When Cillian woke up he didn't open his eyes. He used Bloom and saw that he was in one of the bedrooms of the castle. A doctor was sitting at the edge of the bed auscultating him. He looked at King, he was pacing in circles his eyes on the doctor. When the doctor was done he stood up and King asked as he passed his hand through his hair nervously:
"How is he?"
The doctor answered while he wrote a prescription:
"He's gonna be okay. He has to take those medications when he's done eating. He needs to drink a lot of fluids too. As soon as he wakes up make sure he eats then take them."
King grabbed the prescription when the doctor handed it to him. He looked at it and swallowed with difficulty. Doctor Wu put a hand on King's shoulder and reassured him:
"It's not the same situation, in a couple of days he's gonna be okay I promise."
King nodded.
He walked Dr.Wu out and sent someone to the drugstore. When he was done he asked the chef to cook a soup for Cillian. He entered the bedroom again and sat at the edge of the bed. He caressed Cillian's head and whispered:
"Last time someone I cared about was in this situation they died a few months later."
King swallowed and ordered:
"You can't leave me, I'll never allow it."
King stood up and after walking around the bed he lay next to him. He hugged him from behind and closed his eyes.
Cillian woke up again an hour later. He turned in King's arm and looked at him. He caressed his cheek with a frown. He didn't think King seeing him sick would trigger him like that. He underestimated how much he cares for him. He can tell King is a player from the way he acts so he never took into consideration he might have genuine feelings for him but he saw the fear in his eyes when the doctor was auscultating him.
He didn't check much of his past when he entered this world but it seems like losing his parents numbed him to the entire world. He stopped having feelings after they passed and he would only have one-night stands. He never committed or married in the original timeline because he never met anyone who made him feel anything. He caressed his eyes wondering how King can feel this deeply for him already.
It doesn't make any sense, why do those eyes express so many emotions for him when they never did before? He does like his eyes though, his eyes softened thinking about those grey eyes. At that moment King woke up, he looked at him wide-eyed his cheeks flushed. He pulled back his hand but King grabbed it, he had a gentle smile on his face. He laced their hands and asked:
"Are you okay?"
Cillian noded.
He felt like they were too close, it felt somehow different than last time. He could feel this heavy tension between them. He sat up and King followed his lead. After texting someone he focused on Cillian again. He touched his forehead and saw that he wasn't as hot as he was before. He let out a relieved breath. Cillian's eyes flashed with something indecipherable. He caressed his head and asked:
"Why didn't you tell anyone that you were sick?"
Cillian looked at him then away and chuckled. King looked at him surprised. Cillian said with a melancholic smile:
"It doesn't matter whether I say how I feel or not they don't care. It's fine I just need to survive a few more weeks then I'll finally be free."
King felt his heart clench in pain hearing that. He knows that Huang is after his inheritance meaning he'll never be free.
He knew Huang was willing to do anything to be part of the inner circle but to go as far as to destroy an innocent's life is despicable. He might be ruthless and unfeeling but everything he has he worked for it he didn't steal it. He obviously won't let it happen.
King pulled him in his embrace, and Cillian unconsciously wrapped his arms around his waist. King couldn't stop himself from grinning. When someone knocked he said:
"Enter."
Two betas entered, one with Cillian's drugs and the other with a tray of food. King let go of Cillian and grabbed the drugs and then the tray. He put it on Cillian's lap. He grabbed the spoon and after blowing on the hot soup he aimed toward Cillian's mouth.
Cillian looked at the two betas who were looking at King stunned. King followed his eyes, as soon as he narrowed them they left in a hurry. He gave all his attention to Cillian again. He opened his mouth and let King feed him. He thought he would feel uncomfortable but he didn't. To be fair he never feels uncomfortable with King. When he finished eating King wiped his mouth and put the tray away. He gave him the medication and a glass of water. When Cillian took it all he called someone to bring everything away.
Once the door was closed Cillian said:
"I should go, I've kept you away from your gala for more than an hour already."
King said as a matter of fact:
"I'm not going to leave you when you're sick."
Cillian looked at him a few seconds then away. King pulled him in his embrace again. He turned his head until they were face to face.
"Why do I feel like you're running from me?"
Cillian murmured:
"I'm not like them."
King looked at Cillian confused. He clarified:
"I'm not like those people you seduce then after spending the night with you never see."
King opened his mouth but Cillian added:
"Whatever you're used to doing to have them isn't going to work on me so you might as well stop."
King's eyes flashed with disappointment as he asked:
"Do you think I'm playing with you?"
Cillian said:
"That's just what you do. You're so used to it that you can see it in your careless attitude."
From the first time he met King he could tell he was a flirt, it's just who he is and he's fine with that. He just shouldn't be surprised that he would keep his distance. He doesn't want him to cross the line when he has no intention of being with him. Even if he can tell he has feelings for him he has this way of being that's suave and flirty that makes him doubt how he truly feels. Either way, he doesn't care if he truly likes him or not as long as he is useful. King is just a tool to him.
King looked at Cillian. So that's what he's been thinking since they met. He isn't this flirt Cillian thinks he is. Even if before he met him he would have one-night stands it hasn't happened since he laid eyes on him. Cillian is the only person who makes his heart beat when he didn't think it would happen again. It doesn't matter how long it takes he'll prove to him that he is serious. He caressed his cheek and said:
"You're right I did like to play because it was the closest thing to feeling."
King swallowed and said:
"I lost my parents to cancer, we were extremely close and as soon as they were gone I stopped feeling anything."
King tightened the hold he had on Cillian and said:
"The day we met even before I could see you I smelled you. Your scent had this elegant and sweet aroma like cherry blossoms and it's like something in me awoke and my heart started to beat again."
Cillian looked at King wide-eyed. How could he sense his soul's essence?
Cillian yelled in his head:
*Bliss get your ass over here.*
Bliss appeared a little startled by his master's mood.
*What can I do for you master?*
*Can a mortal sense my essence?*
Bliss floated left and right.
*No only celestials or heavenly beings can and their servant like me.*
When Cillian frowned Bliss asked:
*What's wrong master?*
*Retreat.*
Bliss disappeared after pouting at his mean master.
Cillian tilted his head looking at King. He pulled out a tool from Bloom and scanned his body. He frowned when he saw that he is indeed a mortal. How could he sense his soul like that? It doesn't make any sense. When he thought of the other possibility he felt his heart beating faster. No there's no way. He moved back from King and stood up. King immediately stood up too and held his wrist. Cillian didn't turn he kept giving his back to him.
For the first time in forever, King felt scared. He just confessed to Cillian and the first thing he did is keep his distance. He held his wrist tighter and stood before him. Cillian felt uncomfortable when he saw the disappointment and fear in King's eyes. He looked away but King turned his face. He swore earnestly:
"I know you don't believe me but I swear I'll prove it to you."
Cillian looked into his grey eyes and unconsciously nodded. King let out a breath and pulled him in his arms. Cillian looked in the distance feeling complicated.