Wow, 200k+ words… we've come far, aye? We're hopefully close to an ending, though my thoughts on the ending has completely changed from the original ending that I had thought up initially. I'll see how interesting I want to get with this story so brace your little hearts.
So another ObiYuki fic is confirmed, but a concept and a time is unspecified. I'd probably need a break from my otp after finishing this fic honestly lol. Right now, I kind've want to do another fic in another anime, game, or cartoon. So Soul Eater Legend of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, Avatar: Last Airbender, Teen Titans… though, it isn't too fair to ask you guys since ya'll are here for ObiYuki. But if any of you have expanded interests in these animes/shows/games and their ships, please do stick around!
SIXTY-THREE - Reconcile
6 Days Until The Wedding
Obi was nervous.
No, actually he was terrified.
Maybe not enough that he feared for his life, but enough to make his stomach twist and spin like an ocean during a tsunami. The tips of his rough fingers gently rub the handle of one of the doors. Obi takes a few shaky breaths before wrapping his large hand around it, contemplating his words before allowing himself into Zen's quarters.
The first thing he sees is the desk flipped over, with all the contents scattered all about the ground. Obi scans the scene, wondering what had happened before looking around in search for the Prince. His amber orbs spot the man immediately, seeing the figure in the balcony with his hair flowing with the wind. Obi makes his way around the desk (which he mentally notes to help clean) and finds himself on the balcony. He was few feet from the Prince, knowing that Zen had already sensed his presence by the time he opened the doors to his quarters.
"Master," Obi begins. He quickly gets on his knees, with his hands over them and his head down.
Zen keeps from turning, knowing exactly what Obi had done behind him. Because he knew that if he turned around to face him, he'd really be the one facing punishment. And honestly, Zen didn't think his heart could take any more than it already has.
He has done nasty things to someone who would give his very life for him. He made Obi (who really didn't feel forced) build Shirayuki back up after he had broken her heart into millions of pieces. He has made Obi travel long ways to deliver invitations to a wedding not even he wants to attend. Zen even put Obi on arrest, starving him and dehydrating to the very brink of death.
And yet still, Obi doesn't even think twice to reduce any amount of respect he has for Zen. Because for Obi, he has learned that flaws exist in everyone and he couldn't blame Zen for having a few. The mysterious man himself has fault that even he can see and know they are not his greatest traits. So Obi will continue to get on his knees or bow before his Master, despite the hardships Zen put him through.
"You don't have to get on your knees," Zen speaks lowly, having Obi slowly get back on his feet. "It'll make me feel worse than I already do."
"Why do you feel not good, Master?" Obi asks quietly, keeping his distance behind him. Obi wasn't sure how to act around him, unsure whether he should stay behind him or go by his side. He knew there was a line between those two, but he wasn't the one who made it.
Zen sighs, "don't act like you don't know what I've done to you and to Shirayuki." His hands clench around the railing. "I just released you from a life-threatening sentence that I assigned. And in extension," Zen turns his head to continue watching his land distantly, "I made Shirayuki suffer."
Obi didn't really know how to react. Although he was mad for making Shirayuki put up with the pain she has, it wasn't like Obi was particularly mad. Being in the Wistalia Kingdom for as long as he's been, Obi has been taught to forgive. Especially when Zen was the person who gave him the opportunity to be forgiving and good. Calling him 'Master' and following his right way has shown Obi that there's more than just to live.
"Master…" Obi takes the leap of faith and walks over to Zen's side. He could tell Zen felt somewhat threatened but he didn't move a single inch. Obi smiled at this. He places his hand on Zen's shoulder and gives it a light squeeze. "It's okay."
Zen's eyes widen, still unable to look at Obi but can react to his words accordingly. He shakes off Obi's hold on him, feeling some sort of burn from his touch. "But it's really not okay… what I did was extremely rash and unlike me." Zen swallows, his eyes wavering as though close to tears. "I've worked so hard for my entire life to avoid becoming anything like my brother. I want to be a Prince that our people can not only count on and look up to. I want to be the man that Kiki and Mitsuhide know I can be so long as I continued growing with that mindset. I want to be everything that Shirayuki needed me to be…"
Zen cuts himself off as he begins to choke up, having Obi forget about the line. Immediately, he grabs Zen's arm and quickly pulls him into his arms. It honestly was a strange sight to see and an even stranger feeling to be the participants of the shared embrace.
