Noble and Pride [Katsuki Bakugo x Shoto Todoroki]

Chapter 25 : Yamari

"Come here and get your candied apples!"

"Fireworks show will begin once it's midnight, so enjoy the performances we offer before so!"

"Shooting games, fortune-telling, we have it all here!" 

The festival was filled with voices from the sellers, the chattering of visitors among travelers and local villagers. Most were families spending their time and having fun also some couples hanging out with their mate. Come to think of it...

How come Shoto ended up with Katsuki, or to be precise. Only Katsuki accompanying him? 

"You know Shobro, we kinda wanna try everything in sight and don't want to drag you all around, and Bakugo doesn't really like crowds either so we thought it'll be best to split! Yeah, guys?" Denki suggested, received nods and yells of yes from their friends. Even Izuku and Ochako agreed to the blond. 

Katsuki rather than being against this seemed to be letting this be. Shoto figured it must be due to Katsuki wanting to tell him something important. Correct, something important. That news hasn't failed to put Shoto at unease ever since yesterday. Their walk was mostly silent since Shoto was a bit nervous. Most of the couples here were mates...and Katsuki did admit Shoto was his omega before, even though it was just a pretend. He wondered if Katsuki felt uncomfortable.

"Sorry. It's probably more enjoyable for you to be with your friends. Why didn't you say anything before they went elsewhere?" Shoto spoke, slightly whispering. Katsuki who was watching every stall and every people's behavior there turned to Shoto. "It's my first time. I don't want my first experience to be ruined by some squealing fuckers. Those morons came for the first time too. They'll be nosy about every single shit," 

"Oh, since Ochako and Izuku were here for quite a while and they can show the others around, you want me to do the same? The festival in my kingdom is different, however. It's not much strange than here. I've read about occasions in the kingdom around the continent of Kiyura. Only Ryotatsu was never found in my books," Shoto explained. 

"The land wasn't originally Ryotatsu's. Even me haven't explored nor fully known my own land just yet, and I don't want to take risk carelessly. Though after the exploration with you looking for your stupid specimens I kinda know them," Katsuki shrugged and Shoto slightly smiled. "So you gain benefit from it too, after all," 

"Yeah yeah no need to rub it on my fucking face," Katsuki scoffed and earned a tiny chuckle from the prince.

"So what is it you want to talk about?" Shoto inquired. Katsuki raised an eyebrow, turned the attention of his gaze to some stalls. "Night is still young. No need to talk about serious shit now," Katsuki grabbed the omega male's wrist and lead him to some of the game stalls, listened to the seller when they explain how to play the games. Katsuki pretty much got it instantly, not to mention nailed them perfectly and often won the biggest prize. 

Shoto stared in awe, clapping with his nonchalant face while Katsuki smirked proudly. Shoto could have sworn Katsuki's pride just gotten bigger the longer they stay here. 

"The fuck are these gifts? Mostly books and stuffed dolls," Katsuki grumbled and pushed all of them to the prince, making the omega startled by the sudden force on him. "Just take these. I don't need them," 

Shoto blinked, looked up at the ash-blond. These stuffed dolls are adorable, and these books, some of them were about machines and more details about plants in Yamari. Shoto's heterochromatic eyes slightly sparkled in excitement. "No more taking back, alright?" the prince spoke, hugging them close to his chest and Katsuki snorted. Such a cute little shit. 

Soon enough they mixed with the crowds where dance and act performances will begin, Shoto do what the other audience did as he clapped with sync with them while asking Katsuki to carry the gifts since the ash-blond didn't want to clap as well. The look of enjoyment in Shoto's eyes made Katsuki assumed this was the first for Shoto too. The omega male implied he knew things about festivals in his kingdom since he had attended them, but why does Shoto looked all excited as if he had never experienced this? 

The dancers soon finished their performance and everyone exclaimed in joy and compliments of their beautiful dance, then they asked some of the couples to join them dancing to the Yamari traditional music. Shoto and Katsuki were chosen and the prince hesitated at first, but the dragon king ensured it'll be fine and they would 'kill' them with their dance. The environment was bright and filled with delight, some lights show from some magician made the night colorful, as if hundreds of multicolored fireflies were celebrating with them. It was winter festival, Katsuki at first cursed of why they would celebrate the arrival of cold ass season that would make everyone unproductive. 

