When the Royal finishes xyr drink, xe sees the blue flower sunken to the bottom. Xe doesn't say a word, simply watches how Aerglo and Caelum interact and xe knows xe did the right thing.

●•●•●

Dinner went better than planned if only a bit awkward at the beginning.

But both Aerglo and Caelum are more than glad to return to the privacy of their room.

Aerglo kisses Caelum, slow and sweet. It's a bit awkward with the height difference, but they make it work.

And when Aerglo presses Caelum to the large window, he loses himself to the touch, to the feel of xem. He gasps and moans, whimpering as Aerglo devours him so completely.

He's lost in pleasure.

In the moment.

He's missed this, missed being so close and intimate with his mate. Even being in the same room it still felt as if they were miles and stars away.

"Love you," he chokes out, "I love you Aer."

"I love you too, evol ym," Aerglo whispers, voice low and raspy, full of adoration and sincerity.

It makes Caelum cry as he orgasms.

•●•●•

Three days later and everything changes.

Aerglo frowns in xyr sleep, brow scrunched up when loud knocking sounds at their door.

Xe sits up, gaze landing on Caelum who snores softly beside xem.

Xe thinks xe's dreaming until the knocking persists. Urgent and loud.

Carefully xe slips out of bed, tucking Caelum in so nobody can see his debauched and thoroughly pleased body.

Xe opens the door wearily and comes face to face with a royal guard.

Xyr face is stricken with panic as xe pants breathless, "Royal Canopus is dying."

Aerglo freezes.

It's like cold water was poured of xem and xe can't breathe. It doesn't make sense.

Is... what?

It's Caelum's hand tugging at xyr arm that snaps xem out of it.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Aerglo says dumbly.

"Who could sleep when Royal Canopus is dying," Caelum replies softly, trying to keep his voice down.

Caelum had woken up to the bright light of the sun and the missing weight of Aerglo's arm around his waist.

Those words weren't meant for him to hear, but when he had seen Aerglo tense, seen xem shut down, he had to act. He barely covered up before he approached Aerglo and grabbed xyr arm.

Now they follow the guard to the Royal wing of the palace, Caelum trying to keep up with the brisk pace as he waddles.

In any other time Aerglo would admire the sway of his hips, but xyr heart is still racing and xyr mind is numb and blank.

The doors open to the Royal chambers and in bed is Canopus, skin ashen and body becoming frail and bony. The stench of death drenching the room.

Caelum stops, slightly breathless with swollen ankles aching.

"You came," Canopus whispers, voice raspy.

Aerglo nods, voice seeming to fail xem.

Xe's never been open with the Royal. Xe's grateful that xe was taken in, of course, but they were never on great terms. If anything, Aerglo only felt like a pawn.

"As you can see, I do not have much time left," Canopus begins with a nasty cough.

Caelum peers around Aerglo, wincing at the rales that shake through the Royal's chest.

"I need to," xe pauses with a shuddering breath, "I need to tell you something. I need to apologize."

"Apologize?" Aerglo whispers confused.

"To your mate," the alien nods, "and to you, nos ym."

Aerglo freezes, xe tenses at those words and Caelum wishes he knew what xe said.

Aerglo gives a small disbelieving laugh, "Nos?"

But the sick Royal isn't laughing and Caelum missed the punch line.

"Yrros ma I," Canopus says, shame coloring xyr dying voice.

"You're lying," Aerglo accuses.

Caelum can't help but elbow Aerglo. You just don't say that to someone who's dying.

Aerglo spares him a glance, eyes full of tears. Of anger. Of hurt.

"Yrros os ma I."

"No," Aerglo says in horror, "this is all a cruel joke."

"Hsiw I," Canopus rasps, "I wish I hadn't hurt you so."

"You can't be," Aerglo grits, "my bearer-"

"I loved xem," Canopus admits, "but-"

"Xe wasn't your mate, your royal companion," Aerglo finishes, "and you tossed xem aside."

"I didn't," xe insists, "I had offered xem everything, I loved xem."

Caelum is starting to piece it together, bit by bit, and his heart breaks.

"You abandoned us!"

"Xe left! Xe left with your existence hidden from me! And when I finally found you, when I finally learned of you, it was too late."

"So you thought you could make it better by taking me in? By treating me like your pawn and using me! By being harsh and cold when all I needed was my sire and not a cruel stranger!"

Canopus flinches as another cough wracks through xyr body.

Caelum squeezes Aerglo's hand tight and that helps ground xem, helps bring xem back.

Immediately the fight leaves xyr tense body.

"I did all that to train you, to prepare you for life," Canopus reasons.

"You only managed to push me away, to make me lose respect for you. My bearer had said so much about you, had adored you, and would've painted you the moons and stars. But xe died because of you."

"I wish it hadn't come to that. I wish I hadn't lost xem either," Canopus admits.

"But you couldn't just stop make-pretend with your late Royal Bearer," Aerglo huffs, "In the end you chose to forget my bearer in exchange for your wealth and power. Typical."

"Yrros ma I," xe stresses, "but whether you like it or not, you are my rieh."

An alien steps through the door with documents in hand and it's then that it become too much, too real.

Aerglo wishes the next words wouldn't have come out of the Royal's, his sire's, mouth.

"Upon my death," Canopus states, "you will become Royal Halcyon and your mate will rule beside you."