The Lost Crown: A Tale of Rebellious Royalty. (Fantasy Au x reader)
Drabble, Characters are 18+
Synopsis: What goes on in the streets of a village market when walking with curious company.
Word count: 2,795
Includes/mentioned: Shigaraki, Magne, Bakugo, Kirishima, & Denki.
Key: (T:) - Translation, (e/c) - eye colour, (s/c) - skin colour, (h/c) - hair colour, (Y/n) - Your name, (F/n) - Fake name.
Warning: Angst, language, injuries, and Denki's sense of humour.
⚔︎-Chapter Five: Unwanted Company-⚔︎
Y/n picked up the hens and moved away from the fire. Their wings flapped sickeningly against Y/n’s legs as they walked. They went as far away as they dared go, then sat down on a rock. Gritting their teeth, Y/n began to pluck the hens. The rough feathers rubbed their hands raw, but they knew better than to stop. Loud laughter behind them marked the beginning of one of Kaminari’s stories. When the story was well underway, Eijiro joined them. He was holding a long stick and a smaller blade. He sat beyond her, shielding from the fire by the rock. He whittled hard, sending shavings out on the grass. Then he let the stick rest against his knee and reached for one of the hens. Feathers drifted down to pile up at his feet. Before Kaminari was halfway into his story, Eijiro’s flying fingers finished two hens and replucked Y/n’s, removing the pinfeathers they had left. Whistling, he picked up the stick. He stood up, quickly skewered the three hens, and walked back to the fire. Y/n watched him place the stick on the spit. Then he started back towards them. They stood and headed towards the stream to wash their hands. When they turned to go back to the fire, he blocked her way.
“A kitchen servant would have had no trouble plucking a few hens,” He said softly.
“I’m not a kitchen servant,” Y/n said defiantly.
Eijiro leaned against a tree. “Pray tell,” he said, sort of sarcastically. “You could have fooled me!”
“I’m a... a merchant’s child,” Y/n said hastily. “My father was going to put me in service at the palace. I ran away.”
Eijiro raised his eyebrows. “Well, partly true, anyway. Come along, merchant’s child. Surely you can serve water!”
Y/n followed him back to the fire, a scowl on their face. It was one thing to lie, but quite another to be treated as a liar! Before entering the group, they forced the scowl away. They poured water carefully for each of the guests, trying not to spill a drop. Only the woman who had thrown the birds at their feet looked at them. She sat a bit apart from the rest, and her clothing was of a different cut. The way she moved tugged at Y/n’s memory. Y/n walked towards her with dragging steps, head bent to shadow their eyes. When they reached her, her hand shot out and closed on their arm. Y/n forced themself not to jerk away. They kept their head bent. Her other hand forced their face up towards hers.
Y/n could feel the tension in the air. A movement behind them told them that Katsuki had risen to his feet.
“Oi! Is this how you repay our hospitality?” he asked.
“Pfft,” the woman said, dropping Y/n’s arm. “They're a slow one, anyway.”
Y/n moved away, shaking. The woman had meant to find out who they were. There was no doubt in their mind that she was one of Prince Shigaraki’s people. Everyone settled back down, and the incident might never had happened. Y/n stayed out of the woman's way. When the hens were done, everyone ate them in silence. The strangers departed soon after, though one of the men stopped to apologize for the woman’s actions.
“She’s not one of us,” he said. “We met her on the trail.”
Y/n watched them go, hands clenched at their sides. Freedom was going to be even harder to keep than they thought. They turned to face Katsuki and Eijiro. Neither spoke. They moved around camp, packing equipment and dousing the fire. But when Eijiro passed Y/n, they gave their shoulder a quick squeeze. A warm feeling erased the tension from their body.
When Eijiro finished packing, he turned to them. “Alrighty, up you go,” He says before shifting to offer his back, bracing to carry them.
“No. I want to walk,” they said.
Katsuki, who was watching this scene unfold, raised an eyebrow at Eijiro, but Y/n ignored them. They walked beside the pair while Kaminari trailed behind. Y/n didn’t try to understand their feelings for the lovers. Y/n just knew that they wished they were their kin, instead of Prince Shigaraki. For a moment, Y/n thought about telling them who they really were. Then they pushed the thought away. I don’t want to be royalty, they thought. Never. Never again. I want to be free, like this- all my life. As Kaminari caught up, he began another of his tales. By this time, Y/n learned that all his stories were about a strange land that they had never heard of. He spoke of heroes and battles; lords and fine ladies. He spoke of honor and duty. Y/n listened, but they heard only what they wanted to hear.
So they continued their journey. They climbed high ridges and passed down into a large valley. In the center of the valley was a large, walled town. The road that ran to the huge gate was not the road that they traveled.
Y/n traced it with their eyes until it disappeared. They wondered out loud, “Then there is another way over the mountains!”
Huh? Of course! Katsuki exclaimed. “That is the broad way that is well traveled. We have come across on a poor mountain trail.
“But why?”
It seemed best at the time,” Katsuki said, rolling his shoulders. “The broad road is busy this time of year.”
