Chapter Text
“Your Highness,” a nervous servant on the other side of the door murmured, not getting a chance to finish.
“I am almost done,” a gold-plated brush glided through silken ebony hair, its owner unbothered and unhurried, “tell him that he will be fine to wait.”
Diplomatic duties weren’t exactly his favorite, but Izuru was forced to do them anyway to maintain the peace and trade between his kingdom and others. He was no stranger to the things diplomats whispered about him behind his back—that he wasn’t very friendly and wasn’t fit to be a prince; that he only had his looks and his intelligence going for him; that a brick wall was more conversational than he was.
Hearing their harsh criticism, Izuru hardly found himself bothered, tying his hair back in preparation for yet another meeting. He expected nothing different of these officials than any other ones he’d met before. The only decent people he’d ever met with were from the far-off Novoselic region; they were hardly involved with each other any more, though.
His servants knocked on his door to remind him to come out once more, yet he continued to toy with his appearance with no regard to his guests.
Despite being royalty, Komaeda had never felt particularly regal. In fact, quite the opposite. He wasn't particularly attractive, nor incredibly... well. Perhaps "sane" was a poor word to use. He was sane, and certainly in his right mind when it came to most things in his life. The problem arose when his unfortunate cycle of, well, misfortune reared its head. Having been left to the throne and very ill prepared for such a burden, his small kingdom was without a king. Of course, he had many advisors taking care of the castle and connecting village, but... it was, to say the least, an embarrassment .
That's where he found himself now, standing in the hall of the massive stone building of Izuru Kamukura. Out of his depth is the phrase that comes to mind. Small. He felt puny in comparison to the massive, ornate halls. Kamukura was well known, to say the very, very least, and the thought that they would soon be meeting made a shiver of fear run through him. He wiped his hands over his white suit, smoothing it as best he could, and glanced at the massive portraits adorning the walls. Cool, red eyes stared back at him, looking down in disinterest. He clenched his jaw and turned away, sighing.
Kamukura had gone on messing with his hair and whatnot until it was to his standards; a careless host. He hadn’t made haste to reach his guest either, steps cool and unhurried as he approached him from down the hall. He had tied his long black hair behind him, and it fluttered close behind his calves as he began to read the man waiting for him at the other end. He seemed frail and nervous, and Kamukura noted that there wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t white—even his suit matched his ivory hair, which seemed to have a mind of its own as it stuck out at intriguing angles. He said nothing while he was still walking toward him, heels of his shoes echoing loudly against the stone walls.
As he grew closer, he was able to gauge that his guest was... rather feminine for a man; he had a beautiful face and his eyes and lashes were pale just like he was. For a moment, Kamukura found himself drawn in by the captivating man and wanted to dwell on his appearance just a bit longer, but he forced himself to look past it, stopping in front of him and discovering that they were nearly the same height. The other seemed to barely have an inch on him.
Kamukura cleared his throat and held out his hand, staring intently into the eyes of the other. He seemed to not blink as his deep voice spoke out, “I take it you are Nagito Komaeda, then?”
Komaeda would be ashamed to admit how his heart jumped at the voice in front of him. He had heard the footsteps, of course, and had even turned toward the other and attempted a small smile. However, the soft, yet stern voice had still managed to startle him and he quickly scrambles to recover the disaster of an introduction, accepting the hand with a smile.
"Yes, hello. Izuru Kamukura, I presume... it's wonderful to make your acquaintance." Despite them being of the same status, he feels the overwhelming urge to kneel, those piercing eyes staring into his very mind. Perhaps the man could read minds? A telepath would certainly be quite the story to bring home. "I apologize for waiting, the portraits were a bit distracting. They are quite beautiful." He glances back up at them, then around the room, "In fact, the entire kingdom is quite magical... so filled with life and beauty. I saw a large portion of it during my ride into the city. You serve your people well." He smiles back at Kamukura.
His way of speaking is as intricate as he is, Kamukura thought, unable to stop himself from continuing to assess his guest in secret. Anthropology wasn’t his favorite, but when it came to meeting new people, he was always curious to see if his predictions were correct or if he was way off. As it stood now, he wasn’t able to read the other man as well as he thought he’d be able to—this intrigued him.
“Thank you very much. I take my kingdom incredibly seriously; I’m glad to hear that you have enjoyed your exposure to it thus far.” He let go of the frail hand and tucked ebony hair behind his ear. “However, I don’t believe it will do us any good to continue conversing in the corridors, right?” He gestured for the other to follow him and he didn’t wait, beginning to walk off. “I shall lead you to a room that is more comfortable to discuss things further.”
Komaeda nods and quickly follows along, trailing behind the man and finally giving himself the opportunity to get a good look at him. To Komaeda's surprise, they're nearly the same height. He's thin, but not like Komaeda himself. Definitely much more toned. The back and forth swish of Kamukura's hair is almost hypnotic... just another crack at the edge of his nerves. The man is gorgeous. It's no wonder he's so popular among, well... everyone.
The man was quiet behind him, but Kamukura didn’t pay much mind to it. He led his guest to a large stone door and pushed it open with one hand, holding it for the other prince to let him inside. This room had been used by his predecessors when they would hold meetings or dinners when they would have several guests at once; now it stood still, untouched save for when Kamukura would meet with the diplomats.
He pulled out a seat for Komaeda to sit in and sat across from him, folding his hands and resting them on the tabletop. Despite his best efforts, he found himself rather distracted by the beautiful man, even his voice gentle—Kamukura realized that they were nearly opposites, with himself being dark and brooding and the other soft and light. The comparison made a lump form in his throat and he forced himself to swallow it, tucking more loose hair behind his ear. “So, you were interested in opening trade to one another?”
