Chapter Text
o0o0o0o
However, what really made the Silver King upset was Kuroh's unwillingness to elaborate on the topic of their age difference. The two never made it a big deal before since they hadn't brought the issue up but after last night, it was inevitable that Shiro tossed and turned in his sleep because of it. He was close to a century old and was in the body of a young eighteen year old boy whereas Kuroh was nineteen and still maturing by the day. Sure he looked young, but in actuality he was just plain old—too old.
Sighing to himself, Shiro couldn't help but feel his heart drop as insecurity began to bubble up inside of him. If he really thought about it, he almost considered himself a pedophile for loving someone nearly a century younger than him. Actually, was it even considered pedophilia for someone in his case? Kuroh had already been of consenting age when they began their relationship, but still it was really hard for Shiro not to expand upon what revolved around them and what made them so different.
Sighing to himself, the Silver King's discomfort didn't go unnoticed to Kuroh as he eyed the frowning male from the corner of his eyes. Within seconds he made an effort to reach over and hold his king's hand.
"What's bothering you?" Kuroh asked, his fingers curling tightly around his.
"You never answered my question last night." Shiro replied quietly, too quietly for Kuroh's comfort.
"About what?"
"Our age difference…" Shiro said, looking down at his lap. "Does it really bother you?"
"Isana Yashiro…" Kuroh sighed heavily, his eyes locked solely on the road ahead of them.
"I know it was my fault for bringing it up as a joke, but the way you reacted bothered me. I can't help but think twice now, so please tell me. Are you displeased with our relationship?" He questioned, hoping for an honest answer.
"Don't ever think that I'm displeased by what we have Shiro, I don't regret it. But to answer your question, age is merely a number and I'm not bothered by it." The Black Dog said. "However, there are some days when I feel insecure because you've experienced things that I have yet to encounter—you're wise in your own right, I admire you greatly as well but there are days where I can't help but wonder if I am truly privileged enough to stand beside you as not only your clansman but as your lover because of this psychological gap that I feel."
"Kuroh?" Shiro squeezed the other's hand tightly, biting his lip; he realized how different their reasoning's were and he felt terrible for thinking so selfishly. "Of course you're allowed to be with me. You belong at my side as both my protector and my lover—I don't want that to ever change. I honestly don't care about our ages, but…" He frowned, slowly taking the time to reach over and tug on his knight's ponytail. "Please don't ever make me reconsider what we've been through together just because of that one difference between us. I maybe older but with all due respect, it doesn't always mean that I act my age."
"Ah—Shiro please don't pull on my hair." Kuroh growled lightly causing the other man to chuckle softly.
"Well how else am I supposed to punish you while you're driving?" The silverette smiled innocently but he let go of the other's ponytail anyways.
"Y-you!" The Black Dog glared at him through the rearview mirror. He didn't know how to counter the other boy's smart remark so instead he forced himself to remain silent despite how red his face had grown from embarrassment and rage. Shiro of course laughed at him but eventually he too grew quiet and gradually he fell asleep in the passenger seat the rest of the way to their destination.
o0o0o0o
"Shiro."
"Hm—mm?"
"Shiro, it's time to wake up now." Kuroh said as he shook his lover lightly. Hearing him groan in protest, he couldn't help how easily the other's reaction made him smile. Cupping the Silver King's cheek, Kuroh went ahead and unbuckled the seatbelt for him, taking him carefully into his arms; he then carried the silverette out of the car and held him close. "Shiro, we're here now so look, open your eyes."
"Mm? Ku-Kuroh?" Shiro yawned. He struggled to open his droopy eyes. Rubbing them with a roll of his fist; he then shook his head and patted his cheeks in an attempt to rouse himself awake. "Where are we?"
"Far away from Shizume City," Kuroh replied. "Now look."
"Oh?" Shiro followed the Black Dog's gaze, looking straight ahead in the same direction; the silverette finally noticed the large, traditional Japanese style house in front of them. "This is?"
"This is the house I lived in with Master Ichigen, the house I was raised in for most of my life." Kuroh answered.
"Your old house?" He asked, his amber eyes widening at the realization.
"Yes."
"It's beautiful." Shiro said as he nuzzled his cheek against the Black Dog's neck. "And we'll be staying here together all weekend?"
"Yes, just the two of us. Consider it a vacation away from the city and Neko."
