Fandom 𝕯𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖑'𝖘 𝕭𝖆𝖈𝖐𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊 {Kiribaku FANTASY AU: DISCONTINUED}

[foxeyes]

When Bakugo offered Kirishima the blade and the other took it, he knew instantly that it was some sort of trigger. Trigger for what, he wasn't sure. But that power, that oddness...it was there tenfold with that sword in Eijiro's grip. The Knight seemed to be having some sort of conflict within himself, and it mesmerized Bakugo so much that he really only caught the ass-end of Kiri's question.

"Hm? Oh, fuck, I dunno. Supposed to have been made by some famous blacksmith though. Forged with dragon fire and all that bullshit, I never listen to anything the Queen says." He waved his hand dismissively, but was cut off by how distracting Kirishima was acting. The Knight was staring in such awe like he'd never seen a sword before. Sure, this one was a one of kind blade, but still...

And then the fucker keened. Bakugo froze and his blood pressure started to rise as he tried to figure out how exactly he was supposed to react to that sound. It had been so...so helpless. Like he was in physical pain. Katsuki looked from the sword, to Kirishima's face to the sword and back again. He was so close to figuring it out, but still the answer evaded him. Maybe the guy was some sort of kleptomaniac? No, that didn't seem right. But still...

He couldn't take the expression of longing in Eijiro's face anymore and he leaned back on his palms, frowning in a way that was more thoughtful than angry. "You can keep it, if you like." He never used the damn thing. And it was something that demanded use. If there were any suitable hands to wield it, why shouldn't they be the hands meant to protect him? He almost gagged at himself for being so disgustingly sentimental and generous about the whole thing, even if it was only logical. He just wanted the guy to stop making that face. (He wanted to stop thinking it was cute. Fucking horrifying, that feeling was.)

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Eiji's eyes shouldn't have been able to get any wider, but they did once Bakugo explained the origin. Bullshit?! No! This wasn't bullshit this was....this was extraordinary! A blade forged with dragon fire? This thing was powerful! And he was just letting it sit on his desk as a decoration?! Did no one teach him the ways of the ancient dragons? His ancestors? Or what a blade forged with a dragons flame could do?! They weren't too hard to find where Eijiro was from, considering his whole village was made up of all dragons, but outside of their little kingdom based way further south than where any human civilization would even dare to settle, it was rare.

But even then, being in an area surrounded by dragons and forging their own dragon-flamed weapons, only a few knew how to properly forge a long-lasting, and a good, powerful blade; based on the teachings of the ancients. And only a few knew those practices. Most of the dragon-flamed weapons produced in his village were mildly powerful, stronger than a human-forged weapon, but not as strong as expertise forged dragon-flamed weapons. They didn't last as long, and the mana infused within them from the flames was fairly limited, while the expertise weapons were beyond that. The mana and power they could hold were indescribable. Not to mention, it all relied on a wielder too, and their skill level of wielding.

This blade was probably a rare one for both species if made correctly.

No wonder he had been so drawn to it. Of course, most of it had been because it was a shiny new artifact but, something about holding this blade just felt right. It made him purr internally.

He'd have to ask Queen Mitsuki about it himself if Bakugo wasn't so interested in it. "Did....she give a name? Or say where the sword was made?" He asked, his voice low, but full of seriousness and genuine curiosity as he continued his inspection.

Bakugo wasn't far fetched from the idea of Eiji being a kleptomaniac. Most dragons were, actually. It just took a lot of self-control and moral training to break them of their instinctual habits. Eijiro had learned early on to be careful of his habits, thanks to a few incidents as a hatchling. So his self-control was pretty good, minus a few situations here and there...

Eijiro's eyes snapped over to Bakugo as his mouth fell slack open. "H..have...it? Seriously?" He couldn't believe his ears, and he stared back and forth between the blade and the prince, unable to believe it. "Are you sure? Your mom gave it to you .. and and it seems pretty... pretty sentimental... " He stuttered over his words, trying to block out the happy churrs his dragon was making internally in his head, trying to force their way out of his own throat. 'Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!', the voice chanted over and over, making Eijiro twist his face up in slight annoyance as he turned away from the prince and gave a silent curse to try and shut his damned self up.

He placed the sword on his lap as he brought his hands to hair and seemed to ruffle his hair a little around his temple, lowering his head a little. He stayed like that for just a moment, before straightening up, like nothing had just happened. He looked down to the sword, very carefully running his fingers over the engravings.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki shrugged and tilted his head to the side as he watched Kiri examine the blade. He narrowed his eyes in question, watching the Knight's face carefully and trying to decipher each emotion on it. He wasn't getting anywhere with it, really, but he could try. With a lazy smile, one that came easily but he rarely used, he chuckled, "Why, you think you know them or something?" With a snort, he waved his hand once again dismissively, "Actually, it's a long story. I used to have this, uh...this friend. He had a lot of connections, made friends easily, all that shit." His mood started to sour just thinking about that fucking Deku and he rid himself of the thoughts entirely, "I don't really wanna talk about it."

When he offered Kiri the sword, the other's face lit up so brightly in awe and disbelief that he had to just stare for a moment. And then his face went through a million different expressions and he scrubbed at his head like maybe a bee was trapped in there somewhere. Bakugo blinked in confusion. What the fuck was going on? He reached out for a second, but then withdrew his hand and fisted it into the blankets. Everyone was the way they were for a reason, and Eijiro didn't seem like he was going to admit to his anytime soon. He wouldn't push, for now. "I mean, yeah it's a cool sword and all, but. I don't use it, I have my own." He refused to use any other sword. "It shouldn't lay around getting all dusty. You look like you just pissed yourself with excitement at just getting to hold the damn thing, so yeah, you can have it. I hope-," He paused, looking down with as bashful an expression as Bakugo could have while looking kind of angry at the same time. He didn't complete his sentence. I hope you never have to use it.

With an exhausted sigh, he reached up to scrub at his eyes, finally feeling the day wearing on him. He fell back against the bed again and screwed up his face, closing his eyes against the darkness. When he let his air of confidence and harsh elegance (because it was elegance even as it was crude) fall away, he just looked like a teenager that didn't get enough sleep. He didn't. Get enough sleep, that is. He knew he wasn't going to be sleeping that night, without even attempting to, he knew. Maybe that's why he wasn't so keen on kicking Kirishima out anymore. Though one thing he didn't want the other to witness was what happening when he did fall asleep. He frowned, overwhelmed by self hatred and shame and dug his nails into the soft plush of his mattress. "It's yours, just take it. If I don't see that fucker strapped to you tomorrow, I'll punch you." He could usually come up with better threats, but his words were coming out as almost pure mumble at this point.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Kiri finally looked back to Bakugo, studying him as he spoke. The lazy smile made Kiri's chest swell again for what felt like the millionth time today. He couldn't deny the thought that Bakugo was pretty damn good looking. He'd pointed it out to himself when he first saw him, and he'd probably continue pointing it out every day. There was nothing harming in doing so, right?
He gave a slow nod, looking a bit disheartened that he wasn't able to learn the maker of the sword or its origin, but he'd find out later he decided. "Mmmmmmmm, okay. I mean... I might? I've heard of certain blacksmiths working with ou... outrageous techniques and dragon flames. . " Shit. He'd almost fucked up there, but covered it quickly. "But if you don't really wanna get into the past with that friend of yours, that's fine! Sounds like an asshole anyhow if he's an ex-friend." He concluded simply as he went to go grab the sheath from Bakugo's lap. He could sense the sourness radiating off the blond now.

