Butterfly Prince

by Britannica Tany

  Together they all go towards the elevator, but Aiden lags behind “to find his slippers” but that was a lie. He goes back to the bathroom and stares at his reflection. “…it has to be treated quickly.” He grips the edges of the sink counter. Quickly…quickly…he bites his quivering bottom lip because he knew—he could feel it, his body, when he awoke that first time after the surgery he felt refreshed but only briefly and that was when the pain kicked in.

  He knew, just like a flock of birds migrating in the winter—he knew where he was going. He plucked the beautiful rose and it pricked his finger and so…he bled, but he bled out of love.

  “Fuck you Shakespeare.”

  Hours later – 11:02PM

  There were discarded boxes of chicken strewn across the room and empty cans of beer and soda that stood on the tables and on the foot of Aiden’s bed. Kael was bending down to clean up, his feet were bare and he was dressed comfortably in his white tee and shorts. He had changed a few moments after everyone had left the room. Now it was just him and Aiden (Hyde said that he would be in the lobby, he’d sleep there “you two need some time together—alone.”). Aiden was sitting up in his bed, the bedside lamp turned on as he skimmed through one of the books Janus had bought for him. “Reading is better than those porno films you watched.” Janus had said and Aiden had kindly flipped him off. He only watched them so that he could understand, but now that he thought about it, it was out of curiosity, but that was beside the point. He places his book down and looks up. He watches as Kael scoops a set of cans into the empty grocery bag he had brought. “They’re animals.” Aiden cracks and Kael grins. “Why’re you cleaning up their mess?” he asks and Kael shrugs. “I want to get our date together.”

  “Date?” Aiden questions and Kael nods as he stuffs the last of the trash into his bag. “Yeah, we can have our own little date here.”

  “Woah, in this room?”

  “Why not?” Kael questions cutely and Aiden sighs shoving a hand through his hair. Kael hurries to toss the trash as he places candles about the room, but before he lights them he hurries to turn all the room lights off. “That one.” He points to Aiden’s bedside lamp. “Click it off for me.” Aiden stares at Kael and then he turns it off and the youngers figure shifts into a mere shadow. Aiden squints into the darkness, listening intently as Kael shuffled around. And slowly, the room began to glow. As each candle was lit, a warm, orangey glow began to fill the darkness until the room became a single glowing mass that Kael stood in the middle of. “Magical, huh.” He spoke in an excited whisper, his feline eyes glittering. Aiden stares at him and his heart does the oddest of things and he has a hard time thinking about his troubles and his pain. All he sees is Kael and that’s quite alright if that’s all he ever sees. The darkness surrounds Kael, but it does not touch him, instead it amplifies his beauty. “Kael,” Aiden’s voice comes out somewhat breathless. He has no words, he doesn’t know what to say because this man is everything. He’s beautiful. He’s shy. He’s strong. He’s afraid. He’s fragile too. He’s confident. He’s amazing. Aiden wanted to say it all, but the words were stuck in his throat. “I’m so glad we met.” He blurts and Kael laughs brightly, his face shining in the dark. Aiden lifts his hand out to Kael and he tries to keep the tremble out of his voice as he asks. “My Prince, will you come lie with me?” he tilts his head to the side and Kael’s lips curl into a sweet smile. “Of course I will,” he goes towards Aiden and takes his hand. “My knight.” Aiden grins seductively and yanks him onto the bed, Kael braces himself so that all of his weight does not land on Aiden. With Kael positioned on top of him and their noses touching, Aiden whispers “You look as though you want me to make love to you.” Kael snorts. “In the state that you’re in, no.” Aiden grins crookedly. “Then kiss me.” He urges with glazed eyes and Kael blinks, his lashes dusting his cheeks. “Only one kiss, that’s all I ask.” He continues. “And that’s all you’ll get.” Kael replies, leaning in and closing his eyes once their lips connected. Aiden’s hands slid from Kael’s back and they grip his hips.

  It was only one kiss, but a kiss that lasted throughout the night.

  If Kael were the rose Aiden picked, he’d continue to hold onto him, tightly, even if the thorns that were the past cut into him. He’d hold him, because he loved him and because he loved him—he’d let him go. Once all of Kael’s thorns fell away and were instead buried deep in Aiden—he’d free his wings and watch him fly.

