A/N: Happy birthday to Rin! And a very belated Happy New Year to you all. I wish you an amazing year full of love, health and happiness. I hope that, this year, I will be able to complete this fic. Life can be uncertain sometimes and you never know what's gonna happen that might make this impossible, but nevertheless I'll try my very best.

For now, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

The clicking of Haruka's shoes against the cobblestone path and the frivolous conversation between Makoto and his mother disturbed the quiet of the night. For once, there was no maze of folks to zigzag through, and that made the treck throughout the sleeping town a brief one. They arrived at Matsuoka's Fitted Garments in record time and fortunately, a distant light could be seen through the shop's large window.

Mrs. Tachibana announced their presence with three knocks on the glass of the firm wooden door, the sign that hung behind it having been flipped to 'closed' hours ago. In desperate times, such signs had no authority.

A couple of seconds passed before the shop's lights were turned on and Gou appeared behind the glass. She opened the door with a cheerful grin. "Hi! Come to pick up Sousuke?"

"Actually, we're here to-" Mrs. Tachibana started, but she was cut off by a whirlwind of pent-up emotion.

"Gou, how many times do I have to tell you not to open the door when it's dark out!"

For some inexplicable reason, every time Haruka had the displeasure of encountering Rin Matsuoka, he was angry about one thing or another and wasn't afraid to vocalise it. His face was scrunched up to show shark-like teeth Haruka somehow hadn't noticed before, red eyes piercing as they wandered from his little sister to the uninvited guests who spoiled his night with their unwanted arrival. His expression softened when he saw Mrs. Tachibana and Makoto standing at the doorstep, but the annoyance returned in full force when he looked at Haruka. Needless to say, that feeling was entirely mutual.

"It's fine," Gou brushed off, gesticulating like she was physically swatting his concerns away. "It's only the Tachibanas."

"Sorry to bother you this late, but we have a favour to ask," Mrs. Tachibana said with a sheepish smile. "Could we maybe come inside?"

"Of course!" Gou immediately stepped aside to let them in.

Rin stayed at the door, and Haruka could feel his stare burning on his back as he walked past him. Despite Sousuke's 'apologies', his grudge against him apparently lingered. Not that Haruka had any regrets about the conflict that occurred during their first meeting; he hadn't done anything wrong and he'd do it again in a heartbeat. Rin might have known Makoto for longer than him, but that gave him no right to lay his hands on him and speak to him that way. He had to know his place.

Ignoring the mental daggers that were aimed at him, Haruka followed closely behind Makoto as they entered the medium-sized shop that was illuminated by two large chandeliers dangling from the ceiling.

In the center of the room was a small, round platform similar to the one his tailors always carried along. A couple of comfortable-looking armchairs and a sofa were placed in front of it to ensure a pleasant experience for their patrons while they were getting their measurements taken.

For those nude but less wealthy, clothing racks with various pre-made garments were built into the walls, accompanied by a fitting room to try on said garments before purchase. An ornate mirror was perched up in the corner to admire their style and fit.

Displayed in front of the windows, framed by draped red curtains, were a handful of mannequins, their faceless forms focused on the abyss of the alleyway ahead. The clothes they showed off were nothing special to Haruka - his parents would fire their tailors on the spot if they even considered bringing them into their palace - but for commoners, they were rather nice. Credit was given where it was due, and judging by the refinements visible at first glance, the Matsuokas were gifted in their craft.

The part of this shop that stood out to Haruka the most, though, was the prominent portrait adorning one of the walls. It appeared to have been a rather cheap one, for chips of paint had flaked off over the years, yet that didn't make it any less treasured. Haruka had never met the depicted man, but with the Matsuoka family's history in mind, it was obvious who he was.

That, and the sharp teeth that sent chills down Haruka's spine were identical to Rin's.

"Where's your mother?" Mrs. Tachibana asked, and in response, Gou pointed towards the back room, where the glint of light they saw from the outside originated.

Once Mrs. Tachibana had disappeared behind the door, Rin turned to him. "So, what are you doing here?" he said, and the unconcealed distaste in his voice made it sound more like an accusation than a question.

"Requesting your services," Haruka stated as he straightened his back, trying his best to appear aloof. Such shallow attempts at intimidation couldn't faze him, not when he'd been exposed to verbal aggression masked by façades of composedness since he was an infant.

"Didn't you see the sign? We're closed," Rin snarled with a raise of his pointy eyebrow. "Come back tomorrow."

"We can't. My fiancé and I are leaving tomorrow evening, and we need his suit to be finished before then," Haruka said, and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from smirking at the dumbfounded look on Rin's face.

"Fi… Fiancé?!"

Contrary to her brother, Gou gasped as her eyes grew big with excitement. "You're engaged? Congratulations!" She jumped to wrap her arms around Makoto's broad frame and tugged him down to her level rather awkwardly, coaxing a chuckle out of him.

"Yes. Haru asked me earlier tonight and well, I said yes," he explained with a bashful smile as he gently patted her back.

"That's great! I'm so happy for you two!" Gou said, squeezing Makoto one more time before she released him in favour of capturing Haruka in a suffocating embrace as well.

