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ramblingkat · 3 years

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Fic: Stars

This was encouraged by the UraIchi discord server. Basic concept: Everyone is born with a tail. If you live long enough, you get more. If you find your “soul mate” you get a new color on your tail.

Here, Yoruichi noticed the new color on Kisuke’s tail. He had happily been oblivious. And has no idea who’s reiatsu matches that new color of fur on his tail.

Fandom: Bleach

Characters: Urahara Kisuke, Shihoin Yoruichi, Ishida Ryuken, Kurosaki Masaki, Kurosaki Isshin, and Kurosaki Ichigo

***

“You have gold in your fur.”

Yoruichi’s voice, deep and raspy, was a familiar one, and he knew she’d been sitting behind him for a bit, so Kisuke didn’t jump. Though he did pause, a cup of tea against his lips. Then he lowered it again, turning some to look over his shoulder at his friend.

She was crouched next to his tail, eyes focused on the tip. Kisuke didn't actually look at his tail all that much, with it being out of his direct line of sight. Oh, he made sure it was brushed and neat enough, but it was just another limb. As long as it worked as he wanted, he never thought about it too much.

Now he flicked it up, bringing the tip up closer since that was where Yoruichi had been focused.

This was the only tail on display, as humans rarely lived long enough to gain a second tail, let alone a third as Kisuke had. The other two were hidden, as they had been for almost a century of hiding in the special gigai he had created. The only one on display was the same ashy blond as his hair, a sleek fox tail that had gotten him quite a few appreciative looks. And more than a few people asking for blessings.

Apparently, pale fox tails were a sign of favor. Not something he had expected when he had first come to the living world.

Shinji had laughed at him, the man’s golden lion tail lashing lazily behind him. Kisuke had asked how it felt to only have to deal with one rope instead of the multitude that the older captain usually had. That had lead to a spar, and gotten Shinji distracted.

Now, however, Kisuke saw that there were fine golden hairs growing at the end of his tail. They didn’t stand out a great deal, not yet. But they were definitely golden. A distinct change from the pale fur they grew in.

Yoruichi’s reiatsu, as muted as it was, radiated delight. Kisuke was feeling a bit stunned himself.

“But,” he protested, voice distant in his own ears, “I haven’t met anyone new. Not for long enough to have our energies to click enough to bond.”

There was a flat-out chortle from Yoruichi, and she rose up onto her back legs, resting her paws against the back of his shoulder. That let her get a better look at his tail. “You found someone to soul bond to and didn’t say anything.” She sounded highly amused and no small amount of pleased. “What have you been up to?”

Kisuke snorted. “Plotting and planning. The usual.” He flicked his tail against her face, then let it relax again. “I wonder who this is. I don’t know of anyone I’ve seen recently that has that color of reiatsu.”

He reached over and poked Yoruichi’s nose as she opened her mouth. “And don’t start on SoiFon. Right shade, very much wrong person.” He smiled faintly. “She’d murder me if we ever created some sort of spiritual bond.” Kisuke paused. “Though the way she hates me would definitely qualify. But the timing is wrong.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Yoruichi protested. Ignoring Kisuke’s amused, yet unimpressed, expression, the cat continued. “She’s just prickly about my honor.”

Kisuke snorted again, hand moving to rub his friend’s ears. “Very prickly,” he said drily. “If she could make me vanish, she would definitely do so.” He shook his head. “In any case, SoiFon’s disdain for me is not the topic here. I honestly have no idea why I would have golden fur coming in now. Everyone I interact with now are the same people I have interacted with for years. I doubt any of them have changed that much.”

“Something to figure out later,” Yoruichi agreed. “It’s not like your crimson isn’t a distinct shade.” She licked a foot, quiet for a moment. “Though now that I am here, how are things with Isshin and Masaki?”

Still absently petting her, Kisuke smiled faintly. “Going well. From everything that Ishida-san and I can tell, the baby is healthy and growing well. They are likely to have a mix of Isshin-san and Masaki-san talents.” Kisuke considered it a moment. “I believe, once the baby is born, they’ll take the hollow with them. That will be vital for their stability. They are so in balance at the moment that the loss of one aspect will likely prove lethal in the long run.” He considered that as fingers moving softly over dark fur. “Something I have impressed upon the parents to be. The hollow is sealed and will continue to be until we break it at some point, but the power it holds is present. So the baby will be…impressive.”

