Blue Eyes adjusted his position, rotating his hips and adjusting his head on the hard surface beneath him, or as much as he could with a slumbering Ash pressed against him. He wondered how many times he'd done that since laying down, and wished he'd accepted Ellie's earlier offering of a blanket or two. Even if he and Ash didn't need the warmth it would bring, the cushion against the unforgiving floor would be delightful.

Everyone around him was asleep, with his father still lying on the couch and Malcolm's family in their sleeping bags, as they called them, behind Ash. When everyone had first lay down, his mate approached him immediately and laid beside him. Blue Eyes tried to protest, considering that his father and the humans would witness their actions, but Ash only shook his head and refused to budge. Eventually, the prince decided it didn't matter since they were going to come out tomorrow anyway, but feeling Caesar's eyes on them when Ash buried his face in Blue Eyes' neck and embraced him was still unnerving to the young ape.

Blue Eyes desperately hoped his father would accept them. The ape king had spent the evening talking with Ash and himself, and being a family again gave Blue Eyes a sense of happiness that he'd been without for a long time. If that was all destroyed because Caesar was against their relationship…

The prince snorted quietly and tried to force the thought from his mind. It wouldn't do any good to think about it when he was trying to get some sleep. But hearing Caesar's quiet breathing, his body within reaching distance behind the prince's back, only served to make calming down more difficult.

Originally, Blue Eyes had wanted to leave tonight, just to do some scouting and see if he could begin forming a plan to get their family and friends out. Unfortunately, Caesar and Ash managed to convince him to rest for now and put off his mission until tomorrow night. His mate had been especially persistent, and Blue Eyes thought it had something to do with him being unable to convince the prince to stay altogether. The speckled chimp was just biding his time and holding on to him as long as he could. Not that Blue Eyes blamed him, of course. He'd do the same thing.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Ash let out a quiet sigh in his sleep and nuzzled his face into Blue Eyes' fur. The sight warmed his heart, and Blue Eyes pulled him a little closer to tuck his mate's body more firmly against his. Grey fur tickled his nose, though the prince paid it little mind as he inhaled Ash's earthy scent, thick and rich with a smokey undertone to it. The smell was more faded than Blue Eyes remembered, but it was comforting all the same.

Finally the prince felt his body starting to relax with Ash's scent settling his racing mind. But a muffled, fearful cry from the speckled chimp snapped him awake. He pulled back immediately to ask if he was alright, but his mate's eyes were tightly closed, face scrunched in a harsh grimace. Blue Eyes realized Ash was just having a nightmare, and rubbed his back gently while debating if he should wake the speckled chimp.

But movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and he looked over to see Alex staring at him.

The human blinked slowly, clearly still lethargic as he propped himself on an elbow and regarded the two apes curiously. His eyes moved between them, but settled on Ash when the sleeping chimp let out another moan. Blue Eyes kept stroking him, but increased the pressure as he waited for the boy to do something.

"Is he okay?" Alex asked.

"Bad dream," Blue Eyes answered.

"What about you?" the human questioned. When Blue Eyes only gave him a confused look, he elaborated with, "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" the prince answered, though he spoke too quickly for the response to seem natural or honest.

Alex seemed to pick up on that, and fidgeted with his fingers nervously. "It's okay, if you don't want to talk about it," he said, and the prince could tell by his tone that he wasn't sure if he was crossing a line by prodding. "I was just asking...Since you seem a little stressed…"

Blue Eyes sighed heavily. The word 'stressed' seemed like an understatement compared to what he was experiencing right now. But perhaps talking would do some good. He was withholding a lot, and Alex didn't seem like the type to spread other's secrets, or be overly judgemental. And his shy, quiet nature only served to further convince Blue Eyes that it was safe to open up to him.

"No," he finally admitted. "Not okay. Many things. Wrong."

Alex nodded, and hummed quietly for a moment. "Do you want to...You know...Talk?"

Blue Eyes just shrugged. "Not sure."

"Well, I promise I won't tell anybody," the boy said. "Not even my dad, if you don't want me to."

