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“Have one.” The Crown Prince’s mellow voice wavered the silence of the royal office.
Cale glanced backwards at his Hyung-nim’s seat behind the packed desk. When he had teleported a couple of minutes ago, he had barely managed to see him, hidden by dozens of paper towers. Now, Alberu was calmly standing by the couch as he spoke again. “I saw you staring at them. Did you strike your head ?”
‘You don't usually wait for my authorization to loot my cookies, bastard.’ was probably the hidden meaning behind the future Emperor’s sugar-coated tone.
Cale couldn’t deny this. But the reason why he didn’t decide to take one out of the jar was different. He still casually replied to the other’s question.
“Those aren’t chocolate chips. Are you trying to poison nobles by handing those cookies out during private meetings ?” Alberu had needed to meet countless nobles since the official preparation for his coronation had started. Cale was probably one of the only people of the palace who ever got to listen to the Crown Prince’s complaints about aristocrats. He feared the man had snapped and started to distribute intoxicated goods.
A very reasonable fear if you asked him - Cale would have done so as well if he had to meet the Ailan heirs for three days in a row to talk about tapestry prices.
But given the deadpan expression he received from Alberu, he wisely guessed the other had more patience than him. Truly impressive.
“It's not poisoned, I'd be more subtle than this.” His dyed blue eyes struck him with an almost offended look. A ‘You truly underestimate me that much?’ look. A look Cale decided to ignore, focusing his gaze back on the pot.
“My apologies, I should have known the future Emperor of our beautiful Roan Kingdom had the shabby ways of a lout.” He blankly replied. Alberu scoffed at this, taking the jar to approach the cookies.
“Here. Guess the flavor?”
“Sure…” Cale reluctantly picked one, and observed it a little longer than necessary - just to earn an exasperated sigh from his Hyung. Satisfied, he finally took a bite. This guessing game wasn’t unusual. Alberu had sometimes tried new recipes for the children at the villa. The cheerful kids had always refused to reveal the ingredients before Cale had guessed them all by himself.
The unfamiliar flavor hit his tastebud, and Cale’s eyes widened slightly. He glanced back down at the cookie in his hand, his eyes quickly catching on the unusual ingredient.
“Apple ?” Resting underneath the dough, apple bits were bumping the surface. The retired Commander’s eyes narrowed as his focus returned on the grinning Emperor to be. “Apple and cinnamon.”
“You’re getting good at this.” Alberu praised teasingly, and Cale almost groaned. His apple coated tongue clicked. This smug bastard. “The apples you guys brought last time were starting to ripen too much.”
Hong had insisted on leaving a lot of apples to Alberu during their former visits since the royal had claimed to love them. Objectively, they were very good. Bright and juicy, straight out the orchard of the farm. But an entire ripe basket for one single person to consume…
“I’d have felt bad letting them rot.” Alberu added, approaching the coffee table to check the state of infusion of the tea leaves in his pot. Cale’s eyes followed his movement as the Crown Prince went to get the rest of the tea service. He then spoke again.
“I wasn’t aware our future Emperor had enough time on his own lately to try out new recipes. To say I came here to help my poor Hyung-nim with paperwork, it seems like I underestimated His Highness' prodigious skills.”
Alberu’s smile tensed, his hands still gentle around the two porcelain cups he was bringing alone back to the table.
“What a caring Dongsaeng I have there, I might be blessed by the gods themselves.” The royal uttered between his teeth. Before Cale could come up with something even more obsequious to throw back at him, Alberu’s voice rose again. “I could clearly see our beloved hero's will to help me when he strode to the couch as soon as he entered my office.”
“It was solely for comfort purposes.” Cale retorted, amusement getting to his sharp eyes. He leaned back against the couch. “His Highness’ chairs are too uncomfortable. I truly worry for your back, Hyung.”
Alberu almost snorted at this. He let Cale tug at his hand gently, following the subtle lead to eventually sit next to him.
“Do you, now ? What a bad Hyung I am then, making my poor, tired Dongsaeng so worried.”
“Very bad, yes.” Cale gravely replied, his hand absently going to the cookie pot. When his fingers closed around one, he brought it to Alberu’s lips; and his amusement only increased when he saw the Crown Prince’s surprised look. Something fluttered in his chest when he heard Alberu’s quiet chuckle.
“Don’t laugh Hyung, I'm also very worried about your eating habits.” Cale flatly said. And Alberu laughed even more.
Gloved fingers took away the cookie from him, and Cale felt his prince’s hand softly circle around his palm. The reddish-brown pupils only softened as soon as he witnessed the first bite Alberu had taken in the gifted cookie. He took another one to himself, thoughtfully humming.
