Hanamichi and Rukawa had been traveling for almost 8hrs non-stop,
and they were both extremely tired. The Prince was almost on the verge of
collapsing. The redheaded man noticed his state and decided that they would
spend the night at an inn. He turned to Rukawa and said, ''' We are going
to spend the night at the inn 3 miles from here."'' The Prince glared at
him and replied, ''' No! We will keep going. I am not a weakling''
Hanamichi sighed in exasperation,'' I never said you were a weakling. We
both need the rest if we want to continue the journey. It isn't safe for
royalty to sleep in the forest. God knows what kind of things could
happen.''
The Prince just stared at the gardener with an impassive expression. ''' I'll take that as a yes then'' murmured Hanamichi. Rukawa was fuming inwardly. That damn gardener thought he was weak. Just because he was a little tired didn't mean that they had to stop and spend the night at some stupid inn. He would show that gardener how strong he was. Hanamichi hid his grin behind his bored facade.
The ride to the inn was uneventful and when the men reached it, they immediately requested for two separate rooms. The tension between the two men was rising, but for different reasons. The prince wanted the gardener to talk while the gardener wanted to be out of the Prince's presence. The innkeeper looked at the two men with an apologetic expression on his face. ''' I'm afraid that we only have one room left. We are running full today so you will either have to share or find another inn."'' . Hanamichi turned pale at the thought of sharing a room with the Prince, but he simply nodded and took the key from the innkeeper.
Rukawa and Hanamichi stepped into their room only to be stopped short by the sight of a queen-sized bed. The redheaded man erupted into a string of curses, ''' that swine didn't tell us that we would have to share a bed. I'll get him for this. I refuse to share a bed with a stupid kitsune!'' The prince just glared at him and replied, ''' shut up do'aho. You're no prize either. Just make do with it or you're welcome to sleep outside in the stable."'' Hanamichi continued muttering under his breath but he placed hi haversack at the foot of the bed. Both men looked at the bed and inwardly gulped at the thought of both of them sharing it.
The Prince just stared at the gardener with an impassive expression. ''' I'll take that as a yes then'' murmured Hanamichi. Rukawa was fuming inwardly. That damn gardener thought he was weak. Just because he was a little tired didn't mean that they had to stop and spend the night at some stupid inn. He would show that gardener how strong he was. Hanamichi hid his grin behind his bored facade.
The ride to the inn was uneventful and when the men reached it, they immediately requested for two separate rooms. The tension between the two men was rising, but for different reasons. The prince wanted the gardener to talk while the gardener wanted to be out of the Prince's presence. The innkeeper looked at the two men with an apologetic expression on his face. ''' I'm afraid that we only have one room left. We are running full today so you will either have to share or find another inn."'' . Hanamichi turned pale at the thought of sharing a room with the Prince, but he simply nodded and took the key from the innkeeper.
Rukawa and Hanamichi stepped into their room only to be stopped short by the sight of a queen-sized bed. The redheaded man erupted into a string of curses, ''' that swine didn't tell us that we would have to share a bed. I'll get him for this. I refuse to share a bed with a stupid kitsune!'' The prince just glared at him and replied, ''' shut up do'aho. You're no prize either. Just make do with it or you're welcome to sleep outside in the stable."'' Hanamichi continued muttering under his breath but he placed hi haversack at the foot of the bed. Both men looked at the bed and inwardly gulped at the thought of both of them sharing it.