Chapter Text
The king and queen loved the mountains because of their beauty and richness.
Whenever they take a stroll behind the palace, the queen would often take note of its picturesque splendour – the crisp winds gliding along the leaves, the mighty trees against the roaring sun, and the breathtaking view of their kingdom.
A town of fishers and traders, combined with the booming herbal and flora businesses thanks to the mountains’ blessings, and finally, the kingdom’s castle built with bricks, cement, and golden gilds.
Their home.
And beyond the geographical beauty lay the vast sea, where ships and boats dock and sail.
The king and queen of the Baku Kingdom loved the mountains so much, they decreed their flag’s symbol to resemble it despite the evident strength of their waters.
Even as they gave birth to their one and only son, the first thing they did after recovery was introduce their newborn to the meadow within the magnificent peak. Their hearts twinkled with joy when the baby’s face crinkled as he smiled widely. Stubby fingers pointing at the blue sea.
“Hmm. Seems like our little prince took interest in the waters.” The king murmured gently.
“Nonsense. Our baby will yearn for the summit peak.” The queen replied, cooing as she swayed the baby boy.
“The sea or the mountain, it wouldn’t matter,” Masaru smiled. “Katsuki will grow up to be the king of both worlds.”
Bakugo Katsuki would grow up beautifully.
The same could be said for the neighbouring kingdom’s prince, an ally of the Baku.
When a vibrant green-haired baby boy was born, the king and queen of the Mido Kingdom knew their son would be the catalyst for a groundbreaking prosperity. Despite their lands being enriched with gold and titanium, they knew there would be more.
After all, Midoriya Izuku’s electrifying emerald eyes were filled with so much wonder.
True to what they assumed, he showed signs of avid curiosity and hunger for knowledge as he grew up. Always in the library, if not within the royal gardens, staring at butterflies.
Because of this, King Hisashi ordered the recently built ship to sail.
Not wanting to limit the boy’s desire to learn about the world, the king and the prince took to the seas.
But maybe they got too eager.
As parents, they only wanted to support their child, their heir to the throne. Knowledge is power, after all. And children his age were adept at quickly absorbing information.
Unfortunately, that decision carried great consequences.
Despite being the finest and the strongest ship ever built, a powerful storm capsized them in the black, raging sea.
“Izuku!” The king coughed, voice hoarse from all the seawater entering his nose and mouth. “Izuku, where are you?!”
“Papa!” Izuku screamed, his head barely on the surface. “P-papa!”
“Izuku!”
“Papa!”
Izuku!
Papa!
The king fought hard against the current, desperately looking for his son. His crew was no more, even more so for the broken ship. But his son was alive.
He only wanted the best for his son.
When a huge wave slammed right into him, he was the only thought of the king.
His poor, lovely son.
But across the raging sea, the prince was already swept away.
When the Kingdom of Mido learned of their king and prince’s passing, the whole population went into a state of mourning.
The benevolent queen broke down, grief eating most of her senses when Queen Mitsuki arrived with her son in tow.
But Katsuki couldn’t be bothered by adult problems, his attention remaining on the towering ships and the vibrant blue sea.
Not knowing that years later, it would be the very same thing that would change his worldview.
Ten Years later
Bells resonated across the palace.
“Oh for heaven’s sake– TENYA!” Queen Mitsuki loudly called in the throne room.
King Masaru merely pursed his lips and sighed, a small smile threatening to appear on his face.
In an instant, a boy wearing round glasses frantically burst through the double doors.
“Y-Yes, my queen!” He stammered fearfully.
“Get Katsuki and lock that young man to his damn room!”
“R-right away, my liege!”
King Masaru cleared his throat, his gaze dragging from the boy’s back before looking at his wife.
“My dear, don’t you think it’s fruitless to have Tenya chase our son?”
Queen Mitsuki huffed, arms crossing indignantly as she irritably waited for the bells to stop clanging.
Throughout the years of the prince’s growth, the mischievous and confident boy learned to sneak out and discover various things on his own. Some were helpful, and some merely worsened his equally growing ego.
To lessen the worries of the queen, they hired the commander of the army’s son as the prince’s right-hand man, Iida Tenya.
For further measure, they installed bells that would alert the entire palace about the prince’s whereabouts.
At first, it was working. Tenya strictly went by the books; a boy whom the queen adored. Naturally, it irked the prince. And the situation got worse over time.
Katsuki became sneakier and prudent, always thinking out of the box to get away with Tenya’s clutches, causing the latter’s distress and anger most of the time.
The only time Tenya would be on a field day was when the prince would attend his classes, both his lectures and sword training.
“And why would it be fruitless?”
This time, it was King Masaru’s turn to sweat.
“...I may or may not have agreed to letting our son set sail on an expedition.”
Queen Mitsuki’s scandalized gasp made the king of the whole kingdom flinch. Her red eyes grew wide as she glared daggers at her husband.
“MASARU?!”
“Our son brought Eijiro and the herbalist! It will be good for them and for us!”
“How in the mountain’s name will that be good for us, your majesty?!”
“They are to travel straight north to look for the rumored island filled with various herbs and treasures. It would be good for our nation, trades and education-wise!” The king reasoned.
The queen opened her mouth, only to stop as she momentarily considered.
But too late for the king to salvage the situation; she was already in a fit of anger.
“AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME?!” Her voice rose an octave higher, nearly screaming in outrage.
King Masaru winced. “My love, you would not approve.”
