falls into your peripheral vision

I AM ALIVE, i shout to the groans of the audience and mutters of "hurry up and die already"

i'm so sorry! basically, i had two weeks staying home in JP - wifi egg didn't let me even go on FFNet, then europe where i mooched off free wifi and blistered my feet walking around palaces, then two weeks back in JP studying my arse off (really, filling my fic notebook, which i did.)

i suppose one could say i had a good summer lmfao

also! i had written around 2k before i left on my flight, so i had to cut some parts of the scene i tacked onto the end, which is a lot more interaction than anything. additionally, i had to cut some sections as my word document was not taking it. but unfortunately, i've had to spill over into a fourth document. darn it all

one more thing before my long A/N is done, i say to boos and calls of 'GET ON WITH IT', this chapter is pretty long for the amount of words i had to cut. so enjoy and forgive me m(_ _)m

as always, i do not own the selection nor hetalia. these belong to kiera cass and himaruya hidekaz respectively.

finally: please do not be alarmed if you cannot review this chapter! if you reviewed my A/N, you cannot review again on the same chapter sadly :(

Inside the windows of the carriage, Arthur rubbed his bleary eyes and sat up a little straighter. Even inside, he could feel the cold winter chill – but the carriage was empty, save from the low chatters from the guardsmen outside and the clop of horses' hooves against pavement, although it did sound a little smoother compared to the limestone of Spades – a little more like the grey granite that was in Hearts.

He jolted awake, gripping the curtains yet careful not to rip them as he peered outside of the small, tinted window. Arthur scanned quickly for any blue, but was met with accents of scarlet, from deep violet to pale pink all over – the small flags hanging around the painted lamplights, the tips of the lances of the soldiers outside, the velvet rope fencing off their route.

No, wait, he thought. That's just for security. They don't have dyed ropes in Spades.

Just then, the carriage jolted to halt, and Arthur pushed his half awake foot underneath one of the seat holders, managing to keep himself steady as he carefully tried to pry open the windows as he heard guards moving behind him.

Arthur failed miserably.

"Welcome to Hearts, good sirs," he heard a man say. "And, I presume, a royal?"

"Umm…" Arthur said to himself, wringing his hands. Right, with this sort of security it was baffling if they weren't transporting someone of high status. If Alfred had partly…well, minus a ring, partly proposed to him, would that mean that he would be the princess and therefore queen soon enough?

"He is here on orders of the Queen of Hearts, but is part of the Spadian Chosen," one of the guards said, her voice warm. "It's just very nice to be back here; the Spadian winter can be absolutely bleeding horrible sometimes."

"Of course," came the reply. "It's probably those rebels, bringing their bad luck down here from the Drift to the mountains. Clubs' cold has only fallen down here this year. It's horrid that you'd have to bear the brunt of it…"

"It would appear so," she said. "But, nevertheless, they're not around after the Trials, where they-"

"Ohy!" one of the other soldiers barked out, causing all conversation to stop. "In case you haven't concerned yourself with it, we have to get an esteemed guest to the Hearts Palace who could very well be our queen within a few days. Show some respect and stop gossiping!"

The two soldiers jolted and Arthur could hear their boots against the granite before the carriage moved again and they were back on the track.

A few minutes later, he heard raucous cheers and peered outside the window, perplexed.

To his, well, mostly pleasant surprise, there were admirers and people dotted all around the velvet rope, shouting and calling his name. There were a few signs sprinkled around, and with the calls of his name and the title 'Queen of Spades' on some of their lips. Arthur was astonished that he even had supporters outside of Spades. He was concerned that he wouldn't be popular enough for the masses to be chosen by Alfred, but now…

The carriage stopped again, and one of the soldiers carefully unlatched the door. When Arthur asked exactly why, he merely gestured to the crowd.

"Sir Arthur, I'm assuming that you would want to go outside and meet them?" he queried, tipping his head to one side. "They're a very energetic crowd."

"Oh, yes, definitely," Arthur smiled, hearing the cheers only grow louder as he was out of the carriage. "If you don't mind, could you tell the Hearts palace that I'll be a little late?"

