Not Cinderella

Title: Not Cinderella

Author: KrystalKatz

Genre: Fluff, fantasy

Rating: U

Pairings: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari

Length: One shot

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything

Ninomiya Kazunari had lost his parents when he was young and had to move in with a friend of his mothers and her two other adopted children Ohno Satoshi and Aiba Masaki. All things considered he had a normal life with them until it was the night of the Prince and Princess’s 18^th birthday ball.

The whole village was invited to celebrate at the palace and it was promised to be a night to remember. Even Nino’s brothers were excited. Aiba was talking excitedly about how good looking the princess was while Ohno hoped there would be lots of good food. The only one that didn’t want to go was Nino, preferring to stay at home than spend an evening in a crowded ballroom surrounded by people he didn’t know. His family tried to persuade him to come but he kept refusing saying someone had to watch the house. He smiled happily as he watched them leave in the rented carriage and then turned to go back into the house when there was a loud pop and a puff of smoke. Standing in the doorway was a strange man with pink and purple wings that fluttered slightly when he moved “Fear not Ninomiya Kazunari, I am your fairy godfather Ikuta Toma, and I will help you go to the ball...”

“It’s alright I don’t really want to go” Nino said inching away from him “But thanks anyway”

“You have to go!” His fairy godmother or father snapped tapping his wand against his leg

“No really I’m fine; I’ll just stay at home...” Nino smiled

“You have to go to the ball so you can meet and fall in love with the princess!” Toma explained. “And then at midnight you have to come home and lose your shoe while your clothes fall to rags...”

“Um... Why do I have to lose my shoe?”

“So the princess can use it to find you...”

“That seems a bit unpredictable...” Nino pointed out “Why don’t I just give her my name...”

“Because she has to prove how much she loves you by tracking you down...”

“With my shoe?” Nino raised an eyebrow “This whole thing seems weird... I think I won’t bother...”

“But... If you don’t go your evil step brothers will get her...” Toma said quickly

“They’re idiots but they’re not really evil”

“But... But she will fall in love with you and take you out of this life...”

“It’s not a bad life” Nino said looking around the comfortable cottage, Toma stared at him his eyes filling with tears

“If you don’t go to the ball I’ll lose my wings” He said his bottom lip trembling “Please I’ve only just got them”

“Fine... I just have to go to the ball, right?”

“Yes” Toma beamed his wings flapping madly as he waved his wand “You’ll really go?”

Nino nodded and then a loud bang filled the cottage followed by smoke coughing. Nino waved a hand in front of his face “What the hell happened?”

“Sorry I got over excited” Toma said waving his wand again clearing up the smoke. Nino found himself dressed in clothes that looked too expensive to be practical. “So you shall go to the ball...But remember at midnight you’re clothes will become rags...”

“Right” Nino nodded in agreement. Toma waved the wand again and Nino found himself standing in front of the palace doors. “Well this sucks” He muttered as the doormen opened the door.

Inside was what seemed like hundreds of brightly dressed people dancing and twirling about on the polished floor. Murmurs filled the room and everybody started pointing at him as he walked down the polished marble staircase.

Nino stifled a groan wishing the fairy hadn’t given him such a flashy outfit and that he could run away. He walked onto the ballroom floor looking at the girls in the crowd wondering which one was the princess. He saw the crown on one of them and quickly realized she was the one he had to avoid. He went to get a drink, and saw Aiba and Ohno talking to some people, not surprisingly surrounded by girls. He was too embarrassed to let them see him in the flashy suit, and the princess was slowly making her way towards him.

Nino took his chance and slipped out of large glass doors and headed into the courtyard. He let out a sigh of relief. He had promised the fairy he’d come to the ball but he never said he was going to spend time with the princess. He looked around the garden thinking how beautiful it was even at night, when he became aware that he wasn’t as alone as he thought. There was a taller good-looking guy staring at him, an amused smile on his face

“Good evening” He said, Nino replied to the greeting and then shifted almost nervously

“Am I not meant to be here?” He asked, the guy shrugged

“The ball is inside... But you should be okay out here” He said

“Thank the gods” Nino said under his breath “Are you trying to escape too?”

“I guess so... So are you?”

Nino nodded letting out a groan as he came closer to the guy. He was surprised at how good looking he was.

“Strange, to come to a ball to try to escape...”

“I didn’t want to come, I was forced into it” Nino said sitting on the stone bench and almost glaring at the fountain.

“Forced?”