“Why?” Y/n asked again. They turned to look at Kaminari, who had taken some coloured rings from his pack. He juggled them easily.
“The fair,” Kaminari said. He juggled the rings without looking, for his eyes were fastened on the crowds around the gate of the town. “There’ll be enough work here, eh blasty? Eijiro? he said. “We’ll fill our purses with gold and silver.”
“Aye.” Eijiro said, looking amused. "We’ll gain enough to aid us on our way. But be careful, Kaminari, we want no strangers stealing our thunder."
Kaminari grinned the quick, curving grin that creased his eyes as well as his cheeks. Without answering, he somersaulted down the road, spinning rings on his hands and feet. His performance was so good that Y/n started to clap. Kaminari landed upright, looking flushed. He bowed deeply.
“That’s nothing dunce face! Watch this!” Katsuki said proudly. He lifts one hand in front of him — fingers splayed, steady. With a subtle twitch of his palm, a spark snaps to life just above his skin, dancing like a miniature sun. He grins as Eijiro chuckles and shakes his head. Then he takes a swig of something from a leather-skinned pouch and slowly exhales a breath — barely visible, like a breath in winter.
The vapor glides over the spark.
FWOOM!
A sudden burst of flame erupts, blooming outward like a fiery flower.
Y/n stood and watched in awe. They were now sure that Katsuki had been the fire breather at the palace. Y/n drew back and gave him a searching look. Katsuki didn’t look away until they did. Then he and Kaminari went up ahead of them.
“We’ll not see them for a while,” Eijiro said. “Come on, we must find a place to stay before they are all gone.”
“But there can’t be any places left,” Y/n said, looking at the crowded road. “There are too many people!”
“Maybe,” Eijiro said. “Then again, maybe not. I have a friend or two left. We’ll find a place to stay.”
Excitement put colour in Y/n's cheeks as they and Eijiro joined the throng of people. The young royalty hurried along with the crowd, hardly noticing the black-garbed rider at the gate. His eyes swept over them without interest. Eijiro saw him and put a protective arm around Y/n. They felt it, but only thought he was directing them. The village square buzzed with life, a chaotic harmony of voices, footsteps, and the clatter of wooden carts. Stalls lined the cobbled streets in every direction, their colorful awnings fluttering in the warm breeze. The scent of fresh bread mingled with roasting meats, herbs, and the tang of spices filled the air.
Vendors called out to passersby with practiced cheer:
"Fresh apples! Picked this morning—sweet as summer!"
"Silks from the southern coast! Feel for yourself!"
"Spiced nuts! Two handfuls for a copper!"
“Guilds,” Eijiro explained. Each trade gathers in the same part of the village. The guilds control the quality of the work.”
Children darted between the stalls, sticky with honey or berry juice, laughing as they weaved around tired donkeys and impatient goats. A woman with a basket of hand-woven trinkets bargained with a traveler, while an old man played a reed flute nearby, his hat filled with tossed coins.
Down a street, a butcher swung his cleaver with rhythmic precision, laying out cuts of meat with pride. Next to him, a potter stacked clay bowls in careful towers, each one glazed in rich earth tones. A beekeeper offered golden jars of honey, the sunlight turning the glass warm and glowing.
The energy never stopped — stories traded as often as coins, gossip flowing as freely as the local cider. It was loud, fragrant, messy, and alive — the heart of the village beating strong with every deal struck and every laugh shared.
“Which way are we going?” Y/n asked.
“To Market Street,” he answered. “It’s near the village square where farmers bring wares from all over the countryside. There’ll be jugglers and fire breathers-
“Kaminari and Katsuki!” Y/n exclaimed eagerly.
“Amongst others,” Eijiro said, smiling at their delight. “Come on, let’s go!”
Near the town wall, they found a shabby inn that had one room left. Eijiro paid the innkeeper, and off they went in search of the two acts they came with.
They found Kaminari near the fountain, spinning his coloured rings. Eijiro wouldn't let Y/n speak to Kaminari. “You might break his concentration,” he said. They then found Katsuki a little further down. From his palm, a spark pops—a single, flickering light. He takes a swig from that pouch again before he exhales fire. The flame bursts forth in a wide arc, but this is no ordinary blaze. It twists and curls midair, like it has a mind of its own. The fire doesn't just burn—it moves. A serpent made of flame coils toward the sky, flickering red, gold, and blue, its "head" turning, seeming to look at the audience before vanishing in a shimmer of heat.
He steps forward and exhales again.
A phoenix takes flight. Wings of flame spread wide, soaring briefly over the audience before collapsing into sparks that rain gently below. Gasps echo through the crowd. A child reaches out instinctively, as if trying to touch it.
Each breath brings something new—a lion roaring in molten gold, a dragon spiraling skyward, a flower blooming and curling into cinders. The fire dances to his will, alive in a way fire shouldn't be. Not wild, not reckless. Not entirely of this world. He finishes with one long breath, a final creation: a dancer made of flame, spinning slowly in place, arms raised like it’s bowing with him. The flames vanish as if they’d never been there. The crowd is silent again, except for the echo of wonder. He bows once more. Not a performer seeking applause—but like a conjurer who’s just whispered a secret and disappeared. The crowd erupts.
