insurmountable | everybody's challenge turning into mine / and overcame adversity

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everybody's challenge turning into mine / and overcame adversity

[He knows he's going to get scolded by Prince Aether. He knows and he doesn't really care, that other knight really had it coming.

He'd had a little spat with one of the other knights in the keep, a little disagreement over dinner, at least that's what Childe would have called it. In reality, he'd started the fight, running his mouth and delighting at the visceral anger he'd caused the other knight. A few words were exchanged, a bone from a finished chicken wing was flung at the other, and that's all it took before he was showing off his martial prowess in front of the rest of the keep. The guy got one good blow in before he'd beaten him unconscious, having to be pulled off of him before he went too far. No alcohol needed for that mess of course, since he reveled in making scenes like that.

And he never regretted it, at least when it came to his reputation. Which, of course, wasn't great. He'd always had a chaotic side and people steered clear of him because of it. But those people really aren't the kind he'd hang out with anyhow. He had his own agenda, and if he's being honest, no one could keep up with him.

He's trying to get back to his own quarters now, a nasty cut right across his eyebrow where he'd gotten punched. He swears the other must of had a ring on or something, a knuckle shouldn't of made a cut that big. But it hurt, and he has to constantly wipe the blood away or else it would trickle down into his eye. He's a bit preoccupied with making sure he can see that he doesn't see Prince Aether round the corner and begin to walk towards him.

When he removes his hand from his face, there's blood all over it, and still some that bubbles up and pools in his eyebrow again.

That's when he spots the other. Drat, he's in for it now...]

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[Childe wishes so much that the hand that trails down his body would move just over to the side a little more, as he can feel himself raising up with every inch close that Aether's hand gets near him. He's almost afraid that he'll have to wait a moment before he's even able to get dressed later, as his pants are not exactly the loosest...

And how Aether tastes on his tongue, it's a delight all upon itself. Childe's kiss is greedy and wanting, for he's waited far too long to indulge himself in the prince's body, his heart beating quickly when his mind starts to race as thoughts of intimacy beyond a passionate kiss invades, pushing past any other logic or reason. Though he knows they can't now, why he's stalled his hand on his thigh, so he tells himself to wait. Just enjoy this moment, go to dinner, and pull Aether right back into bed again so he can have his way with him and...

The knock on the door gives him a start, almost jumping off of the bed for fear of being caught. But a second later, he remembers that the door is locked, and that there was no reason to fear. On top of it, the sound of Elise's voice carrying through the door is a relief. One of their allies in this.

Looks like he gets to keep his head for another few hours or so.

Childe stays silent, not to tip off that he's in here unless Aether lets Elise in, sitting up and tucking his shirt back into his pants to make sure he's at least presentable. His hair is beyond saving though, as it's already tousled enough normally. It's a vain effort on his part to try to make it look normal, maybe a quick wash might be in order...]

[Aether is still trying to recover from the initial shock. His face is madly red, breathing still too fast, hair loosely spilling down his shoulder, clothing in disarray. Shakily, he stands up from the bed and tries to get to the door. Everything is spinning.]

Elise...? [His voice sounds strange, so he fakes a cough and clears his throat.]

Oh, goodness! Did you catch a cold? Should I call for a doctor?

[Even though the princess can't see him, Aether frantically shakes his head and puts his hands on the door.]

No, no! I'm completely fine! I... I only got out of the bath... I need some time to get dressed and then I'll head for the dinner!

[There's a moment of silence, but Elise doesn't argue or tries to question anything. Even though the prince doesn't need to hide anything from her, he's too embarrassed to admit to what has just happened.]

Alright. I shall go find Sir Childe then and let him know about the dinner.

[Aether responds quickly:]

T-there's no need for that! I-I mean... I'll tell him!

[More silence follows and Aether could've sworn he heard a long "ooh" from the other side of the door. His cheeks brighten far more, his face feeling like it's on fire.]

