The King's Guard (BL)

Sleep Well

"Pardon?" I begged.
"I like men. I do not date women. I do not want to be intimate with women. I like men." he explained.
"Oh..."
"Will you fire me?"
"What? No! Of course not."
"Why not?" he asked and laid his shirt over his jacket.
"Because that would be wrong. My father did not hire you off of the premise of who you like. You were hired because you are strong and...and other...things." My eyes travelled down his torso but I quickly looked away. "I will not be firing you."
"Does it bother you?" He began walking closer.
"Th-...That you...That...No...N-No, it does not."

Truthfully I didn't know how to take it. I didn't know people could do that. I was never taught that men liking men was even a thing.

He stopped in front of me.

"You don't stutter often."

I looked at the floor.

"Are you still my friend?" he asked.
I nodded.
"You make me look at you when I speak." he stated.
I looked up at him. "I am still your friend."
"That's kind."

"Can...Can I ask you a question?" I wondered and looked back at the floor.
"Only if you'll look at me when you ask it."
I looked back up at him. "How did you know you liked men?"
"Well, when my male friends would find a woman attractive and make a big deal about it but I couldn't understand the same as they did. They'd talk about their experiences with women and I tried to please a woman but I didn't enjoy it until I closed my eyes and thought of her as one of my male friends. Then I noticed that I had taken a liking to that guy friend."
"Have you been with men before?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And that was better?"
"Yes. A lot."
"How did you know it was better?" I realized that may have seemed like a ridiculous question but I knew what I meant, I hoped he did too.
"When we kissed and it didn't feel like any kiss I'd shared with a woman. With a woman it just felt like my lips were touching someone else's. With the men that I liked it felt good. Tingly in my chest. I have yet to like a woman the way that I have liked men."

I looked to the floor as I thought.

"Nathan?" I called.
"Yes, your highness?"
"Can you...umm...kiss me? Please..."
His head tilted to the side and he showed a face of confusion.

"I just...I need to know something." I explained.
"I don't think that's what you want." he argued.
"It's an order." I demanded firmly and looked back up at him.
"Well, alright..."

His hand held the side of my face similar to when he freed me from the evil clutches of my own eyelash. His eyes danced back and forth to mine. His hand slipped lower on my face and lifted my chin to him. Our eyes closed and our lips locked.

My chest tightened and I felt a chill inside of it.

Is this what he meant? I didn't know. I kept the kiss going.

He kissed me harder and it became deeper. His lips let mine go but I kept my eyes closed as I felt everything.

My chest feels like I swallowed a block of ice. My stomach felt similar to when I was tickled as a child. Like when people say they have butterflies. The chill left my chest and escaped to my spine. My breathing was heavy for some reason. I could not tell if I was dying or if I was comfortable. It was both a relief and an ache. I was relaxed but on my toes.

I looked at him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, gently and his hand reached for my shoulder.

I...Do I like men...?

I darted out of his room and into mine before slamming my door shut.

I pressed my fingers to my lips and just felt them. My breathing was heavy. What do I do? Who do I tell? This isn't normal, is it? I've never heard or seen of it it before... Will I be judged? What if they no longer respect me as a prince?

I crawled into bed before I heard a knock at the door and quickly buried my head under my blankets.

The door opened.

"Sire?" Presley called.
I uncovered my head and looked at him.
"Is everything all right?" he asked as he came in with my nightly cup of tea.

I took the cup and sipped.
"Presley..."
"Yes, your majesty?"
I gestured at the bed for him to take a seat.
He did so.
"Would you...Would you hate me if I...didn't like women?"
"What do you mean, sire?"
I sipped again.
"Would you...think I was strange...if I was...if I liked men?"
"Do you like men?"

I didn't answer but just let my head fall.

"Sire, I love you no matter who you love."
He lifted my head. "Judgement of a person is by morals. Nothing else. You are not hurting yourself or anyone else and you are still one of the kindest souls on this earth. You are still my prince and I will treat you as such."
"Really?" I sniffed.
"Of course. Any man would be lucky to have such a wonderful partner such as yourself."
I smiled and sniffed.

"Can I ask when you realized?"
"I umm...I made Nathan kiss me to see how it would feel and if I'd like it because I was not sure if I liked him in that sense or if I just greatly respected him."
"I'll assume you liked it?"
I nodded. "I wanted another one..."
"Did you get one?"
I shook my head.
"Why not, your majesty?"
"I quickly left his room and came in here because I was overwhelmed...and...quite afraid."
"And that is why you laid with your head covered?"
I nodded.
"Is it safe to say that Nathan also likes men?"
I nodded again.
"Well, I don't see why you should be afraid. Are you scared he might not like you back?"

I didn't know what reasons I was afraid of. I suppose that could be one of them. There was also the chance no one else accepted me with open arms like Presley does. What will I do if they ask me who I've chosen as my queen to be?

"I'll let you sleep on it." Presley said and took my teacup then set it on my nightstand. He turned off my lamp and got up to leave.

"Good night, your highness."
"Good night, Presley. And thank you."
"Of course, sire. Sleep well, my prince."