Chapter 168: Loose Ends*

Chapter 168:

Loose Ends

*Chapter contains mild mature content. Made skippable plot-wise for the disinterested

The sky had grown significantly darker since ending their tense conversation. Clarence and Silas returned to their shared room under the cover of the lit chandeliers in the halls, their shadows stretched by the light, their nerves just as stretched by the previous conversation had in the hallway. Two long-standing events had come to abrupt endings. 

Once was the Yursinean war, and the other was the fall of Clarence's short-lived marriage. Each of those events had long-since been anticipated, yearned for to a higher degree, however, watching the events unfold in such a rapid fashion was nearly unfathomable. Particularly the war. How many years had been fought? How fast had Malcolm circumvented his cousin only to fail to the well-prepared rebels? 

As if fate was on their side, everything began to rapidly fall into place, bringing with it a strange sense of calm. Late at night, Silas and Clarence had discussed what the future may look like many times. But now that the future they discussed had become attainable, Silas found himself growing trepid. 

Now that things are ending, what are our next steps? Silas thought absently. How do we move forward now?

Walking into their shared room, Clarence closed the door, leaving one last look at the knights outside the door, his eyes dark as the door fell closed behind them. Turning forward, his eyes, fixed on Silas, grew a shade brighter, and he joined Silas, nearly sticking to his side like a piece of chewing gum. 

Feeling the prince standing next to him, Silas grabbed a clean set of pajamas from the dresser to the side of the room as he said, "While you were talking to Charlotte-" He paused, trying to find the words as Silas continued, "I spoke with that friend of yours, Marquis Cyneric, and Princess Lambros. They're good kids." 

Hearing Silas's thoughts, Clarence made a hard to read expression. "Really?"

"Were you worried they were going to say something bad?" Silas raised a brow.

"I'm not worried. Alywin's a good person, though he can be quite blunt. Same with Philomena. She's quite sheltered, so she tends to blurt out whatever's on her mind." Clarence remarked, his eyes flickering with an unsavory light as he thought of Philomena's frequent crushes.

Silas laughed, "I noticed. She said I was handsome."

Frowning, Clarence responded bitterly, "I knew I should've hurried along my conversation with Charlotte." 

Holding back his thoughts momentarily, Silas walked to the side of the room, facing away from the prince slightly as he asked aloud, "Do you feel comfortable… with all of this, I mean?" Referencing the previous conversation with Charlotte, his words fell directly towards the prince. "Are you okay, leaving Charlotte?"

Feeling Silas's anxiety, the prince comforted him with his self-assured words. "I've never regretted any of this. If it means I can stay by your side, then-" Clarence stared towards Silas, his eyes ardent, void of any hesitance as he met the elf's gaze. "It is worth it to me."

"I think so too." The edge of Silas's face flushed pink, his embarrassment evident. The conversation fell into a lull as Silas began gathering his clothes from the dresser. He turned to the prince, motioning with his arm towards the attached bathroom. "By the way, I'm going to take a bath first, unless-" 

Abruptly, the prince spoke aloud. "I want to-" Pondering his words with a trace of embarrassment, Clarence finished his sentence with a trace of a blush, "I want to help you bathe this time. Can I?"

Trailing over Clarence's nervous figure, a trace of ulterior motives hiding underneath, Silas could not help but look over the prince, a reluctant smile on his face. 

It reminds me of that time… the time I helped him wash his hair in the lake that day. Thinking back, Silas could remember the feel of the cold water trailing between his fingers as he stood in the water, rinsing Clarence's hair. Standing in the room presently, he could still feel the soft sensation of the prince's short hair, dancing around his fingers like blades of grass. Is he trying to make up for that time? 

For some reason, possibly even out of character for him, Silas felt compelled to agree. "That's fine." Feeling the burning eyes of the prince on him, Silas added with a note of irritation. "Don't make that face. It's just a bath." After our previous conversation, it may not be that simple… 

Attempting to control the wolfish smile on his face, Clarence responded, "Of course."

