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He swore that big celebrations were usually more fun to him than this.
Tsukasa had done everything by the book. Smile, greet everyone with the same exuberance that all of his people knew to expect from him, but he still found that even as nobility and civilians alike came up to him to deliver their birthday wishes for him, Tsukasa still couldn’t help but be a little more distracted than usual.
Even as he delivered the speech that he had memorised prior to the event, Tsukasa felt as if the scene before him was almost distant as he lifted his glass, raising a toast to everyone in the ballroom. Deciding not to mingle with the people below who had started indulging in conversation or dancing to the music being played by royal musicians, Tsukasa settled back down on the throne, trying not to appear too despondent.
It was his eighteenth birthday, and coincidentally, around the same time that peace treaty negotiations with a neighbouring kingdom had concluded. This celebration was originally meant to be just a party to celebrate the prince’s coming of age, and yet, Tsukasa wasn’t really enjoying his time here like he probably should be.
And it was all because of…
Earlier that morning, Tsukasa had pranced into the dining hall to eat breakfast with his parents, eager to declare his appearance like he always did. However, upon seeing the expression on their faces, Tsukasa’s steps slowed to a stroll as he stared between them in concern.
Before he could say a word, though, his mother looked up from where she was stabbing a sausage with a fork on her plate, a small but weary smile on her face.
“Good morning, Tsukasa. Your father and I have something very important to talk to you about—”
His father nudged her gently, cutting her off.
“There’s no need to beat around the bush with him, Tsukasa’s old enough for this now.” He turned back to his perplexed son, but he was also sighing with a heaviness that was very much uncharacteristic of the king. As Tsukasa drew closer, he noticed that his father looked equally exhausted as his mother.
“Tomorrow, you are to be wed to the King of the Night Kingdom.”
Against Tsukasa’s will, he tripped on the edge of the carpet, but he caught himself just as quickly. Still, it didn’t stop Tsukasa from gaping at his parents, mouth flapping open and close like a fish out of water as he tried to regain his balance properly.
Clearing his throat, his father continued.
“Despite negotiation efforts, their diplomats have remained adamant on having the formation of a union between two members of royalty on either side in order to truly solidify peace. Since Saki has already been betrothed to someone long ago, it only left you as the most suitable candidate.”
Tsukasa was long rendered speechless.
“I… uh… wha… huh…?”
His mother hid her small laugh with a graceful cough, if coughs could be elegant.
“Well… we also requested that you have a say in the matter, and they’ve agreed to giving you a period of one day to work things out, in the event that you’ve already found yourself a secret partner that you wouldn’t want to leave. All of us are working on tight schedules, and the King himself has expressed regret that he wouldn’t be able to give you more time to think about this.”
Tsukasa avoided the look of hope on his father’s face, forcing himself to straighten despite averting his eyes slightly.
“N-No… I do not believe that I’ve found myself a lover of any sort…”
Despite what he just said, his father had the nerve to look relieved, though he hid it incredibly well.
“I see. Well then, you do have another opportunity to find reasons to break off the arrangement.”
“…what do you mean?”
And that was how Tsukasa found himself here, seated with his butt stubbornly glued to the chair even as he took a sip of wine, and his bodyguard, Akito, sighed from behind him.
They’d been staying here for at least half an hour now. As Tsukasa swirled the wine and took another long sip, his father’s words from earlier that morning continued echoing through his mind like a broken record.
Akito’s rough voice cut through his jumble of thoughts, forcing Tsukasa to focus on him.
“I know about your engagement, by the way. Are you really not going to get down there and find some random pretty lady to seduce and turn into your lover on impulse?”
Tsukasa suddenly found it very hard to swallow, the sweet and tart wine quickly turning bitter on his tongue. As the liquid crawled down his dry throat, Tsukasa tried not to seem as unnerved as he felt when he replied, forcing a brighter smile to his face.
“I don’t think it’s very good to mess with someone’s feelings, Akito, especially when I’ll be forcing my feelings just for the sake of avoiding an arranged marriage. I only said that I’d consider my father’s suggestion.” Those words again.
“If you find someone who’s willing to date you at the celebrations by midnight, we’ll get started on the necessary proceedings immediately to prevent this union from happening.”
“Right. I forgot how morally upstanding you are, unlike a lot of us. I misspoke.” Akito’s tone was the complete opposite of his words, but for some reason, it made Tsukasa smile more genuinely.
“Besides…” Tsukasa trailed off, staring into the distance.
“I never said I was into women.”
Akito didn’t reply for a while, but Tsukasa knew that it wasn’t because he was judging the prince. He also didn’t sound that surprised when he finally replied, and Tsukasa could practically hear the eye roll in Akito’s tone.
“I’ll have you know that you’ve just made all of your fangirls simultaneously pass out from the sheer shock and betrayal of it all. I also can’t believe that you just came out to me so casually, but maybe I should’ve seen it coming.” His guard’s voice dripped heavily with sarcasm, drawing the first actual chuckle from Tsukasa that night.
Stretching, Tsukasa finished the rest of his wine before setting the glass back down on the table in front of him with a soft clink. Hopefully, he had made enough of an appearance at his own birthday party that he could go back and sleep early. Grumbling but definitely unsurprised, Akito fell one step behind him as Tsukasa rose from his throne, intent on slipping out of the ballroom unnoticed.
“You aren’t even going to try? I’m sure there are hot gay guys down there too, you know?”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Akito! A true world future star will not make hasty decisions just to avoid something as trivial as a marriage of convenience!”
