Moonstruck

| Chapter XIX |

Khai leans against the kitchen wall, lazily guarding the kitchen. Then suddenly, some random Knight shuffles to him, with a flushed but confident expression.  "aHEm- the queen is bitchy as HELL  right?!" Khai shifts uncomfortablely looking at the knight. He continues. "aHAJA yeah- uM, my names Ash, what's yours??" Khai looks him up and down. Seems 15-16, cute freckles and chubby cheeks. Although cute, Khai couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Don't you have a post to attend to?" He sighs, trying to walk away. Ash quickly steps closer to him, startling the tanned man.

"uM i had Knight Qwen cover for me." Khai gaps, looking at him crazily. "You had a head knight, GWEN, cover for you so you can come bother me?"Ash smiles cheekily. "Well, you seem worth my time..?" Khai couldn't help but blush, but also couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Maybe I might be worth your time, but your not worth mine. Unlike you, I don't have someone to cover me, much less a head knight. So if you'd excus-" Ash quickly interrupts. "yES- yes you do " Khai stops in his tracks, looking at the knight "???" Ash nods quickly. "I had Knight Erica cover your post as well, she owed me after I gave her the spare key to the kitch-"

"UM ok- Just tell me what you want." Khai flushes, scratching his head. "how did he even figure out my schedule???" He thought, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. "Well I was hoping we could go out for wine?"
Khai deadpans. "We're underage." Ash bodily holds in a laugh. "AND???? I know someone who can sneak me a barrel or two~!" Ash singsonged. "Who said I wanted to drink underage?" Ash pauses, looking to the side. "Uh-....please??"

Khai sighs at his ridiculousness, but finds it...somewhat cute. "Well, I guess I wouldn't mind. But don't take up too much of my time." Khai smiles. Ash immediately jumps, grabbing his wrist. "SWEET! Let's go, Erica said she has all your positions covered until midnight, so we have all day!!"  Khai's polite smile wavers. "what'd I get myself into-"

5 Hours later, Khai finds himself on the roof, a little bit intoxicated and Khai smiles. "Y'know, your not THAT annoying" And Ash slaps a hand onto his cheek, acting flattered. "Thank you, your a pleasure to have around when you don't act like your creeped out 24/7." Khai laughs, a genuine laugh. "Who said I was acting??" Ash elbows him playfully. After a few seconds, Khai breathes out, "This place is really pretty. It's a perfect view of the sky. How'd you come around finding it?" Khai says, gazing up at the stars as the sky begins to fade into night.  Ash looks at him, smiling. "I didn't find it, my dad did." With a small smile. Khai looks out to the kingdom, mesmerized. "Who's your dad??" He asks absentmindedly.

"Knight Magnus," Ash says, and Khai whips his head around to the boy. "Your dad's a head knight??" Ash smiles proudly. "Yup! I'm his apprentice, have been for about a year, and he's been training me for about 5 years earlier. We've both been looking forward to me being right beside him, a head knight." Khai doesn't say anything , but instead watches the inspired look on his face, and Ash continues. "Last year, he took me here when I first began my journey as a knight. 'The only place you can see the whole kingdom with just one glance.' Is how he usually describes it." He smiles more, at the memory. "Ever since, I've just come here to relax. Your the first person I've showed it to!" Ash finishes, smiling at Khai.

Khai, blushing furiously, tries to change the subject. "Pff- 6 years? Are you trying to say i'm only beginning as a knight?" Ash giggles, nudging him with her shoulder. "Hehe- Stop, you know it's not" They smile with each other, keeping up their playful banter.

About a week after that, Ash has definitely made a habit of visiting Khai at his posts, sometimes inviting him to a drink to which he declined, but sometimes just dragging him off to some village to go eat. Khai walks over to the watchhouse, Khai's at one of his posts and Ash puts his arm against the wall, trapping Khai within his arms. Khai looks at him funny, used to his cheesy bullshit. Ash smiles. "Heyyy Khai~" Khai squints with a small smile. "You've been getting a lot more affectionate...recently." He chuckled, pushing him away a little bit. Ash winks, "Why wouldn't I be? Anyways, we should totally go somewhere today!!" Khai rolls his eyes. "I can't keep abandoning my post for your spontaneous holidays" Ash whines at this, pulling at Khai's wrist. "It isn't even when your busy~, I was thinking we could go late at night, like maybe midnight?" Khai only sighs at his suggestion. "Will it cost me anything other than my valued slumber?"