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Chapter Text

Hi, fellow readers!

If you're joining me from How Beautiful (It Is), welcome back! I'm so glad you want to continue Wilmon's story with me!

If you're brand new to this series, welcome!

This fic is a sequel to the first part of the series. However, it can be read on its own.

A brief overview of the "What If" series AU:

Erik died in the same way, but he met Simon during family weekend. The two of them were fast friends and enjoyed teasing Wille together. Erik also met Linda before his accident.

Linda is practically Wille's second mom. 

Kristina and Ludvig met Simon prior to the sex video leaking. They're struggling with supporting their son as both parents and monarchs, but the love how happy Simon makes Wille.

August is still a dick. We hate him. Enough said.

When the video leaked, Wilhelm confessed that it was him the first time.

Simon had a falling out with Micke. More daddy issues to come!

The public is generally accepting of Wilhelm and Simon. Of course, there's always a few homophobes out there.

Wilhelm gifted Simon a promise ring for Christmas. Simon gifted him his purple hoodie and his newly fixed frog prince snowglobe.

We left off with the Christmas Ball, where Wilmon started a revolution by going against the Court's wishes.

Comment on this chapter for things you'd like to see our royal couple do! I'll try my best to work your ideas into this fic!

The first chapter is coming soon! Enjoy!

-BringOnTheFandoms

Chapter Text

Wille stretched as he opened his eyes, groaning as he saw that the sun was just barely rising. A quick look told him that Simon was still asleep. He rested on his side, turned away from Wille. The slope of his back rose and fell as he breathed deeply in his sleep. The comforter was curled over Simon’s thin waist, hiding the fact that he wore nothing beneath the thick duvet. Simon’s bed was small, but they made it work. If anything, it gave Wille more reason to sleep as close as physically possible to his partner. Simon had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning while using Wilhelm as a pillow. Wille mourned the loss of that contact, but was thankful that at least he was free to get up and use the toilet. He groped around in the dark and finally found his boxers. Pulling them on, Wille gave Simon one last look before leaving the room. The prince snuck out into the cramped laundry room before walking down the darkened hallway. The quiet house told him that Linda was still asleep. Sara was living on Hillerska’s campus now, so her room was open and dark. The prince snuck into the bathroom, closing the door gently behind him so he didn’t wake the rest of the house’s occupants.

When Wille returned to the room, he wasn’t surprised to see that Simon had turned in his sleep, letting the prince see his peaceful face. Despite his small frame, Simon managed to claim a lot of their sleeping space, his limbs sprawled as he hugged the pillow under his head. There was still a sliver of mattress just big enough for Wilhelm to slide back onto. Pulling the small amount of comforter that didn’t belong to Simon up over his waist, Wille settled back into the bed. The morning light was softly illuminating the window, but most of the sunlight was blocked by the new curtains Simon had bought. When he first saw them, Wilhelm had been upset that Simon had needed his new purchase to block out the paparazzi and reporters who had somehow found out which window was his. Now, though, he was thankful for the private barrier the fabric granted them from the outside world. And from the assault of the morning sun. Compared to his too-big bedroom in Stockholm and his lonely dorm room at Hillerska, Wilhelm would take a cramped night in Simon’s bed any day.

Trying not to wake his partner, Wilhelm reached out to brush a few stray curls away from Simon’s face. He marveled at how the faint sunlight highlighted brown hues in Simon’s dark hair. Wille froze when Simon sighed in his sleep, as if to get away from the hand touching him. The duvet fell slightly at his movement, making Wille pull it up to rest just above Simon’s hipbone. The tenor shifted, his hand coming up to hug his pillow. This made Wilhelm adjust his own position, crowding Simon’s space further so he didn’t fall off the bed. When he settled back down, Wilhelm couldn’t help but look at the ring on Simon’s exposed hand. His partner had barely taken it off since he got it a month ago. Wilhelm remembered how daunting it had been to pick the jewelry out. He smiled as he recalled how he and Felice had browsed website after website in his dorm room. He had bought her an expensive necklace as a thank you gift for putting up with his anxiety-ridden search.

Wilhelm allowed himself to gently trace the pattern of the gemstones before letting his hand rest between them. He felt the familiar pull of sleep as he memorized the peaceful expression on his partner’s face. Before he knew it, he fell back asleep.

When he woke again, there was more light filling their bedroom. He heard quiet clinks and noises coming from the kitchen, telling him that Linda was awake. His partner was still sound asleep, his dark lashes resting gently on the top of his cheekbones. The prince was content to stay still, taking this quiet moment to memorize the features of his partner’s face. After a while, he heard footsteps approaching their small bedroom. Two quiet knocks made him reluctantly decide to look away from Simon’s face. Twisting so he laid on his back, Wilhelm looked at the doorway. Linda was standing in the doorframe. She wore her scrubs, telling the prince that she must have a shift at the hospital today.

“Good morning,” Wille whispered.

“Good morning, cariño,” Linda replied. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

Wille nodded, “We’ll be out in a few minutes.” Linda’s eyes shifted to her sleeping son before she turned to leave. After she left, Wilhelm twisted back to his side, facing his partner. Simon’s eyes were just beginning to blink open. He yawned and stretched, rolling to rest on his back. Wilhelm shifted his weight to rest on his elbow, giving him a good vantage point to see his partner’s face.

“Breakfast is ready,” he said, moving his hand to gently trace patterns on Simon’s bare stomach. His partner hummed in acknowledgement. Raising his hand, Wilhelm set to work brushing the stray curls from Simon’s face. His beautiful eyes had closed again. “We’re not going back to sleep,” Wilhelm said softly.

This made his partner groan, causing all of Wille’s teenage blood run south. He cupped Simon’s cheek, rubbing his tanned skin in a sweeping motion with his thumb. This made those dark eyes open again. Simon’s tired eyes immediately fell on his. Wille leaned down to kiss his partner’s smiling lips, feeling Simon automatically melt into their kiss. Reluctantly separating from his partner, Wilhelm straightened back up. Simon followed his lips, reaching up to place another kiss on the prince’s mouth. He moved to place a trail of kisses on the prince’s cheek and neck. Fighting his true wishes, Wilhelm pushed his partner away, thinking of Linda waiting for them.

“No,” Simon whined, plopping back onto his back with a teasing frown.

“Breakfast,” Wilhelm stated firmly, mostly for himself. “Let’s go.”

With that, he rolled out of bed. Already in his underwear, he went to his bag to grab a pair of sweats. After they were up over his waist, he bent back down. He grabbed his purple hoodie. After a month of wearing it, Simon’s scent had faded from the fabric. Several nights ago, Wille had found a way to fix that problem. He had made Simon wear his hoodie as the tenor rode him, resulting in them both finally collapsing, sweaty and satisfied.

Simon reluctantly followed his partner out of bed. The cold air of the bedroom hit his bare body, making him yearn for the warmth of their duvet. Going to his dresser, he pulled out a new pair of underwear. After pulling them on, he found last night’s pair on the floor. He tossed them into the hamper. He settled on a new pair of sweats and a basic black t-shirt. Finally dressed, the couple left their bedroom and made their way to the kitchen.

Joining Linda at the table, they settled into a comfortable conversation about school, Linda’s work, and funny videos Simon had seen on Instagram. Just like every previous morning spent at the Eriksson household, Wilhelm marveled at this sense of normality. He couldn’t help but compare his new life to his life before meeting Simon. Compared to silent breakfasts with his parents only being saved by Erik’s jovial antics, he would take this new normal any day. He was happier. He had a purpose and he got to spend this domestic, enjoyable life with his partner. In this house, they were in a bubble. Away from prying eyes and royal politics, they could be happy eating pancakes and laughing about cat videos. Away from the headlines and candid shots of them posted by the public, they could be themselves.

Before long, Linda stood from the table. She placed a loving kiss on both of their heads, reminding them to clean up their plates after they were done. She moved to the kitchen to clean up before she left for work. She hummed to herself as she did so.  

“So,” Simon started, his mouth full of pancake. He swallowed before continuing. “What do you want to do today?”

Wille thought for a while, chewing thoughtfully. “Actually,” he mumbled, pushing his food around on his plate. “I thought we could go on a date?” He cringed when his suggestion came out more like a self-conscious question.

“A date, huh?” Simon asked. He sipped his juice before answering. “I’d like that.”

“Ok,” Wilhelm smiled. Simon’s eyes softened as their eyes met. Wilhelm smiled at him before gesturing to the syrup. “Pass that over,” he said, his morning crankiness making the question come out more like a command.

“When did you get so bossy,” Simon laughed. His raised voice drew Linda’s attention for a moment, making Wilhelm shrink in his seat. Simon grabbed the syrup, holding it away from his disgruntled partner. Wilhelm went to grab the bottle, but Simon only held it further away.

“Maybe since I found out you like to be bossed around,” the prince teased, his voice dropping into a deep whisper. Simon’s eyes sparked with a moment of shock before he blushed. The tenor looked to the kitchen, grateful that Linda hadn’t seemed to hear Wilhelm over the running sink water as she cleaned a pan.

“Oh my god, shut up.” Simon’s choked response showed Willie that he had rattled his partner. This only encouraged him more.

“You know that’s not how you ask,” he said, keeping his voice down. Simon’s eyes flicked to the kitchen before landing on him

“Shut up before I kill you,” Simon whispered urgently, feeling his cheeks heat up even more. God, if his mother heard this, he’d never be able to look at her again.

Wilhelm straightened, not wanting to push too hard or be overheard. After all, they weren’t alone. Linda had finished up in the kitchen. She went to grab her purse and keys before placing another kiss on each of their heads. They wished her a good day at work as she went to the front door. Wilhelm waited until the door closed behind her before turning back to Simon.  

“You know that’s a threat to the monarchy, right? You could get in a lot of trouble for that threat,” Wille teased. Simon rolled his eyes.

“Bite me, Wille,” Simon said.

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Wille teased.

“Oh my god,” Simon laughed, cutting the prince off. “You’re impossible.”

Finally relenting, Simon shoved the syrup bottle into Wilhelm’s arms. “See?” Wille teased. “That wasn’t so hard.”

Simon laughed before shoving another forkful of pancake into his mouth.

💜👑💜

“So,” Simon said, swinging their joined hands between them. “What do you want to do?”

Wilhelm thought for a moment, nodding at a young couple looking at them as he walked with Simon down a Bjärstad street. They were now dressed in more appropriate street clothes, wandering around Bjärstad with Malin observing from a respectable distance away. “I don’t know,” he confessed. “Maybe show me some places in Bjärstad that I haven’t seen?”

“There’s not much,” Simon said, a self-conscious feeling coming to his voice. He always talked down his hometown to Wilhelm, saying it was nothing compared to his royal upbringing and the bustling streets of Stockholm. Wille always got on him for this. He truly wanted to explore his partner’s home. He wanted to eat at the places Simon liked, do the things he liked to do, and see things that Simon had grown up seeing. It mattered to him. Simon just couldn’t understand why.

“Are there any places you go to a lot that I haven’t seen yet?” Wille asked. Simon thought for a moment, worrying his lower lip between his teeth in thought.

“The music store is pretty cool,”  the tenor mused.

“Alright,” Wille said. “Let’s do that.” Simon hummed in agreement before pulling him to a stop. They waited for a car to pass before they turned and crossed the street.

After a few moments, they had made it to the store. A small bell chimed as they walked through the front door. There were a few customers in the door. A young kid was loudly begging his mother for a guitar. An older man browsed the speaker aisle, grumbling to himself about fancy new technology. A family was waiting on a bench for their child to finish up piano lessons in the back room. Soft music emanated out of the store’s speaker, a crooning sax playing an instrumental jazz piece.

Listlessly walking down the aisles, the couple browsed the array of instruments, music scores, and accessories. Simon teased Wilhelm as he picked up a ukulele. Wille’s heart warmed at Simon’s laugh when the prince strummed hideously wrong chords on the instrument.

For the next hour, the couple played around with the instruments. The prince read over Simon’s shoulder as he looked at the sheet music books, humming to the melodies on the pages. The prince pushed his partner to pick out a piano book, watching his partner blush as he hurried him over to the counter to pay.

Back on the streets, the couple walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk. Simon did his best to pretend that he didn’t see the eyes of passerbys or the shouts of teenage girls swooning over the Crown Prince. He imagined photos of them from today circling around social media, reaching the eyes of the Royal Court. He wondered if Wille had given them a heads up that they were going out today.

The sounds of children screaming and swings creaking from years of use filled the couple’s ears. They were passing a small playground outside of one of the neighborhoods. Simon looked past Wille to see a young girl sliding down a faded, blue slide and into her mother’s arms. He saw two young boys chasing each other, weaving through the crowds of other children with gleeful smiles on their faces.  

“Would you ever want kids?” At Wille’s question, Simon’s gaze left the racing boys to land on the prince’s. Thinking for a moment, Simon hummed in confirmation.

“Hm, I think so,” he said. His eyes left Wille’s, falling onto the pavement as they continued their walk. “It’s just so far in the future. I can’t picture what that would look like, you know?” Simon pondered. Wille nodded, agreeing. “What about you?” Simon asked.

Wille allowed himself to look at the playground one more time before it disappeared behind the shop they were nearing. “Yeah,” the prince said, nodding to himself. “I just worry about bringing them into the royal family. It’s such a different way of life and you’re always in the public eye. It’s a hard place to grow up in.”

Simon squeezed his partner’s hand. “Yeah,” he sighed. “I’m sure you’d make sure they grew up doing normal things too, though. That’s important to you.” He kept his gaze forward, his eyes scanning over the small amount of people around them.

“Yeah,” Wille mumbled. The conversation dwindled for a bit, the two teens walking in a comfortable silence. Their footsteps crunched along the pavement, in sync with one another. Wille allowed his mind to wander, gripping Simon’s hand tightly.

Wilhelm’s childhood had been far from normal. He grew up in front of cameras, in the headlines, and amongst crowds of far older diplomats, aristocrats, and royals. He had been told how to walk, how to bow, who to talk to, how to smile and wave. He watched as other children invited to royal events played together. He stood by his brother as his parents as they were told how to pose, which way to look, and forced to smile even on bad days. His body wasn’t his own, but his image for the country. When he fell, he was scolded for getting a bruise, not asked if he was ok. The anxiety from it all, the loneliness of it all was just exacerbated by his too-large bedroom in the way-too-fucking-large palace he called home. Calling it home felt wrong. It was where he grew up, where he returned to when school let out, and where his parents lived. But to call it home...well, he supposed it was his home. But it wasn’t where he felt at home.

Simon’s house as the size of the palace’s ballroom. The bedroom that had once been Simon’s but was now his too. The room could easily fit in his palace bedroom’s ensuite. The meals weren’t served on decades-old plates with shining cutlery, but each bite was grounding and familiar in a way that the royal staff could never replicate. Late night video game sessions, and movie nights had led him to falling asleep on the worn, soft couch with his partner in his arms. He wasn’t scolded for being himself, wasn’t pushed out of his comfort zone when he needed time to himself. He wasn’t made to be someone else. He could lay sideways on the bed, letting his head hang off the edge and his eyes close as he was serenaded by Simon’s newest song and the soft clinking of his keyboard. The house that had felt like a whole other world had become more of a home than the palace in just a couple months. But it was still a borrowed home. It wasn’t his and if he and Simon ever broke up, the house would become a stranger again. His bedroom belonged to his partner. Linda wasn’t his true mother, no matter how much it felt like she was. The neighborhood wasn’t his place. It was so far from it. Simon’s house—because that’s what it truly was—wasn’t his home. He was just living in it.

His dorm at Hillerska had been barren, impersonal, and isolated when he first moved in. Even still, it only had a few personal touches, one string of lights, and a newly fixed snowglobe that had once belonged to his brother. In that dorm, he had decompressed after long days of classes, tiring mornings of rowing practice, and allowed himself to discover his sexuality. He had laid sideways on the bed, head hanging off as he scrolled through Simon’s Instagram pictures. The dorm had been a safe-haven and a prison at the same time. A way to escape from Hillerska’s drama, cliques, and politics. A way to escape from the expectations pushed down his throat and from the crippling grip of anxiety during testing. In that room, he had lost his virginity to Simon, taking his partner’s virginity at the same time. But in that room, their privacy had been violated, exploited, and publicized for the world to see. In that room, he had been betrayed by his own family, had broken down after his brother’s death, and allowed to explore his fantasies with Simon. Many Hilles called the campus home. But to Wilhelm, it was just a school and his room was just a dorm.

His thoughts were interrupted by the faint rumble in his stomach.

“Are you hungry?” Wille asked, breaking their silence. At Simon’s nod, he smiled. “I know the perfect place.”

“You remembered,” Simon whispered, mostly to himself, as Wille led him through the doorway of his favorite pizza place. The familiar chime of a bell rang out as it hit the door. At the sound, the young teenage girl at the register looked up. Her face twisted in a comical way when she saw them. She turned toward the kitchen. The staff’s eyes shifted past her to land on the couple by the door. The handful of customers enjoying pizza at the tables not-so-discreetly stared at them upon their entrance. After a moment, more eyes landed on them. Simon pulled Wille forward, doing his best to act like he hadn’t just walked in with the literal future king of Sweden.

The girl at the register straightened up as they approached, clearly putting on her customer service façade. “Welcome,” she said, the strain in her voice betraying her as her nerves came through. “What can I get for you?”

Before Simon could talk, Wille spoke up. “Hi, can we get a medium pepperoni pizza and two Cokes?” He paused for a moment before adding, “extra cheese on the pizza please.” Simon’s heart skipped a beat as Wille gracefully ordered his favorite kind of pizza. The girl nodded. She froze for a moment as her manager cleared his throat.

“The pizza is on us, Your Highness.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Wille replied, handing her his card. The girl looked for the ok from her manager before accepting it and swiftly ringing it up.

