I LIVE. COLLEGE IS HARD. REMEMBER THAT.

So, I realized that it's quite possible that no one except Jack and Yusei are aware of the "100 Day" challenge they got going except the two of them. If at the end of the 100 days Yusei didn't like what he saw, he could leave. But he'd be surprising the hell out of everyone else, because no one knew about the deal. I just came to this conclusion while re-reading chapter 5 of the original Regality. Yusei's parents make it sound like they don't know what's going on and are assuming that Yusei will marry Jack either way. Whether or not this was the actual intention, I don't know, but that's what it sounds like. goes back through chapters to find any evidence that suggests otherwise...

Also, 100 days is a very short period of time. If the challenge started in late August/early September (that's more or less my time reference) then Jack would have till December to make things work. I had worked out the math earlier, but I can't remember the exact calculations I used... Whatever.

This chapter was kinda nostalgic, as I used to be an avid horse rider as a kid. Constant traveling while I was growing up made it tricky to get lessons, so I stopped after the sixth grade, but not a lot can compare to riding on a horse. Trying on riding pants and boots, however, is an experience I don't mind forgetting... (No one thought to tell me that jeans and heeled sneakers were okay, the damn bastards.)

I noticed that most of the chapters are made up of long scenes of description and little dialogue, so I'm trying something just a bit different with this, and hopefully it pans out. However pretty I can make things sound, I'm hoping that through more/better dialogue that I can get the emotions across just the same as before.

This was supposed to be out on New Year's Eve. (Look how that panned out...) I'm currently lying down on my couch as I finish writing chapter. I ate too much for dinner and could barely keep myself upright to work. So now I'm snuggled up in my Game of Thrones fleece blanket listening to Rooster Teeth's Lets Play Fuel.

Ugh, I don't like how this chapter turned out. I promise I'll do a better job on the next one. Please forgive any spelling errors-I try to catch them all, but always one or two slip through. I don't think there is anything glaringly wrong, at least.

Warnings: Cheesiness at epic proportions, but this should be the last we see of it

Day 89

Chapter 17: The Promised Day-Part Two

It was clear on the stableboy's face that he desired to ask what on earth Yusei was doing crouched in his horse's stall, but one look from the prince silenced him, and the young boy bowed his head hesitantly before walking away to attend to another horse. With a shudder he allowed himself to collapse to the dusty floor of Stardust's stall, uncaring if he his entire backside was covered in dirt. His ankle sighed in relief once the pressure was gone, throbbing briefly before subsiding to a light heat.

It hadn't been his original intentions to run to the barn, but every damn turn of the palace kept leading him to more and more servants who flocked to him when he came stampeding down the marble hall. Men would bow their heads in reverence and ask what he required, and the more daring maids would chase after him asking how they might help. The prince just shook his head and brushed past them, barely remembering to mumble an apology for his rudeness. It took all of his control not to lash out at them, and after an embarrassing snap at Mikage he kept his words short.

In all honesty he didn't believe that they truly cared that he looked upset, and nor did he expect them to. It was no secret that the servants were fascinated by their king's unexpected decision to bring Yusei back with him. He would never forget the first day, how the young maids blushed when the raven drew past, Jack's possessive arm wrapped tightly around his waist. He hadn't been scared, but the enormity of the palace and the grand walls had definitely thrown the forest-dwelling prince. He must've looked the picture of nervous virgin in their eyes, the idea only reinforced by their light but undeniable flirting with their king. It obvious that Jack was not so virginal as he, and that made him look all the more the devil taking the innocent to his bed to corrupt. No one would have dared do such a thing in the Satellite despite the relaxed regulations. The king was to be dutiful to his wife, as she was to him.

But Neo Domino was not the Satellite, and he cursed its name every time he forgot that.

The king had a homosexual friend, actually. Yusei hadn't expected it, as he wasn't entirely convinced that Jack himself liked men, but the blonde had scoffed at him and said that he shouldn't be so judgmental. This led to another argument between the two, but that didn't negate the fact that it was surprising for the prince. It was another king, but that was to be expected of the highborn Jack Atlas. His name was Seto Kaiba, and the man's kingdom lay to the north-west. The last Jack had seen of him had been over two years ago, and according to the rumors Seto was much different ever since he took to a simple toymaker who turned out to be a clever chess master. Jack told him that Seto would arrive for the fall and spend a few weeks with them.

The question now remained; would Yusei actually meet Seto, or would he still be out in the stables come autumn?

I don't know...

He had hoped to find Stardust when he finally shoved through the heavy doors, but his horse was nowhere to be found. In all likelihood Stardust was in the paddock out behind the stable so that he could stretch his legs, but with a throbbing ankle the extra walk seemed like miles. With a disappointed sigh he relented to waiting for his companion to return, and prayed that he could take a ride into town without anyone alerting Jack to where he'd run off to.

He wasn't running away. He was just...

He didn't know what he was doing.

The prince hadn't foreseen the moment on the balcony. Jack's calm and careful movements had moved the pieces so precisely that Yusei hadn't noticed. Like a fool under a witch's spell he allowed himself to be played, and woke up to the unimaginable reality of finding himself against the king. Even more startling was that Jack forced the raven to tower over him, not the other way around. The subtle erection he hadn't even noticed was suddenly pressed against the king, and in that instant Jack had known that he...that he...

"Ow! Hey!"

Yusei jumped at the sudden noise and smacked his head against the stall. After wincing and rubbing his head he quickly pulled himself up to a stand, thrown by the young voice. He looked for the stableboy from earlier, but the boy had disappeared. At the end of the stable the double doors leading to the paddock were open, and just by the door's edge he could see a swishing tail. A softer, indiscernible girl's voice spoke before the little boy's irritated voice came back. "Just give me a sec! I can do it!"

Were it any other situation, like a farmer trying to handle an unruly cow, he would likely pass by and leave the man to his own business. If Stardust behaved the same he would prefer to try and handle his horse himself. But it was obvious that it was two little kids with a pony, and suddenly the prince felt an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness. With a harsh grunt as he heaved open the stall door and limped his way to the double doors, making a wide turn to avoid potential hind legs striking him. Only, he got a small boy instead.

One moment Yusei was standing, and the next he was on the ground, a small boy with mussed turquoise hair pulled into a tail sprawled on top of him. In the background a young girl shrieked. In front of them, he spotted the rear of a temperamental pony, and with a heave rolled the two of them over as the lead jerked and the pony stepped back some. Heart pounding at the near accident he clutched the boy to his body reactively, arms locked out of reaction and unwilling to let go right away.

The little girl screamed again. "Rua!"

