chapter seven;

     "YOUR MAJESTY AND YOUR HIGHNESS, IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP", kurogiri politely yet aggressively said as the two shigarakis were still snoring the morning away.

     "mm...but it's still so early", youko grumbled.

     "it's half past noon, your highness. and your birthday party is at three. people from all over the kingdom will be present", kurogiri reminded.

     "birthday party??"

     for the girl's past four birthdays, she's spent it only with kurogiri; alone in her room eating cake.

     she was content with that, but now that she was going to have a party, youko was more thrilled than ever.

immediately, the little girl sat up on shigaraki's bed as she crawled onto the man's stomach and started shaking him awake.

"papa wakey wakeyyy!! it's my birthday todayyy", youko cooed, to which shigaraki just groaned in annoyance.

"kurogiri, get my clothes", shigaraki commanded as he picked youko up with one arm and slid off the bed.

youko continued clinging onto shigaraki as the male pinched her cheek, forcing her to stay awake.

"owww...papa stawpp!!"

shigaraki let out a small huff as he put youko down.

     "have that boy get you ready", shigaraki lazily said as youko just nodded, knowing that her father was referring to shinsō.

"I'll see you later then papa!!"

     as soon as youko left, kurogiri brought over the layers of clothing for shigaraki.

     "is master showing up?", shigaraki suddenly asked in a serious tone.

"not this year, your majesty. though the king of the hero's kingdom is bringing along a hefty amount of young knights", kurogiri debriefed.

"I see...and you have everything set up?"

"of course your majesty. it's just that...are you sure you want us to enact on it on the princess's birthda—"

"I'll give you the signal when I'm ready", shigaraki harshly interrupted.

"this mission is bigger than youko's birthday party. I will stop to no ends, not even for her".

     kurogiri just bowed.

     "then I shall be awaiting for your call".

_♚_

     a knock was heard as shinsō had successfully finished up putting a lotus clip in youko's dark black hair.

     the girl usually preferred western dresses, but today marked her fifth birthday, and she thought that she would match her father by wearing a traditional irotomesode.

the cream white fabric with baby pink lotuses sprinkled around the sleeves and bottom hem of the dress truly represented the pureness of princess youko.

     "happy birthday your highness! my alias is compress, and I'm here to guide you to the main room", the man with a fairly simple yukata and a mask on introduced.

     "well thank you mr. compress!! is papa already there?"

"indeed. his majesty and all the guests are currently waiting for you", compress informed, to which that had prompted little youko to start running in her kimono.

"wait! princess, you're going to tri—"

and like shinsō predicted, youko did end up tripping, but not from running.

     "tch! watch where you're going!!", a boy snarled as shinsō and compress hurried over to the little princess's side.

     "watch your attitude", shinsō warned, to which the blonde boy was about to say something else before a few of his friends came over and dragged him away.

     "are you alright your highness? would you like me to discipline him?", compress asked.

     youko just patted down her kimono and shook her head.

     "no it's fine. papa's probably waiting, and you know how impatient he gets", youko smiled as she started running once more.

as soon as the double doors opened for youko, the little girl ignored everyone else as she ran towards shigaraki, who was sitting on the throne in his formal black habutai.

"PAPA!! did you wait long??", youko smiled.

"did you trip? why's your dress so dirty?", shigaraki asked as he picked the girl up and sat her on his lap.

"aha...sorry about that", youko laughed as she suddenly noticed everyone's gaze on the two.

"IT'S YOU?!", the blonde boy aggressively pointed as a green-haired boy beside him tried to calm him down.

"k-k-kaachan! you can't point at the princess. it's rude", deku shakily reprimanded.

shigaraki glared at the blonde boy, who's same red eyes glared straight back.

"AHAHA! ANYWAYS, happy birthday princess youko! I've heard many great things from your father", a buff man chimed in, to which it was safe to assume that it was all might: the hero's kingdom's ruler.

     "nice to meet you mister! thanks for coming to my party", youko smiled, making all might's heart squirm a bit.

"you're very welcome! now, we each have a present for you", all might said as he let the knights who were all around shinsō's age go first.

"nice to meet you your highness! my name's midoriya izuku. I brought you a weight lifter since I wasn't sure what to get you...", the green-haired boy awkwardly smiled.

youko was then let down as she walked over to midoriya.

"why thank you!! I'll surely put it to good use", youko smiled, to which midoriya nearly cried at the little girl's cuteness.

"I'm todoroki shouto. it's pleasant to meet you your highness".

youko hummed in amusement as the dual-haired boy's left eye looked quite familiar. though what stood out to her was the scar on his same eye.

"hmm...are you okay??", youko mumbled as she gently touched todoroki's cheek, making the kneeling boy slightly flinch.

     "y-yes, of course your highness".

     youko looked around the room, who were all curiously staring at her and anticipating her next movements.

     "well if you ever need help, just blink really fast okay?"

     todoroki nearly let out a small chuckle as he just nodded, presenting the gift of a traditional tea set.

     "and I'm bakugo katsuki, the greatest of—HEY!"

     as soon as the blonde pomeranian boy started introducing himself, youko lost focus and started skimming the room once again.

youko quickly ran over to a man that dressed like a bum, totally ignoring bakugo as he fumed; with steam coming out his ears.

"are you toshi's father?!", youko gasped, to which shinsō had looked up and nearly choked on the little girl's assumption.

the lazy man raised a brow in interest.

"no".

"oh...well that's too bad. you both have matching eye bags you see..."

kaminari denki had to hold in a laugh as aizawa shōta just stayed neutral.

"thanks...I suppose".

"what do you think toshi? do you want him to be your father??", youko asked, loud and clear.

shinsō felt his entire face blush red as he had immediately recognized that man. aizawa was shinsō's idol back when he had still aspired to be a knight of the hero's kingdom.

"I think you should be his father", youko stated as shinsō clearly wasn't going to say anything.

"princess, I don't think that's how it works", kurogiri chimed in.

"why not?"

everyone stayed silent as no one had an exact answer. though for shigaraki, he just simply didn't care.

"okay".

all might gave aizawa a 'wtf' look. that man barely had enough energy to last through a training session without falling asleep. yet now he wants another responsibility?!

"YAY!! toshi, you have a papa now! just like me", youko cheered as shinsō's face turned pale, very very pale.

"indeed....thank you...princess", shinsō managed to breathe out.

after that whole shenanigan, the knights from the hero's kingdom continued presenting youko her gifts, until finally, it was bakugo's turn...again.

"I didn't get you a present", the male confidently stated.

kirishima eijiro, a very manly knight, inched closer to bakugo.

"aizawa had us all prepare a present. I thought you said you got one??", the red head whispered.

youko shrugged at that. it wasn't like she didn't already have enough presents.

"mm...okay. I like shō more anyways", youko smiled as she ran into todoroki's arms.

     bakugo just scoffed as he watched the little girl put her face against todoroki's, almost like she was rubbing it in that todoroki was more superior.

     the blonde boy growled as youko just smiled even wider.

     "little squirt", bakugo muttered beneath his breath.

     "do you hear that shō??", youko asked.

     todoroki shook his head. "no, I don't hear anything".

     "maybe it's a fly", youko hummed, to which kaminari had to once again cover his mouth from bursting into laughter.

     "a very obnoxious fly", todoroki added on.

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