Archive of Our Own

Todoroki Shouto sits on his end of the 24-seat oak table and inconspicuously plays with the ring on his thumb as he tries to listen to his father – the King – discuss politics with him and his advisors. It was not boring, but it wasn’t something he wanted to spend every single day doing and then spend all the other hours of the day thinking about either. It was also something expected for the crowned prince to be involved in. When Shouto was finally freed from the meeting, he rolls up his perfect ceiling white sleeves made with imported silk with fine gold embroidery detailed on the collar and cuffs. He heads into the south wing, his mother’s wing to see her. She wasn’t in her drawing room, or her piano room or her personal library. Shouto passed by the maids who bowed at 90 degrees as a greeting in his presence. They didn’t question him – of course. He didn’t ask them for help either, he’s sure he can find where his mother is spending her time.

And he does. As he’s messing up his hair in slight frustration from realising that even though he’s looking for his mother who is his oasis, a part of his mind is still on the political discussion he was a part of not too long ago, Shouto finds his mother sipping on a beautifully brewed pot of genmaicha – imported, as she flips through a novel in her study room. He should’ve known to check there first, it’s her favourite room of them all. She’s always there.

“Mother”, Shouto calls out as he makes his presence known as though opening the majestic mahogany doors was not enough. Again, imported. But that isn’t important.

“Oh, Shouto”, Shouto’s mother’s tone is upset and exasperated. She bookmarks her novel and places her teacup down before standing up and walking towards her youngest son.

Shouto stands rooted in his position and only stares at his mother who tries to smooth his now messy hair (stray strands sticking up at weird angles) on her tiptoes (she barely reaches, so Shouto bends down). He lets a small smile escape him when she scolds him for rolling up his perfectly ironed and pressed sleeves. She rolls them down and cringes at the very mild creases left on the soft silk.

Despite knowing the answer, Shouto asks his mother, “Why don’t you go outside more, mother?”

She hums and gently pats her son’s arms, “I’m tired, indoors suits me much better”.

A small frown makes its way to Shouto’s brows. He knows that his mother is weak and frail. He also hears from others that she loved the outdoors, the sunshine, the autumn leaves, the meadows of flowers and the buzz of insects when summer came around. He doesn’t like that she is deprived of all of that. It was cruel and unfair. “I see”, is all Shouto says before he guides his mother back to her beautifully carved wooden chair with a maroon and gold cushion that he had gifted her some years ago. Shouto had been told off for attempting carpentry and to actually make something from scratch. But he had wanted the gift to be handmade, the appreciation and gratitude to be ebbed into the chair with each push of the chisel. His father had shaken his head and walked away. The chair is far from perfect and sticks out like a sore thumb compared with everything else in Rei’s study. Shouto stays with his mother throughout morning tea and lunch. He compliments her when she shows him the embroidery she’s been working on. She smiles so lovingly it makes Shouto feel even more pity. A shell of who she once was.

Shouto’s left hand rests on the hilt of his sword as he makes his way out of the south wing with a slightly clearer head but lower mood. He exits the palace building and makes his way through the central garden and towards the stable where his friend – Soba – a beautiful white stallion lived. Shouto gives a small nod to the stable boy before he takes Soba out of the stables. “I’m just going to go down into town”, Shouto informs the stable boy as he hops onto Soba and rides out and away from the stable, he signals the guards at the gate in the walls and they let him out promptly. He doesn’t need an escort.

The road is well paved like most of the palace grounds until it gradually becomes rockier and into a clear dirt path as Shouto rides through with Soba. He rides through the fields and passes by the farmers who look up to see who was passing through and then gaze openly when they recognise the riches the rider wears. Shouto looks up too and watches as the clouds roll slowly across the azure sky. He doesn’t often like thinking about how different he is in comparison with most of the population despite them all being born under the same sky. Shouto definitely appreciates the privileges he was born into, there were the not so good sides as well, but, just like everyone else, the hardships are there to be conquered.

Gradually the town is in view and Shouto gets off Soba before guiding him through the maze of people of the town. He stops by a bakery and examines the fresh bread and picks out what he wants and hands over enough silver to have the shopkeeper look him square in the face and gives him an enormous smile, “I don’t need change, thank you”. Shouto knows straight away the man doesn’t recognise him but understands the depth of his pockets. Which is fair. The royal family doesn’t indulge the public much, and when they do, it’s usually just the face of the King. The crowned prince might as well just be another person until he becomes king. Afterall, if anything happens, Shouto might not be able to become King.

Shouto passes by a fruit and vegetable stand and picks out some apples for himself and as a treat for Soba. He knows Soba shouldn’t eat too many apples, but one shouldn’t hurt. Carrots were also added in the mix before Shouto passes some silver to the lady behind the stand and again with the same words of gratitude, “I don’t need change, thank you”.

Soba is visibly shining with glee as he munches on his carrots whilst eyeing the apple in Shouto’s hand. Shouto chuckles and pets Soba in reassurance, “don’t worry, I won’t eat your share”. Shouto continues on through the markets, bringing Soba with him, it’s a tight spot, but they weave through with skills. It isn’t something they’re not use to. It certainly helps that he’s dressed neatly and nicely. It means the masses are more likely to give way to you. Shouto knows that it isn’t, right, to think like that, but it really does come in handy. At least he blends in with the nobles of the country. Ones he’s likely related to by blood but has never in his life ever met, and probably never will. All robed in their well pressed white suits, golden embroidered vests and a heavy suit over lined with the softest velvet in the lands. He wonders when the last time someone looked them up on the family tree was. Embellished in gold along the walls of the palace, it is a necessary extravagance he has learnt with time. Shouto remembers looking at his own name, the beautiful characters of his name filled in gold in which their country thrives in. It is supposed to make him feel special. It certainly does. It also makes him feel absolutely like the crown prince that he is. Not the king however. It also serves as a reminder that he will forever be part of this family tree, part of this blood-line.

People aren’t born equal after all.

Which is what makes encountering the people of the world interesting. Shouto wants to see what he can learn from the wrinkles on the faces, he wants to listen to what they have to say, to hear about their stories of how they lost an ear or a thumb. They were all things he never came across within the palace walls. There isn’t another person who is exactly like him. Someone with the same stories.

With Soba in tow, Shouto walks through the markets. He sees the glances from the citizens, they don’t linger for long. It’s how Shouto understands that he’s not the only one of a higher rank who strolls through the markets. He stops and lets his fingers play with some pretty hair trinkets before he picks one out to for his sister. It’ll bring out her eyes. He hears his parents tell him that Fuyumi shouldn’t wear something of such low quality. Just because it isn’t covered in gold and jewels from foreign lands, it doesn’t mean it won’t flatter his sister just as much or more. Even if she doesn’t wear it and looks at it, dangle it a little and comments on it, that’s enough for Shouto to decide that it is a good buy.

Shouto does stop however, when he looks through to a lane that runs through the market and finds his eyes landing on a funeral procession. He can tell straight away that it is a commoner funeral procession. One who can actually afford one though, he has heard, isn’t all too common. Despite having that knowledge at the back of his mind, it’s not what catches his eyes. It’s the beautiful white lilies on what is presumably the corpse covered in a dirt cloth. Within the dingy alleyway, the white lilies glow and captivate Shouto’s attention straight away.

It looked out of place, out of the world.

“Whiter than you, Soba”, Shouto mumbles before he turns his body and walks into the alley, towards the funeral procession with Soba’s hooves tottering behind him. Shouto follows the funeral procession from behind, at what he assumes is a respectable distance away. He’s never attended a funeral before, but he’s read about many. Of how their kingdom came to be, all the deaths that resulted to produce the kingdom that they are now is no stranger to Shouto. He had it all hammered into him from a young age. Now that he’s older, he doesn’t mind, he knows that knowledge is power now. There’s a low and quiet chant that surrounds the small funeral. Shouto lets himself be guided through even more winding alleys and tiny lanes. They are areas of town in which he doesn’t venture into. But he’s captivated by the white lilies, and it may be a good chance for him to learn more about the commoner’s funeral procession.

It really stood out.

Eventually, they leave the town and tread onto a path that isn’t paved. Shouto is slightly hesitant, he isn’t sure if he should stray from the town, it might be a bit harder to get home after. He checks one of the pockets on Soba’s leather saddle and makes sure his compass is still there before he decides with determination that he will keep following. Semi-from a-far. Shouto watches as the scenery changes from the dinghy part of town to a path scattered with small stones and wild grasses. They were heading out of town. Slowly the bushes and trees became more and more. Shouto knows he’s digging at his knowledge bank when he starts recognising the different flora and watches as the environment starts turning into that of a woodland. He tries to remember the map of the land and pin point where he currently is. Soon, they start walking through it and Shouto finds the wildflowers quite pleasing to his eyes. Every time he looks up at the funeral procession, he swallows hard each time he remembers that that’s someone’s life gone there.

Closure is something he doesn’t really have too much understanding of. He’s never really gone through it in detail. When his first stallion passed away, sure. When he realised all his pets were turned into dinner, sure. When his mother was the cause of the scar on his face, it hurt in more ways than just physical pain, but sure. When his father points at him and tells him what he needs and what he doesn’t need. Sure. When he learnt that he will one day be king. Perhaps that of all things was the sword in the stone of his heart. It was already something that had been decided for him as soon as he was born, there was no other choice.

Personally, Shouto felt that his elder brothers would be the better choice as the next in line to be King, but one was an illegitimate son, son of a concubine, and under Queen Rei’s eyes, King Enji surely felt that he could bend the law and have his first son wait further back in line. The second son had failed their father’s expectations and is living a sickness-riddled life. Shouto has been told that this brother doesn’t have much longer to live.

The small group of townspeople stop by at a lake and Shouto stands from afar and watches as the makeshift coffin was carried into the lake, the white lilies sitting delicately on the top. Shouto watches as the body is then let go and he watches as the lake takes the body, gobbles it up and takes it away from the sun. The only sign left were the white lilies that continue to float on the lake’s surface and the scatter of red spider lilies that follow after. Shouto stands in the same spot as he keeps his eyes on the white lilies amongst the sea of red spider lilies even as the townspeople retreat back towards town, passing him by with only a glance.

Shouto believes it’s not the best to use the lake as the final resting place for anyone. He quickly deduces that it would have been weighted so that they sink towards the very bottom and then gets dragged further into the lake by the current. Morbid, but that’s the way it is. Shouto knows that his ancestors are however, buried under palace grounds with a shrine to commemorate them. He does go visit them often enough to understand.

He understands that a commoner’s funeral is what is common and that even though this is his first experience with one, it is still considered common.

When the white lilies have floated far enough for Shouto to not be able to make them out anymore, he hops onto Soba and rides back into town. Which, was his intention until something else catches his watchful eye. A cluster of morning glories. That’s not very usual inside the woodlands. Shouto stops with Soba and he hops off before he approaches the morning glories and takes a closer look, perhaps they were not morning glories? Perhaps he could learn something if he observed a little more? Upon closer inspection, they were definitely morning glories. But a cluster by themselves on the skirts of the woodlands? A little more unusual. Shouto looks at the surroundings and then further into the woodlands. Shouto discovers the skeleton flowers in which he had found fascinating from a young age, though not as much when he learnt the science behind it, and even less so when his father told him not to dwell on the commoner’s flowers. He liked that something so delicate could turn into such an aromatic berry.

“Should we head in?” Shouto asks Soba.

Soba huffs and stomps one of his foot on the dirt path they will soon stray from. Shouto interprets it as a why not? So, he steps foot into the woodlands, Soba behind him. The sky was still bright, he still had time to explore, he didn’t want to return back to the palace yet. Shouto followed what seemed like random patches of flowers, it is definitely taking his fancy. More than random, it seemed as though the flowers were guiding him, taking him deeper into the woodlands and farther away from civilisation. Shouto isn’t sure exactly how long he had followed the strange isolated flowers for, but what he finds at what is seemingly the end of the path is breathtaking.

There in the middle of a cleared patch of the woodlands stood a cosy looking cottage built out of tan coloured bricks. The light that seeped past the woodlands only highlighted the cottage. There was a chimney without smoke, there were vines crawling along the sides of the cottage with flowers blooming. But more so than that, what was even more fascinating and what captured Shouto’s attention even more were the generous amount of wisteria around the cottage, the violet hue charmed his eyes. They swayed very delicately with the wind. He could smell the flowers. The wisteria hung in beautifully sculptured arcs around the cottage, it was as though the cottage itself was sitting in a sea of wisteria. Blinking a couple of times, Shouto then sees himself examining what appears to be a mini field of hydrangeas, common, but beautiful in the colour it ranges in, and it was as though whoever tended to this garden knew exactly the science to create the gradual change from that light pink to that crisper blue. It complimented the elegant wisteria that looked as though they were dropping from heaven to earth and turning into hydrangeas.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Without hesitation, Shouto approaches the garden, he stares at the wisteria with stars in his eyes. Each petal appeared delicate and dainty. The colours were not solid and it gave the flowers a heavenly glow. He wonders if heaven is the image the owner of the cottage had in mind when the garden was tended to. Because it sure matched with Shouto’s image of what heaven could be like. He blows a puff of air at the wisteria and watches the flowers move with his short puff of air for that split second. He wonders if there’s a breeze in heaven. Wonders if flowers will also move if someone also sends a puff of air at it.

He looks through the leaves, the branches, the flowers and finds himself almost creepily peering through the garden, he finds himself looking back at those same white lilies that he had seen earlier. Except they weren’t sitting on someone whose soul had left and body was to be offered to the lake in the woodlands. The lilies were sitting in what Shouto caught glimpses of as a delicate pond. Shouto pulls away a little and blinks a few times. He turns his gaze elsewhere.

Shouto swallows thickly when he bends down slightly to study the hydrangeas. A particular dark pink one takes his fancy. He thinks his mother would love to see this shade in her study. Unknowingly, Shouto takes his left hand off the hilt of his sword sitting at his waist and reaches out towards the hydrangea so that he can feel the floaty softness of the petals against his glove-free fingers.

Except that doesn’t happen when another hand reaches out from behind the hydrangeas and under the wisteria to smack his hand away from the hydrangeas.

Straight away, Shouto’s hand flies to his scabbard and hilt.

“Fuck off”, a boyish voice comes from behind the flowers, the hand retreating back within the flora.

Shouto is definitely on guard, his grip tightens, ready to defend himself if he needs to. But nothing happens even as he stands there. Rattled, Shouto changes his centre of gravity by shifting his foot in the dirt and then he shuffles forward a little bit.

“I told you to fuck off!” The voice comes again, this time the owner of the voice pops up from between the flora, an angry expression is stretched across his pale face, a messy heap of pale-blond hair covers his head. His eyes are big, the ruby red irises are striking against his features. The snarl, is unflattering however.

Blinking a couple of times, Shouto isn’t sure how to react except to move back and make sure there’s more space between him and this angry creature before him.

“Why are you still standing there? Fuck off already!”

Shouto clears his throat, “I wanted to take a closer look at the hydrangeas”

“And?”

“And I thought my mother might like it”, Shouto admits, a little bit taken aback that he was being questioned so forcefully, but he has nothing to hide, so he definitely does not mind stating the truth, in fact, it might be beneficial for him as it seems like the boy before him held some sort of authority over the area. He did have the guts to hit his hand after all.

“You thought you could steal from my garden?” The boy crosses his arms across his chest with a huff.

Shouto thinks that the movement of that rough cotton against skin must not feel very comfortable at all.

“Well”, the boy sneers, “you thought wrong”.

Shouto raises one hand and waves it to signal no, “I never intended to steal”, Shouto knows that the thought of picking the flowers to bring home to his mother definitely ran through his head, but the thought of how to return never ran by him. Despite that, he knows not to steal, in fact, he’s never ever had to steal in his life at all. Shouto reaches into his pockets and pulls out a couple of silvers, “I have money”.

“Money can’t buy you everything, you shit”, is the reply Shouto receives straight away without missing a beat. The boy’s voice is still laced with anger. Shouto starts to think that furrowed expression may be the only expression the other can make. The boy doesn’t even look at the silver, he glances at it with minimal attention.

“What can I give you in return?” Shouto asks, confused at the other’s words. Because what can’t money buy?

The boy sighs and rolls his eyes, “nothing”, he looks Shouto up and down and then – it isn’t something Shouto isn’t use to when he leaves the palace, the commoners look, some stare and most only glance. “Even if you’re a noble”, the boys spits out with distaste, “unless you’re the all mighty king who fuckin’ owns all this land, then sod off”. The boy makes excessive movements and waves his arms around to further exaggerate his claim.

Shouto raises his eyebrows. He finds amusement in that statement. Because Shouto knows it as a fact that he will one day be king. So even if he doesn’t own this land now, he will, eventually. It’ll all happen, it’s just a matter of time. Even if the hydrangeas aren’t his now, they will be in the future. And that’s the truth. It’s the wide movements of the hands and the rebellious attitude that makes Shouto act almost impulsively as he removes his hand from the hilt and catches the boy’s wrist in both hands with precision.

Straight away, the boy’s expression morphs into shock, he opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

“If you’re always this rude”, Shouto spoke and looked straight into the boy’s eyes, “you’re going to get yourself into trouble one day”, Shouto lets go of the boy’s hand and sighs, “well then”, he dusts his sleeves from habit, “can you point me to where I can obtain some hydrangea?”

“Fuck off”, the boy cusses and waves his hand dismissively, “and don’t bloody come back”.

Shouto purses his lips and his eyebrows quirk slightly. He turns around and walks away from the brick cottage surrounded by the beautiful flowers and walks back towards Soba, “come on”, he pats Soba gently so that Soba knows to follow him. They follow the same path back, winding through what appears to be his version of Hansel and Gretel’s bread crumbs. Shouto resists the urge to turn around and bask himself in the warm feelings the flowers were displaying, the fresh floral scent, he felt, still lingered around him even though he was barely there and did not even touch the petals. To him, it really represented the outdoors. Shouto thinks that his mother would enjoy that very much.

As Shouto leads Soba back towards town, he is on the lookout for any flowers that take to his fancy to bring back to his mother. She’s on his mind as he travels through the markets again, this time, not just dawdling around and seeing sights and breathing in the life that the town gives, but on the lookout for something that could further brighten up his mother’s face. He sees wild daisies, foxgloves and common bluebells. Shouto stops and picks some. He’s not very good at coordinating them – that he knows, flower arrangement was an area he never delved in. But he’s sure his mother will appreciate the gesture regardless. He finds a couple selling flowers, a wide variety, but no wisteria or hydrangea. And definitely no white lilies, not that he would present his mother with white lilies now that he knows what the townspeople do with the white lilies. He picks out a couple of wine-red roses with the help of the busty lady who has a wide smile and frazzled blond hair. She tells him it doesn’t really go with his bluebells and wild daisies, but Shouto doesn’t really mind at all. She frowns and passes what he assumes is her husband a questioning expression but doesn’t say anything else and graciously accepts the couple of copper Shouto passes her. When the lady mentions that perhaps he should dispose of the foxglove, Shouto doesn’t question why.

Gingerly, Shouto sits on Soba’s back and rides back home; to the palace. His palace. Soon. The guards obviously spot him from quite the distance away. They stood tall and proud at the entrance, at the open gates, ready to invite their prince back home. Shouto nods at them but says nothing else as he continues on. He takes Soba back to the stables and rewards him with some more carrots. The stable boy is already at his feet, ready to listen to whatever Shouto commands him to do. Shouto nods again and throws one of the apples into the stable boy’s hands, “Here, have this”. The stable boy clearly appreciates the gesture as he bumbles out his gratitude as he bows at 90 degrees. Shouto purses his lips before he grabs what he has left of his shopping – Fuyumi’s ornament, the fresh bread and his flowers. For the second time of that day, Shouto makes his way back towards the south wing. It was as though his mother never moved. Still in the same room.

“Shouto”, she seems pleased to see her youngest son.

“Mother”, Shouto greets back before handing her the flowers, “they’re in bloom in the town”.

Her smile widens as she accepts the flowers, she smells them before asking her personal maid to grab a vase with water, “They’re stunning”.

Shouto smiles back. He knew that she would like them. Every little thing that he can bring from the outside world back to his mother to give her reminder of what it was like to be outside of the palace walls, to paint that delicate smile back on her face again, he’s willing to do so.

Excitedly, Shouto takes out the ornament he had chosen for Fuyumi and shows his mother, “What do you think, mother?”

She quirks her eyebrows and gives Shouto a fond smile before shaking her head a few times, “It’s dainty, but I don’t think Fuyumi is quite well suited for something, like this”.

Shouto stares at the ornament and nods. He doesn’t quite understand, but his mother knows better anyway. If that’s so, he wonders if it’s even worth presenting the ornament to Fuyumi, she may find it just as dainty as his mother. At least he knows that’s a nice way of saying I wouldn’t wear that, but why he doesn’t understand, he’s not sure if he will ever understand or if he even wants to in the first place. When he thinks back on it, his back against his welcoming bed and his torso covered in the comfiest goose feather doona, Shouto thinks he does want to understand. If he is to become King one day, he will have to understand the people he governs. His family, included.

The maid returns with a vase for the queen to rearrange the flowers she was gifted with. Shouto watches before motioning for the maid to return with a pot of tea, he holds up his small bag of not-entirely-fresh bread anymore. It would go well with a nice pot of tea.

“Shouto, you really don’t have a keen eye for flowers”, Shouto’s mother chides lightly.

Shouto almost pouts, but he stops himself, it is unbecoming for the crown prince to wear such an ugly facial expression, “What do you mean, mother? They are all lively, none of them are wilted”.

A chuckle escapes the queen, “That’s not what I meant, roses are good in itself, but bluebells, foxglove and wild daisies?” She turns around and gives Shouto a smile, “I’m glad that you were born as the crown prince”.

Shouto knows he should take offence to those words, but they were coming from his mother, so he can’t help but only see it as teasing. He knows he’s lacking in the area of flower knowledge, but surely, bluebells, foxgloves and wild daisies aren’t that bad, are they? He thinks they’re nice to look at, somewhat pretty. The pot of tea arrives and Shouto shares the bread with his mother, she laughs at him a little - we have people to make bread here for us, why did you go buy bread outside?

They talk about whatever topic comes to mind, sometimes littered with a gentle banter. It’s warm and fills Shouto’s heart up. He avoids the topic of the funeral procession and the not majestic but still breath-taking cottage and garden. And that young boy with the messy pale blond hair and shining red orbs. Also, with a stinking attitude.

When Shouto leaves, he misses the sad look his mother passes as she looks out her wide window, to an area they both know she wants to go towards, but struggles to. He gets roped into more politic talk and ushered into his own study to go over the geography of their kingdom and how to best use each area to their full potential. It is boring. Shouto knows it off by heart, he could recite it whilst he’s asleep, and it sucks, because all these places sound amazing, and each has their own pitfalls, but he’s barely been to any of them, he usually sits in the palace, being spoon-fed all of this information and never gets to experience anything for himself. Sure, taking a trip into town is kind of fun, but there’s a limit.

That does however serve as a reminder, and Shouto quickly scurries into their main library and goes through all their maps. He’s curious about that cottage in the woodlands. He doesn’t remember it ever being highlighted in his studies, which either means it’s not important enough, or it’s never been documented before. The garden was so beautiful, it was ethereal. He had never seen anything like it. He wants his mother to see it. He can’t locate the cottage in the royal maps, but at least he has a general idea of which area it’s in.

The thought of skipping dinner does run through Shouto’s complicated-thought filled mind, but he knows better than to show any signs of defiance. He makes sure he’s presentable before he makes way to dinner. The rest of his immediate family also there on the table, all dressed immaculately appropriate. Shouto remembers the rags the boy at the cottage was wearing and his face disfigures slightly at the thought of himself wearing something like that to dinner. Or any event. Or any circumstance within the castle. The expression on his family’s faces might be worth seeing, or God no, the horror in the King’s attendants. The idea is amusing, but Shouto knows it’s more trouble than it is worth for that split second of joy and laughter.

Everything seems to run in a cycle, Shouto wakes up and is bathed and dressed and presents for breakfast before he joins his father for another meeting with his advisors and attendants, it takes up most of the morning, sometimes he will have time for morning tea with his mother, other times, he won’t. This one morning, he didn’t. He then has the rest of the day for himself if he had behaved and contributed enough during the meeting earlier in the day, otherwise it was back to slaving himself away under piles and piles of historical books, strategical books. The art of the sword however, was still something he looked forward to honing and continually improving despite it being something his father is so very keen for Shouto to become the best in. Shouto’s confidence with his skills is sky-high. Knowledge is power, he is told, but he also knows that knowing the art of attack and defense with his choice of weapon can also lead to great things.

It isn’t a couple of days later in which Shouto found himself with time (in which he forcefully made) for himself to explore the town again. With an eagerness that’s been exemplified before, but now doubled, he takes off on Soba and rides into town, over the well paved roads that slowly becomes less and less well paved, signalling the entrance into a lower hierarchy. He passes by other nobles and nods at them, knowing full well they don’t know who he is, most likely assuming that he’s just like them. But he isn’t. Though he has days where he wishes he isn’t the should-be-celebrated crown prince. He wonders if he’d be more well versed in the art of flower if he born as a noble, and not as the crown prince. Perhaps if he were born as a commoner, he’d be able to interact with the stable boy better, with the guards, with the attendants, after all, they too were all born as commoners.

This time, Shouto doesn’t hang around the marketplace. He has a strong intention, and he will follow it as he slips through the familiar alley in which he had mapped perfectly in his head from his last visit into town. The paths wind until Shouto is led out of town, he soon sees the woodlands and Shouto is on the lookout for the strangely placed shrub of flowers. That, he knows should not be there, he’d intelligently say that those flowers were planted there by the cottage owners as a symbol, so that they’d never be lost on their way home. As Shouto has been to the mystical cottage once, it was easy to find again, he found many things along the way he felt familiar with, knowing he had seen the exact path just mere days ago.

When the clearing was in view and Shouto let his eyes bathe in the glow of the cottage and the absolutely stunning garden, he felt his heart soar in excitement. It made his heart beat faster, his hands gripped tighter into fists and he could feel all the signs of his body becoming thrilled at the sight. The wisteria appeared even more elegant than he last remembered, the hydrangeas even more delicate than his memories. Shouto is not hesitant when he takes more and more steps forward, it doesn’t matter if the boy is there to chase him off again, he simply wanted to admire the garden. And show his mother.

Soba stays in the periphery as Shouto makes his way forward, he approaches the garden and stares openly with admiration. Once Shouto takes another step forward with his right hand extending towards the flowers again, the boy, as expected pops up suddenly from the flowers with an angry scowl and an even angrier tone of voice, “Fuck off already!”

The boy really made the atmosphere of the garden turn sour. Shouto frowns and tries to match the other’s glare. “I haven’t even touched the flowers”, Shouto hears himself say, he knows he shouldn’t be getting childish and overly immature like this, but he can’t himself as he frowns.

“You were going to! Your stinking fingers are going to kill the flowers!”

Frowning even deeper, Shouto looks at the other with confusion, how are his gentle fingers going to kill the flowers? The boy made no sense.

The boy has the audacity to rolls his eyes at Shouto before he hisses out his next words, “You’re on private property by the way, so bloody leave already!”

“I-”, Shouto starts but is interrupted straight away.

“I don’t give a cow’s ass that you’re some golden noble who only knows how to ride on his gallant white horse!” The boy spits out, “Go away already!”

If anything, it’s the boy who has the stinking attitude and a tongue out to kill. And no, Shouto does not have a pair of stinking hands out to kill flowers. “Look”, Shouto says firmly and crosses his arms at his chest, “why are you so upset, I’m not going to steal these flowers”, Shouto nods at the flowers in general. He isn’t even sure if the flowers belong to the boy. He sure looked young, no older than him, surely, and definitely dressed in rags, there’s no way he can afford all of this beauty. Right?

“Katsuki!” A booming voice interrupts Shouto’s staring contest with the boy.

Immediately, Shouto jumps back and turns his attention towards where the voice came from, his dominant hand already on the hilt of his trusty sword. Eyes narrowing out of habit, Shouto surveys his current situation. His frown turns from one of stupefied anger to that of mild surprise when he sees himself looking at a familiar face. It was the same lady who had helped him with the roses not too many days ago. Back in town. For his own mother. He watches as the lady stalk forward and then roughly bring a hard hand down on the boy’s – Katsuki’s - head.

“Fuck!” Katsuki complains straight away, “You bloody old hag!”

Shouto flinches at the impact and immediately brings a hand up to the scar marring the left part of his face. He is left to think about his own mother. Though he would never ever address his mother so rudely.

“I could hear you pick a fight from the edge of the woodlands, you brat!” The nice lady growls out, “Is that how you always behave whilst we’re out?”

Katsuki ducks and disappears behind the flowers with the click of his tongue.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that”, the lady then turns and looks apologetically at Shouto, her tone of voice now sweet. Shouto is surprised at how quickly her tone of voice changed.

“It’s-”, Shouto stars but gets shut down by the lady’s sweet voice. He’s surprised as only his parents have interrupted him whilst he’s speaking, no one else has ever dared to, and instead uses the time to take a better look at her. Katsuki does look rather like this lady before him. They must be related; he has grounds to believe even more that they are mother and son.”

“I hope my little rascal didn’t say anything too rude, most of the things he says, he doesn’t mean”, the lady shakes her head, “if only his dad didn’t spoil him to much”, she turns around and points accusingly at the man in which Shouto also recognises and he only rubs his head sheepishly.

Shouto doesn’t even know what to say at the other’s boisterousness.

“Mama, don’t say that”, the father says calmly, walks up and places a gentle hand on his wife’s shoulder. She rolls her eyes but does stop talking. Shouto is starting to see the resemblance between her and her son. And it wasn’t just the physical appearance. Their behaviour and personality are also very similar.

“Is there anything we can do for you today, young Sir?” The father asks in a soft tone, his face smiling.

