A Royal Ice Heart

34.

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Izuku was swept with a wave of unfamiliarity as he strode through the hall. He earned a few gazes of confusion, disgust, awe, and many emotions from many faces. And he could see them all through their masks. His pitch-black cloak didn't really compliment the lush of colors that surrounded him. He didn't really know what to do right then. He was supposed to wait until after the speech before he could go with the plan. He already checked everything. Kaminari was guarding the door as planned, Jiro and Shinso were with the Northerners, and Bakugou, well he was gorging on food to feed himself and his boredom. 

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| Izuku POV |

I didn't have anything to do, so I decided that if nothing in here suits my taste then at least the food would. I didn't know why but as I walked over I kept feeling the need to remind myself that I definitely was not going there to see Kachan. 

I walked over to the sweet section, eyeing at one of the cinnamon rolls. I went to grab one, suddenly feeling a nudge at my arm.

"O-oh, I'm sor-" I stopped when I saw who it was.

"Kachan, what'd you want," I asked, knowing that it definitely was on purpose now.

"So you're not going to apologize?" he asked rhetorically.

"No, and do you need something?" I asked the image of that cinnamon roll still in my mind.

"Nope, I just had a thought," he stated. I raised an eyebrow as to show I was asking him what.

"Just that you don't look recognizable in that hood at all, so I was just thinking..." 

I didn't know where this was heading, but the way he kept pausing I definitely would better off not knowing.

"So did you know the next song was a quickstep, and the prince gets to dance in the middle so they get all the space."

"Kachan what're you trying to imply here?" I asked. I had a feeling I wouldn't like this.

"So..." he paused his eyes narrowing behind his mask, I felt him move closer for some reason.

I thought about it a bit, but I couldn't piece it together.

"What is it?" I asked dying from the anticipation.

"You know my mom always loved the quickstep, and she would always dance to it, I kind of learned some from her," he suddenly said, bending over towards me.

I was honestly not getting where any of this was coming from, "Kachan I'm trying, I really am, but I don't get you! You're referring to an apple while looking at an orange."

"You really have a thick skull nerd," I would be lying if I wasn't the least bit offended by the word.

"I'm asking you to dance with me, get it now!"He barely whispered, but I didn't get why he was annoyed...was he embarrassed? I almost rushed to answer in glee, but I knew better. He wanted to dance with me, I mean sure, no ones gonna know who I am but he's still gonna dance with some random person on the day of his engagement, and a man at that.

"Kachan...no," I said, giving him a serious stare. 

"Haha, I knew you'd say that, but I simply do not care," he laughed. I didn't understand. I mean I get he never took no for an answer but this was too risky. Nevermind the risk did he even know how bad at dancing I was, and he wanted me to dance a quickstep, heck no. Unless he wanted me to look like a jumping fawn I would rather accompany the trays of food then go anywhere near the dancing. 

"Kachan you know we can-" I tried refusing.

"My dad wouldn't dare say anything in front of so many people and nobody would dare question the king," he every so confidently spoke. 

I couldn't believe his lack of understanding right then. Or maybe fear right then. How could he just, just. I didn't even have words. How could someone be so bold? I would love to dance with him, but at the cost of what?

"Izuku, you know you can't deny me," he stated, his voice not even faltering. 

He wasn't even giving me an option, and honestly, he was just way too cocky for his own good.

"Kachan," I tried pleading once more, hoping my words would get through him, but of course the prince didn't take nobody's word. 

"You know I don't care what you say," he just answered.

I knew he was just acting. If I really pleaded and argued he'd probably stop, and I know I should do that. But. I didn't want to accept it but there was a part of me that wanted to. We had always been in hiding, I had to hear the maids talk about how perfect of a match they were. I was satisfied with his love, but I had so many feelings when others loved them. I wanted the world to know, but I taught myself to be satisfied with just the two of us. We had hidden in a small, dark place, and I was happy in our cozy place...but sometimes...just sometimes...even I wanted a glimpse at the sky.

Right then I heard the music change, the slow bolero change into an uplift quickstep. I felt his tight clutch around my arm pulling me into the crowd. In a matter of seconds I found myself surrounded in a swarm of already dancing couples, the strong waft of scented perfumes filled my nose, as I tried my best not to ruin any of the gowns or lengthy hair that cascaded down many's shoulders. 

"K-Kachan," I quietly shrieked, more in surprise than a refusal. 

"W-we can't" I finally spoke.

He stopped for a few seconds. I thought he'd walk us back, but then he suddenly looked back, and even though I've been with him for so long I didn't think I'd ever witness such a sight. 

"Izuku, you promised you'd follow me no matter where I went," he spoke, he spoke with the most unbelievable sight to Izuku. A bright smile, a smile that could light up anything- literally anything. There was no bearing over that smile, no burden that carried the past, no burden that stressed over the future. It was the sheer joy of his present, and that's precisely what convinced Izuku. It wasn't every day that you'd see him smile, but when he did it was filled with reason. 

I felt my heart thump, and swell with a strong sense of glee. 

"F-fine," I barely whispered, my head faced down trying to hide my blush. 

I swore I heard him chuckle before yanking me to the middle.

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At that moment he learned something. It wasn't that he didn't smile, it was that he only smiled when he truly was a blissful joy. When there was a reason to smile. When you could smile without crying about it later. And to Izuku, he couldn't have been happier to receive it. 

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Sometimes you just need a little push, a little nudge, and it might be uncomfortable, but you need it to finally fly. Her words as peculiar as ever, and as meaninglessly meaningful.