Chapter Text
Hate.
We can often feel hate, pain, and fear for no reason; you could think, but you're wrong. Hate could have different origins, after all…. Nevertheless, no one can ignore that each feeling is associated with a context, sometimes darker than we think. When a human feels hate, it could be with something we're too young to understand or something we realize by ourselves.
Katsuki Bakugo learned the story when he was young, still naive, and full of dreams. He used to dream about being someone else, someone powerful and loved but also strong enough to carry or win a war. But, unfortunately, life decided otherwise, letting him know by experience how one feeling can be stronger than anything and grow with you until you realize his true origin, not the one everyone told you about your whole life.
Katsuki Bakugo, and hope, died on this battlefield the same day who had dreams.
——
Based on an agreement they made many years ago, granting peace between the two kingdoms and sealing a pact with a precise rule: not to betray the other.
However, this promise was ignored by King Midoriya before giving the power to his son Hisashi, teaching the young boy that he should not trust the rules imposed on him and put in his mind that the enemy could attack at any time.
One day, after his coronation and arranged marriage with Princess Inko, unifying their two kingdoms, Hisashi attacked and sent men to the Bakugo to watch them. However, despite his wife's remarks, he did not listen and opened Pandora's box, not suspecting the consequences that were going to happen.
Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugo were unprepared for this attack; taken unawares, the loss of men was disastrous, and the number of wounded exceeded a hundred in the still nascent kingdom.
Hisashi's hatred towards the Bakugo was nothing new and had been nurtured by his father; seeing what they managed to do that he didn't have, jealousy was born in him, envying him but hating them, and soon it became his obsession that grew day by day.
The means evolved at the beginning of the years, the influence of the two kingdoms began to make themselves known, and soon they were only quoted and known for their incredible hatred for each other.
Until that day.
The hatred between the Bakugo and Midoriya was due to the war caused by the midoriya when they attacked the Bakugo a long time ago; this banal war turned into a moment that marked everyone's mind, especially for the young Katsuki Bakugo. The poor boy was facing Hisashi for the first time when he was holding his bother's dead boy into his arm, tears in his eyes, and looking in front of him. This hair, this army of soldiers commanded by one unique man Hisashi midoriya he could recognize everywhere.
This same man is standing before him with a proud look, proud of the beast he created; everything is destroyed around him. The place is empty. At the same time, Katsuki was the only one who remained to stand, he was the last to tell their history, to keep their memory, and he would not let a vulgar king get the better of him.
Hisashi gave him a cold gaze; seeing those crimson red eyes, he began to spit on him while the blond's face filled with hatred; his chest and legs ordered him to rise, face him and put down. He hated to see this young boy in front of him, pretending to be better than him when all he could do right now was to hold his tears back, holding the corpse next to him. He wanted to end this story and this fight that he had already taken enough and had to stop.
"I promise you. I promise I will hunt all the Bakugo on this earth until the last one; the next time you get in my way, I won't hesitate," Hisashi said with a dark smirk on his bloody face.
Katsuki was about to stand up, shouting at him to fight and face him, that despite his young age, katsuki was more mature than him and would not hesitate to avenge them if necessary.
That day, those crimson red eyes filled with anger, with such an indescribable but powerful feeling; if a look could kill, Hisashi would already be dead like his men.
Since that day, 16-year-old Katsuki Bakugo had sworn to end the rules of midoriya and to avenge his dead comrades and friends by sacrificing himself for him.
The next time he meets a Midoriya, he will be ready to kill him without hesitation.
———
Princes of a small neighboring kingdom, enemies since decent with endless battles and parties, a growing timbered opinion with the generations and a feeling of hatred without accurate understanding ….this is what 18-year-old Izuku Midoriya lived who had to freedom, under the authority of his father, Hisashi Midoriya.
Since his mother's death when he was young and his accident ... finally, the business and the secrets remain well hidden in this castle, and everyone knew that the king was at the origin of this incident, of this poisoning which had led the kingdom to a tyrannical reign.
Izuku, at the age of 6, when he was tall as three apples, with freckles on his cheeks, badly combed curly green hair, and emerald green eyes, suffered the consequences. Everyone knew him for his benevolent, pleasant, and loving character; everyone knew the tragic story of his childhood. And yet the few people who dared to stand up to Hisashi ended up in public humiliation; following this and this imposing power, no one dared to act, leaving the young boy at the beginning of his misfortune. Moreover, their relationship could have been better; they hardly communicated except for meetings.
During his childhood, the affection Izuku received was based on maids. The young boy still remembers this story that marked his mind; he listened attentively to every word of the brown-haired maid who told him a story with passion. Her look, or even the benevolence in her voice, reminded him of his mother, Inko Midoriya, and the young boy felt reassured by her presence.
"Ibe, that's sad; why does the hero have to marry someone else?" Izuku's small voice suddenly asked, being involved in the story.
Ibelina smiled at him while ruffling his soft hair. "It's not over, sweetie; wait to listen to the rest."
Izuku smiled and nodded while playing with his fingers while listening to the sweet voice.
"Prince Alejandro was sorrowful, he didn't want to go, but his parents forced him to join this ball. He thought he would be bored, but his eyes met the gaze of a young woman, a lovely young woman, his heart started to beat faster, and his eyes didn't take their eyes off the young girl. She had beautiful black eyes, brown hair, and a breathtaking gaze, and the prince walked toward her. She turned around and didn't move….it was something natural, deep inside them, connecting them as if they already knew each other before they met. It was love at first sight."