I-I see! Of course... I apologize then! Please take your time and I'll see you at the dinner!

[And with that said, the prince can hear her running away. Aether's legs suddenly give away under him and he sinks to the floor, head resting against the door.]

...I swear, we're being tested today.

[As the two of them speak through the door, Childe comes up and stands next to Aether. It's a bit tempting to interrupt this by letting his hands wander over the prince's body, since there is no need to worry for being caught if it's just Elise. But he restrains himself, for the time being, because he can cause plenty of chaos later in Aether's life without doing this right now.

It takes quite a bit of willpower not to laugh at how nervous Aether is, stumbling through even the easiest of people to have this conversation with. Poor Elise, being sent to fetch her husband-to-be only to discover that he is with his knight instead, if that little "ooh" is any indication that she's already figured it out. Perceptive, he'll give her that. It's a good trait to have.

He watches Aether sink to the floor, laughing quietly at his misery. He can't help it, squatting down himself and giving the prince a kiss to his cheek.]

Hahaha, you might want to work on your impromptu deceiving skills a little. I'll need your help to pull this all off, you know how some particularly direct questions might throw me off guard.

[Like that isn't going to cause problems in the future.]

Come, let's get ready for the dinner. I need to fetch Luke myself, he's supposed to attend as well since he will be Elise's protection in my wake. I hope he wears something appropriate...

[Childe offers Aether a hand to stand, smiling at him- poor prince, what a situation the knight has put him in.]

[He can feel Childe standing right there and it makes it even harder on him. Thankfully, the knight has mercy on his poor soul and doesn't try to touch him. The small kiss that Aether gets once Elise is gone still sends jolts up his spine. It's like his skin is suddenly awfully sensitive.

The prince averts his gaze, hand covering the cheek as if to shield himself and hide the heat rising in his face. Obviously, that does nothing. He has no doubts he's completely defenceless when faced with Childe's charm.]

I... I'll do my best to practise. [He's well aware how bad he is at deceit. Up till now he never had any real need for such skill. Other than lying to himself about his feelings, that is. But fooling yourself seems easier than trying to convince others that your lies are truth.

Sighing, Aether finally accepts the hand and stands up form the floor.]

Be careful out there, okay? And I'll see you later...

[As much as he would want to hold his knight's hand, Aether forces himself to let go and then he turns to unlock the door. Now that he begins to calm down he can still feel the phantom of his lover's touch all over his body, making him crave for more.

It will be a very long dinner.]

[Childe sets his hand on his hip as Aether unlocks the door for him, grinning. He can see how flustered his prince is, and that makes it all the more sweet for him. He surely appreciates those rose-colored cheeks, positive he'd accomplished what he set out to do before dinner. He'll make sure he looks fantastic tonight, just to make matters worse for Aether.

Childe reaches out to brush his palm and fingertips along and then under Aether's jaw as he begins to walk out the door, letting the tip of his middle finger softly flick off of the prince's chin as he passes.]

Oh, you needn't worry about me. I'll be just fine. We're going to have a splendid night tonight prince, I assure you of that.

[He turns his back, waving a hand as he walks away. Ah, he too, can feel the trail of heat down his chest still from when Aether's hand wandered down it. Won't it be a fun night after all.]

Save a seat for me next to you. I won't want to be far. In case of an emergency, you know.

[That emergency being his impulse to run his hand down Aether's leg during the dinner to make him shudder beneath his touch, or other equally as devious things.]

See you soon, prince.

[It's obvious his knight is not going to make it easy on him. Even the way he says goodbye, with fingers gliding alongside the prince's jaw, he makes sure to leave Aether flustered and annoyed that they can't just skip the dinner.

The remarks are adding to it, because Aether is well aware that Childe is plotting more chaos... As if today wasn't chaotic enough!

The prince shoots him an embarrassed glare, then shoos him away with a wave of a hand.]

"Emergency"... You really are tempting fate today. Just go already.