"Duly noted, Your H – oh, I apologise," he said quickly, a little embarrassed. "Consider it done. But please, be careful."

Arthur promised that he would be, and waited for a guard to follow him into the crowd.

The first person Arthur greeted was a fair haired man with a boater hat, that bowed to him and almost bumped his head coming back up on the velvet rope.

"Sir Arthur," he said, holding onto his hat. "What brings you to our beautiful kingdom today?"

"Um…" Arthur said, thinking if he should lie in order to keep the posterity, but here in Hearts it was common knowledge who exactly was the new Hearts Queen, so it wouldn't make sense. "As a child, I was a very close friend of the queen, and so I was invited to come attend and spend time with them."

"That's remarkable!" the man exclaimed, seeming very excited. "It's almost as if you're the queen already for Spades. I know you'll do very well!"

"I'm…I'm very flattered," Arthur stammered, flushing a little. "With your faith, I'll do my best. If I get chosen."

"You will," he said, tone reassuring. "May the Fates bless you!"

As soon as he had withdrawn, Arthur decided to slowly walk amongst the crowd, his rather strappy boots treading lightly on the uneven floor as he paused occasionally to chat to a sign holder and exchange a handshake and hug with the terribly excited ones that had popped in just to see him.

When he was around halfway and could barely see the highest turrets of the Hearts castle, a little girl waved so excitedly at him that he just had to stop and bend down as he caught sight of her mother giving him her approval.

"Hello there," he said, carefully taking one of her hands in his own. "It's nice to meet you Miss…"

"My name's Nicole!" she said, clasping one of his hands in between her own. "It's so nice to meet you, Sir Arthur! My papa says stuff at home about you. So does my mommy."

"Nicole, dear…" her mother said, seeming a little embarrassed. "I apologise, Sir Arthur – it's nothing bad that we say, I promise. We all adore you."

"I'd love to hear it, please." Arthur said, nodding to the little girl. "Go on."

"They say you look very pretty a lot!" she giggled. "And they're right. No wonder the prince likes you so very very much!"

"Umm…" Arthur stammered, embarrassed. "I – I hope he likes me for something else other than my looks."

"Oh…" she said, almost as if she'd insulted him. "Of course not! Prince Alfred really does like you. Don't you see how blushy he gets around you?"

"Sometimes, yes!" he smiled, humouring her. "Well. I just want to make him happy, and do the best I can for everyone in Cards. But thank you, miss." He leaned down and placed a small kiss on her tiny hand, getting a squeal and his head being nearly crushed. Oh well, the things he'd do to maintain being a gentleman.

"Be careful, dear," her mother chastised, and Arthur stepped a little back as she picked up her daughter. "I apologise, Sir Arthur. We've been following the Spadian Deciding even more ever since our own ended, and she loves to sit down and watch the entirety of it. You're an inspiration, truly."

"Oh, I see." Arthur said. "There's nothing to be sorry for. I…I'm really thankful for your whole family supporting me. It means the world that you approve."

"Much obliged, Your Highness," she grinned. "It's an honour meeting you!"

"I'm not quite." Arthur said, a little sheepish as he could feel most of the crowd's expectant gazes on him. Even with Alfred's proposal, he didn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position…

"My, if you could see exactly how Prince Alfred looks at you sometimes – no, all the time! – you can see exactly how devoted he is to you."

And with that, a guard tapped Arthur lightly on the shoulder, signaling that it was time to walk. He waved, a little dazed, to Nicole and her mother, and thanked anyone in the general proximity before letting himself be ushered away.

"Please, notify the Primary Suit that the Spadians have arrived," the guard said as their carriage hurtled to the brass gates of Hearts. "Along with Sir Arthur on request of the queen."

"Duly noted," came the reply, and Arthur shifted in his seat as he heard footsteps leading away from them.

"Sir Arthur?" the guard said, knocking on his carriage door. "Are you all right in there?"

"Never been finer." Arthur replied. "Er, is there a set protocol for this?"

"Nothing you should worry yourself with," they affirmed. "I believe that you'll be escorted in. Ah, here they come."

With a click, the latch to the carriage doors was swung open and Arthur walked out into the bright daylight that graced Hearts's winter skies, and he took a little moment to appreciate the sheer beauty of the sight.

