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The crown prince of Nekoma had always been an antisocial one, delicately spoiled and kept hidden from the public eye since he was young. He took private lessons from the comfort of his personal study and had a team of his own guard detail no more than one room away at any moment. But even with everything provided for him… Kenma always seemed to find something to complain about.
Today, Prince Kenma was bored. Criminally bored. It was cold outside, the frosted glass outside his study window drawing his attention away from his astrology lecture. Tree leaves had turned pretty shades of orange and yellow before falling to the ground over the past weeks; but Kenma was nothing less than warm as sunlight beamed through the window to warm his heavy kimono and overcoat.
“...and this will become more apparent as we finish the last degrees of our transit into Capricorn this week, marking the end of autumn. Now, when we look at the solstice in relation to the new moon tonight, there are a few ways to interpret the end of a moon cycle right before a cardinal sign such as this…”
The prince fought to keep himself from yawning. His professor Akaashi went on and on about transits, retrogrades, and whatever else he kept forgetting to keep track of. Kenma let his eyes fall closed, and half a moment later, his professor rapped his knuckles on the desk to wake him up.
Akaashi was an eccentric man — a scholar with weak eyesight and thick glasses that only made his cold, disappointed gaze feel harsher. He cleared his throat and continued, “As I was saying…”
Prince Kenma sighed. “Is there anything in the stars about when it’s supposed to snow?”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
“No, my prince. I’m not a meteorologist.”
Then what use are you? — is what the prince wanted to ask, but he kept that comment to himself. The moon carried a lot of cultural importance in the Nocturnal Empire. Nekoma, Fukurodani, and Inarizaki were three separate nations, but under the protection of Tsukuyomi, the kingdoms were able to reach a treaty and come together.
All of Kenma’s lessons had become much more important since his eighteenth birthday a few months ago though. Suddenly, everything was something Akaashi didn’t care to repeat; like royal bonding ceremonies and how those traditions depended on which phase of the moon was in the sky.
Once his never-ending-lesson was over, an attendant came in to escort the prince across the castle. His mother just returned from a trip to some neighboring nations - Fukurodani and Karasuno to be specific - and she decided it was best for them to catch up over a meal.
Kenma yawned as his attendant slid the door to the tea parlor open. “Welcome back.”
His mother was already sitting at the low, ornate table with her feet tucked beneath her as she sat on a lush pillow. “There you are. I worried you were going to hide away to sleep somewhere, rather than coming to meet me for lunch. Did you miss me? I brought gifts with me; do you want to see them before or after we eat?”
“I don’t really care.” Kenma shuffled inside to sit across from her, and the young attendant Akane followed him in to pour their tea. It was an herbal blend of green tea, lavender, and dried citrus that his mother had been enamored with lately. She received it from a close friend of hers - one of the queens of the Sunshine Archipelago, a series of island nations dedicated to the deities Amaterasu and Uzume.
“I’ll show you now, then!” This time, his mother came back with the largest spotted conch shell Kenma had ever seen, and pretty pieces of sea glass that looked even more beautiful when held up to the sunlight.
Kenma burned his tongue on his first sip of tea and scowled at his cup with a quiet huff. Akane definitely saw that, which meant she was going to relay this embarrassment to her brother before the end of the day. He was never going to live this down.
Today’s tea snacks were a small array of persimmon and sliced pear, along with chocolates wrapped in shiny paper. Kenma grabbed a candy to soothe his tongue. His mother drank her scalding tea without a care in the world, having a much higher tolerance for hot temperatures than her son. Akane stifled a small laugh.
“You should come with me next time I visit, I’m sure you’d love the Karasuno Isles. The weather is so beautiful there.”
Kenma felt uncomfortable just imagining it. “I’d rather not…”
His mother was used to his disinterested attitude and more than made up for it with her own, royal-grade extroversion. “Alright - but while I was there, I spent a lot of time with Princess Yachi and her mother. I think I’ve introduced the two of you before. You’re around the same age, by the way.” Please don’t be implying something. “She doesn’t turn eighteen for another year, but I overheard some of the queens discussing how long engagements are very fashionable these days? What do you think?”
“Um—”
“Of course, hm…” She frowned, carrying the conversation without even needing a response. “You’re both so pretty, but you’re both omegas. That’s so unfortunate. Imagine how sweet it would have been if Madoka and I were in-laws.”
Kenma grimaced. He needed to cut his mother off before she had any more ideas. “Not interested.”
She pushed a plate of persimmons toward him. “Are you sure? We really need to think about marriage prospects, you know.”
Just because Kenma knew didn’t mean he wanted to have this conversation. “I don’t—”
“Eat more fruit while you think it over,” she insisted - completely living up to her reputation as his overbearing alpha mother, Empress of the Nocturnal Kingdom.
Kenma was… kind of the sole heir to the throne. He descended from a long line of royal, silky haired women; while his father was a beta who dedicated so much time and effort into courting his prestigious alpha mother that she jumped at the chance to turn her long line of suitors down for a perfectly level headed husband.
When the empress and her husband married, and the young princess eventually came along, there was no need for any other children. The Kozume Dynasty was matriarchy… but as the princess grew up and decided the title of prince was more appropriate for himself, Kenma knew it was only a matter of time before he had to deal with the semantics of his rights to the throne.
There was a heavy weight on his shoulders. All of a sudden, he had no choice but to face the fact that he was a young adult now - which meant the prospect of marriage loomed over him more with each passing day.
Kenma was only like his mother in looks alone. Where she loved to fill a room with conversation, he was awkward and reclusive. He hated meeting new people. Rather than building friendships with the other royals around his age, Kenma preferred to hang around the castle staff he had grown used to over the years.
The prince sighed, already exhausted from his train of thought. His hair fell into his face as he slouched and dropped his head.
“Posture,” his mother reminded.
“Ughhhh.” Kenma fixed his shoulders to sit up straight, but did nothing to hide the grimace on his face as he did so. “Can I leave yet?”