[And he shuts the door as fast as possible once the knight leaves. Aether sinks to the floor once again, trying to clear his head but his mind keeps on spinning towards Childe over and over again. The prince remains like this, unmoving for a moment longer, before he can finally start preparing for the dinner.

The red hue is firm on his cheeks, the touches long gone echo along his skin and the taste of kisses lingers on his lips. There's warmth seated deep inside his chest. Someone loves him, treasures him, wants to be with him no matter the cost... Even amongst the chaos and fate trying to ruin their plans, Aether feels happy like he never did before.]

----

[The prince hurries for the dinner, clothing neat and elegant, hair in his usual braid, expression composed, but friendly. Aether made sure to look as normal as possible. Focusing on meeting his father and the princess helps and so he greets them both with a soft smile when he spots them. Elise looks as charming as always, but when she looks at him her cheeks dust with bright pink, which in turn, causes the prince to blush slightly as well. Upon seeing that, Elise's father grins brightly, wrongly assuming that the two have fallen for each other but are shy about it. Delighted, he urges them to link their arms as they walk towards the dining room.

The two soon-to-be-married royals quietly do as they're told and take a seat right next to one another. Aether leaves a space open by his other side for Childe to join and Elise leaves an open seat by her side as well. They smile to each other knowingly and relaxing, finally take a look at the wonderful feast that was prepared with the meat they brought today.]

[This time, the knight is not late for dinner.

In tow, Luke follows Childe sheepishly to the dining hall, having worn his best outfit that he could muster, along with a few accessories Childe has let him borrow for the occasion. The knight isn't short of money, his outfit looking splendid even among royals. If he was going to show up to a dinner officially as Aether's right hand man so to speak, he would make sure he looks the part.

Greeting the royal family with a bow, both the knight and the squire take their seats next to their designated royal, Childe looking ever confident while Luke gives a polite smile to Elise. The knight flicks his eyes over to the two of them, before settling his gaze on Aether, smile bright and not devious at all.]

Ah! What a fine night for a feast. The chefs have done wonderfully with the prizes we brought home today. Say, you two, [Childe says as he leans over to regard both Aether and Elise,] how have you two been settling in now?

[He gives them both a wink, and Luke looks nervously over to both the fathers as they chat with each other, wine in hand.]

Settling well, I hope. I think we're going to have a lot of fun tonight.

[As Childe and Luke enter and take their seats, Aether looks towards his knight immediately, but makes sure his gaze doesn't linger. Childe definitely looks good and the air of confidence boosts his charm-- No, no. He can't think about it now. He needs to focus on the dinner, on Elise... even if Childe is right next to him.

The princess giggles softly, before giving a reassuring smile to Luke. The quiet moment is interrupted when Childe speaks again, his smile charming, but Aether knows what is hiding behind it. Especially when the other leans ever so close, winking and talking of the night ahead.

The prince tries to keep his breathing calm and steady, even if his entire being seems to tremble. Truly, the knight is a demon with a death wish, continuing to play a dangerous game and tempting the prince at every turn. The princess also realizes the implications and her face brightens, but instead of shyness she leans to Aether, close but barely touching.]

Sir Childe, I have to admit I am starting to feel at home here. [There are no lies in these words. Elise truly looks happy and she steals a glance at Luke as she smiles fondly.

But she has to continue playing the bride in love.]

Thank you for your kindness. I am happy that prince Aether has someone like you by his side. [Aether blushes bright but the princess continues, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes, her words softer, like a little childish secret just between the three of them.] Make sure to take good care of him.

[Oh gods, Aether thinks to himself, he had one living chaos in his life and now there's two of them!]

[Childe's face comes to rest on a closed fist as Elise leans over, not being able to help the sly smile that forms on his face. He keeps his eyes on her, as to not draw any more suspicion than necessary, the light in them gleaming at her words. Oh, he knew they were going to get along well- and this just proves it. The mischievousness in his own eyes matches Elise's, and already Childe is coming up with plans of his own to really make life a lot more interesting for himself and the prince.

