri said mildly. He stepped forward and plucked the book out of Hisashi’s hands, much the same way he had with the comb earlier.
“Hey—!” Hisashi protested, but it went ignored as Kurogiri flipped the book open, going over the incantations for the spells, his mind practically buzzing as he worked the equations in his brain.
“If I may ask, why do you wish to learn warping magic?” Kurogiri regarded his master thoughtfully.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Hisashi responded, seeming somewhat incredulous. “It would be such a useful magic to be able to use. Not to mention the fascinating capabilities it could present. And I could use it to get away from that bastard—” He cut himself off with a cough. “It just…has a lot of useful applications. That’s all.”
Kurogiri felt his brows raise in curiosity, but when his eyes tried searching Hisashi’s face, Hisashi looked away, clearing his throat awkwardly. Kurogiri shook his head and continued to read through the book. “...I believe I understand what’s going on here,” he concluded after a few minutes.
Hisashi blinked. “What?”
Kurogiri raised a hand, his own magic rushing to the surface as he began the spell from the book. Darkness began to swirl into existence around his hand, a black mist circling out. Hisashi’s eyes widened from beside him, and Kurogiri heard him start to speak just as he pushed forward and disappeared into the dark mist.
He reappeared right where he had wanted to, on the other side of the training room. His master whirled around at his triumphant noise.
“H-How did you…That’s not…It’s….Incredible!” Hisashi stammered out, staring at Kurogiri in astonishment. “How did you do that on your first try?! You haven’t even fully read the book!”
“I was a teacher in my younger years,” Kurogiri explained as he walked back over. “I taught complex mathematics to my former master’s children, amongst other various subjects.”
“A-Ah.” For some reason, Hisashi suddenly looked very embarrassed. Kurogiri didn’t quite understand why.
“I believe you should hold off on performing the same spell for now, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri insisted. “If you had performed the spell as you intended earlier without the proper understanding, you may have lost a limb.”
Hisashi didn’t even bat an eye at that. Kurogiri stared incredulously as instead, his master just shrugged. “Potential loss of limb has never stopped me from training before.”
“His Majesty would not approve of you saying as such, My Liege,” Kurogiri said, a bit of warning leaking into his voice.
Hisashi blanched, grimacing. “Don’t tell Izuku I said that,” he mumbled.
“I will refrain,” Kurogiri conceded. “…As long as you agree to only practice this type of magic under my supervision.”
“Deal,” Hisashi agreed easily. “I’m going to stick with my usual magic and weapon training for now. Think I’ll hold off on attempting warping any time soon.”
“A fine choice, Sire. I’m sure it won’t be long before you are able to perform this magic for yourself, though. Once your math skills have improved anyway.”
Kurogiri then relegated himself to the sideline, watching his master begin his training for the day. To his credit, Hisashi proved to be very powerful, though his magic seemed a bit unrefined, as he struggled to rein in and manipulate some of his spells. But his abilities with the sword were nothing short of the skills of an expert, his flourishes swift, fluid, and strong. And Hisashi didn’t seem to tire, even as hours passed by and sweat beaded down his forehead and slowly seeped into his clothes.
All the while, Kurogiri could see other participants occasionally glancing at Hisashi, murmuring among themselves before going about their own training. Kurogiri took the time to practice his new warping spell occasionally, though he never took his eyes off his master for long.
Eventually, though, he decided he needed to step in. “Hisashi,” he called, approaching his master, who looked over at him expectantly. “I think that’s enough for the day,” Kurogiri told him.
Hisashi frowned. “It’s only been a few hours though?”
“…Yes?” Kurogiri responded in confusion. “A few hours is more than enough training.”
“I could go for most of the day,” Hisashi said.
“That’s not healthy.”
Hisashi huffed. “It isn’t unhealthy either. That was normal for me!”
“It is if you strain yourself. You need to give your muscles a break to recover.”
“I’m a vampire now,” Hisashi retorted with a roll of his eyes. “I heal way faster than a human. I don’t need to recover if I heal almost instantly anyway.”
“Only if you have the proper blood intake,” Kurogiri countered. “And you’ve only had the one glass today. You should have another before long, My Liege.”
“...I’m not thirsty,” Hisashi grumbled, but Kurogiri quickly saw through the lie with the way he licked at his lips at the mention of blood.
“I must insist, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said firmly, stepping closer. “You should return to your room to rest. I’ll bring you a glass of blood shortly.
“Hisashi!” his master exclaimed in exasperation. “My name is Hisashi! And I don’t need—”
Kurogiri didn’t give him the chance to finish what he was saying, magic already humming through his fingers when a portal appeared behind his master. Hisashi blinked in surprise, allowing Kurogiri the opportunity to give him a light shove to push him through without resistance.
His master’s expression was one of shock as he was pulled through the portal, managing only to say, “You—!” before being cut off as he was warped back to his bedroom.
Kurogiri ignored the incredulous stares he received from the bystanders for his action. He simply took his leave of the training room and headed to the kitchens to fetch Hisashi a fresh glass of blood, before making his way back up the stairs.
He was pleasantly surprised to find that the door had already been repaired from the incident that morning. But upon opening it, he found his master was not amused in the slightest by his actions.
“Why did you do that?!” he growled irritably after Kurogiri shut the door behind him. “I said I wasn’t done training!”
Kurogiri just stared at him flatly, unaffected. “You are done for the day,” he said firmly, placing the glass of blood into Hisashi’s hands.
Hisashi grumbled but accepted it. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“Shall we ask His Majesty the King, then?” Kurogiri asked.
Hisashi winced. “…No.”
“Very well, Hisashi.” Kurogiri nodded. His eyes fell on his master's clothes, and the sweat that was seeping into them. “I shall prepare a bath for you now.”
“A what?! I don’t need you to do that for me!” Hisashi nearly shouted, his face instantly turning red. “I can run my own bath, thank you!”
“His Majesty made it clear that this would be one of my duties. I’m afraid neither you nor I have much choice in this,” Kurogiri reminded him.
“I don’t care what he said you had to do! You’re not—”
“I will return shortly, My Liege,” Kurogiri insisted, readying a set of clothes for his master to change into, and ignoring the sputtering protests that met his ears. “Please finish your glass while I’m gone.”
He shut the door on Hisashi’s yells, muffling them inside as he headed off to the royal baths.
Hisashi finished the last swallow of blood with a sigh, relishing the taste that flowed over his tongue and settled in his stomach, easing the dryness in his throat. He really had needed that—not that he was admitting Kurogiri was right or anything. He could have totally continued training without it. His master had taught him how to fight for hours on end without tiring, and now that he was a vampire he could go even longer without needing a break. He didn’t know what Kurogiri’s deal was. He had been doing this for years!
This whole thing definitely wasn’t what Hisashi had expected of a servant. The man certainly wasn’t shy about taking liberties or making decisions for Hisashi without his consent, and it had only been one day. He was starting to have second and third thoughts about all this servant business. And the thought of being bathed by the man…Hisashi shuddered.
No. Absolutely not. He was going to put his foot down for that one. Maybe he had messed up his clothes a few times, and maybe he didn’t always care to brush his hair, but he did know how to, and was perfectly capable of bathing himself. He didn’t need help with that at all!
A chill ran down his spine when he heard a knock on the door, it opening right after and revealing Kurogiri on the other side, who bowed slightly.
“Your bath is ready, Sire,” Kurogiri informed him.
“Hisashi,” Hisashi reminded him grumpily. How many damn times did he have to say it?
“My apologies, Hisashi. Your bath is waiting,” Kurogiri said, gesturing down the hall. “If you would…”
Kurogiri apologized a lot, but Hisashi had the feeling he meant none of them.
“Fine.” Hisashi stalked past his servant and out the door. Surely, if he took initiative and showed Kurogiri he was capable, the man would leave him alone to bathe in peace.
But he had no such luck, as Kurogiri followed on his heels regardless. Hisashi stiffened and sped up, but Kurogiri kept pace with him.
“I said I don’t need help with the bath!” he snapped at Kurogiri when the man made to follow him inside the royal bathing chamber, steam hitting Hisashi in the face when he opened the door. He tried to close it on Kurogiri before he could enter, but a sharp pop had him jolting out of his skin when the man suddenly appeared behind him.
Dammit! He should’ve never let Kurogiri look at that book! Now he was warping all over the place and Hisashi couldn’t get rid of him!
“I have the towels prepared for when you get out,” Kurogiri explained, as if Hisashi hadn’t just tried to shut him out, ignoring the glare he was being given. He gestured to the baths, where Hisashi saw towels, soaps, bottles of shampoo and oils, and a fancy looking jug. “I selected a variety of scented oils for your bath. Do you have a preference?”
“Yes!” Hisashi protested. “I prefer to be alone!”
“I’ll use the lavender scented oil then, My Liege,” Kurogiri said, taking hold of said bottle and pouring some of its contents into the water. “It will pair nicely with the flowers I’ve chosen as well.”
Why were there always flowers? Hisashi groaned. It was so unnecessary. He looked at the colourful petals floating in the steaming water, and jumped when he felt hands on his shoulders from behind. He whirled around, bristling. “What?!”
Kurogiri didn’t look phased in the least. “Your clothes,” he said patiently.
“I can undress myself! I can also bathe myself! I don’t need help with this! I’ve been bathing myself for years!”
“It wouldn’t be proper for a king to be left unattended,” Kurogiri told him.
“I am NOT a king!” Hisashi shouted. “I’m just the king’s father!”
The older man’s brows rose. “Is the title of king not in that?”
Hisashi sputtered. “Th-That…It’s not the same!” he insisted in spite of his furious blush. His frustration only grew when Kurogiri merely stared at him, seeming to be making no move to leave any time soon. “Turn around! If you’re not going to go away, then turn around! I don’t want you looking at me!”
“Are you sure you can manage, Sire?”
How old did this guy think he was?! “Of course I can manage to undress myself!”
“Like how you managed to dress yourself this morning?”
Hisashi thought back to how he had gotten his vest backwards and messed up that morning and grimaced. “I’m sure,” he insisted. He wasn’t going to allow Kurogiri to undress him even if he had to tear his own clothes off! “Now turn around!”
His servant had the gall to sigh! As if Hisashi was being unreasonable!
“Very well.” Kurogiri turned around.
Hisashi watched him to make sure he wasn’t looking, before quickly moving his claws to unfasten the buttons and pry his vest and shirt off, swiftly kicking away his boots. Double checking once more that Kurogiri was still facing the other way, he removed his pants and underwear, tossing it all to the side. He then hastily got into the bath.
To his dismay, Kurogiri turned around again the moment he heard Hisashi slip into the water, the man catching a glimpse of his backside before Hisashi swiftly ducked down until his head was nearly beneath the surface.
“I didn’t say you could look!” Hisashi practically screeched, face flaming red.
Kurogiri seemed completely unbothered. “Apologies, Sire. I simply assumed you meant to stay facing away until you were finished undressing. As I heard you getting into the bath, I took that to mean you were done.”
“It’s Hisashi! Hisashi! And stop apologizing when you don’t mean it!”
“My apologies, Hisashi,” Kurogiri offered, a tiny smile curling his lips.
“Just…leave me alone! I can do this myself,” Hisashi groused, all but snatching the nearest cloth and soap and scrubbing at his arm as fast as he could. The sooner he was done, the sooner he could leave.
“I’m certain, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said as he rolled up his sleeves, and Hisashi groaned loudly.
For a moment after, there was silence behind him, no movement from his servant, and Hisashi relaxed ever so slightly as he continued washing down his arms.
Until a pitcher of warm water was suddenly poured over his head, soaking his hair.
Hisashi yelped in surprise, spluttering and shaking his head. “Hey! What—?”
Hands covered in shampoo were buried in his hair before he could finish his sentence, massaging the product through his curls.
“S-Stop!” Hisashi demanded as the fingers worked through his hair, jerking away from them when another jugful of water splashed him in the face. Hisashi coughed as some got in his mouth. He turned to glare at Kurogiri, when suddenly his eyes burned from the shampoo now running down his face. He quickly squeezed them shut to prevent more from getting into them, as the shampoo was rinsed from his hair.
This unfortunately allowed Kurogiri the chance to attack his hair again, working a different concoction into it next. Hisashi sputtered indignantly, cracking a stinging eye open to see where Kurogiri was.
“Please keep your eyes closed, Hisashi,” Kurogiri requested.
Oh, now he called him by his name! Probably just to appease him! Hisashi grumbled angrily under his breath, eyes still burning.
“Leave the conditioner in your hair for now,” Kurogiri instructed. “It will make your curls much more manageable if you allow the conditioner to soak for a time.”
What the hell even was conditioner?! He’d never used that before!
“Fine, fine! Whatever. Now, go away! I can do the rest myself!”
“I believe you will need help washing your back, at the very least,” Kurogiri said. “And behind your ears.”
“I’ve never had a problem with it before. I’m flexible. I can get it myself!” Hisashi insisted.
“…Your skin is reddening. Please do not rub it with the cloth so harshly,” Kurogiri scolded him, and Hisashi startled when a second cloth landed on his face. “For your eyes,” his servant explained.
Hisashi took it with a muttered complaint, wiping at his face, when the sudsy cloth was suddenly snatched out of his other hand, and Hisashi felt it brush against his back.
His initial reaction was to jump up, but that would leave him exposed out of the water, so instead, Hisashi made to dart forward further across the large bath. He got halfway across when a big, black mist appeared in front of him, and he couldn’t stop himself from tumbling through it in time.
He ended up right back where he started on the bench, the sudsy washcloth making contact with his skin again.
“Stop,” Hisashi all but begged, his nerves frayed, and shuddering uncomfortably at the touch as it moved lower and lower. “Please. Stop.”
“I am nearly finished, Hisashi,” Kurogiri insisted soothingly, and Hisashi felt the cloth rub at his back a moment longer before it moved to behind his ears, wiping at the backs of them.
Before long, another jug of water was gently poured over his head, hands working the conditioner out of his hair. Hisashi shivered, nearly trembling as he resigned himself to being cleaned against his will.
This is what Izuku experienced all the time? Gran and Mirai too…They all said this was normal. How could anyone get used to this?! He buried his face in his hands, feeling utterly humiliated.
When the conditioner was fully rinsed out, Hisashi felt a nudge against his arm, and peeked between his fingers to see the soap cloth being presented to him. “You wanted to do the rest yourself, correct?” Kurogiri asked.
Hisashi grabbed the cloth hurriedly, before his servant changed his mind and decided to try and continue. “…Don’t watch,” he requested in a small voice.
“As you wish,” Kurogiri conceded easily.
Hisashi quickly went about getting the rest of himself cleaned, more than ready to get out of the bath and back to the sanctity of his room.
“Your towel,” his servant offered when Hisashi had finished scrubbing the last bit of skin.
Hisashi dropped the cloth in favour of grasping onto the soft towel. Thankfully, he didn’t have to tell Kurogiri to turn around again, the man doing so on his own.
Hisashi got out of the bath and dried off as quickly as possible, rushing to redress himself in the fresh clothes provided. He had mostly finished by the time Kurogiri turned back to him, the older man eyeing him over.
“You didn’t dry your hair properly,” his servant pointed out, motioning to the water that was dripping from Hisashi’s curls onto his shoulders.
A new towel was over his head before he could even really process the words, Kurogiri gently massaging it through his hair to soak up the excess water, Hisashi’s protests getting muffled under the towel. When Kurogiri was satisfied, he set about straightening Hisashi’s attire.
“You may wish to have a set of clothes made specifically for training, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said as he helped Hisashi with his clothes. “It would be more comfortable and safer to practice in than your casualwear.”
“No!” Hisashi refused outright. “I’m not going back to that tailor!”
“Then shall I make the request on your behalf?” Kurogiri offered.
“...Fine,” Hisashi muttered. Anything so he didn’t have to see the tailor again. Especially alone.
“Shall we return to your room, Your Majesty?”
“Hisashi,” he said again, feeling tired beyond belief. “Hisashi. It’s Hisashi!”
“As you say, Sire.” Kurogiri nodded, and Hisashi felt his shoulders slump, ready to give up on convincing the man to call him by his name.
“Let’s just. Go. Please,” he muttered, walking over to the door and down the hall, Kurogiri following behind as expected.
Hisashi nearly cried in relief once he was back in his bedroom, all but flopping onto his bed and burying his face in a pillow, the mental exhaustion starting to get to him. He heard Kurogiri moving about, warping in and out of the room, but doing what Hisashi didn’t know. He didn’t even want to look at the man right now.
Not long after, however, he heard Kurogiri’s soft footsteps move closer, pausing just beside his bed. Hisashi didn’t lift his face from the pillow to acknowledge him.
“Hisashi,” Kurogiri spoke quietly, and Hisashi tensed, wondering what it was the man wanted now. “I would like to offer my apologies for making you uncomfortable.”
Hisashi huffed into the pillow, before reluctantly pushing himself up to speak to the man properly, scowling at his servant.
“Like you apologized earlier?” he snapped irritably. “You keep apologizing, but then you also keep on ignoring everything I tell you not to do!”
“I know, Hisashi.” Kurogiri sighed softly. “But it is my job to tend to your needs, as His Majesty plainly stated yesterday. If I do not fulfill the tasks that have been set out for me, I may very well be fired after only one day. Even so, I will make the effort to spare you any unnecessary discomfort in the future as you grow more accustomed to your royal status.”
Hisashi rubbed a hand against his brow and heaved a tired sigh. “Look, I…I know it’s your job and all. I know you’re just doing what Izuku told you to do, and I accept your apology for it, but I’m just not…I’m not like all these pampered nobles that are used to this kind of stuff. I don’t think I ever will be either.”
“I know that it must be difficult adjusting to a new way of life so unlike your previous one,” Kurogiri said, and Hisashi could see a touch of sympathy, and even understanding in his eyes. “But in time, I am certain that it will become as natural as breathing for you. And I would like to help you, if you would allow me to do so.”
“I just…Why do I even need to know or get used to any of this stuff?” Hisashi demanded, throwing his hands up in exasperation. He never understood the highborn, blue-bloods' obsession with their own odd rules and ways of life. Things had been so much more simple when he was just a hunter. “It’s all a bunch of frilly nonsense!”
“It may seem that way to you, but things are the way they are for a reason,” Kurogiri explained patiently. “It may be hard at first, but I believe learning how to act the part of a noble will help you and His Majesty in the long run.”
Hisashi shot Kurogiri a skeptical look. “How could learning any of that be helpful in the slightest?” he scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
“There may come a time in the future that you will be at His Majesty's side during negotiations with those of the other Houses, or in talks with delegates or an ambassador of a foreign nation,” Kurogiri went on. “In such cases, the other party may take offense to your behavior and lower His Majesty’s standing in any treaty or deal he may wish to make.”
“I…That’s not…” Hisashi wanted to refute, but found the words dying on his tongue as he realized that Kurogiri had a point. Three nobles had already made several attempts on his life as it was, and he didn’t doubt that Gran and Mirai would be planning another in the future—if they weren’t preparing one already. And he was loathe to admit that the few times he had met with other nobles, his actions had reflected poorly on Izuku…
Hisashi lowered his head, elbows planted on his knees, and covered his face with both his hands, stifling a long-suffering groan. Kurogiri had him.
“There is still plenty of time for you to learn,” Kurogiri said encouragingly. “And there is much I can teach you, given my years of service in House Shimura. Courtesy, proper mannerisms, court-life. I can even help you with the mathematics you are trying to learn.”
Hisashi really didn’t want to. He didn’t want to get used to life as a highborn, or learn their self-important mannerisms and oily ways.
But he also didn’t want to make Izuku’s duties as king any more stressful than they already were.
“...Fine,” he agreed reluctantly after lowering his hands. “But I draw the line at the baths!”
“I will still need to assist you, as per the requirements of my job,” Kurogiri said in a placating tone. “But I will strive to ensure that you are more comfortable in the future.”
“It’s not necessary!” Hisashi defended heatedly, cheeks flushing red. “I can handle it myself!”
“As you say, Hisashi. But if His Majesty were to discover that I had disregarded the commands he specifically gave to me, I do not believe he would be very pleased with me. And given what I experienced this morning, I would prefer not to risk the young king’s ire.”
Hisashi winced, knowing that Kurogiri had a valid point, given Izuku’s temper could be…volatile…at times. Even so, he uselessly muttered, “It’s still not necessary.”
Kurogiri gave him a pitying smile, patting his hand to console him. “I will abstain from washing more than your back and your hair, and give you the privacy you desire for the remaining duration of your bath. Will that suffice?”
Hisashi flopped back onto the bed, grabbing a pillow and smothering his face as he let out another loud groan.
“Your Majesty?” Kurogiri prompted when Hisashi didn’t answer him.
“...Fine,” Hisashi conceded defeat with great reluctance. “But I don’t need your help undressing myself! That I can do without any help,” he added, wanting to maintain some modicum of autonomy.
“I can agree to that,” Kurogiri answered, and Hisashi could almost hear the smile in his voice. “I will return to my duties then, Hisashi.”
“Okay,” Hisashi muttered tiredly, not rising from the bed, completely resigned.
It wasn’t long after that there was a soft rap of knuckles against the door, and it creaked open. Hisashi lifted the pillow from his head to see Izuku entering the room. A tightness in his chest (that he hadn’t even been aware of) eased at the sight of him.
“Hi, Dad! I’m—Oh! Are you tired, Dad?” Izuku asked.
“I’m fine,” Hisashi insisted as he sat up, giving Kurogiri a side-eye. “How were your studies?”
“Long! I missed you!” Izuku bounced towards him, flopping on the bed next to where he sat. “What did you do today?”
“Trained, mostly,” Hisashi said, ruffling the boy’s curly green hair. “Tried to practice with some new magic, but it didn’t quite work out like I had hoped, so I practiced other spells and swordplay.”
“Oh?” Izuku peeked up at him curiously. “What kind of magic?”
“Warping,” Hisashi sighed. “But I couldn’t use it. Kurogiri was able to get a good grasp on it though.”
“Ooooh, warp magic!” Izuku’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “That’s such a rare and complicated type of magic!” He turned to Kurogiri, excitement radiating off of him. “You were able to do it? Show me! Show me!”
Kurogiri paused his cleaning, nodding in acceptance, and a now-familiar black mist formed around him before he disappeared.
He popped up again right next to Izuku, who squeaked in surprise before clapping, letting out a laugh.
“That’s so cool!” Izuku paused then, as if something had just occurred to him, and worry creased his brows. “…What did you want to use warping magic for, Dad?” he asked, looking up at Hisashi and taking his hand.
“What wouldn’t I use it for?” Hisashi began to explain. “Moving from place to place quickly, getting an upper hand on my opponents, escaping a bad situation…”
“...Escaping?” Izuku repeated, and Hisashi felt the hand holding his tighten ever so slightly.
“Yeah,” Hisashi went on, raising an eyebrow, “if I’m in a bad matchup or in danger I could just warp away.”
“Oh,” Izuku muttered, and Hisashi watched as he went strangely quiet for a moment. The boy leaned against him, head resting on his arm, wrapping his much smaller ones around Hisashi in a hug. Then he glanced up again, something akin to uncertainty in his eyes. “...Are you happy?”
Hisashi opened and closed his mouth a few times. Was he happy right now? Not really. Not after what he had been subjected to in the bath. But was he happy in general?
…He wasn’t fully sure. He wasn’t unhappy. So he supposed that he was, yes. He knew that when he saw Izuku, it made his heart feel lighter.
“Yeah,” he answered after the pause. “Yeah, I’m happy.” He slung an arm around Izuku, giving him a small squeeze. “Why do you ask, squirt?”
“I am not a squirt!” Izuku scowled. “And I was just checking.”
“Oh, you aren’t, are you? You look pretty squirt-ish to me!” Hisashi rubbed his knuckles into Izuku’s hair, ruffling it.
Izuku flailed briefly, pushing against Hisashi’s arm with a snort. “That’s not even a word! What does squirt-ish look like?!”
“Like you, obviously!”
“Hey!” Izuku protested, grumbling. Hisashi just laughed.
“Why don’t we go get some dinner downstairs? Just me and you, hmm?” Hisashi suggested, eyes flickering to Kurogiri briefly. “I could do with a hot meal right now.”
“Yeah, okay!” Izuku nodded, perking up again with a bright smile. “I’d love to have dinner with you, Dad! Oooh, maybe Kurogiri could warp us there?”
“I’d rather walk. It’s good exercise,” Hisashi said quickly.
Izuku began to pout. “Awww, but Daaad…”
“I’ll carry you,” he offered.
“Piggyback ride?”
“Sure.”
“Woo!” Izuku crawled behind him and up on his back. “We’ll be back later, Kurogiri!”
“Of course.” Kurogiri dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Have a good dinner, Your Majesties.”
“Will do!” Izuku exclaimed as Hisashi carried him out of the room, eager to head downstairs.
Izuku buried his face in Hisashi’s curls, arms wrapped around his neck lightly as he hummed happily. Hisashi just smiled, content.
Notes:
Izuku always on alert now.
Kurogiri: *bumps into chair someone left in the middle of the room*
Izuku: THREAT DETECTED
How old does Kurogiri think Hisashi is?!
Kurogiri: “Make sure you wash behind your ears and in-between your toes, Your Majesty.”
Kurogiri: “Would you like me to accompany you to dinner, Your Majesty? I can help if you need me to.”
Kurogiri: “Would it making bathing less stressful for you if I brought you something to distract you while I wash your back and hair, Your Majesty?”
Hisashi: “I’m not a child!”
Kurogiri: “As you say, Your Majesty. Of course not.”
Kurogiri’s iconic line.
Hisashi: “You keep saying ‘as you say’. What do you mean by that?”
Kurogiri: “It’s simply a saying, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi: 😒 “Uh-huh. But what does it mean?”
Kurogiri: “It means exactly as you just said.”
Hisashi: “What? You’re not making any sense!”
Kurogiri: “As you say, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi: “…I give up.”
Thanks for reading! 🙏
Chapter 22: The Heart
Summary:
“Woo!” Izuku crawled behind him and up on his back. “We’ll be back later, Kurogiri!”
“Of course.” Kurogiri dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Have a good dinner, Your Majesties.”
“Will do!” Izuku exclaimed as Hisashi carried him out of the room, eager to head downstairs.
Izuku buried his face in Hisashi’s curls, arms wrapped around his neck lightly as he hummed happily. Hisashi just smiled, content.
Chapter Text
“How much longer do you think he’ll be?” Izuku asked impatiently as he stared out the window, rocking on the heels of his feet. “Mirai said they would be here today.” He chewed his lip nervously. “You don’t think something could have happened, do you? What if something changed Mirai’s vision and they were delayed, or—”
“Breathe, Izuku,” Hisashi chided him lightly, a large hand landing on his head. “It’s only been a couple of hours. I’m sure everything is fine.”
“But you don’t know that!” Izuku insisted. He continued chewing at his lip, cupping his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe I should ask Mirai to look again, just in case…”
“Izuku,” his dad huffed, “calm down. Things will be okay. Your friend will arrive at some point today, just give it time.”
Izuku groaned, shoulders slumping in exasperation. He crossed his arms and pressed them against the window sill, resting his head on them. He glowered at the still-vacant pathway leading up to the castle from the gates. “I hate waiting,” he grumbled out.
His dad laughed loudly for some reason. “Oh, I know. I’m very well aware. You need to learn patience, Izuku. You can’t always have what you want right away.”
“I know that!” Izuku declared, feeling somewhat insulted. “It’s just…” He waved a hand through the air, making a vague gesture. “Y’know.”
His dad leaned down to meet his eyes. “Do you know that?”
Why did he sound so skeptical? Of course, Izuku knew that! “Yes!” he said quickly, a little scowl on his face.
Hisashi just straightened back up with a sigh and shook his head. “We’ll work on it.”
Work on what? Izuku was perfectly patient!
“How about we go do something until your guest arrives?” his dad suggested. “Instead of just standing here waiting.”
“I want to be right here when Tenya comes, though!” Izuku insisted. “I want to make sure to greet him!”
“You should give him some space when he does get here,” Hisashi said as he moved to glance out the window. He then placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder and lightly nudged him away from the glass. “No one likes to be set upon right as they arrive. Give Tenya a few hours to adjust to his room, and at least unpack, before you introduce yourself.”
“It’s not being ‘set upon’! I’m the king! I should naturally be there to greet him as soon as he arrives. It’s my, uh, royal duty.” Izuku was maybe making that last bit up. It wasn’t actually his duty to greet every guest immediately, but Hisashi wouldn’t know that, right?
“Uh-huh,” Hisashi said, his tone clearly indicating that he didn’t buy a word of it. Izuku could practically feel his dad’s eyes roll. “Why don’t we go for a walk around the castle? It’s nice and cloudy today. Perfect weather for a stroll.”
“I don’t—” Izuku cut himself off as he waved his hands, eyes suddenly fixed on them. They were empty. He gasped. “I forgot the ball upstairs! I need to go get it!”
A hand snatched the back of his shirt as he turned to run away, his dad holding him back from rushing up the stairs.
“Izuku,” Hisashi said sternly, “remember what I said about toning yourself down a bit?”
Izuku paused, staring at Hisashi in mild confusion. He did remember, but what did that have to do with grabbing the ball?
Hisashi crouched down and held both of Izuku’s shoulders in large hands. “You need to calm down and be patient,” he repeated slowly and with purpose. “I know you’re excited, and I know you’ve been looking forward to this, but you need to take a deep breath and control yourself. You’re going to end up pushing the boy away if you keep this up.”
A pang of fear went through Izuku. “W-Would I really?” he asked, voice nervous. “He wouldn’t like me?”
Hisashi’s mouth opened and closed a few times as he seemed to flounder, before he sighed. “You’re a likable kid, Izuku. Just don’t be so forceful, okay? There’s nothing wrong with being enthusiastic, but you might catch the boy off guard if you get in his face right away. Let him warm up to you first.”
“...Okay,” Izuku conceded quietly, twisting his fingers together anxiously. “I’m sorry.” He looked down and away, unsure. “I’ll try to do better.”
His dad pat him on the head. “Good. Think of it like…when you meet a cat. You have to let them sniff your hand first and warm up to you before you can pet them, right?”
“I don’t like cats much,” Izuku grumbled quietly. “Dogs are better.”
“That’s besides the point.” Hisashi sighed, though the corner of his lips twitched ever so slightly. “The point is not to rush things. You need to take your time.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay, I get it.” He did. Kind of.
“Now, we’re going on a walk. Whether you like it or not,” his father insisted with a small smirk, taking hold of Izuku’s hand and leading him off down the corridors. “It’s good for you to get outside the castle now and again. I don’t know how you stand being cooped up in here all the time.”
Izuku shrugged but followed along with Hisashi, only glancing back at the window once before focusing ahead of them. “It’s a big castle. It’s not like it’s a small space to be cooped up in. We have gardens and yards and stuff.”
“It’s still all behind walls,” his dad said. “You need to get out more. Enjoy nature and stuff.”
“You mean like going out into the forest?” Izuku asked, staring up at his father as they went outside.
Hisashi seemed excited about that, a smile tugging at his lips now. Red eyes almost seemed to glow at the thought. “Yes! Just you and nature and no people!”
“I’ve never been,” Izuku admitted. “I’ve never really left the castle or the city before, except the one time…What’s so exciting about a bunch of trees?”
“Everything! It’s so peaceful and quiet. Just you and nature and all the animals. We should go camping sometime. I can show you how to survive in the wild.”
Izuku didn’t know how he felt about being away from civilization like that, and trying to rough it in the dirt. But…his dad seemed so happy about the idea. “Uhh, sure, I guess.”
“That settles it then.” Hisashi nodded in conclusion. “We’re going to go camping. You can learn how to set up a tent, how to start a fire, tracking animals—and if there’s a lake nearby we can go fishing too! Maybe even go for a swim. That would be nice with how it’s been getting hotter lately.”
That seemed like a lot, but Izuku couldn’t deny the idea of swimming sounded fun. He’d never learned how to, and he’d always wanted to. Still, his dad’s enthusiasm for camping in the wild brought a question to mind.
“…How much time have you spent by yourself in the woods, Dad?”
Hisashi paused in thought, seriously considering the question. “Hm…fifteen years? Roughly speaking,” he answered, holding out a hand and wobbling it side to side. “I spent most of my time on the outskirts, only occasionally dipping into towns and hanging in taverns for a night. It was rare that I ever visited a big city.”
Izuku winced. That explained a lot about his dad, actually. No wonder Hisashi was a bit…feral. It would explain why he lacked so many proper manners and social etiquette.
“...What’s with that face?” Hisashi asked Izuku, eyes squinted suspiciously at him.
“Nothing!” Izuku insisted quickly. A little too quickly, given how Hisashi’s gaze seemed to narrow even further. He swiftly tried to cover himself. “It’s just…that kind of sounds lonely.”
“So does being cooped up in a castle for five years,” Hisashi retorted.
“I have people around, though! Gran and Mirai and all the servants…”
“So you didn’t feel lonely?” Hisashi raised a brow. “What’d you pick me up for then?”
“That’s…” Izuku tried to say, but the words died on his lips. He had always had people around him in the castle to help him with whatever he needed, but before Hisashi, he hadn’t had someone there for him. “...It’s not the same,” he settled on eventually, the words leaving him quietly.
“So, it was lonely,” Hisashi repeated firmly. “Well, good thing you have me now.”
“Yeah.” Izuku nodded in agreement, squeezing his father’s hand a little more tightly. He blinked away tears before they could fully form, then looked up with a big smile on his face. “Can you tell me more about camping then?”
“Oh, sure.” Hisashi launched into a long-winded ramble on camping and everything that was involved in it.
It was more than Izuku had ever thought could be involved in camping, and seemed rather complicated to him. He did his best to listen, but he couldn’t ignore the small voice in the back of his head that kept wondering why Hisashi would claim Izuku had him now, when just the other day he’d caught his dad trying to learn warping magic to escape.
Izuku tried to block out the intrusive thoughts as best he could while they walked around the castle grounds, chatting idly and enjoying the sights of the summer flowers that were starting to come into bloom. At one point, they rested by one of the fountains in the courtyard and splashed each other a little, then walked to the top of the castle walls, and everywhere in between. Izuku took care to avoid one particular spot in the gardens, though, steering his father away the one time they drew near.
After what must have been hours (or so it felt), they started to head back to the castle. There were still plenty of places Hisashi hadn’t seen, and Izuku was eager to show off everything he could—
His ears twitched when he caught the distant sound of a carriage, accompanied by the heavy clopping hooves of horses.
“He’s here! He’s here!” Izuku released Hisashi’s hand, immediately running for the entrance and skidding down the hall.
“Slow down, Izuku!” Hisashi scolded from behind. “He’s not going to be any less here if you don’t get there right away.”
Izuku was practically vibrating with excitement. But suddenly, he dug his heels into the ground as he remembered. “I need to get the ball!”
He was going to get to play with another kid!
“Remember what I said!” Hisashi called out, sounding exasperated. “At least let him get through the door first!”
But Izuku was only half paying attention, racing away to grab the ball from his room and get back to the entrance as fast as possible. Where was his dad’s servant when they needed him? Kurogiri would’ve been super helpful to grab the ball for him.
“Oh!” Izuku blinked in surprise when he almost bumped into the man he was thinking of as he arrived at their rooms. He had stored the ball in Hisashi’s room (mostly by accident; he just spent a lot of time there) and the servant was cleaning in there, dusting along the shelves.
Kurogiri paused in his cleaning to acknowledge Izuku, giving a short, polite bow.
“Kurogiri! Have you seen my ball?” Izuku asked hurriedly, scanning the room with narrowed eyes when he didn’t immediately spot it.
“In the closet, Your Majesty.”
Izuku rushed over to the closet and threw it open. “Thank you!” he exclaimed once he snatched it up, holding it victoriously. “Now warp me to the foyer!”
The servant gave him a stern, unimpressed look. “Is that how we ask for things?”
Izuku paused. “Huh?” He blinked slowly in confusion, staring at the man.
“Being the king does not excuse you from basic manners. In fact, I would say it requires even more in terms of social etiquette.” Kurogiri crossed his arms. “What do we say when we ask things of others?”
Izuku glared at him, clutching the ball tightly to his chest. Who did Kurogiri think he was? He wasn’t some little kid for him to boss around! Besides, he knew his manners! Mirai always made sure he was polite and “kingly” during events and official meetings.
“You don’t get to talk to me like that,” Izuku growled out quietly. “As your king, I demand that you warp me to the foyer!”
Strangely, Kurogiri only shook his head, expression still unimpressed. All the other servants would have given Izuku what he asked for! They didn’t dare say no to him, so why was Kurogiri being like this?
When nothing happened, Izuku angrily stomped his foot. “Now!”
“Absolutely not,” Kurogiri denied.
“I can make you!” Izuku warned with a pout.
“You very well could, Your Majesty. But I will have to inform your retainer of your lack of manners and abuse of position of power.”
Kurogiri was going to rat him out to Mirai? Izuku gaped, staring in shock that a servant would have the gall to threaten him.
“I may also have to inform your teacher of your need for more lessons,” Kurogiri continued.
Kurogiri was going to rat him out to Nedzu?
“...Please warp me to the foyer?” Izuku gritted out between his teeth.
There was a long moment of silence, and then Kurogiri nodded. “I’ll accept it.”
A misty, black void opened up soon after as the servant cast the spell, and then Izuku found himself in the foyer. Servants holding various luggage gasped at his sudden appearance, but Izuku paid them no mind, head whipping around for the sight of blue hair.
Instead, he was greeted with white.
“What took you so long?” his father asked, frowning slightly.
“W-Where’s Tensei and Tenya?” Izuku asked worriedly, looking every which way in the hopes of spotting the brothers. But all he saw were servants and his father.
“They went upstairs to their room, I think,” Hisashi explained. “I imagine they had a long trip and want to rest for a bit. Travel really takes it out of you.”
“I missed them?!” Izuku nearly shouted, the swell of anxiety that had been bubbling in his gut swiftly shifting into anger. Static buzzed along his clothes, and a flash of viridescent lightning formed in the air with a sharp crack.
His dad jumped, looking nervous. Probably startled by the lightning. Several servants certainly were, as they let out startled gasps, watching him with alarm.
“HE’S FIRED!” Izuku snarled furiously, and even more lightning formed around him. “KUROGIRI IS FIRED!”
“Wha—?” Hisashi gaped. “Why would you want to fire Kurogiri? What does he have to do with this?”
“It’s all his fault!” Izuku shouted indignantly, causing the pressure in the room to increase, uncaring of how it made the others shift uncomfortably in response. “If he would’ve just warped me here as soon as I asked him to, then I wouldn’t have missed the Iidas!”
“Izuku. Izuku, my son, just take a moment to calm down,” his father hurriedly tried to soothe him. “You’re causing a scene.”
“So what?!” Izuku ranted. “Why should that matter?! I’m the king! I’m—”
He was swept off his feet.
“What are you doing?! Put me down!” Izuku demanded, wriggling furiously in Hisashi’s grip. But he was unable to get a good hold, hoisted in the air as he was and still clutching his ball. More sparks of lightning formed around him, but his father refused to relinquish him.
“No,” his dad said simply, and began swiftly walking away, leaving the foyer behind.
Angered even more, Izuku kicked his legs in the air uselessly and screamed.
“Izuku, you’re embarrassing yourself. Stop throwing a fit in public.” Hisashi’s tone was a weird mix of firm and begging.
Izuku looked up as he released another wave of lightning. Then paused when he watched Hisashi’s hair poof out and stand up on end due to the electricity. Unwillingly, some of his anger died away as his lips curled upward, unable to suppress a small giggle at the sight of his father’s ridiculous hair before he caught himself, remembering why he was angry. He squirmed again, the smile falling into a frown.
Hisashi stared at him quizzically, clearly lost as to Izuku’s rapid mood shifts.
“Put me down,” Izuku demanded again.
“Are you done screaming?” Hisashi asked.
“As soon as Kurogiri is out of the castle!” Izuku growled.
“Honestly, what is the matter with you?” Hisashi muttered, mostly to himself. Louder, he asked, “What exactly did Kurogiri do?”
“He made me late! He refused to listen to me!” Izuku whined childishly. “He tried to tell me what to do!”
“Did he now?” Hisashi didn’t seem offended by Kurogiri’s actions—if anything he looked mildly amused. “How tragic.”
“It’s not funny!” Izuku scowled. “He made me say please! As if he’s not a servant and I’m not the king!”
“Isn’t that a shame,” Hisashi mused, a grin pulling at his lips. “In any case, you’re not firing Kurogiri. I like him and I refuse to get another servant if you get rid of him. So stop throwing this tantrum, or you’re not going to see Tenya today.”
WHAT?! That wasn’t fair!
“You can’t tell me what to do either!” Izuku insisted loudly, whipping his head around to stare at Hisashi incredulously. Why was his dad taking Kurogiri’s side?!
“Yes, I can. I’m your father.”
“Well, I don’t—I don’t have to listen to you!”
“But if you don’t, you’ll make me sad.” Hisashi put on an upset face.
Despite his lingering ire, Izuku felt a rush of anxiety at that. If his dad was unhappy, then he wouldn’t want to stay. If he didn’t want to stay, he would try to escape! He would leave!
“...Fine,” Izuku mumbled out, still scowling even as he ceased his struggles. “I won’t fire Kurogiri.”
“Good. Now, no more throwing a fit,” Hisashi consoled, holding Izuku closer to his chest now that the lightning had died down, his dad’s curly hair returning to normal as the static faded away. “What would Tenya say if he saw you like that? It wouldn’t have made for a very good first impression, would it?”
Oh. It wouldn’t have. Izuku winced. “No…” he admitted.
“And there’s no reason to be so upset. You’ll still get to see Tenya. It’s not like you had to greet him right away.”
“But I wanted to…”
“Well, we don’t always get what we want.”
“I do.” Izuku pouted.
He felt a hand whack him very lightly on the back of the head.
“Ack! Daaaad, why?!” Izuku whined, a hand going to where he had been struck. It hadn’t hurt at all, but it was the principle of it.
“For being a brat,” Hisashi said simply. “Remember what I said about how keeping your word makes a good man? Well, compromise also makes one. Everyone has to make sacrifices in their life. Your position does not automatically entitle you to everything you desire. You have to consider other people and their feelings.”
“...Okay,” Izuku sighed quietly in acceptance, wriggling in the hold a little. “...Can we still see Tenya?”
“In a little bit. If you behave.”
“I’ll behave!” Izuku promised quickly, his heart racing faster at the thought of not being allowed to play with Tenya.
“Will you? You seem to lack a lot of respect for others.” His dad raised a brow.
Was he referring to Kurogiri again? Izuku huffed. “But he’s a servant!”
“He’s still a person. All people deserve basic respect,” Hisashi said firmly, leveling Izuku with a stern look. “How can you expect anyone to respect you, if you don’t return the same courtesy?”
“Don’t they already? Since I’m the king?” Izuku pointed out to him.
“Not if you keep acting like that, or treat people that way.” Hisashi shook his head. “You have to be considerate of everyone, Izuku. Few humans in Yuei respect Todoroki, remember? He may be the king, but that doesn’t mean people like him. He’s a tyrant that oppresses his people.”
Izuku made a face at the mention of Todoroki Enji. He didn’t want to be anything like that man.
“I’ll do better,” he promised solemnly with a nod, hands fisting in determination. “I won’t be like him.” The last word was spat with vitriol.
“Good. Then you’ll apologize to Kurogiri later,” his dad said. It did not sound like a request.
Izuku wrinkled his nose at the thought of having to apologize, but…maybe he had blown things out of proportion. And maybe he had been a little bit rude to Kurogiri.
“I will. After I play with Tenya?” he asked hopefully.
Hisashi considered him for a moment. “…Fine. But don’t think I won’t remind you later.”
“I promise I will!” Izuku insisted. “And a good king keeps his promises!”
“They do!” His dad gave him a squeeze. “And they own up to their mistakes!”
“That too,” Izuku grumbled.
But his father brushed his knuckles against his head, cutting off any complaint he might have had. Izuku huffed, then glanced down at the ball clutched tightly to his chest. A renewed pang of worry arched through him, but he didn’t have time to linger on it as Hisashi spoke again.
“Why don’t we go sit in the gardens for a few minutes?” he suggested—though he was already on his way towards them before Izuku even had a chance to say anything.
“Fine,” Izuku relented impatiently, kicking his feet lightly as he was carried off. “Then can we visit Tenya?”
“Once you’ve calmed down a bit, yeah,” his father agreed. “We can ask a servant to have him brought to the gardens. Plenty of space for you two to play out there.”
“I’m already calm!” Izuku insisted, despite how a pulse of excitement shot through him. “How about we call him down now? As soon as we get there?”
“I’m sure the Iidas would appreciate some time to get settled in their guest room before having to answer any summons,” Hisashi said. “If you’re already calm, then I’m sure you’ll have no problem waiting a few minutes before asking for Tenya to be brought down for you.”
Izuku groaned, practically deflating in his dad’s arms, tilting his head back with his eyes closed. When he reopened them after a long moment, he was met with red eyes dancing with mirth, and a small grin.
“See? That’s what I thought.” Hisashi jostled him in a playful manner.
Izuku grumbled under his breath petulantly.
“C’mon, you little squirt, a bit of waiting isn’t going to kill you.”
“You don’t know that. It might! I could be the first person to die from waiting,” Izuku mumbled.
His dad just laughed, and beneath him, Izuku could feel the vibrations of it in Hisashi’s chest. Despite himself, he felt a smile growing on his face, his father’s voice soothing the anxiety he felt needling at him.
A floral scent struck his nose the moment they entered the gardens again, making it twitch. Hisashi stopped at a bench nearby the main fountain, setting Izuku down onto it.
“See?” His father sat down next to him, taking in the peace and quiet with a deep breath of air, the fountain bubbling gently away. “Isn’t it nice to just sit down and relax?”
“...I guess,” Izuku muttered quietly, shrugging. “It’s a little boring.”
“That’s just because you’re used to moving around and doing stuff all the time. You need to learn to appreciate the quiet moments as well.”
Izuku rested his elbows on his thighs and cupped his chin in his hands. “I need to learn to appreciate a lot of things, according to you.”
“Don’t you get sassy with me.” Hisashi flicked Izuku’s nose teasingly.
Izuku stuck out his tongue.
Hisashi stuck out his right back.
A smile pulled at the corners of Izuku’s lips, even as his eyes drifted to the ball beside him, anticipation stirring in his gut. How long did he have to wait before he could ask a servant to fetch Tenya? He swung his legs back and forth over the side of the bench.
Finally, his dad seemed to determine that they had waited long enough, assessing Izuku out of the corner of his eye before flagging down a passing servant with a barely audible sigh.
The servant stopped what they were doing, immediately coming over to them.
“Send a message to Iida Tenya to meet us in the gardens, will you? Tell him it’s by the king's personal request,” Hisashi ordered them.
He received a curt nod before the servant scurried off to do as asked.
Izuku bounced in his seat, feeling nervous jitters start up. Tenya was coming now! He had to make a good impression! What if he messed up and Tenya didn’t like him? No, no. That wouldn’t happen.
…But Izuku wasn’t sure if he knew how to act. How was he supposed to interact with kids his age? He’d never really had to before. He tried to keep his dad’s words in mind. He had to tone it down; not be so excitable or forceful. Let Tenya come to him first, otherwise he might scare him away.
Izuku chewed his lip nervously, trying hard to focus on what he should and shouldn’t do. This was his one chance at making a friend—
The weight of a hand on his head had him snapping out of his thoughts, blinking up to stare at his father.
“Relax, Izuku,” Hisashi told him gently, offering a reassuring smile as he brushed the curls out of Izuku’s face. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Izuku did his best to put on a confident smile in return, nodding.
And all too soon, he heard light footsteps walking through the garden. His heart felt as though it had jumped to his throat, almost too nervous to turn around and see if it really was Tenya.
It ended up being his dad who greeted their guest first. “Hello, you must Iida Tenya, yes? You look a lot like your older brother.”
Izuku slowly looked up to see a boy around his age standing before them. He was taller than Izuku, his bluish-black hair neatly combed. He wore prim and proper attire that looked stuffy in the warm weather, and he did look a lot like Tensei—save for how tense he seemed. His posture was ramrod straight and stiff, and when he bowed to them, it was at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
“Hail and well met, Your Majesties! I am Iida Tenya, of the noble House of Iida, and I am honoured to be meeting you face to face!” Tenya greeted them.
…Why was he talking like that? Izuku felt it would be rude to ask, so he held it in.
“I’m Izuku!” he finally spoke up, after his dad nudged him with his elbow. “And, uh, well met? Yeah. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you!”
“And I you, Your Majesty!” Tenya said in turn, expression completely serious as he straightened back up. “Though I must admit, I did not expect to meet you so soon after my arrival, nor for you to personally summon me.”
Oh no. A bead of sweat ran down Izuku’s forehead. Had he already messed up?! He fumbled for an excuse, struggling to string together an explanation.
His dad ended up saving him. “Izuku wanted to make sure you were properly greeted and settling in well. Anyway, I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Hisashi said, giving Izuku a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’m sure you have plenty to talk about.”
What?! Hisashi was leaving?! Izuku whipped his head around to plead with his eyes for his father to stay, but Hisashi’s back was already to him. Panic burned through Izuku like fire. He wasn’t ready to do this alone!
No, no. He couldn’t panic. Things would be fine. He could make friends. He would be the best at making friends!
As Hisashi walked away, Izuku turned his attention back to Tenya, who was looking at him expectantly, feet shoulder-length apart, arms firmly at his sides. Like a soldier waiting for an order.
“Uhh, do you want to sit down?” Izuku gestured to the now empty seat on the bench next to him.
“I could not possibly sit next to you like an equal, Your Majesty,” Tenya said.
“O-Oh.” Izuku resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably. “I don’t mind. Really! I invited you here after all.”
“It would be too improper, Your Majesty,” Tenya insisted regardless.
Izuku swallowed thickly. “Um, okay…” He decided to stand up instead, since Tenya didn’t want to sit. “I, uh…how was your trip to the castle?”
“Perfectly fine, Your Majesty. The weather was favourable, and my brother and I arrived sooner than expected,” Tenya answered with a stiff nod. “I am eager to learn what I can from my brother and the council during my brief stay in the castle.”
Right, his brother. Izuku wondered why Tenya was…like this…when Tensei was such a warm, relaxed type of person. “A-Ah, well, that’s great,” he said awkwardly. “I’m glad your trip went nicely.”
“I assume that is why you requested my presence, Your Majesty?” Tenya asked, looking almost hopeful of all things. At Izuku’s confused expression, he clarified, “To discuss business concerning the council and what I might need to know?”
Izuku felt like he was in deep water with no idea how to swim. Why was this guy so serious? Didn’t he ever relax? “Uhh, no? I-I was wondering actually if you’d…” Asking directly felt awkward, but Izuku wasn’t sure how else to go about it. “If you’d maybe like to play? With me, that is.” He picked up the ball hopefully.
There was a long moment of silence, where Tenya looked like he was waiting for Izuku to yell “psyche!” or something similar, his expression flat and unchanging. When Izuku shifted his weight on his feet and cleared his throat nervously, it seemed to kickstart the other boy back into action.
“I’m afraid I must decline, Your Majesty,” Tenya answered politely with a shake of his head. “It would be highly inappropriate, for both you and I. It would be unkingly for you to partake in such childish games. A king needs to focus his attention on the needs of his kingdom. Not playing a game of ball.”
Izuku felt like someone had dumped cold water over his head, his arms frozen where they had been outstretched, holding the ball to Tenya in offering. “H-Huh?” he asked weakly.
Tenya’s hand chopped the air firmly. “I cannot allow myself to besmirch the image of the royal house by playing a game of ball with you as though we were commoners. We both must uphold the standards of our stations.”
Izuku’s voice cracked slightly, though he tried to cover it up. “B-But I…I wanted to be friends…”
“I am highly flattered you would want to be friends with someone like myself. However, that is below your status, Your Majesty, and would reflect poorly on both our houses. I am afraid we cannot be friends. We need to focus on our duties to uphold the honour of our titles.”
“I…” Izuku tried to speak, but his throat felt clogged and his tongue like lead.
“I will take my leave for now, Your Majesty,” Tenya spoke up, giving another rigid bow. “I apologize for not waiting to be dismissed, but I do not wish to distract you further from more important matters. Farewell!”
Izuku took a step after Tenya’s retreating form, one hand outstretched as a cry of “Wait!” died in his throat before it even left him. He stared after the other boy’s blurry image (why was it blurry?), his stunned mind still racing to figure out where he had gone wrong.
He curled the ball to his chest, which felt shaky and tight—as though it wasn’t getting enough air. Izuku stared down at the ball, a few droplets dripping from his eyes and splattering against it, leaving damp spots behind.
What had he done wrong? Had he offended Tenya? Should he have waited longer, like his father suggested? Was the ball not good enough? Should he have bought a different toy?
Or…Or was there something wrong with him? Why did no one seem to want to hang around him?
Tenya had only wanted to meet The King. The same as everybody else. Everyone only ever came looking for The King, not Izuku. They didn’t want to see him, or get to know him as a person. They only saw the crown on his head. The nobles. The commoners. Even Gran and Mirai. They always sought him out for royal matters. But never to just talk and spend time with him as Izuku.
Only his dad bothered to do that; to get to know him.
But…
Even Hisashi hadn’t chosen to do so. Izuku had forced him. He still vividly remembered how strongly Hisashi had resented becoming a vampire and being brought to the castle. How he had tried to take his own life during his first night. How much they had fought and yelled, and all the orders Izuku had to force onto him. All the orders Hisashi was still under. The orders that even now were still in place, forcing him to stay even when he had wanted (and attempted) to escape multiple times.
Most of all, Izuku remembered how Hisashi had once said he hated him.
But…But everything was different now…Wasn’t it? His dad had warmed up to him. They got along now. Hisashi even initiated physical contact with him of his own volition. T-They had fun together, joked around a-and…
And yet, as Izuku spotted his dad walking towards him, he recalled how Hisashi wanted to learn warping magic. To escape. And when Izuku had asked him if he was happy, Hisashi had hesitated for several long moments before answering.
Izuku sniffled, trying to push the thoughts away. Things were different now. Things were better! His dad was happy and…and…
He looked up at Hisashi through the curls of his hair as the man stopped in front of him, a small sob escaping Izuku. Hisashi’s face went through a journey of multiple expressions, settling on a concern that Izuku couldn’t help but wonder if it was fake.
“Izuku?” Hisashi called out to him softly, kneeling down to be level with him.
Izuku sucked in a shuddering breath, reaching out with a hand to grab his father’s own, in desperate need of some semblance of comfort. But when red eyes met green, Izuku watched with an ache in his heart as his dad winced, Hisashi drawing his hand up and away.
And finally Izuku could take no more.
It was all an act. Hisashi had been pretending this whole time.
He still hated Izuku.
The ball fell to the ground, forgotten as Izuku stumbled back a step. It took him a few moments to speak, unable to stop the little sobs and hiccups that kept escaping his throat every time he opened his mouth. But finally…
“You can go,” he choked out. “I won’t keep you here any longer.”
“Izuku, what—?”
Izuku continued over Hisashi, “All of my previous orders no longer bind you. Leave if you wish. You’re free.”
Not wanting to hear what Hisashi might say, or see him react with joy and triumph, Izuku turned on his heel and raced away. A torrent of tears fell down his cheeks as he barely managed to stifle a miserable wail. He took many lefts and rights, only faintly aware of his surroundings in his mad dash to get away, barely able to see where he was going through his blurred vision. Deeper and deeper into the garden he went, far away from Hisashi and any prying, judging eyes.
Izuku cursed Todoroki for taking his parents away from him. He cursed Gran and Mirai for being right all along. Most of all, Izuku cursed himself for being foolish enough to believe that anyone would ever want to be his parent. That anyone could love him like his first parents had.
He sobbed, the horrible sound tearing through his throat, but he couldn’t stop it, or the ones that came after.
He did not stop running until he was before an alcove that he had only ever visited once before. A quiet, private part of the gardens deep within it’s heart. At his feet were stone markers made of polished marble, and fresh tears welled up in his eyes as he read the names carved into their surfaces.
Midoriya Inko and Midoriya Toshinori.
No longer having the strength to stand, Izuku collapsed to the ground between the empty graves, tucking his knees close to his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around them, his tears spilling endlessly as the realization dawned on him.
He was all alone.
He had always been alone.
He would always be alone.
It felt like a weight Hisashi had long since grown accustomed to had been lifted from his shoulders, only to settle into his gut like a stone. The tingling rush that had encompassed his whole body, as all the orders Izuku had placed on him were released, hadn’t felt as freeing as Hisashi had always imagined it would. Instead, he just felt stunned. Stunned at what had happened. Stunned that it had happened at all.
He could only watch as Izuku fled, his face a mess of tears and misery. Hisashi’s heart twisted at the sounds of despair he could faintly hear as Izuku ran further and further away.
The whole situation had stunned him from the beginning, as he had secretly watched his son do his best to make a friend, only for Tenya to rebuff his attempts. Hisashi couldn’t help the way his chest had clenched, seeing Izuku’s heartbroken expression as the Iida boy walked away. Hisashi himself hadn’t ever really been interested in making friends, and had never cared for the acceptance of others before. But, while he couldn’t relate to how Izuku was feeling, he knew he had to do something about it.
Except when he had approached his son, he’d been caught off guard. Izuku had reached for him, and when the boy had looked up, Hisashi had been taken aback by just how miserable that little face was. He hadn’t been able to control himself from reeling back in surprise.
A big mistake, as Izuku seemed to have taken it as another rejection and ran.
Hisashi had wanted to call out to his son, but the words refused to leave him—shocked as he was by the release of the orders. It had taken him several long seconds for his mind to catch up to what had happened, and by then Izuku was long gone.
Any elation of being freed from the orders was quickly doused by the guilt that welled up inside of him, swiftly followed by worry for his son. Hisashi forced himself into motion, heading in the direction Izuku had gone. Now, more than ever, Izuku needed him.
“Izuku!” Hisashi called out as he ran past hedges and statues and fountains, hoping the boy would answer him.
But Izuku did not, and a sense of dread fell over Hisashi, making his pace quicken. He searched through every bush, every hedge, up and down through the many pathways and around every corner, moving faster than ever before. Each failure in finding Izuku had him a bit more frantic, speeding through the gardens with increasing panic.
“Izuku! Izuku, where are you?!” he called out again desperately.
There was still no answer, and Hisashi would have run right by where Izuku was hiding, if his ears hadn’t caught the sound of a quiet whimper. As it was, he stopped in his tracks, spinning around frantically for a moment as he tried to determine which direction the sound had come from. Another small cry had him bolting to his right, coming across a section of the gardens he had never seen before.
The air seemed somber in this little alcove, and Hisashi spotted two expensively carved headstones, indicating this section of the garden was likely a memorial. He filed that information away for later though, as his eyes landed on the figure of a little boy curled up and crying on the ground, his shoulders shaking with each heavy sob.
“Izuku!” Hisashi cried in relief, his heart stilling at the sight of his son.
But Izuku did not turn to face him. If anything, he only seemed to curl in on himself further, fingers digging into his arms. A surge of fear coiled in Hisashi’s chest when he caught the scent of blood. There were red stains seeping into Izuku’s clothes, spreading from where his claws were punctured into the flesh of his arms.
Hisashi collapsed to his knees next to Izuku, frantically pulling the boy into his lap and trying to extract Izuku’s claws from his own skin.
“Izuku! Izuku, stop!” Hisashi pleaded, struggling to pull at his son's wrists.
The scent of blood only grew stronger as Izuku resisted him, claws curling deeper. When Hisashi used all of his strength to pry them away, they raked against Izuku’s flesh and shredded through cloth, leaving long, deep grooves in their wake.
“Izuku!” Hisashi called in mild horror, even as the wounds on his son began to slowly knit back together.
“Go away!” Izuku responded, not looking at him.
“I will not!” Hisashi refused, his hands trembling with the effort it took to keep holding Izuku’s away from his injuries. “Stop this! Stop hurting yourself!”
“Just go! Leave me alone!” his son sobbed, writhing in Hisashi’s grip.
“No!”
Izuku finally whipped his head up to glare at him, eyes wild and upset. “I said you could leave! So why are you even here?!” he screamed.
“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” Hisashi yelled back.
Stunned silence from both of them followed, before it was broken by a tiny sob.
“Sh-Shut up!” Izuku wailed, squeezing his eyes closed tightly. “Shut up, you’re lying! You’re lying! You’re lying! YOU’RE LYING!”
“Wha—? Why would I lie?!” Hisashi shouted. “What purpose would that serve me?!”
“Y-You’re only saying what I want to hear! Like you have been this whole time!”
Hisashi shook him gently. “You said yourself that you can’t control my mind! I’m not under your influence or your orders anymore. Why would I be here if it wasn’t true?! Why would I lie right now?!”
“Because…Because…!” Izuku’s voice cracked, his lip trembling when he raised his hands to wipe at his eyes and hide his face.
Hisashi gathered Izuku closer to his chest, cradling the back of his head with one hand. “Izuku.” He lowered his voice to a soft croon to soothe his upset son. “I love you. Maybe in the beginning I didn’t, but I do now. You hear me?” He cupped the side of Izuku’s face and thumbed away a few tears. “I love you. You’re my son.”
Izuku burst into loud, heart-wrenching wails as his little hands moved to clutch at Hisashi’s shirt, and he buried his face in Hisashi’s chest. Hisashi simply held him close as he cried all his emotions out, the both of them holding onto each other for comfort. Occasional cries of “Dad!” interspersed Izuku’s heavy sobs, and Hisashi shushed him gently.
“I’m here, Izuku,” Hisashi whispered to his son as he comforted him. “I’m here, and I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever. I promise.”
Notes:
Hisashi really is the best at holding things.
Hisashi: *holds Izuku's hands so he doesnt hurt himself*
Hisashi: *holds Izuku close as he cries so he doesn't fall apart*
Hisashi: *holds Izuku's heart together with everything he has so it doesn't shatter to pieces*
The smart brother.
Tensei: *finds out Tenya turned down a play date with Izuku* “What are you doing?!!?!” *shakes Tenya frantically by the shoulders* “Do you not have any self-preservation instincts at all?!”
Tenya: “I don't understand—”
Tensei: “Never mind that! We have to start packing our stuff up right away, it's too dangerous stay here.”
Another close call.
Izuku: “Tenya sucks. I should take his big brother. Clearly he doesn’t deserve Tensei.”
Tensei, in another wing of the castle, sensing danger: “WE ARE LEAVING RIGHT NOW TENYA.”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 23
Summary:
Hisashi gathered Izuku closer to his chest, cradling the back of his head with one hand. “Izuku.” He lowered his voice to a soft croon to soothe his upset son. “I love you. Maybe in the beginning I didn’t, but I do now. You hear me?” He cupped the side of Izuku’s face and thumbed away a few tears. “I love you. You’re my son.”
Izuku burst into loud, heart-wrenching wails as his little hands moved to clutch at Hisashi’s shirt, and he buried his face in Hisashi’s chest. Hisashi simply held him close as he cried all his emotions out, the both of them holding onto each other for comfort. Occasional cries of “Dad!” interspersed Izuku’s heavy sobs, and Hisashi shushed him gently.
“I’m here, Izuku,” Hisashi whispered to his son as he comforted him. “I’m here, and I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever. I promise.”
Notes:
Both writers have been taken over by tears of the kingdom fever. New Zelda game be 10/10 👏 wish it still had bombs though. Getting sick of breaking weapons to blow things up.
Anyway, if y’all ain’t seen it yet, this fic has wonderful art based on it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi brushed his fingers through green curls, Izuku’s cries and sobs slowly dying down as he clung to Hisashi, face buried in his chest. His shuddering breaths lessened, gradually quieting and steadying out. When Izuku’s seemingly endless tears finally began to slow to a stop, the boy resting limply against him, emotionally spent. Silence followed after, Izuku trembling in Hisashi’s hold.
Hisashi hadn’t wanted to move before while Izuku had been so upset. It hadn’t felt right to try and interrupt his son while he cried and got everything off his chest. But now that things had calmed down a bit, Hisashi tentatively shifted, adjusting his hold on Izuku. Izuku’s dried blood covered them both, and he wanted nothing more than to clean them both up and hold Izuku while the boy slept.
“Izuku?” Hisashi spoke quietly, but Izuku didn’t move from his spot. If anything, he merely held on tighter. “It’s alright Izuku,” Hisashi soothed gently. “I’m going to take us to our rooms.”
Izuku didn’t respond verbally, but he wrapped his arms around Hisashi’s neck and his legs around Hisashi’s waist when Hisashi hoisted him up. Hisashi tucked Izuku close to his chest, feeling his son’s head rest tiredly on his shoulder as he began to make his way out of the gardens, uncaring of who might see them.
He continued to murmur soft comforts to Izuku along the way. He knew the path well at least, walking through the castle entrance and into the foyer. He saw a few servants while passing through, and had half a mind to scold them when he heard their hushed whispers as they caught sight of the two of them, their eyes searching over Hisashi and Izuku with curiosity and concern. But the boy in his arms was more important, and Hisashi chose to ignore their idle gossip as he hurried along.
He had almost made it to the stairs leading to the wing of the royal chambers when rushed footsteps reached his ears, heading straight for them. Instinctively, Hisashi clutched Izuku tighter and set his shoulders in an aggressive stance. At first, he assumed it was another servant snooping about, but whoever it was picked up their pace even more the closer they got, until they were outright running to his direction.
“Izuku?! Izuku!” Hisashi heard a voice call, and felt his hackles rise as he recognized it.
Sure enough, Gran came barrelling around the corner, his dark eyes landing on their bloodstained forms immediately, and for the first time since Hisashi had known him, he saw actual fear in Gran’s expression. But it quickly gave way to rage, the elder vampire shooting towards him in a blur immediately after. Distantly, Hisashi registered Mirai appearing as well—though not as fast as Gran—but it wasn’t considered important as his brain sang out a cry of, “Danger!”
A strange feeling rumbled in his chest, bubbled up his throat, and ripped its way out of his mouth in a primal sort of manner that Hisashi himself was surprised by. The snarling hiss he released sounded nothing like the others he’d been able to make since he’d become a vampire. It was…deeper. More animalistic. A warning.
One that managed to make Gran instantly stop dead in his tracks, almost tripping over from the momentum of his sudden stop. The man was staring at Hisashi slack-jawed, eyes wide and stupefied. Behind him, Mirai was making a similar face, looking rather alarmed.
The growl was still echoing low in Hisashi’s throat. He wasn’t able to stop it.
Gran and Mirai continued to stare at him for a moment longer, before their gazes drifted to his son, and the blood that coated the both of them. Gran’s dark eyes hardened, and the next thing Hisashi knew, the elder vampire was standing before him, blocking his path to the royal wing.
The well of primal instincts surging inside him deepened at the threat before him. Gran was saying something, but Hisashi could hardly make it out through the haze of aggression. And when Gran’s arm reached out, as if to take Izuku away from him, Hisashi refused to endure his belligerence a second longer, clutching Izuku even closer.
With claws sharper and thicker than they had ever been before, Hisashi lashed out, shredding through the outstretched limb with ease. Blood splattered against the ground and clung to the tips of his nails. Venom dripped from his fangs as he bared them at Gran, who had recoiled from the attack instinctively.
Gran set his feet apart in a readying stance, a savage snarl emerging from his own throat in return. Anger blazed in his eyes, and Hisashi knew—somewhere under the fog of instinct that had overtaken him—that the only reason the elder hadn’t yet attacked him in return was because of the boy in his arms.
Gran was posturing. But Hisashi was not. His legs tensed as he readied himself to spring forward to defend his child—
Izuku whimpered softly, burying his face in Hisashi’s neck, the action cutting off some of Hisashi’s aggression. Hisashi’s gaze softened briefly as his eyes flickered over to him, taking his sight off Gran before returning his hardened gaze to him seconds later.
“S-Stop,” Izuku said, his voice barely above a whisper and scratchy from overuse.
“Your Majesty!” Mirai spoke up from behind, sounding panicked and tense, quickening his pace towards them. Hisashi felt his shoulders stiffen further, just as Izuku’s arms tightened around him, another pitiful whine escaping him. “Your Majesty, what happened?!”
“Go away!” Izuku cried in return, not even looking at Mirai. “Leave me alone!”
Mirai continued towards them despite Izuku’s wishes, and another primal hiss escaped Hisashi, warning Mirai to stop.
The man did, seeming wary, but he spoke again, “Your Majesty, please. We could smell your blood! Did he hurt you? Are you injured? What happened?”
Mirai was on one side of him, and Gran was on the other, and Hisashi could not control how strangely threatened something deep inside of him felt. But not in the way he himself was in danger, but that Izuku was. He felt like a cornered animal, pinned down by predators ready to snatch his child out from under him for an easy meal.
He wanted to tell them to back off, to respect Izuku’s wishes and leave, but he couldn’t seem to speak at the moment.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to.
“Just go!” Izuku yelled, voice cracking from how strained it was, hands fisting in Hisashi’s clothes. “Go away, leave us alone!”
There was a cry of both “Izuku—” and “Your Majesty—” when both Mirai and Gran tensed as they visibly resisted the order, but they were ultimately unable to disobey as their legs were forced to move and take them elsewhere.
Mirai was sputtering in disbelief, attempting to get a few words out before being forced to leave, giving Hisashi a scathing glare as he did so that Hisashi ignored. His muscles were taut when Gran passed by him, the two making eye contact. Murderous intent gleamed in their depths, an unspoken promise hanging in the air.
Hisashi held Izuku tightly, swiftly heading for the stairs once more as Gran and Mirai’s footsteps and voices grew fainter and fainter. He felt himself calming down the further away they got, his hackles finally lowering. He could feel something in his throat unclench, and somehow knew he was able to talk again.
When he arrived in the hall their rooms were in, Hisashi took Izuku to his own without hesitation, leaning against the door heavily with a sigh once he shut it behind him.
Only for those strange instincts to nearly overwhelm him once more when he realized they were not alone. His body tensed at the new threat, eyes glowing a hellish red and fangs baring, raising his thickening claws to slash at their throat if they dared to near him and his son.
“Your Majesties?” Kurogiri greeted with confusion, alarm on the man’s face when his eyes scanned over them.
Hisashi stared at his servant for several long seconds, blinking slowly as his hazy brain took a moment to register who it was before him. He forced himself to try and relax, seeing that it was only Kurogiri. And when Izuku sniffled, all of Hisashi’s attention returned to his son, and he pet the back of Izuku’s head, shushing him gently. Hisashi proceeded to try and ignore Kurogiri’s presence as he made his way over to the bed, but he remained all too aware of Kurogiri’s lingering gaze.
“It’s okay, Izuku,” Hisashi spoke quietly as he sat down, the mattress sinking under his weight. “Everything is okay.” He rubbed a hand up and down Izuku’s back.
Kurogiri showed far more intelligence than Gran and Mirai, neither approaching nor speaking. He simply stood in the back unobtrusively, which helped immensely with Hisashi’s current mindset in labeling him as not a threat.
After a few minutes with his attention focused on Izuku and ensuring he was in no danger, Hisashi turned to his servant. “…Would you fetch a bottle of fresh blood?” He glanced down at the dried blood on Izuku’s arms, caked to his clothes and skin. “A bowl of warm water and a cloth as well.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri nodded.
Once he disappeared to do so, Hisashi managed to get Izuku to free his grip, hastily stripping off both his and Izuku’s dirty shirts. He winced when he heard a small whimper from Izuku as he pried the shirt away, the dried blood having caused it to cling to his arms, tugging at the still-open wounds that marred them. He whispered a few words of assurance, dabbing away the trickles of blood that had formed until they stopped bleeding, then tossed the dirtied shirt to the side.
He then went and grabbed two clean shirts at random from his wardrobe, slipping one on and draping the other around Izuku. It was huge on his tiny son, but Izuku curled into it anyway, humming.
Kurogiri returned right after Hisashi had settled back on the bed with Izuku, carrying everything Hisashi had asked for in hand. Kurogiri placed the bowl and cloth on the nightstand within Hisashi’s reach, and brought the bottle to the desk where two glasses waited. He poured a glass, carrying it back over and setting it down on the nightstand within Hisashi’s reach, before retreating to the other side of the room.
Hisashi quickly soaked the cloth, wringing the excess water free. “Will you hold your arm out for me?” he asked Izuku gently.
Izuku said nothing, but shifted slightly to outstretch his arm from under the shirt draped over his shoulders, allowing Hisashi to begin cleaning the dried blood away.
Hisashi winced when he fully saw the scratches Izuku had gouged into himself from shoulder to elbow. They looked miserably painful, and the only consolation looking at them offered was that they were no longer bleeding. They must have been deep to have not healed already—though the amount of blood Izuku had lost likely hadn’t helped either.
Still, he didn’t say anything of them as he carefully cleaned the blood away, making sure to be gentle around the still-open wounds. Once the cloth was dark with blood, and the water in the bowl was murky, Hisashi set it aside again and pulled Izuku against his side, reaching for the glass of blood Kurogiri had brought.
Kurogiri who was…still in the room. Hisashi blinked awkwardly. “…Sorry, but could you go?” he asked the servant quietly.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri conceded without argument. “I’ll be outside should you need anything from me.”
Hisashi nodded in confirmation, watching as the man left and shut the door quietly behind him, before returning his gaze to Izuku, his attention focused solely on him. He held the glass to Izuku’s lips, but the boy turned away.
Puzzled, Hisashi shifted him around and once more offered the blood. “Drink.”
Izuku pushed it away, shaking his head.
“Please?” Hisashi begged.
Izuku just buried his face back into Hisashi’s shoulder.
“Please, Izuku. You need to drink so your body can heal itself faster.”
Silence answered him, and Izuku did not lift his head from Hisashi’s shoulder to drink from the proffered glass. Worry gnawed at Hisashi, and he wracked his brain on what to do. He couldn’t let Izuku rest until he had at least a few sips, or the wounds would remain open. Hisashi didn’t know if vampires could get infections, but he wasn’t willing to risk it.
But Izuku didn’t seem to want to do anything but cuddle.
Which…gave Hisashi an idea. One that made slight discomfort twist in his chest, but for once, it was easily pushed aside.
Hisashi set the glass back down and shifted his son in his lap. He pulled back his sleeve and offered his arm up to Izuku. Izuku just stared at it blankly though, trying to turn back around to cuddle into Hisashi’s shoulder again. So, with a sigh, Hisashi used a claw to prick a cut into his wrist, fresh blood welling up on his skin.
“Drink,” he instructed Izuku again, pressing his blood-stained wrist against Izuku’s mouth.
There was a moment of hesitation in which Hisashi feared this would be refused too, but it was assuaged when Izuku opened his mouth and took in a shaky breath, afterwhich Hisashi felt the prick of fangs sink into his flesh with ease. He denied the instinctive urge to tense, and banished the stirrings of panic as his blood was taken, focusing instead on the relief he felt when Izuku swallowed a mouthful.
The upset furrow between Izuku’s brows lessened some as he drank from Hisashi, little hands clutching Hisashi’s arm close as if afraid it would be taken away. Hisashi wrapped his free arm around Izuku, holding him to reassure his son that he wasn’t going to leave, resting his chin on top of Izuku’s head. There was peace in the room for a moment as Izuku fed.
“...No more,” Izuku murmured when he drew away after several mouthfuls, drops of blood staining his lips and chin.
Hisashi reached up with a sleeve to wipe them away, and Izuku shifted so that he was curled into Hisashi’s side, resting his freckled cheek against his chest.
“Are your wounds healed?” Hisashi asked, wanting to make absolutely certain, and was relieved when Izuku gave a tiny nod. “Good. Thank you, Izuku.”
“...M’sorry,” Izuku whispered tiredly.
Hisashi blinked. “What for?”
Izuku shrugged. “Everything.”
“It’s not—” Your fault, Hisashi didn’t finish with. That would be a lie, and neither of them would appreciate it. “…Not everything is your fault. But I’ve already forgiven you for the things that were. Don’t let them keep troubling you, my son.”
Izuku’s face scrunched up, and Hisashi feared he might cry again. “But I caused you so much trouble. I did bad things. Everything must be my fault when no one likes me.”
“That’s not true at all,” Hisashi said firmly, giving Izuku a small squeeze. “People like you. Gran and Mirai like you, or why else would they have come running earlier when they thought you were hurt? I like you. I more than like you; I love you. Your citizens like you too, enough so that they’re always trying to give you free stuff because they want to show you how much they like you. And your nobles like you. I don’t know if you noticed, but your laughter was infectious at the ball. Whenever you smiled, everyone else smiled too.”
“B-But Tenya—”
“Sometimes we get off on the wrong foot with people. Or we take what they say the wrong way, because we don’t know what they truly mean when they speak. Tenya…I think he had good intentions from his own perspective, but he didn’t consider your feelings. I’m not denying he hurt your feelings, and that that was wrong of him to do so, but I don’t think he actually meant to.”
“It still hurts though.” Izuku hid his face in Hisashi’s chest and sobbed.
“…I know.” Hisashi hugged him a little tighter, rocking him from side to side. Truthfully, he was also still quite miffed at how the Tenya boy had treated his son. “I’m sorry.”
Silence fell then, save for a sniffle or two, with Hisashi petting Izuku’s hair gently while his son’s eyes steadily drifted close. Izuku stilled once more, beginning to ease off into slumber, and his hand grabbed onto Hisashi’s own. Hisashi easily enfolded his grasp around the much smaller hand comfortingly, looking down at his tiny son when half-lidded eyes stared up at him.
“Dad?” Izuku murmured, voice thick with sleep and emotion. “I love you.”
“I know,” Hisashi answered, kissing the top of his head. “I love you too. Get some rest, alright?”
Izuku said nothing more, falling still against Hisashi, his eyes closing fully as sleep swiftly took him. Hisashi held him close, continuing to speak to Izuku softly in the hopes that it would chase away any bad dreams.
And though he wasn’t sure if his voice reached him, Izuku did not stir once at his side.
The next morning, Hisashi had a hard time trying to coax Izuku out of bed. It had been all Hisashi could manage to get Izuku to sit up long enough to change into a more fitting shirt before Izuku gave up entirely, flopping back onto the bed. His son stayed curled up beneath the soft blankets, looking at him with flat, dispassionate eyes as Hisashi tried to get him up again.
“Come on, why don’t we go down and I’ll show you some new spells, hmm? We could keep it a secret. Mirai would never know,” Hisashi offered.
Izuku pulled the blanket over his head in answer.
“…The city? We could go back to that ice cream stand. You love ice cream!” Hisashi tried.
The lump under the blankets rolled over, putting his back to Hisashi.
Damn. Nothing was working. What else did Izuku like? What could he offer that Izuku might want? He wanted to offer to play with Izuku, but felt that might be a sensitive subject right now.
“A walk around the castle?” Hisashi suggested. “Or we could go to the library? Or you could help me study? I’ve been getting better at my numbers!” No response. “The kitchens then? We can ask them to make katsudon and tarts for us. I know katsudon is your favorite!”
Nothing.
Hisashi floundered for more activities. “Painting?” he blurted out. “We could try painting together! I’ve never painted before. Seems like it could be fun.”
Again, nothing. Hisashi sighed, struggling to think of more things that Izuku might like to do. There was the camping trip he still wanted to take Izuku on—
A light knock at the door distracted Hisashi from his thoughts, wondering who it was before remembering that it was likely only to be one person.
“It’s open!” Hisashi called out to Kurogiri, who then came into the room with a curt bow. Hisashi watched his eyes land on him, before shifting to the lump on the bed.
“Your Majesties,” Kurogiri greeted. “I hope the morning finds you well. I have a message Lord Mirai asked me to deliver.”
Hisashi raised a brow, frowning slightly. “What is it?”
“He requested that I remind His Majesty of the council meeting this morning. He also requests that he speaks with His Majesty in privacy.”
Hisashi felt his lips curl in distaste. Beneath the covers, he saw Izuku’s form shrink, curling in on himself even further. Clearly, Izuku did not want to do either of those things. Hisashi didn’t particularly want him to have to do them either. Why should his child be saddled with such heavy responsibilities the day after he had a hard time?
He placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “Izuku?”
“Don’t wanna,” Izuku whined from under the blankets.
“I know, I know…” Hisashi struggled to find an answer. Izuku shouldn’t have to go, not when he was clearly in no state to attend a stressful meeting to discuss war and politics. But it wasn’t as though anyone could replace Izuku’s spot at the meeting.
Could they?
“Just cancel it!” Izuku demanded.
“I’m afraid that might not be possible, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said softly. “The meeting is set to commence in thirty minutes, and near everyone has already arrived in preparation for it.”
“I don’t care! I don’t want to go!”
“You don’t have to,” Hisashi interrupted. “Why don’t I go in your stead?”
Izuku shifted under the covers, pulling the blankets off his head just enough to stare at Hisashi with big, confused eyes. “...What?”
“I’m a Midoriya, aren’t I?” Hisashi reminded him. “Why can’t I go in your place?”
“You’re not the reigning king,” Izuku pointed out. “Only the King Regent can authorize decisions and command the council.”
Hisashi faltered briefly. He hadn’t considered that.
Surprisingly, it was Kurogiri who spoke up, “As the reigning king, could you not grant authority to your father to act in your stead?”
Izuku paused, a look of contemplation coming over his tired face. “…I’ve never done that before. But I am the king, so I don’t see why I couldn’t do that.”
“That settles it then,” Hisashi said, standing up from the bed, ready to make his way towards the meeting, even if he hated the idea of attending one almost as much as Izuku. “I’ll let you know if anything important came up when I get back.”
“It’s not that easy, Dad,” Izuku grumbled. “They won’t listen to you unless they know I’ve given you authority over them.”
“Then I’ll just let them know that you did. Nothing to it, right?”
“Why would they believe you at face value?” Izuku asked dryly.
Ah. Hisashi winced, but it was a good point. “What do you suggest then?”
“Dad—” Izuku yawned, cutting himself off for a moment. “Uh. I’ll place an order on you that will affect them…if that’s okay?”
Hisashi paused. He’d just been freed from all orders, and it felt good to know he was no longer bound. Did he want to willingly allow another to be placed upon him so soon?
But didn’t he trust Izuku? His son?
“…Okay,” he agreed.
“Okay…” Izuku echoed, sitting up and pushing back the sleeve of his shirt. A flash of panic shot through him when Izuku cut into his own wrist with a claw, and held it up to Hisashi.
Hisashi blinked, perplexed.
“I need you to drink my blood,” Izuku explained. “A few mouthfuls at least.”
“I…What?” Hisashi stammered, staring blankly at Izuku.
“It’s necessary for the order,” Izuku insisted. “Other vampires are naturally compelled to listen to the royal line. For as long as you have royal blood flowing in you, that combined with the order should be enough to compel the others to listen and obey you.”
Hisashi didn’t really know how he felt about other people being forced to obey what he said, but he’d already agreed, and he wouldn’t back down now when his son needed him. Slowly, he approached and took Izuku’s arm, hesitating until Izuku gave him an encouraging nod.
For the first time, Hisashi bit his son willingly.
It wasn’t like any of the blood he’d drank before, with their own hints of flavours and nuances that Hisashi was slowly starting to learn how to detect and get used to. Izuku’s blood was filled with an unexpected richness that was savory on his taste buds and filling to his stomach. He could practically taste the powerful magic imbued within that blood, making his tongue tingle.
More than that though, he could sense the deeper undercurrent of power residing within it. Something that made his instincts surge forward, recognizing something pure, and radiating a brilliance that shined like a star, to which his muddled blood was nothing but dust in comparison. A light he had been tethered to since the day he first became a vampire. Something he knew, on a base, instinctive level, that all vampires were bound to. The essence of the progenitor vampire.
It was easily something that could become addictive. It took Hisashi a surprising amount of self-control to pull himself away after a minute or so, as Izuku made no move to push him off himself.
“...Sorry,” Hisashi said after a moment, breathing a little heavy and feeling overly full. Even as he spoke the words, he couldn’t stop himself from licking away the drops of blood that lingered on his lips.
Izuku’s small hand was petting through his hair (when had that happened?) and he looked at Hisashi with slight concern. “Did you have enough, Dad? You drank like you haven’t been drinking regularly.”
Hisashi coughed into his shoulder in embarrassment, unsure how to respond. “I’m good. It’s just…uh, you taste amazing.” It was such a strange thing to say, but Izuku didn’t look offended at all.
No, his son actually seemed rather happy about that. “Thank you! You taste good too, Dad.”
Maybe for born vampires that was a compliment, but to Hisashi it was still just kind of weird. “Er…thanks?” A pause. “Now, uh, about the order?”
Izuku nodded. “Right. Dad, you have authority over the council and other vampires for as long as my blood runs through you. You can order them as if I myself were ordering them, and they must listen to you.”
Hisashi shivered as he felt the order wash over him. But unlike other times, following along behind it was a rush of power that coursed through his veins, making his whole body light up with a strange, electric sensation. “So…guess that’s it then?”
“You will need to dress appropriately for the meeting, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri put in, gesturing to Hisashi’s somewhat disheveled clothes and hair.
“Oh,” Hisashi mused, looking down at himself. “...Do we really have time for that?”
“It will only take a moment if we hurry along. I already have an outfit in mind,” Kurogiri affirmed, already on the move to retrieve a set of clothes and lay them out.
Hisashi startled when Kurogiri approached him, swiftly undoing the buttons of his shirt and prying it away within seconds.
“Oh, I can—I can—” And it was too late. Kurogiri already had the new shirt on him. Damn, the man worked fast. Then those hands went lower and Hisashi recoiled sharply. “Not my pants! I can do that!” He snatched the trousers up quickly, but Kurogiri only nodded his head and turned around without Hisashi even having to ask. He sighed in relief, almost changing right then before remembering there was a third person in the room. “Izuku, you turn around too.”
His son rolled his eyes but turned away, allowing Hisashi to quickly change. He cleared his throat to indicate when he was finished, and allowed his servant to approach him again.
But Hisashi was not prepared for Kurogiri to stick his hands down his pants. He yelped, jumping in place as Kurogiri worked.
“This shirt is meant to be tucked in, Your Majesty,” the man explained as he tucked Hisashi’s shirt into his trousers.
“Why didn’t you just tell me that?!” Hisashi felt his face flush furiously. “I could’ve done it!” He heard giggles behind him. “Izuku! Stop laughing!”
“You should see your face, Dad!” Izuku’s eyes were alight with mirth, and truly, Hisashi couldn’t be that upset about it. Considering how miserable his son had been, this little moment of humour from him was welcomed. Hisashi liked seeing Izuku happy.
And therefore, he didn’t complain as Kurogiri helped him into a fancy overcoat, fiddling with the cuffs and smoothing down the lapels. He did glare at the flashy piece of fabric Kurogiri pried from the one of the drawers though, automatically stepping back.
“Not the cravat!” Hisashi yelped dramatically when Kurogiri approached with the dreaded cloth.
“But it’s fashionable, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri insisted, deftly attempting to tie it around his neck.
“Fashionable, my ass!” Hisashi ducked away from Kurogiri’s reaching hands, hiding a smile when he heard another giggle from Izuku.
“…Shall I put it on your ass then?” Kurogiri asked, clearly trying to hide a grin of his own.
Izuku cackled in the background at the idea. “Cravat ass!”
“Don’t you dare!” Hisashi faked a scowl, scuttling around the room as Kurogiri followed him with the cravat, dodging every attempt and complaining while Kurogiri made playfully chiding remarks all the while. Eventually, he allowed the man to catch him, and quickly tie the cravat around his neck, adjusting it just so.
Hisashi grumbled under his breath, tugging at the cravat agitatedly. “Alright, just need to grab my vambraces and sword then…” he mused, going over to retrieve the equipment, when Kurogiri shook his head in disapproval.
“You are going to a meeting, Your Majesty. It would send the wrong message if you were to arrive with weapons and armor.”
“But I—I mean…I don’t go anywhere without them—”
“I will ensure they are well taken care of, My Liege. Now, I believe it would be best for you to hurry. There’s only a few minutes left until the meeting, and you may wish to use them to explain the situation. Shall I warp you outside its vicinity?”
Hisashi sighed wearily, relenting against Kurogiri’s argument. “Fine, fine. But I want you to look after Izuku while I’m gone. And get me if he needs anything. And make sure he drinks a couple glasses at least.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“And afterwards, we can go do something,” Hisashi addressed Izuku.
Izuku nodded, but didn’t look all that enthusiastic, his earlier mirth gone. “Okay. But don’t forget your crown, Dad!”
“Do I really have to wear it?” Hisashi groaned.
“It’s a symbol of your status as a member of the royal family, and your title of King Father. It’ll help send the message to the nobility that you’re to be taken seriously,” Izuku explained.
“Well, the crown isn’t even here. Mirai has it. So I—” Hisashi trailed off as Kurogiri manifested the crown in his hands with a black swirl of mist. “…Oh.”
“Here you are, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said as he lifted the crown, placing the circlet of twisted gold and emeralds delicately on Hisashi’s head. He utterly ignored the disgruntled look Hisashi was giving him as he quickly arranged Hisashi’s hair, fingers tugging Hisashi’s curls artfully around the crown, tucking a few behind his ears, while leaving others out to frame his face.
“Now is everything ready?” Hisashi huffed, shifting impatiently on his feet. “I’d like to get this done and over with sometime today.”
Izuku nodded, rolling over on the bed. “You should be good to go now.”
“Finally. If you would, Kurogiri?” Hisashi asked.
The man nodded, his hand brimming with darkness before a veil of the same substance whooshed in existence. Hisashi withheld a great sigh, trying to squash down his nervousness.
Kurogiri’s free hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing it gently, and he gave Hisashi an encouraging smile. “Keep your head up. You’ll do fine,” Kurogiri whispered to him.
Hisashi nodded, and, taking a deep breath, he stepped through.
Within an instant his surroundings changed. He was now standing in the midst of a hall, right before the large, heavy doors leading to the council room.
Startled gasps from the guards outside them greeted him, their hands instantly shooting to the swords at their waists, only to pause when they recognized his face, eyes roaming over his form. Sharp frowns tugged at their mouths as they eased their hands away from the hilt of their blades, still tense and alert, watching him warily. Not that Hisashi could blame them. If someone had just suddenly popped into existence before him, he’d be on high alert too.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to cause alarm,” he muttered in apology. He glanced up at the door to the meeting room and took in another slow, deep breath, trying to calm himself and steel his resolve. He could feel that choked feeling in his throat, the anxiety that simmered at the thought of all those eyes about to be on him.
He could do this. He could do this. He told that to himself again and again. How hard would it be to sit and listen to a bunch of stuffed shirts talking for a few hours?
His hand still hesitated over the looped handle of the door.
…What if he couldn’t do it? They all already hated him. What if he made a fool of himself? What if he made a fool of Izuku?
But he had no chance to fully back out, as his hesitation caused a guard to step forward and open the door for him, revealing the council on the other side. Every seat was occupied, save for the usual two spots.
Hisashi fought to maintain a calm, collected expression when every head turned in his direction, even as his body tensed under their gaze. He had to hold his chin up and keep his posture straight but not too rigid, like Kurogiri had been teaching him. He couldn’t let himself flinch away from their stares; he was the King Father. His station was above theirs, and he had to act like it. They had to respect him. He had to command their respect. Hisashi couldn’t let himself be flustered or overwhelmed, or this would all be meaningless.
There was dead silence as Hisashi entered the room, forcing himself to keep his head high as he made his way to the table. Dead silence, until he sat himself at the head of the council, in Izuku’s spot. A few eyes widened and jaws dropped as Hisashi took the king’s seat.
“The hell do you think you’re doin’?” Gran was the one who broke the silence, standing up from his chair with narrowed eyes. Those dark eyes shifted behind Hisashi, looking for a small figure that wasn’t there. A growl built up in the elder vampire’s throat. “Where is he?”
“Unfortunately, Izuku isn’t feeling well,” Hisashi responded, working to keep his tone even. “I have come in his place.”
Mirai looked furious at that statement, rising from his chair as well. “You have NO authority to—”
Hisashi reached for the innate, primal power within the borrowed blood that coursed through him, and gave an order for the first time.
“Sit. Down.”
Shocked gasps echoed around the table as both Mirai and Gran collapsed back into their seats. Hisashi secretly reveled in the stunned expressions on their faces. As much as he didn’t particularly like the idea of forcing people to do what he wanted, Gran and Mirai were an exception. It felt good to get a bit of revenge for all the shit they put him through.
“What the fuck did you just do?!” Gran snarled from his seat, clearly trying to fight the order and rise to his feet, but utterly failing to do so. “How—”
“As I said, I’ve come to the meeting today in Izuku’s place,” Hisashi explained again, finding it exceedingly difficult to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. “As such, Izuku felt it necessary for me to have the proper authority. He was worried you wouldn’t listen to me otherwise.”
The council was speechless, most staring at him with their mouths agape. Hushed murmurs rumbled around the room as they whispered to one another.
A young voice spoke up then, and Hisashi followed it to a small figure with blue hair and a disapproving stare standing next to an older one with the same features. His hands tightened on the armrest of his chair when Tenya spoke.
“This is highly inappropriate, My Leige. Only the King Regent—”
“Can authorize the decisions of the council,” Hisashi finished for him, his tone a bit scathing despite how he tried to reign it in. “And the King Regent has authorized myself, as the only other member of the royal family, to stand in his place. Are you speaking out against His Majesty the King and his decree?”
Hisashi didn’t hate Tenya, but he was annoyed with the kid. This boy had made his Izuku cry. And while Hisashi didn’t want to be too harsh with a child—because as much as Tenya had messed up, Tenya was still a child himself—he couldn’t help the ire that rose in him when he laid eyes on the youngest Iida.
“I…of course not, Your Majesty!” Tenya said quickly, bowing stiffly from where he stood.
“Tenya,” the elder Iida spoke in a quiet, gentle voice next to him that nonetheless held a degree of sterness, drawing his brother’s attention to him. Tenya flinched at his disapproving stare. “Refrain from speaking out of line. Remember that you are here to listen and observe.”
“Y-Yes Tensei,” Tenya said, ducking his head low. It did little to hide the deep tinge of pink Hisashi could see coloring his cheeks.
Hisashi cleared his throat, drawing all eyes back to him. “Now that that is out of the way, shall we commence with the meeting?”
Mirai bristled next to him, molten-gold ablaze with anger. “You can’t honestly expect us to hold a proper discussion with you. You can’t even begin to understand the complexity of our—”
Hisashi withheld the urge to throttle the man. “Enough. Mirai, report.”
Mirai visibly choked for a moment, before words began flowing out of his mouth—despite him clearly trying to hold them back.
Hisashi listened as Mirai gave his usual report on important updates to all the council present. More than he would care to admit went over his head, such as the crop and blood yield in each region the nobles controlled and the quality thereof; the trade and commerce throughout them; and the support of the minor houses within said regions. Hisashi still did his best to pay attention to it all, but it was rather a lot to keep track of.
Thankfully, the nobles were content to talk about it with each other, without much need for him to step in as they settled the matters amongst themselves. He only needed to authorize an agreement here and there, Mirai assisting him in explaining which would be best with no small amount of resentment.
“The next order of business is the assignment of the troops at the border, now that House Aizawa has managed to secure a fort further inland despite some initial…setbacks,” Mirai continued on, the order still in effect as it plucked the words from his mouth. “As well as discussing the matter of the base of operations we have managed to secure further within the Kingdom of Yuei, as well as our spies located within the city of Hosu—”
“What base of operations?” Hisashi asked, turning his full attention to Mirai. “Where is it?
“Beyond the border,” Mirai answered tersely and annoyingly vaguely.
Hisashi glared at him, opening his mouth to say something, when a noble spoke up.
“The recruits from my region should arrive by the end of the week,” a burly, white haired vampire with fangs poking out from his lower lip answered. “It should help bolster their numbers to keep the fort defended. But we’ll need more soldiers than House Sekijiro can supply before long.”
“Yes, I’m well aware,” Mirai mused.
“What of the lesser House of Shirakumo? Their territory hasn’t felt the effects as badly as the neighboring Houses Fukukado or Yamada, being furthest from the front in the region, and they have strong ties to the Greater House of Aizawa. Surely they can send a few of their own to support Aizawa on the frontlines?”
“Unfortunately, due to the death of their heir, House Shirakumo has been in dire straits.” Mirai sighed, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers together. Briefly, his gaze shifted to Hisashi, and Hisashi had to force himself to withhold a guilt-ridden flinch. “They have been struggling to maintain a secure hold over their territory in the midst of Oboro’s death and the war. Head of the house, Lady Shirakumo, has responded that she cannot presently offer support with their current state of affairs, and has given no further information on when she might do so.”
“Can’t she can be made to see reason? Is it really that bad for them?” Hisashi asked quietly.
“From what I can glean, things are indeed ‘that bad’ for House Shirakumo,” Mirai affirmed. “Without an heir, their house faces collapse. I have heard hushed rumors that Lady and Lord Shirakumo are attempting to produce a new heir, but the odds are against them. Not unless Lady Shirakumo…Hm…Perhaps…” Mirai hummed thoughtfully, cupping his chin as he trailed off.
Hisashi frowned, waiting for Mirai to continue speaking, but Mirai didn’t elaborate further on the matter, shaking his head and waving a hand dismissively.
“Regardless,” Mirai brushed off. “As it currently stands, House Shirakumo and its region of governance is likely to be reabsorbed into its progenitor house, Aizawa, or one of its sister houses, Fukukado or Yamada.”
“Ah,” was all Hisashi could manage, his head spinning a little from the political nature of it all—to say nothing of the spike of guilt that swelled up in his middle, knowing he was the cause of their turmoil.
The burly vampire sighed. “Alright then. Guess that settles that,” he murmured. “On to another important matter, though; our supplies are still struggling to reach them within the fort. The humans have been intercepting our shipments.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that also,” Mirai muttered, searching through his papers and frowning at what Hisashi assumed was a report. “...If we were to establish a hold over the nearby towns and villages in the area, it may help prevent such attacks from occuring in the future.”
Hisashi sent Mirai a dirty look. “You’re not going to just take over the lands and lives of the nearby civilians,” Hisashi rejected the proposal. “I thought you didn’t attack villages that weren’t part of the military unless it was necessary?”
“They’re preventing our soldiers from maintaining a strong front,” Gran put in, scowling at Hisashi. “I’d say that qualifies as necessary.”
“They would only resist. You’d have more trouble on your hands than before if you try to usurp control over the entire area,” Hisashi warned.
If the vampires were to suddenly invade their homes and towns, the humans in them wouldn’t just sit down and allow it to happen, for fear of their lives and those of their families. Even if the vampires didn’t have the intention to kill them, and merely wanted to assert control of the region, Hisashi knew the villagers would fight back. It would lead to unnecessary conflict and the loss of lives.
“Oh? And what do you suggest then?” Gran asked him dryly. “Turn around and head back to the border?”
Hisashi paused in thought for a minute, staring down at the map laid out across the table. In the corner of his eye, he could see Mirai and the other nobles watching him intently. But for once, he hardly gave them a second thought as he mulled over the options, feeling the weight of others' lives resting heavily on his shoulders.
He didn’t want more people getting killed. Especially innocent people that had no stake in a war they didn’t want. He couldn’t allow the civilians of the nearby towns to be overtaken, where lives, both human and vampire, would be lost in an ensuing rebellion. Nor could he order the soldiers to abandon the fort and march back to the border. They would be under siege from behind during their retreat from the fort if Yuei troops were to learn of it. And it was likely that even if he did, the next meeting would simply have them marching back to retake it, but with fewer numbers.
Surely there were other roads they could take in order to get supplies to their men? Ones that didn’t require such drastic measures. Hisashi knew quite a few off-the-path routes that he had traveled during his years as a hunter.
After those few minutes, Hisashi glanced back up, meeting the nervous eyes of the nobles.
“...You can send the supplies through the Forest of Beasts,” he settled on, pointing to a portion of land on the map that contained a vast sea of trees that bordered the outskirts of many of Yuei’s villages. “There is an old dirt path in there that goes to the other side. It’s grown over and a bit hard to find, but that means it’s also unused by the humans. As long as our troops remain discreet, your suppliers should be able to travel through it without being hindered, and remain out of sight of others.”
“Sounds like a charming place,” Gran quipped sarcastically. “Lovely moniker, ‘Forest of Beasts’. I’m sure that’s a perfectly safe area to travel through.”
Hisashi rolled his eyes. “It’s superstition from the villagers, for the most part. Civilians and soldiers don’t dare approach it because of all the rumors surrounding it,” he clarified for the elder vampire.
“‘For the most part’?” Mirai pressed warily.
“I did come across a fair number of rogue vampires taking refuge within it over the years. You might also come across animals that are larger and stronger than normal, due to the natural magic permeating the area. At most, you might encounter a lone werewolf or two,” Hisashi explained patiently. “It’s nothing a highly trained group of soldiers can’t handle, vampire or human, wouldn’t you agree?”
“...We’ll look it over and consider it,” Mirai sniffed pretentiously.
Hisashi held back the urge to snort, the council continuing to talk about it for a while longer, pouring over the maps before ultimately concluding to his suggestion. The look of annoyance on Mirai’s face when they turned to Hisashi for approval made him smile as he nodded in confirmation.
“You mentioned something about spies as well, Mirai?” Hisashi picked up from earlier, having not forgotten Mirai bringing it up. “Have they uncovered anything regarding the…half-lifes that have been attacking the villages?”
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Your Majesty,” Mirai bit out, jaw clenching. “I am more than capable of handling the issue.”
Hisashi refrained from rolling his eyes, giving the man a sharp look instead as he ordered, “I insist you tell me. If it’s important, then you might as well share what you know with the council.”
“We’ve traced the source of the half-lifes to the larger cities within Yuei,” Mirai answered unwillingly, his claws digging into the table with a horrible screeching sound. “Whoever is making them, they are doing so within the confines of the most populated areas. I suspect this is so they can take the humans they leave half-turned without the notice of the general populace. It is easier to blame the disappearances on criminals that already plague the streets, or a simple mishap. In places with a large populace, an occasional disappearance would not be seen as unusual.”
“I see…” Hisashi mused quietly. “Do you have any leads or suspects as to who might be behind them?”
“No,” Mirai replied, shuffling through his papers. “We have yet to catch anyone in the act, nor have we found any rumors indicating such a person. Whoever this vampire is, they are incredibly adept at covering their tracks.”
“Alright then,” Hisashi conceded, his mind whirling with the new information. They still hadn’t managed to find the bastard that was responsible for the half-lifes, but they were getting a little closer at the very least. “Keep me updated on the reports regarding the case, will you?”
“Of course,” Mirai said through gritted teeth.
“Thank you,” Hisashi said, though he knew Mirai would rather pull out his own fangs than inform Hisashi of further developments in espionage. He’d just have to make sure to bring it up next time in case Mirai…forgot. “Now, Is there anything else?” he pressed, wanting to get through the rest of the meeting as quickly as possible, the time spent here dragging on for what felt like an eternity.
“Last, but certainly not least, is the upcoming b—event in the kingdom,” Mirai said through clenched teeth, and Hisashi narrowed his eyes at the man, having not missed how he seemed to catch himself from saying something at the last second.
“What event?” Hisashi asked, turning his full attention to Mirai.
Mirai clearly did not want to answer, his eye twitching.
“Nothing you should concern yourself with,” Gran butted in. “It’s not like you actually care about our traditions or holidays after all. Just leave it to us to handle—”
“Gran, shut up for a minute,” Hisashi ordered, immensely pleased when Gran’s jaw clenched shut for once. He turned back to Mirai. “You were saying?”
Mirai’s whole body jerked, managing to resist the order for a few scant seconds before the answer was forced from him. “It’s a…celebration of life event. For the king.”
Celebration of life? Hisashi squinted in confusion before his eyes went wide when it clicked. “Izuku’s birthday is coming up?!”
Mirai refused to meet his eyes, hands clenching so hard they could have drawn blood, and said nothing more. But someone down the table nodded their head in confirmation.
“It’s a special event, of course,” Tensei explained. “The capital will be flooded with visitors from all over the Kingdom to attend the festivities and partake in the celebrations. It will be His Majesty’s first since the loss of his parents.”
Hisashi felt a rush of mixed emotions. He would have to make sure everything went perfectly. That way Izuku wouldn’t have the time to feel sad about his parents not being there. His son’s birthday should be a happy day! Not a day of mourning.
“Then we’ll have to make certain it’s the grandest birthday he’s ever had,” Hisashi concluded. “What do you have in mind to start with?”
Ideas were tossed around the table, Hisashi learning that most of the event planning was usually left to Mirai (and of course it was, ugh). Izuku’s birthdays had apparently been a kingdom-wide celebration since the boy had been born, and the main festivities took place right in the city outside the castle.
Hisashi was going to make sure he had a good hand in the birthday planning. Mirai was a very…coordinated person, certainly. But especially in the light of Izuku’s failed play-date, Hisashi wanted to make sure his birthday would be fun for a child Izuku’s age, and have everything a child could want.
…But what could he give to a boy that could already have anything he wanted? Hisashi wracked his brain, contemplating in deep thought for a moment before an idea struck him.
“Mirai,” he spoke up, drawing resentful golden eyes towards him. “I want the library renovated in time for the celebrations. Have a section dedicated to books that children can enjoy. Fantasy and storybooks and the like.”
“The royal library is meant for the preservation of academic knowledge and historical events. Not children’s tales,” Mirai retorted with contempt.
“I know you’ve failed to notice this, but Izuku happens to be a child, even if he’s also a king,” Hisashi snapped at him. “He deserves the chance to act like one now and again.”
“As much as I would like to see that, there is NO time for His Majesty to be able to doff the mantle of king. Despite his age, it is his full responsibility to—”
Hisashi had heard enough. “You will renovate the library, and ensure it is filled with books that children of Izuku's age can enjoy,” he growled out, irritated by Mirai’s constant refusal and resistance. “And thank you for bringing my attention to how Izuku is never allowed a reprieve from his kingly duties. From now on, none of you will bother Izuku with royal matters on a Sunday unless it is absolutely urgent.”
“Being the king is a full-time job,” Gran spoke up. “A king cannot just take a day off!”
“I suppose I’ll just have to fill in for him more often then. Won’t that be fun?” Hisashi allowed himself a small smirk, satisfied with how Gran’s hackles rose in response.
“Sounds like you’re looking for an excuse to spend some more quality time with us,” Gran bit out. “You don’t need to put on all this pretence, Hisashi. I would gladly have invited you to my room if you had only asked.”
Hisashi felt his face heat up, stiffening when he heard a cough that sounded suspiciously like someone trying to cover a laugh. Figures that Gran had such little shame that he’d even pull shit like this in front of the council. “That’s—”
“Why don’t I come find you after the next meeting since you’re so eager? I’d be more than happy to fill you in.” Gran winked, but his eyes had a malicious gleam to them.
Hisashi sputtered, blurting out, “Gran, bite your tongue!”
Gran promptly bit his own tongue, yelping out a “shit!” as blood leaked past his lips.
Whoops. Hisashi had meant that in a “shut up” type of way. Oh well. It was still a satisfactory, if unintentional, revenge.
The elder vampire glared at him, even as his tongue swiftly began to heal, hissing from the no doubt throbbing pain.
“Anyway.” Hisashi coughed a bit awkwardly. “Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?”
“There are no other current, pressing matters,” Mirai said. “I’m sure if there’s anything else important, it can be discussed at a later date.”
Mirai seemed rather eager to end the meeting. Lucky for him, Hisashi was as well. Though, he wasn’t quite done yet.
“Oh, and one last thing,” Hisashi brought up, the power of an order already bubbling to his lips. He didn’t want to admit it, but it was something he could certainly get used to. “Mirai, I require a weekly stipend for purchases. I need to find Izuku a gift, after all. As well as getting the necessary equipment for our camping trip.”
“Camping trip?!” Mirai practically shouted.
“Yes, I think it would do Izuku some good to get out of the castle and breathe in some fresh air for a change.”
“The king cannot afford to go camping. We’re in the middle of a war! Not to mention that it’s improper and undignified.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him you said so.” Hisashi grinned, knowing that Mirai’s disapproval of camping would only make Izuku want to go more. “It should go without saying, but don’t bother us on our camping trip while we’re away.”
“You can’t just—His Majesty has to—”
“So glad we had this meeting!” Hisashi clapped his hands, ignoring Mirai’s indignant sputters. “Thank you everyone for coming. Council dismissed for the day!” Hisashi declared, standing up from his chair as the others did the same, glad that this was over.
“Your Majesty,” Tensei spoke up, “might I have a word with you in private?”
Oh no. He really didn’t want to. He wanted to flee back to the safety of his room and see Izuku. But…he had no good reason to decline. “Uh, sure.”
“Thank you, My Liege.” Tensei approached him. Tenya followed close behind his brother, looking nervous, eager, and confused all at the same time.
Hisashi waited patiently as the rest of the room slowly pittered out, ignoring the lingering glares that Mirai and Gran sent him on the way out. He stopped himself from fidgeting awkwardly once the last person had left, leaving only the three of them.
“So.” Hisashi cleared his throat, straightening a little. “What did you need?”
“I heard there was an…altercation yesterday,” Tensei said, side-eyeing his little brother. Tenya went stiff as a board. “I would like to extend my apologies to His Majesty the King, though with the meeting over I’m not sure when I’ll see him next.” He pushed his brother forward. “Tenya here also would like to apologize.”
Hisashi raised a brow, gaze shifting from the elder Iida to the younger one.
Tenya bowed rigidly at a perfect ninety-degree angle, staring down at Hisashi’s shoes. “I offer my sincerest apologies towards His Majesty for any offense I may have caused! I knew I shouldn’t have left before he properly dismissed me!”
Tensei sighed, giving his younger brother a withering look. “Tenya,” Tensei said sternly. “That is not what you did wrong.”
Tenya’s brows furrowed. “I…I must admit I do not fully understand what it is I did that upset the king so much, but again, I offer my sincerest apologies for my misconduct.”