Beyond Katsuki was a group of dancers attired in drifting scarves. They had started moving towards them when they saw a dancing bear. Cautiously, they joined the crowd around the bear. The keeper prodded the bear, and he moved sluggishly. A gang of boys grew impatient and darted in and out, baiting the bear.
First one paw lifted, then the other, its muscles shifting beneath thick fur as it pushed upward, rising to its full, towering height. Nine feet of raw, unyielding power. The kind of height that turned man into prey and silence into threat.
For a heartbeat, it simply stood — looming, still, as if daring the world to move.
And then it roared.
A thunderous, guttural bellow that ripped through the stillness like a storm. The sound echoed through the trees, bouncing off houses, chasing birds into the sky. It was not just noise — it was presence. A declaration. A warning. A promise. Y/n stepped back, tears in their eyes. They had let themself remember what life had been like in the tower. They had been trapped much like the bear, providing sport for Magne and Prince Shigaraki.
A blare of trumpets scattered the crowd. Y/n’s blurred vision cleared too late. The square was filled with the thunder of hooves. They charge down the road, fast and frenzied, the ground trembling beneath their weight. Shouts erupt.
Out of the crowd like a lightning bolt. Eijiro, fast and every step precise, throws himself across the distance. His face is sharp with focus — not fear, just fierce intent. Dust kicks up around him as he reaches Y/n and grabs them around the waist, lifting them clean off their feet. The horses roar past — inches away — their hooves pounding the earth where Y/n stood a moment before.
They hit the ground hard — but together. Eijiro rolls mid-fall, twisting so he lands beneath them, absorbing the full impact. His back slams into the dirt, dust exploding around them. For a long breathless second... everything goes still. Y/n’s hands clutch his shoulders. Their face is inches from his — lips parted, eyes wide, heart thundering not from fear anymore, but from him.
Eijiro blinks up at them, one hand still around their waist, the other cradling the back of their head protectively. His chest rises and falls beneath them, warm and fast.
“You alright?” He asks low, breathless.
“I... yeah. I think so.” Y/n manages to get out.
Y/n’s breath brushes his cheek. Eijiro’s eyes flicker to their lips, just for a heartbeat, before he looks away.
He doesn’t let go right away. And neither do they.
Eijiro and Y/n are still on the ground — tangled up, chest-to-chest, breaths brushing against each other. Neither one says anything. Neither one moves.
“Wooooowwwww! Should I come back later, or...?” Kaminari calls teasingly.
Y/n flinches slightly. Eijiro lets out a breath through his nose.
Kaminari jogs toward them, a smug grin plastered on his face, hands on his hips like he’s just caught two teenagers making out. His eyes flick between them — still half-on-the-ground, still in each other’s arms.
“You know, most people walk away from danger. Not fall dramatically into each other’s arms like a romance novel.” He says.
“It’s not like that—!” They start to protest, all flustered.
“Eijiro! Y/n!”
Katsuki’s voice cuts through the crowd. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks, dropping to a knee.
Katsuki looks at Eijiro , still half-lying on the ground, his arms finally letting go of Y/n. He looks annoyed — mostly at Kaminari — but a flicker of something else crosses his face when Katsuki touches his arm.
“Tch! You could’ve been trampled, too. You scared the hell out of me.” Katsuki spoke lowly to Eijiro.
“Yeah, well… I wasn’t gonna let them get hit.” Eijiro responded.
Katsuki stares at him for a second longer, eyes softening. Then, without warning, he leans in and presses a quick, firm kiss to Eijiro’s lips. After the kiss, Katsuki turns to Y/n, eyes searching.
“You okay?”
“Yeah... thanks to him.”
Eijiro smiles, softer now — a warmth that runs deep.
“You’re important to us, y’know?” breathes Katsuki to Y/n.
Their eyes widened, but before they could say or do anything, Kaminari’s shrill voice cut through the air.
“Awwwwwwww where’s my kiss, blasty?”
Katsuki grabs a nearby rock and throws it at him — hard.
It misses. Barely.
Katsuki helps both Y/n and Eijiro to their feet. The three of them stand close together, battered by dust and chaos, but very much whole — and maybe a little more connected than before.
“Who were they? Y/n finally dared to ask.
Katsuki’s answer was grim. “ Prince Shigaraki’s riders. Y/n looked around in amazement. “Why didn’t anyone stop them? Why didn't anyone help me?
“It’s a death wish to challenge the riders,” Eijiro said quietly. Nor is it wise to speak too loudly on the subject.”
Y/n fell silent. They looked around at the market scene one last time, no longer enchanted by its beauty. Across the square, they met the gaze of a watcher. She moved back into the crowd.
“Guys,” Y/n whispered. They glanced down at them. “The woman that we met on the trail. She was here, watching us.”
Thanks for reading, hope it was enjoyable!! Make sure to stick around for ⚔︎-The Yami no dōmei (T: Dark Alliance)-⚔︎