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no more angst just the palpable tension that should not be present when oikawa is asked to dance with his prince, his greatest friend in childhood, and the man he is now tasked to protect.
“this is needlessly indulgent, your grace,” laughs he, on the path that leads to a canopy
“this is needlessly indulgent, your grace,” laughs he, on the path that leads to a canopy
of lights under which prince hajime stands.
“you wouldn’t know indulgent,” iwaizumi accuses, angling himself to accommodate his guard. “you’ve never indulged a day in your life.” he takes oikawa’s hand and leads him to the middle of the gazebo.
“you wouldn’t know indulgent,” iwaizumi accuses, angling himself to accommodate his guard. “you’ve never indulged a day in your life.” he takes oikawa’s hand and leads him to the middle of the gazebo.
“why ask to dance with me,” oikawa asks, “and why beneath all this?”
the prince smiles, places his hands on oikawa’s waist. “you called me indulgent,” he answers. “i am merely indulging.”
“that you are.”
oikawa allows himself to be swayed. iwaizumi is powerful, both in mind
the prince smiles, places his hands on oikawa’s waist. “you called me indulgent,” he answers. “i am merely indulging.”
“that you are.”
oikawa allows himself to be swayed. iwaizumi is powerful, both in mind
and body, and he has no trouble leading them as they step.
“the party inside is troublesome,” iwaizumi says at length, eyes trained on oikawa. “surely you wanted to observe, but how long ‘til you noticed i was gone?”
“i assumed you would not go where i can’t follow.”
“the party inside is troublesome,” iwaizumi says at length, eyes trained on oikawa. “surely you wanted to observe, but how long ‘til you noticed i was gone?”
“i assumed you would not go where i can’t follow.”
“of that,” iwaizumi says, “you aren’t wrong.”
“why do we dance like this?” oikawa grins, lopsided and everything the prince wants.
“what of it?”
oikawa squeezes iwaizumi’s shoulders, both hands resting there. “this is not a waltz.”
“do you prefer it?”
“it’s what i know.”
“why do we dance like this?” oikawa grins, lopsided and everything the prince wants.
“what of it?”
oikawa squeezes iwaizumi’s shoulders, both hands resting there. “this is not a waltz.”
“do you prefer it?”
“it’s what i know.”
“give me your hand, then.” and when oikawa does, iwaizumi only draws him closer.
“your gra—“
“it’s only us here, oikawa. i would have hoped to leave the formalities for later.”
“when we return, you mean.”
“yes.”
“why bother being accustomed to something that won’t last?”
“your gra—“
“it’s only us here, oikawa. i would have hoped to leave the formalities for later.”
“when we return, you mean.”
“yes.”
“why bother being accustomed to something that won’t last?”
“indulge me,” iwaizumi whispers, low. it is not his habit to beg, and it is not oikawa’s habit to deny him.
“yes...” oikawa concedes shyly, “iwa-chan.”
a smile blooms on the prince’s lips then, and he spins them twice, unruly, like the teenage boys they no longer are.
“yes...” oikawa concedes shyly, “iwa-chan.”
a smile blooms on the prince’s lips then, and he spins them twice, unruly, like the teenage boys they no longer are.
“iwa-chan!” oikawa says breathlessly, with no choice but to hang on.
“indulge me!” the prince answers above their laughter.
“you say that as if i won’t!”
“one of these days—“ iwaizumi wheezes, “one of these days you just might, tooru.”
they slow to a stop,
“indulge me!” the prince answers above their laughter.
“you say that as if i won’t!”
“one of these days—“ iwaizumi wheezes, “one of these days you just might, tooru.”
they slow to a stop,
the knight pressed flush against his prince and held there by a steady hand.
a steadier gaze holds his, and he blinks, flushed.
“iwa-chan,” he begins, smile arresting iwaizumi’s heart, “when have i dared disobey you? or when will i, if i haven’t?”
a steadier gaze holds his, and he blinks, flushed.
“iwa-chan,” he begins, smile arresting iwaizumi’s heart, “when have i dared disobey you? or when will i, if i haven’t?”
