Chapter Text
“Why are the servants so busy today?”
“Don’t you remember? Today is the emperor’s twenty fourth birthday!”
“It’s today? Already?”
The merchant nodded and signaled to his workers to drop the sacs of rice in the royal kitchen. He turns back to the other merchant, this one delivering spices weekly to the palace.
“Time sure flies, doesn’t it?”
Indeed, the whole country was preparing for the emperor’s birthday, whether they lived at the capital or not.
This day marks the sixth year of emperor Sanemi Shinazugawa’s reign, after he dethroned his father on his eighteenth birthday. The firstborn of the past dictator quietly plotted and waited until he was of age to duel his father and make him pay for his crimes.
He immediately took charge of the nation, replaced the corrupt counsel elders and asked for each city to elect a person of trust to represent them in a meeting where he will listen to all the nation’s complaints and concerns and try to solve them all together. He gave a high percentage of his riches to fund projects to help poor areas and support poor families by providing them with shelter, food and work. and much much more.
“He may look like his father, but he has the heart of his mother.” The people would say.
In only six years, the nation may still not be able to put behind it years of dictatorship, but it is flourishing like never before.
The emperor regularly visits his people alongside his mother and his siblings, a show of trust that made hope grow in the people’s hearts. He worked the field with them when times were rough, he ensured education was free and mandatory, and always treated his people with respect. His birthday is not only celebrated, it is for some considered a blessing. Such a day has to be greatly celebrated nationwide.
But still,
“It’s just a birthday, I still don’t understand what the fuss is about,” grumbled the emperor.
His mother giggled and pinched his cheek affectionately.
“My boy, when will you learn how to accept your people’s love for you, hm?”
She smiled warmly at her son, her pride and joy. He not only saved them, but assured his siblings’ future in a good and peaceful kingdom.
“Today is your day, sweetheart. Try to relax a little, won’t you? Don't worry your mother like this. With that permanent frown on your face, how will you find a partner?”
Sanemi’s ears went red.
“Mom,” he groaned, “it’ll happen when it’ll happen, alright?”
He went back to reading his documents. The emperor, seated at his office desk, reading reports, was being mercilessly teased by his mother.
Now don’t get him wrong, he is not against the idea of having a partner, quite the opposite actually. Sanemi can be considered quite romantic, at least by his comrades. When he was young, he’d daydream about living in a remote cottage with his mate and their children. But he quickly forgot these dreams after reality hit him hard. He has priorities and responsibilities. So now he trusts fate to help him find his fated one.
“It will, my son, it will. I trust the heavens to guide a good mate towards you.”
Sanemi smiles fondly at his mother. He is glad she can now tease him openly like this. He couldn’t stand to see the most important person to him being mistreated by his own father.
“What about you, huh?” he asks, smirking. “When will you introduce us to a new partner?”
His mother blushed and playfully hit him.
“I’m too old for this, quit teasing me so.”
“You’re not though? You’re only thirty nine, you had me too early. Nothing forbids you from finding true love, ma.”
Shizu smiled at her son.
‘Truly, such a good son.’
“Don’t think I didn't notice you changing the subject. Maybe, but now my main priority is seeing all babies happy and healthy. You may be twenty four, but Koto is still five.”
“Well,” Sanemi singsongs while getting up from his chair, “my main priority is my ma and my siblings being happy and healthy. Oh, and my nation too. What is fated to happen will happen ma. Talking about Koto, I'm going to see him and Shuya. They wanted me to help them with their homework. Tengen and his mates are keeping me from entering the kitchens or the banquet hall, so if you’re looking for me, I'm not there.”
“You're going to stay with your little brothers until dinner?”
“Might as well. Genya and Teiko are helping Tengen, Hiroshi is training with Obanai and Sumi is probably with the butterfly sisters in the healing wing.”
“That's sweet of your friends, to organise you a birthday dinner themselves.”
“Meh, I'm actually scared. Tengen is already inviting all sorts of people and I've heard something about flamboyant entertainment.” Sanemi shudders, “I really hope Genya is not fueling his fire. Anyways, love you ma!”
