Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Biting back his pride, Edward announced, “I have an important favor to ask of you.”

“No,” Kiriya answered without hesitation.

“Y-You’re supposed to ask what it is before shooting it down like that!”

Kiriya scoffed, tapping at his arm impatiently. “Why? I don’t owe you anything, and I doubt there is anything you can offer me to make it worth my time.”

“I’m the king of Burguss,” Edward insisted. “There will be something you want that I can give you.”

Idly glancing around, Kiriya’s gaze traced the study’s reflective gold trim and stuffed bookcases. He apparently found something in it worth complying over. “I suppose the least I can do is hear you out. What is it?”

“I, uh.” Faltering one word in was a new low, and it was even worse with someone always pinpointing his weaknesses watching him. His face started to burn, but he closed his eyes and powered through. “One of the ministers is on my case lately about his eligible daughter.”

“And?”

“And he insists marrying her would add stability to my political ties.”

“And?” Kiriya repeated, furrowing his brow. “Are you asking me for advice?”

“Of course not. I’m asking you to…” Edward exhaled. This was humiliating. “...Pretend we’re engaged.”

Kiriya observed him for a moment before bursting out into laughter. It could have been a nice new sight if it didn’t sound so derisive. “Absolutely not. Did you really think I would agree to something like that?”

Edward hung his head, clenching his teeth. “You’re my only option, all right? I already got fed up with it and told him I was with someone.”

“Your gift of foresight is as impressive as ever, Your Majesty.” Having regained his composure, Kiriya simply smirked. “Why don’t you ask Vic?”

At the same time as a number of books hit the floor across the room, Edward slammed his hands on his table. “He’s fourteen!”

“I-I’d never do it anyway, okay?!” Flustered, Vic crouched down to begin reorganizing everything he’d dropped. “I’m his retainer, not—”

Kiriya raised a hand to silence him. “If you’re playing pretend, what does it matter?”

Edward glared at him. “You have to see the problem with the king announcing his engagement to a kid.”

“I’m not a kid!” Vic said indignantly. Once Edward turned that glare on him, his head darted back down to focus back on cleaning.

“Fair enough. I would certainly judge you.”

“Thanks a lot,” Edward said sarcastically. Realizing he was getting combative again, he cleared his throat and stood up. After a second’s hesitation, he bowed so low he nearly slammed his face on the solid wood.

“...What are you doing?” he could hear Kiriya ask.

“I beg you. I need your help, as the king and as your friend. It’s only until they lose interest.”

“And what if they won’t lose interest until they see an official ceremony?”

“I… I’ll take responsibility for it and be honest if it comes to that. It’ll be temporary either way.”

Kiriya was silent. Edward remained as he was. His legs started to strain almost as much as his dignity.

“Then I can act how I want, right?”

Edward lifted his head. “What?”

Kiriya smiled mischievously. “As our esteemed ruler’s betrothed, would I be able to use that freedom to act as I see fit?”

Edward cringed involuntarily. He didn’t even want to let his imagination run with that. “If you don’t tarnish my reputation more than marrying a fourteen-year-old would.”

“I’m not careless enough to bring about the downfall of this kingdom. All right, I’ll marry you.”

While Edward’s face reddened anew and he straightened his back with a start, he caught Vic chuckling. “Ya can just say it like that, huh?”

“My betrothed has much more of that to look forward to.”

He really wanted to wipe that smug expression off Kiriya’s face, but he’d made his bed. Now he had to lie in it. “...I appreciate it. Do you know what you want in return?”

“No, but I’ll be sure to call in the favor when it comes to me. Are we done for today?”

Suddenly exhausted, Edward dropped back into his chair and waved his hand dismissively. “Go ahead. I’ll call on you when I need you.”

With a flutter of his long hair, Kiriya turned on his heels and strode for the study’s heavy doors. “See you then.”

Pausing his mission to return the books to the shelves they belonged in, Vic reached him as soon as they were alone. Cheerfully, he patted Edward on the shoulder. “Really in it now, aren’tcha?”

“You’re not helping,” Edward grumbled.

“Who said I was tryin’?” Vic stepped back and cocked his head. “It’ll be fine. He's our friend, and he lives in Burgusstadt too. Isn’t that why ya asked him?”

“Yes. You’re right.”

“So cheer up and try to have fun with it!”

Vic’s earnest efforts weren’t enough to fix his sour expression. “Easier said than done. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“No… this won’t do either.”

Seated at a table strewn with loose papers and books of his own, Kiriya rested his cheek on the hand propped up by his elbow and tapped at the wood with its opposite. He was getting closer to reaching the cure he sought, but not enough to make tangible progress. So far he’d only managed to formulate a slightly better treatment for the symptoms.

A new illness was ailing some of those that went to a particular part of Luce Plains. With some help, Kiriya had already found the carrier: an insect that began to flourish in the absence of monsters. From there, creating a medicine wasn’t difficult. It was nice to see the gratitude of those affected, but he still dwelled on the missing piece often.

A pleasant blue sky waited on the other side of the window when he looked out. Sometimes, he still expected to see the wild flora of the Timberlands in its place. Living around other people had been difficult to adjust to at first, but the way the people of Burguss accepted him kept him around. He couldn’t say the same of the people aware of — or behind — his exile in Halgita, and without Empress Svala leading the country, he held no loyalty to that land.

He looked to the half-empty bottle of wine perched at the very corner of the table, abandoned there the night before. It was too early to drink, but if he couldn’t come up with a new idea before the day was out, it would still be there later.

Loud, hasty knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. With a deep frown, he considered ignoring it; whoever it was could always come back when he was in a more gracious mood. The more aggressive knocking that followed seemed to happen just to toss that assumption out, so he stood and sullenly trod down the creaking wood stairs.

As soon as he opened the door, Vic rushed him. He was forced several steps back to keep his distance from the boy. “Ya gotta come with me!” Vic said, his face characterized by anxiety. “Ed’s gettin' harassed by that minister again.”

“That minister?” He must’ve pushed unimportant information out of his head to accommodate the rest.

“Huh?! The minister tryin’ to set him up with his daughter! Ed needs ya to prove he’s got someone already!”

“Oh, that,” Kiriya replied flatly. He almost attempted to shoo Vic away before recalling the power attached to the opportunity. Exercising that perk on a pompous noble today would be a great stress-reliever. “Lead the way.”

“Thanks! Then it’s back to the palace. Try and keep up!” Vic hustled out.

“Don’t underestimate the efficiency of longer legs, my friend.”

