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“Good morning, my tired king.”
The response that Hizashi gets is a grunt, making him chuckle softly.
“We have an important day today, there’s no use in trying to sleep in this time.” Hizashi tugs the covers off of his love, giving Shouta a kiss on the forehead when the tired man sighs.
“There’s no way to get out of it?” The tired king questions, letting himself be dragged up into a sitting position by his husband who hums in thought.
“Well, I could tell them you’re terribly sick. But then you’d just have to reschedule.” Hizashi smiles sympathetically, “It won’t be that bad. I promise. You merely just have to tell your people they’ll be getting a prince soon. That and,” He pulls Shouta out of bed, “Watch them dance while you possibly.. Nap on your throne.”
Shouta gets another kiss, before he’s pulled towards where their clothes are held. He grimaces slightly at the thought of having to wear something formal and itchy, but relents as his husband hands him what he needs. “And what if it ends up being a lie? What then?” Shouta sighs when seeing his husband’s smile turn sad, “I don’t mean that I don’t want children I just, I wish to find the right one. I dislike a time limit being placed on us.”
Hizashi cups Shouta’s cheek lovingly, and both of their eyes meet. Hizashi’s shine with something Shouta can’t quite read but.. “I promise we will figure it out no matter, okay? Your people really adore you, you know. They will understand.”
Shouta shuts his eyes and hums, “I hope you’re right.”
“I am, because I have never once been wrong thus far.” When Shouta opens his eyes to look up at his husband and raise an eyebrow, Hizashi laughs. “Okay, maybe I’ve been wrong a few times. But not about anything important.” He pets the top of Shouta’s head lightly, “Get dressed, otherwise we’ll be late for you being late.” The loud king jokes, eyes soft at his tired king’s fondness written all over his face.
“I suppose you’re right.” Shouta goes to tug his sleep shirt off, but then squints at Hizashi. “...This time.”
It earns another laugh from Hizashi, the blonde shaking his head in amusement, “Just get dressed! We can continue this conversation later.”
Shouta huffs, but relents.
The event goes on longer than Shouta wishes, his people wanting to dance into the night with the belief that it would find them love.
An old fairy tale about a ball and the clock striking twelve.
Illogical, if you ask him.
He excuses himself halfway through all the dancing, he already did what he wished to do with his… Announcement.
Shouta wishes Hizashi would’ve come with him, but his husband was ever the extrovert. Always wishing to be a people pleaser- as well as get the local ‘tea’.
Drama queen.
He loved him with all his heart.
Shouta takes a walk out in the garden, letting the quiet soothe his soul as he trails towards the benches in the middle.
He’s just about to sit down when he hears a rustle that makes him immediately reach for his sword on his belt, eyes focusing on the bush that moves a little too much for it to just be the wind.
But then a small hand reaches out, and scared wide eyes hidden partially behind leaves meet his own.
Shouta lets go of his sword, instantly relaxing his posture but still overall tense. Did someone let their kid escape from the dance floor? Who was irresponsible to do that?
The tired king crouches near the bush, though not too close as to startle the child.
“Are you okay, child? Did you get lost?” Shouta questions gently, noticing the way the kid’s hand quivers. He takes a moment to think when he doesn’t get a response, then, “I get lost sometimes too, you know. It can be very scary when you’re alone. Luckily for me, I always have my husband who finds me. I bet he’d come looking for you too if he knew you were alone out here.”
The kid’s eyes flash up through the bushes and to the king’s face, they look uncertain.
“But, just as my husband would- I would too. I didn’t know you were out here before, but now that I do, I wouldn’t think of leaving you alone. I apologize for the little scare- And I hope you wouldn’t mind me staying, if only to help. Hm?” Shouta tilts his head in a questioning way, eyes crinkling in amusement when the kid fidgets and looks at him with this dumbfounded expression.
The child slowly but surely crawls out from the leaves, eyes never leaving Shouta as he does and plopping himself in a sitting position right in front of the king.
Shouta gets a better look at the boy now, his fluffy but unkept hair- something sticking pieces together- his bright green eyes yet dirty skin. And what he was wearing… Could only be defined as used towels put together to make clothing.