Shouto isn’t unaccustomed to be referred to as young master or young Sir when in town, it just felt rather strange hearing it after he was almost butting heads with Katsuki. Shouto regains his composure quickly, “I wanted to know how much the wisteria and hydrangea are? I didn’t see them being sold in town”.

“They’re not for sale”, the mother replies without missing a beat, her tone is serious and free of the magnitude of anger and faux embarrassment she held before.

Shouto’s expression remains neutral. He does however wonder why it is so difficult to buy some flowers. Commoners were strange. He had thought that they all bowed down to the nobles, he thought they lived knowing that everything they owned actually belonged to the King and by extension, somewhat, his relatives as well.

“These flowers, or really, this garden belongs to our son, Katsuki”, the father interjects, “he tends to it daily, if it’s flowers you desire, we have many”, he turns and gestures to his cart filled with a variety of flowers, amongst them, Shouto recognises the roses he had bought for his mother the last time he was in town. It only made him more certain that they were the vendors he had visited previously.

Sighing, Shouto rests his arm on the hilt of his sword as he wonders what his next step should be. He misses the flinches from the mother and father before him. Shouto hums for a bit, pondering about the best way to get his hands on the flowers, “I’d like the flowers, can you direct me to where I can buy some wisteria and hydrangea?”

“I’m afraid, no one in the area sells them”, the father explains, “I’ll talk to Katsuki, he may have some seeds you can have”.

Shouto can’t tell what to make of that decision, but he feels he should be somewhat satisfied that there is a solution to something it seems he can’t have unless he takes it by force. His arm that rests on the hilt of his sword is a clear reminder that he can if he so wishes. His status as well, is just another reminder.

“Let me go talk to the brat”, the mother states as she makes her way around and into the garden where Katsuki had disappeared to. Not long after, Shouto knows that she’s found him and probably demanded for the seeds, because he hears shouting. Angry shouting with prominent sulking in the tone. Shouto doesn’t know why, but he makes eye contact with the father. He smiles back, and Shouto knows from that smile that it’s supposed to be, that it’s normal to hear that squabble. As the arguing increased, Shouto raised his eyebrows and shifted his centre of gravity to his other foot. He wanted to ask whether the father should perhaps step in and calm the arguing. But Shouto holds his tongue, it isn’t his position to suggest or interrupt.

Eventually, the mother does come back with two small pouches, but before she can even hand the fabric pouches to Shouto or explain anything, Katsuki rushes from behind the garden and grabs the pouches from her hands.

“Don’t take my things, you old hag!” Katsuki says loudly as he holds the pouches close to his chest.

“Katsuki!” The mother scolds as she reaches out and grabs her son’s wrist tightly so that she can pry the pouches away from her son, “Listen to me!” She hits him on the head again for good measure.

Shouto assumes that if the mother hadn’t taken a good look at him again, she would’ve thrown the pouches at him and told him to fuck off herself. But Shouto is handed the pouches. He takes them and looks at the mother wondering if there is anything she wants to say to him.

Except, it’s the father who speaks. “Please forgive us with this”.

Shouto swallows hard. It’s not like he thought about bringing any harm to them even if it meant he couldn’t get his hands on the flowers – or whatever – he wanted, fresh or not. It pains him ever so slightly to know that that is how he is seen by the commoners.

“I’m sure your gardener will know what to do with the seeds”, the father says before bowing.

That is something Shouto does not doubt. They do have the best gardeners in the country after all. He takes out some silver from his leather pouch, reaches out to take the father’s hand and places the silver pieces in the man’s hand, “I am grateful, thank you for your help”. He knows when his presence isn’t desired. Shouto knows and believes in his intelligence. So, he leaves with Soba trailing behind him. Shouto opens up one pouch and sees some pods, he assumes the seeds are within the pods, he isn’t sure whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, but doesn’t have much knowledge on growing individual plants, agriculture as a whole, sure. Shouto opens the other pouch and peers in. The seeds – he assumes – are tiny. He hopes he hasn’t been tricked by the family. Because what was in the pouch looks like a collection – a dump - of dust more than anything.

When Shouto does return and shows the gardener what he has found down in town amongst the commoners, he finds it slightly difficult to read the gardener’s expression. He does however, feel impressed that the gardener does recognise the pods belonging to the wisteria family, the dust like seeds belonging to the hydrangeas. It may have taken the gardener some sniffing and some examination with a magnifier, but he was definitely skilled.

“Your highness, this will take many seasons to grow and develop”, the gardener informs Shouto, “if you would like to see the blossoms earlier, I can arrange for that to happen”.

Shouto knows he should’ve thought about it more realistically. The gardener is right, it would take many moons, many cycles, many stages for it to look anything like the garden Katsuki was tending to. If he wants to bring that magic just a step faster into the palace, on the castle grounds, for his mother’s viewing pleasure, perhaps seeds are not the best way to go. “And how soon can you arrange for that to happen?”

The gardener replies promptly, “at least half a moon cycle, your highness”.

Two weeks. Shouto thinks the two weeks will definitely be shorter than the however many years the seeds will take to grow into size. He’d be stupid to say no. “Alright then, arrange for that to happen”, Shouto then holds out a hand and the gardener knows straight away to place the pouches back into Shouto’s outstretched hand. “I want the flowers for my mother, arrange them beautifully in her garden”, Shouto doesn’t request, he orders. He knows he’s not great at it, he doesn’t use it too often, but it is something he would use if there was something he desired.

That sight he saw in the woodlands, he definitely wants his mother to have her own. She deserved more and definitely nothing less.

Shouto makes his way back into the castle, the pouches he had popped in his trouser pockets light and he can’t feel them per-say, but he thinks perhaps that there’s a note there that provides enough weight for him to know that the pouches are still there. As Shouto makes his way through the high ceiling corridors, he believes it’s because of the way the pouches were forcefully taken from their owner. Now, it shouldn’t be something that surprises him, it’s the way the kingdom works. He’s read about it in history books, the weak will fall, the strong will thrive. It may be well decorated and entirely subdued in history books, but it’s not like the truth is not there in the very depths.

Deep down, Shouto knows it’s the right thing to do to return the seeds. However, it doesn’t hurt if just in case, the gardener’s plans don’t work out, or if it just isn’t right, then Shouto will have a backup. That, he knows is always the key to success, so Shouto leaves the pouches of seeds in one of his drawers. He hopes that he’d be able to remember which drawer he’d placed it in.

With that, Shouto grabs the commoner’s ornament he had bought for his sister before he makes his way to find her, just in case she might want to keep it in her drawer, even if she may never wear it. Unfortunately, things do not go his way as he is stalled by a maid who sends word that King Enji is looking for him.

Sighing deeply and with resolve, Shouto does not make his way with hurry to the King, he paces himself at a regular speed, he won’t delay the meeting, but he also won’t rush there as though his life depended on it, because he doubts it ever will be. He knows what he means to his father. He knows what he means to the country. To the peace and to the citizens. He’s indispensable.

Shouto plays with the ring on his thumb and presses his fingers against the edges, the intricate design with the emblem of their kingdom embedded into it. It was a sign of power, of lineage, of his blood and who he will eventually be. Perhaps it was a habit out of nervousness, but it wasn’t something Shouto will let bring him down. Even against his own father, he will stand tall and proud, knowing who he is himself and not letting his father’s opinions strip him down and turn him back into the obedient son he was supposed to be.

King Enji sits in his drawing room and barely looks up when Shouto knocks, announces who he is and then enters when told to.

“Shouto”, King Enji’s voice sounds tired, “you’ve been down in town with the commoners quite often”.

Grunting, Shouto acknowledges the statement. He knows his manners could be better, but it’s fine. All he’d get is a little reprimanding, nothing more. He knows his father can’t afford to lose him. He can take advantage of that knowledge and get away with things he didn’t think he could’ve when he was much, much younger, and much more naïve. Still, he wonders who has been speaking of him. The guards at the gate maybe. Surely not the stable boy.

“Don’t give me any illegitimate grand-children”, King Enji states firmly, this time he does look up and stare straight at his son, “he won’t be able to become King”.

Shouto knows very well the implication of those words. But honestly, his father need not to be worried. He isn’t down in the red-light districts caressing the girls there. He isn’t doing anything of the sort. “I promise you, that won’t happen”, Shouto replies, eyes just as hardened. He knows it won’t happen. He has utmost confidence in that.

“So long as you understand”, King Enji says with approval, “can’t have dirty blood in the family after all”.

Shouto mentally rolls his eyes. Just like his oldest brother. Honestly, every time his father, or his family brings up this topic, he just wants to call it quits. He was raised to have the same loyalty and burning desire to keep that loyalty within the family, but unfortunately, he grew out of it all too quickly. Shouto does think that it would be nice to have children of his own one day, however. If even he grew up well within the cold castle walls, he’s sure any children he will have, will grow up decently as well. Plus, the castle is home to the best food, the best education, there isn’t much more he can ask for. Right?

The topic raised by his father lingers at the back of his head as he eats dinner with the family, it’s a quiet ordeal filled with reoccurring topics. Always the same topics, over and over, slightly tweaked and glossed over on some days and thoroughly discussed other days. He wishes for his mother to one day be able to sit at the dining table and eat with them. However, her condition even though it’s not worsening she seems to be bound to her own wing still. The thought makes Shouto sad.

Shouto once again finds himself on horseback as he trots out of the castle and into the village again, by passing the markets that once captivated him and almost stole his soul. He makes his way to Katsuki’s garden. He doesn’t even need to wonder if it’ll be just as captivating, he knows it will be. The couple of times he’s been has been stunning, and judging from Katsuki and his parents’ reaction, the garden is always well tended to. Granted, he had visited in a very short span of time, it would be difficult for the garden to change ferociously.

And as expected. Katsuki’s garden still remained marvellous. Shouto enjoyed the way the garden appears to look different the closer he gets to it. From afar, it appeared to be an array of organised colours, as he approached, the petals became distinct and the picture became clearer, the colours didn’t blend into each other as much, the presence became almost overwhelming. It was beautiful.

Until Katsuki popped his head out with an angry scowl.

“Fuck off!” Katsuki’s voice is nasty and aggressive, but it doesn’t deter Shouto. “Keep coming here and I’ll use your dead body as food for my hydrangeas!” Shouto would like to believe that they’re empty threats, nothing he should be afraid of, though technically, Shouto can have Katsuki arrested for threatening to murder the sovereign. It’s treason. Though it would be a shame were that really to happen. Someone who is so skilful in the garden, someone who can plant such an artistic scenery would be a waste in prison, rotting away until the end of time. Which in this case is the end of the current ruling era. Plus, Katsuki is clearly all bark and no bite.

Though the punishment for treason is more likely to be death and not life in prison…

“You’re not concerned that your hydrangeas might wilt from taking up my unwelcome nutrients?” Shouto asks, curious to know how Katsuki will react.

Katsuki laughs cruelly, “Once you’re dead, you’re dead, doesn’t matter if you’re a noble or a commoner, status means nothing, you’ll still be fine food for my plants”.

Shouto smirks at the response.

“Now piss off!” Katsuki demands.

Shouto shakes his head, he’s very calm when he replies, “No, I want to treat my eyes to the beauty of the garden you have created”.

Katsuki clicks his tongue, and he must’ve determined that this is using up too much of his time, his head pops back into the garden and Shouto hears a string of colourful words escape Katsuki.

With Soba by his side, Shouto rests outside of the garden he admires the blossoms and the tranquil atmosphere the woods surround him with. Surprisingly, Katsuki was awfully quiet. Now curious at the lack of Katsuki’s presence. Shouto signals for Soba to stay where he is. With minimal noise, Shouto sneaks up towards the garden and peaks into it, wondering where Katsuki could’ve gone or what he could be doing. What Shouto does find is a stick to his forehead, harshly.

Katsuki’s gruff voice rings out loudly, “What are you looking at you nosy scum!?”

Of all things he hadn’t expected Katsuki to shove a stick in his face and poke him out of his garden. Though he really should’ve expected something along those lines. Honestly. Rubbing his now sore forehead (Katsuki really did not hold back in strength), Shouto returns the scowl as he peers through the leaves and stares at Katsuki’s eyes. They’re a bright shade of red. They were pretty, like flowers, but! But!! Shouto shakes his head, “How can you go around injuring people like this?”

“Why are you putting your feet in other people’s privacy?” Katsuki shouts at Shouto.

Shouto crosses his arms. He was just curious. He will soon own all the land, so why does it matter?

It matters because Katsuki doesn’t know that.

“Just go home!” Katsuki shoos him away.

Agitated, Shouto does turn around and beckons Soba to follow him. He will be leaving for the day, with plans to return soon.

Soon, it turns out was the following day. Shouto rides into the woodlands on Soba’s back again, this time, feeling less agitated than the mood he left in the day before. Katsuki’s garden appears to be beautiful still. Breathtaking just like the way Shouto first laid eyes on it.

“I’ve had enough!!” Katsuki’s booming voice disrupts Shouto from his open admiration of the beauty before him.

“Katsuki”, Shouto acknowledges.

“You!” Katsuki jabs a fabric glove clad finger into Shouto’s chest, not caring for the dust that crumbles from the material of his glove and drops onto the finer material Shouto wears.

“Me?” Shouto doesn’t move from his position and lets Katsuki continue to jab at him, the dirt on his clothes gives him a small wrinkle of his nose, but nothing more. He can always have another set tailored for him after all. No major loss there.

And maybe Katsuki was waiting for him? That’s why he came out of his garden to greet him. Maybe Katsuki wants to show him the beauty of the garden he’s been tending to. Because that would be nice, he does want to see more of the garden and learn more about it. Shouto reminds himself to take a look into the rows and rows of horticulture books his family owns, maybe he’ll gain some insight to Katsuki’s garden.

“No kidding!” Katsuki throws up his arms dramatically, “Get lost!” Katsuki jabs him again, “I told you to stop coming!” Katsuki jabs Shouto’s chest again and again, “Stop stalking me already!”

“S-Stalking!?” Shouto is surprised, that is not what he had expected to hear at all! He is most definitely not stalking. How Katsuki even came to that conclusion is befuddling. Shouto denies the accusation, his voice quick to garner some calm, like he has been taught from a young age, his expression immediately turning neutral, “I am not stalking you”.

“Oh”, Katsuki throws his head back sarcastically, “you aren’t now, huh?” Katsuki roughly pushes Shouto away, “Coming to infiltrate on my garden, which mind you is private property-”

“The king owns the lands”, Shouto politely corrects the other by interrupting.

“Well mister noble-piece-of-shit, you’re not the king, are you?” Katsuki crosses his arms, “I live here, and we don’t want any uninvited guests, so scram!”

Shouto frowns. He will be king soon. His frown deepens. It’s not like he can tell Katsuki that. Though, to be honest, he doesn’t want to tell anyone that piece of information, not that he can’t. He plays mindlessly with the ring bearing the emblem of the sovereign. Shouto clicks his tongue. “I’m visiting the garden, I’m not stalking you”, he stresses his words and wonders if that’s enough for Katsuki to understand. He doesn’t. Because Katsuki continues to give him a doubtful look. Shouto personally believes that there is nothing to doubt however.

Katsuki curses a few times again and stomps on Shouto’s foot. How childish, Shouto thinks as he winces in pain.

“What do you want from me?” Katsuki is upset and it’s written all over his face. Even Shouto can tell.

“I”, Shouto collects himself and brushes off invisible dust from his vest, “I just want to admire your garden”, Shouto tries to look as sincere as he can, “I am not here to harass you”.

Katsuki rolls his eyes, “Says the noble with a gallant white horse and his fucking sword at his hip”, the distaste is evident.

“Soba”, Shouto states with a firm nod, “that’s the name of my gallant white horse”. He gives Katsuki a small smile. “Isn’t he beautiful?”

Flustered, Katsuki takes a few steps back, his face turns red in anger “I didn’t ask!” He then takes a large step forward and kicks Shouto in the shin before turning around and heading back into his garden fuming and stomping.

Shouto sighs.

“And go away!” Katsuki yells back as he throws a rock in Shouto’s general direction. Katsuki must have very good aim because it lands on Shouto’s right cheek. Shouto touches his cheek to make sure there’s no blood – there’s barely any blood but it’s still blood. And he knows he should probably get it treated.

Desolated, Shouto sighs again and hops onto Soba’s back before riding back towards the castle.

Katsuki was a difficult person to deal with. But Shouto wants to continue visiting the garden, a scene he wouldn’t even be able to imagine or dream about. It was that beautiful. After making sure Soba is happy back in his stable, Shouto goes back into the castle to find his mother.

When Shouto presents to his mother, she doesn’t look pleased as she quickly rushes to him and touch his marred cheek. Shouto keeps his lips pressed and makes no comment over his mother’s hassling. The small mark created by the piece of rock Katsuki threw at him is nothing compared to the trauma of the kettle of hot water that caused the scar on his face. He knows his mother knows and that she knows that he knows, but they don’t discuss it.

It can’t be healthy.

But it really is not a topic they will discuss. Because Shouto has forgiven her. He has never blamed her from the start even though it burned and occasionally kept him up at night and made him feel awfully self-conscious of his appearance.

Rei cleans his wound and asks her son what happened.

Shouto shrugs, “Just a small scuffle.” It wasn’t really… but, well, he doesn’t have enough courage to admit to his mother that a commoner threw a rock at him because he thought he was getting stalked. Obviously, it was far from the truth. But it annoyed him and made him feel a loosening of control of his temper.

Instead, Shouto tells his mother about everything else he has seen in the day, the small things Soba did that he thought he could get away with, the sound of the children in the streets and the hustle and bustle in the market. Sometimes, Shouto isn’t sure how much he should go on about because he thinks his mother misses the outside world the more he talks about it. But he wants to also tell her so she can have the chance of a more vivid imagination. He hopes he isn’t being cruel.

“I heard you were frolicking with a commoner”, Enji shakes his head in dismay, he sighs as he looks at his son, his successor.

Shouto rudely crosses his arms and tilts his chin up as he stares at the looming figure of his father, even his height was enough to put pressure on people. But Shouto is use to it, he’s been living with it his whole life, it’s hard to not get accustomed to it even though Enji continues to put him on his toes. He is sure that his father had heard about the commoner through his mother. After all, she’s the only one who knows. Yet, Shouto is also sure that his parents aren’t on speaking terms… Shouto clicks his tongue rudely. Must be his father and his all-seeing eyes.

“I’ve finished my jobs”, Shouto stresses, “you shouldn’t have a problem with what I do in my spare time”.

“I do”, Enji’s expression hardens, “especially if your actions are going to produce an illegitimate child”.

Shouto scoffs. He knows it’s because his father is concerned that it may be an illegitimate child he won’t be able to have easy access to. To finish off.

“Perhaps stricter rules need to be in place”, Enji sighs again, “or perhaps all it’ll take is the arrest of the commoner you’re frolicking around with, end her life before she can produce anything”.

Shouto glares. They’re not even implications anymore. “You won’t be getting any illegitimate grandchildren”, Shouto states confidently, “he’s a man. And we’re not doing any frolicking or whatever nonsense you’re going on about”.

Enji hums thoughtfully as Shouto turns around and storms off with his ill-temper.

Katsuki. He has got to be talking about Katsuki, Shouto barely interacts with any other commoner. In fact, he barely interacts with Katsuki at all! He also hasn’t talked much about any other commoner but Katsuki.

Before the two weeks is even up regarding the flowers he had ordered from out of the castle for his mother, his gardener reports to him that he has received a pigeon informing him that there is a lack of supply due to the current drought.

Shouto frowns. He looks at the gardener who looks overly anxious and most definitely tight. Immediately, Shouto schools his expression, he realised his disappointment was most definitely showing on his face. “That’s fine.” Shouto replies curtly. It can’t be helped after all, plus, he has a back-up plan, and a back-up back-up plan. “I’ll give you the seeds, plant them as you see fit in the garden my mother oversees.” Shouto orders before he walks off without waiting to hear what the gardener has to say.

He makes sure the seeds get to the gardener’s hands and watches as the gardener sorts them before he takes the pouches back and placing it back in the drawer in his room.

“I have a surprise for you.” Shouto announces to his mother during morning tea.

Rei looks up at her son with a smile to grace her features, “Oh?” She sounds intrigued.

Shouto takes a seat and returns the smile, “Not now though, it’s in progress,” Shouto bites his lips so he doesn’t say too much and reveal his plans to his mother entirely. There’s a small silence as Rei waits for Shouto to gather his words. Shouto knows he isn’t the best at communicating, even though he has been told recklessly over the years that communication is key to leading your kingdom to success. He hopes his love and care for his mother can be conveyed to her. “It’s something for you to look forward to, mother.”

Rei chuckles lightly and Shouto thinks that she’s anticipating it. He hopes that when the garden is done, it’ll live up to her expectations. He doesn’t want to let her down. As Shouto goes through some literature, he enjoys a cup of freshly brewed tea from leaves in the royal tea garden with his mother.

That afternoon, Shouto takes Soba to Katsuki’s garden again. He doesn’t understand why Katsuki’s garden can look so vibrant and beautiful compared to everything else he has seen in town. Enough for him to feel intrigued enough to come back often to see the garden.

This time, however, Shouto has barely approached the garden when Katsuki pops up from behind the garden and glares at him. “Are you fucking serious?” Katsuki does not sound happy, “You got what you want so go away already!”

Shouto sighs. He thinks that he could probably win an award for having to deal with such a rude commoner. “I am simply viewing; I’m not going to be in your way.”

“You better be!” Katsuki warns before he huffs and stomps his way back into his garden.

Giving Soba a look, Shouto signs that he won’t be long. He walks up to the garden, and expectedly, Katsuki realises and sticks his head out from behind the hydrangea straight away. The sight was rather funny and it really did not suit Katsuki’s personality.

“How many times does one need you to go away before you understand?” Katsuki spits out angrily.

“I have some questions,” Shouto starts, no longer wanting to respond to Katsuki’s default comments.

“No.” Katsuki says before Shouto can even ask.

But that doesn’t deter Shouto. “The seeds I received from you-”

“Stole.” Katsuki corrects grumpily. Shouto doesn’t miss the pout on the other’s face and it makes Shouto feel as though he really did steal from a child. Which, he did not steal, but yes, Katsuki is very much a child at the moment.

Shouto continues to ignore Katsuki’s rude comments and interruptions, “I gave them to our gardener, but I have heard that in other parts of the land, there’s a drought so they’re not flourishing.”

“So?” Katsuki asks with a frown on his face.

“Do you have any tips for the seeds?” Shouto asks.

Katsuki laughs. Rudely still.

“I know that nothing is free in this world, so I am happy to pay you for what it’s worth.” Shouto says, hoping this is the answer he needed to give Katsuki. He holds out some coppers and silvers.

Katsuki raises one eyebrow at the other’s money.

“Not enough?” Shouto takes more silver from his pocket and presents it to Katsuki.

“I’m not asking for your dirty money.” Katsuki says dangerously. “All you nobles think you can buy everything you want.” He says quietly, “Stop coming here. All gardeners know what to do, so please do us both a favour and piss off.”

Shouto feels like he should be offended. He doesn’t need to buy things; they all belong to him regardless. He honestly thinks he’s helping the commoners out. Do the commoners not think that?

No.

It’s just Katsuki. Every other commoner he has interacted with knows how to interact within their current society. He has always been treated perfectly well. With manners and smiles.

“Scram,” Katsuki says again for emphasis.

Definitely no politeness or even a hint of happiness.

Shouto feels indignant as he turns and leaves with Soba. The thoughts that Katsuki is very different really lingered in his mind and made Shouto think about why that was the case. He wants to know if Katsuki treats other nobles the same as he does him. That thought was infuriating.

When Shouto returns back to the palace, he gives Soba and the stable boy a treat before he makes way to his own personal library. He goes through his books and tries to find some on gardening. There are plenty on agriculture though. It feels like déjà vu. Shouto is not keen on going through his mother’s library to look up gardening books, as he doesn’t want too many hints for the surprise he has planned for her. But even after going through his father’s personal library (without his knowledge) and his siblings’, Shouto still has not found anything, he feels like he’s come to a dead end with only his mother’s library left.

Shouto examines the ring he wears, the symbol of his family – a chrysanthemum flower shines brightly back at him. The chrysanthemum is one of the flowers he does have extensive knowledge on. But at the moment, it’s not the flower he wants to dig more information on. With determination, Shouto decides he will wait for his mother to work on her embroidery before he goes through the books in her library.

That day comes earlier than expected. After a gruelling meeting with his father and his advisors, Shouto finally escapes and can relax in his mother’s company during afternoon tea. They share some biscuits over a pot of tea. Eventually, Rei takes out her embroidery work and shows her son the lotus she’s currently working on. Shouto smiles and thinks maybe he should erect a pond outside his mother’s window as well so that she could see some lotus budding from the pond. Slowly, Shouto walks to the shelves in the library and starts going through them as his mother is engaged with her current activity.

He passes books on the chrysanthemum – as expected, the lotus, the cherry blossoms and the peony. They were all flowers he commonly sees within the palace. It’s common. He wants to show his mother the not as commonly seen wisteria and hydrangeas. He wants to make them popular flowers in their garden. They were so beautiful. He’s sure his mother would appreciate them. Eventually, Shouto does find the flowers he wants in an encyclopaedia. There isn’t much of a description there except that they’re common in the lands. And really, not all that difficult to grow.

Shouto thinks that hydrangeas and wisteria really aren’t that common. He doesn’t see it often despite knowing what they look like. It really is such a shame. He supposes he should’ve trusted his gardener to know all about the plants to begin with. If the gardener said the current lands were too dry for the plants, then they were.

There was however, an interesting note that made Shouto raise one eyebrow, wisteria bloom earlier in the year during spring, unlike the hydrangeas who are notorious for flourishing under the summer rain. Shouto wants to roll his eyes at the encyclopedia. He saw with his very own eyes wisteria and hydrangeas blooming together – at the same time.

Eventually, Shouto walks away from the shelves and back towards his mother as she does her embroidery. He opens up the window to let some fresh air in, he takes a peek down into the garden and notes that the gardener is already tending to it. He can see the upturned land, fresh from ploughing. He looks forward to the results. Shouto then takes a seat opposite his mother and decides to entertain her by talking about the smaller things he’s been doing around the castle including the conversations he’s had. But most of all, he complains about his father who’s still arrogant as shit and tries to control his life (and often succeeds unfortunately).

Some days later, Shouto seeks out the royal gardener again. This time, he asks not about hydrangeas or wisteria or how the surprise garden for his mother is coming along. He asks about the common bluebells, foxglove and wild daisies he had brought home for his mother that one day. He remembers the reaction his mother gave him, as though he was still a child. Granted, he believes he will always be a child in his mother’s eyes, but he really isn’t. At the ripe age of 16, he’s an adult already.

“What do you think of the wild daisy, foxglove and the common bluebell?” Shouto asks, hoping that his tone is coming off as casual and not an interrogation he has sometimes found he appears to subconsciously sound. He blames it on his upbringing and not knowing better.

There are days Shouto still thinks he could always know better. Those times is usually when his mother will subtly mention something and he would reflect on it, trying to decipher what his mother had meant. Trying to figure out where his place is.

“Todoroki-sama,” the gardener greets with a bow, “there is not much to think of the wild daisy or the common bluebell, they’re both rather resistant and as their name implies, not the type that is perhaps elegant enough to be in the Queen’s garden”. The gardener continues, “The foxglove is a plant the commonfolk are taught to stay away from because of its toxic properties”.

“Oh,” Shouto realises that the gardener believes Shouto wanted to incorporate the flowers into his mother’s revamped garden. “No, that’s not what I was implying,” Shouto denies, “I do not want them in my mother’s garden. I was just wondering if they held any special meaning.”

“Commoner’s flower, perhaps.” The gardener offered.

“Oh.” Shouto thinks to himself. Perhaps that’s why his mother thought not so highly of those flowers. “I think some sakura or chrysanthemum would be nice in the garden.” Shouto mentions to his gardener before he leaves to the stables. In hindsight, Shouto would wonder if he said that because he knew for a fact that the chrysanthemum represented the Todoroki royal family and that the sakura trees are common. He would think that a part of him wanted his mother to see that in her garden. Things that may appear common or remind her of things she is bound by, but if she could see pass all that and still revere under their beauty, would that not be beautiful?

In Shouto’s mind, it was picture perfect.

Shouto guides Soba back to Katsuki’s garden and this time he tries to make as little noise as he can so that Katsuki doesn’t pick up his arrival and come out with a scowl and chasing him away with an awful attitude. The flowers honestly look like jewels shining in the forest. Perhaps it was the environment it was in that made it shine even more. Shouto sits with his back rested against the back of a tree and he lets his eyes be treated to the beauty of the flowers. It was nurturing for his heart. He feels at peace with himself when he just looks at the flowers, the shape of the hydrangea petals and the small sways of the wisteria when the wind blows by.

Unfortunately, Shouto is busted when Katsuki walks out of his garden covered in mud, a rather comical appearance in comparison to the coincidental floral backdrop of his garden. He spots Shouto and Soba immediately, they stick out like a sore thumb after all, draped in white against the dull hues of the forest.

“Gosh! Why are you here again!?” Katsuki storms up to Shouto who immediately stands so that he doesn’t let Katsuki intimidate him with his height. Now that they’re both standing, they’re closer in height and Shouto must admit he does feel a bit better knowing that he is slightly taller than the other. “Don’t you understand you’re not welcome here? Thief!”

Shouto frowns and he can feel his blood starting to boil. He’s not a thief. “I’ve told you before, but I am not a thief.” Shouto isn’t even surprised that his voice can come out so poisonous.

Katsuki scoffs, “You took my seeds, that’s a thief in my eyes! And a stalker!”

It feels as though there is nothing Shouto can say to that. He doesn’t want to tell the other face to face that it belongs to him, because it does.

“You probably think that everything the light touches belongs to you,” Katsuki sneers, “stuck-up, arrogant ass-hole.”

Shouto doesn’t want to be called things like that. Even though he didn’t want to say it, he feels upset enough for it to not really slip out, “You say it like that, but it is mine.”