Simon and Wille settled at the table in the corner, slipping into the booth next to each other. The pizza finally came and it was perfect. The crust had a crisp bite to it, but was soft inside. The cheese pulled and stretched deliciously as they took a slice. The pepperoni offered a slight twinge of spice. Wille rolled his eyes as Simon joked, watching his partner lovingly. They talked about everything and nothing at the same time. After a while, some of the other customers left, leaving the staff to clean the abandoned tables. The young royal couple sat there for what felt like hours, easily polishing off the pizza and their sodas. Wille let his free hand rest on Simon’s thigh as they leaned in to speak softer. The now emptier restaurant told them they were now easier to hear, making their conversation become more private, more personal.

After paying, Wille followed Simon out of the restaurant. He thanked the staff again and grabbed Simon’s hand as the door’s bell chimed at their exit. He had called Malin to pick them up before they wrapped up their meal. She wasn’t there just yet, giving them time to wait on the curb. Simon leaned into him as he spoke, ending his sentence with a sweet kiss. Wille continued the kiss, but in the back of his mind was a nagging reminder of the royal court’s urging about PDA. It was right there next to Linda’s welcoming and accepting smile and the leaked video of their most private moments. But he pushed them all down. Because here, it was just him and Simon. Him and his partner. The Crown Prince and the love of his life. Here, with his arms wrapped around Simon, Wille was truly at home.

Chapter Text

Alma hummed to herself as she pushed her cart around the hallway’s corner. She had only been 20 when she joined the palace staff. Now at 26, she watched as the palace’s mood shifted every time the Crown Prince and his partner visited. The Queen and King Consort were happier, walking with almost a skip in their step. The kitchen staff welcomed Simon back as he offered to help, no matter how many times he was told he didn’t have to. New flavors and new recipes brought a much-needed change to their work, and the chefs’ passion for cooking was tangible as the young man tasted their new dishes.

Some of the staff, mainly the older members, weren’t as happy about the Crown Prince’s new partner. His presence only increased the Crown Prince’s spontaneity, as well as sparked a new streak of anger if his partner wasn’t happy with something the staff did. They quickly learned, however, that the new addition to the royal family only meant well. It was the Crown Prince’s possessive and protective behavior toward his partner that they had to appease.

Alma was one of Simon’s favorite staff members. They met when she went to clean the rarely-used music room and found him playing the piano. The two of them had bonded over their shared love of music. Simon had even gotten her to sing one of his original songs before she had to get back to work. The boy always smiled and greeted her when they crossed paths. She knew that some of the staff’s reluctance to accept the new normal was only because they had been operating at the status quo for many years. It was uncomfortable when there was a sudden change in their daily lives. But thinking of Simon’s smile and the Crown Prince’s love for his partner, Alma couldn’t be happier with the new normal.

The young woman finally reached her destination, slowing her cart to a stop. She knocked on the thick wooden door. When there was no response, she knocked again. She smiled as she heard a frantic exclamation of “One moment!” before hearing the resulting fumbling and sounds of footsteps. Before long, she was greeted by the Crown Prince. He was half-dressed and she didn’t embarrass him by pointing out that his sweatpants were inside out. Instead, she greeted him with a warm smile. He echoed her greeting before welcoming her inside the bedroom.

“Thank you so much, Alma” the prince said softly, following just a step behind her. “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.” She saw the reason for the prince’s whispering on the large bed. His partner, Simon, was still asleep. His small frame was practically engulfed by the thick duvet, leaving him barely visible as he slept.

“Not at all, Your Highness” she said, slowing the cart at the foot of the bed. “Happy to do it.”

She gestured toward the covered plates on her cart and the Crown Prince lifted one of the silver cloches to see the food beneath. He thanked her when he saw everything he had ordered. Both Alma and the Crown Prince flinched when the cloche was lowered, only to make a loud, metallic clink as it hit the silver pitcher of orange juice.

Taking that as her sign to leave, Alma bowed to the prince and headed toward the door. Behind her, she heard the ruffling of the duvet.

“Wille? What’s all this?” Simon’s voice was filled with sleep, cracking slightly as he spoke to his partner.

“Sorry, Simme” the Crown Prince said. “I meant to wake you in a different way.” Alma pretended she didn’t hear that part. The prince continued. “I thought breakfast in bed would be a good way to start our day.”

As Alma reached the door,  she stopped when she heard her name. “Thank you for bringing it, Alma.”

She turned, seeing Simon’s eyes trained on her. He offered her a soft smile. She returned the smile, bowing her head respectfully. “Of course. Enjoy.”

Alma smiled as she closed the bedroom door behind her, turning to make her way back down the hall.

💜👑💜

Jan-Olof had been through a lot in his years of service for the Crown. In his years of experience, he had thought that he had seen everything and dealt with everything that could possibly come his way. However, the introduction of Simon Eriksson into the royal family’s lives had shown him that he had been wrong. Ever since the new Crown Prince had met the boy, life at the palace had been anything but normal. Now, they not only had to put up with Prince Wilhelm’s stubbornness, but now they had to bend over backwards to keep Simon happy. Because of Simon wasn’t happy, Wilhelm wasn’t happy. As a member of the Court and basically Her Majesty’s right-hand man, Jan-Olof had seen what the Crown Prince’s new relationship had done to the royal family. It seemed that the Crown Prince was happier than he had ever seen him before. He walked with a new sense of purpose and stood with his back straighter than before. But he also became reckless, digging his heels in and doing what he wanted when it came to his partner. He just hoped they could keep the young prince in line if the relationship became more serious. When it did, however, that would be a whole other thing to deal with.

Her Majesty’s birthday was right around the corner, which meant that Jan-Olof would be putting in long hours. He would participate in planning meetings for the Queen’s birthday banquet, he was in charge of the guest list, in arranging accommodations for guests visiting from long distances, and in ensuring that the Crown Prince was more than ready to attend the event. Corresponding with the young prince while he was at school was difficult, especially when it was clear that Prince Wilhelm was ignoring his calls. He had time to post on social media, of course, but no time to answer calls about tailoring appointments, meetings, and reminders of the itinerary.  With two weeks until Her Majesty’s banquet, the task of leading the Court’s planning and scheduling left him running nonstop. His homelife had become a distant memory, as there was always a reason to stay up late, meetings to attend, and calls to make. He basically lived in his office. If he didn’t have the need to keep up professional appearance, he would choose to sleep in his clothes if it meant more time to prepare the Palace for the event.

With the Crown Prince ignoring his calls, the teenager had left him in a tough situation. He was to secure the prince’s attendance and prepare him for the speech he was to give at the banquet’s opening. That was hard to do when he was being ignored. Jan-Olof ended his phone call when it once again rang through to the Crown Prince’s voicemail. He had called the headmistress of the school, but even she was unable to reach Wilhelm. It had given him no other choice than to go to the school himself. His car slowed to a stop and he thanked his driver. He winced when his new dress shoes crunched on the gravel of Hillerska’s path. Forgoing the usual stop at the main office, he went to the boy’s dorm house instead. The Crown Prince’s security detail was out front. That was a good sign. He nodded when they greeted him, pushing open the door.

Walking past a few students hurrying to class, he made his way to the stairwell. When he reached the familiar corridor, he walked past door after door before he finally landed outside the Crown Prince’s door. There was music coming from inside the dorm. He knocked, but was met with no answer. After a moment of waiting, he knocked again. Once again, no answer. Eventually, a thud in the room gave him the answer he needed. The prince was indeed in his room. But, as usual, he was ignoring him.

“Crown Prince,” Jan-Olaf said, listening for a response. When none came, he tried the door. The handle turned without resistance. He knocked again, but when no answer came, he let himself in. A glance in the room told him that this was the wrong move. The Crown Prince let out a shout of surprise, pulling the covers over himself and Simon. Despite his older age, Jan-Olof was quick to react, averting his gaze and backing out of the room. He pulled the door shut as quickly as he had entered. After a beat of silence, he collected himself. “My apologies, Crown Prince, but I have been trying to reach you for days. I understand that you’re a bit, erm, preoccupied at the moment. But we—we have a few things to discuss. Please meet me downstairs as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting.”

As he turned to leave, he heard the Crown Prince let out an embarrassed groan. Simon’s muffled laugh followed, making the man shake his head.

Jan-Olof sighed. He was getting too old for this shit.

💜👑💜

The kitchen staff had come to know the Crown Prince’s new partner rather quickly. The teen refused to let them clean up after him and was a frequent visitor to the kitchen. He was always asking if he could help out, refusing their use of formal titles for him. Just Simon, he would say. Normally, the royal family was polite and kind to the kitchen staff. But they were just that. They didn’t ask about their families, their pets, or their favorite musical artists. They didn’t perch on the kitchen counters as they helped prepare dinner, or insist on learning all of their names. Mr. Eriksson—Just Simon—was a fast favorite among the kitchen staff members. He had a young, loving energy about him that made his time in the kitchen some of the best moments of the week. Unlike late Crown Prince Erik’s former girlfriends or Wilhelm, Simon took the time to learn everything he could about them. They would have normal, unforced conversations with him as they prepared meals. He would butt in only to ask if he could help chop or stir. He and his mother, Linda, shared their appreciation for food. Despite the teen’s unhealthy affinity for putting ketchup on everything, the staff had grown to love the Crown Prince’s partner.

As the sun rose in the sky, the staff was preparing to make a special breakfast for the royal family. There were two weeks until the Queen’s birthday banquet, which meant their schedule was more packed than usual. But sometimes, a staff-prepared breakfast would be ordered. They supposed it was due to the Crown Prince and Simon visiting for the weekend. They had joined the lines of staff as the young couple arrived at the Palace the night before. Simon’s hand was being held by the Crown Prince, just like every time they had arrived since making their relationship public. Simon had smiled at them as he passed, greeting them by name. Unlike with other guests, the smiles amongst the staff had been real.

Now, in the early morning hours, the kitchen was coming alive as the staff started their day. The smooth scent of coffee laid the foundation for swirls of sizzling meats, the rising of handmade bread loaves, and the harsh scrape of whisks hitting metal bowls. Amidst all of the organized chaos, the staff felt the moment the door to the kitchen opened. Simon smiled in greeting, his tired eyes and bedhead telling them he had recently woken up. Before he could even get to the espresso machine, a warm mug of coffee lightly sweetened with vanilla and hazelnut was pressed into his hand. Thanking the youngest of the chefs, Annalisa, he made his way over to the prepping station.

“What can I do?” the teen asked. Just like every time before, the response was nothing, but thank you sir. This, like every time before, made Simon roll his eyes and insist on helping. Knowing he would eventually get his way, the staff put him to work prepping a fruit salad. They knew Simon always made it with an unproportionate amount of satsuma, but it would keep him happy. Soon after, the dining staff finally started their day, collecting the dishes to set the royal family’s table. They nodded in greeting as they passed Simon. It was an odd addition to their routines. It was something they never could have expected from the Crown Prince’s lover, but Simon’s presence and care toward the staff was a welcomed change in the Palace. There were, of course, a few more traditional staff members who kept their distance, but the prince’s partner was a welcomed addition in their day’s work.   

Before long, the prince came in search of Simon, as he always did when his partner wandered off. “There you are,” the Crown Prince said. He came behind his partner, wrapping him up in a hug from behind. The prince rested his chin on Simon’s shoulder, watching his lover work. “I was worried when I woke up and you weren’t there.”

“Sorry, amor,” Simon said, his eyes keeping their focus as he peeled another satsuma. “I got up early and didn’t want to wake you.”

The couple’s conversation continued, adding to the symphony of noises filling the kitchen. The kitchen staff worked around the young prince, knowing he was helpless in the kitchen even under Simon’s guidance. Crown Prince Wilhelm was content to stand with Simon, stealing bites of food when he thought his partner wasn’t looking. Eventually, his hands left Simon’s waist in a search for coffee. Pleased with his too-sweet vanilla latte, he leaned against the counter and watched as Simon finished his task.

Breakfast came and went, leaving the royal family with pleased stomachs and polite conversations to remember. The young couple had excused themselves soon after breakfast, but the monarchs remained at the table to enjoy another cup of tea. After making sure their service was no longer needed, the kitchen staff went about cleaning up their stations. They made sure the meats were marinating for that day’s dinner and wiped down the surfaces until they shined under the overhead lights. The head chefs went to the staff’s quarters to work on the menu for the birthday banquet. Some others went for a nap, while others left the premises to carry on with their day. Annalisa, the youngest of the kitchen staff, left her station to check on the

“It’s nice to see Wilhelm so happy,” Ludvig said. The Queen nodded, setting her now-empty cup on its saucer. “It’s a shame they have had to deal with so much at their age.”

“Yes, it is,” the Queen agreed wistfully. “Well, on with our day, I suppose.” They stood, pushing their chairs in before grabbing their dishes. The kitchen would be empty by now, the staff taking a break before their next duty. Ludvig shouldered open the door, holding it open for his wife. They walked past the prepping stations toward the sinks to deposit their vintage dishware. It was only then, however, that they discovered they weren’t alone. Noise was coming from around the corner, where the sinks and pantry were located.

Sharing a look, they rounded the corner, only to be greeted by their son and his partner in a rather, well, inconvenient position. Both boys were undressed. Simon was perched on the countertop with the Prince standing between his legs, which were wrapped around their son's waist. The teacup slipped from the Queen’s frozen fingers, heartbreakingly shattering as it hit the tiled floor. Ludvig was able to hold onto his, but he too stood frozen in surprise. The teens jumped as the porcelain hit the tiled floor. Simon gasped harshly when he saw them over Wilhelm’s shoulder, making their son freeze for a moment. The two teens quickly separated, Simon’s legs unwrapping from their son’s waist. In a flash, they were pulling their pants back up. Simon slid off the counter where he had been practically laying down to stand behind Wilhelm as their son turned to them.

The two couples stared at one another, neither one speaking before Wilhelm finally cleared his throat. His face reddened as he spoke, searching for the right words and finding none. “Um, well, sorry,” he mumbled, grabbing Simon’s hand and pulling him out of the kitchen. As they passed the older monarchs, the couple stepped over the broken cup and sidestepped Ludvig on their way to the exit. When the door swung shut behind the young couple, the Queen and King Consort finally broke out of their trance.

Ludvig was the first to speak. “Well,” he said, placing his dishes on the closest counter. “We should clean this up before someone gets hurt. I’ll go get a broom.”

“Ok,” Kristina replied, but she didn’t know if her husband registered that she had spoken. She let out a shocked laugh, shaking her head. “Ok,” she repeated, mainly to herself this time.

Now through the corridor and up the stairs, Simon laughed as a flustered Wilhelm pulled him towards their bedroom.

💜👑💜

With everything going on lately, Malin was thankful for the eventual peace that came after Wilhelm and Simon’s dance at Her Majesty’s Christmas ball. The Crown Prince had returned to school at Hillerska. This meant that his roaming across the entirety of Stockholm and royal events had dwindled down to just the school’s campus and Simon’s house. Occasionally, the couple would venture out into Bjärstad, but they mostly stayed where they could live in private. With the social media and news surrounding them running rampant, Malin didn’t blame them. Every time they held hands, were spotted in Simon’s hometown, or one of them posted on Instagram, the public were all over it. Malin hoped that this would fade as time went on, but she doubted it would.

She was heading back to Hillerska to relieve Johan of his duty for the night. On her way to the campus, she had gotten a text from Wilhelm asking for Chinese food. Plastic bag in hand, she pushed the doors to Forest Ridge open. She nodded as a few familiar students ran down the stairs and past her to exit the dorm. The noises of teenaged boys hit her ears as she ascended the stairs, holding on to the thick wooden railing as she did so. When she reached the floor of Wilhelm’s dorm, she made her way down the hall. Johan was standing stoically a respectable distance from the Crown Prince’s Door. He nodded as she approached, thanking her as she fished a box of orange chicken and an eggroll from her bag. He took his dinner with him as he made his exit, letting her know that the Crown Prince was alone in his room for the night. Having already eaten her own dinner, Malin knocked on the door. She heard Wilhelm answer before she heard a fumbling sound followed by a muttered curse word. A familiar sound, as the Crown Prince wasn’t the most graceful of the royals. The Crown Prince smiled as he opened the door, thanking Malin for the dinner, since apparently, he hadn’t felt like whatever was in the dining hall that night. She nodded and he closed the door and went off to enjoy his food.

Staying alert while standing in the same position and observing the same dorm was a skill that Malin had spent years learning. She allowed her mind to wander during quiet moments like these but still kept her senses alerted to every noise, every civilian entering or leaving the area, and every moment that happened while she stood guard. Since the Crown Prince had come out, there has been more activity surrounding the teenager. She had only told him once, but Malin was proud of the young prince for being himself and allowing himself to be happy. Ever since Simon came into their lives, she has watched Wilhelm become the man he is now. She had a soft spot for the Crown Prince and Simon, but she tried to not let it show. Her eyes followed a classmate of Wilhelm’s leave his dorm room and head downstairs. Malin allowed herself to relax as the boy disappeared from view. Other than that disturbance, the hall was quiet. She heard the muffled down of Wilhelm talking, perhaps on the phone with Simon or Felice while he ate dinner.

Approximately four hours had passed since she had given Wilhelm his dinner. The hall had grown quiet as many of the students retired to their dorms for bed. Her shoulders tensed as she heard a muffled thud come from her charge’s room. It was silent for a moment. Another thud quickly followed, this one much louder. Malin allowed herself to relax when the noise passed within incident, but a shout from Wilhelm made her spring into action. With a quick knock on the door, she twisted the door handle. Locked. Using her key, she let herself into the room just as she heard another shout. The heavy, wooden door opened and Malin found that the Crown Prince was not alone. He was stark naked with his hands on Simon, who was on top of the dorm’s wooden desk. Her mind registered the fact that the source of the thud had been determined. Her presence at the door caused Simon to shout, pushing Wilhelm away and scrambling for the cover of the duvet on the bed. The Crown Prince didn’t react fast enough to grab the duvet as Simon pulled it around his body. This left Wilhelm to grab one of the pillows and a hoodie from the floor. He covered his lower half and his face reddened.

