...
"Are you okay?"
He asked.
Katsuki had yet to walk in for the class yet, Izuku had arrived just a tad bit earlier than usual.
He originally wanted to skip the class entirely but he knew if he did he'd only be proving his father right.
Izuku looked to the ground, not knowing how to reply.
Aizawa scanned him up and down, he began to notice some things...
"... he's noticeably frail..? Has he not been eating his meals? I heard some servants bring up how he lost his palace and was moved to the main palace...
But why? He's been an exemplary student? And I know how he is, he doesn't act out on purpose like his brother.
Why are his arms noticeably bruised as well...?
Isn't he the crown prince, this obvious mistreatment isn't befitting for someone of his status...
What is going on...?"
His mouth had widened just a bit when he noticed how unkempt izuku had also been.
His hair was a mess, his clothes were noticeably dirty, he had eye bags beneath his eyes...
The servants of the house would typically prevent this from ever happening...
"I'm sorry Aizawa sensei, it's nothing"
Izuku lifted up his head and forced a smile.
"Well.
That's an obvious lie.
I'll talk with him after class..."
"I'm here you peasants!"
Katsuki announced with an arrogant grin as he walked in.
His hair was dazzling, especially in the sun, his clothes were so clean that the smell of cleanliness leached through the air, his skin had been as fine as silk.
He was the complete opposite of Izuku.
"Your highness it is highly disrespectful to call your brother, the crown prince, a *peasant*"
Aizawa said as he handed Katsuki and Izuku their swords.
"That Deku would be lucky if he even had the status of a peasant"
Katsuki sneered as he held his sword.
"What do you mean by that? Care to elaborate?"
Aizawa asked as he glanced at Izuku who's condition looked to be worsening by the second.
"I don't have to elaborate to someone like you.
You're just here to teach me so let's get this over with"
Katsuki hissed.
Aizawa sighed as he began the lesson.
During the lesson he noticed how mean Katsuki was towards Izuku, how there wasn't any sign of respect, how he made sure to hurt him as much as possible...
Katsuki had made it so obvious that it was difficult to not notice.
After class was over, Aizawa held Izuku back as Katsuki left.
"You're staying here."
"...huh..? Why...?"
Izuku whispered, in pain. Katsuki had delivered a horrible blow to his ribcage, he wouldn't be surprised if he had a couple broken ribs.
"Please listen to me your highness"
Izuku sat there as he watched Katsuki disappear from the scene.
"Okay.
From what I've noticed...
You're being horribly mistreated."
"N-no-!"
"Your highness.
It's impossible to not notice.
I don't know if you've noticed yourself but you're insanely frail for someone of your age and stature.
You're also covered in bruises.
And you go completely silent when your brother appears onto scene as he pretty much berates you with insults and physical attacks.
Does the emperor know you're being mistreated to this degree? You're the crown prince, these actions are near treasonous to the empire."
Aizawa stated.
Izuku froze, he didn't know how to exactly respond to that...
"Well?"
"...I'm sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing? None of this is your fault?"
"...father...
Um...
He knows..."
Aizawa's eyes widened as he stared at the 10 year old he couldn't even make eye contact to save his life.
"What do you mean he knows...? He knows and he's letting this happen...??"
Tears stung Izuku's eyes, "...I can't say..."
"...why are you being mistreated to this degree...??"
"...my... Quirk..."
Izuku whispered.
"Your what?"
"...quirk..."
"Your quirk?
...
Just because you can't activate it...?! You're being mistreated because you can activate your quirk?!"
Aizawa grew furious.
"...well Kacchan is just better than me in many degrees...
My quirk just makes things all the worse..."
"But your highness, your presence...-"
"Father thinks that me and Kacchan's presences are simply mixed up... We always greet him together so it's hard to pinpoint which coming from who at times..."
"But you're alone with me right now and even though you're concealing it, it's stronger than your brother's...?"
"...I don't know..."
Aizawa sighed, "come with me."
"Huh...?"
"You need food.
You're also having a hard time talking with that injury you took earlier. You've been trying to hide it but it's a bit obvious.
You also need a better change of clothes."
"No no, it's fi-"
"Your highness."
Izuku sighed, "fine..."
He followed Aizawa to the room he was given in a seperate Palace.
Since he came by everyday, the emperor decided to give him one of the guest rooms as his own to save him from the hassle of having to come from far away everyday.
Aizawa didn't really live with anyone so he didn't mind it.
After a quick walk, they made it to the room.
"You can have half my sandwich, here"
Aizawa handed him half the food the servants of the palace had left for Aizawa to eat after he returned from teaching.
"I cant-"
"Your highness. Just take the food."
Izuku accepted and began to eat, it had been such a long time since he had some proper food that his eyes immediately watered up after tasting it.
"Just how long has he been starved for...?!"
Aizawa thought to himself as he saw izuku finish the sandwich in probably record time.
"Now...
For that wound.
I've had broken ribs before so I know how to treat it.
