(Happy holidays, darkshadows93! You asked for an SoT AU, which was a fun, interesting challenge for me since I very rarely write SoT AUs. I had a lot of fun writing this one, especially because I could make it particularly festive! I hope you enjoy, and have a lovely Christmas and New Year!)
Evening was drawing in on Kupa Keep, the rough, twisty roads to the castle only exacerbating the nerves wringing Kyleâs stomach. He tried to distract himself from his gloomy thoughts, his pining for home, by staring out of the carriage window. Snowflakes floated in the dark, cobalt sky and he hoped this would be the most adverse weather he and his family would experience during their short trip. Suddenly, he felt his motherâs soft palm on his knee.
âAre you alright, Bubbe?â
âHmm?â Kyle replied, glancing at her hand before meeting her gaze. Her face was creased with concern. âOh, yes, fineâŠâ
âYou just seem a little quiet,â she pointed out.
âMaybe itâs travel sickness?â his father asked, in his usual, distracted tone.Â
Kyle nodded before his parents could wander closer to the truth. He didnât want to let them down, when the real reason he was so quiet couldnât be so easily remedied.
âOr perhaps itâs excitement?â his mother suggested. âI canât wait to see the castle in all its festivities! Oh, we must extend an invitation to our Hanukkah festival next year!â
âCertainlyâŠâ his father replied.
The feud between the Elven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Kupa Keep had been settled before Kyle was even born, by grandparents Kyle had never met. But it was a miraculous event still being celebrated and upheld to his day. Visits were conducted with much anticipation, and lavish hospitality, and invitations to festivities such as Kupa Keepâs annual Christmas Ball was to be considered a privilege Kyleâs ancestors had not been afforded. Yet, he didnât feel so grateful. In fact, he had been dreading the event as soon as the invitation had arrived. He remembered the children of the Kupa Keep court not being so friendly or open-minded when it came to socialising with anybody different to them. Even Kyle, who was a prince in his own right, was excluded from their games. He supposed thatâs why it took he and Eric so long to warm up to each other, if neither of them were so stubborn and hot-headed then maybe they could have become somewhat friends sooner. They had known each other their entire lives and that was how their relationship was best defined; âsomewhat friends.â Kyle could live with that.
âAnd by next year, Prince Eric will be married to his fiancĂ©!â his mother continued to gush. âI canât wait to meet her tonight! Oh, isnât it exciting?â
To Kyle, it was not exciting at all. It only solidified his bad mood. If he hadnât managed to infiltrate the cliquey Kupa Keep court, at least he could rely on Eric for conversation. When they were in each otherâs begrudging company, they at least made the best out of it. Eric often made Kyle laugh, despite his rather childish, arrogant attitude, and during the heated debates every conversation was bound to evolve into Kyle occasionally saw a glimmer of potential in Eric to be a great future king. When they parted, Kyle was left with a dull ache he had never experienced with anyone else. It was something he had tried for years to rationalise, to shake off, and prevent, but heâd had no luck. Maybe if Eric was too busy spending time with his fiancĂ© tonight to talk to Kyle he wouldnât leave with that irritating feeling? The realisation was supposed to make Kyle feel better, but it made him feel worse.
âOh, donât worry, bubbe, weâll find you a match soon!â
âIâm not worried about that,â Kyle mumbled, heat crawling up his throat at the reminder he was yet to find a girl to court.
âThen what are you worried about?â his father asked, voice slightly fussier. Kyle could tell he was growing bored of the conversation.
âNot having any company tonight,â he admitted.
âYou have Ike?â his mother offered.
âYeah, Kyle, Iâll keep you company!â his little brother piped up beside him.
Kyle smiled at him, grateful for his brotherâs kindness, and grateful for the fact that Ike grew up knowing a Kupa Keep court of far friendlier, more accepting children. All Ike had talked about since the invitation arrived was his excitement at being able to play with his friends in Kupa Keep. Kyle didnât want to deprive him of that.
âThank you, Ike, but I donât want to stop you spending time with your friends. Youâve been looking forward to this for weeks.â
Ike frowned, as if he hadnât realised what he would be sacrificing in order to make his brother feel better.
âIke, donât worry about me,â Kyle assured. âIâll be fine. Iâm an adult now, Iâll manage. Perhaps Iâll make some friends of my own?â
Kyle felt his motherâs hand on his knee again, and was warmed by her proud, encouraging smile. Even his father gave him a small nod of approval and a smile of his own. It ignited a confidence in Kyle he was desperate to keep hold of, but it was as shaky as his carriage on those treacherous roads.
After their delicious, plentiful banquet the guests of the Christmas Ball were expected to mingle, dance, and be merry. Kyle, sat at the edge of the long, elevated table reserved for only the most special of guests, was not in the mood for any of that. Especially when having fun was to be expected, an extra pressure Kyle didnât need. If Eric was sat beside him he would be telling him jokes, offering him courtly gossip that Kyle could pretend to not be interested in, engaging him in a debate over which kingdom was better, igniting a new, tiny, faux feud between the humans and elves that could easily be extinguished by a new topic of conversation. But Eric had been obliged to sit with his fiancĂ© all evening. No, Kyle reminded himself, he wanted to. Because he was courting her, he liked her, and soon they would be bound together forever and Kyle would have to get used to Ericâs divided attention.