Komaeda sits down in the offered chair, "Ah! Yes," he clears his throat and sits up, trying to maintain his professionalism in the face of his nervousness, "As you may be aware, the king and queen of my kingdom have... have recently passed. Uh," He pauses and glances away, giving a faint apology before continuing, "Er, they left me to rule with little resources. Of course, it is enough to sustain us, but only by the barest amount. It would be indescribably beneficial to us to open trade, and we would be willing to offer anything we can. It... may not be much. We are a far smaller nation than yours, but we have strong farms and a small army. Or anything that you wish to accept."
In that moment, he wants nothing more than to hide under the table and melt through the stone floor beneath them. Maintaining eye contact with Kamukura is proving... difficult. His eyes stir a nervous energy within Komaeda's chest.
“I have heard this about your King and Queen; my deepest condolences.” Kamukura watched as Komaeda practically squirmed in his seat, resting his chin in his hand as he listened to what he had to say. He said nothing at first, flicking deep red eyes away in thought. The Dark Prince let out a hum and sat back in his chair. “It wouldn’t be very kind of us to ask much of you when you are just managing to keep yourselves on your feet. For the time being, it is us who will provide anything you could possibly need; only once you are prospering will we begin to trade between each other.”
Kamukura glanced at his suit sleeve, dusting off any particles that happened to sit on top of the sleek black. “I have trade open with enough kingdoms that it won’t affect us economically at all to support a few of your needs. We have a heavy supply of metals within our mines as well as the necessary artisans to craft weapons or tools that you could possibly need.” He stopped for a moment, quietly watching the other prince and honing in on the energies that he gave off.
Komaeda blinked, nearly all of the tension leaving his body as Kamukura spoke.
Thank the heavens, they were getting help.
For the first time in years his kingdom would have the support it needed to be sustained. He would stop getting pitying glances; no more angry letters or tense smiles. "Thank you. Oh, thank you, from me and all of my people..." His shoulders fell in relief...
Kamukura swallowed, tilting his chin upwards slightly as he interrupted. “May I ask you a question?”
...only to spring back up at Kamukura's sudden question, "Yes! Yes of course."
A small smile graced Kamukura’s lips; Komaeda seemed sweet, and his relief was joyous to see. He leant forward, staring intently at the other man. “Am I making you nervous?”
With a dry swallow and a hitch of his breath, Komaeda adamantly shook his head, "N-No! No, I..." He sighs and slumps a bit, "I apologize. I should not lie. I just..." A nervous laugh leaves him, "I am perhaps a bit intimidated by you." His eyes widen and he raises his hands, "I do not mean offense! In fact, quite the opposite! Your majesty, you are quite..." Beautiful. Angelic. Stunning. Dangerous. Exciting. Terrifying. "Impressive?" In that moment, Komaeda seriously debates jumping out of the top windows in the keep. It would be a much better fate than the one he has prepared for himself here.
Much to his own surprise, this makes Kamukura laugh a little, resting his chin in his hand again. “Impressive? I’m nothing that special. This kingdom was handed to me much like yours was to you; if anything, we are on the same level.” He smiled gently, his hair falling into his face. It was long enough to pool like water on the table beneath him, smooth and brushed entirely free of any knots. They were opposites in a few ways, he supposed—light, dark; short-haired, long-haired; effeminate, masculine. Most of the people he met with weren’t interesting at all and bored him within the first few minutes of speaking with them, but something about Komaeda kept drawing Kamukura in. He wasn’t sure if this was because of their clashing aesthetics or his beauty—and by god, was this man beautiful , Kamukura notes—but something about him made Kamukura long for him to keep talking.
"Oh! Yes, yes, I'm afraid that is not what I meant..." Komaeda swallows his pride and continues, "We are of the same status; however, you are—if I may be so bold—horrifyingly attractive." His entire face turns a deep red and horror fills his eyes. In his time as prince, he had had little to no romantic affairs. Opting instead to remain to himself and protect the sacred hope of his small kingdom. The king and queen had been in the process of attempting some sort of arrangement with a neighboring kingdom with the available Princess, Mikan Tsumiki. She had seemed... fine. Kind, certainly. Perhaps a bit weepy for his taste.
As if his taste were anything like that at all. He eyes Kamukura again, stoic as ever as Komaeda is flooded with pure, strangling embarrassment. "I apologize. That was incredibly inappropriate of me, especially after your amazing kindness toward me thus far."
I... actually hadn’t expected that. Kamukura blinks, unsure of what to say, and casts a glance over to the large stone door they had entered through. There were undoubtedly guards on the other side to ensure the safety of both princes, but because this building was built out of thick stone, he didn’t think Komaeda’s words would have reached through to them. How dangerous.
Truthfully, Kamukura had never been romantically interested in anyone. His advisors had entertained the idea of him courting a princess from one of the neighboring countries—mostly Princess Sonia Nevermind of Novoselic—but the prince was cold and brooding and would refuse to entertain her nor her family anytime they would come for such affairs. He knew that the princess would never take it personally (especially because he’d talked to her one-on-one before and he was able to figure out that she was infatuated with one of her commoners). Indeed, Princess Sonia would be graceful as ever as she insisted it was alright, suggesting that he may have been feeling ill and needed to rest.
With that logic, he had coincidentally fallen ill all five times they visited to suggest an organized marriage.
