What was this… feeling?

The answer to that, Mydei didn’t know. But one thing’s for certain, he shouldn’t feel this way about the man across from him.

Phainon shouldn’t be someone that interests him. Hell, he shouldn’t even be someone that Mydei thinks about outside of “How the hell do I end this goddamned war?” Yet here he was, subtly glaring at the white-haired man across from him.

It was only a meeting. A meeting Phainon issued. “To put an end to this century old war,” he says. Mydei feels like there was more to it, though he really just can’t get a finger in it.

Multiple rulers have risen and fallen in that one century, all killed by assassinations and suicide. But only someone like Phainon could even think of trying to stop the war with peace and words. No, only Phainon could do that, even if there were others.

Though Mydei would rather give up the throne than admit it, Phainon was special. He really was. Slowly but surely, ever since the first meeting, Mydei has slowly leaned into Phainon’s ideas, felt a little more at peace when the man was around. And honestly, he feels like Phainon has been the same.

Though Phainon barely changed, Mydei suddenly saw all the little quirks and fidgets Phainon does. When he was in thought, he liked twirling a pen around in his fingers like a dagger, humming lightly. When he noticed something he disagrees with, a slight furrow appears on his brow—though, it was so slight that only someone like Mydei really notices.

But most important of all, Mydei noticed how Phainon’s face softens when he sees the ruler. Though, don’t get Mydei wrong, Phainon has always had a happy face. But when Mydei was there, standing at the gates to greet the other man and give a quick hand shake, Phainon’s expression changes.

It took Mydei half a year to realize it was one of love, and adoration, then another two months to realize he loved the man back. The man whoms been plaguing his thoughts since the day they first met, the man of the country he warred against, just a year before.

The man who goes by the name of Phainon, the bright and shining beacon in his dark life.