But that was before he heard a very familiar voice call his name from the steps of the palace.

"Arthur! Arthur, is that you?"

He whirled around; heart thumping as he saw the small silhouette of Kiku waiting on the steps. Foregoing any sort of social concern he had retained, he sped through the lines of guards, boots crunching shamelessly on the gravel as he ran to meet his best friend, elation etched onto his features as they met in a hug.

"Goodness, Arthur, you look so different now," Kiku exclaimed, a smile on his serene features. "You have grown a royal tinge to yourself with that attire and expression."

"Says the person who's a royal themselves!" Arthur retorted, but took the moment to bow. "But really, it's nothing but thanks I have for you inviting me over. I was told that it was a rather private occasion."

"That is what the Primary Suit seems to have seen fit for us in these times," Kiku said, taking Arthur by the shoulder and leading him into the palace. "Nevertheless, we are safe here, I assure you."

"What have you been doing these few days?" he asked.

"It has nothing but hectic, but…there is something, or rather someone important that I'd like to show you before we can help ourselves to refreshments." he said.

"The Primary Suit?" Arthur said, placing his hands behind his back in nervousness.

"Oh, yes, they are very important - of course." Kiku said, a hint of a smile lingering on his mouth. "But I would like to think that you would be a touch more familiar with them."

"How is he doing today?" Arthur asked, his voice kept a little lower to avoid disturbing Heracles's rest.

"He has been healing as well as possible, like the other soldiers which I am very thankful for," Kiku said, but his gaze was all for Heracles as his smooth hand ran themselves over his brown hair. "Honestly, in the state which we found some of the soldiers I feared that they might not have all made it, but there are no casualties so far. But of course, it is only early days."

"When did they come here?" he said.

"The evening of the twenty first," came the reply. "I was actually supposed to have a mock coronation on that day, but the palace was so busy caring for the influx of patients that we decided that we'd rather devote time to that. So, instead of that, I have been researching and watching clips of past coronations to help me get a grip."

"It sounds difficult," Arthur whispered. "But I'm sure that you'll find it very easy."

Kiku gave a little laugh, shaking his dark hair. "Arthur, I am so honoured that you think so highly for me. But in honesty, I have been nothing but a nervous wreck for these past weeks. I know that the coronation is in five days, but I still cannot help but feel that I have not prepared enough…"

Just then, Heracles shifted in his bed, turning onto his side with a groan that startled both boys. Kiku instantly made a soft noise with his tongue, moving both hands down onto his shoulders to straighten him again, pausing to press a kiss to his tanned cheek. He let out a small snore before going back to sleep, a hint of a smile pulling at the corners of his lips.

The tender display stayed with Arthur the whole evening, even when he was terribly intimidated with meeting King Ludwig, Jack Feliciano and Ace Lovino, eating a rich dinner that seemed to be normal fare for him nowadays, and sharing tea and laughs with Kiku until the streets outside the palace had quieted and the lights had dimmed inside the palace.

"Ah, Arthur..." Kiku said, as his usual, formal way of greeting his best friend good night. "I apologise, we could have stayed up a little longer talking but alas, with Jack Feliciano's pregnancy, King Ludwig is more than eager to make sure he does get his rest. Even in Hearts, male childbirth does carry risk. But you seem relatively tired."

"No, no, you're right." Arthur said, running a finger over a thick eyebrow. "By the Fates, I'm knackered. And I'd love to catch up but I suppose we all need our beauty sleep."

"Duchess knows I am going to need it." Kiku joked, embracing his friend once more before closing the door. "Get some rest, Art."

"You too, Kiku."

And for that night, Arthur fell into a dreamless sleep, letting everything on his mind fall like the light snow outside.

Maybe a break was what he needed.

"You look well rested," Kiku smiled as he greeted Arthur in his bedroom the next morning. "I believe that we only slept after twelve last night, so I have forgotten breakfast in my absentmindedness. I have called for breakfast to be delivered this morning."

