Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Tendou-san!” The kids called, running up to him with excitement. He stopped mid-step and turned to them, offering them a warm smile.

“What’s wrong, kiddos?” He asked, crouching down next to them. He knew those kids well. During his visit to the city, those kids were the ones more interested in his stories. They were always walking around him and listening to everything he said.

“Mommy said you were leaving tomorrow. Can you tell us a special story? Pretty please!” A kid whose name was Goshiki asked, hand going up to grip the hem of Tendou’s shirt. He was pretty fond of Goshiki, who always stared up at him in admiration. The kid was always shimmying in his seat with excitement every time Tendou was singing.

Tendou was a bard traveling around in search of adventures, stories, and heroes. He carried his lute, like knights carry their swords, using his voice as a weapon. He knew the hunger in Goshiki’s eyes more than anyone else. That’s why he sighed, and took the kid’s hand, bringing him to the chair.

“This is a very special story. It’s long and old, not my own. I heard it from my master,” He started, reaching for his lute, and bringing his hand over the strings. “Long ago, mothers told their kids a story about two princes. One of them, blessed by the gods; the other - cursed by them.”

***

Two cries cut through the night air, loud and piercing the silence of the chamber. Instead of relief, the faces of everyone in the room were twisted in pure terror. The mother’s eyes were shining with tears. Two small bundles were carried in the high warlock’s hands, his eyes white, the voice coming from his mouth, not his.

Long ago, during the stillness of the moonless night, twin princes were born. One of them blessed by the gods with a life full of victories, happiness, and love. The other - cursed with blood, death, and grief.

That night, Osamu and Atsumu were born, crying into the night. On their tiny bodies were two marks, stating the curse and the blessing. Only a high warlock, working with the gods, could see the mark and say which one of the twins carried the curse.

Miya Atsumu had everything. Chambers filled with gold, clothes in royal red. Bleached hair framing his handsome features. In the eyes of Inarizaki’s people, Miya Atsumu was the blessed twin. They believed he was dripping with women, cocky smiles, and gold.

“You’re the blessed kid, Atsumu,” his parents told him since he was a toddler. At first, he couldn’t understand the meaning of the said blessing. When he grew up, surrounded by ballrooms, expensive suits, and jewelry. Then, he finally understood he was everything his brother wasn’t.

They tried to keep them apart. Osamu’s chambers were hidden deep into the castle, in a tower hovering over the rest of them. They were unable to find the entrance by any ordinary person. What his family didn’t know about Atsumu, was his hunger for adventures. And so, Miya Atsumu found his brother’s chambers and snook into them more times he could even remember.

Osamu carried a curse; that’s what everyone said. Locking him up was for his safety, they said. Atsumu lost the count of times he helped Osamu out. The times went to the city with him or ran in the gardens under the sweet blanket of the night. With or without the curse, Osamu was a human, a teenager craving for friends, adrenaline, and love.

While Atsumu was born with a smile blinding the sun herself, Osamu was more toned down. He was quiet and calm; his smiles were rare and small. Most importantly , he wasn’t running his mouth around as much as his twin.

Atsumu loved his brother. The thought of the curse annoyed the living hell out of him. How dare the universe decide his brother’s future without explanation? As long as Osamu was cursed , he hated his blessing.

The blessing came with great responsibility. You will be a king one day, everyone said. It seemed like those people only saw him as gods’ favorite, with a promise of victories, riches, and peace. That’s what everyone wanted for the kingdom.

(And themselves.)

Miya Atsumu, the blessed prince, traveled the world from a young age. He met people, attended balls, danced with ladies. He listened to people’s boring talks about politics, his heart itching to go outside.

Atsumu had an unhealthy habit of sneaking out of his chambers, wherever he went. To be honest, he was rather good at it, not once caught at the act, until a certain warlock.

Sakusa Kiyoomi, Itachiyama’s high warlock, working closer to the gods anyone could even imagine . The said high warlock was one year younger than Atsumu, and he was staring up at the blond prince.

Atsumu slowly placed his other foot onto the ground, hands letting go of the window frame he was holding to get out. He cleared his throat and stood straight, hands desperately trying to clear up his clothes at least a little bit . During the process, his mind ran miles per second, trying to find a reasonable excuse for his little, night escapade .

“Wouldn’t using the door be simpler?” Sakusa asked numbly , sticking his hands under the robe of a high warlock, lolling his head to the side.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Atsumu replied, then mentally slapping himself on the face. Great excuse, Miya.

His words, however , seemed to catch Sakusa’s attention because he snapped his head forward, raising one of his brows at him in curiosity .

“Prince Miya, you could get hurt like that,” Came Sakusa’s reply, still stoic and numb. Miya let himself smile a little smugly , relaxing his posture and leaning against the Itachiyama’s palace walls .

“Well, I’m the blessed prince, so I believe nothing bad can happen to me, Sakusa-kun.”