The wine bottle was nearly knocked from his grip so surprised was he by her chosen manner of felicitation. Whether it was common here in Sano specifically or for all common folk, Haruka didn't know, and while he appreciated the sentiment it expressed, he wasn't quite used to casual physical contact yet. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever get used to it. Unless the person instigating these embraces was Makoto, of course. Then he'd gladly oblige.

Thankfully, Gou's hug didn't linger like Nagisa's did, and she pulled back after a few seconds. "So, what happened? I want to know all the details!"

"Well…" Makoto started as he rubbed at his neck, skin dusted like the sunset under which his story took place, "Haru was waiting for me at the town square on a picnic blanket, with wine and candles and a home-cooked dinner. After we finished eating, he asked if I wanted to go back to Iwatobi with him, if I wanted to marry him. And I said yes."

The softness of Makoto's voice as he spoke of his proposal made Haruka's insides melt. It was a sweet moment with streaks of bitterness and doubt, yet it was Haruka's most precious memory to date. And the future ahead would only deliver him ones even more cherished.

"Oh, how romantic," Gou mused, clutching at her chest as if her heart couldn't bear it. "Do you have a ring too?"

"Of course," Makoto said and he held out his hand to Gou, who grasped his fingers and twisted them to watch the light dance across the gold band.

"Wow, it's beautiful!"

"My father made it," he couldn't help but disclose, and his pride towards his father's work affirmed Haruka had made the right choice asking Mr. Tachibana. "But that's not all. Haru also gave me this big bouquet of flowers, with roses and hydrangeas and orange blossoms."

"He's really been spoiling you, huh?" she said, nudging him playfully with her elbow, and then she sighed dreamily. "I hope I can find someone like him one day, too."

"I sincerely hope you don't," Rin, who had seemingly recovered from Haruka's blow, punched back.

"At least she'll definitely find someone who's better than you," Haruka said without a blink or a stutter. Rin might've had the abrasiveness he lacked, but Haruka was schooled in fast thinking and debating and was expected to be quick with his retorts. If this was a war, Rin possessed a bulky cannon while he had a bow to shoot poison-tipped arrows with.

Rin's jaw plunged in a blend of shock and offense, once again flashing Haruka his horrendous teeth. "You…!"

"Guys," Makoto said before Rin could find a proper rebuttal, and he crossed his arms. "We're leaving tomorrow. Can't you be nice to each other for one night?"

The disappointed tone sent a surge of embarrassment through Haruka's veins and he averted his eyes. He was well aware he was acting childish, but Rin managed to tick him off with a mere glance, more than even the haughtiest of aristocrats could.

Still, he'd been pretending to like those people all his life, so perhaps he could tolerate Rin for one evening too. If that was what it took to be with Makoto, then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

"Here," he said and he held out the wine towards Rin.

"What's this?" Rin scoffed, yanking the bottle from Haruka's hand, "A peace offering?"

Or maybe, it was not.

"I don't recall doing anything that would require me to provide you with a peace offering." Haruka bit his tongue to keep himself from adding more fuel to the fire that seemed to be abiding inside Rin, and Makoto's words reverberated through his brain to remind him to stay collected. "It's for your mother. I thought it would be rude to stop by at this time of night without a present, and I heard she liked wine, so."

His elaboration didn't make Rin any less sceptical, and he analysed the bottle with a doubtful eye as though it contained swamp water instead of white wine. Then he scoffed again. "Only half a bottle? For a rich prince, you're very stingy."

"Rin," Makoto cut in before Haruka could reply, his voice laced with the same sternness he used when the twins were misbehaving. "Don't be like that. It was Haru's initiative to even bring something, and this was all we had left over from dinner."

Rin clicked his tongue at Makoto's reprimand, and despite his resolutions, Haruka couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"If you don't want it, I'll gladly take it back."

"I didn't say that!" Rin turned so the bottle was out of Haruka's reach, and then he stalked off like his shoes were filled with concrete. But when he stood in front of the door Mrs. Tachibana had passed through, he halted. Fingers clasped around the doorknob, he mumbled under his breath, "Thanks," and within a split second, the door clicked shut behind him and he was gone.

Finally, Haruka allowed his smirk to break through.

Gou coughed to clear her throat - and to will away the tense atmosphere Rin left in his wake - and then she said, "Anyway, you mentioned you need a suit?"

"Yes. I have to look my very best for when I meet the King and Queen, and apparently, this isn't it." He gestured towards his body or more precisely, to the simple clothing that covered it.

"Hm," Gou hummed in agreement as she ran her eyes over his form, over the smudges of soot in his shirt and the dirt-stains embedded in his trousers that no amount of washing could rid them of, "First impressions are very important after all."

"But I've already met them."

"But they haven't met you yet. They've only met 'Nagisa', so you should show them Makoto is just as classy."

"You're right, I probably should wear something nice when I admit I'm an imposter and therefore a criminal," Makoto said with an amused huff, "Then I'll at least look fancy when I get publicly executed."

Gou giggled at his remark and though Haruka could see the humour in it, the image it planted in his head was a highly upsetting one. Death sentences hadn't been carried out in Iwatobi in over a hundred years and he wasn't eager for that to be changed. Especially not when it came to the man he intended to spend the rest of his life with.