Shizu smiles at her son, and sighs. She turns to the big window in the office, and puts both hands on her chest while looking at the sky.
‘My son Sanemi shoulders so much, he needs to think about himself more. Heavens, may you help him find a mate he’ll love deeply and who’ll love him back equally.’
She sighs again. A useless prayer, but it made her feel better nonetheless. She turned her back to the window, and made her way to the kitchens.
She didn’t see the sunlight waver, as if a tiny hand had brushed against the glass.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
“Checkmate.” Said the young man after placing his black piece.
“You're too good at this, Giyuu,” chuckled Urokodaki Sakonji, the owner of the teahouse 流舞 Ryūmai, Flowing Dance.
This teahouse is not an ordinary one, but a high-class and artistic teahouse. Guests come in to drink tea or sake, watch performances by skilled trained dancers, musicians or conversationalists, and occasionally play games like shogi or tsume shogi and socialize. It is a place for refined entertainment frequented by wealthy or powerful clients.
It is also one of the only establishments specializing in tang-style, continental dances. For some, it can be considered a cultural salon for the elite. But for Tsutako and Giyuu Tomioka, it is their savior.
Their parents died when they were very young, so the two had to find a way to stay afloat. Under the reign of Kyogo Shinazugawa, it was hard to find an establishment that would be willing to employ two young omegas without taking advantage of them.
But one day, Urokodaki, who at the time was but a tiny teahouse owner, saw the two siblings trying to sell self-made furoshikis in the streets. It was cold, winter cold, and he had the nagging suspicion the furoshikis were made from their own clothes or beddings to buy enough food. He approached them and invited them for a meal in his teahouse.
He may be an omega himself, but Tsutako was wary of him. He offered them to work as waiters or cooks in his teahouse, but Tsutako didn’t want her brother to work in an unfamiliar establishment. Multiple houses were brothels after all, and her baby brother was not even ten, he had nothing to do in a place frequented by weird old men. She agreed to work for a few days, and tasked her brother to keep sewing furoshikis but not to sell them yet.
But days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Giyuu insisted on working as a waiter too, and Tsutako began taking dance lessons given by the geisha trainers in the teahouse. Giyuu was also interested in dancing, but would only dance to cover his sister’s shifts when she was sick or during her heats. Urokodaki took care of them well, gave them food, clothes, reading and writing lessons, a salary and much more.
He knew what it was like to work hard for money, and decided he would not let a child live the same thing if he could do something about it. He took not only the tomioka siblings under his wing, but also other young kids who lost their parents like Sabito and Makomo. They all became good friends, and all viewed Urokodaki as a parental figure.
With the years, his teahouse gained more and more popularity, and he was able to offer his kids the possibility to go to school and work in the teahouse part-time. Tsutako refused, she found herself loving the art of dancing and wanting to continue down this path. Sabito refused as well. However, Makomo and Giyuu jumped on the occasion. It was hard at first, feeling like they were betraying Urokodaki after all he had done for them, but they soon came to understand that Urokodaki loved seeing his children thrive doing what they are passionate about.
They still performed in the teahouse, and while Makomo’s rakugan and nerikiri became the capital’s favorite desserts, Giyuu started challenging noblemen to games of shogi or tsume shogi, his favorite hobby prompting clients to come back for rematches.
The teahouse flourished as one of the most refined and cultured establishments.
And a few years later, when Giyuu turned nineteen, he went to the capital’s magistrate to register for the exam to become a school teacher. It has been years since he started wanting to teach, and with the son of Kyogo Shinazugawa dethroning him and making school free and mandatory, with a satisfactory salary for teachers, he decided to seize the opportunity.
The exam would focus on literacy, arithmetic, teaching ability, calligraphy, moral conduct and basic etiquette. Some might have thought he had an advantage with his work at the teahouse, but he studied diligently day and night. He finally took the exam, and waited with his whole family for the results to arrive.
The day after, a messenger knocked at the teahouse’s door, early enough they hadn't opened yet, with a letter to Tomioka Giyuu.