“I’m so sorry,” Malin said, trying to keep her voice even. She averted her eyes, giving the boys some semblance of privacy. She was dying inside, but the unprofessional side of her also found their predicament humorous. “I thought you were alone in here, so the sudden noises had me concerned.”

“It’s ok, Malin,” Simon said, ending his response with a nervous laugh. A look at the boy showed Malin the twinkle in his eyes as he laughed, making the Crown Prince groan and try to cover himself up better.

“I’ll just let you two, uh, finish what you’re doing then.”

Her choice of words made Simon laugh again and the prince become even more red. Malin nodded resolutely and closed the door behind her. Simon’s laugh came through the closed door as she resumed her post in the hall.

She didn’t get paid enough for this.

Chapter Text

“I’m telling you, Wille! Just look at his story. He’s so full of himself,” Felice laughed. She shoved her phone into Wille’s face, putting the picture of bare-chested August way too close for his liking. Grabbing the phone from her hands, Wille gave in and clicked through August’s story. The typical photos and videos of August in the gym, flexing in front of a mirror, and making a smirk that he thought was attractive flicked by as he clicked.

“I mean, we get it! You work out every day,” Felice said, rolling her eyes. “I can’t believe I let myself fall for him before. What was I thinking?”

Wille let out a laugh, agreeing. Felice responded with a friendly jab into his side. She grabbed her phone back, putting it in her purse as she walked with Wille down the hall. Their history course had just let out, signaling the end of classes for the day. Wille was glad their last class was over. He had just about fallen asleep during the lecture. “Have you heard from Simon yet?” she asked Wille, linking her arm around his.

Wille checked his phone for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He was met with his last text to Simon. No read receipt, no response from his partner. A nagging twinge of worry flared up in the back of his mind. “No, nothing,” he half-pouted, pocketing his phone.

Simon hadn’t been in their homeroom or their political science class. Felice had told him that his partner had missed choir rehearsal that morning as well. He had tried calling Simon, thinking maybe he had missed the bus or slept in. Despite his insistent texts and calls, he hadn’t gotten a response. Now that classes were over, Wille could devote his time to making sure his partner was ok. He parted ways with Felice when they reached the quad, nodding as she made him promise to update her when he found out where Simon was. Trying to push his anxiety down, Wille texted Linda. She responded almost immediately that she was at work and that Simon had left for school before she headed to her shift that morning. Images of Simon being attacked on the bus, getting off at the wrong stop, or being intercepted as he walked from the bus stop filled his mind. Rubbing his chest to soothe his anxiety, he tried to call again. No response.

The cold air nipped at his skin through his thin sweater. Feeling an unavoidable shiver climb up his spine, Wille turned onto the path to Forest Ridge. He would get a heavier jacket and then resume his search. Pulling the door to the dorms open, he was met with August’s stupid face. His cousin greeted him, but Wille ignored him as usual. Shouldering past August, he reached the stairs. Checking his lock screen again, he saw that there was still nothing from his partner. Wille only pocketed his phone after tripping up the steps like an idiot, feeling his face redden even though nobody witnessed his fumble. When he reached his dorm’s hall, he walked down the empty corridor until he reached his door. Fishing the key out of his bag, he let himself in. His dark dorm lay waiting for him, promising a warmer, safe home for his anxious and chilled body.

When he finally got into the room, Wille found that his worrying could stop. There, on his bed, was Simon. He was facing the wall and was practically engulfed by the covers, leaving Wille a view of just the top of his head of curls. Letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, Wille sent a quick text to Felice.

To: Felice <3

I found him.  

Wille dropped his bag onto the floor, placing his phone on top. He sat on the edge of the bed. This new position allowed him to see the profile of his partner’s face. He was sleeping peacefully, but his brows were furrowed slightly, as if he was having a bad dream. Placing his hand on Simon’s blanket-covered shoulder, Wille rubbed his partner softly. Simon hummed, stirring in his sleep.

“Simme,” the prince said softly. “Simme, wake up.” His partner stirred again, but this time he woke up. His eyes blinked lazily, adjusting to being awake. Simon stretched before burrowing back down into his pillow. His tired eyes landed on Wille’s, making him smile softly.

“Hey,” Simon whispered. His voice was rough from sleep, his eyes staying shut longer each time he blinked.

Wille smiled back. “Hey, Simme,” he replied. “What are you doing here? I was so worried.”

“Sorry. I got here and I was so tired. I didn’t want to go back home. I went looking for you, but you weren't in here,” Simon said softly. He shifted so he laid on his back, his hands still clutching the edge of the comforter. His new position showed Wille that he was sweating slightly, despite his desperate hold on the blanket. His tanned skin lacked its usual color and his face was still clenched in discomfort. Wille nodded and reached out to put his hand on his partner’s forehead. Simon was warm, his skin clammy and burning despite the cold weather and the thick cover of his blanket.

“You feel warm. Not feeling good?” Wille asked, moving his hand to cup Simon’s cheek. He soothed Simon’s burning cheek with calming sweeps of his thumb across his cheekbone.

“No,” Simon said. It came out almost as a whine as his partner shook his head weakly. Simon was never one to complain, always putting others before himself. Of course, the prince saw right through this. Simon’s resolve was ruined by a rough cough, making the tenor turn away from his partner.

“Here,” Wille said, shifting so he could lay on the bed next to his partner. Simon scooted over toward the wall, letting the prince hold him. “Do you want some food? Something to drink?” the prince offered.

Simon shook his head. “Just hold me?”

“Of course,” Wille replied automatically.

The next thing Wille knew, he was waking up next to Simon. The darkening sky out their window told the prince that he had been asleep for a while. It seemed he woke up just in time for Simon to cough himself awake. He held his partner until the fit stopped. Simon groaned and burrowed back down into Wille’s arms.

“Come on. Let’s get you home,” the prince said. Simon would be more comfortable in his own bed and when Linda got home, she could help out as well. Frowning when Simon whined no, Wille shifted to sit up. Simon went with him against his will. “Come on, Simme.”

After a while, Wille finally got his partner on his own two feet. He wrapped an arm around the tenor’s waist when they went to leave. He hoped this gave Simon comfort, but also some stability as they made their way down the hall. Their short trek to the stairs had Simon breaking out into a sweat again. Wille made a mental note to get something for the fever once they got home. They stopped at the bottom of the steps. Wille let Simon catch his breath as he sent a quick text to Malin. When he was sure the car would be ready, he walked his partner out of Forest Ridge. Wille was thankful that most of the other students had already retired to their rooms for the night, which meant no witnesses to their sudden departure.

Once they got into the car and slid into the back seat, Simon was finally able to relax. He sighed as he leaned into Wille, his eyes falling shut before they even left the campus. The ride was quiet, except for a quick stop so Malin could collect the supplies Wille asked for. A bag of medicine, tissues, and a heated blanket later, they were back on the road toward the Eriksson home. Simon shifted as the car slowed to a stop. Wille gently woke him, telling Simon that they had made it. The prince basically had to carry his partner to the front door. Simon clung to him, slowing Wille to a stop so he could cough again. Malin grabbed her copy of the key from her pocket, letting the couple in and helping the prince get Simon to his bed. When his body made contact with the mattress, Simon started to relax. He stretched before turning and wrapping himself a cocoon of blankets.

Malin told Wille that she’d be close in case they needed her. The prince nodded, but his attention was focused on his sick partner. After making Simon take some medication to help with his fever, Wille stored their supplies away and got ready for bed. Shedding his sweater and jeans, Wille changed for bed. He remembered how shy he had been when Simon practically begged him to leave some clothes here in his closet. Now thankful for this, Wille moved to lay next to Simon. There wasn’t much room, which was typical, but Simon rolled toward the wall. Wille’s heart swelled when his partner turned to cling to him, his warm face pillowed on the prince’s shoulder.

Wille let his mind wander, stroking Simon’s hair as he slept peacefully. He pressed a kiss to Simon’s forehead, making his partner stir.

“You’ll get sick too,” Simon almost whined. His voice was scratchy now, making Wille wince as he thought of Simon’s beautiful singing.

“I won’t. I’m not going anywhere,” Wille said softly. He wasn’t sure how much Simon heard before he slipped back into a deep sleep.

When they woke the next morning, Wille found that he too was running a fever now. At least they could recover together.

Chapter Text

Finally cleared from the flu that wreaked havoc on the Eriksson home, Wille could actually breathe through his nose and didn’t have to hold back a wave of nausea every time they cooked. Simon had fared better than he had, actually able to hold down solids and fever-free after a few good nights of sleep. Of course, his partner had blamed him for getting himself sick, but he had enjoyed taking care of Simon. His partner rarely let himself be taken care of, always putting up walls and hiding any bad feelings from Wille. Seeing Simon barely able to get out of bed and shivering despite layers upon layers of blankets had felt very domestic and a rare opportunity where Simon had to accept his care and protection. Simon had a lot more color to his face now that he was on the mend. Wille was grateful for Linda letting him take care of Simon, but felt bad when she had fallen ill with the flu as well. He supposed it was unavoidable, but the three of them had been able to bond through the experience. They watched movies late at night when no one was able to sleep, they held each other responsible for taking their Tylenol, and they had fought over blankets when their own never seemed thick enough. Going back to school felt like a slap in the face, but Wille was glad for the sense of normalcy it brought.

Their shoes crunched the chilled gravel of the path as they walked hand-in-hand across the quad. His partner was humming a new melody he had been working on. Simon wouldn’t let him hear the lyrics, but the melody sounded like a slow ballad, marked by trills and somber notes. They had finally escaped a boring lecture on early civilizations across Europe. Simon shifted, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck against the crisp wind. It seemed that winter would never end, the snow-covered landscaping fighting the warm rays of sunlight casting shadows on the ground.

“Hey, Wille!”

The two words caused a mix of anger and annoyance. He slowed to a stop, resisting the slight tug of Simon’s hand in his. Their eyes met for just a moment before Simon slowed to a stop with a roll of his eyes. August trotted up to them with his usual shit-eating grin on his face.  His cousin had barely stopped in front of them before Simon spoke up.

“What do you want, August?” The tenor's voice was cold, a closed-off mask on his face leaving August nothing to work off of.

“Calm down, socialist. I come in peace.” August’s ability to act like he had done nothing wrong to them never failed to make Wille see red. Simon wasn’t much better around the upperclassman. He felt his partner’s hand tighten around his, and he practically felt the hatred building up in his partner.

“What do you want?” Wille asked, echoing Simon’s question. His tone wasn’t much better. He was never able to control his emotions when Simon was involved. August’s eyes landed back on him.

“I was going to ask if you’ve heard when we’re to be expected at the Palace for Kristina’s birthday,” August said. Wille wasn’t surprised his cousin was invited for his mother’s birthday banquet, but it didn’t make the situation any better.

“You mean ‘Her Majesty’s’ birthday,” Simon spit out, stressing the royal title in a condescending jab at August. Wille felt a surge of pride well up, building his own confidence as he looked at his cousin.

“Since Simon and I are her family, we already know when to be there. Guests will get their invitations sometime soon,” Wille said. He was grateful his voice came out even. Based on August’s flicker of anger and tense shoulders, his response got the intended reaction.

Nodding, August tried to recover. “Sounds good. Thanks.” He had barely finished talking before shouldering past them, his shoulder bumping Simon’s in the process.

“I can’t believe your mamá is still letting him come,” Simon muttered once August was out of earshot.

“It’s just for appearances,” Wille said, squeezing his hand. “You know people would ask if he wasn’t there for royal events.”

“I know, but it still sucks.”

“I know,” Wille replied. He watched August’s retreating form headed toward Forest Ridge. “Come with me,” he said, pulling Simon in the direction that they had just been coming from. He ignored his partner’s confused protests, his heart warming as his partner gave in and trusted him to lead the way. They got further and further from Forest Ridge before Wille turned them on the path toward the lake. Eventually, they left the gravel path and headed toward the water. The frost-bitten grass crunched softly under their feet, and their breath swirled through the cold air.

Eventually, they ran out of grass and slowed to a stop at the water’s edge. A frigid gust of wind made Simon shiver. Wille quickly let go of Simon’s hand to wrap an arm around his partner, pulling him close. The world was quiet around them. There were no other students nearby and they were far from the view of insistent reporters and watchful civilians. They stood there for a while, letting their warm puffs of breath mix and watching a bird grazing along the frozen lake.

“I hate August,” Simon said. Wille jerked at the sudden breach of silence, thinking hard as he watched the bird fly off.

“Me too,” he replied without a second thought. “But we have to put up with him.”

“Why? He should be in jail, Wille. Not walking around and going out of his way to talk to us.”

“I know,” Wille said. At his response, Simon pulled away from him.

“Then why don’t we do something about it?” The biting tone Simon had used toward August felt foreign when it was directed at him.“We can’t, Simme,” he said, keeping his voice calm and soft. “I can't do anything about it. He’s next in line if something happens to me.”

“You mean you won’t do something about it.” His partner didn’t walk away, but the small distance between their bodies felt like miles to the prince.

“You know it’s not my choice,” Wille said, pleading with his eyes to get Simon back in his arms. “Where is this all coming from?”

Simon’s eyes flicked down to the ground as he kicked at a lonely stone at the water’s edge. He shrugged before looking back up across the frozen lake.

“I’m just sick of August walking around like nothing happened,” the tenor said, his voice barely audible against a wintry gust of wind across the water’s surface.

“He knows what he did,” the prince stressed. Simon kept his distance, his eyes not leaving the frozen landscape before them.

“Yeah, but what he did doesn’t matter to anyone,” he muttered. His voice seemed thoughtful and sad, making Wille close the distance between them. He grabbed Simon’s hands, turning him so they were face-to-face.

“It matters to me,”  Wille said, squeezing Simon’s hands firmly. His partner was still avoiding looking at him, his eyes downcast. Wille’s heart skipped a beat when he noticed that his partner’s eyes were glossy with tears threatening to fall. He swallowed hard before speaking. “Where is all this coming from?”

“It’s nothing,” Simon said, sniffing. Wille could see he was embarrassed from his show of emotions. He rarely cried.

“Simme. Talk to me,” the prince said. “It’s just us.”

Simon sighed deeply before looking at Wille. Their eyes connected for a moment before he looked down again. “It’s just...I read this article—”

“Farima told us to stop doing that,” Wille said, cutting him off.

“It’s just hard to ignore it all.”

The prince nodded, understanding all too well how hard it was to block out all the media attention. It had amped up following  their relationship announcement and even more after the Christmas Ball. They couldn’t even step foot outside of campus without someone snapping a picture of them.

“What did the article say?” the prince asked. He had read some pretty vulgar comments and posts, but the articles criticizing their every move was a different kind of hurt.

“Just talking about us and our future.” Simon spoke softly, his eyes finally rising to meet his partner’s. “And about August.”

At Simon’s words, Wille remembered a conversation he had had with his father during their last visit to the Palace. They had talked about his future with Simon and what that meant for the Crown. He had been grateful that neither Simon nor his Mamma had been present, thankful for a rare moment with just his father. The conversation was sparked by an article Wille had read about his sexuality and his partner. An heir-less future King, it had been titled. He remembered the crude tone in which the author had criticized him and Simon. The article had gone into August’s role as next in line, commenting on how when Wilhelm passed and there was no heir, August’s family would step in as the new royal family.

“Don’t worry about something that won’t happen,” Wille said.

“We can’t have kids, Wille. So, it’s going to and August will be watching and waiting as it comes true.” A picture of a much-older August kicking Simon to the curb and stepping up as king came to the prince’s mind.

“We’ll figure it out,” Wille said. “I promise.”

Simon nodded, breathing deep and finally coming back into Wille’s arms. Wille could practically hear his mind whirling as he stood with Simon and observed the beginnings of sunset casting beautiful colors on the lake’s surface. The idea of an heir seemed so far away, but the hold that future had on him and Simon felt so close. It was always there in the prince’s mind, but whenever he looked at Simon, he wouldn’t have changed a thing. Moving forward, he doesn’t see his own future without Simon being in it. He just hoped that was enough for Simon.

“When I become King, I’ll make sure August never has that hold on us.” Simon nodded, swallowing hard and saying nothing. “He’s not my family anymore.”

“But he is, Wille,” Simon said after a moment. The prince nodded. After a while, Simon settled back down. Even though Simon tried to hide it, the hurt on his face cut a hole in Wille’s heart. He needed to fix this.

He just didn’t know how.  

💜👑💜

Despite his need for sleep, Simon’s eyes blinked open. Adjusting to being awake, he let his eyes observe Wille’s darkened bedroom. They had arrived at the Palace yesterday, giving them a good night’s rest before the Queen’s banquet. He thought the whole thing was a bit extravagant, but he figured that she was the leader of the country, so a national holiday wasn’t overkill. The thought of being at Wille’s side during the banquet was daunting. He still wasn’t used to all the attention they received. After the Christmas Ball, the Court had been pleased with how well the guests received him. He guessed that was good, but he still felt like he didn’t belong. Sighing, he cursed his wandering thoughts because now he couldn’t possibly go back to bed. Wille was sleeping soundly beside him, the solid weight of his arm around Simon’s waist. Moving slowly so he didn’t wake his partner, Simon slipped out of bed. He padded through the still-unfamiliar room in the dark, groping around on the floor until he found a shirt. It was Wille’s, but that didn’t deter him from putting it on. Enveloped in his partner’s scent, he paused for a moment. Where was he going? He didn’t need to pee, so he moved instead to the door. He moved through the doorway quickly so the dim light of the hallway didn’t wake Wille up.

Now in the hall, he made his way toward the stairs. He was alone, making the large corridor a bit ominous in the late hour. Set on getting something to drink, Simon made his way down the stairs, stepping to the side of one stair that creaked a bit. The downstairs hallways weren’t lit, signaling that the kitchen staff had retired for the night. They had been so busy earlier that day, prepping everything they could for the banquet. Normally Simon would socialize with them some, but he had stay clear so he wasn’t in the way.

