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Chapter Text

Excerpt from Kingdoms at War, A History., by D.N. Lyfe, Organized into Global Beginnings, a book by Izuku Midoriya

Chapter Text

IZUKU

The Erian Empire stretches long and wide.  From the Southernmost islands of the Stormy Isles to the cold north, which house the Unforgiving Grice Mountains. And despite the cold that the Talian soldiers endure, the ride to Senbazuru, the Capitol of New Eri, is stunning.  The scenery turns from rolling green hills to golden forests, telling us that Winter is approaching quickly—

“Come on, keep it moving!” a guard snaps at me and pulls at the leash attached to my shackles, interrupting my internal narration for the book I’ll be writing. 

If I ever get out of this…I’m suddenly hurled forward and cough slightly, but I realize he isn’t talking to me.  One of the Talian soldiers I’m bound to has collapsed.  Toji. I will him silently to rise, but I say nothing.  I cannot without giving myself away.  When he doesn’t move, my eyes well with tears.  The brisk cold has likely given him frostbite and he isn’t as covered as the rest of us are.  When they try and shake him awake, I see one last breath of frost leave his lips and I know he is gone.

“We’re almost there.” the Erian guard growls.  And we’re whipped to continue moving, dragging Toji, one of my best Commanders, behind us along with a few other bodies.

Finally, I see a castle in the distance, but by the time we get there, most of the bodies have fallen and I try to use at least 10% of my ability to help pull them across the road.  This is it, I think to myself.  This is what we’ve been waiting for—been dying for.

But I am the only one who has made it to Ryujin Castle alive.  They remove the others from their binds and I say one last unspoken goodbye to my fellow fallen soldiers.  This is it. I tell myself again.  This is where I’ll meet him.

The Dragon King.   

KATSUKI

“So, one has made it alive?” I ask, looking at the man they have presented before me.  He has certainly been through an ordeal.  Fully naked, beaten and battered, his body has been covered with black and blue bruises, and blood dried in his darkened green hair.  His toes and fingers are frosted purple, and when he meets my gaze, a fierceness flashes in his bold, green eyes.  I hear the chains rattle against the floor as my guards shackle him down to it.

“Still trying to cling on to what little hope you have left?” I ask him, but his eyes are fixated on me as his brow furrows, his stare increasing with more intensity.  Not sure why—he is completely defenseless here.  The most he can do is just glare at me, which he continues to do, but says nothing. 

“We could hold him for ransom?” Kirishima suggests, baring his sharp teeth at the stranger.  He stands to my left, next to the Lady Mina.  When Kirishima says, “Like they fucking did with Kaminari—,” the room becomes sullen and a deep growl is heard from my right.

“I wanna see his head on a spike for what they did to him.” Shinsou snarls, hearing the words of Kirishima.  My head snaps to my right where Lord Shinsou stands.  His eyes blink away tears, his jaw clenched tightly.  He has every right to be upset—he was Kaminari’s lover and a past citizen of Talia.  When Kaminari was pronounced dead as their captive, he became a traitor to them.

And a traitor to them is a friend to us. 

I hold up my hand, a command to stop him from further speaking.  His mouth slams shut, but his eyes are fixated on the captive.  “Are you in Lordship?” I ask, everyone in the room understanding the truth of the question.  When Shinsou opens his mouth again, I yell, “QUIET!  Not a word out of you until I tell you otherwise.”

Kirishima is the one who answers, breaking the tension.  “Yeah, he is.  He’s dangerous, Bakugou.” Kirishima tells me.  I disapprove of it when he addresses me by name instead of title, but I allow it since we’ve grown up together here in New Eri.  “I fought him head on.  He’s a strong and capable fighter.”

I laugh.  “Not strong or capable enough, evidently.”

The man still says nothing and I shift a little uncomfortably in my seat, trying to match the intensity in his eyes.  I don’t see him move either, but I hear the rattle of his chains.  He’s on edge.  Good, I think.  As he fucking should be.

But he begins to part his lips and I finally catch a glimpse of his bloodshot eyes when he lifts his eyes to the light.  “We didn’t kill your Hand,” he hisses through his teeth.  His voice is hoarse, but it’s a light sound, high-pitched.  His mouth is almost cut, and his teeth covered in blood that spits out as he speaks. 

My hands? I thought, Kirishima and I exchanging looks.  I look down at my palms.  “The hell?  Kill my hands—?”  

He looks confused, his eyes squinting and he shakes his head.  “Is the Lord of Lightning not your most trusted advisor?”

The room is silent and I can hear Mina choking back a laugh.  “Kaminari was certainly one of the more powerful people in the Lordship and a capable General, but no.”

“I don’t think we’d ask him for any sort of counsel, actually.” Sero swoops down from the ceiling, his body dangling upside down.  He begins to swing back and forth, hanging from the sticky rope that extends from his elbows.  He flips himself down, cutting the tape so he stands right side up, in front of the Talian and he smiles through a, “He was a close friend to all of us, for sure.  But he’s the last person anyone would trust for information.” he pauses.  “Or advice, as you put it.”  Shinsou growled at him and Sero held up his hands and sat next to Mina.

The stranger bares his teeth.  “He escaped through Grice Mountain.  He sealed his own fate.”

I can feel Shinsou’s hatred for the man.  He silently shakes as he tries not to sob at the stranger’s words.  “You stole him—,” he gestures towards the Counsel in the war room, but changes his phrasing, “—from us, from me!” Shinsou gets up and I move to stop him.  His eyes are also red from the tears that flow out of him.  He yells, “You couldn’t possibly understand what that did to Eri, what a true asset he was—how could do that to him?”

I hear it—the echo.  Like a hundred voices swirling around the room.  So the rumors are true, I think, as this is the first I’m hearing him use his own ability.  “Ask him his name.” I command from Shinsou. 

“There is no need for him to use his powers, Dragon King.” the stranger says through a laugh.  He sits up a little, baring his chest to me.  “I am Prince Izuku Midoriya, Son of the All-Mighty King Toshinori, Duke of the East Isles, Viscount of Kazuya Bay, Lord over Talia’s Kingdom and—,” he breathes for a moment in our shock.  “—first in line to the Talian Throne.”

It takes this one thing for me to realize that he has been in control this entire time.  This stranger, who is shackled, chained to the floor of one of my throne rooms, in my kingdom, has fully been in control of the situation. 

I look at Shinsou and throw an explosion at him that lands at his feet.  When he is knocked backwards, I move before smoke envelops the room and grab his throat.  “What is the meaning of this?” I yell.  “Are you here to overthrow me?”

Shinsou struggles to breathe and gasps for air.  “—no!”

“Bakugou!” Kirishima shouts and jumps in front of Shinsou as a breath of fire leaves my mouth.  He is prepared for it, using his own ability to stop the explosion from hurting Shinsou and he begins to wipe away the smoke. 

I pant angrily at them both, but push Kirihsima aside.  I grab Shinsou by his neck and he gasps for air until I release him.  “We’ll talk about this later.” I tell him.  “Get out of my sight.” he bows, a little disrespectfully and storms out the room, spitting on the Prince.  The Prince flinches but doesn't move.  Just the glint of a smile on his face.  Anger flares through me at that smile.  “You are nothing.  Not a Duke, not a Lord, not a Viscount and certainly not a fucking Prince—,” I chuckled at my mistake.  “You’re just a stupid nothing here.  A Deku.”

His nostrils flare in anger and he quickly tries to get up, but I move to stop him immediately.  My hand covers his mouth, but I hear one of his chains break and his hand knocks mine upwards, sending the blast into the air, but a moment later, I feel a fist knock against my face.  Before I can do anything, Kirishima’s body tackles him to the ground, his entire body hardened in a sharp rocklike casing. 

I wipe my jaw, and open my mouth to move it up and down.  Damn, that actually fucking hurt.  I’m still surprised to see the Prince in one piece after a beat down from Kirishima.  Even I’ve had some close calls when sparing with our best General.  I grab the Prince’s throat and force him back to his knees.  He is angered, but I grab his jaw hard, finally looking down into two bright green orbs and from the back of my throat, I spit on his face just like Shinsou.  I don’t let go when his eyes close, but when they reopen, the anger that stares back enrages me further.   

I get down on one knee, so only he can hear me.  I can feel the heat of my breath against his face and beads of sweat drip from his hair.  I lean forward and whisper, “You can’t escape now.  Try as you may, the last thing you’ll see is the true reason I’m called the Dragon King.”  I scoff and press my lips to his ear before saying, “You’re mine now, stupid little Deku.”

Chapter Text

KATSUKI

I undress for the evening.  In my room, a blazing fire roars in the corner and I lean into its heat.  Not that I need it or the fire, as the heat outside is enough to make anyone sweat.  But that’s precisely why I keep it that way.   Not just for invasions of Talia, but in case someone once again tries to take the throne out from underneath of me.  I’ll be ready.

But Talia has invaded your borders, I think, staring into the dancing flames.  Mom, what would you do with him? I pray, hoping that somewhere far away, she can hear me. 

My parents perished in the war.  Like so many families in the kingdom, mine was torn from me.  I remember their screams, both of them putting themselves between me and the flames, being scorched alive.  While I loved my mother, I was most traumatized by my father’s death.  He’d never done anything worth dying over, often being a voice of reason during arguments between my mother and other members of court.  He was a passive King and didn’t deserve the ending he got:

“Katsuki!  Get out of here!  Run!” he had yelled at me.  In my entire life that was the first time my father had ever yelled at me, but I couldn’t.  My legs wouldn’t move.  All I could do was watch.  My mother was fighting a teenage boy who had an ability with blue flames.  She did her best against him, but he continued to blast her with flames until she succumbed to his ability. 

“Katsuki,” she had told me prior.  “Whatever you do, never forget this: you are my son.  And I know you will be a far better King than I.  Be a better King, Katsuki.” she’d told me, and when she knew she was defeated, she sank to her knees, said something I couldn’t hear or make out, and then I watched her body go up in a blaze of a beautiful, stark blue fire.  She’d been completely incinerated and nothing but one of her rings withstood his heat.  

The teenage boy’s head snapped towards me.  He laughed at my pain and my father jumped between him and I.  “Katsuki!” he cried out, looking back at me over his shoulder.  I cried loudly for him— “No, not him, please!” I begged, but he only looked over his shoulder, tears streaming down his cheeks.  He coughed through the heavy smoke, and as the boy’s attention shifted over to us, his body preparing itself yet again the price of war.  “No matter what anyone tells you, Katsu, your mother and I—,” my father said, but he never finished that sentence and for only mere seconds, his body cremated quickly before my eyes. 

The teenage boy laughed and looked down at me, his blue eyes as crisp as the fire around us.  “Any last words, Erian Prince?”

I only cried out for my family that had been taken from me.  “Why?!”

He sighed, looking down at me pitifully and without saying a word, he raised his hand and I thought the blue fire escaping from it would be the last thing I ever saw. 

Be a better King, Katsuki! My mother’s words rang through my head.  And I screamed, heat searing through my body, scorching my veins and an explosion banged around us, a passion and love for my family so great, it sent the heat in waves out of my fingertips.  Everything around me suddenly engulfed in fire and I collapsed, but the same heat remains with me to this day.

The aftermath of that battle was brutal as well.  The boy with the blue flames, an ability to a member of the Todoroki family, perished in my explosion.  I was the sole survivor of that encounter.  And at the time, part of me wished I hadn’t lived, especially when the loyal subjects I thought I had in my courtship fought over who should lead us through the war, claiming that I could not, as my mother had usurped the throne. It was the first time I’d ever heard that word, but I didn’t like the way they had used it.

“My mother singlehandedly took out Talian troops!” I reminded them.  “Regardless of how she got the throne, the war is the single greatest threat to the Kingdom now.  And after what I’ve seen, I want every Talian soldier, every Talian in Lordship to die.”  I knew what the enemy was capable of, as I had witnessed it firsthand.  I had come to know my own strength and the Talian Kingdom was mine for the taking. 

They didn’t listen.  They continued to fight for my divine right.  That was the first time, I’d heard them say to lock me up and bring back the true heir to this kingdom, a man by the name of Aizawa. 

“We could just feed him to Grice and let him die of the cold.” someone suggested. 

Fear escaped me and when I saw hands starting to reach out to grab me, I raised my own and a loud explosion burst from me, vicious burst of fire escape from them.  Glass shattered from the windows and part of the stone holding the room together began to crack.  Like snow and soot falling around us, the particles twinkled before shattering and breaking against the floor.  I felt the heat rise to my mouth, my body resonated in a burning fire that scorched from my mouth.  And those around me were scared into silence. 

“You dare to fight me?  Me?  The true heir of this ancient Kingdom?” I yell at them.  Most are on their knees, begging me for forgiveness.  “I have the Dragon’s Fire in my veins.  Look at my power.  I am a true Descendant of the Lantern King and I will rule over this land like my mother before me!”

I was nicknamed the Dragon King and had many of my mother’s courtship beheaded and replaced with families I trusted.  Ever since, I have been feared by most. 

Most.

What of our guest? my mind teased.  For he does not fear you?  

“He will.” I say into the fire.

I close my eyes, the thoughts wandering to the naked man in our holding cell in the deepest of dungeons under a hidden tower in the castle. 

He won’t escape me.  We will win this war.  If it’s the last thing I fucking do. 

IZUKU

I awoke in a large holding cell.  It wasn’t anything like how I thought it would be: the floor was lined with large, gray-toned stone tiles that stretched into a dark hallway past the metal bars that kept me inside.  There wasn’t a window, but just a tiny hole in the wall that allowed light to peak in a little, but with my massive headache, I wish the light was gone.  There was a mat on the opposite end of the room that they hadn’t bothered to lay me on, but it was much nicer than anything our captives endured in Talia.  I shivered at the thought, but immediately began to make plan b, in case my plan a didn't work. 

Break the cuffs, open the bars and KO the two guards.  I hear the chains of my restraints clink together, and one of the guards makes eye contact with me.  He says something, but all I heard was Shinsou’s name.  He must’ve requested to see me alone… The other guard takes a few steps forward, but then disappears into the darkness of a hall and his footsteps fade away quickly.  I hear a door close and then nothing. 

I was a little surprised to see Shinsou openly walking in the King’s Court.  I thought for sure on the ride here I would have seen his head on a spike somewhere on the road, but the Dragon King has allowed him in his courtship. 

Maybe he’s not as terrible as we think.  I think, but then I remember him attacking Shinsou and the little part of me that wanted him to see reason suddenly seemed so far away.  I slap myself across the face a few times.  “Stop that!  The war will end.  And soon.”  And I push Shinsou back to the front of my mind, preparing for what he might say to me if I am to have an audience with him. 

We were never too close, as his family prefers the cold valleys south of Grice Mountains.  But when his father died, he moved closer to the capital, to be close to the Heir Aizawa, who had taken a liking to him.  He was promoted from a Commander to a General quickly, and did fairly well.  He could control the minds of others and it has saved me as well as several others on more than one occasion.

But he changed, and quite drastically too.  Suddenly, he didn’t attend as many war meetings and kept his distance from me, despite my prying.  When the Heir Aizawa told me to leave it alone, I listened. 

And a few years later, he returned to the Talian Court and he wasn’t alone.  He had brought with him the Lord of Lightning himself, Denki Kaminari.  We had debated on what to do with him relentlessly, but he was able to walk freely amongst the castle, as long as Shinsou was with him.  Finally, we came to a decision, on Shinsou’s request:

“It’s a win-win, My King.” Shinsou said, eyeing the King. “We keep this man as ransom and when his country pays us, we can use that money to feed our poor that have suffered since the famine.  In addition, we will return him in one piece and they will see that as a gesture of good faith.” 

Not a bad idea, but still I had a painful thought.  I asked the Lord of Lightning: “How close are you to the Dragon King? There’s a chance he might be someone the King doesn’t care about.”

Kaminari looked over at me and smiles cordially.  “I’m one of two of his most trusted advisors, Your Grace.  His hand, if you will.”

“They will most certainly want him back.” Shinsou stated loudly.  When the King declared Kaminari a captive and should be held for ransom, Shinsou didn’t make a sound, only nodded at the King’s declaration. Perhaps there was a bit of a smile on his face.

“Your Grace.” a voice says in the darkness, bringing me forward to the present.    

So he did want an audience with me…“Shinsou.  I was wondering if the Dragon King had let you live or not.”  I couldn’t see him, but I could hear his panting, like he had run here. 

“We should have killed you when we first saw you.” Shinsou snarls.  “We should have left you in the cold mountain and let the mountain of Grice have its way with you.” 

“Like it did with Kaminari?” I taunt, but immediately regret those words.  I try to rectify it quickly, but to no avail.  “You of all people should understand the terrain is hard enough, but the monsters that roam there are vicious.”

A memory appeared behind my eyelids when I closed them.  I remember when my father had sent me and a few others on a search party to track Kaminari through the unforgiving Mount Grice.  His footprints are light and he’s quick, but I know I’m faster than he is.  At some point, though, the mountain started to shake violently and my party and I sought refuge in a small cave that pointed away from the avalanche.  I silently cursed the mountain.  We weren’t stuck there long, but any trace of Kaminari had completely vanished. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t notice.  How could you betray Talia like that?” I taste the anger in my words.  “I deserve to know what happens in my own Kingdom.  Especially when one of our generals is sleeping with one of theirs—,”

“I never felt like a Talian.” he snaps. “Not when I felt like a toy for Lord Todoroki to play with.” His words are harsh, but when I try to remain calm, he continues, “I hated Talia the second I saw what Todoroki was doing to those innocent people.  What the King allowed to happen to citizens of Eri.  Midoriya, some were children—,”

I know this truth, but the Todoroki family has lots of money and provides lots of aid to our cause.  When it comes to Lord Enji Todoroki, my father tends to turn a blind eye.  “Does Talia really mean that little to you?”  

“Everything I was taught—about Eri, about the war, about the citizens—was a lie, and I discerned that truth from the Lord of Lightning the moment I saw him.” his voice quiets when he says, “He saw the good in everything, in everyone.  When we kissed for the first time, it was a happiness unlike anything I ever tasted before.”

We’re silent for a few moments after that. 

“Doesn’t matter now.” the darkness speaks at last.  “We’re debating on how to send your body back to Talia—cut up into tiny pieces or just whole?”  

“Doing that won’t bring Kaminari back.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Shinsou says, flinging himself at the handlebars that keep me enclosed.  The small clang of his rings clashing against the metal hurts my head, but I see the slight redness of his face in the light.  “You have no right!  I no longer answer to you.  I hate you!” he weeps, holding himself up with every ounce of strength he can muster. 

“We were good to him and you know it.  He was not held in a cage like I am.  He was allowed to roam the castle freely—,”

“With eyes on him constantly.”

“With your eyes on him constantly.” I don’t stop these words, nor the ones that follow, “Which is an oversight on our part.”  The two of us are heated it’s clear Shinsou no longer cares for me as his prince.  He no longer loves me the way he used to.  “Why did he escape?” 

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asks, his voice cracking.  “He was homesick.  Talked about his Kingdom all the time, especially about the Industrial Islands of the South.  I could feel he wanted to leave, especially getting the news of his family.”

When Lord Kaminari got the news of his family’s death, he took it rather hard.  He pleaded with the King, “Your Highness, I wish to go home.  My father has died and my people, they need a leader right now—,”

“And an idiot like you is going to do what?” Lord Todoroki said.  His youngest son, the Dragon Tamer, Commander Shoto, sat to his left.  “What could you possibly have to say to them?”

“You know too much, Kaminari.  If we let you go, you could bring the Industrial Soldiers of your land straight here.  Or worse, go back to the Dragon King.” My father said and I hated to agree, but Kaminari is privy to information  could ambush us at any moment if we released him.

He bowed, his forehead touching the floor.  “Please, I beg of you.  You can kill me when I return, but I must be there for my parents’ funeral.  It’s tradition.  Please, let me return home.”

“We understand your plight, Lord Kaminari.” the King’s voice boomed, echoing in the chamber.  “But we cannot grant your wish.”

“He’d just lost his entire family and couldn’t even go home to mourn their deaths properly.” Shinsou tells me.  “The hardest part is that I did nothing.” 

“Aren’t you homesick, Shinsou?” I ask.  “Do you really not miss Talia?”  I narrow my gaze.  “Do you not miss Aizawa?”  

He’s quiet again, but eventually says, “Talia was never my home.  My family has always followed the Heir, but when he moved his loyalties to Talia, my father followed him.  My heart no longer beats for Talia, but for something greater.  And my loyalties belong to the valley, not to a King.  Or an Heir.”

Sweat drips heavily from his hair, dark purple strands sticking to the sides of his face.  “I wish I could fucking brainwash myself.  I wish I could fucking use my ability for something actually useful.  Then maybe I could’ve fucking killed myself.  Dammit, dammit, dammit!” On each of those words, his head slammed into the bars.  My ears ring and I cover them, but with each beat of his skull against the rails, the agony of my head only worsens.  When I open my eyes, I see blood drip from his open wound and I move to stop him, but he spits at me to stop.  The only thing I am able to do is look upon him with so much pity.  “I shouldn’t have let him go.  I should have told him how much I wanted him next to me, how much I needed him—,” a small hiccup in between his messy cries and he continues with,  “I should have told him how much he meant to me. I should have—,” Shinsou slinks to the floor. 

His cries echo loudly against the walls of the dungeon.  “Shinsou,” I said gently, my shackles clatter loudly as I walk over to him. 

“Stay where you are!” the guard shouts, but Shinsou raises a hand and I sit down on the opposite sides of the bars that separate us.  I reach my hand out, cupping his cheek. 

“I’m so sorry, Shinsou.  It must’ve been so lonely, especially after he left.” I say, stroking his bloody hair through my fingers.  Shinsou looked up at me, for the first time without death in his eyes, but I felt his sadness inside of me.  “I do understand you.  I hope that, by capturing me, we will be done with this war.  Kaminari might be gone, but for the future of our two Kingdoms, I hope that one day, others will be allowed to live between our Kingdoms without fear.”  His eyes well up with more tears, but he doesn’t try to blink them away; he just lets them waterfall down his cheeks.  “I’m sure he knew you loved him.”

“Shinsou.” someone says in the darkness.  I can hear her, and whoever she is, she’s smiling.  “You are needed.”  

Using the bars, Shinsou pulls himself up.  He says nothing to the voice in the darkness, only starting to walk away with him, his shoes echoing in the chamber. Before he is fully immersed, light hits the side of his face as he turns and I hear him whisper, “For your kind words, I’ll suggest to the King to keep you alive.  But other than that, I’m afraid I can’t do more.”

“I thought the King was angry with you?”

He lightly smiled, a small chuckle escapes him.  “I’m sure he’s long forgotten about that.”

I nod, watching him walk away and fade into the darkness.  “Thank you, Shinsou.”

Kaminari didn’t deserve the ending he got.  And now, I’m answering for those crimes.  In truth, the Ruthless Dragon King would have declared any war crime mine if only it means getting rid of me.

But he won’t rid me, my gut tells me.  Not yet anyway. 

I hear Shinsou’s footsteps as he walks down the hall, but once the door creaks open and slams closed, I hear him no more. 

The stranger is still here, though, but I cannot see her face.  Only from the neck down.  And within her hands, she holds a thorned whip.  The sound of her breath increases and my heart speeds up and I use the bars to hoist myself into a standing position.  There’s a sharp pain in my side, but I do my best to ignore it.  “What do you want?” I ask.

“To get you cleaned up before the King sees you.”

“Cleaned up?” 

“He also ordered me to do whatever I wish to you to get the job done.  So I wouldn’t try anything too interesting.”  I nod, hoping she can see me.  “And if you do, I’m to resort to whatever I see fit.”  When she steps forward, I am almost instantly afraid.  A beautiful woman stares down at me and licks her lips when she is fully in view.  She had long black hair that curls up at the ends and her eyes are hidden behind a black mask.  “Hello, Young Prince.” she says sensually.  “Don’t be scared, my dear.” she unlocks the door and enters the prison cell.  I hear one of the guards whistle and call me lucky.  “I am the Lady Midnight and I was instructed to take of you.” I close my eyes as her hands touch my own. 

“Take care of me?”

She howls with laughter and says, “I’ll wipe the stench of that wretched place off of you.”

Chapter Text

A Historical Narrative: The First of the Lantern King’s Descendants, by Ninja; organized into Izuku Midoriya’s book Global Beginnings

Part 2: The Battle of Lightning Lost

In the early times, there was the Lantern King.  And he was said to be extraordinary.  Because of his gift, those around him worshipped him. 

He traveled the world, bestowing light wherever it could be shown.  He traveled from his home in the northern mountains of Grice to a new setting—one of violent storms, constant rain, winds, thunder and lightning—the Stormy Isles of the Industrial lands in the south.  The ocean enriches the air around the travelers.  It’s heavier than expected, but they taste the salt on their tongues.  The Lantern King loved it here upon the rocky, rainy shores, full of fog and cloudy skies.  And a young woman, the Lovely and beautiful Mikado Kaminari, fell madly in love with the man and on a particularly stormy night, she bore a son, one with light blonde hair and shining golden eyes.

The first of all the Descendants of the Lantern King and was named Denmari.  And he, too, was extraordinary: able to control small bits of lightning from his index and middle finger, he was truly feared.  A close combat fighter, he grew into a leader and the Industrial Soldiers, known as Soldiers of Storms at the time, followed him as he one-by-one collected each of the surrounding islands until they were known as the Stormy Isles of the South.    

But the Lantern King could barely muster a few words of a goodbye prior to his son’s birth and didn’t get to see his son grow.  Instead, he made his way from the islands to the mainland.  The lands were harsh on the continent the further he traveled from the beaches, but he continued his travels northwest until he reached the wetlands.  The air was humid here, and heavy.  The bugs were larger and he had been bitten several times, his legs covered in tiny, itchy bumps.  He thought of turning around until he happened to run into the people of the swamp.   

