𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕟 || 𝕂𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕠 𝔸𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕠

23. En garde! Prêtes? Allez!

"I'm not hungry," he responded, his eyes fluttering open.

Kanari sighed. "At least drink the ginger tea," she said, gesturing to the porcelain kettle sitting in front of him.

"That's not usually there," Ayato remarked, not actually acknowledging her suggestion. His gaze moved to her, scanning her carefully.

"Your gloves are different," he said finally, after a long pause.

Kanari only shrugged at his observation. She'd put on a longer pair this morning in an attempt to cover up the red scars on her wrists. It worked rather well, hiding the marks completely. What it could not hide, however, was the relatively obvious fact that she changed gloves. A fact that did not escape the observant eyes of Kamisato Ayato.

"Just drink the tea," She reminded him, trying to change the subject. "Ginger tea will help with your hangover."

"Who prepared this?" Asked Ayato as he reluctantly poured the steaming amber liquid into a teacup. 

"I asked one of the servants to brew a pot," Kanari answered, stabbing a strawberry and popping it into her mouth. 

Ayato blew on the tea for a few moments, before taking a sip. "It would taste better if you made it," he remarked. 

"I am your royal advisor not personal attendant," she retorted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Ayato chuckled, some of his usual vigor returning. "How did you even know I'd get a hangover?"

"Oh, please, like it's possible to not be hungover after that drunk display you put on yesterday," she said, stifling a laugh. 

All the color on Ayato's face suddenly drained, his eyes wide as he heard her words. His hand paused in midair, the teacup shaking gently. He stayed very still for a moment, a horrific realization slowly dawning on him.

"Oh my god," he whispered, placing the cup on the table gently. He turned to look at Kanari with a mortified expression on his face. "What happened last night?"

Kanari tried and failed to subdue a grin as she stared at his panicked state. Oh, how the tables have turned. 

"That—" she pierced a chunk of pancake "—is for me to know, and you to never find out."

Ayato looked even more panicked once she said that. It was a rather entertaining affair for her at this point. 

"Did I say anything... strange?" He asked tentatively, a worry lining his face.

Kanari could not figure out why his behavior was so amusing to her, but she couldn't resist smiling smugly at Ayato's nervous reaction to her teasing. Such a state was rare for the witty king. It was positively endearing.

"Maybe, maybe not," she responded, waving her fork tauntingly. "I might tell you if you stop teasing me for a day or two."

Ayato seemed to consider this for a moment, pressing his index finger to his lips. A small smirk slowly appeared on his face as he stared at her.

"All right, then. Keep your secrets," he said, taking another sip of tea.

Kanari frowned suspiciously. Ayato was definitely planning something. The man would never just back down that easily. 

"I'll just tease you until you tell me."

He grabbed her forearm suddenly, holding it still as he cheekily bit the piece of pancake off her fork. As he chewed, he gave her his usual smirk, obviously amused by her affronted expression. Though he'd completed his goal, he held onto her arm, his grip unrelenting.