“Oh my God…”
Humour truly was the best way to cope with this situation. The two of them successfully left that golden lit and chaotic hall for the more secluded private hallways of the castle, since most would’ve left to partake in the proper celebrations in the ballroom. If they walked fast enough, Tsukasa would be tucking himself into bed in no time!
As they strode along the stone halls, neither of them spoke a word, the peace and quiet only broken by the sounds of their footsteps and Akito’s sword clattering occasionally in its sheath with every movement. Intent on breaking the silence, Tsukasa decided to strike up some more casual conversation.
“So! How have things been with that guy from the Night Kingdom that you’re always spending time with?”
Akito spluttered, drawing a laugh from Tsukasa at his reaction.
“Wha… It’s going fine, I guess? We’ve been talking, but he’s usually busy outside of negotiations… Why do you want to know?” Even now, Akito still didn’t hide the mild hostility in his voice when he spoke to Tsukasa, but it wasn’t like the prince really cared. Shrugging, they only continued walking, dim torches and some moonlight from beyond the windows being the only things lighting up the corridor ahead.
“Well, I was just curious! It’s been about a week since the diplomats arrived, and I don’t really see you outside of our compulsory trips to the village. It’s good to hear that the two of you are getting along well!” Tsukasa could remember the face of the guy that had captured Akito’s attention on their first meeting. He was an important soldier for the Night Kingdom, and his hair was very interesting as well, split down the middle with dark blue on the right and lighter blue on the left. Whenever he spoke to anyone from the Day Kingdom, he always carried an air of professionalism and respect with him. That was very good!
Before either of them could say another word, though, a sudden loud retching sound from below the window to his left interrupted them, followed by even more colorful noises of someone vomiting. Akito halted in his tracks, hand drifting to the hilt of his sword, but Tsukasa was already dashing over to the window, peering out to see what was going on.
When he looked down, though, Tsukasa was met with the sight of two people just outside the window, one of them crouched down over the other as the latter vomited into a shrub. The first guy had his face obscured by a lock of lavender and cyan hair, and the other one looked incredibly familiar.
Before Tsukasa could call out to them, though, Akito acted faster.
“Toya?! Are you okay?”
The ginger slipped through the gap in the window when he said that, completely uncaring of whether he would catch his multiple articles of clothing and belongings on the ledge. Tsukasa watched as Akito landed in the garden before racing over to that guy—Toya Aoyagi, his mind helpfully supplied—and crouching down next to him, placing a hand on his back.
Seeing that Akito was already there, the other lavender-haired guy stood up, brushing his hair back gracefully. Tsukasa was about to continue walking away when a pair of sharp golden eyes drifted in his direction, and momentarily, Tsukasa forgot how to breathe.
The gentle curve of his lips, the way the corners tilted up into a smile, golden coloured eyes glittering in the dim light, framed by delicately applied red eyeliner that brought out the stunning golden hues. Time stopped as Tsukasa stared at him, a breeze brushing past the boy causing his hair to flutter on a draft of wind, and it made Tsukasa feel as if he was on the verge of losing his breath.
Everything else had faded away, and though it was unnoticeable to anyone else other than him and the incredibly gorgeous boy who stood in front of him, there was only the dizzying and undeniable certainty that this was indeed the person that Tsukasa had been looking for.
…oh, fuck.
That brief moment of tension ended just as quickly as it had started, with even louder retching sounds from the poor diplomat that remained ignored by Tsukasa and his companion. Suddenly freed from that intense gaze when the lavender-haired boy looked back down in concern, Tsukasa forced himself to stumble forward, climbing out of the window a little more clumsily than he had hoped. Akito made it look easy and somewhat graceful, but Tsukasa almost lost his balance as he tried to land on the other side of the window.
However, before he could face plant and literally embarrass himself in front of that very handsome guy, a startlingly warm hand came up to support him by the elbows, catching him effortlessly and helping Tsukasa to regain his balance.
A smooth and honey-like voice rang out in the crisp night air.
“Are you alright?” Tsukasa nodded, and those hands that supported him fell away as the blonde looked up, and literally fell in love again for the second time in less than two minutes.
Up close like this, the boy somehow managed to look even more beautiful. Even as he expressed worry for Tsukasa, he could see every individual particle of gold dust that was scattered along his cheekbones, and the subtle flecks of green in his smiling eyes.
Merciful gods above, he’s way too close to me now. Oh my god, why is he so close?! Tsukasa prayed that the lack of proper lighting prevented anyone from seeing the visible flush on his burning cheeks. He nodded, feeling a little too flustered to speak, but still forced out a hoarse ‘thank you’ before reluctantly turning away to look over at Akito and his more-than-friend.
“What happened? Do you need to see a physician?” Tsukasa called out, but Toya Aoyagi only lifted his hand, shaking his head weakly as he wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his glove. The taller boy glanced over as well, and Tsukasa couldn’t see it, but there was a subtle look of amusement on his face.
“N-No, I’m okay, really. I—”
“I apologise, it was partially my fault.” The purple haired boy spoke up, and when Tsukasa looked over at him, he looked a little sheepish. “I missed the first part of the celebrations and needed Aoyagi-kun to escort me here… and then we were ambushed on the way to the castle.”
Akito jolted with a start, shooting to his feet immediately.
“What?!”
Toya grimaced, but reached up to grab Akito’s wrist and stop him from trying to go on whatever murderous rampage that was about to ensue. He did look particularly upset, though, but that was understandable. Laughing despite the situation, the purple haired boy lifted his hands in surrender as Akito took one threatening step towards him despite Toya’s attempts at stopping the ginger.