The swamp people were unlike most of the people he’d met previously: they weren’t a clan so-to-speak, and they were quiet for the most part, but very well educated on the swamp.  Their homes were netted so bugs couldn’t enter and they were able to make fire, something that the Lantern King hadn’t been able to do for weeks.  The smell of the bog wasn’t as strong in these homes and they ate the fish they had hunted and cleaned for themselves.

Still, he tried to integrate into their ways, only speaking when spoken to, or only asking when something needed to be asked.  And a man caught his eye.  In truth, the Lantern King thought he was a woman and made several egregious comments about the matter—, “You can’t just claim you’re a man, especially when you’re not!”  And the people began to hiss at him.  Their leader and the man’s father, an ancient family who called themselves Aizawa, came forward and said, “If he says he’s a man, he’s a man.”

“But look at his—,” he couldn’t finish the sentence the way he wished, but instead said, “—body.  She’s clearly a woman.”  Hiss, hiss of the swamp people. 

“I am better at being a man than you are.” the son of Aizawa said.  “I can hunt, fight and—,” he licked his lips, and raising an eyebrow said,  “—fuck better than you ever could.  And many other things.  You haven’t been able to do a single one of those things since you’ve arrived here.  Are you—,” he eyed his pants.  “Incapable?” 

“I am a light!  A beacon!” the Lantern King said, enraged.  Hiss, hiss.  “I have no need to do any of those things.”

“Your light scares away our fish.” the Aizawa son said.  “So you cannot hunt.  Your body is weak, so you cannot fight—,”

“I am worshipped.”

“We worship no man here.” Aizawa leader said.  “My son can do things better than any man I’ve ever seen.  And if you cannot look past what you see, then you may take your leave when you wish.”

The Lantern King opened his mouth to argue, but the Aizawa son just said, “Please, Lantern King.  You’ve overstayed your welcome.” he shook his head.  “Leave.” 

The Lantern King agreed but asked for one last night’s stay and he was granted his final wish. 

But the son had paid him a visit that night.  The two begin to speak to each other, trying to understand the other’s perspective and eventually the Lantern King sees reason with it.  “I understand you’re a man—,” he leans forward, towards the Aizawa son, a man with a beautiful face and stunning body.  “—but you’re so beautiful.”

They first share a kiss, then shared bodies.  It was said he glowed the brightest he ever had, but by the next morning, the Lantern King and his cohorts were gone.  But his remnants stayed, as he had put a baby into the belly of the Aizawa son.  And when he bore his child, they saw they were nothing like the Lantern King, and took on more of the silent clan features.  The clan people called them wouldn’t name them until they were ready to announce their own gender and what name they would like to be given.

Mikado Kaminari wasn’t happy.  Having been abandoned so suddenly during the night, she didn’t know how to process through having his child tried to kill herself and the child numerous times.  She was tied to a bed until she gave birth to her son.  She loved the boy, but also resented him.  When she’d heard of the Aizawa son having the Lantern King’s second child, she lost her mind, going completely mad.  She put all of her hatred for the man and the Aizawa Clan into her son, feeding him lies of the silent people of the swamp, and of his half-sibling.  She forced her son to build upon his ability, forcing him to stay out in storms to be shocked by lightning several times until he himself could harness the lightning between his two fingers on command rather than on impulse. 

The child of the Aizawa son was almost 17 and had just had their gender reveal, a great honor and tradition of these people.  The child declared herself a woman, called herself Kayo, and the clan cheered for her. 

Not five days later, Denmari turned 18, and upon adulthood Mikado’s army, the Storm Soldiers, traveled North to meet the silent swamp people of the mainland.  “I will be your light in darkness.” she told Denmari as they approached the wetlands, emulating the words the Lantern King told her all those years ago. 

The Kaminari Clan had control of most of the Southern surrounding areas of the wetlands.  Since the Aizawa son had given birth, the girl had emerged herself as a leader.  The Industrial Soldiers declared war, but just as when the Lantern King had arrived, the soldiers were tired from the heavy air and the smell of the bog made them nauseous.  Rashes grew on the soldiers’ bodies and the bugs left their itchy marks upon their skin. 

But Mikado continued to feed her son lies: “Denmari, you will defeat them.  You are stronger than she is.”

But they didn’t and he wasn’t.  With their army ridden with diseases, eaten by large bugs, and incredibly homesick, Mikado’s son unleashed a small, but powerful attack against the Aizawa son chest.  And he died instantly, his heart shocked by too much electricity.  His young daughter stepped forward, her hair lifting far above her shoulders. 

“Your ability is powerful.” she walked over to him and he raised his fingers, but nothing happened.  He tried again and again.  His own people did their best to encourage him, but he was no longer anything special.  Her eyes glowed red in the deep forest—the glow reminding Mikado that this was another extraordinary child.  “But not as powerful as mine.”

And his ability was silenced. 

The Industrial Soldiers were defeated.  In the midst of the battle, Mikado hung herself upon a tree, and when she was found, her body was half-eaten, the bugs moving through the eye sockets of her skull.  Denmari Kaminari, the first of the Lantern King’s children, walked up to his half-sister, and said, “Did you know him?” he asked.  “The one who gave you this gift?”

She shook her head.  “I never knew him.  He was banished here before I was born.”  She pondered, though.  “Are there others like us?  Who have similar abilities?”

“There must be.”

And the two, along with the Industrial Soldiers, who had pledged themselves to the Aizawa Family, began to track through the Lantern King’s movements, meeting up with other families with interesting and fascinating, and extraordinary children.  An alliance grew and the world that was once so large, suddenly shrank. 

Finally, they found the Lantern King at long last.  The two traveled had traveled with another, someone by the name of Ishto Doroki, who could control fire to a small degree.  He made the climb of the cold Mountains of Grice more tolerable.  They had been searching for more Descendants, but surely now with as many as they’d found, they would go to his home and see if he had returned.  None of the other children wanted to see him, but they were glad that they had an alliance with the great Aizawa leader. 

To their surprise, the Lantern King had and there were two more children that surrounded him: Takahiro Iida and Ren Shigaraki.  They were all much younger, but they exchanged pleasantries amongst each other. 

Their father lay upon his death bed, dying of syphilis, a gaping hole shown through his leg.  The people here still worshipped him and loved him, and that’s all he wanted in his last moments.  He looked at his children who had come to see him in his last moments, and cried upon looking at each of them. 

The three had found him at last, in those last moments, with his last breath, he declared them extraordinary.    

Chapter Text

KATSUKI

“Yes, but there are still the rebel factions in the South to be weary of.” Shinsou points at the map in front of us. 

We are in one of several war rooms.  Kirishima suggested this particular room because he can sense how angry I am and there is nothing of value in here.  If I get angry enough, nothing in this room can get destroyed. 

Shinsou continues to talk and I rub my brow.  We’ve been staring at this map for hours trying to strategize.  

“We’re still winning the war, though.” I hear Kirishima say, rubbing his knuckles against the table.  “We’ve taken the lands of a few villages beyond the river.”

“Not to mention Talia should have been given the news by now that we have their prince.” Lord Sero says to me.  He yawns loudly and I glare at him, making sure he’s sees.  I know it’s early, but I prefer to get my work done earlier—it allows me more leisure time in the afternoon this way.  Sero would have it the other way around.  He shudders when my eyes fixate on him and he clears his throat.  “I’ll have Jirou’s regroup somewhere in the Southern area.  Should put some pressure to stop the rebels in the south and it’s not far from the gate.”

“In the snow?” Kirishima and I ask at the same time.  We chuckle, but he gestures for me to continue speaking.  “It’ll be hard, but if anyone can do it, it’s her—,”

“Youurrrrr Majesssstttyyyyyy!” someone sings outside the door.  I know who it is before it opens, it’s the Lady Midnight.  She isn’t a real Lady—a bastard from her father, but from him, she received an ability that far exceeds many I’ve seen.  She and my mother were good friends, and after my mother’s death, I still accept her as a part of my court.  Lady Midnight opens the door and steps into the room.

“Lady Midnight, aren’t you cold—?” I start to ask as I look up and down her gown, but my words are almost immediately halted when I see the man tailing her.  As beautiful as the Lady Midnight is, my eyes dare not look away from him as he is equally such a beauty, if not more so. 

I gasp when I realize: it’s the Prince of Talia.  He stands so regally, his broad shoulders are rolled back, his feet firmly planted into the floor.  He bows respectfully to the room, but still stands tall.  The only noticeable anxiety is in his clenched jaw and balled fists.

Almost like he’s ready for a fight. 

But I narrow my gaze to his face when his eyes lock to mine and his lips part slightly.  His face grows softer and his jaw relaxes.  The locks of hair swirl like water, falling against his face in a combination of light curls and waves that brush against his forehead.  His breath is hot in the cold air when I watch it leave his mouth like a light cloud with each fall of his chest. 

Isn’t he cold? I think as I stare at the few of the buttons underneath the Erian vest that are undone.  I could warm him…I don’t stop those thoughts as I see his fair skin in his arms, the sleeves of the shirt rolled up halfway on his forearm, showing the same freckles that are splattered across his face.  I wonder if he has freckles all over… His boots are thigh high and are laced all the way to the top, but I hardly see them above the large bulge coming from between his legs.  I lick my lips at how tight the leather pants are.  They hug his waist and leave almost nothing to the imagination.  The bulge is lengthy and I’m hardly able to tear my eyes away.

It’s not just the clothes, though.  My teeth bare together when I finally inhale, realizing I haven’t breathed for the entire five seconds I’ve been staring at him.  He stares back.  There is strength in his bright, Earthy green eyes, and a fierce anger deep in them.  And yet his facial expression is soft.  His cheeks turn a light pink shade against his freckled skin when his eyes meet mine.  When he looks away, the flush in his cheeks remain.

“Your Grace,” the Lady Midnight says and bows before us.  “My Lords.  I present the Prince of Talia.”

I almost didn’t hear her, but I am glad when I did.  Hearing the word Talia brought me back to reality.  I flick my head to try and shake away a thought of what his ass might look like out of those pants, but a brief image of him naked, beneath me illuminates in my mind.  With another shake of my head, those thoughts are gone.  I remind myself that this is the man who killed one of my greatest assets in the war—and while I’d never admit it aloud, Kaminari was one of my closest friends.  The Prince might not be directly involved, but he is directly responsible.  While beautiful, he’s still guilty. 

I’m surprised when I see my Lords bow respectfully in greeting and even more surprised when he says, “My Lords.” His head lowers further when our eyes meet again and he says, “King of Eri.”

Dammit, I think to myself as my dick grows hard, aching against my pants.  I lean against the table to hide it.

“Well, what do you think, Sire?” Lady Midnight asks me.  She had done what I had instructed and then some.  My only request was the make him look presentable because I didn’t want to smell Talia on him.  She did her job a little too well…  She looked back and forth between me and the Prince. I say nothing.  Only continuously reminding myself to breathe.  “Majesty?  Is it not to your satisfaction?”

“I’m—he—,” I stutter over my words before finally saying, “It’s a start.”

Lady Midnight laughs and pats the Prince on the shoulder.  “That’s as good of a compliment as you’re gonna get, I’m afraid.”

“My King.” Shinsou says.  To my surprise, he is smiling upon seeing the Prince.  “Erian colors look good on him, do they not?”

I shoot him a look, but I grow irate when Lord Shinsou continues to stare at the Prince.  “Are you still loyal to him, General?”  

“No, my Lord.” he says seriously, but his eyes finally shift over to me.  “But he was my Prince once.  It’s hard to forget.”

“Do not look so brightly at Talia, My Lord.  You bow to me—,” I taunt, but I’m stopped by a hand on my arm.  I look over and the Prince has moved swiftly over to me.  His grip is powerful and I hiss in pain between my teeth.  He reacts and let’s go quickly.

“Sorry.  I forget my place.” he bows.  “I do not like it in my own Kingdom when the Generals fight amongst each other.  I often step in when I feel things getting out of control.  Forgive me.”

Rage.  Rage is all I can think about.  I’m raging at the whole fucking room: at Midnight, for interrupting the meeting and showing me this—this distraction; at Shinsou for defending him; at Kirishima and Sero for doing absolutely fucking nothing. 

And, in that moment, the Prince of Talia for being the Prince of Talia.  “You both may take your leave.”

“My Lord, I do not want to ruin these clothes.  Might I find him a room—somewhere in the castle, where he can be watched?” Midnight asks, but she remains quiet as my fury takes hold of me.  I feel the heat in my chest rising and falling with my breath. 

“Put. Him. Back. Where. You. Found. Him.”  I manage to say in my calmest voice through my teeth.  She makes a motion to protest, but I silence it with a single look.  “You are nothing here but a pon in my game of chess, Deku.  And I play to fucking win.”

The Prince only nods, as if he’s accepted his fate.  “Since you gave me a nickname, I’ll give you one as well.” he chuckles.  “Your name is Katsuki, right?”  My boils in my blood hearing him speak my name, my informal given name, with no hesitation.  “I’ll call you Kacchan.”

“Oh, Kacchan, I like the sound of that!” Midnight says.  He smiles politely at her, and she licks her lips, pulling his shirt apart more. 

“It’s nothing more than how we speak to each other back home.  It merely means we are friends, as I hope to be before he decides to kill me.”

I don’t like his tone.  It’s as if he’s mocking me. 

“Given your life rests in my hands, you would be wise to say nothing else.”  I tell him, but he shrugs, and with that, he begins to walk out of the room.  The Lords once again, as if he’s been given the upmost respect, bow to him and Midnight bows quickly to the room and follows him out of the room.  “Call me whatever you want!” I yell as he walks away.  “It changes nothing.”

He turns to close the double doors of the room and just before the doors close, his lips curl into a smile and he whispers, “Kacchan.” just before closing the door.

The room is quiet, but I’m so angry, so full of anxiety, my entire body is shaking.  I’m searing in something more than anger and I feel it throughout my entire body.  Boiling over, I cannot contain it, cannot control it.

 “Shinsou, you’re going to want to get behind me.”  I hear Kirishima say and he activates his hardening abilities.

I don’t see if Shinsou makes it.  Anger flows through me and with a loud roar, I feel my body ignite in a monstrous explosion.  The room fills with smoke and one after another, my power rages through me. 

“He’s dead!” I yell at the top of my lungs, my voice overcome with the heat of my power and another explosion escapes my mouth.  “By the end of the week, I’ll have his fucking head!”

Chapter Text

SHINSOU

I walk down the dark halls of the castle alone, taking a different route to my room than usual.  I breathe in the crisp, cold air from the outdoors as this hall is lined with large, arched windows.  This hall specifically is especially cold and in truth, I hate walking down it, but this is how Denki must’ve felt in his last moments on the unforgiving Grice Mountain.  He drowned under a pile of snow, unable to climb out.

But the windows aren’t the only reason I hate this particular hallway.  I stop when I see a painting of him on the wall.  The painting cannot convey his beauty, but there is a striking resemblance.  He isn’t smiling here, but something tells me he was during the painting session.  My heart cries to hear his laughter again, but his painting is here, in this hallway.  A hallway of remembrance for the dead…and that is just another harsh reality for me.

In a way, I am happy of this remembrance. I try to smile through the memories, as they were so fun and filled with such happiness and love.  But sometimes, those memories are hard to get through, as they are filled with grief and loss of what will never be again.

The first time we met was on accident.  I happened to be taking a piss into a stream that led to a river, east of where I was standing.  On one side of the stream is Talia and on the other, a town of Eri.  This is a strategic plot, as we would gain access to the river and be able to bring supplies when needed by boat rather than my horse.

It felt like we were bringing the war to these small towns.  I couldn’t help but feel for my land, the manmade valley mined in the mountains, that one day, I too, would be bringing battle to them.

The forest I was in wasn’t too far from where the troops were, but I had walked half a dozen miles alone to get here.  We were preparing to negotiate terms with the Erian town.  Lord Todoroki was in charge of the negotiations and I had a feeling I came along to help persuade them.  I hated being near him, around him, and left to go walking on my own when we stopped for camp.  I came upon a forest and looked at my map to see the stream wasn’t too far, but definitely didn’t want to go past it quite yet.  It wasn’t recon, but more of my own wanderings.  When I came to the stream, the sounds of the water rushed to my bladder. 

“Wow,” a voice said.  I flinched, my head darting behind me, and looked in complete shock.  A man stood there, his hands behind his head.  He jumped down from the small ledge onto the pile of dirt and leaves at the base of the forest.

How had I not seen him?  Not heard him? 

“You pee for a really long time.  I feel like I’ve been holding my bladder by sheer willpower, but when I saw you, I decided to wait.  You know—,” he pointed to his uniform and I gasped, jerking backward when I see the Erian crest.  “—because we’re enemies and all.  But look, when the body tell you to piss, you have to piss, you know?”  He walked next to me, untied his pants and began to piss in the stream as well.  “Oh, yes, sweet release!”

I tied my pants together quickly.  “You are my enemy!  You are trespassing on our land!”

But he just laughed.  “I’m your enemy?” he questioned.  “Not the way I see it.  We just happen to be on the wrong sides of fate.  Though, I could have sworn that this was still our territory.”  He gave himself a little shake and tucked himself back into his pants before tying them.   

I grabbed him and pushed him across the water, careful to remain in the water.  “That,” I told him.  “Where you are standing is Eri’s Territory.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him back, to the spot we were in before.  “This is Talia’s.”

His eyes lit up.  “Wow, so then what’s this?” he grabbed the cuff of my uniform and pulled me back into the water, his face still beaming with an idiotic smile. 

I look around.  “It’s a stream.”

“But who’s side is it on?” he giggled. 

After this week, hopefully ours.  “Is that a joke?”

He shook his head.  “Feels like we’ve forgotten we’re fighting people in this war.”

It is surprisingly insightful.  For an Erian.  “Just—stay on your side of the river.”  I told him, but started to walk away when he pulled me back.  “What?”

“Well, I was hoping to talk.  It’s not every day that I see someone from Talia.” he thought for a moment.  “When it’s not during a battle.”  

I stop.  “Talk?”

And suddenly he begins to ramble.  Brainwash him, I tell myself.  But there’s no way to interrupt his line of thought.  He just kept going.  While he spoke, I listened intently on what he was saying, in case I could relay any of it back to Lord Todoroki.  His hands moved wildly with his words, but he spoke of nothing of consequence.

When I finally find my opening, I attempt to activate it, but he says, “Well, that’s when I realized that Kirishima was actually a part of the play—,”

My ears perked up hearing another general’s name and I slam my mouth shut.  But once again, it’s nothing.  As he talks, he uses lots of sound effects and hand signals.  I catch myself smiling a couple times.  It’s contagious, his happiness.  As he continued, I couldn’t help but notice his strong features, his prominent jaw squared against his face. I took a second too long to look at his face, but I was surprised at myself.  To me, Erian soldiers were blood thirsty, hideous monsters.

But it wasn’t the first lie that Talia had told me.  And he was, yet again, another form of proof against everything I’d been taught.

“My God!” he exclaimed, looking up at the sky.  “Is that the time already?  Look at how high the sun is!  Feel like it shouldn’t be more than a little past sunrise.  And you’ve just let me talk about myself the whole time—,” he hits me in the arm.  It doesn’t hurt, but confused, I raise an eyebrow.  “Anyway, what makes you happy?  Over in Talia?”  

I thought about it.  I haven’t been happy.  Not since—not since I’ve been assigned to Lord Todoroki—

NO!  I yelled at myself.  It was still too painful to think about.  But something sincere in him stares back at me.  “You’ve made me happy.  Happier than I’ve been in a while.”  The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

“Really?” almost impossibly, he perked up even more.  “I’m curious, what are these stars for?  I’ve never seen them on a Talian uniform.”  He points to the three stars above the Talian crest on my uniform.

“It means I’m a General.”

Hitoshi! my mind tried to warn me.  He is dangerous!  Stop talking to him!  Tell him nothing else!

“Me too!”

Your eyes in the light of the sun—they fucking sparkle. 

“But we have rankings on our armor.  Just the crest on our uniforms.” he puffed out his chest, displaying proudly the Erian crest.

“You are a Lord?” I asked.  He is a Descendant of the Lantern King!  He has an ability!  He wouldn’t be out here alone if he couldn’t protect himself.  “Prove it!”

He giggled and at the sound, my heart fluttered.  He leaned forward, his lips matching up with my own.  He cocks his head and arrogantly, and raising an eyebrow, he sensually says, “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” 

The sun moves behind clouds, casting a shadow over us, yet his hair is still as bright as his smile. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Still trying not to convey anything.  Anything you tell him, he could relay back to the Dragon King.

“Oh, you don’t have one?” his hands moved over mine and starts stroking them, and the arrogance suddenly turns to a look of pity.  “It’s okay, my dad’s uncle’s cousin’s daughter doesn’t have one, but we’re not really sure if she’s part of the family because my aunt isn’t a Descendant, if you pick up what I’m putting down—,”

“What?  No, I do have one.  A strong one.”  I told him, annoyed, jerking my hands away.  “Show me yours first.”

“‘M’Lord, could you please be so kind as to show me your great gift?’ That’s what you meant to say.” He teased, giving me a little wink.  I look away, feeling the heat flush to my cheeks.  “We should probably step out of the water.  Your side or mine?”

“Mine.” I said quickly, but truthfully, it wouldn’t have mattered either way.

“Oh,” he wailed like an old woman, his chest is suddenly on mine and he looks up at me, a worried expression across his face.  I make a noise, somewhere in between being a “What?” and “The hell?” and it came out as “Hewat?!”

“Will you protect me, my lord?” he squirms against my chest.

So playful!  All I could manage is, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I grabbed his hand, intertwining my fingers with his.  For a moment, I thought I felt his thumb rub against my own, but I wasn’t sure if that was my imagination or not.  I looked into the forest, my eyes darting from tree to tree, to make sure that no one else was around.  On his side.  Or mine. 

We wandered a few leagues away from the water, to a field out of the forest and he stopped upon seeing a fairly large tree off in the distance.  “Stay here, okay?” 

I nodded, but when he started pulling off several layers of his clothing, it paused all thoughts. He was certainly more built than the uniform would suggest.  His body is lean, but muscled, his golden arms and tight abs glistened with sweat when he peeled the last layer of shirt off.  “Whew, it’s really hot under all that shit, huh?” he giggled again.  I couldn’t remember why, but I had taken a step forward, towards him, but he stopped me quickly.  “No, no, you really aren’t going to want to be close to me.”

“Why?”

“Just, really.  Stay put.” he said.  “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

I shouldn’t have taken it so personally, but I stayed put where he asked me to, slightly annoyed.  He went up to the tree, several paces away and he put both hands together.  I saw nothing at first.  Then, I saw it: tiny bolts of lightning appeared, encasing his entire body in a nonsensical way.  From his head to his feet, he is completely sheathed in a light so bright, I barely saw him reach out, hitting the tree with both hands.

With a thunderous stuck, the tree exploded.  I shield my face from the debris that flew towards me.  The ground shook underneath of me, and I put my hands on the ground behind me to steady myself.  I looked over to see him keel over in front of the tree that is nothing now except a small stump, the ends of it burning slightly. 

He didn’t move for several seconds and worriedly, I called:  “My Lord…?” I ran to him as fast as my body would take me.  Sliding next to him, I scoop him up in my arms, but his body is limp, partially covered in dark ash.  His smile is no longer there.  I put my head against his care breast and his heart is making soft thuds against my ear.  When I feel his chest rise and fall with his breath, I hug him close to me.

He’s alive!  I thought and then I calmed myself.  Of course he is.  What a powerful gift he has.  I rest his head in my lap wonder if I should get his uniform to clean him up.  Instead, I peel off my own shirt and begin to pat the sweat away from his brow.  His hair sticks to his face and I brush it back with my fingers before I begin gently patting the sweat from his face again. 

“My Lord?” a voice said.  A Talian soldier stood near us. 

Shit, I think.  Why is everyone sneaking up on me?  And then a more anxious thought: How much has he seen?

“Sir, I heard an explosion and—,”  He looks down at the Lord in my lap and looks confused before his face turns a deep shade of red.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt—,”

I know what it looks like and I narrow my gaze at the soldier.  “And what do you think you’re interrupting, exactly?” I asked and looked at his shirt for his rank.  “Captain.”  His ranking was less than a Commander, and he wasn’t recognizable.  Which means he’s one of Lord Todoroki’s.

He began to wave his hands in front of him frantically, but I know exactly what it looks like.  If word gets out, I’ll have to explain who this man is—

—and why I felt the need to take care of him.

I swore to my king and myself I would never use my power on another Talian soldier like this, but in that moment, I felt I had no choice.  If we take him back now, the soldiers would probably kill him, especially since Prince Midoriya isn’t around.  And if Lord Todoroki gets a hold of him—

Hitoshi. my mind softly said to me, as if it were pitying the predicament I got myself in.  You must. I narrow my gaze at the soldier.  “Did you think I wouldn’t be able to handle the situation alone?” I heard my voice echo around me, bouncing off the air as I activate my own power within me.

“No, of course you could, General Shinsou—,”

I quickly reached through the soldier with my mind and I touch all of his senses.  The iris of his eyes turned black as his pupil grew and I couldn’t help but think of how stupid he looks with his mouth ajar.  “Return to base.  Tell everyone there is no need for any more recognizance.”  As he turned around, I told him, “I am not to be interrupted further.  No need to come looking for me.”

His mouth snaps shut and he turns his body, following the same footsteps he took to get here. 

I wait until I can no longer hear the captain’s footsteps before attending back to the Erian Lord.  It looks like part of his face was hit by the blast of the tree, but as I start wiping with the shirt, I realized it was only soot.  I set the shirt down and used a finger to try and swipe it away.  It just spread across his face, but I continued to gently touch my fingers down his cheek, running my thumb across his plump lips.  So handsome, and almost as if he could hear my thoughts, he groaned.  Leaning against my hand, his eyes fluttered open.   

“My Lord,” his voice cracked, but his eyes narrowed.  Our faces are close together and my hand slid off his face.  I can feel the heat rushing to my cheeks, but he seems unphased at first until he raised a hand to my own cheek.  “I know you said you’d protect me, but really—,”

“Shh.” I told him, grabbing the hand that is on my cheek and I hold it.  “We are in Talia and I don’t want us to draw attention to ourselves.”

