Cherry Blossom Prince
Your mother is a Man Eater and your Father is the newly chosen King. When you were born, Grandpaw Kaejin was already retired, the old King finally putting his mantle down for Mirikora to take over. You've heard the stories over and over again; how Father has taken the crown and established trust with a brother pride, how he pushes for more territory and takes what he needs. Your Father is strong, brutal, but has a kind heart and paw towards his own son. But you often feel like you are...lacking in the
brutality department.
Your fur is not a 'manly' color. You have pink. You have pink and while your step siblings tease you for it, you take pride in your difference. You smile and tease back, you are confident in yourself and while Mother holds a bit of disgust for your kindness, you simply mention to her that you do not care about their meaningless comments. You are different, so what? You can still train and be strong like Father, you too will be a King.
Your plan hasn't changed, you train and play fight with your siblings. You take pointers from your cut throat Mother and your older siblings and under your pelt you feel muscles under such fur.
It isn't prominent but you are pleased...until you meet Zitao, a primal cub born from your Father's friend's pride. Meeting him was...different. Being the firstborn of your Father, you had to join in the meeting of the Two Kings. The first thing you noticed, the cub in front of you is younger, and yet he has more muscle than you! A flame bursts into your chest, jealously aching through your bones that being older should give you some pointers in genetics, but it doesn't seem like so.
The second thing you've noticed, many years later, is that Zitao would be larger than you. You have already reached a year yet the little tank of a cub could easily barrel into you and you'd be down for the count. Boom. Gone. Scored out.
The third thing you've noticed, maybe a few months later, is that Zitao is more cuddly than usual. That he stays by your side, cleans your fur more often, acts adorable one second and the next seems a bit too mature for his age. You push this off and focus on teasing and keeping their friendship light.
The fourth? The fourth makes your heart stop. It makes you cautious to laugh, to smile, to walk up to Zitao when they are adolescents. It has only been a few months since you've last seen the other lion, but it makes you feel disconnected when you see the other lion sitting next to his own Father. He's...bigger. His voice is a bit deeper and his eyes show more kindness but also something else Kihyuk can't explain.
It makes you flustered, makes you trip over your words, and when he confesses to you, you blow it off like some fool before running off. Making some shit excuse that they are still children and love should be saved for their own pride someday.
----
The next time Kihyuk sees Zitao, they are adults. It's even more awkward to apologize to the primal since he has to tilt his head up a bit to look at him, it hurts him to apologize so late, but it was eating him alive.
" I love you too. "
