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Iida wasn't sure how he'd managed to get lost, but he had.
He knew the woods like the back of his hand. It wasn't like leaving the Kingdom of Roses was uncommon. Queen Mei sometimes sent him on strange errands to retrieve weird mechanical parts she needed, or he'd go off to pay a visit to his old friend, Ochako.
He must've taken a wrong turn somewhere. Made a mistake. Gone up the wrong rabbit hole, and now he could not find it.
Iida pulled out his pocket watch. The hands ticked showing the hour was six o' clock, and he stuffed the watch away again. At this rate, he'd be late getting back. And he could not be late.
He started to wander through the woods searching for the rabbit hole back to Wonderland. It had to be around here somewhere. His white rabbit ears twitched, and he tensed as he heard a rustling noise from nearby.
An arrow whistled through the air, and Iida jumped to avoid it, thankful for his quick reflexes. Out of the tree cover emerged a man carrying a bow. Bandages were wrapped around his face, and on his shirt was the emblem of the Endeavor Kingdom. Iida felt his blood run cold.
I must have stumbled to close to their territory. Or, heavens forbid, they had started to invade and spread their influence.
Iida's heart pounded, debating whether to fight or flee. He let out a startled cry as an arrow pierced his shoulder. He gripped the wound, blood staining his hand. The man raised his bow to fire another shot, and Iida turned and fled, disappearing into the woods.
He heard the sounds of the man behind him, and even after he was certain he'd left him far behind, he could've sworn he heard the whizz of an arrow or rustling of leaves. At last, he stopped, almost collapsing. He leaned against the trunk of one of the trees, catching his breath, his shoulder throbbing.
How far did I even run? Where am I now? Iida checked his pocket watch and saw half an hour had passed. It felt shorter than that but also like a lifetime.
He took a deep breath to settle his nerves. There was no need to panic. He'd left the archer far behind, and no normal human or any human for that matter could match his speed.
I'll just take a moment. Get a bearing of my surroundings. Then I can try to get back to Wonderland.
Iida started to walk forward when he heard a crackle and the smell of burning. Then something shot past him, and the branch behind him burst into green sparks.
"Izuku, be careful."
"Sorry!"
Iida froze as a boy around his age in appearance ran towards him holding a wand. There was a second one right behind him with a scar on his face. Iida's ears twitched. The first boy with the wand stepped towards him, and he prepared to flee. As if sensing this, the green haired boy lowered his wand.
"Hey, don't panic. Are you alright?"
Iida's brows furrowed. The boy had a wand, so he must be magical. The other boy was looking at him or more specifically the arrow sticking out if him. He wasn't as easy to read, but he didn't seem hostile. Even so, he didn't know these people.
"I need to go. I need to find my way back. I'm going to be late." Iida was rambling. He flushed as the boy set his wand down and gently took Iida's hands.
"You're injured. At least let us help you." Iida's ears twitched. He didn't know who these boys were but they had magic. And magic was good. Nodding, he allowed them to lead him to their house.
The house was on the outskirts of town. Iida sat on one of their chairs, uncomfortable and feeling out of place. The green haired one he learned was Izuku was bandaging his shoulder and leg - which had also been shot in his panic to flee - while Shouto made hot cocoa. As soon as Izuku finished, Iida stood, picking at the bandages. He bowed.
"Thank you very much."
"It's no problem at all." Izuku blushed.
"We wouldn't leave someone to die or suffer." Shouto explained, entering the room and handing Iida a steaming cup. "Although if it's alright, could you tell us what happened to you?"
"I was attacked by someone from Endeavor." At the kingdom's name, both boys adopted matching horrified looks. Iida looked between the two, frowning. "You know of that kingdom?"
"Unfortunately." Shouto spoke. He clenched his fist and ice started to form on it.
"That's horrible. I'm sorry about what happened." Izuku twisted his hands in his lap. Iida shook his head.
"I appreciate the concern, but I'll be alright. Thank you for the hospitality." Iida bowed once more and headed out. The two exchanged a look as he left. Iida made his way back into the woods, his shoulder numb but better due to the bandages, and his leg hurting more than it had before. There had to be a rabbit hole somewhere, a hidden entrance to Wonderland. After all, he had to get back soon. He was already behind schedule, and now there would be these injuries to deal with. Izuku had done him a great service bandaging them up, but he needed proper treatment as well.
"Hey wait!" Iida froze. He turned to see Izuku and Shouto chasing after him. Iida folded his arms, his ears twitching. Izuku's hands were on his knees, and he paused to catch his breath and then spoke. "Are you sure you're alright? At least stay the night to recover!"
"I can't impose myself on you, and I must get back." Iida shook his head.