It was somewhat entertaining to see how Komaeda’s pale skin flushed a deep red as he fidgeted nervously. Kamukura hadn’t taken into consideration that the other prince could have been into the same sex; that was incredibly taboo, so the thought didn’t cross his mind. However, it was a relief to know that there was at least one other prince who was interested in men as well. Kamukura never talked about it, but he’d found a handful of his commoners attractive, and a few of those commoners had been male. He’d never taken it into serious consideration until now.
“No, no, it’s not inappropriate,” Kamukura finally said, voice low and breathy. For once, he actually felt... somewhat flustered. He felt heat on the tips of his ears and he shook his head to allow some of his hair to fall forward and hide it. “I... am just caught off guard. I’m sorry.”
The urge to reach over and tuck Kamukura's hair behind his ears--to just touch his beautiful hair--made Komaeda’s fingers twitch in his lap. His heart was racing and he's sure that if he were to attempt standing his knees would give out.
"I-I..." He taps his heel on the ground, worrying the fabric of his sleeve, "Don't apologize. This... I... I should not have done that. Truthfully, I have terrible self-preservation skills," A shaking laugh leaves him and his eyes refuse to meet Kamukura's, "If you wish to have me leave, I will do so. I understand if you choose to cancel our agreement, as well. Hah," he blinks at the floor, "I'm quite the failure of a Prince, aren't I? Perhaps I should be executed!" A short laugh leaves him at the morbid joke.
” That’s enough. ” Kamukura is quick and his voice is stern as he impulsively stands. Once he’s standing he realizes that he’s not really sure what he had thought to accomplish by doing so, but he chooses to remain standing anyway. He grasps at the end of the table for leverage, trying to get the other man to look at him just by staring at him and forcing him to feel his gaze. “Do not put yourself down. Our agreement is not going anywhere and I’m not offended. Although, I must say, you’re lucky that I am one of the few that is accepting of everyone, otherwise execution may have been in your future.” Kamukura swallowed, closing his eyes in thought. This wasn’t a conversation he had expected to have at all, but that was what made it all the more interesting. He opened his eyes again, looking over the timid prince with careful consideration. It seemed that Komaeda didn’t only appear fragile; a mere slip of the tongue made him shatter into pieces.
“I...” Kamukura cleared his throat. “I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been taking note of your beauty as we sat here.” He felt his cheeks flush and he brushed one with his knuckles, a bit bothered by this.
Komaeda’s mind feels frozen. What is happening? This was supposed to have been a business meeting. How could he have messed this up so badly? He had jumped at Kamukura's intervention and, at the word beauty, had snapped his attention back to the man, their eyes locking once more.
"Y-You... consider me attractive?" His voice is meek as he asks, "I'm hardly anything of the sort... you are very kind." His stomach is twisting into painful knots beneath his suit, the decorative golden chains and medallions clicking as he shifts in his seat. Kamukura's expression is hard to read... in fact, the man himself seems to be a bit of a labyrinth to maneuver.
"Thank you. Thank you... for... for..." For what? Not killing him on the spot? For the kind words? For not shredding their arrangement to pieces and leaving his sorry excuse for a kingdom to rot? He snaps his mouth shut and sighs, a stressful, harsh noise. "Is there... perhaps..." He mutters, staring up at Kamukura, "A way I could express my gratitude?"
The question made Kamukura’s heart flutter against his chest, and he was swift to move closer to the other man, acting upon impulse. The fact that his brain didn’t seem to be connected to his actions at the moment excited him; anything that couldn’t be predicted was automatically interesting. He had never felt the dizziness in his head that lingered there now and his hands never shook the way that they did when he reached down to place a hand underneath Komaeda’s chin. Kamukura tried his best to remain cool and collected, but being this close to the handsome prince made sweat bead at his hairline. Here he could focus on how long his white eyelashes were and how pretty they looked against gray-green eyes when he batted them. He could see faint traces of freckles against the paper-white skin and he bent down a bit to be closer to him. The prince smelled sweet, like lavender and vanilla.
“If you wish to,” he said quietly, red eyes downcast and focused on the hands fiddling in the white-suited lap, then looking back up at gentle lips, “I am accepting of... simple, physical expressions.”
Komaeda’s eyelids droop at the contact and he leans into it, soaking up the attention he has never been given. Kamukura's eyes remind him of a sea of blood that he is drowning in, completely willing to be pulled beneath the current. Komaeda places his hand over the one under his chin, his fingers ghosting over the warmth there. Distantly, the thought crosses his mind that this is the most dangerous thing he has ever done. It is thrilling. Every piece of his soul is alight with excitement, something he has never felt in his lifetime. His fortune has finally turned, and he sends a small prayer to the heavens that it may last.
He hesitates a moment before tilting his head and brushing his lips over the palm of Kamukura's hand. Deep within his chest he feels his heart racing, and he's sure that it can be heard across the entire country. His heart is a volcano fit to erupt. He loves it. "I... think I would like to kiss you." He says, voice hushed.
Kamukura’s pulse was hammering hard against his neck as Komaeda brushed against his hand, and the excitement that he felt was incomparable to anything else he’d ever felt in his life. He curled his fingers so they could caress the smooth skin of the prince’s jaw. Komaeda was a magnet and he was drawing Kamukura in. He has a moment of sudden realization.