“Of course not! He’s our son and the heir to the throne! If he gets tangled with the storm, it will hurt and it will be disastrous for us!”
“Oh, I wouldn’t think of it that way.” The king smiled gently, eyes glinting knowingly. “The waters have always favoured our son.”
Other than the fact that Katsuki had shown prowess with the sword, his maritime intelligence also exceeded his teachers’ expectations.
Queen Mitsuki was simply being a mother. A complete worry-wart.
Even with a great storm coming, Prince Katsuki was adept with the waters.
“I understand your worries, Mitsuki. But this is our son. He will return safe and sound.”
He could see that Queen Mitsuki had so much to say. But what else was there to argue when their subject was already out in the open sea?
She turned her head sharply, chin up as she huffed once more.
“You’re sleeping on the couch.”
“But my love–”
“No.”
***
Regardless of the sun’s heat blazing directly onto their napes, the ship Dynamight continued to set course.
The wind was warm and steady, while the sea was calm. Dolphins occasionally jumped and whistled, to which Katsuki greeted back with a wild grin on his face.
There was nothing in his life that he asked for that was greater than riding a ship. For as long as he could remember, the vast body of water had been his greatest dream. To rule the seas.
His parents brought him aboard ships when he was younger, but that was it. They never allowed him to set off from the coast for fear of sudden storms or shark attacks.
But he also knew that doing such a thing was already a stretch. He was a prince, after all. His responsibilities were on land. The closest thing he could do was manage and keep track of their water territory.
So, to have the king approve of this expedition he made up, Katsuki knew it was the best decision of his life.
Not all of it was made up, though. It was true that rumours of an island bearing uncommon herbs and treasures began circulating in the town. Their kingdom’s renowned herbalist, Sero Hanta, proved this and wanted to get his hands on it.
And being accompanied by his best friend, who was recently promoted to captain of one of Baku’s military units, and the herbalist was true as well.
He simply wanted to join the fun.
(Probably.)
“Bakugo!” Kirishima called from the crow’s nest.
“What?” Katsuki hollered back, eyes squinting from the sun’s glare as he tried to look at the red-haired.
“I’m seeing a dark blot over the horizon, roughly seventy-eight degrees northeast from our position!”
With that, all the crew onboard stopped in their tracks to listen and wait for orders.
“Well, you heard the man! Prepare the ship to head northeast!” The prince loudly commanded. “Prepare the boats for landing, and make sure all arms and powders are in order! This might be the rumoured island as we know it!”
They had been cruising for almost three days already. Katsuki was expecting the voyage to last for a month. But if that was their target island, then it would equally be a surprise and a disappointment for him.
He didn’t go through all that trouble just to spot it just like that.
Shouts of ‘aye!’ resonated across the deck, all the men scampering about as they worked.
Katsuki looked back at Kirishima, his hand reaching over to shield his eyes.
“Keep looking out and call me when you see a better view from the island!”
“Aye!” Kirishima mock saluted, earning an eye roll from the prince.
Breathing in the salty air for the last time, he nodded to himself upon checking over the crew before going back to the captain’s cabin where the herbalist remained.
Old crusty smell of scrolls, wood and dried ink greeted Katsuki as he opened the door. From the left, there stood the shelf filled with books and papers together with a working table and chair, which were scattered with more papers, a quill and a spinning globe.
In the middle of the room was where the window remained open to let in the salty air and midday sun. Over to the right was a round table where food and more chairs were tucked, save for one where Sero was seated.
And behind the herbalist was another door leading to Katsuki’s private room.
“My prince!” Sero greeted with a grin. “How’s it going up there?”
Katsuki scowled. “Shut up, Flat Face. Call me that one more time and see what I’ll do–”
“Yeah yeah, I’m just joking geez.” Sero waved his hand in dismissal.
The prince sighed as he took a seat in front of the herbalist, grabbing an apple along the way and quickly taking a bite of it.
“Everything’s good. Dumb Hair saw an island northeast of here. He’ll call once he gets a better view. Everyone started preparing, so you should prepare too.”
Sero placed his arm and leaned onto his hand, his left cheek slightly getting squished as he smirked at the prince.
“Alright. So, it’s a waiting game now, huh? What do you think we’ll see there?”
The prince shrugged, not really attuned to whatever they were talking about.
“Nothing. Whatever’s cool.”
“Huh.” Sero quirked his eyebrow. “I don’t believe you.”
Katsuki merely quirked his eyebrow in return.
“You were so keen on doing this expedition.”
“It’s called an opportunity, fucker.”
Sero made a ‘really now’ face. “An opportunity to escape the responsibilities of marrying someone you don’t like?”
Katsuki tilted his head as he glared at his friend.
They had known each other since they were children – every time the queen visited the town, all of the children back then would come running towards the royal carriage to enthusiastically wave and scream their names.
But Sero was different.
He never screamed nor waved at them. Instead, he would raise his lanky arms with an object at hand, offering it to the prince. It would either be flowers of different varieties or toys found at the trades market.
And when Katsuki grew up enough to go to the town on his own, their friendship bloomed further with Sero introducing him to herbal medicine and craftsmanship.
The only downside the prince disliked about the herbalist was his love for tobacco. Taking a whiff from that curse always made Sero stupidly stinky as hell.
But it was through the years of knowing each other that Katsuki was able to open up to the latter.
While he loved being doted on and praised by the whole kingdom, some responsibilities still made him sick.
