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Chapter Text

Izuku was kneeling in the garden the first time he saw Prince Katsuki, fixing up a display of flowers that had been near-destroyed in the strong winds from a recent storm. There was an event in the coming days celebrating Prince Katsuki's 'coming of age'. The prince was finally old enough to roam the castle grounds on his own, no longer trapped by his mother's side. Prince Katsuki was eager to explore areas he had never seen before, and the garden was one of them.

Izuku was in the middle of replanting a tulip when loud, running footsteps came towards him, stopping moments away from tripping over his crouched form. Izuku's head snapped up to see what, or who, had intruded in his space and was shocked to be met with the signature red eyes of a Bakugou—not any Bakugou but Prince Katsuki himself. 

The prince looked down at him curiously, as if he were trying to figure out what Izuku was doing. Izuku bowed his head as best he could from his position, showing his respect towards the prince, before returning back to his work. It was a known rule for the servants to not interact with the royals unless asked to. They were there to work; it was something that had been drilled into Izuku since he was in diapers.

"Aren't you a bit young to be doing all this yourself?" Izuku had not heard Prince Katsuki's voice before. It suits him well, even in the prepubescent form it was in now, Izuku thought.

"No." Izuku kept his answer brief out of fear of saying something wrong. He did not want to get on the wrong side of a royal.

"You're the same age as me, right? I'm only just allowed to start my knight duties, but you've clearly been doing this for a while now." Prince Katsuki sat next to Izuku, splaying his legs out in front of him, completely unaware of the space he was taking up.

"As servants, we're expected to work as soon as we can; there's no point housing and feeding someone that does nothing." Izuku explained as he patted down the soil around the flowers, making it as compact as possible.

"But they never complain about me not doing anything; my father wanted to postpone my entry exam to become a knight because he thought it too big a burden for someone my age." Izuku had to bite his tongue to not snort at Katsuki's words.

"That's because you're a royal; it's different for you." Izuku explained.

"That's stupid." Katsuki muttered, and Izuku rolled his eyes.

No more words were exchanged as Izuku packed up his things, happy with his work. He could feel the prince watching his every move, as if studying him. Izuku picked up his basket, filled with some broken flowers and petals, and stood up. He turned to face the prince, bowing as he was trained to, before stepping to leave.

"Wait," An arm grabbed his own, stopping him from leaving. Izuku looked up at the prince, who was staring pointedly at the basket. "Can I have one of those? They're broken, so you won't need them, right?" Katsuki pointed towards the flowers in the basket, tilting his head as he looked back at Izuku.

Izuku nodded; he usually kept the flowers for himself, pressing them between pages of a book, but these tulips were identical, so one would end up being thrown away; there was no harm in giving one to the prince. Katuski grinned as he picked one of the flowers out of the basket, twisting it in his finger before looking back at Izuku.

"Thanks." The prince said before turning and walking away, back towards the castle.

It was a simple word. Izuku had been thanked plenty of times before, yet this felt different. Heat rose to his cheeks, dusting them pink behind the dots of his freckles, and his stomach felt like it had burst with life. He could not fight the small smile that rose to his face.

Izuku took in a deep breath, the scent of the flowers around him filling his nose as he watched the prince's figure fade further into the distance. The sun was setting before him; Izuku had not realised it had become so late in the day; he always ended up being consumed by the flowers. Izuku waited a breath, then two, before also setting in the direction of the castle, making sure to walk slow enough not to enter the prince's space.

Chapter Text

When Izuku turned 16, he was given an official role, the role of Head Florist. The servants for the Bakugou family were split into groups; there were those that took care of the royals themselves, those that were there to clean the castle, and those that were there to cook. Izuku's group was there to focus on upkeeping the castle grounds, making sure they looked presentable, as close to beautiful as a castle could be.

There were flowers all around the castle and its grounds, in every room, on every patch of grass. Queen Mitsuki thought that having an abundance of healthy plants was the greatest way to show their wealth.

It was Izuku's job to make sure all the flowers fit a certain theme; typically they would change per season and Mitsuki would have a seasonal theme. Izuku's group worked in shifts; one group would work on the flowers outside and one on the flowers inside. Izuku himself oversaw everything; he'd do work inside and outside no matter what shift he was assigned to.

It wasn't the worst job; Izuku definitely preferred it to cleaning. At the start and end of each season he'd be busy, but he had a lot of downtime in between, which he was grateful for and knew others did not get the privilege of having. Most days all they had to do was water the plants and make sure they looked as pretty as they could.

Izuku had grown to know a lot about flowers over the years; he could name every flower that grew on the castle grounds off the top of his head. He also learned that there was such a thing as the 'language of flowers', that certain flowers meant certain things. He had discovered it in an old book, one that likely hadn't been touched in generations based on the amount of dust that had been on it when Izuku picked it out of a shelf in a dark corner of the library. 

He had converted the writings in the book into notes; he had drawn pictures of every flower that grew on the castle grounds with details about what season they grew in and what they symbolised jotted next to them. He carried the notebook everywhere with him; it was practically part of him. 

Though Izuku had yet to use any symbolic flowers in his displays, this was about to change. He had a plan.

Prince Katsuki was about to be crowned head of knights; one more exam and the years he spent training would finally have something to show.

Izuku had not spoken to the prince since their first meeting; Katuski had gotten sucked into training to become a knight; he woke up long before Izuku awoke and retired to his chambers long after Izuku himself retired. Though that did not mean Izuku did not think of the prince. Ever since their first meeting his mind had become almost infatuated with the prince. A silly crush that only got worse as Katsuki grew more handsome in his age.

Izuku did visit his chambers daily. The prince had asked for flowers to be put in his window not long after their first meeting, and Izuku had taken care of them ever since. He changed them per Mitsuki's request to match the theme of the castle, and it was time for Izuku to change them again for spring. 

Mitsuki had requested a mix of pink and yellow flowers this year, though the specific type of flower was up to Izuku. It was perfect for Izuku's plan.

There was a small yellow flower, amur adonis, that had recently started growing in a far corner on the castle grounds. After researching it, Izuku discovered that flower symbolised good fortune—a perfect flower to add to Katsuki's display to wish him luck on his exam without having to speak the words. A prince did not need the luck of a servant.

Izuku had collected all the flowers needed for the small display (really, it was simply just potted plants, but Izuku thought that description did not do it justice). He was almost skipping to Katsuki's chambers, basket full of his tools swinging as he made his way through the long hallways between the servant quarters and the royals.

He did not need to ask the guard permission to enter the room; the door was open as per usual—Katsuki had already left.

Izuku hummed as he placed the basket on the prince's desk, making sure not to touch anything he shouldn't. He got to work quickly, removing the old flowers that would soon start dying, adding some new soil, and planting the new flowers in a way that made them blend together perfectly. 

He added the amur adonises at the end; they were small compared to the other flowers in the pot, and Izuku could put plenty in without it looking overcrowded, giving Katsuki the best fortune he could provide. 

Izuku was almost finished when heavy footsteps, accompanied by the sound of heavy armour rattling, approached the room. He ignored them, assuming it was a guard passing by, perhaps swapping shifts, until the footsteps came inside the room. Izuku turned to see who had entered, intruding on his peace, but his breath hitched in his throat as his eyes settled on the figure before him.

It was Prince Katsuki, dressed in his royal knight armour save for the helmet, which he was holding against his hip. It was clear he had previously had the helmet on, his blonde hair sticking up in every direction possible, the front of it damp with sweat. Izuku couldn't begin to imagine how hot the knights must get standing in layers of armour every day. 

Izuku bowed before the prince, who simply nodded in return. Izuku turned back to his work, not wanting to get in the way of whatever Katsuki had come in his chambers to do, and to avoid oggling at the sight of the prince in his armour.

He heard the prince move closer to him. Izuku was standing next to Katsuki's desk, which was placed in front of the windows where the flower pots lived. The prince liked watching the sunset apparently; Izuku had overheard it once from the other servants usual gossiping. 

The sound of Katsuki's armour paused for a moment before Izuku heard a drawer open and the prince rustling, searching for something as Izuku planted the final amur adonis and started patting down the soil, making it compact. 

"Those are new." A gruff voice came from beside him. It almost startled him, almost.

The prince's voice had changed over the years, becoming rougher and rougher, much like his exterior. Katsuki's almost constant training led to him developing muscles that put even the older knights to shame. Izuku would not admit that the mere sight of the muscles would send a bright blush to his cheeks and send his stomach swirling; he was thankful for the suit of armour Katsuki had covering them now.

Izuku opened his mouth to respond as he turned his head to face the prince, who in turn looked down. Green eyes widened as they met the red of Katsuki's own. They were so close, Izuku could feel the faint fanning of Katsuki's breath on his skin. He could smell the sweat that had etched it's way into the fabric of the armour clinging to Katsuki's skin, a smell that may offend some, but not Izuku.

Izuku closed his mouth, the words that were on his tongue being forgotten. The prince's eyes darted down at the movement, staring at Izuku's plump lips for a moment, then slowly trailing up his face until they found his eyes once again.

Suddenly Izuku had a pretty good idea of how hot the knights must be under that armour. He felt as if he may break a sweat, simply from being in such close proximity to the prince, who seemed completely unphased by their closeness. He hoped the prince would not notice the effect he had on him, that he would assume the pink dusted on his cheeks was a blessing bestowed on him by the sun, rather than the betrayal of his heart.

All of a sudden, a metallic bang sounded throughout the room, ringing off of the walls and making Izuku jump back with a squeak. The prince inhaled a sharp breath, closing his eyes for a moment, then breathing a deep breath out. Izuku's eyes followed his figure as he crouched down, picking up the helmet that was previously at his side. He had dropped it.

"Stupid thing," Katsuki muttered, glaring at the piece of armour as if it had jumped out of his hand of it's own volition. If Izuku's heart was not beating out of his chest, he would have chuckled.

Izuku looked away as the prince looked back up, his vision landing on the flowers he had just potted, reminding him of why they had been in that position to begin with.

"Oh! You wanted to know about the flowers?" Izuku hoped the prince would not notice the wavering of his voice as he spoke.

"Yeah, the yellow ones're new, they special?" Katsuki stepped closer to the flowers, leaning down to get a closer look at the amur adonises, inspecting them.

"They're amur adonises; they started growing on the grounds recently; I think a bird may have dropped the seeds, and they sprouted out in the west corner." Izuku rambled, a habit he had when he got nervous.

"But are they special?" Katsuki looked up at Izuku as he asked again, unphased by the servants improper talk.

"Yes, they're supposed to bring good fortune; that's why I planted them here to bring you luck with your exam—" Izuku abruptly cut himself off, slapping a hand over his mouth.

He did not think it possible for his cheeks to get any hotter, and yet they did. What would the prince think of his actions? He was a mere servant; he should not be meddling in the life of a prince.

But Prince Katsuki did not yell at him and did not look offended by his actions. Rather, a smirk grew on the prince's face as he looked back towards the flower.

"You planted them to bring me luck?" Katsuki's tone was teasing, it sent a chill down Izuku's spine.

"I hope that's okay..." Izuku looked down, fiddling shyly with the hem of his soil-covered apron.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Katsuki stepped towards Izuku, though kept a respective distance this time.
"Got any extras?" The prince looked towards Izuku's basket expectantly.

"Back in my quarters, I can bring it to you once I finish my duties if you'd like?" Izuku tilted his head, waiting for the prince's response.