"Oh, umm…g-good morning, Your Highness," Arthur mumbled, still groggy from his sleep and a tad disorientated. Where was he, if not in Spades? Facing Kiku, his numbed mind put together a kind expression in the eyes and hair as dark as ravens to be Jack Yao.

"Hm? Art, it is me, Kiku. Did we not agree to forgo the honourifics after we met?"

"…OH, oh," Arthur stammered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm so sorry, Kiku. I didn't mean to, really. It's just been the fact that I've been in Spades for so long…"

"How many months has it been?" Kiku asked, pausing to open the door and welcome the maid, bearing two plates of freshly cooked food as well as a teapot and two cups with saucers into the room, which she placed on the nearest table. "Around six or seven?"

"Yes, I believe so." Arthur said, now fully away. He propped himself up on his bed, facing his best friend in his rather formal outfit – a warm looking robe instead of the long pants and shirt that he used to wear back in the holding facility. "But to be fair, it's much more an affair of the heart. The Fates chose you – and you are a royal now."

"Ah…" Kiku said, smiling embarrassedly. "I hoped, quite a bit, that me becoming Queen of Hearts would not change too many things between the two of us. Am I asking too much of you?"

"Well, if it's OK with you." Kiku said. "You've been my best friend ever since the holding facilities, even though I've met so many wonderful, new people in Spades. I don't want anything to change between us too much."

"Then it is settled," Kiku said, and they both held an expression of relief on their faces. "Although I have seen you on television with, for example, Sir Alfonso and…Leon, I am delighted to tell you that I have also found friends of mine – Sir Toris and Lady Sophia have been very kind to me."

"Lady Sophia? Didn't you mention that she was to be one of your advisors?" Arthur asked.

"Yes." Kiku said. "And with that, I will dare to say that I have found true contentment here. King Ludwig and Jack Feliciano – although the Primary Suit and I call him Feli – treat me as if I am part of their family."

"What are they all like?" Arthur said, his tone curious.

"Well, the Ace Lovino is always good company, but Ludwig prefers me to be the one to discuss things with him when it comes to issues that we cannot both deal with. For some reason, they both resent each other a little…" Kiku said.

"So you're like a mediator?" Arthur said.

"Somewhat, yes," Kiku confirmed with a short nod, his hair falling over his face for a moment. "But I do not do it so often as I have not been crowned - with the coming child the whole palace are anxious to have it out of the way, which is why I asked you to come so early after the New Year. But other than that, the only other problem is the rebels, and the winter has been good to us. Enough about me though – how is Spades?"

"Cold." Arthur groused, both of them sharing a laugh after that. "Besides that, there's been talk of actually ending the Deciding as public expectation has risen ever since you won yours."

"Sorry," Kiku said, but it was all in good fun.

"I mean, it hasn't been too rough. The Jack Yao is a very kind person, and he really does look out for us and Prince Alfred and Matthew. I don't think I thank him enough, truly." Arthur admitted.

"I am just very thankful that he gave me permission to let you come for the coronation, even though me being Queen of Hearts could have played a role even so," Kiku said. "Surely, I thought it would be difficult, what with the Deciding and Prince Alfred saying that it was ending. How is Matthew, by the way? I noticed Gilbert come by as well."

"Um, he did stay in Spades for a little but I was kind of caught up in my own preparations to really take notice." Arthur said.

"Well, I suppose Gilbert surely would have found some time amidst Joker business to be with him. No matter though, how are things with the crown prince himself, may I ask?" Kiku smiled, not even attempting to hide his curiosity. "Surely, there must be something beyond the snippets of what we see in Hearts. I mean, we are both rather private people, yes?"

"But of course…" Arthur said, a little embarrassed. "Alfred knows that about me. Not a lot of what our relationship is about is made public thanks to his efforts, I would say."

"No honourific with him but one with me?" Kiku teased. "My, my. Do elaborate!"

"He's – well, you know how I sent you letters about how I used to think that he was the pinnacle of perfection and that I was undeserving?" Arthur said.

"Goodness, I would have to say that those were one of the most frustrating times I have had for a while, Art. How could I?" Kiku said gently. "Of course. That is worrying, though – are his true colours truly that bad? Has he finally revealed his real character and it has turned out to be very poor?"

