Disclaimer: Uta no Prince-sama does not belong to me.
One misty morning, Camus found himself leaning forward on the railing of his room's balcony. He had just received a summons from the Queen of Silkpalace the night before, stating that Her Majesty wanted him to quit his job as a professional singer and return to Permafrost.
He sighed heavily and lowered his head, letting his long, blond tresses fall to his face.
His loyalty to the Queen was absolute. It should have been.
A tight feeling lingered in his chest. He would gladly do anything for the Queen of his country; anything but give up singing. Never had Camus' devotion faltered so. He did not want to disobey the Queen, yet he loved music. He no longer knew what choice to make.
"What's wrong, Camus?" an accented voice laced with tiredness asked from behind him. Camus turned around to face a sleepy Cecil, the man's chocolate hair sticking out in different directions.
"Nothing you should concern yourself with," Camus stoically replied as he placed a hand on the brunet's right shoulder. "Go back to sleep. You have no training scheduled for today."
The Count had expected Cecil to have been overjoyed that he was allowed more time to sleep. Instead of receiving the response he had imagined, Camus felt the Prince's hands cup his cheeks.
"You're always pretty, Camus," Cecil stated as he stared into Camus' icy-blue eyes. "But I don't like your troubled face. It suppresses your beauty. I'm willing to lend an ear if you'd like to talk about it."
The Prince's intimate gesture caught Camus off guard. It left him dumbfounded; speechless, even. For a brief moment, he stood, motionless, until he pulled himself together and roughly pushed the other man away.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to meddle in the business of others, Aijima?"
"It's not as if you have to hide it from me," Cecil mused in an unintentionally mocking tone. "I already saw the letter on your bed. It's a shame that you'll quit singing just because your sovereign ordered you to do so."
Enraged by the STARISH member's words, Camus impulsively lashed out and sharply slapped Cecil's left cheek. After he was struck, Cecil merely stood his ground, bringing up his left hand to his stinging, reddened cheek. His emerald-green eyes wander to Camus, whose face was overtaken by an expression of regret, tears threatening to fall from his angelic, blue eyes.
"I'm sorry... I..." the Silkpalace Count stammered as small teardrops trickled down his pristine face. Camus immediately wiped the tears away with his fingertips, his pride slightly damaged from showing weakness in front of another.
Thoughts of how a pity it was to see the blond's flawless face stained with tears raced through Cecil's mind. Originally, he had thought that no one matched Haruka's beauty. That, however, only lasted until he met Camus. The two of them started on the wrong foot with each other, but as time passed, Cecil learned more about the prideful Count, and grew fond of him. Sometime during the period they worked together, Cecil began to think that Camus's beauty and elegance were the ones that were unrivaled.
Perhaps, he no longer saw Camus as his mere senior and mentor.
"I'm sure your Queen will understand if you refuse."
"I'm in no position to defy Her Majesty. I could possibly lose my standing as a Count."
"Go out with me," Cecil demanded out of the blue, pulling the blond singer closer to him. "Please."
Camus' eyes lit up with curiosity upon hearing the brunet's request. What exactly did the Prince of Agnapolis mean?
"I'm afraid I don't understand the meaning of your words."
"It's our day off," Cecil stressed, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Let's go around town to clear your mind. Only then should you make your decision."
With that, Cecil forcefully dragged the Count out to the city and away from everyone who partook in the Master Course.
Until he met Cecil, Camus had never cared for anything other than his charm and his loyalty to his Queen. Ever since Cecil was entrusted in his care, Camus' heart had been overwhelmed by various emotions he had thought he would never feel. Now that he and the dark prince had a stronger bond, he was unable to help but wonder if his growing affection for Cecil was a mere phase.
The two singers strolled along the city streets, hand in hand. It was a nice day to take a long walk outdoors, especially with the sun intensely burning high up in the sky. The best place that Cecil figured could relax the blond man was the park. He brought Camus there with the very intention of calming Camus.
Surprisingly, not a single person was in sight.
After arriving in the desolate park, Camus shook his right wrist free from Cecil's hold and made his way to the swings. Cecil, being the tangible person that he was, followed suit.
"I'm not letting you quit singing that easily, Camus," the brunet told his mentor. "Your voice is one of a kind. You are highly favored by the muses."
In the end, it all came down to Camus' voice.
Camus averted his eyes from Cecil as he was subjected to the Prince's intense gaze. He was slightly dissatisfied by Cecil's statement. Somehow, it felt incomplete to Camus. Not knowing why, he took his seat on a swing and looked up into Cecil's green eyes.
"Is that your only reason for trying to stop me?"
Running the fingers of his right hand through his hair, Cecil advanced towards the blond aristocrat. He loomed over the older male for a brief moment and stared down at him before swooping down to give Camus' soft, pink lips a quick peck.
"I need you, Camus," Cecil whispered into Camus' left ear with the greatest sincerity he could muster in his tone. "I'm no longer able to properly think unless I hear your voice everyday. I wouldn't know what to do without you."
Subconsciously, Camus brought his right hand up and traced the outline of his lips with the tips of his slender fingers as his brows furrowed in bewilderment.
"You spoke so boldly of your love towards Miss Haruka before," Camus noted in an attempt to appease his own mind. "If you think you could toy with my feelings like this, then you're gravely mistaken."
Insistently, Cecil shook his head in disagreement and kneeled before the blue-eyed man.
"Please understand, Camus. Haruka is different," the Prince of Agnapolis began to explain. "I love the songs that Haruka writes. I only love her as if she were my own sister, this I realize now. I confused my feelings of familial affection for her as romantic love. You're the only one who holds a truly special place in my heart. So, I beg of you, don't leave me."
Taking both of Camus' fragile hands in his, Cecil then continues, "I was actually serious before. Please go out with me. Let's have a romantic relationship!"
"You know fairly well that romance is forbidden for idols," hesitantly, Camus said. His heart was thumping wildly from the sudden confession. Truly, Camus felt honored to be pursued as a love interest by Agnapolis' Prince. He needed a few seconds to calm himself. "We are loved by everyone, prohibited from belonging to one person alone."
"Then it will be our little secret for now," Cecil guaranteed as a small smile upturned his lips. As of that moment, Camus was as good as his. "The others will only know if you want them to."
"I really want to be with you," Cecil continued. "Would you give me the honor of being your lover?"
Camus would never admit it, but he was incredibly happy with the Prince's promising words. Perhaps, just this once, he would break the rules to gain the happiness he deserved.
"Do as you please."