“There’s no saving you ass-holes on your fuckin’ high horse!” Katsuki’s voice sounds even nastier, “if you come here again, I’m going to knock you out and then use your body as fertiliser for my hydrangeas.”

At that statement, Shouto’s mood lifts, funnily enough. Because that is a ridiculous statement – threat. Shouto was born with a sword in his hands. He’s skilled with it, and he knows it. Shouto looks at Katsuki who is covered in mud and he laughs a little to himself, which only riles Katsuki up more. There’s no way he would ever be beaten by a mere gardener. A commoner to boot.

“You!” Katsuki is angry and he lunges to grab at Shouto.

Obviously, Shouto dodges, and only because he doesn’t want to get mud on his clothes. “Calm down.” Shouto tells the other once he realises there really is no merit in him getting upset over the words Katsuki said. “If it’s fertiliser you want, I can bring you some.”

Katsuki pauses in his step and then he looks at Shouto weirdly. “You’re going to die?”

Shouto stands flabbergasted before he laughs out loud, “Of course not!”

Katsuki crosses his arms and stares at Shouto with a deep frown.

“How about it?” Shouto suggests, “I’ll get you fertiliser, so stop chasing me away with your crude words.”

“I’m not paying you, thief.” Katsuki stands his ground.

“I don’t need your money.” Shouto says without missing a beat. And he realises that maybe that was the wrong thing to say when Katsuki’s face immediately morphs to a neutral expression and he takes a step back.

“I- I’m,” Shouto swallows. He isn’t sure what to say.

“Whatever,” Katsuki mumbles and then walks away from Shouto as he heads back into his garden.

Shouto knows that there are all sorts of people in the world, he knows now that most of them will grovel at his feet and shower him in sweet praises. He knows why they do so. There are also people who will give him a nasty glare, throw rude words into his face and spit on him. He can’t really understand why they’d do that. With that in mind, Shouto thinks, he doesn’t have all too much to do, it might be no harm to invest in this feud of sorts with Katsuki as he tries to figure the other out. That way, perhaps he can grasp a better understanding of why he acts like that. Perhaps it’ll give Shouto a better insight on how he can be the better king in the future.

It’s almost like summer homework.

“Get me bones.” Katsuki yells out before he disappears into his garden.

Shouto sighs, this commoner sure was demanding. He did say he’d get the other fertiliser, but for Katsuki to tell him what he wants, he supposes it is the right thing to do. Shouto can already imagine the shit he’d get from the other if he came with say, horse manure instead of bones. Shouto rolls his eyes. It sounded rather shifty that Katsuki wanted bones in his garden, but Shouto for one, is highly educated so he knows the benefits of them in the soil.

He was sure he came across briefly in his quest to look up the wisteria and hydrangea, a section for specific fertilization. He was sure he’s seen it on his shelf. And now he has to look for it again. Doable.

“Well that was a short trip,” Shouto says to Soba as he climbs onto Soba’s back, “shall we get you a treat before heading home?”

Soba neighs affectionately and Shouto feels better about the day already.

By the time he makes it home, the sun is already setting, it paints a beautiful picture in the background, the castle a magnificently grand silhouette against the setting sun. The castle doesn’t always carry the best memories for him, but it’s where his family is and that is enough to make Shouto feel glad that he is returning home.

After making sure he informs the stable boy that Soba has been good and deserves a treat, Shouto heads into the royal kitchens. Shouto always found it amusing that all the staff who worked in the royal palace can recognise him simply from the sound of his footsteps. They know that he is the crowned prince, set to rule the lands in the near future. Yet, out in town, he is but another noble to all the commoners.

Originally, Shouto had found it strange that the people he was going to rule didn’t recognise him like they recognised his parents. His father had told him it was for his safety, it was so that he could still roam around town and not have a target on his back, larger than a simple target on the son of a nobleman.

It made sense to Shouto. It also gave him freedom to roam the streets as he pleased. Of course, only after his father determined that his skills with the sword was almost unbeatable. At first, his father had sent guards with Shouto, also in the disguise as noblemen or servants. But Shouto quickly outsmarted them and outran them. King Enji then determined it was safer to not send Shouto out with guards in case he diverted Shouto’s attention too much.

And the villages were sound. Crime wasn’t high. Shouto is proud to say it was peaceful.

“Young master!” The head chef bustles over to Shouto and greets him with a wide smile, “What can I do for you, dinner won’t be a moment.”

Shouto nods, “I need bones.”

There is a brief pause from the head chef which went mostly unnoticed due to the bustle in the kitchen, but it was enough for Shouto to notice. He understands that it sounds fishy especially with no context.

“That can be arranged.” The head chef answers. “Is there a certain species you would like.”

Shouto shakes his head, “Anything and everything.” He’ll start with collecting bones first, after, he will figure out how to turn it into fertiliser for Katsuki. And to do that, he needs to find where he saw a glimpse of that in when he was going through the books.

“Where shall I deliver them to?” The head chef asks.

Shouto doesn’t frown even though he hasn’t exactly thought about where it is to be delivered to, “The stable. Don’t let Soba eat it though.”

“I understand.” The head chef nods politely.

Shouto nods back and dismisses the chef before he heads back into his library to start doing some research before dinner rolls around. He doesn’t get much done before the time for dinner arrives. Dinner is a quiet affair. Shouto thinks that it will continue to be so until the topic of his frolicking with the commoners come into topic.

It does Shouto’s head in. He wants to flip the table and emphasise that there is none of that.

Shouto watches as his mother excuses herself from the dining table. His siblings follow suit until all that is left is his father and himself. It sucked. Big time.

“Shouto,” Enji sighs and then frowns, “an illegitimate child won’t be able to inherit your position.”

This kind of lecture is definitely not new for Shouto. He could probably recite it better than his father. “There is no illegitimate child,” Shouto tells his father.

The look on Enji’s face tells Shouto that his father is not hesitant to believe him, he doesn’t believe him at all. Not even sceptical.

“After a lengthy discussion,” Enji sighs. But Shouto is the one who wants to sigh, who did he even discuss this with? Is it really of importance for it to be discussed in the first place? After all, these are baseless rumours. And Shouto has been truthful and has denied it. So why does his father still believe in that and find it important enough to take time out and discuss it? It makes no sense to Shouto. “We have decided, Shouto, that you are in need of concubines.” Enji completes his sentence with a very serious expression.

Shouto wants to snort. What is he going to do with the concubines? Play Go with them? The mere suggestion of a concubine suggests that he has a wife, in which he definitely does not.

Oh.

Unless his father is telling him that it is time for him to get married. That thought scares him, it’s not like he didn’t know that this day will come, but it’s something he doesn’t want to think about, knowing that it will be a marriage much like his parents, only for political influence. Not like the fairy tale marriages in the fiction books his mother use to read to him as a child. It was reality. One he does not want to embrace.

But he knows that time will come, he just didn’t want it to come so soon.

Perhaps he should run away like his brother did.

That thought runs by him and makes Shouto think it would be a very good idea. He’ll take Soba with him, and his mother – if possible, and he’ll ask Fuyumi as well – even though he knows she will say no. He’ll find a piece of land far away from the reach and influence of his father and he’ll have a beautiful garden which will lift his mother’s spirits and make him wake up each morning feeling anew. It was a very comforting and enticing thought.

But Shouto know better. He knows that he will one day have a country to lead. He can’t abandon them before he can even lead them.

“We will have that organised for you.” Enji continues, as though that was supposed to make Shouto feel safe and reassured.

It clearly does not.

“I don’t need concubines,” Shouto states, knowing that once his father has decided on something, it’s unlikely to change.

Enji huffs, “We don’t need illegitimate children, Shouto.”

Shouto shakes his head, “I’m not doing any of that.” He narrows his eyes, “If this is your way of trying to ground me to the palace, it won’t work.” He knows the implication of the King’s words, and if he were King instead, he must admit he would have to agree with his father’s decision, it definitely is easier to have someone disposed of if you know exactly which room they sleep in at night.

Enji returns the shake of his head, “There are better ways to ground you to the palace, you know that.” Enji drums his fingers lightly on the table, “Regardless, the concubines will be coming in, and they will be yours.”

Shouto makes a dissatisfied face. He shrugs and says “I’ll dismiss them.” Before he excuses himself from the table as well, leaving his father to sit at the table all by himself.

At least his father isn’t telling him he has arranged Shouto’s marriage already. He knows however that it’s only a matter of time.

Shouto doesn’t get too much more studying done on bone-based fertilisers when he decides he needs some sleep.

The next day, after he spends a good amount of time complaining to his mother about his father’s decision to recruit concubines for him, Shouto feels slightly better. Rei only smiles slightly at her son and tries to placate him as he fumes, his temper trickling out the longer he was venting about concubines and his father. Shouto asks why his father thinks it’s a good idea for his heir to have concubines when he himself does not have a single one. At this question, Rei chuckles lightly to herself and shakes her head slightly.

“It’s because he has me.” Rei answers.

Shouto doesn’t know how to interpret that. He remembers the way his father treated her mother. She even has her own wing in which she resides in. She only makes an appearance for dinner and enjoys all her other meals in her wing. She can’t even step foot outside. It’s absolutely heart-breaking for Shouto. When he thinks about things like, this, Shouto wishes that he can quickly become King so that he can give his mother the life she deserves.

Rei gently pets Shouto’s head and tells him to not be angry over such trivial matters. It sure makes Shouto feel like a small boy all over again. He wonders if his mother doesn’t understand him perhaps because she has never been in his position before. Or simply, can’t imagine and empathise with being in his predicament.

He isn’t sure.

Shouto takes the bag of bones and Soba back to Katsuki’s gardens, on the way, he stops by and buys some fresh bread for himself to nibble on the ride there. It’s always difficult to resist the smell of fresh bread.

“Katsuki, I’m here,” Shouto announces loudly this time when he makes it to Katsuki’s garden. He hops off Soba, dumps the sack of bones on the floor and then ties Soba to the tree before giving Soba a few pats. “Katsuki?” Shouto tries again, when he notes no sign of Katsuki. A small sinking feeling edges in his stomach and he knows he’s just paranoid, but he was brought up to be paranoid, so he feels like he can’t blame himself for it. “Katsuki?” Shouto tries again, this time, his voice slightly more nervous and alarmed and hand already at the hilt of his blade.

Usually Katsuki will pop up angrily before Shouto even gets the chance to be loud. Shouto starts worrying and it’s a strange feeling, he deduces because it’s directed at someone who isn’t his immediate family.

With quick steps, Shouto leaves Soba and the sack of bones as he intrudes into Katsuki’s garden. He bypasses the makeshift fence made by the wisteria and hydrangea, and finds the arch that leads into the house. Shouto steps in and he is blown away by the beauty of the garden. It looked similar yet different to the snippets he had seen by peeking through the wisteria and hydrangea. There were rows of bamboo to one side with hydrangeas as though they had just woken up in-between the bamboo. The pond that he remembers is there on the side, it had a small pavilion off to one side and a weeping willow on the other in which Shouto was sure he hadn’t noticed the last time. In between the pavilion and weeping willow, he could see the lilies of multiple colours in the pond, and the lotus, giving the pond height that seemed to highlight its dainty beauty and dampen the desolate feeling a weeping willow brings. But what really captured Shouto’s attention was the sakura tree in the middle of the garden. He can only imagine how beautiful it would look when it was in bloom.

Shouto’s heart skips a beat.

The sakura tree appeared so majestic with the branches stretched out and neat, he really wanted to see it in bloom and see it light the garden up. Slowly, Shouto looks around the garden to see what other small surprises he can find hidden, he finds patches of different types of flowers – he recognises the chrysanthemum straight away, some in bloom, some not, the ground was paved with stones and it was neat.

“Oi!” Katsuki’s voice comes ringing out and makes Shouto turn to look for the source of the voice.

“Over here you half-half ass!” Katsuki yells out again.

“Oh,” Shouto finally locates Katsuki as he comes stomping towards him from… where? He couldn’t tell as he was dazzled by the beauty of the garden.

“Where’s my fertiliser?” Katsuki gets straight to the point and quickly brings Shouto back to reality. His attention that was on the garden was now on Katsuki and wondering why he’s still dealing with such a brat. He can’t understand how such lovely parents could produce such a child.

(He thinks about his father and his siblings and realises that it isn’t impossible.)

(And then he remembers Katsuki’s mother who also isn’t, well, let’s just say she’s almost the total opposite of his own mother.)

“With Soba,” Shouto answers automatically.

Katsuki snorts.

Shouto frowns, still miffed that Katsuki thinks that Soba’s name is ridiculous – it’s not. Shouto sighs mentally when he realises Katsuki is not moving from where he’s standing. He really is not use to not having someone at his beck and call. “Let me go get it.”

“Well, hurry the fuck up,” Katsuki crosses his arms and taps his foot.

Shouto quirks an eyebrow before he turns around to grab the sack of bones. He thinks Katsuki will die an early death with his impatience and short temper. When Shouto brings the sack of bones back into the garden, Katsuki still has his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently. He wears an annoyed expression and is not at all impressed with Shouto or the sack of bones.

“This is not fertiliser.” Katsuki states and looks unamused with Shouto.

Shouto nods. He knows that the bones aren’t fertiliser yet. He knows that there is more to it, but he thought that maybe, it might be fun to learn how a commoner makes fertiliser instead of from just a book. After all, a more practical method isn’t always the worst method, and in this case, it should be one that is more effective.

Katsuki’s magnificent garden is evidence enough.

The thing is, Shouto knows that he won’t be able to bluntly tell Katsuki he wants to know how Katsuki makes fertiliser, because he is sure Katsuki will just accuse him of being thief again or half-assing his assigned job. Sure, he doesn’t know Katsuki that well, but it’s obvious how the other will react. So instead, Shouto stays silent and watches how Katsuki will react instead.

Maybe Katsuki will taunt and make fun of him.

“Trust the nobleman to not know how to make his own fertiliser.” Katsuki’s voice is sharp and if Shouto weren’t use to this treatment from Katsuki, he surely would be rather angry at Katsuki, like the first couple of times he met Katsuki. Subconsciously, Shouto plays with the ring with his family’s emblem on it lightly by twisting it around his finger. The very sign of power and connection to the royal family. He wonders if it’s a good thing that Katsuki can’t recognise the symbol enough to know that didn’t just depict his connections, but it was a symbol of his very specific place in society. He supposes it really is something that even maybe a noble-born may not pick up.

Shame?

Or not.

Shouto will keep himself amused by imaging Katsuki’s change in attitude once he realises he’s been talking to his crowned prince. That would most definitely be a sight to see and for him to relish in and rub into Katsuki’s rude face.

“I tell him to bring my bones to make fertiliser”, Katsuki says smugly, “and he really only just brings me bones”, Katsuki shakes his head in mock disappointment. “Follow me,” Katsuki says as he turns around and walks deeper into the garden.

Shouto takes the sack of bones and follows after Katsuki with mild amusement. He’s been invited to venture deeper into Katsuki’s garden, not too long ago, he was turned away and disrespected before he could even find the entrance into the garden. He still is disrespected by Katsuki now. He really can’t wait for Katsuki to realise that Shouto’s mere presence demands respect.

They don’t go far into the garden, Katsuki takes Shouto to the side, around the house, they pass by areas of the garden that reminds Shouto distinctly of the farm lands he and Soba had trot through on his way into the village. Shouto assumes that Katsuki had his own tiny farm in his garden. Immediately, Shouto wonders whether Katsuki has made this information known to the appropriate authorities because there is tax on all food in the lands.

“Dump the bones in there.” Katsuki orders Shouto as he gestures to a clay oven.

Honestly, this is Shouto’s first time seeing a clay oven in real life. He never wanders deep enough into the kitchens to see the ovens used there, or many of the tools he has seen been described articulately in books. Fundamentally, he knows how the clay oven works. And he knows why Katsuki wants to cook the bones.

“Watch the fire.” Katsuki says as he watches Shouto empty the contents of the sack into the clay oven.

Now, watching the fire isn’t something Shouto is familiar with either, he’s never had to do it in is life, obviously. He knows to not take the statement literally, but Shouto feels like it’s the only things he knows to do, to stare dumbly at the clay oven. It seems as though Katsuki picks up quickly that this area is out of Shouto’s knowledge, “All you need to do is add wood if the fire isn’t strong enough, or remove wood if it’s too strong.” Katsuki sighs.

Shouto wants to sigh too. This kind of job is not fit for him.

So, it only made sense that instead of watching the oven, Shouto followed Katsuki as soon as he turned around and stalked away from the oven.

“Stop following me,” Katsuki says with aggression, “go watch the oven.”

“It’s a waste of my time.” Shouto answers back curtly.

“Well then why don’t you go fuck off?” Katsuki spits out as he spins around on his feet and glares at Shouto.

Shouto raises one eyebrow, he should’ve expected Katsuki to say that.

“I brought you fertiliser,” Shouto reasons, “your part of the deal was that you wouldn’t tell me to fuck off, if I did, which I did.”

“A pile of bones is barely fertiliser,” Katsuki scrunches up his nose and he tilts his head back just slightly so he can judge Shouto some more.

“We’re in the process of turning it into fertiliser, it’s the main ingredient, it’s as good as fertiliser.” Shouto crosses his arm and doesn’t budge.

“It will be once I shove you in the oven and turn you into fertiliser too,” Katsuki threatens, again.

Shouto gambles on it being an empty threat when he shakes his head and continues to stand his ground. Something in him sparks and he ends up taunting Katsuki instead, “That’s if you think you can even throw me in the oven.” Shouto rakes his eyes across Katsuki with deliberate exaggeration, to show Katsuki that Shouto definitely thinks that he will come out as the victor were they to get into a fight.

“You ass holes always underestimating everyone!” Katsuki snarls.

At those words, Shouto can finally understand that Katsuki doesn’t have anything against him specifically, but he most definitely has something against noblemen.

Funny that.

Shouto laughs at himself for not realising this sooner.

And that’s when he decides, that he will start from here. To be a successful leader, he will have to win the public over, and he will start with Katsuki who has a stigma against noblemen. He will let Katsuki see there is nothing to be hated. Nothing for him to quickly defend himself with threats and crude words. It’s a project in which Shouto is looking forward to.

In the end, they both watch the clay oven with Katsuki complaining about how he could be better using his time elsewhere in his garden.

“Come back tomorrow,” Katsuki tells Shouto as they pull the last of the bones from the clay oven, “in clothes you can have dirtied.”

Shouto remains expressionless. He wants to let Katsuki know that he is already wearing his plainest of clothes when he leaves the palace, that there aren’t clothes that can be more dirtied than what he is currently wearing. But he wisely decides to keep that to himself, just in case Katsuki blows up again.

He gives Katsuki a nod before he leaves the garden, this time without thinking that he wants to sock Katsuki and teach him some respect. On the way home to the palace, he bumps into Katsuki’s parents. Shouto gets off Soba to greet them. He passes them some gold and buys the rest of the flowers in their cart. When he realises that it’ll be difficult to take the flowers home because of the sheer amount he had bought, Shouto is stuck in a dilemma.

Masaru is kind and offers to deliver them for Shouto.

Shouto nearly agrees until he realises that if he does agree, he’d be revealing his real identity. And he doesn’t want to just yet, he can see Katsuki acting even more standoffish and cold towards him were he to realise their crown prince is bringing him fertiliser for his garden.

So Shouto ends up buying the cart as well. It is an interesting phenomenon to Shouto, considering he knows that everything belongs to the King, it’s a strange concept to have to pay for things, including the trinkets and bread he often lets his heart waver at. However, when he is roaming the streets outside of the palace, he isn’t Crown Prince Shouto, he’s disguised as a nobleman. One who still has to pay for goods.

The purchase of all their flowers and their cart leaves Masaru and Mitsuki feeling troubled but Shouto knows that with the money he has given them for their cart, they could buy another a hundred carts of greater quality.

“I’ll bring you back your cart tomorrow,” Shouto tells them, “Katsuki and I are friends.”

His last statement leaves Mitsuki and Masaru with faces that clearly don’t believe him. Shouto knows there isn’t anything they can do but accept his money and go on their way.

“This is too much,” Masaru starts as he tries to hand the money back to Shouto, “please.”

Shouto shakes his head, “Accept it for the trouble I have caused.” He doesn’t wait for an answer as he secures the cart and Soba before he leads them home.

If the guards were surprised that their prince has brought home a cart of fresh flowers, they don’t show it on their faces and greet Shouto politely. The stable boy helps remove the cart from Soba and Shouto praises Soba for a job well done. He summons his servants to bring the flowers into the castle and have them arranged for his mother in her drawing room. He finds his mother who was resting in her tea room and Shouto asks her to accompany him to her drawing room so that they could watch the setup of the flowers together.

“You’re in a good mood today, Shouto.” Rei comments, her voice so gentle that it makes Shouto feel even more positive, he thinks.

Shouto doesn’t know how to react to that unexpected statement. He quickly curbs his expression, not knowing whether the positivity he is feeling from his mother’s statement is quite right, so to say.

Rei’s drawing room turns into a stunning indoor garden with flowers in almost every nook and cranny of the room. Shouto remembers to school his expression as he admires the display, occasionally glancing at his mother and hoping that she feels even more amazed with the flowers than Shouto himself.

He hopes.

The following day, Shouto is annoyed at the Elders who agreed that Shouto needed concubines. He finds out during the morning meeting that the selection was to be held in a week’s time without any of Shouto’s say or his consent really. It immediately puts him in a terrible mood.

Shouto hates that he couldn’t hide his mood so that he could go see his mother. So, he skips that and instead marches straight to the stables so that he can return the cart he promised he would. Soba greets Shouto happily. Shouto grunts in response before he takes in a deep breath and greets Soba properly by giving him a thorough pat and mumbling an apology. He knows his bad mood is showing, but he hopes that Soba has known him long enough to understand and forgive him for his lack of pleasantness at the moment.

He looks at his clothes and scrunches his nose, perhaps he should change, it won’t take long, and it’ll give Katsuki one less thing to complain about, since he likes to run his mouth so often.

“I’ll be back”, Shouto tells Soba before sighing and heading off, giving the stable boy a small nod.

Changing doesn’t put Shouto in any more of a good mood, he is sure that what he has changed into will still receive a comment from Katsuki. But, it’s his plainest pair of clothes which he doesn’t mind having dirtied, though to be honest, any of his clothes are fine to be ruined, it isn’t like he can’t afford another set. Nothing holds a sentimental value to him anyway. At least he isn’t in clothes that are more suitable for the royal court.

Though Katsuki seemed to think that Shouto’s plainest clothes weren’t plain enough. Shouto mentally shrugs, nothing he can do about that. He doesn’t dwell on it too much when he attaches the wooden run-down cart to Soba. “Come on, we’re going to head back out again”. Shouto had considered loading the cart with gifts for Katsuki’s parents, but unfortunately, he had no idea what to load it with. So as Shouto travels through the town, he purchases small things to put in the cart. Bread, fruits, vegetables, slabs of cloth and strange nuts, he hopes that Katsuki and his parents will appreciate it. Shouto’s eyes linger on the trinkets and thinks better than to purchase some, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do to gift trinkets to people he barely knows.

But it may be alright to gift it to those he wants to know better.

Shouto also hops off from Soba to greet Katsuki’s parents when he does find them in the local town, busy at work. They really stood out even in the most colourful corner of the bleak town. Or well, their flowers really stood out.

“Hello”, Shouto greets, “Sir, Ma’am”, he nods at both Masaru and Mitsuki. They return his smile and Shouto wonders how much of it is from the fact that he essentially gifted them a new cart.

He’s use to the beaming smiles from the citizens of his father’s lands. They always want something from them. It’s nothing new. Shouto remembers the scowl on Katsuki’s face and again is amazed that Katsuki isn’t totally smitten with him in any form.

“Young Sir”, Masaru gestures to the flowers in the cart, “is there anything I can recommend to you today?”

“Oh”, Shouto shakes his head, “I’m going to go see Katsuki soon actually, he looks back at what was and really still is Masaru and Mitsuki’s cart, “I’ll leave your cart at your cosy abode”.

Mitsuki raises one elegant eyebrow and her smile drops a little, “Now, I’m sure you know what my son is like, that temper of his and that foul mouth of his, I hope you don’t take what he says to heart, please let us apologise to you in advance for his behaviour”.

Shouto chuckles, “No, no, it’s alright”, after all, he did put himself in this situation, he is the one going out of his way to seek Katsuki’s attention. As rude as Katsuki is, he was the most interesting being Shouto has come across since Soba. And how many moon cycles ago was that again? “I enjoy Katsuki’s company”.

As Shouto leaves, he won’t forget the genuine surprise Katsuki’s parents wear when they heard someone – and a noble of all people – enjoys being in their son’s company. Shouto thinks that maybe there was more of a reason as to why the family of three live out so far away from the villages. Perhaps, their son is an anomaly of the town.

Shouto continues on his trip to Katsuki’s place easily, he knows the route well now, he knows the area well, the foliage is all familiar, the smell and the sound something that he embraces easily now. With Soba pulling a cart filled with all sorts of things, there’s no way Katsuki doesn’t hear his arrival. But, like Katsuki’s parents have been apologising for, Katsuki doesn’t have the best manners, at least it’s rarely on display when Shouto is concerned so far.

“Katsuki?” Shouto calls out as he removes the ropes that bind the cart to Soba. He gently pets his best friend and gives Soba a treat. “Katsuki?” Shouto calls again, he starts telling himself quietly that there is no use calling out to the other – Katsuki isn’t even elusive, he just ignores Shouto. What a brat.

Shouto looks at Soba and tells the other gently, “Everything in the cart is for Katsuki’s parents, don’t help yourself to it, alright?” Soba huffs and that’s the only acknowledgement he gives Shouto. Shouto walks into the garden and he immediately sees Katsuki – of course he’s there. Except Katsuki’s blond hair looks so soft as they dance in the air and his skin is pale but glows under the blessing of the sun. When Katsuki looks up from the pond he’s tending to, the red eyes are so sharp, Shouto knows his breath has been taken away.

Katsuki is a very beautiful anomaly.

He owes it all to his parents’ good genes.

Katsuki stares at Shouto passively, his expression is blank and he’s waiting for Shouto to speak. But Shouto doesn’t know what to say. He’s rather confused. Shouto can’t remember the last time he felt any of these feelings within him. It was a turmoil, a rather unwelcome one because it isn’t one he can analyse and decipher 100% at this point in time.

Shifting, Katsuki’s chin tilts down a little and his hair catches the golden sun rays and it captivates Shouto’s attention.

Shouto clears his throat and he feels the urge to stand with his back straighter than usual, with his body language displaying that he’s in full control. “I am in my plainest clothes”.

Immediately, Katsuki looks at Shouto with a face of disgust. Todoroki finds it strange that he still finds Katsuki mildly attractive when he wears that scowl.

“Well?” Katsuki shows signs of impatience, “don’t just stand there”, he waves his arms towards Shouto, “go finish off the fertiliser”.

By finishing off the fertiliser, what Shouto discovered Katsuki meant was grinding up all the bones. Surely there was a faster way to do it. Now it’s Shouto who wears a scowl as he uses his hands and stones to break the bones into pieces. It was hard labour, and it was messy – or perhaps Shouto wasn’t doing it right. He looks back at Katsuki who is working on other areas of the garden and doesn’t even turn around to look at Shouto.

It was when Katsuki told Shouto to stop what he was doing and burn the weeds for him that Shouto realised he was basically being ordered around. He was spending the free time he garnered for himself playing servant to an arrogant commoner. Honestly, where was the joy in that? So Shouto decided he’d say, “No, do it yourself, Katsuki”.

Katsuki raised an eyebrow at Shouto and then fired back, “Well then, get out of my garden”.

Shouto scowls, not back to this topic again. Technically, the garden will be his. It’s just a waiting game, then he’ll show Katsuki.

“I’ll go burn the weeds”, Shouto grits out.

Katsuki smiles knowingly, “You noblemen really have nothing else better to do”.

It annoys Shouto, because there are so many other things he could be doing. Not playing Katsuki’s servant.

“In the clay oven”, Katsuki directs, and Shouto obliges. If his family could see him now, doing servant work far from the castle, they’d certainly think they were dreaming.

There’s a lot of weeds and Shouto diligently throws them all into the clay oven to burn. He looks around for Katsuki and finds the other brushing some dirt off his face as he continues to tend to his garden.

“When you’re done, go back to breaking the bones”. Katsuki is demanding and his tone of voice is authoritative, Shouto knows because it’s a tone that he frequently uses, it was taught to him from a young age, and it seems it’s a part of him.

Breaking the bones. Shouto reminds himself of his goals. For the successful rule of a country, he’ll have to start with knowing the life of a commoner, and Katsuki has proven to be a difficult one. It’s a goal that Shouto knows he needs to power through and reach.

Eventually, Katsuki peeks over Shouto’s shoulder who had changed his position multiple times from cramping. “You’re not very good at this”, Katsuki states.

Shouto silently fumes.

“Do I have to teach you everything?” Katsuki sighs and squats next to Shouto. He grabs some handful of bones and places them into the rock crevice before smashing the stone against it several times. The bones break and Shouto doesn’t think it’s any different to what he’s been doing. What Katsuki does do next is different. He places the stone down and scoops the bones with both hands, and he shakes them above the container for the small enough pieces of bones in which the smaller pieces slip through the cracks between his fingers, efficiently sorting out the smaller pieces from the larger pieces. Katsuki repeats this several times. He then hands the stone back to Shouto. “I expect efficiency”.

Shouto is quiet throughout it all. But he does adopt Katsuki’s method and finds it much easier than picking out the bones individually. He can’t believe he was doing that. Wait, is he just going to break bones for the whole day? Shouto quickly whips his head up to look at Katsuki who stares back at him from across the garden, he’s also squatting and his hands are busy with the bush before him.

“I guess I am”, Shouto easily accepts as he mumbles to himself.

“I heard that”, Katsuki fires back loudly.

