Aqua eyes fluttered open as if waking from a long dream. When it started to dawn on Nox that he had fallen asleep and Caster was so shameless to fall asleep next to him.

With care and a blushing face, Nox pushed himself away, tip toeing away so not to wake the other prince. He was able to breath easy when he made it to the door and shut it behind him.

With a deep sigh he started walking away. With slight interest he noticed the time of day was starting to turn to dusk. That means dinner wasn’t too far off.

He frowned, holding his stomach, he was still way too full from lunch to even think about dinner. He couldn’t help but wonder if Caster would be hungry. It somewhat amazed him at how so much one could eat.

“To the kitchen I go….” He hummed again as if to the pass the time, but stopped when he saw a green cloaked figure walk by him. With haste, he made his way calling out. “Derek!?”

The cloaked figure turned, bit shocked that he wasn’t alone in the hallway,

“Nox? So this is where you were.” Derek flashed a smile, tho only half of his face could be seen. The other was hidden by a beautifully crafted mask.

“It’s good to see you out and about again.” He quickly joined his older brother for a walk. “Why were you looking for me?” It was then he guessed he knew why. “Was it my secret trip?” He flashed a worried smiled.

“A secret trip is to the whore house, where you went wouldn’t be classified as a trip.” In his stride, held a limp on his right side. “How did you even know he was there in the first place?’

Nox slowed his pace, he didn’t want his brother to be out of breath so soon.

“I made connections when we were there….” His gaze looked distant. “It’s not the first time I’ve been back their either, its just the first time I’ve been caught is all…”

Derek held tight to a cane that was colored red.

“What do you mean it’s not your first time back there?” Derek stopped walking at looked at his brother, disbelief was in the air. “Why would you even go back?”

“I told you, I have connections there. It’s where I get my intel and I…..” He looked at Derek, upset the man was upset at him. “Look, I got over it so you should too…”

Derek narrowed his eye, frowning at those cold words his brother told him.

“Get over it?!” He ripped his mask off, showing his scared face that was mutilated by knives and fire. What was supposed to be an eye was just an empty socket. Nox clenched his fists, not happy at how childish his brother was acting. “How am I to get over it when I just have to look into a mirror?”

“I don’t know? Try not looking at one and feeling sorry for yourself all the time!” He pushed passed his brother, knocking the cane down to the ground, almost knocking him down in the process. “Unlike you, I decided not to lock myself away from the world. Not anymore...”

“So you recklessly throw your life into it with out thinking of others?” He held tight to the mask in his hand. Nox’s frown hurt him more than he thought it would.

“I don’t regret what I did….” Nox’s voice started to grow soft. “And you shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened either…”

“Don’t you change the subject!”

“Why not? We don’t talk about it with anyone else, let alone ourselves…” Nox knew this was going to go nowhere. “I’m to tired for this….” He took a deep breath, ready to leave his older brother in the hall way. “It was good seeing you again. You should come out more often. Try dinner some time. Dani misses you and father and mother worry about you….”

Derek limped his way over to his brother, leaving his cane behind.

“Nox, wait!” He reached out a shakey hand. “I’m….I’m sorry, I was just worried...I….”

“If you really are sorry, come to dinner…” With empty eyes he left him there.

Derek knew he messed up again.

He always ended up being to late.

He always felt like he was in the wrong.