Catching Feelings? (TodoDeku x Reader)

Aggressively beatboxing n drowning my sorrows in wine (acc flavored water) cuz this is too short but it's fine y'all cuz length don't matter (I'm lying n sobbing)

—First Person POV.—

"How did those get there?"

"I have no idea, your Highness.." The stable boy trailed off, shrinking in his spot and jumping when that mismatched gaze lifts to the few guards who came to help "Someone knows." He bites.

"Who saddled her horse?" His voice calls out "I want answers— Figure out who is responsible." The Prince has directed that last command down to an older man, probably the stable master, that had just arrived.

He held out his hand and the boy gave him the shards.

The stable master kept his eyes averted in shame as he bowed his head before the Prince "Forgive me, your Highness. I'll do my best to discover who did this.."

It didn't seem to matter as the man did not give him another glance and already moved on to place the pottery shards in his leather saddlebag.

I watched as the pieces disappeared inside and he disregarded the servant with the wave of his hand—leaving my stomach to twist into knots.

Wait, why are these knots fluttering?

With a grumble, a stable boy helped me mount my new horse and I held on more carefully—now cautious from the near-death experience of almost being thrown off.

Maybe I was being a little dramatic..? No, I'm not.

Closing my eyes briefly, my brows furrowed as I drew in a deep breath—I needed to figure out who decided they wanted to play a 'let's harm (Y/n)' prank today.

As Itsuka and I set off, now closely flanked by the Prince and his guards, his voice cut through my thoughts "Keep moving, I'll keep an eye on you." He promised.

A short nod from me let him fall behind and I could catch snippets of his sharp words to his guards—chastising them for their negligence and accusations flew as he reprimanded each man for failing to protect a noblewoman.

Though all of the rumors I had heard of up until now have been practically proven wrong, the one of him being responsible for his brother's death flashed through my head.

We descended from the castle mount, following the winding road that cut through the dense forest.

Unlike the familiar trees of Kyushu, this forest boasted an abundance of beech trees, their leaves casting dappled shadows on the sunlit path—adding bursts of color that tuned perfectly with the summer day.

We rode for about an hour before the town gate finally came into view, signaling our arrival.

My Gypsy snorted as I approached the gate, memories of passing it in the darkness on my way to the castle flooded my mind.

Now, in the daylight, its grandeur was unmistakable, towering above with an air of authority— Two guards, initially looking like they were on the brink of sleep, snapped to attention at the sight of the Prince and his entourage of well-dressed guests.

There was a huff that escaped his cursed lips as he paused before them—obviously getting onto their asses for being lazy.

Which was not my business, since the rest of us just proceeded through the gate and into the lively streets.

Our guides, Chancellor Ojiro and Hagakure, shared the town's history and tales of Oyashima's King with the ladies—while some, like Daki and her friends, chose to chatter amongst themselves.

Thankfully, a good majority of us lent our ears to their stories as we enjoyed the scenery all around.

The streets were quiet—devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of market day, which allowed us to absorb  the servants words with clarity, each detail painting a vivid picture of Oyashima's heritage.

"Is that a stray? Look at its fur," A Lady remarked in a hushed yet audible tone.

"Stray— What?" Another one chimed in, their disdain evident as they wrinkled their noses in unison. Mutters of "Fleas," and "Let's go faster," caught my attention as their reigns jingled.

Directing their horses further into the street, my eyes followed the few eager to distance themselves from the perceived nuisance.

My eyes casted around at the neighborhood—and by the looks of the four-story, half-timber houses, many of the residents on this street were actually really wealthy.

My attention was drawn to a young woman and a little boy walking towards us, they had to rush out of the way as a Lady's horse nearly trampled the two—yet Tanaka continued on, hissing under her breath in annoyance at the obstacles.

Despite their rich attire, they didn't argue and avoided making eye contact—keeping their gazes fixed firmly on the ground as they passed by and I blinked in confusion.

Lifting my gaze to what the hell disturbed the Lady from Ikishima—my attention fell onto a cat lounging on a nearby wall.

It was resting in a comfortable loaf position, arms tucked snuggly beneath its body while its eyes idly tracked the passing ladies, who hurriedly guided their horses away from its vicinity.

I paused as the calico's slitted pupils flickered onto me, and due to the height of the fence, it met my gaze at eye level as I passed by.

Though, I didn't actually pass by— My hands lightly pulled back on the reigns, causing the Gypsy to come to a stop before I tentatively extended my hand, allowing the cat to sniff it before gently stroking its fur.

How cute..

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips when a purr rumbled from its throat, eyes closing softly to take in the affection.

The sound of scribbling dragged my attention away and I noticed Chancellor Ojiro jotting something down in a small book—and a deadpan fell onto my expression.

Is he spying on us?

Alongside me, I noticed Itsuka casting subtle glances at Hagakure and the chancellor.

Was she catching on, too?

I watched for a bit longer before pulling away from the cat and heading on our way, noting that I had to find a way to make the Lady shine in the Prince's eyes.

But to achieve that, I needed to figure out what it was exactly that he wanted in a partner—What was he searching for?

..Too bad I can't just toss Itsuka his way and call it a day.

Another grumble escapes my lips, earning a confused glance from the Angel at my side.
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