Chapter Text
Lu has only a few precious moments to enjoy his breakfast by himself before Jalen comes throwing himself into his side, half the food on his plate slopping onto the long table the knights share in the great hall. Lu just sighs, already missing the little bit of solitude he had before he has to spend the afternoon at sword practice with the younger knight.
He doesn't bother greeting his companion, taking another bite of his bread as he waits for whatever gossip Jalen has already found to share with him when the sun has barely risen. Sure enough, a second later Jalen is grasping his arm, loudly whispering, “Guess what, Lu? I ran into Chet on my way here, and he said he overheard Prince Shai say he plans on spending the day hunting today. You're so lucky you get to miss practice, I'm still sore from the other day.”
The older knight takes a moment to answer, faintly frowning as he fixes one of the sloppily done straps on Jalen's armor as he does every morning. He'd just seen his Prince yesterday afternoon, and there'd been no talk of a hunt. Finally, he asks, “What do you mean, surely you and the others will be invited too?”
He grimaces as Jalen quickly leans up to press their foreheads together, peering at him with uncomfortably wide eyes. “That's the thing, Chet said that the Prince said this hunt would just be the two of you this time,” Jalen explains giddily, shaking his friend in an attempt to get him to match his excitement. As he leans back onto the bench, he gives Lu a smug look, and to his dismay he feels his face heat up.
He picks up his goblet to take a long sip as he contemplates his friend's words. Obviously Chet had just heard incorrectly, his Prince never went out on a hunt without at least a party of twenty. Lu may be personally assigned to guard the Prince in public, but even then at least a few other knights accompanied them on outings. A hunt with just the two of them was ridiculous. He sniffles self-consciously, ignoring the way the thought makes his stomach flutter. “Just finish your breakfast, Jalen. We'll be expected out on the training field soon,” he mumbles, awkwardly tucking a loc of hair behind his ear.
Jalen looks like he wants to argue, but then he seems to remember the piled high plate of food before him, and begins shoveling it into his mouth like it might be his last meal.
Lu is just finishing up his own breakfast when he sees Jaylin and Chet finally sauntering their way towards them. He affectionately jostles the top of Jalen's head while he's mid bite, and gets up before he has to deal with the rest of the knights barking and baying at each other like hounds as if they aren't in the crowded dining hall. Normally, he would be the first to join them in their roughhousing, however…
Against his will, the knight finds his gaze trailing over to the other end of the dining hall, to the biggest table covered in a completely unnecessary feast. Seated directly in the center is his Prince Shai, jaw resting in one hand as he uses the other to lazily drag a knife around his plate. He looks distracted, shifting impatiently in his plush seat. As always, he's dressed impeccably, this time in a black velvet blouse with gold adorning his neck and ears. Lu almost feels light headed looking at him, even from across the hall.
His heart skips a beat when somehow they lock eyes, like Prince Shai has been scanning the room for him, though of course he wasn't . A shiver runs down his spine when the Prince lazily juts his jaw in the direction of the hall that leads out to the stables.
Again he feels his face heating up as he recalls the smug look Jalen had given him a moment ago. He shakes his head to clear the memory, and quickly goes to put away his dishes and obediently meet his prince at the stables.
-
Lu is just finishing saddling the Prince's horse when he hears a deep voice drawl, “You know you don't have to do all that yourself, there are people to do it for you. How many times have I told you, Lu?” He looks up from where he's crouched down to fasten the last strap to see the Prince leaning against his lean roan stallion. He takes a moment to admire the way the Prince’s riding clothes cling to his lithe body before quickly averting his gaze.
Though the horse had stood solemnly the entire time Lu had been working with him, he's quick to eagerly shake out his coat with the arrival of his rider. Lu watches fondly as Prince Shai gently skims a hand along his stallion's muzzle, before turning his attention back to the knight. He raises an eyebrow expectantly at him, and Lu stumbles to remember how to speak as he straightens up.
“Of course I know that, my Prince. I just prefer to do it myself, that way I know it's done properly. I have to think of your safety,” he explains seriously.
Shai scoffs, exaggeratedly rolling his eyes. “And again, how many times must I remind you that just because you're my guard, doesn't mean you're not my friend as well. Don't be so dramatic,” he scolds, using a delicate finger to tap him under the chin. As always, a jolt of shock runs through Lu to be casually touched by someone so perfect. The Prince studies him carefully, and when Lu just looks down, he continues, “We're going out on a hunt today. Though I'm sure Jalen already told you that this morning, from the look on his face. Your fellow knights have too much time on their hands these days. They should spend more time training, as you do.”
When the Prince grips one of his biceps, Lu panics and pulls away, quick to finally turn his attention back to his blood bay mare. She knickers gently as he double checks her bridle one last time before hefting himself up into the saddle. “Where did you have in mind?” he asks, watching his Prince gracefully mount his own steed.