But Haruka didn't want to disrupt their friendly banter with his reservations. "Technically speaking, Rei is the prime suspect since he hired you, you're merely his accomplice. If anyone's getting executed, it would be him."

"Good point," Makoto said, rubbing his chin as if he was seriously considering it, "So instead, I'll look fancy for a lifetime in the dark dungeons."

There was nothing but teasing in Makoto's voice, but the mention of the dungeon brought a twinge of pain to Haruka's stomach. Whenever he thought about that night Makoto - and Kisumi - spent lying in a cold cell like a felon, guilt and shame flooded his senses. He wasn't the one who had ordered for him to be detained, but the guards were under his command therefore he was responsible for their actions. But Makoto didn't blame him for it; if anything he seemed to have left that terrible experience far behind him. Haruka hoped he would eventually be able to forget about it, too.

"Now then," Gou said to get back to the point, "what kind of suit are you looking for to flaunt in that dungeon?"

With a stiff smile, Makoto shrugged and looked over to Haruka. That was the moment Haruka realised that, like Makoto, he hadn't given it any thought either. He was no expert in fashion and the likes, quite the opposite. But he was the only one who knew what kind of garbs his parents approved of, what was up to their standards. While Makoto had only seen them, he put them on every morning and though Gou was the tailor in this equation, Haruka was not the average customer that strolled into this shop.

"Um, something like this?" he mumbled as he gestured towards his own suit.

Gou clenched her - perfectly normal - teeth as she studied the fabric and design of Haruka's coat. "We've never made something like this before. Royals are not exactly amongst our usual clientele."

"It doesn't have to be the same as this, but just to give you an idea," Haruka said quickly. If the Matsuokas refused, they wouldn't have a suit ready for tomorrow; he highly doubted the Tachibanas happened to be acquainted with another tailor, one who did have noblemen as their patrons. Let alone one on whose door they could knock this late at night.

Fortunately, Gou smiled. "We've never made something like this before, but I didn't say we weren't up for the challenge. It probably won't look quite as detailed as yours, for we simply don't have those types of patterns and buttons to our disposal, but we can try."

Simultaneously, Makoto and Haruka let out a deep breath.

"Thank you," Makoto said with a slight bow, and Haruka followed his example.

"It's fine, it's fine," Gou said with another motion of her hand, "Come, and I'll go make a sketch."

Finally, she escorted them through the door too and revealed that directly behind the shop was their tailor's atelier. Compared to the neat and tidy shop, this place was in absolute mayhem.

Rolls of various coloured fabrics bulged from a storage shelf, spilling out over a large table that stood in the middle of the room. Amid the mess of pins and papers and bobbins were three sewing machines, two of which had pieces of cloth stuck between the needle. And a handful of mannequin torsos were strewn around the room, some of which showcased a complete shirt, others held onto works-in-progress.

In the corner of the room, away from the explosion of thread, was a small kitchenette and a round table for breaks throughout the day. An iron, spiral staircase led up to darkness, presumably to the Matsuokas living quarters.

Sat at the table like a true knight was Sousuke, sipping from a dainty porcelain teacup dwarfed by his enormous hands. When their eyes met, he nodded to Haruka in an acknowledgement of his presence. Haruka did the same. Not a single word was exchanged, and that was how Haruka preferred it.

But Sousuke was not alone. Beside him stood Mrs. Tachibana, who was talking with a woman Haruka hadn't met before. Deep burgundy locks cascaded over one of her shoulders like a waterfall of wine, her pearlescent complexion betrayed she spent most of her time between these walls, irises a vibrant red like her children's. But as far as Haruka could tell, only her daughter had been blessed enough to inherit her teeth.

When her gaze fell on him, her face lit up with wonder and she abruptly interrupted her conversation with Mrs. Tachibana to walk over to him.

"Prince Haruka," she greeted with a kind smile, "Your Highness, I've heard so much about you. It's an honour to finally meet you in person."

Whenever someone said that, the hairs at the back of his neck stood up straight like a current of electricity shocked his body. Being who he was, people talking about him was inevitable but when confronted with it this directly, nausea coiled in his stomach, threatening to crawl up his throat. It had been his reality for all his life, but he couldn't remember a time he hadn't wanted to merge into the background like an ordinary person. That was a luxury he could trade no amount of gold for.

Still, Mrs. Matsuoka seemed nothing but welcoming, like the tales she heard were solely good ones - which was plausible, considering Makoto had been the one to inform her of their adventure. The bile Rin assumably spat about him appeared to have been taken with a grain of salt.

"Please, Mrs. Matsuoka, the honour is mine," Haruka returned, bowing to her. "My apologies for our unforeseen arrival, but-"

"It's alright," Mrs. Matsuoka cut him off, "I already know all the details. You need a suit, hm? We can do that."

"Thank you, madam," Haruka said, but before he could say more, he felt something tickling his leg. Startled, he whipped his head down and was met with a rather plump cat rubbing its head against his shins and circling his feet.

"Hi Steve," Makoto said as he crouched down and held out his hand towards the cat, who immediately flocked to him like a king to an ermine coat, or like Haruka would to a piece of grilled mackerel.

"Steve?" Haruka questioned at the unusual name; he'd never heard anything quite like it before and it felt foreign on his tongue.