Eyes scanning the hall for any opportunity to make this evening worthwhile, or at least a little enjoyable, Kyle soon saw Eric approaching him, arm in arm with his pretty, smiling fiancé. He tried to smile, but it trembled under the weight of his sudden nerves.
âGood evening, Prince Kyle,â Eric said, bowing to Kyle like he had done all his life.
Kyleâs smile warmed to the familiarity. He stood up and returned the bow.
âGood evening, your majesty.â
âHow was your journey?â
âFine, fine, a little bumpy butâŠâ
Kyleâs voice trailed off, a little embarrassed by his answer. Eric simply smiled, the sort of smile that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. It was the sort of smile that Kyle needed to see this evening, coaxing him to smirk too. It was ironic that, as soon as he relaxed he remembered Ericâs soon-to-be-wife standing beside him. Kyle cursed himself for being so rude, he hadnât even acknowledged her! Such behaviour certainly wasnât befitting of a future Elven king. Kyle tried to remedy his rudeness by directing his smile at her.
âOh, and might this be your fiancĂ©?â he asked Eric.
The pairâs eyes met like magnets, collapsing into coy, quiet giggles.
âYes, it is,â Eric replied. âForgive me for not introducing you sooner! Prince Kyle, this is Lady Heidi.â
Heidi unlinked her arm from Ericâs, and curtseyed.
âItâs a pleasure to meet you, your highness,â she said, a gentle blush rising on her cheeks.
Kyleâs bitterness faltered at her humility, and her sweet smile. He had no reason to be angry at her, after all.
âThe pleasure is all mine,â he replied, with a tight smile and a nod.
The cheery, festive music was soon replaced by something slower and dreamier. Kyle saw a few young, blushing couples take to the dance floor. It hadnât gone unnoticed by Eric and Heidi either, their eyes drawn to the romantic scene. Eric took Heidiâs delicate hand.
âMy lady, would you join me in a dance?â he asked with a bow.
Kyle saw Heidiâs eyes light up, saw the blush on her cheeks deepen. He jolted when their eyes met, suddenly feeling like he was intruding on an important, exhilarating moment for Heidi that shouldâve been private. She grinned at Eric.
âCertainly, your majesty,â she replied, unable to hide her giggles.
Eric grinned at his fiancĂ©, endeared and satisfied. He gripped Heidiâs hand firmer and began to lead her away.
âI hope to see you later,â he said to Kyle over his shoulder.
Kyle nodded, hands clasped in front of him.
They exchanged quick, thin smiles before Kyle sat down to watch Eric and Heidi dance. They never took their eyes off each other, smiles never disappearing. Kyle couldnât help but be impressed by how they glided around the floor, how Eric twirled Heidi and always managed to find her and pull her close seamlessly. It was like they were the only two people in the entire kingdom. The realisation clutched Kyleâs heart, a mournful feeling of a somewhat friendship possibly lost, in the midst of fading. When Eric had Heidi, why would he need anybody else? Why would he need a 'somewhat friendâ like Kyle? And what then? What would be left of Kyleâs visits to Kupa Keep other than duty? He supposed that maybe he wouldnât be so alone, that he would be accompanied on these visits with his own future spouse, but that wasnât what he was despairing about. That wasnât what made the laughter echoing around the hall sound so scathing to his ears, what made it so difficult to breathe, the hall spinning as if he were on the dance floor. It was losing Eric, in a way he couldnât fight, or protest, that was scaring him to death, and what was worse, he hated himself for it.
He stood up, and reached out for the table when his head was still whirring. He stumbled over to his mother, tapping her on the shoulder. Â Â
âIâm just getting some fresh airâŠâ
âEverything alright, bubbe?â she asked, with furrowed eyebrows.
âYes, Iâm fine,â Kyle replied, shaking with every dishonest word. âIâll only be a minute.â
His mother didnât look convinced, but smiled in acquiescence. Kyle knew how much she was trying to put her faith in the fact that he was an adult now, that he knew just as best as she did, and even if he didnât, he had to make his own mistakes. She stroked his arm, and Kyle smiled in appreciation before swiftly slipping outside with his head lowered.
He welcomed the cold air on his face, and the chilly wind carrying the noise from the ball into the ether with the snowflakes. He folded his arms across his chest to brace himself from the cold and sighed, his breath shimmered in the air.
Kyle jumped at the sound of Ericâs voice. He had hoped nobody saw him leave.
âAre you okay?â Eric asked, approaching him slowly.
Kyle nodded automatically, not letting himself think.
But Eric looked unconvinced. Perhaps he had been paying more attention over the years than Kyle had given him credit for? He sighed, and rolled his eyes, figuring he shouldnât make a fool out of them both.