His mother, the empress, laughed warmly. “Always so expressive. You can go once you finish your tea.” She turned to address their young attendant. “Akane-chan, I’d like you to find my husband and bring him to me. Once my son leaves, I’ll catch up with him next.”
With Kenma’s tea now at a lukewarm temperature, he was able to finish it in a few sips. He grabbed a handful of wrapped chocolates to tuck into the sleeve of his kimono and was dismissed with Akane. Now that he had a moment to himself, he could finally relax. Maybe he could even get rid of his boredom.
Kenma walked through the handmaiden quarters, taking the shortest path to the guard dormitories.
“Woah, Kenma’s down here again! You look so out of place, it’s hilarious,” Lev cheerfully greeted. He was a newer member of the Prince’s personal guard - along with Shouyou, who sputtered and blanched at his blunt words.
“Just because he comes down here doesn’t mean you can be an asshole, Lev.”
“Huh? Did I say something rude?”
Kenma had never been the type to care about class or formalities. If he was, Lev would have been unemployed by now - considering the way he always managed to be too blunt for even the most casual situations.
Kenma dropped his handful of wrapped candies on the bookshelf. “There’s chocolate if you want some.”
Shouyou yelped, nearly falling over himself as he saw the prince heading toward the barrack sitting area. “Wait, wait, wait - let me clean up!” He grabbed the scattered pillows from the chair Kenma liked and threw a clean sheet overtop of it to keep their scents from muddling together. The prince sat down and Shouyou looked proud of himself, his arms crossed over his chest as he nodded approvingly at the makeshift accommodations.
Newer guards were always overexcitable. Lev and Shouyou had only joined the ranks recently - with Lev hired on by the head guard himself and Shouyou being a birthday gift from Queen Madoka. She was very close with the empress, so it only made sense for Kenma to receive largely political gifts. A personal guard from Karasuno being hired for Nekoma’s prince was a statement - something that spoke for itself about their alliance.
Kenma looked around, thinning his lips into a line to keep from frowning as he saw they were the only ones around. “Where’s Kuro?”
“No idea,” Lev responded.
The prince frowned. “I don’t even know why I asked you.” Yamamoto or Fukunaga were better at keeping track of things, but who knew where they were right now.
His boredom already festering into a bad mood, Kenma was too busy scowling to himself to hear the sound of footsteps stealthing closer.
“Oya, what’s this? Did my prince get bored without a guard dog around to keep him company?”
The harsh, woody scent of black peppercorn rushed the prince’s senses. It could only be one person - and surely enough, it was Kuroo, the head of Kenma’s personal guard.
“No.” It was a miracle Kenma kept his voice steady. “Go away, you smell like outside.”
Kuroo leaned over the back of the prince’s seat to smile cockily at him. “Does fresh air bother you that much, your highness? Maybe you’re allergic to it.”
“I’m not allergic to fresh air.”
“You could have fooled me.” Kuroo pulled away to return his personal space, having taken his fill of annoying Prince Kenma for the day. “You’re gonna have back and hip problems by the time you’re my age if you keep this up. When was the last time you went on a walk?”
Kenma rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you’re that much older than me,” he said - and Kuroo laughed softly, a deep sound that could make any omega’s heart skip a beat.
“I’m old enough to have back pain.” Did people in their late twenties have bad backs? Kenma wasn’t really sure, but his older guard was known to tease him… so who really knew the truth.
Suddenly, the door to the barracks kicked open. “Ahahahahaha! You burned your tongue in front of the empress, that’s so embarrassing!” Yamamoto was laughing so hard there were tears in his eyes.
Kuroo cleared his throat and stood up straight. “Gossip, huh? I hope you aren’t slandering the prince in front of a senior guard, Yamamoto.”
“Uhhh, no sir.” Just like his younger sister, he tried to stifle his laughter. “Definitely not.”
“Good.” Kuroo put his hands on his hips like a nagging parent. “Now, remember to take your post seriously. It’s far from his highness’s fault that he’s allergic to fresh air and hot water,” he said, punctuating his words with a snicker so horrendous that Kenma wondered what it would take to send in a royal execution order. Foraging his mother’s signature with some level of accuracy was always an option…
Kuroo had two laughs - the warmest sound you’ve ever heard, and something that sounded like he stole it from a pack of hyenas. Unfortunately, either one was more than enough to have the prince going weak in the knees.
Prince Kenma was a loner. He didn’t talk to very many people… other than his team of guards. Kuroo had been the first alpha appointed to the prince’s safety, so it only made sense for them to be close after all this time.
Kenma was only twelve when he presented as an omega, while Kuroo had just graduated from his royal guard training. He kneeled down to keep from towering over the young prince, not wanting to intimidate him, and introduced himself as a personal knight with an oath to keep him safe.
It had been six years since that day, and Kenma still didn’t stand a fucking chance against the small creases in the corner of Kuroo’s eyes when he smiled, always a familiar face to the prince. His jaw had grown stronger and his shoulders stood taller and broader, as if it was even possible.
The way his heart raced when Kuroo walked into a room was a secret Kenma would take to the grave.
✶
The next day, Prince Kenma spent his lessons daydreaming out the study window yet again. It was warmer today; the frost clearing to give him an uninhibited view of the palace courtyard below, and his eyes fixated on a certain alpha who decided to take his workout routine outdoors to soak up the good weather.
Kuroo jogged the perimeter of the enclosed garden, always looking for an opportunity to stretch his legs and get his blood pumping. The prince watched approvingly. Was Kuroo single? Married? What if he was already courting someone, but hadn’t proposed? Would Kenma have a chance if his betrothed had a sudden run-in with a royal execution order?
From down amongst the Christmas roses, Kuroo glanced up to catch sight of Kenma sitting near the window. He waved. Kenma bristled and flinched backward, his palms suddenly sweaty where they clutched the leather of his unread schoolbook. There was… no way Kuroo didn’t notice him staring.