"Promise?" Blue Eyes asked.

"Promise," Alex confirmed, his earnest face and kind eyes confirming the truth in his words.

Blue Eyes took a moment to think over everything that he'd experienced in the last couple of days. Where to start…

"Apes not act. Like apes," he began, flashes of that murdered girl and his own public humiliation running through his mind. "Act like. Animals. Now."

"How so?"

"Watch them. Kill. Harmless humans," Blue Eyes explained. "And Koba. Shot Ash. I…" Even now, coming to terms with the fact that his own family tried to kill his mate was a hard memory to bare. And even harder to say out loud.

"Before that. He was. Uncle. To me," he finally finished.

"He did that just because you wouldn't kill humans?" Alex asked.

Blue Eyes shook his head and sighed, though he knew it wasn't the boy's fault for getting it wrong. After all, he had told both his father and the humans that was the reason he and Ash had to run.

"No," Blue Eyes admitted, and gestured down to a now silent Ash. "We have. Secret."

"What kind of secret?" Alex asked, head cocked curiously with a raised brow.

"Not friends. Like father think. Ash and I. In love," he stated, and waited expectantly for a disgusted look to cross Alex's face.

It didn't come, but the human did seem shocked. "Really? Is that why you two left the other apes?"

"Yes. Found us. Together. Got mad. And shot Ash," he said while gesturing to his mate's injured hand, still lying undisturbed on the floor between them.

"Guards. Took us away. Tried to...Hurt us. I stop them."

Blue Eyes didn't want to elaborate any further, but something in his tone must've tipped Alex off and let him know there was more to the story. "How?" The human asked. "And what do you mean by, 'tried to hurt you'?"

"Tried to..." Blue Eyes started, then stopped when the images came flooding back, still as disgusting and heart-wrenching as when it happened. It took a moment for him to fight past it, including the phantom sensation against his backside where Oliver had pressed against him, and grate out, "Force us. To mate. I kill them."

Alex gave him a look of pure shock. "O...Oh," He stammered, mouth gaping like a fish out of water. The young ape might've laughed, had the circumstances been different. "Sorry. I'm not trying to be rude, but I wasn't expecting...Something like that."

"We not. Expect it. Either," Blue Eyes said.

"Wow that's...awful. Neither of you deserved that."

Blue Eyes nodded and looked down at the floor, the loud silence now tainted with bad memories. Both from when they were almost raped, and from when Koba had them dragged in front of the other apes and humiliated. Speaking of which...

"Alex?" Blue Eyes suddenly asked, causing the other to pay attention to him again.

"What you think. About Ash. And I?"

"You mean, you two being together?"

Blue Eyes nodded.

"Well, if you love each other, I think you should have the right to be more than friends," he said, and shot Blue Eyes a soft smile. "After all, love is love, right?"

The prince breathed a sigh of relief, and returned Alex's smile. "Thank you. Apes not. Accept us. I worry. Father. Will not."

"I think he will," Alex supplied. "You're his son. If Ash makes you happy, I think he'll see that and allow you to be together."

Blue Eyes started to respond, but felt Ash's head stir the fur on his chest again. He looked down at the motion, and caught the white of his mate's eyes before he could close them again.

"Ash?" He said quietly, and accusingly.

The speckled chimp lifted his head, and looked back and forth between him and Alex with a slight smile both apologetic and elated.

The prince sighed, and dropped the matter entirely before he asked, "You awake. Long?"

"Long enough," Ash replied, and carefully rolled over to face Alex. Blue Eyes couldn't see his expression, but the speckled chimp reached out and pulled Alex in for a quick hug. The human accepted the embrace, and patted Ash a couple times before his mate released him.

"Thank you," Ash said.

"No problem," Alex assured. "And good luck, by the way."

The two chimps nodded, and Ash turned back to Blue Eyes as Alex rolled over. The speckled chimp reclaimed his place against the prince's body, but didn't bury his face in the dark fur like Blue Eyes expected. Instead Ash stared at him, emerald eyes bright in the murky dark.