He gave a loud laugh to the last statement as he slipped the sword back into its sheath, setting it next to him. he didn't question the incomplete sentence, figuring he might already know the ending of it. OR he could be entirely wrong. Whatever it probably wasn't important. He leaned back onto his palms to stare at Baku over his shoulder, giving a toothy grin. Shit, that bashfully angry face! It was, dare he say, adorable!!

He let the grin stay on his face as he stared Bakugo down again, taking in his tired state. With the sun fully setting and the moon taking its place, it casted a new light into the room, faintly outlining things in its wake. Bakugo's form, and his too probably, was currently being bathed in darkness and the soft glow of moonlight. But that didn't really effect Eijiro too badly. He could see better in the dark than most. Not entirely able to see clearly, but also not blind as a bat as most humans were when the darkness first set in.

Ei's smile softened a little, realizing sadly, that Bakugo was a kid. Just like him. A kid that had to grow up way too fast because of the world around them and because of the responsibilities he had to upkeep, or even the unknown shit that they'd probably been through. It would explain why Bakugo carried himself the way he did around others. And now, he was letting his guard down around Eiji, whether he wanted to or not. The tiredness the other showed was completely evident as he stared at him. The glow of the moonlight softened Katsuki's face, showing the tiredness of prince in full effect. It seemed like he was even more tired than he actually put off now that Kiri stared. Not only that but the frown Bakugo gave reflected in the moon light. Kiri wondered what exactly was going on through that head of his, but decided not to pry. He'd open up when he was ready, maybe.

A gentle chuckle came from him as he grabbed his new blade and stood up off the side of the bed.

"Thanks, Prince Bakugo... I promise you won't have to punch me tomorrow over this sword. And even if you do, just know I'll punch your ass right back." He teased softly as he stared down at the sheathed scabbard. "...Try and get some sleep, you look and sound worn out.. I'll be keeping watch by the door.."

The knight went and shut the balcony doors, and then placed the scabbard on the desk gently. He'd have to switch to a cross belt harness to carry both swords, he concluded. Or just replace the standard one for now. That would probably be easier for him until he could somehow get a matching pair. Dueling two different kinds of swords wouldn't do. Eijiro took his place by the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the wall across from him as he immersed himself into his thoughts, letting a silence come over him as he became nothing but a figure in the shadow.

 

[foxeyes]

"Ugh, don't call me Prince in private." Bakugo muttered angrily, rolling over so that he was facing away from the Knight but not bothering to get under the covers. Why bother, when he wasn't gonna spend very much time sleeping anyways. "Katsuki is fine, I don't care about formality if you're my people." When Bakugo said my people, he didn't mean part of the court, he didn't even mean blood relation. It was something that he'd mostly let slip out on accident as his mind went fuzzy with exhaustion.

He lay there, back to Kirishima, for quite a while before he finally spoke again in a voice that suggested he wasn't really all that awake, "By the way, that vow of sacrifice doesn't mean shit to me. So if you even think about giving up your life for me, I'll kill you myself." It seemed he had started to fall asleep on the last part of that sentence and he didn't speak again afterwards.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Kiri stared at the bed in shock, though a grin tugged at his lips silently. Already to a first-name basis by the end of the night? That was a personal record for him. And being called....his people, that made his smile even larger, even if no one else could see it. "Alright, Katsuki..."
'My people.' Kirishima wasn't even really sure who 'those people' were, but he seemed relieved to be apart of that grouping of individuals. Bakug....Katsuki... was just as he thought. Nothing like his mother said. Okay. maybe somewhat of what she had said was, but not nearly to the extent she had made it out to be yesterday.

He thought the prince had finally dozed off until his voice sounded out through the silence, threatening him over his promise from earlier.

Easier said than done was that half-asleep statement of attempted threats....
He'd pledged loyalty under those conditions. He had no choice but to follow through if it came down to it. There was no real way to...take it back. Once a dragon pledged their loyalty, that was it. Kinda like how some species only mated for life, dragons too, dragons were eternally tied to things once making a pledge of loyalty. So even if they did deem him useless later on, he would, in fact, become useless after the fact. He knew that. And yet, he accepted it anyway. Knowing there was a fat possibility this wouldn't be forever-lasting and he'd be damned to a life of more suffering afterwards. A possibility of a lonely death. It was just a chance he had to take. He wasn't even really sure why Bakugo had stated that. Not when hours before he had told him to stay out of his way..
There was more to this guy than not even his own mother knew.

Ei sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he quietly responded,

"Got that noted, Katsuki. G'luck with that."

And then, silence.

Silence enveloped them like a blanket as Kats finally went to sleep. Ei used this opportunity to quietly sit himself down on the ground, pulling his knees to his chest, allowing his thoughts to take over as he forced himself awake, determined to stay awake all night. Not because he didn't trust Bakugo not to sneak off, but because he was growing weary. Red eyes cast downwards to the floor as he waited. Waiting for whatever.

Slowly but surely, despite how hard he fought off the urge, Ei's eyelids grew heavy with sleep, and before he knew it, he too succumbs to his sleepy desires.

 

[foxeyes]

It really didn't take long, in hindsight. Just a couple of hours, really. Just long enough for the moon to fully rise in the sky, but no further than that. That was when Katsuki started to scream.

The nightmares weren't the only reason he didn't sleep at night, but they sure didn't fucking help. This one in particular was new, something unfamiliar. Unfamiliar in some aspects, at least. He was a child, six. And it was still that day. That day he'd had to be saved by that stupid fucking Deku.

A hand grabbed him by the throat, a hand larger than his entire face. His voice cut off, he tugged at it. There was no purchase, he was six. Another hand came out and it glinted with light and he accepted his fate as he did everytime he relived this moment.

But the moment where Deku was supposed to come out of nowhere, supposed to attack his assailant and give them both the time to run. It never showed up. The knife grew closer, no one came to stop it. He was actually gonna...

And then that's where the dream took it's unfamiliar turn. Because this time, instead of Deku, it was Kirishima there. And he was trying to save him. But instead of both of them being able to flee, Kirishima just let the attacker stab him. And he was dying. And there was blood on Katsuki.

The memory of Midoriya resurfaced, but with Kirishima's face. That same smile, though. That fucking smile. You have an important life to live, Ka-chan. It's my responsibility to make sure you stay alive. This kingdom depends on it.

Those words. They were always the catalyst. Usually, he could go a few weeks without a nightmare. Sometimes he could go months. But now...

He screamed, not fully awake and not fully asleep either. His entire body tensed and his hands came up to claw at his arms, even as stretching the muscles in his injured hand made it ache terribly. At least, he didn't cry. He'd stopped crying altogether when he was eight.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

He woke with a start to the blood-curdling scream, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword on instinct, and immediately withdrawing the blade as he took to his feet without a second thought.

Within a split second, Eijrio gave a scan to the room, eyes wide in the darkness. Despite the surprise on his face, his body language showed that he was ready to fight off whatever danger had crept into this room and threatened the being he was protecting.

A low growl escaped his throat before he realized that it was still just Katsuki and him. Just the two of them still, in the room. Nothing else. So that meant...