This child could not have been at his dance, and yet, him sneaking in didn’t make much sense either with the guards positioned at every entrance.
Unless he snuck in with the group coming into the dance.
It’s something he must keep in mind, because while he didn’t mind a child sneaking in, if someone with bad intentions slipped by so easily…
His guards needed to get their shit together.
And this kid needed a bath, warm food, and sleep. The bags underneath his eyes rivaled his own.
He truly hopes this isn’t the case of a poor family abandoning their child. He’s done his best to make sure everyone was supported in his kingdom. He knows that sometimes it’s not enough, and families slip by despite his best intentions- but it still pains him to know he’s skipped by even one person amongst his people.
“May I get your name, child?” Shouta asks, voice soft and in a way- coaxing this kid to shuffle even closer to him. “I’m unsure if you know me, but I am Shouta. The K-”
“The King!” The child squeaks, excitement clear in his voice despite the way that he immediately looks down to the ground with a scared look. As if he realized how loud he was and didn’t wish to get in trouble.
“One of the kings,” Shouta corrects with a small smile, meant to be reassuring when the boy peaks back up through his hair. “I do not think that’s the answer to my question, however.”
The child brings a hand up to his destroyed shirt, clutching it tightly. “Izuku, um. Izuku.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Izuku. May I keep you company?”
At Izuku’s nod, Shouta sits beside him and they remain in silence until the sun starts to set. Then, little by little, Shouta urges the boy to speak and talk about himself as well as ask questions.
His enthusiasm is adorable, the six-year old as he learns is his age, is also very smart. But he certainly wasn’t as energetic as he should be. The child barely can stand when Shouta convinces him to come back to the castle, and the way Izuku flinches when he reaches to hold him in his arms despite being told by the boy he could carry him.
It was concerning.
Everything about the boy was concerning.
He voices this to Hizashi when his husband walks into their room to see a boy sleeping in his tired king’s arms, hair wet from a bath and clothes, though a bit too big, fresh and on him.
“I’m worried for this boy.” Is all Shouta says.
He doesn’t see the way that Hizashi’s eyes soften nor the smile that graces his face.
His tired king was a softie, and he thinks they’ve just found their Prince.
…
Izuku had been abandoned, as Shouta finds out regretfully. His family, once found, admitted to it. They weren’t lacking in wealth, they weren’t struggling in any way. They simply didn’t want a child as ‘anxious’ as Izuku.
But with how Izuku acted, he knew there was much more than what they were telling them.
It made the tired king angry, and he had to leave his husband to discuss the punishment of the family for leaving their kid as they did. He doesn’t know what would happen if he stayed.
Luckily for him, his loud king was a lot more scary than anyone gives him credit for. Shouta trusts the message will get across of their anger.
Shouta enters the room Izuku resides in, which is very close to his own. The boy sits on the bed, munching on what seems to be the gummies their castle’s nurse gives out once she’s done checking her patients over.
That was a good sign, it meant the boy was checked over. He hopes he was deemed healthy, though Shouta knows he could gain some weight. He was far too skinny, and a little too small.
“How are you doing, Izuku?” The tired king questions, sitting beside Izuku on the bed making the boy look up at him with wide, curious eyes.
“G-Good? You um, you came back?”
Shouta frowns lightly, “Of course I did. Did you think I would not?”
“I… No.. Not really. I thought you would just let um, the nice people here take me away to my family. But the nurse told me, u-um. That if I didn’t want to see my Momma or.. Father, again I wouldn’t have to. But I don’t know where else I’d go and now you’re back again…” Izuku looks down to his lap, fidgeting with his hands in uncertainty.
“Well… What the nurse said is correct. You will not have to see them again, not if you don’t want to. You however, will not be returning to them at all no matter your decision to see them once more or not.” Shouta explains in a quiet voice, and for a moment he hesitates- but then he’s sliding off the bed and crouching by Izuku who looks at him with confusion. “My Husband and I, have decided that if you would like… In regards to where you would go… You could stay here with us.”
Izuku freezes, eyes going wide in shock. “I-I… Stay… Stay here? In the C-castle? Y-you- You mean I can… Stay here… As… A g-guest right?”
