The Prince's Princess (17/?)
Title: The Prince's Princess
Author: ai_ai_gasa2
Pairing: Lots! Takanoo and some Hikabu, a bit of Ariokamoto, and Chiitaro~
Rating: Probably, overall, PG-13. But they're all individually really safe. Like PG or something.
Genre: Romance, Fluff, very AU.
Summary: The Queen of the South Kingdom died of a sickness quite early on in life. The King never remarried, but did adopt 5 sons. Many years later, it is time now for his children to begin looking for wives, and the King also decides to adopt a daughter, planning a matchmaking ball for her in advance. But the adoption process is delayed... And Prince Inoo has no choice but to step in and play the princes in his to-be-sister's place.
A/N: Holy mother of pancakes. (I have weird sayings, I'm sorry.) It's chapter 17. Um... This chapter is really short, but it has a lot of plot in it. I kinda like it. So... You guys are definitely going to want to hurt Ayaki after this one.
mso-bidi-font-family:Kartika"> Inoo let a gasp escape his lips. Takaki stared at Ayaki. “Marrying me won’t make you queen.” He said, horribly bluntly. Ayaki blinked, the sentence registering.
“I don’t care about that!” She exclaimed. “I don’t care about being queen, I just… I love you.”
Shaking his head, Takaki backed away a bit. “Don’t you think this is a bit sudden?” he asked. “I mean, we haven’t even ever… We’ve never even kissed each other. And you might have misunderstood me-I don’t feel that strongly for you. Not yet.”
“But… But… I love you.”
“Ayaki…”
Suddenly, Ayaki flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing his head down to her’s for a kiss.
“S…Stop it-” Was the only thing Takaki managed to say before Ayaki silenced his lips with her own.
“Stop!” Inoo had shouted before he had realized it. He rushed over to the two of them, wrenching Ayaki off him.
“He told you to stop!” He shouted in her face. “Just quit it. All that hanging on him-just quit it already!”
She stared at him, surprised. She then gasped, exclaiming “You freak! The first time wasn’t just an overreaction, was it? You love him, don’t you?”
Inoo didn’t respond. Couldn’t.
“I should’ve known. I mean, all your other brothers are, you’re just a family of-”
“If you’ll excuse me.” Takaki cut in. He was looking at his feet, two fingers on his lips, covering his mouth. Stepping quickly past both of them, he disappeared into the castle.
Ayaki glared over at Inoo, saying “You ruined everything.” and storming away. Inoo just stood there for a long time, not trusting himself to move. Finally, he turned and walked back inside. He would lock himself in his room, he decided. At least until the Northerners left, so he didn’t have to see Takaki. Not have to put up with the awkward situations, or the questions he’d rather not answer, not when it was obviously just a one-sided love. Anything but that.
“Wait!” The call made him turn, in spite of himself. Almost to his room now, he was surprised to see Takaki running up to him, a question in his eyes.
“I called your name a few times, and you just went past me.” Takaki told him.
“Sorry…” Inoo was looking at his feet.
“Um… Thanks for just now. I…” The Prince trailed off. “Those things she said earlier? I mean, it was obvious with Hikaru, Chinen, and Daiki, but… What she said about you… And about me, and…”
Inoo was saved from answering by Chinen running up, looking slightly frantic. “There you guys are! Ayaki… She locked herself in her room and says she wants to talk to the Prince.”
“Me?” Takaki asked. Chinen nodded.
“C’mon!” He insisted. “It’s important!” And with that, they found themselves in front of Ayaki’s room a few moments later.
“I’m only talking to the Prince.” She was insisting.
“I’m right here.” Takaki spoke up. “What are you doing, Ayaki?”
“I’m going to stay here until you say that you’ll marry me.” Inoo could hear the pout in her voice.
“Now, that’s just childish.” Daiki said. All of the others thought that this was some sort of joke, that she wasn’t actually serious about her request. They hadn’t seen her eyes, the terrifyingly determined glint. She would go to all costs.