Yusei released the boy slowly and untangled their limbs before looking more closely at the kid, whose eyes were still clenched tightly. The prince looked for the girl, but found she had locked herself into the paddock to get away from the thrashing pony, who was tearing at his bridle with all he had. Panicking he shook the little boy, heart rate increasing when he didn't open his eyes. He shook him again when nothing happened, and almost got up to call for help when he realized the problem and pushed down on the boy's abdomen. With a harsh breath the boy expelled what air was left in his tiny body before taking deep breaths again, eyes watering. When his panic calmed, the boy looked to him. "That hurt..."

"You had the wind knocked out of you," Yusei sighed, sitting back and letting his butt fall back in the dirt. The boy nodded and let his head fall back to the ground, but no sooner than they relaxed the pony was acting up again and Yusei leapt to his feet.

It was a sad looking thing. At some point it may have been a blue roan, but either time or poor care had transformed it into something else entirely. What should've been a full tail and mane, thick and wispy, was scraggly and thin, like pieces had fallen out. Papery skin clung to magnificent bones, exposing hips and ribs and brows. The prince couldn't tell if it was old or young, it looked so terrible, and for a moment he wanted to kill whomever caused the pony to look as it did.

The small girl was still hiding in the paddock, her eyes locked on the wild pony. Moving around, the raven kept his eyes away and watched the pony through his peripheral vision. With his arms at his sides he clucked with his tongue and whispered to no one in particular, waiting for the pony to catch on. At first the wild thing's attention was divided, but the closer Yusei drew it seemed to understand and quit pulling on its bridle. Looking to the little girl, he extended a hand. "You have any treats?"

She nodded hurriedly and dug through the pocket on her vest, pulling out sugar cubes and quickly dropping them into his outstretched hand. He thought to call her over to the pony to assure her it was safe, but her large eyes were frightened and dark with fear. He wouldn't dare make it worse. Nodding his thanks the prince eased his way back to the pony, and as he drew closer rubbed its neck and laid out his palm for the pony to lip the sugar cube. As it savored the rich sugar Yusei noticed the tightness of the bridle and tried to slip his fingers in the strap around its jugular. He couldn't.

"You tightened the bridle too much," said the prince, hoping at least one child could hear. He undid the bridle completely and slipped it over the pony's head, the animal happily spitting out the bit. In his hand the metal wasn't smooth but angled-the bit was sharp, and had likely cut into the poor thing's mouth.

No stablehand would even consider putting this in a horse's mouth. Unless...

Yusei whipped around to look at the boy, startling him. "Where did you get this?"

The little boy, who had picked himself up off the ground, stared nervously. "What?"

"I said, where did you get this?"

"In town..."

"Where?"

"At a shop."

"What kind of shop?"

"I dunno, a shop!" the boy snapped. "I didn't read the sign."

No kidding... "And just why did you need to buy a bridle? Couldn't you have just asked for one?" It was a legitimate question. Both children, who looked remarkably like twins, were well dressed if one ignored the dirt. They were definitely of some nobility, judging by the family crest. They wouldn't have need to buy a bridle on their own.

"I didn't think to," groaned the boy. "What's it matter, anyways?"

"Come here," Yusei ordered. The kid balked and stared, clearly not trusting of him. The prince darkened his tone. "I said come here."

"Why? What're you going to do? I don't even know who you are, anyways!" The boy looked like he might dart over to his sister. "You're a stranger."

Yusei groaned loudly. "My name is Yusei Fudo. I'm from the Satellite. I've been riding horses since I was a small boy. My horse is the white one with the blue mane-his name is Stardust." The boy hesitated, biting his lip nervously and still seeming as though he might make a run for his sister, but the other twin spoke before he could act.

"You mean the one next to Jack's horse?"

Though surprised by the girl's casual identification of the blonde king and not formal, Yusei glanced and squinted out to the paddock, where Red Demon seemed to be trying to tug Stardust's mane one direction and seemingly unsatisfied with it falling back to its usual spot. Stardust looked all as though he was grudgingly putting up with the older horse but seriously considering a kick or two.

"That's Stardust," Yusei sighed, suddenly tired. He looked back to the boy, who was edging closer when he caught the prince watching. Yusei held out the reins to him again. "Well?" His softer tone definitely caught the kid off guard.

"I don't know what you want..."

"I'm going to show you how sharp this bit is. Now come here."

Yusei finally got the boy to slink up to him and take the bridle in his small hands, fingers feeling the coarse and weak leather.

"Now rub the bit."

"But it's got slobber all over it."

"Like you never drooled over anything as a child," Yusei scoffed, earning a muffled squeak of amusement from the girl. "Feel the bit."

Oh, this kid wanted to snap the reins at him, he could see it. From the paddock the girl watched while the pony drifted over and nibbled at one of Yusei's pockets. He fished out a new cube and stroked the pony's neck as it ate, though he had to fend it off when it tried for more. Until it ate a proper meal, more sugar would likely just make it sick. Looping his arm under the horse's neck so he had a better hold of it, he glanced at the boy. "Did you feel it?"

"No. It's disgusting."

Neo Domino nobles, indeed. "It'll be even more disgusting if I put it in your mouth. Do you see the ridges? That bit's sharp. Look at his mouth," Yusei said, holding the pony's head so he could show him the corners of the pony's mouth. Instead of being smooth it was chapped some and raw looking from where the point bit dug into the tender skin. "You tore it up. It's amazing he's not bleeding. Where'd you find him, anyways?"

"We got him in town..."

"Oh, him too?"

"Yeah! Why do you care where we got him?"

"Because no horse breeder in their right mind would sell a horse like this to noble children. Do you see how skinny he is? He looks like he could die at any moment." The prince looked behind him for any sign of the stablehands, but they seemed to have vanished for the time being. Where had they gone? "Why would your parents let you buy him?"

Not that he was going to complain. The horse would certainly start a better life, now, thanks to the kids, but it was odd for children raised in a wealthy household to do something so rash as buy a pony without pedigree.

"We don't have to ask for our parents' permission to get stuff! We bought him on our own."

"As well as a bit, which ended up hurting his mouth," the prince ended.

The boy looked hurt. "Look, I didn't know that it was sharp. I didn't mean to hurt him. I was just in a hurry and the guy at the shop just threw it at me after I gave him the money."

Yusei let go of the pony's neck to crouch in front of the boy, ignoring the pain in his leg, though his wince likely showed. "Even so, if you planned to buy a horse you shouldn't have gone without a stablehand. Do you have any idea how to care for a horse?"

A different voice spoke up. "Godwin doesn't know we bought him."

Both boys jumped at the sudden addition of the little girl's input. She had slipped out of the paddock at some point and dared to come a little closer, but not much. She looked as though she wanted to hide in her skirts. "We're supposed to ask Lord Godwin for stuff before we do things."

