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Daichi was not a fan of galas. It wasn't the dancing or the music that made him hate them, it was the way Sugawara got during, before, and after them. The anxious air and panicked sentences drove him mad.
They currently sat in Suga's mansion of a bedroom. Being the prince had its perks, but its downfalls as well. He paced around the room, ranting to whoever would listen. More often than not, that person was Daichi, his royal guard. Daichi had the displeasure—or pleasure, in his opinion and no one else's—of being at Suga's side nearly all hours of the day.
"This whole ordeal is just idiotic at best," Suga muttered, throwing his hands up for the millionth time. He nearly stubbed his toe on the post of his bed, which was hidden by the giant curtain hanging over it, but Daichi gently moved him out of the way by the small of his back. He seemed unphased, continuing his rant like nothing had happened.
"I'm afraid I do not see the dilemma," Daichi interrupted.
Suga whipped around, messy bedhead hiding his eyes until he pushed it away. "The problem is I do not wish to spend my night being asked to dance by people who do not know me and do not care to."
He flopped onto the bed and engulfed himself in the blue sheets like they were his own personal ocean to float away into. "Why is my life put in the hands of my marriage?" he groaned, staring up at the high ceiling and distant windows through the gaps of his fingers.
Daichi shrugged. "You're royalty," he said simply.
"Does the knight know nothing of love?" Suga bit back, harsher than he meant to.
In truth, Daichi knew more about love than he would like to admit. He felt more like a bard who'd stumbled into the position of a knight, than a real protector. He loved too easily and was fiercely protective of those his heart belonged to. Maybe that was what made him such a good royal guard. He loved the prince, more than anything.
Daichi pretended not to care. "I suppose not."
"You never daydream of marriage?"
"Not particularly."
He'd daydreamed of his and Suga's wedding so much he even had the flowers picked out.
Suga groaned, sitting up to look at him. "My heart is in the hands of someone already. I do not see the point in my parents holding a ceremony in the name of finding me a suitor when I have one already."
Daichi felt his heart sink to his feet. Suga didn't hide his feelings for whoever it was he had his eye on, but he never did disclose it either. Daichi, the hopeless romantic he'd always been, knew somewhere in his heart that it wasn't him. He had always assumed that royalty only wedded royalty, and that was just how things were.
"Just try to enjoy yourself," Daichi said unhelpfully, mind wrapped up in his own worries of love.
"It will be impossible."
"I'll stand at your side and shoot looks at whoever you ask me to."
"Promise?"
Daichi rolled his eyes. "What are we, children?"
"Promise me."
"Fine, fine. I promise, your highness."
Suga stood, that familiar satisfied smile on his face, and disappeared behind the curtain in the corner to change. He threw his plain white sleeping attire up onto the side of the divider, pulling down the neatly picked dress clothes from the other side. It was methodical and fluid like it always was.
He passed by Daichi, more a blur of blue and white silk than a person, and walked into his bathroom. Most royal household members had maids to come help them get ready, but Suga had a set way of doing things that made him awfully difficult to work with. The maids never bothered with him, so he never bothered with them.
He stepped back out a moment later as a new person. He was no longer the ranting mess Daichi had familiarized himself with. He was the prince, untouchable and pristine. He was no longer Daichi's and was now the people's.
His neat iron crown sat atop his head, blending in a bit too well with the silver of his hair. Blue jewels delicately adorned it, highlighting the twinge of blue in his grey eyes. They were details only Daichi and Suga's parents cared to notice, but details nonetheless.
Suga adorned the far-off look that always veiled his face when he had to step away from the moments he had alone and be royalty. He turned to Daichi and mumbled, "Let's go down and join my parents. They're likely waiting with a sea of people."
Daichi stood, armor clattering together. His hand found its way to his sheathed sword as he followed Suga through winding halls and staircases. They passed tapestries and elaborate decor that called and begged to be admired, but they kept walking.
Daichi took his time admiring the intricacies of Suga's outfit instead. A silky blue button-up with flowing sleeves hung off of him in a way that would look baggy on anyone else, but somehow neat on him. His pants and shoes were white as snow, too pristine to look fitting with his personality. A white, sheer shoulder cape hung off his left shoulder and ran down past his arm. He fought with it every three seconds, but his parents had insisted he wear it despite.
The sound of a hundred voices danced together in the air as they got closer to the courtyard. Suga got visibly more uncomfortable by the second, balling and relaxing his fists as gears turned behind his eyes.
They got to the start of the stairs. Suga took hold of Daichi's arm, plastering a smile onto his face like water over foot-printed sand. Daichi tried to make one to match, but he was far less convincing, considering he was half startled by Suga grabbing his arm.
Daichi felt vaguely like what they were doing was wrong. Somehow, to him, it felt too intimate to be public. The simple act of letting the prince hold his arm as they walked down the marble stairs made his eyes flicker around the crowd suspiciously, awaiting disapproving glances. No one paid them any mind, all either staring at Suga or concerning themselves with their own issues.