At the mention of their feline clansman, the Silver King shook his head with a smile. His dear knight made it seem as though the girl was a hindrance. At times it could be considered true, but he knew deep down that Kuroh regarded her as an important friend. "You do know we'll have to make it up to her somehow, right?"
"We'll figure something out, she's easy to please."
"That's very true. So, are you going to take us in or are we just going to keep standing here?" He asked; his features softening as he looked up at the other man with a loving expression, one that quite literally took Kuroh's breath away.
Blushing faintly, Kuroh nodded his head quickly, making Shiro giggle at him for becoming easily flustered. Touching the other's cheek, he then gave Kuroh a soft kiss. Yes, it was the little things like this that made their relationship still seem so new—youthful and wonderful. Shiro enjoyed it; he loved moments like these very much and he continued to giggle at Kuroh's shy reaction after he pulled away.
Being carried through the gates and into the main courtyard, Shiro saw how the weeds and plants took growth without anyone around to monitor the home. It was almost sad really, and in his mind he imagined what the place could have looked like if Kuroh were still around to keep it in top shape. Noticing this, he then looked up at the Black Dog, unsure of how he was feeling. It was obvious that this was the first time since leaving his home to find the heir to the title of the Colorless King that Kuroh had been back. Shiro didn't want to assume nor jump to conclusions but he couldn't help but feel as though Kuroh felt some amount of pain for having been gone for so long.
"Ne Kuroh?"
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow, why don't we fix the garden together?" He asked, his eyes staring at the various weeds.
The Silver King's question threw him off guard. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I think it'd be good and besides—" Shiro touched his cheek. "I want to."
"Okay." Kuroh breathed. "Tomorrow morning, after breakfast we'll garden."
"I can't wait." Shiro chimed, causing his knight to chuckle softly as he brought their faces close together and rubbed his nose against Kuroh's.
With that said, Kuroh carried the Silver King off into the house. Looking around, they could see that the place was relatively clean thanks to Kuroh's neighbor Watanabe, however there was still a slight accumulation of dust and cobweb along the ceiling which didn't come as a surprise to either of them. It was only ashame that she couldn't care for the gardens, but given her old age, Kuroh couldn't blame her for being unable to tend to them.
Shiro eventually wiggled his way out of the Black Dog's arms, being the first one to run over and throw open the closest window in order to let some light shine into the interior space. Even after driving for hours, the two of them didn't stop to rest and instead went about giving the old house a quick yet thorough sweep. Kuroh was naturally fast at getting his share of the indoor chores done, whereas Shiro took his time—enjoying the new place and taking in the sights that he was presented with.
After double checking to make sure that the place was indeed clean enough, they then moved their belongings inside from the car. Kuroh came prepared with a large cooler full of food that would last them for the weekend and that amazed Shiro greatly. The Black Dog definitely wasn't beating around the bush on this trip he planned and Shiro suddenly began to wonder what else there was to come on this short journey of theirs.
After setting aside their things, Kuroh left his king in their sleeping quarters to get right done to making them both a hearty meal. Left alone in the room, excitement welled up inside of Shiro and he couldn't help but fall down into the soft futon that had been laid out as he stared up at the ceiling with his arms stretched out wide.
He was going to be spending the next two nights and three days alone with Kuroh. It wasn't every day that something like this happened so he made a mental note to treat his personal time with the Black Dog with care and to live it out to the fullest. Still, with the way things were progressing—he could tell that there was more going on behind this trip than Kuroh was letting on. Not that Shiro minded of course, but it was hard to ignore the sentimentality behind everything and his curiosity began to grow.
'There must be something.' Shiro hought. "But what could it be?" he voiced aloud.
With the door left open, Shiro could hear the constant pattering of movement on the wood floor and cookware coming from the kitchen. He didn't know what Kuroh was cooking but he knew that whatever it was, it would be delicious regardless.
o0o0o0o
"You just had to indulge yourself as usual." Kuroh shook his head.
"But I can't help it! Your cooking is the best! You would have to be a fool not to go for seconds or thirds!" He pointed out.
Not wanting to argue, Kuroh rolled his eyes at the Silver king. "Whatever you say, Isana Yashiro. Now, will you please help me clean up?"
"Of course my wonderful wife!"
Kuroh flinched, his eye twitching slightly but Shiro held his ground with that cheesy smile of his. Kotowari was nowhere within reach, so the Silver King had very little to fear nor could the Black Dog give him the usual death threats like cutting his tongue out. Still, with thoughts of the proposal on his mind, Kuroh blushed inwardly and without giving Shiro so much as a word he began to collect their dishes in silence.
