"How could you?"

All Might winced as if Inko's words had been more than just the words of an angry mother, but a gilded knife that she had plunged into his side. Remorse glittered in his eyes as phantom pain caused the wound that stretched across his stomach and snaked up his ribs to throb."I know." These were only two words that All Might could force himself to whisper amongst the whitewashed cobblestones of the room. He kept his head bowed and his eyes fixed on the fine porcelain cup in front of him, where amber-colored tea filled the interior of the cup. A faint plume of steam rolled off the liquid and twisted itself into the air.

He was incapable of even glancing up at the pained look that he knew was burning within Inko's eyes. Instead, he rubbed small circles into the back of her hand with his thumb; a soothing gesture and one that had a displeased sigh falling from her lips as some of the tension in her body was mollified. He could feel the taut muscles in her hand relax, but a quick glance up at her face showed from the thin line her lips were stretched out into that she was rightly perturbed.

"He's just a child," the harsh whisper from her lips twisted the knife further into All Might's side. "One that isn't even of age until this coming summer." Shaking her head, her lips scowling into a frown, she whispered again. "How could you?" Each word, a sharp hiss of motherly pain.

Swallowing, All Might lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. Oftentimes he found himself forgetting that the forest green of young Midoriya's eyes were an inherited shade that he possessed from his mother. There were a lot of similar features that the two shared between one another and for that All Might found himself praising the deities above for that small blessing. "Inko," he called her name softly, a sound that had her gaze flickering to his face. "I had to; I had to do it. There's no telling how long it's going to be before my own body decides to crumble beneath me."

"Don't you dare," Inko hissed out with admonishment upon her breath, "don't you dare even think that way. It's not just you; you can't only think to rely upon yourself, you have me and you have—" Inko pressed her lips together, letting the unsaid words hang heavily in the air as she fixed her gaze upon the wall next to her so that All Might wouldn't see the glimmer of tears within her eyes that threatened to spill down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." The words brushed past All Might's lips as he leaned across the table to brush back a lock of hair away from Inko's cheek. The rough pads of his fingers caused her to shiver, but he let them rest against her supple skin. Flattening the palm of his hand against her face, he cupped her cheek and watched her with a sardonic smile as she subconsciously leaned into the touch. "I'm sorry." The words were there again, but there was a rawness to them. "I'm so sorry for causing you so much pain over the years, for having to endure all the ridicule and scorn of the court; for what you had to endure with Midoriya getting labeled a bastard child."

Shaking her head, Inko firmly gazed into All Might's eyes. "I want to tell him."

There was a flicker of apprehension that branded itself into his face. His gaze flickered to his cup of tea; his mouth suddenly feeling drier than the fabled arid deserts of Eastern Kingdoms.

Forcing himself to nod despite the knot of apprehension that was twisting in his chest, All Might felt his lips flatten into a grim look. He knew what Inko was asking of him, a secret that both of them knew existed but neither one had the desire to utter for fear that just a single word would break the lie they had built together over the years. But a cupped hand against his cheek had him looking up and into her eyes.

There was a gentle softness there that he had seen a thousand times before but only grew to become fonder of every time he saw it. "I'm sorry," he found himself whispering to her again, earning him a shake of her head this time.

Patting her hand against his cheek, she simply gave him a woeful grin. "I knew what I was getting myself into all those years ago when I gave you my heart."

A blush dusted All Might's cheeks as Inko stood and pressed a gentle kiss against the side of his mouth. Turning his head to gaze at her, All Might didn't protest as she brought her lips to meet his. Her lips were soft, the lingering sweetness of apricots settled upon his tongue as he softly sighed into the kiss. Reaching up to drag the back of his fingers against her soft cheek, his hand snaked out toward the knot of her obi, earning him a sharp hiss as Inko drew her head back to gaze into his eyes.

"No," she scolded him, playfully slapping his hand away from her obi. There was no heat behind her words, no bite to her tone, but a playful lilt that hovered on the edge of her voice.

All Might gave her a small smile as his fingers slid down the fabric of her obi to tug at the edge of the complicated knot, loosening the fabric so that the yukata she wore slightly lost the curve of her shape. Her lips parted, his name already burgeoning to the tip of her tongue when the both of them stilled as three rapid knocks were set off against the wood of the door to All Might's room.

"All Might?" Though muffled, Midoriya's voice just beyond the door was clear to both of them.

Inko sighed before leaning forward, pressing her forehead against All Might's own. "I don't regret this," she whispered to him.

Slightly shaking his head, causing his forehead to rub against his. He let the brief moment of silence wash over them both, before replying. "Neither do I."

He truly meant those words.

Letting warm arms wrap around his waist, Midoriya patted his hand against his mother's back as she sobbed into the fabric of his tunic. He could feel the dark fabric already clinging to his skin as her tears soaked into the fabric.

"Izuku!" His mother pulled back her head, showing off the river of tears that were sliding down her cheeks. She quickly pressed her face back into the fabric of his tunic, seemingly sobbing even harder at the realization that she would have to separate from her son.

The bray of oxen and various other animals filled the courtyard, carriages shining and gleaming underneath the afternoon sun. Carriage drivers had their hats tipped to shield their eyes from the sun, reins resting in their laps ready to be picked up at a moment's notice. A forlorn smile twisted itself on Izuku's lips as he reached out and patted his mother's arm in a gesture of solidarity.

He was saddened to know that he and his mother were parting yet again, but he couldn't help but grasp onto the confusion that was rooting itself in the depths of his belly. Every opportunity of the day, his mother had cornered him. Her eyes filled with worry and mouth fixed into a determined expression as if she were ready to bear some long kept secret off of her soul. And with every opportunity, the fledgling roots of their conversation had to be cut short as he found himself busier during Todoroki's coming of age party than he had ever been before.

