Ivan, the king of Clubs, sighed as he watched the party progress. The Spade kingdom had thought it a good idea to celebrate the longest period of peace in 15 years.
In Ivan's opinion, this was the perfect way to start a war. Knowing how the kingdoms responded to even a slight insult, there was a large possibility someone would throw a punch tonight.
To the right of the Club king was his queen, Elizabeta. She too surveyed the room.
"Haven't seen the Spade king. Looks like Arthur doing all of the social stuff." Elizabeta said turning to face him. Ivan once again looked over the crowd, and frowned when he realized that his queen was right. The Spade king was no where to be found.
The two had only met diplomatically before, to prevent a war from breaking out. Ivan did have to admit, for someone so young, he was doing a pretty good job. The Spade king was also unreasonably good looking, Ivan was almost jealous of his queen.
Almost.
"Whether or not he shows is not our concern." Ivan told Elizabeta, "But he would never live it down if he doesn't."
Ivan continued to stand and watch. About 10 minutes later the Spade king entered the dim ballroom. Ivan found himself following his path across the room.
The man was dressed in all blue, his coat hanging around his knee's, covering tan pants and and dark blue waistcoat. Blue eyes framed by his glasses. His pocketwatch chain bounced with each step. His movements were mesmerizing, but sloppy. He didn't walk like a king, with his hands in his pockets and shoulders slumped.
Ivan studied him more and realized that the other king was actually holding his side, as though he were wounded.
Then came the announcement: the typical king with king dance.
It was a tradition at such parties for there to be one song that the kings danced with each other.
Ivan started to make his way towards the Spade king. He need to dance with him. Ivan tapped the others shoulder and he turned, blue eyes finding Ivan's violet and smiling. The two made their way out onto the dance floor. Ivan noticed the other two doing the same.
"I'll lead." Ivan told the other.
He half expected an argument, but the other king simply fell into place, a hand on Ivan's shoulder and the other taking Ivan's hand. He was still smiling. It looked more pained.
As the song started, Ivan decided to ask a few questions.
"I should know your actual name, we never discussed it before."
"It's Alfred. And what about you?"
"Ivan." A silence settled between them.
"Are you okay?" Ivan pressed noticing that Alfred was wincing.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Alfred sounded out of breath.
"You certainly don't look fine."
"Don't draw attention to it, Arthur cannot know." Ivan fell quiet with a nod.
Queens could be so annoying.
"Why did you choose me?" Alfred asked him.
"I never talk to you." Ivan's
skirt shifted around his legs.
"Is that the only reason?" Their position became incredibly noticeable all of a sudden. Their chests nearly flush and their hands intertwined.
"Balcony?" Ivan whispered.
"Sure."
As soon as the song ended they went out onto the balcony. Except for Alfred didn't go right out. He got them champagne first.
Ivan leaned over the railing, holding the glass Alfred had handed him.
Away from the noise Ivan caught the laboured breathing.
"We never really do talk do we?" Alfred realized.
"Nyet, we don't."
Alfred turned to face him. "I saw you watching me earlier."
Ivan blushed. "I was wondering why you were so late."
Alfred flinched, his eyes glanced in at the party. They both stood and stared at each other.
"Was that all?" Alfred asked again.
Ivan stood up straight. "You seem fairly eager, young Alfred."
The other king flinched.
"Let's talk, okay?" Alfred suggested.
"We are."
Alfred rolled his eyes. "Ivan, you wanted to know where I was earlier?"
"Da, you were 30 minutes late."
"Arthur wants to marry me off to a suitor, and they are a bit.." Alfred trailed off. "Odd." He finished.
Ivan quirked an eyebrow.
"Well he sort of -not sort of- he kinda, like, branded me, and I tried to clean up a bit and I told Arthur, but he thinks I'm lying." The other king was gushing words, Ivan almost didn't catch it all.
"Branded?" Ivan asked.
"Yeah, you know like with cattle."
"Oh." The reality hit him hard. "Oh!"
Alfred winced again, "Yeah."
Ivan thought for a bit. "Is this why you were questioning my motives? Alfred, if you find a new suitor, will he go away?"
"Yeah, essentially."
Ivan turned away from him. He looked out over Alfred's kingdom.
They were quiet for a long time, as Ivan struggled to figure out how he felt.
Alfred's breathing got steadily heavier, and Ivan finally looked up at him. He was prepared to ask him again if he was alright, but didn't need a verbal answer. Alfred was pale, even more now, and his eyes were shut. He swayed like he was struggling to stand. Ivan stood up and rushed to catch the other king as he collapsed. Shock coursed through his body as he felt heat through Alfred's clothes. Ivan scooped up the young king and shoved open the door back into the ballroom.
"We need a doctor!" Ivan yelled over the noise. Somewhere in the room someone screamed. In an instant the room was moving.
Alfred's queen and joker appeared out of nowhere and helped Ivan bring their king toward a table.
The Joker turned toward Ivan and told him to leave. Something gripped at Ivan's chest.
"I can't do that."
"You can and will." Arthur turned away from Alfred to face him.
Ivan didn't feel like he was in control of his voice anymore, the words that spilled out were not words he thought about. "As King Alfred's fiancé, I have every right to be here."
It wasn't exactly a lie, right? Alfred had kind of proposed to him, but why? They hardly knew each other.
Arthur turned several different shades of red. "Fiancé!" He sputtered.
Ivan felt out of place, but the Spade joker scoffed and looked at Arthur. "Better than the one you picked out for him."
The doctor arrived soon enough, and started to check everything externally. Ivan shook his head.
"Check his side." The doctor hesitated, but started to feel up the king's side. The doctor stopped and started undoing Alfred's waistcoat, exposing much more than a burn mark. It almost appeared he had been beaten beforehand.