Professor Akaashi cleared his throat. “Prince, the least you could do is pretend you’re listening.”
“I was.”
Akaashi met him with a stoic face, both of them fully knowing that no, Kenma had not been listening. He shook his head with a sigh before continuing the lecture. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the study door.
Kuroo popped his head into the room - causing Akaashi’s annoyance to grow and Kenma’s heart to flutter weakly. “Hiya. I’m not interrupting, am I?”
“The only thing you’re doing is interrupting. Distractions aren’t welcome in my classroom, Kuroo-san.”
“Oh really?” The prince’s guard grinned with a conniving glint in his eyes. “Well, it’s my sworn duty to protect your student - so sitting in on a lesson or two is kinda the least I could do. You’re lucky I haven’t been more of a distraction before, Keiji.”
Akaashi sighed in irritation. “I’d prefer if you didn’t speak like we’re on good terms.”
The two of them were close in age, both several years older than Kenma. Kuroo waved Akaashi off with a nonchalance that made the prince wonder if they had a history he didn’t know about. “Yeah, yeah. I know.” He pulled up a chair to sit at the desk, his voice a stage whisper. “Is he strict?”
Kenma bit his tongue and nodded curtly, trying to hide his amused smile. Akaashi continued his lesson.
“As I was saying - royal marriages within the Nocturnal Kingdom are only viable under the full moon. Tsukuyomi’s blessing is very important, which is why bonding ceremonies only happen under waxing moon phases.”
Just thinking about the scheduling logistics was enough to make Kenma exhausted. “That’s a lot of effort.” He wanted to complain even more about these annoying traditions, but all it took was a quick glance to his guard for the prince to notice the… soft warmth in his golden eyes. It made him think twice about being a hater. “Some people probably like that though.”
“I think it’s romantic,” Kuroo said. “Imagine putting all that intention into courting someone, it just goes to say how much you wanted them all along.”
He was so knowledgeable about romance. “You probably have experience with that,” Kenma chided - definitely not getting envious of whoever had caught Kuroo’s attention.
His guard laughed, that softness still warming his gaze and leaving small creases in the corner of his eyes. “Ha! You think I’m the type to be married and mated with three pups by now? I’m a career man, Kenma. How would I keep an eye on you if I was off playing kissy face under the moonlight somewhere outside of the castle?”
So he was single. Prince Kenma felt something flutter deep in his stomach as he realized he really was the most important person in Kuroo’s life. Crown Prince or not, a win was a win.
✶
The empress had always been one to take initiative, but today, all Kenma felt was annoyance and disdain toward his mother. She took it upon herself to invite two princesses from an allied territory to socialize with him - but it didn’t take a genius to see what the implication was. It was a matchmaking session, and Prince Kenma wanted nothing to do with it.
Yamamoto, on the other hand, perked up as soon as he heard about the palace’s incoming guests. “Princesses? Which ones? Are they beautiful with glass skin and soft hands?”
“Uh… I guess? They’re from Fukurodani.”
He grabbed his chest like something had pierced him through the heart. “Princess Yukie and Princess Kaori?! I can’t believe you’re having dinner with the women of my dreams! You better not fumble this, Kenma!”
“That’s what you say about every girl with nice skin,” the prince said with a roll of his eyes. “Besides, they’re both alphas, so you wouldn’t have a chance with them anyway.”
“I’d make it work.”
Kenma sighed, his worries finding their way back to weigh down his shoulders. His mother was pushing all these marriage prospects at him because he needed to make a decision. “All of this would be so much easier if I had someone to ask.”
“That’s what fortune tellers are for,” Fukunaga chimed in.
“Oh yeah, my little sis dragged me to one of those during the summer fireworks festival to get our palms read,” Yamamoto added.
Prince Kenma huffed quietly. “I’ve never been to one before.”
“Really?” Yamamoto seemed genuinely surprised before remembering who he was speaking to. “Well… yeah, that makes sense since you don’t go out much. There’s always a fortune teller at festivals in the city.”
Ouch.
Kenma didn’t mind his sheltered life, he liked keeping to himself. The only downside to his antisocial nature was the amount of things he missed out on; all the experiences he would never consider, solely because they were in unfamiliar locations with dense crowds. Prince Kenma was an adult now - there wasn’t much controlling him these days, besides his own hesitations and the opinion of his mother.
He could only use concerns for his safety as a scapegoat for so long. If he wanted to do something, really, what was holding him back? People always said how beautiful the city lights looked at this time of year, but what was the night market like? Did the festival have food stands with sweets, and would Kenma find anything new to try?
With his wandering mind taking over and getting lost in thought, Kenma was still zoned out when his mother’s guests arrived. His guards dragged him across the palace to socialize with the princesses, Yukie and Kaori. As per custom, omegas weren’t allowed to be alone with their suitors, so the empress was sitting in on this meeting.
In another one of his disengaged moods, Prince Kenma refused to talk very much. Any of his attempts ended awkwardly, so he left the female alphas to chat amongst each other.
“Kenma, darling - I heard that the princesses are actually attending the same university your tutor studied at. Isn’t it such a small world?” His mother, the empress said as she tried to prompt a conversation between them.
He shrugged. “Not really… they’re all from Fukurodani, so it’s not surprising.”
His mother smacked his knee and carried on with entertaining the princesses, as if nothing ever happened. She was getting along with them much better than he ever would.
Even without chiming in, Kenma couldn’t help but be in a bad mood as they gossipped about other royals in the area, long engagements, and how they preferred their tea paired with their sweets. He seethed over how he purposefully distanced himself from the princess lifestyle, only to still be stuck here sitting like a pretty little omega for suitors he couldn’t give a fuck about.
It pissed him off. The thought of being dull and uninteresting made his skin crawl.
✶
That night, the Prince couldn’t sleep. Unhappiness welled up in the pit of his stomach, making him toss and turn until he kicked his sheets off the bed. The night shift guards greeted him as he stormed all the way down to the barracks, already used to his random bouts of insomnia.