Izuku's eyes were dumbfounded at these words, and he couldn't help but get closer to the maid.
“Hey, Ibe”
“Yes, Izuku?"
"Have you ever experienced love at first sight?" there was so much innocence in his voice that the maid's face turned into a soft smile.
"Yes, sweetie" These words were heartfelt and filled with love with a hint of nostalgia.
Izuku looked at the woman and did not take his eyes off her; he put his head on her lap before asking with a curious tone, "And how was it? Do you still love him? "
Ibelina ruffled his small hair. "Yes, I still love him, and how could I describe him to you?" she put her hands on her chin and seemed to think about how words can describe it to a young kid before resuming a few seconds later, "It's… inexplicable? You know you've found the right person when you want to be by their side when your heart beats so hard that you forget about it to breathe, that you can't put into words how you feel because this feeling is so strong that it feels like there's just the two of you in the room, your soul's meeting. You share the same look that says, "I found you. "Ibelina spoke with passion, ease, and love that Izuku got carried away.
"I hope I can live that one day" whispered the little boy, imagining how it could be to meet this person with his head filled with dreams.
"I have no doubt, sweetie. You will find that person one day and enjoy every moment with them as if it were the last; you will never be alone, and I know that somewhere in the world, that person loves you" Ibelina delicately embraced his forehead before tucking it in.
"I hope it will be an endearing person" The stars in izuku's eyes reflect and make the maid laugh.
"I hope too, now a little monster, it's time to sleep, goodnight," she kissed his forehead one last time before leaving the room.
Izuku looked at her, smiling before falling asleep. "Goodnight, Mom," and a bitter smile appeared.
Ibelina knew how much the loss of her mother had infected the little boy and that he would always keep the consequences, but she was doing her best to make him happy and see that in this natural world, there could be magic. Indeed, It was not the first time that Izuku mistook her for his mother, but it broke his heart each time, this child did not deserve what happened to him, and she secretly crossed her fingers that one day he would find happiness.
Ibelina looked at the sleeping prince, closed the door, and left the room.
A few days later, Ibelina no longer showed up. Izuku felt lonely and asked the first maid who showed up because it was unusual for Ibe; if something were happening or leaving, she would immediately tell him!
"Hey Annie," his eyes look curious, "Do you know where Ibe is?"
The maid's face went pale before putting her hands on the boy's shoulder. "Oh, I thought you knew, but Ibe…Ibelina was fired; I'm sorry, master."
Izuku's face broke down, another person close to him had disappeared again, and he couldn't do anything. Instead, his head filled with dreams and grew with the idea of one day finding someone to make him happy.
The reality was darker.
The same day, King Hisashi Midoriya summoned the maid to make her understand that spreading such silly stories to his son was unconscionable. But instead, she was betrayed by another maid who listened to the conversation and told the king everything.
In a final decision, Hisashi decided to fire Ibelina somewhere he would never find her and put her under constant surveillance, which the young girl was forced to accept. Her heart breaks when she sees Izuku's face for the last time in a deep sleep, and she seems to be smiling; the woman knows she can leave with peace of mind having seen the child she was babysitting and whom she considered her son for the last time.
——
Years later, while the young prince tried to heal himself as best he could, a new person entered his life, a gentle and caring person like Ibelina who knew how to listen, a shoulder to cry on when he was feeling bad or when he missed his mother. He sometimes addressed himself in the evening, facing his balcony and secretly wishing he could have Ibe in front of him again.
To solve his insecurities and painful period, a young girl recently hired as a maid and foreseeing herself under the name of Hana knew surprised the little one. She was new; she knew everything about the tragic story and loss and felt terrible for izuku; he was young. So she withdrew, but the green emerald eyes had heard the noise and turned towards her; there was no surprise but a hint of sadness.
"Excuse me, I shouldn't have come in, master," muttered the young girl with a panicked tone.
Izuku nodded and whipped his eyes to get up towards her, the young woman glanced at him in surprise when he reached out his hand to her, and a warm feeling appeared in Hana's chest.
"You're...Hana, right?" his voice was small and weak, yet there was a hint of deja vu...
"Ye...yes," the young woman tried to hide the panic in her voice but found herself face to face with him.
"You know, I had a friend before, but I don't know where she went….maybe she left me alone and abandoned me as my mom," exclaimed Izuku, holding back his tears.
To protect him, no one from the staff had told him that Ibelina and Hisashi's original departure had forced Hana not to talk about it anymore and not tell what happened, leaving the little izuku with many questions and a broken heart.
Today, the prince thought that the young woman and only confidence had abandoned him without a word and that he blamed himself.
His little hands clanged to Hana's outfit, and he glanced at her straight in the eye with teary eyes. "Do you...Do you think it's my fault if she left? It's because I wasn't wise enough, or maybe she hated me as my father did."
These words broke the young woman's heart; she knew from the rumor that life at the castle was not easy and that the prince was the first victim. She could not imagine that he would suffer so much as he had lived all this time with the idea that it was his fault when in reality, Hisashi knew everything but had not sought to protect him.
On the contrary, he had pushed his son, made it clear, and put off the idea that he did wrong and that she had left the place because of him.
Hana ruffled his soft hair and brought it closer to her with a safe touch. "No, sweetie, you did nothing wrong, and it's an adult thing, trust me, you should try to best for her; what would she think of saying you like this? I know I just came a few days ago, but I can feel that you're a strong person, and you can do it, don't let your fear control you, sweetie."