Too nervous to read it himself, Giyuu gave the letter to Tsutako to read. She opened the letter with trembling fingers and read it to herself first. Tears pooled in her eyes and she looked up, smiling at Giyuu.
“Congratulations, otouto. You have been selected for an apprenticeship under a master teacher for a year, at the biggest school of the capital.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Makomo and Sabito leapt at him, hugging him and shouting with joy. Giyuu, incredulous, took the letter and read it.
“I… I did it?”
He felt a hand on his head, and looked up to see Urokodaki smiling proudly at him.
“You did it, Giyuu. We're so proud of you.”
At those words, the dam broke. He cried with joy, embracing his siblings and his father.
Over the years, multiple people started working for Urokodaki. Some stayed, some decided to continue their lives elsewhere. They still all deeply respect and feel grateful for Urokodaki, and visit him frequently, like Makomo, who opened her own restaurant close to the teahouse, and delivers there freshly made goods every morning for the customers.
Others, like Tsutako and Sabito, decided to continue working there full time. They found the work pleasant, and it is known to all that Urokodaki will make them his heirs.
Recently, a new face can always be found dancing alongside tsutako, attracting new customers: Mitsuri Kanroji.
A bubbly and strong alpha, who has a deep love for dancing. She trained under Tsutako for a bit, and is now one of the most sought after performers. She comes from a big family, who support her in all she decides to do. After a few days at the teahouse, she saw Giyuu dance, filling in for Tsutako, and immediately befriended him.
The unlikely pair could be seen at market together, dancing together and even volunteering together during events. It is said Giyuu also tutors her siblings for free, because “you’re a dear friend, Mitsuri.” He does tutor children and adults alike in the teahouse during late hours when there are few customers. People describe him as having “a heart of gold.”
Naturally, he’s had his fair share of suitors, all eager to win his attention, commoners and noblemen alike. But as much as Giyuu does want a family of his own one day, he never felt a true spark of love for any suitor. Not wanting to give them false hopes, he says it directly and all accept it graciously. Love that is forced is no love at all.
Now, Tomioka Giyuu is twenty four, a well known and loved teacher in the biggest school in the capital, working part time as a dancer and waiter in the ryūmai teahouse. Even if most of the time, you can see him playing tsume shogi with older customers instead of serving drinks or food.
“Up for another game, tou-san?”
“Don't you have a class to teach, my boy?”
“I don't. Today is the emperor’s birthday, remember? Nobody is working, everybody is celebrating.”
“As we should. Today is a blessed day. Well in that case I'll be black, you’ll be white. I'm tired of defense.”
Giyuu laughed and began replacing the pieces.
Suddenly, a voice was heard at the door.
“I hope I'm not intruding, Urokodaki-san!”
The two turned to see Kumeno Masachika at the door, a sheepish grin on his face.
“Today may be Sanemi’s birthday, but I was wondering if you were still working today.”
Urokodaki got up and smirked at the nobleman.
“If you’re looking for Sabito, he’s at Makomo's restaurant.”
Masachika blushed deeply.
“I'm not here for Sabito! This time at least!” he quickly sputtered. “I was actually sent by Tengen Uzui. He was wondering if he could call for your services for tonight’s dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes… At the emperor’s palace? For the emperor’s birthday dinner?”
“So to sum everything up… Uzui Tengen is organizing a birthday for the emperor, and wants us to perform there?”
“Also, not to be rude, Masachika,” Giyuu says, “but couldn’t Suma tell us ahead of time?”
Tengen Uzui’s father is the martial instructor of the imperial guard, and he trained under him alongside the current emperor. But as he grew up, he found a special interest in music and decided to become a gagaku musician. He has a great relationship with the emperor and the court, and is greatly respected among all.
But nonetheless, he is considered quite the original fellow, especially after it was announced to the world that Tengen Uzui was an omega with three alpha mates. He can be seen wearing garments proudly displaying his three mating bites: Makio’s on the curve of his neck and left shoulder, Hinatsuru’s on his nape and Suma’s mirroring Makio’s on his right side.
Suma, who was a long time dancer at the teahouse.