They passed through the cobblestone roads leading around the city, lively with the afternoon crowd. It grew progressively quieter behind each heavy gate outside the palace. He did admire Edward’s ability to still keep the place in order. He had been a capable leader of a group since they met, so his inexperience in leading an entire country was the only issue that remained.

Vic led him into the former chamber of rites. After handing out lunaglyphs became impossible, it was repurposed into a room where the king was to meet with concerned citizens. Today, it looked like the only ones engaged in conversation were Edward and a single noble.

Kiriya didn’t waste any time. “So you are the one trying to drive a wedge into our engagement,” he accused, arms folded and stride purposeful. Both men looked at him with wide eyes, but Edward recovered by the time Kiriya was at his side.

“You’re engaged to the medicinal researcher?” the minister asked Edward with his mouth agape.

Still working to get the conversation under his control, Kiriya replied, “Do you have a problem with his decision? Last I checked, he outranked you significantly.”

“N-No. What he decides is surely correct, but…” Again, he addressed Edward. “A noble from this country would be more prudent, Your Majesty,” he urged, and Kiriya rolled his eyes. They fell on the room’s entrance where Vic remained, leaning back and forth from his heels to his toes. “He may have a pretty face, but he is only a Halgitian commoner.”

“He’s more than his looks, and you should know that,” Edward answered harshly before Kiriya could complain. “Who has been helping improve the care of our people? He’s made sure medicine reaches anyone that needs it, and hasn’t stopped trying to make each treatment more effective.”

Mildly impressed, Kiriya remained silent and regarded him with a look of approval. On the minister’s end, he only appeared to be getting more red-faced and tense. “Y-Your Majesty. With all due respect, that is still not the best basis for a marriage.”

“And what better basis is there for a functional relationship than mutual respect and love?” Kiriya cut in flippantly, stepping close enough to Edward for their arms to brush. “You may not want to respect me, but Edward and I have already made our decision. You have no place in it.”

Edward suddenly rivaled the minister in physical tension, but the minister was the one to ripen like a tomato. Kiriya smirked confidently — the use of the king’s name as a show of intimacy worked as well as he expected. The satisfaction of reducing the minister to a frustrated mess made acting so affectionate nearly painless.

“Kiriya is right,” Edward said belatedly, controlling his voice rather well considering Kiriya’s bold improvising. “And I know that you will respect him, as both a contributor to Burguss’ success and my betrothed.”

“I-I…” Yanking a handkerchief from his pocket, the minister wiped at the side of his jaw. He wasn’t pleased with the direction the conversation had gone, but he could find no further foothold to argue from in his state. “I understand. But if you both change your mind…”

“We won’t,” Kiriya stated vehemently. “I trust you have no further business with us. Good day to you, Mr. Minister.”

“It’s Alberich…”

“Whatever.”

Utterly defeated, he bowed his head to Edward, offered a “Good day, Your Majesty,” and retreated in a hurry. As soon as the door to the chamber closed behind him, Edward exhaled loudly and Vic bounded over to them.

“You’re a little too good at acting out this role,” Edward told Kiriya, and Kiriya clicked his tongue.

“You’re just too honest. That mustn't do you any favors when dealing with their kind.”

“Ya mean the ministers?” Vic asked.

“All of the nobility. They flaunt the power they were born or married into like it means something. Putting them in their place is even more satisfying than I suspected.”

Curious, Edward asked, “Is that the reason you agreed to this?”

Kiriya smiled. “Exactly.”

“Aren’t ya the one bein’ too honest now?” Vic said, hands on his hips.

“That’s why he asked me in the first place, isn’t it?” Kiriya answered, but his gaze moved to turn the question on Edward. “I don’t talk around matters like they do.”

Edward nodded. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I didn’t expect him to ambush me about this already. Some people around here don’t understand the value of patience.”

“Some fresh air was useful. By the way, you think surprisingly highly of me from the sound of it. Do you really believe I contribute that much to this country’s healthcare?”

“Of course I do. I could live without you petitioning me for more research funds at every opportunity,” Edward stressed, “But what good you do for us is undeniable.”

A gentle wave of pride and contentment passed over Kiriya at that — regardless of what led him here, Burguss was his home. Doing some good and earning respect for it was welcome new territory. Switching gears to avoid giving that away, he smugly added, “You didn’t deny the comment on my pretty face, either.”

“Y—” Caught off guard, Edward’s face began to redden. “I was focused on more important things!”

“Right, right.” Cutting him some slack, Kiriya thought for a moment. “Are you busy?”

Vic piped up for him. “Nah, he actually got ahead of things this mornin', so we got all afternoon.”

“Vic,” Edward hissed.

“Allow me to call in the favor for today’s participation, then. I want to browse the shops for any new ingredients they might have.”

Edward eyed him skeptically. “Why do you need us for that?”

“I don’t need you, but your presence surely would grant me more space from other people. If I also wind up with much to carry, someone of your strength should have no problem with it.”

“Your motives are as awful as ever.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Kiriya replied, his bright expression easing the darkness on Edward’s face.

“Go with him,” Vic said to Edward. “The weather is nice, and the people always love to see ya out like one of them.”

Lifting his hand, Edward ran it through his dark hair. “It would be better than getting accosted by someone like Alberich again. Lead the way, Kiriya.”

It was entertaining dragging the king himself around for the afternoon, even if that king was only Edward to him. Shopping with someone else wasn’t that bad after all.

At a knock at the door with a familiar rhythm, Edward raised his attention over a nearly eye-level pile of books. “Come in.”

Pushing it open on cue, Kiriya breezed inside. He turned his head both ways as they fell closed behind him, apparently having trouble finding him over the mountain at the front of the table. When Edward raised his hand to cut his search short, Kiriya crossed his arms and smiled. “I came to see you again, darling,” he said with honeyed sarcasm. “How is this month’s budget going?”

“Do you have to call me that when no one’s listening?”

“You never really know when someone’s listening. The guards around the palace are getting awfully friendly with me. I can’t tell if they want something from me or from you.”

While Kiriya walked toward the table to speak with him properly, Edward asked him, “Is it that hard to believe someone might just want to be your friend?”

“Hm. Anyway, you didn’t answer my question.”

Edward exhaled. He didn’t have the extra energy to try to untangle the knot the conversation was getting tied in. “It’s… going.”

“You’ve spent this long on the throne and you’re still struggling with this?”

“Be quiet. I didn’t grow up with my nose in complicated books like you did. You have to admit I’ve gotten much better than when I started.”

Kiriya shrugged. He drew around the side and stopped just out of arm’s length, leaning back against the table’s edge. “I will admit that, but how much does it matter if small mistakes can cost as much as big ones?”

