Ethereal ◆ Shoto Todoroki x Reader

An Arrogant Prince

◆ Part 2: Chapter 23 ◆

An Arrogant Prince

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Katsuki Bakugou

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Bakugou has never seen a quirk like Hiro's; Drawing power from the moon, enabling him to do whatever he wishes with it. It's amazing.

Shit. He's powerful.

"We don't know where everyone's gone," Hiro says, "so we'll just have to find them."

Katsuki nods, forgetting for a moment that his friend is blind. "Okay."

He leads Hiro through the hallways, wondering why he couldn't have just used his guide dog instead of holding his hand, but he doesn't say anything. 

"Stop," Hiro says suddenly, jerking him backwards. He stays quiet. 

"Someone's past that corner," The blind king whispers, pointing in the direction of the sound. 

Instead of someone coming around the corner, however, blue fire spreads through the hall, enveloping everything in it's path. 

Shit.

He pushes Hiro to the side, and they fall to the ground, narrowly avoiding the flames. Pushing open a door to a random room, Katsuki grabs Hiro's arm, pulling him inside. Kyuen follows.

"Katsuki?"

Hiro whimpers below him, and the prince stumbles away.

"S-sorry," he mutters, helping him up, "that bastard that burnt the palace down is here. I recognize the flames."

"What do we do?" Hiro sighs, brushing off his pants. 

"I guess," Katsuki grins, clenching his fists, "we fight."

Hiro's mouth turns up in a smile. "Just don't die."

"Same to you."

The burst out of the room together, Hiro clutching Kyuen's pelt, listening close. Katsuki starts blasting without hesitation.

Fight fire with fire.

Yeah, it's not working too well. 

Katsuki's blasts only seem to inspire the blue flames, making them grow and attracting Dabi's attention. The scarred man now directs his fire to Hiro, Katsuki's heart pounding.

Shit.

Hiro must sense Katsuki's nerves, because he mutters something while his eyes start to glow once more. 

"Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't see."

A blast of pure light and power rips through the hall, flying straight at Dabi and hitting his shoulder. Kyuen stands strong at his side.

Dabi cries out in frustration, bringing his hands up in the air to strike again. Hiro clenches his teeth, powering up his quirk once again.

Katsuki flies in the air with his blasts, maneuvering around the blue flames burning the hall. While above Dabi, he smirks.

"Now, Hiro!"

All at once, Hiro releases his blast, and Bakugou's explosions join him, all aimed at the skull of the bastard flamethrower below.

Katsuki can't see the aftermath. Smoke fills the air like screams, thick and persistent. The blue flames are gone, and when the smoke clears, so is Dabi.

"Shit, Hiro," Katsuki growls, "he got away."

When there's no response, Katsuki turns around, sharply inhaling when he sees Kyuen lying on the ground, Hiro silent.

"What . . . what hit her?" Hiro mumbles, his voice cracking with tears, "what's wrong with her, Katsuki? Why isn't she getting up?"

The prince can't look at Kyuen's bloodied coat anymore. White stained red. 

"I think," Katsuki whispers, kneeling beside him, "shit, I think she was hit by the flames?"

"No, I feel blood. Is that blood?"

Katsuki murmurs a yes.

Hiro backs away slowly, his breathing becoming unsteady, faster every second. 

"Hiro, she's breathing, we just have to get her—"

"Shit. Shit. That," Hiro sucks in a breath, "that means I hit her. God, I hit her."

Katsuki picks up the bleeding dog, cradling her in his arms. She whimpers, pawing for her master. 

"We have to find someone to help her."

Hiro quietly follows Katsuki, but the prince doesn't say anything about his soft sobs. 

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When Bakugou sees Queen Todoroki in her husband's arms, he's not sure what to think. Todoroki is probably thinking the same thing when he sees Kyuen in Katsuki's, a sobbing Hiro behind him.

No one says anything, but they follow each other outside, knowing full well that they have to find some kind of doctor. For the dog and the pregnant Queen.

Of course it's not that easy. Nothing ever comes easy.

Katsuki silently curses at the sight of a figure on the top of the gates, cackling at the sight of the royals, desperate and bloodied.

"What the hell do you want?" Katsuki growls, setting Kyuen in a carriage as Todoroki prepares it to drive to the village. The pregnant, unconscious Queen sits inside, but Hiro stays by Katsuki's side, still silent.

A man with a mask and a top hat sits on the gates, staring down at the monarchs below him. He twirls to marbles in his hand, which Bakugou finds very obnoxious. 

He jumps down, and Katsuki readies his quirk, getting fed up with all of these bastards attacking him. 

The man holds a jar of glowing marbles, waving it around like a prize. 

"You want your friends back?" He says.

Katsuki tilts his head. "Uh . . . "

"Come and get me!"

The man bounds away, leaving Katsuki confused and bewildered. Todoroki appears beside him.

"It's obviously a trap," he mutters, placing a hand on his shoulder and pulling him towards the carriage, "let's go. My wife needs a doctor."

Bakugou thinks of his parents. He thinks of the innocent guards and the other slightly annoying royals. 

He jerks away from King Todoroki. "Go without me. I'll save everyone."

Todoroki wavers for a moment before nodding. "Okay. I'll take them to the village."

Katsuki turns to Hiro. "Go with Kyuen."

"I . . . " Hiro shudders, "I can't. I hurt her, and—"

Katsuki puts both of his hands on Hiro's shoulders. "Go with her. She's your family. She needs you."

"Okay."

And with that, Bakugou leaves, following the man who has his parents.

He'll save everyone. That's what real leaders do.

They always win.

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