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It's been a tough fight. Prince Akito isn't sure if he would've been able to lead his small army to victory without Toya’s help in stepping up as the tactician of his ragtag band of do-gooders in the war.Akito and Ena discovered Toya in the midst of a field, knowing nothing but his date of birth and name. He at least had his wits intact, and a good heart to boot. He’s proved to be a valuable asset and good company. Akito started to really enjoy the idea of having a second-in-command who can lead him to victory.However, it's finally over now. An takes the lead in scattering, trailing ahead on her horse with Kohane following after on her pegasus. The rest similarly take off, spearheaded by Arata.Ena lingers, clutching her staff as she eyes Akito. “Let's regroup.”“Ena. Mind going ahead? Toya and I will catch up later.” Akito breathes, still fresh off adrenaline thrumming through his body from the battle, wiping his sword clean again of any blood.“Don't take too long.” She huffs, but scampers off with the rest.Toya blinks, staying situated as he holds his tome to the side. His wyvern lingers behind the both of them, acting as a lookout for the both of them. “Akito? Did you want to speak about something?”“Yeah,” Akito pauses, and takes a deep breath. “I was just thinking the whole time that there was something I wanted to say. I couldn't have gotten this far without you. I also wanted to say sorry for dragging you into this.”“And I am indebted to you, Akito.” Toya lets out a laugh. “You did take me along where I had nowhere to go. I chose to be here. Although, where did this come from?”“Something about this fight just made me think.” Akito admits softly. “The war is far from over, but it’s been weighing on me. I don’t want to miss a single moment. I could lose you at any moment.”“I’m your tactician. I wouldn’t let that happen so easily.” Toya binks. “I do have myself considered as a great asset to our forces.”Akito shakes his head. “It’s not like I doubt your ability. Far from that— you’re better at this than I ever could be. You're my best friend and my partner, Toya.” He stares over at his treasured sword in its sheath.“Akito? What are you trying to say?” Toya’s fingers clutch tighter around his tome. “Of course I feel the same way, but it’s too early to really celebrate the end of the war.”“I know. Toya, I wanted to tell you that I never want to let you go.” Akito pauses, cheeks flaming from his forthrightness. “Ah, uh… does that make me selfish?”Toya hesitates, but his lips curve into a smile. “If so, then let me be selfish too, Akito. I always want to be by your side.”“Marry me.” Akito spits out almost too quickly. His face is a flaming red when he says it, lacking all decorum required for a prince, covered in sweat, the blood of his foes, and the sand they tread upon. “Then we would be together forever.”Toya gasps. “Akito— of course, I’d love to. The more practical part of me has to protest about the logistics and technicalities.”“I want to follow my heart.” Akito admits quietly. “If anyone objects, then they’re not worth listening to. You’re the one I want to be with, not some village floozy.”“I don’t know how I could say no to that.” Toya laughs. “My answer doesn’t change. I’d love to, if you’ll have me.”Akito’s flush doesn’t abate, but intensifies at Toya’s laugh. “Now I can die happy.”“Don’t make me a widow, Prince Akito.” Toya jokes back with a snort. “Even though my memories are more or less gone, the ones I’ve made with you and the others have been very important to me… and I’d like to continue making more with you. Ah, one thing, though…”“What’s that?” Akito looks over at Toya with a laugh.“There are better places to propose to someone than on the battlefield, you know.” Toya teases lightly, nudging Akito as he starts walking ahead.Akito pauses to let it sink in, hissing as he runs after Toya in retaliation. “Oi, shut up!”Akito and Toya have achieved S-Support.
