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“Y-YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!” Emperor huffed, his face contorting to an expression of pure disdain and disbelief at the woman behind the desk, “The KING does NOT share his beauty rest with a mere COMMONER.”
“I apologize sir,” she started, looking a little uncomfortable at the outraged man in front of her, “but we just don't have any more rooms left…”
Before Emperor could argue further, the woman's eyes lit up at the sound of the door opening behind Emperor, “Hey, that should be who you're sharing a room with, now!”
Emperor lifted his head up and closed his eyes as he turned around, his hands crossed around each other, a look of pretentiousness plastered on his face, “And just who might you think you are-?”
“Oh, h-hello, Emperor.”
He nearly choked on air right then and there.
—
Specs started to walk up to the door of the room, a suitcase filled with his battle strategies and ink brush in hand, just before he could reach for the door, Emperor stepped in front of him and yanked it, opening it for him as he refused to make eye contact.
“I- …Thank you, Emperor.” He nodded appreciatingly, but distrustfully, as if this was going to be the lead up to a sudden ambush as he walked inside, setting his suitcase down beside the left side of the bed, which sat comfortably in the back of the room, the end of it facing the door.
Emperor scanned the room, carefully making sure his gaze didn't settle at Specs. It took much restraint.
Cod, how did my complimentary stay at this establishment lead me to sharing a room with… him?!
Emperor couldn't tell if he minded or hated the very essence of this situation.
Emperor had been watching Specs the entire tournament, and the final game was tomorrow. The one where he and his ridiculous team would be facing him.
There was something about Specs that Emperor couldn't get enough of, the way he led his team, the way sighed when the absurd goggles adorned one would eventually do something bizarre mid-match, the face he made at the end of a victorious game, where he would beam and his glasses would go off center ever so slightly…
He had a fascination with him. A strange fascination.
He couldn't fully wrap his head around it, why he was so invested with him.
Clearly this is just… curiosity about a rivaling leader, is all. The king could never subject himself to admiration for a commoner. Or… any… other… forms of endearment for another.
He physically shook the thought out of his head, his face feeling warm from the mere suggestion.
Specs looked at him as he internally panicked, he tried to stay in a professional tone as he spoke, “W-well, it seems we are competitors…” he bit his lip, he felt extremely nervous by just being in this yellow man's presence.
“Indeed.” He started to walk past the doorframe and into the room, the scent of a floral aroma coating the room lightly.
Specs could feel his nerves spike as Emperor's shoulder brushed his as he walked past him and onto his side of the bed.
He looked behind him to see the golden rays of what was left of the sun reflecting from the tall windows that resided behind the bed.
He gulped down another, almost more terrifying feeling than being alone in a room with one of the scariest people he had ever known.
The anxiety of tomorrow's battle.
If he couldn't win… if he failed, than… oh cod, he didn't even want to think about it. This was the only way he had planned on paying for Crusty Sean's destroyed property, and he didn't know if he would even be able to scramble together a fraction of the costs with what little he had.
He felt his breath quicken as he strayed awkwardly near the end of the bed, looking over at the wall, away from the living reminder of his fears.
How did this even happen?? How did I end up sleeping in the same room as the KING??
He started to unbutton his suit, revealing a dress shirt that would just have to do as sleeping attire for the day. He hadn't the energy to have changed into anything else after such a rigorous day of training anyways, he set the suit down onto the end of the bed and started to find himself in the covers, doing everything in his favor to avoid the looks of a certain flamboyant monarch.
As he looked away, his face half-pressed into the pillow, he found the disquiet of the uncertainty of his situation starting to eat at him, leaving him choking on a cry while his body trembled strongly.
Almost instantaneously, Emperor flinched at the sound of the nearby whimper, not like he was paying intensive attention to him at all.
He looked over to him uncertainly, “Specs? Are you alright?” His voice was filled with a genuine concern that contrasted greatly his usual arrogant demeanor.
Specs almost found himself turning around to him as he replied with a shaky, “yeah.”
Emperor's face stiffened at the answer, a sense of infuriation filling him at the obvious lie. He started to scoot himself closer to the shaking man, “You cannot lie to the king-” his tone was ravaged with the usual sort of arrogance he carried with him and a weird mixture of frustration and care, though before it could fully be conveyed, he stopped himself at the sight of Specs.
There, he lay, quivering with tears threatening his eyes in a way Emperor couldn't fully handle.
He felt a surge of protectiveness over him, and before he could stop himself, he had his arms around Specs's chest and was huddling him with his back against him, his hands somehow finding themselves interlocking with Specs's.
He mumbled softly, “Don't cry.” into the background of Specs's head, near his ear, but not quite, the words almost too tender for him to recognize in his own mouth.
Spec's breath hitched at the contact, unsure of how to handle whatever this action was. “...Emperor?” Despite the absurdity of being wrapped in who was supposed to be his rival's arms, he couldn't help but to stop his tears, sniffling.
“Why are you crying?” He queried, though his voice lacked its usual conviction.
“I'm… I'm scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of tomorrow.”
“...”
“...”
“I think you'll do just splendidly.”
Specs might've gasped at the compliment if he wasn't already so tired, a sound of sleepiness escaping him as he subconsciously leaned into the touch.
Emperor found Specs's yawn troublingly endearing, finding his own self reddening at the… admittedly adorable sound…
“...thanks, Emp…”
‘Emp’
…
The King should be enraged by such an informal moniker.
How can he let himself enjoy the undignified words of a rivaling commoner.
…
‘Emp’
And yet, it was dizzying to hear.
To hear Specs call him the nickname.
But… but had it been anyone else to have shortened his name with such impropriety he would have been repulsed.
And here Emperor was, his grip on Specs's hands tightening as he pulled the man closer to him.
‘Emp’
‘Emp’
‘Emp’
His vision blurred and his eyelids heavied as he tucked Specs's face under his chin.
He couldn't bring himself to care about such menial things when this divine individual was in his arms.
He pulled the duvet blanket over the two of them as he started to close his eyes, making one last attempt to curl himself around him before falling to the allusive grasp of the beauty rest he had vouched so hard for to spend alone just mere hours ago.
—
Spec's eyes fluttered at the new light that shone itself onto his face, he slowly but surely managed to peak through his lids to see hands, they were interlocked with-
He blinked, the sensation of the heavy blankets almost as comforting at the presence of the body that pretty much curved into him essentially.
…what the?
He turned his head just enough to see Emperor's resting figure, his blood ran cold.
OH MY COD OH MY COD DID WE…? DID WE FALL ASLEEP LIKE THIS?!
His face flushed an embarrassingly deep shade of crimson as Emperor's sleepy grip of him tightened, just ever so slightly.
…
Maybe they could be like this for just a little longer before they had to get up…