“you know i often think you do things only if i ask. or only because i ask.”
“is that not what’s been asked of me?” oikawa says. “should i not?”
“it’s less a matter of ‘you should’; more one that begs, ‘do you want to?’”
“do i wish to be here, you mean? without you asking?”
“is that not what’s been asked of me?” oikawa says. “should i not?”
“it’s less a matter of ‘you should’; more one that begs, ‘do you want to?’”
“do i wish to be here, you mean? without you asking?”
iwaizumi, at length, nods. he licks his lips anxiously.
“i’d rather be here,” oikawa admits. “it pleases me that you called.”
“it pleases me, in turn, that you came.”
“i told you,” the knight says quietly. “i’d rather be here.”
iwaizumi has not relinquished his hold of him.
“i’d rather be here,” oikawa admits. “it pleases me that you called.”
“it pleases me, in turn, that you came.”
“i told you,” the knight says quietly. “i’d rather be here.”
iwaizumi has not relinquished his hold of him.
yet, he takes the hand in his and stretches it beyond his shoulder, so oikawa’s elbow instead is rested there.
he takes the hand on his other shoulder and does the same thing.
“iwa-chan?” oikawa is the closest he can be, without the prince pushing his luck.
he takes the hand on his other shoulder and does the same thing.
“iwa-chan?” oikawa is the closest he can be, without the prince pushing his luck.
“indulge me,” iwaizumi whispers, meeting oikawa’s eyes. they are a single breath away, lips dangerously close.
oikawa is careful they do not touch.
“i told you, i always will.”
“anything?”
the knight swallows. “all things, iwa-chan.”
oikawa is careful they do not touch.
“i told you, i always will.”
“anything?”
the knight swallows. “all things, iwa-chan.”
“and if,” iwaizumi swallows in turn, “these things involved you?”
“what would you have me do?”
“nothing you don’t want,” iwaizumi says quickly.
“and if i say that i want everything?” oikawa challenges. “can a knight be so greedy, your highness?”
“what would you have me do?”
“nothing you don’t want,” iwaizumi says quickly.
“and if i say that i want everything?” oikawa challenges. “can a knight be so greedy, your highness?”
“don’t call me that,” iwaizumi says. “and what even could you desire?”
they’ve begun swaying again.
oikawa says, “nothing you cannot provide.”
“are you being considerate of me?”
“not at all,” the knight smiles. “there is nothing to consider—you are a prince.”
they’ve begun swaying again.
oikawa says, “nothing you cannot provide.”
“are you being considerate of me?”
“not at all,” the knight smiles. “there is nothing to consider—you are a prince.”
“what do you mean?”
“i can ask anything of you, iwa-chan, and it would be your choice to give it to me.”
“and what of me?” iwaizumi smiles in return, heart fluttering despite having had his eyes on oikawa all night. “will you give me what i’d like?”
“i can ask anything of you, iwa-chan, and it would be your choice to give it to me.”
“and what of me?” iwaizumi smiles in return, heart fluttering despite having had his eyes on oikawa all night. “will you give me what i’d like?”
“i would claim it depends,” oikawa feigns thought. “but i already said, your highness—all things.”
iwaizumi connect their lips in a chaste kiss, but it is long enough that he is familiar now, with the softness of oikawa’s lips. oikawa stares at him with wide eyes.
iwaizumi connect their lips in a chaste kiss, but it is long enough that he is familiar now, with the softness of oikawa’s lips. oikawa stares at him with wide eyes.
“that—“ the prince begins, then clears his throat. “and what of that?”
“i... would have appreciated warning.” oikawa can only hear the blood that has rushed to his ears, and he has not calmed his heart when iwaizumi lifts a finger to his chin.
“i... would have appreciated warning.” oikawa can only hear the blood that has rushed to his ears, and he has not calmed his heart when iwaizumi lifts a finger to his chin.
the prince thumbs gently oikawa’s lower lip. “my apologies,” he murmurs, “you are so close—i could not—“
“iwa-chan.”
green eyes snap toward brown; bright orbs still in reverent shock.