“He was really looking forward to your arrival, you know,” Hisashi began, frowning at the boy. “Izuku thought he would finally have the chance to play with another kid his age. Someone that wouldn’t look at his title or his crown.”
Tenya gave him a look that clearly said he didn’t understand what Hisashi was getting at. “It is nice to see others my age. However, one cannot simply set aside the fact that his station is higher than mine. Approaching the king with familiarity as if he were a peer would be highly disrespectful to him. I would not besmirch his good name by deigning to think that I could ever be on the same level as His Majesty.”
Hisashi couldn’t help but bristle, his temper rising a little. “He’s not just a king,” Hisashi reprimanded the younger Iida. “He’s also a person. There’s more to him than just his station, but you didn’t even bother to give him a chance when all he wanted was to play a game of ball with you.”
“We are more than our titles, Tenya,” Tensei added after Hisashi, giving his little brother a stern look. “You would do well to remember that.”
Tenya frowned, though there was a thoughtful look in his eyes. “I understand that we are more than our titles,” he murmured. “But I did not think it right for the king and I to play. We are representatives of our houses at all times, simply by our blood. I meant no disrespect to His Majesty, and I declined out of respect.”
Hisashi felt his eye twitch, but he sighed, and crouched a little to be closer to Tenya’s height. “Tenya.” He waited until the boy’s eyes met his. “I understand you felt you were doing the right thing, and that despite what happened you have good intentions. But you should also understand that it’s okay to set aside what your name or your blood makes you for a while, and just be you instead. You are allowed to be a child and have fun. Izuku was hoping for the chance to have a little break from the responsibilities of the crown. He was hoping that you, a child also with noble responsibilities, would understand what that’s like and be able to connect over it. That you would see him as more than just the king, and be his friend.”
“I…” Tenya paused, seeming to struggle a little for a moment. “I…think I understand, Your Majesty?” he offered, brow furrowing as he mentally worked through Hisashi’s words, though he still seemed a little confused. “...I can try to work on my flaws in the meantime so that I will not disappoint His Majesty a second time, on my honour as a member of the Greater Noble House of Iida!”
Hisashi blew out a soft sigh, standing back up while Tensei shook his head in fond exasperation. It was a start in the right direction, at the very least. Hopefully the next time he and Izuku met, Tenya would have let down some of his propriety over his nobility.
“I’ll work on it with him,” Tensei assured Hisashi gently, then gave a polite bow. “I apologize once again for my younger brother being the cause of His Majesty’s absence today. Thank you for giving us your time, King Father.”
“Oh, yeah, it was, uh, no problem.” Hisashi waved a hand. “And I’ll let Izuku know as well.”
Tensei nodded, guiding his brother out of the room. Hisashi’s shoulders slumped in relief when he was finally alone.
He was relieved that the meeting hadn’t gone nearly as poorly as he thought it would have. A few things had gone over his head maybe, but at least he hadn’t made a fool of himself or Izuku. He had even been able to put Gran and Mirai in their place for once, getting a tiny bit of revenge for everything they’d done.
Though, the whole apology thing with the Iidas reminded him that there was someone else that needed to apologize to a certain servant of his…
Hisashi ripped the cravat from his neck, stuffing it in a pocket and heaving a groan of relief as he left the council room. Stupid ruffle thing. He’d only put up with it for Izuku, and now it was time to make his son put up with saying sorry to Kurogiri. Hopefully, no one else would waylay him as he made his way back to the royal wing.
No one did, and upon opening the door to his room, he heard Izuku’s startled gasp, which made him pause for a moment. Puzzled, Hisashi pushed the door open fully, stepping inside. And the sight that greeted him was not one he expected.
Izuku stood in the middle of the room, one foot planted on a chair in a dramatic pose, Hisashi’s sword half-raised, which seemed ridiculously large in his tiny hand. He stared at Hisashi with wide eyes, looking guilty, like he’d been caught with his hand in a cookie jar. But Hisashi was hardly paying attention as he took in what Izuku was wearing. His son was practically drowning in the fabric around him, shirt hanging off his thin shoulders and pants kept up only by a belt double-wrapped around his waist.
Hisashi’s clothes.
As they stared at each other in dead silence, one of Hisashi’s vambraces (currently on Izuku’s wrist) slowly slid down the boy’s arm until it settled around his bicep.
“I…I was just—” Izuku tried to explain himself, cheeks furiously red as he stepped off the chair.
Or, at least that’s what he tried to do. His foot, loose inside of one of Hisashi’s big boots, caught on the leg of the too-large pants he wore and he stumbled, the chair wobbling dangerously, before he fell off entirely. Izuku gave a startled gasp as the wind was knocked out of his lungs from where his back and head collided against the floor, hard, the sword flying from his hand and into the air.
A sword that was now descending down unto his son.
A sword that happened to be made of silver.
“IZUKU!” Hisashi screamed.
Notes:
If Hisashi had decided to abuse the power Izuku gave him.
Hisashi: “Gran, before the meeting ends, why don’t you go out and get me a nice creamy tart from the city, yes? Go.”
Gran: *runs out at top speed and returns a minute later with a woman*
Hisashi: ???
Gran: “Here’s your tart. You’ll have to put the cream filling in yourself, though.” 😏
Hisashi: 😳🫣😱💀 *explodes from embarrassment*
Tensei continues to try and avoid being adopted by Izuku.
Tensei: *eyeing the door nervously* “Either the king isn't going to show up and this meeting will have been gathered for nothing, or the king is going to show up and NOT be happy when he sees Tenya...”
Hisashi: *shows up instead* “So I'm here in Izuku's place since he's not feeling well.”
Tensei: *visibly relieved* “Oh thank the gods. My younger brother gets to live another day.”
Tenya: *immediately starts scolding Hisashi* “This is highly inappropriate Your Majesty—”
Tensei: “...Or maybe not. For the sake of mother and father, shut up Tenya!”
Tenya: “Only the King Regent—”
Tensei: “TENYA, I SWEAR TO THE GODS.”
Thanks for reading y'all! 👌
Chapter 24
Summary:
“I…I was just—” Izuku tried to explain himself, cheeks furiously red as he stepped off the chair.
Or, at least that’s what he tried to do. His foot, loose inside of one of Hisashi’s big boots, caught on the leg of the too-large pants he wore and he stumbled, the chair wobbling dangerously, before he fell off entirely. Izuku gave a startled gasp as the wind was knocked out of his lungs from where his back and head collided against the floor, hard, the sword flying from his hand and into the air.
A sword that was now descending down unto his son.
A sword that happened to be made of silver.
“IZUKU!” Hisashi screamed.
Chapter Text
After his dad left to go to the meeting, Izuku tried falling back asleep. He didn’t want to think about anything right now, and with his dad gone he had no one to distract him from his thoughts. Which inevitably would circle back to the previous day, no matter how hard Izuku tried to stop thinking about it. So he sighed and buried his face in a pillow, closing his eyes, waiting for sleep to come to him.
…Except it wouldn’t. Izuku tossed and turned in frustration, huffing.
The sound of air being displaced and whooshing over him alerted him to Kurogiri’s presence within the room again. He heard a heavy thud against the desk, alongside the light clinking of glasses. There was the sound of a cork from a bottle being removed, followed by the splash of liquid being poured into a glass.
Izuku curled up on himself further when the footsteps drew near, coming to a halt by his bedside.
“Your Majesty,” Kurogiri spoke up quietly from above him. “Your father requested that you have a drink. I must insist you heed his words after allowing him to drink so much of your blood.”
Izuku grumbled, refusing to look up from his pillow. He didn’t really feel like drinking right now, even though his father had drunk quite a bit from him, and his throat was feeling a little parched…
He didn’t want to get up though. “Don’t feel like it right now,” he mumbled.
He heard a sigh, and a hand landed on his shoulder. Izuku tensed in surprise, but it only patted him gently. It was nice. Being treated normally. So many people wouldn’t dare touch him for fear of upsetting him, or simply because he was the king and they felt they had no right to lay a hand on him for any reason.
It was enough to make Izuku roll over to look at Kurogiri.
The human man smiled at him encouragingly. “I know you don’t want to, but it will make you feel better. You can always lay right back down after if you wish.”
It took an extraordinary amount of effort for Izuku to find the will to sit up, his sight traveling from Kurogiri to the glass he held out towards Izuku. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take it. He didn’t drink right away, though, staring down at the blood that swished in the glass for a long moment, feeling Kurogiri’s gaze watching him attentively.
Izuku sighed, raising it to his lips and taking a small sip. Immediately the dryness of his throat eased, and the exhaustion that had been plaguing him lessened just a bit. He drank the rest somewhat grumpily; he hated when adults were right about these kinds of things. He did feel a bit better now—physically anyway.
“...Thank you,” Izuku offered to the servant as he took back the now-empty glass.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri obliged, setting it back onto the table.
As Izuku watched him, the memories of yesterday swirled in his head. He bit his lip and looked away, remembering how rude and selfish he had been to Kurogiri.
“Is there something troubling you, My Liege?” Kurogiri asked when he turned around and saw Izuku mulling over his thoughts.
“I…um…” Izuku started, feeling a bit embarrassed. He wasn’t used to this kind of thing. “I wanted to say that I’m…I’m sorry. About yesterday. For how I treated you. For being a…a brat.”
He’d had to look down uncomfortably when he’d apologized, and as such was surprised by the soft touch that landed in his hair.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Apology accepted,” Kurogiri said easily as his hand gently ruffled Izuku’s curls.
That was it? That had been simple. Uncomfortable, but simple.
Izuku nodded, unsure what to say afterwards, and watched in silence as Kurogiri went about cleaning the room as he normally did. But Izuku’s thoughts inevitably wandered to his father, wondering how the meeting was going. The meeting that he was supposed to go to. A meeting that Dad had no idea how to navigate because Izuku hadn’t informed him on everything that had been going on beforehand. All because Izuku was selfish and had let Dad go in his place.
“...Do you think Dad is doing alright?” Izuku asked worriedly, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.
“I’m sure your father is doing the best he can,” Kurogiri responded.
Well, that didn’t tell him much. “But what if he needs help?” Izuku pursed his lips. Dad got flustered easily. What if he needed Izuku and Izuku wasn’t there? But…Izuku really didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to see anyone else right now.
“…Would you like to help me, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri asked suddenly.
Izuku wrinkled his nose. “What?”
“There’s nothing to be gained from sitting around worrying. Why don’t you assist me and get your mind off of things?”
Assist him? But Izuku had never done servant work before! What would he even do?
But if it helped distract him from his thoughts…
“Um. Okay.” Izuku nodded, agreeing easily enough. He frowned when he looked about the room. “...How? I’ve never cleaned before.”
“You can start with something simple. Like dusting, for example,” Kurogiri suggested, offering a duster and pan for Izuku to take.
Izuku stared dumbly for a moment before taking it. Then stared some more, not knowing what to do.
Kurogiri explained, “You simply brush it across the surface of the furniture gently to remove the built up dust and sweep it into the pan.”
“Oh.” That didn’t sound too hard. Izuku experimentally ran the duster over the dresser, doing as Kurogiri had told him. Easy enough.
Izuku then proceeded to wander around the room, dusting everything in reach. It wasn’t exactly a thrilling activity, but the newness of it occupied him. But then a “tsk” got his attention, and Izuku turned to see Kurogiri shaking his head, on his knees next to the bed.
“Honestly. I keep telling him to stop squirreling things away under here. He has a perfectly good closet to put things in,” Kurogiri was muttering to himself.
Izuku watched curiously as the man reached under the bed and began to pull things out. Dad’s sword, his vambraces, a couple of daggers in leather sheaths, a pair of boots, a loose belt, an untouched bottle of blood, another dagger, and a ripped shirt.
“Ah, that’s where that went.” Kurogiri sighed in exasperation when he pulled out the shirt. “He should’ve just given it to me to repair for him.”
Izuku could only stare in surprise. He’d had no idea his dad was storing so much stuff under his bed. “What the hell?”
“Mind your language,” Kurogiri scolded automatically, not even looking at Izuku as he sorted through the pile of items he’d pulled out.
Izuku stuck his tongue out at the man since he wasn’t paying attention, but still wandered over to check the stuff out, crouching down with his hands on his knees. “Why did Dad put all this under his bed?”
“He didn’t say, but I assume it’s an ingrained habit for him, to keep certain items on hand,” Kurogiri explained.
Izuku picked up the vambraces, feeling the small buzz of their enchantment tickle his skin. He was just about to slip them on his arms, when Kurogiri handed him the ripped shirt and the belt.
“Would you place those on the desk, please? Just so we can get this stuff off the floor.” The servant gathered the daggers up to do the same, dropping them off on the desk. “Now that they’re here, I can take a look at cleaning them later as well. But first I’d like to finish the laundry.”
“I’ve never done laundry before either,” Izuku said, watching as Kurogiri gathered the dirtied clothes Dad had strewn about the floor.
“Now is as good a time as any to begin learning. I will take these to be washed by the maids and return shortly with some clean clothes. If you will excuse me for just a moment, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said, before summoning a portal into being with a wave of his hand, disappearing from view the second he stepped through.
Izuku was a bit awed by the display of rare magic, and a little jealous too. It made traversing through the castle so easy! He wondered if he’d be able to learn how to use warp magic some day…
Just as Kurogiri had said, the man returned only moments later, popping back into the room with several pairs of shirts and pants draped over his arm.
“Here we are. Would you mind helping me with your father’s clothes, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri asked, setting the stack of freshly cleaned shirts and trousers smoothly across the bed. “You just fold them like so.” Kurogiri showed how to neatly tuck in both garments, then handed a shirt over for Izuku to do the same. “Now you try.”
“Um…” Izuku stared, before awkwardly trying to fold the huge shirt the way Kurogiri had just taught him, but he could hardly remember the movements. He flushed when it looked more like a crumpled mess than a properly folded shirt.
Kurogiri simply smiled, laying a hand on Izuku’s head and giving him a few gentle pats. “Just keep trying, Your Majesty. Persistence is a virtue.”
Whatever that meant. But Izuku merely nodded, trying once again to neatly tuck the shirt in the proper folds. And once again, utterly failing. He huffed, holding out the shirt and glaring at it as though it had personally offended him with its existence.
Dad was so tall, Izuku mused, drawing it closer and holding it to his own comparatively tiny chest. He wondered if he’d ever be that tall one day, imposing and strong and cool like Dad. Daddy had been just as tall as Dad after all—
He shook that train of thought away, turning to ask Kurogiri to show him how to fold the shirt properly again, but the man looked busy. Staring down at the shirt in his hands once more, Izuku got another idea. Folding it was clearly a lost cause for him, but…
He approached the mirror silently and slipped the big shirt over his head, letting it drape around him. He held in a snort as he stared at himself. He looked like he was wearing a dress. Dad always looked so cool though. Would he ever be like that?
Izuku stared at himself in the mirror a moment longer, before his gaze drifted to the bed where the rest of his father’s clothes were. It would be a long time before he was ever tall like Dad but…it wouldn’t hurt to pretend for a little bit, would it?
With Kurogiri’s back still to him, Izuku kept his footsteps light as he crept back over to the bed, snatching a pair of his father’s pants and scrambling back to the mirror. He held them out over himself for a moment before sticking a foot down one of the legs. Or, well, he tried to. He could practically fit himself down one leg completely.
Still, he was undeterred.
“It might help if you fold the hem, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri’s voice spoke up from behind, amusement coloring his tone and startling Izuku enough that he lost his balance and fell on his behind. “I believe a belt would assist you as well.”
A bit embarrassed about being caught, Izuku fumbled for words. “O-Oh, I was just—I wasn’t…”
Gentle hands under his arms lifted him back to his feet, Kurogiri handing him a belt with a kind smile after. Izuku took it, hesitating at first, but when Kurogiri began to roll the pant legs up so that Izuku wasn’t swimming in them quite as much, he shrugged and looped the belt through the pants. He had to wrap it around his waist twice, but eventually he got it to fit, keeping the trousers from falling down again.
“Thank you,” Izuku murmured, trying to ignore the heat in his face. He must look so silly to Kurogiri right now. Like a child rather than the king he was supposed to be.
“You’re welcome, Izuku,” Kurogiri said simply, brushing a hand through Izuku’s curls before standing back up. “I need to excuse myself for a moment to attend to some duties, and take your father’s shirt down to be mended by the tailor. Will you be fine by yourself?”
“Of course!” Izuku said quickly, feeling a bit flustered. “I’m not a little kid. I can take care of myself.”
“As you say, Your Majesty. Please do not touch the sharp weapons on the desk.”
“I can handle a sword!” Izuku insisted.
Kurogiri gave him a look of warning. “Under the supervision of your trainer, correct?”
…That was true. Izuku was only allowed to practice with weapons when someone else was around. He crossed his arms and huffed.
“Don’t touch them,” Kurogiri firmly ordered again, before shortly disappearing in a cloud of black mist.
As soon as he was gone, Izuku went over to the sword on the desk.
He didn’t know what the big deal was. He had been training with a sword since he was seven! Besides, with his strength he could easily wield a real sword as though it weighed as much as a stick. Kurogiri was just making a fuss over nothing.
His attention then fell to the vambraces, picking them up and observing them closely. There was a small set of glyphs carved into each of them, imbuing them with the magic that was humming through Izuku’s hands. They were of fine steelwork, sturdy and strong with a brilliant sheen. They always made Dad look like an expert swordsman whenever he wore them. Izuku slipped them over his hands, a little pout forming when they drooped down to his elbow from how loose they were.
If only he had a pair that fit him, then he and Dad could match!
Still, Izuku left them on, grabbing up the sword with excitement. He swiped it through the air experimentally, as if he was vanquishing a great foe.
But he was still missing something. What was…? Ah.
Izuku scurried over to the boots on the floor near the bed, jumping into them. He had a hard time walking back to the desk with them on, as his feet kept slipping out with each step if he wasn’t really careful. But eventually he made his way back over. He held the sword up high over his head and put a foot up on the chair, mimicking the pose of the brave knight that was on the cover of the book his dad had bought him.
He’d be just like Dad one day. Tall and strong, always fighting for what he believed in to protect his country and the people around him. He’d avenge his parents, and put an end to Todoroki’s reign—
The sound of the door handle jostled Izuku out of his fantasy, and he froze in place with a gasp as the door opened. There was a slight pause, and then it opened fully, revealing his father on the other side. Dad also froze then, red eyes full of confusion meeting Izuku’s own panicked green ones. His mouth fell open slightly, brow furrowing as he took in the sight of Izuku in his clothes and the sword in his hand.
“I…” Izuku tried to explain himself, feeling a pant leg fall down and drape around the boots. “I was just—” He moved to step off the chair.
Only to lose his balance when his other foot caught on the hem of his pants, sending him flying. He flailed as he fell backwards, sword loosening from his grip. His head and back collided painfully against the floor, but he hardly noticed as he watched the sword. It was almost as if the world had gone into slow motion, his eyes fixed on the gleaming silver blade now plummeting down towards him.
“IZUKU!”
One moment he was looking death in the eye, the next he was…on the other side of the room? He blinked in shock. Panic was squeezing his chest, preventing him from breathing properly—No, wait. That was his dad’s arms.
The sword crashed to the floor with a loud clatter in the otherwise dead silence, leaving a dent in the wooden flooring.
Dad loosened his hold on him, fear blazing in his eyes as he grasped Izuku’s chin, turning his face every which way and looking him over from head to toe. He breathed a sigh of relief then, drawing Izuku back in for a hug.
“Oh, thank goodness…” Dad murmured breathlessly, fingers brushing through Izuku’s curls. But he paused when Izuku hissed in pain, quickly pulling his hand away.
Izuku whimpered quietly, feeling a light sting at the corner of his eyes when a sharp stab of pain radiated from the back of his head. Warm blood trickled down his neck. His dad immediately shifted him around to take another look, gently feeling through his hair to try and find the wound. But Izuku could already feel the throbbing pain fading away as it began to heal over.
Dad blew out another relieved huff of air, hugging Izuku again tightly for a moment before he pushed Izuku away, whacking his shoulder gently. Dad’s red eyes glared down at him sternly. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. What were you even doing?!”
“I was…I was just pretending!” Izuku sniffled. “I just…I wanted to pretend I was a swordsman…like you…”
“My sword is not a toy, Izuku!” his dad scolded. “There’s nothing wrong with pretending, and I’m all for it if you want to dress up and play, but the sword is very dangerous. It’s silver. It’s not something for you to wave around lightly!”
“I know that!” Izuku insisted. “I know it’s not a toy!”
“So then why were you playing with it?”
“I…” Izuku looked down, unable to give a good reason.
“You could have been killed!” his father hissed, causing Izuku to wince. “Do you realize that you could have died just now if I hadn’t pulled you out of the way?!” He shook Izuku by the shoulders.
“I…I…” Izuku stammered, tears flowing down his cheeks now. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t…I didn’t mean…”
“How do you think I would feel if you died, huh?!” There were tears in Dad’s eyes now too, and Izuku hiccuped. “What would I do if you weren’t here anymore?!”
His dad was afraid of having almost lost him. Izuku could understand that. He was still always so terrified something might take his dad away from him. And yet, he hadn’t even considered how one little accident could do the same to his dad.
“…Sorry…” was all he could say. “I won’t leave you, Dad. I promise.”
Dad brought him in for another hug, one hand at his back and the other cradling his head as he held Izuku tightly. Izuku sniffled when he heard his father’s heavy, shuddering breaths and smelled salt in the air from his tears. Izuku hugged him back tightly, and it took several long moments for Dad to steady his breathing. When he finally pulled away his eyes were a little red, the anger and fear of earlier having left them, now replaced with relief.
“C’mon,” Dad said, voice softening then. Large hands lifted Izuku from under his arms, hoisting him off the ground and holding him close to a broad chest. Izuku wrapped his arms around his father, clinging to him. “Let’s go get you cleaned up, alright?”
Izuku merely nodded, burying his face into his father’s shoulder as he was carried off.
Dad walked through the long halls of the castle, making his way towards the kitchens. The servants all paused in their work to stare at them upon their entry, but his father ignored their curious looks as he rummaged through several cabinets before finding what he was searching for. Cloth in hand, he turned towards the servants, eyes landing on the closest one.
“Uraraka, right?” Dad said, and Izuku looked up from his father’s shoulder to see it was the servant they had recently hired. She looked a little nervous at being addressed directly.
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty!” She nodded quickly, bowing before them. “How may I help you? Is there anything I can get you?”
“A large bowl of hot water, please,” his father requested, and she nodded in confirmation. “…And some towels,” he added after a moment. “Bring them to the private royal dining room. We’ll be waiting there.”
Uraraka didn’t waste any time to fulfill the order, already scurrying about as Dad turned around and took his leave.
Once they made it to the dining room, he set Izuku down in a chair, taking the seat right next to him. Izuku fidgeted in the following silence, unable to look up and meet his father’s gaze.
“...I’m sorry,” he offered again, the apology barely a whisper in his own ears.
Dad exhaled softly, and out of the corner of his eye, Izuku could see his red gaze grow softer. “I know,” Dad spoke quietly, “but you’re not to do something like that ever again, understood?”
Izuku nodded dully, feeling contrition welling in his chest. “I won't,” he promised, raising a hand to brush away the sting of tears in his eyes. “I s-shouldn’t have been playing anyway. I—”
A hand laying itself atop his head caused the words to die in his mouth, Izuku peeking up from under it to see a kind, sympathetic look in his father’s eyes.
“Izuku,” Dad interrupted, “it’s okay for you to play and have fun. I wasn't mad about that. You deserve the chance to just be a kid and enjoy your childhood, the same as anyone else. All I’m saying is that I want you to be more careful from now on, and not play with things you shouldn’t.”
“O-Oh,” Izuku murmured, looking down again and clutching at the front of the oversized shirt he wore. He didn’t know how to respond to that. He hadn’t really been able to do anything like that, even before he had become king. There were always more things he needed to do and learn in order to be a proper prince, and eventual king, before his parents—
The sound of the door opening again distracted Izuku from his thoughts, light footsteps heading in their direction. They both looked up to see Uraraka, carrying over a sizable bowl full of steaming water in her hands, with towels hanging over her arms. She seemed to be struggling under the weight.
“Ah, thank you,” Dad said, standing up quickly and moving to her side to help her. He took the bowl from her, placing it down on the table as she took a deep breath and went about setting the neatly folded towels next to it. “You didn’t need to do it all at once, you know. Next time ask for help if you need it. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
“O-Oh, it’s fine, Your Majesty!” she insisted with a beaming smile, despite still seeming to be out of breath. “It was no trouble at all!”
“Still,” his dad insisted, not sounding convinced. “Don’t strain yourself.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Uraraka nodded. “Is there anything else I can do to be of assistance?”
“No, that’s all, thank you.” When Uraraka didn’t move from where she was standing, Dad added, “Uh, that’s all for now. You’re…dismissed?”
Uraraka bowed curtly, taking her leave of the table. She moved to stand near the door at the end of the room, at the ready in case they needed anything else.
Dad turned his attention back to Izuku. “Let’s get that blood cleaned up, shall we?”
He placed a towel around Izuku’s shoulders, then dipped the cloth into the hot water, wringing out the excess and bringing it up to Izuku’s hair, cleaning the bloodstained curls. When the rag grew dirty, he rinsed it back out into the bowel to remove the excess blood, then resumed his task.
“...How did the meeting go?” Izuku asked to fill the silence. He would need to know eventually, and as much as he didn’t want to be bothered with council matters at the moment, he knew it was best to get it over with now. He didn’t want to hear about it from Mirai later, or the scolding his retainer no doubt had in store for him.
“Fine,” his father answered simply as he brought up a fresh towel to soak up the excess water dripping from Izuku’s hair. “The usual, mostly. Things seem to be going well on the front, and Mirai’s spies in Hosu might learn something soon.”
“Oh. That’s good.” Izuku hummed, swinging his legs a little on the chair. “He found out where the half-lifes were coming from then?”
“Not yet. Soon though, if we’re lucky. They seem to have tracked down the general location at least.”
That was good, Izuku contemplated. Whoever was behind the unfinished turnings needed to be stopped. There was already enough needless violence between their races as it was without a rogue vampire adding to it. It went against everything his parents and grandmother had worked toward. Izuku wouldn’t allow their legacy and wishes to be tarnished that way.
His father dropped the bloodied cloth back into the now-foggy water, but this time he didn’t pick it back up, instead reaching for a clean towel and using it to dry the back of Izuku’s head. He could hear a smile in Dad’s voice when he spoke again. “I also managed to get you a day to yourself every Sunday. I thought you could use the time to relax and take a break from your kingly duties.”
Izuku turned to stare at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly. Had he…Had he heard that right?
“Seriously,” his father insisted further at Izuku’s disbelieving look. “I told them not to bother you on Sundays unless it was absolutely necessary. Mirai and Gran didn’t like that, but I managed to talk them down.”
“But I…I can’t…My duties…” Izuku stammered, feeling uncertain, relieved, and grateful all at the same time. An indescribable warmth built up in his chest as he watched his dad’s smile grow, his expression fond.
“Yes, you can. You are allowed to be a child, Izuku. Mirai, Gran, and I can handle anything if the need arises, so there’s nothing for you to worry about. Just leave it to your father.”
“I…” Izuku tried—and failed—to say, feeling as though his throat were constricting. Tears were brimming in his eyes again, but not because he was sad. This…He hadn’t expected something like this.
A day to himself every week. A day where he didn’t have to be king or bear all the royal responsibilities…
Izuku didn’t think anyone could have given him a better gift than that.
“...T-Thank you, Dad,” Izuku hiccupped, jumping off the chair and into his father’s arms, holding onto him tightly.
“Anything for my son,” Dad murmured softly, returning the hug with ease.
Izuku thought for sure his chest would explode from how full his heart felt. They stayed like that for a while, content, until his dad pulled back slightly to brush away a happy tear from Izuku’s face with his thumb.
“Now that you’re all cleaned up, do you want to go do something fun?” Dad asked. “We could go for a walk, practice magic…”
“Anything,” Izuku said, smiling from ear to ear now. He didn’t care what it was, as long as he got to spend time with his dad. “It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you’re with me.”
His father smiled in return, chuckling softly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Hisashi sighed, scratching his head as he looked around. It had been a couple days since the incident with the sword, and Izuku had since returned to his cheerful self when Hisashi had hurried him along to his evening studies. Izuku had been less than enthusiastic about it, but thankfully he hadn’t argued. Now, with Izuku occupied, it was as good a time as any to start working on a gift for his son.
Hisashi was currently looking for his servant, wanting to ask the man for his opinion on what a young boy might want as a present. But so far he hadn’t been able to find Kurogiri. Which figured. Kurogiri was always around except for when Hisashi had a burning question to ask.
Maybe he should just go back to his room and wait for Kurogiri to show up? Eventually he would. Then Hisashi wouldn’t be wasting time wandering the castle looking for him.
Though he did still need to pay Mirai a visit, much as he loathed spending any amount of time with the man. But he couldn’t very well get a gift for Izuku if he didn’t have the money to pay for one. Hopefully the order Hisashi had given would still hold its sway over Mirai, even as the dregs of borrowed power lingering in his blood had long since faded away.
Or maybe he could have Kurogiri go in his stead? The thought of asking Mirai for money outright…Hisashi shuddered. He hated having to ask others to do things for him, much preferring to do everything himself when he could. And having to ask Mirai for anything made him cringe. Ugh. He just knew the man would be incredibly pretentious about it too.
…Maybe he would save Mirai for later. He had been wanting to check in on progress with the library, after all. Nedzu would be busy with Izuku, but there were other servants that worked under Nedzu and helped him that could answer questions.
Plus, Hisashi wanted to make sure that the new section was filled with books that Izuku might actually enjoy, instead of what Mirai thought he needed to know. He didn’t doubt that Mirai would try to undermine him by slipping in the boring, educational books that filled the rest of the library. Hisashi wanted to make sure it was perfect for his son’s birthday, with a wide selection of fantasy novels and children’s tales that he doubted Izuku had ever read. Hopefully the bookstore in the city would have a variety of them available.
With that in mind, Hisashi turned on his heel and headed off towards the library, only making one wrong turn along the way (improvement!). The sounds of construction and footsteps echoed faintly from down the hall, growing steadily louder the closer Hisashi got.
When he entered the library, the place was livelier and noisier than he’d ever seen it. Workers bustled all about, both vampire and human, creating a whole new section for the children’s literature Hisashi had requested. He wasn’t sure who exactly was in charge with Nedzu busy, so he approached the first person he saw that didn’t look like they were in the middle of something.
Only to be rudely intercepted on his way over.
“Fancy seeing you here. Surprised you can even read, honestly.”
A scowl automatically set itself in Hisashi’s face as he turned to look at the speaker. Gran. Of course. Just his luck.
“…Fancy seeing you here,” he returned shortly. “Why are you even here? What business do you have here? I figured you would be busy gossiping with the servants.”
“You ordered us to reconstruct the library, remember?” Gran answered, an insufferable sneer on the man's face. “Or have you already forgotten now that your little power trip is over?”
“I just didn’t think you’d be so enthusiastic to personally oversee the construction I ordered,” Hisashi shot back.
“Oh, I’m ecstatic about it,” Gran retorted, sarcasm dripping from his words. “Did you have anything else to request, Your Majesty? Maybe a private venue for your own personal use?”
Hisashi decided to try something different this time. Gran was being an ass as always, but this time Hisashi decided he would pretend not to notice. So he placed a hand on his chest as if flattered, keeping his tone bright and open as he said, “Why, Gran, I’m touched you asked! You’re so thoughtful. I’m really, really glad you’re taking this job so seriously. Izuku’s going to love all the work you’re putting into it. Have you found any good books for the new section yet? If not, I’m more than happy to find a few myself. I know of a bookstore in the city with a great selection that I think Izuku would enjoy.”
And oh, it worked just the way Hisashi had hoped it would. Gone was the perpetually smug look on Gran’s face, replaced now with irritation. Gran’s clear annoyance filled Hisashi with vindictive joy.
But he did not expect Gran’s hand to shoot out, grasping around his arm and yanking him hard, speeding through the library with Hisashi in tow. Gran only stopped once they were behind a bookshelf that was on the far side, secluded from the sight of any workers. The wind was knocked out of Hisashi when his back was slammed against it, books falling about them from overhead. Fingers wrapped around Hisashi’s throat and squeezed warningly, the tips of sharp claws pressing against his skin.
“Don’t toy with me, All For One,” Gran hissed out, eyes narrowed and scathing.
Being alone and cornered with Gran made him quite uncomfortable, but Hisashi rarely got the opportunity to get under the older man’s skin like this, and so he forced himself to press on. “Oh? So you can dish it out but you can’t take it?” he said tauntingly.
“Keep on testing me,” Gran warned in a low growl, his normally dark eyes unusually bright. A wide, toothy smile pulled at his lips. But oh, it wasn’t a pleasant smile. His fangs were on full display and the venom coating them gave away how angry the elder vampire actually was.
Angry at what exactly, Hisashi didn’t know. But he found himself unable to escape Gran’s burning gaze; the malicious glint in his eyes. The man’s claws pricked into his neck, and Hisashi winced when they drew beads of blood to the surface.
“Go on,” Gran whispered. “Try your luck. I dare you.”
Hisashi scowled, pushing at Gran’s chest to give himself some space, prying Gran’s hand away from his throat and wiping away the blood that had been drawn. “What is this about, Gran?” he demanded as he shoved Gran off, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. “You’re the last person I thought would be upset about setting up for Izuku’s birthday. I figured you’d be glad for the excuse to party and drink.”
“I’m plenty happy to set up for Izuku’s birthday. Mirai and I are perfectly well equipped to handle that on our own.”
Hisashi could hear the implications loud and clear. “What? You think I’m meddling?!” he snapped. “Izuku is MY son!”
That sentence earned him Gran’s hand back around his neck.
“You think you’ve got anyone here fooled?” Gran snarled, the sound rumbling deep in his throat. “Don’t make me laugh. Ain’t no one falling for this pretense of yours. You think I don’t see what you’re doing?”
“I think you need to get your eyes checked, old man!” Hisashi spat back. “You seriously think I’m scheming?! You’re delusional.”
“Am I?” Gran’s hand tightened, fingers constricting around Hisashi’s throat in warning. “I find you wandering the halls, with Izuku bleeding in your arms. He refuses to tell us anything about what happened. Then the next day, you prance about the council after gorging yourself on his blood, dealing out orders left and right as if you were actually a Midoriya. What’s next? You setting yourself up to play at being a king more often to try and lord over us? I’m not so blind.”
What bullcrap! Hisashi felt himself bristling. “Perhaps you missed it, but I am a Midoriya now. In name at least, which is more than can be said for you. Honestly, Gran, sometimes you sound jealous,” he accused snappishly. “Whether of my position in the royal family, or my position as someone important to Izuku. But what right do you have to the royal family?”
Gran actually…flinched. It was minute, but Hisashi swore he saw something complicated pass over Gran’s face, quick as a flash.
“Besides, you constantly accusing me of scheming is rich, considering how many times you and Mirai have tried to kill me,” Hisashi continued in a low voice, despite the claws still digging into his neck. “I bet you still conspire about it. Probably even dream about it. Finding any little excuse to try and make me the bad guy. But it’s YOU who has been causing all of this turmoil. YOU who has been neglecting Izuku’s emotional and mental health. YOU who keeps adding weight to that poor boy’s shoulders. If you actually care for him, then why do you keep trying to stop me from helping him?!”
Gran slammed him against the bookshelf once more in a fit of anger. “You’re not helping him!” he roared in Hisashi’s face. “You’re taking advantage of him; using him for your own gain! I bet first chance you get you’ll drain that boy dry!” He leaned in until Hisashi could feel his breath on his face. “And I won’t let that happen. I won’t let you hurt him. I won’t let anything hurt the royal family ever again.”
“I would never hurt Izuku!” Hisashi shouted back at Gran, highly offended by his accusation. “Whether you accept it or not, Izuku is my son. Whether you believe it or not, I actually care about him. Unlike you, you selfish jerk! Have you ever thought about anyone besides yourself even once in your life?!”
“I—” Gran started.
But Hisashi’s anger was bubbling over now. “Aren’t you supposed to be like, the royal bodyguard or something? The personal protector for the royal family? No wonder so many of them have died under your watch!”
Gran actually stumbled back as if struck, eyes wide, staring at Hisashi in numb shock.
Hisashi regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. As much as he hated Gran, that had been incredibly insensitive.
Gran’s expression pinched, something like guilt and deep sorrow shining in his eyes, making Hisashi wince.
Hisashi sighed. “…Gran, look, I—”
But Gran was already gone.
Hisashi swallowed thickly at the vacant space before him, his insides churning unpleasantly as regret swirled within him. That…That had been a little too far on his part. Briefly, he wondered if he should apologize to Gran. But he had no idea where the man might have gone, and Hisashi doubted he would be able to approach him even if he did. He suspected Gran would just disappear in a burst of speed if he managed to find the man. Or slash his throat for his barbed jabs.
Hisashi sighed. It would be best to leave Gran alone for now and apologize to him later when they had both settled down. Right now, he needed to focus his attention elsewhere.
Forcing himself to concentrate on the too-loud sounds of people working to drown out his thoughts, Hisashi walked back to oversee how the construction of the new library section was coming along. He was pleased to find that it was already well under way, due in no small part to a human carpenter with a specialization in magic centered around manipulating wood. Searching around a bit, Hisashi pulled one of Nedzu’s underlings to the side, letting them know that he’d place an order for children’s books with the bookshop in the city the next time he went out.
With all that taken care of, Hisashi then left the library to once more try and track down Kurogiri. He ended up wandering around for a few minutes before deciding to go with his earlier plan, and just wait in his room for Kurogiri to eventually show up. But only moments after he made that decision, he came across the very person he’d been looking for upon turning the next corner.
Hisashi brightened when he saw Kurogiri, picking up his pace towards him. He noticed the moment his servant saw him as well, as Kurogiri’s frown smoothed into relief.
“Your Majesty,” Kurogiri greeted with a slight bow, sounding just a bit exasperated. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere. It is unlike you to be outside the vicinity of your bedroom or the training grounds.”
“Huh?” Hisashi blinked, staring incredulously. Did Kurogiri just imply he was a shut-in? “What do you mean? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Then it is fortunate that we found each other,” Kurogiri conceded with a small smile. “Was there something you needed me for specifically, Your Majesty?”
“I, uh, yeah. Sorta,” Hisashi began, feeling a tinge of heat creep into his cheeks. “I need help figuring out a gift. For Izuku. I’m…not really sure what he would like. I thought you might be able to help. What does Tenko enjoy?”
Kurogiri blinked, then started listing off so many possible gift ideas for young boys that Hisashi felt his head start to spin. Apparently his servant noticed, as he cut himself off from continuing the list. He regarded Hisashi for a moment, before offering one more recommendation.
“...I believe His Majesty would be most favorable if he were to receive an attire like your own,” Kurogiri suggested lightly. “He did seem to enjoy himself quite a bit when trying on your clothes.”
“Are you suggesting that I get us matching outfits?” Hisashi asked, his eye twitching a little.
“Yes,” Kurogiri answered bluntly. “He seemed rather interested in your vambraces as well. I’m sure he’d love a pair of his own. Especially if they matched his father’s.”
Hisashi considered it. Perhaps if Izuku had matching clothes, he wouldn’t dress up in Hisashi’s anymore. Then they would never have to have a repeat incident of earlier. Izuku wouldn’t be in danger from playing with Hisashi’s things if he had his own. That was…a very good idea actually. He could get him something similar to when he had been roaming about the countryside, with his own little vambraces, a little sword (with a dull edge and not made of silver), and a well-crafted pair of boots.
“Yeah, alright. Let’s do that then.” Hisashi nodded in approval.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I do believe the tailor is in today if you wanted to stop by and drop off your order,” Kurogiri said.
Oh no. The tailor. Hisashi held in a shudder. “R-Right. Um, about that…” There was absolutely no way he was going to see Hakamata alone. “I’ll, uh, need you to come with me.”
Kurogiri tilted his head, looking mildly confused. “Sir?”
“To, uh…help,” Hisashi answered somewhat stiffly, unwilling to share that story with him. “I don’t know anything about fashion and clearly you do. So. I’d like you to accompany me to the tailor. For a second opinion.”
“Very well then, Sire. I’m happy to be of service,” Kurogiri agreed, and Hisashi almost sighed in relief, thankful that the man hadn’t questioned him. “I can warp us there if you’d like?”
“…Fine. But if he tries anything funny you have to warp me back out.”
“Try anything funny?” Kurogiri looked even more confused now, hand consumed in the twisting black energy of the warp spell.
Hisashi didn’t know how to explain things without revealing information he didn’t want anyone knowing, so he just sputtered and shifted in place. “Y-You never know!”
“...As you wish, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri obliged, and Hisashi could practically feel the man raising an eyebrow at him, even as he stepped through the black mist that Kurogiri conjured into existence.
They reappeared in front of the tailor’s door, Kurogiri knocking. Once they heard the “come in!” from Hakamata inside, Hisashi gestured for Kurogiri to enter.
“You go first,” Hisashi insisted, opening the door for him.
“That would hardly be appropriate, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri denied.
But Hisashi was not taking no for an answer. He placed a hand on Kurogiri’s back and forcibly pushed him inside, which conveniently put Hisashi right behind the man.
No, he was not cowering. He was not hiding. Kurogiri was just in the way. That was all. If Hisashi was hunched down a bit to be less visible behind him, that was only coincidence.
“Ah, Kurogiri! Here to pick up the clothes I mended? I must say that I’ve outdone myself this time. They’re surely to be to the King Father’s liking,” Hakamata greeted Kurogiri. Hisashi stiffened when the tailor’s visible eye traveled past his servant, landing on himself instead. A pleased smile grew on Hakamata’s lips. “Oh, Your Majesty! I wasn’t expecting to see you today. Did you need me to personally attend to your clothes again?”
“No!” Hisashi spoke quickly before Hakamata could get any ideas, all too aware of that piercing gaze searching every inch of his form. “That won’t be necessary! I’m here to, ah…make a request. Yeah. For a set of outfits. Two actually.”
“Oh, an outfit, Sire?” Hakamata asked, sounding excited at the request, waving at Hisashi and Kurogiri to come closer.
Hisashi didn’t move, even as Kurogiri walked ahead. Though he paused when he noticed Hisashi still standing in place.
Hakamata tutted. “There’s no need to be shy, Your Majesty. What was it you had in mind?”
Hisashi flushed. “I’m not being shy!” he insisted. “I’m being reasonably cautious!”
Hakamata frowned. “Whatever for?”
“You know very well what for!” Hisashi accused, adamantly ignoring the amused look creeping onto Kurogiri’s face.
“I assure you I do not, My Liege. But if I have given cause for affront then I must offer my sincerest apologies.” Hakamata bowed politely, though the confusion was clear on his face when he straightened back up. “But as you were saying, Your Majesty?”
…Did he seriously not remember stripping Hisashi naked?!
Hisashi grumbled incoherently under his breath before heaving a sigh. “Fine. Whatever. Apology accepted, I guess. I, um, I came here for Izuku’s birthday. I would like to get us some, uh, matching outfits.”
Hakamata clapped his hands together, eyes lighting up. “Matching outfits! How wonderful! Adorable! A fantastic idea.”
Hisashi’s shoulders relaxed from their tense state. The request was out now. It was done. And nothing bad had happened.
“Do you have any ideas in mind for what type of outfits you’d like?” the tailor continued excitedly. “Designs? Casual-wear? Formal-wear? Something roguish perhaps?” He got that little book of his designs out and waved Hisashi over.
Hisashi not-so-subtly pushed Kurogiri forward, only inching a little closer when Kurogiri moved.
“Uhh, well it’s a set of matching outfits for Izuku and I to wear on his birthday?” Hisashi suggested. The idea made him cringe a bit, but he was certain it was something Izuku would love. “So like. Kind of formal-wear, I guess? But not super formal. Casual enough to enjoy a party in.”
Hakamata nodded, busy jotting notes down in his book. “Of course, of course. Anything else?”
“And matching boots too,” Hisashi added in. “Something comfortable. Nothing stupid like the nobles like to wear.”
“I hardly believe they are stupid, but as you desire, Your Majesty.”
“Uhh, later I’ll also have Kurogiri bring down one of my older outfits. If you could make a replica of that in Izuku’s size for him, that would be great.”
“Oh, you mean from your days as a hunter, Your Majesty?” Hakamata inquired curiously, to which Hisashi simply nodded. “I can easily do that, Your Majesty. I’ll even see to it that I fix your old outfit so that it’s as good as new!”
“Uh, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Hisashi waved him off quickly, not wanting his old clothes to be tampered with. “Just make a copy in a smaller size for Izuku. That’s all I want you to do.”
“Oh very well,” Hakamata huffed impertinitely. “But since you’re already here, I would like to beg a favor of you, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi squinted suspiciously. “What kind of favor?”
“I went ahead and made several new outfits for you, in the event of a special occasion, such as formal dinners, balls, and public outings,” the man explained, gesturing to several wooden dress forms all wearing various outfits. “Since you’re new to royalty, I thought it was prudent that you have a wide selection to choose from, rather than wearing the same droll outfit every day like a commoner.”
Hisashi wrinkled his nose at the jab towards the common folk. What was wrong with wearing the same outfit multiple times in a row? “And? What are you getting at? What do you want?” He tried to cut to the chase.
“Well, I can’t very well know how well an outfit suits you until I see it being worn firsthand. Then I can make any necessary adjustments needed,” Hakamata explained, and gestured to a large privacy screen. “If such a request is not too much trouble for you, you may change behind the room divider. I know how prudish you are, Your Majesty.”
Ugh, he really didn’t want to. And he wasn’t a prude! It was these strange nobles that were far too blasé about nudity! “Uh, well, you know, I’m kind of busy and—”
“It surely won’t take much of your time,” Hakamata insisted. He began shooing Hisashi towards the divider. “It’s only a few outfits.”
Hisashi kept protesting despite the hands pushing him back. Despite the polite request, Hakamata didn’t seem interested in taking “no” as an answer. “But—!”
“I’ll return shortly, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri spoke up as Hisashi reluctantly went behind the divider.
Kurogiri was abandoning him to his fate! He couldn’t believe it!
“If you would try these on, Your Majesty,” Hakamata interrupted before Hisashi could say anything to his servant, pushing a set of clothes into his arms and retreating before he could protest further.
Hisashi groaned, staring at the clothes with distaste.
“Call me if you require any assistance with putting them on!” Hakamata said. “I’ve heard you have trouble with some of the fancier clothes.”
“I do not and I can dress myself just fine!” Hisashi snapped irritably. He would try these outfits on just to prove Hakamata—and whoever was spreading these rumors—wrong! Though he felt his cheeks heat up at the idea that other people knew he had trouble with his clothes—which he didn’t! It wasn’t him! He could totally put on normal clothes. It was just that the clothes they gave him were not normal.
He grumbled his way through donning an outfit, annoyed with all the buttons and cuffs and fancy adornments to it. What was wrong with simple pants and shirts? Still, he got it on just fine (he hoped). Take that Kurogiri!
“Ah, it looks remarkable on you, Your Majesty!” Hakamata clapped after Hisashi stepped out, looking him over. “Though I think the sleeves are a little on the long side…I’ll need to fix that later. Oh, and the cuffs are meant to be held by the cufflinks, Your Majesty,” he explained as he fixed them.
“Whatever,” Hisashi muttered, mildly embarrassed that he didn’t get that part right. “Is this all you wanted? I can change back into my regular clothes and go now, right?”
“After a few more outfits, Your Majesty. I promise it won’t take long. If you would, please place them to the side and I’ll take care of them later.”
“This isn’t enough?” Hisashi huffed.
“You’ve tried on ONE outfit,” Hakamata pointed out.
Hisashi refrained from stomping as he went back behind the privacy screen and ripped off the clothes he was wearing. He chucked them over the top of the divider, feeling some satisfaction at the offended noise Hakamata let out from his treatment of the clothes. Once he’d gotten a second outfit on, a bit more carelessly than the first, he stepped out.
He had barely even moved away from the divider before Hakamata was forcibly pushing him back.
“Nope. Immediate no. Oh those colours look dreadful on you. What was I thinking with that pattern? Doesn’t suit you at all,” he griped. “Take it off right now.”
“Okay, okay!” Hisashi batted at Hakamata’s hands, the tailor seemingly so offended by the outfit he began to try and rip it off himself. “No need to get so worked up about it. They’re just clothes.” He didn’t understand what was wrong with the colours, but then, Hisashi had never cared much about fashion.
Thankfully, the next few outfits he tried on were to Hakamta’s delight. Though with each new one, Hisashi felt more and more worn out.
“Yes! Beautiful! Now walk towards me—no, no, not like that. Strut! Show it off! Oh those clothes are perfect on you!” Hakamata cheered.
“...It’s not bad,” Hisashi admitted as he looked himself over. They were strange looking clothes though, as he had never seen this kind before. And the thing that Hakamata tied around his neck, which was distinctly unlike a cravat, was constricting. “What are these anyway?”
“A new style I’ve been meaning to try out!” Hakamata explained. “I’m calling it a tuxedo; a simple but elegant style for every occasion. I was hoping it would become all the rage among the nobles once you wore it to an event.”
Hisashi rather thought the thing around his neck could be used as a strangulation device, but nobles were weird. Perhaps it was new fashion. He wouldn’t know.
“It’s missing something though…” Hakamata began to frantically dig in the drawer of his desk. “Aha!”
Hisashi reeled back as the tailor got much too close to him. “Hey! What—?”
Something cold and metal clasped around the cuff of his ear, and Hisashi shook his head reflexively.
“Stop that,” Hakamata scolded him. Lithe hands then buried themselves in Hisashi’s hair, tugging and arranging the curls.
He was not as gentle as Kurogiri, and Hisashi couldn’t explain why he felt uncomfortable with someone besides Kurogiri and Izuku styling his hair. It was only hair, he shouldn’t get worked up about it. And yet he couldn’t help but hate it.
But Hakamata was super overbearing, as he ordered Hisashi to pose in certain ways, walk the room and show off the clothes, his hands always adjusting and pulling and pushing.
Hisashi was getting very sick of being the tailor’s dress-up doll.
“Alright, I’m drawing the line here!” he protested. “I think I’ve tried on enough outfits, and I’m done! I’ve got things to do today!”
“Your Majesty, there’s only a few more to try—”
The sound of a door opening interrupted Hakamata, and Hisashi felt immense relief when he saw Kurogiri re-entering the room. Kurogiri looked at him and the outfit he wore, and smiled.
“You’re looking rather dapper, Your Majesty,” he praised. “Though I admit I am not familiar with that style…”
Before Hakamata could launch into a long-winded ramble about fashion, Hisashi said, “Thanks, are you ready to go? I’m ready to go. Let’s go.” And rushed to get changed back to his normal clothes.
But Hakamata followed him hurriedly. “Wait! This is going so well! Just a few more, Your Majesty. You’re the best model I’ve had in a long while. How about this outfit? Just try this one more! I simply must see how this one looks!”
Hisashi squawked at Hakamata suddenly appearing behind the divider with him. “Go away!”
“Please, Your Majesty, I must insist on—”
Hisashi began to struggle with the tailor as Hakamata attempted to force the new outfit on him. “Stop it!”
The fight only lasted a few moments before Hakamata was suddenly swallowed up in a black mist, and warped three feet away from Hisashi.
“I don’t believe that is any way to treat royalty, Hakamata,” Kurogiri scolded the tailor, disapproval coloring his tone. His arms were crossed as he moved to stand between Hakamata and the privacy screen Hisashi was behind.
Hakamata huffed in agitation. “The artistic views of a designer are never appreciated,” he bemoaned himself. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I understand that you are disrespecting His Majesty,” Kurogiri said curtly.
Hisashi hurriedly began to change back to his normal clothes as Kurogiri held Hakamata off.
“I doubt His Majesty King Izuku would appreciate hearing his father was treated in such a manner; as if he were a hired hand to serve as a model,” Kurogiri continued.
Finished, but not willing to face Hakamata’s special brand of crazy again, Hisashi reached out from behind the divider and tugged on the back of Kurogiri’s shirt, hoping the man would get the clue that he was ready to leave.
And once again, he was grateful that they had hired such a perceptive servant. Kurogiri took the hint immediately. “Your Majesty, let me escort you to your next appointment,” he said.
Hisashi scuttled behind him as Kurogiri ushered him towards the door.
“Good day, Hakamata,” Kurogiri dismissed curtly, shutting the door firmly behind them before Hakamata could say anything else.
Hisashi breathed a long sigh of relief. “Thank you for getting me out of there,” he said gratefully. Though he would never, ever visit Hakamata again if he could help it. “Will you pick up the outfits for me when they’re ready?”
“Of course.” Kurogiri nodded in confirmation. “Now, I believe the next order of business is to visit Mirai? Afterwards, we’re to go to the city to prepare His Majesty’s birthday gifts, yes? I believe he would enjoy new toys. An action figure perhaps, or maybe a stuffed animal?”
Hisashi grumbled at the mention of Mirai. The less he had to do with that man, the better. “Definitely. I also want to go into the city to commission matching vambraces for Izuku right away, and order some children’s books for the library.”
“A good idea, Your Majesty. Perhaps after we speak with Mirai, though? You might as well get that out of the way since we are still here.”
Hisashi’s shoulders slumped heavily, a great sigh leaving him. “Fine,” he grumbled.
As he did so, Kurogiri spoke up, “I know I have other tasks around the castle to complete for you today, Your Majesty, but please allow me to instead remain by your side and accompany you for the rest of the day instead.”
Hisashi felt a bit ashamed of just how much relief that idea brought him. “Yes,” he blurted out, a little too quickly. He cleared his throat and tried again, “That would, uh, be acceptable.”
“Excellent. After you then, Hisashi.”
Hisashi mentally pumped himself up. It was time to go see Mirai. Unfortunately.
Notes:
Not the boss of me.
Kurogiri: “Don’t touch the weapons while I’m gone, Izuku.”
Izuku: “You can’t tell me what to do! I’m the king!”
Kurogiri: *disappointed dad aura*
Izuku: “…You’re…not the boss of me…”
Kurogiri: *disappointed dad aura increases*
Izuku: “…sorry.” 🥺
The Shut-In.
Kurogiri: “Now where could Hisashi be? I’ve looked everywhere for him! His bedroom and the training grounds! Those are the only places he really goes on his own!”
Hisashi: *coming out of the library*
Kurogiri: *shocked* “He’s…he’s expanding his horizons. Exploring new territory. Breaking out of his hermit shell. I’m so proud of him!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 25
Summary:
As he did so, Kurogiri spoke up, “I know I have other tasks around the castle to complete for you today, Your Majesty, but please allow me to instead remain by your side and accompany you for the rest of the day instead.”
Hisashi felt a bit ashamed of just how much relief that idea brought him. “Yes,” he blurted out, a little too quickly. He cleared his throat and tried again, “That would, uh, be acceptable.”
“Excellent.” Kurogiri turned back around once Hisashi had fully changed. “After you then, Hisashi.”
Hisashi mentally pumped himself up. It was time to go see Mirai. Unfortunately.
Notes:
There will be no home-grown strawberries for Ilentari this summer bc the squirrels have decimated the garden 😂😂 RIP or whatever I guess. Squirrels gotta eat too.
Anyway, as always, this fic has wonderful art based on it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi took a deep breath and paused just outside the door of Mirai’s study, a hand raised and ready to knock. He hesitated before doing so, dreading the man waiting on the other side. But with a slow exhale, he hardened his resolve and allowed his knuckles to rap against the door.
In response, Mirai’s calm, collected voice spoke out, “Come in.”
Hisashi turned the handle and pushed the door open, Kurogiri following behind him.
Mirai’s golden eyes shot over to him, a glare immediately settling into his expression as he set his pen to the side.
“...Evening,” Hisashi muttered.
“What brings you here?” Mirai spoke curtly, mouth set into a frown and eyes narrowed, clearly displeased with Hisashi’s presence.
Hisashi couldn’t say he was pleased either to be in Mirai’s. He had been in the room for less than a minute and the atmosphere was already tense—which was the whole reason he hadn’t wanted to visit Mirai. Still, it was for his son’s sake. He had to keep his temper, get the coin, thank the man, and get out. Easy.
“You know why,” Hisashi huffed, struggling to reign in his own irritation towards Mirai. He had no intentions of getting into another argument with the man. “It’s about that weekly stipend. I need it now. I’m going into town for business and I need money to get it done.”
“Oh?” Mirai mused, leaning back in his chair, hands folded over each other. Golden eyes glinted behind his glasses. “Making demands again I see.”
Hisashi inhaled sharply, reminding himself to not let Mirai get under his skin. It was hard though. “It’s for Izuku’s birthday,” he reminded the man.
“Ah, yes. And you want royal money to pay for it.” Mirai didn’t sneer, but it was a close thing.
“As a member of the royal family, yes,” Hisashi grit out firmly.
“Very well then,” Mirai relented. He pulled out a velvet pouch filled to the brim with coins from a desk drawer, dropping it onto the desk for Hisashi to take.
Hisashi frowned, staring suspiciously at Mirai. That had been a little too easy.
“Thank you?” he said tentatively, picking it up and loosening the strings around the neck of the pouch. He reached in, intending to grab the coins to count them, when the tips of his fingers seared as soon as they brushed against the metal. Hisashi whisked his hand away sharply, shaking it out. He stared at his reddened fingers, then back to Mirai. “The hell?!”
Mirai looked back cooly, face impassive. “Is there a problem, Your Majesty?”
“You know damn well there is!” Hisashi pointed at him accusingly, before shaking his hand again with a hiss, fingers still stinging.
“You asked for money; I have given you money. And now you’re complaining? Again?”
“You gave me silver!” Hisashi growled.
“Yes, well, I certainly can’t trust you with a substantial amount of gold, can I?” Mirai sniffed. “Such a large quantity of coin would make you a target for any ruffian roaming the streets.”
“What kind of flimsy excuse is that?!” Hisashi snapped, glaring at Mirai. “I could totally take on anyone who tried to come at me and you know it!” Hisashi’s pride felt a bit bruised at the insinuation he couldn’t handle ruffians.
“Besides, I hardly see the need for you to have money to begin with,” Mirai commented dryly as though Hisashi hadn’t spoken. “How do you intend to spend it if you can’t leave the vicinity of the castle without His Majesty? It would be a poor present if he already knows what he’s to be gifted beforehand.”
“I can leave,” Hisashi said, trying not to feel too triumphant at the reminder that his previous orders no longer held him down. “I can do whatever I’d like now. Izuku has revoked all orders he put on me.” A thought occurred to him then, and Hisashi smirked. “You know what that means?” He leaned forward, locking eyes with Mirai. “There’s nothing stopping me from attacking you or Gran in revenge.” He let silence hang between them for a moment. “…Nothing but my own self-control, of course. Aren’t you lucky?”
Mirai slammed his hands on his desk, eyes blazing and nostrils flared. But Hisashi could still see a hint of something like fear in his eyes as he hissed, “Are you threatening me?!”
“I’m just stating facts.” Hisashi held his hands up in an innocent gesture.
“Supposing that what you’re saying is even true,” Mirai snapped. “Because if it were, then surely you would have taken your leave by now.” Mirai squinted at him. “Or is that what this is really about?”
“I have no intention of leaving, nor am I a thief!” Hisashi hissed back, insulted by the insinuation.
“What other reason would you have to stay, other than to bleed the royal treasury dry?!”
“Maybe because Izuku is my son?! Because I care for him? Because I lo—” Hisashi cut himself off with a cough. It was easy to tell Izuku he loved him. Not as easy to admit such a thing to Mirai of all people.
But that only incensed Mirai further. “Oh, as if I would believe that for even a second! You don’t—”
“I think we are done here for the day.”
Both vampires jumped in surprise as Kurogiri spoke up. He had been so quiet that Hisashi had almost forgotten he was there, caught up in his argument with Mirai as he was.
The servant came forward and took the bag of silver coins, inspecting it. “This is plenty, actually. I would thank you for your generosity, Lord Mirai, but it does happen to be royal money, and not your own.”
Hisashi wished he could be as good at subtle insults and backhanded compliments the way Kurogiri was.
Kurogiri touched his elbow lightly to get his attention. “Your Majesty, may I remind you we don’t have long before your son’s lessons are finished for the day? If you’d like to get to the city and back before he notices, we’d best be off.”
“Right.” Hisashi breathed out slowly, trying to reign in his temper. “Let’s go then. If we have any spare time after we’re finished we can find a toy or something for Izuku. For some reason he doesn’t seem to have any.”
Hisashi looked pointedly at Mirai as he said so, but didn’t give Mirai a chance to respond before he was taking his leave, Kurogiri trailing behind him dutifully. Hisashi all but slammed the door shut once they exited the room. Kurogiri stood patiently to the side, the servant’s expression kept impassive with practiced ease.
“...Sorry about that,” Hisashi offered with a grumble, brushing his hand against his temple in a vain attempt to banish his headache. But the movement reminded him of his still burned fingers, and he quickly drew them away. He stared at them for a moment, then sighed wearily. “Mirai and I don’t exactly…get along, you could say.”
“I can see that,” Kurogiri responded neutrally. He reached out and took Hisashi’s hand, startling Hisashi briefly, but he relaxed when Kurogiri only inspected the light burns on his fingers from the silver. “These aren’t too bad, but they won’t heal fast due to being inflicted by silver. Would you like me to wrap them before we go? We can bandage and treat them so it won't hurt you to touch things.”
“Oh, uh, do we have time?” Hisashi asked.
Kurogiri patted the back of his hand with a smile. “We have time, Your Majesty. I may have exaggerated how long it is before Izuku’s classes are over with to get us out of there.”
“Ah. Well, okay then. If you think it’s necessary.”
Kurogiri opened a portal, and Hisashi stepped through it to a room he had never seen before. His nose wrinkled at the smell of chemicals and various vaguely familiar fragrances he couldn’t identify. Around them were a multitude of cabinets, a bed, and a desk with various vials and jars that held strange substances.
Kurogiri spoke as he began rifling through some shelves, “If I may suggest, My Liege, I believe it would be wise to purchase some gloves while we are in the city. It would prevent this incident from occurring a second time, should you need to make more purchases.”
“Fine with me,” Hisashi mused as Kurogiri came back over, bringing over bandages and medication to treat his wounds. “As long as we have enough money to put the order in for Izuku’s gift.”
“I’m certain there will be, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri informed him, applying the salve and then wrapping the bandages around his fingers. “Despite Lord Mirai’s…abrasiveness…he has given you a substantial amount of coin. He likely cares that His Majesty receives a worthy gift.”
“He definitely will,” Hisashi said confidently. “I’m going to make sure Izuku has an amazing birthday.” He paused as something occurred to him. “…Can you hold onto the coin? Since I can’t touch it and all.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri nodded as he finished wrapping up the bandages, taking the pouch when it was offered to him.
“Now that that’s done, think you can warp us to the city?” Hisashi asked, observing Kurogiri’s handiwork before looking over to his servant.
“I’m afraid not.” Kurogiri shook his head. When Hisashi’s brows pinched in confusion, he explained, “The further the distance between my current location and desired destination, the more strenuous it is on my magic. Warping throughout the castle expends little energy, due to my destinations being fairly close to one another. Larger jumps between locations causes a significant drain on my magic and exhausts me. I can only make a few large jumps each day, which I usually reserve for getting to and from my own residence to the palace.”
“Oh.” Hisashi hadn’t known that. “Guess we walk then.”
“I’ll get you a parasol, Your Majesty.”
“I hate those things,” Hisashi grumbled under his breath.
If Kurogiri heard him, he made no mention of it, retrieving a parasol once they neared the main castle doors.
Hisashi took it, staring at the thing in offense. “There has to be a magical solution to this somehow,” he muttered. But he opened it up all the same once they left the interior of the castle, where the harsh rays of the summer sun beamed down on them. His mouth already felt a little drier just from the heat.
“If you find one, be sure to let me know,” Kurogiri said, a smile curling at his mouth.
Hisashi hummed to acknowledge him, but once they reached the city, he was on the lookout for a smithy’s. He knew where the bookshop and the toy store were, but he wasn’t sure where to go to commission a pair of vambraces.
Unlike the other times he’d been in the city, it was more crowded that day for some reason. Less people ogled him since Izuku wasn’t with him, but there were still a few that turned to stare, making Hisashi uncomfortable. Why did people always stare at him? He supposed that was one thing the parasol was good for: he could angle it to hide his face from others and block their view.
“There’s a lot of people here today,” Hisashi murmured as they walked through the streets, having trouble making his way through them without accidentally bumping into others. “More so than usual, I mean.”
“It is that time of the month,” Kurogiri said offhandedly. Hisashi went to ask what he meant, but he wasn’t given the chance when Kurogiri continued speaking, gesturing to another street. “I know of a smithy down this way, Your Majesty. He is of good reputation—my former master commissioned several works from him before his passing.”
“Oh, thanks.” Hisashi waved for Kurogiri to lead the way, more than willing to follow the man to keep from getting lost like the times before. He regarded Kurogiri curiously. “Your old master. Uh…Shimura, right? He liked to train with swords as well?”
“It was more for decorative use than practical,” Kurogiri answered as they walked on. “Though he did practice the forms on occasion, it was not his passion. It was more of an obligation to him than anything.”
“Oh.” Hisashi couldn’t imagine it not being a passion. It had been his entire way of life for years! “...So what did he like then?”
“Painting, for one. He quite enjoyed the arts, and could spend hours observing a work,” Kurogiri said quietly. “Horseback riding was another hobby he favored.”
“Hobby?” Hisashi squinted incredulously. “Horseback riding is a necessity! If one wants to get around faster than walking, that is. How would someone ride as a hobby?”
Kurogiri shrugged. “Those of higher status have no need to learn things for necessity the way common folk do. They have others to do things for them, after all. And my old master was a fan of dressage.”
What the hell was dressage?!
“…I see,” Hisashi said, not wanting to admit he had no idea what Kurogiri was talking about.
“How about yourself, Your Majesty? Did you learn any of the arts?” Kurogiri asked.
“Uhh, I learned the art of hunting?” Hisashi answered, though he was uncertain if that actually counted. “I know how to track and survive in the wilderness. I guess weapon training could be considered my ‘hobby’ now? And I enjoy practicing and learning new magic wherever I can.”
“I see,” Kurogiri echoed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “What kind of magic are you proficient in, then?”
“All kinds,” Hisashi answered eagerly. “I have a talent for nearly all branches of magic. My mentor had me master every spell I could get my hands on. Things like lightning strikes, ice storms, fire bolts, and earth manipulation. Those are just the basics though. Also spells for things like self-defense, protection of the mind, and tracking. I tend to favor mid to long distance offensive magic, though.”
“Truly?” Kurogiri mused, regarding him curiously. “It is a bit strange to be able to use so many different kinds of magic so easily.”
“It is?” Hisashi asked, surprised. Huh. He’d never thought of it as strange. Sure, people usually specialized in a specific type of magic, but he had seen other people use different types without trouble. Surely it wasn’t that odd. He just had a broader range than most people. “I’ll take your word for it. Though one type of magic I was never able to use was healing.”
“Healing magic is very tricky. It seems more that one either has an innate ability to use it, or they don’t. And if they don’t, it’s near impossible to learn,” Kurogiri said thoughtfully.
Hisashi blinked. That sounded like personal experience. “Did you try to learn it?”
Kurogiri sighed. “I did, yes. When I first had Tenko in my care after the…incident. But I never could seem to fully grasp it. The most I can do is heal small scrapes.”
Hisashi nodded. Healing magic was very tricky. He’d been astonished the first time he’d watched Izuku wield it like it was nothing. Perhaps it was something he had inherited from his mother.
As they turned a corner, Hisashi had to side-step quickly to avoid a cluster of people that were right there. “Sorry!” he apologized for the near miss. “I didn’t—”
A scent hit his nose then, one that left his mouth immediately watering in the wake of it. His eyes narrowed in on a long lineup of humans before a small building. Every time the door opened for someone to go in or out, a fresh wave of that scent practically smacked him in the face.
Blood.
“W-What’s going on?” he stammered.
He winced when his fangs gave a pulsing ache, baring past his lips instinctively when someone cloaked in the smell walked by him. He quickly sucked in a breath, slapping a hand over his mouth in response. His other hand instinctively reached for his sword, watching as more humans entered the building that reeked of blood, while others exited with the scent clinging to them strongly. Yet as his eyes roved over the humans that left, he could find no wounds on their bodies. Only a small bandage on their elbow or wrist and a blue marking on their hand.
“It’s collection day,” Kurogiri said mildly from his side. “Where we humans pay our blood tax for living in this kingdom.”
“Oh, that’s…” Hisashi shook his head, trying to focus past the enticing scent of fresh blood. He could feel his muscles tensing and readying, his entire body thrumming with anticipation to…to…
Hunt.
The realization made him retch and reel, Hisashi stumbling back, his parasol dropping from his numb hand.
“Your Majesty?!” Kurogiri called out to him in alarm, but Hisashi could hardly make out the words that buzzed against his ear.
He stared past Kurogiri, towards the crowd of faces strewn about him, when someone bumped into him. Hisashi jolted, whipping around to face them when the scent of blood nearly overpowered his nose.
“Ah, sorry!” the man said sheepishly, clutching at a spot on his arm that trickled blood past a patch of bandage. “Wasn’t paying attention. I’m still a little woozy from donating.”
Hisashi didn’t say anything, mouth hanging open and eyes locked on that spot of blood. Unconsciously, he started leaning towards it, and the man naturally backed away, clearly unsettled by his odd behaviour.
Hisashi’s hands shot out before he could think, instincts screaming that his prey was getting away. He clutched at the man’s shirt, hoisting the man up as his other hand wrapped around the man’s wrist, straightening his arm and drawing him closer. He breathed heavily, taking in that fragrant scent as his eyes glanced up for a second—
The look of cold horror in the man’s gaze was like a bucket of icy water being dumped over his head.
Hisashi dropped the man, forcibly pushing him away as he struggled to wrest his own control back into his hands. Distantly, he heard the man yelp, and Kurogiri shout his name, but he hardly paid attention as he moved on heavy legs, turning and fleeing the scene as fast as he could. All his instincts screamed at him to stop, to turn back, to feed, and tears welled in his eyes as he fought himself.
He continued to run, not daring to stop. But no matter where he went, the smell of blood, of food, permeated his surroundings, growing stronger and stronger with every passing moment. There were so many people, so much prey—
Hisashi leaned into a wall, uncaring of the stares being sent his way while he struggled to regain his thoughts. He breathed heavily through his mouth to try and escape the enticing scent around him, but it only made his mouth water more. He could almost taste it in the air, imagining himself sinking his fangs into flesh and drinking directly from the source. Imagined how filling it would be, how he knew his throbbing fangs would stop aching, and how delicious the fresh blood that would flow over his tongue would be.
Hisashi’s glowing, red eyes gazed about, landing on the nearest human. He instinctively licked his lips. A sip. Just one little sip. A quick bite and—
He slammed his eyes shut, raking his claws across the stone wall in a shower of sparks as he fought to deny the instinctive desires. He slipped into the shade of a nearby alley to try and get away as a ragged sob left him.
He couldn’t. He couldn’t. He couldn’t!
Hisashi was suddenly overcome by the strange, manic desire to rip his fangs out. Surely, if he had no fangs, he would have no urges. He wouldn’t be a danger to anyone.
Not thinking straight, he stuck his fingers in his mouth, closing them around one of his fangs and yanking on it. But for how strong he was now as a vampire, his body was more durable too, and the fang did not break.
…He would just have to try harder then.
Hisashi slumped to his knees, mind racing, hands still desperately tugging at the teeth in his mouth. Maybe if he bashed his face against the wall enough times, he could snap his fangs off. Or perhaps he just had to pull harder, try more, claw at his gums to loosen the ivory teeth. Maybe then—
“Your Majesty!” a voice called out to him.
It was hardly the focus of his attention, though, as the pounding of a heart echoed around the inside of his skull. Hisashi’s eyes drew to the source, briefly glancing over a face that was pale with fear and framed by purplish-black hair, before locking onto the man’s exposed neck.
He could practically see the carotid artery pulsing in time with the man’s rapid heartbeat.
The man—Kurogiri, he recognized in a distant way—reached for him, trying to tug Hisashi’s hands away from his mouth.
Hisashi snarled. He was terrified of what he might do once his fangs were free and uncovered, so he stubbornly bit down into his own hand. Anything to prevent himself from biting someone else. He curled his body away from Kurogiri, trying to protect his servant from himself.
“Your Majesty—Hisashi! Please, stop this!” Kurogiri was saying, futilely tugging at Hisashi’s wrist once more.
Hisashi didn’t budge an inch, merely squeezing his eyes shut, and trying to close his ears to the human’s pleas.
“Hisashi, you need to—”
“Go!” Hisashi snarled furiously, the word harsh on his throat as he jerked away from the man’s hold viciously, lashing out with his claws to push him away. “Leave!”
Kurogiri stumbled back to avoid the swipe (and Hisashi’s new instincts lamented that he had missed), but came right back immediately after. He didn’t bother trying to physically wrestle with Hisashi again, likely knowing he stood no chance against a vampire’s strength. No, his servant did something much more foolish.
He rolled up his sleeve and offered his arm out.
Hisashi’s breath caught in his lungs, and he pressed himself further into the wall with a whine. He wanted to close his eyes and turn away, but he couldn’t keep his gaze off of the offering before him. His instincts were even harder to suppress when food was right in front of him.
“No,” he whispered, more to himself than anything as tears rolled down his cheeks. “No, no, no…”
He didn’t want to (he wanted to). Didn’t want to be a monster (he wanted to feed). Didn’t want to hurt a human (he wanted prey!). He couldn’t…He couldn’t…
He needed to!
One hand moved without his permission, reaching out for Kurogiri’s arm.
Hisashi used his other hand to grasp his own wrist and yank himself away. “No!”
Kurogiri shuffled closer, moving his arm up to Hisashi’s face. “Yes,” he said firmly.
Hisashi felt trapped. He wanted to move, to get away, but his own body refused to cooperate. He could practically taste Kurogiri’s blood already, the warmth of him being so close drawing Hisashi in.
“Go on, Hisashi,” Kurogiri coaxed him quietly. “Please drink.”
Hisashi shook his head frantically, not wanting to open his mouth again. His chest was heaving rapidly as he tried to take steady breaths through his nose, but he felt as though he was choking. He couldn’t get enough air.
“It’s alright,” Kurogiri continued. “Take what you need, I’m offering it. It isn’t good for you to struggle against your instincts this much; you’re only hurting yourself. You need to drink. It’s okay.”
Hisashi practically sobbed. “It’s not o—”
Kurogiri used the opportunity to place his wrist right against Hisashi’s open mouth, and Hisashi couldn’t stop himself from reflexively biting down.
The intoxicating, wonderful rush of blood that welled in his mouth was a relief, and his fangs sunk in deeper, eager for more. Hisashi really did sob then, crying around a mouthful of blood, feeling helpless against himself. He’d lost the struggle. He was hurting someone.
And yet, Kurogiri didn’t act hurt. His other hand came up to soothingly stroke Hisashi’s hair, and he whispered reassurances as Hisashi fed.
Hisashi wanted to pull away, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. An unwanted sense of satisfaction flowed through him at the rich, warm taste of Kurogiri’s blood. It was far more enticing than any of the preserved bottles he had drunk back in the castle. Hisashi’s claws wrapped around Kurogiri’s arm in an unyielding grip, keeping it close under the primal fear that Kurogiri would pry it away. But the man did nothing of the sort, in spite of Hisashi desperately wishing he would from beneath the blood haze he found himself in.
Hisashi gulped another mouthful down his throat, easing any dryness and slaking his thirst.
…But he wanted more.
He couldn’t stop himself from drinking for another minute. But just like how his instincts sang with greedy joy at each gulp of the best meal he had ever eaten, panic also built up with every swallow. He tried pulling back, but ended up sinking his fangs in deeper. He tried to push Kurogiri away, but his hands tugged the man closer.
He needed more. (He needed to stop.)
Quietly, Kurogiri spoke, “When was the last time you drank directly from a human?”
The question brought a memory to the forefront of Hisashi’s mind, and the terrified face of a woman flashed before his eyes. She was pinned to a table, his fangs near her throat, her voice pleading—
The horrid memory was enough to break through the haze, and Hisashi ripped himself away from Kurogiri, gasping.
He saw Kurogiri look at him with a concern he didn’t deserve. He turned his head away and curled in on himself further, covering his face with a hand to keep his eyes from meeting Kurogiri’s.
“Hisashi,” Kurogiri called softly, and Hisashi winced when a gentle hand landed on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Hisashi. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“H-How can you say that? After I just…After I—!” Hisashi choked on the words, unable to even admit to what he had just done. He had sunk his fangs into a human, something he swore to himself he would never do. Had drank from Kurogiri as though he were mere prey. How could Kurogiri possibly say that he hadn’t done anything wrong? He was a monster.
“After you what? Tried to rip your own fangs out?”
Did Kurogiri really not get it?!
“After I dr-drank from you!” Hisashi shouted.
Kurogiri blinked, taken aback, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Yes? I offered you a drink, and you took it. There’s nothing wrong with that. Do you need more? Are you feeling unwell?” A hand reached forward as if to touch his forehead.
“No!” Hisashi shifted away from Kurogiri at the offer of drinking more when he had already taken so much. “I don’t want anymore! I don’t! I don’t…” he whispered frantically, hands clutching at his head as he fervently denied the desire for more. He was already a monster. A monster for drinking—
“You are not a monster,” Kurogiri said firmly, causing Hisashi to flinch when he realized he had been muttering aloud.
“Y-Yes, I am!” Hisashi insisted, shaking his head, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Is Izuku a monster?” Kurogiri asked.
Hisashi whipped around, hissing, hackles raised at the very idea. “Of course not! How dare you even think—”
“Then why are you?” Kurogiri interrupted.
Hisashi faltered. “I, uh, but he—what?”
“What makes you a monster, but not him?” Kurogiri asked patiently.
“He…He doesn’t bite humans…”
“Did he not bite you when you were human?”
“But—But that’s…” Hisashi trailed off. It was different, he just didn’t know how to explain it. Of course Izuku wasn’t a monster. His son was so young and innocent. Prone to mistakes, yes, but not a monster.
Kurogiri’s hand landed on his shoulder again, squeezing lightly. “You are no more a monster than he is.”
“But I’m—”
“You are just a person, Hisashi. Like any of us. Vampire or human, we are not monsters. We are all just people.”
More tears dripped down Hisashi’s cheeks, but he couldn’t deny the words were comforting to hear. Kurogiri waited patiently at his side for his tears to cease, rubbing his back comfortingly.
Eventually, Hisashi brought up a hand to wipe at his face as his cries died into shuddering breaths. Once he’d managed to regain himself a little, a hand was offered for him to take. He hesitated for a moment before accepting, allowing Kurogiri to help him back to his feet. As he did so, he caught sight of the gaping holes left in Kurogiri’s arms, and winced at the still trickling blood.
“I’m s-sorry…” he offered weakly, feeling ashamed of himself.
Kurogiri merely held up a hand to get him to stop, shaking his head. Then he brought up his other hand, tugging back the sleeve to reveal his wrist. Hisashi stared in shock at the pale, circular scars that dotted it.
“This is far from my first time feeding a vampire,” Kurogiri explained, touching the scars along his wrist, marred by several old bite wounds. “My son, Tenko, has drank from me many times. He was rough with his bites in the beginning, when he was still so new to being a vampire, but he learned with time.” Kurogiri smiled at him encouragingly. “Your bite may have been a little harsh, but if it truly was your first time, then you can hardly be blamed for it. And if a child can learn restraint, then I have no doubt you can as well.”
Hisashi still felt terrible for being responsible for another potential scar on Kurogiri’s arm, and inwardly resolved to never do so again. No need to learn restraint if he vowed to never feed off another human ever again.
So he just nodded, and shuffled in place somewhat awkwardly.
“It is something we’ll work on together,” Kurogiri said firmly, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “A feeding once a week seems like a good place to start.”
Hisashi swallowed thickly, dread filling him at the idea. “I-I really don’t—”
“But this is a matter for another time,” Kurogiri interrupted, not allowing him to argue. “I believe we still need to visit the smithy to commission those vambraces. Shall we be on our way, Hisashi?” Kurogiri gestured for Hisashi to follow him.
“Yeah.” Hisashi did still need to get Izuku his birthday gifts, and it would be a welcomed distraction.
The scent of blood that permeated the city was as strong as before, but now that he had gorged himself on Kurogiri’s blood, it no longer drove him into a frenzy. Even still, he couldn’t help but lick his lips, inhaling sharply and trying to focus on breathing through his mouth.
As they began to walk, Hisashi said, “We’ll have to make it quick though. My parasol…”
“I have it right here, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri pointed to where it lay against the alleyway wall. “I picked it up after you ran.”
“Oh. Thank you,” Hisashi said quietly, content to trail after Kurogiri once he was given his parasol back, keeping his attention on the servant rather than all the people around him. His nerves were still unsteady, and crowds of people made him unsettled even on good days. Focusing just on Kurogiri helped.
“It shouldn’t take long,” Kurogiri assured him, glancing back at Hisashi over his shoulder. “Think of how happy Izuku will be once he receives his gifts. He’s fortunate to have a father that loves him as much as you do.”
Did…Did Kurogiri know he was anxious? Was Hisashi that easy to read, or was he just not hiding it well at the moment?
He straightened his posture (he hadn’t even realized he’d hunched in on himself) and attempted to portray some semblance of confidence, though his smile felt shaky. “I just hope I can make his birthday happy enough. It’ll be his first one since his parents…”
Kurogiri nodded in understanding, turning down a small side street and pointing to a shop with an open door and smoke coming out a chimney in the roof. It was very clearly a blacksmith’s workshop, and Hisashi followed Kurogiri inside eagerly, glad to be away from the crowds for a moment.
As the blacksmith greeted them, Hisashi reminded himself that there was only the toy store and the bookshop left to visit after this place. Then they could go home, and he could grab a bottle of wine from the storage to settle his nerves.
He could do this. With Izuku in mind and Kurogiri at his side, he could do almost anything.
Mirai actually happened to be on a rare little break from all the paperwork he constantly found himself drowning in. He’d decided to stretch his legs after being cooped up in his office for half the day. The birthday plans for His Majesty added a lot of extra work onto his already busy schedule, between planning for the gifts, the entertainment, the decorations throughout the castle and the city itself, and the food and drink selections.
A drink sounded good right about now, actually. Perhaps an A-positive? Something magically rich and—as he was feeling a tad indulgent—that had been aged for a century or two. After the days he’d had as of late, he certainly deserved it. After dealing with blood taxes, rations for the front lines, trade routes, the needs of commoners and nobles alike, he felt that the blood vault could spare a bottle or two. Maybe even three, considering he had to deal with All For One on top of it all.
That bastard was getting far too comfortable around here. And Mirai currently couldn’t do much about it, lest All For One tell His Majesty about the…attempts he and Gran had made to run pest control.
All For One’s words from earlier still rang through his mind. That His Majesty had, against all reason, released All For One from the orders he had been bound under. It caused Mirai more than his share of worry. What was to stop All For One from spilling their secrets to Yuei? From killing their civilians or soldiers? Or even undermining them from within?
It was far too dangerous for such a man to have that kind of freedom. Mirai knew he’d have to have a talk with the king later, and hopefully convince His Majesty to put some fail-safes back in place. But he really didn’t even want to think about that right now. He just wanted to drink and forget about his constant worries for a short time.
Yet he could never keep the thoughts of what needed to be done from plaguing him. From the moment he woke up until the moment he fell asleep, work always weighed heavily on his mind. There was always so much left to do no matter how much he strived to finish within the day. He supposed that was a natural consequence of taking on the majority of paperwork that should be the king’s. All For One always complained about His Majesty being given too much work. He had no idea the amount Mirai and Gran had already taken on, in an effort to lessen the weight on His Majesty’s shoulders.
Currently, Mirai still needed to look over requisitions he’d received from multiple small noble houses that were close to the border. They were requesting more soldiers and patrols in order to better secure their lands, along with financial aid to provide for the needs of said soldiers.
Mirai suspected some of these requests were merely attempts to squeeze coin from the crown. As a few of the noble houses were nestled further inland, and did not engage in the constant skirmishes that the Greater House of Aizawa and the Lesser House of Yamada endured. He recalled reading over some nonsense of passing troops “straining their resources” and “burdening” the small nobles. He would need to look over the requests a few more times before he—
No, no.
Mirai closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, trying to brush away those thoughts. He could deal with that later. Now was the time to relax. To take it easy and grab a nice drink. Discussing financial expenses and allocation of resources was something he would bring up to His Majesty later. He also still needed to go over the paperwork His Majesty had finished, just to make certain everything was in order before it was given the royal seal of approval.
If His Majesty would make time for him, that was.
It had been a struggle to keep the king up to speed with his studies and duties before All For One had come along. Now, it seemed an impossible task with that bastard constantly distracting His Majesty. And it had only been made worse by that damn order All For One had placed on them all at the meeting. Don’t bother the king with royal duties on Sundays? Pah! All For One was just trying to impede Mirai from aiding His Majesty in upholding his royal responsibilities!
Mirai really was trying so hard, but some days were more difficult than others. He wanted to help His Majesty grow and mature into a proper king. To help him steer the kingdom into an era of peace and greatness. To fulfill the legacy King Toshinori and Queen Inko left behind. To ensure their son became a king they would be proud of. It was the very least Mirai could do. He worked day and night to see it through.
But All For One seemed determined to stop them. Kept insisting they were harming His Majesty. The audacity of the idea made Mirai grind his teeth in anger whenever he thought of it. As if he would ever bring harm to the royal family! Mirai had dedicated his life to serving the royal family above all else. He would rather die than lift so much as a finger to cause harm to the royal line. He would not repay their kindness by spitting in their face.
He always did his best for the royal line, and had done so for the majority of his five-and-a-half centuries of life. And now All For One was single-handedly ruining it all. It made his blood boil.
Mirai took in another slow, deep breath, fighting to calm himself. Think about it later, he reminded himself. After all, there was nothing more he could do about it for today.
As he approached the storage cellar for his much desire drink, he heard a muffled voice. It grew louder as he got closer, until Mirai was able to recognize it as Gran’s. And Gran was…singing?
It was surprising enough that Mirai stopped in his tracks for a moment, listening.
“I was ‘sho…‘sho insatiable.” He heard Gran from down the hall, his voice lilting up and down, words slurred. “Till the lights…mhmm…stories got old…” There was a brief pause, and Mirai heard Gran sigh softly before continuing, “...No one here, I know…hmm…the city…the city…not the same anymore.”
Gran sounded as if he’d had a few drinks already. Mirai huffed mildly, rolling his eyes. It wasn’t yet late enough to be imbibing alcohol—though that had never stopped Gran before. And admittedly, he was headed to do the same thing, so he was in no place to judge at the moment.
Mirai approached the storage, where the door was already cracked open.
“I…I remember when we were young.” Gran hiccuped loudly, and Mirai could hear the swish of liquid in a bottle. “…Write our names in the sand and…and the rain came…” Mirai paused right outside the door when he heard a shaky intake of air. “...yours was gone. And now mine…mine stands alone.”
Mirai frowned as Gran’s voice rose and fell as he continued singing. Even as Mirai opened the door with a loud creak, the elder vampire seemed unaware of his presence. The sound of clinking glass caught on Mirai’s ears next, his eyes going wide when he saw the reason why.
Bottles upon bottles upon bottles of wine littered the floor, all uncorked and drained of their contents. Stunned, he could only follow the sound of Gran’s voice, eyes falling upon his figure slumped against a wine rack, a bottle in one hand and something small clutched in the other. His face was flushed with alcohol, eyes glazed over and red wine staining his clothes. He looked like an absolute mess.
“Sorahiko!” Mirai cried aloud, disappointment colouring his tone.
“Oh?” Gran chuckled into his bottle. “But how could we stay together, Mirai?” he commented with a hiccup. “You’re ‘sho high and mighty, and I’m ‘sho drunk.” He took a long swig of wine, the mirth all but fading from his eyes as he stared down the bottle's neck. His voice darkened, growing deeper as he muttered, “Drunk on the pain.”
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Mirai demanded to know, striding over to Gran. “And what kind of nonsense are you spewing?”
“Hm?” Gran looked up in a daze before his eyes flickered back down. “I guess I’m headin’ home.”
He wasn’t making any sense! Mirai pinched the bridge of his nose, and opened his mouth to scold Gran for over indulging—
But then his eyes landed on the dried tear tracks on Gran’s cheeks.
Mirai sucked in a sharp breath, annoyance quickly replaced with concern. “Gran?” he spoke again in a quieter voice, knowing something was very wrong.
Gran didn’t seem to hear him though, focused instead on downing his bottle as quickly as possible.
“Sorahiko,” Mirai repeated with more urgency, “what happened?”
“…‘ts nothin’,” Gran slurred. “Was m’ fault anyway.”
Mirai wouldn’t have been surprised if it really was Gran’s fault, but that wasn’t the point here. “What was?”
Gran shrugged, leaning his head back to thump into the rack behind him. “I failed ‘em.”
“Who?” Mirai dared to asked, his throat feeling dry when he saw a tear fall down Gran’s face. He never saw Gran cry. Not since—
“Nana.” Gran hiccuped loudly. “Toshinori. Inko…” He seemed to be muttering more to himself than to Mirai.
Gran’s grip on the bottle tightened, claws digging into the glass with a loud creak, before it shattered in his palm. Gran stared at the broken glass in his hand as though he couldn’t register what had just happened. He stared up at Mirai blearily.
“Gimme another, will ya?” he asked when he reached out and failed to find a fresh bottle in his immediate vicinity. “I wanna go home.”
“Then let me take you home,” Mirai offered. He wasn’t quite sure what Gran was referring to when he said that, but hopefully he could get the man up to his quarters and settled in. “You’ve had enough I think.”
“Pah.” Gran laughed humourlessly. “Ain’t enough to forget yet. Pass me another bottle. I don’…don’ wanna think about it.”
“Think about what?” Mirai desperately tried to understand what was going on. What had caused this?
Gran looked at him with hazy, drunken eyes, sorrow swirling deep within them. “‘M failin’ Izuku too. Are we—Are we failin’ Izu? Is he gonna die too?” he asked, sounding increasingly desperate. “Is it gonna be m’ fault again? I don’...don’t wan’ Izu to die.”
Mirai was speechless. Where had this come from? Where was Gran getting this idea from? “We are not failing Izuku,” he said firmly. “We have his best interests at heart. We are doing all we can for him.”
“Ain’t ‘nuff,” Gran muttered quietly, head hanging low. “‘M never ‘nuff…Nana…Inko…they…they…” He was barely audible at the end, but Mirai still heard a sharp intake of air that was dangerously close to a sob.
All thoughts of getting a drink for himself had disappeared. Mirai bent down, trying to help Gran to his feet. “Hey, come on. Surely it can’t be comfortable here.”
“‘S fine. M’ybe I deserve it.”
Mirai rolled his eyes, hefting a drunk Gran to his feet. He wrapped his arms around Gran when he wobbled. Whatever Gran had been holding onto fell to the ground with a clatter, Mirai’s assistance becoming an impromptu hug as Gran slumped forward against him. He didn’t have a chance to get a good look at whatever it was when Gran squeezed him tightly, resting his head on his shoulder. Mirai sighed and patted Gran’s back gently.
“Come on, let’s get you to your room so you can sleep this off,” Mirai said. “I don’t know what sparked this, but you don’t deserve to be beating yourself up. We aren’t going to fail His Majesty.”
Gran’s reply was muffled in Mirai’s shoulder, the man leaning heavily onto him. “I gotta…I gotta do better by him than the others. I owe it to ‘im. I owe it to Inko and Nana. I owe it to m’self to do better. Family, y’know?”
Mirai winced. Gran didn’t talk much about his personal feelings, but he’d been serving the royal family for centuries. Mirai hadn’t been around for much of that time, but he knew Gran had been close friends with Queen Nana. The Midoriyas must feel like family to him at this point. Gran had watched Queen Inko grow up, after all, and he was doing the same now for His Majesty King Izuku. Gran was closer to the Midoriya family than anyone else.
Mirai couldn’t imagine what it must be like to outlive those you consider to be family. Especially those whom you dedicated your life to serving and protecting.
But what had prompted all this melancholy and drinking?
“I feel s’ tired,” Gran mumbled, his words slurring together.
“It’s the drink,” Mirai assured him, giving him a gentle pat on the back. “Let’s get you to bed so you can rest, alright?”
“‘M old, Mirai.” Gran huffed, his breath heavy and ragged. “One thousand…thousand and six hundred? Two thousand…no…three?” Gran seemed to be asking himself rather than stating a fact. “I dunno ‘nymore. Lost count.”
“If you really want to know, I’m sure I could find your birthdate in the records,” Mirai tried to reassure. He shifted Gran so that he could get them walking, and helped him trudge along as they left the room.
“Doesn’t matter,” Gran grumbled, bitterness coating his words. Then his bleary eyes glanced up at Mirai, worry swirling in their hazy depths. “Are you g’nna stay? I wan’ you to stay.”
He had been going to have a drink himself and unwind a bit, but Mirai supposed that wasn’t all that important anymore. “…Of course I’ll stay,” he said.
He concentrated on making sure Gran didn’t lose his footing or tip over as they made their way to Gran’s rooms. Thankfully, there weren’t many others in the halls to watch the spectacle Gran was making of himself as he leaned heavily on Mirai and kept mumbling.
“Everyone always ‘nds up leavin’,” the elder vampire whispered quietly. “They always go ‘way and leave m’ behind.”
“No one is leaving you, Gran,” Mirai assured him, squeezing the man lightly to reaffirm to him that Mirai was still there for him.
Gran’s grip on him tightened in return, as though the man was afraid he would disappear if he let go. “You say that but you don’ mean it,” he accused Mirai. “You’ll leave, jus’ like everyone else. You, Izuku…You’ll leave like Nana and Inko.”
“I wo—” Mirai began.
“‘nd I’ll be left behind.” Gran kept talking. “With only your memory. Jus’ like always.”
Mirai…wasn’t sure what to say to that. He didn’t know what it was like to outlive so many people. Gran usually didn’t talk about such things either; normally keeping a cheery—if not a bit mischievous—demeanour.
“‘M tired,” Gran said again, clutching onto Mirai almost desperately. “I’m so tired, but I can’t rest. She wouldn’t let me.”
Mirai blinked, confused. “She?”
Gran acted like he didn’t hear Mirai, eyes looking distant. “How long ‘m I gonna live for, Mirai?”
“A while longer, I should hope,” Mirai answered quietly.
He felt a modicum of relief when they came upon Gran’s rooms, Mirai opening the door with some difficulty due to Gran clinging to him. A floral scent struck his nose as they entered, a mixture of lilies and gladioli.
“You’ll stay?” Gran asked again, refusing to let go of Mirai even as Mirai helped him over and into his bed, his hand clinging tightly to Mirai’s own.
“I will,” Mirai promised, patting the man’s hand comfortingly. He tugged the blanket over Gran, the elder vampire’s head sinking into the plush pillow. Gran kept his pleading eyes on him, though, even as exhaustion clearly began to overtake him. “As long as you need.”
Gran drew in a shaky breath then, tightening his grasp around Mirai’s hand as his heavy lids gradually fell. He refused to let go even as he slipped off into a deep sleep.
Mirai did not move from Gran’s side, merely allowing his longtime companion to take what comfort his presence offered.
He and Gran had been friends since Mirai came to work for the royal family. Despite the stark differences in their personalities, they had always gotten along quite well. Since the deaths of the king and queen, however, Mirai had grown closer to Gran than ever before. Their Majesties, Inko and Toshinori, had been dear to them both, and their loss was like a gaping hole, leaving Mirai and Gran to hold onto each other for support and strength.
They were all each other had left, besides His Majesty Izuku. He and Gran had been the closest to the royal family, and they had both taken on various responsibilities of the crown to remove some of the burden from Izuku. His Majesty was their charge now, and Mirai was determined to do what was best for him. And he knew Gran felt the same.
Mirai knew there was no one else out there who understood how he felt the way Gran did. But…he was getting the feeling that he might not understand Gran the way he thought he did. They had time though. And if Gran just needed him to be there for him in these moments, Mirai would stay by his side, just as Gran had always stayed by his.
Notes:
A misunderstanding.
Gran being Gran: “So, Hisashi, who was your first then?” 😏
Hisashi, thinking Gran is asking him about his first time biting a human: “Uh, Kurogiri. It was very sudden and I was terrified, but he eased me through it.”
Kurogiri, who only overheard what Hisashi had said: “It was rough in the beginning, but after Hisashi loosened up a bit and learned how to handle himself it was easier.”
Gran, frantically whispering to another servant: “Write that down! Write that down! This is gossip gold!”
Mirai hears the gossip and believes it to be the truth.
Mirai: “I hired you to serve Hisashi, but not that way!”
Kurogiri: ???
Btw the song Gran is singing this chapter is Heading Home by Alan Walker and Ruben
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 26
Summary:
They were all each other had left, besides His Majesty Izuku. He and Gran had been the closest to the royal family, and they had both taken on various responsibilities of the crown to remove some of the burden from Izuku. His Majesty was their charge now, and Mirai was determined to do what was best for him. And he knew Gran felt the same.
Mirai knew there was no one else out there who understood how he felt the way Gran did. But…he was getting the feeling that he might not understand Gran the way he thought he did. They had time though. And if Gran just needed him to be there for him in these moments, Mirai would stay by his side, just as Gran had always stayed by his.
Notes:
‼️This is a fresh 4 life multi-cat clumping litter hate PSA‼️ 👏👏👏 Do not buy!! Absolutely wretched stuff 0/10 👎👎 super super dusty. Made one of my poor kitties literally choke and wheeze when he breathed the litter dust in 😤
Anyway.
This fic has wonderful art based on it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Izuku watched with a dour expression as servants carried belongings down the stairs, through the foyer, and across the castle grounds towards a carriage that was waiting just beyond the gates.
He hadn’t even wanted to be here, but he also didn’t want to hear Mirai lecture him about it later, as it was only polite to see his guests off. So—begrudgingly—he had made his way down to formally bid the Iida brothers a farewell. But the second after he did, Izuku planned to excuse himself. He would pretend to have agreed to train with his father, so as to avoid possibly being dragged into an unwanted conversation with Tenya. Izuku still had no desire to see the other boy, much less speak with him—proper courtesy be damned.
The worst part of it all, though, was that his dad wasn’t even here with him yet. Dad had promised he’d show up for the goodbye, as Izuku had asked him to be there, but he still hadn’t arrived. Dad always seemed busy these days, but whenever Izuku asked about it, all he got was excuses. It was like his dad was avoiding him!
Hopefully he would arrive soon, though.
Voices nearby had Izuku perking up, turning in anticipation. But it was only the Iida brothers themselves, and Izuku tried not to let his disappointment show too much as they approached him, forcing a small smile instead.
“Your Majesty,” Tensei greeted with a warm smile of his own and a polite bow, “I’m glad I could catch you before we left. I wanted to offer my apologies for having to leave on short notice, but I received a letter from our parents. They’re rather anxious for Tenya’s return.”
“I understand,” Izuku replied courteously. “I hope your trip is a safe one.”
“And rest assured, I will return in time for the celebrations,” Tensei promised him. “I can hardly afford to miss such a grand event, can I?”
“I would like to see it as well,” Tenya added in with a determined expression and a fire in his eyes. “I’ve never had the chance before, and would gladly attend the king’s birthday!”
“…Right. Thanks,” was all Izuku offered. He hadn’t been thinking much of his birthday, honestly, but he wasn’t surprised there would be a celebration. His birthday had always been a big event, after all. Mirai probably had something planned.
“We’ll be on our way then, Your Majesty,” Tensei said, glancing between Tenya and Izuku before placing a hand on his brother’s back, urging him towards the doors. “Come along, Tenya. We’d best not keep Mother and Father waiting.”
“Yes, Tensei! Thank you for allowing me to visit the castle, Your Majesty!” Tenya said quickly, bowing in that strange way of his before heading out. “I hope I will have the chance to meet you again soon. Farewell!”
Izuku tried not to feel bitter about the fact that Tenya had parents (and a big brother) waiting eagerly for his return, especially when his own dad still hadn’t shown up yet after promising he’d be there.
Why couldn’t I have a big brother? Izuku thought with a grumble. He eyed Tensei, considering for a moment if maybe Tensei would be better off being his big brother instead.
But he shook it off, taking a deep breath and saying nothing as he watched the pair leave. He had his father, and that was enough for him. Besides, he didn’t think Tensei would be very happy if Izuku took him from his family, even if it would elevate him to royalty.
“Izuku!”
Ah, speak of the devil. Or think of him, rather.
Izuku felt his lips quirk up involuntarily as a reaction to his dad’s voice. He turned eagerly, watching as his dad approached.
“Sorry I’m late! Had a bit of a hold up.” Dad’s hand landed on his head as he got close, ruffling Izuku’s hair.
“It’s okay,” Izuku mumbled, looking down to where he could see the Iida brothers stepping into the carriage. “I was just seeing Tensei and Tenya off.”
“Right. Forgot about that…” Dad muttered.
Izuku grumbled in discontent, giving him a little look.
Dad grimaced. “Sorry I wasn’t here earlier. I had a couple things to take care of. But I’m proud of you for going out of your way to meet them anyway after…” Dad’s voice trailed off.
Izuku couldn’t help but scowl as he watched the Iida’s carriage head out. “After what?” he snapped irritably, huffing through his nose.
His dad looked a bit taken aback by Izuku’s attitude, and stared at him silently for a moment, seeming to assess him. “…Hey, how about we go do something fun?”
Izuku raised a skeptical brow. “Really? I thought you were busy.”
It was true, his dad had claimed to be busy today, having promised to set aside some time to see the Iida brothers off with Izuku. Not that he’d really kept that promise, though, seeing how late he’d been.
Dad smiled gently, booping Izuku on the nose. “Not so busy I can’t play with my son.”
“You haven’t had any time for me lately,” Izuku accused him, crossing his arms grumpily. “You’re always gone with Kurogiri in the city.”
“I’m offering to make time for you right now, aren’t I?” Dad crouched down to be more at eye-level with Izuku. “You’re right, I have been busy recently, and I’m sorry if that’s made you feel neglected. But I have missed spending time with you recently, and I’d love for us to do something together today. Just you and me. What do you say?”
Izuku pouted. He wasn’t sure if he was quite ready to forgive his dad for ignoring him so much, but he also didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to spend time with his dad either.
“...Maybe I should have made Tensei my big brother after all,” he grouched petulantly, side-eyeing his father. “Maybe he would have made more time for me instead.”
Dad only rolled his eyes and snorted, not seeming jealous at all. “Sure, sure. But then you might be adopting Tenya as your brother as well, since they seem to come as a package deal.”
“As if!” Izuku rejected the thought outright, sniffing contemptuously. “I’d never want Tenya as a brother.”
“Then you’re stuck with just me, I’m afraid.” Dad chuckled, standing back up and taking hold of Izuku’s hand, gently tugging him to follow.
Izuku did so, with only a small noise of complaint. “Where are we going?” he demanded as his father led him through the halls.
“Like I said, we’re going to play and have some fun,” Dad answered, unhelpfully vague. “It’s cloudy today, so it’s the perfect weather for outside father-son bonding.”
“Okay?” Izuku said. Maybe they were going to train? Dad loved to train and practice magic. But he frowned when he saw they weren’t heading in the direction of the training grounds. “I think you’re going the wrong way, Dad.”
“No, I know exactly where I’m going.”
Izuku pursed his lips but didn’t protest further, a sense of curiosity overtaking him.
They ended up in a small clearing within the royal gardens, one that Izuku’s parents had hosted many picnics in before. There was a bench off to the side, and his dad swiftly grabbed something off of it, twirling it in his hands.
Izuku moved closer to see what it was, and—
“No,” he refused, features pinching as his scowl returned, staring at the object in offense. He had thought the servants would have gotten rid of that by now. “I don’t want to play ball.”
“You haven’t even given it a chance yet,” Dad said, lips curling into a smile, tossing the ball up and down. “You might like it if you give it a try.”
“I did give it a try!” Izuku protested loudly, stomping his foot. “And it went horribly! I don’t want to play! Just throw that thing away and—”
The ball came sailing towards him.
Izuku fumbled to catch it, letting out a yelp of surprise. Then he scowled at his dad. “What was that for?!”
Dad only grinned. “You said to throw it.”
“Not like that!” As revenge, Izuku angrily chucked the ball back at his father.
He threw it perhaps a little too hard, as it made a loud sound against Dad’s hands when he caught it. Dad hissed quietly and shook his hand out, but that small grin was still on his face.
“I thought you could throw harder than that!” Dad taunted.
“Hah?” Izuku crossed his arms. “Of course I can!”
“Prove it!” Dad backed up and threw the ball at Izuku again.
Izuku felt his scowl twitch, the corner of his lips upturning against his will slightly. He caught the ball that soared towards him, throwing it back at his father twice as hard as he had before. The ball sailed through the air so fast it whistled, barely more than a blur as it headed for his father.
“Whoa!” Dad cried out when he only just managed to catch it, skidding back several feet. His palms were noticeably red as he shook them out. Still, the grin never fell from his face. “See? You can do it!”
“That’s not—” Izuku went to retort, but the ball was thrown his way again, cutting him off. He caught it and threw it back with a, “Stop interrupting me!”
His aim was a little off that time, and his dad had to jump to catch the ball, pivoting on his heel to help with the momentum as he immediately turned and threw it back.
Izuku couldn’t help the anticipation he felt as he got ready to catch it. He tried not to let it show on his face, attempting to keep a scowl in place even as he threw the ball again, this time purposefully away from his dad, forcing him to run after it.
He didn’t want to admit it was kind of fun.
The next time his dad threw it, it was a little off to the side, and this time it was Izuku’s turn to jump in order to catch it. A small smile broke across his face, despite how hard he tried to keep it off. His cheeks reddened when he saw that Dad noticed, tossing the ball back before Dad could say anything.
The game continued like that, with Izuku trying to pretend he wasn’t enjoying it. He didn’t think he was fooling his dad though.
“See? I told you you would like it!” Dad told him smugly after a while, tucking the ball under his arm and wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. “And you said you didn’t want to play.”
Izuku grumbled incoherently, admittedly in a much better mood than before, but not wanting to say so out of pure stubbornness. “I get to pick the game next time,” he demanded.
Dad just laughed. “Of course, of course. We can—” He paused, looking at something over Izuku’s shoulder, his brows pinching.
Izuku turned to see what it was, frowning slightly.
“Your Majesty,” Mirai greeted as he approached them, gazing at them curiously. He glanced between them and the ball in Dad’s hold, but said nothing of it when the smile fell from Dad’s face.
“What is it?” Dad asked, sounding considerably more irritable than before. “We’re in the middle of a game.”
“I was looking for you, actually,” Mirai responded coolly. “Your servant, Kurogiri, was asking for you. Something about the out—”
“Ah, that’s right!” A guilty expression crossed Dad’s face, as if he’d just remembered something. His eyes flicked between Izuku and the ball, and he sighed. “Right. I lost track of time.”
Oh, his dad was going to go again? Leave Izuku alone? A scowl slowly worked its way up Izuku’s face again, the excitement and adrenaline from the game wearing away into disappointment.
“Would you like to spend some time with Gran and I, Your Majesty?” Mirai offered. “We were about to have lunch. I was hoping perhaps you could join us. It’s been sometime since the three of us had a meal together.”
“Really?” Izuku blinked, staring up at Mirai in bafflement. “Just lunch?”
“And a walk later, perhaps, if you find yourself in the mood.” Mirai nodded, a tiny smile at his lips.
Izuku glanced over, watching how his dad eyed Mirai with distaste, clearly disapproving of Mirai’s offer. Feeling somewhat vindictive, Izuku turned back to Mirai with a smug smile. “Sure! We haven’t hung out together in a while. Let’s have lunch!”
He felt triumphant at his dad’s twisted expression. Now Dad got to see how it felt!
“We should be on our way then,” Mirai insisted, holding out a hand to gesture for Izuku to follow him. “I’m certain your father will be quite busy. Shall we, Your Majesty?”
“Mhm!” Izuku hummed in agreement, and turned to follow Mirai out of the gardens. He heard his father sigh behind him.
“Have a good lunch, alright, Izuku?” Dad called out to him, and Izuku couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit guilty. “I’ll see you afterwards when I get done. Promise!”
Izuku waved goodbye as he left, watching his father walk off in another direction before focusing resolutely ahead of him.
The ball really had been fun. He hoped they could play with it again sometime—whenever he and his father had the time. Izuku’s frown deepened at the thought, as he had been busy with his studies more than ever and his dad was off doing…whatever it was he was doing recently.
He didn’t like that his dad was gone a lot lately, and a not so small part of him was worried about the possibility of his father one day not coming back. But his dad always returned home, looking a little tired but otherwise fine. So he wasn’t getting into any trouble out in the city, and he obviously wasn’t trying to leave, so Izuku had to force himself to relax and shove his anxiety down as best he could.
Dad probably just liked going out for long walks now that he could leave the castle without constraints, given that he didn’t like being cooped up inside for long stretches of time. It was good, really, that he was getting out more and seeing the sights, getting to know the city and its people better. Izuku just wished he could join his father more often, but he was too busy with the increase in his studies and royal duties. He still had a stack of paperwork he needed to look over when he got back to his room.
Maybe next Sunday they could spend the day in the city? It would be Izuku’s first king-free day since he had been crowned! The thought of just taking a day to be normal with no responsibilities had him excited.
But that was still a couple days away. Right now, he needed to focus on lunch.
“What are we having?” Izuku asked Mirai as they walked along the corridors, looking up at his retainer.
