I-is it just me, or are my one-shots getting longer?...
Anyways. Um... this was inspired by a picture I saw on Google Images c: I can't give you the link (I think it's not allowed?) but it was REAALLLLYY hot. Someone drew Nitori in the future, and, let's just say, 10/10 would bang. Lol.
Also, I'm not completely familiar with Japanese traditions, so I'm not 100% sure what Nitori's family name is. I assumed it was Nitori, so... this is an AU, and I'm not familiar with AUs. I've changed quite a lot of things, INCLUDING THEIR PERSONALITIES. Nitori's mainly, to match the photo I saw c:
Anyway. Hope you guys enjoy this. Feel free to drop a review c: Thankies! ~~
Rintori Week
Day Five: Arabian AU
-x-
"Gosh, dad is so stupid! I don't wanna marry someone I don't know! And you know, after I told him that, he told me it was for the kingdom! For the kingdom! Well, what about me? Doesn't he ever think of me and what I want?!" Gou burst into tears. She lay on the couch, curled up in a ball. "Dad is an idiot! IIIIDIOOOTTT!"
"Gou, if you're not going to help with my paperwork, go away. You're giving me a headache," Rin nursed his throbbing forehead.
"B-but Rin! Talk to dad! You're the only one who can talk sense into his crazed mind! He'll listen to you! Pleeasssee!"
"Your husband-to-be is coming tomorrow anyway, right? There's no point. Even dad can't do anything about it now," Rin said dismissively. "So shut up about it."
"Rin is an idiot, too! IDIIIOOOTTTT! I hate you all!" Gou sprinted out of the room in tears, slamming the door shut behind her.
Rin winced. His head had been aching since morning, and now his ears were ringing too. There was no way that he was going to get his work done in this state, so he went for a walk in the garden.
He was just surveying the roses – they were coming along surprisingly well – when he heard the clicking of hooves on the ground.
'Visitors?' He thought, puzzled. 'Dad didn't inform us of any particular visitors today… are they raiders?'
With that alarming thought echoing in his mind, Rin decided to check out the intruders. He had only a dagger on his belt, but that should suffice. For a while.
"Nitori-san, please watch your step. The grounds are uneven. Ah- you should wear your shoes!"
'Nitori-san? Royalty, perhaps?'
"Who are you?" Rin stepped out from his position behind the bushes, "State your business."
The footman stepped forward, outraged. "How dare you-"
A silver-haired man, dressed in silk robes, held up a hand to silence the footman. "I am Nitori Aiichirou, from the Nitori territory. I have come to settle the marriage with Gou Matsuoka."
"Oh." Rin took a step back. "You're early."
"I am aware of that, and I apologise," Nitori bowed slightly. Rin was taken aback – he was so… polite.
"Well… t-that's fine, I guess," Rin mumbled. "I'll go tell dad. Come in."
Nitori nodded his thanks and quickened his steps to catch up to Rin.
"As expected, the Matsuoka kingdom has such a lovely atmosphere. Your people treated me wonderfully," Nitori smiled, his sky-blue eyes twinkling with honesty.
"Oh, is that so?" To be honest, Rin had never really been out of the castle. He'd sneaked out a couple of times when he was younger, but his dad eventually found out and banned him from going out again, saying that it was too risky to associate with 'peasants'.
"Dad!" Rin shouted. "Nitori is here."
It wasn't until he heard the disapproving mutters that he realised he hadn't added an honorific.
'Oh well. I'll be sure to do it next time.'
His dad came rushing out of his throne room. "Nitori-san? Well, aren't you early!"
"Ah, yes… I just wanted to meet my wife-to-be before our appointed marriage," Nitori smiled smoothly. "I apologise if this was an inconvenient time. If you want, I could-"
"No, no, it's fine!" Rin's dad said quickly. "I'll just have Rin show you around while I get the maids to prepare your room…"
"No, that's-"
"I insist. Rin, if you will."
Rin nodded, sighing inwardly. At least he wouldn't have to continue his paperwork. "Right, Nitori… -san, follow me."
Nitori gestured to his footman. "Tell the others to wait outside. I'll send for them when the preparations have been completed."
His footman nodded and swiftly exited the room, throwing a mild glare in Rin's direction.
Rin nudged Nitori along.
"This is our small garden. It's slightly under nourished as we aren't blessed with a lot of rain. I'm sure the Nitori kingdom has a much richer ground."
"Actually, we don't really have a garden," Nitori chuckled. "I just have a few plants here and there around the palace, as I have an interest in flowers. But my siblings don't approve."
