Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Look! Look! I'm betting she's going to ask the old fart for some money right about now!"Rin nudged his brother with his shoulder to get his attention away from the book he was reading in the middle of a ball.

Not like anything else mattered to Yukio at the moment due to the fact that he wasn't very fond of any parties or balls that were hosted by the king and queen who were his own parents.

"Why should it matter to me? It's clear that most of these guests are filled with hunger and desire for our parent's money and..."Yukio paused with a sigh of irritation."Us unfortunately..."

It's true. Despite the kingdom's fast paced working jobs and their popular land for having the most gold that sold for a high price, the people were still greedy for money and more.

They were greedy for money and the two sons of satan who were like the prizes or the jackpot in the whole kingdom. Everyone knew Rin inherited the flames from the announcement his mother made as a way to show everyone her son will not pose any type of threat to the people.

They all wanted the opportunity to steal Rin but not much on Yukio since they still weren't sure if he had the flames as well.

He was somewhat glad he didn't.

"And now how much you wanna bet that one of the ladies will approach you in about three seconds to get you on the dance floor with her?"Rin wanted to keep messing with his brother to get some fun out of the boring ball but his brother would not budge and was stubborn everytime.

"I told you no- Oh! Hello there."Yukio fixed his posture in the chair he was sitting in as a girl made her way over in his direction.

She seemed to act all cutesy and Rin was already falling for her trick on the spot like the gullible idiot he is.

"Can we dance together?"She asked with a blush covering her cheeks.

"He's not a dancer but I can always accompany you!"

Rin got off his chair and stood in front of his brother to grab the girl by her hand and kiss it with a wink.

She chuckled and grabbed his hand as well, letting him guide her to the middle of the ball room.

Yukio only sighed then caught to Yuri's eyes who were signaling for him to come over.

He placed the book gently on the table next to him and made his way through the crowds of people to reach the table she was sitting on.

He stood in front of her, waiting to her hear out but she beckoned for him to come closer so she can get her words across.

He did so then leaned his ear in to listen.

"I see some North kingdom spies...be on your best guard."

Yukio's eyes widen momentarily before he was backing away and nodding his head."I understand."

The North kingdom was one of the most powerful kingdoms that had a ruler who was a demon and a little bitch. Mephisto was the king of said kingdom and almost every single ruler hated crossing paths with him or working with him.

Shiro can confirm.

His kingdom was always curious on finding out what the twins could do and if Yukio had powers as well.

That's why Yuri and Shiro were always cautious over their boys.

"Guess what! She gave me a kiss then left me but that's okay at least I scored a kiss dude!!"Rin joined his brother with an enthusiastic smile and pointed at the lipstick stain on his cheek.

Yuri smiled at the two but later on frowned at how Yukio's shoulders were all tensed up from the information she passed on to him.

"Good for you but that still doesn't mean that you have gotten yourself a girlfriend."

The older twin pouted,"Boo! Let me have my moment before I tell everyone in here that you're a stupid virgin!"

"Am not!"

"Ya huh!"

"Not!"

Yuri ignored her son’s bickering and looked over the crowd to keep a close eye. She saw some Pink-hair walking among the people and it differentiated him from everyone else next to him.

She did have doubts that he could be a spy but most spies sent in were usually dressed professional and neat as a way to blend in but this Pink-haired made no effort to do so.

Just another commoner who was going to ask for money later.

"Wanna bet that by tomorrow the whole village will know that you talk to your pet and in your free time you write letters to the animals in the garden as if they can write back?"Rin said in one breath and Yukio's eye twitched.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I mean writing to the animals is pretty pathetic."

Yukio fought the urge to have his hands wrapped around his brother's neck to strangle him but he held himself back and calmed himself down before Rin causes a scene.

"An animal has more knowledge than you do so I wouldn't be surprised if an animal wrote back with no misspellings in their letter...Unlike somebody over here..."He mumbled the last part to avoid having Rin burst into flames since every little comment would make him throw a fit of rage.

And Rin was already having that flame flare up a little in his eyes,"Why don't you try writing to a girl instead?"

"And why don't you try getting a girlfriend instead?"

The two glared at each other before Yukio was closing his eyes, sighing, then walking out of his brother's view to find himself a new thing to do rather than argue.

He had to stay on alert from the spies that were roaming everywhere and if he could pull out his bow and kill every single one, he wouldn't hesitate.

He found himself exiting the ball to the back garden that was called their little Eden. The garden provided so much things he could dream of that's why it earned that title.

He sat on one of the benches, wincing from the cold that hit him from the cold stone. But the breeze wasn't bad and it was rather peaceful than cold and angry.

"Apple?"

He felt his whole body jolt since the peaceful silence he was in was suddenly broken by an unfamiliar voice. He quickly looked up to the source of the voice and was met with a hand holding an apple almost too closely to his face.

Glancing up more, Yukio found himself staring in the eyes of a stranger with pink-hair then down to his grin.

His suit was certainly different than what the usual custom was for everyone else so it did cause the prince to fall in a state of confusion at who this man could be.

"Are we playing out a scene from Adam and Eve?"Yukio spoke with a sarcastic scoff that wasn't meant to make the other chuckle.

The Pink-haired then shrugged his shoulders at how his offer was declined and threw the apple away,"Shouldn't you be playing the star of the show? Y'know...Sat-'

Yukio started clearing his throat very loudly to interrupt the other from finishing his sentence.

"Get to the point and tell me what do you want?"His eyes were cold and once they bored into the other brown-ones, he could tell just how much it caused the Pink-haired to fidget in his place.

He brushed off the nervousness with a quick cover up smile then sat along on the bench next to the prince,"Are ya not gonna ask me for my name first?"

"I am in no desperation in needing to know what your name is and I know you're here with me for a reason so spill it."

Yukio looked irritated just simply from the fact that he was wasting his time talking to a commoner who was using his words to trick him.

"Don't let anyone know but I'm actually here to kidnap ya, pretty boy."

His tone sounded too flirtatious for Yukio to dismiss and it wasn't like he had any sort of knowledge over that field because he never bothered to actually flirt back or have any sort of relationship unless it was strictly for the kingdom.

What does he do in these situations? When girls flirt with him, he'll usually reject them and move on simply.

So he could do the same with this one as well.

"I'm not sure where I implied that I'm into you but I can tell you from now I hate people like you the most."He said bitterly with a shake of his head,"I'm not interested."

He couldn't tell what the other's response was to him turning him down and it made him feel a little frustrated for not being able to read his expression.

And he didn't exactly give Yukio the time to know what he was thinking before he was back up on his feet and turning on his heel dramatically to face the prince.

"Then can I change your mind with a dance?"

He leaned forward with his hand extended out as an offer. There didn't seem to be any malicious intent in his tone nor in the silly grin on his face.

Yukio glanced between him and the hand then he let out a sigh.

"I don't think so but will this get you away from me?"

The Pink-haired thought of his denial as cute but he didn't expect for the prince's hand to slip onto his when he had yet to accept his offer.

Yukio was pulled along in a matter of seconds when their hands touched then he allowed the other to take control of his body and lead him back to the center of the garden where the flowers and roses surrounded them in their own little scenery.

The faint sound of music flowed from the passage that led from the ball room to the garden and it helped them dance to it to avoid the silence or the sound from the crowds of people.

Their hands unsurely began to intertwine once their dancing became much more in sync than before.

The Pink-haired had a stupid grin on his face while Yukio's lips only puckered into a frown that didn't show any sign of enjoyment.

He did somewhat enjoy it. But the doubts and anxiousness plagued his mind even more once he remembered the spies that were still everywhere in the ball room.

"Shima Renzou. That's my name."He finally spoke and broke Yukio's chain of thought.

His leg moved back while Yukio's leg moved forward to catch his rhythm.

"A Shima? Can't say I haven't heard of your people before from my father but I can assure you he only spoke good about your family. But I'm starting to wonder if that statement is true."Yukio's voice was laced with sass and it had Shima grinning even wider.

Shima thought he was cuter for that frown and the sass.

"So you think I'm sexy instead, my prince?"He asked with a wink to distract him from the hand that was slowly lowering from Yukio's back down to his butt.

Shima gave it a firm squeeze and Yukio slapped it away quickly with his hand before it was back on Shima's shoulder with a tight grip that made him yelp.

"Not sexy but a pervert apparently."He said while rolling his eyes but then gasped once his back was dipped and held with the support of Shima's hand to keep him from hitting the ground.

