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Growing up, Shouto’s biggest wish was to meet his true love and have a fairytale ending.
He remembered being a tender-hearted five year old and pulling on his mother’s dress sleeves, begging her for one more bed-time story. She’d always oblige with an exasperated smile and a twinkle in her eye, already pulling out another storybook from his personal library to read. He remembered the way he wouldn’t sleep until the prince and princess had gotten married and his mother was uttering the words, ‘and they lived happily, ever after.’
Fairytales of giants and beanstalks and cowboy cats were always a snooze fest, but the ones where the princesses met their true love and lived happily ever after were his favorite. The only one who seemed to share his love for this type of fairytale ending was Fuyumi. Natsuo and Touya always made fun of them for it, which always ended up with Shouto threatening to behead them because he was first in line to the throne by his father’s decree at age ten.
As the years passed, Shouto grew and so did his hope to find his true love after seeing Fuyumi get married in a big ceremony. He often had dreams about his true love coming to save him, seeing eyes so green in dreams but never getting a name before he woke up.
Shouto only became more handsome as the years passed, but despite the multitudes of balls he begged to attend, his father would not allow him to go.
When he complained about this to his father, the only response he ever got was, “You don’t need to be filling your head of nonsense like love. Your duty is to become my perfect heir so I can pass the crown down to you one day.”
It wasn’t until Shouto was saved from an ogre chasing him through the woods one day by Tenya Iida, head of the Royal Guard, that he found his true love.
Shielding his eyes from the sun with his left hand, Shouto stared up at his savior in shining silver armor with amazement in his eyes.
Kind navy blue eyes looked down at him as the man held out his hand. “Are you alright?”
“I am now that you’ve saved me,” Shouto answered a little breathlessly as he took Tenya’s outstretched hand. “If I may ask, what is your name?”
“Tenya Iida, captain of the Royal Guard and selected by His Majesty himself.” Smiling, Tenya asked, "Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”
“I am Shouto Todoroki, Crown Prince of Endeavor.”
Recognition flickered through Tenya’s eyes and he gasped before bowing deeply. “My apologies, Your Highness. I had no idea who you were since no one outside the palace walls has ever seen your face!”
Shouto found himself smiling at that. “It’s quite alright, Captain. It’s incredibly sweet that you saved me regardless of knowing my true title.”
“But of course!” Tenya saluted him, face serious as he declared, “As captain of the Royal Guard, it is my duty to be an example and save all who are in peril!”
“An admirable trait, surely. Tell me, Captain, are you married?”
Tenya blinked, confusion filling his eyes. “No, Your Highness.”
“Are you engaged?”
“No, Your Highness.”
“Would you like to marry me?”
Tenya gasped at that, his cheeks flushing pink. “What? Are you truly asking me to marry you? Me, the lowly captain of the Royal Guard?”
“You have saved me from the fate of an ogre’s lunch like a prince straight out of a fairytale,” Shouto said with a sweet smile. “You have served as more than just a captain today, Tenya. You have served me as my personal knight in shining armor. So? What do you say?”
Tenya stared at him before breaking out into a wide smile. “If a prince as handsome and divine as you sees me as worthy of being your husband, I am honored to accept the proposal. I swear to be your knight in shining armor and to protect you from all harm so long as I breathe!”
“Wonderful! We shall tell my father so we may begin to prepare the wedding at once.”
“As you wish, my dearest and fairest prince.”
Three days later, Shouto was living his fairytale ending with his husband. Or at least, he was supposed to be living it before he was lured to a well by an old man in a hooded coat despite his protests that Tenya was waiting for him at the altar.
“I really must be going, my true love is waiting for me–”
“You have dreamed of a fairytale ending your whole life, have you not, Your Highness?” The old man crooned as they approached the railing.
“Yes, but–”
“If you truly want this to be your happily ever after, then you must wish it into this magic wishing well. Only those who do so will achieve what their heart desires.”
Shouto looked down dubiously at the well, white silk cuffs rubbing against his wrists uncomfortably. “I’ve never heard of there being an enchanted wishing well in Endeavor. Surely my sister would have mentioned something like this…”
“Only the worthy are shown the enchanted wishing well,” the old man said. “Look down, Your Highness. You must make your wish while looking down at the water.”
Frowning, Shouto looked down at the water. “Very well. I wish–”
That was all he was able to say before he was shoved off the railing and into the well, the sound of his screams and the old man’s cackles filling his ears as he fell thousands of feet through the air and finally plunged through sparkling water in hues of blues and purples.
Once in the water, Shouto felt his consciousness slip away and his skin prickled like he was being poked over and over again. Seconds that felt like an eternity passed, and as soon as it started, it was over when he opened his eyes and his palms made contact with something hard.
Or at least, Shouto thought they were his palms. They certainly didn’t look like they usually did. His smooth, flawless skin was replaced by small ridges in his fingertips and wrinkles over his knuckles. His white silk coat that glittered under the sun like it had hundreds of diamonds stitched in it didn’t glitter, and his perfectly tied up hair had a few individual strands coming out of it. He certainly didn’t look like himself at all.
To top it off, the usual coolness in his right hand and the warmth in his left hand brought on by his magic was gone. He was literally powerless.
Hesitantly, he reached for the beams of sunlight that filtered through the small holes below him. That was when the sound of something like a loud out of tune trumpet being played non stop, as well as the sound of thousands of voices speaking things he both did and didn’t understand.
Deciding to be brave, Shouto took a deep breath and pushed the metal plate with holes. A giant opening formed as soon as he pushed it, and carefully, he poked his head out to inspect his surroundings.
His heart promptly fell to his stomach, because when he looked around, he didn’t see a single hint of home.
Instead, he was met with the sight of hundreds of magical screens with bright lights and sounds coming out of them, as well as the sound of mysterious yellow almost-carriages making loud noises as they swerved past him. Many of the men inside those almost-carriages yelled at him to get out of the way, and hundreds of people on the other side of those cars looked at him like he was insane.
Instinct kicking in, Shouto ran towards them, ignoring the screeches of the almost-carriages on the road and the rage in people's voices.
“I’m sorry, I need help! Can anyone help me find King Enji?”
“Get lost, man!”
“Has anyone seen my true love, Tenya? He’s a knight in shining armor!”
“Broadway’s a couple blocks down that way, you fuckin’ moron!”
“I’m not looking for ‘Broadway,’ I am looking for Tenya! Tenya!”
“Move!”
And so the cycle continued until Shouto had been pushed out of the crowded streets and onto a magical moving long machine. Then, he was promptly pushed out of it until he was walking along an empty street, not a soul in sight and accompanied only by his squelching black boots from stepping through puddles.
“Oh Tenya, where are you?” Shouto whispered, hugging himself as he walked.
He abruptly came to a stop when a giant pink castle with a white flag caught his attention, hovering above him in the air like the castle of the kingdom of Ventus, just a two days' travel from Endeavor.
Staring up at the castle, Shouto felt relief for the first time in the last hour.
Scaling the metal bars connected to the castle, Shouto called out, “Princess Melissa! Princess Melissa! Please open your doors at once! Princess Melissa!”
“Sir, what in the world are you doing up there?!”
Izuku was not having a good day.
First, he’d gotten stuck in traffic on the FDR drive after dropping Eri off at school and having to turn around because she left her lunch in his car. Then, he’d arrived twenty-minutes late to work and had gotten a very disappointed look from Toshinori, his step-father, before the sirens were going off and they were getting called to an emergency.
Then, the emergencies that day were actually ridiculous. One pair of lovebirds got stuck on top of a building roof when the door jammed, meaning they had to bring the naked pair down on the engine ladder. Then, they had a very angry man karate-fight him, Hanta, Denki and Hitoshi in an alleyway behind a seafood restaurant when checking to make sure he was alive. Then, as if matters couldn’t get worse, they had to get a massive boa constrictor out of building pipes and Denki had squished his toes running away from the boa.
All in all, Izuku left his shift completely battered and exhausted. He didn’t even get to fight a single fire that day. So much for being a firefighter.
Picking Eri up from his mother’s apartment around eight that night, he received an earful about working late again and needing to settle down once and for all.
“I love you, dear, but you are twenty-eight years old! It’s high time you put yourself out there and opened your heart to love.”
“I know, mom,” Izuku said with a tired smile as he helped put a dozing Eri into her booster seat. “You act like I haven’t been dating Ochako for over a year now.”
Huffing, Inko replied, “Yes, and your father and I have been waiting for you to ask her to marry you. Lord knows that girl has done more than enough to prove she’d be an excellent mother for Eri.”
“It’s still too soon. I mean, I’ll probably do it sometime around our second anniversary if anything,” Izuku said as he closed the car door. “I just don’t want to rush her or Eri into something they’re not ready for yet.”
“You mean something you’re not ready for yet.”
Seeing Izuku shrug, Inko sighed. “Oh Izuku. You’ll never know you’re ready for it until you do it. Besides, women like Ochako are hard to find nowadays. Don’t let her get away.”
“This sounds more like you wanting a daughter-in-law more than me having a wife,” Izuku couldn’t help but tease despite his exhaustion.
“Don’t mock your mother.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Chuckling, Izuku pressed a kiss to her cheek before opening the driver door. “Ochako’s picking her up from school tomorrow, so don’t worry about the pickup time.”
Inko flashed him a stink eye at that. “What did I say? That woman is a saint for doing all these motherly duties without a ring on her finger!”
“Goodnight, mom,” Izuku loudly said before starting the car and driving away.
A few minutes later it started to rain, the sounds of the droplets tip-tapping on the windows and the window-blades swishing in front of him. On the screen, a song from a princess movie was playing, one of Eri’s favorites about a girl locked in a tower wondering when her life was going to begin.
Coincidentally, that seemed to be Ochako’s favorite princess movie too.
“Dad?”
Glancing through the rear view mirror, Izuku saw Eri looking at him uncharacteristically serious.
“Yes, honey?”
“Are you gonna marry Ochako?”
Izuku slammed the breaks as the light turned from yellow to red, both him and Eri gasping at the sudden movement. Once the second of panic had passed, Izuku turned around to flash her a nervous smile.
“Why the question?”
“I heard you and grandma talking,” she answered with her eyes glued to her hands. “So? Are you gonna marry Ochako?”
“That’s…” Izuku sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. “Not yet, no. But in the future, I do want to marry her.”
“Why?”
“Why not? You like her, don’t you? She’s funny, kind, and she loves having pajama parties and watching princess movies with you.”
The light changed and Izuku kept going, still looking at Eri through the rear view mirror. Miraculously there weren’t that many cars on that particular street. Small mercies.
“I guess,” Eri mumbled in response, ruby eyes refusing to look up at him. Then, a little scared, she asked, “Am I gonna have to give up my room?”
Izuku’s nervous smile eased into something more comforting. “No, honey. She’ll share a room with me.”
“Oh.”
“But that’s not happening anytime soon, so I don’t want you to worry about it yet, okay?”
“Yet,” Eri emphasized with a sigh. Throwing her head back against the seat, she let her gaze wander outside the window. “There’s always a yet.”
Izuku opened his mouth to say something as he rolled up to the next light, but then he saw Eri scrunch her brows and sit back up straight in her seat.
Watching her roll down her window, he asked, “Eri?”
“Dad, there’s a prince in the castle!”
“There are princes in castles, yes.”
“No, there’s a real prince outside the castle over there!” Eri insisted, pointing outside the window. “He’s trying to get in!”
Izuku frowned at that. Lowering his window, he looked out at the giant castle on the billboard above. He fully expected there to be a prince cutout on the billboard and had the excuse on the tip of his tongue until he saw a man dressed completely in white with red and white hair trying to scale the metal bars to get up to the billboard.
“Princess Melissa! Princess Melissa! Please open your doors at once! Princess Melissa!”
“See?” Eri insisted. “He’s real!”
“Oh my god,” Izuku hissed, already unbuckling his seatbelt. “He’s going to fall if he keeps trying to climb that ladder!”
“Go catch him, dad!”
Unlocking the car, Izuku ran out of his seat and came to a stop directly underneath the other man, disbelief in his eyes.
“Sir, what in the world are you doing up there?!”
To his surprise, the man stopped struggling for a moment to look down at him. Izuku was momentarily a little stunned to see one of his eyes was marble gray and the other turquoise blue, and holy shit, he wasn’t actually hallucinating the mismatched snowy white and fiery red hair.
This nut job actually looked like a prince, shenanigans be damned.
“Can you help me get up there? I must speak with Princess Melissa!”
“Princess Melissa?” Izuku wrinkled his brows in confusion before shouting back, “I don’t know who you’re looking for but there is no princess up there!”
“Yes there is!” the stranger insisted. “That’s Princess Melissa’s castle!”
“That’s actually Rapunzel’s castle!” Eri called out through the window, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Eri, sweetie, that’s not really helping–”
That got the man to stop moving for a second, confusion filling his features as he looked down at Izuku. “Who’s Rapunzel? I’ve never met her.”
Izuku’s brows shot up incredulously into his hairline. “You’ve never met–?”
The question died before it could come out completely when the man’s left hand slipped, leaving him dangling with his right hand clinging to a rung and his eyes full of fear.
“No, I am not falling again–help!”
“Hold on!” Izuku shouted. Positioning himself under the man, he shouted again, “Let go! I’ll catch you!”
“Likely story!”
“I promise you, I will catch you! I do this for a living!”
“You catch falling princes for a living?”
“Falling…what? You’re really not making any sense, sir!”
“Well you’re not making much sense either–!”
Izuku gasped as the man finally lost his grip on the rung. With a scream, the man fell from above directly into Izuku’s arms bridal style.
Up close, Izuku saw that the man had a scar over his left eye, as well as long lashes and pale pink lips. Those turquoise blue and marble gray eyes looked up at him through those lashes, disbelief in them as they stared at Izuku.
“Dad, you caught him!” Eri cheered from the car.
“You caught me,” the man said in disbelief.
Raising a brow, Izuku said, “I told you I wouldn't, didn’t I?” When the man grimaced and looked back up at the castle, Izuku’s grip tightened on him. “I’m not putting you down if you intend to climb that ladder again.”
“But I have to speak with Princess Melissa.”
“There is no Princess Melissa up there,” Izuku said exasperatedly. “Come on, sir. Can you promise me you won’t try to climb the ladder up if I put you down?”
“If that’s not Princess Melissa’s castle, she should destroy whoever copied it.”
“Can you please answer my question?”
The man sighed, and dramatically rolling his eyes, he answered, “I swear I will not attempt to climb into the imposter’s castle if you put me down.”
“Good.” Satisfied, Izuku set him down. Once the man was standing on his own two feet, he sighed. “Now, do you mind telling me your name and why you’re looking for…?”
“Princess Melissa.”
“Yes, her.”
The man sighed, and Izuku honestly found himself biting back a laugh and how annoyed the man looked at having to explain the situation despite him being the crazy one climbing a fake castle.
“If you must know, I am Crown Prince Shouto Todoroki of Endeavor. I was searching for Princess Melissa because I was pushed down a magic well and am now very far away from home, and I need her assistance to find my way back and my true love, Tenya, who is the captain of the Royal Guard. There. Satisfied, commoner?”
Izuku nodded, trying to fight the urge in him to call an ambulance for the clearly mentally unstable man.
“Okay. I am Izuku Midoriya, a firefighter.”
“Commoner.”
“Right. So you’re telling me you’re a prince from the kingdom of Endeavor…who was going to marry the captain of the royal guard…”
“Tenya.”
Izuku nodded slowly. “Right. And before you could get married, you were pushed down a ‘magic well’ and somehow ended up here. In New York.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Have you taken any strange substances tonight, by any chance?”
“No, why?”
Izuku wanted so badly to call the man a liar, but not seeing any pinpoint pupils, muscle tremors or slurred speech, he couldn’t find any reason not to. It appeared that the man simply truly believed he was a prince from a foreign kingdom, and seeing how torn and dirty his silk clothes were, he didn’t have the heart to tell him he was insane.
“Okay.” Izuku breathed in quietly before flashing the man a kind smile. “You clearly need help, and I’d like to help if that’s okay with you. Will you let me help you?”
Shouto made a face at that. “I don’t see how a commoner such as yourself could help me, but I suppose you will be more helpful than whoever this ‘Rapunzel’ is.”
Fighting the urge to grimace, Izuku nodded. “Much more help, I guarantee. We’re going to get into my car now before the rain picks up again, okay?”
“What is a…car?”
Ten minutes later, Shouto was tapping the screen in the car, visibly fascinated by the music and the features. Eri couldn’t stop staring at him in awe, and to Izuku’s surprise, when she asked questions, Shouto genuinely answered them as truthfully as possible for a clearly mentally unstable man.
“So this was your wedding suit?” Eri asked as they climbed out of the car, fascinated eyes never leaving Shouto’s face.
Shouto nodded, picking at his wrist cuffs. “Yes, I had this designed and ready in a day’s time to marry Tenya. Fresh silk was used to make it and I used to have a diamond encrusted sash, but a very ugly old man took it from me on the magical tube ride.”
“Subway,” Izuku corrected as they entered the revolving doors to his apartment building.
“Yes, that thing.”
“It’s very pretty even though it’s sort of dirty now,” Eri commented with a mournful look at Shouto’s pants.
“Thank you, small lady,” Shouto said with a small smile.
“Ha!” Eri giggled. “I like that. I want everyone to call me that from now on!”
“Your father doesn’t call you small lady?” Shouto cast Izuku a dirty look as they entered the elevator. “How dare you have such a delightful daughter and not shower her with endless adoration?”