He flicked the kitchen light on, regretting his choice immediately when his eyes were assaulted by the bright overhead lights. Giving himself a moment, he went over toward the cabinet that housed the mugs. Choosing his favorite mug, he set it next to the stove so he could heat some water for tea. When it reached his preferred temperature, he poured the water into his mug, finishing it off with a bag of earl grey. Clutching his mug with both hands, he let the ceramic heat his palms as he leaned against the counter. He lightly blew on his tea, the warm aroma surrounding him as he did so. His eyes still felt heavy with sleep and he yearned to get back in bed with Wille. He shifted his weight a bit before settling back, leaning tiredly on the counter behind him.

His moment of peace was interrupted when he heard footsteps in the hall. He hoped he hadn’t woken anyone. He sighed in annoyance when the owner of the footsteps was revealed. August appeared in the doorway, stopping in his tracks when he saw Simon. They stared at each other from across the kitchen for a long while, neither one moving. Of course, August had to be the first one to move from their silent battle. He stepped into the kitchen, his mouth forming his usual smirk.

“Hey,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants.

“Hey,” Simon said coldly. His comfort from the tea faded as August neared.

“Where’s Wille?” August asked after a cursory glance around the kitchen.

“Upstairs,” Simon replied. He tried to think of a half-decent excuse to pour his tea on August’s stupid face, but couldn’t come up with one. August kept staring at him, his smile fading just a bit when Simon didn’t elaborate. “What do you want, August?”

“Relax, socialist. I just wanted something to drink.” August paused for a moment, thinking. “But since we’re here and we’re practically family—”

“You’ll never be my family,” Simon spat, fingers tightening around his mug.

August ignored his intrusion, continuing. “Since we’re family, I think it’s time we talked.”

“It’s too late for that,” Simon said, feeling his heart rate quicken. August was undeterred. He smiled cockily, stepping closer until he was about two feet away. Feeling small against August’s height, Simon pushed off the counter to stand tall. “The second Wille becomes King, he’s going to remove you from the line of succession. And the family. You’ll mean nothing. Well, even more than you are now.”

August was quiet for a moment. Simon noticed a look of shock and hurt that spread across August’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. He gave Simon a once-over before his smirk returned. “Don’t kid yourself, Simon. You have no power here. I mean, look at you. You don’t belong here.”

“I’m here for Wille,” Simon bit back, setting his mug on the counter.

“Yeah, but what will you do when he’s gone?” August laughed before adding, “Or when he’s sick of playing around with a poor, brown socialist?” Simon felt a grip of anxiety spread through his body. He went to speak, but August cut him off. “Right now, the public’s all pride this, and inclusion that. But they’ll change their tune when it’s time for Wille to become King. I mean, a gay king with no chance of an heir. They’ll destroy him. This is assuming he even makes it to be king. He’s not cut out for that title. And when everyone realizes that, I’ll be there to take his place.”

“That won’t happen,” Simon said, mostly for himself.

“Not so sure anymore, are you?” August laughed, stepping closer.

“August,” Wille’s shout made both Simon and August jump. August spun around to face the Crown Prince. “Get away from him. Now.”

Simon found Wille’s bedhead and wrinkled pajamas adorable, but the dangerous look in his eyes and his clenched fists looked anything but cute to August. The taller royal smiled, but Wille saw right through it.

“I was just leaving,” August said. “Have a good night, Crown Prince.” With another look at Simon, August left the kitchen, making sure to bump Wille’s shoulder as he left. Once August left, Wille moved quickly to Simon’s side.

“Are you ok?” the prince asked. Simon could practically feel his anxiety.

“I’m fine,” he reassured his partner.

Wille ignored his response. “What did he say to you?”

“Just the usual bullshit,” Simon said, trying to bring in humor to quell Wille’s worry. It didn’t work. “I’m fine, Wille.” He wrapped his arms around the prince’s neck, pulling him in. He kissed the prince before combing his fingers through his fringe. Wille knew Simon was trying to distract him, but he let him as always. If Simon was hurt, he’d definitely tell him. But when it came to August, there was more than one way to be hurt.

“Why are you down here?” Wille asked when they parted. His lips brushed Simon’s as he spoke. “I was worried when I woke up and you weren’t there.”

“I’m sorry, amor. I just wanted tea.” Simon kissed him again. Wille hummed against his lips.

“Come back to bed?” the prince asked. When Simon nodded, the prince kissed him one more time before grabbing his hand. He led his partner back upstairs. They shared another kiss before they both settled down in their bed.

💜👑💜

“Crown Prince! It’s so good to see you, Your Highness. And Simon! Such a pleasure to see you again!” Simon only had a moment to recognize one of the women he had met during the Christmas Ball before he moved to shake her hand. He bowed his head like he was taught before smiling.

“It’s nice to see you again,” he said. The woman smiled back at him. Wille greeted her as well, making her smile even bigger.

“Such a cute couple! How have you been?” The young royals told her about their spring classes, Wille throwing in a few stories about their dates since the Christmas Ball. Simon was grateful that his partner took over the conversation, letting him breathe as the attention shifted away from him a bit.

The banquet was being held in the ballroom, which had been redecorated to accommodate more tables. The lighting added a warmer tone to the room, illuminating the lush centerpieces and ornate decorations. Ever since the couple had entered the ballroom, guests had been flocking toward them. One after the other, they greeted the couple, forcing Wille and Simon to do some small talk before they politely excused themselves. It was all a bit overwhelming to Simon, but he found comfort in Wille’s hand when he held his and his arm when it wrapped around the small of his back. All a part of the job, Wille had said. The way Wille was handling it all made Simon grateful that his partner’s sessions with Boris had been working. He still saw the anxious tension in Wille’s shoulders, but his partner was doing well handling all the socialization. With all this, Simon realized he wasn’t as confident in himself as he thought he was. He knew he’d get used to it, but when that would happen, he just didn’t know.

“Please excuse us. I think the meal is about to start soon,” Wille said to the woman, bringing Simon back to the present.

“Of course, Your Highness. Simon. Enjoy your evening!” They nodded before the woman left. The crowd parted ways as they walked across the room. When they reached the royal family’s table, Simon felt like he could finally breathe. Wille’s parents were already there, sitting in the center seats that faced the other tables in the room.

“There you are,” Kristina said. Her smile was genuine, but Simon wasn’t sure if that was thanks to the champagne in her glass. Wille’s father greeted them in his usual loving way, his eyes twinkling under the light of the chandeliers.

Simon felt himself blush as Wille pulled his chair out for him, biting down the urge to make a snarky remark. As soon as Wille settled in his seat, the prince reached for his hand under the table. When their hands met, Simon felt how nervous Wille truly was. His partner’s hand held his firmly. Simon made sure to catch his eye, trying to tell him it was ok without saying it out loud. He saw Wille breathe deeply, but this moment of peace was ruined when the Queen got the room’s attention.

“Welcome, everyone. Thank you all for being here today. Please, do enjoy the meal that has been prepared for us. And make sure you save room for dessert!”

💜👑💜

“Was it good?” Wille asked, his eyes locked fondly on his partner.

Simon felt his cheeks warm as he finished off his dessert. He always had a soft spot for chocolate. Nodding, Simon covered up his embarrassment by taking a sip of his water. Wille had all but finished his too, but not like he had. Simon was thankful that he could enjoy the meal with Wille and his family. The threat of poisoning was little to none at the event, as their food had been prepared and served separately. Their table was far enough away from the guests that they didn’t have to worry about their conversation being heard. The drone of the guests’ conversations gave them a nice background and some sense of normalcy.

When the staff came around to collect their plates, Simon made sure to thank the young woman that collected his dishes. She looked flustered for a moment before she bowed her head with a polite of course. After talking with Wille’s parents for a while, they were up again. Tasked with entertaining the guests, the couple made their way through the room. The string quartet was playing, adding a beautiful background to the banquet. When they turned around after a nice conversation with an older Duchess, Wille’s entire front was soaked in wine. August pulled back after their collision, his now-empty glass still dripping the deep, red drink. Simon, who had somehow been spared, seethed next to his partner, his eyes trained on August. Several guests around them witnessed the collision, their shock making them freeze and stare at the royals.

“Oh, my bad, Wille,” he said. He grabbed a white, linen napkin off the nearest table. He offered it to Wille, who smacked his hand down. The fabric drifted as it fell to the ground.

“You mean, Your Highness,” Wille spat. His ears were as red as his shirt was now.

“No, actually. I didn’t,” August said, his voice dropping so no one other than Wille and Simon could hear him.

“Fuck off, August,” Simon replied, moving to grab Wilhelm. He needed to get his partner away from all this.

“It was just an accident. Relax.” August tried to smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Simon, go fetch us something to clean up, will you?”

“How about you do that?” Wille’s question sounded more like a threat. August’s jab left Simon speechless for a moment. There were people around.

“Oh, sorry,” August smirked, looking at Simon. “I confused you with the staff for a second.”

Apparently, that was enough for Wilhelm. Before Simon could grab his partner, Wille surged forward, his fist connecting hard with August’s face. Simon heard gasps around them. He tried to pull Wille away, but as soon as August straightened up, Wille pushed him to the ground. Now towering over his cousin, Wille paused long enough for Simon to finally get a good hold on him. He grabbed his arms gently, pulling him back. He grabbed the prince’s hand.

“Let’s go, Wille,” Simon whispered. Wille went with him with blind trust, looking back at August as they left. His cousin actually looked shocked, holding his cheek. A bruise was beginning to blossom around his eye.

The crowd parted as they walked away from August. Simon had one arm around the prince’s back, the other holding the hand that was beginning to throb from the punch. Before they left the ballroom, Simon stopped when his eyes landed on Wille’s parents. Ludvig’s normally jovial face was red, his eyes full of worry. The Queen’s face lacked the worry that her husband’s did. It was instead full of anger and disappointment. She went to move toward them, but Simon pulled Wille away. They didn’t stop even when they were out of the ballroom. Wille was quiet and Simon led him to their bedroom. All but making Wilhelm go inside, Simon closed the door behind them. He turned the lock, cutting them off from the rest of the world.

💜👑💜

“You are to apologize to August,” Kristina said, her cold eyes locked on Wilhelm’s.

“Why? You didn’t hear what he said about Simon.”

“You’re saying it’s Simon’s fault?” Kristina asked. Wille stood, his chair screeching on the old floorboards. His hands slammed against the table, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“No. It’s August’s.” Wille spat at his mother. “I’m done with him. I want him out of our family.”

“Wilhelm, what has gotten into you?” Ludvig asked. The concern in his voice made Wille feel bad, but it was blinded by his anger.

“You can’t be serious. Have you forgotten what he did to me and Simon? And even now, he keeps insulting Simon and acting like he’s done nothing wrong. I’ve had enough of it.” Getting that off his chest let Wille settle down a bit. When no one responded, he sat back in his chair, his fists clenching on the armrests.

“Honestly, with the history of violence in Simon’s family, I’m not surprised this happened. He’s a bad influence,” Jan-Olof said in his usual condescending voice. Wilhelm had nearly forgotten the man was in the room.

“You don’t talk about him like that,” Wille shouted, turning on the man. “Ever. Do it again and I’ll—”

“Enough!” The Queen’s shout made the room fall silent. She looked at Wille and then at Ludvig. She took a deep breath before continuing with a calmer tone. “That’s enough. Whether or not you two get along, we still have an image to uphold. We—”

“What kind of image? Huh? The one that covers up a fucking crime? The one that hurts everyone in this fucking family? That’s not the image that I want to leave behind.” Wilhelm saw the beginnings of tears well up in his mother’s eyes.

“That’s enough, Wilhelm.” Apparently, his father had noticed too. The man took the reins from his wife, addressing everyone at the table. “Whether or not you like your cousin, he had every right to be at the banquet. He’s next in line should something happen to us.”

 “I don’t care about the fucking banquet, and I don’t care about the fucking throne. He should be in jail. He means nothing to me. He’ll never be my backup. He’s not my family anymore.”

“That is not your call,” Kristina said, her voice firm and dangerous.

“Actually,” Wille said. “As next in line, it is.” He and his mother stared at each other in silence, neither one wavering.

“Let’s all calm down,” Ludvig said. His words were firm and even, bringing the sizzling air in the room to a dull silence. Wilhelm settled for a moment before his mind brought up the image of Simon’s hurt expression at August’s jab during the banquet.

“You’re telling me to calm down?” the prince said. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t covered up for August, this never would have happened!”

 “Wilhelm!” his mother’s scolding bark did nothing to settle him down.

Without thinking, Wilhelm spat, “If I was Erik, you would have held August responsible.” He regretted the words as soon as they came out. They left a bad taste in his mouth, his heart lurching as the memory of his brother overwhelmed him.

A tense silence rang out in the room. If he hadn’t been so angry, Wilhelm’s sure his anxiety would have taken hold of him.

“Wilhelm,” Ludvig said. He probably meant to continue, but the man was at a loss for words.

Wilhelm’s gaze landed on his Momma. She wasn’t meeting his gaze, her eyes wet and downcast. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

He took her silence as a yes.

“We’re done here,” Wille said, standing. “Happy birthday.”

The young prince ignored his father calling his name as he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Chapter Text

“Wille, I can hear you thinking,” Simon asked.

The tenor’s voice sang through the silence in the room. Wille let out a sigh. Simon’s bedroom was darkened by the drawn curtains, but it was practically pitch-black behind his closed eyelids. Wilhelm hadn’t spoken to his parents since his last visit to the palace. Whenever he thought about their last conversation, he had a sour taste in his mouth and a dull throbbing in his chest.

Simon’s voice again.

“What’s wrong?”

Wilhelm’s resulting sigh ended in a frustrated groan as he turned to lay on his back. He felt the edge of the mattress along the back of his arm. It seemed that each time he came here, the bed grew smaller. Or maybe he had grown bigger.

“Is it about your Momma?”

This time, the prince nodded in response. He kicked himself for letting his worries ruin their night together. Simon knew he hadn’t felt like doing much, but that didn’t deter them from a few make-out sessions during their video game breaks. He was always able to figure Wille out. No matter how hard he tried, Simon saw right through it.

“She can’t be mad at you. She put you in this situation.”

“But you weren’t there,” Wille muttered. His eyes opened, adjusting to the dim red light of Simon’s lava lamp. “You should have seen her face.”

Simon was quiet for a long while, his eyes examining his partner’s face. Wille felt those deep eyes, so full of love and concern. He wondered what Simon saw there. After a quiet moment, Simon settled down next to him. Thin fingers rose up to brush his fringe back before a soft kiss was placed on his lips. The prince allowed his eyes to fall shut again as he took a deep breath. Exhaling in a shaky sigh, Wille went through Boris’s breathing exercises to quell the rising anxiety festering in his chest.

All of a sudden, the mattress beneath him shifted, lurching him to one side. His eyes opened as Simon less-than-gracefully reached over him toward the nightstand. Ignoring how his blood ran south at his partner’s proximity, Wille was squished into the mattress. Finally, Simon settled back onto his side, a phone in his hand. Wille’s phone.

“What are you doing?” Wille laughed, reaching for his phone. Simon shifted away so he was sitting with his back against the wall, letting his feet tangle with the prince’s legs.

“I’m making a call,” the tenor said. Wille watched as Simon quickly entered his password. He needed to change that.

“To who?” the prince asked, his brow furrowing tiredly at his partner’s antics.

“Your mamá.” Simon had barely gotten his response out before the prince went for his phone. Simon twisted, yanking the phone out of Wille’s reach. The prince followed, practically laying on Simon to get to his phone. Undeterred, Simon continued on to find the phone app and go to Wille’s favorites. He loved that his name was first in Wille’s phone, but this was no time to swoon. Fighting off the Crown Prince, Simon hit call.

“Stop it, Simme.” The prince’s voice was full of exasperation as he kept fighting for his phone.

It rang twice before Simon was met with the Queen’s voice.

“Oh, hi, your majesty,” Simon said. He sounded a bit winded. “Wilhelm wanted to talk with you. Is now a good time? Great” Wille sat back in defeat, shaking his head. Simon offered Wille an apologetic smile as he handed the prince his phone.

“Hi, Mamma.”

“Hello, Wilhelm.” His mother’s sounded closed off and cold. He heard her sigh before she spoke again. “Is everything alright? Simon sounded a bit off.”

“Yes, we’re fine,” Wille said. There was an uncomfortable pause in the conversation. Wille looked down, grabbing Simon’s hand to play with his fingers. “I—well I...” Wille started. His chest tightened as he took a breath. “I’m sorry.”

“No, Wilhelm,” Kristina said. “I’m sorry. I know we were asking a lot. August hurt you, and he hurt Simon as well. But it’s the way things are.”

Wilhelm finished for her. “It’s not our call.” He heard his mother sigh.

“I’m still sorry. I never should have brought up Erik,” Wille muttered, playing with Simon’s fingers. The tenor tightened his hold on the prince’s hand. He took an overexaggerated breath, watching as Wille did the same. The prince smiled softly, nodding at his mother’s response. Simon listened as the two spoke for a while. They discussed August, and they spoke briefly about Erik. After saying goodbye, Wille ended the call.

“Ok?” Simon said after a moment. At Wille’s nod, Simon leaned over. After sharing a kiss, they settled back down into the bed.

💜👑💜

“You wanted to see me?”

Wille felt his stomach turn at August’s voice. Looking into the gym’s mirrored wall, he saw August’s frame in the doorway.

Turning to face August, Wille nodded. “Come sit.”  

He held back his surprise when August did so without a word. August sat on the bench of the rowing machine. His healing black eye shone brightly under the florescent lights of the gymnasium.

August gave the prince a onceover before saying, “Look. I’m sorry about what I—"

“You’re here to listen. Not talk.” Wille saw a glimmer of challenge rising in August’s eyes when he was cut off. But still, August never finished his sentence.

“With what you did, how you acted, and how you’ve treated myself, Simon, and my family...” Wille started. He was remembering back to when he practiced this speech in front of Simon. “I’m done with you.”

“Wille, I—” August started to stand, but Wille cut him off again.