"Kuroh?" Shiro tilted his head. Even after mentioning his name a second time, the knight continued to remain silent and he scrambled back into the kitchen; leaving the Silver King even more confused than before.
Feeling slightly worried, Shiro collected the last of the dishes at the small table. Following after the Black Dog, he heard the sound of running water from the faucet being turned on. Seeing Kuroh with his back turned to him, he frowned lightly at the display and went to place his share of the dirty plates next to the other small pile.
"Kuroh?"
"Hm?"
"Did my words upset you?"
"No."
"Then why'd you leave so suddenly?" He asked. "You didn't even stop to make a threat about cutting out my tongue when I called you my wife."
"Shiro, it's nothing. Now please, just help me wash the dishes." Kuroh replied, his face growing hot.
"Now you're just avoiding the question." He frowned. 'Didn't he do this last night too?'
"Shiro, I'll make things clear later." The Black Dog mumbled this time. Turning his head to glance over at the other male, Kuroh saw the way Shiro's gaze lowered to the ground slightly. He bit his inner cheek at the sight, a pang of guilt instantly flooding his senses. "I promise I'll explain, so please will you hand me some dishes?"
"Ne." Shiro sighed loudly. "You better make this up to me somehow, Kurosuke" He pouted but it was quickly replaced and in no time Kuroh could see the shorter male smiling again.
"I will, I swear to you—I will." He said, his features taking on a softness that Shiro could just barely identity in contrast to his word choice.
Though Kuroh's words were simple enough, they still held a manner of seriousness to them, one that left Shiro flushed since it was a strong disparity from the Black Dog's façade. Kuroh always found a way to make his heart race—whether the knight was aware of it or not, his effect on him was apparent. But then again, they were both the same, what with Shiro being so captivated by the Black Dog, and Kuroh himself just as enthralled by the new experience of love and relationships.
Murmuring a soft reply, Shiro began handing off one plate after another. His thoughts were still wrapped around Kuroh's sudden change in attitude. It wasn't bad, however it was obvious—even Kuroh was aware of how awkward he'd become since making the decision to propose, so every little thing that he did was becoming unfamiliar to Shiro. The Silver King just didn't know what was coming—not yet.
'This is terrible, I'm terrible!' Kuroh screamed in his mind. 'Surprises are just not my forte.'
After washing the dishes and cleaning up after themselves, both king and knight retired early for the night. Or at least Shiro thought it best to fall right into bed, whereas Kuroh opt to stay up and read from his new book on how to speak German. The task had been daunting at first but after much help from Shiro the learning process became easier. Still, it didn't hurt for him to review the earlier lessons and he did just that for about an hour before he too decided that it was time to hit the hay himself.
o0o0o0o
"Kuroh! Look, I got it!"
"That's good." He called out. "Are you alright?"
"Yes! I'm fine, don't worry!"
The two of them had been gardening for the last hour and a half. For Shiro, getting up at the crack of dawn was a struggle compared to Kuroh but after some spurring from the Black Dog, the Silver King managed to crawl out of bed and follow through with the morning task that they had agreed upon. Seeing that Shiro was no longer 'exhausted' like he first claimed upon being woken up, Kuroh was amazed by how much energy he'd manage to gather in such an odd amount of time. Still it was Shiro being Shiro—and as always he was just full of surprises. Even more shocking was the amount of weeds he had dug out and up rooted—though it was thrown into various piles it was still a lot but again couldn't compare to Kuroh's organized collection.
Standing up on his feet, Shiro dusted himself off and gave a nod of satisfaction. "It looks good right?"
"It's messy." Kuroh replied flat out.
"Messy? Oh. Heh, sorry." Shiro laughed. "I'll clean it up! Should I just add it to your pile then?"
"Please do." Kuroh sighed.
"Gotcha!" He saluted.
Shiro went around collecting the various weeds along the ground. Dumping them with Kuroh's stack, he continued the task until he was sure that there was none remaining. During that time, Kuroh himself went about clearing the rest of the troublesome plant life. Seeing that the courtyard was more or less free of the parasitic vegetation, he finally took in the sight and frowned at the lack of flowers there were.
"Ne, it looks good!"
"I suppose so."
"Should we call it a morning?"