“That’s the thing… Tengen kinda knew she would forget to tell you, so he sent me too.”
Urokodaki signed and turned to Giyuu.
“I will go talk with Kie to tell her about the food and outfits we will need to prepare, and send Tanjiro to Makomo’s for her to help us too.”
Kie Kamado is a hardworking omega who lost her husband to an illness a few years prior. Widowed and having to take care of six children, Urokodaki welcomed her and her children in the teahouse, where she and her children share tasks such as cooking, cleaning, sewing and other with the rest of the teahouse staff in exchange with a good salary and the possibility to live with everyone in the house.
In a short period of time, she became everyone’s mother figure and is loved and respected by everyone.
“And if I’m not mistaken,” Urokodaki continues, “Tsutako is still dealing with her heat. I will send Nezuko to fetch all the dancers that are out and available right now, but you’ll most likely have to prepare too, Giyuu.”
Giyuu shrugged.
“I told you, I have no classes to teach. I'm free.”
Masachika interrupted them.
“About the clothes and all, don’t worry about it. Tengen said he’ll have everything there on time. He said the only requirement is that the dances should be tang style dances. I think Tengen’s really into this right now after seeing Suma learn it but Sanemi doesn’t really… care, for a lack of better words. So no pressure.”
Urokodaki sighed once again and made his way to the house’s kitchens, leaving Giyuu and Kumeno alone.
“So… excited to perform in front of the emperor?”
Giyuu looked at Kumeno and smirked.
“You know, Sabito may be a beta, but he rejected his second courting advance this week, and it’s only Wednesday. If you want him, you better make a move, Masachika.”
Masachika blushed and looked at the ground.
“Yeah, you’re right. My courting gift for him is almost done, it’s just… I want it to be perfect. I may be a nobleman, but I want to show him it’s not only riches I will offer him, but my love and devotion forever.”
Giyuu smiled warmly and squeezed Kumeno's shoulder.
“Then just tell him that. you’re a good man masachika, and I know you’ll be a good partner for Sabito.”
Kumeno smiled at the blue eyed man and playfully poked him in the chest.
“What about you, huh? Mister loved by everyone in the capital? I heard the market grannies say the only person that’s worthy of you is the emperor!”
It was now Giyuu's turn to blush furiously.
“Nonsense! And I’ve never even seen the emperor. I'm just… waiting for the right one. I'm an omega, remember? If I ever choose a mate, they’re going to be the sire of my pups.”
“What’s wrong with Sanemi? He's a great guy, handsome, caring and… he’s the emperor! Also, do you want pups? Just because you are an omega doesn’t mean you have to have pups.”
“I do want pups, Masachika. I'm just waiting for the right person, that’s it. Focus on not ending your love story before it begins.”
‘Such a shame Sanemi never came with us to the teahouse,’ Kumeno thought. ‘I’m sure he and Giyuu would have been good friends, both bullying me like this.’
Kumeno chuckled and put his hands up in surrender.
“Alright, alright. You're right. The carriages that will take you guys to the palace will be here in three hours, and you’ll be directed to your temporary rooms in the palace and a dance room to practice. Sorry again for the late notice.”
“Don't worry, I've heard enough about Tengen from Suma to know exactly what he is like. And it is a joyous occasion, after all. Now shoo, let me prepare and go see Sabito at the restaurant before he has to start working.”
Kumeno smiled one last time at Giyuu and waved him goodbye, before booking it to the restaurant, leaving Giyuu alone with his thoughts.
‘What's with everyone asking me about my love life? Am I getting old? I'm only twenty four though…”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Everything in the palace was perfectly symmetrical; everything was aligned precisely. An extensive, light-colored ground lay before the entrance without any form of shelter for whoever entered it.
Covered structures lined all sides of the court, which enclosed the area in a dignified manner. Their tiled roofs were gently curved, composed of layers of tiles arranged in neat rows.
At the other end of the palace was the main building, much wider and more massive than the others, which served as the focal point.
“The main palace, everybody! Flashy, isn’t it?” Smiled Uzui Tengen.
