Uh...hello again?
I feel nervous posting this. I feel like my beta is going to jump out at me from somewhere and scream at me for not updating my other fics instead of writing new stories... Oh well. I stalked pretty boys at Disneyland today just for him so he'll get over it soon enough. But I'm still not taking chances, and don't plan on sending this to him. -stupid grin-
And consequently, that means this ain't beta'd. Oh stop whining, you'll live. Lol.
Otherwise, I think I've fallen in love with this idea. And also, it's the beggining of my new capaign to write longer chapters. Something I've really got to work on.
So. . .it's another Riku pairing.
Leon/Riku.
I dare you to try and say that pairing is yummy. I.Dare.You. Cuz you know what? I bet you can't. Well, with conviction anyways.
So yeah. . .enjoy? Aaaaaand. . .live long and prosper?
Ps: I don't have a solid title for this. The title may change.
Ch. 1: Long Live The Car Crash Hearts
In the garden, sitting on a rock. In from of me, the creek that runs through the courtyard empties into a deep pond filled with colorful Koi fish. I stare into its depths, vaguely following the movements of the fish as I muse over the latest news and my own unimportant contemplations. I sigh. I really do love this place; this garden. It's so peaceful and quiet. This is where I usually come when I need to escape my daily duties, or when I simply need time alone. And I definitely need a lot of alone time.
I'm not, and have never been that much of a people person. If the only things I had in the world for company were the plants and animals in this garden, I'd be happy as a clam. This place is always beautiful. No matter what season, or what the weather is, the temperature is always comfortable. Whether it's green, or covered with snow, it always possesses a magical quality…and ethereal aura…
A servant is walking along the path to my left, going about his work. He spots me, and bows a little. As he walks away he flashes me a quick smile.
Smiles.
Since I was a kid I've always been warned against smiles. My father instilled this apprehensive feeling in me. I can't blame him. When you have as much power as he does, you do have to become suspicious of smiles. He always told me that all smiles are plentiful, and all smiles are pretty, however, I need to be able to tell the difference between the good smiles and the dark ones. It's also a required trait for my own position, not just his.
I've never been very good at it though. Father says that I'll get better at it soon enough, that it'll come in time. I am Prince Squall after all.
Squall. Speaking of my name, I hate it. Squall…I might as well have been named Squirrel. I've told everyone since I was eight years old to call me Leon. For the most part, they obey my wishes. Everyone except Axel of course. I can't see him doing anything I tell him to do no matter how many times I use the Guillotine threat. He thinks that Leon sounds stupid anyway.
"Leon Leonhart?! Squall, do you realize how funny that sounds?"
No actually. I don't. It sounds fine to me. Besides, nobody would be saying my full name anyway. It's always, Prince Squall, Prince Leon, or Prince Leonhart. Always, always, with the "Prince." I'm kind of sick of it. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't hate being a "Prince," per say, it's what the title implies. Well…at least what it implies to me. It means that someday, I'll have to get married, and after that, I'll have to take over as King.
First of all, I don't want to be King. I can't rule a country. I'm too mean and selfish to be able to think about a whole kingdom of citizens. People would hate me and…haven't you ever heard of the French Revolution. Yeah…ruling is not for me. Why can't my younger brother just be King? Sora would be so much better at it than me. Besides, he actually likes his betrothed.
Which brings me to the next point. I. Hate. My. Fiancé. She's unbelievably beautiful. Her chocolate brown hair is always pulled into a neat feminine braid, and she's always clothed in the softest shade of pink that you can imagine. Her eyes are a deep ocean green, framed by long, luscious, eyelashes. Her body is any man's wet dream. Full and curvaceous from top to bottom, it's the model for the perfect woman. Her feminine hands are slender and soft. Her feminine voice is like the pretty sound of tinkling bells.
But that's the point.
She's wonderful, but she's just so…so…feminine.
All my life I've been different. Aside from being royal, I mean. When I was a child, I never paid any attention to the girls. I was never one of those boys who chased a bugged the girls for attention. When my friends and I grew older, I began to feel awkward when the guys would start talking about girls. I usually remained silent during these conversations and earned the reputation for being stoic and cold. I'm not really; I'm just not interested in females.
