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The morning sun filtered through the curtains, warm and golden, lazily draping across the sleeping figures tangled in silk robes and tangled sheets. The air still smelled faintly of rosewater and citrus from their earlier bath. Ren stirred softly, snuggled against Shinomi's chest, utterly at peace.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A dull sound echoed through the silence.
Shinomi blinked once, still half-asleep. His legs moved before his brain did. Wrapped in nothing but his robe, hair still damp from the bath and eyes dazed from sleep, he shuffled over to the door, cracked it open—
—and froze.
Standing there, in full formal attire with an unreadable expression and arms clasped behind his back, was Ren's father. The King.
A long pause. Too long.
Shinomi's sleepy brain finally kicked in. He looked down at himself, back up at the king, then turned ghost white.
"…Your Majesty," he whispered.
The King didn't move a muscle, but his eyes scanned Shinomi—his open robe collar, his rumpled hair, the red flush still clinging to his ears—and then flicked toward the inside of the room.
Behind him, on the bed, Ren stirred groggily, his eyes fluttering open. "Mmm… Shinomi, what's that sound…?" He blinked, half-sat up, and then saw the door open. He yawned. Then he saw who was at the door.
"…Holy. Shit."
He bolted upright, clutching the covers to his chest like they were sacred armor, face going crimson in half a second.
"D-Dad!?"
Still stone-faced, the King looked at them both and said simply, "Come to the dining hall. We need to talk."
Then he turned and walked away, each footstep like a countdown to doom.
The door clicked shut.
The silence afterward was deafening.
Shinomi, pale and wide-eyed, stood frozen like he'd been cursed. "I opened the door. I opened the door. In a robe. After last night."
Ren facepalmed. "Why didn't you check who it was!?"
"I was half-asleep! I thought it was tea service or a servant or—" He suddenly turned to Ren, grabbed his shoulders, and looked at him desperately. "He's going to exile me. Or stab me. Or both."
Ren, wrapped in the sheets, let out a loud groan and flopped onto the pillows. "We're dead."
"…Let me kiss you goodbye," Shinomi muttered dramatically, leaning over.
Ren squinted at him. "Seriously?"
"Just one kiss before I'm banned from the kingdom. Or executed."
Ren sighed heavily but lifted his face. "Fine. One kiss."
Shinomi cupped Ren's face and kissed him deeply—slow and lingering, full of emotion and nervous humor. "I regret nothing," he whispered.
Ren mumbled, "You will if he pulls out the sword."
They quickly threw on formal clothes—nervously fixing collars, buttoning too fast, Shinomi nearly putting his sash on upside down. They barely spoke, except for Shinomi's occasional muttering of his last will and testament and Ren hissing at him to stop making it worse.
Finally, standing outside the dining hall doors, Ren clutched Shinomi's hand.
"Don't say anything smug. Don't smile too much. Try not to talk unless he asks."
"…Can I blink?"
"No."
They both took a deep breath, then pushed the door open.
Inside, the King sat at the head of the table. His face was blank. On the table was tea, breakfast… and a long silence.
He gestured for them to sit.
As they moved to the chairs, Ren's legs felt like jelly. Shinomi accidentally pulled the napkin into his lap and nearly dragged the whole teacup tray with it. Both of them sat like students caught cheating on an exam.
The King poured himself a cup of tea. Sipped.
Finally, he looked at them.
"I've been a king long enough to know when two people love each other," he said calmly.
Ren nearly passed out.
Shinomi stopped breathing.
The King continued, "I made peace with your relationship a while ago. But I did not expect that kind of display… in my palace."
Ren opened his mouth, "I—"
The King raised a hand.
"I'm not here to shame you. I'm not even angry. I'm… adjusting. You two clearly care for one another. And… after seeing the support from the people, after what you've done for the state…"
He paused.
"I'm not forbidding your relationship. But if I ever find you tossing each other against palace walls again, you'll be cleaning every hallway with a toothbrush. Understood?"
Ren nodded violently.
Shinomi whispered, "Yes, Your Majesty."
There was another pause. Then, to both their shock, the King let out a sigh and said, "You know… your grandmother once caught me and and your mom under the garden pavilion. We were younger, but… just as foolish."
Ren's eyes went wide. "Please stop."
"Too much information," Shinomi mumbled.
The King waved a hand, smirking just slightly. "Go eat. And for heaven's sake, keep the door locked tonight."
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