Like marrying someone out of obligation.
“Fuck off,” Katsuki groaned irritably. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Come on, Bakugo. Face it. This is your first time riding the sea.” The lightheartedness on Sero’s demeanour vanished, replaced with the serious and compassionate man he rarely saw.
The king and queen–well, more on the queen–refused their son to join expeditions involving the ship for fear of what could happen.
It confused the prince greatly. Despite all the talk of the waters favouring their son, they never truly practiced that praise, always throwing arguments of the storms and raging seas which could end his life.
Yet, somehow, for whatever reason, his father had approved of this umpteenth request of the prince to join an expedition.
“Don’t you find it odd that the king allowed you to come with us? Even Eijiro found it unusual. Back then, despite informing them who you would be with, they never agreed to it. What changed?”
Katsuki merely bit on his apple and munched as obnoxiously loud as possible.
“Silence means yes, my prince,” Sero smirked as he quickly leaned away from the table, away from the threat that was Bakugo Katsuki.
“The fuck do you want from me?!”
“You’re hoping to see a miracle from that island, don’t ya? A beautiful island boy, perhaps?”
It wasn’t publicly known that the prince had… preferences.
Preferences he discovered when he met Kirishima, who was bubbly and bright and strong.
Although what Katsuki felt that time wasn’t deep enough, the revelation had triggered a phase of fear and confusion. It led to a time that made the prince seek the presence of the opposite sex.
Nothing fancy or terrible.
Just him trying not to smack the shit out of them.
And when he dared to seek the presence of his friend, that was when the discovery was made.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you ask), their relationship didn’t go further.
Kirishima was respectful about it, not because he was the prince, but because of the friendship that had been forged before.
But that didn’t mean Katsuki was fine with peasants like the stinking bastard using this secret to tease him.
He wouldn’t deny it, though; the prince had always been smart.
He knew he was given approval for a motive that was rather cynical for a loving parent.
Maybe the king finally found someone who would painfully tie Katsuki’s leash to the throne forever.
Whatever would appear on that island, he hoped it would be something that could get him away with it.
“As if there’d be someone in there,” Katsuki grumbled, uncaring of the apple muffling his words. “Just work on your thing, Flat Face. Don’t worry about the throne.”
Sero merely hummed, no longer speaking as he watched the prince finish the fruit.
After a few more hours of travel, Kirishima screamed so loudly that everyone from the deck–even in the hold, the lowest part of the ship–could hear him.
The wind was in their favour as they sailed further to the island. Katsuki leaned outwards from the bow, looking down the white foams and parting waves of crystal blue, and towards the nearing shoreline.
The island was just how everyone would describe it – a tropical dream of greens and blues.
Pristine white sand covered a huge space between the waters and the forestry, which twinkled like fallen stars as the evening sun glinted over the horizon. A variety of trees shrouded beyond the sands, but all of them were vibrant green. Its colour blended smoothly with the towering mountains, serving like a painting in the sky. Rock formations scattered as well, complementing the colour of various waterfalls seen at the shoreline.
And within the darkening parts of the island, fluttered the fireflies as if to compete with the glitters scattered in the sand.
The island itself was relatively small. But as they all docked on longboats and began to sail ashore, they could no longer see the ends on both sides.
“Such a beauty we found,” Sero murmured beside Katsuki, his shoulders fully occupied with bags of notes, pouches, and empty bottles for sampling. Despite just stepping on the sand, the herbalist was already jotting down notes.
The prince remained in a white loose tunic tucked in dark brown trousers and a leather belt, believing that it was useless and stupid to wear the royal coat and hat. A strap of black leather carrying the sword was all there was as he began barking orders to the ship crew.
Kirishima wore the same clothes except for the tunic – opting for a vest that allows his upper body to be bare underneath. His hands were on his hips as he looked at the mountains with awe in his face.
“This is the island, I’m sure of it.” The captain grinned. “I can’t wait to discover its treasures.”
“You think there’ll be an island boy here, Eiji?” Sero asked as he continued writing in his notebook.
Kirishima laughed, eyes twinkling in excitement. “Oh, I hope so! That’ll be great for Bakugo!”
“Oi! What are you rascals talking about?!” Katsuki shouted from a distance.
Despite both having their backs turned on the prince, they both knew he was already scowling.
“Nothing! Just hoping to see the greatest treasure!” Sero answered back, to which the captain snickered.
The prince grumbled under his breath, head shaking as he returned his attention to the working men.
“Oh, look! A peacock!” Kirishima excitedly pointed, almost jumping like a kid as he looked to see if his friends were looking.
And Sero was. “I wonder if there’s a variety of peafowls here. That is a work of art.” The herbalist’s eyes were wide as he stared at it in wonder.
“Do you think we’ll see other animals here?”
“For sure. Seeing a peacock here is enough to assume that this is a healthy and safe environment for different species.”
It wasn’t that Kirishima hadn't seen animals that do not live well in the capital. He had already seen a lot whose home was in the wilderness.
Despite being ranked as captain, he was still a kid at heart.
“Well, just keep doing your thing,” He patted the herbalist’s shoulders. “I’ll be helping the prince out now.”
“Cool.” Sero nodded. The both of them went separate ways as the latter started trudging near the forest entrance, while the captain hauled one crater from a crew.
And not once, had they noticed a figure hiding behind a tree near the peacock.