“Of course...” he says out loud, realizing only later that this could have been taken for his answer as well. We are polar opposites... the north and south ends of a magnet drawn toward one another. His free hand blindly reaches for Komaeda’s in his lap and pulls him up; it still bewilders him that the man is somehow taller than he is, and he lets go of the spindly hand in favor of snaking his arm around his waist instead. Using the hand on his chin, Kamukura gently tilted his head opposite of Komaeda’s and leant in, their lips barely brushing as he moved that hand to the back of the prince’s neck, fingers tangled in the light pink hairs on his nape.
“I think,” Kamukura breathed, tightening the arm around the other man’s waist, “I would like that too.”
With only another small beat of hesitation, he connects their lips. It only takes a moment for Komaeda's mind to fully comprehend everything that is happening, and when it hits him he finds himself melting into the kiss, his arms raising up to carefully drape around Kamukura's neck and shoulders. Aside from the breakneck speed at which his heart is racing, the moment feels serene. He feels protected in the arms of the other, as if no harm could ever befall either of the men. It is his first kiss, and he belatedly wonders whether or not he is doing it correctly. It couldn't be hard, could it? The soft feeling of Kamukura's lips against his feel correct... so he supposes he should just let the other lead and perhaps, one day, his heart would settle its attempts to escape his ribcage.
Komaeda’s lips are warm and soft and Kamukura felt himself leaning further in, wanting to indulge like this forever. He had never kissed anyone before, but he had read plenty of romance novels out of sheer boredom to have a general idea of how to do it. Upon feeling Komaeda’s arms drape against his shoulders, the dark prince moved his other arm down to meet the one that hugged the man’s waist, holding him for what felt like forever. He wondered what his ancestors would think if they knew he’d kissed someone after just meeting them, let alone a man. They’d be appalled and he’d be excommunicated from their lineage and he’d be forced to live in poverty for the rest of his life.
But their kiss was so pure and gentle and warm; if Kamukura could feel like this for the rest of his life, then it would be worth it.
Enjoying their kiss for just a moment longer, Kamukura finally parted from the other prince, gazing into his eyes foggily for a moment. His head was spinning. Between the expression Komaeda wore and the light, airy feeling in his chest, Kamukura broke out into a smile, laughing gently as he kept close to his guest, not wanting to break from him.
As Kamukura pulls away, Komaeda stares at him. His flushed appearance, the softer tone of his usually cold eyes. He thinks about the portraits he saw in the halls and how very, very different that man is compared to the one standing before him. Simultaneously he feels as though he is flying and falling. The pure joy of the moment paired with the fear of what would come should they be discovered. It's exhilarating and scary and the only thing he can do is stare into Kamukura's ruby eyes as the man laughs . It's more beautiful than any instrument, more blessed than any early morning songbird he has heard.
"That was..." his voice is breathy when he speaks, hushed and soft and secretive, "Incredible. You are incredible." He begins to laugh too, a bit because of the disbelief of the moment and partially because the emotions felt nearly overwhelming. "I... now find myself in a difficult situation. It appears I don't want to leave."
Kamukura pressed their foreheads together, sucking in a breath as he was reminded that—technically—Komaeda would have to leave him, and fairly soon. The man in his arms was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever laid eyes on and the thought of him slipping through his fingers made him wince. A hand calloused from many, many years of work carded through the thick white hair, drinking in the blissful expression that Komaeda wore as he continued to run his hand through his hair. This was dangerous, very dangerous, yet Kamukura found himself not caring much of what their kingdoms would think of them. Ah, but that’s foolish...
“I don’t believe I want you to leave, either,” Kamukura hummed, feeling comfortable enough to reach out and hold Komaeda’s face, caressing flawless skin with his thumb, “but should this get out—even if we do not become involved with each other and only share this kiss—we could both be executed.”
"Should that happen, I will gladly take the fall. You may maintain your innocence. I will say I coerced you into this, my people will be fine without me. They hardly need me anyway." Komaeda laughs, a sad noise, "I've no family. Hardly any friends. It sounds much more sorrowful to say so out loud, but I don't pay it much mind. I merely have me, my legacy, and my fortune." He closes his eyes and sighs before opening them again with a newfound determination, "We never have to speak of this again, if that is what you desire. I will slip away and never return. Say the word."
Kamukura shook his head, surprised at himself as he cupped Komaeda’s cheek and hummed in response. “Although the best course of action would be to proceed with our business deal and pretend this never happened...” He tuned into the lightness of his heart, closing his eyes and opting to go with what he felt . So he spoke. “It is no secret that I struggle with emotion. I am not well at expressing them, nor am I good at dealing with them by myself. But.”
His hands were gentle as he took one of Komaeda’s and pressed it against his chest, holding it there and allowing him to feel the steady thumping against his ribs. The only difference was that it was beating heavily and quickly; it felt like a butterfly trapped in a cage. Its wings brushed the bottom of Kamukura’s throat as it fluttered in joy and in reaction he squeezed the hand pressed against his regal jacket. “I... don’t feel like this. Nothing has ever made my heart do... that. I don’t want you to slip away. I don’t ‘feel’ often. I want to keep feeling this—whatever this may be.”
The fluttering of a heartbeat beneath his fingers nearly matched the speed of his own as it beat loudly in his red tinted ears. Kamukura keeps... doing that. Saying things Komaeda never suspected he would ever hear. Sweet things undeserving of the failure prince. "I feel it too." He presses his hand as close as he can to the other man's chest, shutting his eyes and breathing, "I wish to stay with you. You... you utterly terrify me, and yet," He gives a bewildered smile, "I have never felt safer." He laughs then, tilting his head forward until it falls onto Kamukura's shoulder, "This is absurd." He says between laughs.
