I think you can watch for me adding additional little shorts on after this—the world I've made is vast and ready for exploration, after all. To look more at each character and what happened to them (both before and after) would be interesting, yeah?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Yong Soo had begun to pester him. Cornering him in deserted areas, insisting and saying that 'since we love each other so much, we should do it now'! Not just sometimes—whenever he had the opportunity! In the cabin when Xiang and Aksel weren't around, on the deck when there wasn't anyone nearby, in the dining cabin after dinner was through—really, he was just getting too insistent! This needed to be taken care of, and quickly, because Yao was beginning to get migraines from the whole thing.

When Yong Soo practically melted out of thin air (apparently harnessing one of the tricks Matthew had) in the hall on the way up to the deck, Yao jumped. Muscular arms swept around his waist, yanking him back against a broad chest as a face nuzzled into his neck. "Brother," he began in a wheedling tone, his teeth scraping slightly over skin. It caused a shiver before the older man steeled himself.

"Now, you listen to me!" Yao whipped around to face him, jabbing his index finger against that (really quite nice, really) chest. "I'm not going to do it with you on a ship!" He narrowed his eyes up at the younger man, who blinked, seeming confused that he was so worked up.

"Why not?"

"Because! It's a ship! If I wanted to do it somewhere, I'd like it to be some place with a little more dignity!"

Yong Soo goggled at him, his brown eyes slightly widened, and Yao blinked cautiously, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "So, if it's romantic, it'd be fine?" he asked enthusiastically, leaning in very close. Yao frowned slightly at him, wondering if he only ever heard things he wanted to hear.

"I said somewhere with dignity," he merely said.

"Okay!" Yong Soo's chest seemed to swell with the force of his excitement, his grin enormous. "I'll get the best, most perfect place ever when we get back, brother! So, until then, you just restrain yourself, alright?" He beamed down at him, as if Yao had been the one all over him all this time and got a half annoyed, half affectionate glare.

Alfred thankfully descended the plank onto the Eirske docks, breathing in the salty air. He blinked brightly behind his glasses, avoiding shifting his arm (bandaged and hanging in a sling in front of his chest). He'd asked Arthur to heal him but—in the magician's words—he deserved that injury and if Arthur healed him then he wouldn't learn anything from it.

'I shouldn't reinstate him like I was thinking about,' he thought, resisting the urge to pout as his arm panged. He turned to watch his brother step lightly down the plank, Lars close at his side with a hand lingering at his waist, and his sister Margaux on his other side, an amused smile hanging on her lips. Alfred grumbled internally—he didn't like Lars, and he didn't like the fact that he was with his brother, but—

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

Jumping with surprise, Alfred turned his head and went pale.

There, storming down the dock towards him, was Roderich. Angry red spots had bloomed in his cheeks and his eyes were furiously narrowed behind his glasses. Alfred was pretty sure that he could hear his advisor grinding his teeth (with a backdrop of sinister piano music that just promised his doom) and took an involuntary step backwards. Behind him, he heard Lars snicker and resolved to get back at the bastard.

"Ro-Roderich," Alfred spluttered. "Uh, you wouldn't hit me, right? I'm injured—"

Roderich came to a halt before him, the red spreading in an angry flush over his cheeks, a funny look in his eyes. His hands lifted and Alfred squeezed his eyes shut in expectation for the pain, but he found himself being drawn down by arms about his shoulders instead. His nose pressed into the stiff, white collar of the advisor's shirt, dark hair tickling his nose, glasses digging into the bridge of his nose.

"You dare—if you dare do anything as foolish and idiotic as that ever again, I will find a loophole in the system and I will find a way to get you removed as king!" Roderich said furiously. His voice was very close to Alfred's ear and, for a reason the king wasn't sure of, he felt his face growing very hot.

"U-uh."

Matthew snorted when Roderich released his brother, watching amusedly as Alfred began to splutter and bluster, red-face and seeming confused why he was as such. Roderich was frowning at him, just as puzzled, raising his eyebrows at the king's inability to speak properly. "That should keep him busy for a while," he told Lars, leaning into the arm that slid warmly around his shoulders.

Lars pressed a kiss against his temple, smiling. "Good. I don't need for us to be bothered by your crazy brother." He slid a hand down into Matthew's, squeezed it gently. "It's been a while since we've had alone time, you know…"

"Hi, still here," Margaux said, waving her hand slightly to get their attention, as they'd started looking at each other in a thoroughly moonstruck fashion.