They're too soft, they have too much attitude, and they're too passive. I honestly don't feel like making all of the moves in a relationship just because I'm the male and I'm expected to. Besides, dudes are hot.
"Sire?" I looked up.
Behind me, stands one of my friends. Not Cloud, but another person from my court. Unusual pink hair cascades down his shoulders and soft blue eyes look down on me, a smirk playing on his lips. He speaks again.
"I knew I'd find you here."
I roll my eyes. "Oh yes Marluxia, you're so smart."
"Yes, yes, I know." The pink haired man puts his hand on my shoulder as he continues congratulating himself. "I am the only person who knows how much time you spend here. Not even Cloud knows right?"
I shrug his hand off. "You weren't supposed to know either. You're just nosy." I stand, and turn to look at him. "Now, what is it that you wanted?" I inquire.
Marluxia feigns a hurt expression and places a hand over his heart. "Oh, Your Majesty, you wound me!" He stops suddenly, and laughs at his own antics as I continue to stare, un-amused. "His Majesty, the King, has sent for you. Your engagement party shall begin shortly."
I groaned. "She isn't there is she?"
Marluxia raised an eyebrow. "If you're referring to your fiancé, then no. Princess Aerith and her family are oversees at the moment. They told us to proceed without them since they shouldn't return until spring."
I relaxed. I'm sure it was pretty obvious since Marluxia gave me another quizzical look. Thankfully he didn't question it though, and we walked together through the courtyard and into our respective bedchambers to get ready for the party.
Oh, how I hate Royal parties.
They're so stuffy, and proper. The dances are all rehearsed and precise and everyone is so overly polite. People are constantly trying to kiss my ass in order to get in good with my father. They do it to Sora too, but he won't have any of it either. At the moment, he's off talking to Kairi, his betrothed, and a few of his other friends. I was stuck up here, in the throne beside Father. While my brother was having fun with his friends and my court mingled with the court of Midgard (Aerith's country), I'm slouched in my chair, elbow resting on the armrest and my chin propped up on my hand. I was barely staying awake.
Just recently, the entire royal court had finished bestowing wedding gifts upon me. None were very special. Gold, rare spices, weapons from the exotic land of Wutai…none really worth mentioning. Oh, Cloud did give me a new slave though; a very pretty boy. He was small, with strange, bluish-gray hair that completely covered half of his face. (Axel, the land steward for my West Wing, had obviously taken a liking to him) Apart from him though, nothing was even remotely of interest.
Now that the gifts were finished, everyone was going about their business again. Even my father and Sora had ceased paying any attention to me. Slipping out would be a piece of cake.
Quickly, I looked around the room to make sure that nobody wanted to speak with me, and then I slowly shuffled my way to the back of the room. I'd use the servant's door. It was painted to look like the wall so that the servants could pass through it unnoticed and slip out quietly. When I reached it, I felt around on the wall, searching for the small indent that would signal the door's opening. I took me longer than I had expected, but it turned up eventually and smiling, I tapped on what I now knew was the door.Almost immediately, it opened and I slipped in as fast as I could. I leaned on the door to close it, and looked up.
Nearly 30 pairs of eyes were staring at me.
"Y-your highness!" said a servant girl with brown hair. She was holding a platter of cheeses that was most likely going to be served out in the Reception Hall. She bowed hurriedly, expertly balancing the tray so as not to spill anything.
This action from her seemed to remind the rest of the servants in the room that they were in the presence of their employer. Quickly, they all began to bow and speak at the same time.
"Oh, your majesty!"
"What brings you here?"
"Would you like anything?"
"Yes! Please, let us serve you something!"
"Come here sire! I have some baked bread for you!"
I panicked. With all the commotion the servants were making, someone was bound to poke their head in to see what was going on. I could only think of one thing; run.
I began to speed walk towards the other door that must've led out into the castle, hurrying to throw out a few, "Stand upright please," "No thank you, I don't need anything," and the ever important, "Please don't tell my father that you saw me?"
