Whispers of Enchantment: The Graveyard of Secrets [SLOW]

Chapter 8

Meanwhile, back at camp, everyone else were warming up after their swimming by the fire.

Shoto decided he wanted to take a walk, so Sero offered to join him.
"For safety measures, just in case." he said as he ran to catch up with the Prince.

"Right...safety." Izuku muttered as he threw another stick into the fire, "They better be real safe."

After a while, the group started wondering if Izuku's joke was becoming a reality.

"I'll go check on them, I'm not trying to be a Godfather before I'm an actual father." Kaminari said. Izuku had to hold back a giggle, earning a suspicious glance from Katsuki.

Kaminari trekked through the overgrown grass that was parted to make a path, which he figured was made by the two.

"Prince Shoto? Hanta? I swear to God if you two are fuckin-"

Denki walked from behind a tree to see both of them just sitting on the bank of the Lake with their feet in the water.

"Dude, what the hell?" Sero exclaimed, a soft blush on his face. Shoto wasn't facing Kaminari, but he could still see a blush creep up on his ears.

"Sorry, my dudes. The Queen is very influential with his jokes." Kaminari said as he leaned on the tree.

"Say, isn't this the Lake of Love?"
"Yes, Sir Kaminari, I suppose it is-"

As Shoto looked up, he looked into Sero's eyes.

The rules of the Lake of Love were simple-if two people are in contact with the water and look into the other's eyes, they will immediately fall in love with each other.

But if person A looked into person B's eyes while person B wasn't looking, person B would fall in love.

Which is very confusing and problematic, because Sero was in fact not looking in Shoto's eyes, but at a scar on his face.

"Hey Denki, everything okay over-oh shit." Touya muttered as he saw the two.

"Hm? Is something wrong?" Shoto asked, oblivious to Sero staring at him.

"Nope! Nothing at all! In fact it was just that a boa was in the water. Anyways, let's get moving." Touya said, grabbing Kaminari by the arm and quickly walking away.

"Don't say anything about this to them, it'll break the spell." Touya whispered, "Before you ask, they already have a little thing going on. This will just give them a little push."

"Wait, what?!"
"Sh, my good man. You'll see."

•••

By morning during the group's pack up time, Fuyumi and Natsuo had found out what happened during the little walk their brother took.

"No time to dwell on this." Fuyumi told Touya, "We have bigger matters to attend to then Sero's little crush on Shoto."

They agreed and did some sort three way high five before regrouping with the others.
(Siblings, I know)

"Okay, gang. We have maybe two days of riding left if we take 2 hour breaks and 1 six hour break. A bit closer to beating Enji's ass." Touya said as he jumped on his horse.

The group started cheering and began climbing on horses.

Katsuki looked over to Izuku, who seemed to be getting on his horse very gently. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion since he was used to Izuku practically flying onto the horse.

"Maybe he's tired" he thought, giving his husband a smile when they locked eyes.

Atsuhiro was going around with thick, cloth, black face masks wrapped in plastic, handing one to everyone before removing his usual one and putting it on himself.

"What are these for? Is someone sick?" Tetsutetsu asked, handing it to Itsuka to open.
He wasn't good with plastic.

"The next part we pass through has a gas which affects the mind once you stop breathing it. It isn't harmful, if you breathe it in you'll only be a little tipsy for maybe 30 minutes." Hikiishi replied, putting his mask on while the group began moving.

One by one, everyone's masks were being placed on as they moved further and further through the forest.

"Yumi, can you help me? Mine won't open." Shoto asked quietly, still fiddling with the plastic.
Katsuki was holding the reins of Izuku's horse, as he was struggling too.

"Oh fuck it." Izuku muttered as he began biting it open with his teeth, tearing it open in seconds and spitting out the plastic.

"Okay everyone, you can take your masks off!"

"What was that?" Shoto asked.
At least that's what he thought he said.

"Sho, you're slurring." Natsuo said before looking down at the plastic package in Fuyumi's hand.

Katsuki looked over at Izuku, who was swaying with his head down and mask in hand.

Touya turned around to see everyone's attention on the two. He threw his head back and sighed before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Somebody make sure they don't fall off their horses." he stated as he hopped off his horse to check on them.

"Sho? Look at me?"

Shoto's eyes were half lidded but a big smile was on his face.

He said something, but it was slurred and mumbled.

"Speak up, Sho. You okay?" Touya asked, holding Shoto's face in his hands to keep it from flopping around.

"I really like Hanta."

Everyone, including lovestruck Sero and dazed Izuku, shot their eyes over to him.

Izuku started giggling before flopping against Katsuki's chest.
"Hanta's such a pretty name..." he mumbling, "We should name our baby Hanta."

"Should we?" Katsuki asked, chuckling at the thought.
"Mhmmmmmm. Only 8 more months."

That was all Izuku said before giggling and completely passing out.