But Zen's scrambled mind finally gave in and he quickly began to cry in his aides' arms. Obi could only think to hold him (which might've have been a bit of a push), but he truly believed he needed it. Zen must be bearing troubles in his head that Kiki and Mitsuhide can't figure out and Shirayuki can't cure. Being a Prince is not very easy and Obi never once believed that Zen was spoiled or more fortunate than he was.
In fact, Obi thinks he has the better end of the bargain. He doesn't have to face the intense pressure of acceptance from his mother, his brother, and the thousands (if not, millions) of people that reside in his state. He will also never have the chance to take over the pending role of king due to the closeness of he and his older brothers' births. But Zen still has to make very big decisions that is good for his people, and now with his fiance, he must act accordingly to get along and work with another kingdom.
Zen felt like absolute crap, considering the many times he's already cried within a 5-hour time interval. But being in this embrace, though strange that it isn't a woman's, felt relieving. It was obscure to think that this hug was gradually removing some of the weight and pressure on his chest. And of all people, it was Obi!
"Obi, I-I'm so-"
"Don't worry about it, Master," Obi assures in a whisper, patting the Prince's back before quickly letting him go. He places his hands behind his back and gives Zen one of his famous smirks. "I'll forgive you regardless."
Obi looked at Zen's face, his cheeks splotched pink with tears urging to evaporate. "N-no Obi, I owe you a big apology for everything that I've done."
"And I already said that it was okay," Obi chuckles with a shrug. "Things have been rather hectic since you announced your engagement. You must have had your reasons so I cannot be mad about that, Master."
Right then, Obi slightly glowers at Zen, "but I cannot condone the pain and suffering you brought Mistress regardless of your feelings over your decision to be engaged with another woman. You didn't have to hurt her any further than you already have."
Zen nods in comprehension and begins to wipe his cheeks, "can't argue with that, now can I? I let the only woman I've ever loved hurt in ways that she didn't think she could be hurt. And for that, I'll forever regret."
Obi grins and takes himself a seat on the balcony floor. Obi pats the floor beside him, having Zen take a seat while calming himself down. "I think if you tried speaking with her, she would try very hard to understand your reasoning and forgive you."
"I doubt it," Zen mumbles with a sniffle. "Shirayuki has only faced me recently because of your incarceration. She literally has no other reason to speak with me."
"Then give her a reason," Obi says simply with a shrug. Zen looks over at him, having Obi meet his gaze with his usual rapscallion smirk. But his amber eyes looked different.
They weren't the same as when they first met Obi. His eyes were taciturn, holding all sorts of secrets that Zen couldn't even dare explore. Especially when he wore that headband that had essentially hid him from the world and let people just barely scrape at his surface. But now they were of honey, dewy and ready to face just about anything. They held optimism and curiosity, an excess amount of willingness that Zen never thought he'd see.
"Obi," Zen swallows harshly, sincerity drowning his azure eyes, "I really am sorry for everything that I've done." Obi rolled his eyes and began to fan himself.
"Wow," Obi pretends to feel his cheeks getting hot, "getting stared at in such a way by the Prince himself- I feel my heart trembling!"
"Obi!" Zen shoves the man, causing Obi to erupt in laughter. "Quit flattering yourself!"
"I just can't help myself, Master," Obi chuckles, pretending to wipe away a tear from his eyes, "your reaction is just priceless." Zen could just stare, surprised at how easy it was to go back to normal. Especially with Obi of all people. But then again, only Obi could manage to do these things, and for that, Zen can only start smiling.
"Obi," Zen begins quietly as Obi's laughter dissolves, "thank you for not making me regret recruiting you as my assistant." Obi shrugs, looking up at the sky with his legs out and crossed before him. He had been dressed nicely, upon request, but clearly uncomfortable and desperate to strip out of the fine linens.
"You saved my life so," Obi shrugs again, "no need to thank me. It's a given, I think." Zen felt this overwhelming shift in his heart, like a weight has been lifted and life is suddenly pouring itself back inside. "I'd be worse off had you not kept me around."
"It must have been bad, huh?" Zen asks curiously, having Obi shrug once more. "I won't pry, if that's what you're expecting."
"It's alright, Master," Obi assures with a grin. "My life was in absolute shambles before you came and dug me right out. I'm forever grateful to you."
