Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters

"This should cure that hangover you have, Licht." Misono handed him a mug of thick soup. He didn't take it and moaned into the couch cushion instead. He sighed at his reaction and placed the mug on the table. After they met in the alley, they returned to the farm house Misono fled to. He didn't know which of them was more surprised to see the other. He was certain that he would never see his bother again.

Misono lightly nudged Licht so he could sit on the couch as well. He missed his family but he felt mixed about the situation. "Dinner should be ready in half an hour. Hopefully, your headache will go away before then. Tetsu is making beef stew for us. It isn't as elaborate as what the cooks make at the castle but it's still delicious. We can talk more while we eat so rest for now."

"Wait, I want to know everything now, Misono." He stopped his brother from leaving. His head was pounding but he did his best to sit up. "I don't even know where to start. We've been so worried about you since we couldn't find you. Mom says you're probably with Tetsu so you're safe but… She makes this sad expression whenever she thinks no one's watching."

"I never wanted to hurt you or our parents, Licht. I wasn't planning to run away at first. When Dad ordered Tetsu to leave, he wouldn't let me say goodbye to him. I sneaked out to see him one last but then I realized I couldn't leave him. I love Tetsu. You must think that was selfish and greedy of me. As a prince, it's my duty to think of our people but everything was so overwhelming."

Licht didn't know how to respond. He felt the pressure of being the next king over the last three years. Misono experienced it for most if his life. He couldn't imagine how difficult it was for him. He placed his arm over his eyes and let out a long sigh. "It's lucky that you left when you did. You would've been the one forced into an arranged marriage. The engagement would be more difficult if you're already in love with someone else. Are you happy with Tetsu?"

"Happier than I've ever been in my life." Misono's eyes were overflowing with love when he spoke. "But there has been difficult times. I miss you and everyone else. Even if I want to go home to see everyone, I doubt I can. At least we have this chance to talk one last time. Tell me everything that happened while I've been gone. It must be a crazy story for me to find you drunk in an alley."

After dinner, Hyde went to the farm connected to the house to help tend to the horses. Since Misono was important to Licht, he decided to do a few chores around the farm. That would give them more privacy as well. The brothers haven't spoken for years so Hyde wanted to give them a moment alone to talk. He was still wary about leaving Licht's side with the danger and uncertainty in their situation.

Tetsu said they could borrow a horse and wagon to return to the castle quicker. He was grateful for the offer but he knew that the farm needed it. He would have to discretely return it to Tetsu after he returned to the castle. The wedding would be a good opportunity to do so. He mostly wanted to avoid attending the wedding and watching Licht marry someone else.

Hyde's heart tightened painfully and he told himself to ignore his feelings. He decided it was best to go to sleep so he closed the stable's door. He wondered if Licht was asleep yet and if he should check on him quickly. A part of him knew that it was best if he didn't. The more time he spent with Licht, the more his feelings grew.

He noticed a white feather on the ground and Hyde easily recognized it as Licht's. It carried his powerful magic and it had a subtle gleam. He glanced up and saw a pair of legs hanging over the ledge. He could guess that Licht was sitting on the upper floor of the barn. Hyde hadn't noticed him enter the barn so he must've flown through a window.

He climbed the stairs to the second floor and saw that he was sitting alone. He thought he would be spending time with his brother. Licht had a trouble expression and Hyde hoped that he didn't have a fight with his brother. It didn't seem like Licht noticed that he was in the barn either. Hyde debated between leaving him alone or going to comfort him.

Without a word, Hyde sat next to him and gave him enough space between them. Licht didn't acknowledge him though. Hyde waited for his response to decide what to do next. He wanted to be next to Licht so he could support him but he would leave if he told him to do so. Licht closed his eyes and leaned against his shoulder, drawn to him by with warmth.

"It's getting late, Angel Cakes. Shouldn't you be asleep so you'll be refreshed for our long trip tomorrow? Misono said that you could use the guest room for the night. That beats sleeping in hay like I'm going to do." Hyde thought it was best to not ask questions right away. He spent enough time with Licht to know that pushing him would only make him more upset.