"You need to sleep, Blue Eyes," he signed, with a look on his face that left little room for argument.

"I know, Ash. I'm trying," the prince protested. "But I can't stop thinking about everything!"

Ash shook his head and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You worry too much. Just think about us, and our future together."

Blue Eyes considered the suggestion. "I'll try," he signed, but exhaled harshly as his mind kept racing with negative thoughts. "But what if something happens tomorrow?" He rambled. "Or the next day, and we never get to..."

"Don't think about that," his mate interrupted. Before Blue Eyes could respond, Ash's hand slid from his tense shoulder and, with a soft caress, gently glided up his neck until it reached his face. The speckled chimp palmed his cheek and used the leverage to pull their foreheads together. Blue Eyes let out a soft sigh at the contact and focused on returning his attention to Ash's relaxing scent. Within moments, his body began to relax, the tight muscles loosening and allowing his body to sink into the floor.

"No good. To worry. Now," his mate whispered, white-flecked lips brushing against the prince's as he spoke.

Blue Eyes nodded and let his body rest against the wood beneath them. Ash followed suite, but gave him a warm, chaste kiss before burying his forehead against the prince's throat and cuddling against him.

"I love you," he heard Ash mumble, the sound slightly muffled though still easily understandable.

"I love you, too," Blue Eyes whispered back, and pulled his mate more firmly against him. A few seconds passed before he buried his face in the speckled chimp's fur again. Ash let out a soft, throaty noise, and Blue Eyes felt his lips brush against his neck at the same moment his mate's uninjured hand slipped into his. He squeezed it gently, reassuringly, and Blue Eyes did the same before closing his eyes.

He didn't think about what tomorrow would bring, or the next few days. Instead he followed Ash's advice and focused on the distant future; one where there was peace, happiness, and the speckled chimp forever by his side.

He imagined waking up in the morning with Ash in his bed, the soft, buttery light cascading across his features while the sight brought back memories of making sweet love the night before. The birds would be chirping outside, accompanied by the sound of fellow villagers starting their day as Blue Eyes gently shook his mate awake. He would kiss him once those leafy eyes were open, and Ash would return the embrace as he pulled the prince atop him...

Before he was even aware, Blue Eyes fell into deep sleep.

BANG

BANG

CLANG

The combination of loud noises jerked the prince awake, and he straightened into a sitting position immediately. He stared in the general direction of the noise, and was about to reach for Ash's hand when Malcolm poked his head out of the nearby kitchen.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You two can go back to sleep. I just dropped something."

Blue Eyes released a heavy breath, one that he didn't realize he was holding, and let his body drop down onto the floor again. Now that adrenaline wasn't pumping through his veins, he could hear Ash's muffled laughter from beside him. He turned to playfully glare at his mate, but the speckled chimp only laughed harder and tried to stifle the noise in his palm.

"Would you be quiet?" he signed to Ash. Though he tried hard not to, he couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips.

"How can I?" His mate replied. "You should've seen the look on your face!"

Blue Eyes let out a mock-growl and pulled Ash against him. Before his mate could react, the prince wrapped one arm around his neck to hold him in place while he ground his knuckles against the top of his head. Ash shrieked with howling laughter as he tried to get Blue Eyes to stop, but his bucking and twisting made little progress until the prince released him on his own.

Ash leapt away as if he'd been burned and turned to face Blue Eyes on his three useable limbs, body lowered into a mock-fighting stance. It seemed like he was contemplating going after the prince, but plopped onto the floor after he glanced at his injured hand.

"You're lucky," Ash threatened playfully. "But I'll get you when you least expect it."

"We'll see," Blue Eyes signed back.

His mate lifted his hands to respond, but a stern cough drew his attention away. The prince turned to see his father standing in the entryway of the room, shaking his head amusedly at the sight before him. Blue Eyes shot him an innocent smile, to which Caesar only raised a hairless brow before taking a seat on his couch. The younger apes followed and sat before him. They waited until Caesar had adjusted himself before signing, "Good morning."