And she's absolutely going to help them.]

Oh, there's no need to fear. I'll make sure the prince is well cared for. I'd never let anything happen to your fiance.

[Under the table, Childe runs his hand across Aether's thigh right to the inside of his leg, letting his hand massage it slowly. And yet, his eyes gaze over to Luke now, to address his frightened squire.]

Luke, you'll do the same, yes? Make sure Elise's needs are met.

O-Of course, [Luke stammers, but he too now leans close to Elise to hiss back to Childe.]

Sir Childe, what if they hear you-!

[He cuts Luke off with a finger held up to his own lips, winking again. He then steals a glance at Aether, just to see his reaction. This is too much fun.]

[It takes all the willpower he has to not shiver or make a sound when he feels that hand. The heat still hits his face bad and Aether grabs his knight's hand, giving it a firm squeeze, trying to keep it away from his leg. Embarrassed, he shoots a warning to Childe, but he's sure the other will think nothing of it.

Elise blushes bright when she realizes the two of them have their hands under the table and she covers her cheeks with both hands.]

Childe... [Aether hisses, before turning to Elise. He never gets to say anything else as the king clears his throat calling for their attention.]

Is Childe teasing the two of you? [He sigh, giving the knight a disapproving look, but there's something more to it.] My son, come here, sit next to me. Princess, I would be honoured if you could also take a seat closer. [He points the chair right on his left side and then another next to it.

Aether and Elise glance at each other, then give Childe and Luke an apologetic look, before relocating. The king smiles, pleased with this new arrangement.]

Perfect. Now, I believe this diner will be an excellent occasion to make some more plans. Like the date of knighting Luke... and the marriage date. Yes... I think there's no need to wait with the marriage.

[Aether straightens in his seat. It's... so much sooner than he expected.]

[That's not a look that the knight really wants to get from the king but at least teasing isn't illegal. Childe inwardly pouts when Aether is taken from sitting next to him, and Luke finds himself in a somewhat similar position, a little surprised at himself for being so attached to Elise already. The knight pokes at his food as the two of them relocate, ever the petulant baby when he doesn't get what he wants. Though Childe calms himself quick enough, looking towards them as the king makes the announcement.

The knighting of Luke brings a smile to his face, quickly shooting his squire an excited grin, but he wasn't expecting the second half of that announcement. Not that it matters much to him, the marriage was going to happen anyway and he knew it. But why move it up?]

Your Majesty, I don't mean to intrude, [he begins, his mind jumping to what would be the worst and best outcome all at the same time.]

Is there a reason for this? Usually, a wedding of this magnitude holds more than one special significance. [He lowers his voice a little, so those who do not need to hear don't.] Our kingdom...is not in peril, is it?

[Because this wedding would unite their two nations- and give them reason to have more military power too. Which means a war, which means Childe is about to have the time of his life.]

[Aether isn't sure why the rush either, but the king doesn't seem to be nervous at their suspicious. He actually smiles and waves it all away.]

Not at all, but it surely would be good to show our neighbours how powerful our union is before they start plotting anything. [He laughs a little. With how strong their countries would get due to this alliance, there's no doubt only fools would want to war with them.]

I was planning to wait with any plans until princess Elise feels at home here, but it seems she has already settled in... I see no reason to make our two lovebirds wait too long. [When he says "lovebirds" there's something off about his tone, like he doesn't mean it.]

Do you have any objections, Childe?

[The entire room falls silent, Aether staring at his father with widened eyes. Maybe he knows everything... maybe this proposal to hurry up with the wedding is because the king wants to see their reaction. Aether wouldn't be surprised if it was the case.]

[If there's anything Childe is, it's perceptive. He catches how the king says lovebirds, as if he's throwing that word around like it means nothing. Outwardly, the knight maintains his concerned expression about going to war, but inwardly, he screams. It's very possible that the king has come to suspect their secret relationship, but ever confident, he will find a way around this.

