when it lasts (a sequel to while it lasts)
Itâs been three years since King Victor fell fast and hard for his Yuuri in the sleepy, seaside town of Hasetsu, and the time has finally come to pop that ever important question. However, asking Yuuri to marry him is easier said than done, especially when all the forces of the universe seem to be working against him. Will King Victor be able to overcome the obstacles in his way and make his beloved his betrothed, or will he be crushed by the powers that be?
A/N: Yes I know Iâm incredibly late to @yoiroyaltyweek, but an unexpected work situation kept me from writing this week. For those who are not familiar with While It Lasts, Iâd suggest go reading it before diving into this sequel if you want the full experience. However, if you have not read While It Lasts, I think you can follow along easily enough without knowledge of the first fic if you wish. Iâll be posting updates 2x a week until the fic is finished. Thank you to @thehobbem for being my beta and cheering me on throughout this entire writing experience! Couldnât have done it without you, wife!
part one: balls and masqueradesÂ
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER? KING PLAYS COY WHEN ASKED ABOUT ROYAL BALL
Imogen Lancaster
All eyes are on His Majesty King Victor as he prepares for the ball of the century. Diplomats, prime ministers, princes and princesses from across the globe will gather for a night of dancing and socializing in the grandiose Glacia Castle. Itâs surely a night for the ages, and perhaps not only because of the star-studded guest lineup. King Victor just celebrated his three year anniversary with boyfriend Yuuri Katsuki last month, and itâs rumored that the two have been discussing wedding plans.
When asked about it at a press conference last week, however, King Victor played coy.
âYes, it is true that I just spent a romantic week in Hasetsu with Yuuri. We spent a lot of quality time together and celebrated our love, but I promise there wasnât a secret wedding or anything⌠at least, not this time.â
Hm, makes one wonder what tonight will entail. Will Glacia have a new member of the royal family when the clock strikes midnight? Only time will tell, but in my opinion? I think we can bet on seeing some #adorableaf engagement photos in the near future.
âNo, I said to put that glass swan in the middle of the ballroom, not on the outskirts! And who decided on everything being red and orange? Itâs spring, not fall; everything should be in shades of pink and green. Alsoââ
âWhoa, whatâs with you?â Mila questions as she slides up to his side. âItâs not like you to get picky over peony colors.â
Victor pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a sigh. âI know, I know, but everything has to be perfect.â
âWhy?â Mila asks. âLast time I checked, you thought these balls were boring and useless. You practically announced that to all of the guests last time,â she reminds him with a wink.
âUgh, please donât bring that up, I was a teenager.â
âOh, not just a teenager. You were a teenage prince who passed off champagne as sparkling cider. You got so drunk that you called everyone at the party dusty old assholes.â
âYou said that Duke Jean-Jacques was an obnoxious pigeon.â
âYou almost broke five crucial Glacian alliances. Your father wouldnât let you live it down for months.â
âOh my god,â Victor groans. He walks towards the stairs and plucks the offending flowers from the railing garland, gathering them up in his arms. âListen, that was a long time ago,â he says over his shoulder. âThings are different now.â
âOh, are they?â Mila trails after him, practically nipping at his heels as he brushes past servants with trays of pastries and bottles of ruby red wine. She snags a mini cupcake and ungracefully licks the frosting off before tossing the rest into a nearby trash can. âJust a few months ago you were rolling your eyes at Yakovâs suggestion to bring back the Kingâs Masquerade. Now youâre acting like this will make or break your entire life. What gives?â