The man was not as eccentric as Giyuu thought he would be. He was surprisingly calm when he first received them in front of the tall wooden gates, accompanied by his mate Hinatsuru. He made sure the short trip happened without incidents and complimented them all on their work, sad he never got to see the place his mate worked at.
He gestured to a servant.
“Are their rooms ready?”
The servant nodded and Tengen turned to his mates.
“Obviously you stay with me, Makio is already in our rooms I believe.”
“Tengen my dear,” says Suma. “I will stay with everyone, don’t you remember?”
The white haired man laughed.
“Oh, that’s true! Well in that case,” he gestured to the servant, “they will escort you to your rooms, Suma already knows where the practice room is.”
“We’ll stay in the main palace?” asks Mitsuri.
“Of course! And we’ll bring you your clothes and a list of the melodies our musicians can play for you.”
They split, following behind the servant to an enormous wing of the palace, where each of them was guided to a room. They had agreed that they will meet at the practice room after the clothes are delivered to discuss what dances they will perform and how. Some will take the time to bathe or quickly clean up, others to eat since they haven’t eaten.
Giyuu decided his room, although magnificent, was not the ideal place for him to calm down before a performance. So he decided to walk a little in the wing, maybe even see if there are gardens here.
‘Why am I so… nervous? That’s unusual.’
He finally reached a small garden, where he spotted an engawa, likely connected to the other rooms as his own had none. He sat down and brushed the dust from his beige skirts, loosening his dark blue haori before removing his hair pin. His hair fell free from its bun, drifting with the cool breeze. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, focusing on the sound of the tree branches rustling and the birds singing.
He remained like that, breathing slowly, eyes closed, trying to steady himself — until a voice came from his left.
“Wow.”
He startled, his breath hitching as his eyes flew open at the voice. He turned around to face…
… a cute little child, likely no older than six years old, carrying a cloth bag.
The child advances a little more.
“Wow,” he says again.
Giyuu turns a little to sit facing the boy.
“Hello.”
“Hello,” the child says. He grips his tunics and adds, “you are very pretty.”
Giyuu smiles warmly.
“Why thank you. You look very pretty too.”
“I’m not pretty!” The boy says, getting closer to the pretty man with pretty eyes. “I’m handsome! Like my oniichan!”
“Alright alright,” Giyuu laughed. “You are very handsome. Now, what is such a handsome young man doing in the dancer’s quarters?”
The boy now brave enough sits next to Giyuu, still looking at him.
‘Such a cute kid!’
“I'm here because I have homework and oniichan said he’ll help me but I want to show him I can do it myself! So I'm far from oniichan and I'll do my homework hidden and then I'll show him.”
He nodded, his idea flawless.
Giyuu put his hand in front of his face so as not to laugh at the cute child and his perfect plan.
“Good idea, …”
“Koto! My name is Koto!” He grinned.
“What a beautiful name! Now, Koto, your oniichan is maybe looking for you, you don’t want to scare him, right? Maybe you should go see-”
Koto's eyes started tearing up, and he silently clutched Giyuu’s skirts.
He sighed and caressed Koto’s hair gently.
“Look at you, trying to impress your brother. Is that your homework in the bag?”
Koto perked up and nodded energetically.
Giyuu resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks.
“Well you’re in luck! Because I am a teacher. I can help you do it so fast your brother won’t notice your absence at all!”
“Really?!”
Giyuu nodded and gestured to Koto to give him the bag.
Koto hurried and gave it to him, and showed him what he was supposed to do.
‘Hm, that’s similar to what we teach at the capital. Although I guess if he lives here he studies in the palace. His clothes are nice, maybe he is the son of a high ranked official…’
Giyuu shook his head, now is not the time. He has a very cute child to help.
And so they spent the next thirty minutes studying. Koto is a bright child, learning quickly and well. They rapidly finished working, and just as they did Mitsuri came in, looking for Giyuu to test his clothes. They clean up everything and get up.
“It seems we make an amazing team Koto, don’t you think?”
Koto nodded and clutched his back tightly, looking at Giyuu with stars in his eyes.
“Thank you, pretty-niichan!”