“It wasn’t entirely my fault! I was more than capable of defending myself if I had been permitted to use magic! If I hadn’t deployed my inventions as an alternative, Aoyagi-kun wouldn’t have made it out with something as minor as a nausea-inducing magic spell!”
There were a million things to be concerned about from that sentence alone, but Tsukasa genuinely didn’t know which one to focus on first. Before Akito could pummel the still grinning guy, Toya came to the rescue once again by stopping him, this time relying on Akito’s pillar-like strength to stand up slowly, coughing slightly as he tried to clear his throat.
“I think I should introduce my… friend to you.” If it were possible, the purple haired guy’s lips curled up into a devious smirk. Ignoring the look on his friend’s face, Toya gestured over at him, continuing.
“This is Rui Kamishiro, another important representative of the Night Kingdom. He’s been busy for the past few weeks, hence why he’s only been able to make an appearance tonight for the celebrations. Akito has met him before elsewhere, though.”
The boy, Rui, giggled, a hand pressed delicately to his mouth.
“Hehe, I’m sure Shinonome-kun remembers me very well~”
He was almost immediately met with the stink eye, and though Tsukasa would usually chastise him for that, Rui didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to be purposefully goading a reaction out of poor Akito, and the ginger couldn’t help but lose his temper over it too.
“Yeah, I definitely remember you.” Akito replied scathingly, but there was something about his tone that felt different from the usual subtle annoyance that he had for other people like Tsukasa and Mizuki. No, his words carried actual venom with them.
Akito didn’t seem to trust this Rui Kamishiro person.
Toya decided to mediate the situation again, bless his heart. He strode over to Rui despite Akito’s protests, lightly placing his hand on Rui’s back.
“Unfortunately, I think we’ve already missed all the important parts of the ceremony, so I should escort Kamishiro-senpai back to our accommodations before his poor constitution renders him bedridden for a few days again.” Hearing this, Akito’s head snapped up.
“You can’t leave while you’re in this state! At least let me take you somewhere nearby to rest or something!”
“Oya? Shinonome-kun sounds very concerned for his friend.” He was immediately met with a withering glare from the annoyed ginger.
“Shut up. I know you are the reason Toya’s in this state.”
“You’re acting oddly concerned about Aoyagi-kun~”
And maybe it was a bit of an overreaction, but Akito was drawing his sword so quickly that only Tsukasa reacted fast enough, grabbing his hand and desperately shoving down while trying to laugh it off.
“Wow, Akito, Akito, I think you’ve made your point very clear! Please put down your sword?”
Akito wasn’t having any of it. Rather, he only tightened his grip on his sword, eyes filled with hostility as he seethed at Rui, whose devilish grin only stayed plastered on his face.
“Prince Tenma,” Akito started, his voice low enough that only Tsukasa could hear it, “let go of my hand.”
“Absolutely not! I’m not going to let you attack an emissary from another kingdom! Now put down your sword and play nice!”
“I don’t trust him not to do anything funny.”
Rui pressed a hand to his chest, gasping dramatically in mock offense. “I’m hurt, Shinonome-kun! I thought we’d already agreed to forgive each other for the blows we exchanged back then!”
“You’re a fiend.” Despite his words, Akito sheathed his sword in one smooth motion, though he had angled his body to put himself between Tsukasa and Rui, turning slightly to the prince. “Your Highness—”
Tsukasa shook his head, placing a hand on Akito’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Akito. You should take Toya to the physician or somewhere safe to rest, like your room! I already planned on heading back to my bedroom anyways, so there’s no need to escort me anywhere!”
Toya tried to protest. “But, I need to protect His M—Rui—he’s going to be sick tomorrow…” Before he could finish, Rui already stopped him with a raise of his hand.
Catlike golden eyes traced over Tsukasa’s face again, and the blonde couldn’t help but feel like he was under very intense scrutiny. “Actually, I think my ‘terrible constitution’ can hold up a little longer. Aoyagi-kun, Shinonome-kun appears to be very worried about you, so you should go with him! I don’t really need anyone to protect me—”
Tsukasa’s eyes lit up.
“I can spend time with you!”
Almost immediately, Tsukasa felt somewhat self conscious for the first time in a long while when three pairs of eyes flicked over to stare at him, one reflecting nothing but incredulity, another gratitude, and the final one filled with… a mix of complicated emotions that Tsukasa couldn’t really understand.
Tsukasa coughed, hoping that he could continue to cover up his embarrassment. “I… ah… what I meant was that I can take Kamishiro-san to the ballroom or just spend time with him in general! I’m strong enough to protect him if anyone tries to pull another dangerous move!” Akito’s mouth was hanging so wide open that he looked like he had dislocated his jaw.
Cautiously, Tsukasa finally dared to sneak a look in Rui’s direction, but for some reason, all devious smiles and laughter had faded, giving way to widened eyes and the small ‘o’ that his mouth had formed. Stunned into silence, Rui blinked once before a small but very real smile formed on his face.
“Of course. I wouldn’t mind that at all.”
He turned to Toya, arms folded. “Aoyagi-kun, please don’t fight this anymore. I’ll be placing my safety in the capable hands of this handsome and beautiful guy here! Go and rest up, hehehe~!”
It was then Toya’s mouth also fell agape, and since Akito had already recovered, he took to glancing between Tsukasa and Rui. The prince tried to gesture for Akito to go away with Toya, and the ginger appeared more than happy to oblige.
“I-agh, I’m taking Toya to my room to rest. Toya, can you stand on your own?”
