Chapter 389: Unsubtly Subtle.

Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Unsubtly Subtle.

It feels good to be able to go back to living his life.

It’s not perfect and is by no means the life Khobi had ever envisioned for himself, nor is it the one he wanted exactly, but for being neither of those things, it feels like a pretty good kind of life.

He spends his mornings running laps, and his days at the training grounds, and at night he has someone to crawl into bed with and fall asleep tangled up in.

And while it’s normal by the time dawn comes that they’re always back on their respective sides, Khobi’s...kind of started to enjoy falling asleep swallowed up in the heat of Loac’s body so much that he thinks it would be nice to wake up in it again.

​But he doesn’t. In a way it’s almost weird , because when it comes to pretty much every other aspect of his life, Loac has no qualms about getting up in his space or hanging off him.

There’s when they get in the ring, obviously, but also when they’re not. They jostle as they race down to training –pushing and shoving each other into and around corners –and while they’d probably get there quicker without the horseplay, a clean footrace is a lot less fun.

At mealtimes he’s always in Khobi’s plate just as much as his own, and in between drills –when he’s not actively taunting him, and sometimes when he is –he’s more often than not got an arm easily hooked around Khobi’s shoulders.

​And so what if Khobi’s started doing it back?

​As for right now , the fucker’s trying to peek at his cards.

Loac had honestly seemed pretty confused when he’d wandered into his room to find the table packed and the two Binny siblings handing out ale and snacks, but even though Khobi’s not locked up anymore, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s card night and there’s gold to be won.

​Whether it’s won fairly or not appears to be up for debate.

​" –Okay, that’s it ," Khobi decides, yanking his hand out of Loac’s view and elbowing him, because this is the third hand straight he’s blatantly snuck a look at his cards.

And while no one’s really been counting and it’s hard because Mural has been letting a lot slide (there’s honour among cheats, apparently) Khobi’s pretty sure Loac hasn’t won a single piece of the gold sitting in front of him cleanly.

​"What?" Loac says, and has the gall to look like he has no idea why Khobi’s glaring at him.

​"Oh come on ," Khobi scoffs, and calls upon the impartial overseers currently sitting on the windowsill eating more than their fair share of the snacks.

" Binny –" Both siblings look up. That’s fine; they’ve both got good eyes. "This guy’s cheating, right?"

​" –Oh, totally ," Binny replies with his mouth full. "So’s Rogard," he adds, offhandedly, and his sister nods along in agreement, "And Montrel’s trying .

Honestly, Khobi? I think you’re the only one who’s not cheating."

​Khobi gawks around the table. "You’re all cheating?"

​"...Eh, it’s all part of it ," Gandy assures him, which is so rich since he’s one of Mural’s biggest critics for his lack of scruples. He points at the tidy pile of gold sitting in front of Khobi and reaches over to pat him on the arm. It comes off very patronising.

" –And look how good you’re still doing!"

​That’s hardly the point.

​"...Yeah, some of us are broke , Khobi," Rogard points out reproachfully, "And you would not believe how much it costs to look this good."

​Well it’s too bad that Rogard’s about to be even more broke. Khobi flips a couple more coins into the centre of the table, doubling down.

If they’re gonna cheat, it’s gonna be even more satisfying taking their gold.

​And as it turns out, the only thing more satisfying than taking it from them himself, is watching Binny take it from them.

Because it’s only a matter of time before Binny gets dealt a hand of his own and someone stumps up the coin for him to buy in. Loac takes the hit this time, prompting the usual complaints about why they’re even putting up their own gold when they’re playing at the same table as the prince.

​Loac generously flicks a coin at Montrel, and the soldiers all snicker as it hits him square between the eyes.

​(And no one asked for it, but at some point an extra drink appears on the table for Binny. For once, he doesn’t bother reminding them that he isn’t supposed to drink it.)

​At some point too, Loac’s hand –the one not currently occupied with his cards, that is –drops away from the table, and finds its way to Khobi’s knee.

Recently he’s started doing stuff like that; touching him so casually even when they’re not alone – especially when they’re not alone, even –and it says a lot about how accustomed Khobi’s grown to it that he barely even flinches.

Not even when Loac’s fingers dip deeper between his thighs; his eyes set firmly on his own cards for once. Which makes Khobi instantly suspicious that this is just some ploy to rattle him –probably in retaliation for exposing him as a dirty cheat –and he resolutely refuses to bite.

​He does kick him under the table, though.

​Still focused on his cards, Loac bites back a grin.

​...

​Neither of them are nearly as subtle as they like to think, and when Binny locks eyes with Rogard across the table, he knows that even without his eyes he’s seen, too.

​...

​It’s not that the kitchens are peaceful , necessarily –if anything there are times where it’s just as chaotic as the training grounds –but there’s something about the castle kitchens that Khobi’s always found kind of soothing.

As much as it looks like absolute anarchy, with servants flying this way and that; one has only to look for it to find that there’s order to the chaos.

Systems. Patterns. A method to all the madness.

Down here the castle heart beats steady; day and night, and even when it’s quiet it’s never quite still .