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As the second-born, Tadashi had no chance at being King. Frankly, even being called a Prince was just a formality at this point. He was okay with that, though. His older sister, Kiyoko, was more level-headed than him, and she would make a strong ruler of their kingdom. Tadashi would be her head knight, and he would gladly do whatever she required of him. For now, they were still young, and their father was still alive. But one day, he would be serving a different crown.
(Sometimes, when thinking about all the cruel acts committed by his father in the years of his rule, Tadashi felt that day couldn’t come soon enough.)
He was sixteen when his father sent him to train to be a knight. There was a training facility in the middle of the Miyagi kingdoms, in neutral territory, presided over by the Great King Oikawa Tooru.
(“Nee-san, I feel guilty leaving you here alone for a month. What will you do if he–?”
Kiyoko waved off Tadashi’s concerns. “I have Tobio-chan by my side now. Father would never do anything with a servant present.”
“What if he just mistreats her as well?”
“I’ll drive a sword through his heart while he sleeps,” Kiyoko replied, too serious for Tadashi’s comfort.
“Nee-san–”
“I’m kidding,” she assured him. “Probably… In any case, we duel when you get back. I’m still pretty handy with a sword, you know.”
“I remember,” he laughed. “I’ll see you next month, Nee-san.”)
“Welcome, young knights of the Miyagi courts!” King Oikawa’s voice was far too peppy, echoing throughout the camp. It took all of Tadashi’s effort not to cringe.
Oikawa continued with his introduction, and then the camp began. The training was brutal, the heat was grueling, but Tadashi never felt more alive than he did with a sword in hand. This was what he was born to be doing.
That night, after washing up and eating, Tadashi stayed a little ways off from the other knights-in-training. They were louder, and bigger, and some older, and he didn’t feel comfortable mingling. That was when he noticed someone walking up from behind him.
“Hello?” he said, spinning to face the newcomer.
“Relax. I’m one of the knights. I’m not going to kill you,” the man replied, a bored expression on his face.
“I – I’m Prince Tadashi, of the Kara Kingdom!” Tadashi introduced himself, bowing low.
“I’m Lord Kei, of the Suno Kingdom,” Kei replied blandly. “Cousin to the future queen.”
“Princess Hitoka?” Tadashi asked, embarrassed at how his voice cracked.
Kei snorted. “Yeah, like every other guy here doesn’t wish he could be her betrothed.”
“Wha– hey! It’s not like that! I have no interest in being anything other than a knight in my older sister’s court!”
Kei narrowed his eyes. “Ah. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I cared.”
Tadashi couldn’t help but huff a laugh. “Alright. We can just sit in silence, then. No need to talk.”
So, they did.
On the second day of training, Kei and Tadashi were paired up to duel.
Kei still didn’t seem much for words, but Tadashi enjoyed their duel. Kei was graceful in his movements, the look of apathy never leaving his eyes. He wasn’t more skilled than the others Tadashi had dueled, but there was something about his technique that entranced Tadashi.
Once it was over (Kei won), they drank water together on the sidelines while the next pair went to practice.
“You’re really good at that,” Tadashi commented, grinning over at Kei. “Did you learn before coming here?”
Kei looked at him from the corner of his eyes. “My…brother taught me.”
“That’s awesome! Nee-san taught me,” Tadashi admitted. “But – oh! Don’t tell anyone who might tell Father… He doesn’t like that Nee-san can use a sword.”
For the first time ever, Kei’s lips quirked up into what was almost a smile. “That’s pretty badass of her.”
Tadashi beamed back at him. “Most guys wouldn’t think so!”
“My…older brother had a fiancée who was handy with a sword. Women can be pretty badass. They should be allowed to be knights as well.”
“You speak so boldly for a man who’s hardly royal,” Tadashi marveled.
“My cousin – the Princess Hitoka – wishes to learn sword, but her father forbids it. I think it’s absurd. Hitoka-chan has the potential to be one of the best knights in our kingdom. If she has that much potential, and Saeko-san had that much potential, then surely the potential would extend to any woman who so wished to serve her kingdom so.”
Warmth spread throughout Tadashi’s chest.
“My sister would like the way you talk,” he admitted.
“And you?” Kei asked, another sideways glance.
Tadashi’s face heated up. “I like the way you talk, as well.”