Hana's voice was reassuring and benevolent, the way she didn't want to rush or scare him, her delicate gestures, and her tone. Izuku raised his head to meet her gaze, and her black eyes and facial features were light, which showed a young woman in her twenties with a comforting look, black eyes, and brown hair until her shoulder.
Izuku sniffed and didn't let go of his hand to tighten the contact, which caught the eye of the young girl who threw a tool on the scene and the fact that the prince's hands were tiny compared to his.
"But…this means that I didn't do-"
Hana smiled at him, placing her locks behind his ear. "No, you did nothing wrong, I'm here and will protect you. So don't worry, master."
Izuku's eyes shine, and without warning, he throws himself into her arms, putting her head on her chest and squeezing it as hard as he can; the young woman's eyes wander before turning into something softer, something sweeter, and she hugs him back.
"Thanks, Hana," mumbled izuku in his small voice.
She smiled and lifted her chin, sketching a small laugh. "Now come on, you need to sleep, or your father will be furious. Did you get lucky when he's angry? It's not a pretty sight."
Izuku sketched a laugh, and the young woman's heart became warmer in front of this sweet sound; the little boy deserved to know happiness and no longer let himself be eaten away by his demons.
"Promise me that you'll never repeat this to your father, sweetie" She hands him her little finger, and izuku grabs it, smiling. "I promise"
Later that night, Hana stayed up than expected to stay by the prince's side and for him to fall asleep entirely, if she was planning to stay there, before doing her best to help Izuku.
—-------
Since the incident, many things changed, not only for the Midoriyas but for the Bakugos too.
This war was considered one of the worse they lived through during their entire history. The human losses they had known during those days overflowed half of their kingdom, and many men lost their lives there, leaving families, women, husbands, or even parents without relatives.
Things did not change overnight. Still, this event awakened something that had long since disappeared: hatred and contempt towards the midoriyas, King Hisashi, his wife Info, or even their son Izuku.
Every day, this feeling got worse; refusing to admit it the first time, the years passed, the attacks subsided, the fighting stopped, and the next generation. Their son Katsuki, 7-year-old Bakugo, was beginning to wonder about the world around him, why so many people hated the Midoriyas, and what they had done wrong; Mitsuki and Masaru knew their words had meaning. The influence then, from an early age, the bakugo introduced and transmitted their hatred and anger to him and continued to feed him with this feeling, ordering him to take revenge and avenge them.
Things that Katsuki understood quickly, he was only 16 when another war broke out again, similar to the first one experienced years ago. He had joined the field and had no preparation for this who was waiting for him; at this moment, his apprenticeship, his hatred transmitted by his parents since childhood. Finally took on meaning; seeing Hisashi's gaze, those eyes filled with the same disdain that seemed to express no regrets.
At this moment, Katsuki had sworn to take his revenge, that the next time he meets a midoriya, he will not hesitate to attack him, to make him understand what it was like to lose loved ones. So it was that two years later when Katsuki Bakugo had evolved into a young man of 19, the hate entrusted to his parents about his project and his desire to end the reign of the Midoriyas.
Mitsuki and Masaru were somewhat surprised at the beginning. Still, their idea quickly changed seeing the look of their son, this same feeling which is located in his eyes and which stretched the result of their education. Masaru feet a point in the heart by saying that their son could have known a better education, without hatred and anger, than he could have become another person if Mitsuki had not insisted so much.
The king had tried to give her back, but she remained impassive and stubborn; after several years and attempts, he had introduced notions they would never have believed possible in his son. Finally, when his wife turned her back, Masaru taught Katsuki to control his emotions. He uses his words or the basics of respect by reminding him that error is human and that one should not judge a person on his appearance or the first prints.
"Katsuki, I'm so proud of you," Mitsuki hugged his son. At the same time, Masaru said nothing, knowing that it was too late and that he had done his best, hoping that his son had kept these notions and that the influence of his mother was not the only one that remained in his head.
"Get off of my old hag," yelled the blond, walking away and forcing the eyebrows.
Mitsuki sighed and continued, "You know, the moment we waited for years is finally here. King Hisashi plans a ball in two days to celebrate his son's 18th birthday."
Masaru frowned in surprise. "Wait, how do you know that?"
The queen laughed, "I have my sources, darling," and turned to her son.
"What the hell? This bastard has a son" Katsuki's reaction might be surprising, but in reality, Izuku midoriya's name was just a rumor, and no one had seen him. Although people imagined a cold person who shared the same terror in his eyes as his father's and many more horrible things hanging around him, all the nobles were prepared for anything, growing up in this idea and reinforcing the concepts of this simple name.
Mitsuki sketched a smirk. "Yes, and you know what you have to do."
Katsuki's gaze darkened, and his surprised features quickly transformed, similar to his mother's. "Midoriya's name will be just an old legend in a short time, and it starts with his son."
Masaru tried to intervene, but it was then that he realized what he had caused; faced with that look, he could no longer intervene and only had to pray for things to happen and change for him, and what was said about the prince was false.
——
The blond had planned everything in detail that evening and the days before the event.
He would not attack him in a simple public place and be visible to everyone; he had to play it free- friends with him to not sow doubt. He had to back up as much information as possible to follow each step of his plan; things would take a lot of work, and pretending to be his enemy's friend was difficult.
He already imagined the face that King Hisashi would make seeing his family move away and disappear from him, even seeing themselves against him—seeing how his wife would give him an accusing look and that his son destroyed his morale by abrading everything he had on his heart, preferences, things invented by the blond to amplify the gravity of the situation.
