XII: Blue.

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The following days were "quiet", too much, so much so that they seemed gray and cloudy even though the weather was pleasant, even if they didn't say it, everyone felt a noticeable difference in the atmosphere of the palace and it was because the prince, his golden empress, hasn't left his room in days, three to be exact. Alatus was distraught, much more worried because he was not even seen during the hours of their meetings, the library was empty and he was not even seen going out for breakfast or eating, every time Alatus passed by the room Shenhe said that he had not gone out, she didn't seem to know how to explain what was happening to him and simply asked him to come in to cheer up the young man, but every time, Aether didn't respond to his words because he was sleeping, Alatus began to believe that he was doing it on purpose.

On the fourth day, Alatus was determined to speak properly with him, he couldn't take it anymore, the air felt stifling without his presence, they hadn't even spoken or looked at each other for a while, something that felt like an eternity, even though Alatus had experienced the loneliness of being abandoned on the enemy battlefield couldn't compare, perhaps because he knew horrible things were happening within those four walls and he wasn't doing anything to stop it.

He greeted Shenhe and entered the silent room, the bulge of sheets on the bed indicating that the boy was asleep just like the previous days. He needed to know that he was okay, or at least try to encourage him so that he wouldn't keep locked up because this wasn't him, and for that very reason he brought with him something that he thought he would never use again just in case his words weren't enough to attract his attention. He dared to lower the sheets a little to reveal the most beautiful face he had ever seen, his light , sleeping as if it were not a strange time to do it, he did not do more although inside he was burning with desire to know if his wound was healing properly, even so, he refused the idea of stripping him without his consent.

"Majesty..."

Alatus timidly moved the prince's shoulder, his words hadn't worked before so this time he tried physical contact. It didn't work the first time so he applied more pressure to move it, this time it worked, the prince woke up but unconsciously and almost as if he had a spasm, he walked away looking scared, his tense body relaxed as soon as his sleepy state faded and he realized account of who was in front of him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

He apologized, bowing and taking a couple of steps back, ashamed of his audacity, as if he had never touched it before or wasn't allowed. Aether looked somewhat sleepy as he rubbed his eyes slowly, the dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced, Alatus understood that he still couldn't sleep at night so he was somewhat sorry for interrupting his rest.

"Um..."

Alatus's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, not only from having Aether's radiant innate beauty in front of him and being able to see him in his loose bedclothes, the feeling of wanting to talk to him but not being able to organize his thoughts made him nervous, he felt like in the early days when he couldn't express himself properly.

" Go away, you shouldn't be here."

The hasty order displaced the silence, Aether soon covered himself with the blanket to ignore the presence of the other young man, something that surprised the guard enough to leave him stunned for a few seconds. At another time Alatus would have instantly complied, but this time, he couldn't accept it.

"I just... I want to know how you are."

He said anyway, he refused to retire before knowing the prince's condition and if he received proper care, his mind would not leave him alone if he did not get answers.

"Alatus, I'm fine. I need to sleep."

After a sigh, he was heard muttering listlessly, Alatus didn't know if it was because of the dream or because he wasn't feeling well, whatever it was, he wasn't willing to retire before he really knew what was going on.

" Please, you worry me."

He insisted one last time despite understanding that the conversation wasn't going anywhere and that the prince clearly didn't want him there.

" I said I'm fine, go away."

As serious as it will sound, Alatus could see how he tried not to show that his voice was trembling, he decided not to say more and sit on the floor as close as possible to him to take something out of his pocket. He took a few minutes waiting for Aether to move but nothing happened, Alatus looked at the rustic flute in his hands for a few seconds thinking about what he should play so that he understood it, it had been a long time since he had even had that flute in his hands so he was seriously doubting that he could do something decent, nervousness was about to block him when he heard the blonde's subtle breathing, he was crying silently holding his breath like the first time they met face to face. Taking the flute with him, he tried to remember what he had to do, he didn't want to make a mistake by accident and for the sound to come out strange, fortunately when he started the rest came naturally and his concern gradually dissipated, it was a soft and pleasant melody that seemed to be carried by the wind, like a lullaby that filled the atmosphere with a bitter sweetness.

