Chapter Text
Moonlight flowed in from the open doors, staining the golden vines that climbed quartz columns in a nocturnal glow. The light from the stars caught on obsidian chandeliers and spotlighted the fabrics that intertwined and swirled in an ocean of dance.
Ritsu Sakuma sighed to himself as he observed the spectacle below. The music charmed him, begging him to sway his head or tap his fingers along the side of his legs to the rhythm. He couldn’t show any inclination to dance, though. After all, that’s how his brother Rei Sakuma was dragged onto the dance floor by foreign suitors in extravagant suits or frilly skirts.
It was his party, and he knew he should dance and enjoy himself; if only to thank his father for all the preparations. Ritsu looked down at his reflection in his wine glass. Maybe one day he would learn to mask his true feelings as well as his brother, but for now, he had to find a way out.
Ritsu took a long, slow sip from his glass as he glanced around for an escape. He silently cursed himself for momentarily locking eyes with a small group of partygoers who smiled bashfully and bowed deeply.
“H-Happy birthday, Prince Ritsu,” a few of them said, their voices almost exactly in sync. A tickle of amusement fluttered in his belly at the thought of their encounter possibly being rehearsed. Was everyone that nervous around him? It’s not like he was ever going to ascend to the throne.
Ritsu allowed a soft smile to bloom on his lips as he took a moment to look each of them in the eye. They were definitely a few years younger than he, but that didn’t give him enough of an excuse for mercy. If they were going to approach him, he might as well have a little bit of fun.
“Thank you so much,” he said, salthering feigned delight into his voice like a thick layer of honey. “You’re all too kind. I’m so happy you could come.”
They couldn’t notice the slight shift of amusement in his expression as he watched the ways their eyes began to avert from his, and the way their cheeks warmed so much that he could see the red behind the makeup on a few of their faces.
Satisfied with his work, Ritsu dismissed himself with a soft “Please excuse me,” and stalked passed them.
They had been amusing, but only for a moment. If he continued with interactions like that, he would surely wear himself out before they even brought out the sweets.
“Ah, Ritsu.”
The Prince in question winced, recognizing his father’s voice.
Please don’t ask me to dance with anyone. I don’t think I’ll be able to survive an interaction like that without causing a war.
Ritsu turned around with a pleasant smile. “Hello, father. Is everything alright-“ Ritsu’s words were taken out of his mouth as his father’s hand met his head. That didn’t happen often. Especially not in public settings like this.
“I haven’t heard anything from the guards yet, so all must be well. Are you enjoying yourself? We have the guards on high alert, so feel free to let loose and have fun.”
Why are you telling me to have fun? You’re the only one who’s worried. Oh, well. You’re trying your best, aren’t you?
“I will, thank you.” Ritsu slowly stepped out from under his hand. “The party is wonderful, father.”
Mercifully, his father removed his hand from Ritsu’s head and made to leave. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Let me know if you need anything.”
Ritsu watched his father go. It seemed like he could get off without a lecture for now. He turned on his heel, causing his single-shoulder cape to billow as his eyes settled on the door that lead to the rose garden. He would be able to breathe there.
The cool night air ruffled his hair as he stepped outside. Ritsu took in a deep breath through his nose, feeling the air fill his lungs and spread out to relax the rest of his body. He brought his gaze sweeping over the beautiful scenery in front of him, drinking it all in. Moonlight spotlighted the entrance to the garden; a small balcony with stairs on either side. Roses dotted dark the wall of leaves before him, reflecting the silver stars in the sky. Ritsu gently planted his hands on the cold stone before slowly gripping it until his knuckles turned white, resisting the urge to jump into the sea of roses and thorns before him.
Oh, the things he would give to melt into the beautiful world around him.
“The star of the hour should be dancing at a time like this, don’t you think?”
Ritsu reacted before he thought about his image, whirling around to face the knife in his serene night, his eyes narrowed and his lips curved into a dangerous frown.
Who dares- ah, I’m looking sour again, aren’t I? Oh, well. Too late to change that now.
The offender immediately raised his arms in a surrender, lining them up with his hair that was slicked back on one side.
“Woah, sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Ritsu slowly relaxed, but his eyes stayed leering towards the stranger. Still, at least he was getting a way out.
“That’s alright.”
The stranger paused awkwardly, gazing at Ritsu for much too long.
What are you still doing here? You’ve interrupted my silence. You can disappear now.
“Uhm… what are you doing out here alone, if I can ask? I thought you loved parties.”
Again, Ritsu failed to hide his true emotions yet again as he gazed at the boy in total shock. Who was he? Why was he speaking to him in such a familiar manner? Did he not understand who Ritsu was?
He cleared his throat softly, struggling to force a pleasant smile back on his face. “Listen, I don’t know which rumor you must have heard, but I would appreciate it if a stranger wouldn’t…”
The shocked look on the man’s face caused Ritsu to pause for a moment.
“Oh… Oh! I’m sorry, I completely misread the situation. I- wow… Haha, this is a little embarrassing… Well, I suppose it was a little presumptuous of me to assume you remembered. It has been years since we last saw each other, Ricchan.”
