Chapter Text
It’s the same everyday. Nakamura Okuto wakes up, checks on Icchan, and spends the other ninety-eight percent of his day dreaming about Prince Hirose Aiki. Many in the castle thought his routine rather mundane (he hopes, for his own sake, they do not pick up on the whole “daydreaming about Hirose” thing), but this was the peaceful existence of a court wizard.
Nakamura stoops before Icchan’s tank, lightly pressing his fingers to the glass. “Today’s the day, Icchan.”
If his octopus familiar had any thoughts on Nakamura’s declaration, he kept them to himself. A single tentacle flicks by Nakamura’s fingers before reaching up towards the container of food still unopened by his owner.
Nakamura clutches his familiar’s breakfast closer to his chest, suddenly nervous. “Today Prince Hirose is giving his first official speech to his guards! And I am to be there as his official protector. Could you imagine? Me, standing next to the prince?”
Icchan didn’t have to, considering Nakamura had been rehearsing what he would say to the prince for the last three weeks since he found out about the speech.
Nakamura collapsed back down onto his just-made bed, sheets crumpling back around him. “I don’t think I can do it. No, I have to! Finally, a chance to get close to him!”
Despite his extensive preparations, socializing was something Nakamura could not conjure up a solution to. He had always been an odd child. A knack for the magical arts made him stick out amongst his small town. Even when he made it to the magical academy, he once again established himself as an outsider by picking an octopus, out of all the more suitable (i.e. mammalian) options, to be his familiar.
Whereas the other magical practitioners went off on quests or other faraway missions for the betterment of the kingdom, Nakamura was content to stay behind as the royal family’s magical custodian.
Not much to do each day, besides check on the castle’s defensive spells. Sometimes they’d ask him to perform simple magic tricks for guests or parties. It was on the prince’s fifteenth birthday or so when Nakamura first encountered Hirose.
A golden crown sat atop the fluffiest bed of light brown, curly hair that Nakamura had ever seen. Nakamura, fresh out of the academy, was shocked there could be anyone as enchanting as the prince.
For his birthday Hirose had only one request: indoor fireworks, as his usual birthday tradition was spoiled by rain. It was simple, granted with a flick of Nakamura’s wand.
But the sight of Hirose’s bright eyes gazing up at the multicolor sparks shot something straight into Nakamura’s heart. And he’d been smitten with Prince Hirose ever since.
“Do you think I should prepare him a gift? Something to really wow him! No, it would be too forward. Where would he even put the gift if we’re standing with the guards outside? It’s a stupid idea, forget it!”
Oscillating between complete determination and crippling anxiety, it took Nakamura thirty minutes to feed Icchan and leave his bedroom.
Black wizard’s robes billowed behind Nakamura as he walked through the castle corridors. He took out the summons letter from his pocket and read it over one more time.
Go to the courtyard. Stand beside His Highness for the duration of the speech. Do not leave until dismissed. Remain on defensive standby, as always.
Nakamura wanted to laugh at the last line. Remain on defensive standby. As if he would ever let any harm come to the prince! Last month, he’d even developed a quicker way to magically tie Hirose’s shoelaces, as His Highness often forgot when they came undone.
Nakamura nodded to himself in satisfaction. Preoccupied was he, recounting all the close calls where Hirose could-have-but-did-not-trip, that he didn’t notice the prince walking right towards him.
“Well, if it isn’t our castle wizard! Nakamura, right?” Prince Hirose greeted him like they were old friends. Minus the part where he wasn’t sure about Nakamura’s name.
“Y-your Highness!” Suddenly, all of Nakamura’s well-laid plans left his brain. There Prince Hirose was. Right there in front of him. Talking to him. Talking to him!
“Now that I’m old enough to address the guards, guess I’ll be seeing more of you outside of my birthday, huh?” Prince Hirose was actually cracking a joke with him. Nakamura decided that today was already the best day out of the entire year.
The best Nakamura could manage was a slight nod. The prince didn’t pay any heed to his awkwardness. Though followed by two guards at all times, Hirose folded Nakamura into his little walking group like he was always there.
“I can’t wait to see the other guards up close. Do you think they’ll let me hold a sword today? If I’m going to be in charge one day, they’ll have to let me practice fighting against someone other than my instructor, right?”
Prince Hirose’s guards gave their opinions openly. Nakamura had always been jealous, witnessing their casual friendship from afar. Hearing everything up close only reaffirmed his resolve to befriend the prince.
So while Hirose chattered away with his entourage, Nakamura lost himself to another wonderful daydream where it was he that Hirose could speak so freely with.
The speech went great. No speech by Hirose could possibly go any other way. Although, Nakamura did admittedly see a tiny slip of paper tucked into Hirose’s sleeve. When the prince seemed to forget his next word, he’d take a sneaky glance towards his right palm before continuing.
It just so happened that Nakamura stood at the right side of His Highness and, with every peek at the paper, would catch a wondrous glimpse of Hirose’s side profile. Truly, the best day.
It was over before he knew it. Oh no, Nakamura was missing his chance! This was the part where he would impress Hirose with all the new spells he was workshopping, and Hirose would take an interest and ask to see, and well Nakamura supposed that if he was that curious he could come over sometime and check out what he was working on, and then Hirose would say-
“Hey, Nakamura. You’re part of my army right?” Oh no, Hirose was talking to him right now!
“Y-Yeah?”
Technically, Nakamura was greenlit for combat should any threats by ne’er-do-wells appear (there hasn’t ever been any).
“Hehe. You must know a lot of combat spells.”
He did! Nakamura knew lots of cool spells to blast Hirose’s enemies from miles away! (Though he has studied these spells, Nakamura had yet to try any of them outside of the classroom).
“I think it’s quite cool that you’re our only wizard. See you around!” Hirose was waving. Now he was walking away. And… he’s gone.
Nakamura walks himself up to his room, and flings himself back onto the bed. He hadn’t tidied it again since his episode this morning.
Icchan learned how to crawl out of his tank and open his food container today. The octopus fed itself as he watched Nakamura recount the day.
“Let’s see. I said “Your Highness” and “Yeah.” Nakamura stared at the raised fingers he was using to keep count. “Only three words? At this rate, I’ll never get him to be my friend!”
The urge to scream into his pillow was strong, but his urge was halted by a sudden remembrance. Nakamura jumped back up and pressed his face next to Icchan’s tank.
“He said I was cool, Icchan! Maybe he is interested in seeing my spells after all.”
Nakamura slumped down, utterly exhausted from the excitement of his day. It was only eleven in the morning, but he felt like he’d lived through the whole day already. As he carried on with his chores, he reassured himself with the prospect of seeing Hirose again soon.
After all, he said “see you around,” and not “bye” like normal.
A trivial difference in farewells but for Nakamura, the minute distinction meant everything.