The prince hummed, looking out the window, thinking. He looked back towards Izuku after a few seconds, "Sure, I'll be here later tonight, don't make me wait too long."

Izuku nodded in response, "I best get on then, wouldn't want to make the prince wait."

By the end of the day Izuku's feet were dragging. He had spent the day trying to explain to the other servants of his group exactly what flowers needed replacing for the new spring theme Queen Mitsuki had requested.

Though he got along well with them, some of the other servants did not take well to their work. He had taught one young girl how to safely cut the thorns off of stems a hundred times, and yet she still ended the day with bloody fingers. Sometimes he thought it would be easier if it was just him.

He sighed as he set his tools down on his desk, letting his shoulders finally sag and his head droop. He started kicking his shoes off when he spotted it, out of the corner of his eye. The amur adonis he had promised the prince.

He jumped up, almost hitting his head on the low ceiling of his chambers. He had completley forgotten. The sun had long since set, dinner long since over. He knew the prince liked to go to sleep early, get plenty of rest for the next day. 

Izuku didn't think as he grabbed the flower, shooting out of his room and... slamming into a wall? But there wasn't a wall there, Izuku knew that, he'd lived in these chambers his entire life. Izuku looked up, stepping back as he did, almost scared to see what it was he ran into.

His eyes connected with an unfortunately familar set of red eyes. Prince Katsuki was the wall Izuku slammed into, as if he could not embarrass himself more before the prince. Prince Katsuki was still partially in his armour, though Izuku was thankful the chestplate had been removed or else he may have knocked himself out in the collision.

"In a rush?" The prince teasingly smirked down at Izuku, interrupting his ogling.

"I'm so sorry I forgot, I was about to bring—" Izuku was cut off by a hand covering his mouth. His eyes widened as he realised it was the prince's. A blush very quickly rushed to his cheeks at the action. It felt almost a crime to even look at the royals as a servant, touching one was practically a sin and yet Katsuki had touched the servant so casually, as if there were no differences between them.

"No need to apologise, idiot, you look exhausted." The prince's eyes flickered between Izuku's own, a disapproving frown on his face. Izuku frowned himself, a servant was supposed to look their best no matter what, a castle with sickly looking servants did not show signs of wealth.

Katsuki removed his hand from Izuku's face, a look in his eyes that the servant could not decipher.

"Saw you go by my chambers, thought it easier to just follow you down here than make you come all the way back up." Katsuki's eyes flickered to the flower in Izuku's hand, reminding Izuku of his task.

He wordlessly held the flower up to the prince, but rather than the once near-perfect flower, it was now drooping, assumably squished between them when Izuku bumped into the prince.

"Oh! This one surely won't be good enough, I can get you another tomorrow?" Izuku went to take the flower back, but a hand grabbed his own.

Katsuki shook his head, taking the flower out of Izuku's hand. The prince brought it to his nose, sniffing it as his eyes remained on Izuku
"It's perfect." He breathed, sending Izuku's stomach into a frenzy. "This will help me become the best knight to ever exist, just you watch, Freckles."

"Freckles?" Izuku furrowed his brows. A nickname from the prince? Was he teasing him? It wouldn't have been unexpected, his freckles were always a point of discussion when he was a child, they were not a feature suited for a servant, they made him stand out amongst a crowd. 

"Well, you've never introduced yourself to me, so I had to come up with my own name." Katsuki twirled the flower between his fingers as he looked at Izuku expectantly.

"Oh! It's Izuku, Izuku Midoriya, apologies for my rudeness Your Highness." Izuku bowed his head apologetically.

"No need for the formalities," Katsuki crossed his arms, looking away as if rebuking Izuku's actions, "I should retire to my chambers, let you get some rest yourself." 

"Of course, I wish you good night then Your—"

"Nope, what did I say, no need for all that!" Katsuki waved his arms in front of him, stopping Izuku mid-sentence.

"Sorry!" Izuku squeaked, covering his mouth.

Katsuki simply shook his head, gaze lingering on the servant before abruptly turning on his heels and making his way towards the door. He paused as he reached it, turning back towards Izuku as he opened the door,

"Sleep well, Izuku." It was muttered, a sound that would not have been audible if not for the quiet of the night, but Izuku heard it loud and clear. It replayed in his head, over and over, blocking out the sound of the door closing behind the prince on his exit. 

Izuku had never thought much of his name, it was simply a name afterall. Yet it sounded like the most beautiful word on the prince's tongue. Izuku yearned to hear it again, the sound replaying in his head was not enough.

He wanted more.

Chapter Text

Today was the day Prince Katsuki officially got knighted. The entire castle was brimming with excitement, everyone happy to see the young prince most had watched grow finally take his place in society. 

Though Izuku was happy for the prince, this was the most stressful day of his life.

King Masaru had delayed the ceremony into the early summer, based on the other servants gossip that Izuku had overheard the king was not ready to see his son become a knight. It meant he was no longer a child and that he could go out and fight battles. Izuku understood the fear; having seen knights return to the castle with fatal wounds one too many times to ever envy them, the thought of seeing Katsuki return like that made him feel sick.

The delay into the summer meant Izuku had to work on the displays for the ceremony while also working on the displays for the entire rest of the castle. It was Izuku's first ceremony as head florist; he wanted to do well and prove that he deserved the role, but he felt as if he was running around like a headless chicken most of the time.

Even when the displays for the ceremony were finished, Izuku could not rest, having to check on the rest of the castle to make sure everything else was as it should be. It was late by the time Izuku had finished most of his duties; all he had to do now was switch out the flowers in Prince Katsuki's room. 

Usually, Prince Katsuki's room was the first to be seen, as it was the closest to the servants quarters, but with the rush of the morning due to the ceremony, the duties inside the castle were left until last.

Izuku's feet hurt as they carried him to the prince's room; he had assumed it would be a quick job and that Katsuki would be in the main hall celebrating, yet when he arrived at the door, it was closed, indicating the prince was inside.

The guard situated outside nodded to Izuku before knocking on Katsuki's door. He opened it after a breath, poking his head inside and informing the prince of Izuku's presence. Izuku heard a murmur before the guard opened the door further, motioning for him to enter.

The inside of Katsuki's room was not as Izuku had seen it before. The prince was known to be neat and tidy, and he liked to keep things clean. Every time Izuku entered the room, it was almost as if no one had ever been in it, yet right now it was... a mess.

Katsuki's armour was flung around the room, as if he had fought to get it off. The changing screen was also knocked over with the doors of the wardrobe holding Katsuki's clothes still open. One would almost think a fight had broken out, and the smell. Izuku had never been fond of the smell of most alcohol; the ones that the royals drank were particularly strong-scented, and Katsuki's room stunk of it. 

The prince himself was sprawled in his bed; his bed clothes were thankfully on, though his bed covers were only covering his bottom half. His eyes were half closed, but Izuku could tell he was watching him.

Izuku stepped over the first obstacle, Katsuki's helmet, which had clearly been abandoned the second the prince walked into the room. The second obstacle was much trickier. Katsuki's large chestplate that Izuku was certain two of him could fit into, which was underneath part of the changing screen.

Izuku lifted one of his legs over the chestplate, trying to not drop anything from his basket as he went to lift the other.

"Wait!" A shout came from the bed, the object itself creaking along with it.

Izuku's head snapped to the source of the sound. Katsuki was sitting up in his bed, holding a hand out towards Izuku, telling him to wait. Izuku furrowed his brows as the prince stood, following him as he wobbled closer.

Katsuki reached what would be the last of Izuku's obstacles: the shirt and pants he would wear underneath all of his armour. The prince crouched down, one hand on the post of his bed for support, and picked up the pieces of clothing, throwing them in the general direction of his wardrobe. 

The prince continued, moving everything out of the way until a path had been cleared for Izuku to get to the window without issue. 

It was enamouring watching the drunk prince practically crawl around the floor, as if he were the servant and Izuku the prince. Izuku could not take his eyes off of him, even as Katsuki made his way back to his bed. 

The prince grabbed his bed covers as he flopped back on his bed, bouncing on the springs of his mattress ever so slightly. Though the prince did not lay down, instead moving to the top of his bed and leaning against his headboard, only his head peeking out from the covers.

His eyes fell back on Izuku, then to the basket he held, then to the window, before returning back to Izuku.

"Leave the yellow ones on my desk; wouldn't have done it without them." Katsuki's voice was slurred, though still intelligible. 

Izuku smiled softly, walking towards the pots holding the amur adonises Katsuki spoke of.

"You would have done it regardless." Izuku kept his voice quiet—almost a whisper.

Katsuki made a disapproving noise but left it at that.

Izuku started working on the pots, removing the old flowers and placing the amur adonises on Katsuki's desk as requested. The summer flowers were easy to work with, though there was one extra for Katsuki's display compared to the rest of the castle. 

As Izuku picked it out of the basket, he heard the bed creak behind him, and moments later a warmth almost enveloped him. Katsuki's hands were on Izuku's waist, making the servant's brain completely short circuit. It took Izuku a moment to realise he had been picked up and turned to face the prince, his brain only catching up when the hands left his waist and his senses returned.

Izuku did not have a chance to react before Katsuki grabbed his hand, which was holding the purple flower, and brought it up to his face. Izuku's face heated up in such a way he was sure it would match the colour of Katsuki's eyes.

"This's different." Katsuki sniffed the flower, and Izuku could feel the breath on his hand. The scent of alcohol was much stronger now; Izuku felt drunk from proximity.

"Y-yeah, it's uhm..." Izuku trailed off, looking to the ground. Would Katsuki be weirded out if he told him the meaning behind the flower?

"Special?" Katsuki tilted his head to the side in question, eyes searching Izuku's own for the answer.

"Yes." Izuku looked back towards Katsuki, who grinned at the answer.

Katsuki dropped Izuku's hand, which fell back to his side without the support. The prince stepped back until he reached his bed, sitting on the edge.

"What's this mean?" Katsuki eyed the flower.

Izuku gulped before explaining, "It's an iris; it symbolises admiration and bravery; I thought it fitting for today." 

Katsuki did not answer immediately; eyes still focused on the flower that Izuku was now twirling between his fingers nervously.

The prince stood abruptly; it seemed to shock himself, as if he had not expected the action. Still, he stepped back towards Izuku, crowding into the servants space as if it were his own. 

Katsuki leaned down, his face only inches from Izuku's own. The prince could not seem to decide what part of Izuku's face to look at; watching his eyes dart around almost made Izuku dizzy. 

"How'd you know this stuff?" Katsuki's asked, his eyes finally settling on Izuku's lips, patiently waiting for an answer.

Izuku took in a shaky breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He did not trust his voice in that moment, instead reaching back towards his basket, taking out his notebook, and handing it over to Katsuki silently.

It felt like putting his heart on his sleeve; any displays he did from now on, Katsuki would likely analyse for a hidden meaning, even if there was nothing to see. 

The prince looked at the book, confusion lacing his features for a few seconds before he decided to open it. He quickly realised what he was looking at—a book detailing everything about the flowers he saw every day. The key to a secret language that had been before his eyes his entire life.

The prince sat back on his bed, not looking away from the book once as he did. 

"You made all this?" Katsuki did not look up even as he asked the question, though Izuku could see him tracing a finger over a drawing.

"Yeah," Izuku admitted, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.

Katsuki looked up from the book at his answer, surprise written on his features. Izuku giggled softly at the reaction; the prince looked almost catlike with his widened eyes. 

