Prince Katsuki

Before them All

Claude still remembers the day he'd met the little bean, or the third Prince. He remembered having a mental break down in the middle of one of the more deserted hallways, gripping onto his hair tightly, trying to release the tension and pounding in his head. His knees were drawn to his chest as his head rested between his knees. Claude felt disgusting, worthless.

For an hour had he been running. For weeks had he been trapped. And for the longest time had he been tortured. Claude doesn't remember the exact details of his kidnappings but he is sure it was the bitchy Queen's doing.

He's fine — he was anything but fine. His legs and feet burned with bleeding blisters, his body wrecked with welts and bruises. It wasn't the first time anyway. The bleeding had stopped for some, others lessened, at least that was a good thing ever since he somehow either received or lately bloomed his Quirk. The nitroglycerin wasn't naturally from his body so his body has to slowly adapt to producing nitroglycerin.

Nitroglycerin in his body, however, weren't as effective. It did heals small cuts and bruises but bleeding scars that are left exposed would always be infected. The nitroglycerin expels the bacteria but it cannot fully heal the scars. Most of Claude's scars are either from the past that weren't healed properly or infected. They were clean and fixed now but because his body cannot fully adapt to the sudden addition of chemical in his body, the scars will always be with him. At least another good thing was that it meant that his skin could grow rough. Rough and callused hands benefits him as his grips and pain tolerance in that area increases, especially when dealing with weapons like swords. And the nitroglycerin does make him look younger than his original age, so he can't really complain.

Claude remembers sitting alone for who knows how long before hearing light footsteps. They weren't threatening or rushed, only that they didn't know Claude was there. Claude didn't look up from his knees, he couldn't care any less, he didn't have the energy. But he could sense the intruder, they weren't an adult, it was a child which was weird. Why would a child be along wandering around without supervision even if it was in daylight — if you would ignore Claude here for a moment-

The kid squats in front of Claude and shuffles forward more, realizing that he was further than intended. "He'ow! Aren't chu bi' 'other? (Hello! Aren't you bug brother?)" Claude's head shot up and stared into the familiar blue jeweled eyes of a chubby but smaller-than-average child. Oh fuck, it was the third Prince. The bitchy Queen had specifically ordered him to never communicate with the third Prince or be ten foot near him, ever, yet, the kid is in front of him. He was so fucked. "Gastoni, why are you alone?" Gastoni whined but plopped down in front of him legs on either side of Claude's body, 'trapping' him. "Ouchies! Wha' 'ap'ned? (The wounds on your body, they must hurt. What happened?)" Toni pointed, index finger just a tiny movement apart from his nose. Toni just looked cute so Claude just chuckled. "Nothing for your small head to worry about. What you doing alone, then?" Claude ruffled the younger's head. Toni giggled and squirmed around. Toni probably hadn't received much contact, he was touch-starved.

Claude had seen the way the bitchy Queen acts in public, all nice and lovely toward her son, but away from the eyes of the public, she just throws her son away and does her own things. Poor child had suffered the same fate as Claude no matter. Claude was ten at the time and it had just been a few months after Katsuki's death, and little toddler here was only a mere three years. The baby was smart for his age, mentality of a child five years his age.

"Bah- Mama- Humph, Mother, (Uh- Mama- Hmph, Mother,)" Toni said in irritation, spitting the 'th' of 'mother' in annoyance. Child couldn't even call his mother however he wants, society was too cruel. Why aren't kids allowed to be kids anymore? Fuck all the Royal rules and manner, someone give this kid an actual life! "was wha'in' hand in hand wif me's buh- but she leg'go and wef me. Maids go too. I tink she 'ates I... (was walking hand in hand with me bu-but then, she just let go of me and left me all alone, not even the maids bothered to stay with me, I think she hates me...)"