"You're planning to sleep in this smelly barn? That's not fair you know?" Licht's back straightened and he started to languidly swing his legs. He edged his hand closer to Hyde's. "There's a couch in the house so just use that, Shit Rat. Cute animals like those horses shouldn't have to deal with your snoring. Hell, I could barely sleep last night because of you."

Hyde chuckled softly and said, "You love animals a lot. When we get home, you can design a petting zoo and fill it with cute bunnies. We can have it next to that sunflower patch we were talking about earlier."

"When we get home…" Licht echoed in a solemn voice. He laid his hand over Hyde's and stroked his fingers lightly. "I was so happy to see Misono again. Honestly, I was hoping he would come back with us and I wouldn't have to marry Sleepy Ash. In the end, I couldn't ask him to do that or even bring it up. It's my duty."

"Your duty as the next king?"

"My duty as Misono's brother. I love him and I want him to be happy. He found a wonderful life here and I can't ask him to leave everything. I'm not going to run away from my responsibilities. I just want one night I don't have to think about it." Licht pushed Hyde and he fell into the hay pile below them. He flew down after him and stood in front of him.

Hyde swore as he tried to stand again but then Licht placed his hands on his shoulders. He sat on his lap and cupped his face. Licht leaned closer and whispered, "Kiss me. I want—"

"Wait, Licht!" Hyde interrupted him and grabbed his hands. He gave his fingers an affectionate squeeze before he lowered their hands. His blue eyes were filled with longing and he felt the same yet Hyde had to stop him. No matter how much he wanted to kiss Licht, he couldn't. "I understand, Licht, I really do. You're going through a lot of emotions right now. You're looking for some sense control. Doing something impulsive won't help though."

"I've been thinking about this for two years!" Licht let go of his hands so he could grab Hyde's shirt. "In a week, I am going to marry a man I do not know. I have already decided to go through with that. But, just for tonight, I want to be greedy. We forget that I'm an angel and you're my advisor. Please, I Hyde, don't want my first to be with a stranger.

Hyde wrapped his arms around his waist and turned them until Licht was beneath him. "A hay pile in a barn isn't the most romantic place for this, especially for an angel. We can stop anytime."

Licht trailed his hands down his neck to his chest. His fingers touched something cold and he realized that it was his royal brooch. He unfastened it and threw it in a random direction. He kissed him again and whispered, "Didn't I say that we're just us tonight? I want you, Hyde."

He pulled him into a hard kiss. Licht responded to his kiss with fervor and pressed himself closer to him. He slid his hands into his blond hair and tugged onto it slightly. When he parted his lips, he slipped his tongue into his mouth. He groaned and Licht felt heat spread through his body. Everything around them became a hot haze. The only thing that kept him grounded was Hyde so he clung to him.

If only he could hold Hyde every night.

The first night Mahiru spent in the castle, he was nervous. Now that a night has passed, he was afraid and on the edge of panicking. Hyde promised him that he would return before sunset yet there was no sign of him. Where were they? Mahiru hoped that nothing had happened to Hyde and Licht. He couldn't send a message to them either.

"What are we going to do, Ash?" Mahiru whispered to the cat in his arms. With so many thoughts running through his head, he couldn't focus on maintaining his disguise. He decided to take a walk through the maze in the dark. He needed to avoid people until he felt calm enough to use his magic again. The walk would help clear his mind as well.

He carefully thought over the options before him but none of them were good. If he continued with the ruse, there was a chance he could be discovered and killed. Yet, fleeing the castle would lead to a panic. He was alone in the castle with no one to turn to for help. He wished he could contact Hyde and ask him where they were at least.

Hyde said that he suspected that someone in the castle planned the kidnapping and Mahiru wondered who it could be. An idea came to Mahiru and he whispered excitedly to the cat. "I can continue to pretend to be Licht and look for clues of who tried to kidnap him. That way, I can defend myself if they discover I'm just a witch. It'll help Hyde and Licht once they return too. What do you think, Ash?"