Kamukura chuckles through his nose, giving a nod and resting a hand on Komaeda’s back. “This is quite absurd, isn’t it?” He tilted his head so he could rest his cheek against white hair. “You shouldn’t be terrified by me. You have captivated me, and even if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t wish to bring harm upon you nor your kingdom regardless.” Kamukura sighed as he considered anyone outside; they were oblivious to the affair, yet he wasn’t sure how long they’d been in here and he didn’t want to raise suspicion. “If we are going to begin trade, then I have an excuse to see you again, but my only concern is how often it will just be us and us alone.”
He was amazed how quickly the sweet prince had pulled him in, the attraction almost immediate. He couldn’t quite place it but it just felt right for Komaeda to be in his arms. They were a puzzle and fit together perfectly; all of the pieces had shifted into place and now they stood complete. It was easy to forget about his kingdom and just live in the moment. He pressed his lips against a pale temple. “When we are not alone, we will have to act as if this never happened, and it will kill me.”
The White Prince shivered at the kiss and nodded, "I can do it. I'll protect you." Due to his inexplicable cycle of luck, Komaeda's life had never been void of excitement. From freak accidents to random curtain fires, he had thought he'd had enough excitement in his lifetime. But this. This went beyond excitement. It was divine. It was a thill he would cherish. Sacred. Kamukura smelled of soap and earth and Komaeda wanted to be buried in the scent.
"I'll come back. I promise you. I'll come back as soon as I can, and as often as I can." His head is spinning with the speed at which this is going. But... in their situation... it had to be fast, didn't it? It was unfair and painful and he finds himself frowning into the crook of Kamukura's neck and shoulder. "...Is this... wrong? I do not see how it could be when it feels so natural. I feel like I have known you for lifetimes."
“I feel as if it has been taught to us to believe that this is wrong, yet I see nothing wrong with pursuing what the heart desires.” Kamukura took Komaeda’s hands and squeezed them, staring into his eyes and praying they didn’t intimidate him again. “Perhaps we have known each other in other lives and were drawn right back to each other. It is certainly interesting to think about. It would explain why you make my heart beat as strangely as it does.” He reached out to tuck a stray white curl behind the flushed ears. He didn’t want to part from him; not this soon. “I will protect you as much as you vow to protect me, if not more. I will find excuses to bring you to me. I wish to get to know you better...” Kamukura’s voice was soft as he tilted his head, black hair falling into his face and requiring him to tuck it back again. “In fact, I don’t believe I remember your first name.”
"Nagito." He breathes, "My name is Nagito." It feels so intimate, like this. Speaking his given name. He feels like he is on fire, being burned alive with every touch and he is a moth getting sucked in by its beauty.
“Nagito,” Kamukura repeats the name on his tongue like a prayer. He smiles gently and isn’t able to hide the small laugh of endearment he breathes out. “It’s beautiful. It only makes sense.” He looks into the pale green eyes and is taken aback by how they glitter, smitten with their color and how well they fit the man who had them. “My name is Izuru.”
"Izuru... Izuru, Izuru... how elegant." He smiles back, "You are single-handedly changing my entire life, Izuru. I have known you not two hours and I believe I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Perhaps it is lucky... all of my misfortunes thus far are being balanced by the joy of meeting you." He laces their fingers together and, cautiously, pressed a dainty kiss to Kamukura's knuckles. "Izuru... Izuru... perfect..."
Kamukura couldn’t help but shiver at the sound of his name on the other man’s lips. What Komaeda was saying would have likely shocked him hours before and he would have dismissed him as mad, but given the chain of events, the words he spoke carried such a weight that Kamukura was able to feel them, heavy atop his back. “It’s strange how the heart works that way... you’ve got such a magnetism about you, Nagito, that I feel as if life has brought you right to me. If only we could spend our lives together...” He trailed off; he had only meant to speak his thoughts, yet he found himself dampening his own mood and imagined he likely affected Komaeda’s by mistake. He squeezed the hand that was laced together with his. “I wish it weren’t this complicated. I apologize...”
Komaeda’s gaze turns intense, a soft irritation behind his eyes, "Don't apologize when you have done nothing wrong. We... we will make this work. It will be alright." His smile turns mischievous as he takes Kamukura's hands and places them on his hips, "Aaah! His royal highness, Izuru Kamukura has captured me! I simply cannot return to my kingdom! How unfortunate! Truly a terrible fate!" He laughs, raising his hands up in a false surrender.
How sickening sweet. The white of his clothes suits him; he is very pure and light. Kamukura grins, using the grip on his hips to tug him closer suddenly, an arm snaking around his waist and holding the other’s body close to his. “There is no ransom high enough to earn His Highness back. He will forever remain locked in my dungeons. My condolences to the kingdom, but they shall never see their prince again.” He began to laugh too, stress of his everyday life disintegrating into thin air for the time being. He pressed his face into the side of Komaeda’s head, laughing gently there and admiring how warm he was in his arms.
"AH!" The White Prince yelps softly, covering his mouth as giggles erupt from him. "My poor kingdom! What will my cook do now that I am gone? Her sole source of entertainment was pestering me to eat more than my slice of buttered toast!" He laments between laughter, "Trapped forever with a handsome man... nothing to pass the time... whatever shall we do?" He whispers, voice tinted with mirth. He can't remember the last time he felt so... floaty . So alive. It has certainly been years, decades even.
“Hmm...” Kamukura pretended to think, tilting Komaeda’s chin with his hand and leaning in with a grin, “‘Handsome man’, huh? Flattery will get you nowhere...” Yet, despite this insistence, Kamukura found himself drawn to the other prince’s lips again, pressing his against Komaeda’s softly before parting after a moment.