Ritsu paused, really taking in the man before him. His hair was longer now, but he should have recognized those bright green eyes that always made him feel warm and happy — like a beautiful field of wild grass. Ritsu’s smile bloomed like a flower seeing its first bit of sunlight in a long while.
“Maakun?” He asked, the hesitation in the question not fitting his soft voice that was full of excitement. Had his childhood friend really come to his birthday party?
The one before him grew bashful from the name. “That’s me,” he said with a shy laugh. “Have you been well?”
The words barely tumbled out of Mao Isara’s lips before Ritsu Sakuma collided into him with a tight embrace, causing him to stumble back slightly with a soft yelp of surprise. Several heartbeats passed before Ritsu realized he wasn’t talking. Right, that might be important if you were seeing someone for the first time in a while.
He pulled away, examining Mao’s face closely with a pleasant smile on his lips and soft hums escaping his throat. “Where have you been all this time?”
Mao laughed bashfully, and Ritsu took no notice of his deep blush as he absorbed everything else; the changes in Mao’s facial structure now that they weren’t children anymore, the way he still had to keep his hair back from that pesky cowlick always forcing it in his face, and how he was now the shorter one of the two.
So you’re shorter than me now? I guess all my sleeping in paid off in the end, then.
“That’s… kind of a long story,” Mao said with hesitation clear in his tone.
“Then I guess we’ll have a lot to talk about,” Ritsu said nonchalantly as he let his arm hook around Mao’s, and pulled away from him so he could motion to the moonlit rose garden, “and I’d love some company on my walk.”
Mao blinked in surprise before a soft sigh of defeat escaped his lips. Ritsu examined his smile, not able to define the rare emotional mix of nostalgia and platonic affection. His own smile was full of satisfaction as Mao linked their hands and intertwined their fingers, and Ritsu didn’t know how to feel about the delightful tingles that went up his arm from the touch. When was the last time he actually enjoyed feeling someone else’s skin against his own?
Though they wanted to talk to each other, their walk down the steps was filled with nothing but silence as they walked down the steps and deeper into the rose garden. Ritsu didn’t mind it, though, he rather preferred basking in Mao’s presence, drinking him in, learning the new way he walked and admiring how his eyes caught the scenery.
He paused for a moment, his cheeks warming for an unknown reason and guilt pooling in his chest when Mao’s eyes landed on him. Somehow, Ritsu felt caught in a crime. Mao’s own cheeks bloomed red to match the flowers around them.
“I don’t have anything on my face, do I?”
No, but thank you for the opportunity, Maakun
Ritsu slowly reached up to run his fingers through Mao’s hair, pretending to remove a twig. How many times had he run his fingers through Mao’s hair while the other read stories to him when they were kids? It was still as soft as he remembered. Well, he supposed that might not be the case for the portion that was slicked back.
“There,” Ritsu said, offering up a kind smile.
Mao smiled in return, beaming like the stars themselves. “Thank you.”
An odd feeling settled in Ritsu’s chest then. How long had they been apart? He missed the odd familiarity of them, the sheer happiness he felt in Mao’s presence, and the ease with which Mao filled his space. He was the only person Ritsu didn’t feel completely smothered by.
“So tell me about you, Maakun. Where have you been all this time?” Ritsu words were soft, sweet, but laced with the slightest wish that Mao felt guilty for leaving him.
Mao laughed bashfully and lightly squeezed Ritsu’s hand. “Actually… I was hoping I could hear about you first. I’m sure your story is more interesting than mine. What princely duties have you been obligated to complete?”
And there it was, that usual childish banter they could both accomplish so easily.
“Ah, so you think the life of a prince is interesting? Well, I suppose that’s true if you’re into piano lessons, literature, horseback riding, sword fighting, archery, loooots of sharp and pointy things.”
“Really? We should spar some time then!”
Ritsu looked at him in shock. “My- Have you gotten over your fears already? Exactly how much has happened since you last saw me?’
Mao laughed lightly at the playful tone Ritsu took with his words. “Too much, Ritsu. I’ve missed you.”
Ritsu’s chest felt odd at the sound of his words. Was he someone who was worth being missed? “Wow,” he purred, giving Mao a sly look. “Since when did you become such a charmer?”
Mao’s blush matched the roses as he bashfully touched his neck with his free hand. “Sorry. Was that too out of line?”
“Not for you,” Ritsu said, letting the words hang in the air between them.
You’re special. You’re different. You’re someone I can trust, even if it’s been years.
They continued to walk in a comfortable silence, the music from the ballroom dancing on the wind. Ritsu let his worries fall away, his head swaying slightly with the music as their steps fell in time with the beat. In a smooth motion that took Ritsu’s breath away, Mao twirled him and brought him in close, letting his hand hover over Ritsu’s waist.
It was an unspoken offer.
Ritsu slowly set his hand on Mao’s shoulder, accepting it.