  Skye- Written in the Past

  The castle was eerily silent, the empty halls seeming to drift into forever and the once covered paintings were now being taken down one by one until the walls were bare. The queen lay awake in her king sized bed, but there was no king to fill the space beside her. She clasped her hands together and stared up at the ceiling. It was dark and silent and she was alone. “So this is how he felt…” she murmurs turning her head to look at the family portrait that was staring back at her. In the picture she and her husband were smiling, their grand crowns glowing on their heads and in between them was Kael. He was also smiling, but his eyes remained empty and his posture stiff. She reaches a trembling hand towards the picture and touches her husbands face. She caresses the glass and her expression remains blank and she mutters in the dark. “I wonder…if I ever really loved you or if you ever loved me...” Her words hang in the silence almost as thick as the dark that shrouded the room. They didn’t meet and fall in love like her son and Aiden, it was pre-arranged—they never had the option of “true love.” Over the years she really did start to believe that she had loved him, but when she saw him dead…she felt that her reaction was almost staged. She didn’t believe her own tears. Of course she was shocked and heartbroken, but it wasn’t deeper than that. The King to her was always a figure—a chess piece—and so when he slept with other women she felt hurt, but never really cared. The only true love that came out of their relationship was Kael and she failed to raise him with the love and care she yearned for. She shifts in the bed biting her bottom lip. So she was grateful for Aiden’s appearance, grateful that he was able to do what she wasn’t. She stares for a moment longer at the picture before slamming the frame facedown and turning her back to it. She tugs the blankets over her body and forces herself to go to sleep.

  ~*~

  Janus stood outside of the RPA building, his hands in his pockets. It had been a while since he had come here and the building suddenly seemed so tall and lonesome. He opens the door and steps inside. The air inside was much warmer than outside, but somehow there was still a chill. “Janus?” the lady at the front desk calls out to him questioningly. He waves a hand and smiles sheepishly. “Sorry to come in so late.”

  “No, no, you’re perfectly fine.” She smiles his way. “The boys come in everyday asking when you’ll be back.” His expression warms at hearing her words. “Well, here I am.”

  “Yes, here you are.” He lingers in the lobby a moment longer to catch up on what he’s missed before taking the elevator to his office floor. The door dings and for a moment he stands in the elevator in a daze, his heart racing for some unknown reason. He takes a deep breath and steps out into the hall. Being that it was so late there was barely anyone in the halls and the gray walls weren’t shaking with practice or loud laughter and suddenly everything seemed so dead. He walks down the hall dragging his hand along the wall and recounting all the memories this place held. The castle was like a second home and the RPA building was his shelter. “Janus…” he stops, his hand coming to a still along the wall. “Why are you here so late?” it was Micah. He spins around slowly and their eyes meet. “Memories.” Is his one-worded reply and Micah eyes him with uncalled for worry. “Memories huh? Isn’t this place full of the bad ones?” he cracks and Janus shrugs. “Maybe for you…but not me.” He says this taking a step closer to Micah. “I guess the only really good memories I have here is meeting you and Aiden.” Micah explains with a shy smile and Janus beams reaching him in two long strides. “So why are you here?” he asks and
Micah replies “Because since someone’s been dealing with a lot of personal affairs I thought I’d be a good underling and look after the place for him.” He says this with a wink and Janus takes him by his wrist and pulls him into a tight embrace. “Thank you.” He says against his neck and Micah blinks briefly taken aback by the sudden contact. “N-no problem at all.” He stutters and Janus grins, his grip on him tightening. “You know…” he begins, his voice lowering to a whisper. “I’m at the age where I should be married; have kids and a wife…” he trails off and Micah listens, his hand sliding up and down Janus’s back. “But, I have none of that. Instead I have you and Francis and Aiden and Jenna.” He lifts his head from Micah’s shoulder and looks into his brown eyes. He reaches a hand up to caress the side of his face. “And you all are my everything.” He finishes and Micah is at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing. Janus laughs covering his agape mouth with his lips. They kiss silently in the hall. And suddenly the walls seem to be bursting with color and life. Janus kisses him for a moment longer before pulling away.