Giving the courtyard another look over, Kuroh nodded stiffly. There really wasn't anything else for them to do. "I can't say we should continue, because seeing what little garden there was to begin with—it's just too empty to be worked on anymore."
"Well, we could always go to the market and plant some flowers?" Shiro smiled.
"It's possible, however after we leave tomorrow, there would be no one around to take care of them and watch them grow. They'd be neglected." Kuroh replied.
"Well then, next time we come back here, we'll stay for however long we want and take care of the garden together. I'm sure Neko would enjoy the space out here too." Pausing for a moment, Shiro realized too late that he'd been inconsiderate. After all, this was Kuroh's home and he had no right to be so forward in regards to it. Laughing nervously, a faint blush blossomed across his face. "I—I mean—that's if you don't mind of course."
"Shiro." Kuroh blinked. Staring silently at his lover, he found himself nodding in agreement. If things went according to plan, the house he was raised in would no longer be just his home alone. "Mm, maybe sometime soon, or even next spring we'll come back. You are a king after all, so there is still much work to be done in the city before you can consider taking an extended vacation."
"Oh, so you don't mind?" Shiro beamed.
"No, I don't." Kuroh smiled. Walking over to his king, he made a grab for his hands and held them tightly.
Shiro's blush darkened but he smiled nonetheless, enjoying the simple contact that they shared. "So, what are our plans for the rest of the day?"
"Well, first things first is that we need to clean up and then I was wondering if you'd like to take a tour of the village and meet the people."
"I almost thought you'd never say that! I was assuming you'd have me cooped up here the whole time."
"Isana Yashiro, what kind of person do you take me for?" Kuroh frowned, his brow furrowing.
"I'm just kidding Kurosuke." Shiro tapped him on the nose. "I'd love a tour though, so please show me as much of your childhood as you possibly can."
Not up for waiting patiently for the Black Dog to reply, Shiro went ahead and pressed his lips against the knight's mouth. It hardly took a second for Kuroh to reciprocate the kiss and after a playful battle of push and pull, Shiro pulled away with a soft chuckle.
o0o0o0o
The pair made many surprise visits and Kuroh was more than happy to be recognized by one person after another. All of them were awed by the fact that their little Kuroh was now living in the big city and was doing very well for himself in his line of work. Unfortunately, it was rather difficult for Kuroh to explain to his fellow villagers the true extent of his occupation and relationship with Shiro, so the two stuck to the story of him working as the silverette's personal bodyguard while on vacation.
In the time that the two of them went around exploring the village, Kuroh had reluctantly agreed to play host for a last minute assembly to welcome him back home. He didn't want to do it at first, mostly because he felt it'd be imposing on everyone else's schedule, but with some insistence from the elders and even Shiro himself, Kuroh realized that he was fighting a losing battle. Seriously, how could he say no?
With that decided, the lovers made a pit stop to the general store; picking up ingredients to cook and drinks for however many guests that planned to visit. Kuroh was hoping for a small gathering, but after living in a village with around two hundred people for years, he forgot how quickly word traveled by mouth and in no time, the news of his short visit spread like wild fire.
"Wow Kuroh, there are so many people here." Shiro commented.
"Y-yes… I should return to the kitchen."
"Oh? You're going to keep cooking I take it?"
"Well how else do you expect me to accommodate everyone?" Kuroh frowned.
"Some people did bring goodies with them though." Shiro tried to point out but Kuroh merely shook his head.
"It isn't enough though. Just, play host for me a little longer and I'll be out of the kitchen as soon as I can."
"Alright, just don't take too long." The silverette smiled, touching the other's cheek tenderly before he turned heel and began welcoming their guests.
Kuroh never thought he'd become so exhausted from cooking before but he did. However, the thought of all of his old friends and villagers welcoming him back—even if it was only for a day, helped him pull through with his task and he made out of the kitchen with various dishes, including a German chocolate cake for dessert.
With Shiro's personality, he made a great host just as Kuroh thought he would after finding him laughing amongst the older women about something or other. However one lady in particular that Kuroh recognized, left an odd taste in his mouth as the topic of Shiro was brought up into the conversation.
"My, what a lovely friend you brought home. Truly a catch!" She said aloud.
"Yes, he is isn't he?" Kuroh replied awkwardly.
Shiro smiled forcefully, his face slightly red from embarrassment. "Aw, please I don't think—"
"Nonsense! My dear boy, how old are you?" The same woman asked.
