Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"It is time, are you prepared?"

Yuma's tall, slim figure stood against the door frame of the waiting room. The light gray uniform of a former Fighter and the dim light cast an unhealthy pallor to his skin. His black gloved hands rested on the hilt of a curved, exotic sword sheathed at his waist. The brightest aspect of his form, his stunning golden eyes, assessed the two men for any changes in the few hours since he last saw them.

As if rehearsed, Gakupo and Kaito slowly rose from their chairs. Their own uniforms looked almost impossibly white in comparison to Yuma's. Their postures were rigid as if on constant alert that an enemy could appear at any time. Only the slightly disheveled state of their hair betrayed any evidence of their earlier activities. "Yes sir."

"Good," said Yuma with a curt nod. He paused for a moment before a mild frown crossed his handsome face. "But unfortunately, only one of you will be able to bond with a Sacrifice."

The two men exchanged alarmed glances at the proclamation. This was news to them.

"Permission to speak, sir," murmured Gakupo with a grave tone.

"Granted," replied Yuma with a wave of his hand. There was little he loathed more than the formal ceremony and methods of address that Queen Ann insisted upon. "The both of you can speak freely while we are still in this room."

Neither Gakupo nor Kaito requested an explanation immediately as they thought of the countless ways that one of the Sacrifices could have possibly disappeared. When their ideas and conspiracy theories ran out, their attention shifted back to Yuma.

"What happened?" whispered Kaito as if he feared-and yet hoped for-the answer.

Yuma absently noted that the lightened locks of hair were still present on both men as he deliberated exactly how much he should divulge. Truthfully, he had expected for one of the two to revert back to their non-awakened state just as he had when his own short-lived Sacrifice, Mizki, had died following a particularly brutal skirmish. But he was a warrior, first and foremost. He was hardly an expert in the mechanics behind the Fighter-Sacrifice pairing like Kiyoteru. Although he was pained by Mizki's passing, she was simply too weak to change her tragic fate.

But even he could tell that there was something different about the current situation. Nevertheless, he also knew that there were certain things the men before him did not need to know. The last thing the kingdom needed was for Fighters to reject the last remaining viable Sacrifice they had.

The rose-haired man wondered if the emotional and physical damages that were inflicted upon Len would compromise the boy's abilities as a Sacrifice. After all, Len was considered to be the weaker twin. Then, he banished his thoughts as the hint of a cruel smile shadowed his lips. His only orders were to instruct and to kill. The queen's own self-destructive tendencies were none of his business.

"The older Sacrifice, Rin, rejected her status by removing the appendages that designate her as one. Charged with treason, she has been banished from the Kingdom."

"What?" gasped Gakupo as he took a step back in shock. Such a thing was unheared of!

"Why?" asked Kaito.

"You fail to understand that it is not a matter of why." Yuma shook his head in disdain at the utterly absurd expressions that crossed both men's faces. Their reactions were too open, too honest, and too easily exploited. If they knew what it was like to be a Sacrifice, they would know that banishment or a quick death are infinitely preferable. "It is a question of how she was able to manage such a thing and who had assisted her. If she was able to remove them by herself, she would have done so long before she was brought to the castle." Kiyoteru, you fool...

Gakupo's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Sir, if I may be so bold to ask but from what you have disclosed to us, this incident only accounts for one Sacrifice. The younger twin and Lady Luka's former Sacrifice may still be claimed."

But Kaito had noticed the dark scowl that momentarily flashed across Yuma's face and his hands clenched into fists. "Unless... something else happened."

"Correct. Miku has also been banished along with Rin, leaving us with only one Sacrifice," said Yuma with as much enthusiasm as he would comment on an insect that landed on his sleeve. "Do not ask the reason for I am not at liberty to enlighten you of any more details regarding this affair."

Although the two Fighters had wanted to know more about the unexpected turn of events, they reigned in their curiosity. Other matters required their immediate attention rather than the disobedience and subsequent expulsion of two foolish girls. There remained two Fighters who retained the proof of their awakening, but there was only one Sacrifice.

"How will we know if we are the partner to the remaining Sacrifice?"

A mysterious smile appeared on Yuma's face as he gestured for them to follow him, turned around, and started walking in the direction of the throne room. "You do not. That is the Sacrifice's responsibility and-to a certain extent-will be done at the Sacrifice's own leisure."

"'To a certain extent?'" asked Gakupo as he and Kaito followed Yuma out of their last sanctuary and toward their fate.

"They do not have to choose right away, but if a Sacrifice denies the bond for too long, they will be driven to madness. Be careful of this one. He is the last pawn we have."