To which they all replied slyly, "Do we ever?"
I laughed, already halfway out of the door, "No, I guess you don't." And with that, I closed the door and was finally free of the party.
When I looked around, I noticed that the halls were dark, stone, corridors. It was definitely interesting. I'd never been in the secret passages. I didn't even know they were here! But, I guess I just never wondered why servants always showed up so quickly whenever you called for them. They must use these corridors for shortcuts.
I just hoped that they'd work for me too.
I chose a direction at random; right, and began walking. I walked for a while, taking different turns here and there. I passed a few servants on their ways to either bed or more chores, but they paid me no mind, simply offering small nods in greeting. I felt more and more comfortable the farther I walked. The further away I got for the Reception Hall, the more reassured I was that I wouldn't get caught. Besides, who the hell would think to look for him in the servant's corridors?
As I walked, I began to work at the difficult buttons on my coat, determined to get the horrid, uncomfortable, thing off. Consequently, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and ran into something solid. That 'something solid' was now lying at my feet, sprawled out on the cold, stone, floor. I started from the sudden contact. My coat hung open, buttons fully undone, and I bent to apologize, automatically offering my hand to them to help them stand. However, when I saw what sat before me, my heart stopped.
And so did my thought process.
There, on the floor, was a servant I'd never seen before. Or, at least I must have never seen him because I wouldn't ever have forgotten him. The servant had long, silver hair, falling past his shoulders and into his beautiful ocean-blue eyes. His smooth and flawless skin was as pale as Christmas snow, and his lips the palest pink. My breath hitched, and my face was instantly aflame as he grasped the hand I had offered to him. His long, slender fingers wrapped themselves around my wrist, waiting for me to pull. Those hands…they were so soft…
I must have been standing there for a while because, as politely as he possibly could, he asked, "Are you pulling me up or do I have to do it myself?"
The slight insult brought me back from admiring him. I quickly pulled myself together and helped the servant boy to his feet. Once he stood, he began to straighten out his clothes and brush them off. He looked up at me, and I noticed that he was a few inches shorter.
"What you lookin' at?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I-wha?" I answered dumbly.
"I said, what are you looking at?" he repeated, sarcastic and insulting.
I replaced my emotionless 'I'm-so-bored-right-now-because-you're-not-even-worth-my-time' mask, and looked at him incredulously. "A servant with apparently no manners at all."
The boy scoffed. "Servant? You're a servant too; I can be as impolite as I want to you."
I opened my mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a new voice.
"Riku! There you are! The cook was lookin' for ya! For such a smart kid, you're a lowsy kitchen boy, did ya know that?!"
I recognized the familiar voice as my personal assistants'.
The servant boy-Riku-turned around to meet the irate red-head. "Sorry!" he replied, "I was trying to go and get the extra trays from that room connected to the Reception Hall when this bozo ran into me and called me rude!"
Axel approached the servant boy, smiling at him and barely concealing a snicker as he looked at me and realized who 'bozo' was. He bent and whispered in the boy's ear, pointing to me. I watched as the servants face turned from that of shock, to horror as he realized who I was.
When Axel finished, the silver haired boy's face was covered in a pretty red blush. He nodded to Axel, and Axel walked back the way he had come, nodding to me as he disappeared around the corner. The servant boy looked at me, still flushed with embarrassment, and bowed low.
"I'm so sorry your Majesty! I didn't mean to be so rude! I didn't know that you where the Prince! I'm Riku sire! I'm new to the kingdom and only just arrived here yesterday!"
I dismissed the apology, opting for addressing the much more interesting part of his statement. "New you say? From where?"
Riku glanced up nervously, then looked back to the ground. "Wutai."
I nodded. "Rise. I don't really like it when people bow to me," I explained, "I'd rather look them in the eye."
Slowly, Riku straightened himself out. He looked at me in confusion. "But sire, everyone bows to you."
I shrugged. "That's just because they don't listen to me. I don't want you to bow though, got it? Best to breaks habits before they even become habits."