Zen smiles warmly, "I'm glad to have helped, but I think you've helped me more. There's so much that you've done that I know I'll never be able to repay." Obi shrugs but Zen insists, "you've done everything I've asked down to the very small things. You've tolerated every shot I've thrown at you and you're here before me, with no malicious intentions towards me."
"I mean," Obi begins, rubbing the bottom of his nose with his finger, "none that you're aware of anyways." Zen snaps his neck to look at him as Obi bursts into laughter once more. "Master, you have to learn to stop taking me so seriously!"
"I can't when you were literally a criminal before I let you stick around!"
"That's a fair point," Obi points out, dissolving his laughter as he resumes to stare curiously into the sky. "But you've given me something that I never thought I'd be able to have." Zen knew who he spoke of and felt his heart halt for a moment.
It wasn't like Zen meant to give Shirayuki away. This woman turned him greedy enough to fall under the assumption that he can have both her and the fiance that he doesn't actually want. But Zen knew that eventually, it would be inevitable. Obi likes Shirayuki, and now that Shirayuki can't like Zen, she can like whoever she wants. And seeing as Obi is genuinely the best option, Zen should have seen it coming.
"Not like I wanted to give her to you," Zen says quietly, any speck of content now gone from his face. Obi knew that he'd be livid to discuss it, but it was something that they must hurdle over before resuming their relationship as Master and Assistant. "But I suppose this is the next best thing for me… I trust you a lot, Obi."
"I wouldn't want to give you reason not to, Master," Obi begins, "I'm glad you trust me more than I trust myself because I honestly don't know what I'm doing."
"Have you never…" Zen begins quietly, "you know?"
Obi shakes his head, "nobody got me the way she did. It makes so much sense why you Prince's want her the way you do." Obi sniffles. "She's a treasure."
"You've really fancied her for a while, haven't you?" Zen now whispers, watching Obi wistfully. And, with no real shock, Obi becomes the exact reflection of Zen when anybody mentions Shirayuki's name.
Obi's eyes warmed up, finding the sky much prettier than it actually was. A wide, cheek-hurting smile painting across his lips, eyes squinting just slightly. His body loosened, butterflies flying carelessly in his tummy.
"She's one in a million, Master," Obi puts simply, turning to meet Zen's eyes. "And unlike you, I'm not too eager or willing to let her go."
"She's really yours…" Zen whispers, having Obi nod. But Obi wasn't scared; he kept his eyes locked with his Master. "As much as I want to hate you, I know I can't, Obi. You will do a much better job keeping her happy than I could have. I don't have a shred of doubt about that."
Obi nodded, "I'll definitely try my hardest to keep her safe and smiling. There's nothing more for me in this world than that at this point."
"You better," Zen smiles and shoves Obi playfully, "or else I'd have your head on a pike."
Obi snorts, "as if I'd let you have my head in the first place."
"Aye!" Zen grabs his sword (which remains in the sheath) and threatens his throat with it, "remember that my swordsmanship is much better than yours."
"Also keep in mind that I'm much quicker on my feet than you are, Master." Obi sticks his tongue out at him, "you'll be chasing me for a long while if you really want my head." Zen chuckles as he tosses it away again. "Unless you are seeking another head," Obi begins suggestively, "then I could definitely-"
"Stop!" Zen shuts him up. "Don't finish that sentence." Obi chuckles, now holding onto his stomach due to the pain of laughing in his lungs. "You're still as annoying as ever, Obi."
"Hey," Obi raises his hands up, "you chose to keep me, didn't you?"
Zen nods, a small smile playing at his lips. He nods, "yeah, yeah I did. Thanks for not making me regret that choice." Obi nods, the two men looking back at the sky while allowing comforting silence to ensue.
Everything that was needed to be said was now out, with the two finally being able to remain in the same room without wanting any tension. Zen is still slow, but is gradually accepting the fact that Shirayuki is happy with Obi and he should be happy for that. Obi is still unsure about everything that's going about in this castle, but he at least has most of his Master back. And that was a very good thing.
"So where's that food?" Obi breaks the silence. "I was promised a meal during this discussion and I have yet to see a tray."
"Don't tell me you've only come willingly over a promised meal," Zen sighs.
"No, but it definitely convinced me a lot," Obi jokes, having Zen roll his eyes as the two stand up and head to the door to see what was cooking in the kitchen. As they walk and hold a vibrant conversation, the two really felt a sense of relief and everything between them had finally been resolved on that balcony.