Chapter Text
Rody Soul is not an honest man. He admits it, though he doesn’t want to. But no one got anywhere without being a little dishonest, right?
Rody Soul was going through his daily routine at the market, his bird, Pino, would distract the vendors, pretending to be a sick or injured bird then he would take the opportunity and steal their merchandise. Of course, he didn’t want to do this, he had to be able to care for his two siblings, Roro and Lala, and if he had enough, himself.
‘Hah! That old man is so gullible, I almost feel sorry for him!’ Rody smirks, while thinking to himself, walking away with 3 loaves of bread, hidden in his jacket. Pino made the vendor think he revived her and she flew away, following Rody from above. He settles down, sitting against a wall and taking a piece of the bread to give to Pino. Pino gets to eating the bread quickly but as he is about to eat his, he sees a mom, crouched behind a dumpster in an alley, her two children begging for food, just outside said alley. He tried to look away, he really did, but all he saw were his own two siblings, starving and pitiful. He looked at Pino, who was almost done with her piece of bread. He sighed, as he walked up to them and crouched down in front of the pair. It almost broke his heart seeing how the kids eyed the food in wonder as they visibly salivated seeing the measly loaf.
He wordlessly handed the loaf to one of the kids, the boy, and stood up. He walked away, but turned to look back just in time when the pair’s mother gave him a sad smile, so full of gratitude, Rody almost regretted giving it to them. Pino, feeling bad, flew over and landed in his palm, dropping a single crumb. As he licked it off, she chirped and flew up, nestling in his hair, and he reached his other hand up to pet her in gratitude.
Rody soul is not an honest man, but he is not a heartless one
He rounded the corner, cutting eye contact with the woman and making his way to his hideout. Stopping at an abandoned building, he looked before making sure no one followed him there and went inside.
“Roro, Lala?” He called out, making his way to some steps ang sitting there. Soon enough, two young kids came running towards him, smiling.
"Rody!" Their faces smiling and voices gleeful.
"Hey you guys!" His voice cheerful. He uses each of his hands to ruffle their hair, happy to see them. Pino seemed happy too, as she flew from his hair and fluttered around the twins. He then handed them the bread, frowning as he saw how quick they ate it.
They looked at him, confused. "Rody, are you not gonna to eat yours too?" Lala asked, a concerned look on her face.
"I already ate mine on the way. "He lied smoothly. Lala’s expression didn’t change, in fact, a frown forming on her face. Rody simply gave her a big smile. Pino, knowing what really happened, went towards Lala and distracted her. He smiled and turned his head away, looking outside their broken window as his face fell.
Not from looking at the amazing scenery, but from the castle. How nice would it be to always live comfortably? Rody could only imagine the many great things he would give to his siblings. He sighed, feeling his stomach protest due to the lack of food. He settled down next to the window and closed his eyes, drifting off to a restless slumber, as Pino and the twins became background noise.
The next day, Rody got up early, said goodbye to his siblings and headed to the market. Today, he decided he would get something for himself before getting something for his siblings and heading home. Although he didn’t need to, he reasoned with Pino, “If I die of hunger, who will care for my siblings?”
Pino simply chirped at him worriedly as she flapped around him. But Rody paid her no mind. He made his way through the market, marveling at all the choices of breakfast he could have (steal). Hearing his stomach grumbling he decided to settle on a small fruit display. He quickly whispered to Pino, giving her instructions.
“Go pretend you’re gonna steal a fruit, and then wait for me to leave, then you follow.” Rody whispered.
Pino gave a confused chirp. Although it was just that, a chirp, Rody seemed to understand her. “I know we’re gonna steal it, just go!” He whisper shouted, and then ran to the back of the stand.
Pino made a show of trying to steal a banana, which was a comical sight to see. As the stand owner was busy shooing her, Rody swiped a small watermelon and signed to Pino right before he ran. Pino followed him as he made his way onto a rooftop. He used a sharp corner and cracked the fruit right in half. His mouth watered as the smell of the sweet, juicy fruit wafted through the air. He plopped down and wasted no time, burying his face into the watermelon and devouring it. Pino chirped in concern and only stopped when he offered her the other half as he was still eating.
