{Long-Shot}
Drip. Drip.
Ron, a butler, couldn't help but frown upon the sight before him. He had came back and forth in the library more than ten times by now just to monitor his stubborn Young Master.
"Please take a break, Young Master. Your health will worsen if you continue any further." No benign smile ruled over his mouth as it only fell thin. Who would smile in this situation?
"N-not yet. . Mm. . . I need to s-study a bit more, Ron. ." Cale Henituse, the seven-year-old Young Master, did not listen. Even when he couldn't count how much he had a nosebleed over the past week. Even when his health dropped rapidly due to extreme overwork. Even when he felt his body burning from the fever. Even when his father refused to look at his full marked tests.
All because he needed to study more.
He needed to study so that his father would come back to their home. So that he wouldn't be lonely. He needed to study so that he'd see his father smile at him proudly again. He needed to study because he wanted his father to look at him again.
No matter what comes his way, he needed that proud father by his side once more.
But he already left after your mom did, right?
Poor useless, dumb, idiotic child.
That wasn't true, Cale will work hard just to have his father beside him again. Just like the old times.
But this butler was getting in the way.
Always nagging Cale to take a rest. Can't he see that Cale needs to do this? Can't he? Just as he thought that Ron was an understanding and capable butler.
"But Young Mast—"
Cale didn't give the butler any more time to nag at him."I-I said! I need to. . Ngh. . . Study more! . . What c-can you not understand. . About that?!"
Ron was surprised. Surprised that this once innocent child beared his fangs at him. Cale truly looked intimidating with that piercing glare.
But Cale also looked pitiful in Ron's eyes. The Young Master continued to stubbornly overwork himself without rest only to not even receive a glance from his father, the Count.
Ron thought that the Count was a coward. How could he not when he left this child all alone without a word in this big, empty, cold castle.
Right after said child's mother passed away, might he add.
"Understood." Ron simply bowed. He knew he couldn't do anything, not when the Young Master got his stubbornness from the Late Countess.
"Now l-leave!. . ." Shit, Cale felt like his head was spinning every time he raise his voice. But that was the only way to drive this butler away. And he needed to do that so that Cale could continue studying.
So Cale will endure his pounding and spinning head just until the butler leaves.
"Yes. ." Like hell Ron will leave, he'll never leave a child in this state. His child or not, a child is a child.
"Huff. . Huff. ." Cale felt his heavy body start to slump, but never did he let go of the textbook he's holding. He needed to complete three more of his assignments and read a book and make a report about it by tomorrow. And it was only seven at night. Dismissing the fact that he hadn't ate anything except for a few cookies in the morning, Cale continued to find the answers for the assignment.
It wouldn't be an overstatement that the teachers were careless.
'Ah. . This is the answer to this one. . . Then this. . And then . ...'
Make this perfect. No fault should be found. He needs this to be perfect. He will make it perfect.
He needs to.
.
.
.
Ah.
What was that? What was Ron saying? Had Cale heard it right?
"The Count-nim is back, Young Master." Ron informed smoothly.
Cale immediately looked away from the paperwork on his desk regarding County affairs and immediately looked at Ron.
Cale took over the County's internal and external affairs and even successfully subdued the greedy nobles. Cale fixed the slums of the territory. Cale ordered orphanages to be built. Cale helped the people in the slums to start a guild, funding it with his allowance until it was stable. Cale ordered rebuilt houses for the people in the slums. Cale ordered the loose patrol in the streets to be tight. Cale made improvements in the territory's wall. Cale made a project for the poor people to find a job. Cale funded guilds, helped aspiring merchants, rising shops and restaurants, made a stable home for everyone no matter the age and many many more.
In short, Cale Henituse, at the age between seven to eight, made the County a Paradise.
Cale Henituse ruled over the County better than any heir ever did.
Although some projects and building were not finished yet, it would be done very very soon.
Cale needed everything to be perfect. His ruling, his people, his territory, his studies, his properties and he himself needs to be perfect.