“You being so close to me would draw attention to us, My Lord.”

I turned away from him, embarrassed.  I don’t tell him that we were almost caught, but something inside of me asked, Caught doing what?  “Are you able to walk?”

“I think so.” he told me.  He slid the hand from my cheek, out of my hand and placed it behind his head.  The other reached out and touched the base of my thigh.  “We could stay here for a few minutes, though.  Just until—,” he pat his stomach.  “Just until I get hungry.”

I chuckled.  “You are quite powerful.”

“I know, it is insane, right?  But I can’t use it too often.  Most of the time, it just make me, as the Dragon King says, ‘More of a fucking idiot than usual’, but I guess I was trying too hard.”  I blush at his words.  “According to the Dragon King, I’m only to use it when I feel it’s necessary.  What about you?  Can you show me yours?”

My heart raced at the thought and I was so afraid he could hear it.  I don’t want to tell him that I already used it, and I don’t want to use it on him, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him of the ability either.  He used the hand that is placed on my thigh to rub it.

“It’s okay.” he said, he patted me.  “You can show me another time.”

He is the enemy! My mind echoed to me, as if trying to brainwash myself, but I pushed the thought aside.  He sat up, not taking his eyes off me.  We just sat there, staring at each other.  I was so scared to move, but he finally smirked, and his eyes are full of play. 

“I…” the sentence trailed off, but must have gotten nervous because he shakes his head and switched to, “My Lord, you didn’t tell me your name.”

I wondered what he was going to say before shaking it off, but I don’t press it further.  “My name is Hitoshi Shinsou.  And you, My Lord?”

“Lord Shinsou,” he bowed his head.  “Lord Denki Kaminari, at your service.” I closed my eyes and bow my head as well.  When my gaze dropped, I notice his chest rising and falling faster than it was before.  His stomach completely relaxed, but his muscles shown through his tight abdomen.  When I look back up at him, I stared straight into his eyes—at first glance, I thought they were a light brown, but now that I am really looking into them, I see they are wreathed in gold.  In the raging heat, we are both panting and I wonder if he sees the pink intermingled in my own dark, purple eyes. 

I don’t want to move.  I wanted to stay like this for just a few moments longer, but he says, “I am getting kind of hungry.  I should head back.” I thought he might have been getting nervous, being this close to me, but he says, “I, um, hope to see you again.” And looks away.

“And I you.”

He lit up again and I realized I am smiling too.  He leaned forward and he asked me quietly, but directly: “Meet me tonight, then?”

I sucked in a breath.  He wants to meet me?  “I’m—are you not going to be missed?”

“No.  Everyone is preparing for the King to arrive in the next town over, but—,” he noticed my expression change and he shook his head, his hands covering his mouth.  “Shit, I’ve said too much. I’m sorry.”

“The Dragon King is coming?” He regretfully nodded and I jumped to my feet.  “I’m sorry, but I must move the battalion.  There will be a bloody battle if anyone learns this.  We must leave the area at once—,”

“So, we aren’t meeting tonight, then?” he asked, jumping to his feet as well. 

I looked back at him and he was no longer being playful—there was a serious tone in his voice.  He looked a little sad and with my heart racing, but I grabbed his hands and brought them to my lips.  And on his knuckles, I said, “I will meet you back here, by the tree.  Assuming all goes well.”

“Our tree!” he corrected me, but he smiled sadly and said, “Then I hope all goes well for you.”

“And you.” I told him and we move apart, going in opposite directions. 

Now I walk the cold halls of the Erian Castle.  I still stare at the picture of him, hanging up on the wall.  Shivering, I’m still cold from the frost outside as I continue down the hallway.  It will be a brutal winter. 

It’s more brutal now that he’s no longer here with me. 

IZUKU

“The King wants me to move to a bed chamber?” I ask, surprised. 

“You can thank Shinsou and Midnight for that.” Lord Kirishima tells me, helping me to my feet.  He unlocks the cuffs that bind me to the cell, but almost immediately place another one together.  “Just precautionary.  It’s not really meant to be intimidating, Your—,” he quickly closes his mouth.  “Sorry, I’m still not sure how to address you.  Do I call you ‘Your Grace’ because that’s you’re a Prince or do we call you Deku because that’s what he’s deemed you as?”

I stare blankly.  “Whatever you’re comfortable with.  I’m your captive, after all.”

Lord Kirishima was in charge of my capture.  The battle was hard for us and before I could call for a retreat, I felt like a hard rock had fallen on me.  Damn, this is an ability?  I couldn’t activate my own quickly enough and was sent flying.  He had already head charged three of our cannons, destroying them instantly.  I was so tired, but as I tried to get up, his spikey red hair was the last thing I remember seeing before waking up in a white and red, Erian tent.  I hadn’t seen him after that until I came to the court.

“You are a Prince, I think it would only be right to call you by your title.” But then he mutters, “But it feels so wrong because you’re my enemy.”

I can only nod.  He leads me out of the cell and once the door is open, I’m led up a staircase to a vast, but beautifully golden intricate hallway.  Everything in Eri seems so reflectively symmetrical, but at the same time, there’s an elegance here.  I look up at the tall ceilings, my eyes are drawn to a center point and I circle around to see the shapes move in a geometric pattern.  “Tell the King I said thank you.”

“That normally would be kind, but you’d be better off saying nothing.” he chuckles.  “He might change his mind otherwise.” Again, I nod, but cannot take my eyes off of the decorative patterns of the mosaiced art on the windows, or the triangles placed in a circular pattern on the ceilings.  My eyes are drawn upwards and I find it hard to keep up with him because I want to stare at the beauty of the architecture before me.  “He might ask about someone called the Dragon Tamer?”

Damn you, Shinsou!  “Why would he ask about Todoroki?”

“Lord Todoroki?” he takes me breath of relief.  “Why is he called the Dragon Tamer?  He and King Bakugou already fought him.  They are equally matched.”

I’m careful with my words.  I know that Lord Todoroki and the Dragon King have had one-on-one battles and it’s clear that neither is stronger than the other as their abilities are so similar.  The King can withstand the high heat of Lord Todoroki, and Lord Todoroki’s skin acts as a barrier against the Dragon King’s explosions.  “Lord Todoroki is the head of the house.  The Dragon Tamer is his youngest son.”

“He is gifted, then?” he asks.

“More so than many I’ve seen.” I answer.  

Kirishima just sighs. “It always feels like there’s something.”  We’re silent for a few moments as we turn a corner.  Guards bow to Lord Kirishima, but make no movement to acknowledge me.  “When I saw you during our war meeting this morning, you didn’t even look like the same person.” he chuckles.  “In all the years I’ve known Bakugou, I’ve never seen him speechless.”

I blush, hoping that he won’t turn around.  Lady Midnight cleaned me up well— “The red vest really brings out the green of your eyes and hair!”  And when I’m brought to the Dragon King, he looked at me like I was something to be devoured.  He’s handsome enough, you could let him—

But it still ended poorly.  I shouldn’t have said what I did, but it was nice to feel like I had a little bit of control back, even if it was only for a moment. 

“This is as far as I take you.” he stops in front of a large door and I’m thankful for the interruption from my thoughts.  “Just remember: we all want the war to end.” He knocks hard on the door.  I hear a deep growl from within and he nods to me, “That’s your cue.  Farewell for now.” But as he starts to walk away, he stops and turns to me, respectfully bows and whispers, “Your Grace.”

I enter the room, but realize it’s likely his chambers.  The room is larger than any in Talian Castles, with the same high ceilings as the hallways, but this room doesn’t have any art and the walls are darkened with black soot.  There’s a large bed pushed up against a wall, very few layers despite the temperature outside.  He has a few bookshelves which make me excited, but when I notice very little books upon them, the excitement dissipates.  I notice the warmth in this room, thanks to the large fireplace that he is seated across in one of a few chairs that face it. 

“Deku.”  A low growl escapes the King.  He is looking into the fireplace, but gestures towards two large chairs that are next to him.  I walk over and sit down on one of them.  They are comfortable, and I take the one closest to the fireplace, furthest from him.  “We should speak about the war.” he tells me, taking the seat across from me.  I agree, but I’m still incredibly cautious.  He is wearing an outfit similar to my own. 

“The fire is nice, Kacchan.” I say, trying to initiate conversation.  He grunts, but doesn’t look away.  The sun has set outside and the light of the fireplace flickers off his skin.  We are quiet for a moment too long and because I do not do well with awkwardness, considering how awkward I am anyway, I break the silence.   “The weather has become awfully cold, but this room is so warm—,”

“Tell me of the Dragon Tamer.”

He doesn’t like small talk much, does he?  “Shinsou told of you of Todoroki, then?”

“Lord Todoroki?” he laughs.  “We’ve met.  And I’ve fought him head on.  We’re equally matched in ability, stamina and speed.”

Once again, I’m careful, even more so than before when speaking to him.  “You are equally matched with the head of the house, yes.  But he is not the Dragon Tamer.  His youngest son, Shoto, holds that title.  The Dragon Tamer is what the Kingdom has become accustomed to calling him.”

“Why have I not heard of him until now?” I demand.

“Probably because no one from Eri has lived to tell you of him.” Shit, I think.  The words left my mouth too quickly.  Don’t say anything to provoke him.  “What I meant is, it’s a fairly new title.”

“You think I won’t be able to defeat him?” the Dragon King growled through his teeth. 

I inhale deeply.  It’s not that I think he couldn’t, it’s just hard to be able for me to tell.  Kacchan is certainly a force to be reckoned with and has a great hold of his power.  But Todoroki does too.  I gently say, “I’m just not certain.  His power is a great combination of two of the oldest families in our kingdom.  Like you, his family was nearly destroyed and torn apart from the war.  He holds a great vendetta against the Kingdom of New Eri.”

I see him thinking.  I watch as his brow furrows, his red eyes glowing with flames from the fire dancing in them.  “What is this great power I have never heard of, then?”

“His power is combined.  On one half of his body, he can control the element of fire.  On the other, ice.  Like you, he has excellent control of it.  He alone was the reason that you lost the Battle of Fukuoka.”

We were all hurt, on both sides, very badly during that battle.  I had looked out upon the battlefield, with soldiers screaming out in pain.  Some had even fallen on their own swords; others had been too terribly wounded beyond repair, their uniforms covered in so much blood I couldn’t see the crests on their armor.  A few of the medics had made their way onto the battlefield, trying to treat as many people as possible—a woman, Lady Yaoyorozu, was making her way around those who were wounded.  Her family was on neither side, though they made several donations to our King, who likely suspected that the other side was receiving these fair donations as well. 

“Just hold on!” she yelled at one of the soldiers, who grasped his leg, tears streaming down his face.  She noticed me quickly though and rushed over.  “Prince Midoriya, are you okay?” she asked me frantically.  I could see her ribs, her shirt almost completely ripped open.  Her power was too much, taking hold over her body as she made another bandage for me and several of the soldiers.  She cried in pain as she made it, ripping through more of the fat on her body.

“What about him?” I asked, pointing to a soldier that was screaming. 

She looked at me and stuttering said, “He will be a corpse in moments, Your Grace.  You are laying among the others.”   

“No, no!” I try to get up, but dizzily couldn’t.  I have to save them.  I have to!  “My Lady—Momo—,” I understood her words, though they tore through me.  Everything started to blur together, the world was spinning beneath my body.

“Midoriya!” I heard someone yell and my eyes opened slightly.  I could barely make out Shoto’s face, but he appeared before me, his hand lifting my head to his.  There was another cannon fire, but I couldn’t use my hands to cover my ears.  As the sound made it through the air, Todoroki covered my face with his chest, but I could barely make out the conversation between him and the Lady Yaoyorozu, and I fainted in and out of consciousness, my ears ringing.

He shook me and pain seared through my head.  “Todoroki!” I slurred and he looked down at me.  “Get out as many soldiers as you can…we cannot stay here for long.  Make an ice mountain, separate us and them—,” 

He shook his head, blood dripping down the side of his face.  “There is no separation.  The soldiers are too intermingled.”  He gave me a look, one that I unfortunately recognized.  “I can do this, if you let me, Your Grace.  I can the few of us.”

I didn’t want to lose any more of our soldiers and I knew if I gave him permission, we would lose so many more.  But we have lost many already and I told him, “Do what you must.”

“I lost nearly my entire Lordship in that battle.” the Dragon King tells me, bringing me back from that horrific memory.  There is an intensity raging through his face. 

“We’ve both lost so much in this war.” I gently get up and kneel in front of him.  I reach my hand out to touch his hand.  To my surprise, he doesn’t jerk away, but he doesn’t look at me either.  “That battle was a Pyrrhic victory and nothing more.”

I can see he wishes to say something, but I don’t press it further.  We just sit there in complete silence, but I cannot fathom the things that he has seen and been through.  He is my age and I cannot imagine being a King, full of responsibility so young.  Especially with the two biggest Kingdoms in the world at war. 

“I am sorry.” I say quietly, trying not to cry at his pain.  “I’m sorry for what the war has put you through.”

He snarls at me and gets up from the chair quickly, kicking it over.  I remain kneeling before him, but do my best not to flinch.  I close my eyes and bite my tongue. “What do we gain by keeping you alive?  What do we gain by having you here?  How do we know it won’t end up like Kaminari—?”

I understand his hostility.  There are so many unknowns.  I shake my head.  “We don’t.” is all I say.  He is angered by this, as am I.  He turns around, a small but powerful pop and the chair is suddenly in pieces.  I look at the back of him, looking at the tense muscles in his shoulders that I can see through the shirt.  I remind myself of Kirishima’s words: he wants to end the war as much as I do.  “You have my word that I will not try to escape.” I tell him, trying to remain calm.

“The word of a Talian means nothing to me.”

“Kah—,” I start, but he holds up a hand to silence me.  He back still turned towards me, but I hear him sniffle, trying to muffle a cry.

I move to him.  Almost instinctively, I grab his waist and turn his body.  When I see his hand coming down to my face, I use a small amount of my own ability and push his hand up.  A savage, ferocious blast comes escapes his hands and I hear him roar, a sound that vibrates deep in his chest.  I can feel the heat from his body and I stare into dark, blood red eyes that are full of rage, but also a primitive hunger that makes my body want to salvage his.  I cannot push away the thoughts of how incredibly handsome, but terrifying he is in that moment.  I’m mindless and for the second time that day, my mind goes against my upbringing, against the teachings of Talia, against my Kingdom.

“Kacchan.” I whimper, but I do not look away.  In this moment, I cannot.  I tighten my own grip that I have around his wrist that I had pushed away moments ago.  “I am nothing here and therefore, I have nothing to gain by lying.  Please, Kacchan, believe me.” I beg.  “You have my promise, with everything I am—with my words, my body, my soul—I will not leave your side until the war ends.”

Chapter Text

SHINSOU

“It’s almost noon, My Lord.” someone wakes me up brutally.  They open the curtains with a loud slashing sound and the sun beams in.  I close my eyes and curl up underneath of the blankets. 

“Shit, is it really?” I ask the servant a moment later when I peel back the pile of covers overtop of me.  I look over at my desk and there’s already a pile of papers, inches high.  I groan, not wanting to get up, but I know that I must if I am to remain the King’s good graces.  Since the Prince of Talia is here, I have felt his eyes on me more than when I initially arrived.

I get out of bed and to my servants horror, I’m naked.  It’s not the first time, but I’d forgotten she’d asked me to wear clothes.  “Especially in the winter!  You could get sick!”  she’d told me.  She shrieks and curses loudly, exclaiming, “My Lord, you must wear clothes!  Not just for your health, but for my eyes!”

“Sorry.” I didn’t need a lecture first thing in the morning.  I apologize one last time to her before she leaves, slamming the door behind her.

I don’t put on any clothes immediately.  Instead, wrap one of the softer blankets around me and walk over to the window, staring out of it, but not really looking at anything.  Instead, I think of him, of what it would be like if Denki was here on this particular morning.  My mind plays it out and I smile, thinking that he likely would have woken me with a soft kiss through dumb smiles and talks of whatever came to his mind.

My smile leaves once I realize it’s not a reality and I look at my desk, my eyes scan the scattered piles of papers with work for me to do.  I put on clothes robotically, not bothering to ask for a servant to dress me as someone in my station should. 

I sort through some of the documents, logging which are more important than others.  I dip the quill in the ink and sit down, but the ink drips onto the paper and my hand beings to shake.  Shit, not again.  I clutch the blanket, balling it into a fist.  I hear my heart beat wildly in my ear, heavy thuds against my chest, which has grown incredibly heavy.  My breathing is also heavy and my body continues to shake with anxiety.  It hurts.  It hurts so much that he isn’t here.  “I miss you.  I miss you so much…”  And the tears rush from my eyes and I don’t bother to blink them away.  They plop down, almost all at once against the parchment like little raindrops on a windowpane. 

A memory flickers across my mind and I can’t stop it.  I’m undone whenever these flashbacks occur.  I try to shake it, to focus on the work ahead of me, but I’m brought back to the past, to that night when we’d met for the second time.

I did meet him that night.  That starry night, so full of deep emotions and lustful passions.  No, don’t think about this.  Anything but this, I tell myself, but my heart won’t stop hammering away at my ribcage.  I squeeze my eyes shut, but my head is suddenly engulfed with images of him—his bright, contagious smile; the sound of his moans and strangled breaths that intoxicated me; his tanned skin that glistening with sweat under the light of the moon.  I remember everything: every second that I spent with him that night.

That night, I had run back to the Talian base and told Lord Todoroki of what I had learned: the Dragon King was coming to a town close by and we needed to leave the area.  When Lord Todoroki asked how I’d found this information, I told him I had seduced a Erian soldier.  Not a complete lie, but I was relieved when he didn’t press it further.

Lord Todoroki decided to move the battalion and leave that night to avoid a bloody battle.  In my mind, it was a bit uncharacteristic of him, but since his last battle with the Dragon King which had left his face with a hideous scar, I understood why he would move as far away as possible.  We send out two messengers: one ahead on the road to tell the King of what we learned and the other to the Erian town in the other direction as they had been expecting us the following day.  I offered to be one of the messengers—I told Lord Todoroki it was dangerous to send someone who wasn’t a Descendant towards Eri, but that was a clear lie.  I was denied that request, but I still asked to stay behind. 

To my surprise, Lord Todoroki waved me off, which was his way of telling me yes without actually speaking to me.

“Are you going to be okay, My Lord?” one of the Commanders asked me when they saw me packing up my bags.  The anxiety must’ve shown on my face.  “You can only control a small platoon at a time.  One of us could stay with you—,”

“No need.” I said quickly.  I wrapped the white scarf the Heir Aizawa had given me tightly around my waist first and then my neck, just as I was taught.  Just in case I need it.

“Just come back in one piece, alright, M’Lord?” another soldier said, clapping a hand on my soldier, smiling down at me.

“I intend to.” Finally, I thought.  The first truthful think I’ve said in hours.

I watched them as they marched out of the area, one by one, commanded by Lord Todoroki, who barked out the orders.  I moved in the opposite direction, placing a mask over my face and pulled up my hood, keeping close to the road but not directly walking on it. 

It was already late in the day and as the sun had begun to set, I grew more excited.  I closed my eyes and Denki’s smiling face appeared behind my eyelids.  Lord Kaminari.  My dick grew just thinking about him and I reached into my pants, giving it a hard squeeze.  It strained in my hand, precum dripping from the tip.  My eyes shot open, suddenly very weary of my surroundings, and I moved closer to the trees, where eyes wouldn’t watch me do what I needed to.

Don’t get too excited, the voice said in the back of my mind, but I thought of him touching me; I thought of his voice yelling out— “My Lord!”; I thought about our mouths together; his body beneath mine, the marks I’d make biting on his neck and shoulders.  I pulled my cock out and began to caress it, thinking of what it would feel like in his hands.  Nothing like this will happen with him!  Stop this!

The voice berated me and eventually bared over the sensual, lively thoughts of him.  I shook my head, but put my dick against my lower abdomen.  It was easier to hide my excitement this way. 

Stealthily, I knew the fastest way to get to the tree was to make a direct line across the field rather than moving through the trees, but I stayed close to the forest line.  When I could hear the quiet of the stream nearby, I knew that I was close.  I thought about maybe going into the forest a few times, back to the place where we’d met in hopes of running into him, but maybe he’d taken another route as I had.  Either way, I told him I’d meet him there, so it is there I traveled.

The sun had finally set, but the moon cast a bright, blue light on the field ahead.  I don’t need to use a lantern on this night.  The moon held high in the sky and shown like a light upon the field.

Please, please be there. I prayed and my pace turned from a walk into a run, lightly dashing past the trees that were a blur in my periphery.  Seconds turned into minutes until finally, I laid eyes upon the tree in the open field.  Our tree, I remembered him saying.

But he wasn’t there.  I saw it bare and my eyes started to water.  I tried to tell myself maybe I had the wrong place, but there was no mistaking it.  The charred edges of the stump told me I had it right.  Defeated, I sat upon it. 

It’s for the best. I tell myself.  He’s Erian.  You wouldn’t be able to do anything with him— 

“Lord Shinsou!” a voiced yelled loudly.  I thought I imagined it, so initially I didn’t turn my head, only kept my eyes closed.  “You came!” 

I turned my head and a body was there, running towards me.  I squinted until I made the outline of Lord Denki Kaminari walking closer to me.  I smiled, wanting to hold up a hand to greet him, but my body was shaking with either anxiety or delight, the two mixing together in a way that made the feelings indistinguishable.

I stared in awe of him as he approached me, beaming at the sheer sight of me.  “You came!” he wrapped his arms around my neck quickly before pulling back and clasping his hands on my shoulders.  He then reached into a pack that he had been carrying, placing it on the ground as he pulled out something.  Getting up from the tree stump, I took a few slow steps towards him, unsure if he was real.  His white shirt bared the crest of New Eri which only fueled the internal struggle.  It was ripped from the bottom, his lean abdomen shimmered against the blue moonlight and from the damp heat of the summer night. 

My mind was too full of raging, battling thoughts.  I touched my brow, trying to quiet the thoughts, but that only made them louder, more concentrated.  I almost didn’t hear him say, “I brought food, so if you need it, you can have it.” He reached into the pack and pulled out a large bottle.  “I also snuck out with some wine, so if we wanted to get drunk, which we absolutely will, I figured—,”

I only caught a few words after that as he told me a bit about what happened in the town where the Dragon King would be staying and how preparations were going.  My thoughts were loud, but his voice, his laugh, his happiness berated through me like a song.  I was still panting, half from running and the other half because I was holding onto control like it was a rope hanging by a thread.  I couldn’t take it.  These thoughts of him against the teachings of Talia.  Everything that Talia taught me was a lie and here’s the proof. 

He suddenly reached a hand out and his index finger grazed my skin near my eyes, the only part of my face that was showing.  It was then that my mind quieted.  “I thought something might have happened and you wouldn’t be able to come, but I’m so happy you’re here.”  His finger didn’t leave my cheek and his hand slid over my mask.  “You look so stealthy, with your hood up and that mask you’re wearing.  But we’re still in Talia, so shouldn’t I be the one to wear all of this?”  he giggled and the sound vibrated through my mind.  “You look so different from how you looked earlier in the Talian uniform.  Now you’re—,”  his eyes undressed me as he scanned from my toes back up to my gaze.  He reached up and pushed my hood back, his fingers brushed through my hair.  Despite it being warm, I shivered, leaning my head back, my nose pointing towards the sky. 

Touch me more.  As if he could read my thoughts, he pulled down on the mask I wore and his thumb traced my lips.  “It’s just us now, so no need for any of this.”

Shinsou, don’t!  But that was my mind’s last warning.  With one last step, I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to me.  Our lips touched and I noticed the softness in the kiss, like kissing a cloud.  My dick grew almost instantly, a raging boner that had a thirst of its own—a throbbing against the fabrics on my pants that longed to be caressed by him.

It was too late when I realized what I had done.  He didn’t pull away as I expected: instead he moaned and my free arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him close so my aching dick can rub against him.  When his mouth opened, I was the one to pull away, too scared to know what true happiness might taste like. 

But our mouths were still close to each other, our breaths heavily panting.  I knew he was expecting me to look at him, to meet his gaze, but I kept my eyes down.  He also had a boner bulging through his pants.  He doesn’t move his waist away from me, our dicks against each other, the only thing keeping them separated are a few pieces of fabric.  Touch me, I thought.  But I didn’t dare say it.  I didn’t dare move.  I expected him to push me away; I expected him to never want to see me again.  That this would be the last time I would ever be able to see true joy at its purest.

To my surprise, his hand traces my jaw and wraps around the back of my neck.  The other hand begins to pull up on my shirt.  Just when I thought we couldn’t get closer, I felt the silky skin of his stomach touch mine.  Reaching under my shirt, his hand rested on my chest.  “M-my Lord,” he whimpered. 

“I was—,” His hands continue to wander under my shirt, around my torso to my back and get dangerously close to my pants.  When I say those words, he slides a hand into them and his long, skinny fingers rub and squeeze my ass.  “—I was just so excited to see you.” 

He buried his face in my shoulder, nuzzling my neck.  “I didn’t think—,” he met my gaze, his eyes staring directly into mine.  “—I didn’t know if you—are you sure you want this?” he grinned.  “With us being enemies?”  He left a soft kiss on my neck.

I want you.  These words took hold over me and I grabbed one of his wandering hands and placed it on my chest so he could feel my racing heart.  He looked up at me and I pulled him close, whispering in his ear, “I’d be lying if I said I came here without these intentions.” I kissed his forehead that was at the height of my lips, and trailed kissed to his eyelids.  He closed his eyes, accepting my light pecks against his face.  “Enemies or not, I can’t stop thinking about you.  It’s driving me crazy.  Though if you want to stop—,”

“No!” he interrupted loudly.  He cleared his throat and said, a little softer, “No, I want this.  I—I want you.”

