Bakugou grinned as he saw the nerd and four eyes spar together on the training field, glad Deku was still training and keeping his skill level up. He wasn't anywhere near his level, of course, but it was okay.
"Oi nerd! Your stance is wrong!"
Izuku shrieked up at the sudden sound, looking at the blonde before frowning.
"There is nothing wrong with my-Ah!"

Iida took him down while he was distracted, making fall onto the ground.
"There is now" Bakugou smirked, making the green head roll his eyes. Tenya helped him up from the ground, bowing down before Katsuki afterwards.
"Dragon King, it is an honour you came to enlighten us with your presence! I must once again apologize for our previous encounter! I am truly sorry!"
"At ease soldier" the blonde snorted, getting pushed on the side by Izuku.

"Jerk!"

Bakugou acted hurt, placing a hand over his heart as he stared at his childhood friend.
"How dare you insult me like that! I'm deeply hurt you know"
"Pff, yeah right" the green head chuckled, rolling his eyes.
"Also, what are you apologizing for sir Iida?"
"Oh, he was eavesdropping on Mei and me when I was visiting" the blonde huffed, making Izuku's eyes widen.

"Sir Iida! You were the last person I expected to intrude the privacy of royals like that!" he gasped.
"I am truly sorry!" he cried out, tears in his eyes.
"Oh, no, no, no! I-I didn't mean to-"
"Leave him Deku, he's a lost case" Katsuki sighed, throwing an arm around Izuku's shoulder and pulling him in.

"He's in love with the princess~"
Izuku's eyes widened in shock. Of course he realised that princess Hatsume had a crush on her knight when their parents wanted to set them up to get married. They only had one official outing together so you can't really say they were courting... Yet he had instantly noticed that whenever she didn't talk about technology, she talked about sir Iida.

"They would be cute together" the green head giggled as the elven knight cried in front of them.
"Says the one who's set up to marry her" the blonde scoffed.
"You're one to talk! You're the one courting the next leader of the empire~"
"Tch. Shoto and I aren't courting you damn nerd"
"And yet you're on first name basis" the runaway prince countered, a sly smile on his lips.

"We're on first name basis too, right Izuku~"

Shivers ran over his spine as Kacchan spoke his name. Normally the blonde always teased him with Deku or other nicknames, never his real name. It made him blush and look away for a moment. Iida noticed as his waterworks calmed down. The image he had of Izuku being the perfect husband for his princess shattered right there and then. The prince was already in love with someone else... Someone of the same sex no less! What a disgrace!

Tenya knew that it was accepted in most other countries and elves even provided magical technology for them to have offspring together... But that didn't mean their kingdom accepted it.
"Are you saying that we could be courting, Katsuki~?" Izuku teased back, also making the Dragon King blush.
"Tch" he scowled, letting his arms drop and taking a step back.

"Actually I came to challenge you. Since you're already training, why not a little duel with me huh?"
"Only if it's a two on one. Sir Iida and I against you, watcha say?" Izuku asked, making the ears of the elven knight perk up. It would be an honour to fight alongside a royal, even if he didn't uphold the proper cultural standards.
"Afraid you can't beat me in a one on one?" the blonde grinned.

"Kacchan, please, we both know I haven't got a chance against you in a one on one" the green head sighed, making the king laugh. Tenya was surprised to hear Izuku admit defeat even before the battle started. It was unlike the man he got to know during their journey together, the man and knight he learned to respect. Within the walls of this palace, the image he had of the prince chanced drastically with almost every word spoken and every action taken.

First the shock that sir Toshinori was actually the heir to the Midoriya Kingdom, a traitor to his own country. Then the fact he wanted to start a war against his father. That he abandoned their family name and went by Toshinori Izuku now, instead of Midoriya. And just now, the revelation of his sexual preferences and the fact it was so easy to admit defeat.

If he hadn't travelled with him and hadn't been able to get to know him like he did, he'd probably chose the word failure to describe the green haired male. Maybe traitor too. Iida found it hard to understand his reasoning or to see through to his core. Izuku wasn't easy to read and it bothered him. There was just something about the runaway prince that attracted him in a strange way.

He'd seen it with others as well, everywhere he went he would get what he want without too much of a struggle. Even though he never used his title to gain power, people were always willing to help him. Such charisma... Something about it was...off. He couldn't really place it though.

"Sir Iida?"

"Hm?" the blue haired male was pulled out of trance by said green head, who gave him a small smile.
"You were gone there for a second, weren't you?" he chuckled.
"Oh, my apologies!"
"No need! I'll just repeat my question. Do you want to fight alongside me to beat Kacchan in our duel?" he asked, pointing over at the blonde king, who was practicing against dummies.

His sword was laced with engravings and had a rounded side as well, typical for a barbarian as himself. Even though, for a barbarian, he was surprisingly well mannered. Better in person than in the stories that were told about him and his people, Iida noted.
"Of course, it would be an honour prince Izuku"
"What did I say about the title?" the green head whined, pouting a little at the lack of process in their relationship.

