B1OOD ✓

B1OOD - [THE ASSET]

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     Art took a deep breath and stared at the door in front of him. His lover was inside his bedroom, and Art felt like he didn't want to disturb him, but at the same time, he wanted to talk to him. To tell him that he's here especially during times like these.

     "We can do this," Art encourages himself as he takes another deep breath.

     He lifts his hand and was finally going to knock on Noctis's door when the door suddenly opened, making Art step back a little because of shock.

     Art's eyes widened when he saw Noctis looking back at him with tired eyes, "You do know I can smell someone's scent even if they were meters away from me right?"

     Art gulps, and then he clears his throat and says, "I-I'm sorry my lord but... we'll be heading to the South Sanctum now."

     Noctis looks at Art confusingly, "And who the hell told you we're going to the South Sanctum today?" he asks him.

     Art looks back at Noctis with the same confused expression as he answered, "Augustus?"

     Noctis stares at Art with disbelief, then he took a deep breath and said instead, "You were fooled."

     "What?"

     "Just come inside and close the door," Noctis says, heading to the table where he was originally at before he opened the door for Art.

     Art was hesitant, but he went inside anyway and closed the door like what Noctis instructed.

     "As you can see I'm not actually in the right outfit to be going anywhere today," Noctis says while reading a letter at the same time.

     Art stares at him and realizes that Noctis was actually just wearing boxers with his usual silky robe. Then he saw his face. He already saw Noctis looking tired before, but this time it was different. Noctis looked genuinely exhausted.

     "You should rest," Art comments.

     Noctis still doesn't look up at Art and says, "I can't. I haven't slept at all when we arrived from Castle Deep. I wanted to rest but the wedding is coming as well so there's really no time."

     Noctis then puts down the pen that he was holding and finally looked up to look at Art, "And I get really furious when I'm tired, which was why I didn't want to see you. I didn't want to say the wrong things, or act the wrong way when I'm in front of you."

     Art was obviously surprised by what Noctis just told him. He almost blushed by it even.

     "You gotta be kidding me," Art says, brushing his hair back while sighing in relief.

    "I thought I did something wrong, which was the reason why you wanted to avoid me. But the truth was, it was actually something petty as this," Art says, making Noctis look at him seriously.

     "Petty?" He asks back, but Art ignores it.

     "You're just a lord Nox, not a god. But even gods aren't perfect, so why should you be?" Art asks him.

     "It's not about being perfect Arthur. It's about-"

     "What? About being a lord? Because you're a lord you should never show your weakness, even in front of me? Augustus said I should understand you. He said I should understand your situation. I know that okay? I know that you're a lord, and I know I'm just a commander. But aren't we lovers as well?" Art tells him.