And Isn't It Just So Pretty To Think All Along There Was Some Invisible String

[deniles]

[If you had told Niles that a king (a King) would ever fall in love with him and want to marry him, he would have called you stupid. He would have made fun of you, he would have mocked you and then he would have went on with his day. No king would ever love a misfit like him. A street rat. Even being attached at the hip to Leo, he kind of determined that maybe his best life was being single, and never marrying him. He had basically determined that if his parents didn't want him, he shouldn't want kids in his own right. So no marriage for him.

And then Ryoma. Goddamn Ryoma. Who showed up almost out of no where as Niles came into battle, and started to talk to him. Niles was prone to pushing him away, but eventually the man broke through. For whatever reason and he doesn't think he'll ever understand why that was. And then things went from Niles's flirty nature to... far more serious. Ryoma was coming to Nohr for discussions... and staying to spend time with Niles. In secret (which was Niles's choice, not Ryoma). He didn't want Leo to think that he was skirting his duties or for anyone to think that the only reason things were working out was because someone ordered him to fuck the king.

They didn't even do much fucking either, for that matter.

And things grew more and more serious to a boiling point.

And that's how Niles was Ryoma's fiance. The proposal was something that Niles doesn't know if he'll ever remember properly. Not because of the fact that he said no or wanted to forget. It was only due to his mind racing and deciding to latch onto the ring and him saying yes. Because of course. He'd say yes.

Because he loved Ryoma.

With the plans in place, finally, Niles packed up his things. He would be spending two months in Hoshido to get ready for the wedding. Getting dressed and learning how to be Ryoma's spouse. Ryoma offered to take him but he said no, he'll head there and meet him. Give him time to think, and breathe.

Then again, maybe having Ryoma help him get to the castle up top the mountain wouldn't be so bad. He took the longer carriage ride over the pegasus because he definitely could not handle the pegasus. That was not like a horse, and he tried very hard to ride one before he came (he could do it with Ryoma, at least). As he rode up, he started to see more and more people. Ryoma's siblings. Their retainers. The people who stayed in Hoshido, and he's pretty sure he saw Corrin at some point.

...And considering how much of an asshole he was, would any of them like him? He didn't want Ryoma to think he had made a mistake by picking someone who had never really been nice to anyone and that no one would like.

He was dressed in his regular retainer outfit, and only had one suitcase to bring with him, as his own amount of items was limited and important. He also carried a potion to keep himself cool that Leo promised would do that and absolutely nothing else (yeah sure Leo, what is it a pregnancy potion or something?). Stepping out of the carriage and heading to the front door, the guards immediately stopped him from getting any closer.]

...Yes?

State your business.

I'm here to see Ryoma.

That's King Ryoma! What business do you have with him?

I'm his fiance. I'm here to live with him.

[And to that, the guards started laughing. Which made Niles feel really small at the moment. He wanted to get off on the best foot here, so was fighting with the guards really a good idea?

...Yes.]

Ah, sorry, they must not have told you. Perhaps you're not all that important?

[Said with a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, with the guards frowning.

But thankfully, Sakura had run off. And let Ryoma know who was at the gate. Because at least she knew that he was someone important, and that Ryoma would want to welcome him properly.]

Brother? He's here. [Standing at his office door, peaking inside.]

Comments

[lightninglobster]

[ Likewise, if you'd have told Ryoma that he would've fallen in love and proposed to a Nohrian a year ago, it would've taken all of his considerable self-control not to laugh in the teller's face before he called for a physician to examine them for head wounds. Ryoma had never been terribly attached to the idea of marriage--he was going to marry for his station, produce heirs, and... that was about it, really. Love was a wonderful idea, but not a necessity.

And then he'd met Niles during that fatestrung warmarch to the truth between the divisions in their world. Ryoma had gone out of his way to speak to the other royalty and their retainers at Corrin's soft-eyed urging, trying to make himself understand, to lose the animosity that sat so snugly in his breast. With Niles, it'd been difficult until it... wasn't. The man was extraordinarily flirtacious and lewd, and all of that was a careful cover for the sensitive, intelligent soul just underneath.

He'd proposed to him in the face of the final battle, in case... in case.

And then they won the penultimate battle, and Ryoma made himself ready to keep his promise. He'd been preparing a space for his fiance (or nesting, as Hinoka had said, teasing him as he moved furniture and cleared out space in the king's suites). He'd been crowned king, and things were going... smoothly wasn't the word for it, but like a newborn pegasus. For the most part, things were proceeding apace, aside from some gangly movements and uncertain stumbling points.

He busied himself with ruling so he wouldn't think of how he missed Niles--the way he smiled when he thought people were watching, the way he smiled when only Ryoma was watching, his odd, playful combination of hunger and cruelty and a genuine underpinning of a good, loving man... perhaps ruling needed to be more complicated, to keep his thoughts at bay for longer.

He'd given general instructions regarding Niles' arrival to the shinobi, to the guards--Saizo was closeby as ever, with Kagerou roaming slightly further afield through the palace. Perhaps the guards that Niles was currently dealing with hadn't been listening to the morning brief, but either way, Sakura was there to save their hides before they really said things they regretted. His head came up as his littlest sister peaked into his office, trying to rise with some resemblance of dignity as he neatly arranged his tools and strode to his sister and then past her... with a little headpat for a thank you as he went. ]

Thank you, little sister. Shall we go get him?

[ Shoulders back, head up, trying to keep an even pace... and then he cuts a playful aside to his sister (because he's trying so hard to be warmer, kinder--less stony and intimidating, less distant and perfect) and lifts his robes enough that he can take off at a light run. His siblings need him to be closer to the world, and he's trying as hard as he can to not be that distant ideal he'd needed to be when Mother had needed strength, when Hoshido had needed Sumeragi's son to be unbending in his wake.

He runs through the halls like they were children again, slowing his pace back to something respectable as he comes up on the gates, smoothing himself out for his fiance like he hadn't just been doing what he'd been doing. Just seeing Niles brings a lightness to him as he strides up, giving a call in his wake. ]

It's so good to see you again, Niles. How was your trip?

[deniles]

[Even knowing Ryoma was there didn't make any of this less nerve wracking. He was standing there, waiting for the man to come out so that he could come in. What if someone had changed their mind about all of this to the point that Niles would have just been better off going back home... and staying there?

But his fears were unfounded, at the very least, as just a moment later, he heard steps coming towards the door. He also swore he saw Saizo at some point handling the guards, and he felt Kagerou not too far away. Coming up to a castle was already nervewracking, but he didn't imagine ninjas being so close by either. But still, he didn't let the outside show what he might have been feeling inside. Because he's not weak, dammit.

While it might not be too much longer after the whole thing started that Ryoma showed up, it certainly felt like it was forever. It's only when he saw that sea of brown hair in a robe that he finally lets himself be at ease. A smile, not a smirk, plays at his lips as he looks at him.]

Quite long... but it was worth the journey.

[He says without even a second thought. Moving up closer to Ryoma and reaching to touch those hands... those lovely hands that he's missed. They're so rugged and feel so comforting in his own.]

I hope you weren't too busy when I arrived.

[His suitcase by his feet. He lets out a light chuckle as he moves in closer, trying to kiss Ryoma on the lips... because dammit, this is his fiance, and he deserves a kiss or two.]