Aether could not ignore it for a long time, he remembers perfectly how Alatus told him that he used to play that instrument but that he had stopped doing it over time since he had nothing to vent about, in the end, he came out from between the sheets and sat watching as Alatus finished playing, its melody was charming but somehow also sad, as if it reflected his emotions, something that only made him feel worse.

When Alatus finished and turned around he found the prince seated, their eyes met instantly, tears spilling from his beautiful golden eyes like a crystalline waterfall and his desolate expression almost made him cry too. Without thinking he reached out to cup his cheeks with his hands, his thumbs wiping away the moisture from his tears, he dared to place soft kisses on his face, forehead, nose and eyelids in an attempt to calm him down.

"Sorry- forgive me for talking to you like that, I just- I don't want any more problems..."

Aether's breathing was irregular, he was so nervous that they would be seen together in that situation but at the same time he didn't want to separate from Alatus because his mere presence made him feel better, he wanted him to hug him even for a minute so he could get rid of the negativity that had tormented him for days.

"It's okay, I understand, please don't cry."

He whispered to him lovingly, kissing his lips tenderly and then kissing his cheeks again, he could imagine how the emotional burden of being pressured and bothered for so long, also hurt, would end up ruining him like this, it was also the first time he couldn't solve with violence a situation that made him feel desperate. Alatus's eyes drifted for a moment to Aether's torso, there was no blood, and due to this he thought the wound was probably healing properly, he still needed to check, as a military man he has seen people die from similar wound infections so he couldn't be sure enough.

" You're always so sweet to me... " —Aether whispered, watching the concern stain his beloved's expression. Not liking worrying others, he unconsciously minimized his situation again.— "My wound is fine, it is healing slowly, you don't need to worry."

"What happened?"

He questioned despite sounding annoyed, since Doctor Baizhu didn't want to tell him that he had seen Aether was the only one who could clear his doubts.

"You... you mean in the infirmary?" —His lips trembled slightly, the memory brought with it the reminiscence of the pain he felt at that moment, saying that it happened would only bring anguish to Alatus but Aether was aware that the boy already imagined what happened, after all, he heard him scream.— "I still don't get it, he said he wanted to taste my flesh, and then he just stuck his fingers into the wound and… Well, at least he didn't bite me."

Aether chuckled softly at the last, it's not that he didn't take it seriously, just that at this moment he felt broken and insignificant, that the emperor took the consideration of not making it more painful was already something. Alatus was not amused at all, in fact, he was annoyed enough to bite his lips containing whatever nasty poison he was trying to spit out due to annoyance, he knows now is not the time.

"I'm fine, I would like to promise that these things will not happen again but I don't know, I try my best." —Continued the prince, Alatus looked down thinking that he was 'trying his best', seeing the panorama so far he really couldn't think of anything good.— "Now... I just don't have the energy to pretend nothing is happening, I'd like to be alone until I recover."

Aether placed his hand on Alatus's hoping he would respect his way of doing things.

"No... I-I mean, it's sad, I don't want to let you torment yourself in solitude."

Aether let out a sigh as he felt how the grip on his hand tightened, Alatus really didn't want to be separated at all, he didn't want to have to say it but in the end, he had no choice but to explain the situation.

"Please Alatus, I really think you shouldn't be here, Shenhe told me as Rex Lapis questioned her, he knows there's something between us even if he plays dumb."

Aether's whisper left him frozen, if it weren't for the fact that he was confident that Shenhe was not going to betray them, he would already be waiting for them to call him sooner rather than later to determine his sentence.

"I don't care, we'll be more careful, I'm not going to leave you despite the risk."

He answered with determination, so far they had hidden perfectly and Rex Lapis calling his husband's personal guard only confirmed that he had no more than a hypothesis, they were still safe, and even if they were not, Alatus could imagine the punishment that he would grant him*, and, even if it was painful, he would accept it.

"Alatus! Why are you so stubborn?"

"Because I love you, you taught me that I am important, that what I think can be heard, what it is to want and feel... Now you won't get rid of me so easily."

Their faces turned red, Alatus because it was the first time he said 'I love you' to someone, and Aether because it was the first time someone loved him as he wished. The words echoed in Aether's mind, he couldn't help but smile like a fool, his eyes shone again as he saw how Alatus covered his mouth with pity at feeling his whole face and neck warm, knowing that that expression is thanks to him returned a long-awaited warmth to his chest.