While he may have missed some of the innuendos Jack liked to drop on him, the prince wasn't entirely clueless. He learned long ago that when speaking with women much of the conversation relied on reading between the lines. Why they didn't say things more bluntly he still didn't quite understand, but even as a small child there was still appreciation for the subtlety. Men weren't good at delivering bad news, often dropping it like heavy chest of books on someone's toes with little consideration even if they were close to the other man. Bad new was still bad news, and it would hurt regardless of who was giving it, but being slowly worked up to the realization that some horrible had happened spared the heart of some of the shock. Shock and denial went hand in hand, but if one could be lessened, grief and truth followed much more quickly.

Yusei glanced once more a the boy, who was shuffling back and forth nervously, before addressing the girl. "I take it you didn't ask if you could buy a pony at any earlier point, either?"

"We didn't exactly plan to..." the boy admitted sheepishly.

His sister finished. "So Godwin doesn't know..." She suddenly looked fearfully, eyes widening more than he thought possible. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I think someone already has," the prince said honestly. There was little that seemed to happen without Jack or Godwin knowing about it. Offering a weak smile, he asked the more important question, slowly regretting his earlier anger. "Why is it so bad that he knows about the pony?"

"It's not that it's bad that he knows..."

"It's that he wouldn't let a pony like this in the stables," the boy finished this time. The two were in perfect sync with the other. The little girl shuffled over to her brother's side and they stood close together, the two sets of eyes stronger now that they weren't apart.

"Why not?"

"Cause..." the boy murmured.

"We stole him from the butcher," his sister finished.

.o.

Their names were Rua and Ruka, he learned. Rua, the boy, was the oldest, his sister, Ruka, born a few minutes after him. Though myths about twins were not always to be believed, these two were in fact opposites of each other, contrasting loud with quiet, brazen with shy, and impulsive with considerate. Rua, while still apprehensive of Yusei (no doubt from the raven's rather harsh tone from earlier), warmed up to the idea of letting Yusei help and doing everything he could to assist far more quickly than his sister. Ruka lingered in the aisle of the stable, perched on a stepladder and wringing the ends of her dress with a quiet but nervous expression.

They had found an empty stall without a name or sign of ownership, prompting Yusei to claim it as the twins's before either could protest to idea. A stablehand finally appeared shortly after they had finished laying down straw, but a shake of Yusei's head and a brief nod towards the kicks maintained the stablehand's silence and earned him a disgruntled nod before leaving again. The tired pony allowed himself to be led back inside the stable and to a soft bed of straw, where he lay down with a tired sigh. Not much grooming could be done with him on the ground (though Rua tried), so Yusei had the twins scrub out spare buckets while he carefully dislodged the caked mud stuck to the pony's hooves. He had no shoes, but would need his split hooves to be tended to before anything further could be done to protect his feet. Once the kids returned with buckets they got an extensive lesson on the Do's and Don'ts of feeding horses and ponies.

Ruka listened well enough for his liking, but Yusei put Rua's empty bucket over his head when the boy started to snore.

With light food and lukewarm water as an encouragement to stand the prince set out to teach the twins how to clean the pony, though in his frail condition not much could be done. Once he gained a fuller coat it would be easier, but till then Rua looked very content to carefully pick out the knots in the pony's mane, Yusei tending to the tail in case the pony got finicky and began to kick. Some ponies were excellent with children and adored them while others couldn't stand them. Tired and hungry as the pony was, he was likely willing to put up with anything in exchange for soft words and food, but given then time he would likely become unruly.

"Is he mad?" came Ruka's little voice during the calm. Yusei looked up and saw the pony's ears somewhat laid-back, though one occasionally twitched towards Rua.

"No, he's all right. He's just listening to us."

The silence resumed again, Ruka laying her chin down on her palms to continue watching. The prince wondered if he should say something, but Rua beat him to it.

"Can you help me with this? I can't get this part untangled." As though to demonstrate, the pony jerked his head. The comb fell from Rua's hands in surprise, but the pony merely snorted in amusement. Ruka made a whimpering sound, but Rua tugged her away from the stepladder and handed her the comb, whispering so softly to her that Yusei couldn't pick up what they were saying. Ruka leaned in closer and they whispered some more before Ruka started to comb out the pony's mane as though she'd been doing it all her life, starting at the bottom and combing it out bit by bit like girls did if they had long hair. The pony turned his head to look back at the new person combing his mane, startling Ruka, but after a moment's consideration returned to nibbling at his food. Rua grinned.

"See?"

Ruka made a face but returned to combing the pony's mane, Rua standing besides her and stroking the pony's neck. Yusei finished the tail and carefully moved around the pony, watching the kids as they groomed and hugged the pony. Down the hall he heard the stable doors open again and clopping of a horse's hooves against the stone, but was startled when he was hugged from behind.

"Oh my God! You never told me you had kids!" Judai squealed, lifting Yusei up off the floor in excitement. The kids tried to hide their laughter behind their hands, but there was no disguising their amusement. The prince let himself dangle limply in the hopes that he would get too heavy for his friend, but Judai just nuzzled against him like a lunatic and continued to hold him. As the kids got over their laughter, Judai whispered, "You won't believe what I found."

The raven tried ask what on earth his friend meant, but Judai sat him down again and moved to the stall to the greet the kids. Yusei took hold of Yubel's reins and led her down to the stall she was using, leading her in and looping her around so she faced forward. Normally he'd have the horse tied to the ring in the stall so there was no shifting about, but the king's horse had grown familiar with him over the years and offered no problems. As he loosened the straps on her bridle he noted the faint smell of sweet baked goods, like Judai had out in town recently. A glance at Yubel's saddlebags revealed the tell-tale lumps of wrapped goods hidden away. Though he rarely ate the smell still had his stomach gurgling. Surely he won't miss one, right?

Moving to loosen Yubel's saddle and sneak off with it, the prince was greeted with a slight yipping sound as he bent over to unhook the girth, startling him. Judai's saddlebags shifted about as though something alive were crawling about inside.

"Ah, you found them," came the brunette's voice. Judai stepped past and opened the bag, gesturing for Yusei to come closer and see. The prince cautiously peered inside, easily spotting two sets of eyes in the dark of the bag. It took him a moment, but when it clicked he whirled on the king.

"Judai!"

"I didn't steal them, Yusei. Their mother was dead."

"What? How do you-"

"Yubel caught her scent while we were out riding. She led me to a clearing where the vixen was." The king shook his head. "She was torn up badly, Yusei. Something horrible happened to her. The fact that nothing got her kits is amazing."

Yusei's heart wilted at the news of the dam, though there was little either could do about nature's course. "You shouldn't have taken them, Judai..."