The queen gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. "What in God's name!"
Ivan stared for a moment. "His suitor, Alfred was attacked."
Arthur spun on him, "And you know this how?"
Ivan looked down at the small man, "You're smart."
The joker snickered. The doctor continued to treat the injury. Arthur and Ivan glared at each other the entire time.
When the doctor finished, he turned to look at the three leaders. He nodded his head to Ivan.
When Ivan didn't move the Joker nudged him. "You have to take him to his quarters, aru. You are the highest standing in relationship status."
Ivan took a step forward and the doctor moved out of the way.
"I don't know where his quarters are." The joker set a hand on his shoulder, "I'll show you, aru."
Ivan slid his arms under Alfred's shoulders and knee's lifting him bridal style.
The Spade joker led Ivan through the corridors of the castle. Ivan had to tear his eyes away from the man in his arms. He caught himself, tracing the lines on his face, where his neck joined with his body, the way his shoulders curled against Ivan's chest.
"My name is Yao, aru." The Joker told Ivan, breaking him out of his thoughts. "And I am really glad that you two are getting married."
"Ivan, and how so?"
"Arthur is terrible at finding suitors, I mean look at the person who did that." Yao gestured to Alfred's injury.
"Yao?"
The joker hummed in response.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was until I saw the injury."
Yao smiled, "Tell me, how did you feel when you saw him today."
"Conflicted, but drawn to him."
Yao nodded, and remained silent.
The shorter man pushed the door open to Alfred's quarters and bowed as Ivan walked past.
Ivan laid the other king out on the bed, arranging him so that he would be comfortable. Yao bid them goodnight and left.
Ivan kneeled on the ground beside Alfred and let his hand gently trace Alfred's face, his skin was soft and warm, unlike Ivan's.
Ivan stood up and undid some of his many layers of clothes, until he was just in his long sleeved undershirt and pants. Ivan pulled one of the chairs closer to the bed and sat down, watching the young king carefully.
Alfred looked peaceful enough, but Ivan was trying to figure out how to get out of being Alfred's fiancé.
Sure he was attracted to the blond, but was it really a good idea?
Ivan's eyes found the bandages on Alfred's chest.
If I leave he will go back to him.
Ivan reached out and took Alfred's hand, curling his cold fingers around Alfred's warm ones, and leaned back in the chair.
I couldn't do that. He needs me.
----
Alfred woke to sunlight streaming in his open window and a very cold hand gripping him. Twisting his body, Alfred caught the shock of platinum hair and pale skin.
His heart thudded as the nights events came back.
Ooh God, Arthur's gonna kill me.
Alfred realized that they were still holding hands. An act? Why was Ivan here, the two had only met a few times before. Sure Alfred had suggested that Ivan marry him, but...
Alfred pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing at the pain in his side. He reached a hand to Ivan's face, tilting it so that he could see him better. Ivan was fast asleep, and didn't even seem to notice that Alfred was touching his face.
Alfred leaned against the bed frame and watched Ivan, studying the way he breathed and the way his shoulders met with his neck.
Alfred shook his head. A king shouldn't think about someone this way. It wasn't good for their kingdom, at least, that's what Arthur said.
Ivan made a small groaning sound as he started to wake up, and Alfred remained still. Ivan's violet eyes squinted against the sun and finally rested on Alfred.
"You're awake." Ivan said, pulling his hand away.
"Yeah." Alfred responded softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, thanks for staying, you know."
Ivan moved to the edge of the chair, but didn't stand.
"We are engaged now Alfred."
Alfred froze, "I didn't think you'd say yes."
"Well, something told me I had to."
"Was it Arthur? You don't have to do anything you don't want to do." Alfred swing his legs off the bed.
"I said something not someone." Ivan chuckled.
"Oh, okay, I just know that Arthur can be a real pushover and if things don't go his way he tends to get a little crazy and-"
Ivan slapped a hand over Alfred's mouth, standing up and then leaning onto the bed over Alfred with his knee planted firmly on the mattress.
Alfred gulped, suddenly remembering how tall Ivan was.
"I made the decision myself." Ivan whispered into Alfred's ear, taking his hand off his mouth. Ivan didn't move out of that position and Alfred started to feel like he needed to push him off the bed, but not completely.
Something in Alfred's brain was also begging for Ivan to kiss him.
"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay with it. I mean we hardly know each other."
Ivan's eyes never left Alfred's, "Da, that is true."
Their faces were so close together.
"We will have to start planning immediately." Alfred mumbled.
Gods just kiss me already.
Ivan's hand slid up Alfred's arm, drawing him a little closer.
Is he thinking the same thing?
Alfred curled his hand into the front of Ivan's shirt and pulled him forward. Their lips meet and for a second Alfred saw white. Ivan pushed him back on the bed, as they kissed.
Should've done that before.
Alfred wrapped his arms around Ivan's neck and held him close.
They pulled away, gasping for breath.
"I've wanted to do that for years." Alfred painted, "All those diplomatic meetings, couldn't keep my eyes off of you."
"I noticed, thought you were glaring." Ivan chuckled at the horrified look Afred gave him.
"No! You can tell when I'm glaring. That wasn't it, like, at all."
Ivan was still inches from Alfred's face and the breath tickled the others noses.
"We can make this work, right?" Alfred asked, his voice softening.
Ivan smiled. "We can try, but it's unheard of to have two kings marry."
Alfred nodded. "Well I guess we'll be the first."
"And Arthur?"
"He can go suck it." Alfred grumbled.
Ivan laughed, "So vulgar for a royal!"
Alfred shrugged and then pulled Ivan back into a kiss. There was a lot to plan, and Alfred side ached, but his chest was warm and that seemed to be the only thing that Alfred could notice. And of course his new lover kissing him back.