THE PRINCE

AND


THE THUG

SAMAEL wondered if a kiss truly wakes a sleeping person. He knew how petty was it but it did happen in the fairytale setting, is he not qualified to try? He's not a prince, and there's no part in him that screamed proper and trustworthy.

'Is it really okay being so close to you, Lance?' Samael wiped the sweat on the man's forehead. Lance's pale complexion bordered on being morbid and this thin sheet of sweat is the only thing that indicates he's still alive.


"Samael..." Lance's aunt called him. "Let's eat together. The kids just arrived from school. They wanted to talk to you."

She looks exactly like Lance. Samael had once wondered about their biological connection but since the old lady swore that she's nothing but an aunt, Samael took his question to rest. It didn't matter anyway.


They were all anticipating the day where Lance will open his eyes again. Samael particularly waited almost everyday by the side of his bed. He never imagined that there would come a day when he will be devoted to someone like the way he is right now. His best friends told him that it was a good change.

Samael feels like it too.

Instead of worrying, Samael patiently sat and talked to Lance's body everyday. He never felt tired and the wait has given him enough time to think about his future.

A future where Lance will play a huge role for the both of them.

Samael settled the score between Nadz and him. Her brother didn't have a choice but to let him go. The promise that he kept from Nadz' father was left to waste.

He can never bond with his daughter.

He had already marked someone.

Samael bit his lips for a few moment before sighing noisily. Lance's opinion of him will change the moment he opens his eyes again.

Samael marked him without his permission. When Lance lost his consciousness while they escape, Samael panicked. He couldn't hear his heartbeat. He thought Lance's promise about sleeping and he let his fangs to the work and tie Lance's life to his with a bite. He didn't want to say that he didn't like it but he could have searched for another way to help him.

In the end, Joaquin told him about how Lance has to hibernate for a few months to rest his broken body. Samael wouldn't want to believe him but apparently, that's how Lance has been living since he became Joaquin's guardian.

'Please tell him that he's fired,' Joaquin told him that day, 'and that he needs to recuperate quickly. I want him to be the best man in my wedding.'

If Samael didn't hear about his second sentence, he would have tried landing a fist on the man's face. Now that Lance was on the verge of giving up, he needs the support of those who were close to him.

After everything that Lance did to secure Joaquin's life, the man needs to show Lance the respect and gratitude that he deserved.

"Are you okay now, dear?" Lance's aunt held his wrist then stared deeply to his face. "They didn't know when is he going to wake up but let us all hope it's soon. You can't go on in your condition."

Samael had once thought about what may happen after the riot in the Crystal lake. Once Lance was rescued by his family, he can no longer approach him easily. Lance might be even hidden from him.

The mark that he gave Lance came in handy. Now that he had bitten the man, he needs to be near him to stabilize the conflict in his gut. Lance in turn will twitch violently in his sleep after long hours of being separated from him.

Lance's aunt granted him the permission to come whenever he feels like it. And that's how he almost stayed inside for twenty-four hours.

"I feel great. Thank you." He smiled.

"Michael! Stop hoarding all of the cookies. Give Broggy some, okay?" Miracle gulped the rest of the milk in her glass before greeting Samael. "Oh, good afternoon, sir!"

"It's okay. He needs a lot of food to grow back his lost tooth, right, Michael?"

The smallest of the crowd smiled diligently. "Yeah. Ymar, can I have yours? You heard Broggy!"

Samael laughed. "What are you guys up to now?"

Joaquin explained him the details from his first meeting with Bern, now a woman called Penelope, and the reason why they were being hunted in the Crystal lake.

He divulged the secret as to why is he there as well. The truth is, someone hired him to kill Beatrix. The other pack territories had their eyes set to the Crystal lake. And it looks like they guessed that the female alpha is up to something that can endanger the nearest pack territories.

On the day that he was supposed to kill Beatrix, he saw Lance on a roof together with Irlan. He didn't try to approach them, he chose to sprint his way to the alpha's resting house.

When he got there, he noticed that something was wrong with the way Lance held himself.

His lazy actions and the contempt in his expression was not familiar to Samael.

