Y'all roast me in the comments for this shit a bitch SWORE UP AND DOWN THAT SHE WOULD NEVER WRITE OMEGAVERSE AND YET HERE WE ARE. Listen, the world is a wreck and I'm just here trying to survive... I have no excuse for this but I will give *several*.

First being, this is basically Omegaverse in name only, it's only to explain who in the world can get pregnant. I'm going by sims rules (i.e. do you stand up when you pee? Can you get pregnant or do you get others pregnant?) and the terms are only used in this beginning section to quickly and efficiently explain who can and can't have babies.

In short, everyone uses he/him pronouns, women basically don't exist, yes I also cringe don't come for me I'm smol.

Second, there's a lot of dark shit in this fic so mind the tags, be kind, and if something icks you out feel free to click off.

Third, I wrote this plot for a DnD game (yes really) so there's a lot of weird convoluted political shit that you frankly don't have to keep up with I get it lol.

Fourth... my life is a joke and I'm just free ballin it at this point.

So here it is...


It's atypical for the prince to drag his feet, especially when he's been summoned by the king. Truth be told, his highness usually carries himself with an air of diligent grace and a fierce look of determination in his eyes. This is more so the case than ever before now that he has finally found himself free of his adolescent years.

Today, however, his stature is much more reminiscent of those turbulent times. Prince Yuri slumps down the hall and folds his arms with a huff when the Steward bars his immediate entry to the king's study. He gives a particularly vicious eye roll when he hears the voice of his tutor in the back of his mind, it's unbecoming of a prince to slouch like that.

Yuri would most assuredly scoff at the sentiment and remind his tutor that it is a far worse offense to keep one's charge waiting for the better part of an hour. Which, Yuri would explain with a callous pout, was exactly what Mr. Katsuki had done this morning. This is all leaving out the fact that his highness thinks it's ridiculous that he has continued to have lessons of any kind when his twentieth birthday was over a week ago.

This whole argument flashes through Yuri's mind as he impatiently taps his foot against the floor. Internally he glows with his unearned victory; of course he'd win, Mr. Katsuki wouldn't be able to argue against his well-placed barbs. His tutor has grown a bit more of a backbone in the past few years of tenure at the palace. While Yuri would be remiss to say he hadn't grown fond of the man who shares his given name, currently he'd like to uphold his displeased demeanor.

"King Yakov will see you now." The Steward returns with a bow.

Yuri says nothing as he pushes into the room, his father stands over his desk with a pinched expression. The fury in his gaze remains as his eyes flick up to observe his son.

"You sent for me." Yuri states blithely, offering half assed bow before approaching the desk.

"You look upset, son."

"I could say the same of you."

"I believe you just did." The king straightens his spine and rolls his shoulders back. A sigh seems to sit on the edge of his lips. "Take a seat."

"Will I be here long?" Yuri asks, the initial annoyance of the morning finally ebbing away as he takes in the tense exhausted figure of his father. While the king dons an air of exhaustion most days, today he looks particularly on edge.

"That depends entirely on you." The king rounds the desk as Yuri sinks into a chair.

"You're making me nervous, Papa." Yuri admits.

"Good, because your damn brother just made a monumental mess that we have to clean up." King Yakov pinches the bridge of his nose as he leans back against the desk. "It seems that he has absconded with your tutor."

Yuri chuckles at first, the idea seems so… well, perhaps farfetched isn't the right word, Viktor has always been one for theatrics. But for him to have run off with Yuuri Katsuki seems preposterous. Of all the problems his father could have presented him, this most certainly was not on the list of possibilities in Yuri's mind.

Then, he feels his features drop as he realizes Mr. Katsuki's tardiness. Whenever Mr. Katsuki was late to a lesson Viktor would trail in not long after, his eyes all aglow, the pages of his missives turning just a bit too slow. It was obvious that Viktor had been smitten with him, but Yuuri was nothing if not dutiful. Mr. Katsuki had his head screwed on right, which is to say he knew his place in the world. His sensibility was one of the many reasons King Yakov had entrusted the education of his youngest son to the man… and he just… for him to betray that trust was unimaginable.

All of this leaves out the fact that Viktor is the heir to Yakov's throne. Viktor, who has been promising to look more seriously into his romantic prospects all winter, has just run away. Viktor, who is expected to rule the kingdom and produce an heir to follow in his footsteps, has abandoned his duty. Yuri's idiotic older brother has just flown in the face of not only his family, but the entire kingdom.

Yuri's skin grows hot and his breath sits heavily in his chest as he finally speaks.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

Yakov plucks a paper off his desk and reads, "I'm sorry Papa, but I have to follow my heart. What good am I to the kingdom if I cannot give them an honest man? What kind of king will I be if I cannot show them that love is worth fighting for?"