What would the suitors who had begged him for one dance — for one glance — say if they could see this? Frankly, Ritsu didn’t care as he let Mao lead the way, only taking over when the music possessed him like a puppet, willing him to lead Mao through a series of intricate steps. He melted into Mao’s soft sounds of confusion that slowly dissolved into laughter. He craved the way in which Mao took the reigns back from him, letting Ritsu enjoy the music without a care in the world.
With the roses as their witnesses, Mao and Ritsu ended their dance, cheeks flushed from the movement and the chill night air, eyes sparkling as they reflected each other’s gazes like stars.
Each breath felt like an eternity as Ritsu felt his heartbeat in his skull.
Where did the music go? Keep playing. I don’t want this moment to end. I don’t want to wake up from this dream. Please keep playing. Please don’t let it end. He’ll leave me again.
Ritsu decided that his thoughts were best left undwelled.
He felt like he could see the threads between him and Mao stretch even before the other let go of him. Ritsu wished he knew how to grab them and pull them back. He didn’t know how to look at Mao, so the other’s soft smile as his hand gently trailed down Ritsu’s arm remained unknown to him. His attention was only brought back to the boy in front of him when he felt a soft kiss on his hand.
Mao was now kneeling with Ritsu’s hand held lightly in his, and Ritsu could do nothing but stare as those green eyes gazed up at him.
Mao’s eyes caught on something behind Ritsu, though. Something that caused him to blush deeply and quickly scramble to his feet, letting go of Ritsu’s hand to smooth out his clothes.
Ritsu frowned at him before turning to find his brother standing behind him.
“Ah, there you are, Ritsu. Is that Isara?”
Ritsu opened his mouth to respond, but Mao was faster.
“It’s good to see you again, Rei,” Mao said in his usual pleasant way.
“It’s good to see you too,” Rei sighed. “If I had known you were the one who stole my brother away, i wouldn’t have bothered coming to save him.”
Ritsu sighed to himself. Seriously, it’s not like he would need any help. Even if it wasn’t Mao.
Rei sighed dramatically. “But alas I have come to steal my dear little brother away. The celebrations are beginning, and our father has asked for you to come join us.”
Ritsu frowned, looking back at Mao. Some foreign and still childish part of him begged the roses to wall them in for just a few more moments.
“You go on ahead.”
Ritsu bit his lip softly.
Talk later? He begged to say, but he was quickly whisked back to the party by his brother who took a hold of his arm.
Despite the feast laid out before him and the line of subjects, relatives, and random nobles waiting to give him their best wishes, Ritsu found his mind drifting back to the garden as he put on a nice farce for his birthday celebration.
“Happy birthday, Your Highness.”
Did Maakun leave?
“I wish you all the best this year.”
When did he learn to dance like that... he used to be so clumsy. I miss it.
“May this year be even better than your last.”
Is he still here? Will he be here for the festivities tomorrow? I want to see him again… I don’t want to wait that long again.
“I know the queen would have been proud of you.”
Ritsu looks up at the stranger as the clock tolls midnight, his memories flooding back to him amidst his fantasy. Any mention of his mother always made him uneasy, but some stranger mentioning her so close to… Ritsu bit his lip bitterly and glared the subject of his family’s kingdom down as they left the line.
Ritsu flinched when he felt his brother’s voice at his ear. “Is it too much? I can take over from here.”
Ritsu let out a breath of annoyance at the suggestion. “I’m fine,” he muttered under his breath, bearing with the rest of the well wishes.
The rest of the party dragged on with no opportunities to speak with Mao, but he did catch sight of him once or twice chatting with a few nobles. Ritsu smiled a little to himself, always happy to see Mao hadn’t left just yet. A soft whisper from a messenger had Ritsu standing to leave, though. He would love to know what it was like to leave a social event quietly, but that was impossible with his position. Even the musicians ceased idle music to stand and bow to him as he left the room. Ritsu tried not to scurry away under the weight of a thousand eyes.
It took him a while to undress from the layers of fancy and suffocating clothing and into a sheer, long white robe and loose black pants, especially since he dismissed all of the servants from his room. Tonight, he wanted to be in peace. Tonight, he just wanted to be alone with his imagination as it constantly replayed his dance with Mao. If his brother hadn’t interrupted, what would have happened? Would they have continued dancing? Maybe Mao would have told him about his past?
Ritsu sighed to himself as he walked out onto his balcony and gazed at the night sky. The moon was setting now, and the distant ocean looked like a shattered mirror, speared by the clock tower in the castle’s garden. Ritsu looked at the false moon’s face, resenting the numbers on it.
Twenty-two more hours, huh? He thought to himself bitterly. We’ll see about that.
A soft whisper was carried up by the wind, and Ritsu frowned to himself. Odd. He’d thought he was alone. He glanced behind him into the room, but he was still very much alone. The voice came stronger this time, singing his name, and Ritsu looked down to see Mao wave at him. Ritsu smiled widely and happily leaned over the balcony so he could see Mao clearly.
“Maakun!” He calls back, his voice full of joy. “Wait for me, okay?” he says, pulling his flowing robe around himself a little more.
“Wait, Ritsu!”
Ritsu pauses and looks to him curiously, just in time to see that magnificent smile.
“I’ll come to you.”