Work Text:
He woke to the sound of something hitting his window. Lifting his head from the kotatsu, he saw his sheet music he had been writing scattered everywhere around him. He snapped back to reality when he again heard the sound. Pulling himself up, he made his way the to the window, seeing a familiar face that made him smile as he opened it.
He waved before scaling up the side of the castle, Octavio just watched from his window and waited for his friend to join him. When he did, he threw his legs over the ledge of the window and sat on it.
"Howdy Tavi! Miss me?" Craig asked, throwing an arm over his shoulder.
He rolled his eyes as a smile grew on his face, "I don't know. It was nice enjoying the silence for a while," he teased.
"Very funny, Your Majesty," he quipped before squinting his eyes at him, "You've got something on your face!" Before Octavio could react, Craig stuck his thumb in his sleeve and wiped the ink off his forehead and cheeks, from when he fell asleep on his music. The gentle touch surprised the prince and he almost flinched as he felt heat rise to his face.
"Um, thank you..." He said before clearing his throat, "So what are you doing here? You didn't tell me you planned on coming tonight,"
Craig flashed a grin before crossing his arms, "Because I've got some great news! I've got a date tonight!"
"You what!?" Octavio blurted. "With who?! When did this happen?" He felt himself becoming pale.
"Woah woah! Calm down buddy! It's just with this pretty lady I met by the docks," He pulled a picture of the two smiling out of his pocket and showed it to Octavio. As he looked at the photo his nose almost instinctively scrunched in disgust. Who was this random woman and why was Craig so infatuated with her?
Craig looked confused at his friend's reaction and glanced at the photo to be sure it was the right one, "What's wrong? I know the angle isn't great but I don't look that bad do I?"
Octavio turned his head away and crossed his arms, "I can't believe you Craig, going out with a woman you've met once.. Don't you have more class than that?!"
"Class? I know you royalty are used to courting and all that but most people don't do romance that way. I mean it's pretty normal," Craig explained, still puzzled by Octavio's reaction.
He didn't reply and continued to face away from Craig.
"Well I actually came here to get some advice and some help getting ready," He said, rubbing his neck. "If you're okay with that at least".
Octavio looked back at his friend and gave him an annoyed glare, "Fine! Ill help out with your little.. date,"
He walked back over to Craig and grabbed his hat off of his head, gaining protest from him, before tossing it aside,"First we need to get rid of that old hat,"
Octavio turned around to face Craig before gently taking the tie out of his hair, letting it fall onto his shoulders. He then walked over to his vanity before taking out a lotion, "And you need to take better care of your tentacles or they dry up before you're 30!"
He squirted the liquid in his hand before running both of them through Craig's ivory "locks". Octavio glanced over at his friend who gave him a gentle smile in return and he looked away as he felt himself blush.
Octavio took the hairband again and put it in Craig's tentacles, this time making a loose, low ponytail. He stepped back to examine his work and Craig began to make silly poses, when he noticed.
"How do I look? Am I up to your standards yet?" He teased, making Octavio cover his mouth as he laughed.
"No, not yet! You still have a long way to go," He pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, "You have something on your face by the way," He wiped the dirt off of his friend's face, with a small smirk on his lips.
"I sure hope you don't plan on wearing that to your outing," Octavio gestured toward Craig's dirty khaki jacket and pants.
"What's wrong with it?"
He groaned, pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It's filthy, Craig! When was the last time you washed it?!" Octavio barked.
"Umm, last week?"
He groaned again, "Nothing we can do now, because your NOT wearing my clothes out! But I can probably add some touch-ups..." He grabbed a colonge from his vanity and sniffed at it before smiling. It smelt like seawater, the perfect scent for him. Octavio sprayed the perfume generously to mask his friend's odor. Before he was finished, he untied the piece of cloth that Craig tied around his neck and threw it to the side with his hat before replacing it with his violet handkerchief. Octavio made sure to leave the side with his name facing out, easily readable to anyone who saw it.
Octavio slumped onto the floorseat next to his kotatsu and sighed, "Well that's all the magic I can work..."
Craig dashed over to him and grasped his hands, "Thank you, Tavi! This means a lot!"
Octavio just sat there, staring at his face for a minute before responding. He looked so handsome when his face wasn't so dirty. Heat filled his cheeks as he averted his eyes, "You're welcome..."
And just like that, he was gone. That was Craig. There one minute, gone the next. Would it really kill him to sit still for a while? And yet, as much as the man drove him crazy, it felt like something was missing when he wasn't in the room. His energy, charm, and spirit were infectious and Octavio found himself absolutely infatuated by him.