Shouto raises one eyebrow, why the other is so snappy, he doesn’t know, after all, Katsuki doesn’t even know in what context Shouto was speaking in. Shouto wonders in that moment why he had decided to walk from his peaceful life in the palace to come down to this mad man’s abode and go through manual labour for the other. Honestly. He isn’t sure.

“Go back to work”, Katsuki whips his head around and goes back to tending to the bush, blatantly ignoring Shouto again.

Work. Shouto lets out a small sigh and his hands keep moving. There’re so many bones to crush. To think that these will help fertilise the garden and result in such beautiful blossoms, Shouto feels some excitement. It’s only unfortunate that the hands that tender to the garden belong to such a rude boy. Shouto amuses himself by thinking about how he’d be able to teach Katsuki some manners, turning it into a mission more than a chore.

Shouto heard when Katsuki got up and walked away from the bush. He heard the other start a fire in the oven and he could smell it. It was a smell Shouto often does not associate with, simply because it smelt different to the fireplaces back at home. But Shouto won’t give Katsuki the satisfaction of asking what Katsuki was up to now. He’ll concentrate on his task at hand and show the other how well he can do it.

Fortunately for Shouto, he didn’t need to consider it much as Katsuki comes stand next to him not long after, hands on his waist and he looks down on the other. “Oi”, Katsuki calls out for Shouto’s attention.

“Hm?” Shouto lifts his head up and tilts it to look at Katsuki, “What is it, Katsuki?”

Katsuki scowls at the use of his name. He tilts his own head to the side slightly and then jabs a thumb towards the oven, “Food is ready if you don’t want to die”.

Shouto chuckles, finding it amusing the way Katsuki had told him it was time to eat. What a strange person the other really is. Standing up, Shouto pats his own legs free of dust or whatever bone fragments may have landed and found their home in his trousers.

“You’re a mess”, Katsuki says bluntly as he reaches out to grab Shouto’s hand and examines it.

Initially, Shouto was shocked and confused from Katsuki initiating contact, but he soon learns the reason why when he looks at his own hands, all covered in cuts and dirt. It really did not look pristine or what the hands of a Crown Prince should look like at all.

“Follow me”, Katsuki beckons and starts walking away, dropping Shouto’s hands quickly, Shouto follows without a word as he brings his hands closer to his face and he examines them. They really don’t look all the flash.

They pass the oven in which Shouto realises what he was smelling was the baking of fresh bread. He sees the bread sitting beside the oven and when Shouto catches a waft of the scent, he finds himself salivating and his stomach rumbles – Katsuki chuckles at the sound and Shouto feels embarrassed.  Shouto hadn’t realised how hungry he was until he could smell the bread.

“Not yet, you child”, Katsuki is quick to grab Shouto’s arm and pulls him along. Shouto admits he was fairly disappointed; he would’ve loved to get the bread in his stomach.

Huffing, Shouto allows himself to be pulled along, he reminds himself he can be amused by Katsuki’s whims. Even if they’re mostly annoying.

Katsuki grunts as he squats and pulls Shouto down with him. They’re on the edge of a flowing stream, it’s the one that ran through Katsuki’s garden and glittered playfully with the sun.

Shouto returns the grunt. He has no idea what they’re doing. He really honestly thought food was ready. So, he really hopes Katsuki won’t tell him to drink water when he could clearly smell the bread in the oven. Shouto looks around and notes that the back of the house – cottage is definitely old. He can feel the age of the house from just looking. But it doesn’t look not inviting. The garden is still beautiful and Shouto assumes that Katsuki takes great care in this department as well.

“Clean yourself and then you can come eat”, Katsuki instructs as he rinses his hands in the stream before standing up and shaking his hands dry.

Shouto raises one eyebrow. What was the point of that? It seems like Katsuki understood.

“If you think that you’re eating with something but your hands”, Katsuki’s expression hardens, “you’re wrong”.

Shouto isn’t sure if he likes the sound of that. He’s grown up on using cutlery to eat, he really isn’t a barbarian. He doesn’t plan to become one anytime soon. At that moment, Shouto’s stomach rumbles.

“Or you could just not eat”, Katsuki gives Shouto a wicked smile, “suit yourself you pompous noble”.

Shouto’s eyebrows dig deep into a frown as he sends Katsuki an unimpressed look.

Katsuki shrugs, not caring that Shouto was unhappy with this, “It’s not even a big deal. Just clean yourself up, otherwise you’re not eating here”. Katsuki starts walking away, “I’d be more than happy if you leave”.

Shouto holds in a snarl. He reaches into the stream and touches the water. It’s cold. It’s terribly cold. How is Katsuki even expecting him to clean himself up with such cold water? Where’s the servant to heat up his water? Shouto laughs at himself. Why would servants have servants. With a sigh and determination as he reminds himself, he will learn more about commoners, starting with the funnily unperturbed Katsuki, Shouto strips off his clothes. He leaves them hanging on the branch of a weeping willow tree so that they’re off the ground. Without his clothes on, he feels cold already. Staring at the water, Shouto can’t imagine just how awful it would be to be drenched in the water.

Katsuki is a cruel, cruel being.

No, that’s not right. It’s the lack of heated water to clean yourself is what is cruel. Shouto can’t remember the last time he felt so bad for commoners.

Remembering Katsuki’s wicked grin, Shouto thinks that maybe Katsuki is partly cruel.

Holding his own arms tightly, Shouto dips a toe in and he wants to yelp. But he bites his lips tightly and wills his whole foot in and then the other foot and very slowly, whilst shivering, he squats. It was all going fairly well until he felt the coldness of the stream splash against his royal buttocks. Letting out a scream of horror, Shouto jumps up and almost out of the stream. His feet do a bit of tapping and he immediately stops when he realises it’s forcing the water to splash more on other parts of his body yet to be exposed to this awful punishment. Yes. It can only be a punishment.

“Hey!” Katsuki yells out and visibly storms over, “Why are you taking so long and making such a ruckus? Do you have a death wish!?”

Shouto turns around immediately and sends death glares at Katsuki. He’s cold and hungry. Why was he putting up with this treatment again? Why does he need to keep reminding him that this will eventually lead to the greater good? Will it really?

Suddenly, Katsuki halts. His jaw comes undone and he’s gaping at Shouto, Katsuki covers half his face with one hand and then points an accusing finger at Shouto, “What, what in the world are you fucking doing!?”

Shouto frowns. He’s done nothing wrong.

“Why are you not wearing anything!?” Katsuki screams with a very red face.

Shouto is confused, why would he not be naked when he needs to clean himself?

“Are you defiling my garden with your bloody family jewels!?” Katsuki takes a few steps back in shock.

Shouto rolls his eyes. The other should almost be honoured to be able to see the Crowned Prince in all his glory. The problem is that Katsuki doesn’t know he’s the Crowned Prince. And he hopes to leave it that way.

“What!?” Shouto fires back, “Don’t tell me you shower with your clothes on!?” Shouto’s brain quickly runs through all the books he’s read, and he’s never come across anything that might suggest that commoners shower with their clothes on. “It’s ridiculous enough you use cold water!”

“What!?” Katsuki screams back, mortified, “THIS is sexual harassment”, he points straight at Shouto’s sexual organ. “Who even told you to go shower!?” Katsuki is flabbergasted, “Do all nobles shower before they eat!?”

“What!?” Shouto yells back, “You’re the one who told me to clean up!”

Katsuki’s eyes become even wider. His hand leaves his mouth and Shouto can see the dark shade of red over Katsuki’s cheeks, probably in anger as usual. Katsuki sighs and his expression turns into a scowl, “I told you to clean up, to clean your hands so you can eat”.

“Huh?” Shouto frowns, that’s not how he understood the other. “Right”. He steps out of the stream and shivers when the wind blows over, the rustling of the leaves sounded as though the garden was laughing at him. He made himself into a joke. Commoners.

Katsuki stomps over to the weeping willow tree and grabs Shouto’s clothes before he sticks it all out in one hand towards Shouto, Katsuki looks the other way as he speaks, “Hurry up and put your clothes on you idiot”.

Shouto does not fail to note the redness on the back of Katsuki’s ears. It makes him curious. Instead of taking the clothes, he steps around so that he can see the front of Katsuki’s face, and indeed, it’s even more red than what he had assumed.

Perhaps it wasn’t anger.

Maybe it was embarrassment.

“Just take your clothes already!” Katsuki says, flustered, he slams the clothes into Shouto’s chest before he hurries away, hiding his blushing face.

Shouto holds the clothes and looks at Katsuki’s retreating back. He looks down on himself and he doesn’t feel ashamed. There is nothing on his body in which he is ashamed of, except maybe the obvious scar that covers a decent part of his face. But maybe Katsuki was feeling ashamed for him. After all, no one walks around stark naked anyway.

Oh. Shouto realises, Katsuki must have been suffering from second hand embarrassment. That makes sense. He shivers again and laughs at himself for not popping his clothes on any faster. He does it swiftly and then bends down to the stream to wash his hands. Just like Katsuki did.

Why did Shouto not just copy Katsuki’s action? He would’ve saved himself from the temperature torture. But then he also wouldn’t have been able to see that side of Katsuki. It was kind of cute. Just kind of. Shouto follows the stream back to where Katsuki is, the smell of fresh bread is so enticing.

“About time”, Katsuki grumbles unhappily. The redness on his face has gone down significantly.

Shouto eyes the bread and thinks he’s never seen anything look more delicious in his life. It’s a funny thought because he knows for sure the food their personal chef back at home whips up is better than anything the commoners can even imagine. But at this time and space, after gruelling hours of hard work and being ignored by Katsuki more than just a few times, the bread is enticing.

“What is that?” Shouto asks as he takes a seat on a tree stump and points at the red substance in a bowl.

“You spread it on the bread”, Katsuki raises an eyebrow at the other and then dramatically says, “oh that’s right, Mister I’m a nobleman, you don’t eat commoner food”.

Shouto wants to deny it. He does, “I eat bread.” He doesn’t even know why Katsuki is referring to this as commoner food when it seems like he hates it when Shouto refers to it as commoner food.

Katsuki lets out a snort, “And that magically equates to you eating non-noble people food? Yeah right”. He sounds peeved.

Perhaps Katsuki is making fun of Shouto by making fun of commoner food and noble food. Food is food.

Shouto watches as Katsuki tear the bread apart into slightly larger than bite sized pieces and then dip it into the glossy red substance. The way Katsuki eats it makes it look absolutely scrumptious. This time, smarter, Shouto follows Katsuki. He isn’t hesitant as he uses his hands to rip the bread apart, though he does think it would be proper to use a fork and knife. He isn’t hesitant as he dips the bread into the red goo, but he does wonder at the back of his mind whether this is Katsuki’s ploy to poison and kill him off. Shouto is only mildly hesitant as he puts the piece of bread into his mouth. He’s salivating, he can’t wait to put something that smells so good and give it a taste.

It tastes like bread.

But so sweet, and a little bit of tang, the red goop - substance is smooth and glides over his tongue so easily unlike the coarseness of the fluffy bread. It tasted absolutely brilliant.

“What is that?” Shouto asks again, pointing at the magical substance that elevated the bread he was munching on.

Katsuki gives Shouto a disgusted look, “I’m not going to repeat myself”.

“No”, Shouto swallows, “where did you get it from? It’s really good”.

Katsuki gives the other a triumphant smile, “Of course it is, I made it”.

Shouto suddenly has a sparkle of new found admiration for the brat before him. He’s good at gardening and cooking it seems.

“I-”, Shouto starts but is rudely cut off. He still isn’t use to this form of treatment.

“I’m not teaching you how to make it”, Katsuki rolls his shoulders, “you can’t even make fertiliser for my garden, I don’t need you hanging around learning how to cook as well”.

Shouto is deflated. He didn’t even get to demand, or well, ask. “That’s fine”, Shouto doesn’t give up, “I won’t need to learn how to make it if you make it for me”.

Katsuki is flustered, again. It makes Shouto amused. He doesn’t think he’s said anything wrong. And Katsuki isn’t denying him. So maybe it is okay.

“You on your high horse!” Katsuki quickly gobbles his share of the bread and then stands up without giving Shouto another glance. “Go feed your horse and then get back to work!”

Shouto is confused, Katsuki is, as already established, different to other people he has met. It’s intriguing. Shouto takes his time to finish off his commoner’s lunch, and it surprised to find himself enjoying it much more than he thought he ought to have. Perhaps it was because he was so hungry, everything just tastes better. By the time he got round to going to Soba to feed him, he was beaten.

There stood Katsuki, feeding Soba some vegetables whilst lightly running his hand through Soba’s mane.

“Do you like animals?” Shouto asks Katsuki.

Katsuki doesn’t turn around to look at him, “More than you”, Katsuki replies.

Shouto doesn’t know whether Katsuki means he holds greater affection for animals compared to the affection Shouto holds for animals or whether Katsuki means compared to Shouto, animals are more favourable for Katsuki. Judging Katsuki’s character, he will assume the latter. Shouto walks up to Soba and rubs his cheeks gently.

“Did you make a new friend, Soba?” Shouto asks.

“I don’t have friends”, Katsuki spits out straight away, not happy with Shouto’s implications.

Shouto ignores the other’s claim and instead asks, “Want to go for a ride?”

Even now, Shouto is unsure what changed within him to ask Katsuki out for a ride on Soba. He doesn’t regret it despite how spontaneous it seemed.

Katsuki narrows his eyes at Shouto before he turns and looks at Soba, this time with eyes that were judging. “Is that a challenge?” Katsuki asks as he looks back at Shouto.

“No”, Shouto wants to sigh, but he doesn’t and instead offers a smile, “let’s do something fun, making fertiliser isn’t as fun as I thought it would be”.

“That’s because you suck”, Katsuki doesn’t miss the chance to make fun of Shouto’s lack of skill in the creating fertiliser department. “You are free to leave when you want”, Katsuki waves a hand around.

“Come on”, Shouto says, “or, you don’t want to because you’ve never ridden a horse before?”

“Wh-what!?” Katsuki splutters.

Shouto starts thinking he has seen the other very shocked multiple times today. He sends a teasing smile at Katsuki, “After all, it seems like only your parents ever interact with your family horse”.

“Why you!” Katsuki shakes a fist in Shouto’s direction. He huffs and walks up to Soba and proceeds to try climb the horse. Shouto watches in amusement and he is certain that this is the first time Katsuki has ever ridden a horse.

Without an explanation, Shouto goes over and lifts Katsuki, aiding him in hopping onto Soba’s back.

Katsuki makes a small alarmed sound and his head flips back and forth as he surveys the surrounding from his new height.

“Hold still”, Shouto tells the other as he also climbs onto Soba’s back, slotting himself easily behind Katsuki.

“What are you doing?” Katsuki turns around and looks at Shouto, not disturbed by how close their faces are to each other.

“What?” Shouto asks with one raised eye brow.

“Aren’t you going to hold the reigns from the ground?” Katsuki points to the ground.

“Huh?” Shouto laughs, “And parade you around like a trophy?”

Katsuki’s eyes go wide again.

“Of course I’m going to be here where all the action is”, Shouto presses his chest against Katsuki’s back as he readies himself. “You can hold onto the saddle, Katsuki”.

Shouto smiles to himself as he watches Katsuki’s hands grip tightly onto the saddle. He can’t help but push further and tease the other, “Or if you’re concerned, you can turn around and hold my waist”.

“I most certainly will not!” Katsuki stressed and his head flips back as he headbutts Shouto’s chin harshly.

“Ouch!” Shouto grimaces and rubs his now sore chin, “You’re a rude and wild one”.

“And you’re still a half-ass idiot”. Katsuki growls.

Shouto lets Katsuki take the last word. “Okay Soba, let’s go”.

There really was no destination Shouto had in mind. He had simply just wanted to clear his mind a little before he headed back to making fertiliser. This was less taxing on his body and he got to spend time with this strange commoner. It felt like a good way to spend time. Katsuki was warm against him and was infinitely more pleasant than the cold stream he was subjected to not too long ago. Via his own misunderstandings.

They did exit the forest and galloped down the path, further from town and Shouto was amused to see Katsuki’s head move left and right, trying to take in as much information as he can. It reminded Shouto of the first time he rode a horse himself. The world seemed so vast and filled with so many things yet to be discovered. Eventually, Shouto steered Soba into a small path leading into the woods again.

“Have you been to this part of the woods?” Shouto asks Katsuki.

Katsuki answers with a grunt that can mean anything.

The path seems old and not commonly used however the fact that two men can sit on a horse and pass through swiftly was a sign that perhaps this path was maintained more than Shouto had assumed.

“Oh”, Shouto says and brings Soba to a stop.

“Hm?” Katsuki glances back at Shouto, trying to judge why the other had seemingly stopped out of the blue.

“Flowers”, Shouto says with a smile. He hops off of Soba and raises his hands up so that he can help Katsuki off – he does so begrudgingly and even lands a kick on Shouto’s face. But Shouto is tolerant, at least in this current time frame and with Katsuki he is. But that doesn’t mean Shouto didn’t end up planting his foot on Katsuki’s back when he least suspected it. Because he totally did do that. And Katsuki, as expected, retaliated with a punch in which Shouto dodged as he ducked down to look at what had caught his attention in the first place. “Flowers”, Shouto repeats.

“What about them?” Katsuki stands to the side looking anything but meek.

“They’re what I brought back for my mother”, Shouto says quietly.

“Oh~” Katsuki sounds amused now, “My, aren’t you the filial son?” There’s something in Katsuki’s tone in which irks Shouto a little. He knows he’s being made a fool of at the moment, but he cannot understand what the reason could be.

“They’re so beautiful”, Shouto says.

“But poisonous”, Katsuki says right after, “I’d never give foxglove to someone I hold dear”.

Shouto turns around and looks at Katsuki. The implication of Katsuki’s words sink into him like water streaming down a parched desert. He wonders if this will be common from here on out, where he’s squatting and looking up at Katsuki who has his hands on his waist, his gaze piercing, it made Shouto want Katsuki to direct that gaze elsewhere, just so he can have a break from the intensity.

“They’re wild and grow all over the place”, Katsuki elaborates, “we all know it’s poisonous, we all know we’re not supposed to touch them”. He gives Shouto an exasperated look, “I guess it makes sense that someone like you wouldn’t know”.

Someone like you.

Shouto never thought he’d ever be associated with a negative connotation. And he had touched foxglove, but nothing had happened to him…? He swears his mother touched it too, and nothing had happened to her either? It must be a commoner thing.

Katsuki scoffs at Shouto, “You don’t like that”, he states. Shouto doesn’t reply. Katsuki shrugs and shakes his head, “How do you think we feel when you call us commoners, idiot”.

“But you call yourself that”, Shouto points out.

Katsuki gives Shouto a disgusted look.

Eventually, they leave the flowers as is and hop back onto Soba’s back. Shouto notes that even though it was just once, Katsuki was already much better at hopping onto the back of a horse. If Shouto didn’t dislike Katsuki’s personality so much, he’d have praised the other for his great improvement. Katsuki must be a very quick learner. But Katsuki was rude despite him having his moments.

By the time they were back at Katsuki’s place (they did not get lost), Katsuki had returned to being a demon and ordered Shouto to go back to making fertiliser. Shouto presses his lips into a thin line and looks at Katsuki. There are so many things he wants to say to the brat. But he doesn’t, and instead, rolls up his sleeves and starts hammering at the bones again. He doesn’t know which is more interesting, listening to his father yap on about the soldiers on their northern border or making fertiliser for Katsuki so he can entertain himself in the other’s garden.

Shouto’s nose twitches as he looks up and takes a good look at his surroundings again. It’s so odd that someone of such a character can create such a magnificent looking garden. He just doesn’t get it. It doesn’t click. It doesn’t fall into place. Katsuki is an enigma.

One that Shouto wants to get to know.

It seems.

Katsuki reminds Shouto to wear plainer clothes the next time he drops by to finish off the fertiliser.

Shouto returns home before the sun sets. His arms are sore. It was more work than a whole day of training. His muscles feel strained, and Shouto believes that if he keeps this up, his arms will look just as impressive as Katsuki’s very formidable arms.

Soba huffs as he trots back slowly. Shouto gently pats his horse and talks about how much work it takes to make fertiliser. He tells Soba that this makes sense. You can only get results if you put some effort into it. Just like how Katsuki wants to keep his garden excruciatingly beautiful, the fertiliser is a necessity. And to make the fertiliser, the man power and time is also necessary.

After Shouto asks the stable boy to give Soba a nice bath, Shouto ends up soaking in his tub himself. It’s relaxing and he feels all the knots in his arms slowly come undone. It was as though all his worries were going.

But Shouto isn’t a commoner. He groans when he remembers the problems he had ran from earlier. The concubines. Amongst other things like how to best spread out their men for patrolling. Or things like how to best distribute food. Or the land taxes. Or that one unruly brat who tends to a magnificent garden hidden in the woods.

He misses dinner because he spends too long soaking in the bath. He dismisses the servants who come and remind him or deliver the message that the royal family is requesting his presence. He’s too tired. He had to deal with Katsuki for most of the day, he really isn’t in the mood to entertain other odd balls.

The Queen is different. Shouto has the softest spot for her. So, after his bath he takes a trip down to the kitchens and he looks at the selection of baked goods. Shouto takes a couple of tea biscuits and orders a pot of black tea. He takes it up to his mother’s study himself, knowing that she would be there, enjoying the rest of the night before bed.

And she is.

Rei is absolutely delighted at the surprise of her youngest son bringing her a small snack. She puts down her book and directs a warm smile at her youngest son, “Shouto”.

“Mother”, Shouto acknowledges as he pours her a cup of tea before taking his seat. “How was dinner?” Shouto is straightforward.

Rei presses her lips together and shakes her head, “no different”.

Shouto hates it when his mother looks more frail than usual.

“We were worried that you didn’t show up for dinner”, Rei looks knowingly at Shouto, “did you go out into the village again today?”

Shouto nods. There’s no point in hiding anything from his mother. Best to be honest, “I promise I came back before sunset though”.

Rei hums, “Yes, that’s good, who knows what goes on in those areas late at night”.

Shouto lets out a small chuckle, “It’s not whatever you think it is, mother”. Shouto shakes his head. The villages are fairly peaceful once the sun sets. They all return home to their families and Shouto can see the smoke come out of the chimneys as dinner is cooked. Small fires are lit to give off an extremely cosy feeling throughout the town. It really looked like a painting out of a story book. One about the olden days where dragons roamed and creatures soared.

Turning her head to the side, Rei looks out her window and into the town that sits far and below them. She sees the small flickers of light, almost as though they were the stars of the land. Shouto watches as he quietly sips at his tea. One day, he would love to be able to free his mother from this self-imposed cage and show her the beauty and wonders of the world outside of her rooms.

Rei turns away from the window again as she gets up and goes to one of her vases. She plucks a couple of rose petals and brings them back to the desk she was sitting at with Shouto.

Shouto watches without a word.

“The fragrance of roses are so beautiful”, Rei speaks delicately as she mirrors her tone and puts the petals in the pot of black tea, “this way, we can enjoy it even in our tea”. She looks up and gives Shouto a smile. Shouto returns it. He finishes his cup of tea and takes a deep breath in, the lingering smell of roses is indeed, very delectably delightful.

Unfortunately, Shouto is caught by the castle and he is restrained from going out to party till late dressed like a commoner for a good while. Shouto is forced back into political talks, which isn’t too bad considering it can be in turmoil as often as it is tranquil. It changes like the weather and Shouto at least feels like he can use his brain and come to what he believes is the best conclusion and have that discussed on the oak table with the advisors and Elders.

The Elders.

Shouto groans and wants to order someone to dig a hole so he can live in it, away from the Elder’s preaching of the crown prince must uphold his position and pride. They tell him he can’t go frolicking in the towns and sleep with who he fancies. It’s ridiculous. They can’t tell him what to do, and he isn’t doing that in the first place. But they don’t believe him. And Shouto recognises that a part of the reason could be due to the fact that Shouto isn’t being totally honest with them. He isn’t telling them where he has been going. Shouto doesn’t say a word about Katsuki. He doesn’t let the guards accompany him. He snuffs them out before they can even tail him. Shouto perhaps is digging his own hole here.

So, when the topic of concubines come up, Shouto thinks it’s ridiculous. He doesn’t need them; he doesn’t want them. He doesn’t know how having a line of concubines will help him uphold his position and pride. Shouto side-eyes his father with glares and in that moment, he can’t wait until he becomes King. Then there’d be no more of these ridiculous suggestions that have quickly turned into plans rolling out.

He doesn’t see how him having concubines will benefit the country.

“Maybe they just want to be rest assured that if anything does happen to us, you’ve left behind sons to take the position of king”, Natsuo says with his legs up on the desk in his own private study.

Shouto sighs and buries his head in his hands. The sun shines in through the window of the study and it’s extremely warm, Shouto looks out and wishes he was out there instead of trapped in here. “What makes you say that?” Shouto queries, he turns around and looks at his older brother seriously, “Are you implying something?”

Natsuo laughs and waves a hand, “And this is why you’re the crowned prince, and not me”. Natsuo shrugs and then flicks his hand towards Shouto, “You better get going, I don’t need your teachers rushing in here looking for you and disturbing my nap”.

Shouto clicks his tongue as he leaves. He never enjoyed visiting Natsuo that often. It reminded him all too much of what he could have, but doesn’t have. But sometimes, when he felt trapped, it was good to imagine the life he could have had if he wasn’t his father’s favourite.

As soon as Shouto steps foot outside of Natsuo’s private study, he’s greeted by the stern face of his history teacher, he’s tapping his foot and his arms are crossed, he does not look amused. Shouto winces as he knows he’s in for hours of never-ending history lessons. He knows that it’s important to know the history of the lands, and the history of the people, and most especially the history of their family and its relations. What he will do with that information, Shouto doesn’t see himself doing it. Going to social events and chatting with all of the noblemen and noblewomen. If he was chatting with them, he can see how an extensive knowledge into their history will help, but honestly, he isn’t cut out for that.

“But the King must”, Shouto’s history teacher reiterates for the nth time over the years.

Shouto repeats after him like a broken record. But the King must. And so Shouto continues with his lesson. Because he will succeed after his father and become King.

By the end of the day, Shouto learns that the enlistment for the Crown Prince’s ward of concubines is to be finalised by the end of the month. That gives him half a moon cycle to scrap it all. It’s a waste of their money and time. He hopes they’ll see that it won’t stop him from visiting the villages and wanting to know more about them.

That night, Shouto sits next to a fireplace in one of the shared living rooms. He picks at his wine as he mulls over his current situation. When Touya walks in, Shouto barely glances at him. Touya takes a seat next to Shouto. Which for Shouto, is fairy annoying, he doesn’t need to be sitting next to the eldest Todoroki son. Shouto still feels sour that Touya isn’t the one who’s crowned prince. In this kind of situation, all Shouto wants to do it relinquish that title.

“What do you want?” Shouto asks tiredly, “Come to laugh in my face?”

Touya shakes his head as he pours himself a glass of wine.

“Careful”, Shouto warns, “I could’ve poisoned that wine”, Shouto looks his brother in the eye as he drinks his own.

Touya cackles gleefully, “I’d like to see you try poison anyone”.

Shouto huffs in discontent. He hears the underlying I know you wouldn’t because you’re a wimp. And it irks him. He just has no reason to end Touya’s life.

“Natsuo told me you’re receiving concubines”, Touya states.

“Of course he did”, Shouto mutters, “By now, the whole castle knows, by tomorrow, the whole country will know”.

“You’re not pleased by it”, Touya notes.

Shouto frowns and looks at his blood brother as though he suddenly grew another 6 heads and 3 arms.

“Why not have a bit of fun?” Touya suggests, “Before you’re sent to your death”.

“What”, Shouto raises one eyebrow at his brother. He has no idea what Touya is insinuating.

“That’s what it is right?” Touya stretches his arms, “You’re given concubines to reproduce with so that our King can send you off to war”.

“Don’t be ridiculous”, Shouto waves a hand, “Can’t you see that he’s got me confined to this magnificent castle?”

“Just like mother”, Fuyumi interrupts as she opens the door and looks at her two brothers.

“Well, I’m taking my leave”, Touya says as he takes his glass and waltzes out, giving Fuyumi a sly grin on the way.

“He’s nuts”, Shouto shakes his head.

“Don’t say that”, Fuyumi reprimands as she takes the seat Touya vacated. “Natsuo told me you’re definitely receiving concubines”.

“Not this conversation, again”, Shouto sighs as he places his glass down, “I don’t want to talk about it”, and with that he leaves his puzzled sister next to the fireplace and he heads back into his bedroom.

Shouto’s days continue in a cycle, all the same, his chances of escaping are slim, his self-made time off from the caste are all squashed. He can’t remember the last time he took Soba out for a ride, the last time he took a stroll in the village, the last time he stood there and let Katsuki insult him without insulting him back.

Well, he knows roughly what time frame. No more than two moon cycles, because that was when he would have to sit in the throne room and choose the concubines he would like to receive. What a joke. He has no time for that. He might as well not grace them with his presence. Which, to Shouto does sound like a rather good plan.

On one chilly night, Shouto does go out to go see Soba, he misses his friend. The stable boy is still up and gives Shouto a full report on how Soba has been since he last saw him. At least this was information Shouto desired. Shouto takes a glance towards the horizon and sees the walls that shield them. He sees the flicker of flames and knows that the guards are still diligently patrolling, he won’t be able to sneak out easily. He remembers he tried bribing them once upon a time.

It didn’t work.

He remembers he tried overruling their orders.

It didn’t work.

But if Shouto was King, then it would’ve worked.

Soba seems to enjoy the attention Shouto gives him, even if it’s just tangling his mane or rubbing his back. Shouto can tell that the other may have felt neglected. Soba is warm against his hand, Shouto feels some comfort, knowing that surely Soba does not think he needs concubines.

A butler comes to accompany Shouto back into the castle. Shouto rolls his eyes at that. Of course someone came to escort him. They all must be so terribly worried that he’s going to go sneak out at night and knock up some lucky girl who’s going to come barging in later and demand money or stake some ridiculous claim on the throne. It’s hilarious. And it’s not going to happen.

