Chapter 99: Before the Gala

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Before the Gala

By late afternoon, Nero’s office had received enough birthday gifts to supply a minor royal household.

Several had arrived before breakfast, more had followed throughout the day, and by the time Sebastian passed through the Crown Prince’s private study on his way back from fitting the formal jacket he intended to wear that evening, one entire side table had disappeared beneath polished boxes, handwritten cards, bottles, ceremonial objects, and at least one enormous arrangement of white flowers that had required two attendants to carry.

Nero had opened exactly none of them.

Sebastian stopped beside the doorway and looked from the growing collection to the man seated behind his desk.

"You have gifts."

"I noticed."

Nero’s attention remained on Sebastian.

Not the packages.

Sebastian’s mouth twitched.

Nero had changed for the gala already, wearing black formal trousers and a fitted high-collared shirt beneath the dark purple ceremonial coat laid over the back of his chair. His white-blond hair had been brushed until it fell perfectly straight down his back, and a silver clasp waited beside his watch for whoever eventually convinced him to finish dressing.

Yet the Crown Prince of Saha, surrounded by presents worth more than some estates, apparently had only one concern.

Sebastian.

More specifically, Sebastian’s gift.

"You’re not even curious?" Sebastian asked.

"About those?"

"Yes."

"No."

Sebastian laughed.

Nero narrowed his eyes slightly.

"You are enjoying this."

"Immensely."

"You have been smiling at me all day."

"I like birthdays."

"You like knowing something I don’t."

"That too."

Nero leaned back in his chair.

Sebastian could practically see the calculations happening behind his eyes.

The prince had spent most of the day trying to extract information without technically asking again, which had become increasingly entertaining as Sebastian refused to cooperate.

The office communicator rang before Nero could attempt another strategy.

A moment later, Sebastian’s phone followed.

Dean.

Sebastian accepted the call.

His brother appeared already dressed for the evening in a dark green formal jacket, though his blond hair was still loose around his forehead rather than styled for the gala.

"Before you say anything, I have a request."

Sebastian glanced toward Nero.

"That sounds ominous."

Dean shifted the phone.

Theo’s face immediately filled half the screen.

His black hair had been combed neatly for approximately five minutes before apparently losing the battle against being three years old, several strands already falling over his forehead above enormous golden eyes identical to Arion’s.

"Uncle Seb!"

Sebastian smiled before Theo finished the name.

"Hello, sweetheart."

"I have Godfather’s present."

Nero was beside Sebastian almost instantly.

Theo brightened.

"Godfather!"

"Little beast."

"I’m not little."

"You continue to make that claim without supporting evidence."

Theo frowned at him with deep seriousness.

Dean laughed somewhere behind the phone.

"We were wondering if we could bring him over now. His bedtime is before the gala properly starts, and he has spent the entire afternoon guarding Nero’s gift from anyone who approaches it."

Theo held something toward the camera.

Dean immediately pulled it back.

"No spoilers."

Nero looked offended.

"I saw nothing."

"That was the intention."

Sebastian barely needed to think about the request.

"Bring him."

Nero turned toward him.

Sebastian shrugged.

"I want to see my nephew."

Twenty minutes later, the palace’s private reception room had been invaded by a three-year-old carrying a badly wrapped rectangular box.

Theo ran the last several steps the moment he saw them.

Sebastian crouched automatically, catching him around the middle before the child collided with his chest hard enough to earn another lecture from Claude.

"You got bigger."

Theo wrapped both arms around his neck.

"I told you."

"You did."

Sebastian kissed his temple and held him for another few seconds before Theo began twisting toward Nero.

"My present!"

Nero had already abandoned whatever remained of his royal composure.

He crouched beside them, long ceremonial coat still absent, black formal shirt immaculate except for where Theo immediately planted one small hand against the front of it.

"You brought me something?"

Theo nodded enthusiastically and thrust the package at him.

Arion entered behind Dean at that moment, dressed in formal black with subtle gold detailing, his own dark hair neatly arranged while his golden eyes moved first toward his son and then toward Sebastian.

"You look considerably better."

Sebastian straightened.

"I am."

Arion hugged him carefully anyway.

Dean followed, his embrace lasting slightly longer.

Neither mentioned physicians.

Sebastian appreciated that.

By the time he turned back, Nero had somehow acquired Theo entirely.

The child sat comfortably on one of his arms, one small hand gripping Nero’s shoulder while the other attempted to help unwrap his own gift despite having wrapped it himself.

Sebastian stopped.

Nero was smiling.

Not the polished expression he wore for cameras or the sharp amusement he directed at Sebastian whenever he found a new way to become unbearable.

This was softer.

Easy.

Theo spoke rapidly about the drawing inside the box while Nero listened as though the explanation concerned national security, occasionally asking a question that encouraged another enthusiastic paragraph.

When the paper finally came away, Nero found a small framed painting beneath it.

Three people stood beneath something resembling a purple sun.

One was very tall and had white hair.

One appeared to be Theo.

The third, Sebastian realized after a moment, was him.

Nero stared at it.

Theo leaned against his shoulder.

"That’s you and me and Uncle Seb."

"I can see that."

"We’re outside."

"I gathered."

"That is the palace."

Nero examined the purple mass in the corner.

"I thought that was a dragon."

Theo looked offended.

"That’s a tree."

"My mistake."

Sebastian laughed.

Nero immediately informed Theo that the painting would go in his private study.

Theo accepted this as the minimum reasonable response.

Then he settled against Nero’s chest as though he had always belonged there.

Nero adjusted his hold instinctively, supporting Theo’s weight with one arm while smoothing a hand over the back of the child’s little formal jacket.

Sebastian’s laughter faded.

Oh.

That was—

Dangerous.

Nero would be a good father.

The realization arrived without warning and lodged itself somewhere inconveniently deep inside Sebastian’s chest.

He had seen Nero with Theo before, obviously. Nero was his godfather and adored him with very little restraint, but watching him now inside his own home was different.

Sebastian could suddenly picture another child held against that same broad chest.

White-blond hair, perhaps.

Purple eyes.

Or dark hair and something unmistakably Fitzgeralt in the face.

Nero teaching them something appalling before they were old enough to know better.

Nero becoming terrifyingly protective.

Nero kneeling patiently to listen to a five-minute explanation about an interesting stone.

Sebastian stared.

The thought expanded before he could stop it.

A family. Here. With Nero.

His gaze dropped briefly toward Nero’s arms around Theo.

Then toward his own body.

And another realization followed with considerably less emotional grace.

Sebastian was the bottom in this relationship.

His brain went completely blank.

He looked at Nero again.

Seven feet five.

Enigma.

Virgin, yes, but regrettably enthusiastic.

Sebastian’s body was actively transforming into a dominant omega, and they had already discussed children eventually.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Of course.

Of fucking course.

"What?" Dean asked beside him.

Sebastian opened his eyes.

"Nothing."

Dean followed his gaze toward Nero holding Theo, then back to Sebastian.

Understanding appeared suspiciously quickly.

Sebastian’s expression hardened.

Dean immediately looked away, biting the inside of his cheek.

Across the room, Nero lifted Theo higher when the child asked to see the framed picture again, completely unaware of the existential crisis occurring several meters away.

Sebastian watched him.

Beautiful.

Brilliant.

Good with children.

And very likely going to ruin Sebastian’s life in several increasingly intimate ways.

Theo rested his cheek against Nero’s shoulder.

Nero kissed the top of his head.

Sebastian exhaled slowly.

Wonderful.

Apparently, his birthday gift was going to be educational for both of them.