While indeed both Iris and Kai grew within the past months and year, it fascinated Kai the most seeing-watching-the prince of Vridora bloom into something great.
However, while their relationship did become tolerable, it didn't change dramatically. They still bickered and had their disagreements, but it was usually over small, insignificant things. Idiotic reasons, really. Kai still kept his distance like Iris wanted, only helped when needed, gave advice when needed.
And Iris did the same.
Iris's seventeenth birthday was nearing and this time Arlo was going to respect his son's wishes and have a light party, nothing too outgoing, nothing enough to get him overwhelmed.
"You don't like big crowds?" Kai asked Iris as they were talking about the party the King had in mind. They were out in one of the gardens sitting on a bench in the shade. Kai got used to the prince's tendencies of dropping what he was doing just to get a few minutes of downtime.
Iris shrugged his shoulders, which had grown broader. "Not really. It's more of the attention I don't fancy." His voice had gotten deeper, too, still not as deep as Kai's.
"A lot of attention, or intimating attention?"
"What's the difference?" When Iris glanced at Kai, his senses spiked when he watched him lean in until their shoulders touched. Surprised by the sudden movement, Iris couldn't take his eyes away from Kai's penetrating blue ones, their color darkened to navy right in front of Iris's sight.
"What..what are you doing?" Iris swallowed a lump in his throat when Kai narrowed his eyes, practically staring into his soul. Kai said nothing. He was so close, so dominating, Iris felt almost scared to lean away. Or maybe he was too captivated to.
Then all of a sudden the vampire hummed and backed away. "Intimidating attention it is." He concluded and went back to staring at a bird in a tree.
"...What?"
This had become common between the two males. Unintentional teasing, staring, things that were supposedly odd in their type of professional relationship are things that they found themselves doing.
Kai was oblivious to Iris's emotions, so when he did these things he didn't realize how much it was actually affecting Iris and his mentality. Of course, over the time they've been together the prince has learned to not expect anything from his personal body guard.
"You asked what the difference was, apparently you freak out with intimidating attention on you."
Iris sighed quietly and looked down at his feet. "Oh." He quickly shook away the slight disappointment he had and stood up. "We should go now. I still have a lot of work to do."
Kai nodded and stood up too. He was still a few inches taller than Iris, and he gained more muscle as well. Iris was still just a little behind from being compared to him.
They walked out of the garden they were in before heading up to the mansion. Autumn came quicker this year, leaves crunched under their feet and trees shivered away the last of their wrinkled and rusted colored leaves. It was still warm through. Nights and early morning were the chilliest.
When they got inside they headed straight for Iris's room. Over the period they've been together Kai has also gotten used to sitting in silence, which they usually did when Iris was working on something. Kai was always the one to try to start a conversation.
"I only have five more papers to read through and sign, so, after I'm done my dad agreed to let you go hang out with the first class guards for the rest of the day."
Kai raised his eyebrows at Iris, "Really?" It took a lot from Iris to not smile or chuckle at the vampire's excited energy.
Iris nodded and sat down at his desk.
"Wait, you asked the King to let me?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Kai smiled at Iris, exposing his fangs, "Well kindness from you, sir, is rather scarce."
"Oh, shut up."
Kai leaned over the desk, keeping himself up with his forearms, and smiled at Iris again. This time much closer and much wider.
"Thank you."
Iris widened his eyes and scoffed, aiming his stare down at his papers.
"I...didn't necessarily do it for you. I just thought it was time we finally got a break from each other." Iris bit the inside of his cheek when he heard Kai chuckle before leaning away from the desk. Iris peeked up and watched him
disappearing into his room.
Iris knew he wasn't going to fall for that, and that's what made him blush. Iris crossed his arms over his desk and let his head fall. He groaned internally and cursed at himself for getting so flustered over literally nothing. Well, it's not like his feelings have died down, so he wasn't going to worry too much about it; even though that's all he did-worry.