There was a snort from Yoruichi. “Maybe it’s the baby,” she teased, though there had not been any documented cases of soul bonding with an unborn child. “You do the impossible regularly enough. Why not do it again?”

Kisuke tweaked her ear, hand blurring as he dodged the slash of her claws. “I doubt even baby Kurosaki is developed enough to have a proper reiatsu signature yet,” he said easily. “While they have a strong presence already, it’s…malleable. Though I do hope that you’ll be in town when the time for the birth gets close.” He wrinkled his nose. “I am already noticing an uptick of smaller hollows. Masaki-san has been attracting quite a bit of attention from the wrong quarters. I think when it is time for baby Kurosaki to be born, they will lure in hollows for miles around. We’ll need to set up a protective line around them and deal with the swarm that is likely to descend on us at that level of power energy.”

A nod from Yoruichi. “Just contact me when it gets close to time. Though I don’t know if I’ll go too far.” Her tone went light and teasing. “After all, I have to find out who your mysterious suitor to be is. Only you could get a soul bond and not notice.”

That got her a sigh and a shrug. “It wasn’t like it was that big a deal,” he protested, giving his friend an over-exaggerated pout. “And I’ve been busy.”

Yoruichi perked up. “I have to talk to Tessai,” she warbled out, as close to singing as she got. Dodging Kisuke’s grab, the cat ran into the house, yowling out the name of their other friend, and Kisuke sighed.

Collecting his tea, he focused on that. No need to think about Tessai-san’s matchmaking urges now. He’d be dealing with them soon enough.

***

The stars looked amazing, and Kisuke found himself panting as he watched them decorate the night sky.

They weren’t as bright here as they were in soul society, but there was a great deal more progression in the living world, so bright it dimmed even the night sky.

Though all of his senses felt dimmed. The Kurosaki baby had come into the world, and he was grateful that Ishida had a charm that he and Masaki had put on the baby. It would allow more of the child’s reiatsu to release over the next year or so. Slow enough that they shouldn’t have a repeat of tonight.

He was exhausted, and he was sure that Yoruichi was the same whenever she was at.

The Visored had taken the outer layer of the patrol. Kisuke and Yoruichi had focused on the blocks around the roof of the hospital that the baby was being born in. And outside of all of it, Hachigen and Tessai had been working on keeping all of this under wraps. While he knew Aizen had an idea where they might be, they did not need the baby’s explosion of power to attract his eye.

He was pretty sure they had dealt with every hollow from miles around, all attracted to the initial spike of power that the baby would have screamed out with their first breath.

That was something he needed to check on well.

Pushing himself upright, Kisuke glanced around. It only took a moment to spot Yoruichi, leaning against an air conditioning unit a few roofs over. Waving to catch her attention, he waited until she nodded back, then he let himself drop over the side of the roof.

Ishida had given him a room number, and Kisuke had already scouted out where it was in the hospital. So it only took a moment to wrap a hint of reiatsu under his feet to slow and then stop his fall. He pulled a phone out and texted the man, making sure he was able to come in.

The curtains shoved apart, and Ishida was scowling at him. The man opened the window. “Get in here,” he muttered. “The sooner you make sure the boy is all right, the sooner you can leave.”

Kisuke smiled. “A boy? I am sure that Kurosaki-san is thrilled.”

“Isshin is being an idiot over it, and Masaki is pleased to have a healthy baby.”

He shifted aside, letting Kisuke step through and land lightly on the floor, geta making only a small clicking as they hit the ground. Then Ishida continued. “They named him Ichigo. I assume you dealt with any outside trouble.”

Kisuke grimaced a bit. “After this, I think we’re all going to go find out beds now that the charm you have put into place has muted his strength. The area should be hollow free for a few months.”

A sigh. “That’s good,” the white haired Quincy said. “Hopefully they’ll be gone for even longer than that.”

Kisuke considered that. “If you like, I can set up patrol when your own child is born.” It was an honest offer, as he knew that the man’s wife had taken poorly to pregnancy. She was happy to be pregnant, but every time Kisuke saw her around, she looked exhausted and drained.

Ishida tensed, then made himself relax. “We’ll discuss that later,” he said, which made Kisuke smile to himself. That wasn’t a no, and it was nice to see how devoted the man was to his wife. He was as bad as Isshin was, if quieter about it.

But he only nodded in response, quietly following as he was lead to the bed.