"I'm eighteen." The Silver King replied. If he had said his actual age was ninety-one, he could only imagine the strange looks he was bound to get from everyone.
"Oh, you're of age to marry then!"
"Yes but I don't—"
"Oh, marriage! It feels like it was only yesterday when my husband proposed to me and then on a summer's day we married under the clear blue skies and shining sun."
"My, that must have been nice." Shiro commented with an uncomfortable sounding chuckle.
"Tell me, are you single? Because if you are, I have a beautiful niece who may be interested!" The woman bounced excitedly in place.
"Ahh—" Shiro's voice trailed off as he stared at the woman with shocked eyes. Even Kuroh himself was at a loss for words. Before he knew what he was doing, the Black Dog was already running over to his king's side. Making up a ridiculous excuse about needing some help in the kitchen, he then pulled Shiro away from the group, thus saving him from having to answer to the woman's abrupt question.
Taking the Silver King by the hand, Kuroh led him back to their sleeping quarters. Once inside, he went straight to rummaging through his belongings for the box containing the ring and wordlessly, he slipped it into his pocket despite Shiro being in the same room. With that done, he turned back to the confused silverette and went to lift him up into his arms.
"N-ne! K-kuroh, what are you doing?" Shiro stuttered. It wasn't like he didn't mind it whenever Kuroh carried him, but the serious expression on the Black Dog's face made him feel nervous.
Glancing down once at him; Kuroh smiled softly, causing Shiro to arch his brow before he walked them towards the window and jumped out. Holding on for dear life, Shiro screamed into the other's shirt, hiding his face until he felt that they had landed safely on the ground. Peeking out from the fabric, he realized that they were walking away from the house into the surrounding forest. He looked up at his knight with a questioning gaze but his silent plea wasn't answered and thus he resolved to stay just as quiet himself until Kuroh was ready to talk again.
o0o0o0o
"Wha? This is amazing!" Shiro exclaimed suddenly.
"Yeah, it is." Kuroh agreed. "I trained here and this was also the place where I obtained Kotowari."
"Really? Wow." The silverette said, his mind still reeling in on the nature phenomenon.
The pair stared at the falls, taking in the sight as a calmness slowly overcame them. Leaning his head into the crook of his knight's neck, Shiro nuzzled slowly against him. Kuroh hummed softly in response, his eyes falling shut as he relished in the simplistic display of affection.
Kuroh didn't know where he was going with the proposal now after that slight mishap back at the house. But seeing as how the situation had suddenly took a turn for the better despite how spontaneous and impulsive it was—he actually didn't mind it for once and so he took the time to cradle his king even closer to him than before.
"Ne Kuroh?" Shiro looked up at him. "Earlier, why'd you pull me away from everyone so suddenly? Is there a reason why we're here in the first place?" He finally asked. During the short trek, it felt as though everything had finally fallen into place. He'd assessed the Black Dog's actions as best he could and the only thing left was to have his rushed hypothesis confirmed. Shiro was honestly very anxious, and he hoped to god that he wasn't wrong lest he make a fool out of himself somehow.
Slowly placing his king down, Kuroh bit into his lower lip nervously and stuffed a hand into his pocket. He clutched the small box containing the ring tightly in his palm, his gaze staring off to the side and avoiding that of Shiro's. He hadn't even taken the time to practice how he was going to do this, but seeing as how it was already too late to turn back—Kuroh fell down on one knee and presented the small jewelry box to Shiro silently.
Instantly, Shiro's amber eyes widened. He had a vague idea about what the box contained after watching Kuroh pocket the thing from their room before arriving at the falls but it was still a shock to him that it turned out to be just as he'd predicted. In seconds, he could feel his heart pound in his chest, anticipating the question he knew the other male was going to ask him. It all made sense to him now and he knew more than anything that it was no dream or imagination—it was real.
"Isana Yashiro… I know that this is sudden—I myself am shocked by what I am doing but I can't bring myself to wait after having remembered something important." The Black Dog said; his eyes still casted downwards. "When I was still a child, Ichigen-sama once told me that whoever decides to become one with me will be someone big-hearted and bright, who marches to the beat of their own drum. I didn't understand it back then, but now after spending so much time with you—protecting you and falling in love with you, I've realized that I cannot be with anyone else other than you."