The party was a magnificent affair. Tables piled high with sweets and decadent foods, meats that had been roasting over fires for nearly an entire day; game meat that been hunted from the forest for the very specifical occasion and wine and spirits flowed as freely as water within a river.

Now as he gazed at his mother, her lips twisted into a frown, they parted. "Izuku, I need to—"

"Midoriya!"

Turning his head at the sound of the prince's voice, a frown pulled at the edges of Midoriya's lips. Turning his gaze back to his mother, he gave her a quick apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, mother. It seems that the prince needs me, but I'm certain that whatever you wanted to tell me can be brought up the next time we meet." Giving a quick cursory nod to his mother, he fixed his gaze on All Might who stood near the carriage, his hulking form providing a shadow for both him and his mother.

All Might nodded at Midoriya. "My boy, make sure you write to me as frequently as you do your mother."

Smiling at All Might, Midoriya reached out, giving the leader a firm shake of his hand before adding, "I will."

Giving his mother a quick hug before turning on his heels to leave. Inko watched her son's fleeting back before hearing the call of the carriage driver who informed her and All Might that it was their time to depart.

Sighing, Inko turned and gratefully accepted All Might's hand as he helped her into the carriage before getting in after her. The two sat on plush cushions and said nothing as the carriage lurched forward and began to move. A gentle breeze floated through the silk curtains of the carriage windows; the smell of everblooming flowers and the savory smells of street food wafted into the carriage as they trekked through the city until all they could smell was the fresh scent of pine and freshly turned earth. The air was silent outside, save for the humming of birds and the chatter of wild animals.

Beside her, thick smoke curled through the carriage and curled out of the windows until All Might's large form was replaced by his thinner, sickly frame that she had come to know so intimately over the years.

"They'll be another time for you to tell him." His words finally reached her ears after some moments of silence but they did little to soothe her fears.

Fixing her gaze on the vivid colors of the trees that passed by them, she allowed herself to voice the thought that was burrowing beneath her skin. "But what if there isn't?"

Rapping his knuckles against the door, Midoriya paused before pushing open the rectangular piece of wood while balancing the tray of tea in his hand. "Your afternoon tea, your highness."

Todoroki was standing on his room's balcony; the silk curtains fluttering inward to the room as a gentle breeze stretched across the land. There was a slight nip to it that signified the country's summer months would be relatively short.

Todoroki motioned with a swift wave of his fingers that Midoriya bring the cup of tea toward him. Picking his way across the room in quick strides, Midoriya held out the tray so that Todoroki could pick up the single cup of steaming tea.

Todoroki said nothing as he grasped the cup between his fingers, lifting it to his lips to take a sip of the scalding liquid. Midoriya stood silently before him, the tray grasped between his hands as he bowed his head underneath the summer sun. Pulling the cup of tea away from his mouth, Todoroki silently glanced up and down Midoriya's form before letting out a question that was humorous to Midoriya's ears that he briefly forgot his position in this foreign society. "Midoriya, are you All Might's secret love child?"

Letting out a roar of laughter, Midoriya let the tray he was holding slip from his fingers as he clutched at his stomach. Doubled over in laughter, he could feel Todoroki's burning gaze on the back of his neck as he quickly righted himself, wiping the tears that had brimmed in the corners of his eyes as he did so. Clearing his throat, he bowed his head in apology. "Forgive me, your highness. Such a thing is impossible; my father is dead and has been so since as long as I can remember."

Seemingly unpleased with such an answer, Todoroki hummed to himself, draining the rest of the tea from the cup as he continued to stare at Midoriya. Cocking his head to the side, Todoroki took a step forward causing Midoriya to galvanize his gaze. "You know," Todoroki began, "I don't really believe that."

Midoriya raised a brow at Todoroki's statement. "I'm sorry?" He blinked as Todoroki took another step and then another, forcing him backward until the silk curtains were brushing against his back and Todoroki forced him back into the room until the backs of his knees had hit the table in his bedroom, causing the wood to wobble against the back of his legs. Calmly staring into Midoriya's eyes, Todoroki placed down the empty cup on the table before leaning in close.

It suddenly felt difficult to breathe, Midoriya found out as his eyes flickered over the prince's mask. This time a simple white mask with gold trim around it compared to the others. They were so close that he could smell the scent of the perfume that the prince put on; a heady scent of summer roses that was intoxicating to the point that it should have been nauseating but wasn't.

"Midoriya—" He could feel his cheeks turning a ruddy shade of pink at his own name. "—Are you lying to me?"

The heat that was burning in Midoriya's cheeks began to spread down to his neck. "About what?" He managed to breath out.

"About you being All Might's love child."

Feeling a chuckle bubbling in his throat, he tamped it down and instead chose to scoff instead. "I already told you—"

"That your father died when you were young," Todoroki cut him off, "but it doesn't account for how All Might treated you during his stay here or I would assume prior to coming here. Not the way All Might would share his meals with you every day, take walks with you, treat you as if you were his own flesh and blood."

"That is simply one of his redeeming qualities," Midoriya attempted to counter, "he views every single one of the citizens that inhabits within the borders of Shuei as if they were a member of his own family."

Todoroki hummed at that, neither sounding pleased nor displeased with the answer. Instead, he simply drained the remaining dregs of tea in his cup and held the empty cup out for Midoriya to take and place back onto the tray.