"I know, I know. Interfering with Mother's Nature's plan and all that. But they're too young to survive on their own. I didn't exactly see another fox out there taking care of them." He nudged Yusei's arm. "Come on, are you really gonna get upset about this? They'll live a lot longer if they're being taken care of. Besides, you could use a pet that can be brought indoors."

"The stables are indoors, Judai."

"You know what I meant. Come on, don't tell me you can resist the thought of cuddling with this little guy."

A white kit was suddenly in Yusei's face, Judai have snatched him from the saddlebag too quickly for the prince to see. He jerked away in surprise, but the brunette continued to hold up the pup. It stared back at him languidly, clearly unimpressed and yawning as though bored. "Hmph. Reminds me someone else I know..." the raven grumbled, taking the kit from his friend's hands. He squirmed for a minute before closing his eyes and dozing off, seemingly content to let Yusei do the work.

"You look so perfect together."

"Shut up."

"No, really. I think this is the start of beautiful relationship."

"That's what you said Ryo and Asuka."

"And look where they are today!"

"They despise each other."

"Appearances!"

"Asuka tried to stab him at a family dinner."

"Lover's quarrel!"

"Ryo said, and I quote, 'keep that crazy woman away from me'."

"In jest!"

"Ryo used me as human shield when Asuka came flying at him from across the room with a lance."

"Fun and games!"

"Judai!" Yusei glared at the beaming king, who didn't have the sense to run away. He thrust the kit back at his friend. "Stuff. It."

The brunette took the kit back, but his grin never failed. Sighing, Yusei leaned against the wall of the stall as Judai pulled out the rest of his bundle, a cloth nest for the kits he made using a scarf. Before the issue of where to set them down could come about Rua's head appeared over the stall door, eyes wide. "Oh my gosh! Are those baby foxes?"

Judai hushed him with a finger to his lips but grinned, nodding for the boy to come closer. Ruka appeared a moment later, hesitant to enter the stall with so many people. Rua oohed and awwed over the kits before pulling his sister over to see them, practically vibrating with excitement over the new pets. With the stall quickly crowded Yubel grew anxious and began to shift about, prompting Judai to pass off the kits to the twins and sit outside their pony's stall for the time being while Yubel was settled.

Aware of Yusei's leg the king removed her heavy saddle before the prince could even try, wandering off with a knowing smirk before returning with borrowed brushes and the stepladder for Yusei to sit on. It was only after they settled in to grooming and the kids dozed off in the aisle (Ruka resting on her brother's shoulder while her twin held her) that Judai's tone changed.

"Who are they?" The king had introduced himself already, but it had even taken Yusei some prying before he got any truth out of them. They were cautious for their age, something that disturbed him somewhat. Was it a trait of all Neo Domino children?

"Rua and Ruka-and that's all they'd tell me. I have no idea what family they belong to. Their parents are aristocrats, but they work as ambassadors for the throne. Due to their line of work, they're usually gone, so Godwin was eventually assigned as their legal guardian. Can't tell if they're happy about that or not, though. From the sounds of it they're largely left to their own devices. Godwin never mentioned having to look after two kids, though I doubt he'd be taking care of them on his own."

"That's likely for the better. Godwin's not the best influence in the world."

Yusei sighed, nodding. "You can say that again."

"What's up with the roan over there?"

"He was in line for the chopping block at the butchers. The kids managed to sneak out of the castle without much notice and happened on the butcher's on their way through town."

Judai frowned. "Were they running away?"

"From the looks of them I doubt so. I think it was just for the fun of it. The roan was being kept outside with a few other animals. How they managed to walk off with him and not get caught is beyond me."

"Wait, they stole the pony? Those two?" Yusei couldn't tell if the look on Judai's face was shock or awe.

"Yes, about that. I'm still debating on whether or not they should be sent back with money to pay for him."

"If it were from a breeder, I would agree, but a chop shop?"

"Butchers have to earn a living like every other man. Stealing from them is a much a crime as stealing from a breeder."

"You have no sense of romance, my friend."

Yusei scoffed. "I fail to see anything romantic about the situation."

The king rolled his eyes. "Of course you do."

The prince swept the curry comb over Yubel's coat, circling in little patches before sweeping the dust off with a small brush. Judai paused on his side to look around, eyebrow cocked. "Where is everybody?"

"You mean the hands?"

"Yeah."

"Good question. We've been alone since putting the roan in the stall. Someone came and saw, but that was that. No one's stuck around."

"That's odd. Wonder why they would..." Judai's eyes widened as he got quiet. "He knows you're here."

The prince's heart began to hammer. "Who does?"

"I dunno, Yusei. Who here in Neo Domino is completely obsessed with you?" The king made a noise, one that smacked lightly of disgust. "You're such a dunce, sometimes."

"Who cares if he knows? A bunch of servants saw me in the hall as I was leaving. It makes sense that someone told him. They're always reporting what I'm up to."

"Perhaps. But what about the lack of people?"

"What about them?"

"There's nobody here. Nobody to keep you from tending to the horses however you please." The look in the king's eyes was almost desperate, like he was trying to plead. "Yusei. He keeping everyone away for you."

The snarl in his voice was unexpected. "So? Why are you suddenly so weepy?"

"Stop that!" Judai growled, shoving Yusei's shoulder. "Goddamn it, Yusei. Would you quit be stubborn for once?"

"I don't see how I'm being stubborn."

"Oh really? Then why are you down here? Where's Jack?"

Yusei snarled again and threw the comb into the basket Judai brought. "I don't know!"

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't." Yusei whipped around on the king. "And whose side are you on, anyways?"

"Don't even start! This has nothing to do with picking sides!"

"Then why are supporting him?"

"I'm not! I'm simply pointing out that he's not quite the selfish bastard you keep making him out to be!"

Yusei's fists clenched. "You know nothing about him! You have no idea what it's like to be with him!"

"And you do? You're always running away! You know nothing about him, either!"

The silence that followed was only broken by Yusei's ragged gasps, the fight suddenly gone as he stared at his friend. Judai's eyes were wide and shimmering more than the weak light would allow, but the prince refused to believe that they were tears.

"Judai..." he whispered. His friend stared, waiting for something more. "Judai...Judai..."

"Sit down, Yusei," the king sighed.

The raven's feet fell out from under him completely, and he collapsed against the side of the horse's stall. Judai stepped out from around his horse and stood in front of him. He was so close Yusei could rest his forehead against the brunette's thighs if he so desired. His vision grew black for a moment, and when he came to he was leaning against his friend's legs, a familiar hand threaded through his hair affectionately. Judai rubbed the knots in his skin, small reminders of his childhood hidden by his hair over the years.