Katsuki Bakugo had to end the reigns of the Midoriyas by starting by eliminating the relatives.
He was not alone in this mission.
He was accompanied by his "best friend," whom he considers a burden but hides nothing from him. Indeed, Todoroki Shoto was the son of a simple Duque, Endeavor, known for his regent of terror. The people had an obvious opinion about him, especially one of his children, whom he had known years ago during a meeting to arrange their two kingdoms for a possible future, thus unconsciously creating the beginning of a friendship.
"So you mean that you want to kill a man you've never seen anywhere before?" Shoto's jaded expression was enough for the blond to figure out the intentions behind those words.
"What could go wrong, Half and Half?" Katsuki exclaimed, frowning as if he were hurt.
The other man puts his hands on his chin and pretends to think, which makes the blond angrier before answering, "I don't know, maybe it's the wrong man, and you kill an innocent."
"What do you mean by the wrong man? We all know his identity; I can't see what is wrong with my plan, dumbass."
Shoto let out a sigh. The blond was quite stubborn in his way, and when he had an idea in his head, you shouldn't contradict or disturb him and especially not dare to say that his statement was stupid. Poor people had known these experiences before and had quickly found themselves dispatched to the enemy.
"Think about it, Katsuki. We all know the image we created for ourselves, but what if it's the opposite? If we're wrong since the beginning, can we have him on our side?"
Katsukis eyes went wide. "Are you serious? I thought you were smart but was wrong. This fucker will never be by our side, and if he tries, I will immediately kill him; we don't need traitor and bastard in our lands."
It was his last chance, the ball was in a few hours, and he wanted to help his friend, which would prevent him from doing something stupid and acting too quickly.
"Listen, you should try to ask his full name and find some information about him before the meeting. Then, you can pretend to be someone else, and since no one has seen you in their country, hiding your identity is an option, you know to be safe," recommended Shoto. However, he could not say that he had given up on the contrary in the face of the angry character of the blond; he had held out for several years and knew how to resonate with it.
The blond sighed. "Tch, whatever, I'm not doing what you recommended, but tonight I'm going to pretend to be….Katsuki. No more bakugo; if this bastard asks my name, I'll answer dumb thing."
His friend's look turned into something desperate as if the blond's behavior had exhausted him, and he couldn't take it anymore by adding, "That's what I said, Katsuki."
Katsuki yelled s as he walked away, "Shut the fuck up, Icy hot, it was my idea, and if it fails, it will be your fault, get it?" "
Shoto sighed before disappearing. "I just hope you're not making a mistake."
————
The time for the ball and homecoming finally arrived; for the occasion, Mitsuki and Masaru forced him to put on something discreet but revealing of their social status, showing their power and place in the nobles' society.
Katsuki hated this kind of event; in front of the others, the nobles complimented each other to finally speak behind their backs and criticize them for the slightest error. This event only amplified his fear and disgust toward social and public affairs; fortunately, he was only there to gather information and leave as quickly as possible tonight. It wasn't necessary to meet the eyes of the king, or else he would release his plan B, which was cheap lenses made by the creator of the corner; it could have been better, but at least he knew how to handle himself.
The blond had to be patient and patient; after all this event, I only reinforced the nobles' impact and statute, highlighting their alliance and forced marriage. They call it the "name of the love," but the blond only sees it as a matter of money and political influence on who will have the biggest.
This same kind of ball consists of feeding the clichés and making them worse with their fake images and their fake comments, pretending to care about someone with this fake laugh, fake smile, and the only real thing here was their dark smile which was drawn on their lips once people had their backs turned.
"You should smile more," said the guy beside him. Indeed he was just an extra invited by their parent to have a good figure and nothing more; his presence wasn't enough, but this idiot needed to make him how.
"And you, you should shut the fuck up," answered katsuki with a smirk and satisfaction feeling while the other man's face became pale in front of his comment.
The view emerged, and the palace of the Midoriyas stood out; it was a large palace, large enough to accommodate an orphanage and which seemed to be equal to the surface of the entire kingdom. At first sight, no one could not doubt their power and influence, which had the gift of removing the blond; why expose his wealth when it was only an illusion that people give themselves to impress others? This world was fucked up, and katsuki lived with idiots.
The silhouette is getting closer and closer to becoming more intimate. The shape and construction must have been decades old because the material seemed to fade with time, similar to a flower that had just been born and had its day before disappearing. The vegetation around was making the environment alive and giving a salt of life to this place with a bland impression of faded summer; guards watching the entrance were between fatigue and using their last strength. Katsuki could predict that one of the two would be sleeping in less than an hour, and a small smile formed on his face.
"Tch extras," he whispered under his beard in an inaudible sound as a dauber staff member greeted him; the blond dodged their gaze and walked into the room.
The walls that separated the exterior, which seemed silent, were absorbed by the interior and the atmosphere, which was quite the opposite. The cover seemed lifeless; the interior was filled with light, noises on the corners, and people from all over the world just for this occasion; eyes were on the newcomers. Of course, you didn't have to be blind to understand that they weren't welcome, but Katsuki doesn't give a fuck about them; he's been to quite a ball to find out how their system works and how to ignore them.
One maid welcomed them and took their case to move them further; the room was as big as the outside as the gardens seen through the opening. The style was different, giving a semblance of life with all these structures, which seemed to come back to the rhythm of the music, the guests who animated the atmosphere, this place smelled of fake, and the people who also accompanied it.