Maybe Clarence is wearing on me after all. Silas thought to himself with a small sigh, walking towards the bathroom as he slowly filled the tub with water. With the plumbing system somewhat advanced in the capital and the palace, Silas had grown to enjoy the small luxuries, including the large, claw foot tub. Maybe we can look into adding something like this back home in the Faelfier Kingdom… maybe in the future. 

Unafraid of undressing in front of the prince, Silas stood beside the tub, the tub itself covering his midsection as he quickly undressed, removing his garments in a rapid fashion. The sound of buttons opening and fabric falling was enough to make Clarence's heart skip a beat, but he kept his focus towards the running water, testing the temperature of the water before he let Silas in the tub, attempting to politely enjoy the view as much as possible.

"How is the water?" Clarence knelt by the side of the tub near Silas's head. On a short table next to him was a small basket of toiletries provided by the palace staff. Unlike a war prisoner, Clarence had been served as well as he had previously when he was formerly a royal. Fortunately, he had Silas, otherwise his treatment returning here would have been far less than smooth. 

"Paying me back for the time in the river?" Silas jokingly responded, his words gentle. "Okay. I'm curious how your skills have improved since then."

"I'm sure they have." The prince retorted, wishing to say more.

Lifting his hands, Clarence began to gently wet Silas's shoulder-length hair in the tub, wetting the stands carefully as he slowly began to add soap to it. His hands were firm and gentle, large enough to cover the crown of Silas's head with his palm. Lathered with white soap bubbles in his hands, Clarence scrubbed Silas's scalp gently with the tips of his fingers, gently running his fingers through the other man's lengthened blonde hair. He stroked each strip of hair religiously, as if it were made of woven gold. 

He's so beautiful. Clarence thought, his hands moving as his eyes fell on Silas's face, watching him smile in relaxation as his fingers ran through his hair. "Your hair has grown out again." He murmured absently, rinsing Silas's hair in small sections. 

Opening his eyes, Silas responded in a light voice as he stared at a loose lock of hair, "Ah, it has, hasn't it? I should probably cut it again soon."

"No." Clarence hurriedly responded, his fingers still resting in Silas's hair. "I think it's beautiful just the way it is."

Beautiful. The word trailed in Silas's heart, and his face grew warm, his eyes fluttering shut as he attempted to hide his embarrassment. It had been a long time since someone had tried to use such coy words to woo him, but when the words left Clarence's lips, there was a sense of sincerity carried with it, a desire to bear every single meaning of those words. 

The temperature of the room grew warm, steam from the tub dancing around the two ambiguous figures with a trace of heat. Silas's naked torso glimmered with droplets of warm water and soap bubbles, dancing around his head like a softened halo, his hair still enveloped in the prince's hands as they both fell still, a simmering, electric sensation sizzling in the air around them. 

"Silas, I-" Feeling the warm breath on his neck, Silas's eyes were half-lidded, but he could not push the prince's head away, feeling strengthless, nearly breathless. With his head to the side, his neck exposed, Silas could feel the prince's warm hands, dripping with soap lather and water, slid down to his chest, nearly hanging around his waist like metal chains, restricting him down, holding him in place as they wandered his soft skin, touching and feeling as they pleased, washing the pale skin underneath clean.

"Can I?" Hoarsely, Clarence spoke, asking for permission. The permission he asked for already known. The collision of heartbeats, the sounds of heated breaths, and the slight trembling of two bodies, foreign to such intimate feelings between them, felt as though they were finally falling into place, together, as one. 

The warm touch, while sudden, was not foreign to Silas, and he did not push the younger man away. What do I want? Silas's thoughts were rapid, but in his heart, he had found an answer. Do I really hold such feelings for Clarence? Staring back at the prince, his gaze meeting a set of eyes, nearly enraptured, Silas's lips parted, speaking for him from the heart. 