"Yes," Gou affirmed as she knelt down to Steve's level too. "Makoto found him as a kitten during an errand a couple of years ago and brought him to us. He was so tiny and cute and he looked very malnourished, so we decided to keep him and he's been with us ever since. Rin immediately fell in love with him and called him Steve, after a character from one of his favourite books. Unfortunately, the love was not mutual."

Gou's comment earned her a scowl from her older brother, which only made her grin. The corners of Haruka's lips twitched up too and he had to bite his cheek to suppress it.

Wanting to try his luck, he offered his own hand to Steve, who purred as he revelled in a twenty-fingered full-body massage. When he opened his eyes and saw Haruka's hand, his ears shot up and he inched closer to him. After a pause to examine Haruka's scent, he rubbed his head against his knuckles, granting him permission to pet him. Victory had rarely felt so sweet.

"Aw, he likes you," Makoto cooed when Haruka stroked Steve's rotund back - his days of malnourishment had clearly been left long behind him.

This time, Haruka couldn't hold back his smile. A special kind of tenderness resided in Makoto's gaze, the kind he wanted to capture on a canvas to admire for the rest of his days. If it was a cat that evoked this fondness in him, then Haruka was adamant. Whether his parents disliked pets or not, they were going to adopt a cat in the foreseeable future.

"Well then, let's get to work," Mrs. Matsuoka announced as she clapped her hands, "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and the clock is ticking."

"I'll go make a few sketches!" Gou said, magicking a pencil and a blank book from the mess on the table. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"A coat, undershirt and some trousers will suffice," Haruka said.

"I see. Sorry to ask, but could I maybe borrow your jacket?" She twirled the pencil between her nimble fingers. "So I have some reference material."

The question caught him a bit off guard, but he began to undo his buttons all the same. Even in the pleasantly warm shop, he felt somewhat cold in just his undershirt, nude almost. Nevertheless, he handed over his coat like Gou requested.

"Thanks." She carefully hung it over one of the empty mannequins and immediately got to work.

"Rin, can you go take Makoto's measurements, please?" Mrs. Matsuoka continued, "Then we can pick out the fabric."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Sousuke's deep voice suddenly sounded, and it baffled Haruka; he'd almost forgotten he was still here.

"Can you keep an eye on Steve? You know how much he loves chasing the spools and I don't want him to get any of his hair on the fabric."

Diligently Sousuke scooped Steve up in his arms, who instantly nuzzled his face against his chest. He obeyed the order so effortlessly it was almost like he was in service of the Matsuokas instead of Haruka's family; he must've been in over his head if he was this desperate to leave a good impression on Rin's mother.

While Sousuke carried Steve back to the table, Makoto and Rin left the room with a notebook and a tape measure in hand, and Mrs. Matsuoka led him over to the piles upon piles of fabric on the shelf.

"Please select whatever fabrics you'd like," Mrs. Matsuoka said, but that was simpler in theory than in practice; they had such a large assortment to choose from Haruka didn't know where to start.

There were mostly neutrals, varying shades of brown, beige and white, but there were also some more unusual alternatives. From fabrics with strange motifs and odd textures to fabrics in all the colours of the rainbow, this shop had it all. It wasn't like he'd had a specific vision in mind when he came here and the wide range of options overwhelmed him.

Apparently, it showed on his face, for Mrs. Tachibana pulled out a clear, dark violet. "What about something like this for the jacket?"

The first time he laid eyes upon Makoto, he'd been wearing a purple coat too, though the shade had been very different. As opposed to this rich, royal purple, that coat was a warmer, more vibrant purple, leaning towards pink rather than blue. Regardless, Makoto had looked amazing and he was certain he would look stunning in a suit made from this fabric too - purple was great at bringing out the greenness of his gorgeous eyes. But for some reason, it didn't feel quite right.

"It's nice-" Haruka started, but before he could ease into his rejection, Mrs. Matsuoka took the roll from Mrs. Tachibana and put it back on the shelf.

"That's a no, then," she said with a supportive wink, "We're not going for nice, we're going for perfect."

Haruka nodded. Though perfection wasn't the most achievable of goals, it was going to be a success this time. Makoto just had that power over him.

"Then, what about this?" Mrs. Matsuoka continued as she pointed at a bright crimson. "Red looks great on everyone."

That was subjective, for Haruka could tell with a mere glance that this wasn't it. It was a very nice colour, but it wasn't for Makoto. A coat in this shade would scream to announce its presence in every room it entered, and that wasn't what Makoto was like. His natural charm and exceptional beauty drew everyone's stares to him subtly, in a way that was captivating but not urging. What Makoto needed wasn't a coat that demanded attention, but one that enhanced his pure look, one that complemented his face as well as his body. One that deserved to be worn by him.

Then, his eye suddenly fell on it. A velvety dark green fabric lied at the top of the shelf, the roll thick like it had rarely been touched. When he saw it, he was transported back home.

To the queen's study and all the winters he'd spent lying on the rug in front of the fireplace, reading books underneath his grandmother's watchful eye as the warmth of the flames caressed his cheeks. To the peppermint tea he'd drink with her as she told him stories beyond written words and the butter cookies they ate against his parents' wishes. To the snow-covered pine trees, the sole dash of green that prevailed in the desolate gardens, visible behind fogged-up windows and spreading their liveliness to him.