by xing ♡
Akito hangs precariously off the tree's branches, cursing under his breath as it tears through his nightclothes. As paltry as they are in comparison to the royal family's and some of even his fellow knights’ nightly attire, Akito feels comfortable in it. It's a bit of a shame that it's getting way too rough for a silly almost forbidden visit.Although, it's worth it in its own way. His chest bubbles with anticipation with adrenaline coursing through his body and making him feel more or less alive.Akito has climbed plenty of trees in his youth, although usually to save cats that lost their way or to prove something to his older sister. On other occasions, he did so to avoid confrontation from barking dogs.Anyway…He didn't think it'd be relevant in his days of knighthood, especially when he's nothing but a cadet. A cadet that the third prince took interest in nonetheless.It's because they both share a love for music, although it differs in their origins. The prince, Toya Aoyagi, offered to teach him music personally after Akito came across the prince practicing the violin in the garden. Akito's morning drills finished early that day, leaving Akito time to explore the palace in his downtime. There they met.At night is the only time they could come together to practice without any judging ears or watchful eyes. Akito raps his knuckles against the window pane, his feet stabilizing on the limited space of the balcony.The prince perks up, quick to unfasten the door and slide it open for Akito. “Good evening, Sir Akito.” He greets quietly and elegantly.“I'm no knight yet, you know…” Akito shakes his head as he sneaks inside the prince's room, gently shutting the door behind him. “Good evening, Prince Toya. Thanks for making the time too… To teach me and all that.” He swallows. “I don't know much about it beyond the performances I see in town, but I'd like to learn.”“I love music dearly.” Toya states with a small smile. “So, of course I'd be happy to show it. It helps me study too, so don't think of yourself as a burden.” He ushers Akito into the less personal part of his chambers, lending into more of where Toya studies at night.As a benefit of frequent practice and being part of the royal family all the same, the third prince had a small upright piano in his chambers. Akito stares on, slack-jawed and even hesitant to touch the wood in fears of somehow tarnishing it. “I've never seen something like this before…” He mumbles.Toya laughs. “This isn't as big compared to the one in the throne room or the one in the official practice room.”“I couldn't imagine.” Akito sighs. “It's gotta be really huge for me to buy that.”“I'll show you one day.” Toya offers, but for now gestures for Akito to join him at the piano bench.Akito awkwardly scoots in next to Toya on the bench, his body now parallel to the piano. He swings his legs back, letting Toya’s foot slip ahead, a foot pressing down on the leftmost pedal. “You usually want to press this one for playing at night or if you’d like a quieter sound.” Toya advises quietly, nodding to Akito to unhook the latch over the piano’s keys.Akito does as instructed, gently, but firmly hoisting the cover off to reveal the keyboard below. With an anxious gulp, he pulls his hands away to rest them on his lap. Akito’s gaze flickers, but eventually fixes straight onto Toya’s hands.Toya methodically goes over each key, telling Akito about the name of the note and going over some of the basics of piano.Akito struggles to keep the information in his head, unable to focus on anything but the grace of his prince’s hands. He’s more of an observer in his learning style, and he also prefers to give it a whack himself. Although, when it comes to a possession that belongs to the prince, he hesitates to seize it like that. “Uh… my prince, do I have permission to touch the piano?”Toya blinks, turning his head and nodding. “Of course.”Noting that the soft pedal is still on, Akito’s fingers tremble as they make contact with the porcelain keys, awe escaping his lips as he presses down on the key and it responds with a bright sound. He copies one of the scales that Toya demonstrated for him.Akito asks almost impatiently, “How do I get good like you?”The prince looks shocked for a moment, but pauses to cover his face as he bursts out into laughter. “Ah, pardon… I just thought it was funny. Sir Akito, music cannot be mastered so quickly. I have been studying since my youth.”“Oh.” Akito returns dumbly. He lets out a sigh as he scoots a little closer, breaching the invisible barrier he set up between himself and the prince. “Guess we have to practice together a lot.”Toya hums in agreement, “I guess so.”
