Chapter 15: Small Golden Truths

Kai licked his lips. Damn, that liquor, whatever it was, was ah-mazing. It was sweet but not over the top, and it simply made his taste buds explode! It was a bit fruity, but it wasn’t wine, and it wasn’t like any strong drink he had heard about. True enough, he had no experience whatsoever with alcohol, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t tell a tasty thing when he tried one.

He put the cup down with a satisfied sigh. “Pepin, more,” he said.

“Your Majesty,” Pepin warned with both his voice and eyes. “One cup is enough.”

“You’re not my real mom.” Kai bristled and even stuck his tongue out at the servant who stared at him nonplussed. “More.”

“Did you borrow such manners from those barbarians who taught you how to talk smack, as well?” Galien asked and laughed in his face. “And I thought you disliked anything that could fog your mind. Be it an exquisite drink or,” he paused for effect, “an exquisite man.”

“Hey, my palace, my bottle. My servant,” Kai added after a short pause. “Pepin, more. I don’t want to hear a thing.”

Pepin took his cup to fill it but not without throwing him a judgmental glance. Who did he think he was to stare at him like that? Yeah, he was pretty, beautiful even, and he made Kai’s heart beat so fast when their eyes met, but ... What did he want to say again? Or think ... It didn’t matter. Kai grabbed the cup and took a short sip. Well, those cups were really tiny, so he needed to make each one last. Maybe prolong the pleasant sensation on his tongue by savoring it. Hmm, he had drunk the first one so fast, but it was just because he hadn’t been ready for such sensations.

Ah, it felt as if his heart had wings. He could even write a poem now, but what would it be about? He indulged in another sip.

“Pepin, can I write a poem about your eyes?”

“His Majesty appears to be in high spirits. I don’t remember him ever being interested in creating poetry. Sir Conrad, what is your take on this?” Galien asked.

“Why would you ask me? I barely know His Majesty,” Conrad replied.

All was starting to get a little foggy, but Kai could tell Conrad was pissed. Maybe he wanted a poem, too. “I could write one about your chest, too. Never seen one like it.” He raised the cup to Conrad, who immediately exchanged a confused look with Galien. “I mean it. It’s so ... hard,” he said and hiccupped.

Ah, maybe he didn’t have a knack for poetry. He lacked the words and stuff.

“Pepin, I think it’s time for His Majesty to call it a night. Will you see him to his quarters? I can entertain myself and Sir Conrad here present just fine.”

Kai was in the mood to party now, and Galien was sending him to sleep. However, the moment he looked at Pepin, he found himself much in the mood for a trip to the royal quarters.

“We have a quite on the dot Prince Sendrian, here,” the announcer said and gestured for Sebastian to walk over.

The crowd, especially the female side, erupted into shouts and applause as soon as he was on the stage. So far, the evening had gone smoothly, and it appeared that the audience was pleased with his performance impersonating Prince Sendrian. The only thing slightly irking him was Milo, or better said, his strange behavior. He hadn’t said much, and Sebastian had had no time to ask him about it. It didn’t matter; he was there on an important quest, which meant he had to have all his attention trained on the task at hand.

“And we also have a little surprise for you all,” the announcer said.

Sebastian noticed another cosplayer walking on stage. His eyes grew wide as he recognized the clothes and overall appearance. The cosplayer was impersonating Huni, Prince Sendrian’s love interest. He was a bit short for the role, but it was evident that he had put a lot of thought into representing the character to the best of his abilities. Huni had reminded him of Pepin the first time he had read the manga, but unlike Prince Sendrian, he didn’t nurture any romantic feelings toward his servant. He didn’t have feelings for anyone.

“It appears that we have two awesome cosplayers with us tonight,” the announcer continued. “After seeing the others, we might be getting closer to a winner, right?”

The crowd cheered.

“Now, if the prince and his chosen would like to offer us a little moment...” The announcer wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.

The guy who cosplayed as Huni snickered and looked away.

“Hmm, it looks like Huni got his role down to a tee. He’s too shy to take the initiative.”

Ah, Sebastian had a feeling he knew what was expected of them, now that they happened to be both on stage. He walked over to where the other boy stood and wrapped one arm around his waist. The cosplayer stared at him wide-eyed as Sebastian tipped his chin and then kissed him.

The announcer dropped her microphone, and the entire building shook with the reactions of those present. There were cheering, hooting, and all kinds of noises. When Sebastian finally released Huni from the kiss, the other boy was in complete shock, his lips parted and his cheeks on fire. And his eyes were filled with adoration, as they had to be.

“Well,” he said as he turned toward the announcer, “I believe it is the time for you to announce the winner.”

The girl nodded while staring at him in a daze.

“It was, indeed, a lucrative choice,” Sebastian commented while placing the money from the prize inside his pocket.

They were out of The Pit and on their way back home. He would give Mrs. Martin the money, and hopefully, that would be enough until he found something more reliable than being on display for people to stare at him. Not that he wasn’t used to the attention, but to charge for it seemed somewhat not as honorable as fighting monsters and defending the land.

