♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡
"What...what are you doing here?" Shoto asked, legs threatening to give out from the shock.
"I invited her." Fuyumi said, she knew her brother missed his mother deeply but after the incident they weren't allowed to be together.
"Shoto..." Rei spoke, she too had no idea her youngest son would be attending the ball. She took a few steps forward before stopping, arms slightly outstretched.
The boy wasted no time wrapping his arms around his mom, she was surprised but hugged him back tightly. He couldn't believe it.
"Oh my sweet boy..." She said, caressing his hair. The two parted and her fingers lightly traced the outline of the burn.
"It's okay mom."
Rei said nothing, only admired her son's perfect face for a little while longer. Her attention was then turned to the forgotten blond who was waiting patiently on the sideline.
"Katsuki my dear, how are you?" She hugged him as well. Bakugo smiled at the shorter woman.
"Doing good, thank you. And yourself?"
"I've been better, but seeing you and Shoto has made me unimaginably happy." She beamed, taking her son's hand into her own.
"But I do have a question, I read in the paper that-"
"FUYUMI! MOM! SHOTO!" Someone else called out. The group turned and saw a slightly disheveled Natsuo running up to them. He almost tripped on his feet a couple times which made Bakugo and Todoroki have to cover their mouths with their hands to keep from laughing.
"Sho-Sho! How's my favorite younger sibling doing?" He ruffled his little brother's hair, the taller swatted his hand away.
"I'm your only younger sibling." The prince deadpanned. Natsuo laughed and shrugged.
"Still my favorite!" He said. Shoto rolled his eyes and turned to his mom.
"You were saying something?" He asked, she thought for a moment and went to respond when they were cut off.
"Actually Icy, I need to speak with you for a second. We'll be right back." Katsuki declared. Thankfully the family had no problem with letting them go.
"Where are we going?" Todoroki asked, being dragged to one of the furthest corners in the ballroom. It did look familiar though.
"Shut your trap Halfie." Opening a small door that lead to a claustrophobic staircase, all the memories came flooding back to the prince in waves of melancholic nostalgia.
"We used to run from your tutors using this staircase." The older reminded. "They never found us."
"Touya always did..." Shoto corrected, Touya was the only one who knew of their secret getaway.
"He wasn't a snitch though."
"No he wasn't."
They went up the steps in silence, if the two-toned boy remembered correctly there were 312 of them in all. Going back down meant doubling that amount, so 624.
After 5 minutes of climbing they finally reached their destination, the top of the tower.
It looked over the entirety of the Todoroki Kingdom and then some, in the far far far distance you could faintly make out the pair's white palace as well.
"I love this view."
"That's why I brought you."
"That's why? I thought you had to tell me something." The younger frowned, if Bakugo just wanted to stargaze couldn't he have waited until after the conversation with his family was over?
"I do actually, but I brought you here specifically because I know how much you like looking at the moon."
"Oh...Thank you."
"Of course." Bakugo would never admit to Shoto—or to himself—that he loved watching how the moonlight glistened in the Prince's eyes, how the cool tones of the night bathed the boy in a youthful glow that made him all the more enchanting.
"So...what is it you wanted to tell me?"
"I love you." Bakugo said, not hesitating for a second.
"I love you too, you know that." The younger was a bit confused, they were best friends of course Katsuki would love him.
"No that's not what I mean. Shoto...I am in love with you." The blond looked up at the sky, the moon watched over them closely.
He heard nothing for a few moments and worried the Prince may have run away. Craning his neck to the side slightly he could see tufts of red and white hair, confirming the other was where he left him.
"I love you, like the sky loves the stars.
Like the clouds love the rain.
Like the sun loves the moon.
I would do anything to make you happy, to make you smile.
I would burn a thousand fires and drain a thousand lakes
I'd destroy kingdoms and build castles with my bare hands
I can't think of something I wouldn't do
If you asked me for it."
Bakugo confessed, feeling a weight lifting off his shoulders as he spoke. Shoto was silent; he turned to his butler, tears in his eyes.
"You mean it?"
"If I didn't, let my body rot in hell for eternity, let my soul be drowned by torrential waves. If I didn't love you, let the world as we know it fall apart and crumble at your command."
The prince was shocked. Not a single curse word in sight, only a pure unfiltered expression of love and adoration.
"Katsuki..." His feet moved before his mind, and the younger found himself deeply embracing his butler. Their arms wrapped around each other, fitting perfectly.
Shoto's head found a place in Bakugo's neck feeling the warm soft skin against his cheek. Katsuki's head ended up on Todoroki's, the fluffy hair caressing his chin.