Kenma knocked on Kuroo’s door, hard enough to wake him from his sleep. There was the sudden sound of movement - and a moment later, Kuroo opened the door with bags under his eyes and the smell of adrenaline on his scent. “What’s wrong? What happened? You’re never down here this late.”
“I want to see the winter festival,” Kenma decided.
“What?”
The prince huffed, annoyed that his favorite guard couldn’t read his mind. “I’m probably the only omega in the country that’s never been to a festival. I want to leave and do something fun. I want to see the night market, and it’s your duty to escort me.”
Kuroo rubbed his eyes, still half asleep and yawning. “Okay - wait, wait. You can’t just spring this on me in the middle of the night.”
“I can though,” Kenma reminded him. “As your prince, you can’t say no to an official demand.”
“I— I can make it happen, but give me some time. Can you be patient enough to wait ‘til tomorrow? I’ll have something planned by then.”
“Fine.” He was annoyed by the delay, but trusted Kuroo regardless.
The scent of black peppercorn was heavy in the air. “Your hair’s all messed up. You look like me.” Kuroo chuckled softly as he smoothed the prince’s bed-head down, his movements gentle as he stroked through the silky hair. That warm look softened his eyes again as he patted Kenma on the head. “Alright. Back to bed, my prince. Your excitement can take a backseat for the night.”
Prince Kenma flushed under the attention, his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest. He quickly said goodnight to his guard and darted back to his bedroom. As he climbed back into bed, he noted the faint smell of peppercorn sticking to his hair, allowing it to soothe his overactive nerves and put him to sleep.
✶
The next morning, Kuroo and the prince snuck out of the palace with their hearts beating out of their chests. The plan was to make their way to the city outskirts, catch their breath at an old colleague’s house, and then wait until sunset to make the rest of the trip to the festival.
Prince Kenma was obviously anxious about his day out. But of all the people he trusted, Kuroo was at the top of the list; so he knew nothing would go wrong as long as he stayed by his side.
It was a brisk day, the kind of cold that was almost okay if you stood in the sunlight. The clouds overhead were thin and fluffy, and the prince was too distracted by the scenery to complain about the tip of his nose turning to ice in the chilly weather. It was true, he didn’t get out very much… but if everything outside the palace was this peaceful and lovely, perhaps that was something to reconsider.
Of course, it didn’t take long for Prince Kenma’s energy to fade. Only a few kilometers into their hike, and each step he took was more annoying than the last.
“How’s it going back there, your highness?” Naturally, his guard had yet to break a sweat.
Kenma hated him and his daily workout routine. “I’m going to die,” he groaned. The uneven ground of the dirt path was giving him a stupid amount of trouble, his feet aching.
“Ha!” Kuroo laughed. “You’re seriously already winded?”
“Shut it. I don’t do this.”
“Don’t tell me you wanna go back after kicking and screaming for me to take you out.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“Really? I’m pretty sure that’s how I remember it,” Kuroo teased lightheartedly. He stepped over a small divot in the road. “Watch your footing.”
“Wha— ow.”
His reflexes were quick when the prince tripped, holding out an arm for Kenma to steady himself with. “Come here, it’s alright.”
Prince Kenma begrudgingly accepted the help. It always gave him whiplash when Kuroo was good at his job; he was charming and annoying, but still a loyal guard all the same. There wasn’t much to protect Kenma from back at the palace, so seeing him this attentive was rare.
Kuroo got down on one knee, taking the prince’s thin ankle to slip off his lacquered sandal and check for injuries. His thumb moved over the joint and tendons through the thick fabric of Kenma’s split-toe sock. “Does that hurt?”
He shook his head, no, blushing too hard to speak.
“Any blisters? Did you twist your ankle?”
The prince huffed and kicked him away. “I’m just tired. I didn’t lift my foot high enough.”
“Yeah, that’ll happen when you’re exhausted.” Kuroo slapped his thighs as he pulled himself back to his feet. “We’re not too far from my friend’s place - we can warm up and catch our breath there. Do you think you can make it?”
“Probably.”
“You don’t want me to carry you the rest of the way?”
“Stop messing with me.”
“I’m joking, joking! Come on, let’s keep moving.”
Everything would be fine as long as they were back at the palace by tomorrow. Kenma only had a maximum of eight hours before the empress realized he was missing, and then another twelve before she turned the country upside down in a nationwide search for him. The royal guard getting deployed would definitely kill the impulsive holiday season vibe Kenma was aiming for, so he really wanted to avoid that scenario.
Luckily, it was only mid-afternoon by the time the prince and his guard made it to the Nekoma City outskirts. One of Kuroo's old friends from his guard training lived in this town and Kenma was equally as excited as he was nervous to meet him. It was rare that Kuroo talked to anyone other than the alphas at his station.
“Heyyyyy, Yaku - you mind if I cash in that favor?”
“Are you serious?”
The prince was taken aback. “I thought you had everything planned out,” he whispered under his breath.
“I do! I said we could stay here, never that I asked beforehand,” Kuroo bluntly explained. “It's fine, he owes me one.”
Yaku was another older alpha, the same age as Kuroo while standing a few centimeters shorter than Kenma. His annoyance quickly faded when he noticed and recognized who his old bunkmate had brought with him.
“Is that the— I knew you were an idiot, but seriously? The prince?!”
“You're really gonna let the crown prince stand out in the cold? Wow, Yaku, I knew you were heartless, but even this is a lot,” Kuroo tutted.
Yaku scowled and opened the door. “Just get in here already.” He let them inside, nodding respectfully at Kenma. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness.”
His skin crawled at the formal greeting. “You don’t… have to do that.”
Kuroo easily broke the tension, waving the awkward pause in conversation away. “Kenma here is moonlighting as a townie, so you can talk to him casually just for today. He wanted to go to the festival tonight, and who am I to say no to an official request? Y’know?” He clapped his hands together and continued, “Anyways, it would be great if we could stick around your place ‘til nightfall.”