And he would see that proud, warm smile of his father. Once. More.
But.
Why?
Why did his father choose another family?
He could not understand.
Why was Basen named as the heir while he was driven off to the academy?
Was everything he did not enough?
Come on. Someone tell him just what exactly did he do wrong. Just where exactly did it go wrong.
Perhaps from the start?
No way.
Cale made sure everything was perfect.
So why in the hell did his father not chose him?
Why?
.
.
.
"So what of it if he's a top student?" A student at Roan Academy shamelessly boasted just right across from his target, Cale Henituse. "He's got no friends and is just a useless crap that his family even drove him off. Pfft."
"H-hey. . He's still the first born! Lower your voice." A hushed voice of another student resonated.
The atmosphere was tense in the classroom. No one made a sound.
But.
The 'target' of the words from the boastful student only continued to read, occasionally picking a grape from it's kind to eat.
"Nah, he's fucked up! Maybe that's why he didn't cry in his mother's funeral!" A taunting tone rang with it.
Cale only paused. That's the only reaction he showed before continuing to pluck the grapes.
The next day, a rumour about the boastful students' family being exposed for embezzlement came to light.
Oh.
What a shame.
.
.
.
"Hey, hey, Cale Henituse." An eerily cheery voice came closer to Cale's seat. "I heard you were officially denounced as the heir, hm?~"
Pfft.
"Wow," the cheery voice turned into an exasperated one. "Were you so impotent that you loose to an adopted child?"
Poke. Poke.
"Come on~ answer me~" But Cale paid her no mind, which got the student from the next section to get irritated.
"I bet you were cheating on the exams, huh?" Sigh, another taunting bastard who's all talk.
"How about the key-to-corrections in your bag that you bought from the teacher?" Cale casually commented as he flipped the page and bit his cookie.
Gasp!
"Such nonsense. .!" The girl couldn't help but step back. How the hell did this bastard know such a thing? He made sure no one was around when he and the teacher made the deal on the rooftop.
But unfortunately for him, Cale was lying on top of a block the whole time.
And now that a passing teacher has heard what Cale said, someone got expelled and went home in shame while another was fired from his job.
.
.
.
"This is boring. ." Cale muttered, he's on his usual block at the rooftop with his feet dangling to the side as a textbook was delicately held by his pale hands.
But he was disinterested in said textbook. It was full of basic mathematical equations. Couldn't his professor give him a different one? Something challenging at the very least.
But no, Cale just had to get the same textbook his cretinous classmates has. How laughable.
Cale having the same thing as those unwise fools. It's really funny. And quite insulting.
To be put in a class where none of his classmates would ever be near his level even if you include their entire life's achievements. Well, if they ever had one.
He was someone who ruled over a territory for a whole year without anyone's help nor without getting suppressed and he did it outstandingly, but they dare put him in a classroom full of classless fools?
Well, of course Cale knew why.
It was someone in his class's fault. Yep. Someone with Inferiority Complex, Claire Danes. She was so sure she could beat Cale in academic ranking that she asked her parents to bribe the teachers into getting Cale Henituse in the same class as him.
But she was never close. And it would stay the same no matter what she does about it. Because simply put, she won't be able to do anything about it.
Quite harsh but that's reality isn't it? We live in a bubble until it pops as we get older to see what reality truly is.
Pfft.
Poor girl even paid their teacher a hundred thousand gold just for the key-to-corrections and got a higher score than Cale Henituse but was later found out by her 'trusted' friend who informed the teachers.
Cale sure took a good look at her face with a small smile that wasn't very noticeable. Cale made sure she saw it though, he made sure she gets the message.
That Claire Danes would always be below Cale Henituse.
Be it Family status, fortune, popularity, academics; everything, Claire Danes would always be below Cale Henituse.
Almost everyone snickered as she ran through the hallways crying in anger and despair with a messed up face so different from her usual soft look.