“A meal specially prepared for each of us,” Mirai answered. “I requested ahead of time that they make katsudon, in the hopes that you would be joining us for the evening.”
Izuku felt himself brighten at the idea of his favourite meal. “Yes! Thank you, Mirai.” He gained a skip in his step as they walked. “How long will we have to wait for Gran?”
“He should already be there,” Mirai said.
“But he’s always late.” Izuku tilted his head in confusion.
Mirai sighed heavily, looking weary. “I know. Fastest vampire in existence and yet he’s never on time,” he muttered.
“It’s part of his charm. Gran is casual and fun and mischievous while you’re stern and serious and orderly!” Izuku quipped, unable to suppress a giggle at Mirai’s expression. “That’s why you two get along so well!”
“Yes, well,” Mirai huffed, a slight tinge of pink in his cheeks, “I would prefer if he could be on time at least once for a change.”
“But he is this time! You said he was! Wait.” Izuku paused, then squinted suspiciously at Mirai. “...How do we know this is really Gran, then?”
Mirai gave him an amused look as they entered the private dining area, where Gran was already seated at the table, arms crossed and head turning in their direction. “I assure you, it’s him,” he chuckled lightly. “No one else could be quite the unique kind of frustrating that Gran is.”
“Uh-huh,” Izuku replied skeptically, giving Gran a mockingly dubious stare.
Gran, who was lounging casually in his chair and ignoring Mirai’s demand to sit up properly, snorted in amusement. “A man shows up early for once and gets labeled an impostor immediately, huh? This’ll teach me to be on time for anything ever again.”
Izuku pointed at him accusingly. “Sounds like something an impostor would say!” he declared dramatically.
From his peripheral vision, Izuku noticed Mirai roll his eyes and move to take a seat, but he didn’t miss the tiny curl of a smile that formed on the man’s face.
Gran shifted to a more upright position and shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to prove it to ya then.” He extended his arms, using a claw to slice open a cut near his wrist, letting the blood flow over and into a glass on the table. “Bet I don’t taste like an impostor.”
Izuku watched with a sense of excitement as the glass slowly filled. It had been so long since Gran had allowed him to drink his blood. Izuku could remember drinking from Gran when he was younger, back when…when his parents were alive…But Gran had stopped one day, and Izuku had been left wondering if he’d done something to make Gran pull away from him like that. He didn’t know if he had done something wrong, or if it was because of something else.
Soon enough, Gran was pushing the now-full glass in Izuku’s direction, and Izuku scrambled to sit down with him and Mirai.
“Hm…” Izuku hummed, bringing the glass to his mouth and taking a sip. It tasted exactly how he remembered, with a potent sweetness to the blood that was rich with magic, making it a little more filling than vampire blood would have been otherwise. “Okay, maybe you are Gran then.”
“See?” Gran chuckled with a wry grin as he cleaned the blood from his wrist by wiping it on his clothes. “I told you that I’m me.”
Izuku conceded, even as he squinted his eyes playfully. “For now, at least,” he teased.
“How unsanitary,” Mirai chided Gran, though it was light and teasing. “Honestly, after so many years of spending time at the royal family’s side, I would have thought you might have picked up some table manners.”
“Hey, I got manners!” Gran protested. “I just also get to decide when to use ‘em!”
“You should use them more. All the time, actually,” Mirai suggested.
“Nah.” Gran waved Mirai off, shaking his head in refusal. “Then Izuku would think I’m an imposter all the time. Can’t have that, can we?”
Izuku giggled as Mirai stared at Gran flatly, clearly unimpressed. “You’d be setting a better example for His Majesty if you used them.”
“He has you for that.” Gran shrugged. “Besides, I’m better suited for a supporting role. Can you actually see me being a role model for anyone?”
“Honestly, no.” Mirai shook his head. “You aren’t the paternal type.”
“He’s more like the ‘fun uncle’ type!” Izuku chimed in.
Gran laughed. “I’m way too old to be your uncle, kiddo.”
“Hm…so…my grunkle, then?” Izuku said, cupping his chin thoughtfully.
“The hell is a ‘grunkle’?” Gran asked.
“Language!” Mirai scolded.
Izuku and Gran ignored him.
“You know, like, a great uncle?” Izuku explained. “A grunkle! Or maybe Grankle? But in your case it would be like, my great, great, great, great—”
“You don’t even know what an uncle is like!” Gran interrupted him.
Izuku huffed, cheeks puffing out. “Maybe not, but I’d like to. Besides, I do have an uncle! Technically. Dad had a brother a long time ago. He’s gone now, but still!”
“I don’t believe that counts, Your Majesty,” Mirai started.
Izuku went to rebut his claim, but before he could, servants began to enter the room bearing platters of food, setting them down on the table before them. Most of the staff bowed and left back to the kitchens, leaving one servant behind as the attendant to the meal. Izuku recognized the servant as the young girl who his dad had asked to be allowed to work as staff. The one who had lied about her age and background when trying to get hired as a personal servant for his father.
She went about the table, laying utensils and serviettes down with slightly trembling hands, not daring to meet anyone’s gaze. Which was just as well, considering the stink-eye both Mirai and Gran were sending her way.
Izuku reached forward, eager to dig into his katsudon, when a sudden, firm grip on his wrist stopped him. He turned to Mirai in confusion, and the man smiled tightly.
“Allow me first, Your Majesty,” Mirai insisted.
He reached over and picked up Izuku’s utensils, turning them in his hands before nodding in satisfaction and laying them back down. He then took his own utensils and picked a bite of Izuku’s food off his plate, chewing slowly.
Izuku stared in amazement. Mirai? Boldly eating the king’s food? He would usually never do something like that! What was the purpose of it? He was acting strange.
“...It’s safe,” Mirai concluded a moment after swallowing. “My apologies, Your Majesty. Please, enjoy your meal.”
“What was that about?” Izuku asked incredulously.
“Just a precaution,” Mirai offered, and Izuku’s brow creased further in confusion. Gold eyes flicked to the side briefly, before returning to his own meal. “You simply can’t be too careful.”
“‘Specially during wartime,” Gran put in. “Who knows what kinds of things unsavoury individuals could do.”
Neither of them looked at the servant girl (her name had been…Uraraka? Izuku thought that was it) but Izuku had a feeling the statement was directed at her, as she seemed to shrink a little. He wasn’t sure why though.
“...Okay?” Izuku said, picking up his own utensils to begin digging into his meal. He took a bite of the pork cutlet and rice, savoring the taste of the fried meat and fragrant spices. After he swallowed, his chest feeling warm even though his stomach remained empty, he took a sip of blood and turned to the girl, smiling. “Tell the chef later that this katsudon is amazing.”
Her lips quirked up in a forced smile. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Perhaps next time you can try something new,” Mirai suggested from where he was picking at his own grilled eel and pickled vegetables. “I know katsudon is your favorite, but it never hurts to broaden your palate.”
“I guess.” Izuku shrugged, simply taking another bite. “…Maybe I can ask Dad what his favourite dishes are and try them.”
Mirai snorted. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Your Majesty? I mean no offence but, your…father…would only be familiar with dishes from Yuei, would he not?”
“Yeah, probably?” Izuku wasn’t sure what Mirai was trying to get at. “So what?”
“They just might not be to your liking,” Mirai explained. “Yuei cuisine is different.”
“So? I’m sure it’s not bad.”
“Was the last time I had it,” Gran piped up. “And I doubt it’s changed much considering how little Yuei has progressed over the years.”
“Is it really that different over there?” Izuku asked, recalling when he had crossed the border. Sure the villages there seemed a little…rural, but there were places like that here too that were mostly used for farmland and raising animals. “I’ve only been the one time, but it didn’t seem that bad.”
“Why don’t we ask her?” Gran said after sampling his tempura. “You’re from Yuei, aren’t ya?”
“Y-Yes, Milord,” Uraraka answered nervously, her folded hands trembling and eyes remaining locked on the floor.
“Then you’d know better than anyone here,” Gran concluded, motioning his chalice towards her. “So tell us some of the differences between here and Yuei.”
“Well, there, uh, there are more advancements here,” Uraraka admitted, her voice small and uncomfortable. “There’s no formal education in Yuei except for the elite class, so I was surprised to see schools here, where all the common folk can learn.”
“Yes, Yuei is a rather uneducated society, but we already knew that. Just look at Hisashi,” Mirai said snidely. “You would think that the famous All For One would have a better education.”
Izuku shot him a warning glare, before turning his attention back to Uraraka and motioning her to continue.
“Um…” she paused, seeming flustered. “T-The shops here, they have more variety?” Uraraka wrung her hands nervously. “A-And I was really surprised to see that humans and vampires shopped together in the same place without…without any issues. They…I was really nervous when I first came here and saw how many vampires there were…I’d never really seen one up close before then.”
“Yes, well, it is the kingdom of vampires,” Gran remarked dryly. “Hardly a surprise there.”
Uraraka chewed on her lip so hard Izuku thought she might bite through it. She took a deep breath before forcing herself to speak further. “Th-There’s also these…little wells? That you can make warm or cold water with here,” she continued. “In the, uh, the…the bathrooms? And your chamber pots, they have this…rushing water when you push a handle, that I’ve never seen before.”
“I forgot Yuei doesn’t have toilets.” Gran snorted, dark eyes glinting. “Bet Yuei doesn’t even have a sewer system. Vampires don’t need them, but we have them for the human citizens. Ya think Yuei would be more ahead of the curve given it’s a human dominated kingdom. Would make the place smell better, at least.”
“The royalty of Yuei is not particularly invested in the well-being of their citizens,” Uraraka said quietly, her face flushed—though from embarrassment or stress Izuku couldn’t tell.
Mirai scoffed. “I heard they throw their excrement out onto the streets. Is that true?”
Uraraka stuttered, “W-Well, it’s—”
“And they call us monsters!” Gran laughed.
The frown on Izuku’s face deepened throughout the exchange. Uraraka’s shoulders drooped, her head lowering as Mirai chuckled along with Gran.
“Gran. Mirai,” Izuku said in a warning tone, giving them both a sharp look. “That’s enough.”
Mirai looked surprised. “Your Majesty?”
“This is supposed to be a nice dinner,” Izuku insisted, “and you two aren’t being very nice.”
Uraraka might have been from Yuei, but she wasn’t responsible for the wrongs Yuei had committed against them. She may have lied to them before, but his father had extended mercy to her, and Izuku wanted to do the same. Besides, his birth parents had always strived to see the best in people, vampire and human alike, and spent their entire lives trying to unite their species. Uraraka deserved a chance just like anyone else, whether she was from Yuei or not.
Gran just shrugged and said nothing else, while Mirai’s face flushed, looking to the side as he spoke, “Of course, Your Majesty. My apologies for my rudeness.”
“Just keep it in mind, next time,” Izuku suggested not so lightly. He then turned to Uraraka, who was staring at him in what could only be described as shock, before waving her to move closer.
Her shoulders stiffened, but she did as asked, shuffling forward. “Y-Yes, Your Majesty?” she asked meekly. “How may I be of service?”
“I want you to have a meal from the kitchens,” Izuku told her. “Anything you like. Just tell them I said so, and they’ll fix whatever you want. After that you can have the rest of the day off.”
Uraraka blinked in surprise. “…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Oh, and you’ll receive extra pay for the day as well. A few gold pieces,” Izuku added, noting she didn’t seem to quite believe him. “As an apology for my retainer’s behavior.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she repeated, seeming unsure of what else to say, her jaw hanging open.
Izuku nodded, satisfied, and glanced at his companions. “So, do either of you know what Dad has been doing recently? He always seems to be gone.”
Gran grumbled something incoherent into his glass, and Mirai’s face twisted in that specific way it always did when Izuku’s father was mentioned.
“Probably looking for weapons to buy in the city,” Gran answered gruffly. “He doesn’t really have much of a hobby outside of training, so I can’t imagine he would buy anything else.”
“On this subject,” Mirai added, dabbing at his mouth to wipe away the droplets of blood after sipping his wine, “I recently spoke with Hisashi and learned that you removed all of the orders you had placed on him.”
“I did,” Izuku confirmed. “Dad doesn’t need them anymore.”
“Are you sure that’s wise, Your Majesty?” Mirai pressed. “Even the one that prevents Hisashi from attacking others?”
“It’s been several weeks now and Dad hasn’t attacked anyone,” Izuku defended his father, glowering at Mirai now. “Like I said, Dad doesn’t need the orders anymore.”
“He attacked that one couple on the street a while back, remember?” Gran pointed out.
Izuku waved a hand. “That was a misunderstanding. Dad apologized and no one was hurt. He’s fine. I’m the king, and I say Dad doesn’t need to be under restrictions anymore.”
Mirai sighed wearily. “Very well, Your Majesty. We’ll defer to your judgment then.”
“Good.” Izuku swallowed down the last drops of Gran’s blood. He hoped Mirai and Gran would start accepting his dad soon. It had been long enough, yet they still didn’t seem to like him. Hopefully that would change. “Now, you said you wanted to go on a walk after lunch?”
“Yes.” Mirai nodded in affirmation. “I believe it would be good to move around the castle and catch up on a few things. If you are up for it, of course.”
“Sure,” Izuku agreed, hopping out of his chair. “I’ve been stuck studying with Nedzu all the time lately, so a walk sounds good. Did you have a place in mind?”
Mirai set his utensils down primly. “I do. A nice place where we can sit and relax for a short while. Just follow me, Your Majesty.”
Gran stretched casually as he stood. “Y’know, Izuku, if you ever want a break from studying, just challenge Nedzu to a game of chess. That smartass can never resist the opportunity to thoroughly trump someone at chess.”
Izuku giggled. “You sound like a sore loser, Gran.”
Gran ruffled his hair roughly as he walked by, muttering under his breath, but Izuku still caught the hint of a smile on his face.
“I personally enjoy a good match with Nedzu,” Mirai commented, a small grin tugging at his mouth as he glanced smugly towards Gran. “There’s nothing quite like a game of chess to stimulate the mind.”
“‘Stimulate the mind’ my ass.” Gran snorted, shooting Mirai a wry look. “You’re a dirty cheat and you know it. Hard to beat someone at a game when they know every move you're gonna make.”
Izuku was unable to stifle the bubble of laughter that escaped him at Mirai’s offended expression, glancing back and forth between the two as they took shots at each other.
“It’s hardly cheating to use one’s given abilities,” Mirai defended with a haughty scoff. “I’m simply using my natural talent to my advantage.”
“Yeah, and that’s why we hardly ever play cards anymore.”
“Is it not cheating when you use your super speed to sneak extra cards, or overtake your opponents, even on the training grounds?” Mirai countered.
“That’s different,” Gran huffed. “That’s combat. It’s no fun if you’re the only one that wins all the time.”
“Says the man that wins all of his training matches,” Mirai commented dryly.
“Says the man that cheats in all of his,” Gran retorted.
“You two are like an old married couple,” Izuku commented cheekily with a laugh.
“As if!” Mirai and Gran rebuked in tandem, which only caused Izuku to laugh even more at the disgruntled looks they gave him.
“Whatever you say.” Izuku shrugged. He hoped that one day they would get along with Dad just as well as they did each other.
“Did you ever find what you were looking for?” Mirai asked Gran as they walked on, changing the subject.
Gran grunted, a flash of irritation crossing over his face. “Not yet,” he muttered. “A servant must’ve picked it up while they were cleaning the halls. Jus’ need to find out who.”
“I’ll ask while I’m delivering the servants their wages for the week if any of them have seen it,” Mirai offered. “With any luck, you’ll have it back in hand by tomorrow morning.”
“You lost something, Gran?” Izuku’s eyes widened. “I can help you look for it!”
Gran ruffled his hair. “Just a personal item. No need to worry your broccoli head about it. I’m sure it’ll turn up.”
“I am not a broccoli head!” Izuku grumbled, cheeks puffing out in indignation.
“Yeah? Then what’s all this green I’m seeing here?” Gran tugged playfully at Izuku’s curly locks.
“A mark of the royal family!” Izuku rebuked, slapping away Gran’s hand lightly and scowling at the elder vampire, whose grin just continued to widen. “Or are you so old that you’ve forgotten, Gran?”
“Forgotten what? That you have broccoli hair?” Gran teased.
“It’s not broccoli!”
“Don’t mind Gran, Your Majesty,” Mirai interrupted. “I’m sure he’d tease you no matter what. If you had red hair he’d call you carrot head. If you had white hair you’d be cauliflower. Ignore him.”
“Yeah well, Gran is older than dirt! He’s older than dirt-dirt!” Izuku threw back.
“What the hell is dirt-dirt?” Gran muttered in confusion.
“You!”
“Bah!” Gran huffed and waved a hand.
“That’s why your hair is grey! It’s all dusty! Cause you’re old. Dust head!”
Mirai snickered, and Gran gaped in mock offense. “Oi!” he grumbled. “I’ll have you know I wash this hair regularly! Ain’t no mothballs in this mop!”
“If only you could wash your mouth as easily.” Mirai poked at Gran. “Your foul tongue has ruined many a woman’s ear.”
“I’ll have you know that plenty of women enjoy my—”
“Ah-ah!” Mirai cut Gran off before he could say anything more, giving Gran a sharp look. “Not in front of His Majesty. Or do you not remember the last time?” Mirai’s golden eyes flashed with warning, threatening danger.
Gran shuddered. “Fine, fine,” he muttered reluctantly.
Izuku had been giggling during the exchange, and when Mirai opened a door and gestured him inside, he skipped in. A funny smell assaulted his nose upon entry, and it took a moment to find the source of it.
His humour died upon seeing what was awaiting him in the room.
A decorative scene was set out before him, not a speck of dirt or grime to be found. A plush chair sat next to a gently crackling fire, with a small table of mahogany next to it. A large tome lay atop the table, alongside a small chalice of blood. And sitting innocuously off to the side of the room was a vampire Izuku didn’t recognize, with a large canvas and paints and brushes carefully laid out before them.
Mirai tried to usher him along as Gran shut the door and casually leaned against it, subtly blocking Izuku’s exit.
“What is this?” Izuku demanded as he turned around, even though he already knew.
“The painter for your portrait, Your Majesty,” Mirai explained carefully. “I know in the past you haven’t wanted to have yours made to join the Hall of Kings and Queens, but it has been nearly five years since your coronation. With your birthday being just over a week away, we felt it would be prudent to have your portrait commissioned in celebration of the event.”
A flicker of anger roiled inside Izuku. “I thought I had made it clear that I don’t want my official portrait done!” If he had his portrait made, it was truly cementing the fact that he was king now. That his mother and father were gone. If the portrait was made, it meant he would have to go to the Hall in order to be present for its hanging. It meant he would see them.
“You mentioned that, yes. But that was years ago,” Mirai said. “I think it is time to—”
“No!” Izuku scowled.
Mirai frowned. “Your Majesty, if you would just hear me out—”
“I said no!” Izuku shouted, fear and panic beginning to override his rational thinking as he made for the door.
Before he could reach it however, Gran disappeared in a flash, and in another Izuku found himself sitting on the chair while Gran was already back at the door, keeping it shut. He stared at Gran in betrayal, who gave him an uncharacteristically sympathetic look in response, his eyes soft and…sad?
“Izuku.” Gran’s voice was rather quiet, but it still reached Izuku from across the room. “It’s time.”
Izuku sprang out of the seat, stomping his foot. His eyes burned with frustration, and he hated how his body always wanted to cry in response to strong emotion. He held the tears back. “No! I don’t want to!”
Gran sighed wearily. “I know, but you have to let them go.”
“NO!” Izuku screamed in denial, his heart pounding painfully hard in his chest. “I WON’T! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!”
He made for the door again, only for Gran to simply move in the blink of an eye to sit him back in the chair once more. Izuku responded with a furious shriek as he jumped off, bolts of lightning shooting out of him erratically. He turned, grabbing hold of the chair, claws sinking into the leather as he yanked it off the floor and hurled it towards Gran with as much strength as he could muster.
With his speed, Gran easily dodged it, and the chair impacted with the door at such a velocity that it smashed right through it, bits of wood flying into the hall as the chair crashed into the stone wall of the corridor outside.
Izuku screamed with rage at his miss, grabbing the tome next and chucking it. This time Gran snatched the book out of the air, and rushed at Izuku in a flash, setting the tome back down on the table and snatching Izuku up from behind in a bear-hug.
“Your Majesty!” Mirai exclaimed, eyes widening. “Please, be reasonable!”
“LET ME GO!” Izuku demanded, fighting in Gran’s hold.
He wriggled furiously, legs kicking but arms pinned. The side table went flying as his foot caught the edge of it, splintering into pieces when it smacked against a shelf of books and causing several to tumble to the floor. But despite his strength, Izuku was unable to find enough leverage to free himself.
“LET ME GO!” he shrieked.
Gran struggled to hold him, shifting to maintain a better grasp, hissing in pain when bolts of electricity zapped him repeatedly. “Izuku, that’s enough—Argh!” Gran yelped when Izuku sunk his fangs into his arm, pushing them deep into his flesh. “You little shit!”
Vaguely, Izuku heard the painter gasp in the background, scandalized. But he refused to let go, digging his bite deeper as Gran tried to shake him off.
“Izuku!” Mirai snapped, clearly angry. “You do not bite like that! Where are your manners?”
Izuku ignored him.
Soon enough, Gran gave up trying to make him let go. “Fine!” he snarled. “Have it your way!”
He leaned down and sunk his own fangs into Izuku’s shoulder, biting just as hard.
“SORAHIKO!” Mirai screeched with indignation. “What do you think you’re doing?! Release His Majesty at once!”
Izuku screamed in both frustration and pain, but still refused to let go. He didn’t even register someone new entering the scene until they spoke up.
“What the hell is going on here?!”
“So everything is in order?” Hisashi asked Kurogiri as he went over the checklist of gifts for Izuku’s birthday.
“Nearly.” Kurogiri nodded in affirmation. “The sword and vambraces have been completed and picked up, the new section in the library is filled with the books you requested, and the tailor Hakamata has finished the clothing you requested.” At Hisashi’s shudder, Kurogiri smiled and held up a hand. “Not to worry, Your Majesty. I have already picked those up on your behalf.”
“Thank you.” Hisashi blew out a sigh of relief, before turning his gaze to the pile of presents on his desk wrapped in colorful paper and ribbons, the majority of which were toys. His brow creased in concern. It was far more toys than he had ever had as a child but…Izuku was royalty. “Do you think this is enough? Should I get more? Something better?”
“I believe this will more than suffice, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri reassured him.
“If you’re sure…” Hisashi murmured. His eyes landed on a toy that had not yet been wrapped. He grabbed the leather swan, frowning in confusion. He didn’t remember picking this one up. Then again, he had bought a slew of toys and already he could hardly remember the ones that had been wrapped. “Seems we missed one,” he mused aloud. He reached for the wrapping paper, but was stopped.
“Ah, that one was not for Izuku,” Kurogiri clarified for him.
“Oh. Is it for Tenko then?” Hisashi asked, looking it over. He had been giving Kurogiri extra wages in the form of the coin he didn’t spend on their trips to the city. It was the least he could do, considering everything the man did for him.
“No. It’s for you, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said.
Hisashi stared incredulously at the servant, eyes the size of dinner plates. “Excuse me?!”
“I’ve noticed that your fangs still ache when you drink from a glass, due to being such a new vampire,” Kurogiri explained, a smile working its way onto his face. “As such, I believe it would be prudent for you to have a way to ease the pain.”
“These are for children!” Hisashi protested, recalling the little girl from the ball and the toy unicorn that had acted as a teether. Embarrassment welled up and caused his face to redden. Even if his fangs did hurt, there was no way he was going to subject himself to using this. “I am not a child!”
“I am very much aware, Your Majesty. I am merely trying to aid you in your transition. Tenko suffered from the same issue when he first became a vampire. But they aren’t just for children, most newly turned vampires use them. You needn’t be so prideful. No one is going to judge you.”
“You don’t know that!” Hisashi insisted. “I couldn’t ever let anyone see me use this, that would be humiliating! I don’t need something like this! I’ve been managing just fine!”
“Then don’t let anyone see you use it,” Kurogiri said patiently. “You can keep it hidden in your room and use it as you need when alone.”
“That’s—! I still…I really don’t need—” Hisashi tried to find any excuse to not use the thing, but fumbled every time he opened his mouth.
“And please, do not forget the scheduled feeding tomorrow,” Kurogiri spoke as if he didn’t hear Hisashi’s complaints. “We still need to work on your bites and feeding habits. You’ve been avoiding me each time.”
“…Have not,” Hisashi denied, crossing his arms. “I’ve just been busy planning Izuku’s birthday.”
“Perhaps now would be a good time then,” Kurogiri suggested lightly. “You haven’t had your second glass of the day yet. As busy as you have been, I know you must be thirsty.”
“I just remembered that I have to visit Mirai!” Hisashi excused himself quickly, making for the door in a flash. “There was something I saw in the shop in town that I didn’t get last time, but I need more money! A few more books too! Don’t wait for me, I’ll be a while.”
Knowing Kurogiri’s tendency to simply teleport him places when he thought Hisashi was being difficult, Hisashi flew out of the room at top speed, hoping his vampire enhancements would make him too fast for Kurogiri to be able to catch in a portal. To make sure he was out of reach, he ran through the castle for a solid few minutes, taking hallways and stairs at random, with no particular destination in mind.
Hisashi came to a startled halt, however, when he heard something crash in the hall around the corner, the sound of splintering wood loud in his ears. But it didn’t compare to the screaming that followed it.
His son’s screaming.
A bolt of pure terror struck his heart, and before Hisashi had even fully registered that he was moving again, his feet were already carrying him towards the relentless shrieking, his form nearly a blur as he raced forward.
“LET ME GO!” he could hear Izuku shout, urging him to move even faster. “LET ME GO!”
His pulse pounded in his ears, drowning out anything else as he ran to where his son was. The fear inside him was slowly boiling into rage, his fangs baring in preparation to rip into whoever had dared harm his son.
The first thing Hisashi saw when he rounded the corner was pieces of wood and a broken chair in the corridor. But he ignored those as he headed for the room the commotion was coming from, picking his way past the wreckage and throwing aside what was left of the damaged door and—
Confusion at the scene inside snuffed out some of his anger as he froze in the doorway. Izuku was there, along with Mirai, Gran, and some strange vampire Hisashi had never seen before, who looked rather terrified and overwhelmed.
“What the hell is going on here?!” Hisashi snarled at the sight before him, drawing all eyes to him as he rushed towards Izuku and Gran, fury rising once more at the sight of Gran’s fangs buried in his son’s shoulder, and the blood staining his clothes.
But wait, Izuku’s fangs were also buried in Gran’s arm? Hisashi faltered momentarily. What the hell was happening?! Why were they biting each other like animals?
The blood leaking down from Izuku’s shoulder banished the thought however, Hisashi deciding he could get his answers after Gran was no longer biting his son.
“Get away from him!” Hisashi snarled, grasping onto Gran’s arm to pull him off Izuku.
But Gran maintained his hold, glaring at Hisashi.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Hisashi demanded.
Gran snarled, but released his bite to snap back, “This little shit bit me first!”
Hisashi blinked in bewilderment. “So you bit him back? He’s a child! You’re an adult! Show some maturity, and let go.” It was not a suggestion.
“Don’t go butting your nose into situations that don’t involve you!” Gran hissed.
“Situations with my son involve me automatically!” Hisashi snapped back, moving into Gran’s personal space. “Now get away from him!”
For some reason, that only made Gran tighten his hold. “Izuku is not your family,” he growled lowly.
“You sure as hell aren’t his!”
“Don’t talk about things you don’t understand!” Gran yelled back.
“I pe—”
At that moment, Izuku finally released Gran’s arm to speak up. “STOP IT!” came the shout, his voice cracking.
Hisashi all but ignored Gran then, turning his full attention to his son. “Izuku,” Hisashi said, softening his voice, “what’s going on? What happened?”
Izuku’s little face looked miserable, eyes suspiciously wet. “Th-They’re trying to force me to get my portrait painted for the royal hall. I don’t want it!” His arms reached out for Hisashi as best they could from where they were being pinned by Gran’s.
Hisashi grabbed at Gran again, forcibly yanking his arms apart to free Izuku, ignoring the elder vampire’s furious snarl as he snatched his son away. Izuku latched onto him with a broken little sob, burying his face in Hisashi’s shoulder as his arms wrapped around Hisashi’s neck. The sound tore at Hisashi’s heart, and he laid a hand on Izuku’s back to comfort him.
Hisashi felt his eyes glow with anger as he glared at Gran, baring his fangs in warning when Gran reached out to take Izuku back. Hisashi knocked the hand away with a loud slap, clutching his son closer.
“Alright,” he said quietly, keeping his voice soft even as he refused to take his eyes off Gran. “Can you tell me why you don’t want your portrait made, Izuku?”
“T-They…the Hall…” Izuku hiccuped, little hands fisting in Hisashi’s shirt. “My parents…they…they…”
“I see,” Hisashi murmured, rubbing soothing circles on Izuku’s back. He turned his gaze to Mirai, whose expression was a weird mixture of anger, relief, and consternation. “Why are you trying to force him to have one made?”
Mirai pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “We’ve already been putting it off for years. By tradition, the portrait is created as soon as the royal ascends the throne. It’s been five years since His Majesty became king. He needs a portrait to add to the hall.”
“And you’ve decided to do this against his wishes, whether he likes it or not?” Hisashi asked snidely.
“I didn’t know it was happening,” Izuku told him. “They tricked me over here. They said we were just having lunch and going for a walk!”
Hisashi scowled at Gran and Mirai. “You two are such bastards. ‘Doing what’s best for Izuku’ my ass! You’re just forcing him into things he doesn’t like! What kind of grown adults bully a child like that?”
Gran actually winced ever so slightly, but Mirai sputtered indignantly, “As king, this is simply another part of His Majesty’s royal duties!”
“What? It’s not like having a portrait is a law,” Hisashi laughed.
Mirai just stared at him.
Hisashi gaped. “Seriously?! He has to have a painting in the hall by law? What kind of messed up laws do you guys have?!”
Mirai bristled at the insult to vampire society. “Ones that have served our people well for centuries! It is to preserve our history!”
Hisashi took a deep breath to calm himself before he could get too angry. Now wasn’t the time to be getting into an argument with Mirai. Not when his son was in such a miserable state. There had to be something he could do. Some way he could convince Izuku to have the portrait made without further upsetting him. If there was nothing Hisashi could do to get them to stop completely, then he would do what he could to support his son. A compromise, maybe?
“...What if you have something of your parents with you while you have your portrait made?” Hisashi suggested lightly to Izuku as he set him down, gently wiping away at his tears. “Like the hairpin in your dresser. That belonged to your mother, didn’t it?”
Izuku said nothing for a long moment, looking down. A sniffle escaped him before his little voice spoke up again. “I-I don’t w-want to be a-alone,” he whimpered. “The portrait of me…he’ll be alone forever!”
“Then I can sit with you in the painting,” Hisashi offered. “Would you be willing to have the portrait then?”
Izuku looked up, his eyes red and full of tears. “...You promise?” he asked unsurely, his voice breaking a little. “You’ll be there with me in the painting? I won’t…I won’t be alone?”
“I promise,” Hisashi reassured him, carefully brushing away a few more of his son's tears. “I’ll be there with you.”
Izuku’s lower lip wobbled, the boy biting at it as he tried, and failed, to stifle a hiccup. Then his arms reached out towards him and Hisashi quickly obliged, smiling softly as he picked his son up again, cradling him to his chest. In the corner of his eye, he could see Gran staring at him, expression one of mild surprise and…realization?
He didn’t have much time to think on it, though, as Mirai was fuming.
“Absolutely not!” the man was saying. “His Majesty must have his portrait done alone! Only the reigning royal has their likeness put up in the hall! I cannot allow you to sit in on this and—”
“Mirai,” Gran spoke, his voice strangely firm and quiet, “stop.”
Hisashi wasn’t sure who was more shocked by that, Mirai or himself. They both gaped at Gran.
Mirai sputtered, “Gran? What? We simply cannot—”
“Mirai,” Gran repeated. He did not raise his voice, but Mirai quieted all the same.
The two of them stared at each other intensely for a long moment. Hisashi was unsure of exactly what kind of unspoken communication was passing between them, but eventually, Mirai sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Alright. Fine,” he conceded. Golden eyes glanced about the room, taking in the sight of the flipped over table, the scattered books and splintered wood, the spilled blood from a chalice, and the painter still nervously standing by the wayside. “But we’ll need to find a new location for the portrait, considering the damage here. As well as a new outfit for His Majesty.”
“Fine,” Hisashi agreed, arms wrapping around Izuku tighter when the boy whimpered softly. “But Izuku gets to pick where he wants the portrait made.”
Mirai’s lips thinned, but he only nodded. “Acceptable.” His attention turned to Izuku. “Your Majesty?” he prompted.
When Izuku didn’t respond, Hisashi gently jostled the boy. “Izuku?” His son looked up at him then, and Hisashi attempted a small smile. “Where would you like to have your painting done?”
There was a long pause, in which Izuku bit at his lip, looking like he was barely able to stifle more tears. Hisashi began to think Izuku wouldn’t answer as he laid his head back onto Hisashi’s shoulder, but then he spoke up in a very small voice.
“...The gardens,” he muttered, arms tightening around Hisashi.
“Alright. That sounds like the perfect place for a royal painting,” Hisashi agreed. He turned back to Mirai and Gran. “We’ll meet you in the gardens then.”
Gran simply nodded, and Mirai did the same—though clearly with more reluctance.
Hisashi paid them no mind as he walked out of the room, making his way upstairs. Once there, he carefully shifted Izuku to one arm and opened the door, revealing a surprised Kurogiri on the other side, who—upon seeing Izuku—quickly closed the closet that had all the birthday gifts tucked away in the back.
Then his servant frowned, taking in the sight of Izuku’s upset form and little sniffles. “Your Majesties?” Kurogiri asked them quietly.
Hisashi only shook his head and waved a hand to motion Kurogiri to stop. He moved into the room, and tried to set Izuku down on the bed. His son refused to relinquish his grip on him though, arms still clinging tightly around Hisashi’s neck.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Hisashi reassured as he sat on the bed, rubbing at Izuku’s back soothingly. “It’s okay. We don’t have to go back downstairs right away.”
But Izuku refused to lift his head from where he had buried his face in Hisashi’s shoulder, only clinging that much tighter. Hisashi grimaced when a sad noise escaped Izuku, wanting nothing more than to march back downstairs and tear into Gran and Mirai for upsetting his son so much.
What had they even been thinking, trying to spring this on Izuku, to force him to have his painting made? Surely they knew better than anyone how sensitive Izuku was when it came to anything that involved his parents. They should have known how poorly Izuku would have reacted to it.
Really. And they constantly claimed they had Izuku’s best interests in mind. Bullshit honestly. Hisashi decided they could wait for as long as Izuku needed to be ready, whether that was in a few minutes or a few hours. Izuku could take all the time he needed.
“We can pick an outfit together whenever you’re ready,” Hisashi whispered into Izuku’s curls. “Take your time.”
“I don’t wanna,” Izuku cried miserably.
“I know.” Hisashi sighed quietly. He wondered how he could lift Izuku’s mood even by just a bit. If they had the portrait done now, like this, then even with Hisashi there, the Izuku captured in the painting would be miserable forever; a reflection of the boy’s mood when it was made.
Across the room, his gaze shifted to the closet, where he met with Kurogiri’s empathetic eyes, and an idea came to him then.
“I have something for you,” Hisashi said suddenly. Izuku sniffled at the words, but drew away from Hisashi’s shoulder to look up at him with confusion. “It was meant to be a surprise for your birthday, but I think you should have it now.”
“...For my birthday?” Izuku managed to say through a hiccup, wiping at his face with his sleeves.
“Mhm,” Hisashi confirmed. “You didn’t think I was leaving all the time just to see the city sights, did you?”
“I dunno…” Izuku rubbed at his teary eyes. “I thought…maybe you were getting bored of me…”
Hisashi felt his heart clench in his chest. Is that really what Izuku had thought of his absences? “What? Oh, Izuku, no.” He cupped his son’s face in his hands. “I could never get bored of you. You aren’t a hobby or a toy or a distraction, you’re my son.” He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss between Izuku’s brows. “I love you.” The sentiment still felt strange to say, even though it was entirely true. Hisashi just wasn’t used to expressing himself in such ways, but he knew it was important for his son to hear.
And sure enough, Izuku granted him a small, watery smile. “I love you too.”
Hisashi smiled back. “Good, now, just wait here for a moment,” he told Izuku as he sat him down on the bed. Izuku gave a little nod, and Hisashi was glad to see that his tears seemed to be drying up now. “I’ll be right back. It’s just in the closet.”
“Okay,” Izuku murmured quietly, pulling his knees up to his chest.
Hisashi opened the closet, stepping past Kurogiri and inside to the very back where Izuku’s presents were hidden in various drawers and behind several outfits. He carefully pulled out the ones that had been set atop the shelf, one small rectangular box resting atop a much larger one.
“Here we are,” Hisashi announced as he exited the closet, holding them up for Izuku to see.
Izuku’s brow creased as he just stared at the boxes.
“You have to open them, Izuku. That’s how presents work,” Hisashi ribbed gently.
Izuku’s cheeks puffed out. “I know that!” He grabbed the gifts and set them on the bed, tentatively digging his fingers into the wrapping and beginning to tear at it.
When he lifted the lid of the small box, Hisashi watched his expression turn from curious to confused. “It’s…clothes. Thank you?” Izuku said tentatively.
Hisashi snorted. “Open the other box, Izuku.”
Izuku did, and Hisashi watched with satisfaction as his son’s hidden disappointment transformed into realization, then excitement.
“You…You got us matching outfits?” he asked, looking up at Hisashi in wonder as he held up a huge shirt.
Hisashi rubbed the back of his neck in mild embarrassment. “Yeah. I mean…We were supposed to wear them on your birthday, but I thought…Well, anyway. I figured you might enjoy a father-son outfit match?”
“I love them!” Izuku chimed, throwing his arms around Hisashi in a tight embrace. “Thank you, Dad!”
“I’m glad you like them,” Hisashi chuckled, returning the hug before Izuku moved away, staring at the clothes.
“We need to try them on,” Izuku proclaimed, looking significantly better than he had earlier. “I’ll go get dressed in my room!” Izuku hopped off the bed, then glanced about the room until his eyes landed on Hisashi’s servant. “Kurogiri, help Dad with his!”
“Actually, I’ll be fine. I can dress myself,” Hisashi said, taking hold of his own set of clothes. “Kurogiri, you help Izuku with his. I can do this on my own.”
Izuku frowned. “No, Dad. Kurogiri is your servant. He’s supposed to help you. Kurogiri, help Dad.”
Hisashi huffed. “Isn’t he supposed to do as I ask? Kurogiri, go help Izuku, I’ll be fine.”
“You always miss your buttons and never adjust your sleeves right!” Izuku countered. “Kurogiri, make sure Dad doesn’t mess up his outfit!”
“What?” Hisashi scowled. “I can totally button a shirt properly! I’m not a child! Unlike someone else in this room. It’s your painting, so Kurogiri should help you make sure you look your best. Right, Kurogiri?”
They both turned to the servant expectantly.
Kurogiri had his arms crossed, and looked severely unimpressed. “Actually, I have some matters to attend to around the castle. I’m sure the two of you can assist each other perfectly well.”
“What—”
“Wait—”
Kurogiri vanished through a portal before either one of them could finish their sentences, leaving them alone in the room, staring at where Hisashi’s servant had just ditched them.
“…I hate it when he does that,” Hisashi muttered eventually.
A giggle reached his ears then, and he felt a smile tug at his lips upon hearing the happy sound from his son.
“Alright, let’s get dressed then,” Hisashi said, looking down at the clothes folded over his arm. “After the portrait is done, we can head back upstairs and ignore Gran and Mirai for the rest of the day. How does that sound?”
“...More like a week,” Izuku muttered—mostly to himself, but Hisashi’s sharp hearing picked it up anyway.
“I think we could arrange that.” Hisashi waggled his brows. “How about tomorrow we start getting packed for our camping trip? It’ll help take your mind off everything.”
Izuku’s eyes widened. “Really? We can go camping soon? I can really avoid Gran and Mirai for a whole week?”
Hisashi grinned at how excited Izuku sounded. “Definitely. It’s what they deserve for pulling a mean stunt on you.”
“Yeah!” Izuku agreed, nodding rapidly. “And see how they like it when they get stuck with all the royal duties!”
“Truly, a punishment like no other,” Hisashi laughed. That laugh died out when Izuku began to strip. “Izuku!”
“What? Kurogiri is gone. It’s just us.” Izuku rolled his eyes. “We need to change.”
“I thought you said you were going to change in your room?”
“Whatever. Doesn’t make a big difference.” Izuku hopped around on one leg as he struggled with his new outfit. “You get changed too, Dad! Don’t just stand there.”
Hisashi glanced at the clothes in his arms. “…I’ll change in the closet,” he muttered, heading back over to the closet.
“Weirdo!” Izuku called out as Hisashi shut himself inside.
He ignored the boy as he changed in the semi-darkness, his vampire eyes having no problem. He could hear Izuku practically bouncing around the room in excitement when he finished, waiting for him to come out.
“WE MATCH!” Izuku cried, throwing himself at Hisashi when he stepped out of the closet.
Hisashi chuckled, catching his son in his arms. “Yes, Izuku. That’s the whole point of matching outfits.”
“This is the best birthday present ever!” Izuku claimed.
“I’m glad you think so.” Hisashi smiled, petting his son’s hair. “You ready to have your portrait made?”
Izuku frowned a little, some of the mirth leaving his eyes. “...Not really. Can we stay here a little longer?”
“We could.” Hisashi nodded. “But the sooner we get it done, the sooner we’ll never be bothered with this again—and the sooner we can get started on our trip.”
“...Okay,” Izuku conceded after a moment. “Let’s go get it over with then.”
Notes:
Tensei’s torment continues.
Tensei: “Farewell, Your Majesty, I'll see you again soon.” *urges Tenya to the carriage* “Keep moving. Just keep moving.” *senses Izuku's thoughts of adopting him* “Keep moving. DON'T LOOK BACK TENYA, KEEP MOVING!”
For consideration.
Izuku: “Hmmm. I would like a big brother…but no. I’d have to go through the training process all over again to get Tensei to be my brother, and Dad was hard enough to domesticate when I got him.”
Hisashi: “What do you mean ‘domesticate’?!”
Don’t ask questions.
Izuku: “Gran, why is your blood so sweet?”
Gran: “Because I’m a sweet t—”
Mirai: “It’s all the taiyaki. It has seeped into his blood.”
Gift giving.
Hisashi: “You do know I’m not a child, right?”
Kurogiri: “Of course.”
(earlier that day)
Kurogiri, shopping: “Hmm. Oh! A leather swan teether! I think Hisashi could use this. The gods know he doesn’t take care of himself properly. What in the world would these children do without me?”
As always, thanks for reading!
Chapter 27
Summary:
“This is the best birthday present ever!” Izuku claimed.
“I’m glad you think so.” Hisashi smiled, petting his son’s hair. “You ready to have your portrait made?”
Izuku frowned a little, some of the mirth leaving his eyes. “...Not really. Can we stay here a little longer?”
“We could.” Hisashi nodded. “But the sooner we get it done, the sooner we’ll never be bothered with this again—and the sooner we can get started on our trip.”
“...Okay,” Izuku conceded after a moment. “Let’s go get it over with then.”
Notes:
We wrote a side piece for this fic! A oneshot that takes place at some point vaguely after chapter 25. Magical mishap shenanigans 👀👀
If you haven’t read it yet, go check it out! Right here: Kurogiri’s Babysitting Adventures
🎉🎉🎉🎉Fic art master post:
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi felt Izuku’s grip on his hand tighten as they walked into the gardens in their matching outfits (Izuku having helped Hisashi fasten his cuffs and line up his buttons properly). The sound of his son’s normally slow-beating heart racing in his little chest was pounding in Hisashi’s ears. He squeezed Izuku’s hand in turn, offering what comfort he could.
Soon enough Hisashi could hear Gran and Mirai conversing up ahead, and he stared down the path to where they were waiting at a large, bubbling fountain. The two heard their approach as well, turning to meet them, and did a double-take upon catching sight of Hisashi and Izuku. Gran’s brow rose up, but Mirai frowned and opened his mouth—likely to complain about how long they took—only to be interrupted by Gran.
“You ready then?” he asked.
“As we’ll ever be,” Hisashi confirmed, shifting a bit awkwardly, his face tinged with red.
“Alright then.” Gran sighed. “This looks as good a place as any for the portrait.”
“It’s adequate,” Mirai replied stiffly. “If you two would please take your desired place so that the painter may begin his work.”
“Not here,” Izuku spoke up suddenly, shaking his head in refusal.
Everyone turned to stare at him, bewildered.
“I thought you wanted your portrait made in the gardens, Your Majesty?” Mirai asked.
“I do. But not here.”
“Then where?” Gran asked.
“With my parents.”
Silence followed that statement, all the adults shifting about uncomfortably. The three of them shared uncertain looks with one another, before Mirai broke the awkward silence.
“…Is that really…the best idea, Your Majesty?” he ventured hesitantly, clearly wanting to be delicate about the topic but unsure how to be.
“I want all of my parents there with me,” Izuku clarified in a tone that brooked no argument. “Otherwise I’m not having the portrait made at all.”
“Well, it’s just…graves in the background of your portrait would be a little…” Mirai trailed off, wincing.
“I think it’s a fine idea,” Hisashi spoke up, wrapping his arm around Izuku’s shoulders. “There’s nothing wrong with a child wanting his parents to be with him, is there?” He leveled Mirai with a challenging stare.
“...No, I suppose not,” Mirai agreed in a stilted tone, the man struggling to keep his voice even. He cleared his throat and gestured towards a path. “Very well then. If you would follow me, Your Majesty.” Mirai began to lead the way through the gardens.
The group of them walked on silently, a solemn air coming about Gran and Mirai as they approached the graves of the previous king and queen. Hisashi rubbed Izuku’s arm comfortingly, aware of the pain in his son’s eyes as the boy stared at his parents’ headstones. But he was rather surprised to see the same type of pain in Gran’s eyes when he turned back to the others, a deep sorrow in their depths that Mirai didn’t quite have.
“...Let’s get this over with,” Gran muttered, motioning for the painter to set up.
“I-I’ll need a drop of their blood for the paints,” the vampire said as he did so, propping his easel up and setting a large, blank canvas onto it. Various paints were laid out neatly, as were several brushes.
“What for?” Hisashi asked curiously, a frown working its way onto his lips.
“So that you may breathe life into the paintings later. With the essence contained within your blood, it will allow them to become imprints of who you were at the time the painting was made,” Mirai explained curtly. “Now, hold out your hand and prick your fingertip. Just a drop will do.”
Hisashi and Izuku both complied. Izuku then took him by the hand and tugged him over to the graves, pulling Hisashi down onto the ground with him. They settled between the two headstones, Izuku situating himself in front of Hisashi, leaning back on him slightly.
Hisashi wrapped his arms around his son and squeezed lightly, nodding to the painter, who sat on the stool he had brought with him and began to work.
Hours passed by, the painter carefully brushing every detail of the scenery into the canvas. Occasionally Hisashi would fidget, only to be chided by either the painter or Mirai to remain still. Izuku hardly made a noise the entire time, sitting there quietly in a manner that was usually unlike the rambunctious child.
Hisashi felt like it would never end as the hours passed, the sun eventually dipping low behind the cloudy sky until it disappeared entirely from the horizon. But eventually…
“I’ve finished, Your Majesties,” the painter proclaimed after what felt like an eternity.
“Finally,” Hisashi groaned, shifting to stand and cracking his neck.
Izuku followed suit, still refusing to let go of his hand.
Hisashi asked, “How’d it turn out then?”
It had better be good after all that time sitting completely motionless. He didn’t want to have to go through that a second time, and he had no doubt in his mind that Izuku did either.
“Excellently, Your Majesties.” The painter nodded in approval, smiling proudly and looking at ease for the first time since Hisashi met him. “It needs to dry for several hours before it can be set in place, however.”
“Of course.” Mirai inclined his head in acceptance. “I’ll keep it in my office for safekeeping until it is ready to be displayed.”
Izuku’s hand tightened around Hisashi’s, a fang nibbling at his lip anxiously. “Can we go now?” he asked, looking like he wanted nothing more than for this to be over and done with.
As did everyone else, frankly. Mirai was stiff as a board and Gran kept shifting impatiently on his feet, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
“Sure,” Hisashi said. “You run along to the garden entrance, alright? I just need to have a word with the painter and then we’ll head back upstairs.”
“Okay,” Izuku agreed. But he seemed reluctant to let go of Hisashi’s hand, worriedly looking back even as he left the memorial with haste.
Hisashi watched with slight concern as Gran followed after Izuku quickly, a somber expression on his face.
Mirai, however, didn’t leave, eyeing Hisashi with suspicion.
Hisashi rolled his eyes and decided to ignore him, approaching the painter. “Are you busy?” he asked.
The painter’s brow crinkled in confusion. “Not anymore, with the royal portrait done. Why?”
“I’d like to make a request. I’ll pay you well,” Hisashi said.
“You’d like another portrait?” the painter asked.
“Ah, no. Just…Would you be able to add a present into the painting you just did of us? Like, hide a little gift somewhere in the portrait for my son to find later? I want it to be another set of matching outfits. Hunter garb, if you would.”
“Oh.” The painter blinked. “If that’s what you’d like, Your Majesty, I can accommodate such a request. There’s no need for additional payment.”
“Thank you. But I would still like to give you a few extra coins for the work at least,” Hisashi insisted, taking out his pouch of coins and setting a few into the painter's hand, who merely blinked again and stared at Hisashi.
As the painter went back to work, adding the gifts, Hisashi took his leave of the gardens, ignoring Mirai’s disapproving face as he left them behind. Izuku was waiting for him at the entrance, looking a little upset but no worse for wear as Hisashi approached. Gran was nowhere to be seen.
Izuku’s face lit up somewhat when he noticed Hisashi walking towards him. “Is everything good now?” he asked anxiously, clearly ready to leave.
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Hisashi assured him, feeling a little drained from the events of the day and having to sit in place for so long. His mind wandered to the bottles of wine he had snatched from the storage room the other day that were waiting for him upstairs. It had been a long day, and he could use a drink before heading off to bed. “I just need to unwind. You do too, I bet.”
Izuku nodded, biting at his lower lip nervously. Green eyes looked up at Hisashi filled with a desperate hope. “Will you read to me tonight?” he asked quietly.
Hisashi smiled. “Of course. How about we head up to our room, hm? Where no one can disturb us.”
“That sounds good.” Izuku easily allowed Hisashi to scoop him up and carry him off upstairs. He rested his head on Hisashi’s shoulder, spindly little arms clutching to Hisashi tightly. His eyes were down, and he seemed to be thinking about something. Either the painting, his parents, or Gran and Mirai. Maybe all three.
Speaking of which, Hisashi wondered where the elder vampire had gone, having seen him follow after Izuku once the portraits were finished. He wouldn’t have put it past Gran to have brought up something to upset his son further, given the stunt he and Mirai had just pulled.
“Did Gran say anything to you when he left?” Hisashi asked after several minutes of walking in silence, noting Izuku looked somewhat conflicted.
“He tried to apologize. For everything,” Izuku muttered quietly, though he sounded a little guilty. “I didn’t really listen to him though…”
“That’s fine. You don’t have to forgive him right now. He was being a huge ass today.” Normally Hisashi wouldn’t condone such behaviour from Izuku, but Gran and Mirai had really pissed him off by bullying his son earlier. So what if Izuku didn’t forgive them? They had brought it upon themselves.
Izuku lifted his head from Hisashi’s shoulder, giving a fierce nod of agreement.“Yeah! He was an ass!”
“Don’t repeat that,” Hisashi scolded.
Izuku pouted, crossing his arms. “How come you can say bad words but I can’t? That’s not fair.”
“Because I’m older than you,” Hisashi reminded him.
“No, you’re not!” Izuku argued. “You’re only like, thirty-five! I’m fifty-nine!”
Hisashi sputtered, purposefully jostling Izuku in his arms and causing his son to yelp. “We’ve discussed this! That doesn’t matter because of inter-species aging differences or whatever! I’m an adult and you’re a child. That’s why I can say bad words and you can’t.”
“Aww, but that’s not fair!” Izuku whined childishly. “I won’t be an adult by vampire standards for another few centuries! That’s forever from now!”
“Sucks to be you then!” Hisashi teased, flicking his son’s nose and laughing when he wrinkled it with a disgruntled expression. “Assigned baby for life!”
“Am not!” Izuku huffed. “And you probably won’t get any older for a couple hundred years either!”
“I’ll still always be older than you!”
“Nuh-uh!” Izuku stuck his tongue out. “I’m still older than you in human years!”
“But we’re vampires, so that doesn’t matter.” Hisashi shook his head.
“It counts for something!” Izuku insisted.
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Yes, it does.”
“No, it doesn’t!”
“Yes, it does!”
Hisashi, finally reaching his room, kicked the door open and chucked Izuku onto the bed, snickering as the boy flailed in midair before landing with a bounce. “No, it doesn’t,” he said firmly. “End of discussion.”
Izuku scrambled to sit up, his hair everywhere from the landing. He crossed his arms and frowned at Hisashi. “You can’t just say ‘end of discussion’ when you don’t want to talk about something anymore!”
“As your father, yes I can.”
“As your king, no you can’t.”
Hisashi rolled his eyes and ignored Izuku, heading over to grab a couple of the bottles of wine he’d squirreled away under his bed.
“What’s that?” Izuku asked.
“Just some wine from the storage,” Hisashi answered casually, placing the bottles on his desk and uncorking one with a claw, taking a deep swig and sighing contentedly afterwards.
“Can I have some?” Izuku pleaded, staring at him with eyes that were purposefully widened and glistening.
“No,” Hisashi denied sternly. “Wine is for adults. And, as I’ve already pointed out, you’re not an adult. You can try some when you’re older.”
He heard Izuku huff, turning around to see his son flop onto his back in defeat, grumbling incoherently under his breath.
Hisashi smirked, shaking his head. “Go ahead and grab the book so we can start where we last left off,” he said as he took another sip, savouring the burn of alcohol on his tongue.
Izuku rolled off the bed like a log, hitting the floor with a loud thump and an exaggerated groan. Hisashi just snorted and sat down where Izuku had been on the bed, adjusting the pillows so he could lean against the headboard. He waited for his son to peel himself off the floor and run to grab his book.
He almost dropped the bottle of wine, however, when Izuku decided to take a flying leap back at him, landing on Hisashi with glee as Hisashi wheezed at the impact on his stomach.
“Easy, Izuku!” he scolded as Izuku scrambled into place next to him, tucking into the covers with a mischievous grin.
“Sorry, Dad!” Izuku apologized, not sounding all that sorry as he opened the book, placing it onto Hisashi’s lap. Izuku smooshed up to his side to get a better view. “But now it’s reading time! So start reading!”
“Okay, okay, hold on.” Hisashi tilted the bottle up and downed a quarter of the wine in one go, wanting to feel relaxed and carefree. “Alright, where did we leave off?”
“Right here!” Izuku flipped to the correct page, resting his head against Hisashi’s arm as Hisashi started reading.
Hisashi got through two chapters before realizing the wine bottle was empty when he next lifted it to his lips. He set it aside, debating grabbing another, but the thought was interrupted by a small voice.
“...I’m thirsty,” Izuku said through a yawn, eyes half-shut from drowsiness.
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked, staring about the room for a moment to find something for Izuku to drink, but there was only the other bottle of wine. “Uh…” He paused, his tipsy mind struggling to come up with a solution that didn’t involve going all the way down to the kitchens. Where was Kurogiri when he really needed him?
His brow creased, but then a solution suddenly occurred to him.
Hisashi summoned the barest hint of magic to his fingers, the other wine bottle floating off the desk and over to the bed. He noticed it wobbled sporadically, and moved much faster than he would have liked, but as it drifted into his hand, he decided it was still an improvement compared to the shoes incident. Hisashi set the bottle to the side, then pulled his sleeve up to reveal his wrist.
“How ‘bout you drink from me?” he offered. It seemed like a perfectly reasonable solution to him, and Izuku’s face brightened considerably, a welcomed change from how miserable he had been earlier.
“Really?” His son sounded so hopeful.
“Sure.” Hisashi held his arm out further. “I can just replace what you drink with the wine. It’s mixed with blood, so it’ll work for me.”
“…Can I bite your neck?” Izuku asked.
A shudder went up Hisashi’s spine, the idea sending a pang of fear through his hazy mind. He swore he could feel the scar on his neck throb. He wanted to deny the request immediately, but the desperate look on Izuku’s face made the words die in his throat.
“…You can drink from my shoulder if you want,” he ended up saying. “Not—Not the neck.”
“Okay!” Izuku quickly agreed, seeming content with that as he shifted beside Hisashi, sitting up straighter and turning around.
Hisashi felt a pang of fear again when he saw Izuku’s large fangs on display in a wide smile, but he beat it down as best he could. Still, he couldn’t help but stiffen just a little as Izuku gently tugged the collar of his shirt down, exposing the area between his neck and arm. Briefly, Hisashi debated distracting himself with the other bottle of wine, but found that he couldn’t look away as Izuku leaned in, wasting no time in sinking his fangs into Hisashi’s flesh.
He jolted instinctively at the sensation, and his heart hammered away rapidly in his chest. His breath caught in his throat, drawing worried green eyes in his direction. Hisashi took in a deep breath, fighting to calm himself as he felt the blood being drained from his body.
He was fine. He was fine, and Izuku wasn’t going to drink him dry like he nearly had the first time. Right?
A small hand found his, giving it a reassuring squeeze as Izuku drank. Strangely, it did help. It reminded Hisashi that Izuku was in control of himself, unlike the first time where he’d been blinded by bloodlust. Hisashi squeezed back, wordlessly expressing his thanks.
When he had fully calmed down after a minute or so, Hisashi reached for the other wine bottle, popping it open and taking a drink. Strangely though, the buzz that had been building up was gradually dying away, even after he drank a long swig of the wine.
Hisashi brought the bottle up, squinting at the label and staring at the percentage. “...Maybe it’s mislabeled?” he muttered to himself with a frown, looking down at the neck of the bottle and taking a sniff to make sure it was actually alcoholic. His confusion only deepened when he confirmed that it was.
It was definitely alcohol, so where was the comforting fuzz that had built inside of him going? He swore he was getting more sober despite drinking more.
Hisashi’s attention shifted when Izuku suddenly pulled away from him with a slurred giggle, the bite wound in his shoulder swiftly healing. He stared down at his son in confusion, taking in Izuku’s flushed cheeks, his dilated pupils, and the slight sway of his body.
Izuku flopped against him like he couldn’t support his own weight. “You taste differ’nt th’n usual, Dad.”
Oh no.
Please tell him what he thinks happened did NOT happen.
“...Izuku?” Hisashi asked cautiously.
Izuku hiccuped loudly, lifting his head slightly to look at him. “Uh-huh?” He raised a hand, a goofy grin on his face, and pinched Hisashi’s nose. “Boop! Got your nose!” Then his son stared at his own hand as though struggling to comprehend what he was looking at.
Oh, Izuku was totally drunk. Mirai would kill him for this if he ever found out.
“I think it’s time to go to sleep,” Hisashi decided. If he could get Izuku to sleep it all off, everything would be fine.
“Don’ wanna,” Izuku complained with a grumble. “You still need…still need…wha’ were you doin’?”
“Reading you your bedtime story,” Hisashi explained slowly. “All the more reason for you to go to bed now. You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“I feel fine!” Izuku insisted, pushing off Hisashi with a lopsided grin. “You’re here, Dad.”
The statement warmed his heart, but Hisashi fought down the smile that wanted to form on his face. “And I’ll be here all night, so let’s get some rest.”
“Nah.” Izuku’s unfocused gaze moved back to Hisashi’s neck. “‘M still thirsty.”
Hisashi batted away the boy’s uncoordinated attempts to grab at him. “You’ve had enough,” he said firmly, covering his neck.
Izuku tried to pry at his hands with his own clumsy ones, but gave up quickly and flopped back down against him. Hisashi then took his son’s hands in his own to make sure he didn’t try anything else.
“I love ‘ou,” Izuku slurred, squeezing Hisashi’s hands so tightly Hisashi heard his bones creak. You’re th’ bes’ Dad. Jus’ like Daddy. I wish Daddy was here…” Izuku sounded wistful. Hazy green eyes opened again, landing on Hisashi. “You’re a lo’ like Daddy.”
Personally, Hisashi didn’t think he was anything like Toshinori, but he also wasn’t about to argue with a drunk child. “I love you too,” was all he said in return, petting Izuku’s curls.
Slowly, Hisashi sunk further down in the bed until he was laying flat, Izuku unmoving on his chest the entire time.
It was only when Hisashi didn’t move or speak further that Izuku shifted, planting his chin onto Hisashi's chest and staring up at him. “What’re you doin’?”
“Sleeping,” Hisashi said.
Izuku giggled. “No, you’re not. You’re awake!”
“I’m trying to sleep.”
“I don’ want you to!” Izuku huffed. “I wan’ you to stay awake.”
Hisashi groaned in exhaustion and frustration as he felt the command wash over him, that familiar tightness settling around his neck. “Izuku!” He couldn’t help the slip of anger in his voice, causing Izuku to startle with a jolt. “You said you’d stop ordering me!”
“W-Wha’?” Izuku stammered, clearly confused and looking hurt at the rise in Hisashi’s voice. Tears brimmed in his eyes. “I didn’! I didn’ order you!”
Hisashi forced himself back to a normal tone, internally panicking at the sight of tears. “You did. Just now,” he tried to explain calmly. “Maybe you didn’t realize it, but you just set an order.”
“Oh. M’sorry…” Izuku muttered. He hiccuped drunkenly.
“It’s alright.” Hisashi sighed wearily. “Just…undo the order, okay?”
“Okay…” Izuku paused, his brows pinching together. “...Wha’ did I order?”
“For me to stay awake.”
“Stay away?” Izuku looked panicked now as he shot straight up, then clutched Hisashi in a tight hold. “I don’ wan’ you to go away! Stay with me!”
Hisashi’s left eye twitched as the new command settled on him. “Izuku!”
“What? I reversed it!”
“No, you didn’t! I said stay awake. Get these commands off of me!”
“Why would you wanna go to a wake? They’re so sad!”
Hisashi squinted in confusion. “…What?”
“Don’ go anywhere without me, Dad,” Izuku said possessively, arms tightening around Hisashi in a hug and refusing to let him go. “You have to stay with me; forever and ever and a day!”
Hisashi grumbled under his breath in frustration. “I never planned to go away! I’ve already said I’d stay, so take these orders off!” He reached up and whacked Izuku on the head lightly.
Izuku whined despite the fact that it didn’t hurt him. “Hey! No hitting! You’re supp’sed to love me!”
Drunk as Izuku was, Hisashi was able to see the arm coming at him before it landed, and swiftly jolted his head to the side as Izuku attempted to hit him back.
The pillow beneath him ruptured from the force of Izuku’s hand, feathers exploding everywhere, and Hisashi’s eyes widened at the near miss. Izuku clearly didn’t have control of his strength while drunk.
“Daaaad, you made a mess!” Izuku accused.
“Okay…Okay…” Hisashi breathed slowly, watching Izuku carefully in case he made another attempt to hit him again. “Just…take a deep breath and calm down.”
“I am calm!”
“You just destroyed a whole pillow!”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Okay! Fine! You didn’t,” Hisashi reassured, not wanting Izuku to get angry. “Let’s just relax, alright?”
“You’re bein’ mean,” Izuku complained, sitting up and crossing his arms. “Firs’ you wan’ me to reverse the order, then you get mad when I do! Then you hit me! And now you’re accusin’ me of stuff! Stop being mean and telling lies!”
DAMMIT! Hisashi wanted to scream, but the new order prevented him from doing anything that could be considered “mean”, leaving him to clench his jaw and breathe heavily through his nose. “I’m not lying!” he insisted.
“Yes, you are!”
“If I was, I wouldn’t be able to say I wasn’t because you just ordered me to stop lying!” Hisashi pointed out.
Izuku looked sheepish. “Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry Dad…” He lay back down on top of Hisashi, eyes closing as he muttered to himself, “Dad…Dad…Daddy…Mama…?” His eyes cracked back open and searched about the room dazedly.
Hisashi paid no mind to Izuku’s drunken mumbling, drawing that green gaze back to him with a snap of his fingers. “Izuku. Izuku! Will you please remove these orders you’ve placed on me?” Hisashi asked as politely as he could.
But Izuku wasn’t listening to him, seeming to be deep in thought about something all of a sudden.
A bolt of terror shot down Hisashi’s spine at Izuku’s next words.
“...Can I have a mom?” Izuku asked, staring at Hisashi with as much seriousness as those hazy, unfocused eyes could muster.
“W-What?”
“A mom. I wan’ a mom,” Izuku repeated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “My birthday is comin’ up soon. I wan’ you to get me a mama.”
“You want me to just, what? Go kidnap some poor woman to be your mother?!” Hisashi’s voice sounded strangled.
Izuku giggled. “You can just get married and give me a mom that way!”
A disbelieving, nervous laugh burst out of Hisashi. There was no way Izuku was serious, right? “I’m not going to do that!”
“But I want one!” Izuku demanded petulantly. He glared, cheeks puffing out. “You have to get me a mom!”
Oh shit.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Hisashi muttered frantically as he felt the command settle on him.
“Or do you not like women?” Izuku frowned, tilting his head in consideration. “I guess I wouldn’t mind another dad if you don’t, but we already have Kurogiri and I really want a mama.”
“I like women!” Hisashi protested. Inko’s beautiful face flashed in his mind, and he felt his cheeks flush lightly.
“Okay! Then it’s settled!” Izuku exclaimed cheerily, bringing his hands together in a single clap. “You’ll get me a new mom by my birthday!”
Hisashi groaned loudly and rubbed at his eyes. “Izuku, please! You can’t reasonably expect me to do that!”
“Why not?” Izuku asked. “Don’t you love me?”
“Of course I do! But I can’t find you a new mom just like that!”
“But I found you like that?” Izuku tilted his head in confusion. “You just pick someone and then go get them!”
“That’s not how it works. That’s kidnapping! That’s bad!” Hisashi explained exasperatedly.
Hisashi wasn’t prepared for when Izuku’s lip startled to tremble, his eyes suddenly thick with tears. “Then…makin’ you my dad was bad?”
Hisashi winced. That was a loaded and complicated question. “It’s…I mean, it was…I…” Damn the no lying order. Hisashi rubbed his temples in frustration.
His fumbled words seemed to be answer enough for Izuku however, as fat tears rolled over his flushed cheeks and he released a pitiful whimper.
Hisashi flailed for a moment, hands fluttering about before they cupped Izuku’s face, trying to wipe away his tears. “Oh, no, don’t cry! I didn’t mean—I was just trying to say—”
“You being my dad is bad!” Izuku cried.
“No! No, no! I like being your dad! I want to be your dad! I love you!” Hisashi tried to assure his son. “It’s just that you went about…adopting…me in an…unconventional manner.” Not a lie, technically.
“You don’...You don’ hate me then?” Izuku sniffled.
“No, of course not,” Hisashi reassured him. “You’re my son, Izuku. I could never hate you.” He nearly sighed when Izuku seemed to calm, thumbs brushing away at the boy’s tear stained face. “But if you love me, then you have to remove the orders you placed on me tonight. It isn’t good to order people against their will.”
Izuku worried his lip, seeming uncertain. “…You’ll stay with me if they’re gone?”
“Yes, Izuku. I’ve already promised. I’ll stay.”
“Okay. But you have to cuddle me after,” Izuku demanded.
“I can do that. Now, the orders?” Hisashi asked anxiously.
Izuku nodded with a big yawn, eyes slipping shut as he leaned forward, head thudding against Hisashi’s chest as he fisted his hands in Hisashi’s shirt.
“Izuku?” Panic shot through Hisashi when Izuku seemed to have fallen asleep. He grasped onto Izuku’s shoulder and gave his son a light shake. “Izuku!” he repeated louder, shaking Izuku’s shoulder more firmly.
He was finally rewarded with a groan, Izuku blinking sleepily up at him.
“The orders,” Hisashi reminded him again.
“Mmn…” Izuku murmured tiredly, curling in on himself now. “Orders…Orders tonight no…” He was interrupted by another yawn. “...no longer bind you…” He managed to finish before his eyes closed again, his cheek squishing against Hisashi’s shoulder as he all but passed out.
Hisashi blew out a heavy sigh as he felt the weight of the orders lifting from him. He let his head thump back onto the pillow now that he could actually get some decent sleep. After this near disastrous episode, he was never allowing Izuku to even sniff alcohol ever again. Now he just had to make sure that Gran and Mirai never found out about Izuku ending up drunk. He wouldn’t put it past the two to attempt to murder him again for it.
At least tomorrow would be better. They had nearly a whole week of camping ahead of them, and Hisashi was eager to get out of the castle. Izuku clearly needed time away, and he did as well. He decided he would start packing in the morning, and finally closed his eyes, Izuku’s even, slow breaths lulling him to sleep.
Hisashi stirred to wakefulness slowly, his dreams slipping away as he struggled to open his eyes. Beside him he could hear a faint snoring, and he glanced to the side to see that Izuku was still fast asleep, clutching onto a pillow.
Hisashi rose slowly so as not to wake him (and not be grabbed by his clingy hands), stifling a big yawn behind a hand and scratching at his head tiredly. He stared around his room with a blank expression before his brain kicked in, and he meandered over to grab fresh clothes, as well as begin taking out clothes for their camping trip. He’d have to find a bag or something to put everything in, but he could at least start gathering what they’d need.
With another quick glance to make sure Izuku was still asleep, Hisashi changed quickly, then wandered over to the window to let some daylight into the room.
“Turn off the sun,” he heard Izuku’s small voice complain irritably from the bed a moment after he parted the curtains. Izuku turned in the bed, pulling the covers over his head and burying his face in the pillow. “It’s too noisy!”
Hisashi bit back a laugh at that. It seemed his son was dealing with a bit of a hangover. He said nothing as he closed the curtains back over the windows, blocking out any and all sunlight, keeping his movements light and quiet so as not to worsen the boy’s headache. He watched Izuku’s form carefully from afar, satisfied when it seemed he had fallen back asleep. The room was silent again save for his little breaths and soft snores.
Which was why Hisashi was nearly startled out of his skin when there was a sudden knock on the door, his head whipping around in response when he heard it creaking open. Izuku grumbled incoherently from the bed as Kurogiri made his entrance, carrying clean laundry in his arms.
“Good morning, Your Majesties. I—” Kurogiri began to greet them, but Hisashi quickly interrupted him.
“Shhh!” Hisashi shushed the man, placing a finger to his own lips in a gesture to be quiet.
Kurogiri blinked at him for a moment, clearly a bit bewildered by his actions.
Hisashi simply pointed over to where Izuku lay, the boy’s face scrunching up slightly before smoothing back out.
“Ah,” Kurogiri said in understanding, his voice much quieter than before. He carried the laundry in his arms over to Hisashi’s dresser, but paused in confusion at all the clothes lying atop it.
“Izuku and I are going camping,” Hisashi explained at Kurogiri’s questioning look. “I have to pack.”
“Very well. Shall I help you gather what you need, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri offered.
“Uh, yeah, I—”
A quiet rumble filled the room then, and Hisashi blushed when he realized it was his stomach.
“…I’m gonna go get breakfast first, though,” Hisashi mumbled in embarrassment. He’d work on packing more after he’d had a drink.
“A fine choice, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said. He set the laundry down and approached Hisashi while rolling up his sleeves. “Would you prefer to sit for your meal?”
Hisashi didn’t understand. “What?”
“We are working on practicing your bite today, remember?” Kurogiri reminded him. “You avoided doing it yesterday.”
“I-I wasn’t—! I didn’t avoid it!” Hisashi denied quietly. “I just don’t need to do it! I can drink from the stores of blood we already have. There’s no need for me to…to feed from you.”
“You need to practice your bite.” Kurogiri’s voice was steady but firm. “It will help ease the pain in your fangs, and allow you to become more accustomed around fresh blood. You cannot stay afraid of it forever.”
Hisashi flushed and crossed his arms defensively. “I’m not afraid! That’s—That’s ridiculous! I just don’t want to.”
“Are you certain, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri said, his voice louder than before.
A flash of panic surged through Hisashi when he heard Izuku mumble in his sleep again, and he quickly threw up his hands to tell Kurogiri to stop. But there was a glint in the man’s eye now, glancing between Hisashi and Izuku.
The tiniest of smiles worked its way onto Kurogiri’s face. He held out his wrist and tapped it with a finger. “It would only be for your own benefit.”
The message was clear, and Hisashi couldn’t help but feel a flash of indignation at it.
“I am not going to be blackmailed—” Hisashi began, his voice rising steadily until he heard Izuku growl irritably across the room, and he instantly fell silent in response.
Kurogiri’s head tilted to the side as he asked, “Would it help if your son was awake? Would you feel more comfortable with him keeping watch, able to stop you if needed?”
Hisashi sputtered. On one hand, it would be nice to have Izuku there to forcibly stop Hisashi if something bad happened. On the other hand, this was already an embarrassing situation as it was, and Hisashi did not want a peanut gallery watching him fail at being a vampire.
“…No. We should let him sleep,” he answered quietly.
“Very well, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri conceded with a nod and satisfied smile. “Do you wish to sit or stand while you feed?” His servant once again held out his scarred wrist towards Hisashi.
“Uh.” Hisashi shifted uncomfortably on his feet. It would be kind of weird to stand, as he was taller than Kurogiri, but it would also feel really weird to sit while Kurogiri stood. “Uhh…”
His servant decided for him.
“Why don’t you sit, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri shooed Hisashi backwards towards his desk chair, standing directly in front of him once Hisashi was seated.
Ah. Now he got it. Kurogiri had trapped him in the chair. Devious bastard.
Kurogiri held his wrist out directly in front of Hisashi, patiently waiting for him. Hisashi couldn’t help but silently stare, his stomach twisting in knots even as it felt like eating itself out of hunger. He licked his lips nervously, biting at them with worry.
Kurogiri sighed softly and prompted him. “Go on.”
“I-I will! Just give me a moment!” Hisashi defended himself, sinking lower in the chair.
Kurogiri watched him with expectant silence as he shifted around nervously, eyes darting to the visible pulse in the human’s wrist, but never staying long before looking away again.
“It’s alright, Hisashi,” Kurogiri encouraged him. “You can do it.”
Hisashi’s red gaze flicked between Kurogiri’s own golden one and the wrist being offered before him. Then hesitantly, he reached forward to grasp the limb, his heart beating rapidly when he pressed the tips of his fangs against the man’s skin. His chest heaved as he simply waited for a moment, the anxiety swirling in his chest fiercely.
Then, with as little strength as was needed, he pierced Kurogiri's flesh and drew out a bead of that precious, irresistible blood. The rich, warm flavour exploded in his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, Hisashi’s fangs sunk in deeper, and he had to freeze to make sure he didn’t bite down with too much force.
“Very good. You’re doing great,” Kurogiri praised.
Hisashi’s cheeks reddened again, his eyes lowering. He didn’t need to be praised like a stubborn child trying a new food for the first time!
But despite his embarrassment he continued to drink slowly, refusing to sink his fangs in any further despite the instinctive urge that drove him to do so. A steady trickle of blood flowed into his mouth, and with each swallow his hunger lessened until the dryness in his throat was quenched and the ache in his belly satisfied.
Even so, Hisashi couldn’t bring himself to stop just yet, his claws gripping tighter onto Kurogiri as he fed greedily. Internally, he scolded himself to stop, but something deeper inside begged for just a little more; just one more mouthful. There was something about drinking from a living human that made the whole thing that much better, and it took all of Hisashi’s willpower to overcome his own instincts.
“T-That’s enough.” Hisashi coughed with a sputter as he drew away, covering his mouth with a hand so the flecks of blood wouldn’t spray outwards. A shudder went through him then, feeling a bit sickened with himself for what he had done, but his stomach refusing to relinquish even a drop of the precious blood he had ingested. He squeezed his eyes shut. “N-No more.”
“You did excellently, Hisashi,” Kurogiri praised again, and Hisashi couldn’t help but suspect that the man was simply trying to spare his feelings. “You’ve improved a lot already since your first bite. You should be proud of yourself.”
“Sure…” Hisashi muttered, feeling anything but. Despite his hunger being satisfied and his stomach overly full, he felt clammy and ill, his body trembling slightly as he fought to regain control of his emotions and compose himself.
“Shall I help you continue packing?” Kurogiri offered as he cleaned up his wrist, affixing his cuff back into place and offering a second cloth for Hisashi to wipe his mouth with.
Hisashi took it with a shaky hand, nodding mutely, grateful for any kind of distraction at that moment.
He got up, carefully pulling out his sword and vambraces from beneath the bed, making certain to be dead quiet. Hisashi ignored the soft sigh from Kurogiri as he felt the man shake his head behind his back, and moved to place his equipment on his desk. He then went about gathering the other items he had purchased in the city in preparation for their camping trip. He looked over the assortment of clothes he’d grabbed as well, making certain there would be enough for him, and made a mental note to get some of Izuku’s clothes from his bedroom later.
As Hisashi was surmising all this, he heard Kurogiri speak up from where he was storing away the laundry he’d brought in earlier. “Ah, this looks like the locket that was described to us this morning. Where did you pick this up, Your Majesty?”
“Hm?” Hisashi glanced towards Kurogiri’s hand and the elegantly crafted, eight-sided, oblong locket that dangled from his grip. “Oh, that. I found it that day after we first went to the city to place that commission for the sword and vambraces. It was in the wine storage when I went to pick up a few bottles of blood for later,” Hisashi answered, remembering how strangely cluttered the storage had been that day, and how he’d found the locket among empty bottles of wine strewn across the floor. “I found it there and brought it back up with me. Figured I’d find out who it belonged to eventually.”
“I can return it for you, if you’d like,” Kurogiri offered. “All the servants this morning were given the description of this locket and asked if we’d seen it. It belongs to Lord Torino.”
“Huh? What?” Hisashi did a double take. “It’s Gran’s?” Suddenly the locket was twice as interesting.
“Yes.” Kurogiri nodded in confirmation. “He seemed most anxious for its return.”
“Oh,” was all Hisashi said as he stared at the locket, his intrigue greatly piqued now. If Gran seemed desperate to get it back, then this locket must be important.
“I’ll see that it returns to Lord Torino’s possession—”
“There’s no need,” Hisashi cut Kurogiri off, holding out his hand for the locket. “I can take it to him myself. There’s a few things I wanted to discuss with Gran anyway.”
Kurogiri hesitated. “...Are you certain, Your Majesty?” he questioned. “I know you two are not on the…best of terms.”
“I’m sure.” Hisashi nodded firmly, and Kurogiri paused only for a few seconds longer before placing the locket into his hand. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Gran is at the moment, do you?”
“I’m afraid I don’t.” Kurogiri shook his head. “I know the location of his personal quarters, but I do not know if Lord Torino would be there presently. He seems to enjoy walking about the castle and conversing with the servants.”
“I’ll bet he does.” Hisashi rolled his eyes as he tucked the locket away. “He’s a shameless gossip and a flirt.”
Kurogiri’s lips twitched up in the ghost of a smile. “As you say.”
“Can you warp me to his quarters then?” Hisashi asked.
“Of course, Your Majesty. It wouldn’t do for you to get lost.”
“I wouldn’t get lost!” Hisashi protested. “I’d find my way there! …Eventually.”
“As you say,” Kurogiri repeated. Misty black magic swirled around his hands as he opened a portal.
Notes:
Picky Eater.
Kurogiri: “Come now, Hisashi. Don’t be fussy, it's time to eat.” *offers wrists*
Hisashi: “I'm not a little kid! Stop treating me like one!”
Kurogiri: “Technically you were a child not that long ago. Now come on, finish your meal.”
The orders did not get retracted.
Hisashi: *dishevelled. hair a mess. eyes bloodshot. manic state*
Izuku: “What’s wrong with you?”
Hisashi: “I’m so tired. I’m so tired but it’s too late to save me.”
Izuku (oblivious): “What?”
Hisashi: “I CAN HEAR COLOURS.”
Star Struck.
Star and Stripe: *visits the castle*
Izuku: *gasps* “Her! Her! She's perfect! You have to marry her, Dad! She'll be the perfect mama! I want her!”
Hisashi: *visibly recoils* “HELL NO! She looks like a female version of Toshinori!”
Izuku: “Right?! That's why she's perfect! C'mon, we have to start planning the wedding right away!!!”
Father knows best?
Hisashi: “I can handle this, Kurogiri, don't worry. I'll bring the locket back to Gran safe and sound.”
Kurogiri: “Hmm...My ‘Hisashi is going to get in trouble’ sense is tingling...”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 28
Summary:
“I’m afraid I don’t.” Kurogiri shook his head. “I know the location of his personal quarters, but I do not know if Lord Torino would be there presently. He seems to enjoy walking about the castle and conversing with the servants.”
“I’ll bet he does.” Hisashi rolled his eyes as he tucked the locket away. “He’s a shameless gossip and a flirt.”
Kurogiri’s lips twitched up in the ghost of a smile. “As you say.”
“Can you warp me to his quarters then?” Hisashi asked.
“Of course, Your Majesty. It wouldn’t do for you to get lost.”
“I wouldn’t get lost!” Hisashi protested. “I’d find my way there! …Eventually.”
“As you say,” Kurogiri repeated. Misty black magic swirled around his hands as he opened a portal.
Notes:
Three cheers for Ilentari being the slowest editor ever 💪💪🎉
Btw if you haven’t read it yet, we wrote a oneshot side piece to this fic! You can check it out right here: Kurogiri’s Babysitting Adventures
Also take a look at some of the great art this fic has:
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi grumbled to himself as he stepped through the mist. The sensation of being instantly transported from one location to another was still a little jarring for him, his eyes spinning around in his head briefly before managing to focus on the door he had been teleported to. As they did, he cleared his throat and straightened out his clothes, then brought the back of his hand up to knock on the door.
It didn’t open.
“Gran?” Hisashi called out, knocking on the door again. “Gran!” He knocked louder, hoping the old vampire would hear him.
But again he received no answer.
…Was Gran still sleeping maybe?
Nah, he couldn’t be. It was an hour into the morning (or what vampires considered morning anyway) already and Gran wasn’t the type to lay idly in his bed to laze the day away.
Hisashi pounded on the door loudly. “HEY!”
Nothing.
He huffed and stepped back, but then an idea came to mind. If Gran really wasn’t there…then maybe…?
Hesitantly, Hisashi tried the handle.
The door opened.
“Huh. Would’ve thought Gran would lock his room for sure,” Hisashi mumbled to himself. But it was no matter; it worked out best for him right now anyway. He stepped inside quietly.
The room wasn’t anything like he expected it to be upon walking in. A strong, floral scent struck his nose, a fragrance of lilies and something else he could only vaguely recall. He followed the scent to a desk by a window, where an assortment of potted plants were growing in a variety of white and purple blossoms. A watering can was on the floor next to the desk, half-full of water.
Wandering away from the desk to explore the rest of the room, Hisashi spied a collection of boots piled up in one corner. Some of the yellow coloured capes and scarves that Gran favored were hanging on the wall above them. The opposite wall had a large bed pushed against it. The bed had four posts and was unmade, the covers messily bunched up and hanging over the edge of the mattress. On the bedside table next to it were a few empty bottles of wine, one of them knocked over on its side.
But despite the fact that this was Gran’s room, while it was somewhat messy, it was still tidier than Hisashi would have expected it to be—considering he could see the floor. Though he hadn’t come here looking for anything specific, he was mainly just curious. And sure, maybe he felt a little bit bad about snooping through Gran’s private quarters when Hisashi had originally wanted to apologize, but when else would he get an opportunity like this?
Besides, he was certain Gran would do the same if he had unsupervised access to Hisashi’s rooms.
And so Hisashi continued to wander around, idly swinging the locket in his hand. He’d already tried to open the damn thing multiple times since he’d found it, but he simply couldn’t crack it. Whatever enchantment was on the item made it impervious to all his attempts to get it open. He didn’t know what could be inside that Gran of all people would try to conceal it with such powerful magic.
As he mused on this, his eyes roved over the top of the dresser, not finding anything of particular interest there beyond a crumpled shirt that looked as though it had been haphazardly tossed onto it, and a few bottles of a strange liquid. Hisashi curiously picked one up, unscrewing the cork and taking a small sniff. It smelled similar to the flowery fragrance Gran had used when Hisashi had been forced to share a bath with him and Mirai. He shuddered as he closed the bottle's lid, a scowl forming on his face at the memory. But that was all the more reason to snoop through Gran’s things, considering all the shit he put Hisashi through.
There really didn’t seem to be much of interest, though, as Hisashi kept looking. Mostly just a bunch of trinkets and useless looking knick-knacks in the drawers. The only thing of any note was a decorative comb that looked similar to the one Izuku had that he’d gotten from his mother. Hisashi wasn’t sure why Gran had a matching one, but maybe it was common among the nobility. They seemed to enjoy fancy little things that had no real use beyond being decorative.
He continued on, huffing when he didn’t find anything after searching through Gran’s desk, or in his nightstand drawers. Hisashi gazed around the room again, his eyes landing on the closet door on the far side. Probably filled with more boots and scarves, Hisashi thought with a snort as he approached, twisting the handle and pushing it open. Sure enough, the sight that greeted him was Gran’s mostly black and yellow clothes, with an occasional gray article here and there.
“The man sure sticks to a colour scheme,” Hisashi muttered to himself.
He debated leaving then, a bit disappointed in the lack of secrets in Gran’s room. But he’d also thoroughly searched everything else, so he figured he might as well finish. With that decided, Hisashi stepped into the closet and began rummaging through the clothes for anything interesting.
He also brushed his hand across the shelves slowly, searching for anything out of the ordinary, and bent down to check the floor for any trap doors or the like, but found nothing. He blew out an irritated puff of air, rising back to his full height and pushing away the clothes to get a better view of the walls. He walked down the length of the closet while knocking lightly on them and keeping his ears sharp for any sound out of the ordinary. Disappointment welled up when he heard nothing strange.
Where were all the hidden entrances and tunnels that castles were supposed to have? So far he hadn’t found any corridors that servants used to get around the place unseen, nor any bookshelves that moved when a book was removed. What kind of castle didn’t have any secrets—
Hisashi came to a startled halt when his hand brushed against the back wall of the closest, a very faint but noticeable hollow sound echoing out from where his knuckles rapped against the wood. He paused, knocking again, and the same sound rang out. And as his hand hovered there, he quickly noticed that there was a tingling against his skin—the familiar sensation of magic.
Well. There was something interesting.
Hisashi pushed more clothes out of the way to get a better view, but the back of the closet simply looked like the back of a closet. He ran his hands over the wood again, ignoring the static of magic to search for any sort of handle or lock hidden away. It took a minute or two before his fingers brushed against an indent in the wood, and he paused, bending down to try and see it better in the dim lighting of the closet. The indent was more of a carved shape in the closet wall: a shallow, oblong space with eight sides. But there was no hidden keyhole in it or some sort of latch or anything, and Hisashi stared at it for a long moment, stumped.
Eventually, he decided to try and force his way in, pushing on the wall, trying basic spells to dismantle the enchantment on it. But nothing seemed to work, and after a frustrating ten minutes, Hisashi threw up his hands and went to storm out. This was a bust. He’d find Gran another time to return the locket that he’d—
The locket.
Hisashi paused, then grabbed the locket out from where he’d stored it in his pocket.
Oblong. Eight-sided.
That must be it!
Eagerly, Hisashi spun back to the far wall of the closet and lined the locket up with the indent he’d found. It fit perfectly, and with a soft click the wall swung inward.
Hisashi crept forward and peered around to see another room, taking a moment to observe his surroundings. It was small, tidy, and cozy-looking, with a plush couch and a warm rug that sat before a mantle with two huge paintings of different bedrooms above it. Flowers were meticulously placed on the mantle beneath the portraits in a delicate ensemble—the same kind of flowers that Hisashi had seen growing in Gran’s room. He recognized the white lilies on the left, and the purple petals and sword-like leaves of the one on the right. But unlike the fresh ones in Gran’s room, these ones seem somewhat wilted, with curling edges and discoloration in their leaves.
Sitting on the mantle next to the painting on the left, Hisashi spotted a strange sight. It was a plush toy, made in the likeness of a rabbit with green fur and floppy ears. It was well loved by whoever had owned it—seeing that it was old and worn—but also well taken care of. Hisashi couldn’t help but frown at the sight of it. Why would Gran have something like this?
His gaze traveled further around the room for answers, and he saw all sorts of paintings adorning the walls, ranging from landscapes of lush green hills, to the streets of a city, to the sandy shores of a beach, and many, many more. There didn’t seem to be any traps or other enchantments that Hisashi could sense, so he carefully stepped fully into the secret room, making sure the door behind him didn’t close completely. He didn’t want to accidentally trap himself.
“It’s about time, Sorahiko,” a woman’s voice spoke with a touch of annoyance from across the room. “It’s been days since you last visited—”
Hisashi blinked as he stared into the face of Midoriya Nana upon the wall, the woman having stopped mid-step in her walk through the various paintings, a silence falling once more as the two just stared at each other for a long moment. He blinked several more times, unsure of what exactly he was looking at.
“...Nana?” Hisashi finally managed to say after breaking out of his stupor.
“Who are you?” Nana demanded, her expression shifting into a deep frown. A heat appeared in her dark green eyes as she scowled. “How did you get in here?”
“I-It’s me! Hisashi! Don’t you remember? We met before in the Hall of Kings and Queens?” Hisashi asked.
“That wasn’t me, that was a different portrait of Nana.” Nana rolled her eyes, arms crossed. “We aren’t connected.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know,” Hisashi mumbled. “Not really sure how you guys work to begin with and all.”
“Why are you here, though?” she demanded again. “How did you get in here? Where’s Sorahiko?”
“Well, I—”
“Mom?” a second voice called out from his left.
Hisashi felt his heart start to race a little when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking through the various paintings. It was Izuku’s mother, Queen Inko.
She stopped in one of the two giant portraits that was hanging on the wall above the mantle, next to what must have been Nana’s own. “Did he come back—oh.” Inko paused, staring at Hisashi and blinking several times as if to gauge if he was really there. “...Who are you?”
She was as beautiful as the first time he saw her, her hair pinned up delicately with a fancy comb and wearing a green dress that matched her eyes and hair perfectly. Hisashi felt his face immediately flush simply at having her eyes on him. He lifted a hand and waved awkwardly. “Hi,” he squeaked out.
There was a pause.
“So, who are you then?” Inko asked again.
…Shit, he’d never answered the question.
Feeling like a fool, Hisashi chuckled nervously. “Ah…ha. Uh, sorry. I’m Hisashi. It’s nice to meet you, uh, again.”
Inko blinked. “Again?”
“O-Oh, err…” Hisashi rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled on his feet. He swore he heard Nana snicker at him, and felt his ears burn. “We’ve met—or, well, I’ve met a different version of you and your husband in the Hall of Kings and Queens.”
“My husband?” Inko’s eyes widened. “I got married? To whom?”
Oh, this version of Izuku’s mother didn’t know Toshinori? Huh. This portrait must have been painted before she’d met him then.
Hisashi couldn’t help but feel increasingly awkward as he watched Inko’s eyes search him up and down, lingering on his face for several long seconds. A furious blush burned in his cheeks and he had to avert his gaze. Did she think he was lying? Had he not introduced himself properly? Had he said too much again?
“Um…” Hisashi stammered, daring to glance up again and finding that those bright, emerald eyes were still searching him. He had to fight to force himself to continue speaking. “I, uh…I don’t really know him…so…”
“Hmm, a pity,” Inko replied absently, not seeming all that upset about it.
Her stare was so intense that Hisashi wondered if he might melt under it. He certainly felt hot under the collar, and knowing they could both clearly see him blushing only made him more embarrassed.
“You’re looking at him like he’s the finest meal you’ve ever seen,” Nana teased from her portrait, her smile tugging into a grin.
“Mom!” Inko gasped, sounding scandalized as a rosy hue bloomed in her own cheeks.
“Why don’t you marry him instead?” Nana continued on in spite of her daughter's protests. She glanced at Hisashi, then back to Inko, a twinkle in her eye. “Hisashi, was it? He’s just your type, I think.”
“Mom, please—”
“Let’s see: strong, tall, handsome, broad shoulders, light hair, pretty eyes, deep voice…” Nana started listing off. “He’s the whole package!”
“M-Mom!”
“And look at that butt! Makes you just wanna reach out and grab it, doesn’t it?”
Hisashi made a sound like a chair scraping against a floor, his hands flying up to cover his red-hot face.
“Look at the both of you hiding your faces! You have to savor the moment while you can!” Nana laughed. Hisashi peeked through his fingers to see Inko had hidden hers as well, her face as red as his own. “Who knows when you’ll get the chance to see each other again?”
“I-I…” Hisashi tried to speak, but the words died on his tongue before he could fully form them.
Nana chuckled, shaking her head lightly at the both of them. “You two are like blushing maidens, my goodness!”
Both Hisashi and Inko sputtered, neither meeting the other’s eyes. Nana cackled in her portrait.
“Anyway,” Nana said, still chuckling lightly. Her eyes settled on him once again. “You never answered my question.”
“...Oh,” Hisashi managed weakly. “I…I was trying to return Gran’s locket…”
Nana raised a brow. “And you somehow just so happened to stumble into this room instead?”
Hisashi…had no excuse for that. “Uhh, yeah,” he said sheepishly.
“Ah, so you’re a snoop then?” Nana concluded with a hum, a hand on her hip as she observed him and shrugged. “I can’t say I approve of you ‘stumbling’ your way in here, but there are worse sins I suppose.”
“I-I was just—”
“But what you choose to do is none of my business.” Nana waved a hand dismissively at him. “It’s not like Sorahiko is any better, after all. That man knows more secrets and gossip than the walls.”
Ha! He knew it!
That brought up something Hisashi had been wondering though. “Why does Gran have portraits of you two here in a secret room?”
It was…strange.
Nana sighed. “Well—”
The sound of a door opening in the other room rang in his ears, causing Hisashi to freeze in place and Nana and Inko to go quiet. Whistling carried through into the room, before it faded in place of Gran’s voice. And the man was…singing?
“...Always let you know…” He heard Gran sing softly, occasionally humming or whistling in between the lyrics. “...Gonna hold on…” Hisashi heard the sound of footsteps shifting about the other room. “Doesn’t matter how far…just stay where you are…I won’t be too long.”
There was the sloshing of the water, then the gentle noise of it falling onto what must have been the plants Hisashi had seen in the bedroom. Hisashi tensed when the footsteps stepped closer in his direction, looking around in a panic as Gran’s voice grew louder, but finding nothing but the couch to possibly hide behind.
“Remember when…hmmhm…never be alone…” Gran hummed between the lyrics.
Hisashi could hear him inside the closet now, shifting through his clothes as he continued to sing to himself, and he ducked behind the couch in a hurry.
“Remember that I told you, I’ll…find my way…back…home?” Gran’s voice trailed off, confusion coloring it as his footsteps came to a stop. “What the hell?”
Hisashi winced as the secret door slammed into the wall with the force Gran threw it open with.
“Nana! Inko!” The man rushed into the room. Gran’s heart was pounding so hard Hisashi could practically feel the beat against his eardrums. “Are you alright?!” he asked the instant he was inside, his voice thick with fear and worry.
“Just fine, Sorahiko,” Nana replied, clearly amused.
“How’s the door open? I lost my locket earlier so—Has someone been bothering you two?” Gran’s voice suddenly switched to a deadly serious tone halfway through talking.
Hisashi winced, as Gran must have realized someone else had snuck into his rooms using the locket. He barely dared to breathe, sinking down as low to the ground as he could.
He noticed Inko’s eyes kept sliding over to him from her portrait, and felt a sharp pang in his chest. Stop looking at me! he silently begged her. Stop looking this way or he’ll find me!
“Oh, I’d hardly say it was a bother,” Nana chuckled, looking at Inko, her arms crossed. Inko shared a look with her mother, but Hisashi was relieved when she refrained from glancing his way again. “The best bit of entertainment I’ve had in the last several centuries, actually.”
“What?” Gran said, the bewilderment clear in his voice.
“Oh, just Inko’s new husband-to-be, that's all,” Nana stated as casually as if she were just discussing the weather. “She’s quite smitten with him. Had her blushing like a bride on her wedding day he did. He’s quite the charmer!”
Gran’s voice pitched into an offended snarl. “Inko’s new WHAT?!”
“Mom!” Inko cried out in protest, and Hisashi could see her cheeks were turning a light shade of pink once more. “I’ve only just met him! Please don’t make such rash assumptions!”
“Oh yes, he’s got everything she likes,” Nana continued, ignoring Inko while Hisashi was internally screaming for her to stop. “Tall, handsome, strong, light hair…”
Hisashi could feel static on his skin as a burst of magic crackled off Gran, a flash of yellow lightning striking the floor nearby before dissipating. He barely held in a gasp at the sight, the hair on his body standing up on end. That looked like Izuku’s magic! And Izuku’s magic only did that when he was so angry he lost control…
Shit.
“HISASHI?!” Gran bellowed out.
“Oh, yeah, that’s what he said his name was,” Nana confirmed with a nod. “We were all starting to have a good conversation too when he…” she trailed off dramatically.
“WHEN HE WHAT?!” Gran snarled in a fury the likes of which Hisashi had never heard from him before.
Nana’s grin widened. Dark green eyes flickered down, meeting his own panicked red ones. Her hand raised. Hisashi shook his head, rapidly waving his hands back and forth, begging her not to do so.
His heart gave out when she pointed directly at him.
“When he decided to lay on the floor instead of the couch,” she said, her eyes glimmering with mischief. “I’m not sure why though. Personally I’d prefer the couch, but to each their own.”
Hisashi braced himself for Gran to explode with fury. But to his surprise, there was simply an angry hiss, and then a long pause. He didn’t dare move, but no one else did either.
Eventually, Gran spoke up again, and Hisashi could hear the undertone of rage that the man was trying to hide by keeping his voice deceptively even. “Hisashi, come out, or I’ll drag you out.”
Neither of those sounded appealing, but with no choice, Hisashi slowly rose, peeking carefully over the back of the couch before standing fully up.
Gran looked pissed.
“Why,” Gran started, and Hisashi’s throat went dry when he saw that his eyes were glowing. Hisashi felt a nervous sweat trail down the back of his neck. “Are you in my room?”
“I…” Hisashi struggled to speak, the murderous intent drifting off the man nearly choking his words. He dug a hand into his pocket, bringing the locket forward in offering. “I was just…The locket…”
Gran’s eyes landed on the locket for only a second before his fingers snatched it away from Hisashi in the span of time it took to blink, gazing down at it and turning it over. Hisashi flinched when those eyes flickered back to him.
“...Did you open it?” Gran demanded.
“N-No.” Hisashi shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”
Gran’s words turned strangely soft then, when he looked away from Hisashi and towards Inko, his voice barely above a murmur. “Did he say…Did he tell you anything?” he asked.
Despite Gran’s attention being focused elsewhere, Hisashi could feel the man staring at him from the corner of his eye.
“No.” Inko shook her head. “Just his name.”
“He might have mentioned that she got married at some point,” Nana butted in. “Didn’t say who though, but she didn’t really mind. She seemed more interested in him anyway.”
Hisashi watched as Gran’s hands curled ever so slightly at his sides, the claws adorning them thickening into talons.
“Well, take a good look, Inko, because it’s the last you’re going to see of him before I flay him alive,” Gran hissed.
Hisashi stiffened, every instinct inside of him telling him to run.
“No! D—Don’t! I…I want to see him again!” Inko declared suddenly. “How long has it been since I saw someone new? Surely you wouldn’t deny me the chance to speak with someone new for a change?”
“He is not welcome back here!” Gran snarled, now looking directly at Hisashi as he spoke, his large fangs on full display and glistening with venom. Static crackled through the elder vampire's hair and a spark of electricity flashed briefly into being. “You are never stepping foot into this room ever again!”
“But—!” Inko started.
“NO!” Gran screamed.
Inko looked visibly taken aback at the malice in his voice, tears welling up in her eyes.
His gaze snapped back to Hisashi when Hisashi shuffled sideways a step towards the door. “Oh? Shall I give you a head start?” Gran asked sardonically.
Hisashi froze. What did he mean by that?
“One.”
Oh.
“Two.” Gran crouched, looking ready to spring.
Hisashi scrambled to leave the room, tripping through the closet in his haste.
“THREE!”
Hisashi barely dodged in time, a giant blur shooting past him and into the wall as he ran. He felt a brush of wind along the back of his neck from where Gran’s claws had narrowly missed him. He booked it out of Gran’s rooms screaming, slamming the door shut behind him in the hopes of slowing him down. But it did little more than buy him an extra second, Gran barreling through the wood in a shower of splinters and lightning, crashing into the wall again from his intense speed with the sound of cracking bone and crumbling stone.
But even that did little to slow the elder vampire down, and already he could hear Gran’s claws striking against the stone in a shower of sparks behind him before the elder vampire snarled murderously. There was the sound of bone shifting back into place before Gran was on Hisashi’s heels once more. In his panic, Hisashi stammered for a spell, any spell that could possibly help him, throwing it behind him.
A blast of frigid air surged through the corridor as a thick wall of ice formed, blocking the path just as Gran’s claws swiped through the air with a terrifying whistling sound. Hisashi dared to glance back, catching a glimpse of deep grooves in the ice before turning the corner and making a beeline for the stairs. He ran through the corridor as fast as his vampiric speed could take him, Gran’s feral snarls piercing through the walls.
Hisashi took the bottom half of the staircase in a jump, landing with a roll and hopping back up running. He veered down the right hall, not sure what to think when he realized he couldn’t hear Gran behind him anymore. Had he lost him?
The answer, he found out a minute later, was no, as Gran came barreling at him from the side, having somehow gotten ahead of Hisashi and appearing out of nowhere.
Hisashi yelped in surprise as he was thrown off his feet by Gran’s momentum, the two of them rolling down the hall in a tangled mess. Hisashi barely managed to move his head in time as the man pinned him to the floor, claws lashing out towards his face. He turned enough that only two sliced through the bridge of his nose and across his cheek.
In return, Hisashi muttered a spell that made fire build in his throat, catching Gran’s wrist when the man tried to swing at him again. With Gran directly above him, Hisashi got to watch as his eyes widened in realization when Hisashi opened his mouth, a burning glow moving up his neck.
Gran twisted to throw himself away as fire shot from Hisashi’s mouth, singeing Gran’s clothes.
Hisashi hissed at his miss, but it had successfully gotten Gran off of him, and so he scrambled back to his feet, taking off down the hall once more. Though he barely had a few seconds to regain his breath before Gran was on his heels again. Blindly, Hisashi whipped around and struck out with his fist, miraculously managing to land a solid hit against Gran’s chest. He felt ribs give way with a sharp crack, the elder vampire grunting as he was sent flying backwards down the hall from the force of it.
Hisashi didn’t pause to check if Gran was alright as he turned back down the hall, knowing that Gran would recover from it within moments. Hisashi focused his eyes on a door on the far side of the hall instead. If he could just reach it—!
He almost did. Hisashi’s fingers had just brushed the handle when Gran barreled into him from behind, sending them both crashing through the door and into the room, where they tumbled to the floor in a mess of angry limbs. He aimed a fist for Gran’s face, but Gran jerked his head to the side to avoid the blow. Hisashi cried out in pain and fear when Gran lashed forward in return, fangs sinking into his wrist in an unyielding hold, the sting of venom sending a burning sensation through his arm.
A hand landed on Hisashi’s throat, pinning him to the floor, claws digging into the sides of his neck until it bled. Hisashi jerked his hand from Gran’s bite, a strangled gasp leaving him when fangs ripped mercilessly through his flesh. He frantically tried to shove the elder vampire off as Gran moved to properly pin him in place. Venom still dripped from Gran’s bloodied fangs with how furious he was, landing on Hisashi’s clothes as Gran snarled, squeezing until Hisashi wheezed for air, hands instinctively scrambling to push the man off of him, fearing the man would snap his neck.
“I’m gonna rip your fucking throat out with my teeth,” Gran growled, his grip tightening even more, “and I’m going to enjoy every second of it as I drink you dry.”
Hisashi tried his best to hide the thrill of fear that zipped through him at the idea of a vampire’s fangs in his neck again, unable to verbally respond beyond choked noises as he fought to breathe. He kicked out with his legs, but was unable to get enough leverage from where he was pinned to the floor. He fought to pry Gran’s hands from around his throat, scrabbling at them with his claws, but couldn’t find the strength as his head lightened and the corners of his vision went fuzzy.
When Gran bared his fangs fully with a gutteral snarl, lowering himself closer towards Hisashi's neck, panic overwhelmed him. He fought with every ounce of strength he had left, desperately trying to figure out a way to keep those terrifying fangs away from him. They were all he could see above him.
Until suddenly they weren’t.
Gran was viciously ripped off of him and sent sailing across the room.
“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” Izuku demanded of them, standing right next to Hisashi and looking absolutely livid.
Hisashi choked, struggling to get enough air to speak as the bruises on his neck slowly faded. He scrambled to sit up, chest heaving rapidly as he watched Gran, the man still frothing with feral rage. “I was…h-he…” Hisashi sputtered, his voice hoarse and scratchy. “G-Gran’s room…locket…s-secret—”
“SHUT UP!” Gran roared. “SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
“YOU SHUT UP!” Izuku screamed back, pressure building in the air around him. Hair-thin cracks ran through the darkening windows. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? YOU TRIED TO KILL HIM! YOU JUST TRIED TO KILL MY FATHER IN FRONT OF ME!”
Hisashi remembered what had happened to the last guy who’d tried to murder him and winced. But there was no way Izuku would hurt Gran, right? He was much higher up on the social chain than that Aizawa guy had been. But he also wasn’t willing to take that chance, knowing how protective Izuku was over him. He knew if anything happened to Gran while Izuku was this angry, Izuku would regret it later. Hisashi didn’t want to see his son upset.
“S-Stop,” Hisashi said hoarsely, grabbing hold of his son’s shoulder. “My…My fault…”
“THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT OKAY!” Izuku hissed venomously, glaring at Gran with furiously glowing eyes.
Gran’s whole face was red with rage, unable to speak with the command placed on him. Instead, he looked at Hisashi and gave him a very rude gesture.
With a shriek, Izuku lunged at Gran. A thunderous boom exploded throughout the room, quickly followed by the sound of shattering glass from the windows—lightning having crackled into existence around Izuku when what little remained of his composure had snapped.
Panicked, Hisashi jumped forward, circling his arms around Izuku’s waist to catch him and stop him. He ended up more so being dragged along the floor behind Izuku, but it worked all the same to make the boy slow down.
“S-Stop!” Hisashi implored with a rasp, using everything he had to pull Izuku’s reaching claws away from Gran, lifting him off the ground and pinning him to his chest. “Izuku, stop! It isn’t his fault! It’s mine!”
“THAT DOESN'T GIVE HIM ANY RIGHT TO KILL YOU FOR IT!” Izuku screeched.
“It doesn’t give you the right to kill him either!” Hisashi shot back, struggling to hold the furious, wiggling child.
Gran hadn’t moved from where he’d been thrown into Hisashi’s desk, watching Izuku with something akin to nervousness and disbelief in his eyes.
Silence reigned for a short stretch of time that felt like an eternity, Hisashi maintaining his hold on his son as he took several rapid breaths, which gradually slowed down as the child struggled to calm himself and regain his composure. When Izuku spoke again, his voice had lowered from its previous shrieking, but Hisashi could still hear the undertone of rage within it as Izuku trembled in his arms.
“What,” Izuku started, looking straight at the old vampire, his eyes still glowing, “is going on here? Why did you attack him? Speak.”
Gran’s mouth finally opened from where it had been clamped shut. “He was sticking his nose where it didn’t belong!” he hissed. “I don’t take kindly to people snoopin’ around my rooms. My secrets are my secrets.”
“What could be so secret that you think it could justify trying to kill my father?!” Izuku snarled. His ire only rose further when Gran remained stubbornly silent. “TELL ME!”
“He found—” Gran started, only to cut himself off immediately by sticking a hand into his mouth, raking his claws through his own tongue. He spat out a glob of blood, the liquid pouring forth sickeningly.
Hisashi’s jaw dropped at the sight, especially as the order forced Gran to continue to speak, though the answer was incoherent with his now-mutilated tongue. A small chunk of flesh dropped from Gran’s mouth, and Hisashi cringed. As a hunter, he was very used to gruesome sights, but it didn’t make the scene any less unsettling to watch.
The action had also shocked Izuku, who stared at Gran looking rather horrified.
Gran panted as he finished “speaking”, hair shadowing his eyes as he leaned forward and sputtered raggedly, flecks of blood flying from his mouth as he struggled to breathe properly. Though between deep gulps of air, Hisashi could see that the ruined piece of flesh was already beginning to heal. Gran gritted his teeth and turned his defiant gaze towards Hisashi, his own blood dripping off his chin.
It was. Disturbing.
Hisashi swallowed thickly. He didn’t fully understand why Gran was so desperately trying to keep his secrets, but if the man was willing to go this far in order to ensure they remained as such, then perhaps it was best if neither of them pried further. Thankfully, it seemed the shock of the situation had caused most of Izuku’s anger to die down, and Hisashi cautiously loosened his hold on his son.
Izuku turned to him then. “Dad, what did you find that upset Gran so badly?”
