Demon King's Gardener

They arrived at the evening meal to, for once, no ongoing arguments.

“Heard you went into the city,” Minaz said, giving Braelin a cursory look. No doubt, she guessed the source of his new cloak.

“I wanted to do some shopping!” Morvvan declared happily, “And I guess Juju had something he wanted to buy as well~”

“Braelin, what a handsome new cloak!” Gavven giggled, “Wherever did you get it?”

“It was a gift from the king,” Braelin replied, smoothing the material as he sat. He seemed to be in thought once again.

“How thoughtful, my lord!” Gavven giggled some more.

“Ah, yes,” Jurao accepted, distracted now that the gift had been given and well received, but uncertain if his intention had been clear.

“... what is the city like?” Braelin asked.

“Oh, it’s a treat,” Morvvan replied, launching into a long-winded explanation of her favorite stores.

Jurao signaled the start of the meal but found it difficult to concentrate on the conversation around him. Hujur had taken over from where Morvvan left off, explaining the actual history of the city and its basic layout, and others were chiming in where they wished.

Had Braelin understood the intent behind the gift? Was that what caused both that pause and the open expression afterward? If he did, was his continued wearing of the cloak a good sign? Or was it simply practical, as intended? Was the human not inquiring after the intent because he did not wish for a romantic entanglement and was trying to spare Jurao perceived awkwardness?

Would it be worse if he hadn’t understood the intent at all?

These thoughts continued to plague the Demon King after he escorted Braelin back to the gardens, and while he caught up on the paperwork he’d missed while preparing his gift earlier that day.

“You went into town?” Feyl asked, breezing into his office.

“I did,” Jurao replied, still distracted.

“Honestly, you don’t think it would have waited a day or two?” his valet sighed, flopping into one of the chairs before the hearth as usual, “Though you were never one to move slowly once you made up your mind…”

“I still do not know if Braelin understood my intent,” the Demon King replied.

Feyl chuckled, “Oh, I think he might have an idea, at least.”

“Yes,” Jurao asked.

“Learn to ask a question,” his valet rolled his eyes, “But I was catching up with Morvvan and heard how he blushed when he found out you made the broach.”

“He did,” the Demon King asked, paperwork forgotten - he hadn’t looked at the human’s face after admitting to creating the broach, so had missed the immediate reaction.

“Or so the princess says,” Feyl shrugged, “So the idea probably crossed his mind. I can’t think of another reason for him to have reacted like that.”

“That is… promising,” Jurao considered.

“Honestly,” Feyl sighed again, “It’s like watching two adolescents - young ones at that. You’re so pure, so innocent!”

“We are,” Jurao questioned, thinking about the many battlefields he’d stood on top of over just the past thirty years. While he’d never gone overboard, he hadn’t held back in breaking through his opponents’ defenses either.

His valet groaned but ignored his tone to reply in an unenthusiastic drawl, “Yes, you are. It’s adorable.”

The Demon King hummed, “Morvvan had the same opinion.”

“Morvvan is too easily swayed by things she finds cute,” Feyl waved a hand vaguely, “Though in this case, I did agree…”

“I suppose… he might bring it up himself, if he suspects,” Jurao suggested.

“If you cannot, I suppose he’ll have to,” his valet said, rising, “Well, I just thought I’d check if you wanted me to come by tonight before you went to collect Braelin.”

“Is it that time already,” the Demon King asked, checking the nearest clock and seeing it was.

“Now who needs a timekeeping device?” Feyl mused, “But yes, did you want me to find something else to do tonight?”

“No,” Jurao replied, setting his paperwork aside and standing as well, “I appreciate the offer, but doubt I will find my tongue if you are absent.”

“And I doubt my presence would sway Braelin either way if he intended to ask you about the cloak,” Feyl concluded, then shrugged, “Well then, see you soon, Jurao.”

The Demon King nodded, heading off to collect his gardener.

Along the way, he ran into Minaz.

“I was just coming to see you,” his Right Hand said, falling into step slightly behind him, “I’m planning on visiting the Human Realm.”

“You are,” Jurao asked.

“Hujur asked me to oversee some… ventures for him,” Minaz replied, “And I thought I might check out a few leads Vajur had about Braelin’s family. He is doing his job, despite his childish behavior.”

“Good,” the Demon King nodded, “Thank you for telling me. When were you leaving.”

“Tonight,” Minaz huffed, “No time like the present, right?”

