PopeAlessandros

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

'That's right. . . . .Neither of us really asked for all of this, and. . . .And he is willing to stand with me. He doesn't laugh at me, and, he keeps trying to support me, to help me become someone whom he will be proud to stand with before the masses. . .He is kind, and, he and I will. . . .We ill face this together' Taking a slow breath he looks sideways at their intertwined hands and his flush settles into a gentler feeling in his chest. He returns the squeeze, turning his eyes to the grass past his toes, just listening to the other man speak.

When the subject of dance comes up he does feel a bit awkward, but oddly enough, he's not worried about the dancing part. One of the skills he'd trained in to blend in when out on assignment was dance. While he's quite sure that it will be very different having so many people actively watching him dance rather than being a random person in a large crowd, he is sure he'll be able to psyche himself up for the act.

The offer to teach him makes him smile and he takes a steadying breath before responding. Just the thought of being the prince's partner has him in a tizzy. “I am actually rather acceptable a dancer. It helped with my job. . . .However, I. . .I would not mind some practice, so I can become familiar with what dances will be most common.” 'And get used to the idea of moving about the dance floor with you' Smiling over his shoulder he tries to appear confident, the expression ruined by a large rain drop falling on his cheek. Sneezing, he pulls his hand loose from Hiro's and wipes his cheek. “Looks like we should find some shelter.” he murmurs, looking up as the sound of rain falling into the pond grows louder and louder.

Looking towards the dark forest, he knows Hiro most likely doesn't want to head back right away so he motions towards the dry ground beneath the trees. “The canopy is thick enough, we could probably turn this picnic into a walk, if you don't want to go back to the palace right away.” Helping to pack away the food he holds the bag so Hiro can slip the strap easily over his head before taking the prince's hand and leading his towards the horse. His blush is slight, his determination to keep them out of the oncoming downpour giving him something to distract himself with and fight off the worst of the flush.

Once at the horse he unties the beast and leads the way off under the trees. The nature of them leaves the ground mostly free of debris and obstacles aside from the occasional fallen tree or small bush. He turns them so they are walking parallel to the palace some distance off, walking them towards the road that leads through the trees. It will take some time on foot to reach it and Akito sees it as a test of his willpower as he holds the reins on one hand, and his betrothed's hand in the other. The sound of the falling rain is soothing and with the downpour so nearby it almost feels a little strange to be walking across dry earth and leaf litter.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Seishu perks up happily as Enasi agrees to wash his hair and turns around to give him better access to it. He is purring from the moment the other guardian lays hands on his long locks, the touch rather stimulating. He can't help but smile at the ceiling at the question. “Well, save for the exceptions, I am expending a small portion of my energy keeping it clean and pretty.” he murmurs, turning slightly to look at Enasi. “Since I only have minions piled on me when I want them there, and they leave without my needing to pick them up, I have much less use for my physical energies. So, I just use them to keep my hair untangled and clean. For the most part.”

He chuckles, turning to look back at the ceiling. “Just like I use my magic to float about and make my clothing look sexy and epic all at once.” He lets out a purring sigh, becoming a bit aroused. “Your station requires certain things of you, and mine of me. Mine just happens to leave me looking like a vampiric god, while you looking like a well washed street thug.” He chuckles, sticking his tongue out at his counterpart before falling silent, just enjoying the touch.

~*~*~*~*~

Looking around the group, Kaila can tell what is on everyone's mind with barely a glance and he shakes his head. “I know it is tempting, knowing he is alive somewhere, to want to call him in whenever things get tough, however. . . .”He looks down at the bloody report in front of him, his insides burning. “We need to be strong for him. Once he is recovered, he will return, and we will have peace once again, but the more we call before he is ready, the longer it will be, and the more blood there will be shed. So, no. We will handle this ourselves.” He looks back around the group and sees the reluctant acceptance of his words. Though reluctant, the acceptance is solid and he doesn't worry about anyone going against his decision.

Rolling up the report he turns and walks away from the gathered minions, needing some time to think. The message in the report is harrowing, painful, and he knows the minions need something to keep them from spiraling. He's never been good at the cheering up thing however and leaves it to Tiski to come up with something. Ran and Lan follow him however, waiting for some kind of instruction while Tyar drifts along, keeping an eye on the upset Second.

