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Anduin leaned his weight on the cane as he carefully sat down on the grass, wincing at the ache in his limbs. Most of his body was wrapped in bandages, and while his loose shirt and trousers covered most of the obvious signs of his injuries, it was written all over his face. He was paler than usual, dark circles under his eyes, and his usually neat hair was messy. It was a miracle the falling bell hadn't killed him, but it was thanks to the priests and healers that he could even walk. He didn't complain about the pain in his body — the broken bones had been healed and the more serious wounds mended with the Light, while the less serious cuts and bruises had been patched up. The agonising pain that had burned its way through him as the broken fragments of the Divine Bell had crushed his body, snapping bones and tearing open his flesh. He didn't want to think about it, but every time he moved that phantom pain seared his body.
He was so lost in thought he hadn't even noticed that he was no longer alone. The Prince almost jumped out of his skin when the claws gripped his shoulder, turning his head to look at the male. The small dragon was perched on the grass beside him, reaching up to grasp his shoulder. It was subtle, but Anduin noticed he had specifically avoided touching anywhere still painful. "I didn't hear you arrive." he said apologetically, unconsciously relaxing somewhat. In the dragon's other paw was a bag, bulging at the seams. "What have you got there?" he asked curiously.
The claws released him, and a moment later a young man was sitting beside him. "It was pretty heavy getting it up here, so you'd better appreciate it." Wrathion said haughtily, dragging the sack between them and opening it up. It was enough for a veritable feast, rolls of bread, dried meats and cheeses, fruits and various desserts wrapped in wax paper. "I heard you've been sulking a lot lately." he shrugged, like it wasn't important.
Anduin blinked, only to frown at him. "I'm not /sulking/, thank you very much." he said primly, reaching into the sack to take one of the bread rolls. He pulled it apart, nodding appreciatively at the way the outside was crisp while the inside was soft and fluffy. Perfect. Wrathion would never admit it, but he was obviously concerned. "You try being crushed by a giant bell, and then tell me how you feel." he grumbled.
"You're definitely sulking. Just look at you. If you had just waited a few minutes, I would've been able to help you up here. If you asked me nicely." he amended, rummaging through the bag for enough meat and cheese to make himself a sandwich. "You limped all the way up here instead of asking for help, and you're being broody. I'm the one who does the brooding around here, not you."
"I'm not brooding. I doubt I could brood even if I tried." Anduin rolled his eyes, stuffing the bread roll with pieces of a spiced sausage. He hoped Wrathion hadn't pinched this feast from an unsuspecting kitchen, but he knew better than to ask. "I need to be walking on my own. If I ever want to recover, I need to get used to it." he pointed out, looking anywhere but at the male. "Velen said the pain will probably never go away, and it might get worse as I age. At the very least, I want to be able to walk on my own."
Wrathion eyed him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. For someone so young, Anduin had already been through a great deal. Just as Anduin had been learning about this mysterious Black Prince, Wrathion had been learning about the Prince of Stormwind. "You're a priest, aren't you? And from what I've heard, the Light seems especially fond of you. Knowing you, you'll use that pain to become an even greater healer." he shrugged, pausing to take a few bites of his sandwich. "And eventually, a good king."
Anduin stared at him, caught off guard. Wrathion saying something genuinely nice, without any sort of sarcasm or attitude? "Who are you and what have you done with my friend?" he teased, his lips curling into a wry little smile. In a way, those words helped ease the ache in his heart. Sure, he didn't want to think about becoming king any time soon, but it was reassuring to know Wrathion had faith in him.
"Yeah, yeah, shut up." the dragon huffed, and for a moment Anduin thought his cheeks seemed a little red, but it was impossible to be sure. "Just... don't be too stupid. Take the time to heal and sulk, and then worry about everything else."
Anduin was silent as he ate, mulling over the male's words. He did worry a lot, perhaps too much. He wanted to help people and do the right thing, especially when he became king, but he knew that it was a lot easier said than done. But he wasn't king, not yet, and here in Pandaria, he didn't have to worry about keeping up a proper appearance for the people of Stormwind. He could let loose, take the time to recover and heal before worrying about his responsibilities.
"You're doing it again."
"What?"
"You're sulking."
Anduin smiled, shaking his head. "No... I was just thinking. You're actually pretty sweet, aren't you?" he mused, finishing the last of his sandwich.
The black dragon almost choked on his sandwich, eyes widening. "What?" he demanded. "What gave you that idea? Did the Bell hit you in the head and knock you stupid?"
"Maybe. But you're worried about me, and it's sweet. I'll be fine." he hesitated for a moment, his gaze dropping down to his hands. For a moment, he was painfully aware of his heart hammering against his ribs — ribs that had so recently been shattered. Maybe he was stupid, but he moved before he had the chance to change his mind. He leaned over suddenly, pressing a soft kiss to the male's cheek.
Wrathion was so much younger than him in actual years, even if they were the same emotional age, and yet he already had a bit of scruff on his chin. How unfair. Anduin pulled away after a moment, feeling the heat creeping up his face all the way to the tips of his ears. He was never going to hear the end of that, was he? Wrathion was going to tease him for all eternity about being soft, and he'd never get—
His thoughts scattered as Wrathion caught his chin in his claws, turning his head to kiss him deeply. Anduin had been the one to instigate the first kiss, but that had just been on the cheek. This was... The male's lips were on his own, warm and sweet and everything he'd never known he'd wanted until now. By the time Wrathion released him and pulled away, returning to his sandwich, poor Anduin had completely lost his train of thought. Flustered, he plucked a grape from the bag and threw it at the male, hitting him square in the face.
"How mature." Wrathion rolled his eyes, but then a moment later he had finished his sandwich and grabbed a bunch of grapes, plucking them off the stalks and pelting Anduin with them.
The young Prince laughed, raising his arms to shield himself from the barrage of tiny fruits. "Oh, you're in for it now!" he retorted, reaching for the bag. But then he doubled over, letting out a pained groan.
Wrathion immediately dropped the grapes, reaching for him. "Anduin? Anduin, are you alright?" he asked urgently, worry filling his voice. "You should be more careful, you'll hurt—" he broke off suddenly as Anduin's hand suddenly shot out, hitting him right in the face and splattering cream everywhere from the ruined treat. His worry immediately faded, realising it had been a ruse to make him let his guard down. "You sneaky little bastard..." he growled, although it was hard to be mad seeing Anduin grinning up at him with such a smug expression, cream splattered on his own face from the attack.
"I may be soft, but I'm not a fool." he teased, sitting upright as Wrathion wiped the cream from his face. "I dare say I win this round... Unless you want to beat up a cripple?" he joked.
Wrathion scowled at him, but he wasn't about to let him win so easily. He reached out to grab him by the collar, holding him in place as he leaned forward until there was barely an inch between them. "I don't play fair either, Anduin. This one is a point for me." he practically purred, only to lick the cream from his cheek, promptly turning the young prince into a flustered mess once more. He released the blonde, letting out a laugh. "I win." he declared.
Anduin held his hands up in defeat, his face bright red. "Just this once. I'll get you back, when you least expect it." he warned. But then his smile returned, and he looked at the male warmly. "Thank you, Wrathion. I really appreciate all of this. I feel much better now." he said honestly.
Wrathion, never one to openly admit his feelings, gave a grumpy little huff, but dipped his head in a slight nod. "Any time." he muttered.