Sorry for the long wait, here is the next chapter!

SIXTY-FIVE - Of Bachelors and Blessings

6 Days Until The Wedding

"M-Master, I can't possibly be one of your groomsmen!" Obi immediately waved his hands in the air, eyes closed with cheeks tinted pink. "I don't have the right or the actual qualifications of being a groomsmen!"

"There's not much to it, Obi," Zen begins with a chuckle, "it's not like you're applying for a position. You're my friend, aren't you?"

"W-well, surely…" Obi simmers down, his energy gradually dissolving away. "But we've established this Master-Assistant relationship before that." Zen's eyes lower to notice the fork in Obi's hand shakes with the trembling of the limp. "I've never really had a friend this close, let alone be offered to be a groomsman for one."

"There's a first for everything right?" Zen hums encouragingly. "Although not by much choice, I became a Prince. And it's hard, but it hasn't been all bad." Obi's anxiety doesn't decline much, but a curt smile plays at his lips. "I enjoy being able to protect and assure my people, making sure they know that I'm only in this position because of them."

Obi lets out a bit of a shaky sigh, unsure how to respond. He places the fork down before he becomes flimsy and drops it on the ground. He instead twiddles with his thumbs, considering all the extreme cons of him being a groomsman for someone as important as Zen is.

"Keep in mind that you're a Prince," Obi begins quietly, "and I'm a peasant." Zen frowns at this but allows Obi to resume. "I've never been to a wedding nor seen one in person. I wouldn't know what to do and your guests would find it embarrassing and-"

"Obi," Zen interrupts, "this is my wedding, not my guests' wedding or anybody else's. It's mine and I want the people closest to me to attend and be there for me." Zen then proceeded to playfully punch Obi on his arm. "Also, you are not a peasant so don't ever say that about yourself ever again."

Obi emits a sigh before taking the cleaned plates from the counter to give them to one of the workers. But he halts when Zen tosses him a used napkin that perfectly landed on the dirty dishes. "That's an order, by the way."

Obi smirked, slightly bowing while saying, "whatever you say, Master." Zen watches as Obi kindly gives all the dishes to a female worker, who is practically swooning at him. He couldn't help but feel content in Obi's growth upon coming here to the castle.

Obi wasn't too easy to deal with. He constantly preferred his face covered and didn't really say much. The man didn't know the ropes quite yet and didn't really think he had to. Zen always got the feeling that Obi felt temporary, as though his presence wasn't going to be needed long. And crazy enough, Zen was wrong and he became far too important to be let go and Obi finally figured out that he didn't want to be let go.

He has friends now; friends who actually care about him and share laughs and memories with. His life took a complete 180 and he was now in a position where he can take pride in his life. The man opened up and everyone finally saw the values that he held. And finally, that vulnerability point that Zen had been seeking finally decided to give in, but he did not realize what it would take to see it.

Until he witnessed the Obi that exists when Shirayuki is around.

"Hey, Obi." The two exit the kitchen, with the wonderful aroma of food trailing behind them. Obi glanced over at Zen but kept his eyes weary of the castle, always on guard and ready for anything. "I was meaning to ask about you and… Shirayuki." Obi snapped his neck when looking straight into Zen's eyes, those amber orbs illuminating fear. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you for answering truthfully."

"I'd hope not," Obi chuckled nervously, "I was prepared to die just a few hours ago…" Zen felt his blood go cold at the mans serious joke. But Obi was all smiles, weaving fingers through his black head of hair as he kept his eyes locked on his Masters. "I'm all ears."

"I just wanted to know how it came about," Zen asked quietly, looking away while tugging the tip of his chiseled nose. Obi could see his cheeks slightly pink, clearly embarrassed to ask a question that seemed obvious. "I know after my announcement, it didn't register too well with-"

"I had to look for her in the forest," Obi began as they turned around the corner to enter another corridor. Obi stuffed his hands in his pockets, his lips curt with a serious expression ornate in his face. "I found her weak and in tears; she was tired after vomiting from the news."

Zen listened attentively as Obi explained the details of what happened between the two since he had announced his engagement. The scarf Obi had given her, their interactions with the Princess, the new sleepover habit. He could hear the love in Obi's voice, the way he spoke about her and their moments. But Obi had spoken vaguely and Zen understood this. The explicit details would have made his chest throb harder than it already has.

They were walking around the same corridors over and over, with the guards confused when seeing the men for the 57th time. But Obi gave Zen an honest answer without any explicit order as to keep the story long or short. It was enough to hold a storytime without telling Zen every single minute they spent together. And Zen now understands where they stand.

