Royal Desire [Len x Oliver Fanfiction]

Chapter 8 - Uncertain to Absolute

~3rd Person POV~

"W-what the hell!" Oliver exclaimed, ruffling his own hair frantically. Yohio sighed from the other room; this is the fifth day in a row....

"I still don't understand!"

"Oliver, you've got piles upon piles of letters stacked up on your bed.... All from the prince!" Yohio held one up, reading from it. "Dear Oliver, it's only been two days, but this is already the fourth letter I've sent you. I miss you." He raised an eyebrow. "You can't tell me there's not something going on with you two.... He's a prince! Oliver, you're insane!"

"I don't like him! Shut up!" Oliver shouted back, blushing harshly. "W-we just happened to become friends! I think, um— S-shut up!"

Yohio only replied with a sigh. It was clear that his baby brother had grown fond of that boy—though it would be a problem.

Not for him, of course. He rejoiced just that Oliver had found anyone he loved at all. The problem was the others.

Their kingdom wasn't exactly the most lenient for things like same-sex relationships. It would be an issue if that ever got out, with it being a prince and all.

Oliver was nervous—cheeks tainted red with his blush. It was cute, if anything. He really did act like a girl sometimes.

"A-anyway, I don't like him...." The said younger boy turned his head away, pout forming on his lips. "L-let's just get working already...."

---

"Brother!"

The voice came—arms wrapped around Len's waist with it. He blinked at the sudden feeling, surprise enveloping him.

"Huh?" The blond pushed the girl away from him quickly. "Um, sorry, you...?"

The girl—blonde as well—crossed her arms with a huff of annoyance. She gazed along Len's slim figure before turning to Cul. "Wasn't he taller?" She asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

Len flinched and held back the urge to yell at her about his height.

"Oh well, either way, I'm so glad to have my big brother back!" The girl hugged him tightly again, smiling with pure bliss.

Len didn't really understand, though he didn't take the time to understand anyway. Brother...?

He paused.

"R-Rin...?!"

The girl, Rin, gasped and looked up quickly. "So you remember me?!"

"O-of course...! B-but wh...what happened?" The male furrowed his brow in confusion and gently pushed Rin away from him. "Do Father and Mother know you're here?"

Rin paused, looking down. "They do. They've never come to see me because I was born a girl." She grit her teeth and hugged herself. "They hated me. They sent me away with Cul to be killed, but she saved my life."

Len flinched. "I-I'm so sorry...." He hugged her gently. "I've always just thought...that you had been living the life you wanted...."

There was a pause, and the heir noticed the hatred that Rin held in her expression as she pulled away. Something told him not to say anymore.

---

Oliver hated it. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. He slammed down the ink quill he held and let out a shaky breath. The paper in front of him was scribbled on over and over.

The words 'I love you' were faintly seen through splotches and smudges of the black liquid.

"Agh!" He stood up quickly, ruffling his own hair in frustration. He laughed a bit, a pile of paper growing as he crumbled up the paper and tossed it towards the others he had thrown out before.

"W-what's wrong with me?!"

Luckily, Yohio had gone out to fish earlier that day and he didn't have to witness his little brother mentally breaking down.

"I-I don't like him! Lies!" He scratched at his face desperately, searching for a different answer. "Why can't I stop thinking about him?! H-he's just...he's a...a...! Agh! He's stupid! I hate him! He just took advantage of me! H-he thought I was a girl!" He shouted, clenching his fists tightly.

Their first meeting came back to his mind, and he went silent, imagination straying to what would've happened after.

He shrieked, cheeks turning dark red. Suddenly, he could hear Yohio's voice echoing in his head.

"You've gotten a girlfriend before me? No fair...."

Oliver scrambled towards the kitchen cabinet, swinging it open for a lighter. He grabbed it quickly, kneeling down towards the pile of paper balls he had crumpled up, taking them each one by one and setting them on fire so no evidence of his forbidden, and possibly impossible, feelings remained.

---

"In short...." The blonde girl trailed off, the tips of her fingers pressed together. "Well, we're getting married!"

Len blinked. "H...huh?!"

Rin nodded eagerly. "I've missed you so much! If we get married, we won't ever have to be apart again! And our kingdoms can unite to form an impenetrable barrier between the regions!"

The information went in one ear and out the other. Her words kept repeating inside his head, almost to the point of making him want to throw up.

The heir staggered to his feet quickly, getting lightheaded. "M-married? R-Rin, no, I...." He shook his head slowly to avoid more pain. "W-we're siblings! T-that's crazy!"

Rin stood as well. "But Len! You don't understand!" She looked as if she was going to cry. "I love you! I don't want you to leave me again!"

The blond flinched at that. He could feel a glare coming from elsewhere, and turned to see Cul giving him a look that told him to accept or he would be taking the death sentence.

A shiver went down his back. "U-um—"

He looked down quickly, sweat already pouring down his chin and forehead.

"I-I—"

"You will!" Rin nodded and hugged him tightly. "Oh, I'm so glad!" She grinned, leaning up to kiss him.

Len mentally screamed, pulling away quickly. He furrowed his brow and covered his mouth quickly to avoid further damage.

Rin smiled. She hadn't minded him pulling away because she knew Cul would help her with Len, anyway.

"We'll hold the ceremony today!" She declared.

"T-today?!"