"Mhm." Only a nasally call of affirmation was heard. "It's okay." There was no hesitation in Silas's words, contrary to his embarrassment. Sitting in the tub, held in Clarence's arms, it felt right, safe, and made him wish to never leave the warm embrace. 

Feeling a trace of warmth burst in his heart, Clarence grew bolder. His hands, groping and touching as they pleased, was wanton and unbridled to the point of obscenity, and he felt as though the sensation of the man under him would never be enough for him. His entirety, his entire lifetime, he only wanted Silas to look at him, to love him, to embrace only him. 

Even his scent is wonderful. Clarence thought, his nose inhaling the soft scent of Silas's neck.

After so long of sharing a burning hatred, a passionate affair of attempted murder again and again, the waves had changed, and so set forth a burning lust, a desire so cruel Clarence could only drag Silas down with him in the whirlpool of confusing emotions. The tension in the air was messy, unprepared, and sudden, but in reality, the thin curtain that was separating the two had finally begun to fall, and the nervousness towards intimacy had shifted towards acceptance, a desire to seek such relations. 

Having kissed previously, the feeling of their lips meeting was still foreign, so much so that Silas let out a light laugh as the prince nervously met his lips with his own. He lifted his own hand, taking the back of Clarence's head as he moved it closer, gently deepening their kiss as he said, nearly breathless. 

"I'll take the lead." He smiled testily, and Clarence felt the desire to go further burn in his heart. 

There was an airy chuckle, a wolfish grin dancing on Clarence's face. "Really? I thought it was my turn to please you."

Suddenly, a kiss fell on the side of Silas's neck. The gentle touch carried a burning temperature, warmer than the steaming water dancing around the pair. The mingling breaths, the touch of bare skin, and the scent of soap brought a tantalizing flavor that made both of their heads spin. Traces of mana hung in the air, and the sound of splashing water and disordered breaths filled the air like a romantic quartet, foretelling of what was to come. 

Lifting his parted lips, Clarence chuckled, his breath passing over Silas's ear, his nose brushing against the flushed skin of the elf's neck. Just one kiss was enough to make him greedy, wishing for more, leaving traces of red all over the man's pale skin, covering any scars made by others. 

"Clarence, what are you-" Silas, feeling off, attempted to turn his head, but before he could stop the other man, Clarence parted his lips, the aggressive kisses shifting into a weighted bite between his neck and shoulder.

The bite was neither hard nor soft, but the feeling of teeth grazing against his skin was enough to make Silas let out an unintentional groan as he pushed weakly at Clarence's head, his reluctance appearing. "Clare-" Silas did not finish his words, but the redness in his eyes was enough to force Clarence to pull back, an awkward, heated tension growing around them. 

Licking his lips, as if savoring the taste of Silas's flesh and lingering warmth, he muttered a low, "Sorry." His voice was hoarse. "When I'm around you, I have a hard time keeping my hands to myself." He let out a light chuckle, a smile still lingering on his reddened lips.

"I see." The gaze between the two was heavy, burning emotions surging in the small bathroom, filled with the hazy steam of the tub. Droplets of water vapor fell from Silas's hair and onto his flushed cheeks. With his hands still damp, having just caressed that warm, damp skin, the heat on his hands made Clarence feel as though he had been scalded, his face equally as red.

This isn't good. Silas thought, his own breathing ragged as Clarence began to lean forward again, attempting to capture his lips in his own heated embrace-

The two had been too enraptured to hear the sound of the door opening, "Hey, I have news about-" There was a frantic pause, and a familiar voice rang out in the room with a gasp, "Oh. OH! Sorry! I really shouldn't have barged in, huh?" Standing in the doorway, her eyes fixed on the two men in a somewhat awkwardly intimate position, the anger that had been radiating off of Jasmine's frame quickly evaporated, finding herself flustered. 

