darling

(not their) end

Patrick woke up to the weight of someone else's weight on his stomach. Without opening his eyes, he reached out and gently ruffled Zhou Keyu's hair, hearing soft laughter in response.

– Are you awake? – Patrick asked in a hoarse voice and looked sleepily at Keyu's smile.

– Did I wake you up? – Zhou Keyu asked, leaving a soft kiss on Yin Haoyu's warm belly. – I'm sorry, baobei. – he rubbed his nose against Patrick's skin and pressed his cheek against him.

– Why are you so affectionate in the morning? – Patrick asked, closing his eyes again. His hand was gently stroking Keyu's hair even though Patrick was still sleepy.

– Am I not always like this? –Zhou Keyu asked with a soft laugh. He closed his eyes, enjoying Patrick's warmth and the smell of his body. Now that Zhou Keyu worked hard, he really missed this routine tenderness and touching his beloved.

– You usually pout in the morning. – Yin Haoyu objected, opening his eyes again and looking at Keyu. – And you look serious until you eat. – he smiled.

– Really? – Keyu asked. – I didn't notice it.

– That's fact. – Patrick nodded, finally, gradually shaking sleep off. He rubbed his eyes, and Zhou Keyu, finding it cute, showered him with kisses again. – It's ticklish!

– Do you want to go to the beach this weekend? – Keyu asked as he carefully looked at Yin Haoyu. – It's so beautiful there in winter, and delicious noodles are also sold nearby. We're constantly sitting at home, I'll soon die of boredom. And you even more so, baby.

– What if someone from the palace sees us? – Patrick asked worriedly.

– Baby, we left the palace almost six months ago. – Zhou Keyu gently reminded. – No one cares about us. – he kissed him lightly on the stomach again.

– You're the Prince, Keyu. – Patrick shook his head. – Do you seriously think that the Prince won't be looked for? You'll be looked for all your life.

– I'm the third son of the Emperor. – Zhou Keyu smiled. – The third is equally unnecessary. The throne will pass to the elder brother, and the middle one can perfectly marry the daughter of the North King. Everyone forgot about me, don't worry.

– Do not say that. – Patrick rebuked him. – How can a family forget its own member?

– If this is the imperial family, then they can. – Keyu nodded. – Baobei, not everyone is as lucky with a family as you are. We've already discussed this. – he stroked Patrick's chest reassuringly. – I've told you a hundred times that my Father didn't love me, but you stubbornly keep saying otherwise. But you don't know much, baby.

Patrick sighed, realizing that Keyu is right. It wasn't Patrick who had lived in the palace since infancy. It wasn't Patrick who studied until the morning, just to please the Father. And it wasn't Patrick who whose opinion in the family was worth nothing.

– I just can't believe a father could so easily abandon his own son. – Yin Haoyu said softly as he ruffled Keyu's hair. – My father accepted me... just the way I'm. And accepted you too. Why couldn't your Father do it? We're not murderers, not conspirators. We just love each other.

– I don't know. – Zhou Keyu answered honestly. – I really don't know why things turned out the way they did. But is it bad? – he smiled softly. – Even if my family abandoned me... Now I have you. And your parents are nice to me too. This is enough for me.

Patrick patted his shoulder to show that he was there and would always support him.

– So what about the beach? – Zhou Keyu asked, pressing his cheek against Yin Haoyu's stomach. – Do you want to go? Even if it's just for a short walk. We haven't been on a date in a long time.