"Good morning, you two," the king replied with one-handed sign. "Sleep well?"

"It was alright," Blue Eyes supplied with a light smile on his lips.

But instead of returning the look, Caesar took the younger ape by surprise with a heavy exhale and a serious, intensive stare. Yet that surprise turned to anxiety once Blue Eyes recognized the expression Caesar wore like a mask over his rugged face as the same he'd always used when interrogating the prince as a child. Unfortunately, his father allowed his son little time to process this before he jumped straight to the point.

"I wanted to talk to you both about that, actually," he signed. "You two were...Very close last night." He paused, and made sure to make heavy eye contact with both of them. "Is something going on?"

Blue Eyes quickly dropped his father's gaze and glanced at Ash, only to see his mate sporting a rather alarmed look before he turned his head away from Caesar, too. They'd both agreed to confess today, but they never expected to have to do it so soon.

"Ash, Blue Eyes," Caesar spoke, when neither said a word. "If something's wrong, you two can tell me. You know that, right?"

Blue Eyes wanted a little reassurance and tried to catch Ash's eye again, but the speckled chimp kept his gaze firmly locked on the floor. Multiple seconds ticked by, and the quietness of the room boomed like thunder as Caesar glanced back and forth between them. More so as time went on and he became more impatient.

"Your silence only makes me more worried," Caesar continued, though Blue Eyes only saw the signs out of the corner of his eye.

"It...It's not easy to explain, father," he finally answered. "We just...Don't want you to be mad."

"And why would I be mad?" Caesar questioned, while bending down as far as he could to try and meet his son face to face. Blue Eyes noticed this, and worked up the nerve to look at him. It was hard to sit there with his father staring straight into his eyes, the golden-green practically penetrating his soul, while also knowing that lying to Caesar wasn't going to work like it did yesterday; not while he was suspicious and knew they were hiding something.

So he finally looked to Ash one more time, and grabbed his hand instead when his mate kept his head down. The touch prompted Ash to return his attention to the prince, and though he seemed nervous, he nodded.

Blue Eyes let out a heavy breath and turned back to his father, his free hand raising so he could sign, "Ash and I aren't friends anymore."

Caesar's eyes narrowed, and Blue Eyes' heart nearly stopped until he realized his father was just confused, but not at all angry as he questioned, "What do you mean, Blue Eyes?"

"I mean…" the prince shakily explained, steeling himself for what he was about to admit and hoping his father would understand.

"We're in love."

When he finished the last sign, Caesar's eyes went wide. He started looking back and forth between the two of them, but eventually set his gaze back on his son and studied his face intently. He seemed to be searching for signs that he'd misunderstood, or that Blue Eyes was making something up to avoid telling the truth.

"When...Did this happen?" Caesar asked, after he'd found none. The prince had been preparing himself for a negative reaction, but the fact that Caesar kept a neutral gaze with an inquisitive stare only made him more nervous.

But if he and Ash wanted a future, they were going to have to come out of hiding. And they would start by telling their story.

"In the spring," Blue Eyes said. "Just a few weeks before the summer. We've been keeping it a secret ever since."

As the words flowed out of his fingers, the fact that they'd been hiding this for so long hit the prince hard. It was early in the fall now, yet it felt like only yesterday that he and Ash proclaimed their love to each other in their tree hut.

"And...How…Did it happen?" Caesar continued.

Blue Eyes could feel his heart beating erratically. He knew, approval of their love or not, that Caesar was going to be furious when he found out exactly how they came together.

"You won't like this," Ash finally spoke up. "Just, please, hear us out."

Caesar only nodded.

"We found a wooden hut in the trees," Blue Eyes explained, and kept a close eye on his father's expression all the while. "We went farther from the colony than normal, and decided to explore inside. There was a book in there. It had...interesting things in it."

"What kind of things?" Caesar asked.

"Sexual things," Ash signed after a long moment.

Blue Eyes wasn't sure if Ash noticed this or not, but his father's mask cracked a little. Though Caesar had recovered and fixed the break quickly, the prince was able to see a spark of fury before the older ape covered it up.

