Guarded Whispers (GiyuuSane)

9

The soft rays of the morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. Slowly, Sanemi stirred beneath the sheets, his eyes fluttering open. He stretched his arms above his head, feeling the satisfying pull of his muscles waking up. With a yawn, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and planted his feet on the cool floor. He took a moment, savoring the peaceful morning moment. I don't feel like doing anything today...

Prince Sanemi stepped out of his chambers. His bodyguard stood at attention just outside the door, "Good morning, Your Highness." Tomioka greeted with a soft tone.

"Morning." Shinazugawa replied with a nod. Prince Sanemi paused for a moment, glancing out at the sprawling gardens below. "I need a break. At least just today." Giyuu raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the suggestion. It was extremely rare that the prince would postpone his duties.

During breakfast, the prince's eyes lit up. "I know what I want to do." Tomioka nodded in agreement. After finishing his meal, Sanemi ordered a car. A few minutes later, they found themselves on a large farm.

"Your Highness! I didn't expect you today!" A tan woman with a blonde ponytail exclaimed. "Yeah, change of plans." He said as he followed her into the red barn. Tomioka looked around curiously. These must be the royal kennels.

As the two in front talked about who knows what, Tomioka looked to admire the eight horses, dogs, foxes, bunnies, exotic birds, and even a skunk.

"So where is he?" Sanemi loudly asked with a clap of his hands. The woman led them to a spirited white shiba inu and greeted them with enthusiastic barks and a wagging tail. The woman then gave a respectful bow and went back to her work.

"Beetle!" The prince knelt down to ruffle the dog's fur. Beetle responded with a joyful bark, his tail wagging furiously. "His name's beetle?" Sanemi slowly turned with a glare. "Got a problem with it?"

"No, it's just not a usual name." Tomioka managed to say before looking away. As Shinazugawa stood up, Giyuu became visible to the white shiba inu.

As soon as Sanemi stepped aside, Beetle started growling and barking fiercely. Tomioka froze, staring at the dog. Shinazugawa did a poor job at hiding his smirk, "Weird, he never barks."

Beetle continued to bark and growl, his body tense and alert. "Enough." Sanemi ordered as he walked to get a leash.

Beetle paused for a moment, his growling subsiding as he looked up at Giyuu, his tail wagging slightly. It seemed like he was ready to go back to being his usual friendly self.

Tomioka took a cautious step forward, keeping an eye on the shiba inu. But as soon as Beetle made eye contact with Giyuu again, his growls grew louder, his teeth bared slightly as he stood his ground, his eyes fixed on Giyuu with an intense stare.

Sanemi sighed, giving Beetle a reassuring pat. "What's bothering you?" Shinazugawa stayed by his side, gently petting him when his growls started again. "It's alright, Beetle."

Eventually, Beetle's growls softened just a bit, though he still eyed Tomioka warily. When Sanemi would look away, Beetle would continue to give a low growl at Giyuu.

The trio set off through the playpens, the prince and his bodyguard walking side by side while Beetle bounded ahead, sniffing at flowers and chasing after butterflies.

Finding a stick and bringing it to his owner, Beetle sat patiently with his tail wagging furiously. "Alright, fine." Sanemi picked up the stick and threw it. As Beetle ran towards with a happy bark, the prince and his bodyguard went to take a seat at a nearby bench.

"Not a dog person or what?" Sanemi picked up on the way Tomioka looked at and stayed away from his dog. "It's not that, sir. Dogs just don't like me."

As the sentence ended, Beetle returned the now slobbered stick to Prince Sanemi. His owner cringed at the item but picked it up anyway and threw it farther than before.

"Saw all the animals?" Shinazugawa asked, clearly showing off. "Yes. No cats?" The prince went quiet for a minute before giving a mumbled answer. "Mom was allergic." Silence dropped between the two males with only the sound of rushing trees interrupting.

The silence was then broken when Beetle came running back, panting. Sanemi smiled as he gave his dog some treats he managed to sneak out. Beetle laid down at Shinazugawa's feet.

As the day went on, Prince Sanemi felt a sense of freedom and relaxation he hadn't experienced in a long time. The weight of his royal responsibilities seemed to lift.

"Let's go back in. There's one more thing." The prince stood up quickly, and the royal dog followed happily. Once back into the barn, Beetle barked a goodbye and ran along to the other dogs.

Shinazugawa entered into a room that was separated from the rest. Tomioka watched from behind as Sanemi opened the door. Inside the much darker room were terrariums and tanks. He spotted salamanders, spiders, tropical fish, and other bugs.

In a quiet corner, Sanemi carefully approached the terrarium that sat on a small wooden table. The glass walls of the terrarium gleamed under the soft light, revealing a miniature world inside. Lush green plants and small rocks created a natural habitat for his pet, a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle.

Its name's probably Dog... Giyuu thought to himself, remembering the prince's other pets' names. "His name's Dush." Shinazugawa said almost as if he was reading his mind.

Sanemi gently lifted the lid of the terrarium, his movements slow and deliberate. He reached in with a steady hand, his fingers brushing against the cool leaves. Dust, with its impressive horn and sturdy body, was perched on a small twig.

He carefully coaxed the beetle onto his hand, watching as it crawled with precision. The beetle's tiny legs tickled his skin, and Sanemi couldn't help but smile at the sensation.

He lifted Dust out of the terrarium, holding it up to the light. The beetle's horn and shiny black exoskeleton gleamed, catching the light in a striking display.

With Dust safely in his hand, the prince moved to the nearby window. He opened it slightly, allowing a gentle breeze to flow into the room. He held Dust up to the open air, giving the beetle a taste of the outside world. For a moment, they both seemed to pause, enjoying the simple pleasure of the fresh air and the warm sunlight.

After a few minutes, Shinazugawa carefully placed Dust back into the terrarium, ensuring it was secure and comfortable. He watched as the beetle resumed its exploration of the miniature landscape. "See you later." Sanemi whispered, closing the lid of the terrarium with a soft click.

As the sun began to set, they returned to the castle, tired but content. Night swept in, and the two males laid in their beds.

Tomioka thought about the new side of the prince he'd seen in the prince that brought a warm feeling to his chest.

That was exactly what I needed today...A cat person huh...

Sanemi whispered out before shutting his eyes and letting sleep carry him away.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇
Some fluff 😛🤍
Yall think Sanemi likes The Beatles???