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Izuku awoke to the sound of stone scraping on stone. The scent of lavender tickled his nose and was joined by a strange blend of other floral and herb scents. The pop of a small explosion startled him and his eyes flew open only to squint against the morning sun filtering through the open drapes. He caught a fleeting glimpse of the other occupant in the room. The messy blond hair, the broad shoulders, the face that seemed to sustain everything it beheld. Izuku felt hot bile rise in his throat as he closed his eyes, pretending to still be asleep.
Kacchan?! Why is he here?! Does he need to break my heart even more? Izuku fought to keep his nerves in check as the sound of chair legs scraping the floor filled the room, followed by heavy boots walking closer to the bed. Pain shot through his arm as a strong hand gently lifted it and began to apply a balm in various places.
“You can open your eyes.” Katsuki’s low growl was devoid of any of the anger it held when Izuku last saw him. “I can tell you’re awake.”
Izuku cringed but didn’t open his eyes. “What gave me away?”
“You could never fool me, Deku.” Izuku could have sworn he heard a smile in Katsuki’s voice. He surreptitiously opened one eye and was shocked to find that Katsuki did indeed have a small smile on his face. “Your breathing is deeper and more erratic, your body position is less relaxed, and the way you reacted when I picked up your arm - this is the third time I’ve applied this healing paste since they brought you here and you haven’t moved once.”
Izuku finally opened his eyes fully and turned his head to face Katsuki. “How long have I been out?”
“Just over a day.” The smile faded from Katsuki’s face. “They said you were out with some of the knights, training with your new power when you overdid it and hurt yourself. You need to take it slow, the power of ‘All For One’ will tear your body apart if your not prepared for it. It might make you stronger and faster, but it doesn’t strengthen your bones.”
“Gotta say, you’re the last person I expected to be here.” Izuku looked at the ceiling. “After our last… conversation, I didn’t think I’d see you again.” He swallowed the knot that was forming in his throat. “At least not in a private setting.”
“I am still a knight tasked with protecting the crowned prince,” Katsuki said flatly.
“Of course.” Izuku rolled his eyes and pointedly looked away from Katsuki. “You’re only here because of your duty.”
Silence fell as Katsuki continued to apply the balm to the wounds on Izuku’s arm. He moved to around the bed to work on Izuku’s other arm, who turned his head to look away.
“Is that what you want?” Katsuki’s voice was so low, Izuku barely caught it. Izuku wasn’t surprised by the anger he heard in the other man’s voice, Katsuki’s short temper was legendary, but under the anger, he heard something he wasn’t expecting. Hurt. Fear. He was afraid of how Izuku would answer.
Izuku whipped his head around, eyes blown wide. “What?” The word was little more than a whisper.
“I said,” Katsuki’s voice rising exponentially. “Is that what you want?! Is that all you want between us?! Duty?!”
“Wait a minu... ahhhhh” Izuku tried to sit up only to fall back to his pillow in pain.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Katsuki took a slow breath and met Izuku’s eye’s with an earnest expression, his anger fading. “You need to rest, you’re the future of this kingdom, you need to be strong.”
“I’m so confused, Kacchan!” Tears were welling up in Izuku’s eyes. “What happened? We were happy, weren’t we? Is it that unthinkable that I was chosen as the heir to the throne and not you?”
“No!” Katsuki cringed. “I wasn’t mad that you were chosen over me.” Katsuki’s voice grew uncharacteristically soft. “In truth, I can’t think of anyone better to take on that role. I was angry because I was afraid that I was going to lose you.”
“What do you mean?” Izuku’s brow knitted together. “Why would you lose me?”
“I am your knight now - your protector.” Katsuki glared at Izuku. “They won’t let us be together.”
Izuku couldn’t hold back the laugh that spilled out. “Where did you get that idea?”
Katsuki’s brow furrowed in confusion. “It’s in our laws: a knight must refrain from becoming romantically entangled with his charge. Any knight who disobeys that has to resign his commission, and I can’t do that! I can’t be some kept man! I need to be by your side, protecting you!”
“Oh, Kacchan.” Izuku smiled lovingly at the man who held his heart in his hands. “You really should have been paying attention to history. I knew I should have made you do at least some of your own work.”
“What do you mean?”
“We aren’t the first to be in this position and we won’t be the last.”
Katsuki’s eye’s blew wide. “What?!”
“You don’t have to settle for being my consort or anything like that.” Izuku smiled. “Haven’t you heard of the position of Lord Protector?”
“Well yeah…” Katsuki looked just as confused as ever and his scowl made Izuku’s heart flutter.
He’s so cute when he’s annoyed! “It’s for people just like you. You will have to resign your commission as a knight, but you will take up the role of my personal protector, as well as other… responsibilities.” Izuku wiggled his eyebrows at Katsuki.
Katsuki rolled his eyes and shook his head with a growing smirk. “I can’t believe you just did that. Sometimes I wonder why I love you.” He chuckled lightly, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
“You know, you’re cute when you’re upset.” Izuku smiled fondly as Katsuki cocked an eyebrow. “But nothing compares to your smile. If I could move I’d grab that adorable face of…” Katsuki didn’t let him finish his sentence and Izuku felt his lover’s lips upon his. Katsuki pulled away after only a moment. Izuku’s eyes flew open wide with a dumbfounded stare.
“Deku, you talk too much sometimes.” Katsuki dove back in capturing Izuku’s lips once more in a kiss that told Izuku that he was still loved. Izuku could feel Katsuki’s relief in his kiss, and for the first time since he was chosen as the heir to the throne, he felt content and excited to face his future, side by side with Katsuki.