There was Masaki, who was watching them, though Kisuke could see she was ready to go to sleep. Beside the bed was Isshin, whose tail was wagging back and forth like mad. And beside him, placed where both he and Masaki could reach, was a tiny little being.

There was a tuft of dark hair, though he could already see strands of a paler color in it. Kisuke wondered if baby Kurosaki… Ichigo, his name was Ichigo, would have his mother’s hair?

He was wrapped firmly in a warm blanket, swaddled quite tightly. Though he managed to get a foot and a puffy little tail out of the confines already. Kisuke smiled faintly, tucking the fluffy grey tail and the foot back into the blanket. “Already a trouble maker,” he murmured to the child, and then rested his hand on Ichigo’s chest. Closing his eyes, he focused, threading his reiatsu gently to make sure everything was still balanced.

This was something he’d been doing since Isshin had come to tell him that Masaki was pregnant, in a near panic. There had been two pregnancies before this one, and neither had gotten far. The third time was the charm, and the balance of energies settled in ways to keep the boy from coming to harm.

Everything still felt good, and he opened his eyes with a smile.

“Congratulations,” he said, smiling at them. He knew they had been heartbroken the previous times, and having Ichigo here, all red-faced and scowling, had to be such a relief.

“Masaki-san?” he asked, offering her his hand. She rested her fingers against his palm, and he did his own scan of her energies.

Once he was done, he gave her hand a light squeeze and let go. “It’s as I thought. The hollow passed on to Ichigo, but the seal on it seems to be intact. Though he’s definitely strong enough to see spirits without much help.”

He smiled at the new parents. “You should have an easier time of things if you decide to give him any siblings without the hollow energies causing such distress on your own.” That was to Masaki, who looked relieved. He knew she had taken the failed pregnancies hard, but this should help her feel better about any future attempts.

Moving away from the bed, Kisuke absently sealed Benihime back into a cane, nodding at each of them. “Now that everything seems to have settled both outside and in here, I’m off. Let me know if you have any other concerns that I might be able to help calm.”

He went to perch on the sill of the window, then threw a grin back at them. “And, as always, come visit the shop and pick up a few items. I always have a wide range of stock for your purchasing pleasure.”

Ishida shoved him out the window with a snort.

Kisuke laughed as he caught himself, and took off into the night. Time to find everyone and let them know that they could do whatever. The situation was done, and it was time for a well-deserved rest.

Besides, now that Ichigo was actually born, Kisuke had potential plans to adjust.

#Bleach #fanfic #soulmate au #tails universe #Urahara Kisuke #shihoin yoruichi #ishida ryuken #Kurosaki Masaki #Kurosaki Isshin #Kurosaki Ichigo

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katierosefun · 3 years

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Go Back Couple made me cry it was so sweet and wholesome ;-;;; and it was really clever too! And I thought it said a lot about people it really made me think about how we really see only one or two sides of someone else in a relationship. I saw Hospital Playlist at the start of quarantine and I spent the whole time just being “I miss my friends!!” bc it has such beautiful friendships and platonic relationships (and cute romances too)

Also if you have more recs please share bc once this quarter finishes I really want to watch more dramas I’m collecting recs ^^

ooooh, i just read the plot of go back couple and i’m so curious, and i’ve added it to my to watch lost! and yessss, i’ve been meaning to watch hospital playlist! i think i watched the first 10 minutes of the first episode, but i never got around to continuing, but i most certainly will resume my watch once finals finish for me too :’))

oh yes, but as for more recs...well, there’s this list that i compiled a few months back, but since then, i’ve been thinking of other kdramas i’ve watched and liked, so...below the cut!

1. penthouse (1 & 2, renewed for a season 3, which will be coming in june!)

where to watch: viki (although with some kind of plus plan, but if you don’t have plus,,,here’s a place where you could theoretically watch)

favorite track on the ost: idk, i haven’t really been paying attention to the ost because like...this kdrama is also so incredibly focused on opera / classical music, and it’s actually introduced me to a lot of wonderful pieces, one of my faves being mozart’s die zauberflote.