“I-It’s…” Hisashi paused for a moment, not wanting to reignite Izuku’s fury with poorly chosen words. “I…don’t think I should say.” When Izuku opened his mouth, looking like he was going to argue, Hisashi hurried to add on, “We all have secrets! And we all deserve to be able to keep those secrets…As long as they aren’t harming anyone, of course.” He really had no idea why Gran would have hidden portraits of Nana and Inko in his rooms. “It really wasn’t my place to go snooping through his rooms, and we don’t have a right to demand answers about his secrets, Izuku.”
“Sho’da…Sho’da tho’t of that b’fore, bast’rd. Nex’ time, mind your own damn business!” Gran wheezed out with a slur in his voice. He wiped at his bloodstained mouth with the back of his hand, sending a scathing glare Hisashi’s way.
Hisashi flinched at the harshness of his words, but he also couldn’t argue against them. “I…shouldn’t have been sneaking around in your rooms,” he admitted. “I…I’m sorry for that. For everything.” He looked to Izuku pleadingly. “Really, the entire thing was my fault.”
Izuku huffed, but his words had lost their bite when he grumbled, “Gran still shouldn’t have attacked you over something like that.”
“So maybe he overreacted a bit. It…happens.” It happened when the person already really wanted you dead, was what Hisashi didn’t say. “Can’t we just put this behind us? We’re going camping, remember? Let’s just forget about all of this so we can enjoy ourselves on our trip.”
“Fine,” Izuku said reluctantly. He turned a heated glare to Gran. “I don’t want to see you again until we get back from camping.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t,” Gran muttered with an exhausted wave of his hand, getting to his feet and shaking off the broken pieces of the desk. He looked tired for a moment; drained and resigned and older than Hisashi had ever seen him. But it was quickly replaced with a sharp glare as his eyes narrowed on Hisashi again. “You better bring Izuku back all in one piece from that trip. If you don’t…”
He didn’t have to finish his threat, Hisashi got the idea. Not that he’d ever let anything happen to Izuku, so it was rather a null threat.
Gran’s eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before turning away, swiftly making his leave from the room through the broken down door, Izuku glowering at him as he did so.
“Look at this mess,” Izuku grumbled, staring at the splintered pieces of wood and glass from the blown out windows with such a disapproving scowl that it would give Mirai a run for his coin. “Now someone has to fix this!”
“We can worry about that later.” Hisashi breathed out a relieved sigh now that they were alone. “Let’s get to packing, shall we?”
He’d just turned away to do exactly that when the sound of footsteps sprinting down the hall reached his ears, and Hisashi whirled back around, still on edge from what had happened and ready to fight. His stance relaxed again, however, when Kurogiri appeared in the ruined doorway, eyes wide and looking around frantically, taking in the sight of the shattered windows and destroyed desk.
“What happened here?!” the servant demanded to know.
“Dad and Gran got into a fight,” Izuku spoke up irritably from across the room, a hand to the side of his head as if he were trying to dispel a headache.
Kurogiri’s worried look disappeared, instantly replaced with disappointment as he turned to Hisashi.
Hisashi shifted awkwardly and crossed his arms with a huff. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Sure, the whole thing was his fault, but Kurogiri didn’t know that. And yet he clearly assumed it was anyways! Rude!
“Didn’t I tell you that I should have been the one to give Lord Torino his locket back?” Kurogiri said dryly, giving Hisashi a flat look.
Hisashi refused to answer him, turning to stuff more items into his pack.
Sorahiko heaved a weary sigh as he walked back into the confines of his room, stepping over the shattered pieces of his door. He gazed about his room only briefly, taking in the indent in the wall that was in his shape, the shattered bottle of cologne on the floor, as well as bits of broken pottery. He frowned at the sight of the gladiolus that had been housed in it, and moved to scoop it off the floor and onto the desk. He would have to find a new pot for it later.
His hands trembled slightly, and Sorahiko couldn’t decide whether it was from residual anger or fear. Likely both. He hadn’t felt such intense rage in a long time, the sight of Hisashi standing in the middle of one of Sorahiko’s best kept secrets (and his most sacred of places) had just…He’d snapped.
Izuku had as well, and Sorahiko winced at the fresh memory. He’d seen Izuku raving mad before, but it had never been directed at him like that. Even when Izuku had been mad at him before in the past, he’d never attacked Sorahiko the way he did today. Sorahiko had never thought that he would. He’d known that boy since the moment he’d been born. Izuku had always been a kind and happy child before his parents had passed away. Their deaths had changed him.
Sorahiko tried to ignore it, but he was quite hurt that Izuku would turn on him like that and attack him with clear intent to maim. His pride was even more hurt at the fact that it had been All For One that had saved him from Izuku’s wrath.
Granted, now that his head was more clear, Sorahiko could admit that trying to kill Izuku’s “father” right in front of him had been a very bad idea. He’d have to make it up to Izuku sometime.
But right now, he had to check on someone else.
He fished his newly returned locket out, heading towards the secret room in his closet. The familiar weight of it was comforting in his hand as he used it to unlock the door.
“Sorahiko?” Nana’s voice called out to him when he opened the door, and like always when he entered the room, he felt the tension in his body ease somewhat.
“I’m here, Nana,” Sorahiko called back, shutting the door firmly behind him so that no one could overhear them should they walk past his room. He forced a smile when greeting her, but Nana’s own lips were being tugged by a frown.
“What happened?” she asked, the concern clear in her eyes and her voice. “You’re covered in blood. Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” Sorahiko insisted with a grunt, walking over to the couch and all but collapsing on it. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “Nothin’ you need to worry about.”
“You know that saying something like that only makes a person worry more, don’t you?”
Sorahiko waved a tired hand. When he opened his eyes again, they met with Nana’s, before flickering to the side. He frowned. “Where’s Inko?” he asked when he didn’t spot her in her usual portrait. He scanned the wall of paintings, brows pinching. “Inko?” he called out when he couldn’t find her.
“She’s a little upset at the moment,” Nana explained with a soft sigh. Sorahiko noticed she seemed…apprehensive, when she next spoke. “Were you able to ‘handle’ the issue?”
“It’s…complicated,” Sorahiko muttered reluctantly.
Nana raised a brow. “Is it?”
“He certainly won’t be coming back here, I can tell you that. You don’t have to worry about seeing him again.”
“I don’t think Inko will like that,” Nana pointed out.
Sorahiko scowled. “He had no right to be here in the first place! They never should have met.”
“Mmm. But they did.”
He sighed. “They did.” He couldn’t shake the anxiety of how his secret had almost gotten out. How Hisashi could still spill that secret if he wanted to. “…I can’t lose you,” he murmured quietly. The again was left unsaid.
Nana’s eyes softened. “You wouldn’t lose us, Sorahiko.”
He covered his eyes with a groan. He knew she was right, but he couldn’t explain why the idea of his secret getting out worried him so much. It was complicated, and Sorahiko had never been good with emotions. He only looked up again when someone cleared their throat. Brown eyes met emerald green, and Sorahiko had to fight to keep from wincing at the scathing glare Inko was giving him.
“Why did you have to chase him off?” Inko demanded, a rare flash of anger in her voice.
Guilt wormed its way into Sorahiko’s chest when he saw tears at the corner of her eyes. “Inko, I—”
“You didn’t even let me speak to him!” she snapped. “You didn’t even give him a chance to explain himself! And now he’s…he’s…”
“It’s for the better,” Sorahiko excused weakly.
“Really, what harm could he have done?!” Inko asked.
“You have no idea who that man is,” he hissed back. “Or what he’s done.”
“Just like he doesn’t know what you’ve done?” she retorted acerbically.
“It’s not the same!” Sorahiko said defensively.
“Is there actually a difference?”
“Of course there is! I want what’s best for you! I want to protect you!” he insisted.
“So that’s why you decided to kill him?! To ‘protect’ me?!”
“I didn’t kill him!” he admitted. “And I don’t know why you’re getting so worked up over a man you just met!”
Inko flushed and refused to meet his eyes. “It was just—He seemed nice! He certainly didn’t deserve to be killed.”
Sorahiko’s eyes lit up with realization, recognizing the look on her face. “You are not allowed to see him again. I forbid it!”
“What?!” Inko yelled. “That’s not fair! You don’t have the authority to tell me who I can and can’t see!”
Sorahiko snorted. “As yo—”
“Why don’t you think about me for once?!” Inko interrupted him. “I never see anybody but you and Mom! You hide us away here, and then you get mad at me for being interested in the first new person I’ve seen in centuries?!”
Sorahiko winced. “Inko, I’m—”
“Selfish!” Inko pointed at him accusingly. “You’re selfish, that's what you are!” She turned her back to him, her arms crossed.
Nana was giving him a sarcastic look that said “you handled that well”.
“Inko, if you would just try to see things from my perspective—”
“No!” she snapped, throwing her hand out to the side in denial. She looked over at him from her shoulder, her eyes cold. “I refuse to listen to any more of your excuses!”
“Wha—?!” Sorahiko sputtered. “They’re not excuses! They’re valid reasons!”
“You know what? I bet you’re lying too!” Inko threw at him. “I bet you did kill him!”
“I didn’t!”
“Then bring him here so I can see the proof for myself!”
“Absolutely not!” Sorahiko denied. “These are my private rooms!”
“Then I will not speak to you or see you again until you bring Hisashi back here so that we can have a proper conversation. Oh, and you offer us both an apology too!”
Sorahiko groaned and looked to Nana for backup, gesturing at Inko helplessly.
Nana simply raised her brows. “You’re on your own for this one, hun.”
“Thanks,” he quipped drly. He turned his attention back to Inko, who looked no less angry with him than before. He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t even get a word out before she talked over him again.
“Until you’re ready to make amends, don’t even think about speaking to me,” she hissed, moving to the door in the back of the room in her painting.
“I didn’t even say anything!” he protested.
“You didn’t have to!” she called without looking back, slamming the door as loud as she could as she left.
Sorahiko put his face in his hands and groaned. How had it come to this? “You could’ve helped me out there,” he grumbled to Nana.
“You have to deal with this one on your own,” she said again.
“What?” Sorahiko frowned. “Don’t tell me you agree with her?”
“Have you considered that maybe you’re a little…overprotective?” Nana asked delicately.
Perhaps he could be accused of that, but he had always guarded this secret with his life. “…I can’t lose you,” he repeated.
Nana gazed at him sadly. “I’m only a painting, Sorahiko.”
“You’re all I have left,” he whispered, unable to meet her gaze.
Notes:
The aftermath.
Gran: “Whew. Good thing Hisashi didn’t find the secret secret room.”
Hisashi, from across the castle: “My snooping senses are tingling…”
Consequences.
Kurogiri, learning Gran attacked and injured Hisashi: “Oh my poor son, are you okay?” 🥺
Hisashi: “I’m fine.”
Kurogiri: “What happened?”
Hisashi: “…Nothing.”
Izuku: “Dad was snooping through Gran’s rooms.”
Kurogiri: “…”
Hisashi: “…”
Kurogiri: “You’re grounded.”
Hisashi: “WHAT.”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 29
Summary:
“Have you considered that maybe you’re a little…overprotective?” Nana asked delicately.
Perhaps he could be accused of that, but he had always guarded this secret with his life. “…I can’t lose you,” he repeated.
Nana gazed at him sadly. “I’m only a painting, Sorahiko.”
“You’re all I have left,” he whispered, unable to meet her gaze.
Notes:
Ahhhhh we back again 😩
This fic has a oneshot side-piece based off it, if you haven’t read it yet you can check it out here: Kurogiri’s Babysitting Adventures
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“You’re sure you’ve packed everything?” Kurogiri asked for what had to be the umpteenth time.
“Yes, yes.” Hisashi brushed him off. “And even if I didn’t, we’d be able to survive on our own. I spent more than half my life in the wilderness. I can handle myself, Kurogiri.”
Kurogiri sniffed. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
Izuku giggled from his place on Hisashi’s shoulders, and Hisashi smiled at the sound. He thought that was the end of it, as there was silence while they walked for the next few feet, until…
“You packed your hairbrush? Extra underwear?” Kurogiri persisted like a mother hen. Hisashi couldn’t help but feel a tad indignant. Honestly, it was like Kurogiri thought he was a child! “Your teether?”
“Kurogiri!” Hisashi snapped, a blush immediately climbing into his cheeks.
“You have a teether, Dad?” Izuku asked curiously, leaning his head over to meet his gaze. “Do your fangs still hurt?”
“No, I don’t and they’re fine!” Hisashi lied fervently.
“Shall I go fetch it for you? Since you clearly didn’t pack it?” Kurogiri asked.
“As I said, I don’t have one!”
“That would be great if you could grab it, Kurogiri!” Izuku butted in.
“NO!” Hisashi rejected the request outright.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said, disappearing from their side.
Hell no.
“Whoa! Slow down, Dad!” Izuku said as his arms wrapped more tightly around his neck, unprepared when Hisashi put on a sudden burst of speed, trying to race out of the castle before Kurogiri could return with that stupid toy.
But it was all for naught, as when the guards threw open the doors of the foyer for them, Kurogiri was already standing there waiting, holding the leather swan in his hands.
“Your Majesty,” he said, offering out the toy for Hisashi to take.
Hisashi could just barely make out the tiniest upward curl at the corners of Kurogiri’s mouth. He felt his blush creep down his neck, and he raised a hand to hide part of his face in embarrassment.
“It’s really cute!” Izuku praised, gleefully taking hold of the toy for him and looking it over. “And really well made! I didn’t know you liked swans, Dad!”
“I don’t!”
“So, do you have a name for it yet?” Izuku asked, turning the toy every which way. “Oh, oh, what about Swan For One? Like your hunter name! Since it’s a swan just for you!”
“It doesn’t need a name!” Hisashi insisted, hoping the guards were minding their own business. “I-If you want to name it, then it’s yours!”
“Eh? But I don’t need a teether,” Izuku said. “My fangs don’t hurt anymore!”
Hisashi groaned in defeat. He glared at Kurogiri, who continued to watch them with amusement. “Just…put that thing in the backpack and let’s go!” he insisted, not even waiting for Izuku to do so before he snatched it out of his son's hands and all but smushed it into the already overly-full pack. “Now if there isn’t anything else?!”
“You’re sure you have everything?” Kurogiri asked again.
“I’m sure!”
“Very well then,” Kurogiri conceded, that stupid little smile still on his face. “Do you require my assistance for anything else?”
“Yes! A way out of here!” Hisashi demanded, noticing the guards were hiding laughter behind their hands.
“As you wish, Your Majesties,” Kurogiri said.
“You know where we want to go?” Izuku asked excitedly, bouncing on his shoulders.
“To the lake.” Kurogiri nodded. “A fine choice for a camping trip, My Liege. This summer has proven to be quite a warm one this year.”
“Yes, it’ll be very nice. Now, the portal?” Hisashi urged him impatiently.
Kurogiri only stared at him pointedly. “Is that how we ask for things? We demand them?”
Hisashi sputtered, ears going hot as he swore he heard a guard chuckle.
Izuku leaned down to whisper loudly (and unhelpfully) in his ear. “You have to say please, Dad!”
“I-I know that!” Hisashi snapped in embarrassment. He glanced back to Kurogiri, who was still looking at him expectantly. “…Will you warp us to our camping location, please?”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri nodded in acceptance, a wispy, black mist curling about his hand as he summoned a portal into being.
“And feel free to take the rest of the day off!” Izuku added. “Dad said warping long distances is really strenuous on you, so you can have the rest of the day off after this!”
“Thank you, Izuku,” Kurogiri said in appreciation. “I’ll see you two when it’s time to pick you up at the end of the week then?”
“Mhm! Take care, Kurogiri! Make sure Gran and Mirai don’t get into too much trouble while we’re gone!”
“You two take care as well,” Kurogiri returned. “Don’t do anything dangerous.”
“I’m responsible!” Hisashi grumbled as he began to enter the warp gate. “I’m an adult! I can totally take care of us!”
The last thing he heard before the mist swallowed him was, “As you say, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi breathed in the fresh smell of the trees and the earth. The scents of the castle faded away, and the faint bustle of the city disappeared, replaced by the sounds of nature and a light breeze.
“Finally,” he huffed, grateful to be away from all the prying eyes and ears. It had been far too long since he was completely and totally alone without the lingering eyes of guards, servants or nobles.
“It’s hot,” Izuku immediately complained from atop his shoulders, the harsh sunlight beating down on him.
Well, almost alone.
“C’mon you,” Hisashi chuckled, hoisting Izuku off his shoulders and to the ground. “Help me find a good spot to set up camp.”
“Where would a good spot be though?” Izuku asked curiously as he looked around.
“Someplace dry and flat,” Hisashi said as they began to walk the perimeter of the lake. “You don’t want to camp on an incline or uneven ground, trust me. Or on a rock. It's killer on your back.”
Izuku’s brows pinched further, glancing back at Hisashi in confusion, before turning his gaze around to find such a location. He squinted from the bright rays of the evening sun shining in his eyes, raising a hand to shield them. A bead of sweat ran down his already flushed cheeks.
“Why don’t we get some shade under the trees while I get out our parasols?” Hisashi suggested, already feeling the effects of the sun and heat himself. He placed a hand on his son's back to guide him towards shade so they could both get out of the direct sunlight.
“Okay,” Izuku agreed without complaint, quickly moving to the trees. He sighed in relief once they were beneath the shady branches, wiping a hand across his forehead as Hisashi dumped the backpack onto the ground, rummaging through it and pulling out the parasols. Izuku gratefully took his when offered. Hisashi watched in amusement as he huffed. “Summer is the worst.”
“Hey, I like summer!” He bumped Izuku’s shoulder playfully. “There’s more game to catch, and you don’t have to worry about freezing overnight from the cold.”
Izuku squinted at him. “What? Did you sleep outside during the winters, Dad? Didn’t you have a home to go to?”
“Not really.” Hisashi shrugged. His old childhood home had been destroyed in the vampire attack. “There was my mentor’s place, but…I didn’t really go back there after I left to hunt on my own.”
“Oh,” was all Izuku said, and Hisashi felt a little affronted when he saw a touch of pity on his face. It faded, however, at his son's next words, looking up at him with big, bright green eyes and squeezing his hand reassuringly. “Well, you don’t ever have to worry about being cold outside again at least, because you have a home to go back to now!”
Hisashi’s eyes softened, placing a hand on Izuku’s curls and ruffling them affectionately. “Yeah. I do,” he murmured. “A pretty nice one too.”
“We can always make it nicer!” Izuku said earnestly. “I can get you anything you want! Just ask!”
Hisashi laughed. “I have everything I need, but thank you, Izuku.” He surveyed the area around them more critically then. “Now, come on. Let’s set up a campsite.”
Izuku groaned as he slumped to the ground, the campsite complete around them. Not that he had really done much. Dad had set the whole thing up, occasionally waving Izuku over to show him how to prepare camp, but Izuku hadn’t really ended up doing much at all, his dad taking charge of setting everything up. He had cleared the area of any debris and dug a shallow hole for a fire. When Izuku asked why, Dad explained that it was to keep the fire from spreading and keep the embers controlled.
Then he had set about unpacking, pulling out all sorts of things that Izuku had never seen or heard of before, and setting himself diligently to work. Izuku had gotten tired just from watching. And being outside. It was hot. Thankfully, Dad had set up the tent first, securing it into place with stakes embedded into the ground, and was now bustling around inside. Seeking the shade (and his dad) Izuku crawled over to the tent that Dad had constructed, poking his head in. He frowned when he saw his father rolling out a mat of some sort.
“...There isn’t a bed?” Izuku asked as he observed the inside of their tent, noting there were two mats on the ground that Dad was straightening out. “Where are we supposed to sleep?
“Of course there isn’t a bed,” his father laughed, as if Izuku had said something funny. “We’re camping. I brought us some bedrolls for the night.”
Izuku looked at him with alarm. “You mean we’re sleeping on the ground?” he asked incredulously.
“No?” Dad looked confused. “We’re on a bedroll. It’s not like I’m going to make you sleep in the dirt.”
“We’ll be so close to it that we might as well be,” Izuku huffed. “And there’s bugs!”
“There’s bugs inside the palace too!”
“Not nearly as many!”
Dad rolled his eyes. “They won’t kill you. And some of them sound really relaxing. Like crickets! And some bugs you can even eat!”
“EW!” Izuku screeched. “That’s nasty, Dad! Why would you eat a bug?!”
Dad just shrugged. “Well, when you get really hungry…”
“You’re not eating anymore bugs, Dad,” Izuku said flatly. “EVER. I’ll order you if I have to.”
Dad laughed, as if Izuku was joking. “I’m not going to eat a bug if I don’t have to, Izuku! Besides, there’s better things to eat in the forest. The lake is full of fish, and I’m sure I heard deer or boar further out in the woods. We can catch something and have it for dinner tonight.”
“We…We’re going to eat from animals?” Izuku asked, his throat suddenly dry.
“Yeah!” Dad sounded excited. “I haven’t hunted game in such a long time now! It’ll be nice to get back into it again. I can set up some rods for fishing, and prepare a few traps in the forest for rabbits.”
The thought of animal blood made him a bit queasy, but Izuku nodded along, not wanting to ruin his dad’s happy mood. He really hoped they weren’t going to survive on animal blood the entire trip though. He’d only tasted animal blood a few times before, and it had been gross to him. They could survive off it, sure, but…Izuku shivered. It wasn’t as nutritious as human blood, and eventually a vampire would weaken on animal blood only.
“Alright, I think I got everything set up. Want to help me get the fishing rods ready?” Hisashi asked as he pulled out an assortment of sticks from his pack. “You can help me look for worms while I get the line prepared.”
“Can we go swimming?” Izuku asked instead, brightening. He hated the idea of digging for worms, but swimming? He so wanted to try it!
“Of course.” His dad nodded, and Izuku felt his hopes rise. Only to be instantly dashed. “But after we’ve caught something. You’ll scare all the fish away otherwise, and you might get hooked.”
“Why can’t we go swimming first, then fishing after?” Izuku pouted.
“Because we’ll scare the fish away, like I just said,” Dad explained.
“They’d come back eventually! Right?”
“I’d have to move to the other side of the lake,” Dad informed him, straightening out the sticks. Izuku watched in mild amazement as they formed neatly into a rod. “And that would be a waste of time. C’mon, it probably won’t take us long to catch something for dinner. You wanna eat, don’t you?”
“...Okay,” Izuku conceded, withholding a sigh. “Where do I look for worms?”
“In the dirt,” his dad said, way too cheerfully. “Preferably where it’s moist.”
Izuku wrinkled his nose at the idea of digging through the dirt. “Is there a shovel I can use?”
“Yes! They’re called your hands!”
With a disgusted groan, Izuku turned and set about searching for worms. He found a patch of somewhat damp earth a little ways from the campsite, crouching down low and extending his claws. He hesitated, a shudder running through him before he reluctantly began to dig, cringing at the sensation of dirt clinging to his skin and getting under his claws.
He’d managed to find a few worms by the time his dad came over, which wriggled grossly in his palm.
“You ready?” Dad asked.
“Yep!” Izuku agreed quickly, very much wanting to be done with worm-digging.
He followed his father out from their campsite and down to the lake, towards a shady section. Dad chatted idly the entire time. He really seemed to be enjoying himself out here. Izuku couldn’t relate, but he was happy that his dad was happy.
“Alright, so we just hook one of these on like so,” Dad said as he plucked a worm from Izuku’s hand and wrested it onto the hook. Izuku bit the inside of his lip to keep from saying anything as he watched it pierce through. “And then we cast it like this!”
Izuku watched his dad cast out the line with the ease of an expert that had done it many, many times before, watching it hit the water from afar with a light sound. He could see the bobber floating gently on the surface.
“Now you try!” Dad said, offering the other rod to Izuku with a big, goofy smile on his face, like he was having the time of his life.
Izuku took the rod hesitantly, and half-heartedly threw the line out. It landed in the shallows, barely a foot away from them.
“Try again, but cast it a little further out this time, okay?” Dad instructed, helping Izuku reel his line back in for another go.
Izuku huffed, not enamoured with this whole camping thing. But he wound back, chucking the line with more force this time. A lot more force.
Maybe too much force, as the line went sailing across the lake.
“...A little less force than that,” his dad rectified, and Izuku huffed again, feeling frustrated. Dad seemed not to notice, simply reeling the line back in for him a second time. “Here. Like this.” Dad demonstrated a perfect cast once again before handing the rod back to Izuku. “You can try again once you reel in a fish.”
“Okay.” Izuku sighed, staring out at the water and focusing on the bobber of his line. “...What are we supposed to be doing now?”
“Waiting for a bite!” Dad said, plunking down onto the ground. “Just sit down and relax. It shouldn’t take too long.”
“Isn’t that kind of boring?” Izuku sat down next to his dad.
“Only with that attitude it is.” Dad smiled. “Come on, that’s exactly what we came out here to do: relax.”
“I thought the whole point was camping?” Izuku asked. “You never said anything about fishing.”
“Fishing is a part of camping!” Dad insisted. “It’s all about relaxing and taking your time. We’re not in any hurry here, like in the castle. You have to enjoy the quiet moments too.”
“Okay, if you say so. I’ll give it a try,” Izuku agreed.
Silence fell then, the two of them simply staring out at the lake, watching the bobbers move up and down with the ripples of the water. Izuku fidgeted and twitched, feeling mildly antsy as time stretched on with them just sitting there. Back at the castle he was always busy, keeping occupied with something or other. Meetings, paperwork, studies, training, bookkeeping… He wasn’t used to not moving around and doing something, or to not thinking about the next task he needed to get done.
He wasn’t sure how long they had been sitting there for when he felt a small tug on his line, but Dad’s attention snapped to it almost before his own did.
“I think you’ve got a bite!” Dad exclaimed excitedly.
“What do I do now?” Izuku asked.
“Reel it in, but carefully.”
Dad placed his hands over Izuku’s, guiding him as they reeled the line in, and before Izuku knew it, he had a wiggling fish in front of him.
“You did great!” his dad praised him, though Izuku didn’t feel like he had done anything to deserve it. But he didn’t have the time to say so as Dad reached for the fish, his hand wrapping around it in a tight hold before Izuku heard a crack and the fish went still. “It’s a bit on the small side, but I think it’ll make a nice snack.”
“...We’re really going to eat fish?” Izuku asked, looking up at his dad, barely able to restrain the nervous shake that threatened to go through him. He looked apprehensively at the fish still hanging limply on the hook. It did not appear appetizing.
“Of course! We’ll need a few more before we can really call it dinner, but there’s still plenty of daylight to catch a few more.”
Ugh, how many of them was he going to be expected to eat? Izuku grimaced but took the fish from his dad, who watched him curiously. “Okay…” Izuku muttered, staring at the dead fish and feeling his stomach roil.
He took a deep breath to brace himself. Then sank his fangs into the fish, piercing through scales and flesh. Cold, thin blood hit his tongue, the smelly taste of fish cloying the inside of his mouth, and Izuku had to fight to get even a single swallow down. It was all he could stand before he released his bite, a hand shooting up to cover his mouth as his stomach threatened to purge itself.
Dad’s jaw was hanging open, staring at him in shock. “What the—Izuku! Why’d you do that?!”
Izuku gagged, trying to push down the nausea. “Y-You said we had to eat the fish…” he groaned.
“Not like that!” Dad protested. “I meant cooked! We catch the fish, prepare them, then cook them over the campfire!”
“Oh…” Izuku eyed the dead fish in his hand with distaste. “Why didn’t you say that before?”
“I thought it was obvious!” his dad defended.
“It wasn’t,” Izuku groaned, swallowing thickly as he felt bile rise up in his throat before managing to force it back. “...I’m gonna go lay down in the tent.”
Dad looked a bit worried, and pressed a hand to Izuku’s forehead. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just…fish blood doesn’t sit well with me, I guess,” Izuku said weakly. In truth, he was a bit embarrassed about his blunder. But it wasn’t his fault Dad was bad at explaining things! Still.
“Okay, you lay down for a bit then. I’ll finish catching dinner and be back at the campsite soon,” Dad said. “And when the sun starts setting, if you’re still up for it we can go swimming.”
“Sounds good!” He really wanted to swim, and hopefully he would feel better by then.
Izuku swiftly made his way to the tent, hoping his stomach would settle soon. On arrival, he stared dubiously at the bedroll that had been laid out for them to sleep on before laying down on it. Quickly he discovered that it wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as his bed in the castle. He tossed and turned restlessly on the mat, trying to get comfortable.
But the lingering heat of the day caused sweat to bead down his face, making it near impossible to relax peacefully. It was like it was smothering him. Even with the tent shading him from direct sunlight, the humidity was awful. How had Dad lived like this? Izuku couldn’t imagine living outdoors for years like this.
He didn’t know how long he spent tossing and turning, his stomach’s churning slowly dying down. He was trying to relax when he heard his father moving outside doing who knows what. He heard some heavy thuds and the sound of something striking against something else, and before long, the crackle of a fire reached his ears.
Izuku stifled a groan. Great. As if it wasn’t already hot enough!
“Izuku, come on! I got the fish cooking. Are you feeling better?” Dad called out to him.
He felt a bit better, yeah, but the idea of eating fish after what happened earlier was entirely unappealing. When he didn’t answer beyond a stifled, unenthusiastic grunt, he heard his father’s footsteps pause for a moment, before the fabric of the tent flaps ruffled and Dad stepped inside.
“Izuku?” he called out again, and Izuku could make out concern leaking into his voice. “Everything alright? Is your stomach still upset?”
“It’s fine,” Izuku grumbled, slowly pushing himself up. “It’s just hot. How am I supposed to function in this heat?”
Dad had the audacity to roll his eyes, as if Izuku was being over-dramatic. “It’s not that bad,” Dad claimed.
Izuku scoffed in disbelief. “Yes it is. The humidity is miserable.” He crossed his arms and grumbled. “We should have had the ARETCC fix our tent so that we could actually stay cool.”
“...The arc-tic?” Dad asked, brows furrowing in confusion.
“The Advanced Runic Enchantment Temperature Control Company,” Izuku explained. “It’s a company in the city that helps people maintain temperature control in their homes with enchanted runes. Helps them stay cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.”
“Right. That does sound pretty helpful.” Dad hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll look into that next time,” he concluded, and Izuku was both relieved and filled with dread at the thought that there would be a next time. “Anyway. Come on and eat your fish and we can go swimming, alright? It’ll cool you off.”
Izuku followed his dad out of the tent reluctantly, the allure of swimming calling to him. He sat on a log next to Dad at the fire, and was soon handed a freshly cooked fish, steam still wafting off of it.
“...We don’t have to drink anymore animal blood, do we?” Izuku asked skeptically as he glared at the skewer of fish that offended him with its mere existence.
“You wouldn’t have had to drink any at all if you hadn’t bitten into a raw fish.” His dad snorted in amusement. “But don’t be so concerned. I’ve brought plenty of blood for us to drink while we’re out here, so there’s no need to worry about going hungry.”
“It’s not my fault you didn’t explain things better!” Izuku huffed while Dad tore into his food. “I thought you meant we had to drink blood from wild animals! We don’t get full from actually eating them, remember?”
“It’s not my fault you jumped to assumptions!” Dad retorted through a mouthful. “And of course I remembered! That’s why I brought the blood in the first place.”
Izuku squinted. “…Did you remember and pack the blood? Or did Kurogiri remember and pack the blood?”
Dad looked affronted, but shifted suspiciously. “I remembered!” he insisted. “…I just…had to be reminded. But I packed the blood!”
“So what you’re saying is that we would have been eating from animals if not for Kurogiri,” Izuku surmised, shooting his dad a displeased look.
“You didn’t remember either!” Dad tried to say. “You didn’t pack anything at all.”
“I’m eleven,” Izuku said flatly.
“Whatever!” Dad huffed. He looked over to Izuku, staring pointedly at the fish. “It’s not poisonous, you know. Now that it’s cooked I think you’ll enjoy the taste. Go ahead and give it a try.”
Izuku grumbled under his breath, before slowly, hesitantly, taking the smallest bite imaginable from the skewer, ready to spit it out immediately if there was any hint of that disgusting fishy taste. As it was, it didn’t taste bad, in all fairness. It was a little bland maybe, but had a smoky flavor to it he could appreciate. Still, he wasn’t going to admit that to Dad right now.
“...It needs more salt,” he muttered after swallowing, taking another small bite.
Dad snorted around a mouthful of fish. “Well, we don’t have salt. Not a lot of spices when you live off the land, but you can find various herbs and plants to flavour your food.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Izuku chided.
“Hypocrite!” Dad gaped. “You just did that!”
“I’m eleven,” Izuku pointed out again.
“And we’re not in the castle right now, so you can relax with all those stuffy rules you’re used to,” Dad said, grabbing a second skewer after he was finished with his first.
“They’re called manners, Dad.” Izuku was still working on his first skewer, watching his dad chow down like it was the best meal he’d had in a while.
“Yeah, I wasn’t taught those growing up.”
“I can tell,” Izuku muttered under his breath quietly. “It’s no wonder everyone thinks you’re weird when they first meet you.”
“Who are you calling weird, you little bean-sprout?” Dad accused, shooting him a playful glare and nudging his shoulder.
Izuku nudged back. “Who are you calling a bean-sprout? I’m not a plant!”
“You got hair like one!” Dad nudged him a little harder, smiling.
Izuku shoved back, accidentally using too much strength and pushing Dad off the log. He laughed as Dad flailed backwards with a yelp, hitting the ground with a loud thud.
“Oh, you think that was funny, do you?” Dad huffed, shooting a scowl from where he lay on the ground.
Izuku set his now-finished skewer down. “It was funny!” he retorted, dodging the kick Dad sent his way to try and push him off the log too. He jumped up with a cheeky grin, looking at his father expectantly. “Can we go swimming now?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Dad nodded as he got back to his feet, wiping the dirt off his clothes. “Kurogiri had some ‘swimming trunks’ made—why anyone needs trunks specifically for swimming I don’t know—so we can change into them before we jump into the lake. Go get changed first and then I’ll get ready too. They’re in the backpack in the corner of the tent.”
Izuku, feeling the first bit of real excitement since they arrived, made a beeline for the tent. He all but tore through the contents of the backpack, swiftly finding the swimming trunks and changing before bursting out, ready to go.
Dad was ambling around doing…whatever, so Izuku grabbed his arm and dragged him to the tent. “Hurry up, Dad, come on!”
“Alright, alright. You could have some patience for once.” Dad shook his head in defeat, slipping inside the tent to change.
He came out ready to go, and Izuku took a brief moment to look him over, glad to see no sign of the knife wounds from the ball. Dad looked healthy, and actually seemed to have less scars than he used to. Izuku nodded to himself in satisfaction as he followed his father down to the lake again, buzzing with anticipation.
The sun was setting when they got there, the dying light sparkling like stars on the surface. Dad stepped into the shallow water, and looked pleased.
“Water’s nice and cool, not too cold,” he mused. “Perfect for swimming. Let’s go then, yeah?”
“Uh-huh!” Izuku exclaimed excitedly.
Dad walked further out into the water and Izuku followed, his pace slower. When the water reached up to his father’s chest he dove under, and Izuku felt a brief flash of panic from where he was still at the shoreline. But Dad re-emerged not too far away, breaking the surface with a shake of his head, droplets flying everywhere.
“What are you waiting for?” Dad called out when he turned and saw Izuku still standing in the shallows. “Come on and swim!”
“Just…taking a moment to get used to the water!” Izuku insisted before taking a step further, slowly making his way deeper in, his pulse racing and his hands trembling ever so slightly.
Izuku watched as Dad swam further and further out into the lake with broad strokes of his arms. He took another step up to where the water came up to his knees, then another and another. But when it reached his middle, he suddenly stopped, a wave of uncertainty washing over him. He stared at the ripples across the surface, and found himself unable to keep going.
“What’s the hold up?” Dad asked, and Izuku saw him swim closer in his direction before the water grew too shallow and he walked the rest of the way. “You've been wanting to go swimming since we got here, so start swimming! The water’s not going anywhere!”
“R-Right,” Izuku muttered. “I just…I just need to…” He trailed off, eyeing the water apprehensively.
“C’mon, it’s easy!” Dad insisted as he stopped right in front of him, and Izuku was unprepared for when he suddenly took hold of Izuku’s wrist and tugged him further into the lake. Panic shot through him when all too soon his feet no longer touched the bottom of the lake and the only thing keeping him from going under was his father. “You just kick your legs and move your arms and then you’re—”
He didn’t hear the rest of what was said as Dad suddenly let go of him. Izuku flailed wildy for a few terrifying seconds, splashing water everywhere before his hands found his father again, immediately latching onto him with a bone-breaking grip for fear of sinking. He wrapped his arms around his father’s torso and buried his face, his breaths short and ragged.
“Izuku?” his dad said, sounding confused and alarmed by his behavior.
Izuku could sense his bewildered stare, but only shook his head, refusing to answer as he clung even tighter to him when a hand laid on his shoulder.
“Izuku, what—”
“Don’t let go!” Izuku begged him.
“Izuku…” Dad spoke slowly, and Izuku was thankful when his arms wrapped around him securely. “Do you not know how to swim?”
“...N-No…” Izuku muttered quietly.
“Then why did you—” he began, before cutting himself off, a soft sigh escaping him. A hand reached up to lay against the back of Izuku’s head, fingers carding through his hair in a soothing gesture. “I’m not going to let you go,” Dad reassured him gently. “I promise you’re safe. I’ve got you. Just breathe, okay? Slow, deep breaths.”
Izuku tried to follow his dad’s words, struggling to calm himself and steady his breathing. It took longer than he would have liked for his heart to still to a point that it was no longer pounding against his eardrums. He couldn’t bring himself to look up at his father, embarrassed that he was afraid of something as menial as water. His earlier excitement was all but gone now, and Izuku was rethinking the whole swimming idea. He hadn’t thought it would be scary, but the lack of solid ground beneath him freaked him out.
Dad shifted his grip, holding Izuku a little more loosely. “I’m not letting go,” he assured when Izuku clung tighter to him in return. “I want you to kick your legs back and forth, okay?”
Why? Izuku didn’t understand, but slowly began to move his legs under the water anyway. He felt less heavy when he did so, and looked up at Dad, who smiled encouragingly back.
“How about I teach you how to swim?” Dad offered.
Izuku shook his head quickly. “Don’t let me go!”
“I’ll hold onto you the entire time,” Dad promised. “I wouldn’t have dragged you into the water if I’d known you couldn’t swim. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Izuku looked down in shame. “…Didn’t seem too hard. I thought I could learn it on my own! But…But the water got so deep and…”
“And you got scared,” Dad finished for him, and Izuku felt upset with himself for being so obviously afraid. “That’s why you have me here though. I can teach you how to swim and you won’t have to be afraid anymore.”
“…Okay,” Izuku agreed quietly.
Dad moved them back to where Izuku could feel the lakebed beneath his feet, and held Izuku’s hands.
“Put your hands on my shoulders, and kick with your legs like I told you earlier,” Dad instructed.
Izuku followed directions, his legs rising up as he kicked them out behind him, holding onto his father for support. It was easier when he knew the bottom of the lake was right there if he had to stop, and Dad was right in front of him to catch him if something went wrong.
It was slow going, but eventually Izuku got the hang of it, and Dad gave him more and more instructions to follow.
“That’s it,” Dad praised. “You’re doing great. Just keep moving your arms and legs like that!”
Izuku diligently followed the commands. And then suddenly his father’s arms weren’t holding onto him anymore, and terror threatened to overwhelm him again when he found himself in deeper water, kicking his legs faster than before.
But he didn’t sink.
A breathless laugh escaped him when he realized it. “I’m swimming!” he said excitedly.
“You’re swimming!” Dad agreed, smiling. He was still close, arms ready to grab Izuku if needed, but he looked—
He looked proud.
Izuku wasn’t sure if he’d seen that expression on Dad’s face before. It bloomed a soft warmth in his chest to see it. Dad was proud of him!
It was dark out now—though that didn’t have much effect on his vampiric vision—and Izuku tilted his head back to look up at the stars as he tread water. They were visible from the palace too, but there just seemed to be so many more out here, under the vast expanse of the lake. It was beautiful in a way that he hadn’t ever experienced at the castle.
Maybe camping wasn’t so bad after all, when there were sights like this to enjoy.
Izuku laughed when his dad suddenly splashed him with water, drawing his attention away. He splashed back, dipping a little under the water before kicking more to keep himself afloat. Back and forth they went, Izuku slowly getting better at swimming as he and his father chased each other around, Dad never too far in case Izuku suddenly needed help. Before he knew it, he was starting to feel exhaustion burn through him.
“Let’s head back to the fire, hm?” his dad suggested, seeming to notice Izuku was beginning to tire from all the swimming. “We’ll get dried off and have a glass of blood before bed. Sound good?”
Izuku nodded, beginning to swim back to the shore when Dad scooped him up, carrying him the rest of the way.
“Hey!” Izuku made a show of complaining, but he didn’t really mind. “I could have swam the rest of the way back!”
“You look like you’re barely able to keep yourself floating,” Dad retorted with a snort of laughter.
Izuku snuggled into his dad’s chest. “I could keep going,” he mumbled tiredly, protesting just to protest. “I’m stronger than you.”
“Doesn’t matter, I’m a better swimmer,” Dad said, setting him down on the log when they reached the campsite.
A towel was soon wrapped around Izuku, and he curled it around himself as he watched Dad stoke the fire back up. A canteen of blood was placed in his hand, Dad sitting right next to him as they drank, wrapping an arm around Izuku’s shoulders. It was nice and cool now that it was nighttime, much more tolerable to sit in front of the warm fire and enjoy the woods like this.
They drank and talked for a while, letting the fire start to die naturally as they dried off. Eventually, Dad announced it was time for bed, and doused the rest of the fire. It wasn’t until that light source was gone that Izuku noticed something strange. A little, floating light. And it landed right on his nose.
“Ah!” Izuku gave a start, jerking back from the light, and watched it float off before fading away. He stared, alarmed at first, then watched as the gentle glowing light resumed, dancing through the air before fading again. “W-What is that?” He blinked, and looking around he soon discovered that there were lots more of the little lights floating about over the lake and in the trees.
Dad regarded him with a curious look, amusement gleaming in his eyes. “You’ve never seen a firefly before?” he asked.
“A what?” Izuku asked.
He watched his father reach out with his hands, gently cupping them around one of the lights and bringing it back. Then he slowly opened them, and Izuku stared at the little bug that rested on his palms.
“A firefly. They’re also called lightning bugs,” Dad explained. “They’re little bugs that come out at night during the summer.”
“Oh.” Izuku blinked, staring at the creature as it glowed on and off, before his attention was drawn back to the woods around them. “There’s so many of them! They’re like little stars.”
“See?” Dad said. “Not all bugs are bad.”
“You’re still not allowed to eat bugs anymore, Dad,” Izuku said sternly through a yawn. He squinted suspiciously at Dad. “...You didn’t eat these bugs, did you?”
Dad started laughing. “No! No, I wouldn’t eat these bugs. I don’t think they’d be very good.”
“I don’t think any bug would be very good,” Izuku muttered, sticking his tongue out to express his disgust.
Dad just laughed again, then reached out, transferring one of the little, bright bugs into Izuku’s hand. Izuku stared at it in mild fascination, watching the light on its butt pulse.
“Why does it glow like that?” he asked curiously. “Where do they go when summer’s gone?”
Dad just shrugged. “I don’t know. Nature’s weird like that, I guess. Sometimes it’s best to just appreciate what’s in front of you rather than trying to figure out everything about it.”
Izuku nodded thoughtfully. It was kind of nice to be able to just…be. To experience new things without having to study everything about them. Maybe Dad had a point there. He yawned again.
“Ready to go to bed?” Dad asked, ruffling Izuku’s wild hair.
“Mmhmm.” Izuku released the little bug, rubbing at his eyes.
He ducked into the tent to get ready for bed, changing into his pyjamas and laying down on the bedroll Dad had prepared for them earlier. As his Dad walked into the tent a minute later, Izuku noticed he had changed back into his former clothes rather than his pyjamas. Izuku stared at him sleepily as Dad situated himself in his bedroll.
“Did you forget your nightclothes, Dad?” Izuku asked, his eyes feeling impossibly heavy.
“Nah.” Dad shook his head as he got comfortable. “Just used to sleeping in my regular clothes outside is all. Feels kind of weird to wear pyjamas in the woods.”
“Oh,” Izuku said through a yawn. “You’re so strange, Dad.”
“You’re just as strange, squirt,” Dad shot back.
“I’m not…not a…” was all Izuku managed before his eyes fell shut, sleep swiftly coming over him.
Hisashi stared at the ceiling of the tent as he laid on his back, finding himself unable to sleep. He listened to the soft breaths of Izuku soundly passed out on the bedroll, and the chirping of crickets loud in his ears. He knew why he was having trouble: there was an ache in his fangs that had persisted since dinner.
After another twenty minutes of uselessly trying to get comfortable, tossing and turning, he decided to give up on sleep entirely and sat up. He did so slowly so as not to wake up his son, whose face still scrunched up slightly. Hisashi smiled to himself, reaching out a hand to tousle the curls of his hair and watching as Izuku’s pinched features slowly smoothed back out.
Izuku was such a light sleeper, Hisashi mused, making sure to keep his movements quiet so as not to disturb him again. They had gone to bed a little earlier than they normally would have, but it had been a long day, from setting up camp to swimming and everything in between. And while he was used to the heat of summer, it was clear that Izuku was not, and it had taken its toll on the boy.
Hisashi idly reached for the canteen he had tucked off to the side, unscrewing the cap and taking a drink, content to listen to the sounds of the woods around him and be at ease, knowing the ward he had placed up would keep any wild animal at bay. He was relieved that there were no cold stone walls surrounding him. No Gran or Mirai to bother him or his son. No expectations or duties either of them needed to fulfill or maintain.
He fully intended to make the most of it while they could before they inevitably had to return to the castle. Show and teach his son everything there was to know about surviving in the woods. Even if Izuku hadn’t really taken to camping as well as he would have liked, his son was trying, and that was all Hisashi could ask for. It made warmth bloom in his chest that Izuku was willing to rough it outdoors for a few days with him—a sharp contrast to the sheltered, comfortable life in the castle. Bar a few complaints that he couldn’t really begrudge the boy for, Izuku had taken to camping in strides.
Hisashi was happy. Happy that Izuku was out here with him, experiencing a small sliver of Hisashi’s way of life when he was a hunter. Happy that he had someone he could teach his skills to, someone willing to learn. Happy that he wasn’t completely alone anymore. He had rarely ever had a traveling companion in the years he had been a hunter, and no one he could call a friend, much less family.
Hisashi sighed after a long swallow of blood from his canteen. He got ready to lay back down, but his fangs gave another irritating pulse, that stubborn ache radiating through them. He brought his finger and thumb to them, grasping a fang and willing for the pain to go away as he squeezed them. But of course, it didn’t.
He looked over to the pack that laid in the corner of the tent, then back to Izuku to make sure he was still asleep. With reluctance, Hisashi reached over and quietly pulled out the leather swan. He eyed the thing with distaste and loathing, but the ache in his fangs was beginning to give him a headache. And so he bit into the swan’s neck, digging his fangs into the tough leather hide. He was met with relief from his teeth, the throbbing subsiding slowly as he continued to gnaw.
He kept an eye on his son the entire time, dreading the possibility of him waking up to Hisashi biting on his teether. Once the pain had been quelled, Hisashi quickly and quietly stuffed it back into the pack and shoved it to where it had been, hoping that Izuku would be none the wiser that he had used the stupid thing. Though it helped ease the pain in his fangs, it was still embarrassing to have to do so. But he didn’t have much choice. Oftentimes his fangs would ache after a meal, persisting for hours and occasionally causing awful headaches.
The only times that didn’t happen was when he drank from Kurogiri. Something he still felt guilty about, despite Kurogiri’s insistence that it was fine. Hisashi was somewhat self-conscious that such a basic part of vampirism was still so difficult for him. But another part of him was relieved that he hadn’t gotten so used to such a thing. It was still…trying, some days, where he struggled to comprehend how different things were now in comparison to how they used to be.
Maybe that was what drove him to want to go camping as badly as he did, in some feeble attempt to reclaim a part of his old life. A desperate attempt to cling onto who he used to be.
But…being out here right now, with a son who loved him enough to be willing to indulge in Hisashi’s attempt to recapture a small piece of his days as a hunter, he knew. Knew that he was content and happy with his new way of life, even if he still struggled with some aspects of it. Izuku was always there for him when Hisashi needed him, and now, so was Kurogiri. Before now, he had never realized just how lonely his old life had been. But now that he did, he wasn’t willing to trade the current bonds he had for anything. He loved his son and cared for his friend too much to even consider such a thing.
Smiling to himself, Hisashi stood up, secured his sword to his hip, and made his way outside. His eyes had no trouble whatsoever navigating through the pitch-black darkness, and he stared up at the blanket of stars that covered the night sky. He sat down on a soft bed of grass in front of the tent entrance, content to stare at the twinkling lights as his mind began to settle.
He was home, whether he was outside in the woods or inside the confines of the castle. So long as Hisashi was with his son, he was home.
Izuku felt as though he’d only been asleep for a few hours when he rolled over, reaching for his dad drowsily, wanting to cuddle.
But there was no one there.
The ensuing bolt of panic woke him fully, and Izuku sat up, searching the tent for Dad, but finding no trace of him. “Dad?” he called, voice wavering with fear. “Dad?!”
He scrambled out of the tent, ready to run through the woods in search of his dad, but almost tripped over something on the ground just outside.
It was Dad.
“Dad!” Izuku dropped to his knees next to him. Why was he on the ground? Was something wrong? Was he hurt?! Had he collapsed?! Worriedly, Izuku looked him over and—
He was sleeping.
“Dad?” Izuku called again, more confused this time. Why was Dad just sleeping on the ground? “Dad!” He shook Dad’s shoulder.
Dad grumbled and cracked an eye open. For a former hunter, he really was a heavy sleeper. “Izu? What?”
“What are you doing sleeping on the ground?” Izuku felt the edges of his panic fading away now that he knew his dad was alright. “Why did you leave the tent?” he asked accusingly.
“Hm?” Dad looked like he barely registered what Izuku was saying. He waved a hand in a weird gesture. “Jus’ wanted to be outside,” he answered, eyes slipping shut again. “Stars, y’know?”
The stars were pretty and all, but they had brought the tent specifically to sleep in, hadn’t they?
“We saw the stars earlier, Dad. Come on, you’re lying in the dirt,” Izuku said.
“Like seein’ the stars all night,” Dad answered. “And I’m on the grass. Nice bed of grass is all you need.”
“There’s a perfectly good bedroll in the tent.” Izuku didn’t want to leave his dad out here on the ground, exposed to who knows what. “Please, Dad?” Izuku pleaded, nudging his shoulder again. “I…I don’t wanna be alone in the tent.”
“Right here is good,” Dad muttered, patting the ground next to him.
Huffing, Izuku grabbed Dad’s arm to pull him up and drag him into the tent, but Dad somehow managed to grapple him instead, yanking Izuku down. Izuku landed on Dad’s chest, and Dad wrapped his arms around Izuku, holding him tight like cuddling a stuffed animal. Izuku frowned though, when he heard the clinking of metal and a heavy thud against the ground. He looked towards the source, and saw silver gleaming in the moonlight on Dad’s hip. Izuku stared incredulously at him.
“…Dad, are you sleeping with your sword?”
“Never know when you might get attacked in the middle of the night,” Dad replied sleepily.
That response did not bring Izuku confidence. No way they were staying out here and not in the tent, where anyone or anything could sneak up on them.
“Dad!” Izuku said chidingly. “We’re sleeping in the tent!”
Dad grumbled in response, sounding very grumpy as he was forced to stand up with Izuku in tow and make his way into the tent, crashing onto the bedroll without grace. His eyes cracked open slightly to scowl at Izuku, who felt guilt building up in his chest at the look.
“Shouldn’t order me,” Dad complained, and Izuku couldn’t meet his eyes when he saw they were filled with hazy disappointment.
“I…I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get attacked by something outside!” Izuku tried to explain.
“Slept outside all the time before,” Dad said. “Was always fine. Sword is a precaution just in case.”
“…Right.” Izuku didn’t think sleeping outside every night fearing an attack was fine, but Dad was weird. Speaking of the sword though, he grabbed it and threw it to the side of the tent. “No swords in bed,” he insisted, ignoring Dad’s deepening scowl. “I’ll revoke the order in the morning, okay? Promise.”
Dad just mumbled incoherently under his breath, his eyes beginning to slip shut. “Fine,” he grumped, shifting a little as he began drifting off. “But no more…no more orders.”
Izuku sighed, some of his anxiety easing off now that they were in the safety of the tent, and he didn’t have to worry about his dad going back outside. He cuddled up close to his dad, but it was hard to get back to sleep due to his earlier panic, even though he knew everything would be fine now. Every strange noise the woods made had him flinching, wondering what it was.
He thought he even heard the light thudding of paws against the ground at some point, accompanied by rapid snuffling, before whatever made the noises wandered off. Likely just some wild animal that was curious about their camp. But the thought had him bringing the sword closer into his reach, just in case.
It wasn’t until sunlight was beginning to creep back over the horizon that Izuku found himself able to get any rest at all, passing out on his father’s chest.
Notes:
Normal childhood fears.
Most children: “I’m scared of the woods at night because what if something gets me!”
Izuku: “I’m scared of the woods at night because what if something gets my dad!”
Swimming Lessons.
Izuku: “So, Dad, how’d you learn how to swim?”
Hisashi: “I don’t know. I just got really sick of drowning whenever I went in the water, so one day I just kind of figured it out.”
The Arctic??
Hisashi: “ARETCC hm? That’s a bit of a mouthful. Can’t we call it something else?”
Izuku: “You’re right. Hmm… What about condensing it? We could call it AC instead!”
If Kurogiri tagged along.
Hisashi: *setting up camp in the background*
Izuku: “I don’t know what he’s so happy about. We’re in the wilderness with heat and bugs. This is miserable. Dad must be some sort of alien to enjoy this kind of lifestyle.”
Kurogiri: “Your father is a feral man of strange quirks at heart. Let him be. At least he’s happy.”
Hisashi (from the distance): “HEY! I heard that!”
Hunting.
Hisashi: “I'm going to go hunting. Pretty sure I heard some deer or boar in there.”
Izuku (dying of the heat): “Okay! I'll practice swimming in the meantime. Stay safe!”
Hisashi: “Alright, but don't go too deep into the water. I'll be back with dinner soon.”
(later)
Hisashi: *running for his life through the trees* “NEVER MIND IT WAS A MOOSE!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 30
Summary:
Izuku sighed, some of his anxiety easing off now that they were in the safety of the tent, and he didn’t have to worry about his dad going back outside. He cuddled up close to his dad, but it was hard to get back to sleep due to his earlier panic, even though he knew everything would be fine now. Every strange noise the woods made had him flinching, wondering what it was.
He thought he even heard the light thudding of paws against the ground at some point, accompanied by rapid snuffling, before whatever made the noises wandered off. Likely just some wild animal that was curious about their camp. But the thought had him bringing the sword closer into his reach, just in case.
It wasn’t until sunlight was beginning to creep back over the horizon that Izuku found himself able to get any rest at all, passing out on his father’s chest.
Notes:
Disclaimer: the authors have not been projecting a hatred of camping through Izuku. Nope. We certainly wouldn’t do something like that 🙃
Also!! We have a new art piece by 2000dragonarmy specifically for this chapter 👀👀👀 y’all can check it out on their tumblr here
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The rest of their camping trip passed in relative peace, which was thankfully devoid of eating anymore raw fish or near-drowning incidents. Dad showed Izuku how to start a fire with flint and kindling, how to purify water so that it was safe to drink (even though they still couldn’t drink it), how to make a temporary shelter in emergencies, and pointed out various plants and how to identify which were safe and which were poisonous.
Dad had gone out of his way to show him how to set up snares too, and they even managed to catch a rabbit to eat for dinner one night. Though he had to quickly push down the guilt he felt at the sight of the poor thing, and the discomfort he felt when Dad had happily gone about skinning and cutting it into sections to prepare it, demonstrating to Izuku exactly how the process was done in excruciating detail. It was all Izuku could do to keep his lunch down, forcing himself to smile and nod along. He didn’t want to ruin Dad’s good time by being upset over learning basic human survival in the wilderness. At the very least he could say that it gave him a good idea on how Dad used to live.
It was all rather a lot to learn, and Izuku hadn’t been very proficient in any of the activities, but Dad hadn’t seemed to mind. If anything, he seemed happy to just be out in the woods; that Izuku was there to spend time with him, and that he got to teach all the nuances of camping and survival to someone. And even if Izuku still didn’t care much for camping himself, he wouldn’t mind going again sometime just to see his Dad as happy as he was now.
It wasn’t all bad either, despite the insufferable heat, bugs, and the noises at night that still frightened him. He liked seeing the fireflies, the stars, and he enjoyed swimming. And it was nice to be able to take his mind off everything back at home and simply enjoy the peace and quiet. There had been several times where he and Dad would just sit by the fire at night, falling quiet and enjoying the sight of the fireflies blinking through the air over the lake, the water reflecting the starry sky above.
Time passed by faster than Izuku would have thought possible on his first day out there, and soon it was the last day of their trip. Kurogiri would be picking them up the next morning, and Dad had insisted on showing Izuku how to hunt big game at least once before they left. Dad had pulled out a bow and quiver of arrows he’d apparently been hiding somewhere, and had dragged Izuku out further into the woods with him. Then he had told Izuku to stay put and not make any noise while he scouted the surrounding area for tracks and signs of deer or boar, promising that he would be right back. And he had left.
Izuku had shifted nervously on his feet for a few long minutes that seemed to stretch on into hours, and before long he found himself unable to stand there any longer. He followed after the direction he thought Dad had gone off in, keeping his ears sharp.
That had been two hours ago. Now Izuku was in the middle of the woods, with no idea where the campsite was, and no Dad in sight.
He was lost.
And he was being so brave about it. At least, that’s what he told himself as he balled up his fists and tried not to cry. Dad would find him, right? Dad was super good at hunting and tracking. Dad wouldn’t leave him out here all alone.
Right?
Dad…wouldn’t use this camping trip as a disguise to dump Izuku in the woods and run away, right? He was coming back…right?
“Dad?” Izuku called for the hundredth time, his voice cracking. “Dad! Where are you?”
He picked up his pace, starting to run, whipping his head around in every direction, trying to find any sight of his father through his blurry vision. He ignored the stinging branches and thorns that scraped against his skin and clothes as he rushed past.
“DAD!” he called again.
Not paying attention to where he was going, he barreled through part of the trunk of a tree. It began to fall immediately with a horrible crack and splintering wood. But Izuku didn’t care, going faster and faster, hardly giving a second glance to the fallen tree as he ran through the woods, electricity sparking around him in his panic. He collided through several more trees as he went, causing them to land into other trees.
But eventually, he found he couldn’t run anymore, overtaken by fear, his whole body trembling as the lightning died away around him. He collapsed to his knees, the tears flowing freely down his face.
His Dad was gone. His Dad had left him! He was all alone—
Izuku wailed like only a child could, slumped on the ground and crying his eyes out. He was scared and lost and alone. Over his sobbing though, he soon made out the sound of soft snuffling, and looked up through teary eyes to see an absolutely enormous wolf slowly creep out of the bushes up ahead. Izuku froze, hands halfway to his face to clear his eyes, his little heart pumping with fear.
But the wolf only boofed quietly and lowered itself down onto its belly, wiggling forward towards Izuku and stopping anytime he flinched. Its tail thumped behind it in what Izuku thought might be a friendly manner, and its eyes held a strangely sentient amount of concern and sympathy. It was enough to keep Izuku in his place as the wolf slowly crawled forward until he could hesitantly reach out and touch it. Which he did, of course, his small hand sinking into dark, thick fur. The wolf licked at the exposed skin of his wrist in turn and chuffed when Izuku gave it a small, watery smile.
Funny, he didn’t think wild wolves typically acted this way, but Izuku couldn’t deny he was grateful for the company as he slowly calmed down a bit, petting the wolf’s surprisingly soft fur. Its nose twitched, its breath huffing as it sniffed him. A tiny laugh left Izuku when it licked his face, tail thumping against the ground happily as he continued to pet it. Its eyes closed when Izuku scratched behind its ears, tongue lolling slightly.
“...Where did you come from?” Izuku asked through a small hiccup, staring past it to the trees it had appeared out of.
The wolf made a sound in answer, and Izuku regarded it curiously. When he paused in his petting, it nudged him slightly until he resumed. Izuku rubbed his free hand against his eye, trying to wipe away the tears that still fell past his cheeks as he sniffled.
The wolf stretched its neck up, licking away Izuku’s tears and pressing its nose to his cheek before standing.
“Oh, no, please don’t go!” Izuku begged. Had he done something to make the wolf want to leave?
The wolf bonked him gently with its huge head, then walked a short distance away, shaking itself.
Izuku watched then as the wolf began to…change. Its body began stretching and morphing in a strange way, limbs elongating and becoming much more humanoid in appearance.
It clicked in his head just before the transformation finished.
“Oh,” Izuku said in amazement. “You…You’re a werewolf.” His words ended up sounding like more of a question than a statement.
The wolf, now a fur-covered man with a tail wagging behind him, and furry ears twitching on his head of dark, spiky hair, smiled in what Izuku assumed was meant to be a reassuring way, flashing many fangs.
And if Izuku had thought the wolf version was big, the man was huge. Not quite as tall as Dad, but twice as broad, with muscular limbs that seemed as thick as tree trunks. Izuku had never seen a man so gigantic before.
“You are lost?” the werewolf asked, to which Izuku could only nod. Those tree trunk limbs reached down to scoop him off the ground. The werewolf was careful with his sharp claws, holding Izuku gently. He looked Izuku up and down with consideration, then nodded to himself. “Machia will take you home.”
“B-But I don’t…I don’t know where Dad is…” Izuku said, fresh tears burning in his eyes at the thought of his missing father. He couldn’t just leave his Dad in the woods all alone!
The werewolf—Machia, apparently—pat Izuku’s head gently with one huge hand, shifting to support him with one arm. “He is that way.” He pointed off in a seemingly random direction. “Machia can smell him. He is looking for you. Saw earlier.”
The well of relief that brought to Izuku was unimaginable, the fear and anxiety that had been burning through him quelling at the realization that his Dad hadn’t abandoned him after all. He’d been looking for him the entire time! Izuku took in a shaky breath, unable to stifle the cries that escaped him.
“It is not good to leave the pack so young.” Machia almost sounded like he was scolding Izuku. “Must stay with parent.”
“I didn’t mean to get lost!” Izuku insisted as Machia began to walk through the woods. “W-We got separated and…and I didn’t know how to find my way back…”
“You were hunting together,” Machia stated.
Had the werewolf been following them for a while? How else would he know that? Izuku nodded in confirmation though, and Machia snorted.
“You are too young to hunt. Should have stayed at home,” he stated.
“Dad was gonna show me!” Izuku insisted.
“Only a pup,” Machia said, patting Izuku on the head again with a good natured chuckle. “Time to learn ways of the hunt will come later.”
“I’m eleven!” Izuku corrected, slightly miffed. “I’m not a little kid!”
This only caused Machia to flash a wide grin, his eyes glistening with mirth. “Only a pup,” he said again.
Izuku huffed and crossed his arms, pouting when the wolf just laughed at him. But he quickly forgot all about his indignance when he heard a familiar voice calling for him.
“Izuku?! IZUKU!” he heard his father shout, and Izuku’s eyes immediately followed the sound of his voice through the thicket of trees, his heart hammering away. Dad’s red eyes were wide and alarmed, before they narrowed into a scowl, a glow coming about them.
“Dad!” Izuku called out, immediately squirming in Machia’s hold.
Dad was racing towards them now, his sword drawn and fangs bared in a furious snarl. “WOLF!” he screamed in anger. “Get your hands off my son!” He paused only a few feet away, every muscle in his body taut and ready, sword pointed towards Machia threateningly. A savage, rumbling hiss tore from his father’s throat, fangs fully coated with venom.
Machia simply snorted a bark of laughter, gently placing Izuku on the ground. Izuku immediately ran for his father, colliding with his legs and wrapping his arms around them, burying his face in his dad’s clothes. A hand laid against his back, trembling slightly, and he looked up to see Dad searching him over.
“Are you okay, Izuku?” Dad asked frantically, cupping his tear-stained face and pulling a few leaves out of his hair. Izuku could only nod, his voice too constricted with emotion to speak. Dad sighed in relief, hugging Izuku closely. He then turned back to Machia with an accusing glare. “Did you kidnap him?!”
Machia rolled his eyes, seeming unconcerned about having a sword brandished at him. “You lost your pup,” he chided Dad. “Too young to be out hunting.”
Dad sputtered. “I had it under control!”
Both Izuku and Machia stared at him disbelievingly.
“I got lost,” Izuku murmured.
“I told you to stay put while I searched the area!” Dad said, looking disapprovingly down at him. “I came back after five minutes and you were gone! What were you thinking, going off on your own like that?! You could have been killed!”
“I was scared by myself…” Izuku admitted guiltily.
“See? Too young,” Machia pointed out. “Little Lord should not be left by himself.”
Izuku looked up from his father’s leg, staring at the werewolf. “You know who I am?”
“We have met once before,” Machia stated.
Izuku could only stare, blinking slowly. Because surely the werewolf was mistaken; Izuku was certain he would have remembered someone like Machia. “We…We have?”
Machia nodded. “Many years ago. Lady Inko and her mate visited the village when Machia was still new as pack leader. Little Lord was so small. Fit in one hand,” Machia said, holding out his massive hands like he was cupping water. Izuku watched his eyes look him up and down, and a grin tug at his mouth. “Some things have not changed. You are still a tiny pup.”
“I’m not that small,” Izuku protested. “…You still remember me, though? Even after so long?”
“Hasn’t been that long.” Machia waved a hand. “Wolves do not forget a scent.”
“Oh.” Izuku tilted his head consideringly. “How did you know Dad was my dad then? If you met my previous dad before?”
“Carries family scent. Smells like you,” Machia explained.
For some reason, Dad looked a bit alarmed at that. Izuku wasn’t sure why.
“Anyway,” Dad grumbled, and Izuku looked up to see him staring at Machia with distrust. “Thank you for finding my son. We’d best be on our way now.”
“But Dad—” Izuku started when his father placed a hand on his back, ushering him forward and away from Machia.
“We need to finish packing, remember?” Dad reminded him, and for some reason his shoulders were unusually tense. “We’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning. We don’t want Kurogiri waiting on us.”
“Machia will show you the way,” Machia insisted, moving past Dad and taking the lead.
Dad stiffened. “We can find the way back on our own, thank you,” he said. Then his eyes narrowed. “How do you know where our camp is?”
Machia just rolled his eyes. “Can smell it. That way.” He pointed. “And have been there before.”
“What?!” Dad’s hand went back to the hilt of his sword. “Have you been spying on us?!”
“Machia checks out all visitors close to pack territory, for pack safety,” Machia explained.
“Oh, are we on your territory?” Izuku asked, somewhat worried they’d invaded werewolf territory without permission.
Machia shook his head. “Just close. But Little Lord is always welcome with the pack.”
“Well if we aren’t on your territory, then you can get lost,” Dad snapped. “I can lead us back to camp perfectly fine.”
“Dad! Don’t be so rude!” Izuku chided his father, giving him a disapproving look. “Machia helped us!”
“I would have found you without his help!” Dad insisted. “We don’t need some savage wolf poking his nose into our business. He can’t even speak properly!”
Izuku was incredibly glad that Machia didn’t look the least bit offended. The last thing they needed was conflict with the werewolf clans. If anything, the werewolf leader just seemed amused.
“Dad!” Izuku crossed his arms and scowled at his dad. “What’s wrong with you? That’s no way to speak of someone who helped us! Besides, isn’t it a bit hypocritical for you to call him savage? Considering your own circumstances? Apologize!”
Dad crossed his arms in return and scowled right back. “Werewolves are dangerous, Izuku. I won't apologize for looking out for your best interests. I bet he was just waiting for the chance to eat you!”
“Have you actually even met a werewolf before?” Izuku asked skeptically.
“Yes, I have!” Dad retorted sharply. “Back when I was a hunter in Yuei! They would prowl around forests, waiting for a chance to ambush innocent humans! They mercilessly attacked anyone who dared to cross their paths, to eat them or turn them or who knows what! I’ve had to defend myself several times from werewolves!”
“Whoa, hold up.” Izuku stopped his father with a wave of his hand. “What was that?”
“What? The part where they ate people?” Dad scoffed humorlessly.
“That’s not what I—”
“Humans cannot become werewolves,” Machia stated plainly, amusement glinting in his eyes. “That is a foolish superstition created by humans.”
“Hah?” Dad sneered. “Of course they can! A human bitten by a werewolf is doomed to become one of the savage beasts!”
“Here we go with the beasts thing again,” Izuku muttered to himself.
“My mentor taught me everything! I know the truth!” Dad proclaimed.
“You are funny, little man.” Machia laughed.
Dad sputtered in quite the hilarious fashion at that comment, looking embarrassed and furious.
“Wolf is born wolf,” Machia insisted. “We are not like vampires. Cannot turn humans. Do not eat them either. The smell is terrible.”
“He’s right, Dad,” Izuku agreed.
“Even if that were true, how can you be so calm around a werewolf?” Dad asked skeptically. “Vampires and werewolves have been at each other's throats for centuries!”
Izuku stared flatly at his father, hardly able to believe the words coming out his mouth. “...Just what was it that your mentor taught you?”
“Everything I needed to know!” Dad insisted pridefully. “Vampires hunted werewolves to near extinction; that’s why there are so few of them left!”
“That’s just…completely wrong,” Izuku said. He sighed and shook his head. “Okay, how about this: we all return to our campsite, and then Machia and I can explain some things for you, and you can apologize to Machia.”
“I have nothing to apologize for. And I don’t want him coming to our camp with us.” Dad looked at Machia with distaste.
Izuku groaned at Dad being obstinate. “I know I made it sound like a suggestion, but it wasn’t one. It’s what we’re doing. Machia, please lead the way.”
Machia nodded and headed off, tail swishing behind him. Izuku grabbed his dad’s hand firmly and began to tug him along, ignoring Dad’s indignant squawk.
Dad complained the whole way back, but it thankfully didn’t take long. And soon enough, Izuku forced Dad to sit down on the log, shaking his head when Dad continued to watch Machia with suspicion as the werewolf went around curiously sniffing things.
“So what questions do you have, Dad?” Izuku prompted.
“I told you my mentor already told me everything I needed to know—”
“Like how you knew everything about vampires?” Izuku countered, raising a brow at him.
Dad’s face reddened, his eyes glancing to the side. “That’s…”
“Will you please at least be willing to listen and give Machia a chance, Dad?” Izuku sighed, knowing how stubborn his Dad could be when he was certain of himself. “That way it won’t be like before, when you had all those misconceptions about vampires.”
“...Fine,” Dad relented begrudgingly, never taking his eyes off of Machia. “If werewolves aren’t savage beasts then why do they attack people at random?”
Machia shrugged. “Machia cannot speak for Yuei wolves. Perhaps humans intruded on pack territory. Wolves will fiercely defend their claims and pack,” he explained as he poked at the cold remains of their fire.
“Uh-huh.” Dad raised a brow skeptically. “And why is it I’ve never even seen one speak like you before today?”
“We do not often speak the common language among our own kind,” Machia answered. “We say all we need to with wolf tongue: gestures and growls. No need for hard words when all wolves know my meaning with a single howl. But it is good to know the common tongue in order to speak with others outside our packs, to communicate and prevent conflict.”
Dad pointed accusingly. “So you DO get into conflicts! Like how you fought with vampires!”
“Uh, no, Dad. There’s never been any major conflicts between vampires and werewolves,” Izuku corrected. “Maybe small skirmishes over territory, but nothing big. Since werewolves do not eat humans, nor turn them, there’s never been much reason for them to fight with us vampires.”
Dad looked confused. “But…my mentor said they hated each other. That vampires cut down the werewolf population, and that’s why there’s so few around.”
“Humans hunted werewolves. Not vampires,” Machia huffed, plopping down with a heavy thud that vibrated the ground beneath their feet and scratching behind his furry ears. “But that was many, many years ago.”
“Right.” Izuku nodded. “Werewolves came to live in our forests to escape persecution from the humans who hunted them. My ancestor Banjo allowed them to remain and stake their own territory, so long as they didn’t attack vampires or humans, obeyed our laws, and swore fealty to the royal family. In return, they were granted safe harbour and allowed to maintain their autonomy and way of life.”
“But that’s not—” Dad started, but he was cut off by Machia.
“Wolves have no interest in humans or their affairs,” he said. “They are clumsy and reckless, always stumbling through the woods like newborn pups, and their villages are noisy and hard beneath our paws. We prefer to keep to ourselves.”
“Exactly,” Izuku agreed. “There hasn’t been any conflict between humans and werewolves in centuries—in our kingdom at least. They hardly ever interact, except on the rare occasion to barter and trade goods.”
“What goods would a werewolf possibly trade for?” Dad asked suspiciously.
“Medicine. Tools that are not easily crafted in our village. Food, on occasion, if the hunt is poor or the winter long. Sometimes for treats that are only found in the city.”
“Treats, eh?” Dad snorted. “What? Do you also do tricks like a dog?”
Machia’s eyes glinted with humour. “Perhaps.”
Dad laughed condescendingly, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “Here, boy!” he jeered, patting the side of his leg. “Up!”
Izuku knew what was coming, and sure enough, Machia lunged up and tackled his dad right off the log.
Dad yelped, clearly not having expected Machia to actually do it. “Hey!”
The wolf smiled at Dad mischievously, chuckling.
“Get off me!” Dad snarled, baring his fangs and claws at the ready, shoving his hands against Machia’s broad chest.
Machia was unbothered by the pushing, his nose twitching as he sniffed at Dad intently, leaning in to practically bury his nose in Dad’s hair. “You smell good!” Machia praised with a grin, flashing many fangs. “Definitely a part of the royal family.”
“Wha—” Dad stammered. He flinched back, eyes widening and struggles increasing.
Thankfully, Machia moved off of him soon after, keeping Izuku from having to intervene in case his father thought he was under attack. Unlike Izuku, who learned about werewolves in his school lessons, Dad only had whatever lies his mentor had told him to go off of. He likely wouldn’t be aware that roughhousing was normal among werewolves, as was thoroughly sniffing each other. Though apparently Dad smelled like family to him? Izuku wasn’t sure why or how that worked, but that was good, right?
Dad hurriedly sat up as soon as Machia got off him, hand reaching for his sword with a furious look in his eyes. “The hell did you do that for?!”
“You asked,” Machia pointed out, looking very smug.
Izuku giggled, watching his dad be thoroughly ruffled from the results of his own actions. “Anyway,” he managed after a moment, shoving down his laughter, “your mentor was wrong about werewolves, just like he was wrong about vampires. They’re not monsters or beasts, or anything like that. They’re people like we are, Dad. They just prefer a different lifestyle.”
Dad grumbled incoherently, clearly reluctant to admit defeat.
“Actually…” Izuku smirked. “It’s a lifestyle similar to what yours was. Maybe you should have been born a werewolf, Dad.”
Dad huffed. “Well, I wasn’t.”
“No. But now you should apologize to Machia, don’t you think?”
Dad pursed his lips and glanced away stubbornly.
Machia bellowed a laugh. “Scolded by own pup! Funny little man.”
“S-Shut up!” Dad snapped, a furious blush reddening his cheeks.
Izuku sighed, shaking his head. “Regardless. I’m sorry for Dad’s behaviour, Machia,” Izuku offered in his stead, realizing that it would take time for his father to admit he was in the wrong, stubborn as he was. It was something they would work on.
“No apology needed, Little Lord,” Machia chuckled. “Best entertainment Machia has had in decades. Your father is a very funny little man.”
“I’m taller than you!” Dad protested. “And what do you mean ‘entertainment’?”
Machia waved a hand dismissively. “Little man is tall, Machia is still bigger.”
“Whatever,” Dad grumbled.
Izuku sighed. “Sorry, Machia,” he apologized again. “Dad will come around eventually. It took him a while to stop seeing vampires as monsters too. He’s a stubborn old man.”
Dad gaped, offended. “I am not old! I’m not even middle-aged yet!” He grabbed Izuku in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles against Izuku’s skull. “I can’t believe you. One day you insist I’m younger than you because I’m thirty-five, the next you call me old! And you think I’m full of it, you little gremlin!”
Machia tilted his head, ears twitching and looking as though he was confused by something.
Izuku giggled, squirming to try and escape his dad’s grip. “And you aren’t happy with either option! There’s no pleasing you, old man.”
When he got free, he tried putting Dad in a headlock in return, but Dad was too tall, and held him at bay. Machia watched them with amusement, though his staring seemed to embarrass Dad, who quickly settled down and refused to meet anyone’s eyes.
“Play is good for pups,” Machia approved. “Good for bonding and teaching.”
“Dad’s been teaching me a lot out here!” Izuku smiled. “I’d never been camping before.”
“I’ll teach you more about hunting next time.” Dad ruffled Izuku’s hair gently.
“Time for hunting should be taught later,” Machia stated again, to both of their displeasure. “Pup is too small.”
“I’m not small!” Izuku huffed indignantly.
“He’s fine to learn hunting now!” Dad insisted. “There’s no reason he can’t!”
“Pup cannot be left alone.” Machia shook his head.
“That was just an accident!”
“Then maybe Machia will help keep eye on pup next time?” the werewolf suggested, his tone suggesting that it was, in fact, not a suggestion. “After all, you are young parent with much to learn.”
“We don’t need your help,” Dad muttered. “And I’m not young!”
Machia ignored him, turning his attention to Izuku. “When Little Lord returns to the forest and is in need of Machia, call like this.” Machia made a long, distinct whistling sound through his teeth that was beyond the hearing range of most humans. “Machia will hear and come running. Would also like to show you our village, the next we meet. But for now, Machia must go. Must return to pack.”
“I’d love to!” Izuku nodded enthusiastically. “Hopefully we’ll visit again soon!”
“Machia looks forward to it, Little Lord.” The werewolf ruffled Izuku’s hair with a giant hand. “Until next time.”
Machia stepped back several feet as more fur sprouted along his body. He fell onto all fours as his limbs changed shape, and once again a giant wolf stood before them, shaking out its fur and stretching briefly. His tail wagged twice, before Machia turned and swiftly disappeared into the trees, leaving them behind.
“And thanks again!” Izuku called out, knowing Machia could still hear him. Izuku smiled to himself, before turning to face his father. “That was fun! I didn’t expect to meet a werewolf today.”
“Neither did I,” Dad muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. “Now that that’s over with, let’s go ahead and start packing up the rest of our stuff.”
“Okay!” Izuku looked around at the campsite. “Hey, Dad, since we didn’t actually catch anything hunting, what are we gonna eat tonight?”
Dad faltered from where he had gone to pick stuff up. “Uhh. We’ll just drink the blood we packed, I guess.”
Izuku nodded, and a long moment of silence reigned between them for a while, Izuku helping pick up their things and put them away. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dad glance his way several times, seeming bothered by something.
Eventually, Dad chewed on his lip and approached Izuku with concern. “Hey, are you okay? You seemed really upset earlier. When I found you with Machia, I mean. You looked like you had been crying…”
Izuku paused from where he was stuffing a shirt into a pack, looking down at the grass and scraping his foot through the dirt idly. “…I thought you left me,” he admitted quietly. “For a little while, I…”
“Oh, Izuku.” Dad crouched down before him, cupping Izuku’s face. “I wouldn’t leave you. I gave you my word, remember?”
“You promise?”
Dad placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “I promise.”
Kurogiri carefully smoothed out the wrinkles of his master’s bed after replacing the sheets with fresh linens. He then moved to pull the curtains aside and open the windows to allow fresh air to flow into the room, ensuring it wouldn’t smell musty in preparation for Their Majesties’ return today. He dusted every surface and ensured there wasn’t a single speck of debris on the floor. It was his job to make sure that all was in order.
Which had also included picking up the new clothing the tailor had finished, as well as those that had been sent to be mended. Not that Hisashi really needed new clothing at the moment anyway, but Hakamata had insisted that royalty should have a plethora of outfits to wear. The amount of clothing he provided was becoming quite cumbersome, though, and Kurogiri found his master’s room was running low on space. Perhaps he should suggest donating some clothes to those in need. He had a feeling Hisashi would approve of that.
Either way, with those tasks all done, Kurogiri only had a little time before he had to warp the kings back home. But it was long enough for one more stop, and he quickly made his way towards His Majesty’s advisor’s office.
He had to knock on the door twice before he was answered with a call to enter, but bowed politely to the man inside once he had. “Lord Torino.”
Mirai’s tired face scrunched in distaste, looking up briefly from his desk strewn with various paperwork to glance in Kurogiri’s direction. “Ugh, don’t call me that. It might be my official title, but I would prefer not to be referred to as such.”
“How shall I refer to you then, if not by your proper title?” Kurogiri asked.
“Just Mirai is fine.”
“Very well, Lord Mirai.” Kurogiri dipped his head. He eyed the man critically, taking in his somewhat waxy complexion and the dark shadows under his eyes. “Are you feeling alright, My Lord?”
“Fine,” Mirai insisted, short and to the point, before pausing in his work to properly address him. “What was it you needed? I assume you came here for a reason?”
“To collect the weekly stipend for the King Father, yes,” Kurogiri answered.
“Right, right.” Mirai didn’t even appear annoyed the way he usually did when Hisashi was mentioned, tiredly grabbing a small velvet sack from one end of his large desk and holding it out. “There you are.”
“Thank you, My Lord.” Kurogiri accepted the money, but didn’t make a move to leave yet, looking the man over again. “Might I suggest you take a break?”
“I don’t need one,” Mirai denied. “I have work to do and little time to do it.”
Kurogiri hummed disapprovingly. “I do believe those are the same clothes I saw you in yesterday, My Lord.”
“Hm?” Mirai’s golden brows pinched, looking down at himself, then shook his head. “You’re mistaken, surely. I put these on this morning. If that’s all you require, please be on your way. There’s much I have to do today.”
Personally, Kurogiri thought Lord Mirai hadn’t slept for a while, and was unaware what day it was, as Kurogiri knew he had seen the man in those same clothes the other day. But it was almost time to pick up the kings, so he had to let it go.
“Very well, Lord Mirai. Though, if I may remind you, Their Majesties will be returning shortly,” Kurogiri said, watching closely as Mirai’s eyes filled with confusion.
“What? Surely that isn’t right,” Mirai muttered, placing a hand to his head before turning to look out the window. “They left only a few days ago. It is not yet time for their return.”
“It has been a week, My Lord,” Kurogiri corrected gently. “They are due back this morning.”
“What?! But I haven’t finished these papers yet! Or preparations for the celebrations!” Lord Mirai seemed distressed. “I’m so far behind! More so than I thought!”
“Perhaps you would have better productivity if you slept and nourished your body properly,” Kurogiri suggested.
“I can’t rest now!” Mirai said, sounding almost frantic. There was a light tremor to his hands. “There’s so much to be done. I can’t afford to be slacking off! Not with His Majesty arriving so soon!”
“I’m sure it can wait long enough for you to at least have a glass, Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri insisted. “Perhaps you should ask Lord Torino to fulfill your duties in the interim while you rest?”
“Oh, as if Gran would help with anything!” Mirai snorted. “That man is allergic to responsibility!” He paused, looking considerate all of a sudden. “Though perhaps I could blackmail him into helping…”
Kurogiri wasn’t sure what kind of dirt the Torino Lords had on each other, but knowing Mirai’s cunning, perhaps it would work out for him.
“As you say, Lord Mirai.” Kurogiri bowed politely, taking his leave and heading back upstairs to prepare for the two kings' arrival. The week had been long and boring without the two of them, and Kurogiri would admit to having missed their antics while they were away. The castle wasn’t as lively in their absence.
He already had the exact time and coordinates for when and where he would create a portal to warp them back through, but he also wanted to be ready on the other side for when they arrived. So Kurogiri headed straight for the royal bathing chambers, readying the large bath and arranging various soaps and oils for use. He specifically chose the lily fragrance Hisashi seemed to prefer, pouring it into the hot water, along with another soap to make the water bubbly.
The bath was just about full and filled with bubble clouds when Kurogiri realized it was time, and he quickly shut the water off and moved to the middle of the room. With a deep breath and concentration, he focused his magic into a large portal, feeling the large drain of energy under his skin at the distance of the warp. But despite the wave of magical exhaustion, he held it open until Hisashi and Izuku stepped through seconds later, popping out of thin air into the bathroom.
“Welcome back, Your Majesties,” Kurogiri greeted.
“Hey, Kurogiri!” His Majesty Izuku waved cheerfully, only to pause a step as he took in the sight of the room.
“It’s been a while—” Hisashi began, walking a few steps forward and slugging the heavy backpack off before stopping in place when he nearly stumbled into the bathwater, wobbling for a few seconds before managing to regain his balance. “The hell?” He blinked once he stepped back, confused.
“Language,” Kurogiri chided gently, his nose wrinkling at an offensive smell that was now drifting through the baths. He withheld the urge to pinch his nose.
Hisashi huffed. “Why did you warp us to the bathroom? This is a weird place to return to. And what’s with the bubbles?”
“I was of the inclination that after a week in the woods, you might not smell the best,” Kurogiri explained bluntly. “And I was correct. You stink, Your Majesty. I took the liberty of preparing a bubble bath for you ahead of time. I know how you enjoy them.”
“Machia said I smelled nice,” his master grumbled.
Kurogiri didn’t know who this Machia was, but he was of the inclination that their sense of smell was either dead, or they had strange preferences.
Izuku just giggled. “We have only had lake water to wash in, Dad.”
“Did you even use the soap I packed for you?” Kurogiri asked flatly, his gaze drifting to the tangled curls of their hair. “Or the comb?”
“O-Of course we did!” Hisashi insisted, but Kurogiri didn’t buy a word of it.
“We didn’t!” Izuku gleefully contradicted his father. “Dad said we had to ‘rough it out’. Whatever that means.”
“Into the bath, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri insisted, gesturing towards the water. “I’m afraid you won’t be returning to your rooms until you are freshly cleaned. I’ll never get the smell out otherwise.”
“It’s not that bad!” Hisashi protested in offense.
“I would beg to differ, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said bluntly.
Hisashi crossed his arms. “Well. Izuku smells just as bad then!”
“He does,” Kurogiri agreed. “He will be taking a bath too.”
Hisashi blanched. “I-I’m not taking a bath with my son!”
Izuku rolled his eyes, already undressing. “It’s not that strange, Dad.”
“I won’t do it!”
Kurogiri leveled him with a flat stare. “Get in the bath, Hisashi. I will count to ten. One.”
Hisashi blinked in confusion. “What?”
“Two.”
His master stuttered, waving his hands around and trying to make excuses, all the while eyeing the door as Kurogiri continued counting down, tapping his foot impatiently as Hisashi made no move to get in the bath with each number.
King Izuku was giggling in the background, already slipping into the hot water and watching his dad with amusement.
“Nine…” Kurogiri said in warning, narrowing his eyes at his master.
“W-Wait! There’s no need—”
“Ten,” he finished, and black mist formed on the floor beneath Hisashi’s feet.
Hisashi released a sharp yelp as he fell through the portal, only to reappear above the bath water, falling in fully clothed with a huge splash.
“W-What the hell Kurogiri?!” he managed to snap after sputtering and coughing up water, wiping his hands down his face and flinging water from it.
“I gave you plenty of warning, Hisashi,” Kurogiri said curtly. “Now get out of those soaked clothes.”
Hisashi flushed. “I don’t want to be naked!”
Kurogiri already had a solution to that, however, and held out one of two smaller towels. “You can wrap this around your waist instead. Will that suffice?”
“Come on, Dad, you’re already in the water!” Izuku urged.
“Not of my own volition,” Hisashi muttered, but he still slogged his way over to Kurogiri, snatching one of the towels up. “Turn around Izuku!” he demanded, his son rolling his eyes but doing as told. Once certain Izuku wasn’t going to look, Hisashi swiftly undressed, tying the towel around his waist. Afterwards, he flung the second towel to Izuku. “And you wear one too!”
Izuku did so with a huff and another roll of his eyes.
Kurogiri figured it would be best to allow his master some time to sulk, and proceeded to wash down the little king first. It was so much easier of a task than bathing Hisashi, as Izuku easily complied and made no complaints about Kurogiri washing him. Izuku rambled on about their camping trip as Kurogiri worked, excitedly sharing every detail. It pleased Kurogiri to hear how much fun the little king had had, though there were a few things that made him wince to hear.
“A werewolf, hm?” he mused. “I’ve never had the opportunity to meet one myself.”
“He was really nice!” Izuku declared. “He found me when I got lost in the woods. He and dad kind of got off to a bad start though.”
Kurogiri shot Hisashi a flat, disapproving look, leaving him floundering under the stare.
“W-What?! It wasn’t like I lost him on purpose!” Hisashi defended himself. “I told him to stay put while I searched around! I came back a few minutes later and he’d already wandered off!”
“Didn’t I tell you not to do anything dangerous, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri reminded him with slight disappointment.
The red of Hisashi’s face deepened. “I-It wasn’t dangerous! He would have been fine if he had just stayed put!”
Kurogiri and Izuku just stared at him, Hisashi now at a loss for words. He grumbled to himself incoherently and looked away, resuming scrubbing at his arms instead.
“It worked out in the end though,” Izuku continued on. “Once we explained things to Dad, that is. He had all sorts of weird misconceptions about werewolves. Like he did with vampires in the beginning.”
Hisashi just huffed, while Kurogiri raised a curious brow at the statement. He had thought everyone had been taught the basics of how vampires worked in their youth. Did Hisashi not go to school then? Was that why he was so socially awkward?
Kurogiri didn’t get the chance to ask further, as Izuku shifted the topic and began chatting away about something else. He simply smiled as he listened to the details of their trip, Izuku sounding as though he had a good time in spite of the rough bits. Hopefully tomorrow would prove to be just as joyous an occasion.
“Are you excited for your birthday, Your Majesty? It is tomorrow, after all,” Kurogiri asked as he finished washing Izuku’s hair.
To his surprise, Izuku merely shrugged. “Not really,” he said quietly. “I’m sure Mirai has prepared some grand showing in the castle though. He always does.”
“Oh?” Kurogiri hummed, looking over to Hisashi and sharing a look with the man. “I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you might think. It might not be camping, but I believe you’ll have a wonderful time.”
“If you say so.” Izuku sighed.
Kurogiri tapped the boy’s nose. “I do say so.”
He moved towards his master then, who began scooting sideways across the bath in return. Hisashi had taken advantage of Kurogiri bathing Izuku to start washing himself down, but Kurogiri didn’t trust the man to properly wash his hair.
“Hisashi,” he called as Hisashi scooted away, “you know better. Come here.”
Izuku snickered. “One week of camping and some of the wild has already returned to you, Dad.”
Hisashi paused. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“That you were feral!” Izuku laughed. “You were like a big, mangy cat at first, all hisses and scratches!”
Hisashi looked highly offended. “Hey! I wasn’t that bad! I’m not an animal! I have manners and stuff.”
Izuku gave his father a look of doubt.
“What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“You know exactly what it means!” Izuku insisted.
Kurogiri tilted his head, a brow raised as he listened to the two banter back and forth. He hadn’t been aware that his master’s first days in the castle had been as rough as His Majesty claimed. He knew Hisashi had previously been a hunter by occupation, and had claimed to have been a commoner. However, Izuku spoke of him as if Hisashi had been a feral hermit living in the woods that the little king had adopted.
But with Hisashi sufficiently distracted, arguing with his son, Kurogiri moved in to wash his hair.
“Ack! Kurogiri!” Hisashi sputtered as water ran over his face from the jug Kurogiri poured over his head. Hisashi hissed at him, but it was all bark and no bite despite the show of fangs, and Kurogiri continued massaging the shampoo into his hair in spite of his protests. “Stop it!
“See?” Izuku laughed gleefully. “You’re exactly like a cat!”
Hisashi’s face reddened again, but he simply crossed his arms and grumbled to himself as Kurogiri worked.
Izuku splashed around, playing in the water and bubbles until Kurogiri had finished washing a very disgruntled Hisashi. Kurogiri then helped the boy out and toweled him down, allowing Hisashi to slink out of the bath and start drying himself off.
The little king chattered away once more as Kurogiri dressed him and made sure his hair was dry enough. And by the time he was done, Hisashi had also hastily gotten into fresh clothes, and Kurogiri simply straightened them out a bit for him.
“Now that that’s taken care of, we can finally go unpack our things,” Hisashi huffed, shooing away Kurogiri’s hands.
“I can assist you with that, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said as he ushered the both of them along to Hisashi’s rooms. “And don’t forget about the royal portrait hanging later this evening.”
“Oh, right. That.” Izuku’s face pinched slightly, clearly displeased with the reminder. “I forgot all about that…”
“It shouldn’t take long, Your Majesty—or so I’ve heard,” Kurogiri reassured him.
“And I’ll be there with you, remember?” Hisashi added on, placing a hand on Izuku’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It won’t be as bad as you’re thinking it will be.”
“Yeah…” The little king shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet their eyes.
“Let’s not worry about it right now, hm?” Hisashi insisted. “Let’s just go to our room and relax for a while. I can read your story to you if you’d like.”
Izuku brightened just a bit at that. “Okay!”
Notes:
An alternative route to camp.
Machia: “Should go this way. Much faster.”
Izuku: “Okay! Lead the way!”
(A short walk later)
Hisashi: *stares at field* “...What is this place? What's that buzzing noise?”
Machia: “A short cut! And is only a few bees. They will not bother you.”
Ilentari: “DON'T DO IT! Only one person here needs to be traumatized by a field of bees!”
Wolves get a lot of info from a sniff.
Machia: *sniffs Hisashi*
Blood relation to the royal family? Check!
Turned vampire? Check!
??? Check!
No mate? Check!Machia the matchmaker??
Machia: “I can help you find a mate.”
Hisashi: “Excuse me???”
Machia: “I can smell you are awkward, single, and have no game.”
Hisashi: “RUDE.”
Machia: “Machia means no offense. Can help. Can smell compatibility between people.”
Hisashi: “Tell me what that means?”
Machia: “I will not.”
Kurogiri is best servant.
Hisashi: *is grumpy in the bath*
Kurogiri: “Would you like your toys? I can get your ducks and swan. Would that make you feel better?”
Hisashi: “WHY DO YOU STILL HAVE THOSE??”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 31
Summary:
“And I’ll be there with you, remember?” Hisashi added on, placing a hand on Izuku’s shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It won’t be as bad as you’re thinking it will be.”
“Yeah…” The little king shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet their eyes.
“Let’s not worry about it right now, hm?” Hisashi insisted. “Let’s just go to our room and relax for a while. I can read your story to you if you’d like.”
Izuku brightened just a bit at that. “Okay!”
Notes:
SO. Cat litter escapades return. New review by yours truly 💪 Fresh4Life… your clay litter? SUCKED. Worst clay cat litter I’ve ever used in my life 👎👎 0/10 my cat choked and wheezed on it because it’s so dusty and he gave me a heart attack.
H O W E V E R. Your eco-grass litter?? Best 👏 Fantastic product. Of all the different types of cat litters I’ve tried, grass litter is the absolute best quality litter. If you want a litter that’s like LEGIT dust free. Grass be highly recommended 👍
Fresh4Life you have redeemed yourself with your grass litter. The price sucks but my one kitty’s eyes are no longer red and irritated because of litter dust. Wahoo.
✨Anyway✨
If y’all haven’t seen the new art, Dragon did a piece based on last chapter here
AND a new piece actually based on events way back from the beginning of the fic here
Go check ‘em out!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi shifted from foot to foot as they waited. He was back in front of the hall of kings and queens for the first time since his initial visit. He really hoped the portraits in there pretended not to know him, or at least didn’t speak to him. He and Izuku were waiting on Mirai for Izuku’s portrait hanging. Izuku looked more and more upset with each minute that passed, and Hisashi hoped they could get it over with quickly. He didn’t like seeing his son unhappy.
They were standing just outside the hall doors, Izuku refusing to take even a step inside, clinging tightly to Hisashi’s leg. Izuku’s little heart was already pounding in his chest, going so fast Hisashi could hear it in his ears. He simply did what he could to console his son, rubbing a hand up and down his back soothingly, murmuring soft assurances and comforts as they waited.
Luckily (or unluckily) Mirai arrived not long after, the portrait they had commissioned hovering gently in the air beside him.
“Apologies for my tardiness, Your Majesty,” Mirai addressed Izuku. “I, uh, lost track of time.” And indeed he looked rather rumpled compared to the usual, put-together Mirai that Hisashi was used to seeing.
“He was napping!” a voice called out from behind, and Gran appeared a moment later.
Izuku blinked, head tilting to the side. “Napping? You never take naps, Mirai.”
“It was hardly by choice,” Mirai muttered, a faint dusting of pink coloring his cheeks.
“Had to force him to take one,” Gran informed them, stopping just in front of them. His dark eyes soon found Hisashi’s own red ones, and Hisashi stiffened a little when they flashed briefly. “Wouldn’t do for Lord Torino to fall asleep at the official portrait hanging, would it?”
Hisashi squinted in confusion. Was he referring to himself? Or were they both Lord Torino? …Did that mean that they were related? Were they brothers? Cousins? Or father and son? Hisashi couldn’t fathom it—they looked nothing alike!
…Then again, Izuku took mostly after his mother. That could be the case for Mirai as well. If Mirai took after his mother rather than Gran, it would explain why there was such a stark contrast between father and son.
He wanted to ask, but Izuku spoke first, “Can we get on with it?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Mirai nodded, ignoring Izuku’s grumpiness to usher them all inside the hall.
Hisashi felt Izuku take his hand in a trembling, iron grip as they stepped inside, and he squeezed back gently, keeping his son close to his side. The portraits all turned to them curiously as the group entered, some of them starting to whisper excitedly amongst themselves when they noticed the new portrait floating behind Mirai.
Please don’t say anything. Please don’t say anything, Hisashi mentally begged as he walked in with Izuku.
Thankfully, the first portrait was empty, just like the first time Hisashi had been there.
But the second, of course, was not. And he happened to catch a glance of the newest painting, where Izuku and Hisashi were side by side in their matching outfits.
“The hell?” the man in the second portrait growled as they passed, standing up from his plush chair with fangs bared and minty eyes ablaze with fury. “What are you doing in a portrait with the Ninth?!”
Hisashi stiffened, everyone stopping in place to address the angry portrait with befuddled looks.
“It’s none of your business,” Hisashi muttered, trying to usher Izuku along, not wanting to linger.
“The hell it isn’t, you blasted doppelgänger!” Second spat out. “There’s no way that I’m spending the rest of eternity with your ugly face!”
“Doppelgänger?” Izuku frowned, looking just as confused as Gran and Mirai.
“I-It’s nothing!” Hisashi tried to say. “I don’t even know what he’s talking about! No idea who he is. Let’s move on.” He tried dragging Izuku further down the hall, but Izuku dug his heels in and refused to be moved, brows furrowed as he stared straight at Second, who was glaring at Hisashi with contempt.
“Have you met him before, Dad?” he asked.
“Nope! Never seen him before in my life!” Hisashi denied quickly, hoping to go by Second as fast as possible.
“Oh, he’s been here before, alright,” the second painting contradicted him. “Was hoping to never see him again though. And now there’s going to be a portrait of him! I’ll be stuck with this imposter every single day!” He looked thoroughly disgusted.
“What’s so bad about my dad?” Izuku muttered, scowling at the portrait now. “What did he ever do to you?”
“Shared his face with my uncle, is what,” Second snapped bitterly. “Absolute spitting image of him. It’s like Dad’s brother reincarnated to hunt vampires a second time.”
Oh no. Hisashi cringed. This was exactly what he had feared would happen. He had to get them moving before Izuku learned anything more.
“Well, now we know, and we can get a move on!” Hisashi insisted, trying his hardest to pull Izuku away from Second and the dreadful revelation unfolding before him. But Izuku might as well have been a two ton boulder, not budging an inch.
Izuku looked at him curiously—seeming entirely unaffected by Hisashi desperately tugging on his arm with great strain—then turned back to Second. “Dad looks like First’s brother?”
Hisashi rapidly waved a hand behind Izuku’s back to Second, silently pleading with him to not say anything else.
So, of course, the prickly jerk continued to run his mouth and doom Hisashi.
“Probably even descended from him,” Second scoffed, utterly ignoring him. “No way he isn’t with a face like that. He was even a hunter, just like him! Pops would be rolling in his grave if he knew his brother’s face was going to be staring back at him every day.”
“Say what now?” Gran squinted at Second suspiciously. “What kind of nonsense are you spewing?”
“You mean…we’re related?” Izuku asked, staring straight up at Hisashi now with a beaming smile. But something dark brewed behind the stars in his eyes.
Hisashi flinched at the sight of it, the hair on the back of his neck rising. “Now, hang on. We don’t know that for sure. It’s all speculation! It could be a coincidence!”
“I agree,” Mirai sniffed contemptuously. “There’s simply no way to tell for certain, and that is quite the outrageous claim to make. It’s possible that he simply bears a resemblance and nothing more.”
“Oh, he’s absolutely one of my brother’s spawn,” a new voice chimed in, and First walked into Second’s portrait from the side, eyeing Hisashi distastefully. “Of that I have no doubt, though I wish it wasn’t the case. And now it seems he’s going to be a new addition to the hall. It’s quite the tragedy for all of us.”
The hand still gripping Hisashi’s tightened its hold on him even more, and he drew back ever so slightly at the look on Izuku’s face. It was the exact type of manic hunger he’d dreaded to see.
“We’re related!” Izuku chimed excitedly, bouncing up and down on his heels with pent up energy. “We’re cousins!”
“...I think I’m gonna need a couple drinks afterwards,” Gran muttered. “I’m not ready to deal with something like this right now.”
Mirai looked like a tea kettle ready to explode.
Hisashi tried his best to run damage control. “I agree with Mirai—for once—there’s no way to know for certain! And…And even if it is true, think about how many thousands of years have passed since First and his brother lived! There would be so many generations separating us, we’re basically not related anymore at all! We’d be like, sixteenth cousins eleven times removed or something!”
His words had no sway on Izuku, who continued looking at him like a starving man presented his first meal in weeks.
“First says you’re his brother’s direct descendant,” Izuku stated simply. “Generations don’t matter. I’m a descendant of the first. You’re a descendant of his brother. That makes you family. That makes you mine.”
The increasingly dark, possessive intonation of Izuku’s voice as he spoke those words sent shivers down Hisashi’s spine. His body automatically tried to step back in reaction, but Izuku refused to allow him to, keeping Hisashi directly next to his side.
“A-Anyway!” Hisashi tried to divert the conversation, eyeing both Mirai and Gran, silently begging them for help. “We still have to put the portrait up!” he insisted, pointing to the vacant space on the wall at the end of the room. “R-Right, Mirai?”
“Indeed,” Mirai said stiffly, looking even more ruffled than he had before, anger still burning in his eyes.
Even so, Hisashi was barely able to restrain the relieved sigh as the man strode forward and gestured for them to follow, grateful that for once Mirai was actually helping him.
“If you would, Your Majesty…” Mirai paused to look back when Izuku still hadn’t moved. “I have some last minute preparations for the celebrations tomorrow, and I’m afraid I can’t spare much time, even for the official hanging of your portrait.”
Izuku simply hummed, refusing to relinquish his unyielding grip on Hisashi, nodding as he practically skipped along after Mirai, pulling Hisashi with him. He never looked away from Hisashi once, that glint still in his gaze. His smile was akin to a solar eclipse, with a depth of possessiveness Hisashi hadn’t seen in nearly half a year. He almost felt like he had to shield his eyes from the intense light Izuku exuded.
He tried to ignore it, but he had a feeling in his gut that this revelation would change things between them. Izuku was going to be unbearably clingy again, he just knew it.
Funny enough, Gran looked…a little nervous? Definitely unhappy, but also almost anxious for some reason, as he shifted uncomfortably side to side, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze, portrait or person. Strange.
The blinding rays of light that radiated off his son instantly faded, however, the moment he caught a glimpse of the occupants of the last portrait in the hall when they walked by. Inko and Toshinori sat on the sofa, turning to face them as they stood up together, and silence fell around everyone. Izuku seemed frozen for a split second when green eyes met green and blue, before the smell of salt permeated the air, and the little hand holding Hisashi’s tightened, seeking comfort.
“Izuku—” Toshinori tried to call out, but Izuku turned and buried his face into Hisashi’s clothes with a whimper, clinging to him.
Hisashi placed his free hand on his son’s back and held him gently, sharing a sorrowful look with the portraits of Inko and Toshinori, who both looked very disheartened to see their son so upset.
Mirai cleared his throat. “I bring solemn news to everyone,” he announced, addressing the paintings that were watching them. “Queen Inko and King Toshinori have passed away. We are here today to hang the royal portrait of the next king: His Majesty Midoriya Izuku.”
“Yes,” Inko said softly, eyes flickering over to Hisashi. “We know.” Her sight then moved to Gran, who shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze, and seemed unable to meet it.
“Inko, I—” Gran started.
Inko curtly waved a hand in a motion for him to silence himself. “Now is not the time,” she said, her normally warm voice unusually cold as she spoke to the elder vampire. “But I would have words with you later, Torino Sorahiko.”
Gran flinched, turning away and keeping silent.
Hisashi blinked. He’d never seen the man back down so easily before.
“As would I,” Toshinori added after her, his bright blue gaze filled with the same displeasure as his wife’s.
Mirai’s brows rose in surprise, speaking up when Gran only looked down to the floor dejectedly, pain written in his expression. “You know then?” Mirai asked in confusion. “But how could you—” He broke off when the answer came to him, and whirled on Hisashi with clear displeasure, pointing an accusing claw at him.
Hisashi scratched the back of his head idly, unable to meet Mirai’s golden gaze as the man began to rant.
“You! You had no right to say anything! It was not your place to—”
“Don’t speak to him like that,” Izuku growled suddenly, lifting his face from Hisashi’s clothes to glare warningly at Mirai with glowing eyes and a flash of fangs. “He’s the King Father. He’s descended from the royal family line. You should know your place.”
Mirai gaped, clearly taken aback by Izuku’s attitude. But with the light buzz of static in the air, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
Hisashi withheld a groan. He knew Izuku would get like this if he found out! With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes. “Can we just hang the portrait, please?”
“…Of course,” Mirai murmured. He then cleared his throat once more and launched into a clearly pre-prepared speech—though Hisashi wasn’t sure why they needed one when it was literally just the four of them in attendance.
Still, he gratefully allowed Mirai to ramble on about tradition and royal proceedings and whatnot, until finally Mirai motioned Gran over, and together the two carefully hung the portrait on the wall. Magic adhered it into place once it had been perfectly arranged, ensuring it wouldn’t be dislodged or fall. Mirai then turned to the two of them, holding out a hand towards the painting and looking pointedly between Izuku and Hisashi.
“If you would,” he began, stepping aside. “Please breathe life into the paintings by imbuing your own magic into them. Once the painting awakens, the ceremony will officially conclude.”
“Oh, uh. Okay?” Hisashi agreed, having not known this was part of the ritual, but stepping ahead anyway just so he could get it over with.
Only he found he couldn’t move, Izuku still clinging tightly to his leg and having buried his face in Hisashi’s leg again. Hisashi glanced at his son with a pitying look, rubbing a hand comfortingly against his back before reaching down to gently scoop him up, seeing that Izuku wasn’t going to move on his own. He cradled Izuku in his arms as he stood before the portrait, dubiously eyeing the painted versions of himself and his son within. Would they really be like them? Or just pale imitations?
He didn’t have much time to think about it, feeling the gazes of Mirai, Gran and the portraits all staring at him. So he simply turned his attention to the boy in his arms. Hisashi smiled encouragingly, wiping away a stray tear from Izuku’s face when he looked up.
“Together?” Hisashi suggested. “It is our portrait, after all.”
Izuku nodded, though he seemed reluctant, and slowly released his death grip on Hisashi’s neck with one arm, reaching towards the portrait.
Hisashi did the same, placing his much larger hand next to his son’s. “One. Two,” he counted slowly. “Three.”
Together, they both pulsed a bit of their magic into the painting, and Hisashi’s eyes widened when the portrait rippled.
Suddenly, the painted version of himself blinked as if dazed, his own red eyes widening comically as he stared back at Hisashi. Similarly, portrait Izuku stretched as if waking up, looking around curiously.
“Okay, that’s kind of weird,” Hisashi breathed quietly, staring at himself staring at himself.
Portrait Hisashi tore his gaze away from the real Hisashi. He looked beyond him, into the rest of the room and the portraits that were now all staring heavily at the new occupants, before shifting to glance about the confines of his own painting. Then at his hands, flexing and turning them around as if to test they were actually real, seeming to be in disbelief.
A small sound tore his attention away from himself, however, as portrait Izuku had done the same. Only his eyes failed to travel further than the portraits of his parents.
Hisashi felt his heart squeeze as the little painting of his son began to cry, and he reached out, fingers brushing the painting, wishing he could comfort the other Izuku. And he did. Or, well, the painting of himself did. Portrait Hisashi was quick to be by his son’s side, holding him similarly to their real counterparts, with Izuku cradled in his arms as he murmured soft words to his son.
But seeing his portrait version cry apparently set off the real Izuku, as Hisashi heard him sniffle wetly, and looked down to see Izuku silently crying. He hugged the boy closer, shushing him softly and petting his hair, mirroring their portrait selves.
“Are we done now?” he quietly asked Mirai.
“Yes.” Mirai nodded solemnly. “We’re finished.”
“Let’s get out of here then,” Gran muttered. He pointedly avoided looking at the portraits of Inko and Toshinori as he tried to walk back down the hall as fast as he could without outright running.
“Sorahiko!” Portrait Nana yelled out. “Sorahiko, get back here! Don’t you dare walk away from us!”