Riku smiled, albeit, cautiously. "Yes sire," he agreed.
"Now," I said as I shrugged off the irritating coat, "do you happen to know these corridors yet?"
"Like the back of my hand," he replied instantly.
I smiled. "Good, then could you show me the way to the West Wing of the castle? I seem to have gotten myself lost." The blush that had previously adorned my face returned in my embarrassment.
Riku chuckled, and turned around. "Right this way sire."
I fell into step beside him, and we were plunged into an awkward silence. Wanting to hear his voice again, I made an attempt at conversation.
"So," I started, "You say you came from Wutai?"
Riku nodded.
"How did you get here? Wutai is very far."
Riku shrugged. "It wasn't all that bad. I just took a few carriages, and walked a lot of the way."
My eyes widened. "Alone?"
Riku nodded.
"Why?"
"Well…" Riku shifted uncomfortably.
I noticed, and decided to give him a break. "It's ok," I relented, "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."
Riku nodded again, and was silent for the next few minutes. Very suddenly, he spoke up again. "M-my….parents….died. My cousin Kadaj, who works in your stables, heard about it and sent for me. He got me a job here in the kitchens…"
I stayed silent. What was there to say to that type of revelation? Nothing. So I simply nodded and I couldn't help but notice that the two of us seemed to be doing a lot of nodding tonight.
"Well then," I said, "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Do you like the kitchens?"
Riku's hands flew to his head, "Lord no! I'm a terrible cook, and I can't handle sharp objects well." And, as if giving proof, he held out his left hand to me and I spotted several bandages on it.
I laughed. "Is it that bad down there?"
"Yes!" Riku said. "The head chef is a slave driver, and all the women keep giving me 'eyes'!"
That was the part that got my attention. Someone was giving Riku 'eyes?' I couldn't allow that. Coming to a quick decision, I blurted, "Well, if you really don't like it, then I suppose I could help you change your job."
Riku was positively beaming. "Really?! You'd do that for me?"
"Sure, why not?" I replied, suppressing the blush that his smile had caused. "How does being my Valet sound? My last one ran off with a Chambermaid."
Riku's eyes widened. "Your V-Valet? B-but I don't know anything about being a Valet! A-and I'm not nearly experienced enough!"
"Oh stop it. You know very well that even if a Valet is one of the high-ranked servants, the job is simple enough. You're simply my personal assistant. You go everywhere I go except for meals and help me get dressed in the morning." I blushed as I thought about that. Ok, so maybe that last part wouldn't be a great idea right now while I was still infatuated.
Riku opened a door and held it open for me. I was thoroughly surprised to see that we had come from behind a bookcase and straight into my room. Wow…these corridors were amazing. I walked into the room and turned to Riku, who seemed to be thinking over my offer. His hand was on his chin and he looked adorable frowning in thought. "Well…I guess that would be ok…"
I could have leapt for joy.
But of course, I settled for a small smile. I pointed at a door on the right side of my bed. "The Valet's room is right there. Talk to Axel tonight. He'll have you settled in by tomorrow night and he'll brief you on your duties. Tell him that you two are to report here tomorrow morning and to bring that slate-haired boy with you."
Riku nodded, still a bit stunned at his sudden stumble of good fortune. He offered a quiet 'thank you,' and a quick 'good night,' before shutting bookcase/door and disappearing from my sight.
Well, for now. With that job offer, I had pretty much just ensured that he'd be staying with me 24/7.
I looked to the heavens.
Thank you God.
Soooo, it seems that the real Riku is kind of a brat. His attitude sure took a 180 when he was informed of Squally-wally's status didn't it? Oh well, it aint like Leon's complaining.
Leon: Damn straight.
Well anyway, review? Was it a long enough chapter? I think it was eight pages if I remember correctly. . .
Oh, and what do you think of the concept. Can't say it's completely original, but I hope I did something unusual. . . though I wouldn't know what that something is.
Maybe cuz I made Riku a servant instead of Leon's slave.
Yeah. . .that sounds good.