Shima kept the other in that position for longer than he wanted in order to explore the deep color of Yukio's eyes through the lenses of his glasses.

"You've got some pretty cute moles, did anybody ever tell ya that?"His compliment wasn't the one that caught Yukio off guard but the shameless look Shima gave his lips.

"You're so disgusting."He replied back in annoyance.

"And you're very romantic."Shima brought him back up easily on his feet then didn't warn him when he spun him around.

Yukio didn't expect the spin but felt his legs go along with it until he was back with having both of his hands occupied with the Pink-haired.

"Just tell me what do you want so we can get this over with..."

Yukio's own frustration would always lead to his impatience and when that feeling starts to grow inside of him, he would feel bitter about it.

That feeling alone had made him almost miss a step and trip back but Shima held his hand tighter and pulled him closer to where he was glued to Shima's chest.

Shima's lips neared Yukio's ear then he let out a mocking chuckle."Ain't it obvious that I want ya, baby.”

His ears faded into a dark shade of red and Shima chuckled even harder when he was pushed away to see the flustered look on the prince's face.

It was all red.

"Dance is over!"He blurted before he was retreating back in his steps then running back to the inside of the room to collect his thoughts and also himself because he knew he was getting too heated over this.

If only he avoided all of that.

"Woah there tomato! What happened to you?"

Yukio's arm was grabbed and it made him stop in his track to see it was Rin with confusion written all over his face.

"N-Nothing! Why are you asking? Am I red? Is it obvious?"He was pampering his brother with these questions and it seemed to make Rin grin with mischief at the thought that popped in his head.

"Oh, I see you sly fox! You were in the garden making out with one of the village girls, am I correct?"

Yukio's was disgusted at how his brother's brain was only filled with girls and all of that useless shit.

"Go to hell."

"We're going together."

The younger twin continued to walk away, letting his thoughts drown him. All these spies and these responsibilities always had him in too much of a panic and he just wanted to be able to rest for once.

"Ain't it obvious that I want ya, baby.”

That voice made him blush again and he shook his head to forget just how smooth that fucker was. He was a prince and Shima looked like a clown so there was absolutely no way he would accept any sort of offer from him ever again.

He just needed to calm down.

After the ball was done, Yukio had to go back to accompany his parents in the empty room.

He got that certain look from his mother and knew what was coming next.

"Where were you, Yuki? I saw your brother almost getting dragged outside the window by a spy."Yuri spoke only gently with her son who was looking sheepish.

"She told me I can fly! I didn't know she was trying to kill me...."Rin crossed his arms and Shiro hit the back of his head.

He glared at him then turned back to his mother.

"I'm sorry for not being as attentive as I should've been. Forgive me."Yukio looked down at the ground and felt ashamed for even wasting his time and letting himself get distracted so easily on that particular Pink-haired.

Yuri shook her head rapidly then opened her arms out as an invitation for a hug.

"You're so silly for apologizing! I just don't want anything happening to the two of you or else I would probably lose it!"

Yukio looked up then succumbed to the hug easily.

He hated to admit it but those warm hugs from his mother always had him feeling nice and fuzzy.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I saw Rin going to the slaughterhouse just to get a girlfriend."Shiro's usual teasing towards his oldest would always cause a reaction full of flames and anger but this time Rin let it slide by with his tongue sticking out.

The two had to be careful from the amount of danger they are put through in almost every possible situation but now Yukio was starting to wonder if he can if Shima comes around again and ruins his focus.

For some reason he easily submitted to his dance and his words even though Yukio was one of the most stubborn princes in all of the kingdoms and would never give in to any sort of temptations. But this certainly could be an obstacle in his way if that commoner is the reason he starts to slip up.

He had to avoid that Shima as much as he could.

Chapter Text

If it wasn't for Rin's sleep walking then Yukio would actually get some good hours of sleep and he could stay in bed without having to get out and put his brother back in his room as if that was his nightly job.

Rin's sleep walking frightened most of the maids and the guards in the hall but it became apparent to them over time that he was only sleep walking.

The next morning approached with the sound of the chirping and the sound of the chatters that came from the hall outside the prince's room.

Yukio liked to hear those sounds of comfort as the sun's light was seeping through the openings of his window and onto to his face to wake him up.

He lifted himself up with barely any effort since he was always quick on every move. He did hear a few of his bones pop but that was only a normal response since his mattress was somewhat hard and heavy underneath him.

He grabbed his glasses that was near his pillow then looked towards the bird in the corner of his room.

"Good morning, Shiemi.."He spoke as if the bird truly communicated with him but just that quiet hum from her assured him that she actually does speak back.

He cringed at the contact between his feet and the cold ground that he always hated and would rather have it furnished with some floor covering. But his request would always be drowned with his brother's needs instead.

Nevertheless; he put on his best clothing and headed outside his room to the dining area.

That same dining room also led to the church they owned inside the castle and it was one of the holiest and most popular church in the whole kingdom. His father would spend most of his time there working and preaching to their people.

Rin never sat through those lessons and even if he did, he would pretend he was being exorcised to avoid it which was smart but annoying.

The random choking noises and screaming would startle everyone and Yukio would be the one to drag him outside.

It was exhausting.

"Goodmorning."He greeted simply upon seeing his family and dragged a chair out from under the table to sit on it.

They all said their goodmornings except for Rin who was missing from the table because he was still sleeping up in his room.

"Did you feel anything unusual recently, Yukio?"Shiro asked the same question almost everyday specifically towards his son and Yuri would end up looking at the two with concern.

Yukio, in return, would bite into his food and then look up with a shake of his head.

"You ask the same question everyday and everyday I give the same answer. I didn't inherit the flames like my brother nor will I ever gain those powers magically."

Shiro listened then looked back at his food.

Yukio was only a human after all.

"Ah! You actually have a mission today with Mrs. Kamiki or something like that. Was it a mission? I actually can't remember."Yuri said to ease the sudden heavy atmosphere and it appeared to make Yukio perk his head up in interest at the mention of a mission.

"Mission? For what reason?"

Shiro sighed at how forgetful his wife was.

"You're so forgetful, did you know that?"Shiro said in regard to her last statement and she pouted.

"Whatever. A bunch of goblins in the forest are disturbing the villagers and they're not listening at all so I'm sending you and your brother to kill them."

"Shouldn't the villagers defend themselves without our help for once?"He mumbled and sliced the piece of egg on his plate a bit too aggressively.

Shiro noticed then shrugged his shoulders,"Why don't you and Rin start giving them karate lessons then?"

Yukio hated the sarcasm that came from his father but he could also see where he got it from most of the time.

"I wouldn't mind it if you would give me the chance I suppose...."

Yuri's face lit up at the suggestion but was quickly shot down when Shiro shook his head.

"I'm not risking you two teaching some type of spy or an enemy in our village so I'd rather keep you both fighting for them instead."

Yukio nodded his head then stayed silent for the most part.

It was silent until Rin was making his way into the room and jumping on the table to eat.

"You are such an animal!"

The quarrel between the two brothers started yet again and after a while they were both sent outside the kingdom as an order from both, Yuri and Shiro.

Now they were set on their journey to make it down to the village and to where it would lead them straight down the path to the forest that connected their kingdom and the South kingdom.

Many words would slip around whenever the princes would come into town and announce themselves. They also needed to grab the attention of the Kamaki girl who was somewhere in the crowd, pretending that she wasn't there in the first place.

She hated interacting with people and especially Rin.

"Bean brows!"Rin spotted her since her brows and her hair always gave it away.

They walked up to her and she was already letting out an exasperated huff.

"I told you not to call me that, stove."She shot back with the same tone that she always uses with them.

Izumo Kamiki wasn't a typical commoner from their village but she was rather a traveller that would attend a kingdom every now and then for missions.

She hated helping the East kingdom especially because of the twins.

"So what kinda goblins are we looking at here? Ugly and scary? Big and mean? Hairy and Ball-'

Izumo scoffed to stop the halfling,"Do you ever think before you speak or do the words come out of your ass?"

Rin leaned forward in her personal space to laugh but in return she gave him a slap on the face.

He hissed at the pain but also knew he got what he deserved for annoying her.

"Please excuse him...he doesn't exactly know how humans work but he tries his best."Yukio said, moving his brother out of the picture and instead standing in his place where he was next to the Purple-haired.

She pursed her lips then took a few steps ahead, the sound of the mud splashing underneath her boots. The two followed closely behind the traveller who was guiding them deeper into the forest.

The sound of the wind hollered with anger just as the rain began to fall heavier than before.