“Then help me,” Edward snapped. How readily he said so — even with his frustration building — surprised him, but it was too late to take it back. “...Please.”

“Fine. Tell me where the problem is.”

Edward blinked. “That’s it? You’ll do it just like that?”

“As one of your citizens, you can’t really expect me to want to see this kingdom fall apart.” Placing one hand on the table between them, he leaned over to examine the current document.

“Then if you could double-check these calculations, I’d appreciate it.”

Kiriya nodded silently. From his expression, he was taking it seriously. The ends of his hair curled up on the table, a shiny curtain of sunlight. Edward wouldn’t say it aloud, but he was impressed by the dedication Kiriya had to be putting into it. He wasn’t a slouch about his much shorter hair, and even that took effort.

“Are you paying attention?” Kiriya asked him suddenly, and Edward realized he might’ve missed something he said.

“Yes, I was just thinking it over,” Edward lied. “Could you repeat it one more time?”

“You’re hopeless. I said you need to consider that part of the city has higher demand than the others. You’ll run short if you treat them the same again.”

Edward followed to where he was pointing. “You’re right. I should’ve remembered that earlier.”

“It’s all right. No one can stay on top of everything at once,” Kiriya replied, oddly considerate for him.

“Why do you give me such a hard time about this normally? Always taking advantage of things I missed...”

“I wanted you to ask for help. From someone other than Vic, who couldn’t do a better job than you anyway.” Kiriya turned his head toward the door as if the kid would dash in and defend himself.

“You weren’t doing it to wring out as much money for your research as possible?”

Meeting his gaze again, Kiriya replied, “No. A good ruler needs to know when to be humble and consult others. Empress Svala didn’t try to take care of everything herself. I didn’t agree with all that happened under her rule, but I always believed she did it in Halgita’s best interests.”

“I don’t know if I will ever be as responsible as her, but I’ve been striving to be my best.”

“I know you have.” Kiriya smiled faintly and his finger moved on the document. “About this figure here…”

With Kiriya’s peerless eye for detail, the remainder of the document was corrected or reaffirmed. Even able to surprise him by explaining his better reasoning in a few places, Edward wasn’t that far off this time.

Vic arrived then, rapping once at the door before heading right in. “I got yer message delivered!” Stopping abruptly, he stared at Kiriya with briefly wide eyes. “Oh, I didn’t know Kiriya was here.”

Edward lifted up the document and half-heartedly waved it. “He gave the budget a lookover. Now he can’t extort money from me over any mistakes.”

“Ha. I’ll survive. I’m just glad you stopped being so stubborn about it.”

“Yer gettin’ along well lately,” Vic remarked brightly.

“Our king here has decided to stop letting his pride get in the way of everything. I like him more this way.”

“Was that a compliment?” Edward said skeptically.

Kiriya laughed. “It’s the best you’ll ever get from me.”

The weather outside was enticing, and his pantry was empty — a rare time it wasn’t so difficult for Kiriya to pull away from his work on his own initiative. He’d come a little closer to the correct composition of the cure, but something fundamental still eluded him. As he’d already hit that wall several days ago, he abandoned it and set out for the shops before evening. Catching what goods he could while they were still fresh and available might energize whichever part of his brain was failing him.

His shopping trip provided him with two bags stuffed full of food for both the night ahead and many days afterward. Pleased enough with the quality of what he found, he headed back home on a high note. He still tuned out most people on the street; old habits die hard, and only his immediate neighbors were of any real consequence. If directly spoken to, however (and that was often the case with chatty off-duty palace guards), he entertained their curiosity until it waned. In the minutes after those encounters, he wistfully considered how much he’d changed since the Liberation Force showed up on his isolated doorstep.

Just outside the shopping district, he heard a voice that made him turn his head. Standing in a grassy area, Edward was calling out to a young boy at a distance and made a gesture toward a second one. The first boy had a ball on the ground in front of him bigger than his head, but he made a valiant effort to kick it to the other. That boy had to get closer to catch it as it rolled to a stop, but he did, and then he kicked it to Edward.

“Awfully—” Kiriya began as he approached, making Edward miss the pass and turn to stare at him—“Generous of our ruler to be out playing with children.”

Edward frowned. “I can’t stay cooped up in the palace all the time.”

“I wasn’t criticizing you,” Kiriya replied, and Edward relaxed. “What are you doing here?”

Returning to the game as he answered, Edward said, “Their mother needed to go shopping, but she had no one to watch them.” The ball passed smoothly to the first boy. “I just overheard her talking about it and offered to play with them. Isn’t that right, Leo?”

“Yes,” the boy said pleasantly. He couldn't be more than ten years old, but the restraint in the way he acted gave an indicator of what their parenting might be like. Leo pulled back his foot and kicked it to his brother.

“He’s really good,” said the brother. “We played catch before this, but Leo wasn’t good at it.”

Edward caught the ball with the side of his foot. “Everyone’s good at different things,” he said, defending the first boy. “As long as you’re having fun, you’re good enough.” He kicked the ball to Leo, then looked at Kiriya and gestured to the brother with his thumb. “He’s Will.”

After a moment of silence, Kiriya realized it was the correct time to say something himself. “...It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Kiriya.”

“Who is he?” Leo asked Edward. It was a question Kiriya had held back from volunteering an answer to.

“He’s my friend. He makes medicine.”

“Leo got really sick last year. Did you make him better?” Will asked.

“It’s possible something I made helped, but I don’t know.”

“Thanks!” Leo said anyway, and Kiriya felt himself crack a smile.

Edward waved him closer. “Why don’t you join us? We can make it more fun with four people.”

“And how might that be?” Kiriya inquired with a doubtful tilt of his head.

“We can change up who we’re passing it to by calling out names. Come on.”

Kiriya exhaled deeply as if it was a grand inconvenience, but he didn’t hesitate in setting his things aside. He took his place between Edward and Leo, who eagerly passed the ball to him next.

The boy’s power left much to be desired, but his desire to try didn’t. They both looked not far from Rico and Rucha’s age when he first met them. Keeping up with the twins had been impossible, but these two had just the right energy. Either that, or he’d gotten more patient.

“I’m too hungry to play anymore,” Will said eventually, dropping down to sit on the grass as soon as he did so.

“Me too,” Leo agreed, but he stayed on his feet. He’d been the last one passed the ball.

