“What do you mean, you can eat more than me?” The challenge is innocuous enough, just another symptom of the bitter rivalry spawning between two princes, but Niles can see it as something more.
“I mean you’re so scrawny you probably have never had a decent meal in your life,” Takumi’s response was quick and snide, just the perfect bait for Leo, and Niles waited to hear his lord retaliate.
“I’ll have you know Nohrian feasts are nothing to scoff at-“
“How can you have a feast when half your population is starving?”
“Alright, alright,” Niles broke into the argument, eager to push past the petty bickering and move on to the main event, “why are we even arguing about something so mundane? This is an easily remedied problem.” Two princes stared back at Niles, almost blinking in unison.
“You simply need to hold an eating contest,” Niles hummed, arms crossed. Behind him, Odin jumped in, with Hinata bouncing eagerly behind Takumi. No doubt these two with their competitive attitudes would also jump in.
“In the middle of a war? With all our rations?” Leo was the first to spoil the fun, looking utterly unfazed by Niles’ suggestion. Much to his chagrin, Takumi too crossed his arms and shook his head.
“No way, I’m not going to burden the rest of the army like that. We’ve been on strict rations ever since reaching Valla.”
“Well, never thought I’d see you two agree on something,” Niles hummed, turning around and shrugging his shoulders, “I’m sure you can figure something out. Maybe just… arm wrestle instead, yeah?” He could nearly feel the energy in the room spike again with the idea of another challenge and left it at that, making his way from the tent.
It was nearly half a year when the idea of food-related competition was brought up again, this time- ironically enough- at a Nohrian feast celebrating the end of a war and treaty for peace. Leo and Takumi were still seen bickering constantly, but their trials together and such a common past had morphed animosity into fondness, into something much more tender.
“I still think I can eat more than you,” Takumi hummed, sipping his champagne. While he was accustomed to Hoshidan alcohols, their Nohrian equivalents were much heavier in content and thus, much heavier on his system, “even with as fat as you are now-“
“I haven’t even gone up a size in clothing and yet you’d think I was pregnant by how much you poke fun at me,” Leo muttered, shaking his head, “there is little physical maintenance when it comes to magic and in a time of peace, I’d like to believe I can be more lax on my sword training.” Niles watched from the other end of the table, wondering if this competition would pick up again.
While Niles didn’t always play the role of a voyeur, he was proficient enough at reading the room to know when two people were into each other. The two princes were no exception, their gentle smiles showing behind closed doors and slowly becoming more frequent in public, and the blatant bedroom eyes given from across the table at shared dinners had Niles thinking this little event was going to be a lot more instrumental in their coupling than even Leo or Takumi probably realized.
“I’ve got ten gold on Lord Leo,” Niles threw in his two-cents from down the hall, sparking Odin’s interest once more.
“I as well! Lord Leo can triumph anyone in any contest- no matter the subject! As a master of darkness, he-“
“Niles, Odin, you don’t need to bet on something this mundane,” Leo immediately waved his hand, “besides, an eating contest is something two soldiers may partake in. We are princes, are we not?”
