Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 3 ~ Part 2||

Bakugou was waiting for them on the outskirts of the Spartan camp, surrounded by what felt like half of the Greek army. The men created a semi-circle around them as they looked at the creature Shouto was carrying with awed horror. It was claustrophobic. He felt like he was on some sort of display, and Shouto's muscles in his neck tightened.

He stopped a few paces away from the Prince.

Bakugou's red eyes narrowed on the creature in Shouto's arms. "What's this? A pet for me to keep?" Bakugou said with disdain.

Shouto didn't budge. He shot him a leveled gaze. "I need a clean place. Can you help?"

Bakugou's lips pulled back to show his pointed teeth. "Why the fuck should I do that? I told you I won't take any more slaves. And I certainly don't need a half-dead bird."

Yaoyorozu stepped forward. Shouto tensed as she moved to stand beside him. "Please. I made a deal with Todoroki." She touched her hand to her heart. "I gave him my life in exchange for letting me save Tokoyami."

Surprise flashed briefly across Bakugou's face. He looked between them and rolled his jaw. "What the fuck is this, half-and-half?" he asked, his eyes shining with barely suppressed anger.

Shouto shifted, blocking Yaoyorozu from view and Bakugou's building fury. The Prince's eyes narrowed.

"It's as she said. I have guaranteed that she can try to heal it, in return for her life." Shouto could feel the priestess fidget nervously behind him. The tension in his shoulders tightened. He consciously had to stop himself from gripping the half-man too tightly.

A moment passed as Bakugou stared at him, and then his eyes widened. Something indecipherable flashed behind Bakugou's gaze. "Fine," he said, his voice barely loud enough for Shouto to hear it. He turned towards the group of Spartans gathering around them.

"Grape head!"

A young boy with a head of curls so tightly packed that they looked like the dark purple grapes of the vineyards wobbled forward on shaky legs. If Shouto remembered correctly, his name was Mineta Minrou, and the Spartan had gotten in trouble with the Prince for his lewd jokes as well as trying to touch some of the camp women.

Bakugou's lips pulled back into a snarl. "Go get a place ready for me. I want clean straw and a hot bath."

The boy's mouth pulled down into a scowl. "I already got you a place ready," he muttered under his breath.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed. "What was that?" The boy yelped in fear; sweat began to bead his forehead. Bakugou ignored his evident terror as he continued, "I want it far from here. I don't want the fucking half-human smelling up my quarters," he said harshly.

The small boy nodded and scuttled off. The next moment, Bakugou was leading them to the back of the Spartan territory right by the outer walls. As they passed soldiers setting up tents, Bakugou would growl and order the men to move or he'd leave them in Troy to find their own way back home. The men would blanche and quickly pack up. They continued, until they came to the outer section of the Spartan camp and one of the only fully intact houses.

Bakugou pushed open a door and then stepped back. Shouto ushered Yaoyorozu through the entryway and walked in after her. It was a one-room house with a tiled roof. There was little to it that wasn't immediately apparent.

A wooden four poster bed sat against the far wall covered in thick blankets. The only other pieces of furniture were a rectangular wooden table sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by wooden chairs and a wooden basin filled up with fresh water. Whatever dirt or debris left behind by the original inhabitants had already been cleaned up.

It was supposed to be Bakugou's quarters, Shouto realized as he strode across the room and laid the creature down on the table.

The priestess was immediately at his side, checking on her temple guardian. Shouto cracked his neck and turned back towards Bakugou. The Prince leaned against the door frame and gave him a leveled look. "I'll send someone with food and wine."

"May we also have warm water, a clean cloth, flax or hemp, and a needle?" A feminine voice cut in.

Shouto stopped and turned to stare at the priestess in surprise. Yaoyorozu folded in on herself slightly as his gaze met hers. Her fingers played with the edge of his cape, twisting the material around her red fingers that had already started to cake. "Please...my... my Prince," she added softly, her gaze dropping to the floor nervously.

Shouto's chest tightened. The room suddenly felt too small, and he shifted to shield Yaoyorozu from Bakugou's unavoidable outburst at her request, his insides coiling, ready to defend the priestess. When he glanced back at the Spartan Prince, he paused. Bakugou was unusually calm. His red gaze steely as he looked at him.

Shouto's fingers twitched uneasily as the Prince continued to silently assess him. It was unsettling for Bakugou to be so quiet. The Prince was never calm unless the situation really called for it. Shouto wondered if he was missing something. He narrowed his eyes and tried to read the Prince's hard expression, but whatever Bakugou was thinking was carefully masked.

After a moment, Bakugou kicked off from the door and turned away. "Water, clean cloth, needles, and flax," he repeated, without the usual sneer to his tone. "Got it. I'll send someone," he said, sliding out of the doorway and leaving Shouto alone again with the priestess.

Shouto silently exhaled, annoyed at the situation. He'd have to question the Prince later. He turned back towards the priestess, taking his hand off of Endeavor's hilt. He paused and looked down, startled.

He couldn't remember having touched his weapon.