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Being royalty had its perks, and Shindou had to count hot baths drawn by servants as one of them for sure. He sighed in contentment as he soaked off all the grime from their journey over the past week in the tub, having just arrived back at the castle tonight. They had traveled hard and fast to return from the far reaches of the kingdom, having been summoned back by an urgent missive. Pulling himself against the side of the tub as the water was beginning to cool, he carefully stood up and clambered out of it, having dismissed all the servants for the night earlier as he’d wanted time alone to think.
No royal was ever truly alone, though, as he could still see his bodyguard’s shadows behind the tub’s privacy screen where they stood guarding the door. A fuss was kicked up as a third shadow appeared at the door, and a familiar voice had Shindou sighing for the third time within mere minutes.
“You two can go canoodle outside now,” Ibuki lectured the other two bodyguards who had been crowded around the doorway. “I can take care of securing the inside of the room, thanks.”
“Well…I know you don’t care for what the rules say,” Taiyou responded with a wry smile. “But for the record, Tenma and I will be standing right outside the door, because there’s supposed to be at least two guards at any time for Prince Shindou.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m worth more than two,” Ibuki flapped his hand at them as they filed outside the door, which he promptly shut and then locked for good measure. Turning around, he saw that Shindou was cinching a robe on and heading towards the bed.
“Is it warm enough in here for you, my princeliness?” Ibuki went over and checked over the fireplace, unsheathing his sword and poking the logs a bit to test the fire.
“I told you to stop calling me that, it’s going to slip out one day while we’re in public and it’s going to be embarrassing for everyone involved.” Shindou grumbled as he sat down on the bed and continued wiping himself dry. “Did you even get cleaned up? I feel like you’re wearing the same clothes we showed up this evening in.”
“Unlike a certain royal, all my clothes look the same because it’s what the guard gives me to wear.” Ibuki sauntered over, resheathing his sword as he did so. “It’s what one would call a uniform, you know.”
“Why are you being extra sassy right now?” Shindou looked up at him with eyes full of suspicion. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you?” Ibuki stopped talking for one blissful moment, eyeing Shindou back as he tried to come up with a good response and then promptly failed.
“Fine, you got me,” Ibuki fished around in his pocket and then pulled out a small bracelet. “I got you this at the festival back at the keep, but what with us traveling like a dragon was at our heels, I didn’t have time until now to give it to you.” He held it out in his hand, the uneven green and blue glass beads on it reflecting the coppery light from the fireplace.
“Oh.” Shindou’s expression didn’t change as he took it in, then he lifted up his arm and inspected his own wrist. “That’s very nice of you.”
“Do you…want me to put it on for you?” Ibuki wasn’t really sure what the next step here was as Shindou had put his wrist back down.
“I can’t wear jewelry that hasn’t been preselected for its meanings,” Shindou sighed as he tapped a finger on the sheets, thinking about how annoying symbolism was for royals. If he just went and wore whatever he wanted he’d be starting feuds and fashion trends left and right, causing headaches for the royal tailors and priests.
“Oh,” Ibuki visibly wilted, but Shindou stuck his leg out instead.
“I can hide an anklet though, if you don’t mind putting it on there instead?”
“Well…,” Ibuki glanced at the bracelet in his hand, then down at Shindou’s ankle. “I don’t mind….”
“Alright then.” Shindou gave him the royal “I’m waiting here and my time is worth much more than yours” look, which had Ibuki quickly down on his knees and trying to untie the bracelet to get it onto an ankle instead.
“You can touch my foot you know, I just came out of the bath,” Shindou commented as he watched Ibuki fumble the bracelet when trying to avoid brushing up against Shindou’s skin. “You could even kiss it, it’s that clean.”
“Fine, if my princeliness commands it,” Ibuki finally managed to cinch the bracelet onto the ankle. Before Shindou could protest, Ibuki slipped his hand to the side of the ankle and kissed the top of Shindou’s foot, causing the prince to stiffen in surprise.
“I didn’t actually mean that,” Shindou lifted up his arm to hide his face, feeling the flush of heat bloom across it.
“Maybe I mean it instead,” Ibuki smiled as he stood up, glad to get one over Shindou for once. “Do you like the anklet?” It shone against Shindou’s pale skin, the colorful glass beads flickering in the firelight.
“I’ll treasure it,” Shindou pulled his leg back, tucking it back into the robe. “It’ll be our little secret.”
Across the room, beyond the door, Taiyou pulled his eye back from the crack in the door and exchanged a glance with Tenma similarly crouched below him.
“I need to give you something like that, too,” Taiyou whispered to Tenma as they reassumed their guard positions outside the door.
“It’ll be too obvious whenever we’re changing in the barracks!” Tenma whispered back, already foreseeing Ibuki’s accusatory glare when they were caught stealing the same secret.
“I’ll settle for a kiss for now, since you were so worried about them all week while they were heading back,” Taiyou grinned as he leaned over and waited, his smile growing as Tenma gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then, they went back to looking stoic and strong to dissuade any would-be trespassers deep in the night.