Chapter 31
Morning came slowly over the kingdom, like the world itself was hesitant to disturb what had happened the night before.
Danny woke up tangled in warmth.
Too much warmth.
He opened one eye slowly.
Lucas was still holding him.
Not lightly.
Not casually.
Like he was afraid Danny would vanish again if he loosened even a little.
Danny shifted slightly.
“Are you planning to let me breathe at some point or is this a permanent thing now?”
Lucas didn’t answer immediately.
He just tightened his arms a fraction.
Danny sighed dramatically.
“Okay. Noted. Permanent.”
Only then did Lucas finally move.
His hand came up immediately to Danny’s face again, like a reflex.
Checking.
Confirming.
Still here.
Danny groaned.
“You’re doing it again.”
Lucas looked at him quietly.
“…Sorry.”
The word sounded unfamiliar in his mouth.
Danny blinked.
That was new.
Lucas King apologizing.
Interesting.
Danny sat up slowly, stretching.
“Anyway, I’m hungry.”
Lucas instantly stood.
“I’ll get food.”
Danny pointed at him.
“And you’re not allowed to stare at me while I eat like I’m going to disappear.”
Lucas paused.
“…I can try.”
Danny narrowed his eyes.
“That’s not reassuring.”
Lucas nodded once.
“I understand.”
Danny watched him for a moment.
Then sighed.
“You’re weird when you’re emotional.”
Lucas didn’t deny it.
He just looked at Danny like he was still checking if this was real.
Like if he blinked too hard, Danny might be gone again.
–
By afternoon, the mansion had changed.
Not in structure.
In atmosphere.
The staff moved carefully at first, unsure how to behave around the returned consort and the still-fractured king.
But Danny made it worse.
Or better.
Depending on who you asked.
Because Danny was back to his usual behavior immediately.
Lying on the couch.
Eating snacks.
Ordering people around like he hadn’t just survived a kidnapping.
“More pillows,” he instructed lazily.
A servant rushed instantly.
“Right away, my lord.”
Danny frowned.
“I told you to stop calling me that.”
Lucas, sitting nearby reviewing reports, spoke without looking up.
“Call him whatever he prefers.”
The servant nearly dropped the tray.
Danny glanced at Lucas.
“…You’re spoiling it.”
Lucas finally looked at him.
“You’re here.”
That was it.
End of explanation.
Danny paused.
Then looked away awkwardly.
“…Yeah.”
–
Later that evening, Serene was brought in.
She stood in the center of the hall, hands clasped, expression controlled.
But not calm.
Never calm.
Lucas stood across from her.
Danny sat on a chair beside him like he belonged there more than anyone else in the room.
Serene looked at Danny first.
Then Lucas.
“You found him.”
Lucas didn’t respond.
Danny yawned softly.
“Obviously.”
Serene’s jaw tightened.
“It wasn’t supposed to fail.”
Lucas stepped forward slightly.
The air pressure dropped immediately.
Serene stiffened.
“I didn’t give you permission to touch what belongs to me,” Lucas said quietly.
Silence.
Serene’s eyes flickered.
“Your Majesty… I did what was necessary for the kingdom-“
Danny interrupted lazily.
“You kidnapped me for politics?”
Serene looked at him sharply.
“It’s bigger than you.”
Danny blinked.
Then shrugged.
“I don’t care.”
Lucas’s lips twitched faintly.
Dangerous timing.
Serene’s voice sharpened.
“You don’t understand what you are to him.”
Danny tilted his head.
“I think I do.”
Lucas glanced at him.
Danny continued calmly.
“He’s annoying without me.”
A beat.
Then-
Lucas actually smiled.
Serene froze slightly at that reaction.
It wasn’t fear she saw in Lucas anymore.
It was attachment.
Something worse.
Something irreversible.
Lucas turned his gaze back to Serene.
“Leave.”
Serene’s eyes widened slightly.
“You would spare me?”
Lucas’s voice was cold again.
“I am not sparing you.”
Pause.
Then he added:
“I am dismissing you.
You’ll live in that dungeon forever. “
Silence.
“Danny doesn’t want you dead or else i would’ve killed you in an instance”
That hurt worse.
Serene was exported back to the dungeon without another word.
–
When the hall emptied, Danny leaned back in his chair.
“Your ex-future queen is intense.”
Lucas looked at him.
“She was never that.”
Danny hummed.
“You sure?”
Lucas walked closer slowly.
Then stopped right in front of him.
“I am sure of one thing.”
Danny blinked.
“What?”
Lucas leaned down slightly.
His voice softened.
“You came back.”
Danny rolled his eyes.
“Yeah yeah, don’t get emotional again.”
Lucas didn’t listen.
He just reached out and gently held Danny’s hand.
Like a habit now.
Like something he couldn’t stop doing.
Danny looked down at it.
Then quietly said-
“…You were really scared?”
Lucas didn’t answer immediately.
Then finally-
“Yes.”
Danny was quiet for a second.
Then awkwardly squeezed his hand back.
“Next time I’m going to leave a note.”
Lucas immediately replied.
“There won’t be a next time.”
Danny sighed.
“You can’t just decide that.”
Lucas looked at him steadily.
“I can try.”
Danny muttered.
“You’re impossible.”
Lucas’s voice softened.
“And you’re here.”
Danny paused.
Then looked away quickly.
“…Yeah.”
And for the first time since the kidnapping-
the kingdom finally felt like it was breathing again.