"That absolute… wait… does that mean-"

"Yes, your brother has not only left, but he's implied that he's eloped."

"Eloped? Truly?" Yuri wants to deny such an accusation. His brother is foolish and a halfwit, but he wouldn't just disregard his family in such a way… would he?

"Yes, Yura. Your brother has disappeared in the dead of night with your tutor and has," Yakov returns his gaze to the note, "decided that 'love is the most noble thing a man can fight for. By the time you read this, I will be a married man. I hope that you will one day see this not as a slight, but as a sign that you raised me well enough to pursue such a grand endeavor.'"

"Drama king." Yuri can't bite back the snide comment.

"Hopefully they haven't gone too far and the guard I've sent out will bring them back. But I don't doubt that senseless boy is already wed... God willing I live another decade so that this kingdom doesn't fall into his impudent lap. To think that brainless oaf will be king one day is enough to make me roll in a grave I've yet to settle in."

Yuri's hardly heard that last rant, as his blood has run cold at the implication of the situation. "Which means… What exactly?"

The sad glance his father gives is the only answer Yuri needs to fully understand the gravity of the situation.

Yuuri Katsuki is a high born, well educated, beta. It's part of why he was hired as a tutor for Prince Yuri. No matter how nonsensical things such as stereotypes are they exist for a reason, and in this case, that reason was security. Betas are primed for positions of political and scholarly prestige, seeing as their drive for the carnal instincts of life are more subdued than their counterparts.

In short, Yuuri Katsuki was a safe option to bring into the palace as a teacher for the younger prince. There'd be no risk of him taking advantage of his situation with either prince, and for a time, that was the case. Yuri has been under the tutelage of Mr. Katsuki for three years now with little to no missteps.

Until now. This is a truly egregious abuse of the trust King Yakov put in him. Of course, it's not entirely Yuuri's fault. Viktor is far more at fault in this instance.

Viktor is next in line for the throne. Viktor is expected to produce children. Yuuri cannot do that for him. Those simple biological rules had lulled the king into a false complacency bringing the younger man into their home. It's Viktor who has now shirked his responsibilities and caused such a disturbance in the order of the kingdom.

It's Yuri who will have to pick up the pieces.

"I know that… for some time I have promised that you would not be married off without rhyme or reason. I had hoped that once Viktor was spoken for, finding you a match would be more or less your decision. You understand now that cannot be."

Yuri feels a lump form in his throat as he nods, "I… I understand."

"I'm so sorry, Yura." His father steps forward and puts a hand on his shoulder. "I've already been in contact with a potential fiancé for you. A second son from the western kingdom of Quilon. I'm going to accept his proposal before the news of this gets out and puts a stain on our family name."

Yuri nods mutely as his father turns back to his desk. "So, just to be clear. I will be… my children will be Viktor's heirs?"

"That's the idea." King Yakov nods. He does not turn around to see the pale hue that has overtaken Yuri's features.

"And they'll be raised here?"

Yakov stiffens as he turns back to his son, "I'm not so cruel as to take your children from you, Yura. You will still be their parent and you will still be free to raise them as you please. But you must know-"

"That now I've limited prospects." Yuri completes his father's sentence as he stands from his seat. "Because my boneheaded older brother decided that his happiness is worth more than that of his title, his duty, his kingdom, and me."

"I am truly sorry."

Yuri says nothing more as he turns from his father and exits the study. His body shakes with emotion; it is neither true rage nor devastating sorrow. Rather, it's an overwhelming, all-consuming heartbreak that has his breath catching in his throat.

There's an unspoken creed of all younger siblings; there comes a point where the roles reverse. A younger sibling grows to realize that their older counterparts have no common sense or survival instincts. It's nothing short of a miracle that Viktor has managed for so long considering his propensity for trouble. Yuri has been cleaning up Viktor's messes for a long time now, but this? This is some next level bullshit.

There is rage in his throat, yes; there's rage, sorrow, disgust, embarrassment, and loss. At the heart of it all, Yuri feels like he has ultimately been disregarded by both Viktor and Mr. Katsuki… if that is still his surname.

"Your highness? Are you going into town? Should I fetch your walking cloak?"

Yuri halts in his tracks as his personal maid pokes his head around the corner.

"No… That will not be necessary Guang. Thank you." Yuri attempts to keep his tone even as the other man approaches.

"Are you certain, your highness? You typically don't come this way unless you intend to leave. If it is not out of turn, you look troubled."

Yuri gives an undignified snort, "And perhaps I am."