"I haven't seen you fall in a long time," Judai whispered. "It's been so long...sometimes I forget that you can." The fingers felt more scars, more bumps from the prince dashing his head against the rocks, the trees. No one knew them intimately, not even he. It was strange to suddenly realize their presence all over again, jarring reminders of how much he had to fall before he could ascend. "You were such a king when you climbed. It was like you couldn't fall."

Two fingers dipped over the large scar on the back of his head, the largest he'd ever had on his skull. He had smashed his head on thick ice, climbing on a branch hanging over a lake. There'd been a goose stuck in the ice, a trapped target for the wolves if they were willing to chance the lake. Kalin stood on the side, watching with fearful eyes and his hands tucked under his arms for warmth. It had been his idea to save the goose, but he'd been too afraid to climb out over the lake to help. Too afraid to-

"I'm tired, Judai."

"I know."

"So damn tired..."

"I know, Yusei..." The king shifted, and soon Yusei was leaning against his shoulder, the brunette sitting besides him on the dusty floor. Lips kissed his hair, his eyes, his face. Without hesitation he allowed himself to be pulled against Judai, sitting sideways across his lap and allowing himself to be held. Judai was cold to the touch, like his heart had stopped, but in comparison to the burning fever of his skin it was glorious.

"I have to go back."

"I know."

"I have to..."

"I know, Yusei." The arms held him tighter. "I know. It's okay. That's okay."

"It's wrong..."

"No, it's not."

"It's wrong, this is so wrong..."

"Yusei."

Judai kissed him gently, leaning back just in time to see the tears rolling down his face, eyes red. The king let them slide instead of brushing them away like he usually did. You can't be the one that's there for me anymore...not like this. I know that, Judai. That doesn't make this any easier, though...

Yusei buried his face in Judai's neck, seeking warmth despite himself. The brunette let him try, sighing loudly in the silent barn. Judai wasn't mad-he would know if that were true. But the price of being a good friend is doing the painful things the other can't.

Judai took the prince's hand and felt the skin, rolling over the thin bones beneath and the calloused skin that protected his base, his stability. Turning it so that Yusei's palm was facing away, he guided Yusei's hand to his chest, where he heart steadily beat faster. "There is nothing wrong with how this makes you feel. These feelings are what create new life. Create bonds between people. They connect us in ways that our words can't define."

The prince contemplated his words. "Except I don't see myself creating new life anywhere in the new future. Unless Jack's not telling me something."

Like an explosion of sun, everything was almost too bright. Yusei nearly fell backwards when his friend burst out laughing, holding his side while he tried to breathe. The prince couldn't help himself now that he had Judai like that and pressed his luck. "It would explain a lot, wouldn't it?"

"I swear to God, if you ever say that to him you gotta tell me. Letter, messenger, I don't care. Just as soon as you can." He giggled some more over the idea. "Oh my God..."

A rift had been created. How wide and how treacherous it would proof to be, he didn't know, but something had been torn between the two teenagers. As they slowly rose to their feet, Judai helping the prince off the floor and the two teasingly swept the dust off each other's backsides, it would seem to all the world that nothing had changed, that differences had been mended as fast as they started. And perhaps the fissure would close with time. Maybe it wouldn't. Either way, as Yusei looked Judai in the eye and the two sighed with the memory of strong laughter, he knew that he would not be seeing his friend for a while.

.o.

"Good heavens, what are you doing?"

Judai nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected voice of Rex Godwin. After catching himself he greeted the man with a large grin, though Godwin didn't look nearly as pleasant. The glower on his face only made him want to grin even wider.

"Just teaching."

Though the king suspected the kids had awoken during all the shouting and crying, neither twin betrayed any sense of having heard what transpired. He woke them up himself and the four of them set to playing with a set of cards he kept tucked away in Yubel's saddlebags. Having been the victim of solitude on many a long ride he kept something to be a source of amusement on him at all times, generally cards or a ball and jacks. Surprisingly the twins knew many games, teaching Judai a thing or two as they played, but like all children their attention was drawn away from the cards and they got bored with the idea.

Rua had been an advocate for a stone tossing contest, though Yusei made them use the less occupied side of the stables and placed rags in the bucket they used as a target to keep the noise from startling the horses. They got Ruka in on it for a while, but her aim was terrible and the constant misses were getting her down. Distressed about his sister, Rua had them switch to something else.

Hide and seek, naturally, was the next item on the list. Judai met very few kids that didn't enjoy the game. Thank God that stables consisted of nothing but nooks and crannies, otherwise he foresaw the kids quickly tiring of it. While he searched he knew Rua was changing spots on him, though his sister played fair. Of course, she was the toughest to find of all. The girl was a natural at using plain sight to hide.

Finally, the kids begged for a chance to ride. Since there would be no settling them on the roan, and Yubel got finicky with small children, that left Stardust as the mentor. As it had drawn considerably later, and the stablehands still had jobs to return to, the stable was no longer a haven of quiet, and the four were made to leave. Outside in the paddock Yusei and Judai set the kids on Stardust's back, Ruka in the front and Rua sitting behind her. Using a halter Yusei fashioned them a makeshift bridle to use as a guide, and with little encouragement on anyone's part Ruka took to horseback riding like she'd been doing it her entire life.

Of course, the twins certainly didn't look at all like the regal little children they'd been raised to be covered in dust and mud, and likely smelled of horse after riding. Ruka slowed Stardust to a walk, eyes wide as she caught sight of Godwin.

"Lord Godwin," Yusei greeted calmly, though his eyes were a bit wild.

"Prince Yusei. I wondered when I might see you again. I didn't think you'd be here this long..." However subtle, the animosity was clearly felt in Godwin's tone. Judai carefully glanced for any signs of guards that might suddenly haul the prince off to be locked in the tower.

Maybe the man realizes that this can't be pushed, he thought hopefully. Godwin, for all his unpleasantness, hadn't turned out to be entire loss.

"Rua, Ruka," Godwin called to the children. Yusei rushed to help get them down before they panicked about getting off. With a gasp Ruka held on tightly to the prince before he could put her down, and without thought Yusei held on to her tightly, walking back to Godwin while Rua took his free hand. "It's time to go."

"Sorry to have kept them so long," Judai apologized, though he refused to truly repentant about it. If the kids didn't learn to have fun now, they never would. "Guess we lost track of time."

"Yes," grumbled Godwin, eyes sliding towards Yusei, "that you did."

"Will we see you see again?" Ruka suddenly asked, twisting herself about in Yusei's arms and trying to reach the king. Godwin frowned, but Judai took Ruka anyways.