The question posed to him only confirms the suspicion he'd formed in that second. But thankfully, with an ego as large as his and the wit to get him through tough situations like this, he answers as thus:]

I do have an objection, Your Majesty.

[He folds his arms over his chest, the look on his face cocky. The silence is palpable, with no one knowing how the knight will answer the question now that he's raised an objection. Childe lets that statement of his hang in the air for a moment, before continuing, knowing that everyone is holding their breath.]

My only objection is that our enemies won't get to taste the end of my blade. But, I have no issues with peace either as long as I'm given plenty of other ways to do battle. I have to keep my blade sharp, or else someone will take advantage of that and slay me on the battlefield.

[And that's the end of that, letting his arms unfold to take a bite of the carp that they'd caught earlier. He immediately regrets it, it tastes awful.]

[Aether tenses when Childe announces he has an objection, but then when he states his reason for it, the silence continues and everyone gathered casts the knight a dumbfounded look. Meanwhile, the prince relaxes. Childe loves keeping him on the edge.]

...Right. You really can't live without a fight.

[Aether lets himself comment, shaking his head with a small lopsided smile. The king also looks like he should've seen this coming. He rests his head on his fist and waves dismissively with the other hand.]

Fear not, I will give you as many chances to fight as possible, but remember that rather than going to war, your first and foremost duty is to protect my son.

[He takes a sip of his wine, before continuing.]

If anyone else does not have any objections, then I will issue an order to start preparations for two very important ceremonies. Hm... I think a wedding next month would not be impossible.

[Childe's hand goes over his heart as the king reminds him of his primary duty, confidence radiating from him. Of course he'd protect the prince, whether he be home or on the battlefield alongside him. There was nothing that would keep him from fulfilling his duty.

The knight lifts his wine glass to the king's decision for a wedding, looking quite content. After all, the date of the wedding doesn't matter to Childe. It would make things more complicated but, that means Elise's trip here would become a permanent one as they prepared, and not only would that make Luke incredibly happy, it means Childe's new chaos friend doesn't need to leave anytime soon.

He looks forward to the days that the four of them would have together, and even moreso to the times that he will get to have with Aether. Had it not been for all of this, if Aether had not become engaged to Elise this way, he may have stood on the sidelines for even longer. So he won't look at this in any negative light.

He gets to be with Aether now, and that's all that matters.]

To a happy marriage between our prince and princess.

[There's no grandiose speech this time, just a simple statement from the knight, waiting for the chamber to echo his sentiment before drinking from his glass.]

Haha! We can really enjoy this feast with such wonderful news, no? [He turns toward Aether and Elise, smile bright.] Aren't you two excited? The wedding will surely be beautiful. Just make sure you don't leave me out of the ceremony, now.

[Even though the date of the marriage won't change much, some sort of nervousness still settles inside Aether's stomach. There's so much they'll have to consider to continue on with their plan and to make sure everybody is happy in his situation. As if sensing his worries, Elise grabs his hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. He blinks, but smiles to her slightly. He's forever grateful that she's the one he's engaged to. Hopefully, they'll be always able to stay good friends no matter what fate decides to throw their way.

As Childe seems completely unbothered by this sudden turn of events, Aether relaxes completely while the king raises a brow as he watches the knight. Then everybody raises their wine and drinks for the future, following Childe's lead.]

It's wonderful news indeed... I'll do my best to make Elise happy... and to ensure a bright future for our nations.

[Elise blushes bright, then smiles, turning to the king.]

We'll work together and look after one another.

[With that assurance, the king seems to finally look pleased, his shoulders relax. The atmosphere in the room becomes much lighter, cheerful even. The king and Elise's father chat with the prince and princess about the wedding plans as well as their future. Although Aether is doing his best to engage in the conversation, he can't help but steal glances at his knight, sitting so far away from him now.