With a growl, I grabbed his chin, lifting his lips to meet mine.  I parted my lips slightly and his tongue messily slid into my mouth while my hands caressed him.  I craved his body, my fingers wanting to touch every inch of him, my tongue to taste the deepest parts of him.  I deepen the kiss further, my hand taking a fistful of hair and pulled.  His head arches back and he sinks into my arms.  “Take this off.” I told him, reaching down at his pants.  My teeth sink into his neck and he moaned as I licked the indents my teeth had made, letting go of his hair. 

“When I’m done taking this off.” he flicked the laces of my pants before undoing the laces quickly.  I began to undo the white binding cloth that was tied around my waist, letting it fall to my ankles along with my pants that he seamlessly pulled down.  Once my dick is freed, it aches to be touched by him, but he pulls my shirt over my head while I kick off my shoes and pants.  Completely naked, he looked at my body for a moment and his eyes widen.  I narrowed my eyes when he didn’t say anything for those few seconds, but he touches my shoulders, circling between them and my shoulders.  “I’m a little jealous of how muscular you are, My Lord.”

“I’m a little turned on by how incredibly delicious you are, My Lord.” I lick his smile before grabbing his wrist and sucking on two of his fingers. 

“You—you think I’m delicious?”

“I would devour you, if you’ll let me.”

He giggled and then with a wink says, oh-so playfully, “Do your worst.”

We crashed to the ground, the soft song of the wind rustling through the trees in the forest nearby is the only thing heard over our loud pants and sounds of pleasure.  He climbed on top of me, his legs on either side of my waist.  A giggle escaped him again and I felt myself smiling.  I need you, my body screamed. 

I spat into my hands and grabbing his cock and my own, I began to stroke them, up and down.  The sizes were nearly the same in length, but mine had slightly more girth to it.  His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he arched his back, throwing his head to the sky.  “This feels so good!” he said loudly and I smacked his ass, equally as loud.

“This feels so good, My Lord, you mean?” I teased and he playfully bites at my nose.  I continued to listen to his noises, his heavy breathing.  He licked his fingers and reached behind him.  Yes, that’s it. I thought.  Get yourself ready for me.  “How many fingers do you have inside of you?”

“Two—,”

“Make it three.” I gripped the two of us harder, moving faster.  His eyes widened and his moans echoed inside of me. 

“My Lord.” he said breathlessly.  He pushed me against the ground, shifting his body weight, arching his back.  He tilted his head back, his eyes rolling, his eyelids fluttering.  “I wonder…” he said, but I saw a tiny bolt flow from his finger and he pointed it directly at my nipple. 

“Ah!” I let go of us and grabbed his hand when the pain shot through me.  It didn’t hurt nearly as much as I thought and I asked him to do it again.  Giggling, he obliged.  I grab his hips when he does, feeling the small amount of pain giving me so much pleasure. 

“Open your mouth, My Lord.”  he said.  I did.  When he shocked my tongue, I yelped, but he stuck two fingers in my mouth, instructing me to suck on them.  I did.  “I want to feel your tongue on them.” I licked his fingers, sucking them into me.  “Get them wet.”  I did.  I did and I enjoyed every fucking second of it.  When he pulled his fingers out of my mouth, he reached them behind him again.  “Touch me.” 

I want nothing more.  I grabbed his dick, moving up and down with one hand and used my other to squeeze a nipple.  He was loud and covered his mouth, but I pushed his hand away.  “I want to hear how much you like it.” 

He leaned down and whispered directly into my ear: “I’m ready for you to fuck me, my Lord.” It voice was begging, longing and his eyes narrowed, glowing bright yellow in the shadows of the night. 

I pulled his hair to reign his head down.  He climbed off me and I pushed his head down my torso.  “Your turn, open your mouth.” I growled.  “My Lord.”  His eyes fixated on mine as he used his tongue to lick from the base of my balls to the very tip of my dick.  He winked, circling the head with his tongue and flicked it a few times.  God, I want you.  And he took me deep into his throat, gagging loudly.  He pulled away, gasping for air.  “Are you—?” I started to ask, but he held a hand up.

“It’s just—so big—,” he coughed.

I was going to ask him if he wanted to stop, but to my surprise, he took it in again.  Again and again, his head bobbed up and down, his tongue touching the base of my cock and occasionally, he licked my balls before coming back up.  It felt incredible as he moved, quickly each time, his mouth sucking the head every time he comes up, his tongue licking up the shaft.  I didn’t dare look away—I wanted to see him, to watch him: his tongue on my dick, his mouth watering, saliva dripping out of him and down the shaft.  “I’m so close!”  I half remember telling him, but he stops and as he pulled back, saliva dripped out his mouth, connected like string to the top of my dick. 

He licks his lips and before I can say or do anything, and he’s already turned around and hoisting his hips into the air, his head down against the ground. 

And his asshole completely exposed to me. 

I moved behind him, kissing the center of his spine before lining my hips to his.  I placed my dick on the outside of him.  I spit into my hand and rubbed him before sliding a finger inside.  My finger slid in and out with ease, and I couldn’t help but think, He really did get himself ready for me. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

He giggled, his eyes poking over his shoulder to look at me.  His cheeks flushed and he looked forward, darting his eyes away.  “Please, My Lord…” he said through a smile.

And I did.  I entered him, slowly at first, trying to be gentle as possible.  He was so tight, even after fingering himself.  I heard him breathe sharply, his entire body tightening up as I pushed in further.  “Relax.” I told him, bending down and kissing his back.  He listened, his body relaxing slightly and when I heard him exhale, I squeezed myself all the way through.  His asshole tightened around me, a searing amount of pleasure as my dick disappeared into him.  He yelled out, his whole body clenching up around me.  I let it sit inside of him for a moment, but I knew I couldn’t for long.  Everything in me wanted to fuck him, but I wanted him to get used to me, to make sure we both enjoyed it.  “Tell me how it feels.”

He doesn’t ignore me, but instead begins to move away and back again, his asshole quivering shut.  “It feels—incredible.” he said through shallow breaths.  “When you’re ready, you can move, My Lord.”

I began to move in and out of him.  “So tight…” I said, my vision starting to blur.  I grabbed his hips, slowly pumping into him.   

“My Lord!” he called out and my body was tied to him like an invisible thread, unbreakable as my dick was sucked inside.  Each clap was louder than the last and the rhythm quickened.  I wasn’t as gentle as before, but he moved back against me with every deep thrust.  I tightened my grip on his hips, my nails sinking into him.  I grabbed his hair and yanked on it roughly.  He hissed at the pain, but hoisted himself on my lap.  He reached a hand behind my head, balancing himself atop me.   I bit on his earlobe, my hands exploring his abdomen.  With his other hand,  he jerked himself hard and fast as mine swam in and out of him, diving further into the depths of him. 

He was a bowl of forbidden fruit that I wanted to taste every part of.  His hand ran through the tangles of my coarse hair, his ass bouncing against each thrust.  With a guttural scream, he cried, “My Lord, I’m—,” and cum exploded out of him.   

So beautiful…And I couldn’t hold it in anymore.  The flood gates inside of me opened, my heart feeling like it was going to burst, and my cum exploded inside of him.  Once I pulled out, his asshole leaked of my milky cum, dripping out of him.  He collapsed against me and I fell to the ground, closing my eyes. 

We said nothing for a few minutes, both panting, our bodies sticking together from sweat.  I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but my body was completely spent.  Finally, I opened my eyes and looked up at the stars splattered like paint across a clear dark night sky.  He moved himself off me and I turned to look at him.  He was still smiling, but tears streamed from his eyes.

“What—did I hurt you—?” I asked, managing to prop myself up on one of my elbows.

He shook his head.  “No, not at all.  I just—,” he stops himself.  “—do you want to get drunk and do it again?” 

“No, what were you going to say?” I asked, incredibly concerned.  “Did I hurt you?”

He giggled.  “I’m not hurt!” he told me, but I shake my head. “Okay, okay!  I’ll tell you.”  He sighed heavily, but turned his head to look at me.  I brush away the tears that fall from the bridge of his nose, kissing the tip of it.  My heart raced in my chest until he finally said, “I was gonna ask if you’d ever done that before?  Like with another man—,” I shook my head and his smile seemed to get a little brighter.  We were quiet and I stroked through his dark blonde hair.  “Do you believe in love, my Lord?”  As soon as he said it, he covered his face.  I laid next to him, a little stunned that he would even have to ask something like that. 

What else could this feeling be?  I loved his bright smile, the feeling of pure happiness of that day.  I tried to pry his hands away from his face, but he turned away from me.  I gently moved behind him, cradling him in my arms. 

“That was so stupid, no, that’s not—,” he rambled.

I interrupted him, pulling him back to face me.  His hands dropped, and even in the moonlight, I could see the flush in his cheeks.  With a kiss in his forehead, I pulled him in close.  “I didn’t.”  I wanted to share with him some things from my past, but I didn’t know how much I could divulge without upsetting him.  “The war has been really hard.  For me, especially.  I thought I’d never be happy again.  But then today, I met you and all of that changed.” He peaked at me through his fingers before moving his hands away from his face.  “I—I don’t know if I can call it love, but earlier today, I smiled for the first time in a really long time.  You made me so happy and I got so excited that I got to see you again.” I laid back down and he snuggled himself against me.  “If you would have asked me before today if I believed in love, I would have outright said no.”

“And after tonight?” he asked. 

“I believe it.  Wholeheartedly.” I looked down at him, still seeing some tears drip onto my chest.  “What about you?  Do you believe in love?”

For once, he was quiet.  He pondered the question before finally answering, “I’ve always believed in it.”  He grew quiet again, but I didn’t ask any questions, but I could feel my heart continue to race.  “I have a confession.”

“Oh?” I asked and he looked up at me.

“I saw you walking the forest earlier today.  Alone.  I didn’t realize I had been walking for so long, but I’d had a disagreement about something minor with one of the Commanders, so I was told that maybe a walk would do me some good.  But I saw the Talian crest on the back of your uniform and got a little scared, but you seemed—I don’t know.  Anyway, I followed you for a bit.”

That’s how he was able to sneak up on me. 

“You must’ve been really deep in thought because there were times when I thought for sure you were going to turn around and see me, but you never did.  And I knew that I had to cross the stream at some point to get back to my base, but I didn’t know how to do it without you catching me.  I was really scared.  But then I saw you bend down to pick something up and I caught a glimpse of you.”  He chuckled.  “I thought you were really handsome.  And you looked down at your hands before walking over to the stream and gently place whatever it was in the water—,”

“The frog?” I recalled. 

He laughed.  “Is that what it was?  It made me think that maybe you weren’t so heartless.  So that’s when I decided I could just talk with you.  And I was so happy when you didn’t try to kill me initially.  In fact, you walked me back to Eri.”  He touched my face, placing his hand upon my cheek.  “You were so easy to talk to and I found myself wanting to stay with you longer and longer.  And in that moment, I kind of felt like the little frog you helped.”

“Lost?”

“No, safe.  And how—?” he trailed off, but then dared to say,  “—well, how could you not love someone like that?”  He got up and I watched him as he rummaged through the things he brought before handing me the wine.  “This might be the last time we ever see each other.”  I pop the wine take a few large gulps before handing it over to him.  I don’t want to think about that.  He takes a large swig as well before he said, “I want you to remember me.”

I sat up and I felt his head lean against my shoulder.  “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget you.” I said truthfully. 

His eyes widen.  “Really?  Damn, I thought I would have been the worst with me choking on it and then—,”

“Stop.” I interrupt, lifting his chin to kiss him softly.  “You were perfect.”

He was always perfect, I think. 

The door to my room suddenly burst open and I jolt, suddenly being brought back from the memory. 

“My Lord, it’s time for dinner—oh, my Lord!” my servant says.  “Are you okay, My Lord? You’re crying.”

I touch my hand to my cheek.  I taste the salty tears.  Embarrassed, I sniffle and wipe them away.  “Yes, I’m fine.  I was just—thinking is all.”

I’ll never stop thinking of you.

It's a curse to remember everything and have the ability that makes people forget.

Chapter Text

“Crowned Prince of Talia Izuku Midoriya,” Katsuki’s voice boomed through the halls, echoing off the walls.  It carried a voice like fire, searing into the very depths of Izuku.  Despite the anxiety he felt, Izuku didn’t utter a sound, afraid that if he did, it would change everything.  “You have now been charged with war crimes against the Kingdom of Eri and the death of our Lord of Lightning.”

Katsuki looked around the court room, at all the hungry and angry faces of his Lordship.  He glanced at their faces and saw nothing but bloodlust, but he avoided the gaze of the defendant.  It was his court, his Lordship and ultimately his decision, and he would not be swayed.  He turned his eyes to look at Izuku.  There was no fear, but Izuku turned his head downwards.  Katsuki felt a heat rise to his cheeks and for a brief moment, in this fast hall, full of Erian people, Katsuki couldn’t help but feel as though he were in a tiny room, just him and his Deku.

“I will listen to the High Courtship—,” Katsuki looks to his right and left, at Sero, Shinsou, Ashido and Kirishima.  Katsuki’s voice seemed to ripple through the air, his mouth turning upwards in distaste.  “And we will decide what is to be done with Talia’s Prince.”

--- A Week Earlier---

IZUKU

The King wears the Crown from the Erian Legends, along with the Ring of Aizawa—a family heirloom passed down since those days when the Aizawa family spent their time in the swamps.  The heirloom was a gift from the Shinsou Clan, another family with remarkably hidden talents.  The Ring, given to the old Aizawan leader, was supposed to represent the turn of a new age, of new leadership and was inherited by the next Aizawa of the throne of Eri, even given to Eri herself when she was of age.  The ring itself was said to be a myth, rumored that it was worn by the Queen Eri, who wore these artifacts with much familial pride. 

Until the Dark Queen…

I stop writing here.  No, I think to myself.  You know nothing about her. 

But that’s not entirely true.  I know much of Queen Mitsuki.  She was a usurper, taking the throne from the Aizawa family, turning the lands of Eri into New Eri to mark the age of a new monarchy.  The youngest son of the family—the Heir Aizawa as we call him in Talia—was able to escape, but his family was not.  The Dark Queen killed them, but before she could take the throne for herself, there was in-fighting amongst the Erian Lordship; ultimately, the war was a greater cause.  Her history became legendary.  Still, it seems so rude of me to write my novel based on what I learned of her from the Talian Kingdom, from a Talian perspective. 

I pause for a moment too long when I notice the ink starting to make blotches on the paper.  I curse, dipping the quill back into the ink and using my white Erian shirt to dry it down on the parchment faster.  I curse again, but as I do, I hear the door to Kacchan’s chamber open.

I’d been placed in his study that is connected to his main sleeping chambers.  The accommodation was supposed to be temporary, but he hasn’t tried to move me at all.  Other than when he is in war meetings, I’m at his side constantly. 

“Is there anything you’d like to keep you company while I’m away?” he asked one morning during breakfast.  He was staring very intently on a map when asking me this, his eyes only fixated on what was in front of him.  Still, I could see he wasn’t looking at anything in particular. 

“Away?” I asked, but immediately slammed my mouth shut.  It came out a little too concerned for my liking.

“When we’re not—,” he paused and a brief flash of anger flickered across his eyes.  “—when I lock you in my spare closet.”

I decided to tease him a little, responding with a quick, “Spare closet?  I was told it was your personal study and judging by the sweet smell, it seems like you’ve been in there quite a lot.”

He scoffed, hints of a smile playing in his eyes.  He peered up over his map bending down one of the corners, and when I looked up, he shifted in his seat, pushing the parchment paper back up into its rightful position.  I felt the heat rise to cheeks when I thought I saw—Did he just fucking wink at me?  “Anyway, is there anything you’d like to do to pass the time when you’re not with me?”

“I like to—,” Shit, I thought. I almost said write.  “—read.”

On the next morning, there was a pile of books, stacked on atop another, varying in genre.  I pulled out a title that I recognize, but the cover is different from the one I read back in Talia.  Before putting it down, I notice the note on top of the stack, reading:

Will this suffice, Your Grace?

I’m unsure if it’s Kacchan’s handwriting, but I still smile.  Of course, I think.  It’s perfect.

I rip out some of the blank pages of a few of the books and I’m thankful his study is well equipped with writing instruments.  And I begin to write.

The study is larger than expected, but still cramped even with the minimal furniture in the room.  There’s a bed shoved against the wall and a desk directly across from it.  Something I wish it had were windows and I wonder how Kacchan got any of his work done with only the light from the doorway and a candle that burns constantly.  But I begin to see the appeal as I write—it’s secluded and the minimal light is calming.  Not to mention it’s incredibly warm and I assume that’s because of how much time Kacchan has spent in here.  I find my pen writing about him, despite my wanting for an unbiased opinion on Eri, I dip the feathered quill back in the ink and breathe in, reading my words:

The King of New Eri is arrogant at best.  His body runs hot, ability even hotter.  His gift resembles that of the Lantern King, as there is a glow in his explosive behavior.  Still, despite the rampant tantrums and eruptions of his incredible gift, I find myself completely drawn to him.  He’s strikingly handsome, with golden hair and skin; his shoulders large and broad; his Erian cape that flows behind him; those red eyes that are full of both rage and intrigue—

I realize I’m doomed.  Still, I take what I’ve written and shove the paper underneath my pillow.  I lay down on top of it, pushing the pillow up against my mouth to muffle my screams.

“What the hell—?” a voice says outside the door.  A guard that’s been ordered to watch me while Kacchan’s away.  The door opens and the light is too much for my eyes.  I close my eyes and turn my head away, but when I turn back, I see the shadowed outline of the Dragon King.  A strong fist clutches my shirt and lifts me from the bed onto my feet.  I grab his wrist, but I dare not look into his eyes. 

We’ve had a few moments like this—where we are quiet, not sure if we should move.  I can only speak for myself in these instances, but we’re always close, especially when we know we’re completely alone.  I don’t try to stop them, but I’m also well-aware I shouldn’t let it go too far.   In this moment, however, I know how dangerous it would be to touch him and for him to touch me. 

If I don’t look at him, he’s not really here.  I keep my eyes down to the floor, but in my periphery I see he’s shirtless.  I think of how cold he must be, but I can feel his body heat.  He’s so hot—, but I push that thought away, despite my dick growing in my tight, black leather pants.  I hope he can’t see it, but it throbs with a mind of it's own and I long to touch him back. 

“Are the books to your liking?” he asks gently.  I feel his hand release it’s hard grip, but he doesn’t let go.  I try to push away the thought of us next to his fireplace, sitting on the floor—

But that memory is so vivid in my mind.  He was so beautiful, just staring at the dancing flames as they twirled in the fireplace.  He was shirtless then too, but had given me his cape that was so warm from his gift given from the Lantern King to wrap myself in.  A few times he turned the logs, using nothing but his bare hands to do so. 

“Doesn’t that hurt?” I asked gently.  He allowed me to take his hand into my own and I rested my lips on his knuckles before opening his palm.  He shook his head, but permitted me to inspect his hand that had just reached into flames.  His fingertips were calloused from the war, but there were no burn marks.  I scooted closer to him and he took his hand away.  For several minutes, we sat in complete silence and I thought he might have been uncomfortable.  Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead and he wiped them away.  “Can I ask what you are thinking, Your Highness?”

He looked over at me, but said, “Your Trial will be soon.”  My heart dropped, thinking he was still only interested in killing me as soon as possible.  “It will be up to the court to decide what to do with you.  If the court can’t come to an agreement, it will be my decision and I know they are already split.”  He shook his head.  “But I can’t help but think that if our situations were reversed, what would you have done?”

“You mean if Talia had caught you?” I asked and he nodded.  I would let you live.  I would have begged the King not to kill you.  “I would have voted to kill you.” I lied.

But he saw right through it.  “Then why did you vote to keep Kaminari alive?”  I slammed my mouth shut, looking away, back towards the fire.  The room was getting a little too warm for my liking and I pushed off his cape and for once, I’m glad for the cold night.  I pushed my knees up and crossing my arms over them, I rested my head on top.  I closed my eyes, breathing deeply and suddenly felt a hand push my hair out of my face.  “Don’t lie to me, Deku.  I know you’d keep me alive.”

Can't argue with that.  “It won’t change anything.  Nor should it.”

He hand shifts to the back of my head, his thumb grazing my ear.  I lifted my head, arching it back into his hand.  Time meddled together and as it did, my eyes grew heavy and I awoke in my bed the next morning.

I cannot deny that he is here with me now.  His words replay in my head: Are the books not to your liking?

Of course they are, I want to say.  I’m so thankful you brought them to me.  But the words can’t leave my lips and I say nothing. 

He sighs and removes his hand, dropping it to his side.  “You will be charged with war crimes against Eri and for the death of Lord Kaminari.  You will hear testimonies of the war from High Court, the impact the war has had on Erian citizens, the impact of Kaminari’s death, and then you will make your finally statement.  At the end, the five closest people in my Lordship will take a vote: Shinsou, Kirishima, Mina, Sero and I’ll have the last vote.  If you are found guilty, we will then proceed with the punishment according to the law.”

I’m quiet, taking in everything he’s told me, trying to breathe through it.  We both knew I was going to be guilty: I’m the Talian Prince after all.  “How will you vote, Kacchan?”

“Do you want me to be honest?”

“More than anything.” I look up at him and I take a step back when I realize he’s crying.  Tears are spilling from his eyes, but he breathes through it steadily. 

“I have to do what right by the Erian people and I will listen to what they have to say.  And ultimately, if your words are convincing enough to the rest of the court…” he squeezes his eyes shut, his cries drip from them down his cheeks.  “I’ll do what I must.”

My hand reaches out and touches his wet cheeks.  I use my thumb sweep away any other tears that trickle down his face.  “I expect nothing less from the Dragon King.”

He pushes my hand away and turns around, placing his hands on the desk and leaning against it.  “I lost so much in this war.” he repeated.

“I know, Kacchan.” I tell him, validating that his feelings are justified.  “And I understand.”

“I just want this all to be over, but I don’t know that will happen if we—if you—,” he stopped himself.  He only looked over me and I at him.  “So far, no one seems to know what to make of it.  If we kill you, then Talia will surely come for us.  For me, here in the capital.  But we are no longer excited for war like we once were under my mother.  People are tired.  I’m fucking exhausted.  But if we let you live, will Talia see that as an act of kindness?  Or an act of weakness?” 

I listen to his words as my arms wrap around his shoulders.  He’s grown up in Eri, in this seat of tremendous power without parents to guide him as I have.  He’s been surrounded by death constantly, not knowing when it will turn up again.  “I don’t know.” I feel his arms around my waist, pulling me in closer to him. 

Talia won’t come for you regardless, I want to tell him.  I ordered them not to.  But I don’t say anything.  I just want to stay here, in this moment, pressed against his body.  But when his arms drop to his side, mine do too.  He doesn’t look at me, only turns around and walks out of the room, the heat leaving with him.

I curl up in my bed and cry myself to sleep.  Not only for myself, but for Kacchan too.  There is so much I want to tell him, but I don’t want him to see it as a way for me to manipulate him into keeping me alive.

I awoke the next morning in my bed and I poke my head out of the study room.  There are two armed guards, but Kacchan’s bed has been made and there’s no sign of him anywhere. 

“Where’s the King gone?” I ask again.

“Away.” One of them grumbled.  “But he, uh, wanted us to ask you if you’d join him for a walk through the gardens later.”

“The gardens?” I blinked, partially at the sun that had just disrupted my line of sight and partially because I was unaware that this Erian Castle even had gardens.  A hint of jealousy ran through me: They have gardens so close to their capital?  In Talia, most of the gardens are in the countryside and seen as a thing to keep nice in the springtime when everything is in full bloom.  But a garden here?  In the winter?

“Yes,” the other guard said.  “This time of year is quite nice because the winter flowers are in full bloom and they look quite pretty in the snow.”

Winter flowers?!  “Then yes, I’d love to see it when the King gets back.”

“Excellent.  We’ll let him know.” They both smiled and looked rather relieved.  “If you wouldn’t mind staying in your room until he returns—,”

“Could I ask a small favor?” I wait their returned answer as they give each other the same puzzled look.  In the end, they both nod.  “Could I be in the King’s room?  The study gets rather cold and there isn’t much sunlight.  And since it is attached to the King’s room, perhaps I could stay out here and read next the fireplace—,”

“I’m sorry, Your Grace.  But it’s on the King’s orders.” the one says.

“And you’ll get plenty of sunlight when you go out to the gardens.” the other chimes in.

I sighed, but I realized they’re right.  I close the door, the darkness immediately encases my eyes.  I feel for a match and when I finally find one, I light the few candles on the desk.  I pulled out the papers I had shoved underneath the pillowcase, but I don’t write anything.  Instead, I stare at the blank pages.  I hope he won’t be gone long.

---

“Your Grace?” someone shakes me awake.  My eyelids shoot open and the door is ajar, light spilling into the room.  “Your Grace, we’re very sorry to disturb your peace, but the King won't be going to the gardens today.”

“The King won't…?  Oh.” I said, realizing his words, though I don’t try to hide the disappointment in my voice.  I sat up just in time to hear him say:

“We did ask if you could use the room, though and he gave his permission, so long as you don’t leave.” and with that he left the door open.  My disappointment suddenly disappeared.  I grabbed a book and made my way into the room, my eyes not used to the light pouring into them.  I squint and look at his beautiful windows: the Queen Eri is muralled onto them.

I decide to read closer to the fireplace, but there’s no fire, which irritates me further as I notice how cold the room is without the fire.  And without Kacchan.

I look around the room, but it feels just as lonely as the small confines of the study. My eyes are brought upward to the high ceilings with beautiful paintings hidden behind a large chandelier.  The rugs match the red that’s in these paintings and I realize that I’ve seen it before, in Kacchan’s eyes.  I’m disappointed that he didn’t take to the gardens, but I try not to let it.  I am his prisoner after all. 

“Do you know when the King will return?” I asked the guards who stand by the doorway, but it sounds desperate and I choke back on the last of the words. 

“We don’t know, Your Grace.  But he always comes back to his bed, no matter how late he stays out.”