by xing ♡
Touya doesn’t mind routine. Hard to, when his entire upbringing has been built around it. Each and every part of his day is meticulously planned by someone who isn’t himself. If not delegated by his father the King, then most often an advisor schedules how he spends his time.The activities run the gamut from public affairs with the populace to studying geopolitics to lessons on etiquette and negotiation — these he can see the benefits of, or at least has taught himself to after enduring it for sixteen years of life. What he currently finds himself in… not so much.“Akito.”“Prince?”The straw dummy in front of Touya wobbles on its wooden stand, recoiling from a cut across the front. Touya sighs, leaning back on his heels. “Titles aren’t necessary when we’re alone,” he says, though he knows the words are in vain before they exit his mouth. After all, it’s not his first time saying them.A few paces away, at the edge of the courtyard, Akito shifts. “Just what I’m used to,” he returns. Another routine. “Is something on your mind?”Instead of an immediate answer, Touya draws his blade back up, hands near his shoulder. He moves forward, carrying the momentum into a thrust, and plants his sword in the center of the dummy. Familiar steps, worn through. “I don’t understand this.”Akito looks him over, then turns his gaze to the impaled dummy. “Your stance was good there.” There’s a note of confusion there, hidden in the hesitation between syllables. “That one is usually for breaking the enemy’s guard — it forces them to react. Getting them to move at all is good.”That’s exactly my point, Touya thinks. In a rare act of annoyance, he lets go of the sword and leaves it hanging. Unlike anything Akito said, the dummy does not react or move as he does so.The swordsmanship training was at his father’s behest, a requirement of all his sons; Akito’s presence was at Touya’s. The request was easily granted, given Akito’s position as both a knight captain and his personal retainer. And when Touya asked both of these people what the point of this training was, he learned the answers were the same — to keep you safe.Touya doesn’t understand that. Beating up a bundle of straw every day does nothing to hone his skills in a way that matters. It’s an obvious fact he can prove just by looking at Akito, arms littered with scars and bruises from distant campaigns.All this is to Touya is another song he’s heard far too many times over. A memorized dance with no partner. He can move through the steps with ease, but there’s no guarantee he won’t step on someone’s feet when it really matters.“I don’t understand,” Touya repeats, “what I’m supposed to be learning from this. It’s not like Father will ever allow me to step foot on the battlefield, much less see one. So why…?”The dirt of the training yard crunches as Akito walks over, standing at his side. He doesn’t say anything else, so Touya takes it as a sign to continue. “I just can’t help but feel there must be a better way to go about this…”Akito considers this for a moment. “Considering you just left your sword in him, I would agree.”An odd mixture of fondness and frustration bubbles in him. “That isn’t what I meant.”“Then what did you mean?”The idea strikes him the very moment Akito turns to make eye contact. Confusion still lingers in the furrow of his brow, and almost habitually, his hand comes to rest on the pommel of his sword. That’s it.“Couldn’t you spar with me instead?”No cheeky comeback this time. Akito blinks at him, silent, as if Touya had asked him to cut his arm off. But really, doesn’t it make far more sense to do this? Akito supervises his training every day anyway. There’d be no one more suited to spar with him than the one charged with his protection.“Well?” Touya tilts his head. Akito shifts his weight again, huffs, scratches his neck, looks away, does just about everything but give a direct answer.The delay stretches for long enough to give Touya pause, even though he was the one who suggested it in the first place. Just as he opens his mouth to dismiss the request, Akito says, “Sure, if that’s what you want.”“Really? I would have thought you against it.”“If my prince wants to get his ass kicked,” and this startles an abrupt laugh from Touya, because Akito’s the only person within the castle walls who would ever speak to him like this, “then I don’t mind indulging him.”The glint in his eyes makes Touya think Akito was waiting for him to ask this entire time. Perhaps that blank stare wasn’t one of offense, but carefully disguised mischief instead.“Of course,” Touya says, the corners of his mouth tugging upward. “I don’t intend to make it easy for you, though.”“Wouldn’t want you to.” Akito jerks his head back in the direction of Touya’s abandoned sword. “Let’s get started, yeah?”It takes until sundown for either of them to yield — not at all because of Touya’s prowess, but rather his stubbornness. He’s been knocked down more times than he can count, and he gets back up even more than that, ignoring the sting of his muscles as he retrieves his sword.Because every time he does, he’s greeted with a bright grin from Akito. The sun sets behind him, silhouette backlit with burning amber, and the sight of it is enough to keep Touya going.No holds barred. Like this, the lines of prince and knight blur until there’s no difference between them. The swords they’re using are blunt, but each motion carries intent behind it and not an ounce of hesitation. The aching of his ribs is real. The pain that radiates from his back is real. The heartbeat that hammers in his chest, the pumping of adrenaline in his body, all of that is real, and Touya feels so sickeningly alive he could die from it.It’s everything he could have asked for.“You’re doing well,” Akito would call as he backs off from one of Touya’s downward strikes. “Is that all?” floats in the space between their blades, and “hey, careful,” is whispered when Touya struggles to block a hit, arms trembling from the exertion.Again and again, Touya’s back meets the dirt; this time, when he cracks his eyes open, an outstretched hand awaits him. He takes it, staggering to his feet, but once he’s up Akito doesn’t let go. The gloves were ditched hours ago, along with the coat. His palm is warm.“You’ve definitely gotten better already, I can tell.” It’s softer than anything else Akito has said today. “Sure, it was getting a bit sloppy near the end there, but you’re moving a lot more fluidly. Pretty easy, since you already had the stances down.”Touya’s too busy heaving for air to answer. He can only nod, and Akito gives a huff of amusement in return.“I can’t really teach you more than you already know when it comes to technique. But…” He turns to look upward at the dimming sky. Touya follows his gaze. Stars twinkle above them, appearing like pinpricks in a sheet. “If there’s one thing I had to tell you…”