Edward went silent, clearly trying to think of a solution. Pondering it himself, Kiriya returned to his shopping bags. He crouched down at their side and dug around, pulling out two red apples. Satisfied, he stood and walked to Edward’s side. “Will these do?” he asked the boys, and Edward watched him with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah!” Will scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping on the way. Leo mirrored him surprisingly quickly.

“Say please,” Kiriya instructed, lifting the apples just out of their tiny hands’ reach.

“Please?” they said together.

“There you go.” The two apples were passed off to the two boys, and Will started chomping on his as if he had a ten second time limit. Disapprovingly, Kiriya crossed his arms. “You’re going to choke on it if you eat that quickly, and medicine won’t help you then.”

Wide-eyed, Will obediently slowed down.

Edward spoke to him next. “Where did you get those?”

“I bought them for food this week.”

“And you don’t mind giving them away?”

“They weren’t the only things in those bags, Edward.”

“I guess not.” Under a sheen of sweat, Edward grinned at him. Kiriya couldn’t say he’d been the target of a look like that from him before, and it didn’t look bad on his face. “Thanks.”

“You don’t have to thank me. They do.”

“Thank you,” Leo’s high voice told him. Will joined once his mouth was only half full.

Their mother returned as they were finishing up. She looked of good standing, but perhaps not the noblewoman Kiriya imagined earlier. She bowed before Edward, saying, “I’m so grateful His Majesty would spend his valuable time with my children.”

Edward squared his shoulders, but looked at them kindly. “They can visit the palace any time you would like.”

“Can we? I want to play again,” Will said, and their mother looked bashful.

“We can’t impose on you that much…”

“Oh, please. He loves looking after children,” Kiriya interjected. “Make his day.”

The woman eyed him as if she had no clue why he felt he had the authority to say so, but had decided asking would be improper. She continued speaking to Edward. “We… may take you up on that someday. It is difficult raising them on my own. Thank you very much.”

Edward waved to the kids as they left, who just as enthusiastically waved goodbye to Kiriya. Although hesitant, he more subtly returned it. Being included was oddly, recognizably satisfying.

When they finally turned a corner, Edward left his side to sit on the nearby bench, knees spread and hands clasped together over his thighs. Retreating into his thoughts for a moment, it took Kiriya a little while to join him.

“Are you that tired over simply playing with them?” Kiriya asked, crossing one leg over the other.

Edward snorted, peering out at him from the smallest gap in his hair. “You wouldn’t understand. You dress much lighter than me.”

“I’m also more reasonable with my bangs.” Amused, he reached out to Edward’s forehead and brushed the damp hair aside. “How can you see like this?”

Both blue eyes met his. “Well, I can see a little better now.”

Gathering some awareness of what he was doing, Kiriya pulled his hand back and folded his arms again. Feeling restless, he stood and picked up his shopping bags. “Why don’t you come with me? I have enough for you too if you’d like to join me for dinner.”

“You’re generous today.”

“I’m just as capable of generosity as you are. Will you or not?”

Edward smiled and got up. “I never got to see you cook when we were traveling with the Force. I have to see what you can do.”

“I cooked for myself for years. I believe you’ll be satisfied. And if you aren’t, don’t say anything,” Kiriya said curtly, starting off toward home again.

Edward caught up to him. “All right, I won’t. Thanks, Kiriya. For this, and for helping with those two.”

“You’ll be a good father someday.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. Whenever you settle down and have a family, being a father would suit you well. I suspected as much back when Rico and Rucha were around.”

“I haven’t really thought about any of that, but I... think I’m glad you think so. I don’t think you’d be half bad either now, from how you treated Leo and Will.”

“As if I would be good with children,” Kiriya said dismissively, unconsciously picking up his pace.

“I’m serious. You balanced it out with trying to make them be responsible. That doesn’t always come to mind with me, so we make a better team than I thought.”

Finding Edward’s expression too sincere to look at, Kiriya averted his eyes. “...If you insist.”

Chapter Text

You’re ahead in your work thanks to me, aren’t you?” Kiriya asked, taking a sip of his tea.

Across from him in the palace sitting room, Edward nodded over his own cup. It was a strong blend that was never as good as what Michelle brewed, but he couldn’t complain about the clearer head it gave him. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I’ve never seen his table so clean,” mused Vic, seated with terrible posture at Edward’s side. If the three of them weren’t alone behind closed doors again he would have told his retainer to straighten up by now. “Yer a miracle worker, Kiriya.”

Kiriya smiled faintly, but it disappeared quickly enough for Edward to doubt he’d seen it at all. “And you still owe me for acting out this engagement.”

This was clearly going somewhere he wasn’t going to like. Edward narrowed his eyes. “Yes, I do. Why?”

Placing his teacup on the table between them, Kiriya leaned back in his seat. He looked as confident — and stubborn — as he’d ever been with his arms crossed like that. “I want to call in that favor now. The favor.”

Vic perked up. “Ya thought of something already?”

“You might regret deciding on that before this is even over with,” Edward warned him.

Unfazed, Kiriya stated, “I won’t.”

“Then you’ll have to tell me what it is before I can agree to it.”

“For some time now, I have been unable to make progress in the cure I’ve been working on. Last night I remembered a journal Honorable Savio wrote that is likely to have the answer I’ve been looking for. It’s one of a kind, and I own it, but I didn’t bring it with me to Burguss.”

“Then it’s back at yer old place all the way over in Halgita?”

“Precisely. I need to retrieve it.”

Edward could see two ways he could assist with that. Neither would be so much trouble that he would’ve made Kiriya do more than ask for it. “I could send some of my men to get it for you if that’s what you want, or you could take a few guards with you as an official escort.” That would be a lengthy trip, though; they’d be apart much longer than they’d been since the start of their agreement. It bothered him to think about it.

“No,” Kiriya said, staring straight at him. “I want you.”

“What do you mean?”

“If this wouldn’t be an inconvenience for you, I wouldn’t have called in the favor. The world isn’t as dangerous as it was under the Order of Chains, but bandits and wildlife remain, and Cobasna is a danger to anyone not paying enough attention. I plan to go myself, and I want someone I trust watching my back.”

“You’ve talked to the guards. You can’t trust any of them yet?”

Kiriya sighed loudly. “If you can’t tell the difference between them and someone I risked my life with more times than I can count, there’s no helping you.”

“No, I—I get that, but…” Edward turned his head toward the gated fireplace. “I’m the king now. I can’t just leave.”

“We know the Timberlands well and don’t have to waste any time. It won’t be that long of a trip.”

“It’s still a long time to be away from a post like this without good reason.”

Sitting up straight again, Kiriya reeled his attention back in. As soon as he had it, he smirked. “You have a wonderful reason: you’ll be making sure your betrothed remains safe on a trip significant enough to affect the entire country.”