“N-Nana—” Gran instantly stopped dead in his tracks, whipping around to face her, eyes oddly wide and fearful.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Inko said, her green eyes glowing softly with anger, mirroring her husband’s behind her. But when she laid her eyes on Hisashi, it faded somewhat, filling with sadness. “I’m sorry, but could you three leave? We have some business to take care of with Sorahiko.”
“Such as his failure to mention the current state of things during his many previous visits to the Hall,” Toshinori added, a supportive hand resting on his wife’s shoulder.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Mirai said. “There are matters I need to attend to anyway. I shall speak with you later.” He then turned and bowed his head to Izuku. “Your Majesty.” He briefly met with Gran’s begging eyes on his way past the man, and firmly ignored the plea for help as he left the room. “Good luck to you, Lord Torino.”
“I-I have some things that need tending to as well—” Gran quickly tried to excuse himself and follow after Mirai.
But a few words from Izuku froze the elder vampire in place, as the boy looked up to scowl at Gran through his tears. “You’ll stay here until they’re finished with you,” he ordered.
Hisashi couldn’t deny he felt a bit of amusement at the despair that coloured Gran’s face, but he held back from commenting on it. “Let’s go,” he said to Izuku, and rushed out of the hall as fast as he could without it looking like he was running away. He just really did not want to allow the chance for First or Second to speak to him again.
He made his way back up to his rooms, ignoring the curious looks of passing servants about the crying king in his arms. His mind raced with what he could do to make Izuku feel better. He didn’t want his son to be sad all night. Tomorrow was Izuku’s birthday, and Hisashi truly wanted Izuku to enjoy it and be happy; be able to be a child and have fun, not be dragged down by the weight of his grief.
It was a relief to enter his rooms, his safe-space, the door behind them a barrier between them and the outside world.
Hisashi moved to the bed, slumping down with Izuku still in his arms. “Hey,” he spoke softly to his son, holding him close. “It’s okay. It’s over and done with, and now you don’t have to go back there unless you want to.”
A tiny hiccup left Izuku, his hold on Hisashi tightening as he kept his face buried in his shoulder, his breaths heavy and slow. Hisashi simply continued to offer what comfort he could, patiently waiting for him to calm, when his small voice spoke up again.
“...I-I didn’t want to,” Izuku murmured quietly. “I didn’t want my portrait! I d-didn’t want to see him, or my p-parents—” He sobbed, the words being choked by emotion as he sucked in a shuddery breath.
“I know,” Hisashi acknowledged. “I know you didn’t want to have the portrait made, or to see them again. But you were very brave to go anyway.” Hisashi brushed a hand through Izuku’s curls. “I’m proud of you, Son.”
Izuku said nothing more for a long stretch of time, his arms wrapped around Hisashi in a tight hug, an occasional sniffle or whimper escaping him. Hisashi didn’t rush him, merely holding him and patiently waiting for Izuku to calm, until his tears slowly stopped and his breathing evened out.
“Izuku?” Hisashi asked once Izuku had settled.
“Mmm?” Izuku hummed tiredly.
“Why don’t we go to bed, hm? It’s a little early, but you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow after all,” he suggested. “I can read your book to you to help you sleep.”
Izuku grumbled quietly under his breath, “We’re nearly finished though…”
“I know, but I can always get you a new book once we’re finished with this one. Besides, don’t you want to find out how it ends?” He shuffled off the bed to pull back the covers so they could properly situate themselves. He gently placed a pillow behind Izuku, tugging the covers over him before sitting next to him with a pillow at his back.
Izuku curled into his side after he picked the book up off the nightstand and opened it to where they had last left off. Hisashi wrapped an arm around his son and began reading aloud. But it was only a short while into reading that he noticed Izuku wasn’t paying very much attention, a little scowl on his face.
“Hey now,” Hisashi said, pausing on the paragraph he was on, reaching up with a hand to pet his son’s curls. “What’s wrong?”
“...I’m mad at you,” Izuku muttered, half-heartedly glaring at Hisashi when he looked up at him.
Hisashi blinked. “What for?”
“You knew,” was all Izuku said, his hands tightening in the fabric of his clothes.
Hisashi knew exactly what he was talking about and suppressed a wince. “Well…I mean…I didn’t…Uh, I didn’t want to cause problems? Or get your hopes up for something that we have no way to prove? It just didn’t seem like something super important to mention.”
“It is important!” Izuku insisted, clinging even tighter to him. “We were family this whole time and you never said anything!”
“We were already family! I didn’t think mentioning a—super distant might I add—potential blood relation was necessary. It doesn’t make us more family than we already were.”
“But…”
“Izuku,” Hisashi said softly, holding his son close, “it doesn’t matter if we’re related by flesh and blood. That isn’t what makes us family. It’s our hearts that make us father and son.”
Izuku huffed. “I know that. You’ve been my dad since I adopted you. It’s just…You don’t understand. You have a connection to me now; we share a family tree. And I…” His voice choked up again, and Hisashi squeezed him gently. “I-I thought I was the last one. But now I’m not. I’m not the last of the royal family anymore. You’re a part of it. That is why it’s important to me. You’ve been mine since I took you in, but you truly belong here. You always have. You’re part of the royal family. My family.”
That made a little more sense. Hisashi supposed it must be some sort of relief to learn you are not the last member of your family tree. Still, he didn’t like the possessiveness in Izuku’s voice. That was the real reason he’d never said anything. Hopefully once Izuku got used to the idea that they possibly shared a blood relation, his possessiveness would start to die down again and things would return to what they were.
“I belong here, yes,” Hisashi agreed gently, tousling his fingers through green curls. “You’re my son, after all. What would you do without me?”
Izuku’s expression lightened, a little smile tugging at his mouth in place of a frown, and that was a victory in itself, however small.
“Now, let’s get back to the story, hm?” Hisashi suggested, turning his attention back to the book.
“ ‘Kay.” Izuku yawned sleepily, eyes roving over the pages. “Do you think the hero will win? The bad guy got the upper hand in the last chapter…”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Hisashi chuckled, and once he made certain Izuku’s attention was fully on the story, he continued on from where he’d left off.
Izuku did not want to get out of bed the next morning. It was his birthday, but he didn’t feel much excitement about it. Only a mix of complicated emotions buzzing in his stomach like a hive of angry bees. He pulled the bedcovers over his head, firmly wrapping one arm around his dad to prevent him from getting up.
Dad was clearly not onboard with the idea, wiggling about and trying to shimmy off the bed, muttering under his breath. He managed to get his feet on the floor, and Izuku scowled, reaching out from under the blankets to grab Dad more tightly, yanking him back fully onto the bed.
“Hey!” Dad complained. “Izuku, come on. It’s your big day! Let’s go.”
“I don’t wanna!” Izuku grumbled petulantly, curling into a ball under the blankets. “I just wanna stay in bed all day. Birthdays are overrated anyway.”
He heard Dad sigh and could practically feel him rolling his eyes. “Oh really now?” Dad poked him. “I supposed you don’t want your birthday presents then. I’ve been preparing them for a while now, but if you don’t want your gifts…”
Izuku paused. Slowly, he pulled the covers from over his head just enough to stare at his dad with big, wide eyes that were shining like stars. “...Presents?” he asked. “As in plural?”
“As in plural,” Dad confirmed, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You got me presents?” Izuku asked again, wonder in his voice.
“I did. But if you don’t want them…”
“NO! Let’s look at them right now! I want them!” Izuku launched himself at his dad, who grunted when Izuku made impact with him, fumbling to catch Izuku.
“Well then we have to get dressed first,” Dad stated firmly, smiling warmly. “Then we can open presents.”
“Okay!” Izuku exclaimed, making to jump out of his dad’s arms and dash towards his room, but those arms remained firmly around his waist. Izuku frowned, glancing back at his father in confusion. “Daaaad, c’mon! I can’t get dressed if you don’t put me down!”
“Just hold on a minute!” Dad insisted with a laugh. “You need your first present before you can get dressed.”
Izuku brightened. “Is it another matching outfit?” He’d loved the matching outfits he and Dad had worn for the painting that one day! The idea of getting to wear another matching outfit with his dad for his birthday had him bouncing on his toes.
Dad snorted. “Well, I suppose that secret is out. But you still don’t know what it looks like, so close your eyes! No peeking!”
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, listening to Dad shuffle through his closet. He squinted one eye open almost imperceptibly, to ease the slight anxiety he felt at not being able to see his dad. He didn’t want to let Dad out of sight again. Bad things always happened when Dad disappeared.
“Hey! I said no peeking!” Dad scolded when he turned around.
Izuku shut the eye again, safe in the knowledge that Dad was walking towards him. “I wasn’t peeking!” he denied.
“Uh-huh,” Dad said, clearly not believing him, and Izuku heard his footsteps stop directly in front of him. “Now you can open your eyes.”
Izuku did so with glee, excitement jolting through him when he saw a rectangular box being held out for him. He quickly took hold of it, eagerly opening it up to reveal a set of garments—the likes of which he had never worn before. He held up the shirt, distinctly unlike the stuffy and fashionable styles that most of the other nobles preferred.
“Is this…?” Izuku looked back up at his dad with wonder, before returning to the box and searching through it a little more. “It is! It’s like your hunter outfit!” he exclaimed giddily, holding up a pair of pants that were in the exact likeness of his father’s hunting clothes.
“It is,” Dad confirmed with a smile. “I thought you might appreciate something different from what you usually wear. Plus it’s more comfortable than the fancy clothes that the bluebloods like. You can actually breathe in this outfit.”
“I love it!” Izuku bounced up and down. “They’re just like yours!”
Dad nudged him teasingly. “Now you don’t have to roll my pant legs up fifty times to try and fit in them.”
Izuku flushed slightly at the reminder of the time he’d been caught playing in his dad’s hunter outfit. He pushed the embarrassment off. “Are we gonna wear these today? Can we? Can we? Please!”
Mirai would probably want him to wear some sort of stuffy, royal outfit for his birthday, no doubt. Izuku didn’t want to dress like a king today, though. It was his birthday! Shouldn’t he be allowed to wear what he wants, at least today?
“If that’s what you’d like, then of course,” Dad agreed easily.
“YES!” Izuku clutched the outfit to his chest. “You have to wear yours too! Put it on, put it on!”
“Alright, alright, but no looking.”
Izuku rolled his eyes but obeyed, eagerly starting to get changed into his new outfit.
There was a knock on the door then, while they were in the midst of changing.
“Come in!” Izuku called.
As the door opened, he heard Dad squawk loudly and dive behind the bed. “NO, DON’T—!”
Kurogiri walked in.
“Good morning, Kurogiri!” Izuku greeted as he finished adjusting his belt, ignoring the heavy thud behind him from where his father had crashed to the floor in his haste.
Kurogiri paused, assessing the scene before him in silence, glancing from Izuku, then to Dad hiding behind the bed, then back to Izuku. One brow rose.
“You have good timing! We were just getting dressed!” Izuku declared. “Would you mind assisting Dad with his outfit? It seems like he could really use the help.”
“I do NOT need any help, thank you! I’ve put these specific clothes on more times in my life than any other, I am doing just fine!” Dad called out.
But Kurogiri only nodded and walked over to where Dad was hiding. Izuku could already feel the laugh building in his chest when Dad shrieked in surprise at his servant’s sudden appearance.
“Honestly, Hisashi.” Kurogiri shook his head. “How did you manage to get your pants tangled around your legs so badly?”
“Probably because I had to suddenly duck for cover when somebody let someone into the room while we were changing!” Dad directed that last part at Izuku, who was giggling away, slipping on his new boots.
Kurogiri just sighed, and Izuku saw his dad’s leg kick up at the man when Kurogiri reached down for him.
“Don’t touch my pants! I can do it myself!” Dad insisted.
“You’re making it worse. Just let me help you,” Kurogiri said.
The bed hid half the sight, but Izuku watched as Kurogiri got a hold of Dad’s pants and proceeded to have a strange, tug-o-war with Dad over them. Izuku laughed uproariously as his dad yelled and blustered at Kurogiri when Kurogiri managed to pull them off.
“If you continue at this rate, you’ll rip your clothes and then we’ll have to visit the tailor,” Kurogiri warned him. “Is that what you want?”
Dad immediately went still, ceasing any and all struggles.
“Good. Now, are you going to stand up and put them on properly yourself, or continue to try and hide down there, in which case I will help you put them on?” Kurogiri offered Dad two choices.
“Fine!” Dad declared in defeat. He hurriedly got to his feet, his face a bright pink. Izuku broke into another bout of giggles at the sight of it, and his blush deepened even further. “Izuku! Stop laughing!”
It only made Izuku laugh all the more, his stomach beginning to ache.
“If you would, Hisashi,” Kurogiri spoke over the laughter, holding the pants out.
Dad all but snatched them away, sending Kurogiri a look that clearly told him to turn around, mouth opening and closing soundlessly, at a loss for words. Kurogiri did so patiently, and Dad quickly stepped into his newly untangled pants. When he was finished, he sent a glare Izuku’s way.
Izuku just smiled cheekily, bouncing on the heels of his feet. “We match!” he exclaimed happily, looking over his father’s outfit and then his own. “I look just like a vampire hunter now!”
“...A vampire hunter?” Kurogiri repeated with a frown, turning back around.
“Yeah! This is the same outfit Dad was in when I adopted him! His official hunter outfit!” Izuku explained, spinning in a little circle to show off his new clothes.
“I see,” Kurogiri said. “I’m just surprised a vampire would want to dress as a vampire hunter.”
“Dad doesn’t count!” Izuku claimed.
“What do you mean I don’t count?!” Dad griped in offense. “I was the most famous hunter out there! I was All For One!”
Izuku ignored him. “I wouldn’t want to dress as a vampire hunter, but I do want to match Dad! And Dad doesn’t count because he’s a blood relative to the royal line. He’s a vampire, and a king, and a Midoriya, just as he was always meant to be.”
“...All For One?” Kurogiri repeated, brows pinching together as he stared at Izuku’s father. “You’re All For One?”
Dad’s chest puffed with pride. “You’ve heard of me?”
“Of course. All For One has practically become the boogeyman for young vampire children,” Kurogiri said. “A human unmatched in strength and magic by others; supposedly a ferocious vampire hunter with no mercy. The rumours describe him as cunning, ruthless, and a scourge to vampire kind.”
“What do you mean ‘supposedly’?” Dad huffed. “I was—am!—ferocious. All of it is true!”
“I’m afraid that can’t be you, Your Majesty.” Kurogiri shook his head in denial.
“What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“The description doesn’t match you, I’m afraid. There must be some other All For One out there.”
Izuku watched in amusement as his dad blustered, pride wounded.
“There’s no other! It’s totally me!” Dad insisted.
Kurogiri gave him a doubtful look. “Ruthless, cunning, ferocious? Hisashi, you’re one of the most shy and sensitive men I’ve ever met.”
Dad blushed up to his ears. “I-I’m not shy and sensitive! Don’t be ridiculous!”
Kurogiri just stared at him flatly. “All For One was said to be suave and charming. You happen to be…socially awkward. Though, the fluster and bluster is charming in its own endearing way.”
“W-Well, I can’t control what the rumours say about me!” Dad grumbled, his hands half-hiding his face in embarrassment. “But I am All For One!”
“As you say, Your Majesty.”
Dad looked to Izuku with a silent plea for help, and Izuku grinned.
“It’s true that he’s All For One!” Izuku stood up for his father. “Or, well, he used to be! I found him on the outskirts of Yuei when he was still a hunter and adopted him! Now he’s just Dad.”
Dad sighed in exasperation, shoulders slumping and looking thoroughly deflated. “Anyway,” he muttered, “can we move on to the rest of the presents? They aren’t going to open up themselves, you know.”
“Right!” Izuku exclaimed, thrilled to see what other gifts his father had gotten him. “Oh! Kurogiri, you’re free for the rest of the day! I’m sure people are going to be celebrating down in the city, and you should enjoy yourself!”
“Are you certain, Izuku?” Kurogiri asked.
“Yeah!” Izuku nodded in confirmation. “Dad and I can handle everything else from here! Thanks for helping us get ready!”
“As you wish then,” Kurogiri accepted. “Thank you, Izuku. And please, enjoy your birthday. Your father has been looking forward to it for a while now.”
“Will do!” Izuku promised, watching as Kurogiri gave a small bow before taking his leave. He grasped his father’s hand tightly, looking up at Dad with big eyes. “Now! To presents! You promised!”
“I don’t know…after that fiasco maybe we really should just stay in bed.” Dad sighed.
Izuku shook his father’s arm. “Nooo! You promised me presents! It’s not my fault Kurogiri called you out!”
“K-Kurogiri’s wrong! I’m not shy or sensitive or awkward or any of that!” Dad insisted.
“It doesn’t matter if you are those things!” Izuku said firmly. “You’re perfect just the way you are!”
Dad’s face softened, and he leaned down to kiss the top of Izuku’s head. “So are you. Now, I suppose I did promise you presents…”
“Where are they?!” Izuku looked around, searching high and low for any other boxes he hadn’t previously noticed.
“Well, there’s a really big one that we can start with,” Dad said. He began tugging Izuku over to the door. “And I think you’ll like it!”
Izuku eagerly followed his dad as he was led through the castle. Admittedly, the longer they walked for, the more confused he became. Why was the gift so far away? How big was it? What could it possibly be?
When they stopped in front of the library, he squinted and looked up at Dad. “…Are you…gifting me the library? It’s already mine.”
Dad laughed. “Yes and no. Come on.”
He led Izuku inside. Nedzu was there in his normal spot, and he looked up from the four different books he was reading as the two of them entered.
“Ahh, Your Majesty. Happy birthday!” Nedzu greeted.
Izuku smiled at his teacher. “Thank you, Nedzu!”
Dad, as usual, only eyed Nedzu with suspicion.
“Are you here to see the—”
Nedzu was cut off by Dad making loud shushing noises. “Yes! Yes, we are. Don’t spoil it!”
“Spoil what?” Izuku asked. “Tell me, tell me!”
“I think it would be better if I showed you instead,” Dad insisted, placing a hand on his back and pushing him forward.
“I do hope it is to your liking, Your Majesty,” Nedzu called out as they headed deeper into the library.
Izuku could barely contain his excitement, wondering what it was his dad could have hidden away in the library. It must have been special if he trusted Nedzu to look after it!
They took a few turns through the tall, winding shelves that Izuku recognized. Then they took a few turns he didn’t recognize, and his eyes widened in curiosity as they approached a section of the library he’d never been in before—one he was fairly certain didn’t actually exist before.
The lines of shelves opened up into a small room, which had a desk, a table, and multiple big, cozy chairs to sit in. And books of course. SO many books, and they were all…
“Fantasy!” Izuku yelled excitedly.
He skidded around the room quickly, looking at all the books in awe. They were all children’s books! Fantasy books just like the one he and Dad had been reading together!
“You did all this?” Izuku asked his father incredulously. “How?! This is amazing!”
“I pulled a few strings back when I was king for a day,” Dad laughed, smiling warmly down at him. “I ordered Mirai and Gran to renovate the library so there would be books you could read just for fun. What do you think?”
“I love it!” Izuku exclaimed, throwing himself at his father’s legs and wrapping his arms around them in the biggest hug he could muster. “I love it so much! Thank you, Dad!”
Dad ruffled his hair affectionately. “Now you don’t have to worry about finishing our current book too quickly. There’s lots more here for you to choose from next.”
Izuku buried his face in Dad’s clothes momentarily to hide how his eyes grew wet. “Thank you,” he said again, softer this time.
No one had ever done something this big for him. Maybe they had for the king, but not for Izuku. This was all for him. And Dad had used his brief moment of power to make the others do this. For him.
He sniffled.
“Hey, don’t you get all weepy on me,” Dad teased gently.
“S-Sorry,” Izuku said softly, trying to blink away the tears. “I just…I love you, Dad.”
“O-Oh.” Dad blinked rapidly as his own eyes filled with tears.
Izuku nudged him with a grin. “Don’t you get all weepy on me,” he echoed teasingly.
Dad laughed. “You got me.” He held Izuku to him closely. “But I love you too,” he whispered.
Notes:
Lord Torinos plural??
Hisashi: “So Mirai is Gran's son, huh? …Wonder what his mother must have looked liked?”
*imagines more feminine version of Mirai*
Hisashi: *gags* “Ugh, never mind. Probably best if I don't know.”
Mirai: “Excuse you! What is that supposed to mean?! Are you insinuating I’m ugly?!”
New portrait in the family tree.
Portrait Midoriya’s: “Welcome to the hall, and happy birthday, Izuku! You get all of us as a present! Join the painting family with all your ancestors!”
Portrait Izuku: “Uh, thanks.”
Portrait Hisashi: “I got you a birthday gift too! Here.”
Portrait Izuku: “A HUNTER OUTFIT! Thank you dad!” 🥰🥰
Portrait Midoriya’s: “Why does he like that more??”
The good old days.
Portrait Inko: “I like your little hunter outfit, Izuku. It’s very cute! Your father was a hunter when he was younger too. Reminds me of when I first laid eyes on him. He was so handsome.”
Portrait Toshinori: “What do you mean ‘was’?!”
Portrait Inko: “You’re still handsome, dear, don’t worry.”
Portrait Hisashi: *eyeing Toshinori jealously*
The best gift ever?
Izuku: “So, Kurogiri, did you get me anything for my birthday?”
Kurogiri: “Of course.” *hands him some adoption papers*
Hisashi: “Hey! Izuku is mine!”
Kurogiri: “You’re right, it wouldn’t be fair of me to adopt only Izuku, would it?” *hands Hisashi some adoption papers as well*
Hisashi: “HEY!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 32
Summary:
“Hey, don’t you get all weepy on me,” Dad teased gently.
“S-Sorry,” Izuku said softly, trying to blink away the tears. “I just…I love you, Dad.”
“O-Oh.” Dad blinked rapidly as his own eyes filled with tears.
Izuku nudged him with a grin. “Don’t you get all weepy on me,” he echoed teasingly.
Dad laughed. “You got me.” He held Izuku to him closely. “But I love you too,” he whispered.
Notes:
If anyone has noticed the rating change of the fic, we’ve gone back and being doing some editing through it, and replaced a scene in chapter 24 where Hakamata harassed Hisashi. So now we can lower the rating from M back to T 🎉
Also, if y’all haven’t seen the new art, Dragon did a piece based on last chapter here
And a piece actually based on events way back from the beginning of the fic here
Take a look!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Before they headed back out of the library, both of them agreed to pretend they hadn’t cried a little.
“Where are we going now?” Izuku asked as they walked back down the halls.
“To get the rest of your presents, of course,” Dad explained. “Gran and Mirai have some for you too, I think, and the rest of the nobles of course. Kurogiri delivered all of them to the same room while we were away so we could give them to you all at once in the private dining room. They should be waiting for us there.”
Izuku was practically skipping as he followed along behind his dad. He’d been apprehensive about the day, and was still not really looking forward to whatever “royal presentation” Mirai had arranged, but the library had really lifted his spirits. His dad had put so much thought and effort into the gifts he’d already given Izuku, that Izuku couldn’t help but look forward to what came next.
When they reached the private dining room, one the royal family used when they weren’t entertaining guests, Izuku looked up at his dad with begging eyes and tugged at his sleeve. “Can I kick the door open?”
“Izuku, you know better than to follow Gran’s example,” Dad chided automatically.
“Just this once? It’s my birthday!” he pleaded.
Dad stared at him for a long moment before sighing, Izuku’s heart leaping for joy the moment he saw his dad relent. “Fi—”
“YES!” Izuku ran forward and kicked the door open before Dad even finished speaking.
Inside, he heard Mirai instantly start yelling at Gran.
“GRAN! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU—” Mirai’s voice rose, before pausing suddenly when his golden eyes landed on Izuku at the door, a big grin on his face. Mirai’s head turned to the left, looking at where Gran was standing right next to him, his arms crossed and a deeply amused smirk tugging at his lips. Mirai’s cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. “My apologies,” he offered to Gran.
“I can’t believe ya blamed me like ya haven’t been talkin’ to me for the last twenty minutes!” Gran cackled.
Mirai pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s just that it’s usually you who kicks doors in. I reacted on instinct.”
Gran only laughed some more. Then he, Dad, and Mirai all shared a look with one another, and Izuku was shocked that for once none of them threw insults at one another or argued. Instead, they turned their attention to Izuku.
Gran spoke first. “Well, if it ain’t the birthday boy! Come to collect?”
Izuku eyed the huge stack of presents on the table with glee. “Yep! I’m here for my rightful dues!”
“There’s only one thing you have to do first,” Mirai said with a twirl of his wrist, a measuring tape suddenly dangling from his hand. “It’s time to see how much you’ve grown. Then you can open your gifts.”
“Okay!” Izuku bounced over, dragging Dad behind him as he refused to let go of his hand. He wondered how many inches he’d grown in the last five years. Two? Three? Maybe more! He was twelve now, after all! He would be a teenager soon! Surely he was growing fast! Daddy had been so tall, after all, just like Dad was.
He tried to stand as still as possible for Mirai to get his measurements, but it was hard when he was so excited.
“Hm…” Mirai mused aloud. He examined the measurements on his tape after he managed to get Izuku to stay still long enough to properly take them. “I see…”
“What? What is it?” Izuku demanded to know, his eyes big and hopeful. “How tall am I now? How many inches have I grown since my last birthday?!”
“Quite a few, I must say,” Mirai informed him.
Izuku felt his hopes soar. He was getting taller now! “By how much?!”
“Hmm…four or five inches, it would seem,” Mirai answered vaguely.
Izuku perked up. That was a lot, right? He’d grown! He was getting his growth spurt now! He’d be as tall as Dad and Daddy soon! “Yes! I’m getting taller!”
“Indeed.” Mirai shifted, writing down the number in the notebook where they logged Izuku’s age and growth over the years.
“Can I see?” Izuku asked. He wanted to see the numbers on his chart comparing his measurements from his last birthday to this one, but Mirai was blocking it.
“Ah, don’t worry about that, Your Majesty. You have gifts to open now, after all,” Mirai excused, waving a hand to ward him away.
Izuku pouted. “But I want to see!” He wanted to show Dad the proof of how much he’d grown.
He made a feint to the left, pretending to grab the notebook, and when Mirai moved to block him, Izuku quickly darted to the right, snatching it up and dancing away victoriously.
“Look, Dad! Look, look!” Izuku held the notebook up for his dad to see.
Dad’s lips twitched as he looked at the numbers. “Impressive, Izuku.”
But there was something off in his tone, and Izuku frowned, turning the book his way to look at it.
“Wait…” He stared at the numbers. “But… It’s practically the same. Mirai, you said I grew like five inches!” Izuku turned to his retainer with an accusatory look.
Mirai put on an air of being surprised, a hand hovering over his mouth. “Oh dear, did I? Apologies, Your Majesty. I must have misspoken. You did grow though…four or five millimetres.”
“That’s practically nothing!” Izuku wailed. “I’m still the same size! I didn’t grow at all!”
“Sorry pipsqueak,” Gran chuckled, ruffling his curls with a grin. “Looks like you’re gonna be a shorty for a little while longer.”
“But that’s not faaaairrr,” Izuku complained, flopping over the table dramatically. “I’m going to be short for forever!”
Dad snorted, coughed, then turned away, his shoulders shaking.
“And now Dad’s laughing at me because I’m short!” Izuku cried. “Why didn’t I grow, Mirai?!”
It wasn’t fair! It had been five years and he hadn’t grown?! What if he stopped here? What if he was tiny forever?! He’d never be cool and strong like Dad that way!
Mirai gave a rare smile, and an even rarer bit of laughter escaped him. “I can only venture a guess, Your Majesty, but if I had to say, I would assume that your aging has already begun to slow down.”
“Whaaaat?!” Izuku wailed dramatically. “But that can’t be true! That’s not supposed to happen for a couple decades!” Izuku turned his watery eyes to Gran, giving the elder vampire a pleading look for support. “It’s just not! Right, Gran?”
Gran shrugged. “Not supposed to, no. But that don’t mean it hasn’t happened. You very well could be aging every ten years now instead of five.”
“But…that means I’m not really twelve today!” Izuku complained, hiding his face in his arms. “That’s so unfair!”
“Well…you might be twelve?” Gran suggested with a casual shrug. “No way to know for certain though.”
“We can just pretend that you are, even if you aren’t, Your Majesty,” Mirai offered, the corners of his lips still twitching. “No one needs to know outside of us.”
Izuku groaned miserably. “But then that means I’ll only have a birthday every ten years now!”
“Then this will just have to be your half-birthday,” his dad spoke up after managing to quell his laughter. “We can have one another five years from now too. That way you’ll get extra presents.”
Izuku paused, thinking it over. Extra presents sounded nice. But still, he couldn’t believe he’d gotten his hopes up and it wasn’t even really his birthday! He hadn’t grown at all!
But…today could still be fun. He was getting gifts and a party and he had a dad! Both the dinner celebration and the ball he’d thrown in Dad’s honour had gone…not great. This was their chance to have a fun day! A celebration without any incidents!
Dad was whispering to Gran and Mirai, though Izuku still easily heard him. “How did you not know he hadn’t aged? Aren’t you supposed to keep track of that?”
Mirai sighed, seeming defeated. “It’s almost impossible to. Vampire aging is strange. How fast or slow a vampire ages depends both on whether or not they’re born or turned, and what family line they belong to. The stronger the vampire, the slower they age.”
“The heirs to the throne get stronger with every generation,” Gran added. “Which means we can’t even base Izuku’s aging off of how his mother aged when she was younger. Izuku will age slower. So, he could be twelve right now, and is aging slower from here. Or he might still be eleven—which is more likely, I think—and won’t be twelve for another five years.”
Dad looked a bit overwhelmed. “Is there really no way to tell for certain? There’s no one who can give us an answer?”
Gran shrugged. “Nope. Never met anyone who could. It’s a guessing game for us, mostly.”
Dad squinted his eyes at Gran. “How long does it take you to age then?”
“Hell if I know anymore,” Gran said, looking unbothered. “I stopped trying to keep track when I turned around a thousand and two hundred or so, so it’s anyone’s guess really.”
Dad stared incredulously. “...In human years or vampire?” he asked, to which he just received another shrug. He blinked in disbelief. “Just…exactly how old are you?”
Gran gave Dad a flat look. “I just told you I didn’t know, didn’t I?”
“Right,” Dad grumbled quietly. “I just…I was wondering how long I’m going to…nevermind.”
“I’m sure we have the record of your birth year in the archives somewhere,” Mirai muttered. “If you ever want to remember your age, Gran.”
Gran grinned wolfishly, large fangs flashing. “Nah, I think I’m good.”
Tired of the conversation, and disappointed with his lack of growth, Izuku huffed and crossed his arms. “Can I open my presents now?” he asked impatiently, eyeing the gifts on the table.
Dad shook the dazed look off his face and smiled. “Of course, Izuku.”
Bouncing excitedly, Izuku zoomed over to the presents, grabbing the first one in reach. He opened gift after gift, eyes widening with each new toy he received; stuffed animals, jump rope, little wagons, puzzles and figurines. He watched with amazement as some of the figures actually moved on their own when a rune imprinted into them was touched, magic animating the little toys.
Toys. Actual toys!
From the Iida’s he was given a new pair of exquisitely made boots, perfect for a day of royal duties around the castle or a walk through the woods. Izuku withheld making a face when he picked up one from House Yamada, though he was interested to find that it was an intricately made music box, crafted and enchanted to play different types of music when asked, the metal cylinder inside shifting to play the requested piece. He shoved it to the side after he was done testing it out.
Other (more boring) gifts included fancy clothes, expensive jewelry made mostly of gold and emeralds, and prized bottles of blood (that Mirai eyed enviously). There were also some gag gifts, mostly from Gran, but Izuku thought the little cushion that made fart sounds would be funny to prank his dad with.
Eventually there were only a few left, and Izuku picked up a small box curiously, unwrapping the gift that came from Mirai. Inside was a new, expensive-looking journal with a matching pen. Izuku could feel magic emanating off the objects when he touched them, and turned to Mirai curiously for an explanation.
Mirai smiled. “The enchantments on the journal will prevent anyone else from reading it. Only the owner will be able to read the contents, anyone else will see an indecipherable code.”
“Oh, that’s so cool, Mirai!” Izuku said excitedly, flipping through the blank pages. He’d been needing a new journal too, since his old one was already starting to get full from where he wrote in it nearly every day.
“I’m glad it’s to your liking, Your Majesty,” Mirai said, looking pleased with himself.
“At least it’s better than what you gave him last time,” Gran butted in with a wry grin. “Honestly, what were you thinking back then?”
“That it would have been proper attire for His Majesty!” Mirai instantly defended himself with a snide huff.
“There were so many ruffles and frills on that thing that if Izuku had actually worn it, everyone woulda thought he was a princess instead of a prince!” Gran cackled.
Izuku remembered that outfit. It had been hard to move in, the cloth so restricting. He wasn’t sure what actually happened to it. He’d never worn that awful outfit beside the one time trying it on, but he still noticed when one day it went missing. He suspected Gran took it and…removed it from existence.
Still. “Thank you, Mirai!” Izuku chirped, setting the journal to the side and reaching for the next present.
It was one from Gran, and Izuku expected another gag-type of gift. So he was rather surprised when he opened it to find…a toy. A stuffed, green bunny to be exact. It didn’t look new either, seeming old and a bit worn, the ears floppy and the bow around its neck a little faded.
Why would Gran give him this? Izuku turned to Gran, confused.
Gran’s expression was somewhat pinched, almost sad. “…That was your mother’s,” he said quietly. “She’d had it since she was just a baby. It was her favourite toy.”
Izuku felt like someone had stolen his breath away, eyes fixing back on the bunny with awe. He held it carefully, staring. “...It was really Mama’s?” he asked quietly, brushing his fingers across the still soft and fluffy fur.
“Aye.” Gran nodded, his voice sounding somewhat thick. “It was.”
Mirai and Dad were staring at Gran, Mirai seeming confused and Dad frowning deeply. Gran said nothing more though, ignoring them.
Izuku felt a sting in his eyes and his nose grow warm, clutching the bunny close to his chest delicately. He lowered his head, his nose brushing one of the bunny’s ears and it—
It smelled kind of like Mama.
Izuku burst into tears. He buried his face into the stuffed toy, breathing deeply and sobbing.
Quickly, though, he felt hands touch his shoulders, and Dad crouched down next to him. “Oh, no, Izuku, don’t cry,” he murmured, rubbing Izuku’s back. “What’s the matter?”
Izuku hiccuped. “It—Mama…” He didn’t have the words to explain. Memories he hadn’t known he still had of his mama had sprung into his mind at the familiar smell. From how she used to hold him when he was little. Or how she would tell him stories during bedtime and pet his hair. And the time they sat at the fountain after picking flowers after Daddy came home from a long trip…
He couldn’t find the strength to say anything else, simply shaking his head and burying his face in the bunny’s fur.
Over the sound of his grief, Izuku thought he heard Mirai say, “Good going, Gran.”
Gran hissed back, “I didn’t expect him to cry!”
Dad’s hand brushed through his hair. “Hey,” he spoke softly. “Come on, now. This is supposed to be a happy day. The bunny is a wonderful gift, isn’t it?”
Izuku nodded silently.
“And you’ve still got two left. How about you open them?” Dad encouraged.
Izuku was reluctant to put the bunny down, not wanting to release a small piece of his mother. But Dad slid the other gifts over, so that Izuku could keep the bunny right next to him on the table as he opened them.
He did so sniffling, wiping tears from his eyes as he tore the wrapping from the last two gifts—both from his dad. Izuku lifted the lid off the smaller of the two boxes first, blinking slowly as he peered at his own reflection within polished metal. Carefully, he picked one up, before his eyes shifted to his Dad’s own wrist. Dad smiled warmly at him.
“It’s…It’s a pair of vambraces,” Izuku said after a moment, brushing the last of his tears away as he turned the much smaller vambrace over in his hands. “Like yours.”
“It is.” Dad reached over and helped Izuku fasten it around his wrist, securing it into place with the straps. “I had them commissioned in the city to look just like mine. Our outfits wouldn’t match otherwise, would they?”
Oh. That was true. Izuku watched as Dad helped him get the other one on. “Does that mean this one is—” Izuku began, looking at the longer, rectangular gift still waiting on the table.
Dad just smiled.
“Why don’t you open it and find out? I think you’ll really like it.”
“Oh no,” Mirai groaned in the background, “don’t tell me you—”
Izuku did so, ignoring Mirai and reaching forward with renewed excitement, quickly opening the box. A gasp escaped him at the sight of the blade that lay inside, identical (if smaller) to the one that was on Dad’s own hip.
“My own sword!” Izuku squealed happily. He’d never gotten a real sword before! He only got to practice with wooden ones! He grabbed it excitedly, but then frowned. “…It’s not sharp?”
“No,” Dad answered. “It can be sharpened, but I had it made dull. It’s also not silver.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Mirai whispered, a hand over his heart.
Izuku was a bit disappointed by that, but it was still super cool! Dad helped him attach the sheath to his waist, and then they looked exactly the same! Matching outfits and accessories and all!
“Thank you!” Izuku said, hugging Dad tight.
“You’re welcome, Son.” Dad hugged him back just as tight, ruffling a hand through his curls.
“Now that we’ve got the presents out of the way, it’s time to go down to the city and really celebrate,” Gran stated. “Get some food, have a glass of wine, find myself a woman—”
“Don’t forget you have to say a few words to the people before the celebrations can officially begin,” Mirai cut Gran off, giving him a heated glare. “And I’ll have the servants bring your gifts to your bedroom for later, Your Majesty.”
“Oh, right!” Izuku said, just now remembering. “We can head down there in a minute then. I’m going to put Sir Bun Bun in my room first and then we can go!”
“Wait, what?” Dad looked alarmed. “Izuku has to make a speech? He didn’t prepare one!”
Izuku grabbed Dad by the hand and began to drag him out. “It’ll be fine, Dad. I don’t need one prepared. I just say some stuff and it’s all good.”
“I-I don’t…I don’t have to say anything, do I?” Dad asked, sounding faint.
“You can if you want! But you don’t have to. You can just stand next to me while I give the speech!”
“Can’t I stand in the back?” Dad asked. He almost sounded like he was begging, and Izuku paused to look at him.
Dad’s face was pale.
“…If you need to, then I guess so,” Izuku mumbled, disappointed. “I’d really hoped you’d stand by my side though.”
“O-Okay.” Dad breathed slowly. “Okay. I can do that. I can do it. I’ll stand with you. But I’m not going to say anything.”
Izuku squeezed Dad’s hand happily. “Okay!”
“Just…go put your rabbit away and we’ll go. Don’t worry about taking your time though,” Dad said, and Izuku frowned when he could hear his father’s heartbeat going faster. “Take all the time you need! We’re not in any hurry here!”
“Okay!” Izuku said, clutching Sir Bun Bun to his chest and already heading back up the stairs to his bedroom. Before the door shut behind him, he could hear Mirai scoff and Gran snickering.
Once in his room, Izuku hugged the bunny one last time and sniffed its fur. Then he gently laid Sir Bun Bun on the bed and tucked him in just so in his new place as king of the toys. It made tears prick lightly at his eyes again, but he managed to beat them back. He sat on the bed for a moment, petting the rabbit's fur for a minute or two in silence. He hadn’t expected a present like that from Gran of all people; to receive a keepsake of his mother. But he loved it all the same, even if he had cried a bit.
He waited a moment longer before shuffling off the bed, eyeing the toy carefully. Once he was certain Sir Bun Bun wouldn’t topple over and was comfortably situated, Izuku quickly made his way back downstairs to the private dining room. He heard Dad’s breath catch in his chest when he opened the door.
“I-I said you could take your time!” Dad proclaimed, sounding somewhat panicked.
“Well, we can’t keep people waiting!” Izuku replied. “The party doesn’t start till I say a few words. I’m sure everyone is gathered in the town square in the city waiting for us.”
“…Everyone?” Dad squeaked out.
“Well, not everyone. We wouldn’t be able to fit everyone.” Izuku giggled. “Just a couple hundred people, probably.”
Dad’s legs wavered, and he slumped against the nearest wall.
Izuku rushed to him, alarmed. “Dad?! Are you okay?! What’s wrong?”
Dad’s heart was pounding now, and up close, Izuku could see a sheen of sweat on his brow, his face deathly pale.
“Are you sick?” Izuku asked worriedly, stretching up on his tiptoes to press his hand against Dad’s forehead. He felt a little warm, but not much.
Dad only wheezed in response.
“Aw, it’s just nerves, Izuku,” Gran spoke up, suddenly by their side and patting his dad on the shoulder consolingly. “He’ll be fine, don’t you worry. Let’s just hurry up and head down, yeah?” Gran had a glint in his eye and a smirk on his face as he tugged Dad upright.
“I-I—” Dad tried to say, but the words refused to leave him properly.
“Won’t be that bad either, Hisashi,” Gran assured him. “Just a few short words from Izuku, your formal introduction to the people as the King Father, and that’s that! Nothin’ to it, really.”
“Oh yeah!” Izuku perked up. “I forgot I hadn’t properly introduced Dad to the public yet!”
Gran began to drag Dad along as they left the dining room. “Mmhmm. And since it’ll be his introduction to the people, he really should say a few words himself.”
“Hmm. That’s probably a good idea…” Izuku mumbled. “What do you think, Dad?” He turned to his father.
Dad’s eyes were glazed, his breathing coming out in short, rough pants, like he was gasping for air. He pretty much dangled from Gran’s grip, his entire body trembling.
That…didn’t look good.
“Uhh, Dad?” Izuku called hesitantly. “Gran, are you sure he isn’t sick?”
Gran gave Dad a look over, then let him go.
Dad slumped to the ground and curled into a ball, his hands pulling at his collar as if it were choking him.
“Well,” Mirai commented, looking down at Dad with one golden brow raised. “This may be an issue.”
Izuku remembered a similar incident then, of the time Dad had had a breakdown in his room the first time he’d worn his crown. Izuku had asked his teacher about it weeks later, and Nedzu had said it was something called a “panic attack”. But it had never occurred again since, and so Izuku had put it all out of his mind.
It was happening again now, though. Did it have something to do with their public appearance? Giving a speech?
Izuku knelt down next to his dad, not quite sure how to help. The last time he’d ordered Dad to breathe properly, but Dad didn’t like being ordered, so he wasn’t sure what to do. Carefully, he placed a hand on Dad’s shoulder and looked up at Gran, hoping he had answers.
Gran just shrugged. How helpful.
“Dad,” Izuku started, speaking slowly and gently. “Dad, it’s okay.” He reached down and grabbed one of his dad’s shaking hands, giving it a light squeeze. “Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise. And I’ll be with you the entire time.”
Dad squeezed his hand back tightly, his breath shuddering. Izuku ran his other hand up and down his back soothingly, trying to calm Dad down while muttering reassurances to him.
“I…I’m fine…” Dad managed to murmur after a few long minutes, his breathing still deep and shaky, but there was a bit of light back in his eyes now. “I-I’m fine,” he repeated.
Izuku wasn’t quite sure if he believed him, even as Dad slowly rose back to his shaking feet. Izuku helped him, keeping Dad steady and glancing up with worry. Dad still seemed a bit dazed…
“Are you sure, Dad?” Izuku asked in concern.
“Y-Yeah,” his father said shakily, nodding his head even as he still held Izuku’s hand in a deathgrip. “Just. Gotta focus. Yeah. That’s all I gotta do. I can do this. I can…I can…”
Izuku bit his lip. “Would it help if I order you? Just for this? I can order you to relax and stay calm, and then remove it right after. If you want.”
Dad was silent for a moment, breathing still somewhat laboured. “Y-You’ll remove it as soon as we’re done?”
“Uh-huh. Promise,” Izuku reassured.
“…Okay. Yeah. Okay. You can—You can do that,” Dad agreed.
Izuku squeezed his hand again. “Dad, calm down. Breathe normally and relax until I revoke this order. No more panicking.”
Dad’s face screwed up and then smoothed. The shaking of his body dissipated and his breathing evened out. He sighed, forcefully relaxed. But he looked grateful when he turned his eyes to Izuku again, giving him a weak smile.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
Izuku patted his arm reassuringly, smiling back.
“Huh,” Gran said, looking rather surprised.
Izuku ignored him though, since he hadn’t been very helpful. “Are you ready to go?” he asked Dad.
Dad nodded, looking a lot more calm. “Yeah. Yeah, we can go now. But I…I still don’t want to speak.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to. I’ll introduce you, but you can just stand next to me, okay?”
“Okay,” Dad agreed.
“Now that that’s over and done with.” Mirai sniffed impertinently, running a hand down his clothes to smooth out wrinkles that weren’t there. “Goodness, we’re fortunate you're not the one leading this country if you can’t even handle a little public speaking.”
“I don’t like crowds,” Dad mumbled as they walked into the foyer. “I don’t like people staring at me.”
“He’ll get better with time,” Izuku defended his father, giving Mirai a little look. “Dad’s still getting used to being around people all the time. He didn’t have much social interaction with others when he was living out in the woods all those years that he was a hunter.”
“That explains so much,” Mirai sighed, shaking his head wearily.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dad narrowed his eyes, but his words lacked any real bite to them due to the order.
Gran snorted with a chortle of laughter. “Of course. Women woulda been throwing themselves at him otherwise.”
Izuku squinted. “Why would they throw themselves at him?”
“They don’t. And I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Dad brushed off as they walked down the pathway leading to the gates.
Another one of those weird adult things then, Izuku supposed. He shrugged it off, swinging his and dad’s connected hands around.
“I noticed you forwent wearing any green as well,” Mirai said to Dad as he looked over his outfit.
“Was I supposed to?” Dad asked.
“It’s His Majesty’s birthday,” Mirai explained with a huff. “It’s become something of a tradition to wear something green on a member of the royal family’s birthday during the celebrations. As a show of respect.”
“Oh. I didn’t know. Maybe next time then,” Dad answered, looking Mirai up and down. “Why aren’t you wearing green though, if it’s tradition?”
“You didn’t notice my cufflinks?” Mirai raised a hand with a smirk, gesturing to the dark green cufflinks keeping his cuffs neatly in place.
“Oh,” was all Dad said, one brow raised. He shrugged, not seeming very interested.
“Not that I need them,” Mirai went on anyway. “My hair is partially green as well, so I’m covered either way.”
“Only because you dye it,” Gran quipped, arms crossed behind his head. “Except those two streaks you keep of your natural gold, and even then it’s only so you don’t go breakin’ the law where no one can ‘impersonate royalty’ that you yourself fought so hard to get passed.”
“Gran!” Mirai snapped. Izuku couldn’t help but laugh when Mirai’s cheeks became dusted with pink. “What I do or don’t do with my hair is my personal business, and I’d appreciate it if you would stop spreading silly rumors!”
“Uh-huh.” Gran chortled, and Dad had the beginnings of a smile, looking much more at ease now.
When they got to the main outer courtyard, Izuku led his dad over to a big, fancy carriage being pulled by two large draft horses. “We’re gonna ride in here down to the city square!” He loved carriage rides! He didn’t get to go in them often.
Dad just blinked. “A carriage? Never been in one.”
A guard opened the carriage door for them as they approached, and Izuku eagerly pulled his dad inside. Mirai and Gran followed, sitting opposite of them on the other bench inside. The door was shut, and Mirai drew the curtains over the windows mostly closed, leaving a small sliver for Izuku to look out of as the carriage began to move.
“Oh wow!” Izuku exclaimed upon seeing the crowds once they entered the city, a buzz of noise filling his ears. He could make out various stalls selling all kinds of treats and trinkets, the streets absolutely swarmed and decorated with his family colors for the event. Street lights were decorated with gold and green, the lights themselves giving off a bright green glow. “There’s so many people!”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Mirai said, hands folded neatly over his lap. “It is a special day, after all. Everyone has come out to celebrate the joyous occasion.”
“Had a heck of a time prepping the city for the big event,” Gran put in, stretching his arms out and ignoring the annoyed look Mirai sent him for it when his arm reached out over his face. “Mirai had to have Nedzu assign all those extra lessons to keep you busy the whole time so you wouldn’t notice.”
“Ohhh, so that’s why Nedzu increased the lessons,” Izuku muttered to himself in realization.
“Uh-huh. Turned out pretty nice too, if I say so myself. Looks like almost the entire kingdom showed up.”
“That is a lot of people,” Dad said, but he sounded calm still, as if he were simply making an observation.
People outside cheered when they saw the royal carriage pass by, following it down to its destination at the main city square. Gran got out first when they arrived, followed by Mirai.
Izuku turned to his dad. “How are you feeling?”
Dad smiled and ruffled Izuku’s hair. “I’m okay, thanks to you. Sorry for, uh, being…like that.”
Izuku thought back to what Nedzu had told him, and shook his head. “It’s okay, Dad. You couldn’t help it. It’s not your fault.”
“Still, I…I just don’t want anything to ruin your party. This is your special day,” Dad said.
Izuku felt his heart warm. They hadn’t let go of each other’s hands yet, and he didn’t intend to anytime soon. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too.” Dad kissed the top of Izuku’s head and stood. “Now, let’s go birthday boy. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Not actually my birthday,” Izuku huffed as they climbed out of the carriage.
But the complaint was quickly forgotten in the face of all the cheering people, everyone smiling and calling out birthday wishes to him. They filled the entire plaza, though somehow found space to make way for him and his father as they walked to the center.
“Look! It’s the king!” he heard someone shout out. “Happy birthday, Your Majesty!”
Their happiness bolstered Izuku’s spirits, and he grinned widely, waving to everyone. This day was going to be good, he could feel it.
Hisashi looked out over the crowd idly as he stood next to his son while Izuku spoke, voice magically enhanced so that everyone could hear him. They must make quite a sight, with their matching outfits and entwined hands, but any anxiety that threatened him was quickly suppressed by the calm Izuku’s order had forcibly placed over him. Even though he could still feel it needling him somewhere deep down, he was physically unable to express it in any way.
It was a strange feeling, and Hisashi didn’t know how he felt about it, but he was grateful for it. He knew without it he’d be an embarrassing mess right now. And he’d already embarrassed himself enough earlier, having a fit like that in front of Izuku, Gran and Mirai.
Hisashi pushed that memory away though. He didn’t want to think about that right now. He focused back in on Izuku, where his son was introducing Hisashi to the crowd as his new father.
“—so please give a warm welcome to Midoriya Hisashi, my new father!” Izuku said to the crowd, gesturing to Hisashi with a bright, beaming smile.
The crowd responded in kind, cheers erupting forth. Hisashi squeezed Izuku’s hand a little tighter, briefly feeling an edge of nervousness.
“Uh…hi,” he greeted somewhat awkwardly, raising his free hand to wave at the crowd. “It’s…It’s nice to meet you all.” Hisashi could curse himself for speaking when he said he wouldn’t. What was he doing? But he couldn’t stop the words that wanted to flow from his mouth now.
He stared at the sea of faces, and found both humans and vampires staring back. He noticed Izuku looking up at him curiously, his mouth opening slightly as if to say something, but Hisashi spoke over him before he could.
“Um. I haven’t been in this country very long, but I find that I’m…grateful,” he admitted truthfully, even as he inwardly screamed at himself to be quiet when he saw all the eyes staring at him. Seriously, why was he even talking?! He shouldn’t be saying anything! “I’m grateful to have been given the chance to learn more and change my ways for the better. To be more than what I was in my old life as a hunter; as All For One.”
The crowd instantly quieted at his last words, their voices falling into hushed whispers and murmurs, many of them now having wide eyes. It sent a sharp spike of anxiety through him, seeing all the shocked stares being sent his way.
…Had he misspoken? Said something wrong?
Hisashi looked down to Izuku quickly, who flashed him a tense smile, his own green eyes wide. Hisashi opened his mouth to finish up his impromptu little speech, but this time Izuku cut him off.
“My father is very thankful for the opportunity he’s been presented to turn his life around. And I am thankful to no longer be the last of my house. For the man previously known as All For One is of royal blood. He is a cousin of mine as much as he is my father. I am happy to say I am not the only Midoriya left, and I will ensure the protection of my house and its members,” Izuku said firmly, eyeing the crowd.
Hisashi winced internally at the reveal of their blood connection, as the whispers of the crowd rose in volume, the people getting stirred up.
“All For One?” Hisashi managed to pick out the mutter from the crowd. “That All For One?”
“I thought he was dead,” another said loudly. “I live right next to the border with Yuei and there were rumors of his disappearance…but to think he’s been here this entire time…”
“And as the king’s new father no less!” someone else said in disapproval. “Why in the world would His Majesty pick All For One? Surely this is one of Lord Torino’s jokes?”
Hisashi shifted, almost wishing he could say something else, but knowing it was probably better to keep his mouth shut now. Still. They thought he was dead?
He didn’t have time to think about it long, sensing suspicious looks being sent his way as the buzz of the crowd continued to grow.
“It isn’t safe for the young king to be—”
“A vampire hunter is the king's new father?!”
“He can’t be serious, right? There’s no way…”
Apparently Izuku had heard enough, stepping forward on the podium again and raising his magically amplified voice to speak over the crowd, still clutching Hisashi’s hand securely in his grip.
“Silence!” Izuku demanded, the order washing over the crowd as every vampire in attendance automatically fell quiet. Only the humans continued speaking, and their voices quickly died down, everyone staring at their little king. “I know this may seem unexpected to many of you, but my decision has already been made! Midoriya Hisashi is my father, and a member of the royal family. I will not tolerate any disrespect to my father, no matter what he may have been in the past!”
The crowd remained silent, the vampires unable to speak due to the order on them. Some people looked accepting, others skeptical, and still others seemed upset at the news.
One brave human finally spoke up, “If I may, Your Majesty, how did you possibly come to discover that All For One was of blood relation to you?”
Izuku waved a hand. “The details are not important. But rest assured that it has been confirmed that he is, in fact, a blood relative of mine. I want it to be clear that as a member of my house, Midoriya Hisashi is under my protection. There is no need for further concern; All For One is no more.”
When Izuku had said that very thing months ago, Hisashi had been angry. Upset that Izuku would go about declaring All For One as gone when he was still there. Now, he only felt a brief sense of melancholy. All For One had sworn to hunt and eliminate vampires, and Hisashi no longer desired to do such things. So…All For One really was…dead in a way.
Izuku squeezed his hand gently. “But today is a day of joy and celebration. My order of silence no longer binds any of you. Let the partying begin!”
The crowd erupted into cheering at the same time there was a loud bang, and Hisashi was nearly startled out of his skin when multiple streaks of fire shot up into the air, before exploding into a shower of green lights that lit up the night sky. He had no time to ask what they were or what was going on before Izuku waved to the crowd one last time, then tugged Hisashi with him off the stage, leading him over to the back where Gran and Mirai waited.
“Nice job out there,” Gran said sarcastically, arms crossed. “Really know how to get the crowd going, don’t you?”
“At least His Majesty was able to contain it,” Mirai said. “You did well, Your Majesty. If you would like, I had the royal venue prepared for after the speech. I thought you might appreciate a moment of privacy and a drink.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Hisashi wanted to sigh, immensely grateful that Mirai always thought ahead on such things. He wanted nothing more than to hide away for a moment after that disaster.
“Thank you, Mirai!” Izuku chirped. “Come on, Dad.”
Hisashi followed his son to the royal venue, where they slipped inside. The din of the celebrations happening outside quieted a little, and Hisashi released a long, relieved breath.
“...Sorry,” he apologized quietly as he and Izuku sat in the plush chairs, servants shifting the curtains to give them a little more privacy. “I never should have said anything. I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t mean to cause such a fuss.”
“It’s fine,” Izuku sighed wearily, motioning a servant forward to pour their drinks. “I should have told the public a while ago myself, but it slipped my mind and things kept cropping up…”
“Still,” Hisashi muttered, gratefully accepting the goblet of blood once the servant had filled their glasses, taking a sip. “I kind of…killed the mood out there.”
“They’ll get over it,” Izuku assured him, giving him a warm smile. He dismissed the servants with another wave of his hand, and they bowed politely before taking their leave. “The celebrations have only begun, and we have the whole night ahead of us!”
“We do.” Hisashi nodded in agreement. He paused, unsure if he should say anything, but ultimately deciding he should. “And the order?”
“Oh, right,” Izuku said. “Dad, the orders I placed on you no longer bind you.”
Hisashi shuddered as he felt the orders lift from his shoulders, feeling a bead of sweat fall down his face and a slight tremor in his hands as the anxiety he hadn’t been able to physically express washed over him like a wave, no longer held back.
“Dad?” Izuku asked, immediately worried.
“I’m fine,” Hisashi insisted, taking a few, slow deep breaths and steadying his thoughts. “I’ll be fine. Just…give me a moment.”
Holy crap he couldn’t believe he had said all those things! Why had he spoken?! Why did he ever think that was a good idea?! Now he’d ruined everything and everyone knew and—
Something smacked his forehead.
Hisashi blinked in surprise, broken out of his mental spiral.
Izuku’s hand was still raised from where he’d whacked Hisashi. “Stop thinking so much,” he said. “What’s done is done. You can’t change it now, so why obsess about it?”
That…was a good point.
“Right,” Hisashi sighed, sinking into his chair some more. “Sorry.”
Izuku’s other hand was still holding his, though with the order lifted, Hisashi’s palm had gotten a bit sweaty. “Just stay in the moment, Dad. Right here, with me,” Izuku instructed.
Hisashi nodded. “Right. Yeah. Okay.” The two sat quietly for a time as Hisashi worked to fully gather himself.
He had to pull himself together. This was his son’s party. He shouldn’t be dragging Izuku down with his problems. Izuku was supposed to be happy today, not spending his time trying to help his own father. Hisashi mentally slapped himself. He was the adult. Izuku should be looking to him for help and comfort, not Hisashi needing his son to support him. He had to stop freaking out like this in front of his own child.
“Why don’t we go out and enjoy the festivities then?” he suggested, despite how he wanted to stay in the venue a little longer. “I saw a lot of stalls had been set up. They probably have lots of things you’ve never seen before.”
“Yeah!” Izuku beamed, looking excited at the thought. “I saw someone making these deep fried pastry things too! Can we go try one?”
“Of course!” Hisashi stood, steeling himself to go back outside, where he’d be surrounded by hundreds of people and those loud noises. “We can do anything you want today!”
Izuku cheered, and made a break for the door, but paused with his hand hovering over the knob. He looked back up at Hisashi, brows furrowed. “…Are you sure, Dad? You’ll be okay? We can stay here a while longer if you need to.”
Hisashi could see the wistful way Izuku glanced to the door; the way he shifted on his feet with excitement. “I’ll be fine, Izuku. You shouldn’t worry about me. Think about yourself today. Let’s go and have some fun.”
Izuku’s eyes gained that possessive gleam to them that still sent shivers down Hisashi’s spine. “I’ll always worry about you, Dad,” he said firmly.
Hisashi huffed a (somewhat uncomfortable) laugh. “Alright, alright. Now, come on. You got me interested in deep fried pastries.”
He wasn’t, really, but it was enough to get Izuku out the door, pulling Hisashi along behind him as he bounced eagerly.
“By the way,” Hisashi said as they left, “what were those, uh, bright lights in the sky earlier? With the loud bang and the fire and all?”
Izuku stared at him in confusion for a moment, before what Hisashi was asking clicked. “Oh! You mean the fireworks?”
“Is that what they’re called?”
“Yeah! Fireworks. They’re usually reserved for holidays and special events,” Izuku explained. “They get set off like how you saw earlier, with a loud noise as they explode in the sky, and spread pretty sparkles everywhere for us to look at! I always liked firework shows.”
“Huh.” Hisashi couldn’t say if he liked them or not, but he knew he didn’t enjoy the sound. “They’re pretty loud…”
Izuku squeezed his hand. “They can be, but they won’t hurt you, Dad. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not—I’m not worried,” Hisashi denied. He knew they wouldn’t hurt him, they had been far too high up for that. He just didn’t like the loud noise, that was all.
“As you say,” Izuku said, echoing Kurogiri’s usual line with a cheeky grin.
Hisashi saw a few familiar faces as they left the venue area, spotting several nobles from the council—including two with dark blue hair that they so happened to pass by.
“Ah, Your Majesty,” Tensei greeted with a kind smile. “Happy birthday. I hope you’ve been enjoying it so far? Were your gifts to your liking?”
“Yeah!” Izuku declared with a cheery smile, but Hisashi could see it become more strained when his eyes landed on Tenya. “It’s been great!”
“I must also give you congratulations, Your Majesty!” Tenya proclaimed, bowing in that rigid way of his. “Happy birthday!” He spoke to their shoes.
“Thank you!” Izuku said.
Hisashi gave his hand a little squeeze when he saw Izuku’s brow twitch.
“Tenya.” Tensei nudged his younger brother slightly, giving him an encouraging smile and a look.
“Um,” Tenya began as he straightened back up, looking a little nervous now. “If I may, Your Majesty, I would like to offer an opportunity for us to compete on a later date?”
Izuku blinked slowly, taken aback by his words. “Huh?”
“In a race!” Tenya clarified. “To see who can get the most points in a challenge of who can catch one another the most!”
Hisashi felt the corners of his mouth twitching upward, a fit of laughter building in his chest and threatening to break free. That was a rather complicated way of saying he wanted to play tag. Still, it was an improvement from before. He turned to his son.
“What do you think, Izuku?” he asked him. It would do his son good to play with a child his age, and he knew it was something Izuku had dearly wanted. “Do you want to play tag with Tenya? You can wear the new boots they gave you too.”
“Oh.” Izuku continued blinking, seeming a bit dumbfounded. “Um. Sure?”
“Excellent!” Tenya exclaimed, his fist pumping and a fire now lit in his eyes. “I look forward to our competition!”
“I’ll try to schedule it for later, Your Majesty,” Tensei chuckled, shaking his head lightly. “Perhaps your father and I can meet some day this week to discuss a good time?”
“Sure,” Hisashi agreed. “We can talk about it tomorrow maybe. When there’s less going on.”
“Of course, King Father,” Tensei said. He shifted his gaze back to Izuku. “Please enjoy the rest of the celebrations, Your Majesty.”
“Will do!” Izuku promised.
Hisashi and his son waved the pair off as they went their own way, resuming their walk towards the streets.
They didn’t get far when they were stopped again.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Hisashi glanced over his shoulder to see Mirai, whose arms were crossed with disapproval as he gazed at Izuku.
“To join the party?” Izuku answered hesitantly.
“Not without a proper guard, you’re not.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Dad is a good enough guard! He’s super strong! We can take care of each other.”
Mirai only gave them an unimpressed look. “Gran,” he called to the elder vampire, who was chatting away with a woman.
Gran waved him off at first, causing Mirai to frown before reaching out to grab his shoulder.
“Gran,” Mirai repeated.
Gran grumbled slightly, but finally turned to face the man. “What?” he demanded, looking rather irritated at being bothered. “I was in the middle of something here!”
“Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but you have a job to do,” Mirai responded sternly. “Follow His Majesty and keep watch over him.”
“Aw, he’ll be fine!” Gran insisted, watching with dismay as the woman took her leave of him. “It’s just a party, Mirai! Izuku ain’t gonna be in any danger.”
“It is our first and foremost duty as members of House Torino to watch over and protect His Majesty,” Mirai reminded him sharply. “We can’t take any risks to his safety.”
Gran heaved an annoyed huff of air. “Fine. But you better let me have a crack at your wine stash later for this. And I mean the good wine!”
“For what? You doing your job?” Mirai asked incredulously.
“For ruining my chance!”
Mirai scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. “You’ll have plenty more.”
“Can we go now?” Izuku asked impatiently.
“Fine, fine. Where to?” Gran strolled over, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders.
“To the stalls!” Izuku pointed down the streets, lit up by glowing lanterns alight with magic.
Hisashi hid a grimace as Gran followed them. He couldn’t believe they were going to be shadowed by Gran the entire time. Ugh. He just knew the man was going to give him a hard time as soon as he could. Still, this was Izuku’s special day. So Hisashi did his best to hide his discontent, telling himself to try and get along with Gran for once.
“There they are!” Izuku exclaimed excitedly once the stall was in sight, a crowd of people lined up for it. He tugged on Hisashi’s arm repeatedly. “They look so good! C’mon, we gotta hurry up before they’re all gone! They’ve already got a line!”
“Alright, alright,” Hisashi laughed, shaking his head as Izuku began to tug him along just a bit faster, forcing Gran to quicken his pace to keep up.
“Ain’t no need to worry Izuku,” Gran said, hands behind his head as he casually strolled along. “There’s gonna be plenty for everyone. The party’s just started after all.”
“He’s right,” Hisashi said, surprising himself by agreeing with Gran. But it was likely that everyone would let Izuku cut ahead of the line anyway, being the king and all. “Just take your time and enjoy your birthday. There’s no need to rush.”
Izuku huffed, but slowed just a bit. Hisashi grinned when he noticed Izuku’s green eyes never left the stall, bouncing with pent up enthusiasm.
They got their deep fried pastries without much incident, the stall owner insisting Izuku take it for free. Izuku’s face had screwed up as it usually did when such things happened, but Hisashi was quick to point out that since it was his birthday party, he deserved to get free things. Izuku had thankfully agreed, and they’d been able to enjoy their food as they continued walking through the streets, browsing all the stalls and events that had been put up for the party.
The smile it brought to Izuku’s face, and the joy that radiated from him like a beacon was enough to quell the unease Hisashi felt about being around so many people, happy that his son was happy.
Notes:
Convenient gift.
Hisashi: “Why do you need that journal Mirai got you that turns everything you write into indecipherable code to anyone else?”
Izuku: “Because you snoop through my diary!”
Hisashi: “…Y-You don’t know that.”
Izuku: “Dad you left white hairs behind in the pages, I know you did.”
Hisashi: “Th-That wasn’t me!”
Izuku: “How did you know about the hairpin in my dresser then?”
Hisashi: “…”
Could have used a real adult.
Hisashi: *panicking*
Izuku: “Oh no! Help!”
Gran: *unhelpful*
Mirai: *unhelpful*
Izuku: “Why did I dismiss Kurogiri for the day?!”
Must stay calm.
Random citizens: “The city is under attack! Everything is on fire! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!”
Hisashi, still under the calm order: “This is fine.” 🙂
Why no werewolves showed up to a big event like the king’s birthday.
Messenger: “You are all formally invited to attend the king’s city-wide birthday celebration. Are you going to attend?”
The werewolves: “Will there be fireworks?”
Messenger: “Yes.”
Werewolves: “Then no.”
Alas. They don’t like fireworks :( Thanks for reading!
Chapter 33
Summary:
They got their deep fried pastries without much incident, the stall owner insisting Izuku take it for free. Izuku’s face had screwed up as it usually did when such things happened, but Hisashi was quick to point out that since it was his birthday party, he deserved to get free things. Izuku had thankfully agreed, and they’d been able to enjoy their food as they continued walking through the streets, browsing all the stalls and events that had been put up for the party.
The smile it brought to Izuku’s face, and the joy that radiated from him like a beacon was enough to quell the unease Hisashi felt about being around so many people, happy that his son was happy.
Notes:
We be back 👏👏
If y’all haven’t seen the new art, Dragon did a piece based on last chapter here
And a piece actually based on events way back from the beginning of the fic here
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“This is so cool!” Izuku cheered as they went around, playing little games and winning small prizes or getting a treat from the various carts that had been set up. Izuku watched Dad not far away, looking over a weapons stall curiously while he and Gran waited for him to finish perusing the wares. “And these things are delicious!” Izuku held up a powdered, sweet treat of fried dough, happily taking another bite.
“Not nearly as good as this wine.” Gran sighed contentedly after a long sip, holding a glass enchanted with a rune to stay chilled in one hand and bottle in the other. “Nothing beats a good glass of wine.”
Izuku tilted his head curiously, a glint in his eye when he looked up at Gran. “Can I have a taste? Since it’s so good?”
Gran paused, seeming to think it over. “…Nah, Mirai would kill me.”
“C’moooon,” Izuku whined, tugging on Gran’s sleeve repeatedly. “Just a little sip? It’s my birthday!”
Gran snorted. “It ain’t really your birthday. Maybe. Probably.”
“But we’re celebrating like it is! Pleaaaaase?” Izuku pleaded, giving Gran the best puppy-eyed look he could muster. “I won’t tell Mirai!”
He could see the moment Gran’s resolve broke, and the man sighed. “Alright. Just a sip though, ya hear?”
He handed his glass to Izuku, who took it eagerly, giddy with excitement. This would be his first time trying alcohol! He raised it up, ready to take a sip—
The glass was snatched out of his hand before it even touched his lips.
Izuku gave a start, blinking when he noticed a shadow over him. He looked up to meet a disapproving red gaze and white hair.
“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Dad asked sternly. Izuku watched as he turned the glass over, spilling all of its contents out. “Izuku, you know what I said about drinking. You’re not old enough.”
“Oi! I paid for that!” Gran complained as the wine splashed on the ground.
Dad shot him a dirty look, throwing the cup at Gran’s head—though Gran dodged it with ease. “Well then you should’ve enjoyed it instead of giving it to a child.”
“He was just tryin’ a sip. Don’t go getting ya knickers in a knot.” Gran waved him off, going to drink directly from the bottle instead.
“I will when you try to give a minor alcohol!” Dad hissed, snatching the bottle of wine out of Gran’s hand as well, to the man’s surprise.
“Hey! That’s mine—” Gran tried to say, but Dad had already begun pouring the wine out, and tossing it into the trash once it was empty. “The hell?! You’re wasting perfectly good wine!”
Dad just gave Gran a flat, unimpressed look. “Then go get some more. Preferably away from us.”
“Dad! Don’t be rude! You’re overreacting!” Izuku complained. “I just wanted to taste it!”
“Never again,” Dad whispered, looking haunted. “You’re never having alcohol ever again for as long as I live.”
“Again? I haven’t even had it once!”
Dad didn’t offer an explanation. “Never again,” he repeated solemnly.
“You’re being overly dramatic,” Gran started with a scowl. “A little alcohol don’t do no harm—”
Dad’s hand shot forward and grabbed Gran by the shirt, pulling him close. “You have no idea,” he said quietly, looking a bit crazed.
“The hell is wrong with you?” Gran griped, prying Dad’s hand off his person, thoroughly unimpressed. “You know what? I don’t wanna know. I’m gonna get me some more wine, find a nice lady, and—”
“Do NOT finish that sentence!” Dad hissed warningly.
“Stop cuttin’ me off, dang it.” Gran rolled his eyes before his gaze flicked over to Izuku.
Izuku nodded. “You can go, Gran. Dad and I will be fine.”
Gran pointed at him sternly. “Don’t tell Mirai, though. If he asks, I was right with ya both the whole time. Got it?”
Izuku gave a brief salute. “Aye, aye!”
“Yeah, whatever. Just go,” Dad grumped, shooing Gran away.
Gran waved him off, disappearing into the crowd within seconds of leaving. Izuku shifted uncomfortably at the look Dad was giving him, arms crossed and brows knitted together.
“It wasn’t a big deal,” he muttered under his breath.
“If it wasn’t your birthday, you’d be grounded right now,” Dad said firmly. “Don’t ever try to sneak a taste of alcohol again, got it?”
“Fine,” Izuku grumbled petulantly, cheeks puffing out. “Can we go visit some more places before heading back? We haven’t seen everything yet!”
Dad smiled, but he looked a bit tired. He didn’t mention it though, only holding out his hand. “Of course. What else did you want to look at?”
Instead of taking his hand this time, Izuku placed one of the little prizes he had won in it. “I want to go down that way.” He pointed to the left. “Can you hold some of these though? I have a lot of them.”
“Sure.” Dad accepted some of the prizes Izuku unloaded onto him, stuffing some into pockets and holding others. “Lead the way.”
They were nearing the outskirts of the city now, Izuku having dragged Hisashi all over the place. It was a bit quieter out here, further away from where all the main partying was happening. Hisashi certainly wasn’t complaining. He felt tired in an anxious way, his nerves worn and frayed from being surrounded by so many people for so long. So much noise and activity.
But Izuku was happy, and that was what was more important. Seeing his son smiling and laughing and excitedly playing games like a normal child was nice. Hisashi wouldn’t deny Izuku anything he wanted today.
Except for the alcohol, of course. Hisashi shuddered. Never again.
“Dad! Dad, look!” Izuku pointed to another game stall. “Can I try this one too?”
“Of course you can. Go on. I’ll watch,” Hisashi promised.
Izuku grinned from ear to ear and raced ahead, getting in line behind the one other person playing the game.
Hisashi looked around. There weren't very many people lingering about here, but he craved a moment of solitude. He spotted an alley a few feet off, one that would still allow him to keep an eye on Izuku, and approached it quickly. Entering the mouth of the alley, he sighed as he leaned into the cool stone of the building next to him, taking a moment to just breathe and have a second to himself. He kept Izuku in his sight though, who was still overlooking the stall excitedly.
Perhaps after Izuku was finished playing the game, they could start to head back and hopefully rest in the royal venue for a while. Hisashi wasn’t looking forward to going back through all the crowds of people, but the sole place he could really get some peace at the center of it all would be worth it. The buzz of chatter and footsteps currently still rang loudly in his ears, despite being in a relatively less populated area.
He had caught many of the people’s looks as they had walked through the city streets. Before, when they hadn’t known who he was, they stared at him with curiosity and intrigue. Now though, he caught a glimpse of mistrust and suspicion in their eyes. Once he saw a couple men’s faces light up with recognition, whispering under their breaths before hurrying off and away from them. And more than once, he saw hatred burning in people’s gazes, though they turned away whenever Izuku would glance in their direction.
Hisashi couldn’t really blame any of them for it though, given his history as a former vampire hunter. In their eyes, he was a murderer. He tried not to think too hard about that himself, the idea making him wince, his throat closing up a bit when he did. At least no one had bothered him today, too caught up in the celebrations (and possibly Izuku’s threats). He figured it would probably be best after this to wait a while to go back into the city, just until the hype over his…reveal…had died down.
Hisashi shoved off the wall after a few long minutes, watching with a smile as Izuku happily accepted a toy he had won from the stall owner, bouncing on the heels of his feet. Hisashi started making his way back over to his son, ready to head back.
Or at least he would have, were it not for the rope that suddenly wrapped around his throat. He was yanked hard deeper into the alley, rasping for air as it was stolen from his lungs. A hand found his own, taking advantage of his surprise to twist it behind him, and Hisashi felt something clasp around his wrist. A pain-filled hiss tore from his teeth when it burned.
He instinctively lashed out with his other hand, but he was aiming blindly. He only managed to knock over a trash can, and after a brief grapple his other wrist was also encased in the same burning sensation.
Silver.
Hisashi opened his mouth to shout, but the rope around his neck was yanked on again, preventing him from emitting anything but a choked wheeze. A strip of cloth was then quickly stuffed into his open mouth, preventing him from using his fangs.
He could see he was surrounded by six men now, all armed with silver weapons. He struggled against them, but the skin of his wrists sizzled and burned, the silver weakening him. And as strong as he’d become as a vampire, a rope around the neck was still an effective tool, and they used it to drag him down the alley, away from the city and celebrations and—
And Izuku.
Hisashi stopped struggling. What if they were after Izuku? Should he try and fight? But what if fighting made them go after his son instead? It would be better to make sure all their attention stayed on him. He couldn’t allow them to get to Izuku.
His indecision cost him time, and before he knew it, he was outside the city limits and being bullied into the back of a wagon. More rope was used to wrap around his body, which Hisashi would have normally been able to tear through if not for the silver cuffs around his wrists.
When they tried to tie his legs though, Hisashi kicked out, breaking one man’s nose. He reveled in the pained shout it brought, sneering at them as best he could around the gag. Of course, his move did not win him any favours, and in retaliation the man whose nose he broke lashed out with a silver dagger, slicing a searing cut across Hisashi’s cheek. All six men then held him down together to continue tying him up, making sure he couldn’t run.
As the wagon began to move, Hisashi only hoped Izuku was still safe.
“Thank you!” Izuku chirped to the stall owner as he accepted his prize for winning.
“No, thank you for playing, Your Majesty,” the owner replied, smiling. “And happy birthday!”
“Thank you,” Izuku said again, though he felt a little guilty about accepting all the birthday wishes when it likely wasn’t actually his birthday. But there was no use dwelling on it when he couldn’t change it, so instead Izuku turned and skipped off to where his dad was waiting. “Dad, look! Did you see…” he trailed off.
Dad wasn’t there.
Had he gone to another stall? Gotten distracted? He said he would watch! With a huff, Izuku looked around, trying to spot the tall form of his father.
“Dad?” he called. “Dad!”
There was no response, but Izuku told himself not to panic, even as anxiety welled up in him. He walked around in a circle, holding his new prize and trying to figure out where Dad had gone. He’d been right there earlier! Izuku had seen him!
He reached the last spot he’d seen Dad in, but there was no sign of the man himself. He sighed and turned to go back to the stall owner, wanting to ask if they’d seen anything, but something crunched under his foot. He paused, lifting his foot and looking down to see one of the prizes he had given Dad laying on the ground. Izuku frowned, reaching down to grab the toy with increasing worry as he noticed it looked like it had been stomped on several times.
Tears threatened to prick at his eyes, but he forced them back. He turned around, the furrow between his brows increasing when he examined his surroundings more and saw a trash can that had been toppled over, alongside several prints of footsteps tracking muck down the alley. And a streak through it all, like someone had been dragged—
No.
“Dad?!” Izuku’s voice went up to a panicked screech. He moved further into the alley, but didn’t see anyone.
Dad was gone.
Someone… Someone had taken Dad. Kidnapped him.
He’d lost another parent.
Izuku screamed, loud and shrill, sparks of green lightning coming to life around him as he howled his rage.
His cries were only broken by the sound of footsteps rushing up behind him, and he whirled around, snarling.
The stall owner he’d been talking to before stood there, wide-eyed. “Your Majesty?!” they called tentatively. “Are you alright?! I heard you scream—”
“They took him!” Izuku screeched angrily. “They took my dad! THEY TOOK HIM!”
He tensed, ready to spring forward and chase down those responsible. His magic was practically boiling in his veins with his rage, making the alley slightly glow green.
“Y-Your Majesty, please wait!” the stall owner insisted, but Izuku could hardly hear over the blood pulsing in his ears. “It’s too dangerous for you to go on your own! I’ll call the guard and—”
But Izuku refused to listen any further, barreling down the alley in a blaze of lightning, running faster than he ever had before. His form was a blur as he raced down a few back alley streets, following the faint trails left behind. The seconds spent searching felt as though they stretched out into hours, his anger rising with each one that passed.
It wasn’t long before he found himself at the city outskirts, his feet skidding to a stop when a smell slapped him in the face.
Blood.
His father’s blood.
Izuku wailed with fury, erratic bolts of electricity arcing off his form. They hurt him! They hurt his dad! He snarled, a feral hiss tearing itself from his throat. His eyes became consumed in the magic maelstrom around him, glowing as lightning crackled through his hair. With rage making his magic uncontrolled, he set off after the scent of blood and whoever dared to take his father from him.
He would find them. He would find them and then he was going to make them suffer.
Hisashi struggled and writhed (for all the good it did him) as the wagon continued to move, only ceasing when one of the men threatened him with a silver blade. The sounds of civilization grew fainter and fainter, replaced by rustling trees and singing insects. His captors never spoke a word the entire time, not to Hisashi and not to each other.
But eventually the wagon came to a stop. Hisashi grunted when he was roughly pulled out of the wagon and to the ground, dragged by the ropes restraining him. He was greeted by the sight of a campsite lit only by a few small, glowing lanterns. He winced when a hand fisted in his hair, pulling his head back. The cloth in his mouth was then pried free, and Hisashi sputtered and coughed, baring his fangs at his captors with an angry hiss.
But he froze when he saw a familiar face staring back at him, strands of lanky dark hair framing the man’s face. Red eyes were glaring at him, a wide mouth set into a sneer. For a few seconds, all Hisashi could do was stare.
“...Stain?” Hisashi finally managed to say in disbelief.
Stain studied him with the same disgust one might give a cockroach. “So it’s true. You’ve become one of those diseased creatures.”
“What the—” Hisashi started, but then Stain tightened the grip on his hair and he winced as he was pulled up to his knees. He froze when a blade flashed before his eyes, coming far too close for comfort.
“It’s a shame,” Stain said conversationally, as if he wasn’t holding a sword to Hisashi’s face. “We didn’t meet often, but I enjoyed our rare team ups. You were a fantastic hunter.”
Hisashi wondered if maybe he should have expected something like this. Stain hated vampires. Hated them more than anyone else Hisashi had known—more than Hisashi himself used to, even.
But how did Stain know he’d been turned? What sort of rumors about his disappearance had spread through Yuei? And what was Stain doing here, of all places? Hunters never dared to cross the borders of Yuei, especially in recent years.
Subtly, Hisashi tried to look around the area they had stopped at, mentally trying to tally how many enemies were surrounding him. But Stain pressed the blade closer to him to regain his attention, letting it sizzle against Hisashi’s skin.
“I figured you of all people would have had the decency to at least rid the word of your parasitic existence,” Stain sneered contemptuously. “You who knew what vampires were like better than any other. What happened to your pride as a hunter? As a human?”
Hisashi withheld a wince at his words, remembering all too well that he had tried to take his own life when he had first become a vampire. Back when he had been so misinformed and misguided.
“I was wrong,” Hisashi snapped, glaring at Stain in spite of the silver that burned his skin. “Vampires aren’t anything like you or I thought they were! They—”
“Hah!” Stain laughed gruffly, the sound harsh and devoid of humor. “Look at you! Proud to be a bloodsucker now, are you?” he mocked, reaching forward with a gloved hand to grasp one of Hisashi’s fangs.
Hisashi instinctively hissed at the touch, gnashing his teeth in an attempt to bite at the offending hand.
Stain just grinned, whisking his hand away before Hisashi could do any damage. He roughly tossed Hisashi to the ground, where he landed on his side in the dirt. He struggled to get up when a boot kicked him in the ribs, making him wheeze and struggle to regain his breath.
“Well, look at this!” Stain continued on above him. “The famous monster hunter has become a monster himself!”
The other humans around them chuckled. Some of them Hisashi vaguely recognized as vampire hunters, but a few he didn’t know at all. Bounty hunters perhaps.
“I’m not a monster,” Hisashi managed through gritted teeth, scowling up at Stain. “Just because I became a vampire doesn’t mean that I became a monster!”
“Oh, I think it does,” Stain whispered to him. “I’m in a very good position to judge that.”
Hisashi knew he wouldn’t be able to change Stain’s mind, so he moved on. “What do you want with me?” he growled. “How did you even know I was turned? Everyone thought I was dead!”
Stain shrugged. “I have very knowledgeable employers.”
Hisashi’s brow furrowed. “What? You don’t work for anyone.”
Stain had never worked for or with anyone, no matter how much coin was flashed in front of his face. As far as Hisashi was aware, his rare team ups with Stain had been the most the man had ever collaborated with someone willingly.
“Things change,” Stain said, crouching on the tips of his feet.
“You? Change? Since when?” Hisashi scoffed. The thought that Stain could ever change was almost as laughable as All For One becoming a vampire.
“Since I found a like-minded ally that’s well on his way to eradicating vampirism from the face of this world,” Stain informed him. “Someone you know quite well, actually.”
“…What?” Hisashi stammered, staring at Stain with disbelief. “What are you talking about?”
He had never heard of such a thing, in all his years as a hunter, or his time as a vampire. No vampire had ever turned back into a human. The only “cure” for vampirism had been death.
“You might be a disappointment to him now, but you’ll be able to serve a use in other ways,” was all Stain replied with. “He’s looking forward to seeing you again, what with your new bloodline and all.”
Hisashi tensed further. Was this about something related to Izuku? Were they going to use him to get Izuku? What the hell was Stain going on about?! What did he mean someone Hisashi knew?
“Are you gonna kill me or not?!” Hisashi snapped, tired of all the mystery.
“No. Unfortunately they want you alive.” Stain looked a bit put-out at the idea of not getting to kill him. “But there’s a chance you might die later. Or, if you’re lucky, you might survive and become human again.”
“I always knew you had a few screws loose, Stain, but what you’re talking about is insane,” Hisashi spat out. “There’s no cure for vampirism! You’re being played and you don’t even realize it!”
“Garaki disagrees,” Stain commented casually. “He’s already made significant breakthroughs, from what I hear. You’ll get to see for yourself firsthand soon enough.”
“Who the hell is Garaki?!” Hisashi shouted, struggling to break through the ropes binding him, but the silver around his wrists seared against his skin with the movement. He couldn’t do much more than squirm when Stain grabbed at the rope, dragging him through the dirt once more. “You’re nuts! You’ve completely lost it, Stain!”
Stain ignored him. He turned his attention to the other men. “Start loading up the cargo and heading deeper into the forest. Make sure you don’t lose those maps we snagged either. We can get back into Yuei unnoticed that way,” he ordered, sheathing his blade. His sharp eyes narrowed as they slowly began to do as instructed. “Quickly!”
Despite the situation, Hisashi felt the slightest bit of relief at that. If they were leaving so soon, then that meant they likely weren’t after Izuku.
Still, he wasn’t sure how yet, but he would have to escape. Preferably before they crossed the border. At least he didn’t have to worry about anyone else getting hurt due to his actions, though, just himself. And Hisashi was no stranger to pain.
“What is that?” one of the men said, breaking Hisashi from his thoughts. The man paused from where he had been packing, squinting his eyes and staring into the thick of trees.
The others paused as well, following his line of sight, prompting Hisashi to do the same with a sharp frown.
Flashes of green light burst in and out of existence in the distance, followed by loud, distant cracks.
Hisashi’s heart stopped.
No…
“Probably just a light show,” one of the others groused. “They were throwing that big celebration back in the city, remember?”
“It’s getting closer though,” someone else pointed out, sounding a bit nervous. “That’s not normal, right?”
It was getting closer, and Hisashi’s mouth went dry. He’d seen that green light before.
The men shuffled uncomfortably, murmuring to each other.
“Arm yourselves, you fools!” Stain commanded.
As the crackling flashes drew even closer, growing brighter and louder, the sound of animalistic screaming reached their ears.
No, no, no, no! Hisashi internally screamed too. Turn back! Don’t come!
But, of course, his wishes went unanswered. And a familiar small form came bursting into the clearing, howling with rage.
Izuku’s entire body was alight with electricity, his eyes glowing so brightly Hisashi could barely look at them. His son was snarling, practically frothing at the mouth with the amount of venom that dripped from his bared fangs.
“GIVE HIM BACK!” Izuku wailed in an almost unearthly howl, the words seeming to echo dementedly through the forest. “GIVE HIM BACK, HE’S MINE!”
There was a moment of stunned silence from the gathered hunters as they stared at the tiny, feral vampire child, clearly trying to come to terms with what exactly they were seeing. It didn’t last long, however, since a second later, Izuku’s eyes landed on Hisashi, and Hisashi felt the charge build in the air as his son took in his bound and bruised form.
Lightning exploded from Izuku’s body in a wild manner, and Hisashi had the feeling Izuku wasn’t currently able to control his magic with how powerful his rage was.
The humans screamed, some diving for cover while others dodged. One was not fortunate enough to do either though, and a bolt of lightning struck him in the chest. Electricity surged through the man’s body, causing him to seize in place before he fell over heavily onto the ground in a twitching mess. Smoke rose from the charred bits of his clothes and skin, his breathing coming shallowly. Another bolt struck the cart, causing it to explode into a shower of scorched wood and splinters, its cargo catching fire and burning away.
Izuku gave no care, running into the encampment straight for Hisashi.
He was quickly intercepted by another man, a blond who was the biggest and burliest of the lot. He had magic dancing on his fingertips as he reached out to grab Izuku, and Hisashi’s heart seized.
But Izuku grabbed the man instead and, with a strength Hisashi knew he was capable of but had never truly witnessed in full, threw the man clear across the encampment. The man flew like a bomb from a cannon, crashing into a tree with such force the tree’s trunk cracked in half and began to fall backwards.
That man did not stand back up again.
And still, Izuku paid it no mind, eyes focused solely on Hisashi and where Stain was still holding the ropes that bound him. Stain did not move.
Hisashi saw when Izuku’s eyes met Stain’s. They narrowed, the blaze of light consuming them glowing even brighter, before Izuku resumed his charge for Hisashi.
“Izuku, go back!” Hisashi shouted at his approaching son. “Izuku—!”
Izuku moved inhumanly fast, but surprisingly, so did Stain, the man waiting until the last minute before he dropped Hisashi’s ropes and dodged, his sword flying out and slashing a cut across Izuku’s back.
It didn’t seem too deep, but Izuku cried out with pain from the silver.
“NO!” Hisashi struggled furiously. “IZUKU! IZUKU!” he screamed, watching as his son fell to the ground at his feet. The brilliant flashes of lightning began to die away, and for a moment Hisashi feared the worst.
But when Stain jumped forward to take advantage of Izuku’s vulnerable position, Izuku’s hand shot out and grabbed the man’s ankle. With an audible grunt, Izuku yanked Stain’s legs out from under him, sending his sword tumbling to the side when Stain was tossed away, smashing into a pile of supplies near the burning cart.
Immediately, Izuku’s attention turned from the enemy, eyes locking onto Hisashi once more. With Stain temporarily down, Izuku rushed forward, claws slicing through the ropes binding Hisashi like they were fragile strings.
With his legs free, Hisashi scrambled upright as best he could with his arms still shackled behind him. “Izuku, go! Run! Get out of here!” he demanded, trying to get his son to flee.
Izuku ignored him, eyes glazed over with a primal sort of look to them. He winced when he moved, the cut clearly causing him pain, but he forced Hisashi to turn around, hissing angrily as he spied the silver cuffs binding Hisashi’s hands.
“Leave, Izuku! Please! Go back to the city!” Hisashi all but begged.
“No!” Izuku snarled.
Small hands grabbed the chain between the cuffs, Izuku screaming as the silver burned his palms. But despite Hisashi’s protests, he yanked.
The chain broke apart under his hands.
At the same time, Hisashi saw the flash of a blade coming towards him from the corner of his eye.
Unfortunately, Izuku saw it too.
He shoved Hisashi in the back harshly, pushing him to the ground. Hisashi’s face met the dirt at the same time an ear-piercing cry of pain echoed through the encampment.
Izuku.
Hisashi flipped over quickly to see Stain’s sword coated with red, blood spurting from Izuku’s shoulder and back. His son’s face was crumpled with agony, his countenance changing from the unearthly force he’d been just a minute ago, to a young, injured child.
“No…” Hisashi whispered, feeling frozen in place as he stared at the blood pouring from his son's wound.
Izuku fell to his knees, crying with pain. The other humans rushed forward, grabbing the boy and holding him down. A feral snarl ripped out of Hisashi when they shoved Izuku’s face into the dirt and fisted a hand in his hair. Hisashi fought against the ropes still binding his arms, desperately trying to claw them away. He had to reach his son, had to save him—
Hisashi tensed when Stain turned his attention back to him with a manic, toothy grin, blood trickling down his face. Hisashi worked faster to cut through the ropes as the deranged hunter took a step towards him.
Izuku watched helplessly, his face awashed with terror as Stain continued to encroach on Hisashi with a demonic look in his eyes, sword drawn.
“S-Stop!” Izuku demanded, but it was for naught as the blade rose. “STOP!” Izuku shouted once more, tears streaming down his face.
Stain stepped closer. He raised his weapon, readying to swing down.
Izuku’s eyes squeezed shut and he screamed, “STOP!”
Stain stopped.
No, he didn’t just stop. He froze. Right in mid-motion, similar to the way… The way Hisashi used to when Izuku ordered him…
Hisashi gaped up at Stain in shock, able to see the way the man’s face screwed up into a furious snarl.
But he didn’t move.
“…Uh, Stain?” one of the humans asked. “You gonna kill that monster or what?”
Another human quickly used the still moment to lock a pair of silver cuffs around Izuku’s wrists, Izuku whimpering at the burning sensation.
“…Stain?” Hisashi asked hesitantly when the man still did not move.
“What are you doing, Stain? Get him!” someone shouted.
Hisashi stared in disbelief at the hunter before him, Stain’s expression twisted and clearly struggling. His face reddened from the stress and a minor tremor went through him before he returned to his still state, as immobile as a statue.
“…You’re a vampire,” Hisashi said as the realization clicked in his brain.
Rage filled those red eyes as they stared into Hisashi’s own.
“What nonsense are you spouting?” a human scoffed. A hand landed on Stain’s shoulder. “C’mon Stain, let’s get this over with—”
Hisashi wasted no more time.
He shot to his feet, the ropes that had been binding his arms falling to the ground as his claws finally managed to cut through. He easily snatched the short sword from Stain’s frozen hand, and landed a powerful kick on the human right behind Stain, sending him rolling across the ground. Hisashi could feel the silver around his wrists still sapping at his strength, but with the chain broken, he was free to move, and he wasn’t going to let them hurt his son anymore.
The other humans were quick to react, racing to stop him. But with a blade in hand Hisashi was a dangerous force. He struck and dodged, sword whirling with practiced, expert movements as he engaged his captors, fighting towards his crying son. He wasn’t as strong as Izuku, but he was a far more experienced fighter, and Hisashi had a few men down within minutes.
He knew they would get back up, though, his focus was more on getting to Izuku than killing, and he didn’t have much time. It would be best to try to escape and regroup in the city than try to dispatch all these hunters on his own while they were both injured.
But one of the men clearly caught on to Hisashi’s goal, and reached forward to grab Izuku.
With a roar, Hisashi lunged for that man, his borrowed sword cleaving a gash across the man’s chest. As the man stumbled back in pain, Hisashi grabbed his son, pulling him close and backing up. Some of the other humans were gathering themselves now, and Hisashi held his sword in front of himself defensively as he slowly walked backwards with Izuku, eyes darting from one opponent to the next as they tried to encircle him.
This wasn’t good. If only he could get these wretched cuffs off, he’d be able to wipe the ground with them!
Hisashi grit his teeth and hissed deeply, a dark, primal sound tearing from his throat, warning his enemies back. Izuku was sobbing, his shaking, bound hands grasping Hisashi’s clothes desperately, huddling close to Hisashi’s side.
Stain was howling in anger from where he was still frozen off to the side, but no one paid him much attention as the humans fanned out and began to approach Hisashi as one.
Hisashi tensed, readying himself to try and fight them all off at the same time, chest rumbling with a growl.
And then a large blur shot past his field of vision, and the human on the far left disappeared.
…What?
It made the others pause, and the blur—too fast for the humans’ eyes to see—reappeared, the man on the far right going down, a deep gouge in his throat. The others gasped, turning to their fallen comrade in shock as he writhed on the ground, hands at his neck as his movements quickly slowed and stilled.
It caused the others to scatter, looking around wildly to find the threat. A few of them ran at Hisashi, perhaps thinking he was responsible, and suddenly the fight was on again. Hisashi desperately defended his son from their attacks, but was hindered from fighting properly with Izuku so close by. The blur had also disappeared on them, but Hisashi thought he was holding his own okay.
Then the arrows started flying, one of the men having taken cover behind the remains of the cart.
With his skill as a hunter, Hisashi managed to parry an arrow with his sword, but such a feat was incredibly difficult, and as they kept coming, he was growing tired, trying to dodge arrows while fending off the two combatants directly in front of him.
Still, as he managed to take one of the humans down, he noticed the bowman reposition himself, an arrow aimed just off to the side, right at—
Hisashi threw himself forward as the arrow was released, jumping in the front and shoving Izuku behind him. For a moment, he could’ve sworn time slowed as he watched the silver-tipped arrow head straight towards his heart.
Then out of nowhere, a hand intercepted it at an insane speed, snatching the arrow right out of the air. At the same time, the other human engaged with Hisashi in combat was slammed to the ground.
“Stay down,” Gran Torino snarled, his voice colder than Hisashi had ever heard it.
The human stared up at Gran with terrified eyes, before the hand around his neck tightened and a sharp crack echoed out.
The silver arrow in Gran’s bloodied hand was snapped in half, falling to the ground as the elder vampire rose fully. Streaks of yellow lightning crackled briefly around his form before dissipating, but Hisashi could still feel the static in the air. Gran’s eyes blazed with a fury that Hisashi had never seen before, staring at the remaining humans with an expression that promised death.
“Get them!” a hunter began to shout, urging for his companions to continue the assault. “Surround them and—” His voice cut off with a gurgle as blood bubbled up his throat.
In the time it took to blink, claws had swiped through his neck so deeply that Hisashi could make out the white of bone as a river of red poured out. The hunter made a strangled gasp, hand rising to his throat before he collapsed into a lifeless heap on the ground.
And before the others could even react, Gran was already on them, ripping through the hunters—quite literally—with extreme prejudice. He moved so fast Hisashi could only watch as one by one the hunters fell, blood and viscera splattering the campsite.
It made Hisashi all the more glad that he was no longer a hunter himself.
Izuku flinched at the sound of claws rending through flesh, and at the dying breaths of the hunters as their bodies thudded heavily to the ground. Fear and horror flashed across his features when he peeked up from where he had hidden his face and caught a glimpse of the massacre around him. With his free hand, Hisashi firmly pushed Izuku’s face back into his shirt so that he couldn’t see the bloodbath happening around them.
Hisashi himself stayed where he was, hovering over his son, sword raised in case anyone got too close.
Soon enough there were only two hunters remaining: Stain, still frozen in place, and a single human that held his weapon in a shaking hold, his entire body trembling as Gran, coated in red, stared him down from where the corpses of his comrades were strewn about. When Gran took a slow step towards him, claws at the ready, the human dropped his sword with a terrified scream, turning his back to them to flee.
He didn’t get far. Gran pounced like a cat, snarling.
“P-Please—” the man tried to beg for his life, but Gran would not hear it.
His claws pierced the man’s sides and his fangs the man’s throat. With a jerk of his head, he tore out a chunk of it, cartilage visible between his teeth. The man writhed with a horrid wet gurgle, then went limp.
Hisashi heard Izuku gag next to him, still able to hear what was going on.
More rushed footsteps approached their location as Gran stood back up, spitting out the chunk of flesh between his teeth, and Hisashi whirled around, sword at the ready.
A group of royal guards appeared from out of the trees, looking winded.
“We’re here…Lord Torino…” one of them gasped.
“He runs so bloody fast,” someone in the back complained, wheezing.
The leader of the group paused, taking in the scene with all the dead hunters. He sheathed his sword and put his hands on his hips. “Well. Good work men! Our job here is done.”
Gran sent the guards a scathing look. “Took you long enough,” he spat out.
“What about him?” A guard pointed to Stain, the man visibly trembling a little, though whether from fear or rage, Hisashi didn’t know. All he knew was that as long as Stain was still breathing, he was a threat to him and his child.
“Never mind him!” another shouted frantically, and Hisashi instinctively tensed when several pairs of eyes fell on his son and the cuts along his back. “The king is wounded! We need to tend to him at once!”
A few of the guards swiftly approached them, looking concerned. Hisashi tried to quell his instincts, but everything in him was on high alert, and as soon as the guards came too close, he lashed out with his sword, hissing.
They stopped dead, the one in front putting his hands up and stepping back.
“Someone find the keys to those cuffs! Now!” the captain shouted at his men, and they quickly set about searching the camp and the bodies littering it.
Hisashi clutched Izuku closer to him, though he tried to be careful about the silver around his wrists, not wanting to burn his son anymore. He growled at anyone who got too close, feeling tense.
“I found the keys! This guy is still alive!” one of the soldiers called after a few minutes. He was off to the side, near the downed tree.
Huh. Izuku’s throw must not have killed that blond man like Hisashi had initially thought.
Gran was there in an instant. “Not for long he ain’t.” He snatched the keys from the soldier and stomped down with his foot.
Even though Hisashi couldn’t see the man from where he was, he heard the wretched squishing noise as Gran ended the hunter’s life. Izuku flinched at the sound, a whimper escaping him as his small hands tightened their grip.
“N-No more!” Izuku begged, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “No more!”
In the next instant, Gran was standing a few feet away from him, covered in blood and filth, the key dangling from his hand. Hisashi stiffened when Gran moved closer, dark eyes taking in the bleeding cuts on Izuku’s back, his expression contorted with anger and his eyes shining with guilt. A primal hiss escaped Hisashi when Gran reached out with a trembling hand to touch his son.
Gran paused, just out of reach.
Hisashi kept his narrowed, glowing gaze on Gran, watching every little movement he made, lips curled and fangs bared. He had just witnessed the man butcher nearly a dozen men in minutes. Hisashi had no doubt that if Gran wanted to, he could easily do the same to them in their weakened states, and there was no love lost between himself and the elder vampire.
“You need to let Izuku go, Hisashi,” Gran told him, tone quiet and even.
Hisashi only held his crying son even closer, grip tightening on the sword in his hand.
“We need to get those cuffs off of him. If you don’t let him go, the silver is gonna keep burning him. Is that what you want?”
Hisashi hesitated, looking down at the silver binding Izuku’s wrists and the pink, almost reddish skin peeking out from where the cuffs were clamped down around them. Every instinct in Hisashi screamed at him to keep his son close and protected, but his rational mind was shouting at him that this was Gran; that the man would no sooner hurt Izuku than Hisashi himself would.
He had to fight both himself and the deathhold his son had on him as he turned Izuku to face Gran, holding the boy’s hands out so that Gran could remove the loathsome silver burning him. The sound of pain Izuku made when the motion aggravated the burns made Hisashi feel terrible, the boy’s breath hitching on a broken sob.
Gran still didn’t approach.
“Put the sword down, Hisashi,” he said, and Hisashi had never heard Gran’s voice sound as nice to him as it did in that moment, the older vampire trying to coax him. “No one else here is going to hurt you.”
Hisashi’s eyes flicked over to where Stain stood frozen.
Gran followed his gaze and frowned. “Somebody secure him,” he ordered to the group behind him.
A few guards rushed to do so, and as they were occupied Gran turned back to Hisashi.
“Hisashi, you have to put the sword down, okay? I want to take Izuku’s cuffs off. We’re going to get him all fixed up. Put the sword down, please,” he requested, taking small steps forward.
Hisashi’s arm wavered, fighting his own instincts that howled to not allow anyone near his injured child. His body shook with exhaustion, but would not allow him to relax. “I-I can’t…”
Gran kept inching towards him slowly, pausing anytime Hisashi tensed and growled. Once he was within range, he quickly snatched the silver sword from Hisashi’s hand, throwing it to the side faster than Hisashi could stop him. With that threat gone, Gran’s attention refocused on Izuku, and he swiftly unlocked the silver cuffs. The both of them grimaced as they got a full view of the burns on Izuku’s wrists.
“I-It hurts,” Izuku cried, immediately turning to bury his face into Hisashi’s chest with a harsh sob, gripping onto Hisashi’s shirt with shaking hands. “It hurts!”
“His back is injured too,” Hisashi rasped out. “Stain got him with the silver sword.”
“We need to get him to the royal healer,” Gran said as he unlocked the cuffs around Hisashi’s own wrists.
Hisashi sucked in an uneven breath of relief as the burning sensation left him, cool air stinging against his welted and reddened skin. But he paid it no mind, instead lifting his son up and holding him close despite how his weakened hands ached.
“Give him to me. I can get Izuku there faster than anyone,” Gran said, holding his arms out.
Hisashi clutched Izuku tighter, shaking his head wildly and backing up a step.
“No!” Izuku refused outright, arms wrapping around Hisashi’s neck.
Gran sighed, realizing he wouldn’t be able to talk Hisashi into letting Izuku go. “Fine. But we need to hurry. Follow me back to the castle.”
Hisashi waited for Gran to walk a bit away before following, keeping a distance between himself and the elder vampire. As they left, Gran looked over his shoulder to bark out an order to the royal guards.
“Take the hunter to the prison,” he directed at the men securing Stain in restraints. “I’ll deal with him later myself.”
“Yes, sir!”
They wasted no time racing back to the city after that, neither of them speaking to the other. The silence was broken only by their rushed footsteps and Izuku’s pitiful cries. Hisashi murmured soft comforts to him along the way, trying to reassure his son that everything was alright—even though he himself was still on edge. And he grew more so the closer they drew to the city, the clamor of many people reaching his ears.
But he couldn’t let it stop his march to the castle. His son needed medical attention, and he needed it now.
Hisashi hesitated only momentarily when he saw a group of people on the streets ahead of him, arms tightening around his son when they noticed him. He could see the shock on their faces, a few hands rising to cover mouths. It didn’t take long for a crowd to start gathering to stare, Hisashi baring his fangs when they drew closer.
A murmur of discontent ran through the people.
“Get out of the way!” Gran shouted at the crowds. “Clear a path for the king!”
It took some more yelling on Gran’s part, but slowly the crowd shifted, clearing a way forward for them. As Hisashi followed Gran, he could hear the people talking amongst themselves.
“The king’s been hurt!” someone shouted.
“But who would—”
“Did All For One—?”
“—and on his birthday, no less!”
Hisashi held Izuku closely, ignoring the stares and hushed whispers of the people as he rushed through the streets of the city, Gran just ahead of him. The commotion was steadily growing, worry spreading through the crowd. But Hisashi didn’t care to hear any of it, hissing at anyone that dared to get too close to him or his son in his mad dash towards the castle.
Mirai met them just as they finally neared the castle gates, looking panicked. “Gran! Gran, did you—?” he cut off as he caught sight of Izuku in Hisashi’s arms. “Izuku!”
He made a move forward as if to touch Izuku, and Hisashi snarled, fangs snapping threateningly.
“Take him to the infirmary!” Mirai demanded after drawing his hands back, motioning for Hisashi to walk behind him. “We need to tend to his wounds at once! Follow me. Now!” Mirai’s eyes whipped over to Gran. “Gran, go to the healer immediately! Let them know we are coming and to prepare for our arrival.”
Hisashi didn’t argue as Gran disappeared in a rush of wind. He followed behind Mirai as the man quickly led him through the corridors in a blur of lefts and rights, all but slamming the door open once they reached their destination, revealing a room Hisashi had seen only once before.
Gran was already there, informing the healer of Izuku’s wounds as they prepared a bed, hastily moving about to gather medicine for silver poisoning.
“Put him here,” she instructed when Hisashi arrived.
Hisashi moved to the bed, but hesitated in actually placing Izuku down.
“Well? Hurry up. I must treat the king,” she said impatiently, coming up to Hisashi.
Hisashi hissed instinctively at her proximity. Deep in his mind he was embarrassed with how he was behaving, but he couldn’t help himself.
The healer only looked unimpressed though. “Don’t you hiss at me,” she scolded, crossing her arms. “Put the king down. I cannot treat him if you act like this.”
Slowly, and with incredible effort, Hisashi lowered Izuku onto the bed on his side, rolling his son onto his stomach. “It’s his back,” he said quietly.
“Dad!” Izuku cried when Hisashi backed away to allow the healer to do her work.
His heart ached at his son's pleading voice, and it took everything in him not to instantly move back to his side, Izuku’s watery eyes looking up at him desperately.
“I'm here, Izuku,” Hisashi reassured him, reaching out to grasp Izuku’s hand. Izuku squeezed it shakily, and Hisashi couldn’t help but notice the lack of strength that was usually behind it. “Just let the healer help you.”
The healer nodded curtly and went straight to work after washing her hands.
Hisashi winced at the pained cry Izuku made as the healer removed his shirt, revealing the long gash and stab wound etched into his back, the flesh blackened from where the silver had cut into his skin, dark veins spreading out from it.
“Oh my goodness…” Mirai said in a hushed whisper as he took in the sight of the injuries.
Gran grimaced at the sight, his hands fisting at his sides. His whole body shook, and he took a step forward towards them as Hisashi comforted Izuku, who looked up at Gran as he approached. Gran then paused, looking heavily conflicted before stepping back again, turning his head away.
Through the sounds of the healer moving about and Izuku’s tears, Hisashi thought he heard a small, shaky intake of air behind him.
Izuku cried and whimpered as the healer treated the poisoning in his system, Hisashi holding his son’s hand the entire time. It was a relief when the healer finally used her magic to help close the wounds, though it was immediately clear her healing magic was not as powerful as Izuku’s. The wounds only healed into a scabbed-over state, the healer panting from magical exhaustion afterwards. Izuku’s skin was left still marred with blackened veins, indicative of the poison still lingering in his body.
“That’s the best I can do for now,” she murmured. “I’ll fix up a tonic with a glass of blood to help with the rest of the poisoning in his system. He’ll need to rest to recover fully.”
“I’ll get the blood,” Gran offered, and before anyone could say anything he was out the door.
He returned less than a minute later, a glass in one hand and a bottle of high-quality blood in the other. He wasted no time in opening the bottle, pouring some and setting it on the table beside the bed.
The healer nodded her thanks and moved to apply poultice and bandage Izuku’s wounds, shooing Hisashi away as she wrapped up Izuku’s wrists and back. She then went about mixing up a tonic, pouring it into the glass of blood for Izuku to drink.
Hisashi felt horrible watching it all. When he’d been stabbed with silver, Izuku had made sure he was healed to the point that there wasn’t even a scar left behind. But all he could do now was hold his son’s hand. Why did Izuku have to suffer like this?
Not for the first time, Hisashi wished he had healing abilities. He moved in to pick his son up, but the healer’s hand shot out and grabbed his forearm.
“You need to leave him be,” she said, even as she began to tend to Hisashi’s own wounds. “He won’t heal properly if he doesn’t rest. There’s nothing more we can do right now.”
Hisashi bristled. “He’ll rest better in his room.”
“He’ll rest here,” the healer said firmly, “where I can monitor his condition.”
Annoyed with her, Hisashi made to pull back, interrupting her work.
“Stop that.” She whacked him lightly, tugging his arms back towards her to keep working on his burns.
Gran and Mirai had moved to speak in hushed tones in the doorway, and when the healer finished tending to the cut on his cheek, Mirai turned to Hisashi.
“Can you step outside? We’d like to have a discussion with you about what happened today,” he requested.
Hisashi hesitated, looking between Izuku and Mirai. He took a tentative step towards the door.