"What do you think of that one?" Haruka said as he got up on his toes, but the fabric remained outside of his reach.

Following the line of his finger, Mrs. Matsuoka fetched a stepping stool to retrieve the roll.

"The green one?" Mrs. Tachibana asked in surprise when Mrs. Matsuoka brought it down, and Haruka nodded again. "It's a lovely colour but… isn't it more suited for the winter?"

From a tailor's point of view, she was probably right. But Haruka didn't think there were colours assigned to seasons, and if there were, then a winter colour would be marvelous for Makoto. While his smile was radiant like the summer sun, it was also warm and comforting like a fireplace on a frigid winter's night. Paired with his tanned skin and his honey-brown locks, a suit in this fabric would encompass all elements of his being; someone who was not a seasonal treat, but a lifelong delight.

The fact that green was his mother's favourite colour could work to their advantage as well.

"I could see it work in the summer too," Mrs. Matsuoka thought. "The colour is rather dark, but that doesn't mean the coat has to be if it's combined with something light like this…"

She scaled the stool once more to grab one of the neutrals. An ivory, to be exact. She roughly shoved the mess on the table aside and dropped the rolls on it, laying out the fabrics so they overlapped. Admittedly, it was a good combination and suddenly, the vision he lacked before appeared in front of him very vividly. Mrs. Matsuoka had a true eye for colour.

"We can make the cuffs out of this fabric and have the trousers and undershirt match; that alleviates the colour scheme. Add some gold details around the collar and buttons, and it's complete!"

A pause followed and Mrs. Matsuoka looked at him expectantly. When he realised he hadn't said anything yet, he stumbled, "It's great, thank you."

"Great!" she echoed, and then she turned to her daughter, "How are those sketches coming along?"

"Almost done," Gou replied, not taking her eyes off the page. After a minute or two, she turned around and put her book on the table for everyone to see. "What do you think?"

Given her inexperience with this type of style and the time span she had to work with, the sketches were rather impressive. She'd drawn a simplified version of Haruka's coat both from the front and the back, as well as close-ups of some of the finer details. It looked like something his own tailors could have created; every aspect was up to par. The undershirt was very plain, but it should be. No need to make something excessively intricate that no one would see anyway.

The trousers, however, were not exactly what he'd had in mind. On her images they seemed pretty wide from the thighs to the ankles, like the trousers of commoners. Which wasn't odd, considering that was where her expertise lied and unlike with the coat, she didn't have a direct reference to go by.

Nevertheless, it was obvious Gou was a talented artist, at least when it came to designs and fashion.

"The coat looks good, thank you. But," Haruka mumbled, hesitant to ask, "Can I make some minor tweaks to the trousers?"

"Sure!"

Gou passed him the pencil and Haruka pulled the page closer. "I thought the trousers could be a bit more narrow, so they follow the curve of his legs," he explained as he drew a tighter, more form-fitted pair, "that way, it accentuates his shape more and then he can wear his boots over them, which gives it a cleaner look."

"Ah, you're right," she mused, "then it also fits with the jacket more."

"Yes. I also thought you could add a stripe of the green along the side like this," Haruka said, sketching out a side view so he could show what he meant. "and perhaps with a thin line of gold on either side of it too. Then the coat and trousers are truly a set rather than two individual garments. Is that possible?"

"Of course," Mrs. Matsuoka affirmed with a steadfast grin, "The customer is king. Or, I suppose in this case, prince. We can definitely make this happen."

He was starting to sound like an orchestra playing the same piece over and over, but he still said, "Thank you."

"I must say, your drawing looks really good," Gou commented as she ran her fingers over the hastily drawn graphite strokes. "Do you do stuff like this more often?"

"Sometimes."

"From what I've heard, Haruka is a very gifted painter," Mrs. Tachibana said with a smile so prideful it was like she was boasting about her own child, "Back in Iwatobi, he made this beautiful painting of Makoto."

It appeared that Makoto had forgone those details when relaying their tale to the Matsuokas, for Gou gasped in awe. "Really?"

"It's nothing," he brushed off and he put the pencil back on the hardwood table like it had pricked his fingertips. "Just a hobby."

He thought that would be the end of it because that was all there was to say about it. Alas, it brought Gou to a whole other topic he was not eager to discuss.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you ever since I heard about what happened," she said, folding her fingers and resting her chin on them, a spark of inquisitiveness in her fiery irises. "Why Makoto?"

A frown knitted his eyebrows. "Why Makoto, what?"

"What do you see in him?" she clarified, "I mean, I have functioning eyes so I can tell what you see in him physically, and he's also one of the sweetest guys I've ever met; he's pretty much the total package. So I get it completely, but I'm still curious. You're a prince, you could pick anyone in the entire world, while he's just a commoner. Why him?"

That was the most absurd question in the history of time. Of course it would be him. Not only was he the most beautiful person to ever scrape the surface of the planet, his soul matched that outer beauty. He was kind and compassionate and smart, so genuine Haruka could never find words to describe him with that would do him justice.

