I've been anxious for this week for a while but I hope these come out okay. Let's all have fun with it!
Late Amamota week day 1: Royalty AU/Loyalty/Determination.
To call working for the ever-infamous Enoshima family stressful was like saying the ocean was just a little wet.
An honest shock to Kaito who had dreamed of the glorious life the knights of fairy tales told.
Kaito personally hadn't seen the ocean further than his cliff top view at his station from the castle for a long time. Wasn't being a knight for a royal family meant to entail sailing off on missions? Enforcing laws and chasing down bad people? Rescuing pretty princesses from dragon guarded castles? It is what Kaito originally believed but just like many things he had believed in 3 years ago he was starting to have doubts.
All he was sure of was that Junko was sending money he earned working under her toward his grandparent's cottage. As far as knight life he sometimes felt like he was the bad guy with the mandatory "inspections" Junko made them do.
"Kaito dodge!"
He wasn't fully paying attention zoned out, but the familiar voice saved him from almost getting another slash to his arm.
"Hey, he isn't going to learn properly if you warn him ya filthy iron slave!" His sparring partner glared at one of Junko's personal weapon smiths with anger.
"Well you are supposed to take at least 5 minute breaks per spar in the rules right? You could of at least waited for him to have his sword up and his ladle of water down." The smith said unintimidated by Kaito's hot headed fellow knight. Kaito put himself in between the men with his sword up in warning.
"Oi, that's enough Darren and you know he's right. I get Junko likes us fighting dirty but you really need to at least give other people warnings, we're fucking brothers in oath man."
Darren rolled his eyes with a dismissive wave of his hand before stomping off to find someone more easy to harass. He didn't just forge swords but he could use them affectively as any knight. Just fighting rantaro would be embarrassing and Kaito joining would make it doubly so.
"Thanks, Rantaro you are one of the few actually nice guys here that makes working here worth it a bit. I didn't know you came back so soon from freedom. How was the outside of this lump of land?"
"No problem Kaito, scavenging with Junko's men on your shoulder isn't exactly what I'd call freedom but it went okay. Just okay enough that Junko only paid in money this time and not ask if I wanted some "loyalty perks" as she likes calling it."Rantaro said with a charming smile before pretending to vomit at the notion. Loyalty perks were their code for her trying to bed someone as a promotion for being good. She had tried it with Kaito as well after he hunted some bears for her and nearly died.
He would of preferred to take on the bear again rather than catch any ills she likely had from other suitors. Besides that another thing that had changed in his time from home is him realizing he didn't really feel anything for princesses. The select nice ones that occasionally visited when the kingdom would have balls were nice company to chat with but he felt nothing romantic toward them. He was bullied for being to picky and that he was likely a weirdo like the traveling black smith before they met.
Rantaro Amami was handsome and kind with no shame in admitting he liked men and women. Unlike the horndogs he had to call brothers in arms Rantaro also didn't need to boost about it or who he's been with. He was very to himself and only those who asked politely would know these things about him Kaito knew.
Rantaro was thankfully able to help kaito with Junko's constant advances by informing him she had a weird thing for being turned down and hurting those who agreed to quickly. It was then he learned she was exactly as messed up in the head as people said she was. That and those annoying horndogs were possibly correct in him and the smith being similar in taste.
They had become fast friends over time now another change in belief dawned on Kaito, he might want more than friendship with the blacksmith. It amazed him the man was single. He was the fairest man Kaito had ever seen even when covered in grime and dirt. It wasn't just his looks that drew him but a long list of great qualities. For a while, a feeling in his gut told him the feeling may be mutual. Little moments like here with confronting Darran or any other bullies for him even felt like proof.
By any other man stepping in Kaito would take it as a slight on his ability to defend himself but with Rantaro he never felt judged or mocked for what he did or didn't do.
The handsome smile turned into a slightly less handsome frown. Without a word he started walking off in the direction of the currently empty stables. A silent glance back at him to Kaito to follow. He must have had something serious on his mind if he wanted privacy from prying ears. Once both checked the coast was clear, Rantaro didn't waste any time.
"Actually there's some news I was able to gather from eavesdropping. A possible raid may be coming up in a few weeks. You've told me plenty about the land your grandparents live on and I think it might be close by."
Kaito's eyes went wide at this news.
"What?! Working here was supposed to keep them safe from any of that! Junko can't..." The knight exclaimed. She was known for breaking promises but he had the right to be mad all the same.
Rantaro put a hand on his shoulder in comfort before saying "She won't. We can make sure of it. I know you don't like working for her and being unsure of your home. I want to runaway from this but I didn't know if you would come with you needing the guard money for your-" Kaito cut him off.
"I don't care about that money anymore. Screw that, you and me on a boat to my grandparents villa. I want to see them again and keep two promises I made. One was keeping them safe."
The smith smiled with a relieved nod. "Great to hear, though what was the other promise?"
Determination and daring filled kaito's heart as he removed his gloves and picked up Rantaro's in his in a way that he hoped conveyed his words clearly.
"They also wanted me to bring someone beautiful and strong home to see them one day. If I'm not being to forward, would you mind?" A similar fire sparked in Rantaro's eyes as kissed the bare palm in answer. "I'd be honored."
Days later in the cover of night and carriage, all the way to the waiting boat they set off. Hand and hand the two new lovers would evacuate Kaito's villa and as just the start of many adventures.
upupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupupuupuppupupupuuppupupupupupuup
I know, I know, not very romantic as it could of been but I didn't really feel like just doing the old knight/prince theme and I was feeling kind of adventure-y when I saw the theme.