He knew he sounded like a cocky bastard, the type of person the young high warlock hated the most, and the twitch of his eye proved it once again . He wasn’t staying for long in Itachiyama’s capital, only visiting prince Komori for two or three days. He had business to attend in the north of the country, being sent there only because of his blessing.

He hadn’t known Sakusa Kiyoomi for long. However , he heard the stories about the young warlock, how he was talking the deities at the age of four, possessing the highest amount of mana in his small body .

Sakusa Kiyoomi was quite powerful. A blessed twin and a special warlock, gods’ favorites. What a pair would they make?

“Right, the blessed Miya twin. Well, young prince, I can’t stop you, but if anything happens to you, I doubt my king, or your father, will be happy about it. Consider staying in the palace saving my head, now, that I know you’re outside.”

Atsumu sighed. Sakusa was right. If, by any chance, anything happened to him – Sakusa Kiyoomi would be dead. It would be a waste to kill such a young, beautiful, talented warlock because of him, right?

So, he turned around, flexing the muscles of his arms, and gripped the window frame again, pushing himself up . Sakusa watched him, a spark of amusement visible on his face, trying to hold back a little smile.

“You know using the front door would be easier?” He asked; careful eyes focused on Atsumu’s back, ready to catch him if he started falling.

(Or maybe, just maybe, he would move to the side and let Atsumu break his leg, walking away with a “you brought it to yourself, prince Miya,” threw over his shoulder, that prick.)

Atsumu was already sitting onto the window frame when he turned around. He was swinging his feet in the air, with a cocky grin on his lips.

“I wouldn’t want to give the guards a heart attack, Sakusa-kun,” He explained, leaning back to look prettier, batting his lashes at the warlock .

(In case you’re wondering, he leaned back too hard and fell into his chamber, a little giggle coming from the outside. When he finally stood on his feet again and walked to the window to tell Sakusa to stop laughing at him, the curly-haired male was already gone .)

After that night, the two of them seemed to always stumble across each other.

Either it was Atsumu, sent with his father or mother to Itachiyama, or prince Komori with Sakusa on his side visiting Inarizaki . Spending time in the same city, briefly meeting each other during one of Atsumu’s trips or catching a glimpse of Sakusa’s hair when he was walking around the markets .

“Ya know, we see each other quite a lot, Omi-kun,” He noticed one time, laying down onto the fresh grass, throwing a green apple he picked from the tree by himself into the air . He did it a bunch of times, just because the action seemed to annoy the warlock, who sent a glare in his direction.

He doesn’t remember when he started calling Sakusa Omi-kun. He did it once and decided to stick to it, mainly because the scowl on Sakusa’s face whenever he did it, was truly beautiful .

(“ Omi-kun!” He called, a wide smile spreading on his lips, at the sight of his favorite warlock in Inarizaki’s castle. Kiyoomi winced, turning away from him and trying to move away from the prince, making him laugh.

“Prince Miya,” Kiyoomi said another time, bowing his head in respect. Atsumu knew he did it only because Komori was next to him, watching him carefully .

“Nice to see ya again, Omi-kun,” He teased, not missing the way Kiyoomi’s eye twitched.)

Sakusa was currently in Inarizaki, doing business with Inarizaki’s high warlock, Suna. Atsumu knew Suna was closer to Osamu. He once caught the warlock in his brother’s chambers, sitting on his bed in Osamu’s clothes, but decided not to talk about it . Osamu deserved happiness, and if Sunarin could give it to him, Atsumu could keep his mouth closed.

“It makes me wonder what have I done to upset the gods so much,” Sakusa mumbled under his mouth. For once, he wasn’t wearing his warlock robe. Instead, he wore a white, cotton shirt, with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked beautiful like that, more casual and less intimidating.

Atsumu snorted, finally catching the apple and biting into it, then offering the fruit to the warlock, who only scowled at him with disgust . The prince shrugged, keeping the apple for himself.

“I doubt ya would be able to do anything to upset the gods. Yer perfect, Omi-kun,” He said after a beat of silence. A butterfly was flying around him, so he reached his hand up slowly , letting it sit on his finger. It was beautiful, fluttering its wings slowly .

“You realize I’m still a human who can make mistakes, right?” Sakusa asked, this time softer. When Atsumu moved his eyes to look at him, he was watching the butterfly on Atsumu’s finger, his face unreadable.

Atsumu shrugged, not answering the question. He didn’t feel the need to, instead watching the butterfly and eating the apple.

"Connect me to Sakusa-kun, Sunarin," Atsumu whined, walking into Suna's office. The high warlock rolled his eyes, not stopping filling the documents he was working on.

"Do it yourself, Atsumu."

"Yer the high warlock here, that's yer job," came the prince's reply, as he threw himself onto Suna's desk, a pout visible on his lips . "Come on, I need to talk to Omi."

"I doubt Sakusa-kun would want to talk to you. He thinks you're pretty annoying," Suna said, finally lifting his eyes to meet Atsumu's pleading gaze .