“Ayaki, I’m not marrying you.” Takaki said, and the hope in Inoo’s chest rose a little. “I’m sorry if I mislead you, but I really don’t like you as much as to marry you. This is happening too fast.”
“You will marry me.”
“Geez.” Hikaru whistled. “You’ve got it bad. Like, insanity bad.”
“All of you leave!” Ayaki shouted. That was the last straw. “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to Takaki. Everyone else go away!”
So they did, walking a ways away down the hallway and around a corner.
“That’s it.” Daiki declared. “She’s crazy.”
Inoo peeked around the corner, leaning in. Listening.
“Ayaki, what on Earth is this about all of a sudden?” Takaki was close to the door, talking in a low, quiet voice. “Why?”
“You have to marry me.” was all she said. “You just have to.”
“I’m sorry that you feel that way, but can’t you tell I just don’t love you that much? I mean, you’re nice, and I don’t mind hanging out, but-”
“I knew it. It’s Prince Inoo, isn’t it? You’re in love with him too. You’re just like the rest of them.”
“You have no place to say that.” Takaki’s voice had taken on a dangerous tone, and the matter was dropped.
“Listen.” Ayaki was all business. “I don’t have time for this. Either you say that you will marry me, or tomorrow, when you wake up, your little brother Morimoto Shintaro-kun will be dead. It doesn’t matter that his brother is in the same room as him, it doesn’t matter what protections you put around his room. That won’t stop it from happening.” The situation had changed. Ayaki wasn’t pleading, out of love. She was insisting, on another person’s life. This was no longer a personal matter.
Takaki didn’t say anything. Inoo could tell he was thinking of something, anything.
“And if you say you’ll marry me now, then go back on it after you leave, then Prince Inoo is dead. Understand?”
Inoo’s eyes widened. Both he and Shintaro were hostages, and there was nothing he could do about it.
“Why are you doing this?” Takaki asked.
“Because it has to be done.” was her answer.
“I…” Takaki stopped, then took a breath and started again. “I will marry you.”
The door opened. Ayaki wore a sweet smile.
“See? That was easy, wasn’t it?” She looped her arm through his.
“You’re not doing this because you love me, are you.” Takaki refused to look at her, stony-faced.
No answer.
“You know I won’t make you queen, right?”
No answer to that either.
“What is your objective?” Takaki asked her. The calm had left his voice. “Why?”
A small dagger was pressed into Takaki’s side, and Inoo had to silence a gasp.
“Don’t make me kill your brother.” Ayaki told him slowly, obviously translating to “No more questions.” When nothing else was said, Ayaki put the weapon away and they walked down the hallway, towards them. Inoo quickly hid back around the corner, trying to calm down and look normal.
“We’re getting married!” She announced to them all cheerfully, back to her usual self again. They all just looked at her. Then, slowly, Hikaru began to clap. The rest just stared. Ayaki turned to Inoo, a grin on her face.
“Takaki said he would marry me. Isn’t that wonderful, Inoo? Aren’t you happy for your sister?” She asked him. Inoo’s hands were clenched into fists, teeth gritted. He looked up at Ayaki, at the spite on her face that clearly said “I win.” Then he beamed at her.
“That’s great!” He said enthusiastically. “When’s the ceremony?” He could tell that the others behind him, Hikaru and Daiki especially, were shocked.
“Whenever I want it~” She was acting like Chinen, trying to be cute. There was an incredible tension between the two. “Right, Yuya?”
“R-right.” Takaki wasn’t looking at any of them. Keito walked over to them, oblivious to the mood, and asked “Hey, has anyone seen my dad?’
“What do you mean?” Daiki asked, using this as an opportunity to wrap his arms around Keito’s waist.
“I mean he’s not here. Yesterday, he went out to buy fabric for Mom, and I didn’t ever see him come back… I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Oh.” That was concerning. While everyone was looking at Keito, Inoo took the moment to glance at Ayaki’s face. The grin she wore suggested that Keito’s father being missing was the best news she’d ever heard. Inoo cringed.