"Oh, please forgive me sir Toshinori" Iida corrected himself.
"Just Toshinori or even Izuku is fine, sir Iida" he sighed, giving the other a weak smile before turning around to face the ruby eyed male.
"We're ready Kacchan!"
"About damn time!" Bakugou yelled, now facing the other two with his sword pointing at them.
"Don't hold back on me Deku... Show me that legendary sword, One For All!"

Izuku nodded, a determined look filling his eyes as he pulled his sword from its case. Iida's eyes widened. The green head had never unsheathed his sword in training while they were travelling together. During their training exercises he always worked with other, smaller blades. Mostly borrowed or rented from some local blacksmith. His sword shined in the light, his blade the finest finish... It was truly a magnificent weapon.

"One For All, a legendary sword passed down from generation on generation to those the holder declares worthy" Katsuki grinned, getting into a battle stance. Tenya was instantly on high alert, surprised at what he was hearing. The green head had never said anything about that to him before...
"Let's see if All Might was right to chose you, Deku!"

All Might?!

Iida glanced aside at Izuku, seeing him fall into a battle stance as well. All Might was a great knight serving the Midoriya Kingdom, someone many knights in training idolised and people in general looked up to him. His real name was Toshinori too, wasn't it..?
"Iida, keep your head in the game! Act like this is a real battle!" Izuku hissed, blocking an attack that was meant for the elf.

"Hmph, better than the previous time we fought... Nice reflexes Izu~" Katsuki grinned, taking a step back but not letting his guard down.
"Thanks, I practiced" the green head smiled, keeping his blade steady.
"Sir Iida, now is our chance!"
The fight continued for a while, Katsuki holding his own against two opponents with little to no struggle. The blonde even teased the other two sometimes, stating it was to easy or pulling their personal lives into it to distract them.

Izuku was used to his tactics and ignored most of his comments if he wasn't able to get him with a good comeback. Tenya, on the other hand, was a man of pride and was deeply shocked at how little their honour meant during battle. Both the blonde and the green head had made it clear to him that all that really mattered was his life, not his title or status.

Deep down he had always known that, but it was a different thing experiencing it. In the end, the elven knight laid down on the ground in shame, defeated by the Dragon King, abandoning his partner. Izuku managed to overthrow Bakugou, pinning him down on the ground with the tip of his sword at his neck. Green energy cackled over the blade, sparks dancing around the steel. It's the true power of the cursed sword, One For All.

"Do you yield?" Izuku asked, breathing heavily. Kacchan simply scoffed and in a few quick moves, their roles were reversed. One For All was laying a few feet away from them, the blonde barbarian sitting on top of his chest, his curved blade at his throat.
"I never yield, you should know that" Katsuki grinned, leaning down.
"Are you ready to admit defeat yet~? You're pinned down, nowhere to run and your compagnon is out of commission... Nobody is coming to save you~"

Izuku blushed at the husky voice, Bakugou's breath hitting his face. They were close, too close. His body found it a little too exciting to be in this position...
"Hmm... I would, but the view from down here is pretty great" the prince stated, trying to control the blood flow to his face. He saw Kacchan's cheeks turning a slight pink as the ruby red eyes stared down upon him.

"Pretty great huh? I'm fucking awesome" he stated.
"True... You're really handsome and you know it" Deku smiled, finding it amusing to see his childhood friend and crush blush at his words. He loved having such an impact on his feelings, hope growing inside of him. Maybe Bakugou did like him back..?
"And you're cute..." the king muttered, pulling the blade back, his arms now on either side of Izuku's face. Iida felt embarrassed watching it, so he quickly turned away. Yet before anything could happen, they were interrupted...

"There you guys are! Training hard huh?!"

Izuku froze up, his eyes shooting aside as he saw both princess Momo and Mei walking up to them, the first one waving happily. Bakugou quickly realised the position they were in and backed off immediately. Queen Asui followed, giving them a small smile. She knew all too well about the feelings Izuku had for the Dragon King. Yet their relationship wasn't meant to be, their kingdoms on the opposite side of the continent, a tragic and sad separation keeping them away from each other. Truly sad...

"Princess! Did you enjoy your tea?" Tenya asked after a small bow towards the three royal females.
"I did" she smiled, signing him to stand down.
"I see you have been able to entertain yourself as well"
"Tch, that knight of yours isn't ready for a real fight. Train your people better" Katsuki huffed, putting his blade back in its case. Izuku rolled his eyes at that, kneeling down to grab his weapon from the ground a little further away.

"This was truly an educational experience! Thank you, Dragon King!" Iida exclaimed, making the blonde roll his eyes while the princesses giggled a bit. Most of them were already used to his antics and weren't taking his upright answer too seriously.
"Ah, prince Izuku! It's been some time" Hatsume smiled. The green head returned the gesture and nodded.
"Yes indeed! How have you been Mei?"

They started up a casual conversation as they walked back inside, followed by the jealous glares of both Iida and Bakugou.
"Could you make it even more obvious?" Tsuyu chuckled, making the two realise their own actions.
"Tch, shut it frog. I'm out of here" the blonde ruler mumbled, marching out of the gardens.
"No way... Is Katsuki in love with Izuku?" Yaoyorozu gasped, holding a hand over her mouth in surprise.

