First and foremost, I want to apologize. I haven't posted in weeks. I haven't been in the best emotional state lately. There's a lot of personal issues going on offline that just... crashed all around me and it took a major toll on my mental state. I apologize. Regular updates should come back.

I'm going to be absolutely honest with you - this is a rewrite of an old AU I've written 100 years ago for the JE fandom. It's riddled with grammar errors that I just don't want to tackle in rediting it. Plus, I feel that maybe I should use this AU idea for this couple instead. Iro has so many layers for me that I want to try to explore every possible way. I might give another AU the Oso/Choro treatment but I need to catch up with my other fics (including this one). Please be a bit more patient. I have a mental illness - clinical depression if you'd care to understand me deeper.

In any case, please enjoy this fic. Your comments give me a lot of additional support that help me keep writing.

The Servant Prince

Prologue

Born into depression, born into servitude, the young Ichimatsu didn't know anything else in his life. From birth, he was meant to serve his prince, his future king. Despite his gloomy appearance, he did his duties dutifully with an aptitude to grow. On his off time, he would be with the cats of the kingdom. He was never allowed to leave the premises as he was bound to his charge – but the cats managed to climb the walls with ease.

It almost seemed that it was a rite of passage for the creatures and to meet with Ichimatsu. He didn't mind. The bustling of his fellow humans were sometimes hard to keep up so it was nice to take it easy with the creatures who climbed into the kingdom. Often, his parents would reprimand him and scold him – how dare he be distracted by these creatures! His whole world should revolve around his charge! The young Karamatsu, perhaps a few months older than him, was more loyal to Ichimatsu than the opposite.

This always baffled Ichimatsu. He hated the young man. Because of his training, he learned how to save face and not express his hatred. He learned how to hold his tongue and he'd learned how to channel his anger into his work.

However, in moments like these, the young butler would wonder – Is it because he's my charge and I'm just a butler? Would I think the same thing if things were switched? Would…we even get along?

On this particular day, he had just finished playing with the cats in the royal garden. He was just about on his way to his tutoring sessions.

The weather that day had been as cloudy as the young servant's mood; but it had rained earlier. Despite the gloomy mood, the royal garden's flowers and bushes were happy with the water. Its unique colors popped out through the gray and Ichimatsu released a small smile along with an equally sized sigh. He turned back towards his direction to see the young prince – the source of his melancholy.

He stared at the now demolished statue of where his father's figure once stood, and Ichimatsu had no choice but to immediately stop. He didn't want to really comfort the young prince – he didn't have the words to say. He hadn't been paying attention to the politics in the family – as if his parents would even let him. All he knew he had a duty – to be Prince Karamatsu's butler.

Frustration buried, he slowly approached the young boy. Ichimatsu wasn't that much older than him but he already felt the forced maturity echo out of him.

"Your royal highness," Ichimatsu said as he properly greeted and bowed, "it's nearly lunchtime. Shouldn't you head towards that direction?" His voice was clear while his emotions were not.

He never lifted his bow.

The other never responded.

When he was about to raise himself, Ichimatsu felt someone hugging him and he was forced to raise up to keep his balance. The stark contrast between his assigned, pressed, butler clothes and the smooth silk that Karamatsu had always known to wear as part of the symbol of his status. He was taken aback and, for a moment, his face altered. The young prince hadn't said anything or moved, even when Ichimatsu awkwardly wrapped his arms around the prince.

Before he opened his mouth, Karamatsu started to sob. His body moved in tandem with his tears and cries, Ichimatsu was confused as to why. He bit his lip. He didn't want to anger anyone. He had a duty to do after all – it was all what he was bred to do, as was his father, and his grandfather… And so on.

He fought against the anger. He had a job to do. He had to console the young royal who bawled in his arms. The young prince didn't respond with words but instead with his tears. Ichimatsu wasn't sure what else he could do. He was just a servant; a tool; a piece of furniture.

I…shouldn't… blame him. Ichimatsu resolved but the anger wouldn't waver.

.x.

"Where have you been?" The instructor demanded. "You're over 10 minutes late! Ichimatsu, what if your precious charge had just been poisoned? He would've been dead by now!" The older man continued to demand as venom enveloped his words more and more.

"I apologize," Ichimatsu properly bowed. He wondered if he could be able to explain himself but the instructor went on and on, as he usually did whenever someone below his status was late. He didn't focus on that. He didn't want to deal with any more than he already did. He couldn't help but look away in his bow. He didn't care about this.

"…But because of your actions, I shall have to talk to Queen Consort – I will have to assign His Royal Highness to another butler. Perhaps someone who actually has more emotion than gloom and doom?" The tone sounded threatening – it was clear he meant it this time. And yet, Ichimatsu couldn't be any happier.

He finally lifted his head and body. "W-would you really?"

He was then immediately dismissed.

.x.