“Yeah dad, why don’t you shower me with endless adoration?” Eri asked, flashing him a stink eye.
Izuku sighed exasperatedly at that. “Sweetheart, I call you sweet things all the time!”
“But you never call me ‘small lady.’”
“That’s right, don’t let him try to shut you down,” Shouto said with a nod. “You are a divine small lady. You’d make a wonderful princess had you been born to a royal parent.”
“You understand me,” Eri said in awe.
“Yes–” Shouto suddenly clutched onto Izuku’s arm as the elevator began to move, fear visible in his eyes. “What was that? An ogre attack?!”
“No, it’s called an elevator,” Izuku said flatly.
Shouto wrinkled his nose. “What is that? A monster?”
“No, it’s a system of pulleys working together to bring you from one place to another.”
“Like a magic carpet bringing you from the ground to the sky,” Eri explained when Shouto blinked.
“Oh! That makes sense. Why couldn’t you explain it like the small lady did?”
“Yeah dad, why do you have to make it so complicated?”
Izuku nearly considered kicking Shouto back onto the street at that, but the doors opened on his floor and when Shouto stepped out with Eri, he took a minute to breathe in deeply before following them.
“So an old man pushed you down a well?”
“Yes. It was actually quite irritating considering the fact that I was mere minutes away from my happily ever after with Tenya, but I guarantee you that he is looking for me.” As Izuku unlocked the door, Shouto gushed, “He is my knight in shining armor, my one true love. He will be here by nightfall tomorrow on a gallant steed, you’ll see.”
“I sincerely doubt it,” Izuku mumbled.
Door opening, Eri took Shouto by his right hand with an enthusiastic smile. “Prince Shouto, come with me! I want to show you my room!”
“Eri, you can’t just drag a stranger into your room–!”
His plea fell on deaf ears as Shouto eagerly followed Eri into her pink room, leaving him standing in the hallway with his work duffel bag and the urge to scream.
After closing the door, he kicked his shoes off. Then, crossing the threshold to his couch, he grabbed a pillow, went into the bathroom, and screamed into it.
Why, why, why was this happening to him?
By the time he had calmed down enough to come out of the bathroom, Shouto was sitting on the living room couch listening to Eri intently talk about her favorite princesses.
“So I really like Aurora, but only when she has her blue dress because that’s how it looks in the movie! She’s not a pink princess.”
“Yes, I understand. It’s like when Fuyumi wears red, which doesn’t suit her because she looks more beautiful blue dresses.”
Eri nodded like she knew who Fuyumi was. “Yeah! ‘Sides, I don’t know why people wanna make her a pink princess when we already have Ariel! And her dress is so poofy and beautiful, too!”
“You must show me this dress. I want to see if it is as beautiful as the ones my mother wears.”
“Yeah! Let me put on the movie–”
“No, no, no,” Izuku scolded as he stopped Eri from reaching for the TV remote. “You have school tomorrow, young lady.”
“But Prince Shouto wants to see Ariel!”
“Prince Shouto needs to wait until tomorrow to see Ariel,” Izuku said with a thin smile and twitching left eye. “Please shower and put your pajamas on. I’ll be in to read you a bedtime story once you’re in bed.”
“Fine!” Eri huffed. Turning to Shouto, she flashed him a wide smile. “Goodnight, Prince Shouto!”
“Goodnight, small lady,” Shouto said with an amused smile. Once she had left the room, his gaze flickered up to Izuku. “She’s positively delightful. I don’t understand how a man such as yourself could make a sweet princess like that.”
“That’s–” Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay. I need you to tell me the truth, Shouto.”
“Prince Shouto.”
“Shouto,” Izuku said with that same frayed patient smile. When Shouto huffed but didn’t correct him, he took it as a victory. “Where are you really from? Is there someone I can call to let them know where you are? Do you happen to have a phone in one of those silk pockets?”
“I told you, I am Crown Prince Shouto Todoroki of Endeavor,” the man crossly said, glaring at Izuku. “My father is King Enji Todoroki of Endeavor. My knight in shining armor, Tenya, will be here for me soon, so do not concern yourself with attempting to help me. No one will be able to hear you from this…New York.”
Izuku opened his mouth to protest, but then his phone started ringing and with a sigh, he stepped out of the room to answer if.
“Hello?”
“Izuku?” Ochako’s sweet voice filtered through the phone. “I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time. I was just wrapping up on some sketches and wanted to make sure everything was set for me and Eri tomorrow.”
Izuku blinked, then breathed out slowly. “Oh, yeah. You’re picking her up for school tomorrow and bringing her back for some girl time, right?”
“Yes, that’s the plan,” her amused voice said. “Did you tell your mom?”
“I let her know earlier today when I picked Eri up,” Izuku answered with a huff. “By the way, the weirdest thing happened to me today–”
“Did you get tossed in a dumpster by another drunk person?”
“No, but this is somehow crazier than that.” Just as he opened his mouth to tell her about Shouto, he realized that he would sound just as crazy, so instead he asked, “Do you know about any kingdom named Endeavor with a king named Enji Todoroki?”
“No?” Ochako laughed at that, the sound bright and twinkly. “That sounds like a made up fairytale from Eri’s dreams. Did she tell you it’s real?”
“No, it’s just–” Izuku sighed defeatedly. “I’ll explain in the morning. But you’re sure it doesn’t exist?”
“I can do some research if it’ll help you sleep better, but I am ninety-nine percent sure that’s not a real kingdom. Eri has to be praying a prank on you.”
“I wish that’s what this was,” Izuku mumbled wearily before clearing his throat. “So you’ll stop by in the morning, right?”
“Yup! I’m excited to spend some more girl-time with Eri. No offense, but our fairytale talks are more exciting without you to call them unreasonable.”
“Harhar, very funny.”
“Anyway, I’ll be there at seven-thirty on the dot! And please make sure she’s wearing sneakers tomorrow. She has gym fifth period and can’t wear her ballet flats, or they’ll dock points off her report card.”
“First grade sure is tougher than I remember it being…”
Giggling, Ochako said, “Yes, it is. Well, goodnight, Izuku. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Seven-thirty on the dot, I know. Goodnight, Ochako.”
The line went dead, leaving Izuku to stare at his home screen of him, Ochako and Eri at the Bronx Zoo during the summer on the monorail.
Ochako was perfect in theory; she was beautiful, sweet, and badass when she needed to be. She loved fairytales like Eri and loved Eri like she was her own daughter. And still, Izuku hesitated to even look at engagement rings, worried if he was making the wrong choice.
Not like there was anyone else he could propose to, anyway.
A few minutes passed before Izuku decided to make sure Shouto hadn’t magically pulled some drugs out of his silk pockets or ran out of his apartment.
Walking into the living room, Izuku prepared for the worst, only to be met with the sight of Shouto fast asleep on the couch. Curled on his right side, Izuku could see the scar clearer in the light of his apartment. His red and white bangs mixed together as he slept, his face looking strikingly young despite the sharp curve of his jaw. There, on the couch, he looked ethereal and downright every bit the prince he claimed to be.
Beautiful, his mind thought, and he promptly shooed the thought away because why did he think the crazy guy knocking on billboards was beautiful?
Seeing the man sleeping all peacefully on the couch, Izuku suddenly felt sorry for him. Instead of calling an ambulance for him and making him the hospital’s issue, he grabbed a velvet navy blue throw blanket and draped it carefully over his sleeping form.
Standing in Eri’s room, he flashed her a small smile. “Hey. How about you sleep in my room tonight?”
“Why?”
“Just because.”
Shrugging, Eri finished brushing her hair and grabbed a book from her mini library. “Okay, but you’re reading me the story about the princess and the frog tonight.”
“Sure thing, sweetheart.”
Shouto had never been more thankful for having maids than when he woke up to the mess in Izuku’s apartment.
Dozens of shoes were piled haphazardly at the doorway, a tripping hazard for anyone who dared enter the apartment. On the small table in the living room, a half-eaten bread sat in a dish with a princess with red hair staring up at him. In the kitchen, the dishes were piled sky-high in the sink with not a single sponge in sight. He didn’t even want to imagine how dirty Izuku’s room was based on the snores coming from said room.
Shouto had two options. He could run away without saying goodbye to Izuku and Eri, and wait for Tenya to find him. Or, he could tidy up a bit to thank Izuku for saving him from the trap of Rapunzel’s castle the night before and for showing him hesitant kindness when no one else had.
The latter option won in the end, and after cutting the velvet blanket into pants and a sash to replace the white one he made for his wedding, he got to work on tidying up.
In Endeavor, there were rabbits and mice who could be charmed into tidying up with song. Shouto didn’t have a particularly charming singing voice, but he knew Fuyumi on occasion spoke to woodland animals and had them help tidy her room up when she didn’t want to bother the maids. If this were Endeavor, he might attempt to charm the animals into helping him, but this was a mysterious land. He had no clue what would happen if he tried to sing, especially since his usual powers were already useless.
As the sun fully rose and the people in the building began to stir and start their days, Shouto found that tidying up was exhausting and hunger inducing.
He was rummaging through the cabinets for something sweet to eat when Eri chirped behind him, “Good morning, Prince Shouto!”
Shouto fumbled with the bag of chocolate chips he’d found, whirling around to look at Eri with wide eyes. “Sorry. You frightened me.”
“What are you looking for?” Eri asked curiously. “Do you like chocolate? I like chocolate, too! But I’m not allowed to have any chocolate with peanuts.”
“Oh, but peanuts are tasty. Why not?”
“Because I get really itchy and red if I eat them.” Eri sighed woefully. “Then my dad has to stab me with a medicine stick to help me breathe again. It’s not fun.”
“I’m sorry. That sounds awful.”
“Eri?”
Izuku stumbled into the kitchen with a baggy white T-shirt and grey sweatpants, green curls all over the place. In the daylight, Shouto could see that he had a myriad of freckles on his cheeks, as well as a scar on his cheek on the same side as his own. He could also see that despite his disheveled state, his emerald green eyes sparkled like the finest jewels in the shiniest of necklaces.
He’s sort of handsome, Shouto mused silently.
“Dad! I think Prince Shouto is hungry!” Tugging on Izuku’s left arm, she shouted, “Come on! We have to feed him!”
Izuku’s gaze traveled down to the chocolates in Shouto’s hands. Raising a brow, he looked back up at Shouto. “You were going to eat chocolates for breakfast?”
“It’s not like you have much to eat in this now clean apartment. Which, you are welcome, by the way,” Shouto said, gesturing around him. “You now have clean dinner plates.”
Eri gasped as she peeked into the living room. “Wow! You can see the top of the table again!”
“Aw, come on! You’re exaggerating,” Izuku pouted as he and Shouto followed Eri into the living room. “The place was perfectly clean before!”
Shouto fixed Izuku with an unimpressed look. “You had six pairs of socks under the couch. You must thank me, commoner. Not many princes would tidy up like this for you.”
“Is that my blanket?!” Horrified, Izuku picked up the shreds of the navy blue blanket, clutching it desperately in his hands. “This was expensive!”
“I needed new clothes,” Shouto explained like it was obvious. “You don’t expect me to walk around in my dirty wedding suit until Tenya finds me, do you?”
“Yes!”
Visibly appalled, Shouto huffed indignantly. “This doesn’t sound like a thank you.”
“Because it’s not! You cut up my favorite blanket!”
“Don’t be so dramatic. You can still change it into something new.” Reaching for the shreds of blanket, Shouto insisted, “Here, I’ll show you–”
“Oh no you don’t!” Izuku tried to yank it from Shouto’s grip, but was unsuccessful when Shouto yanked back. “You are not cutting it into even smaller pieces!”
“But you can make something beautiful out of it!”
“Like what? Boxers? There’s not even enough left for that!”
Yanking harshly, Shouto insisted, “You obviously can’t make box covers, but you can use it for something else! A nice hair ribbon, or–”
“I don’t need a hair ribbon, I need a blanket!”
“It makes much nicer pants–”
“–I don’t care about your pants–!”
With a yelp, Shouto tripped on the foot of the coffee table and fell backwards. Taken by surprise, Izuku stumbled forward with him and fell directly on top of him. Chest to chest, noses inches apart, both men stared at each other in shock.
To Shouto’s surprise, he felt his heart skip a beat and his cheeks flush an inexplicable shade of pink.
That was when the lock clicked and a woman with short brown hair and pink cheeks walked into the room with a loud, “Izuku! Eri! I hope you’re hungry for bagels!”
Twisting his head to the right, Shouto saw the moment she saw him and Izuku on the ground. Her smile froze on her face and her eyes widened.
Unable to close his mouth, Shouto blurted out, “You are very beautiful. Are you by chance related to any royalty?”
“Ochako!” Izuku scrambled to his feet, not even helping Shouto up to run over to the frozen woman. “Ochako, it’s not what it looks like–”
Suddenly unfreezing, Ochako flashed him a flat look. “Really? I walk in on you laying on top of some handsome guy and that’s all you can say?”
“Yes, because nothing happened!”
“Ochako! This is Prince Shouto of Endeavor!” Eri shouted enthusiastically, eyes sparkling as she helped Shouto up. “We saved him from the rain yesterday!”
Ochako’s anger visibly faltered in her eyes as confusion filled them. “Prince Shouto of Endeavor? What–”
“That’s why I told you I had something to show you!” Izuku insisted with wide eyes. “I found him trying to climb a billboard last night.”
“And you brought him home? Did you even check if he was mentally stable or–”
“I wouldn’t bring him here if I wasn’t sure it was okay. He’s not on any drugs as far as I can tell, but there’s something not right here, Ochako. He cut up my blanket to make pants!”
“I did you a service, commoner. I put the blanket to perfect use. Don’t my pants look divine, Eri?”
“They’re so pretty!”
Ochako stared at Shouto in disbelief before looking at Izuku. “I feel like I just stepped into a princess movie. Only instead of a princess, there’s a very handsome prince who seems to be best friends with your daughter.”
“You have to help me, Ochako. I don’t know what to do with him!”
Huffing, Shouto glared at Izuku. “You don’t ‘have to do’ anything with me, commoner.”
“Izuku. My name is Izuku!”
“I told you, Tenya will find me. He is my knight in shining armor, my–”
“–true love, yes, I heard you the first time you said it!”
“Precisely. My Tenya will find me and free me from this very unpleasant prison, and once we are together, we will wed and have our happily ever after.”
“Can I meet Tenya?”
“Of course, small lady. I’m sure he’d love to meet you. Perhaps we can even arrange a visit to Endeavor for you, if you’d like.”
“Through the magic well and pothole?” Eri asked excitedly.
“Of course!”
“No!” Izuku snapped. Stomping over to Eri, he placed his hands on her shoulders and flashed Shouto a frazzled smile. “Shouto, can you please stop filling my daughter’s head with nonsense? She needs to get ready for school now or she’s going to be late.”
“And you are going to be late to work,” Ochako interrupted with a pointed look at Izuku. “Again.”
“Damn it, you’re right. But I can’t just leave him here in my apartment! What if he tries to cut up my comforter next?”
“What is a comforter?”
“Just take him to work with you,” Ochako said with an exasperated look. “Have Katsuki and Toshinori take a look at him. Call it a second opinion! And then drop him off at an emergency room if it turns out he really needs help.”
“All the help I need is from my knight in shining armor, my true love, Tenya Iida.”
Ochako looked at him uneasily before looking back at Izuku. “I’ll try and do some research today, but be careful, Izuku.”
Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she stepped back. “Alright, Eri. Let’s get your sneakers on and get into the car! You can eat your bagel on the way to school while you tell me all about your good friend Prince Shouto, okay?”
“Okay! Bye, Prince Shouto!”
Shouto waved at both a smiling Eri and Ochako as they walked towards the door entrance. A few minutes later, the door was clicking shut, leaving Izuku and Shouto alone again.
Looking at Izuku, Shouto asked, “Who was that?”
“That was Ochako,” Izuku snapped. “Ochako Uraraka, my girlfriend. And thanks to you pulling me down with you, she thought that you and I…”
Shouto gasped. “Kissed?”
Izuku opened his mouth to yell, and Shouto watched him decide not to when he sighed and said defeatedly, "Something like that. Look, I have to go to work and I’m not leaving you alone here.”
“So I’m going with you?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll help me find Tenya?”
Izuku looked at him incredulously. “Didn’t you say he’d find you?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look for him. So? Are you going to help me at least narrow down where we will have the most romantic meeting?”
Izuku stared at him, visible disbelief in his eyes. He muttered something that Shouto didn’t hear, and then he was walking out of the room.
Huffing, Shouto sat down on the couch again. Picking up the shreds of blanket, he grumbled, “He’s such an odd man. This would make a lovely headband for Eri.”
“It would not!”
And maybe, if he cut it right, there would be enough for a headband to get Izuku’s curls out of his somewhat distracting emerald eyes.
From the minute Izuku walked into the fire station, he had immediate regrets about bringing Shouto along.
“What is this giant red beast?” Shouto asked in fear, arms wrapped around Izuku’s left arm. “Is this like your car? Does it play music?”
“That’s a fire engine,” Izuku explained tiredly. “It’s like a big car, but we only use it to fight fires and get people down from high buildings. It has long hoses and a tall ladder, as well as a bunch more things that we use daily.”
“So you fight fires, but you’re also a doctor?” Shouto frowned. “Odd.”
“No, I’m not a doctor. I’m a paramedic. It’s like a doctor, but while I can give medicine to save someone while we get them to a real doctor, I’m not a real doctor.”
