Work Text:
Using a small brush to finish the final touch of copper red of the prince’s collar in his new portrait, Francis let out a breath as he stepped back to examine the work.
He didn’t know how the prince would react to him putting lilies all over the background. But it’s not an official portrait, it’s just one that the prince used as an excuse so he could talk to Gilbert without other people presenting in the room, and Francis had been so used to them flirting that it didn’t even matter if he’s in the room or not.
So Prince Ivan probably wouldn’t care if he’s sneaking lilies into the background.
There’s a soft click behind him.
“I saw you’ve finished the painting.” Gilbert said, leaning against the door and examine the portrait from afar, “it’s not really like him though.”
“Ivan?”
“A bit too soft, don’t you think? He’s an iron-made bear, not some cuddly teddy bear. You make him look like…”
Francis looked at his childhood friend waving his hand in the air in search of words to describe his lord.
No, you don’t understand, Gilbert. He wanted to say. When Ivan looked at you, it’s how soft he looked.
“…and lilies? Are you serious? Still hanging on that woman, I see?”
The way Gilbert so carelessly addressed the love of his life had Francis burning in anger. But he knew Gilbert didn’t mean it. Gilbert’s just really slow and insensitive when it comes to romantic feelings, hence him being oblivious to Ivan’s feelings that’s so painful for others to watch.
“Gilbert.” he squeezed the name through his teeth, “shut up.”
“I just don’t think you’ve moved on like you said you were.” Gilbert shrugged, “you and Toni that bastard.”
“How’s that have anything to do with Antonio?”
“He could have become a fucking royal navy for fuck’s sake! And now he’s running around the ocean doing the exact opposite!”
“He’s doing it for love. I for one think it’s very beautiful.” Francis was a huge believer on love, that’s probably why he’s enduring this cruel prince of his, because he knew he’s also just a human being in love.
“He became a fucking pirate just so he could go look for something that doesn’t exist.”
“Mermaids do exist, Gilbert. We’ve been through this.”
“Yeah yeah, Toni and his little merman, I think he’s fucking deluded.”
“Gilbert.” Francis sighed, putting his brush down and picked up the towel that’s placed on the table to clean his hand, “we don’t know whether Antonio’s telling us the truth or not. But if it’s his way of comforting Feliciano for losing his brother, then we’ve got to play along.”
Gilbert rolled his eyes.
“You mustn’t say anything to Feli. Don’t forget about that.”
“I know. I know… you and your so called love, I swear to God. It’s going to destroy you one day.” Gilbert wandered to the other side of the room.
Francis didn’t comment on that, “why are you not with Ivan?” he asked.
Gilbert’s still browsing the paintings in the room, “he’s napping.”
“Shouldn’t you be with him while he’s asleep, personal body guard?”
“No. I’m not getting anywhere near that nuthead when he’s sleeping. Last time I was just checking if he’s up or not, and he fucking dragged me into the bed as well.”
Francis let out a whistle. He was beyond impressed with the prince now, “and?”
“And what?”
“Did you yell at him? Or did you just gently get out of the bed and said it’s not a funny joke?”
Gilbert adverted his eyes from Francis’s curious ones, “no…”
“What have you done?”
“I slept with him.”
Francis’s hand halted mid-way to pick up a biscuit, his mouth hung wide open, and shock written all over his face.
“Excuse me, mon cher, did you just say…”
“We took a nap together!” there’s an unusual blush on Gilbert’s face as he yelled, “not like THAT! You filthy pig.”
“Oh no no. You said yourself that you slept together. Something must have happened.” there’s no way that prince’s going to let a chance like this slide, “spill, Gilbert. What on earth have you done with him?”
“I didn’t! We just took a nap in the same bed, that’s it!”
“Did you snuggle?”
“Oh for the love of God.”
“Did you?”
Gilbert grunted, “so we snuggled, so what? It’s not a big deal. I told you he’s a fucking man-child…stop looking at me like that!”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” Francis could feel the corner of his lips stretching into a smirk. Oh what a juicy detail.
“I’m leaving.”
“Alright. If you run fast enough, maybe you can still get into his bed and nap for twenty minutes.”
“Fuck you.” Gilbert slammed the door hard behind him.
Still chuckling to himself, Francis turned back to the painting he just finished. Prince Ivan looked fondly at a point outside the frame—that point being Gilbert mumbling about how his young brother didn’t visit him in two weeks beside the open window. Francis had hesitated about whether he should paint him in such a honest light with the love pouring out of his heart. But he’s a slave of love. He could never say no to it. Even though it reminded him of the tragic fact that she’s no longer here with him.
Francis was determined to be the protector of his friends’ romance, since he couldn’t protect his own. That’s why he’s always been supportive about Antonio chose to be a pirate and told them, after a long five years of searching, that he’s found his boy, even though his boy’s no longer what he used to be. That’s why he tried so hard to make Gilbert see, that he’s missing something important in his life. He wouldn’t want his friends to experience the heartbreak he had to go through. He would wish no one to hold the same shattered heart like he did.
Because every day hurt. Breathing hurt. Living hurt. Knowing how meaningless this world has become to you hurt. And Francis lived in this pain, night after night asking all the ‘what ifs’, only to find out when the morning light shine through the window that no, there’s no more what if. There’s only a lonely tombstone standing on that small hill not far from the sea. Francis never had the courage to visit her.
He heard some loud noises coming from the hall outside, the shouting voice too familiar to be missed. He opened the door, only to find a screaming Gilbert and a prince that had happiness radiating off him as he stared at the shorter man with adoration.
“Why are you so upset, mon petit lapin des neiges? Did you miss the nap time after all?” he teased. Gilbert shoot his a death glare, but not as deadly as the one Ivan gave him.
“Did you just call him your little snow bunny?” Ivan asked with a smile on his face. The smile didn’t reach his lilac eyes.
Francis gulped. How could he let that nickname slide right pass his mouth when he knew that Prince Ivan could be very jealous when it comes to Gilbert? He looked hopelessly over to Gilbert, silently begging him to save him.
Gilbert looked like he’s going to burst with laughter, “c’mon Ivan. Don’t be so jealous. You can have a nickname if you want.”
He’s not jealous about that! Francis wanted to rip his hair out.
Ivan let himself being pulled away by Gilbert, but still looked warningly behind his shoulder at Francis every few second.
“And just to be clear,” Gilbert yelled at Francis as he walked away with Ivan, “I told Ivan about the lilies in the background. He didn’t like it so you’re going to paint it again.”
“What am I going to paint this time? You two in bed?”
“What?”
“Nothing!”