Vic laughed, earning a glare from Edward that he didn’t wilt under. “C’mon, he’s got ya now. I’m excited to get out travelin’ again!”

“If I’m going you aren’t,” Edward replied wearily.

“Why not?”

“I believe I have enough people in favor of my rule for nothing to get out of control in my absence, but around here no one knows what I would do better than you. If you will put your old snooping skills back to work in keeping on top of things around here, then I’ll feel confident enough to go.”

“Ugh. Fine. I can do that.” Vic slumped dejectedly, but Edward could see him already mentally cycling through the new, shadier opportunities it would give him. All of this was a terrible idea.

He was annoyed with Kiriya for forcing it on him, but there were valid reasons behind the demand. Kiriya would likely go alone before he’d take people that had never been around him for long; he was as aware of his brusque manner as Edward was. Edward had both that knowledge and strength he’d proven, and he didn’t want to see Kiriya try to handle it by himself.

...He had to agree with Vic, too. Staying cooped up in Burgusstadt all the time was driving him crazy. He was born a noble, but he stopped living like one for a long time.

“Consider your favor taken care of. We’ll be even again once we get back.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Pleased, Kiriya stood. “The tea was better today. Tell your servant to keep at it.”

“I will. When do you want to go, anyway? I’ll need at least a day’s warning to try to pull the right strings.”

“Hm.” Kiriya tapped thoughtfully against his opposite arm. “Then why not the day after tomorrow? You can imagine how crucial it is to end this illness already, no matter how low the mortality rate is. Suffering isn’t only measured in death.”

“I trust you on that.” More than anything about Kiriya, Edward respected his medicinal knowledge. It had saved his own life once, and after that, countless others. “Come by the palace that morning with everything you need to travel, and then we’ll head out.”

“Ya better come back before those ministers try to eat me alive,” Vic said pointedly.

Kiriya started for the door. “They have each other to worry about. You’ll be fine. Probably.”

“Probably?!”

A hectic day and a half passed by. Even after rehearsing his argument with Vic, discussing it with the people of the palace was dreadful and slow. He talked his way through it while only nearly losing his cool twice, so at least that was the worst of it.

He would be allotted just the time necessary to find this journal and bring it back to Burguss. He would also be expected to take his personal guard with him as far as Kolton. None of them knew anything about the disorienting forest separating Kolton from Kiriya’s old home, and trying to ease them through it would just add more time to the trip. They did, however, know the dunes — and how to ride a ship.

The morning of, he pulled out the greatsword he held against Veros and swung it over his back once again. Edward had spent plenty of time training to keep in shape even since taking on the crown, but using a blade that powerful for it was overkill. It was still going to be overkill on the average bandit, but in his hand, any blunt stick would be. The remainder of his belongings went between three of the four guards heading out with him, granting him plenty of mobility to use either one.

They found Kiriya leaning back against the stone wall of the tunnel between the gates outside. Among the light packing, Edward spotted Kiriya’s old sickle with him. “Good morning. Are you still any good with that?”

Amused, Kiriya shook his head. “I’d give you a demonstration if I could. We can only hope I have to slice up a few bandits to show I more than meet your expectations.” He glanced over Edward’s shoulder at the greatsword’s hilt. “Why, have you lost your confidence in fighting with that?”

“You wish. You’re on, if we find any trouble.”

“Your Majesty,” spoke up Sandra, one of the guards. “With all due respect, It’s not a good idea to hope for trouble on our trip.”

“I didn’t say I hoped for it.”

The gates on the other side opened, familiar face Alberich striding through. When he realized what group he was about to pass through, he stopped and watched them nervously. “Your Majesty,” he said with a bow of his head, adjusted his feet as if to continue ahead, then swallowed and spoke again instead. “It’s not too late to decide against this. What will the country do if something happens to you?”

“I’m capable of defending myself, Minister Alberich. If that’s somehow not enough, everyone with me is capable of defending me in my place.”

“But do you really have to go with—”

“I will make sure both Kiriya and I live to see our wedding day,” Edward said resolutely. “I couldn’t trust anyone else as much with someone so important to me and to the country.”

Resigning his protests, Alberich forced a polite smile. “Have a safe trip. All of you.”

“Thank you. Take care of yourself,” Edward replied, returning it. The minister walked by the king and his guards, and Kiriya moved to join the group heading out. For a moment Edward’s eyes met his and found a spark of warmth in them, an unspoken recognition of what had been said in his defense. Then Edward looked away, and the moment was over. It still gave him a better boost in energy than that servant’s morning tea had.

Port Zala’s fair weather disappeared too quickly for Kiriya’s liking. A chill overtook the wind by the time the ship was halfway to Kolton’s shore. Out of boredom and spite against it he remained above deck, near the bowsprit, alternating his focus on the land growing closer on the horizon and the sails above.

“I can never get used to this weather,” he said aloud after catching Edward out of the corner of his eye. He continued speaking without turning his head. “I even prefer Fayel’s heat over Kolton’s snow. It’s closer to what I’m used to.”

“Are you comfortable in Burguss?” Edward asked him, stopping his approach a couple of meters away. He looked completely unconcerned with the cold. At least one of them was that fortunate.

“Obviously. The weather might vary over the year, but a short winter is better than how long it lasts in that miserable land.”

Edward chuckled. “We won’t be there long. You can stand it until then.”

“I know.” The corners of Kiriya’s lips curled up. “I just wanted to complain. It really doesn’t bother you?”

“I can feel it, but wearing a few layers does wonders in cold weather. You should try it sometime.”

“You are a little cold, then.” Skillfully ignoring half of what he said, Kiriya fell into a short silence, pondering. When he made his decision, he spoke assertively. “Come stand over here.”

Fixing Kiriya with a curious look, Edward did as he requested — slowly. When he stood in front of him, Kiriya turned around and backed into him. It wasn’t a hesitant move, but it wasn’t forceful either. Edward froze.

“This solves our problem,” Kiriya explained, settling in as closely as he could against the smooth fabric and firm muscle. He closed his eyes in relief. “Mostly mine. You’re a good guard against the wind.”

“...You could just go below deck and not worry about it at all,” Edward said from beside his ear. Not moving an inch, he didn’t seem to know what to do.

“I don’t want to. I prefer the smell of the sea to whatever’s down there.” And this was comfortable.

Edward’s voice lowered to a pleasant volume. “Fine.” With what might have been trembling arms, he gradually, loosely wrapped them around Kiriya’s waist. “Is this warmer?”