Shouto nodded at that. “Oh, I see. That’s…admirable, I suppose. At the very least, you’re not a complete commoner like I believed you were at first.”
“Izuku. My name is Izuku. Why can’t you just say my name?”
Shouto shrugged at that. “I suppose you’ve earned my respect for saving lives…Izuku.”
For some reason, hearing Shouto say his voice all shy made him stop in his tracks. Heat flooded his cheeks as he took a quick glance at him as they reached the top of the staircase to the crew quarters.
Both men froze as someone dropped a plate. Turning slowly, Izuku was met with the sight of Eijirou frozen in Katsuki’s headlock, Hitoshi and Denki frozen mid pancake-bite, Keigo no longer holding a plate with food, and Kyouka staring at him in disbelief.
“I can explain.”
“Do any of you know where Tenya is?”
Izuku exasperatedly pinched the bridge of nose. “No, Shouto, they don’t know who Tenya is. They don’t even know who you are.”
Shouto blinked at that before standing up straight. “Oh, that’s right. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Crown Prince Shouto Todoroki of Endeavor, and I am searching for my true love.”
Katsuki and Eijirou burst out into loud cackles at that, Denki and Hitoshi choked on their pancakes, Keigo looked confused, and Kyouka sighed.
“Good grief, Midoriya. Where did you find this guy?”
“Hanging onto a bulletin board five blocks away from my apartment last night,” Izuku said defeatedly.
“Hanging onto…last night…?” Keigo gaped at him, disbelief written in his eyes. “Hold on. He was with you the entire night?”
“With Eri, too? Did you check for any deficits? Substance use?” Eijirou asked, suddenly concerned as he pushed Katsuki off his back. “Any mental status change?”
Izuku shook his head. “Considering I just met him last night, I don’t have a baseline to go off on.”
Feeling a tugging of his sleeve, Izuku looked at Shouto curiously. “What is it?”
“You haven’t introduced me to anyone yet. It’s just like when I had to introduce myself to your daughter last night.”
Izuku sighed before looking back at the six pairs of curious eyes looking back at them. “It seems like I’m being shamed for not introducing you guys to Shouto. Going from left to right, there’s Ka–Bakugou, Kirishima, Kaminari, Shinsou, Jirou and Takami.”
“And you’re all friends?”
“Oh yeah, super tight,” Denki snickered. “Even tighter than Midoriya’s New Year party jeans.”
“Oh my god, I forgot about those!”
“Can we all forget about my supposed tight jeans and focus on Shouto, please?” Izuku begged. Hand resting on Shouto’s right shoulder, he said, “He says he’s looking for Tenya. I need your help to see if we can help him find him.”
Shooting pointed looks at everyone, he hoped they read the message in them screaming help me see if he’s insane and if we should take him to CPEP.
A collective ‘oh’ fell across the room, making Shouto frown and Izuku let out a breath of relief.
“Of course we can help him!” Coming around the table, Eijirou pulled out an extra chair and patted it. “Come, Your Highness. How about you tell us a bit more about this prince of yours while we give you breakfast and check you out?”
Izuku found his jaw dropping when Shouto genuinely smiled and willingly walked to the chair. “Thank you. You’re so kind, Kirishima. I would greatly appreciate whatever breakfast you can provide.”
“Great! Katsuki, can you grab him some pancakes?”
“Whatever.”
Izuku cautiously slid into the chair next to Shouto. He didn’t even register when Katsuki passed him his own plate, too busy watching Shouto smile as he gushed about this ‘Tenya.’
“Our meeting was straight out of a fairytale. You see, I was being chased by an ogre through the woods when I went out for my daily morning ride when Tenya defeated him single-handedly with his sword.”
“Really?” As Kyouka instructed Shouto to follow the pen light with his eyes, Eijirou asked, “What happened after that?”
“Well, after I introduced myself to Tenya, he said I was the most beautiful prince he had ever seen and I told him he was an admirable captain of the Royal Guard. It was true love from the start, and if it weren’t for the old man pushing me down the magic well, we would have been married by now.”
“Magic well?” Hitoshi raised a brow.
“Yes.” Looking down curiously at his pancakes, Shouto said, “It all happened so fast. I had just gotten out of my carriage when the old man led me to the wishing well, and when I attempted to wish for an eternal lifetime of happiness with my dear Tenya, I was pushed down the well. Can you believe that?”
“No,” Katsuki deadpanned.
“Then when I reached the bottom, instead of drowning, I was led to this place through a hole in the ground.” Frowning, Shouto looked up at Izuku. “What did you call it?”
Sighing, Izuku passed him a sharp knife. When Shouto lit up and began to cut his pancakes, he answered, “A manhole, Shouto. That’s what I’m assuming you’re trying to describe."
“Yes, that!”
Leaning forward so his mouth was next to Izuku’s ear, Keigo whispered, “This may be crazy, but I really think he believes everything he’s saying.”
“I know!” Izuku whispered back in despair. “That’s why I brought him here. I need you to tell me if I should bring him to an emergency room or something.”
Standing up, Kyouka patted Shouto’s shoulders. “Well, Your Highness, it appears that you’re healthy.”
Swallowing his pancake, Shouto flashed her a pleased smile. “I could have told you that. It’s this one here who insists I am out of my mind because he doesn’t know where Tenya is or even where Endeavor is.”
“That’s because I can’t find Endeavor on any map, past or present!” Izuku spluttered, cheeks red as Shouto pointed a finger at him. “I’m just trying to help, you know!”
To his surprise, Shouto flashed him an amused smile at that and dropped his finger back into his lap. “I know. I’m sorry, but it’s truly funny to see you so worked up over such small things. Like your blanket.”
Floundering for an answer, Izuku said weakly, “That blanket was my favorite one.”
“And now it is one of my favorite pairs of pants,” Shouto quickly quipped back with a pat of his legs. “Do they not look nice on me, Izuku?”
“I…guess so,” Izuku answered, nervously scratching his cheek. Suddenly feeling the eyes of everyone on him, he flushed red and shook his head. “That’s not the point, Shouto. My point is that we all want to help, but we can’t help if we don’t know if what you’re speaking about is even real.”
“It is real. You’re just so cynical that you can’t fathom something not being terribly frustrating or sad. Or not being grumpy, for that matter.”
Gasping, Izuku’s eyes widened. “I am not grumpy! And I’m not cynical, either! I’m just a realist. There’s no such thing as fairytales, Shouto.”
“You say that, but I nearly met your princess Rapunzel last night,” Shouto said with a pleased smile that left Izuku at a loss for words.
“That’s not…I don’t…huh?”
“Grumpy,” Shouto sang before stuffing another piece of pancake into his mouth.
“I’m not grumpy,” Izuku insisted. Looking around at his very interested coworkers, he asked, “I’m not, right?”
“You’re grumpier than Snow White’s dwarf,” Denki supplied helpfully, only to hiss, “Ow! Hitoshi, what was that for?”
Shouto laughed at that, the sound so rich and baritone that it made Izuku look right back at him with wide eyes.
Mismatched sparkling eyes landed on him as their owner said, “Yes, I quite find that that analogy is perfect. And that is truly saying something, because he can be quite nasty when he speaks on a very bad grumpy day.”
Katsuki narrowed his eyes. “You know Grumpy?”
“Yes, he is one of my estranged cousin’s seven dwarves.”
Izuku couldn’t help it; he laughed at that, the absurdity of everything hitting him at once. When Shouto looked at him curiously, Izuku shook his head and smiled at him.
“You’re truly one of a kind, Shouto.”
“Well, there is only one me in all of Endeavor.”
Just then, the sirens started going off.
Shouto jumped in his seat, and before he could cling to Izuku’s arm, he reached over to firmly grab his hand.
“It’s okay, Shouto. Those are just like…loud trumpets played at parties. They’re letting us know there’s an emergency for us.”
“Oh.” Shouto visibly deflated in his chair, relief clear in his eyes. “Wait. Does that mean you have to go, too?”
Oddly enough, Izuku felt a tug on his heartstrings at the sad look in Shouto’s eyes. It was like he knew he had to go, but didn’t want to. Why?
“Nope!” Keigo chirped with a smile as he clapped a hand over Izuku’s shoulder. “Captain says your shift is over today. Have fun with Prince Shouto!”
“What? But–”
“See ya, Prince Shouto! I hope you find your true love soon!”
Izuku watched him run down the stairs in disbelief, not sure what just happened. Yet when he turned around, he saw Toshinori standing a few feet away, an odd look on his face as he looked at both him and Shouto.
“Dad?”
“Sorry, I heard that you had found yourself in a dilemma with this young man and wanted to give you time to help him figure it out.” Lips forming a smile, Toshinori said somewhat knowingly, “It certainly seems like you’re the only one that can help him best right now.”
“I…okay,” Izuku said slowly. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to Shouto. “How about we take a stroll through the park? Maybe with some clear air, we can think of how to get you back to your prince.”
“Knight in shining armor,” Shouto corrected, slipping his hand out of Izuku’s grip. It left him feeling empty, for some reason. “But yes, that’s a sound idea. Now I see where Eri gets her intelligence from.”
Cheeks flushing red, Izuku stuttered, “Th…thank you…? Come on, let’s go before I chase after the engine or something.”
Worry crossed Shouto’s features. “Why on earth would you do that?”
Toshinori’s laughter followed them their whole way down the stairs and out the fire station.
Stepping into the fresh air, Izuku led them down the street and around the corner until the green trees of Central Park greeted them.
Hundreds of tourists walked and biked past them, no one paying any mind to the man in a grey sweatshirt, dark blue jeans, white sneakers and the literal walking prince next to him. The small mercies of New York.
When the silence had gone on long enough, Izuku cleared his throat. With Shouto’s eyes on him, he opened his mouth to ask him a question about Tenya. Then an old pair of women sitting on a park bench started squabbling loudly, catching his and Shouto’s attention.
“I’m telling you, it really happened! I was there!”
“Bah! You probably forgot to take your pills this morning. There’s no way you really saw a man in shining armor stick a sword through a bus.”
“No, no! I swear, it was real! Damn bastard almost lopped my head off!”
“Lies!”
Shouto gasped at that, and Izuku barely had a moment to breathe before he was being yanked forward to where the old women were sitting.
“Hello,” Shouto greeted, nodding at both women. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear that you encountered a man with armor and a sword this morning. Is that true?”
The old woman to the left with glasses rolled her eyes. “Hmph. Youth these days and their obscene clothes and substance abuse.”
“Yes!” The other old woman with big brown eyes insisted angrily. “I saw him with my own eyes! He stabbed his sword through the bus like a lunatic and said he had freed us! Made me twenty minutes late to my doctor’s appointment, that bastard!”
“Was he wearing silver armor?”
“Yes!”
“Did he call himself Captain of the Royal Guard?”
“…yes?”
Shouto excitedly grabbed onto Izuku’s arm, eyes sparkling as he said, “It was Tenya! She saw Tenya! I told you he would come from me!”
“Who the hell are you?”
“I am–”
“He is very sorry to have interrupted your morning and wishes you a very good day!” Izuku interrupted.
Yanking Shouto away from the old women, he hissed, “You can’t just go up to people and ask them random questions, Shouto! What if they were lying?”
“But you came up to me yesterday and asked if I was alright,” Shouto frowned, confused.
“Yes, but that’s because I was trying to see if you needed medical attention. It’s very different from asking old women in parks if they’ve seen a sword-bearing prince.”
“Knight,” Shouto corrected exasperatedly. “Please use the correct terminology, Izuku. He is a knight in shining armor.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Izuku grumbled. “So how long have you known this Tenya?”
Shouto sighed dreamily at that. “Oh, three days.”
Confused, Izuku said, “You mean that you’re so in love that it feels like it’s only been three days, right?”
“No, it’s been three days. Today would be the fourth day.”
Izuku stared at Shouto in disbelief, not believing what he was hearing. “You’re joking.”
“No, I’m really not.”
“You mean to tell me that you’re getting married to a man you’ve only known for three days because you’re in love with him?”
Shouto nodded before pulling Izuku along, blind to the state of disbelief Izuku was in.
Walking past a small pond, Izuku shook his head to physically dispel the growing disbelief.
“Sorry for my cynicism, but I just can’t believe this. How can you even talk about being in love when you barely know him?”
“Well, I know what’s in his heart.”
“That’s–” Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. Of course. Because that makes sense.”
Shouto hummed. “Well what about you? How long have you been with your Ochako?”
“A little over a year and a half.”
Now it was Shouto’s turn to look at him in disbelief. “And you haven’t proposed yet?”
“Well…no…”
“Why?” Confused, Shouto asked, “Don’t you love her?”
“I–”
Both men came to a sudden halt as a tall, thin man appeared in front of them with a caramel apple in his gloved hand. His striking red eyes were the only thing Izuku could see, his mouth and hair covered by a scarf and a head wrap. His brown robes looked almost like he was a baker in a fairytale book, but Izuku didn’t have time to linger on that for too long because the caramel apple was being waved in front of him like it was a flag.
“Hello there,” the man said in a very poor British accent, eyes on Shouto. “Care for a delicious caramel apple?”
Izuku grimaced at that. “No thanks–”
“But I insist!” The man insisted, shoving it in Shouto’s face. “Free of charge for the handsome young man on national Caramel Apple Day.”
Izuku warily looked at Shouto, who was already looking at him with hopeful wide eyes. “Do you like caramel apples?”
“I adore them.”
Izuku sighed at that, but couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face as he plucked the treat out of the vendor’s hand and gave it to an excited Shouto.
“Thank you, kind sir.”
“My pleasure, young man.”
The pair walked away from the vendor after that, Shouto happily glancing around at his surroundings while Izuku internally prayed he’d forget about his last question.
“You never answered my question, Izuku. Do you not love Ochako? Is that why you haven’t proposed yet?”
Inwardly cursing, Izuku flashed him a nervous smile. “No, that’s not it at all! It’s just that, uh, normal people usually spend time getting to know each other before they get married. They, you know, go on dates and stuff.”
Shouto stared at him blankly. “Dates?”
“Yeah, you know? A date! Like, you go out together and do fun activities to get to know each other. Dinner? Bowling? Talking? Is any of that ringing a bell?”
“What do you talk about?”
“About each other. About yourself. Your likes, your dislikes; anything, really. The point is to get to know each other.”
Shouto wrinkled his nose. “You have such strange ideas about love. My sister met her true love and was married within a week, and they’re living happily ever after.”
Snorting, Izuku grinned. “Oh wow. I guess we should all do it your way, then. Meet, have lunch, get married…”
“You forgot about happily ever after.”
Izuku rolled his eyes at that. “Happily ever after doesn’t exist.”
“Yes it does!” Shouto raised his left hand to make a point, and Izuku watched bemusedly as the caramel apple went flying ten feet away. “Oh…I sure hope that didn’t hit anyone.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Shaking his head, Izuku gently placed a hand on Shouto’s right arm. “Look, ‘happily ever after’ is nice in theory, but marriages in real life don’t work like that. They’re only considered a success if they don’t end in divorce or something.”
Frowning, Shouto asked, “But what about you and Ochako? Surely you believe you’ll live happily ever after once you propose, don’t you?”
“That’s what I’m saying, Shouto. There’s a lot of things that can affect a ‘happily ever after.’ It’s complicated.”
“Well, not if she knows.”
Brows drawn together in confusion, Izuku asked, “Knows what?”
“How much you really love her.”
“What?” Izuku laughed incredulously. “Of course she knows. We don’t talk about it all the time, but she knows.”
“How?”
“How what?”
“How does she know you love her?” Shouto asked, dead serious. “Do you send her love letters to remind her? Do you send her flowers simply because they reminded you of her?”
“No, but–”
“So how does she know? She’s not a mind reader, Izuku.”
“I know that…”
Taking Izuku’s hands in his own, Shouto said, "You have to show her every day that you love her. Take her out dancing, or maybe dedicate her a love song–“
“No, absolutely not. I am a horrible dancer and an even worse singer,” Izuku protested, face flushing pink from embarrassment.
“So then do something else! Otherwise she’ll be inclined to question if you truly love her or if you’re taking her for granted.”
“That’s nice and all, but that’s not how that works.”
“Yes it is! Everyone wants to know if their love is true, and what better way to be assured than through daily actions?” Poking Izuku’s nose, Shouto smiled widely. “Show her a little bit every day, and she’ll know that you’re her love. Simple!”
“Simple,” Izuku mimicked, shooting Shouto a flat look. “That sounds like it’s coming straight off a Teen Vogue magazine.”
Tutting, Shouto shook his head. “So cynical. Try it and you’ll see.”
Looking around, his eyes brightened and he made his way to a nearby flower vendor. Taking out the wad of cash Izuku had given him that morning before leaving the apartment, he chose an assortment of flowers and a card before making his way over to the nearby fountain.
Sighing, Izuku sat down next to him along the fountain edge and watched his thin fingers weave the flower stems together.
“What are you doing?”
“Proving a point.” After a few minutes, he handed Izuku the finished product. “See? A flower arrangement for Ochako.”
“And I’m supposed to give this to her?”
“Yes, but I’m going to do it first to show you how to do it right. Now, write something on this card. Tell her she’s beautiful and ask her out on one of those ‘dates’ of yours.”
Twisting his lips, Izuku looked at the blank card and pen warily. “But we already have a date scheduled. We’re going to a ball tomorrow evening.”
Shouto’s eyes brightened. “A ball?”
“Yeah, but it’s not a real ball like you’ve probably been to. It’s mostly an excuse to dress up and indulge in fantasy for the night. Ochako and Eijirou are dragging us along because they’re really into fantasy stuff.”
