We Are Lovers ཉ MikaYuu

we are (not) emperors

ུ

⠀⠀⠀Mikaela didn't give a direct answer, but he couldn't simply ignore the fact that she knew him— has known him from such a young age— and act like the situation hadn't happened. It was all he was willing to offer— the time for him to think things through, to understand things, to talk to his lover and ask for his opinion. Luckily, as reluctant as the woman was, she accepted, allowing he and Yuichiro to finally leave. But not without her telling him where she and her husband would be staying within the village.

⠀⠀⠀Mikaela's and Yuichiro's walk home was met with a deafening silence, discomfort filling in the space between them. It didn't take a genius to see that the raven wasn't happy; Mikaela tried not to crumble due to his lover's fragmented expression. Bringing his horse to a slow, the slave strayed back a few steps. Beside him, Yuichiro followed suit.

⠀⠀⠀"Yuu-chan, are you okay?" Mikaela asked quietly, voice deep with concern. He leaned off to the side in order to slightly touch the dustiness of the other's cheeks.

⠀⠀⠀"In all honesty, no," Yuichiro muttered back. Wearily, he made brief eye contact that lasted barley a second. "I don't know what to think about this."

⠀⠀⠀"We'll... talk about it once we get to the castle."

⠀⠀⠀"Mm."

⠀⠀⠀Traveling through the wilderness at such a late time was calming for Mikaela. The melody sang by larks as they graciously flew above their heads, along with the lullaby hummed by the wind truly gave him a sense of serenity. Lightly, he shut his eyes and allowed his mind to breathe for a brief moment before he opened them once more, pupil gazing upwards towards the indigo skies. If it weren't for the fact that yes, he was indeed once a part of royalty and that, yes, he was considered the king of a fallen kingdom— then, maybe he would've subconsciously allowed himself to state above at the twinkling stars beginning to appear, perhaps even count the last few clouds that managed to remain where they were.

⠀⠀⠀Unfortunately, he didn't have time to idle. He wasn't just a slave riding alongside his noble any longer.

⠀⠀⠀Mikaela was a potential king.

⠀⠀⠀Thus, for the rest of the evening— or for their silent walk back home, really— Mikaela thought about what he was losing, what he would be gaining, and whether or not he would be good enough to rule a kingdom. Of all things, though, there was only one thing that was stopping him from outright agreeing to become king, and that was his love for Yuichiro. Mikaela's most important person, the most important of anything in his life, was the only reason why he didn't want to rule.

⠀⠀⠀He had vowed to his lover that he would remain at his side until the end of time— he could not possibly leave.

⠀⠀⠀But Mikaela was a forgotten prince now in line to become the king. He had people desperately waiting for his return, whom have been waiting for what seemed to be over a decade of time. His father may be gone, but from what the woman had hinted before... his mother appeared to be alive.

⠀⠀⠀His mother.

⠀⠀⠀Mikaela could not remember what she looked like. Did he look like her? Did she have blue eyes and blond hair? What was she like? Was she stoic like him, or did she have an outgoing personality? Oh, how he wanted to know more about the person who was biologically related to him. With the castle nearing in sight, the guards in front of them muttering amongst themselves about finally being back within their quarters, Mikaela opens his eyes and cranes his head to look back at Yuichiro.