“That was never going to happen, Flower. I was far too invested in you from the start.”
“I wasn’t Rin,” he said tentatively at first, the pill allowing him to do this when he would have been far too embarrassed to otherwise, “and so the decree felt like a mockery. Here was a person willing to pull me out of my father’s control, me and my brother, who was gorgeous and great in the sack, and he wanted me. But he thought I was someone else. For once, our switching places seemed like it was going to be the end of us. If you found out and your temper took hold, what then?”
“You didn’t protest because you didn’t want a future with me,” Kelevra sounded awed by that notion.
“I’d never considered having a future with anyone until you,” he said. “You’re egotistical and possessive, and you drive me mad, but you backed off in the library when you realized I was legitimately uncomfortable. And you didn’t hurt me our first night together even though you could have. Maybe I’m crazy for being happy about the bare minimum, maybe not. Icouldsee a future with you though, and that was the problem.”
Rin tugged on his right wrist and after a moment, Kelevra released him. He brought his hand to the side of his face, tracing the line of his jaw with the tips of his fingers. “You made me want to be Rin Varun. I’d never cared about the name before, but this past month…These last few weeks especially…”
“You are Rin Varun,” Kelevra reassured. “I’ll make it so, Flower. And if you want to quit the Academy—”
“I don’t.”
“You said you enjoyed studying at Vail.”
“Sure, but I like it at the Academy even more. It’s more my style when you think about it. I get to burn off energy sparing and training. My brother was always better suited for the University lifestyle, originally we even considered coming here having already switched, but our planet sent over our medical files and our DNA samples were included. Ultimately, we decided to try and see how it went. Be ourselves. Part of me thinks that’s why he’s been drawing things out with the stalker for this long. He didn’t want to switch back either.”
“If you two are so close, why couldn’t you have simply said as much?” Kelevra asked.
“Even when you’re close to someone, you still have vulnerabilities.” Besides, before he even could, this whole mess with the Imperial Prince had begun, and they’d sort of been stuck in their roles from there anyway. “Are you still angry I lied?”
“Yes and no,” Kel told him. “I should be furious with you. My pride should be wounded and I should have had both you and your brother shipped off-world immediately. That’s what Lyra expected, that’s for sure.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
“Because?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Kelevra licked at Rin’s palm, laughing when he made a sound of disgust. “I love you, Flower. It’s my fault you didn’t know already.” He paused then, “How do you feel about me?”
“I like you a lot,” he said. “But I don’t know if it’s love yet. Is that…all right?”
“Considering all we’ve been through?” Kelevra smiled at him, though it was impossible to miss the hint of sadness in his hazel eyes. “Of course. So long as you think you can love me.”
“I do.”
“Then for you, I can be patient.” Kel lowered and captured Rin’s mouth in a rare soft and slow kiss. “For you,” he brushed a strand of hair off Rin’s forehead, “I can be forgiving.”
Rin wasn’t sure why, but a tear slipped past his defenses and rolled down his cheek then. He sniffled and made a sound of annoyance. “Damn it.”
“Will you marry me,” Kelevra asked, waiting for him to meet his gaze, “Rin Varun?”
He sucked in a breath, his mind swirling and his heart thumping wildly in his chest. “Yes. Yes, I will.”
Because he was Rin, well and truly now, and he could make that choice for himself.
Epilogue:
Two Months Later
“All done.” Ome, the Royal doctor, removed the device he’d just used to take a blood sample from Rin’s finger and then stepped off to the side to go over the data on his tablet.
They were in the living room at the penthouse, with Rin and his brother seated on the couch. The doctor had arrived twenty or so minutes ago and gone over everything with them before pulling out his tools to begin taking samples.
Kelevra stood by the mini bar, ever vigilant, tensing slightly whenever the doctor stepped up to Rin—almost as though he’d forgotten he was the one who’d ordered all of these tests to happen in the first place.
Rin shook his hand, waiting for the slight sting to dissipate, and then leaned forward. “That’s it?”