Yeah, she's at rock-bottom and came back home to be welcomed by her ashamed parents. Rumours said that she was almost kicked out if it weren't for her birthday coming up. Seems like her parents are too soft, and stupid.
In the middle of Cale staring off into nothing, he heard footsteps from behind him.
"What's the top student doing here?" The stranger asked, whoever it was didn't seem to have the intent of picking on him. Quite nice.
"What's a person who's not a student doing here?" Cale asked back, only giving the person a side eye.
The man chuckled. "Hey." Called out the man to Cale. "Aren't you tired? Being bullied for the past four years, shoved, discriminated, ganged up on, picked on and you were even pushed in dangerous places. Or, a blade always aimed at you every night?"
Oh.
This person was knowledgeable. Would he be able to entertain Cale?
"What do you want?" Cale shot back, none of the two answered any question but it seems like the other now will.
"You." A simple but vague answer. Cale wasn't stupid but he wants a proper answer. So he hummed, signalling for the man to continue and that he was listening.
"Join me and my group and I'll give you whatever you want." The man sat down with him and looked far away as if looking at what the two could reach if they work together.
"What I want?. . ." Cale muttered.
What does he want?
Money? No, he's got plenty.
Companion? Maybe, it would be nice to have one.
Familial love? No, he's cut ties with them a long time ago.
Popularity? No, Cale hated being at the center.
Power? No, he could careless about that.
So then, what does Cale Henituse want?
"If you don't know what you want right now, you could find out while you're with me." The man looked at him after a minute of silence.
"What's your name?" Cale asked, seeing the widening grin of the other from his peripheral vision.
Yeah, he'd find out what he wants. And maybe he would be able to get out of this boring-dumpster-of-a-school.
"I'm Cale Barrow, but others call me White Star." Barrow stood up and held a hand to Cale.
To which the other accepted, pulling himself up with the hand. "I'm Cale Henituse, but others call me the impotent first-born of the Henituse County." Cale copied the way Barrow introduced himself.
And received a frown.
"Nice to meet you, Cale Barrow."
"Nice to meet you, Cale Henituse."
.
.
.
Years has passed and the story of the Academy's top student who went missing had spread like wildfire.
Many were disappointed, especially those who saw Cale Henituse as a potential pawn to use.
But the Henituse County was devastated and blamed the Count for sending away such a pure hearted Young Master.
Cale Henituse's achievements from when he was seven to eight-year-old once again came to light. It never really disappeared.
And it never will as the indebted people spread positive words about Cale Henituse who made the County a peaceful paradise and talked shit about the Count who sent away the Young Master only to replace him with a new one.
Favoritism came clear to their eyes but they did not criticize Basen Henituse. Because they all aimed everything at the Count.
.
.
.
Shaaa.
Swishh.
A fluctuation in the air appeared, forming a portal in the middle of bloodshed.
The heroes all tried so hard to save people and eradicate the enemies but alas, they failed miserably and were only able to save less than half of the people.
And now that there was a portal appearing beside the White Star, they became even more alarmed.
A shadow figure emerged from the darkness and people were able to make out his appearance after a short while.
They could not hear what the two redheads were talking about but it didn't really matter since they should focus on holding back the wave of the enemies.
Meanwhile. . .
"Barrow." Cale took his spacial bag and pulled out an empty jar. The other didn't need any other words as soon as he saw the empty jar and only chuckled.
"You don't have any cookies left?" Barrow asked the teary eyed man in front of him who had a pout and appeared in the middle of battle with comfortable clothes on.
Cale nodded and shoved the cookie jar into Barrow's chest.
"Don't worry I have spare." Barrow reached out for a Cookie jar in his own spacial bag.
Last time Cale did this, he literally made Barrow go home and make him some. In the middle of battle.
It seems like Cale prioritizes cookies made by Barrow that he even dragged the man back home just to have Barrow make him some more cookies. So Barrow always has spare with him.
Cale's eyes sparkled.
Yes.
Give him that cookie jar.