During the times in which Shouto does daydream, he thinks about the wisteria hanging over the garden of hydrangea. He thinks about the clear water that runs through the garden and the variety of stones placed in that garden, forming patterns that made his soul feel purified. It unfortunately also frequently reminds him of Katsuki and his very rude mouth. It makes Shouto frown and his mood is somewhat ruined. He still doesn’t think he has a good grasp on the other. And that fascinates him. The more logical part of Shouto tells him that there isn’t anything to grasp, Katsuki is a rude and vile brat who so happens to be brilliant at gardening, and that’s all there is to it.

Shouto knows that his family, his mother in particular will be impressed with Katsuki’s skills in the garden.

“When will I escape?” Shouto mutters to himself as he prepares himself for bed. He has no doubt that there is another gruelling day ahead of him. It isn’t something he is looking forward to, obviously, but there’s nothing else to contemplate at this point in time it seems.

Each day that passes seems to do so slowly. Occasionally, Shouto will think back on to what his siblings had implied, that their father, the king, had plans to sends him off to his death after he reproduces a successor.

Strategically, it doesn’t make sense. He’s sure his siblings are just messing with him. But there is a part of him, somewhere deep down who doesn’t doubt that his father is ruthless and will dispose of anyone to obtain what he wants.

So what if Shouto is his father’s successor? He was perfect, now he talks back and has his own train of thought, maybe his father really is thinking of plucking out the weeds until he has the perfect successor to succeed him.

Shouto has decided, before the sun is up, he’s just going to run off, for a day, just so he can miss the concubine selection, it’s really a waste of his time. He doesn’t need to be there for something so disinteresting. Shouto thinks it would be best to not go through the front door, even if it means he has to render the soldiers immobile. But he would like to bring Soba with him, so honestly, it is probably best to go through the front gates.

Unless he can get someone to smuggle him out?

Shouto snorts at his own thoughts, and just who will smuggle him out? What a ridiculous thought. He’ll figure something out, for now, he’ll sleep some hours before he attempts to leave the castle, again. Maybe he’ll challenge the guards to a duel even. That sounds like an idea.

But alas, ideas are only ideas and they don’t come to fruition often. Shouto gets up wide-eyed and determined as he pulls off his sleeping robes and puts on his silky garments, truly befitting of the crowned prince. When Shouto seems himself dressed as such, even he can’t deny his heritage. And this will be his winning ticket. Shouto packs a small bag filled with a change of clothes and some other essentials. He checks that his dagger is slotted besides his boots properly, in case his plan fails.

Shouto checks his sword and makes sure that his reflection is crystal clear against the blade before he places it back in its sheath and attaches it to his hip. There’s no way he doesn’t look like the crown prince like so. Shouto scrunches his nose and wonders why he has to think so much about trying to leave the castle.

When Shouto makes his presence known in the stable, the stable boy is, understandably, shocked.

It’s working.

“Is Soba ready?” Shouto asks as he hands the stable boy his bag for him to attach onto Soba’s back.

Speechless, the stable boy can only nod. Shouto doesn’t mind. The stable boy doesn’t question Shouto, knowing his place in this beautifully built hierarchy.

Taking Soba with him, Shouto hops onto Soba’s back and treks towards the magnificent gate that will be his door out of here. He’s going to walk through the front, and no one will stop him. Shouto does pause that particular train of thought as he wonders whether he can really pull this off. But look, yes, he’s the crowned prince, of course it’ll work.

As expected, Shouto is stopped at the gate by some guards. Shouto mentally sighs to himself.

“What can we do for you, your highness?” One of the guards asks politely.

Shouto shifts his eyes from the guard and then to the gate, “Out”. He can feel the tension in the air.

“We have been ordered to not let crown prince Shouto outside of the castle grounds”, the guard explains.

It’s time to try. Shouto loosens his grip and says in a tone he has practiced all his life, “I’m welcoming the contestants”. It doesn’t sound like a lie to Shouto’s ears even though it’s the biggest and fattest lie he’s given in a long, long time. The last time he gave such a lie was probably when his mother had asked him whether the burn she had given him many, many moon cycles ago had hurt. Shouto had said no. But it had. The pain was excruciating, whether it was from the burn or from the fact that it was his mother, Shouto knows it well himself.

“The concubine selection will enter the castle grounds, your highness may welcome them from the castle grounds”, the guard says, as though he had rehearsed to spew those lines out.

Shouto must admit that he knew that would happen. So, he gives up on the whole farce, “I’m going to leave regardless”, Shouto is adamant on this, “and you will all let me leave”.

The guards stand tall and they all immediately tense up.

Taking out the dagger hidden in his boot, Shouto points it to his own neck, “If you don’t let me pass you can answer to the king over my severed head”.

Perhaps Shouto takes joy in seeing the anxiousness that immediately spreads across all the guards’ faces as they come to understand just what their daring crown prince is about to do. The fear spreads like wild fire and Shouto can’t believe he didn’t try this earlier as a child.

“Your highness! Please be rational-”

Shouto presses the dagger into his neck and swallows his hiss when he feels the slice, it wasn’t even a prick. He knows he’s bleeding when immediately all the guards part and summon for the gates to be opened for Shouto to leave. Shouto doesn’t pocket the knife back, he holds it against his neck tightly and encourages Soba to continue forward. “Don’t follow me or you’ll be bringing back my severed head to Your Majesty”.

The plan could’ve gone better, but once Shouto was out, he pocketed his knife back in his boot and he turned around to give the guards a smile before he galloped away with Soba, making sure that no one was tailing him. Shouto pulls out a strip of fabric from his bag and ties it around his neck before he raises his collar to hide the unsightly first aid skills. It’s unlikely he’ll bleed out with a small cut like that, but it was enough to scare the guards, as he had expected. He ignores all the stares the civilians give him as he rushes pass on Soba. No doubt they all must be thinking what he is doing galloping away from the castle when today is supposed to be an awfully important day for him.

It couldn’t be any more different.

When his tummy grumbles, Shouto considered stopping by the town to grab breakfast, but it was better to make an escape and cover his trail so it’s less likely for his family to send troops after him. Shouto sighs as he thinks about the complications that may arise. And all for a little bit of freedom. It will be worth it. It has to be worth it.

Veering off into an unnamed road, Shouto hops off Soba and guides Soba along the rocky path, he brushes their prints on the road and tries to hide their traces.

“Do you remember the way to Katsuki’s?” Shouto asks Soba. Soba responds with a huff and continues trotting through the fields and eventually into the woods. They lose the path and Shouto trusts Soba understands where he wants to go. Hopefully.

Eventually, Shouto regrets not stalking into the kitchen to grab some food with him. His stomach is definitely unhappy with him, it’s empty and he really wants food. He spies some odd-looking mushrooms and Shouto’s frown is apparent when he tries to remember whether those mushrooms were poisonous or not. Because he’s unsure, he’s going to assume they were poisonous. The only thought that keeps him slightly happy is knowing that Soba at the very least, had been fed by the stable boy.

After what seemed like time in which Shouto would’ve had several meals already, he finally makes his way to a familiar looking bush of flowers. “Oh”, Shouto perks up, “we’re close, you really took me to Katsuki’s”, Shouto says to Soba and pets the other fondly.

When they reach Katsuki’s garden, Shouto hurriedly ties Soba to the same tree and he takes his small bag filled with some essentials and walks briskly into Katsuki’s garden. The flowers are still in bloom and it really does puzzles Shouto how well Katsuki keeps his garden in shape.

“Oi!” Katsuki’s angry tone rings out again as he appears from behind a flowering bush, his tuft of blond hair swinging with his heavy steps as he stomps up to Shouto.

“Hello Katsuki”, Shouto greets and can’t stop the smile that forms on his face. He feels right. Not confined.

“Don’t hello Katsuki me!” Katsuki’s cheek twitches as he jabs his finger into Shouto’s chest, “You never came back to finish the fertiliser so you are not welcome here anymore”.

“I was never welcome here”, Shouto mutters under his breath.

“Exactly, you manner-less nincompoop”, Katsuki tilts his head back and glares at Shouto. “Get out of my garden”.

“Why are back to bickering like this?” Shouto sighs and crosses his arms. He had just escaped from the confines of the worst person in the world – his father, only to jump into what he had missed the most but only to be told off and belittled.

“Why are you such a half-ass?” Katsuki counters angrily.

“Am not”, Shouto scrunches his nose. “Look, I had my own situation to deal with which is why I couldn’t see you for a while”.

“Deal with”, Katsuki crosses his arms now and gives Shouto a pointed look, “where did you steal those clothes from anyway?”

Shouto raises both eyebrows, so now he’s been labelled as a thief. Just great. “I didn’t steal them”. Shouto looks at what he’s wearing and remembers admiring it himself just earlier that day. He supposes to the common man, something so intricate shouldn’t be readily attainable, if at all.

“And you expect me to believe that?” Katsuki shakes his head.

“They were given to me”, Shouto states truthfully. The clothes he wears were given to him, but they are also his to begin with. It’s not really a lie, it’s mostly the truth.

“Uh-huh”, Katsuki shifts the centre of his weight to his other foot, “I’m sure you have other activities to attend to today, you piece of noble shit, so why don’t you toddle off and leave me alone?”

Shouto shrugs. “Thought you missed me”. He walks pass Katsuki and moves deeper into the garden, “I don’t have anything important on today anyway”.

“Sure”, Katsuki says with sarcasm, “that’s why you’re dressed like you’re the crown prince or some shit”.

Shouto hums in agreement. “Though I suppose seeing you is the most important”, Shouto surveys the garden, “so, what project are we working on today?”

“Urgh”, Katsuki rolls his eyes, “I should report you to the authorities”.

“Don’t”, Shouto says straight away as he turns around to look at Katsuki. He spent so much time covering his tracks, he can’t be found out so soon. That would render his escape almost meaningless.

“So, you do have something to hide”, Katsuki raises one elegant eyebrow and smirks at Shouto.

Shouto is silent for a little bit and then shakes his head, “I don’t want to talk about it”.

“Suit yourself”, Katsuki eyes Shouto warily, “Just know that if you ever get us into any trouble, I’m taking your head”.

Instinctively, Shouto goes to press on his neck.

Maybe Katsuki was finally taking pity on him, or just giving up because Katsuki shakes his head and then says, “Go change into something more presentable and then come with me”.

Presentable, now that is laughable. Shouto nods and he knows he has won. “So, where should I change, Katsuki?”

Katsuki frowns, and Shouto thinks maybe he doesn’t want Shouto in the house. Katsuki looks around the garden and then beckons Shouto to follow him. They enter the house, Shouto politely removes his shoes and meekly looks around. It’s kind of different to what Shouto had imagined, it definitely does not look as magnificent as the garden, if anything, it looks worse than what he had imagined. But on second thoughts, it makes sense. Shouto lives in a palace. No one else in the kingdom has a palace to live in, even the noblemen have, in Shouto’s eyes barely presentable dwellings. The house of a commoner was many steps below that, one in which Shouto couldn’t even imagine until he saw it for himself. It’s true that there were sketches in the books he has read depicting what a normal commoner’s house looks like, but even that sketch may be glorifying the reality Shouto has found himself in.

“This is why I hate you idiots”, Katsuki scowls and gives Shouto the stink eyes.

“It’s nice”, Shouto says out of politeness and gives one stiff nod.

Katsuki groans, “Just, shut up”. His words are heavy and stressed as he leads Shouto down a narrow and low ceiling corridor to a room where he shoves Shouto in and tells him, “Get out of your pompous suit”.

The door slams shut and Shouto swears the hinges are about to come off. The floor boards squeak and aren’t perfectly flat. Shouto takes a look around the room, and he isn’t quite sure what it is? Maybe a bedroom, he sees something that could resemble a bed? But also, many other things he isn’t sure exactly what they are. Shouto shrugs and digs into his bag to take out his small change of clothes, the plainest of all that he has. He shimmies out of his perfect outfit and then puts on the not as fancy set of clothes. Shouto looks out the window of sorts, maybe a crack in the wall? A large crack. And what Shouto sees it the majestic looking sakura tree that’s currently not in bloom.

As expected, Katsuki is standing outside of the door looking grumpy. Shouto can only give the other a small smile. “I’m going to leave my bag in the room”, Shouto states.

“Whatever”, Katsuki shrugs, and then he stares hard at Shouto. “What is that around your neck?”

Oh. “Uh…”, Shouto’s eloquence drops as he tries to figure out how to best tell the other what is around his neck.

But Katsuki is quick as he easily steps into Shouto’s comfort zone and tugs at the bandage, it loosens up before Shouto can even push Katsuki away or step back himself. His mind races as he tries to think about how to best explain his situation.

“It’s a wound”, Katsuki states the obvious, his voice seems much tinier, much quieter.

“Yes”, Shouto’s mind is bubbling, he feels heat race through him and his heart is hammering when Katsuki stands so close examining his neck.

“It’s a fresh wound”, Katsuki continues to comment, “made by a blade”.

“Yes”, Shouto is honestly unsure of what else he can say.

“You made the wound yourself”, Katsuki tilts his head back to gives Shouto a curious gaze.

Shouto isn’t sure how Katsuki can tell so much from such a small slice. But he does admit it, now that it’s in the open, “I did”.

Katsuki swallows thickly and takes a small step back and really examines Shouto. It seems like there’s something he really wants to say, and Shouto is nervous at what it could be that Katsuki may say next.

There’s silence between them and that’s when Shouto knows that Katsuki won’t be voicing out any of his other conjectures.

“I don’t really want to talk about it”, Shouto says. It’s nothing he’s proud of.

“Fine”, Katsuki turns around and Shouto follows silently. He thought they were going to head back outside but instead, Katsuki forces Shouto to take a seat on a log that had been turned into a stool. Katsuki then proceeds to take out things in which Shouto raises an eyebrow at. Succulent leaves and fresh bandage. “Half-ass, trust you to not even clean your wound”.

Oh. Right, the commoner’s way of treating a wound.

There’s enough trust for Shouto to bare his neck for Katsuki to clean with the sap from the succulent leaf. It stung, but hey, Shouto isn’t a stranger to pain. He knows that wound sting. It’s nothing he can’t bear. He’s tough. He’s also not a half-ass like Katsuki seems to enjoy branding him as. After Katsuki has finished up with cleaning the wound, they head outside and Katsuki takes Shouto to the oven which is roaring with life. It seems like Shouto had arrived just as Katsuki was about to make lunch.

The fermenting dough sits, waiting to be placed in the oven. Katsuki orders Shouto to place the dough in the oven as he tidies up the rest of the mess around the oven. The smell of cooking bread is what Shouto fancies, and it only reminds him of how hungry he is. The constant growling leaves Shouto feeling embarrassed, but for some odd reason, when he sees the playful smirk Katsuki gives him, his embarrassment feels different.

Shouto helps prune the rose bush as he waits for the bread. Occasionally he’ll peek at Katsuki who is busy harvesting the honey, the spinning process was something Shouto had only read about in books, never had he seen it in real life. But Katsuki will always catch Shouto staring and demand the other to get back to work you half-ass thief. Shouto really isn’t’ fond of being labelled as a thief. He has to keep reminding himself that he isn’t a thief. That everything the light touches, is, or will be, his.

It’s a fact that won’t change.

When the bread is finally ready, Shouto can’t help but instinctively want to gobble it all up. Instead, Katsuki shakes his head and directs Shouto to the vegetable patch to pull out a couple of carrots for Soba. He does so without complaint. Once Shouto finishes feeding his beloved companion, he returns to see that the bread has been beautifully sliced and that the honey is sitting on the side ready to be spread.

“Tuck in after you’ve washed your hands”, Katsuki stresses on the latter part of the sentence.

Shouto rolls his eyes, “I’m not a child”, he defends himself as he makes his way to the fresh creek and roughly cleans his hands, trying to forget the last time he had ‘cleaned himself up’ in the garden. That really was a memory he could do without. He rolls his eyes when Katsuki demands to investigate whether Shouto had cleaned his hands thoroughly enough before he is allowed to dig into his first meal of the day. And it’s the best first meal of the day Shouto has ever had.

“You really should head home”, Katsuki advises Shouto after they finish the bread.

Shouto shakes his head, “I was hoping I could stay here”, Shouto gestures to Katsuki’s abode.

Katsuki gives Shouto a disgusted look, he looks up into the sky and shakes his head, “It’s late, you need to go home. I know you need to”.

“How do you know what I need to do?” Shouto quizzes.

Katsuki looks at Shouto as though he had grown an extra head, “You’re an idiot”. Shouto doesn’t miss the glance Katsuki takes at his neck.

Shouto shakes his head at that same comment again.

“Do what you want”, Katsuki stands up and peers down at Shouto, “you all act like that anyway”.

“Like that?” Shouto stands up too so not to be intimidated.

Katsuki nods, “Thinking that you own everything and can do whatever the hell you want without consequences”.

Shouto honestly thinks that relates much more to Katsuki than himself.

Dinner is half made and Katsuki is in the middle of cleaning Shouto’s wound again when Masaru and Mitsuki return home. They show slightly alarmed faces at their guest. Shouto stands up immediately to greet them, in which earns him a slap on the arm from Katsuki for suddenly standing up. Usually, a hit to the crowned prince equals to punishment, usually in the form of death, but for some odd reason, Shouto had none of those thoughts when Katsuki’s palm angrily came in contact with his arm. Maybe because it didn’t hurt much. Maybe it’s because Shouto knew Katsuki was doing him a favour by keeping him here. Maybe it’s because Shouto thinks, Katsuki is probably, his first friend. His first commoner in which he can come up close and investigate. Shouto reminds himself that the more he knows about his people, the better leader he will become. At least, he hopes so. No, not hope, he knows so.

And Shouto only thinks about that slap when Masaru and Mitsuki immediately go down to their knees and apologies over and over until Shouto says that it’s all okay.

“I will be intruding for some nights”, Shouto states and then hands Masaru a bag of gold.

Masaru hesitantly takes it and looks at Mitsuki with confusion. She only returns the confusion.

“You’re Katsuki’s friend”, Masaru starts as he tries to hand the bag of gold coins back to Shouto.

“No”, Katsuki crosses his arms and shakes his head, “he’s here to work, he needs to pay board, we are not friends”.

“Right”, Masaru holds onto the bag of coins and has an array of strange expressions flicker through his face.

“And we don’t need to pay this half-ass”, Katsuki quickly adds on with a small quirk in his eyebrows.

“Right”, Masaru says again and gives his wife a very confused look.

“That’s right”, Shouto states, “but I think Katsuki and I are friends”.

“Now you’re a liar too”, Katsuki scoffs and then pulls Shouto back to he can tend to the other’s wound.

Dinner is anything but a quiet affair. Katsuki squabbles with his mother, almost non-stop. They direct questions at Shouto, but it’s never anything too personal. Shouto learns a lot about the food commoners eat for dinner, it’s simple, definitely the opposite of what extravagant is. It is however, still mouth-watering, and Shouto isn’t sure if it’s because he’s had a hard day of work, or whether it’s because it really does taste that good. He feels satisfied after dinner and they also had sweets after too, which is always a bonus.

That night as they prepare for bed, Katsuki doesn’t offer spare pyjamas for Shouto to sleep in when he realises Shouto has no clothes to sleep in. Katsuki turns around and ignores the fact that there is another man sleeping in his room, naked. As Shouto sleeps in Katsuki’s room – and indeed it is the room Shouto changed in earlier that day, no guards and with Soba resting quietly in Katsuki’s garden, he feels rather insecure. Shouto sleeps lightly, still alert and his eyes pop wide open at the teeniest of sounds. Eventually, Shouto finds himself feeling more at peace if he just doesn’t sleep and instead sits at the window sill (definitely not just a large crack in the wall), watching the moon smile down at him and illuminate Katsuki’s sleeping face. He looks serene. Shouto finds himself wanting to card his fingers through the other’s hair. He finds himself wanting to run his hand across the other’s cheek and cup it. It’s a strange feeling.

Not once did he think about how upset his father must be at his absence during the concubine selection.

Katsuki wakes up at the crack of dawn and only grunts when he notes that Shouto is already awake. A blush rises to his cheeks and Shouto knows for sure it’s because of Shouto’s lack of clothing. But hey, he has a makeshift blanket over himself, it shouldn’t be embarrassing at all.

“Clean up, we’re going to go make breakfast”.

Shouto follows Katsuki around and copies the other as he cleans himself up. It was strange to not have anyone bring you a basin of heated water and then proceed to wash your face and limbs in. It was strange to not have anyone dress him in freshly pressed clothes that are still warm to the touch. It was strange to not have anyone to ensure his hair was dust free, to have someone give him a massage before the day starts and someone to say good morning. It was strange, but Shouto is beginning to understand that that just isn’t how commoners live day by day. And he really should know that, his books describe days that start before the sun rises and they don’t end until the dead of night.

There is a certain fascination as he watches Katsuki work. Katsuki picks things that seem random in the garden and puts them together into something edible, and presented so simply and delicately, Shouto would consider it art. The duties Shouto were assigned to were mostly rinsing the seemingly random plants they are to consume and of course, watching the fire. The congee they had was cooked just the way Shouto likes it, the condiments were harvested in Katsuki’s own garden and the grilled fish was fished fresh from a nearby lake in which Masaru had grabbed during dawn.

Self-sustaining.

That’s what it is. Shouto is amazed that Katsuki lives complacently in such a simple yet complicated lifestyle. It shouldn’t make sense, but it does. Masaru and Mitsuki harvest flowers during the time Katsuki is cooking, they take their breakfast on the go as they head into town with their cart filled with the freshest and most beautiful blossoms.

Shouto thinks of his mother and honestly wishes he could show her something so beautiful every single day. He misses her already and hopes that she is coping alright knowing that he had literally run away from a problem he couldn’t diffuse or throw into the very depths of the ocean.

There’s shame but Shouto is more than happy to ignore it and think about what to do next as he hides himself within this beautiful garden where things don’t seem to make sense and it’s ok that it doesn’t make sense.

Whilst Katsuki works under the weeping willows who gently caress Katsuki’s frame, Shouto sits under the sakura tree and ponders how life can seemingly be so peaceful. His heart beat is regular and his breathing is free flowing. Shouto doesn’t have to wonder when the guards will rat him our or when he’ll be next dragged to another never-ending lecture. He doesn’t have to be afraid of his father, he doesn’t have to be afraid for his mother, because he doesn’t need to think about it. The life in which he felt he was unfairly born into. A life where his siblings could choose not to carry on the royal blood-line and consequently force Shouto into.

Consequences.

Shouto sighs. The light summer breeze brings him comfort.

“Why are you sighing when you’re just sitting there!?” Katsuki stands straight and has his hands on his hips as he looks questioningly at Shouto.

Shouto turns his eyes towards Katsuki’s face and licks his lips before he answers, “Just thought that your garden would be perfect if even this tree is in bloom”.

Katsuki’s face scrunches up in confusion. And that’s understandable. Sakura blooms during early spring.

“Is that all?” Katsuki shakes his head and motions with his hand for Shouto to go to him.

Shouto hesitates but eventually stands up and gives Katsuki one raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

Katsuki rolls his eyes, “Go work, get some firewood”.

There is probably only a tiny handful of people who have ever ordered Shouto to do something and not been beheaded for it. Katsuki now makes that list.

Shouto presses his lips together and stares at Katsuki. Katsuki doesn’t back down and stares back in his own aggressive way. Neither of them move and it seems like too many moments have passed in silence before Katsuki seemingly gives up.

“You’ve probably never even touched firewood in your life”, Katsuki sighs and shakes his head. Shouto knows that is an insult. It’s also the truth. He hasn’t touched firewood, but maybe Katsuki will be impressed to hear that Katsuki has done some wood carving and has put together pieces of wood together as furniture for his mother in which she uses happily. It’s something he could buy with gold, so really, he shouldn’t be proud of it. Shouto fidgets – an action he should never do, but something about Katsuki makes him nervous.

“Follow me”, Katsuki turns around and starts walking. Shouto follows right after despite the order. He probably doesn’t think about it much, but Katsuki does bark out orders for him to follow fairly often. Maybe it’s because he’s in a sanctuary where he doesn’t need to act like the crown prince that he can receive such orders and not immediately think about the consequence for the ingrate. It shouldn’t be his concern in the first place.

They go around to the back of the house and Katsuki indicates for Shouto to grab the axe and saw. Shouto looks at the axe and saw and wonders if he really is going to grab it. At Katsuki’s impatient growl and tapping of feet, Shouto sighs and grabs it whilst ignoring Katsuki’s dirty glare. In this position, Shouto wonders if Katsuki is not worried that Shouto might just lop his head off. It might be better for the world to have one less foul-mouthed brat after all. Though that would also mean one less perfect garden. A garden so ethereal, Shouto doesn’t even begin to understand how it can exist. It’s a sight he must bring back to his mother.

Katsuki takes Shouto out of the garden, Soba looks curiously but Shouto only shakes his head and continues walking behind Katsuki in silence, looking around to make sure he won’t get lost if Katsuki decides to leave him there.

Eventually, after a short walk, they stop and Katsuki sticks out his right hand, silently asking Shouto to pass him the axe. Shouto scrunches up his nose again and does place the axe in Katsuki’s hand.

Easily, Katsuki wields the axe and swings it against the trunk of a tree once, twice, thrice, over and over until the tree topples over. Katsuki then hands the axe back to Shouto, “Split it and bring it back”.

Shouto frowns.

“You do know how to do that right?” Katsuki pauses and looks at Shouto with a pitiful expression.

Shouto must admit that he hasn’t felt so nervous for a long time. It’s odd that Katsuki makes him nervous. “In theory”, Shouto admits and tries to sound confident.

Katsuki scoffs and takes the axe again to mark the fallen log, “Saw along those marks”, Katsuki hands the axe back to Shouto, “split the wood and then bring it back”.

A small sigh escapes Shouto before he props the axe against a different tree and then proceeds to grab the saw to work on the log. Katsuki doesn’t say anything else as he walks off. It’s hard work, Shouto concludes, and really not the type of work the crown prince should be doing.

Splitting the wood was much easier with the axe that’s designed to make the job a cinch without excess effort. Shouto wipes off sweat from his brows as he looks at all the wood he had cut up. It was a lot and there’s no way he can bring all of it back by himself in one go. And it doesn’t help that his stomach is rumbling either. A sign that it is time for him to feast on a 5-course lunch, or Katsuki’s lunch is an excellent choice as well.

Shouto grabs what he can in his hands and walks back towards Katsuki’s garden, he must admit he wonders if he made the wrong turn and fumbles a little, but he gets there in the end, after he finds the path they had followed in the first place.

Soba neighs gently at Shouto’s entrance and Shouto sends a stunning smile back at his friend. He passes through the wisteria and the hydrangea whose perfume seems to wear away his tiredness and hunger. He finds Katsuki crouched under the wisteria and tending to the hydrangeas. Katsuki doesn’t even look up to greet Shouto when he says, “Place the firewood in the shed and the tools back where you got them”.

Rolling his eyes, Shouto places the tools back and then looks for the shed. He finds a wooden shed hidden behind vines with a jasmine tree neighbouring one side of the shed. The scent is glorious. When he opens the doors, it’s dark inside but he can still make out the piles of firewood stacked in there. Was there really any need to go cut more firewood if they already had so much in stock? Plus, it’s not exactly the season for cutting firewood.

Maybe Katsuki had wanted to teach Shouto how to cut firewood. Perhaps he just wanted to harass Shouto. The latter seems much more likely.

Regardless, Shouto stacks the firewood he had split as neatly as he can in the shed before he heads out to grab the rest. He looks around the garden briefly to see where Katsuki is, but can’t find him hunched around the bushes or leaning against the magnificence of the wisteria or crouched with the chrysanthemum.

Huffing, Shouto decides to head out anyway, perhaps Katsuki is back in the house. Except, he’s not. Shouto finds Katsuki feeding Soba casually. It’s an image Shouto finds interesting and he can’t help but keep watching. It should be something mundane, but Shouto can’t pull his eyes away.

“Still staring?” Katsuki accuses correctly as he turns to look at Shouto.

Shouto straightens up and clears his throat. “What did you feed Soba?”

Katsuki raises one eye brow and instead of answering the question asks Shouto, “Why? Does she have premium food and can’t eat anything else?”

At that question, Shouto chuckles, there is something about that content that is amusing to him. Maybe his tone of voice was wrong for Katsuki to be so defensive. Shouto shakes his head, “No, Soba eats healthy and I know you feed him healthy, just want to know if I need to feed him any more”.

Katsuki lips his lips and turns to look back at Soba, gently patting Shouto’s horse, “You can do that after you bring the rest of the firewood back”.

Of course.

“Are you going to get lunch started whilst I lug all the firewood back then?” Shouto walks towards Katsuki and reaches over to pat Soba as well. He pretends he doesn’t think that maybe Katsuki smells better than the flowers in his garden.

Katsuki grimaces and then shakes his head again, “Are you always hungry?” He lightly nudges Shouto and starts heading further away from the garden, “Come on, let’s go grab the rest of the firewood”.

“Oh”, Shouto quickly follows after and then proceeds to follow in step with Katsuki.

“Yes, oh”, Katsuki emphasises.

Things are silent only for a short while before Katsuki asks, “Did you sleep alright last night?” It was definitely a question Shouto did not expect. He doesn’t know how to answer, with the truth? A white lie? He looks at Katsuki and wonders if he can garner the correct response by watching his expression.

Katsuki turns to look at Shouto and Shouto is mesmerised. Maybe it’s the eyes. Maybe it’s the hair, his skin? His foul-mouth? His pink lips? His roughly hidden sense of care. Maybe it’s the fact that Katsuki is still very himself even in front of someone who is of a much higher social standing. Perhaps when people say that people often fall in love with their firsts does have some basis to it.

Wait. Love?

Shouto blinks rapidly and then laughs at himself internally. Katsuki is the first person to act so differently before him, but love is a really big stretch.