The strong weather caused the trees to dance back and forth with the rhythm of the wind and it did bring a few sounds of creaking every now and then.

It kept them on alert as they dived deeper into the parts of the forests that no one ever liked.

"I believe they were spotted here in the middle of this circle."She stood before the line that was smudged from the rain then turned to look around her in caution.

Yukio instantly caught the fear from her glance alone and that made his hand lift out of instinct and grab at the bow that stuck to his back.

"Do you know what their weakness is?"He asked while fixing his posture in the middle of the smooth dirt beneath his feet.

Rin kept the sword in his hand clenched, ready to draw it out whenever it was needed.

"Aim for their legs!"

Was the last thing she said before she was rolling down on the dirt, dodging an arrow.

Then another arrow was struck and Rin swiftly slid to the side and felt his right foot slipping.

"Woah! FUCK!"His scream faded out once he was tumbling down the hill with the help of the mud that was pushing him further.

Yukio ran to save his brother but an arrow reminded him he couldn't flee the scene and leave Izumo by herself.

He gripped an arrow from the inside of his shirt then placed it between his two fingers and the string of the bow.

"You didn't tell me they had weapons!"He yelled over the sound of the rain that was showering them harder.

Izumo got back on her feet using the support of her hands and ran to accompany Yukio by his side but the mud was making their situation harder to even move to the spot they wanted.

"Just watch out!"

Yukio shot an arrow only out of luck and hoped it would shoot through one of the hidden goblins in the trees.

The sound of a harsh groan indicated that he did and it relieved him to know he could get a lucky shot from where he stood.

"Just shoot at the trees!"

The two continued to move at the pace they could manage but then Rin was back up on the hill and was using his blue flames to help as well.

Everything was done safely as they managed to fight back but Yukio lost balance and just to his luck an arrow pierced through his leg, causing him to wince out of pain.

He couldn't grab on to anything to avoid falling but it was too late as he was rolling down the hill from the slippery surface beneath him.

His leg hit a rock which made him groan out loud at the pain from the hit and the arrow that was still stuck inside his leg.

He finally reached a point where he wasn't rolling anymore and his body settled on the ground with the rain dripping louder in his ear.

Yukio tried using his hands to support his weight back up but every attempt was turned down when his leg would throb from the pain.

"Fuck...."

He hoped the two up on the hill were still fighting and the blue flames that lit up assured him things were...under control.

"What a helpless lil kitten in the rain. Wanna go back home with me?"

Yukio's view was blocked by the pair of eyes that he couldn't stop thinking about from the garden and it took him by surprise.

"What are you doing here?"He plainly asked the Pink-haired who continued to stare down from the opposite side with a smug smirk.

"Savin' ya, sweetheart. What else?"Shima said with a light-hearted chuckle.

Yukio hated to admit that he did need the help since his leg was putting him in more pain. Yet he would rather die than ask for any type of help from anyone, especially from the annoying fuck above him.

"I don't need y- Mm! Fuck-'

He couldn't finish his sentence from the pain that was aching more than before.

Shima's cocky grin grew wider and his brows wiggled,"I didn't even touch ya yet and you're already moanin'?"

Yukio was confused for a minute then registered the words in his head and what they actually meant.

He couldn't help the red that was tinting his cheeks.

"I could kill you right now and cover up my tracks without anybody knowing."He replied and dug his elbows deep into the dirt, lifting his upper body up with all the strength he owned.

That move should've gave it away that he needed Shima to move away from his view but the Pink-haired stayed and continued to look at Yukio.

Their eyes were at the same level and it felt as if time stopped and they were the only ones that existed.

Every little sound faded into nothing—just the two of them lost in each other's eyes.

"Starin' gives me the vibe that you actually wanna kiss me right now and maybe you do."Shima spoke and it did ruin the 'intimate' moment they were having.

Yukio slid away right in time to let his body glide away from Shima's kissy lips. He repeated the same exact gesture where he dug his elbows into the mud and sat up to see how bad his leg was.

The small pools of water near him were morphing into the color red and he recognized that it was his own blood dripping from the wound.

Shima stepped closer and kneeled down to examine his leg.

"Can I help ya there, baby?"He asked with sincerity in his tone and Yukio took a few seconds to think about it.

He was going to refuse his offer but hesitated once he realized how hard it was for him to perform a simple task on his own. Most of the time he's able to help himself in battle and come out of it just fine but now that Shima was here, Yukio got the exact feeling from the garden where he would easily give in to whatever the other would say.

"Be gentle with it or I'll hurt you."Yukio threatened then hissed once Shima tapped his leg,"Did you not hear what I just said?!"

He poked it again then hummed in thought. He fished out a piece of white cloth from the inside of his vest then damped it around the wound and where the arrow was.

"Stay still."He ordered and Yukio felt his body almost freeze at the command from him.

There had to be some type of magic spell on him from the way he was going along with whatever Shima was saying.

He used his other hand to hold down Yukio's leg from moving then placed the cloth on the wound. He didn't want to warn the prince that he was taking out the arrow because he knew that Yukio would fidget and make it harder for him to aid his leg.

He snatched it out harshly then slapped the piece of cloth over the fresh open cut.

Yukio wanted to seem like he was immune to the pain but the pained groan forced itself out of his mouth.

Shima was done wrapping the piece of cloth on his leg then tightly twisted it together.

"Yukio!"

Two voices called out and it made Shima look up to find the other twin and the famous traveller whom everyone knows about.

"Are you okay?"Rin asked and looked around his brother to find any type of scratch and he did once he saw the cloth stained in blood on his leg.

"Don't worry about it, I am fine! Just a mere scratch and nothing more than that."He assured with a slight smile then it returned back to the weak one,"Did you defeat the goblins?"

Izumo nodded and looked towards the Pink-haired who was looking sheepish as ever.

"I know you....You're a Shima!"

"How lovely it is to see you, my lady."Shima winked and Izumo looked disgusted.

"You two know each other?"Yukio asked out of genuine curiosity since the two had no business meeting or knowing each other.

But Shima's sly grin gave it away.

"I know everybody but that's another talk for now. Carry your brother back to the castle and maybe I'll see ya soon, sweet cheeks!"Shima patted Rin's back then looked at Yukio with one last smirk.

He said those words and took off running in the opposite direction of where they had originally came from.

Rin was still confused on who that was or where he came from but he was thankful that he managed to keep his brother safe until he could arrive.

Maybe he wasn't bad.

Or maybe he was.

"Did you bring some blood from the prince back with you?"

Shima came forward from the darkness and on to the spotlight in the middle of the dimmed room.

"Right here,"He brought the piece of cloth out from earlier and waved it up in the air.

He spared the other piece of cloth to Yukio's leg then used this one to keep it.

"And if his blood shows that he also inherited the blue flames then you know you're allowed to kill him and that will give you the chance to be immortal."

Shima was still unsure of how killing the sons of satan would make a person immortal but he still wanted to be the one to do it.

After all, the North kingdom knew everything about the East kingdom.

Chapter Text

The banging on the door had Yukio jolting out of his slumber but the guard calling out to him was already a sign something bad was happening.

He needed to be as quick as possible but the injury had him groaning and getting up a bit slower than usual.

He still managed to put on the essentials like his robe and his glasses.

"What's going on?"Yukio stepped out of his room and asked the guards creeping around the corner of the hall.

None of them answered and only guided him down to the dining room where his whole family sat, each looking as dreadful as ever.

That didn't look good.

"Sit."Yuri ordered and gestured for the guards to leave the room.

They obliged and left.

"What's happening?"He asked again while still maintaining his composure despite the fear that was growing inside of him.

These meetings were never good news and the last one they had was when Rin discovered his flames.

"Well...The North kingdom stirred up some rumors about you two and they aren't good in the slightest."Yuri stated with her voice shaky.

But then Shiro's comforting touch on her hand made her shoulders loosen up and her expression to soften.

"What kind of rumors exactly?"Yukio asked, feeling impatient.

Rin noticed how it wasn't the right time to be childish. He needed to also voice an opinion on their current situation.

"Everyone actually wants to kill us because king Mephisto started a rumor that killing us will give them immortality."

Yuri bit her lip then slammed her fist on the table. She hated the mention of his name but he was a clever one that always got his ways in everything.

Chances of the princes getting killed was zero but knowing Mephisto he would use every opportunity to try and come after them no matter what.

"I want to kill him so fucking badly you boys have no idea...But at the same time we can't wage a war just out of nowhere and put our people in danger."She stated then Rin looked at her as if she was ridiculous.