It was his determination to swim despite his fear of the water. His generosity and humbleness despite his lack of resources. His willingness to make sacrifices for those he loved despite his own dreams and wishes. It was the way he cut his fingers while cooking, how he stepped on his toes a hundred times when they danced together, how his eyes lit up with glee when he stuffed his face with chocolate cake, how his melodic voice grew soft when he spoke his thoughts.

But most of all, it were the feelings he gave Haruka. How youthful and carefree he felt when they laughed together at a silly remark, things he hadn't felt since he was a boy. How he felt like he could conquer the world as long as Makoto looked at him with the gaze that made his stomach flutter. How a brush of his fingertips against his skin sent tingles down his spine and how his embrace engulfed him in security and bliss. How his presence never failed to bring happiness to everyone around him, but to Haruka especially.

There were countless of reasons to adore Makoto Tachibana. Everyone acted like Makoto was so lucky that he, a commoner, had been able to earn the affections of a prince. But truly, Haruka was the lucky one in their relationship.

Princes. Commoners. Neither of those terms held meaning in the language of love.

However, there was no way he could get that past his lips. He wouldn't want to say it even if he could; he highly doubted he'd be able to voice his feelings to Makoto this directly, let alone to his soon-to-be mother-in-law and two tailors he barely knew - and his guard, who practically blended in with the wallpaper at that point.

Underneath their scrutinising stares, blood rushed to his cheeks and his eyes developed a sudden interest in his nail beds. With the many debates he had been forced to participate in, he never would have guessed it would be an inquiry of his feelings that would leave him gaping like a mackerel.

"Not a talker, huh?" Gou said at his lingering silence. "That's okay. Sorry if I overstepped your boundaries. It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's alright," Haruka said, for while her question had left him a bit abashed, he didn't want her to feel apologetic when she didn't ask it in ill will. "It's just… he's… very special."

Gou smiled, satisfied by that answer. Then, she placed her small hand over his and peered right into his soul. "He really is special, so please. Take good care of him."

"I will," Haruka vowed. Knowing there were so many people looking out for Makoto, people who cared about him, rested Haruka's heart with ease. He wouldn't let them down.

She patted the back of his hand once more before she let go. "We have to wait until Rin finishes taking Makoto's measurements," she said as she got up from her chair, "so in the meantime, let's pick out the buttons for the jacket."

Out of the shelf beside the fabric she took a large case and put it on the table. The buttons were divided into separate compartments, sorted on size and type. The majority were rather basic, serving solely to tie two ends of a garment together, but there were also a handful of more ornate ones. Alas, no buttons were embedded with Iwatobi's crest - or even Sano's crest, for that matter - so the decision landed on medium-sized brass buttons embellished with a fleur de lis. If he could've designed custom buttons like he could trousers, they wouldn't have been his first choice, but he trusted the Matsuokas to make it work.

That was the final element needed to complete the suit; all that was left were Makoto's measurements before their vision could be brought to life with needle and thread. But the minutes passed, eating away at their precious time and there was still no sight of Rin nor Makoto.

With a deep sigh, Mrs. Matsuoka dug through her skirt in search of her pocket watch and as she saw the seconds tick by, she scowled. "Why is he taking this long? Surely he should've been done by now."

"I'll go take a look," Haruka offered, wanting to feel useful somehow.

"Thanks."

He gently closed the door behind himself, but when he turned around, Makoto wasn't standing on the platform and Rin wasn't jotting down the circumference of his waistline either. Upon the glass side table that stood next to the sofa laid an open book, a pencil against its spine and the tape measure covering up the writing. When he lifted it, the numbers corresponding to parts of Makoto's body were already written in the book. A sting of panic shot through his chest.

Frantically he looked around himself and then, he spotted the silhouettes of two heads through the shop's large window. With that, the weight fell off his shoulders and he walked over to the open door. He peered around the corner and saw Makoto and Rin seated on the pavement, their forms illuminated by the chandeliers as well as the street lights.

Leaning against the doorpost, Haruka wanted to call out to them, but he swallowed his words when a voice pierced the night.

"I know we're not exactly friends, but I care about you, Makoto. Look, if it's money you need-"

"Rin," Makoto interrupted, "Thank you. You and Gou are the closest thing I've ever had to friends in this town, and I care about you too. But I don't need money - well, we do need money, but that's not why I'm doing this. That's not what this is about. I mean, it was at first, but that was before I met him. I like him, Rin. I really do."

Haruka's stomach jumped up to his throat when he realised they were talking about him. He didn't mean to breach their privacy by listening in on their conversation, but his feet were glued to the fluffy doormat, fingernails marking the soft wood of the jambs.

"I know you do but… Are you sure he likes you too? You're always so naïve when it comes to these things, I don't want him to take advantage of you."

"How would he take advantage of me? By offering me a stable life?"

"I don't know, but…"

"Why would he go through all this effort, to defy his parents and risk everything he has if he didn't genuinely care about me? For me, there are only benefits to our relationship but for him, there are only hardships. Wouldn't I be the one taking advantage of him in this situation?"

"You would never do that," Rin argued vehemently, "You're too damn kind to even consider it!"