“I… I think I might need some help—!” Toya’s voice raised by an octave when Akito wordlessly swept him off his feet, carrying him in his arms like he weighed nothing. Toya immediately buried his face in his palms, but there was no hiding the pinkness in his cheeks. “I… Akito…”
“My, my, Aoyagi-kun certainly looks flustered.”
“Shut up.” Akito growled at the smirking Rui before bowing slightly to Tsukasa.
“I’ll take my leave now.” He continued rather stiffly, and without waiting for a response, Akito hurried off with the love of his life in his arms. Tsukasa waved after them though none of them would bother to look back, before silence finally fell once again.
When Tsukasa brought himself to look at Rui Kamishiro, though, he found that the boy was already staring at him long ago.
He tried not to show his surprise, only smiling at Rui as politely as possible.
“Ah… Kamishiro-san…” Internally, he cringed at his voice, his brain suddenly really bothered by everything that came out of his mouth. Get it together, for God’s sake!
To his horror, and with the internal screaming from the weird fangirl that Tsukasa didn’t even know he had in him, Rui cut in very smoothly, still smiling kindly.
“You can just call me Rui, it’s alright with me.”
“Ah! Okay! Rui, is there anything you want to see on the premises? I can take you anywhere—!?”
Suddenly, the taller boy’s face was right in front of his, causing Tsukasa to jump back slightly in surprise.
“Are you not going to introduce yourself then, beautiful?”
“Wha-wh-what…” All and any comprehensible thought immediately evaporated into thin air. “I—I… uh… huh…?”
Oh my fucking god, he just called me beautiful again, this can’t be a mistake, it is literally the second time he’s said something like this…!
“My name is Tsukasa Tenma! Tsukasa, written as ruler of the world, and Tenma, written as a Pegasus soaring across the skies! It’s very nice to meet you, Kamishiro Rui!”
“Hehe, it’s nice to meet you too~”
Rui’s reaction to hearing his name made Tsukasa stop short. He hadn’t even appeared surprised to hear Tsukasa’s name, completely ignoring the fact that Tsukasa was basically the star of today’s celebrations.
Though… there was a small possibility that Rui just didn’t know, and he was simply treating Tsukasa as another acquaintance to be made. Either way, it probably worked out better in his favour if Rui remained unaware of his identity, so Tsukasa decided not to mention it at all.
“So! What would you like to do?” Tsukasa knew that he probably sounded way too eager, but there was no helping it. The purple haired boy remained unaware, simply tapping his chin thoughtfully as he considered Tsukasa’s question.
“Well, I came here with the purpose of being able to give the prince a formal greeting. Would you be able to lead me back to the ballroom?”
“Yes, of course!”
My feelings are definitely showing.
Mercifully, the walk back to the ballroom with Rui was relatively calm, and they struck up some casual conversation until they finally came to a stop before the archway that led to the warmly lit ballroom. Tsukasa took a small step back to let Rui peek his head out slightly, golden eyes widening at the sheer splendour of the ballroom.
“It’s beautiful here.” Rui commented, and Tsukasa furiously nodded his head.
“Of course! Nothing but the best for m—the prince’s birthday celebration!” Tsukasa winced at the narrow slip-up, but Rui didn’t seem to notice as he nodded.
“Indeed… but where is the prince? I knew that I should’ve left the house earlier…” Rui sighed in disappointment, tucking his hands into the pockets of his white pants. Tsukasa fought the urge to just come clean, swallowing before forcing his next words out.
“Hmm… Well, it is a grand celebration after all! I think His Highness has decided to join everyone else and celebrate too!”
Rui’s brows rose, but he didn’t say anything in response. The silence made Tsukasa shift from one foot to another before he finally freed his tongue from the roof of his mouth.
“So, do you want to join the celebrations? There’s food and drinks, oh, and the dance floor! We should definitely go there!”
“If Tenma-kun desires it, of course.”
Beaming, Tsukasa grabbed onto Rui’s hand, dragging him out and into the open. Almost immediately, everyone’s attention was drawn to the prince and his new eccentric-looking companion, who looked just about as caught off guard as everyone else. However, Rui didn’t fight it as Tsukasa led him down the steps of the dais and over to the tables of food, gesturing at the spread while pretending not to notice the curious nobles glancing their way.
At least they had the respect to stay away while Tsukasa spoke with Rui. Trying to contain his excitement as much as possible, Tsukasa gestured widely at the food.
“Feel free to eat whatever you want! If you ever feel sick, please let me know too! I don’t want to trigger any allergies or cause you to feel unwell.” Rui was still regarding him with those eyes—topaz orbs reflecting an unspoken emotion that Tsukasa tried not to pay too much attention to. “I can leave if you want to spend some time alone.”
“But Tsukasa-kun promised to spend time with me.”
Shutting his mouth quickly, Tsukasa pressed the back of his hand to his mouth to hide his blush. Right, that was what he had agreed to do. “Ah, yes, o-of course! I shall accompany you for our nightly meal, then!”
The rest of the next hour passed in a blur. Rui didn’t take a single bite of food at first, but he did accept a glass of juice that Tsukasa handed to him later. When the prince decided to take some food for the both of them, Rui immediately stopped simply standing around somewhat awkwardly, digging into the food once Tsukasa handed it to him.