"So," Zen begins after Obi utters the final word to his story, "is it safe to assume that you two are lovers now?" Obi's cheeks are splotched crimson, looking distantly between the pews of the castle as he brings a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Zen teased in pure amusement.

Obi could only smile widely, contently- practically infectious. "At first, I had regretted taking such a liking to her, seeing as you two were in love but," Obi pauses, halting at his tracks. Zen stops as well as the two men face each other. Obi's eyes were serious right then, amber eyes light yet pressing. "I have never and will never love someone the way I love Shirayuki. And I promise that I have no intentions on giving her away to anyone else."

Zen felt himself smile, feeling it not as forced as before. It was genuine and real, as he felt tears ensuing in his eyes. It still hurts knowing that Shirayuki is no longer his and never will be again. It hurts seeing her happier with another man. It hurts not having what you've always wanted and watching someone else have it. But Zen was extremely thankful to know that Shirayuki is in good hands and those very hands will ensure that not even a scratch comes on that woman's body.

"B-but since we're here," Obi starts, his heart dipping into his stomach. Zen raises an eyebrow, his lips agape as he watches his assistant quickly kneel before him. One hand is pressed down on the cool tiles while the other arm is leaned against both knees at the elbow and wrist. Obi hangs his head low, his eyes meeting with his Master's shoes. "I wanted to ask for you blessing, Master, to be with Shirayuki of Tanbarun. I wish for your blessing to take her hand in marriage someday, Master."

Zen widens his eyes to this, looking down at his humble assistant. This man was asking for his blessing for a woman that isn't his daughter nor his sister. This woman no longer held a relevant affiliation to be asked consent over. But here Obi was, knelt before the Second Prince, requesting permission to have the woman that was previously his lover. And for that, Zen couldn't help but be damned. He was surrounded by the best people this Kingdom could ever have and for that, tears finally left his eyes. Obi's eyes watched the drops hit the ground as he quickly looked up at his Master in shock.

"Of course you have my blessing, Obi," Zen quietly replies, cracking a weak smile through the tears. "I trust you more than anybody I know with Shirayuki's life. That's why I assigned you as her Personal Knight. I know you two will make each other very happy."

Obi was all smiles from hearing this. He quickly rose and was back on his feet, but he also completely forgot their positions. Without expecting it, Zen felt the man wrap his arms around him and give him a tight embrace. "O-Obi!" Zen was taken aback, arms up and flailing as Obi held the shorter man.

"Thank you so much, Master!" Obi cheered happily. "Thank you so, so much! Tonight we celebrate! Hoy se bebe!"

"Obi, what does that even mean?" Zen exclaims as he pushes the man off. Obi chuckles, straightening up again while continuing their stroll. "Why do you know a foreign language?"

"I don't know the tongue well," Obi admits shyly, "just know a lot of phrases and whatnot. That phrase I had said is a celebratory phrase, translating to 'today, we drink!'"

Zen shakes his head in disappointment, "I can see why you are a man who can drink." The two men chuckle as they resume walking around, the guards still confused to see the men again. "But Obi, I'm going to make you a trade now that I know of your request."

"What do you mean a 'trade?'" Obi huffed, taken aback by Zen's words. "You just agreed to give me your blessing!" Zen smirks, having Obi's heart deflate as he awaits his Masters offer.

"I'll let you keep my blessing on one condition," Zen begins, having Obi already shake his head in disbelief. The audacity, he thought to himself. "You'll be one of my groomsmen." Shit, Obi thought, he remembers my lack of response. "You never gave me an answer."

Obi remains silent for a moment, his head pondering the trade. It was a fair deal for the most part, seeing as Zen's eternal blessing would only cost the attendance as a groomsman for one day. That's as good as any trade could get for the man, really. So Obi nods, looking over at Zen with a small smile. "It will be my honor, Master."

Zen smiles warmly, bringing the two to another stop to look straight at Obi. He opens up his arms, now prepared for an embrace as Obi takes the offer. The two men hug, putting away the animosity between the two to bring back the strong bond that they had formed prior to everything that had happened. "Thank you, Obi," Zen whispered in Obi's ear, "for being a good knight."

"And thank you, Master," Obi hums, "for being a good friend."

"That took a very long time!"

"M'sorry, Mistress!" Obi pleads. "I didn't realize how long it would take!"

"You said it would be quick!"

"I thought it would be!"