"Is that so?..." Rin smiled politely. "Well, I'm sure whatever flowers you have brought up will be healthier than ours. Moving on – we have a golf course. Dad often gets bored, and this serves as his entertainment grounds."
"Do you always do that?" Nitori asked. "Call your father 'dad' instead of 'father'."
"Huh? Of course. Don't you?"
"No…" Nitori averted his gaze. "My… family is quite strict, you see. We have to address our parents the formal way, and since a young age, we've been forced to take up lessons that prepare us for the moment we succeed the throne."
"That sounds harsh," Rin shuddered at the thought of being forced to take boring lessons.
"I've always wanted to venture beyond the gates that surround my home. But the one time that I actually do get a glimpse of my people, we zoom past it all and I hardly get a chance to savour it," Nitori sighed, sadness reflected in his eyes. "So, if I do marry your sister… I'm definitely going to walk in the town a lot more."
"Why don't you just go now?" Rin suggested off-handedly.
"Huh?" Nitori's head snapped up. "Are you crazy?" But his eyes glimmered with hope.
Rin almost laughed at how obvious Nitori was being. "We'll go tonight, so dad doesn't scold me."
"We shouldn't," Nitori shook his head slowly.
"But we are. I'll pick you up tonight, an hour before midnight."
"I've never lied in my life," Nitori whispered.
"You don't have to lie. Just retire early and I'll go to your room at eleven. Keep it a secret, and I will too. Deal?" Rin held out his hand.
Nitori reached out cautiously. With a suppressed smile on his face and excitement in his eyes, he gripped Rin's hand firmly.
"Deal."
-x-
When the clock hit eleven, Rin slipped out of his bedroom and stalked down the hallway. He'd worn his most comfortable outfit tonight. It didn't have any sparkles on it, so he hoped that he'd blend into the crowd.
"Nitori?" Rin called softly, knocking on Nitori's door.
After a few seconds of muffled groans and not-so-muffled bangs, a very sleepy looking Nitori opened the door.
"Ah, Rin-san… sorry, it was so dark, I couldn't find the door," Nitori mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Why do you have the curtains drawn?"
"I can't sleep when the moonlight lights up the room," Nitori answered. "Come inside; someone will see you. Give me a moment to change, please."
"Okay, but hurry up."
The door was closed. Rin stared at the wall while Nitori changed.
"Done," Nitori said after a while.
"Great. Let's- woah, hold on. What are you wearing?" Rin frowned, staring disapprovingly at Nitori's flashy outfit.
"My usual-"
"No good, you're going to have to wear something less… shiny. You'd just stand out if you wore that," Rin rifled through Nitori's wardrobe before finding some clothes that were more toned-down. "Try that."
"Okay," Nitori pulled his shirt over his head, revealing the creamy skin underneath. Along with a very toned body.
Rin couldn't help but marvel at him, until a blue shirt covered the sight up. He blushed slightly, scolding himself for staring too long. He looked away just in time as Nitori tugged his pants down.
"Let's go, let's go!" Nitori said excitedly.
"Okay," Rin nodded. He held a finger to his lips. "Stay quiet. Don't utter a word until we're out of the grounds. And stay behind me the whole way, okay? Don't even think of going away on your own." After a confirmation nod from Nitori, Rin finally got on his way.
-x-
Once they were safely out of the castle, Rin was at a loss of what to do.
That is, until Nitori's stomach grumbled.
The entire Matsuoka kingdom was late sleepers, so most of the shops were still open at night. Rin bought Nitori some takoyaki, which he devoured swiftly.
"Delicious!" Nitori gushed. "I've never had this before. Our kingdom is so much different from yours."
Rin grinned, pleased. "Oh, this is one of my personal favourites. I tried it last time I was out here, and I loved it. Try it." He bought some dango for Nitori, who stared at it quizzically. "It's really nice, just try it."
So, hesitantly, Nitori raised the dango to his lips, and took a little bite.
His face lit up. "Yum!"
They spent the entire night out, sampling food and discovering new things about each other. Rin found out that Nitori disliked tomato peels, eggplant, olives and pickles. Nitori was horrible at lying – the twinkle in his eyes would disappear – and he loved flowers and animals.
Also, after trying dango, it was now his favourite food. So they went back for seconds, thirds, fourths and fifths. Towards the end, the woman at the counter got so used to seeing them she would already have a plate of dango prepared.
Before they knew it, the first signs of the sun were breaking through the clouds.
"Ah, Nitori, up here," Rin called, waving to his friend. They ran to the top of a hill to watch the sun rise.
"You know, I was quite surprised to see that your father was still up when we sneaked out," Nitori smiled. "Thank God he didn't catch us, though. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the chance to see the open night sky, or taste the new food, and I wouldn't have had the chance to get to know you better. You're very kind, Rin-san."