“Yeah... Have you ever seen a man with pink and purple wings about to cry?”

“No” The man admitted staring at his new friend strangely.

“Well if you ever do, you’ll know it can get you to do pretty much anything” Nino sighed looking up at the taller guy “I’m Nino by the way... Ninomiya Kazunari...”

“Matsumoto Jun...”

“The prince?”

“Yep.” He nodded.

“Nice to meet you.” He bowed nervously.

“And you.” Matsu smiled “So a man with wings forced you here?”

“Yep...” Nino nodded. “Apparently he was my fairy godmo- Father... I’m meant to make the princess fall madly in love with me and then lose my shoe at midnight...”

“And why are you meant to lose your shoe?”

“No idea... So she can track me down... Which seems a bit stalker like to me...” Nino shrugged again while the prince nodded in agreement.

“Though it does sound like something my sister would do...” He admitted “So why aren’t you in the ballroom making the princess fall madly in love with you?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to fall madly in love me.” Nino answered. The prince smiled. They spent the night talking about the silliness of the balls and other things until Nino remembered something the fairy had said. “What time is it?”

Matsu pulled a watch out of his pocket and looked at it under the moonlight “11:30” He answered

“So I still have half an hour...”

“Until what?” The prince asked enjoying this strange man more and more. Neither one of them was aware that they had attracted an audience that was watching them through the glass doors.

“My clothes become rags... A pity it will waste a good suit... Even if it’s a bit flashy.” He said looking at the fancy clothes the fairy had given him. “If I start walking home now, I should be back before that happens and save myself any embarrassment”

“I’ll come with you... If you don’t mind.”

“But isn’t this your birthday party?”

“I guess... My sister wanted it more than I did,” Matsu shrugged “I’ll show you the secret exit so my sister won’t see you and fall for you okay?”

“Thanks.”

They walked slowly through the empty village talking about small random things, strangely enjoying each other company until at last they reach the small cottage. Nino smiled at the prince.

“Thank-you your highness...” Nino grinned while Matsu pulled out his watch again.

“Five minutes left...” He said

“You want to see if my clothes will turn to rags?” Nino asked with surprise.

“I want to know if I should call an asylum or ask you to go riding with me tomorrow” Matsu nodded.  Nino raised an eyebrow about to speak when he felt a ticklish sensation spread out over his body. His clothes began to glow and then changed back into what he was wearing before the fairy had changed him “Hmm... Not quite rags, but riding it is,” the prince said. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“I don’t have a horse...”

“I’ll bring you one” He said with a grin before heading back through the village towards the castle. Nino half smiled going into the cottage. He had more than likely lost the fairy his wings but he had a good time in the end and he was happy to have gone to the ball. He had changed into his nightclothes by the time his brothers had come back from the party talking excitedly.

“Did you have a nice time?”

“You should have been there! There was a handsome stranger that disappeared with the prince” Aiba giggled “Of all the pretty girls, he chose the prince”

“Well the prince is pretty too” Ohno shrugged, smiling sleepily. “But the princess’s face was funny when the stranger spent the night talking to her brother instead of her...”

“She said she’s determined to track him down” Aiba giggled “But I think the prince has a better shot”

Nino groaned staring at his hands.  Even though he hadn’t even spoken to her, she wanted to track him down? How was that fair? He thought, “Wait a minute what do you mean the prince has a better shot?” He asked Aiba quickly.

“Well everyone knows the prince is... Funny...”

“What do you mean ‘funny’?”

“He likes men” Ohno clarified helpfully, not realizing that Nino’s face was getting whiter by the second.

“And from the way the stranger was looking at him... I’d say he was the same,” Aiba giggled, while their Mother sighed.

“Well whatever... It won’t affect us...” She said “Everybody to bed... I’m sorry you didn’t want to come with us... Maybe you’ll come next time?”

“Um... I guess” Nino tried to smile as he went upstairs, his mind spinning. How was he meant to stop the princess from hunting him down? And what was he going to do about his riding trip with the prince? There was no way he could let his brothers find out he was the stranger, but he didn’t want to stand the prince up, not because he was ‘funny’, but the prince had been nice to him.

He woke early in the morning, surprised to see Toma sitting at the end of his bed glaring at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” He snapped, waving his wand and causing sparks to fly out burning the blanket “You’re meant to make the princess fall for you, not the prince!”

“I don’t want anyone to fall for me...”