His…bed?  I could hardly call it that.  It was massive, the size of one of the guest chambers in my Talian castle.  It’s perfectly made, with an Erian crest with a water dragon wrapping around it on the top comforter and what looks to be a thousand pillows at the head of it.  I walk over to it and it’s surprisingly more coarse than I thought.  I lay atop it and as one of the guards tries to stop me with a Hey, what the hell do you think—, I stop him quickly: “You said the King would return here, so it is here I will stay.  He can kick me out himself.”  I remove several of the pillows before finally pulling back on the sheets.  I peel off my shirt and tuck myself in defiantly, propping myself up with the pillows, tucking myself beneath the blanket. 

And I am surprisingly comfortable.  I open the book, but I scan through the pages, not really reading the content.  I feel as though Kacchan is here, around me, his intense smell of sweet candy invades my very bones.  I lay down and hug one of the pillows, and inhale deeply through my nose.  It’s so warm here…I think and it is.  My eyes flutter shut, my last thoughts are of him and despite me getting an abnormally long hours of sleep, I can’t help but picture him next to me—

—and my eyes close.  My eyes close and I see nothing but Talia.  The beautiful festivals, my friends and the King.  And I cry.  I weep solemnly into the pillows and my longing suddenly changes and reality sets in: I might never get to see Talia again.  I might never get to see the rolling hills, the beautiful architecture—everything here is so straight and geometric, but everything there is so artistic and almost imaginative.  Even the Almighty King Toshinori is a sight to behold.  One-for-All dies with me—

Another reality sets in: I’ll never get to see my mother.  No, I think.  I will see her again—I have to.  But this court has seen so much of the ugly side of Talia.  The courtship here has fought against us and lost as much as we have.  They will never get to see the beautiful Talia that I’ve come to know and love. 

The sun begins to set outside, and the room becomes shadowed.  I set the book down next to me in the large bed. 

The last reality hits me: my trial is tomorrow.  I have to convince these people to keep me alive, these people who want me dead without question. 

“Deku?” a voice says, deep and sharp.  I get up, and seeing Kacchan, embarrassed, I wipe away my tears. 

“Sorry, Sire, we tried to—,”

“Leave us.” he barks out the orders loudly and with a quick Yes, sire!, they both leave.

I’m still wiping away my tears when I look over and Kacchan’s directly next to me, knelt down.  “Why are you crying?” he asks harshly, but then follows it up with, “Are you scared for tomorrow?” I can only nod.  He gestures for me to make room for him and I do.  Without pulling off any clothing, he nuzzles himself underneath the covers and props himself up on one elbow.  “Why are you in my bed?” he whispers, so softly, I thought I misheard him. 

“I’m being defiant.” I tell him and he laughs.

“Are you now?” he asks and I feel the heat rise to my cheeks, flooding through my face.  I use the back of my hand to wipe away any other tears that have fallen.  He watches me, his eyes full of something I know.  Those eyes are hungry, and I hunger for it too.  “Defiance, huh?  What for?”

“You said you’d take me to the gardens today.”

“So you decided to take full advantage of my bed in…defiance?” he laughs again.  “I didn’t take you to the gardens today because I got side tracked.  Discussing your trial, I might add—,” he plops back against the pillows.

“And?” I swallow back the anxiety in my voice.

“Everyone seems really split.  Kirishima and Sero think keeping you alive would be best, but after what happened with Kaminari, Shinsou and Mina would like to send Talia back with a message.  But both sides completely teeter on where to stay.  Sometimes, Shinsou says that it would be better for you to live as you both have a personal history, but then other times, he says he remembers your team coming back empty handed after Kaminari’s escape after the avalanche in Grice.  The apology you gave him wasn’t enough.”

“Wasn’t enough.” I repeat and despite the bed being so big, I lay down next to him.  “And where do you fall, Kacchan?”

He sighs, but turns his head to look at me.  His voice is so quiet, I thought I misheard him, but he whispers, “I think you know where I stand.”

It’s hot underneath the layers of covers with him here and me being so close.  I feel the heat in cheeks and see the sweat from his brow trickle down his forehead.  We don’t touch each other, though I want to.  I feel the strain in my pants, but I don’t move, afraid of what it would look like: the Talian Prince sleeping with the Erian King to live.

No: if I shall die, then I die a man knowing that I did it for Talia and not because I tried to sleep my way out of it. 

“Get some rest, Deku.” Kacchan says.

“I can’t.” I say truthfully.  “I’m not tired.”

He chuckles, but rolls over and it’s not long before I hear his deep breaths turn into a light snore and I begin to strategize.

I will live, I tell myself.  For the sake of this war, I must.

---

KATSUKI

“Crowned Prince Izuku Midoriya,” My voice carries loudly through the hall.  I look around at the Erian Court, but all eyes are on Deku, who flinches at the sound of my voice.  I avoid his gaze, which is fixated on the floor.  "You have now been charged with war crimes against the Kingdom of Eri and the death of our Lord of Lightning.” At that, I look over at Shinsou, who has been teetering on a decision.  His eyes are bloodshot, either with exhaustion or tears and I can’t tell which one.  I exchange a look with Kirishima, who's been relentless with keeping the Prince alive.  I cannot say with certainty with side I choose, but I’m hoping, praying that Deku has a mildly good plan. 

He was back in his bed this morning.  When I awoke, I expected to turn and see him there.  I panicked when I didn’t see him, sitting straight up in my bed and asking the guards where he was.  They answered me quickly, “In your study, Sire.” And I was relieved, but I didn’t disturb him.  Instead, I told them to rouse him and make sure he was ready by nine. 

I was surprised to see that he's  in handcuffs as he approaches the trial, but in order to keep appearances in the court, I allow it.  “I will listen to the Erian High Courtship in the today.” I swallow back my pride, though it tastes terrible.  “And we will decide what is to be done with Talia’s Prince.  Kirishima, you may begin.”

Kirishima stands and clears his throat.  “For the record, I am against killing the Prince.  Or rather, I am for ending the war and I believe that keeping him alive is the key to doing just that.  It gives us an advantage over Talia, but more than that, I cannot see a future where the war ends soon without the Prince alive.”  There were murmurs through the hall and with a quick, “Quiet!” from me, the hall shushes and I gesture for Kirishima to continue.  “While it's true that I am the one who captured him, I do not think he’s dangerous to Eri in any way.  If he is to remain here, which I vote he does, we will see to it that Talia surrenders under our conditions.  I have no questions for the Prince at this time.” 

He sits and nods at me, indicating that he is finished.  “The Lady Ashido, your statement.”

She stands, and reads aloud from the papers she’s been holding.  “The Prince of Talia, you have been charged with war crimes against Eri and I think I should recount some of those crimes in which you are being committed: the Battle of Lightning Lost, where you, your army and your Lordship all completely obliterated a section of our army and took our beloved Lord Kaminari captive.  The death toll on the Erian side was 18,486.  The death toll of Talia: 3.  We were clearly outnumbered, ten-to-one, yet you were the Commanding Officer of that battle, while General Kaminari was the Leading Commander for Eri.  Why did you demand the death of that many people?”

I look at Deku, and see his brows furrow.  “Eri had raided three of our villages.  I remember traveling through them, seeing that not even children were spared.  I was angry, but when we reached the third village, Lord Todoroki’s army was there as well.  The Battle of Lightning Lost was tragic, but more tragic were the innocent children who lost their lives within Talia.  While the death count of the Talian army was 3 for that particular battle, twice as many innocent citizens of Talia were killed.  I was the Leading Commander, though I had Lord Todoroki and the Heir Aizawa at that battle as well, and dictated to them to do as they would, while I aided in the villages Eri had pillaged.  It wasn’t until later that I learned an entire section of the Erian army was decimated by Lord Todoroki.”

Mina’s mouth closed at this.  “Lord Kaminari would have never raided those villages alone and he certainly wouldn’t have ordered children to be killed—,”

“I can also attest to this,” Shinsou says loudly.  “Lord Kaminari was not the reason that the villages were pillaged—,”

“Maybe, maybe not.” The Prince interrupts.  “But regardless the reason, when I arrived, the villages had all been burned and the Erian flag was raised above it.”

“So you ordered someone—someone who has immense power over the men in your military—to destroy a large section of our army in that area because a few villages were raided?” Mina asks.  “I vote to kill the Prince.  This is one of several moments where our army was outnumbered, out maneuvered, and it was you who ultimately gave those orders.”

The slight hushes turned into murmurs throughout the audience.  I don’t silence them, but they seem to agree with Mina.  There were a few shouts of, “Just kill him!” and “He doesn’t even deserve to be on trial!”

I hush them once again.  “Do you have anything to say?” I ask the Prince, but he shakes his head.

“I’d like to wait until the end for my statements.”

I nod and turn my head.  “Sero, what have you decided?”

Sero stands.  “I wasn’t really sure what to say other than the war will go on, with or without him here.  I know that in war, times can be tough and certainly, you don’t know whether you’ll live to see another day.  After hearing the death of Kaminari, I realized that all too quickly.  I mobilized, and manipulated situations, just as Talia has.  I have raised flags upon their dead, hearing they would rather burn than ever consider themselves Erian.  But I’ve also seen what the Talian army is capable of, in their mass numbers and quick thinking.  In my personal experience, Queen Mitsuki was kind enough to take me under her wing and train me herself to be a warrior.  It was then that I learned how ruthless war can be, so I can’t really blame the Prince for all the wrong that Talia has done.  If winning is all we care about, we should consider keeping him alive as a bargaining chip.  I vote to keep him alive, but only on the count that I don’t think he’s any more guilty that we are.”

The hall is upset at this.  There are boos and they become rowdy.  One man even gets up and yells, “He doesn’t deserve to live!  My entire home was destroyed by Lord Todoroki who laughed at my pain—,”

“That’s why I’m here.” Shinsou stands, putting his hand on Sero's shoulder.  “We’ve heard enough from you.  It’s my turn to speak.” He looks at me, and I’m angered that he just wait, but after hearing Sero’s vote, I nod and Sero sits back down.  “I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on Lord Kaminari.  I was a Talian soldier, barely a Commander under Lord Todoroki.  Everything that we have been taught, everything that we learned about Eri, had all suddenly been shattered by my secret meetings with the Lord of Lightning.”  The man sat down too and the entire court was silent.  I look down at Deku, who has tears flowing from his eyes at Shinsou’s boldness to speak so openly about his relationship with Kaminari.  “Under Lord Todoroki I saw terrible things.  Prisoners of war being murdered for fun and worse, because of the large donations the Todoroki’s gave, the King turned a blind eye.  But I couldn’t.  Kaminari was a breath of fresh air and I do blame the Prince for his death—you see, Lord Kaminari had been incredibly homesick.  He wished to come back several times, each time immediately shut down.  But when his family died, Talia feared the Industrial Soldiers of the Southern Isles and dismissed him once again.  He escaped, the footsteps leading into Grice Mountains.  Only my people, the People of the Mountains, are ever able to climb and live through the treacherous terrain.  When the Prince and his search party came back, completely empty handed, I thought he had escaped entirely and for a moment I was relieved.  Until I saw that Lord Todoroki had one of Kaminari’s rings.”  He pulls off the Lightning Ring, one that has been passed down through the Kaminari lineage since the times of the Lantern King.  It was meant to lead the Industrial Soldiers and was now in Shinsou’s possession, along with the Southern Isles.  “I took this when I left Talia, as a reminder of why I hate Talia so much.  Why I can’t stand the look of the Prince.  Why I abandoned them in revere for Eri.  I stand before the Prince now as a traitor, but to me, I’ll never be able to see him as a Prince.  I let him live this long, but I can’t stand the sight of him.  I vote to kill him.”

The court is silenced completely.  No one moves as Shinsou sits down.  I see the tears rain down not just his face, but Kirishima’s and Mina’s as well.  It’s clear they miss Lord Kaminari.  If I’m honest with myself, I miss him a great deal too, the idiot.  I close my eyes and tell myself not to look at them, and when I open them moments later, I lock eyes with Deku.

“Prince Izuku Midoriya,” I say at last.  He flinches again as if my voice hurts him.  “We will now hear your statement and I will decide what is to be done.  Stand.”

He obeys, rising to his feet.  He inhales deeply.  “Lordship of Erian Court,” he begins.  “And his Majesty, the Dragon King, Katsuki Bakugou.  I take full responsibility for the tragedies that have befallen the Kingdom of New Eri.  As a Prince in the Talian Court and High General on the battlefield, I truly believed that what I was doing was for the good of the world, but now I see how much pain and suffering Talia has caused.  But if I may, I would like to paint a different picture.  One that I hope you all will see from my eyes:

“Talia has its faults, as Lord Shinsou and the Lady Ashido have point out.  Since I was young, I didn’t have an upbringing as a child should—I grew up learning military tactics and war strategies, just as the Lordship has here and the generations before them as well.  The war has robbed us all family members, close friends, even lovers—,” at that, Shinsou shifts uncomfortably in his seat.  “—I am intelligent, as Kirishima says, but I am also calculating, as Mina pointed out.  I am perhaps not guilty of some things, as Sero said, but I feel incredibly guilty about not returning home without the Lord of Lightning, as Shinsou revealed.  I am many things, but at the heart of me, I am Talian.  And perhaps, for that, I do deserve to be executed.  But also perhaps,” a smile stretches across his face.  “There could be reason to keep me alive because I am Talian.

“You see, Talia cannot be the enemy to me.  I grew up with her, fought for her and even in the end, I would still say, I’d die for her; however,” he looks at all five of us, individually, and stops when it gets to me.  “I now know how beautiful Eri is as well.  In the end, I can understand.  Whichever the Dragon King chooses, whether I live or die, I know that Eri is truly not the horrible place that Talia has made it out to be, nor is it the monster that eats away at so many of my people.  I hope that one day, in the short and near future, that you all will be able to say the same for my Talia.”

He bows and kneels back down.

And I feel all eyes on me, but I can only look down at Deku.  The court is silenced once again, but it is my turn to speak.  “Your Grace,” I begin.  Our eyes meet, but I still remember where I am.  But I also remember who I am.  I am the King, and a King of Eri nonetheless.  What I say is for the good of Eri.  I recount what each person has said and I remain seated upon the throne.  “Court of Eri.  The Prince—,” I pause, inhaling deeply as I say, “—will not be killed."

The Court suddenly erupts.  One woman, whose son is a fallen soldier, falls to her knees in tears.  It's clear what they want.  But what they want I cannot give them.  It is in Eri's best interest to keep him alive, for better or for worse.  "I keep you alive on one condition.  Should that condition be broken and I shall kill you personally myself.”

“Your Majesty, you cannot—,”

“Your Highness, please, I beg you, reconsider—,”

“He’s a Talian, he said so himself—!”

But I ignore the cries of the court.  “Silence!” I yell, and the court hushes once again.  “This condition rests on the information that I am given from the Prince on the best way to end the war.” I narrow my gaze on him.  “To get Talia to fully surrender to Eri.”

Shinsou gets up, “Your Highness, I have the ability to give you what you want.  I have the ability to reach inside of him and grab the information.  Please, I beg of you, for Denki—,”

I angrily turn to him, also rising to my feet.  I’m much taller than he is and take full advantage of it, looking down at him to say,  “Do you really think that Kaminari would want him dead?” I whisper.  “I have you in his seat and the final say in what happens to the Prince.” I look at the entirety of the court.  “You’re all dismissed.” I look down at Deku, who looks as though he’s breathing for the first time.  “That includes you, Your Grace.”  The entire court is quiet, but I can feel their anger.  They are thirsty for blood.  But I don’t have my eyes on them—only on Deku, whose eyes haven’t left mine.  “Get him to my study.  We will discuss the war at a later time.”  Guards help him to his feet and he begins to leave.  As he does, I bow and the rest of the court follows suit, bowing to him as he passes them.  He turns his head, to look over his shoulder at me.  It’s not a look of gratitude, though.

It’s a look of concern.

Chapter Text

KATSUKI

For the next two and a half weeks, I keep an excruciatingly close eye on Deku.  He is by my side always, except when I’m in a war meeting and even then, he’s heavily guarded in my office that is attached to my room.  At first, the office was a temporary abode, but I figured it was best to keep him there so I could watch him more thoroughly. 

He doesn’t ask for much during those weeks, except for more books to keep him company.  I grudgingly gave him one after the other, but he asked for another every day.

“You’re quite the reader.” I told him, annoyed.

“I’m curious to know what the Dragon King reads.” he just said through a bright smile, tapping the book I had just handed to him. 

He…what?  There’s a flirtatious smile on his face and I felt heat rise to my cheeks. 

I grab one of several books on my bedside and throw it at him and he catches it. “Just…let me know what you think of this one.”

Since winter began, the air is colder than usual for this time of year.  I hate it because it makes my ability harder to control—the less I sweat, the less power my explosives have—but Deku seems to enjoy it.  His eyes lit up when the first snow began to fall outside, watching outside as if each snowflake was something special.  Mina had given him a few jackets that she had bought from her trips to the northern regions and one particular jacket, the one that I favored to most on him, was a bright, Erian white, bringing out the green in his eyes and hair.  I kept a watchful eye on everyone who looked at him in this jacket, even snarled angrily once at a few guards who snapped back into attention and bowed as we passed.

“He looks good in Erian colors, no?” Shinsou had said.

He does indeed. 

---

After an incredibly long and arduous day, I finally made it back to the room.  Talia seems to be hitting us at the Southern borders, but I have no doubt the Industrial Soldiers, led now by Lord Shinsou, can hold their own. 

When I open the door, Deku stands up from the chair, as he always does.  I’ve grown quite accustomed to it and have even come to look forward to it when he’s not with me. 

Underneath my arms are some data and maps on the war, but this intel is old.  I’d told my High Counsel about this test as I’d given a similar one to Shinsou when he came to the Erian Court.  These maps are some that my mother used and it doesn’t give any information to tell him everything we’re planning. 

“Look these over.” I hand it over to him.  He stares at them as sits on the carpet, setting a few of the maps atop it.  He maneuvers himself so he can see them clearly, intently studying them.  From the fireplace, light and shadows cascade around his face as if the flames are moving all around him.  He stares at the maps almost as attentively as I stare at him, watching as he peers from one to the next.

“Is there any information here or not?” I ask after a painful few minutes.  He is one to mumble, especially when it comes to the war, but tonight, he is silent and I pace uncomfortably.

He gives me a flirtatious grin.  “I need to concentrate, Kacchan.  It’s going to take me far longer to understand these than it would take you, as you are far wiser than I.”

Those words quickly made their way from my ears to my entire body.  My chest starts to hum, my heart ferociously beating against my ribcage, making my blood boil.  He didn’t notice when I stopped pacing.  His eyes only looking down at the maps, occasionally pointing to something, but then going back to complete silence.

Give me something. Anything.  I silently beg him. Either tell me you know these are old or lie to me based on this information.

If he were to lie, he’d tell me to go to Talia’s western port.  It’s not labeled on the maps, so we’d be walking into a Talian trap set up a few years after my mother’s passing. 

But he tells me nothing.  Just silence.

My impatience overcomes me.  I push aside the maps on the floor and they fly to the side as I quickly close the gap between the two of us.  He gasps in surprise, but it’s not enough.  With one hand, I trace his jaw, my thumb over his lips.  He reaches back in the same manner, but his touch is cold and I put my other hand over his.  My chest hums louder, my ability being sent down my arm and into my hand. 

“The room,” he says at last.  “It’s colder when you aren’t here, Majesty.  Though I’m unsure if it’s actually you or the heat I feel when you’re near.” 

My lips graze the inside of his palm, my voice muffled.  “It’s the fire, Deku.”

“So it must be.” His hand drops from my face, but quickly begins to pull at the knot of the cape I wear and taking it, he wraps it around himself.  I’m close enough to hear his sigh and watch his long eyelashes flutter closed in the warmth of the cape.  “Ah, Your Majesty, you lie.  It is you that is warm.”

His arms wrap themselves around my waist to the base of my spine, inching us even closer.  “What do you want from me?” I ask.  He inhales deeply, a sharp sound.  We’re close—closer than we’ve been since the trial.  He leans in further until we share the same breath, the same air.  He closes his eyes, waiting.  What you’re waiting for, I think.  It can’t be done.  Not yet. 

I pull back, cursing to myself about our situation.  I don’t see his eyes open, but his head just turns to the side, down towards the at the maps.  “Kacchan—,” he says, his eyes not looking up at me.  He’s backed away from me and sitting back on his calves.  At this point, I’ve made a note to memorize all his faces.  This one read disappointment.  “Can I ask something?”

I nod.

“What did you want me to tell you about Talia with this information?”

The question angered me slightly.  Are the royalty in Talia useless?  Just figureheads?  But there’s no way that’s true.  Kirishima captured Deku, told me he was barking out orders on the battlefield.  “I wanted intel on Talia so we could win the war, but the little bits of information haven’t been enough.  I need something more substantial from you.  Shinsou came with hordes of data, intelligence and enough information about Lord Todoroki and Lord Aizawa’s movements that all proved to be useful to the Erian cause.”

His head turns upwards and he glares at me, the greens of his eyes flashing in anger.  In one swift move, he shoves he off and I’m pushed hard in the chest and thrown backwards, hitting one of the bookshelves.  I hear a crack and I’m unsure if it’s my spine that cracked or the bookshelf has broken.  “The fuck—?” I say, as a few books fall from the shelves and I lift my arm to him, to use a small explosion as if to ask, Do you know who the fuck I am?!  Who you just did that too?!  But he’s shaking and I’m immediately stopped, the humming in my chest abruptly quieting. 

Moments before, where he’d been crying softly, is now overtaken and he doesn’t even try to blink the tears as they slide down his face.  A rage that has been hidden.  I know what that feels like.  He picks up one of the maps and walks it over to me, pressing it hard into my chest.  “If you want information about Talia, bring me something more useful than this.  Maybe something actually from this era.”

It’s my turn to be silent and I push myself off the bookcase I was just thrown into.

“I recognize the old patterns of how Talia’s army.  These—,” he shoves another at me.  “—are likely maps your mother used, which is why I won’t tear them to shreds, in case they are important to you.  Bring me something that’s actually worthwhile and I’ll give you some insight into what Talia is thinking.  I come with my own data, things that even people within our closest circle wouldn’t know.” 

The papers drop to floor, but I mirror his intensity as anger rises in me and I reach for him, but my hand is slapped away.  I’m the fucking Dragon King and I’ll get you to talk.  “Tell me something now.”  More silence and I’m fucking enraged.  “Tell me something about Talia that could help us win the war or I swear to fucking God, Deku—,”

“If I don’t see something of semblance about the war from this past fucking week, I’m not telling you shit!” He pulls off my cape, letting it drop to the floor and the door to the study slams shut.

I roar, continuing to curse, threating to break the door down.  It cannot be stopped.  An explosion courses through my veins, my chest humming so loud, I shake.  I lift my arm, releasing the explosions, one after another, against the door.  As the smoke clears, the door remains unscathed as it had when my mother used to lock me away in here when I was having one of my “fits”.  I curse again, sliding down that study door, leaning my forehead against it.  “I hate this.” I whisper to myself, but a piece of me hopes Deku hears from the other side.

Eventually, I get up, picking up the Erian cape from the floor and wrap it around myself, and stare into the fire for a while, pondering over what had just happened.  I take a look around the room. The bookshelf had been broken, some of the shelves completely smashed.  A few of the books lying on the floor, a few with it’s pages sprawled out, a couple others holding on to other shelves for dear life.

“Why did you let me live?” Deku had asked me at dinner.  I’m surprised mostly because we weren’t alone.  Shinsou and Kirishima were there, and also looked at me, a little confused.  He got up and some of the guards unsheathed their swords, but I motioned for them not to move.  “I didn’t deserve to live, Kacchan.  Not only am I a Talian, but what of all the other Erian soldiers lost?  What of the innocent lives?  Fuck, we couldn’t even keep Lord Kaminari alive, yet the Dragon King spares the Prince of Talia, the next in line for the throne.  I didn’t—I don’t—,” he stuttered, moving away from the table, asking to be taken back to the room.  I nodded, but it wasn’t until he’d left the room that I fully comprehended what had just happened.  I looked back from where he just stood to my dinner, but before I could decide, I was on my feet, chasing after him outside the door.

I reached him quickly and wrapped my arms around him, holding his head to my chest.  His shoulders shook at his silent cry and my fingers brushed over the curls in his hair.

“I don’t deserve it.” was all he kept repeating.

“Part of why I kept you alive,” I whispered.  “Was for a selfish reason.”   

He shook his head, tearing away from me.  “Please don’t—,” he begged.

But I want him to hear it.  Every reason I kept him alive.  But I listened to him and told a guard to draw him a bath and waited until he was out of sight.

A book fell, bringing me back from the memory of only days ago.  An incredibly selfish reason, I think, continuing to stare into the fire of my room.  I’d fully calmed down and had the window opened in the room to release some of the smoke.  The one that has nothing to do with the war.  He feels it too.  I know he does. 

SHINSOU

---The Festival, 3 Years Ago---

“My Lord, another letter for you.  And this one comes baring gifts.” I heard, and I didn’t bother to thank the servant who had brought it to me.  Instead, I grab both, the letter and the light parcel.  Without excusing myself from the dinner table, I rushed up into my room, instantly recognizing Denki’s handwriting.

“Shinsou?” Aizawa called before I closed the door.

I opened it carefully not to rip it like I accidentally did the last one.  My heart pounded against my chest, my breathing increased with excitement:

My Lord of Grice,

I come with exciting news: we have been permitted to go to one of the East Villages near Talia (a little outside of the border)—a town called Nezu.  The town is hosting a festival, and this is your formal invitation to the event.  Inside the package is something for you to wear.  I’ll be wearing the same, in hopes of maybe finding you a little easier.  I’ve made a reservation for us at the Sadako Inn.  Use the name “Akari.”

The festival will be July 15^th.

I hope to see you there, My Lord.

With love.

It’s been the first time I’ve heard from him in over a month.  And it’s about seeing him.  I quickly called for one of the servants, asking if there was anything important happening in the next two weeks.  The 15^th was in four days and I figured that it would take two to get to Nezu and the festival likely would last only last a week.  He tells me of some mundane tasks—mostly things that just keep me busy while I was living with Aizawa.  I could do all of that in Nezu. 

