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“I think she doesn’t like me, Jace” Luke admitted in such a low voice that made it hard for Jace to understand.
“What are you talking about?” his brother asked with incredulity.
Luke frowned, he was trying to open up with his brother, and he came up with that stupid question.
“Rhaena,” he murmured her name with a sort of angriness. “She has been avoiding me since mother announced our betrothment”
“Luke, she loves you, we all know that.” Luke knew his brother's attention was not on him, despite his words. And well, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to talk about his feelings minutes before the family dinner started.
“But not in that way,” he stared at the empty table beside him. “What if she is not happy with me?”
There was a moment of silence between them, even when the rest of their family entered into the room followed by a series of mutters.
Then, Jace placed a comforting hand over Luke’s shoulder and gave him a nice smile that made the rest irrelevant for a small moment.
“I’m sure Rhaena is more than happy to wed you instead of some fool Lord from who knows where.”
Jace sounded so confident that Luke couldn’t do anything more than recognize that he might be right; his brother always told the truth after all. He always knew what to say.
Luke just needed to speak with Rhaena to clear up any misunderstandings.
Worry abandoned his mind, but sadly, it didn’t last long when his uncle Aegon sat next to them, ruining everything with his dumb comments and annoying presence. Luke knew he lost his chance to go with his betrothed without Aegon noticing and starting to taunt them, it was enough when he was already being an asshole with poor Baela.
And for the worst, his other uncle, Aemond, just decided to sit in front of him. But at least, he wasn’t paying attention to Luke, or that's what it seemed like because his only eye was focused on another place. It was the best, Luke was still unable to believe that this man was his once shy uncle, whose older brother mocked him for being the only Targaryen without a Dragon; but, at the same time it made sense, he always seemed to have a strong spirit, stronger than any of them.
When he realized that he had been staring at Aemond for longer than he should have, he returned his attention to Rhaena in a quick move. Maybe Luke should speak to her when the dinner was over, in a place where they both were alone so he could be able to confess his feelings… Or whatever he was meant to say.
Luke then looked for Jace, he had more experience and probably would know better what to say to make a girl happy. But Jace was no longer at his side, he was standing and offering his hand to Halaena, asking her for a dance.
Aegon's face was priceless, though Luke wasn’t sure about Jace’s motivation; maybe he just wanted to annoy Aegon, or perhaps, he felt sorry for her, but any reason led to the same result. He was now alone, and he still didn’t know what to do about Rhaena.
So, he took another sip of wine. He had heard many times that alcohol made men lose their fear, but he never put that theory into practice. Until today.
He found out he was laughing more easily after several minutes, and he couldn’t help the giggly that followed when one of the servants placed the next dish over the table, just between Aemond and him. It was funny to think that once Jace and Aegon made fun of him with the Pink Dread, and now, Aemond rode the biggest Dragon alive.
Somehow, Aemond, whose whole attention seemed to be on the dance, turned to him maybe too fast and stared at him directly in the eyes. Luke, for some reason, didn’t want to avoid his gaze and kept the smile on his face.
Aemond raised his cup, and made a final tribute to his nephews, calling them wise, sweet, handsome, and… strong. Some part of his subconscious told him that it was offensive. But the number of cups on his body prevented him from capturing the message. Luke instead, discovered he liked his uncle calling him sweet. Why didn't he tell him it more often?
He wasn’t sure what happened then, but Jace got angry with his uncle and some kind of fight started, it should have been awful, but Luke was too drunk to care. He just understood the part where the dinner was over, meaning that it was time for him to get his way with Rhaena.
The two sisters were among the first guests to get out, so Luke had no choice but to follow them while he tried to avoid this messy environment and… not fall due to his drunkenness.
The hallways were long and dark; why were there so few candles? It was so frustrating, he just wanted to speak with Rhaena and they couldn't exchange a single word all night.
For one moment, Luke thought he had lost sight of them when they deviated to the left, or was it the right? Seven hells, he couldn’t remember. Luke was so upset he wanted to cry, just when he lifted his jaw again, and despite all the fog that was in his head, he managed to recognize a back… There she was!
If Luke had been sober, he probably would have been more hesitant to look for her. That was not the case, so when he was near enough he started to talk;
“Here you are,” he whispered with half a laugh before getting worrier. “I’m sorry that this happened, but I’m also glad that I can be with you.”
Words slipped through his tongue, but he was sure he had sounded clear enough when he reached her arm.
“I-I really like you and I want to make you happy, every day.” Luke tried to turn the other to see her front, but he closed his eyes instinctively for the lack of an answer.
His heart accelerated, feeling the throbbing against his chest as he leaned enough, in a quick move, just to press his lips with the other’s.