But Katsuki wasn't here for that; he wasn't here to make friends..he had a mission.
Some extras came to meet him to get to know him and indeed take advantage of the potential he could.
"Where are you from?" The girl asked.
/Did you have a name, or are you just a nobody ?/ was the real meaning.
The blond held his glass in his hand, inventing another life, another story, so as not to be unmasked. By chance, he was a good liar knowing how to play in the net's meshes and adapt to all types of situations and environments.
"I'm from Mustafu, my parents have a big influent, and I never heard anything about this izuku Midoriya?" he asked innocently.
/Tell me everything you know about your gossip/
The girl sketched a small laugh. "Oh, you know, nothing different from the other, but.." she looked at him and whispered discreetly in his ear, looking around so as not to be spotted, "I was told that the situation between the prince and the king was complex. The prince was his own father's doggie, you can imagine."
Katsuki smirked; here is the final gossip that everyone talked about. The young woman before used the term "doggie," knowing the meaning behind it. Yet she had no embarrassment in using such a pejorative term; it meant that she seemed easy with this kind of gossip ... which said a lot about her personality.
She glanced at him with an innocent look as if she had never said the previous words, "But don't tell anyone; people can gossip easily in this kind became"
Katsuki laughed bitterly. "Don't worry; it's not likely to happen; thanks for this information. I will keep it preciously."
/Look who's talking to you, bitch. I'm sure in 5 minutes; you'll make this rumor worse in your way to liven up the conversation and get in the center of attention /
The woman nodded and thanked him before heading toward other nobles who seemed to know the interest in their conversation. The blond sighed; the ball was boring, and he wanted to go home and lift this place, but he had to wait to see the prince once, and this was about how to approach it…the evening would be extended.
Katsuki drank another glass of strong alcohol to take his mind off it, it was not in his way to drink so much, but he already knew that he would end the evening mentally exhausted by all this bullshit.
———
A few hours later, when the evening seemed endless, and the guests began to have a lack of conversation and nothing more to tell each other, the voice of the two guards attracted everyone's attention.
"Excuse us for our delay; we had a slight incident but thank you for welcoming Prince Izuku Midoriya."
If only they knew how "The slight disagreement," as they called it, was how izuku tried to run away, but we caught him before he could escape.
/Oh great, this boy will be a problem/ the blond spoke to himself, seeing the doors open, giving way to the silhouette of the young prince. As he got closer, Katsuki could notice the fake smile on his face; he was trying to flesh in vain.
/This boy isn't good at hidden feelings/ mentally notes the blond as he continued to analyze him; he was pretty thin, and his green hair didn't deceive him; he quoted his father's son. His emerald green eyes sticking out of the lot were accompanied by his freckles which if one did not include the fact that he stretched the son of his enemy, made him cute, but this thought was quickly swept away when his eyes landed on the man a little further. His chest suddenly became filled with hatred in recognizing these eyes and this look, this same look that he had landed on him that famous day and which had not ceased to amplify his hand…Hisashi midoriya was standing next to him.
His thoughts are cut off by Izuku's tiny voice, which is trying to distinguish himself from the others. "Th….Thanks for being here and for having made the trip here. It's a pleasure to have you today for this event, and have a nice evening."
Hisashi looked satisfied at his son's performance, and Katsuki smirked, noticing that the rumors of the young duchess he had previously were accurate. Still, he was trying to cover it up.
The minutes passed, and a few dukes and a few nobles met him; the prince enchanted the conversation and left to apologize to escape the crowd.
Katsuki, who had observed the scene, decided this was the perfect moment to act and interact with him. He then walked towards him, noticing that he seemed smaller than his height and mumbling something.
"I don't know how the great prince Izuku was talking to himself, another gossip for these stupid people," Katsuki smirked while Izuku suddenly looked up in surprise. He blushed with shame before putting his hands on his neck.
"Sorry, I didn't realize you were there," he seemed embarked, and Katsuki played the understanding stranger card.
"It's nothing. All this talk must be boring, and I think even the main person must have a break, right?" His voice was natural but still fake; he had waited enough for this moment, and for now, he needed to make a good impression.
Izuku sketched a smile. "Yes..but you seem different from the others. Can I ask your name, or should I call you Blondie?"
The blond's eyebrows rise in surprise at this nickname. Despite his shyness, he seemed playful and confident on specific points, but this does not explain the fact that he is part of the enemy and will perhaps facilitate the planning process.
"Blondie? Are you serious? Then I should call you freckles," complained the blond observing the face of the green-haired young man in front of him. So young was barely a year old but still childish and innocent.
Izuku looked surprised. "Yes, I was right. Something tells me that you're not what you pretend to be"
Katsuki tried to take over the situation seeing the excellent intuition of the prince and trying to turn the situation to his advantage.
"How did you come to this? Are you sure you could trust your first impression ?"
"My instinct never lies; I've been into enough events in my life to see how I could recognize people like you," Izuku smirked.
"People like me?" Katsuki asked; this man was playing his game, and things will be interesting.
"I could see on your face that you're not from here, but you're still in the same noble class as everyone in this room. You let yourself be trapped by your face, the one telling the truth. Let me guess; you want to run away from this place, right ?"
"If I were you, I wouldn't jump to conclusions so easily," Katsuki smirked, noticing how other nobles were looking at them talking. "You're right, Prince Midoriya. I might admit it, you have good intuition, but my name isn't Blondie."
