Help! I Became A Guy In A BL Novel!

"Tell me the truth, Eli. Did the coma… Knock out the charm in me?"

Eli's blush came on like a sunrise, flooding all the way to the tips of his ears. He stumbled back a step, nearly tripping over the edge of the carpet. "O-of course you're still charming, Riven."

Riven pouted, unconvinced. "Of course you'd say that. You're my friend. You have to say that."

Those words hit Eli in a place he hadn't been expecting, and they didn't feel nearly as warm and safe as they once had. Friend. Just… A friend.

He swallowed, gaze dropping to his boots.

Riven's tail flicked, considering him. Then, with the most audacious seriousness, he declared, "Then make it up to me."

Eli looked up, startled. "Make it… Up to you?"

"Yes." Riven lifted his chin, as if pronouncing a royal decree. "Sneak me some good wine. I want to get drunk tonight."

Eli's brows shot up to his hairline. "Absolutely not!"

"Oh, come on," Riven whined, dragging the word out in a pleading drawl. "It's like I can't have nice things anymore!"

"No alcohol at a time like this," Eli scolded firmly, crossing his arms to appear resolute. Unfortunately, the effect was undermined by how his voice cracked at the end.

"I won't get drunk. I promise," Riven said, doing a truly unholy impression of innocence as he widened his green eyes and clasped his hands under his chin. "Just a little. A single glass."

"You shouldn't even have that!" Eli protested. "You're still recovering—"

Riven inched closer, enough that their knees touched. His ears drooped pathetically, and he looked up through his lashes with such a perfect mixture of pitiful and hopeful mischief that Eli felt something in his chest squeeze tight.

"…Please?" Riven whispered.

Eli stared.

He gulped.

He tried to keep his composure.

He failed spectacularly.

"All right," he breathed, defeated. "Maybe… A little. But I will be monitoring your intake, and you will not have more than a glass. And if you feel even the slightest bit unwell, you'll stop immediately."

Riven's face lit up in delight, the transformation so sudden and bright it nearly made Eli laugh—if he hadn't been so busy trying not to melt into a puddle on the floor.

"Promise!" Riven chirped, already looking like he was plotting exactly how to talk Eli into pouring him a second glass.

Eli sighed and looked at Riven with those watery pink eyes, "I must be out of my mind."

But when he looked up again, Riven was beaming at him like he'd just made all the misery of the past week disappear. And though he'd never admit it aloud, Eli felt a little proud to have been the one to put that smile back where it belonged.

He wondered, fleetingly, if there would ever be a day Riven didn't have this effect on him.

He sincerely doubted it.

Riven had always believed himself a clever man. No, scratch that, a genius. And today, that genius was finally paying off.

Because nothing, NOTHING, was going to stand between him and the glass of wine Eli had so reluctantly promised.

He'd earned it, damn it.

He was owed that little comfort after everything—the coma, the dreams that still clung to his chest like cobwebs, the dungeon confrontation that left him feeling... Uneasy.

The first obstacle was Soren. Knowing that he was a possessive yandere, Riven treaded carefully, or at least tried to.

He waited until Soren was occupied with a set of reports in the sitting room. Quietly, he padded in, tail swaying in a perfectly innocent rhythm.

Soren's dark eyes lifted. "What is it this time?"

Riven feigned a shy look, glancing away, playing with a loose lock of silver hair. "I was thinking…you know, since you're going to the snow leopard territory tomorrow, maybe…"

Soren set down the parchment, giving Riven his full attention.

"…Maybe you should head back tonight," Riven continued, his voice soft and persuasive. "You could prepare everything ahead of time. And by prepare, I mean... You know. I would be healed by then."

Soren narrowed his eyes, "What exactly do you have in mind?"

Riven shrugged, "Surprise me. Didn't I tell you I met my... Dad. I feel bad and I want to feel better, and only you can do that." Huzzah, an arrow through Soren's heart. Riven could almost see it!

Mix in some emotion with the promise of intimacy! Hook, line and sinker!

Soren exhaled, the tension leaving his shoulders. "All right. I'll go tonight. But you'll rest while I'm gone. Like you asked, I will plan... Things."

"Oh my," Riven almost gasped. Whatever it was, he just prayed it was not that moonstone! That almost killed him!

Soren rose and pressed a kiss to his temple—still restrained, still refusing to deepen it, which nearly made Riven pout, he was getting desperate, but he knew Soren would not touch him. He needed some snusnu, but alas, he had to wait.

Step one: complete.

Which left the harder of the two—Ronan. Surprisingly.

Riven found him in the study, dark head bent over a stack of thick papers, the firelight glinting in his crimson eyes.

"Ronan," he began sweetly, leaning against the doorway.

Ronan hummed in response. He didn't even look up.

Undeterred, Riven slipped closer, skirting the edge of the desk. "What are you working on?"

"Reports."

"Important ones?"

"Very."

"What's it about?" Riven asked, just trying to make conversation.

"Ah. Just some reports needed after the 'war' with the lion kingdom, I might have to meet their representatives soon. The provocation will be addressed and..." Ronan said more stuff about the battle reports, but Riven was too impatient to listen.

But he did catch the word Raphael mentioned. His ears immediately perked up.

"Raphael?" He pressed, voice turning gleeful. "Perfect, then I'll come along. It's been ages since I saw Raffy—"

"No," Ronan said flatly.

Riven blinked. "No?"

"You should rest." Yes, he should rest. He definitely should not come along with him to meet that man!