Thankfully, the dinner doesn't last forever. Still in good mood, the king wishes them all a good night, before he leaves and everybody else is free to head to their own chambers. Aether is tempted to wait for his knight, but instead he only nods to him to announce that he'll be leaving and heads to his room alone. It's better if they're not seen together and Childe will find a way to sneak in anyway.

Aether feels exhaustion overtake him once he gets back and he collapses onto his bed, eyes closing with a long sigh. Hopefully, even with the wedding looming ahead, their future will remain bright.]

[Childe chats with Luke most of the dinner, now that the king has moved the other two away, but he comes to peace with it pretty quickly. It's exciting to hear that Luke will be knighted, and they talk about that and other...plans, that Childe has thought of during the dinner. Luke only rolls his eyes back, and that makes the knight laugh- oh, how splendid it will all be. His squire doesn't fully understand his enthusiasm, but then, he's always looked up to him in a way despite how strange and chaotic the man was.

Luke steals a glance up to Elise, when no one else seems to be looking, giving her a soft smile. Maybe he too, will steal away with her tonight. Childe gets away with it, somehow...

As everyone is dismissed, he catches that nod, and walks in the opposite direction towards his own chambers to change into something more...fitting for the activity he's about to engage in. It's about an hour later when Childe is sneaking around the halls of the castle, taking the long way to the prince's chambers as to not arouse any suspicion as to where he's going. Thankfully, he's got his own reputation for doing whatever he wants whenever he wants, with no understanding as to why. The servants know he has his own agenda, and have learned not to question it anymore.

Childe sneaks into Aether's chambers quickly, before anyone can see him. He sees the prince lying on his bed, and he quickly tiptoes over to the bedside. He idly wonders if Aether would hit him if he scares him, so he chooses to be nice for a change, planting a kiss to his lips and pulling back before the prince can hit him or run right into his head on accident.

Childe looks down with an amused smile on his face. Not sorry.]

[Aether never changed out of his official clothing. For the entire hour he continues to lie down, eyes closed, mind in a state where he's unaware of what is happening around him, yet he's not exactly asleep either.

Suddenly, something soft brushes against his lips and the prince's eyes shoot open as he flinches at the contact. Then he's staring wide at the person above him, before relaxing with a small groan.]

...You startled me.

[Pouting, Aether reaches out with both his arms, grabbing onto his lover and urging him to join him on the bed.]

As always, you never stop having fun on my expense. [His voice sounds more playful now, even if he still keeps his eyes narrowed.] You do realize you have to make it up to me?

Isn't that what I'm here to do?

[He replies back, the grin on his face widening as Aether grabs a hold of him, easily coaxing him onto the bed. His boots are slipped of before crawling up onto it, laying down next to him on his side as he props his head up with his hand.]

You all should have seen the looks on your faces when I objected to your father. Oh, the only regret I have is that I'll never be able to do that again anytime soon. He was clearly testing me, but I think I handled it quite well, don't you think?

[Childe brushes some of Aether's hair from his face, gazing at him longingly, looking at all the places where his lips will graze as the night goes on. What a great night this will be indeed.]

[Aether's eye narrow further and he rolls to lay on his side, before reaching out again and grabbing both of Childe's cheek. He pinches them just enough to voice his annoyance, but not enough so it would actually hurt.]

Ah, of course. I really don't get why you enjoy playing with fire so much... What if it gets you killed one day?

[Oh, he definitely would not like if Childe's ego brought his demise. He can't help being worried. The king is obviously suspecting them now and Aether would never forgive himself if his knight died because of this affair.

His hands move away, falling onto the bed lifelessly.]

...Not too mention that the marriage will complicate everything even more. I would really rather if you'd be more careful around my father.

[His eyes close with the pinches, still grinning through it. Though his grin fades to a soft smile, not interested in teasing Aether more about that. He can see the worry in his prince's face, and Childe knows that he's only scolding him because he's truly worried.]

