Chapter Text
Request: I wish you would write a fic where Kuroo is the prince of a kingdom and Tsukki's his knight who's secretly very devoted to him.
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By now, Tsukishima was used to the gossip around the palace grounds, especially the gossip about him.
“Kind of scrawny for a knight, isn’t he?”
“He’s awfully rude. I don’t know how Prince Kuroo can stand being around him so much.”
“How did someone like him become one of the Prince’s personal guards?”
The words were whispered between the cooks, maids, and other knights in the palace, their tones low and baffled as inquisitive eyes followed his back. Tsukishima did what he does best: resolutely ignored them and continued his job. He didn’t care about the opinions of those around him. He’d worked his ass off to get in the position he was in, and he would continue proving himself valuable to the person who was most valuable to him.
Prince Kuroo was thought of just as highly as he was feared throughout the land. To his own people, he offered a bright grin and unrelenting loyalty. To enemies, he was crafty and stern.
Tsukishima had admired Prince Kuroo since he understood what it meant to admire anyone. Which was why, even with the possibility of war looming on the horizon, Tsukishima proudly took his spot as a personal knight, ready to protect Prince Kuroo from anything that may cause harm.
When he’d first began his training, he was fully prepared to be disappointed in some manner. Sure, Prince Kuroo was incredibly cool while out in the public’s eye, but Tsukishima knew that one’s outward appearance didn’t always match up with who they really were. Being allowed in the palace and in close quarters of the Prince, Tsukishima was prepared to know the Prince’s true personality.
Like he had thought, it wasn’t exactly what he’d see on the streets.
To his surprise, he found he liked the Prince Kuroo behind closed doors even more.
It was a dangerous thing, having such affections for the Prince, affections that made his heart thump and his stomach flutter. Regardless, he had a job to uphold.
He had something very precious to protect.
The door to Prince Kuroo’s room suddenly opened, and Tsukishima slid his golden eyes to the side. Prince Kuroo strode out, shutting the door behind him and adjusting the cufflink on his wrist.
“I’m starving. Let’s go eat!” Prince Kuroo announced. Tsukishima and the other knight standing on the opposite side of Prince Kuroo’s room began following him down the red-carpeted hallways. After turning another corner, Prince Kuroo twisted his head, throwing Tsukishima a smile. "I’ll steal another strawberry tart for you.“
Ah, that stomach flutter was back. Tsukishima willed his face not to heat up and averted his gaze to the carpet.
“Hn,” he replied. He knew the other knight shot him a glare at the response, surely thinking that he should be more thankful to the Prince. But Prince Kuroo didn’t seem offended at all. In fact, he chuckled, the sound low and comforting to Tsukishima’s ears.
That night, Tsukishima savored the strawberry tart.