"Oh yeah. You are." Lars looked down at her, blinking.

"Hey—that isn't very nice," she exclaimed, planting her fists on her hips. "You found your long-lost sister, and you aren't even thinking about spending time with her? You're more concerned with getting laid!"

"Right now," Lars admitted and Matthew flushed slightly.

"Honestly. We've still got to find our baby brother, you know," Margaux said, waggling a finger sternly. Lars looked thoughtful, nodding slightly. "So, don't get your hopes up about sleeping with blondie here. We've got more important things that need to be done."

Lars groaned.

Candles. Yao knew he'd requested somewhere proper to do…that, but he hadn't expected candles. They lit up the guest room in the palace (they were staying there for a day or two to rest up before heading back to Heldere) in a soft golden glow, the curtains drawn shut over the broad windows. Yong Soo was grinning enormously as he stepped forward into the room, sweeping his arm in a wide arc.

"Isn't it great?" he exclaimed. "I told you I'd find the perfect place!"

"It's something." Yao shut the door behind him absently as he stepped inside. As soon as it clicked shut, however, Yong Soo was unbuttoning his blue vest, grinning over at him where he stood by the edge of the bed. The dark-haired man felt his cheeks growing hot. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Getting undressed." Yong Soo treated him to a confused look as he tugged the loose blue vest over his head, leaving his billowy, loose-sleeved white shirt on.

"B-but—"

Yong Soo stepped forward and placed his broad palms on Yao's chest, stroking with his fingertips, the grin hanging on his lips, his eyes gleaming. The elder man twitched slightly in surprise, but then his eyes were sliding shut as those lips moved to the side of his neck. He resisted the urge to swallow as he felt the buttons to the shirt popping open, exposing his skin to the cooler air of the room. A hand wandered inside his shirt, palm flattening over his chest, and the rough skin was warm and the touch not exactly unwelcome.

"Ah." Yao tilted his head back slightly as teeth nibbled their way up his neck, hair brushing against his cheeks.

Yong Soo finished undoing the last of his shirt's buttons and pushed it off over his shoulders, palms stroking down his arms warmly. "Brother…" His mouth found Yao's ear, tongue brushing it experimentally, eliciting a surprised twitch and an appreciative noise. "Yao…" He put his hands on his hips, urging him backwards, and Yao let him, sinking down onto the bed and edging back.

Excitedly, with shining eyes and his cheeks slightly flushed, Yong Soo fumbled with the buttons to his shirt, sinking onto his knees on the bed in front of the other man. Yao watched with a touch of impatience and mostly amusement as Yong Soo's fingers scrabbled clumsily at the buttons. Eventually, he leaned forward.

"Let me." He kissed Yong Soo's cheek, receiving a delighted look, and undid his shirt for him, pushing it over his broad shoulders. Yao stared a little, reached out his hand hesitantly to run his fingers down his chest to his stomach. Yong Soo moved suddenly, throwing his arms around him and they both fell back on the mattress, Yao letting out an indignant "oof" at the sudden weight. "Hey—! Yong Soo!"

He was met with a beaming face as Yong Soo kissed him soundly on the mouth. The mouth softened against his after a moment and Yao met the probing tongue with his own, his fingers tangling in short, dark hair. He wasn't sure how he did it, but soon enough Yong Soo had divested him of his trousers and boots (the latter he'd paid special reverence to removing, fingers running along the arches of his feet and in swirling movements up his ankles and calves). Yao shifted slightly, watching with half-closed eyes as the younger man pushed off the rest of his clothes.

"Okay," he said, looking at Yao expectantly. "I—so, what now?"

Yao sat up, blinking incredulously at him as he rested on his hands. "You don't…you don't know what to do?"

Brown eyes darted from side to side—was Yong Soo embarrassed? "I haven't done this before," he said at last, puffing himself up. "Not everyone can be experienced like you, brother." This earned a groan and Yao fell back on the bed, slapping a hand against his forehead.

"I'm not experienced," he complained. "Why do you think I've done this?"

"EH? You haven't!?"