"Continue," he said, and in between the threads of his voice, the prince picked out a dead calm that he'd long since learned to associate with extreme anger.

"We were curious about what we saw, so we...tried it out," Blue Eyes admitted, having already decided to spare his father some of the more intimate details. "And we enjoyed it, so we kept going back to have sex."

"That is why you were always asking to leave the village, then?" Caesar asked, and even though the answer was obvious, the corners of his eyes pinched together when the two lovers nodded

"But then we started getting closer," Blue Eyes continued, while Ash fumbled for words beside him. "It took time, but soon I wanted more than sex from Ash. I...I wanted him to love me, too."

"And I felt the same," Ash jumped in. "Then Blue Eyes confessed one day. He said that he wanted me, as a mate. I told him that I felt the same, and we've been together ever since."

"And there's something else!" the prince hastily signed, interrupting his father who was about to ask another question. "We weren't honest with you yesterday, either."

"About what?" Caesar asked with a raised brow.

"About why we had to leave the apes," Blue Eyes said. "One of Koba's guards caught us together, so Koba had his allies drag Ash and I in front of the others to humiliate us."

The young prince swallowed hard.

"They all started insulting us, like we were animals instead of fellow apes. Koba let them do that, then shot Ash after he pleaded with him to stop."

Blue Eyes risked another glance up. Caesar definitely looked angry now, though he still tried to repress it until he heard the full story.

"Then...Koba tried to kill Ash."

His father's eyes went wide with shock, but contorted with raw fury a moment later. Now he wasn't even bothering to hide his own emotions, and it was a slight relief for Blue Eyes, because now Caesar's anger wasn't directed at them.

"I had to charge at him, to stop him. But Koba's guards pulled me off. Then he beat me with his gun, and told Anthony and Oliver to take us away and keep an eye on us until he decided what to do."

Blue Eyes paused momentarily. What he was about to sign next wasn't going to be easy.

"But when they had us alone, they tried to-"

A loud sniffle cut him off, and Blue Eyes turned to see that Ash was starting to cry.

"Can we skip this part, please?" He frantically asked, face already damp with tears. "I...I don't want to…"

Blue Eyes pulled him into his arms when the speckled chimp trailed off, only for Ash to bury his face in the prince's neck and start sobbing loudly. He rubbed his mate's back and hooted comfortingly in his ear to calm him, but forgot that his father was even there until a high pitched creak sounded from beside him. While he was distracted, Caesar had lowered himself onto the floor. He looked extremely worried now, but clearly wanted an answer as to why Ash was so upset.

"Anthony and Oliver tried to...Force themselves on us."

Caesar went completely stiff. He'd been mad before, but he was far beyond anger now. Whatever it was, Blue Eyes didn't have the words to describe it, though the emotion was eclipsed by paternal concern as the king gazed at his son and set a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Are you two okay? Did they hurt you?"

Blue Eyes paused for a moment, as the answer wasn't as easy as 'yes' or 'no'.

"They didn't...Actually mount us," Blue Eyes stammered. "They tried to, but I stopped them before they could."

His father exhaled in relief, though his fury hadn't dismissed at all. And when he met his son's eyes again, the look in them betrayed his vengeful thoughts. "Where are they now?" He asked.

"Dead," Blue Eyes answered, then added, "I killed them."

Caesar nodded and relaxed a little, though he frowned when he noticed the guilty expression his son was trying to keep off his face. In response, he opened his arms and took both the young apes into them, gripping them both firmly as he laid his head atop his son's.

The gesture was comforting, and Blue Eyes allowed himself to lean into his father's arms. Funny, how a few days ago he would've have pushed Caesar away and angrily argued that he wasn't a child that needed to be coddled. Now he would not only accept, but return any affection given. And, although he couldn't be sure if Ash was calming on his own or because of his father's embrace, even he seemed far more relaxed now.

Caesar eventually let them go, but he did stay close. Once his father was clear, Blue Eyes pulled one arm away from Ash and turned to face him, though he kept his other around his mate's waist and allowed the speckled chimp to lean against his side.