This time, the paler man chases the kiss, leaning back down to steal another; his laughter fades until he goes quiet, his smile turning soft. "Izuru..." Komaeda says the name like a prayer, "I have been bold thus far... if... if I may do so again..." He frowns, a bit of the anxiety from when they first met returning, "May I ask a daring question?"
Kamukura kept a hand on Komaeda’s back, sure to keep contact in some way or another. Ruby eyes watched carefully as he brushed stray white wisps of hair out of the man’s eyes. “Of course, Nagito.”
"What... what if I stayed for the night?" He asks, voice small, "My advisors are expecting me back by sundown... but," He smiles shakily, the soothing motions calming his nerves, "We could say the negotiation went too long and I couldn't ride back late after sundown. Negotiations are difficult! Some take so long... I—" He pales, "Perhaps that was too forward of me. I just... don't want to leave you. It's selfish, I know, but..."
“It’s not selfish,” Kamukura interjected, moving to hold his hands again, “that’s incredibly smart, actually. I’d love to have you if you’d truly want to stay for the night. I’d have to alert my servants fairly soon to prepare anything you might possibly need.” He felt his heart skip a beat again as he looked over the gorgeous facial features. “Anything... to keep you near me as long as possible. Perhaps I’m a bit selfish myself.”
Komaeda relaxes again and nods, "That would be wonderful. Our meeting has certainly gone on for a while... politics have become quite difficult, haven't they?" He smirks and pushes their foreheads back together, "I am glad you are selfish... it means I am yours."
“And I am yours.” Kamukura can’t help but connect their lips again; the other prince is intoxicating and he wants nothing more than to get drunk off of his kiss. He breaks it, however, and leaves their foreheads pressed. “Yes, it has gone on rather long, hasn’t it? What a thorn in my side you are, so difficult to negotiate with...” Kamukura reached behind himself to tighten the band that kept most of his hair pulled out of his face. “It would likely be best if I inform the servants and advisors of our lack of an agreement. They will have to prepare for you to stay.”
Komaeda huffs, "I suppose so. It really is so frustrating how uncooperative you are." His expression cracks into a smile and he eyes Kamukura's hair, "You should, but you need to manage that first." He points to the locks and hums, "Have you ever worn a braid?"
The Dark Prince tilts his head, pulling the ebony hair to the front of his shoulder. He seems slightly confused, running his fingers through his own hair. His hair is as smooth as water. “I have not; the most I ever do is tie it back. On most occasions, I wear it down.”
"Sit down, I promise it will feel better." Komaeda motions to the chair, "As soon as I am finished, you can traipse around the castle to your hearts fullest content, free to use your eyes once again." He smiles at his joke and brushes the fly away hair from Kamukura's eyes, "It's beautiful. I imagine you take good care of it." His voice goes quiet again, " You're beautiful."
Kamukura is unable to keep his eyes open as Komaeda is touching his face, fingertips brushing against his hairline as he tucks long ebony wisps behind his ears. He sits in the chair that is offered to him ( how funny, Kamukura thinks, to be treated like a guest in my own castle ) and lets out a warm chuckle as he tilts his head back to rest against the medallions and regalia on Komaeda’s jacket. “Thank you. I take pride in my appearance and my hair means the most to me. Although, to be called beautiful by such a beautiful man... how ironic.” He flicks ruby eyes upward to be able to see the prince, gaze gentle. My heart has yet to settle down.
Komaeda shakes his head with a soft laugh and sets to work, removing the band and letting the hair fall loose before burying his hands in it. It's just as soft as he had imagined, and he almost wishes he had gloves so as to avoid directly contacting the locks. The cascade of darkness, so fitting for the prince, is quickly and elegantly plaited. The only strand that refuses to cooperate is the longer piece that tends to fall in front of Kamukura's face. He opts to leave it, allowing his companion to maintain a small bit of his natural mysterious aura. Eventually, he ties it off, leaning down to press a kiss to the crown of Kamukura's head, "Done." He whispers, "I almost wish I had some white flowers to place within it. You are ethereal, Izuru."
Kamukura keeps his eyes closed the entire time the other man is toying with his hair. His touch is so gentle and so caring that the dark prince nearly falls asleep, at peace with himself and the situation. The kiss to his head is what brings him back to reality, and his ears flush red at the compliments he is given. There is a mirror close by and he can’t resist getting up to look at the work Komaeda had done. The braid carried the entire way down, growing smaller and smaller as his hair tapered off towards his calves. It had been tied off at the very bottom. Kamukura tilts his head so it can fall to the side and he strokes it admiringly, turning to the other with an expression of appreciation. “It’s gorgeous, Nagito, thank you.” He looks back in the mirror, fingers dipping in between the braids to feel them. “How did you learn to do this? Was your hair long at one point as well?”
"Hah, no, no. I've always kept my hair relatively short." Komaeda says, reaching up to touch it a bit self consciously, "I have quite terrible luck, so I would be afraid it would get tangled on my horse, or, perhaps, something to do with the open fires of the kitchen." He walks up behind Kamukura, looking at him in the mirror with a serene smile and cautiously, slowly, wrapping his arms around his waist, "My mother, on the other hand, liked to keep it long. Everyone says I take after her. White, beautifully long hair. I used to think she was an angel." He sets his chin on Kamukura's shoulder, "I would watch her do it, intricate braids and designs, and one day I asked her to teach me. So... here we are."