***
The island was on the other end of the beauty spectrum when morning came. Fireflies that twinkled in the night made way for butterflies and birds of different kinds. Flowers could be seen blooming above and below, dancing in the wind without a care in the world.
Katsuki, Sero, and Kirishima began exploring the island, leaving the crew behind to pack the things they used last night and watch over the ship.
The captain was buzzing with excitement, eyes twinkling and wide as the three of them delved deeper into the island. His fingers pointed at every animal he could see.
Sero, on the other hand, was also having the time of his life examining various leaves. Even occasionally picking some and putting it in his bag.
But Katsuki couldn’t care less if the two were slow. His gaze was busy looking at their surroundings, appreciating the gigantic trees and the overall feel of the island.
As they trudged further and upward, they saw a spot that overlooked the world below, leaving the three speechless while they stared at the picturesque view.
“This…” Sero started, sounding breathless as the sun continued climbing up, turning the orange of the skies and the ocean into a vibrant blue.
“You should’ve brought a painter, your majesty,” Kirishima murmured gently. “Your first expedition, and it’s already this beautiful.”
Katsuki scoffed with no heat, his face lax with admiration. “My brain is more than enough to save this image.”
The three of them fell silent as they quietly stood at the spot. Katsuki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, a faint smile appearing on his lips as the fresh air entered his system, and the heat from the sun embracing him.
It was through these kinds of adventure that one could truly say how simple it is to find happiness. Because at that moment, the prince could shove away all the responsibilities waiting for him back home. He could pretend that the island was his home, and that he could greet the mighty sun like this everyday.
While it was true that the island was only three days worth of travel, it didn’t seem that someone had discovered the island for a while, or even at all. Within the hours of their exploration up until the sun was glaring down at them, there were no signs of human life that touched the wilderness.
As they took a break from another spot in the mountains, Katsuki’s companions seemingly decided it was time to be rascals.
Sero breathed in one of the leaves he picked earlier, noting the minty fragrance of the glossy and soft plant. Then he proceeded to munch on it.
Kirishima quickly grabbed the leaf away from his mouth. “Are you looking for death or something?! Stop eating that!”
“Why, you worried I’d get poisoned?” Sero smirked. “Don’t worry, captain, I ain’t a herbalist for nothing.” He said as he grabbed a potion in his bag, wiggling it for a good measure.
“So you have a medicine for poison, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to munch on every leaf you see!”
“Civilization needs the curious to learn the ways of the world, young man.”
“Shut up, Flat Face, philosophy doesn’t suit you.” Katsuki grumbled irritably. “You shut up too, Dumb Hair. I’m eating in peace.”
“Sorry, my prince, looks like Eiji won’t be giving you that.”
Kirishima looked at him in confusion, while Katsuki scowled.
Sero tapped his own shoulder, his smirk turning into a manic smile as he pointedly looked at the captain’s shoulder.
“There’s something on your back, loser.”
The three of them knew that Kirishima was a fierce soldier who feared almost nothing.
Almost, because of one tiny flaw.
He hated insects, regardless of what they were.
Without thinking, the captain felt around his shoulder until he touched something.
At that, Katsuki closed his eyes and sighed.
“AAAHHH!” Kirishima screamed. Voice going octaves higher as he abruptly stood up, hands slapping his own back violently and even aggressively ruffling his hair as if the bug decided to hide there.
Sero laughed boisterously, holding his tummy as tears formed in his eyes.
It was good and funny at best, until Kirishima stepped on something slippery that caused him to yelp and fall on the two.
“OI–” Katsuki’s warning shout was cut as they all proceeded to tumble all the way to the edge of the spot.
With that, it wasn’t just the captain who was screaming anymore.
Katsuki landed first with a grunt, then came Sero and Kirishima who fell down right on top of the prince.
“Fucking– get the fuck off me!” Katsuki shouted angrily.
The two groaned as they rolled over, both of their faces grimacing in pain as if boulders fell down on them.
“Where are we?” Sero muttered as he rubbed his hip, taking in the new place.
Directly below the slope where they fell was a small patch of sand surrounded by bodies of water. On each side of the slope were small waterfalls. Hanging vines littered around. And the area beyond the waters were gigantic trees that seemed to hide the particular place.
“Fuck knows. This is your fault.”
“Wha–” Sero squawked indignantly. “How is this my fault?!”
“You told me there’s something on my back.” Kirishima sulked while his gaze wandered around.
“There is something on your back! I wasn’t lying!”
“Forget it! God, you two are so annoying.” Katsuki sighed heavily, only to wince when he felt a bruise forming on his back. “Let’s figure out how to get out of here.”
“Well, now that I’m looking at this place properly, this looks like a perfect spot for animals living in shallow waters.” Sero observed as he rubbed his chin.
“Like what?” Kirishima asked.
Suddenly, Katsuki tensed. “Crocodiles.” He whispered, giving the two a hard tap as he slowly backed away from the water.
Kirishima pulled Sero behind him, his military instincts kicking in as he warily looked at the three crocodiles coming on different sides. The prince saw a branch lying on the ground, and used it to hopefully distract one of the animals by throwing it to the water.
Unfortunately, the three continued advancing with their beady eyes staring at them hungrily. With no other choice, Katsuki pulled his sword, with Kirishima following suit.
“Try not to hurt them, Bakugo. They’re just being wary.” Sero murmured gravely.
“How would you know?” Katsuki grumbled, brows pinched in concentration.
“Well, animals only attack when provoked.”