“Mm.” Warmer and left his stomach with a hollow feeling that wasn’t at all unpleasant. It felt like if they were any closer, that could fill it.

Edward took the chance to change the subject. “So Honorable Savio was the one that wrote this journal?”

“Yes. He filled it from cover to cover with his observations and knowledge. I left it behind because I thought it would be easier for someone to steal it from me if I took it out of the Timberlands.”

“Keeping it safe was that important to you?”

“He entrusted it to me. If he awakens in my lifetime, I want to be able to say I never lost it.”

His tone even more sympathetic, Edward asked, “Do you miss him?”

“Of course I do. He and Held were all I had for most of my years growing up. For a time I lived in Burguss while we were his apprentices, and I returned there two years ago to be closer to the land he watched over.” Honesty came too easily like this.

“Do you also miss Held?”

“No. He was a misguided fool.” Kiriya sighed. “But I don’t believe he deserved his fate, either.”

At some point he’d nestled in closer, curving his head toward Edward’s neck. If he wasn’t standing, he might’ve fallen asleep. During the agreeable silence that followed, a memory of Edward’s study played behind his eyelids. A question came to him, and he opened his eyes to greet the kingdom growing ever closer. “You have a portrait on your wall back at the palace. Is that the real Liberator?”

“It is. Lord Sigmund, the Liberator — it’s too bad you were never able to meet him.”

He did, in a fashion, but that would be getting into details that weren’t relevant. “Do you miss him?”

Edward tilted his head down. Kiriya could briefly feel the puff of his breath against his neck. “More than you can imagine.”

Kiriya felt a twinge of something unpleasant. Biting at the inside of his cheek, he said, “If he was still here, would you have…”

The question trailed off and stayed unfinished. Edward gave him some time to do so, but eventually probed for the rest. “Would I have what?”

Some self-loathing settled in over losing his nerve, but Kiriya decided he didn’t want to know. He didn’t have to; it would only force Edward to consider something impossible. The aristos could be awakened someday, but the dead couldn’t be revived. The answer wouldn’t change a thing.

“...Never mind.”

The long trek through the Cobasna Timberlands they spent alone was peaceful. Edward was familiar with much of it: which trails led to Halgita, to Kolton, and to Dais, and which dense mists turned the traveler around on the way. Part of the path only Kiriya knew, but he was efficient in getting them both through.

Bandits never descended upon them since the moment they left Burgusstadt. Edward had been disappointed about it until they stumbled into one of the forest’s natural carnivores. The wildcat, curled up against the root Kiriya unwittingly stepped over, was stirred into aggressive action. In a fluid movement, Kiriya had his sickle in his hands. With a whole-armed swing he cut into the beast’s fur as it leapt toward him — a warning, nothing near fatal — and it retreated.

“You're still impressive,” Edward remarked, pleased he’d gotten to see him in action again. It was entirely different to seeing him behind a book cover.

Kiriya twirled the sickle, returning it just as smoothly to his back. “Hmph. I told you I hadn’t lost my touch.”

Deeper within the forest, Kiriya’s old home came into view. It looked a little threatening from the outside, but he hadn’t had expectations of something much cheerier in such a thick, spooky forest hostile to unfamiliar explorers. He saved his remarks until they were up the creaking stairs and through the uninviting front door, only really able to see the place once Kiriya lit it up.

“Your home in Burgusstadt is nothing like this,” was the first thing to leave his mouth as he took the interior in. He heard a laugh from Kiriya in response.

“Burguss’ idea of architecture is much different from the Halgitian sensibility. Plus, not nearly as much sunlight gets through the trees around here.”

“Halgita does have an elegant lighting style,” Edward said, then lowered his gaze to everything else. “But everything in it is just like you.”

Left over from what Kiriya had taken with him when he moved, there were books all around, whether neatly stored on a bookshelf or piled haphazardly on the floor. Scrolls covered one of the tables, stained with either age or use. With no obvious designated storage area, the numerous wine bottles were scattered even more unpredictably: upright there on the floor, on their sides half-off the table, taking up space among the books on the shelf — there weren’t nearly as many of them, but they were one of only three things the home seemed to offer.

“My priorities are still much the same. Why would I change what I keep around the house?” Losing interest in Edward’s impressions, Kiriya left him to start searching for what he’d come for.

In the meantime, Edward continued observing. The way the windows glowed with the glare of yellow-green light, revealing nothing of the forest outside, was as beautiful as it was isolating. It was like stepping inside and shutting the door had placed them in a different world. It was perfect for a hermit devoting himself to research and drinking instead of connections with other people. “Are you glad to be back?”

Currently picking through the lineup on the bottom shelf of a bookcase in the back of the room, Kiriya replied, “That isn’t the word I would use. It does still feel like my home, but not more than the place waiting for me back in Burgusstadt. I lived here, and nothing more.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Why?”

“You wouldn’t want to leave again If you missed this place enough. I would have to return alone.”

“Please have higher expectations for my sense of duty,” Kiriya said flatly. “And here it is.” He stood, now holding a handcrafted book. He brought it to the main table, pushing aside the scrolls and placing the wine bottle carelessly on the floor. The journal was given a wide, reverent berth before Kiriya started to flip through it.

Edward joined him. After seeing Savio do enough writing and creating during the Force’s resting periods, he could tell it was that man’s work right away. The words were small and the sparse diagrams detailed, easily getting across that it wasn’t anyone’s idea of light reading. Kiriya’s eyes darted across each page as he leaned closer to it, eagerly scanning for the knowledge he hoped for.

Some time passed of Kiriya skimming the journal and Edward quietly standing by. Then, Kiriya closed the book, set it aside, placed both hands on the table and pushed himself up. “This is it. I knew my master would know what to do,” he said, expression bright with renewed inspiration. In the soft bloom of the lights, it was an enchanting sight only Edward could see.

Unable to tear his eyes away, he asked, “Will you be able to complete the cure with this?”

“You bet. I could use a more thorough read, but I believe I already have a good handle on it.”

“You should take it with you this time. Honorable Savio would surely prefer you use it to help others. You can keep it safe yourself.”

Deliberating the suggestion, Kiriya held a hand to his chin. “You might be right.”

Forcing his attention on the wall, Edward turned his back to the table. “You were reunited with him and met the others when they hoped you could cure me.”

“Yes. Your friends were nearly tripping over themselves in hopes of saving you in time.”

“I never really thanked you for it.” The face he turned on Kiriya was serious, but his voice was gentle. “Thank you for giving Capell the Lunytol and saving me.”