“I don’t understand,” Akito grits out, hardly audible over the screeching of metal against metal. The evening sky hangs low above them, coating the surroundings in searing red. But for all Akito’s concerned, the world has narrowed down to this little patch of grass; the eye of the storm in a whirling warzone.Ten months ago, a princess and a prince vanished from the castle. There was nothing left in their chambers, as if nobody lived their in the first place. No note on the desk, no letter arrived, no trace of their whereabouts, just a rumor mill in overdrive and a country scrambling to save face.“Where did you go?!” His opponent steps back after a strike, heel sliding through the grass. Instead of blocking the next hit that comes, Akito tries — -‘d fails — to parry instead. “For God’s sake—“Every night since, he’s wondered why — but to say it like that would be a grave understatement. At first, it was crippling, incapacitating fear that seized him. Perhaps they were taken by an enemy, held hostage, abducted by some strange sorcerer group. In the deepest pits of that fear, Akito thought them dead entirely.“—I finally found you, and you still won’t tell me why!” Akito roughly drags a hand across his face, trying to wipe away whatever mix of sweat and mud and definitely-not-tears have covered him. The assault is relentless. He barely has time to put his hand back on his sword before he has to duck, dodging a horizontal slice that would have certainly chopped his head off otherwise. “You haven’t said a damn thing!”Akito doesn’t know if the truth is better or worse. There’s not even a single word he can ascribe to it. The fighting style is so painfully familiar it aches, and he hates that he can still predict every movement, can read his opponent like a book in every way except where it matters. The mere inches between them have never felt more distant.“Why didn’t you just talk to me?! I don’t understand,” he hisses. They cross blades again, and this time Akito doesn’t relent, just keeps driving his blade forward, even if the rest of his body wants to give up. His boots sink into the dirt with every step. “I — I thought you were fucking dead!”—Now. His opponent wavers, emotion rippling across silver eyes, and Akito takes the opening to slip his sword forward and disarm him. The sword falls to the grass, far enough to neutralize it as a threat. The knight in front of him staggers back, falling into a kneel.Akito points his sword at his throat. It was a stroke of luck — for as well as he could read him, there was no way he could have brought himself to land a hit.“I kept myself alive,” Touya says. “Just like you told me to do.”He feels his grip slacken. “… What?”Touya’s eyes dart to the side — right, they’re on an active battlefield, but it seems like they’ve been left on their own. Whatever Touya’s looking for, he must find it, because his posture immediately relaxes. He looks deflated, more than anything.“I couldn’t stay there anymore. There was something — Saki-san and I, there’s something we have to do.” Touya shakes his head, like he’s dispelling a bad memory. The fact that Akito doesn’t know what rests uncomfortably in his stomach. “But I never forgot what you told me.”“Swordsplay isn’t about landing a hit. It’s about not getting hit. You don’t usually think about it like that, right? But it makes sense.”“Then what…?”“What it’s about is staying alive. Nothing matters more than that — no technique, no maneuvers, nothing. You keep yourself alive, and everything else will follow. Got it?”“… Yes, I believe so.”“Good. Let’s call it here then. You look exhausted, prince. … Hey, wipe that smirk off your face.”The memory fades, and the world roars in his ears once more. Touya’s staring at him, almost expectantly.“I…” Akito’s throat suddenly feels dry. His shoulders slump, as if all the frustration has drained out of him. The sword remains at Touya’s throat.“You taught me to live,” Touya says, and it’s only now that Akito realizes he’s been smiling, “so I don’t know why you were fighting like you were trying to die.”Akito lets his sword fall away at that. “Because…” No — he drops it entirely. “Because I…!”Because I didn’t know what to do with myself after you left.He didn’t join the knights for Touya. That was his own decision, or maybe his own fault. It was an easy choice, especially for a bright-eyed, hot-headed kid who thought the world was far kinder than it truly was.He wasn’t a knight for Touya, or for his country, or anything like that. He was a knight because a knight saved him, and at some point knight and Akito had become indistinguishable. There wasn’t a need for connections or manners if he could just get by on hard work; they’d just get in the way.But then he met Touya, and suddenly, the world seemed a little different again. Things mattered more, even if they were insignificant, because that was how Touya lived. Even Akito, who hadn’t bothered to look at himself as anything more than a knight who wasn’t strong enough yet — Touya found something there that mattered.No wonder his fighting style hadn’t changed.When Touya left, it felt like a piece of Akito’s heart had disappeared with him. He hadn’t realized Touya was clinging onto it so tightly this entire time.Now, the warm whites of royal attire have been replaced by cold black metal, but the eyes that meet his own are just as kind as he remembers. And, distinctly, Akito feels like a damn idiot for not realizing any of this sooner.He’s still standing. They’re both still alive.The stars watch a black knight stand back up, closing the distance between him and a white knight, where he pulls him into a crushing hug.Slowly, the world tilts back onto its axis.
