If someone were to ask Forrest about his life he would probably say he had a good one. Sure he had spent most of his youth in a separate dimension where the accelerated flow of time caused him to be without his family for years, but he understood the situation. His parents were fighting in a war and the deeprealms were the safest option. Now though the war had been over for a few months. His parents had officially married and he along with all the other children born during the war were free to live at home. Life was good, there was however one problem. Forrest liked to sew dresses. Even more than he liked to make them he loved to wear them. Being a prince of two nations Forrest's father Leo did not approve of Forrest's passions. Though Leo often put up with it since it made Forrest happy it was only a matter of time before Leo would have enough.
"I'm so glad you came over to help me out Forrest. Nohrian dresses are still a little hard for me. I wouldn't have ever finished this order without you here." Oboro told Forrest after they finished with the orders for Oboro's new Nohrian shop.
"I love spending time with you aunt Oboro. How much longer will you be in Nohr?" Forrest asked Oboro as he started to pick up his sewing materials and put them in his bag.
"Just another week. King Xander is almost done conducting the background check on the people I've hired. Once they start working here I'll be heading back to manage my shop in Hoshido." Oboro said.
"I'm going to miss you when you leave. Making dresses isn't as fun by myself." Forrest said looking down sadly. Oboro walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"I'll miss you too Forrest, but you know my home is in Hoshido. Opening this Nohrian shop has been a great business opportunity and I've loved spending time with you. I appreciate everything you've done for me and you're always welcome in my shop. If any of the new employees don't let you use the store's materials or fabrics while I'm gone you let me know and I'll find someone to replace them right away." Oboro said. The two of them hugged when Takumi and Kiragi entered the shop.
"Hey mom we're back from hunting. We didn't get much though. Are we almost going back home? There's more stuff to hunt there." Kiragi said putting his bow on the table.
"Have some patience Kiragi opening this shop has been hard enough on your mother she doesn't need you stressing her out even more." Takumi lightly scolded Kiragi.
"It's alright Takumi I know Kiragi misses home. We all do. I'm just glad the two of you came to Nohr with me. You didn't have to you know." Oboro said smiling.
"You know dad and I would never leave you alone mom. Sure hunting might not be as fun here but I've been having a good time getting to know the Nohrian kids." Kiragi said. Forrest couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of how close the three were. While his parents loved each other and him he didn't feel he was as close to them as Kiragi was with his parents.
"Forrest I saw your father on our way back. He told me to have you head home immediately. You're late for dinner again." Takumi told Forrest.
"Oh I must have lost track of time again. Thanks for letting me know uncle Takumi. I'll take our left over scraps to Velouria and then head home right away." Forrest said grabbing his bag of materials and scraps.
"Too bad you have to leave Forrest we didn't get to hang out. Next time you should come hunting with me and dad. I'm sure mom can handle herself without you for a day." Kiragi said laughing.
"I appreciate the offer but I'd only slow the two of you down." Forrest said before leaving. He ran to try and find Velouria. For a while now he had been delivering the leftover scraps of the dresses he made to her. It was easier for him to deliver the scraps to her then to have her go through his trash to find her "treasures". Unfortunately Velouria was not easy to find. Forrest figured since he was already running late it would be best to have someone else deliver it to her. Luckily he knew where Nina was this time of day.
"Nina I need to ask a huge favor of you." Forrest said out of breath as he had ran to where she was.
"Prince Forrest, third in line for the throne of Nohr and seventh in line for the throne of Hoshido what could some of your status possibly need that I can help you with." Nina said jokingly.
"Please Nina I don't have time for this. I'm late for dinner and I need to deliver my scraps of fabric to Velouria. Can you do that for me?" Forrest asked Nina.
"Well Forrest that is a pretty big favor. Velouria only gets along with a few people and I'm not one of them. What's in it for me?" Nina asked.
"I'll just help you out next time you need something. Now please take this bag and give her the scraps inside." Forrest said impatiently. Nina thought for a moment.
"Alright then Forrest I'll help you out. I mean sure you're the prince of two nations and I'm just a commoner but we are cousins. Not to mention having you owe me a favor is just too good to pass up." Nina said before grabbing the bag from him.
"Thank you Nina. Now I really have to get going. I'll go to your house tomorrow morning to get my bag back." Forrest said. He then ran home hoping his father wouldn't be too angry with him. When he arrived at Castle Krakenburg his cousin Siegbert was waiting for him.
"Forrest where were you?" Siegbert asked him. "Your father left to go find you a short while ago and he seemed quite angry. More so than when you usually arrive late." He said.