“They may not look provoked, but they look hungry.” Kirishima remarked tensely.
“Look for an escape, Flat Face. Dumb Hair and I got this.”
Sero shook his head. “It’s done. The only escape I see is the large stone in front of us and onto the other side.”
Which meant that attack was the only option.
Katsuki clicked his tongue, frustration beginning to simmer as he gripped the sword tightly. When the crocodiles began walking on the sand, the two threatened the animals with the point of their swords. It stopped one of them from advancing, but the other two were fearless.
The crocodile in front began opening its mouth, revealing rows of sharp jagged teeth. Just as when Katsuki lifted his sword to prepare for a swing attack, a loud whistle and the sudden rustling of leaves resonated within the area.
“Tiki, that’s enough!”
And there, a boy with nothing but a cloth covering his lower area appeared and landed on the large stone.
His voice wasn’t as deep as the prince’s. It was soft and melodious – definitely deeper than a woman, but with an alluring tone that could be compared to a singer.
His body was surprisingly clean. Tan abs decorated his torso, but not enough to be considered bulky. In fact, he was almost lean if it weren’t for the obvious muscles of his biceps and thighs.
His hair was a wild mess of greenery, as if no one ever taught him how to comb it. Freckles were scattered all over him – his cheeks, his chest, and even his inner thighs.
(How Katsuki managed to see that while in the middle of a predicament, no one would ever know.)
But what truly caught his attention was the boy’s doe eyes.
It was bright. And it was green.
“Alright, you three. All of you have been playing since this morning. We don’t bite anything we see, okay? Now swim along. Kita, I see you–not one bite!”
The boy continued reprimanding the crocodiles as if they were children. It greatly stunned the three as they watched the animals respond with grunts and growls, only to swim away a moment later.
“D-did–” Kirishima stuttered in awe and horror. “Did he just talk to crocodiles?”
No one answered him, their attention remaining on the newcomer.
The boy laughed awkwardly as he scratched his head. “I apologize about that. This is the first time we had guests so, forgive those three.”
Silence ensued as the three remained gawking at him. When the boy began frowning, Sero blinked and roughly nudged the prince.
At that, Katsuki coughed and cleared his throat. “Right. Sorry, we were just surprised that someone is here.”
“Oh. I live here.” The boy smiled, and it was the most adorable thing the prince had ever seen. “Who are you?” He proceeded to ask as he tilted his head, like a puppy who was curious about something.
It took a moment for Katsuki to respond. “My name is Bakugo Katsuki. What is yours?”
The boy blinked. “K…Kat… Katchuki?”
The prince inhaled a sharp breath, clearing his throat once more as he decidedly sheathed his sword.
Fuck, that’s adorable.
“Kat-suki.”
“Kat…chuki.”
Seeing his prince evidently helpless, Sero took a step forward and smiled.
“How about Kacchan? It might be easier for you.”
“What the hell is Kacchan, you fuck.” Katsuki hissed.
“Your nickname, of course!” The herbalist chirped as if the nickname existed forever ago.
“Just call me Bakugo.” The prince offered while he pinched Sero hard.
But the nickname already caught the boy’s attention.
“Kacchan…?” He tested as he tilted his head on the other side.
And there, the prince felt his heart skip a beat.
“Yeah! This is Kacchan!” Sero grinned and tapped the quiet prince’s shoulder, valiantly ignoring the pinch he received. “I’m Hanta, and this red-haired is Eijiro!”
“...E…jiro?”
Kirishima waved his hand dismissively. “Just Kirishima is fine.”
“What about you? What’s your name?”
“Oh! Uhh…” The boy scratched his cheek, suddenly shy. “My name is Zu.”
“Nice to meet you, Zu! Do you know where we could get out of here?”
“Yes. But wait,” Zu’s stance changed–back straightening and chest puffing, as if strengthening himself for what he was about to say. “Where did you all come from? Why are you here? And…”
It was understandable for Zu to ask questions that revolved around his safety and the island’s welfare. But on how he questioned it seemed like it was out of curiosity, rather than skepticism and wariness.
“How do you all look like me?”
The last question stunned the three once more, utterly confused on what he was trying to say.
“We came from a kingdom called Baku. And we’re here to confirm a rumor of the island bearing unnamed herbs and treasures.”
Katsuki answered seriously, feeling a bit weird when the boy looked at him again.
“But I don’t know what you are talking about us looking like you.”
“Y-you know! Head, body… legs?” Zu scratched his head again. “You don’t look like the others I am with in this place.”
“You mean there’s no humans here except for you?” Kirishima quirked his brow, bewildered at the revelation.
Because if Zu was the only human here, how did he survive? And for how long?
“Humans?”
That, in itself, already posed a concern. Especially for the prince.
Geopolitically speaking, the island would be under the protection of Baku. It wasn’t located at the center of any other lands other than their kingdom.
The next neighbouring kingdom, the Mido, had their own shores from an entirely different coastline. It would take weeks or months for them to reach the island.
In that case, someone should have reported a missing person in their kingdom. May it be from a ship wreck or a fishing incident.
Katsuki quickly processed this thought as Kirishima asked Zu in concern.
“You mean… you were alone? All this time? Is this where you were born?”
Zu shook his head. “Bruce said I came from the sea.”
“...Bruce?”
“My family.” The boy smiled.
“But you said there is only you here,” Sero frowned in confusion. “What do you mean family?”