“Don’t go!” Izuku’s voice cried out, a trembling hand reaching out to grab for Hisashi's. Large, fearful green eyes stared up at him. “Don’t leave me!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Hisashi promised him, enfolding his grasp around the much smaller hand, careful of the bandages wrapped around Izuku’s wrists.
Izuku choked down a relieved sob, more tears slipping from his eyes.
Hisashi shushed him gently, brushing a hand through his hair, and spared a brief glance towards Mirai and Gran. “...We’ll have to talk later. Izuku needs me at his side right now.”
Mirai pursed his lips in displeasure, but for once the man didn’t argue with him, conceding with a simple nod. “Very well then.” Mirai turned his attention to Gran, eyes glowing in a blaze of molten gold when they met Gran’s own dark ones.
Gran wasn’t able to look at them for long, shame appearing in his gaze.
“There is much we need to discuss, Sorahiko,” Mirai stated coldly, gesturing to the door.
Gran hesitated, looking over to where Hisashi stood. Hisashi could almost feel the conflicting turmoil stirring within the elder vampire.
“...You’ll keep watch over him?” Gran asked.
“With my life,” Hisashi swore.
Gran nodded, and with that reassurance he left with Mirai.
Notes:
This chapter has a new art piece for it 👀 found here based on the kidnapping scene. Go check out the artist!
Hisashi’s Bad Things Happen At Events™️ track record has another mark on it.
Izuku: “One day I’m just going to stop having any events ever. Something always happens to you.”
Hisashi: “It’s just bad luck! Or coincidence. You can’t just cancel everything forever.”
Izuku: “I can. I’m the king. Maybe I should just keep you locked up in the castle at all times or something. That way nothing can get you.”
The other AFO’s across universes: “That’s my boy!! So proud of you!! Look at that vaulting instinct!” 😭😍🥰
Working hard or hardly working?
Hisashi: “So why is Gran head of the royal guard? He's an old geezer that isn't interested in his job at all. Doesn't seem like he'd be an effective protector.”
Mirai: “I have my doubts sometimes as well. But despite Gran's lack of responsibility, he is quite capable. Sometimes.”
Gran: “Oi! What'dya mean ‘sometimes’?!”
Mirai: “He’s also a nepo baby. That’s why he has the job in the first place.”
Gran: “Oi!”
Hisashi: “Don’t think I’ve seen him actually work a day since I was brought here, so I'll take your word for it.”
Gran: “Workin is for chumps!”
Hisashi: “You’re just lazy.”
Gran: *kills a dozen men in seconds*
Hisashi: …
Gran: “You were saying?”
Why you shouldn't ignore your instincts.
Izuku: “Everything is going so well!” *squints suspiciously* “Too well. Something bad is about to happen isn't it?”
Hisashi: “Ah, you worry too much, Izuku. I'll be right back, okay?”
Izuku: *Hisashi is about to be in danger sense tingles* “I dunno, Dad...”
Hisashi: “Oh, hush you. Go play games and enjoy your birthday.”
Izuku: “Okay, but stay safe!”
*five minutes later Hisashi is kidnapped*
Izuku: “I KNEW IT!!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 34
Summary:
Gran wasn’t able to look at them for long, shame appearing in his gaze.
“There is much we need to discuss, Sorahiko,” Mirai stated coldly, gesturing to the door.
Gran hesitated, looking over to where Hisashi stood. Hisashi could almost feel the conflicting turmoil stirring within the elder vampire.
“...You’ll keep watch over him?” Gran asked.
“With my life,” Hisashi swore.
Gran nodded, and with that reassurance he left with Mirai.
Notes:
Ilentari
Found a tiny spider in my hair early in the morning :( nasty. A 0/10 experience 👎RianMoeru
Hm...y'know, since our story is so niche and different from canon MHA, if we just changed the names of the characters in our story, it'd be an original work 🤔
*Begins process of publishing a book with Illentari*
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The door slammed shut behind them after they entered Mirai’s office.
“What the hell happened out there, Sorahiko?!” Mirai yelled.
Sorahiko winced at the uncharacteristic rise in tone from the man. He was in for it deep this time. “I—”
“YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HIM!” Mirai roared.
Sorahiko had no excuse for that. “…I know.” He ran a hand down his face tiredly. This was all his fault. If he had just stayed with them… “I just—I…”
“You what?!”
“I left,” he admitted quietly.
“You abandoned your post!” Mirai hissed through his teeth. “You LEFT Izuku to fend for himself! Our king! Our ward! And for what?! A bottle of alcohol or some whore?!”
“Izuku told me I could go! They both practically pushed me to leave and…and I did.” It had been a bad choice.
“And look at what happened!” Mirai shouted, an accusing claw pointed at him. “Izuku nearly died because of your negligence! What do you have to say for yourself?! How could you let something like this happen?! Again?!”
Sorahiko flinched, the words like barbed arrows to his heart. But Mirai wasn’t wrong. Another Midoriya had almost died on his watch. He’d almost lost his—
“I know Mirai, I know!” His frustration at himself welled up. “I should’ve kept a closer eye on him! I shouldn’t have left! I KNOW!”
Mirai was visibly trying to compose himself, taking measured, even breaths. “What even happened?”
“Hisashi was kidnapped by a band of hunters,” Sorahiko explained with a weary sigh, slumping against the wall. “And instead of waiting for the guard, Izuku went ahead and chased them down himself. I didn’t even hear about the situation until after he’d already disappeared. I moved as fast as I could, but…”
Mirai pinched the bridge of his nose. “At least Izuku is still alive. A pity Hisashi is as well, but—”
“Hisashi is the only reason Izuku is still alive,” Sorahiko interrupted.
“…What?”
“He jumped in the way of a strike meant for Izuku. That silver arrow could have easily killed him, and Hisashi threw himself in its path without even hesitating,” Sorahiko explained.
Mirai looked stunned.
Sorahiko looked out the window as the thought that had been on his mind since he’d come across the encampment made itself known. Since the day Izuku had had his portrait made, really. “I don’t think Hisashi’s fakin’ it when he says he loves Izuku.”
“But he—!” Mirai clearly didn’t want to believe it.
Neither did Sorahiko, but he couldn’t deny what was in front of him any longer. “Who puts their life on the line for a lie, Mirai? If Hisashi wanted the throne that would’ve been the perfect moment to get it; allowing them to take Izuku out.”
“...What did they even want with Hisashi?” Mirai pressed, changing the subject. “If they had wanted a ransom or something to hold over us, His Majesty would have been the more valuable target.”
“Dunno.” Sorahiko shrugged. “Didn’t really have time to ask questions while I was ripping out their throats.”
Mirai hissed in frustration. “So you learned nothing of their motives before you killed them?”
“No.” Sorahiko shook his head. “But I left one of them alive. We can still get answers from him.”
“Very well,” Mirai muttered, pausing in thought as he considered their options. “...Have an interrogator enthrall the human then, to get the answers we need.”
“I’ll do it myself,” Sorahiko said, anger building up in him at the thought of the lone surviving hunter. He hadn’t intended to let him live, but Izuku’s injuries had been the more pressing issue.
“See to it we get our answers then,” Mirai instructed grimly.
“Course. But in the meantime, you should speak to the public,” Sorahiko suggested. “They saw the state Izuku was in when Hisashi was carrying him back to the castle. They’re whispering about what happened, and unrest is already rising. Doesn’t help that the guards are also probably gossiping about it as we speak.”
“Very well.” Mirai looked tired. “I’ll prepare an official statement to try and put the people at ease.”
“Make sure you tell ‘em that Hisashi saved Izuku,” Sorahiko said. “I heard ‘em all talking. Tempers are already flaring, and the last thing we need is a mob on our doorstep clamoring for Hisashi’s head. We don’t need a repeat of the Shimura incident.”
Mirai bit his lip. “Well, if the public wanted to ‘take care’ of Hisashi…”
“No, Mirai.” Sorahiko shook his head, motioning with his hand for Mirai to stop. “No more.”
Mirai blinked. “What? What are you saying, Sorahiko?”
“I think we should let Hisashi live. Keep him around—at least until the war is over.”
Mirai scowled. “You can’t seriously—”
“If he’s willing to protect Izuku with his life, that makes him an ally,” Sorahiko interrupted. “We don’t have to like him, we just have to stop trying to kill him. Hisashi is powerful. Having someone like him around is another layer of protection for Izuku. If Yuei scum is willing to sneak over the border, we can’t take any chances when it comes to Izuku’s safety.”
Mirai’s face twisted with conflicting desires, before he ultimately sighed and shook his head wearily. “...Fine,” he relented, though with clear reluctance. “If only for the king’s safety.” Mirai went over to his desk, sinking heavily into his chair. He propped his elbows up on the desk, laying his forehead against his folded hands. “I’ll deal with the public as fast as I can.”
Sorahiko nodded, ready to move the discussion to new patrols and a new training regime, when Mirai leveled him with a stern look.
“Now get out.” Mirai shooed him away. “Go get cleaned up. You reek of entrails and filth.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going.” Sorahiko waved him off as he headed out the door. He took a whiff of himself after shutting it behind him, nose wrinkling at the stench coating him. Mirai wasn’t wrong. He really needed to get to the baths and have a good long soak.
But he still had something he needed to do before he could relax for the day.
Sorahiko swiftly ran through the corridors, barely more than a blur to anyone he passed by as he made for the lower levels of the castle. The guards should have brought the prisoner there by now, slow as they were. And sure enough on arriving at the cells, Sorahiko spotted a couple of the guards that had “assisted” him standing outside one door among the many that lined the halls.
“Is he in there?” Sorahiko asked them with narrowed eyes.
“Yes, Lord Torino.” Tsukauchi offered his superior a small bow of respect. “But he hasn’t moved nor spoken since his capture. He refuses to answer any questions.”
“I’ll have him singing a sonnet soon enough. Step aside,” Sorahiko growled out, the guard not daring to stand in his way and quickly moving to the side.
Upon entering the dark cell, Sorahiko immediately fixed his gaze on its occupant, bound by steel cuffs and chains. Red eyes met his, glinting with murder and rage. Sorahiko was unphased by it, however, having lived far too long to feel threatened by a short-lived human—no matter how accomplished a hunter he might have been.
Still. Something seemed…off. The guard hadn’t been kidding when he said the prisoner hadn’t moved; not even an inch.
“So. I hear you’re not talkin’,” Sorahiko spoke calmly, keeping his voice deceptively calm in spite of the anger that burned within him at the sight of the man. This hunter had hurt Izuku. Had nearly killed him. And Sorahiko would not let that go unpunished. “Ya think keepin’ quiet is gonna do you any favors here?”
The human said nothing.
Sorahiko’s frown deepened.
“So that’s how you’re gonna be, hm?” he mused, taking a step forward. He raised a hand, a claw glinting in the dim lighting. “You’ll only prolong your stay here if you don’t tell me what I want to know.”
Silence.
“Ah, that’s a shame.” Sorahiko sighed in mock disappointment, laying the tip of his claw against the hunter's cheek. “I was hoping not to get more blood on my hands, but if this is how it has to be…”
He dragged the claw down the human’s cheek, slow and deliberate. A shallow cut followed behind, trails of blood leaking forth. He was surprised to find the smell unappetizing, and the man barely even flinched from the action. But that didn’t compare to the shock Sorahiko felt when he saw the cut sluggishly seal itself shut, leaving only the blood he had spilled as proof that it had even existed.
His brows shot up slightly. “...Huh,” he murmured, taking a moment to comprehend what he had just witnessed. “Well. That’s a first for me, and that’s no small feat.” He whistled lowly, drawing his hand away. “Never thought I’d see the day. A vampire that’s a vampire hunter. I suppose it does explain a few things, though.” He waved a hand to the man’s frozen form. “I’m guessing Izuku ordered you then?”
The vampire hunter’s eyes blazed with fury, a slight tremor running though his body before falling still once more.
A malicious grin curled at Sorahiko’s mouth, flashing his fangs. “I’m surprised you were able to hurt Izuku at all, considering it goes against a vampire’s instincts to harm their sovereign… Must have been why those cuts were as shallow as they were. You couldn’t do more than that, could ya?”
A muffled grunt sounded from the hunter's clenched jaw. Sorahiko reached forward, taking hold of it firmly.
“But, ah, don’t worry if you can’t speak,” Sorahiko assured him, slowly tightening his grip.
Pain flickered in the hunter's eyes. And when Sorahiko felt the jawbone break in his hand, a shout of agony left the vampire’s throat, his mouth now hanging limply.
But Sorahiko watched it begin to already heal before his eyes as he spoke again, “There, just fixed that for ya. And if you still need help speaking, I’m more than happy to assist.”
Once the vampire hunter's jaw returned to normal, a wad of spit hit his cheek.
“Hm… Seems like we still have some work to do.” Sorahiko wiped it off casually. “Fortunately, you and I have all the time in the world to get to know each other. And who knows?” He raised his claws, bringing the sharpened points to the man’s eyes next. “Maybe I’ll be so fond of your company after everything is said and done that I’ll keep you around for a couple centuries. It’s the least I can do, considering what you did to Izuku.”
Izuku clung to his dad tightly despite how everything hurt. He’d managed to convince Dad to get up on the bed with him, and neither had let the other go since. His consciousness faded in and out, never able to sleep for long due to the throbbing ache on his back and wrists, and the searing pain that coursed through his blood.
He whined when another sharp ache jolted him back into awareness, squirming in an attempt to get more comfortable. But no matter which way he turned everything still hurt. He whimpered.
“Izuku,” Dad hushed, petting the back of his head, “you need to try to rest.”
“I-I can’t,” Izuku sniffled quietly. “It hurts…”
“I know. I’m sorry.” Dad sounded upset, hugging Izuku that much closer. “Try to sleep. Should I ask the healer if there’s something you can take to help with the pain?”
“No!” Izuku clutched at his dad desperately. “Don’t leave!”
“I’m not,” Dad assured him. Izuku shuddered a breath at the reassurance, relieved that Dad wasn’t going to leave him again. “I’m not leaving your side. I promise.”
He had never felt pain like this before. Had never hurt like he did now. It was nothing like the scrapes and bruises he sometimes got when training, or the exhaustion he felt when using too much magic. It hurt. The only thing that helped him feel better right now was Dad’s constant presence beside him.
Izuku felt weak, sapped of the strength he had taken for granted all his life, all due to the silver taint in his veins. It was still a struggle to comprehend that he had almost died tonight. It terrified him. The thought that anyone would actually want to hurt him; that he and Dad were both almost killed.
All because of the humans that had attacked them. That had tried to kill him. That had almost stolen Dad from him. Izuku had never felt as vulnerable and afraid as he did then, bound with silver and wounded. Surrounded by humans that wanted to kill him and his father just for being vampires. If it weren’t for Gran they would…they would have…
Dad had expressed remorse for how Izuku had had to witness the slaughter of all those hunters, but secretly Izuku was glad they were dead. They deserved to be dead.
A light knock sounded on the door before it opened, the healer’s assistant flashing them a brief smile as she entered.
“Sorry to disturb you, Your Majesties. I’m just here to check how your wounds are doing and then I’ll leave you to rest. Is there anything I can get for you in the meantime?” she asked as she approached.
Izuku looked up and froze as a specific scent reached his nose.
Human. The assistant was a human.
“A drink would be appreciated,” Dad admitted tiredly. “I think we could both use one. If it’s not a bother, would you fetch a bottle for us?”
“I’ll have one brought up as soon as I can, Your Majesty,” she said.
Izuku tensed when the human stepped closer, her hands reaching for the bindings covering his partially healed wounds. “No!” he cried out, slapping her hands away. “Stay away! Don’t touch me!”
The human startled back, eyes widening, but Izuku tensed and bared his fangs. What if she wanted to hurt him? Like the others had?
“A-Apologies for startling you, Your Majesty,” she said tentatively. “I just wish to check your wounds, maybe change your bandages if needed.”
Izuku only growled, hissing when she slowly reached out to him again.
Dad gave him a gentle smack on the head. “Izuku! Behave,” he scolded, though he sounded more tired than anything. “Here, I’ll go first.”
Dad held his bandaged wrists out to the assistant willingly, and Izuku felt his heart skip a beat when her hands touched his dad.
“NO!” He lashed out impulsively, claws slashing at the assistant. “Don’t touch us!”
“Y-Your Majesty, I—” she tried to say, withdrawing quickly to avoid his claws. Her heart was pounding loudly in Izuku’s ears now, only agitating him further.
“Get out!” he shouted at her. When she simply stared, mouth agape, he gnashed his fangs in warning, venom dripping from them. “GET OUT!”
The human woman yelped, quickly stepping out of the room in a hurry.
“Izuku!” Dad gasped, appalled. “What is the matter with you?! She was just trying to help!”
Izuku buried his face in his father’s shirt, clutching tightly to him. “I don’t want her in here!” he shouted, hands curling in Dad’s clothes. “I don’t want one of them around us!”
“What?” Dad looked confused. “What do you mean ‘one of them’? I—” His eyes widened. “Oh. A hunter? She wasn’t one of them, Izuku. She’s not a hunter. She isn’t going to hurt you.”
“I don’t care!” Izuku shook his head in denial. “You don’t know that! She’s human!”
“So? She’s one of your citizens, not a Yuei hunter.”
Izuku just growled stubbornly. “I don’t want her in here.”
Dad sighed. “Okay, okay. I guess it’s understandable if you need some time, considering what happened. But you’ll have to apologize to her later. That was completely uncalled for.”
“They hurt us!” Izuku nearly shouted. “They tried to take you away from me! They tried to kill us!”
“Yes, and now they’re all dead,” Dad said. “We’re safe.”
Izuku sniffled wetly, hugging his father as tightly as he could in his weakened state. He dared to glance up after a moment, eyes shining with tears.
“...Why do they hate us?” Izuku asked him with a quivering voice. “Why do they want to hurt us?”
“There’s a lot of misconceptions about vampires in Yuei, Izuku. Hate is a disease; it spreads quickly and easily, and is hard to cure.” Dad rested his chin on the top of Izuku’s head. “Humans in Yuei have only heard stories of vampires being bloodthirsty monsters. They don’t understand.”
Izuku only sobbed into Dad’s shirt.
Dad rubbed his sides soothingly, careful to avoid Izuku’s back, and let him cry himself out, occasionally murmuring soft comforts.
Izuku almost drifted to sleep again like that, when the door opened once more, someone bursting into the room in a flurry. That same, horrible scent reached Izuku’s nose again, and a growl began in his throat as he whipped around to face the human—
“Hisashi! Izuku!” Kurogiri shouted as soon as he entered, chest heaving with exertion, looking like he had run all the way there. A nervous child with light blue hair was held in his arms. “Are you alright?! I heard—”
The growl died out immediately, Izuku perking up instead. “Kurogiri!” he cried out, relieved to see it was only him. Kurogiri was good. Kurogiri could be trusted. He always looked after Izuku and Dad.
“We’re fine, Kurogiri,” Dad informed him, sitting up carefully so as not to make sudden movements that would cause Izuku’s wounds to ache further.
Kurogiri set the child in his arms down gently. He was by Izuku and Dad’s side within moments, looking ruffled in a way that Izuku had never seen before, and rambling. “I was so worried! Everyone in the city was talking about something happening, but no one had the same story. Something about an attack? I came as soon as I heard the commotion!”
Kurogiri’s hands flew over the both of them as he spoke, frantically inspecting them. He gently grasped Dad’s chin, tilting his head this way and that, clucking his tongue sympathetically at the bandaged cut on Dad’s cheek. His hands trailed down to Dad’s shoulders and arms, scanning him over, frowning at the silver burns on his wrists.
“Oh dear, so you were hurt.” Kurogiri sounded upset.
Dad grumbled the entire time, trying to bat Kurogiri’s hands away, but being very half-hearted about it. “Kurogiri! I’m not a kid for you to fuss over,” he complained. “I’m fine! Izuku got the worst of it.”
Kurogiri’s attention immediately snapped to Izuku, gently checking him over in a similar manner. He gasped aloud upon seeing the mass of bandages across Izuku’s back, and Izuku felt Kurogiri’s fingers tremble where they touched his skin.
“…How could someone do this to a child,” Kurogiri hissed under his breath, sounding furious.
Izuku blinked in surprise. He’d never seen Kurogiri ever actually get angry. But when he looked up at the servant’s face, Kurogiri’s expression was filled only with concern.
Kurogiri’s hands cupped his face softly, thumbs petting Izuku’s cheeks. “I’m so sorry, little king. I can’t believe this happened. I’m glad the both of you are safe now.”
“It still hurts though,” Izuku complained quietly, feeling the constant throb of pain in his back.
Dad sighed. “I think he needs his bandages changed, but he chased the healer’s assistant out.”
“I’m perfectly capable of changing bandages,” Kurogiri stated. And without even waiting for them to respond, he was already at work getting out fresh bandages and medicine, washing his hands with a fierce look in his golden eyes. “What happened? Who did this to you?”
“Hunters. From Yuei,” Dad answered as Kurogiri moved to tend to the bandages on Izuku’s back first.
Izuku whimpered as they were removed, tugging at his scabbed-over wounds despite the carefulness Kurogiri used. Dad’s arms softly squeezed his waist in response, and Kurogiri hushed him gently, whispering apologies and encouragement as he worked slowly.
Dad continued explaining, “They attacked us and…well. You can see for yourself.”
“Yuei hunters, though? In the city?” Kurogiri repeated with alarm.
“Yeah.” Dad nodded, raising a hand to the bandaged cut on his cheek. “They must have used the celebration to blend in without being noticed. Ended up catching me off guard.”
“Why did they attack you? What did they want?” Kurogiri asked as the last of the bandages came off.
Izuku saw Kurogiri wince at what he saw beneath, and Dad held him just a little bit closer. Izuku couldn’t see the wounds himself, but he imagined that they didn’t look pretty. They certainly didn’t feel pretty.
“I’m not sure,” Dad admitted, and Izuku held onto him tighter in return, a scowl setting into his expression at the mention of the hunters. He saw Dad meet Kurogiri’s eyes, and the two shared a look that Izuku couldn’t quite read. “I’m just glad they’re dead now.”
“I see.” Kurogiri tossed the old gauze and bandages away before washing his hands a second time. He grabbed the medicated cream and brought it over, holding it up. Softly, he asked, “May I, Izuku?”
Izuku nodded, tensing in preparation for pain. The salve felt cool against his inflamed skin, though, and Kurogiri’s touch was light as he applied it. Before Izuku knew it, his back had been rebandaged, and his wrists were quickly taken care of as well.
As Kurogiri moved on to wrestle with Dad over changing his bandages next, Izuku’s eyes drifted over to the boy Kurogiri had brought with him. The other child was so quiet that Izuku had almost forgotten he was there. He’d moved himself back into a corner, clutching at a stuffed animal and staring at Izuku and Dad nervously.
“You’re Tenko, right?” Izuku called out curiously. This was his cousin, wasn’t it? He’d wanted to meet Tenko for a while, though he’d hoped for better circumstances.
Tenko’s shoulders hiked up when he realized Izuku was addressing him, red eyes staring at him almost fearfully. After a moment of hesitation, Tenko nodded once. He didn’t move from the corner he trembled in.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Izuku offered tiredly. “My name’s Izuku.”
“...I-I know,” Tenko mumbled very quietly. “You’re the k-king.”
“Yeah, but I’m also your cousin,” Izuku pointed out. He didn’t want Tenko, of all people, to think of him only as the king.
“Papa s-says you're a brat sometimes.”
Dad started cackling loudly, while Izuku gasped. He whipped around to look at Kurogiri, staring incredulously at the man. “Kurogiri! You’re badmouthing me behind my back?”
“I only tell Tenko of my day, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri offered in explanation, unbothered by the look Izuku was giving him. “I may have incidentally told him of your more willful moments.”
“That’s still talking behind my back!”
“He’s only telling the truth, I’d say!” Dad laughed.
Izuku grumbled and crossed his arms, turning back to Tenko and ignoring the two adults. “Whatever. Sometimes they deserve it.”
“Hey!” Dad complained, ducking away from where Kurogiri was trying to place a fresh bandage on his cheek. “What does that mean?”
“It means that sometimes you’re a brat too, Dad,” Izuku huffed.
“Oi!” Dad scowled. “That’s a total lie! I’ve never acted bratty.”
“Look at who’s being stubborn about his bandages right now!”
“I am completely justified in—”
“Now, now, children,” Kurogiri tutted chidingly, interpreting them. “No fighting.”
“I am not a child!” Dad grumbled in offense to the statement while Izuku just rolled his eyes.
From the corner, they heard a small giggle, and looked over to see a little smile tugging at Tenko’s mouth.
“Now that that’s taken care of,” Kurogiri mused as he finished adjusting the gauze on Dad’s cheek in spite of his grumbling. “Is there anything else you need, Your Majesties?”
“I think Izuku could use a drink. He lost a lot of blood,” Dad said. “Oh, but, I’ll ask someone else to grab it for us. You’re supposed to be off today, Kurogiri.”
Kurogiri looked at him incredulously. “Am I expected to go out and enjoy my day when this happened?” He gestured to the both of them. “No. I will go fetch a bottle from the kitchens for you two. Please watch Tenko for a few minutes for me.”
Tenko’s eyes widened. “Papa?” he called, voice tense with nerves. “You’re not leaving me?”
Kurogiri waved his son over, and Tenko ran to him, clinging to his leg, toy held tightly under one arm. “I’ll be right back, hun, okay? Why don’t you talk to your cousin for a bit? You can show him Mon-chan while I’m gone.” His hand ran through Tenko’s hair soothingly.
“B-But…” Tenko’s voice wobbled.
“I promise I won’t be long,” Kurogiri assured him gently. “Be a good boy, alright?”
Tenko seemed very reluctant, tears briefly shining in his eyes before he blinked them away, giving a little nod. “...O-Okay.”
Izuku watched as Kurogiri gave his son an encouraging nudge towards him and Dad before leaving the room.
“Um…” Tenko began nervously, shifting on his feet and unable to meet their eyes for very long. He moved the toy from out under his arms, holding it out for both of them to see. It was a little plush dog with tan and white fur and short legs. “T-This is Mon-chan. He’s my…he’s my best friend.”
“He’s cute!” Izuku tried his best to smile. He didn’t want to scare Tenko away, but he was tired and in pain. “How long have you had him?” The dog plush looked well-loved and a bit scruffy.
Tenko bit his lip, hugging his toy back to his chest. “Papa got him for me years ago…”
Izuku thought of the stuffed toy Gran had given him earlier that day. “Maybe we can introduce Mon-chan to my friend Sir Bun Bun one day! We can all play together!”
“That s-sounds fun,” Tenko admitted shyly, looking hopeful. “I-I haven’t been able to play with anyone for a long time…”
“Why not?” Dad asked, and Izuku looked over to see there was a touch of pity in his eyes.
“They… They grew up,” Tenko explained, looking down at his feet now. “But I didn’t.”
“Oh. Why don’t you go outside and make new friends then?” Izuku asked. “I love meeting kids my age!”
Tenko paled and shook his head rapidly, mumbling, “No, no, no. I-I don’t like it outside. They… That’s where…” Tenko’s brows pinched together with confusion, before he shook his head again in refusal, not elaborating.
“Okay…” Izuku wasn’t sure how to respond. “Uh. You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. Um, sorry? For upsetting you?”
Tenko just shrugged, curled in on himself now.
“Perhaps you two can play inside,” Dad suggested lightly. “You have plenty of stuffed animals and other toys you two can play with now. Or you could read together. Do you know how to read yet, Tenko?”
“Uh-huh!” Tenko nodded, looking a bit proud. “Papa taught me! He’s really smart!”
“What kind of books do you like?” Izuku asked. “Dad and I have been reading—”
The door opened, and both Izuku and Tenko tensed up, only relaxing when they realized Kurogiri had returned. Tenko immediately scampered back to his dad’s side, one hand grabbing Kurogiri’s shirt.
Kurogiri only smiled. “See? I wasn’t gone for long.” He placed a tray holding a bottle of blood and a set of glasses down on the nearby counter.
“Can Tenko stay for the day?” Izuku blurted out as Kurogiri poured some blood for them. “Can we play together?”
Kurogiri pursed his lips. “Tenko can stay if he’d like, though you need to take it easy and rest, Izuku. No strenuous playing today.”
“We’ll read together then!” Izuku decided, hopeful about spending time with another kid.
Dad nudged him gently. “Are you forgetting to ask someone if that’s what they want?”
Oh, right. He was getting too excited again. He needed to tone it down, like Dad had told him. Izuku turned back to his cousin, who was half-hiding behind Kurogiri. He worked to keep his voice even. “Will you stay? Please?”
“...Do you have storybooks?” Tenko asked quietly.
Izuku felt his hopes rise, a smile growing on his face as he nodded. “Yeah! Dad filled a whole section of the library with just fantasy books! I’m sure we can find something to read together in there!”
Tenko paused, then looked up at Kurogiri, who smiled encouragingly. “Okay…as long as Papa stays.”
“Of course!” Izuku agreed easily, feeling lighter than he had before. “But oh, what kind of book do you want to read? There’s so many to choose from! We have—” Izuku began to list off a number of books that he had seen earlier.
Tenko’s eyes began to spin. He looked anxiously up at his father, before back to Izuku, then down to his toy.
Izuku paused. “…How about I pick the book this time, and then you can pick the next one?” he offered.
Tenko looked relieved. “Okay.”
“Drink first,” Kurogiri instructed, handing a glass to both Izuku and Dad.
Izuku began chugging his glass, eager to play with his cousin, but Dad quickly stopped him.
“Slow down there, you’ll make yourself sick,” he chided.
Izuku grumbled but complied, thinking about which book he would choose. He came to his decision as he finished. “Okay! Let’s go.”
“You’re supposed to stay here, Izuku,” Dad said, holding him back. “Doctor’s orders. I can go get a book for you, if you’d like.”
“NO,” Izuku yelled. He coughed and lowered his voice when Tenko jumped, startled. “No. You need to stay too, Dad.”
Dad looked confused. “I wasn’t told to stay.”
“You were!” Izuku insisted.
“By who?”
“The king.”
Dad rolled his eyes but chuckled, ruffling Izuku’s hair. “I suppose I can’t deny a royal decree then.”
“I’ll go fetch the book,” Kurogiri offered with a chuckle. “Do you want to help pick the book out, Tenko?”
Tenko nodded quickly, grasping onto Kurogiri’s hand.
“We’ll return shortly, Your Majesties,” Kurogiri said as they took their leave.
“Don’t take too long!” Izuku called out, already buzzing with excitement. Dad shook his head with a laugh, and Izuku looked up at him, anticipation for their return already building up in his chest. “What do you think they’ll pick out?”
“I’m sure it’ll be something you’ll both like,” Dad assured him with a smile. It fell slightly when he took in the new wrapping covering Izuku’s wounds, though. “Are they feeling any better?” His fingers ghosted over the bandages.
“A little?” Izuku answered uncertainly. The burning ache was still there, but he thought that maybe it had dulled just a tiny bit. Maybe. He wasn’t fully sure. He hadn’t noticed it as much when talking to Tenko, but now that things were quiet again, Izuku was all too aware of his pain. “It still hurts a lot.”
“Are you sure you want to stay up and read then?” Dad asked, concerned. “You need to rest if you want to recover quickly. I’m sure Tenko will understand if you want to put it off for now—”
“No!” Izuku shook his head quickly in denial. Dad raised a brow at him. “I mean. No, it’s okay. It’s just reading. I can do that without any trouble.”
He didn’t want to pass up the chance to spend time and bond with his cousin. Not when he had been looking forward to meeting him for so long now. Even if he was hurting and exhausted, Izuku would put up with it if it meant spending even a little time with not only a kid his age, but a family member.
Dad sighed, but there was a soft look of understanding in his eyes. “Okay, okay. You can read with Tenko for a little bit. But then you need to get your rest, alright?”
“I promise!” Izuku nodded, turning around to situate his pillow so that it was propped up behind his back. He wanted to sit up while he and Tenko read. “We can take turns reading too!”
“Of course,” Dad chuckled, ruffling a hand through his hair gently.
Hisashi felt like he’d been waiting forever for Izuku to finally fall asleep. Kurogiri had notified him earlier that day that Gran and Mirai had asked to speak to him that night, but trying to actually do that was…difficult. Izuku refused to allow Hisashi out of his sight, and while Hisashi hadn’t minded these past few days, it did make it hard to get to a private meeting.
He’d decided to slip out while Izuku was sleeping, but that was also tough. He often fell asleep before Izuku, and had been told by Kurogiri that it wasn’t uncommon for Izuku to watch him for a while as he slept (which Hisashi thought was a little bit creepy). So Hisashi had pretended to be asleep for what felt like an hour before he had finally felt Izuku’s body go lax, his breathing evening out.
Now Hisashi just had to sneak out of the room without waking his son up again. Also not easy. Izuku tended to be a light sleeper.
He slowly shifted his weight around on the bed until his feet landed on the ground. He slid off the mattress as quietly as possible, freezing whenever he heard Izuku make a sound. He made certain to keep his steps light and held his breath for fear of making too much noise. It felt like ages before he finally made it to the door, and he thanked whoever had made it that it didn’t creak when he opened it.
Only once Hisashi had closed it again did he dare to take a breath to relieve his burning lungs. He quickly made his way through the castle towards Mirai’s office. But along the way, he noticed several servants pause in their tasks when he passed by them, and he frowned when they proceeded to whisper to their fellow servants. They always seemed to be gossiping about something or other. It likely wasn’t helped by Gran always noseying about and spreading whatever rumors he heard to them.
Faintly, he could make out a few words, such as “the king” and “hunters”, along with his own name a few times. He wasn’t surprised though—after something like that, it would be a hot topic for at least a week.
Hisashi closed his ears to the gossip, instead hurrying his way to the office. The sooner he was done speaking with Mirai and Gran on whatever it was they wanted, the better. He steeled himself when he arrived, taking a deep breath before he knocked on the door. He was tired and really didn’t feel like arguing tonight, but Kurogiri had told him they had said it was an urgent matter.
“Come in,” he heard Mirai call from inside.
Hisashi entered the room. Mirai was at his desk, which always seemed piled with paperwork despite how much time the man spent there. There were dark shadows under his eyes, and he seemed more tired than when Hisashi had last seen him. Gran was in a chair nearby, rocking on its back legs, though his expression was more subdued than usual.
There was a third chair as well—which wasn’t normally in the room—but Hisashi didn’t sit, instead standing at the door where he had come in, watching them suspiciously.
“Go on and take a seat,” Gran insisted, gesturing to the chair. “This is a meeting, innit it? We didn’t boobytrap it.”
“Sounds like something that someone who boobytrapped a chair would say,” Hisashi accused, crossing his arms. “Forgive me if I don’t exactly trust the word of someone who has tried to get me killed multiple times.”
Gran rolled his eyes, sitting up from his own chair while stretching his arms. “Fine,” he muttered. And just to make a point, he sat in the chair he had offered to Hisashi. “See? No tricks.”
“Please, sit,” Mirai agreed as Gran returned to his original seat. “There’s something we must discuss with you.”
Hisashi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He kept himself alert as he moved over to the now vacant chair, carefully sitting down. When he didn’t spontaneously combust into flames, he concluded that it was indeed safe.
“…What did you want to talk to me about?” he asked.
Mirai shifted, pushing his glasses further up his nose. “We wanted to get your version of the events, for our records. We’d also”—Mirai’s eye began twitching, as if what he was saying pained him—“like to apologize.”
Hisashi blinked. Had he heard that right?
“Excuse me?” His brow pinched as he stared at the man in disbelief. “You wanted me to come all the way down here so you could…apologize? To me?” he repeated slowly.
“Yes,” Mirai confirmed.
Hisashi looked out the window, taking in the pink and gold hues of the skies outside. He stood back up. “Okay. Well. I’m going to go get the guards then,” he said flatly. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re doing a bad job of impersonating Mirai.”
Mirai scowled. “I’m trying to be nice for once and you aren’t even taking this seriously.”
“There’s no way you’d be nice to me!” Hisashi denied. “Mirai would never be nice to me. So you must be an imposter! A bad one at that.”
“You know what? Forget it. If you’re going to be like that…” Mirai crossed his arms.
“We ain’t playin’ for once,” Gran cut in, looking serious. “You were tryna protect Izuku with your life out there. That deserves acknowledgement.”
Hisashi’s mouth dropped open, and he was sure he looked stupid, but he couldn’t think of a single thing to say in that moment. They meant it? They weren’t pulling his leg? Or were they?
“We’re sorry. For tryin’ to kill ya, at least,” Gran said. “Mirai and I have agreed to put a halt to that.”
“...Huh,” was all Hisashi managed, the words going in one ear and out the other, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.
“Yes.” Mirai cleared his throat awkwardly. “We…apologize for the inconvenience we’ve caused.”
“Inconvenience?” Hisashi scoffed, a bark of laughter escaping him. “You call trying to kill me, repeatedly, an inconvenience? An inconvenience would be me taking your glasses!”
To make his point, Hisashi reached forward, snatching said glasses off of Mirai’s face, taking satisfaction in how startled the man was by the action.
“Excuse me!” Mirai huffed. “We’re trying to have a serious discussion here. Please return my glasses.”
“Why don’t you just grab them back?” Hisashi waved the glasses around. “Oh, sorry, can’t see them well enough, can you?”
Gran cackled. “He can see perfectly fine! He don’t even need ‘em. He just wears glasses for the ‘aesthetic’.”
“Gran!” Mirai exclaimed in betrayal. “How could you?!”
“Wha—?” Hisashi felt a snort of amusement bubble up in him. “You wear fake glasses?”
“It’s part of my look!” Mirai insisted.
“Makes him feel smarter!” Gran crowed.
Hisashi couldn’t help but laugh as well. It felt a bit odd, as he’d never laughed with Gran before, but the embarrassed look on Mirai’s face was too good.
Mirai just huffed, turning his nose up at them. He mumbled something incoherent under his breath, fiddling with one of the many drawers of his desk. From within, he drew forth another set of glasses, situating them just so on his face.
Hisashi laughed even harder.
“It’s not that funny!” Mirai scowled.
“Sure it is! It’s like if I decided to use a cane all the time just for funsies,” Gran snickered.
“Whatever. Can we get back on topic here?” Mirai’s cheeks were a light pink.
Gran snatched the glasses Hisashi was holding right out of his hands, putting them on. “Now we can,” he agreed.
Mirai placed a hand to his forehead in exasperation, closing his eyes. “Why did I ever have the misfortune of being in your house?” he muttered, reaching for the glass of blood on his desk.
“Whaddaya mean misfortune? You should be proud to be part of House Torino! We’re top of the social ladder! The other nobles wish they could be in my house!” Gran cackled.
“That reminds me,” Hisashi said, looking between the two curiously as Mirai took a long, deep drink of blood. “What was Mirai’s mother like? Since he obviously doesn’t take after you.”
Mirai spewed the blood all over his desk, flecks of it staining the papers there, but he paid it no mind as he coughed and hacked furiously.
Gran, similarly, made a choked wheezing sound as he tipped over in his chair, losing his delicate balance on the back legs of it, tumbling to the floor in hysterical laughter.
Hisashi just blinked, very confused.
Mirai pounded on his chest before finally managing to take in a decent breath of air. “We are not father and son!” he all but screeched, looking highly affronted. “What in the world would ever give you the idea that we were?!”
“I mean… You always hang out together?” Hisashi stated, feeling a little awkward now. “You know everything about each other. Gran teases you like a father would, and you bicker and pick on each other like father and son…why wouldn’t I think that?”
“That doesn’t mean we’re related!” Mirai insisted, completely red in the face now. “I have no blood relation to him!”
“Father and son in all but blood then?”
“NO!” Mirai screamed. “Absolutely not!”
“I mean, technically I am your father,” Gran put in, a cheeky grin on his face. “By the letter of the law at least.”
Hisashi didn’t understand. “But…Gran was taking care of you that one day! When you were having trouble sleeping?”
“Meaning he refused to take a well-deserved break, so I sat on him till he had a nap!” Gran chuckled, setting his chair back on its legs. “Mirai never knows when he needs to stop working and relax.” Gran looked to Mirai with a glint in his eye. “And it is my job as his dad to make sure he takes care of himself, after all.”
“You’re not my father!” Mirai denied instantly.
“...Then why is your title also Lord Torino?” Hisashi was confused. None of this was making much sense to him. Mirai kept saying no, but Gran was saying yes. “Don’t you have to be of the House by blood?”
“Are you a royal by blood?” Gran pointed out. “Adopted family can also share titles!”
“Gran adopted you?” Hisashi felt gobsmacked. Gran didn’t seem like the type to adopt someone, let alone someone like Mirai.
Mirai rolled his eyes. “Not exactly. Gran is the one who turned me.”
“You were human?!” Hisashi screeched in shock. He had thought that Mirai of all people would have been a born vampire, given how much propriety he gave to vampiric customs.
Now Mirai looked confused. “Yes? You didn’t know that?”
“How would I know that?!”
“…Good point.” Mirai nodded. He tugged on the collar of his robes, revealing two huge scars in the side of his neck. “Yes, I was human. Gran turned me and accepted me into his house. He made me his heir, as he has no wife or children. At first, I felt honoured.”
Gran squawked. “Whaddya mean ‘at first’?!”
Mirai continued as if he hadn’t spoken at all, “But then I realized Gran was just using me to hoist all his house responsibilities on. I basically act as the head of the Torino House, considering I do all the work.” Mirai gave Gran a dirty look at that.
“I do some of the work!” Gran insisted, looking somewhat insulted.
“Since when?” Mirai scoffed. “Two hundred years ago?”
“I delivered the reports just last week!”
“And what a stellar contribution that is to my workload,” Mirai quipped dryly.
“You sayin’ you regret becoming a vampire then?” Gran shot back, crossing his arms.
“Of course not.” Mirai waved him off. “I’m perfectly happy as a vampire, thank you. Humans have so many inconveniences. Having to use the bathroom most of all.” He shivered, blatant disgust on his face. “I’d never want to experience that again.”
Hisashi’s nose scrunched. “What do you mean having to use the bathroom?”
Both Gran and Mirai stared at him blankly.
“What?” Hisashi asked, feeling somewhat defensive.
“…You’ve been a vampire for months, Hisashi,” Mirai stated.
“Yes? What does that have to do with anything?”
“Have you seriously not noticed that in all that time, you’ve never once had to use the bathroom?” Mirai asked.
Hisashi opened his mouth to retort, then froze.
He… He hadn’t used the bathroom, had he? Not once. He hadn’t even noticed he’d not felt the urge to relieve himself in any manner. It just…he hadn’t had to. His brain hadn’t given him a signal for it, and so he’d never thought about it.
“I…no,” he finally answered.
With an exasperated sigh, Mirai took off his glasses and tossed them on the desk in tired frustration.
“Didja even notice when your hair stopped growing like it used to?” Gran asked, raising a curious brow at him.
Hisashi’s hand shot to his hair immediately. “Are you saying I can’t grow hair anymore?!” he nearly shouted. If Gran suddenly shaved his head in his sleep, was he going to be bald for the rest of his life?!
“Oh, give me strength. No, we’re not saying that,” Mirai said wearily. “But surely you’ve noticed that you’ve never had to shave? That you haven’t even seen stubble?”
“...I can’t grow facial hair anymore then?”
“Man, you’re daft,” Gran snorted. “Hair growth for vampires is incredibly slow. That’s why it’s against the law to cut a vampire's hair without their consent.”
“It’s not like anyone gave me some sort of ‘welcome to vampirism’ speech! How was I supposed to know this stuff!” Hisashi protested. “And what do you mean it’s against the law to cut hair?!”
“Thought you said you knew everything there is to know about vampires?” Gran teased. “Mister mighty hunter?”
“I know about hunting vampires! That’s it! That was all I needed to know.”
“Still, you would think you would have noticed the other things, even if no one told you,” Mirai said. “Anyone else would have.”
“Look can we just…get back to what we were supposed to be talking about here?” Hisashi insisted, ignoring the insult. He felt like part of his world had just been rocked with all this new information. “You said you wanted to know about the kidnapping, right?”
“Indeed.” Mirai nodded, seeming relieved to be back on the main topic. “Do you know why they wanted you in the first place? We’ve been having trouble…persuading…our ‘guest’ in the prison cell to reveal more information.”
“I just need a few more days,” Gran insisted. “I’ve got some creative methods up my sleeve. Vampire healing can be a curse as much as a blessing y’know.”
“So he is a vampire then,” Hisashi murmured. “I thought so, from how he reacted to Izuku’s order. But he has no fangs so it was a bit weird.”
“He probably filed ‘em down, but that’s not important.” Gran waved a hand. “They targeted you. You, and not Izuku. Why?”
“I don’t know,” Hisashi said. “Stain was off his rocker. He was talking about how he met someone that’s experimenting on how to ‘cure’ vampirism. Brought up something about my bloodline and how I knew them, but I’ve never even heard of this Garaki he was speaking of.”
Hisashi watched as recognition flashed in Gran’s eyes, the man sitting up a little straighter now.
“Garaki?” Gran repeated. “There’s a name I haven’t heard in a few hundred years.”
“A good thing too.” Mirai wrinkled his nose with distaste. “That human’s experiments were vile.”
“Who’s Garaki?” Hisashi asked, lost.
“The Garaki family are all humans. They fancy themselves as doctors, always passing on their knowledge to the next generation,” Gran explained. “I’ve met a few of them a long time ago.”
“So obviously it’s not the same Garaki you used to know,” Hisashi surmised. “Just a member of the family continuing on with their ancestors' work?”
“Of course,” Mirai responded. “No human could live that long.”
“Unless they experimented on themselves too,” Gran muttered.
“I wouldn’t put it past them,” Mirai said. “They were always obsessed with ‘improving’ humans.”
“What do you mean by experiment?” Hisashi frowned.
“The Garaki’s have never been the kind of doctors that look to help people,” Gran explained. “They’re very knowledgeable of the human body, yes, but they use their knowledge to push natural boundaries. They care less about helping the sick and more about satisfying their own endless curiosities. They experiment on people. Humans, vampires, anyone they can get their hands on.”
Hisashi withheld a shiver. The last thing he wanted was to be experimented on. “And obviously this isn’t something we want to allow to continue on,” he mused.
“How is it you know the hunter?” Mirai asked.
“Stain and I worked together in Yuei on rare occasions,” Hisashi explained. “He hates vampires with a passion that is borderline fanatical. To think he was a vampire himself the whole time though… I don’t understand it.”
“And you’re sure you don’t know Garaki?” Mirai pressed.
“No. I’ve never met a man named Garaki.” He shook his head in denial. “But whoever he is, he’s pulling Stain along with this idea that he can ‘cure’ vampirism. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Ever.”
Gran looked contemplative. “I’d say it’s impossible, but if a Garaki is trying it…who knows.”
Hisashi sighed. “Stain mentioned something about that maybe being a reason they wanted me. He was talking crazy, but I remember him saying something about how I’d be cured or whatever if I survived. Survived what, though, I’m not sure I want to know.”
“I don’t either,” Gran said in agreement. “I’ll try to wring out more information from Stain in the meantime, to see if we can manage to track down his location.”
“I’ll have the spies in Hosu keep alert for anything that may lead to Garaki’s whereabouts as well,” Mirai added.
“Can I help in any way?” Hisashi wondered.
Mirai’s lips pursed in distaste, but Gran nodded. “Protect Izuku,” he said.
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked slowly for a moment. That wasn’t something that even needed to be asked. “Yeah. Of course I will.” Wouldn’t be hard. He had the feeling his son would be clinging to him like a burr for the next week or so.
“Speaking of which,” Gran said, eyes sharpening. “I’m upping the training of the guards and myself. I want you and Izuku to be there. Don’t hurt to take more self-defense lessons.”
Hisashi perked up. “More training? I can do that!”
“And I expect you to come too, Mirai.” Gran looked pointedly at the man.
“You can’t be serious,” Mirai said flatly, unamused.
“I’m dead serious.” Gran’s tone left no room for argument.
Mirai sighed wearily, shaking his head.
A small smirk curled at the corners of Gran’s lips then. “As head of House Torino, I command your presence at the training grounds!”
“Oh, now you decide to act like your title.” Mirai huffed. “Pulling the official cards on me, huh?”
Gran shrugged. “Would you come otherwise?”
Mirai glared, but then nodded, rubbing his eyes. “Very well then. If I must.”
“Now, if we’re done here, there’s something I need to discuss with Hisashi in private.” Gran stood from his chair. There was a glint in his dark eyes as he turned them to Hisashi’s red ones. “Follow me.”
“Uh, what?” Hisashi asked, confused as to what Gran could want that he couldn’t say in front of Mirai.
“We can speak more outside,” Gran answered vaguely. “It concerns…that. You know what I’m talking about?”
“That?” Hisashi repeated, brows furrowing.
“Y’know.” Gran spun his hand in a circle. “About the woman you fancy?”
Mirai groaned and rolled his eyes, shooting Gran a flat look. “Is this really the time for such things?”
“Considering Hisashi’s a clueless dolt? He needs all the help he can get.”
“I highly doubt that you’re fit to help anyone when it comes to romance,” Mirai quipped dryly.
Hisashi’s eyes lit up with realization, hope stirring in his chest. But it was tempered with confusion, and he stared suspiciously at Gran.
“...Why?” he demanded to know. The last time he had been in Gran’s secret room, the man had chased him throughout the castle and nearly killed him for it. Why was Gran changing his tune about it now?
Gran just looked annoyed at the questioning. He grabbed Hisashi by his shirt and yanked him to his feet. “Just come. I’ll tell ya about it when we get out of here.”
Hisashi glanced back at Mirai as he was dragged from the room.
“Leave me out of it,” Mirai called to them, his attention already back on his paperwork. “However Gran decides to ‘help’ people is none of my concern. Good luck, Hisashi.”
“I thought you were supposed to keep your father in check?!” Hisashi yelled as he stumbled out the door. “You’re the one who runs the Torino House!”
“He is not my father!” he heard Mirai’s muffled voice protest as the door slammed shut.
Notes:
The Babysitter.
Tenko: “I’ll stay and play, but only if Papa stays too.”
Kurogiri: “Of course I’ll stay, someone needs to supervise.”
Hisashi: “I’m right here?”
Kurogiri: “Okay, and?”
Izuku meeting Tenko for the first time.
Izuku: “So you’re my cousin! Tell me a bit about yourself.”
Tenko: “I have trauma from being attacked by vampires, I’m scared of public places and people, trying to make friends is hard, and social interaction isn’t something I’m good at in general. I’m awkward and anxious and was adopted.”
Izuku: “…Wow that sounds exactly like someone else I know.” *eyes Hisashi*
Paper is thicker than blood.
Gran (dramatically): “Mirai, I am your father.”
Mirai: “No, you are not! And why are you saying it like that?”
Gran: *holds up paper* “I mean, legally speaking I'm your dad. Got the papers right here to prove it!”
Mirai: *defeated by paperwork* “Nooooooo!” 😭😭
How the turns table.
The beginning of the story:
Hisashi: “I hate vampires! They're soulless, evil monsters!”
Izuku: “No, we're not! We're people just like humans!”
Currently in the story:
Hisashi: “Izuku was right. Vampires are people, just like humans.”
Izuku: “I hate humans! 😠 They're evil!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 35
Summary:
Hisashi glanced back at Mirai as he was dragged from the room.
“Leave me out of it,” Mirai called to them, his attention already back on his paperwork. “However Gran decides to ‘help’ people is none of my concern. Good luck, Hisashi.”
“I thought you were supposed to keep your father in check?!” Hisashi yelled as he stumbled out the door. “You’re the one who runs the Torino House!”
“He is not my father!” he heard Mirai’s muffled voice protest as the door slammed shut.
Notes:
Ilentari procrastinated so hard on this 😔 throw some tomatoes pls
RianMoeru recently met Cam Clarke and asked him to voice a few lines of the fic, as he is her headcanon voice for the OC version of Kurogiri. She wanted to share some of the lines, so expect more in future chapters. Apologies for the background noise in the audio clip. The clip is linked in the line that Kurogiri says near the end.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Now, let’s get a few things straight first,” Gran started as he all but dragged Hisashi into his bedroom, shutting the door behind them firmly. He fixed Hisashi with a stern, heated glare, pointing a deadly talon at him. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for me.”
“And, uh… What exactly is this then?” Hisashi asked, feeling distinctly uncomfortable about being alone with Gran.
“Consider it an olive branch,” Gran said. “I wouldn’t even be doing this if not for her—and the fact that you saved Izuku.”
“Uhh, okay?” Hisashi said hesitantly.
“Now listen, and listen closely, because I’m only going to say this once,” Gran warned with a level of threat in his voice that sent shivers down Hisashi’s spine. “Do not reveal any information about what happened to her and Toshinori. Don’t say anything about the war.”
“Sure,” Hisashi agreed easily. “...Do you tell her anything about what’s going on, though? She’s younger in your portrait, isn’t she? Shouldn’t she know some things, at least?”
“What? You think I don’t talk to her? Tell her things?” Gran seemed a bit offended.
“I mean… she didn’t even know the real version of herself had gotten married. And you certainly don’t talk to her official royal portrait.”
“That ain’t your business,” Gran snapped, turning his back to Hisashi as he walked over to the potted plants meticulously placed on his desk. He used a claw to carefully cut through the stem of a few white lilies that were in full bloom. “Don’t make me rescind my kindness here.”
“I… okay. Fine,” Hisashi relented. “That still doesn’t explain why you even have portraits of them, though—”
Gran’s eyes blazed and the vampire bared his fangs in warning. “Do you want to see her or not?” he growled out, voice low and filled with danger.
Hisashi raised his hands in surrender. “Yes, yes. I was just asking.”
“Well don’t.” Gran glared, but stomped over to his closet, taking out the locket that opened the door. “And give her these flowers. She loves lilies,” he ordered Hisashi, shoving the lilies into his hand.
Hisashi stared in bewilderment between the flowers and Gran for a few seconds. “How—”
“Just put them on the edge of her portraits. I give them fresh flowers all the time.” Gran huffed before swinging the door to the secret room open fully.
“Uhh, okay…” Hisashi felt very awkward being in Gran’s room while Gran was there. Spending any time with the man while Gran wasn’t actively insulting him was strange. Still, he wasn’t going to turn down an open opportunity, and so Hisashi entered the small room.
“Nana, Inko,” Gran called out when they stepped inside, eyes scanning the many portraits lining the walls. “I’m back. And I brought a… guest.” He glanced briefly back at Hisashi and made a face like the words burned his tongue.
“I can see that,” Nana spoke up from the right, within a painting of the castle courtyard. She was sitting at a shaded table, which Hisashi recognized as the area where he and Izuku sometimes had picnics. There was a teacup in her hand, and she sipped the drink before setting it down, staring at Hisashi with immense curiosity. “I can’t say I was expecting to see you again. I thought Sorahiko had taken care of you.”
Hisashi waved awkwardly. Inwardly, he wondered what she meant by that.
Nana’s gaze flickered down, and one brow rose up. “Lilies, hmm? I suppose I should go fetch the person they are meant for, shall I?”
Gran sighed. “Is she still hiding in her room?”
Nana nodded. “Oh, yes. She was pretty serious when she said she wouldn’t speak to you again. I’m guessing that’s what this is all about?”
“Partly,” Gran grumbled. “Go tell her that she has a guest waiting for her.”
Nana smirked and got up, walking out of view of the portrait she was in. She moved across several others before coming to Inko’s, where she walked down the corridor and knocked on a door in the hall, disappearing inside once she opened it.
Hisashi shifted, keenly aware of the uncomfortable silence as he stood there waiting with Gran. His hands clenched around the lilies for a moment before he realized he shouldn’t crush the flowers accidentally.
“Go sit down,” Gran ordered him, pointing to the couch. “She might be a while.”
Hisashi glanced at the couch, then back at Gran. “What about you? Are you just going to, uh, stand here? Waiting?”
“These are my rooms. I can stand where I please,” Gran snorted. “You think I’m gonna let you be alone with them? You got a big mouth, boy.”
“Don’t call me ‘boy’, you old geezer,” Hisashi muttered.
He sat down, as being on the couch put more distance between himself and Gran. It did nothing to alleviate that intense stare he could feel on the back of his head though, or the nervousness that came with it.
An eternity seemed to stretch on in the few minutes that they waited in the awkward silence, fidgeting uncomfortably in each other's presence. It was an immense relief when a soft voice broke it, and Hisashi perked up eagerly.
“This had better not be a prank, Mother,” he heard Inko say, and his heart raced just a little faster. He spotted green hair when a door far down the hall in the portrait opened, and a smile threatened to overtake his whole face. “I told you I didn’t want to speak with him again unless—oh!”
Inko came to a stop in her portrait as her eyes landed on Hisashi, surprise taking over her face.
Hisashi jumped to his feet. He squeezed the flowers in his hands, held them out, realized how ridiculous that was, lowered his hands, then remembered he was supposed to put them around the portrait frame. “Hi!” he squeaked out, embarrassed.
Inko turned to her mother. “Why didn’t you tell me he was here?! Look at me!” She gestured to herself.
Hisashi didn’t understand. He thought she looked perfectly fine. Beautiful, even.
“I’m not prepared for this!” Inko complained. “Look at my hair!”
“I-I think it looks fine,” Hisashi offered weakly.
“Just fine?!” she wailed.
“You look as lovely as always,” Gran tried to soothe her.
“Don’t you even start with me!” Inko huffed, turning to face her mother instead. “I’ll be right back! Oh, what am I to do?!” She sent a glare Gran’s way. “You should have told me! Now I have to go get ready!”
What? She was going to leave? Hisashi didn’t want to have to stand here in awkward silence with Gran again for who knew how long!
“W-Wait!” he called, trying to stop her. “I, uh, I have flowers. For you. Uh. Lilies.”
In the corner of his eye, he saw Gran facepalm.
“Oh!” Inko’s cheeks pinked. “They’re lovely, thank you. You can place them around my portrait please. I’m, uh, I’m sorry I’m not very presentable right now…”
“It’s, um. Fine? You…You look. Um—” Hisashi felt his whole face burning, struggling to form words properly. He fought with himself to clear his throat and meet her eyes fully, his chest hot and heart hammering away. “You look beautiful!” he finally managed to sputter out. “I-I’ve always thought you were beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever met—”
He clamped his mouth shut immediately, cursing himself for letting his tongue get away from him. He wanted to throttle himself actually, wishing he could sew his mouth closed before he embarrassed himself even further.
Inko’s face flushed bright red at that, her gaze flicking away. But that was alright, as Hisashi didn’t think he could keep looking her in the eyes either after saying all that.
There was very awkward silence for a moment, broken only by Gran’s mutter of, “You’re hopeless.”
Hisashi could see Nana with her hands clamped over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter, and he held the flowers up in front of his face, hiding it in embarrassment.
“Mom!” he heard Inko yell. “Don’t laugh at me!”
“Sorry, sweetie,” Nana offered, clearly struggling to keep the laughter out of her voice.
Hisashi rather thought Nana was laughing at him, but knew he wouldn’t be able to say so without awkwardly stammering his words again.
“I would like to speak with him alone,” Inko directed at Gran and Nana. “I don’t need you two watching and laughing at me!”
“There’s no way in hell that I’m leaving this room with just you and him—” Gran began to refuse outright, when Inko cut him off.
“Aren’t you trying to make amends?” she called him out. “Would you really deny me this? I thought you wanted to make me happy.”
“Oi! Don’t you go tryna manipulate me, young lady.” Gran pointed a stern finger at her. “I ain’t no spring chicken that can be fooled. I see what you’re doin’.”
“C’mon, Sorahiko,” Nana snickered, grinning wide, amusement glinting in her dark green eyes. “We can go into the other room while they talk.”
“You have a third secret room?” Hisashi asked incredulously, turning to face the man in bewilderment.
“That ain’t none of your business!” Gran snapped at him. He turned his eyes towards Nana, narrowed in a sharp glare. “Nana! Quit givin’ away my secrets!”
She only rolled her eyes. “I doubt he’d want to go in there if you told him what it was.”
“Don’t you dare!” Gran insisted.
“What is it?” Hisashi asked, curiosity piqued.
“Ah-ah!” Gran’s finger turned to point at him. “Don’t you go snoopin’. Or I’ll make you eat those flowers!”
“Oh, please just go!” Inko practically begged.
Gran held his hands up in surrender. “Aye, aye. Fine. I’ll give you ten minutes. Then I’m coming back.” He fixed Hisashi with a fierce glare. “You better not try anything funny, you hear me?”
Hisashi could only nod dumbly, watching with great intrigue as Gran went to the left wall of the room rather than the secret closet door, placing his locket into an indent that Hisashi was sure hadn’t been there a moment ago. Gran gave Hisashi one last heated glare before disappearing into the mysterious room.
Nana smirked and waved them goodbye. “I’ll keep him distracted for you.” She left the portrait, disappearing off to the left out of view.
There was a long pause, before Inko’s voice drew Hisashi’s attention back to her as she asked, “So, um, may I have the flowers then?”
“O-Oh, yeah. Of course!” Hisashi rushed forward to place the (somewhat crumpled at this point) flowers around the portrait as he’d been told to.
“Thank you.” She smiled shyly. “Lilies are my favourite.”
“I know!” Hisashi blurted out. He resisted the urge to smack himself for his constant blundering when she looked a bit taken aback. Why was talking to women so hard?! “Uh… Gran told me.”
“R-Right. That makes sense…” she trailed off.
Another pause.
Hisashi desperately searched for something to say. “Uhh, you, uh—I was told—I-I heard—Umm... I heard you’re great at healing magic?”
“Oh, yes,” she said, regarding him with curiosity. “I am. I—that is to say, my real self—wanted to learn how to heal to help people while traveling around the country and meeting with the human envoys. Things were so dangerous back then… it seemed everyone always needed help, vampire or human.”
“Right… I heard that you wanted to help forge peace treaties alongside Nana,” Hisashi mused, recalling his conversation with Gran from months ago. He felt his intrigue grow. No one had told him much of what the kingdom was like during Nana’s rule, or the rulers before her. “What was it like back then?”
“Hmm, tumultuous. There wasn’t a lot of peace. Factions of vampires and humans fought against each other, not always wanting to listen to Mom’s ideas of peace.”
“What caused the vampires to section off into factions?” Hisashi asked. “I thought all vampires answered to the royal family?”
“They do,” Inko confirmed. “But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have free will, or that they can’t disagree with our ideals. They might not be able to turn against us or disobey us if we ordered them directly, but they can still go against our wishes otherwise. We can’t be everywhere at once, and it would be impossible to order every vampire to follow the new laws mom instated. It wouldn’t win us any favors with our subjects if we had tried either. Mom and I needed to win them over in time and prove that a different way of life where humans and vampires could peacefully coexist was possible.”
Hisashi hummed in understanding. “I see… I can’t imagine that was an easy process.”
Inko nodded. “It took an exceedingly long time. There were very few vampires that were pleased with the…changes…mom made when she became queen. They resisted the changes she was trying to implement, and there were still issues even by the time I became an adult. That’s part of the reason why I wanted to be involved in the negotiations between vampires and humans.”
“Ah…” Hisashi felt himself burning with curiosity to ask further, but he felt it wasn’t the time to do so.
Especially not when Inko’s eyes saddened. “War is… not fun.”
“I know,” Hisashi sighed, thinking of Izuku and all the burdens placed on his far too young shoulders. “But you’re a remarkable woman, to put yourself in danger like that for the betterment of your people.”
Inko sniffed, turning her nose up a bit. “An odd compliment, that,” she said. “I doubt you’d say such things if I were a man. It’s only remarkable because I’m a woman, is it?”
“Wh-What?” Hisashi waved his hands. “No! That’s not what I meant! I just. I meant that, uh, that I—I think you’re really incredible! For helping bring peace to your people. You made an incredible country to live in. Vampires and humans living together harmoniously. That… I didn’t even think something like that was possible. But you made it happen.”
Inko’s expression smoothed out into a flattered, shy smile. “Oh, ah, thank you. I don’t personally remember the success of our work, as my painting was made before then, but I’m always glad to hear that my real self was able to succeed. I don’t like war. I don’t like seeing people suffering, whether they’re human or vampire. I’m glad it’s all over.”
Hisashi quickly decided to do as Gran said and not tell her about the current war that was happening. He didn’t want to make her sad.
“What is it you do, though?” she asked, looking much more relaxed and at ease than before.
“Oh, um. Sometimes I help with the Council. And I spend a lot of my time training with magic and my sword. Occasionally I like to wander about the city,” Hisashi answered. “Most days I look after your son though.”
Inko’s jaw dropped, eyes going wide. “I have a son?!”
…Oh crap. She hadn’t known. Gran would probably be pissed that Hisashi told her.
“W-Well, I mean… yes,” he admitted. He couldn’t backtrack now that he’d already said it.
Inko just blinked, looking dazed. “I guess that makes sense. You mentioned last time I had a husband…” She eyed him oddly. “Are you a servant then? A guard? Why do you look after my son?”
Hisashi stammered and stuttered, trying to come up with something believable that wouldn’t give too much away. Gran was going to kill him for slipping all this information to her. Though, in Hisashi’s opinion, she had the right to know about her real self, didn’t she? It was rather a shame that Gran kept her in the dark like this.
“It’s complicated? I can be seen as like… a guardian for him. Yeah. A guardian,” he eventually said. It was technically the truth.
“Oh, I see,” Inko hummed, sounding pleased with his answer. “And you keep him safe, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Hisashi assured her. “I’ll die before I let anything happen to him.”
Approval radiated off of her, a soft smile pulling at her lips. “Can you tell me about him then? What’s his name? What’s he like?”
Hisashi perked up. “His name is Izuku, he’s eleven, and he’s the best kid ever!” Maybe an exaggeration, but he hadn’t really had much opportunity to brag about his son yet. “He looks a lot like you actually; green hair and eyes. Though, a bit, uh…vertically challenged.”
Inko put her hands on her hips, pulling her face into a frown, but her eyes expressed amusement. “Are you calling me short?”
“Well, I mean, everyone is short to me,” Hisashi muttered.
“That’s alright. I like tall men,” she said, looking him up and down.
Hisashi blushed furiously, fidgeting on the spot. “U-Uh… And I…like short women? Yeah.”
Inko laughed loudly. “I’m sure you have no trouble finding those!”
“A-And I like green! Green is my favourite colour! You’re so—It’s so pretty!”
Inko flushed then, giggling behind a hand. “Well, I—”
The door to the other secret room burst open.
“Aight, it’s been longer than ten minutes,” Gran announced. “You’re done here, Hisashi.”
“You can’t just cut us off in the middle of a conversation, that’s rude!” Inko protested, scowling at Gran. “Besides, he was just telling me about my son!”
Hisashi quailed as stormy eyes turned on him, Gran snarling.
“You. Said. What?”
“Don’t you growl at him!” Inko chided Gran. “It’s more than you’ve told me. At least he’s being honest. When were you going to inform me that I had an eleven year old son, hm?”
“Inko, please,” was all Gran managed to say, his lip curled and one fang bared, looking like he was barely able to restrain himself.
“I don’t want to hear it!” she said.
Gran gaped. “What? But I brought this pest here because you said you’d talk to me again if you got to see him once more! Don’t go turnin’ on me again!”
“Maybe if you tell me more about Izuku, I might be willing to join you and mom for dinner tonight,” Inko offered. “Provided you don’t chase Hisashi out of the room like last time. And provided I get to see him again in the future. I like his visits.”
Hisashi watched Gran’s facial muscles twitch and spasm, as if the very idea of letting Hisashi come back again brought him great pain.
“…Fine,” Gran ground out. “But no longer than fifteen minutes each time! I ain’t trust him that much.”
“Shocked that you imply you trust me at all,” Hisashi muttered to himself.
“Don’t start with me!” Gran snapped irritably. “You should be grateful I let you see her at all!”
Hisashi rolled his eyes. “Can’t believe you control who she sees. Who do you think you are? She’s the queen. Why do you get any say in who she can see or not? You’re just her loyal guard dog.”
“Don’t spout preposterous crap!” Gran barked. “You’re cutting it real close, Hisashi. I won’t be having anyone insult me in my own home.”
“Alright, alright.” Hisashi held his hands up in surrender, knowing better than to push his luck with Gran, seeing how riled up he already was. He didn’t want to be chased through the castle again, especially after he had seen first-hand exactly what Gran was capable of.
“And make sure to tell me next time before he comes to visit!” Inko insisted as Gran began to forcibly shoo him out of the room. “I want to look my best for our date!”
“D-DATE?!” Hisashi squeaked as he was pushed from the room.
“Don’t call it that, it ain’t a date!” Gran yelled back to Inko as he shut the door. He turned to Hisashi, giving him the stink-eye. “And don’t you go getting any ideas in that empty noggin’ of yours. I’ll be watching you two, remember that.”
“A d-date…” Hisashi repeated in wonder, still in shock. A smile curled at his lips and his heart thumped just a little bit faster, feeling light and fluttery. A sharp flick to his ear snapped him out of his thoughts, though, and he glanced back to see Gran scowling at him. He gulped. “...Can I at least have a head start?”
“You won’t even have a head if you don’t get out right. Now,” Gran growled out with a flash of fangs, claws raised in warning.
Hisashi decided not to push his luck any further, spinning on his heel and racing for the main doors. He tumbled out of Gran’s rooms a bit clumsily, but caught his footing and booked it down the corridor, hearing the sound of Gran laughing behind him.
Kurogiri’s brows rose as he saw a familiar address while sorting through his mail. It was early morning, a few hours before he had to leave for his job at the castle; the quietest part of his day. He carried the mail back into the house with him, sighing as he set it on the table next to his breakfast. He detested junk mail.
This was the third letter he had received like this. The first time, he had assumed the letter was meant for someone else and had been accidentally sent to him instead. The second time, he figured the same mistake might have happened again. After all, what would the noble House of Shirakumo be writing to him about? Kurogiri had no ties to them, and neither had his old master’s family, so he was unsure as to why he was suddenly receiving these letters.
Perhaps it was finally time to find out.
Wearily, Kurogiri reached for his letter opener. Once or twice, he would just consider it a mistake or a coincidence. But three times? He couldn’t deny that it was accidental any longer. Cutting neatly across the envelope, he set the blade aside and pulled out the thick piece of parchment from within, his golden eyes narrowing at the fancy penmanship that could give Lord Torino a run for his coin.
“To Kurogiri…” it began, confirming that it was, in fact, for him. He scanned the words carefully, his narrowed eyes widening more and more with each one he read. Disbelief rose in him as he continued on, and his heart raced significantly faster by the time he had finished.
No. No. This couldn’t be right. Surely this was a jest of some sort? Some kind of cruel prank.
Kurogiri set the letter to the side, staring at it with a scowl. Absolutely no way. He didn’t believe it in the slightest. It just simply wasn’t possible. If he received another letter of its like, it was going straight into the trash. Kurogiri wasn’t going to entertain any such nonsense, or allow whoever was sending these letters the satisfaction of thinking that they had fooled him.
He had much more important things to tend to. Making sure Tenko was looked after, properly tending to his job, and ensuring that Hisashi and Izuku didn’t get into too much mischief—being the trouble magnets that they were. Kurogiri had no time to doff around with such foolishness.
He wasn’t going anywhere. Not without his sons.
“Papa?”
Speaking of which…
Kurogiri turned to where the small voice had come from. Tenko stood in the doorway to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes tiredly and holding his Mon-chan under one arm.
“What are you doing up so early, hmm?” Kurogiri asked, holding out an arm and gesturing for Tenko to come over.
“I-I had a bad dream…” Tenko admitted quietly, walking up to him.
He lifted his son from under the arms, setting him down on his lap. Tenko grasped onto his shirt, burying his face there with a little sniffle.
“Oh, I’m sorry, honey,” Kurogiri said softly, petting his hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I…um…” Tenko started, sounding unsure of himself. “I think… I think it was about…that. With. With my parents a-and sister…”
“Ah.”
Internally, Kurogiri winced. Tenko often had nightmares about that incident. It wasn’t surprising though; no child should have to witness the things Tenko had. It was no wonder Tenko had repressed the memories the way he had—though they had a way of showing themselves regardless. Carefully, he brushed away one of the tears gathered at the corner of Tenko’s eyes.
“It’s alright, though,” he reassured his son. “It was just a bad dream. You’re safe, and nothing bad is going to happen. I promise.”
“But it wasn’t just a dream, right?” Tenko snuggled into him more, little hands trembling. “It happened, didn’t it?”
“It did.” Kurogiri stroked his son’s hair, cradling him protectively in his arms. He wasn’t going to lie to Tenko. Such lies would only cause strife and grief once Tenko was old enough to fully understand what had happened. “But that is in the past. Now, it’s only a dream. And sometimes our dreams do hurt us, but they aren’t something for us to dwell on. Instead of thinking on scary dreams, you should try listing all the things you love instead, and focus on those.”
“I’ll try…” Tenko murmured, pausing as he did as Kurogiri said. Then Tenko looked up at him. “I love you, Papa.”
Kurogiri smiled. “I love you too. And you should know you can always come to me when you need me.” He wanted to make sure his son knew Kurogiri would never turn him away. “I’m here for you. Always.” He gave Tenko a gentle squeeze.
“Okay.” Tenko easily hugged him in return.
There was silence between them for a moment, Tenko holding on to him while Kurogiri pet his hair. But soon his son stirred in his arms to look up at him with painfully hopeful eyes.
“...Can I visit Izuku again?” Tenko asked quietly. “I had fun reading with him. A-and he said Mon-chan could play with Sir Bun Bun!”
Kurogiri’s eyes softened. It warmed his heart to see Tenko wanting to play with another kid. He so rarely got the chance these days.
“I’m sure Izuku would love for you to visit him.” Kurogiri kissed the top of Tenko’s forehead. “I’ll ask if I can bring you to visit him again soon, once he feels better,” he promised, and his heart felt full from how Tenko beamed—though it was quickly broken by a little yawn. Kurogiri chuckled. “But for now, you need to hurry back to bed. It’s still early for you.”
“Don’t wanna yet,” Tenko grumbled. “I’m thirsty.”
“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” Kurogiri smiled. He rolled up his sleeve, presenting his arm to his son who eagerly accepted, burying tiny fangs into him.
With his free hand, Kurogiri sorted the rest of the mail, putting the letter from the Shirakumo house into the pile that would get burned in his fireplace. He finished off his own breakfast as Tenko drank from him, the young boy eventually slowing down as sleep caught up to him, slumping against Kurogiri with his cheek resting on Kurogiri’s chest.
“Alright, time for bed,” Kurogiri chuckled quietly, tugging his sleeve back into its proper place before standing up with Tenko in his arms.
His son merely made a soft, incoherent grumble, soft breaths leaving him. Kurogiri shook his head good naturedly, taking Tenko back to his bedroom and laying him down. He tugged the blanket over Tenko’s shoulder, ensuring he was good and comfortable, then tucked Mon-chan beneath his arm and pet his son’s hair soothingly. Tenko reflexively hugged the toy close to his chest and squeezed it tightly, face smoothing out as he fell into a deep sleep.
Kurogiri quietly shut the door behind him, returning to his usual morning routine, the time passing peacefully before there was a light knock on the front door, and he opened it to reveal his babysitter.
“Good morning,” he greeted, allowing her in. “I’ve just laid Tenko back down, and he’s already had his morning meal.”
“Ah, thank you,” she said as she entered the house. “Should I offer him a small glass of blood in the afternoon then, to tide him over until evening?”
“If he needs it,” Kurogiri answered, straightening his clothes out in preparation to leave. “Please go over the books I’ve picked out for today’s lesson, and work with him on his additions and subtractions. I’ll take over his studies when I return.”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
Kurogiri summoned the now familiar mist to his hand, a portal of black and purple swirling into existence. Thank goodness for warping. He would be eternally grateful to Hisashi for allowing him to learn it. It made everything so much easier.
“I’d best be off,” Kurogiri bid farewell to her. “I have my own babysitting duties to attend to in the meantime.”
With that, he stepped through the warp gate, ready to start his day.
That morning, Hisashi was out of bed faster than he’d ever been before, ready to start training the moment he woke up. Kurogiri swiftly helped him into his clothes as always, and ran a brush through his hair (that Hisashi would forever deny he enjoyed). Hisashi then grabbed his sword and vambraces from under his bed, ignoring Kurogiri’s weary sigh. He quickly gulped down the blood Kurogiri had brought up, ready to make his leave for the training grounds.
In his haste, he almost hadn’t realized that Izuku had yet to wake up that morning, and turned away from the door he had nearly run out of to look back at his son who was still fast asleep in the bed.
It was unusual for Izuku to sleep in. Even more so for him to remain undisturbed as Hisashi went about his morning routine, being the light sleeper that he was. But Hisashi certainly couldn’t blame him. In the week since the kidnapping incident, Izuku had spent most of it bedridden and sleeping, slowly recovering from the wounds that had been inflicted on him and the poison lingering in his veins. Though, thankfully, he no longer needed the gauze on his back, as the cuts had finally healed, the blackened flesh and dark veins having all but disappeared.
The resulting scar, however, had not, and Hisashi always felt an intense wave of guilt whenever he saw it. Looking at it was a reminder of his failure to protect his child; a reminder of the mark of failure that used to be emblazoned on his own back. He could only resolve to never allow such a thing to happen again, and hope that the scar would fade with time.
Izuku looked much better than he had before, but it was clear that he was still recovering. It would be best not to push him too far today.
“Izuku?” Hisashi said, gently shaking his son’s shoulder. “It’s time to wake up, son.”
“Mm…” Izuku grumbled, sleepy green eyes cracking open slowly. “Wha…?”
“C’mon now.” Hisashi smiled, brushing a hand through his son's curls. “We have training today, remember? We need to hurry or we’ll be late.”
“Oh, right,” Izuku murmured tiredly, rising at a slow pace. He raised a hand to cover a yawn as he threw the covers off his legs, scooting out of bed and landing on his feet with a little hiss.
Hisashi felt his pulse quicken at the reaction. He reached out to help his son, but a small hand waved him off.
“I’ll go get dressed,” Izuku mumbled, stumbling towards the door.
“I’ve already taken the liberty of selecting an outfit for you as well, Little King,” Kurogiri spoke up, offering a set of clothes for him to take. “And I know it is not my place to retrieve your morning meal, but I thought it prudent considering. I hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s fine,” Izuku sighed wearily, grabbing hold of the clothes. Hisashi and Kurogiri gave Izuku privacy while he changed, and once finished he accepted the glass of blood from Kurogiri.
“Don’t forget your medicine.” Hisashi snatched a vial of tonic off his bedside table and swiftly moved to his son's side. Izuku made a disgruntled face when Hisashi tipped the contents into the blood, setting the empty vial off to the side after with a mental note to get more later. “Don’t make that face, it’s for your own good,” Hisashi chided when Izuku grumpily stared at the blood.
“It makes it taste bad,” Izuku complained.
“Just drink it all in one gulp. That way you won’t have time to linger on the taste,” Hisashi suggested.
Izuku sighed, glaring at his reflection in the liquid.
“Your Majesty, I would advise against—” Kurogiri tried to interrupt, but Izuku had already raised the glass to his lips and quickly drained the chalice all at once.
Izuku hiccuped loudly after he finished, a hand over his mouth and looking a bit queasy.
Kurogiri only sighed. “…Against drinking it all at once. You could get indigestion.”
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked, wincing at the face Izuku was making. “Sorry. I didn’t think about that.”
“Just take a moment to let it settle, and it’ll pass,” Kurogiri instructed gently.
Izuku did so, sitting down on the bed for a few minutes to let his stomach settle. When he stood back up he seemed less queasy than before, and Hisashi was glad to see there seemed to be a bit more strength in him than earlier.
“Ready, Dad?” Izuku asked, looking over to him.
“Of course.” Hisashi nodded, taking hold of his son’s hand and walking to the door. He glanced back at his servant, who was already at work fixing the bed. “Are you going to join us for training too, Kurogiri?”
“In a bit, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri explained. “I need to tend to my immediate chores first. I will join you shortly after.”
“Alright then. See you soon.” Hisashi waved off, a foot already out the door and half-way down the stairs.
He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as they headed down, looking outside the windows along the way and being pleased to find it was a very cloudy day. He felt pumped, practically vibrating with excitement as they neared the training grounds. Still, he kept his walk on the slower side, not wanting to rush Izuku.
“You’re way too happy about this,” Izuku grumbled from beside him.
“Extra training, Izuku! Training is always good! And this is training against other people!”
“You already train too much!” Izuku complained, shaking his head. “Don’t you ever get tired of it?”
“Nope,” Hisashi answered, ready to get started practicing his magic and swordplay against Gran. Gran would give him an excellent challenge! “Training helps us stay in shape, and it keeps us on our toes, and our skills sharp. Why would I ever get tired of it?”
Izuku sighed. “You need more hobbies, Dad.”
“This coming from the boy who studies and does paperwork all the time,” Hisashi countered.
“It’s part of my job!” Izuku huffed indignantly. “I can’t help it that I always have royal duties to do.”
“Training is part of my job!” Hisashi tried to say.
“You're not a hunter anymore, remember?” Izuku pointed out.
Hisashi waved him off. “Maybe not, but it’s my job to protect you as your father,” he said, and he knew he had won the argument when a small smile broke through Izuku’s pinched expression. Hisashi’s voice turned more serious then. “I can’t let anything like last week ever happen again.”
“Yeah…” Izuku murmured, tightening his hold on Hisashi’s hand and biting at his lip. “You’re okay, right?”
Hisashi’s brows shot up. “Am I okay? Are you okay? You’re the one who was seriously injured!”
“Yeah, but they were after you!” Izuku returned. “They targeted you!”
“They didn’t hurt me nearly as bad though,” Hisashi retorted, looking down at his son. A bit of worry creased his brow. He hadn’t missed how Izuku would wince now and again as they walked, and he seemed more sluggish than normal. “...You can sit on the sidelines for today, y’know. You’re still not at a hundred percent.”
“I’ll be fine, Dad,” Izuku brushed him off, though Hisashi wasn’t convinced. “It doesn’t hurt that bad anymore.”
“Still,” Hisashi said. “I don’t want you straining yourself, alright?”
“I won’t,” Izuku promised him, squeezing his hand. He looked up at Hisashi with utter seriousness, giving him a stern look. “As long as you promise the same!”
“Pfft, I never strain myself training,” Hisashi insisted. When Izuku only continued to stare at him firmly, though, he sighed. “Okay, fine, I promise.”
“Pinky promise?” Izuku asked, holding out the pinky of his free hand.
“Pinky promise,” Hisashi said easily, hooking his own pinky around his son’s and shaking.
Izuku smiled. “Okay! Mirai is gonna help you today with your magic, by the way.”
Hisashi’s pace faltered just as they reached the training grounds. “What? No! I don’t need that guy’s help! I don’t need any help!”
“Do you want a repeat of the incident with the training room?” Izuku asked, looking at him flatly. “Or the arrow shoes?”
“Those were one time occurrences!” Hisashi insisted. “It hasn’t happened again since!”
“Uh-huh. And we’ll make sure it doesn’t ever happen again since Mirai is going to be teaching you how to better control your magic!”
“Hey! New proposal: how about you and me train together tomorrow, hmm? Just the two of us. Special little father-son training session. What do you say?” Hisashi stopped before entering the training area.
Izuku kept tugging him forward though, making his feet drag through the dirt. “You aren’t getting out of this one, Dad. We’re already here. And I told Gran we would come.” He waved to the man in question as he tugged Hisashi along behind him.
“Bout time you two showed up,” Gran greeted them gruffly, a hand on his hip. “I thought you of all people would get here early, Hisashi.”
Beside him, Mirai glared, fixing Gran with a heated gaze. There were dark shadows under his eyes, and lines seemed to crease his face. “Oh, as if you’re one to talk about being on time for anything,” he grumbled. “With your track record, one would think you were the slowest vampire in existence.”
“Hey!” Gran hissed in offense. “I’ll have you know that there isn’t a vampire alive or dead faster than me!”
“Then where are those documents I asked you for a week ago? Or the report from the frontlines you were supposed to give me? How about the account of our resources from House Yaoyorozu?”
“Uh…” Gran looked away, rubbing a hand against the back of his head. He pointedly avoided meeting Mirai’s gaze. “I was…right on that earlier. Yeah.”
Mirai raised a singular brow, tone flat. “Really?” he said in a tone of utter disbelief. “Then you should be able to bring them by my desk after training, yes?”
Gran winced. “Well, uh, actually I was planning on—”
Mirai crossed his arms and glared at Gran, deeply unimpressed and unfazed by his excuses.
Both Hisashi and Izuku snorted, rolling their eyes.
Izuku turned his attention to Mirai, calling him over. “Mirai! You’re going to help Dad with his magic control today, alright?”
“Very well then. If I must,” Mirai grumbled without much argument, releasing Gran from his glower and walking over. “But first, I’ll need to see what he’s capable of. Let’s get ready, shall we?”
“You’ve already seen it before though, remember? When he blew up the training room!”
“YOU blew up the training room!” Hisashi shot back. “That wasn’t me!”
“It was your spell!” Izuku insisted.
“But you cast it, not me!” Hisashi returned.
Mirai sighed, shaking his head. “Anyway. If we can move on?” He ushered for Hisashi to step forward. “I would like to get this over with quickly.”
“Aight, you know the rules, yeah?” Gran said, crossing his arms. “No silver and no lethal blows. Magic, weapons, and claws are all fair game. Now, fight!”
“Oh.” Hisashi blinked in surprise. “We’re going right into dueling? I thought you wanted me to demonstrate my magic first so that you could get an idea of how strong it is. I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt you more than intended because a spell comes out more powerful than I thought it would.”
“I assure you, I am perfectly capable of handling myself,” Mirai retorted sharply.
Hisashi watched Mirai brush his tongue across his fangs. Golden eyes were swallowed briefly in white, before returning to their usual hue. Mirai brought a hand up in a fist, keeping his gaze affixed on Hisashi. Hisashi blinked when thin needles appeared between his fingers.
“Uhh, okay then,” he said unsurely.
Mirai didn’t seem like the combat type, and he wondered if he should hold back against him. Hisashi only shrugged to himself and grabbed a sword though, missing his own but knowing he couldn’t use it because it was silver. A temporary one would have to do for now.
He got into a ready stance, eyeing Mirai over, waiting for the man to make the first move or give some sort of tell. But Mirai was as still as a statue, not even blinking, and after a minute of nothing, Hisashi got bored of waiting. He lunged forward as if to attack with his sword, then spun to the side as Mirai moved to dodge the feint, instead releasing a stream of fire from his hand that blasted directly for Mirai.
…Except Mirai hadn’t dodged in the direction Hisashi had assumed he would. In fact, he’d moved to avoid the range of the spell before Hisashi had even cast it, as if he’d known Hisashi’s plan.
Hisashi’s guard dropped for only a moment in his confusion, but that moment was all his opponent apparently needed, as suddenly something small and sharp embedded itself into his shoulder. His entire arm went weirdly numb, and he reflexively dropped the sword.
“The hell—” he murmured, staring at his leadened arm with shock, and found the needles Mirai had held were sticking out from his shoulder.
Then he watched with wide eyes as one of the needles suddenly disappeared, blood leaking out briefly before his vampiric healing sealed up the wound. Hisashi frowned, expression pinched in confusion before he turned to look back at Mirai—and the bloodied needle that was in his hand. Mirai brought the needle up, licking away the droplet of blood, and his eyes flashed again.
Ah. Right. Somehow, it had completely gapped his mind that Mirai could see the future. That was a hell of an advantage in a fight. But what were those needles? His arm still felt all weird.
Hisashi huffed, and took a moment to rethink his strategy. When he had one, he moved on it. It didn’t work, however, though Hisashi did manage to dodge the needles. He then tried again with a new plan.
The next one didn’t work either. Now his left leg felt weirdly numb. Hisashi grunted when he reached down to pluck the needles embedded in it out. He decided to ditch close combat, electing to fire off a wide variety of long-ranged spells, trying to overwhelm Mirai by sheer magical force and quantity.
To his surprise, Mirai actually fled, booking it out of the combat area entirely.
It didn’t take long for Hisashi to realize why, when suddenly all his magic sent out a huge blast that rocked him back on his feet, stirring up dirt and dust in the air.
That had been… stronger than he’d intended.
“You’re using your magic as though you’re still a human,” Mirai commented dryly, suddenly at Hisashi’s side, claws at his throat. “As a human you would have needed to use your magic to its fullest extent against the vampires you fought, but as a vampire, you are using far too much at once. It’s sloppy and unrefined.”
Hisashi gritted his teeth, jerking away from Mirai and lashing out with his own claws. “My magic isn’t sloppy—”
“Perhaps for a human it wasn’t, when your magic was weaker,” Mirai said as he quickly jumped away. “But you’re forgetting that your magic is much stronger now, as a vampire yourself. You need only to start with a small trickle of your magic reserves, rather than a downpour.”
“Not exactly easy to do,” Hisashi said. “I’ve never given a spell anything less than all my magical strength when casting. And trying to control my magic now is…difficult.” He hated admitting it. “It… It slips away from me almost. Like it’s a wild thing of its own.”
“It’s your magic, not a wild animal,” Mirai snorted, and Hisashi barely dodged in time as needles flew past his face. “What you need to do is practice only the most basic of spells with as little magic as possible. Then you might actually manage to master control over it in a century or two.”
“A century?! I don’t have that kind of time, you old geezer!” Hisashi snapped.
“I’ll have you know that I’m only five hundred and forty-three!” Mirai shot back.
“Oh, sorry,” Hisashi corrected, “ancient geezer.”
Mirai hissed angrily, but didn’t lose his composure. “I’m not old!” he complained.
“Sure thing.” Hisashi used Mirai’s brief distraction from the fight to land a hit on him, but quickly received more needles for his success. “Seriously, what the hell are those things?!” Both his arms were numb and useless now.
Mirai’s stance relaxed, as if he knew that the fight was over (and with his foresight, he probably did). “I may not wield a sword or a spear or a bow, but I have my own ways of taking down opponents,” was all he said. “You’ll regain feeling in them in about ten minutes or so. Then we’ll practice control over basic spells.”
Ugh. Hisashi did not want to do that. He looked over to where Izuku and Gran were standing.
“Alright, that’s game! It’s Mirai’s win,” Gran called out, stretching his arms and legs. The elder vampire looked to Izuku, gesturing for him to get into the combat area. “Next is me and you. You up for a little practice?”
“After I check on Dad,” Izuku said.
Hisashi made his way over to the sidelines, feeling more than a little disgruntled at his defeat to Mirai of all people, as he sat down on a bench. Izuku was soon in front of him, and he hissed when his son plucked out the needles.
“Are you okay, Dad?” Izuku asked worriedly, looking over the already healing wounds.
“I’m fine, Izuku,” Hisashi huffed, even as he was still unable to move his arms. “It’s already healed up, see? Just gotta wait a few minutes for the feeling to come back, that’s all.”
“Mm.” Izuku eyed his injuries closely. “Looks like Mirai targeted your nerves. That’s why you lost feeling in your limbs.”
Hisashi blinked incredulously. “Wha—? How do you know that?” It made sense, but it wasn’t something he expected Izuku, a child, to know.
Izuku’s bright eyes dimmed slightly, his expression twisting into something wistful. “Mama told me once…”
Hisashi could sense dangerous territory, and quickly tried to shift the conversation elsewhere. “She was certainly a smart woman,” he said, putting on a smile to try and lift Izuku’s spirits again. “Now you go on ahead and practice with Gran, alright? Show me what you got!”
“Izuku! Come on! Don’t dally or we’ll be here all day!” Gran called out to them.
“Coming!” Izuku called back. He looked at Hisashi. “You’re gonna watch me, right, Dad?”
“Of course.” Hisashi leaned down to gently nudge their foreheads together. “I’m rooting for you, squirt.”
Izuku scowled playfully. “Not a squirt!”
“Then go prove it.” Hisashi sent his son off towards the combat area, leaning back to watch him face off with Gran.
Izuku looked excited as Mirai yelled, “Begin!”
Gran disappeared in a blur of speed.
Izuku didn’t seem bothered by it at all, and simply said, “Stop.”
Gran froze a foot away from his original placement, caught in a mid-run motion.
Izuku giggled, grinning ear to ear as he skipped over to Gran with his sword in hand. Hisashi roared with laughter when Izuku poked Gran in the chest with a claw, and the man fell over, still immobile.
“I win!” Izuku cheered gleefully.
Mirai looked both highly amused and also exasperated, as if he’d fully expected Izuku to pull something like that.
“Ain’t fair!” Gran grumbled out as best he could from his frozen lips. “That’s cheatin’ that is!”
Izuku’s eyes widened innocently. “But Gran, you always told me I should use whatever means I have available to my advantage!”
“And what are you going to do when your opponent is human and doesn’t respond to your commands?” Mirai asked.
Izuku shrugged. “Enthrall them?”
Privately, Hisashi thought all Izuku needed to do was chuck his opponent into a tree the way he had last time, but he didn’t voice it, not wanting to bring up a bad memory.
“I deserve a rematch for that dirty trick!” Gran demanded. “And no more commands.”
Izuku rolled his eyes and giggled. “Gran, you are released from the previous order.”
Gran immediately bounced to his feet. “You little brat! Let’s go!” He lunged for Izuku, and the rematch began.
“You’re on!”
It went on longer than Hisashi expected, though only because it became clear that Gran was holding back. He seemed to be more so playing with Izuku rather than sparring with him, though Hisashi didn’t think Izuku noticed. Izuku seemed to be having a good time at least, laughing as Gran roughhoused with him. The sight of his son so happy brought a smile to Hisashi’s face.
But as the two wrapped up their “training” match, noise behind him grabbed Hisashi’s attention.
“What are you doing here?” A familiar voice caught his ears, and he turned to see Kurogiri standing at the entrance to the training ground, his attention on a servant girl.
“O-Oh, sorry!” she quickly apologized, bowing quickly. “I-I was just… I thought they might need refreshments soon…”
“I am perfectly capable of tending to Their Majesties' needs,” Kurogiri told the girl, motioning with a hand to shoo Uraraka off. “If you’re truly concerned, then prepare a fresh bottle of blood from the kitchens. I will retrieve it shortly.”
“Y-Yes sir!” Uraraka nodded, and Hisashi could see a deep blush in her cheeks as she hurried off to do just that.
Kurogiri huffed, shaking his head in slight disapproval, but when he turned to face Hisashi, he offered a small smile as he made his way over to him.
“Kurogiri!” Hisashi called out, waving now that all feeling had returned to him. “What was all that about? Is everything okay?”
“Perfectly fine, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri assured him. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, I’m sure.”
“Oh. Uh, okay?”
“Mm. And how has the training been going?” Kurogiri asked mildly.
Hisashi’s eyes slid away. “You know. Fine.” He didn’t want to admit he had lost to Mirai.
Thankfully, Kurogiri didn’t press, but a glint of humour passed through his eyes. “I see the little king is having fun.”
“Yeah.” Hisashi smiled. “At least someone is enjoying this.”
He heard Kurogiri gasp dramatically, and a hand landed on his forehead.
“Hey! What gives?” Hisashi protested.
“You, not enjoying training?” Kurogiri commented, mockingly suspicious. “Are you sick? Who are you and what have you done with Hisashi?”
“Hey!” Hisashi huffed, waving the hand away from his forehead and giving Kurogiri a half-hearted scowl. “I’m not that bad when it comes to training!”
“Oh, really?” Kurogiri asked, looking amused. “Might I remind you that you once attempted to practice warp magic despite the risk of losing your limbs in the process?”
“Shh!” Hisashi hissed, motioning for Kurogiri to quiet down. He glanced over at Izuku, and was thankful to find he was much too distracted with Gran having him in a headlock to notice what Kurogiri had said. “Don’t bring that up around Izuku!”
Kurogiri smirked. “No, you’re right. Now would be a bad time. I should save it as a bargaining chip against you for when I really need it.”
Hisashi squawked, appalled. “Hey!” He pushed Kurogiri’s shoulder playfully. “I knew you were a snake!”
Kurogiri jostled him back lightly, smiling. “I wouldn’t have to go to such lengths if you weren’t so difficult sometimes, Your Majesty.”
“Wha—? I’m not difficult!” Hisashi sputtered indignantly.
“As you say, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri quipped with a knowing smile. He gestured to the bench. “May I?”
“Of course,” Hisashi obliged, shifting over to give Kurogiri plenty of space to sit.
“Thank you.” Kurogiri took a spot to his right. “Are you done for the day then?”
“No, just had to wait for the feeling to come back into my arms,” Hisashi said, stretching them over his head and letting out a relieved sigh when his shoulder popped. “I should get back to it, actually.”
“Indeed,” a third voice interrupted, and they both looked over to see Mirai walking towards them. “His Majesty insisted that I teach you how to better control your magic. If you would, I should like to get started. I have business to attend to today and would prefer to wrap this up quickly.”
“Alright.” Hisashi tried to keep the reluctance out of his voice as he stood up.
It still felt a bit embarrassing to have such a lack of control over his magic, which he used to be a master of. But being a vampire had amplified his magical abilities so much that it felt kind of like he was back to square one. And he hated being seen as potentially weak and needing help. Especially if the person assisting him was Mirai.
But he knew he’d also be a fool to turn down what was being offered. So with a sigh, he followed after Mirai to practice fine-tuning his magic.
Notes:
Trying something funny?
Inko: “Give Hisashi and I some privacy.”
Gran: “No way I’m leaving you two in this room ALONE.”
Nana: “Oh, come on. What are you even worried about?”
Gran: “Hisashi trying something funny.”
Nana: “Sorahiko, we’re literally paintings. It’s not like they can even kiss. There’s nothing to worry about. Chill.”
A bargaining chip.
Kurogiri: “I’m saving that warp training moment as a bargain chip against you for when I really need it.”
Hisashi: “Like when? To babysit Tenko?”
Kurogiri: “Haha, no. If you think I would trust a child to babysit a child you are sorely mistaken.”
Hisashi: “HEY.”
Skill Issue.
Mirai: “Were you really All For One with this level of skill? Doubt.”
Hisashi: “It's not my fault that my magic got stronger! It's hard to control!”
Mirai: “Clearly. You're using far too much for such simple spells. They're more likely to blow up in your face with your poor control.”
Hisashi: “I'm working on it okay?! I've tried casting a few spells, but it's not easy to put just a little into them!”
Izuku: “Oh yeah, like that time you blew up the training room!”
Hisashi: “YOU DID THAT!!!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 36
Summary:
“Alright.” Hisashi tried to keep the reluctance out of his voice as he stood up.
It still felt a bit embarrassing to have such a lack of control over his magic, which he used to be a master of. But being a vampire had amplified his magical abilities so much that it felt kind of like he was back to square one. And he hated being seen as potentially weak and needing help. Especially if the person assisting him was Mirai.
But he knew he’d also be a fool to turn down what was being offered. So with a sigh, he followed after Mirai to practice fine-tuning his magic.
Notes:
Sneaking in a chapter before the new year aghaghagahagahh…
RianMoeru: Chapter fifty four is coming along nicely! 😌 And ahhh, chapter fifty three! It was so lovely and sweet 🥰
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Alright, alright, all jokes aside, let’s get serious,” Sorahiko said, releasing Izuku from his grasp.
Izuku plopped to the ground, panting, and looked up at him incredulously. “Weren’t we being serious?!”
“Hah? Nah, this was play-fighting.” Sorahiko waved a hand. “That was just a warmup. Now we’re gonna get into the real training.”
“What kind of training?” Izuku wondered. Despite his heavy breathing, he still looked raring to go.
Sorahiko made a big deal of looking around suspiciously, as if making sure no one was going to overhear them. He crouched down next to Izuku, and cupped a hand over his mouth as he whispered, “Special training. I’m gonna teach you some real secret-secrets.”
Izuku snorted. “Secret-secrets?”
“Aye. Ain’t nobody know these techniques other than House Torino.”
That got the boy vibrating with excitement. “What kind of techniques?!”
Sorahiko winked. “The secret to our speed.”
Funny enough, Izuku actually deflated a bit at that. “Don’t tease me, Gran. I can’t learn that. Even Mirai doesn’t know it. Only blood members of the Torino line have the ability to use that specific technique.”
“Of course you can learn it!” Sorahiko scoffed. “You’re a member of the royal family aren’t you? The progenitor bloodline of all vampires? If anyone can learn my techniques, it’s you.”
Izuku looked up at him hopefully. “You really think so?”
“Really really,” Sorahiko assured him. “Now, you ready to get started? It won’t be easy, mind you.”
Izuku bit his lip. “…You sure I can learn it?”
“Aye. Might take a while, but I’m sure you’ll be able to get the hang of it.” Sorahiko ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’re the strongest vampire alive right now. I don’t doubt you could master anything you put your mind to.”
Izuku hopped to his feet, pumping his fists. “Okay! I’ll do my best!”
“Atta-boy!” Sorahiko thumped him on the back. He then proceeded to explain the basics behind the techniques he used to harness his magic to boost his speed the way he did.
“So I have to keep my magic running through my body constantly?” Izuku asked at the end of the explanation.
“Yep. Gotta keep a fine-tuned control over it at all times too. Otherwise you’ll be hugging walls in seconds,” Sorahiko warned him.
“Okay…so like this?” Izuku began, small bolts of lightning crackling sporadically over his body. He turned to Sorahiko as he readied himself to run. “And then I just—”
Sorahiko blinked when one second Izuku was standing right beside him, and the next the boy was plastered against the side of the training room.
“Izuku?!” he heard Hisashi shout from the other side of the training grounds, rushed footsteps quickly following.
Izuku slowly peeled off the wall and slumped to the ground.
Sorahiko got to him faster with his own burst of speed, looking down at the dazed boy. “Well. You managed to get pretty good speed there. Just need to work on your control more.”
Izuku only groaned in response.
Sorahiko reached down to help him up just as Hisashi arrived, rudely snatching Izuku right from Sorahiko’s hands.
“Oi!” he grumbled.
“What was that?!” Hisashi ignored him, eyes scanning Izuku frantically. “How did you do that? What did you do?”
Izuku gave a weak thumbs up from Hisashi’s arms. “Just learning some new magic, Dad. Don’t worry.”
“You smashed face-first into the wall and I’m not supposed to worry?!” Hisashi sounded a bit too worked up in Sorahiko’s opinion.
“I quite agree, that was a rather hard collision.”
Sorahiko hid his surprise at the unexpected voice right next to him, glancing over to see Hisashi’s servant suddenly just there. “Oh, great. Everyone just gather around then, why don’t we?” he complained. “Hey, Mirai! You wanna join the peanut gallery too?”
Kurogiri gave him such an unimpressed look that Sorahiko almost felt a little bit guilty. Almost. He shrugged it off.
“I’m okay,” Izuku offered as his eyes spun.
“See? He said he’s fine,” Sorahiko pointed out. “You can all—”
“Why don’t you rest, Your Majesty?” Kurogiri interrupted Sorahiko. “I’ll fetch refreshments for everyone and we can all take a break. You shouldn’t be straining yourself as it is, after all. You are still healing.” He directed a pointed stare at Sorahiko as he spoke the last part.
“...A drink sounds nice,” Izuku admitted, getting up to his feet with a shaky wobble. Hisashi steadied him with a hand under Izuku’s arm, but the boy still stumbled.
“Easy, Izuku,” Hisashi insisted, brows creased. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“I’ll go fetch the drinks then,” Kurogiri announced, summoning a portal and disappearing in the blink of an eye once he went through.
“C’mon, let's go sit down on the bench.” Hisashi held a hand to Izuku’s back and started leading him away. “You’ve been training for over an hour anyway. That’s more than enough for one day.”
“You’re—” Izuku began, only to stifle a yawn behind his hand. Tired tears pricked the corners of his eyes, but he managed to grumble out, “You’re not really one to talk, Dad.”
“Hey! I know my limits, I’m not injured, and I’m way older than you. So I think I can talk!” Hisashi insisted.
Sorahiko scowled. “Everything’s fine! He can train a little longer without any problem—”
“I must agree with Kurogiri,” Mirai butted in. “His Majesty needs his rest.”
Sorahiko groaned. “Not you too! Mirai, how can you betray me like this?!”
Mirai merely offered a wry smile and a shrug.
Sorahiko crossed his arms with an annoyed huff, reluctantly following everyone to the bench. Shortly after, Kurogiri returned, carrying a tray of glasses and two bottles of blood.
“Oh, fine then,” Sorahiko relented at the sight of it, reaching for a bottle when the servant neared. He let out a mockingly weary sigh. “I’m certainly not one to turn down a fresh drink—”
The human swatted his hand away. Rude.
“His Majesty requires a drink before yourself, Lord Torino,” Kurogiri said, his face deceptively neutral. He set the tray down before popping a bottle and pouring a single glass, offering it to Izuku before anyone else.
Sorahiko bristled, but he kept his mouth shut when Mirai shot him a look. He supposed it was only right that the king be served first. Still. Hisashi’s servant really had some gall. Sorahiko didn’t know whether he felt more annoyed or impressed.
He decided on annoyed when Kurogiri served Hisashi next.
Before he could complain about that, though, the servant reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small flask. He popped the cap and poured the contents into a glass before mixing it with blood and handing it to Sorahiko.
“You prefer yours to have a kick to it, don’t you?” Kurogiri asked Sorahiko as he served the final glass of blood to Mirai.
“Uh, yeah, I do.” Sorahiko was rather surprised Kurogiri remembered that—and thankful as he took a sip, feeling the sharp tang of alcohol on his tongue.
He watched as Mirai downed his glass like a shot, his eyes pinched in that way they got when he was fighting off a headache. Sorahiko didn’t blame him. He’d probably have a headache too if he was forced to train Hisashi.
Kurogiri collected Mirai’s glass from him, doing the same for the others when they were all done.
Izuku leaned tiredly against Hisashi after he finished drinking, looking like he was barely able to keep his eyes open. Hisashi scooped the boy up, holding him close as Izuku rested his head on his shoulder with a small grumble.
“Would you mind warping us back to our room, Kurogiri?” Hisashi asked the servant. “Izuku needs to rest.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Sorahiko watched as the servant summoned another portal, feeling somewhat disgruntled but knowing better than to say anything. Izuku did look tired, and his steps had been shaky…
So he just heaved a disappointed sigh. They could always train more another day anyway. Sorahiko was going to make sure Izuku knew everything he needed to know in order to protect himself. He couldn’t let something like the incident happen again. As long as he was still standing, he would never allow it.
A week after Lord Torino had begun implementing extra training, Kurogiri was ambushed in the middle of one of his usual tasks by Hisashi. Hisashi had grabbed him by the shoulders and hissed frantically about “getting out now while we have time!”. He’d then dragged Kurogiri away.
“Do we really have to rush like this?” Kurogiri asked.
“Yes! Izuku is distracted right now with lessons! This is the first time since the incident that I’ve been able to be alone. He’s been super clingy, and while I have this time to myself I want to go out into the city. He totally wouldn’t let me if he knew, though, so don’t you dare tell him,” Hisashi warned.
“Alright. And you ambushed me while I was working… Why?”
Hisashi’s cheeks pinked a bit and he looked away. He mumbled something under his breath.
Kurogiri raised a brow. “What was that?”
“I don’t want to go alone,” Hisashi repeated, just loud enough for Kurogiri to make out.
“Then of course I will accompany you, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri reassured.
Hisashi’s shoulders relaxed at that, as if he had been worried Kurogiri would reject him. “Thanks. I need to collect some money from Mirai, then let’s leave as fast as possible, okay? I don’t want Izuku to notice.”
Kurogiri nodded, following behind his master as they headed for Lord Mirai’s office. Hisashi knocked curtly on the door when they arrived, pausing for Lord Mirai to give the okay to enter.
But there was no response.
Kurogiri watched Hisashi frown sharply.
“I know he’s in there. I can hear him writing,” Hisashi muttered. He raised his hand again, knocking on the door more harshly the second time. “Hey!” he called out, annoyance twisting his expression when Lord Mirai still did not answer. Hisashi huffed, reaching for the handle of the door.
“Perhaps we should wait?” Kurogiri suggested lightly. “He might be busy at the moment.”
“This is the only chance I’ve had to go into the city in weeks. I’m not going to waste it because Mirai wants to be a prick and ignore me,” Hisashi retorted, giving the handle a turn and opening the door somewhat aggressively. “Look Mirai, I know you and I don’t—” He stopped mid-sentence, the anger in his eyes giving way to confusion instead.
Kurogiri frowned, moving to the side to look into the room himself. Sitting in his usual spot was Lord Mirai, pen in hand and writing as Hisashi had said.
But he did not look well.
His hair was unkempt, strands of it falling across his forehead. His brows were furrowed as if he were in pain, eyes glazed over as if he wasn’t truly present in the moment. Dark shadows clung under them, and his mouth was pulled into a frown. He didn’t seem to notice them either, despite Hisashi’s rude entry and loud talking. Lord Mirai didn’t acknowledge them; didn’t even look up from his work.
Stacks of paper surrounded him on all sides of his desk. Shaky hands gripped his pen, working quickly through a sheet. His dull eyes glanced over it once complete, muttering under his breath all the while, before the sheet tucked itself into a separate pile. His breathing was more ragged than normal, and his skin was an unhealthy pallor that indicated a severe lack of blood, while his lips were dried and cracked.
“...Mirai?” Hisashi called out, quieter than before.
Mirai didn’t answer him.
“...See to the supplies here…” Kurogiri could faintly make out. “...Insufficient blood yield from House Yaoyorozu…taxes…training the new servants…”
“Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri tried this time. “Lord Mirai, are you…alright?”
His words fell on deaf ears.
“The hell is wrong with him?” Hisashi muttered to Kurogiri.
Kurogiri sighed. “Overwork, I suspect.” He approached Mirai, who didn’t notice him even as he stood right next to the man. Kurogiri plucked the pen right from Mirai’s hand.
Mirai kept up the writing motions as if he didn’t even realize what had happened, empty hand moving across the paper.