Before Silas could lift his head to look properly, Clarence had already stood abruptly, holding a towel to cover what little of Silas's head and neck was visible from the door. With a fiery glare, the prince hissed, "Get out!" 

"Sorry! Hurry up, you two!" Jasmine shouted, flustered as she weakly attempted to cover her eyes, smiling behind her surprise.

"Out!"

Clarence stood in that position until the door to the room was slammed by Jasmine, her running figure nearly comical as she tried to restrain a laugh the entire time she ran out the door, nearly running backwards to catch a glimpse of what they were doing before her entry was noticed. Any trace of bitterness had long since faded at the sight of Clarence's gentle demeanor towards Silas. A truly sweet sight. What a strange pair. She thought with a laugh as she stood outside the shared room, laughing away some of her fatigue.

"Wonderful." Clarence muttered with a trace of annoyance, well aware what little time he had to spend with Silas had nearly evaporated. "By God, if she interrupts us one more time, so help me-"

"The fact that Jasmine is back is enough to tell us something happened with Malcolm." Silas responded, swiftly interrupting the prince before his temper could continue to flare. Clarence sighed, a note of petulance in his voice as he stared back at the door, nearly wishing to chase Jasmine down all of his own. If she had not entered so rudely, he would have been able to continue their previous escapade. 

Without warning, Silas stood from the tub, his back facing Clarence as he stuck out his arm, expectantly waiting for Clarence. Clarence, fixated on Silas's slim, naked figure, was too entranced by the rare sight to move his arm to properly pass Silas the towel. Rather, his eyes were fixed on the array of red marks left over Silas's upper body, and he felt himself swell with a trace of pride. 

Feeling that familiar gaze, Silas sighed as he grabbed the towel out of his hands and covered his body, moving only once his lower body was covered. "That's enough for now." Dripping of warm water, Silas's voice echoed in the small room as he stood, using a second towel to wipe down his wet hair. "You should hurry and change your shirt. It's soaking wet."

"Oh." Sopping wet from the water, the prince had hardly had time to notice his own damp clothing. His muscular, broad chest was fully visible, covered only by a sheer tint of white fabric. Even his nipples were clear to see, much to both of the men's embarrassment. "I-I'll go grab a shirt."

I would have liked to see him undressed as well. Watching Clarence run back into the room, Silas let out a laugh, drying the ends of his hair as much as he could as he walked to the side of the bathroom, preparing to change into his own pile of clean clothes.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Silas's face slowly turned red, and he looked back to the side, avoiding gazing at the man in the other room any longer. If Jasmine hadn't come in, there's no telling what could've happened. He let out a sigh, unsure if he would be reluctant or not, taking another step forward in their relationship.

As he finished dressing, he did not notice Clarence staring back into the room, smiling as he gazed towards Silas. Buttoning his clean shirt, he moved his gaze towards the door. Whatever happens now will dictate our future together. Hopefully, everything has finally fallen into place.

…

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After hitting repeated writer's block about YMtK for weeks, I had an epiphany about the plot, particularly a tub for some reason. Then, after much coaxing on Clarence's end (late night plot work), I broke the romance barrier. It's my first scene of this kind, so apologies for any awkwardness. Finding the right word for things was difficult, but I found a lot of inspiration in shounen fight scenes for some reason? Is this considered mild? Mid? I feel apathetic, I hate to say ahaha

Odd. Anyway, I apologize again if this seems out of nowhere. I wanted to push the romance along, but I think this was the best I could do to get that through. It's chapter 168 anyway, y'all were waiting for this I'm sure? I was going to add plot to this, but 7 pages is enough for a chapter. I personally would skip this chapter as a reader, so I wanted to make that an option.

As I slowly recover and return to productivity, I ask for your patience ;; Your support is invaluable! Maybe in the future, I can get better at writing this stuff.... until then, thank you~ >u<

*Note: Wrote part of this/ edited late at night. Sorry for any errors ;;