Everyone was bullying him today.
Hmph!
He thought he’d been rather kind and behaved, so why was everyone being like this?!
But at least his future mother-in-law was on his side. Even when they all ganged up on the innocent (not) little him, he eventually discovered that soone still cared enough!
No wonder Evelyn Nox had such a saintly air around her.
"Well, my dear," Kyle’s mother said gently, "I raised this one with enough sense to know better. So if you really don’t want anything, just say it. And if anything ever feels like too much, you can always co to us to complain."
"Mother."
Kyle had a hand pressed to his head like he was trying to stop it from splitting apart.
Why had he even decided to go and ask permission to take this guy out early?
But then again, who was he kidding? The proper part of him wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight if he didn’t at least do this much.
Besides, he was well aware that he was asking for more than just permission to go out.
"We’re just going to talk," Kyle said, trying to sound normal.
"Talk." He repeated for the sake of emphasis.
"Ahh... Well, of course, son, you’re going to talk." His mother smiled, her expression knowing yet sohow still managing to look innocently sweet.
Kyle Nox, the second son who usually had his head on straight, never imagined he’d be standing before his parents like this. Still, he ended up like this, asking for permission to use that much earlier than he had anticipated.
"If you’re here to ask about that, then know the permission was given long ago. It’s really up to you," Minister Kordell Nox said, looking pointedly at his son before inclining his head toward Ollie, making it clear the choice was theirs.
The blonde, on the other hand, only tilted his head.
He had no idea why his father-in-law was acting like that, but before he could even ask, Kyle had already bowed deeply to his father, his mother, and then to Ollie’s parents as well.
"Thank you very much."
"I-I’ll see what I can do," Kyle added, unexpectedly stuttering. He couldn’t even bring himself to say he’d do his best, especially not when facing a situation harder to decipher than a terrorism plot. "If you’ll excuse us, then."
A chorus of "take care" and "be careful" followed them as they turned to leave.
The two walked away together, with Ollie still completely confused, and as they passed, they even received a gentle, subtle nod from the Emperor and Empress seated not far away.
However, the mop’s peace only lasted for so long as he was once again hauled up by Kyle.
"Wait! I-I can walk! Kyle!"
"Yes, I know you can. But since when have you preferred that?"
The tower had a riveting smile on his face, and Ollie felt his heart stop for a mont.
Maybe it was because his boyfriend looked really handso as the light hit his face like that.
Then again, it was likely because his own actions had started backfiring against him.
__
Kyle Nox had always been the lawful kind of person.
Not particularly moral, at least not in the way his parents probably imagined, but more the kind who checked whether he could live with his decisions—and whether any of those decisions would land him in jail.
But this year in particular, his life had changed so much that if his past self ever saw the Kyle of the present or even the Kyle of the future, that poor version of him still stuck in the past would probably wonder if he’d been replaced halfway through.
And maybe that was exactly what happened.
Because instead of focusing solely on his duty to the Imperial Crown Prince and the Empire of Solaris, here he was, leaving the party and setting his responsibilities aside just so he could attend to the future he’d chosen to put above everything else.
Right now, that future—who had most likely shocked every ancestor watching over him—was currently wiggling uncontrollably.
As they stepped out of the front doors of the palace interior, Kyle tightened his hold and muttered, "You know, if you keep reaching out and squirming like that, you might end up fulfilling your oath far earlier than expected."
"Waaah!"
Ollie’s eyes trembled, but whatever fight he still had left lted instantly the mont Kyle leaned in and lightly bit his earlobe.
"!!!!!!"
Jolted by the sudden warmth and the brush of lips against his ear, the blonde imdiately raised a hand in defense, trying to shield himself from his clearly nefarious boyfriend.
"D-do we really need to go ho? Can’t we talk here?" he tried, desperate to salvage his life.
But Kyle didn’t even slow down.
"We need to talk in private."
"Then can’t we talk there?" Ollie gestured vaguely, clearly aning the dungeon space.
Kyle didn’t even need to answer. One look was enough.
And this one, Ollie actually understood.
What would they do if they took longer than expected?
Would they really burn CP just to use soone else’s door?
Worse, if they miscalculated the departure of everyone else, then would it be proper to risk randomly popping back out into the Imperial Palace after the banquet was over?
Likely no. Just taking CP from his good brother alone had been enough, but it wasn’t proper to reason without weighing the facts.
Ahem!
Obviously, he was just thinking like that to calm his beating heart, but that was fine. Desperate tis called for desperate asures.
After a brief internal debate that barely helped his heart, even Ollie gave up and let Kyle carry him down the steps.
And honestly?
It was more comfortable this way.
Why did palaces even need so many flights of stairs when they could’ve just installed escalators?
After walking and standing around all night, his feet desperately appreciated the break that ca with Kyle just carrying him. If it weren’t for the possibility of hidden dia personnel lurking around, he wouldn’t have hesitated for even a second.
However, knowing that there were still people around, it was only right for him to show a bit of hesitation.
But what did you know? All his rationalizations didn’t last for much longer as his entire world tilted for a mont when he realized Kyle was actually heading toward an unfamiliar hovercraft.
"Huh? This one? Whose is this?"
"No worries. It’s mine."
EH?!
"You have a hovercraft?" Ollie asked, completely dumbfounded as Kyle settled him into the passenger seat of the sleek vehicle waiting at the end of the staircase.
Kyle paused, genuinely confused.
He had a custom cha even as a child.
Why wouldn’t he have his own hovercraft?
But to Ollie, whose father still refused to let him drive—even with full automation—because he was apparently a breathing disaster magnet, this was suddenly incredibly cool.
"But earlier, we ca with—"
"Yes," Kyle cut in calmly. "I had this sent over before we walked away from the restroom."
"WHAT?!"
Ollie could only stare at him, completely lost.
"What is all this... why...?"
He didn’t even know which question he wanted to ask first.
But Kyle, already seated in the driver’s seat beside him, simply replied,
"I couldn’t have you making choices without understanding anything, could I?"
"???"
Sure enough, if the blonde had to be described as anything at that mont, he would’ve been a broken record.
Because for the nth ti that night, he could only say,
"...what?"
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