Hey, don't worry. I won't get myself killed. If your father really took issue with me at the moment, he would have thrown me into the dungeons already. I know he suspects something, but I've always been very...transparent, you could say, about my feelings.

[It almost seems like the castle has always known, but short of any confirmation since Childe had never been able to be openly romantic with the prince before, no one could confirm if he truly looked at the prince that way or not.]

He probably thinks I'm trying to throw a wrench in this wedding, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. Everything will go smoothly, I promise.

[A small kiss is planted to the forehead of the prince, soft, loving and reassuring. His plans usually work out, don't they? Even if they don't always go as planned.]

[Childe always finds a way to comfort him and now it's no different. Aether listens to him, then nods slightly when his knight promises that things will be okay. The prince then shifts closer, arms wrapping around the other as he sinks into his warmth.]

...If you promise... then I will believe it.

[He presses a soft kiss to Childe's neck, then another closer to the ear. A careful sort of affection, that is meant to show that he understands. If his knight promises something, Aether knows he'll do whatever it takes to keep that promise. Knowing that is enough to alleviate the worry, even if he still whispers:]

But still... be careful, okay?

[He doesn't want to lose him.]

[As Aether presses kisses to his body, Childe wraps his own arms around him as he rolls onto his back, letting the prince lay on top of him to give him more access to the rest of his body. The knight's eyes close, enjoying the feel of his weight on top of him, and it allows him to relax. The tension that had built up throughout the day finally seems to dissipate, breathing out a sigh of content as he opens his eyes once more to meet the golden hues of the prince's own.]

I'll be as careful as I usually am, [he says with a smile,] it doesn't seem to have led me astray yet. Look, I'll even help with the wedding plans to make sure it's as gorgeous as it can possibly be. Perhaps then, your father won't be so suspicious of me.

[Childe runs his hand through the top of Aether's hair, letting the strands flow between his fingers, soft and smooth to the touch. He won't die, it's important he stays alive at all costs. And it matters a lot to him that the prince is comfortable too with everything, even if sometimes Childe has a tendency to make situations tense. But at the end of the day, he wants the prince to have faith in him.]

[When Childe changes position, Aether shifts a bit to make sure they're both comfortable, before resuming with tiny kisses. This time he trails a path down to the shoulder, moving the shirt of his knight ever so slightly to have better access to his skin. He can feel Childe's muscles relax under the affection and the prince smile softly to himself.

Then he moves again, to look his knight in the eye, gold meeting endless blue. Aether's hand rests on his lover's cheek, fingers carefully caressing the skin.]

I wonder if it'll make him more suspicious that you're plotting something... but then again, you looked genuinely excited about the wedding.

[He laughs weakly, then lets his head rest against Childe's shoulder.]

To me... I think it'll be a little awkward. After all, I'll have to... kiss Elise at the ceremony and we'll be sharing the room afterwards.

[There's so much he's just not sure how to handle and if he doesn't makes it convincing their future may be in danger.]

Hahaha...

[He can see how that would make it strange between Aether and Elise, since they will have to show some affection towards each other to make the illusion stay up. But that fact doesn't seem to bother the knight, if only helped by the trail of kisses that run and leave a fuzzy line of warmth against his skin down to his shoulder.]

Think of it this way. Actors in theater need to do that all the time, and that is what you are essentially doing, correct? Besides, the two of you are friends, it'll be an opportunity to spend time together in that capacity. You will be running this nation yourself one day, and what better way of doing it than with a good friend that you can trust?

[Childe cranes his neck upward to plant small kisses to Aether's own neck now, letting his lips glide across his skin between each one. Now, he'll work on getting Aether's mind off of the wedding, because tonight he wants him all to himself. He's sure it won't be hard to distract him from it, a smile parting his lips through each kiss.]

Besides, you'll still have me to return to when it's all said and done anyhow...

[He breathes that sentence, breath hot on the shell of the prince's ear, seductive tones laced in it.]

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