46.

“I’ve been doing it since I was seventeen. I’m like.. a professional!” Arlon makes the boy laugh as they now miss the first queue to change partners.
“He has jokes!” Elai giggles out, muscles tired and throat dry. He isn’t going to last for much longer. He wants to sit down and.. touch him.
“Yeah well, you’ve missed my first ritual!” Arlon’s answer doesn’t say much.
“So?” Elai huffs.
Arlon’s pupils are suspiciously big. “It is why I have jokes in my pocket.”
“I don’t understand-“
“I inhale river-fog during the first ritual!” This time, Elai understands. River-fog is like a drug, one that brings out the truth in a person. It means that this is who Arlon is, underneath his cranky, usual self. He is quite bright and confident. Elai didn’t expect that from a king so somber and angry all the time.
“I might start liking you if this is who you are, king Arlon.” Elai jokes out, feet still keeping up with the professional in front of him.
Arlon huffs, the words quite familiar. “I’ve heard that before!”
He has to raise his voice, music becoming louder as it reaches its end. Even the thought of his dead lover can’t get to him now, the excitement of dancing with Elai taking over him.
“I mean it!” Elai does.
Any other emotion towards one another disappears in this moment. They only feel each other, feel the way they connect perfectly. The music stops yet neither of them snaps out of it, hands still tightly holding onto each other. They stay in the same position they ended the dance with, Arlon’s arm wrapped around Elai’s waist.
“You are beautiful..” Arlon breathes out, the words only meant for Elai’s ears. He can’t believe what he’s hearing, his great enemy in front of him suddenly creating such a shock. The four days meant nothing; now Elai is sure of it. Arlon hasn’t been avoiding him. There was nothing wrong. Arlon smiles down at the boy. He knows all too well who he is and where he was born and raised. But it was factually undeniable; the boy is beautiful.
“We’re going to do it.” Arlon feels his heart starting to beat faster as he makes the decision for himself. It is safe; no one knows who Elai is except for his close friends. It won’t be a shock to his people, neither will it anger them.
“What?” Elai is unaware of what Arlon is thinking, frown appearing on his face.
“Everyone I want to show is here. We’re going to do it.” Arlon can’t wait another second. He kisses Elai without warning. People gasp and whisper, but none of it is negative. It can’t be; the people have got to know Elai as a normal raider from outside the three walls. It is all they will ever need to know.
Elai closes his eyes without thinking; it is not as if he doesn’t want this. So why would he refuse to do this? If Arlon wants his people and friends to know, then let it be so.
The music begins playing again and the people slowly start moving on. As Arlon had thought they would; it is the moon’s day after all. They all see him as more as a king, and so respect whatever he does without question.
“And you’re sure Connie isn’t going to beat the shit out of you now?” Elai asks as the two make their way through the crowd. Both of them need a drink.
‘Hm..” Arlon decides to ignore a question yet again, but only with good intentions. Elai will soon find out why it is that the grin on the king’s face won’t leave.
“There he is! Our big guy!” Connie pulls Arlon away from the blonde boy, Elai awkwardly looking at the ground. He watches the gravel fall on top of the king’s shoes, watches him take in the embrace of his best friend and- oh?
Elai’s eyes widen as he feels the strong arms of Connie hold onto him. Is he.. is he hugging him?
“We are.. hugging?” Elai presses his hands against Connie’s back just lightly, to at least show the warrior he appreciates it, whatever it’s for.
“See it as a new start! I guess I underestimated your charms.” What is he talking about?
“I’m not sure I get it-“ Elai takes a step backwards and frowns up at Arlon, who has his arms crossed and a wide grin on his face.
“He told us what happened a few days ago. The uh.. the kiss and stuff.” Connie’s words widen the eyes of the exiled prince. They already know. that is why they’re all looking at him. That’s why Chay is so desperate to stay together all the time. Is Arlon that sure about his feelings towards Elai?
The boy is confused; he thought both of them still considered it as some sort of desire that is building up. He didn’t know Arlon thought more of him, didn’t know he thought the same. He had his suspicions, of course, but suspicions are nothing but thoughts. Fuck.
“Oh- so-“
“Don’t worry. We’re still skeptical about you.” Cesilia is the second person to embrace Elai, this time with much more grip. Is this normal in Turi? Is this a way of welcoming him in, even though they still don’t trust him?
“Skeptical but accepting. We’re not going to tell Arlon what he should and shouldn’t do.” They did. Loudly. Two days after the kiss, Arlon fought ever so loudly with the twins. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing; who falls for their enemy? They tried everything, tried to talk him out of it with as many words as they could gather, but Arlon was already sold. He wants to know what it is between Elai and himself, he wants to explore again. After saying that, the two shut their mouths. They know this might help him get over Eryx and.. the incident.
“Now, let us get drunk and praise our beautiful moon.” Connie ruffles Arlon’s hair with a smirk before throwing his arm around the king’s shoulder. Arlon looks back for a second, feet unable to stay in their place as his friend drags him along. Elai smiles at him, a small nod coming his way. It is okay. He, too, wants to start walking, but a hand pulls him back.
