E I G H T E E N

"Before you get all defensive, I'll tell you exactly what I told Iris, you just have to be patient."

Sage put her hands on Kai's chest to try to calm him and his already broke patience. He got in her face, his scowl going far from unnoticed. The sunset dying behind her casted a shadow under his eyes, making him look ruthlessly hurt.

"You said you'd tell me why he was acting up and instead you were taking behind my back?"

"It wasn't like that, seriously! He needed someone besides you to talk to, and I happened to have a hunch as to what was bugging him. Kai, you have to get your head out of the clouds and understand how crucial this could all be."

"You think I don't understand," Kai placed his once calm and collected hands on Sage's shoulders and stared at her with wide eyes, his fingers  trembling. "The freaking prince of Vridora just kissed me! How could I not take this lightly?"

Sage pursed her lips and slowly took his clamping hands off her shoulder. "Good, we're on the same page. I'm going to tell you this slowly and you getter listen."

Kai furrowed his eyebrows and was not prepared for Sage's outburst.

"Iris has always like you first, Kai. Why do you think the King picked you to he his guard?"

Kai held out his hand, already overwhelmed, but Sage was a loose cannon.

"But you know what he highly suppressed his feelings because he knew you wouldn't return them because it was against orders. Because you are all about following directions-but, oh, wait, here you come and start gaining feelings for the prince but you refuse to accept them because it's against the rules."

"Iris was right about you, you won't return his feelings when yet you clearly feel the same way about him, because you're both hiding in your fears. He needs you, Kai, and you need to believe this will work out. For him, you need to be there. And you, he'll be your solace. Iris has already been that-that mass that could feel your emptyness. I can't believe it took you guys so long to start spilling some of that tension. You're both idiots!"

Sage took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She didn't expect to lash out like that, but it felt good to say what has been on her mind for years. She crossed her arms when she felt satisfied with her lesson.

Kai..just stared at her. He was speechless, dried mouth and baffled. Had he not had a strong mental endurance, he would've been breaking down right now. He might have been slowly crumbling but that flash of hope Sage gave him was glue to keeping him together.

He inhaled a shaky breath before backing away from her. "W-what do I do?" He managed to stutter out.

Had Iris really liked him too, all these years? How could he-they-been so blind?

Sage smirked and put a strong reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You go for it."

††

Iris paced in his bedroom, his bottom lip cried for being abused by his worry and his head was starting to get dizzy. He tried to relax his breathing, but when he did another set of anxiety punched his lungs and he grabbing his chest hurtfully.

He's never been so scared, and nervous, excited, and petrified, at the same time. This was a whole new emotion he wished he never had to experience. The reality he wished only remained a dream.

It was bound to happen, the cork on his bottled up feelings was going to pop off and something dreadful but weight lifting was going to spill out.

Why did it both have to happen so soon yet so late? Maybe the idea of confessing earlier seemed nice, because they were young, and the crucial responsibilities and brutal adultery didn't affect them as much. Even though they knew what growing up held, they still had the label of a child; naive and innocent.

The prince jumped when a gentle knock came from the door. His heart pounded in his chest and his blood rushed in his ear. He shouldn't be so nervous. He could vent on and on about how he shouldn't be, but in the end all efforts were useless.

He took a deep breath and placed one hand on the doorknob and the other one the wall. Opening the door was like setting loose a pound of bees into his abdomen.

His eyes widened at the pale vampire standing in front of him.

"Listen, Kai-" But there were no words urgent enoug to be spoken, despite the thought of it being a good idea.

The vampire's lips were sealed onto Iris's and their bodies shuffled back blindly before the door even shut.

They stopped when Iris's knees touched his bed but instead of falling, Kai held him up by securing his lower back, while also pulling him closer. This was heaven. Kai was gripping his waist and holding him in close proximity. So he wasn't against a wall, this was the next best thing.

There were no words to describe the increase of their heart beats to the thrill in the form of their rushing blood. The affection swarmed in the pits of their stomachs like drunk butterflies that were once merciless wasps. It was a dream with a linger of bad thoughts. But neither of them let those get even such as an inch close to the bliss.