He stops a good way from the center of camp, the nightmares and minions nearby working on sorting their supplies so they are not paying attention to anything else. Turning, Kaila plants his back on a tree and looks over his group, trying to find an answer that will cause the least amount of bloodshed. Bringing the fist balled up around the report up in front of his face, he stares at in, a fang coming out to chew on his lip for an instant before sliding back out of sight.

The report is on a group that had been captured by a field patrol of Gin's. Unfortunately, Gin himself has taken a more active role in hunting them down and was actually with the patrol when the team was captured. He'd done. . .Horrific things to the team, every one of them dying bloody save for the last one which finally gave in and said something. What exactly was said is unsure, the person who wrote the report doing so in a hurry and barely surviving long enough to get the message out. The spray of blood was fresh when the scroll arrived and from the smell, Kaila could tell that one of the spies left with Gin was no longer able to fulfill her duties. The only indication of what was said by the lone survivor was that Gin came out looking happy, and that he ordered they leave the nightmare alive for “later”.

Looking out over the trees Kaila sighs, the only sign that he's anything but a solid rock for the other minions. 'We don't know if the nightmare told him where we are, or redirected him somewhere else, or what. . .We may have to leave. . .This is the safest place for us. This is the most well protected area in the realm. Any place we would run to. . . We couldn't say together. The concentration of us would draw attention, and that would keep them from capturing us all at once, but that would leave each group with less protection. . .Normally I would go ask Master Seishu about something like this, but. . .If I told him, he would come back, and insist on rescuing the survivor himself, and. . .' He turns and looks off towards the direction the report came from. 'I want to rescue them too. I want to rip Gin's face from his body for all this heartless slaughter of his. . .I want. . . .So many things. . . .'

~*~*~*~*~

Once his hair is washed Seishu insists on washing Enasi's in return. After a little pouting, he has his hands buried in those ruby red locks and he is smile quite happily. Rasha looks all the jealous and lays pouting under the chair, looking limp and wistful. It doesn't take nearly as long to wash the smaller man's hair, but Seishu does take his time, making sure to get every strand of that lovely head of hair. Once he's done he pulls Enasi into a hug from behind, obviously still “happy” from his own hair washing. He purrs softly, nibbling on the other's ear in a way that makes Rasha's ears perk up. He's not really proposing they get busy in the pool, but he does want to remind Enasi of the plans they made in Their World and to let him know he's ready any time.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Kuro is trying to calculate just how much damage he'll have to do to disable the arch angel when suddenly he hears Aoba's voice. He pauses, torn. He wants to look back at his Little Mouse, to assure him that he'll only hurt the clean thing a little bit, but at the same time he knows taking his eyes off his opponent could spell trouble if not death for him. The choice is taken away from him as suddenly Aoba is sailing over head head and shockingly, lands on the shocked angel. What surprises Kuro most, beyond his mousy partner flying into battle, is the halo grab that knocks the soldier to the ground.

'Well, that's good to know' he muses, watching him go down easy enough. He's glad to see the arch angel knocked out and even manages a little smile at Aoba before the little victory goes horribly wrong. The smell hits him first and rips a snarl from his chest. He is furious, stalking forward, ready to rip someone a new one. Whether Aoba or the prone figure on the ground is yet to be decided. He pauses a few steps away, looking down at Aoba with sharp eyes, clearly angry. The pathetic pleading of his case turns Kuro's wrath from him to the slowly rousing angel.

Holding out a hand he fires energy from his hands, the curved shape stapling the angel to the ground by his neck. He fires off a few more, like the leash he'd used on Dani, and staples his arms and wings to the ground as well. He feels rather satisfied as he miss aims with the wing ones, clipping them hard enough to knock off a few feathers and stain the ones around them crimson. The clip isn't enough to endanger his life, but the pain is enough to wake the guy and have him whine at the pain. Kuro can feel the second energy approaching but before it can arrive he kicks the holy sword away from the first, planting his scythe hard in the ground by the first one's head and leaving it there as a warning as he moves to face the oncoming threat. He wants to be helping Aoba, to do something about the blood loss, but with another angel closing in, he doesn't have time.

