this fic is not set in any particular time period, nor is the name of the country specified. the characters have Japanese names, wear Japanese clothes, eat Japanese food, etc., but the titles and forms of address are taken from European aristocracies, such as Lord, your grace, etc. i didn’t find my knowledge of feudal Japan to be vast enough to tackle a true period piece. the culture and customs of this aristocracy are inspired mostly by A Song of Ice and Fire. if you find that to be disingenuous to the East Asian origin of these characters: i completely understand, and you are under no obligation to read.

on a similar note, this fic also contains a large amount of adultery. i dislike cheating as much as the next person. it’s damaging and traumatizing. i hate to see it used as the center of conflict in romance stories. however, i believe that in the context of this fic, adultery can be considered period-typical. or as period-typical as it can be, in a fictive historical universe. akaashi and osamu are both in arranged marriages; the definition and role of spouses are not the same as they are in our time. if that makes you uncomfortable: once again, i completely understand, and you are under no obligation to read.

like i said, this is self-indulgent. thanks for reading. BACK TO THE STORY