He suspected that something may not be right.

Samael left before the two can discover him. His task was to kill Beatrix and not to gather intel. He walked back to his tent.

And on his way there, he found Lance's shining hair in the darkness.

His blue hair had the rare shine of glitters. Samael was sleeping on the damp ground inside the forest near his campsite. He knew it was Lance after finally hugging him. 'Who's with Irlan then?'

Samael had the idea that his Lance is not a very open person. He can get quiet and secretive. No one would be able to read his thoughts if Lance tries hard enough to hide it.

But he ached to know the reason behind his actions. What drives Lance to do these things?

"Ugh, we have to study a lot," Michael grumbled. "I'm stressing over it."

Ymar lowered the book he's reading on to his lap and reached to pinch Michael's ears. "You're a pre-schooler. What 'stress' are you talking about?"

"They ask me to draw everytime!"

Lance's aunt has a big heart and decided to adopt the kids. She never asked them to change their surnames but the kids decided to drop the Roselir in their names. Except Ymar.

'I want to remember my youth this way.'

Samael respected his choice.

"NOT exactly." Samael watched as tbe sun started to set. "I was already told that it may take years before he fully recovered."

"… are you up for it?"

"I bit him, didn't I?" Samael shrugged. "That means I'm allowed to wait."

"Hah." Basty laughed. "I expected that answer from you. You're hard headed."

"I got you and the guys on my back. That's why I get cocky everyday."

"Damn right, brother." Belial snorted. "We're not a pack but we've known each other ever since we decided to run away."

Samael felt a rare emotion in his heart. It was pride. He's thankful that he have them as his friends. "Thank you, Belial—you too, Basty."

"We're going to ask the doctors here if there's a way to wake your prince soon. It's sad to hear you pinning for him everyday."

Samael grinned. "Shut up."

'It's important to make sure that he recovers at his own pace.' The mere idea of inserting any type of medication in Lance scares Samael a little. He's frail now and medicines may work the opposite with him.

'I can wait.'

Samael sat beside Lance's bed. He shifted him slightly before laying on his side. The bed creaked.

Wrapping his arms around Lance, Samael prayed he get a peaceful sleep.

He muttered, "Good night, little prince."

"Shouldn't it be... good morning?"

Samael forgot how to breath for five seconds.

"You... you!" he sputtered. He wanted to hop out of the bed and run screaming at Lance's aunt.

It was as though Lance read his thought because he laughed. "Pause, you dork."

"But you!" Samael stared at his face hungrily. The pale pink of his lips and the red tinge under his eyes was indeed a marvelous sight for him. He hated his death-like complexion. "You..."

"What?" Lance let him hold his face. When Samael was finally satisfied from squishing his cheeks, he smiled. "I think you have to explain to me the mark under my collar, Samael."

"It's four in the afternoon actually. So it's not 'good morning'." He avoided his sharp gaze.

"And?"

Samael sat on the bed. "I forced my mark on you."

Lance lowered his head. The fringe on his forehead grew longer. "Forced me, huh?"

Heaviness settled on his chest. Lance hated his guts now.

"Well, Lance..." He blinked rapidly. "You know, I have to..."

"Then you're my princess now, right?"

Samael nodded readily. "Yes, yes. That's right." He smiled at Lance. It was a tad too late when he realized his question. "Wait what?"

"I thought so." Lance grinned. "I might have to return in my father's kingdom and get my status back. So... you have to prepare yourself."

Samael frowned. "Lance..." he drawled. "No."

Lance giggled madly. He reached Samael's head and patted his hair. "Thank you for saving me."

"'Thank you'? Hey, stop joking about that princess stuff again, alright? You scared me."

"Why? Would you hate that?" Lance shifted his sight away from Samael.

"It's just that..." Samael grumbled. "I'm a rogue, okay? Your people will not take you seriously because of me."

Lance blinked. This man never fails to amuse him. "Silly. You're lucky that kingdom no longer exist now."

Samael sighed in relief. Lance watched him a few more seconds before asking, "How's Joaquin?"

"He's..."