Bowing low, Midoriya straightened the tray in his hand before turning and walking back into the main bedroom. He passed by the bed when Todoroki called out to him to wait. Turning around, Midoriya gasped as the weight of the tray slackened in his hand. Cheeks burning a pale shade of dusty pink, he attempted to avert his gaze from Todoroki's own. Two different colored eyes bore into his skin, the tray fell from Midoriya's grip; the ceramic cup shattered against the floor into a million pieces as Todoroki's slim fingers gripped his jaw, firmly turning his face so that he was staring into Todoroki's eyes.

His breath had been ripped from his body. That was the only way Midoriya was capable of describing the sensation that seemed to grip him at the throat. His face turned an even brighter shade of pink as he struggled to pull in a single breath, much less breathe out. Todoroki's face was a mere few inches away from his own; close enough that he could feel the heat exuding off of him and the trail of fire that traced his jaw as Todoroki pulled his fingers away from his skin. Midoriya watched as Todoroki's eyes flickered down to his lips, before tracing along the edges of his jaw, his cheekbones and the rest of his face with his eyes before finally, their gazes settled on one another again.

Reaching out again, Todoroki gripped Midoriya's jaw between his fingers, his thumb resting against the corner of Midoriya's mouth.

His touch was searing.

"Just who exactly are you," Todoroki whispered, his mouth fixated into a thin line as he absentmindedly stroked his thumb against Midoriya's flesh.

"Your highness" The door to the room flew open as a maid came in with a letter sealed with a wax symbol clutched between her fingers, "this came for y—" Her eyes widened and her gaze flickered between the prince and Midoriya before settling on the broken teacup on the floor. She bowed lowly, her hair falling forward to frame her face, but Midoriya could see the bright shade of pink settling itself upon her cheeks. "Forgive my intrusion," she managed to squeak before righting herself and avoiding both of their gazes; turning quickly on her heels, a movement that caused the soles of her well-polished shoes to squeak, she quickly walked out of the room, though it seemed to Midoriya more like she had never been so eager to leave.

Midoriya turned his head to the side, letting Todoroki's fingers slide away from his flesh, making up a quick excuse that he needed to find a servant to clean up the mess. He could feel Todoroki's gaze burning into the flesh on his back as he all but ran out of the room and into the hallway. His heart was slamming against the walls of his chest as he ignored the looks of confusion and interest that flashed across the faces of those he passed. Coming upon an empty corridor, he pressed his back against the stones of the wall and doubled over as he pressed the flat of his hand against the skin above his heart. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pursed his lips as a deep sigh left his body.

He got the feeling that his life was just on the verge of tipping out of balance.

By dinner, Midoriya's assumptions were proven correct.

His cheeks were burning as he glanced up to see two of the laundry maids with their heads bowed closely together and their hands slightly covering their mouths as they made vague gestures in his direction. One of the maids—a strawberry blonde—lifted her head and startled as she noted Midoriya gazing in her general direction. The maid pressed her hand against the other's, the both of them quickly gathering their plates as they rushed off.

There was a brush of another's shoulder against Midoriya's own, causing a sigh, unbidden, to pull itself from his lips.

"Don't worry, Midoriya, I don't think you're the prince's bed partner." Midoriya turned his head to see Tsuyu staring at him, her index finger lightly pressed against her bottom lip.

Cracking a sardonic smile at her, Midoriya rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks, Tsuyu, but it doesn't exactly help if you're the only one who believes that I'm not."

It was true, Midoriya supposed, it was barely winter and yet his reputation within the castle had slid to depths so low that his very worth in the castle was lower than the brothel women that some of the knights snuck into the castle grounds at night.

Groaning, he let his head fall forward so that his forehead smacked against the rough wood of the table. The skin stung as the metal spoon in his bowl of soup rattled against the ceramic.

In just the span of a few hours, within the castle, he had gone from being the prince's personal servant to being rumored to be more than just that. It didn't help that everywhere he turned, everyone believed that he was the prince's bed partner. After all, he was with him nearly every day. Their rooms were right beside one another and it wouldn't exactly be hard for the prince or him to slip into the other's bed in the middle of the night.

Midoriya's cheeks heated up at the thought, quickly pulling his head away from the table, he smacked both of his cheeks with his hands, earning him a startled raise of Tsuyu's eyebrows as the sound of the smack reverberated around the dining hall for the servants.

Even if it killed him, he was going to have this problem dealt with.

"Midoriya, where are you going?" Tsuyu glanced up at him as he rose from the table. "You hardly even touched your food?"

"I'm not very hungry," he countered, consoling her fears by promising that he would sneak a treat from Chef later for the two of them to share.

He traversed through the castle walls, careful to avoid as many people as possible. He already had enough of the pointed stares and barely contained whispers for one day.

He rapped his knuckles against the wooden door of the prince's room.

"You may enter."

Wrapping his hand around the doorknob, he pushed the door open, revealing the prince sitting at his desk. A piece of parchment paper was rolled open in front of him, presumably taken from the stack of parchment papers that were stacked neatly near the edge of his desk; judging by the quill in his hand it seemed Midoriya couldn't have come at a busier time.

Midoriya's eyes flickered to Yaoyorozu who was idly perched on a chair at the small table in the room.

"I can come back later." The words were already out in the air as Midoriya prepared to turn around, but Todoroki waved the back of his hand at him.

"No." Todoroki didn't bother to stare at him as he scribbled his signature down on the parchment paper before him, setting the quill aside as he reached for his seal and the wax. "Whatever you need to say can be freely said in front of me as well as Momo."

The color in Midoriya's cheeks crept down to his neck, he shook his head. "I can simply return at a better time, your highness."

"I think," both of their gazes fixed themselves upon Yaoyorozu who was staring at them with a knowing smile, "that Midoriya wishes to bring up those rumors that have been swirling around the castle. Something about a prince and a servant?" She raised a brow at that as Todoroki hummed to himself.