It felt a bit like Rui was paying way too much attention to him. Usually, Tsukasa felt that he would be uncomfortable by how intense Rui’s gaze always was when it came to him, as well as the light teasing remarks that occasionally flowed forth whenever they spoke, but somehow, Tsukasa couldn’t help but feel his heart racing a little faster when Rui looked at him like… like that. Puppy-like wide eyes, listening and acting obediently whenever Tsukasa unintentionally asked him to do something…
Unfortunately, their conversation was cut short when a noble finally dared to approach Tsukasa, only nodding slightly to Rui before beginning to speak with the prince. Even when Tsukasa tried to shut him down and hide how he almost bristled at the fact that he had treated Rui as if he didn’t exist, the lavender haired boy took a few steps back, maintaining a respectful distance between him and Tsukasa so that he could hold a more private conversation. Tsukasa tried not to look too disappointed by that, but once more nobles started swarming him, Tsukasa only managed to glance over at Rui’s figure once a while, only capable of staring at the back of his head when the boy turned away to take more food.
No one approached Rui. Perhaps they viewed him as some sort of outlier, since his features were very much reminiscent of the Night Kingdom. Still, Tsukasa couldn’t help but feel bad when he noticed the pretty wide berth that everyone gave to Rui.
Then came the very thing that he dreaded. Honestly, Tsukasa wished that he had chosen to take Rui on a tour around the gardens instead. A few nobles invited him to dance, and though Tsukasa rejected a few of them politely, he knew that he had to accept some offers so as to not be rude. What followed was very dizzying and perfunctory conversation while Tsukasa was spun around on the dance floor, and by the time most of the nobles had left, the prince was panting slightly, already trying to retreat back to Rui’s side where he had felt slightly safer.
Once another noble approached, Tsukasa quickly shut down any attempts at further conversation, smiling while apologising as politely as possible. Thankfully, they left him alone this time, and Tsukasa finally exhaled a heavy sigh of relief.
When he glanced up, though, Tsukasa’s eyes widened when he realised that Rui was walking over to him, pleased that the prince was finally done. The blonde’s lips parted to apologise to Rui for having to cut everything short so suddenly, only for the boy to extend a hand in his direction, bowing slightly at the waist.
“Tenma-kun, may I have the pleasure of sharing this next dance with you?”
…
Out of all the invitations to dance that night, this was the only one to truly stun Tsukasa into silence.
…does he really not know? Tsukasa wondered. Slightly flustered, it took him some time to finally process Rui’s question. Swallowing, Tsukasa nodded, extending his hand out to take Rui’s hand.
“I… sure.”
Once their palms touched, the startling warmth of Rui’s hands was all Tsukasa noticed before he was pulled in step to the music, which started up again. It was a relatively calm waltz, Rui guiding them effortlessly with the casual grace of a dancer. Tsukasa could feel the tips of his ears growing hot again. He was never an excellent dancer, so Tsukasa half expected to accidentally trod on Rui’s foot at some point. Even while he had been dancing with others earlier, Tsukasa felt a little unsteady on his feet, but it wasn’t like anyone expected the prince to be good at dancing. All they really needed was some alone time with him to try winning his heart.
So maybe it was just Rui’s influence, because they were moving across the dance floor with deliberate smoothness. Rui’s feet swept in wide arcs, a hand pressed securely to Tsukasa’s back—a point of warmth blossoming from there. Somehow, Rui’s hand grounded the prince, and Tsukasa let him take the lead for the dance, their steps falling into rhythm as the music continued.
Rui lowered him into a dip, his grip strong and unfaltering.
“I still don’t know your background. Do you take dance classes?” Tsukasa found himself asking as Rui pulled him back up so that they were staring directly into each other’s eyes.
The other boy’s reply was smooth. “Hmm… I did attend compulsory dance lessons as a child, but I quit them to learn by myself. Also, when my parents were alive, they’d dance a lot in the living room.” A twirl, and then Rui’s masterful hands caught him again, steadying him just as swiftly. “I never got the chance to properly dance with them, though.”
Tsukasa’s face fell slightly upon hearing that, but he decided not to press further. They continued circling the floor, other couples sweeping past as well. However, the chatter of conversation and all other sound was lost to both of them as Tsukasa spoke again, his voice quiet.
“What’s life like in the Night Kingdom?” Rui’s long tailcoat—which was oddly reminiscent of a jellyfish, now that he thought about it—flared out again as they danced, the lilac fabric brushing against Tsukasa’s calves ever so slightly. There was a soft hum as Rui took a moment to contemplate the question.
“Hmm… it’s very boring.” Came the eventual reply, and Tsukasa honestly had no idea what kind of expression formed on his face at that. He presumed that Rui found it amusing, since the boy simply giggled upon seeing his expression.
“Alright, alright, it’s not all that bad. I’m an alchemist, and I’m very dedicated to my work. Loneliness doesn’t mean anything to me since I already have many other things to busy myself with. Also, because of many other complications, the only other people I talk to these days are Aoyagi-kun and another good friend.”
Tsukasa felt a slight pang in his chest at that.
“That sounds…”
He trailed off, not quite knowing how to put his feelings into words, and Rui only smiled sadly, but he only shrugged.
“It’s what I’ve always been used to. Honestly, I think that it’s also the only way I’d ever be able to live comfortably in my skin.”
The look in Rui’s eyes grew distant, and Tsukasa glanced up at him curiously.
“…why do you say that?” He really hoped that he didn’t sound overly prying.
Rui didn’t seem to think that, thank the gods. “I never fit in with society. No one really liked spending time with me as a child, and many other things happened that caused me to have to stay away from most people even until now.”
“—Like I said before, I’m used to the feeling of being alone.”
With a flourish, the song ended, and Rui guided them into the final turn before they slowed to a graceful stop. Polite applause erupted, drawing Tsukasa’s attention back to the fact that they were, in fact, still in public and not alone. Surprisingly, the bubble that had formed around him and Rui didn’t pop just yet, though the boy was already turning away slightly.