Yaku rolled his eyes. “You’re terrible at asking for favors, but sure.”
Kenma sat down by the fireplace to warm up, stretching the sore muscles in his legs and back. He hated the discomfort of it… but at the same time, something deep inside of him liked it too. He couldn’t remember the last time he moved around enough to actually feel sore.
✶
It was much colder after the sun went down. What was left from that lingering warmth was gone in an instant, the air harsh enough for the prince to see his breath as they approached Nekoma City Center, where the winter festival lights lit the streets in tones of red and gold.
“It’s crowded.”
“Are you worried?” Kuroo asked.
If Prince Kenma was, he didn’t want to show it. “Just don’t walk too far ahead.”
Kuroo spoke low enough for only Kenma to hear, “Of course, your highness.” He offered his hand out like he was asking the prince to dance. He grinned widely as Prince Kenma laced their chilly fingers together, allowing his guard to pull them into the festivities.
At first, Kenma only thought Kuroo agreed to bring him here because of his royal-grade demands. The longer this day stretched on, though, the more he felt like Kuroo was genuinely excited to bring him out.
His hands were rough against Kenma’s soft palms, but he was nothing less than gentle with his prince. He always was. All around them, there were mated couples in kimonos, sticking close to each other in their heavy layers to keep warm. The paper lanterns glowing overheard stole Kenma’s attention as they walked. The crowd grew thicker with each moment, people nudging him out of the way. This made him bump harshly into a beta woman with his shoulder. She turned to scowl at Kenma.
Kuroo quickly defused the situation. “Sorry about that, please excuse us,” he said in that sweet, low voice of his. The beta’s eyes went wide, her cheeks tinting pink as he apologized in Kenma’s stead.
“O-oh, it’s fine!” Disarmed by Kuroo’s charm, she left without another glance in the prince’s direction.
Kenma blinked, dumbfounded at the situation. “I think she was mad at me.” That had never actually… happened to him until now.
“Well, in your defense, everyone’s gotten out of your way before now.” Kuroo surveyed the side of the street they were on, having a much better vantage point from his height. “Look, Kenma - they’re serving sake over there.” The prince nodded and followed after him, their hands still linked together to keep them from getting separated. This time, Kenma paid more attention to the strangers around him and made sure to follow in the path Kuroo was carving through the crowd.
They shared small cups of sake that warmed their insides. Kenma sighed, and his breath appeared more opaque than before. He was in awe of everything in the city center as they kept walking to find the fortune teller’s stand. He had never seen anything like this before, the emotions of finally experiencing such a common core memory burning inside of him like an excited stomach ache.
As always though, it was only a matter of time before his good mood turned to annoyance.
After spending the night waiting in line for a chance to meet the festival fortune teller, she hardly spoke to Kenma. The elderly omega waved him and his guard away as soon as they approached together - telling him to just trust himself, before turning to the next person in line.
Kenma was seething. “Trust myself? What’s that supposed to mean? I would’ve stayed home and asked Lev if I wanted some useless advice,” the prince rambled. He scowled as a strand of his hair was knocked loose by the wind, temper threatening to flare again as he tried and failed to blow it out of his face.
Kuroo brushed it aside, tucking the lost strand back behind Prince Kenma’s ear. “Maybe it’s time for you to stop being so indecisive.”
He scoffed, irritated. “It’s not like there’s even a decision to make. I’m not marrying any of the girls my mom picked out, so none of this was helpful.”
“Oh, come on. Let’s go look at the vendors up ahead. I’m sure we can turn this night around.”
“Whatever.”
No matter where he looked, nothing caught his eye. There were vases, ink paintings, lacquered chopsticks, and silky fabrics his mother could just ask to have custom-made by her personal tailors. Prince Kenma was moments away from digging his heels into the road and calling it a night when he noticed a jeweler that worked with precious stones.
There was a necklace made of moonstone and tiger's eye inlaid in a gold pendant. Right next to it, there was a matching hairpin made of the same materials. How pretty - the prince thought.
“What is?” Kuroo asked, and it was then the prince realized he said that aloud. He pointed to the vendor to show his guard. “Yeah, that is pretty nice. Do you want it?”
“I don’t have any money,” Kenma grumbled.
“What? You didn’t bring any?”
“I never had to carry it before…”
Kuroo instantly made up his mind. “Stay here,” he said, already heading over to buy the jewelry set. A moment later, he returned to present them to the prince; tucking that loose strand of Kenma’s hair behind his ear again and securing it in place with the hairpin. He held up the necklace next. “Turn around, I’ll put the clasp together for you.”
Kenma’s face burned hot as he turned to face the other way. He gasped when the cold metal touched his skin, but Kuroo clasped the necklace with minimal fumbling. Prince Kenma felt deeply shy when he faced his guard again. “Do they look okay?”
“You…” Kuroo hesitated like he was choosing his words carefully. “They look great on you.”
“I can have the treasury reimburse you,” Kenma tried, feeling guilty about using his guard’s money.
“No, it’s fine. It’s a gift now, so I’m glad I bought them. If anyone asks where you got those from, you tell them it was from me.”
Kenma smiled faintly, his heart fluttering in his chest. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up.” A chilly gust of wind blew past, and he scrunched his face up in distaste, tensing his shoulders to keep from shivering.
“Are you cold?” Kuroo asked, noticing.
“Yeah.”
He took Prince Kenma’s hands again, easily cupping them in his own and rubbing them together for warmth. He leaned in close to blow heated breath onto them, “Is that any better?”
“A little.”
Kuroo looked around for any restaurants, noticing a nearby izakaya that seemed inviting enough. Still holding the prince’s hand to keep the chill away, he led Kenma inside and asked for some seats. All eyes were on them in an instant. Kenma drew attention for his delicately androgynous looks, while Kuroo caught the scorn of everyone jealous that he had such a beautiful omega at his side. The scent of envy, desire, and pheromonal musk was thick in the air.