"Ye...Our people who want to kill us now?!? They fall for every little trick and we're just gonna keep protecting them?"

Yukio was the one to pat Rin's back to get him back settled in his chair but the older twin was too riled up to even care about the chair or getting back in it.

He would always suggest a war against anything every time trouble comes their way from the other kingdoms.

"I get it but it's not exactly a good move to turn on our own people and make you two kill them and the North kingdom. We have to think of a smart tactic in this to get those nasty rumors dead at least."Shiro spoke after thinking about the situation they were in and he couldn't think of any possible way to assure his people that killing the princes wouldn't grant them immortality.

Yukio nodded at his dad's suggestion then looked over to Rin.

Rin darted his eyes away from his brother's and huffed out of irritation.

"So what do you suggest we do? We don't exactly have the time to keep going back and forth on our decisions now."Yukio spoke and looked between Shiro and Yuri.

Getting his father's decision would be better than their mother's reckless decision on what to do.

Rin got that from her.

"Guess we're gathering them tomorrow at our church to make that announcement and hope that they actually listen and shift their views somehow."

The youngest twin nodded in agreement then looked to his brother for an opinion.

Rin only muttered a few curse words under his breath as an agreement. It's his way of communicating whenever he's too angry or heated to speak.

"Then we'll do our best and hope for the best! Sounds good?"

That was their plan. The princes were instructed back to their rooms with heavy guards surrounding them and it made them feel uncomfortable.

Yukio was hoping he could have a word with his brother but the door slam and the blue color coming from the outline of his door showed Yukio that perhaps it wasn't the best time.

He decided against it and went back to his room to talk to Shiemi or maybe rest his leg since it was still aching badly.

They weren't allowed to come out of their rooms until their dad can do that announcement to their people and Yukio was perfectly okay with staying in his room.

He could read a book and distract himself until the night comes.

"Oh, Shiemi. Perhaps I should turn myself into a bird so I don't have to play the role of the prince anymore..."He went on rambling more and more as time went by.

He wasn't aware of how much he went on until the light in the room was fading and the sound of the owl outside was heard.

Yukio lit the candle in his room to bring light then went to sit on his bed. But before he could, there was a knock on his door.

He made his way to the handle of the door and pulled it backwards to reveal one of the guards covering their face with their metal helmet.

There was no need for any guards to cover their faces unless there was a serious situation. This one seemed odd but Yukio wasn't even going to question it.

"Can I help you?"He cocked a brow and asked the other.

The guard nodded and walked inside his room, uninvited.

Yukio took a couple of steps back steadily, moving his hand to the back to try and reach the bow that was resting on his bed.

The guard was silent but the sound of the metal moving caused Yukio to act on instinct and charge at him with all he could since his leg wasn't responding well.

The prince got the hint that he was trying to kill him because of that dumb rumor.

The slick hand that belonged to the guard wrapped around Yukio's arm, snatching him back harshly against the wooden door with a thump.

Yukio wanted to yell but his voice was muffled from the hand covering his mouth.

"Easy there, cute face! Ya could've killed me!"

In an instance, Yukio knew who that voice belonged to and it baffled him just how easy Shima got him on the wall without even fighting.

Just how slick was this guy?

The prince's own heavy breathing let Shima know just how mad he was and Shima decided to step back and take off the helmet with a quick pull.

"Ya like the surprise?"

"How the hell did you get in here?"

Yukio glared at the Pink-haired who looked as carefree as ever.

"It was easy gettin' in here but I feel like it's more harder to get into your heart."Shima's chuckle had Yukio breathing even harder.

All those angry emotions just swarmed inside of him, practically pushing him to grab his bow and shoot an arrow right in the middle of Shima's forehead.

He was reasonable, he liked to remind himself.

"Tell me how you got in or I'll get all the guards on you."He warned, tone too strict to sound like he was bluffing.

And Shima already got the hint that he wasn't joking in the slightest.

"Security isn't as tight as I thought it would be and...poor lil ol' me had to stuff myself in this metal suit just for you!"He spoke then turned around and began examining the prince's room. He was taking his steps carefully from the way Yukio's stare was piercing through him and he felt threatened in a way.

But Shima continued to look at every detail in his room then he got to the bird in the corner of the room.

"What's his name?"

Yukio clicked his tongue,"Her name is Shiemi. She's my pet bird..."

He knew he should be calling the guards to collect the weirdo in his room but at the same time he told himself he can handle this and see what Shima wanted.

If Shima did want to kill him then he would've done it when Yukio was vulnerable enough to ask for help from the goblin attack so that certainly removed some of the suspicion.

"What do you want? It's as if you're everywhere I go.."

The Pink-haired turned to look at Yukio with a grin,"I already told ya!"

Yukio remembered why and then felt his face heating up at that certain memory. It was the way Shima said it in his ear that got him, that's all.

"Aw, someone a lil shy!"

He cooed and the prince looked down to avoid the embarrassment.

How could he even forget those words.

He wasn't aware of the steps being taken in his direction but the looming figure over him made him look up and realize Shima was only a few inches away from him.

If he could recall, Shima was shorter but the suit definitely gave him a little help on appearing taller.

"I want ya all to myself, baby."He leaned down and Yukio wanted to step back but forgot the pole behind him that belonged to his bed.

"No...you don't..."Yukio denied but blushed harder at the hot breath in his ear.

It felt weird since no one has ever came that close to him in contact besides battles and such.

"But I do...can you give me a chance, Yuki-chan?"Shima's voice was too hoarse and Yukio heard it loud and clear.

He shook his head and pushed the Pink-haired away with great force that had him stumbling back.

And in return he was chuckling at the way Yukio was fiddling with the hem of his shirt, looking as flustered as ever.

"I never told you to call me that nickname! You're so...inappropriate and I told you already, didn't I? I hate guys like you the most."

He looked up and eyed Shima with a sharper look than before. His face was finally calming down and he could actually manage to hold that eye contact without feeling like he was going to submit to Shima at any minute.

Maybe not that part since a part of Yukio still wanted to tell Shima that he would give him a chance, but he pushed that feeling deep down and ignored it.

"Suit yourself then."Shima shrugged and grabbed the helmet off the ground. He placed it back on his head with ease then headed towards the door.

He opened it slowly and then tilted his head or more of like the helmet tilting.

"See you tomorrow, Yu-ki-ch-an."He purposely let the nickname roll off his tongue in a slur to see that angry yet flustered reaction.

He didn't give Yukio the chance to speak before he was out, slamming the door behind him.

The wind from the door had a paper swaying in the air til it hit the ground. Yukio was confused as to where it came from but he decided to grab it and open it to see what it was.

He could barely makeout the smudged handwriting but then it became clear to him.

'Plese meat me in forest were we meat'

The grammatical errors were going to have Yukio running laps just like when his brother asks him if his letter is correct. He wondered if writing was that hard for everybody else.

"Pathetic..."

Back to the comforting silence in the room besides Yukio's thoughts that were as loud as ever.

"Yuki-chan."

"Ain't it obvious that I want ya, baby."

Why did those words have to replay in his head and make him blush.

He hated it it. He hated that feeling.

-

The next morning had caused quite the commotion.

Throughout the whole castle, the sound of people stomping and chatting was echoing through the thick walls.

That's how loud it always was when the villagers attended their church. It wasn't a small place but a big one that held many crowds.

Shiro cleared his throat so he can be heard loud and clear and the people turned their heads towards him to listen to what he had to say.

Yukio and Rin stood at the back, listening attentively to their father who began addressing the rumors and how they were all a misunderstanding.

The two read the people's faces to see what their reaction was going to be and it didn't seem like they were pleased to what he was saying.

Yukio crossed his arms and sighed.

"I'm guessing they don't like the idea that the rumors aren't true."Rin said and mirrored his brother's action.

"Doesn't look like it...not sure why they would listen to a silly lie anyways."Yukio replied simply.

He wasn't expecting the Pink-hair in the middle of the crowd and he wanted to scream and yell. Just why the hell was that bitch in there with them when he wasn't even from their kingdom.

"Now I'm starting to be sad that I didn't inherit the flames. I would've obliterated all of these people with a simple snap of my fingers."He continued and kept his focus on Shima who was looking 'dumbfounded.'

Shima wasn't that dumb to act dumb but he also was kind of dumb to fit that role.

"Who hurt you?"Rin joked and Yukio closed his eyes with a huff.

"Who didn't?"

His twin's brows arched then he looked at his brother with concern,"Did I hu-'

"No, Rin. I was just joking."