âNoâŠâ he admitted. âNo, Iâm not.â
Kyle huffed, fidgeting as he fought with his pride.
âIâm just⊠bored.â
Eric chuckled, arching a disbelieving eyebrow.
âBored? Really?â He asked, glancing back inside. âSeems pretty lively to me.â
âYeah, well, you would think that,â Kyle replied, with an exasperated smirk. âThis is your home. You have friends here, and I have no one.â
âYeah, until you get marriedâŠâ his eyes widened when he realised what he said, and he cringed at his startled reflection in Ericâs own wide, surprised eyes. âI mean-â
âWell, even when Heidi and I are married weâll still have to see each other on official business-â
âThatâs no fun, is it?â
It was Ericâs turn to huff, shaking his head and grumbling irritably.
âYou know, youâre the most hard to please person I have ever met! Iâm sure youâll be engaged soon tooâŠâ he softened then, and tried to smile. âMaybe youâll meet someone tonight?â
âWhat?â Kyle asked, brow creased.
âI could introduce you to one of Heidiâs friends?â Eric offered. âSome of them are here tonight. If you marry a Kupa Keep girl, youâll be making history! It would be the ultimate symbol of our great kingdoms uniting!â
Kyle laughed for the first time tonight.
âI seriously doubt thatâs going to happenâŠâ
Eric chuckled too, so quiet it was almost drowned out by the fading party. Kyle was glad it wasnât.
âWell, you need to at least try, right? Youâre not going to get engaged if you stand out here all evening.â
Kyle frowned. He always hated it when Eric was right. Usually, a victory for Eric was followed by relentless teasing and bragging. But this victory was met with an unusual silence, one that Kyle would stay in forever if Eric promised not to go back inside. But he could hardly ask Eric that, when he was struggling to even look him in the eye.
âHey, maybe you could meet someone out here, after all?â
Kyle followed Ericâs gaze, and saw that he was staring at the mistletoe hanging from the doorway.
âMistletoe,â Eric replied. âItâs perfect.â
âOhâŠâ Kyle whispered, suddenly remembering the traditions he read about associated with mistletoe. âRight, uh-â
Kyle reached up to place a chaste kiss on Ericâs lips. He thought it would be uncomfortable, but his lips were anything but. They were⊠soft, full, warm. But Ericâs knitted brows, and eyes alight with confusion hardly suggested he would let Kyle kiss him again.
âS-s-sorry! I, uh, just thought that was-â
Kyle froze when Eric cupped his face and pulled him to his lips again. The kiss was longer, hotter, deeper, harder, and Kyle stumbled from the force of their collision, his senses enlivened but threatening to topple him. He clutched Ericâs shirt, and he hoped that with his fingers he could communicate to Eric not to go, not to stop. He had been missing out on this for years, had never known he needed it, and he had no idea when he would experience this again. It terrified him that this was possibly the last time, gone too soon. He needed to fight for every last drop of this. When they pulled away, Kyle felt as though Kupa Keep and reality had melted around him like snow in spring. Eric was staring at him, lidded and thoughtful like how Kyle imagined he stared at Heidi out on the dance floor. As always, reality returned too soon. Kyle began to shake in their embrace.
âWhat do we do now?â he whispered.
Kyle rolled his eyes. Clearly, their kiss hadnât erased Ericâs ability to frustrate him.
âYouâre engaged! Are we supposed to pretend that this never happened?â Kyle frowned, hating how denial needed to be an option.
Ericâs gaze wandered from Kyleâs face, and Kyle pined for it. Deep in thought, for the first time Kyle felt unable to read him.
âNo,â Eric said, shaking his head. He looked in Kyleâs eyes again and ran a hand through his curls. âNo, I donât want thatâŠâ
âThen what do you want?â Kyle asked, a possibly dangerous question.
His heart raced as he waited for Ericâs answer.
âI want you to visit more often,â Eric replied, eyes never leaving Kyle. âI want us to spend some more time together. Alone.â
âForget about Heidi, okay? Itâs not too late to call it off.â
Kyle winced. Of course he knew that whatever they were about to embark on would be a challenging pursuit. That didnât make hurting people any easier.
âBut you love her,â Kyle argued. âDonât you?â
Eric frowned, his hold on Kyle loosening. It almost made Kyle panic, he prayed Eric wouldnât let him go.
âYes?â Eric sighed. âI⊠I donât know⊠yeah, sheâs pretty, and sweet, and smartâŠâ
Kyleâs heart had never pounded faster, no words ever spoken seemed more important. Ericâs shoulders slouched, and a gentle smile stretched across his face. He tilted his head, their noses brushing together.
âBut sheâs not you,â he murmured earnestly.
Kyle gladly welcomed his kiss. They were both a little breathless when they parted.
âTomorrow morning, weâll talk to our parents,â Eric said. âWhat do you say?â
The joy Kyle felt was so overwhelming it pushed a lump into his throat and tears into his eyes. He couldnât speak, so he kissed Eric again instead.
âMaybe we can make history, after all,â Kyle said, when he found his voice.
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