"Fool, me too, I love you..."

Alatus was also able to hold on and approached to join his lips with Aether's, he wrapped his arms around his neck, drawing him even closer and making him fall on top of him, at that moment he did not realize that he should not support his weight on him, he was enraptured, consumed by the pleasant tingling that being so close produced, and the warmth he felt had been lost.

A shaky gasp leaves Aether's lips when they separate for a moment, his body is also trembling slightly and for a moment Alatus believes that it is due to a natural reaction of his body but then he notices his frown when moving which makes him react, he gets up immediately and his eyes desperately search for a sign that he did not hurt him but when he sees blood his entire mood falls.

"It's okay, I'm fine, it was just a little-"

He tried to lessen the situation but Alatus seemed about to panic, he quickly cut him off to apologize.

"You should have told me! I'm sorry, I-"

Aether leaned in to kiss him cutting off his apologies, his hand cupping his cheek and his fingertips caressing the area near his ear, delicately tangling a few dark strands in the process. When he felt Alatus's rapid heartbeat slow down he pulled back, his hand still caressing his skin tenderly, the warmth seeping into Alatus's skin and expanding, his golden eyes softening along with his calm expression making the guard relax.

"I'll forgive you if you help me change my bandages."

Alatus nodded silently, Aether's mischievous smile as he gradually removed his robe made his mouth feel dry, he can see how the pretty rosy skin has purple, red, and green marks that stain it, marks of ownership that should not be there. The crimson dyed the bandages that surrounded his torso, Aether did not hesitate to unroll it little by little to reveal his bleeding wound, the stitches that joined it were noticeable, Alatus returned to reality when Aether pointed to one of the pieces of furniture, indicating that the bandages were there. Tensed, Alatus moved and brought the necessary things with him, sitting on the bed and trying to avoid staring at Aether's perfect chest and concentrating on cleaning his wound, the way his muscles reacted to the pain as he disinfected him it was fascinating.

Aether watches intently as Alatus wraps around his torso again, each time he passes him from behind he seems to be about to hug him and his fingers lightly brush his exposed skin, he avoids closing his eyes so as not to seem too obvious but his heart is beating quickly.

" Alatus... " —He whispered, Alatus looked at him from below, noticing how his golden and deep eyes looked at him with burning passion, he could understand his intentions but he wasn't going to reciprocate, not at that moment.— " Touch me, please..."

Again, this was not an order but Alatus wanted to comply so badly it hurt not to.

" I can't, you're hurt ."

Alatus replied seriously as he helped the boy to cover himself with the thin white silk robe again.

"Just a little is fine."

He begged pitifully, Alatus did not want to hear something like that, for him, Aether should not beg anyone since he deserves only the best, not only for being a prince, an empress, but also because he is the best person he has ever met.

"Just wait, I want you to recover so that this doesn't happen again, you've been hurt too much."

Alatus told him as he caressed his cheeks and pushed his blond hair away from his face, Aether sighed warmly without being able to refuse, and with a blossoming warmth inside him, perhaps it was the feeling of knowing that he was properly loved and appreciated.

"I love you..."

He repeated with a captivating voice, he couldn't answer otherwise, Alatus was everything he ever dreamed of and who he needed in this vulnerable moment, just imagining being completely alone in that situation made him depressed. Alatus opened his mouth to answer in the same way but the sound of a few knocks on the door, five to be exact, alerted him, it was the signal they had with Shenhe, and being in that place only meant that the emperor was approaching. Aether turned pale, at this time Rex Lapis should be at his rest room and there was no way he didn't notice how one of his guards was gone, his eyes moved slowly to Alatus wishing he could move to tell him to hide before he see him, this one, understanding what was going through his mind, kissed his forehead and whispered to him that he would return another time before walking away to the balcony to go down there.

If it weren't for his dexterity, he probably would have seriously injured himself going down in such a hurry, as soon as his feet touched the ground he realized that a couple of guards in the garden stared at him with wide eyes, his cheeks reddened but his mind was quick to come up with an excuse, he ordered to be followed as he "saw" a suspicious person who should not be in the palace. As he ran after a nonexistent person with the subordinates behind him he realized how he had inadvertently hurt his arm, for some reason the persistent burning seemed like a sign that nothing good was going to happen.

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