Soon, he finished the whole half and most of Pino’s half too. Pino, of course, said nothing. Her concern for the boy grew once she allowed him to eat the rest of the watermelon. As he sat on the rooftop, letting his food settle, he saw something, out of the corner of his right eye. Beautiful green hair sneaking out from a simple blue bucket hat. Rody leaned forward, careful not to fall off the roof, as he admired this mysterious boy from afar. Had Rody seen him before? The boy was plain, so he could’ve seen him before and forgot. But if that were the case, then why was he so interested now? And how could Rody have ever forgotten those striking green eyes.
Rody sat on the rooftop, unknowingly smitten by this stranger as Pino chirped and flapped around him.
“What's wrong?” Rody’s voice carefree while staring at the green haired boy. Hands on his knees, he sighed paying no real attention to Pino.
Pino pulled on his hair, snapping him out of his lovey dovey trance, to see that the stranger had gotten into an argument with one of the stand owners!
Rody jumped up from his spot on the roof and quickly parkoured his way safely down. As soon as his toes hit the floor, he sped towards the commotion. His heart dropped seeing the stand owner about to sever the mysterious stranger’s hand.
“Oh, please!” Rody could hear the boy plead, “The king can pay you, just please, don’t!-”
“Woahh there!”, Thankfully, he intervened just in time, catching the stand owner’s wrist.
“Go away, boy !” The stand owner scolded. The tall, scarily buff man looked furious . He snatched his wrist out of Rody’s grasp and exclaimed “Besides, This kid thinks he can steal from me and get away with it!” There was a crowd starting to form, and Rody needed to get the first person to ever catch his eye away from everyone. He focused his thoughts on forming a plan, not noticing Pino’s absence.
He faked a sad expression, bringing the boy to a side hug “You see…this is my friend, and unfortunately, he has…” He lowered his voice, pretending to struggle speaking, but in reality, he was racking his brain, trying to remember what exactly he saw the stranger do before getting in trouble. “He has Dementia, so he didn’t remember to pay, and he can’t remember what he did wrong..” He wiped a fake tear off his cheek. The stranger looked offended, ready to defend themselves.
“I do not have dementia!” The stranger exclaimed, wriggling out of the hug and crossing his arms. Thankfully, that statement made him sound like he did have dementia. The stand owner backed off, looking slightly less angry.
“He still has to pay.” The man stated, extending his hand out to the boy.
Rody was nervous. He didn’t have any money, and he certainly didn’t have an apple to pay him back. He did, however, keep his cool, pretending to search in his pockets for his fake wallet. He was planning on grabbing the stranger’s hand and running, however, at that moment, Pino popped up, some money in her beak. “Ah…there's my money ahaha…I must have dropped it” Rody nervously handed the man the coin. “Have a good day, sir.” He smiled and grabbed the green haired boy’s hand. They both start to walk away, Rody letting out a silent sigh in relief. He looked over next to him, the boy having a confused look on his face.
“I..uhm thank you.” The boy blushed, looking ashamed.
“Don’t thank me yet” Rody said, the boy just gave him a confused look as they walked quickly. Pino fluttering over and settling in Rody’s hood.
“What do you-”
“Hey! My money is gone!”
Rody gripped the boy’s hand and ran, giggling like a child as he dragged the other boy around through tight corners and alleys. He looked back, seeing the stranger’s eyes blown wide as they tried to keep up with Rody.
“Through here!” Rody let go of the boy’s hand and jumped up to a pole, grabbing it and flinging himself to a roof. He landed and quickly turned around, reaching a hand out. “Do you trust me?”
“What?” The boy’s voice, barely above a whisper
“Well?” Rody asked, growing desperate as he could hear the guards’ voices drawing closer.
“Yes.” The stranger reached his hand out and Rody smiled. He grabbed his hand tightly and helped the other boy climb up the wall, using his own hand and the pole from earlier.