Fenrir quickly closes the distance, being careful to land some ways back from the group so he doesn't insight the demon to attack without being able to talk. He takes in the sight of Leo pinned to the ground, the scythe looming threateningly across his body, Aoba trying to treat the semi-self inflicted wound, and now the very on fire Kuro eyeing him as if he's a wild dog he's ready to put down. Having watches the demon for some time now, he knows – at least he thinks he does – how to handle him. His stomach is in knots, his instinct to put the demon down strong, but at the same time, the sight of Aoba bleeding makes his heart twinge and he pushes aside his instincts.

Looking to the pinned angel again he snaps out, “Leo!” His brows furrow even though he knows the angel can't turn to look at him. “You know better than to interfere in the lives of fallen angels!” The angel stills completely. It seems being snapped at has deflated him a bit. His gaze then turns to Kuro and they share a moment.

Kuro faintly recognizes the angel, though more through the sound of his voice than his actual features.

Fenrir slowly takes off his medical bag, making Kuro growl. He stays put however and the medical angel takes this as a good sign. Turning the bag to show it to Kuro he says with a mix of calm and forcefulness, “Let me clean up this mess we've made and we will leave you be.”

Kuro is both confused and relieved to see this angel here, but at the sight of the medical bag he calms slightly, sparing half a glance towards Aoba. He knows that Aoba said he could treat himself, but some proper treatment with proper supplies would be better for him. He hesitates for a moment before reaching his hand behind him. The pins holding down “Leo's” arms and wings vanish while the one around his neck becomes a hoop. His hand whips forward, Leo yelping as he's pulled by his throat through the air. Kuro is careful to not give him enough height so when he snaps the collar with a pop he's unable to catch himself with his wings and instead tumbles across the gravel road past the waiting medical angel.

Fenrir doesn't look as Leo is whipped past him and instead waits until he hears the angel regaining his feet before calling over his shoulder, “You head back to the others Leo. Now.” He can't see it but he's quite sure the angel looks like he wants to object. When he doesn't hear wings right away he lifts his heel, sliding it slightly to the side before stomping it down hard and cracking the earth much like Issho did to warn Kuro off the day before. Leo back away with a bow and is off moments later. Fenrir calls that he will bring back the angel's sword so he doesn't spend time worrying about it.

The call actually makes Kuro laugh, still wreathed him flame despite the good will Fenrir is trying to build. “I was actually thinking of mounting it over the barn door as a warning.” he says with an evil smile. He shifts to the side between Aoba and the arch angel, still not completely convinced this guy is to be trusted. The smell of Aoba's blood isn't helping his anger and he flexes threateningly, eyes playing sharp on the angel.

Once more pulling from his well of knowledge from the mirror, Fenrir re-hangs his bag at his side and moves forward with confidence towards Kuro and the wounded angel. He watches Kuro tense but, trusting what he knows of the man, he moves right past him – giving a bit of room for the agitated flames – and drops to a knee next to Aoba. Gently moving the fallen angel's hands aside he pulls his bag off once more and sets to work. Kuro turns and stays put, his fire still jumping about as he watches like an aggravated cat.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The now familiar crackle of Hiro's magic flame catches Akito's attention and he turns his head slightly to see it. He doesn't have to do this for long as within moment the fire is traveling past his face, making him smile softly. The small flame animals are quite beautiful to the ex soldier and he sighs contentedly as he watches them drift by. 'He is quite talented. Even if he was not a prince, he could very well take up a place in the court as a magician. Or an artist with magic. . . .' His head turns again as he hears Hiro addressing his little furry partner and he lets out a soft chuckle.

He turns back to face the grass and forest, listening to his betrothed talk about the people he's met and places he's been, recognizing things here and there from his own travels. He comments on this occasionally, but for the most part he just enjoys listening to the other man, a calm expression on his face. He really does love listening to people, but as Hiro especially seems to enjoy having somebody actually listening to him, he finds the act more. . .intimate, than when he was listening to the boisterous stories the other soldiers would tell about battles or “prowess”.

He grows stiff however at the mention of the ruler from the previous war, his father having fought in that one as well. He'd heard the stories, and while no war is pleasant, the one before this last one was particularly brutal. The idea of the man responsible being at the wedding sets him on edge and he begins plotting to map every inch of the palace the same way he used to when planning a hit. Despite Hiro's vote of confidence that he won't show up, it does nothing to quell Akito's natural protective instinct.