His father finally finished his speech and the people acted as if they didn't hear a single thing. The twins can tell that they weren't convinced nor on board on what Shiro was saying, so most likely they'll still go after the two to try and kill them.

The packs of people began to decrease but that Pink-haired idiot was standing in his place while everyone else passed by him to the exit.

Yukio watched him closely and Rin nudged his brother to grab his attention.

"About the getting hurt part...I think you should go to the confession box and let it out if you don't like talking about it to me."He proposed with a smile that his brother couldn't return.

The confession box was confessing your sins so what kind of sins would Yukio be confessing? But if talking to a random priest on the other side without his knowledge who it could be, then why not?

He watched his brother walk away with his father then looked back to find Shima. Unfortunately he wasn't there anymore and it relieved Yukio.

He was finally gone.

Everyone was gone and the church was back to quiet.

The younger twin checked one last time around him to see if anybody was there. He snuck to the confession box and opened the curtain that allowed him to get inside of it.

It wasn't that big but it was spacious enough for Yukio to sit on the stool attached to it on the inside. Then back to closing the curtain and ringing the bell to get a priest.

There were other priests in the church that helped his father and the twins specifically asked if they ever go in the confession box that they didn't want Shiro to end up on the other side.

The sound of the curtain on the other side startled Yukio but he was glad the priest didn't take that long.

He heard the other sitting and then that gave him the cue to start.

"I'm not sure where to start because if I'm being frank...I have no confessions. Maybe I do a little but I'm actually someone from the village and I have....'He dwelled on the fact whether he should make a fake story that would let out his inner confession without being obvious it's him or just confess it’s him.

But he chose the first option.

"I have a sister....and I'm a little jealous of her and I know I sound ridiculous....but I'm just jealous at how shes so free spirited and I'm so shut in...I'm jealous how she gets to have fun and explore some...feelings that I can't explore.."

He clutched at the hem of his vest and tried to hold the tears that were threatening to spill.

"And then this stupid idiot I met in the garden is so careless but...for some reason I'm feeling this weird sense of attraction- he- she's this somewhat unique but dumb girl....I just don't know what to do."

Yukio sighed then felt his eyes brimming with more tears just at everything. He felt like being jealous of his brother was enough of a sin and talking about him made him feel more sinful.

He felt disgusted at himself for being honest.

"Why not start with focusing on yourself instead of your sister?—'The priest began to speak, his deep voice being overly forced. Yukio thought it was strange but listened nevertheless.

"A life spent in jealousy and doubt can be so regrettable at the end when you realize it's too late...but I can assume that you're not that old and you still have time to take whatever path you want in your OWN life."

Yukio wiped the tears that were rolling down his cheeks with his sleeve and continued to listen.

"And so what if your sister is free spirited? You can have fun in other ways that are meant for whatever you're into...like maybe being quiet and such, is that correct?"

Yukio nodded but realized the priest would not hear his answer. He didn't want his voice to come out broken from his crying so he let the priest know that his answer was 'yes' from the silence.

"Then find someways that are enjoyable for you and have your life in your own way and as for feelings...you should definitely talk to that girl and go out with her if she's persistent."

The twin was listening along until the last part. His head perked up and he cleared his throat.

"Where did I mention that I wanted to go out with her?"He asked since he was feeling like he was being scammed at the moment.

He knew he recognized that voice but didn't want to ponder about it. Now he was starting to think that he should've and asked which priest he got.

"I-Is that not what girls are into these days?"

Yukio got up and opened the curtain to exit the cramped box.

He took a step to the box next to his and pulled the curtain away to find himself staring at Shima.

And to think he was getting rid of him.

"Do you have any idea how badly I want to kill you right now?"

Yukio's face was still damped with tears and seeing Shima was his breaking point too. He felt embarrassed and dumb for opening up and letting out his regrets to the boy he barely met two days ago.

He hated that he was crying more.

His crying wasn't as loud as the foot steps that were approaching although. And Yukio felt like he was going to panic if his dad came and saw him crying as if he was a kid again.

Shima noticed that change of expression and grabbed Yukio's hand, pulling him inside the box with him as well.

He closed the curtain and tried to squeeze Yukio on the small stool he was on but it was no use so Yukio ended up awkwardly sitting on Shima's lap with his head leaning down from the ceiling of the box.

It was so small and suffocating.

"Yukio?"

His father's voice echoed through the empty room but there was no reply back.

"Oh, sweetheart..Don't go ruinin' that pretty face of yours,"Shima whispered and used the tip of his thumbs to wipe away Yukio's tears gently.

"Yukio? Are you there?"Shiro called one last time.

Yukio refused to answer when he was currently sitting on a guy's lap in the confession box.

His father's footsteps faded away and he found himself letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Why are you here? Why are you everywhere? Are you stalking me?"Yukio asked while Shima's hands cupped his face and used his thumbs to continue wiping at the tears that were still streaming down his face.

"If I wasn't here then who would've held ya!"Shima joked with a quiet laugh that made Yukio feel a little better.

He hated the position they were both in but the fingers thumbing at his cheeks were too comforting to let go of.

"You're annoying...I hate you."

He didn't mean it of course but he still needed to put it out there that he was still the cold prince that hated everything that was nice.

"And I'll only show up to the forest if you can learn how to write.."

He mumbled and the glint in Shima's eyes practically blinded him.

"Really?!"

Yukio sighed, already regretting his decision.

"I guess...but I need to be careful because of these new rumors and stuff...so I'll meet you there at midnight."

If Yukio only knew that the rumors were spread by the same man who was underneath him.

"Then is it okay if we have sex in here?"

Yukio slapped Shima so hard that his handprint left a mark.

Chapter Text

Yukio studied his father's features then his mother's then Rin's.

They all seemed concentered on the gingerbread house they were making and it bored the hell out of him.

It was still before midnight and he was hoping they would go to sleep so he can sneak out to meet the idiot in the forest. Despite his leg's injury, he was going to risk it for Shima and maybe give him a chance just this time.

But his family staying up had him on edge and tense at every time they spoke to him or questioned him on why he was nervous.

Finally the dining room became empty after each one yawned and left to their rooms. Yukio played along and did the same to assure them he was also going to sleep just like them.

But he was out of the castle without the guards catching him or the maids seeing him.

It was harder than before due to his leg slowing him down, but he managed to set a pace that was fast enough to make him reach the forest and avoid all the villagers.

He retraced the exact steps he had taken into the forest when he was in it last time and it led him to the exact spot where he fell.

But Shima wasn't there yet.

"Ya actually came?"

The voice behind him made him shift his weight on his good leg and look back at Shima with a slight smile.

"Don't think too much about it..I'm just here because you begged me to be here."He replied and he replaced his smile with a fake frown.

Shima observed his different set of expressions then shrugged his shoulders, knowing that was how the prince was.

"Or you're here with me because ya actually wanna give this village boy a chance."The cocky grin on his face came back and Yukio wanted to wipe it off.

"Shut up...not true."

Shima laughed then brought out a folded cloth from the inside of his vest. He unraveled it slowly then spread it out in the air and placed it in the middle where they could sit and see the moon peeking through the trees.

The perfect spot to get a kiss too.

Shima sat down first then patted his lap,"Have a seat."

Yukio shook his head instantly and carefully sat down to avoid hitting his leg."You're so ridiculous! I'll never sit on your lap again!"

"Give it three minutes and we'll be makin' out under the moonlight."The Pink-haired said in a suggestive tone that made Yukio blush harder than before.

"What exactly is...making out?"He really wasn't all that knowledgeable on that sort of stuff even though he was nineteen and a prince. He should know the basics but he never bothered to.

Shima looked to the side at Yukio and lifted his hand towards the prince,"Shall I teach ya what makin' out is all about?"

He used that hand to delicately trail up from Yukio's arm to his shoulder then further up to where it held his chin.

"What do ya say?"

He lifted his chin up to make him look at how serious Shima was about his offer.

Yukio's response was obvious from the way he was blushing and silent about it since he was too tongue tied to say a word.

"Just a kiss wouldn't hurt...I suppose.."He mumbled and tore his eyes away from the other.

But Shima tilting his head brought his attention back on him.

"Close your eyes."He spoke a bit too quietly and Yukio did it without having a second thought.

His eyes were closed and now he felt the anticipation clawing at him and telling him to open his eyes and see what Shima's next move was going to be.

He desperately needed to know what was going to happen.

And it did happen. He couldn't even savior the moment since the peck on his lips went by too fast and it made him feel sad that it was quick.