Author: ai_ai_gasa2
Pairing: Lots! Takanoo and some Hikabu, a bit of Ariokamoto, and Chiitaro~
Rating: Probably, overall, PG-13. But they're all individually really safe. Like PG or something.
Genre: Romance, Fluff, very AU.
Summary: The Queen of the South Kingdom died of a sickness quite early on in life. The King never remarried, but did adopt 5 sons. Many years later, it is time now for his children to begin looking for wives, and the King also decides to adopt a daughter, planning a matchmaking ball for her in advance. But the adoption process is delayed... And Prince Inoo has no choice but to step in and play the princes in his to-be-sister's place.
A/N: Holy mother of pancakes. (I have weird sayings, I'm sorry.) It's chapter 17. Um... This chapter is really short, but it has a lot of plot in it. I kinda like it. So... You guys are definitely going to want to hurt Ayaki after this one.
mso-bidi-font-family:Kartika"> Inoo let a gasp escape his lips. Takaki stared at Ayaki. “Marrying me won’t make you queen.” He said, horribly bluntly. Ayaki blinked, the sentence registering.
“I don’t care about that!” She exclaimed. “I don’t care about being queen, I just… I love you.”
Shaking his head, Takaki backed away a bit. “Don’t you think this is a bit sudden?” he asked. “I mean, we haven’t even ever… We’ve never even kissed each other. And you might have misunderstood me-I don’t feel that strongly for you. Not yet.”
“But… But… I love you.”
“Ayaki…”
Suddenly, Ayaki flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing his head down to her’s for a kiss.
“S…Stop it-” Was the only thing Takaki managed to say before Ayaki silenced his lips with her own.
“Stop!” Inoo had shouted before he had realized it. He rushed over to the two of them, wrenching Ayaki off him.
“He told you to stop!” He shouted in her face. “Just quit it. All that hanging on him-just quit it already!”
She stared at him, surprised. She then gasped, exclaiming “You freak! The first time wasn’t just an overreaction, was it? You love him, don’t you?”
Inoo didn’t respond. Couldn’t.
“I should’ve known. I mean, all your other brothers are, you’re just a family of-”
“If you’ll excuse me.” Takaki cut in. He was looking at his feet, two fingers on his lips, covering his mouth. Stepping quickly past both of them, he disappeared into the castle.
Ayaki glared over at Inoo, saying “You ruined everything.” and storming away. Inoo just stood there for a long time, not trusting himself to move. Finally, he turned and walked back inside. He would lock himself in his room, he decided. At least until the Northerners left, so he didn’t have to see Takaki. Not have to put up with the awkward situations, or the questions he’d rather not answer, not when it was obviously just a one-sided love. Anything but that.
“Wait!” The call made him turn, in spite of himself. Almost to his room now, he was surprised to see Takaki running up to him, a question in his eyes.
“I called your name a few times, and you just went past me.” Takaki told him.
“Sorry…” Inoo was looking at his feet.
“Um… Thanks for just now. I…” The Prince trailed off. “Those things she said earlier? I mean, it was obvious with Hikaru, Chinen, and Daiki, but… What she said about you… And about me, and…”
Inoo was saved from answering by Chinen running up, looking slightly frantic. “There you guys are! Ayaki… She locked herself in her room and says she wants to talk to the Prince.”
“Me?” Takaki asked. Chinen nodded.
“C’mon!” He insisted. “It’s important!” And with that, they found themselves in front of Ayaki’s room a few moments later.
“I’m only talking to the Prince.” She was insisting.
“I’m right here.” Takaki spoke up. “What are you doing, Ayaki?”
“I’m going to stay here until you say that you’ll marry me.” Inoo could hear the pout in her voice.
“Now, that’s just childish.” Daiki said. All of the others thought that this was some sort of joke, that she wasn’t actually serious about her request. They hadn’t seen her eyes, the terrifyingly determined glint. She would go to all costs.