Because he had a sudden influx of free time, Ichimatsu returned to his spot in the gardens and found the spot of where the other cats were. The gloomy weather sprinkled some rain on him but he was finally at peace. If it meant he would be ill, at least he would be with his precious friends – the only one who saw more than just a mere butler. The cats accepted his angry thoughts and listened without judgement. He never really hated the prince, per say, just more… his station.

The cats would also keep his secrets. He didn't want the usual judgement of humans cloud his spirit further. He would admit that he somewhat admired the young royal. He would admit that the young prince had often made him smile or had protected him from the older butler. He'd often defend him and say to leave him alone… It was the little things that helped him cope with his anger.

Ichimatsu would often play with the young prince, usually when the prince ordered him to, but he didn't mind. As a child, games were fun. Games were simple. Games put them on equal ground.

And yet he knew when the games were over, they'd return to their stations. He'd return to being a piece of furniture for the older boy. Ichimatsu couldn't understand why he had to do this at such a young age…

His anger never wavered.

.x.

The young butler was rudely woken up by a close friend of his, Todomatsu. He groaned and glared at him.

"Come on, Ichimatsu! Get up!" He harshly whispered as he tried to help the other get up. He also wiped off of the butler suit that Ichimatsu forgot he wore. Adorned on the suit was nothing but the cat fur which shed on him. Ichimatsu helped as best he could but he was still a little bit groggy. As soon as he was mostly cleaned off, the other one – who donned a pink bow while Ichimatsu donned a purple – grabbed his forearm and the two young boys ran as quickly as he could.

Ichimatsu just followed him as much as he could but he tried his best not to stumble so much.

Once the two made it, Ichimatsu was much more awake. There was a group of other butlers and maids who gathered around something and Ichimatsu wasn't sure what it was.

"What's going on…" he trailed off, his voice was still sleepy. He was a little bit more awake but his voice – he didn't have any control. "What happened?"

Todomatsu turned around and gave him a concerned look. "The old man is getting thrown in the dungeon!"

This completely woke up Ichimatsu. "Wait, why? What did he do? I thought…I thought he was in good standing with them?"

Todomatsu shook his head. Todomatsu and Ichimatsu weren't as close but he was certainly closer than the others in the castle. The two had been born around the same time and had been in the same classes together. Granted, they played games together and Todomatsu was more often than not patient with the slower one. However, as they got older, they started to drift away from each other – mostly because of their butler classes. They had to be prepared when their charges were old enough; they had to start worrying about their futures and not games any longer.

Todomatsu was also one who constantly gossiped with the others and he'd relay it to Ichimatsu if it concerned the both of them. In a way, Todomatsu acted like his eyes and ears even though Ichimatsu never asked him to.

"Remember when I told you about the rumors about him and a Lady having an affair? They caught him! Not only that, it was with one of the younger ones! How gross!"

Ichimatsu grimaced alongside the other. He didn't want to imagine which one as there were a lot of young Ladys in the castle, including Karamatsu's younger sisters.

"Ah, at least it's not Honoka!" Todomatsu swooned, referring to one of Karamatsu's sisters. He placed a hand on his forehead to add for the dramatic effect. "Thank goodness!" Ichimatsu nodded and would've chuckled at it had he wasn't so grossed out.

He sighed. And yet he couldn't help but wonder if the old man had even bothered to talk to the Queen about change…

.x.

By now, after the hubbub was scattered finally, it had become suppertime. Ichimatsu reassumed his spot behind Prince Karamatsu – who long since recovered from his random tears earlier. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to acknowledge it. He carried on conversation with his siblings like it was nothing. Prince Karamatsu's siblings were mostly girls – he was the only boy and current heir to the throne, as far as Ichimatsu was aware of. He didn't understand the ins and outs but he knew that including Todomatsu's charge, Lady Honoka, there were three other daughters within the family and he'd do well to recognize their faces.

After he would glance around, he'd turn his attention back to Karamatsu – before he got caught. He'd be patient for the rest of the day – maybe he'd wait until the day was out.

That's what he thought the day before but before he knew it, days became weeks. Within those few weeks, a new instructor was hired – a woman by the name of Nanako. She was much kinder but she was still very strict about her teachings. She wouldn't berate those who were late, so long they had a decent reason, but she wouldn't allow anyone to walk all over them.

One day, after a lecture, Ichimatsu came up to her and asked her, "Uh…Nanako-san?" His voice was shy. He could feel his weak heart beat against his chest. He felt hot under his clothes – much hotter than he usually did as sweat started to beat up on the palms of his hands.

She turned to face him. "Yes, Ichimatsu?"

"Um… before… I was told that…. My position is to be changed and I would be assigned to a different charge."

"Whatever that man," she spat out – disgust covered her tone, "had promised you is null and void. All the siblings have their charges. You are assigned to Prince Karamatsu. I suppose I may have properly teach you and the others that once you have a charge assigned to you, you are forever by their side."

She waved him off.

"You are dismissed."

Ichimatsu's anger never wavered. Instead, his anger merely grew.