"Is that so?" He rolled up the parchment paper in front of him, warming the stick of wax over a candle before positioning it over the paper. "Usually servants don't come running to my chambers looking as if they wish to refute those rumors—" His hand stilled, the red wax forming a flat glob on its side that hung precariously on the end of the stick, "—but rather to give them some vindication."

Midoriya's skin seemed to impossibly turn a shade brighter at those words. Yaoyorozu looked intrigued by the blush dusting Midoriya's skin, but from the way she scrunched up her face and pouted her lips, it was clear she was being called elsewhere.

"Sorry, but I have to leave," was the only explanation that she gave as she rose from her seat and left the room, leaving Midoriya and Todoroki alone.

Todoroki ignored him, however, as he placed the finished parchment aside and reached for another.

"Are we going to talk about this?"

"Talk about what? Petty rumors spread around by a simple maid?"

His eyebrows scrunched up together at the lackadaisical way the prince brought up the rumors. As if they were nothing more than a trivial problem that plagued a child.

"They're not just petty rumors," Midoriya ground out through his teeth, there was a grim storm of memories brewing in the back of his mind. Memories of his mother, straightening her back, hardening her features against the countless whispers amongst the Shueian court that she was the mother to a bastard child; a quirkless one. That she was no better than a common street whore.

Intrigued by his response, Todoroki set down the parchment that he had grasped in his hand in order to twist his torso so that he was slightly facing Midoriya's direction. The light from the candle burning upon his desk, caused the light to flicker in a manner that bathed the mask covering the left side of his face in shadows.

"And why do these rumors bother you so? You're just a simple servant whose task is to wait on my every needs, fetch me my meals, and respond to whatever whim I declare." Todoroki rose from his seat, the chair beneath him creaking from the loss of his weight. With his long legs, he came to stand in front of Midoriya in what seemed to be the mere blink of an eye. The prince was taller than him by a few inches, a height difference that made it easy for the prince to cast a shadow over him, but Midoriya stood his ground. Tilting his head back slightly to gaze into the prince's eyes.

"Because," Midoriya whispered, despite himself, "sometimes rumors hurt more than the truth."

There was a dark flicker of emotion in the prince's eyes. A flicker of emotion that caused fear to bloom rapidly in Midoriya's chest that he had spoken out of turn and in such a manner that it had greatly upset Todoroki. He took a tentative step back as the door to the room flew open and he turned his gaze toward the sound to see Yaoyorozu standing underneath the archway of the door. Sweat lined her face and she looked out of breath as if she'd been running through the castle halls to reach here.

"Your highness, you need to go to the throne room. There's an important meeting being held there, right now."

Todoroki loomed glum at the announcement. "Tell me one good reason why I should go? Inform my father that I'm not attending. I'm in no mood to listen to that old man—"

She drew in a deep breath, the color in her face seeming to drain as she closed her eyes and curled her hands into fists, before sighing as she cut apart an invisible cord that she only had knowledge of. "Your brother is getting married."

The color in Todoroki's fast drained so quickly that Midoriya thought he looked like a sheet of ice. Hollow on the inside; so clear that you could see all the facets of it as you turned to admire it at every angle, except for the one you truly wanted to see. You could never see straight through it.

"Take me to him," was the strangled reply that fell from his lips.

Yaoyorozu nodded, her gaze briefly flickering in Midoriya's direction before she turned and walked out of the room, Todoroki trailing after her in a blind stupor. The door clanged shut after them both, leaving Midoriya alone in the room; the candles on the desk were burning so lowly that they were little more than pools of wax at this point, but despite the slight warmth generated by the candles and of the room, he couldn't help himself but to shiver.

A cold chill creeping up his spine as he forced his legs to move; throwing open the door that lead out of the room, he stepped into the hallway and let the door clang shut behind him Behind a scene he felt he shouldn't have witnessed. Behind the exposing of an emotional scar so large that he couldn't scrub the paleness of the prince's skin from his mind.

Or the light draining from his eyes.

Tonight, he'd seen a side of the prince he doubted anyone but Yaoyorozu had been privy to see before.

Some part of him doubted that this very moment would be the last.

An almost humorous quality hung in the air, Midoriya concluded as he stepped into the throne room. There was only a handful of officials, the royal scribe and some new faces of what appeared to be nobles that he had never seen before.

The king was prostrated upon the throne, his cheek resting against his fist with a bored expression upon his face that was in juxtaposition with the satisfied smirk gracing his lips. His eyes were directly focused upon his son.

Midoriya's gaze settled on Todoroki's back. The prince's hands were still curled into fists, but his blank features had warped into one of pure, unbridled anger. Yaoyorozu was at his side, her mouth open in shock, her onyx colored eyes brimming with concern and a look of plea."I would listen to that knight you have at your side, boy." The king motioned to Yaoyorozu with the back of his hand. "And your brother as well."

Midoriya finally noticed Todoroki's older brother was in the throne room as well. His hands were clasped behind his back, his lips twisted into a frown as he kept his eyes pointed toward the ground before him.

"My lord." Midoriya focused his attention upon one of the new faces he had spotted earlier. A thin, lanky man who seemed to drown beneath the elegant finery of his clothes and the jewelry he wore. His head was completely bald, but it did little to remove the impression that Midoriya felt for the man's very appearance and nature reminding him of a rat. The man's fingers reached up to stroke the grey hairs of his handlebar mustache. His beady eyes focused upon the king as he gave him a gratuitous bow. "I believe that we should have this marriage arranged as soon as possible. After all, I'm—"

"Fine," the king dismissed him with the single word. "We'll arrange for the wedding to be held before the Snow crocus bloom."