"And I think he's pretty rude, he ain't special, that high warlock. Connect me with him, Sunarin!"

Suna sighed, dropping his pen onto the desk, and then glared at the prince with annoyance. Finally, he sighed and stood up, walking to the magic device used to contact other warlocks.

Soon, Sakusa's confused face popped up on the screen. Suna looked at him apologetically .

"Sorry, Miya was bugging my ass about calling you," He said, earning a loud and angry "Hey!" from the prince. Kiyoomi rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively at Suna.

"Yeah, I know that brat can be a lot to handle. Don't worry, I have some time to talk with him," Itachiyama's warlock mumbled, using a voice much softer than when he was talking with Atsumu .

(Which kinda hurt his feelings, but he was way too prideful to admit it, thank you very much.)

" Just reminding the two of you that I'm still here," He said instead, standing up from the desk.

"Yeah, I'm aware. What do you want, Miya?" Sakusa asked, going back to his harsh voice.

"Say, Omi omi... Are ya busy next week?"

Atsumu was sure Sakusa Kiyoomi hated him. In fact, he was sure if he wasn't a prince, Sakusa would long ago hex him. Or something. Whatever Sunarin was threatening to do to him if he didn't stop being annoying.

They were standing in front of a forest, with the moon shining above them, Atsumu grinning like an idiot, meeting Sakusa's glare .

"Tell me again, why the fuck are we elf hunting?" The warlock asked. Atsumu forced him to take his robe off, and wear something darker, that wouldn't stand out in the dark forest too much .

"Because an elf from Itachiyama's forests tried to assassinate my father, and if ya don't help me, my father will start a damn war, Omi omi !" His voice was way too giddy for what he'd just said. Sakusa sighed. He looked so done and out of place it was almost funny.

(Or Atsumu was just a sadist. Both could work.)

"Give me the blade, I will try to tack him," Sakusa said, reaching his hand out. For once, Atsumu decided to stay quiet and give the warlock the weapon his father was hurt by . It was a fine blade, definitely elf work. Itachiyama's elves were known for their blade work and when prince Komori heard about the assassination attempt, he instantly promised Sakusa's help during the investigation .

Seeing Sakusa work – the mana pouring out of his hands – was an amazing experience. He seemed so focused, filled with passion for once. It was a nice contrast to his usual, almost numb self.

"Stop staring, Miya," The warlock mumbled, forcing Atsumu to advert his eyes.

"Miya," Came Sakusa's voice. He sounded breathless as if he was running to Atsumu's chambers. As Atsumu turned his head in his direction, he looked almost worried, breathing hard and quick, panicked eyes sliding over Atsumu's face .

If the prince wasn't so fucking tired and hurt, he might have joked about Sakusa worrying about him. Instead, he smiled faintly , reaching his hand to Sakusa, who hesitantly hurried over to him.

"Hi," Atsumu said, the tips of his fingers brushing over Sakusa's hand. "What are ya doing here?

"Stop acting like you don't know, Miya. I heard what happened. Suna said to let you know they caught the guy."

Atsumu winced at the memory of that. They were in the plaza, meeting with their people and talking when suddenly a common human appeared, yelling disturbing shit and carrying a magic device with lots of mana locked in it . The mana was unstable, and before the guy stopped talking – it exploded.

If it wasn't for Sunarin being there, all of them would be dead.

Atsumu was the closest to the explosion, trying to calm the man down. He ended up hurt and bleeding from the intensity of the explosion, yet he was stable. Just as he dropped onto the ground, the ringing in his head getting louder and louder, the crazy man started running away, ignoring the way his hands were covered in blood .

"I didn't think ya would come to see me, Omi-kun," He wasn't sounding like himself, voice hoarse and smaller than usual.

"We're friends, Miya. I was worried you got your stupid, royal ass killed."

It was the first time Sakusa spook to him softer, and the first time the high warlock of Itachiyama held Miya Atsumu's hand .

Sakusa liked to act like that day didn't happen at all. After Atsumu was healed and back to acting like a kid, the high warlock snapped back into his harsh voice, and avoiding Atsumu like a plague .

However , there were spontaneous moments when he was softer, looking at Atsumu with his eyes shining, listening to him with everything Sakusa had . There were moments when he allowed himself to crack a little smile or reach to touch Atsumu's hand briefly .

If Atsumu started noticing the way Sakusa's fingers were soft and careful, the way his hair curled over his forehead, or the way he had this weird urge to kiss those two moles above the warlock's eyebrow - he kept it for himself .

Sakusa's special high warlock robes were stunning. They were white with golden ornaments, tied at his waist with a golden rope. He looked gorgeous in them, standing next to prince Komori on Atsumu's birthday ball. If Atsumu could, he would've spent the entire evening only with him, but as the crown prince, he had to take care of the other guests .

Atsumu danced. He slid over the ballroom gracefully , holding the ladies by their waists softly , sending them beautiful smiles . He danced, chattered, laughed, and excused himself to move to the next guests.