listen: it usually takes me a hysterically long time to get through a new kdrama, but i was so invested that i got through the first season (complete with 21 episodes!)n within like,,,two or three weeks, and i have about 3 episodes left of the second season (which has 13 episodes!). this kdrama is just that good. it’s basically about these families living at this super fancy apartment complex called hera palace (which is fitting...hera, the queen of the gods, also the goddess of maternity...). honestly, there’s so much going on in this kdrama that it’s kind of hard to explain everything that happens, but essentially, the show opens up with the murder of a young orphan girl and works backwards from there. we learn about each of the families’ secrets, ambitions, and some really shocking twists and turns along the way.

honestly, i’m surprised by how much i love this kdrama. there aren’t a whole ton of likable characters--literally almost every character is deeply flawed and obvious about it, but honestly, the complexity and layers built into each character is worth it. we really see how environments shape people, especially with each of the family’s children. we see all these moralities clash with each other, and we see how greed and ambition can muddy those waters, even amongst the children. i’ve been super enjoying season 2 especially, because we’re learning even more, not to mention that i’ve been so surprised by the level of character development going on here. i won’t spoil anything, but like...it’s wonderful and impressive, and i cannot believe this kdrama has me actually rooting for certain characters. also, on another note: this kdrama does a lot with addressing exactly how far a parent would go for their kid--and it’s bonkers and wonderful. honestly...an addictive kdrama, full of suspense and drama and with deeply complex characters.

a fair warning: this kdrama is rated r, although i’m learning that rated r in south korea would probably pass off as pg-13 in the us--there’s more explicit scenes of violence, really harsh bullying, murder (of course), and implied sex scenes (nothing ever shown, very much a “camera pulls away” situation).

2. pinocchio

where to watch: viki

favorite track to the ost: pinocchio by roy kim

okay, this kdrama is...just really sweet, and again: i liked it a lot more than i thought i would? it’s a little older, like it started airing in 2014--but i just...really liked it. it’s about these two people from separate families (but they grow up together under the same roof, it’s a whole complicated thing), and both of them become reporters. the only issue is that one of the characters has pinocchio syndrome, which is basically that she can’t tell a lie without hiccupping. you’d think this makes for a goofy drama because of that, but this kdrama def. has a lot of heavyhanded/serious moments. it’s so weird to think this kdrama aired in 2014, just because i think a lot of the themes--all of them about truth and what counts as the truth especially in journalism--feel still so relevant today.

this kdrama also has a lot to say about generational trauma/the burdens we inherit from our parents and our older siblings, and it also has a lot of stuff about taking responsibility for the sins of our parents, etc. it’s so wonderfully and beautifully done, and i’m honestly...again, surprised by just how deeply they ran with this concept. the romance is also cute, although i’ll def. admit there’s some stuff that still makes me “???” but overall, i really enjoyed the actors’ chemistry with each other, and i was still satisfied with the ending!

3. fight for my way

where to watch: viki

favorite track on the ost: i don’t think this kdrama has too much of an ost? and i don’t think i was paying attention to the ost in this kdrama either, oops

i’m still watching this kdrama / have i think 5 episodes left of this kdrama, but i’ve been really enjoying it so far! it’s following the story of these four twentysomethings, and they all have these big dreams for themselves. unfortunately, they’re also twentysomethings, and achieving their dreams is...kind of hard. honestly, this kdrama is just so wholesome, and it has its serious moments, but i really love it. the friendships in this kdrama are solid, and the romance is super sweet, and it’s very much so the classic childhood friends to lovers that just makes me :’))

also, just like...it’s hopeful. and empowering. and just like, seeing characters go “i know this is hard for me to achieve and i know it would make so much more sense for me to just sit down with my head low and quietly accept where i am, but i’m going to pursue my dream anyways” just...idk, i feel like it’s a kdrama that a lot of young dreamers can relate to, and i really need to finish this kdrama, but it’s...really sweet and relatable.

4. space sweepers

where to watch: netflix

okay, so this isn’t a kdrama, but i need to rec this movie because it’s...so good. this is a science fiction film following this crew of...space sweepers. basically, earth is now uninhabitable/unsafe to live in, and the wealthy are all living on a repurposed mars. (bro doesn’t that sound familiar?)

in order to get money, a lot of people risk their lives by cleaning up debris still floating around orbit. these people are known as space sweepers, and they’re basically space janitors, only with a lot more flying and swearing. this crew winds up accidentally getting ahold of this mysterious child, who may or may not have a huge bounty on her head. i won’t go any deeper than that, but...this movie is so wonderful for its found family elements, and each character has such an interesting background, and i’m honestly surprised by how this movie went so deep into each character in such a short amount of time? (although honestly i would 1000/10 want a netflix series following each character’s lives just because)

admittedly, there’s some issues i have with this movie--like, idk, one character wears dreadlocks, and i’m just :/// about that, because :///// it really shows that south korea isn’t exempt from cultural appropriation. i still like the character, and i still like the movie overall, but that’s just a heads-up.