"I am?" Rin's cheek coloured pink. "T-thanks…"
Nitori chuckled. "Thank you for this amazing night. It was… fun." He leaned over and pecked Rin on the lips.
It took a while for Rin to process Nitori's actions. "W-what…"
"That meant 'Thank you' and 'Let's get to know each other more'."
"It might mean that in your kingdom, but in our kingdom it means something completely different," Rin flushed a deep red. He avoided Nitori's gaze.
Because he'd noticed.
He'd noticed Nitori's long lashes and his silver hair that could not be found anywhere else in the kingdom. He'd noticed the way Nitori smiled ever-so-slightly, the corners of his lips curving up. He'd noticed the odd freckle on Nitori's left cheek. He'd noticed the way his eyes lightened up whenever he mentioned food, and the way they dampened whenever Rin inquired about his background. He'd noticed Nitori's cold fingers when their hands brushed against each other lightly.
And, above all, he'd noticed his feelings for the man.
The tell-tale signs; the heart that sped up whenever Nitori flashed him a smile. The way his stomach felt light and fluttery; the way his knees went weak. The way his head throbbed, but not like the headache he had earlier.
"What does that mean in your kingdom, Rin-san?" Nitori asked inquisitively.
"Let's see…" It was extremely awkward, explaining it to Nitori. "Well, it's a show of affection to someone you love."
"And what does your 'love' mean?"
"W-well… um…" Rin scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I guess it means that you want to… do all sorts of things with them…"
"How do you know you're in 'love'?" Geesh, Nitori was bombarding him with all sorts of awkward questions but Nitori himself wasn't flustered one bit.
"It's when your… heart hurts, your stomach is weak, your knees feel like they're about to give away and your breath catches in your throat when you see them smiling."
"Then…" Nitori reached over and engaged in another kiss with Rin. This one was longer, though not by much. When they pulled apart, Rin gawked at Nitori, speechless.
"H-hey! I just explained you what a kiss meant in our kingdom, and you do it again?!"
"But you said that it's something to do with the person you love, right?"
Rin nodded timidly.
"Then, it should be alright, shouldn't it?"
Nitori was smiling sweetly at Rin. He knew he'd won. Rin's face was bright red, and his knees were shaking so badly he was about to fall. Luckily, Nitori embraced him in a tight hug and he didn't fall.
Well, not until Nitori stopped hugging him and he fell to his knees because his heart was beating so hard in his chest.
"Oh, Rin-san! Are you okay?" Nitori looked concerned, but he wore a sly smile on his lips.
Rin blushed and looked away. "I'm fine."
'This is all your fault, dammit.' Rin thought, glaring daggers at Nitori.
But he seemed oblivious to it all, offering a hand of assistance to Rin, who accepted hesitantly.
"So, what's your answer, Rin-san?" Nitori asked, his eyes twinkling.
'So he's not lying.'
"You're marrying my sister."
"That wasn't an answer."
"No, it is. You're marrying my sister. Therefore, I cannot fall in love with you or engage in any… suggestive activities with you," Rin said firmly.
'That's right, Rin. This guy is going to be your sister's husband. NOT your boyfriend. Besides, last I checked, you were straight?'
"Okay," Nitori said simply. His eyes weren't twinkling anymore. "Then, I guess… I won't kiss you any more."
'His eyes aren't twinkling. His eyes aren't twinkling. What is that telling you, Rin? What is that telling you?' Alarm bells kept going off in Rin's head, but…
He didn't want to heed the warning.
All Rin could see was Nitori's lips. The lips that kissed him twice, without warning. And the lips that were probably about to kiss him a third time, but… he didn't mind.
Maybe.
'No, Rin. You shouldn't be doing this.'
Too late
Rin had been so fixated on Nitori's lips that, when Nitori leaned just that slight bit closer, Rin was the one who initiated the kiss.
So much for 'You're my sister's husband-to-be!'
-x-
"Rin, Rin! Great news, there's great news!" Gou yelled happily, rushing towards her brother.
"Shut up, Gou, you're giving me a headache."
"Never mind that, the wedding has been called off!"
"What?" Rin snapped.
"That's right!" Gou beamed, emitting rays of extreme happiness. "Nitori-san said that he didn't want to marry me, which is great! I can marry Mikoshiba-san now!"
"Huh? Mikoshiba-san? Who the hell is that?" Rin demanded to know.
"But are you really okay with this? I mean-" Gou sighed dramatically.
"Gou, tell me who Mikoshiba is-"
"-you're going to have to marry Nitori-san!"