Chay looks into his eyes with regret and anger. So much anger.
“You’re making a mistake.” He hisses, his white hair a complete mess.
Elai shakes his head. “I don’t even know what is going to happen between us, Chay-“
“It is a fucking mistake. Trust me. I know.” Chay’s grip around his wrist tightens as he pulls him a little closer, white eyes still staring into Elai’s. “It will ruin you.”
Elai’s lips part. He wants to say so many things, wants to ask so many questions.
But he won’t. He wants to enjoy whatever has bloomed between him and the king.
He pulls his wrist away and uses his ability to make Chay freeze in his spot.
“If you’re going to act like this, know that we are done.” Elai walks away a few steps before he lets go of Chay’s bones, who stands there with his eyes widened and a heaving chest. Chay knows it is a mistake yet his friend won’t listen to him. And so he walks after the prince with a knot in his stomach and anger building up in his head.
“Elai! Wait.. wait..” He fastens his pace to be able to walk next to Elai, who tries to avoid any type of physical contact. Chay is his closest friend here in his enemy land, yet he is the one to neglect the fact that he feels something for Arlon.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’m glad you found someone. Of course I am. It’s just-“
“Look.” Elai stops walking and for some reason grabs a hold of both of Chay’s arms, eyes now directly looking into his.
“I know this is very weird, but I genuinely like him. I don’t know how and I swear that I wish it was different, but..”
“But it is not.” Elai finishes Chay’s sentence as he sees the struggle appear on the boy’s face. he’s going to have to let Elai go now. No matter how deeply he had fallen in love with him.
“It is not. So please.. let me figure this out, alright? It’ll just give you a boost if you were right all along.” It startles Elai that Chay’s worries aren’t with his trust. The alchemist isn’t worried if Elai might be lying just so he can get closer and kill the king at his own pace. No. he is only worried about watching Elai and Arlon bloom. It is hard to ignore Chay’s crush in this moment, and the prince feels his cheeks heat up the longer he thinks about it.
“Guys! Don’t falter behind! We’ve got some drinks to catch up to!” Cesilia’s the first to notice that the two weren’t close enough to talk to, her hand waving past the crowd.
Elai takes Chay’s hand with a bright smile on his face as they start walking again. He wasn’t aware of the growing trouble inside of Chay’s head. He truly doesn’t want to let Elai go.

It Cesilia quite some drinks, but once she got into it, there was no way to stop her. By now, she was entertaining the entire pub; the third one the five friends visited. Elai was unaware of what song she was singing; it was all in the old Turian language. But he was enjoying himself, he was actually having fun. He was laughing and drinking and forgetting the reality he’s living in. He can even say that he loves watching Cesilia sing and perform for the pub, even though she’s one of the people that stands in his way, if he truly still wants to kill Arlon.
Arlon. He’s the only one Elai has truly been talking to this evening, without an ounce of regret or hesitation or fear. Sure, he talked to his friends too, but with Arlon it was different. Until half an hour ago, they were all over each other, kissing and whispering words only for the two of them to hear. Now Arlon seems quite out of it, even though he is the most troublesome drinker you’ll ever meet. It doesn’t take him much alcohol to get drunk, yet now he seems as sober as he was before all the shots. He looks worried, like he’s tangled up inside of his own mind, and just when Elai decides it’s time to ask what’s wrong, Arlon stands up, hands still leaning onto the table.
“I’m going home. I need.. sleep.” He’s lying. Elai can detect it in the tone of his voice.
He kisses Connie on the cheek and offers Chay a small smile, and even goes over to Cesilia to tell her goodnight. Or more than that; they’re mumbling for quite a while. Elai watches the way Cesilia frowns and pats the king on the back. The look on her face is a look filled with worry; so there truly is more going on.
If Elai and him hadn’t kissed earlier tonight, or kissed those four days ago, he wouldn’t have tried to dig his nose in business that isn’t his. But now that they have both confessed to feel at least something for one another, he can’t help but stand up a few long minutes after Arlon did.
“Hey.” Connie grabs a hold of Elai’s wrist right before he can walk off. He has the same look on his face as his twin did, and Elai would almost take him for his sister if he had just a few more drinks. “Don’t rush him into anything. If he doesn’t want to talk, he doesn’t want to talk. Trust me.” The words leave Elai silent. He can only nod and think about it until he gets back at the castle. He knows tiny strings about Arlon’s past, and he’s sure that there’s more than the king or any of his friends show. But is that really what Connie was referring to?
Elai doesn’t know why he gets a feeling he needs to go to the training arena instead of Arlon’s bedroom. He said he was going to get some sleep, right? Even if it was a lie.
The loud yells and groans already echo through the dungeons. Arlon sounds in distress, and Elai can’t stop his heart from beating faster and faster the closer he gets to the doors.