by artemis ♡
The sun hangs low near the horizon as two swordsmen step into a valley centered between opposing countries, grassy hills and rock walls illuminated by the golden glow of the sunset. The first's arrival is fairly subtle, save for the gleam of his blade's hilt and his cape fluttering in the wind flowing through the canyon. The only sound he produces as he walks is the crunching of gravel beneath his boots, which come to a halt as he stops to watch two figures drawing ever closer, a hand shadowing the sun threatening to shine in his eyes.This swordsman's approach is always preceded by the sound of heavy wingbeats, a beastial snorting, and an earth-shaking thud as his wyvern touches down, securing the area for her master. She produces a rumbling sound deep in her throat as she stares Akito down, wings tucked close to her body.Akito's always thought this display was a little amusing, to be entirely honest. He knows his "enemy" well enough that such a grandiose entrance doesn't really suit him— though, he's sure his big lizard's just doing it to protect him. She's huge and covered in spikes, and she's plenty scary, but she's a kind hearted beast, deep down. Any creature would be, if they were raised by Touya.The wyvern's owner steps past his faithful ally, and he rests a hand on her muzzle as she snorts out hot smoke from her nostrils. Touya mutters something to her under his breath, before turning to gaze in the direction of the kingdom knight standing before him."You're here, as always," Touya says simply."'Course I am," is Akito's equally simple reply, one hand lazily draped over his sword's hilt, stance all-too-casual. "It'd be pretty unbefitting of me to let someone like you pass freely, y'know. I've got a reputation to uphold."The general of the empire can't help but smile a bit to himself at such a remark. The two of them will always claim their one-on-one encounters to be coincidental, or perhaps an interception, preventing the other from entering their home turf. But the truth of the matter is that they've been staging these meetings for months, just to see one another without interruption. The script they play out is merely a formality— a display for any soldiers who insist on following after them, despite firm orders to remain behind.Touya removes his greatsword from his hip, deep blue crystalline formations decorating the pommel and crossguard glimmering in the afternoon sun. This blade is a relic passed down through his family, and it's one that's served him well."Your reputation means little in a place like this, Akito." The two of them have been on first name basis for a while now, though displaying such familiarity on a crowded battlefield would be far too revealing. "You know that as well as I do. And, similarly, I'm certain you already know what comes next, as well."Touya's face is always stoic to most onlookers, but Akito can tell there's an excitement in his eyes, a levity to his voice that's hard to pick up on unless you know what you're listening for. Akito laughs, shifting his weight as he watches the other step forward, sword raised."Are you really that excited to start swinging at me?"It's a rhetorical question, of course."That is why you're here, isn't it? To cross blades with me."Just like always, is the part Touya doesn't say. Akito laughs."Guess I am. Funny how you knew."Surely enough, he too draws his weapon: the gaudy and unbalanced sword that's made him quite infamous amongst empire soldiers. By no means should such an unwieldy weapon be used for combat so efficiently— it should be hung up on a mantle as a decoration, not swung into enemy soldiers dressed head to toe in protective armor. And yet somehow, this knight's gone and used this flimsy blade to climb up into the highest ranks of the kingdom's forces, with skill and determination that far surpass his peers. Truthfully, Touya's always admired that fact about him. He's unable to admit that during strategy meetings amongst the tacticians of his own army, but when it's just him and Akito, then surely it doesn't hurt to express his feelings, right? Not that he's ever been any good at words.Akito knows that bit well, too. Kingdom soldiers are always spreading terrified rumors of the prodigal general of the empire's army, the one accompanied by a massive jet-black wyvern raised by his own hand. He is always composed, difficult to read, and his skill is unparalleled. But Akito knows that this hardened exterior isn't all there is to Touya— he's learned that much from their numerous one-on-one duels, and the rare times they've spent in each other's company off the battlefield. For how straightforward Touya's words always are, his eyes say far more than his mouth ever could.Perhaps the same could be said for Akito, in