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He stays still, looking at Leona through his eyelashes. The big cat was fast asleep, breathing slow, and if Malleus was dumb, he’d think the Savanaclaw housewarden couldn’t sense his gaze.
He could. He just felt safe enough to let the Fae Prince stare.
Malleus lets a breath out, one that he didn’t know he was holding. He looked at Leona’s nightstand where a simple gold ring, with beautiful engravings carved into it, rested. A matching ring around his own finger. He blinked and looked at the ceiling.
Promised to each other. For each other. Leona was his and he was Leonas.
He laid there, on that bed, simply staring at the ceiling, mulling over this thought.
“You’re starin’ real hard at the walls, gecko.” A groggy voice sounded out to the left, accompanied with an arm snaking around Malleus’ waist. “Somethin’ wrong with it or are you doing that thin’ lizards do?”
Malleus huffs, “I would’ve thought you’d have laid off the silly lizard jokes by now.” Considering we’ve been promised to each other and all. But the fae couldn’t believe that fact, so he left the thought as a thought.
The beastman snorted, “Like hell.” He grunts, bringing the horned man closer to him, Malleus himself offering no resistance, facing Leona.
They were close. Malleus could see the slight flecks of gold in Leonas forest-green eyes.
“Do you regret sayin’ yes?”
Malleus blinked. That question was unexpected. He looks at Leona, whose intense gaze reveals nothing. His lips formed into a slight frown, though, his expression still looked neutral, ears upright and tail resting on Malleus’ thigh.
The fae blinks before his lips twist into a smug expression, “Is the great Savanaclaw Housewarden feeling insecure?” he challenges.
Their love language; Challenges. Lilia often giggles at that. ‘Young love is so intense.’ He says, in that tone of his. The one that makes Malleus feel as though he is being treated as a child.
“Gonna mock me for it, princess?” The other man challenges back.
Malleus rolls his eyes, “You’re hardly less of a princess yourself, I’ll have you know. Quite the petulant one, at that.”
“Oh, I’m soooo sorry, Lord Malleus , would you rather I sleep at your feet and only look at you when you allow me to?” The second prince snarls playfully.
Malleus rolls his eyes, sighing. “I don’t.” He hums, in thought. “Yes, this may only be an arranged engagement, only done in order to improve the alliance between my home and yours but…I see your potential as a king, Leona.” Malleus’ gaze was fixed on his own hands, his ears on alert from any sound from the second prince.
He waited a second. And when the fae didn’t hear anything he continued, “You are highly intelligent. You just…” he raises his gaze to Leona’s face, whose lips were pursed, ears flat on his head.
Did Malleus say something that upsetted him? Damn it all. He hadn’t intended that—
His future king reaches out to hold Malleus’ hand, raising it to his lips and kissing the faes knuckles, his eyes closed, eyelashes fanned out, dark skin gleaming and the Savanaclaw housewarden looking like heaven under the dim light of the lamp. Leona opens his eyes to reveal those intense forest green eyes that Malleus feels as though he could be poisoned by just by staring.
“I’ll try my best to live up to your hopes, Mal.”
Malleus exhales through his nose, the wind in his lungs knocked out. He chuckles lightly, cheeks warm.
“You already do, Leona.”