Chapter IV: A festive night
Bakugo led him through the city to a large dwelling near the center. He brushed away the deer skin flap and led him inside. The interior was large and open, with an area in the center to set up a cooking fire and a small table for eating. Small windows allowed the sunlight into the dwelling, giving it a warm and welcoming glow. Large tapestries lined a few of the walls with integrate colors and zig-zag patterns. Izuku ran his hand across one, the fibers soft to the touch.
"Is this your house?" Izuku asked, turning back to face Bakugo.
"Yeah" he said, his face indifferent.
"D-do your parents live here as well?"
He looked down, a saddened expression coming across his face before a scowl settled in its place, "No, they died a long time ago"
Izuku looked away, tracing the pattern on one of the tapestries, "I-I'm sorry to hear that" he said.
"Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault" Bakugo said and walked over to a wooden latter, "Come up here with me"
He climbed up the latter and opened the small door above. Izuku slowly followed. The room above was also large, with many large pantries on the back and side walls. A large window provided warm light into the room. A large straw bed lay to one side with knitted and fur blankets laying atop it and large colored silk hanging from the ceiling. A small wood stove stood in the corner.
"You'll be staying up here with me" Bakugo said as he opened one of the large pantries, pulling out extra blankets to make another bed, "Recovery Girl is also going to be hosting a large feast for us tonight, so you will need to change" He closed the pantry and opened up another one, looking through the clothing that lay inside.
"What is wrong with my clothes?" Izuku asked, looking down at his shirt.
"You are being honored at the feast, and it is customary that honored guests wear appropriate attire" he said, handing over the clothing to Izuku. On top lay an light embroidered tunic with spiraling patterns of red, gold and green, looking like flames. A pair of dark wool trousers lay beneath it.
"These are what I wore when I was a teenager, so they should fit you just fine" Bakugo said, a playful smile playing at his lips; Izuku glared at him slightly, "Get changed, I need to go take care of some business and I'll be back in a bit to get you"
He walked over and climbed down the ladder and shut the trap door that lay at the top. Izuku let out a soft sigh. He set down the clothing and laid down on the large bed.
'Something about him feels oddly familiar.' He thought, as his hand drifted over his stomach. The more time that he spent with Bakugo, the more butterflies began to flutter around his stomach. He couldn't tell if it was good or bad. His mind drifted to their journey here. As he held him, he could feel the taunt muscles beneath the canvas of the bandages. The effortless strength he had used to lift Izuku to aid him in mounting the dragon, as well as help him off.
'If he wanted to, I bet he could easily pick me up and pin me to a wall..-' he thought, though as his face became a deep shade of red. He did not let his mind venture further. He shook the thoughts from his head.
'I don't even know him!' He thought, sitting up and putting his face in his hands, slowly running them through his thick green hair. His eyes fell back onto the clothes Bakugo had handed him.
'Well, let's see if they fit' He thought as he stood up.
X
Bakugo made his way across the village to a large structure on the east side. He pulled back the large curtain and made his way inside. A large room opened up in front of him. Sitting mats surrounding a large central fire pit where a large fire was roaring. A number of robed individuals sat on the mats, their faces illuminated by the fire. Smoke wafted up through a large sky light in the thatched roof above.
Bakugo made his way around the circle and sat down on his mat.
"You wished to see me?" He said, sitting up straight and looking bored.
Elder Aizawa, a thin man with dark black hair and tired eyes; raised his head and spoke up "Yes, you brought an outsider into the village, didn't you?"
"I did" Bakugo said
"A direct violation of our tribe's traditions!" Elder Sekijiro exclaimed, a tall, built man with spikey silvery hair.
"What reason would you have to bring him here?" Elder Nezu said, a short, white mouse-like creature with a large scar over his right eye.
"He is a gifted healer, after the attack I thought Recovery Girl could use some help with treating the wounded." Bakugo said, his face remaining indifferent to the conversation.
"Is that all you know about him?" Elder Cementose said, a large man with skin like blocks of stone, "He could be a spy for King Endeavor."
"He could also be in correlation with the demons that attacked us" Elder Aizawa spoke up. Whispers filled the room as the other elders began to speculate.
Bakugo cleared his throat and the whispers stopped, "He is an apprentice of the great wizard All Might, and correct me if I am wrong; but was he not the only outsider you allowed in the village"
The elders around him stayed silent, not wanting to admit to the fact. Bakugo itched his temple.
"The outsider will be staying with me, and during his time here he will either be working with Recovery Girl or with me. He won't have time to himself until he leaves the village. I promise you that." Bakugo said, "Is that all?"
"You can understand are suspicions?" Elder Nezu said, folding his hands in his lap.
"I do." Bakugo said, "And I will do nothing to harm the safety of this village."
"Alright, we will trust your judgement" Elder Aizawa said, they all bowed their heads, "thank you for meeting with us your majesty"
Bakugo bowed his head in return and stood up, walking out of the meeting room.
X
Bakugo made his way back to his house back up to his bedroom. In the middle of the room stood Izuku. The clothes Bakugo had given him fit him well, though were slightly tighter then expected. He closed the door behind him and Izuku looked up at him as he smoothed out the front of his shirt.
"W-welcome back Bakugo" Izuku said, his hands dropping down to his sides. Bakugo eyes examined him head to toe.
'I'm surprised they fit so well' Bakugo thought, he had honestly thought that they would be big on him. Izuku looked away, his cheeks hot under Bakugo's intense stare.