When he finally finished talking with everyone but Sakusa, he walked towards the warlock with a warm smile .

"Hey, Omi-kun! Thanks for showing up," He said softly , for once dropping the sly attitude.

"It's your birthday, of course, I would show up. I'm not cruel," Sakusa scoffed, then finally looking at him.

His eyes were warm, face relaxed in something that looked almost like fondness. He was looking at Atsumu so softly as if he was trying to say something, but all those people around him stopped the words from coming out .

"Kiyoomi," Atsumu started. Ask me to dance with you, Sakusa's eyes seemed to scream. There was desperation in those beautiful, dark orbs, a silent plea for Atsumu to reach out and tug him closer.

Atsumu would. He would do it if it was any other day. He would ask Sakusa to dance with him, tug them to the middle of the dancefloor and look at him with so much fondness, no one would dare to ask . If it was any other day, Atsumu could consider kissing him breathless, touch those black curls, and whisper everything he had in his mind into Sakusa's ear .

For once, Sakusa looked like he would agree, kiss him back and hold him closer.

"I have to go now. Ya know, it's Samu's birthday too..." He said instead, focusing his eyes on Sakusa's hands to avoid the disappointment in Sakusa's eyes .

"Oh, of course. Wish him a happy birthday from me, Atsumu."

In Osamu's chambers, he did what Sakusa asked him for. He spent the rest of the night laughing around with his twin, staring at the stars and wishing life could be different .

"Samu's a good brother, ya know?" He said another night, just Sakusa and him in Itachiyama's royal gardens. He was picking up on the grass, nibbling at it with his fingers softly . Sakusa was watching him, leaning on his elbows, those curls falling into his eyes softly .

"How it is that I never saw him?" The warlock asked, turning his head slightly to the side. He looked cute like that, and if Atsumu had the urge to climb up his lap and kiss the shit out of him, no one needs to know.

"Ya know, they say, when we were born, Samu and I, one of the gods spoke from our current high warlock. He was holding us, born minutes before, crying loudly when his eyes went white, and he spoke in a new voice. 'one of the kids has our blessing' the god had said, 'while the other carries our curse'. Then he promised the blessed one life full of victories and happiness, while the other is supposed to go a path of death and losses . Our parents were scared of the curse, so they locked Osamu up in a fucking tower. It's kinda fucked up," Atsumu explained, lifting his head to look at the stars.

"Why the two of you?" Kiyoomi asked, one of his hands moving to briefly touch Atsumu's skin.

"Don't know. I'm not sure if I even want to. It just bothers me that I'm here, and Osamu's locked up. He deserves to be happy, with or without that damn curse."

Silence fell between them, both the prince and the warlock deep in their thoughts. They were sitting close, the stars bright above them, the only witnesses of the gentle touch of their hands, the soft looks exchanged here and there .

Under the light of the stars Sakusa Kiyoomi looked like an angel, Atsumu thought. His features seemed sharper, yet the curls on his forehead looked softer than ever. If Atsumu reached with his hand to brush them, only the two of them and the stars knew.

"Atsumu," There it was again, a silent plea and the edge, pouring out of Sakusa. He was looking at him, or maybe he was looking at his lips, Atsumu wasn't even sure anymore.

"Yer drivin' me insane, Kiyoomi," The prince whispered, his own eyes searching for something, anything in Sakusa's eyes that would tell him to stop .

"It's funny because you're doing the same to me, your highness."

Under the stillness to the night, Sakusa was leaning to him and kissing him softly , fondly , warmly . It didn't feel like Atsumu had butterflies in his stomach. It didn't feel like he suddenly lost the ground under his feet and started falling, and didn't feel like he was flying either . In fact, it felt like there was an entire supernova exploding in his body, the warmth spreading all over him, kicking him in the guts, leaving him breathless and craving for Sakusa's touch .

The entire universe held its breath as they kissed, hands roaming around each other, finally able to touch the person they wanted all these months .

When they moved away, Atsumu wasn't sure he knew how to breathe without Sakusa anymore.

"Took you guys long enough," Osamu teased from his bed, hand against the palm of his hand. Atsumu rolled his eyes while Sakusa just shifted behind him, still amused by the fact that Atsumu and Osamu really looked the same .

"At least we didn't jump onto each other the second we met, like certain someone I know," Atsumu hissed, hand reaching under the table to get a hold of Sakusa's fingers .

"Hey, for the record I've been locked up here all my damn life and Sunarin was the first gorgeous human I've seen,"

"Hold on, Suna-san and Osamu-san are together?" Sakusa asked, turning his face to look at Atsumu, one brow carefully raised.

"They are, and they're gross, trust me with that, Omi-omi," Said Atsumu, earning a scoff from his twin.

Sakusa sat there, watching the brothers bicker and laugh with each other, and a small smile blossomed on his lips . They looked completely normal, like two young adults who were still carefree, like siblings that spent their whole lives with each other, not like two princes with their futures already decided .