“I will introduce them to you soon. But for now, you said something about where you all came from,” Zu tilted his head once more, a habit that Katsuki immediately picked on. “Baku, is it? Where is that kingdom you said?” He wondered, emerald eyes blinking curiously.
At that, the prince finally smirked. “I’m not telling until you let us out of here.”
Unbeknownst to him, the captain and the herbalist looked at each other, a knowing look shared as they picked up the prince’s tone.
But Zu didn’t notice. “Oh, right! Here, jump on this rock and then leap your way to the other side. Like this!” The boy demonstrated with complete ease, jumping high as if it was already second nature to him.
“See? Now come! I wanna show you something too!” He chirped before running off to the trees.
“Wait! Damn,” Katsuki sighed. “Alright, follow the kid.”
“Follow the kid, eh?” Sero smiled slyly. “Follow the island's beauty, maybe?”
“Fuck you, Flat Face. I’m not through with you yet. You think I forgot that Kacchan shit?” Katsuki snarled as he prepared to jump. “I’m gonna feed you to the sharks.”
“Ten golds, the Kacchan sticks.” Sero shifted his attention to Kirishima, who simply beamed.
“Twenty golds, the Kacchan marks the beginning of his love life!” The captain cheered, laughing as Katsuki jumped with a frustrated shout.
Forget the sharks, the prince wouldn’t allow them back on ship.
***
The twists and turns in the jungle was enough of a maze for everyone to get lost in. But Zu had no problem showing them the way, occasionally looking on his back from time to time to check on his guests.
When they reached a patch of meadow overlooking the ocean, Katsuki could say that of all spots they found, it was that which caught his breath away.
Encircling the wide clearing were bushes decorated with a variety of flowers and tree trunks beautifully wrapped in vines. A couple of huge, smooth rocks were purposefully placed, serving as either a bed or a platform. Some of the tree branches were tied down the soil like a canopy, not only serving as a shield from the sun’s glare, but from the freezing rains as well.
It was like a private room, but in the likeness of nature and tropics.
“Welcome to my home!” Zu grinned excitedly as he slightly hopped like an adorable child. “Come, I wanna show you something!”
Before the three could utter a word, Zu ran further to the edge of the meadow.
And there, right as they stopped on their tracks, they watched the boy encircling what seemed to be a chest until he faced them.
Katsuki frowned. “What’s this?”
“Ah, well,” Zu scratched his head. “This thing was with me when I got here. It had my name on it. And inside were things that I have forgotten its use of, except for the clothes.”
At that, the prince pursed his lips and walked towards the chest.
It was dirty with soil and mold. The colours and designs could no longer be deciphered. Even the crest laid on top of the cover already faded. But right at the lock of the chest engraved the words ‘Zu’, the rest long faded as well.
“Does it still have things inside?” Katsuki asked.
Zu nodded, then proceeded to open the chest.
There was nothing inside, except for a dirty old toy and a book.
Katsuki picked up the book and examined it. The front cover was completely ruined, and when he tried to open it, several of the pages had glued on each other, except for the last page.
Only three words were written on that page, all of which had smudged in time. But it was still readable enough for Katsuki’s eyes to widen in surprise.
From All Might
“Do you know him?”
Zu shook his head. “No.”
Yet even so, Katsuki was already picking up pieces of who Zu might be.
To be given a book from All Might, the legendary man who protected kingdoms from a malevolent pirate, could mean that Zu was not just an ordinary child. He was someone of importance who either got kidnapped and escaped, or got swept away from a shipwreck.
Katsuki tried recalling important events that occurred years ago. But even as Kirishima and Sero finally came over to see and realize the same thought, none of them got nothing in mind of who Zu could be.
“Have you shown this to Bruce?” Kirishima asked.
At that, Zu blinked and stifled a laugh. “No, Bruce wouldn’t know who All Might is.”
“Will you introduce them to us?” Sero wondered.
The boy turned around and called someone, a bunch of them in fact, out.
“You all can come out now! They won’t hurt you!”
And slowly, emerging from the bushes were, in fact, not humans.
It was animals – the blue peacock they saw the other day, a red panda, a green snake, and an elephant with eyes almost purplish in colour.
Zu walked over them and smiled, facing the shocked three as he pointed at the red panda.
“This is Bruce,” Then he pointed to the blue peacock. “Kudo,” Then to the green snake. “Banjo,” And finally, to the elephant. “And En.”
“This is amazing,” Sero whispered breathlessly. “His family are animals.”
Suddenly, the peacock squawked, occasionally flapping its wings as it looked to the boy, who then giggled in response.
“I’m sure they do.”
“You understood what it said?” Katsuki quirked his brow.
“Yes, don’t you?”
“All we heard is squawking.” He deadpanned, face blank as he watched the group of animals quite warily. The peacock made a noise once more, but with a hint of aggressiveness this time.
… Was it offended?
“That’s probably the manliest thing I have ever known. He’s an animal whisperer, Bakugo!” Kirishima’s eyes were practically twinkling as he stared at the smiling boy.
Give it to the captain who was easily entertained by anything under the sun.
Katsuki shook his head. “Look,” He sighed, making sure his face was serious enough for Zu to consider what he would say. “I don’t think you’re meant to be here all by yourself.”
“Oh, I’m not by myself. Bruce and the others–”
“You’re meant to be out there, to where civilization exists, Zu.” Katsuki interrupted.
