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a knight near the age of toya always was tasked to monitor the floor where toya’s room resides, meaning, the two would bump into each other frequently. they eventually grew close, now, toya likes to keep him beside him at all times, thinking that the only best thing in this whole kingdom is the one tasked to keep an eye on him.
the monitoring knight walked in, gently knocking on the door and proceeding to open it. being extra quiet so as to not disturb the prince.
“my prince...? are you fast asleep?”
(akito...!)
“no...”
the knight let himself in, and shut the door behind him, making sure no one saw or could walk in unexpectedly. he walked up to the prince laying flat on the bed, kneeling on one foot to match the blueberry hair’s eye level. toya soon tossed himself to face akito right after.
“can’t fall asleep, toya?”
“i can’t seem to...”, toya replied, trailing off.
akito took the prince’s hand in his own, placing a small kiss on the back of it. his cheeky smirk showed after, making toya laugh.
“okay, mr. suitor. you can drop the act”, toya teased.
“what? i can’t kiss my lover?”, akito shot back.
akito has already been courting toya for 2 years. it extended for so long because of, well, ...everything, there is no sugarcoating it. from the fear of being found out, questioning sexualities, both of them being busy with their duties as knight and prince, it only owed so much of their time.
“i have an idea! toya,”, the boy he called out to hummed. “come with me.”
akito stood up, toya standing as well when akito dragged toya from the bed. they ran all over the castle in a hush, quiet run. ending up in the ballroom, where, luckily, akito was close with the guard patrolling, throwing her a wink signaling what to do.
“these damn gays.”, an scoffed. (lovingly.)
the two end up in a large ballroom, empty as it hasn’t held a ball in quite sometime. akito began to walk around, leading toya with him. akito trusted shiraishi to cover for them, and to cover his patrol if someone were to ask.
“may i have this dance, my prince?”, akito bowed, extending his hand how for the prince to take. toya, surprised look on his face, arched a brow on akito. it was a surprise, but a pleasant one. looking down over at him, toya glanced at akito’s arching back and extended hand.
and he so gladly agreed to dance.
toya raised akito back up, akito took toya’s waist, clasping his hand in the grey-eyed. “you’re taking the lead? what about the music?”, toya asked.
“did i surprise ya there? it was kinda the only way i learned how to. as for the music... fuck that!”, akito shrugged off. toya being blatantly surprised by it as he never saw akito dance or curse. well, really, in what situation would you see a knight in a midst of a royal’s ballroom?
they both shrugged at each other and started with a waltz, the most simple and a staple to ballroom dancing.
one, two, three. one, two, three.
the two synced well, akito even managing to spin toya around. heck, they could even talk while they glided each other with ease. akito always gave toya a ‘you okay?’ after spinning him, making sure he wasn’t dizzy at all. of course, the prince really wouldn’t be, as he had extensive training, quite more than what akito’s had. which is also a reason why he was pleasantly surprised by this, and how akito could dance beautifully.
toya feeling more royal than he’s ever been, only at the hands of akito could he feel as if he was the only one that mattered in a world he despises. the loving gaze his beloved knight had on him clouded any other feeling or judgment. until he woke up from akito taking him back into his arms, spinning him again, and raising him, holding toya by the waist. toya didn’t feel as though he was in his pajamas, he felt as if he was decked out for the best day of his life.
a few more turns under a marble flooring left toya so excited, and happy, a feeling he’s never fully experienced and was lacking, now filled to the brim as if he were a balloon about to pop.
akito’s gaze never left toya, his eyes sparkling only kept akito looking at what his next reaction would be. his small giggles, letting out all the happiness and butterflies he feels, eventually, those butterflies only flew to akito’s stomach, akito chuckling back at toya before he—
dipped him. arm around the waist as toya’s back and head, keeping him steady. toya gripped akito’s hand and bicep, their faces inches away. toya never understood the royals kissing after this bit of their slow dance during their weddings, but he definitely does now.
their heart pounding from each other’s look, staring into each other’s eyes and watching every dim light bounce off, their reflections on each other. it was more beautiful than a full moon thriving in the dark, night sky.