The book shut abruptly, the sound echoing in Izuku's ears. He watched as the prince set his book down on his bed before standing, walking once again towards the servant. Much like before, he took Izuku's flower-filled hand in his, though this time he took the iris out of it.

"I think you are more deserving of it." Katsuki held the iris out towards Izuku, gifting it to him.

Izuku's heart fluttered in his chest; he almost felt as if he were floating. The prince wanted to give him a flower—a flower that was symbolic of admiration. The prince admired him.

"Your Highness, I couldn't possibly; it's for you." Izuku stumbled over his words.

"Don't call me that." Katsuki frowned. "Just call me Katsuki, and take the damn flower." Katsuki pushed the flower into Izuku's chest, almost knocking him back with the force. Izuku prayed to the gods that the prince could not feel his hammering heart.

Izuku hesitated for a moment before taking the flower. Katsuki grinned in response, pleased with the action.

"Can I at least plant it here?" Izuku looked towards the plant pot he had planned to put the flower in. It looked empty without it.

Katsuki hummed in approval, flopping back onto his bed as Izuku planted the iris in it's correct spot. As he observed his work, he noticed how high the moon was in the sky; he had kept Katsuki up long enough. He packed his tools into his basket quickly, not wanting to take any more of the prince's time.

He turned once again to face Katsuki, who was still lying on his bed. He stepped towards the bed quietly, slowly reaching a hand out to collect his notebook. He retrieved it successfully, sighing in his head as the prince's gaze remained glued to the ceiling. 

Izuku started making his way to the door, now clear of obstacles it was easy to reach, yet as he reached the threshold he was stopped by a sound that had been haunting his dreams.

"Izuku."

Somehow it sounded even prettier this time, combined with the tiredness of Katsuki's voice and the slurred effect of the alcohol. Izuku was not sure he could handle anything more today, perhaps his heart would burst from his chest if he stayed in the room any longer. 

"Stay." It was not at all what Izuku expected the prince to say, though he was not sure what he was expecting. They were not close, they were not friends. Izuku was a mere servant that had done nothing but give a prince some meaningful flowers, what reason would he have to stay? What reason would have Katsuki asking?

Izuku turned, eyes easily finding Katsuki who had not moved from his position on the bed. He was not looking at Izuku, as if he were too shy to face him after his ask.

"Your High—Katsuki," Izuku corrected himself, the name felt strange on his tongue, as if it were a sin for him to say, perhaps it was. "I think I have kept you up long enough, you need rest after such an eventful day."

Katsuki moved now, twisting his torso around so he was facing Izuku in a way that looked most uncomfortable. He was pouting, like a spoilt child that didn't get his way. It was cute, but Izuku did his best to ignore that thought for the sake of his poor heart.

"What was your day like?" Katsuki's question took Izuku aback. It was not like a royal to show such interest in a servants life. Izuku had never been asked about his day, most other servants had similar days to him so there was never any reason to ask. A royal asking was unheard of.

"Similarly eventful, I had to make the displays for the ceremony and then help out with the rest, that's why I had to come here now rather than in the morning." Izuku explained.

"I'm glad, would've missed you otherwise," Katsuki whispered, as if it were a thought rather than something he were meant to vocalise. 

Izuku's breath hitched in his throat, he forgot how to breathe. There was no way Katsuki did not know the affect he had on him, no way the prince wasn't doing this on purpose, to tease Izuku.

"You're tired?"

"A bit." Izuku nodded, though it was more than a bit. Katsuki had very much woken him up, it was likely he would take a while to get to sleep when he did retire to his chambers, but all his body wanted to do was lay down. His feet had been on the ground for far too long. 

"Then goodnight, Izuku, sleep well." Katsuki turned to once again lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Katsuki." Izuku smiled softly, admiring the sight of the prince before him for a moment before hurriedly rushing back to his own quarters. He could not handle any more Katsuki for today.

Chapter Text

It was a while once again, until Izuku met Prince Katsuki again. Being officially knighted brought even more duties to the prince, duties that took up almost all of his time. He had patrols to take part in, making sure the local villages were safe. He had to visit other kingdoms, sometimes gone for days at a time.

It was deep into the winter when Katsuki sought Izuku out of his own volition. 

Winter was always a calm time for Izuku. The heavy snow that fell on the castle grounds usually meant there were fewer flowers to plant; not many could survive such weather. There were some that did, but they were thankfully easy to care for. It was the greenhouse during these months that took up most of Izuku's time, making sure the out-of-season flowers were still thriving. 

The greenhouse was enormous, taking up a good chunk of the castle grounds. Queen Mitsuki had it specially built; she wanted to store as many plants as possible. It was also where most of the food, besides the meat from the farm animals, came from, and though taking care of those plants was thankfully not Izuku's job, it meant the greenhouse was usually busy.

Izuku ignored the cold chill that ran up his spine when the greenhouse door was opened, the cold of the outside seeping in only for a moment. There were enough people coming and going that there was no need to check who had entered; there were guards outside for that purpose.

What did make Izuku look up was the familiar sound of heavy armour rustling through the greenhouse. He had learned over the months that Katsuki's armour had a different sound to other sets; Izuku assumed it was made of a stronger material for the prince; he needed protection more than the other knights.

It was not a shock when he looked up and found the prince searching for something a few shelves away. It was a shock when the prince's eyes found Izuku through a gap in the shelves and lit up, as if Izuku was what he was searching for.

"Need to put a tracker on you; I looked around the whole damn grounds, Freckles." Katsuki grumbled.

"You were looking for me?" Izuku cocked his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 

Katsuki nodded as he reached into the bag he had slung across his body, bringing out a flower Izuku had not seen before.

The flower was purple, and it's petals were messy. It almost looked like a group of birds all flapping their wings, uncoordinated, like they had been startled.

"Seems you're not the only flower nerd; someone left it at a lady's door two days in a row," Katsuki explained, "it's freaking her out; she's convinced they have some secret meaning and I'd wager she's not wrong."

Izuku nodded. "I haven't seen this one before, but I'm sure it'll be in the book somewhere; it's beautiful." 

Katsuki nodded in agreement, twirling the flower in his hand. The petals spun at his action, and Izuku followed one as it floated down to the floor, separated from it's stem.

"Are you busy now? I'd like to get this over with; there's supposed to be a storm tonight, and I don't want to travel in it." Katsuki put the flower back in his bag, drawing Izuku's attention back to the prince.

"I can go now, the book is just in the library. I could come and find you after if that's easier; I'm sure you have better things to do." Izuku started packing up his things as he spoke; he only had a few more flowers to inspect anyway; they could wait a while longer.

"No, I'll come with, want to see this book myself."

The library was one of the biggest rooms in the castle; there was enough knowledge in this one room to educate a nation, and yet the library was often empty. There were shelves upon shelves of books, ranging from small children's books to books that were larger than Izuku's head in languages he did not understand.

The book on the language of flowers was in a dark corner, one that Izuku doubted anyone visited other than himself. The book was easy to spot on the shelf, the only one that was not covered in layers upon layers of dust, thanks to Izuku.

He carefully took the book off of the shelf, holding it close to his chest as he carried it to a nearby table where the prince had situated himself, twiddling with the flower as he followed Izuku's movements. 

Izuku sat beside the prince, in the same spot he had originally read the contents of the book in. He glanced towards the flower, committing it's image to his memory, before he started flicking through the pages.

The prince did not say anything as Izuku searched the book, but the servant could feel red eyes on him, studying him as he studied the book. Izuku's heartbeat thrummed under his skin at the thought of the prince being as interested in him as he was in the book. 

The flower was not easy to find, hidden towards the back of the book with a drawing that did not do it justice, but it was recognisable enough that Izuku's eyes fell on it immediately upon turning the page.

It was a sweet pea, a summer flower. Whoever had given it to the lady must know their stuff to be able to keep such a flower healthy in the harsh winter.

"It's nothing bad, someone is thanking her for supporting them; perhaps she took care of someone recently." Izuku explained, looking back up at the prince, who looked almost to be in a trance.

Katsuki hummed, eyes lingering on Izuku for a few seconds, before he tore them away, looking down at the flower.
"So she's safe?" He asked; his tone almost sounded bored, like he had wanted a more exciting answer.

"According to the book." Izuku nodded.

Silence fell over them; the only sound in the library became the wind throwing itself against the windows. The storm Katsuki had spoken of had arrived.

"I should go and tell her, give her mind some peace." Katsuki stood abruptly, his armour rattling against the table.

Izuku stood himself, closing the book as he did.
"Is it safe in this weather? If she's safe, it would not hurt to wait until it clears, no?"

"You underestimating my ability?" Katsuki crossed his arms, frowning. Izuku had upset him.

"No, not at all! I'm sure you are more than capable of fighting the storm, positive even!" Izuku's voice came out a higher pitch than usual, shaking as the words poured from his lips.

"Well good, because I'm the best knight this kingdom has ever seen, and a stupid storm won't stop me from helping the people who need it most!" Katsuki held his chin up, puffing his chest out with pride.

"Of course! The best knight ever!" Izuku nodded frantically.

Izuku's words were greeted with a wide smile from the prince, a smile Izuku had not seen before. The prince was cocky, always smirking or grinning like a lion. A genuine smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners, a slight pink dusting his cheeks—this was new, unheard of as far as Izuku was aware.

It was beautiful. Katsuki was beautiful, a thought Izuku always had but refused to confront. A blush found it's way to Izuku's own cheeks, a soft smile on his face as he admired the prince. Even when the prince's smile faded ever so slightly, enough to stop the crinkling, enough for him to look back at Izuku, he could not draw his eyes away from the prince, as if looking away was a crime. 

"What is it? Is there something on my face?" Katsuki's hand came up, swiping at his face how Izuku had seen one of the cats around the castle do. 

"You're beautiful." Izuku whispered, the thought slipping from his mouth without care for the consequences. His heart raced anxiously in his chest; he was certain it would burst through, but he found he did not care, still entranced by the beauty before him. If he was punished for his words, it would be worth it.

But a punishment did not come. 

He watched as Katsuki's features changed, as the pink of his cheeks became red, travelling up to the tips of his ears and down to his chest, hiding from Izuku's view. Red eyes widened and pink lips fell open, bringing in a gasp of breath that echoed around Izuku's head. 

The prince quickly recovered from his shock, his usual smirk plastering itself onto his face, though the blush stayed. He stepped one foot forward, then paused, as if testing the waters. Then he continued, stalking closer to Izuku until he was in his space, peering down at him.

A gloved hand reached up, cupping Izuku's cheek. The glove was thick, adding distance between Katsuki's hand and Izuku's cheek that left the servant wanting with need. But, as if reading his mind, Katsuki took the hand away, removing the glove with haste, before placing his hand back on his cheek. 

His hand was warm; there was a layer of sweat to show for the heat. Izuku did not mind, leaning into the touch. He closed his eyes, focusing on the hand, ignoring his other senses. He did not care for anything other than the blessed touch of the prince.

Katsuki's thumb gently caressed Izuku's cheek, brushing over his freckles. The soft touch was the only warning Izuku got before the prince leaned closer, capturing Izuku's lips in his. 

Izuku squeaked, jumping back and almost breaking them apart, but the prince reacted quickly, bringing his other hand up to pull the servant even closer. Izuku felt lightheaded, as if the prince letting go of him would lead to him floating to the ceiling or buckling at his knees and falling to the floor.

He tried his best to kiss Katsuki back with the same fervor, to present his emotions on his lips for the prince to devour. 