"I told father and mother I'd be working with aunt Oboro in her shop. Father most likely went there and they'll tell him I already came home." Forrest said.
"Forrest I understand your passionate about sewing however your father thinks it's making you irresponsible. Unfortunately I have to agree with him. You're a good person Forrest but you're constantly coming home late, you haven't been attending your prince study sessions, and you have been neglecting your magic training." Siegbert said sternly.
"I'm sorry Siegbert I just lose track of time whenever I'm helping aunt Oboro. She'll only be in Nohr for another week then I can go back to my usual duties I promise." Forrest said. Siegbert shook his head in disapproval.
"I am not the one you should be making that promise to. You and your father should have this talk. I am merely letting you know my opinion on the matter. I care for you Forrest and I want nothing more than what's best for you." Siegbert said before leaving inside the castle. Forrest was about to head in when his father arrived.
"You have a lot of explaining to do Forrest." Leo said angrily.
"Father I'm sorry but you know I lose track of time whenever I'm helping aunt Oboro." Forrest said trying not to make eye contact with Leo.
"We will discuss this with your mother inside. Thanks to you the food she made has already gotten cold. The servants are trying to warm it up again." Leo said heading inside. Forrest followed him hoping his mother would calm him down.
"Leo, Forrest I'm glad you're home. I was getting worried." Sakura said when Leo and Forrest entered their quarters of the castle.
"Sorry for worrying you mother I promise next time I help aunt Oboro I will be home in time for dinner." Forrest said.
"Speaking of dinner have the servants gotten back to you yet on the status of our meal?" Leo asked Sakura.
"A maid came in earlier and said that since the meal I made was Hoshidan they weren't sure what they could do with it. They are preparing us a new Nohrian dish which should be ready any moment now." Sakura explained to them.
"I apologize mother if I had been home when I was supposed to be then your hard work wouldn't have been wasted." Forrest said feeling guilty. A maid entered shortly after with a freshly prepared meal.
"Will you be alright with this Sakura? I know most Nohrian meals are still new to you." Leo said holding her hand as they sat at the table.
"Don't worry Leo I should get used to eating Nohrian food. I've been living here for a while and I can't cook Hoshidan meals every day. I think you should talk to Forrest though." Sakura said before looking at her food unsure of where to start eating.
"Talk to me about what?" Forrest asked a little worried.
"Your mother and I are worried about you Forrest. You've been spending all your time with Oboro and you've been very irresponsible lately." Leo scolded Forrest.
"Siegbert told me the same thing when I arrived at the castle. I apologize father but aunt Oboro will be leaving soon. Once she returns to Hoshido I can continue with my responsibilities." Forrest said.
"That's not good enough Forrest." Leo yelled slamming his hand on the table. "I hate to do this but until you start acting like a proper prince you are forbidden from working with Oboro." Leo said sternly.
"Father you can't do that. If I don't help her aunt Oboro might not be able to finish her orders. Nohrian fashion is difficult for her." Forrest said holding back tears.
"This is not debatable Forrest. I already told Takumi and Oboro you aren't allowed back. Tomorrow morning you will resume your magic training and your studies. It's time you put this silly hobby behind you." Leo told him.
"Mother please tell father he's being unreasonable." Forrest said hoping his mother could help him out.
"Forrest this is just temporary. We would never stop you from doing what you love but you have responsibilities and you need to learn to set your priorities. I'll be helping Oboro in your place. While I'm nowhere near as good as you or her I'm sure together we can get her daily orders finished." Sakura said trying to console Forrest.
"Mother, Father I beg you not to do this. Working with aunt Oboro has been the greatest time I've spent since I left the deeprealms. Can I please work with her in the afternoon when I finish my daily lessons." Forrest begged them.
"That's enough Forrest. I've put up with your hobby because I felt bad that you lost your childhood in the deeprealms, but that time is over. The war has been over for a long time and it's time to move on. You need to become a proper prince not just for Nohr but for Hoshido as well." Leo yelled.
"But why can't I be both a prince and a fashion designer father? I understand Siegbert dealing with these responsibilities since he is the Crown Prince but why do I need to?" Forrest asked Leo on the verge of tears.
"Forrest you are third in line for the throne of Nohr and seventh in line for the throne of Hoshido. Ever since my sister gave up her royal title there's been more pressure on me and that pressure lies on you as well. Being royalty is an immense responsibility that we must live with." Leo said.
"I don't understand father. You, mother and I might be royalty but we don't rule anything and we probably never will. Why can't I be free to live my life the way I want to?" Forrest asked Leo trying to reason with him.