Not wanting to ruin the mood however he keeps his thoughts to himself and relaxes a little, letting out a long breath. “I have been trying to put the idea of a bunch of powerful people I don't know being around to see me make a fool of myself out of my mind.” he admits, ducking his head. “I mean, I know how to walk ceremony in the streets, but. . .I mean, we have practiced a bit, but, it has always been, when not working, that I am a bit of a nervous wreak around people. . .” He glances over his shoulder. “As you may have noticed.” Laughing softly at himself he coughs, ducking his head down again. 'Well, I'm going to keep being that way if I don't at least try. . .' Slowly, he reaches back with one hand and, ever so carefully, he locates his betrothed's hand and ever so gently laces their fingers together, sliding their hands out to the sides so they can keep sitting comfortably against one another's back. He is blushing furiously at this action, but he doesn't pull back or move away, trying to prove to himself that this will be a reality and he needs to accept it.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Spotting the little dream popping up in the corner of his eye Seishu gives him a little smirk and despite the fur he's quite sure Rasha is blushing. He's ready to pull himself off Enasi, but he gets his by a waves of nausea from moving too quickly and instead settles more comfortably against him. He purrs a little deeper and smiles as his head is patted and he places a few kisses along the neck in front of him affectionately. The laugh is a good thing to hear and he lets out a giggle of his own as he's swooped up by his lover, wrapping his arms around that slender neck he'd recently been smooching.

He shakes his head at the question, enjoying the embrace. He chuckles at Rasha and clicks his tongue, prompting the dream to revert to kitty status and hop on top of him. He can tell he's blushing again as Rasha carefully stays on his chest and away from his naughty bits. Nuzzling the critters soft fur he murmurs, “I like this mode of travel.” Looking up at Enasi he smiles warmly, pulling him down for a kiss before they head out to the baths.

When they arrive he opts for the shallow end, Rue and Inui taking to the lounge chairs along the side of the large pool where Rue squeals as he pulled down to cuddle with the dark haired male. Inui has grown more and more bold in the past week, his master back making him happy. Having to look out for his hurt master has given him a sense of strength he never had before and it's helped him lay more claim to little Rue than he was comfortable with before.

Meanwhile, Seishu hangs cutely off the edge of the pool, pawing at Enasi until he joins him in the bath pool, Rasha scurrying off to hide under a lounge chair to watch. Harper left the plant siblings to guard the room while he himself decided on a quick patrol of the entire palace. Once Enasi is in the tub Seishu adopts a sly grin and begins getting up close and comfortable with his other half. “Hey~, will you wash my ha~ir?” he asks in a singsong voice, batting his lashes innocently. He loves having his hair played with, and the idea of Enasi washing it sounds like heaven.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

'Okay, so we have a stump with wings here. . . .' While not a complete non-threat, Kuro feels confident enough in his recovery that this arch angel doesn't make him afraid whatsoever. Especially one alone. His brow furrows as the angel barrels right in and he times his moves carefully. As soon as it's within a few feet his fire snakes out, wrapping around the shield and snaking up the angel's arms and redirecting him slightly to the side, Kuro's wings snapping out to ride the wave of the impact to the ground to safety. He retracts his fire, the harsh burns already permeating the area with the smell of toasted flesh.

The soldier however is a stout fellow and is up an instant later, his swords drawn, facing off against Kuro. His arms don't shake despite the pain he must be in and he looks clearly ready to cleave Kuro in two if given the chance. The demon however can hear the animals less than pleased with the fight going on in their front yard and with a growl, decides to end this quickly. 'Someone can sew the limbs back on later' Pulling out his scythe he watches the angel jump back, trying to get out of range of his monstrous weapon. He seems to begin recognizing that he's not going up against a normal arch demon. As they begin to circle Kuro prays Aoba will forgive him for what he's about to do.

~*~

He sees the impact clearly despite being a few minutes away and he tries to pick up his pace. 'Of all the. . .' His thoughts are cut out however as once again he swears he can hear Kuro's voice in his head. The implications make him feel kinda sick but he presses on, not able to sit and think this out at the moment.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

The days pass in a sleepy haze for the wounded Guardian, most of his time spent sleeping and/or drugged. The food is good, but he's not able to remember it all that well, and despite being overly loved on by many little bodies, his memories from the past week barely register. He knows it was for the good of both realms that he recover quickly, but he can't help the gumpled feeling lingering in the back of his mind as the stupor keeps him from having his way with his lover the way he wants to. They come together in Their World often enough, but he wants more. He wants everything.