There was a small inaudible hiss as Midoriya sucked in a breath at the announcement; the same time Todoroki's brother went ashen in the face and his body becoming as rigid and stiff as a man who had the life sucked out of him. That was barely enough time to plan a wedding, much less hold one. By Midoriya's calculations that was barely two months time. He wondered whom the prince's brother was marrying that prompted this swift and unusual arrangement.

Midoriya's eyes flickered to Todoroki's face; the skin along his neck, leading up to the tips of his ears were a vivid shade of vermillion. His bottom lip was pulled into his mouth; his top teeth sinking into the flesh as he looked as if he was attempting to restrain himself from making actions he would later regret.

Raising a brow at his youngest son, the king frowned at his appearance as if he were no more than a cumbersome bug that had dared to appear in his presence. "Why are you still standing before me? Leave. This matter doesn't concern you."

For a second, Midoriya thought Todoroki would protest, but he simply bowed his head and announced that he was leaving as he spun on his heel and nearly trampled Midoriya down on his way to leave the throne room.

There was a flicker of concern on Yaoyorozu's face as she chased after Todoroki, briefly glancing at Midoriya on her way out.

Confused by what he had just witnessed, Midoriya left the throne room, barrelling out into the dark corridor of the castle, soft orbs of light floated in the candelabra that were mounted on the walls as Midoriya spotted Yaoyorozu just down the corridor. Her shoulders slumped with an invisible weight that had him frowning and piqued his curiosity.

"Hey!"

She turned around at the sound of Midoriya's voice as he ran toward her.

"What was that back there? I've never seen—"

Yaoyorozu cut him off with a hissing breath and a shake of her head. "I've made a choice to look past your inquisitive nature before, Midoriya, but this is simply one of those cases where I suggest you truly begin to act and behave like a servant—" Midoriya's spine stiffened at her words, his eyes darkening as regarded the woman in front of him for the first time as a potential threat. She leaned in closer to him, close enough that he could smell the salty tang of her sweat mixed with the lighter scent of roses. Her lips were beside his ear as she spoke, her breath tickling the sensitive skin. "—or else you'll give me even more reason that letting you stay beside Todoroki's side was a decision that I will come to regret."

She pulled away from him, the warm smile that usually graced her face was gone and made her look colder than ever before. With one final warning look, she turned on her heel and walked away from him, leaving Midoriya alone in that corridor to wonder for the first time in months if his presence inside the castle was a mistake.

A week had passed since Yaoyorozu's threat.

Wrinkling his nose at the scent of impending rain that filtered its way into the prince's bedroom via the open doors that lead to the balcony. Midoriya frowned as he kept his gaze pointed at the floor, his hands clasped behind his back as the prince scowled down at his breakfast, both of them ignoring the clothes Midoriya had already laid out on his bed. A silent reminder of the occasion neither of them were keen to celebrate.

There was a knock on the door as Yaoyorozu's voice filtered into the room, "Your highness, the carriage is ready."

Standing from his seat, Todoroki addressed Midoriya, his breakfast left untouched and his toasted bread soggy with melted butter. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

He didn't say a single word as he stripped Todoroki out of his sleeping garments and into the slightly thicker attire he had laid out—a simple blue vest that had white fur lining the insides, with buttons that shone like diamonds and a pair of dark indigo-colored pants to compliment it. As Midoriya slipped one of the Todoroki's arms into the vest, he could see the taut lines of muscle in his back that indicated Todoroki was far more nervous than he was letting on.

Once Todoroki was dressed, they—including Yaoyorozu—departed for the carriage. Keeping his eyes focused on the view outside of the carriage window, Midoriya soaked up much of the city scenery that passed by as he hadn't explored anywhere outside of the castle since he had arrived what had seemed like ages ago.

Passing by weekend markets that were crammed with goods, vendors and people alike. The cries of exotic spices, grains, and fabric from Shuei; game from Ingeniumu as well as a precious blue jewel that could only be found in the country that was renowned for its vibrancy as well as the natural energy that the gem could exert. He spotted a few people milling about the crowds—no doubtedly from the nomadic tribes—they were bogged down in furs and heavy boots, the few articles of clothing they wore left more skin uncovered that not. Necklaces and other jewelry made of animal bones and teeth graced their bodies alongside the thick black lines of tattoos that were etched into their skin.

Some had goods from distant lands that Midoriya couldn't even pronounce the names of nor where things that he assumed had been legally procured.

Midoriya's brows raised silently in surprise when he found the carriage leaving the city only to head out of the western gate, a road that lead to the kingdom of Ingeniumu. Traveling for at least what seemed like an hour, Midoriya watched as brick and stone buildings gave way to thick woods that were clustered with trees; the barks so thick that they blotted out any light that attempted to filter its way into the woods. The chirping and howling of animals that lurked within them did little to abide Midoriya's fear, curling his toes inside of his boots he took a little comfort in knowing that there was a hidden dagger tucked away in his right boot.

After a few minutes, when dusk was beginning to fall, the carriage lurched to a stop and all three of them got out with Midoriya squinting up at the tall building before him that was a sentry amidst the towering trees.

It was a red, wooden pagoda with sleek black roofing; an odd site just halfway between Enten and Ingeniumu. There was a gravel pathway laid out between the trunks of two trees that were lined by red paper lanterns. Yaoyorozu and Todoroki walked ahead of him, giving him some time to casually take in the lanterns lining the walkway as well as the pagoda that towered above him. Surprise wasn't enough to encapsulate how he felt to see a bit of Shueian architecture in the middle of nowhere. When they came to a manufactured clearing there was a young woman dressed in a beautiful light blue kimono decorated with pink bellflowers and a wisteria colored obi wrapped around her waist.

