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How cruel, fate could be.
“Well, beloved?” The prince forced a smile to his lips, posture straight and proper, just as he’d been taught. “It’s rather rude to leave your royalty like this.” With a short nod, Shuichi took a step forward, languidly falling to one knee as he offered a gloved hand. Kokichi’s smile seemed to soften in the slightest and he placed his hand in Shuichi’s. The taller male brought the hand to his lips, pressing a long kiss to his fingers as he looked up at him.
This was perhaps the last time they would be able to do something like this, and Shuichi wanted to make it last as long as he possibly could.
Rising to both feet, Shuichi gently tugged Kokichi towards him, moving his other hand to the small of Kokichi’s back. In turn, Kokichi placed his free hand on the back of Shuichi’s neck.
“Don’t take your eyes off of me, beloved.” He whispered, purple eyes searching gold.
“Never,” Shuichi replied squeezing their locked hands. The piano started off quiet, as if testing the waters. Slowly, the music swelled, filling the room with it’s bittersweet melody. Swallowing dryly, Shuichi took the lead. Every tick of the clock felt like he was counting down to his death, and in a certain case, he was.
The moment the sun rose, signaling the new day, Kokichi would officially be set to wed the princess of a neighboring country. A marriage that had come to fruition once it was made clear it was the only way to avoid starting a war. Compensation.
Horrible, is what it was. It was completely and utterly horrible.
“Shush,” Kokichi muttered, pinching the back of Shuichi’s neck before his hand moved to brush against his cheek, wiping at the few tears that were beginning to pool. “You think too loud…”
“I’m sorry.”
It’s okay, Kokichi wanted to say. We can make it work.
Yet he stayed silent. He didn’t feel like lying when they both knew the truth; the reason they were even here, dancing in the middle of a dark, empty ballroom alone, save for Kaede who was skillfully guiding them with the music.
Somehow it made it all that much more painful. How they had to hide, resorting to the cover of night for one final embrace. One last goodbye.
Kaede sat with her eyes closed as her fingers gracefully flow across the keys, her attempt to give the two as much privacy as she could in this intimate moment. Kirumi had cleared out the surrounding hallways and buildings under ruse of required cleaning, and outside the doors Kaito and Maki stood on guard to be certain no one else walked in.
It took so much effort for the two of them to spend just a few moments together.
“Shuichi.” His voice was stern, though he could hear the slight tremble hidden. “Please, just enjoy this. One last time, okay? Play with me.” Shuichi took a deep breath and nodded, pulling Kokichi closer and letting himself fall into the music.
The smallest rays of sun were now beginning to pour in through the stained glass, falling onto Kokichi’s face. He was practically glowing in the golden light, like an angel surrounded by it’s halo. With a small smile tugging at his lips, he suddenly dipped Kokichi, who let out a wonderfully surprised sound before giggling.
“My beloved always knows how to catch me off guard, hm?” His hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, exposing the gold and sapphire earrings that Kokichi hadn’t taken off since the moment Shuichi gifted them to him. He savored in the endearing sight of his smudged eyeliner, knowing it would have to be redone before the wedding despite how Kokichi preferred for it to look a bit messy. With the sun shining directly onto his face, those beautiful freckles that were scattered across his cheeks and nose were now visible.
Just the sight of him made Shuichi breathless.
He pulled them up from the dip, though didn’t move away from Kokichi. In fact, he pulled him closer, until their bodies were flush against each other. “You’re beautiful,” Shuichi breathed, letting go of his hand to tilt his chin up. He didn’t dare blink. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t miss a single second of the little time he had left with his lover.
Kokichi moved his now empty hand to hold onto the back of his shoulder, wishing that he could have had Shuichi above him one last time. Still, he wouldn’t have changed his choice for the world. Though he couldn’t help but wish they’d had a bit longer. Just a bit longer.
There was so little time.
“Stop being sappy,” Kokichi murmured, a blush burning at his ears and cheeks. It only made him more beautiful, in Shuichi’s eyes.
“But I want you to know,” He insisted, leaning forward until their foreheads were touching. Kokichi bumped their noses together, and Shuichi let out a shaky sigh. “There’s so much more I have to say to you.” Kokichi grabbed a fist of his collar, holding him in place.
“Then say it.”
“I love you,” he said, practically breathing into the other’s mouth. “I love you, Kokichi. More than anything in this world.” Kokichi shivered, and their lips brushed. It was hardly enough to call a kiss, but the contact made Shuichi long for more.
“We could run away, you know…” Kokichi spoke so softly, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to hear if he weren’t right next to him. “Dice could cover for us, Rantaro could take us away using all those secret passages and routes he knows…” Shuichi swallowed, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. Kokichi continued, ignoring him. “I’m sure Miu could make something to help us, and… and we can get help from Gonta.”
“Kokichi, we talked about this.” Kokichi scowled, and anyone else would have assumed that he was angry, but Shuichi felt how his hands trembled while grabbing at Shuichi. He was hurting, he was desperate.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“I don’t want you to leave, either.” Kokichi bit his lip, unable to stop as a stray tear slid down his cheek. No sobs, no snot running from his nose. Just a few silent tears, slipping from his eyes.
Oh, his eyes were so beautiful.
“Kiss me.” Shuichi obliged, blinking away his own tears as he cupped the prince’s face. If this were to be his last memory with Kokichi, he wanted to see him clearly. Their lips met, this time in a real kiss. Pressing and pushing, reaching for every last second.
“Forever,” Shuichi muttered against Kokichi’s mouth, pulling away just enough that their lips brushed whenever he spoke. “I’ll love you forever, until I die.” Kokichi nodded, taking a breath to collect himself. More tears found their way down his face.
“Let’s meet again in another life, okay?” Six tolls of a bell rang throughout the kingdom, announcing the end of their time. The sound was so deep and sad, it made a pit of despair form in Shuichi’s chest.
“I’m sorry,” Shuichi sighed against his lips, relishing in one final kiss.
“I love you,” Kokichi responded, a hand grabbing a fist of Shuichi’s hair, so hard that his nails dug into his skull. Shuichi didn’t complain, however. He returned by grabbing Kokichi’s hips and pulling him so closer, so hard, there were sure to be bruises left. They wanted to leave marks on the other, if not permanent ones, that they had been there.
Kokichi wanted proof that he’d once touched Shuichi, and held him, and loved him, and that Shuichi had once touched him , and held him, and loved him. “I will never love anyone else. For as long as I live, and in every life after.”
“I know,” Shuichi removed one hand from his waist to brush Kokichi’s bangs up, and lay a gentle kiss to the top of his forehead. “As will I.” They swayed back and forth with one another, basking in one last embrace.
The piano came to a slow, heavy stop, as did their time together.