“I’m not finished.” When August settled back down, the Crown Prince continued. “You are no longer a part of my family, and you are no longer a part of the royal family. The Royal family disown you. On paper, you remain my successor until another comes forward. You will not attend any royal events, and you will not speak with me or the rest of the Royal family without permission. I have the Royal Order here.”

Wille tossed the envelope to August. The prince watched as he checked its contents.

“As for Simon.” Wille felt his heart clench when he thought of his partner. “If you ever go near him, try to speak to him, or hurt him in any way,” Wille saw red, fighting the urge to hurt the boy in front of him. “I will release the video I’ve recorded that proves you are the one who took the video, the one who shared the video, and publicly disown you in front of the entire world.”

“We both know there’s no prove, Wille.”

“You call me Your Highness.” Wille corrected. “We have an eye witness to you sending the video.”

August’s eyes nearly doubled before he crumpled the envelope and stood. Wille straightened up as they stood toe-to-toe.

“You mean nothing to me, and you mean nothing to the Crown.” Wille went to leave the gym. August stepped aside as he passed. The prince stopped before adding, “Erik would have been ashamed of you.”

As Wille left, his footsteps echoed in the large room. August’s did not echo. He stood in the same spot as before, a tear falling down his bruised cheek while the envelope crumpled under his shaking fist.

💜👑💜

Two gentle knocks jolted Wille out of his boredom-driven doomscrolling. He rolled in his blanket cocoon, nearly toppling off the edge of the mattress.

“Wille? It’s me.”

Simon’s voice had Wille fighting his way out of his cocoon, nearly tripping as he got off the bed. Untangling his foot, Wille grabbed for the door. When he saw his partner, Wille swore his heart stopped. Simon was looking back at him. A quick glance told Wille he was untouched, but the tracks of dried tears and new ones trying to escape told him something was not ok.

“It wasn’t August,” Simon said softly. His voice sounded rough, as if he had been yelling. Wille fought to find the right words. He kicked himself for his fumbling. If this were him, Simon would have helped him already. The rare sight of tears in his partner’s eyes had frozen him in his tracks.

Not trusting his voice, the prince reached out for his partner. When his fingers finally touched Simon’s face, the tears finally fell. Wille watched as one rolled down Simon’s cheek, gathering on his thumb as he wiped it away. Before he could speak, Wille found himself with arms full of Simon. The tenor grabbed his shirt tightly, burying his face in Wille’s neck.

“Come here,” Wille said, pulling Simon into the room. He closed the door, making sure to turn the lock. Wille led Simon to the bed, shedding his partner’s backpack before he wrapped them up in his cocoon. Simon was quiet through it all, his tight grip only lessening when he helped Wille remove his jacket. The prince tossed the thick fabric to the floor, finally able to fully embrace his partner.

“Does your mamá know you’re here?” the prince whispered. He felt Simon shake his head against his neck. When he reached for his phone, Simon only gripped him tighter. Sending a quick text to Linda, Wille turned his ringer on before pocketing his phone. He combed his fingers through the tangled mess of Simon’s curls.

“Are you hurt?” Simon shook his head. Wille brushed back a stray curl, tucking it behind his partner’s ear. Simon’s response was lost against the skin of the prince’s neck. “S-Say it again?” Wille cringed at his anxious stutter.

“When I got home, Micke was there.”

Simon rarely spoke about his father, but Wille couldn’t help but notice how his partner’s whole demeanor changed when he mentioned Micke. Wille jolted when his ass started vibrating. Keeping his hold on his partner, he fished out his phone. Linda was calling him. Simon just barely heard Wille’s conversation over the thud of his heartbeat in his ears.

“Hi Linda. Yes, he’s with me. Ok. He’ll stay here with me. Ok. Tell me when you’re there? Ok. Bye.” Putting his phone on the desk, Wille resumed his firm embrace. “Linda is leaving work, and she’s headed to a hotel. Can you tell me what happened?”

Simon let out a tired sigh. “When I got home, Micke was there.” Wille nodded, ignoring the repeated response. He waited until his partner continued. “He was drunk...or high...or both. He kept going on about you and about my mamá or whatever. I just wanted him to go. Some people saw me and started recording, so I tried to get Micke into the house. He didn’t want to go. He started calling me names and pushing me around. I just wanted him to go.”

Wille took Simon’s silence as a sign that he was done. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. He just threw some stuff around,” Simon sighed. “He left after I called Malin.”

“Ok.” Wille didn’t know what else to say.

“I thought he was getting better.” Simon’s soft words cut a hole in the prince’s heart.

“I know.”

Simon was silent for a while. Wille thought he had fallen asleep, but the tenor finally raised his head and spoke. “Wille? Can we sleep?”

“Of course.” At Wille’s words, Simon nodded. He left his partner’s embrace and turned toward the wall, settling on his side. The prince saw the tension in his body practically melt away.

Just as he was moving to join his partner, Wille’s phone lit up.

From: Linda

I’m at the hotel. Get a good sleep, cariño.

After responding, Wille turned off his phone and set it on the desk. He wrapped the blanket around himself and Simon before settling in for the night.

Chapter Text

An overwhelming wave of voices shouting out his name hit Simon’s ears the second he took a step outside. He had to give the paparazzi credit for approaching him despite his new security detail. His new guards, Sebastian and Agneta quickly covered his sides. Practically hearing Farima’s media training in the back of his mind, Simon kept his eyes forward and tried to ignore the flashes of cameras and roar of questions they had no business asking. The walk from Hillerska’s campus to the bus stop wasn’t very long, but it always felt longer when the media was capturing his every step.

The cold air bit at his face as he kept walking to the bus stop. A quiet “Sir,” from Sebastian pulled his attention to the older man. Sebastian was the perfect personification of tall, dark, and handsome. He remembered the cute, shocked face Wille had made when he first met the man. Simon had made sure Wille knew he had nothing to worry about. The thought of that night made his cheeks redden, and not just from the cold. The tall wall of a man looking at him with a concerned expression told Simon that today wasn’t the day to ride the local bus. He nodded and the three of them turned toward the parking lot. In just a few spots away from the sidewalk, a familiar SUV  with tinted windows sat waiting for them. Simon felt the tension in his shoulders ease as the paparazzi slowed in their trailing. Sebastian covered his flank as Agneta went to open the rear door for him. Thanking the woman, he climbed in. The second he was inside, the door slid shut behind him. The sounds of the media grew muffled behind the bullet-proofed door. Before long, Sebastian and Agneta climbed into the driver and passenger seats, and they were off.

Letting out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding, Simon fished his phone out of his coat pocket. He admired his lockscreen for a moment, smiling at the picture of him and Wille from their last date. Without thinking, he entered his password and the home screen was revealed. Clicking on the messages app, he sent a text in his group chat.

To: Bjärstad Coola Barn

Simon: Hey, no bus today. Paparazzi won’t get off my back.

Ayub: It’s cool, bro. You ok?

Simon: Yeah.

Rosh: Glad you’re ok. You still good for tonight?

Simon: Of course

Ayub:  👍

Simon locked his phone, only for it to light back up seconds later. When he saw the sender, he smiled and reentered his password.

From: Wille 💜

Did you get on the bus ok?

From: Simon

Nej, had to take the tank.

From: Wille 💜

Paparazzi?

From: Simon

Yeah

From: Wille 💜

I’m sorry.

From: Simon

Not your fault.

From: Wille 💜

It kind of is. See you tonight?

From: Simon

Yeah

From: Wille 💜

Ok. Love you.

From: Simon

Love you too

💜👑💜

“There you are.”

At Wille’s voice, Simon looked over his shoulder. He saw his partner leaning against the kitchen’s archway, hands in his pocket and a soft smile on his face. “Hey,” he said before turning back to the microwave. The rotating bag of popcorn was still popping as it heated. Without having to look back, Simon knew that Wille was walking to join him in front of the counter. He felt two familiar arms wrap around his waist from behind. Smiling, Simon asked, “You just got here?”

“Yeah,” came the quiet response. “Want some help?”

“Nej. Grab that bowl for me?”

Without fully releasing his partner, Wille grabbed the worn bowl off the adjacent counter. After the microwave chimed, Simon pulled the bulging bag from the microwave. Steam swirled into the air as he opened the bag. Adjusting his grip to save his fingers from the heat, Simon poured the popcorn into the bowl. Wille watched over his shoulder, breathing in Simon’s scent swirled with the aroma of hot, buttered popcorn.

“Amor,” Simon whispered after a moment.

“Hm?” Wille hummed.

“Can you let me out?”

Wille’s cheeks reddened as he choked out, “Shit. Sorry, yeah.” Simon smiled at his partner’s blushing face, and he gave Wille a kiss on the cheek as he moved away. Throwing out the bag, Simon turned back. Just in time, apparently, because Wille was already stealing popcorn from the bowl. When the prince saw him, he grabbed another piece before picking up their popcorn. They left the kitchen, passing the dining area toward the living room.

Rosh, Ayub, Felice, and Sara were still lounging on the sofa. It looked like they hadn’t moved in Simon’s absence. Felice perked up when she saw the couple appear. “Hey, Wille!” she exclaimed, patting the space next to her on the couch.

At Felice’s words, Ayub greeted the prince too. He was sitting in the worn armchair next to the couch. Rosh, who was sitting on the floor next to Ayub, waved before returning to the video on her phone. Sara smiled at the couple from her seat by Felice’s feet. She was using one of their throw pillows as a seat, lounging against the sofa beside Felice’s legs. Wille was quick to join them, placing the bowl on the coffee table in the mess of drinks, phones, and candy. Simon went to join Sara on the floor, but the prince pulled him onto the sofa. Scooting to the middle, Wille pulled his partner to his side. They shared a smile, enjoying the moment of normalcy in their lives. Ever since the pressures of being a royal couple took hold, these moments were rare, and neither one took them for granted. They shared a kiss and settled closer together. Their kiss was broken after Simon was hit in the face with buttery popcorn. Rosh’s toss had hit its mark, making the couple separate and everyone look at her.

“Stop being gross and pass me the remote,” Rosh groaned. Ayub laughed as he grabbed some popcorn. Giving her the finger, Simon tossed the remote to her. Before long, the Netflix logo filled the screen as the welcoming tune resonated in the room. After his mental scan of making sure everyone had drinks, Simon allowed himself to settle back into his partner’s arms. He adjusted his legs until he was leaning against Wille’s side, making the prince tighten his arm around Simon’s shoulders. The banter of their friends fighting over their movie choice was muffled to Simon. He was hyperaware of how his body was touching his partner’s, strings of electricity sparking from each point of contact. He heard his partner suggest a horror film, but that was quickly shot down by Felice. Simon knew Wille hated horror. His heart warmed at the thought of Wille remembering his genre of choice.

After another few minutes of debate and many handfuls of popcorn later, the teens settled in to watch their pick.

💜👑💜

“That ending was so predictable,” Ayub complained as the credits rolled. Felice clicked through the suggested movies at the bottom of the screen.

“Shut up!” Rosh exclaimed. “No, it wasn’t.”

Ayub rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure.” His response was met with Rosh smacking him with a pillow.

“I thought it was good,” Sara chimed in. Wille nodded and agreed with her.

“Want to watch another one?” Felice asked. She had gone on to look at other titles, clicking through the thumbnails.

“How are you tired, C-man?” Ayub asked. All eyes fell on Simon, who was just barely awake and using Wille’s lap as a pillow. “It’s barely 9.”

“We had choir practice this morning,” Simon whined. Felice nodded in agreement. The conversation shifted toward movie picks while Rosh went to refill the popcorn.

“You want to go to bed?” Wille asked softly, the drone of their friends’ conversation muffled to his mind. His eyes were focused on Simon’s as he combed his fingers through his partner’s curls.

“No,” Simon groaned. “Let’s watch another movie.” The prince nodded as Simon shifted up to lean on Wille’s side like he had before.

“Action?” Ayub suggested.

“No, a comedy,” Sara said.

“Romance?” Felice asked.

“No!” Rosh said rather matter-of-factly. “We’ve got enough over there with their royal highnesses.” She set the bowl of popcorn back on the table, gesturing to the couple on the sofa.

“Fuck off,” Simon laughed, throwing popcorn at her.

“Will you stop throwing that shit? I’m not cleaning it up,” Ayub complained.

Finally, they settled on a comedy. Their conversation dwindled as Felice turned the volume back up.

💜👑💜

“I can’t believe you actually punched him!”

Felice followed her squeal with a rolling laugh. Wille felt his cheeks warm as they reddened. Simon gave the prince a fond look, squeezing Wille’s hand where they were joined between their bodies.

From her seat next to Ayub, Rosh sipped her Coke thoughtfully. “Good for you,” she said with a smirk. Ayub nearly choked on his drink. Simone couldn’t help but notice that Sara remained quiet during their friends’ antics.

“I’m sure your parents weren’t too happy with that?” Felice asked. At Wille’s silence, Simon gave him a glance before speaking.

“Not really,” he said, squeezing Wille’s hand again. “But they understand that August deserved a lot worse.” At Simon’s words, Sara silently got up. She ignored their questions as she quietly left the room. After a moment, the group of friends heard her door close.

“The fuck was that about?” Ayub asked after chewing his bite of pizza. All eyes fell on Simon, who shrugged.

“No idea,” he paused before adding, “I’ll be back.”

Wille immediately mourned the loss of his partner’s closeness as Simon stood up. He watched his partner stretch after sitting for so long before he too left the living room.

“Should we watch another movie?” Felice said. Wille let out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. Wille shrugged. Ayub nodded as he chewed another slice of pizza.

“How about a game?” Rosh suggested. This was met with more interest from everyone except the prince.

“Like what?” Ayub asked.

“Spin the bottle?” Felice said with a laugh.

“Pretty sure we’d get locked up if we kiss the prince against his will,” Ayub laughed. Rosh nearly choked on her bite of pizza.

“Yeah, we’re not doing that,” Simon said, suddenly appearing in the doorway. He plopped back down next to Wille, who immediately settled his arm around Simon’s shoulders. “Wait, what are we doing?”

“We’re playing a game,” Rosh said. “But not spin the bottle,” she laughed, looking at Felice.

“What about truth or dare?” Simon suggested. A series of nods spread around the room.

“Is Sara joining us?” Felice asked, looking over her shoulder at Simon.

“Nej,” Simon shrugged. “She just said she needed some alone time.” Felice seemed unconvinced, but everyone settled back in for the game.    

“Ok. Who’s going first?” Ayub asked, getting comfortable in the worn armchair.

“Obviously the one who suggested it,” Rosh smirked. Wille felt Simon tense in his arms before his partner spoke.

“Ok,” Simon muttered. His eyes scanned around the room before landing on Ayub. “Ayub, truth or dare?”

💜👑💜

“Top or bottom?”

Wille practically choked on his own spit at Felice’s truth question. Simon blushed as all eyes landed on them. The prince swallowed before choking out, “No comment.”

“Oh, come on!” Felice whined. “Who are we gonna tell?”

Wille looked at Simon, who shrugged. At his partner’s response, the Crown Prince muttered, “Top.” He felt his cheeks redden at Ayub’s wolf whistle and the girls’ laughter. A look at his partner told him that Simon was embarrassed too.

💜👑💜

“No way I’m doing that!” Felice squealed. Her words were barely heard over the laughter filling the room.

“It’s not a big deal,” Rosh said. Thanks to Simon, it was hard to take her seriously. Her newly styled hair was sloppy at best, her dark hair twisted into some equivalent of a braid. “Just text him!”

Felice looked around, but found no way out. Sighing, she grabbed her phone and unlocked it. Before long, she was taking a selfie showing the camera the finger. She quickly sent it off and showed the group proof.

“Not fair! You’re not supposed to flick him off!” Ayub complained.

“You said to send August a picture! Not what kind of picture,” Felice laughed. Simon smiled as Ayub and Felice started a light-hearted argument. He settled back into his partner’s arms.

He caught Wille’s eye before he spoke. “You ok?” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Wille said, tracing nonsensical patterns on Simon’s lap. “Why?”

“You’re just quiet,” Simon said. Wille nodded before they shared a quiet moment.

“Hey, lovebirds! Wille’s next,” Rosh said, her raised voice drawing the couple’s attention. Before long, the game resumed. Simon felt his concern dwindle as he watched Wille try (and fail) to walk in Felice’s heels. His chest lightened as he joined his friends in laughing when his partner nearly tripped on his own feet.  

💜👑💜

Closing the front door quietly behind her, Linda yawned as she finally returned home after a long shift. After setting her purse down and hanging up her jacket, she snuck over to the living room to check on Simon’s friends. The nearly empty, greasy pizza boxes lay abandoned on the coffee table amidst a mess of soda bottles, phones with low batteries, and other miscellaneous items. The dim glow of the Erikssons’ porch light shone through the window’s curtains, casting the otherwise dark room in a faint yellow light. Ayub lay under his blanket at the foot of the armchair, which was currently serving as Rosh’s bed. A few feet away, Felice was curled up on the sofa. Her head rested on one half of the pillow, as the other half was taken up by Simon and Wille. Somehow, they had managed to squeeze so both of them should share the depth of the couch cushion. The Crown Prince’s arm was wrapped tightly around her son, who was sleeping soundly despite his precarious position close to the edge of the sofa cushion. Linda noted that Sara was nowhere to be found. After toeing off her shoes, she checked the bedrooms. Sara was sleeping in her bed. With all teens accounted for, Linda went to fix herself a glass of water before she too retired for the night. As she turned off the light, the small home in Bjärstad fell quiet.