The two of them seemed designed for each other. Once they crossed the line between friends and lovers, officially putting on a label of boyfriends over their relationship, they seemed to match each other like two puzzle pieces . Atsumu never saw Kiyoomi so comfortable as he was when they were walking next to each other, fingers brushing against the other hand, a small smile on his lips . He never saw Kiyoomi so amused like that one time he climbed up the wall to his chamber, a cheeky grin adorning his face. He never saw Kiyoomi giggle like that when he finally entered his chamber and stumbled over to him, pecking his lips every two seconds .

"Hey, Atsumu?" Sakusa asked once, leaning on his elbows on Atsumu's bed. Atsumu hummed from his desk, still busy with all the royal stuff he had to do. He wished he could finish it sooner, hurry over to his boyfriend and hold him already. Yet, he had responsibilities he needed to be done with. "You look kinda attractive like that."

"Well, thanks," Atsumu chuckled. It was late at night, his hair was probably a mess from all the times he ran his hand through it. He was only wearing a white button-down, sleeves rolled to his elbows, the collar opened exposing his collarbones .

Before he knew, Sakusa was next to him, moving the chair away from the desk and sliding into his lap, thighs on both sides of Atsumu, arms wrapped loosely around his neck .

"Omi, I have work to finish," He whined, not moving to push the warlock off. Kiyoomi's body was so warm and soft, and he honestly missed being so close to him.

"Well, your boyfriend is touch starved, you can do me instead,"

Okay. Let's say this clearly . Sakusa Kiyoomi isn't someone who whines for attention every two minutes. In fact, he's the exact opposite of that, always slipping away from Atsumu's arms.

So, when your brat of a boyfriend asks you for attention, you don't tell him to wait. You drop whatever you're doing, scoop him into your arms (which is kinda hard, because Kiyoomi's legs are probably the prettiest and also the longest legs on earth), and drop him onto his bed, careful not to hurt him .

Atsumu is a good boyfriend. He really is, Kiyoomi can even approve that. That's why he does exactly what he should, and soon his lips are on Kiyoomi's, smiling into the kiss at the little approving noise Kiyoomi did .

"What's gotten into ya?" The prince asked, trailing little kisses all over Kiyoomi's neck, nibbling at the sensitive skin softly , making the warlock giggle .

"We haven't seen each other for two weeks, I have every right to miss you," He said, placing his hands on Atsumu's cheeks and bringing him up to kiss him again .

Atsumu lost the count of minutes they spent just kissing and holding each other, tugging at each other's lips and deepening the kisses when they felt like it, before - for the first time in their relationship - Kiyoomi started opening the buttons of his shirt .

"Wait, wait, wait. Yer sure about it, Omi? We can stop, ya know?" He mumbled, moving away to hold Kiyoomi's hands for a second.

The smile the curly-haired male gave him was soft, almost making him dizzy.

"Dumbass, if I didn't want it I wouldn't be trying to do it."

Kiyoomi's hands on his exposed skin felt warm, fingers trailing the curves of his muscles with so much care and fondness, Atsumu was sure he was going to melt under them . Not long after that, Kiyoomi's shirt was also thrown on the floor, messy on the red carpet next to the bed. When Atsumu straightened his back and looked at his lover, he felt himself inhale harshly .

The warlock was naturally pale, his skin marked with beauty marks here, and there, creating a great opportunity for Atsumu to trace them with his lips . His body was slim, a gentle sight of muscles all over him.

Breathtaking, that's what Atsumu thought.

"Come on, take off your pants, your highness," Sakusa teased, words spoken straight into his lips, long fingers tugging at the hem of the clothes .

Atsumu chuckled softly , leaving one last kiss on Sakusa's lips before he moved away, turning around to tug the pants off .

"Wait, Atsumu, stop," Sakusa called, voice confused. In seconds, he seemed to lose all the playfulness he felt earlier, and Atsumu turned his head around in concern .

"Something's wrong?" He asked, watching as Sakusa scooted over, gentle fingers touching the skin on his back.

"Weren't you supposed to be the blessed twin?"

Atsumu frowned, watching with the corner of his eye as Sakusa examined his back with all seriousness .

"What d'ya mean supposed? "

"I mean that there's literally a curse mark on your back, Miya. That's what I mean."

Miya Atsumu, the blessed twin felt his body freeze. If he carried the curse all this time, that meant Osamu was the real blessed prince. That meant, someone switched them when they were kids, Osamu was where Atsumu was supposed to be, locked up in a tower for his whole life . That meant, Atsumu was supposed to die, live a life full of grief and sadness.

What's even worse, he was sure Suna knew all along.

"Fuck," He mumbled, hiding his face in his hands.

He felt Kiyoomi shift behind him, and soon he had those long arms wrapped around him, his boyfriend holding him close .

"Hey, I'm not going to let you die, Tsumu. You hear me? We will figure something out. I promise."

