Violoncello: Love, Adore, and Cherish (A Gay Cinderella Sequel)

Lucky: Will He Love Me?

The sun began to peek over the horizon as it rose over the castle. Ling rolled over on his side when the sun's rays cascaded in his bedchamber. The door to his chamber creaked open slightly as Ling continued to snore loudly. A man jumped on top of Ling with a boisterous laugh, immediately waking Ling up out of his slumber.

"Wakey, wakey!" Lucky sang out. "We have training to do today, Ling!"

"Yes, yes, I know," Ling laughed at Lucky's antics. He reminded him an awful lot of Cello's dog and then it dawned on him that he hadn't seen the animal in quite some time.

"Lucky," Ling began, "have you seen the other Lucky around here?" Lucky was lying across Ling's lap, unintentionally pinning the man to his bed.

"Uh... yes!" Lucky exclaimed. "He was being chased out of the kitchen with a turkey leg in his mouth."

"That... sounds just like him," Ling chuckled. "I'm glad he's out and about."

"Do you miss him?" Lucky asked.

"A little bit, yes," Ling told him. "He'd normally wake me up every morning."

"Are you upset that I did it instead?" Lucky was giving Ling the saddest puppy dog look. Ling's heart skipped a beat as he looked into Lucky's golden eyes.

"No, Lucky, of course not," Ling smiled warmly at him. "It was a welcome surprise."

"Good!" Lucky bolted off of the bed. "Now up, up, up! We have plans today!" Lucky was practically bouncing off the walls. He was very excited to spend all day with Ling, just the two of them.

"I have to prepare for the day first, if you don't mind," Ling said as he headed towards his washroom. Lucky began to follow him inside. "Uh..."

"Oh!" Lucky gasped. He was so use to their routine when he was a dog that he didn't realize that Ling probably didn't want his human form to see him undress. "I'll wait outside."

"Thanks," Ling said as he gave off a nervous cough. Both his and Lucky's faces were beet red. Lucky practically sprinted out of Ling's bedchamber as he slapped a hand on his forehead.

"I'm such an idiot," Lucky told himself as he paced in front of Ling's door. "You're a human now, Lucky, act more like it!" A couple of the castle maids gave Lucky strange looks as they noticed him muttering to himself. Lucky stopped in his tracks and gave them both an awkward wave. They smiled at him and waved back.

A few moments later Ling exited his bedchamber in his full knightly regalia. Seeing the man like this, exuding power and commanding respect made Lucky turn away. He didn't want Ling to see him with a dazed look on his face.

"Shall we go?" Ling asked Lucky.

"Mhm!" Lucky responded, still turned away from Ling. Ling only grinned at the back of Lucky's head as they walked through the castle towards the training grounds.

"Are you still preferring to train without armor?" Ling asked Lucky. The training grounds were empty and it was only the two of them occupying the space.

"Should I train with it?" Lucky asked inquisitively.

"It would be best," Ling told him. "You may be able to dodge a sword, but you probably won't be able to dodge arrows coming at you."

"Are you preparing me for war?" Lucky asked, his eyes wide.

"Oh... I suppose not," Ling chuckled softly. He began to remove the armor that covered his body, leaving only a tight tunic and cloth breeches on.

"What are you doing?" Lucky asked him, really noticing the rippling muscles underneath Ling's armor. Lucky supposed that it would take a strong man to constantly wear steel all day.

"If you're not comfortable wearing armor to train," Ling began, "then I won't wear armor either."

"You don't have to do that," Lucky told him as he picked up a sword, swatting the air with it a few times.

"I agree that it would be best if we all fought naked," Ling whispered in Lucky's ear, startling the man.

"Wh- what?" Lucky stammered. Ling laughed at him as he watched Lucky's cheeks turn rosy.

"I'm only kidding," Ling joked as he picked up a training sword. They walked to the middle of the makeshift arena and pointed the training swords at each other.

"Let's see what you can do and we'll go from there," Ling told Lucky who simply nodded, a look of determination on his face.

The sounds of the swords clanging and scraping together rang through the air. Ling and Lucky moved around the arena in such a way that felt as if they were blending together. In that moment they weren't training, they weren't in an arena, they were waltzing. In that moment it was midnight in the castle's ballroom as both men pirouetted and jumped in the air alone and together. Ling took the lead, submitting when Lucky took it from him and back again. The dance was a give and take that allowed them both to show each other at their most powerful and their most vulnerable.

Lucky missed a step causing himself to trip and fall forward. Ling immediately dropped his sword, catching Lucky before he hit the ground. The impact of Lucky's body caused Ling to lose his balance as his bottom plopped on the ground. Lucky was held firmly in his arms, his back landing in Ling's lap. Both men were tangled in each other's arms as they looked longingly into each other's eyes.

"Ling..." Lucky started to say.

"Are you hungry?" Ling quickly interrupted Lucky. "I've worked up an appetite, how about you?"

"I... uh... yes," Lucky answered as Ling loosened his grip on his body. Lucky stood up and gave Ling his hand, helping him to his feet. Their fingers somehow intertwined as if by instinct as Ling drew closer to Lucky. For some reason, Lucky could see pain etched in Ling's eyes and it confused him.

"We can go have lunch at the docks," Ling smiled sadly as he eventually let go of Lucky's hand. Lucky simply nodded and followed the man to the castle gates.

//

Ling quietly ate his sandwich as Lucky was finishing up with his turkey leg. The ships passing by were almost hypnotizing. The gentle sea breeze cooled both of their bodies down from training. The air between them was tense, but neither wanted to break the silence that fell upon them. Lucky was getting a little impatient.

"Ling..." Lucky began.

"His name was Sebastian," Ling unintentionally interrupted Lucky. Ling had stopped eating his sandwich. He suddenly lost his appetite.

"Sebastian?" Lucky asked. "Who was he?"

"My first love," Ling told him. Lucky was only silent as he watched Ling look at the clouds roll by in the sky. He left the space open for Ling to continue if he wanted to. "Thirteen years ago, I was barely a new recruit at the time. Sebastian and I joined the knights together. We trained together; we ate together. In this very spot actually. He had..." Lucky saw Ling's eyes begin to get misty.

"He had the brightest eyes I had ever seen," Ling continued. "They held hope, joy, and an immense love for me."

"What happened to him?" Lucky finally broke his silence. He sensed how hurt Ling felt and wanted to nuzzle him with his head before realizing that he was no longer a dog.

"The war," Ling said. "Arcadia's bloodiest war. I saw so many of my friends fall that day and Sebastian... he..." The tears fell from Ling's eyes. "He died in my arms." Lucky gasped softly. He immediately moved closer to Ling and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to comfort the man.

"You remind me so much of him, Lucky," Ling sniffed. "Your eyes shine bright, just like his did. The way you move with a sword. Even your appetite for turkey legs."

"But I'm not Sebastian," Lucky said softly as he used his free hand to wipe away Ling's tears.

"Tell that to my heart," Ling told him as he gently took Lucky's hand. "I see the way you look at me and I know what it means." Lucky's heart sped in his chest as he waited for what Ling would say next.

"But I'm so sorry, Lucky... I just... I just can't." Ling withdrew from Lucky's embrace and stood, walking in the direction back to the castle. Lucky just sat there in utter disbelief. The sand in the hour glass on his wrist continued to fall.

Now what was he supposed to do?