Chapter Text

Wilhelm took a deep breath before letting out a disgruntled sigh. Blinking heavily, he opened his eyes. He saw the culprit immediately. A thin sliver of light had somehow found its way right onto the middle of his face by slithering through the gap between the blinds and the window frame. Wille let his eyes fall closed again, shifting so he was out of the spotlight in the otherwise dimmed bedroom. Feeling the familiar weight of Simon using his chest as a pillow, he gently scooted to escape the light. Despite his small movement, his elbow bumped the wall beside him, causing him to let out a soft curse. His partner stirred at the noise, humming in his sleep and burrowing deeper into the prince’s side. The jolt of pain in his elbow was unfortunately enough to keep Wille from sleep. Being mindful of his sleeping partner, he stretched to reach his phone. He angled it away from Simon and turned it on. He quickly lowered the screen’s brightness and checked the time. They had slept past breakfast, but he wasn’t surprised. They had been up late watching a movie with Linda the night before. He entered his password and set himself up to doomscroll until his mind was fully awake.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but Simon shifting pulled his attention was pulled away from a video of a parrot dancing around a cup. His partner inhaled deeply and rolled away from Wille as he stretched. Wille gently reached out to grab at Simon’s waist, stopping him rolling further so he didn’t topple off the edge of the mattress.

“Stop,” Simon whined. Wille pulled him closer, letting Simon stretch again before settling back down onto his chest.

“I don’t want you to fall off,” Wille whispered, combing his fingers through Simon’s hair. He brushed back a curl that had fallen forward, nearly long enough to brush his partner’s closed eyes. His response was met with silence, and Wille went back to his phone after a while. A few minutes had passed before their quiet comfort was accompanied by noises coming from the kitchen. Linda must have gotten up. He should really go help her, but he didn’t want to leave his partner. He also needed to pee, though. After a couple minutes memorizing Simon’s peaceful face, the prince resigned himself to getting up.

The moment he moved, he was met with unhappy noises from his partner. His tired brain tried to calculate a way of getting up that didn’t jostle Simon too much, got him from against the wall onto the carpet, and didn’t end up with him falling out of the bed. After two failed attempts, he finally got out from under his partner and awkwardly straddled the mass of blankets Simon had covered them in. He knew he had failed when Simon stirred, letting out a groan.

His eyes blinked open and his lips immediately formed a soft smile. “What the fuck are you doing?”  

“Trying to get up without waking you up,” Wille said, feeling his face heat up.

“Great job,” Simon laughed. His voice was scratchy from sleep.

“Fuck you,” the prince choked out in his embarrassment.

“Love you too,” Simon chuckled. The prince felt his heart clench. “Go,” Simon said, shoving at his face. “It’s too early to be up.” With that, he rolled to face the wall, pulling the blankets with him.

The prince took that as his escape, stretching to reach the floor before he was finally free. He adjusted the blankets on Simon’s shoulder, making it cocoon his partner even better. Happy with the results, Wille quietly left the bedroom. The light of the kitchen hit his tired eyes when he left the hallway. Just has he figured, Linda was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee.

“Good morning,” Wille yawned as he entered the kitchen.

“Good morning, cariño,” Linda said with a smile. She sipped her coffee before adding, “Simon’s not up yet?”

“Nej,” Wille said, picking a mug out of the cabinet. “I let him sleep some more.” Linda nodded, watching as the prince poured himself some coffee. The prince was still getting used to the bitter taste. He has found that it’s not so bad if he adds (way too much) sugar.

He settled against the counter across from Linda. “Need any help making breakfast?”

“I was thinking of a more laid-back breakfast today. Late night,” Linda said before taking another sip. The prince nodded, doing the same. When their mugs became empty, the pair worked together to grab all the fixings for breakfast. Cereal boxes of different flavors lined the countertop behind worn bowls and spoons. Satsumas and bananas sat beside the cutlery and a half-full bottle of orange juice. By the time they finished, Wille heard his partner emerge from their bedroom. Soon after, the bathroom door clicked shut. Linda fixed herself another cup of coffee while Wille grabbed the milk out of the fridge.

“Good morning.” Simon’s voice was still full of sleep, and Wille turned to see his partner nearly sleepwalking toward the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Linda greeted. She took her son’s entrance as a sign to pour her cereal. She smiled softly to herself as her son found himself in Wille’s embrace. The prince attempted a kiss, but Simon pushed away and yawned.

Soon enough, the teens joined her around the table. Their conversation was light-hearted and filled with comfortable silence as they ate. Sara, who was home for the weekend, joined them a bit later. Linda watched as her kids engaged in a brief exchange before they fell back into silence. She doesn’t know quite what was happening, but she definitely noticed the tension Sara brought to the table. When she asked her son, he said he didn’t know why Sara was being weird around him. Linda supposed it was just teenagers being teenagers. She had definitely had some weird phase with her own siblings back home in Venezuela.

💜👑💜

“Oh, come on! That’s not fair,” Wille complained. Simon laughed as he moved his game piece in front of his partner’s, winning the game. With just two small squares away from the “end” space, the Crown Prince sat back in defeat.

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Simon teased. The prince continued his pout while Linda (who was not even close to winning) laughed. “Want to play another round?” the tenor asked.

Wilhelm crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “How about we do something you won’t beat us at.” Simon grinned, collecting the game pieces.

“I think I’m going to head to bed. You’re keeping me up too late,” Linda said as she stretched. The teenagers nodded and she pushed away from the table. After placing kisses on both of their heads, she padded to the bathroom to get ready for bed. At her exit, Wille helped his partner clean up the board game, putting all of the small pieces into the plastic slots nestled in the box. Simon pushed the lid onto the game. He went to put it away in the hallway closet. When he slid the door shut, he glanced toward Sara’s closed bedroom door. She was being so distant, and when she did hang out, it was awkward. His attempt at trying to figure out what he had done had ended in a fight, leaving the confusing tension between them for the past two days.

“Everything alright?” Simon startled when Wilhelm was suddenly behind him. To Simon, the prince looked perfect in his oversized t-shirt and flannel pajama pants that brushed the floor as he moved. Simon smiled and nodded, giving Wille a kiss before pulling him into the living room. They settled down onto the sofa, leaving no space between them despite the rather large cushions. There was a peaceful moment of silence as they just enjoyed being snuggled up next to each other, finally alone. Simon spread the throw blanket around them before resting his head on his partner’s shoulder.

“Wanna watch something?”

Simon hummed in agreement, his eyes taking a moment to adjust when the television flickered to life. Wille immediately went to Netflix, scrolling through the recommendations at the top.

“Queer Eye?”

“Nej,” Simon said. He didn’t feel like crying with Jonathan right now.

“La Casa de Papel?”

“Nej. I’m too tired and I wanna enjoy the season finale.”

“Ok,” Wille said distractedly. He kept clicking down. “The Crown?” he joked. That got his partner to laugh, burrowing into this side even more. The prince swore he felt his heart skip a beat.

“I’m fine with whatever,” Simon said softly.

“You’re no help,” the prince jokingly complained. His partner fell quiet as he kept scrolling. “Grey’s Anatomy?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Simme responded. His fingers played with the hem of the plush throw blanket. Wille hit ok on the remote, and the familiar thud of the Netflix logo greeted them. Putting the remote to his side, Wille settled down when he heard Ellen Pompeo’s narration start. The couple bantered about doctors Hunt and Altman’s fight in the trauma room. They laughed as Schmidt and Wilson shared a comical scene.

As the screen for the next episode came up, Wille was about to ask Simon if he wanted a snack. He stopped his attempt, however, when he found his partner had fallen asleep. Smiling softly, Wille closed out as the recap began to play. He turned the television off before beginning his efforts to wake his partner.

“Stop, Wille,” Simon complained, pushing against the prince.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed,” Wille said. When his partner refused, he made the choice for him and threw the blanket off of them. Simon complained again, but Wille sat him up and practically pulled him off the couch. After a (reluctant) kiss from Simon, Wille led them to their bedroom. Simon went to feed the fish as Wilhelm used the bathroom. Soon enough, they were settled in bed. The small mattress had them close together, wrapped in the warm cocoon of Simon’s comforter.

“Goodnight,” Simon yawned.

“Goodnight,” Wille said, his words nearly reaching Simon’s ears before he fell asleep.

💜👑💜

“Do we really have to go?” Wille whined.

“You promised your mamá, Wille.”

“Only because you promised me sex after,” the prince said, his voice dropping in volume so they won’t heard in the next room.

“And the offer still stands, but not if you don’t get dressed to go,” Simon responded, straightening his tie for what felt like the millionth time. Semi-satisfied, he smoothed his blazer and checked himself out in the mirror. He felt like he was looking at someone else, wondering if he’d ever feel like himself dressed like this. Simon heard Wille grumble beneath his breath, finally done whining and getting up to get changed.  

“Why do they even need us there?” the prince whined again.

“You’ll be King one day. Your mamá said it’s good for you to build a relationship with our allies now,” Simon said as he fixed his hair in the mirror.

“Yeah, but this guy’s a dick,” Wille muttered, finishing the knot of his tie. Simon always marveled at how Wille always made it look so easy.

“It’s just lunch,” the tenor said, going to flatten his partner’s lapel.

“But he’s a dick,” Wilhelm repeated, making Simon laugh before kissing him.

“Ready?” Simon asked after they parted.

“How about we just skip lunch and skip right to dessert?” the prince said, pulling him closer.

“You’re impossible,” Simon groaned, but his smile betrayed him. “Let’s go.”

Wille huffed as he let his partner lead him out of the bedroom. Malin stood from the table, where she had been waiting with Linda.

“Ready to go?” she asked. At the teens’ nods, Malin thanked Linda for the company. The older woman smiled, reminding her to take her drink to go. Malin thanked Simon’s mother before leading the couple out of the house. Simon stopped to hug his mother before he followed Wille out the door.

They piled into the SUV, Simon pulling the door shut behind him and Wille. He had barely buckled his seat belt before Wille’s hand reached out for his.

💜👑💜

“Thank you again for having us. It’s always nice to see you,” the Duke said.

“Of course,” Kristina replied. “It’s our pleasure.” Ludvig nodded in agreement.

Simon listened to the—somewhat dull—conversation and checked his posture. One of his hands was engulfed by Wille’s under the tablecloth, resting on his thigh. Simon could practically feel his partner’s nerves through Wille’s tight hold on his hand. His other hand fiddled with his water glass. He swallowed down his insecurity by taking a sip of the ice-cold water. As soon as he set his glass down, his ears perked as his name was spoken. He looked to see Kristina’s eyes on him, as well as the Duke’s.

“Simon’s in the same year as me. We both attend Hillerska,” Wille said from beside him. Nodding, Simon squeezed Wilhelm’s hand in thanks.

“And where are you from?” the Duke said, practically ignoring Wilhelm. His deep eyes were trained on Simon.

“I'm Swedish," Simon said, trying his best to be polite. "I was born in Bjärstad."

“Oh, I see,” the Duke said. His tone gave Simon nothing to work with. “Your family must have immigrated here then?”

“My mother was born in Venezuela,” Simon explained, bristling at the man’s question. He felt Wille’s hand clench around his.

Before the Duke could respond, Ludvig cleared his throat. “Oh, wonderful. Our meal is ready.” Simon’s eyes connected with the man’s for a moment. Ludvig nodded slightly at him before taking an exaggerated, deep breath. Simon followed suit, feeling his racing heart slow just slightly. He leaned toward Wille to allow the wait staff to place his plate. The rich smell of herbs hit his nose, emanating from the elegant chicken dish. He was thankful for the lull in conversation and the time he needed to push down the need to push back and call out his conversation partner. Wille’s thumb swept across the back of his hand in a comforting motion. With a small glance to the side, his eyes immediately locked onto Wille’s. He saw the apology and offers of comfort in his partner’s eyes. Despite this, Simon was really questioning why he had forced his partner to come to this lunch.

“I saw you recently went on a trip to Milan,” Kristina said to the Duke. The man nodded before going into a rather dramatic recitation of his entire two-week itinerary. Wille did his best to pay attention, drawing his energy from the comforting feeling of Simon’s hand in his.

When he finally felt like the man had finished, he offered, “Sounds like a wonderful time.”

“Yes!” the Duke said. “Yes, it was. It was certainly a much-needed getaway. It was rather rejuvenating getting away from the political life. It seems you’ve been rather busy yourself, Crown Prince.”

Wille felt a tinge of pain in the middle of his chest. He took a breath before moving to speak. However, his mother cut him off before he could respond.

“Yes, Wilhelm has been taking advanced courses this spring at Hillerska. He has also been partaking in more of his royal duties now that he is getting older.” Wille nodded at his mother’s praise.

“Yes. It’s great to see, especially considering recent events.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Kristina responded. Her tone had become slightly colder, her hands moving to rest in her lap.

“Well, first the loss of your eldest. My sincere condolences, Your Majesty,” the Duke replied. Kristina nodded in thanks, seeming to not trust her words. “And now, with the rather, well, progressive actions by your Royal Court.”

“And what do you mean by that?” Wilhelm butted in. Simon was surprised the Duke didn’t fall back in his chair with how fast he spun to face his partner.

“I mean no offense, Crown Prince. What I mean is that the, erm, nature of your relationship is rather unconventional.” The Duke leaned back in his chair, fiddling with his wine glass. “It is always nice to support a new community, but I’m sure your, erm, tendencies have caused strain on some of your allies.”

“How am I not supposed to take offense to that?” Wille spat out. Simon gave his hand a squeeze, but his partner was undeterred. “What makes you think you can come to my family’s home, to our country, to insult me and my partner?”

“Wilhelm—” Kristina warned. Wille’s eyes flicked to hers before the prince settled down. Silent, but not obedient. Their guest took a sip of his wine, watching this display.

“I believe you misunderstand, Crown Prince” the Duke said.

“I don’t think he does,” the Queen spat. “While we are to remain strong allies in trade and in protection, I believe you misunderstand how strong of a monarch Wilhelm will become. After us older monarchs are dead and gone, it is with people like him and Simon that our countries will thrive. Their bond is strong and true, and you would not believe what they have been through at their age. Though I agree that their relationship is untraditional in our world, we have come to find that our people rally behind them in the face of people like you.” The Duke nearly choked on his own tongue. “While our country will remain in alliance with your own, I believe you’ve overstayed your welcome.”

Silence rang out across the dining hall. Simon wished he could take a picture of the Duke’s expression, but his phone was tucked away in the inner pocket of his blazer. He felt tears fight at the corners of his eyes, his heart finally feeling true acceptance from Wilhelm’s family.

“Yes, I believe we have,” the Duke said, abandoning his half-eaten meal as he stood. His wife, who had remained silent through it all, stood with him. “It was a pleasure, Your Majesties." The Duke bowed respectfully before leading his wife away from the table.

Before she left, the Duke’s wife turned to address the room. Her kind eyes fell on Wille and Simon. “My apologies, Crown Prince. Mr. Eriksson. Your Majesties. It was a pleasure to spend time with you.” Wilhelm nodded in thanks, but Simon found himself frozen. Wilhelm’s parents bid her farewell.

“Mamma?” Wilhelm asked. The Queen looked away from the entrance to meet his eyes. Wille felt his chest tighten, his hands beginning to shake.

“I’m sorry,” Kristina said solemnly. “I know that man is hard to deal with. There will always be people in life who disagree with anything you do. Even the smallest thing. Sometimes, you have to put on a brave face and deal with it. It’s a part of our duty.” She sighed. “But what he brought into our home wasn’t right. You were brave to call him out.”

“Thanks,” Wilhelm choked out. He hadn’t expected her support.

“Next time we’re with him, just move on. Be on your best behavior, and he will just look like the asshole he is,” his mother added. Simon let out a surprised laugh at her words. At his partner’s musical laugh, he couldn’t help but join in.

“Time for dessert?” Ludvig asked. The rest of the table’s occupants nodded in agreement.

💜👑💜

“I can’t believe your mamá cussed!” Simon exclaimed, settling into the car seat next to Wilhelm.

“Me neither,” Wille laughed. He felt the tightness in his chest lessen as Malin shut the rear door behind Simon.

“Ugh, I’m full,” Simon whined. Apparently, that was enough of an excuse to lean against Wille’s side, leaving practically no space between them. Wille smiled, wrapping an arm around his partner’s shoulders. Simon took that opportunity to snuggle even closer.

Wille used his free hand to pull at his tie, trying to loosen its hold against his throat. “I’m just glad to be going home. I’m exhausted.”

Simon hummed in agreement. “Too tired for your second dessert?” he teased.

“Never,” Wille challenged.

“Behave, you two,” Malin said from the driver’s seat, making both teens share a laugh.

💜👑💜

Simon’s back had barely hit the mattress before Wille climbed on top of him, never breaking their kiss. The prince’s fingers fumbled with Simon’s tie, yanking the knot loose before practically ripping the strip of fabric off and tossing it to the floor.

“I thought you were tired?” Simon teased the moment Wille’s lips left his to attack his neck.

“Shut up,” Wille mumbled against the skin of his neck, sending a shiver down his back. Simon ran his fingers through Wille’s hair as he kissed down to the collar of his shirt. Wille got to work unbuttoning Simon’s shirt, his lips rarely leaving his partner’s skin as more and more was revealed. Simon arched against the bed, helping his partner take his shirt off. As soon as the garment hit the floor, Simon sat up and pulled at Wille’s shirt.

“Off,” he mumbled against Wille’s lips. His partner obliged, helping Simon as he took the prince’s shirt off. Soon enough, it joined Simon’s on the floor. The pile of clothes grew bigger and bigger as they went, grasping and pulling at any cloth barriers between them. When Wille finally bottomed out, Simon let out a moan, only to be met by a hand rather aggressively covering his mouth.

“Quiet, Simme,” Wille warned. His partner reached to pull his hand away, which only led to a play fight for control. The heat of the moment and their lust gave way to a more playful mood. All of their energy seized when their lips met. They melted into each other. Simon’s hands went to caress Wilhelm’s hair as the prince rolled into him at a teasing pace. Both teens stilled when the sound of a door shutting rang through the silent house, signaling Linda’s return from work.

“Simon?”

“Yes, mamá!” Simon shouted, nearly suffocating his laughing partner by shoving him into the pillow.

“How was your lunch?” Linda’s question had the teens sharing a look.

“It was good! We’re already in bed!” Wille replied. Simon jabbed him in the side, causing him to flinch and flop with all of his weight on Simon.

“Ow, fuck,” Simon groaned.

