Help! I Became A Guy In A BL Novel!

"I'll only be gone a week," Riven said, trying to sound casual, though his heart was beating faster. "That's hardly enough time to miss me."

Ronan's brow arched just a little, amusement flickering across his face. "That's where you're wrong."

Riven's cheeks warmed.

Gods, he really was too easy for this man.

"Well then, why don't you come with me... Soren came here, and so could you..."

He meant it half as a joke. But also… Not really. If Ronan came with him, they could have another go at a threesome, oh, just the thought made Riven shiver with excitement.

Ronan's laughter was soft, and gentle, it would make Riven melt every time.

"Careful," Ronan murmured. "Keep tempting me, and I might."

Riven rolled his eyes but leaned into the touch anyway. The warmth of Ronan's palm steadied something restless inside him. He was really not joking, he really wanted Ronan to come along sometime.

A moment later, Ronan's hand fell away. Riven immediately missed the warmth.

"You really are going, then," Ronan said. There was no judgment in his voice—just acceptance.

Riven nodded. "I am."

"It will be good for you," Ronan went on. "To see more of Soren's people. I'll have time to finish my work without… Interruptions." Ronan joked.

His tone was dry, and Riven narrowed his eyes at him. "Are you saying I'm the interruption?"

"An interruption I welcome." Ronan corrected.

"Come here," he murmured, the words pitched low and coaxing.

Riven blinked. "What—"

Before he could finish, Ronan leaned across the small space between their chairs and kissed him. It wasn't a heated kiss, or a desperate one. Just soft—so soft it made something in Riven's chest squeeze painfully tight.

Maybe he shouldn't leave...

Riven sighed against his mouth, his shoulders loosening as he closed his eyes and let himself lean into the kiss.

Ronan's thumb traced a slow line beneath his ear, as if memorising the shape of him all over again. The tenderness in that small touch made Riven's stomach flutter.

When Ronan finally drew back, just far enough to look into his eyes, Riven felt a little breathless.

"That's better," Ronan said softly, voice rough with affection.

Later that day...

Riven took Ronan's hand as he stood by the carriage door. For a second, neither of them spoke. The hush was almost comfortable now, like they'd finally learned how to say goodbye without feeling like it would break them.

Then Ronan lifted Riven's hand to his mouth and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss against his knuckles. "Be safe," he murmured, his thumb brushing over Riven's skin.

Riven smiled, trying not to look too pleased. "You've already assigned me half your guards. I think I'll survive."

Ronan gave a quiet laugh. "Humour me."

He stepped back, and Riven climbed up into the carriage. A footman shut the door, and the driver cracked the reins. The wheels started to turn, and Ronan's figure began to shrink behind him.

Riven rested his elbow on the windowsill, watching the path roll by. It was strange how quickly it all started to feel normal—saying goodbye to Ronan so he could go to Soren. When he first arrived in this world, he'd never imagined he'd have… This. Whatever it was.

A custody arrangement.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was tired. Gods, he was tired. Last night had been…a lot. Even remembering it made his face warm. Ronan always had a way of leaving him worn out in the best possible way.

Riven shifted on the seat and stretched his arms over his head. His spine popped, and he sighed in relief.

He leaned against the side of the carriage and let his eyes drift to the scenery blurring past. Snow-dusted pines, pale fields. Everything was quiet.

Until—

Something flashed in the corner of his vision. Gold, bright against all that black and white.

Riven frowned. He turned his head quickly, searching the edge of the road.

Nothing.

Maybe he was imagining things. The colour had reminded him too much of that damned arrogant Lion King. Leon.

"Ugh," he muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face. "Don't think about him."

It was probably just sunlight catching on a branch.

He tried to settle again, ignoring the strange twinge in his gut. The guards rode alongside the carriage, their armour glinting every now and then. He wasn't in any danger.

And besides, he was almost there.

Riven leaned back into the seat, eyes slipping half-closed. Soon, he'd see Soren again.

He could almost picture it—those dark eyes, that familiar smirk.

A little smile tugged at his lips. He was so close to getting all giggly.

---

Leon dismounted carefully, trying not to look too eager or too afraid. His horse snorted and stomped on the misty grass, as if sensing his unease. He patted its neck absently and turned to face them.

They'd chosen a quiet clearing at the border of their lands, no banners, no guards, no palace walls. Just the four of them, as if they were children again, sneaking away from lessons.

Except nothing felt the same.

Catalina stood with her arms folded, her expression carved out of stone. Her cloak whipped around her ankles in the cold wind. She didn't speak a word, only watched him with those sharp, assessing eyes.

Celeste, standing a little behind her, didn't even bother to mask her wariness. She narrowed her gaze the moment Leon stepped closer, like she was bracing herself for some new disappointment.

Only Sofia offered a small nod of acknowledgement. Even that felt like more grace than he deserved.

Leon swallowed, tasting how dry his throat was. He had practised a hundred ways to say this—gentle apologies, tearful confessions, all of it. But in the end, none of those speeches felt right. He wasn't here to make excuses.

He took a breath and lifted his chin.

"I'm not here to fight over the throne," he said quietly. "I'm here to tell you I've decided to abdicate."

The silence hit so hard it almost made him wince.

Catalina's brows drew together. "What?"

No greeting. No preamble. Just the truth.

"I'm done," Leon continued, voice low but steady. "I'm not suited for this. I should never have accepted it. I—" His voice caught, but he forced himself to go on. "I've caused too much division in the family and in the kingdom. It's yours, Catalina. It always should have been. I'm stepping down."

For the first time since he arrived, Catalina's face cracked. Her mouth parted, eyes wide, and for a moment she looked almost young again—almost like the sister who used to drag him into the orchard to climb trees they weren't allowed to touch.

Celeste stared at him like she was trying to decide if he was lying. Her hand clenched around the edge of her cloak.

"You expect us to believe this," she said finally, her voice brittle. "After everything? After you let Mother hand it to you without a word?" She had always been the sharper one.

Leon winced but held her gaze. "I don't expect you to believe me right away. But it's the truth."

Catalina drew in a long, slow breath. She looked away for a moment, out toward the line of trees. When she turned back, her composure was pieced together again, but her eyes were different—less cold, more searching.

"You're serious," she murmured, almost to herself.

He nodded. "I am."

Sofia took a step closer to him. Her hand brushed his arm, the tiniest touch. "Why?"

Leon felt something twist in his chest. "Because I don't want it anymore. Because when I lost that battle, I realised I was holding onto it out of pride. Not caring about anyone else. Not because it was right. And… Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life pretending that what I did was not a knife in the back."

Another silence settled over them.

Celeste looked down, her mouth pressed into a thin line. Catalina exhaled shakily and finally met his gaze without that old blade-edged resentment. "What changed... What made you change?"

"Well..." Leon sighed. A lot of things. Some things that Riven opened his eyes to... And that in turn made him face his mistakes when he saw his sister in the battlefield.

Seeing that Leon felt uncomfortable, Catalina did not push. She asked in a gentler voice, "Is this what you truly want?" Catalina asked.

"Yes."

Celeste still did not buy it, but she decided to see what happens, she was far too disappointed with this brother of hers.

For the first time in years, Leon felt like he was standing on solid ground. No crowns. No titles. Just himself.

Catalina studied him, searching for any sign of deception. She didn't find it.

Her lips parted again, and though her voice was still quiet, something raw crept into it.

"…Then we'll talk about how to do this properly."

That was a promise, a promise that she would not ignore him or look at him with those cold eyes.