“Oh, and it’s the Prince’s birthday on the 15^th.” he tells me before he turns to leave. 

I stop him.  “The Prince’s birthday?” Shit!  There was likely an invitation to the formal party at the main castle held every year.  I haven’t attended one since the Todoroki family would be there.  Could I get out of it, again?  I waved him off, making sure he told Aizawa that I would be traveling.

“If he asks whereto, My Lord?” the servant asked, uncaringly.

“Tell him I’ll be going to see someone in the mountains.” Not a complete lie, as Nezu lies in the small mountains that surround the Southern border of Eri.  Not like Grice.  Grice was incredibly dangerous for people who don’t know the terrain or the creatures that live in those mountains.  Nezu would be easy to get to for me.

When the servant left, I opened the large parcel.  It’s a dark red cape, almost the color of burgundy.  The Erian crest plastered in gold upon it.  I yanked it out of the box, and underneath is a white t-shirt with dark pants—something Erian soldiers wear when they aren’t in full battle armor.  I laughed to myself, thinking of who he must’ve bribed or stolen from to get it as Generals and Commanders have different attire.

I tucked everything from the box into a travel bag, along with a few other things.  The lighter I pack, the faster I get there. 

“Do you need someone to go with you?” a voice asked, and I turned around to see Aizawa standing in the doorway.  “The servant just told me you’re leaving.”

“No need.” I turned to him, hiding the bag behind me.  “The trip won’t be long.  A couple of weeks.  At most.” I swallowed. 

“Skipping on the Prince’s birthday, again?” Aizawa asked. 

“I’ll skip anything where Lord Todoroki is likely to be.”

He sighed.  “Fine.  Just remember,” he said, moving closer to me.  “Grice is near the border and we’ve heard Erian soldiers are trying to make their way over the mountain.”

I’d heard this too, from the youngest Iida son when he came to visit a few weeks ago.  I told Monama to watch over the valley and ask for assistance if he needs it.  “Understood.” I said.  He lowered his head, narrowing his gaze at me and I cursed to myself quietly. 

He folded his arms and one ankle crossed over the other.  “Please, keep packing.” It was said to me like an order.  There was something that told me I should stop, but I obeyed, moving slowly in case he decided to move any closer to bag.  “Who are meeting?”

“Monama.  He says he found something.” I was careful not to look him in the eye.

“Oh? And what is it?”

“He didn’t say.” I responded.  “But I’ll know soon enough.”  He began to move towards the desk and before I could stop him, he picked up the letter.  “No!” I reached out and snatched the letter out of his hand.  He raised an eyebrow and I knew it was too late.  He has a photographic memory.

“You know better than to lie to me.” his eyes baring down on me. 

I looked at my feet, the letter bunching in my fist.

“You’re meeting someone in Nezu?” he continued.  “‘With love?’ Shinsou, I don’t have to tell you how dangerous it is for you to go into Erian territory—,”

“I know!” I shouted, but my body reacted too.  He knew and I was scared he recognized the handwriting.

“I know what Lord Todoroki did to you was awful.  I’ve been to his—,” he chose his words very carefully, “—castles and seen what he does the prisoners there.” 

I tried not to cry, but I let myself.  Especially around Aizawa, who frequently woke me up from intense nightmares of Lord Todoroki.  “I’ll be fine.” I said at last, mostly to get the subject off Todoroki.

“How did you two meet?”

I breathed a sigh of relief—he had no idea the letter was from the Lord of Lightning.  “We met near the River Kodai.  When Todoroki wanted to pay the Erian town beyond to offer us supplies.”  He sighed loudly, shaking his head as if to tell me no.  “It’s been months since we’ve seen each other, Aizawa.  It’s hard enough as it is.” Shut up, Shinsou!  But Aizawa only continues staring.  “He isn’t what you think.  He’s kind and loving.  Makes me forget that we’re even in a war.  He cares for me.” I knew what I sounded like, but I’d do anything to see my Lord of Lightning smile at me again.  That includes going across the border, no matter how dangerous.

“Who is he?” Aizawa questioned me.

Brainwash him, I thought, but before I can think about doing it, his eyes turned a bright red, his hair stood tall over his head.  There was no getting out of this.

“If something happens to you, I need to know.”

“No one will find out it’s me.” I told him.

Aizawa reached into the bag and pulls out everything I’ve so neatly packed away.  “He’s a soldier?  An Erian soldier?” he shook his head, clear disappointment written on his face.  “Shinsou, I don’t have to tell you that traitors are Lord Todoroki’s specialty.  If you don’t want to see Lord Todoroki ever again, then don’t go.”

“He’s the reason we knew the Dragon King was coming the town beyond the river.  He told me, albeit accidentally, and I moved the army further inland to avoid battle.” I added, “Other than that, we’ve never spoken of the war.  He knows nothing of what Talia is doing or planning.  And before you ask, I know nothing of Eri.”

“You are a Lord here, Shinsou.” he pulled out the robe and tsk’d, but not in a demeaning way.  He looked at the Crest of Eri plastered on the cape and smiled.  “This is my family’s crest.”

I stared in shock, but after looking closely at the crest, I remembered seeing him draw it a few times on the pages of his book.  “The Dragon King kept the crest?”

“The Dark Queen either didn’t like her original family crest or wanted to keep it to remind everyone who was really in charge.  The Dragon King probably doesn’t know that it’s originally not his own.”

I watched him stare at it, his hair falling down past his shoulders, watching his eyes turn to his usual brown.  “Do you miss Eri?” I asked quietly.

“I escaped too young to remember most of it.” Aizawa looked pushed back his long hair behind his ear and touched the crest.  “Just be safe.  Use your instincts.  This could be a ploy to catch you.  The gifts from the Lantern King are for us to use.  You know that better than anyone.”

“So—does that mean I can go?”

“You’re an adult now.  What the hell could I say?”

I smiled and throwing my hands around him.  “Please keep this secret.”

He hugged me back those moments seemed like years before finally pulling away.  “Just get home.  Alive.”  I nodded and thanked him, continuing to pack my bag.  It didn’t take long and I waited until nightfall to leave.  Aizawa waved me off.

I’ll get home alive, I promised to myself and made my way towards Nezu.

---

I arrive a day later than I thought, but when I do, the crowd is wild in Nezu.  I had changed into the clothes Denki had sent just before crossing the border, which was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be—I thought I would be facing a warzone, but instead it was just a few cavalrymen, who were easy enough to manipulate and let me cross the border without any trouble.  After finding a stable on the outside Nezu, I take my bag and throw it over my back.  I take my sword and buckle it to the Erian belt, heeding Aizawa’s warning.  I didn’t think I’d need it, but I take it as a precautionary anyway.  I pay the stableman handsomely, and make my way into the small town, which is already ripe with lively music and people in the white and red clothing of Eri.

I made my way through the crowd and a few people thank me for my service to the Erian cause.  I just nodded in response, not sure what to say.  No one has ever thanked me before.  For any part in the war. 

A part of the crowd began clapping and I turned to see them pull up a statue of the Dragon King.  “Long live the king!” a few started to yell and when I saw in my periphery a few of the other soldiers bowing, so I did the same.  When their heads lifted, so did I and in shock, I saw him.  Denki—climbing atop the statue.

A few people in the crowd clapped and cheered for him before someone loudly yelled, “Our Great General, the Lord of the Lightning himself from the Stormy Isles, Lord Denki Kaminari, everyone!”

“The mayor certainly knows how to do an introduction,” a woman next to me giggled.  “Not that Lord Kaminari needs one.”

“Speech!” the crowd shouted at Denki and he smiled.

“Citizens of Eri!” he shouted from the statue, his voice loud and boisterous.  The crowd cheered for him and I felt heat rise into my cheeks.  He looked through the crowd, his smile wide and bright. 

He’s loved no matter where he goes.  I thought proudly, and I grew more pleased when I saw him wearing the same cape wrapped around me. 

“Nezu, I must thank you for this incredible festival, for your kind invitation, for your loyalty to the Dragon King and to the lands of New Eri!  I cannot wait—,” Denki gestured his free hand and someone handed him a canteen that he gulped down in just a few seconds, some of the alcohol running down his chin.  “—to enjoy all the drinks, the food, the performances and the many more festivities Nezu has to offer!  I hope you all will do the same!” He lifted the cup into the air.  “Long live the King!”

“Long live the King!” the crowd shouted back. 

A few people in the crowd screamed in awe as he shot a lightning bolt from his fingertips upwards into the sky, a thunderbolt clapped loudly from him and he jumped down.  It wasn’t nearly as powerful as it had been the time I saw it, which had rendered him unconscious, but it was enough to get the crowd cheering for him louder than before.  He made his way through the crowd, and against every instinct to run over to him, I decided it was best to meet him at the Sadako—the inn. 

The inn was in the back of the festival, the sign above reading: Bar First, Rest Later.  Once inside, I understood why.  I was greeted by a long bar that extended all the way across the room.  A woman rushed past me with a quick, “Sorry, soldier!” before hurrying to the few people had already began drinking. 

“Here for a drink or a room?” one of the bartenders asked. I told the woman I had reserved a room.  “Name?” she asked, opening a book and looking down at. 

I almost gave her my real one, but I swallowed and said, “Akari.” She just nodded and grabbed a room key.

“You definitely got the best view of the festival.” she told me and handed me the key. 

Probably why he got it.  I thanked her and made my way up the stairs.

“Come back down and grab a drink when you’re settled in!” one of the other bartenders shouted as I made my way up the stairs.

Once inside the room, I set down my bag and looked around in awe.  The room was huge with an equally large bed centered against the wall.  Next to that, there was a sitting area with cushioned seats, a blanket hanging on one of them.  I smiled, wondering how long it would take us to get tired of the bed and make our way to the couch.  A fireplace was directly across from the bed, though there was no need for a fire.  The room was already hot with the summer sun and I decided to open the window to let in a nice breeze.  I thought about resting for a bit, but my heart beat excitedly for the anticipation to finally see him again.

I opened the window and peered outside and the view was spectacular.  I could see the entire festival from where I stood: food and drink stalls getting set up; a stage crew, some working and others practicing; and children already shouting and laughing to each other.  Some people were still painting signs, others were getting large stocks of food from boxes; some directed, pointing and moving around quickly.  A few patrons entered into other inns, also taking in the festival from a ground point of view that I had gotten moments before. 

Everything was so bright, the colors vibrant, my favorite either being the dancers fabrics as they practiced on the open stage or the kids’ ribbons as they swirled them around each other and themselves. 

Not a single thing was bland here. 

It’s so beautiful, I thought.

I leaned into the window pane to see if I could find Denki in the crowd as they got ready for tomorrow.  Finally, I spotted him, drink in hand and laughing with a few of the soldiers that surrounded him. 

Should I go see him? 

I just watched.  He laughed merrily and though I couldn’t hear what was said above the rest of the noise, I waited until he moved away from the soldiers.  He moved his way around, shaking hands with those who bowed to him.  He lifted a little girl, twirling her around in the air.  When he put her down, she handed him a rose she was holding on to.  He bowed to her and her parents bowed to him. 

Finally, the crowd around him died a little and he made his way to the open stage.  He didn’t go up the stairs, nor did he turn around to watch them practice.  Instead, he leaned his back against it, his eyes closing and he lifted his chin the to the sky. 

Finally, he looked over to the inn.  When his eyes lifted to the window, he smiled at me and I back at him.  I moved away from the window and grabbed the key before rushing out of the room and locking the door.  I put up my hood to the robe as I left, but as soon as I exited the inn, I’m stopped.  An arm grabbed me and yanked me into the shadows of the inn. 

“Stealthy as always, huh?”  My hood was pushed back.  “Found you.” Denki cooed and I blushed when he winked. 

“I found you first.” I smirked.  “That was quite the speech.”

“You’ve been here since morning, then?”

I nod.

“Are you enjoying the room?”

I nod again.  It took all of me not to ravage him then and there.  “It’s got quite the view.”

“I figured you wouldn’t feel safe being out in the open, but I still wanted you to enjoy the festival.”

“How considerate you are.” I teased. 

“Wouldn’t want you to get recognized.” he teased back.  He opened my hand, placing something in it, giving it a tight squeeze.  “I have to take care of something and I won’t be back until later.  You can head back to the room or give someone a helping hand.  If someone asks, you’re under my command, in Jirou’s infantry unit.”

“Yes, my Lord.” I said, bowing my head.

“Oh, refer to me as General while you’re here, too.  It’s customary.” He gave me one last look, shaking his head.  “I can’t believe you’re here.”  We locked eyes for a moment and I took all of him in.  His golden eyes, his lightly tanned skin, his hair that tousled in the summer breeze.  “Thank you,” he whispered before releasing me as a few people rushed over to him.  I snuck myself away and opened the paper wrinkled in my hand:

Words cannot describe how happy I am you are here.  I’ll see you soon.

I read it once more before looking up to see an old man, struggling with a sign, and called out, “Can I lend a hand?”

The man looked down and grumbled, “Not as young as I used to be, I s’pose.  Get o’er here and help me put this up.” As I began to help, he asked, “So, yer a soldier?  So is my son.  He’s under Commander Shoji’s.  He gunning to be a captain, but you know how it is in the military.” I agreed.  It was the same in Talia, for those without the Lantern King’s gifts.  “I saw you chatting with the General earlier.  You two close?”

I just shrugged.  “He’s been kind in letting some of us come to the festival.”

“What’s yer job?”

“Infantry.” I said, just as Denki instructed. I can always brainwash him later. 

The man just grumbled again.  “Good fuckin’ luck.  Without the Lantern King’s abilities, front lines are rough.”

“I’ve made it this far.” I told him, putting a few pins in my mouth to get the banner that read: Hungry after drinking? Here’s Some Food!    

“Good fer you.” but I didn’t think he meant it fully.  We finally got it up after several minutes of him complaining that it wasn’t straight and fixing it.  I asked if he needed anything else. “What’s yer name?  I might need some help later.”

“Akari.”

“Akari, huh?  Come by the stall for some food later.  I’ll make sure you get a nice meal.”

I bowed in thanks and looked to see if anyone else needed any help, but everything seemed to almost be in place.  Exhaustion started to kick in, so I decided to rest back at the inn.  Before heading up, I grabbed a drink at the bar downstairs, scarfing it down.  When I pull out some money, the bartender shakes his head. 

“Nah, you soldiers do enough.  First round is on me.  Just enjoy the festival.”

I thanked him and went upstairs to the room.

The sun begun to set and I watched through the window over the horizon as it began to fade in color. The sky went from blue to a pinkish hue, and my eyes felt heavy.  All that traveling to see him and I’m going to sleep?  But my eyes closed and I sat down, resting my head in my arms.  I tried to fight it, but my mind wandered to sleep.

I blinked my eyes awake as strong arms wrapped around me, picking me up from the window sill, gently placing me gently on the mattress.  I opened my eyes slightly and saw the lightning bolt of black in Denki’s hair.  “I’m sorry,” Denki’s voice said calmly and he kissed my nose.  “I was trying not to wake you.” He began to stroke my hair and laid beside me.

“The festival,” I breathed.  “It’s nice…to see you so happy.” I said through a yawn.

“I’m happier now that you’re here.” he whispered.  “I really thought you wouldn’t come.”

“Why’s that?” I wrapped my arms around him.  His shirt is off and he pulled on the strings of the cape, letting it rest underneath of us.  I turned to face him, my eyes still blinking slowly.  My fingers traced up and down his arms.  He’s grown more muscular since the last time. 

“I didn’t know if I had pulled away from something important.”

“Nothing’s more important than you.” I kissed him, sucking on his lips and tongue.  He moaned, a sound I had almost forgotten.  “You’ve become stronger.”  I said when I pulled away, squeezing his arm.  He deepened the next kiss and another sound escaped from him, completely bewitching me.  All of him had.  His newly muscled exterior, the taste of his inebriation, the sounds that came from the depths of him.  “What would you like to do tonight, my Lord?”

He giggled.  “I think we should sleep.  Traveling’s made us tired.  And we have the whole week to spend together.”

But we stared at each other for a moment.  And then we kissed.  And passions ran high like a fever dream.

---

I awoke to the sounds of lively music playing loudly.  Denki was already gone, but he’d left a note on his side of the bed: Seemed like your help was much appreciated yesterday with Antony.  He’s been asking for your help specifically.  I’ll stop by later to grab a meal.

Antony? I thought, but then I remembered the only man I helped with the banner.  Grouchy bastard.

The window was closed, but the sun blazed in, making the room unbearably hot.  There was another outfit for me to wear and when I made it outside, everyone seemed to be in the same colors.  The only difference being that mine had cuffs on the sleeve, I assumed to show them I was a soldier. 

“Heard you needed a hand?” I said to Antony, and he looked over at me and grunted.

“Yer the only one who seems to have a good head on yer shoulders.  Thought you wouldn’t mind.”

“I don’t.” I said truthfully and helped him cut up some cabbage he’d thrown my way. 

“Have a long night?” he laughed and he pointed at my neck.  My hand flew to my neck and felt one of many bite marks Denki had given me.  “I remember when my wife used to do that.  Crazy that woman, I tell ya.”

“What happened to her?” I asked.

“What?  Oh, she’s still alive.  Just old age, I guess.  Don’t get it like I used to.” he laughed more.  “But you’re a handsome one.  Bet it’s hard for anyone to say no to you.”

“I think it’s the other way around, actually.”

He laughed again and gave me a nudge.  “I’ll take care of the cuttin’.  Yer job is the customers.  Some’ll try n’ haggle ya, but I think you can handle that, can’t ya?”

“With ease.”

I said hello to every customer that came by.  Each with interesting stories of why they came to the festival, and listened to how far they’d traveled from.  Some came from the capital of Eri itself.  I told them my rehearsed line that Denki had given me.  The responses came: “So kind of him!” “He’s always so generous!” and “So happy to hear the soldiers having get to have good time!”

One woman asked if I needed a room for the night, that she wouldn’t mind sharing her own bedsheets. I politely declined her offer, but when her eyes brimmed with tears, I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.   

A few of the customers did try to hustle me as Antony described, but I reached into their minds with little effort.  They paid for the food before I turned them around, ordering them to have fun at the festival before reaching out of them and letting them go.  They warily looked around and back at me, but I paid them no mind as I helped the next customer.

“You’re an unusual face here, it seems.” Antony told me, clapping me on the shoulder.  “Business isn’t usually this good.”

“It’s probably your lousy attitude.”

He laughed.  “Just do yer job.”

I didn’t even notice when the line parted as Denki sauntered over.  He shook peoples hands as they thanked him and bowed.  When he reached the counter, I bowed.  “General.”

“Who’s this?” someone came over, and wrapped an arm around him.  The man looked me up and down.  Not in a threatening way, I realized after a moment.  “Oh, he’s in your division!”

He can tell that just from the shirt?

“Sero, this is Akari.  He’s in an infantry unit under Jirou.”

I blinked.  This is General Sero, someone who’s ability is good with snatching.  He can easily outmaneuver his opponent with ease.  I stayed cautious, but again, I bowed.  “General.” I said again.

Sero waved a hand around.  “None of that, now.  It’s just good that even infantry soldiers can get out every once and while.  Where does Jirou have you stationed now?”

Denki glared at him, but I have a quick response.  “In Shiozaki.” I said, making up a name that I heard Aizawa said to the King in a meeting a few weeks ago.  There were several Erian infantry units there.

“That far east?” Sero asked.  “Maybe you’d like to transfer.  I hear Lord Todoroki is trying to make his way to Shiozaki to use her port.”

It was true.  Lord Todoroki had one of his three battalions moving in that direction.  But how do they know that?  “I’m fine where I am.  I can hold my own.”  I pat my sword. 

“Good man!” Sero said and he ordered some food.  I didn’t look at Denki, but I could feel his eyes on me.  I shook my head when they pulled out cash, remembering the kindness the bartender gave me.  “Antony, your worker isn’t taking our money.”

“I wouldn’t take your money either.” he said.  “It’s bad luck, don’t take it, Akari!”  

They put their money back into their wallets.  “You’re both very generous.” I handed Lord Sero and Denki the food. “Enjoy the festival.” I added.

He gave Denki a clap on the shoulder and he moved away from us.  Denki leaned forward.  “You’re doing a great job.  Keep up the good work.” He winked, and then moved on to see the performers with Sero. 

As the sun set in the sky, Antony opened the cash drawer.  When I declined his money, he insisted.  “You worked hard today. Go on and enjoy the rest of the festival.”

“You sure you don’t need me to clean up?”

“I’m old, not incompetent.  I’ve seen this festival a thousand times.  Get a move on.  Festival’s more fun at night anyway.”

I didn’t argue and moved through the thick crowd, making my way over to see the beautiful lights on the stage.  Performers dancing along with the music.  One woman flipped off the stage, her transparent fabric flowing in the wind against her body, blew me a kiss.  I smiled at her and grabbed me close, whispering in my ear, “Dance with me, soldier.”

As the music played, she never broke eye contact with me, her body caressed my own.  She pulled me against her.  With a snap of her fingers, someone handed her a drink, which she offered to me.  I hadn’t realized how parched I was until I drank down the whiskey that burned my throat. 

“That thirsty, soldier?  Have another!” she said, snapping her fingers.  Someone handed her another and I downed it in seconds, despite the bitterness.  It didn’t take long for the whiskey to hit.  She turned around, the fabric loosely made its way up her leg and she moved my hand to caress her bare skin.  Her hips moved against my own, the sound of the music playing loudly over our head.  She giggled playfully and my hands grazed the sides of her body and she turned her head to look at me before pulling me in for a kiss.  I kissed her back, pulling her hips as she arched her back.  When the song ended, she clapped for me and bowed before the music started to play again and she took on another patron.

“My turn, soldier.” Someone said behind me. 

I didn’t need to turn around, but I could feel his breath on my ears that was already hot from the alcohol.  Denki’s voice rang through my head and when he whispered something dirty in my ears—something nasty that he wanted to do to me tonight, his hand slid into my own and he pulled me towards the inn. 

“Someone,” I tried, but it slurred out of my mouth.  “Someone will see us.”

“Only because you aren’t walking straight.”

I felt so light, feeling my ability growing stronger, all sounds echoing around me.  The ground moved under my own feet and he just laughed. 

When we made it to the inn, the woman across the bar tried to hand something to us, but he asked for it to be sent up to the room. 

“Can’t you carry me like you did last night?” my words slurred coming out of my mouth.

“Someone will definitely see us if I do that.”

When we got to the room, he opened the window, and hearing the music outside, he began to dance as well, pulling off his shirt and tossing it aside.  Still feeling a little drunk, I did the same.  He began to dance for me, when I came up behind him, our bodies rocked together.  My fingers graced up and down his bare torso, circling his hips.  I nibbled on his ear and his hands fell on the crown of my head, pulling at my hair.  He moaned and turned around, our bodies facing each other and pulling me in for a deep kiss, messier than anything last night.  He pushed me hard onto the bed and climbed on top of me, tearing the strings at my pants.  I kissed down his chest until my tongue found his nipple and I began licking and sucking drunkenly.  My hands grabbed his ass, my fingers sinking in deep.  The bite marks I had made were bright red against his tanned skin and I licked a few of them, knowing full well we’d make more tonight. 

Just as we began to unravel out of the pants, there was a knock at the door.  At first we ignored it, but when the knock became louder, I groaned as he pushed off of me and answered it.  I didn’t hear what they were talking about, but she left hastily.

“What is it?” I asked. 

“A letter.” He waved in front of me.  “Addressed to Akari.” 

I leaned forward, trying not to fall off the bed and played a game of trying to snatch the letter from him.  Once in my hand, I gave him a quick peck on the cheek and he sat on top of me as I read the back of the paper: Akari. 

Instantly knowing the handwriting, I sat up straighter.  No—this would have taken at days to get here.  He must’ve sent this as soon as I left.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It’s—,” and without skipping a beat, I truthfully said, “It’s from the Heir Aizawa.”

His eyes widened and then sharpened as a finger shot to my lips.  “Shhhh.  We don’t call him that here.” he snapped.

I opened the letter, scared of the words that are written within the paper:

Akari,

You are requested immediately.  Return at once!

“I—,” the letter was sobering and I looked over at Denki, his face confused as he snatched the letter from me, reading it silently.

“Does Talia know you’re here?” Denki asked.  His brow furrowed angrily and when I reached for the letter, he pushed me back onto the bed.  In the next second, my ability began echoing in my head and it took all of me to get it to stop, to calm myself. 

When I tried to get up, he had two fingers pointed at me.  The anger in his face didn’t subside.  It was enough to send the message.  With his ability, one shock to my body and it would be over.  “Who knows you’re here?  Other than the False King?” 

False King?  Anger shot through me, but when I didn’t say anything, he increased the pressure on my throat.  It pushed me down further into the mattress, crushing my legs with his own.

“Ow, shit!” I said, trying to push his hand off me.  “I couldn’t lie to him.”

“Lie to him?” Denki repeated.  Both of our voices were barely above a whisper, even over the noise of the music outside, we kept our voices low.  “You’re under Lord Todoroki’s command, why the hell would the False King know anything?”

“Lord Todoroki?” Both of us were heated now, but I sat up straight, looking at him in the eyes.  I was stronger than he was.  I grabbed his wrist and narrowed my gaze.  “Let go of me, Denki.”  I’d told him nothing about Talia and he’d said nothing about Eri.  It was an unspoken agreement not to mention the war, but when he didn’t release me, I grabbed his own throat and pulled him closer. 

This wasn’t what I had wanted.  But he knew.  Knew more than he let on.  And with the information that Sero had given earlier, Eri was more informed than I thought.  The echoes grew louder in my head and I wanted answers.  I’d pull it out of him.  Still keeping my ability at bay, I asked, “How did you even know I was under his command to begin with?”

I didn’t want to interrogate him, as Lord Todoroki had called it.  His mouth slammed shut and we were both silent for a long time, scared to make a single move.  I eyed him cautiously, but his face didn’t change.  Neither did mine.