“Everything ok?” Linda asked.

“Yes!” Wille shouted back. “Goodnight!

“Please don’t come in here,” Simon whispered, mostly to himself. Wille heard it and laughed nervously, shifting so his weight was off of his smaller partner.

“Goodnight!” Linda said. And then, the house fell silent once again.

Chapter Text

“Simon!”

“Over here!”

“Simon!”

Pulling his hood over his head, Simon kept his gaze forward just like Farima had told him to. The protective shield of his hoodie did nothing to muffle the shouts of the paparazzi.

“Simon!”

“Mr. Eriksson!”

“A quick word!”

“Simon, over here!”

Two words kept swirling in his mind. His racing thoughts kept throwing them into focus. No comment.

His guards protected him from both sides, preventing any desperate hands from touching him and the microphones from being shoved in his face. He did his best to keep his eyes trained forward, focusing on his destination. After what felt like hours, he climbed into the back of the black SUV waiting for him. The click of the door shutting behind him helped muffle the paparazzi’s assault. The tinted windows only blurred the flashes of their cameras. He kept his hood up and his eyes down. It was only when the SUV left his neighborhood en route to Hillerska’s campus that he could finally breathe.

💜👑💜

His phone chimed loudly, the screen lighting up where it rested on the desk.

Rolling out of his blanket cocoon, the Crown Prince reached for his phone. Simon had just left his dorm five minutes prior, making him concerned when he saw a notification with his partner’s contact. Wille frowned as he read Simon’s text. He rolled back in his bed, wrapping his blanket even tighter.

From: Simme

“Why can’t they just leave us alone?”

Half-awake, Wille sighed and stretched before responding.

To: Simme

Just ignore them.

...

As the three dots appeared, Wille breathed deep. Simon’s scent swirled into his nose from the bedspread. It was already beginning to lose his partner’s scent. His absence the last two night have left the young prince restless and hopelessly alone. The chime on his phone had his mind jerking back to reality. 

From: Simme

You say that like it’s easy.

Wille could practically hear the snarkiness in Simon’s text.

To: Simme

I know it’s not. I’m sorry.

From: Simme

Stop saying sorry.

After typing his response, Wille smiled before hitting send.

To: Simme

Sorry.

From: Simme

You’re an idiot.

To: Simme

I love you too <3

When Simon didn’t respond, Wille reopened Instagram. It only took a little bit of scrolling until he saw a picture of them on his explore page. They were walking out of Forest Ridge. Based on their outfits in the picture, it was taken yesterday. A spark of annoyance ran through his body. Wasn’t the campus supposed to be secure? At least it was a good picture of both of them. Looking at himself in the image, he agreed with Simon that he had indeed gotten taller.

Just as Wille was about to fall back asleep, his phone chimed.

From: Simme

We’re almost there.

Sending a heart emoji, Wille rolled out of bed.

💜👑💜

“Hey,” Wille said, wrapping his arms around Simon’s waist from behind. Simon jolted at the sudden embrace.

“Hey,” Simon smiled. He closed his locker, turning the key to lock it. Wille nuzzled his face into Simon’s neck, letting out a content sigh. Pocketing his keys, Simon snuck a glance around them. He felt heat rising in his cheeks. “People are looking.”

“They’re just jealous that I have such a beautiful boyfriend,” Wille whispered into his neck.

“Shut up,” Simon laughed. Wille’s heart soared at the sound. He begrudgingly released Simon when we asked. Rolling his eyes at Wille’s frown, Simon whispered, “Come on.”

Wille took the hand Simon offered him, letting the tenor lead him into the music room. This classroom was quickly becoming their room. The one where they had flirted like schoolyard children, fought, made up, and had nearly been caught doing things that were way beyond the acceptable boundaries of PDA. Letting go of his partner’s hand, Wille shut the door behind them. Despite the small window in the door, he immediately felt safe from the peering eyes of their classmates.

Turning from the door, Wille’s eyes immediately found Simon. His partner was letting his fingers dance along the keys of the piano with only a few keys getting barely enough pressure to let out a note. The window behind Simon silhouetted him in the morning light, casting beautiful shadows across his face and making a halo around his dark curls. Wille went to stand behind him, resuming his embrace from earlier. He felt Simon caress the arms around his waist before he returned to playing with the piano. Wille turned his head to place a quiet kiss on Simon’s neck. For a moment or two, they were together without the prying eyes of others looming around them. They spent their moment of peace in the music room breathing in sync, the warmth of their bodies bringing them comfort in the otherwise brisk morning.

The shrill chime of the bell broke them from their quiet embrace. What was once the muffled background noise of their classmates soon became an assault of noise as students made their way to their first class.

A minute passed before Simon spoke. “We should go.” The tone of his voice conflicted with his words, telling Wille that he would gladly stay here if he could. When the prince made no effort to move, Simon moved for them. “Let’s go.” He wrenched the prince’s arms from his waist before moving to pick up his backpack.  

Groaning, Wille straightened up. Trading his embrace for Simon’s hand in his, the prince led his partner to the door. Turning the handle and pulling the door open, Wille led his partner into the loud halls of Hillerska.  

💜👑💜

“Ugh, that was so boring. Did you see that Henry fell asleep?”

Wille nodded, laughing along with Simon. After a while, his partner settled down a bit. He adjusted his backpack strap on his shoulder before swinging their joined hands between them. They finished descending the stairs from the main building and started toward the quad. Turning onto the final staircase, they headed toward Forest Ridge. The tall walls on either side of the steps prevented them from seeing what they were about to walk into.

“Crown Prince!”

“Mr. Eriksson!”

“A few moments of your time!”

“Your Highness!”

“Simon! Over here!”

“Crown Prince!”

Wille heard the mob of reporters before he saw them. The moment their feet hit the bottom of the steps, they were surrounded by the safe barrier of their security detail, who swiftly created a wall around them to prevent the reporters from getting any closer. Through the gaps between their bodyguards’ bodies, he saw their cameras, the flashes of pictures being taken, microphones being shoved as close as possible, and the eager faces of the paparazzi.

“Where are we going?” Malin asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the shouting media mongers.

“Forest Ridge,” Simon replied, grabbing Wille’s hand. The prince could tell that his partner was incredibly tense. Of course, he was used to the paparazzi, but this was a new level. Ever since his coming out speech, as the media had called it, the reporters had become a whole lot braver and a whole lot more invasive.

They continued on their path to the dorm building. When they reached the steps, Malin reached for the door and ushered them inside ahead of her.

“Holy shit,” Simon sighed once the door closed behind them. Two of their guards lagged back at the front door while Malin continued with them up the stairs. “You’d think we’re celebrities or something.”

“With all due respect, you kind of are,” Malin responded. An expression of shock flickered across her face, telling Simon that she hadn’t thought before she spoke. Simon laughed, easing her concerns over breach of protocol. He was glad she felt safe with them to speak her mind once and a while.

“Upstairs?” Wille offered. At Simon’s nod, the couple headed up the old stairwell, Malin in tow. The rest of the guards stayed put, framing the doorway like some kind of black-tie suits of armor.

When they reached the turn in the stairs, Wille stopped short, pulling Simon to a halt. August caught himself before walking into them. He leaned against the handrail, his usual smirk on his face.

“Let us through,” Simon snapped.

“Calm down, socialist.” Wille noted that August’s stupid tone was even stupider than his stupid face.

Not trusting himself to respond in a “cordial” tone, Wille pulled Simon forward. He pushed past August, making sure to bump his shoulder, and led his partner up the stairs.

“Nice seeing you.”

August fake remark went ignored by the two teens as they kept walking.

💜👑💜

The dorm’s door had barely shut when Simon threw himself on the bed. Wille smiled at his antics while he locked the door. He threw his bag onto the floor next to Simon’s before joining him on the bed. Simon scooted toward the wall before grabbing Wille’s arm and pulling it over his waist. Settling against Simon’s back, Wille felt his chest relax since seeing August in the stairwell. He traced nonsensical patterns on the thin strip of exposed skin between Simon’s shirt and the waistband of his pants.

“Ok?” Wilhelm asked. Simon hummed in agreement. “Simme?”

“I’m fine,” Simon replied. Now, it was Wilhelm’s time to hum in agreement. There was a beat of silence as they lay together. Eventually, their breathing became synchronized. Muffled voices came from the hallway, but neither one of them worried with Malin on the other side of the door.

“Simme?” Wille asked again. Simon didn’t respond. Based on his partner’s breathing, Wille knew his partner wasn’t sleeping. After a while, he got a response.

“Yeah.” Wille felt his heart skip a beat when he heard the choked response. He shifted onto his elbow to look at his partner. Thick tears had left tracks on Simon’s cheek, his watery eyes trained on the wall in front of him almost angrily.

“What happened?” Wille asked. He winced at his urgent tone. Not the best choice when dealing with Simon when he was emotional.

“Nothing,” Simon replied.

“Simme, you can tell—”

“Nothing, Wille! Nothing happened.” Simon sighed before sitting up. Wille followed suit, grabbing Simon’s hand, but his partner pulled it free. “Nothing happened. I walked out of my house and had to go through a crowd of reporter to get to the fucking car. We left class and everyone wanted pictures and tried to ask questions. Every time I open my fucking phone, I see pictures of us, videos of us, and then we walk into the one fucking person who took a video of us and showed it to the whole fucking world. We—”

“Simon, slow down,” Wille said, reaching to grab his hand again. “Breathe.”

“I can’t breathe, Wille! They won’t leave us alone!” Simon’s bright eyes shone with fresh tears. Wille pulled their joined hands into his lap, using his free hand to wipe the tears that had fallen down his partner’s cheek.

“I know.” Simon met his. Wilhelm went to add more, but he was at a loss for words. “I know.”

“We didn’t do anything wrong. We didn’t do anything. And they won’t leave us alone.”

Their eyes met. Wilhelm wiped the round of new tears that fell.

“I know.”

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yes, Wille,” Simon nearly whined. “I’m ok.”

“Are you sure? It’s ok to not be ok, Simme.”

“Ok, Boris,” Simon teased. At Wille’s blank look, Simon sighed. “I’m fine. It’s just a lot and I’ll get used to it.”

“Ok,” Wille said, taking his partner’s hand. “But if you need anything—”

“I know,” Simon said, cutting him off before giving the prince a kiss. “Let’s go.”

As they followed Malin to the stairwell, Wilhelm kept watch over Simon through his periphery. Simon had been a wreck last night. They had nearly had their first real fight, which had scared the Crown Prince. Wille knew his partner didn’t express his emotions like he did, but he was trying to walk the fine line between supporting him and giving him space. When the tears had dried and they had sat in silence for about an hour, Simon finally relaxed and thanked Wille for his help. Despite a sound sleep for both teens, Wille couldn’t help but think about Simon’s words the night before: We didn’t do anything.

Wille knew what Simon meant, but, in the world’s eye, they had done everything. He had come out as the first publicly gay royal. They had gone against the Court’s wishes. He had practically disowned his own cousin. They had an illegal sexual video go viral. Wille had introduced Simon as his boyfriend for the whole of Sweden—the world—to hear. They had taken a stand against homophobic diplomats and idiotic regulations during the Christmas ball. Simon had changed Wille from the party-prince to who he was now. They had gone through the loss of Erik. They had fought their own parents to be together. They had done so much. But, to them, they had done what was right. They had done nothing. Nothing but loved each other, supported each other, and fought to stay with each other despite everything being thrown at them.

Wilhelm admires his partner. He adores his talent, his looks, and the way his eyes lit up when he smiles. He admires how he had supported his mother and sister when living with his father. He couldn’t comprehend how Simon had grown to be the caring, talented person he had come to love and adore. Despite all odds, despite everything thrown Simon’s way, he was beautiful. Wille knew that him being in Simon’s life had made everything harder. He knew that it was harder for both of them. It had thrown their completely different worlds upside down. In good ways and in bad ways. Wille knew that he wouldn’t change it for the world. He hardly recognizes himself when he thinks about his past. He hardly recognizes anything before he met Simon. He couldn’t imagine a world without him. But seeing Simon cry last night had cut him deep. He saw the dark side of being royal consume his partner and threaten to make him crumble. Wille didn’t know how, but he would make sure that never happens again.

Simon hummed softly as they descended the steps. Wille recognized some of it as the song Simon had begun to write last week. It was really still only a melody, but to Wille, it was a masterpiece.

“I’ll wait outside,” Malin said once they had reached the dining room. The familiar smells of breakfast and the familiar sounds of rowdy teenagers filled Wille’s senses as he was pulled from his thoughts and thrown back to the present.

They had barely crossed the threshold of the entryway when August spoke.

“About time the royal couple graced us with their presence.”

Wille only had enough time to think of seven ways to kill August with items in the room before Simon replied.

“Shut up, August.” Teasing and immature oooo’s erupted across the room. “No,” Simon said, releasing Wilhelm’s hand. “Shut the fuck up, August. You’re nothing. You’ve been disowned by the royal family, you’re cut from the line of succession, your family’s too broke to pay tuition without Wilhelm’s donation, and you mean nothing. So, unless you are making a public confession that it was you who illegally recorded and distributed a video of minors to the entire fucking world, you need to shut the fuck up. You don’t talk to Wilhelm. You don’t talk to me. You don’t talk down to us when you’re nothing to us. You don’t get to. You’ve lost that right, just like you’ve lost everything else. So, shut the fuck up and eat your food.”

Simon paused for a breath before adding, “And the next time you address Wilhelm, you do it with a bow and say Your Highness. You should know that by now and the fact that you don’t is why you mean absolutely nothing to him and the royal family.”

Their classmates fell silent as Simon’s words filled the room. During Simon’s hate-filled rant, August had grown smaller and smaller in his chair. When he finished, there was an uncomfortable silence. August’s eyes were downcast, and it looked like the rest of their classmates were practically watching ping-pong, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Simon seemed to settle after a few moments of August's stunned silence. He straightened and grabbed Wilhelm’s hand together before addressing the rest of the room. “And yes. We’re together. He’s the Crown Prince, and I’m a non-resident who isn’t anything like any of you. But we’re people. Not things to be gawked at or take pictures of. We did nothing to you. We’re just trying to live our lives. So let us do that.”

Simon didn’t wait for any responses before turning to the breakfast spread. When he turned his back to their classmates, the room began to settle again. Tense attempts at conversations started to emerge, and many of their classmates went back to eating. The upperclassmen looked to August, but got nothing from the boy. Wille waited until he turned with Simon to smile, sharing an adoring look with Simon, who just shrugged before taking a bite of his toast.

💜👑💜

“I can’t believe you,” Wille said. “You’re amazing!”

At Simon’s words, Wilhelm dragged Simon down to lay with him on the grass. They were in their spot by the lake, just private enough to make them feel safe, and just cold enough to freeze their asses off. They had found their spot after classes let out for the day. Simon laughed as Wille play-tackled him to the ground, kissing him between each of his words. “Amazing. Brave. Adorable. So. Fucking. Hot.”

Simon laughed before rolling them, landing on top of the prince. He shut his partner up with a kiss before he could embarrass himself further. Wille felt his heart stop as their lips met. It happened every time they kissed. Every time, sparks flew, his brain whirled with color and flashes of what could be. Every time, his heart stopped for just a moment before beating even stronger than before. He felt Simon’s hands run through his hair, pulling him somehow even closer than before. Wille smiled against Simon’s lips as they parted. Both of them were breathing heavier than before. Their bodies stayed close, their fingers stilled, grabbing onto each other.

“You’re amazing,” Wille repeated, his soft words barely reaching Simon’s ears. The tenor smiled, light filling his deep eyes. Wille let himself get lost in it, but only for a moment. “Marry me.”

The words slipped out without a thought. He regretted them before he even finished saying them. He regretted them not because he didn’t want it, but because he knew what Simon’s answer would be before he even opened his mouth.

“Wille, we’re seventeen,” Simon replied. Right on cue.

“Ok.” Wille thought for a moment. “Go to the ball with me?”

“You’re having another ball? Really?” Simon whined. He let his head fall onto Wilhelm’s chest before rolling onto his side. Wilhelm adjusted a bit so he could face his partner, their faces just inches apart.  

“No, Simme,” he laughed. “The Valentine’s ball.”

“Oh,” the tenor said, understanding filling his eyes. He shifted to rest his head on his hand, seeming to be deep in thought.

“You’re not honestly taking time to think about it, are you?” Wille teased, a half-smile forming on his face. Insecurity slithered from the back of his conscious, the cold claws of anxiety threatening to take control. Before it took hold, Simon rolled his eyes before smiling back.

“I wasn’t thinking about it, Wille,” Simon chastised lightly. “Of course I’ll go to the ball with you. My answer is always yes.” Anxiety’s claws subsided, letting the prince breathe again.

“Good. Ok.” Wille winced at his awkward, fumbling response. Simon’s smile grew before he threw himself back at Wille. The contact knocked the wind out of the prince, their kiss drawing what little air he had left out of his lungs. Wille felt his heart skip a familiar beat before pulling his partner even closer.

💜👑💜

“What the hell? Why aren’t you dressed up?”

Simon laughed as he closed the dorm door behind him. Wilhelm’s brows furrowed as he looked at his partner’s outfit. Simon looked beautiful (as always), but was not dressed in the formal garb he was currently in. His Hille suit looked freshly laundered, and his blazer was still too big for him despite Wille’s tailor trying to convince him to let him at it. It was a stark difference between the blue traditional wear and wig that Wille was sporting.

“I’m in the choir. We have to wear our uniforms,” Simon replied, crossing the small space between the doorway and the bed. He gave Wilhelm a quick peck before giving him a once-over.

“Well, now I’m going to look stupid with you dressed like that,” Wille complained. He adjusted his (frankly uncomfortable) suit jacket.

“Nej,” Simon replied. “I think you look handsome.” Wilhelm watched his partner give him another appreciative once-over, his lips forming a cheeky smile and his cheeks flushing a bit.

