[Reserved] A knight's tale

[luckyxbeat]

Title: A knight's tale  [Reserved]
Setting: Medieval Times (Friday, 11:20AM)
Characters: Sakurai Sho & Aiba Masaki
Rating: PG

See, the idea that had first come to mind had really sounded like a good idea, who didn’t want to be a knight as they were growing up? Or one of Robin Hood’s merry men? Aiba had been excited to step into the Boutique that was

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[twirlysho]

Sho wasn't certain why he suddenly felt the need to revisit the boutique. He hadn't been back in since that first time with Nino. Almost two weeks had passed and now that he knew what was going on, Sho realized that it was interesting, fun.

Sho had heard from Nino, in one of the many messages that he had received the night before, that the costumes changed every week. Faced with the choice between ballroom dancing and medieval knights, it wasn't hard to make his decision. Working in a nightclub didn't necessarily mean that Sho was able to dance well, especially ballroom dancing. And being a knight saving a damsel in distress had always been one of Sho's fantasies growing up.

It was with a wide grin that pulled a knight's costume off the rack, helmet, sword and all. If he was going to do the whole knight in shining armor thing, he might as well do it properly, not even thinking that as a knight he would be expected to actually do something with that sword. As he pulled on the costume, he was glad that it was chain mail instead of a

[luckyxbeat]

Continuing to make up excused to why he wasn’t suppose to be involved in the tournament. The man who’d grabbed him just laughed and talked about how nervous everyone was when it was their first time. And it really wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Of course, what a great honor it was to be in the match where the King and his lovely daughter were watching

[twirlysho]

Just as he was being pushed into the tent, Sho heard another man's voice. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before. "W-wait. Erm. What - where?" he stuttered as looked back at the person who had basically kidnapped him. A final push into the tent and the other man was gone, without a single word of explanation. Wondering what exactly he was supposed to be doing, Sho lifted the visor of his helmet as he looked around the tent. It was filled with racks of weapons and armor, all the things a medieval knight would need.

It wasn't until he heard that voice again that Sho noticed another person in the tent. Looking down at the other man, he suddenly remembered where he had heard that voice. It couldn't be... right? Sho took a step closer, eyes narrowing as he looked at green-clad man. Oh, it definitely was. "Aiba-san?" Sho pulled the helmet off his head (it was hot in there), then offered his hand to help the other man up. "What are you doing here? Wait, why am I asking that? I'm not even sure what

[luckyxbeat]

Taking the hand, Aiba used it to haul himself up off the dirt-ground. His other hand went out to brush at this bottom, giving a small hum in approval when he was satisfied that he’d gotten as much dust and dirt off of his costume

[twirlysho]

Sho grinned as it seemed that Aiba recognized him immediately. It was nice knowing someone, or just knowing someone else's name here in the world behind the mirror, even if the other man was just as out-of-place here as he was.

Sho's eyes widened at Aiba's reply, the hand patting his back. His mouth worked silently as he digested what the other man had said. It took a few moments before he could get it to work properly again. "Jousting?!?" Sho's voice rose a few notches. Clearing his throat, he continued, in a lower, and quieter, tone. "You mean me? Jousting? I can barely even ride a horse," Sho whispered the admission.

Before he could even try to think of a way to escape, a boy entered the tent, apparently there to help him into armor more suitable for jousting. Sho threw Aiba a wordless plea for help over his shoulder as the boy led him to the other side of the tent.

[luckyxbeat]

Watching the other’s reaction and realization to what he himself had gotten into, Aiba couldn’t help but let out a snicker. Raising his hand to muffle the sounds as Sho was pushed over to the other side of the tent. It wouldn’t be nice if he just sat there and watched. Not in the least. Specially when Sho wasn’t a real knight and with this piece of information that the man wasn’t able to ride a horse.

He reached out to grab Sho’s arm, giving the other a firm tug towards him. “Uh, actually, he‘s with me, and really, we‘re both just here to watch. No participation. He‘s a new knight and hasn‘t really gotten a handle on things.” Aiba hoped that his convincing would help. Hopefully.

“He‘d be terrible! It‘d be an insult to all the other knights to put him up to something like this!”

