Heba was walking down the street after coming back from the market. The village was crowded today due to the Harvest festival. Heba was heading away from the crowd but ended up running into someone. Heba let out a soft grunt as he collapsed on the ground, his shoulder connecting with the ground.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry," the person said as they got off the ground, they to had fallen to the ground.

"It's fine," Heba said with a shake of his head, lifting his head to see who he bumped into. However, his eyes widened seeing who was lending their hand to him.

Prince Atem.

"I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going," Atem said with a frown. Heba smiled softly and took his hand, Atem helping him stand up.

"It was my fault, I was zoned out and wasn't paying attention to my surroundings," Heba said with another shake of his head, his cheeks dusting.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Heba said with a smile.

"Of course, I did kind of cause you to fall to the ground," Atem said with a small shrug of his shoulders, his cheeks becoming a dusty rose.

"Your Highness! Where are you?" a voice called out from down the street. Atem sighed softly and dipped his head softly.

"A friend of yours?" Heba asked.

"Just my brother, my cousin, and one of the guards my parents sent with us," Atem said with another sigh. "I should go before they get worried and send out a search party, perhaps we'll meet again…?"

"Heba," Heba answered with a smile. "Heba Motou."

A week later, Heba was cleaning his house when he heard a knock at the door. He put down what he was doing and answered the door. His eyes widened when he saw who was on the other side of the door.

Atem.

"Your Highness?" Heba asked. "How can I help you?"

"I'm sorry for dropping in like this," Atem said with a nervous chuckle. "But after we met that day I wanted to see you again."

"Would you like to come in?" Heba asked to which Atem nodded. Heba stepped aside and allowed Atem to step inside, closing the door behind him.

"You have a nice home," Atem said with a smile as he glanced around.

"Thank you," Heba said as he headed over and sat down on the couch in the room.

"Are your parents working?" Atem asked as he sat down on the couch beside him.

"My parents aren't here," Heba said with a shake of his head.

"Oh," Atem said with a frown. "I'm sorry."

There was a few moments of confusion for Heba before his eyes widened and he started shaking his head wildly.

"Oh no, not like that," Heba said. "My parents live in Japan with my younger brother, I moved here because I wanted to travel."

"Ah," Atem said with a nod. "I see, I apologize for assuming otherwise."

"It's alright," Heba said with a shrug of his shoulders. "So, why did you come here?"

"Well," Atem said, his cheeks dusting a soft rose. "I don't even know myself," Atem said with a soft chuckle. "I just wanted to see you again."

"Well," Heba said with a soft smile. "We could go explore the village, I'm sure you know more spots around here than I do."

"I'd like that," Atem said with a nod, a soft smile on his face returning Heba's.

That was the start of their relationship.

A month later, Atem had asked Heba if he would want to start a relationship with him. Heba immediately said yes and the pair became a couple a few days later.

Heba was then brought with Atem to meet his parents at the palace, a week later.

His mother, Queen Amara, immediately took a liking to Heba. As did his father, King Aknamkanon.

"I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy Atem," Amara said with a smile as she hugged her son.

"Thank you Mother," Atem replied with a smile.

"We're having a dinner party a few months from now," Aknamkanon said with a smile. "Perhaps Heba would like to join us, we'd be delighted to have you."

"I'd be glad to Your Majesty," Heba said with a nod.

Movement from the doorway caught Heba's eyes. However, as soon as his eyes landed on the doorway, the figure disappeared. He did manage to catch a glimpse of star-shaped hair, which he knew immediately who it was.

Prince Yami, Atem's younger brother.

Atem had told him that Yami was quite shy when it came to strangers. Heba didn't mind, he understood. His brother was the same way, he would let Yami come to him on his own time.

Months went by and their relationship was going well. Heba wasn't sure he could name a time when he was so happy than when he was with Atem.

However, he did notice that Atem seemed to be spending more and more time with him than usual as time went on. Not that he minded of course but he wondered about Yami. Atem would tell him that he was going to spend time with his brother but then that same day Atem would show up.

Heba tried to ask once why Atem wasn't with Yami but Atem seemed to be avoiding the question and changed the subject. Whether he was doing it consciously or unconsciously, Heba had no idea.

The night of the dinner party, Heba was escorted to the palace where he met with Atem and Yami. The brothers were dressed in similar outfits.

It was clear they had helped each other get ready for this evening. It warmed Heba's heart to think that Atem had probably gone to Yami to help him, after all, that's what brothers do.

