When the Universe Began [A Blackmadhi Fantasy AU]

Chapter Twelve

(POV: NAHYUTA)

Had that really been such a good idea? Letting Simon Blackquill sleep in his bed? What had he been thinking? He was such an idiot sometimes. Nahyuta hoped Simon hadn't minded him forcing him to sleep there. Then again, he'd looked so peaceful. He almost preferred it to his waking self. Nahyuta went to the door, opening it so he could ask him about the situation, shocked at not finding him standing beside it like he always did. Where had he run off to? He wasn't supposed to leave. Nahyuta wandered about the nearby areas of the castle, searching for his bodyguard. He eventually found him in the gardens out back their rooms, feeding a small calico cat. Simon's hand gently rubbed the cat's head, his mouth forming a tender smile. Nahyuta hadn't realized that Simon Blackquill could be a person of sentiment and watching him made his heart beat hard against his chest. He'd never seen him smile like that before. It was quite endearing. As Nahyuta's heart pounded, he wondered if he could hear it. He turned and ran back to his room before Simon could notice him, his heart pounding in his ears all the way there.

~~~

Nahyuta avoided his bodyguard the rest of the day, which was rather easy to do when he stayed outside and Nahyuta stayed inside. He couldn't have him hear his heart pounding, though it had died down after a while.

"You two seem tense. Did you get in a fight?" Apollo asked when he came over for tea, glancing between Simon and Nahyuta. Of course he had picked up on something like that. He stayed silent, unable to speak of this matter with Simon still in the room. Had it been just Apollo and him, he might have said something.

"And you seem much happier as of late. Did something good happen to you?" Nahyuta asked, deflecting his prying question with one of his own. Apollo flushed, balling up his fist up in his lap and fidgeting nervously. Nahyuta had never seen his friend like this before. It must have been something really good to make him react in that way.

"I'll- I'll introduce you to the person I've been seeing someday, eventually." he said, his face the same shade of red as that shirt he always wore under his apron. Interesting, very interesting. So he'd been seeing someone, dating someone.

"Please, tell me more." Nahyuta said, leaning across the table to get a better look at his flushing face. He blushed even harder, which he hadn't known was physically possible.

"I'll tell you some other time. Gotta go!" He refused to answer his pry and ran out the room in a hurry. This person must have been someone special to make him react like that, he rarely tensed up. Nahyuta wondered; did it have anything to do with that burn scar on his wrist? Did he get that because he was determined to be with this lover of his? If so, Nahyuta bet he truly loved them.

~~~

After Apollo left, Nahyuta strolled out to the gardens, Simon following close behind him. He walked through the small winding paths, making his way to the pond where he and Simon had talked the other night. Nahyuta knelt by the glittering blue water, folding his legs neatly under him as he sat.

"Aren't you afraid of getting dirty Nahyuta?" Simon asked, staring at Nahyuta as he sat by the muddy pond. He could see why he might think that. It was quite dirty by the edge of the pond and Nahyuta was a prince, but he'd never had trouble with mud or dirt. And besides...

"It matters not if you are worried about my clothes. They are only material possessions after all, I can get them cleaned later, for now I'd like to enjoy this day to its fullest." There was visible confusion on Simon's face as he sat next to Nahyuta. They fell into a still silence, which was actually quite awkward. Butterflies began to flutter around Nahyuta - the normal kind this time, which were almost as nice as spirit butterflies.

"What's with the butterflies Nahyuta?" Simon asked, breaking the silence as he tried to brush away one that got too close to him.

"They've always been attracted to me. I don't know why, might be the scent I give off." Nahyuta said, shrugging and allowing butterflies to land on him as they pleased.

"I just remembered that there's something that I want to show you tonight. Are you free?" That was certainly sudden. Where could he want to take him? Nahyuta wondered what in the world could be so important that he had to drag him out late at night.

"Not like there's anything better to do." Nahyuta replied, agreeing to let him take him out. Would this count as going out more? Apollo would be proud.

~~~

As the sun began to set, Simon led Nahyuta out of the palace and up a hill that had a large building perched on top of it. The Observatory? What were they doing here?

"Simon! Hey!" a ginger girl eagerly greeted his guard as they entered the building, giving him a quick hug. Athena Cykes? How did Simon know her?

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble do you mind if we borrow the... ah... I've forgotten the word... the... uh... thing." Simon stammered as he forgot what was probably a very important word in this situation.

"What a specific word you've used there Simon. Don't have too much fun now." Nahyuta flushed as Miss Cykes said this. What did she think he and Simon were?

"It's not... like that... or anything..." He wasn't, they weren't!

"Telescope! It's called a telescope Athena!" Simon suddenly shouted, grabbing Miss Cyke's shoulders and shaking her a bit.

"Ohhh, you wanna use the telescope?" she asked, barely rattled by how hard he's shaken her. She must have been used to it.

"Yes? What else would I have been talking about?"

"I figured you hadn't gotten that far."

"Well... I certainly could if I wanted to! I'm charming!" Watching these two argue was quite entertaining.

"Oh really? Why don't you prove it then Simon?"

"Absolutely not." Why exactly had Simon brought me here again? Did he think this was a date? Nahyuta was sure he didn't, but if he did... maybe he wouldn't mind all that much. What would it be like to date Simon Blackquill? It wouldn't be all that bad... he supposed. No, no, no. Bad Nahyuta! Don't think like that! Simon had grabbed his wrist, pulling Nahyuta up a set of stairs to a small platform while he was trapped in this train of thought. As he finally regained his sense of clarity, he was suddenly enraptured by the beautiful sight of the moon. It was so close, almost like he could just reach out and touch it.

"This is what I wanted you to see Nahyuta. Pretty, right?" Nahyuta only nodded in response to this query, he was too distracted by how beautiful the moon was. He leaned over the guardrail to get a bit of better look and Simon reached out protectively to grab his hand.

"Don't fall, Nahyuta." he said softly, his hand warm in Nahyuta's. With the warmth of his hand, Nahyuta suddenly realized how cold it was and started to shiver. He removed his hand, as long as the warmth that went along with it. Wait! Please don't do that! He was freezing here! He slipped off his jacket, putting it around Nahyuta's shoulders.

"Take that. You're cold right?" Nahyuta stood there, dumbfounded. Why would he give up his own warmth for him? He knew he was his bodyguard, but this was taking it way too far!

"I-uh..." Nahyuta flumbed for words that he didn't have as he reached for his hand again. He blushed, thinking that Simon's jacket smelled just a bit like him, not that he knew what he smelled like of course. His fingers interlocked with Nahyuta's and he decided that this wasn't that bad. He could get used to nights like this, watching the moon with Simon.