"I love you too." The words were whispered, only meant for the blond's ears.
"Of course you do, I'm your favorite person after all."
"Oh hush, I can easily replace you."
"Can you now?"
"Yes, Snowy is a very good companion."
"The fucking bunny? Really?"
"Yes the bunny." Shoto confirms playfully.
"You know I think a better name for him should be Mayonnaise." The red-eyed boy says.
"...Katsuki what the hell."
"I'm messing with you Sho."
"So...you love me?"
"Oh my god."
Pressing his hands against Todoroki's waist he pulls him in, their faces centimeters apart but never connecting. Bakugo breathed shakily as he looked at the prince's lips.
"What are you waiting for?" The prince whispered.
Finally satisfying his long-awaited desire he connected their lips. Savoring the moment he noticed that Shoto's lips were much softer than they appeared to be. Not that he minded.
Todoroki's heart was beating so fast he thought Bakugo could feel it. Maybe he could, but Katsuki was too far on could nine to care.
Separating when their lungs burned for air, they pressed their foreheads together, eyes closed; reveling in the moment.
"Does that answer your stupid question?" The blond teased.
"Maybe."
"Hm?"
"We should do it again to confirm." The two-toned boy says.
"As you wish my icy prince~"
♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡
"Where is Shoto?" Fuyumi asked, noticing her brother had not yet returned.
"He's still with Katsuki." Natsuo remarks.
Rei giggles, loving how concerned her kids are about their youngest brother.
"I'm sure he's fine."
"Well they better not be doing anything bad, I'm not ready to be an aunt!" The oldest sibling exclaims, throwing her hands up.
"Fuyumi! Ew!" The boy scowls, appalled she would insinuate such a dirty thing.
"Say, weren't you the one who thought they were dating in the first place?" Rei asks.
Natsuo frowns, having forgotten that conversation.
"No, I just meant Shoto might have a small crush on him! That's all! What Fuyumi is implying is much more drastic." He huffed.
The mom watched silently as the siblings bickered over what the relationship between the prince and his butler was. She didn't know for certain what it was but she did know that there was something beyond friendship that was felt by them.
"As long as he's happy, I think that's what's most important. Even if his happiness stems from...lascivious actions." Rei says. The siblings laugh and nod along.
♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡
"Wanna go back inside?" Bakugo asks, looking at the peppermint sitting in his lap. Finally.
"Sure." They stand up, and the older presents his hand to his...actually what were they?
"Katsuki?"
"What's up?"
"Are we dating?" He asks.
"Do you want to date?" The blond responds.
"I do, I really do." Shoto admits. Bakugo smiled and ruffles his boyfriend's hair.
"Then we'll date."
"Hm I like the sound of that~"
"Oh yeah? Then that makes me happy."
They head back into the cramped staircase, going back down the 312 steps. Reaching the bottom of the staircase they share one last kiss before exiting the tower.
"Oh! Hey! We meet again!" Keigo waves at the pair. Jogging over to them he pulls Shoto into a tight hug.
"Why were you two hiding all this time?" The blond guy asks.
"Crowds aren't his thing." Bakugo explains, crossing his arms and glaring at the guard.
"Yeah crowds aren't my thing." The boy parrots back.
"Whatever you say lil'Sho. Aizawa is over there talking to your fam if you wanna see him." He points to the older guard who was discussing something with Rei.
The couple walk back over to the Todoroki family members.
"Shoto! There you are!" Natsuo says.
"Was I gone for that long?"
"No, he's just being dramatic." The queen rolls her eyes.
"What did you guys talk about?" The older boy starts going into his 'overprotective brother mode' and the three adults can tell almost immediately.
"Katsuki was asking my opinion for our schedule once we get back to the palace." The Prince fibs, before his butler could say anything.
"Yeah, I don't want him bitching about what we have planned." He growls. Aizawa sighs.
"Still ill-mannered are we?" He asks.
"Always." Bakugo smirks at the guard.
"Shoto may I speak with you?" Shouta requests, moving back a bit.
"Of course." The two walk away.
"What's up?" The prince asks.
"I hope you both know, if he breaks your heart, I'll break his neck." The candycane haired boy blushed.
"What are you saying?"
"Don't lie to me. You like him don't you?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"And he likes you?"
"...Yes.."
"Then that's all there is to it. He hurts you I hurt him."
"Very funny dad." Shoto chuckles. But the look his father-figure gives him makes him rethink his interpretation of the threat.
"I wasn't joking."
"Oh."