"Oh, Kuroh…" Shiro continued to stare down at his knight. Blushing deeply—more than he could ever remember, he too fell down to his knees in front of the Black Dog. The action brought Kuroh's eyes back up and their gazes met, locking them into an intense stare. Swallowing nervously, he crawled over to him, placing his hands on the other's face in order to pull him up to meet him in a passion filled kiss.
They kissed feverishly, the silverette's hands falling to grip the Black Dog by the collar of his shirt. Bringing him even closer, it took all of Kuroh's willpower to pull away.
"Yes." Shiro panted.
"Yes? But I didn't even ask you the question yet." Kuroh chuckled as he brought his hand up to caress along his king's cheek.
"Then ask me now." He said with a slight demand in his voice.
Shaking his head, Kuroh leaned down to nuzzle and rub their noses together, causing the older man to whimper on contact. "Ich liebe dich und willst du mich heiraten." He whispered, just loud enough for only Shiro's ears to hear.
Closing his amber eyes, Shiro gave him a soft nod before pressing a chaste kiss against Kuroh's lips. "Ja, ich werde dich heiraten."
o0o0o0o
It took until midnight for the last of the partygoers to trail merrily back home, leaving a small mess behind that both Kuroh and Shiro ignored until morning since they found more importance in getting each other stripped down and into bed rather than cleaning up after everyone. It was more than just an amazing weekend for both men and in all honesty, they could hardly describe the emotions running through them.
As always, Kuroh ended up being the first one to wake up in the morning. Being a man who was accustom to housekeeping, he snuck out of bed to collect the trash still littered around the house after last night's village gathering. It didn't take him very long to do and after doing that, he managed to sneak back in under the covers while Shiro was still asleep.
Wrapping his arms around the Silver King's waist, Kuroh pressed his lips against the other's forehead, kissing his temple softly as he murmured a soft 'I love you' into his mess of white silvery tresses.
His actions made the silverette stir in his arms though, and in a matter of seconds he was met with a sleepy smile.
"I love you too, Kuroh…" Shiro said as he rubbed his eyes. "And good morning."
"Morning." Kuroh leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"Last night, it wasn't a dream was it?"
Smiling softly, he reached for the silverette's left hand with his own, presenting both their ring fingers and the white gold wraps that hugged around them. They were simple really, the only decoration being the strip of light blue that went around the center. It was a magnificent sight. Seeing the rings together, Shiro squeezed his knight's hand in his and the two smiled down at each other before leaning up for another kiss.
o0o0o0o
"That's the last of the bags." Shiro said as he hopped into the passenger seat and closed the door behind him.
"Good, we don't want to leave anything behind." Kuroh replied and got into the driver's side. Before turning the car key to start the engine, he eyed his king—wondering what his reaction would be. "Shiro, there's still one more place I'd like to show you."
"Really? What is it?"
"I—I want to take you to see Master Ichigen-sama's grave."
Shiro blinked. "Master Ichigen's grave?" The words slowly registered in the Silver King's mind.
"Yes, it isn't far and I promise we won't stay long. I just want to pay my respects."
Looking out towards the house one last time, Shiro turned and beamed at him. "Well then let's go, we shouldn't keep him waiting. After all, we need to tell him the good news."
"Y-yes." Kuroh sighed with relief. If the older man had still been alive, he could only imagine his reaction at having found a 'bride.'
Just as he'd said, the drive to the cemetery was short. It made the Silver King nervous though and seeing this, Kuroh held his hand the entire time. When they got out of the car to approach the grave marker at the top of the small hill, Shiro's grip around the other's hand tightened. Kuroh wasn't startled by it though and he responded to his king by giving his hand a light, reassuring squeeze back. It was the least he could do.
Pulling Shiro up the little hill almost felt like dragging dead weight and when they finally found themselves standing right in front of his deceased master's grave, Kuroh felt the silverette hug his arm tightly.
"Ichigen-sama, after being away from home for so long—I managed to accomplish my mission." He said at first, eyes firm and unwavering as he stared straight at the gravestone. "Though it didn't go exactly as planned, the evil Colorless King is dead nonetheless and also I've become a clansman to the Silver King, as well as his lover—or rather, fiancé."
Looking up at the Black Dog, Shiro could tell that his knight was slightly on edge. He understood his dilemma though and took a step forward while still holding onto his lover's arm. "Hi, hi! My name is Isana Yashiro! Or Shiro for short! My real name is Adolf K. Weismann though, however I like Isana Yashiro best. You raised a great man, because I've never met someone as bright and honest as Kuroh." He said, smiling down at his feet shyly.