Giyuu blushed and laughed, this time kneeling in front of Koto and pinching his cheek.
“You did all the work, you’re very smart Koto.”
Somehow the boy brightened even more at the praise.
“Now you should hurry and see your oniichan to show him, right?”
Giyuu got up to follow Mitsuri, but felt a tug in his skirts. He glanced down and saw Koto looking at him with huge light teal teary eyes, tugging at his skirts.
“Will you come back, pretty-niichan?”
You could metaphorically see a heart shaped arrow piercing both Giyuu and Mitsuri's hearts.
‘Too cute!’
“I will try, Koto. But if I don't, let your parents know I am a teacher at the big school in the capital, so we can see each other, yeah?”
Koto nodded, satisfied, and hurried to see his oniichan, leaving behind Giyuu and Mitsuri.
‘Pretty-niichan is a teacher in the big school! I will tell oniichan so we can see him!’
He hurried to his rooms and saw his oniichan pacing the room with Shuya inside. He saw Koto and rushed to him.
“Koto! Where did you run off to?”
“I was doing homework with the pretty-niichan! He is very pretty and he is a teacher, and he helped me with homework so I can show you!”
Sanemi sighed and patted Koto on the head.
“That's very nice of this pretty-niichan, did you say thank you?”
“Mhm! Look, oniichan!”
Koto started taking out his homework, and Sanemi silently thanked whoever was taking care of his brother.
“Who is pretty-niichan? Did he tell you his name?”
Koto looked at his brother very seriously.
“Pretty-niichan is a teacher. He is pretty and he smells good.”
…
“Right.”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Giyuu looked at the performance clothes laid out for him. They're definitely more revealing to what he is used to, but he was somewhat looking forward to trying them on.
‘They're pretty… let’s put them on and see what they look like on me. I might need to figure out what to do with these chains first though.’
The base is a pair of very flowy deep blue silk pants, which have an extremely loose cut, making each step taken create a ripple effect on them. The material is light enough to move with the slightest motion, yet heavy enough to fall back into place with elegance. At the level of hips, deliberate openings, decorated with thin gold chains, reveal part of the skin. For the footwear, a pair of the same deep blue flats with gold embroidery and a sapphire gemstone on the center.
And for the key element of the outfit: a gold body chain harness. Its design starts from the top of the chest, a choker with geometrically shaped parts of metal. The chains go down with several sapphires along the way. The main chain, connected to the choker, goes in a straight line, attracting attention to his pecs and abs. The other chains curve around the waist and rib area, symmetrically.
Around the upper arms, gold ornate cuffs sit snugly and connect chains of the chest harness with the choker.
For the hair, he decides on a half-up up-do, pinned with delicate dangling ornaments, so the neckline stays visible. He adds sapphire earrings and a few bangles.
The only thing left is the makeup, but he’ll leave that to Mitsuri.
“Giyuu!”
‘Talking about Mitsuri.’
The shoji door of his room opens suddenly, and Mitsuri enters the room happily before laying her eyes on Giyuu and stopping dead in her tracks.
“Giyuu! You look stunning!”
Giyuu smiles at his friend. She is wearing the same style of clothing as his, but in pale pink and with a bandeau silk top covering her chest. She looked beautiful.
“I could say the same about you, Mitsuri.”
She blushes and starts swaying from side to side smiling, holding her cheeks.
“Ah what to do, a pretty omega is complementing me! I should snatch him up before he drowns in courting demands tonight!”
Giyuu playfully hits her, then fake swoons in her arms.
“We're both endless wells when it comes to food, ready to provide for us alpha?”
She lifts him up in a bridal carry and twirls him around.
“For a beauty like you, I'll work hard!”
They both silently look at each other, then burst out laughing. Mitsuri puts him back down and ushers him to the vanity.
“Now Giyuu, as always we’ll go for light makeup right? Maybe a bold rouge on the lips?”
“No, keep it light please. Just some oil on the lips, you know I'm a messy eater, imagine me with rouge on my face and on my teeth.”
“Oh, smart! That's probably what I'm going to do too. I'm so looking forward to the food!”