Hisashi looked flabbergasted. “Uhh…”
After a few seconds, Mirai’s brow pinched, confusion creasing his face as a frown tugged his mouth down further. Golden eyes slowly looked over the empty page he was working on, before shifting over to his penless hand.
“...Hm?” he mused, clearly bewildered.
“Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri tried again. Relief washed over him when those eyes moved over to him.
“Oh,” Mirai murmured dazedly, “when did you…?”
“Just now, Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri answered patiently. “I believe you should—”
Mirai’s attention diverted from Kurogiri then, gaze flickering about tiredly over his desk, the floor, and his hand again. “My pen…” he muttered to himself. “I need my pen…”
“I have it here, Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri said, holding it out for him to see, trying to draw the man’s attention back to him.
Dazed eyes turned his way. “Ah, thank you.” Mirai took the pen and began writing again.
Hisashi snickered in the background. Kurogiri sent him a disapproving look.
“Lord Mirai.” He placed a hand on Mirai’s shoulder this time.
Mirai turned to him, blinked, then blinked again. “Oh, hello. When did you get here? Can I help you?”
“We came for some coin, and you may help me by taking a rest,” Kurogiri said.
“No, no.” Mirai shook his head in denial. “I can’t. I have to work. Too much needs to be done to rest.”
Kurogiri sighed and took the pen away again. Mirai frowned again, looking up at Kurogiri deliriously. “I think you need a drink and some rest, Lord Mirai,” he told the man gently. “It isn’t good to overwork yourself like this.”
Mirai licked his dry lips, his gaze shifting to Kurogiri’s neck as he spoke. “A drink sounds nice,” he admitted.
From across the desk, Kurogiri watched as Hisashi tensed, quickly moving to his side and placing a hand on his shoulder to push him out of the way, stepping in front of Kurogiri.
“Don’t even think about it,” Hisashi hissed.
“Hisashi, don’t be rude,” Kurogiri chided. He gestured with a hand towards Mirai. “Can’t you see he’s unwell?”
Hisashi huffed. “I don’t want him to attack you or anything…”
“He’s not going to,” Kurogiri assured. “I think it would be best for Lord Mirai to head to his rooms, where a bottle of blood will be brought for him. He can drink and rest and take a much needed break.”
Hisashi looked unconvinced. “Where did all this paperwork come from anyway?” He gestured to the stacks of papers on the desk.
Mirai looked at it too, but in a way that seemed he was truly registering it all. “It’s always been there?” his response came out more as a question. “I’ve—I’ve always done this amount of paperwork. Ever since Their Majesties…”
“I’ve never seen this much of it on your desk before!” Hisashi protested.
Mirai slumped, supporting his head with a hand. “Been running behind,” he murmured, “ever since Gran’s mandatory extra training. I was already swamped with extra tasks from His Majesty’s birthday, and now I don’t even have the chance to catch up. It all just keeps piling and piling and piling—” He cut off, his voice having sounded full of despair and exhaustion.
Kurogiri grimaced. He had heard enough.
“Lord Mirai, please return to your personal quarters and allow yourself to rest,” he insisted. “I know you still have much to do, but you cannot keep working in this state.”
“I can’t. I can’t.” Mirai shook his head, clutching at his hair.
Sympathy swelled in Kurogiri’s chest when he saw desperate tears in Mirai’s eyes. He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, urging him to stand. “You can—”
“No!” Mirai refused, swatting his hand away. “I told you I can’t! I have to do this! I have to get this done so that it doesn’t burden His Majesty! If I don’t do it, the king will have to. I have to do this!”
“You will be able to do more of it if you are properly rested and healthy,” Kurogiri tried to convince him.
Mirai only shook his head wildly.
When it became apparent that Mirai wasn’t going to listen to reason, Kurogiri turned to Hisashi. “Please lend me a hand. We need to take Lord Mirai back to his room.”
“…Do I have to?” Hisashi grumbled.
Kurogiri leveled him with a disappointed stare.
Hisashi shifted under it, pouting. “But what if we take too long and then Izuku finds out I’m gone and prevents me from going to the city?” he complained.
“Hisashi,” Kurogiri said flatly. He crossed his arms and raised his brows.
“Oh, fine!” Hisashi huffed. He stepped forward and grabbed Mirai by the arm, yanking him out of his chair against his will.
“Wha—? Hey! Release me!” Mirai protested immediately, pushing against Hisashi when he was dragged forward.
“Listen Mirai, you know I’m stronger than you so don’t try to fight me,” Hisashi growled as he tightened his hold on Mirai’s arm.
“Unhand me!” Mirai snapped back, his struggles only increasing as he fought to free himself from Hisashi’s grip.
Thankfully the distraction was enough for Kurogiri to create a portal, allowing him to send all three of them to Mirai’s room. It was better than traversing the halls where gossiping servants could catch a glimpse of Mirai in this delirious state.
“Try to get him to lay down.” Kurogiri gestured to the bed. “I’ll fetch some blood for him to drink—”
“NO!” Mirai shouted angrily. “I said I’m fine! I’m fine! I don’t need any help!”
“Well, you are going to get it anyway.” Kurogiri’s tone brooked no argument.
“I have time-sensitive documents to complete! I’m so far behind already, I will not—”
Kurogiri didn’t bother listening to the rest. He watched Hisashi drag the tired lord to his bed, and seeing that Hisashi seemed to have it handled, Kurogiri popped out to grab a bottle of blood. He was only gone for two minutes at most, but it was enough that when he returned, he did so to find Lord Mirai rolled up in his blankets like a burrito, hissing angrily as Hisashi sat on him.
“Hisashi!” Kurogiri scolded.
“What? You said to get him to lay down! This is the only way!” Hisashi said.
“I think you’ve wrapped him tightly enough in those blankets that he won’t be escaping. Now get off the poor man so we can make sure he has a drink before he sleeps.”
“Release me from this ridiculous prison at once!” Mirai seethed furiously, twisting and writhing in the blankets he was wrapped in.
Hisashi scoffed as he shifted his weight off him, using a hand to pin Mirai in place as he continued to try and break free.
“I don’t think you’re in a position to be demanding anything—OW!” Hisashi yelped when Mirai suddenly bit into his hand. Harshly, if the trickles of blood dripping down it were any indication. Panic overtook Hisashi’s face, and he desperately tried to rip his hand away. “Let go! Quit biting me!”
Mirai did nothing of the sort. If anything, he dug his fangs in deeper. Kurogiri watched his throat bob as he swallowed a mouthful of blood. He sighed wearily.
Hisashi kept yelling, clearly freaked out. He slapped his other hand on Mirai’s face, trying to pry him off, and Mirai snarled in response.
“Let go!” Hisashi demanded again. “Let go now or I’ll tell Izuku everything!”
He shifted, ready to yank back as hard as he could—Kurogiri could see it in his body language. So Kurogiri stepped forward quickly, placing a hand on Hisashi’s shoulder. Mirai had still not let go, and Hisashi’s breathing was coming in quick, panicked gasps.
“Hisashi.” Kurogiri tried to catch his master’s attention. Panic-stricken eyes met his own, Hisashi’s chest heaving up and down. “Hisashi, don’t pull.” Kurogiri squeezed his shoulder when Hisashi winced, gaze flickering back over to Mirai. “Hey, look at me. Stop fighting just for a moment, okay? Breathe slowly.”
Hisashi struggled to do so, but he stopped flailing enough for Kurogiri to get closer.
Kurogiri uncorked the bottle in his hands, and held it near Mirai’s face, letting the scent of human blood waft into his nose. As it did, Mirai’s eyes slid to the bottle, and his jaw loosened slightly. Enough so that Hisashi was able to quickly extract his hand, clutching it to his heaving chest and stumbling back a few feet, staring at Mirai as if the man would attack him again.
“I need you to lift your head up, Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri said.
But it was clearly a struggle for the man to do so, wrapped up as he was, so Kurogiri placed a hand behind Mirai’s head, helping him lift up from the mattress enough that he could properly take a drink without choking. He allowed blood to flow from the bottle slowly, trickling into Mirai’s mouth in a steady stream. He paused every so often to allow Mirai a moment to swallow, before carefully giving him more blood.
Despite Mirai’s earlier protests, he drank ravenously, not having his fill until the bottle was nearly empty. Once he finished, Kurogiri allowed Mirai to rest his head against the pillow again. His breathing was somewhat heavy, but he seemed fine otherwise. Kurogiri was pleased to see that the sallowness of his skin had improved a bit. But there were still heavy shadows under Mirai’s eyes, and he still didn’t seem eager to try to get the rest he so desperately needed.
And one look at his master told Kurogiri that Hisashi wasn’t going to be any more helpful right now.
“You need to rest, Lord Mirai,” Kurogiri stated firmly, drawing tired gold eyes his way. His mind went back to what Hisashi had said earlier. He didn’t know what that was about, but clearly Hisashi had something over Mirai. “Hisashi may have to inform His Majesty of everything if you don’t. You can’t keep this up.”
“No, no. Don’t.” Mirai squeezed his eyes shut. “I’ll…I’ll sleep. Just—Just…Please, don’t say anything. Please. I just want to help His Majesty. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Mirai’s eyes opened again, looking to Hisashi pleadingly.
Hisashi glared back at him, still hugging his bitten hand.
Kurogiri stepped in between them. “We won’t say anything if you agree to sleep, alright?”
“Alright…” Mirai echoed softly, heavy eyes already drooping.
Kurogiri patted his burritoed form gently. “Very good. We shall leave you in peace then.” He wandered over to the windows, making sure all the curtains were drawn shut to keep the room dark.
Hisashi grumbled, “I can’t believe you bit me.”
“...I hate that you taste good,” Mirai muttered exhaustedly as drifted off.
Kurogiri ushered Hisashi out the door, closing it silently behind them. “Are you ready to go to town? Is your hand okay?”
Hisashi looked down at his already healed hand. He still seemed shaken by what had happened. “It’s fine. We didn’t get the money I needed from Mirai, though.”
“I can cover the expenses while we are in town,” Kurogiri offered. He earned a good wage from his job, and would be more than capable of purchasing whatever Hisashi needed in town—so long as it wasn’t anything outrageous.
Hisashi’s eyes widened. “I-I can’t let you do that! You shouldn’t be spending your hard earned money on me!”
Kurogiri patted his back reassuringly. “If it really bothers you, you can pay me back later. But I honestly don’t mind, Hisashi. Now come, let’s go before His Majesty finds out, yes?”
The walk through the city was a bit more awkward than it had been the last time he visited before the celebrations. There were people staring at him—as was usual—but unlike the curious looks of before, many were now filled with warniess, mistrust, and even disgust. More than once, Hisashi spotted outright loathing directed towards him. Stranger still, though, was that among the sea of faces that all seemed to turn towards him, Hisashi could see some were almost…beholden?
Seeing all the looks he was being given, Kurogiri ushered him along faster to escape them, but Hisashi didn’t even have his parasol with him to hide his face with. He didn’t need one since the day was overcast and murky, but he kind of wished he’d brought one anyway. But worse than the stares were the whispers he could hear around them.
Through all the noise, Hisashi was able to make out hushed words of “That’s All For One!” and “The king’s new father…can you believe it?” along with “He was that famous hunter, right? The one who killed all those people?” from the crowd. He did his best not to flinch at the reminder of his culpability. But more whispers caught his ears as he quickened his pace, eager to get away from the judgmental eyes as he saw the store they were looking for.
“But he saved the king, didn’t he? Lord Torino made an announcemen the other week saying so.”
“From the hunters, yeah. Heard the king would be dead if not for him… Really makes you think, doesn’t it?”
“I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if they had actually managed to kill him,” a woman said with a tremor in her voice. “I…I don’t know about all of this All For One business, but I’m glad he was there to protect the king, at least.”
“Me too. It’s hard for me to believe All For One could make a turnaround and change his life for the better. But if someone like him can do it, I think maybe there’s hope for anyone.”
Hisashi didn’t know what to make of that, and if Kurogiri had heard any of it, he didn’t let it show.
Hisashi was relieved when they finally arrived at the store, the knot in his chest loosening somewhat at being able to get a moment's reprieve. Hisashi stared up at the sign above the store they had stopped at; an apothecary claiming that it had medicine and treatments for all sorts of ailments. He had always been dubious of such places in Yuei, as more often than not they tried to pass off scams as miracle cure-alls.
“...Do you know if this place is reputable?” Hisashi asked Kurogiri, hesitating on going in. “It’s not a rip off or anything?”
“It is,” Kurogiri confirmed. “I’ve purchased medicine from here on occasion before, and there are laws requiring medicine of any kind to be tested and proven effective and safe.” Worry creased Kurogiri’s brow then. “If I may ask though, why are you wanting to visit the apothecary? Are you feeling ill?”
“Oh, uh, no.” Hisashi shooed away the hand that Kurogiri had reached out to test his temperature. “I don’t get sick. I just wanted to pick up some of the medicine that treats silver poisoning.”
“The healer’s wing in the palace should have some of that,” Kurogiri pointed out.
“I know, but I want my own. You know? Just in case… Yeah, I’d like to have some on hand in case I ever need it. For emergencies.” Hisashi entered the apothecary a bit hesitantly, waving awkwardly to the shopkeeper who smiled at them from the counter. “And I promise I’ll pay you back for it. I’ll throw in some extra coin even, to make up for the hassle.”
“Ah,” Kurogiri hummed, following him in. “We can purchase some then. And don’t worry, Your Majesty, it isn’t particularly expensive.”
“Still, I would like to pay you back. I feel bad you have to spend your money on me.”
“Really, it’s no trouble, Hisashi,” Kurogiri tried placating him. “On top of the monthly stipend I receive, my job as a royal servant offers good pay. You needn’t worry so much.”
Hisashi squinted. “Monthly stipend? What monthly stipend? Why do you get that?”
Kurogiri stared back cooly. “Why do you say you don’t get sick?”
“I asked you a question first!” Hisashi protested.
“Perhaps we can get tea after we’re done shopping?” Kurogiri suggested. “I know a nice little cafe. We can answer each other’s questions there.”
“...Can I even drink tea?” Hisashi asked under his breath.
He felt Kurogiri’s hand pat his back. “Of course, Your Majesty. You just need to add some blood to yours.”
“Alright, fair enough,” Hisashi relented, eyes roaming over the shelves as they wandered the aisles. He pursed his lips in thought. “Hm…not here either.”
“It is likely in the antidote section,” Kurogiri commented, pointing to the signs above their heads that Hisashi hadn’t even noticed.
He squinted at the one above them labeled as “Vitamins and Supplements”.
“Oh,” he said, trying to ignore the heat in his face.
“You could always ask the shopkeeper for assistance,” his servant suggested.
“I can’t do that!” Hisashi shook his head. The idea of asking for help was…ugh.
“Why not?”
“I just can’t!” He wouldn’t admit the idea of having to do so made him anxious.
“Then I’ll ask for assistance,” Kurogiri decided, already heading out of the aisle and ignoring Hisashi’s hiss to stop.
Hisashi’s chest was hot, his heart pumping faster. He hid behind the shelves, but he could still hear Kurogiri loud and clear asking the shopkeeper for directions. It wasn’t even a couple of minutes later when Kurogiri returned, pointing to the left.
“They’re down this way, towards the back,” he told Hisashi coolly, making no mention of how red Hisashi’s face must have been.
Hisashi skittered after Kurogiri as his servant led him to the right aisle. He scanned the shelves when they got there, looking through all the types of medicine.
“This one should be suitable.” Kurogiri grabbed a large container of medication for silver poisoning, showing it to Hisashi.
Hisashi squinted at it. It wasn’t like the kind he had seen Izuku use before.
At his look, Kurogiri elaborated, “This one is a liquid version of the medication rather than the common ointment type. It is easily ingested, fast acting, and quite potent. It should last you some time.”
“Er, are you sure?” Hisashi eyed the price of it. “It seems a little…expensive.”
“It’s no trouble, Hisashi,” Kurogiri said again. “And if it helps to ease your worries, then it is well worth the price.”
“…I’ll pay you back,” he promised.
Kurogiri just sighed but let it go. “Is there anything else you need here? Or was this all you were looking for?”
“This should be good.” Hisashi felt a bit too guilty to grab anything else.
Kurogiri nodded and began to head to the front counter. “You mentioned earlier you wanted to go to the toy store as well, right?”
“Oh, uh. I can go at a later date,” Hisashi said. “It’s no big deal.” Though he wasn’t sure when he’d have another chance to slip away from Izuku again in the future, or when Izuku would willingly allow him to start going out again.
“Nonsense. We’re already out in the city; we can simply stop by while we’re here.”
“Really, it’s not—”
“And besides, you wanted to cheer Izuku up, didn’t you?” Kurogiri pointed out as they made it to the shopkeeper, placing the medicine on the counter. “I’m sure he would appreciate your thoughtfulness. His Majesty would enjoy something new to play with to keep his mind off the…incident.”
“I know,” Hisashi sighed, shoulders slumping slightly as he watched Kurogiri pay for the medicine, following his servant out of the store after. “I just…I wish…Izuku should never have had to go through something like that.”
“He shouldn’t have,” Kurogiri agreed. His expression dimmed. “But he did. Too many children have to experience the worst of the world before they are of age. It isn’t pleasant, but if we cannot stop each incident, then the best we can do is be there for them after. To give them our support.”
“Yeah…” Hisashi remembered Mirai and Kurogiri mentioning a great tragedy had happened to the Shimura family, but he didn’t know all the details. He knew Tenko had been the only survivor, though. “I hope I can be enough for Izuku. I want to support him, but sometimes I feel like I’m not doing a good enough job. Like I’m not sure what to do.”
“Well, what did your parents do to help you in times of trouble?” Kurogiri asked.
He was clearly trying to guide Hisashi to a solution, but…
“I, uh, didn’t really have parents,” Hisashi admitted haltingly.
A wave of complicated emotions passed over Kurogiri’s face before it settled back to neutrality—though Hisashi could see the surprise in his eyes. “Ah,” Kurogiri said. “What about the adult who raised you then?”
“Uhh, well my mentor took me in when I was a teenager. After Yoichi…” Hisashi trailed off.
Kurogiri pursed his lips. “Perhaps we can talk about this while we have tea later.”
“Yeah,” Hisashi mumbled in agreement, eyeing the people walking by them. He didn’t want to talk about something so personal when he was surrounded by strangers that could hear his every word.
The walk to the toy store was mostly filled with silence after that, save for the chatter of the people around them. Hisashi felt relief upon seeing the store, eager to get away from the crowds.
“What do you think Izuku would like?” he asked, eyeing the variety of toys the store had to offer—and ignoring one section entirely.
“A board game, perhaps?” Kurogiri suggested. Then he shot Hisashi a warning glance. “And please, refrain from knocking anything over again.”
“Th-That was one time!” Hisashi exclaimed, flushing.
“It was twice, actually,” Kurogiri reminded him cooly.
“T-That’s—I was just—!” Hisashi tried and failed to defend himself, his words falling into unintelligible sputters when Kurogiri leveled him with a flat stare.
“How about we stay away from the potion aisle completely?” Kurogiri suggested, though it sounded more like a command.
“I wasn’t gonna go there anyway,” Hisashi mumbled, flushing at the memories. He never wanted to experience that ever again.
“Good. Let’s search for a toy or a game then, hm? You can pick out whatever toy you’d like.”
“I-I am not a child!” Hisashi blushed even more. “Don’t make it sound like I’m the one who wants the toys!”
“But you do play with them with Izuku, so in a way, they are for you too.”
Hisashi’s face felt flaming hot. “I don’t—That’s not—!” He couldn’t find a way to deny it. But why did Kurogiri have to make it sound like that?
Kurogiri waved a hand. “Playing is natural and healthy at all ages, Hisashi. There’s no embarrassment in that. You just…don’t particularly like the games most other adults do.”
“What does that mean?!” Hisashi demanded.
“You hate chess,” Kurogiri pointed out. “Adults play games too, just different ones. But you haven’t really enjoyed more adult-type games like chess or poker and the like.”
…He had a point. Hisashi found chess boring and poker frustrating.
“Perhaps a simpler card game would be more to your liking?” Kurogiri suggested, pointing to a colorful deck of cards with numbers on them. “I’m certain Izuku would enjoy it as well.”
“Maybe,” Hisashi huffed. “...And maybe we can get him a stuffed animal or action figure? I saw that some of them move around when you give them magic. I think he might like the knight one? The one with the sword and shield.”
“I think that would be a fine choice, Your Majesty.”
They spent a while looking at the different toys and games, Hisashi picking a few out. Some at Kurogiri’s suggestion, and some at his own guess of what Izuku might like. Eventually, he had an armful of stuff, and he was just about to take them up front when he remembered he didn’t have his own money. There was no way he could make Kurogiri pay for all of this! Even if he paid him back, it was just too much!
Except Kurogiri was insistently ushering him up to the front counter, nudging Hisashi forward whenever he hesitated.
“My, that’s quite the haul you have there!” the shopkeeper commented as they placed their items onto the counter, Kurogiri already pulling out his coin purse to be ready to pay. “I’m guessing you have a lot of children then?”
“Three sons,” Kurogiri said offhandedly, not even looking at the man as he counted out some coins, setting them onto the counter as he did.
“Wha—Three?” Hisashi repeated incredulously, brows creasing. He knew about Tenko, but Kurogiri had never mentioned other children? Who was he… “Izuku?” he guessed tentatively. “Are you including Izuku? Then who is the thi—”
…Oh.
OH.
Hisashi’s face went beet red. No way.
“Who’s the third, Kurogiri?” he asked in a cracking voice, despite already knowing.
Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was making assumptions. Surely, it wasn’t—
Kurogiri just stared at him. “I think you already know, Hisashi.”
“I-I’m not—”
Kurogiri cut him off, taking the basket of toys that was handed to him. “Thank you,” he said to the shopkeeper politely. “Now come along, Hisashi. I think I’ve let you pick out enough toys for today.” He gestured with a hand, lightly nudging Hisashi to leave.
Hisashi did so, if only to get away from the shopkeeper who now looked far too amused. He hid his face behind a hand, too embarrassed to even look the man in the eye.
“Thank you for your patronage!” the shopkeeper called out as they left. “And please, try not to have any more accidents like last time!”
Hisashi made a noise like a steaming tea kettle as the door swung shut behind them. “I can never go back there again!”
Kurogiri only snorted with amusement. “That’s what you’ve said before, yet you always return anyway.”
“I mean it this time!” Hisashi insisted, hurrying along the streets as fast as he could to get away without leaving Kurogiri behind. “I’ll…I’ll go to the council to have it closed down if I have to!”
“That would be an abuse of your power, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri said warningly. “The shopkeeper has done nothing wrong. Now please, you’re going the wrong direction. The cafe is this way.” He gestured to a street on their left.
Hisashi groaned. Kurogiri was right. As always. Didn’t mean it wasn’t embarrassing though. Still, he followed along behind his servant as Kurogiri led him to the cafe.
“Here we are,” Kurogiri announced as they came upon a casual little shop. There were seats outside with giant umbrellas sticking up from the center of the tables, people conversing while enjoying tea and treats. “Let’s head inside. We can find a more private place to sit for our conversation.”
“Fine by me,” Hisashi mumbled, more than eager to get out of sight from prying eyes and ears. He watched Kurogiri head up to the front, chatting casually with the woman working there, and before long he was waving Hisashi over.
“This way, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri instructed. “There’s a private booth in the back. Our tea and sweets will arrive shortly after.”
“You ordered? I didn’t even tell you what I wanted,” Hisashi said.
“A black tea with some blood and sugar, and a custard tart topped with fresh berries, yes?”
Kurogiri knew his tastes too well, it seemed. Hisashi nodded. “Yeah.”
“I know you dislike ordering, so I did so for the both of us.”
“…Thanks.” Hisashi did hate having to order.
“Anything for my son,” Kurogiri said with a small smile, a teasing tone in his voice.
“You are not my father!” Hisashi hissed quietly.
“As you say, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi hated when he said that! What did it even mean? He huffed.
“Let’s not keep our table waiting now.” Kurogiri motioned for him to follow.
Hisashi grunted, looking around and hoping no one had overheard them. But he could spot a few vampires in the room, and knew that they likely had. How embarrassing. Averting his eyes, Hisashi did his best to focus ahead and ignore those around him as he followed Kurogiri.
Notes:
Sibling Behaviour.
Mirai: *struggling in blanket imprisonment* “Let go of me! How dare you! I—”
Hisashi: “You'll what? I'm taller AND stronger than you! Now shut up and go to bed like Kurogiri said!”
Kurogiri: *walks in on them arguing. sighs* “I swear you two fight just like brothers sometimes...”
Mirai and Hisashi: *gasp* “How dare you insult me?!”
They grow up so fast.
Hisashi: “Again, I'm not a little kid, Kurogiri.”
Kurogiri: “You were a only a short time ago. I would not be surprised if there were lingering side effects. Are you sure you don't want a toy? What about this swan? Or these cute little ducklings, hm?”
Hisashi: “No, I don’t! Put those things back! You're embarrassing me!”
Kurogiri: *only half-listening* “Apologies, my son. I forgot how easily children become flustered over little things.”
Hisashi: “YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!!!”
Not Papa? 🥺
Hisashi: “How many times have I told you you're not my father?”
Kurogiri: “Hmm. Have you said that before? I can't recall you ever mentioning it, my son.”
Hisashi: “Again, you're NOT my father! How many times do I have to say that?!”
Kurogiri: *fake hurt* “Would you really deny me as your father, my son? Tenko would be so sad to hear that he doesn't have a big brother anymore.”
Hisashi: “Th-This is guilt-tripping!!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 37
Summary:
“You are not my father!” Hisashi hissed quietly.
“As you say, Your Majesty.”
Hisashi hated when he said that! What did it even mean? He huffed.
“Let’s not keep our table waiting now.” Kurogiri motioned for him to follow.
Hisashi grunted, looking around and hoping no one had overheard them. But he could spot a few vampires in the room, and knew that they likely had. How embarrassing. Averting his eyes, Hisashi did his best to focus ahead and ignore those around him as he followed Kurogiri.
Notes:
Y’all can check out some cool art by Dragon here and here.
There are some more voice clip lines in this chapter, linked in the fic where the lines take place. Click em if you wanna listen!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi gratefully took a seat once they reached their booth, thankfully a fair distance from the other patrons of the cafe. Kurogri sat on the opposite side of him, that stupid little smile still on his face. Hisashi slumped back in his seat, giving the man a side-eye.
“...I take it you’ve visited this place often, then?” Hisashi commented after a minute of silence. “Since you managed to get a private seat so quickly?”
“I have, yes. Though less frequently since I’ve started working at the palace. Tenko enjoys the bubbly blood-soda and cookies I’ve brought back for him from here.”
“Oh.” Hisashi felt a bit bad that Kurogiri couldn’t go as often because of him. “Sorry.”
Kurogiri only laughed. “It’s not your fault, Hisashi. And it’s not a problem. I find I rather enjoy my job.”
Hisashi shifted, resting his chin in his hand. “Right. You, uh, mentioned a stipend earlier?”
“I did, yes,” Kurogiri said. “Due to being Tenko’s legal guardian, I’m sent a monthly stipend to cover any expenses for his wellbeing. Clothes, blood, medicine, and the like.”
Hisashi frowned. “Legal guardian? I thought you were his father?”
Kurogiri pursed his lips. “Due to my status as a human, I’m currently unable to formally adopt Tenko as my son, even though I continue to look after him.”
Hisashi frowned. “What does you being human have to do with anything?”
“Because it is illegal for a human to adopt a vampire child,” Kurogiri explained.
“What?” Hisashi scowled. “I thought humans and vampires were supposed to be treated equally?!”
“They are, but there are…complications.” Kurogiri sighed. “It is considered a cruelty on both sides, simply due to the fact that the human parent will die of old age long before the child grows up.”
“Oh.” Hisashi hadn’t considered that, but it made sense. “Are…Are they going to take Tenko away from you sometime then?”
Kurogiri’s jaw clenched, his eyes growing stormy. “No. Tenko is my son. I’ve already made a request to the council to give me time to apply to become a vampire, and they approved the request. Tenko will not be adopted by anyone else if I’m able to get my application to become a vampire approved in time.”
“Oh. That’s good then, right?” Hisashi asked, despite how he felt mixed emotions at the thought of Kurogiri becoming a vampire. Kurogiri was his only human companion, and he worried that Kurogiri would leave their service if he did end up being turned. Hisashi didn’t think there was anyone else he would be as comfortable with as he was with Kurogiri.
“Yes.” Kurogiri nodded. “Though it is not without its own issues, it seems likely that I will be allowed to become a vampire within the year.”
“What kind of issues?” Hisashi asked, feeling worry pricking at him.
“It’s nothing to concern yourself over, Hisashi,” his servant tried to appease him. “Everything will be alright.”
Hisashi couldn’t help but worry more, though. “But what if—”
“So,” Kurogiri changed the subject abruptly. “What did you mean earlier that you never get sick?”
“Oh, uh.” Hisashi shrugged, lifting his hand palm up. “I mean. I just don’t? I never got sick growing up or during my years as a hunter. There was that one time I got heat sickness after I became a vampire, but that was because I stayed in the sun too long. So I don’t think that counts.”
Kurogiri regarded him strangely. “Not once?” he pressed. “Not even a cold? Or the flu?”
“Not once,” Hisashi echoed.
A brow rose. “I find that…strange. Everyone gets sick once in a while. Even vampires.”
Hisashi just shrugged again. “Guess I’m just really healthy then. Besides, it’s a good thing isn’t it?”
Kurogiri opened his mouth to say something, but he cut off as the cafe worker approached their table with a tray of drinks and sweets, setting them down with a friendly smile.
“Can I get you two anything else?” she asked.
“Not at the moment, thank you,” Kurogiri said politely, smiling back.
The girl’s eyes lingered on Hisashi for a weirdly long moment, her cheeks tinting pink before she cleared her throat. “Alright, I’ll just be up at the counter then if you do need anything else.”
Kurogiri chuckled after she left. “It seems you have another admirer.”
“What?” Hisashi blinked, confused. “What admirers?”
Kurogiri stared at him flatly for a long moment, before he sighed with weary amusement. He shook his head and began to prepare his tea how he liked it, adding a few cubes of sugar.
Hisashi was confused. “No, seriously. What admirers?!”
“Don’t worry about it.” Kurogiri waved him off. He placed a second cup of tea in front of Hisashi, the liquid inside tainted red. “Drink your tea.”
Hisashi grumbled but accepted it, sniffing the cup hesitantly first. He took a tentative taste; it was actually quite good.
“Now,” Kurogiri began after a sip, “you mentioned your mentor?”
“Oh. That,” Hisashi muttered, stirring his tea around idly. He kept his voice quiet, staring down at his reflection in the cup. “My mentor, he found me after…” Hisashi swallowed thickly. It still wasn’t something he was very comfortable talking about. He didn’t think he ever would be, either. “After vampires attacked my village.”
Kurogiri froze with his teacup halfway to his mouth. “Were you not born here?” he asked. “I don’t remember any news of vampires attacking an entire village in the last couple decades. There was the Shimura estate, but…”
Hisashi blinked. Right. He’d never really told Kurogiri anything about his past, had he? “I was born in Yuei,” he said quietly. “There are many rogue vampire groups there that attack human settlements. My village was destroyed by one such group.”
Kurogiri’s brows lowered in sympathy. “Did your parents die in that incident?”
“No.” Hisashi shook his head. “My parents died several years before. It was just me and my little brother for a long time.” He grimaced at the memory, which still played vividly in his mind whenever he recounted it. “But during the attack, he…Yoichi…”
Silence fell for a moment then, and it seemed answer enough for Kurogiri.
“My condolences,” he offered quietly. “I’m sorry you had to suffer such an ordeal.”
“It’s why I became a hunter,” Hisashi muttered, so quietly it was barely audible. He didn’t want a repeat of his mistake during the speech. “It’s why I became All For One.”
“So you sought yourself a mentor to do so?” Kurogiri asked.
“No. My mentor found me. He saved me, actually. If he hadn’t shown up when he did, I would have been killed right after Yoichi. My mentor took me in.”
Kurogiri was actually frowning now, and Hisashi didn’t know why. “How did your mentor, one man, rescue you from among a large group of vampires?”
“I…” Hisashi blinked. “I…don’t know. I don’t really remember how. He just did. He was a hunter too, but I…” It was a bit odd, he supposed. His mentor had never been the strongest hunter. How had he managed to get Hisashi out of that situation? “It doesn’t matter really,” he decided. “What happened happened.”
“So he took you in and raised you to be a vampire hunter?”
“Yes? I already said that?”
“And how did he help you?” Kurogiri pressed. “With the trauma of the attack?”
That was easy to explain. “He immediately threw me into training. Day and night I practiced swordplay and spells to hone my skills, so that I could become strong enough to fight back against the vampires that attacked us.”
To his surprise, Kurogiri grimaced. “So he didn’t help you.”
“I just said he did?” Hisashi was confused. “He trained me. Taught me everything I know. How to fight, how to survive, how to kill…”
“How to hold onto the hatred in your heart.”
“I…no?” Hisashi frowned. “I mean, yes, I hated vampires then, but that wasn’t really the point? It acted as a drive to fuel my training.”
“You said he taught you everything you knew?” Kurogiri asked. “Including vampires? What did he say about them?”
“That they were bloodthirsty monsters. Beasts that were incapable of human emotions, empathy, or society,” Hisashi said, wondering as to what Kurogiri was getting at. “I realize now that he was wrong, but…”
“Misinformation from a supposedly seasoned hunter, which only fueled your anger.”
“I…he…” Hisashi tried to defend his mentor. “Ujiko was probably just…he probably didn’t know any better. Like I didn’t until Izuku turned me and brought me to the palace.”
Kurogiri didn’t seem convinced of that, however, his frown deepening. “Did you even want to become a vampire hunter? Or was it suggested to you?”
What was Kurogiri implying? Of course he’d chosen to become one!
“I wanted to be a hunter!” Hisashi insisted. “I…Okay, well maybe my mentor suggested it, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be anything else after what happened! If he hadn’t offered to train me, I would have probably asked him.”
“And no one else thought the situation was odd?” Kurogiri asked.
What was supposed to be odd about it? Hisashi didn’t understand. “There wasn’t anyone else. My mentor lived alone, away from other people due to his line of work.”
Kurogiri stirred his tea idly despite not having added anything new to it. “So you’re saying he took you in, isolated you from other people, and trained you to become a vampire hunter. All while not offering you any support for the trauma you went through, and instead using it to fuel your hatred for vampires.”
“…It kind of sounds bad when you say it like that,” Hisashi muttered. “But it wasn’t like that at all!”
Kurogiri looked him directly in the eyes. “Wasn’t it?”
Hisashi found he couldn’t meet his gaze for long. “N-No…”
“How would you feel if someone did that to Izuku?”
“They wouldn’t dare!” Hisashi’s hand clenched dangerously around his teacup, and he set it down carefully to avoid accidentally breaking it.
“So you recognize it’s not a healthy way to raise a child?”
“I wasn’t a child! I was fifteen! And I had been the sole caretaker for my brother before that! I was long past being a child!”
“But you wouldn’t want Izuku to go through that, would you?” Kurogiri pressed.
“I…” No. No, he wouldn’t. “…No.”
Kurogiri seemed to realize he’d backed Hisashi into a corner, making him rethink his view on things. He reached out, laying his hand atop Hisashi’s.
“Hisashi,” he called, waiting until Hisashi finally looked him in the eye again. “You realize that your mentor took a vulnerable teenager and used your fear and hatred to turn you into a killer, right? He used you, Hisashi. It doesn’t sound like he cared at all for your mental and emotional health. He fed you lies and cultivated your trauma into hatred until you became something you’re not.”
Hisashi shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t enjoy being seen so thoroughly. But Kurogiri’s hand squeezed his reassuringly. “What do you mean something I’m not?”
“Hisashi,” Kurogiri spoke patiently, “you’re a shy, sensitive, and perhaps socially awkward, but kind man. You try to help those around you, even when there’s no benefit to be had. Even to those beneath your status. You’re a doting, caring father to Izuku, even if you happen to stumble now and again. And even when you don’t get along with others, like the Torino Lords, you at least try to do what’s right. Does that sound like someone who would be a heartless killer?”
“W-Well, I mean, I’ve changed,” Hisashi tried to protest. “I was a heartless killer! But I’ve changed.”
“I don’t think you ever were a killer at heart. You were made to be one. You are at your core a good person,” Kurogiri said. “The only thing about you that changed was that you let go of the hatred that had been poisoning you for so long.”
“A-Ah…” For some reason, Hisashi felt a bit choked up. He…He supposed Kurogiri was right in that regard. He had let that hatred go since becoming a vampire himself. It had taken a while, but after learning more about vampires, and accepting himself, Hisashi hadn’t been able to hold onto the hatred that had kept him going for so long.
He had never even realized how freeing it was to not be weighed down by it any longer.
Kurogiri seemed to sense Hisashi was struggling to contain his emotions—or he just heard Hisashi’s wet breathing. Either way, he mercifully kept talking. “When did you leave your mentor?”
“When I was around twenty,” Hisashi said, thankful for the slight shift in subject. Without looking, he twisted his hand to hold Kurogiri’s in return, feeling rather embarrassed about it but finding support in the reassuring touch. “I went off to put my training into practice and start hunting vampires on my own. I took up the name All For One.”
“Did you move far from him? Or remain in contact?”
“Uhh, I actually never really saw him again after that,” Hisashi admitted. “I didn’t stay anywhere long. I moved around the whole kingdom of Yuei hunting.”
Kurogiri looked confused. “But where did you live?”
“In the woods,” Hisashi said. “Usually. It was where I preferred to stay. I didn’t have a house or anything. It wouldn’t have been of much use to me anyway with how much I traveled. I would stop in towns and stuff on occasion if I needed anything, but honestly I preferred sleeping in the forest to an inn.”
“…So you were homeless and self-isolated in the woods for about fifteen years,” Kurogiri stated flatly.
“That also sounds kind of bad when you say it like that.” Hisashi sighed. “It’s what I chose. I didn’t—I felt awkward staying in towns and stuff with so many people. It was easier to just be by myself, hunting as I pleased. I think that’s kind of how I earned a reputation of being ‘mysterious’ or whatever.”
“I’d say it’s also how you became so socially awkward.” Kurogiri snorted.
“I’m not that bad!” Hisashi protested. “It’s just—Well, Yuei doesn’t have schools and stuff the way you guys do here. It’s not my fault I don’t know the stuff you guys all do.”
Kurogiri gave him an encouraging smile. “I’m not blaming you, Hisashi. It’s not your fault. I’m just saying it does explain some of your…behaviours.”
“I’ve been getting better!” Hisashi insisted, picking at his tart and refusing to look Kurogiri in the eye. “Ever since I became a vampire, I’ve been slowly getting used to being around people and interacting better with them!”
“And that brings up a question I have been meaning to ask you.” Kurogiri absently tapped a finger on the table. “The way His Majesty has mentioned he ‘found’ you, and the difficulty you had in adjusting to palace life. And the scar on your neck…forgive me if it is not my place to ask, but…How exactly did you become a vampire?” he asked quietly. “If you were All For One?”
Hisashi touched the scar self-consciously, grimacing at the deep gouges there. “It’s…complicated,” he confessed. “I was tracking a group of rogue vampires at the time, and came across a recently destroyed village in my travels. And Izuku…well. He used Gran and Mirai to track me down, and I found Izuku being attacked by one.”
Kurogiri’s brows shot up. “The king tracked you down?” he repeated slowly. “And a vampire attacked him?”
“It wasn’t really a vampire,” Hisashi explained. “It was a half-life; someone that failed to become a proper vampire.”
He watched as realization swiftly dawned on Kurogiri’s face. “...But obviously you saved him.”
Hisashi nodded. “I did. He ended up being injured, but nothing life-threatening. I picked him up, intending to carry him to the next village to see a healer when…well. He used the opportunity to bite me while my guard was down.”
“His Majesty…forced you to become a vampire?”
Hisashi shuddered at the memory of the all-consuming, burning heat that had invaded him from the inside out. “Becoming a vampire…It was one of the most painful and frightening moments of my life. Izuku nearly killed me; almost drank me dry. I barely remember what happened after I fell on the ground. I just remember him hovering over me by the time it was over.”
“...And after that?”
Hisashi sighed heavily. “I was forced to follow him back to the palace. It…my first days as a vampire…they were…Well, rough would be an understatement.”
Kurogiri seemed rather shaken, his face having paled. “So the king, your son, forcefully turned you against your will and kidnapped you back to a different country.”
Hisashi, not sure how to react, chuckled humorlessly. “Hah, yeah…It was definitely weird to have some random child suddenly declare I’m his father. But I wouldn’t trade Izuku for anything now, even though it took a good while for us to actually become close. We’ve made a lot of progress. He doesn’t even order me around anymore!”
Kurogiri looked…shocked, to say least. Confliction wrote itself across his face, seeming torn on something. Hisashi quickly rushed to explain and smooth things over.
“Look, I know that what Izuku did wasn’t alright,” he admitted. “I know that. But I also know that he’s still just a child. Mirai and Gran…they never gave him the support he needed. He…he was kind of like me, in a way. He never had anyone help him through his own grief and trauma over losing his parents. He was just a lonely boy trying to fill the hole their deaths left behind.” He hoped Kurogiri would understand and not hold anything against his son. “Izuku has grown too. He isn’t like how he was in the beginning anymore.”
Kurogiri seemed genuinely speechless for once. Hisashi had never seen him like that before. It took a minute for the man to clearly gather his thoughts before he spoke again.
“I’m…glad you realize how not okay all that is,” Kurogiri said. “What His Majesty did was very illegal, certainly an abuse of power, and not alright by any means. I don’t blame Izuku for trying to find a way to fill the space his parents’ death left behind. Though, child or not, that does not excuse Izuku’s actions either. It explains them, but there is still a certain level of accountability he must take for them.”
Hisashi opened his mouth to argue, but Kurogiri raised his free hand.
“Ah, I’m not done. Izuku’s actions are not excusable, but they are in the past, and there is not much to be done about them now. You have clearly had a good influence on the little king’s life, and both of you also clearly love each other now, despite your…unconventional start. So before you get worried, no, I’m not mad at Izuku. I’m disappointed, but I can understand where he was coming from.”
Hisashi slumped with relief. “Oh, good. Because I’ve forgiven Izuku for all of it. And it’s not like he ever tried to kill me or anything, unlike Gran and Mirai.”
“Lord Gran and Lord Mirai tried to kill you?” Kurogiri’s eyes widened.
“Several times,” Hisashi muttered. “And…honestly, I can’t blame them for it. At least in the beginning.”
Kurogiri scowled, frowning sharply at his words. “Hisashi, you can’t really—”
“Kurogiri, I was a hunter. I was All For One,” Hisashi cut him off. “I…I’ve killed so many vampires—so many people—Kurogiri. People that, when I think back on it, knowing what I know now, realize they didn't deserve to die.” Hisashi looked down, guilt forming deep in his chest for the undeserved deaths that stained his hands. “Like that Shirakumo boy. Can you honestly say that you would have wanted someone like that around your child king?”
Kurogiri looked a bit uncomfortable at the mention of Oboro Shirakumo. “I…honestly, no. A vampire hunter—former vampire hunter—around the king of vampires who happens to be a child? It doesn’t sound like a good idea. I think the difference is that Gran and Mirai don’t know you for who you are. They only see All For One. They don’t see Hisashi.”
“We’ve made a truce,” Hisashi informed him. “They’re not going to try any more attempts from now on.”
“That’s…relieving?”
“Mhm.” He nodded, sipping on his tea, wanting to shift the conversation away from himself. “But if we can go back to you, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask you too. If that’s alright?”
“Of course,” Kurogiri obliged, and there was a knowing glint in his golden eyes. “Go ahead and ask.”
Hisashi hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should really ask or if it would be too insensitive to do so. Eventually though, his curiosity won out. “It’s about the Shimura Incident. How…What exactly happened?”
Kurogiri inhaled deeply, his shoulders falling ever so slightly. “It was an attack on the Shimura family and estate,” he began, and Hisashi winced to hear the note of pain in his voice. “It was right after Queen Inko and King Toshinori’s unjust murder at the hands of Yuei. Tensions within our kingdom between humans and vampires rose to a high the likes of which hadn’t been seen in centuries almost overnight. The people were devastated by the loss of their beloved rulers.”
“It was an assassination, wasn’t it?”
“Under the guise of a peace treaty, yes. Lord Torino was the only survivor,” Kurogiri said. “And our people wanted an outlet for their rage. To have vengeance against humans for the king and queen. Unable to have that, they turned that anger towards House Shimura instead, solely due to the fact they were the only Greater House of human lineage.”
“Right, um, Izuku mentioned his grandmother married a human.”
Kurogiri nodded. “The Shimura’s were very influential. They were granted titles and land for the peace and human followers they brought to the kingdom. But many older, traditional vampires were loud about their dislike of Queen Nana marrying a human, and about the Shimura family being given position as a Greater House.”
“So, uh…” Hisashi wasn’t sure how to approach the topic delicately. “Were you there, when they…you know. It happened?”
“I arrived shortly after; I had been picking up supplies for my master when the attack happened.” Kurogiri’s grip tightened around his cup, a flash of grief appearing in his eyes. “By the time I realized what was happening, Lord and Lady Shimura were already dead. I learned shortly after that they held Tenko and his sister Hana captive in order to turn them. As a snub against the Shimura household.”
“A snub?” Hisashi repeated, confused.
“The agreement the Shimura’s made with Queen Nana in exchange for their lands, titles, and status, was that it would be passed only to their human descendents. Tenko, as a vampire, no longer has any legal right to reclaim the Shimura estate or titles when he comes of age.”
“Oh…”
Kurogiri grimaced. “But they ended up killing Hana in the process, by drinking too much of her blood. They nearly did the same to Tenko. But I was able to find him in time to save him.”
“...How did you escape?” Hisashi asked quietly, seeing the clear pain in Kurogiri’s eyes.
“I used a spell that caused an explosion of light and sound. With the attackers blinded and deaf, I was able to grab hold of Tenko and run. It would only last so long though, so I cast a spell of silence on the both of us and carried Tenko away from the estate. It helped that there was so much blood spilled within the mansion that they couldn’t track us down.” Kurogiri glanced down at his half-empty tea cup, seeming lost in the memories. “After I determined we were far enough away to be safe, I alerted the guards of the attack. It didn’t take long for them to act.”
“What happened to the vampires who did it?” Hisashi asked.
“They were arrested, tried, and found guilty of assault, multiple counts of murder, and forced turning of a minor. They were later executed for their crimes,” Kurogiri answered simply. “Afterwards, I asked to have Tenko placed in my care, since I had already known and taken care of him since he was born. And with the trauma of the event being so fresh, Tenko couldn’t handle being around the vampire caretakers that offered to take him in. It was decided that it was best to allow me to care for him until Tenko had at least somewhat recovered.”
“Is that why Tenko is…you know. The way he is?”
Kurogiri looked amused. “Yes, Hisashi. Trauma like that never fully disappears. Events like those change us. Recovery is a long road that many people will travel for the rest of their lives. It is indeed why Tenko is the way he is. Just like how you are the way you are.”
“I’m not like Tenko!” Hisashi protested.
Kurogiri stared at him flatly. “Really? You both are shy, have an aversion to social situations, dislike being in public spaces, aren’t very good with self-care—”
“Okay, I get it!” Why did Kurogiri have to make them sound similar like that? Hisashi huffed, but then chewed his lower lip thoughtfully as something occurred to him. “…If, uh, those kinds of events cause, uhh, trauma or whatever, how come you seem perfectly fine? You saw it all, didn’t you?”
“I still see it sometimes,” Kurogiri admitted, eyes dropping to look at the tea swirling in his cup. “In my dreams. I am not unaffected by what happened, but I had to come to terms with it and learn how to deal with it. If I did not, then I wouldn’t be able to help Tenko.”
“But why didn’t you hate vampires then? After all that?” Hisashi asked quietly. He couldn’t imagine going through something like the Shimura incident and not feeling at least some resentment.
“I hated those that attacked and killed the Shimura’s, my co-workers and friends,” Kurogiri said, his expression somewhat solemn. “But what sense would it make for me to hate an entire race of people based on the actions of only a few?” He gave Hisashi a pointed look.
Hisashi stared at Kurogiri, blinking once, then twice, feeling somewhat put on the spot. “I…I just meant…given what happened…”
“It was vampires that killed them. It was also vampires that enacted justice in their name, and allowed me to foster the only remaining Shimura. I had to forgive them, for my own peace of mind. I could not let them hold power over me for the rest of my life. So I let go and moved on,” Kurogiri said, and when Hisashi only continued to stare, he added, “Do you hate humans now, after the attack on yourself and Izuku? Are all humans to blame for the actions of a few?”
“Of course not! Even when I was human there were always other humans who were jerks. And I guess…I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what race you are. There will always be good people and bad people of all kinds.”
Kurogiri smiled at him as if he was proud. “I do believe you have grown a lot, Hisashi.”
Hisashi turned his head away, trying to hide the flush that crept up his cheeks. “I’m already grown.”
“I meant you’ve grown as a person.” Kurogiri chuckled, which made Hisashi only blush more. “We never really stop growing, after all. There’s always more to learn.”
“I suppose,” Hisashi murmured awkwardly, standing up from the booth now that both he and Kurogiri had finished off their tea and sweets. “I think we should be heading back now, before Izuku notices I’ve been gone.”
“A sound idea,” Kurogiri agreed, dabbing at his mouth with a cloth as he stood.
“Although, er, have you uh…” Hisashi began, feeling a little awkward as he helped Kurogiri pick up their merchandise. “Have you noticed anything…different about Izuku lately?”
“Different?” Kurogiri repeated as they headed to the counter to pay. “How so?”
“Like…I don’t know how to say it. Nervous, I guess?” Hisashi tried to explain, feeling a swirl of guilt when Kurogiri placed some coin on the counter. He definitely needed to pay him back for today. With interest.
“No, I haven’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.” Kurogiri shook his head, shooing Hisashi out of the cafe and ignoring the guilty look Hisashi gave him. “Izuku has been perfectly normal around me. He’s been more easily tired as of late, and perhaps irritable at times, but that’s to be expected when he’s still recovering.”
“Oh.” Hisashi ducked his head to try and avoid stares from the people on the streets as they headed back towards the castle. “He’s just…I don’t know. Been a bit off to me. Other than his increased clinginess, I mean.”
Kurogiri gave him a sympathetic look. “He has just been through something traumatic. You both have. I would be surprised if he was completely normal after all that.”
“Right…”
“Don’t be surprised if you notice more changes in him. He’s going to need our support and guidance, to help him learn how to understand and cope with what he’s been through.”
“I just…I want to help him, but I’m afraid I won’t do a good job,” Hisashi admitted.
“You’ll do fine, Hisashi,” Kurogiri assured him. “And I’ll be here to help support both you and him.”
Hisashi smiled. “Thanks, Kurogiri. And, uh, don’t worry about all the money you spent. I’ll definitely pay you back, alright?”
“As you say, my son.” Kurogiri patted him on the shoulder.
“You’re not my father!”
Izuku yawned widely as he left the baths and headed down the hall, beyond ready to go back to his room and crawl into bed. It had been a long day, from his extended studies with Nedzu, to going over the most recent reports from the war, and the reports detailing the state of affairs of both the Greater and Lesser Houses. Then there was the paperwork on taxes and reforms he was still working through, and the string of complaints he had received en masse from the public concerning his father. Izuku resolutely ignored those though, having said all he was going to say on the matter at his speech during the celebration. They were going to have to accept that Dad was his new father, regardless of the fact that he was a hunter in the past.
There were also the training sessions that Gran was now dragging him to almost every day. He didn’t mind training, especially when Dad was teaching him, but it was borderline obsessive with how Gran would show up at the end of his lessons to immediately take him to the training grounds. He would make Izuku practice his magic, sword forms, and maneuvers for hours on end, leaving him utterly exhausted. Not to mention sore, as Izuku had smacked face first into the wall several times trying to learn Gran’s unique speed magic. To make it worse, Dad hadn’t even been able to train with him every time.
Izuku didn’t know how Gran and Dad could train all the time and for so long without seeming to even break a sweat. And Gran hadn’t let him leave until he had made at least a small improvement—much to his exasperation. He didn’t argue though. Izuku knew he needed to train; needed to be stronger. He couldn’t let something like the kidnapping incident happen again. But by the end of the session he was dead on his feet, sweating and aching all over. All he wanted now was a nice, long bath to get clean and to change into a fresh set of clothes for the night.
And to see Dad, of course. Izuku hadn’t been able to talk to him at all today, except for this morning when he’d told Dad he was going to be really busy today. He had wanted Dad to join him for his studies, but he knew Dad didn’t like Nedzu or being taught by him. Or anyone, really. He was stubborn like that. It still made Izuku nervous though, to have Dad out of his sight for so long. It made him antsy, feeling a prickle of anxiety in his mind, his thoughts constantly going back to Dad and wondering if he was alright. But Kurogiri was with him, and Izuku knew the man would keep Dad safe and out of trouble.
He tried to keep the worry from gnawing at him, but it was hard. The memory of the attack was still so fresh in his mind. How they had been bound with silver and surrounded by hunters on all sides. The shouts and the screams, the clanging of metal ringing painfully in his ears. The wretched, gurgling noises the humans made with their dying breaths when Gran slashed through their throats still echoed in his head at night.
How weak he had been, unable to save Dad or himself from that vile hunter.
Izuku vividly recalled that look of pure hatred. Crazed, gleaming red eyes that peered out of the darkness in his nightmares with a manic grin, a sword in hand and raised to strike. The heated bite of silver slicing through his flesh and the searing agony that seeped into his blood—
Izuku hardly noticed as he came to a stop halfway down the hall, his breathing having become labored and heart pounding in his chest. He leaned against the wall, struggling to regain his composure.
Everything was fine, he told himself. Everything was fine. He and Dad were in the safety of the castle, far away from any hunters. There were guards stationed at nearly every corner thanks to Gran ensuring an increase in guard patrols and activity. He could hear two of them right now standing just down the stairs, the slow, steady pulse of one of their hearts, along with a comparatively much faster one—
Izuku shoved off the wall, breaths coming in shorter and shorter pants now, sweat beading down his forehead. His eyes searched frantically for the door to his father’s bedroom, hurrying towards it on shaking legs.
The scars on his back ached.
Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, but he managed to catch the tiny sob in his throat. He wanted Dad. Wanted Dad to hug him and reassure him that everything was fine. Dad would keep him safe. Dad was so strong! No one could beat Dad. Right? Dad wouldn’t…wouldn’t be…
D-Dad was alright, wasn’t he? He wouldn’t leave Izuku o-or…
He had to see Dad, make sure he was alright. Nothing else mattered until he soothed the small voice in the back of his mind telling him otherwise.
Izuku scrambled for the handle of the door to his father’s room, claws scraping against the wood in his haste. He almost threw the door open, ready to sound the alarm if his father had been kidnapped again—
“I think he’ll—” Izuku heard Dad saying as he stepped into the room, cutting off whatever it was. The prick of anxiety that had swelled into a monstrous bubble popped as he laid eyes on his father, Kurogiri standing at his side where the two had clearly been conversing. Izuku didn’t care though, running over and wrapping his arms around Dad’s legs as tightly as he could.
“Izuku!” He could hear Dad scolding him, disapproval in his voice. “What have I said about knocking?”
“S-Sorry,” Izuku managed to say, slowly calming down now that he knew everything was alright.
“Izuku?” Dad said again, softer this time. Concern colored his tone, and Izuku felt a hand lay itself against his back comfortingly. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
“N-No.” Izuku shook his head, drying off his tears. “I’m fine. I just…haven’t seen you all day.”
“Ah,” Dad hummed in understanding, rubbing circles on his back. “It’s okay, Izuku. I’m alright. Everything is alright. There’s no need to worry.”
Izuku didn’t say anything for a long couple of minutes, blinking his eyes until the tears were gone and his throat no longer felt so constricted that he couldn’t speak. Dad merely waited patiently for him to regain his composure.
“...Sorry,” he apologized again after managing to lift his face.
“It’s fine.” Dad waved off, offering a warm smile that always soothed Izuku’s disquieted thoughts. “I have something that I think you might like.”
Izuku blinked owlishly. “What is it?”
Dad pointed to the side, and Izuku followed it to his desk, where there were—
“Toys?” he asked, feeling excitement rise when he spotted a couple board games, a few action figures, a stuffed animal, and even a colorful deck of cards. He let go of his father, jumping over to the desk. “You got me more toys!” A little smile bloomed on his face.
It quickly fell a second later, brow creasing as a thought occurred to him.
“...How did you get me toys?” Izuku asked, staring at Dad with narrowed eyes. “I thought you were inside the castle all day?”
Dad shifted on his feet.
“Well—”
“I bought them, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri spoke up.
Izuku stared at the man, perplexed. “You bought me toys?”
Kurogiri nodded. “I did. Your father and I were thinking that you could do with something new to play with. But your father was concerned about leaving the castle by himself, so I offered to purchase them in his stead.”
“Right,” Dad agreed, looking visibly relieved for some reason. “I told Kurogiri what I wanted to get you, but I think he might have gotten a little carried away when getting me the toys.” He glanced sheepishly at the pile of toys.
“Okay…” Izuku chewed on the words, looking between Dad and Kurogiri. He squinted suspiciously. “Why do you have a sheen of sweat on you, Dad?”
“Um, because—”
“He was helping me carry them back upstairs after I returned. Warping to the city and back leaves me exhausted, and he offered to help me take them to his room,” Kurogiri explained. “And it is quite hot today, Your Majesty. Especially for a vampire.”
“Oh, that’s true,” Izuku murmured. It was miserably hot today, even with the dark storm clouds overhead. The humidity had been awful, and made training even more so. He glanced back at the gifts, and couldn’t help the smile that formed once again. His heart felt warm from the kind gesture. “Thank you for getting them for me, Kurogiri!”
“Of course, Izuku.” Kurogiri smiled in turn. “I hope you enjoy them. Ah, and before I forget, Tenko mentioned wanting to play with you again. If you would be willing, of course.”
“Really?!” Izuku beamed, his eyes filling with stars. “Of course I’d like to! When can he come over?! What kind of toys does he like? Oh, or what if he wants to read instead? We have to get some books he’d like to—”
“Slow down, Izuku,” Dad chuckled. “Why don’t you play with your new toys and we’ll discuss Tenko’s visit later? We have plenty of time.”
“But everything has to be perfect for when he gets here!” Izuku retorted, his mind already going over everything they could do.
“And it will be, but for right now, you need to calm down and relax,” Dad told him gently. “You’re still healing, remember?”
“But I’m already mostly healed!” Izuku insisted, in spite of the lingering weakness he felt and the tenderness of the scar on his back when he bounced up and down excitedly. “It’ll be fine. Really!”
“Mostly isn’t completely,” Dad told him. “Give it at least a few more days.”
“Your father is right, Izuku,” Kurogiri chimed in. “You shouldn’t strain yourself.”
Izuku deflated, flopping over onto the bed with his new action figure dramatically. “But that’s so looonnggg from now,” he complained. He grumbled at the chuckle Dad made at his expense.
“The time will go by before you know it,” Dad assured him, and Izuku looked up to see him grinning.
“...If you say so,” Izuku relented with a mumble. “What are we supposed to do in the meantime?”
“You have all these new toys to play with, don’t you?” Dad sat on the edge of the bed, ruffling a hand through Izuku’s hair. “And there’s plenty to do around the castle when you’re not busy. We could read in the new section of the library, visit the gardens, go on a walk, and practice magic. Maybe even a few dance lessons?”
“Maybe,” Izuku returned cheekily, a grin of his own forming. “Depends on if you can get your two left feet coordinated enough first.”
Dad gasped in mock hurt, bringing a hand to his chest and scowling playfully. “Such harsh criticism from my own son. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the blow!”
“You’re always so dramatic,” Izuku giggled.
“And you’re an impatient little squirt,” Dad shot back.
Izuku huffed, cheeks puffing out. “No, I’m not! I’m not a squirt or impatient!”
“Oh? What do you call yourself then? A pipsqueak? Shorty? A gremlin?” Dad retorted.
“Daaaad.” Izuku sat up with a grumble, crossing his arms.
“Alright, alright,” Dad laughed. “Now, are you going to play with your new toys or not? It’s almost bedtime.”
Izuku looked at the action figure in his hand and the toys on his desk. He glanced back at Dad with hopeful eyes. “...Will you play with me?”
Dad’s eyes softened. “Of course. I’ll be the dragon, and you can be the knight. How does that sound?”
Izuku nodded excitedly. “Yeah! It can be just like in our book!” He quickly hopped off the bed, grabbing the dragon and handing it over to his dad. “I’ll be the hero that protects everyone!”
“Alright.” Dad moved to sit on the bed, but paused. “Just one second though. I need to put something away,” he said, grabbing the tin container that was next to the toys.
Both Izuku and Kurogiri watched with flat expressions as Dad went over to the bed and shoved it underneath with all the other things he kept hoarded there, taking a good long minute to do so. They sighed in unison, shaking their heads. Dad ignored them.
“Shall I fetch you a glass of blood for the night?” Kurogiri asked with a fond expression, his golden eyes filled with amusement.
“Yes, please!” Izuku said, setting up the toys into a makeshift battlefield, Dad helping him. “And tell Tenko he can come over whenever he wants!”
“Of course, Izuku.” Kurogiri obliged with a small chuckle. He was about to leave when Dad caught his attention.
“I just wanted to say, um. Thanks,” Dad said. “For everything today.”
“Yeah!” Izuku chimed in. “Thanks for getting me all these toys. And taking care of Dad and stuff!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dad turned to Izuku, looking affronted. “I can totally take care of myself!”
“As you say, Your Majesty,” was all Kurogiri offered before disappearing into a portal. Dad huffed, mumbling grievances under his breath.
Izuku just laughed.
“You’ll pay for that, Sir Broccoli!” Dad suddenly declared, moving the dragon forward to attack Izuku’s knight.
“That’s what you think!” Izuku exclaimed, moving the knight out of the way of the dragon’s lunging bite. “Take this!”
“Ugh, you got me!” Dad cried out. “But it’s not over yet!”
Izuku dodged out of the way of another attack, laughing all the while. When Kurogiri returned with their drinks, he simply watched them as he went about tidying the room before it was time for him to leave for the day. They both bid him a goodnight, and resumed playing for a good thirty minutes or so before Dad determined it was time for bed. Izuku was reluctant to stop playing, but he was exhausted—though he felt much lighter and happier than he had earlier.
And for the first time in weeks, the nightmares that had plagued him every night did not disturb his dreams.
Notes:
Who’s the father?
Kurogiri: “How did your parents support you?”
Hisashi: “They were dead, so they didn’t.”
Kurogiri: “Oh. What about the adult who raised you?”
Hisashi: “There wasn’t one.”
Kurogiri: “Oh. None at all?”
Hisashi: “Well, there was my mentor—”
Kurogiri: “Screw that guy.”
Grown Up?
Kurogiri: “You’ve grown, Hisashi.”
Hisashi: “How many times do I have to tell you I’m thirty-five?!”
Kurogiri: “A thirty-five year old with the emotional and mental maturity of a twenty year old. If I’m being generous.”
Hisashi’s second adoption.
Hisashi: “Kurogiri has changed fundamentally and it concerns me.”
Izuku: “What do you mean?”
Hisashi: “He’s changed his iconic line.”
Izuku: “How so?”
Hisashi: “Now he says ‘as you say, my son’.”
Not-so-secret admirers.
Kurogiri: “It seems your number of admirers has grown again.”
Hisashi: *squints* “Admirers? What are you talking about?”
Kurogiri: *gestures to a group of women gossiping, giggling, and stealing glances at Hisashi* “Those admirers.”
Hisashi: *follows gesture. brow pinches* “Those aren't admirers? Women are just like that! …Aren't they?”
Kurogiri: “Not typically. But forget that I ever brought it up, it's not important.”
Hisashi: “What do you mean it's not?!”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 38
Summary:
Izuku dodged out of the way of another attack, laughing all the while. When Kurogiri returned with their drinks, he simply watched them as he went about tidying the room before it was time for him to leave for the day. They both bid him a goodnight, and resumed playing for a good thirty minutes or so before Dad determined it was time for bed. Izuku was reluctant to stop playing, but he was exhausted—though he felt much lighter and happier than he had earlier.
And for the first time in weeks, the nightmares that had plagued him every night did not disturb his dreams.
Notes:
Y’all can check out some cool art by Dragon here and here.
There’s also a new one for this chapter here!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi slipped into the hall of magical artifacts. He felt a bit silly about sneaking around, knowing he really didn’t have to anymore, but sometimes it was habit. He couldn’t always shake the feeling that he just didn’t belong; that he was trespassing. Still, he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity he had to check the place out again.
It had been a few days since his outing to the city with Kurogiri, and Izuku was slowly letting up with his obsessive insistence on Hisashi being close to him at all times. The toys he and Kurogiri had picked out for Izuku had helped that along a bit, though the questioning he had received from Izuku of how he’d gotten the toys had been…intense. But Kurogiri had come to his rescue, claiming (truthfully) that he had in fact bought the toys, and Hisashi had simply helped him carry them up.
It was when he was stashing away the antidote for silver poisoning under his bed (ignoring the flat looks he was given by both Kurogiri and Izuku), that he saw the rest of his equipment and was reminded that some of it still lingered in the hall. Despite the trips Hisashi had previously made in secret to reclaim his stuff and stash it away in his room, he hadn’t gotten all of it. And though the attack had been weeks ago now, it still lingered heavily on his mind with every pained wince Izuku made when his back would hurt. Hisashi’s heart would ache when he saw Izuku being more reclusive around humans. Izuku would even flinch away from them at times.
It was his fault. Because he hadn’t been able to protect his son, Izuku had been traumitized. He needed to be better than he had been then, and his enchanted equipment would only help him with that. It was time to reclaim the rest of it.
That was what ended up leading him back to the artifact room. And like every other time Hisashi had visited it, he found himself entranced by the items within. There were so many enchanted weapons and pieces of armor adorning the walls or sitting on display on pillows of silk. Other items were more innocuous, ranging from ornate boxes to cloths, and delicate instruments Hisashi couldn’t even begin to put a name to. All humming with strange, wondrous magic.
Of course, in the center of it all was the greatest of them. The sword, One For All, sat on a pedestal, a faint glow along its greenish-white, crystalline edge. Neither age nor rust seemed to have touched the ancient blade despite the many thousands of years that had passed since it was forged.
Hisashi couldn’t help but be drawn towards it, inching closer and looking back at the doors as he did so. He had never lingered during his other secret visits to the hall, both too afraid that someone would suddenly barge in on him and, at the time, being unable to touch anything in there that didn’t belong to him. He swallowed thickly as he approached the pedestal, feeling both nervousness and excitement racing through him and quickening his pulse the closer he got. The sacred sword was right there. Right in front of him. The sword he had often dreamed of in his youth, read about in whatever books and scrolls he could find, and searched for for years.
And this time, there was nothing stopping him.
Hisashi reached for it, then hesitated, hand hovering in midair. He felt guilty for doing so, as if he was doing something wrong, and instinctively glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was alone. After he confirmed no one was there, Hisashi stretched out his hand, brushing against the pommel. He eyed the four jewels in various shades of green that were set into the pommel of the sword as he grasped it. He hadn’t noticed them before, but they almost seemed to glow as he slowly lifted the sword up from its resting place.
Hisashi swore a rush of magic emanated from the sword as he held it up, something in it reaching for his own magical core and…connecting? It was hard to describe. It was like a tether had latched onto Hisashi, feeding a steady flow of near overwhelming power into him. He’d never encountered such a powerful magical artifact before. The way the sword’s magic poked and prodded at his almost made it seem as if the sword had some sort of sentience of its own.
The glow that had been faintly emanating from the blade suddenly grew in brightness, swelling until it was so bright it hurt to look upon. Hisashi had to close his eyes when beams of light shot out from the sword, and even then he could see the outlines through his eye-lids. A few of them bounced around the room, though thankfully either passed through objects or got absorbed into them rather than knocking anything over. Only once it began to die down did he dare to open his eyes again, and he stared at the blade that was now beaming with a new light, dancing on the greens and white hues of the sword, shining almost like a star.
He wanted to smile. To hold the fabled One For All above his head and declare it as his own. The power that surged through him made Hisashi feel as though he could cleave through a mountain with a single swipe.
But something felt…wrong. Something that had his instincts rebelling against the idea of using the sword. Like he was unworthy. He wondered if it was maybe that he wasn’t attuned to the sword properly. As the portrait of Toshinori had told him the sword had to be passed from user to user with a blood ritual to attune it to the new holder.
But…It felt like more than that. Almost like…like it was sacrilege. As if he was tainting the sword by holding it.
Hisashi’s hand trembled as he held One For All. This was everything he had always wanted. Everything he had ever dreamed of since becoming a hunter. Right in his hands. He could just take it. Keep it. There were no orders on him holding him back. No one around to stop him. And yet…
Hisashi set the sword back down on its pedestal.
The surge of power that had been flowing through him dissipated once he was no longer touching it, and a big part of him immediately wished for it back. That strength…the power it promised to be able to do anything, to protect those he loved…it was hard to ignore. He wanted to take it again, to claim it and use it. Nothing could ever touch him or Izuku if he had this sword.
Hisashi stepped away from the pedestal.
He clutched his hand to his chest to keep it from reaching out again, breathing a little more heavily as he fought against himself. He closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down and take another step back. The sword wasn’t his. It was Toshinori’s. Izuku’s now, Hisashi supposed. He had no right to take it. And how would he ever explain to Izuku that he had taken his father’s sword—
Hisashi started with a jump when a strange sound suddenly rang in his ears. He halted in his step, freezing in place. Carefully, he turned around, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end to face whatever had made the sound, and saw his own face staring back at him from the other side of the room.
Oh. It was a mirror.
A strange looking mirror, Hisashi concluded a moment later. The silvery surface of the glass rippled like water, distorting his reflection. He reached out to touch it curiously, half thinking his hand would simply sink right through the strange surface. But it laid flat on the glass, though his skin tingled with the telltale sign of magic.
“What…is this?” he murmured to himself. He stared at it for a good minute or so, looking around and behind the ornate mirror, but finding nothing of interest beside the strange shimmering surface that gave no purchase when he pushed against it with a hand.
Hisashi frowned, confused. What was the point of something like this being in the hall of artifacts if it didn’t do anything?
Well. Whatever. He supposed it didn’t really matter. Hisashi just needed to get the last of his things and hurry back to his room. What if Izuku caught him in here, rifling through the artifacts and messing with his father’s sword? His son would—
The mirror began swirling, like the eye of a tornado, and an image began to form inside of it, but not of Hisashi’s reflection. When the surface of the mirror finally smoothed out and went still once more, Hisashi saw Izuku standing in the reflection.
“Dad!” he heard his son call out to him, and Hisashi jolted sharply, whipping around immediately to face the boy.
“Izuku!” Hisashi started immediately, fumbling for an excuse. “I was just—”
But there was no one there.
“Dad, what are you doing?” he heard Izuku’s voice again.
Hisashi looked around, confused, but couldn’t see his son. He turned back to the mirror.
Izuku was still there in the mirror, but now he was approaching Hisashi. Hisashi, who was…holding One For All? But he wasn’t doing that! What was—
“...I uh…nothing?” Hisashi heard himself say weakly, quickly lowering the sword. “I was just…walking by the hall and wanted to look around.”
“And you just so happened to pick up One For All while you were ‘just looking around’?” Izuku raised a brow.
“...Sorry,” mirror Hisashi said sheepishly. “I was…curious, that’s all.”
Izuku sighed wearily, shaking his head. “You could have just asked, you know.”
Mirror Hisashi set the sword back down, hiding his hands behind his back after like he’d been caught stealing cookies from the jar. “I…sorry,” he said again. “Uhh. I’d like to collect some more of my things while I’m here though.”
Izuku approached him, brow raising. “Oh. So you’ve been here multiple times without me before then?”
Mirror Hisashi had no response to that other than his cheeks deepening with a vibrant red hue.
Izuku huffed, placing his hands on his hips and shaking his head. “Let’s just get the rest of your things, and then we can go get a drink. It’s been a long day.”
“Sounds good to me,” mirror Hisashi muttered, stepping forward. “Maybe we can have dinner? I’ve been craving a good meal.”
“Sure! Then we can…”
Their voices began to trail off, becoming fainter and fainter. The image displayed on the mirror started to fade, until it was once again the strange, rippling surface it had been before.
Hisashi stepped back in shock. What…What had that been? That had never happened! Why did he suddenly just see that? He hadn’t even done anything to make the mirror show him whatever that had been! All he’d been doing was thinking—
…Was thinking of what would have happened if Izuku had caught him in here.
Hisashi froze as an idea dawned on him. Had that been…?
No way, right? That was far too powerful a magic to exist in the world. He’d never heard of anything that could do something like this before!
Well, there was only one way to find out if the mirror actually did what he was thinking it did.
Hisashi stared hard at the rippling, silvery surface. Very intently, he thought, what would have happened if I’d never been kidnapped on Izuku’s birthday?
The mirror began swirling again, a new scene slowly forming inside of the surface until it smoothed out, and Hisashi was looking at himself and his son, walking through the crowded streets of the city. He was holding all of Izuku’s prizes in his arms, Izuku skipping along beside him with a huge, excited smile on his face. Izuku was babbling on about everything else he still wanted to do.
The Hisashi in the mirror laughed. “Alright, Izuku, but we should make a stop to drop all your prizes off somewhere. I can’t hold any more of them. Plus I heard something about a cake waiting for us.”
“It’s not my fault I keep winning all the games!” Izuku said cheekily. “But okay! You need your hands free to eat cake, after all!”
“I’ll need my hands free to lift you up to blow out your candles, more like! I’ve heard the cake is taller than you,” Hisashi teased.
Izuku’s cheeks puffed out in a pout, but his eyes were sparkling at the idea of so much cake. “I’ll get taller one day!”
“Whatever you say, squirt,” Hisashi chuckled.
“Not a squirt!” Izuku denied. “Daddy was just as tall as you! So I’ll probably be just as tall as him!”
“Mhm,” Hisashi said, a smirk on his face and clearly having his doubts about that.
The real Hisashi couldn’t help but smile too. Toshinori might have been tall, but Inko was a tiny woman. And so far, Izuku seemed to take mostly after his mother.
The two mirror images dropped Izuku’s prizes off, both Hisashi’s snickering as Mirai got loaded with all the stuff, looking resigned and tired about it.
“It’s chocolate! Yes!” Izuku exclaimed as they walked up to an enormous cake that was three times as tall as his son, alight with dozens of candles.
Mirror Hisashi eyed the cake dubiously. “...You sure it’ll be good?”
“Uh-huh!” Izuku nodded quickly, bouncing up and down at his side. “You’ve had it before, remember? It’s so good! You’ll love it!”
Hisashi didn’t look quite convinced of that either, but he didn’t make any argument as he lifted Izuku up from under his arms. Someone had run forth to begin setting the plates near the cake, readying it to be served now that the king had arrived to make his wish.
“Alright, you ready to blow out the candles, birthday boy? Don’t forget to make a wish!” he said.
Izuku had stars in his eyes as he took in the sight of the cake, taking in a deep breath and blowing as hard as he could.
The candles promptly reignited.
The image in the mirror began to fade as the sound of laughter echoed around him, Izuku crossing his arms petulantly. Hisashi couldn’t stifle a chuckle of his own, staring at the now silvery surface of the glass.
There was both a warmth and a sadness in his chest, at the missed opportunity of what could have been. Of what things would have been like, where Izuku was only happy, and hadn’t experienced any sort of trauma. Hisashi couldn’t help but feel that it was his fault. He was supposed to be the strongest, and yet he’d gotten himself captured like that. He’d ruined Izuku’s perfect day.
Hisashi sighed. There were so many things he could have done differently. He wondered what his life would have been like if none of this had ever happened. He was happy where he was now, and he did his best to try and forget about his rough beginning. But now…he could get answers here. Answers to all the things his mind couldn’t help but think about sometimes while he lay in bed.
Things like…
Hisashi stared back into the mirror. What would my life have been like if I’d managed to escape and successfully cross the border, that time I ran away into the woods?
The mirror swirled once more, a faint buzz emanating from it as the image began to form. Hisashi’s brow furrowed when he managed to make out a crowd of humans, the people’s voices intermingling and drowning out each other as they all stared at the center of a town square, where a stage was set up.
A stage, Hisashi realized with a cold shock, that he was standing on. Or kneeling, rather, his mouth heavily smeared with blood and his ragged shirt stained with the droplets. His red eyes were glazed and dull, not resisting as he was manhandled by the soldiers standing on either side of him.
This version of him looked completely shell-shocked, his expression distant in a way Hisashi had seen on people who had just experienced something horrifying. But what Hisashi found even more surprising about the scene displayed in the mirror, was the way he was bound, arms and legs, and the sight of the soldier's weapons all trained on him as if he were about to attack them.
“That’s…That’s the hunter All For One!” He could hear someone shout. “What are they doing with All For One?!”
“Look at him!” Another exclaimed. “He has fangs! He’s a vampire!”
“But that’s not possible! He’s the strongest hunter ever! How could the vampires manage to—”
The soldiers began to shout over the crowd, the voices of the people falling quiet to listen.
“This vampire was found attacking an innocent man in the village, and draining him dry of his blood!” The soldier declared loudly for all to hear. A murmur of gasps and surprise shot through the crowd. “We managed to capture him, at great personal risk, and hereby sentence this monster to death!”
…What?
Hisashi stared, slack-jawed, at the mirror. He couldn’t believe it! No way he would have done that! Was the mirror broken? His plan had been to escape over the border and hide!
In the mirror, one of the soldiers grabbed Hisashi’s head and forced it low, as another soldier approached, carrying a large, silver sword. As the sword was raised up, a flash of green in the corner of the image caught Hisashi’s eye, and he glanced away from himself to see the familiar form of a small, green-haired boy frantically pushing his way through the crowd. Hisashi felt his heart clench at the sheer panic on Izuku’s face. Instinctively, his hands reached out to grasp the sides of the mirror.
“No! Izuku, look away!” he shouted futilely at the image. He knew it was already too late.
But of course, the Izuku in the mirror couldn’t hear him, and Hisashi watched with horror as the sword came down on his mirror-self’s neck. Watched with horror as Izuku abruptly froze, hand outstretched for Hisashi. Watched with horror as his mirror self turned to dust before his own eyes as the sword cleaved through. His clothes fluttered to the ground, ashes spilling out of them.
Izuku collapsed to his knees, bright, green eyes stricken with disbelief. A single tear fell down his cheek, staring at where Hisashi once kneeled.
“Izuku,” Hisashi heard Gran’s hushed voice, the man suddenly grasping onto Izuku’s shoulder. The elder vampire glanced around them, noticing the suspicious looks they were being given. “Izuku, we have to go—”
Izuku roughly shook off Gran’s hand, teeth clenching so hard Hisashi was surprised they didn’t crack. Tears were spilling down his face in droves now, but his eyes glowed with a fury that Hisashi had seen only twice before. Lightning flickered about his form.
People in the crowd had begun to notice Izuku’s odd behaviour, the humans around him backing up, making a clear space around the two vampires.
Izuku didn’t seem to notice. “Kill them,” he snarled.
Gran jolted. “Excuse me?”
Izuku’s eyes began blazing with green light. “Gran Torino. Kill them all.”
Hisashi felt his stomach drop out, his throat choking up upon hearing the order.
In the mirror, Gran clearly felt similarly, his body trembling fiercely as he attempted to fight the order.
“KILL THEM!” Izuku screamed, his voice warped with grief and madness. “ALL THESE PATHETIC HUMANS. KILL THEM NOW!”
Hisashi slapped a hand over his mouth in horror as Gran lost the fight to Izuku’s will, his body moving without permission, lashing out at the humans nearest to him. In the blink of an eye, a dozen people’s throats were slashed through.
Hisashi wanted to tear his eyes away from the scene, but he felt locked in place, unable to look away as Gran slaughtered the entire crowd, ripping through people like they were wet paper. Izuku was howling his rage and anguish to the quickly darkening sky, seemingly unbothered by the senseless killing around him. Thunder rumbled through the clouds, strikes of lightning bolting to the ground—lightning that was unnaturally green.
Izuku’s murderous eyes turned towards the guards. They stiffened, terror laced across their faces as they clutched their weapons tightly in preparation. Hisashi watched as their hair stood on end, and in a bright flash of light and a thunderous boom, the soldiers were gone. Weapons and scorched, half-melted armour collapsed lifelessly onto the now flaming stage.
Izuku walked up the stairs, deaf to the dying screams of the humans being cut down around him. He came to a stop near Hisashi’s ashes, kneeling next to them. Two small hands lowered, scooping up a handful of his remains.
“D-Dad…” Hisashi could barely make out the choked whispers through his sobs and the chaos. Izuku clutched the ashes to his chest, eyes squeezed tightly, tears pouring down his face when he cried, “Dad!” before the image began to fade.
When the mirror rippled once more with its serene silver, Hisashi stumbled back, released from whatever spell had held him in place. He gasped raggedly, gripping his hair as he tried to come to terms with what he had seen.
That…That was what would have happened if he’d managed to escape? Th-There was no way! That couldn’t have been…
Hisashi didn’t want to believe it. He couldn’t stop seeing Izuku’s wretched expression before his eyes. He needed to distract himself. He needed something to erase what he’d just seen from his mind.
Desperately, Hisashi looked at the mirror again. Aloud, he asked, “What would have happened if I’d never been turned into a vampire?”
Once again, the mirror warped and swirled, and a new image began to take place inside.
Hisashi saw himself again—except…no. That wasn’t really him, was it? Not anymore.
In the mirror, Hisashi saw All For One.
The scene itself was hauntingly familiar: a destroyed village, bodies littering the streets, the air bleak and empty. Empty except for the startled scream that echoed out.
Izuku.
The memory that used to haunt his nightmares and waking dreams played out before him. He ran towards the source of the screams, followed it to find the sight of a green haired boy and a half-life’s claws slicing into Izuku’s shoulder and arm. His son ran into that same destroyed building, huddling in the same corner as he had that day, fear blazing in his eyes as he looked up at the half-life about to kill him.
“S-Stop!” Izuku shouted with terror, curling further into a corner. “Get away, get away!”
And just like before, the vampire exploded into a shower of dust when a spear of lightning struck through its chest, and Hisashi saw himself walk up to the boy, visibly relieved—if troubled by the wounds inflicted on the child. Izuku recoiled from All For One with a whimper.
“It’s alright,” All For One spoke softly, putting his sword away. He kneeled to be eye level with Izuku, reaching out with a hand. “The monster is gone—”
The scene played out almost exactly as he remembered it…save for the hiss that escaped Izuku when he bared his fangs at All For One in warning.
All For One froze.
Hisashi froze too. Cold horror dawned on him. He knew what he—what his old self would do.
Sure enough, All For One’s face screwed up in disgust. “Little monster,” he growled.
Izuku only sobbed, trying to scramble further back, but finding himself trapped in the corner.
Hisashi watched All For One’s hand clench tightly around his sword. “N-No,” Hisashi whispered. “No, no, no, no! Izuku! Run! RUN!”
But Izuku did not. He was not the terrifying force of nature he’d been in the previous scene the mirror had shown. This Izuku was a small, scared child who’d just escaped being hunted down. Only to run into another hunter.
The sight that followed would haunt his dreams for years to come.
All For One lunged forward, hatred in his eyes. And Hisashi could only be grateful for the fact that All For One made it quick.
He felt bile rise up his throat as he watched himself murder his own son. He gagged, but was once again unable to look away, even as his eyes blurred with tears as All For One’s sword plunged right through Izuku’s chest.
“NO!” Hisashi screamed at Izuku’s shocked and pained expression, fear written plainly on the child’s face for one second.
And then in the next, Izuku was gone.
Cracks ran through the boy’s body, light emanating from them. There was a bright flash accompanied by a sound similar to shattering crystal, so bright it nearly blinded him. All For One fared no better, shielding his eyes at the unexpected event.
When they were both able to see again, it was to the sight of stars drifting towards the ground and atop Izuku’s clothes, shards of a glowing, crystal-like substance in his son’s place.
“What the…” All For One stared blankly, his grip still taught on the sword as he eyed Izuku’s remains with suspicion. He poked at a shard with the point of his blade cautiously, hesitantly reaching out to touch the glowing crystals. “Weird. That’s never happened before.”
Hisashi sobbed as All For One gathered up a handful of the glittering stardust and crystals, storing it away for inspection later. Completely nonchalant, as if he hadn’t just murdered a child. His own son.
Hisashi had never felt so grateful in his life as he did when the scene faded away, his throat stricken with grief and his eyes burning with tears.
That…That had been worse. That had been so much worse. Hisashi’s shoulders shook as he cried, wiping at his face frantically. He had thought if he had never been turned he would have… Well, he didn’t really know what he thought would have happened. But not that. Anything but that.
Hisashi racked his brain desperately for something else, anything else, that would show him a happy alternative.
What would my life have been like if Yoichi had been born a healthy baby? he wondered.
The mirror activated once more, though this time it swirled for a while longer than usual before a scene began to form within it. But once the ripples settled down, Hisashi found himself looking at his old home, in his old village, and he choked up all over at the sight he never thought he’d see again.
His little brother, no more than three years old, was staring up at him with bright green eyes that were so similar to his son’s.
But something was…off.
“‘Sashi?” Yoichi called out when the door opened and he heard footsteps, a little rumble echoing throughout the dimly lit room, the windows all shuttered closed. Yoichi laid a hand on his belly. “‘Sashi, m’ thirsty…”
“I know,” Hisashi heard himself answer softly, his eyes widening when it was his older voice, rather than that of his child self. A large hand moved to brush away the stray, pale green locks of hair out of his brother’s face. A twenty year old Hisashi sat on the edge of the bed, rolling up a sleeve and smiling gently at Yoichi. “Sorry I’m late for dinner. Again. I was held up by the farm.”
Hisashi blinked, then blinked again. He rubbed his eyes to rid them of all the tears and blinked a third time.
What…was he looking at?
“It’s ‘kay,” little Yoichi assured, patting his big brother’s knee as he climbed up into Hisashi’s lap. “I know you get busy.”
“Never too busy for you, little brother,” mirror Hisashi said.
Hisashi watched as Yoichi eagerly sunk his…his fangs into mirror Hisashi’s arm.
He didn’t understand. What was this? Had Yoichi been turned into a vampire as a baby in this alternate past? But then, why did he have green hair? His Yoichi had never had green hair! What was the mirror showing him? He’d asked what things would have been like if Yoichi had been born healthy, not…whatever this was.
“Are you full?” Mirror Hisashi asked when Yoichi removed his fangs.
“Mhm.” He nodded, wiping at his mouth with a sleeve. He looked up with hopeful eyes at Hisashi. “...Can we go outside tonight?”
Hisashi sighed softly. “Not tonight,” he said, guilt flickering in his eyes when Yoichi glanced down in disappointment. “It’s not safe, Yoichi. Just wait a little longer, alright? Once I save up some more coin, we can build ourselves a house where no one can find us. Then you can play outside as much as you want.”
Little Yoichi huffed. “It’s never safe,” he grumbled.
Hisashi watched himself hug his brother close. “I’m sorry. But you were almost discovered that one time, remember? It would be bad if the village figured out you were a vampire. I’m only trying to protect you.”
“Why am I different?” Yoichi asked, tears in his eyes and lip quivering. “Mommy and Daddy…they weren’t like me.”
“I don’t know,” Hisashi whispered, petting Yoichi’s hair as he sniffled and buried his face. “But I’m going to look after you, no matter what. It doesn’t matter to me how you were born. You’re my little brother, and I’ll always be here for you. I promise.”
Yoichi reached up to wrap his tiny arms around his big brother as best he could. “M’kay. I love you!” He sounded innocent and sincere in the way only children could.
Despite his confusion of the scene, Hisashi felt his heart clench at hearing those words. It had been so long since he’d heard Yoichi’s voice, so long since he’d heard his little brother say that to him. And even though it wasn’t directed at him, Hisashi pretended for a moment that it was.
“I love you too,” Mirror Hisashi said, the real Hisashi mouthing the words along with him.
When the scene started to vanish, Hisashi reached forward to the mirror, as if to grasp it and hold it in his hand, his heart racing. There was still more he had to see, more he had to know!
But only his distorted reflection stared back at him from the mirror despite wondering what would have happened a second time, his breathing shaky and eyes still stinging. Hisashi raised a hand and wiped away the lingering tears with his palm.
He didn’t understand why his brother would have been born a vampire if he hadn’t been born sickly, but…maybe the portrait of the First would know something about it. He had been born a vampire too, hadn’t he? He could go visit the Hall of Kings and Queens again sometime and ask.
But for now, Hisashi’s heart ached to see his little brother again. “Show me what would have happened if my village had never been attacked by vampires years ago,” he demanded from the mirror.
The mirror swirled a new image onto its surface, this time of a Yoichi that Hisashi recognized, with white hair and a frail stature. Though he appeared older in this scene than Hisashi had ever seen him, seeming to be in his teen years. He also looked awful; more sick than Hisashi remembered his little brother being. And yet, this Yoichi smiled tiredly despite the dark shadows under his eyes, waving to the Hisashi that entered the small house.
“You finally done chopping firewood?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Hisashi sighed. “Should have enough to last us a couple weeks now.”
“It would last us longer if you didn’t insist on keeping the fire going all the time,” Yoichi pointed out.
“You get cold easily, little brother! The least I can do is make sure you have a fire to help warm you,” Hisashi insisted.
“You can also help warm me by coming over here and sharing your body heat,” Yoichi said. He held up a book that was old and worn, his thin hands trembling with effort. “You said we could read together tonight, remember?”
“I suppose I did,” Hisashi chuckled. Before he did though, he checked the pot that was boiling away over the fire, stirring it a few times before scooping two bowls out with the ladle and handing it over to Yoichi. Hisashi looked at his brother sternly. “Make sure you eat at least half of it, alright?”
“Of course, big brother,” Yoichi sighed, but set it to the side anyway. At his brother’s disapproving look, he explained, “It’s too hot for me to eat right away. Let’s read for a bit and I’ll eat some after it cools, alright?”
“...Alright, but I’m keeping you to that promise, you hear me?”
Yoichi only smiled, opening the book and turning it to the page they had been on last. He sniffled wetly as he did so, and Hisashi turned to him in concern.
“Are you okay? Are you getting sick?” He reached out to feel his brother’s forehead. “Hold on, I think we should still have some fever herbs left…”
Yoichi grabbed Hisashi’s shirt weakly as he tried to get up. “No, you shouldn’t bother to waste those on me. You might need them for yourself in the future when I’m gone.”
“What do you mean ‘waste’? You’re going to be fine, Yoichi,” Hisashi said in a resolute tone that nonetheless shook with worry. “You’re going to get better, and be able to get out of this bed and walk again.”
“...Yeah.” Yoichi nodded, and Hisashi could see the smile he made was a forced one, for his mirror self’s sake. “You’re right. As always.”
“Now no more talk of me ‘wasting’ stuff on you,” Hisashi told him, squeezing his hand tightly. “I don’t want to hear you talk like that.”
“Okay,” Yoichi agreed, his voice quiet. “Can we read now?”
Hisashi nodded, and the real Hisashi watched the two take turns reading and taking bites of their stew, though Yoichi only managed a mouthful or two before he was finished. Hisashi then insisted on Yoichi resting for the night, staying by his brother's side and stoking the fire.
When the sun had long since gone down, and the moonlight shone into the house, Hisashi watched himself watching over his younger brother in his sleep, chest rising and falling slowly.
His heart clenched when Yoichi suddenly released a long, shuddering rasp of air, before going still completely.
The scene began to fade out as Mirror Hisashi looked over at his brother in confusion. “Yoichi?” he called. Panic crept into his voice as he noticed the lack of movement of Yoichi’s chest. “Little brother?!”
The silvery rippling of the mirror covered the image of Mirror Hisashi scrambling to his feet. But Hisashi was still able to make out the desperate cries of, “Yoichi! Yoichi!” and the ragged sobs that followed after.
A sob of his own burst out of him, despite having thought he was done crying. It felt like he had truly witnessed his little brother’s death twice, and he tried to comfort himself in the fact that this Yoichi had clearly died peacefully in his sleep. As peacefully as someone that sick could, anyway.
Hisashi struggled to compose himself as tears slipped unbidden from his eyes, fighting down another sob that threatened to loosen from his throat. He stared at his reflection in the silvery ripples of the mirror, his fists clenched and shaking. He took a shuddery breath, the scene that had just played out before him replaying over and over in his head, the image of his sickly brother at the forefront of his mind. The knowledge that Yoichi would have died regardless was unbearable. His gaze flickered about the glass for a moment longer, wanting to see anything else; surely there was nothing worse he could possibly see than his brother dying twice over.
“...What would have happened if Izuku hadn’t wanted me as his father?”
A new picture began to form in the mirror. Hisashi wiped at the tears on his cheeks as he watched, expecting to see the familiar comfort of his old life perhaps; him as a hunter living alone in the woods, at peace.
But what he saw instead was a bedroom. Not quite as lavish and large as the one he had, but still clearly a bedroom somewhere in the palace. The place was well-kept, and there was even a full plate of food nearby on a table. Interestingly enough, this room had an open door on the far left, where Hisashi could see a bathroom. He concluded the room was likely located somewhere in the human quarters of the palace based on that. But why was he seeing this?
Hisashi frowned when he didn’t immediately find his counterpart in the image, searching it for a few long seconds before he finally discovered the other Hisashi was sitting calmly on the bed, dressed in all black that matched the covers of the bed.
Something wasn’t quite…right though. The other Hisashi’s gaze was so…dull. And were his eyes green?
The door creaking open drew his attention away before Hisashi could study the image longer, and found a small, green haired figure entering the room with equally bright green eyes and a sunshine smile.
“Hey!” Izuku greeted cheerfully, shutting the door behind him. “I’m back!”
Hisashi’s mirror image didn’t reply right away, only blinking slowly. Though Hisashi swore he saw a glint of anger flash through those weirdly green eyes.
“You don’t have to sit on the bed the whole time I’m gone you know,” Izuku huffed as he shut the door behind him. “Stand up and walk around the room some! There’s plenty of books for you to read, and you have a nice view of the courtyard!”
His mirror-self stood up, though the movement was slow and stiff. The clink of metal on metal sounded when he did so, and Hisashi’s eyes went wide when he saw why.
Manacles encased his mirror-self’s wrists, long chains leading a path that disappeared under the bed, possibly anchored to something in the floor. Mirror-Hisashi began to walk around the room, though almost in a dazed way, aimlessly wandering.
What….What was going on here?
Izuku’s gaze followed him, until it flicked over to the table and he scowled. “You didn’t eat again! I thought you agreed to eat on your own time? You said you hated it when I forced you to. But it looks like I’ll have to go back to that since you won’t do what you said you would!”
Mirror-Hisashi seemingly didn’t respond, but his shoulders tightened from where he was staring listlessly out a window.
Izuku’s scowl only deepened, green eyes glowing briefly. “Oh fine! I’ll release you for a bit since you always want to act like this!”
Hisashi barely had time to wonder what that meant, when his mirror-self stiffened, gasped, then whirled around, now-red eyes blazing with anger. Mirror Hisashi growled, his body practically shaking with rage. The tenseness of his muscles was the only warning before he suddenly lunged forward, hands outstretched as though he wanted to throttle the boy before him. He was stopped short however, when the manacles around his wrists began to glow. Mirror Hisashi jolted to a halt when the links of chains attached to the manacles grew shorter, keeping him just out of reach of Izuku. Mirror Hisashi struggled uselessly against them, snarling.
Izuku sighed, shaking his head. “Honestly, how many times are you going to do that? You should know better by now!”
“You’ll never be able to erase my instinct to kill a monster when I see one!” Mirror Hisashi spat.
Oddly enough, Izuku didn’t react with anger the way Hisashi thought he would have. The boy only rolled his eyes, as if he’d heard the same thing a million times. “Uh-huh. Sure. And you’ll never accomplish it. We both know you’re the one who acts like an animal. Look at you.”
“Because you chain me up like one!” Hisashi heard himself roar.
“Well I wouldn’t have to if you would just cooperate,” Izuku tutted. “But you’ve already made it clear that you won’t. Anyway…” He gestured to the chair at the desk wordlessly.
Mirror Hisashi tensed, stepping back. “No.”
“See? No cooperation. I wasn’t asking though.” Izuku’s eyes glowed again, this time in what Hisashi knew was in warning.
Anger was clearly morphing into fear on his mirror-self’s face, as he practically tripped over his own feet trying to get as far away from Izuku as possible, loud, panicked gasps for air escaping him. “No! No, no, no, no…”
“Hisashi,” Izuku said impatiently, crossing his arms in disappointment, and the real Hisashi was startled to hear his son call him by his name. The boy’s next words sent a chill down his spine. “I don’t have to enthrall you again, do I?”
“Please,” Mirror Hisashi choked out, reduced to begging quickly enough that it clearly happened often. “Please, don’t. No.”
“Then sit in the chair,” Izuku demanded. “I’ve been waiting all day to eat!”
Hisashi stared at his son, wondering if he had heard Izuku correctly. His son had visited his other self to…eat?
“No, please! I can’t—” Mirror Hisashi broke off with a ragged gasp. “I can’t do it anymore! I can’t, I can’t!”
Izuku rolled his eyes again. “It’s not even that bad!” he insisted, irritation leaking into his voice. “Otherwise I’ll leave you enthralled through my next visit too.”
Tremors wracked through Mirror Hisashi’s body, confliction written upon his face before slowly, reluctantly, he began to trek over to the chair, sitting down with his fists balled on his lap. He refused to meet Izuku’s gaze as the boy-king walked over, a skip in his step now.
“Don’t forget to take off your turtleneck!” Izuku insisted cheerfully. “Really, how can you stand to wear two shirts at once? And in summer!”
Mirror Hisashi didn’t move to take it off right away, clearly trying to calm himself down with deep breaths.
“Fine, I’ll just rip it off then.” Izuku reached out to grab the shirt.
Mirror Hisashi flinched, batting away Izuku’s hands in self-defense. “I’ll do it!” he said quickly.
Slowly, he took off the sweater he had been wearing, the clothing somehow passing through the enchanted chains and manacles, though Mirror Hisashi’s hands could not.
When the turtleneck was off, Hisashi gasped at the sight that lay beneath. His mirror-self’s skin was littered with bite marks. Scars from past feedings covered his arms, crawling up to where he could see a few around his neck.
Izuku stepped closer, and Mirror Hisashi’s body began to shake even more from fear and anticipation. Hisashi felt his own heart race as Izuku neared, smiling wide. Large fangs were on full display, his eyes alight with gluttonous greed as he eyed his other self’s neck.
Izuku…Izuku was using this version of himself as a live meal to feed off of?
“No, no, no,” Hisashi whispered under his breath, watching in terror as his son grew closer, his image’s breathing growing more panicked in tandem with his own. He wanted to look away from the horrible scene, but found himself unable to. “No. NO!” Hisashi screamed as his literal worst nightmare was playing out before him. “STOP!”
But the scene didn’t stop, and Izuku’s fangs flashed as he bared them in preparation to bite down.
He had to get out of this. He couldn’t see this. He couldn’t. How could he get rid of this? What could he say? How should he—
“Show me Inko!” Hisashi shouted at the mirror desperately, the words forming before he could even fully comprehend what he was saying. “Show me what would have happened to her if only Toshinori had died!”
The current scene was abruptly cut off before Izuku could sink his fangs into Hisashi, the image swirling around before a new one began to form. Hisashi clutched a hand to his chest, trying to still his rapidly beating heart and catch his breath. Thank goodness.
It took him several seconds to register that a new image was playing out before him now, beginning to calm down. But then he frowned in confusion.
It was…It was him as a hunter?
He watched himself, sitting on a log and methodically sharpening a knife. It was almost a perfect picture of him just before Izuku had found him, and Hisashi squinted, wondering why he was seeing this version of himself now of all times.
Suddenly, Mirror Hisashi’s (or perhaps All For One was a better way to describe him, as clearly he was still a hunter) head snapped to the side, and he jumped up, ready for combat.
“Hey!” All For One shouted, hand already on the hilt of his blade. “Who’s there?! Show yourself!”
He raced forward just as someone else stepped into view, and the two of them collided awkwardly. They both stumbled away, and the smaller figure gasped for breath when she fell to the ground.
All For One grunted from the impact, but managed to stay on his feet. His red gaze narrowed in a glower, staring down the intruder to his camp. “Who are you—”
Large, fearful emerald eyes met his own widening red ones, set into a delicate face framed by long strands of messy green hair, bits of leaves and twigs sticking out. A small hand was clutched to her side, where beads of red trickled out. All For One seemed to blank for a moment, as though struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. His mouth opened and closed several times, eyes darting up and down. Eventually he managed to find a few words.
“You’re a woman,” he said dumbly.
Hisashi face-palmed at himself, groaning.
All For One’s brain kicked back in at that moment, and he sheathed his weapons frantically. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to knock you over!” He reached down to help the woman up, but fumbled and pulled her to her feet a little too hard, causing her to instead fall forward into his chest.
The woman (Inko, Hisashi recognized) let out a somewhat pained grunt.
All For One’s cheeks flushed bright red. “I’m so sorry!” he repeated, voice pitched a bit higher in embarrassment. He quickly pushed the woman back at arm’s length, holding her shoulders and mumbling apologies as he looked her over for further injury.
“P-Please, I’m fine,” Inko insisted with a tremor in her voice, her form tense and shaking in what must have been exhaustion and pain. “There’s no need to trouble yourself. I’ll be on my way—”
“You’re bleeding,” All For One declared with a frown, her words falling on deaf ears as he observed the wound in her side.
Inko winced, flinching when his fingers attempted to pry her hand away to take a closer look. “As I told you, I’m fine.”
But All For One would hear nothing of it, his frown growing deeper at her protests. “We need to clean out the wound,” he insisted, already reaching for the canteen at his waist in spite of her protests, uncorking it. “Please, sit down so I can help you.”
Inko stared up at him with mistrust, refusing to remove her hands from the wound, her eyes darting to the sword he carried.
“I promise I’m not going to hurt you,” All For One tried to reassure Inko, following her gaze. “If you leave it as it is it could get infected.”
“I-I don’t want you to see!” she blurted out. “I don’t know you! What kind of woman do you think I am? Taking my clothes off for any man I come across?”
All For One’s blush crawled down his neck and over his ears, and he began to wave his hands frantically. “I-I wasn’t—that’s not what I was—!”
“I will clean it myself if you are willing to give me the supplies to do so,” Inko interrupted his rambling.
“Sure!” he squeaked. “I won’t look! I promise!”
All For One rushed over to his bag, and gathered the medicinal supplies he kept on hand. Inko followed, sitting on the other end of the log and watching him guardedly. But All For One didn’t notice the suspicion on her face, as he was too occupied with shoving the supplies into her hands and bolting a few feet away, covering his face with his hands and keeping his back to her.
Hisashi cringed at his own self’s actions. Did he really act like that?
Inko watched him for a few seconds longer, before slowly removing her hand from her side. Hisashi winced to see it; the wound looked deep, blackened with what could only be the taint of silver. No wonder she was so wary of him. Her palm was shaking somewhat, but managed to steady herself enough to splash water onto the wound to wash away the blood, a pain filled hiss escaping her. Inko quickly cut it short, biting onto her own lip with a flash of fangs to silence herself.
“Are you alright—?” All For One asked.
“Fine!” Inko rushed to say, sucking in a deep breath as she stopped biting her lip, her eyes shooting back over to All For One to make sure he wasn’t looking her way. She cleaned the wound out more, clearing away any dried blood and revealing the blackened veins that stretched out from the wound.
“T-There’s some gauze too. And a knife to help cut it once you’ve finished bandaging yourself.”
“Thank you,” Inko whispered, reaching for said gauze and carefully wrapping it around her middle, cutting it away with a claw.
Hisashi knew it wasn’t enough to help with the silver poisoning, but he also knew she couldn’t reveal the truth without All For One becoming violent because she was a vampire.
“Alright, I’m done,” Inko said tiredly, her posture slumping a bit.
All For One slowly turned around and peaked through his fingers—as if he was expecting her to be lying or something. He sighed in relief when he saw her bandaged and clothed, and headed over to begin putting his supplies away.
There was an awkward silence between the two of them for a minute, Inko’s gaze distant and haunted, and All For One actively trying not to stare. Hisashi knew the man was already enamored by Inko, if the deep blush in his cheeks and embarrassing mannerism were anything to go by. Eventually, he cleared his throat and said, “So, uh…what happened? Did you get attacked by something? Can I help you get somewhere?”
Inko only answered the last question, citing a small village she was heading for.
All For One blinked. “Oh. You live there? That’s very close to the border. And uh…” he trailed off awkwardly, waving a hand at her in a vague motion.
She raised a brow. “And what?”
“Well…You don’t seem like you’re a peasant?” All For One observed quietly. “Your speech is, uh, really refined? And your clothes seem to be really…well-made?” All For One coughed again. “Most common folk I’ve met have simple, practical clothing. And I’ve rarely met one that could afford jewelry.” He gestured to the gold ring on her finger, the emerald earrings, and the necklace she wore, the gem of which glowed with a soft light.
Inko stiffened, curling in on herself defensively at his observations.
“I-I don’t mean anything by it!” All For One said quickly, waving his hands to and fro. “I just…it seems kind of obvious that you’re some sort of noblewoman…is that why you were attacked?”
“Yes,” Inko said slowly. “They attacked me because of my position and wealth.”
“A-Ah. I see…So then why that village?”
Inko’s eyes flicked away as she answered, “I have family nearby there.” Then she stood, wincing slightly from the tug on her injuries. “But you shouldn’t worry about it. If you would point me in the right direction, I will be out of your hair.”
“No!” All For One blurted out, causing Inko to start. Then he fumbled to explain himself. “I-I couldn’t possibly let you go alone! You’re hurt! What if someone tries to attack you again?” He began to flutter about, packing his campsite. “I’ll go with you. You, uh, you can trust me.”
Personally, Hisashi didn’t think the way All For One spoke inspired much confidence.
But it seemed enough for Inko, who eyed him over critically before saying, “…Alright. I’d prefer to stay in the woods as much as possible though, and avoid others.”
“You should wear a cloak too,” All For One said, pulling off his own (dirtied from both sleeping on the ground and old bloodstains), offering it out to her. Inko stared at him in confusion. “So, uh, people don’t notice that you’re highborn. Others might try to attack you again if they do.”
“Oh. I see,” she said, accepting his words before wrapping the cloak around her shoulders. The hood cast shadows on her face, and the hem of the cloak scraped against the ground and then some from how huge it was on her tiny form.
“You should pocket your jewelry too,” All For One added. “Nothing catches a thief's attention like gold.”
“...Right,” she said softly, first removing her earrings and then her necklace, and lastly her ring, though more reluctantly than the other pieces, pocketing it all out of sight.
There was another awkward pause between them, before All For One cleared his throat again. “So…did you want to take a rest first? Or leave now, or—”
“I’d like to leave now. Please.”
“Oh, okay. Just let me know if you need to take a break or something, and we can stop to rest. You are injured so—Oh!” All For One’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry! I should have offered—Do you need something to eat? Drink? I can—”
“I’m fine,” Inko interrupted. “I’d like to get going as soon as possible. I need to meet my…family.”
“R-Right. Well, just let me know if—”
“I will.”
“…Okay.”
They began to walk, and Hisashi could tell All For One was a bit put out with Inko turning down his offers, his shoulders slumped and eyes downcast, though All For One said nothing about it.
Inko, however, seemed to pick up on it anyway, as she reached out and touched All For One’s arm to get his attention. When he turned to her, she gentled her expression and gave him a weak smile. “I appreciate this. You’ve been very helpful. Thank you.”
All For One brightened instantly, cheeks tinging pink once more. “You’re a problem!” he said happily. He immediately flushed and backtracked. “Wait! I-I didn’t mean that! I’m sorry! I wasn’t—” He tripped a bit as he spoke frantically. “I wanted to say you’re welcome! But I got it mixed with no problem and I didn’t mean to say you’re a problem, because you’re not, but it came out wrong and I’m sorry and—”
“It’s fine,” Inko assured him, a quiet bit of laughter escaping her.
All For One’s shoulders slumped with relief, and Hisashi smiled at the sound.
“If we can get going?” she asked, gesturing for him to lead the way.
“Of course!” All For One said, quickly moving ahead, turning his head back to make sure she was following him. “It’s not too far either. The, uh, village that is.”
“That’s relieving to know,” Inko offered, sounding grateful.
“Oh—I just realized I never gave you my name, did I?” All For One blathered on to fill the silence. “I’m Shigaraki Hisashi.”
“...Inko,” she answered. “My name is Inko.”
“Inko,” All For One repeated. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Inko.”
Hisashi watched the two of them journey through the forest towards the border, All For One often stumbling over his words and slipping up, and Inko making polite conversation but not giving any information away about herself. Still, Hisashi could see just how infatuated his mirror-self was with her (and he didn’t blame him), and how disappointed All For One was when he realized they had arrived at the village, trees clearing way to an old, dirt road up ahead.
“Here we are,” All For One said as they walked on, gesturing towards the village for Inko. Hisashi almost wanted to snicker at how All For One was obviously trying to hold back the dismay in his voice, if it weren’t for the fact that it was himself.
Inko seemed not to notice, or more likely pretended not to, smiling gratefully at All For One. “Thank you.”
“Are you going to be alright by yourself?” All For One persisted.
“Oh, I’ll be perfectly fine.” Inko held a hand up to appease All For One. “I couldn’t possibly take up more of your time after you’ve already been so helpful to me. Thank you for leading me here, I’ll be able to find my family now.”