but besides that, this movie is really good at showing how sometimes the villain is just a wealthy old white dude, and sometimes family can really just be a ragtag team of outcasts, and sometimes it is really the younger generation that can literally bring hope and etc. it’s very much :’))

and that’s all i’ve got! thank u for asking me about kdramas, because...as you can tell: many thoughts.

#answered #i have....so many kdramas to watch too #like hospital playlist and king eternal monarch are def. kdramas i need to resume watching #and i've also....steadily been making my way through romance is a bonus book although i still don't really know how to feel about it #it's cute but i don't have too many thoughts/enough thoughts on it #i've just been watching a lot of lee jong suk's kdramas let's be real #i've also been meaning to watch what's wrong with secretary kim? because i remember liking it but i've only watched the first 3 eps #so i wasn't sure whether to rec it #tbh check back on me in a few months and i'll def. have more kdramas to rec asdfsfasdf #i now have the yearly viki plus plan and as you can tell: i am using it

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kazliin · 7 years

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yoooo that historical arranged marriage au looks sooo interesting,,,, i definitely WOULD NOT complain if u ever felt like writing more of it;)))

I am such a sucker for both historical fantasy and arranged marriage Aus so and I really liked this idea so I did some mock ups for scenes that would appear in the in universe fic

Disclaimer - this is a fake au fic from the Rivals series. In universe it would be written by a Viktuuri fan and so is based on how that fans see umfb!viktor and Yuuri not as they actually are. It was also written as a joke on my phone in half an hour so please don’t take this as serious writing!

Original concept - no.11 of the ‘15 most popular fics in the Rivals universe alternate AO3’ - Original post here

Title: Every Pawn Can Become A Queen

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Category: M/M

Fandom: Figure Skating RPF

Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Viktor Nikiforov

Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Viktor Nikiforov, Katsuki Mari, Phichit Chulanont, Christophe Giacometti, Yuri Plisetsky, Otabek Altin, Jean-Jacques Leroy, Georgi Popovich, Mila Babicheva, Other Character Tags To Be Added

Additional tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe – Historical Fantasy, Alternate Universe – Royalty, Plotting, Assassination Attempts, Enemies to Lovers

Summary:

Yuuri is the Prince of an Empire, second in line for the throne and renown in battle, a formidable warrior who has been fighting for almost half his life against the neighbouring Empire and their barbaric ways. But after tragedy strikes both kingdoms, an uneasy peace must be formed between the two opposing sides, a peace that must be sealed with the strongest of bonds.

Charged with keeping the peace for the sake of his people, Yuuri is forced to leave his homeland forever and marry the only son and heir of the opposing kingdom, forging an alliance with marriage to protect the empire built on the backs and blood of his family and now ruled by his beloved sister. But Yuuri knows what the marriage truly is beneath the pretty words. A life-sentence, imprisoned forever under the rule of a man he hates and has faced on the battlefield countless time.

But the political machinations of the foreign court might prove to be an even deadlier battlefield than the one he just left and he must keep the peace between the two kingdoms to save the lives of millions, whatever the cost. And what’s more, his long-time enemy and new husband is not the man he believed him to be and his position as Prince Consort holds more power than he ever expected. For the one who holds the heart of the future king is the one who can control the kingdom.

Extract from Chapter 1of 15

Yuuri could feel his hands clenching beneath the sleeves ofhis formal robes, could feel the way the walls of the room seemed to sway andpress down on him from every side.

“It’s for your country.” he told himself although the wordsdid nothing to quell the twisting of his gut. “For your people.”

Both he and Mari had agreed it, both still reeling fromtheir parent’s deaths and the devastation that had torn through both their empireand their enemy’s. Neither side could survive a continuation of the war, notwithout crumbling into chaos and peace was the only option. It was such a foreignconcept for Yuuri, he had been fighting for half his life and the war had beengoing on longer than he could remember.

The peace treaty had been signed and sealed by both Mari,the mantle of Empress resting fittingly on her brow, and the barbarian King.The stranger might have a larger empire and an larger army that their own butstanding together Yuuri thought that he was utterly dwarfed by the force ofwill that was his sister.