Kenma hesitated, suddenly aware of how many alphas were in the room. He never felt this scared at the palace. Nearly everyone he knew was an alpha… but those were his friends; these were strangers staring at him like a piece of meat. He jumped when his guard wrapped an arm around him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep them away,” Kuroo comforted, loosening the ball of anxiety in Kenma’s chest with just those few words. The scent of peppercorn surrounded them as he led Kenma to their seats. At such close proximity, the prince wondered if they seemed like a mated couple. His heart ached as he secretly hoped Kuroo’s scent would stick to him longer this time.
A server came over to take their orders and Kuroo asked for a lot of things. “Yeah, let me get a Sapporo, two waters, an order of the karaage chicken, pork gyoza, vegetable gyoza, two orders of takoyaki, a couple onigiri, and anything else you recommend.”
Kenma usually had a weak appetite, but after such a long day, his stomach growled in anticipation of a warm meal. “Oh my god,” he mumbled out in embarrassment.
“I had a feeling you’d be hungry. Are your hands still cold?” Kenma nodded in response, so Kuroo laced their fingers together. “You managed to keep up with me, and everyone needs a good meal after a long day. You did good, Kenma. You impressed me.”
“…Thanks.” Kenma couldn’t survive another day of this; getting pampered by his guard was doing terrible things to his heart.
Their server came back with their water and Kuroo’s beer. Kenma turned his nose up at the smell of his Sapporo, complaining about how gross beer was. Kuroo, of course, teased him for having such an unrefined, teenage palate.
“I’m not unrefined. I just like things that taste good,” the prince argued.
“You’d probably enjoy a sugary cocktail way more than something like this.” When the server returned with their plates of food, Kuroo took the opportunity to order another drink. “Thanks,” he said, when it arrived at the table. He slid the bright cocktail over to Kenma. “Here. Eat some more and then you can try this.”
“You keep bossing me around today.”
Kuroo hummed noncommittally, like this was news to him. “Is that so? Then why do you keep listening? Maybe you like the instructions, my indecisive prince.”
“Shut up.” Kenma finished his takoyaki before trying the drink. It was fruity and refreshing, and only had a faint trace of bitterness. “It’s good. I like it.”
“Drink slowly.”
Prince Kenma’s cocktail warmed his insides, but in a different way than the heated sake he had earlier. It tasted stronger. He tried to hold back his sweet giggles when Kuroo smiled at him, but the prince was defenseless against his charm in this state.
Kuroo noticed Kenma eyeing the pork gyoza just out of his reach. He slid the plate closer, only to pull it away teasingly, just to see the prince pout for a moment.
“You’re so annoying,” Kenma huffed.
Kuroo hummed softly, that warm look in his eyes returning as he moved the plate to the center of the table. “I get that a lot.”
Another cocktail arrived at their table, delivered by an unfamiliar waiter. Kenma didn’t remember ordering anything else. Kuroo intercepted the drink before Kenma could take a sip.
“Ah-ah. Let me see that first.”
“Why?”
“The fact you’re even asking is why I won’t stop being bossy. You shouldn’t drink too much at your height anyways,” Kuroo chastised. Not even taking himself seriously, he took a large sip to taste test it, only for his face to instantly fall. “Finish what you're eating, quickly. We need to go.”
Asking why, what’s wrong felt stupid when Kuroo was being so serious all of a sudden. Kenma took one last bite of chicken, his guard left some money on the table, and they were out the door within seconds. “Are you okay?”
Kuroo pulled him down the street, back into the well-populated areas. “Whoever left that drink spiked it.”
“What?” Kenma’s voice cracked. “How can you tell?”
“It was salty. Someone tried to drug you. This was a mistake, I never should’ve taken you out of the palace.”
“Kuro, slow down. Your face is getting red.”
He finally slowed his pace, sighing heavily. “It’s cold out.”
Kenma frowned and put a hand up to his cheek. “I think you’re starting a fever. Someone may have tried drugging me, but you’re the one who drank it.” The prince and his guard looked for an inn to spend the night, but with all the holiday traffic in Nekoma City, there were few vacancies left.
"I'm sorry. All we have left are single bed rooms."
Kuroo winced. “That won’t—”
“That’s fine,” Kenma insisted, speaking over him. He could be bossy too — and right now, Kuroo needed to worry less about formalities, and more about himself.
In their room, the prince’s guard felt restless. He tried sitting on the edge of the bed, only to get up just as quickly, laughing awkwardly. “This is all my fault.”
Prince Kenma hated seeing him like this. “You need to rest. Stay here, I can get some water.”
“No, stay!” Kuroo shouted. He instantly winced, beating himself up for raising his voice. “Sorry, I just… I’m here to protect you, so it’ll drive me insane if you’re out of my sight. I need to know you’re safe.”
“Oh. Is it like… riling up your inner alpha?” Now, Kenma wasn’t exactly opposed to that, but he really didn’t know what to expect. What was in the drink meant for him? Poison? Drugs? Aphrodisiac?
“I don’t know.” Kuroo sat down again, this time dropping his head into his hands.
Kenma checked his fever again. “How do you feel?”
“Like you need to get further away from me.”
The prince hesitated. If this was any other alpha, he would have stormed back to the front desk to demand a second room. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kuroo wasn’t just any alpha though. He was the person Kenma trusted most in the world. Alpha or not, he was sticking around to make sure his favorite guard made it through the night.
Kuroo felt hot to the touch. His heart rate picked up, breath turning heavier with each passing moment. “I need you to tie me up.”
“Okay.” Kenma loosened his obijime; the braided cord he wore around the obi of his kimono. He wrapped it around Kuroo’s wrists to restrain them behind his back, tying him to the bed frame. “What now?”
“Now you stop worrying.” Kuroo flashed a cheeky smile, trying to ignore the sweat beading along his hairline. “Just go to bed or something, I should be fine.”
