The elephant in the room

 "Thank you once again for the banquet. Though we weren't formally invited (I'll deal with Atalanta for this humiliation), it was kind of you to allow us to stay." She said. A gentle smile took over her face as she said this. 

"We will take our leave now." Both princess and knight bowed their heads respectively before entering the chariot waiting for them. 

Before they took off, Nastasya looked at Hael with a knowing look before riding off. The two men watched as the chariot left the palace gates and rode off into the night. 

"So, you're not opposed to marriage after all," Hael said, breaking the silence that had settled between the two. 

Ceremus sent him a glare terrifying enough that could even make a grown man cry, but Hael ignored it, choosing to smile through his menacing gaze. 

"That's what you got from all of this?" He asked.

"How could I not?" Hael smiled innocently. 

The King rolled his eyes, deciding not to pay his guard any mind as he headed for his chambers. Hael followed suit like a puppy, never once leaving his side. So much had happened today that left the man physically but more importantly emotionally drained. He wanted nothing more than to lay in his plush bed and sleep the night away. However, a certain white-haired man wouldn't let him do that. 

"Why are you following me to my room?" He asked incredulously. 

Hael gave him an innocuous look. "I am your guard, is it not my job to escort you to your quarters safely?" 

Ceremus narrowed his eyes, the suspicion evident in his voice. "Really?" 

Hael nodded, earning a sigh from the king. "Shouldn't you go check on your precious bird? You two have been separated for quite some time now. I pity Anemone who had to look after him the entire evening." He said, changing the subject. 

"Loki is a smart bird, he can look after himself. But I suppose you're right. It has been a long day, I should also retire to my chambers," he started to say, making Ceremus turn back to face his door, however, the next words Hael spoke would make him pause. 

"I just thought that Your Majesty would like some company a little while longer is all." 

"Hal" He scoffed. "Are you sure it's not you who wishes to be in my company a little while longer?" Ceremus' question or more like a rhetorical question was met with silence. With furrowed brows, he turned around to see what had made the white-haired giant go quiet. He was surprised to see the gentle smile tugging at his lips. 

It was quite rare to see Hael smile physically. Though he often smiled with his eyes, it was a rare occurrence to see him smile with his lips. The king hadn't noticed it before, but the only times Hael smiled with his lips were when the king was involved. Besides Loki, Hael never openly smiled. It was one of the things that made Ceremus curious about him. He was such a warm as well as bright person, someone you'd expect to always be smiling, and yet, Hael didn't fit the bill at all. 

Ceremus was stunned, unable to speak, unable to think. His senses were overtaken by the sight of this sweet creature before him. 

"I'm afraid you are right, Your Majesty. I do wish to spend a little more time with you if you're not opposed to the idea." He finally said. 

Ceremus turned around as he fumbled for the door. He didn't wait for Hael to follow him as he entered his chambers, his heart beating wildly into his chest. His hands shook as he felt Hael's presence behind him. Not once had he felt so deeply affected by another person before. He couldn't believe that another man was making him feel this nervous. It was unlike him to feel so emotionally weak. With a brisk sigh, he finally turned around to face the young man, but he didn't realize how close Hael had been behind him. As he turned with more force than he had intended, he ended up colliding with his hard chest. 

Before he stumbled, he felt a strong arm grab him by the waist, preventing his fall. He would've been fine without Hael's help, with his superior reflexes, he could've regained his balance with no problem but he felt strangely glad that Hael cared enough to help him. 

His throat tightened as the warm and comfortable scent invaded his nostrils making his tense muscles relax a little. Emphasis on a little. 

Ceremus was a tall man, standing at seven feet, but he realized as he leaned against Hael that the young man was a few inches taller than him. He could feel his warm breath above his head and the erratic beat in his chest. Hael was also affected by their close proximity, which made Ceremus feel relieved. At least until Hael's hand started to move up to his face.

The rough yet soft texture of his palms colliding with his supple cheeks made the king flinch, not expecting the sudden touch. 

His body went rigid as he felt Hael, stroking the tender skin with the tip of his thumb, creating a subtle circular pattern as he did so. 

Hael's eyes were fixated on Ceremus' cheek, glimmering with yearning and curiosity. There was a sudden urge within him, a deep-seated desire to touch him. He carefully searched Ceremus' face and didn't see any signs of discomfort or dislike. He appeared to be confused but nothing on his face indicated that he was against Hael touching him. So he took it as a sign to continue. His thumb brushed along his cheekbones before making their way to his jawline. Sharp, defined, carved with precision. 

Finally, his eyes landed on the plump aperture under his nose and above his chin. Painted in a muted shade of pink, it looked soft to the touch. The king who hadn't taken his eyes off of Hael followed his line of sight. His breath hitched when he realized where he was looking. 

Hael's thumb hovered over his lips, his brows scrunched up as he contemplated whether or not he should graze them. 

The tension in the air was palpable as the two men stood there facing each other, unsure of how to proceed. There was something about the current situation they were in—the position that wasn't quite right. But neither man seemed to care, at least not Hael. With his eyes still glued to his lips, he lightly grazed his thumb against them, and his suspicions were confirmed. They were so incredibly soft, just like the pillows he'd lay on at night. Ceremus felt a jolt of electricity course through him as his finger made contact. 

As he swept his finger across his lips, Hael slowly moved forward, the gap between them closing with each passing second. Ceremus' eyes went wide as he saw Hael's face approaching his own. He knew that if they got any closer than this, they'd risk pressing their lips together. Performing such an intimate act with another man made Ceremus feel conflicted however he didn't feel any repulsion as he had initially thought. In fact, Ceremus felt this undeniable pull, a force so strong that drew him closer to the man in front of him. 

He felt his eyes flutter shut as he braved for the collision. The secret longing and anticipation… but the feeling never came. The two men were interrupted by the sound of knocking, bringing them out of their sweet haze.

It was as if they had been doused with water, derived straight from the icy tundra of the Trojasian north river during the colder seasons. In an instant wake-up call, sobering the king and his guard from their trance. 

Hael stepped back, his cheeks burning red from embarrassment, and yet his eyes still held some leftover passion from the brief kiss they had just shared—or were about to share.