If he could play with this nickname, it would make things easier; out of pure politeness, he how to grab his hand and kiss him in a short kiss. Izuku's reaction was similar to expected, he seemed surprised, but his face softened when he saw the stranger introduce himself. "My name is Katsuki."
Izuku smiled and withdrew his hand. "Katsuki? I never heard from you without offense! Do you don't you have any family names? Lands near to the kingdoms?"
Katsuki already planned this situation and lied; playing the mysterious stranger could probably high him a chance to be closer to him and a better way to succeed in his plan. "I could tell you, but I think it's something you can discover later. Only if you want to know more about this hot blond stranger you just met."
"I must admit, you're confident for someone who just met the kingdom's prince." Izuku's face made a funny smile. "I've met many people here, all different from each other, and yet, some of them caught my attention, but I don't think I can call you hot."
Katsuki looked surprised. "Oh, then how you should call me them then?"
Izuku made a slight smile. "I think mister too confident could work"
The prince seemed more relaxed than a few minutes ago, their interaction was thrilled to have relaxed the atmosphere, and even if everyone's eyes were focused on them, that didn't prevent them from continuing and ignoring strangers around them. They can gossip about whatever they want, creating any rumor, but they don't have his name and can't create a whole ass rumor about one meeting and ruining Katsuki's plan.
"I think you already know my name, but a formal meeting should be done, right? Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you," announced the young man with a warm smile.
Oh god, he was so innocent it would be easy to play with him.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Katsuki, but you can call me Blondie. Only I can call you freckles" The blond nodded, watching the change in the prince's reaction turn into something funny, natural, and happy.
"I'm sorry, I have to leave. I have some stuff to refreeze, but it was great to meet new people! I hope you're going to spend a good evening, hoping that our paths will cross again," exclaimed Izuku with an embarrassing gaze. Katsuki played with his image of an understanding person, the one his father taught him and that he stimulates, even if honestly, what he would like now is to leave this shitty thing.
"No problem, and happy birthday freckles" Katsuki nodded, seeing Izuku's eyebrows furrow at this nickname.
Izuku muttered a small "thanks" before retaining near his other guests.
The blonde looks away, and smirk forms on his face.
"Trust me, our paths will soon cross again, more than you think…because your blood will be on my hands soon."
Today, katsuki had accomplished his mission's first part and started preparing for the next step. Now that he had met his target, he had to "randomly" meet the prince again and become his friend, which seemed relatively easy.
———
"So," Shoto asked when they were both training, trying to take a break, "How was it yesterday? Did you find yourself catching everyone's attention this time?"
Katsuki gave him a middle finger, and the other sighed, knowing his friend too much. "Sorry to disappoint you, Half and Half, but this was about these freckles."
"Freckles? Do you already have a nickname for him? That's sweet, and I hope you won't forget about me and our friendship, Katsuki."
"Shut the fuck up. We're not friends, but I can say we'll be soon. It will be easier than expected because he was too naive to fall into my lie."
Shoto sighed, putting his sword on the floor and glancing at his friend. "I trust you, blondie, but… don't lie to me, just tell me how the night went."
Katsuki rolled his eyes, he hated to admit it, but if he wasn't here for a mission and to break the Midoriya's family…he could probably have a crush on this man. He could be his style with his stupid freckles on his cheeks and his green eyes, but he wasn't weak, he knew he had a mission to do, and Katsuki couldn't stand the idea of failing it. Not when he promised himself to take his revenge on his dead brother.
"He was okay, nothing amazing. People didn't lie when they said he was like his father; he's his younger version, but way too naive to be a part of this shitty word," Katsuki commented, ignoring how shoto joked about his way of talking about the prince.
"Sounds like you're taking his defense for someone who is supposed to hate him."
Katsuki showed him his middle finger in answer, "Are you fucking kidding me? I know what I am doing, and I'll reach my goal, even if this means being friends and close to this shitty bastard. I'll make him and his family pay for the lost lives."
Shoto didn't answer, seeing how his friend's eyes were full of hate; it was something familiar he was doing every time he talked or mentioned this event. Shoto had known him for years, he was here when Katsuki was here at this challenging period in his life, but he knew the blond couldn't act as if nothing had happened. It was a huge drama, and everyone was sure to make a minute of silence for the lost life, including Katsuki's dead brother.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Katsuki. " It was the only thing Shoto said before putting the swords down and following the blond out of the training site.
—
Katsuki sighed, it was late again, and he couldn't sleep.
Indeed, Katsuki Bakugo was sacred of nothing except two things: the rain and his nightmares.
It wasn't just nightmares; it was something worse. When Katsuki tried to ignore what was happening, the pictures, the tears, and the loud background sound as he tried to ignore how his dreams stabbed his chest many times. It was a recurrent dream at this point, which might explain why he was scared to close his eyes the night. Everything led him to his trauma and Hisashi's dark eyes, the way he could find them in Izuku's eyes when facing him.
He had already made the first step, but it wasn't enough; even when thinking about meeting with Hisashi's son, his heart and mind reminded him of the pain, fear, and tears, he felt that day. Which was why he couldn't face him yet, he had already made an effort coming from him and created the first bond, but he had to keep his lie. So what should he do next? "Randomly" meeting the freckled man again?
Katsuki rolled his eyes, chasing these thoughts in his mind as he slowly woke up, feeling how the ray of the moonlight reflected his forehead. Staying here all day for training was exhaling; he was lucky to have confidence like Half and Half by his side; he might be his only friend and the one who accepted him because he was too grumpy or that type of shitty stuff.