Shouta smiles softly, raising a hand to grab one of Izuku’s and hold it with care. “No, not as a guest. As our son however, we’d be honored.” Then, he’s quick to add, “..Only if you’d like, of course. I would never make you do anything you dislike.”
Izuku’s eyes get watery rather quickly, his hand tightening on Shouta’s. “Are you s-sure? Are.. You.. I.. I can’t be a P-Prince- Mamma said I c-could never even be a g-guard.. That I’d be too sc-scared a-and that I’m not brave e-enough? I d-don’t… I don’t think I could… Be a Prince…”
“Izuku…” Shouta cups the boy’s cheek, lightly wiping away any tears falling. “We do not expect you to live up to us, nor forever be a Prince or even a King one day. When you grow up, you may choose your own path. You will always be allowed to do so. We just wish to have you as our Son.” Izuku meets the tired King’s eyes, uncertain still… “If you do choose to stay a Prince and one day a King however, in my humble opinion I feel as if you’d be a wonderful one with your gentle heart. As a Prince or a King do not always need to be brave.”
The boy smiles so brightly then, eyes misting up as more tears slip out and Izuku lets out a laugh, “R-really?”
“Really.” Shouta reassures, letting out an ‘oomf’ when Izuku so suddenly hugs him. Shouta wraps his arms around the boy, hugging him back a little tightly.
“O-Okay, I-I want to be… I wanna be here.” Izuku- His little Prince, says through his sniffles.
“You can be here.” Shouta says and leaves no doubt, “Our home is now yours.”
And so, Aizawa’s kingdom gets their Prince.
And Shouta’s people could not be happier. Their Prince was adorable and very kind hearted.
Though, he certainly could cause trouble from time to time. It was never anything terrible, more so amusing at best.
Izuku, at eight years old, runs into the garden and towards the bushes trimmed to be shaped as all the kings in their neighboring kingdoms.
He skips over to a very specific king, stopping in front of the bush and adjusting the small crown on top of his own head as he looks up at this large authority figure of leaves.
It was King Enji, the flame king people called ‘Endeavor’. Dadda and Papa talked about him only when he’s done something they didn’t like, and it doesn’t make Izuku happy when his parents are upset. So really, this bush had it coming.
He thinks this as he looks over to the shears used to trim these king bushes placed neatly hanging on the wall nearby. The boy waddles over, taking the stool next to the door to the garden’s shed and placing it delicately in front of the shears hanging. He hops onto the stool and reaches up, gathering the shears into his hands and stepping carefully back down. He walks back over to bush king Enji and smiles.
“My Apologizes, Flame king. But to be honest. I don’t like you. Papa says it’s fair that I don’t like some people if they make me uncomfortable, and that I don’t have to see them or talk to them. Just like with my Ma- My, my. Um. My past um, Mother and Father. So I shouldn’t have to see you either, right?” Izuku raises the shears, and although they were quite heavy, he manages to cut a good portion of Enji’s bush leg off. “Papa and Dadda will understand. They never liked this bush either.” He jumps once, snipping Enji’s face off, and falling gracefully back down.
His parents said to not play with anything sharp, but he wasn’t playing. He was doing the work that no one else will do.
“Izuku…”
Izuku freezes when he hears his name and slowly puts the shears down before turning to his Dadda.
Caught and now holding a guilty expression.
“Care to tell me what you’re doing with the shears?” Shouta questions, raising an eyebrow when Izuku takes one step backwards, “Izuku.”
His little prince suddenly smiles and runs for it, dashing through the flowers and picking up the pace when he hears his Dadda quickly take chase.
Izuku is caught rather quickly however, when he trips over a rock, squealing when he almost falls onto his face but is caught by big hands. He giggles madly as he’s picked up, his Dadda letting out a long sigh.
“I told you not to play with sharp objects, little Prince.” Shouta lectures, carrying Izuku with care despite his little prince’s small leg kicks and giggles basically shaking his body.
“I was not playing I was working.” Izuku says proudly, smiling brightly up at the tired king who squints down at him.
“Working…”
“Mhm! Getting rid of Bush Enji is hard work.”
Shouta chokes, he didn’t even look at what Izuku had done- did he-?
