Reverse (mxm)

Love

"Sir Squire?"

Hearing his name, Kirin looked up, his tired eyes meeting Lord Hallerd's. When he saw the man's confused look, he hurried to give him a reassuring smile as he quietly slid the door to Ariella's room closed.

"We stayed up for quite some time discussing our plans for after the wedding ceremony. She fell asleep a few moments before you returned so I made sure she was settled in her room before returning to my own. Of course, as a gentleman, I did not remove any of her garments, though they may be wrinkled come morning."

The man stared at him for another moment before shrugging his shoulders and giving a large yawn. "That was very kind of you, Sir Squire. I believe I will depart to my own chambers. We must be up early to prepare for the wedding. It shall take place around nine."

Kirin gave the man a slow nod and bid him a good night before turning and retreating back to his own room. Not a moment after having closed the door, he yanked his clothing off and walked over to the wash basin and dipped one of the cloths beside it into the cool water, then calmly cleaned his heated skin. He had been very lucky. Not five minutes before Lord Hallerd returned, he had been in bed with a sleeping Abel cuddled in his arms. He had made sure that he redressed once they had finished making love, just in case the young man's heavy eyelids failed to keep him awake much longer and Kirin needed to carry him to his room.

Very lucky.

His mouth ticked up at the edges as he finally fell back into his bed with only a light undergarment on. Staring up at the ceiling, Kirin allowed his mind to drift. He was nervous for the marriage ceremony, but not in the way he had expected.

You are so worried about him declining to marry you that you are going to ruin your plan, even with its simplicity, he thought as he shook his head against the thick pillow beneath it. He heaved a tired sigh, which was quickly followed by a yawn. As Kirin turned onto his side and relaxed his body, he knew that he would never let his plan fail. But if somehow it did, he would not let Abel return to his father. The boy had never been able to live his life until he had been arrested for something he had not done, then almost killed.

I will free him, and I will love him.

He paused in his thoughts for a moment before a tired smile slid onto his lips.

I do love him.

Waking up to the sound of someone walking around had Abel trying to make his heavy eyelids open. "Kirin...?" he whispered quietly against his pillow. The footsteps came closer, but where Abel expected a gentle kiss, he got an abrupt slap. Strong hands then pinned him down to the bed by his neck as his eyes jerked open to see his father leaning over him.

"Do not call him that! Are you trying to ruin our chance to finally get good money?" he snarled in a quiet voice before straightening back to his full height. Abel flinched as he sat up, shaking his head frantically. His cheek stung, but he knew rubbing it would just make the man smirk, so he withheld.

"Good, now get up, wash, then get into your mother's gown and slippers. I expect you downstairs in twenty minutes!"

Before Abel could even respond, his father was walking out of the room, suddenly looking much more gentlemanly than he had moments earlier. Sighing, he slid out of bed and hurried over to the small wash basin sitting on a table in the corner. The water was cold, but it felt good against his warm skin as he stroked a wet cloth along his body after removing the clothing he had accidentally fallen asleep wearing.