Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 245: ’Just a Child’

After a long and much-needed bath, Florian felt clean, refreshed, and—more than anything—ready to sleep. His body ached with exhaustion, the kind that settled deep into his bones.

All he wanted was to collapse into bed and drift into blissful unconsciousness.

’Ah. I missed the feeling of a good bath and bed,’ he thought as he stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in more comfortable clothing. The warmth from the bath still clung to his skin, and the idea of sinking into the soft sheets made his entire being sigh in anticipation.

But the peaceful sight he had been expecting never came.

Instead, he was greeted by the tension of an unspoken battle.

Cashew and Azure were locked in a vicious staring contest, both practically radiating hostility. The tiny dragon’s wings were puffed out in aggression, his tail twitching with restrained irritation. Cashew, on the other hand, stood stiffly, his expression set in something unreadable, but his eyes were sharp—too sharp for his usual shy demeanor.

Florian stopped in his tracks, blinking at the bizarre sight.

’What in the world...?’ His lips twitched, torn between amusement and exasperation. ’If Azure weren’t a small dragon, I’d think they were two brothers fighting over a toy.’

He cleared his throat.

Both of them jumped at the sound. Azure let out a startled chirp, while Cashew immediately straightened, his usual composed mask snapping back into place.

"Y-Your Highness!" Cashew exclaimed, hastily approaching him. "How... was your bath?"

Florian arched a brow at the flustered attempt to act normal but chose not to comment. "It was fine, Cashew. Thank you."

He reached out, placing a hand on top of Cashew’s head, ruffling his pale blond hair affectionately. The boy’s tense shoulders loosened slightly, and his lips curled into something close to a smile.

Still, the odd tension from before lingered in the air.

Florian walked to the bed, sighing in pure relief as he finally sat down. The cool sheets against his clean skin felt heavenly, and he nearly melted into them.

Azure wasted no time hopping onto his lap, his tiny tongue lolling out in a way that reminded Florian of a particularly happy puppy.

"Are you going to sleep here with me?" Florian asked, scratching behind the dragon’s small horns.

Azure chirped and nodded enthusiastically.

But before Florian could fully enjoy the moment, Cashew’s voice cut in.

"Your Highness, should it really sleep with you? It might not be clean, considering it’s a dragon."

Florian blinked.

Then, slowly, he looked up at Cashew, noting the way the boy’s eyes had narrowed at Azure again. His tone had shifted—no longer stumbling over honorifics, no longer soft-spoken and uncertain.

’He’s talking straight again.’

Florian sighed, rubbing his temple before glancing at Cashew seriously. "Hey, Cashew... can I talk to you?"

Cashew stiffened at the question. His expression faltered, and for the first time in the conversation, genuine unease flickered across his face.

"Did... did I do something wrong, Your Highness?"

Florian hesitated. He had already told off Heinz earlier, something he hadn’t expected himself to do. But now, with Cashew, it was different. He didn’t want to reprimand the boy—he just wanted to understand.

More than anything, he wanted Cashew to stop holding everything in.

"Cashew," Florian started gently, "you’ve been acting strange since last night. I know you’ve been worried about me for a while. But..."

He extended his hand, gesturing for Cashew to take it.

Cashew hesitated, but eventually, he reached forward, allowing Florian to pull him onto the bed beside him. The teenager kept his head down, his fingers twisting in his lap.

’It really feels like I’m with Kaz sometimes whenever I’m with Cashew... especially now that I’m scolding him.’

Florian sighed, but there was a small, fond smile on his lips.

Cashew fidgeted. "I... I don’t—"

"I don’t know why you seem to hate His Majesty all of a sudden—"

"I—" Cashew’s voice hitched, his expression flickering with something unreadable, but Florian silenced him by gently pressing a finger to his lips.

"Let me speak first, then I’ll let you have a turn. Hm?" Florian reassured him, voice steady. "Don’t worry. I’m not mad at you. How could I ever be mad at you?"

Cashew’s tense frame relaxed slightly, his hands unclenching. Even Azure seemed to calm, curling up into a small ball on Florian’s lap and settling in for sleep.

Florian exhaled slowly. "I want to know if something happened, Cashew. We’ve already had this exact same conversation, and I know you insisted that nothing did, but..."

His fingers ghosted over Cashew’s cheek in a slow, deliberate touch.