The issue is it takes 6 weeks to have some decent amount of healing. It also hurts a lot without pain relievers so I'm surprised that your aren't full on sobbing right now.
Swinging your sword with a broken rib isn't going to let it heal properly so I won't let you practice for the time being."
Izuku's eyes widened, "no no! Please still let me train... It doesn't even hurt that bad...!"
"I can't allow it. I can still show you technique but you won't be wielding a sword until 6 weeks have passed."
"But-"
"No buts.
Anyways, may I bandage up your wound?"
"...fine..."
Aizawa walked over to his drawer and pulled out a torso bandage.
Izuku took off his top shirt, revealing the other series of bruises that littered his body.
The worst bruise was the one around the broken rib, it was huge and purple.
Aizawa grimaced at the sight, he had so many wounds that it was difficult to not grimace.
He wrapped it up properly and let Izuku put on his shirt again.
"Now I don't have anything to help you with your pain.
But I do know of a good doctor. She doesn't work at the palace, but she is the first to come if anything happens here.
I'm going to call her over."
"But how...? My father-"
"He gave me special permission a while ago to be allowed to call over doctors if I or his sons were to get injured during practice."
"...okay"
"It'll take her about 2 days to come, I have to send her a letter.
If she can heal your broken rib entirely, I'll allow you to train again."
"...is this really okay...?"
"Is what okay?"
"Treating me like this...
Won't you get in trouble...?"
"Why would I get in trouble for helping the crown prince? A member of the imperial family?"
"...I don't know..."
"Your highness, even if I were to get in trouble it isn't anything for you to worry about.
Now you can return to your room, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay..."
Izuku got up and walked out, wincing in pain from time to time.
"So...
All this mistreatment... Just because of a quirk..? I thought his status mattered more than the quirk?
His younger brother's quirk isn't even all that amazing either, it's just explosions...
The dukal family's youngest son has a better quirk than that.
There has to be something else.... right?
Tch.
I never liked the emperor anyways."
_________________________________________
It turned out, izuku has broken not only 1 rib.
But 4.
The pain was unbearable without pain relievers within the 2 days of waiting.
However, all the pain was gone after the doctor Aizawa had called for finally came in.
"Greetings your highness" she smiled as she sat before Izuku.
Izuku, Aizawa, and herself were all in the infirmary of the palace.
"Hello..."
"I'm recovery girl, my quirk allows me to heal you in an instant!
But before that, I have to see what exactly is wrong with you"
She explained. She was a granny, she had white hair that sat in a bun, she was short, and she had obvious age wrinkles all around her face and hands.
"...why?"
"Because the way my quirk works is that it uses your energy to heal whatever is going on.
So if you have an injury big enough, I can't heal it without accidentally murdering you.
Though, seeing how you're able to walk and talk, I don't think the injury will be big enough to deplete you of all your energy"
"I understand..."
He lifted up his shirt, her eyes slightly widened as she saw all the bruises his body was littered in.
"...well he's clearly being abused...
But he's the crown prince...??? What...??"
She glanced at Aizawa who had noticed her surprise.
He signalled for her to keep quiet about it, for izuku's sake.
She sighed as she surveyed him, he had a lot more injuries than she had initially anticipated.
"Alright.
So you have 4 broken ribs and a total of 43 bruises.
Bruises aren't anything too serious but they can cause severe discomfort depending on how bad it is.
Your highness, I'm surprised with how well your able to stay composed...
The bruises alone could make anyone cry...
But you have 4 broken ribs on top of it.
It's amazing...
Frightening...
But amazing.
Anyways.
I can heal up your wounds. Though I'd like to warn you, the fatigue and exhaustion you'll feel after can be intense. I'd recommend eating a good meal.
From what it seems, you haven't been doing that either."
She allowed him to put his shirt back on.
"I'll try to eat today..."
"Yes and please continue to eat with every coming day.
Your abnormally underweight!"
Aizawa slightly glared at her, she was saying things she wasn't supposed to be saying...
"...neglecting him of food and poorly treating him.
I didn't expect the imperial family to stoop so low.
Especially with how he's the crown prince...
Is the other prince this abused too?"
She healed Izuku with her quirk, he glowed a slight green as he felt the healing properties take place.
An amazing sense of relief washed over his body, the pain was all gone. His side was no longer burning and throbbing in pain...
It was great.
However, a few seconds after...
A wave of exhaustion crashed over him, he could hardly keep his eyes open or even move at that.
"Now then!
My work here is done, unless I need to heal the second prince...?"
She paused as she glanced at Aizawa who only shook his head.
"Alright then.
I'll be on my way, send me a letter whenever you need my help. I am at your service!"
She scooted off her high risen chair and walked out the room.
Izuku hardly could stay seated, he was so tired...
"Your highness, before you sleep you need to eat something.
I requested the servants to actually make you food today, I am requiring you to eat it."
"But... I need... To go...
To class..."
"The class you're *missing* is mine, and you aren't missing anything.
Your class lesson today is eating food.
So as your teacher, your assignment today is to get a full meal in.
Understood?"