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“Please, mon roi. Just be still a few moments longer. I’m almost finished.”
Leona sighed heavily. “Fine…”
Rook smiled placatingly. “These clothes look absolutely stunning on you, mon amour. Please trust me to enhance your handsome visage accordingly.”
The prince’s eyes wandered to his reflection, staring back from the mirror of his ensuite bathroom. The white and gold coloring of his outfit for the Fairy Gala contrasted sharply with his darker skin and hair, a stark difference from his usual style of dress. He frowned slightly, eyes flickering back to his boyfriend, hovering next to where he sat, makeup brush in hand. Grumbling, he settled back, allowing the huntsman to continue applying his contour. While he got to work, Leona’s gaze remained, quietly studying the blond before him.
Rook was perfectly put-together as always. His chopped hair lay in straight, even lines, framing his face with gold. His makeup was light and natural, no doubt thanks to Vil’s meticulous instruction. Leona silently admired how it enhanced the natural curve of Rook’s eyes, adding additional elegance to already-lovely features. His freckles lay hidden under a painstakingly-applied layer of concealer, just barely visible, and only if you knew where to look.
Rook would look amazing in this kind of outfit. Leona was sure of it. The graceful, light fabrics would go perfectly against the huntsman’s fair complexion, and the gilded embroidery would bring out the gold of his tresses. The prince continued to appraise the young man in front of him, pausing with the realization that his mind had drifted to images of Rook in white, delicate flowers in his hair…
He let his thoughts drift, while the blond continued to work.
Rook was pretty with makeup on – that was undeniable. But Leona also cherished the Rook he got to see privately, when they would relax alone together, unworried about keeping up appearances. Or when he woke up to find Rook gently stirring next to him, dappled in the morning sun as he stretched, hair messy, freckles dotting his skin like stars fallen from the night sky. His green eyes would flutter open, sleepily unfocused for a moment before meeting Leona’s gaze, and a beautifully natural smile would spread lazily across his face, like the sun breaking over the horizon. It was always so brilliant, so breathtakingly radiant, that Leona would have lean over and kiss him, just to keep from getting blinded.
“Good morning, Leona.” The greeting always felt so warm against his lips, so right, that he couldn’t imagine hearing it from anyone else. He could feel his mouth curving unstoppably, and his tail twitched in delight.
“Leona…” He almost purred at the sound of his name on Rook’s pretty lips. “…Leona!”
The prince blinked, eyes refocusing on the blond standing in front of him, brow furrowed in concern.
“Is everything all right, Leona? You seem rather distracted.”
“Uh huh…” The lion glanced back at the mirror. Rook had done a fine job on his makeup, highlighting his eyes with shimmery gold and striking black, and providing an almost supernatural perfection to his handsome features. But beneath all that, his unusually tender expression was incredibly human, a gentle smile playing across his lips.
The younger man leaned in, meeting Leona’s gaze in the mirror. His mouth lifted in a small, conspiratorial grin of his own. “If I may, what is it that has captured your thoughts?”
The prince turned to meet the green eyes peering down at him curiously. Still soft from his warm memories, he answered with uncharacteristic candor.
“You.”
The lion’s smile spread fondly as the blond’s eyes widened, a red blush blooming across his skin. His mouth opened as he drew in a surprised breath, and Leona found himself sitting up straighter, reaching out to pull the flustered huntsman down onto his lap and cover his parted lips with his own. He felt Rook tense for a moment, then melt into his touch, fingers unconsciously curling into his shirt as he clung to the larger man.
Leona wrapped his arms around his slim waist, pulling the younger man flush against his chest as they kissed. When their lips finally parted, the lion trailed light nips and kisses along Rook’s tapered jaw, ears twitching as he drank in the blond’s little gasps and moans.
He pulled back to look the blushing huntsman in the eye, fondly stroking his soft cheek.
“I love you, Rook.”
There was a beat of startled staring. Then, the blond’s red cheeks were lifting, lips pulling up into the dazzling smile that Leona had come to adore. He surged forward to wrap the prince in an enthusiastic embrace.
“I love you, too, Leona! Je t’aime!”
For a few moments more, they sat together, Leona carding his fingers through soft, golden hair, while Rook snuggled happily into his broad chest. The comfortable peace would have been perfect, if not for the uncharacteristically chill breeze that chose then to blow through Leona’s dorm room, a pointed reminder of the task still at hand.
With a resigned sigh, the blond sat up slowly. He looked at Leona with a critical eye, head tilted as he studied him carefully. His mouth twisted slightly into a rueful grimace.
“I apologize, Leona. But it looks like your makeup got a bit smudged…”
He gazed at Leona warily, as if waiting to be met with opposition. But the prince merely smirked.
“Then I guess you’ll have to redo it, huh?”
Rook blinked. “You want—”
Leona shrugged. “I don’t mind as long as it’s you.”
Pink faintly returned to the blond’s cheeks, even as his grin widened, scattering any dark clouds that could threaten to ruin Leona’s mood.
“Mais oui! Of course, mon roi!”