Glowing eyes pierced the darkness as he looked to the thrashing prince, realizing just enough to figure out what was happening.

His feet carried him over to the bed as quickly as they possibly could while sheathing the sword back to his hip, crawling his way onto the bed to try and calm the thrashing male.

"Katsuki...Katsuki!" He hissed out in a loud whisper, gently placing his hands on him and gently trying to shake him awake, hovering over him. "Katsuki, wake up! It's just a dream."

Concern was written as plain as day across the red-heads' face as he tried to wake the prince from whatever hell he was going through right now, shushing him quietly with small words of comfort. He pulled the other up against his thrashing in an attempt to hug Katsuki against him tightly, hoping that might help drag him out of it, too. Having someone present physically. Holding him. Comforting him physically.

At least, that always seemed to work for him when he was younger...

"It's alright. You'll be alright. It's a dream. You're safe, I promise. I promise. I'm here . . .I'm here. . ."

It felt strange saying that, but it just kind of..slipped from him. Something about saying that just felt right against his tongue, despite its foreignness and the strangeness. He wasn't even sure if that made much sense.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki didn't wake immediately, but when he did, his eyes flew open wide and his hand darted out of view for a second. All he was aware of was the fact that his dream and reality had not yet separated and there was someone touching him, hovering over him.

With the strength of a cornered animal, he broke free of the hug, tossed Kirishima off of him with one leg and changed their positions so that he had the other's legs pinned, his wrists in a hold above his head and a knife seemingly pulled from nowhere against his throat. With his attacker successfully subdued (or as Katsuki thought him to be), the Prince let out a menacing sound, breaths coming out rapidly and eyes glinting with fear, sure, but mostly with rage. Like he was too used to this to be very afraid anymore and like it was just starting to piss him off at this point.

But as his hand moved and the knife pressed further into Kirishima's skin, his eyes managed to adjust somewhat to the dark. Right. Fuck. His mind came back from wherever it had been and slowly, his eyes went from wild to slitted with lazy exhaustion, the fight going out of them.

"Fuck." He sighed, stifling a yawn and rolling off of Kirishima to plop on his back with an irritated noise. He pushed himself up and shuffled off the bed, taking the knife with him. He stormed over to the balcony doors and opened them. "Rule number one, don't fucking touch me without permission." Though he sounded angrier at himself than at Kirishima, the words had bite to them and his expression said murder. "Rule number two, not a word." He was referencing the entire situation with the screaming. He was so fucking embarrassed, despite himself. And it pissed him off because Bakugo was never embarrassed about anything.

He cursed to himself and tapped the knife against his leg, not looking at Kirishima. He meant to say more, but couldn't bear to be in the room anymore, instead walking out and slamming the door behind him. He had let his guard down too much. Had relaxed too much. Had fallen asleep and didn't even consider what might happen. Fucking idiot!

He slipped off the balcony and headed through the maze of garden plants near the bottom, searching for the outer wall that lead out of the castle grounds that he knew would be there waiting for him. Fuck his mother's wishes, he was gonna make everyone remember exactly why she'd given him a guard in the first place.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

A loud yelp sounded out from Eijiro as he was suddenly tossed down onto the mattress and pinned, something he definitely hadn't expected at that moment. "Katsuki!" He gasped out as if the breath was knocked from him, but he was just really fucking shocked.

He froze to the familiar chilling feeling of a blade against his warm skin, body tensing. Eijiro raised his chin up a little the more Bakugo pressed the blade in, Kirishima giving a small swallow, the knife dangerously close to slicing his skin clean open.

They locked eyes in the darkness, Eijiro not even attempting to fight him back despite how angrily the voice in his head said to, accepting the fate of almost being murdered by the prince's own hands.

Where had that strength come from? Katsuki undoubtedly looked strong, but by the gods, Ei hadn't been expecting that! But the rage mixed with fear in the eye of the man above him, looking like petrified prey, chilled him to the bone. Ei's own breathing picked up as he fought the instinct to throw the other off him and lay his own blade across him; the growl that tried forcing its self from his throat cutting off once Ei realized he was doing it. No danger. He wasn't in danger. It was just Katsuki, terrified of his dream. He didn't want to hurt him, he wanted to comfort. Regardless of what the dragon part wanted to do, Ei knew exactly what he wanted to do.

The rest happened all too fast. Katsuki rolling off him, heading to the balcony before Ei could even properly sit himself up. And even when he did, he flinched back the moment Bakugo snapped at him again. Heat flared upon his face as he stayed put, guilt crashing over himself as he realized the mistake he had made just now. He'd let himself get too personal, too comfortable way too quickly. He wasn't supposed to be personal or comfortable, not with the prince. Not this one, anyhow. His eyes unfocused as the doors to the balcony were yanked open, Eijiro slowly bringing himself up into a sitting position.

His skin jumped to the slam and it snapped him back to reality. Ei stared to the door and cursed in his native tongue, scrambling up out of the bed to yank the balcony door open, and peer out to see where the hell this guy was going. Ei stared over the edge of the balcony, leaning over dangerously close to falling, his red eyes scanning the ground below. Despite the guilty feeling clawing at him and telling him to just leave it be, Ei knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't just sit back and allow the prince to run.

Fuck! The queen was going to fucking kill him herself! It was the first night and he had already failed his promise! Eijiro let a snarl rip out from his own throat as he threw himself off the edge finally, deciding to just search the ground below by foot. He rolled a little as he landed, wincing slightly. That would hurt later on, but he didn't care. Ei scrambles up to his feet and began searching the garden, not really knowing where the hell he was going. He focused on his sense of smell, trying to pick up the scent of the prince from the little time they had spent together. It took a bit, but he managed to pick it up and followed it, his eyes going to slits yet again as he allowed the dragon side of him to take over that sense.

His nose scrunched up as he deciphered the multiple scents entering his nose, trying to pinpoint them as he wandered through the garden. He hissed out, finally deciding to speak out into the night, hoping maybe he would respond, or if he would even hear it.

"Katsuki!"

 

[foxeyes]

Bakugo heard Kirishima call out to him through a little bit farther back in the garden. He'd already pulled himself up onto the wall and was crouched there, one leg pulled under him and the other swinging off the side freely. It was a bit of a drop and with his injured hand, climbing down wasn't going to be as easy as it usually was...

So he decided to wait until Kirishima grew closer, because he knew he wasn't going to outrun the guy. The fact that he was even navigating the gardens as well as he was, when Katsuki knew he'd never seen them before...yeah, he wasn't getting far.

Kirishima wasn't too far off from him now, so he spoke into the night. Somehow, he knew the other would hear him, even as his voice was pitched low. "Did she even tell you why you're here? Did she even tell you what I did?" He scoffed to himself, gripping the knife even harder in his hand, like he was reminding himself it was there.

He watched the ground below, the drop beneath him. He focused on the breeze, feeling his nightmare beginning to fade away, finally. He laid down on his back, hand with the knife dangling over the edge and the other resting across his chest. He stared up at the sky, face impassive. "Do you even care that your life is just being signed away under the guise of freedom? What about the fact that I am obviously not the person anyone wants to fucking spend day and night having to look at, having to deal with? You didn't even fight me! Would you really just let me slit your throat like that?" He tried his best to keep his voice down, but Kirishima's presence, even though it had only been one night...