“I don’t want to make an enemy of you.” I finally said. 

“I don’t want that either.” His voice cracked, but his tears shown like glass in his eyes.  He was trying not to cry.  I was holding back as well, but we had to do something.

I sighed and finally released my hand, setting them next to me on the bed.  “Let me explain.”  I gestured at the hand that was still around my neck.  “I won’t do anything.”  After a few moments, he let me go, his hands dropping to his sides, but he didn’t get off of me.  “Aizawa is the only family I have.  My parents died in a mining accident that took out half the draggers in Grice with it.  I became a Lord very young and was sent live in the castle with the other young Lordship of the court.  When people of the High Court, people very close to the King, found my ability useful, they exploited it.  It was—,” No!  No, it’s too painful.  I paused.  “Working with Lord Todoroki was difficult and I hate him for it.  So I went to live with Lord Aizawa in the countryside and now I barely visit the castle, only when summoned.”  I lifted the letter.  “Like this.”  I narrowed my gaze at him.  “Your turn.  How did you know I was under Lord Todoroki’s command?”

He stayed quiet. 

“I just told you a lot of useful information.  Information the Dragon King would no doubt love to hear.  You have to give me something, even if it’s not a lot.”

He didn’t move.  He remained quiet and his face still angry. 

I hated that face.  I hated that we’d even gotten here.  So I just said, “Fine,” and put my hands on his cheeks.  “You don’t have to tell me anything.”  I leaned against his chest and wrapped my arms around him.  “Don’t tell me anything.” 

“Jirou.” he finally said. 

“What?”

“That’s how we knew you were under Lord Todoroki.”

 I didn’t move.  “The Commander?”  Her father remained in the Talian court, but her mother was still in Eri.  Growing up there was controversial to say the least, but her mother remained in the King’s good graces. 

“She isn’t in Lordship because of her mother, who is still in the Talian court, but she is a child of the Lantern King.  Her mother and the Old Queen were friends, which is why she remains in Bakugou’s good graces.”  It was odd, hearing the Erian language versus what I’d been told my entire life.  The Dark Queen to the Old Queen and hearing the Dragon King’s real name.  “Her ears can plummet into the ground and she can hear things from miles away.  She’s able to hide in the forest and can get close enough to the East Wing of the castle at Kazuya and hear the conversations.  Her intel has been nothing shy of excellent.”

I let out an audible sigh of relief, but I still wondered, “How much does the Dragon King know?”

“It’s hard to say what you know versus what we do.”  He climbed off of me, but my body made a silent protest.  “It helps that Talia underestimates his intelligence because he’s so young.  But he can easily fill in the blanks with the intel that Jirou doesn’t bring.  More than that, he makes quick, fast decisions.  We can mobilize within a week.” 

A week?  It would take at least three for Talia. 

We were silent again, but it was deafening to me, but I didn’t know what to say.  I waited for him to speak and he did after several minutes.  “Who knows you’re here?”

“Just Aizawa.” I responded quickly.

“Does he know you’re with me?”

“No.” I said. 

His hands covered his face and turning away from me, his shoulders shaking in a silent sob.  “I hate this—this fucking war.”  I didn’t turn him around, nor did I try to pry the hands from his face.  I just let him cry into his hands quietly, but I placed my hands on his hips and kissed the nape of his neck.  “I don’t know that I believe you.  I don’t think I can believe you.”

Those words dug into me.  “That’s okay.  You don’t have to believe me.”  I closed my eyes, resting my brow against the top of his spine.  “He thinks I’m with an Erian soldier and that’s where I got the clothes.” He took a few moments before wiping his face and sniffling before he finally turned around.  When he did, I grabbed his hands.

He was still shaking.  But at last, he looked over at me. “I didn’t even know you were a Child of the Lantern King, but you said Talia exploited your gifts.  What’s your ability?”

If I tell him, we’re done.  We’re finished.  Despite all my silent protests, despite everything screaming at me not to tell him, I answered.  “It’s sort of like hypnosis.  If I ask a question and it’s answered, I can reach in someone’s mind and control them.”

He got up from the bed, pushing my hands away.  “Is that why I love you?  You’ve hypnotized me?”

“No, I’ve never used it on you.” I told him.  “I thought about brainwashing you when we first met.  Just to get you to go away.  But you were so kind,” I got up from the bed and kissed his lips. “and sweet,” I kissed his eye that momentarily closes, kissing away a few salty tears.  “After what I went through with Lord Todoroki, I never wanted to have this gift.  But you?” I kissed his forehead.  “You have the power of a god, the power of light, just like the Lantern King.  My gift?  Might as well come from hell.”

“Is that all?” he asked.  I knew what he was really asking.  Can I trust you?  I pulled him in close, hugging him so tightly. “What’s so important that you have to leave so suddenly?”

“I don’t know.” I said truthfully.  “But if Aizawa says it’s urgent, then it’s urgent.” I picked up the travel bag, realizing I only needed the clothes I had on and the Talian clothes in the hidden pocket.  I picked up the white Erian shirt from yesterday and when saw the Erian crest—the golden lions that roared ferociously at each other.  I asked, “This is the Aizawan family crest.  Do you know why the Dark Queen didn’t change it?”

Denki smiled sadly.  “Bakugou said it’s because his mother saw a lion in him.” He pet one of the lions on the cape.  “She thought he represented this crest better than anyone.  He likes to say, ‘Eri needs a lion, so a lion she will always be.’”

“I would have stayed with you all week, if I could.”

“When will I see you again?”

I had no answer. Only a deepened, tearful kiss before I left.

I was gone within the hour.

---

“Shinsou, the Prince has been asking for you.” Aizawa said, as soon as I walked in the door. 

“The Prince?” I asked, my heart beating loudly in my ears.  Shit!

“He’s here, out in the stables.  But before you go—,” I didn’t hear the rest after the “Wait!” before I was out the door.

But it was too late.  I was already on my horse, making my way to the countryside stable.

The stables were close, and I saw the Prince immediately, his bright green hair with a golden leafed crown wrapped through it.  His eyes buried in a book, his body atop a haystack. I jumped off my horse and kneeled down.  “Midoriya!” I called.  “Your Grace!  I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

“It’s okay, Shinsou.  No need for that.” When he stood up, I jumped to my feet.

“Your Grace, if I knew it was you who called on me, I would have come home much sooner.”

“It’s okay.  I actually quite enjoyed myself.  The countryside is refreshing.  I can see why you like it out here.” He smiled, but eyed me up and down.  There was a bit of confusion, but he continued,  “I-I can’t believe we’re asking this of you again, but—,” he paused and took a deep breath.  “—the King is asking you to interrogate some prisoners again.  Not under the confines of Lord Todoroki, but a small Erian assassination squad got into the castle the night Aizawa said you left.” I cursed under my breath.  “It’s why I’m here, actually.  I was told to come retrieve you and stay with the Heir until the situation is dealt with.”

“At the castle?”

“Yes.”

“And Lord Todoroki won’t be there?”

“Can’t say.  I’ve been away for almost a week now.  He’s likely made it there.”

Shit, shit, shit!  “I’ll leave at once, Your Grace.”

“Your horse seems tired.” he patted her on the neck.  “Take mine.”  I nodded, but he said, “And you may want to change into something else before you go.”

“Change?” I looked down at my clothes. 

The Erian Crest stared back at me, plastered on my chest.

---

IZUKU

---Present Day---

I wake up quickly, but I’m not in the study where I normally sleep.  I sit up straight, wondering where I am and how I got there.  My dream was about the castle in Kazuya, the capital of Talia.  Surrounded by my old friends; the rushing of the warm summer breeze that I inhaled; people bowing to me, calling me “Your Grace” even before I registered they were there; my mother sitting in her usual seat beside the King, both smiling at me as I explained how my training was going. 

But then I remember, the memories flooding back to me of my reality.  I’m still in Eri, a prisoner or a ward of some kind.  However, I’m not in the study and instead, I awake in Kacchan’s large bed.  I look around me and he’s sleeping directly on the other side, nowhere close to me.  Still, I feel his warmth underneath the large blankets and snuggle myself underneath of them for just a few more minutes.

I shouldn’t be here, I remind myself.  But I peak over my shoulder to look at him, his chest gently rising and falling with each deepened breath, lightly snoring.  He looks so peaceful here. 

I’m careful when I turn my body to face him, pushing a hand behind my head, underneath the soft pillow and moving my body slightly to get closer to him.  The warmth increased as I grew nearer, creeping closer, ever so quietly until I could see the beads of sweat dripping from him.  I didn’t realize how hot it was until I wiped my own brow.  I leaned against the pillow directly next to his own, careful not to touch him.  I put all my weight down, shifting the bed slightly and matched my breathing to his.

I began describing him in my head, taking writing mental notes of how he looks in this state.  I’d write about his flawless skin that he’d clearly gotten from his mother.  I’d write about his bright blonde hair, coarse and rough if I were to run my hands through it.  I’d write about his light snoring in his deep, peaceful slumber.

I studied him, his angular face.  His arm that curled under his neck.  He’s so muscular, I thought, looking at his bicep that was easily as big as my face. But I have so many questions and spiraled down them, landing eventually on who had taught him how to even be King.  He’s a force to be reckoned with, his anger feared among many on the battlefield. 

But who had trained the Dragon King?  Who had been his teacher in learning how to develop his abilities of the Lantern King? 

“How did you grow up?” I whisper, wanting to know more.  Not just to write about, but to understand him better.

Afraid he may have heard me, his eyes open, darting to me with a snarl. 

Not wanting to scare him, I wrap my hand around his.  Touching his hand was like touching a hot flame, but I’m careful not to wince.  I didn’t move, didn’t make a single noise.  Only held his stare until he blinked a few times.

His eyes eventually blink a few more times and grumbles, “Good, you’re awake.”

I take a mental note of how deep his voice is after sleeping.

He pulls his hand away and wipes his eyes.  He pushes off the covers and the warmth that I felt moments ago left as the winter air frosted over me.  I now wished for his hand again, moving my knees to my chest, shivering a little.  I keep my eyes on him, taking all of my composure to remain as impartial as possible. 

I can’t help it.  Even as he wakes, he’s so handsome.  I feel my dick grow hard and I’m thankful that his back is turned to me.  The muscles tighten in his shoulders and the sweat on his skin glistened in the light of the morning sun, sparkling off his bare back. 

I didn’t even know he was shirtless, I thought, but I didn’t move, embarrassed if he would see my excitement.  I was thankful for the clothing I wore, but he took one of the smaller blankets from the bed, one that he had been sleeping with and gave it to me.  Shit, I knew he saw my boner— 

“You’re cold.” was the only reasoning he gave me and relieved, I take it, making sure he can’t see that I’ve covered my lower body as he says, “I have something to show you.” He gestures for a guard to bring him several sheets of paper. 

It only a few glances for me to realize what he’s given me.  “Is this…?”

“It’s not just maps.” he says.  “It’s everything we’ve gathered in the war so far. Even my thoughts on the actions Eri should take next.”  I stare at him, blankly, and for once in my life, at a loss for words.  “I’d like you to share with how you think they’ll respond.”

I look down at it, not entirely sure how I should feel.  Feel about this at least, my dick still hard as a fucking rock.  “I’ll need some time to look over them.”

“Fine.” was all he said before getting up.  He looks to the guards.  “Wake Kirishima.  Have him meet me in the West War Room in two hours.”

“Sire!” and they were gone.

I briefly look over some of the documents, scanning them, but not really reading any of the contents.  Making sure we’re completely alone, I tell him, “There are some other things that you should know too.”

“After breakfast.” he says.  He gets up and stretches as well.  “Oh, and change into something warmer.”

“Something warmer?”

“Yeah,” he says.  “We’re eating in the gardens this morning.”

“The gardens?” But memory of day he said he’d take for a tour through them and how disappointed I’d been told he couldn’t.    

He rolls his eyes and says, “Are you going to repeat everything or do as I say?”

“I’ll change, give me a moment!” I squeal internally, and I wrap the blanket about my waist, my dick still not soft.  When I open the door to the study, I release a breath, but peer down and quietly tell myself, “Don’t get too carried away.” 

The study’s grown smaller in the months I’ve been here as clothes and books litter the room.  I grabbed several layers of clothing including a sweater and the warmest jacket I have.  I wrap myself in a red scarf as I turn to see Kacchan standing in the doorway.  He’s changed too, but it’s not nearly as layered as me.  He’s in all black—a tight sweater, pants barely seen over the boots laced up to his thigh.  He reaches out a hand and I take it.  I’m surprised to find that it’s not calloused or scarred from war as mine are.  His touch is soft and once again, his warmth ripples through me.

“To make sure you don’t go anywhere.”

When I look at his face, it’s completely red, all the way up to his ears.  I can easily blame my red face on the cold weather.  He has no excuse.

---

KATSUKI

Truthfully, during the spring time, the garden is much prettier.  Snow lightly dusts over the ground and crunches underneath the servants’ shoes as they walk back and forth to give Deku and I our breakfast at the table outside.  The table stands on an open wooded deck, surrounded by flowers, even in the open winter.  Evergreens line the garden paths, circling the raised deck we’re currently on and lead around to another path behind us to a frozen pond with a fountain at the center of it.

Other than the few servants and guards, it’s only him and me.  He’s quiet, reading everything I gave to him this morning, occasionally nodding and mumbling to himself.  I’m weirdly glad he’s mumbling again, only takes a break when he reaches for the tea kettle and pours himself another cup. 

You should work on your small talk, Kirishima told me the other day, elbowing me in the ribs.  Really, not every conversation you have to have should be about the war.

But that’s the way it’s always been for me.  Every waking moment I’ve been King has been about making decisions in regards to how Eri will face off against the Talian forces.  As much as I hate to admit it though, Kirishima’s right.  More than I want to know about Talia, I want to know about him. 

He clearly wanted to know more about me, too.  “How did you grow up?”

The question startled me awake and it took me a moment to realize he was in my bed.  Not just a dream?  No—I remember he’d slammed my study door shut after throwing old maps at me.  When I returned, I held onto everything he asked for and more.  All of it—the intel Jirou gathered, written ideas and thoughts from myself, a few from the advisors and the other members of the High Court.  But when I opened my study, he wasn’t in there.  I turned to one of the guards who just pointed at my bed.  I drew out a sigh of relief and sauntered over to him soundly sleeping.  I wanted to wake him, to show him right then and there, he looked comfortable underneath the blankets.  I pulled the covers higher on him before getting into bed myself, on the exact opposite side of where I normally sleep.  The nights were getting colder and I realize that he must’ve been in the warmest spot in the large bed.

I decide to take Kirishima’s advice and ask him what he’s thought about some of the books I’ve given him to read.  He just says, “It’s very kind, Kacchan.”

That’s all?  “What did you think of The Night of Ten Lanterns?” I push. 

“I read that a few nights ago before I went to sleep.” he says.

“There’s no way you read that whole thing in a night.” 

“I’ve read it before.” he tells me, blowing on the tea to cool it off.

“Before?” but of course he had.  He probably has the same access to books that I do.  “I can find you another—,”

“I’m surprised you haven’t asked me about King Toshinori.” he says directly, sipping on the tea and looking at me over the cup.

In the silence, I eye him cautiously.  He can’t read minds, can he?  I’d asked Shinsou that already, but Shinsou just shook his head, explaining that his ability was one that was hard for him to control fully and he usually ended up hurting himself to use it.  After last night, I wonder if he had to break a piece of himself to do it.  I looked down at his scarred hands in stark contrast to my own.  It looked like he’d dug himself up through hell.  He doesn’t seem hurt, was all I gathered from last night.    

Still, I wanted to know everything about the King of Talia.  “Why would I ask you about King Toshinori?” was finally my response.

“The better you understand your enemy, the easier they fall.”

“Where did you come up with that nonsense?”

“It’s in one of the books you gave me.”

“Why would you tell me anything?” I ask.  “Especially since I questioned your intelligence?”

“Oh?” his voice lifts.  “Is that why you think I’m mad, Kacchan?”

“Is it not?”

“No.  I’m mad because I’ve been truthful with you, but you weren’t being honest with me.” Deku sets down the cup properly on the plate.  It makes a slight tink sound, but nothing more.

A perfect, proper way to handle a teacup. I think.  But I suddenly take notice—he hasn’t been anything but a perfect Prince.  Not just down to the way handles a teacup, but the way he talks, acts, even breathes.  He’s understanding and very patient with everyone he speaks to, when they dare to speak to him.  Still, last night, but I had driven him to that anger.  It wasn’t his own doing.

When my parents tried drilling those same manners into me, I’d used my gift, breaking and destroying anything they’d put in front of me.  They tried again and again, but gave up after a while.  Still, it’s nice to see that his still remain intact.

“Can you blame me?” I ask eventually.

He ponders the question, turning the fork in his hand.  “You’re the King, I’m not sure it’s right to blame you for anything.  But I’ve been here for a couple of months now.  Surely you realize lying isn’t in my character.” Deku smirks, lifting an eyebrow.

He’s fucking toying with me.  “I don’t trust a Talian.”

“So I’ve heard.”  He rests his hand against the table, leaning a red cheek against it.  “I’d like to trust you.”

“I’ve given you more than the current maps of the war.  What more do you want?”

He thinks for a moment, but then around.  His eyes dart from one thing to the next—on the teapot, on the maps and then lifts to the evergreens that line the path behind me.  Finally, his eyes stop and soften.  Smiling, he says, “I’d like for you to pick some snowdrops for me.”

“Snowdrops?” I ask, puzzled. 

“Yes, it’s a type of flower.  If you look past the violas, which are the purple flowers, you’ll see white ones—,”

“I know what snowdrops are, I’m just wondering is that all?”

“That’s all.” he says.  “But I want you to pick them.”

“Me?” I scoff.  “You expect me to get up and pick you bundle of snowdrops and you’ll give me information on Talia?”

He nods.

I curse.  But I get up, my feet crunching against the snow and melting underneath my shoes.  I kneel down in front the white flowers.  “How many?” I call to him as I kneel down before the flowers. 

“However many you think is appropriate.” he calls back.

I curse again, but gently pull on the ones where the bulbs have already opened.  There’s more than a few and I gently graze them out of the ground.  Once I have a nice bouquet of them, I bring them to him.  “Here,” I place them in front of his plate of food.

He looks down at them with disappointment, only staring at the white snowdrops that blend into the white table.  “Oh no.” He shakes his head.  “That just won’t do, Kacchan.”

He’s quick with the responses today.  “So you want more snowdrops?”

“No.” he says.  “The amount is fine.  I’d like for you to just be nicer when you hand them to me.”  He lifts the teacup again, bringing it to his lips.  “And an apology wouldn’t kill you either.”

I’m not one to apologize.  And he knows it.  Still, I need that information.  But there’s a nagging feeling he might not know anything.  I look at his face, the smirk plastered upon it.  If he wants to play, fine.  I’ll play his little game. 

But we’ll play my fucking way.  “I didn’t realize you wanted romance, Deku.”  I kneel down on one knee, and my fingers turning his face, staring up—for probably the first time since childhood—looking into his green eyes and I notice a smile tugs on his lips.  I grab the flowers and I cup his hands over the bouquet and then hold his hands in my own.  My gift hums through my chest, down my arms, and I watch his face as he realizes I’m warming him.  His eyes widen.  “Your Grace,” I whisper.  “Please accept this as my formal apology.”

“Please.” he says in a hushed tone.  “Don’t lie to me again.”

“I promise.”

His smile widens on his face before he waves me off.  “Yes, this apology will do.” I smile too.  He shakes his head and through a laugh says, “Thank you, Peasant, that’s all for now.” He throws the flowers up in the air before he takes off, laughing and leaps into the air before running down the snowy pathway of evergreens.  A few of the guards chase after him, but I order them to stand down.   

“Peasant?!” I yell after him and I’m up, wiping off the wet snow from my knee and I’m after him.  “I am the Dragon King.”

“Kacchan,” he yells behind him.  “Dragons aren’t real, therefore you can’t really be the King of anything.”

He’s fast, but I use my gift to catch up quickly.  Small pops from my hand and I see him run behind of the trees.  I stop, my breath hot against the cold in a fog.  I walk to the tree, but when I peer behind it, he’s gone.  My boots crunch against the snow as I move around the tree, but not too seriously. 

“This might actually be the most pathetic way someone has tried to escape from me—,” I say loudly, but as I say it, there’s a tap on my shoulder.  It startles me, but when I turn he’s there, half his face buried in the fur of the hood.  I can still see he’s smiling.  His eyes always give him away. 

“Finally,” he says.  “It’s just the two of us.”

“You did that to get away from the guards?” I laugh.

“And the servants.”

“And why did you want to get me alone?” 

“A couple reasons.  One is a secret and the other is selfish.” he responds. “Which would you like first?”

I think very carefully on that.  I’d like to know more than anything what the selfish reason was—more than anything to get him to let me touch him beyond the tiny moments we’ve had.  But I need to information and my Kingdom—they need the information too.  To my distain, I say, “The secret.”

“Ask me about the King of Talia.”

I take a step closer to him.  “Alright, Deku.  Tell me about King Toshinori.”  He does and I log everything in the back of my mind everything he told me: King Toshinori is becoming sickly, so spends most of his time looking after the young Lordship of Talia, teaching them valuable skills for leading the kingdom.  “That’s why he hasn’t been on the battlefield lately.”  He takes a deep breath.  “He’s trying to train me to become a leader too.  Or rather,” Deku cleared his throat.  “He was.” Deku looks down at his gloved hands, staring into his palms in hopes that it may have all the answers. 

“Is his sickness fatal?” I ask.

“Why do you care about that?  Do you care if he dies?”

“I don’t care if he—,”  but I stop myself and look down at him.  No, I think.  No, I would care.  But I’d care for Deku—for the family he’d lose, but not for the king Talia would.  He’s shared quite a bit with me.  More than anything Shinsou had said.  I close my eyes, bringing back the painful memory: “When my parents died, I thought it was the end.  Everyone and everything around me suddenly turned dark and there were talks of people surrendering to King Toshinori.  Even talks of having Lord Aizawa return the throne.  It was as if one moment, we were going to win the war and then in the other we were going to lose it.”  I couldn’t look at him, and fought back tears that waited to spill down my face.  “I would care if he died.  Because I know it would affect you.  Because I know how it felt to lose my family.  Because—,” I couldn’t finish the thought.  I wouldn’t finish it, even if we were alone.  “My mother, in her last words, told me to be a better King.  So I did my best to do just that.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment.  When I finally do look at him, his eyes are sad, as if he’s mourning the loss of my family.  “Ask me something else.”  He says at last.

“Like what?”

“Ask me why no one has come after me.” he says.  “I’m the Prince of Talia.  Next in line for the throne.  I’m sure you’ve told them countless times that I’m here only to get nothing in return.”

I had and gotten no response.  When we’d heard of Kaminari’s capture, we’d sent soldiers, several resources to get him back.  In the months Deku’s been here, we haven’t received so much as a letter from Talia about the Prince’s capture, despite continuously telling them we have him.  “Why has no one come for you?”

“Because I ordered them not to.”

“Why would you do that?” I ask. 

“We aren’t getting anywhere on battles alone.  Each time Talia overtakes a city or Eri pushes across the border, things only worse it gets.  I just wanted a chance to talk, to see if anyone from Eri would listen to my words.”

“You’ve got my attention.” I told him.  “What is it that you’d like to say?”

“Set up a negotiation with my father and before you say anything—,” I’d opened my mouth to counter that, but he’s raised a hand, stopping me.  I gesture for him to continue.  “Violence has gotten us nowhere.  We need to choose a different course of action.” Deku’s hand reaches out on my shoulder and he pulls my hood up.  “And no, his sickness isn’t fatal or contagious, if you’re worried about catching it.”

“Anything else I should ask?”

“Not for now.” he says through a smile.  “But I’ll let you know.”

A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth.  “Come, we should head inside before you get sick with something fatal.”

“Though for Eri, that might be a looked at as a good thing, no?”

No, but I don’t say anything. 

“You also should get to your war meeting with Kirishima that was supposed to start half an hour ago.”

“He can wait a few more minutes.” I grab Deku’s hand and turn to lead us back, but he gently tugs me back.  “Deku?”  He lifts my hand to his face, pressing his lips against my knuckles.

“Sorry.  I just wanted another moment with you.”

Don’t let it get too far…but for the longest time, I’ve never been able to see myself with anyone.  Yet I find myself completely mesmerized by him.  It frustrates me, but I can’t help the pounding in my chest.  We’re silent, but that frustration softens as his lips lightly touching my hands.  He kisses the knuckles of my closed fist and my entire body relaxes.  I cannot help but think why this man, the Prince of my enemy.  But if the situation was different, if we weren’t in war against each other.  His eyes finally reach mine and I could stare into those eyes that are as deep as forests in spring, lamented with a soft baby-blue in the light of the sky, even on a cloudy day like this.

A negotiation.  That’s all he’s wanted.

I cannot take another moment with my hands not touching him.  “What are you doing to me?” I whisper, taking a step closer to him.

“A question unprompted.” His face turns away from me and I smile internally when his cheeks are flushed with a bright, rose color.  As I take a step closer, inches now from each other now, he doesn’t shy away from me.  I look down at his freckled skin, so close I could count each one. 

I would if it means I could have more time with him, I would.  “Can I ask another question?”

“Yes.” he whispers into my hand.

“Do you want me to warm you?”

“More than anything,” He begins to unfasten the buttons on his jacket and when he opens it, I wrap my arms around him, under the jacket and pull him in close. 

Our height difference has never been so apparent to me than in this moment.  I see the top of his head from here, but my cock reacts when I look down at him.  I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his chest that shown through his tight, Erian white shirt.  His nipples are hard and my hand reacts to touch it.  To circle it with thumb and squeeze it between my fingers.  My mouth salivates at the thought of what lies underneath the rest of his clothes.  I want to explore his body with my hands, to suck him, to fuck him until the dawn of tomorrow. 

More than anything.  His words are musical and I become dizzy with the sound it makes.  I swallow back my desperation and I don’t look at him for fear of what might happen if I do.

