Leon didn’t throw a tantrum.
Not this ti.
Instead, he’d praised Sahira. Instead, he’d signed with grace. Instead, he had done what a real king should do.
He took a deep breath and walked over to the bed, sitting down beside Riven. Then, without a word, he lay back on the covers and stared up at the ceiling.
For a while, there was only silence. It wasn’t awkward—just still.
Then Riven let out a small "plop" sound as he flopped beside Leon, imitating his position, arms behind his head, gaze pointed upwards.
"Nice ceiling," he said.
Leon glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "It’s a ceiling."
"True," Riven mused, "but it’s a very royal one. I can feel the centuries of noble ego soaked into the plaster."
That earned him a quiet snort from Leon, the ghost of a laugh.
"Why did you really do it?" Riven asked after a mont. "The signing. You could’ve made things difficult just to spite everyone."
Leon hesitated. "I’m not sure," he said honestly. "Maybe I’m tired of... Of being thought of as a problem."
Riven turned his head to look at him more directly. "Why do you think that is?"
Leon muttered, bitterly. "A man who doesn’t understand politics, diplomacy, or humility. Soone who acts out just because he can. A spoiled king."
The worry on his mother’s face made that much clear. And even though her words hurt from when he confronted her, he could not stay mad at her. He was a little self aware, just a little.
"Well..." Riven drawled, "You’re not wrong. But hey, at least you’re self-aware."
Leon shot him a dry glare. "This king did not allow you to speak."
"Well the king didn’t ask to stop speaking either. Why don’t you try shutting up?" Riven got up a little and rested his head on his hand. He smiled at Leon with aning. He knew exactly how he wanted to be shut up.
Leon let the words hang in the air. He was not going to dignify that with a response.
Seeing that he got no response, Riven changed the subject. He said with a grin. "But I am impressed. You didn’t just make a decision for your pride’s sake today. You actually thought it through. That’s... Progress."
"It still annoyed ," he admitted. "Everyone expecting to ss it up."
"They have reason to," Riven replied without hesitation. "You’ve been a walking disaster since I arrived."
Leon didn’t argue. Instead, he turned his eyes back to the ceiling.
"But," Riven continued, "you’re learning. Slowly. Painfully. Like a cat being taught to swim."
Leon scoffed. "Are you comparing to a cat?"
"Of course not, how about an arrogant prick from an influential family finally learning that not everyone will cater to him." Riven said with thought.
Leon scoffed and looked at him, "How is that a taphor? That is the exact situation I’m in."
Riven simply shrugged. He was not a scholar to make smart taphors, he was simply a half-wolf who wanted hot n.
Leon didn’t answer, but he let his eyes fall shut for a mont, allowing himself to breathe in the quiet.
"Does it bother you?" Riven asked suddenly. "That your mother still doesn’t trust you to make the right decision?"
"Of course it does," Leon said, opening his eyes again. "She raised . She trained . And yet she acts like I’ll destroy everything with a single word."
"To be fair, you did many tis." Riven quickly added. This lion gave off ’being in denial’ vibes.
"Okay, this king is ordering you to shut your mouth!" Leon scowled. Yeah, in hindsight, he did many things that he would want to change now. Until he lost his position, he realised that he needed to work harder but he would be damned if he let this wolf thought of himself a smart person giving advice.
"Then prove her wrong," Riven said simply. "One good deed won’t change anyone’s mind. But a dozen? A hundred? They’ll start to believe."
Leon turned his head to look at him. "Are you always this relentless?"
"I’m worse," Riven said cheerfully. "But I’m actually going easy on you, only because your face is too pretty and I can’t risk it getting hurt."
Leon shook his head, a small smirk playing at the edge of his mouth.
"I still won’t massage your tail," he said. Flattery won’t get him anywhere. He knows he has a pretty face, a good body, status and wealth only so could dream of.
"Not even a little?" Riven begged.
"No."
After Leon flatly refused to massage his tail, Riven sat up on the bed and crossed his arms. His tone was playfully indignant, but there was a glimr of sothing sharper beneath it. "Fine," he said with a huff. "Your one day as king has to an sothing."
Leon scoffed without missing a beat. "Of course it ant sothing. I just fixed the economy."
Riven gave a theatrical sigh, flopping back dramatically onto the bed before sitting upright again, all in one exaggerated motion. "Co on now, won’t you let serve you, Your Highness? Want to comb your hair? See, I’m so generous—though you won’t comb my tail, I offered to comb your hair. What a selfless man I am."
Leon’s eyes narrowed instantly. "That won’t be necessary," he said sharply. There was a sudden coldness in his voice that hadn’t been there monts before. "Keep your filthy paws to yourself."
Riven blinked, caught off guard by the force behind the reaction. Before he could say another word, Leon had stood up abruptly, stiffly, and strode toward the door.
"Leon—" Riven started, but it was too late.
The door opened and shut in one fluid motion, Leon vanishing down the corridor like he was fleeing a fire.
"Well- What did I expect?" Riven knew what his question ant, he asked it on purpose to see where he stood.
Riven sighed quietly and leaned back on his elbows, staring at the now-closed door with a thoughtful expression.
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