He felt water on his face and his frown deepened slightly. So it was going to rain, huh? His jaw clenched and he huffed, "I'm not a good person, Kirishima. The quicker you figure that out, the better. Because you're gonna try and be my fucking friend and then I'm gonna disappoint you."

 

[HarijTheMoth]

It didn't take long at all for him to track the running prince, walking around a bush before spotting the blond on top of the wall. Eiji was quick to dilate his eyes to normal, staring up as he listened to his voice lowly call out to him with his words. He furrowed up his eyebrows, frowning up at him as he stood at the base of the wall. He reached up like he was going to grab him as Katsuki moved to lay down, afraid that he might tip over and fall off the side. He breathed a small bit of relief as Katsuki settled.

"No. . .she didn't tell me, but I don't care what you did, Katsuki. That doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm here now, whether it be because of what you did or because she genuinely wants to keep you safe. I don't know if you've realized this yet or not but. I'd rather be here than in the ring. Anyday."

"Did you or you mother even question why I was there? In the ring? Did it even cross your mind that there's a chance I'm as much of a criminal as the rest of those people there? That maybe I'm not a good person either?

Katsuki, I've killed people. Most of them, probably innocent. Hundreds of them, just to ensure I survived. I have blood on my hands that I wish I didn't have. I've faced men three times my size. Three times my age. So whatever law you broke or whatever you've done. I don't care. And if you think I can't handle you, you're wrong. Dead wrong. "

He stared up, his eyes hard as he spoke honestly. Eijiro shifted further down the wall before climbing up himself to sit a few feet apart. He was giving him space. Space so as not to accidentally touch him. Eijiro stayed crouched on the wall as he took in the sight on the other side.

"I'm freer here than I could ever be being a gladiator. My life was signed away in that ring, too y'know. For an entirely different purpose and goal. In fact, I wouldn't even call that a life, it was just hell. No one truly lived, Katsuki. It was just trying to get to breathe for another day, with another price, with another person's blood on your hands. Nothing to gain but another day to open your eyes and do it all over again." He went quiet for a moment, gathering his words. "You have no freedom in the ring. This freedom I have with following you around? It's all I could ask for. Of course, I'd jump on an opportunity to be out in the open again without having to worry about a blade to my throat every time I stepped out, even if it meant signing my life away to someone else for some other reason." He turned his gaze to Bakugo now, eyeing him.

"And at least I'm signing my life away for a good reason. Hell, I wouldn't even call it signing my life away. I see it as having signed up for a chance at having a life by doing this. Your mother gave me this. Something I couldn't have there, I can have here. Even if I have to follow you around and keep you from getting killed. This life is better than anything that ring could offer. I'd choose this a million times over if I needed to. 'Sides. .. you're not so bad, Katsuki. Compared to the people I've had to go against? You're nothing compared to them. In a criminal sense, I mean."
Another pause.

"So yes, if you went to kill me, I'd accept that fate, Katsuki. Because maybe I deserve it. And I wouldn't dare throw my blade up against you. My job is to protect you, not fight or defy you. That's it. So if you came at me, yes. I'd stand there. Because that's my job when it boils down to it."


He sighed, looking up to the night sky.

" . . . " Right. The whole friendship thing. He should've figured.

"Look, I won't force anything on you. If you don't wanna be friends, then fine. I'll stand in the background and watch your every move like I'm intended to do. If you just want this to stay professional and non-personal, then fine. I'm okay with that. It's what I signed up for and agreed to anyhow.
I just ... being alone for the past two years with no one to trust around you can really fuck you up. So I figured trying to be friends with someone who's my age, the first person my age I've seen in YEARS, might be better for us both than us acting like we have to stay formal all the time and keep our separate lives. And I'm not saying this to ...to guilt trip you! I'm just being honest with you here, dude. And maybe talking with you earlier convinced my dumbass self thinking we were friends, even though you stated in the corridors yourself we weren't. I get ... I go a bit overboard sometimes. So I'll apologize now and leave you to it. I won't keep being persistent about it." Okay, may a bit of a lie on that last statement. That wasn't really guaranteed from him. He was a friendly guy! It couldn't be helped. "But you won't disappoint me, no matter what you think. I may get disappointed easily, but never with someone else. It's just not who I am. I'd rather cheer someone on than have them think I'd want nothing to do with them. . .

And jsut so you know before you get any ideas, I'm not letting you leave tonight. Even if I have to knock your ass out and drag you back through the front gates. I will. "

He stared back at Katsuki, frowning with a semi-neutral face, or an attempted one. The frown really gave it away as the rain fell gently on them.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki listened to Kirishima as he spoke, genuinely listening. Usually, he was so loudmouthed and rash, that it was hard to tell him anything. But there was something about the way Kirishima spoke, his power and presence, that compelled him to listen.

The rain was gentle, falling lightly on them and Katsuki blinked against it, his mind working overtime. As much as he had trouble saying what he was thinking, he was always thinking. He was always considering.

When Kirishima came up to sit on the wall too, Bakugo made note of how far away the Knight chose to perch himself. With a sigh, he righted himself so he could look at Kirishima head on, "I used to have," His face twisted up as he tried to force the words out. He was so bad at this. "I...There was someone before you, is what I'm trying to say." He crossed his legs and held his knife up to watch water droplets collect on the blade. "He didn't die or anything. But he could have." He lifted his gaze to Kirishima's and then abruptly looked down at his hands again, his eyes going bright with what might have looked like anger, but was actually some Bakugo version of pain, "I can't bear to look at you because it's like looking at someone who's already dead. I'm a horrible person, my own mother calls me a monster, but I don't want to see you die, Kirishima. I don't wanna like you, don't wanna end up caring, if you're-" He opened his mouth, closed it, and then abruptly stood up so he could force there to be less distance between them. "I know I said don't touch me, but fuck." He sat down just a few inches from Kirishima and knocked him lightly on the shoulder. He was trying his best to keep looking at the Knight, despite the feelings he'd just voiced.

He stared, hard, at Kirishima as if his brain wasn't working for the longest time before he reached up to knock himself on the forehead a few times and scrub at his hair, jaw clenched. And when he was done with that, he returned his gaze to Eijiro with what was probably his most murderous expression yet, though it was entirely self-aimed.

"Kirishima, I am shit at this."

 

[HarijTheMoth]

The frown fell away once Katsuki sat up and started to speak about ...someone else? AS in another guard before him? A Friend? A possible lover? He couldn't quite place it, but he didn't question it right now. Instead, he kept himself from trying not to chuckle at Katsuki's attempt. It was ... kinda cute. Funny watching him struggle with his emotions like it was a tricky wine bottle to force open. His eyes flickered to every movement Katsuki made, taking it all in.

He nodded slowly, showing his acknowledgment... so... it wasn't that Katsuki was mad at him? But himself? At the idea of. . .of getting close to him only to have him...die?

He was scared to have him die. .. ?

Eijiro was ...stunned to hear that. No one had ever really admitted that to him. He cared if he died? This boisterous, courageous, hardheaded man cared about whether or not he died ... and it made his heart leap a little. And it leaped a little higher hearing that there was a possibility of Katsuk admitting that he would care or even like him... he just... Kiri understood now.