It was then determination set in, and Tsukasa decided that he absolutely would not let Rui slip away from him now.
Not thinking straight, Tsukasa grabbed him by the wrist, and Rui jolted before turning to him in surprise.
“…Tenma-kun?”
Tsukasa swallowed, forcing down the bundle of nerves that had formed in his chest.
“I… uhh… could we share another dance?”
The stars in Rui Kamishiro’s eyes seemed to glow impossibly brighter.
“…of course, we may.”
The orchestra struck up again, and this time, the piece was a little faster and sharper. Tsukasa took the lead, stepping right into the new rhythm while admiring how Rui followed suit just as smoothly. Their steps shifted quickly, and when Tsukasa opened his mouth again, he tried not to worry too much about how his feet carried him. If the conversation flowed, maybe he would be distracted enough to not think too much about the chance of falling over.
“I know what it’s like to feel alone too.” He found himself saying, and Rui glanced at him in surprise.
“Eh?”
“I’m… also nobility, so I’m sure you know what it’s like. While I’ve had the fortune of being born with a roof over my head and what others would presume to be a silver spoon in my mouth, I was also isolated and occasionally alienated from others my age.”
Tsukasa avoided Rui’s gaze as he continued, the words tumbling forth quickly. “I think many people were either scared of me… or they just wanted the benefits of being friends with a rich person. Not that I’d care under normal circumstances, but greed really does have the potential of making things turn out ugly. My parents wouldn’t let me make friends freely, since there was always a chance that they might be plotting my abduction or assassination.”
There was a wistful sigh from his dance partner. “Well, it certainly seems that we suffer from the same ‘rich people problems’.”
It probably shouldn’t be as funny as Rui made it seem, but it made Tsukasa laugh. And then Rui was giggling as well, and it was a lost cause. By the time the last notes of music finished reverberating through the ballroom, they were breathless, both from laughing too much and from the pace of the dance. His head was spinning, and Tsukasa felt that this would be what it was like to be tipsy.
Rui wasn’t faring any better, his originally pale cheeks now flushed pink as they continued to hold hands, staring into each other’s eyes as they both tried to catch their breath. A slight grin rested on his face, but when Rui made to pull away, Tsukasa only tightened his grip on his hand, further intertwining their fingers. Shocked, Rui blew out a breath, golden eyes darting around the ballroom nervously.
“T-Tenma-kun, I hardly think that this is appropriate anymore—”
“I don’t care.” Tsukasa cut him off. He, too, could feel the stares of the people all weighing heavily on the both of them. He gripped Rui’s hands even tighter, feeling the way some sweat started forming between their clasped palms when Rui finally dared to glance back at him.
He looked so beautiful, and Tsukasa couldn’t bear to look away.
“Don’t worry. All you need to do is focus on me.”
And he wasn’t hallucinating anything at all, because Tsukasa almost swore that he watched Rui fall in love with him right then and there.
For their third dance, the musicians launched into a sweeping and bright melody, prompting others to rush back onto the dance floor. The two of them held the center, though, Tsukasa already going back to leading with renewed confidence.
They spun in tight circles, and high above, the golden chandeliers blurred as they cast that enchantingly warm light down on the both of them. Tsukasa drove the tempo forward, lifting his hand to twirl Rui outwards before catching him again just as quickly.
The rhythm was relentless—turn, spin, pivot—and even the music seemed to swirl around with them. Rui’s breaths came faster, but the both of them never wavered, only fighting for the chance to impress each other with moves that only got fancier as the dance went on.
“Tsukasa-kun,” Rui breathed out once, and the prince tried not to react to the fact that he had just called him by his first name.
“What is it?”
He twirled Rui once, only for the boy to fall back into his arms a second later. Pouting down at him, Rui sighed dramatically.
“I think my poor constitution is making it harder for me to go on like this for the rest of the night. Won’t you take pity on a handsome guy like me?”
Tsukasa was worried immediately, slowing down as subtly as possible. “Are you feeling alright?”
From the slight glint in Rui’s eyes, he was probably just being dramatic again, but Tsukasa still felt concerned. Seeing this, the lavender-haired boy bent down to whisper in his ear.
“Of course, but I think that I’d feel much better if we could go somewhere… quieter.” The final word was soft enough that it was akin to a hiss, and it sent a pleasant shiver down Tsukasa’s spine as warm air fanned over the already hot skin of his neck.
And just as the music swelled and crashed on the last note, Tsukasa bent Rui into a deep, flawless dip, their faces so close the silence that followed felt charged with something more. They were both heaving with breathlessness, but Tsukasa still seized the chance to whisper back in Rui’s ear.
“Then, let’s go back to the gardens.”
It was worth the scolding that he’d get from his parents tomorrow morning, Tsukasa decided in that instant, properly holding Rui’s hand to drag him past the gawking crowd that had formed around them. This could very well be his last chance at making a decision for himself.
When they burst out into the gardens later, the both of them immediately burst into laughter, even as Tsukasa dragged Rui into the dark and secluded pavilion, stopping so that the two of them could sit down on the stone benches inside, still trying and failing to come down from that high. There was almost something real about it when Rui tried and failed to lean on Tsukasa’s shoulder properly, causing them to dissolve back into helpless giggles again. When the prince tried to twine their fingers together, Rui accepted it as if the act itself had become second nature within those thirty minutes they had spent dancing together.
“You…” Tsukasa spoke first, and Rui glanced over to him, a grin still on his face, “you’re not as handsome as you are cute.”