It was over as fast as it had begun. The prince pulled away slowly, as if he did not truly want to. Izuku looked up; red eyes found his. The eyes were soft, looking at him with the fondness of a lover. Katsuki's pupils were blown, and in better lighting, Izuku would likely see himself in them. His heart fluttered at the thought.

Katsuki sucked in a breath, letting it out as a groan as he ducked his head to rest on Izuku's shoulder.

"You do not know how long I have wanted that." The prince's voice was muffled by the fabric of Izuku's shirt, he could feel each word vibrate through his shoulder. 

"You are impossible to resist."

"Me?" Izuku choked on his word, his mind baffled by Katsuki's own.

The prince drew his head back, once again facing the servant, "Who else?" 

"Ever since I set my eyes on you as a boy you have enchanted me, whilst you had your eyes set upon the flowers I had mine set upon you."

"You... But you barely know me." Izuku muttered.

"Then let me learn, and you can do the same for me." Katsuki took Izuku's hands in his own, squeezing them gently.

"Katsuki..." Izuku sighed, looking down towards their hands. 

"Do you not feel the same?" Katsuki's voice was quiet, shy, as if he feared asking the question, but also needed the answer. 

Izuku jolted, shaking his haid vigorously, "No! I mean yes I feel that way towards you, I just am shocked I suppose, you're a prince and I'm a mere servant." 

"Who cares about all that? No one else has ever made my heart beat as strongly as it does when I see you, surely that should matter more than some old rules." Katsuki frowned, swinging his and Izuku's hands slighlty as he spoke.

"I will be exhiled, maybe worse, they will say that I seduced you, that I'm some sort of witch. I'm not saying that I do not want you but... we must keep our feelings a secret, no one else can know, can see us like this." Izuku squeezed Katsuki's hands, trying to emphasize the importance of his words.

"If that is what you want I can live with it, as long as I get you in private." Katsuki begrudingly agreed.

Izuku nodded, smiling up at the prince.

And so started a thrilling chapter of the pairs lives, days spent dragging each other in and out of closets and empty rooms just to get a piece of the other, even if only for a moment. Both naive and unaware of what was to come in the future, because all good must come to and end.

Chapter Text

Izuku felt more alive than he ever had before. It had been a few months now since he and Prince Katsuki had started getting to know each other more... intimately. Thrilling months that made Izuku feel like he was the luckiest person on earth.

It was like an addiction; every time he saw Katsuki, he was filled with a buzz; his heart rate sped up and his arms ached to reach for the prince, though they had agreed for Katsuki to be the one reaching out. It would raise heads for a servant to be dragging a prince into a room, but when Katsuki took Izuku by the wrist and dragged him into a random room, no one blinked an eye; perhaps he had an important job for Izuku.

Though they spent a lot of their private time together with lips locked and hands searching the others body, it was not all that. Katsuki had not lied about wanting to learn about Izuku. Sometimes the prince would drag the servant into an empty room simply to ask him a question, much like now.

"What's your favourite flower?" Katsuki had asked the moment the door closed behind them.

Izuku had been walking back to his quarters, mud covering most of his body, which was expected during the spring. He was flushed from working; Mitsuki was hosting a special event and wanted a new display of flowers put up within the day, which meant Izuku had to work much harder than usual.

He felt embarrassed for the prince to see him in such an unkempt state, yet the prince did not comment on it; his eyes only held fondness as they raked over Izuku's figure. 

"I like roses the most, red ones, though I only ever see them when the queen holds the Valentine's event; I have no clue where she even gets them." Izuku explained.

"Do they have a special meaning?" Katsuki asked.

"Generally, they represent romance; usually you'd give one to the person you love." Katsuki hummed at Izuku's explanation, squinting his eyes in thought.

Before anything more could be said, the door to the room slammed open. Izuku squeaked as he jumped back, creating as much distance between him and the prince as possible. Katsuki's own head shot to the intruder, a glare forming on his features.

"What the hell do—" He started, his tone harsh and angry in a way Izuku had never heard before. It sent a shiver up the servant's spine.

"There's no time, Your Highness! I apologise for the intrusion, but there are riots in the village; you are needed!" It was a knight who spoke, one that Izuku knew was in Katsuki's own squadron. He was panting, as if he had run across the entire castle grounds to find the prince.

Katsuki's mouth snapped shut and his jaw clenched. He looked back towards Izuku, an apologetic look on his face.

"W will finish this later." Katsuki nodded, his gaze lingering on Izuku for a moment before he turned, cape flowing behind him as he left the room.

Izuku blinked frantically, his mind trying to process what had just happened. Riots in the village? That was near-unheard of. The thought of it made anxiety curl around Izuku's stomach. Katsuki was strong, of course, but riots were serious, something the prince had not faced before. 

His feet started moving before his mind, running out of the room and through the halls of the castle as fast as he could. He would likely be scolded for it later, but he did not care. His felt almost as if he were flying as he ran towards the display he had put together only a few hours earlier.

He did not think of anything but Katsuki as he snatched a flower from it's position, a gap left that would be surely noticeable with even the fastest glance at the display.

Izuku saw the knights gathered in the distance, readying their horses. Katsuki stood out clearly among the other knights. The prince was wearing his full set of armour, ready for a fight. The face shield of his helmet was lifted, revealing only the prince's signature red eyes.

Katsuki's eyes were not soft like Izuku had grown used to. A look reserved for the servant only, perhaps. They were hard-focused on the strap of the saddle he was adjusting. Izuku imagined that under the helmet the prince's eyebrows would be knitted together, and his jaw likely also clenched. 

Izuku waited a few feet away from Katsuki, waiting for him to finish with the saddle before approaching. But, as if he could sense a new presence there, Katsuki turned to look over his shoulder just as Izuku's feet stopped their movements.

The prince's eyes softened when they recognised the person standing before them—the look Izuku had grown used to returning. Katsuki dropped the strap of the saddle, turning his full attention to Izuku, who bowed politely. He had almost forgotten the custom; Katsuki had complained every time he had done it in their private meetings, so the habit had quickly vanished, but here he was in public; it would be seen as odd if he did not bow, and if Katsuki did not take issue with it.

"The flower you asked for, Your Highness." The title felt strange coming from Izuku's throat after having the privilege of using Katsuki's name for so long. 

The prince's eye twitched, but he did not complain like he usually would; instead, he dragged his eyes down to the flower Izuku had in an outstreched hand. He reached his own gloved hand out, purposefully brushing it against Izuku's own as he took the flower. 

He brought it up to his face, his eyes inspecting it as he twirled it in his fingers. He looked back to Izuku, raising an eyebrow and asking a question silently. The meaning.

"Pink, for confidence, trust." Izuku nodded.

Katsuki hummed. Izuku could see the top of his cheek crinkle; he was smirking under the helmet. 

"I will not disturb you more; I wish you luck on your journey." Izuku bowed before turning to leave; he could feel more eyes on him than he would like. He was drawing too much attention to himself.

He had thought giving Katsuki the flower would calm his anxiety, and yet it only got worse as he watched the knights ride out of the castle gates, Katsuki leading their way to the village with the rose placed down his chestplate, its petals just visible. 

It was the next morning when Izuku heard the knights had returned. They had ridden back under the cover of the night, exhausted. It was the emptiest Izuku had seen the castle as he started his duties. 

He was still anxious. He wanted nothing more than to see Katsuki, to make sure he was okay, but he could not just go to him.

The prince was not in his chambers, though that was not a shock; it still made Izuku's heart sink. He took his time watering the flowers in the window, hoping that perhaps the prince would appear. But he did not.

Izuku had expected the infirmary to be busier than usual, but not this busy. There were knights slumped against the walls outside, some injured and some not. Extra guards were posted up outside the infirmary doors, something Izuku did not take notice of until the door was opened for him and he stepped inside.

Near every bed had a knight laying in it, but there were only nurses surrounding one. The person was bandaged from head to toe, only a tuft of hair revealing their identity. Blonde hair. The type only Prince Katsuki had.

Izuku's breath hitched in his throat. Katsuki was there, injured, seemingly the most of all the knights he had seen. Izuku did not know how to act. His heart yearned to go to his bedside, to kneel down next to the prince and feel his pulse, to make sure he was alive.

But he couldn't. If he did so much as to step too close to the prince in such a state, he knew there would be a guard at his side before he could blink. All he could do was tear his eyes away, blink away the tears, and continue on with his duties.

Izuku could not bring himself to look back at Kasuki as he left the room. The image of him laying there was permanently etched into his brain; he did not need to see it again; he did not want to see it again. He continued the rest of his duties on autopilot. His body moved from one destination to the next, while his mind remained in the room, staring down at his lover's unconscious body.

He visited the room the next day, and the next, and the next. The guard shook his head almost apologetically before he would open the door for the servant. Katsuki showed no signs of waking. His body remained covered in the slew of bandages that Izuku wanted to rip off to see what lay underneath.

Would the prince be forever changed by his injuries? Were the nurses being overly cautious due to his status? Would he ever wake up?

After the first day, Izuku had brought a bouquet of flowers with him, all to heal the prince. He had not needed the event display that he had put up before Katsuki left, so he had plenty of flowers spare. 

He placed them at Katsuki's bedside, though it was another thing to water; he did not care. It meant he had more time to spend in the room, more time to be by Katsuki's side, even if the prince was not aware of his presence.

Izuku would get down on his knees when he was finished taking care of the plants. He would hold the prince's hand and pray for his recovery. He knew he would be punished if caught touching the prince, but when he looked down and saw his hand wrapped in Izuku's own, devoid of the colour that once bloomed on his skin, Izuku could not bring himself to care. A punishment would hurt less.

It was a week before there was any news. Izuku held his basket of tools close to his chest as he approached the infirmary, expecting it to be empty as it had been the previous days—an order for the king and queen so the prince could have peace. But the hallway was brimming with life.

Katsuki's squadron was crowded around the room, some spilling into the room itself. Izuku slowed as he approached, trying to analyse the situation. The knights looked happy, some overjoyed, as if...

"So he'll be fine? Just a nasty scar?" Izuku heard one knight ask.

"Fuck off, dunce face!" Katsuki yelled back. Katsuki. Katsuki's voice. It was rough, shaky, but it was his voice. Katsuki's voice. 

Izuku jolted forward, but quickly stopped himself when he caught the eye of a knight who gave him a suspicious look. He could not run into the room as he wished. He could not leap into Katsuki's arms and cry in joy. 

He turned on his heel. He could not go into that room and water the flowers, he could not see Katsuki laying there and not expose their secret to the entire world. He would return later, under the cover of the night with the excuse he did not want to disturb their celebration.

The rest of the day he was noticeably cheerier, his usual skip in his step had returned. He hummed as he did his duties, the thought of seeing Katsuki again causing a buzz to flow around his entire body.

Night took much longer to fall than usual. Izuku could not find things to occupy his mind as he waited and waited for the moon to rise high in the sky. He had reorganized a display over and over, always making it look the same in the end. 

It was only when he heard the knights in the main hall, laughing loudly and cheering as they enjoyed a feast to celebrate the prince's conciousness, that Izuku made his move.

He swung his basket as he made his way to the infirmary, a smile playing on his lips that he could not rid of if he tried.

The guard outside nodded to Izuku as he opened the door, even he seemed much more relaxed than the previous day.

Stepping inside the infirmary did not feel as joyous as Izuku had expected. Katsuki was sleeping, laying on his side with the bed covers pulled high, as if he were hiding from something.

Izuku frowned, he did not want to disturb his sleep, but he could do his work silently, enjoy hearing Katsuki's snores.