"Of course you will. Someone's gotta teach how to be fun. Otherwise you'll end up like Lord God-ow!" Yusei's eyes were wide with disbelief and his face twisted into a grimace.

"Would either of you happen to know anything about the new addition to my stables, perchance?" Godwin scowled, gesturing for Ruka and Rua to come to him.

Judai put Ruka down, a story suddenly in his head. "Sorry about that, Lord Godwin. That would be my fault. I spotted the poor thing on my way through town and felt bad for it. I hoped that he might still have a few years if he had a better home."

"Do you intend to take him home with you?"

Judai shrugged. "I hadn't considered that when I got him at the time. To be honest, I don't the trip would be good for him. I'm terribly sorry to be putting this burden on you, but I couldn't see the value in letting a good pony be slaughtered."

Yusei jumped on the wagon. "I could tend to it," he offered. "He is right. Despite his appearance, he still has quite a kick to him. I think he has some strength in him left."

The twins piled on after. "Could we look after him? We've always wanted a pony!"

If Godwin could've thrown his boots at both the boys Judai suspected he might have, but instead the overwhelmed lord quickly but carefully silenced the twins with his hands. Both children made grumpy but knowing faces behind his hands as if this were a regular occurrence, but a stern look from Yusei kept him from laughing. "Never mind. We'll discuss it later. Your Majesty," he said, looking at the king, "as much I hate interrupt what little time do you have with the prince, your presence is required for packing."

Yusei was at his side before Judai could get a word in edgewise. "Packing?"

The king shot a look in Godwin's direction, detecting smugness from the lord. "I got a letter from Johann today. Something's come up, and I need to head home by tomorrow morning."

"But that's-"

"The king has been informed as well," said Godwin hurriedly, Rua tugging on his pant leg. "He's made changes in today's plans already so that we might all eat together. However, that is not for another few hours still, and there's work to be done before that-that's enough, Rua." He straightened out, taking the twin's hands. "Your Majesty, if you would be so kind as to head to your quarters now. There's a great deal that needs to be sorted. The two of you can discuss this later."

"Of course."

Godwin stopped briefly again to look back at Yusei, Rua and Ruka running forward and out of earshot. "Prince Yusei," Godwin said in a low voice, "I suggest you bathe and change clothes."

"My lord?"

"You smell of horse."

For once, Yusei actually looked embarrassed. "Yes, I suppose I do. I will see to that, my lord."

Judai sighed and watched the man continue on before his eyes followed the prince when he walked to his horse and removed the bridle. There seemed to be a slightly deeper message in Godwin's tone than was said, but given the chance of them being overheard, it couldn't be risked. Still, it felt strange what Godwin was implying.

"And Yusei?" The name caught both boys dead in their tracks, and the king could swear his friend turned white for a moment. They looked over their shoulders at Godwin, whose stern eyes were cast straight at the prince with the threat of punishment. "After dinner, I don't want to see you for the remainder of the evening, is that understood?"

Yusei swallowed, but hardened his face into a glare that surprised Godwin. "Yes, my lord."

.o.

His hair was still damp, Mikage having only helped him hurriedly towel dry it once he had on pants. He'd been allowed a pair of socks, but no one set out any shoes for him, the assumption being that he wouldn't be wandering off anywhere. Initially the plan had been to give him loose pants so that he might be more comfortable, but the prince balked at what the maids were implying and asked for the ones he usually wore, form fitting but comfortable. By Satellite standards, anyway. Though Mikage wore a grim face, the other maids were trying desperately not to look interested in the sudden develop, whispering the word "seduce" when they thought he could not hear. Eventually their hysterics became too much and Mikage sent them away before he could, allowing the two room to breathe and shared looks.

For some reason, he felt peaceful.

"This is a bit excessive."

"Yes, my lord, I would agree. Then again, Godwin's working under the assumption that his Majesty's tastes have not changed, though if anyone was to see how different he's become he should be the first." The woman's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh, I-forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to-"

"Mikage, it's okay. I'm a bit fed up with the man myself, to be honest." To be really fair, the idea that Godwin had no issues dressing him up and sending him as a sexual favor to soothe the king was more than alarming and aggravating. Mikage likely understood his anger as well, but there was no need to further burden the poor lady with his opinion of the lord.

Though the giggling maids who'd helped early were operating under a different assumption, Mikage was well aware of the potential hiccups that might occur in the following hour. "Should I still bring tea?" If Godwin thought the two of them might suddenly engage in activities normal for boys their age, he was very mistaken. If Jack thought that this was how arguments were settled, then he was in for a world of hurt.

"Please. Though, listen by the door before you come in. If it sounds like things are getting out of hand...just let Jack rant, all right?"

She gave him a knowing smile. "Yes, my lord. And if you're...asleep?"

"Jack will hear you come in."

"Very well."

She shooed him towards the door at the other end of the bathroom, the one that led toward the dressing room. "Go on. I'll have this tidied up." She held up a shirt and helped him into it, though Yusei left the buttons undone after a moment's consideration. Mikage sighed to herself but ushered the prince to the door, glancing out once herself before opening the door all the way for him. Yusei stepped out into the slightly cooler air, and the bathroom door was locked behind him with a resounding click.

.o.

Jack was lying on his side of the bed, the duvet only partially tugged around his body but the sheets in such disorder it looked as though he'd been thrashing. He looked strangely pale, his face so much lighter than usual even in the dark of the room. Blonde spikes had fallen into disarray, their usual order collapsed in anarchy brought by fitful sleep. Jack's face, while usually grim while he slept, never looked quite as dreadful as it did that moment, his eyes screwed shut in visible pain and his paled mouth twisted down into a grimace. If he was currently enduring a nightmare, Yusei wouldn't have been surprised. He hoped not, though.

The prince took a cautious step closer, the floorboards much louder in the silence than if Jack had been awake. It always seemed that way whenever he tried to sneak around, the stone stairs of the Satellite echoing louder whenever he tried to fetch a treat from the kitchens or get to the washroom without his mother seeing just how badly he muddied himself doing something she told him not to. Fate never worked in the favor of the guilty unless it had some greater part to play for the good of others, a pastor had once said to him. Yusei was not particularly religious, much like the rest of his village, but for the few that were his parents would call up someone lower on the mountain. The Satellite capital was the least accessible, least populated, and the highest up on the mountainside. All other Satellite communities kept to the bottom, allowing them a string of goods that his community often didn't get. Religious leaders and counselors was one of them.

Tiptoeing to avoid making any extraneous noise Yusei crept closer to the bed to affirm that Jack truly was asleep. The blonde didn't stir with his proximity or the extra sound, the white noise from the open balcony likely having lulled him to sleep. He stood there with his hands at his sides, unsure of what exactly to do. Boots and Jack's shirt had been carelessly thrown over the side of the bed likely in haste, and most of the pillows were missing from the bed, likely on the other side where they had slept for most of the morning.