"No, no!" Arthur said hurriedly, seeing the concern in his friend's eyes. "Alfred has just…he's helped me, um, feel more comfortable in my own skin. He's still as lovely as the day I met him, but I think that I've managed to accept for myself that's he's human. I think that I was afraid that the part of him didn't exist."

"I suppose this means that you were just too much – too smitten with him at that time to realize that you could have been romanticizing too many things about him and putting yourself down," Kiku soothed. "That is natural, as it is your first relationship, but I have to ask – have your feelings really changed?"

"E-Erm..." Arthur stammered, his cheeks reddening. "I – er, will have to say that they've only intensified but I've learned to manage them better. Up to only a few days ago, I could only dare to dream of declaring outright to Alfred that I truly loved him. But now…"

"Did something in particular trigger this change of heart?" Kiku queried. "As in a particular event – was there someone threatening your relationship with him lately?"

Arthur shook his head, embarrassment flooding his face.

"No, I…Kiku, you must promise to not tell a soul."

"Ooh," he smirked, recrossing his legs in an elegant fashion that Arthur could only hope to replicate one day. "This will be interesting."

"On – on New Years Eve," Arthur began, stuttering a little due to his nerves, "He got very busy with his work and I thought something bad had happened that would have inspired him to leave the three of us Elite. About New Years Eve – I'd love for you to describe yours, really-"

"It was nothing short of bizarre, Arthur, but please do continue telling me about your New Years," Kiku prodded, gently but firmly as he could sense that he was embarrassed but was too eager for the retelling of the surely romantic evening.

"He…Fates, Kiku, he proposed to me!" Arthur whispered fervently, as if it was a secret but also something he himself could not believe. "He…he had his hand in his pocket – we had just – he, Alfred, said that he had wanted to share his New Year's kiss with me. Then, umm, we sat talking for a while after that, and then he was g-going to, but then a messenger or something burst in and the moment was ruined."

"Oh, by the Fates Arthur, I am really sorry," Kiku burst out. "That messenger must have been the one to tell you of my invitation. I never intended to ruin your night so horribly!"

"Well, I suppose that it did affect us somewhat in the end." Arthur smiled wryly at him in response, quick to reassure him that it was not his fault. "By then, I was ushered back to my room for preparations, but right before I left for here, he said something that I'd thought he'd never say so early, not even in my wildest dreams. But – Kiku, he did!"

"Ah, so," Kiku said. "He said that he'd die for you, then?"

"…? No, no, that's not it," Arthur chuckled, but paused as he saw Kiku's perplexed expression.

"Er, OK, so let me guess – everything he has done so far is a lie and he has been in love with someone else since day one! He is a doppelgänger of the real prince that just happened to fall in love with you? Or a old childhood friend that just had to see you!" Kiku's face was full of determination, but he even could quietly admit that his theories could have been a little far fetched. "And then he fell in l-"

"W-What?" Arthur spluttered, and they both suppressed a bout of laughter. "Kiku, those have to be stories from trashy novels! Umm, I'll give you a hint – it's something that I've wanted to say myself for quite a while now – and something I've hoped for the longest time that he'd really mean."

"Do not tell me," Kiku sighed after he came to his own conclusion. "Prince Alfred simply told you that he loved you? Surely, that cannot be-"

"Yes, that's it!" Arthur cried, but paused slightly at Kiku's slightly amused yet exasperated expression.

"Erm, Arthur, surely you do not mean that this is the first time he has even mentioned being in love with you? That is – extremely hard to believe, even with the smallest bits of footage of the Spadian Broadcast. How come…?"

"Oh, er, is it really that hard to believe?" Arthur said embarrassedly, to which Kiku nodded.

"Yes," he said seriously. "If he has not shown that he indeed does care for you-"

"Shown? No, I mean, he has. It's just that, well, it's difficult for those three words to come to us. I think he has tried to say them before," Arthur said, casting back to the night where Alfred's voice had stopped and he had tried to comfort him, knowing that it could be forced. "But it wasn't the time and it didn't feel right enough for the two of us then. I know he was comfortable this time, which is why…I didn't fear it any more. Duchess, Kiku – I regret it so badly that I didn't say it back."