But powerful as she was, Mari couldn’t control everything.Both the councils had agreed that there was only one way to ensure the contractwas honoured and the peace was kept. A union between their two empires, a pactsealed by marriage.

Yuuri was the second child in a dynasty, he had always knownthat marrying for politics might one day be forced upon him but he had neverbelieved it would happen like this. Sold like cattle to the sole child and heirof the country he had been fighting against for so many years. A politicalprisoner to ensure that peace was kept by both sides. A life trapped in thegolden cage that was the foreign palace, a place that would never be his truehome.

He had agreed to it of course because what else could he do?Peace was too important and duty and honour compelled him to do whatever ittook to maintain it. He would be Mari’s eyes and ears in the foreign court,would attempt to worm his way into the graces of the powerful nobles and dowhatever it took to make sure war didn’t break out again. For his country. Forhis people.

That was the thought that he held onto as he walked up theaisle to where his future husband was waiting for him, silver hair glintingsoftly in the sunlight streaming into the hall. Every eye was trained on him,piercing gazes that seemed to burn into his soul.

A few whispers broke out as he neared the front of the roomand Yuuri knew why. He had point blank refused to wear the formal weddingclothes he had been provided with, the garments feeling stiff and strange inhis hands. Instead he wore the traditional robes of his people, bright andcolourful and so at odds with the styles in the country where he was nowtrapped forever. He might be forced to sit at their tables and drink their wineand speak their language but he would never be one of them. He was a Katsuki,he would always be a Katsuki and they would never take that away from him, nomatter what name they forced him to take.

Finally his long walk was complete and he stood at the frontof the hall, beside the man he had faced out on the battlefield countlesstimes. Standing so close he could make out the features on the handsome face,the cold blue eyes, the snow pale skin, the jagged scar that cut across theotherwise perfect cheek. Yuuri knew that scar well. He had been the one to putit there.

Before them a priest began to drone, swinging a ball ofincense as he spoke and Yuuri resisted the urge to close his eyes and crybecause he knew that it was the beginning of the end.

Extract from Chapter3 of 15

Yuuri watched intently as Viktor trained with his knights inthe courtyard. After almost two weeks in the palace he had come to know hisnow-husband slightly better but the other man still managed to surprise him. Hewas nothing like Yuuri had expected, from the moment he had bid Yuuri goodnighton their wedding night and left him in their new quarters alone - much to Yuuri’sshock and relief - to the moment that he had invited Yuuri out into the mainpart of the castle as he trained.

There was a softness to him, a care and concern that Yuuriwouldn’t have believed possible from a man who had tried to kill him and who hehad tried to kill in return so many times before. It was so at odds from the man thatYuuri had once known him to be that it still threw him even now.

“Are you going to pick up a sword?” Viktor called to him,tone light and teasing. “Or are you just going to stand there watching all day?”

Yuuri startled at the statement and stared at the man inshock. He had assumed that he had just been invited to observe. He had neverimagined that they would give him a weapon. Yuuri knew that he had a reputationas a warrior even here, absolutely deadly on the field and his sword was tingedwith the blood of hundreds of Viktor’s fellow countrymen. He had assumed thatnow he was trapped here forever that none of them would ever risk placing aweapon back in his hand.

The surprise must have shown on his face because Viktor’sexpression darkened a little as he walked over, drawing out a second blade tomatch his own and tossing it to Yuuri, who caught it on instinct.

“You are not a prisoner here.” he told Yuuri, expressionsincere. “You are a prince. You may train whenever you want and come and go asyou please, as it fitting for the consort of a future king. Anyone who saysotherwise will answer to me.”

Still startled Yuuri nodded his gratitude, swinging theblade experimentally as he got used to the balance of the familiar grip. At themotion the knights lining the courtyard all began to step back, watching thetwo princes as the stood face to face in the empty space in the center.

“Spar with me.” Viktor asked suddenly and Yuuri tensed,searching his face for any kind of trickery. But there was none. They hadfought before many times over but never on friendly terms, never with any otherintention but to kill.

“Only if you’re prepared to lose.” he shot back instead ofvoicing the thoughts, twirling the blade again but this time in a much flashiermove that existed for show only. Viktor grinned at him and drew his own sword,the bright metal glinting in the sunlight as they began to circle each other.