“Indeed,” Jurao nodded, “Safe travels.”

Minaz waved as she headed off, and Jurao didn’t run into anyone else on his way to the gardens. He ran into Gaele and Braelin outside the veranda like the previous night. Seeing the human still wearing the gifted cloak made the Demon King’s chest twinge in that oddly pleasant way again.

Gaele excused themself before Jurao reached the pair, face darkening in a blush before they ran off.

“Was something wrong,” the Demon King asked, looking after them.

“They said there was something they forgot to do in the office,” Braelin replied, “I suppose it must have been urgent.”

“Ah,” Jurao nodded, “I see,” after a moment, he added, “Is the cloak working out, then.”

Braelin nodded, “I hadn’t realized I was a little cold most of the day - before, I spent a good deal of time hidden in the branches and bushes, which shielded me quite a bit. And when I do manual labor, it warms me up - but wearing this, I can better feel the difference when I’m not doing either.”

“I’m glad,” the Demon King said, smiling, “Then, shall we go.”

The human nodded, falling into step as they entered the castle. When they reached Jurao’s rooms, Morvvan had also stopped by, and soon enough, Jurao, Feyl, and Morvvan were in a three-way game of Ascension.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to do research in your office, Braelin?” the princess asked, “You do have an office, yes?”

“I do,” the human confirmed, then shrugged, “I just forget to use it since I don’t do any of this during the day.”

“Yes, but it is attached to your entire cottage,” Feyl drawled, then sighed, “Though I suppose I can’t make that complaint at the current moment…”

“I never knew you could be so gallant, Juju~” Morvvan laughed, “Usually, you don’t even notice other people until you run them over.”

“I do not believe I am that oblivious,” Jurao replied.

“Not always,” Feyl agreed, “But you certainly can be. And more often than you think you are.”

The Demon King hummed but chose not to press the issue.

“Isn’t this just so chummy, though?” Morvvan laughed more, “I thought you would be buried trying to manage a bunch of attendants, who knew you’d only accept one - and the most frivolous one to boot!”

“I hardly need that much assistance,” Jurao replied.

“You’re calling me frivolous?” Feyl chuckled, “As you flit about without a care?”

“Takes one to know one~!” the princess winked her left eyes at him as she singsonged, “Seriously, though, you two are very odd friends.”

“So everyone says,” Jurao replied.

“We are very different people, Jurao,” Feyl snorted, “Honestly, I just couldn’t leave him to fumble around as he started gaining rank.”

“That’s true,” Morvvan leaned back, “Those first couple centuries of his officership were rough, to say the least…”

“Did we interact back then,” Jurao questioned, not remembering such a thing.

“Not directly, but it was funny hearing the stories from your superiors,” the princess waved, “Always accidentally stepping on toes or doing something outrageous, like making a no-name clerk your secretary…”

“Alae has a name,” the Demon King replied.

“Yes, of course,” Morvvan said, “But I meant back then he had no standing or reputation, but you plucked him right up and refused any suggestions to the contrary.”

“He seemed easy to get along with,” Jurao said, just as before.

“Of course he did!” Feyl hit the table, “His specialty is making himself easy to get along with!”

“Well, you can hardly blame him, Feyl,” Morvvan said, “I mean, he’s an inspired demon - it’s clearly a survival tactic, isn’t it?”

“A survival tactic?” Braelin asked, looking up from his work.

“Yeah,” Morvvan nodded, “Inspired demons aren’t really treated all that well, so making himself agreeable is probably a way Alae kept himself safe before he had Juju backing him up.”

“Which is fine. I would hardly begrudge someone a scheme or ten,” Feyl replied, “My issue is that he’s scheming behind Jurao’s back!”

Jurao considered telling Feyl that Alae was apparently only pretending, but did not think he would be believed, so chose not to say so.

“Well, he’s certainly being the sneakiest schemer I’ve ever seen about it,” Morvvan shrugged, “By the way, Braelin, have you ever considered joining in on the game?”

Feyl groaned, “Ugh, no, I’m already in a bad mood since you brought up Alae…”

Jurao chuckled, “Braelin is actually a very good player.”

“Strategy games are tiresome,” the human sighed.

“Oh, but now I’m curious!” Morvvan clasped her hands together, “Come on, one game, pleeeeeease?”

“Braelin,” Jurao asked, leaving it up to the man.

His gardener sighed again, setting aside his research, “Very well.”

