Only Human

"Your Highness?"

"Hm?" The blonde prince turns in his chair, arching a single eyebrow as he meets Kanon's gaze. As always, he looks perfect – unaffected by the current situation, untouched by the wars and political strife and Black Knights. However, looks aren't everything, and Kanon's learned exactly how to recognize those tiny little slips Schneizel always makes as time goes on. The way his left thumb begins to rub his index finger, the almost unnoticeable furrow in his brow – the signs are minute, but definitely there.

"Your Highness..." Hesitantly, Kanon sounds out his request in his mind before bowing his head to the seated man. "Please, Lord Schneizel. It's been well over twenty-four hours since we arrived back here-" never mind how long he was awake before that - "and even you need to rest." The request is impudent, what some would call insubordination, and Kanon knows that were Schneizel to wish it his aide could be thrown in jail at this very moment.

There is a long, almost pregnant pause. Eventually, he hears a soft, affirmative noise and the creak of the chair, and even as he starts to look back up he can hear those familiar, graceful footsteps making their way over. Sure enough, as he looks up he is confronted with a pleasant sight – Schneizel, hardly two feet away, with a gentle smile on his face. "Of course, Kanon." A pause, and he lets out a small, almost measuredly jovial laugh. "What would I do without you?" After another slight lull, the tall, beautiful prince begins to lean in towards the other man.

The pink-haired man smiles back at him, and even as he stretches upward he can feel the beginnings of an anticipatory blush spreading across his cheeks. As Schneizel slowly leans in, Kanon meets his eyes one last time, glancing over his face in an attempt to memorize every detail.

His soft smile, showing nothing but kindness for those below him. His perfectly sculpted face, exuding warmth and benevolence for mankind beneath.

His eyes, as neutral and cold as ever.

Their lips meet, and for a few seconds they share a small, chaste gesture of affection. Quietly, with an almost practiced reserve, Kanon runs his tongue across the royal's bottom lip before breaking the contact between the two. Schneizel widens his smile ever-so-slightly, and for the tiniest of moments Kanon allows himself to close his eyes and pretend that he's actually wanted, that someday Schneizel will love him as much as he loves the prince.

Kanon opens his eyes to look into Schneizel's again, and knows that his wish will never come true.

"We resume our duties in the morning, Kanon." With these words, the prince runs a hand down Kanon's arm before turning and heading to his quarters. The assistant waits, unmoving, until Schneizel el Britannia is gone from the room before turning and heading to his quarters himself.

Those eyes... it's as if he was gazing into some perfectly-oiled machine. Every time Kanon allows himself the tiniest bit of hope, he only needs to meet Schneizel's gaze once before he is reminded just why he and the prince will never be. And yet, every day some tiny part of him keeps repeating that wish, that pleading mantra in the back of his mind – maybe someday I can love him. Maybe someday he can love me.

For even if Schneizel is not, Kanon is only human.