"I will grab your walking gear and perhaps I might accompany you." Guang-Hong bows to him before shuffling up to the prince's chambers.

Yuri has half a mind to storm out of the palace without his attendant but decides against it. Viktor's already dragged their good name through the mud, there's no point in him doing the same. Regardless of Yuri's good standing with the people of the village, he can't risk another blow to his family's reputation. In addition, if he's to be married soon, he cannot risk being seen as anything less than perfect.

Fuck.

Guang-Hong returns with the promised garments and makes quick work of gathering the prince for his outing. For the first few minutes of their trek, Yuri does not speak to his companion. He feels the urge to scream or cry, but he does neither.

"Your highness, if something is troubling you, I'd like to help." Guang-Hong says softly.

"It is not a situation that can be helped." Yuri tells him.

"Even still."

"It seems that my brother and my tutor have decided to elope." His companion gasps but Yuri does not glance at him. "Now I am to be wed as soon as possible to secure our bloodline."

"But… Mr. Katsuki… He never gave any indication that he returned the Crown Prince's interest."

"It seems that either my brother is very persuasive, or my tutor was much more deceptive than we gave him credit for. For my part, I'm not certain if it matters. What's done is done and now my own fate is decided because of it."

"Do you know to whom you are betrothed to?"

"Nothing is set in stone, but it will be to a second born. If word of Vitya's elopement doesn't cause scandal, my engagement will surely be seen as a step down."

"Are you alright?"

"I do not believe so, but as I said, there is little to be done about the matter."

"Your highness, if there's anything I can do-"

"Don't speak on it…" Yuri feels his throat tighten as he reaches for his companion's hand. "I will try to see if I might bring you with me to my new estate, but if I am unable, I will provide you a good reference."

"There's much work still in the palace, your highness, don't worry for me. I am worried for your wellbeing. You must be quite distraught with all the news of the day."

Yuri nods mutely. The silhouette of the village has further come into view and for once it does not bring a wash of peace over Yuri. Rather, it brings a deep sense of dread, his stomach weighs down in his abdomen as he realizes that this place of serenity will no longer be his soon. He'll be whisked away to another kingdom, another world; one that he will have to swear allegiance to, but never fully be a part of.

Perhaps he should not be so gutted by the prospect of leaving this place. Truth be told, he has always known he'd be married off and sent to live with his husband. In those instances, however, it had been with the implication that he'd marry an heir to either a kingdom, or at the very least an estate. As an omega, it was his role in life to be a consort to the crown, the right hand of his husband and to support his new home as best he's able.

Now that's all changed, he will never integrate into his husband's kingdom because his children are destined to rule another. He won't become a consort because he must marry a second, third, or fourth son so that there will be no contested inheritance. In short, the life Yuri has spent nearly a decade preparing for is no longer his future. To add insult to injury, his tutor was one of many helping to prepare him for the position of consort. His tutor, who has now taken that future and thrown it on the pyre, along with the crown and the potential future of the kingdom.

"Have you an idea of where you'd like to go?" Guang-Hong chances the question.

Yuri rolls back his shoulders and nods, setting off in a familiar direction. One of his personal projects in town as of late has been the reconstruction of the old bridge. He enjoys these sorts of tasks: finding a trouble spot in the village in need of attention and guiding the community to lasting solutions. It's comforting, he thinks, to help others and it's a particularly good use of his talents.

Upon arriving at the construction site, he's greeted warmly by a few of the workers. The head of the project approaches and gives him an enthusiastic update. Yuri wears a pleasant smile and nods along, hoping above all hopes that he does not come off as disingenuous. The swirling weight in his gut does not relent as he writes up orders for supplies and payments for the laborers.

Guang's presence offers him the smallest bit of comfort; it's a negligible amount overall, but any comfort is worth his while.

When the sun betrays Yuri's peace, he and his attendant return to the palace. He is greeted with a message from his father that he'll be taking dinner in the study. Now that there is no one else present to dine with, Yuri elects to do the same. A pang of sadness shoots through his chest as he thinks about dinners with Viktor and Mr. Katsuki.

It's a common enough occurrence for the king to eat in his chambers; Viktor (and later Yuuri) insisted on formal family meals regardless. He'd go on some tirade about courtesy and remembering the etiquette of the thing; he'd say that the pair of them were more than enough family for them to make an event out of it. Yuri believed (and still does, mind you) that it was all a ruse so that the Crown Prince might have more occasions to overdress. Still, they were events that grew to be enjoyable over the years. Those days are gone now; it's a loss Yuri nurses much longer than he'd admit as he changes in his chambers.

