Ever After (BakuDeku)

Chapter Thirteen

"She was so jealous," Uraraka laughed, helping Izuku and Asui set up their market booth.

Izuku shrugged, lifting a box of vegetables and setting it on the table, "there's really no need for her to be."

Ochako raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her lips, "so you're telling me, there's nothing going on between you and the prince?"

"No," Izuku confirmed, "he's an arrogant brat who has no clue when it comes to ruling a kingdom. All he knows is how to make woman fall for him."

"And men too apparently," Tsuyu observed, "I heard he goes both ways."

Uraraka gasped, "and where did you hear that?"

"I have a friend," Asui mumbled, her face suddenly going a brilliant shade of red.

Ochako looked like she wanted to press further on the topic but froze at the sound of someone speaking.

"Izuku Midoriya," came a voice from behind the greenette, a voice that never failed to make his body go rigid, "you get prettier every week."

Izuku turned towards the man, narrowing his eyes, "and you, Monsieur Todoroki, are wasting your flattery."

"It's a pity your soil's the best in the province and yet so poorly tended," Enji mused, ignoring Izuku's rudeness.

Tsuyu stepped in to aid Izuku, noticing her friends discomfort, "we have limited resources, sir. We do the best we can."

"Anything I can do?" Enji asked, feigning concern.

"Perhaps you should bring it up with the Baron and stick to shopping," Ochako snapped.

Monsieur Todoroki sneered at the brunette, "I'd rather discuss it with Izuku if you don't mind."

He suddenly turned to Izuku again, but this time, he had a look of predatory desire in his eyes, a look that made Izuku watch to puke or run away, or both.

"I may be twice your age, child," he began, causing Izuku to turn away, trying to find anything else to do except look at the man, "but i'm well-endowed, as evidenced by my estate. I've always had a soft spot for the less fortunate. You need a wealthy benefactor, and I need a young man with spirit."

Izuku was well aware how rich the Todoroki's were, but he was also aware of the abuse that those involved with Enji faced, not only his servants, but his kids and his former wife, Rei. Abuse worse that anything Izuku had ever experienced, and he was fairly experienced when it came to beatings.

"Prunes?" Izuku asked, forcing himself to appear unbothered as he held up a basket. 

"No," Enji sniffed, "I'll buy nothing this week, and you'd do well to remember that without my generosity, your pathetic little farm would cease to exist. So i'd be very, very careful if I were you."

The man smirked and left.

"Horrible man," Ochako seethed, "if he didn't buy a basket of vegetables every week, i'd spit on him."

Izuku just rolled his eyes, bending over to pick up a wandering chicken.

As he straightened, he let out a yelp at the sight of the prince. He dropped the chicken, which puffed up its wings in surprise, squawking hysterically. Izuku quickly ducked under the table, so that the prince didn't see him and prayed the prince wouldn't ask too many questions.

~

Katsuki walked through the market alongside Akumu, whom had invited herself to accompany him after the tennis match.

He was utterly bored, sick of the hungry way she was looking at him.

"Those are our servants," she suddenly pointed out, and Katsuki was relieved for the sudden distraction.

"Really?" He asked, "I'd love to meet them."

After his last few encounter with the mysterious Count Deku, Katsuki had begun to see servants in a new light. He was sad to see that he was just now noticing how important they were to the daily life of the nobles. 

Akumu frowned at his new sudden interest but her expression quickly morphed into a smile, "of course."

She led him over to a booth.

There was a flash of green before it was gone, replaced with an annoyed chicken that slowly lowered itself back to the ground.

"What are you doing," Akumu snapped, "trying to scare the prince to death?"

"We were startled, that's all," a green haired girl replied.

Katsuki was almost certain the girl wasn't the flash of green he had seen, though there didn't appear to be anyone else in the booth.

"Were there just the two of you?" He questioned, looking between the green haired girl and the brunette.

The brunette smiled and Katsuki had a feeling she was hiding something, "and the chicken, Your Highness."

T.B.C

I don't feel like I did the market scene justice... It was probably one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie...

~A