That evening, Heba got to know Yami as dinner went on. He felt sorry for Yami. He could see how Yami longed for his brother's attention that night. Though once again, Heba found that Atem was avoiding his brother. Again, whether he was doing it consciously or unconsciously, Heba had no idea.

He found himself dragged away after dinner finished as he and Atem went for a walk in the palace garden.

His heart clenched seeing Yami's fallen face when he and Atem left the dining room. He only wished Atem would open his eyes and see what was going on.

A year later, Atem and Yami met Heba down at the village for the Harvest festival. Heba would be staying the night at the palace with Atem but he chose to meet them down at the village and then grab his stuff before they went back.

The festival began with a dance in the village square. Couples and families were dancing together to the music, smiles on their faces. Atem dragged Heba out into the dance, a carefree smile on his face which made Heba's heart melt. He loved Atem's smile, when it wasn't stressed out from his royal duties.

He watched Yami get dragged into the dance by a lady with blonde hair and green eyes.

The dance ended and Atem asked Heba if he wanted to go see the bakery. They always had the best treats when the Harvest festival came around.

Before he could ask about Yami, Heba found himself dragged away and towards the bakery.

"Hello Your Highness," the baker said with a smile on her face. "Can I help you with anything today? Perhaps a treat?"

"You read my mind," Atem said with a smile.

"You're in luck," she said pulling out two cupcakes off of a tray. "These were just finished this morning, orange with chocolate icing."

"Sounds good," Heba said with a smile.

"Enjoy them!" she called out as the pair exited the bakery, cupcakes in hand.

The couple headed down the street, greeting back those who greeted them. However, Atem paused which caused Heba to look at him in concern.

"What is it?" Heba asked.

"Guards," Atem said, grabbing Heba's arm and pulling him aside. Hiding behind a large pillar holding up the side of the house. Atem knew guards would be here but he would rather spend time alone with Heba without guards watching his every move.

The guards passed by and Atem and Heba shared a smile before digging into their cupcakes.

However, what they didn't know was that Yami had walked by a little bit after the guards did as he was trying to find the couple. He walked past them, heading back to the carriage with a frown on his face.

A few months later, Heba and Atem were engaged and a wedding was being planned by Atem's parents.

However, a week before the wedding, Heba wasn't sure he wanted the big and grand wedding that the royals often threw. He wasn't noble nor was he a royal. He was just a boy from a small family who knew how to get by day today.

"We don't have to do the big wedding you know," Atem said one evening as they sat by the Nile. "I've never been one for parties."

"Are you sure?" Heba asked. "What about your parents, what would they say?"

"They might be disappointed but I think they'll understand," Atem said with a sigh.

"What would we do then?" Heba asked, sitting up from where he was lying on Atem's stomach.

"We could always elope instead," Atem said sitting up and staring out at the water. "We always talked about going to Japan together, we could go there."

"How would we elope? We need someone to sign the papers," Heba asked turning to Atem, his finger playing with his engagement ring.

"Leave it to me," Atem said with a smile, leaning down and kissing Heba softly.

A week later, the papers were presented to Atem's parents the morning of the wedding.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Amara asked with a frown. Heba's heart clenched seeing how upset she was. As much as she was trying to hide it.

"We are," Atem said with a nod.

"Are you sure?" Aknamkanon repeated once more. "We can always postpone the wedding until you are sure."

"We're sure Your Majesty," Heba said with a nod. "We want to elope."

"Very well," Aknmakanon said with a nod and a sigh. He and Amara shared a nod before he grabbed a quill and signed the paper, handing it over to Amara to sign as well. "As of this moment, you two are married."

"Where will you go?" Amara asked, handing the papers over to Atem.

"Japan," Heba answered with a soft smile. "Atem has wanted to go since I told him about it and I've wanted to go back and visit my family for a few years now."

"As long as you both are happy," Amara said with a smile, her smile hiding the pain in her heart.

"I'll have a ship prepared for you both," Aknmakanon. "It will be ready by this evening."

"Thank you, Father," Atem said with a smile.

That evening, they departed from Egypt and started the voyage to Japan.

However, as they left Heba couldn't help but feel sad.

Though he wasn't sad that he was leaving Egypt, it was only a temporary home. He couldn't quite name what he was sad about, he just felt the heaviness in his heart.

Little did he know, he wasn't feeling his own sadness.

But Yami's.