estirose

This is kind of AU-ish to “Brothers and More”.
Summary: A Queen accepts his throne a bit more gracefully.

Asserting the Queen
by Estirose

Taiga looked up at Bishop as the man came in. He was not thrilled to see Bishop; Bishop, for some reason, disapproved of Falling Leaves, his boyfriend.

“It is done,” Bishop said. “You will soon have a true Queen, my King.” Left unspoken was the fact that he would have to love a girl instead of Falling Leaves, and Taiga was not looking forward to that at all as he also looked forward to having a Queen, period.

But he merely nodded when Bishop said the words, and let the man go his own way. He made a call to Falling Leaves, hoping that his boyfriend would take things well.

Of course, Falling Leaves didn’t answer. Taiga tried several more times before giving up. Maybe his boyfriend had gotten involved in something; maybe his boyfriend’s mother had been keeping him busy.

It was only when several days passed without contact that he became concerned. It probably didn’t help that Bishop was cheerfully looking forward to Taiga having to dump his boyfriend.

He finally decided to show up at his boyfriend’s place. Dialing the number one more time, he hoped against hope that his boyfriend would finally pick up, which he did at the last second. “Wataru-kun,” he said, using his boyfriend’s human name. “What’s wrong? You haven’t been returning my calls.”

“Um….” Falling Leaves sounded hesitant, even for him. “Come inside the gate and look to your left.”

He did, and realized the pile of shards had to be the remains of a Fangire. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, but Mom….” It sounded like Falling Leaves was suppressing a sob. “She….”

“I’m sorry, Wataru-kun. Let me come up.”

“The door’s open,” Falling Leaves said, and Taiga felt his chest tighten as his boyfriend sounded so emotionally dead.

Taiga crossed the yard and was soon speeding up the stairs, coming in to the workshop. He instantly enveloped Falling Leaves in a huge hug. “I’m sorry. What happened?”

“I came home after we were together… and… and….”

“It was probably that human-made system,” Taiga said. “Don’t worry, I’ll get revenge for you.” He’d liked Falling Leaves’ mother, and he would get revenge for his boyfriend.

Falling Leaves sniffled. “Um. Well….”

“Yes?” Taiga asked. What had happened? It wasn’t the humans’ system, then?

“Um.” Falling Leaves brushed a finger against the worktable. “Do you want some tea, Crown’s Truth?”

“You’re trying to distract me,” Taiga said in disapproval. “Falling Leaves, what’s wrong? I’m not doing anything until you tell me.”

“Mom… mom was… mom was Queen, the former Queen….” Falling Leaves looked at him, face tear-streaked. “She knew her time had come….”

He’d never wanted a Queen, and he silently apologized to Falling Leaves’ mother, who had done her best to keep them together.

“I’m sorry, Falling Leaves,” he said, holding his lover tighter. “I didn’t want this to happen….”

“She told me just before she sent me to you,” the younger Fangire said. “I… she… I….”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Taiga said, trying to keep him calm.

“Crown’s Truth… um. Um. I’m going to be your Queen in a few days,” Falling Leaves blurted out. “T-that’s why she wanted us together.”

“You’re going to be…” Taiga stared at him. “My Queen!”

“I’m not awakened yet,” Falling Leaves said, ignoring his outburst. “But I will be. Mom thinks Bishop will try to kill me as he did her….”

“No, he won’t,” Taiga told him. “Don’t worry, Falling Leaves, I’ll protect you. And then we’ll be the best King and Queen ever….”

He knew they would. And this would give him the reason he needed to be with Falling Leaves all the time. If Falling Leaves was his Queen, then even Bishop couldn’t pry them apart.

“A-and mom said something else,” Falling Leaves managed. “Um. We’re half-brothers, Crown’s Truth. Not that it matters, but….”

“Of course it doesn’t,” Taiga said soothingly. Royals did sometimes have to marry siblings, after all. He ran a hand through Falling Leaves’ hair. “It doesn’t matter at all.”

His Queen… because Falling Leaves was his Queen, after all, sniffled. “I know,” he said.

“Let’s be together,” Taiga said. “Be King and Queen. We’ll need to anyway.” It would make things easier for both of them.

Falling Leaves nodded shakily, and Taiga took him downstairs, hoping to soothe him and make him happy. He intended to take his Queen, and hard, but he had to calm him down first. And Taiga would calm his Queen down, because he hated to see Falling Leaves unhappy.

Crossposted from Ramblings Yet Once More here.