“Oh no? So why were you batting your eyes so prettily at the prince? And accepting his invitation to go riding... Luckily the princess is interested enough to try and find you... So when she does you make with the kissy face... And call this thing off with the prince”

“No” Nino said flatly.

“What? You mean you want to go on a date with him?”

“Yeah... He seems nice” Nino said. He was half lying, he didn’t want to go on a date with the prince but he didn’t want to be forced into going out with someone just because someone said he had too. Toma glared at him his wings fluttering wildly “I’ll lose my wings”

“And? What does that have to do with me?”

“I’m your fairy godfather...”

“So you forced me to go to the ball. I went. It’s not my fault I met the prince instead of the princess.”

“You avoided her like she had the plague”

Nino just shrugged “What if I prefer the prince to the princess?”

“You mean... You’re... Like that?” Toma raised an eyebrow and pulled out a book from his back pocket flipping through it “Kamenashi... Yamashita... Ninomiya... It says here you’re... Undecided... No way! I’m really going to lose my wings!”

“That’s not my fault! Now if you don’t mind I want to get dressed...” Nino said although he was slightly disturbed by the ‘Undecided’ comment. Toma let out a hiss and then vanished in a puff of smoke leaving Nino to get dressed and sneak out of the cottage early to meet the prince half way. It wasn’t until two hours later that he saw him riding a white stallion while guiding a softer brown horse.

“Good morning” Matsu smiled happy to see him “I hope you didn’t wait long. I wanted to come earlier but my sister kept trying to get information about you... Sorry, even though you avoided her it seems she’s fallen madly in love with you...”

Nino groaned suspecting his fairy godmothers involvement in that. He allowed Matsu to help him up onto the horse and they rode through a paddock and out into the open countryside. The whole time was spent talking about random unimportant things. Matsu seemed to want to hear his entire life story and seemed shocked when he found out he was slightly older than he was. “I thought you were at least two years younger!” He said. Nino laughed and asked him about his life in the palace.

Nino had more fun than he could remember having in a long time. It was getting dark before they turned to go back home

“Nino... Can I see you again?” Matsu asked as they both got of the horses at the lane where they had met that morning.

“Of course” Nino beamed happily, his heart jumping at spending more time with the prince. He wondered vaguely if he was ‘funny’ after all. The prince smiled happily

“Thank-you... Um... I don’t really find it easy talking to guys because they all know I’m....”

“Funny?” Nino asked regretting it when Matsu’s face fell slightly and said quickly “It’s okay, I’m funny too.”

“You are?” Matsu said his eyes widening slightly. Nino nodded though he wasn’t really sure if he was but he did know he really wanted the prince to kiss him at that moment. His wish was granted when Matsu gave him a tender kiss on the lips before climbing up on his horse. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked almost shyly, Nino nodded. Nino smiled as running a finger over his lips as he watched him leave before going back to the cottage that was in an uproar.

“Where have you been?” His mother shouted as he came into the living room

“Out with a friend... I left a note...”

“I didn’t expect you to be gone all day!” She cried “You have to help us...”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“There was a royal decree, the princess fell in love at the ball and she’s visiting every house to find her mysterious stranger...”

“What? But what happens if she finds him?”

“The king will order them to get married” Aiba said “I feel sorry for the prince though... They seemed close...”

“That’s not fair! She can’t do that!”

“They’re royalty, they can do what they like” Mother said with a sigh “We’re just the subjects”

“But...”

“Well it’s not like it will affect us right?”

“I... Uh... No I guess not” Nino nodded, “Um... I’ll go and tidy upstairs”

“Thank-you dear” She said, fluffing up the pillows. Nino went up the rickety stairs hoping against hope that Toma would be there. By some miracle, he was sitting on Nino’s bed glaring at him,

“You have to stop this!” He said grabbing the fairy’s shoulders tightly “Please”

“I have to keep my wings! It’s not my fault you decided to mess with the plan... I can’t stop it now”

“But I don’t want to marry the princess...” Nino whispered thinking about Matsu and the kiss. Toma patted his arm almost sympathetically.

“Relax... My senpai explained everything. What you’re feeling for the prince is just ‘The love at first sight’ spell. If you kiss the princess, it will transfer to her and you’ll live happily ever after and I’ll get to keep my wings...”

Nino frowned letting him go. Was what he was feeling for the prince just the effects of a spell? He wondered. It would explain the way he was feeling. He had never thought this way about a guy before but he’d never thought about a girl like it either. He thought about the day they had just spent together. Was all the times his heart had jumped just a lie? His heart ached painfully not wanting it to be true, as he thought about the shy smile of the prince’s face when he had told him he was the same.

