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"I'm not even anywhere near noble-status."
"Oh no?" Chrom asks from the other side of the room, watching Gaius slowly eat the tiny layer cake he was given. He treats the cake like it's made of gold, unwrapping it delicately and taking small pieces.
"No-- not even a little bit of noble blood in my veins."
"And you know for sure?"
"Well, as sure as I can be, I guess. Us common people don't have the luxury of looking at giant family trees that our great-great-great grandfathers started in the old days. I could have some Feroxi in me for all I know."
Chrom looks up at that, gaze softening.
"You know I don't care if you're noble or not."
"I know you don't, but everyone else does, huh?" Chrom can hear the bitterness in his voice. He sighs.
"I wish it wasn't that way, Gaius. I wish I could tell everyone."
"You'll never be able to do that, though." The sentence is clipped as Gaius eats the last of the cake. Chrom takes a step closer, opening his mouth to say something to reassure the other man, but Gaius stops him. "Don't worry about it, Chrom, it's not your fault." He balls up the wrapper in his hand, looking out the window. It's a couple moments before he meets Chrom's eyes again, smirking.
"Besides, it's kind of fun sneaking around like this, isn't it?"
Chrom can't shake the guilt he feels, heavy and solid in his stomach, even when Gaius kisses him, tasting of expensive cake.
--
The council meetings are boring, and the parties Chrom has to attend are stiff and uninteresting. He wishes he could bring Gaius for once; the redhead is good at making things less dull.
When he finally returns to his room after another exciting evening ball, he slowly pulls off his clothes, not even jumping when the door opens and shuts and another pair of hands are tugging his shirt off.
"Who'd you dance with tonight?" a voice is saying by his ear, kissing down his now exposed neck, hands deftly unbuttoning his pants.
"Couple ladies. One of them has a family who owns an entire island of riches. Her dad was excited to tell me all about it."
Gaius laughs against Chrom's skin, fingers slipping beneath his pants to stroke him. Chrom groans low in his throat, making Gaius grin.
"Was she cute?"
"Not as cute as you are."
"Oh stop," Gaius preens, pressing Chrom against the bed, kneeling down in front of it. "You don't have to flatter me."
"She wasn't my type," Chrom reassures him, breaths coming quick, hands finding their way into red hair, pulling him closer.
"I know." Gaius smirks one more time before parting his lips to take Chrom's length in, bobbing his head as the Prince stifles a loud moan.
"Gods, you're good," Chrom pants, eyes locked on Gaius' lips around his cock. He hums his gratitude before slipping back to breathe, lips bruised and wet. Chrom can't look away.
"I know that, too. But I like it when you tell me."
--
He's almost down the hallway to Chrom's room before he hears hushed voices just beyond him. Peeking around the corner, Gaius can see Chrom standing outside his room, speaking with a man in full armor.
"Milord, there is something I did want to speak to you about." It was unmistakably Frederick.
"It's late, Frederick," Chrom is saying, and Gaius can almost hear him sigh. "I'm going to bed soon; I have a meeting with the council in the morning."
"Then I will make it quick." The redhead leans closer, now interested in what the knight has to say. "I wanted to talk to you about someone you've been spending time with."
"Who?" And Gaius can tell Chrom is genuinely confused by Frederick's statement. "If you're here to ask about the noblewoman from yesterday I can assure you that it's not in our best interests to pursue-"
"No," Frederick stops him, holding a hand up. "I mean the thief."
Gaius feels his blood run ice cold. He's sure Chrom is feels no different. Does he know? How much does he know about? Lissa doesn't even know so how does Frederick know? A thousand more questions run through his head but he tries to silence them, crouching down to watch Chrom's face. Luckily, it looks as though he hasn't given much away.
"Gaius, you mean? What about him?"
"You have every right to pick your own companions, but I wanted to warn you that you're making quite a mistake, getting involved with him."
The shift in the mood is almost palpable. Chrom's jaw sets.
"It is not your place to be commenting on my personal affairs, Frederick. You are a knight, not my advisor."
"I know, and you've done quite a lot to keep this a secret so far. I want you to be happy, Milord, but seeking comfort in a man from your own militia? One who's a thief, no less, not even a noble. To be frank it's sloppy."
"I'm allowed to do as I please on my own time. Stay out of it."
"Milord, this relationship could very well ruin your reign. It's dangerous to engage in such acts with another man."
Chrom flushes a bright red, pushing past Frederick to step farther in the hallway. Gaius jumps and disappears back around the corner, pressed flush against the wall.
"I don't care about those things. I'm not foolish enough as to let what we do jeopardize my position. He knows that too." And Gaius would freely admit that he does. He doesn't like it because he's a selfish creature and he wants Chrom's attention on him all of the time, though he supposes it's a fair trade off for all the expensive sweets Chrom hoards for him.
But now reality's come crashing down on him; Frederick is right. He and Chrom are lucky no one else has found out. The fair prince's name would be stamped with scandal if anyone discovered he had a dirty thief sleeping in his bed.
It's nice to have a warm bed and a man Gaius is fond of beside him, holding him, but it's not worth losing one of the best rulers Ylisse has ever had. Maybe they shouldn't be doing this.
"He was almost executed," Frederick continues, bringing Gaius out of his thoughts. "I know he's not a bad person, but I doubt the people will be so willing to look beyond his label as a criminal."