He glanced at the window, reflecting on the garden and how the nightlife gave the impression of having another world. When the day was off, the night was here to come back and reflect the beauty of nature, the little life here, and its color. His red ruby eyes found a shade of green in the background, once again, his heart had this feeling of being stabbed, and he couldn't do it.
He knew his final goal: to kill him and then kill Hisashi Midoriya for complete revenge. They were just strangers, but it was a question of time before the nerd could recognize who he was. Giving just a name was easy, but it wasn't strong enough, so he'll need help.
Katsuki smirked, thinking about multiple ways to end his life, seeing the pain and tears falling down his cheeks. But, unfortunately, he was the son of this bastard, the same one who took his brother's life and laughed at him that day, so he also had to pay; happy ending or not, shitty people like him didn't deserve a chance to live.
He trained the next day again because everything needed to be perfect. There were some wars around the country, and they could be attacked at any time, and it was the ideal moment to think about his plan.
"I need you to find private information about Izuku Midoriya," Katsuki said, putting the sword on his shoulder.
"Excuse me, sire?" The maid gave him a stunning gaze, not expecting the blond to talk to her.
It was rare when Katsuki was having conversations with a few maids here, and the lucky ones always told this to the other's maid the same night like it was the next gossip.
"Are you deaf? I said to find more information about the shitty nerd. I want to know everything before acting; Izuku Midoriya will never guess what is expecting him" Katsuki smirked as a dark gaze appeared.
"I…I will sire. Should I see your parents first?" The maid asked, knowing about the prince's plan and how his parents are linked.
"No need to, extra." He sighed. "It's something I must do on my own, and my old hag and the old man will be here to see their fall."
The woman nodded, knowing what she had to do and especially /who/ she needed to see. Indeed, someone was known for his dark past with a lot of crime, stalking, and some dark issues no one dared to find. A few of them were the most courageous people able to see this man. He was famous for his help but with a price. Katsuki didn't care because he knew what he was doing; it was his only way to get information about Izuku Midoriya without getting caught. He didn't ask for help to kill him because this part was and will be exclusively reserved for the blond.
The day was spent like any other, doing the everyday stuff a prince should do between training, trying to be better and reach perfection, meeting with the Duke from other countries, and hearing about arranged weddings and financial stuff. There were many things people didn't know about and didn't need to see, and it was better for them because sometimes it was so dark that even the people talking about some topics were silent. So Katsuki was standing here and listening to a few things they were saying, seeing who could be the best choice for their daughter, financially, not romantically, because romance and feelings have no part in this world.
Katsuki returned to his room with a proud smile, thinking about how he was getting closer to his goal, and the only thing he was waiting for was this man's help.
——
"You look strange, master," Hana said as she gave a funny glance to Izuku.
Indeed, the freckled man couldn't help but think about the blond he met that day. Not that he was interested because he wasn't, they were strangers and had just met for the first time, but there was something strange about him.
"Tell me, Hana." He met her eyes. "Do you know any Katsuki in the kingdom? Or closer to us?"
Hana looked at him with a lost gaze, the prince already had his answer, but he wanted to be sure. There was no way people didn't know him; at least with his gaze, he could be recognized because…did you see his face? If Izuku wasn't curious about him, he could say he was hot.
"No, sorry, sire" She nodded in answer and followed the freckled prince in the corridor. "Why do you ask? Did he catch your interest, Zuku?"
Izuku rolled his eyes; why should he be interested in a guy he had just met? He didn't care about who or how he was physical; when Izuku was in love, it was about who he was, his personality, and not just a good-looking random guy he met one night.
"Hana!" He looked around to see if someone was there, but luckily, the corridor was empty, and it was only the two of them. "Are you crazy? Why are you saying this loud? Do you know what my father could say if he heard you?"
"Hearing what?" Surprised, a deep voice appeared behind them, making both jumps before meeting the king's dark green eyes.
"Father," Izuku said, trying to catch his breath, "I didn't see you here. You see, Hana and I were talking about the tasks in the castle!" Izuku tried his best to defend his best friend. Hana was the only person he had here; he could lie to his dad because it was what he had been doing since his mom passed away.
Hisashi gave him a cold glare, seeing how his son looked, and Hana was beside him. He was disappointed to see his son spending his free time with this maid; Izuku was clothed like a poor, something Hisashi hated, and he refused to see this in /his/ castle.
"I hate seeing you spend time with this maid, son." His voice sounded disappointed, but Izuku sighed; he was used to this now. "And I can't understand why she's complaining; maids are here to do their tasks and nothing else, especially not create a stupid friendship with my son. So go back to work, and the next time I see her complaining, I'll give her double her task, understand?"
Hana felt chills on her body; if a gaze could kill…she would be already dead. She apologized and returned to her task, seeing how Izuku whispered a small "sorry" and was faced with his father. Izuku hated seeing his father; this man reminded him how his mom had died because of him. The pressure he was giving him, and how he blamed his son for not going well enough, even comparing him to the other princes around their era.
"What I told you, son?" Izuku's face was now cold like his father's tone; if someone was walking here, they could even have this feeling that the freckled prince was heartless and couldn't feel anything. "Go back to your training; I don't want to be ashamed of you again."