“tooru, if i’ve overstepped—“
“nonsense,” says oikawa, dazed.
“iwa-chan.”
green eyes snap toward brown; bright orbs still in reverent shock.
“tooru, if i’ve overstepped—“
“nonsense,” says oikawa, dazed.
“i just did not think you would kiss me.”
“i’ve thought it,” iwaizumi admits, “many times.”
oikawa colors crimson, and he is handsomer than any prince iwaizumi was to choose from tonight.
“you flatter me.”
“you know i don’t.”
oikawa nods.
“i’ve thought it,” iwaizumi admits, “many times.”
oikawa colors crimson, and he is handsomer than any prince iwaizumi was to choose from tonight.
“you flatter me.”
“you know i don’t.”
oikawa nods.
iwaizumi moves to cup his cheek. “i am warning you now. no word against it, and i’ll kiss you again.”
a softness presses against the pad of iwaizumi’s thumb. one that he had recently become acquainted with.
oikawa’s eyes are half-lidded when he murmurs, “indulge me.”
a softness presses against the pad of iwaizumi’s thumb. one that he had recently become acquainted with.
oikawa’s eyes are half-lidded when he murmurs, “indulge me.”
when the prince gently angles oikawa’s face, the knight does not resist.
this one is chaste too, at first. their eye fall closed, and oikawa, too, learns the softness of iwaizumi’s lips.
he learns more when they move, small sounds from peck after peck. them, meeting over and
this one is chaste too, at first. their eye fall closed, and oikawa, too, learns the softness of iwaizumi’s lips.
he learns more when they move, small sounds from peck after peck. them, meeting over and
over in mutual want of this feeling.
“you know how to kiss,” iwaizumi mumbles against him.
he hums, not stopping except between an answer, “no. this is my first.”
the hand around oikawa tightens, and he gasps into the prince’s mouth.
“you know how to kiss,” iwaizumi mumbles against him.
he hums, not stopping except between an answer, “no. this is my first.”
the hand around oikawa tightens, and he gasps into the prince’s mouth.
iwaizumi rests their foreheads together to catch a breath. “why?”
“what could you mean, iwa-chan?” oikawa steadies his own breathing, while iwaizumi looks at him.
the prince does not beg. but he looks near it, now.
“is there someone you fancy?”
“what could you mean, iwa-chan?” oikawa steadies his own breathing, while iwaizumi looks at him.
the prince does not beg. but he looks near it, now.
“is there someone you fancy?”
oikawa lets a silence linger before whispering, “there is someone.”
he feels his prince freeze as though a deer in hunting.
“i’ve promised my life to him,” he continues. “i’ve sworn to be by his side, but also to tread gracefully so i never cross a line.”
he feels his prince freeze as though a deer in hunting.
“i’ve promised my life to him,” he continues. “i’ve sworn to be by his side, but also to tread gracefully so i never cross a line.”
he looks at iwaizumi then, whose senses have apparently been dulled by their affections.
“i mean to say you,” oikawa breathes, “but i’ve no way to say it indirectly. i’d otherwise appear quite crass.”
“i mean to say you,” oikawa breathes, “but i’ve no way to say it indirectly. i’d otherwise appear quite crass.”
the tension in the princes’s features disappears, replaced by a warm relief.
“i feared i’d taken something from you.”
oikawa shakes his head. “you’ve taken nothing i wasn’t already willing to give.”
“i’ll ask again, still.” iwaizumi bites his lip, light dancing in his eyes.
“i feared i’d taken something from you.”
oikawa shakes his head. “you’ve taken nothing i wasn’t already willing to give.”
“i’ll ask again, still.” iwaizumi bites his lip, light dancing in his eyes.
the way he looks at oikawa is how others eye the crown. of the two, he only values one.
“no word against it,” he whispers, “and i’ll kiss you, oikawa tooru.”
oikawa smiles. he says nothing.
“no word against it,” he whispers, “and i’ll kiss you, oikawa tooru.”
oikawa smiles. he says nothing.
