T W E N T Y-O N E

Iris, for the third time in five minutes, glanced up from his desk to observe his body guard, who was flipping through a book while his back was on the floor but his legs were laying on the bed.

It amused the prince, seeing how he looked like a over exaggerating bored child.

Putting his pen down quietly, Iris placed his elbows on his desk and clasped his fingers together to rest his chin on. Kai flipped another page and his eyes dart left to right with a quick speed. He didn't show much facial expression but occasionally his index finger that would tap on the edge of the book would stop and his eyes would pause. Then he'd continue reading unfazed. Iris liked how he suddenly got interested in books. No..he liked how bored the vampire had to get to be able to allow a book to grab his attention. Iris knew for a fact Kai would rather stare holes into the sun than read a book; so this scene was vivid in humor.

He looked back down at his paper, his eyes struggling to focus on the blurred words and rows of information his attention just wasn't on. When he looked back up no thoughts influenced him, no decisions, he only moved animatedly back and out of his seat and walked over to Kai.

Weirdly enough, he mimicked the vampire. Laying down on the floor with his feet on the bed. While he gazed quietly up at his high ceiling, Kai raised an eyebrow at him and closed the book he held.

"Is everything okay, sir?"

Iris sighed and titled his head.

"Sorry, Iris."

Iris looked back up and closed his eyes. He didn't answer for a while, it was as though he didn't have the energy to confess rather than the hesitation. Which only made Kai more curious.

"I don't want to get married." Iris heard the book be set down.

"There's no point. Why tie two kingdoms together when years ahead the possible offspring will have to follow in the parent's footsteps? It's an endless loop."

Kai clasped his fingers together and rested them on his stomach. He wouldn't say but he never liked the topic, let alone discuss it, however his ears were always open for Iris. No matter the situation. And no matter the discomfort.

"Um, well you know what they say-" Kai glanced at Iris when he did the same, "-stick with the classics."

Iris stared at him before scoffing dryly. He was smiling but it was empty. "My mother said my dad arranged a wedding meeting."

Since humanity thought they were modernizing their laws of marriage, instead of making the arrangements set and stone right then and there-two names on a dotted line-they made a meeting, where the two parties would discuss the terms. Though it may sound like they are giving the princes and princesses a chance to have a say in the cause, it is only a sugarcoat to prevent displeased attitudes. Which has happened in the past.

"When?"

"The end of this week. I wasn't supposed to know."

"Did you ask your dad about it?"

Iris shook his head and inhaled a trembling breath, "I-I was going to tell him but I knew he'd give a speech about maturity and responsibilities and ignore my demands. And I was nervous about telling you especially with everything going on and-that's it! How could he do something with what we've just discovered? Those new generations a-and the auction-"

Kai angled his body slightly to the side when he realized how deep the prince was falling in his frustration. First his shaking words and excessive sentences, like he had no idea what he was ranting about but words kept spewing out. Normally he'd let him talk until his throat ached but now he felt it would be wrong to let him continue.

He placed a hand on Iris's mouth, making his words muffle before he fell silent, then he removed his hand. "Iris, you, uh-this..feeling that you..feel, I agree with you. It is unfair and I know you disapprove of it and I know there's a lot going on..but I can't tell you what to do. I can say that the meeting isn't until the end of the week so you have some time to think over what you want to say. Don't stress about it right now. Okay? Stress does not look good on faces like yours."

By the end of his words, the prince had wide, unreadable hazel eyes. It wasn't the best speech the vampire could have given, but it was to Iris. He was used to silent and distant closure from Kai, no back rubs or comforting, overrated chats, but he lent his presence, his ears, and attention. It meant everything to Iris when he was at his many breaking points and his guard refused to let him be on his own; even when he denied he wanted him close. When he was upset, Kai would always hovered near him, knowing Iris didn't want to be alone despite saying so. And he'd listen to his complaints-just listen. For hours and hours if he had to.

So now it meant the world to him just knowing the vampire was putting in visible and verbal effort. It wasn't much. But it was definitely something.

Iris turned his head so his shock was more lucid to Kai, and it almost made him bashful for saying such low level reassurance. After silent staring and appreciation, Iris's lips started to tremble as he was failing at containing his chuckle.

"I find your amusement in this a little assaulting."

"No, I'm sorry! It's just..it's not amusement it's admiration. I really needed that."

Kai scratched his cheek, "I sort of only talked to shut you up."

Iris raised his eyebrows and titled his head, creating a warning/surprised face.