After the talk with Zen, Obi was dismissed and went straight for Shirayuki's room. He had noticed that the day had left and night finally fell, realizing how long he really spent talking to his Master. He quickly walked through the corridors, changing his course from the medical wing to his lovers quarters. On his way, he noticed his door had already been fixed up (guessing Zen or Izana had made that an assignment post-bail).

But now here he was, looking down at his lover who was sat in her bed, arms crossed over her chest while playing with a pout. She was of a child sometimes, having Obi overly amused by the love of his life. She had been waiting for so long that she already made herself comfortable this early into the night.

She was in a green nightgown, with the skirt a pearl white while her feet were swallowed up by light burgundy slippers. Her face was shiny and dewy, having Obi guess that she had already washed her face, brushed her teeth and the rest. Her hair was wet, the scent of strawberries taking over the room as her hair took on a very dark red due to the dampness. Water still hung from the ends of her very uneven hair, having Obi smile even more.

"You look beautiful tonight," Obi complimented warmly, having Shirayuki turn away and huff.

"Flattery isn't going to help your case, you know," Shirayuki spewed, her stubbornness getting the better of her as she kept from looking at Obi. The man chuckled, locking the door behind him as he removed his boots and holster from his body. Shirayuki glances over to watch as Obi stretched out his long body and ruffled his hair. She couldn't help but smile, overly content to see her lover free and well. "Have you eaten?"

Obi smiles at her lightening up, looking over to nod, "Master and I had meals done for us and we ate them in the kitchen." Shirayuki reacts to this and quickly gets on her feet. She gets right in front of Obi, completely intruding in his space. "M-Miss?"

"What happened? What did he say? What did you two talk about?"

"We just had a talk about everything," Obi said with a shrug, looking down at his curious lovebug. "He apologized and I forgave him. After that, we ate and shared a few laughs. We took a stroll together and that's where I just came back from."

Shirayuki raises an eyebrow, "that can't be it. What happened, Obi?" Shirayuki's emerald eyes were twinkling with curiosity, and Obi knew she wasn't planning on giving in. "Please." Insatiable, Obi thinks. He takes her hands in his and brings her over to the bed. They take a seat, with Shirayuki's eyes still on his face. "Obi."

"Master asked me to be one of his groomsman," Obi began quietly with a smile. "And I accepted." Shirayuki widens her eyes, her lips slightly parted.

"R-really?" Shirayuki whispers. "I didn't think he'd ask you- I didn't think you'd even consider the idea- how, why?" Obi chuckled, seeing his lover in pure confusion and yearning for answers.

"He still is a good friend of mine, regardless of everything that happened," Obi began, his eyes looking down at their intertwined fingers. "He helped lead me into a better life, one worth living. One that I'll never regret." Obi smiles warmly. "I've never been so happy in my life until Master took me in and surrounded me with good people like Kiki, Mitsuhide, Ryu, Garak, and you, Mistress. Everything that I have now was because of him and I know there is nothing I could do to ever repay him."

Shirayuki tightened her grip on Obi's hands, tears trickling down her cheeks. They land on their scrambled hands, having Obi look up to see his lover teary-eyed and somehow smiling. He quickly swallowed her into his arms and cradled her gently. "Miss."

"I'm so happy to have a man like you, Obi," Shirayuki wails into the man's chest. "I'm so happy to be in love with and be loved by a man like you. I can't see myself with anyone else but you- right now until the end."

This only made Obi hold her tighter. Shirayuki felt his fingertips gently dent into her back, knowing that her words had done a great deal to the man's heart. She could feel it beat quickly against her ear, his chin planting itself lightly on her head. Obi gently pushes her off, his hands holding her shoulders as he gave her a lustful look. With a soft, but aggressive push, Shirayuki fell on the bed with Obi hovering right above her. Hands were on either side of her shoulders, sheets being clawed between his fingers.

Shirayuki looked up at this man in awe, her face entirely flushed when looking at his expression. Amber eyes full of ardor, with a welcoming shade that was exclusive to her. His chest heaved heavily, his heart beating faster than usual. He had been biting his bottom lip feverishly, as though he was trying to contain himself. But it would seem that Obi might have had enough.

"You will never be anybody elses ever again," Obi growled. He dipped closer to her face, their lips just centimeters away from each other. Hers looked so pink and inviting, he was more than ready to indulge in the poison she was. "In return for being a groomsman, I asked Master for his blessing." Shirayuki's eyes widened even more. "You're mine," Obi whispered before pressing his lips against hers, enjoying the sweetness that was her lover.