“Ayaki, I’m not marrying you.” Takaki said, and the hope in Inoo’s chest rose a little. “I’m sorry if I mislead you, but I really don’t like you as much as to marry you. This is happening too fast.”
“You will marry me.”
“Geez.” Hikaru whistled. “You’ve got it bad. Like, insanity bad.”
“All of you leave!” Ayaki shouted. That was the last straw. “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to Takaki. Everyone else go away!”
So they did, walking a ways away down the hallway and around a corner.
“That’s it.” Daiki declared. “She’s crazy.”
Inoo peeked around the corner, leaning in. Listening.
“Ayaki, what on Earth is this about all of a sudden?” Takaki was close to the door, talking in a low, quiet voice. “Why?”
“You have to marry me.” was all she said. “You just have to.”
“I’m sorry that you feel that way, but can’t you tell I just don’t love you that much? I mean, you’re nice, and I don’t mind hanging out, but-”
“I knew it. It’s Prince Inoo, isn’t it? You’re in love with him too. You’re just like the rest of them.”
“You have no place to say that.” Takaki’s voice had taken on a dangerous tone, and the matter was dropped.
“Listen.” Ayaki was all business. “I don’t have time for this. Either you say that you will marry me, or tomorrow, when you wake up, your little brother Morimoto Shintaro-kun will be dead. It doesn’t matter that his brother is in the same room as him, it doesn’t matter what protections you put around his room. That won’t stop it from happening.” The situation had changed. Ayaki wasn’t pleading, out of love. She was insisting, on another person’s life. This was no longer a personal matter.
Takaki didn’t say anything. Inoo could tell he was thinking of something, anything.
“And if you say you’ll marry me now, then go back on it after you leave, then Prince Inoo is dead. Understand?”
Inoo’s eyes widened. Both he and Shintaro were hostages, and there was nothing he could do about it.
“Why are you doing this?” Takaki asked.
“Because it has to be done.” was her answer.
“I…” Takaki stopped, then took a breath and started again. “I will marry you.”
The door opened. Ayaki wore a sweet smile.
“See? That was easy, wasn’t it?” She looped her arm through his.
“You’re not doing this because you love me, are you.” Takaki refused to look at her, stony-faced.
No answer.
“You know I won’t make you queen, right?”
No answer to that either.
“What is your objective?” Takaki asked her. The calm had left his voice. “Why?”
A small dagger was pressed into Takaki’s side, and Inoo had to silence a gasp.
“Don’t make me kill your brother.” Ayaki told him slowly, obviously translating to “No more questions.” When nothing else was said, Ayaki put the weapon away and they walked down the hallway, towards them. Inoo quickly hid back around the corner, trying to calm down and look normal.
“We’re getting married!” She announced to them all cheerfully, back to her usual self again. They all just looked at her. Then, slowly, Hikaru began to clap. The rest just stared. Ayaki turned to Inoo, a grin on her face.
“Takaki said he would marry me. Isn’t that wonderful, Inoo? Aren’t you happy for your sister?” She asked him. Inoo’s hands were clenched into fists, teeth gritted. He looked up at Ayaki, at the spite on her face that clearly said “I win.” Then he beamed at her.
“That’s great!” He said enthusiastically. “When’s the ceremony?” He could tell that the others behind him, Hikaru and Daiki especially, were shocked.
“Whenever I want it~” She was acting like Chinen, trying to be cute. There was an incredible tension between the two. “Right, Yuya?”
“R-right.” Takaki wasn’t looking at any of them. Keito walked over to them, oblivious to the mood, and asked “Hey, has anyone seen my dad?’
“What do you mean?” Daiki asked, using this as an opportunity to wrap his arms around Keito’s waist.
“I mean he’s not here. Yesterday, he went out to buy fabric for Mom, and I didn’t ever see him come back… I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Oh.” That was concerning. While everyone was looking at Keito, Inoo took the moment to glance at Ayaki’s face. The grin she wore suggested that Keito’s father being missing was the best news she’d ever heard. Inoo cringed.