(Dramatic "I've just come back from the dead" gasp I LIIIIIVE! It only took me over a month, sorry about that 😅)
Logan rose from his chair and bowed respectfully before leaving, taking a heavy sigh once the door was closed. Finally, he was out of there. Something about staying in that room made him feel like he couldn't breathe, like every single action whether voluntary or involuntary was being judged and scrutinized.
But now he was out of that place and had answers to get. And by God he would get them or die trying. He knew Ciaran wouldn't be in his room, Logan knew better. In some senses even now, he felt like he knew Ciaran better than he knew himself. Which Logan truly wasn't sure how he felt about that. But there was no time for overthinking, he just beelined for where he knew Ciaran would be.
While most would assume Ciaran had retreated to his room, Logan had experienced the lovely times of Ciaran's childhood, having grown up with him. He knew where the prince would be even if Ciaran didn't want him to. So he strode into the library, keeping quiet as to not alert Ciaran and send him out running before Logan could find him. So when he approached the prince's little corner, he kept his footsteps silent until he was close enough to talk.
"Ciaran." He tried to sound neutral, maybe even inviting. This would be his husband, he could at least try to sound like he didn't hate the man's guts. Although it wasn't true and Logan wasn't the best actor, he refused to let anyone say he didn't try.
(All good! I’m glad you’re back!!)
Ciaran stuck his nose into the first book he grabbed, picking up the storyline of an epic adventure he had been reading about for the past while. It was an easy distraction and he came to almost being relaxed. Any thought of the previous conversation and the looming future of marrying his worst enemy washing away behind the story.
That was until a grating voice snapped him to reality.
He recognized Logan’s voice in an instant, debating simply ignoring the man for a moment before remembering that Logan would be more likely to stand around until he was noticed than leave him to read. Slowly, he pried his eyes up from the book, glaring at the man without any hesitation. If the book in hand wasn’t so good he would’ve thrown it at him to get his point across. “What.”
He didn’t even attempt to sound neutral in his tone, tucking his legs up closer to himself and going back to fake reading while he listened to whatever the general had come to tell him.
Logan's eye twitched in silent irritation. So that was how it was going to be. Fine then. He'd keep this short. Not like that was all that out of the ordinary for Logan these days.
"I'm aware that this arrangement is…less than ideal. For both of us. But it's a reality and ignoring me and acting like I don't exist for the rest of our lives is childish and unsustainable. The least either of us can do is be cordial. And I think I have a way to show that. For the rest of the kingdom, at the very least." He sighed like he was preparing himself, he really didn't want to do this, to let Ciaran back into his life, but he had no choice.
"It's Valerie's birthday next week. She's been talking about how much she misses seeing us be friends because that's when I used to smile, according to her." His voice was suddenly soft, almost shy and a little sad. "Since it's her eighteenth, my father wants to do something special for her. So he invited you to come as my fiance. Thought that us coming together as a couple would be a nice surprise for Val. I know you hate me, believe me, I do. But I remember you always liked her."
He shifted his weight on his feet, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Logan still felt very uneasy about letting Ciaran back near the thing he held most precious. His family was his entire world, if anything ever hurt them by his hand whether direct or indirect, he wouldn't know what to do.
(Thank you!)
Ciaran found himself simply staring at the pages instead of reading as he began to speak. He wasn’t eager to come off as anything but angry at the man before him, let alone cordial and happy for the kingdom. The suggestion alone was enough to make him want to snap out a response, but he but his tongue to hear whatever solution he presented.
His demeanor didn’t change when he heard the plan but his eyes softened. Valerie had always been his favorite of Logan’s siblings and he always thought of her as the sister he wanted, and that hadn’t changed even after Logan and his falling out. Showing up to her birthday party, for the first time in years with Logan, he was sure she would be estatic. But did he want to put himself through the torture of acting sweet to his new fiancé while doing so?
With a huff, he snapped his book closed and looked up at him with a new frown. “Fine. I’ll go, but I’m only doing this for your sister, don’t expect me to act all lovey dovey except when we have to. When’s the party? And I will need present ideas.” As he spoke, Ciaran stood, dropping the book on top of a stack. He crossed his arms as he stood in front of him, meeting Logan’s eyes but not saying a word.
Logan pertantly ignored the way his chest loosened when Ciaran took up his offer. He could deal with those emotions later. "The party's next Thursday and I already have an idea of what to get her. She's been gushing to me about this book series she's been wanting to read for the longest time. But, well, you've met my father. You know how he is. With Valerie being the oldest daughter from a warrior family, he wants her to be strong and smart so she'll be a good wife and make her family proud."
Logan sighed heavily, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "But Val has never taken an interest in her studies, she prefers spending her days with her nose in a fictional novel," Like someone else I used to know… "So Father has been restricting her access to her beloved library so she'll focus on "Doing the Harlet name proud" as Father likes to put it. Honestly, I don't understand why he doesn't just let her have this. There is so little that brings her joy these days, why can't he just let her be happy."
He bit his tongue to cut off his oncoming ramble. Logan didn't talk much these days and his throat was already growing dry just from this much. Besides, it wasn't like Ciaran would be listening anyway, he already looked like he wanted Logan to evaporate on sight, rambling about his feelings towards his father's treatment of his sister would just go in one ear and out the other.