“The food? Aren't you the one looking for a partner here?”
Mitsuri blushes and shushes him, telling him to close his eyes so she can apply powder.
Later, when they are both done and Giyuu helped style Mitsuri's hair into an elegant updo, they walk to the practice room to try dancing with the performance clothes. Everyone was already there, so the attention was on them when they came in.
“Sorry, we are late! Preparing took some time, as you can see!”
Tengen, who was here to see his mate dance and make sure all was going perfectly, felt his jaw drop when he laid eyes on the duo. Specifically on the omega. Then a smirk started forming on his face.
“Suma, you dance alongside such beauties! I'm starting to be jealous!”
He puts an arm around Giyuu's shoulders.
“You, my dear, need to give me your secrets! I've been trying to seduce my mates into giving me a pup for months now, I clearly need to step up my game!”
“We want you pupped! But you’re too busy with court drama!” Suma cries from afar.
Tengen laughs and pats Giyuu on the shoulder.
“I’m joking but seriously, we need to chat, me and you. You threaten my spot as the flashiest omega in the capital!”
Giyuu smiles warmly at him.
“Thank you, Uzui-san. You’re plenty attractive just being yourself, and I know your mates are aware of it too. Suma never stops talking about you during breaks. But I'd be glad to speak with you, I also have lots to learn from you.”
Tengen was left speechless for a second, but covered it up by coughing and rubbing his neck.
“I like you! I will come by the teahouse often, I have a feeling we’ll become good friends.”
“Going to see him and not your mate?!” Suma says indignantly, Hinatsuru patting her back laughing.
The rest of the performers laughed too, the atmosphere light and relaxed. They calmed down enough to start their last dance practice, the dinner beginning soon.
“Well, I'll leave you to it,” said Tengen. "I must get going now, a servant will fetch you when the time comes, after the main course when refreshments will be distributed to the guests. A nice way to cloture the dinner, no? And Urokodaki-san, talking about refreshments, tell Miss Makomo to expect a wave of orders soon, her pastries are to die for!”
He leaves the dancers and his mates in the practice room, making his way to the kitchens to tell them to start preparing for the dinner. After doing that he alerts servants to fetch the guests that are in the palace, and goes to look for the man of the day.
He finds him in one of his brother’s room, half listening to one while scribbling on what seems like the homework of another.
“Sanemi my friend! It’s time for your birthday dinner!”
The scarred man lifts his head, about to say something, before he stills and sniffs the air.
“... where were you?”
Tengen frowns, then lifts his arm to smell himself.
‘I don't smell bad, do I?’
“Why?”
Sanemi looks annoyed that he didn’t answer his question, but ultimately shrugs and mumbles.
“I don't know, I just… felt like I smelled something.”
‘White tea and lotus,’ his mind helpfully supplied.
Tengen looked like he was thinking, then, as if a light bulb suddenly illuminated on his head, he smirked knowingly.
“Well I don’t know what you’re on about, but it’s time for you to change and to attend dinner. I'll bring the kids to the maids, this is an adult only banquet after all.”
Sanemi glares at Tengen.
“I hope you know what you’re doing as, need I remind you, my mother will be there too, alongside other trusted family friends and noblemen.”
“Don’t worry, old friend,” Tengen laughs while lifting Koto up on his hip, "I think she’ll thank me after dinner.”
The omega takes Shuya's hand and takes the kids to their maids. Sanemi could still hear Koto telling Tengen something about “pretty-niichan” and “big schools.”
‘Whatever.’
Sanemi gets ready for this, in his opinion, useless dinner, and heads directly to the banquet hall. When he arrives, he is greeted warmly by all the guests and sits at the head of the main table, with his mother on his right and Genya on his left.
“Are you supposed to be here?” he asks his younger brother.
“When you were my age, you were already the emperor. Let me celebrate my brother's birthday with him.”
Sanemi smiles and ruffles his brother’s hair.
“I see someone’s in a good mood again!” Tengen laughs as he sits at the table. “Your Majesty, you look absolutely stunning!”