Without thinking he bent over to pick up Jack's shirt, brushing a faint trail of dirt from the article before laying it neatly over the blanket chest at the foot of the bed, where Yusei frequently laid his clothes out for the next day. The boots, both on their side and kicked away to different locations, were stood back up the end of the bed so they wouldn't be tripped on. Momentarily satisfied, his increasingly pounding heart fought to direct him back to the king.

He's not going to wake up on his own, Yusei. You know this...lingering won't help. Just...just...walk over and...

The raven dragged the enormous pillows in from outside, the downy beds so big he wondered where he might stash them in the room. There was plenty of space for sure, but they looked so big in comparison to Jack's smaller furniture they compared to the elephant in the room. Sighing, he put them down in front of the fireplace, the small embers in no danger of jumping out to eat the pillows. Their largely unfinished meals had been removed from the balcony, but that was likely due to Godwin carrying them out himself.

Now...wake him up...

He drifted over to his side of the room to start plopping the cushions back on the bed, the falling pillows sending small puffs of air that tossed Jack's bangs. The prince wondered what to do with the sheet still on the floor, not daring to try and tuck that back into the bed while it still held its sleeping occupant. He held the sheet in one hand, staring at the bed like a fool before trudging into the dressing room and throwing the white sheet onto the laundry pile, Jack's disorderly laundry actually irritating him for a moment. Who the hell doesn't learn how to fold their clothes? They're easier to carry that way. Not to mention his mother tanned his hide after she slipped on a pair of pants he dropped on his way down the stairs, too lazy to fold his clothes.

After folding the sheet into a proper rectangle he took a moment to arrange Jack's things into a slightly nicer "pile", laying them on top of the sheet and patting them down once before he realized that he was just stalling by then, and that it was getting rather pathetic.

Goddamn it, Yusei, just wake him up already.

He wandered about out into the other room and found that Jack still hadn't moved, leaving him with nothing else to say or do except stand there like a fool and stare at the sleeping king.

But he looks tired...maybe I should-shit! Stop!

Clashing swords and hearts came to mind, the night of the duel as fresh in his mind as new wounds. Jack had given him his ultimatum that night and the rules that it entailed. Yusei had agreed to the terms without considering any of the consequences, and nearly cried in fear of what he'd possibly gotten himself into. He'd expected the king to jump him at every corner, figuring the man's sexual control almost a bare minimum. He'd expected a hundred days of living in frustration and fear of being violated, without a soul to answer his plead for help. And yet when they arrived, nothing had been the same. Stolen butterfly touches under the table meant to excite and arouse him, gentle arms meant to induce a feeling safety, and fleeting kisses meant to demonstrate appreciation in the only way the king seemed able to express.

It...it wasn't all that different from Judai, really. He told Yusei early on that when it came to being with another man, words, while they had their own merit on the occasion, were rarely seen tools. Actions generally drove a relationship forward, from a simple kiss to handling difficult affairs for the other. Judai never had to ask Johann to keep an eye on his side of things-Johann did it without question, and the same could be said for Johann with Judai.

I made a promise to see these hundred days through...I can surely do that much? Just little things is all, right?

Minor trepidation still gripped his stomach whenever he was in the presence of the king, but the intense fear he once felt had died. Things had changed. He had changed. A week ago he might've been able to leave the apology for another time, but after being thrown into the forest he wasn't quite so sure. This relationship they had, if one could call it that, was dangerous. One misstep off the ice and it would crack beneath their feet. He couldn't walk away so easily. He had to say something.

He wanted to say something.

We walked away from each other and nearly died...

Yusei could wait, he figured. Wait, and lose whatever nerve it had taken him to enter the room. He could find Jack and apologize at some other point in time, when the sincerity had waned and what little bond they had developed shattered. Jack would nod, but he'd never smile the same way. The guilt would hang in the air until the hundred days were up-no, they wouldn't even make it to a hundred days. Jack would send him away before that, the alliance broken and whatever chance they had at being friends destroyed.

Gone. All of it.

And that...that scares me more than anything.

Yusei found himself by the king's side, his legs having carried him without him having even noticed. He took the duvet in hand and pulled it back over pale shoulders, tucking in the sheets wherever he could. Jack's skin was cold and his breathing low, the king having seemingly fallen into an endless sleep. With an inaudible sigh he sat besides him and watched.

Jack had no true freckles, but tiny spots that couldn't have been scars left by boils dotted the bridge of his nose, like faded paint flecks. A casual observer would not notice. One had to be close. His hair, while blonde and a deep honey when wet, was not purely gold, either. Platinum, almost white, hairs made up his spikes, the locks that tumbled down the back of his neck. With high collared, white shirts one could never tell, but when he removed the armor and wore gray, or lavender, the colors became more vibrant, the more pinks his lips and cheeks.

When he closed his eyes, when he fell asleep, the furrow in his brow disappeared, and before the raven slept not a king but a boy.

A boy who's afraid.

"Yusei?"

Like me.

"Yusei!"

The prince choked for a moment as he breathed too heavily, falling backward on Jack's legs. The king quickly helped him to sit up, hurriedly checking him to figure out if he was alright and panicking when he said nothing.

"Yusei!"

"I'm okay! I'm okay..." he replied shakily, chest heaving briefly. Jack pulled Yusei closer to him by his legs and rested his forehead on Yusei's without concern for the prince withdrawing, eyes closed as he sighed to himself and rubbed circles on Yusei's thighs with his thumbs. He might've found it strange-if not for the fact that he sat on Jack first.

"Jack..."

"I know, I know..." the king sighed. "Sorry. Just wanna...just wanna sit for a second."

"Um..." was all Yusei really felt he could say, face heating up. He sat still while Jack sighed again and nuzzled against him, seemingly content to keep him there and just lean against each other. When his nose encountered wet hair a pale hand came up to further inspect it, running through the strands and hmming quietly about it. The blonde took another deep breath and-did Jack just bite his hair?

"You smell like my soap."

Yusei took that as his cue to put a stop to Jack and tried to carefully twist out of the king's hold. "Impromptu bath. Godwin said I smelled like horse..."

"I wouldn't have cared," Jack mumbled into his neck, hissing in approval when Yusei took hold of his shoulders, though the blonde likely thought he was trying to scoot closer.

"Jack, stop."

