Minkis lips parted on a small gasp at the sight of the other noble going over the edge, clambering down that vines like a child or wild animal. “I’m fairly certain both of our fathers would have our head.” he hisses to the other, although his own eyes danced merrily. There was only a moments hesitation before he was tugging his gloves off, tucking them into his pocket before following the other over.

It had been so long since he had done something so childish as escaping down vines, let alone sneaking out at all. It had excitement and adrenaline rising inside of him, his heart pounding as he scales down the castle wall. The entire time he worried about the vines snapping, plummeting them both down to their deaths, but luckily they both made it safely to the floor. “I suppose we should give each other some form of name- however not our real ones. after all, we can’t ruin the mystery can we.”

Once safely on the ground, he swept down in a low bow that would have made his father proud, full of grace. “I suppose I shall call myself ‘Angel’” He states,a smile playing at the edges of his lips. 

A light bout of laughter followed the angered hisses. “And risk having to break a whole different spirit in half the time? Father’s never work so hard in his life!” Escaping had always been his strong suit. The prince would have been the type to steal into villages and find as many wanting women as possible if anything about that sounded even remotely appealing.

The excitement, a mutual emotion, added a buzz in the air the ball was so very lacking. Following the well groomed bow, the taller gave his own. What was different, however, was on his way up, he took a gentle hold of the finally un-gloved hand.

"Then I shall call myself Knight, my dear Angel" The soft hum followed by a light kiss pressed to the back of the fair, frail hand before ‘Knight’ straightened once more. Not two meters away was a large, stone bench that was situated right at the edge of a brilliant fountain that glimmered under the starry sky.

A small laugh of his own escaped at the others words, the first occasion in over a week. However the kiss had him gaping, a faint blush that was-hopefully- not visible in the darkness blooming over his cheeks. “I am not a woman, Knight.” He says, his full lower lip poking out just slightly despite his words. Minki could certainly pass as a woman however, with his soft features, large eyes and full lips. Not to mention his slender build and long hair. But regardless, a kiss to the hand was a gesture used for women, and Minki was in no way such- even if it did have his stomach muscles fluttering in the most peculiar way.

"However, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Knight." He says with another soft laugh, lifting a slender hand to cover his mouth in an old habitual gesture. Wandering over to the bench, he takes a seat, reaching up to undo his jacket to allow the breeze to reach his body better.

'And yet you are no less beautiful' But that was a thought best kept as such. Giving a nobleman such a greeting was drastic, and his father surely would have punished him for his 'devilish', 'sacrilegious', and 'lecherous' ways. That never mattered. What did matter, was the way his dear Angel's pulse had quickened at the kiss. These 'tendencies' as some called them might result in the prince being removed from royalty.. But perhaps that was the beauty of a masquerade. 

The royalty sauntered over to the blonde, sitting beside him with a sigh of relaxation rather than exasperation for once. 

"A pleasure that is all mine, dear Angel" ‘Knight’ reached down, slender fingers running through the water, reveling ever so slightly in it’s calming caresses.

"I am glad to have met you though. For as brilliant as the best cut diamonds may be, they often make terrible company"

A soft hum of content escaped him, his cheeks having paled back to their normal color, a paleness that could rival the moonlight. “Then I suppose it’s a good thing that society has not yet pressed me fully into the diamond they so wish for me to be.” He says, his voice soft as he no longer had to speak up over the music. His head fell back to raise his face to the sky, strands of silky hair escaping its braid. It had never liked to stay restrained, being far too fine to remain so.

"I do not want to be a diamond." ‘Angel’ confesses. "I’d much rather run away and remain the lump of coal that I was born as. To live as I wish to live. To marry or not marry should that be the choice. To not have to live under my fathers thumb until he passes… I want…. every moment to be like this…" Another soft sigh escapes him, his tongue darting out over his lips. "But we sons of nobility are not free men… no matter how much they say we are."

Minki sat up, reaching up to carefully undo the braid that was already beginning to unravel. He had told the butler to just tie it back with the ribbon, but his father had insisted. Combing his fingers through the strands to work out tangles, he then tied the shoulder length blond strands back with the ribbon, leaving the ends dangling down his back.

Kind words were not usually the sort of words directed to any matter involving him. Normally, they’d be complaints from his father. ‘Why do you pay the women no mind?’ ‘Why do you reject the idea of courting them?’ The matters were trivial, unimportant. But Angel’s words had caught him so very off guard.

Surprise wasn’t all. The feeling in his chest was something more, yet something he had yet to grasp. Knight sat up to look at the other, smiling almost warmly for no reason as the pale strands were free from entanglement.

'Certainly no less beautiful.' “Then let tonight be a reprieve, Angel. Now, in this very moment, the world is nothing but forgotten troubles. Our father's wills no more than meaningless words. We are free.. If only for tonight.. We are free”

The words had his chest restricting, his heart pounding and he had no idea why. His tongue once more darted out over his lips, wetting them as he avoided looking at the other, unsure of what his face would hold- even half covered. “Those are dangerous words….” He finally manages to say, even as he was unsure of why he said them. Well no… no he knew but it was something he had for so long repressed inside himself.

He’d had too, after so long of hearing his father rant and rave about the sick and twisted sodomizers of the community. How men who enjoyed the company of other men in a ual manner were sick and depraved and were going to hell. Minki had found himself terrified of learning that he himself was one of those men, and had refused to acknowledge it. And so far it had worked…. until that moment.

Something about Knight had all those feeling stirring, had his heart pounding and his cheeks once more heating. Perhaps it was the anonymity that made it so… knowing that the other had no idea who he was that made it ok… Although there were not many nobles in the surrounding kingdom who had such fair hair. 

Thoughts ran rampant through both minds. That much was more than easy to tell. Something weighed heavily on his-… on Angel’s mind. For Knight, they were the snarls and shouts as Father fired and servant who’d been foolish enough to be caught in his lover’s arms. 

But that wasn’t the point of this moment. Only a few more seconds would be  allowed of such burdensome thoughts. For so long… too long had he wrestled with the self-loathing that accompanied finding out who he truly was, why he’d never court or chase after the women of the castle. 

"Dangerous words indeed" He hummed softly in a voice much softer than minutes ago, taking a gentle hold of the other’s chin to that shrouded gazes might lock. "But they are words I feel as though the both of us need so dearly. Am I wrong, dear Angel?"