Katsuki didn't hate him. He just didn't want to get close to someone and have them taken away. No matter if it was even just a friend. And it seemed he had cared about the friend or whoever it was beforehand...and the way he talked about them, made it sound like they were no longer in Bakugo's life. He felt a bit of sympathy for him, as well as a feeling of understanding.

Kirishima gave a soft smile,. "But I'm not dead, Katsuki. Regardless if that contract states I protect you to the end of my life, I won't go down without a fight! I won't just stand there as your shield, blocking you. I'll be defending you. Helping you! The contract doesn't deem me a dead man, just remember that. It just.. it means I'm at higher risk! I'm not doomed, not like I would be at the ring! 'Sides! I can't go down as easily as you think. Two years fighting badasses and taking them down?! That's gotta be a skill right there! If that doesn't prove to you I can't handle this, then I'll just have to prove it some other way!" His voice softened up, gaining its usual energetic tone, just at a lower notch. It was late, after all. "And don't listen to your mom... You're not a monster...you're far...far...far from it. You're a good guy, Katsuki. I respect you." 'I'm the real monster here.', is what he wanted to say, feeling a pang in his chest before he watched as Katsuki stood up and shifted over to him.

To the knock on his shoulder, Kiri let out a little giggle only to yelp a little as he had to catch himself from falling in his crouched position. He was quick to properly sit down on his ass, swinging his legs over the outer wall. His smile returned, just a bit brighter. And when he looked to Bakugo and watched him physically vent his frustration by hitting his head, he couldn't help but snort out a tiny laugh, his shoulders shaking and a small flush to his cheeks.

"Dude, you're doing fine! Don't beat yourself up over it! I get it, trust me ... Nothing's gonna tear me down so easily, you can bet your ass on that one! And you're a good person, I swear. You have a heart. You proved it just now, don't let your mom convince you otherwise. She just doesn't get it. You guys have a terrible relationship, even I can see that. And I'm a dumbass! So don't let her get to you. Parent's aren't always right." He placed a hand on Katsuki's shoulder to show him a bit of comfort and show that he understood again. and then he scrunched his face up at the blond and prodded the side of his bicep, despite the murderous look he was being given in his direction. At this point, he didn't care. He was just trying to figure out how to read the guy.
"Oi, I don't think it's fair I get to call you Katsuki and you're still calling me 'Kirishima'! Just call me Eijiro. Or Eiji. Or Ei!. . . .you know what, call me whatever y'want! I don't care."

By now, Kiri's hair was starting to dampen and hang down from its already messy up-do, having gone messy in his sleep earlier, but now it was falling back into its natural state. He reached up to ruffle his own hair to try and fix it some, but it only made it worse. Kiri puffed his cheeks up, letting out a soft noise of annoyance as he finally just said screw it under his breath and flattened his hair.

 

[foxeyes]

As Kirishima spoke, Katsuki couldn't help the relaxing of his tense muscles, the way his menacing glare was beginning to fade slowly. He watched the Knight's face as he spoke, the way his lips curled when he smiled and then laughed, the way he gestured. It reminded him so much of the idiot Deku, but at the same time it was so different. As Kirishima went on, Katsuki noticed that he wasn't faking his words, that he wasn't inching away from the Prince or trying to appease him. It settled something inside of him, to know that Kirishima meant every word. And he wanted to believe him, too. Because he knew there was a power inside the Knight that he didn't quite understand yet, but knew was unwavering all the same. He wanted to be able to trust in that power.

When Kiri put a hand on his shoulder, he tensed and his mouth twitched like he might have been going to snarl, but he forced himself to relax. His skin burned, even through his clothes, everywhere that Kirishima touched him. (Again, he hadn't been held enough as a baby and all that bullshit, but really? Was his craving for affection this pathetic?) When Kirishima poked him and teased him about his formality, he snorted and rolled his eyes.

"How about dumbass?" He snarked back on instinct, but then immediately scolded himself internally before once again glaring in self-hatred, "I didn't mean that. You're not a dumbass, I'll kill you if you call yourself that again." Bakugo was maybe...a little intense when he was trying to be supportive. No one had ever taught him how.

When Kiri- when Eijiro had noticed the way the rain was beginning to mess with his stupid hairstyle and started to try and fix it, that was when Katsuki noticed that his own hair was damp and hanging into his eyes and that his clothes were starting to soak through. But he didn't care, really. The rain was always welcome against his skin, never phased him. He could spend hours in a downpour.

So that's why when Eijiro finally gave up and just flattened out his hair, that Katsuki didn't need to blink the rainwater out of his eyes when he started to stare at the Knight with that intensity. In that only Bakugo kind of intensity where his eyes burned and his nose screwed up and there was a grimace on his lips. But slowly, as he continued to watch rivulets of water run down Eijiro's skin, his face started to relax and he swallowed, clenching his jaw shut.

He wasn't an idiot, he knew what he was feeling. It was attraction. The problem was he didn't know why he was feeling it, didn't know why his hormones bothered. It infuriated him and yet, at the same time, he couldn't stop himself from letting out all the air from his lungs like he'd been kicked. It was a soft sound that eminated from him, and as soon as he made it, he wished he hadn't. Catching himself, his gaze darted away from Eijiro, out at the landscape and his murder face returned full force.

"Looks better like that." He couldn't resist a small grumble, even as he refused to look at Eijiro.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Kirishima gave an eye roll, the grin staying plastered to his face as Katsuki called him a dumbass, only to stare at him as he threatened his death over the word. He scoffed, swinging his legs a little and laughing at his facial expression.

"I'm only being honest! Things fly over my head all the time. But I just go with it at this point rather than being embarrassed!"

The tension of the other was starting to warm up to him, and Eijiro found himself not really mind it as much. That was just Bakugo, who couldn't figure out how to express himself. It made Eijiro feel a little better now that he understood why Katsuki reacted the way he did. Now he knew not to really take it to heart when the other scowled or frowned. It was just him trying to work through his emotions and figure out what he was feeling. So it was really nothing personal, despite how intense his gaze was right now, and it only took him a day to realize it! He was pretty proud of his perception skills for a moment there, they'd definitely improved.

Eijiro closed his eyes for a moment as he continued to flatten his hair, using both of his gloved hands as he tried to make it at least a bit presentable. He didn't seem to mind the rain himself and was actually enjoying it. It felt nice on his constantly overly-warm skin. It was just his hair that was really an issue when wet. It never wanted to stay up the way he wanted, which was the only sucky part.

He paused feeling eyes on him and turned his head a little to gaze towards the blond, catching just a glimpse of his stare until he looked away.

"Hm?" He questioned while putting his hands back down against the wall. His head gave a small tilt, hair cascading down with the tilt. Whatever strands were placed on the opposite side, stuck to his skin and the side of his face thanks to the rain. It gave his hair that stringy wet look, clumping together in awkward groups and strands. Kiri gave a small look of curiosity as Katsuki squeaked out a sound, one that was undeniably cute to his ears. Not to mention, the brief moments of when Katsuki relaxed his face being just as cute and charming. The relaxed state of his face suited him, and if only he could tell him that. Not to mention the brief period he had caught him smiling. Fuck. It had only been a day, and Eijiro was already noting these things about him. He was falling for this prince, whether he realized it now or not.

Seriously, how had he not been married off yet?