All For One shifted on his feet, clearly reluctant to leave. “Are you sure? I’d feel terrible leaving you alone after you’ve already been attacked once. I could help you find your family. It’s not a bother to me at all, I’m happy to help.”
Inko was edging away very slowly, clearly trying to ditch her hunter escort. “I’m sure we’ve left my attackers far behind. Who’s going to come after me in this small village?” She began to unclasp the cloak from around her. “I should return this to you as well. Thank you for letting me use it. Oh, and take these as well. As payment for your help,” Inko said, handing over the emerald earrings she had pocketed earlier.
All For One stepped away when she tried to give him the jewelry and cloak. “No, no! I couldn’t possibly take anything from you. You can, uh, keep the cloak as well. You should still hide yourself under it just in case. Um, I…” he trailed off, eyes glancing away, clearly too nervous to finish what he wanted to say.
Inko nodded, bidding him farewell with a wave before continuing her path towards the village. All For One stared after her, extending a hand as if to reach out to her, mouth agape, but the words died on his lips before they could escape, the man catching himself and drawing the hand back as he watched Inko leave.
“...I really enjoyed escorting you,” All For One muttered quietly to himself under his breath, sighing heavily. When Inko disappeared into the bustle of the village, All For One cursed himself, raising his hands to head before throwing them down in frustration. “Why am I like this?! I acted like an idiot! I should have said something to her!”
Hisashi watched All For One deflate after his outburst, turn to walk away, turn back to the village, shake his head, turn and walk a few steps away, then groan loudly and turn back, marching towards the village.
“I’ll just…make sure she’s okay,” he muttered to himself. “It’s not creepy. It’s not. I’m just…going to stick around the village for a day or so since I’m here. Yeah. That’s all. I just happen to stay while she’s here and…” Realizing how he sounded, he cringed. “…Maybe I’ll just stay out of her sight. Then I won’t weird her out. She doesn’t even have to know I’m here. I’ll just make sure she’s okay and go.”
Hisashi sighed and shook his head at himself.
All For One entered the village, trying to look casual and failing miserably considering his stature and unique features. As a stranger in a small village, he immediately drew stares from the villagers. It was a struggle to get away from all the people coming up to him, asking where he was from, what he was up to, if there was any news about the kingdom. He tried to give quick, short answers as he searched for Inko’s whereabouts. But the woman was nowhere to be found among the village’s people or their shops and taverns, All For One walking up and down the streets without seeing a hint of green hair or eyes.
“...Did she already leave?” Hisashi heard All For One ask himself as he trudged along, finding himself on the other side of the village in his search, sounding even more disappointed. “She couldn’t have left that fast, could she? Not if she was visiting family.”
All For One backtracked a bit, taking another look around, brow furrowed. There were a few guards about, looking bored as they kept watch at the outskirts of the village. If memory served Hisashi correctly, the border was a few miles ahead. They were likely a token force to keep watch for any vampires that might come across.
“What if something happened to her?” All For One mumbled as his efforts to find Inko turned out fruitless. “I knew I should have stayed with her until she found her family! What if she got attacked again? Kidnapped?”
Hisashi watched All For One work himself into a bit of a frenzy with his ruminations.
“...Are you okay?” a guard asked All For One, squinting suspiciously at the man and how he continued to talk to himself.
“Fine!” All For One huffed, not reassuring the guard at all. “Just. Worried, that’s all. You wouldn’t have happened to have seen a green haired woman by any chance, would you?”
“Maybe.” The guard shrugged casually. “Dunno’ for sure. Memory is a little foggy. Guarding all day and all…”
All For One growled, but dove a hand into his pockets anyway, pulling out a few silver coins and tossing them at the guard, who grinned as he caught them.
“Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a pretty lass walking by not too long ago. Bit of an odd look, but a right beauty she was. Walked off towards the border she did.” The guard gestured down the long stretch of road.
“And you just let her?!” All For One demanded in a raised voice, looking outraged. “She could be killed!”
“My job is to keep the vampires out,” the guard retorted casually, leaning on his spear. “Don’t matter to me if someone is stupid enough to walk into bloodsucker territory themself.”
All For One growled and stomped past the guard, knocking him with his shoulder on the way by. Hisashi rather agreed with his mirror-self. What was the point of border guards if they didn’t protect the people?
All For One headed for the border, moving at a decent pace, clearly worried about Inko. Hisashi found himself worried as well, but more so about what might happen if All For One discovered Inko was a vampire trying to get back to her kingdom. The reveal seemed inevitable at this point, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to see the aftermath.
And yet he couldn’t look away as All For One raced towards the border.
He had almost arrived right where the kingdoms met when a voice caught his attention, a relieved voice that Hisashi recognized as it called out, “Inko!”
Hisashi winced. Gran.
All For One stopped, turning to the direction the voice came from and creeping forward to scope out the situation. Up ahead, Inko came into view, her face full of relief as it looked to the side, where All For One couldn’t see. He hung back, not wanting to interrupt and expose himself as a creep who followed a lady alone. If this was Inko’s family, then surely she would be alright. What were they all doing this far out though? This close to the border?
He watched as an older man came into view, and he stiffened immediately. Something was off about that guy…
The man opened his mouth, and All For One’s eyes narrowed in on something long and sharp. Fangs.
Vampire.
Adrenaline rushed through him, and without pausing to further consider the situation, All For One darted forward, stepping between Inko and the vampire as the vampire moved towards her with his arms outstretched.
Hisashi bit his lip anxiously as he watched All For One take a swipe at Gran, sword already out and flashing as soon as he realized there was a vampire.
“Get away from her, you monster!” All For One shouted.
“Hisashi?!” Inko cried out in alarm, watching as Gran jumped back and away from the arc of the blade. “Hisashi, wait! It’s not—”
Her words fell on deaf ears however, Gran rushing forward in a flash, All For One only just managing to catch his claws on the edge of his sword.
“Who do you think you are?!” Gran demanded, dark eyes blazing with fury and fangs fully bared with glistening venom. “Get away from her!”
“Gran, stop! Hisashi’s just—”
A shout cut off her words when All For One aimed a kick for Gran’s middle, landing a solid hit and forcing him back a few feet. Enough for All For One to begin muttering an incantation, lightning sparking around his hand as he spoke.
But already Gran was lunging for him again, blinking out of All For One’s direct line of sight and reappearing at his side, to the man’s alarm. The both of them moved to attack each other again, when—
“Enough!” Inko was suddenly there between the two men, both of them fumbling quickly to abort their movements before they ended up striking her instead. “No more fighting!”
All For One reached for her. “Step back! It’s not safe! He’s a vampire!”
Gran snarled, bristling at All For One’s hand nearing Inko. “Don’t you dare touch her!” He reached out for Inko as well, to pull her to him.
Inko grabbed both men’s wrists and squeezed warningly, Hisashi cringing as he watched both Gran and All For One wince at the strength.
“Enough,” she said again. “Enough of this nonsense! I won’t stand for anymore of it!”
“But he—!” both men tried to argue, but Inko wouldn’t hear it, silencing them both with a glare.
“Hisashi,” Inko began after taking a deep breath. “Gran is not going to hurt me. He’s here to protect me.”
“Him?! He’s a vampire!” All For One nearly shouted, clearly in disbelief.
“I’m very much aware of what he is.” Inko pinned hun with a look. “It’s a…special…circumstance. I’m a...delegate for the royal family,” she answered. “He’s here to make sure I get to the castle without harm. But we were separated when I was attacked, and....” She shook her head, swallowing thickly and blinking away the tears that appeared in her eyes. “Regardless of what you think of him and his species, he’s not going to hurt me. You don’t need to worry about my safety.”
“I don’t—” All For One tried to argue, but Inko turned her attention towards Gran instead.
“Gran, this is Hisashi. He helped me find my way to the village after I stumbled into his camp,” Inko explained to the elder vampire. “And he gave me supplies to tend to my wounds. He does not mean any harm to me.”
“Say what?!” Gran puffed up indignantly. “Inko, you can’t seriously think that! He’s a hunter!”
“I know,” Inko sighed wearily. “But he’s a good man, even if he’s a little…misguided. Like…Like how Toshinori once was.”
Gran’s expression saddened at that name, but his eyes were still hard as they watched All For One suspiciously. “Well. Now he knows you’re coming with me. Since that’s settled, let’s hurry and go.”
“Hang on a sec!” All For One stopped him. “Why should I trust you?”
“Hisashi, I told you, he’s here to escort me,” Inko explained.
All For One’s nose scrunched up. “What if he betrays you? You can’t trust a vampire!”
Gran growled. “Hey—!”
“He’s not going to betray me,” Inko interrupted, speaking calmly to keep All For One standing down. “I need to cross the border. I’m a delegate.”
Hisashi could see slight hurt on his mirror-self’s face as All For One said, “But you told me you were going to meet family at the village. Why did you lie?”
Inko faltered for a moment, before replying, “Because I knew you were a hunter, and likely wouldn’t be…impressed by the idea of someone delegated to speak with vampires.”
“Not to mention she’s already been attacked once,” Gran snapped, pointing an accusing finger at All For One. “By a bunch of humans.” He spat out the word like it was sour on his tongue. “Why would she go ‘round telling everyone what she really was after something like that?”
All For One glared right back, grip tight on the hilt of his sword. “Even so, I still can’t let her go alone into vampire territory. Even if you don’t intend to hurt her, you’ve already failed her once.”
Gran’s face lit up with rage, a vivid glow coming about his eyes as his claws thickened into talons.
“Then you can come with us, if you are so concerned.” Inko grabbed Gran’s hand, forcing it down before he could attack All For One. “So long as you promise not to attack anyone in the kingdom for the duration of your stay. It would reflect poorly on me, and worsen public relations, if I allowed a citizen of Yuei to kill members of the royal family's kingdom during my stay.”
All For One hesitated, glancing from Inko to the direction where the border was. “Go…with you?” he murmured, mostly to himself. “To vampire territory?”
Hisashi wondered if he would even accept. All For One’s entire existence was to kill vampires, and he’d never been over the border before. Hisashi knew All For One thought the vampire kingdom was full of monsters. To him, crossing the border was suicide.
Gran scoffed. “You ain’t gotta come, don’t worry. We don’t need you around, and you ain’t got the gonads for it anyway.”
All For One bristled. “I’m not a coward!” he snapped. “I’ll go with you. I don’t trust your kind not to hurt this innocent lady while she’s trying to do her job over there.” He turned to Inko, and Hisashi could tell he was putting on a brave face. “I’ll protect you.”
Inko actually seemed a bit shocked, as if she hadn’t expected All For One to actually accept her offer to tag along. “…Alright, but no killing.”
All For One’s face soured, but he grumbled, “Fine. Unless they try to kill us first.”
“They won’t,” Inko said. “But thank you.”
“Let’s get goin’ then,” Gran grunted, never taking his eyes off All For One. “We’ve wasted enough time as it is.”
All For One nodded stiffly, Inko sighing softly as the new trio then began the trek to the kingdom. Hisashi watched intently to see how the rest would play out, when the colors in the mirror distorted, before bleeding back into the silvery surface once more.
“What? No, that can’t be it!” Hisashi complained to the mirror. But the scene didn’t return. He groaned and tapped his foot on the floor, thinking. He wanted to see Inko again, her face a lovely distraction from the other horrid things he’d seen in the mirror. He wanted to see how it would have turned out, if he really had returned to the kingdom with her.
An idea formed in his mind, and Hisashi bit his lip as he contemplated it. He wasn’t sure if it would work, considering it wasn’t really an alternative to something that had happened in his life, so much as it was an abstract concept of a completely different timeline. But he wouldn’t know unless he tried, right?
Hisashi tried not to feel too hopeful as he thought, what would my life have been like if I’d been born early enough to have met Midoriya Inko before Toshinori?
Like before, the mirror’s surface began to swirl, color bleeding into the glass after a brief moment, sound following shortly after the image started to form.
Hisashi gave a sharp start when he heard a woman screaming, panic shooting through him and his mind racing. Was he hurting her?! He should have known better than to ask the mirror another ‘what if’! Most of the others had ended horribly, why did he think this one would be different—
“Just a little more, Your Majesty!” Hisashi could hear a man shouting urgently. “I can see the head now!”
Hisashi scanned the image, but he couldn’t see much except an empty hall. Where even was he? Er, his mirror-self.
A twitch of movement caught his attention and Hisashi blinked. Oh. He was on the floor.
Someone else came into the image then, and Hisashi bristled at the sight of Gran. But the older man only knelt down and shook Mirror Hisashi’s shoulder.
“Hisashi. Hey, Hisashi! Wake up! You’re gonna miss it!” Gran called.
Hisashi watched himself slowly rouse, looking a bit pale. The Hisashi in the image paled even further upon hearing another scream, and scrambled to his feet, Gran helping him stay steady.
“Is she okay?!” Mirror Hisashi asked desperately. “I have to go to her! I can’t believe I missed most of it!”
“The door is locked,” a new voice said from off to the side, and Hisashi blinked in surprise as Mirai came forward, looking tired and frazzled.
“What do you mean they locked us out?! They have to let me in! That’s my wife!” Mirror Hisashi growled. He rushed to the door, clearly ready to break it down.
“Don’t!” Mirai grabbed his shoulder quickly, shaking his head. “If you startle her, you could hurt them!” he warned.
Mirror Hisashi faltered, staring between Mirai and the door, looking conflicted. “But—”
“Hey, it’ll be okay,” Gran assured him. “Inko’s a strong woman, just like her mother. She can make it through this.”
The real Hisashi stood there frozen, jaw dropped. What—What was going on? Did his image say wife?! And why were Gran and Mirai being so…nice to him? Why was there screaming? Just what was happening?!
Another scream rang out, but this being less one of pain and more of great effort, before whatever was happening in the room suddenly went quiet.
The three men outside the door went silent as well, waiting a few long moments, before Mirror Hisashi muttered anxiously, “Why can’t I hear crying? Why isn’t it crying?!”
Mirai patted Mirror Hisashi on the back. “They don’t always cry right away. Don’t panic, alright? The doctors are right there, I’m sure everything—”
A baby’s cry rang out, interrupting them.
The real Hisashi blinked. Oh. A baby had just been born.
…OH.
Mirror Hisashi placed a hand to his chest, shoulders shaking as great relief fell over him. “Oh, thank goodness,” he muttered.
“See?” Gran pointed out. “Everything’s fine. You were gettin’ all worked up over nothin’.”
“I can go in now, right?” Mirror Hisashi asked anxiously, going over to the door. But when he turned the handle, it refused to open. Renewed worry flickered in his eyes. “Hey! Why won’t they open the door?!”
“They’re probably cleaning everything up,” Mirai answered patiently. “It’s…messy.”
“I can’t wait any longer!” Mirror Hisashi shouted, looking as though he was ready to pull his own hair out with frustration. “My baby is in there!” He knocked loudly on the door. “Let me in! LET ME IN!” When there was no immediate response, Mirror Hisashi raised a foot to kick the door.
Which happened to open at that moment.
The midwife on the other side blinked in shock, Mirror Hisashi quickly lowering his leg again with a sheepish expression.
The midwife gave him an unimpressed stare, but gestured him inside. “Congratulations, Your Majesty. Would you like to cut the cord?”
Mirror Hisashi nodded rapidly, ignoring those cleaning up and practically speeding to the side of a woman who was lying on a bed, looking exhausted.
Hisashi’s eyes widened as he recognized the woman his mirror-self was speaking to. A blush worked up his cheeks as he put the words “wife” and “Inko” and “baby” together.
He…In this other timeline…He had married Midoriya Inko?!
He watched numbly as his mirror-self used a claw to delicately cut the baby’s umbilical cord, staring at the tiny child with rapt adoration.
Inko smiled through the exhaustion, shifting so Mirror Hisashi could have a better look at the baby. He could make out little freckles dotting the baby’s chubby cheeks.
“Say hello to your daddy,” Inko cooed to the child.
The baby wiggled, but didn’t make a sound.
“Seems like he’s shy,” she laughed. “Must take after his father.”
“A son…” Mirror Hisashi said in wonder, as though he couldn’t believe it. “I-I have a son…”
“Would you like to hold him?” Inko asked, her voice drained and raspy from screaming.
“I…” Mirror Hisashi started, swallowing thickly as his hands fluttered about unsurely. “But he’s…he’s so small. I don’t…what if I hurt him?”
“You won’t,” Inko reassured him, giving him a tired but encouraging smile, lifting the baby towards Mirror Hisashi, who seemed even more panicked than before. He all but froze in place when the child was gently placed in his hands, not daring to even breathe. “Well?” Inko laughed lightly when all he did was stare. “Say hello.”
But Mirror Hisashi said nothing, appearing to be at a loss for words, staring down at the tiny child in his hands. The baby looked so small and delicate, fitting perfectly in his palms. The little boy squirmed a bit, face scrunched up. He had wisps of green hair on his head, and the smallest, tiniest fangs in his mouth. Mirror Hisashi immediately brought him up close to his chest, cradling the baby there.
“H…Hello,” Mirror Hisashi greeted the baby, keeping his voice soft so as not to scare him. Bright green eyes opened, staring intently up into his own red ones. The baby blinked at his voice, and for a moment, all the two did was look at each other.
Mirror Hisashi tensed when the baby began to squirm ever so slightly, little arms moving about, before an impossibly small hand wrapped around his thumb.
Both Hisashis breaths caught in their throats at the motion.
The Hisashi in the mirror began crying. “H-He’s perfect!”
Then he froze when the baby gave a soft whine.
“He’s hungry,” Inko laughed tiredly.
“Oh.” Mirror Hisashi blinked. He held the baby back out to Inko, though he looked a bit reluctant to let him go. “I should…let you do that then.”
“You can feed him,” Inko told him. “Skin to skin contact is good for him.”
“But…how?” Hisashi looked dumbfounded. “Babies drink milk—”
“Human babies, maybe,” Inko explained. “Vampire babies drink blood.”
“Just…any blood?”
“Blood from their parents until they’re older,” Inko said. “Just make a cut for him, and he’ll drink instinctively. Here.” She waved her husband closer.
Mirror Hisashi leaned towards her, and Inko opened the top few buttons of his shirt, slicing a cut along his throat with her claw.
“Hold him to your chest, skin to skin, and support his head as he feeds,” she instructed.
Mirror Hisashi carefully (and a bit clumsily) adjusted the baby as Inko helped him, and soon enough the baby had latched onto the cut, drinking happily.
“Have you decided on a name?” he asked. “I know you weren’t able to choose before.”
“Hm…I was thinking about…” Inko mused for a moment. “...Izuku,” she finally settled on. “What do you think of Izuku?”
“Izuku…” Mirror Hisashi repeated slowly. “I think that’s a good name. Midoriya Izuku.” He smiled softly down at the newly named child. “My son.”
The real Hisashi gasped and touched the mirror, as if trying to reach in to touch the baby himself. Izuku. That baby was Izuku. His Izuku.
He was…He was Izuku’s birth father in this timeline…It was both joyous and hard to believe.
“...I think he fell asleep,” Mirror Hisashi said after a minute or so, slowly lowering Izuku from his neck and staring down at the fast asleep baby.
“Well can you blame him?” Inko snickered. “He was just born after all.”
“You should get some rest too,” Mirror Hisashi suggested softly to his wife. “You look…exhausted.”
“I’d like to see how good you would look after carrying a baby for four and a half years and suffering through a three day labor,” she shot back.
“...Fair point,” Mirror Hisashi relented with a sheepish smile. “Get some rest. I’ll watch over Izuku in the meantime.”
As the image began to ripple and fade out, Hisashi watched his mirror-self lean down and share a sweet, loving kiss with Inko, the baby securely held between the two of them.
The scene left a longing in his heart as the mirror’s surface returned to its silvery swirling. Hisashi felt choked by complicated emotions, staring at the empty mirror for a long minute as his mind ruminated on what he’d just seen. The thought that he could have married Inko if he had met her before Toshinori…it was hard to wrap his head around. He wasn’t quite sure if he could believe it. That someone like her would have married him…
He stared at his reflection in the mirror, the visions it had displayed circling in his mind. Marrying Inko, Yoichi being born a vampire, his own death…Did this mirror actually tell truth? Or was it all lies? Did it actually show possibilities of what could have been? Or just show him what he asked to see? Were the other routes it had shown actual worlds that were playing out as he stood in front of this mirror? Would the other Hisashi’s ever look into it and see glimpses of his own path?
Hisashi bit at his lip, wondering if it was even possible to discern the true nature of the mirror. There were so many possibilities yet seen, and he had already seen more than he ever wanted to know. Things he didn’t think he would ever unsee for as long as he lived. He knew he shouldn’t ask it for anything more.
But he couldn’t help one last question from bubbling forth, his heart racing with anticipation.
“...What would my life have been like if I really was Izuku’s father?”
The mirror’s surface swirled again, but this time as the silvery colouring rippled away, leaving an image inside, and Hisashi saw—
Himself.
His brow knit in confusion, head tilting to the side, and the Hisashi in the mirror did the same.
It was…It was him. Just his own reflection, like a normal mirror would show.
Had the mirror run out of magic? No, that wasn’t something that happened with enchanted objects usually, and certainly didn’t seem likely for something as powerful as the mirror. So why…
Oh.
A small smile tugged at Hisashi’s mouth, and his heart filled with warmth. The mirror could only show what could have been. Which meant…
He already was Izuku’s father.
Notes:
Izuku goes nuclear.
The people of Yuei: “So, theoretically speaking, what would happen if Hisashi was killed by humans?”
We, the authors: “Ever heard the story of Lisa Tepes and her husband?”
Yuei: “Uh, no?”
Authors: “And you don't want to either.”
Wording is everything.
Hisashi: “Mirror, show me what would have happened if I’d met Inko when I was younger.”
Mirror: *shows a scene of Hisashi, a young teen, chasing a toddler Izuku around. Inko and Toshinori stand in the background, watching fondly*
Inko: “Keep an eye on your brother, Hisashi! Your father and I have a meeting to attend.”
Teen Hisashi: “Okay, Mom.”
Adult Hisashi watching this: “I GOT ADOPTED BY THEM?! NO! MIRROR BRING BACK THE ONE WHERE INKO IS MY WIFE!”
Doesn't Belong.
Hisashi: *holding One For All* “...This doesn't feel right. I can't take One For All. It isn't mine to have.” *places sword back down*
AFO's across the multiverse: “How dare you give up the thing we wanted the most but could never have! You will never be one of us!”
Cuteness Overload.
Hisashi, sighing: “Seems nearly every other outcome would have gone poorly. Wonder what it would have been like if the Midoriya's had found us in the vampire Yoichi vision...”
Mirror: *shows toddler Izuku and Yoichi giggling and playing with each other, Mirror Hisashi watching them play*
Hisashi: “Why couldn't you show me this before?!”
Benign Realizations.
Past Hisashi: “It would have been so much better if my life had gone any other way!”
*Hisashi watches visions displayed in the mirror*
Present Hisashi: “...Okay, so if my life had taken nearly any other turn, it would have ended poorly. Which means this reality that I live in is one of the best possible outcomes for me. Thank goodness!”
Destiny.
Hisashi: “Huh. So no matter what I would have met Izuku.”
Izuku: “See? I told you you were meant to be my dad, Dad! It's fate!”
Hisashi: *smiles and ruffles Izuku’s curls* “So it would seem. I wouldn't have it any other way.”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 39
Summary:
It was…It was him. Just his own reflection, like a normal mirror would show.
Had the mirror run out of magic? No, that wasn’t something that happened with enchanted objects usually, and certainly didn’t seem likely for something as powerful as the mirror. So why…
Oh.
A small smile tugged at Hisashi’s mouth, and his heart filled with warmth. The mirror could only show what could have been. Which meant…
He already was Izuku’s father.
Notes:
Y’all can check out some cool art by Dragon here and here.
There’s also a new one from last chapter here!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Hisashi sighed in relief when he made it back to his room, carrying the rest of the stuff that had been taken from him when he’d first arrived. Of course, there was no need for him to sneak it out anymore, but he couldn’t help but still feel like he was doing something he shouldn’t. Which was ridiculous. They were his things after all!
And now they were back where they belonged with him. He just had to store them under the bed and no one would ever—
“Dad?”
Ah.
“I-Izuku!” Hisashi blurted out, surprised.
His son was casually chilling on Hisashi’s bed, looking at him oddly. Hisashi didn’t know why. He was the one who should be looking at Izuku like that! What was Izuku doing holed away in Hisashi’s room at this time of the day? He didn’t normally do that.
“What are you doing?” Izuku asked, eyeing the stuff Hisashi was carrying.
“Just…bringing my stuff to my room?” Hisashi answered.
Izuku squinted at Hisashi. “...The ones that were in the hall of artifacts?”
“...Yeah.” Hisashi nodded. His first thought was that Izuku might be upset, but if the mirror had been truthful, then Izuku wouldn’t be angry with him for having gone there.
And sure enough, Izuku simply huffed. “I would have liked to have gone with you. We haven’t been there together in ages! There’s still so many weapons and artifacts I wanted to show you!”
“Next time we will,” Hisashi promised, closing the door behind him and moving over to his bed.
Izuku watched him with curiosity as Hisashi dropped his belongings onto the sheets, his eyes scanning over each one. Hisashi paid it no mind, reaching over to give Izuku a big hug. It was eagerly returned, Izuku hugging him back just as tight. Hisashi just held him for a moment, brushing a hand through his curls. After the terrible things he had seen in the mirror, he wanted to reassure himself that his son was alright and well loved.
After another minute or so he let go, refusing to acknowledge that his eyes might have gotten a bit teary. If Izuku noticed, he said nothing of it, smiling happily at him before turning his attention back to his belongings on the bed.
“So what is all this stuff?” Izuku asked, picking up a pouch from the pile.
“Ah-ah, don’t touch that!” Hisashi warned, snatching it back out of Izuku’s hand. “That’s powdered silver!” Hisashi stared at the pouch pensively. Now that he was a vampire in a castle filled with fellow vampires, including his son, it would probably be best for the powder to be safely discarded. He could find a servant to properly dispose of it later.
Izuku huffed but didn’t protest, instead sifting through the other items, picking them up and examining them curiously. When he got to a ring though, Hisashi watched a fierce scowl overtake his son’s face.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, confused.
“…Why do you have this, Dad?” Izuku ground out, jaw clenched.
Hisashi blinked. “What?” He leaned down to better see what ring Izuku had.
Izuku practically thrust the thing into his face. “This is the insignia of the royal house of Todoroki. This is their ring. Why do you have this, Dad?!” Izuku demanded, clutching the ring so tightly between his fingers that Hisashi thought he might crush it.
Hisashi pursed his lips. “Calm down, Izuku. There’s no need to get so worked up about this. May I?” He plucked the ring from his son’s hand, holding it up. It was made of gold, inlaid with a cut garnet, the fiery, draconic symbol of House Todoroki’s insignia etched into the sides.
Honestly, he had kind of forgotten about this ring. It wasn’t something he actively thought about. He’d worn it practically all the time, and it had just become a part of himself that he had stopped thinking about.
“Well?” Izuku was tapping his foot impatiently.
“It’s a ring that enhances fire magic,” Hisashi explained. “I won it as a prize in a tournament in Yuei. The tournament was hosted by the royal family, and so naturally the prize came from them as well. That’s why it has the Todoroki symbol on it.”
“Oh,” Izuku mumbled, some of the anger draining out of his eyes and the tenseness in his shoulders eased. “That’s right. I remember you mentioning that you won some of your equipment in tournaments before…”
Hisashi nodded. “I did. I bested King Todoroki’s eldest in the finals. He was a talented kid, but he lacked experience.”
A smirk grew on Izuku’s face, snorting with amusement. “I bet Todoroki didn’t like that.”
“No, he didn’t,” Hisashi confirmed, a smile of his own forming. “I’d never seen a man so angry that he literally burst into flames before then. You would have thought he’d lost his crown instead of a simple ring. I don’t think he ever intended to actually give it away. Seemed pretty confident his son would win, so he likely only offered it as a prize under the belief it would stay in his family.”
Izuku grinned, but it was a rather mean grin, the likes of which Hisashi had never seen on his face before. “I wish I could’ve seen his expression when you swiped the ring out from under him.”
Hisashi snorted. “I do believe the only reason he actually gave it to me was because there was a huge crowd watching. Otherwise I think he would’ve tried to keep it and bribe me with something else.”
“You don’t have to keep it anymore though, Dad. I can have a ring with a similar enchantment—no, an even better enchantment—made for you!” Izuku offered.
“And give up proof that I won that tournament and bested House Todoroki?” Hisashi asked, raising a brow. “No thanks. I’d rather keep it for the memory.”
Izuku hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s true. And it’s a trophy of your victory over them!” he said, staring at the ring. “Maybe you can display it on your shelf? We can add more trophies to it later.”
“More trophies?” Hisashi asked, regarding Izuku with a curious look before beginning to stash away his belongings.
“Y’know, for when we win the war,” Izuku explained. “We’ll end up with all their crown jewels and royal artifacts. So we should have a display to show them all off.”
Hisashi paused. He hadn’t actually thought much about what would happen when the war was over. “…Are you planning to take over Yuei entirely? Or just remove the Todoroki family from power?”
Izuku gave him an incredulous look. “Take it over, obviously. What if whoever took over the throne after the Todoroki’s was just as evil? The humans have already proven they can’t be trusted. Just look at how they run their country!”
Hisashi shifted uncomfortably. “But you already know that not all humans are like that. Why couldn’t you just handpick a good human to take over the throne? That way you know things will go alright.”
Izuku’s lips thinned and he looked down. He didn’t answer for a long time, and when he did, it was a low mumble. “…How could I know for sure that the person is good? They could lie just to get the throne. They’ve always hated us, and would probably attack us again in the future. Isn’t it just best that I absorb Yuei into our kingdom?”
Hisashi stared at Izuku for a long moment. He knew Izuku had reasons to be distrustful of humans, with his parents murder, the war, and the recent attack, but…he didn’t like how resentful and angry his son’s voice sounded. Hisashi could hear a touch of hate on the edge of his son’s tone. It was painfully familiar to him.
“Izuku,” Hisashi started, laying his hands on Izuku’s shoulders firmly. Izuku glanced up to meet his eyes. “You can’t assume that every human in Yuei is evil, or that they would follow in Todoroki’s footsteps. Most people in Yuei are just trying to live out their lives in peace and keep what little comfort they can afford to have. You can’t blame the fault of their king on them.”
Izuku’s scowl deepened. “But they do hate us,” he said again. “You said yourself that they did! How could I ever trust someone that hates us just for being what we are?”
Hisashi winced at the reminder of what he’d said. “Well, I don’t think taking over their country would make those humans very happy. We can… We can try and educate people on vampires. Open channels of communications and work to build a better relationship between our kingdoms. A lot of them don’t know the truth about vampires, after all. But I doubt forcibly taking over their kingdom would do any favours in painting yourself in a good light.”
“They’re the ones that started the war!” Izuku insisted, furious tears pricking the corners of his eyes now. “They attacked us! They killed my parents!”
“Todoroki attacked us,” Hisashi corrected. “You can’t blame all the people for the actions of the king.”
“But they’re his people! That means they’re against us! Why should I remove Todoroki only to put another human on that throne? What if they betray us again?! It’s already happened once!”
“But if you want peace, taking over their country won’t help! That might only stir tension among them! You would only be inciting them to rebel against you!” Hisashi pointed out.
Izuku looked frustrated. “Well…Well—! They won’t get a choice! I’ll remove Todoroki and take over Yuei and they’ll just be forced to comply!”
“Izuku!” Hisashi was too shocked to think of a proper reprimand right away. What was his son thinking? “You can’t do that!”
“Why can’t I?!” Izuku demanded. “How can you expect me to trust someone I can’t control?!”
“Izuku!” Hisashi exclaimed again, squeezing his son’s shoulders firmly. “Are you even listening to yourself?! You know that controlling people is wrong!”
“What else am I supposed to do?!” Izuku shouted back, hands balled into fists. “If I don’t control them, how can I keep us safe?! They’ll hurt us again!”
“Izuku, listen to me,” Hisashi said, grasping onto his son’s chin and forcing him to meet his eyes. “If you try to control people, a whole country, they’re only going to end up resenting you.” It was something Hisashi knew from experience. “Controlling them isn’t the answer. If you ever want a real, lasting peace between your kingdom and Yuei, you have to prove to them that vampires aren’t the monsters they’ve always thought they were. You have to make that first step and break this cycle. You can’t let what happened in the past blind you, Izuku. You can’t let hate fester in your heart like that.”
Izuku’s eyes slid away from Hisashi’s, but his shoulders slumped. “...How can I trust them? How can I trust humans?”
“Do you trust Kurogiri?”
Izuku’s brows furrowed. “Of course! Kurogiri would never hurt me!”
“If you can trust him, why can’t you trust others?”
“Because I don’t know them. Kurogiri has proven himself to me multiple times,” Izuku said.
Hisashi hummed. “Maybe you should get to know them then. Broaden your horizons and such. Learn more about them, and in turn allow them to learn more about vampires.”
Finally, Izuku appeared thoughtful, if somewhat reluctant. “Mmm…I guess. Maybe something like that could work.” Then he shook his head, as if dismissing the thought. “But that’s still in the future. We haven’t even won the war yet. There are other things we need to focus on instead.”
“It’s still something to keep in mind. Don’t lose focus,” Hisashi insisted in spite of the fact that Izuku clearly wanted to drop the subject.
“But I want to focus on other things too!” Izuku claimed, looking at the ring in Hisashi’s hand again with consideration.
Hisashi raised a brow. “Like what?”
“Like a tournament of our own!” Izuku exclaimed.
It felt like an abrupt shift in subject to Hisashi, but the tension that had been brewing in the air disappeared with Izuku’s excitement, so he figured it was okay to drop the subject for now. He promised to himself to keep an eye on Izuku more closely, however. The resentment he saw in his son against humans was a little too familiar.
“What kind of tournament did you have in mind?” Hisashi asked, moving to sit on the bed next to his son.
“A round robin!” Izuku exclaimed. “Where the people can join and compete for a prize. Non-lethal, of course, and separate rounds for humans and vampires. That way no one will get hurt.”
Hisashi felt his interest pique. “And what do you intend to offer as a prize? It’ll have to be something good if you want to draw people in from around the country.”
“Hm…Money, maybe? Or an artifact from the treasury?” Izuku suggested, thinking hard. “Or a favor from the royal family? Something within reason, of course. Nothing outrageous.”
“I think that might work,” Hisashi mused. His mind shifted to Kurogiri, and how the man was struggling to formally adopt Tenko as his son. “And anyone could join?”
Izuku looked thoughtful. “Well, maybe not anyone. There should probably be an age limit so kids don’t get hurt…”
Hisashi laughed. “Guess that disqualifies you from your own tournament, pipsqueak!”
“Hey!” Izuku shoved him playfully. “I’ll be judging and stuff, so I’m not gonna compete anyway!”
Hisashi grinned. “Probably for the best. I’d tromp you into the ground.”
“You would not! I’m stronger than you!” Izuku paused as if he only just realized what Hisashi had truly said. “…You want to compete too, Dad?”
“Don’t sound surprised! Of course I want to join! It’s been a long time since I got to compete in a tournament!”
Izuku gave him a long, searching look. “If you’re after the prize, Dad, you know you can just ask anything of me already, right?”
“Maybe, but where’s the fun in getting anything I want if there isn’t any challenge?” Hisashi countered. He didn’t want others to think he was using his position to go around the rules and regulations to do whatever he wanted. And if he won the tournament, no one could say anything against what he wanted to ask for. “Besides, I need a chance to test my skills against real metal. A good competition is the perfect opportunity.”
“If you say so…” Izuku muttered. He hopped down from the bed. “Well, we should probably go tell Mirai then that we want to arrange a tournament!”
Internally, Hisashi winced at the thought of Mirai having even more work, remembering the state he had seen the man in last. “Why not Gran?” he suggested instead. At Izuku’s flat stare, he continued with, “He’s the fastest vampire alive, isn’t he? He’d be able to set up a tournament in no time. Plus he’s head of the royal guard. Who better than him?”
“You might have a point,” Izuku conceded after a moment of pondering. “We’ll go see Gran about setting up the tournament then. And afterwards, we can train!”
“Didn’t you train yesterday?” Hisashi asked.
“So? What about it?” Izuku crossed his arms. “I’m basically healed.”
“It’s still not good for you to train every day. You already do a lot. You should follow the schedule Gran set for you, and not do extra on your own,” Hisashi scolded lightly.
“Bold words coming from you,” Izuku teased.
“I’m an adult and can make my own decisions. I also know my own limits.”
“Oh?” Izuku said, a smirk playing at his lips. “Sounds to me that you’re afraid of losing to your son!”
“Hah?” Hisashi scowled, shooting Izuku a look. “As if! I can best you in a match any day! ”
“Then prove it!” Izuku said as went to the door, throwing it open and pausing for Hisashi to follow him. “Or are you too chicken?”
“I am not!” Hisashi denied, staying put. “I just think you should take it easy—”
Hisashi looked at Izuku in affront when the boy clucked at him teasingly, waggling his brows and flapping his arms up and down.
“Why you little—” Hisashi started, only to be cut off when Izuku shut the door on him, still making chicken noises. “IZUKU!”
He tried to open the door, but Izuku was clearly holding the handle on the other side, and Hisashi couldn’t beat his son in terms of raw strength.
Izuku kept clucking on the other side of the door.
“Izuku!” Hisashi pounded on the door. “Let me out, you little rascal!”
He was met with giggling.
“Guess I’ll win the match since my opponent is too scared to show up!” Izuku called loudly from out in the hall. “I don’t usually enjoy winning by forfeit, but I suppose it can’t be helped when chickens hide away in their rooms!”
“OYE!” Hisashi put all his weight into trying to get the door open. He didn’t succeed. “You’ve trapped me in here because you know you’d lose in a fair fight!” he shot back. “You’re the one who’s scared!”
Izuku screeched in offense, and the door went flying open, only barely missing Hisashi who managed to dodge back in time. “Am not!” the boy insisted.
Hisashi quickly moved forward, snatching his son up and rubbing his knuckles into his hair, ignoring his protests. “Then let’s prove it, once and for all!” Hisashi declared, already making his way towards the stairs. “Just me and you, one on one!”
“You’re on!” Izuku declared. “Loser has to dress as a chicken for a whole day!”
“Bring it!” Hisashi boasted. “You better get that chicken costume ready, because you’re about to lose!”
It had been a few days since the mirror incident, but the things Hisashi had seen in it still hadn’t left his mind. A few of the scenarios had left him with a lot of questions. Questions that he thought one person might be able to answer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly a person he liked (or rather, someone who didn’t like him), and so Hisashi felt trepidation as he entered one of the places in the castle he disliked the most.
The Hall of Kings and Queens.
He was not looking forward to the resentment those two portraits always looked at him with, but his burning need for answers trumped his nerves, and so Hisashi stepped up to the First’s painting. As usual, it was empty. Unlike usual, however, the second’s portrait was empty too. Usually that guy was hanging around, immediately dunking on Hisashi as soon as he saw him.
But with both portraits empty, Hisashi shifted on his feet indecisively. After a moment, he raised a hand and rapped his knuckles on First’s painting.
Nothing happened.
Hisashi knocked again, a little more firmly, but not enough to damage the painting. When all remained still, he felt frustration well up at the thought that he came all the way down here for nothing, and he didn’t want to go all the way back to his room without answers. Should he go to another portrait and ask if they could fetch the First for him—
“...All this racket,” he heard a familiar voice mumble, and he watched as a door in the back of the painting opened.
The First scratched his head as if he had just woken up, when his green eyes met Hisashi’s red ones. He paused, a frown pulling at his mouth and squinting. Then, he exited the room fully, closing the door behind him. The First regarded Hisashi with mild curiosity.
“Hm. I wasn’t expecting to see your face today,” he greeted. “Well. Your actual face, that is.”
Hisashi’s eyes glanced down the hall, towards the newest addition to the hall. It was still so weird to think that there was this other version of him and his son in the paintings now.
But that wasn’t the focus of his attention at this moment.
“Sorry if I disturbed you,” Hisashi offered in apology, keeping his voice civil and polite. He didn’t want the First irritated with him; he wouldn’t get his answers if he was pissed off at Hisashi. “I, uh, had a few questions for you. If you don’t mind?”
“Well, at this point it doesn’t seem like I’ll ever be able to get rid of you, so ask away.” First somehow managed to accept Hisashi’s request while also sounding completely dismissive of him.
That was probably the best he was going to get from this guy, though. So Hisashi took a deep breath and pondered how to word his question.
“Your parents,” Hisashi started, trying not to let the fact that his brother’s face was staring at him get to Hisashi. “They were both human, right?”
“They were,” First answered simply.
“But you were born as a vampire to them anyway?” Hisashi pressed.
“Yes.” He nodded. “I told you this the first time.”
“Right…But how is that possible? How—How were you born as a vampire to human parents? The first vampire, no less?”
First squinted. “You’re…asking me why I was born the way I was?” He sounded confused.
“Uh, yeah, basically.” Hisashi rubbed his neck self-consciously. “Just…how could that happen?”
The first raised his hands, shrugging. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t know! Why would I know? How am I supposed to know something like that?”
“But…you’re the First!” Hisashi insisted. “If anyone would know, it would be you!”
“I might be the first vampire, but I’m not all knowing,” First scoffed. “I have no idea why I was born the way I was. Maybe it was the will of a higher being. Maybe it was a freak accident. There’s no way to know for sure.”
“Surely you have some idea, don’t you?” Hisashi pressed. “There has to be a reason. Are you sure there isn’t something at least?”
“Let me ask you this: why were you born the way you are?” First asked.
Hisashi paused. “I…just was?”
“Exactly! How am I supposed to know why I was born like this? Whatever caused me to be born a vampire is both unknown to me and out of my control.”
Hisashi sighed in defeat, disappointment welling up inside him. “I guess that’s true,” he muttered reluctantly.
“Why are you asking anyway?” First asked in turn, regarding Hisashi with suspicion.
Hisashi shifted uncomfortably, but he wasn’t able to look away from those bright green eyes staring him down. “It… I saw something recently,” he spoke quietly, not wanting the other paintings to overhear. Least of all his other self within them. “In a mirror that showed possibilities.”
“A mirror of possibilities?” First repeated, curiosity piqued.
Hisashi nodded. “In one of them, it showed what would have happened if my younger brother hadn’t been born sickly.” His voice grew thick as he recalled the scene in vivid detail. “He…Yoichi would have been born a vampire, to human parents. Like you.”
First’s brows shot up in disbelief. “Are you sure it showed you a possibility? Or just a lie? Perhaps a nightmare, in your opinion?”
Hisashi bristled. “My little brother would never be a nightmare, no matter what he was born as!”
First rubbed his chin. “Interesting.”
“So…So I was wondering whether you had any idea of why that would have happened. Why my brother would have been born a vampire if he hadn’t been born sick,” Hisashi said.
First shrugged. “I don’t know. As far as I’m aware, no other vampire has been born to fully human parents other than myself. I didn’t think it would ever happen again after me. To imagine that it might have in a different future, or even still could since the possibility exists…perhaps it was simply another happenstance of nature. Or, it could be a genetic disposition contained in our shared bloodline.”
“Is that even possible?” Hisashi asked dubiously, uncertain what to think about that. If he had had children as a human, could one of them have been born a vampire? Or someone further down the family tree?
“Who knows?” First shrugged casually. “It’s all guesswork. There’s no way to be certain.”
“Has there really never been anyone else?” Hisashi asked. “If it’s in our bloodline…why only my brother? There’s thousands and thousands of years separating you and I. Surely there would have been another descendant who had that…anomaly.”
“Never.” First shook his head. “Otherwise, there would have been a second family of pure vampires that could control the lessers. Has there been?”
“No,” Hisashi admitted. He had never once heard of another vampire that could control others of their kind like the royal family. Nor had he ever seen one with the defining trait of their royalty; with both green hair and eyes. “No, I haven’t ever heard of another royal family.”
“Then there you have it.” First waved a hand. “Why your brother? I don’t know. Perhaps it’s for the best that possibility never happened though. Imagine the chaos that would have caused among vampire society.”
“Who says it would have caused chaos?” Hisashi huffed.
“Think of a world where two families can control the lesser vampires absolutely,” First began, speaking slowly, as if he thought Hisashi would have trouble understanding otherwise. “Now imagine if the two had a disagreement over something or other. The lesser vampires would have no choice but to obey their whims and kill each other on their behalf.”
“And I’m saying: who says there would have been any control from our end?” Hisashi shot back. “From what I saw in the mirror, my brother and I still lived in Yuei. He wasn’t going around controlling vampires or anything. He and I were hiding from humans!”
“And you think your brother would have been content to live like that his whole life?” First asked. “Ashamed of what he is? Terrified of humans? Fearing for his existence if they discovered him? You think he would not have wanted to leave? To fight back?” He sounded as though he were speaking from personal experience.
“I…” Hisashi couldn’t say. It certainly wasn’t much of a life, living in constant fear of discovery. But he couldn’t picture his dear Yoichi ever harming someone or turning power-hungry. “It…It doesn’t matter. Even if we had left so he didn’t have to live in fear, my brother would never…never be controlling of others like that.”
“You’re talking in optimistic hypotheticals,” First accused. “You have no idea the hardships that would have awaited him if he had been born a vampire, or the cruelty he would have been shown by the humans were he discovered. In all likelihood, he would, at some point in his life, have turned others and used the lessers in order to protect himself.”
Hisashi scowled, wanting to deny it instinctively, but the words died on his lips before he could even fully form them. He didn’t want to admit that First might have had a point, even if there was no way of knowing for certain what would have happened if that future had played out.
Not wanting to argue it further, knowing he was unlikely to change First’s thoughts on the matter, he changed the subject. “Why do you keep calling them ‘lesser vampires’?” Hisashi asked. “You created them. They’re your people!”
“My people?” First scoffed, a derisive smirk on his face. “The lesser vampires are not ‘my people’.”
“What? How are they not? They’re vampires!”
First snorted. “They are not of my family. We shine like starlight; they are merely the dust that trails after us.”
Hisashi’s brow furrowed. “How very high and mighty of you,” he scoffed. “I didn’t peg you for an egotistical type. But what you’re saying isn’t true. There are probably regular vampires that are a lot stronger than you now, given how long it’s been.”
“Yet they don’t possess the power to control others. To bend someone’s will completely to our control and do as we command. No amount of strength matters if your body answers to the absolute control of the royal family.”
Hisashi gritted his teeth, glaring at the First. “That doesn’t mean that they’re ‘lesser’,” he growled.
First only rolled his eyes. “Was there anything else of actual importance you wanted to discuss with me? Or are we done here?”
Hisashi withheld the urge to throttle the First, or at least shake his painting a little. He didn’t think the other members of the royal family would appreciate it, and certainly no one in the castle would either, given how old this painting must have been. It was hard to reign in his irritation towards the First’s stubborness and set ways, fighting to take a slow, deep breath to calm himself.
He wondered if this was how Izuku felt in Hisashi’s early days as a vampire.
“I had one last question, yeah,” Hisashi admitted. He had been wanting to learn more about the royal family in general, reading through the history books on the subject that he brought back to his room from the library. But they were so massive that Hisashi had barely made a dent in a general, compressed book concerning the history of vampires. It was easier to learn directly from the source. Would save him a few months of time too. “What was it like, in the early days of vampire history? Becoming the first king of vampires and all?”
“I never became a king in my lifetime. The title of royalty was after my time. You should ask my son, if you really want to know about how the royal family came to be.”
Hisashi couldn’t hide a grimace. “…Can’t you just tell me yourself? Surely you know.”
A smirk grew on First’s face. “But why should I? You really should ask my son. It’s good to learn to get along, isn’t it? We’re family after all.” The last part sounded very sarcastic.
No way in hell Hisashi was going to talk to the Second. “But I—”
“Also, I’m actually very busy, so I do have to go.” First began to walk off as he spoke.
“Hey! Wait!” Hisashi called out. “What do you mean ‘busy’?! You’re a painting! What could a painting have to be busy with?!”
“Sorry! I can’t hear you over how busy I am!” First yelled back. “Way too much to do, I’m afraid!”
“HEY!” Hisashi whacked the portrait.
First gave him a very rude gesture with his hand before disappearing.
“You son of a…” Hisashi trailed off, letting out a huff of irritation at having been so flagrantly blown off. He glanced down the line of portraits warily, considering his options. Should he really try to converse with the Second about this?
…Nah. Someone further down the line would be more agreeable and open to talking about their history than Second ever would. And there was a higher likelihood that he wouldn’t have curses and insults flung at him with every other word.
Plus, he might get to see Inko.
Steeling his resolve, Hisashi moved past the First, keeping his pace quick as he moved past Second’s painting, not wanting to be caught in his sights if he happened to return. But as he went by, he noticed it was still curiously empty.
…The third painting was empty too, and the fourth. Huh.
Had something happened to all the paintings? Hisashi felt a pang of anxiety at the idea. What if something had happened to—?
He rushed down the hall past other empty portraits, heading for the very end.
Something whizzed past his eye through multiple paintings then, followed by a distant shout. It froze Hisashi in his tracks, and he stood there for a long moment, trying to figure out what had just happened. He looked back up the hall where he had come from, but nothing moved.
“Izuku!” Toshinori’s chiding voice came from far down the hall, from the very last painting. For a split second, Hisashi glanced back to see if Izuku had entered the hall. But it was just him here. He turned his attention back down the line of portraits. “What have we told you about throwing people, hm?”
Hisashi heard a little huff.
“To not to,” came the mumbled response. “But he deserved it!” Hisashi could practically see the pout on Izuku’s face. “He was making fun of Dad! Again!”
Grumbling from behind reached Hisashi’s ears, and he turned again to see the second slowly making his way down the line of portraits, back to where Izuku’s voice had come from.
Oh. That’s what had happened.
Hisashi couldn’t stifle the amused snort that escaped him, which caught Second’s attention on his way past.
“Oi! What are you laughing at?” Second grumbled. His hair and clothes looked rather rumpled.
“You got thrown around by a child.” Hisashi chuckled.
Second sputtered and scoffed, looking away. “He’s a stupidly strong kid. Not my fault.”
“Mmm, sounds like it was, actually.” Hisashi began walking down the hall again, towards the commotion up ahead.
Second kept pace with him through the portraits. “It wasn’t! It had nothing to do with him!”
“Of course it had to do with me!” Izuku’s voice insisted up ahead, and when Hisashi reached him he saw his son looked rather pissed off. “Any slight against my father is a slight against me. I won’t tolerate it!”
“He’s not your real father! That’s Toshinori!” Second insisted, only to flinch when Izuku’s eyes glared at him with murderous intent and claws rising.
A large hand laid itself on Izuku’s shoulder then, keeping him from lunging forward.
“It’s fine, Izuku,” Hisashi heard his own voice say, and he looked up to meet his red eyes and curly white hair. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. Let’s head back to our painting now, hm? Everyone is waiting for us.”
Izuku huffed, crossing his arms instead. “Only if Second apologizes.”
Doubtful that would happen, and based on the look on Hisashi’s painting-self’s face, he thought so too. So his painting-self scooped Izuku up from under his arm, holding him to his chest and starting the trek back down where they had come from. Izuku grumbled in complaint, when he met with Hisashi’s eyes. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw how brightly Izuku’s face lit up.
“You gotta come with us, Dad!” Izuku insisted, small arms resting atop portrait Hisashi’s much larger ones, swinging his legs idly. “We’re having a family get together!”
“But I am with you?“ portrait Hisashi said in confusion. Then he looked up, and their eyes met. “Oh. Hi?”
“Hi?” Hisashi echoed himself.
Did he really sound that awkward?
Hisashi shifted on his feet, feeling weirded out talking to himself.
Portrait Hisashi also shifted in the exact same way at the exact same time. Even more awkward.
“Uhh, how, um, how are you?” Hisashi asked his painting self.
“Uhh, okay, I guess. How are you?”
“…Okay, I guess,” Hisashi replied.
“This is a riveting conversation,” Second said sarcastically. “I’ve never met anyone so bad at small talk.”
“Leave my Dads alone,” Izuku said with warning, whipping his head around to shoot a glare towards Second.
Portrait Hisashi shifted again, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Anyway,” he began, looking away from the real Hisashi. “Back to our portrait.”
“Okay!” Izuku agreed cheerfully, eyeing Hisashi and imploring him with those big eyes to follow, before they turned towards Second. “But you better stay a few feet away from us. Or else.”
Second rolled his eyes, and for once, said nothing. Hisashi didn’t miss the way he warily eyed Izuku, only moving once they were several feet away. He bit his lip to hide a smirk. Seemed his son had some sway over the other paintings.
When the group of them arrived at the last portrait, Hisashi was surprised to see the other royal ancestors all gathered there, hanging around the garden that made up the background of Hisashi and Izuku’s painting. There were various bits of furniture dotted about, seeming to have been dragged all the way from their own portraits.
“Hey Mama! Hey Daddy!” Izuku greeted as he jumped out of Hisashi’s hold.
Toshinori chuckled, giving his son a hug when little arms wrapped around him, Izuku laughing when a hand ruffled through his hair. He quickly went over to his mother, giving her the biggest hug he could muster. She returned it, with a little peck on his cheek before Izuku sat down in front of all three of them.
Hisashi’s eyes immediately focused on the small form of Inko, and he flushed and looked away quickly when she smiled at him.
“There you are!” Nana said, hands on her hips. “Took you long enough.”
“I had to take out the trash,” Izuku quipped.
Second gasped in offense behind them, and both Hisashis snickered.
“You little runt!” Second scowled. “I’m your ancestor! Show some respect!”
Izuku hummed like he didn’t hear him, glancing between Inko and Toshinori instead. When portrait Hisashi met Toshinori’s gaze, Hisashi saw a spark of heat between the two before his portrait-self took a seat on Inko’s left, a furious blush on portrait Hisashi’s face. Izuku seemed to be nonethewiser, grinning ear to ear and giddy with joy as he looked between his three parents.
“So,” Inko began, ruffling a petite hand through Izuku’s wild curls. Unbeknownst to her, the portraits of Hisashi and Toshinori were shooting each other glares behind her back, what looked to be death threats passing between their mutually heated eyes. “What brings you here tonight?”
“Oh, um.” Hisashi struggled to find the words with her eyes on him. “I-It…I had some questions? Yeah. About y—the royal family!”
Inko raised a delicate brow. “What kind of questions?”
“Uhhh…Y-You know. Stuff. Uh, History?”
Inko looked amused. “Yes? What about it?”
Hisashi only stuttered. He noticed as he did so that his portrait-self blushed darker and darker the more he made a fool of himself. But now that he was face to face with Inko, all questions had left Hisashi’s head, and he desperately tried to remember something—anything—he’d wanted to ask about.
“You can do it, Dad!” Izuku cheered him on.
His son was likely trying to be encouraging, but it only made Hisashi cover his face in embarrassment at being called out like that. His ears grew hot when he heard chuckling coming from the other royal family members.
“I…Just…the royal family?” he managed to squeak out after a moment, embarrassed by how his voice sounded. “How it, um. How it started? And…and what the previous rulers were like?”
“Well you know how our line started,” a voice from further in the back spoke up, and he looked around to find it was the Third. “Everyone knows my grandfather is the progenitor vampire. Every vampire is descended from him, in some way or another.”
“I-I know that! I meant, uh. First said he was never a king. I was wondering how the kingdom really came to be and stuff, and all that…”
Izuku crossed his arms and pouted. “I know all that! Why didn’t you just ask me, Dad?”
“W-Well, I was looking for, uh, first-hand accounts of the history?” Hisashi explained. “I wanted to hear about it from those who lived it.”
“Well, I’m not telling you anything!” Second said stubbornly, scowling.
“My father became the first king many years after First died,” the third spoke up—much to Hisashi’s surprise. “Hostilities between humans and vampires was very high at that point, and First’s death was disheartening to our people. My father worked hard to unify and strengthen the vampires, building on the foundation that First left behind. I suppose you could say our kingdom began when my father first put a few rules into place over his vampire, creating laws that were new and different from those of the land we lived in.”
“What kind of rules?” Hisashi pressed, eager to learn more.
“The kind that made sure we wouldn’t all get killed,” Second snapped from the side. “Couldn’t have vampires coming and going whenever they pleased into human territory. I implemented the specific times we would hunt for food, gather intelligence, locate supplies and oversee the construction of the fort we lived in. Vampires worked in shifts to patrol the garrison and alert everyone of incoming attacks from humans.”
Third sighed. “It was hard for us. Kingdoms don’t exactly form quickly, you know. It took decades and decades for us to become something of a proper kingdom. We had to fight to secure our land and establish our borders. Especially while facing opposition from humans the entire time. They were relentless and our numbers were much fewer.”
“Well. You did eat them,” Hisashi pointed out. “I can see why they wouldn’t take kindly to being a food source.”
“What would have had us do instead?” Second sneered contemptuously. “Just roll over and die?”
Hisashi opened his mouth for a retort, but a soft voice spoke up before he could.
“Our kingdom had its ups and downs,” Inko spoke up. “More of our current laws and society were established by my grandfather, En. He was the longest lived ruler, and while I don’t necessarily agree with his views, he did a lot of work for our kingdom.”
“What sort of views?” Hisashi furrowed his brows, shifting his gaze from Inko to the vampire with the dark green hair and high collar that partially covered his face.
Inko sighed, her eyes following the same path. “How to explain…” she pondered, looking somewhat uncomfortable. “It…that is to say…”
Nana huffed, speaking up when Inko trailed off and didn’t pick back up again. “My father saw that vampires would thrive and not simply survive during his reign,” she explained, arms crossed. “He went through great lengths to learn more about humans and perfect the method of cultivating them that my great grandfather Hikage started. Once it was proven to be an effective method, human ranches sprouted all over the kingdom to support our need for blood.”
Hisashi blanched, his stomach curling. “Human ranches…?”
He looked at Izuku incredulously, shocked that his son had never mentioned something like this before. Izuku had always made it seem as if vampires were great, outpacing humans in technological and societal advancements. Why hadn’t he ever heard about this?
Izuku looked away as if ashamed.
“Yep.” Nana snorted. “En treated humans like livestock.”
“At the time, it was the best solution to provide for my people,” En defended, some heat in his normally stoic voice. “It was better than letting them starve and become little more than savage animals.”
“That doesn’t make it okay!” Hisashi snapped angrily. That anger only grew when En regarded him with a cool, indifferent gaze.
“What else would you have had me do?” En said coldly. “The humans were not treated poorly inside the ranches. Abusing them would have lowered the quality and quantity of blood they produce. They were well cared for and maintained.”
“That doesn’t make it any less…less…barbaric!” Hisashi accused. “You raised them for the express purpose of eating them! Like cattle!”
“It wasn’t like they were aware of their situation,” En went on. “The humans were kept enthralled for the majority of their lives. They tended to the farms that fed them, maintained their own hygiene, and reproduced as needed. Their health was monitored by those who oversaw them, and would be treated accordingly. As such, they tended to live longer lives than the humans who resided in Yuei. Blood was taken from them at regular intervals to sustain our needs, and they were allowed time to recuperate.”
“That’s worse! You realize that that’s worse, right?! You kept them brainwashed their whole lives?!” Hisashi couldn’t stand to hear the man talk about it so blasély. He saw that his portrait-self shared the same feelings, looking disgusted by En’s words, his hand clenched into a tight fist.
“Right?” Nana spoke up, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. “It was awful!”
“You had no qualms about it either, at first,” En shot back at her. “I should never have brought that servant girl to the castle…”
“Because I didn’t know any better!” Nana said adamantly. “I was raised in that lifestyle with no knowledge of any other! Why would I question it? Of course I only realized how messed up it was once I learned about it from outside sources!”
En actually looked a bit sad at that. “My sweet, darling princess just had to go and become a fierce warrior queen,” he bemoaned, wilting in his seat. “Tearing down everything I worked so hard to build for her.”
Nana rolled her eyes and shook her head with a huff of air, an almost pitying look in her eyes. Another royal, one Hisashi recognized as the fifth in line, moved over and patted En on the shoulder consolingly.
“It’s okay, son,” he offered, nodding in understanding. En only slumped even further. “Kids never turn out how you expect them to.”
“Don’t even start,” chided the royal with two scars running down his eye and no eyebrows, shooting him a flat look. “You hardly made it any easier for En when the time came for him to take the throne. You spent more time running around the country and wrestling werewolves than you ever did actually helping your kingdom flourish.”
“Oi! Wrestling with the wolves improved our relations with them and brought them into our kingdom! I made us stronger that way! The werewolves were on our side thanks to me!” Banjo defended himself.
They all started bickering amongst themselves, but Hisashi only half listened, mind still going over everything Nana and En had revealed about the kingdom in previous centuries. It sounded nightmarish to him. Humans held like livestock and subjugated to vampires. He wanted to know more about it, ask more questions, but he had a feeling they would start arguing among themselves about it if he did. Perhaps he could find a book in the library about that part of the vampires’ history? He could ask—No, he wasn’t going to ask Nedzu. No way.
If only there was someone around who lived through that time that Hisashi could…
Oh.
Gran.
Would Gran even be willing to discuss such a thing with him? Would he even be willing to spend any length of time discussing any topic with Hisashi? They were getting along a little better than they had been, so his chances weren’t completely nonexistent.
…Maybe Gran would be more willing to run his mouth if Hisashi loosened his tongue with wine and bribed him with taiyaki. The old geezer could never seem to resist either.
“Dad?” a small voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned his attention back to the portrait, his eyes meeting with Izuku’s. Portrait Hisashi was holding his hand, and Izuku squeezed it back tightly. The boy was biting at his lip nervously. “Are you okay? You’re…You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“What?” Hisashi blinked, confused. “No, of course not. I’m not mad at you, Izuku. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Oh, okay,” Izuku said, looking much relieved by his words.
“I just, uh…” Hisashi did his best to catch Nana’s eyes. “What’s Gran’s favourite kind of wine?” he asked her.
Nana’s brows shot up, her eyes twinkling. “Oh? Why? You plan to wine and dine Sorahiko?”
“NO!” Hisashi shouted before he could control himself, his face flushing. He heard some of the other Midoriya’s snicker. “I just, uh…Want to bring him a gift as an…apology?”
He was making it up, and he had a feeling Nana knew.
“Apology?” Izuku echoed, frowning. “For what, Dad?”
“N-Nothing!” Hisashi said quickly. “Nothing big. It’s, uh, nothing for you to worry about.”
Nana hummed, looking far too amused. “Sorahiko doesn’t care about fancy stuff, so don’t worry about that. Alcohol is alcohol to him, whether cheap or expensive. But he is partial to Chardonnay and champagne.”
“Got it. Thanks,” Hisashi said.
“Not a problem.” Nana waved him off, a mischievous grin tugging at her mouth with a wink. “Good luck with your date!”
“IT’S NOT A DATE!” Hisashi screeched. The others all but roared with laughter, to the mortification of himself and his portrait self. “A-Anyway!” Hisashi began as he tried to fight down his furious blush. “I’d best be off. It was…nice? Talking to you all.”
“Come back any time, Dad!” Izuku called out to him, waving at him with a beaming smile. “It was nice to see you!”
“Of course,” Hisashi assured him, even if he dreaded the idea of returning here. But it would be worth it to see his son’s cheerful smile and bright eyes, devoid of any pain and trauma. It was hard to see how much of a difference one week had made in Izuku’s life. “I promise.”
Notes:
Knowing Your Limits.
Hisashi: “I know perfectly well when to stop training and not push myself too far.”
Kurogiri: “LIES.”
Game of Chicken.
Mirai: *staring at Izuku* “Your Majesty, w-why... Wh-what compelled you to dress like a chicken to this meeting?”
Izuku: “I lost a bet with Dad so now I have to wear a chicken costume all day! The feathers feel really soft.” 😌
Mirai: “Why can't we have one normal day in the castle?”
Deja Vu.
Izuku: “Humans can't be trusted! They'll hurt and kill us just because we exist!”
Hisashi: “Hm...something about that sounds awfully familiar...”
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 40
Summary:
“Not a problem.” Nana waved him off, a mischievous grin tugging at her mouth with a wink. “Good luck with your date!”
“IT’S NOT A DATE!” Hisashi screeched. The others all but roared with laughter, to the mortification of himself and his portrait self. “A-Anyway!” Hisashi began as he tried to fight down his furious blush. “I’d best be off. It was…nice? Talking to you all.”
“Come back any time, Dad!” Izuku called out to him, waving at him with a beaming smile. “It was nice to see you!”
“Of course,” Hisashi assured him, even if he dreaded the idea of returning here. But it would be worth it to see his son’s cheerful smile and bright eyes, devoid of any pain and trauma. It was hard to see how much of a difference one week had made in Izuku’s life. “I promise.”
Notes:
Y’all can check out some cool art by Dragon here and here.
There’s also a new one from last chapter here!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Sorahiko stretched and yawned, scratching the side of his head idly as he walked into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He set about his usual task of watering his flowers and pruning any dead or unhealthy leaves, making sure each of them were getting enough sunlight. Hopefully he would have a new batch ready to give to Nana and Inko by the end of the week.
Thankfully, Inko was speaking with him again, though she frequently asked about Hisashi and when he would return to visit, which Sorahiko always answered vaguely or tried to deflect. She didn’t approve of his non-answers though, which meant he was often on the receiving end of “the look”.
Honestly, he didn’t know what she possibly saw in Hisashi. And he didn’t want to have the same conversation for the fourth time this week alone. Sorahiko hated seeing her sad. He knew eventually he would have to bring Hisashi back to lift her spirits again, whether he liked it or not.
That was a matter for another time though, sitting on his bed and ready to take a much needed nap. He’d been running around constantly for the past week, setting up the tournament that Izuku wanted. Prepping the venue, running across all over the country to spread word of the event to the people, inviting vendors to set up their stalls for food and games, arrangement of the prizes and entry fees…it was far more than he was used to doing at one time.
Normally he would have shoved that kind of thing off on Mirai, but Izuku–for whatever reason—had insisted that Sorahiko be the one in charge. Much to his annoyance, as the responsibility of the event (and its success or failure) fell solely on his shoulders. He was certain Hisashi was behind this somehow.
He shook the thought off, having thought and worked on the tournament more than enough for one day. Sorahiko laid back in his bed, ready to kick his boots off—
A knock on his door stopped him, a frown creasing the corners of his mouth.
He didn’t answer the right away, initially confused as to someone knocking on his door at all. But the pause didn’t last long, as he was a curious man, and he went over, opening the door with a brow raised questioningly.
He got a face full of flowers for his trouble.
Sorahiko sputtered and stepped back, batting the flowers away. “What is—?” His mouth dropped open in shock when he registered what he was actually seeing before him.
Hisashi. At his door. Holding a bouquet of Sorahiko’s favourite flowers in one hand, and a bottle of his favourite wine in the other.
Sorahiko stared blankly, torn between shutting the door in Hisashi’s face and his own burning curiosity. The curiosity eventually won.
“Am I hallucinating?” he asked out loud in disbelief.
Hisashi coughed awkwardly and didn’t meet his eyes. “I, uh, I…Would you…?”
Sorahiko was sure his jaw would soon fall right off and hit the floor. “Are you…asking me on a date?”
Hisashi blushed bright red from his head to his toes, and began sputtering.
Sorahiko laughed incredulously. “Gee, didn’t think you actually fancied me like that, Hisashi. Thanks, but no thanks.”
“IT’S NOT A DATE!” Hisashi finally managed to blurt out after a solid minute of hopeless stuttering.
“Eh? It’s not? Then what you bringing me flowers and wine for?” Sorahiko pointed out.
“I just—I wanted—I-I was hoping you’d join me for dinner?” Hisashi asked.
Sorahiko wheezed. He could believe Hisashi wasn’t actually trying to ask him on a date. In fact, knowing the man, it was more believable that Hisashi was trying to ask him something innocent, but with how socially awkward and incompetent he was, it was just coming across very wrong. But there was no way Sorahiko was going to pass up the opportunity to tease Hisashi about it. He would hold it over the man’s head for the rest of his life.
“That’s literally a date! You’ve just asked me out for dinner!” he said, laughing.
“Not like that!” Hisashi insisted, the red in his face creeping down into his neck. “It’s just dinner together! As…well, maybe not friends but…acquaintances? To…talk and stuff. About things?”
“Oh? What kind of things?” Sorahiko asked, his brow raising right alongside his growing grin.
“Y’know. Stuff,” Hisashi muttered, shifting awkwardly on his feet. He let out an impatient huff, daring to meet Sorahiko’s eyes again. “A-Are you going to join me or not?”
“Sure!” Sorahiko answered gleefully. “How can I say no when you’ve already gone through the trouble of setting it up?”
As he expected, Hisashi’s already flaming face turned an even deeper shade of red. The man coughed, gesturing for Sorahiko to follow him. “W-Well, let’s go then. The food is going to get cold if we just stand here.”
“Well, hold on a sec. Can’t I get a minute to primp and pretty myself up first? It’s been a long time since someone asked me on a date,” Sorahiko teased.
Hisashi made a noise like a steaming kettle. “It’s not a date!”
Sorahiko raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I believe ya.”
He followed Hisashi along through the castle, his amusement growing with Hisashi’s nervousness. When they arrived at a private, dimly lit dining room, and Sorahiko spotted the table-for-two prepared with candles and flower petals, he roared with laughter, leaning against the nearest wall for stability.
“That’s not supposed to be a date?!” he howled. “What a romantic setup!”
“IT’S NOT!” Hisashi defended, clearly floundering. “I was just trying to be nice!”
Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, Sorahiko decided to take pity on the man. He may not like Hisashi, but he could at least give him a bit of advice.
He clapped a hand on Hisashi’s shoulder and said, “Hisashi. I’m guessing you don’t know any better, so I’m gonna tell ya. Don’t do a setup like this, and approach someone the way you just did me, unless you have romantic intentions. Because all of these are absolutely considered romantic gestures. No one is going to think this is all innocent.”
“But…You like all of this stuff!” Hisashi defended himself heatedly. “You like lilies, champagne, and taiyaki. And the scented candles have the same smell as those essential oils you use!”
“Oh?” Sorahiko waggled his eyebrows. “Trying to get on my good side, are you? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Hisashi?”
“Will you please—” Hisashi started, only to place a hand on his face in frustration, shaking his head. “Let’s. Just have dinner, okay?! A regular dinner! Not a romantic one!”
“Sure, sure.” Sorahiko eased off with a chortle, pulling a chair out and dropping into it. “Since you went through all this trouble I might as well enjoy it.” As he made himself comfortable, he observed Hisashi’s hopelessly embarrassed expression and decided to have some pity on him. Socially awkward as Hisashi was, it didn’t surprise Sorahiko that the man wasn’t bright enough to realize what the set up looked like to anyone else. “Piece of advice though; don’t ever do a set-up like this again unless it’s with a woman you want to court.”
“Right.” Hisashi cleared his throat, obviously trying to fight down the blush in his cheeks. “Thank you.” Hisashi breathed out a sigh of relief, taking a seat on the opposite side of Sorahiko, where a plate of roast duck with gravy, slightly charred veggies, and cream potatoes sat, a chalice of chilled blood off to the side. “The taiyaki is, uh. Baked with blood I think? At least that’s what the servants suggested. Said it was one of your favorites.”
“Oh, did they now?” Sorahiko asked, popping open a bottle and pouring himself a generous amount of champagne. He couldn’t keep his lips from twisting into a grin at the thought of Hisashi asking the servants for help with dinner. Rumors would be spreading through the castle like wildfire, the flames of which he would absolutely be fanning. “I’ll have to thank them later for our successful date.”
“Stop calling it that!” Hisashi hissed.
“Absolutely not. This is the funniest thing that’s happened to me in months.” Sorahiko chugged his glass of champagne. He had a feeling he’d need a bit of alcohol in his system for whatever Hisashi had asked him to dinner for. “Now what was it you did all this for me for?”
“I just wanted to…chat.”
“As you already said.” Sorahiko dug into the taiyaki, humming appreciatively at the flavour. It had turned out amazingly—not that he was going to tell Hisashi that. “But what about?”
Instead of answering right away, Hisashi reached out and poured Sorahiko a second glass of champagne. Weird. But Sorahiko wasn’t about to complain either.
He decided to make Hisashi squirm until he answered, though, staring him dead in the eyes as he ate.
Hisashi shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and looked down in less than a minute, drumming his fingers on the tabletop nervously. “I, um. I wanted to ask—ask about, uh. En?”
Sorahiko paused. “En?”
“Uh, yeah.” Hisashi nodded, his eyes watching Sorahiko closely as he took another sip of his wine. “I…heard about him recently, and wanted to know if you knew anything about him?”
“Such as?” Sorahiko asked, swallowing a bite of taiyaki.
“Well…why haven't I really heard much about him?” Hisashi continued on. “No one’s ever really brought him up before.”
“So?” Sorahiko answered. “Not much reason for anyone to really bring that up unless they’re in a history class. En’s reign ended what… two-thousand years ago? Two-thousand and five hundred? So of course it isn’t going to be fresh on anyone’s mind, and it isn’t exactly the most pleasant thing to talk about.”
“But I haven’t heard of any books on the subject?” Hisashi murmured, brow pinched.
“Must not be lookin’ hard enough,” Sorahiko shrugged. “There’s plenty of history books on En’s reign. Bit of a lengthy read though; En was the longest living monarch in our history. There are entire volumes dedicated to the time of his rule.”
“Oh,” Hisashi mused, seeming genuinely surprised. “So what he did wasn’t…”
“Wasn’t what?” Sorahiko asked when Hisashi trailed off.
“Uh, nothing.” Hisashi waved him off. He picked up the bottle of wine again. “More champagne?” he offered.
Sorahiko held out his glass, never one to turn down more drink. He swirled it after it was poured, eyeing Hisashi curiously. “So. What he did?”
“Hm?” Hisashi pretended to not know what he was referring to.
“En. Why you so interested in him? There’s gotta be a reason. After all, you set up this entire dinner to ask me about him. So spill.”
“It—I…” Hisashi sighed and set his utensils down. “I learned some…interesting facts recently. About the kingdom’s history. En’s rule, particularly.”
“And?” Sorahiko prompted. He had a feeling he knew what this was about now, but he wanted to make Hisashi say it. “What about it?”
Hisashi took a deep breath. “…The human captives. Who were kept like livestock as food for vampires.”
There it was. Sorahiko took a long drink. No wonder Hisashi kept pushing alcohol at him. He’d need it for this inevitable explosion of a conversation.
“Yep, that happened,” he confirmed. “What about it?”
“Well. You lived through that time, didn’t you?” Hisashi pressed.
“Sure did. Grew up during the height of it, actually. My parents owned and oversaw a few of them personally for the royal family.”
Hisashi's face twisted with distaste. “And you were just okay with that?” he asked, a bit of heat leaking into his voice. “You were okay with treating human beings like that?”
“It was the norm back then. I didn’t really question it,” Sorahiko answered with a shrug. “No one did. Why would they?”
“What do you mean ‘why would they’?!” Hisashi snapped. “It was wrong!”
Sorahiko didn’t flinch at the glare Hisashi was giving him now. “You tend not to think about things like that when you live comfortably, have a steady supply of good food and a full belly.”
“How could you not?! Those were human beings!”
Sorahiko shrugged. “They were, but I didn’t think anything of it at the time. When you’re raised with the belief that that is normal, why would you question it? What did it matter if they were humans? They were food to me first and foremost. Like animals are to you. You don’t think much of the cows and pigs you ate as a human, did you?”
“Animals aren’t sentient the way humans are,” Hisashi retorted. “It’s different.”
“The humans back then were so enthralled you could argue whether or not they had sentience under it,” Sorahiko returned. “They were enthralled to be more like animals. Whether or not it was right, that was what happened. Even Nana didn’t think of humans as people until one of her human servants snapped out of their enthrallment.”
“Why did vampires have to enslave them?” Hisashi bit back. “Why couldn’t they have tried an alternative?”
Sorahiko scoffed. “What sort of alternative?” he asked in turn. Hisashi opened his mouth to retort, but Sorahiko spoke over him. “You have to realize that things were different back then. Our options were to either starve, constantly hunt for our food, or learn to cultivate it. Obviously, En chose to cultivate humans. And say what you will about En, but it’s thanks to him that our kingdom managed to make leaps and bounds in advancements. You can’t really develop as a society if you’re constantly having to scavenge for food and worry where your next meal is coming from.”
“That doesn’t make it right. What En did—what vampires did was wrong!”
“Yes? And?” Sorahiko prompted. “It’s easy for you to sit there and claim vampires are evil for what they did. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, after all. But you’re only looking at it from one side.”
Hisashi threw his hands up. “How else am I supposed to look at it? Considering I also know what Nana did, which means it was always possible. So why didn’t En choose to try and do what Nana did? Why did he decide to just make human farms instead?”
Sorahiko snorted. “Because it was an absolute pipe dream, even when Nana started it. No one in their right mind, vampire or human, would have ever thought something like that was possible. Humans and vampires had constantly been at war with each other for thousands of years. You think anyone back then would have believed it was possible for our species to peacefully coexist?”
“Weren’t they still at war when Nana started what she started?” Hisashi returned. “En could have tried.”
“En was rightfully more focused on providing for our people than trying to make peace with those who hated us for our very existence.” Sorahiko downed the rest of his champagne, and sighed at the empty bottle on the table.
Hisashi reached down beneath his chair and brought up a second bottle.
Sorahiko laughed despite himself. “Really prepared for this, did ya?“ He held out his glass. “Knock me up.”
Hisashi sputtered and nearly dropped the bottle, fumbling. “Can you be serious for once?!” he asked, his voice close to an embarrassed screech.
“I am being serious, I am. I’m saying you gotta look at it from our perspective. You’re a vampire yourself now, so try and view it through that lens. I ain’t saying what we did back then was good or right, but I’m saying we did what we had to.”
“How was it necessary?” Hisashi demanded to know. “Especially since Nana already proved that a different way of life is possible!”
“You can say that now, sure, but you gotta understand that getting to where we are today wasn’t easy. We had to suffer through a lot of hardships to have the society we live in now.”
“So? Easy or not, the path Nana took was the right way.”
Sorahiko took a sip from his glass, staring Hisashi dead in the eyes, the man glaring right back as he asked, “Would you be willing to let Izuku go hungry?”
“Of course not!”
“And if you couldn’t convince a human to willingly give him their blood, what would you do? Attack the human and forcibly take it? Or enthrall them to give it up without anyone getting injured?”
“I…” Hisashi trailed off, looking highly conflicted.
“Not as black and white as you thought, is it?” Sorahiko hummed. “You can say that what we did was wrong, and you’d be right, but if push came to shove, you also wouldn’t let Izuku starve yourself. Even if it was at a human’s expense.”
“...It still doesn’t make running human ranches okay,” Hisashi tried to argue back, looking away from Sorahiko’s gaze and refusing to answer.
“You know what Nana did in her first week as queen?” Sorahiko continued on. “She ordered that all human ranches free their human captives and allow them to go free. But while she did right by the humans, and had nothing but good intentions, she did wrong by her own people. Can you imagine what happened when those humans were released en mass?”
“…They were probably really pissed off about how they were treated.”
Sorahiko nodded in agreement. “They were really pissed off about how they were treated. And can you guess what happened after that?”
Hisashi tapped the side of his glass thoughtfully. “I would assume they would look for revenge.”
“It certainly didn’t make humans like us any more than before. In fact, those humans joined the others and spread more hate for us. Things got worse between our two species,” Sorahiko said. “Not only that, our kingdom lost our only stable supply of food. The people didn’t exactly love Nana when she freed the humans, and I couldn't blame them for it. There was a lot of resentment towards the crown for what she did, which only further worsened the relationship between vampires and humans.”
“...But things got better,” Hisashi insisted after a moment. “Things worked out for the best in the end.”
“After centuries of grueling effort, yeah, but getting there was no simple task. Nana had to fight fang and claw for what we have now; against the humans that attacked us and against her own people.” Sorahiko sighed. “What she did…I don’t think anyone else could have done it. Nana accomplished it because she was incredible. She made the impossible happen through pure will, while everything was against her. Amazing woman.”
“Yeah, what she did was pretty impressive,” Hisashi admitted.
“You don’t know the half of it. Those were terrible times. Countless vampires went hungry and ended up raving mad searching for food because of it. We were drowning in half-lifes that killed our own people and the humans alike because starving vampires can’t control the venom in their fangs, and it was quickly becoming more than we could handle. Between being under constant threat from Yuei, attacks from within, and our own people resisting the changes Nana was trying to implement, it’s amazing that our country didn’t collapse.”
“...So what kept the kingdom together?” Hisashi prompted.
“When Nana met with Shimura and made the agreement to marry him in exchange for his favour,” Sorahiko explained. His lip curled, downing his glass in one shot before refilling it. “That was the real foothold into fulfilling her dream. The Shimura family at the time had blood ties to the Yuei royal family. The Todorokis weren’t in power back then, mind you. So Shimura had his own region of people he ruled under, in an area that used to be the outskirts of Yuei but has since been absorbed into our kingdom.”
“Why did he agree to it though? What did Shimura get?”
Sorahiko gave him a blank look. “More power, obviously. Shimura had blood ties to the Yuei royalty, but not enough to put him in line for the throne. Nana offered him a position as king. In turn, he brought his people into our kingdom who willingly gave their blood to our people. And thus was the start of the society we have today. Rough start, though.”
“Meaning?” Hisashi pressed, a desire to know more gleaming in his eyes.
“Meaning it still wasn’t an easy task convincing vampires or humans that this could actually work in the long term,” Sorahiko explained, leaning back casually in his chair, feeling a pleasant buzz in his head now. “Didn’t help that a good chunk of the people under his command fled when he became a vampire himself. Thought he betrayed his own kind or some nonsense.”
“What was he like? Nana’s husband?”
“A power-hungry bastard, what else?” Sorahiko quipped. When Hisashi moved to refill his glass again, Sorahiko snatched the bottle out of his hand and chugged a swig straight from it instead. “He only ever agreed to Nana’s proposal so he could be king. And a longer lifespan, at that. Not that it mattered much in the end.”
Sorahiko watched Hisashi’s brow knit in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Sorahiko gave him a wide, shark-like grin. “He didn’t last long on the throne. Tragic death.”
“How did he die? Vampires are hard to kill.”
“Oh, it was officially declared as ‘natural causes’ but everyone knew he was assassinated,” Sorahiko said, probably sounding a bit too happy about it. “We couldn’t announce that, of course, or it would have caused chaos. But he wasn’t well liked.”
“Another royal that died under your watch then?” Hisashi jabbed lightly.
Sorahiko’s grin widened. “Very closely under my watch.”
Hisashi’s mouth dropped open. “Did you—?”
“I do whatever the crown asks of me,” Sorahiko said simply.
He watched with a wicked smile as a thrill of fear went down Hisashi’s spine, happily sipping on his wine.
“And after his…untimely death?” Hisashi prompted somewhat cautiously. “What happened then?”
“Progress,” Sorahiko answered, tapping his foot idly. “Slow progress, but progress all the same. With the royal line already secured, Nana managed to gradually bridge the gap between vampires and humans. As more and more humans willingly came into our fold, and a steady supply of blood was once again starting to trickle through the economy, vampires began to consider that the vision Nana had could come to fruition. When Inko came of age, she insisted that she help her mother in furthering her goals.”
Hisashi crossed his arms. “If you hated Shimura so much I’m surprised you supported Inko.”
Sorahiko snorted. “Inko ain’t had nothing to do with Shimura. Inko wasn’t even all that much like her mother—personality wise that is. They shared goals, and Inko helped Nana to better the kingdom, but Inko was a gentle soul. Nana wanted to do what was right, but she weren’t afraid to do what had to be done. Inko, though. War wasn’t in Inko’s blood. She doubled our efforts to find peace, and our kingdom flourished because of it.”
“Hmm.” Hisashi slouched in his seat, looking contemplative.
“That answer all of your questions?” Sorahiko asked, rocking back and forth on the back of his chair.
“I guess, yeah,” Hisashi murmured, though he still seemed conflicted. “It…makes me wonder.”
“About?”
“Vampires,” Hisashi sighed. “I just…why did vampires come to exist in the first place? With all the strife they’ve caused over thousands of years…”
“You sure do like putting humans on a pedestal, don’t ya?” Sorahiko jabbed. “Humans are hardly innocent by any means, y’know. We aren’t the only ones that had slaves in our history, and if you talked to that painting of First, you’d know that humans were the ones that started the conflict. And while we did kill humans, that was for our own survival. You used to kill vampires all the time, and you didn’t even need to eat us to survive, did you?”
Hisashi squirmed uncomfortably in his chair, looking at a loss for words. “That’s—”
“And look at Yuei. Look at how that tyrant Todoroki treats his own people!” Sorahiko cut him off. “Thousands of years as a human dominated kingdom, and the place is a cesspool. Our country certainly had its lows, but you’re not even acknowledging the positive changes that vampires made for themselves and humans. The quality of life for our people is leagues above those in Yuei.”
Hisashi opened and closed his mouth several times, failing to utter a word as he stared at Sorahiko.
“But to answer your question, I can’t really say. Most I can give ya is my own theories.”
“Which is?”
“To control the human population.” Sorahiko held up a hand when Hisashi opened his mouth, likely to argue. “Ah! I ain’t done explaining. I think vampires came to exist as a way to prevent human overpopulation. Perhaps it’s nature’s way of making sure there weren’t so many humans that the land could no longer sustain all of them.”
“…Always something above you on the food chain?” Hisashi muttered, mostly to himself.
“Something like that.” Sorahiko shrugged. “We’ve always managed the human population, in some form or another. In the beginning it was by hunting and killing and turning them. Then we started cultivating and controlling their numbers in the ranches. And we still do it even now.”
Hisashi squinted suspiciously at Sorahiko.
“What do you mean by that?”
“When the human population in the kingdom goes up, requests for being turned are approved more easily,” Sorahiko explained. “That drives the humans’ numbers down, and our own up, in a constant system of checks and balances so that a certain threshold between our species is consistently met. In that way, there are never too many humans, but also never too many vampires either. It’s not even something we do consciously, I think.”
“Huh.” For once, Hisashi looked honestly thoughtful, rather than guarded. “That…makes sense.”
“Course, like I said, that’s my own opinion of why we exist. Ain’t nothing can be proven or disproven. In the end, we just do. For better or worse. And doesn’t that mean we deserve a chance to live? A chance to survive?”
“I…” Hisashi bit at his lower lip, brows furrowed.
Sorahiko decided he’d given the man enough to think about. And it looked like, for once, that Hisashi truly was going to think about it deeply. So he stood and stretched.
“Thanks for the date.” Sorahiko winked. “Should’ve brought more taiyaki though. That ain’t nearly enough for one meal.”
“It wasn’t a date!” Hisashi shrieked.
“Maybe I’ll even bring the dessert next time!” Sorahiko called back as he left. “I know how much you like those cream-filled tarts!”
“THERE WON’T BE A NEXT TIME!”
Izuku grumbled as he woke, scratching at the side of his head tiredly with a big yawn. He looked around for a moment, before hopping out of bed, already ready to get his day started. He glanced back at his father’s sleeping form to make sure he was alright, before leaving for his own room to get dressed.
Once that was done, making sure all his buttons and sleeves were properly adjusted and running a brush through his hair, he went back to Dad’s room and—
Dad was still sleeping. As usual. Izuku rolled his eyes and snuck up to the side of the bed, looking down. For someone who used to be a hunter, Izuku had never come across a man who slept as deeply and as long as his dad did regularly. Dad would easily sleep for over twelve hours every day if Izuku or Kurogiri didn’t wake him.
With a huff, Izuku moved over to the side of the bed, reaching up to gently shake his father’s shoulder. He sighed when Dad didn’t move, shaking his shoulder again with more force.
“Dad,” Izuku called out, and this time he was rewarded with a grumble. “Dad. Dad. It’s time to get up!” he said as his father’s face scrunched up and red eyes slowly cracked open.
“Wha’?” Dad mumbled sleepily, gazing about dazedly before his sight landed on Izuku. His brow creased for a moment, seeming to struggle to comprehend what he was looking at before his eyes focused. “Oh.” He slowly sat up and hid a yawn behind his hand. “Morning, Izuku.”
“Morning! It’s time to get up now,” Izuku informed him.
Dad groaned and flopped back down. “Five more minutes.”
“No!” Izuku tugged on the blanket, pulling it off Dad. Usually by this point he had Kurogiri to help him corral Dad out of bed. But where was…?
At that moment, as Izuku was looking around the room, Kurogiri popped into existence in front of him via a warp gate. Izuku yelped in surprise, and his shriek startled Dad, who flailed on the bed for a moment, looking around in panic before realizing it was just Kurogiri and slumping back down.
Kurogiri frowned apologetically. “Sorry for startling you, Your Majesties, and for not knocking as usual. I’ve been rather busy this morning and just wanted to pop in for a moment to make sure you both were getting ready for the day.”
After his heart settled back into its slow beat, Izuku waved him off. “It’s fine,” he reassured, before turning back to his father and giving him a disapproving look when Dad tugged the blankets back over his shoulder. “And I’m already ready, but someone wants to laze about in bed all day!”
Dad’s reply was a grunt, tugging the blanket over his head.
Izuku watched Kurogiri’s lips twitch ever so slightly in the corner before the man schooled his face back into neutrality, a stern look in his golden eyes.
“Come now, Your Majesty,” Kurogiri chided, stepping over to Dad’s side. “There is much to do today, and we can’t waste anymore daylight. It’s time to wake.”
Dad groaned, a great sigh leaving him, stirring somewhat.
“Kurogiri’s right!” Izuku put in, tugging on the blankets again. “Besides, you sleep too long as it is!”
“I do not!” Dad defended himself tiredly. “I’m still tired, so clearly I’m not sleeping enough.”
“Dad, you go to bed early most nights,” Izuku pointed out. “You sleep longer than anyone else in the castle, and you take naps most days!”
Dad shifted up onto his elbows. “Don’t make me sound old. I’m not some old man who sleeps all the time.”
“But you do sleep a lot,” Izuku pointed out again.
“I agree,” Kurogiri added, “you sleep more than the average individual, especially for one of your age and physique. It’s edging near concerning sometimes. It isn’t normal.”
“I’m perfectly normal!” Dad insisted. “I’m not weird!”
“As you say, Your Majesty.”
“You’re just special, Dad!”
Neither of those statements seemed to reassure Dad, who scowled at them and laid back down, turning his back to them.
Izuku heaved a sigh. “DAD!”
Kurogiri clicked his tongue and approached the bed. “I have things I need to prepare for today, so you can either get up now, Hisashi, or I will help you change into your day clothes right here on the bed.”
Dad let out a disbelieving scoff.
Kurogiri reached out and began tugging at Dad’s nightshirt.
“Kurogiri—Kurogiri, stop!” Dad protested when Kurogiri continued to tug the shirt over his head, struggling against the man all the while. Kurogiri maintained a flat look, managing to yank the shirt off, revealing Dad’s disgruntled face and wild hair as he stared at the servant incredulously.
“You choose this morning of all mornings to be fussy,” Kurogiri scolded.
“I’m not being fussy!” Dad’s face blushed brightly.
“You’re kind of being fussy, Dad,” Izuku agreed.
“Now, will you get dressed on your own, or do I need to help you with your pants as well?”
“I can take care of my pants!” Dad refused instantly, hastily scurrying out of bed now.
“Very well then. I’ll go ahead and pick out your clothes for the day,” Kurogiri conceded, going over to the closet to select an outfit. “Izuku, do you mind grabbing the brush for your father and helping him with his hair while I get his clothes ready?”
“Sure!” Izuku nodded, going over to the desk and grabbing it out from the drawer.
“I don’t need help brushing my hair!” Dad complained, glaring at the back of Kurogiri’s head. That glare turned to Izuku when he jumped onto the bed so that he could reach his Dad’s tangled white curls.
Izuku returned the glare with a pout, widening his eyes. “You won’t let me help you, Dad?”
Dad sputtered. “I-I’m the dad! I should be the one helping you!”
“Family helps each other!” Izuku stated firmly. “So you should let me help too!”
Dad grumbled under his breath but didn’t fight Izuku off when he shuffled forward to brush through his dad’s hair.
“Your hair is so much softer now that Kurogiri has been conditioning it,” Izuku commented as he finished.
“Whatever,” Dad grumped.
As Kurogiri came forward with an outfit, Izuku hopped off the bed and turned his back as usual while Dad got changed.
“Alright, I’m finished,” Dad called out once he was done changing, still sounding somewhat grumpy with them both. “Now what’s so important that I had to get up early?”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “You didn’t even get up early. This is the normal time!”
Dad didn’t bother to respond to that other than giving him a flat stare.
Izuku made his eyes as big and innocent as he could muster. “I have to go to my studies for the day though, and I was hoping you would go with me?”
“...You woke me up so I could walk you to class?” Dad asked, brow twitching.
“Uh-huh!” Izuku nodded cheerfully. “Like other parents in the city do!”
“Why suddenly now?” Dad sighed. “I haven’t had to before.”
“Because I want you to!”
“Ugh,” Dad groaned in complaint. “I won’t have to stay in the room with that rat, will I?”
Kurogiri, who had been fixing Dad’s clothes, tutted and tapped Dad on the head scoldingly. “That’s rude, Hisashi. His name is Nedzu.”
“You know the—Nedzu?” Dad asked Kurogiri in disbelief.
“I do,” Kurogiri confirmed. “I spend most of my breaks within the library. I’ve spoken with Nedzu on occasion while searching for books to read.”
“...Okay then,” Dad muttered, not seeming to know how to deal with that information.
Kurogiri gave Dad a look over, then nodded. He turned on his heel and began to open a warp gate, but turned back and pointed a finger at Dad warningly. “Don’t be late.” He stepped inside the warp and disappeared.
“What was that about?” Dad asked, bewildered by the action.
“Dunno!” Izuku shrugged off. “But he has a point, Dad. Nedzu doesn’t like it when I’m late for class, so let’s go ahead and get ourselves a drink so we’ll be on time!”
“Alright, alright, just give me a minute.” Dad waved him off, grabbing his sword and vambraces and tying them on before going over to the door. “Okay, let’s go,” Dad said as he opened the door for Izuku.
Izuku happily skipped through, grabbing hold of Dad’s hand and quickly making for the stairs. He watched Dad stifle another yawn behind his hand as they walked, still looking somewhat sleepy as they made for the kitchens first.
“Do you do this everyday?” Dad asked him along the way.
“Do what?” Izuku asked, turning back to look at him.
“Get up this early to go to class and stuff.”
“Oh, no,” Izuku began to explain. “Usually I wake up early in the morning and tend to my other duties first, then head over to Nedzu if I have class for the day! After that I talk with Mirai about stuff relating to the kingdom, and tend to some paperwork. Sometimes I talk with a few nobles and settle disputes…”
“Wha—You do all that?” Dad’s eyes widened. “I’ve never noticed.”
“You’re usually still sleeping, that’s why,” Izuku said. “Haven’t you noticed that most mornings when I wake you up, I’m already dressed and ready to go for the day?”
Dad winced. “…Kind of making me feel like a useless bum over here.”
“You’re not useless, Dad!” Izuku refused adamantly. “You have the most important job of all!”
Dad didn’t look convinced. “What is that?”
“Being my dad!”
“Oh.” Dad looked touched. “I…I wish I could help you more. I should be getting up earlier to help you.”
“You’d just fall asleep, Dad. It’s okay.”
“Still…maybe I can go to the next meeting in your stead?” Dad offered, still sounding guilty.
“You can go with me next time!” Izuku conceded with a nod. “There’s a big council meeting in a couple days, so I can’t miss out on it. But I don’t mind if you’re there with me!”
“Sounds like a plan,” Dad agreed. “Anything I should know about beforehand?”
“Well, there’s going to be a lot of—” Izuku started, only to pause when they opened the doors to the kitchen, the hustle and bustle of the servants interrupting him mid-sentence. The mixture of scents had him edging closer to Dad and squeezing his hand tighter, shoulders becoming tense.
The servants paused in the work to address them, surprised by their appearance. When Izuku didn’t move, watching them carefully, Dad looked down at him with a frown.
One of the servants approached them quickly though, and Dad’s attention was stolen as he looked at them. Izuku stiffened further at their human scent, torn between hiding behind Dad and stepping in front of him to protect him.
“Sorry to interrupt, but could we get two glasses of blood, please?” Dad requested. “We’re in a bit of a hurry.”
“Of course, Your Majesties.” The servant bowed and scurried off.
Dad placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder and squeezed it gently, pulling Izuku closer to his side. “It’s okay, Izuku,” Dad reassured him quietly. “No one here is going to hurt you, I promise.”
Izuku wasn’t sure if he could believe that, his eyes darting between the servants warily. But no one seemed to be looking for a moment to attack them or steal his dad away. Slowly, he eased the deathgrip he had on his father, though he couldn’t entirely banish his fear when the servant came back to them with two glasses in hand.
“Here you are, Your Majesties.” He offered the glasses out, bowing politely when Dad took them.
“Thank you,” Dad replied. He looked down at Izuku, still eyeing the man from behind his leg. “Izuku, what do you say?”
“...Thank you,” he managed.
He quickly tugged Dad away, wanting to create some space between them and the servants so they could drink their blood in peace. Dad allowed it, thankfully, and didn’t linger long after they were done, due to Izuku’s helpful reminder not to make him late to class.
They made it to Izuku’s usual classroom just in time, though Dad tried to drop Izuku off in the hallway and leave.
“You won’t walk me to the door?” Izuku asked, putting on a sad face.
Dad averted his eyes, clearly feeling guilty. “I don’t want to see the rat.”
“I’m gonna tell Kurogiri you said that.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“I won’t if you walk me to the door!” Izuku smiled.
Dad groaned. “Fine!”
Izuku practically skipped down the hall as Dad walked him to his class. But both of them paused upon entering the room, staring in confusion.
“Kurogiri?” Dad asked in bewilderment.
“Tenko!” Izuku called excitedly.
“Ah, about time, Your Majesties,” Kurogiri greeted as he placed a thick book on the table he was sitting at, opening it up to a page that had been bookmarked. “I feared you were going to be late. Please, take your seats so that we may begin.”
Izuku eagerly raced into the room, quickly taking a seat next to Tenko at a desk. He thought his face might split in two from how big he was smiling.
“...H-Hello,” Tenko greeted shyly, red eyes flickering up briefly to meet Izuku’s own green ones.
Dad was still standing in the doorway. “What? What are you guys doing here?”
“I was approached by Nedzu yesterday and asked if I would substitute for him this morning,” Kurogiri explained. “Since I’m taking on duties extra to my own, and teaching His Majesty today, I brought Tenko with me.”
“Oh. Well, if that’s all, I’ll be on my way—” Dad tried to excuse himself, a foot already out the door.
“Ah-ah,” Kurogiri cut him off. “Take a seat, Hisashi. We have much we’ll be going over today.”
“What?” Dad blinked several times. “But I’m not a kid! I don’t go to school!”
“Now is as good a time to go as any,” Kurogiri said. “You have been reading history and practicing math with your son, so you may as well join him for class today.”
“Uh, no thanks,” Dad refused, making to beat a hasty retreat. “I’m fine studying on my own, so—”
Izuku watched Dad attempt to slip completely out of the room, only for him to reappear next to the desks a moment later.
“I didn’t ask, Hisashi. Now take a seat,” Kurogiri instructed.
Dad sputtered and waved his hands. “What? I don’t want to!”
“Oh, come on, Dad! It’ll be fun!” Izuku felt rather excited by the idea of having class with his cousin and his father. He usually didn’t get to do school with other students! This was new! “Please?”
“Hisashi, you are holding up the lesson. Take a seat, please.” Kurogiri leveled Dad with an expectant look.
Dad heaved a heavy sigh, reluctantly pulling out a nearby chair and sitting down, arms crossed and looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
“Now, for Izuku, we’ll be resuming where you last left off,” Kurogiri explained, and Izuku hummed in acceptance as he brought out his calculus book. The moment Dad’s eyes landed on the pages, his eyes spun.
“That looks…advanced…” he muttered. “That’s what you’re teaching?!”
“That’s what I’m teaching Izuku,” Kurogiri clarified. Izuku watched as Kurogiri brought out two other identical books, placing them carefully at Tenko’s and Dad’s desk. “You and Tenko will be learning the basics of multiplications and divisions today.”
Dad groaned and slumped over on his desk, dropping his head down.
“Don’t complain, Hisashi. I’m here to help you through it.”
Izuku snickered at Dad’s forlorn expression, cracking open his own workbook to where he had last left off.
Kurogiri gave some basic instructions to Dad and Tenko, then moved over to give Izuku a brief lesson on calculus before he would switch back to the others. Though as he taught Izuku, Izuku could see Tenko helping Dad with his work behind Kurogiri’s back. But quickly any work stopped in favour of the two of them whispering back and forth.
Izuku tried not to feel jealous about not being included.
However it didn’t take long for Kurogiri to turn around. “That doesn’t sound like working, boys.”
“…I was just answering a question for him, Papa,” Tenko mumbled, putting on an innocent face.
It worked very well. Izuku watched Kurogiri’s teacher expression melt into fondness, and he smiled at his son. “You’re always such a helpful little boy,” he praised Tenko.
Tenko smiled in turn, picking up his paper and showing it off to Kurogiri. “I finished all my work!” he said, giving it to his father to look over. “Can me and Mon-chan read now?”
“Hm…” Kurogiri hummed, his eyes scanning over the paper for a moment. “You did very well, Tenko. You may read your book while Hisashi and Izuku continue their work.”
“Thank you, Papa!” Tenko said, taking hold of Mon-chan, who was sitting on the desk, and bringing out a little fairytale book instead.
“And how is your work progressing, Hisashi?” Kurogiri asked, moving over to him next.
Dad looked somewhat panicked, eyes darting over his paper with worry. Izuku watched as Dad leaned over his paper, covering it with an arm.
“...I’m not finished yet,” he muttered, refusing to allow Kurogiri to look at his paper.
Kurogiri was not deterred. “Do you need help? Let me see.”
“No!”
“Don’t be difficult, Hisashi.”
“I can do it on my own! I just need more time,” Dad insisted.
Izuku couldn’t hide a snort of disbelief.
“Hey!” Dad scowled at him past Kurogiri. “Mind your own work!”
“I am! And I’m doing really well!” Izuku said. “See?” He held up his worksheet, where he had completed over half of his equations.
Dad’s eyes spun again looking at the calculus. “Show off,” he muttered.
His distraction allowed Kurogiri to snatch the paper off his desk, ignoring Dad’s stammered shout of “H-Hey!” as he glanced over the paper. He watched his father’s face turn red when Kurogiri sighed, shaking his head at Dad.
“If you need help, Hisashi, simply ask,” Kurogiri told him gently, and taking a quick peek at the paper, Izuku saw that his Dad had only been able to answer three of the questions on the paper. “Are you having difficulties with division?”
“I said I’m doing just fine!” Dad refuted heatedly.
Kurogiri ignored Dad’s excuses, taking a pen to show Dad how it worked. “Alright, so first you need to do this…” he began, going slowly so Dad could keep up.
Izuku’s eyes slid to Tenko, who was happily reading his book, hugging his stuffed dog closely.
Maybe if he finished quickly, Kurogiri would let him read too for a bit before they switched subjects? Set on the idea, Izuku returned to his work with focus, flying through his equations and questions, only stumped one or two times.
He finished by the time Kurogiri had walked Dad through half of his worksheet, ever patient despite Dad’s flustered look.
“I’m done too!” Izuku called, waving his worksheet to get Kurogiri’s attention.
Kurogiri excused himself to approach Izuku, taking a look at his work. “Good job, Izuku. You did get this one wrong here though. Let me show you.”
He went over the problem in question with Izuku, and after Izuku had redone it successfully, he looked at Kurogiri pleadingly. “…Can I read with Tenko?”
“You have other subjects you should focus on,” Kurogiri said.
Izuku stuck out his lower lip. “Please?” he begged. “…Papa?”
His last word was a mere whisper, but he could see Kurogiri crumble under it. “Alright,” the man conceded. “You and Tenko can read until Hisashi is done, then we are moving to another subject.”
“Hey!” Dad said in affront, looking at Izuku in betrayal. “I’m your father!”
“You are, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have two dads!” Izuku pointed out.
Kurogiri just smiled, turning back to help Hisashi with his work. “Come along now, my son. You still have some equations to work through.”
Dad looked very put out, huffing. “How can you be Izuku’s father and mine?” he pointed out dryly. “Wouldn’t that make you his grandfather?!”
“It doesn’t have to,” Kurogiri returned cooly. “I don’t mind either way. But he calls me Papa.”
“So you do think of Kurogiri as your papa!” Izuku accused his dad with a grin. “I knew it!”
“I do not!” Dad insisted, face flushing. “That—I was just—! That was an example! I didn’t—!”
“Does that mean I have big brothers now?” Tenko asked, looking up from his book with hopeful eyes.
“You do!” Kurogiri said cheerfully. “You have two big brothers now!”
Izuku felt a thrill go through him. Tenko? His little brother? “I get a little brother?!”
“Oh no,” Dad said.
“I’m honoured to be considered your father, Hisashi,” Kurogiri put in.
Dad blushed darker. “I never—!”
“Let’s get back to work now.” Kurogiri patted Dad’s hair gently, before pointing at Dad’s half finished worksheet.
Izuku left them to it, bouncing over to his new little brother to check out the book Tenko was reading.
“Oh, I know this story!” Izuku exclaimed as they read on. “Mama used to tell it to me all the time!”
“It’s one of my favorites,” Tenko admitted with a small smile. “Papa reads it to me sometime!”
“We can read it together!” Izuku said. “And we have lots more to read in the library! Do you want to take a look at the books later? We can pick one out together!”
Tenko nodded. “Uh-huh. And maybe Mon-chan can play with Sir Bun Bun?’ Tenko asked shyly.
“Yeah!” Izuku bounced excitedly in his seat. “And Dad can play with Swan For One! We can all fight against the dragon!”
“Huh?” Dad looked up. “What? I don’t want to do that! I’m not some kid!”
Izuku gave him a sad look, letting his shoulders slump purposefully. “You don’t want to play with us, Dad?”
Dad flustered. “O-Of course I will!”
“Then I want to play with Swan For One! You can be the swan!”
“Fine,” Dad groaned.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Kurogiri added in. “Perhaps on your lunch break you all can play together.”
“Okay!” Izuku nodded, looking forward to it. And he could show Tenko all the plushies and figurines Dad had bought for him!
Dad huffed quietly, grumbling to himself as Kurogiri helped him with the rest of his equations. When they were finished, Kurogiri took their papers to the desk, and switched subjects to history. Kurogiri placed a generalized history of the fifth generation down before Izuku, Tenko and Dad. Dad’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates at the sight of the book.
“We’ll start off with some light reading first,” Kurogiri stated as he opened his own copy. “Starting with chapter one.”
“This is light reading?!” Dad nearly shouted.
“I’ll help you if you don’t know any of the big words, Hisashi.”
“Don’t patronize me! That’s not what this is about!”
Kurogiri gave Dad an unimpressed expression, and simply continued the lesson.
After history came science, and after science was lunch. Izuku could barely contain himself as they wrapped up their science lesson, eager to go play with his new little brother. And eventually…
“Alright, we’ll pick back up after lunch.” Kurogiri smiled.
Dad dramatically collapsed on his desk, looking ready to nap right there.
“Dad!” Izuku called, tugging Dad’s sleeve. “Get up! Let’s go! We’re going to play!”
“You can play without me, right?”
“No! You have to play too!” Izuku put a whine into his voice, to convince his dad to agree.
Kurogiri laughed. “Go on, Hisashi. I have other duties to tend to, so you need to watch the boys for me, okay? I’ll send another servant to bring you all lunch. So go on.”
“Thanks, Papa!” Izuku called out as he grabbed Dad’s arm and all but dragged him out of the room, Tenko following behind him. “C’mon, Dad! We can’t waste a minute!”
Tenko giggled at the exasperated groan Dad made as his shoulders slumped. He clutched Mon-chan to his chest, staring at Dad pleadingly. “Please, Big Brother?”
For some reason, Dad went strangely quietly as he looked at Tenko, and Izuku swore he saw tears in his eyes. But Dad blinked before Izuku could be certain, and he smiled softly at Tenko, ruffling both his and Tenko’s hair gently.
“Alright then,” he said, already leading the way. “Let’s head back up and get the toys.”
Izuku followed along happily, chatting with Tenko, until suddenly Tenko gasped in fright and scrambled to hide behind Dad. Izuku frowned and Dad paused, looking around.
Ah.
Izuku scowled as his eyes landed on familiar figures. One of which he was not all that happy to see.
Iida Tenya.
Notes:
Legendary Actions.
Izuku: “Papa? 🥺 Can Tenko and I stay up a little longer? Please Papa?” 🥺🥺
*Izuku uses baby face, sweet voice, and the secret fatal word.*
It’s super effective!!*
Kurogiri, hand over his exploding heart: “Oh... Oh, alright, my sons.” *kisses top of Tenko and Izuku's hair* “I'll get you two a treat from the kitchen too. You're such good boys.”
Hisashi: “Don't fall for it, Kurogiri! They're manipulating you!”
Izuku: “How can you say that, Dad.” 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Hisashi: “T-That won't work on me!”
*(it’s super effective!)*
Loyalty VS Royalty.
Hisashi: “So Shimura was assassinated.”
Gran: “Yep.”
Hisashi: “…By you?”
Gran: :)
Hisashi: “And Nana presumably knew and was okay with that?”
Gran: “I only ever do what the crown asks.” :)
Hisashi: “…ah…”
Gran: “That includes taking out the trash if they’re sick and tired of it.” :)
Hisashi: “…”
Gran: “Better hope no one gets tired of you.” :)
Hisashi: “Stop smiling like that it’s freaking me out.”
Thanks for reading!
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Draymany74 on Chapter 1 Thu 04 Aug 2022 04:53AM UTC
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