We'll Never be Royals

✥︎ 12 ✥︎

Six Year Treachery

Sawamura Koushi
Present day

Koushi felt like he couldn't move, Daichi's stare pinning him in place. In fact, everyone's stare was holding him down. They all gazed at him in awe, like they couldn't believe their own eyes. Like if they blinked, or even spoke, he'd vanish.

His fists were clenched by his side, his lips quivering. His fingers twitched, an itch crawling it's way through his skin as the citizens that were once higher than him bowed in his presence.

The itch begged him to leave, to turn back around and run. It painfully reminded him of why he left to begin with, why he left behind the life that left him drowning in nothing but his own self destruction, his recklessness.

And he almost did turn around.

"Mama?"

It was quiet a voice, but it was deafening compared to the silence that encapsulated the ball room. Standing in the middle of bowed citizens, stood his eldest son, Tadashi. He was staring at Koushi, eyes wide and tear filled. In a heart beat, Tadashi was running towards him, the tears spilling over his cheeks the moment he collided into the former Queen.

"Tadashi," Koushi cried, hugging his son so tightly he was scared he'd break the boy. Tadashi slumped against him, his knees giving out below him as he clutched onto his mother. Carefully, Koushi knelt down, Tadashi coming down with him.

Koushi's own tears fell, his hands shaking as he held his son. His chest was moving rapidly with his heart and it was almost like Tadashi was eight again. It was almost like Koushi never left.

"You're back," Tadashi cried, a hiccup forcing its way up. Anyone would say it was informal, the way Tadashi cried like a little child. They would say it was very unlike how a prince should be, how disgraceful a sight would be to anyone of royalty.

Then again, Tadashi was Koushi's child. His flesh.

Koushi leaned back, separating himself from Tadashi enough to clutch his face, his dry palms meeting soaked cheeks. Tadashi let out a rather loud sob, despite the growing smile that formed on his flushed face. The sob almost sounded like a laugh.

"You've grown so much," Koushi whispered, astonished. He used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the oncoming tears, surging forward to press a kiss against Tadahsi's forehead. "I've missed you so much."

"Queen Koushi!"

Koushi barely had time to see a mop of orange hair and a sun like smile charging for him before Shouyou was stumbling into the embrace. Warmth filled Koushi's chest as he hugged the boy, a surprised huff leaving his lips as he tightened his arms around the small boy.

"Shouyou," he breathed out, a hand coming up to run through the back of his wild hair, keeping Shouyou close. Koushi panted out a breath, he felt like he couldn't catch enough air.

He held both of the boy's close, letting his eyes slip shut. "I've missed you both so much," he then pulled away, eyes darting back over to where the thrones were. He met Tobio's sharp gaze, the intense gaze burning holes through Koushi. He was standing close to Daichi, eyes slitted into a glare. "Tobio," he called out, though his voice came out weak.