"W-what? D-do you like what you see?" Izuku said jokingly.
"Yes." Bakugo said without hesitation and Izuku could have sworn his heart stopped, "I was expecting them to be big on you. I guess your not as scrawny as you look in your clothes"
Izuku glared at him slightly, though the blush on his face lessened the intensity of the expression. Bakugo grabbed a small comb and walked behind him, taking hold of a section of his hair.
"W-what are you doing?" Izuku exclaimed, jumping slightly.
"Shut up Deku, I am just braiding your hair." Bakugo said, running the comb through the section, "It's customary for men with longer hair to have a single braid in his hair. I don't have one since my hair is shorter" He braided the section and tied it off with a small string. He then walked over to one of the closets. He pulled out a large cape with an ornate golden dragon embroidered on the back, tying it around his neck. He pulled out a pair of red earrings and putting them in.
He turned and looked at Izuku. Izuku slightly adverted his eyes, "Y-you look nice as well" he said
Bakugo smiled a large, cocky smile, "I know, now come on" he said and lead him down the ladder.
Bakugo led him across the village to a large mess hall and sat on mats at the front of large crowd. A group of the warriors had gone out and hunted two large deer for the feast which sat next to an collection of vegetables and rice. Trays had been set up in front of Bakugo's and Izuku's mats. Large drums playing like a heartbeat in the background.
Izuku had to do everything he could to not drool at the sight. He hadn't eaten since that morning, and seeing the abundance of food made his stomach growl. His eyes darted to Bakugo, who was sitting up straight, barely noticing the food. Recovery Girl stood and the drums stopped abruptly.
"Thank you all for joining me this evening. Tonight is a blessed night! Not only have the gods returned our King to us safe and sound, but he has also brought with him a talented healer, whose aid to our people is unquantifiable" she bowed to the two of them, "We hope that you enjoy this feast"
Bakugo bowed his head in returned and Izuku copied. Everyone then began to eat. A young woman with a black, high pony tale came and held up a flask.
"Would you like some sake sir?" she asked, Izuku took a moment to swallow.
"It would be rude to refuse." Bakugo said as another girl, this one with long black hair and a face that reminded him of a frog; filled his glass.
Not wanting to be rude, he swallowed and said, "Y-yes, ,thank you" he said, holding out his glass for her.
The feast lasted through the evening and into the night. Once everyone finished dinner the drums continued and many joked around and danced. Bakugo introduced Izuku to the warriors and members of the village. They sat with them as the warriors spoke about the end of the battle with the demons.
Izuku proved to be a light-weight. After four drinks, he was beginning to get unsteady on his feet. Bakugo sighed and told everyone goodnight for the two of them and lead him back to his house.
Izuku giggled as they walked back.
"What are you laughing about Deku?" Bakugo said, hoisting Izuku's arm onto his shoulder so that Izuku wouldn't fall over.
"N-nothing." Izuku said before breaking into a giggle fit.
"You are a terrible liar." He said
"N-no really…hic… I-it's nothing r-really"
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"I-it's just when I was a kid, I had a friend who lived in the mountains. He used to tell me stories about where he lived, and it was completely different from the kingdom of Ignis. I-I think his father had a dragon. I-I used to call him Kacchan. I haven't seen him in years" Izuku said, he looked up at Bakugo and smiled, "You remind me a lot of him"
A blush lightly coated Bakugo's cheeks, which he mentally blamed on the alcohol; he grunted in response.
He helped Izuku up into his bedroom and threw him down onto the bed he prepared for him, "Get some sleep Deku." He said as Izuku erupted in giggles again.
"You can't be him though" Izuku said, snuggling under the blankets.
"Oh yeah, and why is that?" He asked, his eyebrow raising slightly as he looked at Izuku.
"You are much more handsome then he ever was."
Bakugo quickly looked away, steam coming off his face, "I-I told you to get some sleep!" He yelled, and looked at Izuku. Izuku had fallen asleep. Bakugo let out a large sigh and sat down next to Izuku's bed. He lightly brushed some hair from his cheek.
Izuku's face looked peaceful as he slept, a soft smile across his lips along with the soft coating of pink on his cheeks left from the alcohol. He would never admit it out loud, but there was something attractive about this young wizard. That coupled with the familiar feeling he got whenever he was around him sent his heart into a flutter, though he had no idea why.
He lightly caressed his cheek. His thumb running over a light, white scar along his cheek bone. He ran his thumb over it again. It triggered a memory he hadn't had in a very, very long time.
"Come on Izuku, it is not that bad" A eight-year old Bakugo said. He poured some water on Izuku's small handkerchief and lightly dabbed a eight-year-old Izuku's cheek.
"I-It hurts Kacchan!" Izuku sobbed. They had been playing in the forest. They had both gotten daggers from their fathers for their birthdays and were fighting with them. Bakugo had gotten past Izuku's defense and cut his cheek.
"Well, now it is clean." He said, "Do you know what the wise woman does whenever I get hurt?"
Izuku looked up at him, wiping the tears from his eyes with his fists, "W-what?"
Katsuki cupped his face in his hands and gently kissed the small cut.
"Her kisses can heal the injury. Did that help?"
Izuku smiled brightly, "I-it does feel better! Thank you Kacchan."
A large smile formed across Bakugo's face, "I told you!"
He shook the memory from his head and made his way over to his bed, removing his earrings and cape before crawling into bed.
Let me know what you think