The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

BUT that wasn't the main issue right now. What mattered was that Reas had told his parents about them. Again, it wasn't that he didn't want others to know about their relationship; it was the fact that he hadn't been there to introduce himself personally. What if Reas' parents didn't like him? Or, even worse, what if they'd already judged him based on what they imagined, without actually meeting him?

He would have preferred to personally introduce himself to them, to let them know that he was seriously dating their son. Especially since he was the older one—it felt important to show them he was responsible, that he genuinely cared for Reas and had his best interests at heart.

Lauren let out a long sigh. What was done was done. He couldn't really blame Reas for this. Knowing him, he'd probably just wanted to be honest with his parents, not keep their relationship a secret. In a way, it showed how much Reas valued what they had together. So, even though this wasn't how Lauren had hoped to be introduced to his parents, he couldn't bring himself to be upset.

"Okay, it's done," the make-up artist said.

Lauren stood up. With his photoshoot about to start, he didn't have time for a proper conversation with Reas. All he could do was send a quick reply.

[I'll call you later.]

----------

Reas stared at Lauren's message for a full minute. It was far from the response he'd expected. Did Lauren even read his message? He was probably busy right now, maybe too preoccupied to go through the entire thing, and had just sent a quick reply to let him know they'd talk properly later.

Knowing Lauren, his message would've definitely made him panic. He'd have scolded him, saying things like he should've been there or that he should've been the one to introduce himself. He's cute that way. Reas had almost been looking forward to that reaction and had even been ready to answer Lauren's video call. So, seeing this calm, brief response was more than a little disappointing.

If Lauren was here and he could read what Reas was thinking now, then he would finally understand why Chris had called him a little gremlin.

Reas didn't mind, though. He wasn't so immature that he'd throw a fit just because his boyfriend hadn't sent a longer reply. So he simply responded,

[Alright. I'll wait for your call.]

When he turned off his Terminal, he saw Astrid looking at him with a teasing smile on his face.

They had already left Delryria and were on their way back to the capital. Aside from the duke staying behind, their entourage was pretty much the same. As the spaceship took off, Reas searched for a quiet spot where he could talk to Lauren. But since Lauren was obviously busy at the moment, he'd have to wait. Who would have thought Astrid would come looking for him? And with that smile on his face, it was obvious what he came for.

"Are you exchanging messages with Lauren?" Astrid asked, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah. Just a short exchange." Reas didn't hide it. "But it seems he's currently busy."

"So..." Astrid glanced at him, a teasing glint in his eyes. "How did our parents react when you told them about you and Lauren?"

The question did not surprise Reas because he'd been expecting it. With his brother's intuition, it wasn't hard for Astrid to guess what he'd discussed with their parents when he'd asked for a private conversation earlier.

"It actually went better than I expected," Reas admitted. "There was a bit of a misunderstanding at first—they thought Lauren might just be toying with me. But once I cleared that up, they were a lot more accepting."

Astrid narrowed his eyes, then launched into an exaggerated performance. "Why do you get off scot-free while Wulf had to go through so much? This is blatant discrimination!"

Reas raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously comparing how our parents treat me, their own son, to how they handled the infamous prince who was trying to date their other son?"

Astrid laughed. "I'm just kidding." He gave Reas a light nudge on the shoulder. "But seriously—congrats on getting Mom and Dad's approval."

"Thanks. Though they're probably still a bit worried, it's better than nothing." Reas looked at his brother, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "Do you also want Mom and Dad to approve of your relationship with the general?"

"Of course. Starting a relationship without the approval of the people you care about most feels like starting off on the wrong foot," Astrid said honestly.

Reas's eyes widened slightly—not so much at what Astrid had said, but at the implications behind it. "You- are you finally admitting that you want to be together with the general?"

Because that's basically what Astrid was alluding to by that answer.

"Did I ever say I didn't want to be with him?" Astrid replied, a meaningful smile on his lips. "And the first time we met Wulf was an insufferable prick, so that time period doesn't count."

"I was actually expecting you to say you're still about 80% sure or something," Reas said, alluding to their conversation before about what Astrid felt for the general. "So, are you at 100% now?"

Astrid gazed out at the stars beyond the window, their light casting a faint, silvery glow across his face. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, his expression softening as he took in the endless expanse of space. Something gentler replaced the hint of mischief in his eyes, making them look almost vulnerable.

A small, knowing smile appeared on his lips.

"Maybe," he replied, the single word carrying an unexpected weight.

It wasn't a straightforward answer, but within that one word lay a world of possibility, a quiet acknowledgment of feelings he seldom revealed openly.

The stars, cold and distant, mirrored in his gaze, but his smile suggested a warmth, a flicker of something real and steadfast.