The icy lilac glare he was met with gave the prince pause and made his heart beat all the faster, but in an instant it melted away and he was left with tired eyes trying to discern the truth of the situation. Jack kissed his forehead and leaned into his pillows, hands resting lightly on his knees again and rubbing gently. What words the prince had seemed to vanish again with the gentle touch, and he found himself still sitting there staring. Jack took it in his stride though and let him, exploring what little he deemed himself allowed to touch and occasionally glancing up at Yusei's expression. The raven took a breath and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Jack sighed and leaned forward again to rest his head against Yusei's shoulder.

"We have to talk, don't we?"

The prince nodded. "Yeah..."

"I don't like talking."

"Really? You run your mouth a lot for someone who doesn't like talking."

The blonde shoved Yusei some with his weight, though the gesture was not aggressive. "You knew what I meant."

"I think is this is something we should've done a while ago."

Jack scoffed lightly. "Like that thought had a chance of crossing our minds when we first met."

"Doesn't change the fact that it was still a conversation to be had."

"I know..."

Jack's hands slipped underneath the prince's open shirt and he hugged him, face pressed against his chest like he was listening. Yusei returned the embrace and leaned into the larger teen with a sigh, arms slowly looping around his neck and pulling him forward enough to give him some height. Jack in turn tugged him closer, pressing himself against the raven as much as he could.

"Jack, I...I need you to promise me something."

"Okay," came the muffled voice from his neck.

"At the end of the hundred days," he started, mouth dry. Jack went stiff in his hold. "At the end, if...this, doesn't work out...will you..." Tears collected before he could get a hold of himself. The idea of Jack denying him struck a deeper fear than he'd ever had before. "Shit, sorry-"

"Will I what, Yusei?" the blonde repeated, tone hard. He pulled away from the raven like he was disgusted, but when Yusei tried to back off the king caught his wrist and kept him where he was, inches from Jack. The tears beaded up even further when he felt Jack still rubbing his wrist, trying to soothe him even though he was frustrated.

"Why the hell can't I make up my mind?"

Jack gave him a long stare. "Because you're damn set in your ways even though you want something different."

A choked laugh escaped the prince's lips. "You're pretty set in your ways, too. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"I thought you said I ran my mouth too much?"

"Yeah, about ridiculous things."

"Brave talk coming from the guy who can rant about the growth pattern of weeds."

"Weeds are a legitimate problem."

"So is having a sense of color coordination. People are blinded that way, you know. It's a big problem here."

"Because wearing all white isn't blinding at all?"

"No it's not-hey, what's wrong with how I dress?"

Yusei held up his hands in mock defense. "I didn't say anything."

"You were making a face."

"I'm always making faces at you."

"Right..."

"Hey, now," Yusei said without thinking, "for the record, lavender and gray looks nice on you."

The silence that followed made the prince feel he said something wrong, but as the words came back to him he felt his ears begin to flush, heat spreading across his face. Tan skin allowed him some disguise when blushing, but he could literally feel the red in his face. Jack looked in awe more than anything, though for his sake the king tried to hide it. When Yusei slowly covered his face Jack stifled a laugh.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes..." He had a desire to curl up and hide.

The blonde leaned in closely. "I think you look very nice in blue and amber, myself."

"Thank you," he replied sheepishly behind his hands. Jack let him continue to hide while he laughed.

"If you would let things fly out of your mouth more often this wouldn't be an issue."

Yusei glared at the king between his fingers. "I got paddled at home for doing that."

"Fine. I solemnly promise not to spank you...unless you want me to."

That time the prince was sure he blanched, but whatever face he made while his hands dropped limply to his sides was enough to send the blonde over the edge laughing, Jack embracing him tightly and rolling them over on the bed. Suddenly Yusei was squished between the pale teen and the soft mattress, the two pressed so tightly together Jack's laughing even shook him. Yusei smacked him where he could, face red again.

"Stop that!"

If Jack had an answer, he didn't hear it, the king laughing so hard that he fell silent as he tried to catch his breath. If he didn't know any better he would've sworn the king was having an asthma attack.

"It's not funny!"

"Y-Yes it is..."

Yusei groaned and threw his head back in frustration, the blonde still rattling them where they lay before quieting into a series of sighs and brief giggles that strangely didn't feel out of place coming from him. The prince patted his back mockingly, but Jack took no notice, instead turning his head into Yusei's neck and breathing deeply.

"What will it take to to make you this relaxed around me all the time?"

The prince held his breath, the question unexpected. Jack propped himself up on his elbows to look at him better, gaze soft but definitely expecting of an answer. Yusei swallowed and tried to edge out from under him, but the king halted his movements by pressing closer. Laying back down on his side so that they might still look at each other, he kept his long legs tangled with Yusei's so he was trapped. His breathing didn't pick up, but the raven wondered how noticeable the throbbing of his pulse in his neck was visible.

"You can become so uninhibited when you want to be, but if someone so much as points it out you take off running," he whispered.

"Jack..."

"I know what you want me to promise you, Yusei. But I can't make that in good faith unless you promise me something in return."

"I know-"

"Then promise me," he said firmly. "Say it."

"I..." the prince took a breath. Jack grabbed his hand. "I promise to let you...to let you..." Jack guided his arm to wrap around him. "I promise to let you try to...make me happy."

The king was up over him in an instant. He could see that the blonde was struggling not to look happy, not to be pleased that some ground had been gained, that progress had been made. But what made his heart stop and the tears collect again was the look on Jack's face, the utter devotion he'd never felt before from someone who was determined to put a smile on his face.

Jack took both of his hands and pushed them up over his head, pale fingers entwined with his own. Yusei turned his head to watch in silence, but a drop on his face made him look back.

"I promise that you may leave, Yusei. But I...I also promise I'll make you too damn happy to want to."

There were tears. Yusei's hands were suddenly free and holding Jack's face, the king's shaky arms holding himself up just barely. The kiss was short, nothing spectacular, but like a healing touch color returned to the blonde's face, and for the first time ever the prince saw the king blush.

.o.

This story is really cheesy, you know that, right? I also like the movie Moulin Rouge!, so that probably says a lot about my tastes when it comes to romance.

So...it's been how long since updated? Oh yeah, MARCH. Hard to believe that I've been at this for over a year.

O, merciless yaoi gods, please give me the strength to carry on!

I'll be honest, I feel about as proud of this chapter as I was of "The Filler Episode" (which wasn't a whole lot...). Both chapters feel weird to me. Maybe cause I rushed a lot of it. But I figured that given how much of this chapter was spent NOT furthering the romance/lack thereof between Yusei and Jack (and the fact that I don't want to drag this chapter out any further than I already have) some things didn't need to be horribly detailed.

I can't remember how many moments Yusei's had where he's truly taken control over the situation, but I figure when it comes to horses Yusei's duh man. As for his trouble speaking, I speak with experience when I say it's damn hard to tell someone you love them for the first time.

Chapter 17 is 28 pages long.