“No... You’re wrong... It’s not just a spell” He said. Toma’s face dropped

“Of course it is! I cast the spell myself...”

“You also blew up my kitchen with the first spell. Please, I don’t want the princess. I want Jun...”

“But that’s not how the story goes...” Toma sighed

“But it’s still being written so we can change it...” Nino pointed out, using his best puppy dog eyes on the fairy.

“I’m seriously going to lose my wings!” He snapped. “You have to get the prince to say he loves you and the princess will be released from the spell”

“Thank-you!” Nino said grinning as he hugged him tightly.

“Kazu... Are you talking to yourself?” Aiba asked pushing the bedroom door open, laughing when he saw Nino hugging himself. Nino blushed and then yelled at him to get out. Aiba left, still laughing happily. The next morning he met the prince on the lane again and he pretty much told him the same thing that his sister was determined to marry the handsome stranger

“It’s strange... Are you sure you’ve never spoke to her?”

“No” Nino said wondering if he should tell him it was all because of a spell. Matsu chewed his lip thoughtfully.

“Hmm... Maybe it has something to do with your pink and purple winged friend?”

“He’s not my friend...” Nino said fuming at the thought of the fairy. The prince laughed his eyes dancing.

“I wish I could thank him” He said “If he hadn’t forced you to go I wouldn’t have met you...”

Nino grinned happily. “I guess that was a good thing” He agreed

“You just guess?” Matsu frowned grabbing his hands tightly.

“No it was a good thing...“ Nino nodded and was rewarded with a kiss and a hug “But if your sister comes to my house, she’ll know it’s me... And your father will force me to marry her...”

“That I don’t understand... My dad is normally a rational man...”

“It because of the stupid godfather... And the stupid story they’re trying to play out” Nino told him bitterly

“Story?”

“The poor boy goes to the ball and falls in love with the princess and they all live happily ever after.” Nino sighed rolling his eyes

“That sounds like a stupid story.” Matsu muttered while Nino nodded in agreement “So this will all play out the way they want?”

“Well I think we’ve already messed it up slightly...” Nino grinned hugging him tightly. The prince laughed hugging him back

“So is there a way we can stop it?”

“I asked Toma... And... You have to fall in love with me” Nino said hiding his face,

“Well... That’s easy, I already have” The prince admitted against his hair “So that’s it?”

“Um... You have to say you love me...”

“I love you” Matsu said quickly “So did it work?”

“I don’t know...” Nino frowned “He never said what was meant to happen...”

“Nino! Where are you?” He heard Ohno shouting him and they both turned in unison. Ohno blinked as he saw the prince with his arms around Nino and then understanding flashed in his eyes

“You were the stranger!” He gasped.

“Yes...” Nino admitted.

“Masaki’s going to love this... But the king’s here with the princess...” Ohno told them

“So it didn’t work?”

“I guess he lied to me” Nino sulked, while Ohno frowned at them not understanding what was going on. They walked back to the cottage in silence holding hands tightly. Nino let out a soft groan as he saw the royal carriage outside and the king and princess staring at them.

“This is my last son...Your majesty” Mother said motioning to Nino, her eyes almost falling out of her head when she saw the prince.

“That’s him! That’s the stranger” The princess gasped happily “See father I knew he was here!”

“Young man” The king said brightly “You have the honour of marrying my daughter Princess Karin of Arashi...”

“Sorry, he’s mine” Matsu cut in putting his arm around Nino tightly

“Eh?!” Aiba almost screamed in his ear, while Ohno smiled sleepily,”You... With the prince?” Nino blushed slightly but nodded. The princesses fumed silently, glaring at her twin.

“No way! I saw him first!”

“We’re in love and we’ll be getting married...” Matsu said proudly, looking at his father. The king and the princess stared at them and then blinked wildly as if coming to their senses

“Um... Congratulations” The king said quickly, beaming at the happy couple while the princess smiled and hugged them both,

“I’m so happy for you” She said. Nino looked around and saw Toma give him a cheeky wave from the behind the tree and then vanish as the spell broke.

Nino quickly kissed Matsu to everybody’s surprise trying to see if his heart still made the same jumping, happy when it did. His family were surprised and after hearing some of the details were happy enough to let Nino marry the prince.

Matsu married Nino in a private ceremony in the courtyard where they had met and they all lived happily ever after (including Toma who was allowed to keep his wings cause the story sort of worked in the end)

The End