"I just know that isn’t true. And whatever happened... it affected you, didn’t it?"

Cashew’s breath hitched.

Florian watched his expression closely. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "Did anyone approach you yesterday?"

Cashew tensed.

The reaction was immediate. Subtle, but undeniable. His shoulders went rigid, and his grip on the bedsheets tightened just enough for his knuckles to turn white.

Florian’s thoughts raced. ’Someone did approach him.’

His stomach churned with unease. The timing was too much of a coincidence. The traitor—whoever they were—had spoken to Cashew. It had to be them.

’But why? And in what way?’

Florian needed to know. ’Before Heinz or anyone else noticed—because who knows what Heinz would do to Cashew if he found out he was acting strange?’

He swallowed the frustration building in his chest and looked Cashew straight in the eye.

"There is someone, isn’t there?"

Cashew parted his lips as if to speak, then hesitated, pressing them shut once more. His fingers curled tighter in the fabric of his sleeves, knuckles whitening with the force of his grip. His small shoulders hunched inward, as though bracing for something unseen.

Florian waited, patient but watchful, allowing the silence to stretch between them. He didn’t press, didn’t push—just observed.

’He’s just a kid,’ he realized, his gaze catching the flicker of uncertainty in Cashew’s wide violet eyes. The boy was trying to suppress it, but he wasn’t very good at hiding his emotions. ’He really can’t hide his feelings at all.’

The weight of unspoken words hung between them, thick and unyielding. Florian could see the struggle playing out in Cashew’s mind, the wariness, the fear of saying too much—or perhaps, saying anything at all.

Then, finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, Cashew admitted, "I... I didn’t speak with anyone."

Florian exhaled slowly, careful not to let any hint of disappointment show. He had expected this answer.

’So, he won’t talk.’

But it wasn’t fear that kept him silent. Florian could tell. There was no frantic desperation in Cashew’s expression, no signs of someone coercing him into secrecy. This wasn’t the look of someone terrified of punishment—it was the look of someone making a choice.

’There’s a reason he’s keeping quiet. I just have to figure out what it is before Heinz notices something is off.’

Florian leaned back slightly, his posture relaxing, though his mind remained sharp. He studied Cashew’s downcast face, the way his lips pressed into a thin line as if to stop himself from saying more.

"...Alright," Florian murmured at last, his voice softer than before.

Cashew’s gaze flickered up to him, cautious, uncertain.

"But," Florian continued, his tone gentle yet firm, "don’t act disrespectful toward His Majesty anymore, okay? No matter what you feel, he’s still the king. And I wouldn’t want you to get punished for something like that."

Cashew stiffened, his lips parting slightly, but he quickly pressed them together again. Silence stretched between them once more before, at last, he gave a small, reluctant nod.

"Good." Florian sighed, stretching as exhaustion weighed down on him. "I’m going to sleep now. I feel like I’ll pass out if I stay up any longer."

Cashew straightened slightly, hesitant. "Then... I’ll return to my room for a while," he said quietly. "I’ll come back after a few hours."

Florian offered a faint smile. "Alright."

Cashew turned toward the door, his steps quiet and measured, but just as he reached for the handle—

"Cashew."

He froze.

Florian met his gaze, his expression open, sincere. "Whatever happens... I trust you."

Cashew inhaled sharply, a barely audible gasp slipping past his lips. His fingers clenched at his sides, and for a moment, Florian thought he might cry. His lips trembled—just a fraction—but he quickly ducked his head, as if afraid to let his emotions show.

"...Rest well, Your Highness," he whispered, his voice tight with something unreadable. Then, without another word, he slipped out of the room.

The soft click of the door closing behind him left the room in silence.

Florian exhaled deeply, his body finally sagging into the plush pillows beneath him. His eyelids felt heavy, his mind clouded with fatigue, but he forced himself to stay awake a little longer.

A quiet rustling caught his attention.

Glancing down, he found Azure peeking at him, the cat-like bright sapphire eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Florian let out a tired chuckle. "What? You wanna say something too?"

Azure huffed in response, as if unimpressed by the question. Instead of answering, he simply padded forward, curling up beside Florian, his small body radiating warmth.

Shaking his head, Florian shifted, adjusting himself more comfortably. The weight of exhaustion was too much to fight now, pulling him under with an almost irresistible force.

Within seconds, he surrendered to the embrace of sleep.