Her dark hair that was twisted in a bun bobbed slightly as she bowed to all three of them, her hands folded lightly in her lap as she lifted her head and inclined it towards Todoroki. "You must be the Crown Prince? Please follow me, the other guests are already waiting." Her eyes widened in surprise when her gaze swept over Yaoyorozu and Midoriya, he nodded silently in greeting and an acknowledgment that he was a fellow countryman causing her smile to get a little wider before she lead all three of them to a little bridge that curved over an artificial moat.

Waterlilies floated along the surface, the water a darker shade of blue as the light of the setting sun reflected across it. They were lead into the interior of the pagoda where countless other Shueian women dressed in kimonos cast them inquisitive glances as they rushed by. Their guide lead them down a corridor and up three flights of stairs, past rooms where raucous laughter flowed as easily as the rice wine Midoriya saw the women tipping into the cups of men they were entertaining as other women strummed picks against the thin guitar-like instruments resting in their laps as their fellow coworkers attempted to get the men to dance in time with the strumming of the strings.

Finally reaching what seemed like a private room, their guide slipped her fingers into the groove of a paper screen door before pushing it back, revealing Todoroki's older brother and sister who were already seated on thick cushions that had been placed on the floor. There were three other young men who surrounded them, they all looked to be around Todoroki's brother's age and wore fine clothes that easily gave away their status.

"Please have a seat. Refreshments will be coming shortly." Their guide motioned for them to enter the room, when all three of them had stepped in she turned, letting the screen slide shut behind her.

"Brother." Todoroki's brother motioned towards him with the tiny cup he had grasped in his right hand, liquid sloshed against the sides before arching out of the porcelain and splashing some of its contents across his fingers. His speech was a bit slurried; considering the empty bottle of rice wine and the nearly empty bottle that he had clutched in his other hand he had been drinking since he had arrived and was now at least a little tipsy. "Come join us, drink up as much as you like, after all, you are attending the party before my funeral."

Her face falling at the dark humor, Todoroki's sister, Fuyumi, leaned closer toward her brother and sucked in a hissing breath. "Natsu," she scolded, her voice heavy with displeasure, "you shouldn't make jokes like that."

He frowned at her, his fingers shaking as he tilted his head back to drink the remainder of the rice wine in his cup before setting the empty cup down onto the table with enough force that the table shook beneath his fist. "Don't you dare try and act like mom." The anger in his voice caused the words to crack in the air like a whip, seeing as how Fuyumi jerked back away from the table as if she'd been physically been struck by the words. "You and I both know why she isn't here." As those words slipped from his mouth, he glared at Todoroki. The tension was nearly palatable in the room, a stark contrast to the carefree and kind-hearted aura that always seemed to cling to Natsuo's person.

It didn't take a fool to see that the alcohol sloshing through Natsuo's veins had given him more than enough liquid courage that he dared to throw open the dusty closet on some of the royal family's secrets.

Reaching out, Fuyumi wrapped her hand around her brother's wrist, her mouth turned downward into a frown. "Natsuo, don't forget where we are. You're being unbecom—"

Fuyumi gasped as Natsuo yanked his wrist from her grip, his head gaze snapping upon her. "I know exactly where I am! Or have you forgotten that we live in a bird cage?"

"I hav—"

Natsuo cut his sister off, his rage a forest fire that was only growing with every passing minute. "You don't get it, do you? You have it so much easier because you're you."

Anger flickered across Fuyumi's face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rolling his eyes, Natsuo reached out for the bottle of rice wine in front of him and frowned when he shook it only to find that there was a little bit of wine in it. "You'll be happy with whatever spouse father thrusts before you. Me? I didn't get a choice in the matter, it's whoever father picks is who I get." He frowned as a shudder wracked over his body at the thought of his bride. "Not only does he despise that we exist, but he gave me a bride that's as built like a bear, hideous to look at, and five years older than me."

On Natsuo's right-hand side, the guy next to him—teal-haired and a nose that was much too large for his face—smacked him on his arm with the back of his hand before letting out a clamorous laugh as if Natsuo had just said a particular joke that had been abundantly hilarious. Natsuo's other two friends joined in on the laughter as the teal haired man wiped stray tears leaking from his eyes as he slapped his hand, palm side down, onto the table. "At least you won't have to see her face during your wedding night. You can just keep your eyes closed and imagine someone else."

One of the other friends snorted, giving a simple shake of his head before adding, "Or he can always imagine an actual bear lying below him instead."

That caused a nauseating roar of laughter to swirl in the room, despite the reddening of Natsuo's face and the look of devastation on Fuyumi's at the men's callous comments.

The door to the room slid open again, this time four women came into the room. All four of them had their hands laden with snacks and trays full of bottles of rice wine and cups. Their guide from earlier was amongst the four women. Inclining her head towards the empty cushions that surrounded the table, she persuaded Midoriya, Todoroki, and Yaoyorozu to take the empty seats.

Seeing as there were only two empty seats surrounding the table, Midoriya stood behind Todoroki, his hands clasped behind his back. Their guide gave him a shy smile; a smile that seemed apologetic for the stark differences between their shared culture and the culture she was entertaining for the evening.

A yelp was drawn out of from her lips as Midoriya watched her get pulled into the lap of Natsuo's friend, the one who suggested that Natsuo imagine his bride as a bear. He was thin and wiry, with eyes that reminded Midoriya of a hawk-it didn't exactly help that he looked like one too. There was a lecherous grin stretched across his face that exposed the whites of his teeth and made his beady eyes seem smaller upon his face. His long, shaggy fuschia colored hair curled down his back as he turned his head towards the woman.