Izuku giggles again at Shouta’s wide eyes, making the tired king blow into the little prince’s face playfully, “You are a lot more of a gremlin than you are a Prince lately, perhaps Hizashi would tickle that out of you?”
The little prince immediately starts to squirm, “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! No tickles.”
“That’s for him to decide after he hears what you’ve done, not me.”
“I did nothing wrong!” Izuku squeals at the hair ruffle that comes for his comment, “He was a meanie.”
“The bush was a meanie?” Shouta questions, amusement clear in his voice.
“Yes, he looked at me rudely.” Izuku hums, “and he makes you and Papa upset. So I don’t like him.”
“Hm. Fair enough, though we will be talking about this later.” Shouta kisses the top of Izuku’s head, the boy pouting at the implications of that and huffing.
He did nothing wrong. He won’t go to bedroom prison for this with a tickle punishment!
(He does. But he gets his parents' approval for not having to like King Enji. He just can’t vandalize bushes for it.)
(They didn’t say anything about his statue in the town later on though.)
...
“Papa, will I be able to be as tall as you someday?” Izuku questions, the eight year old jumping on the little markings on the floor of their castle as they walk to go get Dadda from the library. He was supposed to come back an hour ago, but he and Papa assume he fell asleep in there again. It was very quiet and cozy, so Izuku doesn’t blame the tired king at all.
“Hm.” Hizashi looks down to his little prince, and thinks back to how short the boy’s biological parents were. The answer would sadly be no if Hizashi answered directly and truthfully, but he can’t just do that. This is his son we’re talking about! He deserves the best answer possible. “If you don’t get as tall as me, you may borrow my boots so you can be.”
Izuku looks up at his Papa, then to his Papa’s boots then looks back up with wide eyes. “That’s how you get really tall in the mornings??”
The comment has Hizashi laughing, “Yes, of course. What did you think I was doing?”
“I thought your apples you ate every morning did it! You and Dadda said eating lets you grow big and strong after all.” Izuku states, “Was that a lie?”
“No no, of course not. Eating does help you grow, not that quick though!” Hizashi chuckles, the loud king reaches down and scoops his little prince into his arms. The boy giggles, happy to be at his Papa’s height and looking forward as they continued to walk.
“I want to wear your boots.” Izuku states firmly, looking back to his Papa with a decided look.
It just makes Hizashi snort, “Not yet, but when you’re older. You must stay my little Prince for as long as possible.”
Izuku pouts, but relents reluctantly when Hizashi starts to kiss his cheeks in a ticklish way over and over making him squeal with giggles. “M-Meanie!” He baps his Papa on the nose to get him to stop, but his Papa just kisses his hands making him gasp in offense. “Stooooop!” Izuku whines, cheeks puffing out when his Papa DOES actually stop but starts laughing again.
“Okay, okay. No more kiss attacks for today.” Hizashi pauses when seeing Izuku’s scandalized look, and man it’s hard not to laugh at that either. “Yeah you’re right, until it’s time to tuck you into bed. How could I forget?”
That earns him a bap on the forehead, but it was worth it.
A week later, Izuku whines to his Dadda and Papa about not wishing to go to a meeting with the neighboring kings and queens. Despite it just being more of a get together and reassurance of the peace treaties, the boy just did not want to see King Endeavor.
They do their best to reassure him that he would only have to see him once, then he could go and play with the other children.
Izuku didn’t really want to do that either, but he thinks it’s better than having to look at Endeavor’s ugly face.
The little prince pouts once they enter the castle of King Toshinori, immediately spotting all the kids and immediately spotting how he’s the shortest of them all.
It was embarrassing. But then Papa leans down to whisper to him, “This just means you can go for their ankles.”
Izuku looks at the loud king with a shocked expression, as if he never thought of that before. Then he breaks into giggles, earning a pleased smile from his Papa and an amused look from his Dadda.
The meeting is long and boring. Izuku avoids King Enji’s glare the entire time right after he introduces himself as ‘Prince Aizawa’ as his Papa and Dadda told him to do. He was new to the meetings, so they all had to be made aware of who he was and what position he held.
Izuku really hopes he doesn’t have to do this often. Especially since Endeavor clearly didn’t like him right off the bat. As if this King didn’t see any potential in Izuku himself as a future King.