Because no matter how happy the boy seemed to be at the moment, no human should be stuck on an island with no one around. God knows how he managed to survive with the animals’ help, but one could only do so much. The boy didn’t even know the word ‘human’.
Who knows, his family might still be around.
“Civilization?” Zu tilted his head at the word.
“Civilization,” Katsuki agreed. “To where people like you and me live.”
And if he was going to be absolutely honest with himself, truth be told, he didn’t want to leave him behind.
NOT because he was cute, no.
But because Katsuki truly believed that he was meant to be back home, to where he truly belonged.
(But yeah, he’s fucking cute.)
Zu fell silent and looked down, lips pursing as he fell in deep thought. And that was enough for the prince to internally sigh in relief and turn to look at his companions.
“Flat Face, Dumb Hair, we’re going back,” He announced quite gruffly, then slightly turning his head to look back at the boy. “We’ll be at the shores if you agree to come with us.”
Katsuki didn’t plan on staying there for long. But he would do so if it meant having him come with them willingly.
He would never leave someone trapped in an isolated, lonely island alone.
Zu would need help, and the prince would give that without hesitation.
***
It was daybreak when Zu appeared on the campsite.
Katsuki’s men were still in the middle of waking up as they sluggishly moved to pack their sleeping essentials. The cook was already barking orders to his underlings while the prince and his friends made their way towards Zu.
“Good morning, Zu!” Kirishima greeted cheerfully. “How was your sleep?”
Clearly not accustomed to the question, Zu blinked owlishly before answering, voice hesitant.
“Oh, uhh… It… It was good. T-thank you for asking…?”
Katsuki bumped his shoulder to the captain, practically shoving him as he took a few steps closer to the boy.
“I take it that you’re here to give us an answer?” He said, voice cool and patient as he stared into those big, emerald eyes.
For someone who lived almost their whole life alone on an island, his eyes sparkled with so much life.
Zu softly nodded as he stared back. Smiling gently, as if Katsuki held all the answers of the world and would trust him with everything from this point forward.
“Yes. I would like to see more of this… this… civilization.”
Katsuki’s mouth slightly gaped, momentarily stunned when the first ray of sun shone on the boy’s face. His emerald eyes twinkled like gems – a glow that almost put the island’s beauty to shame.
But he easily caught himself and cleared his throat, smirking boyishly as he lifted his hand.
“If that’s the case, welcome aboard, honoured guest.”
“O-oh…” The prince felt his heart skipping when the boy’s cheeks went aflame, his demeanour flustered and oh so unbearably adorable.
Carefully, Zu raised his own. And when their hands touched, Katsuki’s gaze immediately fell on it as he reveled in the softness of his skin.
How it became that way when he lived on the island his entire life, the prince could only wonder.
For the rest of the day, Katsuki had to consciously remind himself of what the journey was for.
From helping Sero gather as many herbs to study, to checking his men and the ship, there was not a moment when his attention landed on the boy whose eyes sparkled as he talked to his people.
Because honestly–and denying be damned–the island boy was more than enough of a discovery to last him a lifetime of expeditions.
The only real treasure in the prince’s eyes.
***
They sailed the next day.
It went as smoothly as the prince expected, but not without a few certain things that left him flabbergasted.
Katsuki was totally not expecting Zu to tell him that his “family” would come. He would’ve said no, but the moment he met the boy’s eyes shining with plea and nervous determination, all thoughts almost threw out of the window as he ended up nodding.
Almost.
He knew he should have thrown Sero and Kirishima out of the ship.
Obnoxiously snickering, not even bothering to be discreet around the prince. An insult to the royalty.
I’m gonna fucking kill them.
And so, with every man and… animals on board, they finally began their journey back home.
Naturally, Zu was surrounded by the animals. Eagerly talking to them as they made noises of their own kind.
Yet even so, at some point, the island boy began roaming around on his own. Head tilting from time to time as if wondering what is which.
It was already sunset when Katsuki decided to approach him.
“How are you liking the ship?” He asked, watching as the boy immediately turned his head on him.
Zu smiled. “I love your ship, it’s beautiful.”
The compliment bloomed the prince’s pride, chest puffing as he looked away dismissively.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“What are you carrying?” Zu asked as he eyed the cloth hanging on the prince’s arm.
Katsuki presented it to the boy, revealing his royal dark blue coat. “For you. It’s almost sundown. It will get cold.”
Zu blinked, looked down on himself, then at Katsuki. He still wore nothing but the cloth covering his lower area.
For some reason, a strange glint appeared in Zu’s eyes as he began flushing furiously, eyes darting everywhere but the prince as he gingerly accepted the coat.
“T-thank you, you’re so kind.”
Katsuki cleared his throat as he felt his ears go warm, nodding seriously at the boy. “Sure,” He said gruffly. “It’s yours, no need to return it to me.”
“Oh…a-are you sure? I-I wouldn’t want to–”
For an island boy such as him, he sure tends to be squirmish and ridiculously shy.
The prince scowled. “I have enough to last me a lifetime. And you need it more than I do, Zu. I’m sure.”
The boy fell silent. But their eyes locking at each other spoke volumes.
It was barely a week, yet the sparkle illuminating in the boy’s eyes had put Katsuki in unknown territories. Places that he used to entertain when he thought of Kirishima as something else.
What, was it because he was basically ‘exotic’? A human untainted by the errors of the world?
Katsuki couldn’t figure out what was so… interesting with the boy.