The bouquet Izuku had placed next to Katsuki's bed was still there, flourishing. He did not need to replace the water in the vase yet, but he still approached it. The flowers had been moved around, though all still present they were not flowing as Izuku had made them. How would they help heal the prince like this?

Izuku lifted the display, holding it in the moonlight to get a better view of the flowers. It was then that he heard the bed shift, a groan spill from the body laying in it. 

His head snapped towards the bed at a speed that made him dizzy, or perhaps that was caused by the view he was met with.

Katsuki had turned to lay on his back, his injured side now in full display. It was not what Izuku had expected.

The right side of the prince's face was almost unrecognisable, his flesh was burnt, creating waves on his skin that Izuku's fingers itched to trace. It was clear he had been wearing his helmet when the injury happened, the flesh that would have been covered was almost uneffected. His eye was covered by a patch, Izuku did not want to imagine what lay under it.

"Izuku..." His name did not sound the same from Katsuki's lips. There had always been an edge of softness to it, but Katsuki said it almost as a warning. It snapped the servant out of his daze.

He didn't process that the vase he was holding had dropped from his hands until it smashed against the stone flooring, creating a mess that may never truly be cleaned up. One of the hands that held the vase came up, slapping itself over Izuku's mouth, covering a gasp.

He jumped, stepping back as tears flooded to his eyes. He watched as Katsuki's face contorted, hurt sinking into his features and his mouth opening, uttering words that shattered Izuku's heart much like the vase at his feet.

"Get out."

Izuku did. He ran out the door, almost knocking the guard over as he fled. It felt like the ground beneath his feet was crumbling, his whole world shattering around him. 

He didn't think as he slammed open the door to the servants quarters, likely waking up most of his peers. He wanted nothing more than to get into bed and hide, pretend that this day had not happened, that he would wake up tomorrow and once again be dragged into a random room by the prince. 

But of course, that did not happen.

Chapter Text

Izuku had not slept, but the moment the sun rose, he had made his way out of the servants quarters. He wanted answers; he needed to know why Katsuki sent him away. 

He walked by the prince's room on the way. The door had been open since Katsuki's departure, but now it was closed. There were extra guards posted outside. Katsuki had been moved.

Izuku stepped towards the door; he had brought his basket with him; he could use the excuse of watering flowers, but the guards straightened, shaking their heads.

"The prince is not accepting visitors right now." One spoke, his voice echoing off the walls.

Izuku nodded, turning away before his expression gave away the disappointment. Katsuki just needed rest; he would see him soon, perhaps only a few days.

But days turned into weeks, and weeks to months without a single sighting of the prince. He had not left his chambers once. 

Izuku felt empty as he walked the halls day in and day out. He did his duties and retired to his chambers, where he would sob into his pillow until exhaustion knocked him out. He felt like a corpse walking among men. 

It was not until the winter that things changed. Izuku had heard gossip of the prince being spotted outside his chambers for the annual Christmas feast, adorning a mask to cover his scars but Izuku did not see him until the new year fell upon them. 

The servant was busy repairing a display one of the children of the castle had destroyed when Katsuki's squadron exited the castle. Katsuki was in the middle, surrounded by his knights. They were protecting him. They made him look like a god among men.

Perhaps he was a god, or an angel sent to the earth to bless those he deemed worthy. Was Izuku no longer worthy?

Izuku wanted to be worthy again. He wanted to be blessed by the angel before him once more. Perhaps that was Izuku's sin; perhaps he corrupted this innocent angel and made him fall. The scar on his face was the punishment for falling; he was given a second chance.

And a second chance it was.

Izuku had not noticed the main castle gate opening. He did not see anything but the prince until it was too late to look away.

A hand was in Katsuki's. A small hand, delicate in his hold. Izuku watched the scene silently as his heart tore itself into shreds in his chest. Katsuki leant down, bringing the hand up to his lips, a gentle kiss placed on it. One that Izuku could still feel against his lips in the secrecy of his memory. 

He tore his eyes away from the hands, looking up to see who had been deemed worthy of such a touch.

It was a lady, royal based on her appearance. Her dress was clearly made with the intent to make her the light in every room. It was yellow, not unlike the flowers Izuku was surrounded by. The skirt of the dress poofed out, masking her body underneath. 

A princess if the two, who Izuku assumed to be her parents, smiling with joy at the interaction were anything to go by. A courtship in the making.

Bile rose to Izuku's throat as Katsuki smiled down at the lady, offering out his arm for her to hold. They looked like a match made in heaven as they walked together back to the castle. Izuku could not look any longer.

He continued on with his duties, trying to get them done as fast as possible so he could hide himself away from the world.

The queen had asked for new flowers to be planted under a large tree that lived on the grounds. Cameillas, a soft yellow flower that Izuku found symbolised longing. Ironic, considering his current situation.

He planted the seeds of the flower carefully, making sure they would get the sun and shade they needed to thrive. He took some of the blossomed flowers from the greenhouse, planting them around the seeds so their future could be envisioned. 

It was the last of Izuku's duties for the day. The sun was lowering in the distance. He could see the main hall lit up, bursting with life. The prince would be in there with the princess. Would he be staring at her with the soft gaze that once was reserved for Izuku? Would he be holding her hand, showing their love to the world in a way he couldn't with Izuku?

Izuku sat down, leaning against the tree. He sighed, closing his eyes. The wind seemed to pick up in that moment, blowing his curls off of his forehead—a breeze that helped cool his thoughts and calm his breath—which he had not realised was so fast.

Would it be so bad to fall asleep here? He could not imagine stepping inside the castle right now, hearing the joy echo through the halls when all he felt was misery. He could wake to the sun rising and get on with his duties before others awoke.

He heard the crunch of twigs under footsteps approach. He did not open his eyes, wanting to keep his peaceful lonesomeness for as long as he could.

"It's a bit late to be out here, don't you think?" The voice of a knight, Kirishima, cut through the air like a knife. The wind stopped blowing.

Kirishima was Katsuki's right-hand man. They were best friends from childhood, much like all the other knights. Kirishima had been mentioned a plethora of times in Izuku and Katsuki's private meetings, when Izuku had asked Katsuki questions about himself.

"Just enjoying the sunset." Izuku's eyes flickered to where the sun had been, now hidden behind the castle.

Kirishima hummed, turning his head to also look. He was in casual attire, like he had been in his chambers before coming outside. 

"You should head inside before people start asking questions." Kirishima's words were strange. If Izuku had been in a better mindset, he would have thought they had a second meaning, but he put it up to the knights tiredness; perhaps he had spotted the servant out of the window of his chambers and came to bring him in out of concern. Perhaps.

Izuku did not say anything as he stood, brushing himself off as he did. Kirishima looked at him as if he had words on his tongue ready to spill, but the knight's jaw was clenched tight, locking them in.

"I will escort you to your chamber." He turned, already walking away. It was an order Izuku had no choice but to listen to. 

"I would not want to bother you; I can make my way on my own." Izuku fiddled with the basket in his hand.

Kirishima paused his movements for a moment, and Izuku watched as his fist clenched and unclenched by his side. The knight did not say anything; instead, his feet continued their journey forward.

It was silent as they made their way through the castle grounds, passing by the flowers Izuku had taken care of earlier that day, stepping over the spot Izuku had watched his heart get ripped from his chest; if he looked closely, he could see it still there, fighting to keep beating as it lay on the ground.

"Can I ask you something?" Kirishima's voice reached Izuku's ears as they stepped onto the path Katsuki had welcomed the princess. Izuku was almost thankful for the distraction.

"Why do you care so much about the flowers?"

It was not a question Izuku had expected. It was not like the knights to show interest, not in him. 

"It's my job to." Izuku answered. It was not a lie; though he had grown to have his own care for them, it would not have formed without his job.

"That's it? You do not actually care for them?" Kirishima's tone was almost angry, as if Izuku's answer was the wrong one somehow.

"W-Well I do, but—" 

Kirishima turned to face him; his eyes were squinted, his jaw clenched, he looked at Izuku as if he were an enemy. It made the words on Izuku's tongue die out.

"Was all of it for nothing?" Kirishima asked, as if Izuku was supposed to know what his words meant. The servant's confusion must have shown on his face, because the knight continued speaking.

"The prince spoke highly of you; it had boggled the minds of all the knights in the squadron, why he cared so much for a servant." Kirishima stepped closer; the moonlight caught his eyes in a way that made them look menacing. Izuku shivered.

"His Royal Highness enjoyed my work." Izuku looked down, unable to look Kirishima in the eyes.

"He enjoyed you!" The knight raised his voice, his patience worn too thin, "He did not care for flowers because he liked them but because he thought you did, and you dared to toss him to the side because of a scar."

Kirishima was now in Izuku's space, a finger pointed accusingly into Izuku's chest, into his heart that was beating so fast it was close to exploding; Izuku was sure of it. 

"Do you even know how he got them? Why he's all fucked up?" Kirishima's voice dripped with venom, glaring at Izuku with nothing but hate in his eyes.

Izuku shook his head. He had never found out; no one had ever mentioned it. The servants did not need to know, though there had been plenty of rumours.

"He stopped to pick up a stupid fucking flower; because you put all that shit in his head, you should be exhiled, dare I say beheaded—"

"What?" Izuku cut the knight off, his eyes snapping to the knight's own.

"He didn't show his face for months because of—"

"The flower, what flower?" Izuku cut him off again.

"A rose, does it matter?"

Izuku did not answer. He shoved past the knight, ignoring the shout he received in response. He would accept the consequences of his actions later.

He ran as fast as he possibly could; the sound of his swift footsteps echoed as he entered the castle. He knew exactly where he was heading. 

Chapter Text

Izuku reached the entrance to the main hall faster than he ever had in his life. His lungs felt as if they had been set aflame, his legs too. 

The guards outside straightened at his approach. He imagined what he looked like, running down the halls, face flushed, tears threatening to spill down his face.

"I must," Izuku paused, taking in a breath. "I must speak to Prince Katsuki; it is urgent."

"We can't let you enter the hall." One of the guards shook his head.

"So bring him here; I urge you; it is important." Izuku bowed his head, his voice as pleading in tone as he could manage.

"I suppose... if it's that important." The guards nodded to each other before one opened the door, letting the other inside. 

Izuku waited anxiously for the guard to return, hopefully with Katsuki in tow. He had almost completely forgotten about the knight he had left in the courtyard, until he heard rushed footsteps behind him.

"Do not let him in there!" Kirishima's voice echoed throughout the hallway, startling both the guard and Izuku. 

"Is there a problem?" The guard asked, looking between the servant and the knight.

"He's trying to harm the prince." Kirishima's words made Izuku spin on his heel, facing the knight with anger lacing his features.

"Why would I want to harm him?" Izuku frowned.

"Do you really think me a fool? Have you forgotten what I just told you?" Kirishima was angry, his tone laced with hate. 

"Shall we make room for him in isolation?" The guard stepped forward, out of his post as he asked.

Izuku watched as Kirishima's features lifted, like a lightbulb had gone off in his head. 

"I shall do it myself; stay in position." Kirishima did not give Izuku time to protest before a hand tightly gripped the servant's sleeves, dragging him forward.

Izuku was not weak; though it may look like a simple job, working in the gardens built up muscle over the years; however, it could not be compared to the muscle of a knight. 

He thrashed around in Kirishima's grip, but could not loosen himself as the knight picked him up, throwing him over his shoulder as if he weighed as little as a feather.

