Title: The King's Empress
Summary: [Prompt based on Hearts Desires Challenge by EmeraldRain25] Out of a sudden, 15 years old Echizen Ryoma found himself to be engaged with someone unknown and was told to accept it. He was expected to go to Japan, met his fiancé and married happily ever after. Too bad that Ryoma and obedience just are not meant to be. So what did he do? Go met his future husband and judge him by himself. Who knows he might end up fallen for the man or maybe an unexpected someone new. BL.
Disclaimer: Will only said it once. I would never own Prince of Tennis. It obviously belongs to Takeshi Konomi. There you have it.
Pairings: Royal, for now… and one other pair for Ryoma~ though I haven't come to decision who I wanted it to be. Possible hints of many/Ryoma?
Warning: MxM/shounen-ai (you have been warned~). Might be OOC. Beautiful and rather mischievous/manipulative Ryoma.
A/N: an attempt to write AtoRyo, combined with wicked mind plus interesting challenge from EmeraldRain25, thus this fic is born. Enjoy reading~
Beta'ed by Fangirlling-girl.
Italic is flashback
The King's Empress
~Rikka~
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Chapter One
- One Little Surprise -
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An alarm clock was beeping furiously, doing its best to awaken his owner up. It was beeping nonstop for entirely ten minutes, until a hand lazily reaching up for the clock and tapped on it, immediately stopping the alarm. The sound of blanket rustling was heard, indicating a movement from whoever was sleeping under it. Slowly, strands of dark locks emerged from under the blue blanket, accompanied by a groaning sound. A young man rose up from the bed unwillingly, shifting his body until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. The morning sun made its way into the room through the narrow gap of the slightly opened azure curtains beside the queen size bed, and settled its light exactly on the teen's head, illuminating the emerald tinge of his blackish hair. He rubbed his eyes sleepily then dozed off for several minutes, before thick long eyelashes fluttered slowly as he blinked a few times, revealing a pair of golden orbs.
A Himalayan cat was bouncing happily at the awareness of his owner waking up. He made quick strides towards the young man, then landed exactly on top of the dark-haired teen's lap. He curled up and rubbed his body against it.
"Morning, Karupin," the young man greeted affectionately, stroking his cat's soft fur gently while the Himalayan was purring contentedly in return.
They stayed in that state for the entire next ten minutes. He smiled, feeling content to watch his beloved cat relaxing under his ministration.
Moment like this could always put him lost in bliss. It was appeasing, soothing no less, especially in his somewhat distracted state right now. Distracted... he was, indeed. Who wouldn't? Not just anyone had his father heedlessly slap on his only son's face something about being 'engaged', or whatever on that line. It sounded way too absurd and fairytale-ish. What century was it now to still have an arrangement marriage anyway? Besides, it deemed him as though he was incompetent in searching for one, which he obviously wasn't. In fact, he was way more than capable at the deed, but simply chose not to, seeing that tennis hold his sole interest, now and then, and apparently for unlimited period of time, instead of some stupid romance.
He almost brushed the subject off as his idiot father's another nonsense joke. It wouldn't be hard to believe that this too might be another prank the old man usually —if not always— loved to pull on him. He would have forgotten about that one absurd and shocking news, if not for a passport which was laying above his study desk, and of course, the noticeable mess in his room, that forced him to acknowledge it hadn't been just a dream, especially when he accidentally wandered his sight into the disarray pile of clothes, which were scattered on top of the wooden floor and a red bag beside it. This made his mind automatically pondering back into the big revelation his father had dumped on him last night.
His father called out to him out of a sudden right after Ryoma had just finished taking a bath. The monk-clad man's posture indicated nothing unusual, but the look Nanjiroh gave him when he stated he had something to say to Ryoma was the mixture of hesitancy and fear. It was strange when his usually nonchalant father suddenly said he wanted to have a serious conversation with him. It really was unusual, but Ryoma had shrugged it off as his father's another joke and didn't really take him seriously until…
"What?"
Ryoma snapped his head out of the towel, then stared at his father in bewilderment. His hand that was working on drying his soaked hair became stilled, allowing beads of water dropped from his wet hair to the floor.
"I said you are going to get married!" Echizen Nanjiroh exclaimed casually, as if he was just asking Ryoma to play tennis, and not something that might as well decided his only son's future.
Ryoma scoffed. "Yeah, right. You are going nuts."
He was obviously not going to trust his father's words. Married? Right. Who would be sane enough to believe such nonsense? Besides, it's not like it was the first time his idiot father said some random things like this.
"What? You don't believe me? I speak the truth, seinen! Ouch! I'm so shock that my son has so little faith in his own father," Nanjiroh said in exaggeration, putting his hand on his chest, acting as if it was just being stabbed by unseen blade.
"More like none," Ryoma murmured, obviously not loud enough for his father to hear.
Nanjiroh slammed the table. "So, all that said, you are going to Japan tomorrow!"
Ryoma coughed abruptly at the proclamation. He stared at his father in disbelief. "What? Japan?"
