Cinderella (Counterpartshipping fic)

Chapter #8

The ball was over. All of the guests were gone, but Yuto was no where to be found. King Shun strode briskly down the hall. He so badly wanted to run, but Yuto, that would look rather silly, he didn't really feel like tripping over his massive robe and falling down the stairs, quite possibly breaking his neck before he even got to his son. Yeah, that would suck. Instead he walked as fast he as could, exiting the palace with twenty armed guards behind him. He got down the stairs and took to the pathway leading up to the palace gates. There was a small pathway on the side that led to a small garden around the side, so Aknamkanon went that way when he didn't see Yuto. He found his son, well hidden from view, in this garden under a tree, sobbing for all he was worth, head down against his knees. Shun's eyes widened at the sight. He instantly turned to his guards and stretched his arm out wide.

"Leave us!" Shun commanded. The guards looked stunned.

"B-But Your Majesty!" One of the protested. "We can't just leave you here in the middle of the night like this! Who knows what could happen?"

"Fine, retreat to the start of the path and watch us from there." Shun ordered. The guards reluctantly followed his orders and were gone a moment later. Shun knelt before his crying son, gently reached a hand forward and touched his hair. The action caused Yuto to snap his head up, his grey eyes blood shot and even redder then before as he set to wiping the tears from them.

"Oh. Hello Father." Yuto said. Shun gently brushed his son's bangs back from his face.

"You're really in love with that boy from earlier, aren't you?" SHun asked. Yuto's eyes filled with even more tears.

"He left, Father. He didn't even tell me why." YUto said, choking up at the words. Shun's fears were confirmed, but surprisingly, he found his son's preference didn't bother him. What did bother him were the tears running uncontrolled down Yuto's face.

"Why didn't you tell me about him?" Shun asked softly. Yuto quickly searched his father's eyes, but he found no trace of anger or hurt.

"I'm sorry. I'd planned to tell you about him after the ball because I was afraid had you known about him beforehand, you never would have allowed me to set the ball up so I could see him." Yuto explained. Shun's eyes widened.

"So the ball was about this boy, not about finding you a wife? Does Yugo know of this too?" The king asked. Yuto looked away, feeling ashamed.

"Yes, Yugo knows. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed to help me because I love Yuya Father. I love him with all my heart." Yuto admitted.

"And you were afraid your old man wouldn't understand, is that it?" Yuto turned back to his father, afraid to see anger this time, but there was none. Instead, the old king had a smile on his face. Puzzled, Yuto did naught but nodded his head. Shun let out a chuckle.

"Oh Yuto, you should know better then to think you couldn't trust me with the truth. As long as you are happy, I will be happy, don't you know that? You're my son, and I love you. If you want this boy of yours, Yuya is it? If you want Yuya so badly, then by all means..." Shun trailed off, but Yuto understood his meaning and tried to smile through his tears, but it failed. Yuya was gone, he'd left of his own accord.

"But he left, Father. He said he had to go and he did and he didn't even tell me why!" Yuto cried. Shun grinned. Yuto blinked, startled by this.

"Yuto, if you want something bad enough, sometimes you have to chase after it. Surely there is a logical reason why Yuya ran away, and it seems the only way you can get your love back and find out the cause of his flight is to go after him." Shun said. Yuto jumped to his feet, forcing his father to stand as well.