"It also goes the other way around, I can assure you" Asui smiled, making Momo squeal.
"How dare you approve of such a relationship!" Tenya frowned, as if accusing the fairy princess of treason against her country. It's true, same sex relationships weren't accepted in the Fae Kingdom, just like in the Elven Kingdom. But that didn't mean it wasn't accepted in other realms across the continent.

"Sir Iida, you're a guest in my palace. Must I remind you of our customs and traditions?" the Frog Queen asked sternly.
"One more statement like that and you will no longer be welcome within these walls, do you understand?"
"Yes! I apologize, Frog Queen, for having offended your rule and power! I didn't intend to dishonour you!" the knight instantly exclaimed, kneeling down before her.

"Punish me as you see fit!"
"That won't be necessary" she stated, looking back at Yaoyorozu.
"The Hatsume family is leaving soon, I take it you will travel with them? In that case take this knight and prepare for your departure. We will meet again once the war draws near"
"As you wish, Frog Queen" Momo responded with a small bow as the green haired royal walked past her, back towards the palace.

Asui Tsuyu may be the oldest amongst the new generation, but she was also the most respected. There wasn't a single one of them who dared lay a hand on her and only few amongst older royal generations. She was acknowledged as a good queen and a kind hearted woman, yet strict with her rules. Besides, no other kingdom would risk a quarrel with the Animal Kingdom. Their land was right in the middle of the continent, borders with all of the other nations.

It was in everyone's biggest interest that they stayed neutral in conflicts among other countries.
"You heard her. Let's go" the princess sighed, turning around to face the palace, ready to leave the gardens. Sir Iida nodded, following her inside. He was still bitter about the fact Izuku desired the barbaric Dragon King over the beautiful princess Mei Hatsume. If they really were set to get together, neither would be happy in their marriage.

Izuku would long for someone else, disregarding the needs of his wife and gaining male consorts to please him. Mei won't show it, but she'll be deeply hurt, coping with her feelings by making countless inventions and burying herself in her studies. It wouldn't be healthy! No, Iida had to make sure they wouldn't pick up the engagement plans after this war. It was his duty to keep the princess safe and happy and he was intending to fulfil that duty!

But the eleven knight froze up when he saw his princess en the runaway prince in the hallway.
"It was fun talking to you again" Izuku smiled as he grabbed her hand, placing a quick kiss on the top of her hand before carefully letting go.
"Until we meet again"
"Yes, until we meet again, prince Izuku" Mei smiled, giving him a small bow. It was an elven saying, making Tenya more jealous then he imagined he'd be.

"Princess! The king and queen await us! We must prepare for departure at once!"
"Ah, sir Iida, we were already looking for you. Make sure princess Mei returns home safely, okay?" Izuku smiled.
"And thank you for sparring with me. It was indeed an educational experience"
With that the green head left, making Iida huff in frustration and irritation.

He hated the fact he couldn't get angry at the boy. As if there was an invisible charm protecting Izuku from the harsh reality of the world...
"Is there something wrong? You're acting kind weird" Mei pointed out.
"I can assure you nothing is wrong!" Iida shouted, a little startled by Hatsume's sudden statement.

"...Okay? Let's just go find my parents, I wanna go home. You know, I came up with this great idea and I want to start planning it out and building it as soon as we get back to the Elven Kingdom-" she started rambling as she dragged her personal knight along through the tall hallways. Meanwhile Izuku stumbled upon Katsuki, making the green head blush furiously. He remembered their previous position too well for his own good.

"There you are" the ruby eyed male muttered as he noticed the runaway prince.
"Just wanted to say that, uh, your sword skills have improved"
"Oh! Uhm, t-thanks! You're still great, a-as always..." Izuku stuttered. It was silent for a moment before Bakugou groaned and facepalmed.
"Okay, this is ridiculous. Look, what happened on the training field-"

"W-we don't have to talk about it!" Izuku squeaked, flinching away as the blonde growled. Katsuki sighed, grabbing the green head's hand and making him look at him again.
"I can't believe a dumb Deku like you ever made me fall in love with them... Now get over it and take fucking responsibility"
"W-wait what-?!" the prince yelled, only to be muted by Kacchan's lips on top of his.

He was taken aback by the sudden action, but that didn't mean he disliked it. No, on the contrary, he loved it... Izuku carefully kissed back, lifting his hands and letting his fingers get tangled up in the spikey yet soft blonde hair. He felt Katsuki's hands snake around his waist, pulling him closer. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but to the two of them it felt like forever. They've both been waiting for this moment for a long time, even if they didn't realise it themselves.

Bakugou pulled away slowly, smiling a bit.
"Not bad for a Deku" he muttered, making Izuku giggle and hit him on the chest.
"Shut up you jerk" the emerald eyed boy huffed, smiling none the less.
"Tch, fine, you're a good kisser" the blonde laughed, rolling his eyes. Izuku was in pure blis before realisation hit him.

"K-Kacchan!" he squealed, covering his face as he blushed a bright red.
"You can't j-just kiss people like that!"
"Tch... Only you nerd" he grinned, taking Izuku's hand.
"Come on, you're going back with me to Dragonia"