The green haired boy made it up just in time, the guards running through the alley under them as he collapsed on the roof. Rody let the boy catch his breath, deciding he should do the same.
“I would have lost my hand if it wasn’t for you…thank you…uhm?” The stranger sat up, looking up at Rody. Those beautiful green eyes shone. Rody would be lying if he said he didn’t find them breathtaking.
“Rody, my name's Rody” He looked away, bashful as he covered his mouth with his hand. He reached into his hood and pulled Pino out. “And this is Pino''. Pino tittered and chirped as she made her way down to where the other boy was sitting.
“She's so cute. ”The stranger giggled as he pet Pino. It was a captivating sight, indeed. And Rody caught himself staring much longer than he would admit.
“And uh…you’re welcome…” He waited, hopeful that he wouldn’t have to call this stranger a stranger anymore, That he’d give him a name. He waited but the other boy said nothing. Rody looked at him and almost looked away again.
There he was, sitting on the rooftop, green eyes glued to the sunset in the distance as he held Pino close. He looked…cute?
“Ahem..” Rody cleared his throat, mostly to clear his head from..whatever that was, but to also get the other boy’s attention. “We should go, they’ll find out soon that we went up the roof.”
“Oh yeah..” The boy stood up, facing the ground as he swayed. Although he did take quite a few quick glances at Rody.
Rody waited for Pino to make her way back to his hood, and as soon as she did he started walking along the side of the roof, looking for an isolated place they could land on. The other boy followed silently, quiet and still looking at the ground. “Here” Rody said, stopping and making the stranger glance up and Rody and then look down. It was another alleyway, a smaller one than the first.
“Won't they find us again?” The green haired boy asked worriedly.
“Nah, they’re so easy to fool. They probably forgot what we look like already.” Rody shrugged, grinning. He then quickly jumped down into the alley, rolling as he hit the ground. He reached both his arms towards the other boy, as Rody looked into the other boy’s eyes.
“Do you trust me?” He said jokingly, hinting at their interaction a few minutes ago.
The other simply rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath and jumping off the roof. Rody catches him, hands on the other’s waist as Rody safely lowered him to the ground. No he didn’t take his time because he enjoyed looking at the boy’s pretty face. That would be corny. He took his time to make sure the boy didn’t hurt himself.
But even as both of their feet were safely on the ground, he found himself lost in the other’s loving gaze. And he will admit it, although cliche, he could and would let himself get lost in his eyes. They stayed like that a while, silently looking and admiring every detail of each other’s face.
“Here he is!”
“Oh shit!” Rody jumped away from the other boy, startled. He looked to where he heard the voices and there were two royal guards ? Why the hell were they here?
“Grab him!” The blond one shouted to the dual color haired one. And so he did, soon Rody found himself struggling against the guard’s hold.
“Hey! Let him go!”The green haired boy demanded.
“Who the hell are you? Wait..” The blond one sneered, then seemed to be thinking. “Wait!-”
Just as the blond was about to continue, the stranger ripped off his hat, revealing prince Izuku Midoriya.
“Let. Him. Go. ”He demanded, a more authoritative tone in place of the frantic one Rody heard earlier.
What..? Rody had been frolicing around with the prince ??
“Oh, your highness.” The dual haired one responded, “Sorry but we cannot do that.”
“And why is that?” Izuku (can he call him that? Rody wasn’t sure) the prince was growing annoyed, Rody could tell because of how he crossed his arms and gave the guards a mean glare.
“Because Sir Mineta gave us a strict order to capture and lock up this thief!” The blond one answered for the other guard, growing impatient.
“But..he can’t do that!” The prince was now looking apologetically at Rody, that and something else, was it desperation?
“Sorry but orders are orders” The dual one answered this time, starting to walk away with Rody.
“Wait! Please you can’t lock me up I have-” No. Rody can’t let them find out he has siblings, lest they lock them up too, or worse, they end up in the streets like those other kids.
“Shut it!” The blond one barked, having grabbed the prince by his arm and dragging him on the path to the castle.
Rody’s cheeks felt wet.