The rest of the short journey was spent in silence as only the echoes of their footsteps and light breathing reverberated through the empty corridors. As they passed the large audience hall, Kaito and Gakupo were confused to hear faint noise beneath their boots. Small drops of drying blood and shattered glass dotted the stately white marble, but neither man dared voice his observations when Yuma pressed on without acknowledging the sight.

When they arrived in front of the two large mahogany doors that led to the throne room, Yuma paused and gestured for the two men to proceed. "This is as far as I will take you. I will wait behind these gates until the Sacrifice's decision has been made. Once the Fighter between the two of you has been chosen, the other must report back here to me to be reassigned."

"I understand, Lord Yuma." Both men saluted once more before they turned to open the door. They did not dare glance at each other once more lest their impending separation cause their resolve to fail. They were acutely aware that regardless of who was chosen, this was where they must to part.

With leaden hearts and clenched jaws, they opened the gates.

White.

There was too much white.

In comparison to the rest of the castle, the room shone like a beacon. It was as if the space robbed the surrounding area of all light in order to blaze more fiercely-like a diamond in a heap of soot. The marble floor reflected the ivory walls and a crystal chandelier blazed like a small sun on the ceiling. In the midst of the blinding glare was Queen Ann, costumed in gold satin, upon her alabaster throne.

Aside from white and gold, the only color in the room was the crimson carpet that ran from the double doors to the dais.

Kiyoteru, the only other soul present, fought the urge to adjust his tight collar and excuse himself from the room as he sat behind a bleached ash-wood desk to the left of the queen. If the ceremony was not so formal and prestigious, he would have been tempted to leave, but the bonding of a Fighter and Sacrifice had become so few and far in between that he felt obligated to record them for posterity. For all he knew, this may be the last ceremony that would ever be performed.

He was completely on edge. After the long hours of research that it took for Rin's ears and tail to be removed, the girl did not spare a moment to advise him of her plans. She had only thanked him and dashed out of the room without another word. He did not know what had become of her until Queen Ann herself visited his quarters.

Without her usual pomp and circumstance, the livid queen ordered all records of Rin and Miku after Luka's death to be destroyed from his written history. Like always, Kiyoteru did not question her commands, but he was surprised by her instructions to remove Miku as well. But before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, the doors at the other side of the room opened to reveal two of the main characters in the unfolding tragedy.

Gracefully, Kiyoteru dipped the tip of his quill into an inkpot and began to write.

Kaito forced his legs to move in tandem with Gakupo and walk the unnecessarily long distance from the doors to the queen's throne. He was surprised to see that they had arrived before their Sacrifice for aside from the two of them, only Queen Ann and the Royal Historian were present to oversee the ceremony.

When he and Gakupo reached the foot of the stairs, they descended to one knee and offered their fealty. "Your Majesty."

"Welcome," purred Queen Ann, her voice was overly-sweet as she looked down at the two young men before her. Such a pity for them to have awakened as Fighters. But her smile widened when she realized that Len would only be able to choose one. The other, she might keep for herself. "I am relieved for two such handsome men to be chosen to defend our country."

Kaito could feel the queen's gaze as it unashamedly raked across his and Gakupo's bodies as if surveying which cut of steak to have for dinner. He only half-paid attention to the words she spoke as he desperately tried to resist the urge to vomit and shame himself. He spared a glance at Gakupo, and from the man's pale face, he knew that his friend was having similar trouble.

Their distress was dispelled when the soft sound of the opening door caught the queen's attention and caused her to pause. Her coquettish smile turned patronizing and indulgent as she recognized who had entered the room. "Come closer, child."

Then, the sharp, lancing pain of half-forgotten memories assaulted Kaito's mind once again.

"When a gilded cage is all you know, the closest thing you have to freedom is to not see the bars that trap you."

Gakupo fared no better as he struggled to remain still and maintain his decorum. All he wanted to do was stand up and turn to face the newcomer. Even without an image in his head, he already felt irresistably drawn to the person. His earlier misgivings were thrown aside as a growing sense of relief and completion pierced the fog of agony that enveloped him.

It was far different and more profound that anything he or Kaito ever felt with each other. But it also brought a different kind of torture.

The Sacrifice's soft, slow footsteps were almost completely muffled by the plush carpet. Without the help of sound, the Gakupo could not discern how much longer he must wait before he could catch a glimpse of the being he may be bonded to for the rest of his life. As the last grains of his patience ran out, a small figure walked past them and the edge of a midnight blue dress entered the edge of his sight.

His eyes slowly followed the dark waterfall of fabric, noting the stiff posture and tiny waist before it settled on the brightest shock of golden hair he had ever seen. To his dismay, he was unable to see the child's face as it was turned to face the queen.

