A Tiny Error

Bonus Chapter: Fallacy x Encre

"Wait!"

Encre looked back, wincing at the weariness in Fallacy's eyelights. He wanted so badly to tell Fallacy to take a break, to just rest, and it was breaking him apart to watch someone who had risked their life to save his throwing their life away once again just to be around him. Puffing his chest out to mask his worry, he approached Fallacy's desk. The vampire king put on a wane smile and nodded to a chair.

"I'm not busy, I was just looking at a letter from my brother."

Encre's eyelights lit up as he sat down. "Your brother?"

Fallacy nodded. "Yes. He says that he the eastern border of my kingdom is harboring fugitives from his, criminals with anti-monarchist sympathies. He says to keep an eye out for them, and I intend to do so."

"Hmm. Do you have any other family?"

"My fathers, and my brother, Hollow. He runs the vampire kingdom east of here, while my fathers have settled down, far removed from our politics. They visit from time to time, but for the most part, they prefer to be left alone."

"Will Jasper take your place as king, one day?"

Fallacy looked up at Encre, the question branding itself in his mind. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. He knew that it was the duty of the heir to take the place of the king sooner or later, as he had done with his father. That didn't mean he was ready to pass leadership onto Jasper. The prince was arrogant and fiery, but he was well versed in the ways of the monarchy. So what could Fallacy be afraid of?

He shook his head. One could clearly see that he relied on his father for guidance, despite what Jasper would say. Fallacy could tell that he wasn't ready to be king quite yet, and thus, the idea never occurred to him. But what would happen if Fallacy... fell out of the picture? What would Jasper do, then?

"He would naturally take my place," Fallacy spoke lightly, though the concept weighed heavily on his soul. "Why? Are you planning to stage a coup?~"

Encre waved his hands in surrender. "No, of course not! I doubt Jasper would want my help anyway, even if that were the case." After a moment, Encre spoke again. "I really think you should take a break, though."

Fallacy raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"You think I don't notice that you've been losing sleep," Encre began, looking Fallacy in the eye, "but I do. Vampire or not, it can't be healthy to not sleep for days on end! I mean, just look in the mirror!"

Holding back his shout of laughter, Fallacy replied drily, "Vampires don't have reflections, Encre."

Encre blinked. "Oh."

Unable to keep his face straight any longer, Fallacy laughed, his fangs glinting in the candlelight. "If it will make you feel better, I'll go take a nap later. Alright?"

Encre pouted slightly. He hadn't said now, he said "later." Which probably meant never, if Encre's hunch was right. "Why not now?"

The vampire king sighed. "I have some other correspondence to go through before I can relax. But I will try to get it done quickly, and rest afterwards. Sound fair?"

Encre nodded. That's about as good as he was gonna get without pestering him. He stood up to leave, giving Fallacy a smile. "Alright. I'm gonna finish that painting I was working on, so you'll know where I'll be if you want to try and 'scare' me again." He winked, then headed out the door.

Fallacy shook his head, a blush working its way up his face. Was that... flirting he just witnessed? Could Encre actually be warming up to him? The thought made him feel more energized than he'd felt all day. To hell with that nap! He felt positively jubilant! Like he was walking on air! He went through the rest of his letters smiling like a lovestruck idiot, barely able to focus on the letters themselves, he was so in love.