They were a good distance away from the main hall when the doors opened, the guard from before holding it so someone could step out. So Prince Katsuki could step out.

The prince's uncovered eye landed on the pair instantly; even from afar, Izuku could see the prince's uncovered eyebrow furrow and his jaw clench. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" He shouted, making Kirishima pause in his spot. 

The knight turned, facing Izuku away from the prince. "You said you did not want to see him; I tried to stop him and—"

"Put him down." Izuku had never heard Katsuki's voice so commanding. It echoed off the walls, sending a shiver down the servant's spine.

Kirishima listened to the command, placing the servant back on the floor, but he did not let him go.

"You can go, too." Katsuki crossed his arms, glaring at the knight.

"But—" 

"Is Mina not waiting for you? Go." Katsuki raised his voice, Izuku felt Kirishima tense under the sound, though the feeling quickly vanished as the knight let him go.

Katsuki watched the knight leave, only directing his attention back to Izuku when Kirishima's footsteps could no longer be heard. His gaze did not soften as it used to when looking at the servant; instead, his jaw only clenched more. 

"What do you want?" His voice was harsh but tainted by sadness. It made Izuku feel sick to know he was the reason for that sadness.

"I didn't know." Izuku's voice shook.

"Didn't know what?" Katsuki's brows furrowed, confusion twisting his features.

"The rose." Izuku looked away, out the windows, his eyes falling to the place he had just been sitting.

Katsuki didn't say anything, but he stepped closer, hesitantly, as if he wasn't entirely sure if it was the right thing to do. Izuku looked back towards him, scanning his features for anything, any sign that the prince cared for his words.

"I thought you—" Izuku started but cut himself off. They were still before the guards; their words would be listened to and turned into rumours on the wind. Izuku could only imagine the rumours already stemming from the scene.

Katsuki seemed to understand, looking towards the guards himself.

"Come with me." He said, not waiting for Izuku as he swiftly walked past him, in the direction of his chambers.

Katsuki held open the door to his room. It was messy, though it had looked worse. There were papers scattered all over Katsuki's desk, his bed had not been made, and his bedclothes were simply flung onto the floor. It made Izuku frown. He knew the prince had lessened the visitors to his chambers, that no servants had been allowed in since he had gotten his injury, but to see proof that the prince had not been taken care of, that he hadn't been taking care of himself, hurt.

The flowers in the window had long since died; Izuku couldn't remember the last time he had changed them, yet they remained in their place, wilted, as if Katsuki liked seeing them that way.

Izuku stepped in, awkwardly standing before Katsuki's bed, unsure where he was allowed to place himself in the space he once freely occupied. 

"What did Kirishima tell you?" Katsuki placed himself on his bed as he spoke, running a hand up and down his face. He was tense. 

"You were injured because of me, and then—"

"No." Katsuki interrupted him, looking up at him pointedly. 
"I was injured because I took a risk, a stupid risk, that clearly didn't pay off, but I knew what I was doing."

"But if I hadn't told you—" 

"Izuku, enough!" Katsuki raised his voice. Izuku hadn't heard his name said in such a way since he had been in trouble as a child. It made him shrink, a deep frown digging its way into his face.
"Did you really just come here to ease your guilty conscience?"

Izuku shook his head frantically.
"No, no, not at all. I came because, well," Izuku paused. He didn't know why he was here. His body had taken him before his mind had caught up.
"What happened to us?"

Katsuki looked shocked for a moment before his laugh echoed off the walls. He leaned over, clutching his stomach. It would have been a joyous sound, but it only made Izuku frown again.

"You don't know? Are you serious or just doing this to torment me?" Katsuki stood abruptly, his body tense. He was angry, and that anger was directed towards the servant standing before him.

"I—I'm serious. I mean, I have some idea. You told me to leave because your injuries made you realise life is too short to fool around with me, which I suppose I expected at some point, but I thought you'd at least give me a conversation about it. I was so worried about you all that time, and I finally see you, and you chuck me out?" Izuku's voice shook as he rambled, his body slowly shrinking more and more into itself.

"Wait," Katsuki interrupted before Izuku could continue. He stepped closer to Izuku, capturing his attention.
"You think that's what happened? You thought I stopped caring for you?"

Izuku nodded. "What other explanation is there?"

Katsuki turned away, walking towards his window. He leaned against the desk, letting out a shaky sigh. Izuku stared at his back, patiently waiting for him to elaborate, though his heart was racing in his chest.

"I thought you hated me." Katsuki confessed, his voice a whisper. 

Izuku jolted. He was certain his heart had stopped beating for a moment. Katsuki's words played in his head on a loop.

"The way you looked at me when you saw my scars, I thought you didn't want me anymore." Katsuki's voice shook, his grip on the desk hardening until his knuckles were white. 

"Katsuki..." Izuku's eyes filled with tears, "Katsuki, I promise you I never- I was devastated, I was so worried and seeing you like that and the thought of how much pain you were in broke my heart, I was terrified for you, but I'll always want you, your scars won't change that."

All it took was one sniffle from the prince for Izuku to leap across the room to his side. He hesitated before reaching a hand out, placing it atop Katsuki's own. Katsuki tensed, turning away, though he left his hand in Izuku's grip.

"Please look at me, Katsuki," Izuku begged, his voice hushed as he squeezed the prince's hand, looking up expectantly at his turned head.

The prince went to shake his head but stopped himself, taking in a deep breath. He hesitated for a moment before slowly turning his head to face Izuku. Katsuki looked like a broken man, a deep frown set on his features, tears brimming in his eyes.

Izuku's eyes travelled all over Katsuki's face; he hadn't seen his scars up close until now. They made it look as if his skin had been blessed by the sun, the raised sections like clouds in the sky of his skin. Izuku brought a hand to his face, gently caressing the injured area. 

"You are beautiful, Katsuki." Izuku whispered, meaning every word. 

Suddenly, Izuku was pulled towards the prince, and his lips were taken captive by the prince's own. He let out a squeak, which only made the prince deepen the kiss. It was desperate; they hadn't touched each other in so long, their souls ached for one another. 

Katsuki's hands were on Izuku's waist, turning the pair into a more comfortable position, facing each other. Izuku reached his arms around Katsuki's neck, pulling him impossibly closer. He stretched a hand out into the prince's hair, scratching it gently, causing a moan to escape from Katsuki's lips and his hands to squeeze Izuku's waist.

The prince pulled Izuku towards him again, and the pair stumbled backwards until they fell onto Katsuki's bed. They pulled apart, and Izuku sat up, straddling Katsuki's waist. The prince's hands squeezed his hips.

"I need you, Izuku." Katsuki groaned, eyes raking over Izuku's form.

"Katsuki..." Izuku leaned forward, almost pinning the prince down.

"We don't have to; I just..." Katsuki's eyes flickered down to his crotch, a blush spreading on his cheeks.

"I want to, Katsuki, I really want to." Izuku sat back up, letting his eyes travel all over the prince's body. He was wearing an outfit reserved for the most important gatherings. Right. He frowned.
"But, I need to know, about…" Izuku paused, looking away and whispered, "her."

Katsuki tensed underneath him, his hands rubbed up and down Izuku's hips as a heavy silence fell between them.

Izuku hadn't wanted to bring it up, but there was no escaping the sight Izuku saw earlier in the day. The prince and the princess.

"They want us to marry." Katsuki got straight to the point, his words cutting through the air like daggers.
"I do not wish to marry her, but," He sighed, leaning his head back to look at the ceiling, "I had agreed to, I thought you didn't want me and that's not a good enough reason. I don't want her, at all."

Izuku looked back to Katsuki, who looked up himself at the movement, they locked eyes, both brimming with emotion. Katsuki relaxed.
"Why didn't you come to me?" Izuku's voice cracked.

"I'm a fool." Katsuki chuckled dryly, "I really should have known better, that you wouldn't toss me aside because of these, I should have trusted you."

Izuku frowned, a tear rolled down his cheek. He leant forward again, holding Katsuki's face in his hands. He gently pressed a kiss to the prince's cheek.
"I understand, I should have trusted you, too."

"I'll call it off, they'll let me, they'll understand." Katsuki's voice was low, vibrating against Izuku's skin as he turned his head to rub his nose against Izuku's.

"You could have everything with her." Izuku closed his eyes, leaning against Katsuki.
"You wouldn't have to hide, you could just be with her."

"I wouldn't have you." Katsuki took a hand off of Izuku's hips, bringing it to his freckled cheek. His red eyes followed the movement of his thumb as he rubbed over the markings, a fond look in his them.
"I would leave this place just to be with you, Izuku, I have only ever thought of you, no one else, I'll never think of anyone else."

"You were willing to marry her though." Izuku winced, he hadn't wanted to be so direct with his words.

"It was for the better of the kingdom, my parents arranged it, I wouldn't have loved her and she also doesn't care for me." Katsuki brought his other hand up to Izuku's other cheek, pushing his head away every so slightly, so he could look him directly in the eyes.
"My heart is yours, I am yours."

"I am yours too, Katsuki." Izuku breathed out shakily. Katsuki breathed in, stealing Izuku's breath greedily.

"I want to tell everyone I meet about you, how amazing you are, I truly think my parents would not care if they got to know you." Katsuki's voice was hushed, as if speaking any louder would disturb the air between them.

Izuku sighed. It was all he wanted, really. To be able to love, and be loved, by Katsuki openly. To not have to hide in closets and empty rooms just to merely talk to one another. Perhaps being more open with each other would have changed what had happened, they would have been able to seek each other out rather than simmer in their own negative thoughts.

"If they hate us, we can leave." Katsuki looked back to the ceiling, fondly, as though he were imagining it in his head

"I wouldn't ask that of you." Izuku shook his head.

Katsuki hummed, slowly looking back at his lover.
"I would do it, though." He mumbled, as his eyes locked with Izuku's once more.

There was nothing but honestly in his eyes. He truly would do it. It made Izuku's heart race in his chest, he was certain the prince could feel his pulse thrumming under his skin. He couldn't find it in himself to be embarrassed, because he could feel all of Katsuki still aching beneath him.

"I need you." Izuku whispered, desperation lacing his tone.

The prince's eyes widened for but a moment, before they softened, a hungry look entering them Izuku almost missed as the prince pulled them together once more, locking their lips.

Izuku clung to the prince as he was lifted, tightly wrapping his arms around his neck. Katsuki grinned into the kiss as he placed Izuku gently onto his back, his head in Katsuki's pillow. It smelt so much of him it was almost suffocating, it made Izuku feel weak.

One of Katsuki's hands travelled down, slowly, teasingly. He felt over Izuku's chest, down to his stomach and stopped at his thigh, squeezing it, making Izuku whine into his mouth.

His other hand, that was around Izuku's back, slowly moved too, up and up until it reached the collar of Izuku's shirt, fiddling with the buttons.

Izuku's hands moved too, one finding it's home back in Katsuki's hair, and the other making it's way down Katsuki's chest, stopping at his waist, where the shirt had come untucked from his pants.

Katsuki got the first button undone, Izuku's hand travelled underneath his shirt. A low groan fell into Izuku's mouth as his hand explored the prince's torso. He shivered feeling the muscles under his palm, how they rippled at his touch. Sensitive.

When Izuku's shirt was completely undone Katsuki pulled away, his eyes slowly gazing over the new sight. He looked like a fox in a henhouse. Like Izuku's bare skin was the best thing he had ever seen.