"Why does he keep chasing these peasant women? What's wrong with me!?" He thought to himself. He couldn't find it in him to be angry however, only sad that he couldn't be with the one person he loved the most. Looking back at his sheet music, he tried to write in order to drive his feelings away.
-----
The next day had been mostly uneventful, beside a few meetings, but he tried to keep himself busy, if only to distract himself from thinking about the previous night. He had to move on, Craig was a inkling peasent and he was an octarian prince, it could never work.
He bit his lip as he felt tears build up in his eyes. It could never work.
After meeting after meeting, the young prince could finally retire to his room. Usually he was glad to get as much time to himself as possible, but now he couldn't stand to be alone with his thoughts. He walked to the window and thrusted it open, cold autumn air blowing through his tentacles. He closed his eyes and felt his breathing shake as he took it in.
As he hung his head and tried not to cry, he felt something small hit him. He jerked his head up and glanced around before seeing him, Craig standing below him, waving up at him with his goofy smile on his face. Octavio returned the wave, still frowning and his friend climbed up to his room once again.
Octavio was seated at his kotatsu when he entered, "Good Evening, Tavi!" He beamed.
"You're back earlier than normal, you usually take another week to show up," Octavio said plainly, examining his music books.
Craig was quiet for a moment, taken aback by his coldness, "Oh um, I wanted to return your handkerchief," He untied it from around his neck and placed in on the kotatsu. It looked cleaner than before, did he... wash it?
"How was it?" Octavio asked, still not looking at Craig.
"The date? Oh it went good," He paused. "But I think me and Harbor are just going to stay friends,"
Octavio finally looked his friend in the eye, bewildered by his words, "Why is that?"
Craig collapsed onto the floor seat to the right of the prince, "Oh I don't know, I guess I've got my eyes set on someone else already..." Craig looked at him in a way he couldn't describe, but he could feel how it made his hearts race.
"W-Who?" He blurted out.
Craig averted his eyes from his gaze, "Someone... Someone I shouldn't..."
"Oh just say it already!" He pleaded in desperation.
Craig look back into Octavio's eyes, he could see tears welling up in them. Without thinking, he moved closer and wiped them from his eyes with his thumb, as Tavi leaned into the touch and closed his eyes.
His hands were so rough, no doubt from intense labor work peasents preoccupied themselves with. They felt so comforting and strong --and that smell, the cologne he sprayed on him, it was so perfect on him, that smell of brisk ocean air... He opened his eyes as he heard Craig shift and become even closer. He could feel his face flush hot as he inched closer, going slowly to be sure he had Octavio's permission to continue.
He answered by pulling them both into a kiss. Immediately the heat in his face danced across the rest of his body as he wrapped his arms around his waist. He felt Craig's tongue touch his and moaned as he melted in the pleasure. He returned the favor the best he could, pushing Craig to the ground in the process.
Octavio pinned the inkling to the ground and broke away only for a second, a string of saliva connect them both. Looking at the hot and flustered man under him, he closed in to continue their-
"Your highness! Is everything ok in there?" A guard shouted from the other side of the door.
Octavio made a soft groan in frustration, "Y-Yes!!" I'm just fine, leave me alone!"
"I apologize, young prince. I just heard noise and-"
"Just leave me alone, I'm fine!!" He barked.
"Y-Yes your majesty, as you command..." The guards footsteps could be heard walking down the hall.
Octavio looked back down at the inkling he had just been playing with before being rudely interrupted, "You're good at that" He smirked, flirtatiously.
"Oh-Oh! Thank you!" He smiled back, " I've um, had some practice..."
Octavio flopped over next to Craig and turned his head, "Would you believe that's the first time I've done that?"
Craig looked at him in surprise, "It was? Oh I guess that makes sense, it's cause you haven't really courted anyone, have you?"
Tavi frowned, "No, I... I wanted to be with you... No one the council can bring me would be better than you.."
Craig flushed bright red, "You-You liked me!?"
"Of course I did! Was it not obvious!?"
"Not really, I kinda thought you really hated me..." He chuckled, "Even if I did, I wouldn't have expected it to have started that long ago..."
"Me neither..." He admitted, looking at his lover.
Craig smiled his warm smile at him, and his golden eyes seemed to sparkle as he did, "I love ya' Tavi..."
He swallowed as he lowered his gaze and softened his voice.
"I love you too, Craig..."
FIN