Once he has dressed down and gathered his courage, Yuri is struck yet again with an uncomfortable realization. The informal study had been a bit of a middle ground for the triad. It was where Yuri studied and indulged in his paintings, while Viktor would thumb through his own work and occasionally play the piano.

He finds himself smiling at the idea despite himself. He conjures an image of himself perched on a stool delicately painting a landscape, Mr. Katsuki on the sofa reading a novel, and Viktor playing a soft, sweet tune. The scene shifts in his mind; he imagines Mr. Katsuki passing longing glances at his brother and Viktor smiling above the keys, and the image is suddenly tarnished.

Yuri chastises himself for his melancholy and reasons that there is no purpose for it. Thoughts such as those are unproductive at best and what is done is done. Still, he lingers on the notion just a bit longer, wishing that he could live in that moment rather than this one. When the sharp sting of longing fades, he walks down to the room in question.

The space feels uncomfortable, cold despite the gentle fire in the hearth, and the brewing storm just outside only supports the stiffness of the setting. Nothing is out of place from when Yuri left it just last night; his sketchbook is still perched on the side table, his easel is tucked up in the corner, and bookshelves are still filled to the brim. Viktor's desk is clean, a fresh candle set in its holder. Yuri has half a mind to light the candle and scour the desk for any sort of clue about his brother's escape. He stops himself from this, however, convincing himself that his father would have already searched for any sign as to his damn eldest's whereabouts.

Yuri, instead, grabs his sketchbook and attempts to work through a logistical change in the bridge's construction. His eyes glaze over, the charcoal in his hand seems to have a mind of its own and it gives him pause.

The image before him is nothing short of melodramatic and he is duly ashamed of having allowed himself to create such a thing. Guang-Hong arrives with his meal in the midst of his deprecating internal monologue. Yuri eats in silence, dissecting the details of the image until he has talked himself into pulling out a canvas.

With the backdrop of a storm, Yuri paints a portrait of his soul, all the while belittling himself for being so damn dramatic. Perhaps he and Viktor are cut from the same cloth, and that thought lights a flare of anger that translates into his paints.

By the time Yuri begins to feel the weight of tiredness pulling him towards his bed for the night, he has the beginnings of a silent scene. The unfinished bridge sits in the distance, rain splashing against the wood at a speed he isn't certain of yet (but he's leaning towards a steady drizzle), and a figure wearing a sodden cloak in the foreground. Tomorrow, he plans to finish the town in the distance and the sodden bird resting on the person's shoulder.

He pretends to wipe the smudges of charcoal from his cheek instead of the tears. Who he's performing for he isn't entirely certain of, but he suddenly feels exposed. He won't let the world see him like this; in the ruins of his own emotional instability, with the deep cuts of inadequacy coloring his features.

In the morning he feels some bit better; the pain has ebbed away enough that he can accomplish more productive tasks. He collects donations for the local orphanage, sends out orders for the paving projects within the town center, and writes letters on his father's behalf.

He doesn't go into the study. He avoids doing so until the end of the day when he works on his newest piece. He gets lost in the details of the village, a common occurrence both in and outside of the realms of art, and has far less progress than he would have liked. But the domed roof of the church had to be perfect, it's one of his favorite features of the skyline, and the bell tower needed a bit more attention because it has a tendency to look lopsided if he isn't careful.

Three days later the painting is finished and he's engaged to a man named Jean-Jacques Leroy, a second son from the western kingdom of Quilon. He's never met this man but from what his father has said of him, Yuri isn't hopeful that this will turn into a love match. He isn't even certain this will turn into a match of equals. The best he can hope for is that this union will prove fruitful for his own kingdom.

Moravia and her citizens don't deserve to suffer because of Viktor's refusal to accept responsibility. As such, Yuri has resolved to pick up the mantle and fulfill the promise their Crown Prince denied them.

He is told that the pair will meet for the first time at Christophe's wedding, an event that Yuri is honestly shocked that Viktor has the gall to miss. The king says that a date will be set once the pair have met, then grumbles about negotiations that Yuri could not give a fuck about.

Guang-Hong packs him a bag for the journey; it's not a far journey, all things considered. In a little less than a fortnight Yuri will meet the man who will take his hand in marriage.

That night he finishes his painting, feeling very much like a raven whose wings are laden with rainwater. He thinks that perhaps the drizzle is, instead, a hurricane and that the figure is trying to decide where, or if, he should run.

The figure and the raven are the same; rain soaked, lost, and unable to move. He chokes down that truth and covers the canvas with a thick sheet; he can't face that reality right now.

When will he be ready? That remains to be seen.


If this is redemption, why do I bother at all

There's nothing to mention, and nothing has changed