"W-Why did you not?" Kiku spluttered, perplexed. "Art, it is extremely hard to imagine you not wanting to reciprocate or at least acknowledge the statement. If it is so dear to the two of you…"

"It was right before I left for Hearts." Arthur lamented. "We wished each other well and right when they closed the carriage doors he told me – it was such a bittersweet feeling, and it was like he was so close but so beyond my reach at the same time."

"I do believe the bug of misfortune has bitten you – or it is just me," Kiku said, his fingers scrunching on Arthur's rose hued duvet out of nervousness. "That truly was horrible timing. But perhaps, confronted with the fact that you would be leaving, it did grant Prince Alfred some courage to finally tell you using the three words."

"I…If you put it that way," he said, hoisting his legs up where they were in the blankets so he could rest his hands and chin on his knees. "It would make sense. To be honest, I really couldn't tell who would say it first if we did have a wedding."

"He has shown you how much exactly he loves you before though, yes?" Kiku said, tipping his head to one side.

"Well, of course." Arthur said, his eyes becoming tender which caused Kiku to smile fondly. "We've had issues and fights, yet he always talks them out with me. I know that he's not perfect as he's shown me his flawed side, but I thought I was going to be over my head but he's as scared as I am of being in such a position. Sometimes he's not as confident in himself as I can tell that he deserves to be, and I wish he could see himself as I do…"

Just at that moment, there was a knock on the door and both Arthur and Kiku turned to face in the direction of it, Arthur lifting his head and Kiku placing a foot on the bedroom floor.

"Sir Arthur!" a feminine voice called from behind the door, and Arthur began to rise from his bed but Kiku gave him an almost imperticible shake of his head and rose to greet the person instead. "Sir Arthur, this is your room, yes?"

Her eyes were strangely searching the moment she was invited into the room, and quickly zeroed on Kiku for some odd reason that he could not place, but reacted with astonishing speed.

"Sir, I received a me – oh! Your Highness!" the servant cried, and bolted into a curtsey so quickly that Arthur blinked in disbelief. "W-What brings you here, my Queen?"

"Sir Arthur is an esteemed guest of mine," Kiku said smoothly. "But he is also an extremely popular member of the Deciding, as you may recall."

"Of course, of course, Your Highness!" she spluttered, face turning red as she peered behind Kiku to catch a glimpse of Arthur. "I would not expect you to be in here without – without good reason!"

"Undoubtedly," Kiku replied swiftly, "That would be foolish. Nevertheless, may I ask whether the breakfast I requested earlier be delivered as soon as possible? I am sure that Sir Arthur must be tired after his trip."

"N-noted, Your Highness. Please, h-here is the letter for Sir Arthur," the maid said, holding it out and scurrying away as soon as Kiku plucked it from her gloved hands.

The words were strangely firm for someone who Arthur had known for most of his life to not be harsh unless he absolutely had to, and it was a question from him that greeted Kiku as soon as he returned back to the bed which he climbed on instead of sitting elegantly to the side.

"I apologise, Arthur," he said, placing the white envelope on the pillow next to him. "Naturally, with my coronation and a new face in the Primary Suit people still are quick to suspect even though I have received approval from those concerned directly to power. It was the same with Feliciano – and you saw how prying she was when she came into the room. It was suspicious because she saw you with me in a bedroom, which is somewhere that might not have been too appropriate to meet. I had to remind her that I could be trusted, and I have already entrusted myself to Heracles. It was not a good position to put you in."

"You shouldn't be apologizing for something that's not your fault…" Arthur said. "Still. It must be very taxing for you."

"Even more so when I am married," Kiku said, knocking a fist against his forehead. "I fear mostly for Heracles as he will be subject to court gossip – much as I suspect that Alfred will fear for you when you marry."

"It…it still seems so far away," Arthur mumbled into his clasped hands. "As if it's a dream. As if nothing's really happening."