"Yeah! You are going to Japan. I had already booked you a flight for tomorrow afternoon, so go pack up your things now," Nanjiroh answered while taking out a book from under his yukata. The book looked like a tennis magazine, but of course, it was just a camouflage. Knowing his father, it was undoubtedly porn.
"Why am I going to Japan?"
"Hadn't you been listening, seinen?" He said, not bothered to looked away from his book. "Your fiancé is in Japan, so how are you going to get married unless you go there?"
"… Fiancé?"
"Well, yeah… you have a fiancé even before you were born. Wasn't that amazing?"
Ryoma was drop silence. It would be an understatement to say he wasn't perturbed. Hell! He was too shocked to even respond. He found himself inhaling and exhaling breathes in attempt to calmly sortie all the absurd information his father had just given him.
Nanjiroh took a peek over the por— magazine he was reading. He watched as Ryoma let the towel fell onto his shoulder. His head tilted down slightly, causing his damp hair to cling desperately into Ryoma's face. The dark-haired teen was so lost in thought that he failed to realized droplets of water had streamed down from his neck to his shoulder blade and slowly made its way entering the lower half of his body. This immediately reminded the brunette of a saying *someone is so handsome even water can't ruin their beauty. Nanjiroh had always thought it was one stupid idiom, however now he might had had to changed his mind, especially when there was one inevitable proof right in front of him. Evidently, there was no other word to describe the display he was seeing. Nanjiroh scoffed. Ironically, 'beautiful' would fit his son much more.
"So," Ryoma said, breaking the silence, bringing Nanjiroh's attention back to the matter in hand. Ryoma lifted his head up and settled his golden eyes on the man. "You are saying I'm engaged to a stranger, without my knowledge, even before I was born no less, who is in Japan, and now it's time for me to meet this so-called fiancé to get married?"
Nanjiroh nodded absentmindedly, amazed to hear his son spoke so much at once. Ryoma rarely speak, he was man with few words. This must be the longest ever.
"I'm supposed to believe that? You are not pulling my leg, aren't you?" Ryoma asked suspiciously.
Nanjiroh spluttered. "I'm not!"
Ryoma bore him a pair of judging eyes, seemingly questioning the old man's honesty. He held his glare for a moment then sighed. "Who is she?"
"Huh?" Nanjiroh's eyes widened comically.
"This person I'm supposed to get married with." He eyed his father accusingly. "Don't tell me you don't know who it is?"
"Of course I know!" Nanjiroh blurted out quickly, offended by his son's accusation. "It just… well…" he scratched his neck and fidgeting nervously.
"What?"
"Well…" He looked anywhere but Ryoma. "It's not… she…"
Nanjiroh laughed awkwardly. "Your fiancé is… err… a fellow male?" he said sheepishly.
Ryoma was stunned. It took him a few seconds to absorb the new information and to make sure his father wasn't fooling him.
"Okay… so, who exactly is this person?"
This time it's Nanjiroh turn to be in shock. "Eh? That's it? You don't mind it to be a man?" Nanjiroh asked, rose up from where he sat, bewildered at his son's quick acceptance.
Ryoma glared at him skeptically. "Che, I don't care."
"If you say so…" He sat back, a bit disappointed by the lack response from Ryoma. "The name is Atobe Keigo. The one and only heir of the famous Atobe Inc."
Ryoma snorted. "So you sold me to some rich bastard."
"Oi, I can hear that, brat!"
"It was obviously meant for you to hear," he spat sarcastically. "Then, how did I end up being engaged to this person?"
"I made a deal with his father."
"You— what?"
"It was unavoidable, alright!" Nanjiroh shouted in defense. "It's the only way to save both your mother and you!"
Ryoma bore an intense glare at Nanjiroh. "Explain."
"I was… your mother… you…" Nanjiroh started to explained, or precisely, he tried to, because Ryoma understood nothing since he spoke so incoherently. After several minutes of trying, He finally, helplessly turned his head towards his wife who was sitting beside him. "Rinko! Help me explain!"
Rinko, Ryoma's mother, looked at her only son forlornly. "I'm sorry, Ryoma." She paused. "I really don't want to make you do this."
She closed her eyes. The second her eyes opened, Ryoma noticed tears had formed on the brink of his mother's eyes. "We are in debt with Atobe Keisuke, your fiance's father greatly. We owe him our life. If it hadn't because of him, neither mother nor you would be alive now." She gazed at Ryoma with teary eyes threatening to fell. "In return for his help, your father— no, we promised you to Atobe's.
"The deal was to have you live with the Atobe once you turn 15. You will meet your fiancé and spend your time with him, until you reach the legal age to be married which is 18." She trailed. "You are now fifteen… so…" Tears started to drop from her hazel eyes. "We need to keep our promise—"
"It's okay, mom." Ryoma cut her off.