Atsumu's whole life was a lie.

The only thing he was sure of was Kiyoomi.

Suna traced Osamu's shoulder with his fingers, eyes focused on the mark that promised his boyfriend a life full of victories . It seemed like a joke, considering the fact he was locked up away from the world.

Osamu was quiet, most of the time. He only seemed talkative with Atsumu, even Suna himself couldn't make him as happy as his twin. It was cruel, the way both of them believed Osamu was the cursed one. It was cruel of him to know the truth. He stayed quiet about it from his own, selfish reasons.

"If there was a way," He whispered, earing a hum from the prince to let him know he was listening. "To get rid of the curse, but at the same time give away the blessing, do you think Atsumu would agree on that?"

"Of course he would. He wants me to be free more than anyone else."

"You're getting way too invested with that human's life," Came a voice in Sakusa's chamber. The warlock turned around, bowing his head respectfully at the sight of Oikawa. The deity didn't visit him for a while, and, as it looked like, he came to scold him.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you. We're kind of dating, of course, I'm worried about it," He said, trying to keep his voice respectful.

"The human's designed to die. He carries an eternal curse on him. If you will manage to keep him alive for three more days than he's supposed to live, nothing would change," Oikawa explained, moving a little closer to the warlock .

"He will still be able to see his brother and family for three more days. Is there a way to lift the curse?"

The deity laughed at that, a playful smile blossoming on his lips.

"That's so selfish of you, Kiyoomi. I'm impressed. I doubted you ever wanted anything for yourself, but now you just want him to stay alive because you love him. " There was amusement in Oikawa's voice, a carefully raised brow, and a bottom lip bit down softly .

"Is there a way to lift the curse?" Kiyoomi asked again, avoiding meeting Oikawa's eyes.

"Don't get yourself killed because of him, Kiyoomi. I actually like you, so it would be a pity if you sacrificed yourself just to save him."

"Father's sick," Atsumu said, voice tired as never before. He seemed genuinely exhausted with what was going on in Inarizaki. Sakusa furrowed his brows, holding his hand up, on his palm.

"Can I do something to help?" He asked softly , reaching his hand up to brush Atsumu's hair away from his eyes. It seemed to help the blond relax just a little because he closed his eyes and sighed with relief at Sakusa's touch.

"Suna's handling it, I guess. It's not like I can trust him right now, but whatever. I'm so tired, Kiyoomi, I haven't gotten any sleep for the past two days."

It took the warlock two seconds before he stood up and tugged Atsumu to his bed, pushing him gently onto the sheets. Then, he scooped over to him, curling his arms around him and kissing his hair softly .

"Ignore everything outside okay? I need you to rest a little bit, and then you can go back to being the royal prince, the brother, and the son. For now, you're just my pretty, dumb boyfriend," Kiyoomi whispered, hiding his face in Atsumu's neck . The prince hummed, closing his eyes, too tired to respond with his words.

For the first time in two weeks, he felt warm.

"Connect me to Kiyoomi and leave," he ordered, marching into Suna's office, not even sparing the warlock a glance .

"You could've at least asked nicely , Miya," Rintarou whined, not moving his body from the chair. Atsumu sighed and turned around to him, sending him a glare.

"That was a fucking order. Do it or I will have your head cut fucking off," The prince hissed.

Suna's eyes widened, but he finally stood up from the chair and walked up to the magic device, connecting with Itachiyama's high warlock .

"Is everything alright?" Were the first words Sakusa said, not even looking at Suna, eyes searching for Atsumu with panic.

"Leave," The Miya prince said again, clenching his jaw. Suna looked like he wanted to say something, ask why Atsumu was acting so cold towards him. He seemed to know better than to try it because he nodded his head and left the office without any other word.

"What's happening?" Sakusa asked one more time, moving closer to the weird screen-like thing.

"Karasuno attacked our lands. Mother's sending me to their capital to talk it out because they still don't know Osamu's the one they want," Atsumu explained briefly , bringing his hand over his eyes .

"I'm coming with you."

"Kiyoomi, no . That's my job to do."

"This is a fucking death wish, Miya. I told you I'm not letting you die on me. I'm going with you, end of the conversation."

Sugawara Koushi was a nice guy. He cared about his kingdom, his people, and his friends. Maybe if they could ignore decades of hateful memories between Karasuno and Inarizaki, they would be friends . Sugawara's tongue was sharp. He wasn't scared of trying out new things, he voiced his thoughts loud and clear, carrying himself with proudness and confidence that suited him really well .

The son of the War Minister, however , was someone Atsumu hated with his fucking guts. Tsukishima Kei, that often acted as if he was the heir of the throne. He obviously didn't like either Atsumu or Sakusa. Tsukishima, that brat, younger than both of them, dared to stare down at them from his spot on Sugawara's right side, grinning coyly at them .

"We don't need the fighting right now. I wouldn't want our ancestors to make us fight with each other, Sugawara-san," Atsumu says calmly , his voice careful and full of respect .