It almost made Izuku shy, part of him wanted to hide away from the prince, but another, stronger, part of him relished in the attention. He had never seen Katsuki look at anything that way.

Katsuki moved back more, a breeze rushed through the space, peppering goosebumps over Izuku's skin. The prince hurriedly removed his own shirt, pulling it over his head in an awkward manner that anyone else would have laughed at, but Izuku found it enamouring.

Next he fumbled with his pants, Izuku briefly thanked the gods that Katsuki hadn't been in his usual armour, even his more casual clothes took a while to get off. Izuku moved himself, readying to remove his own pants, but Katsuki pushed him back down.

"I want to do it." The shake in his voice betrayed his confident exterior.

Izuku nodded, laying back in Katsuki's pillows and let his eyes study the prince before him.

He knew Katsuki was muscular but actually seeing them before him was another thing. It made his entire body tingle. He could almost moan at the sight of Katsuki's muscles flexing as he removed his pants, revealing thighs that dwarfed Izuku's entire leg.

His attention was quickly stolen by the clear outline of the prince's cock, hidden from him by a single layer of fabric. It wasn't huge, something Izuku was actually grateful for, but it was bigger than his own and so hard Izuku was certain it must be painful. He had caused that.

Katsuki looked up at him, his hands paused in the waistband of his underwear. He smirked at the sight of Izuku's near-salivation. Like a dog that was patiently waiting for a bone.

He moved back to Izuku, bringing the servants attention back to his face. They were both flushed, Katsuki's ears a bright pink that made it look like he was glowing. His hands moved to Izuku's waist and he took in a deep breath before lifting him slightly, just enough that he could move his trousers just past his bum.

He was slow as he brought them down further, relishing in each inch of flesh added to his vision. Izuku squirmed under the heavy look, butterflies filled his stomach. Once they were both in nothing but their underwear they stopped, taking each other in, like works of art on display just for the other to view.

It was Katsuki who moved first, leaning down until his head hit Izuku's bare chest. He peppered kisses all over it, slowly moving down and down, grinning as Izuku gasped above him when he touched more sensitive areas. He paid most attention to any freckles he came across, kissing them twice.

He avoided Izuku's aching crotch, instead moving down to his left thigh. He nibbled the plush skin slightly, getting rougher when Izuku let out a soft moan. When he was happy with his work, he moved to the other thigh, mimicking his actions.

Izuku was hot all over, he was certain his face was comparable to a strawberry, he could see the colour had travelled down to his chest. He had only ever read about this, though he had pleasured himself every once in a while it wasn't something he had time for. He never learnt his body could react how it reacts to Katsuki.

Katsuki moved up just enough for his face to be hovering over Izuku's crotch. The servants cock twitched at the attention, bringing a smirk to Katsuki's face. He wasted no time as he moved Izuku again, only slighlty, just enough to he could take off the underwear hiding his prize from him.

It was silent. Izuku was almost sweating from the heat in his cheeks. Katsuki leant closer until he was millimeters away from Izuku's length. He inhaled, taking in Izuku's scent. A moan wrapped around the air, coming from the prince's mouth. It made Izuku's cock twitch into him, brushing against his nose.

The movement seemed to snap something in Katsuki's brain, because the prince wasted no time before attaching his mouth to the base. Izuku had never made the sound that spilt from his mouth before, a choked gasp that echoed off of the walls surrounding them.

Katsuki's mouth was hot, wet, Izuku knew how it felt on his lips, on other parts of his body, but feeling it kissing his length was a whole new sensation. It was amazing, better than amazing. Izuku felt like he was in heaven.

The prince licked up his cock, stopping when he reached the sensitive head. He kissed it gently before rubbing his nose against it, almost nuzzling Izuku's cock. The servant had to grip the sheets to hold it together.

"Katsuki…" He breathed out, because his voice could do not much more.

The prince looked up, only with his eyes, continuing to play with his cock. It was a sight that drew a whine from Izuku's throat, high, almost alarming. But Katsuki understood it's meaning.

The prince drew away from his cock and sat up. He fumbled around taking off his own underwear then threw it across the room. Izuku really did try to look anywhere else, but his cock was right there, how could he not look at it?

It twitched when Katsuki saw Izuku's gaze directed at it, and again when Izuku sat up, reaching a hand out to touch it.

His hand could wrap around it, though it felt odd compared to his own. He moved his hand up and down slowly, getting used to how it felt. Katsuki sucked up a sharp, deep breath as he moved, bringing a hand to Izuku's shoulder to steady himself.

Izuku then mimicked Katsuki, bringing his mouth to the cock, drawing a moan from the prince that replayed in his head on a loop, it was one of the prettiest sounds he had ever heard.

He dragged his tongue up and down the length, lathering it in his saliva. It was messy, almost gross but Izuku couldn't bring himself to care as he drooled all over himself, not when Katsuki moaned above him.

Before he could do much more Katsuki nudged him back gently, pushing him down until his back hit the bed once more. Izuku almost protested, wanted to spend more time pleasuring the prince, but the heavy, hungry look in his eyes made the words die on his tongue.

Izuku was deep into the pillows, it almost felt like he was floating, the bed was cloud-like compared to his own. The prince hovered above him, eyes flickering around his features, before he leant back once more.

He adjusted their hips. It was awkward. Neither of them had done this before, had only seen the odd picture in a book of what this was supposed to look like. Eventually the head of Katsuki's cock brushed against Izuku's hole and they both froze.

Izuku took in a deep breath as Katsuki started pushing in. It wasn't pleasant. It wasn't how he had read in one of the books he'd picked up from the library. But for some reason that made it better, to him.

Katsuki took his time, waiting for Izuku to adjust as needed. Their hands found each other at some point, Katsuki squeezed his gently every so often.

When Katsuki bottomed out they both let out breaths that they hadn't known they were holding. The prince leant over, pressing a kiss to Izuku's forehead. They stayed like that for a moment before Katsuki moved back, gazing down at Izuku fondly.

"You good?" He asked softly, eyes searching Izuku for any sign of discomfort.

"I'm good." Izuku smiled, Katsuki smiled back.

He started moving, slowly at first, testing what felt good. Izuku could feel him, all of him. It made him crazy.

Katsuki found a rhythm that worked, that made the most moans spill from Izuku's lips. He leant over the servant, his head in the crook of his neck, smothering him. Izuku's arms were wrapped around his neck, pulling him close. He had all of him. They had all of each other.

"I'm gonna—" Katsuki's words were cut off by a moan as Izuku clenched around him.

"Me too." The servants voice was breathless, it send a shiver down Katsuki's spine which sent him over the edge.

He bit down on Izuku's shoulder instinctively as he came, rutting against him. Izuku gasped at the action, but swiftly followed after, Katsuki could feel as he clenched around him, it made him dizzy.

Neither of them wanted to move, Izuku would happily die like this, in the arms of his lover, whilst he's nestled inside him. It felt as if there were no problems in the world, as if nothing existed outside of them.

He almost fell asleep in the position, but Katsuki eventually moved, unsheathing himself from Izuku's hole. Izuku frowned, missing the warmth as Katsuki moved away from him, though the sight of the prince when he stood up was an acceptable trade.

Izuku watched with confusion as Katsuki rummaged through the drawers of his desk, searching for something. Perhaps a cloth, Izuku thought. He had not expected the crumpled dead rose Katsuki pulled out.

"Is that?" Izuku asked, as Katsuki moved back over to his bed, placing himself between Izuku's legs.

"Yes." Katsuki nodded.

He handed the rose over to Izuku, who took it carefully, a leaf fell between them.
"You kept it?" Izuku looked up from the rose, tears clouding his view of Katsuki.

"Of course," Katsuki's voice was low, vulnerable.
"I mean it would be kind of stupid if I got rid of it after going through all that trouble to get it."

Izuku hummed, looking back to the flower. It was still beautiful even in it's current state. It wasn't red anymore, though it had a slight purple hue that surrounded a beige base. It almost matched Katsuki's scars.

"But I also was hoping I'd get to give it to you one day, though I don't think I ever actually expected to be able to." Katsuki rested a hand on Izuku's knee, caressing it.

Izuku frowned, moving his own hand to rest over Katsuki's.
"I'm sorry."

"You do not need to apologise, I was the idiot assuming things." Katsuki shook his head aggressively, his grip on Izuku's knee tightening ever so slighlty.

"Still, I wish we had just… talked to each other, ever. I could've tried reaching out." Izuku motioned to the flower in his hand.

"It just matters that we're here now." Katsuki shifted, moving closer to Izuku, enough that he could take hold of his hand in his lap.
"Let me clean you up."

Izuku nodded, leaning back against the pillows as Katsuki stood again, going across the room to where his pail of water sat. He brought it over to the edge of the bed, dipping a cloth in it. He wrung it out, until it was just wet enough to clean Izuku without making a mess.

Katsuki moved Izuku gently, so he could have easy access to the worst spots. Izuku was almost sad when he started wiping his cum away, making it appear that, at least from the outside, nothing had happened. Though, the teeth marks on his thighs served sign enough.

The prince hesitated before wiping away Izuku's own cum from his stomach. When he was done he pressed a kiss to the spot, breathing in the scent like it was a flower.

He also cleaned himself off, which Izuku thoroughly enjoyed watching. If he was not exhausted he would be raring to go again at the sight.

When he was done he moved the pail back to it's usual spot, muttering something about feeling bad for the maid that had to switch the water. He then moved to his wardrobe, gathering out what Izuku recognised as his bedclothes.

Izuku took the cue, moving off the bed and grabbing what of his own clothes he could find. He put the rose in his pocket, hoping he could still preserve it somehow when he got back to his chambers. He managed to find everything but his underwear, though he supposed he could live without it, his chambers weren't so far away. No one would notice.

He got dressed besides Katsuki, who was taking his time with his buttons. Izuku, on the other hand, did his buttons in a flash, though they managed to finish changing at the same time.

"I would ask you to stay, I want you to stay but…" Katsuki took Izuku's hand in his, pulling him closer.

"I get it, it's fine Katsuki." Izuku squeezed the prince's hand.

"I'll come find you tomorrow, after I've called off the… wedding." Katsuki didn't meet Izuku's gaze as he spoke, looking pointedly at the flower pots in his window. Izuku followed his gaze, smiling softly

"And I'll find some flowers to plant here." Izuku squeezed his hand again, bringing his attention back to him.

Katsuki smiled, soft, a smile just for Izuku to see. He squeezed Izuku's hand in return, then leaned in, softly pressing their lips together, for just a moment, before pulling back and pressing another gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Go, rest well." Katsuki brought Izuku's hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to his palm.

"You too, Katsuki."

Chapter Text

Izuku kept his word; one of the first things he did in the morning was plant some flowers in Katsuki's room. Katsuki had already left when Izuku had arrived; though it wasn't strange, it still made Izuku frown. He had spent the entire time they had been apart since last night giddy, replaying it in his head, excited for when he'd next see the prince.

He kept the display simple, just planting the seasonal flowers he had left over. He was in a rush after having to get his tools from where he had abandoned them outside before starting his duties, so he hadn't much time to get extra flowers for Katsuki.

It was midday when he ended up in the same spot of the garden he had seen the princess arrive from yesterday, and today he saw her leave from it. Her parents did not look happy, though Izuku thought the princess herself looked overjoyed. So Katsuki had successfully called it off.

It wasn't long later that the prince himself came sauntering out of the castle, a skip in his step. Heads turned as he walked up the path; he had not been seen in such a good mood since before he was injured.

