help me / bakudeku omegaverse /

part 30

Morning came softer than expected.

Izuku woke before Katsuki, though not by much. The warmth at his back was immediate, Katsuki's arm still wrapped around him, solid and unyielding even in sleep. For a moment, Izuku didn't move. He simply existed there, breathing slow, letting the quiet settle into his bones.

He shifted slightly, careful not to wake Katsuki, but the movement earned him a low, half-asleep grumble.

"Stay."

Izuku smiled faintly. "I wasn't leaving."

"Good."

Katsuki tightened his hold, pressing his face briefly into Izuku's shoulder before exhaling. Then, just as quickly, he stilled again, hovering somewhere between sleep and awareness.

Izuku hesitated.

Then turned in his arms.

"Kacchan," he said softly, "we should start early if we don't want the kingdom to get too busy and make it hard to leave."

One eye cracked open. Sharp. Awake.

"...You're serious."

"I am."

A beat.

Then Katsuki exhaled through his nose, already shifting upright. "Fine. Then let's get moving."

•••

By the time they entered the courtyard, the castle was already adjusting to them—guards straightening, servants stepping aside, messengers redirecting routes without being told. Katsuki's presence carried weight, undeniable and sharp. And beside him, Izuku walked without faltering.

Not behind.

Not ahead.

Beside.

"Scouting party?" one of the captains asked.

Katsuki didn't slow. "No party. Just us. Less conspicuous"

The captain hesitated, but nodded. "Understood, Your Majesty."

Izuku suddenly noticed the way the title settled in the air now, not questioned, not challenged. Solid.

And somehow... it extended to him too.

•••

"They've been different."

The words were quiet, spoken behind gloved hands as two servants paused near an open corridor overlooking the courtyard.

"What do you mean, Ochaco?"

The first glanced down again, big brown eyes watching as the king mounted his horse, offering a hand back—not out of obligation, but expectation. Izuku took it without hesitation.

"Just- they're different, Tsu. More... aligned," she said carefully. "Before, it was like the castle was waiting. Now it feels like something is moving."

Tsu frowned slightly. "You think it's because of him?"

"...I think it's because of both of them."

Below, the gates opened.

•••

"You saw that yesterday, right?"

"Everyone saw it, Denki." Eijiro stood to the side once he saw the two royals off.

The knights stood along the training yard, voices low but charged. One leaned on his spear, still staring in the direction the king had gone.

"He didn't even use an incantation." Meso mumbled into the air.

"That's not what got me." Denki glanced Eijiro's way.

"What then?" Eijiro started to move away from the gate.

"...He didn't show off."

That quieted them.

Another knight spoke, slower. "Power like that usually comes with arrogance. Or recklessness. He had neither. He allowed no darkness to consume him..."

"And the king trusts him," Denki added.

That settled it.

Because if there was one thing every knight in that kingdom understood:

Katsuki did not place his trust lightly.

•••

"They've already left?"

Mitsuki didn't look up from the documents in front of her. "Yes."

A council member frowned. "Without escorts?"

"They don't need one."

Another leaned forward. "You're certain this is wise? Sending them alone into unstable territory-"

Mitsuki finally glanced up.

"If Midori is to be reclaimed," she said evenly, "it will not be through overwhelming force from the get-go. It will be through presence first."

A pause.

"And if they fail?"

Mitsuki's expression didn't change.

"They won't."