“Tsukasa-kun thinks that I’m cute? I’m so flattered!” Rui declared, shifting closer such that their sides pressed against each other, and Tsukasa could fully indulge in the furnace-like warmth that emanated from the other boy.
And Tsukasa truly didn’t know if someone had spiked his food that night and caused his mind to short-circuit like so, but maybe it was the look in Rui’s eyes that made him lean upward slightly, spelling out his movements as deliberately as possible.
Rui seemed to understand, from the way his eyes widened before fluttering shut and leaning down to make it easier for Tsukasa. Their breaths mingled, warm in the cold air, and he could literally feel his heart pounding in his ears. Tsukasa leaned in closer, and closer still, until the distance between them shrank to nothing.
The moment their lips touched, the world dissolved into fire. Rui pressed in with sudden urgency, catching Tsukasa off guard as those scorching hands came up to cup his cheeks, their lips parting to deepen the kiss—hungry, desperate, unrestrained. Sparks shot through him with every pull, every answering push, as though the stars above themselves were pouring their fire straight into their veins.
The kiss burned hotter with each breath stolen between them, Tsukasa’s hand sliding to the back of Rui’s neck to pull him impossibly closer, closer, refusing to let them part. His hand slowly crept up to tangle in soft lavender strands, dragging Rui flush to his chest, and all that he could think in that moment was that he was so fucking lucky that it all worked out, and much, much better than Tsukasa had anticipated.
And the worst part was that it didn’t even feel impulsive. Tsukasa even dared to call it fate, for surely it could only be fate that would allow them to meet in this way tonight.
When they broke apart at last, Rui’s lips were noticeably swollen and kiss-bitten, and the both of them were gasping for air, even as Tsukasa slowly wrapped his arms around Rui’s shoulders to press their foreheads together.
“I think…” Tsukasa gasped when Rui started nipping at his collarbones, sharp canines scraping, “I think I’m in love with you.”
Topaz-coloured eyes flicked up lazily. “Well, I’d be more concerned if you weren’t romantically interested in me. We did just make out, after all.”
Tsukasa shoved his chest playfully. “Oh, shut up.”
The grin plastered on his face was definitely impossible to get rid of, even more so when Rui pressed a tender kiss to his lips again, almost threatening to pull them back into that intense makeout session again. However, Rui simply buried his face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent as he replied, a smile hidden against his skin.
“I love you too.”
And though the shroud of night was all that accompanied the both of them in that moment, Tsukasa was burning brighter than the sun itself.
⊹₊⟡⋆
When the next morning rolled around, Tsukasa briefly wondered what on earth he was even going to tell his parents as he laid down on the silk covers, staring up at the ceiling.
As usual, he essentially back-flipped off the bed, brushed his teeth hurriedly, and pranced over to the mirror to pick out an outfit for the day. His morning routine became a blur, which gave Tsukasa time to think about… everything that had transpired last night.
Unfortunately, as much as he would’ve wanted to invite Rui to stay in his room overnight so that he could introduce him to his parents more efficiently, Rui needed to return to the accommodations set up for representatives of the Night Kingdom. Tsukasa had bade farewell to him, albeit very reluctantly, and they’d shared a final kiss before Rui departed.
His parting words to Tsukasa still remained on his mind.
“See you soon, Tsukasa-kun.”
Honestly, Tsukasa didn’t know if they could see each other anytime soon. They had made no specific plans, but at least Tsukasa knew that his feelings were reciprocated to an extent.
They definitely couldn’t continue rushing into things, though. Rui had yet to find out about Tsukasa’s identity as the prince of his rival kingdom, and they only just met the day before.
His parents would probably be happy that Tsukasa didn’t need to get married to the King of the Night Kingdom, but the fact that he had found another man instead of a woman might be a point of contention, especially for his father. At least Tsukasa could avoid the arranged union if he could get Rui to agree to being his boyfriend…
However, when Tsukasa made his way to the dining hall, dressed as formally as possible and ready to present his case, he stopped short upon seeing the servants rushing about, still getting ready for breakfast. It was already long past the usual time, so what was going on? Before Tsukasa needed to ask, though, his mother appeared from around the corner, her hands wrung and brows creased together in anxiety until she spotted him, and a mixture of complicated emotions settled on her face.
“What’s happening?” He questioned, but his mother only sighed.
“The King of the Night Kingdom has already arrived, so we are to share our morning meal together. They spend their days very differently from us…”
Tsukasa’s breath caught in his throat, his stomach twisting unpleasantly. “Wait, but—”
His mother was already rushing off, not bothering to listen to him.
“Just go to the entrance hall! Your father is already there.”
Incapable of telling her anything else, Tsukasa simply stood shocked still, his hands trembling by his sides as the gravity of the situation weighed down on him.
…he thought that he would’ve had more time.
Was it too late? Would the emissaries and their literal king be offended to hear that Tsukasa wanted to turn down their offer for another member of their nobility?
Nevertheless, there was no more time to think about it. His heart pounded in his throat, making it incredibly painful to swallow as Tsukasa slowly walked down the corridors to the entrance hall, the sounds of his footsteps bouncing off the walls feeling a little louder than usual. Blood rushed in his ears as Tsukasa neared the familiar archways, but once he heard his father’s booming voice mixed with other unfamiliar people speaking, the prince pressed his back to the side of the wall, listening closely.
His father was speaking.
“Lady Kusanagi, I truly apologise for troubling all of you to come down here so early in the morning. My son should arrive soon.”
A softer, calmer voice of a girl replied.
“It’s alright. We’re getting used to following your kingdom’s lifestyle. Please tell Prince Tenma not to worry either, we’re aware that the celebrations from last night may have tired everyone out too.”