He opened his eyes and saw the other's staring right into his.

"Can I keep goin', baby?"He asked for permission and Yukio found it hard to even say 'no' because he wanted another kiss as well.

"Mhm..."He agreed with a hum and closed his eyes again.

This time he was leaning forward, his heart throbbing too loudly in his chest.

Their lips met in the middle again but this time it was longer than the last and Yukio could finally feel just how soft Shima's lips were.

Yukio wasn't sure what to do next but Shima's hand tilted his chin to the side more somehow made the kiss ten times better.

They pulled back but slower to stare at each other.

"You took my first kiss, thief."Yukio whispered.

Shima chuckled and glanced down at his lips then back up,"Can I steal one more then?"

"Don't be absurd! Only close people...kiss and do that stuff together and I'm still not sure what I want right now.."Yukio was expecting a look of disappointment on the Pink-haired's face but he was relieved to see it was a reassuring smile instead.

"I won't pressure ya then or do anything that you're still not ready for and besides! We got all the time in the world to get to know each other and do all that cutesy stuff."

His hand let go of Yukio's chin and he hated the loss of contact between the two but then sighed and fidgeted with his hands out of a nervous habit.

"I don't know anything about you or where you're from so we could start from there perhaps...?"

Shima scratched the back of his neck and laughed,"I'm actually from the South kingdom! Y'know, the Suguro king's kingdom?"

Yukio nodded at the familiarity of the name,"I haven't had the honor of seeing them but I believe we do have a scheduled meeting with their prince, Bon."

The Pink-haired gasped dramatically and Yukio was worried he had said something wrong.

"Bon is actually one of my close friends!"

Shima got into detail about his home and how he met most of his friends and how he was somehow invited to the ball.

Yukio was invested in knowing more but he found himself yawning and leaning his head on Shima's shoulder, liking the way his shoulder would heave up and down whenever he talked.

He felt guilty for keeping whatever was between them a secret to his family but he also felt like it wasn't bad to have secrets of his own. And Shima seemed like a great guy that was trustable and safe.

Or so he thought.

"Are ya getting sleepy there?"

Shima asked and got no response.

He looked down at Yukio from his angle and he could see the eyelashes resting on his cheeks. He was definitely fast asleep.

"Goodnight to you too then.."

Shima sighed one last time and tilted his head to rest it on Yukio's.

Shima was good at keeping his job discrete. But if he somehow does find himself falling for the prince then it will be a hassle for him to finish his job.

How could he avoid that? Their kiss earlier made him feel fuzzy and warm. It was getting bad.

The sound of the leaves getting crushed underneath some boots caused Yukio to slowly open his eyes and adjust to his surroundings.

He lifted himself up off the cloth he was laying on and looked behind him to catch Shima walking back from the opposite direction they came from.

Then he looked back at the sun that was rising.

"I...I have to go back to the castle before they think I'm in danger."He pushed himself off the ground hardly and stumbled forward from his leg.

Shima ran and caught him before he could fall and hurt himself.

"Be careful! I don't want ya in too much of a rush that you'll hurt yourself, dummy!"

Yukio backed away from Shima once he was stable enough to stand back on his feet,"I'm okay! I just need to get back or else my family will think someone had kidnapped me."

The Pink-haired rose a brow with a smirk,"I'm the kidnapper in question."

The prince rolled his eyes and lightly pushed him to the side to continue walking.

One step at a time and Yukio was finding it better to get used to walking again.

Shima was following close behind him, watching his every step.

Also watching his butt.

"I know you're staring there. Stop it, perv."

Shima lifted his hands up, guilty.

"Seems like we're gettin' pretty close if ya ask me...could it be that you're fallin' hard for me, Yuki-chan?"

Yukio wasn't going to waste his breath on this argument so he shrugged.

"You caught me! I am falling sooooo hard for your pink hair and your hand writing."

His insults weren't hurtful but rather amusing to Shima. He grinned and caught up to Yukio, walking by his side until he had to stay behind once they reached the frontlines of the castle.

"This is where we say our goodbyes?"Shima asked with a bit of disappointment to have their time limited.

Yukio didn't like how he sounded sad and he didn't exactly want to leave Shima with a frown.

He mustered up some courage and leaned closer to indicate he wanted to give the Pink-haired a kiss.

His eyes were closed and his lips puckered up.

Shima thought it was cute so without leaving him to wait, he leaned in as well and softly placed a kiss on his lips.

"If we keep kissin' like this...I'll probably end up ravshin' ya, darlin'."He whispered in the small space they had and Yukio quickly pulled back with a blush.

"Fuck off!"

He yelled and tried to take off running like a dramatic exit but his leg slowed him down and made him trip on his way.

Shima watched, a smile plastered across his face.

Amused somewhat but anxious also. He really did find himself getting more tangled with the prince and having a little attachment to him.

And the prince was also figuring out his feelings and blushing at every memory he would remember of them. The small kisses and the petnames and the staring into each other's eyes.

It was all something new.

He tried his best to tip his way through the guards and maids to avoid any of them bumping into him and asking where he's been.

He finally entered his room and flinched at the chair in the middle of his room that was occupied by his brother.

The chair was turned towards the opposite direction and Yukio was confused as to why Rin was in his room in the first place.

"Ri-'

The sound of the chair's legs screeching had him pausing and wondering what the fuck was even going on.

Rin was lifting the chair and dragging it around so he could face Yukio with 'mystery' but it only made him look like an idiot.

"You mind telling me where you were?"

Yukio swallowed slowly and tried to hide his nervousness with a scoff,"I was getting water....where else would I be?"

Rin nodded slowly, skeptical.

"So you weren't out meeting someone in the middle of the night?"

He hit the nail on the head with that one.

Yukio still wanted to deny his brother's questions and make him believe him.

"Do you really think I have the patience to leave my room to meet someone in the middle of the night when my foot is injured!"

Rin rose a brow and the younger twin sighed in return.

"Why aren't you believing me? I wasn't out with anybody."

Rin still hummed in suspicion.

"Then why did I wake up to the maids putting me back in bed instead of my sweet lil brother who was somewhere out railing a village girl!"

Yukio's face scrunched in disgust and he wanted to tackle his brother and punch the shit out of him. His thoughts were always leading to violence for some reason.

"You're being so weird! You know damn well I hate interacting with people and I even avoid them as much as possible so why would I be out in the middle of the night to meet somebody?"

Rin then held his hand up with his two fingers securing something in the middle.

Yukio couldn't even tell what he was holding and looked at his brother, puzzled.

"Who owns pink hair in the family then?"

Yukio's gulp was obvious now. There was no way out of this one.

"Um- Shiemi- sheds....sometimes...."Even he sounded ridiculous and he knew he was being stupid for even trying to reason without any backup to his statements.

He was hopeless.

Rin huffed and got out of his chair,"I'm not being mean or anything but I am warning you to stay away from those...shady people. You know they're out to get us and you're also a target."

He patted his brother's shoulder and paused.

"Just be careful...please."

And with that he was out of his room.

Yukio stood in his spot, trying to understand why his brother was even in his business or telling him to be careful when half of the time it was Rin being careless.

Rin trying to look out for him always irritated him and made him feel as if he was weak and needed the protection. He hated that feeling and wanted his brother to leave him alone.

He truly felt bitter. He decided to lay down on his bed and sleep it off to let the feeling wither away.

He was hoping he could sleep longer than he intended but the sound of Shiemi flying around in her cage caused his eyes to flutter open.

It was too dark in his room and he assumed it was nighttime. He made no effort to get up so he closed his eyes back to sleep.

Yukio wasn't aware of how long he's been out of it but when he woke up and looked at the light creeping through the shades of his window, he realized it was actually the next day.

He slept for almost two days.

He felt as if he barely slept but he did need to start his day early and get ready for the meeting with the prince, Ryuji.

Something about alliance between the two and Yukio had to attend.

He got ready quickly and stepped out of his room only to meet with Rin who was still pulling up his pants.

"We're fucking laaAAAaaTe!"He face planted into the floor from his pants and grunted at the hit.

"Are they here?"He asked without bothering to help his brother off the ground.

Rin jumped back on his feet and finally buttoned his pants,"Dunno! But they say the South has a sexy ass princess and if she's coming then I gotta make a good impression."

Yukio lifted his finger up to correct his brother that the South kingdom had a prince but he let his brother stay in his fantasy.

"Let's go and meet her then, shall we?"He smiled and walked ahead, leaving Rin behind.

"Hey! wait up!!"