He gasped when the cat jumped out of his arms and wandered deeper into the maze. Mahiru chased after it, afraid that the cat would become lost. Did something catch its attention for it to run off so suddenly? Ash stopped in front of a tall bush and pawed at the ground. He knelt beside the cat and petted it lightly. "You can't run off, Ash."

Hushed whispers caught his attention and Mahiru wondered who could be in the maze so late at night. He wasn't the type to eavesdrop on other's conversations but his instincts told him it might be related to Licht's kidnapping. He parted the bushes so he could see the people on the other side. Mahiru was only able to see their feet so he strained to hear what they were discussing.

"How could Licht escape and return to the castle so quickly? It's impossible." Mahiru covered his mouth to stop himself from making a sound. He was careful not to draw attention to himself as he crawled deeper into the bushes. "He hasn't told the king or queen that he has been captured. His behaviour has been odd ever since he returned. No matter, we will only try again and I can become king."

"King?" Mahiru whispered.

"Did you hear that?" Mahiru stiffened when the feet began to walk towards him. He picked up Ash and scrambled backwards. He didn't know what they would do if they discovered he overheard them so he ran to the exit. It was difficult to retrace his steps due to his fear and panic. He only hoped that he didn't run into a dead end.

A hand grabbed his arm as he turned the corner and pulled him into the shadows. He couldn't cry out before the hand clap over his mouth. Mahiru struggled against the man's hold until he realized the voice was Kuro's. "They'll find us if we make too much noise."

He recognized the invisibility spell Kuro whispered. Even though his spell was enough to keep them hidden, he also wrapped his cape around Mahiru to protect him further. Mahiru could feel his heart racing in his chest. He didn't know if it was from the people he overheard or the fact that Kuro was holding him so close. They were pressed closely together. He knew that Kuro only intended to protect him but heat rose onto his cheeks.

Two people he didn't recognize ran pass them but Mahiru didn't relax until their footsteps faded away in the distance. He stepped away from Kuro. He was glad that he saved from being discovered but he had to ask why he was in the maze as well. After spending time with him, he didn't think Kuro was a bad person but he had to be cautious. "What are you doing here, Kuro?"

"I saw two suspicious people walk into the maze and I decided to follow them. I only planned to negotiate an arranged marriage, not deal with a kidnapping conspiracy. It looks like you stumbled into it too. Can't deal." Kuro told him. "We should go to the king and queen so they'll know that Licht is in danger. They can take steps to protect Licht."

"We can't!" Mahiru stopped him and hugged his arm. He saw the confusion on Kuro's face but he couldn't easily give him a reason. He bit his lip and let go of his arm. "I need to tell you something but you need to promise to keep it a secret. Is there somewhere we can talk privately so no one will overhear us? I don't think this maze is safe."

"We can talk in my room." He offered and Mahiru nodded. "You work here so hopefully you know how to get out of here."

"I only started working here recently. Ash should be able to lead us to the exit though." Mahiru placed the cat on the ground. Ash sniffed the ground before it trotted forward. He wanted to explain why he was in the maze at night but he could only lie. In a small voice, he said: "I was giving him a walk. He might be a cat but he acts like a dog sometimes."

"I thought Licht adopted Ash because you didn't have time to take care of him. Royals often give these troublesome chores to their servants but he didn't seem like that kind of person." He was all too familiar of the politics of their situation yet he hoped that Licht would be different. Kuro thought of their trip to the farm and Licht's behaviour seemed genuine at the time.

"Oh, I asked Licht for the chance to play with Ash. He was kind enough to let me." Mahiru was still uncertain if he could tell Kuro that he was pretending to be Licht. At least the walk to his room gave him to chance to think of an explanation. He pulled his hood over his head when they walk into the castle so anyone passing by wouldn't see his face.