"That's all," Blue Eyes concluded.

Caesar only nodded and fixed his eyes on the floor. He was clearly deep in thought, and the two younger apes waited as the king processed the information he was given.

"Ash," Caesar finally signed. "You love my son?"

"Yes," his mate answered with an affirmative nod. "I've never loved anyone more."

Caesar dipped his head in acknowledgment before turning to the prince. "And Blue Eyes. You love Ash?"

"Yes," he answered. "I know this is strange, father, and that Ash and I didn't come together like others do. But I can't be with anyone else, not after what we've done together."

Another nod. "I see," Caesar said, and allowed another heavy silence to follow after. Blue Eyes and Ash tensely waited for his verdict, hoping that the king would be more understanding than the other apes had.

But then Caesar took a deep breath, as if he was preparing to say something difficult. Blue Eyes felt his heart sink at the sound, and he gripped Ash tighter out of reflex.

"Well then, a few years from now, apes will see two males becoming husbands," the king declared.

The prince's eyes went wide when he saw Caesar's signs, and his mouth nearly dropped open.

"Father, I…"

Overrun with shock, Blue Eyes couldn't think of anything to say or sign. But Ash, on the other hand, practically leapt into Caesar's arms and embraced the older ape tightly. The king chuckled, and patted Ash's back as he whispered, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" multiple times.

It was only when Ash was backing off did Blue Eyes finally come forward. He swallowed thickly and opened his arms, but didn't have the chance to do much else before his father laughed again and pulled his son into an embrace. The prince held him tightly, now fighting back happy tears as he buried his head in Caesar's shoulder. If only he could force the words out…

"Do not cry, Blue Eyes," his father whispered to him.

"Sorry," The younger ape choked out. "Just so. Happy."

Caesar chuckled some and finally released him, though he made sure his forehead brushed against his son's as he pulled back. The affectionate contact drew another smile from Blue Eyes' lips while the king stood and settled himself on the couch again. Soon after Caesar left him, he felt a familiar warmth against him, and instinctively wrapped an arm around Ash. The speckled chimp hooted gently and nuzzled his cheek, causing the prince to sigh and lean into him. But a grunt from Caesar interrupted the moment, and the two turned to face the king again.

"You may have the right to be together, but I still don't approve of mating outside of marriage," he stated firmly. "And I don't like hearing that you two have hidden this for so long. Once Koba is taken care off, I'm going to have a talk with Cornelia, Rocket, and Tinker to see how they feel about this."

Ash ducked his head in embarrassment and Blue Eyes stiffened beside him, but both nodded regardless. They expected punishment for breaking such a rule, and would face it without complaint.

"Of course, father," Blue Eyes responded. "And we won't mate again until we're married. I promise."

"Me too," Ash swore.

Caesar nodded. "See to it that you do," he replied sternly.

Later that night, Blue Eyes was letting out soft groans, and nuzzling his mate until the speckled chimp's lips locked with his again. The prince placed his palm on the back of his mate's head, effectively locking the two together as they embraced. With such tender warmth against his mouth, a rough hand cupping his cheek, and firm pressure all over as Ash laid atop him and and gently ran his tongue along his, Blue Eyes was in complete paradise.

They may have promised Caesar that they wouldn't mate, but neither said anything about being romantic with each other.

And it was nothing short of pure luck that they found this place, dusty with scattered toys and a nest in the center, the perfect spot for a few minutes alone. Though both thought a door in the ceiling made accessible with a thin rope was strange, neither were going to waste time questioning the humans or their strange customs when they could spend quality time together.

After all, it was the last chance they had to do this before Blue Eyes left.

The thought of leaving Ash behind didn't set well with the prince, though his determination to fix the situation they were in was too strong. But knowing that Ash would have his father for company soothed him. And the humans, though he distrusted them at first, would be here with his mate, too. Already, Blue Eyes could see a friendship building between Alex and Ash, a mutual trust growing between them after their conversation the night before, and the prince hoped Alex could help Caesar keep Ash from worrying until he returned.