"I'm done discussing it," Chrom announces, walking away from Frederick and down the hall.
"Milord, please at least consider what I'm saying. Are you really going to put aside your throne, your blood, for another man?"
Gaius holds his breath, waiting for Chrom to say something, but the only answer Frederick receives is the fading sound of footsteps. It's not long before the clinking sound of Frederick's armor disappears, too.
Thinking about what Frederick said makes him sick. Gaius is selfish, but not selfish enough to steal the ruler of a country who needs one. He couldn't live with himself if he was the reason Chrom had to step down.
Tonight Chrom had been expecting Gaius, but the man-- thief, criminal; people don't change overnight-- didn't feel up to seeing Chrom. He leaves the castle through the break in the wall, hoping that sometime soon the tight feeling in his chest will let him be.
--
"It's been days." Chrom sits on the bed at Gaius' request, watching the man pace, chewing on his candy loudly.
"I'm sorry, I should have contacted you. It's just that something came up and I--"
"Something? What do you mean?"
"Well, it's not really a big deal, you can forget about it."
Chrom looks unconvinced, and Gaius can feel himself acting weird enough that he's caught on.
"..Is something wrong?" Chrom asks this time, voice softer. He feels nervousness creeping up his spine when Chrom looks at him like that. Gaius can't look at him when he speaks.
"I heard what Frederick said to you. And look, maybe he's right. A criminal like me isn't good for a prince like you. It's probably written down as illegal somewhere."
"I don't care."
"I know, that's what you told him too but really, really think about this for a second. Whatever we are isn't worth losing everything you've ever known. You're the prince. You're supposed to have a beautiful wife and maybe some kids by now. Haven't you thought about that? I'm sure your advisors are bringing in the best of the best for you to choose from."
"Gaius, please," Chrom begins, standing, but the redhead takes a couple steps back, shaking his head. This hurts him more than he'd be willing to admit, closing around his throat, and he prays that Chrom can't tell.
"No, listen to me, since you won't listen to anyone else. I'm not good for you. I'm not the right choice. You need to think of the bigger picture, not just us. I can't be the blushing bride the country wants to see you with. As much as I'd love to lay in your giant comfortable bed eating your expensive desserts forever, I can't do that with a clear conscience anymore. It makes me sick sometimes how gentle you are with me, because I don't deserve it. I don't deserve any of this, and you definitely deserve better," he shivers, nodding his head a couple times, though Gaius isn't sure if it's to convince Chrom or himself. "Better than a common thief."
Chrom takes a couple steps forward and takes Gaius' left wrist in his hand, peeling the glove off his arm and dropping it to the ground. He then kneels, holding Gaius' forearm out.
"What are you.." Gaius begins, though his voice drops off when Chrom's lips touch the tattoo on the inside of his arm, pale skin marred with the mark of a convicted criminal. He kisses it softly, Gaius unable to help the bright shade of red he becomes.
"I want to be with you, criminal or not. You deserve all of this and more. You don't deserve to be kept a secret, and for that I am truly sorry."
Chrom is so open and honest and it makes Gaius practically flinch when he trails his lips up his arm, pushing his cloak aside to kiss along his collarbone. His hands move to Chrom's sides, fisting in the shirt he's wearing.
"It's okay," Gaius mumbles, making Chrom smile against his neck. "I just don't want there to be terrible consequences for you."
"I know," he kisses the corner of Gaius' lips, pressing their foreheads together. Gaius' arms wrap around the prince's neck, pulling him closer. "Thank you."
Gaius supposes they can talk about all that stuff later. For now, Chrom is warm and solid and pressing against him in the bed, slowly separating him from his clothes and tossing them aside. He places tender kisses all down the redhead's chest and stomach, hands smoothing over old scars til Gaius' skin is practically buzzing, the man needing something other than feather light touches.
"Please," he whispers, hoarse, hands combing through blue hair as Chrom spreads his thighs, settling between them. Gaius tries to stifle his moans with a hand when Chrom grasps him, but the prince's other hand pries it away from his mouth, smiling as he kisses each finger.
"I swear, if I was with anyone other than you," Gaius grumbles, attempting (and failing) to frown when Chrom breathes out a laugh over his skin.
"Let me treasure you for once, won't you?"
"Oh gods," Gaius groans, rolling his eyes. "You're going to rot my teeth."
"I thought you liked sweet!" Chrom retorts, thumbing one of the redhead's hips, splaying his fingers over the expanse of soft skin.
"Not that kind of sweet!" he complains, though it's lost in a sharp breath and a shudder when Chrom kisses the tip of his length.
When Chrom finally pushes in, Gaius lets the prince take him slowly, lovingly, their lips connected as Gaius pushes back against him, fingernails leaving marks in his shoulders. Chrom's hands dig into his hips as he thrusts deeper, reaching down between them to stroke Gaius in rhythm, the other man unable to help the moans he buries in Chrom's neck.
Lips against Gaius' ear, Chrom chokes out that he loves Gaius, coming only moments later. Gaius can't hear over his own release and the sound of his heartbeat in his head.
Chrom holds him tight til he falls asleep, Gaius too lazy to get up and put on clothes, much less leave. He lets Chrom's arm stay wrapped around him, but turns over onto his stomach, the brand on Chrom's shoulder catching his eye in the moonlight.
Laughing bitterly, he traces the brand with a couple fingers. He loves him too, and maybe that's what makes him feel the guiltiest.