Chapter Text
The snow drifted across the landscape in flurries, soft and fleeting. Yuzuru watched from his place by the palace window, his hand pressed against the transparent pane
He enjoyed the bite of the cold against his pale fingers, the sensation welcoming and familiar from all of the nights he had observed the stillness of his kingdom in the darkness.
He knew that many visitors and detractors of his kingdom would call it desolate, frozen, a wasteland that was inhabitable aside from the select few who could handle the blistering cold.
All of those words had turned him bitter when he was a child, yet after the death of his parents and the marriage of his older sister, he had turned that bitterness into ambition. Now that once frozen wasteland was considered one of the most successful kingdoms in all of Japan. The fishing industry within his kingdom was thriving and while agricultural industry was still meager at best, it was still more profitable than what it was when Yuzuru first took power when he was fourteen.
"Yuzuru?" The tentative knock on the door startled the young prince out of his thoughts, his dark eyes flickered to the entrance of his room.
"Is there something wrong?" Yuzuru turned to his adviser, Brian. He was extremely fond of the man who had helped make his kingdom into the flourishing hub it was today. He had come from a land so far away that Yuzuru wasn't even sure it existed and his tales from his youth fascinated the royal to no end.
"I have just been informed that a pirate was captured within the kingdom borders. He is currently being transported to the capital as we speak." Yuzuru nodded, pleasantly surprised that the rumored pirate had been captured so quickly after he had been notified earlier that day.
"He is condemned to death, correct?" He hated saying those words, but he knew that the punishment for such crimes the pirate had committed in other kingdoms were too much to ignore.
"Right. You will have to meet with him in the morning and his execution will take place in the evening." The young prince bit his lip and jerked his chin down, his eyes downcast and melancholy.
His head jerked up when he felt his adviser ruffle his mop of black hair fondly, Brian gave him a chiding sigh before clapping his shoulder in a fatherly manner.
"Yuzu, it'll be alright." Brian said comfortingly, Yuzuru sent him a weary smile.
"Not easy sending man to die." He answered in English, the foreign language Brian had teaching the prince at his behest as well as the Canadian's mother tongue. Brian nodded solemnly in understanding at Yuzuru's hesitance towards assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner. Prince Hanyu had been just a young child when they had first meet, he was a disciplined boy and extremely obedient. However, one trait that drove his other advisers and teachers crazy was Yuzuru's habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve and the freedom he possessed when it came to expressing his emotions. If he didn't like something, the young boy had no qualms in letting everyone know.
While Brian found it endearing that Yuzuru cared too much, he knew that the elders were less than pleased with their prince's 'soft' attitude. They believed that a true leader had to be ruthless and conniving for the sake of their kingdom, Brian understood their discomfort and shrewd mentality since one minor misstep could result in the toppling of an empire. Yuzuru eschewed all of those beliefs in favor of his own, more peaceful, way of running his dominion. It really was quite a beautiful thing, Brian thought fondly.
"I know, but I believe you will make the right decision, Yuzu." His charge offered him a wavering grin, his heart breaking for someone so frail hearted and kind.
Most people would conclude that Yuzuru had a heart made of ice, but Brian and all of those who knew Yuzuru, knew that the young ruler had a heart of fragile, stained glass. He was boy seemingly crafted from the hardships of the barren landscape, but in reality he was sculpted by the powdered snow that constantly dusted the leaves of trees and winter-hardy flowers. It was not the land that contributed to his scarred heart, but rather those who wished to capture and destroy it for their own gain.
"Thank you, Brian." The teenager sighed. He sat himself down heavily on his futon and pressed his palms into his eyes, rubbing at them tiredly. The gesture warmed his adviser's heart, as it reminded him that Yuzuru, although a prince, was still very much the child who had meet years ago.
"Have you thought about your decision on your knight?" Brian asked in an effort to draw Yuzuru's attention away from the matters of the morning. The prince hummed for a moment, his hand pawing against his blanket in thought.
"I talk with council. They say Keiji, but I want him to protect Shoma, not me." Yuzuru explained with a weary sigh, Brian nodded and pursed his lips.
"What about Hino Ryuju?" Brian supplied, Yuzuru rubbed his hand against his face in irritation that the adviser knew wasn't directed at him.
"They say he too weak to protect me." The prince huffed grumpily.