"But he doesn't know that, does he?" Makoto said and though his back was turned to him, Haruka could hear the smile in his voice. "We've only known each other for a week and for a large portion of that time, I was lying to his face. For all he knows, I could still be lying to him now, acting like I have feelings for him when in reality, it's his riches that I'm after. But even after everything that has happened, he trusts me and he's willing to put his whole world on the line for me. Is it really fair to question his intentions when he's been nothing but honest with me?"

"You're right," Rin mumbled under his breath like he was chewing a dagger, and he turned his head away from Makoto. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

In response, Makoto put his hand on Rin's shoulder. "I appreciate that," he said sincerely, "but I will get hurt at some point. We all get hurt sometimes, that's what life is like. But I know that when I do get hurt, it won't be because of Haru. If anything, I'm more afraid that I'm going to hurt him again. I've already hurt him so much and he really doesn't deserve that."

"Doesn't deserve that?" Rin repeated, his voice full of disbelief. "He doesn't deserve you! The snobby prince doesn't even realise half how lucky he is to have you."

Except Haruka did. He'd spent his life surrounded by jewels so he had a good idea as to how valuable they were, and Makoto was the most precious gem he had ever encountered. If he lost Makoto, he would never find anyone more exquisite for such a person simply didn't exist.

"Rin," Makoto said again, this time with vibrant chagrin, "Please don't talk about him like that. You two had a rough start, but you don't even know each other. I'm sure you'd get along pretty well if you just gave each other a chance-"

"I could never get along with someone like him."

"I'm telling you, whatever impression you have of him, it's not true. Haru is actually so humble and generous and kind and-"

"He ordered his guard to detain me like I'm some kind of criminal. Does that sound kind to you?"

"You have to see it from his perspective. He had never seen you before and you suddenly grabbed me out of nowhere and started yelling. In his eyes, you were about to punch me in the face."

That brought a tiny smile to Haruka's face. Although he couldn't care less about what Rin thought of him, it was nice to hear Makoto defend him like this.

"I sure felt like it," Rin said and for the first time, there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "In hindsight, I should've done it. You had it coming."

"See?" Makoto chuckled, "You can be very threatening when you're angry. So can you blame him for wanting to protect me? Doesn't that just prove how serious he is about this?"

Rin clicked his tongue. "If he was actually serious, he would've stopped me himself instead of sending his guard after me like a coward."

Perhaps Rin was right. Beginner's mistake. Haruka didn't deem himself to be a violent person at all, but the next time something similar occurred, he would make sure to kick Rin in the shins himself.

"You know, I don't think this is about Haru at all," Makoto stated, "I think you just don't like him because he's a prince."

"I'm not that petty," Rin claimed, but the somewhat offended tone begged to differ, "I don't like him because he acts like he's better than all of us, taunting me like that."

"Sousuke taunted you too when you first met him, yet you don't seem to hold a grudge against him. On the contrary."

Another scoff sounded as Rin whipped his head around like he was afraid his face would betray his true emotions. "That's different!"

"How? Because you like him?"

"Wha- I don't like him!"

"Oh come on. Why else would he be here?" Makoto pressed on in the same teasing tone his father was prone to using, "Just admit that you both fancy each other more than-"

"Shut up!" Rin shoved Makoto away from him, which only made Makoto laugh as he plummeted to the ground. "Just because we're friends doesn't mean that we-"

Rin abruptly ceased talking when he spotted Haruka's head poking out of the backlit hallway and their eyes met. Within a split second, his expression morphed from embarrassed to furious.

"Ha, look who we have here, eavesdropping on a private conversation!"

"I'm not eavesdropping," Haruka said, though arguably, he was doing exactly that. "I'm here to ask if you have Makoto's measurements ready. Your mother and sister would like to start on the suit but they can't do that without his sizes."

"The book is inside. You could've just grabbed it instead of snooping around like a creep!" Rin brushed past him in the narrow door frame, intentionally bumping his shoulder against Haruka's. Whether it was a display of rage or an assertion of dominance, Haruka didn't know, but he did get the impression Rin wasn't as annoyed by his interruption as he was pretending to be.

Makoto scurried to his feet before Haruka could offer him a hand. "Sorry about that," he murmured when he was standing in the doorway beside Haruka and thought Rin was out of earshot. "I don't know how much you heard of that, but I promise Rin isn't a bad guy. He's just very… passionate and brash, but he means well."

"I know," Haruka replied, lightly caressing Makoto's forearms to assure him. Deep down, he knew he shouldn't take Rin's disliking of him to heart, because it wasn't anything personal. Rin might've acted all high and mighty, but it was easy to poke holes in that façade. Truly, he remained upset by Makoto's disappearance, and he needed someone to blame for the feelings he couldn't process. Who better than the prince who swooped in to steal Makoto away for good?

In an odd way, Haruka was even grateful for Rin's scepticism. He believed Makoto was truthful with him, but hearing him confirm his feelings and honesty to someone close to him when he thought Haruka wasn't listening was a great relief. If there had been any morsels of doubt persisting in Haruka's smitten heart, they evaporated for good. Now, he was sure he wouldn't have any regrets.

"He's always been very protective of those he cares about, but he doesn't know how to express it properly." Makoto grasped his elbows in return, an apologetic look painted across his features. "I'm sorry you've become the target of his anger, but I know he'll turn around once he gets to know you for real. Please take him with a grain of salt until then."