Milo was silent in a different way than before, which meant whatever was going on had to be addressed, no matter how much displeasure that caused Sebastian. Conversation was not necessarily his strongest suit, although he would never admit to it publicly.

“You’ve been quiet all evening,” he began. “What is it?”

“Do you really have to ask?” Milo sounded both angered and upset. “First, that thing with the cigarettes, and then, on stage --” He stopped abruptly.

“I wanted to see what smoking was all about,” Sebastian said.

“For real, Kai? After your dad...” Milo didn’t add anything else and shook his head.

Sebastian continued. “And, on stage, I believe that I only did what was expected of me. I delivered a performance.”

“A performance? Didn’t you think for one moment about me?”

“Why should I...” Sebastian stopped. Milo was jealous of that boy on stage, and he couldn’t understand why. He would have thought his boyfriend to be above such petty things. Apparently, that was not the case. “It appears that I did something inappropriate,” he said hesitantly. The last thing he needed right now was a scorned lover on his hands.

“Inappropriate?” Milo’s voice rose, but then he quickly reconsidered. “Could you stop with the act for a frigging moment? Just talk like you normally do.”

That was impossible, and Sebastian felt a bit like the ground wasn’t firm under his feet.

“I thought it was cute that you kept on pretending to be someone else, as you do that all the time, but the last few days, you behaved so weirdly. Can’t you be honest with me for a moment? You seem so ... I don’t know, changed.” Milo’s voice came off as tortured by unpleasant thoughts.

“What do you want me to be honest about?” Sebastian asked in a gruff voice.

Milo stopped, and they stared at each other in the faint streetlight. Sebastian could tell the young man was prey to conflicting emotions, as his face was scrunched up in thought, and he was obviously fighting himself to find the right words to say. “Do you like me? Actually like me?”

Was that all? He had the answer for that.

“Why did you kiss him? Was it just for show?” Milo continued.

Sebastian sighed. “I wouldn’t have done it if I had known you’d be so affected by it. And I didn’t ... enjoy it, not for a moment. Not like when I kiss you.” That was true. “I do like you, Milo Bennett.”

I don’t know you as your friend does, but I do like you.

Milo seemed slightly appeased by that, but his handsome face was still all a frown. “I said the words and I have no doubts, but you --”

Sebastian stopped him with a kiss. Milo’s lips were unyielding under his, but only for a moment. He relaxed slowly, and Sebastian pushed gently against his defenses. “I wish you would like me, too,” he whispered.

“What are you saying?” Milo asked with a small chuckle. “I’m like crazy about you, even more now that we’re boyfriends. You’re the one driving me crazy, okay? Like tonight. It can’t be that healthy.” Despite those words, he laughed.

He was like the weather, but most of the time fair, and Sebastian felt a slight ache growing inside his chest. Kai was lucky to have such a beautiful and good-natured man fall for him. He took Milo’s lips again. The boy had gotten it all wrong. Sebastian was the one suffering from petty jealousies, and he should have had no place in his heart for them. They were beneath him, and he needed to quench them right away.

“I mean, as I told you, I’ve always liked you,” Milo continued while wrapping his arms around him. “But now, it’s like you’re making me hot all over. I had no idea it would be like this.”

Sebastian knew why, but it wasn’t possible to reveal his true self. As far as curses went, he expected nothing less but some lightning from the sky to appear and strike him down as soon as he dared to say the words.

Since when was he a coward? He steeled himself. “Milo, you should know that I’m not --”

It was Milo’s turn to shut him up with a kiss. “Let’s not talk anymore. Do you really mean it that you didn’t feel a thing when you kissed that guy? He was very pretty in his getup and all.”

“He was?” Sebastian asked, slight dizziness gripping him as Milo began nuzzling his neck. “I didn’t notice. It’s only you I want to be with.” Another truth, albeit a small one.

“You told your mom you’d be sleeping over, right?”

“Yes. I sent her a text. She said okay.”

“Then I’m not going to wait another moment.” Milo sounded determined as he grabbed his hand. “Let’s do it, Kai.”

“Do what?”

Milo leaned in and whispered, “You know, it. Me inside you.” He bit Sebastian’s ear playfully. “I want you to be mine tonight. And I, yours. Is it cheesy enough for you to say yes?”

“Yes,” Sebastian replied in a hushed whisper.

He was a coward, after all.

Kai was resting most of his weight on Pepin, who was grinding his teeth by the sound of it as he struggled to move him along. “Ah, Pepin,” he began, “did you know you have like the bluest, most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen in a dude? Or a girl. Yeah, it’s like there’s no girl as pretty as you in the whole world.” He gestured wildly with one arm, making both of them stagger.

Pepin huffed. “You drank that only to tease me now. And what serves to know that no girl, as you say, holds a candle to me? You’re not interested in girls anyway.”

“Ah, but there’s no guy as pretty as you, either,” Kai continued and giggled.

“You’re not interested in pretty men, Prince Sebastian,” Pepin retorted. “Handsome ones, yes, but pretty, no. Pretty is dull.”

“Ah, you’re jealous again,” Kai said and wrapped both arms around Pepin, stopping him completely. “Why? I like you more than Conrad.”