Winter ain't so bad. 

Katsuki told himself after watching how soft the omega prince looked. Shoto looked rather tense and gloomed ever since the reawakening of his demon. Katsuki figured this festival of Shoto's favorite season could at least, cheer up the omega even at the slightest. His hunch wasn't wrong. It exceeded his expectation after seeing how enjoyed Shoto was. 

Soon enough, they went to the grassed hill where the other visitors were, Shoto pointed to a certain empty spot that was not so close from the others but high enough to watch the fireworks. They sat and made sure they were comfortable, Katsuki setting the gifts aside and both of them were eating the sweet treat of candied apple they have bought. Katsuki said he didn't like sweets but when Shoto asked whether he wanted one, Katsuki responded with a nod. So Shoto just brushed the thoughts away. 

"As the prince, I was prepared with the best spot and my servants made sure none of the ashes from firework would fall on me. A luxurious chair would be prepared for me to sit and there would be no one else but me and my servants," Shoto told. 

"What? You're whining you can't get them now, princess?" Katsuki sneered. 

Shoto slowly shook his head and slightly smiled. "This is better. I don't feel like being watched or being awed, I don't have servants that would keep a close eye if any dirt land on me, I don't have them scolding anyone nearby just for laughing loudly. Don't disrupt the highness's comfort, they said," a sigh left the prince's lips. 

"Suffocating. Maybe you can try changing your all fancy clothes to my kind of outfit. At least that lessens the tightness," Katsuki snickered. 

"What? That's an absolute no. Being a royal may be difficult but it's not wholly bad. I love my etiquette and mannerism," Shoto huffed. "You see how filled with scar my body was. A royalty supposed to be pretty, not filled with scars," the prince added, meant to say it as a joke. 

"You just love to degrade yourself don't you, half and half?" Katsuki narrowed his eyes. 

"Ah...t-that's not my purpose. I just, everyone in the palace said they admired my beauty, they admired my ability. But what I see on myself is how half of myself related to the monster, and how I failed so often. It's not a pleasant sight. It's unsightly,"

Shoto mumbled, hugged his knees. Every time he looked into the mirror and see his scar, he was reminded of his mother's terrified look, with his mother's continuous suffering when she was beaten while trying to protect him. He disliked himself from being a spectator to that every time. Even though he was only a child. 

A hand gently caressed Shoto's hair bangs and the prince, turned from looking at the sky to the dragon king next to him. Katsuki simply moved the strands of hair to the back of Shoto's earlobe, his ruby hues looking at the grassed ground. 

"Bakugo...?"

"You're the stupidest bastard I've ever met, Shoto," Katsuki grunted, now looking directly at the prince. "How can you make your family happy if you're not even happy with yourself? Despite the fact you're related to that bastard, you inherited his fucking magic to do your medicines, didn't you? Have you ever used it to harm on your own will? You've saved so many lives. Who the fuck cares if you're fucking ugly. Looking pretty doesn't give you benefits to others. Being kind is. 

You...have a beautiful heart," 

Shoto's eyes widened. The sound of fireworks began aimed at the sky and spreading their myriad of colors on the starry sky instantly stole the other's attention, some kids pointing at the sky in awe, families cheering in joy. Regardless, these two don't seem to be fazed by it. They were more charmed by each other's beauty. 

"You're making me pissed to hell, Shoto. I blame you for everything. I blame you for every mess you've done to me. Now I can't sit still unless I've finally made you mine," 

Shoto's lips moved to utter some words but it was sealed with Katsuki's lips against his own. The kiss deepened and mixed with so many feelings, Shoto could feel Katsuki's eagerness, impatience, and sadness as a second passed by. Yet Shoto didn't budge nor push the other away. He simply closed his eyes, leaned to press himself into the deep kiss, and enjoyed the taste of Katsuki.

Their kiss was bittersweet, bitter from the emotions and mess they need to face, and sweet from the love, as well as the sweet treat they had. Even though both of the candied apples have long been forgotten, covered with dirt after they fell on the grassed ground near them.