“Kacchan,” he says, putting a hand to my chest and shaking his head, as if he knows what I am thinking.

I’m angered, feeling the heat in my chest hum louder, more malicious than intended.  As quickly as I had those thoughts, I’m reminded of who we are, where we are and the situation we’re in.  Reality sets in and those thoughts feel distant and become faint.

I hear fast footsteps behind me, and Deku and I take a step away from each other just I hear a guard say, “Sire?”

I don’t hide that I’m upset.  I feel the heat of my ability rise and fall with each breath I take, but the guards tell me, “Kirishima said he’s leaving to have lunch since you didn’t show.  He’s wondering if you’d like to join him and the others of the high court.”

I exhale, not wanting this moment to end.  “Tell them I’ll meet with them shortly.”

“Sire,” the guard bows as two others approach. 

I turn to Deku, whose ears and cheeks are still bright red.  “I’ll have someone fetch you for dinner.” I order the two approaching guards to bring him back to the room—our room and before they leave, I tell him, “You know I’ll be testing this knowledge right?” More of a statement than a question.

“I would expect nothing less from the Dragon King.”

Chapter Text

SHINSOU

**Three Years Ago, After the Nezu Festival**

**In Talia, at the Aizawa Mansion in the Countryside**

I look down to see the Erian Crest looking back up at me. 

And then at the Prince, who’s anxiously awaiting a response from me.  “Your Grace…” I begin and fell onto my knees.  My stomach churned. “I-I don’t know what to say—,”

“Why don’t you just start at the beginning?” he cocked his head, the golden crown of the Prince not moving as he did so. 

That crown was more than a symbol of peace here in Talia.  It represented to Talia who was going to be the next ruler of Talia, but of all the Kingdoms in the world.  It had been passed down from leader to leader since Talia herself.  When Queen Nana passed it to her successor, Yagi of the House of Toshinori, and not her son, there was an unusual shift in the court.  King Toshinori could have passed that mark down to anyone and with the amount of wealth the Todoroki family had, it should have been passed down to one of Lord Todoroki’s children.  But the King still passed it down to his son, the Prince.  The Marking of the Crown, a traditional sort of ceremony where the Golden Crown is given from Leader to Successor, was given to Prince Midoriya instead of any one of the Todoroki children.  This did not please Lord Todoroki, despite all the donations their father gave to Talia and the amount of effort he made in the war.

I hate him.  I’m glad his children will never reign this kingdom.

Still, I looked at that crown and its golden sheen threaded through the prince’s hair.  He’s beautiful in this moment and it was hard to deny it.  The Prince was regal with his bright blue Talian uniform, the equally bright red cape—not like the deep burgundy one I wore to Eri.  The crown was what forced me to my knees.  He held all the power in that moment. 

When I said nothing, the Prince shook his head.  “I’m just a little confused.” he said.  “As to why one of my Generals, someone I handpicked myself, is wearing an Erian soldiers uniform.  Please, start at the beginning and we’ll go from there.”

“To Lord Todoroki, you mean?” I said, but quickly stopped.  The golden crown that sat atop his head glimmered to me and I could do nothing but look away from it. 

“I don’t know.  You haven’t told me anything.”

No.  The voice in my head echoed.  I heard them, swarming me, enveloping around me like the voice of a thousand Gods.  I will use this gift, this power, everything the Lantern King gave me until the day I fucking die.  “What could I possibly say that would ensure my safety?”  He remained quiet, however.  Not even moving as those continued to yell at him, Fucking say something!  He remained quiet.  Quiet long enough for the voices to stop.  “I will not go back to Todoroki’s prison.  Not now, not ever.  You will answer my questions if I have to—,”

“Lord Shinsou,” he raised a hand, silencing me immediately.  “You will also answer my questions first and if I am satisfied, then I will answer your questions.  Do you understand?”

I did.  He’d forget everything if he knew what happened.  He gave his permission to let me force him to forget.

“Shinsou!” a voice came over my shoulder.  Aizawa was running quickly, wrapping his scarf around his neck.  “Your Grace, please, if you’ll let us explain—,” 

“Ah,” the Prince said, smiling as Aizawa kneeled in front of him, next to me.  “And the Heir Aizawa knows too, I assume?” he rubbed his brow, wiping sweat as he stepped into the sunlight. 

“Would you like to go inside, Your Grace?  You are more than welcome to—,”

“I’d like to stay out here.”

We both just nod.  “As you wish, Your Grace.”

“Excellent.  Now Shinsou, this will be the last time I ask.  Start.  From.” His eyes narrowed down on me, the crown now fully facing me, wreathed through the Prince’s hair.  “The beginning.”

“I fell in love, Your Grace.” I told them both.  “With an Erian soldier.  I just got back from a festival that was held on your birthday in Nezu.”

He didn’t tear his eyes away from me, nor I from him.  “How did you meet?”

I told him.  I told him about the river, the few nights we shared since then and about the festival trip that was cut short by Aizawa’s letter.  I told him the couple things I’d learned, about Commander Jirou being in the forest to gain trust by the Erian court because of her father that remained here.  I also shared the little information of the Dragon King and about their forces being able to mobilize quickly.  I said it all to the Prince, tears streaming down my face. 

He stood there, unmoving, his arms crossed over the Talian crest.  The bright cape ebbed and flowed with the wind, as did his dark green hair.  “And what have you shared about Talia with this soldier?”

“About my family’s death.  About me becoming a young Lord and—,” I swallowed.  “He thought I was still under Todoroki, but I told him that I felt more comfortable being with Aizawa.”

“Is that all?”

I know that question.  I’d heard it less than three days ago from Denki.  “Our time was limited.  Aizawa isn’t the type to pull me away without it being important and I left a couple hours after I received the letter.”

“Is that the only thing you told him?”

“He—I implied how much I despise Todoroki, but I didn’t tell him what exactly took place.” It was hard for me to relay that information to even Aizawa.

“Very well.” the Prince said, exhaling deeply.  “I’m placing all my trust in what you’re telling me, Lord Shinsou.  And,” he sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping.  “I will permit Shinsou to ask his questions.”

Aizawa stared at him.  “Your Grace, are you sure?”

“Yes.  I didn’t hear anything too incriminating.  We’ve guessed at most of the things that Shinsou has said and I have no doubt you can give the others some of the information about Lord Jirou’s child at the next war meeting.  You can say you saw her and she escaped. Besides,” the Prince smiled.  “I think I wouldn’t mind being brainwashed for a few hours.  To take my mind off the war, as Shinsou claims this soldier does for him.”

I stood up, narrowing my gaze at the Prince. 

And voices began once again, echoing around in my head.  “Your Grace, Prince Midoriya, are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation.  I quickly reached into his mind, into the very depths of him, but I was met by a wall.  An entire wall, completely impenetrable in his mind, unrelenting to the voices I placed in his head.  I tried again and again, but the more I rammed into the barrier, the harder it became.  It pushed and pushed until I was completely broken and shoved the echoes of the voices back into my own mind. 

It was the first time I’d ever heard my ability and it made me delirious for a moment.  A flicker of a memory passed into me and I screamed, calling out to my mother and was met by two strong arms to keep my from falling against the ground.

When my eyes opened, Aizawa’s confused face looked down at me.  I was equally confused, but then grew angry until I saw his eyes were the same brown, his hair waved down past his shoulders.  It wasn’t him who stopped me?  I stared back at the Prince.  “Your Grace.” I breathed.  I’d always been able to reach into someone, control them like little puppets.  I’d been used, rummaged, manipulated by the Talian court for this ability.  But the Prince had not been affected and threw my own gift back at me.  Within his mind, I was met by something hard, rigid, impassable. 

The first person I’d ever met to not yield to my power from the Lantern King.

“My ability.” was all the Prince said.  “is far greater than yours, it would seem.”  He took a few steps forward, clapping a hand to my shoulder as he passed.  “I won’t tell anyone about this.  You have my word.”  I turned to face him, but he didn’t look back as he said, “You’re still needed at the castle, Shinsou.  Change out of that clothing.  Burn it, bury it, I don’t care.  But you’re my friend, so I’ll give you this warning: not all powers come from the Lantern King.”

Out of complete fear, I bowed.  I waited until the Prince was out of my line of sight, until I could no longer see the gold shine in his crown before looking to Aizawa.  His face was full of fear like a father who could do little to protect his child. 

“Is that true?  Are there people who have powers that aren’t Children of the Lantern King?”

He nodded. 

“And the Prince?  He’s one of them?”

Another nod.

“How many others are like him?”

“So far, the only two families I’ve met,” Aizawa said.  “are the Prince and the Todoroki family.”

KATSUKI

*Present Day*

“Kacchan!” Deku says, getting up from his seat.  He pointed to an article from one of the several Erian papers that are laid out before him.  He’s taken a liking to reading several, but has come to realize that the knowledge I have is more extensive.  “Is this true?  Has Todoroki banked south?”

I shake my head.  “Not that I’ve heard.  Which paper are you reading?”  He shows me the cover and I bark out a laugh.  “No, no.  That paper’s full of shit.  They’ll write anything if it brings in more readers.”

“But this one said the same—,” he scrambles around, picks up another paper, but then looks between the two.  “—shit, nevermind.  It’s the same writer.” He pauses, but then crinkles the paper before sitting back down, sipping his tea.  “It definitely draws the attention of the reader, though.  In Talia, we outlaw such things.”

“Writing?” I tease.

He crinkles his nose at me.  “No, but journalists aren’t allowed to write about things that are untrue.” 

It’s not a bad law to have, but it definitely limits what the journalists can write about.  I also like hearing the opinions of the people in my Kingdom, especially when it comes to the war. 

“Oh, I almost forgot!”  He stirs his tea gently and places the spoon facing down on the plate under the cup.  It clinks perfectly, barely making a sound.  “I have another question you should be asking.”

“And what question is that?” He has my undivided attention. 

“What Talia is planning after they—,” he clears his throat.  “Dethrone you?  Like what they might be planning for the Heir Aizawa.”

I hiss hearing that name. 

Here in Eri, they call him the “False King”.  Talia calls Aizawa the “True Heir” and even now, there are rumors floating that he will one day take the throne.  Like Shinsou, Aizawa had switched as well, but now he fights for Talia.  It was many years ago, before I was born.  Still, hearing Deku call him “Heir Aizawa” angered me.  I try to control the heat in my body, but I can feel it rising.  Strategically, if Talia manages to overtake the Capitol and kill me, it makes sense to place Aizawa on the throne of Eri. 

Before my mother took the throne, she’d slaughtered all of them after the Aizawa family had made poor judgement call after poor judgement call.  It’d happened again and again.  When Queen Nana didn’t give her son the throne and gave it to King Toshinori, my mother followed suit, but decided to take things into her own hands.  In a single night, she slaughtered the Aizawa Family and brought a civil war into Eri.  Ultimately, her entire section of the army backed her, which led to her reign on the throne. After her death, I remember the members of her own High Court whispering to bring one boy, Shouta Aizawa, almost 25 at the time, back to the throne.

If Talia was to get their wish, they would surely bring their “Heir” back to the Erian throne under King Toshinori. 

It is truly his after all…

“NO!” I yell and the sweat in my palm ignites.  Deku grabs my hands and balls them into a fist, wincing through the pain of a tiny explosion that released from me.  “I know what they plan to do if I am to die.  My own court has even thought of it.”

“When would they have discussed something like that?” he whispers.  I’m feel the words as his lips move brush my fingers.  I live for the moments like this, especially when we know we’re completely alone.  I used to hate it because nothing came of them, but now I love them, cherish these small moments we get together.  I love the feeling when his pink lips graze my hand so soft like a ghost whispering through the night.  My heart skips before thumping loudly and I hope he can hear it too.  He raises my hand and quietly, gently kisses the fingers of my closed fist. 

“After my mother’s death.  Some wanted to kill me and ask for Aizawan leadership again, as my mother was the one who really betrayed the throne.”

“How did you live?”

It was an outburst.  Upon hearing them discuss how they would kill me— “Give him over to Talia!”, “Leave him to the monsters in Grice!”, “Cut off his head and be done with it!”—I screamed.  I’d just watched my parents scorched to death in hot blue flames, flames that I had survived and they still meant to kill me?  I screamed for those I’d lost, for the family that I’d never see again. 

For the promise these people, my so-called “allies”, were going to take away from me.

I screamed so loud, it moved the ground, shattering everything around us.  An explosion of anger and fear, of resentment and loathing, surged out of me.  The ones around me were engulfed and left only as smoke.  The others, some with the gifts of the Lantern King and some without, were killed and the only ones left were those who remained loyal to my family.  To me.

Since that moment, I’ve been nicknamed the Dragon King.  “I just showed them my loyalty to the Eri my mother created.”

“I’m sorry, Kacchan,” he apologizes again, whispering into my knuckles.  “I shouldn’t have brought it up.  I just thought you should know.  I would want to know.”  The words are light, like whisps of clouds, matching the tone of his face.  He’s trying to calm me from the sudden anger moments ago without knowing it left as quickly as it came.  I don’t tell him as his lips continue to explore the back of my hand.  He sinks to one knee and I open my palm that has been neglected.

I cannot take another moment with my hands not touching him.  I take a step closer to him and his eyes gaze up at me.  I run my hand through the thick curls of his hair, squeezing them to arch his back even more.

“Oh.” His eyes shoot open and his hands cover his mouth.  He turns his eyes away from me and I smile internally when his cheeks are flushed with a bright, rose color.  I gesture for him to get up and rises to his feet, still averting my gaze that’s fixed on him.

I begin to unbutton his jacket slowly, working each of them through the fabric of the coat.  When I finish, I lick my lips, knowing what lies beneath the shirt underneath.  I gently peel the jacket off his shoulders, which are broader than I had thought. 

Not as broad as mine, I reassured myself, but he helps me to pull it off.  I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his chest, but I keep my eyes away from his pants.

“Do you want my shirt too?” he begins to lift the shirt, his pale skin revealing freckles down his stomach and beyond. 

Yes!  I want to be the one to warm you.  But I swallowed back my desperation, only managing to say the word, “Not unless you want to give it to me.” I wrap the jacket around my body, his soft scent lingering in the fur of the hood. 

“Kacchan.” his voice warns.

He still shakes his head?  I release a breath of frustration, but compose myself.  He wants it.  I know he wants it.  Why does he deny it? 

I can’t think about it any longer.  If he wants to take it farther, he’ll tell me.  “Okay.” I say to him, trying to keep my mind from wandering too far.  “Let’s talk about Talia.”

We do, sitting back down.  He talks of things I mostly know: that Lord Todoroki and Lord Aizawa are in command of two sectors of the main army.  There are several Lords and Ladies that are underneath of them as well, in charge of their own segments of the armies, but they always answer to Todoroki or Aizawa.  The youngest Todoroki son, the Dragon Tamer—fuck, I hate that name—answers to Aizawa, though, I find that odd.  He continues on, though and I make a note to question it later.

“If multiple people are in charge of multiple segments of the military,” he says.  “Then it becomes harder to predict their movements.”

It’s true, though we have a bit of a different system that was set up by my mother.  At the top is the King; underneath that is the Generals, the High Lordship; and underneath them are the Commanders who are in charge of their large groups of soldiers.  Any issues within the military are brought up through the chain.  It’s efficient enough for us, but with multiple people in charge of multiple different segments at different times then things become more unpredictable for the enemy.

I was quiet for too long.  “Kacchan?” I hear him say, almost a whisper.  He shivers and I get up, handing him back his jacket.  He smiles when he puts it on. 

That fucking smile.  I can no longer stop myself.  I fucking—I can’t hold it any more—I look around the room and pound at the door.  A guard comes in.  “Bring him back to the room.”

I don’t look at his face, but he calls to me again: “Kacchan!”

I walk away, as fast as my feet will let me.  I don’t hear what the guards tell him, but I get myself inside an empty room, slamming the door shut.  Everything in my body feels hot.  I can’t slow down my breathing.  The warmth of my breaths puff out like fogs of smoke from a chimney.  I lean my forehead against the cold door, ripping open my shirt, hoping that the cold of winter will brush against my skin, but it only makes my chest hum violently at the sound of ripping clothes.  Sweat drips from every ounce of porous skin, saliva from my tongue onto the floor beneath me. 

I can bare it no longer.

I pull at the strings of my leather pants and squeeze my dick, only thinking of Deku’s flushed cheeks, so red it hides a few of his freckles inked on his skin.  I think of what it would feel like to thrust myself into his throat, the wet sopping noises it would make, the feel of Deku as he sucked from base to tip and back down again for more. 

“Deku…” I hear myself growl, spitting into my hand to massage myself and think of nothing but him beneath me, touching me, moaning loudly for more.  My body spins around and curve my back against the door, my head flying back.  I want him.  I want him so badly, the pain heats my entire body.  I can barely hear the hums of my chest over my own fantasies of Deku’s loud cries, his begging mixed with my own cruel, ruthless desire of dreamlike euphoria existing only in this moment.  I close my eyes, my arm moving faster, my hand squeezing harder, but harder was my want for Deku to be here with me.  “Kacchan…” he’d say.  “Please…” he’d moan.  “Fuck me…” he’d beg.  And I’d be obliged to it all. 

“I live for you and only you.” I say, unable to tell if it’s aloud or from deep within.  My knees nearly buckle when I feel the orgasm spill out of me, my legs still shaking and finally, my legs give out entirely and I sink to the floor, my breath still uneasy.  I wait for the humming in my chest to rest and when it finally does, I open my eyes and reality sets back in. 

I look at the empty room before me, the wind howling outside the shut windows.  Finally, I take a deep breath in, but I don’t move. 

For the first time in my life, I thought of something other than the war.  For those long minutes that past, I thought of Deku and only Deku.  Not as the Prince of my enemy—I hadn’t even thought of Talia at all.  No.  Only Deku.

I don’t want to move.  Can’t move.  Not away from him. 

---

“Sire!” the two guards snap to attention as I stand before my door to the bedroom.  I inhale a deep breath before opening the door. 

It’s dark in the room.  The fire has fainted a little.  I scan the bed to see Deku in it, on the other side this time, where I had slept the night before.  The warmest part of the bed.  I take my shirt off—a different set of clothes than the ones I’d worn previously.  I’d asked a few of the servants to bring me a new set and throw those out, a little embarrassed. 

I move quietly over to the bed and lift the covers that he’s buried himself underneath.  But as quiet as I thought I was, I hear his small voice float over to my ears.

“Kacchan?”

I roll over to face him.  “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You really didn’t.  I was falling asleep, but not quite there.” he stretches before tucking himself back underneath the blankets. 

“You don’t get hot?  Underneath all of that?”

He chuckles and shakes his head.  “No.  Though I didn’t anticipate how cold Eri would be in the winters.  It’s south of Grice, but still feels colder for some reason.” He ponders for a moment before saying, “When you aren’t here.”

I’m quiet, but I watch his eyes slowly close.  I watch his face relax.  And just before he falls asleep, I ask, “Would you like me to hold you?”

His eyes snap open and stare into mine.  He’s quiet, too, but I let him take this moment to think.  “Kacchan.” he says, as though he’s scolding me. 

“Deku,” I want to explain to him.  I want him to know everything.  That I do want him.  Every piece of him.  “I just want you to stay warm though the night.”

Another moment of silence, but it burns.  I don’t move my face.  I don’t give him any indication I want anything else.  “Just holding?”

“Just holding.”  I promise him.  “I hate sleeping underneath seven blankets.  I feel like I’m going to drown in my own sweat.  But you still shiver.”

“Okay, Kacchan.” he lifts the blankets and we inch towards each other.  He pulls his arms in and I hug him to my chest, but he lifts his head.

“What’s—what’s that?” he asks.

“What’s what?”

“That sound?”

It takes me a moment to realize.  “It’s a part of my gift from the Lantern King.” I tell him.  “My ability hums.  I’m surprised you haven’t heard it before.”

He leans back against me.  “It’s beautiful.  Like a song.”

My body sings for him and lulls him to sleep like a lullaby.

---

After almost a month of waiting, I receive a letter from Commander Jirou during a war meeting.  It’s marked with her seal and our code is written in the letter.  Finally!  I tear it open and I hold my breath while scan it, but I only read the first line before leaving the room: Everything the Prince told us was true.    

“Majesty?” Mina asks me, but I’m already running out of the War Meeting. 

He didn’t lie to me.  I knew he wouldn’t. 

I burst open the door to my room, the guards all gripping their weapons, but stop and bow when they immediately see me.  “Leave us!  No one is to enter this room!”  They did as they were instructed, saying, “Sire.” to me before rushing out of my chamber. 

He stands up from one of the chairs, marking his page in the book he was reading.  “Your Highness.” he bows playfully.

“Deku.” I whisper and before I could think about it, pull him into me, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.  He gasps, but then I feel cheek resting upon my chest, his own arms wrapping tightly around my waist.  We hold each other, our breathing becoming synchronized before I finally pull away. 

“What was that for, Kacchan?” he says, smiling through watery eyes.  A tear falls from one of his eyes and I brush it away from my thumb.

“A wish that I asked for came true.”

His face contoured in confusion.  “A wish?”

“Yes, Deku.” my thumb is still brushing along his cold cheek.  I will warm you.  “Will you tell me again?  That you’ll stay by side until the war ends?”

My thumb runs across his chapped lips that form a smile.  “Kacchan, I plan on staying with you long after that.”

IZUKU

I crinkled the letter against my chest, hugging it close.  I knew the information would be accurate, but I didn’t know how much I could trust Commander Jirou.  This letter is proof that people want the war to end.  It’s proof that people, even in New Eri, want the suffering to be over. 

Tears fall from my eyes and I wipe them away.  Even before my capture, my sole mission was to speak to the Dragon King about ending the war.  But now—

I’ve completely fallen for him. 

He’s next to me.  It happens so fast, I don’t have a moment to react when he grabs my wrists and pulls me in close, wrapping my arms around his waist before he wraps his own around my neck.  He cradles me so closely I can feel his breath, so warm and smells of sweet candies. Impulsively, I lean a cheek into his chest, listening to the rhythmic sounds of his ability.  Our lips grow closer together, each second is far too long.  But when nothing happens, I feel a little annoyed, but rest my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes to enjoy this moment.

I decide to tell him.  Against my father’s wishes to not tell a soul, I decide that he has a right to know everything about Talia.  Including their Prince.  In that moment, I decide it’s the right time.  “I have another question for you to ask.”

“Oh?” he says, his hands brushing against a few locks on my head.

“If I wanted to leave, I could have done it long ago.”

He pulls away and looks down at me.  “What do you mean?  Kirishima captured you.”

“He captured me, yes.  But at any given point, I could have left.  I’d like you to ask me about it.”

He sits down in one of the chairs.  “Is it your gift from the Lantern King?  Shinsou told me he can’t use his against you, but Kirishima thought it was more strength than anything else.”

I tell him outright.  “I think it’s time you learned about One-for-All.”

Chapter Text

From Prince Izuku Midoriya’s book, Global Beginnings, excerpt taken from The Dark Queen by A.Bee, edited by D.N. Lyfe

Tribute to the Dark Queen Mitsuki Bakugou, her leadership and service to the Cause of Eri

The Civil War in Eri was quick and decisive.  It had to be after fighting Talia for nearly 500 years, new action needed to be taken.  There were talks and rumors of surrendering to Talia and the soldiers were having none of it.  Especially General Mitsuki, later known as Mitsuki Bakugou after marrying Masaru Bakugou, who was said to be one of the greatest Erian assets during her time commanding numerous sectors of the Erian military.  She wasn’t a duelist, but a strategist and a marked one at that.  Even in Talia, people marveled at her ability to recover and bounce back even harder.  She had the formal education until her 18^th birthday, when it was her time to enlist in the military.  It was here where she truly shined and rose through the ranks rapidly.

King Romero Aizawa IV was insane, they said.  He listened to no one, they said, but was quick to blame others for the mistakes Eri made upon the battlefield.  He made one rash decision after another, costing countless lives on the Erian side.

The Civil War lasted less than a day.  Some hardly called war at all.  There was much infighting between the nobility and those who were fighting on the front lines.  Most of the time, the Generals stayed away from the battlefield, but made decisions based on reports from the only General that would fight alongside her soldiers—Mitsuki.  Some say she spread the rumor herself that Eri was to bow to Talia, especially after the brutal battle that took out nearly 30% of the Erian military.

Mitsuki’s lost many people in those years.  Eri was losing soldier after soldier, platoon after platoon, company after company and soon after, an entire battalion was lost under the King’s orders.  And thus, the Civil War had begun.

Mitsuki’s battalion carried the infantry and marched to Frostgate, directly outside the walls of the castle that the king and his lordship lived.  They were wearing the Erian colors—Red and Gold—but the gold had been smeared with the color white.  General Mitsuki had taken her place on the front lines like she always had and soldiers filed in lines of rows and columns, putting their life on the line against the Aizawan Family. 

“We will not surrender to Talia!  We fight for Eri and Eri alone!  Last chance, Aizawa!” she had screamed up to him.  “You can surrender to me or I’ll have your head!”

“Traitorous bitch—,”; “Disloyal cunt—,”; “Useless whore—,”; but Mitsuki ignored them as they spat the insults.  Her eyes were completely narrowed on King Aizawa and the crown atop his head.

The battle didn’t last long.  Fourty minutes and the Aizawan Court was in disarray, completely ruined.  Frostgate had been pillaged as the battalion had torn it apart.  There, at the Front Gate of the ruins was Mitsuki, holding up the head of a bastard they called King.  His children had been slaughtered—all but one, the Heir Aizawa to Talia or the False King by Eri.

And the Dark Queen had taken her throne.  There, upon her head, sat the bloodied crown of the old King, and a new Kingdom, a New Eri, was born. 

Her first orders were to bury only those who had splattered the half of the gold cape in white.  Let the others rot and the monsters feast on their flesh in the Frosthall Ruins.  She brought a new army forward, training an elite force of them herself.  She had beheaded so many traitors to her reign and began anew Courtship. 

A Prince was born.  The Dark Queen’s son—the Dragon King.