But maybe the answer he was beginning to look for would not come now. Maybe in the future, when he was certain that Zu’s life was safe and secured, away from unknown dangers.
Just like always, Katsuki caught himself staring and cleared his throat once more. Turning around to go back to his room.
“Use it and stay warm.”
The prince found himself freezing when the breeze gently blew everything that was on board.
Including the quiet thanks from the boy.
“Thank you, Kacchan.”
Katsuki turned his head slightly, enough to be able to gaze at the smiling boy.
He simply nodded, then finally went on his way.
***
In the dead silence of the night, where small flames twinkled against the pitch black cold, a hum of a siren gently flowed through the breeze.
It echoed throughout the sea, as if to summon those who wander. Then words came, and a story began weaving into oceanic folklore.
A tale of a young creature seeking the world, inspired by a soul who burned bright and warm.
An adventure that shouted new beginnings, and whispered a blossoming, unknown emotion.
It was an unfinished melody – a hymn of ongoing journey.
Yet despite dawn beginning to crack, it still crept within every man’s spirit.
And even as they wondered and sought who spoke the lullabies of the night, such prayers of longing and innocent determination remained within their hearts.
I need to know these answers
I need to find my way
Seize my tomorrow
Learn my yesterday
I need to take these chances
Let all my feelings show
Can’t tell what’s waiting
Still, I need to go
I need to know
***
“Men! Prepare to disembark!” The prince hollered as they got nearer to the harbor, face stoic when he stared at the towering heights from the distance.
The kingdom of Baku had continuously flourished over the years. From the booming businesses of the trades market and the villagers, all the way to the glittering gilded walls of the castle, it proved its power everywhere one would look. A clear depiction of gentle monstrosity under the leadership of the benevolent king.
Katsuki was proud of his parents’ hard work. He was proud to call himself their son.
Yet as his gaze remained locked on the dancing flag, he couldn’t say the same to what awaited him back home.
“Ahh, finally home.” Sero casually wrapped his arm around the prince’s shoulder, only to groan when the latter jabbed on his rib hard.
“Get your filthy hands off me.” Katsuki growled.
“So serious… ugh.” The herbalist winced. “And the sun is shining on us.”
“Your fault for distracting our prince.” Kirishima’s voice piped up as he stopped his tracks on Katsuki’s other side.
Unfortunately, even Katsuki caught on. He rubbed his face wearily as Sero smirked evilly. “Yeah? From what?”
“Oh, you know, something like the island’s treasure.” Kirishima chuckled as he nodded in front of them.
At the forefront of the deck, just on the bow’s platform, was Zu and the animals leaning onto the rail. They couldn’t see his face, but they could imagine the sparkling eyes and the gaping mouth as he looked at the kingdom.
But nevermind the expression the boy might be having.
The prince’s coat was so large it slightly dragged on the floor and completely hid his figure. Only leaving tufts of green hair for them to see.
“Not a word on any of this,” Katsuki hissed as he glared at both of them. “You two shits hear me?”
All the teasing must be kept to a minimum. Wait until the prince introduces the boy to the king and queen. And remain silent with everything else that danced between the two.
Kirishima and Sero begged to differ – the meaning behind wearing the prince’s coat was so obvious. But given the secrecy of Katsuki’s preference, they nodded earnestly.
Suddenly, as if thinking the same thing, they simultaneously stood upright. Chest puffed out as they tilted their chin higher.
“Aye, captain!” The two shouted, then laughed boisterously enough for the prince’s guest to turn his head.
Doe eyes met red irises. But the moment was extremely short as Katsuki began hitting mercilessly at the two.
The guest didn’t seem to mind when a tender smile stretched his lips, watching the boyish fight between the three with fondness only those who speak differently could see.
***
Katsuki had his priorities completely listed out.
From the moment his feet touched the harbor, he waited for Zu as the boy jumped with ease. Thoughts focused on what must be done.
“Come on, Zu. I’ll take you somewhere.” He said as he offered his hand, urging the boy to hold onto him.
The red flush on his cheeks was less prominent under the glare of the sun, but it didn’t hinder the prince from admiring the healthy colour on his skin.
“But… What about my family?” Zu asked worriedly.
“Kirishima will take them to the palace grounds. I just need to take you somewhere. I promise it won’t be long.” Katsuki assured, watching every movement from the boy who was hesitating to reach over.
A soft, bird-like chirp voiced behind Zu, to which the latter immediately turned around to answer.
“Are you sure about this?” He asked the red panda.
It was the elephant who made a noise this time, grunting and snorting at Zu who chewed his lower lip.
Then the snake slithered from atop the elephant and onto the red panda, hissing as it twirled its body and looked back to the boy.
At that, Zu looked back down again and slowly nodded. “Okay, fine. But behave, you guys. I mean it.”
This time, the peacock squawked. Wings flapping wildly as if he was offended by what Zu said.
The boy chuckled fondly. “Alright alright. Geez, way too serious.”
Katsuki watched all of this with his eyebrow raised, feeling terribly amused by the oddness of it.
He straightened his back when Zu turned around and walked towards him. He offered his hand once more to the boy.
“I assume your family approved your first field trip?”
Zu giggled, eyes turning into crescents as he smiled brightly. “Yep, and I got a big yes.” He answered as he carefully placed his hand on the prince’s awaiting ones.
“Kirishima, take them home!”
Not waiting for an answer, Katsuki began pulling the boy towards the village.