Kamukura welcomes the arms around his waist and sets his hands on top of Komaeda’s, leaning his head against his as well. His breath is calm as he listens and hums once his companion is finished. “That sounds very nice,” he says, deep voice soft, “if you take after your mother, then she must have been an amazing woman. For her to have been an angel makes perfect sense, as you are just as heavenly.” He brought a hand up to place it against Komaeda’s cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb and leaving his other hand atop the one on his waist. “I wish I had gotten the opportunity to meet her.”
Tilting his cheek into the touch, Komaeda nods, "I think you two would have gotten on well. She loved to garden, much to the irritation of the cleaning staff." He smiles wistfully, "Her poor dresses took a beating and father always berated her for tracking mud through the back halls." He sighs and shuts his eyes for a moment, before opening them again and meeting Kamukura's in the mirror, "In another lifetime, perhaps. I am certain we shall meet again and again... over and over... the Dark Prince and his clover." His smile turns lopsided as he grins and chuckles, "They could write novels about us!"
The stories of Komaeda’s mother made Kamukura’s chest tighten a bit. He had never known his parents, but the thought of being around such a wonderful soul like the Queen and having to experience losing her made Kamukura ache. He went to give the man his condolences, but the smile that spreads across the beautiful face immediately brightens the mood. He figured it would be best to leave the topic of Komaeda’s parents alone.
“They could. Chasing each other through time, bound to one another for eternity...” Kamukura laughed gently, turning to look the other prince in the face. “What a story that could be.”
He dares to kiss Kamukura again, quickly finding the feeling intoxicating. He knows the man has to leave in a moment, but Komaeda allows himself to be selfish once more, bringing them close and, hesitantly, swiping his tongue over Kamukura's lips. It's daring, and something he isn't even sure is appropriate in this situation, but he trusts whatever guiding force is telling him to do this and pulls back slightly, blushing and feeling his breath pick up. "You have to leave soon." He reminds his companion—lover?—in a hushed voice.
Kamukura doesn’t pull away when Komaeda kisses him again, instinctively tangling his hand in the wild white hair. The tongue on his lips is electric and sends volts down his spine, and when Komaeda pulls back, he almost instinctively tugs him back to feel that electricity again. This was undeniably the most exciting day of his life; he had never felt so many of these things that Komaeda made him feel. It wouldn’t surprise him if he started to see colors around him that he hadn’t seen before, drawn out by the angelic prince.
Kamukura tunes in to the flushed cheeks and quick breath, feeling his own cheeks burning bright. Komaeda’s shallow breaths are nearly contagious, excitement coursing through his veins; the man swallows, nodding and licking his lips. “I do,” he says, and is unable to stop himself from leaning back in, kissing the other yet again. Such magnetism you have... I wonder if you do this to others like you do to me.
He kisses back, comforted by the enthusiasm he's receiving. He hums into the kiss and opens his mouth, attempting to swipe his tongue again. And god, he is terrified . Something about this, about kissing so heatedly in an unlocked stone room, makes his blood run cold in fear. On the other hand, he has never felt more protected. Kamukura clutching him close, a hand in his hair as Komaeda runs his own hands over the other's chest... it all feels right. Two parts of the same fallen star. It's dizzying.
The close contact set Kamukura’s senses on fire, and the hands that moved across his chest were making him suddenly aware of how hard he was breathing. He felt Komaeda’s tongue on his lips again and the subsequent current that shot down his spine was enough to ease his previous nerves about whether or not he should have proceeded. He opened his mouth too, intrigued and actually excited as he coolly flicked his tongue against Komaeda’s; this was yet another thing he had read about but had obviously never experienced—previously, the thought slightly disgusted him, but he supposed that could be blamed on the fact that he had never been attracted to anyone before. And now here he stood, kissing feverishly with someone who he had only just met, feeling foolish for ever thinking that such an action could have been anything but enjoyable. The strong hand that had been within Komaeda’s hair shifted down to the small of his back and gripped the fabric of the intricate jacket, unable to place why he did it, save for the singular thought that it just felt correct.
The feeling of Kamukura's tongue against his is blazing. Everything is moving at such a fast pace and in any other situation he might find it odd, or even inappropriate, but it feels so right that he can't even be bothered by it. The breakneck speed feels good and he wants to get lost in it. He dives in further, exploring the other's mouth as a knight explores the dragon's cave. He feels drunk off it.
Kamukura was entirely lost in everything that was happening to the point where he forgot about the guards outside the door. The hand on the back of Komaeda’s coat gripped tighter and he continued to kiss and lick at the swollen lips and mouth that was just as eagerly kissing him back. The feeling of Komaeda’s tongue in his mouth was entirely foreign but he was welcome to it, letting out a hum when they parted for air again. He felt debauched and lightheaded as he panted, looking at the other with ruby eyes fogged by desire.
"Izuru..." he gasps, pulling away for only a moment to breathe before connecting their mouths once more. He knows Kamukura needs to go, he needs to so that this can continue, but God, if it isn't so infuriatingly addictive.
Kamukura didn’t push away when Komaeda leant back in for more, kissing him hard and experimentally dragging his teeth along the bottom lip of the pale prince. After a moment of this, as his head cleared a bit of the high he was feeling, he furrowed his brow and let out a hum, lightly pressing his hand against Komaeda’s chest to nudge him away.
“Nagito, I...” His mouth and chin felt incredibly wet and he wiped them on the back of his hand, brushing it against his slacks. He lets out a small laugh at the sight of the other royal looking just as unkempt, expression somehow so innocent still even though they had just done societally inappropriate things unfit for princes. (But the adrenaline rush was absolutely worth it.)
