Ever After (BakuDeku)

Chapter Twenty One

Izuku carefully shut the front door of the manor, walking up the stairs quickly.

He stilled at the sight of the Baron, glaring at him, "of all the insidious jokes," he seethed, "turning yourself into a count. It's almost as absurd as a prince who spends his days with a servant who sleeps with pigs."

Izuku just sighed, emotionally drained from the day.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not find himself able to care any less about his stepfather finding out about him and the prince. 

"What bothers you more, stepfather," Izuku asked, "that I am common or that I am competition?"

"Where is the dress, Izuku?" The Baron yelled and Izuku lazily raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about," The greenette replied, looking past the Baron, wanting nothing more than to return to his chores so he could distract himself from his feelings. 

Akumu appeared behind her father, "the gown, the slippers," she listed, eyes filled with rage, "they were in my room this morning and now they're gone. You hid them, I know it!"

"Where did you put the gown Izuku," The Baron growled, grabbing Izuku's chin roughly. 

Izuku felt his emotions begin to rise, bubbling over, "where did you put the candlesticks and the tapestries and the silver?" He snapped, pulling himself out of the mans grip, "perhaps the dress is with them."

"You'll bring me that gown!" The Baron roared, but Izuku stood his ground, for once not flinching away from his stepfathers anger.

"I would rather die, than to see my mother's cow on that spoiled, selfish cow!" 

The Baron narrowed his eyes, clicking his tongue, "well, perhaps we can arrange that."

He grabbed Izuku's arm, shoving him into a cellar and shutting the door, locking it.

Aku turned to the other servants who had come to see what the commotion was, "open this door, and you'll wish you never stepped foot in this house," he continued back up the stairs, "Akumu, Akari, gather everything that will fetch a price. We're going to town first thing in the morning."

"Father-" Akari tried, "it's only a ball."

The Baron glared at his daughter, "and you're only going for the food."

~

Katsuki felt his face pale as he stared at his mother in disbelief, still trying to process the words that had just came out of her mother. 

"Engaged?" He questioned, feeling like his whole world was crumbling.

Mitsuki's eyes softened, noticing the crushed look on her sons face, "i'm afraid so."

"That's impossible," Katsuki whispered, "there has to be some mistake."

His mother shook her head, "he was traveling by boat this afternoon. Baron Aku was quite reluctant to talk about it."

Katsuki turned, pacing around the royal gardens, "well, it's no wonder, with news such as this. If he was betrothed, then he damn well should've had the decency to say something."

Mitsuki laughed humorlessly, "would you have listened?"

"Of course not! I would've-" Katsuki faltered, stopping in his tracks, slowly beginning to understand, "oh, God."

"How could I have been so blind?" he choked out, embarrassed of how worked up he was getting, "there I was pouring my royal heart out, and he was simply trying to bid me farewell."

Mitsuki walked over to her son, cupping his cheek with her hands, "it is a strong man who can keep his wits about him with you trying to steal his heart."

"Yes, and what a clumsy chief I turned out to be," the prince groaned, pulling away from his father and walking back towards the castle. 

"Katsuki," his mother called but he ignored her.

~

"You must go to the prince," Tsuyu instructed, glancing around, making sure no one was listening to her conversation, "tell him what's happened."

"But I am nobody," Ochako countered hurriedly, "the prince would never see me."

The two stood in an alleyway near the marketplace, hidden somewhat by the shadows.

"You are Izuku's friend, Ochako," Tsuyu reasoned, "he needs your help. The prince expects to see him."

"You're his friend too!" Uraraka pointed out and Asui groaned.

"The Baron has me working tonight," the greenette replied and Ochako shook her head.

"I can't!"

"Then go to Ashido," Tsuyu advised, "surely a painter can see another painter."

Ochako huffed, crossing her arms, "fine."

T.B.C

Ik it was short, I really did trying to add more to the chapter but this felt like a decent stopping point...

~A