“I don’t think so.”

Extract from Chapter7 of 15

The warm light of the fire danced of Viktor skin where hewas sitting across from Yuuri, eyes dark and intense. So much had changedbetween them in the months since Yuuri had first arrive and he could hardlybelieve that Viktor was the same man that he had once hated with such a burningpassion.

After their conversation that day he had begun to think onjust how different everything seemed in his eyes now, Viktor most of all.Before, he would never have believed that Viktor would be able to make himlaugh the way he now could, could make him feel such thrill and joy witheverything they did together, every hour they spent in each other’s presence.

And most of all, he would never have imagined the way thatViktor’s kisses made him feel, little stolen moments that left him desperate and aching formore. It had been weeks since their first but Viktor had never pushed, hadnever done more than any gentleman would. But he wasn’t just any gentleman, hewas Yuuri’s husband and their courting might have been entirely backwards but Yuurihad decided he had waited long enough. He saw the way Viktor looked a him, knewthat he wasn’t alone in his desires.

Walking over to where Viktor was sitting he sat down aswell, not on the empty space beside the other man but straddling his legs,letting Viktor’s knees take his weight. Instinctively Viktor’s hand reach up togrip as Yuuri’s sides to steady him and there they remained, gripping tightlyas Viktor swallowed and looked up into Yuuri’s face. His eyes were wide anddark but there was no reluctance in them only desire and affection and anemotion that Yuuri was now sure must be love.

Leaning down to place his hands on either side of Viktor’shead Yuuri bent over so that their faces were almost touching, still sitting inViktor’s lap and smiling as he felt Viktor’s breathing hitch a little at thecloseness.

“You know, we never had a real wedding night.” he purred,flicking out his tongue to wet his lips and watching as Viktor’s eyes followedthe movement without thought. “I think it’s time we fixed that, don’t you.”

Yuuri could feel the way Viktor’s hands flexed and tightenedon his skin and Viktor finally smiled back, leaning up so that their foreheadswere touching and they were almost breathing the same air, lips tantalisinglyclose.

“That,” he said, running a hot hand up Yuuri’s back andmaking him shiver in delight. “can definitely be arranged.

Extract from Chapter10 of 15

Yuuri struggled against the grip of the guards, pullingdesperately at the hands clamped like iron bands around his arms as theydragged him forwards. He was a seasoned warrior, he knew how to fight hand tohand as well as any man but they had taken him by surprise and there were fartoo many of them for him to break free.

All eyes turned as he was dragged through the hallwaystowards the throne room, everyone from the highest noble to the lowest servantturning to watch the scene unfold before them. News traveled quickly in thepalace and Yuuri knew that soon every soul in the building would know that thePrince Consort had been arrested and taken to an audience with the king. Andafter the events of the night before there would be no question as to thereason why.

When they finally reach the throne room Yuuri was hauled insideand thrown unceremoniously to the floor in front of the raised dais at the farend of the room. The king was sitting on his throne, as regal looking as everbut with the fresh scar still standing out fresh and vivid across his cheek andthe second throne beside him conspicuously empty. But Yuuri barely spared aglance at the man, all his attention fixed on the figure standing by his side,face drawn and pale.

Viktor was dressed in his formal robes of court, the crownof the heir apparent resting on his head and looking every inch the prince hewas. His face was cold and stoic, a facade Yuuri had seen him use many timesbefore when dealing with his duties as a prince but Yuuri could see it for themask it was. Could see the hidden pain the expression concealed, a pain thatflared up as his husband was thrown to the ground at his feet with swords drawnand pointed at his unprotected back.

“Yuuri Katsuki” the king began and Yuuri flinched becausethat hadn’t been his name for more than half a year now since he had marriedinto the Nikiforov dynasty. Initially he had been enraged at the loss of thefamily name he was so proud of but as his feelings for Viktor had grown hishatred for the name had gradually begun to fade. And more than that, he hadarrived as an enemy warrior, an enemy prince, and the name bestowed by his marriageto Viktor was the only thing keeping him safe in an empire that despised hisown. If they were using his old name now the situation was dire and he was invery great danger.

“You have been charged with treason against the Empire,conspiracy to overthrow the crown, consorting with the enemy, attempted murderand murder. Do you have any last words before we decide your fate?”