"Why worry about your bride tonight, when there are other, far more beautiful exotic women for you to play with here?" As if to demonstrate his point, the man slipped his fingers into the gap between the woman's obi and her kimono and tugged on the fabric, slightly loosening the obi which caused the woman to yelp as she attempted to pull her obi away from his fingers. There was a tight smile on her face, "Sir, forgive me, but this isn't that type of establishment—" she attempted to playfully chide him.

That only caused him to cock his head, his bottom lip pushed outward in a feigned pout. "Oh come on, in Shuei isn't it a custom to treat a customer as if they're a god? My poor friend here is getting married, the least you can do is at least provide us with a bit of extra service. After all your country is known for being good at that sort of thing."

The corner of Midoriya's lip twitched as the grip on his hands tightened until his knuckles were white. Managing to twist herself out of the man's lap, the woman stood as she quickly readjusted her obi, bowed and excused herself to go get more refreshments for the guests, leaving behind the three other women who did their best to make their faces into unreadable masks as they set up instruments and began to play upon them.

Delighted to see more bottles of wine upon the table, Natsuo reached for one as he glumly called announced that they all might as well drink themselves blind if they were to be celebrating his wake.

Drinks were poured out as the evening seemed to stretch on. Yaoyorozu kept her cup in front of her, her hands clasped together as she refused to even drink a single drop of the wine. Though she did eye the crown prince restlessly as he gulped down cup after cup; the wine being poured immediately into the small porcelain container once it had been emptied.

Food was soon brought. Small little snacks that complimented the alcohol and soaked up some of the intoxication that had settled into everyone's veins, making them just slightly a little bit more lucid and aware of themselves. Enough that with a grin on his slightly reddened face, Natsuo called for the customary engagement gifts to be laid out before him.

In both Enten and Shuei's culture, when a couple was engaged gifts were given. The only difference being that in Shuei the gifts were exchanged when the two families who would be joining together met and gave gifts that were typically money, dried squid, a pair of fans and other things that represented a healthy and long marriage. But here, gifts that were given were far different.

All three of Natsuo's friends called for servants who came into the room carrying a bow made from the tooth of an Aiwem tiger. The bow gleamed as if it had been bathed in moonlight, gold vines snaked up the bow, giving it a regal appearance befit for the status of the prince who was receiving it. A quiver full of arrows that seemed to be made of the same tooth was presented alongside it as well. The teal haired man broke out into a grin as the gift was laid before Natsuo. "For you, my prince. A gift befitting your status and worthy of God himself. I hope you use this bow the next time you go and hunt, for with it any prey that stands within your path can be brought down."

Natsuo thanked him as the second gift was brought in—this time from the fuschia-haired man—who presented to him, a bracelet made out of the purest of golds and inlaid with the finest of pearls, rubies, and pink diamonds. Next, came an Ahlspiess, a spear that was more wood than metal. The handle was made from trees that inhabited the natural mountain border between Enten and Ingeniumu. Nearly bone white, the wood gleamed underneath the glow of the lanterns that hung from the walls, the head of the spike sat upon a circular cross-section only to taper out at the end. The next gift was from Fuyumi; she presented to her brother, a fine silk vest made from Shueian silk, gold leaf had been pressed into embroidered patterns onto the vest. The vest was a work of art in its own way, meant to make others envious of whoever was wearing it and considering the jealous gazes that Natsuo was being given from his friends, it seemed to be giving off the desired effect. Next came Yaoyorozu—whom Midoriya was surprised to learn via the quick self-introduction that she gave, was a daughter of a noble house. Something that had Midoriya more confused than before—she presented to Natsuo, a splendid sword, handcrafted by the best guild of blacksmiths that existed within the kingdom. The sword's hilt was a roaring tigers head made from gold, the blade gleamed underneath the light and from Yaoyorozu's own words, was made from the hardest metal the blacksmiths could find.

Natsuo thanked Yaoyorozu greatly as he took the blade in his hand to test the balance of the weight, before handing the sword back to a servant's outstretched hands where he placed the sword back onto the red cloth that covered them.

Finally, the last gift that was to be presented fell upon Todoroki, but when they all settled their gaze upon him he made no effort nor announcement of a single gift that he had brought for today's occasion.

"Brother, where's your gift?" Natsuo sniffed as his lips twisted in scorn.

Todoroki remained silent for quite some time, seemingly choosing his words carefully before replying. "There's no gift in this world, that I thought of, that I felt I could give to you. Instead, if you have a gift in mind, no matter the price or how rare it is, I will give that to you instead."

Natsuo hummed as he tapped a single finger against his bottom lip, his brows wrinkled together as he pondered Todoroki's words. It was a moment later that the taut skin around his brows relaxed and he pointed an index finger at Todoroki's chest. "I've decided what I want as a gift—for you to take off your mask and show us what's underneath it."

Fuyumi hissed at the intake of a breath as Yaoyorozu's face went pale and smooth, her eyes widening in shock as silence settled in the room—the women who had been playing upon their instruments seemed to have stopped in that very moment—and the three men Natsuo had brought with him had a collective mixture of absolute sadistic delight painted onto their features. Yaoyorozu's lips parted as she twisted her head to address the prince, but a simple shake of Todoroki's head and a soft, no, had her pressing her lips together even though it seemed to pain her to do so.

That didn't seem to stop Fuyumi however who had pushed back her chair, risen to her feet and balled her hands into fists as she glared down at her brother. "Don't make him do this," she hissed out as Natsuo frowned at her.

He slammed down the cup he was holding, the alcohol sloshing over his fingers. "Why not?!" He roared. "Have you forgotten, that he's the reason our mother isn't here? After all, isn't it fair that the younger brother listens to his older one?"

