Rating: T
Characters: Marco/Ace
TW: Kissing/Implications of NSFW
Notes: part 1 of 2 (the second of which I shall upload tomorrow~ :P)

Lygerastia - The condition of one who is only amorous when the lights are out.

Midnight. Ten minutes past, if Marco was going to be exact, which he often had to be. Ten minutes past, when the guards switched over their watch and spent a few minutes idly chatting to each other. He flicked off the lights, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, and then made his way to the window, unlatching it.

For a long few minutes he was afraid that Ace hadn't been able to make it. He had to swallow his disappointment, hands tightening in the gossamer curtains.

Then, clicks came from outside; the sharp snap of heels on tile, and he stepped back, his heart thrumming in his chest.

A figure cloaked in shadows slipped through the window, letting out a loose sigh of relief and offering a grin of white teeth, and Marco couldn't help but smile back.

"Thought you weren't going to make it," he whispered, stepping in close and knocking down Ace's hood to tangle his hands into Ace's hair. The world was quiet, night draping a blanket of silence around them, and his voice followed nature's pattern, keeping low. His words hovered on teasing, but even he could detect the obvious hint of worry.

"And miss out on you?" Ace replied quietly, leaning in close, nose brushing Marco's, "Never."

Marco closed his eyes with a quiet sigh, soaking in the warmth of proximity as he gently combed his hands through Ace's hair, and felt Ace's nose move when he smiled.

"I missed you."

"Bit hard getting in," Ace said unapologetically, "considering you're the prince and all."

"I could make them," Marco offered, and felt Ace's body move with his snort of laughter.

"Yeah, that'd go over well." He said, voice dry and snappy. "Oh hey dad, just wondering, could you let an assassin into the castle please? We're just gonna go cuddle in my room."

Marco hummed, his hands sliding down to the back of Ace's neck, fingertips light enough to make Ace shiver. "I'd hope to do more than cuddle, yoi."

Ace's grin returned and he tilted his head, warm breath on Marco's lips. "Gimmie a hint?" he asked mischievously, his own hands wandering up Marco's arms, and tracing down his throat.

"Well," Marco drawled slowly, before grabbing onto Ace's hand and spinning him out in a twirl. Ace gave a surprised laugh, the sound filling Marco's room, and Marco grinned; even with fear twisting in his chest. They had to be careful, had to be quiet, but god did he adore the sound of Ace's laughter. He pulled Ace back to him, hands falling to Ace's waist. "We'd definitely be close."

"Another hint?" Ace asked teasingly, tracing his teeth with his tongue and pretending to look thoughtful.

His fingers skimmed Ace's side, his fingers tugging on Ace's shirt before settling on Ace's warm skin, "This might be gone."

"Might be?" Ace said with a snort, "I'd hope so."

"Well, it's true that you definitely wouldn't want to swim with a shirt." Marco said innocently. "You'd have nothing to change into."

"That is so not what you meant," Ace said, hitting him gently in the chest, and Marco laughed. Dipping his head, he stole a quick kiss, one that Ace eagerly tried to return, hooking his arms around Marco's neck.

However, his kiss dissolved into a hiss, and Marco felt concern surge in his chest. "Ace?" he asked, as Ace doubled over and clutched at his side. Marco's hands fluttered over Ace's skin, squinting in the darkness. Frustration filled him, and he reached for the wall. "Let me get some light-"

Ace pulled away from him, dark eyes flashing. "It's fine," he said, teeth gritted, and tried to straighten, giving another hiss before he could push his shoulders back. He grabbed his hood, pulling it over his tussled hair, and Marco's expression morphed with worry.

"Ace, what are you doing?" Marco asked, grabbing onto his shoulder. "You're hurt!"

"Get off, Marco," he snapped, pulling his shoulder from Marco's grip, and Marco heard Ace heave a heavy breath of air. "Look," he said, eyes serious and glittering in the low light from the window, "you promised. No light - ever."

Marco shook his head slowly, his shoulders dropping. "So it doesn't matter to you that you've never seen me?"

"I've seen you," Ace said, his mouth pulled into a smile. "You're a prince, remember?"

"So how is it fair that I've never seen you?" Marco said, eyes narrowed, and watched Ace's smile vanish.

"You wouldn't want to." Ace mumbled. His lips moved almost soundlessly, his next words escaping Marco's hearing, before he sighed again. His fingertips grazed Marco's arm gently. "I can promise you, Marco, that if I didn't know you'd hate me-"

"I would never hate you," he interrupted, grabbing onto Ace's hand, and watched as Ace laughed deprecatingly. "I wouldn't."

Ace gently pulled his hand from Marco's grasp, laying a soft kiss against Marco's knuckles. "Sometimes I can believe you mean that." Ace whispered to his bent fingers, and Marco could feel every word pressed to his skin.

Words brimmed on Marco's tongue, but he couldn't figure out how to string them together, desperately trying to think of how to make Ace see how much he was adored.

"Marry me." He blurted, twisting his hand in Ace's so he could lace their fingers together. "Marry me, and I'll prove it to you, every day for the rest of our lives."