Chapter V: The next morning
Izuku slowly woke up. His head pounding like he had been kicked by a horse. His muscles sore and the light entering the room seemed much brighter than usual. The smell of cooking rice wafted up to the room. It made his stomach growl but also turn like he was going to be sick.
He made his way slowly down the ladder, doing his best not to fall over and sat next to the cooking fire.
"Oh good your up." Bakugo said, handing him a small cup, "I had Recovery Girl brew this up for you. Drink it."
Izuku rubbed his eyes, "What is it?" he asked.
"A hangover cure." He said, "Occasionally the warriors will go to far on the sake and this always fixes them up right away."
Izuku looked down into the glass. The liquid was dark green and murky. It smelled metallic like copper. It was nearly enough to make him throw up.
"Are you sure it works?"
"Why don't you try it and find out?"
Izuku swallowed back his nausea and chocked back the medicine. The after-taste was like sulfer. After a few minutes, the pain in his head began to lessen and his muscles began to feel normal once again. The nausea in his stomach slowly settled into hunger.
Bakugo poured him some soup in a bowl and handed it to him, "Do you not drink much in your village?"
"Just the occasional glass of wine with dinner, but almost never hard liquor" He said as he began to eat.
"That explains why you can't handle it"
Izuku rolled his eyes, "I couldn't have been that bad."
"Do you remember anything from last night?"
Izuku looked down and thought for a minute, his chopsticks paused at his mouth, "I-I remember dinner and talking with the warriors. Everything after that is a bit fuzzy"
Bakugo nodded slightly. He had figured as much. He slowly began to eat.
Izuku looked at him and then back down to his food, curious as to why he was being so quiet. They ate in silence for a few moments before Bakugo spoke up.
"How did you get that scar on your cheek?"
Izuku's hand rose to the small scar on his cheekbone, "A friend and I were playing with knifes in the forest and he cut me by accident."
Bakugo's eyebrows raised slightly, "Was that the same friend that lived in the mountains?"
Izuku met his gaze, "Y-yes, but how did you-"
"You said last night that you had a friend when you were younger that lived in the mountains. That his dad may have had a dragon." Bakugo lightly stoked the fire before filling his bowl with more soup. He reached out his hand for Izuku's bowl and Izuku handed it over to be refilled.
"Y-yeah, some of the details I don't quite remember. It was a very, very long time ago."
Bakugo nodded and handed him back his bowl, "My dad and I used to visit Ignis when I was a kid. I used to call it the land of the wizards. Occasionally I would play with other children from the surrounding areas."
'Why is he telling me this?' Izuku thought before speaking, "M-maybe it could have been you then…"
A small smile formed across Bakugo's face as he finished his second bowl, "According to you, I couldn't have been your friend from back then" he set his bowl down and leaned back onto his arms.
"W-why is that?"
A large cocky smile spread across Bakugo's face, "You said I was far more handsome then your friend back then"
Izuku couldn't meet his gaze, slightly shifting his weight from one hip to the other, "Y-you jest"
Bakugo let out a soft laugh, "Why would I jest? You are the one that drank so much you can't remember!"
Izuku glared into his bowl, his cheeks burning, "S-so why did you stop coming to Ignis?"
A scowl returned to Bakugo's face. He stoked the fire, "My father was killed by Ignis assassins"
Izuku met his gaze, "H-how do you know they were from Ignis?"
"The colors that they wore were similar to the under layers that King Endeavor's knights wear. Though that was hardly enough proof to accuse anyone of a crime."
Izuku thought for a moment, "H-how old were you?"
"Ten."
Izuku stayed silent, he didn't know what to say.
"The elders spoke for me until I was of age to officially take over the throne." Bakugo continued, "Once I came of age, King Endeavor payed me a visit. He probably thought he was speaking to some dumb kid. He was certainly surprised."
"I would assume so, you are extremely intelligent for your age." Izuku said.
A soft smile pulled at Bakugo's lips, "Recovery Girl took me in after my father died, and the elders taught me well."
"What about your mother?"
Bakugo met his gaze, "A kingdom from the north attacked us and tried to take part of our land. She took a group of warriors and dragons to them and massacred them. She came back with serious wounds that ended up taking her life"
Izuku eyes widened slightly, "I-I am sorry to hear that."
Bakugo shrugged, "She won. She said that she was content with that"
Izuku thought over the information, "W-wait, I'm confused. If you believed that King Endeavor's men killed your father, then why not confront him about it?"
"That maniac would declare war. I am not going to put my people in danger just to satisfy his bloodlust." His gaze drifted back to the fire. The flames reflecting in his eyes
Izuku looked at him in awe, "Y-you are a very honorable man." He said.
Bakugo met his gaze, "It's my job to be."
The deer skin flap opened abruptly and they both turned to look. Kirishima held the door frame catching his breath.
"Bakugo, soldiers from Ignis are at the base of the mountain" He said
"What?" Bakugo said as he stood up, "Is King Endeavor with them?"
"No, it's his son Prince Todoroki?"
"Why the hell would he send him?"
"I do not know sir."
A soft growl escaped Bakugo's throat, "I will go and see what they want." He said and turned to Izuku, "Deku! You are coming with me."
Izuku eyes widened, "W-what? Why me?"
"Because I said so." Bakugo said, grabbing his wrist and yanking him to a standing position, "Now come on!"
He dragged him along to the cliff edge, letting out a large whistle. Scatha landed in front of them with a large thud. Bakugo reached out and patted her nose.
"You can smell them, can't you girl?" He whispered, and she let out a large huff, "I know, I'll make them go away, I promise."
He turned to Izuku, "Come on." He said and helped him up onto her before hoisting himself up and settling himself in front of him. He grabbed Izuku's arm and pulled it around his waist.
"Don't you dare fall off." He said, and Izuku swallowed and nodded; wrapping his arms firmly around Bakugo's waist.
"Let's fly" Bakugo yelled as Scatha reared up and took off.
Let me know what you think