DISCLAIMER:
The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten,
Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.
I'm
just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale
Submitted
to the Saiunkoku
Fic LJ's Fic Battle
Prompt 69)
Shuuei/Seiran, power struggle
By
firewolf
September
2008
Kouyuu sighed as he watched the two men in their 'friendly' spar. He supposed the tension between them couldn't be helped.
Shuuei had once told him that he had been raised to serve Prince Seien. However, in their first meeting, the Prince had completely humiliated him in front of family and peers before sending him packing to build the skills necessary to serve him. Unfortunately, by the time Shuuei returned, the Prince was already long exiled and thought dead.
When Seiran appeared in Kiyou, and they latter realised he was the missing Prince, Kouyuu knew that Shuuei hadn't known exactly how to react to him, for Shuuei was a general while Seiran quietly entered the army ranks as a lowly soldier. It had suited him that they mostly managed to avoid one another within the military.
Now though, Shuuei's demotion had placed him directly under Seiran's command. Kouyuu was sure his friend thought the gods were laughing at him.
There was no denying that Shuuei had lost a lot in these few weeks; his family name, his rank in the army, his place in Kouyuu's heart... And while Kouyuu felt sorry for Shuuei, he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to forgive him for sneaking out of Kiyou without a word to him.
In fact, nearly all his friends were absent when Kouyuu had been thrown into prison. And though Kouyuu understood why in his head, his heart had hurt to be seemingly abandoned by all-- except for Seiran.
Kouyuu winced as with a clash of steel, Shuuei once again disarmed Seiran and sent Kanshou flying. The hidden prince gave the man a wry smile as he went after his fallen sword. Despite his victory though, Shuuei didn't exactly act elated. Not when Seiran sheathed his sword to walk to Kouyuu's side and gave him a hand up.
Kouyuu tried not to notice Shuuei's expression when Seiran further slipped a possessive arm around his waist. There really was nothing to say when it was only Seiran who was there for Kouyuu at the time the scholar was at his lowest ebb since his adoption by Reishin sama. And despite his far from stellar rank, Seiran still managed to ensure Kouyuu wasn't bullied nor abused by the guards during his long incarceration.
Feeling his involuntary shiver, Seiran tightened his hold around Kouyuu's waist offering him a measure of warmth and protection Kouyuu didn't think he could ever accept from Shuuei again.
~owari~
Thanks
for reading.
Cheers, firewolf
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