Haha, finals are finally over! Yes! Not that I myself was suffering much but the whole dark aura from school didn't rest with me well… Well, I truly, deeply apologize for procrastinating (although you're probably not surprised at this point) for I lost the USB with all of my stories on there, fanfiction and not. So. Here's the new (and somewhat improved although that creates a paradox) chapter. This will most likely be the second to last chapter- unless you want an epilogue…. Which will most probably be a lemon because I really don't know how to end of stories well ^u^. Well, it was nice having you all here for the ride. Thanks, and enjoy reading.

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Octavian knew that something was going on. He knew that the Prince was hiding something from him, from the rest of them (those who lived in the palace). It started with his attitude- he had run away, then come back without much fuss. Sure, he didn't want to come back, but he didn't throw a fit that cracked the walls or the floor. Then, he would have these mood swings from depressed to exuberant, all in one day. Now that was a bit extreme. Octavian knew that children of his age behaved strangely (although he himself was only a couple years older) but seemed to get a little bit out of hand.

Then came the 'bug bites'. Sometimes, strange and mottled bruises would appear on his pale and slender neck and Octavian couldn't help but wonder if the young prince was seeing someone. Could be a servant girl, but he doubted it. Most of the servants at the Palace, if not all, had a haunting view of the Sultan's son with rumors ranging from him being a necromancer to emitting a dark aura that can kill you at first glance.

He, of course, had nothing to do with it. (Not that there were any benefits to having less competition for the Prince….) Still, the secretary wondered and pondered. Then, he overheard the conversation:

The prince was in the garden, reading in his spare time, or possibly to simply avoid sword-fighting lessons. Then, there loomed a shadow over him that grew larger and larger with each step. The back of Nico's neck tingled and his hands itched to grab something, anything- "You're not going to be able to scare me, Jason, if I can see your shadow and you're breathing down my neck." When he got no response, he closed his book to look up and turn around, and- Bam!- there Jason was, right in his face. They were so close that their noses were touching, and could feel each other's breaths.

With a surprised jump, the Prince jumped and landed in the grass on his bottom. Jason started to laugh at his dark and disgruntled look; the blonde only believed that it made him look more adorable. Nico picked up the book, grumbling, and dusted the leather cover off, placing a leaf to bookmark where he last read. Then, he slapped Jason's arm with it.

The blonde only laughed again and patted the seat next to him on the stone bench; Nico crossed his arms and glared at the blonde. Jason pouted. Nico glared. Suddenly, Jason pulled the Translator's son into his lap, so that the shorter teen was straddling him. "Isn't this much more comfortable than stone?" Jason grinned.

A scarlet hue appeared on Nico's pale cheeks, contrasting greatly. He slapped Jason again with the book. "What are you doing here?" he kept his voice a gravely whisper. Mindless of his heavy tone, or seemingly mindless I should say, Jason gave the teen a deep kiss before pressing butterfly kisses on his cheek, jaw, neck. "Jason, you're going to get caught- ah~"

"Why are you so ashamed of our love?" Jason said teasingly. He nibbled on Nico's Adam's apple, feeling the every vibration as Nico struggled to keep quiet. "You seem to like it when I do this."

He kissed Nico's jaw and licked a clean strip from there to the bottom of his ear.

"Or this."

He gently sucked Nico's earlobe as if it were some sort of sweet treat.

"Or even this." With a grin, he bit the top of Nico's ear. It was soft and delicate, like the rest of him. Nico gasped, and pulled away abruptly as Jason pouted once again. He scowled, but it was only half-hearted.

"Last time you were caught, you nearly died and I had to save you from the prison dungeons. I'm not going to fare well if you keep trying to die." Jason pressed a kiss to Nico's forehead when the shorter teen unsuccessfully veiled his mask of worry.

"Don't worry: I can't die. And I really wanted to see you but you weren't on the balcon-" He was cut off by Nico's kiss, a distraction that he really didn't mind.

"I'm dating an immortal. How stupid of me. Are you like one of those mythological genies that cannot die but can only be bound to their master?" When the Prince thought of what he had actually said, he blushed. "It was only a myth that I heard when I was younger, I don't actually believe-"

This time, he was the one being cut off by a kiss.

The blonde grinned at his boyfriend's cute attempt at denial. "I have come far and wide, dressed as a mere peasant. When I found you, master, I was to be bound to you forever, as you have stolen my heart." He dramatically put a hand over his heart. Nico stared at him for a couple of seconds, a blank look on his face, before he gently slapped the blonde's bicep.

"Oh, shut up."

"It was worth a try."

"No, no it wasn't."

"Then can I kiss you?"

Nico grumbled as he flushed a light pink. "You don't need to ask…"

After a couple of heated moments, the smaller teen's head rest on the stronger, taller male's chest. "Are you going to come tomorrow?" He asked hesitantly.

"Tomorrow, and the countless days after that. But now, I should go. I don't want to, but I should." With an internal sigh, Nico got off of the blonde and they stood, holding each other's gaze. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it."

"But I know that you're leaving," Nico countered. Jason shrugged with a nonchalant expression before ruffling Nico's hair, much to the latter's dismay. Then, he took off with one final kiss. Nico did sigh this time before heading back to his room.

Octavian walked out from behind the shadows of the palace walls and picked up the dusty book. He carried it inside with a thoughtful expression on his face. Then, the pondering look turned from a thunderous expression of rage, then to a crooked and ominous smile.