“let's run away from here.”
(what...?)
“y’know, get away from everyone, especially your father. i’ve seen how much you hate it here, it's a horrible sight watchin’ you suffer, my prince. ...so, why not—”
“yes. yes, akito.”, toya smiled brightly, nodding as he does so, not questioning anything or rethinking his answer, even what akito said. it was automatic, like fate. it was equivalent to a marriage proposal to him, just because it was akito. it was akito asking.
“toya...”
“i know how to get outta here as quick as possible, don’t let go of my hand.”
akito brought toya up and ran, bolted out of the room. leaving behind everything, everything they once knew, and it was for the better. sure, they may have met and started there, but it was a hellhole, they could start a better life somewhere else.
they ran up to toya’s room, grabbing a few essentials, money, his phone, etc., and they do the same for akito’s space. it was really late at night, and the two thank every god in existence that they weren't caught.
“an!”, akito slowed down, running to an, toya still connected to him by their intertwined hand.
“running away, now? seriously, akito?”
“yes, an. let me live my happily ever after.”
“would’ve said something, but you’d call me a hypocrite”, an scoffed at akito, remembering her princess she has yet to return to. she guided them to the gates, opening the door tailored for the knights slightly.
an watched the two run off, happy for the two.
they run off into a populated city, citizens all sleeping, but making sure to hide from every town person there is. sneaking out like teens as if they weren’t in their twenties, the thrill of it all made them both rush with adrenaline and excitement. toya never saw this side of the kingdom, not once. they run off, away from the city from the side where no one could see. akito led toya to a secluded house, written was “shinonome” on the mailbox. akito knocks, opening the door to where he would be seen.
“akito?”
they meet a brown, shorthaired girl rummaging for a snack in the kitchen. it seemed to be one of akito’s acquaintances?
“sis! what’re you doing up so late?? and... mind if we stay?”
nope, it's his sister.
“we...?”, the girl peaking around, akito bringing toya into her view “oh my god, akito, you brought the prince with you?! and you didn’t tell me! i would've gotten my dress... please, excuse me, your hi—” the shinonome bowed, momentarily.
“please, ms shinonome. its alright, please do not be bothered by it.”, shock plastered all over dear ms shinonome’s face, but she complied nonetheless.
akito looked over at toya, giggling to him. “anyway... your room is still the same old, akito. glad you’re home, we can talk about whatever this is tomorrow morning”, the short-haired crossed her arms. “great. thanks, ena”
ena... shinonome ena... so that was her name.
akito tugged toya up by the hand, running up the stairs like kids as if they were 5. surprisingly, none of them fell. ‘good for him, i’m glad he’s happy.’ ena thought. they made their way to the end of the hall, to the left is akito’s room. the ginger slowly turned the knob and swung the door open.
akito was home, laying down flat on the bed, arms open. he signed, full of relief. toya smiling at akito, proceeding to sit on the bed as well, he then smiled down to himself.
(so this is akito’s home, huh? it... feels more like home than my own... its been two years since that all happened, god, thank you for akito. i love him so mu—)
“toya, somethin’ on your mind?” akito asks, it seems toya didn’t notice him sit down. toya took a deep breath in an attempt to clear his mind. “right— i... have something to say.” akito looked at toya confused, worried. what was making toya look like that? could it be just fatigue? akito knows the prince isn’t one to be sporty, being locked up all day long
“you can stop courting me.”
akito’s worried and concerned plastered face only grew worse. why? why is he telling akito to stop courting? did he make a mistake of sorts? what’s wrong...? why would he stop, if he never thought of doing so? so many days did the two spend apart just because of the titles they hold, akito dreaded those days. what is he going to do without toya? miss him all day? be miserable??
“toya...? why?”