Yukio walked down the stairs carefully due to his injury while Rin skipped down in the speed of sound. He seemed too enthusiastic to meet this 'princess' but the younger twin knew that he'll end up being so disappointed that he'll cry his eyes out.

They reached the room where their guests are guided to and they spotted their mother talking to a figure near the big wooden doors. His mother's figure was covering the outline of the 'princess' but a streak of yellow caught Rin's attention and he instantly whistled.

"She's blonde too?! This must be jackpot! Do I look good, be honest?"He turned to his brother and straightened his posture to appear more manly and intimidating.

Yukio let out a faint chuckle and gave Rin the answer he wanted to hear,"You look great, really. I bet she'll fall in love with you on the spot."

The two walked in sync to stand near their mother to greet the guests but once the 'princess' was coming into Rin's view, the smile on his face was slowly starting to drop.

"Oh, you're both finally here! Meet prince Ryuji."Yuri said with the biggest smile that didn't match Rin's at all.

The prince bowed his head forward slightly and extended his hand out to shake the oldest first.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

His hand was left cold as Rin was still registering the huge loss. No sexy princess that he could've married or at least got her as a girlfriend.

It was a tragedy.

"The pleasure is all mine!"Yukio took the chance to step in front of his brother and shake the other prince's hand with a light laugh,"He's making that face because he's about to sneeze."

Rin still didn't want to accept that it was a guy.

"Shall we?"Yuri laughed and Ryuji looked towards her with a nod.

They all sat around one of their biggest tables and began discussing. Shiro had some sort of quest out of the kingdom and that would mean Yuri would get all the work and gain control of everything and so planning this alliance was up to her.

Yukio listened to everything the two had discussed but as for his brother, he was like a statue in his seat.

"My people are very content to know that we'll be siding with you in every battle from now on."Ryuji spoke towards Yuri and she returned a smile.

"Of course! I already feel safer knowing you're on our side so it's a pleasure!"

That concluded their chatter but Yuri offered Ryuji to explore the garden outside with her sons and she was secertly hoping for Yukio and Rin to get along with Ryuji to strengthen the bond between the two kingdoms.

Rin wanted to refuse but he was dragged along with a whine.

"So why do they call you Bon-Bon if you're a guy?"Was Rin's first question to Ryuji.

He looked back at him and a look of annoyance crossed his face.

"It's Bon but It just started out as a silly nickname when I was younger and it stuck to me ever since. Why do ya ask?"

Rin clicked his tongue and turned to look at the wall next to him.

"Do I have to explain why I ask every question now?"He mumbled mainly to himself but Ryuji heard him and rolled his eyes.

"Were ya expecting a princess with big boobies?"

Rin looked back with a blush painting his cheeks."Maybe...wasn't expecting a rooster though."

Ryuji brows furrowed in anger at the comment,"The hell's that suppose to mean?"

Yukio was starting to desperately hope the guard guiding them to the garden was going to walk faster but he had to endure a whole argument between the two in front of him.

He would rather be with...

He shook his head and didn't want to think about it.

He'll just forget about Shima for the day and try to distract himself if he could.

Chapter Text

Yukio thought he wasn’t going to trouble himself again with Shima, but after a lot of reconsideration and debating. He found himself out in the forest in the same spot with the Pink-haired.

Everytime a giggle would escape the prince's lips, Shima would feel his heart fluttering just at the sound alone. He wanted to tackle Yukio and kiss the living daylights out of him but he still had to remind himself this was only a mission and he can't fall in love at all.

Both of them had problems of their own that they couldn’t tackle. Not yet at least.

The setting of the mood was far too peaceful and they both let those problems slip away to enjoy the moment.

"I can't believe you're getting me to sneak out like this again...I truly feel like a bad kid!"Yukio admitted with one last giggle leaving his mouth as he was easily humored by whatever Shima was saying.

"I can come in your room instead if ya throw me your hair out of the window, princess.”Shima was letting out a loud laugh as a distraction to scoot closer and have their knees bumping.

It was a small minor detail that Yukio noticed quick but chose to ignore it as normal.

"I don't think you can make it up that—'

Once Yukio turned his focus away from the moon to face Shima, he paused when their faces only held a small gap between them.

He didn't like how everytime they were close to each other, his thoughts would wander off to the kisses they shared or to the thoughts of actually wanting to kiss some more. He was too nervous to ask Shima to try that kissing stuff again so he really kept it to himself to avoid the embarrassment.

"Yuki-chan?"

He hummed as a response, too distracted to say a proper word as he continued to ponder about it.

"Can I kiss you?"

He was bold enough to straight up ask but it was Shima and he was always bold and always subtle with what he wanted. Sometimes that is.

Yukio was excited to hear those words but he had to act as if it didn't affect him at all.

"I guess...we can try again.."

Shima was pleased to hear the prince's answer and he somewhat got the hint that Yukio was too nervous to ask if they could kiss. He didn't see why he was too embarrassed to even ask when Shima would reply with a 'yes' in a heartbeat.

He shook away the thought and shifted his body in the direction of Yukio and the other just mirrored his action as well.

They both leaned in at the same time as they both felt like they have been anticipating this moment for too long but Yukio leaned his forehead forward too aggressively and it caused a crash between the two.

They both pulled back while rubbing the area they hit, groaning at the shock.

"Watch it!"Yukio hissed.

Shima stiffly chuckled then rubbed at the sore spot,"Who's fault was that?"

Yukio hated to admit it was really his and how he rushed in. But he quickly recovered from the hit and wasted no time in leaning in again, hoping he wouldn't mess it up.

Shima took the chance to also do the same as he was starting to lose patience.

Their lips brushed against each other softly only because the Pink-haired wanted to tease Yukio to get him desperate.

So cute. He thought to himself at how the prince's face was practically glowing under the moonlight then he closed his eyes to see if Yukio was going to be brave enough to make the first move.

He didn't.

Shima opened his eyes again, but he was taken back by the pleading look on Yukio's face.

He didn't hold himself back anymore and slowly connected their lips in a gentle manner. The sound of the shared kiss was soft and quiet in the middle of the wind swaying and the chirping of the forest.

Shima pulled back to let the moment settle which seemed like it had already settled for Yukio who was leaning in again for another kiss.

Surely, Yukio would've tried to compose himself after the kiss that set butterflies in his stomach, but he wasn't able to control himself anymore and wanted more than just a kiss.

The quick peck again turned deeper and lasted longer than before, leaving a good taste on both of their lips.

Kissing alone had Shima wanting to do something more and he let his desire consume him easily with the prince.

By the time he was brushing Yukio's bottom lip with his thumb to make him open his mouth, he realized just how badly he wanted to have Yukio.

That's when the prince pulled back with a shocked gasp that interrupted their little kissing session.

"You okay there?"Shima asked even though he knew why Yukio was acting so dramatic. He could read the prince's emotions just by his body language alone.

"I just-...feel like I'm bad at this.."His eyes darted away for a brief moment to avoid the stare he got from the Pink-haired,"I don't want to make it awkward."

Shima didn't think it was awkward at all. In fact, he thought of Yukio as a great kisser and he was a first timer too.

"Just follow my lead, okay?"

Yukio was still doubting whether he can manage to hold up and stay strong. Just the kissing alone had him feeling like jelly.

"Okay.."

Shima's hand was placed back on Yukio's cheek with his thumb trailing from his ear down to where it gently brushed against the prince's lips, loving how soft and tender they were under his finger.

Yukio almost bit his finger but then preceded to part his lips slightly in order to grant access for the Pink-haired.

His thumb was pulled back once their lips firmly pressed against each other but it only lasted for a few seconds once Shima was having his his teeth latch on to the bottom lip of Yukio's, biting it gently.

That action alone made Yukio want to pass out and never recover from it.

He was taken by surprise when he felt Shima's tongue enter his mouth but he also loved the warm feeling that came with it.

He loved the taste of his tongue. The taste of the chocolate that Shima brought earlier as a 'silly' gift but it did come in handy.

Their tongues slid against each other with ease almost too slowly to let the moment last.

Yukio let out a choked whimper at the back of his throat that sent good shivers down Shima's spine.

It was a new strange feeling he never got to experience and with Shima it felt even better.

"Mm-'

They pulled back to take a breather and noticed how both of their eyes were crossed and their cheeks were as red as ever.

He didn't even know how to kiss but he'll just follow whatever Shima was doing.

Shima leaned in again and bumped his forehead against the prince's, just not too aggressively like Yukio.