"Is my appearance acceptable?"

Hearing those four words, Gakupo felt the breath leave his lungs as blood raced through his veins. He felt as if he had been desperately running for miles and he was startled to see his vision blur. Although the pain had not cowed him, the feeling of an acute sense of longing brought inexplicable tears to his eyes.

Under the hunger was the indescribable feeling of surging guilt.

"Although our correspondence has been short, I hope that my presence before you confirms that I am indeed human."

Len held Miku's doll close to his chest as he walked down the long aisle to the throne. He kept his attention fixed on the red patch covering the blood stain that had tainted the cat's right eye. It mirrored his own features as he found that the shard of glass from earlier had damaged his sight beyond repair. Healers were called, but he had brushed them aside, intent upon maintaining the disfigurement as a reminder of his resolve.

In truth, Len did not have the strength to lament the loss. An eye-his life-was a small price to pay for Rin and Miku's freedom. But as a small gesture of courtesy, per Queen Ann's orders, he washed away the blood and arranged his hair to hide the wound. He knew that she wanted for the Fighters to believe that their Sacrifice was without taint or disability. He curved his lips in the imitation of a cheerful smile but the depth of his remaining eye was frosted over with ice.

After all, the best shields are those without fractures.

A flash of violet and blue caught his attention as he passed between two familiar men. As he thought, the two he had seen before were the ones who would have been his and Rin's Fighters. Like him, they must bow to the law regardless of their prior relations. They had no control over their own futures-that now hinged on Len's decision.

He looked up at Queen Ann and addressed her mildly as if she had not just exiled the two most important people in his life. "Is my appearance acceptable?"

Queen Ann nodded. Her newest doll-despite being male-was a beautiful child. The injury Len received did not at all detract from his looks. If anything, it gave him an air of mystery that made him all the more alluring. "It will do. I expect that you know exactly who your Fighter is."

"I do," replied Len in a definitive manner. He stifled a dry laugh as he sensed both building hope and anxiety from the Fighters behind him.

The queen leaned forward on her throne. Her entire body radiated excitement as she glanced between the two Fighters who knelt unmoving behind Len as would a vulture, intent upon her next meal. "Well, who is it?" snapped the Queen impatiently.

Len gave a charming, closed-eyed smile and bent his head slightly to the right in order to rub his cheek against the black doll in his arms. From Miku's earlier instructions, he knew exactly what was within his rights and powers as a Sacrifice. He may be under the queen's command, but he would make sure hell freezes over before he made it easy for her. He would spare her civility, but he would sooner bite his tongue and die than offer her his obedience.

In time, the queen will understand that it was not only Miku and Rin who were banished from the castle that day. The kind, complaisant Len was gone-replaced by a changeling who only desired reprisal. "I refuse to answer."

Kiyoteru's hand stilled and his face shot up at the young child's sudden impudence. He had thought that only Rin was capable of such audacity. With a quick shake of his head, he reigned in his awe and returned back to his writing, but his quill no longer glided on ivory paper as fluidly as before.

Queen Ann's beautiful face fell blank with shock before it twisted with hideous anger. She had not counted on the fact that Len could exhibit the same brazen nature as his sister under his thick layer of composure. She opened her mouth to insist on his answer, but the rules that govern the bond between a Fighter and Sacrifice flashed through her mind. Len was allowed take as long as his rationality would last before deciding on a Fighter. If he rejects the bond for too long, he would slowly be driven insane.

She settled for pursing her lips into a tight, grim line and stood rigidly from her throne. She will let the child think he has the upper hand for now. Then, she will watch him lose his mind and beg to perish for her sake.

For as much as the queen loved beautiful things, there was nothing she loved more than power. "Do as you will. In the meanwhile, those Fighters of yours can teach you some manners. I will not have an uneducated urchin for something as important as a Sacrifice." With another furious glare and a whirl of shining silk, she retired back to her rooms.

Kiyoteru sighed and quickly picked up his writing implements from the smooth desk. Before he headed towards the door, he turned back once more to the smiling Sacrifice and the two frozen Fighters who had not yet risen to their feet. He approached Len and lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "Your sister wanted to save you."

"Please refrain from mentioning Rin or Miss Miku within these walls," said Len with a light yet commanding tone. "It disgraces such lovely names to be mingled with the same air that houses such filth."

"If you do not choose, you will be driven mad," whispered Kiyoteru almost desperately. "Surely you are aware! I can-" Kiyoteru involuntarily grabbed Len's shoulder in an attempt to make him understand the severity of the situation. His action caused the boy to drop the doll he held, but the two swords that instantly pointed themselves at his throat arrested any further movement. He carefully released Len and let the hand drop lifelessly to his side.