a sense. He's always appearing serious and confident for his peers and his superiors, but in the heat of battle, it's clear on his face and in his movements when he's fallen completely in love with the battle. It's not a common occurrence, mind you... but Touya knows he always looks the most enthralled when dueling with him.A brief silence fills the empty canyon, save for the breeze that gently rustles past them. Golden eyes lock with silver as both swordsmen adopt their battle-ready stances, and that hulking wyvern inches backwards, tail wrapping around her legs as she hunches low in order to spectate.At this very moment, both swordsmen know what the other is thinking. There's an eagerness to clash blades, to watch the other strike and strike again in a ceaseless dance of blows. Continually trying to outwit one another, yet always being met with an equal level of strength and skill. Pushing one another to their limits as they breathe in sync, never going so far as to harm one another, but always trying to test the limits of what the other is capable of. Indulging in the thrill that is the art of battle— a delicate language that can never be translated into spoken words.It's undeniably and inexplicably heart-pounding in a way like nothing else in this world.To many, fighting on a battlefield is nothing but an act of violence, continually perpetuating a petty war with no meaning. But to Akito and Touya, clashing like this is something far beyond such a dull and hollow concept. It's an expression of respect for one another, and an intense thrill like no other. It's a harmony between two individuals, expressed through the swinging of a sword. It is an intimacy that no one else can quite understand— a means of conveying a deeper affection they have for one another, putting their true feelings on display, just as naturally as breathing. And luckily for the two of them, no one dares to interrupt the intense duels between such a respected kingdom knight and a feared empire general.Akito's grip on his blade tightens as he stares the other down."So, Touya?" he begins. Despite the intensity of his gaze, there's an obvious grin on his face. "Are you gonna let me make the first move?"Not even Touya's inexpressiveness can suppress his own smile that appears in turn."And let you gain the advantage on me? That hardly sounds fair.""Ha! Don't act like you couldn't keep up with me. You wouldn't even break a sweat.""You're awfully confident in my ability, aren't you, Akito?""Obviously. It's not like we're rivals for no reason."Hearing it said aloud almost makes Touya feel giddy, in a sense. He huffs through his nose, humming out a low chuckle."Then, I suppose I'll be striving to meet your expectations here," he says. Though, he then pauses, and shakes his head, as if that's not quite right. "No... In fact, I'll surpass them."That's exactly what Akito likes to hear. He smirks at the response."Don't think I'll be going easy on you, either."And that's what Touya likes to hear. His eyes light up with a bright enthusiasm."Naturally. Show me everything you've got."Nothing else needs to be said after that. After all, their actions speak far louder than their words.A still moment passes, and then the two brandish their blades as they rush in and unleash their opening blows, steel meeting steel, the sound of their strikes echoing throughout the canyon. It's an utter whirlwind as they engage in deeply intense combat, with Akito's swift and unconventional combat style setting the pace, and Touya's precise and steady technique maintaining the rhythm. It's almost as though they're fighting together despite fighting each other, what with how they match each other, beat for beat. But perhaps that's what happens when you bare your souls to one another on the battlefield, giving your opponent your everything, and receiving his everything in return.Akito and Touya's scattered, isolated duels are quite the strange affair, shrouded in secrecy and little white lies. After all, if their home countries knew of their true intentions, they'd never be able to meet like this again. They'd be stripped of their ranks and confined to their side of the border, if not outright imprisoned. They could never test themselves against each other, never feel the excitement of meeting your equal face-to-face, and watching his eyes light up as you draw near. The kingdom and the empire have never been friendly to one another, and no amount of skill or renown could save their storybook love story from being ended prematurely, should they fumble.But despite how strange it all is, in a world where quiet moments are scarce and peace is always just out of reach... moments like these are utterly irreplaceable.After all, why can't love bloom on the battlefield?