"Thanks. .~" Cale floated beside Barrow.
Swish!
A swift arrow aimed at Cale almost pierced through his chest if it weren't for Barrow catching it with a scowl.
"You dare. ." Barrow looked at the archer menacingly as the archer got engulfed by the ground, courtesy of his Earth Ancient Power. He really didn't know how Cale found it but, knowing how Cale do things would make your head throb. So he didn't pry much.
"Oooh. That was cool." Cale looked at the arrow in Barrow's hand. "Teach me. Ah, nevermind. Too troublesome."
"Pfft~ my Love, you should practice with me." Barrow prided himself in physical work, and he wouldn't let himself look stupid in front of Cale anyways.
"Too. Trou.ble.some." Cale took a bite on his new cookie after he finished the other.
And suddenly, Barrow had an idea.
"Hm. I wonder how that tastes." He muttered, making sure Cale heard him before kissing the other so passionately.
. . .
"Mm!?" Cale was startled for a second, getting caught off guard, though eventually couldn't help but to submit to his partner who caressed his back and held the back of his head softly.
Barrow made sure everyone saw this scene. He wanted everyone to know he owns Cale Henituse. Cale is his and his alone.
"Hah— ngh. ." Cale didn't have any time to breathe, curse Barrow. His mind didn't even register that they were making out while floating on top of the battlefield with everyone possibly watching, not that he cares.
Cale dropped the cookie and held the back of his partner's head, caressing the red hair similar to his as they continued to put on a show both of them like in front of everyone.
Barrow moved his hand from Cale's back to his hips and tightly held it.
"Mmng. .~ hah– ah. .— mm. . !"
All the while, their subordinates tried not to get distracted. Their liege and his lover had always been open about their relationship wherever they are and whenever they want.
They just didn't expect the top of a battlefield would count in that 'wherever'.
But they're not complaining, the way that the White Star ruled differ from the past to when Cale Henituse joined them. He became from ruthless to stern.
Meanwhile with Sayeru and Dorph,
"Our liege seem to do whatever he likes everywhere." Dorph dryly commented.
"You don't say." Sayeru mustered up his response as he tried to not get distracted by the thing his liege and his liege's lover is displaying in front of everyone.
"Can't they get a room?" Dorph was starting to get jealous. Someday, he would someday find a lover of his and rub it in his liege's face without dying.
". . ." Sayeru couldn't speak as he observed everyone's face expressions. Most of their allies were flustered by their liege's actions but they were not disgusted. That's good.
"Yeah. They can't."
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.
.
"B-barrow. . ." Cale whispered as he looked straight in Barrow's eyes.
Fuck. Why the hell did Barrow do that? Now he can't get enough of his lover's expression.
Teary eyed while a drool slips down his chin from how messy their kiss was.
But that kiss wasn't enough. Who said? Barrow only let Cale breathe. If he could, he would even take Cale right here, right now. But he didn't want to do anything that would put Cale's name in the mud. So he settled for this. But he surely wouldn't later.
"Ah—ngh! . . ."
'Damn it, Barrow.'
.
.
.
"Aaaand, they left." Dorph squinted his eyes.
"I hope Young Master Cale would be able to walk tomorrow. ." Sayeru remembered last time. Last time something happened between the two.
Cale couldn't even lift his legs, body full of bite marks and bruises from being held tightly. Let's not talk about the situation down there.
But despite his condition, Cale Henituse was smirking at the time.
'Such a pair. . . When will I find mine? I cannot stand to watch them being lovey dovey touchy anymore when I report, godamnit!'
'They really had to do that in front of all of us huh? Some of us are single, you know?! Respect! I demand respect for the single people who saw!'
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_
Ahem. . .
I'm at my Barrow x Cale phase, don't blame me—
If you didn't like it then I won't be able to do anything 'bout that. I just write what I write~
ANYWAYSSSSS
I hope you're having a good morning, afternoon or evening!
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!
[Author out!]
PS: PLEASE don't report. Mwa