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A break. A break was all he planned. Just a day or two away from all the stress and responsibilities and people around him. He just wanted to decompress. so he finished his most pressing work, left his Aunt Tasha with a way to reach him if there was a serious emergency and left everyone and everything behind for 36 hours. Well, almost everyone.
If there was anyone who needed a break just as much, if not more than him, it would be Cale. Though, to be fair Cale also caused the majority of his stress, but how much trouble could he get in if he was forcing him to relax with him? Allowing him to slack off for the day, with the threat that if he caused an incident he would absolutely be prime minister, really was the way.
So off they went. They spent a lot of money on expensive foods and treats for the kids, gone to see a play, even went and ran around Endable for a bit before they spotted Duke Fredo and scurried away so they weren’t caught. That would almost certainly have led to an incident. Now it was finally dusk, the blue hour and the alcohol they had drank together making everything look and feel fuzzy as they floated gently on the sea in a boat they may or may not have stolen. Giggles were bubbling up and out of both of their throats as the salty breeze rustled their hair. They were flat on their backs looking up at the golden purple clouds, occasionally taking another glug of alcohol to keep the buzz, as they had been for the past two hours already.
“Hyung I’m telling you it really does look like a chubby dragon!” Cale says, giggling and pointing at the sky.
“Are you sure you don’t just miss a certain chubby dragon dongsaeng?” Alberu teases. “Too bad you can't leave yet, we’re on break ‘till tomorrow afternoon.”
“Mmm.” Cale hums, and they lapse into a comfortable silence, the wind and waves gently hitting the side of the boat the only noise.
Maybe it's the quiet, or the peaceful atmosphere or the small smile he can see playing the corner of Cales lips but Alberu blurts out the first question that happened to enter his mind at that moment.
“Cale, have you ever been in love?”
Cale rolls over and leans his chin on Alberus arm, so he can look him in the eyes. “Hmm, no. Looking back on it now, when I was a kid and right after the whole apocalypse I was just trying to survive.” Cale answers calmly. “And after we got a handle on things I had already lost Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo and I just didn't want to deal with the idea of losing anyone else, so I kept everyone at arm's length. Why?”
Alberu looks away. “So, you’ve never kissed someone?” Alberu asks.
“....No?” Cale asks confusedly. “Hyung, why are you asking?”
Alberu's cheeks are slightly flushed, adding a rosy hue to his brown skin. Cale watches him purse his lips in embarrassment before his eyes firm up and he turns to face him again.
“I think we should kiss.”
“...Too much alcohol already, huh?” Cale asks, face stoic. “Let's put your bottle away.”
“I’m not that drunk!” Alberu complains, hand rushing through his hair messily. “I just- I just thought that our love lives are similar. It’s not like I’ll ever be able to get married because of, well you know! And I just… just wanted the experience. You’re the only person I can ask.” Alberu finishes quietly.
Quiet fills the ship again. “…....” “......Forget it, that was dumb ques- !!!!!!!”
As quickly as the silence is broken, it takes over again. Alberu can’t finish his sentence even if he wanted to, with the way Cale has his lips pressed to his. That's fine though, he forgot what he was going to say because all he can think about is how hot his mouth feels and the feeling of the delicate fingers gently brushing his hair back. In a moment, his heart breaks and fills again as Cale Henituse fully shoves his way into it. He's not even sure when his hands ended up on Cale’s waist or how he got him on his lap, but none of that matters. Alberu isn't sure if Cale is the best or the worst thing that's ever happened to him but when he pulls back and Cale whines he concludes that nothing else matters as long as he hears that sound again.
Dusk has faded to almost dark and the moon lights up the boat. Alberu rolls over, one hand holding Cales waist tightly the other places beside the red-heads head to support his upper body. Cale is flushed beneath him from the alcohol, his eyes are slightly glassy and his lips are puffy and wet and so so red. Alberu lowers himself down and places his lips back on Cale’s, the hand in his hair still running through gently soothing him. The waves rocking the boat become the rhythm they learn a new and different part of each other to. Slowly, the night passes and the dawn breaks on a new day.
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Four months later, Alberu makes Cale his King Consort. He maintains that the biggest incident Cale has ever caused him was making him fall in love on his break that he needed since Cale was always creating work for him. Cale contends that Alberu started it as it was all his idea to take a break in the first place.
The two continue to take breaks together. They are happy.