by bash ♡
Akito still isn't used to the sight of Toya, crown prince of the realm, in full armor. It's hard to envision him as a war mage, the prophesied savior of their people, when the two of them grew up chasing fireflies and sneaking into the palace kitchens together.Toya's horse turns his head, watching as his rider checks the saddle. "Akito is coming with us," he hears Toya say as he draws closer. "You remember Akito, don't you?"The horse snorts. Toya smiles at the sound. "That's right. Akito," he says. There's a particular lilt to his voice, a way he shapes the sounds of Akito's name that imbues a lingering warmth to it. "He'll be here any minute. Be good for him, all right?""If that horse acts nice it'll be for you, not me," Akito says from behind him. Toya startles, whirling around. It makes his cape flare out in a way that draws Akito's eye to his armor, again. He coughs and forces his eyes back to Toya's face."Ready to go find a dragon?" he says, giving Toya a lopsided smile. A nervous expression crosses Toya's face, and Akito's expression softens."I brought your packs," he continues. His own saddlebags are already on his horse, who follows behind at an ambling pace, eyes half-closed. Akito helps load up Toya's horse, and says, "Thanks to all the research you did, this should be pretty straightforward. Find the dragon temple, pass all the tests, and come back. You sure you don't want a full complement of the guard?"Toya shakes his head. "No," he says softly. "Just you."
With only two of them, they make good time. Thanks to the months Toya spent in the royal archives, they're equipped with maps of the entire route as well as the journals of every royal ancestor who succeeded in this task—and a few who didn't. Akito pored over those failures more intently than the rest, memorizing everything to protect Toya from.When they stop for the night, Akito gathers up wood and Toya starts the fire with a whisper of his magic. As Akito pulls out flatbread, cheese, and sausage, Toya watches with avid interest. Akito gestures with the cheese; "You want to make yours?"Toya starts to lean forward, but pauses. "Is it okay?" he asks. Akito reads a lifetime of noble manners and finishing schools in his hesitation."Do you want to?" Akito asks.Toya nods, his eyes sparkling."Then it's okay," he says. "Here, it's easy. You can use my knife."Toya lays out the flatbread, then cuts cheese and sausage with Akito's careful instructions guiding his hands. "And here's the secret," Akito says, revealing a small brown packet with a flourish. "Herbs, fresh from the garden this morning. I asked Ena for some. They make anything taste better." Akito sprinkles some over both of their flatbreads. Toya rolls it all up and takes a bite, and his face scrunches with pleasure.Akito laughs. "It's not a high feast, but—""No," Toya interrupts, "This is really good." Akito wants to argue, but looks at his sincere expression and finds that he can't.They eat in silence for a bit, going back for seconds. Akito watches as Toya assembles the next flatbread himself. It's not particularly difficult, but Toya's eyes shine with joy as he masters such a small thing, and it's hard not to get caught up in it.It's hard not to get caught up in Toya in general, Akito thinks.After they finish the rest of their camp tasks, they lie on their backs by the dying fire, watching the stars."When was the last time we did this?" Toya murmurs."Last time we snuck out of the palace, you mean?" Akito says. "Five, maybe six years ago? I was still a squire then."Toya sighs. "It's nice," he says. "I miss watching the stars with you.""We can still do it when we get back, if you want," Akito offers. "We won't even have to sneak out. I've got a key to the royal observatory."Toya blinks at him before dissolving into laughter, bumping their shoulders together. "Aren't you the upstanding captain of the royal guard?""When I'm on duty, sure." Akito grins, nudging him back. "Off duty's a different story."There's a pause, and then Toya bumps him again. Akito returns it, and it devolves into pushing and shoving, their giggles spilling into the woodsmoke-scented night air. Akito's stomach hurts from laughing by the time he pins Toya, pressing his wrists to the floor. "I yield," Toya says instantly, breathless with laughter. The firelight glints in his eyes, revealing the warmth reflected there.Akito's heart squeezes. He blinks, and rolls to his feet."We should get ready for bed," he says, offering a hand down to Toya. "Early morning tomorrow."Toya's hand slaps into his own, fingers interlocking around Akito's wrist with long practice. "Okay, Akito," he says.