Eventually however, the time comes. He's off the hardest of the drugs and Crios seems ready to let him move around again. He smiles at the foxy doctor and chuckles as he suddenly has arms full of fairy and nightmare minion. At Crios' words however he can't help but laugh, looking down at the little bodies piled on top of him. “Yes, well, I would love to, but as you see, my fans call.” The two squeal as he pulls them into tight hug, giving each a kiss before relaxing and sitting up. His body still feels stiff and he has to force himself to stretch despite the pain. The pain now however is more from being in bed than being wounded and he can feel the itchy urge to get out of bed building up.

Rue tackles Inui, kissing him soundly out of joy before scurrying over to hide behind his own guardian, the acts of open affection still making him blush furiously. Inui as well flushes, though his blushing face takes on a more predatory expression as he begins stalking his lovely fairy.

Seishu smiles at this, looking to his own lover as he speaks up. His smile widens and he stretches again, pushing the covers down and letting out a groan. “Yeah. I feel a lot better. I still feel little. . . .Holes, but. . . .I'm ready to get on with my life now.” Standing carefully on the bed he vanishes his clothes, the musty old things feeling uncomfortable on his skin. The little one hide their faces with sharp giggles while Crios and Harper look politely away. It takes Starla and Finn a beat to realize that he's nude and they both let out sounds of “Ewwww!” before covering their faces and tell him to put some clothes on.

Kneeling down he settles against Enasi's back, purring softly. “I think I wants a bath. . .” he murmurs, giving Enasi his cutest smile. He's feeling a little weak from lack of negative energy and it's clear from his happy limpness against his lover's back that he's asking for some help to the bath area.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

'Well, because, it's true?' He twitches slightly as Hiro taps him, turning his gaze on to the prince with his head tilted bashfully down. His eyes dart down however, his ears burning as he feels those soft hands slide into his own calloused ones. He swallows, his hands stiff and unsure of themselves. He slowly looks up at Hiro, obviously flustered. The prince tries to encourage him, assuring him that he was trained in his way, and Hiro his and there's nothing wrong with him not knowing how to be a royal. It's a comforting thought and he manages to relax a little, his fingers closing slightly. Not enough to be actually holding Hiro's hands in returns, but enough that he feels like an actual participant in the hand holding.

He feels pleased that Hiro doesn't seem disappointed by him and offers a bashful smile to the prince. It falls and he scrunches slightly as he's chided for his babbling, but he doesn't retreat completely. He doesn't mean to keep the other from talking, he's just used to being overridden when he's babbling if someone else wants to talk. He's unsure of how much more he can flush as Hiro tells him everything's alright, and feels his face must be bright as the sun as he says that he's “perfect for him”. His fingers twitch again and this time he's actually holding Hiro's hands properly, glad to have such a kind man trying so hard for him.

The progress is all lost however as moments later he feels soft lips on his own and his mind is completely wiped blank. He stares off at the blank space Hiro once occupied for a long minute, the back of his brain trying to process what just happened and give him some sense of reality once more. The conclusion it comes to is actually rather surprising and he lets out a slow breath, his blush becoming manageable. With everything Hiro said finally processed he looks to the man at his side – watching the playful Hoko on an “epic hunt” - and lets himself actually look at the man a bit and enjoy the sight.

He brings peace to his overstimulated body and lets himself move on impulse briefly. Turning to the side he wraps Hiro in a gentle hug, planting a feather light kiss on his cheek. He holds the other man for a beat before swiftly letting go and turning so that his back is pressed to Hiro's, his face once more flushed and his head trying to retreat into his neck. He knows it was something tiny, something children do with their parents, or sibling with one another, but for him, it is another step forward that he's never taken before, and his heart is now in his throat, wondering if he'll ever be able to breath again.

Luckily, the answer is yes and in a quite voice he murmurs, “Thank you H-Hiro. . .Your words are sweet. . .” Coughing, he shifts his shoulders comfortably against the taller man and reaches out to grab something to stuff in his mouth the pastry keeping him from rambling any more.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The little angel's excitement to get started on farm work again makes Kuro smile, the charge off the younger male contagious. Kuro whips them up a quick breakfast, watching the other eat with a soft smile on his face before following him out into the yard. He takes to doing the watering while Aoba deals with the animals. He lends a hand when it comes to the cows, the occasional stray making for the gap between the barn and the pasture fence. Once they are all out, he goes back to watering carefully, making sure not to spay the leaves too much, aiming for the ground when he can to avoid the sun burning the plants through the water droplets.