“At least one of you is romantic. Here, write down something along the lines of looking forward to going for the ball with her.”
“Okay…” Playing along, Izuku wrote down what Shouto instructed him to write and handed it to him. “So? What now?”
Something funny crossed Shouto’s face before he sighed and let out a vocalization, looking around the park.
Izuku thought he had lost his mind until two doves appeared out of thin air and fluttered in place around Shouto’s head.
“Huh. I guess not all my magic is gone.”
Shouto arranged the card in a way that it was nestled in the roots of the flowers, and once satisfied, he handed it to the doves.
“Bring this to Ochako, please.”
“Are you insane? They don’t know where she lives,” Izuku said, incredulously watching the doves fly away.
“Just trust me, Izuku. Now,” Shouto said, looking around curiously, “I want to try one of those treats in those cars over there. The little sausages in bread. Bring me one, please?”
Izuku couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Standing up, he lazily saluted the other man. “As you wish, Prince Shouto.”
That got Shouto to crack a beautiful breath-taking smile, and before Izuku could let himself feel butterflies, he speed-walked away to buy the hotdog.
Why on earth do I find his smile so beautiful? And why do I never want to look away when I see it?
Shouto head learned many things about New York in one day.
For one, the people were incredibly loud and spoke different languages, just like they did back home. Two, there was never an excuse to be bored. On the two hour stroll through the park, he got to talk with Izuku, had given flowers away to swooning women and men, danced with children, and had also somehow ended up as a prince in a stage play. Shouto hadn’t had a chance to even think of missing Endeavor because of how busy he had been.
And finally, he learned that New York had much better tasting food than Endeavor.
“You sure are making a big mess for someone who needed an extra sharp knife for his pancakes this morning,” Izuku mused beside him, an amused look on his face.
“This pizza is divine,” Shouto mumbled around a bite of pizza. “This is better than the hotdog I ate today. I didn’t think there was anything better than that, but I was clearly mistaken.”
“If there’s one thing New York is famous for, it’s the pizza.” Smiling, he lifted his drink. “I figured I should show you so you know what good pizza tastes like.”
“This almost makes it worth missing my wedding,” Shouto said before taking another bite of his pizza, completely enamored with it.
Izuku shifted beside him. “You have sauce on your cheek. No, not that side. Here, let me get it for you–”
Shouto went completely still as Izuku gently swiped sauce off his left cheek, his touch almost as soft as the look in his eyes. That was happening a lot today; Izuku would smile or say something that made him laugh, and his heart would flutter and his stomach would do somersaults. It was an odd feeling, for sure, and not one Shouto was sure was okay to feel.
“Thank you,” Shouto said quietly when Izuku set the napkin down.
Something nagged at him, however, as he watched Izuku take a sip of his drink.
“Is this a date?”
Izuku choked on his drink at that, and setting it down roughly, he wiped his lips with a napkin. Cheeks red, he looked at Shouto like he was insane.
“What? Of course not! Why would you ever think–”
“It’s just that we’re talking and eating together, so I assumed this was what a date was.”
Izuku shook his head and flashed him an exasperated smile. Shouto found that he was actually growing quite fond of that smile.
“It’s not a date, Shouto. We’re just friends, remember?” Gesturing at the table across from them, he said, “Besides, you don’t typically bring children on dates.”
Shouto’s smile widened when he saw Eri wave at him from where she was seated between Katsuki and Eijirou, sauce on her cheeks and a sparkle in her red eyes. She looked away when Eijirou wiped her cheeks with a napkin and Katsuki showed her something on his phone that made her laugh. It reminded him so much of himself as a child with his mother that it made his ribs ache.
“She’s very sweet. Kind, too.” Looking at Izuku, he let his hands fall into his laps. “She gets that from you, I suppose. Not many people would take someone like me into their homes out of the goodness of their hearts, you know.”
“Yeah,” Izuku chuckled. “Thank you. I try my best to raise her to be as fearless and kindhearted as possible, so it’s nice to hear that I’m doing something right.”
Softly, Shouto asked, “Is it hard? Raising her without her mother?”
Izuku’s eyes widened a bit, and he looked at such a loss for words that Shouto immediately regretted asking him the question.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No, no. That’s not it at all.” Inhaling deeply, Izuku flashed him a wry smile. “Can I tell you a secret? You have to promise not to laugh at me.”
“I promise.”
“I never actually met her mother. See, I was fresh out of paramedic school when she was dropped off at the doorstep of our fire station. She was wrapped in a pink blanket and wouldn’t stop crying unless someone carried her, and as luck would have it, I was the first one to find her.”
“Oh,” Shouto said quietly, and just a little in awe.
“Mhm. From the first moment I held her, I knew that she was special. The way her eyes looked up at me with wonder and the way she grabbed my finger so gently…” Izuku chuckled. “I was a goner from the minute I met her.”
“That’s so…sweet. So you took her home that day?”
Snorting, Izuku shook his head. “God, no. There was a lot of paperwork to do and a ton of home visits, as well as a lot of appearances in front of a judge to be able to keep her. But it was all worth it when we finally got to come home together.”
“You truly wanted to be a father.”
“Yeah. It’s one of the things that makes me a little less grumpy in the mornings.”
Shouto laughed at that before looking down at the four remaining slices in the pan in front of them. “You sound like my mother. My father was never particularly close to his children, but she was different. She read me all the bedtime stories I wanted and let me nap on her skirts whenever I wanted to.”
“Ah. So she’s who we have to appreciate for the whole ‘true love’ and ‘happily ever after’ nonsense,” Izuku teased.
Shouto playfully rolled his eyes at that. “Yes, haha, very funny. She did feed my love for those stories, but it was my sister who helped me believe in them. She’d tell me about couples living their ‘happily ever afters’ together all over the five kingdoms, and it made me want one, too.”
“But why?”
“I didn’t exactly get the best instruction on what ‘happily ever after’ meant in my parents' marriage,” Shouto confessed a little awkwardly. “She never loved him, and he only married her out of necessity to have a queen. I assume that’s why I’ve always been chasing after true love and happily ever after. I want something better than that.”
“Something out of a fairytale?” Izuku guessed with an amused smile.
“Yes. And now that I’m marrying Tenya, it’s proof that dreams do come true.” Placing a hand on Izuku’s left arm, he said empathetically, "I see you’re not convinced, but I simply think you need to believe in magic a little more. You’ll be a lot happier like that.”
“Pass,” Izuku said, snorting as he picked a piece of pizza off the pan. “I think I’m okay without all the knights in shining armor and princes in my life.”
Frowning, Shouto replied, “For some reason I feel like I should be offended by that.”
“No!” Horrified, Izuku waved his hands in Shouto’s face. “No, I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant that I can live without fairytales is all! Present princes excluded.”
“Oh. So you do enjoy my company?” Shouto asked, sitting up a little hopefully.
Sighing, Izuku flashed him a crooked, fond smile. “Maybe just a little more than I thought I would.”
The flutters in his heart and the blush in his cheeks returned, and Shouto quickly turned his attention back to his abandoned pizza slice so Izuku wouldn’t notice.
“You finished your soda,” Izuku commented in surprise. “Do you want something else to drink?”
“Perhaps–”
“Perhaps the young sir would like to try this drink?” A man with a white cooking hat and a thin mustache said, leaning forward to wave the drink in Shouto’s face. “It’s free of charge, sent to you by a secret admirer.”
“Secret admirer?” Izuku murmured, brows furrowed.
Curiously, Shouto watched the man set the glass down on the table. “It’s such an interesting shade of red. What is it?”
“It’s called an apple martini, sir.”
A bit apprehensive, Shouto tugged on Izuku’s sleeve. “Have you tried one of these before?”
“I try to stay away from martinis.” Leaning in forward, Izuku whispered conspiratorially, “You have to be careful with those. They’re poison.”
Both the server and Shouto straightened up, Shouto looking at him warily and the server angry.
“Really?” Looking back at the glass, Shouto said dubiously, “You’re joking.”
Izuku huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, I’m joking. They’re just dangerous because they can really creep up on you if you drink too many.”
“Oh, well then I suppose I should only take one sip.”
“Yes,” the server urged as Shouto pressed the glass to his lips, “Just one sip is all it takes…”
Before Shouto could take a sip of the martini, a woman suddenly let out an ear-piercing shriek and the glass was knocked out of his hands by a brown blur.
Shouto instinctively jumped back and Izuku protectively held an arm in front of him, horror on his face as he looked down at the table. Standing on top of the pizza was a chipmunk with white stripes down his back and blue eyes.
“It’s a chipmunk!” Eri shouted as she ran over to them, eyes sparkling. “Can we keep it?”
“No sweetie, we can’t keep it. Can we get some help over here? There’s a wild animal on the table!”
The chipmunk screeched up at them as it hopped up and down, and only when he leaned down did Shouto realize who the chipmunk was.
“Touya?” Shouto gasped when the chipmunk jumped into his hands, nodding quickly. “Touya, what in the world happened to you? Why are you a chipmunk?”
Touya screeched loudly as he pointed exasperatedly all around him, all while people screamed and Eri begged Izuku to let her keep him.
“You…and Tenya!” Shouto’s eyes widened. “Tenya’s here? And he’s looking for me? Where?”
“That thing is full of diseases!” Katsuki shouted from the other table. “Drop it, half and half!”
“Who–?”
“I have got this handled!” The server shouted, and then Izuku shouted, “Wait! Shouto, duck!”
Shouto was shoved to the ground as the server whipped a tray in the air, and Touya went flying out of Shouto’s hands.
Warm, rough hands helped him up as the server looked around for Touya, red eyes sharp and attentive to every movement in the room.
“Are you okay?” Izuku fussed as he took Shouto’s face into his hands. “Let me see your face. That chipmunk could have scratched you–”
“No, I’m fine,” Shouto protested as he grabbed onto Izuku’s wrists. “Touya would never hurt me.”
Izuku wrinkled his nose. “Touya?”
“Where is the little bastard?” the server hissed, clutching onto his pan tightly.
Everyone looked around for a minute, but even Shouto couldn’t see Touya anymore. Then, when he had resigned himself to having lost sight of his brother, Eri gasped and tugged on Izuku’s sleeve.
“Dad, look! The pizza’s breathing!”
Before Shouto could try to save his brother, the server grabbed the plate of pizza and sent it hurtling into the pie oven. Large flames jumped out, confirming the hit, and Shouto felt something stab him in the heart.
“Touya,” he whispered, clutching onto Izuku’s left arm like a lifeline.
Izuku grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him closer into his side, holding both him and Eri close while they all stared at the roaring flames. Around them, people clapped for the server, who bowed with an odd glance around him like he thought everyone was insane.
Katsuki stormed up to them, an incredulous look in his eyes. “You! Halfie! Why the fuck were you cuddling up with a chipmunk?!”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Shouto murmured quietly, because it was finally something he’d come to understand: no one truly understood him in this world.
Katsuki opened his mouth to say something, but before he could say anything, Izuku glared at him and said sternly, “That’s enough, Kacchan. Shouto’s been through enough tonight.”
Katsuki stared at Izuku in disbelief. “Are you serious?” His eyes then flickered between Shouto, who had rested his head on Izuku’s shoulder, and Izuku’s stern eyes. “You–”
“You guys should go home,” Eijirou cut it in with a small smile. “It’s been an eventful night, so take some time to unwind and relax. Tomorrow’s always another day.”
Shouto felt Izuku gently rub his arm in an attempt to comfort him. “Yeah, I think you’re right. I think it’s time for us to head out.”
Shouto unglued himself from Izuku’s side and took Eri’s offered hand. When she flashed him a comforting smile, he couldn’t help but smile back.
Izuku said something to Katsuki and Eijirou before talking to a profusely sorry manager came over to them and told them not to worry about the tab. Shouto half expected Izuku to dispute it, but to his surprise, Izuku didn’t. Once the matter was settled Izuku was guiding both Shouto and Eri out of the restaurant.
The cool night air felt good on Shouto’s skin as he tried to erase the sight of the pizza flying into the oven with Touya inside it. Yet the more he tried not to think about Touya dying, the less he believed it. Touya had always been smart from the beginning, so he certainly would’ve adapted to being transformed into a chipmunk. He also certainly would’ve figured out how to escape death. That was just how incredible his eldest brother was.
“Are you okay, Prince Shouto?”
Shouto looked down at Eri’s worried red eyes, pigtails draped over her shoulders. Touched by her worry, his eyes softened and he flashed her a smile.
“You can just call me Shouto. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Eri’s eyes brightened and she smiled up excitedly at him. “Yes we are!”
“Come on you two,” Izuku said as he gestured for them to follow him. “It’s time to head home.”
“Wait just a moment!” A woman cried out from a large white van.
Stumbling towards them with a camera man behind them, she held a microphone up to the group with an eager look in her eyes.
“We heard you were assaulted by a wild animal tonight! Would you mind giving us a few words about what exactly happened?”
“We were actually leaving–”
“It wasn’t a wild animal,” Shouto said, cutting Izuku off. “It was a small chipmunk. He was quite harmless, actually.”
“We heard he attacked you.”
“Oh no, my brother would never attack me like that.”
“I’m sorry, but we really have to go!” Pulling Shouto by the hand, Izuku urged, “Come on!”
Shouto only sighed and wordlessly followed after Izuku, and if he was secretly pleased that the man never let go of his hand on the walk back to his apartment, he didn’t show it.
Within the hour, Izuku had corralled both of them into their pajamas and Eri was tucked in bed. But to Shouto’s surprise, instead of asking Izuku for a bedtime story, she asked for him instead.
“Me?” Shouto asked curiously as he sat on the bed next to her. “You want me to read you a bedtime story?”
“Can you tell me the story about your chipmunk brother?”
Shouto barked out a surprised laugh at that, amusement filling his veins. “Oh, Touya? He’s not really a chipmunk. That’s why I was so perplexed when the chipmunk spoke to me and called me brother.”
“So what is your brother like?” Eri asked curiously.
“Oh, he’s very brave.” Smiling, he continued, “He has white hair and blue eyes, and he’s older than me by many years. He’s a very protective brother, too. One time when I was seven, he saved me from a pack of wild boars without any help.”
“Wow,” Eri whispered. “He sounds so brave. But why is he a chipmunk?”
“That I can’t answer. But my guess is that he bumped into the old man who pushed me down the magic well, and instead of being transformed like I was, he was transformed into a chipmunk.”
Eri nodded seriously. “That makes so much sense. Did he say anything important? Can you speak chipmunk?”
Shouto frowned. “Well, I can’t speak chipmunk, but I can understand it. Touya actually told me that Tenya is here and is looking for me, can you believe it?”
“Can I meet your knight in shining armor when he comes to save you?” Eri asked excitedly.
Chuckling, Shouto nodded. “I already told you yes, and I don’t intend to backtrack my words now. I’m sure he’d be delighted to meet you.”
“Yay!”
Eri yawned, and Shouto’s smile softened. “You should get some rest. That way one day you can just be a lady and not only a small one.”
“Kay.” Then Eri surprised him: she pulled him into a tight hug, one that he hesitantly returned with a careful touch. “Goodnight, Shouto.”
“Goodnight, Eri.”
Shouto quietly shut the light switch off and walked out of the room, leaving Eri to peacefully fall asleep. Shuffling into the living room, he was met with the sight of Izuku sitting on the couch in a loose baby blue shirt and navy blue flannel pants, phone in hand.
Izuku looked up at him when he stepped into the living room, brows softening. “Hey. Thanks for tucking her in. I was sort of afraid you weren’t going to, if I’m being honest.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Shouto asked, confused.
“It’s not you, it’s just my brain making stuff up.” Sighing, he stood up. “Can I ask why you were telling the reporters that the chipmunk was your brother?”
“Because it was my brother. I don’t know how, but it seems like he was magically transformed into a chipmunk.” Shouto frowned.
“Right…you didn’t tell Eri that, right?”
“No, I did. She asked about it, so I simply told her the truth.”
“The truth–” Izuku pinched the bridge of his nose before letting out a deep sigh. “Okay. Look, Shouto. I’m not telling you that you’re wrong, but I don’t really want you to say things like that to Eri.”
Frown deepening, Shouto asked, “Why?”
“Because I don’t want my daughter believing and telling everyone that people can turn into talking chipmunks,” Izuku answered exasperatedly. “It’s not real, Shouto.”
“Yes it is,” Shouto argued.
“No, it’s not. And I think you’re telling yourself it is real because you’re scared to be disappointed that Tenya isn’t coming.”
“He is coming.”
“Really? You really believe he’s coming?” Izuku stared at him in disbelief. “Please tell me it’s not because the chipmunk told you, because chipmunks don’t talk.”
“Not here they don’t.”
Sighing, Izuku placed a hand on Shouto’s left shoulder. “Look. All I’m trying to say is that it’s okay to be scared. But you don’t have to be scared by yourself. I can help you settle into New York if things don’t happen like you want them to.”
Suddenly irritated, Shouto shrugged Izuku’s hand off his shoulder. “Thank you, but I don’t need your help. Tenya is coming.”
“No, he’s not.”
“Yes he is!”
“I have to disagree.”
“Why do you keep saying no?” Shouto suddenly snapped, angrier than he’d ever been before. It clearly took Izuku by surprise as well, based on the way his eyes widened. “Is that all you know how to say? No? No?”
“I’m just trying to be realistic here–”
“Well I don’t appreciate your realism. My knight is coming, and no amount of ‘no’s’ from you can stop it!” Growling, Shouto stepped closer to Izuku until they were pressed chest to chest together. “You know what, Izuku? Sometimes you make me so…so…angry!”
