Written for pillarpairweeks on tumblr
"Why's he staring at you?" Fuji asked, motioning towards Prince Ryoma, who was glaring across the ballroom at Tezuka.
Lord Tezuka sigh, "I have no idea."
"Has your grandfather said something today?"
"Only criticized the King's obscene spending," Tezuka replied, sipping his champagne and sending a stare back at the young prince.
Fuji smirked, "looks like the new generation is doing nothing to fix the rift."
"They stole our land" Tezuka snapped. Fuji knew that. Everyone knew that. Talking about it was pointless. No one in the ballroom would care if they overheard, the bitterness between the Tezuka's and the Echizen's was well documented and mostly ignored nowadays. The Tezuka's didn't have enough support to raise armies against the King, but were too important to be thrown out of court. It was a stalemate that had existed for over 100 years.
""Do you think I have a chance with Lord Kawamura's son? He's hot," Fuji asked, moving onto matters far more important to him and far more irritating to Tezuka.
Tezuka gave the young lord a cursory glance. He was fairly plain looking, but made up for it with plenty of muscles. Definitely Fuji's type.
"I'm not here to give you romantic advice, Fuji."
Fuji laughed. "It's not romantic advice I'm after- not yet anyway. How about you? Got someone in mind to give you the next generation to hate the royal family?"
"That is none of your business," Tezuka snapped, his eyes drifting back across over the twirling couples and back to Prince Ryoma, who was still watching him. He scowled and turned his attention back to Fuji, who was coming up with ways to seduce kawamura.
"He's new to court," Fuji was saying.
"Then offer to show him around," Tezuka sighed.
"I shall," Fuji replied, grinning, "don't come looking for me."
"I won't," Tezuka promised.
And then he was left all alone, leaning against the wall with just a glass of champagne for company.
On the other side of the ballroom, Prince Ryoma was downing his third and still staring at him. Then, he sauntered down from his throne and through the dancing couples, missing every single one of them -an amazing feat since he must be at the very least tipsy.
Tezuka downed his own drink and glared at the Prince as he came closer.
"Fancy stepping out for a fight," Prince Ryoma slurred, smirking. "You've been glaring at me all evening."
"As have you."
"Your grandfather started it."
"I would argue that your family started it when they invaded us."
"Then let's fight."
"You're drunk," Tezuka sighed. "Go to bed."
Ryoma looked him up and down, his hazel-gold eyes sparkling. "Fight me."
"I'm not fighting a drunk," Tezuka grabbed Ryoma's arm. "Go to bed."
Ryoma grinned, "make me."
Tezuka felt like sighing again, Ryoma was such trouble. "Fine, but we have to make it look like a fight," he said in a low voice.
Ryoma put up a good struggle, not making too big a scene, but definitely making things hard for Tezuka.
"Kunimitsu, what are you doing?" Tezuka's father asked, stepping in just before Tezuka could drag Ryoma out the door.
"He's drunk," Tezuka replied.
"I'm not!"Ryoma protested, swaying and almost tripping over his feet.
"I'm taking him to bed," Tezuka explained," if anyone asks after him that is where he will be. And I'm not doing it because I like him," he added when his father started to say something, "I just want to avid my country being embarrassed by a drunk prince."
Ryoma struggled as Tezuka pulled him out of the ballroom and up the grand staircase. As they reached the more private parts of the palace, Ryoma's struggling stopped and he followed behind Tezuka quite placidly.
"You know where my room is?" he aksed. Tezuka could feel the smirk burning into his back.
"Of course." He'd been there many times before.
Ryoma's room was at the back of the palace. The corridors here were completely deserted and Tezuka allowed his grip to loosen and slide down to Ryoma's hand.
"Are you going back down?" Ryoma asked as Tezuka opened the door.
"We should keep up appearances," Tezuka replied, closing the door behind the,
"Yeah," Ryoma sighed, running his hands down the arms of Tezuka's purple velvet coat. "Or you could stay. With me."
"Ryoma," Tezuka sighed as his prince started to press small kisses along his neck.
"Give me half an hour," Ryoma purred. "Tell them we got into a fight."
"Ryoma," Tezuka repeated, lower and huskier. Later, he'd blame it on the champagne. Right now, he wanted the man in front of him.
"Good," Ryoma breathed, twisting his hands into Tezuka's hair and kissing him hard.
Tezuka didn't hesitate in kissing him back, sliding his tongue into Ryoma's willing mouth. Ryoma made a low moan, almost a purr, in the back of his throat and it was all Tezuka could do not to push him up against the wall and have his way with him.
But not tonight. Tonight was going to be slow.
Ryoma was pawing at Tezuka' cravat, pulling it out of its immaculately tied knot. Tezuka picked him up and dumped him onto the bed.
"I love it when you do that," Ryoma panted, pulling the cravat from around Tezuka's neck ad throwing it aside before starting on his waistcoat. "You wear too many clothes."
"It's cold downstairs."
"Only if you don't dance."
Tezuka took Ryoma's hand and kissed the palm. "I only want to dance with you."
"Sweet," Ryoma said, grinning and twining their fingers together. "Kiss me, you idiot."
Tezuka did, pushing Ryoma into the bed in doing do. Ryoma had divested Tezuka of his shirt and waistcoat whilst they'd been talking and Tezuka did the same to Ryoma as he explored the familiar plains of Tezuka's bare back.
"I love you," Ryoma moaned as Tezuka started on his neck- long, wet kisses against his smooth, soft skin.
"Same," Tezuka breathed into Ryoma' skin. "Always."
"I want you by my side forever," Ryoma said. Tezuka nodded, they'd had this conversation before. Many times. It was a beautiful fantasy.
Ryoma didn't say anything for a while after that, Tezuka had made his way down to his over sensitive nipples and was extracting every moan and gasp he could. They were going to need more than half an hour.
"Here," Ryoma demanded, pulling Tezuka's head up and kissing him deeply.
"So this is how you're going to get your kingdom back?" a voice by the door said.
Tezuka pushed himself up from Ryoma and looked over. Fuji was standing there looking like the cat who got the cream.
Ryoma scowled. "What do you want, Fuji?"
"Who knows," Fuji replied silkily, "knowing the biggest secret in the kingdom is fun."
"Blackmail then?" Tezuka asked. He'd learnt never to put anything passed Fuji.
Fuji laughed, "you're both my oldest friends. But you must understand the implications of this relationship."
"Naturally," Tezuka replied. I've had this conversation so many times, he thought, it seems like all I talk about.
"You two will destroy the kingdom," Fuji said.
"We know!" Ryoma snapped, "Go away!"
"I look forward to seeing the fallout," Fuji chucked, "Have fun." He left, shutting the door behind him.
"I'm not in the mood anymore," Ryoma sighed.
Tezuka sat on the edge of the bed, "me neither."
"Stay with me tonight?" Ryoma;s eyes were filled with everything he wasn't saying -all the pain and uncertainty.
I'll have to creep out in the morning, Tezuka thought, and invent a cover story. Aloud he said, "Of course."