Roots and Oxygen

Chapter 20 - Broken Boundaries

Bina announced that she wasn't feeling too well and left before they could have evening drinks. She dragged the rest of the group with her, mumbling something about the rain. Lady Liniana really wanted to stay, but Sage was quick to pretend that under the circumstances of his visit, the security didn't allow overnight guests.

The doors soon closed for the evening and the silence in the castle brought in the cold. Sage called for his Valet and Taro followed him up to his bedroom. There was a tension between them, one that was getting denser, until Taro finally cracked the silence.

"Leading her on isn't the right thing to do," he said, searching for Sage's nightwear. "You can just tell her that you're not interested."

Sage had hoping for a peaceful hour before bed. His head was far too busy cringing at all the times he had not made it obvious that he wasn't enjoying Liniana's flirting. "I can't. She'll ask why and I'll have to tell her the truth."

"You don't owe her that. It's perfectly okay for you to not be interested and not have to explain why. Leading her on will only end up with you having to explain yourself."

Sage paced, not allowing Taro to unbutton his waistcoat. "What if others question it? She's beautiful. I'll only be throwing myself into the fire if I cut her off without a reason."

"Ah, so you're stringing her along for your own benefit?"

"No, I'm-" Sage stopped, staring at Taro who had crossed his arms and dimmed his bright stare. He's judging me. "Oh my god. I'm such a selfish person."

Taro sighed when Sage sat on the edge of his bed, looking like he was going to be sick. "Tell her you're not interested. If she asks why, then say that you're just not interested, nothing more, nothing less. Just stop leading her on."

Taro's tone had grown stern. Sage was still getting used to it from someone other than his family. "Don't talk to me that way," he warned.

"Why, are you going to fire me?"

Sage covered his face and flopped back onto his bed. "I would fire you, if you didn't always make so much goddam sense!"

Silence stilled between them, then Taro said, "Wine makes you bold. It's kinda hot."

Sage had drunk more than he usually would when a dinner was hosted for guests. His head spun now that he was lying down. "I am a selfish person," he said, staring at his patterned ceiling of vines and flowers. Taro's words had blown right over his head. He had no time for flirting when he was stressed.

"You're not."

"I am. I've not asked you anything about yourself. You're practically a stranger to me and I let you-" Sage pursed his lips. I let you see me.

"Let me run my mouth? Let me act inappropriate while dressing you? Let me speak my mind despite it insulting your weird Royal rules in every possible way?" Taro sat next to him on the bed. Sage's pyjamas still hung over his arm. "Have you thought about why that is?"

"It's because you're like a friend rather than a Valet."

Taro leaned back too, propping himself up on an elbow, so he could lean over Sage. "It could be something more."

Sage looked at the face he had dreamt about the previous night. Taro did make him tingle when his eyes travelled his body. His smirk did make his heart flutter. His honesty and confidence were qualities he admired, and needed in his life more than he would care to admit. He was handsome, and in the dim fire-lit bedroom, his eyes gleamed like emeralds, his lips parted, and his head leaned in.

Taro stared at his lips, and Sage's soul left his body at the realisation. Before anything could happen, he violently ripped himself off the bed and backed away. He pointed a finger and said, "You don't get to do that!"

Taro sighed and got up. He wasn't frustrated like Sage had expected, he was entertained with his famous smirk gracing his lips. He edged towards the Prince and tried to undo his waistcoat buttons as if nothing had happened.

"No." Sage leapt away from him, unbuttoning them himself. He threw it on the floor rather dramatically. "I can't believe you tried to do that!" He threw his tie on the floor too, then yanked his shirt over his head. He threw that at Taro and the motion wafted away blond strands that were in his eyes.

Sage snatched his pyjamas from his arm and dressed angrily enough to make Taro smile. Sage couldn't fathom what was so funny, and kept glaring at him as he buttoned his night shirt up wrong.

"Prince Sage," Taro said after he had no more clothes to throw at him. "You are someone I expected to hate. What are you doing to my poor heart?"

"What are you doing to mine?" Sage's arms raised and fell, slapping his sides. He shook his head and his curls bounced atop his head. He regretted drinking even a drop of alcohol. His Valet should have definitely been fired for even looking at his lips. But now, even after Taro had pushed way past his Valet boundaries, Sage still couldn't bring himself to do it.

He couldn't even order him out of his room. Sage stood there helplessly as Taro rebuttoned his shirt. "You need to sleep before you end up throwing a chair at me or something."

Sage kept frowning at him, despite not being mad at him. "I've never met anyone like you."

"Of course you haven't. You dine with Lords and Ladies with rules so tightly up their ass, they can't even slouch on those really uncomfortable chairs."

The frown finally softened. "They are uncomfortable," Sage said quietly.

"Especially the ones in the dining hall with the flowers along the back. Whose stupid idea was that? Or do Princes love being stabbed in the back by thorns during their afternoon soup?"

"They look nice, though."

Taro shook his head with a smile. "Okay then, Sagerian."

"Don't call me that."

"Is it only reserved for your family?"

"Yes."

"And me, of course."

Sage stepped back. "Go, or I really will throw that chair at you, Mister Vinea."

Taro's eyes slowly flicked him up and down. "Night then, Sir."

As usual, Taro walked away, leaving Sage a little breathless, and a little more addicted to his lack of boundaries.