Suddenly his mate broke their lip lock and moved upwards, placing random pecks on his forehead with heavily lidded eyes. Blue Eyes sighed softly at the action before he pressed his mouth against Ash's throat, his lips working through the grey fur to reach dark, sensitive skin underneath and tease the flesh with quick nips and gentle licks.

The speckled chimp shivered and placed his chin atop Blue Eyes' head, effectively baring his neck to his lover's mouth and allowing him better access. Blue Eyes took advantage of the action and teased his mate until Ash was practically purring from the attention. Soon after, he tilted his head backwards and bit at one of the speckled chimp's most sensitive spots, right in the front of his throat where the skin connected his neck to his head. Ash let out a quiet bark and pulled away, to which Blue Eyes shot him a cheeky smile.

His mate raised a hairless brow, but quickly huffed and brought their mouths together again, injured hand taking its place against the prince's cheek while the other gripped his shoulder. Blue Eyes slid his own upwards from Ash's hips, dragging them firmly through fur and against heated skin until they reached the shoulder blades and held him there.

But the sound of someone clearing their throat snapped them out of their love-filled haze.

They both froze, and Blue Eyes felt his heart skip a beat in his chest as he watched Caesar step out of the shadows and come towards them. His mate scrambled off him immediately after he recognized the king, which allowed the prince to raise his hands in an attempt to defend what they were doing.

"Don't be mad, father. I can explain…"

But to his surprise, Caesar just laughed.

"There's no reason to be scared," he assured. "I know you two weren't mating."

"How much did you see?" Ash asked cautiously.

"Enough," was Caesar's response as he took a seat on the nest beside them. He glanced around some, and chuckled to himself as he signed, "I wondered if you two would find my old room."

"Old room?" Blue Eyes asked.

"Yes. My father gave it to me, and filled it with toys and puzzles to keep me busy." A light smile came onto his face as he reminisced. "I spent a lot of time up here."

Soon after coming out to Caesar, his father had sat them both down and told them about his life before he met other apes, one that he shared with a human family. The king explained that this was his old home, and he shared it with a man named Will, his mate Caroline, and Charles, who was the father of Will. They had been together until Caesar attacked a neighboring man in order to defend Charles, and the older ape was taken to the primate shelter where he met Maurice, Rocket, and Cornelia.

With that thought in mind, Blue Eyes looked at his surroundings again, but more thoroughly this time. He supposed it looked more like an ape's room than a human's, considering all the old ropes hanging from the ceiling, like something that could be swung on.

But, he realized, if this was his father's room, then that meant the nest they were sitting in, the one he and Ash had been rolling around in, was his father's too…

Blue Eyes flushed with embarrassment, and ducked his head whilst hoping Caesar wouldn't notice. To his dismay, his father seemed to catch onto his son's mortification and let out a series of deep, throaty chuckles. He shot the prince a knowing look, and the young ape expected Caesar to tease them, but instead his father changed the subject.

"You two really are affectionate with each other," he observed casually, without judgment or disgust, Blue Eyes was happy to notice. "I've never seen other apes do that. Only humans."

"We learned about that from the book in our treehouse," Ash explained. "It might not be normal for apes, but we like it."

"I see," Caesar signed. "That's fine, so long as it doesn't go any further than that."

"We know, father," Blue Eyes signed.

"Good," the king replied, and gave a satisfied grunt. "But that is not what I came up here for. It's late now, and many apes are likely sleeping. If you want to get started, now would be a good time, Blue Eyes."

"I know," the prince signed. "I was just saying goodbye to Ash."

His father gave an understanding nod. "Well, say goodbye for a bit longer. I'll be waiting for you downstairs." With that, Caesar stood and headed for the door. The two watched him go, then turned back to one another after he was gone.

"Are you sure you won't stay?" Ash asked. "What if something bad happens?"

"If I don't do something, bad things will happen anyway," Blue Eyes countered. "The least I can do is try to stop it."

