Eins x Ernst | The Prince's Chambers Continuation

Continuation Part IX

*tenth day*

When Eins woke up that morning, he did not expect to find Ernst in his bed. He sighed, unable to rise from his bed, as his High Steward slept peacefully next to him. Ernst had - at some point - wrapped his arms around Eins's waist and blocked the edge of the bed, effectively keeping Eins down. Eins sighed again and resigned himself to his fate.

"Mmm~" Ernst hummed, eyes still closed, nuzzling his face into the crook of Eins's neck. Eins feels his cheeks redden and grow warm as Ernst continues with- with whatever he's doing.

Eins tries to reason with himself. Ernst could be awake, he chides himself. But he also seems to be asleep, the less reasonable part of him says.

Eins eventually gives up, the feeling of Ernst nuzzling his neck too distracting by far to do anything else. He starts to wind a piece of hair around his finger, belatedly recognizing it as Ernst's white hair and not his. The sleeping count does not seem to mind, though, and Eins does not mind either.

So he does not let go.

Eins watches almost thoughtfully as the sunlight streams through his window. He remembered, when he was younger, maybe even Adele's age, he thought, that he would do this very same thing - minus Ernst, of course.

His father had been overjoyed when he learned that his eldest son finally had found something he was partial to. Eins didn't think he had really changed from his childhood self, but Ernst had laughed about it - he'd only brought it up once, and regretted that mistake still - and said that he had changed. Very much so, apparently.

Either way, they weren't that many things he really liked, save his family. And Shadow - he'd always respected the white dog, even if his liking of him blossomed only from the royal pet's loyalty to Adele and Kai. He wondered if he should Ernst to the - admittedly very short - list.

But anyway, it wasn't like he'd really liked seeing the sunlight streaming through his window, lighting up the individual dust motes that had always escaped the cleaning maid's notice.

Eins, lost in his thoughts for a couple more moments, only then noticed the red wine-coloured eyes on him. He turns his head to frown at Ernst, who sleepily gives him a soft smile.

"It's morning, Eins~" Ernst murmurs, just barely loud enough to Eins to hear. He assumes it's some sort of a morning greeting, even if it is a bit sleepy and with an inflection of sweetness and in the soft tone that Ernst never uses when he's properly awake.

Eins never could say he truly disliked that soft tone or when Ernst was sleepy and sweet. Maybe he should add it to his previous list.

"Yes, countess, it is morning." Eins's tone has a slight undertone of sarcasm, instantly detectable - that is, if Ernst was properly awake, again. He has grown used to saying the nickname he has given Ernst - excluding the childhood name of "Ern", as he used to call his High Steward, which may be one of the things that has changed, perhaps - and almost says it automatically whenever Ernst calls him "princess" - always taking care to stress the "-ess". As he's pointed out before, Ernst is a count, not a countess.

Ernst pouts childishly, burying his face so Eins cannot see it.

Ernst was only sometimes a morning type, Eins knew. Sometimes he'd be normal, and sometimes he'd be like this - like a child or a sweet and vulnerable drunk, even though Eins has never really gotten drunk himself yet but knows firsthand Ernst can hold his liquor.

It seems today is the type of morning when Ernst is not the morning type.

Which most likely means Ernst will not let go of his waist in the next few minutes.

Which means Eins will not be moving for the next few minutes.

Which means Eins will have to stay with Ernst for the next few minutes.

Which, admittedly to no one, Eins does not mind at all.

He's definitely not telling Ernst about that list.

Ernst whispers something that Eins has to strain to hear and isn't sure if he's supposed to hear. Whatever Ernst's reason was for saying it or if he was supposed to hear, it makes Eins's cheeks pinken.

"I like you."

Then, what his count says next makes Eins's cheeks redden from a light pink to a darker red.

"I love you."

Ernst says it in a tone that tells he could throw the words at Eins whenever he wants, but Eins knows better. The words are something precious to Ernst.

Like an actual drunk, this child-like, sweet, vulnerable Ernst says no lies.

So Eins knows Ernst isn't lying.

That Ernst loves him.

He knew that already, but the words quicken his heart anyways.

Eins somehow stutters out an "I love you too" and presses his lips to Ernst's forehead.

Ernst smiles and cuddles closer to Eins, closing his eyes and falling back asleep.

Eins doesn't mind, a small smile on his face. It's still early, after all, so he figures he'll let Ernst sleep a bit more.

He hopes Ernst will forget what happened.

Hopes.

Word Count: 871