Kiriya’s eyes widened slightly, somehow surprised by it. He lowered his hand and looked away. “I didn’t do it for you. I didn’t even know you.”

“You know me now. Would you still save me if it happened all over again?”

“Without question. You’re important to me,” Kiriya snapped, then tensed, then paused. “...Like everyone else from the Force.”

With a small smile, Edward turned to him and reached for his hand. Kiriya studied him warily as he lifted it, but did nothing to resist. Neither of them really understood what he planned to do until he did it: “Thank you,” he repeated at his most heartfelt, pressing a soft kiss against the back of it where his lunaglyph used to be.

When he pulled away from it, he met Kiriya’s eyes. There was an unfamiliar, vulnerable look on his features, and he didn’t take his hand from where Edward continued to hold it. Running his thumb over the ring on Kiriya's middle finger, Edward spoke again. “That didn't bother you?”

“N—” It sounded like it was taking Kiriya great effort to answer him. “No. I’m not that much of a…” He stopped short and inhaled when Edward turned his hand up and left an even more lingering kiss on his palm.

“Your hand is soft.”

“What do you want me to say to that…?”

Edward turned his hand down again and stepped closer to him from behind the curve of his wrist. “That didn’t bother you either?”

Kiriya briefly looked annoyed by the question. By the time he replied, it faded behind the unguarded expression and shallow breathing. “I haven’t pushed you away, have I?”

After that ambiguous answer, he took his time cautiously letting go of Kiriya’s hand and closing the distance further. It was to give Kiriya time to decide he would shove him, mostly, but also to get revenge if Kiriya insisted on being dishonestly defensive. The hand still in the air moved to the blond hair hanging beside his jaw, its fingers sliding over and through the thin strands and thumb drawing across his cheek. With only the smallest stretch of air between their faces — one quickly warming with the exchange of their breath — he stopped. Kiriya took the bait and kissed him first.

For a second, part of him had worried about his inexperience. He forgot about it as soon as he felt the touch of Kiriya’s mouth against his and closed his eyes. Something he couldn’t express had been building in him like a storm, and only now did he start to feel some relief. With Kiriya only gradually easing into the embrace, Edward was determined to not overwhelm him by letting it all rush out at once.

Each kiss unearthed more of Kiriya’s own yearning. He gripped the fabric at Edward’s side tightly, chasing him when he took too long to breathe. Once he was comfortable enough to wrap his arms around Edward’s neck, Edward took the time to drop his hand and lower his lips to his jaw instead. Kiriya tilted his head back as he did. Whether it was intended as an invite or not, the only path behind his collar was uncovered. Edward took it, bringing a warm kiss to the even more feverish skin of his neck.

Kiriya made a short, strangled sound, tempered by surprise and restraint. He turned his head away in a hurry, putting more weight on Edward as he did. Edward bit his tongue to keep from laughing at him. It was the only good response in hindsight; it was equally embarrassing that it took him several long seconds more to realize he’d hit a weak point of Kiriya’s, giving him trouble standing on his own.

Still following his impulses, he said, “Hold on.”

“Hold...? Ah—”

Lifting Kiriya up by one thigh and then the other, Edward set him on top of the table. He was still at eye level, Edward between his knees. His face was flushed and defiant, but he hadn’t let go. “You’re lucky there was nothing to knock over.”

Edward only smiled in response, bringing another returned kiss to his lips before nestling up to his neck again. Melting underneath it, Kiriya let out a sigh, his pulse pounding under the contact and his fingers digging into the back of Edward’s shoulders. He soon drew his hands back, passing through Edward's dark hair before cupping his face in his palms. Edward allowed him to direct him back up, earning a restless kiss as a reward.

The closeness made it feel like his heart was going to burst out of his chest, but he still wanted more of it. That was all he knew: he couldn’t find the words, or the thoughts, or the plan to reach it. It felt like the only way he could find out was to search for that border between them with his hands, and those were still on Kiriya’s legs.

Recalling something he’d long been curious about as a fashion choice, his right hand moved around Kiriya’s left thigh to the diamond-shaped hole pattern on his pants. As soon as he touched the skin beneath, Kiriya inhaled sharply and pulled back. “D-Don’t flatter yourself,” he stammered, even worse at expressing himself than usual.

Patiently, Edward hovered where he was. “Kiriya.”

A perfect mirror of conflicted desire, Kiriya reluctantly responded. “What?”

“Do you really think now is the time for us to start pretending again?” He didn’t want to. As willing as he was to let go, he wanted to hold on even tighter.

Kiriya briefly closed his eyes. “...No, I suppose not,” he answered in the end, surrendering completely. He leaned back in, kissing him tentatively once before pursuing him more honestly than before. He wouldn’t allow the space to stay between them either.

Edward was completely breathless by the time he could speak again. He couldn’t think of anything else, past or future; only Kiriya in front of him. “I love you,” he whispered, and he knew Kiriya heard him from his body’s sudden new tension. Bringing the pause to an abrupt end, he brought their mouths together again and continued until he felt that tension disappear.

He knew he said it himself, but he didn’t want to know Kiriya’s answer to it.

They didn’t speak of what happened in Cobasna throughout the return trip. Kiriya wasn’t completely sure whose fault that was, but he never attempted to start the conversation himself. While the journey was amicable, he couldn’t deny a gulf opened between them. At least it was one he was used to keeping between himself and other people.

Setting foot in Burgusstadt was a surprisingly great comfort; he’d felt apathetic upon returning to his home in Halgita in comparison. It was enough to put off returning to that street of his just yet. He returned with Edward to the palace instead, expressing a desire to “make sure Vic wasn’t eaten alive after all.” The first face to greet them through the doors was the kid himself, dashing toward them from under one of the blue crystals mounted on the wall.

“Yer back! If ya sent more warnin’ I would’ve met ya at the city entrance instead. How are ya?”

With an affectionate smile, Edward reached out and ruffled his hair. Vic frowned, firmly showing his offense, but did nothing to stop him. “It’s good to see you too. I’m just fine. You didn’t expect anything to happen to me, did you?”

“I’ve never been better,” Kiriya answered, crossing his arms proudly. “I found that journal. All I have to do is get back to work. What about you?”

Vic brushed Edward’s hand from his head, instantly recovering some of his energy. “Good! It wasn’t easy tryin’ to keep track of these guys, I’ll tell ya that much. But I did, of course. No one’s better at that than me!”

“I’m sorry for leaving that to you, Vic. Once you fill me in on what happened in my absence, we’ll get everything back to normal.”