"I'm here from my cousin's regard. Prince Komori believes Karasuno and Inarizaki can talk it out calmly , using me as a mediator. Since both kingdoms are our neighbors, it is also in our interest to keep your fathers in peace," Kiyoomi added confidently . It wasn't a lie at all, because that was really what Komori said before he let the high warlock go. Them dating was just another reason to accompany Atsumu.

Sugawara smiled at them, playing with the ring on his finger. He seemed to think about their words before he gestured for them to sit next to him. When both the prince and Itachiyama's high warlock were seated in front of him, he hummed softly , casting Tsukishima a short glance .

"I totally understand what both of you mean. Personally , I don't understand the hate our kingdoms feel towards each other," He started, keeping his voice light and warm . There was something in the way he spoke, that made Kiyoomi narrow his eyes at him, body tensing just a little.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, Sugawara-san," Atsumu said, leaning back in his seat. "If we understand each other, it would be nice if you took your army out of our lands."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm still just the crown prince. I don't hold any power over the army. The decision is my father's and I'm not in good relations with him lately. Even if I ask, he won't do it," Sugawara shrugged.

Kiyoomi got a feeling it was some utter bullshit. Karasuno's king was old and almost unable to rule by himself, and Sugawara, as the oldest prince of Karasuno, held all the power in his hand . Atsumu seemed to know that because for the next twenty minutes he tried to negotiate with the silver-haired male .

"As I said, nothing can be done . All I can promise is for Tsukishima to talk with his father. Maybe then we can... work something out. If that's all, both of you can leave."

They did leave after that, almost vibrating with anger. The door to the chamber closed behind them, leaving Sugawara and Tsukishima in silence for around two minutes .

After that time, Sugawara smiled, no longer warm and soft.

"Tell Hinata to kill both of them."

Kiyoomi felt like they were being watched. At first, he thought he was being paranoid. He had the cursed Miya twin with him, he was worried about him getting killed every three seconds, so it was obvious he would start being way too wary of their surroundings .

After some time, just as the carriage they sat in left the capital city of Karasuno, the feeling became stronger .

"We're being followed ," He stated calmly , trying to look out of the window discreetly . He cursed under his nose when he didn't saw anything suspicious, Atsumu following him with his eyes .

"I thought I was just imagining things," Atsumu mumbled, reaching out to get a better grip of the sword on his hip. Sakusa sighed, rolling the sleeves of his robe.

"Stay quiet for a minute, I will try to get a hold of how many's following us,"

Atsumu did shut his mouth after that, watching Kiyoomi work. The curly-haired male had his eyes closed in concentration, fingers working in the air in front of him. It was almost as if he was trying to manipulate the structure of the space, get a hold of anyone he didn't recognize moving after them .

When he opened his eyes, they fell straight on Atsumu.

" Just one."

It started two hours after that when the knights around the carriage dropped dead from their horses .

"Here we go," Atsumu mumbled, taking his sword out and jumping out of the carriage, Kiyoomi following shortly after him .

"Let's stay close together, just in case," Sakusa's voice reached him, and he nodded his head shortly, touching the dead body of one of the knights with his shoe . It was a skilled job, leaving the victim no time to even think about what was happening.

"An assassin, very skilled one. Fast, light on his feet, using a fine blade," He reported, eyes scanning their surroundings.

"That matches what I felt."

They slowly moved around the carriage, looking for the assassin and anyone who was still alive . As they suspected, everyone but the two of them - was alive.

The shuffle of the leaves on Atsumu's right came quick and unexpected, the prince turning that way, Sakusa covering his back .

"Ya should come out and just fight with us, ya know?" Atsumu called out, trying to give Sakusa enough time to find out where the assassin was.

"On your right," Kiyoomi whispered, slowly moving them around.

Atsumu was better with the sword. He was raised with one, walked with it attached to the hip every day, training late at night. He could easily be called the best swordsman in Inarizaki, confident with the steel in his hands. "He's moving."

"It's not really cool to let us out and then send an assassin after us, ya should tell that to Sugawara-san," Atsumu said again, keeping a playful tone in his voice .

A blade was thrown at them, yet they managed to move away in time, Atsumu smirking.

"That wasn't a very clever way of givin' away where ya are, doncha think?"

"He's moving to the other side right now," Sakusa whispered, the two of them following the assassin's movements .

" Honestly , that was a good job. I don't know how much Sugawara-san pays ya, but maybe Inarizaki could pay ya more, huh?" He tried, listening for any response.

"He's backing out a little, deeper into the woods."

They could hear a soft curse, exactly from where Sakusa said he would be. Then, there was silence. Sakusa listening, searching, and Atsumu watching.

"Atsumu, he's-"

When Atsumu turned around, alarmed by the abrupt choked out noise Sakusa did, his eyes widened.

His ears seemed to blackout every noise other than the beating of his heart and Sakusa's rapid breathing, the white robes of the high warlock of Itachiyama quickly coloring crimson .