“Should’ve kicked you off”, Katsuki mutters.

“How about you?” Shouto asks with a smile, “Did you sleep well?”

“Would’ve been better if you weren’t snoring right into my ear”, Katsuki complains.

Shouto does not offer an apology and smirks, “You’ll have to put up with it for a while”.

Katsuki clicks his tongue. It makes Shouto think that Katsuki was taught manners by his very well-mannered parents, but Katsuki himself chooses to not utilise what he was taught. If Shouto didn’t have a heart made of gold, Katsuki would already be dead. Shouto likes to think that he has made progress. Katsuki isn’t telling him to fuck off as soon as he sees him, and Katsuki had even started conversation without Shouto prompting it. He is definitely getting to know the way of commoners. Or maybe just this one particularly feisty commoner.

Lunch turns out to be roasted persimmons – weren’t they autumn fruits? Never mind, freshly harvested persimmons from an orchard hidden at the back where you had to part the weeping willows and wisteria before you can see the rows of fruit trees of all sorts, each tree bore a different fruit. Beside that was the Bakugou family’s vegetable patch. Shouto thinks that if the Bakugou family didn’t sell flowers for a living, they could definitely sell fruits and vegetables.

“Do you spend every day in the garden?” Shouto asks as he devours the roasted persimmons.

“How else do you think it gets maintained?” Katsuki rolls his eyes.

“It’s so magical”, Shouto comments and looks around at the well-designed garden and can only believe that there has to be some sort of magical coincidence that allows Katsuki to grow what he wants and have it in bloom for so long. “Katsuki, you’ve really got a talent in gardening”.

Katsuki smirks and doesn’t say anything to that comment.

It seems like Shouto doesn’t mind talking himself anyway. “Or maybe it’s not talent”, Shouto muses, “hard work?”

Katsuki continues eating and only gives Shouto a brief hum of acknowledgement.

Later that day, Shouto invites Katsuki out for ride with Soba. Katsuki looks at his hands and then glances at his garden before responding, “I’ll finish up first then we can take Soba out for a ride”. It’s as though Katsuki thinks taking Soba out is for Soba and not really for well, either Shouto or Katsuki.

By finishing up, Katsuki meant removing all the weeds that were growing in between the red spider lilies that had its separate pond to thrive in. Shouto had always thought that red spider lilies were more of a symbol of farewell and death, he never thought it would be a good idea to grow that in your own grounds, what if their home catches on fire? But when he watches Katsuki stand amongst the red spider lilies, he wonders if that meaning can ever change for him. He doesn’t believe that he will never meet Katsuki again.

When Katsuki turns around to stare at Shouto, Shouto feels his voice caught in his throat. He isn’t sure what to say.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Katsuki looks down at the red spider lilies. “They’re from a different land, but they can only reproduce under human hands”. Katsuki bends down and plucks one gently from the ground, “Such sorrowful flowers”, Katsuki’s voice is quieter, “separation and death, both unavoidable”.

Shouto gulps. He frowns when Katsuki walks towards him with the stalk in hand.

“People die every day”, Katsuki blinks slowly and takes a small whiff of the red spider lily in his hand, “this may be one of the few things we can offer as comfort”.

There is something about Katsuki which makes Shouto sweat a bit more, makes his heart beat a bit faster. He isn’t sure how to respond, what to say. He isn’t even sure he understands what Katsuki is trying to tell him.

“To others, it may just be a reminder of what is to come”, Katsuki gives Shouto a small smile as he places the stalk of red spider lily in Shouto’s breast pocket. Shouto doesn’t think he’s ever seen Katsuki smile.

Shouto’s throat feels dry but he can’t clear it and can only mutely follow Katsuki as they walk out of the garden.

They both hop onto the back of Soba, Shouto making sure Katsuki is steady before they gallop off. The red spider lily jostles in his breast pocket before it falls off and Shouto watches it with a frown until he can’t see it anymore. Katsuki doesn’t tense in Shouto’s arms, nor does he say anything.

“Is there somewhere in particular you want to go to?” Shouto asks as he doesn’t know where he wanted to go when he asked Katsuki to go on this horse ride with him.

Katsuki replies straight away, “Dinner”.

“Dinner?” Shouto isn’t sure where that is, and he’ll need more than just that one word to navigate.

“A condiment of sorts”, Katsuki offers as an explanation.

“Well, you can guide us”, Shouto says with a shrug he knows Katsuki can’t see but can feel with their bodies pressed together on Soba.

They end up trotting to a nearby creek in which myoga was seemingly abundant. Shouto hops off Soba and helps Katsuki – who is wearing a scowl, off as well. He’s semi-confident that Katsuki can hop off himself, but, just in case, he does need to bring Katsuki back in one piece otherwise he doesn’t know where he can rest his body for the next while before he can dare head back into the palace walls.

Katsuki takes a small blade from his shoe and then passes it to Shouto before he takes out another one from his other shoe and holds onto it. “Watch”, Katsuki crouches next to the myoga and expertly harvests the young myoga shoots, “and learn”.

“You really think I don’t know anything, don’t you?” Shouto sighs and crouches down next to Katsuki and copies his movements to harvest the myoga shoots.

“I know you’re a half-ass”, Katsuki scoffs and continues harvesting until he determines that that is enough to feed four people.

They don’t make any detours on the way back to the Bakugou household, it feels peaceful to have the wind rustle his hair as Soba takes them back. The sun is warm against his face, but Katsuki’s back is warmer.

“So, what is dinner tonight?” Shouto decides to ask.

“You really are just hungry all the time”, Katsuki scoffs and tilts his head back hard enough for the back of Katsuki’s head to hit Shouto’s nose.

They end up having myoga with rice, simple but enough to keep the stomach full. Masaru brings a side dish of gouya and egg traded at the market that day. It was different to anything Shouto has ever had.

“All these foreign goods”, Katsuki comments.

Mitsuki looks at her son and smiles, “It’s not warm enough to grow in this environment”.

Katsuki scoffs, “So long as it’s under control”.

That night, as Shouto and Katsuki talk about the different types of food had at different prefectures, Shouto learns that Katsuki hasn’t really had much around the country. Maybe the next time he goes out to a different prefecture for business, he can take Katsuki with him. Show him the different types of flora that differs from the beach to the mountains. The way food is cooked differently in the market place. Even the way they dress is different, some more subtle than others.

Perhaps it could be something Shouto can finally teach Katsuki about this world they reside in. Maybe this way Katsuki won’t look at him with an incredulous expression as much – though he thinks he likes it. And maybe this way, Katsuki won’t attempt to correct him as much either. Though it always leads to more sentences from Katsuki that is not crude. It’s a way of having a conversation, some banter is welcome.

Shouto isn’t really sure when or why it started, but maybe he’s starting to see Katsuki as someone who potentially could be more than just an encyclopedia on the commoner’s life.

That night, Katsuki was content with the summer night keeping him company. Shouto laid down and tried to watch the sky, but it was proven difficult with all the foliage, so he soon gave up and sat up right and decided to watch Katsuki in the garden under the glimmers of light from the moon and the warm glow from the candles.

Katsuki sits by the sakura tree silently and he’s not working.

Hm?

Shouto thinks that maybe it’s not so bad to spend time like this. But as soon as he closes his eyes, he remembers the problem he has left behind him. And it’s not so comfortable. Shouto opens his eyes straight away and immediately looks for Katsuki.

Katsuki is still sitting beside the sakura tree, pressed up against it. There is reflection on the waters from the light that escapes from the moon. The small ripples and waves of the homemade creek is soothing against the whispers of the hydrangea leaves.

Maybe Katsuki looks otherworldly. As though he is perfectly part of the perfect garden Katsuki has created. Shouto couldn’t find it in himself to interrupt the perfect painting, so he leaves Katsuki there and flops back down onto the earth in which they are birthed from and return to. He doesn’t close his eyes though, just in case his nightmares resurface as a cruel reminder.

Eventually, Shouto finds himself face to face with not Katsuki’s beautiful garden but Katsuki’s face. Still beautiful.

Hm? Beautiful? Katsuki? Hm?

“Katsuki?”

“Wash up before bed”, Katsuki says simply, “come on”.

Shouto grunts and gets up to follow after Katsuki. He becomes nervous when he remembers his situation with the cold water in which Katsuki falsely accused him due to a misunderstanding. Not Shouto’s fault. Neither is it Katsuki’s.

Katsuki picks up a bamboo tub with a bamboo towel in it and passes it to Shouto and then takes one for himself before he guides Shouto to the back of the garden, following the creek. In between the curtains of the willows, not at the fruit orchards quite yet and pass the shed filled with firewood.

When they part the willows branches, Shouto is surprised by the curtain that hid this view from him.

Fireflies.

Not many, but they hover around the creek and really gives this part of Katsuki’s garden a magical touch. It is very fitting of summer.

Shouto knows now to follow and copy Katsuki so he pauses next to Katsuki and watches as Katsuki removes his clothes and hang them on the branches of one of the willow trees. He keeps glancing at Katsuki and finds that in the cover of the night with only the moon and the fireflies to highlight the painting, he’s truly beautiful.

It. It’s truly beautiful.

Katsuki looks up and they make eye contact, “What are you staring at? Thought you were the expert at letting your family jewels hang?”

Shouto grimaces and finds maybe it’s not so beautiful after all. But he quickly takes off his clothes without complaint and hangs them on a branch of the willow tree just like Katsuki did. By the time he was done, Katsuki steps into the cold creek without hesitation, the fireflies around him seems to respond eagerly and make a buzz in which Shouto can’t actually hear.

The water is so cold. Just like Shouto remembered, and gosh does it feel colder at night. He doesn’t know how Katsuki can soak in the cold water.

Pitiful commoners.

But Shouto must learn their ways. If Katsuki can do it, so can he. So, he dramatically dunks himself in the river which obviously surprises Katsuki when he releases a squeal when the cold water splashes him someplace he had not expected. Shouto looks up at Katsuki and grins. Katsuki flicks his hand and splashes some of the cold creek water onto Shouto himself.

So childish.

And maybe it’s ok to be childish in this situation. He doesn’t need to act like the crown prince right now. His parents aren’t watching, the elders aren’t watching and his siblings aren’t either. If this is how someone his age should be acting if they aren’t the crown prince, maybe Shouto can too. Which is how Shouto ends up splashing more water back onto Katsuki and then taking one large step towards Katsuki so that he can splash more water on the other.

Katsuki sticks out his arm to prevent Shouto from coming closer and he stands up from the creek as he’s wary of what Shouto may do next. “What are you doing you pompous dick?” Katsuki is cautious.

Shouto raises one eyebrow, isn’t this how commoners clean? By flicking water at each other. Now that Shouto re-thinks it, he does think it is rather odd. Even for a commoner.

“Stop”, Katsuki rolls his eyes, “I can hear you think and it’s rude and it makes me want to drown you in this creek”.

Shouto scoffs, there’s no way Katsuki can tackle him and drown him in this creek. Shouto is sure he will win if they get into a fight. He is the crown prince after all, definitely well trained. Problem is, Katsuki doesn’t know that and keeps thinking Shouto is a useless nobleman who knows close to nothing. Which to Shouto, is so far from the truth.

If only Katsuki knew. But Shouto won’t tell Katsuki. And if he ever does, it won’t be now anyway.

“How can you hear what I’m thinking?” Shouto tilts his head slightly and looks at Katsuki oddly.

“It’s all written on your face”, Katsuki says easily and relaxes a little when he crouches down again and stretches one leg out to clean his leg, his attention removed from Shouto.

“Huh”, Shouto crouches too and copies Katsuki’s actions and cleans a leg. That’s definitely something he has not been told since he was a child who couldn’t even reach his mother’s knees. In fact, he’s more commonly told that he has no expression on his face.

Maybe his mask is dropping. Or maybe Katsuki is very good at reading people.

In the little time he has spent at the Bakugou household though, it sure seems like the only humans Katsuki interacts with is his own parents. And now, Shouto.

Shouto thinks he isn’t terrible at reading people either. He stares at Katsuki and copies his movements. The water is cold and he can’t wait to get out, but there’s some fun in learning more, even if it’s just how commoners bathe themselves.

He does note that Katsuki has blemish free legs. And when Katsuki cleans his arms, Shouto notes that the skin looks silky smooth and there isn’t a single scar or mole on Katsuki’s skin. Is that possible?

Perhaps this is the definition of porcelain skin.

“I guess no one else also tells you you’re a creep”, Katsuki sighs.

“Also?” Shouto frowns.

“Also”, Katsuki looks away from cleaning his stomach to look at Shouto in the eye.

“I’m not a creep, by the way”, Shouto denies.

“In the same way you’re not a stalker”, Katsuki splashes some water on his face and rubs it in and also his hair.

Shouto copies it. And fails horrendously.

And Katsuki ensures Shouto knows of his failure. “You’ve never washed your own hair before, have you?”

Shouto licks his lips and swallows hard, “Why would you say that?”

Katsuki grimaces and then shakes his head, “Never mind, just turn around and sit down”.

Shouto stares back at Katsuki and makes no move to turn around.

“Do it”, Katsuki crosses his arms, “or you will have nowhere to sleep tonight. Mark my words”.

Clicking his tongue, Shouto does turn around and then plops him down in the creek. When did he learn to trust this easily irritated gardener? The fireflies that hover around the creek, weaving in and out of the curtains of the willow is still mesmerising, but more so than that, Katsuki’s fingers weaving in his hair and massaging his scalp really felt heavenly.

How can it feel so wonderful?

Shouto closes his eyes and he doesn’t see his troubles.

The next morning, Shouto wakes up before the crack of dawn, partly because he still isn’t fully confident in sleeping in the wild where he can be assassinated at any time – though that’s a very slim chance, crime isn’t common in their rich country. Katsuki is illuminated by the moon who blesses him. Shouto can’t say that Katsuki sleeps elegantly, it’s important information Shouto files away in his head, knowing that commoners aren’t taught strictly how they should rest in bed. So many areas in terms of mannerisms which only separates them further. Shouto slips out of the makeshift bed and watches the bed bounce back as his weight comes off it, Katsuki stirs slightly but continues sleeping. It’s most likely instinct which controls Shouto lean down and wipe off the trail of drool forming from the corner of Katsuki’s rose pink and silky soft lips. It is unsightly after all.

What else can he learn from Katsuki? It can’t be bottomless.

Shouto leaves the room and the house to go clean up. He bumps into Masaru and Mitsuki who are kneeling by the creek in which Shouto had the best wash in his life despite it being in cold water. There are no drips of the moon seeping through the curtain of the willows and there are no fireflies. But it’s still dark out.

“Good morning”, Mitsuki and Masaru both greet Shouto.

“Good morning”, Shouto replies quietly, “I’d like to go fish with you this morning”, Shouto looks at Masaru.

Masaru seems to be surprised but answers readily, “Of course, I’d love a hand, Katsuki can’t wake up after a tiring day in the garden”.

Shouto offers a smile. A titbit of information in which Shouto thinks he’ll probably mull over for some time.

Mitsuki and Masaru share a kiss before Masaru leads Shouto out of the house, he takes his horse and Shouto takes Soba. Shouto follows behind Masaru on a short trot across the floors of the woodlands. They stop by a pond surrounded by reeds just as the sun shows small signs of waking.

“Does Katsuki not go horse riding with you?” Shouto asks as he hops off Soba.

Masaru laughs lightly, “Katsuki prefers gardening”.

Shouto frowns but knows not to say anything else or ask about why Katsuki would then go on a horse ride with him more than once. And Shouto has all intentions to ask Katsuki out for another ride today. “I see”, is all Shouto says. Maybe that’s why Katsuki is so inexperienced with a horse.

“We’re actually not fishing today”, Masaru says, “I laid traps yesterday and that’s what we’re using to retrieve our breakfast today”.

“Right”, Shouto says, he understands the words, he can picture the drawings, but this is outside of his comfort zone. And that is precisely what he is here for.

Masaru is patient and all warm smiles as he shows Shouto how to retrieve the lures and the traps. How to steady your feet at the side of the pond and the best way to pull your breakfast in. Shouto is somewhat sceptical, maybe half when he pulls the reed and bamboo baskets in. Maybe their breakfast won’t be in it? But the weight as the water flushes out leaves them with the breakfast flapping.

Truly amazing.

Perhaps this is how the breakfast Shouto eats back at home is caught. Perhaps in a very similar fashion.

So, Shouto asks, “Is this how most people catch their breakfast?” Because most people equal to the commoners.

Masaru looks over at Shouto and is still all smiles, “Yes, it’s how we catch our fish and our crabs”.

“I see”, Shouto nods and then locks the flap of the trap like Masaru does and then attaches it to Soba’s saddle. They hop back onto their respective horses and ride back home; the sun rises as they head back.

After Shouto secures Soba, he takes their breakfast in, in which Mitsuki takes off of him with a smile. He notes that she was loading their cart with flowers to sell. Shouto then decides to wash his hands at the creek so that he’s clean for breakfast. Katsuki will be so proud, he’s sure.

When Shouto looks up, he sees something he hadn’t expected at all.

“Sakura…” Shouto says quietly with wide eyes as he stares at the bud forming on the sakura tree. It’s not possible, sakura season is over, he remembers watching the soft pink bloom in front of his own eyes with his mother earlier in the year. He remembers climbing one of the trees to break a few branches to bring back to his mother so she can smell them and gently caress the petals.

“Hm?” Masaru looks at where Shouto is looking at and smiles, “ah, yes, that’s our sakura tree, looks like it will bloom soon”.

“Doesn’t make sense”, Shouto mumbles to himself. He looks over at Masaru to see if he’s surprised, but Masaru doesn’t show a single sign of shock. He’s all smiles as though he’s looking forward to when the tree will bloom.

“Do you like sakura?” Masaru asks somewhat hesitantly.

“Yes”, Shouto affirms, “they are magnificent in spring, but it’s far from spring now”, Shouto says and his brain starts telling him that perhaps the temperature is different in the forest, perhaps that’s why all these flowers can bloom in sync with each other when in the natural world he’s use to, it’s impossible.

Masaru chuckles and nods, “it is Katsuki’s garden after all”.

Shouto wants to ask what he means by that when he is interrupted by Mitsuki who calls for Masaru to bring his basket of fish over so she can clean them too and have them grilled. Masaru sends Shouto another bright smile before he totters along to answer to his wife.

Katsuki jumps out of his bedroom window slightly dishevelled in appearance but with the grace of a swan in water.

“Good morning, Katsuki”, Shouto greets.

Katsuki grunts, “Go watch the oven” and passes by Shouto without another word. He walks up to the sakura tree and leans into it, one side of his cheek presses against the trunk before he wraps his arms around the trunk. Katsuki’s eyes closes and Shouto doesn’t know how to feel about what he is witnessing.

The small amount of peace is over however, when Katsuki’s eyes snap open and he angrily yells at Shouto, “I said go watch the oven, not to watch me you creep!”

Shouto flinches, he is far from a creep. With the scrunch of his nose, Shouto turns around and stalks towards the oven to see bread already baking in it. This he can do perfectly now, and the oven won’t call him a creepy-half-ass stalker. Excellent.

The oven also does not have crimson eyes and snow-white skin.

They’re both fiery and rages one moment before silently fumes the next. Temperamental beings.

Maybe it’s immature for Shouto to do this but he literally sits and watches the oven. Exactly like what Katsuki wanted and not because Katsuki told him to.

That day, Katsuki demands Shouto to collect more firewood – like they need more? And the storage in the shed really is going to become an issue sooner than later. Katsuki tends to the garden, plucking out weeds, sorting through fertiliser and making sure the plants that need more water, get enough water. Shouto is wiping his sweat off frequently and he is pleased to see that Katsuki is doing the same.

Katsuki is leaning against the sakura tree which now has buds even though there wasn’t any sign of even one the day before. Lunch is in comfortable silence, for Shouto. Katsuki is frowning. But he’s always frowning.

Even though it’s comfortable, Shouto wants more than just that at the moment, so he strikes up a conversation, or well, aims to anyway. “There are buds on the sakura tree”. It’s not an awkward conversation, Shouto tells himself.

Katsuki looks up from the bread he was picking at, “Your point?”

“The tree had no buds yesterday”, Shouto states. Yes, this conversation is going so smoothly.

Katsuki scoffs, “Wow”. He takes another bite from his bread with that delicious fruit mixture spread over it.

“What?” Shouto feels miffed.

“You’re a genius”, Katsuki smirks after he finishes chewing.

That is 100% sarcasm. Shouto frowns, he knows he is not dumb, the only person he’ll allow to call himself dumb is his mother. He knows he means well. No one else has ever even suggested that he was dumb, somehow, when Katsuki doesn’t acknowledge his intelligence, it really irks him. Maybe it even pisses him off. Shouto understands that Katsuki is intelligent, so why can’t Katsuki understand?

Or maybe he does? And just enjoys pissing Shouto off. That seems very likely considering Katsuki’s fiery disposition.

“Thought you like sakura”, Katsuki sighs and looks Shouto dead straight in the eyes, “so why are you complaining?”

“I was not complaining”, Shouto refutes. Maybe Katsuki doesn’t know how to have a conversation. Maybe neither of them do.

Katsuki hums and nods, “That’s fine then, hurry up and finish your bread so we can take Soba out for a ride”.

We. Shouto smiles and copies Katsuki by stuffing the rest of the bread in his mouth. Masaru had mentioned that Katsuki prefers gardening to horse riding, so knowing that Katsuki had been the one to suggest going horse riding makes Shouto excited and all the excitement and confusion from before is pushed out of his mind.

Katsuki leaves a note for his parents before they head off. Katsuki shows improvement with hopping onto Soba’s saddle, needs less support from Shouto but Shouto is paranoid and still keeps his hands on Katsuki to make sure he doesn’t topple over or misjudge and fall off after losing balance.

Shouto follows the direction Katsuki gives him and once again Shouto tries to figure out where in the maps they are or heading towards, he has a rough idea, but to be honest, he isn’t the best with this part of the country in terms of every single path, road, river and pond. Maybe his teachers are right, he needs to study harder.

“Turn left here”, Katsuki orders, in which Shouto conveys to Soba.

Or maybe Katsuki can be his teacher. Shouto scrunches his nose. It’s just a maybe.

They end up along a river with a rocky shore. Katsuki looks pleased when he walks along the rocks, lifting rocks here and there. Shouto wonders if there is something in particular Katsuki is looking for. The moss makes things awfully slippery, and Shouto has to admit he’s not as skilful as Katsuki as he walks along the rocks. Shouto ends up deducing that there isn’t anything in particular Katsuki was looking for.

As the day continues, they stroll up and down the river and Katsuki throws pebbles into the river as well. Shouto shows him how it’s actually done as the pebble skips across the river to the other side of shore. Katsuki calls him a show off and attempts to throw pebbles and have it skip across the river just as skilfully.

It seems like Shouto is now Katsuki’s teacher as he teaches Katsuki the angle he should throw the pebble at, adjusting it by holding onto Katsuki’s elbow. He teaches Katsuki how much force he should use. He tells Katsuki to hold onto his arm gently so that he can feel how Shouto throws it so that the pebble dances across the river. Katsuki is taught the best pebble to pick, flat with smooth edges, not jagged or rectangular. Ones without moss covering it so the surface is almost free of blemish. Katsuki’s skin actually is free of blemish, Shouto knows, he’s looked.

Which is fair, isn’t it? After all, Katsuki has seen him without clothes on twice. And Shouto has only seen Katsuki without clothes on once, and that once was enough for Shouto to know that Katsuki is blemish free. And also the fact that Katsuki gives the best scalp massages.

Initially, Shouto would have thought maybe this kind of game is the expertise of Katsuki, but he learns from Katsuki himself that Katsuki doesn’t have a river to throw pebbles across. He has a creek. Shouto think about the palace grounds in which he knows back to front. Plenty of rivers for him to choose from. It use to be an escape for him, standing on the edge of the river and practice throwing pebbles across the river, watching the pebble skip, each time a jolt that leaves him feeling some form of joy.

They roll up their trousers and walk in the river kicking water onto each other and Shouto smiles at the way Katsuki laughs when Shouto is bang-smack in the middle of one of the splashes Katsuki throws. Shouto can see the humour in it because he returns the splash, an accurate aim right in Katsuki’s face.

Whoops.

Or not. As Katsuki is just as quick and returns on right in Shouto’s face. Their break from pebble throwing is fun and Shouto can’t quite remove his eyes from Katsuki who is soaked (because of Shouto) as he is obviously smiling and laughing, glittering under the summer sun.

Shouto enjoys this. It’s fun. Yeah, it is.

Katsuki is a fast learner, by the time the sun sets, he’s gotten much better at making a pebble skip across the river. But it doesn’t make it across the river even once. Much to Katsuki’s chagrin. Shouto offers to continue mentoring Katsuki the next day. Katsuki sends Shouto glares but doesn’t say no.

Before Shouto knows it, the sun has set and the stars are out. With that are the fireflies with an earthly glow who come trickling in, hanging around the river, weaving in and out, between the reeds and only further serves to highlight the magical feeling Shouto feels he is washed with when he’s with Katsuki.

“You like fireflies too, don’t you?” Katsuki’s foot kicks the water gently in front of him, careful to not disturb the fireflies much as he looks back behind him and gives Shouto a grin.

It feels raw. And Shouto finds his throat is dry and tries several times to clear his throat. He nods, “I do, how can you tell?”

Katsuki laughs softly, “You look less constipated when they come out”.

“Oh”. Shouto scratches his cheek sheepishly.

“Yes”, Katsuki stretches his arms and then looks up into the sky at the stars twinkling down on them. “Maybe you’re not as terrible”.

Shouto raises one eye brow. He wants to know what Katsuki is comparing him to, but he’s also sort of afraid to ask.

The next morning, Shouto also wakes up before Katsuki and goes to find breakfast with Masaru. The morning breeze is always soothing and a stark contrast to the warm evening breeze he’s somehow already grown accustom to with Katsuki. Shouto finds that it’s hard to wipe the smile off his face as of late.

“Katsuki isn’t causing you any problems or difficulties?” Masaru asks as he teaches Shouto how to scale the fish back at home.

Shouto gives a small laugh, “Better than when we first met”, he watches Masaru gut the fish and follows his lead, “I enjoy his company a lot”.

Masaru’s hands stop and he looks at Shouto, everything on Masaru’s face is smiling, “I’m glad to hear that”, Masaru says and Shouto can hear how genuine Masaru is. Shouto think that Masaru is probably a man who cannot lie, not at all. He thought commoners are meant to be very good a lying.

Mitsuki is mostly honest and isn’t afraid to discipline her son in front of others, she’s gentle and kind. She’s understanding and makes sure Shouto eats enough. Mitsuki, to Shouto is a caring mother. Even Katsuki is honest, and perhaps awfully so without social cues, or perhaps he just doesn’t care. Shouto thinks that maybe that attitude may get Katsuki in a sticky situation one day. Though if Shouto sticks around, perhaps he can forever pull Katsuki out of those sticky situations.

“Oi! Half-ass, are you gutting the fish correctly?” Katsuki’s voice comes booming, and along with it a breeze which carries the pastel pink petals of the lone sakura tree in Katsuki’s garden with it.

Shouto swallows thickly as he brings his head up to look towards the direction of Katsuki’s voice. Katsuki is walking towards him with a grin, the sakura petals dance around him as though he really is an ethereal being walking on earth.

“Stop staring and get to work, creep”, Katsuki’s expression morphs into a scowl, and despite his words, he takes the knife from Shouto as he guts the fish himself.

Shouto blinks multiple times and wonders why he’s seemingly seeing Katsuki in this new light. The only thing he manages to not stutter out are, “The sakura tree is blooming”.

“No shit”, Katsuki responds as he guts the fish with ease. Shouto doesn’t miss Masaru’s pride filled smile directed at his son.

“It’s…”, Shouto starts and his arms wave around as he tries to find a word to convey his feeling.

“You like sakura right?” Katsuki hands the clean and gut-free fish to his father and then looks at Shouto as he wipes his hands clean with a bamboo towel. Katsuki no longer wears a scowl and his face is really rather free from his judging expressions. Katsuki’s tone of voice is soft, no longer scolding Shouto or telling him off for being a stalking creep.

Nodding, Shouto wills himself to calm down, his eyes still boring into Katsuki and his angelic hair, Katsuki and his piercing eyes, Katsuki and his soft, soft skin, Katsuki surrounded by sakura petals as though he was a fictional character or god-send.

“Beautiful”, Shouto nods, satisfied with the simple adjective that is filling his thoughts, “yes, beautiful”.

Katsuki smiles and Shouto’s breath hitches. Katsuki turns around to look at the sakura tree, “Yeah, sakura is beautiful even in bloom”.

Shouto changes his centre of gravity as he fidgets a little, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He doesn’t even realise he’s swimming in his own thoughts until Mitsuki gently places a hand on his shoulder and thanks him for his hard work.

Mutely, Shouto nods before he is ushered to clean his hands properly with Katsuki by the creek. All of a sudden, Shouto feels embarrassed to even look at Katsuki and finds scrubbing his hands clean of fish much more fascinating.

Maybe Katsuki enchanted him. Yeah, that sounds about right.

Days come and go and Shouto finds that he enjoys the time he spends with Katsuki more and more. Shouto sleeps for longer each night, feeling more secure in this small house with a lovely garden in the middle of the woods.

Something changes, Shouto can’t say it’s whether he has become more tolerant, or whether it’s Katsuki who has become less insufferable. Or perhaps it’s both, they are both changing. Shouto thinks it’s luck that they are because… he has seen many cases where people don’t change for the better even when they spend a lot of time together. The confines of the castle are the best example. It’s also, to Shouto, the most terrible example.

He likes that Katsuki will bluntly declare that it is time to take Soba out for a gallop but not talk about how Katsuki thrives in the thrill of going horse riding. Shouto laughs when he occasionally still needs to help Katsuki onto Soba’s back, and Shouto laughs even harder when Katsuki glares when he sees Shouto fluidly hop onto Soba’s back. He has after all, had practice his whole life.