“And what do you think you do to me?” Izuku snapped back, looking up pointedly into Shouto’s mismatched eyes. “Always talking about magic kingdoms and knights in shining armor…you don’t know when to be real!”
“Then maybe you should learn how to be not-real!” Shouto spat back, body burning with anger.
He’d never felt this kind of anger before; sure, he’d been irritated and mad at his father before, and maybe upset when Natsuo stole his strawberry shortcake, but he’d never felt like this. This anger was all consuming, and it made him want to do something stupid like kiss Izuku.
Shouto suddenly realized that Izuku wasn’t saying anything, and snapping back into focus, he saw the same hungry anger reflected in Izuku’s eyes. He looked more alive and beautiful than ever like this, going toe to toe with Shouto over reality and fantasy.
I want to kiss him, he suddenly realized when Izuku blinked and stepped back with an awkward cough. I want to kiss him more than anything else in the world.
“I’m sorry,” Shouto mumbled, cheeks red as he averted his gaze to the opposite side of the room. “I shouldn’t have yelled.”
“It-it’s okay,” Izuku said, fist covering his mouth and his own eyes averted to the couch. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have yelled back.”
Shouto nodded, and clearing his throat, said “Maybe it’s best if we go to sleep.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Shouto carefully stepped around Izuku, and picking up the white blanket, he carefully laid down on the couch. Turning so his back was to Izuku, he closed his eyes.
“You’re not going to say goodnight?”
Shouto’s eyes flew up, and turning his head a little just so he could stare at Izuku over his shoulder, he blinked slowly. To his surprise, Izuku was pouting.
“I…thought we weren’t going to say goodnight.”
Izuku sighed at that, a small exasperated smile appearing on his face. “I’m not going to ice you out just because we fought.”
“Hm.” Flashing him a tentative smile, Shouto said, “Alright then. Goodnight, Izuku.”
Softly, Izuku said, “That’s better. Goodnight, Shouto.”
When Shouto turned his face back to the back of the couch and Izuku made his way to his room, his smile slipped and he placed a hand over his fluttering chest.
This was super bad.
The next morning, Izuku didn’t wake up to the sound of someone rummaging through his kitchen. Instead, he woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly on his nightstand.
Groaning, he read the caller ID before lazily answering the call and pressing his phone to his ear.
“It is eight in the morning on a Saturday. Why are you calling me?”
“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Katsuki said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Tough luck, princess. I have information on your crazy prince that I thought you’d like to know.”
“Shouto? What about him?”
“It turns out he may not be as insane as we thought he was. Ears told us that her wife had been called to Times Square for some sort of dispute with city workers yesterday morning.”
“Okay…?”
“Some idiot with a sword apparently popped out of a manhole and asked the workers to help him find his prince.”
Izuku suddenly sat up straight in bed, eyes wide as he clutched his phone tightly in his hand. “What–”
“Word is that he also apparently had a rabid chipmunk with him and that another guy popped out of the manhole two minutes after Yaoyorozu got on scene. Then she got a dispatch call saying some idiot with a sword–”
“–had stabbed the bus and told people he freed them from the monster,” Izuku sighed, pressing a palm to his forehead. “Yeah, that part I know.”
“The fuck? How?”
“Shouto and I bumped into two women in the park talking about it after we left the station yesterday. I thought they were lying but I guess not.”
“I thought she was lying out of her ass until she told me she saw another guy come out of the manhole with her own eyes. That’s honestly some freaky shit. Your half-and-half prince might genuinely not be from this place.”
Izuku groaned at that. “I literally yelled at him about Tenya not coming for him last night and now you’re telling me he’s actually real. Ugh, I feel even worse now than I did yesterday.”
“Why would you feel bad for giving him a reality check?” Silence. “Don’t tell me you actually like the guy.”
“No! Of course I don’t!” Izuku spluttered, cheeks flushing red. “I just…you know what? I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“Holy shit. You do like him.”
Izuku heard someone knocking on the door then, and he swore he had never felt more relieved to have an excuse to end the call.
Ripping his covers off and sliding into his slippers, he hastily said, “You know what, there’s someone knocking on my door. I’ll see you later at the ball, okay?”
“Deku–”
“Bye!”
Izuku ended the call as soon as he got to his bedroom door. Suddenly hit by a wave of relief, he sagged against the door with his phone hanging limply in his hand.
Staring up at his ceiling, he groaned silently. He had gone to bed fully hoping he would forget the way he and Shouto got into each other's faces mid-argument last night, but he found that every time he so much as blinked, all he could see was Shouto’s beautiful eyes and his pink lips, begging to be kissed in Izuku’s oversized white T-shirt and red flannel pants as pajamas.
Izuku couldn’t be thinking about kissing Shouto. He was dating Ochako, for crying out loud! He’d gone to bed after a very cold shower to punish himself, hoping he’d forget it, but he couldn’t get the sudden longing out of his chest. He’d never felt that way before, and it honestly scared him how he’d known Shouto a grand total of two days and still felt like this.
Get a grip, he said to himself before shaking his head and opening his door.
Stepping into the thin hallway, the first thing he registered was laughter in the kitchen. When he tried walking into the living room, he suddenly paused and stared at the curtains.
Izuku couldn’t fight the fond smile that made its way onto his face as he stared at the cut-out tunic pattern on his red curtains with golden swirls on them.
Shaking his head, Izuku walked through the living room and into the kitchen.
Shouto and Eri looked up at him with twin looks of surprise, flour on their cheeks and broken eggs on the countertop. To his surprise, Ochako was also there, sitting at the kitchen table with a new carton of eggs in front of her.
“Ochako?” he asked, confused.
Ochako looked up from her phone and smiled widely when she saw him. “Hey! Sorry I didn’t text, but Eri called me about an hour ago asking if I could bring eggs.”
“But we have eggs,” Izuku said slowly, turning to look at a suddenly guilty looking Shouto and Eri. “Or do we?”
“We wanted to surprise you!” Eri shouted, flipping her pink tablet around on the counter to show Izuku a video. “Shouto doesn’t know how to make pancakes, so I was gonna help him!”
“And one dozen eggs wasn’t enough?”
“We kinda broke all of them when Shouto was practicing cracking eggs,” Eri said with a sheepish smile. “That’s why I asked Ochako to bring some!”
“I’m sorry,” Shouto apologized, looking at Izuku a little sheepishly. “I wanted to do something nice for you in case you were still upset about last night.”
“Last night?” Ochako asked, raising a brow.
“Ah, it was nothing serious!” Izuku awkwardly laughed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “We just had a disagreement about something, but everything’s fine. You don’t have to make me breakfast to apologize.”
“Oh. But Eri wanted breakfast too.”
“Then how about I make breakfast for all of us?” Izuku suggested, already moving to the counter. “How does that sound?”
“Yay!” Eri cheered. “No more work for us!”
“Yes, thank the stars,” Shouto sighed with visible relief on his face.
Ochako laughed at that, pulling a chair out for Shouto beside her. “Are you not a good cook, Shouto?”
“The palace chefs always cook for us, so I’ve never so much as picked up an egg. It’s exciting, though.”
“Holding an egg?”
“No, cracking it. It feels like magic when the little yellow yolk comes out of the shell.”
“Like when Ariel walks out of the sea in her pretty dress!”
Shouto frowned. “That dreadful thing? My sister has plenty more beautiful dresses.”
Izuku guffawed silently at Eri’s shocked expression before turning his attention back to the mess on the counter. Picking up the bowl, he grimaced at the mess of ingredients before tossing them in the garbage and pulling out the right ingredients.
“Here. You’re going to need this.”
Izuku jumped a little before laughing and taking the offered egg from Ochako’s hand. “Thanks. I’ll have to buy you a carton of eggs now.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Ochako giggled. “After your gift yesterday, you’re in my good graces for at least a week.”
Izuku flushed pink at that. “Oh, the flowers? You liked that?”
“Are you kidding me? I loved it!” Smiling widely, she said, “Where did you even find live doves in New York?”
“Ah, that’s sort of a long story.”
“It’s so unlike you to be so romantic,” Ochako said with sparkles in her eyes. “Have Eri’s nightly fairytales turned you into a romantic?”
Glancing back at the table where Eri was listening intently to Shouto explain the extravagant dresses in Endeavor, he couldn’t help but grin.
“Something like that.”
Someone knocked on the door then, making everyone look curiously at the hallway.
“Who could that be?” Ochako asked curiously. “Eijirou?”
Izuku shook his head. “No, he’s not supposed to get here to babysit until ten so Kacchan and I can pick up our suits at the tailor.”
The knocking continued, and Eri huffed exaggeratedly before getting out of her chair. “I’ll get it.”
“No, you stay here. I’ll go get it,” Ochako said with an amused smile before stepping out of the kitchen.
The trio watched as Ochako made her way out of the kitchen, Izuku stepping closer to Shouto to get a better view. Standing close to him, he looked down at the new tunic.
“Your tunic looks nice.”
Shouto blinked before smiling shyly back at him. “Thank you.”
“Pardon me, beautiful maiden! It is I, Tenya Iida, captain of the Royal Guard! I am searching for my groom, Prince Shouto. Have you by chance seen him?”
Shouto gasped and shot out of his chair, hand immediately flying to his chest. “It’s Tenya! He’s here!”
“A real knight!” Eri gasped excitedly.
“Apparently,” Izuku said, stuck somewhere between disbelief and awe that Shouto really hadn’t been lying.
Shouto nervously turned around to face Izuku, fingers trying desperately to straighten his collar. “How do I look?”
“Slightly stunned, if I’m being honest.”
“No, I meant, how do I look?”
Taking the opportunity to look Shouto up and down from head to toe, Izuku said somewhat wistfully, “You look beautiful.”
Izuku felt oddly pleased at the sight of the pink blush on Shouto’s cheeks, but he was even more pleased with the sweet smile on his face.
Shouto walked nervously into the living room, and both Izuku and Eri followed him.
The first thing Izuku saw was a tall man with dark hair and navy eyes staring down curiously at Ochako, who matched his look with wonder in her eyes. He was dressed in shining silver armor from head to toe, and there was a sword on his waist, meaning the old woman had actually been telling the truth about her encounter with him.
I guess he really is a knight in shining armor.
“Tenya?”
Tenya’s eyes immediately snapped up to look at Shouto. Relief visibly filled his features as he carefully stepped past Ochako, who watched him walk away with her hand pressed to her lips.
“My prince!” Taking Shouto’s hands, he bowed his head. “I am so sorry it took me this long to find you. Your brother informed me of what happened before our wedding. Trust me, I have my best men searching for the man who dared push you into that well!”
“That’s wonderful,” Shouto smiled. “I’m glad you found me. I never doubted you’d come for a second.”
“I had to search wide and far for you, but just as I was beginning to despair, a magic box told me you’d be here! And look, here you are!”
“Here I am,” Shouto agreed, nodding with that same smile on his face. “You’ve done a fine job, Captain.”
Pressing Shouto’s hands to his lips, Tenya kissed his knuckles before pressing them to his chest. “Your praise means the world to me, my prince. But my job is not truly complete until we return.”
“Return?” Shouto blinked.
“Yes! Return home, to Endeavor,” Tenya said as if it was obvious. “We are still to be wed, remember?”
Shouto blinked again, nodding slowly. “Oh, yes. The wedding. I’d almost forgotten.”
Confusion crossed Tenya’s features. “Is everything alright?”
“No. I mean…” Shouto trailed off before his eyes flickered over to Izuku and Eri. Face lighting up, he pulled Tenya along until they were in front of them. “Tenya, I’d like to introduce you to my saviors. They provided me a place of refuge while I waited for you.”
“Oh!”
Taking Eri’s hand, Shouto presented her to Tenya. “This is Eri, or as I like to call her, small lady.”
Eri looked up in awe at Tenya, eyes sparkling like they did when she first spotted Shouto. “You’re a real knight!”
“Why of course I am! I was handpicked by the king himself to lead his armies to victory!” Leaning down, Tenya shook her small hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Small Lady Eri.”
“You too!”
“And this is Izuku,” Shouto said, gesturing at Izuku with a soft smile. “He saved me from a great fall and has graciously provided me a place to stay.”
“Hello,” Izuku said, a little nervous as he held his hand out. “It’s–woah!”
“Thank you for saving my prince!” Tenya shouted gratefully, aggressively shaking Izuku’s hand. “I am truly in your debt for protecting him from the terrors of his world when I couldn’t!”
“Y-yes, of course! It was our pleasure!” Izuku winced when Tenya finally let go of his hand. “Ow…”
“And you’ve already met Ochako,” Shouto said, gesturing to a wide-eyed Ochako who was still standing at the door.
Tenya nodded, smiling at her. “Yes, the fair maiden who greeted me at the door. It is truly to make your acquaintance, Lady Ochako.”
“Y-you too!” Ochako stuttered, cheeks pinker than usual.
Turning to Shouto, Tenya took his hands once more into his own. “These are all delightful people, my prince. Thank you for introducing us. Now, are you ready to go?”
Izuku watched with great curiosity as Shouto gave the tiniest of winces, his left foot tapping nervously on the ground.
“I…well…” Looking at Tenya, he blurted out, “I think we should stay a little longer.”
“What?”
“We should…go on a date. Yes! A date!”
“A date? What is a date?”
“It’s when two people do a fun activity together,” Shouto explained, looking at Izuku for confirmation he was right. When Izuku nodded encouragingly, his smile widened. “We can talk and get to know each other better. And there is divine food involved as well.”
Tenya hummed before nodding. “Alright. If this is what you wish to do, I am at your mercy, my prince.”
“Excellent.”
“Let us go on this date at once!”
Tenya extended his arm, and with a half-there smile, Shouto slipped his arm through it. He looked back at Izuku and Eri, something sad in his eyes that Izuku resonated with in his heart.
“Do you mind seeing us off?”
“Of course,” Izuku said softly. Taking Eri’s hand, he said, “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s see them off.”
Eri didn’t say a word, choosing only to nod with a sad pout and dimmed eyes.
“You two go ahead and see them off. I’ll finish the pancakes,” Ochako said as she hastily made her way through the apartment to the kitchen. “Goodbye, Shouto.”
“Goodbye, Ochako. It was wonderful getting to meet you.”
The small group stepped out of the apartment then. The elevator ride was silent save for the ticking sounds of numbers of floors passing, and it didn’t help Izuku feel any less sad than he did. Then they were standing outside the front of the apartment, and Izuki couldn’t help but want to cry a little when Shouto let go of Tenya to come up to them one last time.
“Well,” Shouto said, smiling sadly. “It seems that this is where we part ways.”
“Please don’t go,” Eri begged, looking up at Shouto with tears in her eyes. “We didn’t even get to eat pancakes together!”
Kneeling down, Shouto gently brushed Eri’s tears away with a fond look in his eyes. “Please don’t cry, small lady. You can always visit me in Endeavor whenever you’d like. The palace doors are always open for you both.”
“Of course,” Izuku said, hoping his voice didn’t betray the way he wanted to cry like Eri. “The same goes for you too, you know. If you’re ever in New York again, we should all get together for dinner.”
Shouto nodded, his smile sad. “I’d love that.”
Izuku watched Shouto’s smile fall a little as he looked brown at the ground, his lips trembling a little like he wanted to cry, too. Deciding to be strong for all of them, Izuku placed a hand on Shouto’s shoulder.
“Hey.” When Shouto looked up at him, Izuku flashed him a comforting smile. “We’ll see each other soon. This isn’t goodbye forever. It's only goodbye for now.”
Shouto’s eyes widened before he let out a small laugh, his lips settling on a small smile. “You’re right. For now.”
Shouto then stood up straight, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves before glancing at a patiently waiting Tenya.
Izuku glanced at the man too for a brief second. Something ugly clawed at his chest, so he looked away and instead focused on Shouto.
“Good luck on your date.”
Blinking, Shouto nodded. “Thank you. Good luck with Ochako.”
Izuku watched him nervously tap his foot on the ground twice, but before he could call him out on it, Shouto blurted out, “I’ll never forget you, Izuku. Nor you, Eri. You do know that, yes?”
Huffing with amusement, Izuku stepped behind Eri and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “We do. And we also hope you know that we won’t forget you. Ever.”
That finally made Shouto break out into a wide smile with rosy cheeks, and Izuku had never wanted to kiss him more than he did then.
Tenya cleared his throat. Stepping forward, he held his hand out towards Izuku. When Izuku gave him his hand, he shook it.
“Thank you once more for taking care of my prince, Sir Izuku.” Holding his arm out to Shouto, he asked, “Are you ready?”
Taking his arm, Shouto said while looking mournfully at Izuku and Eri, “As I’ll ever be.”
The pair then walked away, Shouto still attempting to look back at them every few seconds until they rounded the block and he was truly gone.
Sniffling, Eri wiped her nose with her purple pajama sleeve. “I’m really gonna miss him.”
And Izuku, unable and unwilling to lie about how much he had grown to care for Shouto in the last two days, sadly replied, “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.”
Shouto had never been on a date before, but based on what Izuku had told him about them, he had an idea of what was supposed to happen.
He was pretty sure that there was meant to be plenty of talking about likes and dislikes, such as opinions on the differences between roast pork and oatmeal for breakfast or the preference of sword length and weight. He was also pretty sure that despite it just being talking, there was supposed to be something there along with it; a spark of love, or the inklings of wanting to talk to a person forever. That was the vision of true love that he had created after being in New York for two days.