††
The hallways were so quiet around noon that one could hear the chirping of birds from outside. But from the dinning room the only noise was the sound of the cooks and maids moving dishes around, yelling, and laughing. It surprised Iris that the kitchen was in fact that most lively place in the mansion. Hectic, yes, but he always left amused when he spent a few minutes watching from the sidelines.
From the dining room, the sun was shining through the wide windows, a golden hue that slightly annoyed Iris because it covered the whole table, leaving him no room to hide from it. The light glared in his eyes and he rested his elbow on the edge of the table to shield it from his face. While he did, he tapped his fingers on the surface in an impatient manner.
He'd be lying if he said strictly following his schedule didn't get boring. It got extremely boring. Iris sighed before picking his head up and glancing over his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes and turned, throwing his arm over the top of the chair.
"Why do you do that?" Iris asked, catching Kai's attention. He was standing near the door, leaning against the wall. Kai looked over at him.
"Do what?"
"You know..lurk in the shadows."
Kai glanced around him like he just now realized he was doing it. He shrugged and pointed towards the table.
"The sun hurts my eyes," He replied, "I'd rather wait here until the food's ready."
Iris nodded and stopped from turning around, "How long can you stay in the sun?"
"Two hours. The normal time."
"Is it always uncomfortable, or just at certain times?"
"It's bearable, but no vampire wants to stay in the sun for more than ten minutes."
"Even if you're inside?"
"It may not be direct sunlight, but it still has the same effects on us; just not at vital."
This time Iris forced himself to face back to the table, just two minutes before their food arrived.
They ate in silence, stealing glances at each other that went unnoticed. Like they've been doing for the past year. When they were finished Kai went over what Iris had to do next because the prince unapologetically forgot. He always forgot, even if he had the schedule with him.
Maybe it was intentional, maybe not.
"Hold on," Iris stopped Kai at the door to the dining room and gestured to the one to the kitchen, "I'll be right back."
Iris rushed to the kitchen and slipped through the door. He walked up to a maid placing a batch of cookies on a prep table and when she smiled at him he ignored her and eyed the sweets.
"Did you need something, sir?" The maid asked politely, holding a tray against her lap. She tried to get into his view to get his attention.
Iris picked one of the cookies and looked at her, remembering what he wanted to say.
"You have my schedule, right?" He asked the maid.
"Uh, y-yes, yes we do!"
"Okay. Can you put some curtains on the windows next time we come in here please."
"Sure! We'll do that right now, sir."
"Thanks." Iris smiled at her before walking out of the kitchen. He met Kai at the door and he didn't miss the curious glance he gave him.
"A cookie?" Kai asked with a small chuckle. He eyed the cookie in Iris's hand with a shake of his head.
"Hey, we have, by far, the best sweets out of every kingdom."
Kai shook his again. "I mean, I wouldn't know."
Iris glanced at him before impulsively breaking the cookie in half. "Here." He handed Kai the half he didn't bite and Kai hesitated.
"Well, we're not exactly allowed to, so-"
"If you don't take it I'm going to shove it down your throat."
Kai took the cookie.
"Thanks," He mumbled, slightly shocked at the prince's hostility. He took a bite of the cookie and a tingle went down his spine.
"They do that to you," Iris chuckled as if he noticed.
"Huh, it is good."
"You've really never tried these before?"
"Personally, no, It's a rule."
Iris sighed, "How dumb."
"Yeah, I don't really understand it either, but rules need to be respected."
"Not all rules. Kai, you need to like, live a little."
"I'm as close as you can get to the living dead, what else can I do?"
"You-" Iris stopped to laugh, and really laugh. "That's not what I meant."
Kai grinned, "Well you should be more specific."
"No, you're just dense."
"I am not dense," Kai felt offended, "I have more common sense then you probably ever will."
"If you did then you'd know dense doesn't necessarily mean you're oblivious. It means you're stupid."
"Hey!"
Iris laughed again, making it immensely hard for Kai to stay upset with him.
"I'm kidding!" Iris patted Kai's shoulder as he walked ahead of him with a cheesy smile. "Partly."
And he did something that made Kai's jaw drop. Iris winked at him.