The prince scoffed. “You’re really still trying to boss me around?” He moved the pillows aside to sit next to Kuroo at the top of the bed. The mattress was large enough for them both to keep to their own sides rather easily, but Kenma didn’t know the next time he’d have a chance to be impulsive again.
Kuroo choked as the prince leaned in close, his long hair curtaining the two of them in together. “What are you - now isn't the time to play with fire, Kenma.”
“Stop talking down to me. It’s not like you can do anything like this.”
“You sound like a brat right now.”
Kenma rolled his eyes, sitting on his knees to lean further into his guard’s personal space. “It’s not fair you think you know what’s best, when I’m the one who should be in charge here,” he complained. “I’m next in line for the throne.”
“I’m not talking down to you, this is for your own safety.” Kuroo took in a stabilizing breath, shutting his eyes tight to keep from meeting Kenma’s intense gaze. “I won't be able to stop myself if I lose control.”
“So what?”
“What?”
Prince Kenma climbed into his lap. “Stop holding back around me. Are you listening?” He grabbed him by the face, pressing their foreheads together. “I want you, Kuro.”
Kuroo’s pupils were wide and overblown when he opened his eyes. “We can’t.”
“No one’s around. You won’t get in trouble for touching me. It’s okay.”
He groaned as the last of his restraint fizzled out. “My prince… god, you smell so good.”
Kenma tilted his head and leaned in to kiss Kuroo. It was like the night itself paused to let them have their moment. When he pulled away, Kuroo looked worse for wear, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. “Is it helping, or making it worse?”
“I…” The guard laughed stiffly. He dropped his face into the crook of Kenma’s neck, savoring the coolness of his skin against his forehead. “I really can’t tell.”
Prince Kenma hummed. He kissed the stubble along Kuroo’s jawline, the alpha’s groans egging him on. “I guess we should keep trying then,” he said, before going in to steal their second kiss for himself. Kuroo’s lips were soft to the touch and warm against Kenma’s own.
Kuroo shuddered when the prince twisted a hand into his messy hair. He coaxed Kenma into opening his mouth, deepening the kiss and making out with him; his reactions far too intense to be normal. It was hard to stay in control, even with Kuroo restrained and tied to the bed. He matched the prince’s hesitant interest with a desperation of his own. If he drank the entire cocktail, maybe his rut would have been triggered altogether.
Kenma tried to catch his breath. Kuroo’s voice broke as he pleaded for more and found his lips again. The prince ghosted experimental touches down his chest, confidence building until he could grope Kuroo’s heavy pecs and run his hands down his toned abdomen. He wanted to crawl into his skin.
Kuroo was hard enough to poke Kenma’s thigh uncomfortably. The prince shifted his weight down, and Kuroo made a choked sound, his wrists straining against their binds. The scent of faint florals and harsh peppercorn mixed together in the small room, sending his pheromones into overdrive.
Kuroo snapped the cord and the prince gasped. His hands were at the small of Kenma’s waist instantly, pulling him closer for a bruising kiss.
Prince Kenma arched into his touch. His heart raced when Kuroo licked into his mouth, soft tongues meeting to explore each other. He felt the furrow in Kuroo’s brow as his guard struggled to fight off the last of his hesitation. “Kuro… come on. It’s okay.”
He tossed Kenma onto the bed like he weighed nothing at all. Air knocked from Kenma’s lungs as his back hit the mattress, and Kuroo pinned him down, sharp teeth bared as he panted above the prestigious omega. “Fuck.” Searing hazel eyes raked over Kenma’s body. Kuroo moved deliberately as he removed the prince’s elaborate kimono, leaving him in nothing beside his matching necklace and hairpin. The gold tones complemented the tone of his eyes, and made the warmth rushing to his pale cheeks more noticeable. “You’re so fucking pretty.”
Kenma shivered as the chilly air hit his skin. Kuroo disrobed just as quickly, giving him a front row seat to the faint scars along his abdomen and what looked like a non-fatal wound to his ribs that healed over. He traced a warm hand over the prince’s flat breasts. Kenma sighed sweetly as Kuroo’s fingers played over his pretty pink nipples for a moment before continuing down his stomach, warming the omega wherever he touched.
He traced over Kenma’s mound and groaned when he felt how soaked he was. “So wet for me. Has anyone ever touched you here before?”
Kenma shook his head, his legs shifting wider as Kuroo thumbed over his clit. “Ah!”
It was easy to slick his fingers in the mess Kenma was making. Kuroo pressed into him experimentally, moving slowly to let him get used to it. The prince worried his lip as Kuroo opened him up, reaching deep inside Prince Kenma with his rough hands and thick fingers. He added another finger and curled them upward to feel the way Kenma’s thighs trembled.
The next time their lips met, his cock was already leaking, precome mixing with slick as they made out. The prince’s heart raced as something hard pressed against him, only to slip away at the last moment each time. His hips rocked back and forth, his cock brushing against Kenma’s clit as he grinded their hips together.
Prince Kenma was getting frustrated… he needed more. He whined in complaint and Kuroo got the memo, the guard’s sharp teeth nipping at his bottom lip when he pulled away.
“Alright, alright,” his voice was low, almost a growl. “Anything for the prettiest omega in the world.” He readjusted himself before pressing against Kenma’s tight entrance. Slowly, he split the prince open, listening to every quiet breath and stuttered gasp escaping his lips.
He started a slow rhythm once their hips met. A jolt of pleasure wracked Kenma’s body when he rubbed circles around his clit.
“A-ah! Wait,” Kenma tried.
“Does it feel good?”
“Yeah.” The pleasure softened, Kenma wanting nothing more than to get lost in it. “Do it more.”
Kuroo nosed at his neck. He hummed fondly, inhaling the prince’s smell and licking over his scent glands. Kenma’s moans raised an octave. His back arched against the mattress as he veered toward orgasm.
“There we go. Good boy, that’s it.”
Prince Kenma whimpered at the praise; something he wanted to do earlier today, when he was complimented for making it to the city without giving up. His chest heaved, his legs trembling as he tried to catch his breath. “Oh… my god.”