"And Nobu?" His question was met with a shake of the prince's head.
"He too old and nice." Brian couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Maybe Keiji would be the best option." Yuzuru shrugged with a sour expression.
"I like Keiji, but Keiji like Shoma more. He kill me for Shoma." The teenager whined which made Brian laugh.
"Well then, I will leave you to sleep on it." Brian bowed and left the prince to his musings, which were now tinged with an edge of darkness as he contemplated the morning's activities.
Brian had been so consumed by his own thoughts as he walked down the cold hallway that he didn't realize that he had bumped into someone until he heard a soft thump and unintended whine of pain.
"Shoma-kun, I'm sorry. I must not have been watching where I was going." He apologized and helped the fourteen year old up to his feet before dusting off his jinbei pajamas.
Shoma bowed his head respectfully but kept his mouth sealed as he didn't know enough English to speak it properly, yet he understood what Yuzuru's adviser had said.
"I think Yuzuru-sama is going to bed soon," Brian said, hoping that Shoma would take the hint but the teenager simply dipped his head.
"I say goodnight." He murmured and bowed before brushing past Brian. The older man shook his head with a grin, even though Shoma wasn't fond of anyone except for Yuzuru, his instructor Mihoko, Daisuke, and Keiji, he still was an adorable and shy child. He shrugged and went on his way, knowing that no words would dissuade someone like Shoma from seeing his dearest friend.
~
Yuzuru yawned, readying himself for bed by slipping on the yukata he used for sleep as it was too cold to slip on his jinbei. He paused for a moment when he heard a soft and timid knock at his door, he wondered if it was Brian again but dismissed the thought.
"Enter, please." He said aloud. He couldn't help but smile as Shoma shyly entered the room, wearing his own jinbei which made Yuzuru frown.
"Come here, you're going to freeze to death." Yuzuru scolded gently, gesturing with his arms for Shoma to come to bed with him. Shoma did as he was told, dutifully slipping into the futon along with Yuzuru, whom enveloped the young teenager into his arms.
"Next time, make sure you wear the thick yukata I got for you. Soon you're going to be too big to share a bed with and you're going to freeze to death." The prince giggled, smoothing a piece of Shoma's hair behind his ear in a brotherly manner.
"Yuzuru-sama is the only thing that keeps me warm." Shoma answered, turning his big puppy-like eyes to the older teenager.
"Shoma-kun keeps me warm too," Yuzuru agreed, hugging the fourteen year old to him like an old teddy bear.
"Goodnight, Yuzuru-sama." Shoma murmured into Yuzuru's chest, the warm feelings he felt when he was near his prince shielded him from the relentless cold.
"Goodnight Shoma." Yuzuru sighed, closing his eyes and attempting to fall asleep.
Shoma tsked to himself silently, his eyes drinking in the sight of a sleeping Yuzuru in the moonlight. His usually serene and relaxed face was tense; his teeth were grinding together and his eyebrows were creased tightly. While Shoma didn't make it a habit to sleep in the same bed with the prince like when he was younger, it worried him to see how much of Yuzuru's duties were taking a toll on him. Yet, on the same token, Yuzuru's once plush and soft face was giving way to sharper edges and finer lines as he aged. Soon, that round face would become that of a man's and he would be married, ending nights like these for Shoma.
It made his stomach clench painfully, the thought of Yuzuru forever being banished into adulthood with Shoma forever chasing him. He wished that they could stay like this for all eternity; Yuzuru being the doting older brother figure and Shoma basking in his innocent adoration.
Though, Shoma reasoned with himself, he knew himself well enough to know that he would also wish to chase adulthood like Yuzuru when he was older. With a heavy heart, Shoma closed his eyes and fell asleep. He dreamed of both him and Yuzuru freezing to death in the cold that they thrived in, the older teenager became a snowdrop with his blossom peeking out through the tendrils of snow while Shoma was swallowed in the freezing depths.
Even though he was encased in ice, Shoma watched in rapt admiration as Yuzuru's flower blossomed past the snow and to the sky, endless and ambitious. It filled him with joy, but it was tinged by a poisonous feeling. He wasn't quite sure if it was jealousy or longing.
When he awoke, he was alone. The crisp winter air was lapping at his exposed chest and legs, the mid-morning grey light made him bury his face into the pillow.
Shoma couldn't help the devastating feeling that something was going to change.