It was like magic, the way their lips found a steady rhythm as though they were programmed to do so. And the way, God the way it felt right, was so unfathomable Iris had to pinch himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming. There was also a pint of fear that all this wasn't real and as soon as one of them open their eyes the pleasure would be nothing but a beautiful lie.

But it wasn't their imaginations, though it was a dream come true, once Kai pulled away his taste embedded on Iris's lips.

And that flavor was all too real.

They got lost in each others loved up eyes, breathing heavily and shakily, both nervous and over the top with excitement.

"Finally," Kai sighed pleasantly, "I've always wanted to do that."

Iris tightened his arms that he subconsciously wrapped around Kai's neck. "Me too, of course, I assume I made the move early?"

"No. It was perfect. Just-" Kai squeezed his arms around Iris and leaned in to bury his face in his neck. "-why didn't you tell me? All these years..you've kept it a secret."

Iris hugged back with the same desperate strength. "Sage told you why, I'm sure. I was scared. You're not the easiest person the confess to."

"I know, I'm sorry. I am strict with orders, and..I can't blame you for being reluctant. I probably made it hard for you, huh?"

Iris pressed his lips against the vampire's shoulder and chuckled. "More than you know."

Kai rubbed his back, the one time he's ever done something remotely close to comforting the prince.

"But you're going to have to tell me when you started having feelings for me." Iris pulled back with the question blurting out of his mouth.

Kai smiled and brushed his hair back. "I can't really say. I just kind of looked at you one day and thought..it would be nice to have a much more friendly relationship with you. To be able to call you mine."

"Ah, the classic way."

"And you..you've always had an interest in males?"

Iris sat down on his bed and Kai took a seat next to him, their fingers intertwining.

"I've never had an interest in anyone before I met you. But when I realized when I did like you, a male, I started noticing others that peeked my attention."

"So it's not just me?"

Iris shot him a smirk. "My heart is for you, Kai, but my eyes do wander."

The vampire chuckled and smiled down at their hands. "Three years," He said in fascination, "it's mind boggling.

"I'm still upset I didn't know Sage liked girls. You could've told me."

"Well, it's not something one could or should say so freely. I mean, shouldn't you know this? Do your parents even know?"

"You have a point. And no. Hell, no. They'll kill me if they find out." Iris glanced towards the door. "But I'm going to have to tell them eventually, huh?"

"Eventually."

"Yeah..that doesn't help."

Kai nodded and Iris looked at him with a hesitant half smile.

"Are you even okay with this? Us? Whatever us is.."

Kai exhaled slowly. "I want it to be, if that says anything."

"Eventually."

"Yeah..that doesn't help."

Iris chuckled at his stolen response and the two jump away when the a light knock came from the door.

"I have some requirements, though." Iris said as he walked towards the door; his anxious mood was lifted into an atmosphere where he could breath freely. He hoped it lasted. "Yes?"

"Hello, sir. The King just got new reports on an auction you were interested it. He wanted me to inform you."

"Oh. Thank you. You can tell him we'll be there shortly."

The maid bowed her head before descending down the hall in her black flats.

"Already?" Kai question, suddenly standing right behind the prince. "Is that good news?"

"I would say so. The faster the better right?"

Kai pursed his lips and slid past Iris and into the hall. "In certain cases."

Iris furrowed his eyebrows. "Why did you say it like that?"

"Like what?"

"All mysterious."

"I did not."

"Mhm."

"Anyway, what are these requirements of yours?"

"Oh," Iris cleared his throat, "first rule, you can't call me sir anymore-unless out in public. Second, let's not make this obvious. Third..follow the first two. Got it?"

Kai looked down with devilry on the tips of his fangs. He scanned around before sliding behind Iris and wrapping his arms around his waist. He bent down until his breath tickled Iris's ear.

"Yes, sir."

The prince's face flashed a deep crimson red but before his sanity could plummet in his embarrassment, he whipped around and smacked Kai's chest repeatedly.

"What did I just tell you!?" He seethed in a loud whisper, causing Kai to explode is a joyful laugh. "It's not funny!"

But Kai kept laughing. And Iris didn't stop blushing.

††

This is kind of short, but mainly because I wanted to stagger the "good" events and not combine everything in one chapter.

Thank you for your patience! :)

-Swissy