Maybe his mother just didn't want that battle. Or maybe she just didn't follow that tradition. It was a little relieving to know he wasn't if he had to be honest. It made him feel a bit better in talking with him, which was kind of weird now that he thought about it. Why did it matter if he was or not? That surely wouldn't affect the ability of them being able to talk the way they were.

He reached up to brush some of the hair out of his eyes as the centerpiece bang clung to the right side of his face. "What? Oh! My hair?! Do you really think so? I think it looks pretty....bland when it's down." He hummed out quietly, looking away to hide the growing flush to his cheeks and rather turned his face up to the sky to let the droplets fall unevenly against his features. Small 'tings!' sounded as droplets hit the metal of his armour and sword hilt, which was actually quite soothing to the ear.

"You're making that face again." He suddenly commented, peeking an eye open to stare at the other out of the corner of his eye. "You look like you're ready to slit someone's throat. What's the matter? is the rain pissing you off?"Kirishima's lips now tugged up in a snarky smile, hinted with a playfulness to it as he teased him, finding it quite easy to do so.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki turned his head away even more, facing forward but tucking his chin into his shoulder so that there was no chance of Kirishima seeing the half angry half embarrassed flush to his cheeks. "Everything pisses me off, in case you haven't figured that out by now. It's just my face, there's no reason." His words came out rushed and sort of hissed, hands clutching at the stone underneathe them.

He still didn't bother to wipe the rain out of his eyes or to even move his hair from hanging into them as the rain continued to fall harder. He shivered once and glanced down at the goosebumps appearing on his skin, appreciating the coolness the rain was bringing. Rain was one of those very rare things that, despite his earlier statement, didn't piss him off. It was one of those things that calmed his constantly raging fire, made his muscles go slack and that mean look on his face temporarily disappear. Though, usually, no one would be around to witness it.

He sighed, not out of frustration but relaxation and tilted his head to look up at the sky. A few stars poked out from the otherwise cloudy view, and his eyes attempted to track them. It was without realizing it, that he smiled.

It wasn't like his usual smiles (full of sinister intent), it wasn't even particularly like his rare ones. It was small. It was one he wasn't trying to make and one he didn't know was there. "I used to come out here all the time when I was trying to be bad, as a kid. 'Cuz no one could find me. Figures you fucking would, I guess." He shrugged and glanced at Eijiro out of the corner of his eye, chuckling and losing his train of thought, "Sorry, I know I said better, but you look like something the cat dragged in, here-" Without thinking, as were most of the innocent things Katsuki did, he reached out and tucked the wet strands attempting to obscure Kirishima's vision behind his ear and gave an eye roll, going back to staring at the sky, "So, I was supposed to tell you after the Induction, but there's a fancy banquet tonight and the royal bitch demands our attendance, so I hope you're ready to kiss some serious ass." Katsuki watched as the moon was starting to leave its spot in the sky. It was still early morning, but daylight would be approaching soon.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

"I figured that out the moment you told me to fuck off." He gave a small passive look, deadpanning a little as he turned his face towards him completely, though he didn't really mean anything by it. He gently knocked Katsuki's shoulder with a fist.

"Resting bitch face kinda guy? I knew someone like that back home. He used to scare all the kids whenever he walked around the village, he'd spout things of 'eternal death' and 'our purpose in life being nothing but death'."Eijiro screwed his face up to that, frowning. "He wasn't my favorite. Think his name was... Brianer or something like that? He creeped me out... sorry that was random-."

Eijiro cleared his throat a little, sitting quietly as they just sat there in company with one another. This was nice, even if they didn't say much now. Just the two of them here on the wall, soaking wet in the rain. Completely normal if you had to ask him. Eijiro's trained ears picked up on the gentle, relaxed sigh of the blond, and couldn't help but show off his own relaxation with a softer smile. And if he kept glancing at the other subtly, he could subtly make out the fact he too was smiling. It was slight, almost too slight to see unless you were actually looking and admiring; which Eijiro couldn't deny the fact that he was.

He couldn't help it. He genuinely did find Katsuki attractive despite the attitude he gave. But now that he understood it, he couldn't help but be drawn to him more for it. In all honesty, personality was a plus. They were opposites, sure, but that meant they could stand each other just as much as they could annoy each other. What was that saying...? Opposites attract?

Eijiro listened intently as Katsuki spoke quietly to him, giggling at his statement.
"Hey what can I say? You're pretty damn easy to track, in my opinion." He partially told the truth. It had been really easy to pinpoint the scent of the other, which oddly enough smelled like burnt caramel and a hint of sweat, against the earthy smell of the garden. But had he told Katsuki that, he was sure he'd be given a weird-ass look and be questioned about his ability to pinpoint specific smells and track them. And now didn't seem like a very good time to get into the whole 'dragon' thing. No. He needed to get to know Katsuki better first before he could lay all of that information onto his shoulders. Especially since his kind wasn't as welcomed here.

Dragon hunters lurked every corner in a city like this. Some dumbass back in the day gave away information of the dragons being able to shift into a human form and anything in between, such as a halfling or a mini dragon of sorts after some tricky evolutions. So now not even the cities were safe for the dragon-kin. So adaptation had to be even more of a survival skill.

Eijiro was brought back from his thoughts to the gentle graze of a hand against his face as his hair was moved. His eyes focused, almost going cross-eyed as he went still. His cheeks puffed up, lip puckering out a little to the small comment, the flush on his face just insinuated it pouty look even more. The gesture was kind, and again, gentle. Something Eijiro hadn't expected at all. It made his chest flutter again for what felt like the millionth time, and he cursed it. He wanted to return the gesture and ruffle up Katsuki's low-hanging hair (seeing him without the spikey nature of his hair was strange, but oddly enough, it was breathtaking to view), but something told him to not even try it. Despite the prince initiating touch himself, Kirishima wasn't sure if he still stood by his earlier words of not to touch. Maybe the prince was okay with touching others, but not being touched himself?

"I hope you meant 'Kick' ass and not 'kiss' ass," He grimaced slightly, sighing as he looked down once Katsuki explained the banquet.
"I'd rather not kiss anyone's ass, thanks." Eijiro made a face only to giggle quietly. He glanced to the horizon, his shoulders sagging a little.

So much for getting more sleep. Well, getting a lot of sleep he should say. He was used to not sleeping as much and always being in a light sleep. But maybe at some point, he can get into a proper routine. He and Katsuki both, he thought.

"What's the banquet about? Just a fancy event? Who all is gonna be there?" A pause, "Will there be food?!" His voice went up, growing a tad bit too loud as excitement entered his voice, eyes going wide in the blond's direction as he waited for Katsuki to answer. As if on cue to his question, Eijiro's stomach bellowed out into a loud grumble. The red-head glanced down sheepishly and covered his stomach with his arms, crossing them over it. A nervous laugh came from him as the realization hit him. He hadn't eaten a thing yesterday. He must've been too caught up in everything to even think about it!
"Ahehe. . . ignore that."

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki blinked at Eijiro as his stomach growled and then a smile that said mockery but in a friendly way took over his face and he barked a laugh, "Chasing me around all night make you work up an appetite? Better get used to it." He got to his feet and ran one hand through his soaked hair, finally moving the short strands away from his eyes. The water was starting to chill to his core now and he didn't really wanna get sick.