He’s gonna bite King Enji’s ankles if he doesn’t stop staring.
Luckily he’s allowed to leave an hour before the meeting ends, and he immediately bolts to the room where all the other children head to.
Princes and Princesses, just as he was.
Prince Todoroki, Prince Monoma, Prince Todoroki, Princess Momo (He’s trying real hard to remember her last name-), Prince Todoroki- Princess Todoroki- wait why did Enji have such a big family?
Was he supposed to have that? That seemed a bit too prepared for if Enji were to suddenly just trip and die. He has a whole line of family to take over for him.
...But where was the Queen if there were all these kids?
Anyways, (As Izuku’s attention span just flips,) There’s Princess Shimura, Prince Shimura, Prince Takami-
Man that’s a little weird how Prince Takami was as old as he was and for some reason hanging out with the kids, Izuku thinks he should be King by now- especially since Dadda told him that the old King passed away recently and the Queen ran away. Maybe he’s just not ready? But shouldn’t he be in the meeting still anyways? It seems important…
(Takami is thirteen and not old enough yet. Izuku doesn’t know this though.)
Oh well, there’s Prince Shinsou…
Shinsou looked lonely.
Izuku speeds over to the purple haired boy, giving up his aimless naming of all the Princes and Princesses.
“Hi Prince Shinsou!” Izuku does a little bow, he hears someone coo in the background that he completely and utterly ignores, “I’m Prince Aizawa but you already know that! You look a little lonely over here so I wanted to say Hi, so hi!”
Shinsou blinks, slowly raising a hand to wave hesitantly.
“Ah, Aizawa, Shinsou here cannot speak.” Prince Takami hums, Izuku barely even looks over to the blonde and instead just shrugs.
“That’s okay! We can still be friends.” Izuku says cheerily.
Takami does the ‘hand on chest’ as if he just witnessed a wholesome crime happen in front of him and someone whispers ‘look at his little bow tie oh my god,’ in the background.
Izuku still does not see.
Someone else whispers something about how Aizawa’s kingdom’s color choice was a little scary and misleading, considering their little prince right here being adorable. And maybe that’s understandable.
Red and Black was usually used to keep people away. But Aizawa’s Kingdom was one of the best and most loved.
Shinsou looks a little hesitant to accept Izuku’s friendship, but silently accepts it with open arms when Izuku suggests they go take down the King Enji banner in the hallway and throw it into a hole outside.
Somehow they get away with it and King Enji does not notice.
Everyone else does though, and they get a good laugh out of it without drawing attention to themselves- Prince Todoroki- or, erm. Too many Todorokis. Prince Touya seems especially pleased by it.
Odd. Maybe Izuku can like King Enji’s kids and not him.
When they go home, Izuku has a few new friendships that linger as fond thoughts in his mind. He wishes he could visit them all with ease, but they were all so far away…
It’s okay. He gets to see them at Balls and other events. So maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.
There was one King that never showed up though to the meeting… Which everyone said was strange. Because he was always there and always so formal as well as polite. Everyone hopes that he’s okay, but Izuku heard the whispers as well.
They were suspicious of this King.
And when people were suspicious, as Dadda tells him, they get paranoid.
He hopes they don’t get paranoid.
King Shigaraki was probably just sick. He’ll come to the next meeting.
Izuku is sure of it.
On Izuku’s twelfth birthday, he learns of Prince Shinsou’s disappearance. It makes him sad, but there’s nothing that can be done other than look for the boy and hope he gets home safely.
They don’t find him even years later, some stop looking and Izuku is reluctant to move on. When he reaches the age of fifteen, he’s glad that he never did.
Izuku is walking down the streets of his kingdom, Dad sent him out after he tried jumping onto the chandelier and swinging from it.
‘Your clearly too hyper today,’ His Dad told him, ‘Go take a walk and talk to our people, use that energy not breaking our Castle please.’
He stops in front of a board full of posters of missing people. His hand reaches out, pushing aside the poster of Prince Touya and revealing the old poster of Prince Shinsou. He grabs it into his hands, and places it in sight rather than hidden. What was the purpose of having missing persons posters if people would hide them like this? One is not more important over the other, stupid King Enji followers.
