King Make Believe

Part 39

Archer

"Umm, Archer..." Hiro said. He looked at me from across the make-shift table, his gaze urging and desperate. I knew something was up. And it had been eating away at both of us for the past day.

I followed him as if I didn't care, I did it all for him. Though he acted as if he didn't care either and I had to pretend I was okay with that. But everything I did to him, everything he did to me. It hurt. "What's up?" I said, crossing my arms and watching as Hiro squirmed and avoided my gaze. Something was definitely wrong.

"I need to tell you something..." He mumbled. I looked at him and hoped that he wasn't purposefully making this situation out to be bad.

"Yes?" I said, Hiro finally looked at me and I saw the determination in his gaze. It wasn't anything bad. I grinned and grabbed one of his hands. Though he'd told me not to when near the girls, I kissed him.

"I want to tell them." He muttered, pulling away from my lips and tucking his head so that my chin rested on his hair. I sighed and stared blankly ahead of me. My eyes resting on a small star I painted on the side of the house, around eleven years ago.

"I'm okay with it." I said. I pulled away and looked down at him carefully, grabbing his chin so he had to look at me. "As long you're okay with it."

Hiro took a deep breath and nodded. I smirked and let go of his hand. "When?" I asked.

"After we've all eaten." He said quietly. I looked back at the tent where the girl's had cleverly attached majority of the cloth to a large tree. The tight knots pulling tautly as the wind stretched its fingers and pulled on the ropes holding up the fake house.

"Okay—what're you going to tell them?" I asked.

"I'm just going to say you're my boyfriend." Hiro said, shrugging as if he may as well make a cake while he was at it.

I chuckled under my breath and shook my head. "Clear your mind and imagine yourself saying it before you do." Hiro nodded like a child, his eyes wide and eager. I stroked his cheek once before returning inside, placing a disgusted look on my face. It was only lightly there, as if I was attempting to hide it.

Jae and Miyoko were working in silence as they set the table. We all sat down and said the grace I'd taught them, the one about the sun.

I looked over at Hiro during the grace, opening one eye to look at him. He did the same and I saw the nerves buzzing around behind his gaze.

I kept my eyes locked on his face until the grace was over and I closed my eyes to open them quickly, as if I'd done that for the past thirty seconds.

Miyoko and Jae dug into the rabbit while I grabbed a piece of bread I'd made a few days ago. Hiro just grabbed some soup and nothing else. I could see the sullen energy radiating off of him, it hit me in waves.

He looked up and I nodded, only the smallest of ones, and he sighed. Clearing his throat. Jae and Miyoko froze and looked over at him, both sending him concerned glances and shooting glares at me.

"I have to tell you guys something." Hiro said quietly, looking at the table as he spoke. His eyes trained onto the grainy wood splotched with damp. "It's about...Archer a—and myself." He muttered.

I closed my eyes and pretended that this really wasn't happening, because whatever they thought about this—it would either send Hiro into a fit of happiness, or drown him in depression. I would rather severely avoid the latter.

"We're well..." Hiro began. "ArcherandIaretogether." He looked up at me briefly and then partially lashed his neck around to look at the girls.

Jae was the first to react. She grabbed Miyoko hand and slapped her hard on the shoulder. "Give me my money!" She said, smirking her head off.

Miyoko groaned and stood up, death glaring Jae and walking off to her little mattress on the corner of the tent. She pulled a wad of money out and slapped it onto the table. Hiro and I exchanged confused looks, simultaneously and quickly.

"What just...happened?" I said slowly. Hiro looked pointedly at Jae. I watched in utter shock as she stood up, beaming like a child, and hugged him.

"Thanks for the money!" She said, her face squished against Hiro's. He blinked at me in shock and I saw a tiny flash of fear in his eyes. Knowing I could actually have a free will now, I stood up and carefully separated Jae's face from Hiro's.

"Aww, you two are so cute." Miyoko said as I pulled Hiro next to me. I hugged him close, highly aware of his fluttering heartbeat. My cheek smushed up on his head and he buried his face into my chest. I could feel the heat radiating from his burning cheeks.

"I am terribly sorry, Jae—but only I am allowed to squash my face into his." I said, amusement touching the corner of my lips. She grinned back and neither me nor Hiro had to ask for her to explain. We both just had to start glaring at her.

"Okay, okay." She said, putting her hands up defensively. She sighed and leant back in her chair. "Miyoko and I noticed a small connection between you two after Archer and you connected—you know, with the Mist—We both decided that we would bet on when you would come out about your relationship, but in order for us to get the full effect, we had to pretend not to know." Jae looked apologetically at Hiro as he stared at her from behind my arms. She beamed and continued. "And so we bet on the different time you would come out to us." She said. "And I won."

I rolled my eyes and slightly understood what they were going through. Even if it was slightly creepy, betting on the release date of two guy's romantic relationship. "Hiro, they're okay with it—that's all you wanted, right?" I muttered down to him. He nodded and I broke into a smile

"I reckon I'm going to treat you when we reach Devil's Haven." I said slyly. Hiro blinked up at me and all he said was;

"When are we getting there?" I cracked up laughing and placed a ragged kiss on his head. He really was so innocent, for a King anyhow.

"We'll be there probably in the next couple of weeks." Miyoko said lightly, ripping up a piece of bread and handing it over to Hiro. "You need to eat something, otherwise you'll die before the wedding."

I looked at her in shock and Hiro stiffened, he buried his face in my chest and I scowled lightly at the girls. "Too soon." I mumbled.