/" Once again "/ Was a friendly way to remind him how he lost the previous war due to his capacities. He was young and had a whole army by his side; the mahout of lost lives and innocents he lost that day was still a pain in his chest. They died because of him, and some left a family, a partner, a wife or husband, and friends. Izuku cried because he should've trained better, but Hana told him it was okay. It was sad because he didn't train enough, but the other army was more robust and with more soldiers than him. Unfortunately, it was the unfortunate truth, and even if Izuku had won this war, many were still lost.
"I will, father," Izuku answered; his eyes were dark, and he just wanted to leave this place, especially his father. This man was ruining his life, and all the prince could do was follow him and watch him hurting him when he was younger. He often found himself wondering when he'll finally be free by himself.
Hisashi didn't answer and gave him a disappointed glare. Then, finally, he left the corridor and left the green-haired prince alone in the dark place with dead silence.
"Fucking bastard," Izuku whispered as he left, going outside and finding his sword because the training was the only moment he could be himself.
—
Indeed, there were a few rare moments when he could be himself, and training was one of them.
Holding a sword and giving hits, sometimes missing them, and sometimes making new moves where he was surprised was a part of his life. It was like the sword he was holding was the pressure he had his whole life on his shoulder, and he was fighting an imaginary person. It was when he could put his feelings and hate into words and action because he enjoyed being alone sometimes.
"I know you were angry at your father, but do you think ruining this poor bag is the right thing to do, Deku-Kun," Ochako said with a laugh as Lida by her side followed her. The two were his friends outside the castle and the people he had met years ago. They were casual civilians in the village and sometimes found time to check on Izuku.
"Think about it; it's this bag or his heart? Which one do you prefer?" Izuku sighed, putting the sword on his shoulder as he met the surprised gaze of his friend.
"Midoriya! Don't make another drama. Do you remember the last time…" Lida said with a stunning gaze, and the prince rolled his eyes.
"I know; stop reminding me how my stupid father told me I was a disappointment to the family just because I dared to raise my voice at him."
Ochako sighed. "I must admit it, seeing his surprised face was funny, but I was scared; we all know how this man is…."
"Don't start with it! I have lived with him since my birth…." He sat on the straw log he found and began to talk with them.
It was nice to have contact and conversation with these friends, they were here for him just like Hana, and he was glad because they could listen to him and give him their advice. Sometimes guards and maids were walking in the alley and glared at the 3 of them talking and having a good time but said nothing; they all knew how the prince also had this right to be himself and have fun sometimes.
After a few topics, they discussed the masquerade ball. Unfortunately, Ochako and Tenya couldn't be there, but they heard about how amazing it was from the outside things were different from the inside, at least from their friend's point of view.
"Yes, it was great, but it's always the same thing. I don't feel comfortable around these people and try to play the perfect son when my father is around." Izuku confessed as he played with the sword, "There's always the same kind of people, they're all the same, and it's getting boring."
Ochako gave a funny glare to Lida as she hit Izuku's shoulder. "But your gaze told something else. We know you, deku-kun. So spill the tea; who do you meet?"
Izuku’s eyes went wide "Ochako! "He stood up, took the sword on the floor, and made a few moves to train himself.
"See? You're doing a sudden training, so this means I'm right. Don't be shy and tell us; we know we won't repeat it anymore because our life is boring."
Izuku giggled and sighed, "Alright, but I hate when you can read into me like an open book." Then, he ignored his friend's comment and began to tell them everything.
"There was this guy; he was aisles masked, so I couldn't see him properly at first. I don't even know who he is because he only gave me a name."
"Which is?"
"Katsuki."
Ochako and Tenya glanced before saying simultaneously, "That's it? Just Katsuki?"
Izuku nodded. "Yes, I should ask for more information, but we couldn't talk any longer before he left, and I had to talk with the other's Duke….But something tells me that he's someone important."
"In your heart" The woman laughed, and Izuku gave her a disappointed gaze.
"Come on, not again! I won't fall in love with even the guy I met, Uraraka."
"That's what you said the last time, and you ended up heartbroken, Deku-Kun."
Izuku sighed; he was naive enough to fall into this trap. He had just met this guy who introduced himself as a knight, and they both were friends until, one day, they kissed. Izuku knew that day that he wasn't into women because kissing him felt way better than the last woman he kissed. So they shared a few nights before realizing that the man was playing with him the whole time, leaving him heartbroken.
"It's because Shinso was using me, stop reminding me how naive I was! You both know I learned a lesson that day, and I'm waiting for -"
"The one. We know how you could get attached to people easily, Deku-Kun."
"I understand you are worried, but it's okay. I promise, this time, I won't make the same mistake twice, and I'm curious about this Katsuki." Izuku sighed, making the last move and seeing how his friends clapped him for success.
"Do what you want; we'll be here for you if you need help or want to talk." Ochako smiled and saw how they needed to go back before getting caught. Spending time here was excellent, but unfortunately, it was limited.
Izuku laughed before thanking them; the two of them ran away and acted as if nothing had happened, and on their path, Lida seemed strange.
"I feel something strange," He whispered when the woman looked curiously at him.
"What do you mean? Deku-Kun has the right to know more about this stranger, and I'm curious too!"
Lida rolled his eyes. "I mean, giving him his name only? When does everyone give their full name and title in that event? Don't you think this is strange, and this katsuki has something to hide?"
"You're overthinking, sweetie. Now come on, we'll be late, and who knows…Izuku wants to make new friends; what could go wrong?" Ochako said, trying to calm her boyfriend, and Lida resigned, seeing how he couldn't change his friend's mind.