Nyo!Monaco: Ranier Bonnefoy, Nyo! Seychelles: Marceau Mancham.

The Runaway Prince

Chapter Four: New Friends

Alexander stretches in bed, his back arching up from the mattress as he yawns.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mikhail asks annoyed, watching the boy's body tense before relaxing and plopping back down on the mattress.

"Mmm…just stretching." Alexander looks at Mikhail curiously. "Why? Did I wake you?"

The man sighs. "No…but even so, I don't exactly want to look and see you…stretching like that."

"Why?"

"It's unsettling."

The boy frowns. "Stretching is unsettling?"

Mikhail stares at the boy for a second before standing up abruptly. "Your innocence is almost blinding. I shouldn't have to put up with this crap so early in the morning."

"Hm…you're so weird." Alexander says, looking at him. "If it really annoys you I could sleep on the couch, I suppose."

The older man scoffs. "I've tried to get you to sleep on the couch and every night you end up in my bed."

"You don't kick me out." The prince points out.

Mikhail pouts, looking away annoyed. "…You try kicking a small animal out of bed."

"So I'm a small animal?" Alexander smiles a little. "Does that mean I'm cute?"

Mikhail twitches, reaching forward and pinching his cheek. "A boy shouldn't be happy at being called cute."

"Right! Right! Sorry!" Alexander apologizes, wrestling to loosen Mikhail's grip on his face.

An almost amused look comes to Mikhail's face at the sight of Alexander struggling to budge his arm, but after a while he loosens his grip, allowing the boy the pleasure of thinking he achieved his goal.

The blonde's eyes light up just as Mikhail expected and he takes a deep breath. "I meant to say…" He glares up at Mikhail. "Do not compare me to a useless little animal!"

A small smile actually comes to Mikhail's face for a split second, surprising Alexander before a hand lands on his head and forces his face to the ground. "That's better."

Staring at the ground, Alexander smiles brightly, feeling his face flush a little. Mikhail's getting kinder and nothing makes Alexander happier than that knowledge. "Hey, Mikhail…can I go somewhere with Liu today?" He asks, forcing his head up to look at the man.

"Huh? What do I care?" Mikhail huffs, letting go of him. "Just…try not to get killed out there."

"You and Daniel can come with us!" Alexander offers, grabbing Mikhail's wrist. "It would be fun! Let's go!"

"Why should I spend time with those two?"

"We're going gambling! Liu said it's really fun!"

Mikhail tenses. "Where…are you going to gamble?"

"Ummm…some place run by a man named Ranier Bonnefoy." Alexander answers and Mikhail groans.

"He's taking you to that sly little bastard's place? I suppose I must go." He grumbles, getting out of bed and grabbing clothes. "You are all so difficult."

Alexander smiles at him. "Really? You'll come? That's great! We can finally go somewhere together!"

Mikhail looks at him annoyed. "What does that matter? Shut up and get some clothes on." He commands and Alexander nods, beginning to unbutton his shirt. "OTHER. ROOM."

After the two get ready they pick up Daniel and Liu, both of whom try and fail to sustain their laughter at the sight of Mikhail coming with them. A few punches to the head and forced apologies later, they arrive at a large and beautiful building, quite possibly the most beautiful building in this town.

"Wooow! Is this Ranier's place? He must be rich!" Alexander says in awe and Mikhail groans.

"Yeah, because the little bastard cheats."

"He doesn't cheat!" Liu scolds. "He is good at what he does."

"It's true, he has been since he was little…which is what brought him here." Daniel says. "He played against a soldier at the age of ten and won, so to keep from paying him the soldier made false accusations that sent him here."

Alexander gasps. "Wh-? No that can't be!"

"Of course it can! Those damned royals care about nothing but themselves. The poor, sneaky, or 'unfavorable' such as us are cast aside in disgust." Liu says bitterly. "And that damn king and queen just-!"

"Enough!" Mikhail says firmly as he covers Alexander's ears with his hands from behind. "I think that's enough of this talk, Liu. Alexander doesn't need to know of these things." He adds, his voice barely audible to the blonde in front of him.

"And why not?" Liu asks annoyed. "Stop babying him."

Daniel sighs and places a hand on Liu's head. "He's right; there is no need to ruin Alexander's ideals with our grudges."

Mikhail nods and moves his hands from the boy's ears. "Alright, let's go in." He says, watching Liu and Daniel head in before him and Alexander.

"…My parents are good to their people though…" Alexander whispers to the man beside him. "I don't understand how this could happen…"

"Just because the top is pure doesn't mean those below them aren't corrupt." Mikhail explains. "Don't worry about it, just get inside."

"But I-!" Alexander begins before an arm wraps around his stomach and lifts him up. "M-Mikhail!" He squeaks out as he's held over his shoulder.

"We're going in." Mikhail says decidedly, going inside with the now blushing prince.

"Ahh, still big on making an entrance I see." A small boy with light brown hair and calm blue eyes says, smiling at Mikhail. "How lovely to see you, Mikhail." His eyes then fall on Alexander's butt. "And who does such a fine derrière belong to?"

Mikhail sets the now red faced Alexander down. "It belongs to this kid."

Alexander smiles nervously. "N-nice to meet you, I'm Alexander."

"I'm Ranier." The boy replies, smiling back. "Welcome to my gambling ring."

"Wow, th-this place is so nice!" Alexander says, looking around. "You must make a lot of money."

"Well, I never lose…except…to that guy." Ranier says, looking to a tall man with tanned skin and messy black hair. "Such a strange man, came from an island on the other side of the continent and played against me, winning each time. Without cheating, even."

"We don't care." Mikhail groans.

"I do!" Alexander quickly says, leaning forward to talk to Ranier. "What's that man's name? He looks really cool."

"Marceau Mancham...or something strange like that." Ranier answers.

"Wow, he even has a cool name!" Alexander says excitedly.

"Cool? He looks like an idiot." Mikhail grumbles, staring at the oblivious man who is now talking to Daniel and Liu.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Mikhail." Ranier teases before patting Alexander on the head. "Be careful with him. I would imagine he would be a fairly exhausting lover."

Alexander stares at him blankly. "Lover? Whose lover?"

"It's not like that." Mikhail butts in. "I am his caretaker. His unwilling caretaker."

"I can take him off your hands." Ranier offers and Mikhail glares.

"Not a chance."

The boy sighs. "Why do you think I'm so evil? It's not really nice. Just because I have scolded you for misbehaving doesn't make me a bad person. It makes me more grown up than you. Don't hold maturity against me, it's childish." Ranier scolds, making Alexander snicker.

"Mikhail got scolded. I never thought it was possible." Alexander teases. "It's kind of cute." He mocks and Mikhail glares.

"I will leave you to rot here." Mikhail threatens before heading towards the others.

"E-eh? Mikhail! That's cruel!" Alexander whines, following after him.

"Mikhail is taking care of someone, hm?" Ranier mumbles to himself. "I wonder what the boy is paying to make him do so…or maybe he just wants to?" He laughs. "Yeah right, like that's possible."

A/N: I am super in love with the pairing of Seychelles and Monaco right now, so I put them in here. Their names are ones I have found used for them on the internet here and there.