It was a clumsy kiss, and even in his status, Luke knew he was doing it all wrong, but he was unable to move his lips or do anything at all. He felt the heat reaching his cheeks when a hand slid over his waist, as a signal that something was wrong.
He broke the kiss, or maybe it was Rhaena? The thing was that he had not much room to think when the other spoke first.
“What in the Seven Hells are you doing, bastard?”
Luke stiffened, suddenly feeling less drunk. That voice… that voice definitely didn’t belong to Rhanea; what was worse, Luke could recognize it even under the effect of a sea of wine.
“U-uncle?” Luke babbled as he contemplated the figure in front of him.
How had he managed to mistake his fianceé for Aemond?
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-” He thought he was about to cry. “I was just looking for Rhaena”
“I’m afraid I am not her,” he said harshly.
Still, Aemond didn’t move away, and some part of Luke’s mind noticed that his hand remained on his waist.
“My apologies.” Luke averted his gaze to the floor. “I didn’t mean this to happen-”
“I feel sorry for her, you’re terrible at that,” he whispered as his free hand rubbed his cheek, letting his thumb slide over his cheekbone, almost touching his lower eyelid. “You’re lucky to have such a pretty face.”
Luke blushed even more, and he wished he was sober to understand why he asked;
“Are you mad at me?”
For the first time, Luke swore that Aemond’s only eye softened his gaze, just for an instant, but enough for Luke to notice, knowing his uncle always had that angry expression on his face.
“You took off my eye, and you were laughing at my face at dinner.” He made a pause where his pitch of voice hardened. “Of course I’m mad at you.”
Luke shook his head as the memories from dinner returned to his mind, as if someone had slapped him. Aemond’s hand moved away from his face.
“I wasn’t mocking you. I just… thought of Vhagar.” His head felt so heavy now. “And then everybody started to fight each other… just when you were calling me sweet nephew.”
“I never said-”
“During the toast,” Luke interrupted him; he still felt so dizzy. “I liked it, why don’t you say that more often?”
“You’re such a headache,” Aemond murmured as he placed his fingers, this time, under his jaw and forced their gaze to meet, before adding; “Sweet nephew of mine.”
At that moment, Luke wasn’t sure if he felt more or less drunk than before.
“Please,” he whispered, without knowing what he was asking for.
“And a terrible kisser.” A slight smile appeared on his face. “Someone should teach you how to do it right.”
And then, the hand that was on his waist tightened its hold as Aemond led his body to him before pressing their lips together one more time. Luke whimpered into the kiss and his lips got separated by the other’s as the kiss intensified. He just let his uncle take control, to guide him.
Aemond, then, moved away from him, just a little, to place his lips over his ear. Luke felt his hot breathing against his skin.
“You just can't walk like this, all by yourself in a place like that; you know how dangerous it can be for such a pretty face like yours,” he said slowly, before pressing a kiss in the spot under his ear. “You’re lucky it was me.”
Luke gasped as he put his arms around him; he wanted his uncle near, more–
“Luke, I finally found you!”
That voice. Luke guessed he knew that voice, but right now he wasn’t sure of anything, although whoever it was, must be important enough to make Aemond move apart from him.
“Uncle?” He sounded scandalized. “What were you doing with him?”
Uncle?
Luke blinked before turning his gaze towards that voice; he blushed hardly after realizing who it was. Jace. But, he wasn’t able to answer when Aemond was the first to speak.
“Just looking after your brother, Jace.”
Jace stared at both of them, Luke thought he looked as if he believed nothing of what Aemond was saying.
“Fine, thank you.” Jace sounded angry, and he stretched out his arm to where Luke was. “Now, he has to come with me.”
Reluctantly, Aemond took his hands far from him altogether, leaving Luke with a confusing sensation and heat all over his face. Jace reached them, and grabbed Luke’s wrist, tugging him away.
“When did you get drunk?” Jace asked as he wrinkled his nose. “Mother was worried, you can’t just disappear like that.”
“I just-” he babbled, before saying what he thought was expected from him. “I’m sorry, Jace.”
“It was my fault, I shouldn't have left you alone,” Jace whispered, so low that Luke almost didn’t understand. “We’re leaving, uncle,” he announced, this time louder so everyone could understand. “Sleep well.”
“Sounds good.”
They started to leave when Aemond interrupted them. Jace tightened his hold over Luke’s wrist.
“However, Jace.” He waited to have his nephew's attention. “I hope you take better care of your brother next time.”
Another pause, more awkward this time.
“I will.”
And they both left the hallway, as Jace guided Luke to their chambers.
“I hope you don’t remember anything for tomorrow,” was the last thing that Jace told him before leaving Luke to his bed.
The only problem was that Luke did not forget.