“Over by the lake, we haven't been there in quite some time,” Shai answers, giving him a look that Lu can't quite recognize. And the knight has been familiar with every face the Prince makes since they met as youths. He frowns to himself as Shai takes the lead, his mare following after him without even a nudge from her rider. The lake was certainly an odd choice for a hunt, mainly surrounded by short cropped fields that were used for lounging in the sun on particularly lazy days. But who is he to question his Prince, who always knows better than him.
He keeps his mare almost side by side with Prince Shai's stallion, just slightly behind, so he can watch him closely. For danger reasons, of course. Lu rests his hand on the pommel of his great sword, then frowns when he notes that the Prince is without his. He scans him up and down, and his frown grows when he realizes his Prince is without a single weapon. “Surely you brought some form of weapon with you, my Prince? If not for the hunt, at least for your own safety?” he can't help but question, fretting.
Shai looks back at him with a cocky grin. “Why must I worry for my safety when I have my brave knight with me?” he responds, blatantly eyeing said knight up and down.
Lu can't help but awkwardly tuck his chin towards his chest at the praise, replying, “Still, I would feel better if you at least had a knife on you. I have one you can borrow.”
“What, you mean I can't have your sword instead?” Prince Shai challenges.
Lu huffs at the question. “A knight without his sword is hardly a knight, my Prince,” he counters.
"Yes, but we both know I'm better with a sword than you are. I'd be more than willing to give you a reminder sometime," Shai says with a smirk, leaning back cockily in his saddle.
Lu just furrows his brows, unwilling to say anything in retort. They'll just have to agree to disagree. Though his Prince was better than him at most anything he attempted to do, Lu prided himself on his swordsman skills.
He can practically feel the other man smugly glancing at him out of the corner of his eye as they continue their ride in silence. He almost begins to sweat nervously as he anticipates whatever outlandish thing his Prince may say next. Unfortunately, Lu never was able to keep up with Shai's witty quips, as he had never been the best with his words in general. Though, he could not really complain about it. Admittedly, he loved spending a great deal of his time as Shai's silent shadow.
“You are thinking too deeply, Lu,” Shai speaks up, slowing down so they're riding beside one another, “we're meant to be enjoying the day. Am I not your favorite person to spend the day with?” He gently nudges his shoulder against Lu's, though the knight can hardly feel it. He tries to remember when exactly the other man had began touching him so freely like this.
He's proud he doesn't embarrass himself by immediately agreeing, though they both know it's the truth. “Is that why we're going out alone?” he tries. A small part of him preens at having his Prince's undivided attention, but he's quick to brush it aside.
“Of course. We're always either surrounded by your unruly knights or that droll court when we're in the castle. I need you all to myself, just this once,” Shai explains. Lu tries his best not to overthink the Prince's wording.
Luckily he's saved from struggling to come up with an adequate response when his mare lets out a loud snort, alerting them to the fact that they've made it past the hedges that line the castle grounds. They're faced with a long stretch of grassy fields with flowers speckled amongst them, and the glassy looking lake at the very edge.
Lu is just beginning to scan the fields for signs of danger, when once again Shai nudges him. “Shall we race to the water?” he suggests with another smirk.
Lu blatantly looks down the length of the endlessly long legs of the stallion his Prince is sat on, versus his own stockier mare. But before he can acknowledge the clear disadvantage he is at, Shai is already off. A jolt of panic passes through him when he sees the distance between them, though there's not an ounce of danger in sight.
With a disgruntled huff, Lu pats his mare between her ears before nudging her to take off after them. She huffs in return, but obediently does her best to catch up with Shai and his steed.
The Prince is already comfortably off his saddle and rummaging around in his saddle bag by the time Lu comes to a slow trot beside him. The knight watches him curiously, wondering when Shai had even had time to put something in there without him knowing.
As he carefully dismounts, he realizes his Prince is pulling out a rolled up blanket. His brows furrow in confusion. “You did not come here with the intent for a hunt?” he asks dully. He can't even be affronted when Shai gives him a perfect crooked grin in return.
Lu crosses his arms, watching as the Prince proceeds to stretch the blanket out across the grass, before pulling off his boots. “What exactly are we doing then?” he questions, brows furrowed in confusion.
Shai settles down onto the blanket with the grace only a Prince could, looking up at Lu with a grin, replying, “You are taking the day off with me.”
Lu squints at him. “So you deceived me then?” He tries to sound scolding, but it's impossible for him to truly be upset with Shai.
"Yes, but I knew you wouldn't come with me if you knew what my real plan was. You're so strict when it comes to your training. Don't you wish to spend more time with me?" Shai asks, cocking his head and pinning him beneath his intense gaze. When Lu takes a second to respond, he pats a hand on the blanket expectantly.
"You're the one who just this morning said you admire me for training more than my fellow knights," Lu counters, reluctantly sitting down next to his Prince. Shai is being so forward today, it has Lu too confused to know what to say.
"And I do. It's just for one day, relax with me, Lu. You work too hard, you need rest," Shai's voice leaves no room for argument. Otherwise, Lu would argue that his Prince is the one who works too hard. He knows he could never comprehend the pressure that rests on his shoulders.