“I think the kids would love this combination.” ‘Especially Raon.’ Cale didn’t say it out loud - they both knew how the great and mighty dragon was when it came to apples.
And he had somehow passed on this fondness to his older siblings. Maybe to Cale himself.
Apple cakes were nice when not drenched in warm tears.
“I’ll make sure to prepare a batch for them before your next visit.” Alberu proposed, seeing Cale nimble on another cookie. But the other just shook his head gently.
“They’ll come along. They want to see you.” In spite of his blatant lack of will and display of laziness, Cale had actually come to help. With his impending coronation, the Crown Prince had grown more and more busy. Cale hadn’t known it was even possible before witnessing it himself.
Because of this, he had stopped visiting so often so as not to disturb his Hyung-nim’s work. Even if Alberu had never complained -of course he hadn’t- nor show any sign of distress whenever he had to return to his work after each visit, Cale knew it was disturbing. Because Alberu was always stopping to prepare tea for them himself. Because Alberu was always sitting with them for at least one hour - chatting happily with Hong, listening to Raon’s exhilarated monologues about everything he had learnt during the day, and reading new books with Ohn.
Cale had slowly started to reduce the amount of visits they were paying; not without promising the kids they would double it when Alberu’s coronation would have passed. The children had understood. Of course they had. He himself started to call more instead of coming every one or two days to laze around the royal office. Cale was well aware that he was a distraction himself.
But maybe it had been a bit too long.
Seeing the discreet yet genuine happiness glinting in Alberu’s eyes, Cale knew it had.
“Should I make this recipe more often then ?” Alberu eventually asked, his gloved fingers fiddling with Cale's bare ones. The redhead allowed him to do so.
Cale didn’t have to hesitate before the reply escaped his lips.
“Yeah. It’s nice.” It truly was a good combination of flavors.
Alberu hummed, bending forward to pour tea for the two of them in an expert movement.
“Bring me more apples then. You didn’t pick all of them yet, did you ?” The beaming smile curling the corner of his lips as he handed Cale his porcelain cup made something stir in the pit of his stomach.
How ridiculous. He snapped out his obvious staring.
“Can’t you get some out of the Palace's kitchen ?” He cleared his throat in an awkward cough. What was he ? Fourteen and in love for the first time ?
Cale took a sip, avoiding the subtle hints of genuineness gathered in Alberu’s look and eyes. So discreet, and yet he felt like those were blinding him.
This sunny bastard.
“It wouldn’t taste the same.” Alberu stated, adamant. His tone was gentle, but pierced by the firmness of his words.
He wouldn’t change his mind.
Cale could understand what he meant. He didn’t mind bringing those ingredients to Alberu either.
“I will then. I’m sure the kids will love to make another afternoon harvest.” Cale could remember the big, red apples dangling down the healthy trees of their orchard.
Alberu’s grin widened slightly.
“Exploiting the children, are you ?” Alberu playfully replied, his lips grazing against the pale skin of Cale’s cheek.
“They are the ones who insist on doing it ?” Cale swiftly defended himself, feeling offended at the accusation. They were the ones dragging him out the house almost every two days since the harvest season had begun to pick up fruits and vegetables.
He didn’t pick on the royal’s laugh, merely crumpling his nose as he felt Alberu taking a bite off his own cookie. Cale shoved another one between his annoying Hyung’s lips, finishing the half-eaten one still resting between in his hand.
“Doesn’t my Hyung-nim have work to do ?” He grumbled, still keeping his hand clenched around Alberu’s to make sure he wouldn't flutter back to his desk and proceed to bury himself in his own paperwork.
Alberu gave him a brighter smile.
“You’re a distraction. A charming one, but still.” No accusation was held in this tone. Nor in the kiss he landed on Cale's lips. It tasted like apples.
It tasted good.
“I can still leave if His Highness wants me to.” Cale cheekily replied, wrapping his arms around Alberu’s neck loosely. His gaze sharpened when he took in the subtle pink hue spreading up Alberu’s neck. He huffed over the Crown Prince’s lips.
“Don’t you dare.” Alberu just replied, closing his eyes when he felt Cale’s slender fingers brushing against his nape. “I’m having a small break.”
“Using me as an excuse to laze around ?” Cale’s tone came out softer than intended. Less teasing that he had meant to.
“Do you mind ?” The reply was swiftly thrown at him. And Cale just sighed, shaking his head gently. No hesitation imbued his move. Of course n
ot.
“I don’t think I do.” He calmly replied, leaning in for another kiss.
It tasted like apples.
It tasted good.