"I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Yeah, probably not." Iris smirked while Kai mumbled a gentle sorry. He looked down at the vampire's lips and on instinct his heart started racing. It's been a day..and he could't resist.

He turned his head so part of his cheek was flat against the floor and he was face to face with sparkling blue eyes and a smile.

"Can I kiss you?..I mean, I never quiet asked for permission the first time." He witnessed Kai's smile grow into a smirk and he felt his slightly cold hands already caress the side of his neck, pulling him closer until their noses touched.

"Neither did I."

And just like that, a small piece of heaven was fulfilling both their suppressing cravings. It was a simple gesture, but it was a temptation that turned them into addicts for the taste. For that second of euphoria. For that paradise. Neither expected the feeling to be so powerful and secretly dangerous.

Iris fluttered his eyes open a bit when he noted how uncertain Kai's lips were for the first time. He thought it as though they shared a million kisses. Before he could pull away, the vampire did first.

"What's wrong?"

Kai made a noise a hesitation. "I'm not entirely...educated on how to kiss humans. You know it's different when you don't have to worry about-you know." He pointed to his mouth and Iris made an 'o' shape with his lips.

"I'm careful."

Kai chuckled and shook his head. "And I'm forgetful."

Iris bit his lip and leaned up on his elbows to scoot back, making his legs fall off the bed. "Would tasting my blood make a difference?"

"Why would it do that?"

"I don't know, maybe if I do accidentally get cut, you tasting my blood wouldn't affect you so much."

The vampire sighed and copied Iris. It felt better sitting than having to kiss with their backs glued to the floor. "Can we not talk about your blood, please."

"It's not just about my blood."

"Iris," Kai ran a hand through his hair and sighed again, "I'm not going to try to hide it, but you have to know I'd never bite you to fulfill my own craving. You know it used to annoy me when you tried to distant yourself when you bled like I haven't been controlling myself for the past three years. But you obviously didn't know that."

Iris sat on his ankles as he got closer to Kai. "But I'm letting you."

"I don't care. I can't-I'm not allowed-"

"Hey, I told you no more being strict about rules."

"This is different. This is your blood. You know I could get killed for biting you, right? Let alone a human."

"That's why you bite where no one can see."

"Why are you so persistent?"

"Maybe I..like how you kind of..crave me.."

Kai raised his eyebrows and Iris flung his hands out with a surfacing blush, defending himself before words, "D-don't take me wrong, I seriously feel bad you've been struggling so much and all I want to do is help, but you admitting it's my blood you want kind of started all this. I wasn't scared I was.." Iris ran his hands down his face with a heavy groan of frustration.

"If you say turned on-"

"NO!"

Kai blurted out a laugh when Iris leaped for him and he fell backwards with the prince on top of him. "I was kidding." He chuckled, suddenly flipping them so he was on top.

"I hate you so much." Iris slapped his hands on Kai's face, blocking his view of his raging blush burning his cheeks red and his ears a bright pink. He retaliated when the vampire easily sat up and gripped his wrists.

"It's not like you have a fetish for my suffering or anything. Or do you? Naughty."

"Kai!" Iris grunted as he tried to shrink away from him and die of embarrassment in peace. Normally they'd be on an equal scale of strength while rough playing. They'd take turns corrupting the other's dominance. Now he was just weak from the previous stress and the weight of being so red-faced. He was so foolishly, blindly dumb to think he fell for someone who wasn't going to totally tease him with no proper reason. He was Kai, after all.

"So you like being wanted. Desired by another? That's interesting because you're gawked at almost everyday by maids or by a princess if she's here."

Iris kept the side of his face snugged in his shoulder as he refused to meet Kai's cocky smirk.

"If that's so, you only like it when I'm the one yearning for you, hm?" The vampire almost let out a chuckle of achievement when Iris shuffled under him with a quiet hitch of his breath, though Kai heard it. And he could hear his drumming heartbeat exceeding past a hundred easily. Had he always been this easy to break? "But that's okay."

Iris let out his restraining breath and opened his mouth, "Please don't think I like your struggling when I say I like your want. I know it's weird but-"

"It's not weird. It's a surprise that makes sense. I understand you encouraging me to get what I want will also suffice your own desire. But..I can't because it's to protect you."

"For once, Kai, I want you to get what you want." He almost added, before it's too late; but that was too painful to even think about.

He watched Kai waver, an internal battle he was fighting that he ended up loosing. Or winning, he didn't know which it was but he knew what he was fighting over.

Kai leaned down and captured Iris's lips in a tender kiss.

It wasn't what he wanted-if he was acting off Iris's words-but it was undoubtedly what he needed.