The Maverick's Prince

Ch. 18 - Sanguine Lovers

Riding on a manta ray cursed spirit Suguru had proved to be much more efficient than horseback. You were back at the castle in no time. Suguru left you to the care of the royal physician and your attendant while he was able to finally catch a quick nap after another long night. 

Considering who you ran into, you came away pretty much unscathed. You were simply cleaned up and allowed to rest for the remainder of the morning. 
When you were finally alone, you took a moment to stare at yourself in the full length mirror that sat in the corner of your room. Just as Suguru said, there was nothing on your neck. You couldn't feel anything either, but you knew what happened. And you remembered his ominous warning. 

The truth was...you were putting everyone in the castle and nearby town in danger. And you couldn't leave things like that; there was no telling when Sukuna would decide to make his move. You weren't going to take the encounter lightly; you knew what needed to happen. 

After a short nap of your own, you decided to try and find Suguru. With it likely being your last day at the castle, you wanted to make it count.

You first checked for him in his chambers, finding the room completely empty. You wandered about in search for him only to find the door to the chancery slightly cracked open. 
You kept your gaze a secret for just a moment to get a better look at him. Despite his strength, he somehow also looked incredibly fragile. His skin was pale and the bags under his eyes remained though he had gotten some rest. 
His head was low as he scanned over what looked to be official documents, quill in hand. It looked as if his eyes were struggling to stay open as he read. The ink on his quill managed to drip on the desk, the drop noise catching his attention. He grumbled to himself and dipped the tip into the well again - signing the document without reading any further. 

Surely losing both parents and dealing with such a prominent threat while putting on a happy face for your subjects was not an easy feat. Seeing him look completely and utterly defeated, his true expression while alone, was heartbreaking. He was simply tolerating this life because he didn't have a choice. The honest truth was that he was doing miserably, completely alone in his duties and being treated like some sort of lone guard dog for unaware commoners. He'd never say, but he never felt like a person around anyone but you. 

Though he looked sickly, there was something you realized in those moments staring at him. With time on the table, there was no more reasons to avoid your thoughts and feelings. You had to tell him. But you wanted to do it at the perfect time.

You gave a light knock on the door jamb and delicately tiptoed in. "Hello," your voice was soft, smile even softer. 

He jumped a bit at the sound of your voice, dropping into his own warm expression as if he wasn't just struggling a moment ago. "Hey there," he greeted, "to what do I owe the honor?"

You blushed for a moment at his phrasing, feeling vulnerable in light of the situation you found yourself in. "Just wanted to find you. Are you...super busy today?"

"Nothing too crazy," he noted, staring at the pile of disorganized papers on his desk. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you'd be okay...spending the day with me," you looked away in bashfulness as you asked. "Last night was...a lot. And I just want to make it up to you for breaking my promise."

He happily bit the inside of his cheek in an attempt to hide his wider smile. "I'd love that," he replied, "did you have anything in particular in mind?"

You silently shook your head in reply. "I just...really want to be with you today."
He was completely stunned by your answer, swallowing hard and cheeks flushing at your endearing request. It was something he'd thought he'd never hear from you. 
"That, uh, manta ray spirit you have," you started again, suddenly having an idea come to mind, "you said that the creature mimicked one from the sea. I've never been to the beach..."