Stretching out his back with one hand on it, he shrugged at Kirishima, "There's gonna be my mom, us, some of the stuck up nameless assholes that loiter around and act like they mean shit." His face went sour momentarily and then he hummed, "The Yaoyorozus will probably be there, as well as that fucker Aizawa." He realized he was rambling and shook his head a little to clear his thoughts, sending water droplets over the both of them. Crouching down on the soles of his feet, he reached out to help Eijiro up with one hand. Despite his weirdness about touch, it was something he craved. He just usually expressed it without realizing it and when he did realize it, the idea that he might actually want to be physically close to someone was usually too much for him. It also probably didn't help that a dozen or so assassination attempts can make someone a little jumpy...

"C'mon," He said, face still surprisingly open and hand outstretched, "Let's get you some food so you can go back to sleep. I won't run. Tonight, that is."

 

[HarijTheMoth]

"No!......Okay well maybe yes...but I was hungry beforehand!" He said defensively as he looked up at him and stuck his tongue out at him as he laughed, scowling back a tiny bit. It was all in a teasing and playful manner, of course.

"I have no idea who the hell you just named. Besides you and your mom." Eijiro looked a little relieved to that, mentally checking off each name he had in mind to watch out for; shoulders sagging down some as he sighed a breath of said relief. He was keeping a mental note of known dragon hunters that might still be around. Watching. Waiting. But he was sure he was fine.

He had the title of Royal Guard now. Somewhat royalty! He had to be, if he was allowed anywhere near the prince, surely.

Eijiro took the others hand, staring him in the face with those wide-eyed ruby orbs, their gleam returning. He smiled to the offered help, gladly taking it without complaint. He could feel the warmth of the others hand through his damp glove. He took in every feature of Katsuki now in the rising light, unable to deny that there wasnt a moment he wasnt admiring the blond.

Maybe he hallucinated this, or maybe his mind was playing tricks, but he swore he felt a bit of what could only be described as electric shock go through their locked hands. Not enough to make them draw back, but just enough to be noticeable.

Not putting much thought behind it, Ei pulled himself up with the help of Katsuki, thanking him with his large, toothy grin. Sharp teeth glinted a little from the dawning sky as more light was filtering through the clouds. The sky was paling a very light blue, orange starting to mix in darkly. "Hey by the way, Kats? Your hair. You look like a porcupine. Anyone ever tell you that?" Okay, maybe that was a bit random, but it was the first thought to pop up in his head as he stared at him.


"Pfft, just having some food and Ill be fine. I got enough sleep earlier! Most sleep I've gotten lately, that's for sure! You on the other hand, Maybe you oughta sleep."
Ei waved him off on that, shrugging his shoulders. "Damn right you're not running. What have you been saying all night? You'll kill me? Well right back at you, if your mother doesnt get my head first!"

He snorted some, before promptly just walking himself off the edge of the wall, practically planking it, landing in a crouch after carefully catching himself on the ground below. He didn't think much about what he had just done.


He turned to gaze back up to Katsuki, a playful smirk gracing his lips. "Race ya, porcupine!" Without another word, Eijiro took off into the garden, disappearing behind the large hedges to get a head start. It only seemed fair considering he had no idea where he was going in the first place!

 

[foxeyes]

As Katsuki pulled Eijiro up, it took him a second to fully process what the other had said to him and when he did, his nose screwed up in distaste, though he seemed only faintly annoyed. "Hah? The fuck it does!" He hated that he was more focused on the fact that he had just noticed Kirishima calling him 'Kats' and that despite his constant state of high blood pressure, that of all things, was what sent his heart pounding. It was different than 'Kacchan', which left a sour taste in his mouth after all these years. If he was feeling generous...he could say that he tolerated it.

When Eijiro playfully threatened him if he thought about running, Katsuki scoffed and hunched his shoulders, unable to do much more than look a little more feline than human and grumble out, "...I'll kill you. And I'm not tired." Which was a lie because the circles under his eyes were darker than usual and he was soaked with rain and the stress of the last few days...ugh. No, he'd be fine. He would stay awake. He couldn't afford not to. He was terrified of another incident like before.

When Bakugo had ran from the room, it was partly out of embarrassment and partly out of fear. Fear that he had almost killed Kirishima simply because he had been existing in the wrong place at the wrong time. Simply because Katsuki couldn't just get over it.

He had still been musing over this fact when he watched Eijiro walk off the edge of the wall and he instinctively reached out to grab for him. The Knight slipped right out of reach, but Katsuki was relieved to see him land safely. Though his mouth down turned with an annoyed frown as the other teased him and his blood began to sing with the challenge called back to him. Began to sing because of that stupid look on Kirishima's face that confused the fuck out of him.

"Shitty hair. Oh you are so fucking on." He knew these gardens like the back of his hand. With his own leap of faith, he took off in much the same direction as Kirishima before veering off to the right to take a well-traveled shortcut through the rosebushes. He hadn't done it in a while, so the path had begun to overgrow and thorns scratched against his skin and left little marks everywhere. He didn't care though. There was nothing he enjoyed more than winning.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Kirishima couldn't help a bellowing laugh from Katsuki's defensive claim about his hair. There was no denying his spikey hair looking like a porcupine or hedgehog. His voice sounded so full of joy at their small bantering as the laugh continued, glad that they were able to have moments like this already.

Kirishima couldn't remember the time before the ring where he could genuinely laugh until now. And it felt fucking amazing. Hearing his own voice ring out into a sound of pure joy. Like a child on the morning after the infamous Hoeiosho came.

His eyes had given a roll to his protest of not being tired. The evidence was written in stone on his face. He was tired. The bags under his eyes were prominent and dark, almost like he was sickly. He needed to find a way to get Katsuki to sleep without protest. To ensure him that he'd be fine. The nightmares would not be the death of either one of them. He could promise him that, for sure. They'd both be fine if he slept. That was the purpose of Kiri.

To make sure the prince was well and able to do things without that constant fear. Kirishima followed in his very footsteps. His literal shadow.

"Shitty hair?! Not cool!" He laughed out as he ran, eyes darting around as he tried to map his way through the paths of the maze that. He didn't want to cheat and use his sense of smell, so he practically made himself nose blind, relying on his eyes and his sense of direction.

Smirking more, Kirishima jumped through one of the bushes only to come to a skidding halt as his ruby eyes went large to the pale white flowers growing clumped together in this seemingly small corner. Hemlock. Poisonous to humans, but absolutely potent to dragons, one of the worst herbs to be around. Just breathing it in could kill a full-grown dragon if it inhaled enough of it.

Who the fuck grew hemlock in their fucking garden?! Maybe this corner was untouched...

Eijrio was quick to slap a hand over his mouth and nose without a second thought, back-tailing as quick as he could as he forced himself to not breathe it in.

His eyebrow twitched a little as he stared around to try and map out where exactly he was. It was definitely a little bit out of the way from where the main beauty of the garden lay. An outskirt. Eijiro mentally made a note, taking in the surrounding area, and booked it.

His heart pounded in his ears as he put as much fucking distance between himself and that corner as fast as possible. His throat constricted as it begged for air by the time he put a safe enough distance between them. He uncovered his face and let out a loud gasp to inhale, sputtering a little. Ei took a moment to crouch and regain himself, slowing the panic that had just seeped into his bones and calm the stirring dragon from within as it rumbled awake.