Yet walking alongside Tenya on the Brooklyn Bridge, he was somewhat disappointed to say that it didn’t hold up between them. Needless to say, that frightened him.
“So you have siblings as well?” Shouto asked, glancing sideways at Tenya.
“Oh yes. I have but only one older brother. His name is Tensei. He was a soldier in King Enji’s army until he was wounded in battle one day and had to retire.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yes, I was sorry to hear of it as well. But it seems like he has quite turned his life around.” Smiling, Tenya said, “He has found a beautiful wife who he adores more than anything. He has told me ever since then that he hopes I achieve the same. I’m pleased to be returning home with a prince worthy of that adoration.”
Smiling awkwardly, Shouto said, “Yes. How did you like your hotdog?”
“You were right, my prince. This hot dog was divine!” Tenya announced as he folded his now empty napkin up. “Though I must say, I don’t know how I feel about enjoying dog meat.”
“Oh, it’s not actually made out of dog meat. It’s only called that because of its shape.”
Tenya hummed at that. “That’s quite odd. So what meat is it?”
“I believe it’s pork.”
“Well, we must serve it at our wedding feast either way!”
Shouto nodded. “Yes, that sounds like a plan.”
Silence overcame them as they continued walking, sharing small smiles with each other.
After a few minutes, Tenya cleared his throat and said, “This has been a splendid date, my prince. Shall we go, then?”
Shouto blinked slowly. “Go where?”
“Back home to Endeavor, of course. Not only are we still to be wed, but I am sure your family must be worried about you.”
Shouto shrugged at that, nervously looking out over at the East River while avoiding Tenya’s gaze. “I’m sure you’re right, but…well, this date doesn’t have to be over yet. Aren’t you enjoying yourself?”
“Well, yes. But don’t you wish to return home?”
“I do. Of course I do. But there is still so much we haven’t done yet.”
“Such as?”
“Such as…” Shouto wracked his brain for any idea of what else they could, begging it to give him something to prolong his stay.
That was when he remembered the ball Izuku had mentioned the day before, and the prices clicked into place in his mind.
“Such as a ball,” he finally said, looking at Tenya with wide eyes. “Yes, there’s a ball happening tonight. You enjoy those, don’t you?”
“Well, I’ve never truly gone to one if we’re being honest…”
“Perfect! This can be your first one.” Turning back around, Shouto said, “We just need to find suitable clothing–”
Tenya’s warm hand wrapped itself around Shouto’s right wrist. “Prince Shouto?”
“Yes?”
“Once this ball is over, do you promise we’ll return to Endeavor?”
Looking into Tenya’s eyes, Shouto forced himself to smile. “Yes. Of course. The moment it’s over, we will return to Endeavor.”
“Splendid.”
It took him about an hour to find his way back to Izuku’s apartment, and he had to ask a pigeon for help guiding him back. Once in the apartment, he quickly rapped on the door with anticipation in his heart of seeing Izuku again.
Except instead of Izuku opening the door, it was the smiling face of Eijirou that greeted him.
“Kirishima?”
Eijirou blinked slowly before his smile widened. “Oh, Your Highness! I didn’t know you were still here! Eri told me your knight had come for you.”
“Ah, yes, but I’m afraid we’re not leaving just yet.” Nervously shifting his weight on his feet, he asked, “And please just call me Shouto. Is Izuku around? Or Eri? I need their assistance with something.”
“Midoriya stepped out to get the final touches done on his suit for the ball tonight, but Eri’s in her room. Do you want to come in?”
“Yes please.”
Eijirou laughed and stepped aside, and Shouto proceeded to shake his boots off before walking straight for the girl’s room.
Coming to a stop in her doorway, Shouto couldn’t help the smile that crossed his features as he watched Eri play with a prince and princess doll, a plastic purple tiara and a pink tutu over her pajamas.
Eri glanced up briefly from her game into her toy vanity and her eyes met Shouto’s. Gasping, she stood up and ran forward to hug him.
“Shouto! You’re back, you’re back!”
Hugging her back, Shouto laughed, “Oh, Eri. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too,” Eri said with a blinding smile on her face that reminded Shouto all too much of Izuku. “I thought you were going back to marry Tenya!”
“I am, but first we’re going to a ball.”
Eri gasped. “Is it the same ball my dad is going to with Ochako?”
Shouto nodded. Bending down, he took her hands into his own and gently squeezed them. “That’s why I came back. I don’t know what to wear, and I need your help figuring out what to do.”
“Wow. I don’t know if I should be offended that you didn’t want to ask for my help or be touched that Eri was the first person you thought of for help,” Eijirou said bemusedly behind him.
“He clearly saw my cute outfits and wanted inspiration!” Eri huffed.
Grinning, Eijirou leaned forward to ruffle her hair. “I’m sure. But hey, if you’re looking for help, I’d be happy to lend you a hand. I was the first one to look for an outfit when I heard about the ball, and it’s pretty cool if I do say so myself.”
“Really?” Shouto asked hopefully. “You’ll help?”
“Yeah man! I love the enthusiasm!”
“But he asked for my help!” Eri whined.
“How about you tag along to help us make sure we make the right choice?” Shouto asked, smiling at her encouragingly. “I need your expert eye to make sure I don’t make a fool of myself tonight.”
Humming, Eri pretended to think about it before nodding. “Yes! That’s a great idea!” Then, her lips formed a mischievous smirk that made Shouto feel a bit of fear. “And I have the perfect way to make sure we can get everything you need!”
Shouto and Eijirou watched Eri run out of the room and disappear into Izuku’s room for a minute. Then she came back out with a green credit card in hand, a dangerous sparkle in her eyes.
“My dad says it’s only for emergencies, and this is definitely an emergency.”
Eijirou grimaced at that before pulling out his phone. “I don’t know, Eri. Let me text your dad real quick–”
“But Kiri, my dad’s never used it! And he said if I needed to use it for anything, then I could do it without asking him!” Eri pouted. “He’d want me to use it to make Shouto look even prettier for the ball.”
Eijirou sighed before sliding his phone back into his pocket. “Yeah, I can actually see him saying that after the pizza fiasco last night.”
Shouto frowned and raised a brow, but Eijirou didn’t continue and instead pointed at Eri’s room.
“Alright, we need to get moving if we want to get everything ready on time so you need to change. We leave in five minutes. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!” Eri saluted before slamming her door shut to get changed.
Suddenly nervous, Shouto looked at Eijirou. “Are you sure we should be using Izuku’s funds like that without asking?”
Laughing, Eijirou waved him off with a flip of his wrist. “Don’t worry about it. I’m pretty sure that’s the card he got from his super-loaded dad if he ever needed any money for Eri. Might as well use it to dress you up and make her happy.”
“Oh, alright.”
Ten minutes later, they were walking down the street with a bumblebee backpack on Eri’s back and her hand in Shouto’s. Eijirou walked beside Eri, eyes glued to his phone.
“Okay, so the whole theme of this ball is ‘Past Fashion.’ But I feel like it’d be cheating if we bought something that looks like what you’re already wearing, so we should go for a different acceptable era. Maybe something regency era like Katsuki and I are wearing.”
“Yeah! That’s so cool!” Eri gushed.
“What’s a regency era?” Shouto asked.
Eijirou grinned wickedly. “You’ll see.”
And boy, did Shouto really see.
He was dragged into a funny costume store first, and he spent about two hours in there trying everything from shirts to boots on.
In the end they settled on a navy blue coat with six silver buttons that ended at his waist in the front and fell just to his calves in the back. Inside, he was supposed to wear a thin white shirt and a thin white vest over it, as well as a black cravat to match. The pants were black and went down to his ankles, and underneath it, they all ultimately ended up agreeing that his boots were better than anything in the shop.
“They look straight out of a fairytale!” the kind woman assisting them had marveled, and all three had giggled nervously before agreeing.
If only she knew.
After the costume shop, they were off to a hair salon with about six different bags in Eijirou’s hands and two in Shouto’s. At the salon, Eijirou charmed his favorite hairdresser into helping all three of them without an appointment, and Shouto and Eri ended up in fancy white chairs while Eijirou chatted enthusiastically with all the workers.
“So what do you wanna do with your hair?” Eri asked curiously as Shouto flipped through the hairstyle book.
“I’m not sure. But I think I might cut it, maybe just a little.”
Eri gasped. “You’re cutting it? But you look so pretty like this!”
“Yes, but it’s well past my shoulder blades and it’s been like that forever. I want to try something new.” Stopping on one page, Shouto’s eyes widened. “And I think I know what.”
Eri peered over the armrest at him and gasped. “That’s so pretty! I bet you’re gonna be the prettiest prince at the ball.”
Smiling, Shouto shook his head. “No, not a prince. Just Shouto.”
Eri smiled widely at him before looking down at her newly lilac-pained nails. “This is a lot of fun. Ochako takes me to the salon sometimes, but it’s never like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like this much fun,” Eri confessed with a sheepish look at Shouto. “She’s fun, but you’re funnier. I wish you were marrying my dad instead.”
Shouto felt himself blush to the tips of his toes at her confession. “Eri, I’m flattered you think so highly of me, but Ochako is a wonderful woman who your father loves very much.”
Eri sighed, flopping back in her chair. “I know! But it’d be so much cooler to have two dads instead of one.”
“I don’t know,” Shouto mused somewhat amusedly. “I quite enjoyed having a mother. And whether you have a mother or father, it doesn’t make a difference so much as they love you.”
“Do you?”
Shouto blinked slowly. “Do I what, small lady?”
“Do you love me?”
Eri looked up at him shyly, and Shouto felt a warmth overtake his chest as he reached out to squeeze her small hand.
“I love you like you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
Eri’s answering smile was so bright that it made Shouto’s chest ache, because it looked like the smile Izuku gave him just before getting him a hotdog simply because he’d wanted to try one.
Curse his heart. He was engaged to a fine man who wanted to marry him, and his kingdom was expecting a royal wedding, yet all Shouto could think about was Izuku’s freckled and dimpled smile. Oh, how he ached to be close to him.
They eventually made their way out of the salon, and Eijirou made Shouto wait outside Izuku’s apartment while he dropped Eri back home. Then they were making their way to the redhead’s apartment to get ready for the ball.
“Do you not live with Bakugou?” Shouto asked curiously as they stepped into his apartment.
“Oh no, we do! But we agreed to get ready in separate places so we wouldn’t get distracted on the way to the ball.” Ignoring Shouto’s stunned expression, Eijirou opened a bedroom door and set the bags down on the bed. “You can get ready here. Call me if you need any help!”
The door slammed shut, leaving Shouto alone in a room with dozens of pieces of clothing he had to attempt to put on alone while trying not to ruin his hair.
Good thing he had some practice with that.
Once he had slipped into his outfit, Shouto took a hesitant step back to look at himself in the full length mirror. Dressed in a way that was part of the history of this world, he felt a little bit closer to the truth that laid in his heart.
Shouto was fixing his cuff when Eijirou knocked before opening the door. “Hey man, I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay…oh, wow.”
Shouto looked up from his cuff curiously, head tilted to the side. “What is it?”
Eijirou blinked slowly before letting out a nervous laugh, his cheeks a little red. “Oh, it’s nothing! I think I’m just a little jealous of how you look good in everything.”
“Oh. Did I do it right, then?”
“You did it perfectly,” Eijirou confirmed as he entered the room in a black variation of what Shouto was wearing, his hair in a low ponytail. Then, as he approached Shouto, he mumbled, “Izuku’s going to die when he sees him.”
Shouto briefly worried about what Eijirou meant before the man reached up to adjust his cravat. “I thought I did it perfectly.”
“You did, but I made it even more perfect.” Stepping back, Eijirou nodded approvingly. “Your knight is really going to be wooed tonight.”
At the mention of Tenya, Shouto averted his gaze to his shoes. “Yes, I’m sure he’ll think I look divine. He’s always saying it.”
Eijirou nodded slowly, something odd in his eyes. “Right. I don’t mean to pry, but this knight of yours…do you love him?”
“What?” Shouto asked, looking up at Eijirou with wide eyes.
“Do you love him?” Eijirou repeated, head tilted curiously. “Because you look like a million bucks, but instead of being excited about going to this ball with him, you look like you’re walking to your execution.”
“I…we’re engaged. We are to be wed when we return to Endeavor.”
“Right, but…” Gnawing on his lower lip, Eijirou shrugged. “I don’t know. That doesn’t sound like true love to me.”
“And what does true love sound like to you?”
Smiling a little lopsidedly, Eijirou said, “It sounds like following your heart and not your expectations.”
Shouto stared at the redhead a little dumbfoundedly, heart racing in his chest and his cheeks red like he’d just been caught. But instead of calling him out on it, Eijirou only winked before walking back to the door.
“We’ve got some time to kill before we have to call a cab. Have you ever tried pizza bites?”
“No, but you’ve intrigued me.”
Eijirou’s eyes lit up at that. “Oh man, I am so glad that I’m going to be the one to introduce you to these.”
Izuku had never been to a ball before, but he had read up on them when Ochako had asked him to go so he knew what to expect.
He had read up on the dancing and had even practiced with her for weeks so he knew when to bow and when to lead, because he wasn’t lying when he told Shouto he was a terrible dancer. Then he’d practiced talking with a poor British accent until Eri had called it atrocious and paid him five dollars from her emergency funds to get him to stop, so he’d stopped. Then he’d prepared himself for the grandeur of it, knowing it would probably blow him away when he stepped foot in the room.
It didn’t stop him from being a little overwhelmed by it all twenty minutes into the night.
“There’s so many people,” he murmured as he and Ochako waltzed together, her big pink dress making a swish as they danced.
Ochako giggled at that, amusement filling her eyes. “Of course there are. A lot more people like these things than you think, you know.”
“Fantasy? I still think it’s a little silly.”
Rolling her eyes, Ochako replied, “You always think this stuff is a little silly, but you really need to loosen up about it. A little fantasy and fun never killed anyone.”
“What about Marie Antoinette?”
“That cannot seriously be your argument every time I tell you to be a little whimsy.”
Izuku shrugged at that before coming to a stop as the waltz music ended to a round of applause. He bowed with a smile as Ochako curtsied with a giggle, and then the two of them walked to the sidelines where Katsuki was watching with a glass in hand.
“What?” Ochako asked exasperatedly. “Eijirou’s still not here?”
Katsuki shook his head. “I don’t know what’s taking him so long. He just texted me saying he’d gotten caught up in traffic twenty minutes ago, but he was close.”
“I hope he’s okay,” Izuku said worriedly. “Eri told me they were running around all afternoon getting things ready for tonight.”
Katsuki narrowed his eyes at that. “What?”
“Yeah! She said he forgot to buy the perfect shoes and also had to get his roots retouched, which I thought was weird since he said he was getting that done after our last shift together on Tuesday, but what do I know about hair care?”
“Enough to tame it a little for tonight,” Ochako said with a playful shove of his shoulder.
Izuku laughed at that, but Katsuki’s frown stopped him from laughing for too long.
“Kacchan? What’s wrong?”
“I’m trying to understand why he’d lie about his shoes and hair when he said he had everything this morning.”
“What?”
Ochako then let out a small gasp beside him. Turning to look at her, Izuku saw her looking at something in the distance, her eyes wide and cheeks a little rosier than usual.
“I think I know why.”
Confused, Izuku turned his attention to the elevator entrance at the top of the grand staircase and promptly felt his heart jump into his throat.
Standing there, looking more beautiful than the day he’d met him, stood Shouto with a navy blue coat whose tail went down to his thighs and hair slicked back. He was accompanied by Tenya, who was holding his hand as they made their way to the stairs, as well as a grinning Eijirou who walked in ahead of them.
Izuku watched Shouto curiously glance around the room, his mesmerizing mismatched eyes taking everything in like it wasn’t surely straight out of his palace. Then, he swore time stopped as Shouto’s eyes finally landed on him, and he was rewarded with the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen in his life.
“Fucking hell,” Izuku heard Katsuki curse as he matched Shouto’s smile with his own.
Eijirou greeted them with a grin as he walked up to them with the pair behind him. “Hey guys! Guess who I bumped into on the way up here.”
“You did not bump into them,” Katsuki said flatly.
“Yeah, I didn’t,” Eijirou agreed with a laugh. “It turns out Shouto here really wanted to check out the ball before leaving, so I helped him get ready.”
“Yes, thank you for telling him that,” Shouto said with a flat look. Looking at Izuku, his smile reappeared. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself,” Izuku replied with a wide smile. “I’m surprised to see you here. Eri moped so convincingly the whole afternoon that I thought for sure you were gone.”
Shouto chuckled at that, nervously curling and uncurling his fingers at his sides. “Yes, we may or may not have bought her silence with ice cream for lunch.”
“Ah. That explains it.”
Suddenly aware of the silence from his friends, Izuku’s eyes darted to Eijirou and Katsuki. Eijirou was looking at them dreamily with a heart on his chest, and Katsuki was shaking his head. Then he looked at Ochako, who was pointedly looking down as she fiddled with the edges of her white gloves.
Shouto suddenly cleared his throat, eyes darting back to Tenya. “Most of you have met him already, but I’d like to introduce you once more to Tenya. He’s my…knight.”
Katsuki scoffed at that. “Guess you weren’t crazy after all.”
“Don’t mind him,” Eijirou said hastily when Tenya frowned at Katsuki’s words. “He’s just like that. While Shouto is into knights, I’m into angry viscounts.”
“I thought we said I was an earl.”
“No, I’m the earl. You’re the viscount.”