Rage colored Fuyumi's skin as she opened her mouth with seemingly more to say, but there was a sardonic smile that stretched across Todoroki's lips as he reached up with his fingers to untie the knot that fastened the mask he wore to his face. "If that's what you wish brother."

From where Midoriya stood, he could see the trembling in Todoroki's fingers and hear the consternation that rumbled from his throat.

Midoriya didn't quite get the mixture of his own feelings that was rising in his chest as he slowly watched the white and gold mask slip from Todoroki's face, but as the prince lifted his head to expose the secret he'd been keeping from his brother and sister, his only desire was to never see someone—especially the crown prince—suffer the way he seemed to be suffering now.

Todoroki kept his eyes downcast to the table, even as his sister gasped in horror as she quickly raised her hands to her mouth in a mixture of shock and horror. Everyone else at the table, including the servants and the staff who could see his face looked petrified. A few of the women shouted words in Midoriya's native tongue that had him wincing as they stood up and fled the room.

Todoroki's fingers were trembling and his grip on his mask tightened as they all stared at the twisted and burnt scar of flesh that covered the left side of his face, seemingly stretching up from the edges of his hairline to just a little bit below his left eye. There was a redness to it, as if the flesh, despite being healed was still...wrong somehow.

"You're a monster," Natsuo seemed to breathe out, his words coming off as no more than a mere whisper despite the thick, cloying tension that filled the room, "no wonder dad made you the crown prince after all."

With trembling fingers, Todoroki bowed his head as he quickly tied his mask back onto his face, pushing his chair back as he did so, rising to his feet, turning and storming out of the room like a burgeoning storm. Without thinking, Midoriya's feet were chasing after him as he ran out into the hall. It didn't take long, as he found himself rounding corners, walking down flights of stairs, and traversing through the halls before he spotted the prince whose back was pressed to a wall and was doubled in on himself.

There was a hand pressed against his mouth as his shoulders shook, his eyes tightly pressed shut as his body seemed to shudder with some great emotional pain that Midoriya felt had slowly been peeled back for him to see tonight, but was partly brought on by the scorn and animosity that was twisted together with the brotherly love that Todoroki's brother felt for him.

He didn't know what to do or say, but lifted his right hand with some trepidation, paused and let his fingers curl inward to his palm even as he hesitantly reached out to softly touch Todoroki's shoulder.

That seemed to set him off as the prince whirled around to face Midoriya. His eyes bloodshot from the tears that streaked down his face, the whites of his teeth exposed mid-snarl. "What?! Have you come to take even more pleasure in knowing that this nation's heir is a disfigured monster?!"

Eyes widening at the self-flagellating words coming from Todoroki's mouth, Midoriya felt his stomach twist for seeing the prince in such a pitiful state. For the first time, Midoriya truly stared at him; stared at him in a way no servant had ever since the prince before. Too busy being blocked by the impenetrable wall of solid ice that separated everyone from Todoroki, he had been slowly observing the chips and cracks that had long existed in the wall before he had arrived—they were just too small that no one would have ever noticed them—that exposed the most vulnerable parts that the prince wanted no one to possess knowledge of. Knowledge that despite their close relationship, Midoriya expected that Yaoyorozu also wasn't privy to, despite her being the one who seemed to know the prince the most.

He saw Todoroki as a scared, fragile child, hurt by the world around him and those closest to him that he had once trusted with secrets that he was excited to freely share. He saw a child who spent years locking himself away, years beating himself up until there was nothing left inside of him except a hollow shell. He saw fear as a permanent fixture in a child's eyes, fear that no child should know, but for Todoroki it came with a sense of familiarity like a second skin.

Understanding burned in Midoriya's eyes, a sensation that wriggled in the back of his mind, giving him some clarity but far more questions behind Todroki's past and the anguished air that clung to any mentions of his mother. The shift in Midoriya's eyes seemed to set Todoroki off even more.

"Don't." The single word came out as a threatening growl as Todoroki thrust his face into Midoriya's personal space. Their noses were mere inches apart from one another; he could see the unshed tears burning in Todoroki's eyes.

"You're not a monster," he kept his eyes trained on Todoroki's bloodshot own, "I don't know what happened to you, but—"

"Shut up!" Midoriya winced as Todoroki's fingers dug into the soft flesh of his wrist, he could feel blood bubbling to the surface of his skin from the crescent-shaped welts that were burgeoning on his flesh.

"Your highness—" Eyes widening, Midoriya let out a shout as he wrenched his hand away from the prince's grasp. The odor of burnt flesh tickled his nose as he shakily stared at his wrist where Todoroki had grasped it. The flesh was a bright shade of pink overlaced with the crescent-shaped welts on the skin that wept thin lines of blood. Fixing his gaze on Todoroki, he was hardly surprised to see the complete look of utter shock that painted the prince's face mixed with a lethargy that belonged more to a battle-worn man than a prince who had just come of age.

"Now, do you see how much of a monster I truly am?"

Tearing his eyes away from the prince, Midoriya turned as he continued to clutch his injured arm. He took a step back and then another until he swiveled on his feet and was walking away from the prince, away from the broken sobs that reached his ears a second later. Away from the sound of the prince's soft wails as he cried out to his mother. Snatches of his apology to her resonating deep within Midoriya like the shallow bowls the priests would use during prayer ceremonies.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Mother, I'm so sorry.

Even as he squeezed his eyes shut to block out the words, he could still hear them. He could still hear them even as the distance between himself and Todoroki grew further apart.

A/N: All Hail the Glow Cloud, for horizontal lines are back! Also I'm back with a new chapter that's pretty dang long and should tide everyone over until the next chapter comes around. I'm sorry this one is full of angst and all I can say is things...aren't going to get better for awhile. In fact that just get way more painful.