Chapter Text
Corrin was out on his usual nighttime patrol around the castle grounds when he saw a male silhouette propped up against a tree, facing away from the rest of the group.
Not thinking twice about it, the Corrin went up to the figure. Upon further glance, it was just brother’s retainer, Niles. The archer’s face was hidden by the tree’s shade, obscuring his face from direct moonlight.
“Oh, hello, Niles. What are you up to?” Corrin asked, his head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. The Outlaw’s shoulders tensed and turned around, his face unreadable. “Ah, Lord Corrin. What a pleasant surprise,” Niles drawled out, his stone face melting into a sly grin. The Outlaw straightened himself, though still hidden by the shadows. “Tell me, what do you suspect I am up to?” Niles tilted his head, mocking the curious manakete.
Squinting his red eyes at the hidden figure, “Well, I can’t really tell from here.” Corrin stated, deliberately ignoring Niles’ teasing nature. Not missing a beat, Niles replied, “Then you should come a little closer.”
Corrin blinked. As much as he tried to avoid the gossip running around in castle, he had heard things about the archer from many, including his brother, Leo, who made Niles his retainer. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” Niles cooed. Corrin’s suspicion was overruled by his curiosity and he agreed to do so. With a step forward, Niles suddenly leaned in and...
“Meow!”
Corrin flinched, taking a step back, feeling a sharp pressure at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. It wasn’t painful, though an internal inferno rushed to all ends of his body consuming his whole for what it seemed to be years before it disappeared within a second with Niles leaning back onto the tree once more. The young manakete's mind was filled with a lingering vague blaze that ran down his torso and down to his groin. His blood burned from within and bubbled underneath the tightness of his skin.
Oh. That felt good.
Wait. Did Niles just bite him?
“Gah! What was that for?” Corrin stammered, his hand flying to his neck as he calmed himself down. However, the faint blush that dusted his cheeks would not fade. Luckily for the young Prince, the night was dark and Niles only had one eye. Niles was seemed to connect Corrin’s internal dilemma to his biting teasing and nothing more. 'Hopefully.' Corrin thought warily.
Glancing at the moon with a slightly bored expression, he continued on. “I’m all done now,” Niles promised. “So if you are genuinely curious about what I’m doing...” The Outlaw trailed off, staring intensely at the flustered Prince. “Please,” Niles’ voice deepened, causing Corrin to shiver. The young Prince inwardly telling himself that it was because of the cool evening air. The one-eyed albino grin grew once more, “...feel free to come a little closer.” Niles rose a challenging eyebrow at Corrin. However, Corrin was still a jumbled mess from earlier. Although his mind simmered down with a low buzz of thoughts, his heart beating faster than ever.
Corrin choked out, “Well...”
Niles face slackened at the tone of the Prince’s voice, “Scared of what I might do next? I don’t blame you.” At that Niles’ looked away, slightly disappointed. Opting to stare at the moon instead of the tongue-tied manakete. “I haven’t yet earned your trust. It’s smart of you to be skeptical.”
Corrin was quick to refute that, “No, no… I trust you.” Niles’ mere response was a hollow laugh. “You do? How foolish. After all, I don’t yet trust YOU.” Corrin stood there nonplussed for a second before exclaiming, “What!? Why not?” Despite having various reasons that made it understandable for Niles’ to distrust him; the thought of the archer not trusting him made his stomach drop. Along with something the Prince could not name just yet. Corrin only numbly listened on, as his mind tried to rationalize these intense irrational thoughts and feelings.
“Because we barely know each other, milord.” Niles explained slowly for the sheltered Prince, “Trust is often borne out of a violent confrontation or traumatic experience.”
Seeing a lack of response from the other, Niles rolled his eye and mused loudly, “I suppose you must have had some kind of blessed childhood, free from worry.”
“I don’t remember anything of my childhood,” Corrin said automatically, shrugging.
To that Niles’ eye widened before averting his gaze from the manakete and crooked his head downward. “My apologies. Clearly a sore subject.” Niles muttered, much to the surprise of Corrin.
Niles still kept his head down, his white hair making his face unreadable. “Of all people, I should know better than to probe the secrets of a troubled history.” Perturbed at the thought of Niles’ having a horrid life, Corrin was filled with an array of questions. “What do you mean by ‘of all people’? What happened to you?-”, Niles quickly dismissed the younger one’s rapid questioning with a small flick of his hand.
“Oh ho! You offer nothing and expect juicy gossip in return.” Corrin pouted in return, leaving him without a response once more, Niles only chuckled lightly. “Sorry, child, but you’ll have to do better than that.” Niles ruffled the younger one’s hair before stepping back. Niles had already turned away and walked away, most likely towards Prince Leo's base in the castle grounds.
This allowed Corrin’s blazing face to be illuminated by the moonlight. Corrin's hope that Niles didn't notice his blushing face was dashed as soft chuckling reached his ears.
Even when Corrin found his words, all he could do was watch Niles’ back grow smaller and smaller into the distance and childishly muttered, “I’m not a child.”
-
After finishing his patrol, Corrin flopped onto his bed, still thinking about how Niles bit him and how it felt… good. Corrin’s blush returned and smacked his head into his sheets, groaning. Why was he thinking about another man like this? Much less a man who bit him? A man who didn’t even trust him?
“I don’t yet trust YOU.”
Niles’ voice cut through the other fantasies with the archer, echoing around in the young albino’s head. ‘I-It’s just a one-time thing.’ Corrin assured himself, leaving him to feel oddly disappointed and empty.