Amity: The Peaceful

Chapter 4

Four years have passed and Ade's routine as the emperor didn't change even a bit. He stretched his back after putting down the papers on his table. His body is aching nowadays, he's aware that he's getting older. I'm just thirty years old, why do I feel like I'm in my sixties already?

"Wow! This is nice!" He massaged his temples when he heard the loud voice of his baby cousin, Queen Adela's son.

"Please tone down your voice, your royal highness." Tarian stated after seeing his irritable imperial majesty.

Ade's 3-year-old cousin and Tarian's currently playing in his office, like usual. And Ade still wonders why his cousin is here even though the young prince paid him a visit multiple time already. First of all, they aren't close. He's antisocial while the kid is... the opposite. He's a kid, they don't know how to read the room yet. He reminded himself.

He sighed, he's becoming stressful day by day, they spotted a lot of malicious things around his empire's border these days.

Tarian whispered something to the royal prince before walking towards his imperial majesty after he heard the man's sigh, "Are you alright, your imperial majesty?" he asked after glancing at the young prince who was scattering cards on the carpet.

"No." Ade straight up answered. He held Tarian's thigh and smirked after he felt the man tense by his sudden touch. His man is very transparent when it comes to him, and he loves it. He can read the man easily.

"Please refrain from touching, your cousin is here." Tarian whispered and both of them took a glance at the playing royal prince.

"My... are you saying that I should stop touching you now? You're ordering me?" Ade whispered back and ran his hand a little higher on the man's thigh. And that made Tarian shut his eyes. He's refraining himself from groaning and so he decided to hold the emperor's wrist to stop him.

"No. Why are you doing this to me anyway?" Tarian asked in a defeated tone.

Ade placed his elbow on his table before catching his chin using his palm, "I am stressed, I need to relieve it, unfortunately that mutt is here." Ade stated, referring to his young cousin.

And that statement made Tarian to shake his head, "Please be kind to the royal prince, her majesty will be sad if she finds out that you don't get along well with your only cousin." Tarian explained.

But Ade couldn't care less, the thought of him being goody towards kids is... ridiculous, "What? You expect me to get along and babysit a royal brat!?"

"You are a brat yourself, your imperial majesty." Tarian countered back.

Ade's forehead knotted out of irritation so he pushed the man's solid stomach, "You two should get out, you're pissing me off."

Tarian glanced at the royal prince, checking if the boy is still busy, after the confirmation he turned to face the annoyed emperor and held the man's hand, he brought it on his lips to kissed it softly, trying to calm the lion in front of him, "Cool your head, I'll come into your room later. Please let the prince stay here; he just wants to be close to his only cousin."

Ade tilted his head after feeling the hot kiss on his hand, "He has a big brother to bother, why not the duke then?" he asked, referring to Duke Idris, his cousin's half-brother.

Tarian smiled after hearing the emperor's reasoning, "You know that he's done bothering the Duke Gastrell."

"You're quite good with kids huh? It suits you."

Tarian eyes glittered, it's uncommon to hear a compliment from this man, most of the time any form of insults is the one coming out from the man's mouth.

"Then... we should make our own later tonight."

Ade grimaced at that thought, "Oh fuck off, I'm not a woman, and I never like children." he stated before pulling his hand from the man's grip.

"Hmm. I bet holding one will suit you." Tarian teases.

"Shut your mouth, don't piss me off." Ade mumbled strictly.