Yao pressed his hands over his face, his cheeks burning under his palms. He refused to open his eyes, feeling like less of a man. "No, I haven't. I know the basics of what you do, but I've never—"

He was suddenly trapped under a heavy, warm body that laid enthusiastic kisses down the front of his chest. He yelped in surprise and moved his hands, looking down at Yong Soo, who was grinning enormously as he swiped his tongue across Yao's ribs, provoking a squeaky noise and a wriggle. "Okay!" he breathed, happily. "You just tell me what I need to do, and I'll do my best!"

When Yao told him exactly what this entailed, Yong Soo looked at him with sympathy.

"Don't look at me like that, I'll be fine," Yao grumbled lightly and shifted back on the bed. He got another pitying glance, but Yong Soo was moving downwards then, brushing kisses across his stomach and Yao sighed, fingers knotting in his hair. Eventually, that mouth found his cock and his fingers tightened, sighs dissolving into tight groans he tried to muffle behind one of his arms.

The damp fingers that wriggled their way into him brought a foreign feeling and discomfort, Yao's teeth closing on his arm to keep himself quiet, his eyes screwed up shut. Yong Soo darted glances up at him, and began to clumsily apply tongue and suction to distract the man, who relaxed and groaned and those fingers prodded deeper, explorative.

"Yong Soo," he gasped out, tugging his hair with one hand. "That's—you can—" Before he can finish, Yong Soo was on top of him and pressing into him, his eyes dark and hooded. His arms pressed into the mattress to either side of Yao's head and he watched his face with an unnerving focus.

The room had gotten too hot too fast as Yong Soo began to move his hips when he was encouraged. Yao clutched at his shoulders, dragged blunt nails across his back, gasped and could only move with him. He was hazily aware of Yong Soo murmuring his name over and over again into the skin of his neck.

It seems to be over far too soon, and Yao was left panting and curling into the warm arms that wrapped tightly around him.

Home—he didn't realise how much he'd missed Ganmu. His shop still stood, the same as before (though the grass had gotten too long) and they'd only stopped at Dorado for a night on their way home. Yong Soo had collected all his things, deciding on his own that he was going to live with Yao from now on—of course, Yao extended an invitation to Xiang, who merely smiled at him and ignored Yong Soo's whining. Aksel had accompanied them as well, having no other place to go, but he merely grinned and shook his head as Yao proposed the same invitation to him.

The day back, Yao went about repairing his front door with Aksel's assistance. Yong Soo, apparently taking it upon himself, began to do up invitations for a 'victory' party.

"Since we kicked ass," Yong Soo said casually and Yao berated him for the language as well as just deciding on his own that he'd have a party.

But, he thought afterwards, a party wouldn't be so bad.

It'd been a while since he had cooked for guests, after all.

A shadow fell across Aksel's face and he opened his eyes slightly, gazing upwards. Xiang looked back at him, his shaggy hair hanging in his eyes as usual, and the effect was quite striking from this angle with the sun behind the boy's back, making everything about him seem sharp and darker than usual. A grin curved the blond man's lips and he shifted his arms behind his head slightly, tilting his head back expectantly, knowing Xiang most likely had something to say. He didn't simply come outside and stand over him for no reason, after all. "Take a seat."

The younger man did so, folding his legs neatly as he sank down onto the grass alongside Aksel, palms resting on the ground to either side of his hips. The fragrant smell of food drifted outside to them. They were silent for a few minutes, listening to the distant calls of birds and the low buzz of insects and (less evident) the chatter inside the house. The smell of food and summer mingled in the air, a breeze stirring Xiang's bangs, drawing a half-lidded blue gaze to the movement as it cast shadows across his face.

"What are you going to do from here on out?" Xiang asked him sombrely, turning his head to look down at him. "Since King Alfred had your name cleared from the list of bounties."

Aksel let his eyelids fall shut over his eyes, grin still hanging on his lips. "Who knows," he said. "What about you? Are you going to stay here with those lovebirds?" He indicated the house with a lazy wave of his gloved hand.

"Hm. Yong Soo would make a fuss if I stayed." Xiang looked thoughtfully towards the front door.

Silence fell between them once more. It was comfortable.

Then, Aksel lifted his hand, tugging off his glove with his teeth, shoving it into his pocket. That done, he lowered his large, calloused palm over Xiang's, squeezing it slightly. Xiang turned his hand over without a word and their palms pressed together, fingers entangling after a moment. "I'm gonna go travelling," Aksel murmured. "You said you haven't been many places, right?"