“why? please, toya. tell me why. what can i do to change?”
the confused look and somewhat late responses only hurt akito even more, he wanted to make it right, but what is there to ‘make right’ if toya doesn’t tell him? please, if this is just something him and toya could talk through, clear it up with a deep conversation about them and their plans to change... speak up, toya. watching the partner calling him his suitor be in misery, watching him do something he’s forced to with no escape. it's painful, dreading, and irritating that akito can’t do much but run after toya as soon as he’s finished with it.
toya, confused by akito’s pleas, wondering why akito kept asking ‘why’ when the answer seemingly was clear (to him). he took akito’s hand in hopes to calm him down, he tried reassuring him that there was nothing to worry about. he thought akito would rejoice, actually, but instead he was met with quite the opposite.
“you can stop, i’m serious...”
“fuck no! i’m not fuckin’ stopping just yet, toya!”
akito unknowingly had tears wanting to escape his eyelid’s barrier, turning his entire body to toya, cupping his face and trying to get close, only to hesitate. what toya just said had him rethinking every step he made regarding toya. although, he couldn’t care about who would judge if they ever go back to the castle. not caring in the world’s view on them, would you really choose the world’s view on you over your lover? screw people’s judgement! if it means toya, in any way related to him, the world could cease to exist for all he cares.
“...did i do something wrong? you’re not the type to joke around, stop saying these things!”
instead of answering right-off-the-bat, toya gave akito a warm embrace, knowing he was trying to a few seconds ago. he started gently brushing akito’s ginger strands of hair, it was flowing so smoothly from root to end. which is something toya really liked doing— brushing akito’s hair with his fingers. it helps akito fall asleep on restless nights, maybe it would calm him down?
“nothing! really. its okay, you can stop your courting, i bet you’re tired from it...”
toya took akito off of his embrace momentarily, wiping the tears that have managed to escape with his thumb, kissing his cheek in the process as well. toya gave akito a small smile with worried eyes, but continued to brush away any dripping tears away from his face. does that help, akito?
“can i ask, why are you crying?”
“’cause you’re saying things i can’t understand! what do you mean ‘you can stop courting me’?! like hell i would! and i am not tired of courting you, i wanna pursue you like it’s the last thing i’ll do here on this earth!”, akito exclaimed. visibly in distress.
even more confusion was plastered on toya’s face. pursue? why? “how are you pursuing me like its the last thing you’ll do if we’re dating?”, toya bluntly asked
(huh...?)
akito’s sniffles halted, akito now understanding what toya meant. his tears have also stopped flowing, relieved it wasn’t something so horrid that it lead to them separating. it was something he’d been hoping for so long.
“you’re joking... right?”
“you said it yourself, i’m not one to joke so easily.”
“...do you not want to?”, toya tilted his head.
it was akito’s turn to embrace the other, toya was caught off-guard for quite a second before reciprocating nonetheless.
“of course i do! i wanna be yours so bad!”
toya chuckled at the last bit, glad that his partner is on board with it no questions asked. he was rubbing circles on akito’s back until he fully calmed down, akito didn’t wish to let go any time soon. akito seemed so angry and annoyed at toya for making him so worried, but both of them know he couldn't stay mad at him for too long. after all, he wanted toya to be his, and to be toya’s, call him selfish all you want.
“toya... you really have to stop scarin’ me like that”
“sorry, akito...”
toya only kept reassuring akito physically. you would hear people say a few things when comforting someone, right? the usual ‘shh’s, ‘it’s okay’s, and... the ‘stop crying’s, like thats an actual way to comfort.
“as a kid... i hated getting told to “stop crying”, i never want to comfort you like that. ...so, how do you want me to comfort you? i want to do to something for you, after all, i kind of...”, and he trailed off.
“toya... i’m really glad you told me that. honestly, i never really thought of it. i don’t think i’ve cried enough in front of people to know, but as long as you really mean whatcha say and all, i think... it's enough.”
neither of them was good at words, that bit’s obvious. akito resorted to physical means, while toya just sort of followed along and learned from akito, then again, toya is a fast learner.
“hey, y’know i don’t need you to do that sorta shit, right? the fact i can be myself around ya has got me covered already.”, akito rested his head on toya’s neck, finding comfort in a position he hasn’t been in for quite some time; oh how he missed it dearly
“ah, is that so? i just wanted to give back to you, after all this...”
“no need, you being here is enough for me.”