Breaking out

Chapter 13

Yeran opened the door, throwing a cautious glance around the room, half expecting another dagger to the throat or his husband curled up on the window sill facing the private garden. Knowing him, both were a possibility.

But Aki was seated at the table today, or more accurately, lounging. One leg thrown over the chair's hand rest, black clad leg exposed through a slit in his robe.

Of all changes Aki had gone through the days after that fatal night, his wardrobe might be quite insignificant. He had exchanged all the light colors to robes made of pure black, usually with small purple highlights or embroidery, sometimes with some added silver, robes that must have been Aki's daily wear before being forced into white by his father as if wrapping him in them could purify all the sins and hide the bloody stains. The long hair was today pulled into a loose half tail, a silver and purple cuff glinting near his ear.

Yeran had heard palace servant talking, all excited of the Prince Consort's dress change and had rolled his eyes, but it was after seeing himself he had realized how not insignificant it is.

Aki was relaxed, running a whetstone over the edge of a gilded blade, not even bothering to look up, the difference very much contrasting to the past where he was at the beck and call of Yeran, without even having to be asked.

Yeran sat in front of him, forcing himself to focus on Aki's face and not on the slender fingers playing with a blade that looked racer sharp.

Yeran slid the letter in his hand over the table, succeeding in drawing Aki's  attention, who lowered his eyes to the letter and then raised to meet Yeran's, purple eyes now glowing with an unconcealed fire where they used be just empty.

Yeran nodded to the letter, and Aki set the blade and whetstone down to pick it up, turning it over his hand to find it not yet sealed.

Yeran subtly let out a breath, not even realizing why he is so jumpy when it comes to Aki, which in and on itself is a new feeling all together. He had faced guilds of assassins single handedly and defeated every last one, came close to death far too many times to count and yet, this nervousness is new.

"What is this?" Aki asked, his voice deep and smooth, making Yeran wonder if he had been changing his voice as well when speaking in the past.

"I am tired of you keeping me up in the night," Yeran answered, nodding again at the letter in a sign to go ahead.

Aki smirked, "You realize how that sounds, yes, husband?"

Yeran blinked, trying his hardest to suppress the blush rising onto his cheeks, figuring out the innuendo. This new habit of Aki's of calling him husband at every chance doing him no favour.

'Yes, he is supposed to be in a committed relationship, but he still has eyes alright! And Aki is a fine specimen, Gah!'

"Just read the damn thing," Yeran said, sighing, suddenly tired keeping up with his Prince Consort.

Aki raised a brow, turning to the letter, without any more comment, though that smug expression refused to leave his face.

He watched Aki's face going blank so fast, clearer than an empty sheet of paper, it turned just as pale as well before his eyes turned to him, blazing in rage.

Yeran did not even realized what was happening till he was picked up by the coller and slammed on to the table, Aki's movements as fast as a blur.

"If you are thinking that you can use me the same way my so called father did, think again Prince Yeran, I will kill you right here, right now, consequences be damned!" Aki hissed, face inches away from Yeran.