"We have an image to uphold Forrest. We represent our nations even if we don't rule them. What will the rest of the world think when one of Nohr's princes would rather be making dresses than attending to his royal duties. I have already made my stance on the matter clear Forrest. This conversation is over." Leo said sounding as strict as he could.
"But father..." Forrest started until Leo interrupted him.
"Enough! I said this conversation is over Forrest." Leo yelled. Forrest quietly excused himself from the table before running off to his room.
"Leo I'm worried you were too harsh on Forrest." Sakura said hearing Forrest's faint crying.
"We both agreed this was for the best Sakura. He will understand later that we want what's best for him." Leo said.
"You could've tried compromising with Forrest and you didn't need to yell so harshly." Sakura said.
"If we compromise now then he will never listen. Once he proves he's responsible we can work out a new arrangement for him." Leo said before he left the table as well. Sakura was left alone hoping everything would work out. None of the three slept much that night and the next morning things weren't much better.
"Wake up Forrest your first lesson of the day starts soon." Sakura said waking Forrest up.
"Mother is it alright if I go to aunt Camilla's house?" Forrest asked Sakura as he got up. "Nina has my sewing bag and you'll be needing it if you're taking my place working with aunt Oboro." He said.
"You have to ask your father Forrest. He has you on a very strict schedule and Camilla's house is quite a distance away." Sakura said softly.
"Could you ask for me mother? Father might get mad if I ask him." Forrest said looking down. Sakura hugged Forrest.
"Forrest you know your father loves you. He was under a lot of stress last night but he won't yell at you just for asking to pick something up." Sakura told Forrest.
"Very well mother let me get dressed and then I can ask him." Forrest said smiling. Sakura left to prepare breakfast for the two of them in the castle's kitchen.
"Forrest good to see you up so early. Once your mother returns with breakfast you can head off to your first magic lesson of the day. I've appointed Nyx to oversee your training." Leo said once he saw Forrest enter their main room.
"Yes of course father but before that I wanted to ask you something." Forrest said.
"Forrest this better not be about our conversation last night." Leo said seriously.
"No father it isn't. I wanted to go over to aunt Camilla's. I gave Nina my sewing bag so she could deliver my leftover scraps to Velouria. You know Velouria likes to collect them. If mother is going to be working with aunt Oboro she will need my bag." Forrest said trying his hardest not to make eye contact with Leo.
"There's no time for that. Your mother can get it herself before she leaves to Oboro's shop." Leo said.
"But father I can get it. I don't want to trouble mother with going all the way to aunt Camilla's." Forrest said trying to reason with Leo.
"I said no Forrest. Your mother will be back with breakfast soon. You will eat then leave for your training." Leo said ending their discussion.
"Father please it won't take long and I will make it to my lesson on time. I promise." Forrest pleaded.
"No means no Forrest." Leo yelled at him. "I don't know where you get this stubbornness from but it's time you start listening to me." He said angrily.
"Of course father it was ridiculous of me to ask." Forrest said softly before heading back to his room. Leo saw Forrest run off saddened and sighed. He considered heading after him but instead went to find Sakura.
"Leo what are you doing here?" Sakura asked seeing him enter the castle's kitchen. "Breakfast is almost ready this dish is fast to make." She said thinking he was hungry.
"Forget about that Sakura go talk with Forrest the maids can finish this." Leo said.
"Did something happen between the two of you?" Sakura asked concerned. Leo thought for a moment then sighed.
"Forrest was being stubborn. I didn't mean to... I mean I just wanted to... can you just go talk to him." Leo said trying to figure out the right words.
"Of course. Can you stay here and watch over them. You know more about Hoshidan cooking then they do and might be able to help." Sakura said before leaving to Forrest's room. There she found him crying softly into his pillow.
"Did father send you for me?" Forrest asked once he noticed his mother was there.
"He did send me but he seemed worried about you. What happened Forrest?" Sakura asked leaning Forrest onto her shoulder.
I asked him if I could pick up my bag and he said no. I tried to reason with him but that only made him angry at me. He said I was being stubborn." Forrest explained to his mother.
"Oh Forrest I'm sorry. Your father is just stressed and worried about you. I can talk to him you go ahead and pick up your bag." Sakura said.
"Won't father be mad that you let me go when he already said no?" Forrest asked concerned. Sakura smiled and hugged Forrest.
"If he does get mad then he will have to be mad at me not you. Everything will be fine Forrest just please be on time for your lessons today. Your father and I both want what's best for you." Sakura said. Forrest nodded, wiped away his remaining tears then left to Camilla's house. Shortly after Camilla and Niles had married she renounced her royal title and moved into a small house with Niles and Nina. Forrest knocked on the door hoping Nina would answer. Unfortunately it was Camilla that opened the door.