"You're too easy to impress, baby."He whispered before having his lips on the other's.

There was no time for Yukio to complain since his mouth was opened once again. He lost himself too deep into the kiss to care whatever was going to happen next but then he was pulling back, wheezing at the sudden tug at the bottom of his throat.

The amused look on Shima's face showed just how much he was enjoying this.

"That's what happens when ya swallow too much saliva, Yuki-chan."

Yukio wiped his mouth with his sleeve and glared with his brows lowering,"It was your fault! I'm not sure why this kissing stuff is so complicated when all you have to do is make your lips share an intimate moment."

Shima snickered and looked away to hide his chuckles.

"What? Did I say something funny?"Yukio pouted and the Pink-haired looked back with amusement in his eyes.

"Just your wordin' is a lil funny sometimes, did anybody ever tell ya that?"

Yukio was told that several times by his own family and especially whenever he tried to make a joke.

"Whatever. You have a prince kissing you and all you do in return is laugh? I might not share kisses with you anymore if you continue to act ridiculous."

Shima didn't seem like he was laughing anymore when a certain look in his eyes made Yukio gulp.

"You'd rather have me fuckin' ya instead then?"

He noticed just how intimidating his tone has become and how he was leaping forward, making Yukio lean back and have his back hit the cloth underneath them.

"I d-didn't really...mean that.."His own gulp again was loud and he couldn't help it when Shima was blocking his view from seeing anything else but him.

"Stop messin' with me, Yuki-chan. I can't keep holdin' back when you keep actin' cute like that."

His voice was stern yet strict but Yukio couldn't take him seriously once he had his face buried into his neck, nuzzling it.

It made Yukio giggle just because he was ticklish but his giggles faded away into a quiet whimper once the feeling of Shima’s tongue rolled against his neck.

"Shima—'

His own breathing became heavier and just now he was starting to process the position they were in. All tangled with each other and so close to take in each other's heat and smell.

It made him very aware of his surroundings.

"Can I hear ya say my name?"

Shima whispered against his neck and nipped at the certain spot he licked earlier. It made Yukio cover his mouth in attempt to block the moan that was threatening to come out.

".....Uh-...'

Yukio made a struggling noise that made Shima look up and look at him with confusion written all over his face. Then that confusion turned into disappointment.

"Did ya forget my name?"

Yukio stayed silent then he let out a laugh at the other's quirked brows and frown.

"I was trying to humor you! Of course I remember your name, how could I forget? Renzou."

An obvious blush spread all over Shima's cheeks at how his name rolled off the prince's tongue and he blushed even harder especially how it was followed by a warm laugh.

"Don't scare me like that!"He went back to to burying his face into Yukio's neck with a relieved sigh,"I thought ya wouldn't think of my name as that important..."

Yukio's hand lifted then he contemplated whether it was okay for him to place it on Shima's head and play with his hair.

But the sudden urge to hug Shima just pushed his hand and his fingers to run through the soft pink hair with a gentle touch.

"You're....important to me..I suppose.."

He mumbled to himself, surprised at his own words really. He still was unsure of his feelings but despite the confusion, he still wanted to have Shima in his life and change it for the better.

"Say my name again."He whispered against the prince's ear quietly and Yukio went back to thinking just how unbearable it was for him to think of anything soft from his voice.

"Make..me say your name again...then.."He challenged with a nervous chuckle at the end which made him feel the outline of that smug grin against his ear.

He wasn't expecting the feeling of the wet tongue to trail from his ear down to his neck and find that sensitive spot he was licking earlier. The feeling of Shima's teeth digging into his neck made him wince in pleasure but also give him a rush of excitement.

It definitely drew a whimper from his mouth too quickly.

"R-Renzou-“

His name came out in a lazy moan and Yukio only realized just how much he's been keeping that feeling pent up. The desire to hold someone and the desire to call someone's name out, not necessarily in a sexual way but in in a somewhat intimate way.

"Again."Shima ordered, the demand in his tone stricter than before. He kept his tongue flicking at the bruise that was forming on the spot where he bit, loving the color of it.

The fingers that was once running through Shima's hair were now grasping at a fistful of hair to keep him in his spot. He made sure he wasn't rough to hurt him.

Shima still wanted to hear his name being called out since it was so addicting to hear from Yukio.

He carefully snuck a hand down his shirt then lifted his knee up further between the Prince's legs to make him more aware of it.

He was a little shocked to feel Yukio immediately rutting against it.

"Fuck...Renzou— It feels- w-weird- good!"He attempted to speak but he couldn't properly form a sentence.

Yukio would probably take the time to register his words and actions later but for now, he was far too deep to even comprehend anything but the leg he was grinding against and the lips on his neck.

"HEY! WHO'S THERE?"

The two were suddenly perking up at the yelling coming from the direction of the light that was coming into view.

Shima pulled away and Yukio sat up quickly and tried to pat his clothes down that were for some reason lifted up.

He didn't even realize Shima had his hand up there.

"Uhhh- No one!"Shima replied back to whoever was there. He wasn't worried about getting caught in the slighest, however, Yukio was panicking and trying to find something to cover his face to not be identified.

"Who's no one?"

The voice was much more clear now and Yukio wished he was dead because he knew who it belonged to. He should've known who it was from the moment she was yelling.

Of course that witch will always come to ruin shit for him.

"Yukio? Is that you?"

She directed more towards at the Black-haired who jolted from behind the hands that were covering his face.

"Who's Yukio?"Shima tilted his body to block Yukio and answered with a dumbfounded expression that could've fooled anybody else but the witch.

"Well look at you, four-eyes! Didn't expect to find ya in the woods makin' out with a ... who are you?"She looked towards Shima and cocked a brow.

He noticed just how annoyed she sounded when she talked to him and he attempted to fake an offended gasp.

"Who am I?! Ever heard about the best Shima?"

Shura looked off into the distance, trying to remember where she heard that name.

"Juzo? Or nah, wait, what was the name of that black fire wil—'

"Enough! Enough! You're not fun to play guessin' games with...Who are ya anyways?"

"That's my family's friend...a witch named Shura."Suddenly the face behind the hands was talking and Shima was surprised to hear Yukio's faint voice.

He sounded humiliated and angry.

He really was baffled.

"I really expected ya to end up with Izumo but I guess princes these days start swingin' for a stick or a peni-'

Yukio coughed out loud to avoid her continuing.

"Be quiet!! We were only— Um..only...-fighting..."

Shura snickered at how flustered Yukio was and it brought joy to her heart whenever he would lose his composer in front of her.

"Only fightin'? The bruise on your neck gives me the idea that Shima kicked your ass."She joked and Shima looked at the hickey in accomplishment.

"Thank you for acknowledgin' my hard work on this fine piece of art."He pointed at Yukio with a wink and in return, he got an angry slap on the face.

"Fuck with me again and I'll kill you."He seemed too mad. Or too humiliated.

He wanted to get himself out of this situation and go back to the castle to avoid the two annoying wood peckers that were taunting him.

"I'm out of here."

He got up with a grunt and cursed at the way his legs were feeling wobbly. He stood in his spot and Shura looked from his face down to his crotch.

He then realized just how tight his pants were.

"Ya leavin' with all that rock draggin' behind ya?"Shura looked back up and Yukio wanted to really kill her or strangle her on the spot.

"I did that."Shima grinned with confidence.

Yukio kicked him and it had him rolling away til his body was hitting a tree near by.

"Go to hell! Both of you!"

Were his last words before he was taking off, running. He ignored the voices that called out to him behind him and just followed the trail he came from.

He should be able to make it back to the castle without having anybody catch him so he wasn't too worried about reaching it anytime soon.

That meant he had time to think about what the fuck just happened between him and Shima. He was always able to read people's faces and know their thoughts just be getting to know them a little, but with Shima it was conflicting.

He seemed serious about wanting something more with the prince and that's what made him more confused. No one has ever wanted a serious relationship with him unless it was for his money or the fact that he was the prince.

There was something deeper he couldn't put his finger on and it frustrated him.

He hadn't realized just how much he ran until a guard was calling out to him.

He hoped he wouldn't snitch on why he was out in the middle of the night.

"You better not mess with em' or else you'll be dealin' with some blue angry flames."Shura warned the Pink-haired who looked back at her with a dumbfounded face.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

Shura chuckled and shook her head at his act.

"Quit your job and make him happy if you're startin' to fall for him then."

Shima still had a silly grin on his face to dismiss her statements.

“Not anytime soon, chuckle face.”

If he had to be honest, he had to make a choice.