Len replied, completely unfazed by Kaito and Gakupo's sudden reactions to defend him, but his smile vanished and he became as unreadable as stone. "I will not abandon my status as a Sacrifice until I have accomplished what must be done. Now if you would be so kind, I must speak with my Fighters."

"Just... stay safe," said Kiyoteru as if it pained him. Without another word, he frowned and walked out of the room as quickly as his legs would allow.

Although the man's thoughts were well-intentioned, Len could no longer spare any emotion to be affected by Kiyoteru's worries. If he left, he knew that he would be pursued. Here, he could retain at least some fleeting semblance of control while protecting Miku and Rin. He replaced the blank look on his face with a slight smile, hardened his heart, and turned his attention to the two Fighters who slowly sheathed their swords and dropped to their knees once more.

"Hello," Len walked forward and crouched down to eye-level with the two men. "You don't have to keep kneeling. Her Majesty has already left."

But Kaito and Gakupo kept their attention firmly fixed to the floor and they dared not look at Len. Their hearts pounded furiously and every inch of their skin yearned to touch. They were not even bonded yet the raw ferocity of their desire to hold and safeguard the Sacrifice took their breath away.

Perhaps they did not hear me, thought Len, knowing that his voice was not exactly suited for volume. He reached out his hands, laid them on the top of each man's head and marveled at the fine blue and violet strands that flowed through his fingers. For a second, he felt a thread of sympathy grow before he crushed it with bitterness once more.

Kaito was the first to move. He removed his gloves, reached up and guided the small, delicate hand to rest against his cheek. He let out the deep sigh of contentment that had built up inside him, but heeding Yuma's warning, he dared not open his eyes. "Please excuse my selfishness, but I beg you to allow me to stay like this a moment longer."

Len's tone turned quizzical as he spread his fingers to lightly caress the blue-haired Fighter's warm skin. "Are you not uncomfortable as you are?" His velveteen ears twitched with surprise when a sharp gasp of pleasure was drawn from the man's lips at the slight movement.

"Forgive me. I can try, but I feel that my legs would not have the strength to support me at the moment."

But Len did not have the opportunity to process the implications of the sentence before he felt two large, comforting hands enclosing his own. A curtain of dark lilac hair hid Gakupo's face as he pressed a light kiss on the inside of Len's palm before curling his fingers around the warm impression. He then raised his handsome face in wonderment, but like Kaito, his eyes remained tightly closed.

"I have been searching for you my entire life-no, perhaps even before that. I feel like the purpose of my whole being is to revolve around you."

"You do not know who I am and I do not know who you are," said Len, taken aback by how his truthful words felt inexplicably like lies. The sincerity of both men's tones both warmed yet discomforted him. But his remembrance of witnessing their earlier activities quelled any desire to draw strength from their reassurances.

To Len, his role is nothing more than an interloper-an unwelcome force whose sole purpose is nothing more than to sever a bond that has already been formed.

"I am here to serve you."

"I am not looking for a servant," said Len as he pulled his hands away and picked up the precious doll that lay on the floor. "I am a Sacrifice. If anything, my purpose for living is to suffer for my Fighter and for this Kingdom."

A sound that imitated a growl rumbled from both men's throats at the very idea. "I will not let that come to pass!" Kaito swore.

An uncharacteristically severe frown darkened Gakupo's face. "I would sooner die than allow any harm to come to you."

If the two men had allowed themselves to see, they would have been taken aback by the calculating gleam in Len's eye. They could not anticipate that for all their innocent image of their young Sacrifice, Len's heart only beat to the rhythm of reprisal.

"It will not happen. Please allow me to be clear. It was not in jest when I told the Queen that I refuse to name my Fighter. I never had any intentions of choosing between the two of you. You are free to live as you will. I will not chain you down."

The imposing words hung in the large, empty room, and bore down heavily upon Kaito and Gakupo who were already unable to rise from their knees. Freedom was the last thing they wanted from the one they had waited for since they could remember. But all they could hear was the soft rustling of cloth as Len passed between them and headed toward the door.

Len reached for the golden handle, but a warm hand upon his own arrested any further motion. He froze where he stood as violet strands fell upon him from above. His heart skipped a beat when he realized just how much taller both men were in comparison to himself, especially Gakupo.

"It is too late now," whispered Gakupo. "Giving me freedom would be the same as denying my existence. The only way for me to live is to be allowed to be your shield. I am your Fighter and will do all in my power to protect you."