There was a blade, piercing Sakusa's clothes and body just on his chest, a blow that definitely was a deadly one.

"Atsumu," Sakusa called out softly , blood dripping down from the corner of his lips.

Atsumu doesn't know if he was screaming. He doesn't know when he dropped the sword, caught his lover into his arms, and went down onto the grass with him, shaking hands bracing Sakusa's face .

"Don't fall asleep okay? We can get ya to Sunarin, he will heal ya okay?" He mumbled, pressing his hands next to the wound to stop the bleeding just a little.

"H-hey, Atsumu," Kiyoomi choked out, tears falling from his eyes. "I... I loved you in this life and," he coughed with blood, a violent sob coming out of the prince's chest "and I will love you in every next one, okay ?"

"Don't ya dare to die on me right now, Omi. Doncha dare, or else I will be so mad at ya."

There was a tiny laugh from Sakusa, stopped by the sudden wave of coughs.

"Atsumu, can you kiss me?"

"Of course, I can, love, just please, stay with me," Atsumu begged, leaning down.

As he placed his trembling lips on Sakusa's, the whole universe exhaled. There they were - the cursed twin, living a lie with only his lover being the truth; the chosen warlock, closer to the gods any human could imagine . They there were - covered in blood and tears, the kiss nothing more than the press of the lips.

The whole universe exhaled with the last breath Sakusa Kiyoomi did, against the lips of the man he loved.

As Atsumu moved away, he placed the body of his lover onto the grass softly , taking a shaky inhale for both of them. When he turned around, there he stood, in all of his glory.

Angry, orange hair. Eyes on fire, small and fast body, a knife in his hand.

"I didn't know the two of you were lovers," The assassin said, lolling his head to the side.

Miya Atsumu felt empty. There was nothing else in the world he had, his only hope for the better tomorrow dead on the grass. He sniffled, getting a hold of his sword and charged, without thinking.

Beside him, he left the knights and the child with fire in his eyes. In the carriage laid Sakusa's body, the white robe drenched with blood, hands no longer warm. He was numb. He wasn't sure how we got into Itachiyama's capital, he wasn't sure when he placed Kiyoomi's body in front of Komori, but before he could remember he was crying into Komori's arm, body shaking from the cries . Komori cried with him. The blond pleaded, begged Komori to just finish him because it was his fault.

If only he didn't let Kiyoomi come with him. If only he didn't let Kiyoomi fall for him or see that damn curse mark.

Komori escorted him home. He stumbled into the palace, blood, and dirt all over his body. He wasn't crying anymore. He wasn't sure if he was ever able to, the only thing left after his love - the necklace Sakusa wore every day, hanging from his neck .

"Where's Kiyoomi?" Suna asked, hurrying over him, hands shaking.

"He's dead," Atsumu said numbly , before punching the warlock straight in the face.

The two years went on like two weeks. He remembers forcing Suna to say the truth in front of everyone. He remembers hugging Osamu when he was let out outside of the tower. He remembers locking himself in it, staring the whole days at the empty walls. He remembers his father dying, and before he can realize he's standing on the right side of Osamu, the crown being placed on his brother's head .

He sends Osamu a tired, numb smile. He hugs him, he talks with people and spends two hours in the ballroom, talking with people. Or more like, nodding along to whatever they're saying. Then, he goes back to the tower, stands on the balcony, and inhales.

His lungs feel empty. He feels empty, the necklace burning against his skin. The night is beautiful, stars shining above his head. When he closes his eyes, he can imagine that night when they kissed for the first time.

Before he knows, he's crying, holding his face in his hands, tears running down his cheeks.

"In this life and in the next one, huh?" He whispers, sniffling, and wiping the tears away.

The noise from the ball covers the sound of him falling.

In the morning, they find him cold, beautiful, in a pool of red, with a smile on his lips. It's the first time in two years Osamu sees him genuinely smiling.

***

"So... they just died?" Goshiki asks, eyes shining with tears. Tendou placed down the lute and opens his arms for the crying child, who hurries over to him and sits on his lap, big, watery eyes staring up at him .

"Kiyoomi promised Atsumu they would love each other in every life. He promised him a neverending love story, and if you think about it, they did it," Tendou explains, moving away Tendou's cute hair from his eyes .

"But, they died, Tendou-san. How can love survive that?" Tendou laughs softly , wiping the kid's tears away.

"When you grow up, you will tell their story to your kids. Your kids will tell the same story to their kids, over and over again. The world won't forget that Miya Atsumu loved Sakusa Kiyoomi."

"Does that mean their love is eternal?" Another kid named Shirabu asked, his head tilted to the side.

Tendou nodded his head.

"It's late, kids should go to sleep now!"

With a whine, the little group of small humans stood up, coming to give him a hug before leaving him to go to their beds.

"Thank you for the story, Tendou-san!" Goshiki smiled softly , eyes still glassy from the story.