“What the–”
Nervously laughing, Izuku pressed a hand on Ochako’s back, making her squeak as she looked up. “And you’re already met her, but this is Ochako. She’s my…well…”
“Beautiful maiden,” Tenya said with a charming smile aimed at the blushing woman. “Yes, I remember you.”
“Thank you,” she said with a shy smile. Odd.
Tenya then turned to Shouto, and taking his hand, announced, “And this is Crown Prince Shouto Todoroki of Endeavor, not only prince to the kingdom, but also to me. The one I protect above the rest.”
“Oh, wow,” Ochako whispered.
Tenya looked at her curiously, still smiling. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh no, it’s just…the way you said that, so straightforward and not a hint of irony…it’s so romantic,” Ochako said, cheeks a vibrant shade of pink and her voice a little breathless.
“Give me a break,” Katsuki grumbled.
“Well, thank you,” Tenya said, smile widening as he tipped his head at Ochako.
Someone tapped on a microphone then, and the soft sounds of a piano began to play.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of night. I’d like to invite each gentleman and lady to find someone they did not come with tonight for this next dance.”
Izuku couldn’t help the way his eyes immediately darted to Shouto, and miraculously, he found that Shouto was already looking at him, too.
“We’re going to sit this one out,” Katsuki said gruffly, nodding at the small group. “You should dance.”
Tenya looked at Katsuki before turning his attention to Ochako, a smile forming on his face. Offering her his hand, he asked, “May I have this dance, my lady?”
Ochako giggled a little before nodding and taking his hand, strangely not even looking at Izuku as Tenya whisked her onto the dance floor.
Now alone, Izuku took the opportunity to hold his hand out to Shouto.
Smiling, he asked, “Shall we dance, Prince Shouto?”
Shouto huffed out a laugh before taking his hand, satin touching satin as they took their position amongst the other dancers.
“It’s just Shouto tonight,” he said quietly as he got into position. “I’ll lead.”
“No,” Izuku blurted out, face warm. “I want to lead.”
“But I’m taller.”
“And this is likely the only chance you won’t have to lead in a dance since you are just Shouto tonight, not a prince.” When Shouto’s eyes softened, he whispered, “Please.”
Please let me have you just for tonight.
Wordlessly, Shouto nodded, and Izuku began to lead them into a slow waltz while they stared into each other’s eyes.
The music played as a man began to sing softly, and the lights dimmed, casting shadows over Shouto’s face. Yet Izuku found that despite the shadows over his eyes and the slope of his nose, he couldn’t stop staring at the mesmerizing life in the mismatched marble gray and turquoise blue eyes.
“You cut your hair,” he murmured as they circled the room, his left hand secure on Shouto’s waist.
“I did,” Shouto confirmed as his fingers twitched where they were resting on Izuku’s shoulder. “You lied to me, by the way.”
“What?”
“You said you couldn’t dance.”
Izuku huffed out a quiet laugh at that, further intertwining their fingers as he prepared to twirl him. “I guess I can if I’m with the right partner.”
Izuku didn’t give Shouto time to think about it before twirling him, letting go just in time for Shouto to come back to him with a sweet smile on his face. They swayed a little with Shouto’s back pressed to Izuku’s chest, so warm and so close that Izuku wanted to stay like this forever.
Then Shouto turned around and didn’t give Izuku time to think before he was leading him into big spins around the room, looking down at him with what felt like pure adoration. His touch burned through his satin gloves, and his nose brushed Izuku’s as they waltzed pressed chest to chest with one another, both clearly unwilling to let go of the moment.
I’m in love with him, Izuku realized as he let himself press his forehead on Shouto’s shoulder while they waltzed to the ending of the song. I don’t want to let him go.
But unable to say it because he knew Shouto was leaving to get married, all he could do was warble along to the song, “So close, so close…”
“And still so far,” Shouto finished softly, his breath tickling the top of Izuku’s head.
The waltz came to an end then, and as the sound of applause filled the air, Izuku regretfully stepped away from Shouto with so many unsaid words in his heart.
All along, he’d been right about true love not existing. If it did, how come he was about to lose the man he loved to someone else?
It just wasn’t fair.
Shouto watched Tenya come up to them, Ochako at his side with a sad little smile on her face.
“Mind if I have the next dance, Your Highness?”
Shouto took one last glance at Izuku before nodding, wordlessly stepping aside to let Ochako find her way back to Izuku’s side. But the damage had been done; call him stupid, call him ridiculous, call him a monster, but all he wanted was to dance with the man who truly made him feel like he’d found true love, not just the idealized fantastical version described in all his books.
“I’m sorry, but I need a bit of fresh air,” Shouto hastily excused himself as he gently patted Tenya’s worried face. “Don’t worry, Tenya. I’ll be right back.”
“Of course, my prince.”
Shouto quickly made his way up the grand staircase and pressed his back against one of the railings while letting his head fall into his hands.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. He couldn’t have Izuku, not the way he wanted to. Yet all he could think about was Eijirou’s words only a few hours ago that told him to follow his heart and not expectation.
What did his heart want?
Looking out at the sea of guests, he watched Izuku say something to Ochako before they went their separate ways.
Izuku Midoriya. It wanted Izuku Midoriya.
Closing his eyes, he whispered, “I wish I could forget any of this ever happened.”
“That can be arranged,” an old voice crooned at his side.
Shouto’s eyes flew open as he looked down at his side and gasped. A familiar old man in a hooded coat looked up at him, almost familiar turquoise blue eyes staring straight into his soul.
“It’s you,” Shouto whispered in fear. “You’re the one who sent me here!”
“Dear child, I am not the one who sent you here. You merely tripped over the edge of the well and fell in.” When Shouto opened his mouth to protest, the old man waved a finger in the air. “Do not argue, prince. I have come here to save you.”
“To save me?”
“Yes. I have come to save you from the sadness and pain of a love that can’t be.” Presenting an apple from his pocket, the man crooned, “Dear prince, you cannot stay in this world. You cannot love the man who has bewitched you with his charm. And if you wish to forget him, to forget this doomed love, I can help you with this.”
Shouto looked down warily at the vibrant red apple in the old man’s hand. “An apple?”
“Yes. With just one bite, all your memories of this wretched place will be erased. You will forget that you even fell down that well, this I swear with all certainty.”
Picking the apple up, Shouto stared at it for a few seconds before his attention flickered back to Izuku. The man, dressed in his fancy black coat with silver threaded designs and calve-high boots, didn’t look at him once as he discussed something heatedly with Katsuki and Eijirou, Ochako merely a table away with a glass in hand.
Ochako, who was Izuku’s true love. Ochako, who was the woman Izuku had said he was to marry one day. Ochako, whose kindness surpassed his, because she would surely not even fathom ever falling in love with someone else’s prince.
“One bite,” the old man crooned, pressing the apple closer to Shouto’s mouth. “Just one bite, and this nightmare will be over.”
Shouto took one last look at Izuku before finally looking back at the apple, heart aching. And closing his eyes, he pressed the apple to his lips and took a bite out the center.
Shouto briefly opened his eyes after that, preparing to ask what happened next. Then he felt the world begin to spin beneath his feet, and the last thing he saw as he collapsed was the blue pendant on the old man’s chest that matched exactly the one his father wore and the same wicked grin on his wrinkled face.
When Shouto walked away, Izuku forced himself to look away, turning his attention to Ochako.
He found that her eyes were trained on his face, like she was inspecting every twitch of his brow and the feelings that bled into his expressions.
Offering her an arm, Izuku forced a weak smile onto his face. “Sorry. Would you care to join me for this next dance?”
“Actually, I think I also need a break.” Taking his hands into her own, she squeezed them tightly before walking away, disappearing into the dozens of blues, pinks, purples and yellows around them.
Izuku frowned as he watched her walk away, confused about what just happened. Partnerless, he walked back to the sidelines where Eijirou and Katsuki were already staring at him with varying judgemental looks.
Blinking slowly, he asked, “Is something wrong with Ochako?”
“You have got to be shitting me.” Glaring, Katsuki snapped, “What do you mean ‘is there something wrong with her?’ She just saw you about to suck face with half and half and you’re over here asking ‘is there something wrong with her?’”
Izuku flushed red, fingers curling instinctively over the collar of his jacket. “I was not going to kiss him–!”
“Dude, you were going to kiss him,” Eijirou sighed. “And it really looked like he wanted to kiss you, too.”
“What? No. Don’t be silly. We weren’t going to kiss each other! That was just…it was just…dancing.”
“Dancing,” Katsuki deadpanned. “Dancing with your head on his shoulder and his hand almost on your ass.”
“It was not–”
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Eijirou said gently, “We’re not trying to upset you, man. We’re just calling it as we see it, and you are clearly in love with him.”
Heart lodged in his throat, Izuku rasped, “It doesn’t matter. I’m with Ochako and he’s getting married.”
“You’re not engaged yet and I’m sure if you talk to Ochako she’ll understand.” Red eyes full of hope looked up at him. “You need to follow your heart more, Midoriya. Don’t let him get away without at least telling him how you feel.”
Izuku’s gaze flickered over to Katsuki, who merely crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow. “Don’t look at me. I’m not telling you what to do.”
“Really?”
“Just be a decent man and don’t expect her to not be upset if you do end up doing the right thing.”
Huffing, Izuku said, “Gee, thanks.”
Something hit his foot with a quiet thud. Looking down, Izuku frowned.
“Is that an apple?” Eijirou asked with a confused wrinkle of his brows as Izuku picked it up to inspect it.
“It looks like it. But what–”
“Izuku!” Ochako suddenly shouted, jumping onto his arm and clutching it tightly. When he looked down at her, he saw pure fear in her eyes as she pointed at the elevator. “Someone just took Shouto!”
Izuku’s eyes immediately snapped to the elevator as ladies screamed and the footmen dispersed. A cloud of blue appeared in the center of the room, followed by a loud chant, and suddenly a large man with fiery red hair was slinging Shouto over his shoulder and making his way to the elevator.
“Hey!” Izuku shouted, breaking from Ochako’s grip to run up the stairs. “Hey! Leave him alone!”
Tenya looked up from his spot next to Keigo, Denki and Hitoshi at the commotion. Izuku wasn’t even at the stairs before Tenya was sprinting up the stairs two at a time, sword drawn and aimed at the closing elevator doors.
“Halt in the name of…” Tenya froze as the man turned to face the crowd, and the first thing Izuku noticed were the familiar turquoise blue eyes. “King Enji?”
The doors to the elevator suddenly opened, and a man with the same turquoise blue eyes and white hair shoved a scowling man with sapphire red eyes and white hair out of the elevator.
“Prince Touya?” Tenya asked in shock.
Izuku stared at the white-haired man with blue eyes and looked at his clothes. He didn’t have the same silver or gold adorned jackets that Shouto seemed to favor, instead dressed in a simple white shirt with baggy sleeves, black pants, and knee-high black boots. This was the Touya that Shouto insisted the chipmunk had been one day ago?
He owed Shouto millions of apologies once he saved him.
“Yes, Captain. That is indeed the beloved King Enji of Endeavor attempting to kill the heir to the royal throne,” Touya spat. “And this is none other than Tenko Shimura, the man he hired to take him out.”
“Lies!” Enji roared. “Get out of my way, Touya. You have no idea what you’re saying–”
“It’s true,” Shimura said with a disgusted sneer at Enji. “You offered me endless gold if I was able to poison your heir, and you turned the other one into a rodent so he wouldn’t rat you out when he found out you were the one who pushed the heir into the well.”
Tenya gasped, sword still drawn and now pointed at Enji as he angrily asked, “My king, is this true? Did you attempt to murder your own heir? Your own son?”
“You left me no choice!” Enji snapped, shooting murderous daggers at Tenya. “I’ve spent my entire life grooming him to be the perfect heir, and then you come along and distract him!”
“That is not why he’s truly angry,” Touya said with his gaze flickering to Tenya. “Once you and Shouto are married, he will take over the throne. But my sick father here would rather kill his own son than see him take the crown he desperately clings to because he is nothing without it. Isn’t that right, Enji?”
“Shut your mouth!” Enji snarled. “Tenya, I am your king! You will not lay a hand on me–”
Izuku watched with a gasp as Tenya pressed the tip of his blade to Enji’s throat, anger blazing in his eyes.
“You are no true king. You have committed treason against your own crown, and I will see to it that once Prince Shouto is safe, you will be removed from the throne!”
Enji’s foot immediately kicked Tenya to the ground, the guard falling at Izuku and Ochako’s feet. Both immediately got down to help him up, Izuku’s eyes still glued desperately on Shouto’s unmoving frame.
With Tenya on the ground, Enji’s hand flew up to the glowing magic pendant on his neck. He began to chant something in another language, but before Tenya and Izuku could move to stop him, Touya and Shimura both lunged at the king and tackled him to the ground.
Spotting the sword on the ground, Izuku quickly grabbed it and threw it at Touya, who grabbed it with ease and pressed the blade up to his father’s throat while Shimura held his hands down.
“You imbeciles! You are committing treason against your king!”
“King Enji is dead,” Touya snarled. “You have killed him with your greed for power and the attempted murder of your son.”
“Prince Shouto!” With Ochako’s help, Tenya managed to stand up.
Running to Shouto, he knelt down to the ground and picked him up. Izuku watched as panic filled his features, his face visibly paling.
“Someone help! I don’t think he’s breathing!"
Izuku immediately ran up to him as Katsuki and Eijirou helped move a loveseat up from the floor below. Shouto was laid in the loveseat as Izuku and Tenya bent worriedly over him, Tenya panicking and Izuku desperately checking for the rise and fall of his chest.
“Come on,” he whispered, fingers flying to his neck. “Please, give me something– wait! He has a pulse!”
“But he’s not breathing,” Tenya fretted with his worried eyes on Shouto’s unmoving form. “You are a doctor, aren’t you? What does this mean, Sir Izuku?”
“I’m a paramedic, not a doctor,” Izuku rushed out as he checked for pupil responses to light and his peripheral pulses. “I-I don’t know what’s going on, but this isn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before.”
Snarling, Enji spat, “You’ll never save him! He’s done for!”
“You evil bastard!” Tenya shouted, moving to attack Enji only to be held back by Eijirou and Katsuki.
Izuku wracked his brain for anything that would explain the phenomenon, pure fear beginning to fill his veins at the thought of not being able to save him.
Then Ochako gasped from the foot of the love seat, hands flying to her mouth. “It’s a spell,” she whispered.
“No it’s not! He’s dead!” Enji snapped. “Don’t listen to that wench!”
Izuku picked up the vibrant red apple that had fallen to the ground again in all the commotion. Noting the sparkles and the perfect redness, the pieces in his mind clicked.
“She’s right,” he whispered, earning him a sharp look from Tenya. Holding the apple up, he said loudly, “This isn’t a poisoned apple. It’s been enchanted!”
“Like in Snow White!” Eijirou nodded. “That makes perfect sense!”
“Does it?” Katsuki asked with narrowed eyes.
Ochako nodded. Placing one hand on Izuku’s shoulder, she said, “It does. Except the only way to break that spell…”
“…is true love’s kiss,” Izuku breathed as he looked down at Shouto’s pale face.
At that moment, he remembered the way he wanted to kiss him before, but he knew this wasn’t the time to fantasize about kissing Shouto. He needed to be saved, and his true love was standing at the other side of the loveseat with sudden determination in his eyes.
Swallowing the ball in his throat, Izuku waved Tenya over with a gloved left hand. “Captain Tenya, this is a task only you can complete.”
Tenya quickly came around the other side of the loveseat. He patted Izuku’s shoulder warmly where Ochako was still holding onto him before kneeling down.
“My prince,” he whispered, “I will save you once more as I promised when you asked me to marry you.”
Izuku watched with his right held tightly in Ochako’s right hand, both watching with baited breath as Tenya lifted Shouto’s head. Then, softly, Tenya kissed Shouto’s pale lips, and waited.
A second passed. To Izuku’s horror, Shouto’s eyes remained closed.
“What?” Tenya looked down at Shouto’s sleeping face in horror before pressing their lips together again, and again, and again until he shouted in anguish, “Why isn’t this working?!”
“Because it’s not you,” Katsuki suddenly said, ruby eyes trained on Izuku. Lifting a finger, he pointed at him before saying sharply, “It’s him.”
All eyes turned to Izuku, including Tomura and Touya’s shocked ones. Izuku felt his heart drop to his stomach as Ochako wordlessly took her hand off his shoulder. Then Tenya turned to look at him, determination in his eyes, and he shook his head, already anticipating the demand.
“No. No, I-I’m not kissing him.”
“You have to.”
“It’s not me. It can’t be me! We’ve only known each other for two days, it’s impossible–!”
“Izuku!” Ochako shouted, silencing him. Fear-filled emeralds met sad chocolate brown eyes, and he felt his heart drop further when she flashed him a small sad smile. “It’s okay. Just kiss him.”
Tenya stepped aside, letting Izuku walk up to Shouto once more.
Kneeling down at his side, Izuku couldn’t help but trace his crooked rough fingers along the edges of Shouto’s scarred cheek.
“Please don’t leave me,” he whispered desperately.
Letting out a stuttered breath, Izuku leaned down and closed his eyes. Rough lips met soft, pale lips as the clock struck twelve behind them, and Izuku pulled back with a desperate squeeze of Shouto’s limp left hand.
Please, please, please–
Shouto’s eyes suddenly fluttered open as he took in a deep breath, his chest finally moving up and down again.
Those beautiful turquoise blue and marble gray eyes met stunned emeralds, and with a helpless smile, Shouto said, “I knew it was you all along.”