Shizu laughs and pinches Tengen's cheek from across the table. She may be the empress dowager but she is another mother to all of Sanemi’s close friends.
“Pretty words! Now, Tengen my dear, my son told me you organized this dinner. I must thank you on his behalf. What are we to expect?”
“Aiyah! None of this! You know Sanemi, he’s not big on parties, so it’s only going to be a nice dinner with a dance performance at the end!”
“A dance?” asked both Shizu and Sanemi, one smiling and the other frowning.
“Yes! I thought a nice evening talking with friends and family with good music and beautiful dancers would be a good way to end the day.”
“Is it my birthday or yours, Tengen?”
“Don't be like this, sanemi. I think it’s a wonderful idea, Tengen. I've been thinking of starting dancing too, you know?”
“What?” “Mom?”
“Boys, I'm getting old now, I need to exercise more. And dancing is such a beautiful way to express oneself, it might be beneficial for me, no?”
From there the conversation flowed easily between the Shinazugawas and Tengen, and later the other friends invited to sit at their table. The food was exquisite and the atmosphere warm.
‘It’s not that bad, huh.’
A couple of hours later the servants come to clear the table and bring sweets and drinks. Relaxed on his seat, Sanemi doesn’t notice the lights dim and the music begins.
“Oh! The performance will begin,” says Shizu, excitedly. “Given the music, I deduce this is a tang style performance?”
“Nothing escapes you, Your Majesty!”
The hall becomes silent, only the music could be heard, and the performers enter quietly. They’d lined up in a line, one after another, each more graceful than the last.
The first dance began.
His eyes swept across them in an indifferent, mechanical motion, assessing each one, then moving on to the next, dismissing it before he even thought about it.
Then, suddenly, he stopped.
Not by choice.
Something had held him back, caught his gaze and refused to let go.
There.
It wasn’t because of how he danced at first.
It was his face.
Composed, still, almost distant — and yet somehow, there was nothing about his face that made him seem empty. The light caught along his features just enough to define them, not enough to soften them.
Sanemi's attention sharpened, instinctively, as though faced with something that refused to yield. Everything else faded into the background.
Deep blue silk. It moved differently from the rest, with grace and freedom, not constrained by the same rigid formality. The dancer took a step forward, and the emperor felt it immediately.
Attention. Taken, almost by force.
He leaned forward slightly without realizing.
The fabric clung and flowed with each motion, the loose fit of the trousers making each move ripple, an illusion of flowing water. His hips moved and the openings at the hips shifted, teasingly offering a glimpse of skin that was taken away before it could be fully seen.
His eyes followed the shift, dropped lower.
Each chain swung with every step, deliberately and carefully hinting at the form underneath. And then the harness. Gold against pale skin. A chain tracing the exact middle of his body from his neck, drawing the eye to it. The sapphires shone with every breath, with each movement of the muscles underneath the outfit, decorating him.
Sanemi's throat tightened as he stared.
There was nothing modest about it. Nothing that tried to disguise the form it traced. The curve of the muscles under the skin, the barely contained tension with each motion. It was all there, displayed, accentuated, impossible to ignore. Indecent, but still, he couldn't look away.
The man danced, turned, and his back became visible, bare and vulnerable, showing the golden chains on his flawless back before disappearing once more, almost teasing the audience.
Sanemi's fingers curled where they rested. Something in him hardened, sharpened into one focused point. Not admiration, not even desire, in any sense he knew. Something else, more urgent and more threatening.
The dancer raised his head.
And then he saw it. Blue. Eyes a deep sea blue.
Their eyes met, for a brief second.
And in that second, the beauty faltered. Too late by just a breath, so slight no one else noticed, except him.
Sanemi’s pulse thundered in his ears.
‘So the beauty felt it too…’
That was all it took.
The dancing went on perfectly smoothly, without a hitch. As if nothing ever happened.
But he couldn’t help but recall, vividly and sharply, that split second of time, how he had lost control just for him.
The room seemed to close in around him, it had become hard to breathe. He didn't move. However, something inside him had.
This blue eyed beauty…
He needs to see him again.
No matter what it required.