The Sugilite Prince
11- Hunger for Love

Jimin was ecstatic and he wasn’t going to let this cosmic chance escape him. When Sugi’s lips came close he took the initiative and crashed his lips onto the pouty lips of the slightly taller boy. He tasted heaven in those warm soft lips as he hungrily kissed the boy. Where did this sudden hunger come from? Jimon didn’t care. For the first time in his life, he took what he wanted. The two slipped from each other when they heard a loud knock at the door. Panting and pulses racing they were understandably alarmed not just by their desire but with the sudden interruption.

“Vante.”

The prince immediately went for his mask before saying, “Come in.”

Vante came in smiling but it immediately became fake the minute his eyes fell on a flustered Jimon who was just regaining his breath.

Vante looked around at the clothes lying about the place. “What were you two doing? Can I join?”

Not letting him respond, Vante wrapped his arms around the prince gazing at his swollen lips. “You’re mine baby, don’t forget that.” He whispered in his ear. “Do you know how much I long to kiss you?”

It felt good for Vante to say that since Sugi had fought so hard to get his attention in the past. He always felt he was never as exciting or clever as his friend that knew so much of the world. He wanted to be like him. Where he always seemed to spend his time at the palace with his nose in a book or looking up at the stars, Vante was actually exploring the world. The tales of his adventures were so astounding that Sugi sometimes wondered if they were made up for his entertainment. He wondered if having Vante’s attention all on him was the reason he enjoyed them so much. Because of his influence, Sugi became more adventures himself. Roaming around the forest as the king's only child was not safe, but hearing Vante’s stories had made him long for his own adventures.

Vante and Fay were meant to keep him company since he had no siblings, but instead, they just kept leading him astray. Getting into more and more scrapes that his father had finally asked Fay to leave thinking it was only her influence that made the boys misbehave.

Today, Vante wanted to go swimming in the lake as they did when they were younger. The previous night, Sugi had promised he would go. Now that he was sober, he didn’t think it was a good idea. Everything had changed from when they were children. He had a respect for nature and a fear of it he did not have before. Maeve had been very jealous of Vante, so Sugi was scared for him. What other mischief had she planned for them? He worried that Vante’s thrill-seeking personality would cost him his life. In so many ways, he was so innocent never worrying about the consequences of his actions. If they to the hidden pond where she used to spy on them, he knew they would be in her element whether she was there or not.

Vante traced Sugi’s mouth with his finger. He stroked his hand over the skin of his flushed cheek and smiled down at him seductively. “Did he kiss you?”

Sugi stepped back away from him and searched for Jimon, but he had quietly left the room.

“I won’t have you intimidating him.”

“How am I doing that?” Vante asked.

“By pretending that we are more than friends.” The words spilled out of him painfully. “I know I’m just a passing fancy for your adventurous soul. The minute Fay was asked to leave by my family you followed suit never thinking how that would hurt me. I’m not letting you do that to me again.”

“So you really like Jimon. You’re not just using him to make me jealous?”

Sugi only stared back, his face frozen in accusation. “So what if I like him?”

“So then nothing has changed between us ... I am nothing to you," Vante said.

Sugi felt tears start to rise in him. “You know that’s not true. Part of me will always love you but I know you have always been in love with Fay. It just angers you that she still wants me.”

“Don’t bring her into this!”

The realization came to Vante slowly, like an aching need in the gut that becomes a knife and then escalates to a raging fire. He knew he loved her and all his torment and disquietude was because of her.

“That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt,” Sugi said as he stared directly into Vante's pain.