"I will." If he was Makoto's friend, then Haruka was willing to suffer the blow without fighting back. And maybe, in some unfathomable manner, Rin and he could slowly grow to become friends too.

A tender smile adorned Makoto's face. "Thank you."

"If you're going to suck faces, please do it outside where I don't have to see it," Rin commented crudely from near the sofa, "Or else I might throw up."

Nevermind, scrap that.

"I guess you're not invited to our wedding, then. We wouldn't want you to ruin our day just because you're so incompetent you can't even control your own esophagus," Haruka retorted without hesitation, and Makoto puffed up his cheeks in exasperation.

"Guys!"

The streets remained vacant and quiet when Makoto escorted Haruka - and Sousuke - back to the inn. His suit was far from complete, but the clock ticked on relentlessly. When Makoto noticed Haruka's eyes slipped shut every couple of seconds as he fought against sleep, he concluded the time had come for them to go to bed. They had a long journey ahead and it was important that all of them, but Sousuke especially, would be well-rested before then.

So they had said their goodnights to the Matsuokas and to his mother, who decided to stay the night so she could optimise every minute to help out with the sewing. In return, Haruka told her she didn't need to worry about breakfast and lunch for the twins because he would take care of it. She was grateful for that, and Makoto would be lying if he said he wasn't too; he didn't want to subject his siblings to his '50% success rate' cooking skills, and Lord only knew what kind of monstrosity his father would serve if left to the task.

Although his mother had told him not to wait for her, Makoto was certain he would find him dozed off at the table, spectacles askew on his nose and head resting stiffly on his arms. For the sake of his father's neck and back, he'd make sure to hurry home.

But first, he wanted to walk Haruka to the inn. It wasn't necessary, for even though it was dark outside, Sousuke had come along specifically to protect Haruka from the wicked and dangerous. But it just didn't feel right to go straight home. It had almost become a tradition for him to walk Haruka back to wherever he was heading, and he wasn't eager to break it yet.

His hand itched to grasp Haruka's and interlock their fingers, and he would've acted on the urge was it not for Sousuke sauntering a meter behind them. Guards were probably used to seeing displays of affection of the guarded, but it felt rather awkward nonetheless so he held himself back. Soon, a time would come when he didn't have to suppress his feelings, and he was zealously anticipating it.

When they reached the inn, they came to a halt in front of the hefty door.

"Goodnight," he said to Sousuke, who muttered a similar phrase, and then he turned to Haruka.

A small smile graced Haruka's face when he took a hold of his hands, affection swimming in the depths of his pupils. He didn't waste a second before he used his grip to draw Makoto in for a hug and buried his face in his shoulder. Their eyes fluttered shut as they squeezed each other and Makoto nuzzled his silky locks.

But comfort was not all Makoto felt in this embrace; like a magnifying glass hovering above a patch of dry grass, his skin burned, moments away from being set ablaze. He opened his eyes and saw Sousuke, whose mindless stare was fixated on their entwined form.

Haruka felt it too and he twisted his neck to look back at his guard, his hold on Makoto faltering. "Can you give us a minute?"

The annoyance in his voice snapped Sousuke out of his trance. "Right, sorry."

"Thank you."

"Goodnight," Makoto repeated at his retreating form, and when the door fell shut, they were finally, truly alone again.

It had been a winding, exhausting day for both of them and they longed to lay down onto their pillows, but not as much as they longed for each other. A deep sigh left Haruka's nose as he reclaimed his grip on Makoto's body. Makoto smiled and gently caressed his back, rubbing his cheek against Haruka's hair.

"Goodnight, Haru," he whispered like he had nearly every night for the past week, but now, there was no hint of sadness laced through the words.

Their time together was no longer fleeting and he no longer had to cling to each second of his presence. No matter what happened after this, he would be able to bid Haruka sweet dreams for all the nights yet to come, whether they were spent in a carriage, in an enormous bed, or on a quilt beneath a bridge.

As had become a part of their tradition as well, Haruka got up on his toes. His lips, soft as rose petals, pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek and he wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck. There, he strayed from their parting ritual and with the beautiful smile intact, he kissed Makoto's mouth too.

This was his last night in Sano, his last night in his hometown and his last night in his shared bed with the twins. But if that meant he would get a kiss this tender every day before bedtime from now on, Makoto would gladly surrender it all.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! ^^

Although I've been trying to keep up with posting on a character's birthday, this time of the year is a bit tricky when it comes to that. Ikuya's birthday is up first (March 3rd), but I know I won't be able to get the next chapter out before then, and he's not in this fic anyway. Therefore, I'm going to try my best to get it out on Asahi's birthday (April 18th). Asahi isn't in this fic either, but the next birthday would be Kisumi's and that wait's a bit too long for my liking. So take this as a rough estimate, but I'll do my best to get chapter 12 out around Asahi's birthday. Thanks for your patience!

In the meanwhile, you can follow me on Twitter and Tumblr at DatHeetJoella for more MakoHaru content between updates. You can also send me a message on Curious Cat if you want.

Thank you again for reading, I hope to see you again at the next chapter, and for now I wish you a lovely day! :)