[twirlysho]

Sho's eyes widened further as a second person, a scruffy-looking old man, entered the tent, pulling one of the sets of armor off a rack as he walked toward his side of the tent. He was so focused on trying to find a way out of the situation that he didn't even hear Aiba's muffled snickers. Probably better that way. Sho sighed with relief as he felt the tug of Aiba's hand on his arm, amazed that it seemed like his new friend was willing to help him out. They had just met and had no connection to each other. Aiba didn't need to help, but he did. He smiled gratefully, certain that the other man's explanation would get them out of the tent

[luckyxbeat]

Aiba’s face fell as he watched the other man also make a grab for Sho. Then, the man did have a point, you had to start somewhere to make it big. Or well, make it at all. But then, considering Sho wasn’t really a Knight, nor had any experience whatsoever in practicing to be one, or experience with a Horse

[twirlysho]

Sho grinned as the other said he looked dashing in the armor, but he didn't take it as a person comment. Who wouldn't look dashing? It was a knight's costume, that's what they did best. It wasn't very comfortable in that armor. Sho could already feel sweat beading on his forehead, rolling down his spine.

He nodded solemnly at Aiba's advice. It was comforting, as was the hand patting the stiff armor on his back. And it was true, he could just fall of the horse, play 'dead' as it were, if he really didn't feel up to it. But just then, Sho's competitive streak started to kick in. If he was going to do something, he wanted to try his best. There was no use only putting in half the effort. Even if he failed, at least he had tried

[luckyxbeat]

“Just…be careful.” Aiba wasn’t sure what would happen if either he or Sho were hurt in this world behind the mirror. Was it like a dream and you‘d come out of it unharmed? And if it was serious…fatal? Would they just end up back in the boutique? Aiba wasn’t sure he really wanted to test that out, mostly because of how horrible he‘d feel if he stood by and let someone he knew get hurt on the account that he didn‘t do enough to help them out. “With all that armor on you‘d be far too heavy for me to try to carry!” Squeezing in a bit of a joke and a laugh to help lighten the mood

[twirlysho]

"I will," Sho replied quietly. He hadn't really thought about the consequences of getting hurt in the world of the mirror, not until the other's words of caution. What if something happened? Did what happened here in the mirror have an effect on the real world. Sho was seriously starting to get worried, his stomach clenching in knots and the palms of his hands sweating and clammy. Sho shook himself mentally to get a grip on his nerves, trying to remember what Aiba said. It really wasn't going to be that bad. He had to believe that

[luckyxbeat]

Aiba flexed his hands after the other had settled himself up on the giant creature, giving the other a look. “Definitely be careful. I don‘t think I could carry you with all that weight on you for too long~” Wrinkling his nose, the armor had been far more heavy than he’d first thought.

Taking a step back, he looked the other up and down and grinned, “at least you look rather dashing up there?” He laughed at his words as he took a step back towards the horse, letting his fingers run through the coarse mane and gave the animal one last firm pat before the other started to ride off.

He headed off to watch from a good distance, giving himself a better view, and a chance to get to the other quickly if things didn’t go so well. “Just think about how you might get a lucky kiss from the princess if you win!” Calling out, giving Sho a quick thumbs up from behind him before he hopped up on the small fence to seat himself.

[twirlysho]

Sho nodded solemnly as Aiba repeated his words of caution, then suddenly laughed at the second half of the comment. "But the armor can come off!" he protested, not wanting to think of the possibility that he could actually hurt himself. The armor was made to protect him, but it wasn't completely trustworthy

[luckyxbeat]

Aiba's lip started to swell with all the chewing he'd done as he watched Sho being handed off the lance, settle himself in position. Trumpets blaring to signal the start and... He leaned a bit further over the fence with wide eyes, unable to tear his gaze from the man he'd met not so long ago. Fear and yet hope for the safety rising, the uncomfortable knot growing in his stomach and as much as he wanted to look away, he couldn't

[twirlysho]

Waiting for the trumpets to blare a second time, wrapped up in trying to figure out how he had managed to stay on the horse, Sho was oblivious to the cheers of the crowd. He gripped the lance, his stomach swirling with fear and nervousness, and maybe just a small amount of excitement. Sho urged his horse forward at the signal, hooves pounding on the dusty ground as the two horses met on the yard. A second solid hit to his shield almost sent Sho flying, barely maintaining his seat as his own lance missed its target by over a yard

[luckyxbeat]

Aiba flinched as the second time around once again almost knocked Sho off of his horse. Fingers curling around the wooden fence until his knuckles turned white with the force. Praying that the third time, maybe, just maybe Sho would have beginner's luck.

It happened in almost slow motion. The lance against the shield, the opponent falling from his horse to the ground with a painful sounding thud.

Eyes widened as he watched it play out before him, jaw dropped as although he'd hoped that the other had some success, Aiba'd never have guessed it would actually have happened. His faith wasn't that strong when he hardly knew the other man.

Jumping off of the fence, cheering along with most of the crowd, Aiba hurried along to meet with Sho at his starting end. Eager to congratulate the other man.