He was fine. He was fine. He'd be fine. Just... he just needed to be more careful here. Watch where he went. He'd have to ask Katsuki about why the fuck a poisonous plant was even growing here in the castle grounds.

Swallowing, Kirishima finally gave in to use his nose, regaining himself in a sprint as he tried to catch up. He was sure Katsuki had won by a long shot as he managed to find his way back to the castle wall to climb up. His gaze flitted up, looking around for the blond, his being still a bit shaken up.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki had made it all the way to his balcony in no time, knowing exactly where it was and the quickest way to get there. He also knew that Eijiro was lost. It wasn't surprising, the garden was huge and confusing and there were a lot of dead ends and such. So he backtracked a little and tried to listen for footsteps. It took him a little while, but eventually he moved through an out of place set of bushes and spotted Kirishima, back on the wall.

"Dude, you are so off course, did you-" His words halted as he took in the Knight's shaken form. And then it was like something else clicked into place, a protectiveness that Katsuki was natural to, despite looking like someone who couldn't care less. "What the fuck did that to you?" His words were hissed through clenched teeth and he closed the distance between them, hauling himself up and reaching up to tap Kirishima's chin and make the other look at him. Despite not liking touch himself, he was a bit careless with it when it came to others, not even considering whether or not they didn't like it either. It wasn't malicious, he just didn't think about what he was doing half the time.

But right now, all he could think about was that Eijiro looked like he was about to throw up, like something had scared him. Like he was trying not to look like something had scared him. But for as dense as Katsuki could be, good lord, he wasn't that dense. And even if this was his Knight and not the other way around, he protected those in his circle. And whether he liked it or not, Kirishima had been put there.

He honestly probably looked so stupid, standing there like a bristling cat, menacing look and all and skin covered in light scratches and a few thorns that had come away from the branches and stuck in his skin here and there. He ignored his own state of being though, a brooding aura washing over him. It always upset him when someone was possibly hurt under his watch.

 

[HarijTheMoth]

Kiri jumped in his skin, whirling around to Katsuki's voice and peering down at him in brief shock as if it was taking him a delayed second to react. He blinked his eyes, trying to clear his head while looking away, hoping the stunned look on his face would just disappear. His breathing remained labored. He wasn't sure if it was because of the fact they had both been sprinting, or that scare from the Hemlock. More than likely it was just both. The panic that had ebbed away earlier was suddenly starting to come back to him as Katsuki started to hiss. Why the fuck was he panicking over this so badly? Why did he feel so clammy and yet sweaty at the same time? It was just a clump of hemlock! He felt like an idiot for acting this way over a fucking plant that could easily be disposed of. He hadn't even touched it or inhaled it! So why did he suddenly feel like his breath was hitching and catching in his throat again like he had just chewed on a bunch of it and was letting it burn his throat?!

But then he thought about how he had seen full-grown, healthy, strong dragons simply walk through a field of that shit or inhale it as a dumb dare from their friends, and within an hour, was convulsing and dead on the ground. The way dragon hunters used it to reveal dragons hiding in the depths of the human society. The ones that actually survived the ingested poisoning? They were never the same. Trauma ran deep. Some went feral to the points of no return. They had to be slain by their own kin, like a rabid dog. It terrified him.
How could he panic at a mere plant when he had literally almost died over a hundred times to the hands of another man and panicked then, and yet he was losing his shit over a patch FLOWER; panicking more now than he had then. How could it scare him more than having a blade to his neck? More than almost having his neck sliced open by the prince himself?
Eijiro focused his attention on the cracks between the wall, trying to follow the lines to keep himself from staring directly to Katsuki. Trying to focus on anything but the bristling prince.
Maybe it was because he had almost risked his identity in front of the blond? Shown the monster he truly was? The natural-born enemy between their kind that tortured each other...an undying war between species.

He had come too close to transforming. Even now. His dragon still stirred, trying to force its self to the surface to escape and flee into the open morning sky, away from this garden and its potent killer. The only sign of an internal struggle physically, was him twitching in place from under his skin. Eijiro flinched at the sudden and warm touch on his chin as he was forced to finally look up to Katsuki. But he forced his eyes elsewhere. He may have his face turned up to him now, but he refused. Absolutely refused. His eyes shifted from either side of Katsuki. And maybe down the other's body as he caught a glimpse of thorns and scratches covering his skin as if a cat had just torn into him. Had he really ran through the rose bushes to win?"I..... im...
Katsuki it's fine... I'm fine I swear I just...." voice trailing off, he swallowed again, his mouth suddenly dry and feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton. "You're scratched..." he whispered, hoping Katsuki would take the bait of the subject change as he stared down the multiple scratches littering his body, looking anywhere but his face..


Another thought flashed to the front of his mind. How the fuck was he supposed to tell the prince this was all over, again. A SIMPLE PLANT? He wouldn't get it. Hed know. He'd know he was a dragon. Yes, he was sure of it, no one freaked out over something so badly unless it was detrimental. The moment he even mentions Hemlock, the prince would figure out. Figure out what he truly was and probably have him killed. Turn him in for some sort of bounty he was sure he had over him. He'd hate him!
Katsuki wasn't stupid. He knew he wasn't stupid. Dense maybe, but not stupid.
He. Couldn't. Tell. Him. Ever. Couldn't tell him the true reason for his freak out, or what had caused it. Sure, they had just met within the past 24 hours, but the thought of having Katsuki turn his back to him and the mere thought of thinking he'd hate him, made his stomach twist and his heart fall down into its pits. Why? He couldn't possibly have fallen so easily and so fast for the blond already! Eijiro was easily impressionable but this?! This was absurd! His feelings were fucking absurd right now. Quite possibly because Katsuki was probably the first person to remotely show any kind of kindness towards him? Could that be it? Was he just...clinging to that feeling of brief kindness Katsuki showed? That was probably it. That was the answer. He was just being overdramatic right now. This whole thing was overdramatic.

He spaced out again, eyes unfocusing as thoughts just hammered into his brain, screaming.

 

[foxeyes]

Katsuki watched as Eijiro seemed to be having an internal battle, mentioning his scratches in some weak attempt to change the subject. But Katsuki wouldn't be swayed. "Don't do that." He reached up with both hands and held Kirishima's face, lifting his head even more and leaning down so he was forced to make eye contact. His mouth flattened into a straight line and his eyes narrowed before his entire face went lax and searching.

"Your pulse is crazy right now." He stated flatly, barely even blinking. He was forcing himself to seem less threatening, to maybe give the illusion that he was someone who was good at the comforting thing. "Listen, Eijiro." He said the other's name in a calm and collected voice, the most it had been the entire time they had been in each other's presence. "I don't know you and you don't really know me, we just met. But if someone or something is hurting you, I will find out about it and I will put an end to it." His eyes left Eijiro's only long enough to glance around as if someone was lurking in the garden, behind some tree or bush. When he was satisfied, he gave the Knight's cheek a pat and frowned, "You know I'm an asshole, but it's not like I don't care, right? If," He lowered his gaze, eyes hiding under his lashes, "Eijiro, I'll hurt someone if they fucking look at you wrong. I'm gonna be King one day, I will protect you, it's literally my job." His words were a bit ironic, considering their positions, but he meant it all the same.