Of course it's not okay. Nothing's okay. Ryoma was surely not, but even though he felt very conflicted about this whole affair, still, Ryoma wouldn't want to had his mother cry on him. He hated to see her cry. While he didn't really care about his perverted father (he actually did care though, in his own way), he had a soft spot for his mother. Echizen Rinko was a strong-willed woman, one who could stand on her own, otherwise how could she handle someone like Echizen Nanjiroh? She was also a gentle-loving mother and wife who loved her family dearly. Ryoma loved his mother deeply, there's no denying for that. But, even so, he did think it was a really absurd story, one that seemed more like coming out of a soap opera. If it weren't because of his trust for his mother, Ryoma would be with no doubt assumed so. Unfortunately, unlike his father, Echizen Rinko never lied, and if refusing this thing was going to put his family into trouble, then he had no other choice but to accept it.
"I understand." Ryoma continued in a soothing voice.
Nanjiroh rejoiced at Ryoma's reply. "You hear that, Rinko? As expected of our son! I told you already he will be fine! He is a strong kid and will be able to handle himself we—"
Ryoma threw his towel right at Nanjiroh face hard and successfully shutting the man up.
He groaned at the remembrance. Now he was expected to fly to Japan and met this so-called fiancé in a few hours.
Ryoma had never once thought in million years he would have ended up in a situation like this. His world had always been revolved around tennis, and having a tennis-obsessed father didn't help much. Different from the peers around his age, Ryoma played tennis at all time, save for when he was at school, when other people would be going to game center or hang out somewhere instead. When others spent money buying games or clothes, Ryoma used his for tennis-related things like new tape, shoes or after-training food. When people busy going to concert or things alike, Ryoma busied himself entering numerous tennis tournament. It was worth it though, because not only had he gained experiences, honed his skill that made him stronger, he had also became very well-known among many tennis lover, and successfully secured himself an astonishing number of fans in US. Not that he cared.
Naturally, Ryoma didn't mind it at all. He loved tennis and had played the sport for as long as he could remember. Defeating his father and going pro were the only things he had on his mind, and he was more than sure those would also be his future. He was fifteen now. He had finally reached the age required to be tennis pro, but apparently turning 15 had also became his curse.
No point in fretting about it. Ryoma stood up and put Karupin down on his bed. The Himalayan was mewing in displeasure for being put down until Ryoma scratched behind his ears softly. The cat purred then rubbed himself against Ryoma's palm briefly in response before disappearing into the blanket.
Ryoma walked towards his wardrobe, opened it, and took out a towel as well as some clothes. He then made his way to the bathroom. Taking a bath could always effectively calm him down.
There was no other choice but for him to do it and go see this entire thing himself. Don't be mistaken. Ryoma wasn't going to quietly accepting and obeying this whole affair. Not a chance.
Atobe family didn't understand what they had done and what is coming on their way.
He was going to give the Atobe a hell.
Ryoma smirked devilishly.
Oh, he would make sure of that.
Meanwhile, in Atobe residence...
Square shaped dining table made of glass with gold adorning on its edge, placed in the middle of the room. The table was really long and able to fit about 20 people at least. On both end of the table, sat two people who were quietly eating their breakfast.
One of the two, a middle age man around 40, took a cup gracefully. Few strands of his grey with white tinged hair fell delicately on his temple, as he took a sip from his earl-gray tea. He put the cup down, took a napkin then wiped his mouth elegantly. He settled his eyes on a young man in front of him.
"Keigo." A firm voice veiled with authority was heard.
The young man, whose appearance looked exactly like the younger version of the older man, except for the mole below his right eye, rose his head up. He locked his blue eyes to the other's and silently waiting for the elder to continue his speech.
"Your fiance will be coming today." He paused then held his gaze on the younger man. "I expect you to know what to do."
A smile graced the younger man's lips daintily. "Yes, father."
"What's meant to be will always find a way"
[Trisha Yearwood]
Omake (This is CANON. *cough* Something that might happened if this was crack, lol)
"Your fiancé is… err… a fellow male?" Nanjiroh said sheepishly.
Ryoma looked at his father blankly.
"Okay… So, who exactly is this person?"
"Eh? That's it? You don't mind it to be a man?" Nanjiroh asked in shocked.
"I'm gay."
Nanjiroh stared.
Ryoma stared.
... Both still staring.
Nanjiroh fainted.
"Eh? What? Nanjiroh!" Rinko shouted in panic, shaking his husband frantically. "No! Nanjiroh, wake up! AMBULANCEEE!"
Ryoma smirked. "Mada mada dane."
*someone is so handsome even water can't ruin their beauty, this is a japanese idiom for mizu mo shitataru ii otoko.
seinen means young man. Since Ryoma is 15 now, he couldn't possibly still be called seishounen/youth.
It turned out quite differently from what I initially had in mind. Oh well... There are some parts in this chapter that sounds a bit absurd, I assure you I did write everything on purpose, so don't worry~ The next chapter will explained clearly what had happened in the past.
Please ignored my lack of ability in describing things. I'm not good at that.
Poor Atobe... He couldn't possibly expect to have a quiet and obedience fiance, could he? It's Ryoma we are talking about :3 *grin*
I sure hope you like this. Kindly tell me what you think?