Izuku turns away from the board, and he moves to walk forward but he stops as soon as he sees someone who was staring at him quickly look away and dash into an alleyway.
Strange.
Izuku, being known as the Prince that just acts before truly thinking anything through, immediately dashes down the street and stalks into the alleyway.
He spots yellow behind the dumpster, and slowly turns the corner,
The person that ran into the alleyway springs up, shoulder bumping Izuku as they quickly make their escape.
Well Izuku wasn’t going to have that. He takes chase again, and his cape flying up in the air as he does and his shoes very loud as he makes himself known to the people around him as he chases someone completely random but suspicious.
Izuku chases him all the way into another Alleyway, this person clearly thought it’d lead somewhere but it didn’t. The Prince tackles them and they go falling, Izuku pinning the person by their arms and the person’s hood falling off with the force of them falling-
Purple hair, purple eyes- the lost prince revealed and breathing hard from the chase.
“Holy fuck when did you get so terrifying?” Shinsou speaks while Izuku is in shock from the reveal, then he starts to giggle madly.
“When did you become a thief?” Izuku questions, letting go of his hold and just sitting on top of Shinsou. The once prince now deemed thief looks at Izuku with an eyebrow raised,
“And how did you know that?”
Izuku just answers by lifting a bag of stolen goods he stole off of Shinsou earlier in the chase. Shinsou huffs in annoyance, he thought he had that in a safe place.
“Right. Can I get that back?” Shinsou questions, frowning when Izuku shakes his head with a mischievous smile.
“Stealing from people isn’t nice, I really hope this isn’t from our Kingdom. But if you said it was from King Enji’s kingdom I would’ve given it all back,” Before Shinsou can claim it was from Enji’s kingdom, Izuku opens the back and pulls out their local gem that’s only native to Aizawa’s kingdom. “But this.. Does not look like King Enji’s kind of gem.”
“I only steal from the rich,” Shinsou sighs, then blinks at the way that Izuku suddenly glares at him. “What?”
“You really know nothing of our kingdom, do you?” The short prince rolls his eyes, “There is no such thing as ‘the rich’ here. King Aizawa makes sure no one ever goes over a certain amount of money and he always makes sure those who are on the edge of being poor get a good income. If anyone wishes to be ‘Rich’ here, they can go to King Enji’s kingdom and purchase his stupid overpriced land then get taxed to hell and become broke.” Izuku stands up, brushing any dust off of his clothing, “We respect our people here and only wish for them to be treated fairly and never go hungry.”
Izuku reaches out his hand for Shinsou to take, in which he does- though reluctantly.
“And now that you’re in our home, you deserve the same treatment. So you do not need to steal here, anyone who manages to get past the walls we have placed needs a certain identification. I only imagine you got through by using your Prince necklace, did you not? You are not an outsider here, if you merely showed any store owner your necklace and asked for food or gems they would’ve given it to you for a trade or even free depending on the store owner. They’re simply kind like that.” Izuku explains, helping Shinsou stand up with a smirk.
“I.. Right. I apologize then.” Shinsou looks down guiltily, “My Father… Before I ran away, only ever talked bad about this kingdom.”
Izuku’s smirk turns into a frown, then he looks behind him before looking back to Shinsou. “Hm. Did he now?” The short prince looks upset at that, but shakes his head and smiles again at the taller boy in front of him. “No matter, let us return what you stole together, that or I can pay for you. I’m sure you stole what you have for a reason, though the gem is a little suspicious. I sure do hope you weren’t planning on selling it in another kingdom? You would’ve been imprisoned for that, you know. Any gem in the Aizawa kingdom sold elsewhere is treason.”
A shiver goes down Shinsou’s spine and he slowly nods in response. “Right- uh, Right. Okay. Let’s go. Just- don’t tell anyone who I am. If you.. Can help it.”
Izuku hums in response, “is it because you don’t wish to be a Prince?” He asks, taking Shinsou’s hand into his own and starting to drag him along out of the alleyway.