"Yes."

"Then, come with me." Aksel grinned up at him, squeezed his hand again. "We'd make quite a pair."

A small, rare smile turned up the corners of Xiang's mouth. It softened the whole of his face and he nodded his head briefly. "Yes," he answered as their grip on each others' hands tightened. This earned him a soft chuckle and Aksel's blue eyes seemed to tunnel in on his.

"Hey. Kiss me."

A pause, then, "Yes."

They'd finally stepped away from the clamour of their humble 'victory party'. Sadiq had been challenging Lars and Matthew all afternoon to a drinking contest, while Francis seemed intent on learning every single aspect of his cousin's love life. Margaux had been teasing her brother all afternoon, playing around with Matthew, who'd blushed more times than that day than he was sure he had in his entire life. Now, they stood away from the ruckus, shadowed by one of the expansive trees that grew by Yao's home, their foreheads leaning together lightly.

"Wonder what we should do about Margaux," Matthew murmured as Lars leaned in, one hand cradling the back of his head, fingers sliding into his wavy hair.

"Let's forget about her for now," Lars replied, nuzzling his cheek, kissing both in turn. He leaned in for a proper kiss, his eyes closing, but suddenly found his arms empty and rather cool, his mouth meeting something feathery. His eyes snapped open and he jerked back quickly from the fluffy yellow chick that his mouth had come in contact with. "What the hell!?"

Gilbert grinned smugly, pulling his pet back to his chest. The bird cheeped and ruffled its feathers, giving Lars an affronted look (though how it could look affronted, he had no idea). His other arm was around Matthew's chest, and the blond had gone bright red.

"When did you get here?" Lars spluttered, wiping feathers off his mouth.

"I've been here for a while," Gilbert answered, all of his teeth flashing in an arrogant grin. "Too bad for you that I'm the best at finding snarky little blonds." He nuzzled against Matthew's hair, eliciting a noise of protest and an angry growl from Lars. "Hey, did you forget my payment? I'm collecting now." He smirked. "So I'll be taking Matthew for tonight—you get him back tomorrow afternoon."

"You bastard! We didn't all agree on that!" Lars roared. "Just that idiot kid agreed!"

"Too bad. Deal's a deal, no matter who agrees," Gilbert crowed. He shifted and wrapped his arm around Matthew's waist casually, provoking a series of embarrassed stutters and noises. Lars balled his hands into fists and the pale man raised his eyebrows challengingly, meeting Lars' gaze evenly.

They stared at one another, sparks almost visible crackling between them, before Lars released a heavy breath of defeat. "Sorry, Matt," he apologised to the blond, who sighed.

"I know. I'll survive," he said glumly. Gilbert snorted at him and then grinned, pleased that he'd gotten his way.

"Pancakes!" Gilbert cheered, tugging on Matthew slightly. "I want them for all three meals! And you've gotta clean all my clothes—there's a nice pile waiting for you! And wait until you see the dust." He sound elated and Matthew slumped his shoulders, unenthusiastically visualising the mess waiting for him and how worn out he'd be afterwards.

Lars looked torn between trying to wrestle Matthew away from him by knocking out Gilbert and just being thoroughly, grudgingly sympathetic. He eventually decided on the latter, safer option. "You'd better bring him straight back to me tomorrow," he told Gilbert firmly, narrowing his eyes. "And I'll know if you do anything to him."

Gilbert raised an eyebrow with a grin. "What, you mean like this?" His teeth closed on Matthew's ear in a light nip.

"Just like that, you son of a bitch! Keep your hands and your mouth to yourself!" Lars snarled.

Snickering, Gilbert nosed his face into the nape of Matthew's neck. The latter looked exasperated, annoyed and embarrassed all rolled up into one. "I'll do whatever I want," he said tauntingly. Then, he was lifting Matthew effortlessly over one shoulder and pelting away, Lars storming after him.

"The hell's this?" Sadiq peered suspiciously down into the glass offered to him by the blond faerie. Inge lifted his chin slightly, his expression almost prim. The older bounty hunter was free of his mask today, and his dark, rough skin seemed a curiosity to Njáll, who kept cocking his head, looking at him from all angles.

"Faerie wine. Please, go ahead."