Kuroo reached for the back of Kenma’s soft thighs. Not needing much incentive, the prince wrapped them around his waist, legs locking behind his back. His slow movements felt deeper in this position, longer, more intense strokes making Kenma feel like Kuroo could fuck him to death, and he would be completely fine with it.
He was so full. He felt all stretched out. His body ached before this, and he had a horrible suspicion it would compound into something worse tomorrow - but none of that mattered when it was just him and Kuroo like this.
“I-I can’t hold this much longer.” Kenma’s hips threatened to cramp from spending the whole day on his feet. He sighed sadly when Kuroo pulled out. The alpha flipped Kenma onto his stomach, lifting his hips just high enough for his heavy cock to press back inside of him. “Mmm… oh! AH!”
The sound of slick was loud in their room, the prince’s arousal so obvious that he could hear the lewd schlick with every snap of Kuroo’s hips. Prince Kenma clung to the bed sheets as his guard used him. His thrusts felt rougher, more animalistic than before. “So warm inside. So fucking tight for me.”
Kuroo was so deep inside of him… so much bigger and stronger than he was. He braced his arms on either side of Kenma, hips building a brutal rhythm as they snapped against his round butt. Schlick schlick schlick.
Kenma’s toes clenched pathetically as he tried to chase that soaring feeling again. He reached back to tangle a hand in Kuroo’s messy, sweat-slicked hair. The alpha growled, and Kenma’s entire body tensed as his teeth found his throat.
Kuroo didn’t bite hard enough to break the skin. He just fucked the prince like he had something to prove, turning Kenma into a sobbing mess. He growled on each thrust as the base of his knot started swelling.
“I’m close,” Kuroo breathed, spreading Kenma’s cheeks further apart with a harsh grip.
“I can’t, I can’t,” the prince cried, but all he could do was take it. His thighs shook uncontrollably as his orgasm hit like a tsunami; cresting slowly, only to shake him right to the core.
Kenma wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. Still remembering how to breathe, he instantly forgot all over again when Kuroo’s knot pushed against his entrance. The overstimulated discomfort as it grinded inside of him… it left the prince shaky and teary-eyed. Finally, finally it pushed inside of him, and Kuroo came with an animalistic grunt. Another tide of pleasure washed over Kenma. He feebly came one last time, aftershocks working to milk Kuroo dry. The prince shuddered as hot spurts of cum warmed him on the inside. There was a sharp pain in his shoulder, and Kenma moaned as he realized Kuroo bit him.
Too exhausted to complain or even tell him off, all Kenma remembered was the weight of his guard collapsing atop of him, and making peace with being crushed to death if this ended up being how he died. His eyes closed and he was asleep instantly.
When Prince Kenma woke up, sunlight was streaming into the room and the lower half of his body felt like it had been through war. Kuroo was sitting on the edge of the mattress with his head in his hands, muttering about how he was going to lose his job, and spiralling to the point of questioning if the empress would have him executed.
Kenma blinked blearily at him. “Stop hogging the blanket while you’re catastrophizing. It’s cold.”
“Sorry! Oh my god.” Kuroo climbed back into bed to check on the prince. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”
Kenma just curled up against him, warmth threatening to put him right back to sleep. He pouted. “Sore.”
“So, last night. I definitely crossed some lines I shouldn’t have.”
“Don’t care.”
Kuroo scratched at his morning stubble. He combed his fingers through the prince’s long hair, sighing heavily as he pushed the locks away to see the bite mark on his shoulder; a mating bond. “How are you so calm about this?”
“My mom wanted me to get married soon anyways. It’s not a big deal if it’s you,” Kenma said.
“Kenma, oh my god, you’re going to be a child bride.”
“I’m an adult.”
“W-well, yeah, but—”
“It’s fine. We’ll just… explain the situation to her. What’s the worst she can say?”
✦ . ⁺ . ✶ . ⁺ . ✦
The empress quietly took over their appearances, staring at Kenma with the most stoic face he had ever seen her wear. Kenma brushed the knots out of his hair after Kuroo carried him back to the palace… but even then, it was obvious how exhausted he looked. “So, let me understand this - you abandoned your post to take my son, the crown prince, out of the castle, where you managed to get drugged, and then decided to take him as reward for yourself?”
“Mom!”
Kuroo kneeled in front of her with his head bowed low. “Um… yes, your highness.”
Kenma scowled at his mother. “You're acting like I wasn’t there too.”
“I can lecture you next, if that's what you want.”
He winced. “No. Sorry.”
The empress looked to her quiet husband, her temper quelling as they had a silent conversation. She sighed heavily, turning back to Kuroo. “I hope you’re prepared to marry our son. You bit him, and that’s just something I can’t overlook.”
Kuroo was more than ready to take responsibility for his actions. “Of course, your majesty, there’s nothing I’d be more honored to do.”
“You’re lucky this situation will be romantic in hindsight. I already trusted you with my Kenma’s life, so I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d prefer to have as a son-in-law.” She started muttering offhandedly, “Honestly, I should have known. It’s hard enough to get him to meet someone new.”
He sniffled, getting choked up. “Really?”
“Without a doubt.” The empress flashing him a polite, kind faced smile. “But if you put your teeth on my son again without taking the effort to properly court him, I will tear you into little alpha shreds.” She blew a kiss at Kenma before exiting the room with her quiet husband, leaving Kuroo reeling with all the blood drained from his face.
Kenma rolled his eyes as soon as his parents were gone. He scooted over to his guard, leaning in close to catch his attention. “Thanks again for taking me to the festival like I wanted.” His body hurt, but he couldn’t… remember the last time he felt so happy inside. “It was fun. And I didn’t mind the rest of the night either.”
“I guess we’re engaged now. You’re my fiance.”
Pleased floral scents wafted through the air as Kenma beamed, a small smile on his face. “Yeah. I guess we are.”