By the time Braelin had once again won, it was time for Jurao to retire. He bid Feyl and Morvvan good night, and looked over at his gardener as the pair left.

As expected, the man had returned to his notes.

He’ll probably stay up too late again if I simply leave him while retiring, Jurao thought, and so said, “Braelin, I do not expect the couch to be very comfortable to sleep on so many nights in a row.”

The human looked up, appearing surprised, “While it’s been better than the ground, I have been a little sore.”

The Demon King nodded, “In that case, if you are not uncomfortable with the idea, we could share the bed. It is more than large enough.”

Braelin considered this, then nodded, “I’m not uncomfortable.”

Jurao nodded, getting to his feet, “Then…”

His gardener looked at his notes and books, then sighed and marked his place, setting them aside to stand. Then he seemed to consider something, looking down at himself, “Ah. I wouldn’t want to get your sheets dirty.”

“I have a spare tunic, though it will no doubt be very large on you,” the Demon King smiled at the moment of thoughtfulness.

Braelin nodded, “That works.”

With that, Jurao led the way to his chambers - finding the smallest tunic he could and waiting as Braelin changed behind the folding screen. He didn’t take long, and soon the Demon King drew the curtains around the bed and doused the lights in the room before checking that the fire was properly banked in the hearth. All that done, they each took a side of the bed, and Jurao fell asleep at ease knowing Braelin would not be staying up at odd hours tonight.

“Jurao.”

The Demon King stirred awake in surprise, unsure how long he’d been asleep. He blinked as his vision adjusted and looked down to find that in his sleep, he’d shifted - partly across the bed, his arms loosely wrapped around Braelin.

The human had called out to him, waking him - and the man was currently half-turned back to look at the Demon King.

“Hm,” Jurao acknowledged sleepily, worried his accidental movement caused offense.

“Do you usually cling to people in your sleep?” Braelin asked - his tone was soft as usual, no hint of judgment in the question.

“I do not,” the Demon King replied, still drowsy, “I would have warned you if I did.”

“I thought you would,” the human said, then asked, “Then, is this… because you like me? Romantically?”

Jurao suddenly felt very awake at the unexpected question. He lightly cleared his throat but was able to reply, “It is.”

Braelin hummed, face still neutral - then he turned back, laying on his side properly. The human shifted until his back pressed against the Demon King’s chest, relaxed, and half yawned, “Alright, then.”

Jurao smiled, his own drowsiness returning as he shifted as well. Wrapping his arms more comfortably around the human, he once again drifted back to sleep.

The next voice to wake him was, of course, Feyl.

“Well, good morning,” his valet drawled, having already tied back the bed curtains, “I see things got interesting after the princess and I left, hmm?”

“I wouldn’t say that in particular,” Jurao replied, sitting up and yawning - but being careful not to disturb Braelin too much as he did.

“Oh?” Feyl chuckled, “You know, I thought I might just return later, but then I remembered you’ve never been embarrassed a day in your life, and Braelin wasn’t going to wake up,” his valet spared the human a glance, then pointed at him with a swirling finger as he asked, “So, that being the case - how did this happen?”

“Braelin tends to stay up late into the night,” Jurao replied, “And since I thought the couch must also be uncomfortable, I invited him to share the bed.”

“That does seem like an effective method of forcing him to sleep,” Feyl snorted, crossing his top set of arms.

“While asleep, I reached out to Braelin, and he woke me,” the Demon King went on, “And when I said I did not usually cling to people in my sleep, he asked if I was clinging to him because I liked him romantically.”

“Wouldn’t most people ask that before getting into someone else’s bed…?” his valet’s smiled strained, but Feyl waved him on to indicate he was speaking for his own benefit.

“I replied that was the case, and he moved closer and said, ‘alright,’” Jurao smiled, looking down at his still sleeping gardener, “So, probably he feels the same.”

“If it were anyone else…” Feyl sighed, shoulders sagging, “But yes, I believe you’re right. Congratulations, your first crush returns your feelings.”

The Demon King hummed an acknowledgment, feeling very content.

“Unfortunately, you do still have to get up and go be king today,” his valet went on, “Unless you plan to skip all that…”

“No,” Jurao replied, sighing as he finally left the bed, “I’m already behind on paperwork from yesterday.”

“Yes, I thought you might say that,” Feyl sighed, then clapped his hands and smiled brightly, “Well then, let’s get today started, shall we?”