“Hmm…”
Taking a deep breath, Tsukasa quickly ran out from behind the wall before he could chicken out, his head spinning slightly as he stood in front of his father and the other person, pretending to pant to make it look like he had rushed down.
“I’m so sorry for being late! I wasn’t aware that we’d be having a meeting this early!” He said, probably a little too loudly, since the Night Kingdom’s diplomat winced before rubbing at her ears.
She looked rather pretty, greenish-grey hair allowed to hang loose around her shoulders and dressed in a simple dark red gown. Her purple eyes studied Tsukasa closely before she gave him a curtsy.
“Prince Tenma, it’s nice to finally meet you in person. I am Lady Nene Kusanagi, but you can just call me Nene. I am the King’s highest-ranking advisor, and the King should be—”
“The King is here~!” A familiar voice rang out from outside, and Tsukasa felt his heart stop.
The entire universe seemed to slow down as casual footsteps could be heard, and then lavender and cyan streak hair entered his line of sight. Tsukasa couldn’t breathe as a tall boy stepped into the room, dressed in regal formal attire and flanked by a few guards, Toya Aoyagi standing immediately to his right.
And yet, despite the entourage that followed closely behind him, glittering topaz-coloured eyes found Tsukasa immediately, locking in on his face as a devastatingly beautiful smile appeared for him and him only.
A bouquet of purple and white flowers was thrust in his face as the King of the Night Kingdom himself bowed low at the waist with a flourish, and Tsukasa could only stand there in shock as he tried to process the sight before him.
Because Rui Kamishiro was grinning broadly at him, bearing flowers in hand and nothing but the stars he’d brought to the prince before him.
“Greetings, Tsukasa-kun. It’s very nice to meet you. My name is Rui Kamishiro…”
Those pretty eyes smiled at him.
“…but you may call me Rui.”
Fin.
Extra:
“With all due respect, Kamishiro-senpai, there are a million reasons why this is a very bad idea—”
Rui pouted, still dangling the elixir in Toya’s face. “But come on, Aoyagi-kun! Won’t you trust me just this once? Don’t you also want to spend some quality time with your beloved Shinonome-kun?”
“I… Don’t try to bribe me by bringing Akito into this, please.” Toya sighed, rubbing his forehead like he had a terrible headache. Rui still wasn’t ready to give up, though.
“Just help a guy out, Aoyagi-kun~ You’ll benefit from this too, trust me!”
“I hardly see how uncontrollably puking my guts up is going to benefit me.”
“Shinonome-kun is head over heels for you! Even if you puked on him, he’d just give you a hot shower and tuck you into bed, maybe even his own bed! Besides, don’t forget that I can get through the magic suppressors, so I can just cure you once Shinonome-kun agrees to take you with him.”
“For wanting to meet up with Tsukasa-senpai, doing all this feels a little extreme… we don’t even have a good excuse for it.”
Rui grinned cheekily, painstakingly getting to work in wrapping Toya’s fingers around the glass bottle of nausea-inducing drug. “Don’t worry, the explanation will be that we were ambushed on the way here. Just play along and things will work out, trust me!”
Before Toya could voice his protests any further, someone tripped the silent trigger wires that Rui had set up along the corridors with his magic, his keen ears quickly picking up on Shinonome-kun’s voice, along with another voice that made Rui’s heart flutter involuntarily. Panicking slightly, he gestured for Toya to down the elixir quickly, and also triggered by his superior’s panic, the boy downed the bottle with no further complaints.
Once Toya swallowed the liquid, it didn’t take long for him to start puking very colourfully into the bushes right next to them. Slightly entertained but having to fix his facial expressions quickly, Rui immediately knelt down next to his bodyguard, resting a hand on his back to feign concern for the boy.
This elixir is working surprisingly well~ Ah, and they should be here soon…
Indeed, it didn’t take very long for Shinonome-kun to vault through the window like a superhero, immediately checking on Toya’s condition. Rui straightened to look for the other person who he was there for, and then their eyes met through the gap in the window.
Nene always looked disgruntled about Rui’s obvious crush on Tsukasa Tenma, calling him weird for having a crush on him for nearly a decade now. The prince definitely didn’t remember it anymore, but they had met before as children, and Rui had been smitten with him ever since. Even when the kingdoms split, tragedy quickly befalling Rui’s parents and entire living situation, it was the memory of that bright smile that had allowed him to keep going, the promise of attaining that familiar warmth and having the blessing of feeling it again.
Tsukasa was like the sun, and from their very first meeting, he pulled Rui into his orbit. He only felt love and adoration for the prince, who still didn’t know of his existence, but all of that was going to change today.
He thanked Toya silently for prompting Shinonome-kun to take them away and turned to the love of his life with a bright smile on his face.
Tsukasa-kun’s enthusiasm was infectious, but it seemed that even his subconscious still remembered Rui, no matter how slight any memories would be. Even though he hadn’t anticipated the eager press of warm lips against his own, it was far, far from an undesired outcome.
And when he whispered the silent words of ‘I love you’, Rui was pleased to find that he meant it with his whole heart.
Now, as he prepared a delicate bouquet of flowers, a decade of hard work was finally boiling down to this very moment. Ascending to the position of King was far from easy, especially after the death of his parents, but Rui had secured his position of power at the very top of the chain. While it had hurt him to hide the truth from his beloved Tsukasa-kun, it was necessary for his own protection. As shocking as the reveal was going to be, every part of this was necessary.
Because Rui definitely wasn’t going to let Tsukasa Tenma slip out of his reach ever again.