"But-" Izuku stopped as Shouto put a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand your rush, but at least stay a bit longer. The attacker could still be nearby, and you're in no condition to take him on." Iida considered his words. That was true. But even so, he was prepared now if another attack were to happen, and he would not be taken by surprise a second time. He'd be able to outrun him or hold his own, if it came to that.
An arrow thudded into a nearby tree nearly hitting Izuku who shrieked. Shouto clenched his fist, ice forming up his arm. Izuku raised his wand, and Iida curled his hands into fists.
"So this is where the prince went off to." The man mused. A shudder ran through Iida's body, and Shouto's glare hardened.
"I have no relation that man or kingdom."
"King Enji would disagree. He was surprised to find you gone."
"He never cared before, so why now?"
"And that was an interesting puzzle you left behind." The man continued, ignoring his question. "He always suspected she might go behind his back." Shouto looked shocked. Iida's heart raced, looking back and forth between the two. So Shouto was one of them? The son of Todoroki?
And yet, he didn't seem to like his father or this soldier.
"You have some interesting company, little prince. A wizard brat and a Wonderland critter." The man nocked an arrow and aimed it at Shouto. Before he could fire it, someone leapt down from the trees and tackled him. Izuku gasped as the newcomer restrained the attacker's arms with the scarf around his neck and looked at the three of them, his eyes covered by goggles.
"You kids ok?" He asked, his voice gruff. The Endeavor archer struggled to free himself, but the man tightened his hold.
"Aizawa!" Izuku exclaimed. The man frowned.
"Do I know you?" Izuku flushed.
"Ah, no." Aizawa looked unconvinced but said nothing more on the subject.
"Anyways, be careful. Endeavor has been attacking magical beings as of late. A lot of mages and wizards in the kingdom I hail from have been assaulted. You'd do well to take care." With that, the man departed, the archer in tow. Iida cocked his head, his hand on his hip.
"You know that man?" He asked Izuku, then rounded on Shouto. "And you're the son of the King of Endeavor?"
"I'm not that man's son." Shouto answered flatly.
"And that was Aizawa. A knight from the kingdom I came from. He's not magical himself, but he's a skilled fighter and very close to the great wizard Toshinori. Why he was all the way out here, I don't know." Izuku's face was grim. He looked at Iida, worry swimming in his eyes. "Please. For now, at least, stay with us."
"The village we live in has no magic or connection to the other kingdoms. It's one of the safest places in the forest." Todoroki added. Iida bit his lip. It would be unwise to refuse. While he hated to be late, he knew it was better to stay safe than risk running into another soldier of Endeavor. And he didn't mind the company of these two.
"Alright." He nodded. Izuku grinned, and even Shouto seemed to smile.
When they got back to the cottage, Shouto opened up to Iida about his relation to Endeavor and the King. Iida listened, ears quivering, his rage for the King growing. In the middle of Shouto's story, he couldn't help but burst out.
"He's horrible! For what he's done to my people and the mages in Izuku's kingdom and you, his own child!"
"I haven't seen him in so long, but agreed." Shouto shrugged. "He's done some awful things, and it seems he's still up to no good."
Silence settled over the three. Iida's heart thumped in his chest. Enji was a horrible person, one he loathed. But Shouto wasn't anything like his father. Shouto was a good person. Kind. Accepting. He'd suffered because of Enji just as much if not more than anyone.
Iida wrapped Shouto in a hug, and Shouto blushed. Izuku patted Shouto on the arm. Shouto wrapped both of them in a hug, holding them close.
The three ended up on the couch together, curled up and sleeping. Iida, however, lay awake, unable to sleep from the excitement of the day and what he'd learned about Shouto. He knew he had to return to Wonderland, one day, but he felt drawn to Shouto and Izuku and wanted to stay here with them.
Iida never intended to stay as long as he did. After the incident, the three of them had been worried about leaving the town, especially alone. Once a week had passed, Iida began to venture out, but could find no rabbit holes nearby. At this rate, Mei was no doubt getting antsy, and Ojiro probably out of his mind.
Usually Izuku or Shouto went into the town, but Iida occasionally would. Donning a cloak to hide his ears, he'd go with one of them into town.
There were no more incidents. Izuku revealed to Iida more about the kingdom he came from and why he had to leave. He admitted he wanted to return at times, but felt happy here with them and trusted Toshinori and Aizawa to handle matters. And going back at the moment meant facing him again, and Izuku wasn't prepared for that.
Iida didn't know when it happened, but he stopped searching for ways home. He used to wander a bit to see if a rabbit hole was hidden nearby, but he stopped trying. Stopped looking at his watch and stressing over it. It felt natural being here with Shouto and Izuku both. Going to the bookstore with Shouto. Gardening with Izuku. Shouto stroking his ears, Izuku kissing him, cuddling with both of them. He had hope and felt a sense of peace for a change. That maybe the three of them could have this.
That maybe it was ok to not stress for a change.