It was over nearly just as fast as it had begun, Suga reaching the bottom stair and detangling their arms. Daichi let him go, but he would've preferred if he had stayed there.
For the rest of the night, they ghosted through the gala. Daichi didn't open his mouth to speak once, and Suga was forced to speak every time he had air in his lungs. He declined more dances and offers that night than ever, sure to receive a scolding from his mother later.
Someone called his name. Daichi turned his head to see who was begging for his attention, and more importantly to see if his sword needed to come out of its sheath. A tall woman in a red dress stopped in her tracks, eyebrows knitting in confusion. Daichi turned his head, only to find Suga had disappeared.
He turned back and shrugged his shoulders at the woman, giving her an apologetic look, before slinking off himself to scan the crowd for Suga. He caught a glimpse of the shoulder cape going behind one of the hedges leading into the queen's garden. Maybe his parents had a reason for insisting he wear it after all.
Daichi politely but firmly pushed through the crowd, trying his hardest to find his way to the hedge. It wasn't uncommon for Suga to slip away during galas, but Daichi never would get used to having to track him down.
He got to the hedge, threw a cautionary glance over his shoulder, and climbed through. His armor caught a branch or two, but he pushed inside the garden.
His feet hit the ground with an unforgiving clank, likely alerting anyone close enough to hear. He wandered through the garden for a moment before it occurred to him to check the most obvious place, Suga's favorite pond.
He wandered through twisting roots and flowers until he found his way to the gazebo. His eyes fell on Suga, who leaned on the railing and looked in on the pond. His crown sat on a bench behind him, abandoned. Here, he was not a prince.
Daichi decided it was probably important to make himself known. "Hello there," he said softly, walking over with a delicate step he not often possessed. He was so often pushed into an assertive, strong mold, but something about Suga made him gentle.
Sugawara's head whipped around to him. "Oh, hello," he replied simply, face softening as he realized who it was. His false calm wiped off his face, giving way to the real him beneath.
Daichi walked over, watching Suga shuffle aside to make room for him on his side of the railing. He stood beside him as Suga's eyes returned to the pond and the fish within. His eyes stayed on the prince, as usual.
"This is not much of a place for a prince during a gala being thrown in his name," Daichi noted. He normally didn't mind much when Suga slipped away and would join him silently. However, if his heart were to be broken in half, he'd rather it happen swiftly than be prolonged.
Suga groaned, leaning back on the bench in a rather unprincely way. His mother would usually tell him to "act like his title" by now, but luckily for them, she was not there.
"All they've done all night is play dancing music," Suga complained. They could vaguely hear the musicians all the way from the garden.
"I don't see the issue," Daichi said, looking him over. This was the only good part of galas, the time they spent alone in whatever spot Suga had wandered off to.
"Dancing is for partners, which I do not have."
"There are dozens of people out there who would beg for your hand."
"Not that kind of partner. Romantic, I meant," Suga corrected.
Daichi chewed his lip. He looked over at the prince, who was not just a prince. Not only that, but he had the pleasure of being one of the only people alive to see Suga without his royal smile and faded look.
Daichi's eyes landed on Suga's hand. They lingered there, and he tried not to notice Suga following his gaze as his cheeks turned pinker. Daichi listened silently as the music changed to a slower song. He heaved a sigh before gently putting his hand over Suga's, grabbing his attention.
Daichi mustered every ounce of strength in himself, eyes trained on the water. For a knight, he was awfully cowardly when it came to certain things. "I know you already have your eye on a suitor," Daichi started, picking his hand up and intertwining their fingers. "But, if only for one night, I would love to dance with you. I know your opinions on dance partners are strict, but if I'm not the love of your life, confuse me with him."
Suga snickered, that trickster smile Daichi was far more used to than he wanted to be. His heart briefly sank before realizing Suga was not mocking him.
Suga pulled him closer. "You truly are dense, Sawamura," he laughed.
Daichi knitted his eyebrows together. "What do you mean?" he asked seriously, hands threading with the other's, filled with longing.
Suga looked up at him, grinning. "There's not much confusing to be done."
Daichi thought for a moment before a wave or realization came over him. His cheeks flushed red, redder than Sugawara's. However, his grin was wider also.
"Well, if that's the case, may I have this dance?" Daichi laughed.
Suga rolled his eyes. "You truly are the worst."
"That wasn't a no."
Suga put a hand on Daichi's shoulder, letting him put one on his waist. Their hands stayed intertwined, gentle yet firm with want. They rocked back and forth to the distant sound of music on the wind and through the trees and hedges.
Daichi was not the best of dancers, but Suga didn't seem to mind very much. He snickered as Daichi tripped over his feet, grinning still. As much as Daichi was a lover, he was rather out of practice.
The song ended, and Daichi dipped him down. He watched Suga laugh in his arms as he held him over the pond, threatening to let him fall. Suga knew he wouldn't dare drop him, and wrapped his arms around his neck as he looked up at him, laughter never ceasing.
Daichi smiled. Here, in this garden, Sugawara was no prince, and Daichi was no knight. They were lovers, and that was all.