My Fiancee, the King
( Chapter Two )
( An Outrageous Reason )
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: to those who reviewed, thanks so much! I know this sounds crazy, but I'm very grateful to have people tell me coherently (believe it or not, that's you Reality's Eyes) why they don't like the pairing! While I can't say I liked your review a ton, it was touching to know that your's was better written than some of the positive reviews. But just for the record, I don't really plan to discontinue the story. Thanks again! 8D
AUTHOR: Alice (Classically Cliche)
DEDICATION: the person who started this whole mess! (dreamsofdestiny)
DISCLAIMER: All characters involved belong to respective copyright owners (tokyopop, tachibana higuchi, etc.) and because the author has no affiliation with any of them, no profit is being made off of this fanfiction. Sankyu!
GENRE: romance, humor
SUMMARY: AU. Once classmates, then friends, and now...engaged? Ruka Nogi's life is about to be turned upside down. Natsume's just not aware.
SERIES: Gakuen Alice (Alice Academy)
OVERALL RATING: PG13 - translates into 'T' on FFN
PAIRING: Natsume Hyuuga x Ruka Nogi (natsuruka)
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"I am well aware that our kingdom is one of many traditions, crazy, crazy and crazier. However, what I'm wondering about is why the hell no one told me about this stupid tradition? I mean, gee, if the whole point of getting engaged is to get married and have kids, well that's going to be a BIG help if my supposed fiancee is a guy!" Natsume fumed loudly at the Courtly Conference Hall.
"But I did try to tell you!" Ruka near-wailed.
"When?" His best friend spat, turning to whoever his flames could lick up next.
"Every single freakin' time you let me catch my breath! But oh NO! Prince Natsume obviously knows every trick in the book, from 'we're not gay' to 'it's just for fun! Obviously, you could never think of getting engaged to the person your final dance is with for Midsummer Eve Ball! Obviously you haven't read that in your god-knows-how-many history books the library has! Obviously!'"
And there was silence, while Ruka exhaled. Deeply.
He was going to need all the oxygen he could get.
One of the councilmen cleared his throat, and then prepared to speak. Ruka realized that now was probably not the best time to make up with Natsume, for fear that people would actually mistake them to be in love. Natsume, he realized, probably didn't care, as long as it wasn't true.
"If I may suggest a solution," the weary old man began, "Although the Alice Courtly Laws clearly states that two years after marriage are the minimal in order to file for a divorce, the law allows engagements to slide through the cracks. Meaning that if we send out the King's Seal, along with a retraction letter, it is the equivalent of calling the engagement off."
"Why didn't no one think of that before?" Natsume grumbled, taking out his pen in order to sign a retraction letter.
"Negative on the idea, Councilman Boki, with Ruka acting in as a standby," Natsume twitched and Ruka flinched at this comment, "the number of women standing by the palace gates have decreased dramatically. Furthermore, not a single female soul tried to sneak into the castle. This, of course, is a far cry from the normal twenty. Meaning that if it stays this way, we could use less Imperial Guards, and the kingdom would prosper!"
"That sounds like a good idea!"
"Lord Ruka is a very capable man."
"More money for the Treasury!"
These sentiments and more were hushedly whispered amongst the table, and Councilman Boki cleared his throat once more for silence.
"I understand and accept Councilman Jukoyami's point of view, and therefore, retract my earlier statement for the bettering of the Alice Kingdom."
"All hail the Alice Kingdom, All hail King Natsume and Queen--"
"You are not saying my name with a 'Queen' title attached to it." Ruka interjected. And there was silence in the room. After all, how else could they address the future...King's partner...to the throne?
"I'm leaving this courtly crap..." Natsume declared in a stark-white-rage tone. No one made any motions to stop him. Ruka fiddled with the pet rabbit he always kept at his side for a couple seconds.
Then, the blonde proceeded to leave the room with the mutterings of some half-made excuse or another, and the quiet thud of the grand door being closed was quite the contrast with Natsume's loud bang.
"I guess Ruka-sama went to comfort Natsume-sama, right?" Councilman Jukoyami half-joked.
"They're so obviously in love!" A courtly woman put in.
Quiet chuckles of young passions and dashing hopes soon ensued.
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Natsume did not need to turn to see who had entered his room. Ruka always did tend to have the most annoying habit of coming and going without any moment's notice. Turning to glance in a sideways manner at his best friend, Natsume was stricken with the hard fact that out of everyone here, Ruka was probably the one suffering the most.
The boy's face was ashen pale, and it was obvious that he had not yet told anyone in his family about his current crisis. Natsume's eyes softened; his friend was really too weak at times. Sweeping his cloak along the rooms floor, the Prince crossed the distance between the two of them with a single step, and all of sudden, he was a mere six inches away from Ruka.
"I'm scared," Ruka admitted with a half-hearted laugh. It seemed like it was self-loathing.
Natsume sighed, knowing that now wasn't the time for him to be selfish. He didn't have much kindness left in him, but the small amount he had left, he would gladly give to Ruka. Hand untrembling, he reached towards the sullen boy, hand starting from the roots of his hair, and gently gliding towards his sloping shoulders. It was now that Natsume would notice the difference between the two of them.
Where his hair was coarse and unkempt, Ruka's was silken and mannered.
Ruka, in turn, simply knelt his head down, so that his forehead was touching the base of Natsume's neck.
"Don't worry about it Ruka."
It was solemn, and emotionless. Years and years of royalty and customs had weld Natsume's voice into what is was today. However, Ruka knew how hard his friend was trying to not burn everything and everyone down despite it all. And for that reason, he clenched his teeth together and held back the threatening tears.
"It's...alright," Natsume whispered, "...to cry."
"I won't...!" Ruka whispered, "As long as you're suffering, I will not be the one to selfishly cry..."
Natsume felt a clenching at the back of his cloak--Ruka in one of his insecurity fits. He bit back a sigh and remained silent, unaware that Ruka had noticed the tensing of his body.
It didn't feel like quite so long, probably because his mind was occupying him with a multitude of thoughts, but eventually, Ruka fell asleep, leaning on Natsume's shoulder while standing upright. The fully-awake boy slowly leaned forward so that Ruka was now sleeping on the bed.
The blonde hair was still perfectly in-place, despite the earlier upheaval.
The peach skin was slightly redder near the face and neck, but otherwise unblemished.
And the heavy eyelids that did not seem to flutter at all were closed.
Natsume could not help but think that Ruka looked somewhat like a fairy tale princess in this sort of setting. Exhaling softly, he gently pulled the covers over the sleeping body, so that the cold would not get to him. The pained expression on his face was illuminated by the setting afternoon sun. They were all just puppets for the empire. Little puppets with big powers, in which the entity higher than all of them combined wished to harness.
And Ruka was just one of the victims trapped in it all.
A fist clenched, and a vow was made. Even if it killed him, Natsume swore he would set them all free. Ruka, and himself, would one day, be able to go outside, to live a life without their dangerous abilities, or otherworld beings.
One day.
It's alright for you to cry, because even though you don't know it, you're crying in place of me...
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