“I… No, I don’t think I would have minded being a Prince. But my Father… I don’t believe he wanted me as the future King.” Shinsou sighs, not paying any mind to the hand holding- though it does.. Make him feel a certain way. “And my Mother- she’s not too fond of me either. I cannot tell you why this is. I truly cannot, but I’m not wanted in my own kingdom so there’s no point in being there.”
The Short Prince frowns in sympathy, “I’m sorry your family is not accepting of you. Mine wasn’t either when I was much younger than I am now.”
Shinsou pauses, tilting his head in confusion at the boy. “That’s hard to believe.. King Aizawa doesn’t seem like the type to be cruel to their child, no matter how scary he seems.”
“I was not the child of King Aizawa at the time. I used to be the son of Inko Midoriya and Hisashi Midoriya. They were loving at first, but then I started to be.. A lot more anxious, than they would have liked. They had high hopes for me, wishing that I would be a guard for King Aizawa and give them riches. However, that is not how it works here and as soon as they saw that- they gave up on their scared child who just needed comfort. I.. Found my way to the castle on the night of a ball, snuck in with the crowd and was found by King Aizawa in the garden. He took me in rather quickly after that, and I became the Prince with the promise that I wouldn’t have to stay if I didn’t want to.” Izuku smiles fondly at the memory, and looks up at Shinsou as they stop in the middle of the street.
“Without my Dad and Papa, I would be dead. Left behind by my Mother and Father to starve to death. Dad told me he would have been enraged if he found me like that, he could just barely hold back his anger when he realized they abandoned me in the first place. My Mother and Father are in prison for this for a few more years, they were still so foolish to think I would give them money once they found out I was now the Prince… I just wanted love, how was that so much to ask for?” Izuku questions in a quiet voice, sadness clear in his eyes- but then he rapidly shakes his head and lets out a long exhale.
“Nevermind all that.. My point being, I sympathize with your situation. If you ever need a place to stay, our Kingdom is your kingdom. Okay? We have a room in the castle always available to guests. You are more than welcome to stay there, or at the inn close by for those who are a bit… Too overwhelmed to stay at the castle.” The short prince smiles once more, and at Shinsou’s silence- yet slow nod back- they continue walking.
Shortly after Izuku’s talk of his past and halfway to one of the stores Shinsou took from, the thief stops and looks to Izuku who looks back with a confused smile at why they stopped.
“...Thank you. Truly.” Shinsou says sincerely, then lifts Izuku’s hand to his lips and gives it a very light kiss before lowering it back down with care.
Izuku can only smile even brighter and nod, “Of course, Hitoshi.”
Hitoshi’s face goes a light red, and he turns away from Izuku when the boy lets out a small laugh.
They continue walking, chests feeling a lot more warmer than before.
…
Izuku quickly finds that he has feelings for the ex-prince now thief, the taller boy always bringing gifts when he returns to their kingdom. Some gifts are most definitely stolen, but none are from their kingdom- so Izuku lets it slip by.
But Hitoshi was ridiculously sweet. It showed through his actions and words in every letter written to him.
His Dad couldn’t be lied to, and neither could his Papa. So they figured things out quickly. At least Izuku was able to tell them the truth before he got in trouble for keeping it from them.
“So Prince Shinsou is okay then?” His Papa questions, seemingly relieved at Izuku’s nod. “That’s good. Although, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
Izuku fidgets, frowning lightly and looking towards the window to his left. They were seated in his Dad’s office of sorts, Izuku sitting in front of the desk with Hizashi while his Dad was seated in front of them behind his desk.
“He did not wish to return home. So I offered for this, our kingdom, to be his home if he needs it. His Father… Spoke badly of this kingdom, so Hitoshi- uh, Shinsou, attempted to steal from us thinking we had bad intentions. I made him return the goods and made him promise not to steal from us again. He now knows everyone’s generosity here and I am glad I can offer somewhere he can feel safe. I told him I sympathized with him, and told him about my Mother and Father back then.” Izuku explains the best he can, looking back to his parents who have this soft look in their eyes at their kind son.
“If you have not already, tell him he has a room in this castle if he needs it. We will need to work out him being a runaway Prince, and it will certainly be.. Difficult, especially with our peace treaty, but we will figure it out. If it ends up with the treaty being broken, then so be it. I will not have a hurt child go back to a place they feel unsafe.” Aizawa says, voice firm and mind made up.