Kuro noticed how closely Mahiru was walking to him. It was almost as if he was hiding behind him. He believed it was because Mahiru was afraid of the two men they saw earlier. He opened the door to his room and Mahiru hurried inside. After he closed the door, Kuro shut the curtains so people outside couldn't see him. Mahiru was grateful that Kuro didn't ask him his questions right away.

He sat down in a wooden chair and petted the cat on his lap. He had decided to tell Kuro a mixture of the truth and lies. First, he begged: "Nothing I tell you can leave this room. Promise me, Kuro."

"I promise." Kuro sat across from Mahiru.

Mahiru took a deep breath and explained as much as he could. "Licht was kidnapped the night before you arrived. Luckily, I ran into him in town so he was brought back safely. We don't know who ordered the kidnapping. Hyde went to investigate and he was supposed to return tonight but… You said that you two used to be friends. Have you heard anything from him today?"

"No." Kuro shook his head and his brown eyes lowered in disappointment. He remembered how Licht was so insistent that they return before dinner and it was likely because he was expecting Hyde's return. He wondered if he was worried as well. "Maybe I should go and talk with Licht to see if he's okay."

"Licht said he wanted to be alone tonight." Mahiru could see that Kuro was beginning to care for Licht. Would he still feel the same once he discovers that he was actually a poor witch? He pushed that thought aside. "The royal family believed it would be best not to tell you about the kidnapping or else you might break the engagement. I'll be punished if they found out I told you. But I'm so worried for Licht and Hyde that I need to tell you."

"I'll keep your secret." Kuro vowed. He could see how caring Mahiru was. He shared that trait with Licht and Kuro found he wanted to help them both. "I'll see if I can send a magical familiar to find Hyde."

"Thank you, Kuro." He smiled brightly. He was happy he had the chance to talk with Kuro. Mahiru stood up and his shoulders feel lighter. "I should go return Ash to Licht."

"Do you want me to walk you? Those men might be nearby and it could be dangerous."

Mahiru wished he could accept his offer but he knew that it would be a risk. He patted his arm and reassured him. "Thanks for the thought but I can handle myself. Goodnight, Kuro."

A light, rocking motion jostled Licht awake. He felt so warm and relaxed that he didn't want to wake up. The last thing he remembered was laying in Hyde's arms and he wanted to stay in that dream. The sunlight wouldn't let him go back to sleep so he opened his eyes. He glanced around and saw that he was in a moving wagon. He remembered the night he was kidnapped and he sat up sharply.

"You're finally awake, Lichtan. I thought you would be out a little longer." Hyde's voice silenced the worry he felt and Licht relaxed. He was driving the wagon down a dirt road. When he looked back, Licht couldn't see the farm so they had likely been driving for a while. He rose to his feet and walked towards Hyde but his knees were a little weak.

Hyde stopped the carriage so he could find his footing easier. Licht placed his hands on his shoulders for balance. He turned slightly to face him and their eyes met. He placed the reins on his lap so he could slip his arms around Licht. "I hope you don't mind that I changed your clothes and left without waking you. You looked exhausted after last night. Are you sore?"

"I'm fine. I'm an angel, after all." He blushed when he remembered the previous night. "You should've woken me up earlier so I could say goodbye to my brother. I didn't get to do that last time."

"Misono said that saying goodbye would be too difficult for both of you. But he gave us some food for the journey and he said that they were your favourites. Your brother cares a lot about you." Hyde wanted to comfort him when he saw sadness cross his face. "If you're worried about him, I can check on them every once in a while. I'll make sure they're safe."

"Thank you but you don't need to do that since Tetsu is there to protect him. All this time, that has been the only reassurance I've had. I'm glad I could see him one last time before I become king." Licht sank back down and sat on the wagon floor. He leaned his head on Hyde's back and asked, "How far is the castle?"

"With this wagon, a few hours." He answered and picked up the reins again. The horses trotted forward but they remained silent for the journey. They were both thinking of the night before but neither of them brought it up. It was for the best they didn't talk about it. But Licht didn't regret the night.