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“You are cordially invited to Okkotsu Yuuta’s ball to determine his soon to be bride. The nobility of the Six Eyes kingdom kindly asks you to offer one young prospect as a candidate for the marriage. If your prospect has been selected for marriage, we will offer our protection and guaranteed loyalty to any conflict your kingdom or ours will be involved with. We do hope you decide to send over a suitable prospect and we eagerly await your attendance. Sincerely, Gojo Satoru. ”
The current king of the Snake Eyes and Fangs Kingdom stared at the gathered royal council around the long rectangular wooden table. The message had been delivered a day earlier. The king, Toge’s father, had requested for the council to bring a maiden from their family or the village. Unfortunately, they had come up empty handed.
“Your Highness, we’ve scoured everywhere in our territory and there are no eligible maidens of marriage age that wish to attend the ball.” Said a duke.
The king stayed quiet for a few seconds as he prompted for a lord to speak up. “I personally think we should send someone to attend the ball anyways. Lord knows what that man, Satoru, would do if we were to not attend.”
“However, my husband and I are to attend the annual Onigiri Fest on that day.” The queen spoke up.
The king turned to his youngest son, Toge, and said “Toge.I have a request. Would you attend the ball in our stead? You only need to explain that we are unable to send any women of marriage age.”
Toge tilted his head in thought. On one hand, he could be with Maki and Panda without the watchful eyes of the servants. On the other hand, he has to talk to Gojo. He knows the white haired king has been asking to see Toge for no other reason other than they both had white hair. Toge came to the conclusion that as long as he was discreet, he’d only see Gojo once and that would be when he had to inform him of the nonexistent Shizukesa Kingdom’s marriage prospect. So, Toge ended up agreeing.
The queen softly claps her hands “ Thank you Toge! Now, we will arrange transportation for you soon. Once this meeting’s over I believe you should pack up.”
-x-
Toge is quickly regretting his decision. It’s been over an hour since the party had started and Toge has already had enough of being there. He stood behind Panda, his six foot tall wall of muscle that he calls a guard, and tried his best to disappear.
“I heard Gojo’s been looking for you, Toge.” Maki nonchalantly said.
The mute prince quickly attempted to swat at Maki for even implying that he should go meet the eccentric king. Maki effortlessly dodged his frankly very weak attack and raised an eyebrow at him in response. Toge simply stuck his tongue out and tried to merge with his much more physically intimidating guard.
“You guys think it’s weird this Okkotsu guy hasn’t even come out for his own matchmaking party?” Panda said
“Now that you mentioned it-” Maki was loudly cut off by Gojo Satoru, obnoxiously making an announcement. “Everyone! The nobles of Snake Eyes and Fangs have told me that their youngest son, Inumaki Toge, has an important message to deliver! If he could please make his way up to this stage that would be wonderful!”
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Panda then suddenly started walking towards the stage, with Toge still clinging onto him. They bumped into a few things here and there but eventually made it onto the stage with Toge still using Panda as a human meatshield.
The blindfolded king managed to bypass Toge’s excellent defense system and pick him up to drag him into the light. Toge glared at the taller man and raised his hands up to sign, “My parents have told me to tell you that we don’t-”
Gojo, decidedly, was not interested. Rather, he slapped Toge’s hands away which made the shorter scoff. He then began to say, “No candidate? Then I’m sure Yuuta would love you!”
...Wait what?
It seemed like the room was stunned into silence. Only Gojo had an expression that told you he was anything but intrigued, shocked and or confused. Rather, he was smirking. Smirking. Toge wanted to maul his face off right now. Did this guy even know what he just implied?!??
Clearly he knows. In Toge’s silent rage and confusion, Gojo dragged him out the ballroom and shoved him somewhere else. Toge began banging on the door.
“U-Um!”
Toge froze. That caught him off guard. There was someone else in the room with him. Or was it something else? Toge turned around, fully expecting to see a little girl’s doll with bloodstained cheeks. Instead, the platinum haired prince saw a nervous wreck of a boy. Though Toge won’t deny that the aforementioned boy looked kinda cute.
“What are you doing in my room?” The boy asked.
Toge raised his hands up to sign before realizing neither Panda nor Maki were there to translate. He looked around the room and seeing no paper and pen in sight, Toge pointed at the door.
“You...Um...You want to leave?” He asked.
Toge nodded. Already formulating a plan to discreetly take his revenge. The boy slowly got up from his chair and went to open the door. Upon realizing it wouldn’t budge, he tugged harder. “Oh...someone must’ve locked us in here.”
Toge proceeded to slam his head onto the wall, angrily asking himself why anyone’s door would lock from the outside and the inside.
“So...So what are you doing in my room anyways?” The boy asked again.
When Toge turned around, he must’ve looked very disgruntled since the boy just seemed to shrink even further into himself. Toge sighed and began to sign in a gamble to have the boy understand, “I’m sorry. Gojo stuck me in here.”
The boy adorably tilted his head and replied, “Really? Why would he do that?”
Toge’s eyes widened and his hands began to move on their own without a second thought from him. “Can you understand me?”
“Ah! Well...Gojo insisted that as a Prince, I should learn how to communicate with everyone so h-he just...um...yeah…” The boy finished lamely.
Wait. Prince? “Prince? Wait, so you’re Okkotsu Yuuta?”
“Mhm. Why?”
“Dude why aren’t you out there then? Wouldn’t you wanna see your future fiance or whatever??” Toge furrowed his brows as he stared at the rigid teen.
Yuuta shyly raised a finger and asked, “F-Fiance…? Wh-What do you mean?”
Oh dear god he doesn’t know.
The door creaked open and the two boys could see Gojo peeking through the gap. “By the way Toge-chan, it seems like you’re Yuuta’s dear fiance now!”
“WHAT?!”