“I need to go. Any longer and I fear suspicion.” Kamukura looked back into the mirror, legs shaking from the thrill of it all. He began to toy with his appearance, praying he could pass like usual and not accidentally cause any rumors by leaving something out of place. “As much as I want to stay here and indulge with you, there can be time for this later...”
Later. Komaeda attempts to steady his breathing, nodding and straightening his jacket too. The phantom feeling of teeth on his lips make them tingle and shocks of warmth spider through his chest. He feels like he is standing on the sun, burning alive behind the one who placed him there. Kamukura's appearance is entirely disheveled, with red tinted lips, cheeks, and ears, his pupils blown wide and breath erratic. Komaeda finds himself smirking at the thought that he did that to him. The usually put together, stoic prince looks so incredibly shocked and bleary. Nevertheless, he nods and sighs, placing a hand over his chest and feeling the steady thumping of his fast beating heart.
"Yes... yes." The fear of getting caught outweighs his want for more, as he had promised to protect Kamukura. "We can... negotiate... more later into the night." He says, glancing away to stare at the bland stone brick walls in a valiant attempt at casualty.
The Dark Prince takes a moment more to fret over his own appearance before moving to Komaeda and beginning to fix him up as well. “We can’t leave any sort of evidence that this happened,” he whispered, straightening the golden regalia that had gotten knocked out of place, “or else we will never see each other again and be killed.”
The smile fades from Komaeda’s face and he nods, chewing his lip as his nervous aura returns.
"Y-Yes. Of course." He watches Kamukura make him look presentable again and steels himself, wiping his mouth once more. "No one will know. I swear it. I said I will protect you and I will stand by that until my last breath."
“And I stand by mine.” Kamukura’s eyes flick from where they were focused on his medallions up to the man’s face, gaze gentle and smiling softly as he continued to adjust the gold. “The only issue I can see occurring tonight is this—they often keep the guest rooms on the other end of the castle from mine for security reasons. I am always guarded, and because you are also royalty, you will likely be guarded too.” His expression fell and he finished his adjustments, smoothing his own regal jacket. “It will be near impossible for one of us to slip away from our room, let alone into the other’s.”
Komaeda hums and shakes his head, "I often tend to have luck on my side... perhaps I can put my faith in that. I swear to you, I will find a way." His fingers itch to caress Kamukura once more, to give a parting kiss... to whisper more intimate things for his ears alone. But he restrains, sighing and turning away, worrying the sleeve of his jacket. "I will think of you until we meet again. When I close my eyes, the darkness will be your hair. The warmth of the sun is your smile... I will see you again. I swear it."
Kamukura’s heart thumps hard against his ribcage; he tries to default to his normal stoic demeanor, but with such a gentle being there giving off such a warm, loving aura, a smile twitches against his lips and his eyes are melted from their usual icy feel. “I will see you in every beautiful thing I am exposed to. Whether it be the white of the flowers that decorate the gardens or the intricacy of the paintings that decorate my halls, my mind will move to the angelic prince who is but a petty thief in disguise, sent here to steal my heart.” Wanting some sort of parting closure, he reaches for the fragile hand of the other man, bringing it to his lips and lightly pressing a sighing kiss to his knuckles. After a moment, Kamukura guides Komaeda’s hand back to his own side, giving it a final squeeze before letting it go. He closed his eyes and turned, walking halfway toward the door before turning his head. He can’t bear to look at him, otherwise he will succumb again. “From here on out, we must feign as enemies—or contempt for the other, at the very least. It will pain me, but I believe that is the best way to cover our tracks as best as we can.”
Komaeda nods before realizing the other isn't fully looking at him, "I understand." He is determined, and he is impressed to find that his voice doesn't falter, "I'll act the part, as the reward will be worth it. Until tonight." He says, voice soft.
“Until tonight,” he repeats, and with a small voice, advises, “when I open this door, do not follow after me.”
He keeps his back to the other man as he grabs the intricate brass handle on their side of the stone, pulling the heavy door open with one hand. Guards turned their heads to peer in to see if everything was alright, but Kamukura’s steps were full of haste and annoyance as he walked off down the hall, ignorant to calls after him. A few officials followed suit and hurried after him, leaving behind a few guards and Komaeda in his wake.
They were at first confused as to what to do with the neighboring prince, but shortly after, an advisor returned and explained that the Prince was frustrated with the lack of an agreement on their trade deals; the advisor stumbled and almost revealed a slew of insults that Kamukura had aimed at the other prince, but was quick to shut their mouth. As a court, they agreed to extend the meeting another day and ordered nearby servants to prepare Komaeda a room while they struggled to think of how to entertain the monarch while repeatedly apologizing for Kamukura’s coldness.
The Dark Prince had been correct when he had predicted Komaeda would be placed on the opposite side of the castle. It was a beautiful room nonetheless, decorated complexly with expensive objects from faraway kingdoms with a massive canopy bed pressed flush against the wall. This particular guest room had a balcony much like the prince’s did, allowing the occupant to peer out atop the front courtyard. They had brought the prince as many things to entertain him as they thought possible (which mostly persisted of a handful of books from the castle library) and locked him away, putting him under heavy guard under fear of offending him any further than he already likely was.
The night had still been somewhat young when there was a knock at the guest door; it had to have been no later than eight. A woman’s voice was on the other side, gentle and sweet.
“Prince Komaeda? I am a servant sent to assist you. Will you please open the door so I can fulfill my duties?”