The speckled chimp swallowed, and tears began to form in his eyes.

"I know," he admitted. "I want my father back, but thinking about you risking your life out there…"

Ash dropped his hand and hugged himself tightly. Blue Eyes crawled over and pulled him into his arms. The speckled chimp's fingers immediately gripped his fur, and the young prince kissed his cheek.

"I love you," Blue Eyes said out loud, because he felt ending this quickly was the best course of action. The longer he dragged this out, the more Ash would beg for him to stay, which was something he knew he couldn't do.

"I...I love you, too," Ash choked out, and pressed the side of his head into the prince's scarred chest.

Blue Eyes hummed lightly while he took Ash's chin with his fingers, turning his head slightly so they could kiss one last time. Ash's lips seemingly molded into his, sweet and soft as they moved together. Blue Eyes took the time to memorize the feeling of his mate's mouth against his, the speckled chimp's warm body and smokey scent overwhelming his senses as he pulled Ash closer and inhaled deeply. They made the most of their final moments together, and relished in the contact since this would be the last time they could do this until the prince returned.

And that was going to happen, Blue Eyes told himself. He would come back with their friends behind him, and he would have Ash in his arms again.

After a few seconds, Blue Eyes gently pried Ash's arms off him and scooted off the bed, all the while trying not to look at his mate's pleading expression. He halfway expected Ash to try and grab him again, but the other just followed close behind him, and the two went downstairs to meet up with Caesar.

The older ape stood by the door, and nodded to them both when they quietly approached, careful not to wake the sleeping humans in the next room. Blue Eyes shot his father one last smile as the king took him into his arms, and returned the embrace with the same intensity. Caesar held him tightly for a few seconds, then patted his head affectionately whilst he was pulling away.

"Be careful, Blue Eyes," he cautioned. "This is important, but try not to endanger yourself too much." He let a moment pass, then added, "Think before you act, son."

The young prince's smile faltered a little. Caesar had spoken that exact sentence to him once, right after his failed hunting attempt, yet all he did was push his father away and stalk off. This time, he nodded and looked Caesar straight in the eyes as he swore, "I promise, father. I'll come back."

"I know you will." Caesar's smile grew, and he cupped his son's head in his palm. "I want you to know that I'm so proud of you. I've always been, but I never told you enough. I hope you can forgive me for that."

Blue Eyes swallowed. He felt tears in his eyes, and swore he saw a silver lining in Caesar's as well.

"I do, father. And thank you. I won't disappoint you."

Caesar nodded and released him, then nodded towards something behind him with his head. Blue Eyes turned towards it, only to see Ash watching them with glassy eyes. The prince smiled gently and hugged him again, a gesture Ash eagerly returned.

"I love you," he heard Ash whisper.

"I love you, too," Blue Eyes said back, and pecked him on the side of the head. Ash took a deep breath before he released him, but reached down and took Blue Eyes' hand when the prince tried to step away.

"Promise you'll come back?" The speckled chimp signed.

"Of course, Ash," Blue Eyes promised, and gave the other a reassuring squeeze. "Take care of my father for me?"

His mate nodded, and they both ignored Caesar's mock-offended scoff. "I will. I swear."

The prince's head bobbed in assent, and he swiped his thumb one last time over the back of Ash's hand before he let go. Then he glanced at his father, to which Caesar gave him one last nod. Blue Eyes smiled at them both, and made sure to look each in the eyes before he turned away. But, as he headed off into the night, he felt a sudden swell of emotion, one that he'd been holding back for the past few hours. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to stop and return to his mate and father.

Then the memory of Maurice in that cage flashed through his head, followed by Rocket, Luca, and the others; their wrists draped in heavy, metal chains, looking miserable and defeated as they waited for Koba to decide their fate. They needed the prince, for he was their only chance of getting out. If he didn't go, he would doom them all to an early end, and himself to remembering those he left behind. He would spend the rest of his life with a shroud of guilt hanging over him, one that would haunt him until he was buried in his grave.

Blue Eyes kept walking, and he didn't look back.