But I know I'd miss you baby, if I left right now.

Chapter 5

Aster sits in his history class, idly tapping his pencil against his notepad. The golden sunlight streamed in through the wjndows. One earbud is in, softly playing Hinders' Lips Of An Angel. How fucking ironic is that? Well, kinda. Neither were in a relationship as far as Aster could tell, so the lyrics pertaining to an ex making it hard to stay faithful seemed a but void at the moment. Except for the whole things about being obsessed with lips of your ex. Everytime Aster thought about Maxim's lips and how he tasted, his heart rate increased like, fifty times faster than normal.

No man alive should've sounded that hot. Nor taste that addictive. Aster's only kissed like five guys in his life, which wasn't a lot, but Maxim was one of them. He was the fifth. So I guess you could say Aster's only kissed four guys that counted. The first was a kid on the playground, on accident. The second was a cruel prank in 7th grade. The third was his ex, and the fourth was, again, on accident, at a New Year's party.

But oh, Maxim has the poisonous lips of a God; perfect and pretty, but so deadly. His tongue was like honey, thick and slick, heavy in Aster's mouth. Maxim was just a very heavy man. Heavy all around. Aster shivers and closes his book as the bell rings. He didn't regret what he did, but it didn't fully register until this morning just what they did. Everything is changed, no matter who says it didn't. Last night didn't count. It didn't. It didn't and will never count. Ever. And he certainly can NOT tell Balthazar about it.

Balthazar would flip his shit if he knew Aster fucked his ex-best friend and enemy since the 6th fucking century. Christ, why did Aster even kiss Maxim? He probably wasn't gay. And hey, Aster didn't have to explain shit to anyone. What he did with himself and someone else was his business.

He shoved his books into his backpack as people filed out of the room. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and heads out, both earbuds in, volume full blast. He's unaware of the dark eyes watching him as he leaves college, dark eyes that belonged to a very confused and very angry man. Maxim watched him leave, Aster even attempting to hide the hickeys on his neck. He plays on his phone in the subway, laughing at something someone from class texted him. A meme, about the topic. His teacher was cringey funny that way. He's out of touch but making an effort, so it was funny. Something nasty spiked in Maxim's chest, having all thoughts of confusion and medievally, biased religious rhetoric aside. He thought Aster didn't have friends. So just who the fuck was making Aster laugh? Why did he care?

Before Maxim could catch him, Aster was on the train and the doors were closed. Maxim watches with an odd bitter feeling in his chest as Aster leaves, still laughing at his phone. He shouldn't be feeling this way towards another man. That's disgusting. He wasn't raised that way. Last night's romp was nothing. A stint in an otherwise perfect record of heterosexuality. It felt good, Maxim won't deny that. Good, and it felt even better to make Aster squeal and moan like he did. Maxim still wanted to absolutely murder Aster and free Morgana. That will never change.

Morgana would want to know her half-nephew was alive, though. She'd want to kill him herself. Maxim's grip on his cane handle tightened. There's no telling what Morgana would do. Does Aster even know he's King Arthur's direct descendant? Has Balthazar told him? Aster HAS to know the last name he has is no coincidence. Aster Alexander Pendragon? A direct descendant of King Arthur, and by extension; Uther Pendragon and Morgana? He's an heir to a defunct throne.

Yet he's so... civilian. Like there's no drop of nobility in him. Not in his veins nor in his personality. He's uncouth, loud. Raunchy and foul-mouthed. He's infuriatingly, endearingly blunt and hard to break. He has the red hair of Guinevere, the green eyes of Arthur. He has the voice of an angel. No matter how many people try to cover it up, the prevailing genes will resurface for the true heir. And he's not even the Prime Merlinean! At least, Maxim thinks he's not. Maybe Balthazar was hiding the ring from everyone, except for when Aster needed it.