Izuku only let out a wet laugh as tears pooled in the corners of his eyes, and then Shouto kissed him again, wrapping his arms around him to hold him close.
The crowd around them began to clap, all clearly thinking the spectacle had been a play put on for the ball. Izuku chanced a glance at Tenya, only to find Ochako patting the man’s arm comfortingly while he smiled at the two of them, relief visible in his eyes.
“No!” With a snarl, Enji finally freed himself from Touya and Shimura’s grip, sending both men flying to the ground.
Instincts kicking in, Izuku pulled Shouto off the love seat and protectively held an arm out in front of him. Both men backed up as Enji stood back up, Tenya’s sword in hand.
Hatred filled his eyes as he stepped forward menacingly, fires burning in his blue eyes.
“This is how you repay me?” Enji snarled. “I raised you as Crown Prince instead of Touya because of how strong you were compared to him, and you let yourself be weakened by love?”
“Love is not a weakness!” Shouto snapped, his heated glare matching his father’s. “If anything, you clearly could have benefited from it! Then perhaps you wouldn’t have tried to kill your own son!”
“Wretched child! You are not fit to be king!”
“Nor are you!”
Pressing his hand to his glowing pendant, Enji spat, “I will not let you take my crown from me, you wretched son! I’m putting an end to you, once and for all!”
“Over my dead body,” Izuku hissed, and Enji snapped his attention to him.
A wicked grin overtook his features, and with the brightening glow of the magic flowing in the pendant, Enji snarled, “Consider your wish granted.”
Izuku and Shouto watched in horror as flames engulfed the king, and everyone screamed and ran for cover as the sounds of bones crunching and forming filled the air. The scent of rotting flesh filled her air as the burning mass lifted itself off the ground and landed in the center of the ballroom, and then like something out of a nightmare, a fiery red dragon with large fangs and slotted eyes appeared at the foot of the staircase.
“Holy shit,” Katsuki whispered behind them, eyes wide with fear.
Izuku didn’t have time to react before a large scaly hand wrapped itself around him.
As he was yanked off the ground and into the air, he screamed at the top of his lungs, “No! No, no! Put me down!”
“Izuku!” Shouto screamed. “Izuku, no!”
“Come along, wretched son,” Enji snarled as he crashed the windows with his bare scaly hands. “It’s time to meet your true fate!”
Then Izuku was screaming as Enji crawled out of the new hole in the side of the building, rain falling on them as he was lifted several thousands of feet into the air.
Shouto had never wanted to kill someone as much as he did now.
In the span of twenty minutes he had been fed an enchanted apple that would have killed him had Ochako not been there to figure it out, had come to unconscious terms with the possibility that his father was the one trying to kill him for some reason, and then had to come with conscious terms that he had been right. Then he couldn’t even enjoy the fact that Izuku was his true love because said true love had been kidnapped by his father and was halfway up a skyscraper by now.
“Shouto! Hey, Shouto!” Touya snapped as he grabbed onto his arm, stopping him halfway across the room. “Stop it!”
“You stop it! Let me go!” Shouto hissed, trying to yank his arm free. “I have to go save him!”
“You are going to meet your death up there if you try to climb up the side of the building like this!”
“So what, are you offering your chipmunk expertise here so I don’t fall?” Shouto snapped. “Because if you’re not, you’re just wasting my time! Izuku needs me!”
Tenya shook his head as he came up to them, jaw tense. “Prince Touya is right. This building is not like the palace walls in Endeavor. You’ll only hurt yourself trying to scale the building by yourself.”
“We have to let the professionals handle this,” Ochako interrupted with worry-filled eyes. “Keigo’s already alerted all nearby stations and the police about it. They’ll be here in fifteen minutes at the latest.”
“Izuku doesn’t have fifteen minutes,” Shouto said frustratedly. “My father is a maniac who won’t hesitate to hurt him to hurt me. I can’t stand here and not do anything!”
Shimura cleared his throat as he walked up to the group, his robes dragging as he pulled a glowing blue pendant out of a pocket.
“I believe I have a solution.”
Tenya stared at the pendant in disbelief. “Magic? Are you insane? That is what got us into this mess in the first place!”
“The repercussions alone aren’t worth it,” Touya said with a shake of his head. “His own magic could interfere with it if he uses foreign magic.”
“He doesn’t have magic in this world!” Shimura snapped. “None of you do! All his powers are void outside of Endeavor, which is why the king is using dark sorcery in this world.”
“Wait, you all have magic?” Ochako interrupted with confusion.
“In Endeavor, yes. Our family boasts fire and ice magics, but that is not the point here. My bastard father has no idea what he’s doing, and I’m not letting my brother go down–” Touya suddenly looked around, disbelief filling his eyes. “Where is Shouto?”
Shouto glared at all of them from the balcony outside, the rain gluing his loose white shirt to his skin and his hair to his forehead.
Sword in hand, Shouto shouted, “I am not waiting anymore. I am saving Izuku, with or without your help!”
“Shouto!”
“Prince Shouto!”
“No, don’t!”
Shouto paid them no mind as he began to scale the side of the building, the rain beating down on him and lightning illuminating his way up. He didn’t look down, not even when he accidentally sent some rocks falling down, too focused on making his way up to the top of the building.
Enji’s loud cackles echoed through the downpour and the lightning, and only when Shouto had been climbing for five minutes did he finally hear Izuku’s screams.
Thank the stars he’s still alive.
“You’re crazy!”
“A king is never crazy,” Enji bellowed as he waved Izuku around in the air, making him scream louder. “The only craziness here is those fools who think I need to be replaced as king! Not yet! Not ever!”
Enji then let out a roar of pain as Shouto sliced the side of one of his legs, a bright golden liquid pouring out of the wound.
“You dare attack me?!”
“Give him back!” Shouto snarled.
“Never!”
“Shouto! Shouto, be careful!” Izuku screamed when Enji moved his hand so he was dangling upside down by his legs. “No! Let me go!”
“Izuku, don’t move!” Shouto shouted as he tried to slash more of his father’s bony dragon body. “Give him back, you bastard!”
“Shouto, get out of here! Save yourself!”
“I’m not leaving without you!”
“A joint death?” Enji cackled as he threw his head back, roaring with laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. “This works for me! I’ll kill you both, and then all the other wretched traitors that took your side over mine!”
“Shouto!” someone shouted below him.
Shouto looked down at the last ledge below him and was met with the sight of Ochako wearing the blue pendant Shimura had offered him, her hands lifted in the air. Touya was also standing there with her, pointing at something above him while Tenya and Keigo held her securely, a rope tied around her waist with the two opposite ends in each of their hands.
“Ochako! What are you doing?” Shouto shouted above the sound of the rain.
“You can’t use magic because it’ll hurt you, but I’m not from your world!” Ochako shouted back. “We’re going to take this guy out together!”
“Tell me your plan!”
“Throw your sword at his heart! That worked against Maleficent!”
“But he’ll drop Izuku!”
“I know!” Fingers trembling, she shouted determinedly, “That’s what we need! Just trust me!”
Enji roared above him, and breathing in sharply, Shouto nodded. Climbing further up the building, he hid behind a corner so his father couldn’t see him.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are my wretched son!” Enji bellowed. “You will not beat me today! I am the King of Endeavor, and you are nothing!”
Sword aimed at his chest, Shouto shouted, “I’d rather be nothing than heir to your throne!” Then he threw the sword, knowing it would hit its target because it was him throwing it, and he watched in bitter satisfaction as Enji shrieked in pain.
“Wretched son!”
Enji’s grip loosened on the building, and with a scream, he let go of Izuku and fell backwards off the building.
“No!” Izuku screamed as he fell through the air, kicking and clawing for something to catch. “Shouto!”
“Izuku! I’ll catch you!”
Shouto lunged forward and managed to catch Izuku’s hand, his own fingers barely holding onto a crumbling ledge.
Izuku stared up at him with amazed wide eyes. “You caught me.”
Smiling, Shouto replied, “I told you I would, didn’t I?”
Izuku laughed at that, amusement filling his eyes despite the precarious situation they were in.
“Shouto!” Ochako shouted from below. “Let go! I’ll catch you!”
Oh, right. That was the plan. Breathing in deeply, Shouto looked down into Izuku’s fear-filled eyes, and with his own heart full of fear, he let go of the ledge.
Both men screamed as they began to plummet into the air, and Shouto was ready to accept death until he suddenly went weightless. Looking down, he saw Ochako straining with her hands, the pendant glowing a vivid pink instead of blue now.
Instead of falling to their deaths, both of them landed safely on the ledge where everyone else was waiting for them in a mess of tangled limbs and rain-soaked clothes.
Once they were on the ground, Ochako dropped her arms and stumbled backwards into Tenya’s open arms.
“Oh my god,” she said breathlessly, eyes half open. “I can’t believe that worked.”
Chuckling, Tenya said fondly, “You did a wonderful job, beautiful maiden.”
Ochako merely smiled up at him with rosy cheeks before closing her eyes, clearly drained from the magic.
Sitting upright, Shouto quickly pulled Izuku’s face into his hands and worriedly inspected it for any injuries. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”
“Physically? I’m fine. Mentally? I think I’m done with fantasy stuff for a while,” Izuku laughed quietly. Eyes softening, he caressed Shouto’s scarred cheek. “Are you okay?”
Letting out a sigh, Shouto said, “Physically? Yes. Mentally? It’s going to take me a while to process the fact that my father tried to kill me and died in the process.”
Izuku’s smile slipped then. “That’s right. He’s gone. That means…you’re king now, aren't you?”
“Legally, yes.” Before Izuku could say anything, Shouto straddled his thighs, pulling him in by his cravat until they were eye-to-eye. “But I don’t give a damn about being king of a kingdom that doesn’t have you in it.”
“What?”
“I love you, Izuku Midoriya,” he confessed with a sweet smile, heart galloping like a wild horse inside his chest. “You are the true love I’ve been searching for my whole life, and I don’t intend to let you go. Not now, not ever.”
Izuku stared at him in awe, eyes shining with more than just rainwater. “Do you mean it?”
“I mean it more than I’ve meant anything before in my life. I want you, Izuku. I want this insane, weird life with you in New York with Eri and your weird friends. I want a happily ever after with you– the real thing, not just what I thought it had to be.”
Swallowing, Izuku confessed, “You know what? Earlier tonight, when we were dancing…I had a crazy thought.”
“Yes?”
“I wanted to kiss you.”
Shouto stared at him before laughing, pressing his forehead against Izuku’s as the rain continued to fall on them.
“You can kiss me for the rest of your life.”
“Promise?”
“So long as you promise to love me for the rest of your life.”
Smiling fondly, Izuku whispered, “That I can do.”
Then Izuku pressed his lips against Shouto’s, kissing him again for the second time that night and proving once more that he’d found his true love by the way his heart exploded.
“I don’t even know how I’m supposed to explain this to the council,” Touya deadpanned as Shimura walked out of the dry room behind them.
“It’s truly a good day to not be Endeavorian royalty.”
Keigo shrugged as he walked over to the two men. “Your answer seems pretty clear to me. Tell them the king died of old age and the crown prince found his true love in a different land. Isn’t that what your people eat up? The romantic nonsense of true love and happily ever after?”
Touya stared at the man with blank eyes.
When Keigo realized this, he frowned. “What?”
“Do you want to get married to the next heir to the throne and be king?”
Shouto and Izuku laughed at that as they watched Keigo pause and actually consider it, his hand coming up to stroke his chin. Tenya and Ochako laughed as well from where she was laying in his arms, and if Shouto caught Tenya’s eye and winked, that was between them.
Below them, dozens of fire trucks, ambulances and police trucks honked and played their sirens. Yet all Shouto cared about was being up on some ledge of a building whose name he didn’t know with his true love safe in his arms.
“And so, with the dragon slain and Prince Himura free from his ties to his magical world, nothing was ever the same,” Shouto read aloud from the storybook in his hands.
Eri stared up at him, completely spellbound by the tale while a one-year-old baby with dark hair and brown eyes stared up at Shouto with a fist in her mouth.
“Sir Tenya remained in New York with the beautiful Lady Ochako, and they got married one year later and served hot dogs at the wedding. Prince Dabi and Sir Hawks’ wedding took place two weeks after returning to Endalasia, and they officially became Kings of Endalasia after defeating an ogre together and established the best fire brigade Endealasia had ever seen.”
“Get to the next part!” Eri huffed impatiently.
Smiling fondly, Shouto continued, “As for Prince Himura, he remained in New York with his true love and became a fashion designer for the children of the world.”
“And they all lived happily ever after,” Izuku finished, smiling as he knelt on the ground behind Shouto. “That’s my favorite line.”
Shouto snorted at that, closing the book without looking back at Izuku. “Yes, I know it is. You never let me say it when Eri asks for this story.”
“You should be proud of yourself! You’ve changed me into a man who believes in happily ever after.”
Sighing dramatically, Shouto shared a look with a giggling Eri, who was trying to hide a smile behind her hand. “A man who truly believes in a happily ever after would have proposed after our first date.”
“Well, I tried to, but you told me we needed to go on more dates.” Pinching Shouto’s left cheek, Izuku teased, “Afraid I’m not your true love after all?”
Blushing, Shouro huffed, “Please. Did you not just listen to how Prince Himura abandoned his kingdom for his true love? Touya made Keigo move to Endeavor.”
“Ah-ah,” Izuku tutted, waving a finger. “Keigo chose to go with him the minute your brother told him he never had to work another day in his life if he was king. How are they doing, by the way?”
Shouto grimaced as he met Izuku’s curious eyes. “Last I heard, Touya declared Wednesdays ‘New York Appreciation Day.’ I don’t even think Endeavorians truly understand what New York is.”
“Nowadays I guess it’s more of a state of mind,” Izuku decided with a pensive chin scratch.
Shouto’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he analyzed the text before setting it down on the floor.
“Who’s that?”
“Just Ochako. She says she and Tenya will be back once he and Tensei finish chasing the pigs they set accidentally loose in the town square.”
“Wow, Endeavor has great signal!” Eri commented with wide eyes.
“How does that even happen to a guy like Tenya?” Izuku muttered.
“This is the same man who ‘freed’ ten butterflies at the Bronx Zoo last year,” Shouto deadpanned.
“That was so funny!” Eri giggled. “Now he’s banned for life!”
“Mhm.” Noting Izuku’s grimace, Shouto grinned. “Sooner or later you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that he’s truly not as serious as his knight persona made him seem.”
“I’m choosing to believe he’s a little more responsible than that so that I’m not stressing out when he offers to babysit on weekends.”
“Does this mean Emi’s staying tonight?” Eri asked as the baby stumbled her way into Shouto’s arms. “I’m not sharing my room again! Her diapers stink!”
“It has to be the Endeavorian and New York blood,” Izuku whispered conspiratorially to Shouto, who flashed him a flat look.
“It is most definitely not that.” Smiling lopsidedly, Shouto turned to Eri and nodded. “But yes, that means we are most likely keeping her tonight. Just until Ochako and Tenya get home from Endeavor.”
Sighing, Eri stood up and plucked Emi out of Shouto’s arms. Holding the baby with her feet dangling above the floor, she made her way to her room, grumbling, “Come on, Emi. We’ve gotta find a candle for my room now.”
Izuku fell into stitches of laughter as the two girls walked away, and it was only when Shouto shook his head that he smiled helplessly at him.
“I’m sorry, it’s just too funny how she’ll always complain but won’t leave Emi with someone else.” Softly, he said, “It kind of makes me want to bring another one home for her.”
Shouto hummed, leaning against Izuku’s arm while the man’s crooked fingers slipped in between his slender ones. “If there’s a magical transportation well in Endeavor, I’m sure there’s a baby granting well somewhere else.”
Izuku burst out into a fresh pair of giggles before leaning his head on top of Shouto’s. “I’m sure you’re right, Prince Himura. Ever think anyone will figure out it’s real?”
“Considering the fact that it took Bakugou seeing my father transform into a dragon to fully believe it, no, I really don’t think they will. Besides, I’m a fashion designer now. It’s part of my job to be creative.”
“Okay.” Silence. “Hey, Shouto?”
“Hm?”
“Marry me?”
Chest full of warmth, Shouto looked down at the storybook in his hands.
So much had happened in the two years since he’d decided to permanently stay in New York, and he’d never regretted it.
Sure there were times that weren’t so easy, like when he had to go to the doctor and dentist and accidentally took an uptown train instead of the downtown one, but it was all real. And after a lifetime of fantasy, Shouto found that real life, especially the one with his infallible true love Izuku Midoriya at his side, was worth all of it.
So why hadn’t he said yes to the many proposals over the years? Simple; he wasn’t in a rush to get married, because marriage wasn’t the end goal. Happily ever after was.
But hearing the Izuku talk about a future with more children made him realize just how serious he was about this. If Izuku wanted marriage and more, then he’d give him everything.
Besides, he was pretty sure the baby granting wells required the pair asking for one to be married. Ventus rules, Princess Melissa had once explained many years ago.
Turning his head, Shouto pressed a kiss to Izuku’s cheek. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Izuku flushed a deep shade of red before jumping up, disbelief on his face. “Yes? I plan candlelit dinners and picnic proposals for two years, send you flower bouquets with a candy ring for two weeks in a row, and all it takes is me asking on a random Wednesday for you to say yes?!”
Shouto shrugged, a mischievous smile on his face. “It’s New York Appreciation Day.”
“You–!”
Shouto laughed as Izuku tackled him to the ground, and as Izuku laughed with him through peppered kisses to his face, he knew without a doubt that they’d live happily ever after.