"You are not the only Fighter who has awakened. Don't get carried away when you have not yet been chosen, Gakupo." Kaito's voice was tinged with a hint of steel that was unfamiliar to his long-time companion. The man's normally cheerful tone contained an ugly note of jealously that was reflected by the slight tightening of his mouth.

Gakupo slowly turned his head but did not release Len's small hand from his grasp. He opened his eyes to meet a much colder blue than he was familiar with. He was not aware that the same territorial expression had manifested on his own visage. "And neither have you."

As Len feared, the two men who had so tenderly held each other only a few hours earlier now scarcely acknowledge and-at the slightest provocation-would tear into the other like wild beasts.

"I would appreciate if you did not argue before me," said Len in a soft but commanding tone before he gently liberated his hand and turned to walk back toward Kaito. He stood before the chastised man for long moments before he remarked on something that plagued his mind. "Why do neither of you open your eyes when you look at me? Are Fighters all blind? Or is the sight of me offensive in any way?"

As soon as the words left Len's lips, the same sharp sudden pain returned but disappeared in an instant. In what felt like fog being pierced, or a dam breaking, Len's eye widened in shock.

"People rely too much on sight that they fail to distinguish the difference between what is real and what is expected."

Forgetting Yuma's warning, both men immediately opened their eyes and started to voice their reassurances before catching themselves. Gakupo, who luckily stood behind Len, was only able to see sun-gold hair and blue-black silk. Kaito, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. All of the words and excuses he prepared to say dried up on his tongue as he gazed down upon a fey-like figure through his glasses. Black feline ears topped golden hair that fell haphazardly, framing a face as smooth and unblemished as the finest porcelain. But the bottomless, sky-blue eye that looked unflinching-yet almost tenderly-up at him pained him with its inexplicable familiarity.

"... Len..."

Gakupo and Len were taken aback by the hopeful, but almost anguished cry that was torn from Kaito's lips. Gakupo radiated a mild confusion from the name and Len's sudden amusement was less apparent, but the utter relief that pervaded every inch of Kaito's frame was most unexpected.

"Len," repeated Kaito breathily in wonderment. "That is your name."

"How... no one has provided us with that information..." Gakupo murmured to himself, still too stunned to react negatively to the situation. But when the Sacrifice turned to glance at him, he could not deny that "Len" was the young child's name. Every fiber of his being screamed and begged for him to understand and accept what his mind could not completely rationalize. After all, the bond between Fighter and Sacrifice itself is far from what can be considered "natural".

The bonding was proceeding much faster than I anticipated, thought Len as his grip on Miku's doll tightened in consternation, but I cannot give up now. Kaito knew his name instinctively; the first sign of a forming bond, and the glazed look in Gakupo's lilac eyes betrayed his realization as well.

Len was well aware of the futility of his position, as Miku and Rin's freedom was only guaranteed so long as Queen Ann still deemed him necessary. He walked a very fine line. Rejecting the bond for too long would not only strain his mind but also strain the Queen's miniscule patience. As much as he loathed the part he must play, he must force himself to dance on the Queen's palm for a little while longer.

But as he thought of the two men who stood before him, he felt his chest throb painfully with a mixture of sympathy and what felt vaguely of longing. They would offer their entire selves to him, but nothing they can give could mend something that was already broken beyond repair. And with the maelstrom that currently churned in his mind, the timing of events could not possibly be any worse.

Kaito bit his lip as if weighing what words to say. "My name is-"

"I already know." Len's reply was bluntly nonchalant, but his smile was sad and distant. When he spoke again, his voice carried a tone of finality. "But even knowing that, I will not accept either of you."

"But it is rumored that you would fall to madness."

"And that it why such things are called rumors rather than truths," said Len as walked back to the door and pulled the golden handle to finally open the way to the hall. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to rest and reassess the situation.

Kaito frowned. "I cannot simply stand by and watch that happen."

"Certainly a pity, but it would be of my own decision. However..." Len's smile was enigmatic as he coyly glanced back at both men before the door closed and hid his figure from their view. "Feel free to try to change my mind."

Kaito-dono... Gakupo-dono...

It is good to see you again.

Len feigned indifference, but as he closed the door, he allowed his shaking knees to buckle under him. He fully expected to meet the floor, but a sturdy arm steadied his waist and kept him upright. "Ah, thank you." He turned to his supporter in gratitude, but when he saw who held him, he could no longer suppress the surging memories.

Len's world quickly faded to black as Yuma stared down quizzically at the young Sacrifice who collapsed bonelessly into his arms. An insistent nagging at the back of his mind prodded like a memory that struggled to surface, but as time passed, the feeling slowly faded. After a few moments, a different sort of confusion finally voiced itself into words.

"... this is a boy?"