Izuku smiled softly as his eyes followed the prince, though that smile quickly faltered when he realised Katsuki was walking towards him. Katsuki's smile widened when he reached him, crouching down next to him.

"This is where we first met, is it not?" Katsuki looked around the area, a fond look in his eyes.

Izuku looked around too. It was. They were almost in the same positions; Izuku crouched, working on the plants, and Katsuki crouched before him. He had never thought much of it himself; he had gotten used to seeing the grounds as they were—grounds—but it made sense Katsuki would remember them for that; it was likely one of the few times the prince had been there.

"So much has changed since then." Izuku commented, looking back to the prince, who was already looking back to him.

Katsuki smiled softly and they stayed quiet for a moment, just gazing at each other. Katsuki wasn't in his armour for once, though more formal clothes still adorned his body, likely to still leave a good impression on the princess and her family as he gave them the bad news. Izuku probably looked like an eyesore in comparison, but the adoration in Katsuki's eyes as they looked upon him stopped him from caring.

"Have you ever met my parents before?" Katsuki kept his voice low, not wanting to disturb the moment between them.

"I've met the queen a few times, for the displays, but not the king." Izuku shook his head. Katsuki nodded.

"Well then the worst is over." Katsuki grinned, absentmindedly fiddling with a loose thread from his pants.

Izuku furrowed his brows in confusion, trying to decipher what that meant, coming up completely blank. Katsuki chuckled at the reaction.

"I told them I was in love with someone." Katsuki paused to gauge Izuku's reaction to his words. The servant's eyes widened, and a blush spread across his cheeks, though he did not say anything.
"They want to meet you. I told them you were a servant, and they seemed fine with it and were happy to call off the marriage."

"You told them?" Izuku caught Katsuki's eyes in his own, a frown on his features.

"Are you unhappy? I thought this would be a good thing." Katsuki looked away from Izuku, down to the loose thread he was fiddling with, a frown now etching into his own features.

"It's not—I'm happy that you would be willing to do that, but, Katsuki, if this goes wrong, I'm the one that will suffer." Izuku reached out, placing a hand over Katsuki's, stopping his fiddling and bringing his attention back up to his face.

"I wouldn't have done it if I thought you would be at risk, and even if they didn't approve, we can just go." Katsuki looked hopeful; he truly believed they could make this work.

Izuku hummed, rubbing his thumb into Katsuki's hand gently. The prince sucked in a breath.

"I don't want to have to hide you away, and maybe I should have discussed it first but…" Katsuki looked down again, smiling fondly at their hands.
"Last night I had a dream, of you and I together, openly. I could just come and see you, like this, you could sit and have dinner with me, we could share a bed, I could wake up to you in the morning and fall asleep to you at night."

Izuku smiled at the images that appeared in his head, of them doing everything Katsuki spoke of, and more. He wanted it too, desperately. He wanted to be able to see Katsuki whenever he wanted. For everyone to know their hearts belonged to each other.

"I would like that." Izuku whispered, his voice vulnerable.
"But I think we need to improve our communication."

Katsuki chuckled, a wide grin on his face. He turned his hand over, letting the thread go, replacing it with Izuku's hand. He squeezed it once, twice, before standing, taking Izuku's hand with him.

"They are waiting, if you'd like to join us."

Izuku could hear the whispers surrounding them as they walked hand in hand through the ground, and as they entered the castle itself. They were in the main hall, which Izuku was thankful for, it wasn't too far from the entrance, not too many people could gawk at the sight of the prince and the servant.

Katsuki did not hesitate before pushing the doors open, not even waiting for the guards to do it for him. Izuku almost stumbled behind him as Katsuki practically dragged him to the centre of the room.

Before them, on two thrones, sat King Masaru and Queen Mitsuki. They looked amused at the sight before them.

Izuku had seen Masaru before, though he looked kind, and the rumours that circulated the castle spoke of Mitsuki being the harsher one, Izuku still found him intimidating.

Mitsuki had always been kind when they spoke about the displays, usually praising Izuku for 'understanding her vision'. But that didn't change the fact she was the queen, and this was much different from a flower display.

"Now this is a surprise." Mitsuki looked between the couple, her eyes squinted.
"I had not thought Izuku the guts to do something like this."

Katsuki tensed next to him, Izuku glanced his way to see him frowning at his mother.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He sounded offended on Izuku's behalf, though Izuku thought her statement fitting, he was always seen as the 'goody two shoes', very focused on his work. Not the type to be fooling around behind closed doors with a royal.

"Tell me, Katsuki, how did you manage to corrupt the poor boy? Don't tell me you cast a spell upon him." Mitsuki shook her head, tutting.

"I didn't do anything! Izuku's feelings are pure and honest, as are mine!" Izuku startled at Katsuki's raised voice; it echoed off of the walls of the hall.

Mitsuki only chuckled at her son's outburst. Masaru grinned next to her. They were teasing him. Izuku instantly felt much more relaxed.

"I'm not convinced." Mitsuki shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes.

Katsuki's frown deepened. He looked up at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath. Izuku bit away a smile, squeezing his hand gently. Katsuki looked down at him, his face softening as his eyes locked with Izuku's.

"Marry me."

Izuku froze. He was certain he had died, if only for a second. His mind went totally blank as he stared, mouth agape, at Katsuki. He heard choking from the thrones, so it wasn't just him that was shocked by this.

"What?" He managed to get out. Not exactly the response to a marriage proposal anyone would want, but Izuku couldn't think of anything else.

Katsuki must've just been teasing his parents. It was a joke. They'd only rekindled last night, they still had plenty to discuss, there's no way Katsuki actually wanted to marry him. So why was the prince frowning?

"You don't want to?" Katsuki's voice cracked. He was serious.

"I do! I want to, I just—you're serious? You're not just joking around?" Izuku stumbled over his words; his body was shaking.

"Marriage is a big thing, Katsuki." Masaru spoke for the first time, his voice soft, almost timid.

"So you're fine marrying me off to some random princess, but marrying Izuku is—" Katsuki glared at his father.

"You know that's not what that was about, Katsuki. You called it off, and we accepted that for a reason. But rushing into marriage—"

"There's no rush; my heart has been his my entire life, for all the time I have known him." Katsuki interrupted his mother, waving around his and Izuku's hands as he spoke.

Silence fell upon the hall. Izuku squeezed Katsuki's hand again, grounding himself in his touch. Katsuki looked back down at him, squeezing his hand back.

"I'm serious, Izuku." His voice was much softer compared to how he addressed his parents, though there was a shake to it.

"I would love to marry you, Katsuki, but.." Izuku looked back to the throne, "I do not think it's up to me."

Mitsuki shook her head, standing from her seat. She walked over to the couple, gently taking both of their hands.
"If it had been anyone else, I may have thought differently, but I am fond of you, Izuku. The care you take of all the flowers on the land is proof enough you are worthy to care for my son."

Izuku smiled, tears forming in his eyes.

"If anything, I do not think he worthy of you." She chuckled, earning an eye roll from Katsuki.

"That's very kind of you, though I think he is more than worthy." Izuku squeezed Katsuki's hand again, looking up at him with a soft smile, one that was returned by the prince.

"We should have a feast to celebrate; it's not every day true love blossoms." Mitsuki grinned excitedly. clasping her hands together. Izuku knew she was a big fan of feasts and used any excuse to hold one. It felt weird for one to be held in his honour, or his and Katsuki's honour.

"Shouldn't we discuss this more? There are implications here; we should figure everything out before announcing it." Masaru also stood, taking his place next to Mitsuki.

"Oh hush, let us have some happiness after this time of darkness. I haven't seen Katsuki smile this much in a long time." Mitsuki smiled softly at her son.

Masaru hummed, nodding in agreement. Izuku was certain he'd bring it up again in the future, Izuku himself thought this deserved more discussion. Marrying a royal would change his life. But he was happy to just bask in this, for now.

Mitsuki had managed to find some fancier clothes that fit Izuku. They weren't comfortable, at all. Izuku felt pity for the royals that had to wear this all day, every day. She also made the stylists take his measurements to make him some proper clothes. It was a lot, overwhelming, but Katsuki was by his side the whole time being as supportive as he could. 

The feast itself was busy, it made Izuku's stomach twist into knots. He received odd looks from almost everyone in the hall, most recognising him as the head florist, wondering why a servant was now sat beside the prince like a lover. 

Word spread fast, Izuku could hear people around them discussing their engagement. He hadn't thought it truly official yet, but he supposed the entire situation wasn't exactly normal.

Katsuki seemed happy by his side. His knights were sat around them, Mitsuki and Masaru at the head of the table. The prince hadn't stopped smiling since entering the hall. He made sure he and Izuku were always touching in some way, whether it be their knees resting together or their hands attached together, firmly in the others grip.

He was speaking animatedly to his knights, telling a story Izuku had heard before, one he had told him during one of their closet meetings. It was a story of one of Katsuki's first missions, he had been cornered by a bear up the side of a mountain and where most would have fled he fought back, killing the bear. It's head was displayed in the hall, a trophy of his success.

Izuku listened quietly, a small smile on his face watching Katsuki speak. Though it was strange to be in this position he could find himself growing used to it as the night went on, it felt as if he belonged. 

No one directed conversation towards him until the end of the night. A lot of the guests had filtered out of the hall, retiring to their chambers. Masaru himself had left partway through, dragging a very drunk Mitsuki with him. 

It was just the knights at the table with them when Kirishima turned towards Izuku, an apologetic look on his face.

"I should really apologise for yesterday, I shouldn't have put my hands on you." Kirishima looked at Katsuki for a moment before continuing.
"You can understand, right? We're protective over our prince." 

Izuku smiled, nodding, "Of course, I understand."

"You're still on thin ice, red." Katsuki sent a playful glare to the knight, grinning.
"I wouldn't put my hands on Mina." 

"Low blow, dude." Kirishima glared back. 

The night ended not long after that. Katsuki said his goodbyes to the other knights, most of them continuing to drink together till much later. He held Izuku's hand as they walked out of the hall silently, just enjoying the others company. 

Katsuki took them to his chambers, nodding to the guards as they entered. He sat Izuku on his bed but moved himself over to his desk. There was a flower on it, one Izuku had never seen before. It was white with balls of yellow seeds in the centre. It looked almost fake. 

Katsuki picked it up gently, bringing it over to Izuku. He observed it in his hand for a moment before reaching out, handing it to Izuku. Izuku smiled softly, carefully taking the flower in his hands.

"It's an edelweiss, I'm not sure if you've heard of it, I don't remember it in your book." Katsuki sat down next to Izuku as he spoke. Izuku shook his head.
"It's found in the mountains, It's pretty hard to get to. Symbolises strength, courage, because of how hard it is to find. This one was found by Kirishima, he picked some for Mina."

Izuku hummed, twiddling the flower in his hands. 

"It also symbolises true love, or deep love, the book was kind of vague with it. Basically because of how hard it is to get, whomever you give it to it's like... receiving an honour." Katsuki explained. 
"I'd like to collect one for you myself one day."

"I wouldn't want you to put yourself at risk for me." Izuku shook his head.
"Though I love it, this means a lot to me, Katsuki."

The prince smiled in response, lifting a hand to caress Izuku's cheek. They stared at each other for a moment before Katsuki tugged him closer, he paused for a split second, taking in the sight of Izuku's features up close, before pulling him the rest of the distance, capturing his lips in his. 

Izuku smiled into the kiss, twisting the flower in his hand. He could really get used to this.