"I don't trust you," Sadiq answered, looking down into the cup. The liquid seemed to be shifting colours and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Ain't you not supposed to drink or eat faerie drink or food anyway?" Inge and Njáll looked at each other, the former's expression almost disappointed. "Hey! I'm right, ain't I? You brats were tryin' to trick me into becoming some kinda…kinda…"

"Faerie?" Njáll said helpfully. Sadiq glowered at them both.

"I don't wanna be part of some ménage a trois, so screw off," Sadiq said, pushing the cup away and jabbing a finger towards the two.

Inge seemed a bit offended. "I would never share Njáll with you," he said, pulling the boy into his arms. This elicited a sigh and a slight rolling of Njáll's eyes, though he didn't struggle to pull away. Inge nuzzled his hair, ignoring his apparent exasperation in favour of pressing a kiss against the pale curve of his neck. "We're just two of the few faerie folk left around here, so we thought it might be prudent to make a few others."

Sadiq growled and grumbled at him. "I don't want any part of it."

Francis snorted from where he was sitting, hiding his grin behind his own glass of wine—normal, human wine, that was. "I think it would suit you," he laughed. Sadiq glowered over at him.

"Hey, I ain't the one runnin' a brothel, so fuck off, I'm not being a faerie—why don't you, huh?" Sadiq said, folding his arms over his broad chest.

"Sorry, I'm too busy running a brothel," Francis replied casually.

"It's good to hear that Alfred reinstated you," Heracles said to Arthur as the two ate the food Yao had brought over (trying to pry a Yong Soo-turned-leech off of his person at the same time). They'd hit it off on the boat ride back and had shared many stories along the way. Kiku sipped delicately from his cup of tea, sighing in enjoyment before helping himself to some more pieces of food.

"That brat has finally learned to appreciate my magic," Arthur said, seeming pleased with himself. Then, his smile faded into a frown between puzzlement and annoyance. "He's been pestering me about love spells lately, though."

"Love spells," echoed Kiku, thinking of the too boisterous king. "Really?"

"Really," grumbled Arthur. "I fear for whomever he wants to use them on."

Heracles paused briefly. "You didn't give him any, did you?" he questioned, lowering some meat away from his mouth. Arthur's glance darted to the side. "…did you?"

"Well, you know how it is sometimes," Arthur said enigmatically. "Reminds me of my young days…trying to put a love spell on the person whom I was interested in, cursing those who I hate…" His gaze drifted over to Francis, lip curling disgustedly as he saw the man carrying on, slapping Inge's back (which earned him a slightly annoyed look from the faerie). "All of that. I couldn't say no."

Heracles and Kiku exchanged a look. "Well, I hope it won't go too badly," said the smaller man, sipping from his cup.

"Oh, it was just a mild one," Arthur said, as if that made it all better. "The most the other person will feel is a bit more affection and less inhibition when it comes to touching him."

"Again, I hope it won't go badly." Kiku sighed a bit, feeling sorry for the person who had captured Alfred's interests. Love spells—Alfred must have thought he had no chance.

Yao paused where he stood, finished the cooking and wiping his palms off on his apron. He cast his gaze around the lawn, taking in the sights of the people—his friends—eating and talking and laughing with one another. He didn't bother to fight a smile and sunk back into arms that looped around his middle from behind, a soft cheek rubbing lightly, affectionately, against his own. "What're you thinking about, brother?" Yong Soo asked, kissing at the corner of his eye. Yao could feel his smile.

"Nothing much." He laid his hands over the ones crossed over his stomach. "I'm just happy."

Yong Soo squeezed him with a pleased little sound. "Then, to make you even happier," he said, his tone jovial, "we should get married."

Yao blinked slightly, leaned his head back against a broad shoulder so he could look at Yong Soo's face, his shining eyes and that curl that always stuck off of his hair. "Don't push your luck," he said sternly and Yong Soo began to whine and ask petulantly 'why not?' and 'I can take care of a family, really, I'd be the best husband ever~!'

While he did that, Yao laughed quietly to himself and looked up towards the clear blue sky. Troubles were just starting, troubles were always going on in the world and probably always would, but here, in this place—'my home'—he was content.

…AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

And that's our conclusion of the main story, folks. Yes, you did see Austria/America in there (I'm not sorry).
Thanks for reading this, commenting, favourite-ing or subscribing, and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it.