"I still remember the first few letters where you subconsciously told me specific details even though you told me that you disliked him," Kiku said teasingly. "I do keep them, you know. The ones involving his arms more so-"

"K-Kiku!" Arthur spluttered, tossing off the blankets in shock. "I…goodness, I don't know what I was even thinking, what sort of bumbling idiot could have invaded my mind back then, I,"

"You must have already subconsciously fallen for the prince then," he mused, adopting a mock scholar pose. "Settling for just friends with the prince is very hard, Arthur. Everyone in our holding facility alone must have had a crush on him sooner or later, may it be from day one or not."

"Even you?!" Arthur exclaimed, surprised. "You do have a point with that, though."

"Before I met and was acquainted with Heracles, obviously," Kiku said. "it just, really, served as keeping my hopes up for what would happen if the holding facilities released me for a Deciding. And while it did not necessarily work out that way…I still would say that I enjoyed my time there, as well as meeting you. And when I came to Hearts, everyone I met has been mostly accommodating with me, except for a few like that maid. I am also hoping to get back into regular contact with my estranged family."

Arthur – or anyone else, in fact – did not know anything much at all about Kiku's family, other than the fact that they were a prestigious family living in the Inner Circles of Hearts society and occasionally attended court.

Judging from what Kiku described as his oriental bloodline from his family, it had been maintained even after the mass epidemic had struck Cards that decimated a third of the population, some countries harder hit than others. Kiku's family had fled, much like other families, from Spades, one of the hardest hit countries, to nearby Hearts where the population was originally low but quickly grew to be the second most populated country in Cards after the epidemic – but they still managed to retain influence in the Inner Circle.

Kiku himself had only known a life of formality – as tradition within his family, his extended family lived together in a sprawling estate together, meaning that there was so many cousins and siblings that no one was particularly given plenty of attention. He was confronted with the choice of attending yet another university or going to a holding facility as he was the one out of all his relatives to be in the age bracket. Wanting to differentiate but still more or less be as well taught as his relatives, he settled for the latter.

"I'm just so relieved that the Fates have been so kind to you and Heracles." Arthur said, nodding.. "When I saw his mother on that day with the rebels, I…I didn't know what to think."

"I cannot tell you how relieved I am that he is recovering," Kiku spoke, warmth flowing at the mention of his sweetheart. "If the rebels would ever storm the palace or a battlefield, I fear that I could not use all of my strength to protect my country or Cards because of the fact that they have brought our soldiers and my love home."

"You know, I used to be a tad envious of your relationship with Heracles," Arthur confided. "But now, I'm not sure exactly what to think."

"I believe you and Alfred have come to care for each other as much as Heracles and I do," Kiku soothed, taking one of his best friend's hands in between his own. "But as you have only been lovers for a shorter time, it is nothing but natural to be confused in those feelings."

"I hope so, I…I really do care for him, Kiku," Arthur confessed, feeling heat inch onto his cheeks and dust the tops of his shoulders.

"Would you simply – tell him about your feelings?" Kiku coaxed, giving his friend's hand a little squeeze. "Surely, he must have sensed your true emotions for him. Even I can tell by the way you talk about him your body language speaks volumes."

"How so?" Arthur blurted, not exactly sure that he wanted to know.

"Well, I have read it in your letters, seen it in the Spadian Broadcasts, saw it for myself even when we had the meeting before the Elite. So much time has passed, but with everything now, I can only see it more – your eyes soften, your cheeks redden, you bite your lip sometimes." Kiku listed off, ticking off a finger for each thing.

"Do I…" Arthur trailed off, but nodded. "Of course, I'd deny it as I usually would do, but I suspect it's hard with you."

"I will take that as a compliment, Art," Kiku grinned. "But yes, even though you haven't told him, I am convinced that he knows subconsciously."

"Fates, I hope so," he muttered, but scratched the side of his cheek. With all this talk about Alfred – he was supposed to not think about him for this week, but it didn't seem to be the case…

"Do you think I should let him know as soon as I get back?"

"Arthur, my friend, did you not tell me a while back that Alfred would not be holding back any more?" Kiku questioned, a knowing smile dancing on his lips as a knock resounded on the door again.

"Neither should you."

tbh this is my longest chapter so it counts as a super long apology (?)

thank you all for the long wait! i missed everyone :)

reviews, favourites and follows are what will keep me writing, so please go ahead and leave them!