Khearia's Sun

XI

ㅤAlex wasn't sure how he felt about receiving James' gratitude, he had originally doubted the man was able to feel emotion, let alone appreciation.

ㅤ"You shouldn't thank me for it." Alex said, "If I had a real choice in the matter I would tie you up again. I just know better than to try. I'm not breaking the rules out of the good of my heart."

ㅤJames shook his head, a small smile ghosting his lips. "I don't see it that way. You could have fought me over it if you really wanted to. I bet you could have made me useless if you tried. You're pretty skilled and I have nothing to fight back with." James snapped the stick in his palm.

ㅤAlex wasn't sure how to respond to those words, nor how to feel about them, so he said nothing.

ㅤ"It makes me wonder if you really are the uptight bootlicker that I thought you were," James went on to tease, his eyes dancing, "you're capable of being a lot more flexible than you first seem. I just wonder why you reject your true nature."

ㅤAlex stifled the urge to roll his eyes and ignored the insult. "You're thinking too deeply about it. What would you know of my 'true nature'?"

ㅤThe mood was quite pleasant, Alex wondered if he could take advantage of it.

ㅤ"Answer for an answer?"

ㅤJames barked a laugh. "Nice fucking try. I'm not doing that right now."

ㅤAlex's mood was immediately dropped to the floor like bird shit. He thought he stood a chance.

ㅤ"Why not?"

ㅤJames didn't answer and Alex looked over to him to see a cheeky smile on his smug face.

ㅤ"Because." James did not elaborate further.

ㅤAlex regretted ever treating him like a human being.

ㅤThe villagers seemed apprehensive of their presence once the horses dragged them in. Alex wasn't in full armour, the journey was too long to be wearing something so exhausting. However, the clothes he was wearing, although light and casual, still embellished his military rank and his status as a royal knight.

ㅤHe expected people to be nervous about seeing James out of some kind of primal self-preservation instinct, but quickly realised they were staring at him, not James.

ㅤJames started sniggering at Alex's fluster which wasn't helpful.

ㅤ"I don't know how you didn't expect this reaction." James leaned over to whisper.

ㅤThe words brushing on Alex's ears made his spine go rigid, nerves rising. He grit his teeth, both pissed off at James and himself.

ㅤ"I'm not a local." he snapped. "I don't normally get this reaction."

ㅤJames' laugh got louder. "Why are you worrying about your image in front of me?" he practically giggled, "My opinion of you couldn't get worse."

ㅤ"Fuck you."

ㅤIt did nothing to dampen James' amusement. "That's more like it." he said, giving Alex an encouraging back slap.

ㅤAlex would have told James to stop touching him so casually at some point but he didn't want to go through the humiliation of James' ridicule. Alex knew what James would find if he dug hard enough into Alex's brain and the thought put a bitter taste in his mouth.

ㅤThe horses slowed to a stop without Alex telling them to, one ducking its head in exhaustion.

ㅤJames jumped off the bench with ease, despite his chained legs and strolled up to check on the horse. Alex didn't bother to chastise him.