To one side of the hall Yuuri could see the Advisor lurking,a smile twisting maliciously on his face and he almost lunged for the manbefore the cold feeling of steel beneath his shoulder blades forced him to backdown. The set-up had been so perfect, so flawless that even Yuuri might havebelieved it had it not been him standing as the accused.

“You’re making a mistake.” he tried, feeling the desperationbegin to claw its way up his throat. There was nothing he could say in his owndefence, no proof of his innocence that would sway the heart of the king.Instead, he turned to the one man he trusted above all others, praying he wouldlisten even when no-one else would.

“Viktor, I didn’t do it. You know I wouldn’t.”

“Don’t try and play to my son’s sympathies.” The kingsnapped, anger sparking in his eyes as his hands gripped tight around the armsof his throne. “You dare try and plead you innocence after everything you havedone. You are a deceitful and treacherous liar and I would advise you to choseyour words carefully as they may be the last you ever say.”

“Viktor please listen to me. I had nothing to do with this.”Yuuri tried again but he was cut off by a strike to the back of his skull with thepommel of a sword, sending his head reeling as he jerked forwards.

“We already have evidence of your crimes.” The guard who hadhit him spat and the worst part was that there was nothing Yuuri could say inhis own defence. He had been tricked, manipulated and he had through he wasdoing the right thing, protecting his people in the only way he could. But hisactions had laid the seeds for the betrayal and it was only when the full plothad finally become clear in his eyes the night before that he realised he hadjust been a puppet dancing on a string, a single pawn to be sacrificed in amuch greater and more terrible game. He might not have committed the worst ofthe crimes for which he was being accused but there was none in the whole kingdomwho would believe it now.

Maybe Viktor once would have because he had loved Yuuri andtrusted him in a way that no-one else ever had. But that was gone now, gonewith Viktor’s mother and gone with the fragile peace that had been protectingboth their kingdoms ever since their marriage pact had been sealed.

“If you have so little honour that you refuse to admit toyour own guilt then you will not be given the mercy of an honourable death.”The king proclaimed and the words made a cold horror wash trough Yuuri, trueterror rising in him for the first time as the guards grabbed his arms again tohaul him away.

Ever since he had arrived his one goal had been to keep thepeace between the two empires, his marriage to Viktor the ties that bound thetwo together. That changed them from bitter enemies to grudging allies. Neitherof their countries had yet recovered from the war that had nearly destroyedthem and if it began anew all would be lost.

But if Yuuri died, if he was killed by order of the kingthen the revenge his sister would enact would be swift and devastating. Shewould spare nothing and no-one in her quest to avenge her brother’s death andto enact justice for the peace contract that would be broken as soon as lifeleft him. She would never believe he was the traitor they were all proclaiminghe was and she would not hesitate to go to war against the ones who had killedthe last surviving member of her family.

“Listen to me.” he all but screamed, the sound echoing likea thunderclap around the hall that was now filled with whispers as thecourtiers discussed his fate in hushed whispers. He already knew that theywouldn’t listen to him, wouldn’t believe him because he had been saying thesame thing over and over again long into the previous night and it had changednothing. “If you kill me then you’re playing right into their hands. They wantthe war to resume, they’re the real traitors. They’re playing us, they’replaying us all.”

“Your majesty, the traitor has no proof of his claims and wehave much of his crimes.” The advisor said in a hushed tone that still carriedfar out across the room for all to hear as he stepped up to speak in the king’sear. “I suggest you deal with him swiftly.”

“He will be executed at sunrise.” The king confirmed andYuuri could see the way Viktor closed his eyes, finally allowing the pain toshow on his face.

Yuuri knew that Viktor believed him guilty, knew that hewould have believed the same of Viktor in the same circumstances if theirsituations were reversed because the plot to tear their world’s apart was fartoo masterful for any of them to have been able to see it coming. But he couldn’thelp but try one last time.

“Viktor please.” he begged as he was dragged backwards to thedoorway and the fate that waited beyond. “Please.”

But Viktor made no move to speak, standing perfectly stillwith one had clamped around the back of the empty throne where his mother hadonce sat and pain clear in his bright blue eyes. The same blue eyes that justdays previously had gazed into Yuuri’s own and proclaimed his love, proclaimedhow happy he was that Yuuri had come into his life and how he prayed that theywould be together forever. Eyes that were now watching as Yuuri was taken away,eyes wet with moisture and a single tear glistening as it rolled silently downhis cheek.

#rivals series #Kaz's writing tag

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