“Ya better! Oh, but I have to do somethin’ else first.” He turned to Kiriya. “Can ya come with me for a sec?”

“Me?” He glanced at Edward, who looked like he had the equivalent amount of a clue about this one (none). “If it won’t be long.”

“Don’t worry. C’mon.”

Vic’s light feet led him into the sitting room. Vic didn’t encourage him to take a seat before starting to talk, and Kiriya didn’t plan to linger that long anyway. “Okay, so. Somethin’ important happened about a week ago.”

“What was that?”

“Minister Alberich’s daughter announced her engagement. To someone else.”

“Oh,” Kiriya responded with disinterest. A beat later, Vic had his full attention. “Oh. Are you certain?”

“My information’s solid on this one. I guarantee it.”

“You mean this act can be over with.” Rather than relief, he could only identify the first chill of disappointment.

Vic squinted at him. “Is that what ya want?”

“What bearing does that have on it? We established this for a reason, and the reason is gone.”

“So it’s not what ya want.”

“You’re putting words in my mouth.”

“And yer bein' difficult.” Spreading out his feet, Vic put his hands on his hips defiantly. “I know what ya want would matter to Ed.”

Pressing his fingers to his forehead against a budding headache, Kiriya turned. “As nice as it is to see you in high spirits, I haven’t been home in a long time. I’ll be leaving now.”

“Wait!” Vic took several steps toward him, but stopped when he saw Kiriya wasn’t planning to make a run for it. “I don’t think the news is gonna reach Ed before I do. I’m givin’ ya the chance to be the one to tell him first.”

“Why should I do your work for you?”

“Because ya need to talk about it. I can’t do that for ya.”

It would be better if you could, he thought, but he tried not to speak his mind when it worked against him. “Fine. I’ll deal with it. You worked hard, and I inconvenienced you the most. Thank you, Vic.”

Vic blinked, losing his confrontational posture. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Uh, right. Yer welcome. Didn’t expect to ever hear that from you…”

Kiriya smirked, but cut the sight of it short as he made for the door. “We all change eventually. Even those of us that fight against it.”

Despite expecting to find the recently-returned king somewhere else, the two guards he asked both directed Kiriya toward Edward’s study. Under the pleasant sunlight streaming in, there was an impressive pile of work neatly spaced around the table. Edward appeared to be arranging it into an order that made more sense to him. He looked up as the doors began to fall shut behind Kiriya.

“Vic’s not with you?”

He only then remembered that Vic had set their meeting up as “something to do first”. Kiriya’s brow furrowed. Whatever game the kid was playing with him wasn’t funny. “No. I’m sure he’ll be responsible eventually. For now, I have some news for you.”

“Go ahead.” Edward sat down behind the table, his motivation to be responsible himself cut short without his little support at his side.

“My sources say you won’t have to worry about Alberich again. His daughter’s engaged to someone else now.”

“Your sources? What sources? You just got here.”

“That’s not important. The rest is.”

Edward wasn’t satisfied by that answer, but he limited it to a silent glare. “Say you’re right. What then?”

“Then we stop pretending. There’s no further reason to do so.”

“You’re right,” Edward readily agreed, and it felt like a needle pushed into Kiriya’s pride.

“...Glad we could come to an understanding,” he said, tapping rapidly at his arm in frustration. There was nothing more obliging him to be there, so he began to leave without another word.

“Kiriya.”

He paused and looked back. Even with the table’s heavy load he could see Edward clearly. “What?”

“I meant what I said to you in the Timberlands. I know that as the king I can’t give you the quiet life you want, and I don’t want to pressure you to accept that.”

He’d said “I love you” so softly that night. Now Edward was telling him it wasn’t just a moment’s runaway passion Kiriya more rightfully deserved. He went quiet, clawing his way through his own defenses. Honesty would damage his heart and his pride, so his well-trained reflexes refused it. His heart and mind wouldn’t allow that to work this time.

“A quiet life be damned. I haven’t been a hermit in years,” he said with an arrogant tilt of his head. His shoulders slumped slightly afterward. “But I’m no good for you. I don’t have the tongue to act like I respect people I don’t, and that is very important in your position.”

“I know. I’m not perfect at it either.”

“That makes it worse, you fool.”

“No,” Edward began, cracking a smile, “It means we could work on it together.”

“Hm.” Tempting, but not fully convincing.

“We don’t have to go through with the engagement, now or ever, but you’re the one I want at my side for as long as I can. I want to see every side of you that you’ll show me.”

Flustered (and still trying to hide it), Kiriya redirected his attention to the wall. His response came out more amused than he intended: “That sounds like a proposal to me.”

“I-It’s not! Unless you want it to be. I mean…” Tired of floundering, Edward lowered his face into his hand. “Just tell me how you feel already.”

“I love you,” he said simply, savoring the freedom of cracking his guard enough to say so. His body and spirit felt lighter for it. “Thanks to the people we’ve both grown into.”

Edward’s look of amazement turned into a grin. He leapt to his feet. Moving with less urgency, Kiriya met his approach a little under halfway. He was pulled into a strong hug, and his arms moved lightly around Edward’s back in return. It too felt like home.

“...Aya’s really going to have something to say about this,” Edward said suddenly, as if recalling he’d left a fire burning somewhere else.

Kiriya snorted. “As if I could care what anyone says about me these days, short of another exile. There is enough to prod her back with in her difficult relationship with Capell.”

“They do have the added problem of what to do with Casandra now, so we can’t blame them that much.”

“You’re too kind.” With that mild disapproval, he let go and felt Edward do the same. “Vic still isn’t here. We should find him before you have to wait here all night.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“I have an idea.” The guess was the sitting room, as little as he had intended to return there after passing on the news. They didn’t have to go that far; once Kiriya tugged the door open, Vic tumbled right into him.

“Woah! Uh, hey guys!” Vic said, pushing himself away from Kiriya and shaking off his confusion. “I just got here, and I needed to rest, so—”

“You mean you were listening,” Edward accused.

“Ugh. If Kiriya didn’t walk so quietly, ya never would’ve found out…” Vic grumbled. “No point in hidin’ it then. Congrats on gettin' together! I knew ya could do it.”

Feeling his face flush in both anger and embarrassment, Kiriya stepped around him. “I’ve had enough of you for today. Keep him in line while he’s helping you, Edward.”

“You got it,” Edward told him, and Kiriya walked out. His brisk stride belied the content smile he wore outside the others’ view.

“I owed you a lot for this,” he heard Edward announce through the closing door, “But now we’re even. Let’s get started and stay on topic.”

Vic laughed shamelessly. “Yes, Your Majesty.”