It wasn’t too many days after when Tadashi followed Kei into the woods late at night for the first time.
“Tsukki!” Tadashi called in a hushed voice after him. The nickname arose after Tadashi learned Kei’s surname for the first time. “Where are we going?”
Once they were about fifteen minutes away from the camp, Kei stopped and turned, grabbing Tadashi’s wrist and pinning him against a tree.
“Tsukki?” Tadashi asked, heartrate picking up.
Kei cupped Tadashi’s cheek with his free hand. “Stop me if I’ve misread the situation,” he murmured before leaning part of the way down.
Their noses brushed, and Tadashi thought he might faint. He reached up for the back of Kei’s head and pulled him closer to fill the gap. Tadashi was inexperienced, but Kei didn’t seem much better off in that department, so he just held his new friend close, gently moving their lips together.
Father would have me hanged for this, Tadashi thought absently to himself.
Then, Kei gently tugged Tadashi’s lip between his teeth, and Tadashi didn’t think he cared.
Stealing kisses late at night became a habit, but that wasn’t all there was to Tadashi’s relationship with Kei.
(Not that he didn’t thoroughly enjoy a good hour in Kei’s lap, licking into each other’s mouths, grasping each other like they were afraid the other would disappear if they let go.)
They also would lay in each other’s arms, talking about their lives – or, Tadashi would talk, and Kei would listen – gazing up at the stars.
Kei knew a lot about the constellations, which surprised Tadashi. His father had always associated astronomy with astrology, and witchcraft was of course, illegal.
“My older brother’s fiancée was a witch,” Kei confided. “She was from a family of witches.”
“Witchcraft is only legal in Tokyo! Where did she learn?”
He shrugged. “Hitoka-chan says that our family has witch blood too, as does your royal family.”
Tadashi turned in Kei’s arms to face him. “Whoa, really? How does she know?”
Kei shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. “I think our teacher is a warlock.”
“Your life sounds so cool!” Tadashi marveled. “You’re so cool, Tsukki.”
Kei clicked his tongue and turned in an attempt to hide his blush. “We could get in so much trouble, Tadashi.”
Tadashi smiled and kissed Kei’s cheek. “Oh, so what if we do extra drills for staying out later–?”
“You know that’s not what I meant.” Kei looked sad, for the first time since Tadashi had known him. “Our kingdoms are the last two that haven’t decriminalized homosexuality. We could be burnt at the stake.”
“We should learn magic, too, then,” Tadashi said, turning to sit in Kei’s lap entirely.
“What?”
Tadashi looped his arms around Kei’s neck. “If we’re going to be executed someday anyways, we might as well have fun.”
“Tadashi…”
Tadashi bumped their noses together. “You’re worth dying for.”
“You barely know me.”
“I think I’m in love with you.”
“Tadashi.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, foreheads pressed together, taking in each other’s warmth.
“I think I’m in love with you too.”
“Tomorrow’s the last day of training, and our kingdoms are at war,” Tadashi sighed. “What will we do?”
Kei leaned up to kiss him. “Wait. For as long as it takes.”
“Yeah?”
Kei nodded. “Yeah.”
It only took five years.
Tadashi’s father and Kei’s uncle were meeting under the pretense of peace talks, but Tadashi wasn’t listening. The moment dinner was over and the coast was clear, Tadashi dragged Kei to his room, locked the door, and pinned him against the wall.
“It’s been far too long, old friend,” Tadashi murmured, a hand on Kei’s cheek.
“Are you going to kiss me sometime before the next war, Tadashi, or do I have to do everything myself?”
Tadashi laughed. “You waited five years. You can wait five more seconds while I tell you that I love you, and that I thought about you every day.”
Kei sighed, leaning into Tadashi’s hand. “I love you too. All of that. Just– Tadashi. If you don’t kiss me, I feel I may say or do something embarrassing. I’ve never been very good with words.”
“I know,” Tadashi whispered.
“I need you to know why my Uncle is here.”
Tadashi paused. “Oh?”
“He’s going to offer me as a husband to your sister, Tadashi.” Kei avoided Tadashi’s eyes. “And he’s going to request you as a husband for my cousin.”
Tadashi felt like the floor had just been ripped out from underneath him, like his heart had been torn out.
This can’t be happening.