  “Thank you once again for not only looking out for me, but for being with me.” He places a hand to the top of Micah’s head and teases his hair with a smile and the words were there—three simple words, but in that moment, they didn’t have to be said. Micah returns his smile and then reaches to take Janus’s hand in his.

  ~*~

  Jenna was sitting at the Kim’s family kitchen table, a cold cup of tea in her hands. Aiden’s parents had invited her over some time ago, but she never found the courage in herself to face them again that is until she talked to Janus about it a few hours ago. He had told her that staying away wouldn’t prevent the feeling of guilt or dread she was experiencing. But it would strengthen it. So here she was now, the clock nearing midnight as Aiden’s mother came back into the kitchen with a weary smile. “I can prepare a place for you to sleep.” She says warmly and Jenna shakes her head. “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “Hardly! You’re like a daughter to us, dear.” She rushes to say and Jenna laughs nervously, her grip on the cup tightening. “I just…” she pauses, clears her throat and starts again. “Mrs. Kim,”

  “What’s with the formalities? We’re practically family.” The woman laughs, the sound echoing hollowly in the empty room. Jenna smiles thinly. “Your son…and Kael—the King, I’m sure you’ve seen the news.”

  “Y…yes, I have.” She pulls out a chair to sit across from Jenna her expression changing drastically. “I just wanted to know how you felt about that.” Jenna raises the cup to her lips. “How I feel?” she echoes and Jenna nods taking a sip from her cold tea. “Well, what do my feelings matter if that man makes Aiden happy?” she shakes her head. “Sure I’m just as shocked as anyone would be; I think to myself “why didn’t I see it coming?” If I had stopped them from falling in love…would that have been beneficial to Aiden or just for my own sake…” she smiles sadly to herself and Jenna stares at her and after a while she finally decides to ask “What do you think Skye would have thought about this?” upon hearing the question, Mrs. Kim’s smile immediately falls away. “Skye…oh, our precious Skye.” She murmurs and Jenna places her cup down. “Skye…she probably would have wanted this; she always came home with a smile and a wish that the Prince and Aiden could meet.”

  “Her wish was for those two to meet?” Jenna questions and Mrs. Kim nods. “See,” the word comes out like a sigh. “That child was always complaining about Aiden hating the Prince and she pitied that boy—I mean—Kael. She felt sorry for him…being alone, is what she said.” Jenna listens as each of Mrs. Kim’s words come up like a painting being gently formed. “She said that the Prince was nothing but a lonely, little boy who wanted a friend and who was she to take that from him.” Mrs. Kim pauses to gather her thoughts and then she continues on to say. “She may have gone there in hopes of getting Aiden out of becoming a bodyguard, but along the way she began to care for Kael.” Jenna stares down into the brown of her tea. “She cared for him so much, so I’m doing this on her behalf.”

  “Doing what?” Jenna asks and Mrs. Kim smiles. “Giving those two their space and peace of mind.” She rises up from her seat and yawns. Jenna stares up at her in slight awe before also standing up. They both turn to look in the direction of where Skye’s memorial was placed. “She was like an older sister to me.” She begins to say and Mrs. Kim nods. “She was like that to everyone she encountered.” Jenna hums in agreement. “The Skye-effect.” She murmurs and Mrs. Kim laughs lightly. “What a beautiful effect.”

  Back at the castle where Skye’s notebook lay, the pages tinged with Aiden’s blood and the cover waiting to be opened. Her secrets and thoughts were kept there. The room in which it lay was dead silent all except for the whistle of the wind which caused the curtains to flutter. And the room seemed to be flickering with a ghostly life in the dark as the dried blood of the King and Aiden shown against the moonlight. Seemingly forgotten like the room itself.

  Aiden lay awake that night with Kael pressed to his chest, his eyes blinking in the dark. It was only when Kael stirred against his chest did he snap out of his daze. “Aiden,”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re awake.”

  “Of course.” He replies, their voices heavy in the still room. “Mm, you should be sleeping.” Kael mumbles and Aiden laughs, his chest vibrating against Kael’s head. “And what about you?”

  “I’m watching over you, listening to your heart and counting your breaths.”