"Forrest darling it's been so long since I last saw you. You've gotten so big." Camilla said hugging Forrest.
"It's good to see you to aunt Camilla." Forrest said struggling to get out of Camilla's hug.
"What can I help you with dear?" Camilla asked Forrest letting go.
"Is Nina home? She has my sewing bag and I need to deliver it aunt Oboro so my mother can use it." Forrest explained to her.
"Oh my your mother is sewing with Oboro now, I had no idea. She's definitely not the reserved young lady she was not to long ago. Leo has really helped her open up." Camilla said. "But Forrest if your mother is using your supplies what will you sew with? Camilla asked him.
"I won't be helping out. Father has forbidden me from working with aunt Oboro until I become more responsible." Forrest told Camilla.
"Do you want me to talk with him Forrest. I can only imagine how much this must hurt." Camilla said sympathetically. Forrest shook his head.
"That's alright aunt Camilla I'm sure I can earn father's trust back and return to sewing soon. Could you please get Nina now I'd love to talk more but I'm on a strict schedule." Forrest politely said. Camilla went inside and Forrest heard what sounded like some arguing. A moment later Nina opened the door.
"Forrest what are you doing here?" Nina asked yawning.
"I'm here for my bag. You have it remember." Forrest told Nina.
"I know that but why are you here so early. Normal people sleep during this time of day." Nina said irritated.
"I apologize Nina but my father has me on a strict new schedule. I'm not even allowed to sew with aunt Oboro anymore." Forrest said.
"Why's that? Your dad finally got tired of you being late?" Nina asked Forrest.
"It's not just that. He wants to start being a proper prince. I'm not even sure what that means. What is so improper about sewing?" Forrest asked wondering if Nina had any answers for him. Nina however despite barely being half awake had a mischievous idea.
"Forrest there's nothing wrong with sewing. Your dad's just worried you might be gay." Nina said holding back laughter at Forrest's confused look.
"But why? What do my hobbies have to do with having in interest in men over women?" Forrest asked even more confused then before.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you Forrest. Wearing and making dresses are things girls do. You also have that really girly hair. I'd be surprised if people didn't think you were gay." Nina said. "You can trust me Forrest I won't tell your dad if you're gay." She said grinning.
"I'm not so please stop saying that." Forrest said blushing.
"Hey I'm not the one you need to prove that to it's your dad who's worried. If you had a girlfriend though then he'd stop worrying." Nina said.
"Are you sure about this Nina?" Forrest asked her. Nina put her arm over Forrest's shoulder.
"Come on Forrest would I lie to my favorite cousin. Stay right here while I get ready." Nina said.
"Ready for what?" Forrest asked but Nina had already ran back inside. Forrest would've have left but he still hadn't gotten his sewing bag back.
"Alright Forrest let's go." Nina said as she came back dressed and wide awake.
"Go where Nina I just need my bag then I have a magic lesson to attend. I'm running out of time." Forrest said impatiently.
"Look Forrest you can attend as many lessons as you want but your dad won't let you sew again until he's sure you're not gay. Now come on let's go drop off your bag then find you a girlfriend." Nina said running off towards Oboro's shop. Forrest reluctantly followed hoping Nina was right otherwise he'd never be forgiven for skipping another day of lessons.
"Nina I'll do this on one condition. Please stop saying that word." Forrest said embarrassed.
"What you mean gay." Nina said grinning. Forrest covered his face with his beret.
"Yes that word." Forrest muttered. Hoping he wouldn't regret listening to his cousin.
"Alright Forrest just for you I'll stop saying gay." Nina said.
"Nina please I'm serious." Forrest pleaded.
"I'm serious too Forrest I won't say gay anymore." Nina teased.
"Nina." Forrest said his face burning red.
"Fine fine I'll stop. You just make this so easy sometimes. Don't worry about a thing Forrest. I swear with me at your side you'll find a girlfriend and be back to sewing in no time. Thief's honor." Nina said lightly shoving Forrest. While Forrest had his doubts about this plan he trusted his cousin Nina and hoped for the best to come.
Author's Note- Hey everyone I'm back with my first official story. Leo x Sakura is my Fates OTP and Forrest is far to cute. Add in some Nina shenanigans and thus this story was born. I have a good idea of the general direction I want to take it but any ideas are welcome especially since I don't know who I want Forrest's eventual girlfriend to be. As I am a new writer I am open to any and all criticisms and if you leave a review I'll reply to it at the end of the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy. Viv signing out.