Despite being menial labor, Kuro couldn't be happier. He looks over to see the angel every so often and feels content with the world the way it is, peace passing gently through his chest. He still feels that something is missing, something inside, but as it is, for now, he doesn't want to question it. He just wants to enjoy his time with Aoba before Dani and the others come crashing in to ruin their alone time.

Once he's done with the watering, he joins Aoba with feeding the pigs, guiding him about to show him where things had been moved in his absence. He enjoys his quite time and uses open moment to get close to the angel, seeking out a little contact here and there to satisfy and tame his more primal urges. When the subject of Kyou comes up he glances towards the town. “He's probably in town getting something to eat.” he muses, playing off the soul corrupting as nothing of great importance.

~*~

Fenrir overhears someone saying something about checking out some activity, but it doesn't register until he spots the angel on the horizon heading right for Aoba's farm. Light panic passes through him and he finds a way to slip away, following after the angel at a decent pace. He knows he can't overtake the soldier, his wings out of practice, but he also knows he needs to catch up as quickly as possible to avoid a rough confrontation.

~*~

A new scent trickles to Kuro's nose on the wind and he feels his hair stand on end. Actually sneezing, he looks off towards the town and scowls as he sees a figure racing pel-mel down the road. The little head wings flat to his head and vest flapping in the wind, Kyou rushes up to the farm, vanishing into the barn before anyone can say anything to him, and Kuro honestly doesn't blame him. Ruffled, Kuro moves out towards the open area in front of the barn and his flames jump to attention, snaking around his body like an agitated serpent. The feeling of an arch angel approaching is enough to set his teeth on edge, but he's careful to keep as calm as he can, not wanting to start a fight if he doesn't have to.

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

There is silence for several beats and Akito is quite sure that he's about to get smacked or something. He'd spoken too much, said such embarrassing things, he's sure that somehow he's offended the other man. Then, there is a shift, and he freezes completely, not even daring to breath. His finely tuned senses tell him that the prince is moving closer and he braces for an angry swing. His breath leaves him in a rush however as when at last Hiro speaks up and he can feel himself shaking slightly. 'He's. . . . .Glad?'

His arms settle completely atop his head, his face still hidden, as he listens to Hironori recount his trip to another country. He's a little lost for a moment as to why the man is bringing it up, but it soon becomes clear as he talks about how the princess was viewed, and how she viewed herself. 'It's never seemed right to me either. . .' He swallows, listening, hoping that this all means that he's no reason to let the earth take him. He can feel a little proud that the prince has never seen himself the same way, given that he must have known from the moment the war started that he would be forced to wed the “champion” of it. He flushes again, shaking his head mentally at the title given him for his actions during the war.

The touch to his shoulder makes him flinch, but he does eventually begin lowering his arms slowly, his cheeks still bright red behind the slightly ashamed look on his face. “It's always been a mystery to me why anyone would think that way. I mean, I know my company doesn't see women as lesser, and that they didn't mean any harm in what they said about you, but it's always felt, just, off, to even talk like that when it's clearly not what you actually think, you know?” He coughs, tucking his hands in opposite sleeves.

“I mean, I know several of them who have partners they want to get back to, and others that met women and men they have every intention of seeking out after the war, but the way they talk about both has always dependent on how they see themselves standing in the relationship, and it's just been odd. I mean, most of the time they'd talk about how they “scored a good one” but other times they were more humble and said stuff like “I can't believe such a person would take me” and, it's just so strange, you know?” He catches that he's rambling and clear his throat again.

“I know how the tradition goes, and that this is entirely not how it is for most people, and that it must have been no fun for you thinking you'd get someone like one of those men you'd met. But, I'm glad that you don't have to put up with that, even if it mean you have to put up with someone as plain and pathetic as I am.” He flushes deeper. “I mean, I babble, I freak out just being in the palace, and I can barely even speak around your parents, and I ramble on about silly things, and my partner keeps crawling all over you without warning, and I am so pathetic my own words make me wish I could vanish down the nearest hole. . .” He stares at his hands, still overly embarrassed but at least now he seems willing to talk. “You deserve someone better. . .” he adds in a whisper, sighing and looking off over the pond.