Wings of Fire: The Prequels

4.4

After another episode of Fin's month-long disappearances, Cyclone herded the prince into his room to watch over him. And as much as they loved their other brothers, the twins felt safer with Fin and Cyclone. So in the end, three royals occupied Cyclone's room and only one seemed to be awake with him.

(The keyword in that sentence was 'seemed', Gust still slept in his weird dozing state after all.)

"Fin, are you sure you're okay?" asked Cyclone again, repeating that question like a broken record every time Fin disappeared.

"For the hundredth time, yes," said Fin with a small chuckle. Silence between the two allowed Fin to gather his courage. "Something important did happen this time around."

"What?" asked Cyclone, scanning Fin for injuries with a small frown.

"Nothing bad, nothing bad," Fin reassured, taking a deep 'breath' before continuing. "I confessed to a girl and got rejected, hard."

"How isn't that bad?" asked Cyclone with a confused yet somewhat amused expression.

"Let me finish, you eager fool," said Fin, playfully nudging Cyclone who jokingly glared at the prince. "I've known her for a while, I disappear to visit her.

"When I did confess, she gave me the most deadpanned expression I've seen on anyone's face, which is a feat considering how much she gives me them herself, and said, and I quote: 'Fin, you poor poor fool. You don't love me.'

"I, of course, responded with a joke that reiterated that I did love her. I'll continue to quote her for this. 'You poor lovesick fool. You don't love me, you love the idea of me. The idea that you don't have to fess up to someone you have fallen hard enough for to attempt to fake it with someone who acts like a sister. So how about you shut up, figure out your feelings, and come back to see me an exact month from when you've confessed to the one you actually love.'"

"Wow, she sounds fierce," said Cyclone, chuckling a little at the hard shutdown.

"Yep and I'm sure she would shout at me harshly enough to spit fire if I didn't do as she said. Which is what I'm doing," said Fin, lightly placing his talons on top of Cyclone's to indicate what he was about to say.

Cyclone picked up on it quickly, quite eagerly, really. "Oh, Fin..." Cyclone said, looking into Fin's eyes with a small smile on his face.

"I love you, I have for a long while. I've been too scared to say something when I'm sure it's been plain as day many times. I'm not much compared to your pure brilliance and confidence which continue to fluster me every day, but I wanted to at least say it and give this a chance," said Fin, pouring his heart out to Cyclone as he weaved their claws together.

Not giving a verbal answer right away, Cyclone stunned the prince with a kiss. It didn't last as long as it felt, the two separating with flustered grins. "I love you too, you ridiculous fool," said Cyclone, pressing a chaste kiss to Fin's cheek to strengthen the statement.

"Why did you have to combine them?" Fin whined although his grin didn't lessen in any way, shape, or form.

"Because you're my ridiculous fool," Cyclone flirted, startling when a flustered Fin buried his head into his guard's chest with incoherent Aquatic and vocal grumbling. Cyclone laughed at the odd action, getting Fin to grin a little wider even though it hurt his cheeks.

(In the background, Gust had to smother his grin. Even if he didn't understand all of the Aquatic since the language extended beyond the flashes of light he could see with his eyes closed, he got enough to understand what happened. Least to say, he was excited for them and their tip-toeing to finally end.)