It takes a week to reach the dragon temple. They work through each of its challenges with spell and blade, Akito at Toya's back like a loyal shadow. It takes hours in the dripping darkness, their way lit by dim crystals flickering along the path. Finally they stand at the heart of the temple complex, breathing hard. Toya's cape is a little singed. Akito reaches out and fingers the ragged edge before he can stop himself."Sorry," he says."We're safe, and we made it," Toya replies, shaking his head. "That's all that matters."Together they turn to look at the final door. It's imposing, painted black and covered in a glowing arcane script. Toya's eyes flick over it, his mouth forming words in a language that Akito doesn't know."'Only royal blood may enter,'" he translates after a moment.Akito smothers a flash of anxiety. "Ready to go find a dragon?" he says instead, echoing a question from what feels like a lifetime ago.Toya nods. "I'm ready."Akito raises his hand. Toya grasps it with his own, squeezing tight."I believe in you. I'll be waiting," Akito says."I'll be back," Toya says with a serious nod. He turns and pushes the door open with his other hand, his fingers sliding free of Akito's loosening grasp.
Akito waits. He doesn't know how much time passes. He eats, paces, practices combat forms. He sings every song he knows to keep himself awake. He's on Toya's favorite folk tune for the third time when he hears the door creak open.Akito whirls, his hand going to his sword, but there's no threat. It's just Toya, leaning heavily against the door, his skin pale and covered in sweat. There's an exhausted smile on his face. With shaking hands he lifts a necklace, gold wreathing a jagged chunk of crystal."It's finished," he gasps out before his knees buckle. Akito is at his side in a flash, easing him to the ground. Toya shakes in the circle of his arms with commingled adrenaline and relief. "The dragon. She's with me now."
Toya can't explain what it was like: "A dream," Toya says, "A long dream, and she found me. She tested me, and then said—Akito, we have to hurry. The war's coming sooner than we thought."Akito nods. "We have to warn everyone," he agrees, brow furrowing.Despite the new sense of urgency, they still rest in the temple until Toya has recovered. The temple maze seems to straighten beneath their feet now that the dragon is with them, and it's barely half an hour before they're back outside, blinking in the pre-dawn light."Okay," Toya says. "Ready?""Ready for what?""To meet her," Toya says, and grasps the crystal in his fingers. There's a flash before a roar splits the air, making the ground tremble. Akito's sword is out in a second, his heart pounding as he shoves Toya behind him."It's okay," Toya says. "Look."The crystal dissolves, reforming into a shape that makes Akito look up and up and up. Toya's newly-bonded dragon is a nightmare creature of black and gold, and when she sees Akito's slack-jawed expression she rumbles with laughter."Hey," Toya scolds. He steps around Akito, frowning fearlessly upward. "Don't make fun of him. He's my partner."The dragon looks Akito over and gives an unimpressed huff. Akito is too caught up in shock and awe to be offended."Toya," he gasps instead, "Toya, you did it. You really did it! The first member of the royal family in over a hundred years!" He sweeps him up into a hug, hearing Toya's laugh in his ear.After the initial rush of elation has passed, they realize that their horses have pulled themselves free while they were so long away. Akito rubs his forehead, distressed, before Toya says, "No, Akito, it's okay. She's here now."The dragon shakes and riding gear materializes on her back. As Toya pulls himself into the saddle, Akito blinks. "You want to ride her? Aren't you scared of heights?"Toya pauses, considering it as he runs one hand across her smooth scales. "It's different with her," he says. "I think she's…shielding me from the fear. What about you? Do you want to?"It's impossible not to feel nervous, but Akito has never backed down from a challenge in his life, and he's not about to start now. Besides—"Yeah," he says. "I trust you.""Are you okay with Akito riding you, too?" he asks the dragon last. She rolls her eyes, but a second seat appears on the saddle behind Toya's.Toya extends a hand to help Akito up. When they're both seated, her wings start to beat and they lift into the air, the plain below them dwindling to the size of a child's toy. Akito's stomach drops and his arms squeeze tighter around Toya's waist. After a moment, though, he starts to feel the exhilaration of it—the wind in his face, the horizon stretching out endlessly below them.Toya's eyes are bright with excitement, his hair flying in the wind. Akito gives a little whoop of joy. Toya laughs, leaning back against him, and the three of them fly into the dawn.
by skylark ♡