His train of thought comes to a halt when Shai begins to shift more comfortably beside him. Lu watches raptly as the Prince fully sprawls across the blanket, long limbs draped across it like a cat trying to soak up the sun. He gulps, eyes trailing down the length of the other man, and he quickly forces himself to look away. "Of course, my Prince," he says gruffly.
Shai looks up at him with a satisfied smirk, asking, “Won't you lay with me?”
For some reason the question makes Lu's heart thump in his chest. Surely just because the idea of a knight being so close to the Prince is shocking. He just stares down blankly at Shai, unsure of how to respond, until the Prince snickers, “Sorry, Lu, I'm being mean now. Do as you please.”
Uncertain what it is that he wants to do, Lu just awkwardly fiddles with his fingers while looking out across the water. A moment later, he looks out of the corner of his eye to see Shai watching him with blatant fondness in his eyes. The obvious attention only serves to make him more nervous.
The Prince just laughs, wide smile blinding. “Fine, I see you'll still be getting no real rest today. I'll have to do it for the both of us. Can I trust you to watch over me?” he jokes, eyes slowly slipping shut.
“Of course you can,” Lu answers instantly, almost insulted by the question.
“Of course I can,” Shai parrots, then practically a second later, Lu is left to just watch the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.
Once the Prince nods off comfortably in the sun, Lu turns his attention to the cluster of delicate blue and orange flowers scattered around him. He has a sudden flashback to his mother handing him the same flowers when he was just a child. The knight carefully begins to pluck them, brow furrowed in concentration. He does his best to braid them together, thick and clumsy fingers making the process even more time consuming. He's not sure how much time he dedicates to it, only occasionally losing focus to check on the horses, and to peek over to catch a glimpse of the Prince's beautiful face while he sleeps.
Eventually, he finds himself with a somewhat sloppy looking crown of flowers, not quite as nice as the ones he remembers making with his mother's help. He can't help but smile at his accomplishment before quickly checking to make sure his Prince is still sleeping.
Suddenly possessed by an overwhelming desire, Lu leans down and gently rests the crown on his Prince's head, taking great care not to disturb his delicate braids.
To his utter horror, that is precisely the moment the Prince's eyes decide to flicker open. The sleep takes a moment to leave his gaze, but then he just gives the knight a sleepy smile, and leans up to press their lips together.
In an instant, Lu pulls away and leaps to his feet, chest feeling like it's about to cave in on him.
Shai is quick to join him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Easy, Lu, I did not mean to startle you. It's just, I thought you finally understood… That I care for you the way that you obviously care for me,” he explains carefully, watching the knight like he's a spooked horse about to bolt. Which is somewhat how Lu feels at the moment.
“I don't understand what you mean,” Lu replies cautiously, taking a step back.
Shai's look of gentle concern is quick to shift to fond amusement. “Oh, my dense knight. You're not aware of your feelings for me when everyone else is? I should not be surprised. Would you like a moment?” He moves back into the knight's space to affectionately flick him under the chin as Lu continues to stare at him blankly. A few minutes of silence tick by as they stare at one another.
Then, he blinks, and his stomach swoops. Oh. He did have feelings for his Prince, that was what it was. He didn't just respect him, or admire him for his beauty and intelligence. He desired him, and wanted to spend every waking moment with him. Yet again he finds his face heating up, only made worse by the smug look Shai gives him. “I suppose you're right,” is all he can mumble.
He can't help but give his Prince a small smile when he giggles, replying, “It's about time! I've been trying to hint at it all day. Oh, my lovely Lu, always so lost in your own head.” His smile grows as he cradles Lu's face in his hands. “Do you think maybe we can try our kiss again?”
When Lu's eyes widen in panic, he just giggles again. “Okay, we shall give it some time. Do you want to at least try relaxing together again? Nothing scandalous, I swear,” Shai says, in contrast to the way he waggles his eyebrows at him.
Lu mumbles under his breath, but allows Shai to take his hand and guide him until they're lying side by side. He gulps when his Prince tenderly runs a hand up and down his chest. “You are very touchy,” he comments nervously, not sure what to do with himself.
“Never thought that would be something to complain about, but alright, alright. Come, my Lu, let's see you get some proper rest. How about I watch over you this time?” Shai suggests, very carefully placing a chaste kiss to his knight's forehead.
Lu truly does try his best to let sleep take over him, but a question won't leave his mind, and eventually he turns to Shai to ask, “You are being truthful, my Prince? About… how you care for me?” He can't help the doubt niggling in his chest.
Shai blinks at him, then takes one of Lu's hands, and gently brushes his lips across his knuckles. The contrast of the other man's smooth skin against his scarred hand makes him shiver. “I'm sorry for making you doubt me. What shall I do to prove my sincerity to you?” he offers.
Lu hesitates, then looks directly into Shai's eyes for a long moment. His lips curl up into a smile when he sees the tender look the Prince is giving him. Who was he to doubt his Prince? “No, no, I'm sorry,” he says quietly, pressing their foreheads together, “I believe you.”