It makes Izuku smile and stand to go around the desk and hug his Dad, “Thank you.”
The tired King lays a gentle hand on his Son’s back, “No need to thank me, but I hope you realize the day that he becomes a King alongside you for this kingdom he better be a good one.” Aizawa deadpans (fondly).
Izuku chokes and his Papa lets out a loud laugh that makes him blush red.
Ah. He was not that stealthy then.
…
Izuku knew Hitoshi was hiding something from him, it was funny to watch the thief squirm when he sits on top of his stomach in bed and pin him down onto the cushions. He was small, but due to his Dad and Papa, he was strong. And his significant other was tall and lanky, as well as fast. But he could never get out of Izuku’s hold. He was staring Hitoshi down, eyes aiding in pining this boy down and waiting for an answer to his question,
‘What are you hiding from me, Toshi?’
Izuku lets out a laugh when Hitoshi struggles to get out of the hold again, “It cannot be that bad of a secret that you cannot tell me. I have heard far worse before, what is it that you are keeping from me?”
Hitoshi bites his lip, stopping his struggles but frowning deeply. Then, “If I told you, I would be imprisoned.”
“Hitoshi, you’re a thief. You would be imprisoned already if I had told on you! What makes you think I would tell on you for something even similar?” The Short Prince smiles, eyebrows furrowing in a little bit of confusion.
“Would you even believe me?” Hitoshi shoots back, though face withering slightly into a regretful look at Izuku’s offended expression.
“Excuse me, of course I would! Hitoshi, if this is about the fairies in our garden I already know about them. I’ve seen you sneaking around back there, I have no doubt they’ve made themselves known to you already.”
Hitoshi blinks, mouth gaping open as he tries to process what Izuku just said.
And Izuku realizes he made a mistake, but does not relax his hold on his lover. “Okay, so you didn’t know about them. But this just proves I’ll believe whatever you have to say! You’re not laughing at me for pointing out the fairies in our garden- which means you believe me too and WHATEVER you have to say is just as bizarre as the little winged people in the flower beds.”
Hitoshi stays silent, but then, “I.. I have the power to control others. It’s the reason why my Father despised me and my Mother wanted me dead.”
Izuku instantly releases his lover, instead grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly as the taller boy sits up. “Your Mother and Father are awful people, Hitoshi.” He says so simply, making Hitoshi look at him with a raised eyebrow- it’s as if he didn’t just tell Izuku he could control others. Silly Prince, always so focused on other’s well being over what they could do…
“They were, I realize that. Though, as long as they think I’m dead or gone for good, they cannot control my future by exposing me as what I am. Which is why.. I’m so reluctant to go through with what King Aizawa wishes me to do. I feel as if I’ll forever be under their thumb until they are dead.” Hitoshi sighs, finger running circles on Izuku’s in a nervous way. The Prince just places his other hand on top of Hitoshi’s, keeping the boy’s hand in a grounding hold.
“Tell my Dad of your power, and you’ll be surprised at what he can do for you.” Izuku smiles, and although Hitoshi is suspicious… He trusts Izuku with all his being.
“If you really do have fairies, I have no doubt you have unicorns and even talking bunnies as well. I trust your family, but most importantly I trust you.” Hitoshi raises Izuku’s hand to kiss it just as he did when they met again for the first time, and he’s pleased to see Izuku’s face burst into red immediately.
“You can be so nervous about things, Toshi. But then as soon as it comes to me or just being yourself you’re always so confident. I love all of you, but that part is the one I adore seeing the most. Even if it makes me so flustered…” Izuku looks down to their intertwined hands, and lets out a giddy little giggle. “I’m so glad I get to love you. It’s such a fantastic feeling.”
It’s Hitoshi’s turn to blush, and he lets himself smile, pleased to be able to make Izuku happy.
“I’m very happy to love you too, my Prince.”
“Only call me Izuku when we’re alone, Hitoshi. Although, I am happy to be your Prince. I hope you will be my King one day if you desire.”
Yeah, that sounded like a dream.
A very lovely dream, that would be reality if Izuku had anything to say about it.
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(UPDATE: some new art ^-^ nov. 2022)
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