He does praise Katsuki and watch the other beam with pride when Katsuki’s pebble skipping skills improve dramatically.

Shouto’s hold on the reigns tighten and his heart beats faster when Katsuki leans back and presses his back against Shouto’s chest as Soba takes them through a tight bend. The tickle of Katsuki’s hair under his chin is welcoming. Something has changed and Shouto can’t quite put his finger on it.

They discover new pools of water together, clearings in which they hover around until dawn passes and the sky is then illuminated with more stars than they can count as they’re surrounded by the warmth of fireflies.

It’s romantic.

Oh.

They’re lying on their backs with the grass as their cushion as they stare up into the sky. Katsuki points out different constellation and talks about how they change with the moon cycles. It looks almost like nothing Shouto has ever seen in his books. Dotted in black ink without the smell of the dirt and the crisp breeze that brings in the soft whispers of those that dwell in the woods. Shouto licks his lips and swallows thickly. He hums so that Katsuki knows he’s listening. Shouto looks over at Katsuki and suddenly there is an urge to hold the other’s hand. The desire to card his hand through Katsuki’s hair is still there. He wants to know for sure that Katsuki really is there and not just a figment of his imagination.

But Shouto doesn’t act on it.

Even as they sit on a thick low hanging branch of the sakura tree and watch the moon, with only each other and the fluttering petals as company, Shouto does not act on it. He looks, he smiles and he admires Katsuki’s radiance. Shouto is worried that if he looks away or if he blinks, then what he is viewing now will shatter.

That night, as they rest in Katsuki’s room, Shouto thinks about what this all means. The more he thinks about it, the more he feels like he is a reflection of his father, someone who is forever craving power, forever craving knowledge. Perhaps this interest in Katsuki is because Shouto desires the knowledge in which Katsuki possesses. And Shouto has seen with his very two eyes what can happen.

Shouto closes his eyes briefly and thinks of his mother. He hopes that she is well. Rubbing his fingers gently together to calm himself down, Shouto lets his eyes open again as he stares out the window into the garden in which Katsuki is so very proud of.

What is there that Shouto is proud of? He wants to be proud of his kingdom and his people. He needs to work hard at making sure that does happen, he cannot fail, no matter the costs.

The next morning, after a quick breakfast – freshly oven baked bread, and under the bloom of the sakura tree – still blooming, Shouto states that it is time for him to head home.

“About time”, Katsuki nods his head in approval.

Shouto ignores Katsuki’s words and instead shakes hands with Masaru and Mitsuki. Shouto brushes pass the wisteria and the scent is comforting. He will miss it. Shouto turns around to take another look at what was his temporary home and finds that his eyes automatically seek Katsuki out. Katsuki who is a commoner but looks the definition of a God as he stands in his garden with his unblemished pale skin, his long lashes and hair that is softer than a royal baby’s buttocks.

Nothing in the garden looks out of place. Except Shouto.

“You truly have a green thumb, Katsuki”. Shouto compliments.

Katsuki flashes Shouto a quick smile and Shouto can feel his heart do loops.

“I will miss you so much”, Shouto tells Katsuki. “After I see my mother, I will be back”.

“Don’t come back, you stalker”, Katsuki doesn’t give up, “you’re an annoyance”.

But Shouto is getting better at reading Katsuki, his words, his behaviour and his facial expressions. He smiles when Katsuki hands him breakfast on the go. Ever so caring in his own ways. “Thank you, Katsuki”, Shouto does not forget his manners, “you have taught me so much, I will make it up to you”.

“Whatever”, Katsuki says. He nods his head and doesn’t say anything else as Shouto leaves.

The ride back to the palace in the stunning tailored clothes he wore felt like a different world to Shouto. The divide is apparent and it irks Shouto somehow. It’s noisy when Shouto reaches the palace. The trumpets sound and it use to sound so regal and it was pleasant to Shouto. Now, it bears the message of urgency and warning. He hadn’t really thought about how he’d deal with his father in regards to going missing for such a long period of time. Or with the issue of the concubines.

He hopes his mother wasn’t too lonely.

Shouto ignores the guards and immediately takes Soba to the stable. The stable boy says nothing except for “Welcome back your highness”, and that’s all Shouto had expected. Shouto walks confidently into the castle and is immediately met with his father’s disappointed gaze.

It makes Shouto want to throw up.

But Katsuki had gone to the effort of concocting up such a delicious breakfast, there’s no way he’s throwing that up.

“You can’t go disappearing for days on an end like that”, Enji says. “The elders are not impressed”.

None of that is a concern for Shouto at this point in time.

“I know you, son”, Enji’s voice is low, “you would not have left for such a period of time if you didn’t have anything to gain from it”.

Shouto is surprised with those words, both his eyebrows raise up. But Shouto says nothing. He doesn’t want to speak with his father. This man who oozes power and rule.

This man who is King.

“So long as you didn’t go create an illegitimate child”, Enji sighs.

Shouto scoffs. His father really is still harping on about that. Though… “I have found someone I want to stand beside me once you step down from the throne”. Perhaps this ability to throw people off is a skill Shouto has picked up from Katsuki.

Enji raises one eyebrow and crosses his arms. He appears to be speechless.

Neither of them speak for a while as they both stare at each other. Eventually, Enji breaks the silence, “Speak first to your mother, if she approves, then we will discuss this more”.

Shouto shakes his head, “Even if you don’t approve, I won’t be marrying anyone else”.

Enji sighs, “Shouto, it seems like you have not gone over your studies whilst you were gone. You do know your role in this circle of life, don’t you?”

Shouto narrows his eyes.

“You’re the crown prince”, Enji stresses, “your marriage partner has already been pre-determined, by what will be best for our kingdom”.

Shouto has heard this every night since he could remember. It is more than just a sting because it was the same realisation he had concluded as he sat in Katsuki’s room the night before, the wind caressing his red cheeks as he looked out into Katsuki’s perfectly crafted garden.

“Your duties to the kingdom must be met”, Enji recites and then begrudgingly says with the scrunch of his nose, “if you must, you can take them in as a concubine”.

Shouto turns around and stalks down the corridor, his shoes hammering loudly against the tiles. Something within him is burning. He knows that. He knows.

Seeing Rei has always calmed Shouto down. He finds her in her study pressing flowers into book marks.

“Mother”, Shouto greets her with a forlorn smile, “I apologise for my absence”.

“Oh, Shouto”, Rei gets up from her beautifully carved chair immediately and goes over to her youngest son. A smile graces her features and she gently places a hand on Shouto’s arm. “Wherever have you been? You’ve grown so much thinner”. Her hand raises higher as she traces Shouto’s cheeks and her fingers gently card through his hair, her eyebrows are scrunched in utmost concern. She takes out her white silk handkerchief and gingerly wipes Shouto’s cheeks. Shouto sees the beautiful fabric marred black and know that it must’ve been from when he was helping Katsuki out with the oven that morning.

Shouto’s smiles stretches and he tries his best to look as happy as he can. He leads them over to her desk and they both take a seat. Tea is immediately poured for him by his mother’s favourite servant and Shouto has to do a double take and reminds himself that this is the life that he is use to, not the one where Katsuki barked orders at him to boil the water over the fire and then for Shouto to make the tea as well. Funny, how different things are. He wants to show his mother, all the things he has learnt outside of the confines of the castle. Shouto is sure that Rei is curious, that she misses being outside of the walls.

“I was with a friend”, Shouto says.

“A friend”, Rei leans back and gives Shouto a playful smile, “Your father will be upset to know if you’ve gone out to play with the commonfolk again”.

Shouto groans and waves a hand to dismiss talk of his father. “You know I don’t do things like that”.

“Oh?” Rei folds her hands neatly on her lap and smiles animatedly at her son, prompting him to continue telling her more.

“He’s a gardener”, Shouto starts.

“He?” Rei asks.

“He”, Shouto confirms. “He has the most beautiful garden I have seen, much nicer than the gardens here”, Shouto laments, “I want to show you the blossoms, the willows and the creek”.

Rei’s expression softens, “Is that what you’ve been doing? Gardening?”

Shouto smiles.

“Not very fitting for the crown prince”, Rei says in a playful tone.

“No, not at all”, Shouto agrees light-heartedly. “And I suppose, maybe, I think I’ve fallen in love with him”.

“Oh!” Rei squeals and becomes so excited she reaches out to hold Shouto’s hands, “Shouto, have you really?”

Sheepish and with his cheeks tinted pink, Shouto nods. He has. He really has.

“I’m so happy for you, Shouto”, Rei says, “that’s beautiful”.

Shouto’s smile widens genuinely.

“But”, Rei hums and gently pats her son’s hand, “a boy can’t give you children, Shouto”.

Ah. Of course.

At Shouto’s change in expression, Rei becomes nervous and she stutters out her next sentence, “Bu-but I would still very much like to meet him”. Rei reassures Shouto, “I would like to see what kind of person Shouto has fallen in love with”.

Shouto perks up again. He looks at his mother with gratitude. He knows how much children mean to her. He knows. He has always known. Shouto knows it’s his duty to continue the family line. But it means the world to him for his mother to want to meet the man Shouto is falling in love with.

Not once does Shouto visit the concubines. He learns of their presence and sits through a tough grilling on the 24-seat oak table from the elders in which it feels like nothing is gained. His punishment was to recite his duties and copy out a copy of each book on rules and regulations for the crown prince. It wasn’t too bad. If this is the consequence Katsuki was referring to for acting however he wanted, then really, Shouto doesn’t mind at all.

At least he knew his father had confidence in that he wouldn’t just merely end his life like that. Or let anyone else end his life like that.

When Shouto announces to the elders, his father – the king and his mother – the queen, that he has found a marriage partner, there are more questions than he can answer. All he tells them is that it is not a strategic marriage. There would be no land gained in this marriage. Nor would there be any alliances gained. Though to Shouto, having Katsuki besides him would be the best knowledge possible, one who knows all about the commonfolk. One who can voice his opinion and carries himself well with an air of intelligence that exudes and kisses his heels. Shouto doesn’t say that though.

There is obvious protest and complaint. Rei encourages Shouto. Enji says nothing and only drums his fingers against the wooden table. Touya has one eyebrow raised. Natsuo frowns and looks strangely at Shouto. Fuyumi is silent but her eyes look calculating.

“If it makes you feel better”, Shouto looks at the elders, “I can renounce my position as crown prince”, Shouto states. He knows his position better than any of them. He knows the importance of it. He knows the effort they have all put in to groom him as the perfect successor. And Shouto believes with Katsuki by his side, he will only become a better version of himself.

The elders shake their head in disappointment and Shouto ignores their discussions on who could be the next king if not Shouto.

Natsuo stands up immediately and leaves the room. Touya laughs and can only find the humour in the current situation. Fuyumi remains quiet.

That night, Fuyumi knocks on Shouto’s study door. She takes a seat by the fireplace and jumps straight into the topic instead of beating around the bush. “Shouto, it’s impossible for you to marry a commoner”.

Shouto’s grip on his glass of wine tightens. Why does it feel like everyone is telling him that?

“Because that is the truth, that’s why the elders are letting you do whatever you want”. Fuyumi plays a little with her hair and Shouto notes that she’s wearing the hair ornament he had bought her once upon a time from the flea market in town. It makes him feel appreciated, though something does tug at his heart.

“I know”, Shouto says.

“Do you love this person that much?” Fuyumi asks with a gently voice.

Shouto nods, “I believe so”.

“Alright”, Fuyumi smiles, “then you know unless you become king and change the rules, there will be no marriage, right?”

Shouto eyes his older sister warily.

“Father most likely won’t change the rules for you”, Fuyumi muses, “you might be playing a very, very long waiting game”.

“I know”, Shouto grunts in acknowledgement, “I just have to not get married before then”.

Fuyumi sends Shouto a small smile, “I will be on your side, you know that, right?”

Shouto nods again. Yes. He is aware that Fuyumi has doted on him for a long time. It’s always been that way. He’s aware that his punishment was almost nothing. For defying orders and missing your own concubine selection. To only receive an earful and some disgruntled looks was nothing. Shouto gently traces the edge of the scar that mars his face. He feels nostalgic all of a sudden.

“Also”, Fuyumi says as she stands up, breaking Shouto from his whimsical thoughts, “in regards to the matter of your concubines-”

Sighing Shouto rolls his eyes in which he receives an unhappy frown from Fuyumi.

“Touya-nii and Natsuo sorted that for you”, Fuyumi elaborates.

“Oh”, is all Shouto has to say. He couldn’t care less.

The expression in which Fuyumi gives him makes Shouto feel like a child again. It’s disconcerting. He feels like she knows something he doesn’t know and it makes him feel uncomfortable which isn’t usually how he feels when Fuyumi talks to him. But Shouto ignores it. It can’t be that important if Fuyumi doesn’t voice it.

After Fuyumi leaves him alone, Shouto feels strangely out of the loop for some odd reason. He can’t stop pacing in his study. Eventually, Shouto’s feet lead him out of his study as he treks across the castle towards his mother’s wing. She always had the ability to calm Shouto down. Whether it’s the gentle smile or the smell of freshly brewed tea, to Shouto, his mother is his sanctuary.

It’s soothing.

However, when Shouto has a bath that day, it’s nowhere near as relaxing and as ethereal as what Katsuki’s scalp massages are. Perhaps he needs to find someone else to wash his hair, or like Katsuki has been telling himself, wash his own hair.

That is an option.

The next morning, Shouto learns in front of the court that Touya has run away, again. Enji doesn’t physically sigh, but Shouto has known the king for long enough to see that he is tired of this. Shouto wonders if this was how his father reacted when he learnt that Shouto had escaped too. It was interesting his mother and father had so much faith that Shouto will return from his little stint. But for Touya, they’ve well, given up, haven’t they?

A brief thought of what Shouto has to do for his parents to give up on him passes by and makes Shouto scoff.

The Elders immediately look at Shouto and Shouto’s mask is already back on again.

Enji clears his throat so all the attention is back on him again, “There is also the matter of the cities down south that has been raised, we should focus on that”.

Shouto glances at his father and wonders if that distraction was on purpose or not.

The mundane news he has missed out on is still important and Shouto is definitely still listening and he hears the negatives and the positives. He analyses it like he has been taught, like he is supposed to. But he also thinks about how would Katsuki feel if he was going through these difficulties? If Katsuki had these sanctions imposed on him? How would it change Katsuki’s life?

Things take a turn from bad to worse when Shouto finds Natsuo back to being bed-ridden. Shouto pays a visit in between meetings with The Elders. Perhaps it was bad timing but when Shouto enters, Natsuo is vomiting and Fuyumi is not distressed as though she is more than use to dealing with this. And she is, Shouto knows.

“Natsu-nii”, Shouto says quietly as he strides over quickly to his brother’s side and rests a hand on Natsuo’s back, hoping that his presence is soothing.

After Natsuo is done, Fuyumi wipes his face with a warm towel and then hands it back to the servant to clean. Natsuo gives Shouto a weak smile. “I’m alright, it’s okay”, Natsuo says as he grips Shouto’s other free hand weakly.

Shouto finds it hard to smile but forces one on his face because he knows his brother is saying those words so that Shouto doesn’t look constipated.

Fuyumi continues to diligently wipe off the sweat from Natsuo’s forehead as he speaks.

“In my drawer”, Natsuo glances at his bedside drawer, “I have a brooch for mother”.

Shouto swallows. It’s not the first time.

“Shouto, please help my pass it to mother”, Natsuo begs. “Maybe this time I won’t make it”.

Shouto nods. Every time Natsuo’s sickness resurfaces, he will ask Shouto to deliver his presents to their mother. Shouto has always found it endearing that he’s not the only child who favours their mother so much. Natsuo also loves his family, his siblings and his mother.

Not King Enji though.

In Shouto’s eyes, that’s understandable. “I promise, I will”, Shouto grips his older brother’s hand back tightly. When Natsuo closes his eyes and lets out a relieved sigh, Shouto glances at their older sister, Fuyumi and wonders why Natsuo never asks Fuyumi to deliver the presents.

Could it be, Natsuo can tell that Fuyumi isn’t as close to their mother as they are? Though, if Shouto can tell, surely, Natsuo can as well.

“Just rest, Natsuo”, Fuyumi insists, “the physician will be here with you until you are better again”.

Natsuo’s eyes remain closed but he does let out a series of short laughs, “Alright, you worrywart”.

When Shouto goes to deliver Natsuo’s present to their mother – an imported pearl brooch, Shouto wonders if Natsuo can tell that the Queen favours Shouto, the crown prince. And maybe Rei favours Shouto precisely because he is the crown prince.

If only Natsuo was not born with a weak body, then, he would’ve been the next in line. And maybe then, Shouto wouldn’t be as pressured over who he can choose to stand by his side.

Katsuki.

When Shouto delivers the brooch towards the end of the day after sitting through some more sessions as the responsible crown prince, Rei is in her indoor garden working on her embroidery.

“Mother”, Shouto announces his presence as though the servants did not already do that for him.

Rei is all smiles when she looks at him as she places her embroidery on the side and stands up to walk to her son with her arms already moving to pull him into a hug. “Shouto, my dear son”.

Shouto returns the hug and reminds himself just how frail his mother really is. Her build is so different to his own, as expected, some days, he’s worried that if he hugs too tightly, he’d suffocate her. He leads her back to her seat before he takes his own seat. The servants pour Shouto a cup of tea as per usual.

“Natsu-nii is unwell again”, Shouto says and hates that crestfallen expression on his mother’s face. She must be worried sick for him. Neither Natsuo nor Rei have good health. But Rei’s prognosis seems much better than Natsuo.

“I heard”, Rei says solemnly, “my poor child”.

And Shouto agrees.

“He asked me to give you this”, Shouto takes the pearl brooch from his pocket and hands it to Rei, “it’s a gift from Natsu-nii”.

“Oh”, Rei holds the brooch with both hands and tremble slightly, “my poor, poor child”, she smiles at the brooch before bringing it close to her heart.

It really is such a shame that they can’t visit each other when Natsuo probably needs it the most. Shouto spends the rest of that evening comforting his mother with his presence.

The next day, Touya is still not at home, Fuyumi sits next to Natsuo who is still unwell, Rei is unchanged in her room and Enji is probably regretting naming Shouto as the next in line. Because Shouto is with Soba and they’re going to go see Katsuki.

Shouto is in a good mood even though his family doesn’t seem to be so. Soba has a full belly and seems to also be pleased. The path to Katsuki’s is familiar. They stop by to grab some fresh produce at the market. Ones he’s sure Katsuki fill find a way to appreciate, he seems good at that. He also is very good at self-sustaining. It’s the sea bass that grabs his attention, so he purchases a few. Enough to feed 4 people.

The market place is lively as usual, he sees another hair trinket, pearl, it reminds him of his mother. Shouto looks next to it and sees another one, turquoise, it reminds him of Fuyumi. “I’ll take this one”, Shouto gestures to the turquoise trinket and then looks at the store vendor. “How much?”

Smiling warmly, the store vendor holds up two fingers, “Two silvers please, sir”.

Shouto passes over the two silvers and hesitates after when his eyes lands on a pink hair trinket. Several smaller pink gems cascade down from a larger one. It reminds Shouto of the sakura, it reminds him of Katsuki. “I’ll take this pink one as well, thank you”.

The trinket glitters beautifully under the sun, and Shouto is sure it’ll still look beautiful without the sun, perhaps under the smile of the moon, under the twinkle of the stars and under the glow of fireflies. So beautiful.

Shouto deliberately makes a stop by the only flower stand in the marketplace to greet Masaru and Mitsuki. They both wear warm smiles as they greet Shouto and ask if there’s a specific flower he’s after today.

There isn’t, except for maybe this one particular flower, “Sakura”, Shouto says quietly.

Mitsuki laughs and Shouto can really hear Katsuki in that laugh. It could be called obnoxious, but Shouto has come to learn it’s really sweet. And when Shouto looks at the way Masaru looks at Mitsuki, he thinks that Masaru thinks so too.

“I brought ingredients for dinner tonight”, Shouto gestures to the groceries in which is attached to Soba’s saddle.

“Thank you”, Masaru directs his attention back to Shouto before he looks back at his wife with so much love it makes Shouto feel like he really should look away and not intrude in their privacy. So he excuses himself.

The path to Katsuki’s garden somehow makes Shouto feel light and comforted. The weight of the pink trinket presses against Shouto’s chest every now and then, depending on Soba’s gallop. He can’t wait to present it to Katsuki. Shouto is really anticipating it, he can feel tingles running through his limbs. Honestly, Shouto believes the trinket will suit Katsuki perfectly. Perfectly against his pale blond hair and perfectly against his pale white skin. It will be perfect.

As expected, Katsuki is frowning and scowling with his hands at his corked hip, “Why the fuck are you back? Didn’t you go home?”

“I wanted to see you”, Shouto says easily as he leaves Soba outside of the garden again and fetches the groceries for tonight, “and have dinner together”.

Katsuki sighs, “You stalker”. But he doesn’t say anything else so Shouto assumes that means Katsuki is happy to see him? Or is that a stretch? He doesn’t really have anyone to ask or confide in except for his family. And even then, maybe he’s grown up to hating hearing what he doesn’t want to hear.

Shouto walks into the garden confidently and finds Katsuki has gone back to work, ducked under the wisteria, in between the hydrangea and plucking out the weeds. It seems like a never-ending chore to be honest. “I bought fish for tonight, Katsuki”.

Katsuki hums to show he heard.

“It’s sea bass”, Shouto dishes out more information.

Again, Katsuki hums.

Smiling, Shouto knows his next words will get a rise out of Katsuki. “Where do I store the fish for tonight? Should I leave them lying here?”

“Are you stupid!?” Katsuki says immediately and gets up, “You half-ass!” Katsuki stomps over to Shouto to take the fish from his hand and walks towards the back of the house, Shouto follows. Katsuki continues to complain, “You buy the fish and then want to just leave it lying around under the sun until we eat it for dinner?” Katsuki shakes his head, “You must be stupid and incompetent!”

Shouto doesn’t even bother denying it. The smile on his face stays, however.

“Though I suppose if I let you scale and gut the fish now you’ll have it done by the time we need to eat”, Katsuki turns to look at Shouto with a defeated expression before looking back straight ahead as he goes to grab a pot, fill it up with water from the creek before dropping their dinner in the pot and then hiding it under the shade of the bamboo.

The breeze blows as if to deliberately remind Shouto that the sakura is still in full bloom, the branches seemingly hanging low from where he is standing. He swallows thickly when he thinks about the pale pink trinket in his pocket. It can’t compare to the real thing where the petals are multiple shades of pink. It’s more real. He remembers vividly in colour and in smell the night where he sat on that low hanging branch with Katsuki, they viewed the moon in the company of the sakura petals and the air fizzled around them. Shouto thinks it’s trust, perhaps, that they shared with each other that night.

Katsuki makes Shouto feel real.

“I’ve assumed you’ve eaten”, Katsuki walks up to Shouto, “Soba needs a run around right?”

Shouto nods. Katsuki really is a simple person.

Katsuki scowls.

Shouto gives a wider smile, “I mean, of course”.

Nodding, Katsuki beckons Shouto to follow him. And Shouto does, the weight of the pink trinket is still there and Shouto isn’t sure when the right timing is to present the marketplace gift to Katsuki.

Or if he really should.

No, he should. It’ll only further highlight the beauty Shouto has been witness to.

This time, Katsuki directs Shouto back to the river where they first started throwing pebbles at. Soba isn’t too keen on the sandy beach or the rocky shore. Soba doesn’t seem to like the water all too much either. And Shouto is more than happy for Soba to rest under the shade of the trees as he and Katsuki re-discovered the river.

Picking up a pebble and throwing it into the river and watching it skip a couple of times before it sinks, Katsuki glances at Shouto and then back at the river again, as though he was hesitating on what to do next.

“You haven’t really improved since”, Shouto says, deciding it was appropriate to comment on.

“You’ve barely been gone”, Katsuki turns around and looks at Shouto with a frown, “some people do work and don’t spend all day frolicking around like a certain half-ass stalker”.

Shouto smiles. Maybe Katsuki wasn’t hesitant about anything at all.

“So?” Katsuki becomes pushy, “Why are you here when you clearly do not belong?”

Shouto wants to reach out and hold Katsuki’s hands but he doesn’t. He knows it’s inappropriate now that he knows how he feels but still hasn’t voiced it.

“Of course I belong”, Shouto mutters, after all, this river will eventually be his, but as he looks at Katsuki, he feels something might have shifted, he isn’t sure what has changed, but he’s starting to think that it would be great if he can continue to visit the river with Katsuki. “I wanted to see you”, Shouto says clearly.

“That answer again!” Katsuki says and turns to look back at the river. Which is when Shouto noticed Katsuki’s red ears. He’s embarrassed. It makes Shouto smile and feel warm.

Maybe, hopefully, Katsuki’s feels the same, if not, similar. Shouto likes these peaceful days. He hopes he can keep it like this, forever.

Though, for someone as smart as Shouto, he really should know that forever is a concept only young children believe. It’s short-lived and requires sacrifices which brings about consequences which may not be worth the short-lived forever.

Maybe the things Shouto grew up believing needs some evaluating. By Shouto. Not by the royal family, not by The Elders.

They head back as the sun is setting and Shouto can’t help but feel that it definitely is romantic. He wasn’t sure the first time they came to this river together where Shouto was giving tips to Katsuki on skipping rocks across the river. But now, Shouto is sure.

Initially, Shouto though that Katsuki can teach him more about commoners, and Shouto thinks he has learnt a lot, already. Maybe it was meant to be for him to gain more than just knowledge. Maybe it’s this difference between him and his father. Maybe if Shouto does his homework and research in this department, he will become the better king.

Katsuki instructs Shouto to start cleaning the sea bass. Shouto doesn’t comment and is more than happy to follow the advice given by someone who has clearly been doing this his whole life. Katsuki starts the fire and grills the fish over it, opening different clay pots and seasoning the fish.

Next time, Shouto wants to ask Katsuki to show him how to harvest his seasoning. It must be the secret as to why the food he has at Katsuki’s place is warmer and tastier than the meals he has at the royal palace.

Their legs are hanging over the low branch of the sakura tree, swinging slightly as the warm summer breeze caresses their skin. The moon is already out and Shouto knows he probably should go home soon, eventually. Katsuki’s skin glows at night, the sakura petals stand out against his porcelain skin, Shouto finds he can’t stop staring at the other.

Maybe Katsuki’s insistence on Shouto being his stalker does have some merit.

This is the right time.

Shouto reaches into his breast pocket and takes the pink trinket he had purchased at the marketplace earlier that day. He holds it in his hand, but Katsuki isn’t looking at him. So Shouto clear his throat.

Katsuki continues staring up at the stars with his legs swinging. The cicadas chirp, as though they’re mocking Shouto.

Clearing his throat again, Shouto expects Katsuki to look at him, but Katsuki doesn’t. Pressing his lips together for a few seconds, Shouto wets them with his tongue before he speaks, “Katsuki”, if clearing his throat won’t work, surely calling the other’s name will.

And it does. Katsuki turns to look at Shouto, his eyebrows aren’t furrowed and looks rather peaceful. It catches Shouto by surprise. It makes Shouto stutter, and the longer he fumbles around, the more he can see Katsuki’s beautiful face turn into one of frustration, eyebrows knitting together and scowl coming back.

“Just spit it out”, Katsuki’s eyes are narrowed as he orders Shouto to speak.

“Here”, Shouto is nervous as he grabs Katsuki’s hand and places the pink trinket in the other’s palm. He’s never felt this anxious about presenting gifts to his family, sure, he often thinks about what his mother may think of this gift or that gift, but this level of unknown is really squeezing everything out of Shouto.

Katsuki brings his hand closer to look at the trinket, he then picks it up and dangles it in front of his face to examine it closer. Shouto likes the way the moon lights up the trinket. He also likes the way it blends in easily with the sakura. It’s perfect.

“What the fuck?” Katsuki points the trinket at Shouto and he looks outraged, “Why are you buying gifts for my old hag?”

“Huh?” Shouto is not often speechless. But it seems like Katsuki is fairly good at leaving Shouto speechless. “It’s for you”.

“This”, Katsuki waves the trinket around, “is for girls”. Katsuki sighs at Shouto’s blank look, “Such as your sister or your mother. Not me”.

Shouto nods, “I know that”, he doesn’t remember if he ever mentioned to Katsuki that he has a sister, or has he? “But I think it suits you very well regardless”.

Katsuki makes a face but brings the trinket closer to himself and examines it again, “So, you know”.

Shouto hums in response, watching closely to see if Katsuki will accept the gift. And if he doesn’t, Shouto will just have to find a way for Katsuki to accept the gift. Eventually, Katsuki sighs and his hands clasp around the trinket, he gives Shouto a glance before he goes back to star gazing.

“You know”, Shouto starts, learning that words can get Katsuki’s attention, “when one receives a gift, there are usually words of gratitude from the receiver”.

“Well fuck you”, Katsuki immediately says and elbows Shouto lightly, “it’s time for you to go home, stalker, that’s my gratitude”.

Laughing, Shouto nods before he climbs down the tree, he looks up at Katsuki and says “I’ll see you next time” before walking off. Nodding at Masaru and Mitsuki who are watching from their window.

“Don’t bother!” Katsuki’s voice follows Shouto, it only makes him laugh more.

When Shouto returns home, he checks in on Natsuo, still ill in bed. Enji watches Shouto watch Natsuo. The royal head physician is in the room with Natsuo, watching Natsuo’s every breath.

Shouto doesn’t look at his father, when he sees Natsuo in pain, a part of him can’t help but believe that it’s because of Todoroki Enji, Natsuo is suffering. The physician has told him many times, over and over that this is a condition passed on by blood. It’s something that Rei also went through.

But Rei was lucky, she survived and even married the current king.

Natsuo doesn’t seem to be so likely.