"Shiro…" Kuroh stared.
"Even though Kurosuke tried to kill me when we first met, he still gave me a chance to prove my innocence. Funny how it all turned out but I wouldn't have had it any other way. We've been together as clansmen for a little over a year, and as lovers for a few months." Shiro chuckled. "Time sure does fly huh? And just last night, he proposed to me so now we're engaged."
"Ichigen-Sama, I know that it all happened so fast in the year after you've passed on, however I love Shiro—I love him dearly and it was because I remembered your words that I was able to decide for myself what actions were right to take towards my future." Kuroh said, surprising Shiro. "I don't want to be apart from Shiro again—even though he was insincere and a liar at the beginning—" The Silver King winced at this. "He still managed to worm his way into my heart and I can't imagine a future without him in it."
It was then that Kuroh bowed his head low, further stunning Shiro with his actions but not by much.
'Wait! Then I'll just make sure to marry someone who wants to live with you! I'm sure it won't be difficult at all! I'm sure they'll love you just as much as me!' Kuroh thought back to his innocent declaration as a child. Smiling softly at the memory, he lifted his head up again. "I hope you don't mind if we come back every now and again to visit—even if Shiro think's my admiration for you is 'creepy' sometimes, this place is still home to me though I don't think Shiro necessary loves you as much as I do."
Lacing their fingers together, Shiro giggled and whispered a soft 'creepy' into the back of his hand. "I care about him enough to respect him greatly, Kuroh."
"I'm glad." He replied, his hand reaching out to cup the other's cheek. Glancing one last time at the grave, Kuroh bowed his head again, as did Shiro. "As a newly formed clan, we have much work ahead of us , so until we return, this is good bye Ichigen-Sama."
As the pair began their short walk back to the car, Shiro looked back at the hill for another second. His amber eyes widened slightly because he could have sworn that he saw a man standing next to the grave marker. It was for but a moment but he didn't miss the sincere smile on the older man's face. The second he blinked though, the man was gone and Shiro couldn't help but do a double take and rub his eyes. Unfortunately the figure didn't appear again and the Silver King could only assume that it was his lover's deceased master. His eyes softened at the thought that Ichigen appeared to see them off and once they got into the car again his mind began reveling on plans for their wedding.
"Kuroh?"
"Hm?" He hummed, turning on the engine.
"Next spring when the flowers are in bloom, lets come back and have the wedding here at the house."
"Wedding?" Kuroh blinked. "Already planning it I see?"
"Mmhmm." Shiro nodded. "The scenery is lovely here, much better than back home in the city."
"Alright." Kuroh replied, a blush easily taking bloom across his face. "On two conditions, it must be a small wedding and we do it traditionally."
"Done! We'll just invite the Red, Blue and Gold clan. Does that sound good? Oh and the villagers of course!"
"Shiro, that isn't a small wedding… Do you have any idea how many people that already is with all three clans?"
"Well…" Shiro laughed causing Kuroh to shake his head as he started up the car and pulled it out of parking and began to drive.
"So, will you be taking my last name or will I be taking yours?" The silverette asked.
"Wha-What!"
"You know! Isana Kuroh or Yatogami Yashiro?" Shiro paused. "Isana Kuroh? Well that doesn't sound right…" He frowned. "I'll just take your name, Yatogami Yashiro!"
"Oi, shouldn't we be deciding this together?" Kuroh exclaimed; his face more or less flushed so brightly that it was enough to rival that of a red tomato.
"Yes, however I like the sound of your name with mine more." Shiro chimed. "Yatogami Yashiro—I guess that means I'll be the wife instead of you huh?"
"Isana Yashi—"
"Soon to be Yatogami Yashiro!" He corrected, pushing the Black Dog to unknown limits as he gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly.
Even though Kuroh put on an irritable looking expression, it actually made his heart flutter the more Shiro continued to talk about their future plans together. It was a start but it was enough to make him happy and look forward to the events that were ahead of them.
'Yatogami Yashiro?' He thought to himself. "It doesn't sound half bad after all." He chuckled.
"What was that Kuroh? Did you say something?"
"No, nothing."
"Don't lie to me Kurosuke." Shiro pouted, not realizing that his knight was bringing their car to a stop.
Turning his head towards the Silver King, he gave the older man an intense stare, one that left Shiro nervously stuttering until he placed a hand on the back of his head and brought him forward into a deep kiss.