Chapter 208 - 206: A Kiss Like No Other.

Chapter 208: Chapter 206: A Kiss Like No Other.

The crutch feels lame, too, even though the castle women who fuss over him when they see him with seem to think otherwise.

He thought he’d like it, being fussed over, but it doesn’t feel nice having to sit on the sidelines while the others get to train.

Some of his old companions have tried to invite him along to afternoon tea or to listen to music now that he’s found himself with time to kill but they don’t entertain him the way they used to.

Maybe they never really did.

​It’s funny. He never thought there would come a day where he missed training.

​The crutch is really good to hit Khobi with, at least.

​His father hasn’t said another word to him. In fact, every time they pass each other by it’s like he doesn’t even see him; like they’re little more than strangers.

​Rogard has been doing his best to keep his distance. It’s best to, when his father gets like this.

He’s sure he’ll get scolded for it –sure his father will find a way to make the ice between them his fault –but until then, it’s easier and hurts a lot less this way.

The journey down to the training grounds each day gives him something to focus on; takes his mind off his failings as a son, and the fact that his father doesn’t care he’s hurting.

The soldiers don’t seem to mind him watching; if anything they seem to heckle him more while he’s on the sidelines than when he’s participating. And that’s saying something.

​Khobi’s servant – Binny –Khobi gets mad when people call him ’his servant’ doesn’t join in every day, but even when he’s too busy to make the soldiers look bad, he still swings by to watch.

Sometimes he brings snacks, and he and Rogard share them and watch together, like they did when they were kids.

​Loac’s back, too. And Rogard doesn’t even get the chance to go up against him again because of his fucking ankle .

​It’s hard to be too bitter though.

He’s as amazing as ever, and watching him is like playing back a set of old, dusty memories.

Ones he didn’t realise how much he’d missed. He hasn’t asked, but he thinks Binny might be the same.

They had a lot of fun back then.

​It seems like maybe, they just might be able to have that kind of fun again.

​Hurry up , he wills his ankle, even as it twinges. Before I fall behind .

​He can’t quite explain it but he gets the feeling that Khobi wouldn’t let him, and the thought makes him smile.

​( "I won’t settle for you losing to anyone but me, you got that?" )

​( "Get better soon. I’ll be waiting." )

​( " Oi, you’re still comin’ for dinner with us, right?" )

​What an idiot. Of course he’ll still have dinner with them. He looks forward to it every day, even before he got injured.

​Tonight though, he takes a detour.

​Drogger looks surprised to see him.

​So does Ynoro, but he doesn’t seem fazed. Or more importantly, suspicious.

​"Oh, Ynoro-senpai, good evening~" Rogard greets brightly, and hopes he manages to conceal his disappointment at finding Drogger already in company.

​"Evening, Rogard," Ynoro breezes, "You’re looking well. You after the Captain?"

​"I...ah, yes, but I can come back another time," he assures him, but Ynoro is already rising to his feet; tossing his papers back onto Drogger’s desk, much to his captain’s chagrin.

​"It’s fine, I was leaving anyway," he replies easily, "But mark my words, Captain; this winter is a blessing, and I won’t see such a golden opportunity squandered!"

​" Out , Ynoro."

​" I won’t !"

Ever dramatic, he slams the door behind him. The nearby bookcase rattles from the force and a couple of books topple to the ground.

Rogard blinks. He feels like he’s just missed something amazing.

​Drogger sighs, long and loud, and his chair scrapes as he leaves it behind.

​"I’ll get them," he tells Rogard before he can figure out how best to bend down with his crutch, stooping to collect the fallen books, "Sit down, you shouldn’t be on that ankle."

​"It’s fine," Rogard assures him, opting instead to lean up against his desk, and has nothing to hide when Drogger gives him a sidelong glance, clearly searching for any sign of a lie. He’s honestly been very good.

And the crutch helps a lot. "Don’t worry, I’ve been behaving myself~ The medics at the infirmary are really scary. I hope I never get injured again."

​" –So you risked coming all the way down here because...?"

​Rogard’s offended that he has to ask that.

​"I wanted to see you."

​"Oh." His easy answer seems to catch Drogger off guard; grey eyes drifting to the crutch, leaned up against his desk, and the way Rogard has deliberately kept the weight off his bad ankle. "You didn’t have to do that..."

​"I know that," Rogard sniffs, "I wanted to. Besides, it’s not like we can train together at the moment, or anything..."

​"I suppose that’s true," Drogger concedes, returning the last of the books back to their proper place and then turning towards him with his expression soft. "I’m glad you’re looking after yourself."

It shouldn’t but it makes Rogard’s heart leap.

​(He wonders, with a pang of jealousy, if Drogger had ever looked at his wife with that sort of expression.)

​Drogger kisses him.

​Too wrapped up in his own petty thoughts, Rogard barely even gets to savour it before he’s pulling away.

Much to his disappointment. Drogger just gives him a stony look, eyebrow twitching infinitesimally.

​"You looked like you were thinking something annoying," he states, flatly, and Rogard can only laugh.

Then he leans in to kiss him back. Here in the privacy of his office, Drogger doesn’t stop him.

​It’s simple and sweet. A kiss for the sake of a kiss.

​For some reason, it makes him really happy.

​(Rogard’s never kissed anyone like that before.

​Never been kissed like that before, either.)