Two Hearts Becoming One... Or Not
I was listening to "We Become We' from Journey to Bethlehem and I got this idea. So please enjoy this. :)
CW: Suggestive Language, Fade to Black
Word Count: 1,125
Ashok's heart pounded in his chest as blood rushed to his ears, the guests in the ballroom where his wedding reception was being held parted until a clear path to the center was created. His senses were on overdrive, registering the way his chest shuddered with each breath he took.
As his brown eyes were locked onto the center of the ballroom, an outstretched arm came into his peripheral. It jolted him out of his panic, his gaze moving to his fiancé—his husband.
It had been an arranged marriage, a contract between his kingdom and his husband's to unite under one banner on the condition that his parents were to be given noble statuses. Neither man had wanted this; it was clear from the way his husband had barely looked at him the entire time their fathers were negotiating the contract. Even when Ashok had moved to new capital city for the marriage, they had not interacted with each other before the wedding.
Still, Ashok took in his husband Adam's features: the crimson eyes that held no emotion, the crooked nose that was the product of several years sparring roughly in preparation for wars that never came, the buzzcut that hid the barest hints of curls there could be if the black hair was allowed to grow longer. His features were rugged, but handsome.
Ashok could imagine a life where he had gravitated towards Adam naturally, had he been allowed to.
As fate would have it, the freedom to do so had been taken away from him. Now falling in love seemed impossible to him, forever out of his reach.
There was a lump in his throat as he swallowed, reaching out hesitantly to take Adam's arm. He let the shorter man guide him to the center of the ballroom. His movements were automatic once they reached their destination, his left hand settling on his husband's broad shoulder.
Those crimson eyes that seemed bored held all of Ashok's attention as they danced together. He wanted to know how they looked when amusement danced across them, when surprise made the eyebrows framing them rise up, when lust darkened them into a deeper shade of red. He wanted to know what it was like to see Adam's lips curl upwards into a smile.
He wanted so much, but he knew that his hopes and dreams were most likely going to be dashed. Not just because of how the older man had reacted to him upon them meeting, but also because of how he recited the vows like a sword would've gone through him if he hadn't said them.
Despite Ashok trying to get to know the man in front of him, it was like talking to a brick wall. Adam refused to give him anything.
He had no idea what to expect.
"Do you know where our honeymoon will take place?" he whispered to Adam, breaking the silence that had fallen between them since the wedding ceremony had ended. He savored the small win of getting Adam to finally look at him.
"We will be going to my family's summer home on the outskirts of the city," Adam replied, the eye contact breaking as he looked past Ashok and to the guests all around them. His touch on the taller man was featherlight, just there to keep up appearances more than anything. "But we will go tomorrow, after our consummation tonight. Once we're at the summer home, you can enjoy yourself while I'm away."
Ashok's eyebrows furrowed at that before he remembered where he was and smoothed his features over.
"You'll be leaving me? Why?"
Adam gave him a droll look.
"Look, this isn't ideal for either of us. I know that. So I'm going hunting with a few friends of mine during our honeymoon. No one but us will know what I'm up to and you can adjust to your new life without the awkwardness of me there. It's better this way."
The younger man wanted to protest to this plan, to demand he be given the time and attention their new relationship gave him. However, the older man's tone left no room for a compromise. So he shut his mouth and just enjoyed this very limited time together.
His heart ached and he hated it. He hated how every bit of information he had gathered about Adam before their union had made him wish for more than what it was. He hated the way hope that this could change into something more fulfilling for them both still sparked inside of him.
The music slowed to a stop and the pair parted finally, their first dance done. As soon as the clapping started, Ashok plastered a smile on his face. He knew he had to pretend to be happy, that this was his life now.
To be the husband of a man crowned to be the next king, because that was the best way his parents could keep their lavish lifestyle while getting the heir they had really wanted.
The rest of the affair went by in a blur. Ashok barely registered the names of all of the new nobles he was introduced to, his head spinning as he stayed close to Adam. His mind only refocused once the party dwindled down and Adam was leading him down corridors that led to the main wing in the palace.
Once more, his heart pounded in his chest as they neared upon a pair of doors leading to presumably Adam's current bedchambers. He could hear the footsteps of Adam's father and the advisors following behind them, there to witness the consummation, as if this whole situation wasn't already bad enough.
A pair of guards opened the double doors, giving way into a lavish bedchambers that had gold accents everywhere. The feature that drew in Ashok was the bed that was in the middle of the giant room, covers pulled back to reveal the soft sheets beneath as so nothing would deter the newlyweds from what they needed to do.
He regretted foolishly waiting for his first time as he stripped in front of strangers. He shouldn't have built it up in his head that it would be special, meaningful. He should've gone and fucked in a brothel like the rest of the men he knew had done when they had turned old enough to do so.
Ashok took in a deep breath when his husband was also as bare as the day he was born, leaning in closer to take his husband's calloused hand and letting himself be led to the bed. There was no going back, but when was there ever?
His back hit the sheets and he focused on Adam, hoping this would be over quickly.
MDNI & Reblog banners made by @/cafekitsune
Okay, so the song was just to get me through writing this and this was barely close to the song, but whatever. I am apparently loving writing Kali and Butcher dancing together.
Poor Prince!Kali, but this really isn't an ideal situation for Prince!Butcher either. So we can't fault Butcher for being so grumpy here.
Maybe one day, they'll learn to love each other. Kali can hope.
Requests are open! Please look at "Rules for Requesting NSFW" before requesting anything NSFW!