  “Are you afraid I’ll vanish?” Aiden jokes and Kael tilts his head so that their eyes could meet in the dark. “Yes…I’m afraid of losing you.” He states and Aiden regrets it, having asked such a question so lightly. He swallows and turns away from Kael’s penetrating gaze. “Don’t be afraid.” He says, his arms sliding around to hold Kael by his waist. “Skye once wrote that there’s nothing to be afraid of—death, loneliness, forgetting…nor the past.”

  “You read her notebook?” Kael asks and Aiden nods. “Of course I did, I felt even closer to her.”

  “Wasn’t that…invading her privacy?” Aiden lightly flicks Kael across his forehead before continuing. “She said there will always be someone looking out for you.”

  “Always…”

  “All those things won’t keep the person who loves you from being with you.” Aiden caresses Kael’s shoulders and pulls him even closer to him. “So don’t worry.” He closes his eyes, his lips resting in Kael’s soft hair. “If I do leave you…what will you do?” Aiden asks and Kael pushes away from him, his eyes shaking. “Why would you even ask such a thing?” he snaps and Aiden opens his eyes to stare at him. “I just…”

  “How do you think I would feel Aiden?” his voice suddenly rose in pitch. “How do you think I would handle losing you?” his voice cracks over the words and Aiden’s eyebrows furrow. “Kael, I didn’t mean…”

  “I know…I know.” He takes a deep breath swinging his legs on the other side of the bed and dropping to his feet. The tile is cold and Aiden watches his back regretfully. “Where are you going?” he asks and Kael flashes him a meek smile. “To wash my face, don’t wait up for me.” He slips into the bathroom and the door closes silently. Aiden sits up in his bed, his eyes dropping to the ground. “Damn it.” He curses shoving a frustrated hand through his hair and falling back against the pillows. Pushing him away, hurting him like this…what good is it doing? He knows, Kael probably knows just like I do. He listens as the water begins to rush into the faucet and to the squeaky sound it makes as the knob is turned. It’s inevitable—I’m going to leave him, but he won’t suffer like when Skye left. This time he has so many wonderful people by his side. The water suddenly stops running and Aiden can hear him sobbing quietly in the bathroom. His voice is muffled but it seems to be that he’s muttering about something. Aiden clutches a handful of the blankets in his hands and then he flings them aside and rushes across the room to the bathroom. He swings the door open and Kael stares at him wide-eyed.
“Stop it.” He whispers stepping forward and embracing him. “What did I tell you about crying alone?” he pushes Kael into his chest and caresses his back. “Just stop it.” He holds onto him tightly and Kael cries, it’s a quiet sound that gradually becomes louder before fading out like ocean waves. Aiden can feel the warmth of Kael’s tears seeping through his thin nightgown and onto his chest. So warm yet so sad.

  He gently pushes him back to look at his face and he smiles sadly. “We should go to sleep.” He says this but neither of them move, stuck in a daze that is each other’s gaze. “Kael…I love you.” He whispers and Kael smiles taking Aiden’s hand and kissing the tips of his fingers. “I know, I know.” He places Aiden’s hand to the side of his face and leans into it, his eyes closing. “You can’t sleep here.” Aiden jokes, but Kael only hums in response, his tears glistening against the moonlight.

  Our Beautiful Bouquet

  The greenhouse rustles with life as Kael fumbles around for his clothes; Aiden was sleeping soundly on his shirt, with his bare chest open to the air and his pants halfway buttoned up. Kael glares and marches over to him, he kicks his leg and the older jumps awake. “Come on, we have to get back to the castle.”

  “Do we really…” Aiden groans wiping his eyes and looking dazedly around. “We come here to clean up and then somehow end up doing…other things.” Kael grumbles and Aiden smirks. “You say it as though you don’t understand how we end up fuc—“

  “Just get dressed.” Aiden chuckles obeying Kael’s orders with a gentle smile. The garden was completed, but yet they found comfort in coming here to just be alone and to just be together—to comfortably hold one another. They would clean, plant and inevitably kiss each other which led to other things such as shattered vases and dirt along their skin as the table creaked beneath them. “I have to hurry on back to the castle.”