And this keeps Shouto up at night. On bad days, he wishes he also was born with the same illness so that he doesn’t need to be crowned prince. But once he thinks clearly again, he knows better and he sits by Natsuo and apologises. Shouto feels corrupted to even have thoughts like that.

That night, Shouto enters his father’s study to discuss with him the prospect of Shouto’s future marriage partner.

“Mother agreed”, Shouto relays to Enji as though Enji doesn’t already know.

Enji grunts in acknowledgement, indeed already knowing of this piece of information, “But I don’t”.

Shouto grunts and rolls his eyes. It doesn’t matter, he’s still going ahead with it. He will still marry Bakugou Katsuki.

“What can this commoner bring for you?” Enji asks with a sigh.

“I like him”, Shouto confesses, “I’m falling in love with him”.

Enji sighs again, “Is that more important than the political gains you could get with an arranged marriage? Is that more important than the livelihood of our people?”

Shouto swallows thickly, he must stand strong, “I don’t need that to keep my people happy”.

“It’ll make it easier”, Enji stresses, “I know you know our history, wars will always come, you will always need allies, you can’t just decide now without knowing what the future may entail”. Enji closes his eyes for a few seconds before he opens them again, “We have to prepare as though we will be at war tomorrow”.

“You say that because you’ve never fallen in love before”, Shouto accuses.

“I have”, Enji counters clearly and with an expressionless face.

Shouto presses his lips together and his fists tighten as he thinks about his pitiful mother, locked up in the castle, she deserves so much better than simply being a chess piece in this sick game of life.

They stare at each other in silence until Enji finally surrenders, “I’ll let you court him, this commoner you fancy”. Enji strokes his beard as he continues, “But we’ll talk again shortly”.

“Fine by me”, Shouto is just as stubborn, “I’m going to summon the court”. He turns and walks out proudly before ordering the message for the presence of the court to be summoned now to be delivered to all relevant members of court.

Shouto summons the court to announce his unwavering desires to court the person he has fallen in love with. He doesn’t give them a name or location. Shouto only tells them that he’s human like them all. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a gardener, or a commoner, Shouto likes him and he will court him and wed him once he is king.

And Shouto will become king.

None of The Elders look pleased, they all whisper amongst themselves. Enji looks disgruntled but not livid. And Rei, with her rare appearance at the table, looks absolutely delighted at what Shouto has announced, much to Enji’s chagrin.

Shouto knows the power he holds as the only one who can succeed the king and continue their legacy. He knows and will use it. He won’t leave any room for discussion.

Unless, perhaps the king will force the crowned prince into a marriage before he can declare his intentions. And Shouto doesn’t doubt Enji will do that, he’ll need to avoid that discussion. Or at least delay it so he can formulate a plan. To Shouto, it’s a race against time.

“I would like to court Katsuki”, Shouto declares when he arrives at the Bakugou household for breakfast, Soba carrying a cart full of what looks like gifts. Are gifts.

“What the hell?” Katsuki is shocked and he looks really upset.

Mitsuki has her eyes wide open and Masaru drops the shears he was holding onto his foot, he barely yelps as he’s stunned at what Shouto had just declared.

“I ask for both your permission for me to court your son”, Shouto says with a 90-degree bow. He doesn’t even bow that deeply when he greets the king in a formal situation.

“Are you crazy, dumb or both!?” Katsuki yells and yanks Shouto’s silky soft collar and they stare into each other’s eyes.

“I’m Shouto”, Shouto says despite knowing it’ll only rile Katsuki more, “and I would like to ask for your hand in marriage, but I understand that that isn’t the way commoners do things”.

“You are unbelievable!” Katsuki screams into Shouto’s face, “Commoner this, commoner that, get off your high horse you incompetent and pompous half-ass!”

Shouto frowns and wonders why Katsuki hates that word so much. It’s the truth is it not? He looks at Masaru and Mitsuki who both frown deeply.

“Where did you learn that such a difference in social class can even be together, remotely!?” Katsuki shakes Shouto, “Why are you so stupid!?”

“It’s fine”, Shouto reassures, but it seems to fall onto deaf ears.

“Katsuki is right”, Mitsuki shakes her head, “there is no way you both can be wedded”.

Shouto shakes his head, “We can”.

“Rules don’t change”, Masaru states, “The social division doesn’t change either”.

“But I-” Shouto starts and is interrupted by Katsuki.

“You what?” Katsuki is aggressive, “You who ran away from your father, the King because he ordered in concubines for you because you couldn’t change his orders, what makes you think you can change the social class division when you can’t even tell your king, you, as the crowned prince of this kingdom that you don’t want concubines!?”

“Katsuki…”, Shouto is shocked at Katsuki’s words. “You’ve known all along”.

“Do you think I’m an idiot like you!?” Katsuki lets go of Shouto’s collar and steps back, “We’ve all known that you are the crowned prince since day one”.

Shouto looks at Masaru and Mitsuki. They both nod in agreement with what Katsuki is saying.

“Your ring”, Katsuki seems to have calmed down some.

Shouto looks at the ring he wears. He always wears it. It has become part of him.

“Surely”, Katsuki looks at the ring and then back at Shouto, “you know that the chrysanthemum represents the royal family, not just any noble house”.

“Oh”, Shouto fiddles with his ring. That’s how they figured it out so quickly.

“We only pretended to not know because you didn’t seem keen on telling us”, Masaru supplies.

Mitsuki shook her head, “It came as a shock when we learnt that Katsuki, our residential hermit is friends with the crowned prince”.

“We’re not friends”, Katsuki growls under his breath.

“I want to be more than that”, Shouto says at the same time.

“Look”, Katsuki crosses his arms and glares at Shouto, “there is no way the future king is going to marry a commoner, so now that it’s all out, why don’t you go on your merry way and piss off and leave me in peace”.

“Katsuki!” Mitsuki hisses at her son’s rudeness.

Shouto smiles fondly, “So you will marry me if it weren’t for our social classes?”

Katsuki fakes a gag.

It makes Shouto chuckle. “Even if we don’t get married, we can still be together, can’t we?”

Katsuki frowns and shakes his head, “I’m not going to be your concubine”.

“I know”, Shouto says, “I don’t want that either”.

A soft breeze blows pass and Katsuki stares defiantly at Shouto, “You can’t get everything you want in this world, Shouto”.

It’s the first time Shouto has ever heard Katsuki address him by name. The context however, makes his heart wrench terribly. “I can”, Shouto is confident, “once I am King”.

Katsuki scoffs, “Once”. Katsuki takes a step forward and pats Shouto on the shoulder, “you’d have a wife by then, a strategic marriage, and probably a dozen children. You won’t even remember me or this garden, just help us both and leave now”. Katsuki steps back and shoos the other with his hand and hisses out menacingly, “Don’t come back, your highness”.

“No, I won’t marry anyone but you”, Shouto is just as stubborn, he reaches out to hold Katsuki’s wrist tenderly, “I promise you, if not, you can have my head”.

Katsuki looks away. Shouto swallows loudly.

Shouto is desperate, he needs to convey to the other that he isn’t just a commoner, “Katsuki, you’re mercurial and knowledgeable, not just in the world of gardening, but in the world in which I did not grow up in, I want someone who will tell me when I’m doing wrong, I need someone strong and can stand up to me when they know I can do better. You’re attentive and you’re caring, you love the citizens just as much as I do”.

Katsuki bites his bottom lip.

“A strategic marriage won’t make me a good King”. Shouto knows this, “But someone strong like yourself can”.

“I hate you”, Katsuki says quietly.

“Thank you”, Shouto replies, “I know you’re brave and not afraid of anything”, Shouto knows this, he sees it every time Katsuki talks to him. And even more so now, knowing that Katsuki had known his true identity all along. Shouto smiles to himself, he really is stupid, thinking he could hide such an important part of himself from someone as intelligent as Katsuki.

Shouto unloads his gifts for Katsuki and his family after he receives Masaru and Mitsuki’s blessings. He sees the hesitance in Masaru and Mitsuki’s faces. He had imagined maybe they’d be overjoyed to learn that perhaps rules could change, that perhaps Katsuki and he can be together. Shouto hadn’t really thought that he’d be initially rejected in such a way.

At least Katsuki has said yes in his own ways. Now, all Shouto needs to do is court Katsuki and wait for when Shouto will become king, because that’ll be when they can be wedded. Shouto can be a patient man. He’s already looking forward to what the future entails.

Shouto is fearless with Katsuki beside him. He envelopes Katsuki into a tight hug and Shouto feels real again.

The sakura tree rustles in happiness and the petals dance across the garden singing with the hydrangeas.

When Shouto returns to the castle that evening, his father is waiting for him with a stern looking face – nothing new. Shouto consider just nodding to acknowledge the king, but thinks better of it, just in case his father pulls some funny shit and ruins his chances with Katsuki. Can’t ever be too careful.

Before Shouto can even open his mouth to formally greet the great king, Enji speaks, “Shouto, we need to have a talk”. It’s succinct and if Shouto hadn’t known his father for his whole life, he definitely wouldn’t be able to hear the taut tone.

Something must be going on.

Enji turns around and fully expects Shouto to follow after him. And Shouto does. He can smell Katsuki’s garden, the wisteria, the hydrangea, the jasmine and the sakura. Katsuki’s warmth still lingers against his skin.

They walk down the halls and into one of Enji’s studies, it’s private and nothing looks out of place. As expected, the servants always do a good job. Enji sits before motioning for his son to take a seat.

Shouto swallows thickly. He is feeling slightly anxious, but he really shouldn’t be, his father had said it’s okay if his mother says it’s fine.

“You’re courting the gardener”. Enji does not fluff around and states immediately.

Frowning, Shouto leans back in the chair and looks at his father. The gardener? No. “A gardener”, Shouto corrects.

Enji closes his eyes and then slowly opens them, “The gardener”, Enji sighs, “if he was just any common gardener, I would’ve agreed with your mother, like I did, initially”.

“What difference does it make?” Shouto presses his lips together, “He’s still a commoner and still a gardener”. Shouto’s brows furrow. He honestly thought that his father would be the last one to accept his interests in a commoner. But maybe he’s not hearing right? Enji’s agreement with Shouto fancying a commoner is actually not just a façade?

“Shouto”, Enji sighs and places his laced fingers on the table, “I got word that you have been meeting up with the gardener who lives deep in the woods, has a magical garden and is the only son of Bakugou Masaru and Mitsuki”.

Shouto tilts his head a little. Has his father been tailing him even though he said he wouldn’t? Though it’s not surprising that his father has ways to figure things out even without tailing him. Enji sure knows a lot.

“His name is Katsuki”. Shouto ends up revealing, though most likely it wasn’t a revelation, Enji probably already knows Katsuki’s name if he already knows that much about him.

“Yes”, Enji sighs again and leans back in his own chair, appearing to be less menacing. “He was the only son born to Bakugou Masaru and Mitsuki, born with the blessing of Konohanasakuya-hime”.

“Konohanasakuya-hime”, Shouto says and the name is foreign on his lips when he says it out aloud. “She’s the goddess of life”.

“Of sakura”, Enji leans forward and removes a sakura petal from Shouto’s hair and presents it back to Shouto. “You know they only bloom during early spring”.

And it most definitely is not spring now.

Shouto takes the petal from Enji’s fingers. He has known that Katsuki is a special kind of gardener. One with a green thumb. But the thought that Katsuki was able to create such beauty is because of his blessing from Sakuya-hime had never passed Shouto’s mind at all.

“Sakura, so beautiful yet so fleeting”, Enji says whimsically, “just like human lives, passing so quickly”.

What is his father trying to imply?

“How much do you know about Konohanasakuya-hime?” Enji tilts his head and asks his son, as though this was another one of those studying sessions.

“Ninigi’s wife, beautiful though fleeting, symbolises Fujisan and our sakura”. Shouto answers succinctly.

“Yes”, Enji agrees with Shouto’s answer. “This boy you are infatuated with is blessed by Konohanasakuya-hime. Beautiful and fleeting”.

Yeah, definitely beautiful.

“He was born blessed, Shouto”, Enji reveals, “plants he touches will bloom, he doesn’t just represent the sakura, he also represents the people who live on our lands, our common people, just like how sakura is a common flower”.

Shouto knows that there aren’t many who are blessed on their lands, they’re often staggered over more than just hundreds of years, centuries even, generations without even one who is blessed. The blessed are either revered or hated. Sometimes even both.

Katsuki who doesn’t go horse riding, Katsuki who lives with only his parents, Katsuki who gets away with his rude words, Katsuki who seemingly doesn’t have friends. Is he revered or hated? Are they afraid of him?

Is Enji the same?

Should Shouto feel the same?

Enji swallows thickly, “You can’t marry him, Shouto, he’s a symbol”.

Shouto disagrees, he can marry Katsuki, he will make it happen, “I will eventually be king”, Shouto states the obvious, “which means I will be able to marry Katsuki”. Shouto himself is a symbol, of wealth, of power and of royalty.

“Shouto, he symbolises life and death”, Enji stresses, “you cannot marry someone who will fleetingly pass away”. Enji shakes his head, “What will the masses say when you marry what represents them?”

“That I am a good king”, Shouto say with intent, “Katsuki isn’t Sakuya-hime, he may be blessed by her, but he is still human regardless”.

“They worship his existence to a certain extent, they are afraid of his existence to a certain extent”, Enji frowns, “he is also a symbol of harmony and peace on our lands-”

“Is that why he’s hidden away in the woods, away from prying eyes?” Shouto asks, suddenly the theory of his father knowing about Katsuki’s existence and deliberately hiding him from society is formed.

Enji is taken aback and shakes his head, “Of course not, if he was that valuable, he’d be here in the castle, under my watch, all the time”. Enji gives his son a pointed look, “As for the one blessed by Konohanasakuya-hime, he is more beneficial in the lands of the common”.

Shouto crosses his arms.

Sighing, Enji leans in closer and says in a quiet and sombre voice, “If you marry Katsuki, he’s going to die”.

It was a threat.

Angered, Shouto stands up and storms out of the room, he doesn’t care if it’s rude or if he will be scolded for his lack of manners later or the fact that he can’t hold his temper. He no longer wants to hear what his stupid father has to say.

Storming out, Shouto doesn’t even greet the stable boy before he takes Soba and rides out of the castle comfortably, the guards don’t even stop him, so drastically different to that time when he snuck out which failed so he threatened to kill himself to get out of the walls.

“Didn’t you say you were going home for a while?” Katsuki questions, his head popping out of his bushes to look at Shouto hopping off Soba.

Shouto nodded, “Had a discussion with my father”, Shouto walks briskly up to Katsuki so that he can see the other up close. Shouto’s brows furrow.

“The… King?” Katsuki is slightly hesitant in which is something Shouto isn’t use to.

“Yes”, Shouto confirms, “The King”.

Katsuki hum and his head disappears back into the garden again. He reappears walking from the entrance of the garden and he looks just as beautiful as Shouto remembers. Already it seems 100% possible for Katsuki to be blessed when he was born. Shouto certainly feels blessed to be in the other’s presence.

“We had a heated discussion”, Shouto scrunches his nose. He wants to reach out to hold Katsuki’s hands, but he still does not. Even though he’s courting the other. It’s precisely because he’s courting the other.

“Heated”, Katsuki repeats and then crosses his arms – there goes Shouto’s desires to hold Katsuki’s hands. “On your end, I’m right, aren’t I?”

Shouto pouts, no, but yes.

Katsuki tilts his head and silently orders Shouto to follow him into the Bakugou household. They walk through the garden, forever enchanting, definitely magical like Enji described. Shouto tries to keep his eyes on the back of Katsuki’s head, he wonders if he should bring up that Sakuya-hime blessing… He probably should.

Pointing at the makeshift chair, Katsuki tells Shouto to sit whilst Katsuki busies himself, making a pot of tea for them both. They both sit in silence for a short amount of time with the smell of the green tea soothing Shouto’s nerves and bringing him back to his current reality.

Shouto takes in a deep breath before he musters the courage to look Katsuki in the eye and speak, “I heard from my father that you were born with Sakuya-hime’s blessing”.

Katsuki doesn’t look surprised, he shows no behavioural change that this topic even irks him. Shouto swallows thickly and waits for Katsuki to respond.

The response is very delayed, but Katsuki does eventually narrow his eyes at Shouto, “You mean you just found out then? When you had that heated discussion with The King?”

Nodding, it’s Shouto’s turn to frown. Had he ever hinted to Katsuki that he knew? Was this common knowledge that commoners all know? Is that why Shouto did not know until his father pulled him aside and threatened him – or well, Katsuki.

Katsuki sighs and plays with the rim of his cup, the steam coming from the tea only gives Katsuki an even more ethereal glow. “So?”

“So…”, Shouto gulps, “What does that mean to you?”

When Katsuki looks away from his cup and back at Shouto, Shouto feels as though those crimson red eyes pierce right through him. He feels as though he is laid bare in front of Katsuki and he feels nervous. He isn’t sure how Katsuki will answer, he is scared of the answer he will receive. He doesn’t know what to expect and that makes him anxious.

“I was born blessed”, Katsuki leans back on his chair and regards Shouto coolly, “I don’t know any different”.

“Is it common knowledge?” Shouto asks, wanting to know whether he is the only one who has been left in the dark.

Katsuki shrugs, “My parents say they villagers call me the harbinger of life and death”, Katsuki doesn’t seem bothered by the name. It confuses Shouto, he would hate to be labelled something like that. How can Katsuki just accept it so easily.

“If I’m too close to their crops”, Katsuki presses his lips together before he finishes off what he wanted to say, “they will flourish so abundantly, they’ll overrun the lands”, Katsuki tilts his head, “I’m better at controlling it now, but I heard it was awful when I was a child, if the crops didn’t outgrow the people, then the villagers died trying to harvest it all”.

Shouto believes Katsuki, after all, Katsuki’s garden is abundant and beautiful.

Oh. “Oh, that’s why the sakura blossomed, because you willed it to…”

Katsuki smiles, “You like them after all, such beautiful yet fleeting flowers”.

Shouto will most definitely interpret that sentence as Katsuki willing the sakura to bloom for Shouto. “So more than just having a green thumb, you’re simply, blessed”. Shouto concludes.

Katsuki scoffs, “Yes, simply”.

“What about your friends?” Shouto asks, “What do they think?” Not that he’s ever seen Katsuki with anyone but his parents, and in the short time Shouto invited himself into the Bakugou household, he has never seen Katsuki visit anyone.

Raising one eyebrow, Katsuki gives Shouto the stink eye and then takes a sip of his tea.

Shouto stares back. And then realises the truth, “I’m really your only friend, aren’t I?”

Katsuki is silent. And Shouto will take that silence as an affirmation.

“And me, your only friend, is courting you, wanting more than just friendship from you”, Shouto clarifies.

Humming, Katsuki continues sipping on his tea. He was strangely, calm about all of this. “It doesn’t seem like you have a friend besides me either”, Katsuki acknowledges but also punches back.

“I have Soba”, Shouto says automatically.

Katsuki makes a disgusted face and shakes his head. “I promise I’ll kick you out gently if you want to retract your courtship”, Katsuki waves a hand around, “after finally realising I’m blessed and all”.

“Why would I do that?” Shouto immediately leans forward with widened eyes, “I really like you, I want to marry you”.

Katsuki’s lower right eye lid twitches at Shouto’s words, “Because it’s not wise to marry someone who is the harbinger of life and death, it’s definitely the smarter move to marry someone who will give you political power, did they not teach you that? Because it’s obviously common knowledge. Oh wait, that’s right, Mr half-assed high horse has no common knowledge”.

“No”, Shouto’s fingers caress the cup before him, “Both you and my father are right”, Shouto looks at Katsuki with determined eyes, “it is obviously more beneficial for the next in line to marry a politically strong figure, to forge allies and strengthen our kingdom, us”. Shouto lets go of the cup and very gently lets his fingertips touch Katsuki’s fingers, “But, I know that even if I have all that, I cannot become a good king if I don’t have you by my side”.

This time, it’s Katsuki who swallows deeply.

“So, I will come find you, over and over”, Shouto stresses, “until you agree to marry me”.

“It’s not even legal”, Katsuki mutters but wears a smile on his face. Shouto can tell Katsuki truly believes in him, and it makes him swell in pride and confidence.

Shouto didn’t really know what to expect between himself and Katsuki. Maybe he thought it would be more on his part? Now that he knows Katsuki is a blessed commoner who isn’t exactly the most popular in town. In which Shouto doesn’t fully understand, if one can make your crops grow infinitely, does that not mean forever supply of food for the country? Though he supposes he understands the lack of man power, he can’t really imagine working to death though.

Katsuki doesn’t give Shouto any pressure by asking Shouto how long he is going to stay this time around. He doesn’t even question whether it is appropriate for the two parties under a courtship to already be sleeping under the same roof, in the same room.

“We all sleep under the same sky”, Katsuki shrugs, “all the same”.

No, it’s not all the same, but Shouto smiles and agrees regardless. It’s not like they do anything that can’t be seen in the publics’ eyes under the covers.

They discover a field of sunflowers and Katsuki’s enthusiasm could be felt as he wiggles in excitement on Soba’s back. Katsuki hops off Soba’s back and wastes no time dashing in between the sunflowers, the leaves press against his skin, the stalks are pricklier as they tower over Katsuki.

Shouto watches with Soba by his side as Katsuki dances in and out. With each sunflower Katsuki brush against, Shouto can see it jolt further into life, it’s as though they sparkle even more, it’s as though they smile even wider. If possible, Shouto wishes he could capture what he is current viewing in a painting. He must tell the royal painter when he next can.

They spend time working on the garden, Shouto becomes a decent weeder and Katsuki has less frowns and laughs openly a lot more. Though he still tells Shouto that he’s a rather shit weeder. Even worse at baking bread and definitely needs to scale and gut fish for the next ten years before he can even be considered decent. Shouto scoffs at that and thinks Katsuki just likes the look of the crowned prince doing menial chores. And really, Shouto thinks he does too. Shouto wants to think that they are both definitely falling in love with each other, as corny as it sounds. It wasn’t love at first sight, but to Shouto, it might as well be.

If only every day could pass like this.

When Shouto goes fishing with Masaru, he doesn’t voice his concerns with his current familial situation. When Shouto helps Mitsuki pack their cart, he doesn’t discuss the royal rumours. When Shouto sits under the bloom of the sakura with Katsuki, Shouto contemplates how to out-manoeuvre his father. Katsuki looks at him and his expression is curious, but Katsuki doesn’t pressure Shouto to spill the tea.

Even when they’re tending the wisteria, or well, Katsuki is, touching each tree to keep them blossoming, at the back of Shouto’s mind, he’s still thinking about how he can continue to stay with Katsuki without upsetting everyone in his family.

They sit close to each other with their arms pressed against each other. Katsuki blames the tiny space available on the giant toadstool, Shouto knows he just wants to sit close. They listen to the chirping of the birds and snack on berries together. Katsuki is snarky, and Shouto enjoys it, he reciprocates he. He had never thought he’d be dressed in rags, sitting on something that isn’t the throne and in love with a commoner, enough to become one himself. And honestly, Shouto had never thought he’d readily accept jabs at him without ordering for that person’s immediate death.

He understands, they’re all human, deep down, looking pass the highest quality silk or patches of misshaped fabrics, pass their titles and names, they’re all the same flesh and bones. Shouto was raised as the crowned prince, Katsuki raised as a blessed soul not embraced by the people, but they came together and Shouto thinks it’s absolutely beautiful.

It’s under the starry night sky in which Shouto voices out his worries and concerns to Katsuki. Katsuki listens quietly. He squeezes Shouto’s hand tightly in reassurance. Shouto squeezes back.

“We’ll find a way”, Katsuki’s voice is soothing.

And Shouto believes him. Believes in them both.

An eagle flies in and perches on a low hanging branch and caws loudly, looking straight at Shouto. Katsuki frowns and looks up with his eyes squinting.

“Never seen a bird like that around before”, Katsuki comments and really stares at the large bird, “must be lost”.

“No”, Shouto shakes his head and then goes over to Soba and takes out a worn looking arm guard, he slips his left arm through the arm guard and holds it up and whistles once. “It’s a message for me”.

The eagle swoops down immediately and lands on Shouto’s arm, the claws digging into the arm guard and Katsuki is glad that those talons aren’t digging into his own flesh. It was when the bird now sits on Shouto’s arm that Katsuki notices the parchment tied to the eagle’s leg.

Shouto gently pets the eagle’s head before he removes the parchment from the eagle’s leg. His heart hammers a little at the royal symbol stamped on the parchment. He knew it was from the family, they wouldn’t use their favourite messenger eagle if it weren’t the case. The fact that their favourite messenger was used also signifies the utter importance and potential urgency the letter most likely contains. Shouto’s foot taps impatiently as he unravels the parchment and reads what it has to say.

His heart sinks.

“What’s wrong?” Katsuki asks, arms crossed and he looks away from the impressive eagle to Shouto’s mortified face.

“It’s my mother”, Shouto says quietly as he scrunches the letter in his hand tightly, the contrast from expression and demeanour to his behaviour was so vast it left Katsuki feeling confused.

“Your mother…”, Katsuki raises one eye brow.

Of course, his father would use this method. It’s dirty and it feels unfair. There’s isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell he wouldn’t attend to his mother if she ever needed him. Even if it meant giving Katsuki up. Perhaps everyone at the castle has been right, he has been blinded by this fleeting beauty before him. He has lost sense of what is most important to him.

“Yes”, Shouto’s lips presses into a thin line as he looks at Katsuki, “she has always been unwell, it seems like things are heading south, and very rapidly”.

Katsuki stays quiet and listens to what Shouto has to say.

“I have been summoned to return to see her”, Shouto explains, “but if I go, I may not be able to come see you again”. Or maybe he could? It could be a balancing act? Though would Katsuki still want to see him who has given in to his family and is going to marry someone else and father children to continue the royal line?

Shouto knows that he will still want to see Katsuki.

“You should go see her”, Katsuki says without his voice quivering at all.

Shouto closes his eyes and inhales deeply and then lets it all out again, his chest heaves in an exaggerated manner. “She’s unwell, Katsuki”, Shouto tries to explain in a way in which he won’t be overwhelmed too much by his own emotions, “she has always wanted to hold a child that I have fathered…It’s not just my mother. My father, my brothers, my sister, they all expect me to have children”.

Katsuki swallows thickly.

Anxiousness creeps up Shouto’s throat as he digests Katsuki’s reaction, “To my mother, a good king is someone who can unconditionally love their children”.

“A good king lives for his people”, Katsuki says clearly, he doesn’t break eye contact with Shouto as he places a palm over Shouto’s heart and then moves it away so that only his index finger is pressingly lightly against Shouto’s left chest, “not for a person, but for his people”.

Shouto takes in a deep breath and then lets it out. Katsuki’s words sink into him and he’s almost afraid to dissect those words and figure out whether Katsuki means his mother or Katsuki himself. He looks into Katsuki’s eyes and knows that he loves the crimson red. It’s what he desires. But. “You’re right”, Shouto agrees.

Katsuki closes his eyes and removes his index finger as he looks away, “I’m always right”, Katsuki says quietly and then takes a step back before he turns his back to Shouto and walks away.

In that moment, Shouto feels his heart wrench. He understands what it feels like to do something his heart doesn’t want, but it’s the most logical decision. Shouto takes after Katsuki and envelopes him from behind, “I promise I’ll come back for you, Katsuki”.

“Don’t”, Katsuki says and pushes Shouto’s arms off of himself, “I’m not going to be part of your party of concubines”.

“Not as a concubine”, Shouto reassures as he spins Katsuki around so that they’re facing each other again.

Katsuki raises one eyebrow at Shouto and then shakes his head, “Naïve”, Katsuki comments and then pushes Shouto away again, he goes over to his prized garden where the sakura are still in bloom and have no qualms highlighting Katsuki’s delicate features. Katsuki picks some yellow chrysanthemums from his garden before he ties them together with some twine and hands it to Shouto, “For your mother. I wish her well”.

“Katsuki”, Shouto takes the chrysanthemums, knowing full well the meaning those delicate flowers hold. It only adds to their distinction in class. The crown prince and the gardener. It’s hilarious.

Shouto knows that. Katsuki knows that. Shouto knows that if he returns to the palace now, he will be tied into a marriage he can’t escape. He knows that that would be what makes his mother happy. And Shouto knows that he would go to the ends of earth to ensure her happiness. Similar to how he’s always known what is best for the kingdom.

Katsuki certainly makes Shouto feel real, but it seems like this time, it won’t be enough. “When I come back, you can have my head”, Shouto says in a small voice.

He knows that there is no we anymore. That this will be it between him and Katsuki.

Shouto wishes Katsuki would pull him in and kiss him. But Katsuki doesn’t. And neither does Shouto. He stands there, like a statue with the flowers in hand, but his heart races desperately and his brain just can’t catch up.

All of Shouto’s promises to Katsuki will default to empty.

Katsuki breaks eye contact with Shouto as he once again turns away from Shouto and heads deeper into his haven, “Just go, you have a kingdom to oversee and I, a garden to tend to”.

Just as Shouto was about to speak, Katsuki’s voice breaks him out of his thoughts and leaves him speechless. Katsuki’s voice is crisp even with the growing distance between them, “Farewell, your highness”.

It’s as though to Katsuki, there will be no next time. It scares Shouto. A part of Shouto thought Katsuki would disagree, would be angry, would voice it out like what Shouto typically thinks Katsuki is like. Yet, Katsuki is taking all of this so calmly. Does Katsuki perhaps not feel the same way?

Or maybe it’s the way Shouto is treating him. Shouto’s heart wrenches in pain. If he weren’t crowned prince, does that mean he doesn’t have to make these choices? Would it mean he could have both? Does this mean he’s destined to not be able to ever have the one he loves?

Shouto watches and is afraid to wonder what the consequences of this will be. He misses the fury of sakura petals drawn like curtains around Katsuki’s garden when he hops onto Soba’s back and gallops out of the woods, away from Katsuki, his oasis. Shouto looks up into the clear blue sky and already, Shouto can hear the trumpets signalling his return to royal life.