Fates Entwined (A TodoBaku ff) ✔

III

When Ochako returned in the evening, she had come with good news. Apparently, Ochako's closest friend Izuku Midoriya was passing through Bikarin and was able to offer Shoto shelter for a few days whilst a more permanent settlement was to be set up. The idea sounded well enough, for he had no expectations of what this place looked like beyond the room he was in at that moment.

As Ochako prepared some tonic that would help his continuous headache, she spoke about how wonderful and kind and humble Midoriya was, how he was an academic who travelled through the tribes to collect information that would help the tribes prosper and help Bakugou as king make the best decisions for his people. He found himself, for the first time in an incredibly long time, almost anticipating meeting this person, wanting to know all the knowledge he had acquired. 

He left the medicinal hut in new thick breeches, the material perfect for the harsh breeze that had fallen across the lands as winter approached, a long-sleeved shirt and a heavy tunic that was inlaid with fur, sure to keep him warm. He thankfully still had his own boots, the expensive material worn in but perfectly comfortable regardless if he was training his sword or strolling the gardens. 

Unfortunately, the moment the door closed behind him, the slight whine of its hinges still so starkly different to the well-polished, ornamented doors at home, he was met with a frustrated Bakugou Katsuki. Shoto began to wonder whether it was the man's natural setting to look so angry all the time; yet, compared to his father, his anger didn't seem out of rage but rather exasperation. He could see the tension in his figure, one that must come with having so many duties as the King of the tribes, and he wondered if he ever had the time to relax. If he tended horses, trained with his men like comrades rather than pawns, or if he tended to the fields he could see on the horizon. 

"Oi, stop being so empty-headed and answer me." Bakugou huffed, annoyance evident in his expression. 

His head still must be recovering from his fall; despite Ochako's help he could still feel a sharpness tug at the back of his skull every so often. It was incredibly likely he had a concussion, but he hoped it would heal itself quickly: he needed to be alert and prepared whilst he was here, who knows if he would ever meet the person he was going to marry. For now, though, he kept the information that he knew about the marriage to himself.

"I didn't hear you. Could you repeat yourself?" he asked, voice perfectly neutral and unbothered in a way that seemed to frustrate Bakugou further.

"Listen up princess, I don't have time for this shit right now, got that? I said you're gonna be staying in the castle where I can keep a fucking eye on you!"

"Ah. What about Midoriya? I thought I was going to be staying in his lodgings."

"That damned nerd could never be responsible for another human being the fucking clumsy shit. You're staying in the castle and that's fucking final. Let's go!"

Bakugou didn't wait around to see if Shoto was following him, he just marched off with clenched fists along a winding gravel road towards the castle that rested on a hill just slightly raised above the rest of the town, like it was carved out of the mountain itself. As they walked Shoto took in his surroundings, mostly the nature that carved its way into every crevice and cranny it could find, like the people here had blended in with it so well they were almost part of it. Ivy ran up the walls of houses and rivers ran their course around them. The trees were so incredibly tall, fully covered in lush green leaves and shrubbery despite the weather. They lined the paths and encompassed the whole tribe, like mother nature was protecting her people from the outside world. 

Shoto wondered what it would be like growing up here. From what he could see everyone seemed so kind, greeting each other and helping each other, some even waving kindly as he passed along with their King. The children ran between their parents' legs, playing games drawn into the ground that Shoto couldn't recognise. His home was cold and regimented, everyone had their place and should anyone dare to question his father they were dealt with severely. It was cold, and even on the few occasions Shoto had gone into the towns with his father everyone seemed quiet and afraid, the bustling atmosphere of shops and villages not properly masking the traces of fear seeping into the blank spaces. Endeavour was a thriving kingdom, it was rich and strong, but Shoto didn't know if its people, his future citizens, were happy.