“What, does this turn you on?” the prince teased, grabbing Simon’s waist to pull him closer

“Shut up,” Simon laughed. Wilhelm responded with a kiss before traveling to Simon’s bare neck. The tenor tilted his head to grant him access. Wilhelm let his hands roam from his partner’s waist to his bottom, pulling him closer.

“Wille,” Simon said, nearly breathless. “We have to go.”

The reminder fell on deaf ears as Wilhelm continued his ministrations. It wasn’t until Simon pulled at his wig that he let go.

“Let’s go, amor,” the tenor said firmly. He grabbed the prince’s hand, turning toward the door.

“Wait! Wait,” Wilhelm said as he pulled Simon to a stop. He took a few moments to straighten Simon’s tie and pull his blazer back to the proper spot. After he had finished, he gave Simon a kiss. “There. Beautiful.”

Simon rolled his eyes, but his flushed cheeks betrayed him as he opened the door.

When they arrived at the ballroom, the music had already started. Crowds of their classmates were already on the dance floor. Few eyes turned when they entered hand-in-hand. They took some time to take in the decorations and spread of food. Thankfully, only Felice came up to them after their entrance.

“Oh my God, you’re so cute!” she exclaimed, smiling as she looked at Wille.

The prince smiled as he took in her outfit, replying with an awkward, “Thanks. You too.”

“Wanna dance?” Felice asked. She squealed as they agreed, pulling them both onto the dance floor.

Chapter Text

Wilhelm was thrust out of his dream by the sound of a familiar voice. He joined the land of the living just in time to catch the middle of Simon’s song.

“Feliz cumpleaños at tí. Feliz cumpleaños, mí Wille. Feliz cumpleaños a tí.”

Wille’s heart warmed as he took in his partner. As he sang, Simon’s eyes lit up beautifully, his thin fingers holding a homemade cupcake, topped with a flickering candle. This was better than any dream he could think of. Well, maybe not, but this one was definitely more wholesome.

At the end of his song, Simon sat on the edge of the prince’s bed. Wilhelm shifted to sit up, pulling his blanket up self-consciously before he even thought about it. He knew it was stupid, but he supposed it was his tired mind registering that Simon was fully dressed while he was just in his boxers and a thin shirt. He gave his partner a kiss before looking at the cupcake between them. He took a moment to close his eyes, settling on a wish before blowing out the candle. The flame extinguished quickly, leaving a thin string of smoke swirling between them. The fudgy, rich taste of chocolate filled his senses as he took a bite of the cupcake.

“Aren’t you going to tell me what you wished for?”

“Nej,” Wilhelm said to Simon, shaking his head. “Then it won’t come true.”

There was a comfortable silence for a moment before Simon honest-to-God giggled. The rare sound made the prince look up from his treat. The tenor was looking at him fondly, his eyes lighting up as he laughed. Before Wille could finish chewing, Simon reached out to him. Wille felt his partner’s finger swipe across his nose and watched as it retreated, covered in buttercream. A flicker of embarrassment barely had time to surface before it was wiped away as he watched Simon. The buttercream-covered finger was engulfed by his partner’s lips before reemerging perfectly clean. In what was probably a thoughtless, innocent gesture on Simon’s part, Wilhelm felt his blood run south and his heart warm. He covered up his teenaged stupidity by taking another bite of his cupcake.

As he ate, Simon kept himself entertained by combing through Wilhelm’s bedraggled fringe before playing with his partner’s free hand. When the prince had finished off his treat, their eyes met before they shared another soft kiss.

“I got you a present,” Simon murmured against the prince’s lips.

“Wasn’t that my present already?”

“Nope,” Simon replied, smiling affectionately. He twisted to dig through his bag, which he had gently placed on the floor before waking the birthday boy. After fighting with the other contents of his school bag, he was able to lift out a small gift bag. It was a soft purple with the image of a birthday cake on the front, and the top was stuffed with white tissue paper adorned with rainbow hearts. Wilhelm thanked him as he was offered the bag. He was gentle in pulling the paper out, revealing a small, wrapped object in the bottom of the bag.

“Wait. Open the card first,” Simon said softly. At Wille’s sleep-driven confusion, he helped the prince find the card hiding on the other side of the tissue paper. Wilhelm set the bag down to open the handmade card. When he opened it, he felt a smile grow across his face. On the left side of the card was a picture of the two of them. It was a selfie taken on one of their dates. He remembered the night like it was yesterday. They had gotten a quiet, corner booth at the local pizza place. It was a quaint place, but Simon’s favorite. It was the first date where they had felt brave enough to sit on the same side of the booth, holding hands as they enjoyed their meal. The picture was nestled into sloppy, but lovingly homemade slots in the card. This gave Wilhelm the option to remove it if he wanted. He chose to leave it in for now, content to trace the lines of their smiling faces fondly.

On the right side of the card was a small note, which Wilhelm read silently.

Happy Birthday, Wille

Thank you for being my best friend and the love of my life. You make every day brighter and have shown me what true happiness is. I hope your birthday today is as amazing as you are.

Love,

Simon

“I love it. Thank you,” Wille said after closing the card. Simon shrugged, but the tint of blush on his cheeks betrayed his feigned nonchalance.

Wilhelm put the card onto the desk next to them before turning his attention to the wrapped object in his bag. He ripped through the small piece of tape holding the tissue paper together, unwinding the layers of tissue to reveal what hid inside. In the mess of tissue laid a small box. It was deep blue, much like the new suit jacket Wilhelm had gotten from his parents. Its surface was a plush velvet with shining, gold hinges on one side. It looked very much like a jewelry box. In truth, it looked like a ring box.

Wille gave Simon a contemplating look. At Simon’s shockingly effective poker face, the prince opened the box, willing his fingers not to shake as he did. The top lifted to reveal a silver ring nestled in a satin bed. Giving Simon another glance, Wille picked up the ring. Its elegantly twisted, silver band shown as it hit the dim lamp’s light. The ring had two beautifully swirling bands of silver, accented with sparkling diamonds. Wilhelm felt his heart skip a beat as he slid it onto his ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

“It’s a promise,” Simon said softly.

His words echoed the prince’s exact explanation during this past Christmas. Wilhelm felt the duality of this moment, bringing back the memory of giving Simon a promise ring. It had been a nerve-wracking move on the prince’s part, nearly overwhelmed with anxiety. To think that Simon was now returning the gesture made Wilhelm’s heart swell. Realizing his lack of response, Wille went to thank his partner for the intimate gift. When he went to speak, words failed him. He settled with giving his partner a deep kiss, hoping the move would communicate what he couldn’t with words.

“I’m glad it fits,” Simon laughed as they parted. “I couldn’t measure it while you slept like you did. The second I would try to move away, you would wake up.”

“Shut up,” Wilhelm laughed, feeling his cheeks heat. Simon laughed again before kissing him. Before long, Wilhelm moved the gift bag to the side and pulled the tenor closer. The soft sound it made as it hit the floor was left ignored as Simon climbed on top of Wilhelm, deepening their kiss. Wille rolled them over so he was on top, pushing his partner into the mattress and feeling thin fingers entangle in his hair. Happy birthday, indeed.  

💜👑💜

“I told you we’d miss breakfast,” Simon whined. Wilhelm groaned at the empty dining room of Forest Ridge, hating that his partner was somehow always right. He wished that the dining staff would keep breakfast out later on the weekends. After all, teenagers usually slept in unless they were determined enough to get to class on time in the mornings. But on the weekends, all bets were off. Wilhelm remembered one of his first weekends on campus where he had woken up at 1 in the afternoon. This morning, however, he was grateful to have been woken up. Their current predicament was due to their inability to keep their hands off each other and the startling recuperation time of adolescent bodies.

“Well, now what?” Simon complained. The only reason they had emerged from Wilhelm’s dorm was the promise of food and Simon’s grumbling stomach. Wille had eaten his birthday cupcake, but that was a long time ago and he was starting to feel the first signs of hunger.

“Wanna go back upstairs?” Wilhelm only half-joked.

“Ugh,” Simon scoffed. “You’re ridiculous.”

“What happened to happy birthday, mí amor?” Wilhelm teased, his imitation of this morning’s greeting doing nothing to sway his disgruntled partner.

“Come on,” Simon replied, grabbing his partner’s hand. The prince let himself be led blindly out of the dining hall, falling in step so they walked down the hallway together.

“Where are we going?” Wilhelm asked.

“Home.”

Wille felt himself smile at the word, suddenly craving the warm coziness of the Eriksson home. He knew it wasn’t his true home, but it may as well have been. His room in the palace had never been his own, he had hardly given a personal touch to his Hillerska dorm. He had never felt settled. But in the small, suburban home with a delicious-smelling kitchen, worn sofa, and cramped but comfortable bed, Wilhelm felt at home.

Despite the last-minute text to Malin, the black SUV was waiting for them outside of Forest Ridge. A few classmates were hanging around the front door, but Wilhelm saw that the curious glances and stares were far less than normal. He supposed the nuance of their relationship had worn off by now, but he’s sure Simon’s lecture toward August had helped as well. For now, the prince was just glad they were being treated like they were normal.

He let Simon crawl into the back first, ignoring his partner’s bickering about proper protocol. The second he closed the door, Simon relaxed against Wilhelm’s side. It made it more difficult for the prince to put his seatbelt on, but he wasn’t complaining. He felt his partner snuggle into him further with a yawn. By the time they were halfway to Bjärstad, Simon was sound asleep. Wilhelm adjusted slightly to support his partner in case there was a bump or harsh turn, placing a kiss in the mess of soft curls nestled on his shoulder.

Simon woke just as they pulled up to his house, sparing Wilhelm the tough job of waking him. The tenor straightened up, stretching and smiling at his partner when he caught Simon’s yawn.

“Do you want to come in with us?” Wilhelm asked, looking at Malin through the rear-view mirror.

“Not this time, but thank you. I’m going to make some calls. I’ll be right here if you need me,” the blond woman said, smiling at Wilhelm’s thoughtfulness to include her.

“Can I make you a coffee?” Simon asked. “It’s the least I can do for making you drive us so early.”

“It’s hardly early,” Malin laughed. “But yes, that would be great.”

Simon nodded before nearly pushing Wilhelm out of the seat. Hand-in-hand, they walked up the path to the front door. Simon knocked out of courtesy before unlocking it. They walked into a darkened hall, but quickly found Linda in the kitchen making her own coffee.

“Good morning!” Linda said cheerily. “I didn’t know you were coming home today.”

“Wilhelm made us miss breakfast,” Simon replied, earning a sharp elbow in his side. “Ow.”

“Oh, you’re fine,” Wilhelm teased, taking the offered mug of coffee from Linda. He rolled his eyes as Simon feigned injury before giving into the promise of fresh-brewed coffee. He poured two mugs, quickly disappearing to run one out to Malin.

“Happy Birthday, cariño. I didn’t know you’d be here this morning,” Linda said, leaning on the counter. “Did you enjoy your cupcake?”

“Yeah, it was really good! Thanks,” Wilhelm said.

“Thank Simon. He insisted on making it himself,” Linda smiled.

“Oh, I did,” Wilhelm replied, much too quickly. At Linda’s knowing look, he blushed before changing the subject. “Any plans for today?”

“Well, I’m on call, but heard it’s a slow day so far. I was planning on doing some cleaning and laundry. What about you?”

“Breakfast first,” Wilhelm said, feeling hunger set in further. “After that, I’m not sure.”

“Ok. Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

Wilhelm felt his heart warm as Linda smiled at him. He finished the last of his coffee before grabbing her mug to wash it with his own. Simon reappeared with his own empty mug.

“Want to make breakfast?” the tenor asked. Linda smiled and Wilhelm nodded. After setting their mugs to dry, they set to work making their meal.  

💜👑💜

“What do you mean you’re not on campus? I have your gift!”

Wilhelm cringed at Felice’s disappointed tone. “I’m sorry. We missed breakfast so we went to Bjärstad to make some.”

“But Wille!” Felice whined.

“What if we have Malin pick her up. Would you like that?” Simon asked softly, his fingers combing through his partner’s hair. He was sitting on the sofa, the prince’s head resting in his lap. The phone lay on Wille’s chest, Felice’s voice on speaker phone. Wille nodded before repeating the question to Felice. She agreed immediately, of course, and Wilhelm sent a quick text to Malin. After making sure it was ok, Wilhelm spoke again.

“Ok, Malin is heading your way now.”

“Alright! I need to get ready. I’ll see you soon, lovebirds.” Before they could respond, Felice ended the call, no doubt going to primp before Malin arrived on campus. Wilhelm closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle tracks of Simon’s fingers through his hair. It wasn’t long before his phone buzzed again. He opened his eyes and lifted his phone. Now, there were 37 notifications from Instagram. No doubt random accounts wishing him a happy birthday or liking his post that had been lovingly crafted by Farima.

“Ugh, they won’t stop.”

“Of course not. It’s your birthday. That’s kind of a big deal around here,” Simon laughed, his loving appreciation of Wilhelm’s hair never stopping. Wilhelm’s phone buzzed again before he could respond to his partner. This notification, however, was different from the others and that certainly drew his attention away from Simon’s gentle hand.

Instagram

simon.eriksson tagged you in a post.

“Oh, come on,” Wilhelm whined. It only took seconds before a new wave, even stronger than the first, filled his notification center.

“Don’t complain. It’s a good picture and I even got Farima’s approval.” Simon’s hand stilled as he chastised his partner, who took the opportunity to grab his hand and pull it to his chest. Wilhelm’s eyes closed again, his thumb gently caressing Simon’s hand. The tenor smiled before adding, “It’s your birthday. You deserve the praise.”

“It’s my first birthday without Erik,” Wilhelm said softly. Simon felt his heart skip a beat. He hadn’t thought about that element of today.

“He would have liked my picture. And posted his own,” Simon replied jokingly. He was hoping that his truthful response would bring a smile to the Wille’s face. As always, he saw he was right when a small smile formed on his partner’s lips.

“Yeah. He would have.” Wilhelm’s wistful tone told Simon he was lost in thought, a world of what ifs swirling behind his closed eyelids.

Before Simon thought of his response, he was quite literally saved by the bell. As soon as the doorbell rang, Wille jumped up and untangled himself from his partner. Once he was vertical, he made his way to the front door. He hardly had a chance to open it the whole way before he was engulfed in a tight hug.

“Happy Birthday, Wille!” Felice said, kissing his cheek as they parted. She gave him a fond look before her eyes shifted to behind the prince. “And Simon! Great post! Very well said.”

“Thanks,” Simon said, his cheeks heating before he too was wrapped up in a hug.

“The party’s here!”

All three teens looked toward the door again. Ayub and Rosh were at the door. Wilhelm gave Simon a look, but he was met with a cheeky smirk. So much for not making a big deal about today. Ayub gave the prince a half-hug before pushing past him to talk to Simon.

Rosh pulled him into a hug, saying, “Happy Birthday.”

“Dude,” Ayub said to Simon. “Your post has 800 likes and you literally just posted it.”

“I know. It’s crazy,” Simon replied. His tone made Wilhelm look at his partner. Simon was still walking that fine line between accepting and hating the amount of attention he got now that he was a public figure. Wille knew that Simon cherished Instagram, carefully crafting each picture and video before posting it. The prince was glad that (nearly) everyone had fallen in love with Simon. He had quite a consistent following, mainly made up of teenaged girls swooning over every post he made.

“I’m going to get a drink. Anyone want one?” Rosh asked. After taking everyone’s order, she set off to the kitchen. Wilhelm followed, needing a bit of space from all the sudden attention.

“Coke?” Rosh asked. He nodded, thanking her as she gave him one. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” Wilhelm half-lied.

“You sure?”

Rosh hadn’t taken to Wilhelm as quickly as Ayub had. At the beginning she had been wary of him, giving him quite the threatening lecture of what would happen if he ever hurt Simon. Over time, however, they had formed a tentative friendship. Wilhelm knew they were both doing so only to appease Simon.

“I’m not the biggest fan of birthdays,” Wilhelm explained. Especially this one, he thought.

“Oh, it’s your first one without Erik.” Rosh’s reply had told him he had said that part out loud.

“Yeah,” Wille replied awkwardly. “You need a hand?”

Rosh accepted his quick change of subject, nodding and handing Wilhelm some of the drinks to deliver to their friends.

When the rejoined the others, they found that they had been fighting over what movie to watch on Netflix. “Wille should choose. He’s the birthday boy.” At Felice’s statement, both Simon and Ayub settled down, looking at the prince.

“Simon wants horror,” Ayub said quickly.

“Absolutely not.” Wille’s fast response made the girls in the room laugh.

“Fine,” Simon smiled after taking a sip of his drink. “You pick.” He scooted over to let Wilhelm share the cushion with him. Wille ignored the antics of his friends as he skimmed through the movies, landing on a movie that no one objected to after what seemed like hours.

💜👑💜

“Wille, your phone!” Simon called out. Wilhelm cursed as he realized he had left it in the kitchen while he helped Rosh with drinks. He only made it halfway to the kitchen when Simon met him in the middle. The tenor held out his phone, showing Wille the numerous missed calls from his father.

He tried to call Ludvig back, plugging his free ear to drown out the sounds of Ayub and Felice talking in the next room.

“Wilhelm! Come look!”

“Wille!”

The prince moved to the kitchen, Simon following with confusion. With a little more distance between them and their friends, Wilhelm could hear his father’s voicemail come through for the third time.

“Guys!” Ayub’s loud voice made them both look. The teen was standing at the doorway of the living room. “You need to come see this.”

Simon grabbed Wilhelm’s hand tightly, leading the prince across the small dining area and into the living room. The news was on, and their three friends were practically glued to the screen.

A middle-aged man was reporting, sitting stiffly at the news desk. A video of an ambulance and crowds of people in the streets was framed behind him. What grabbed Wilhelm’s attention, however, wasn’t the obviously fake toupee the reporter was wearing. It was the headline.

QUEEN KRISTINA RUSHED TO HOSPITAL. ROYAL COURT HAS YET TO MAKE STATEMENT.

Chapter Text

Ludvig stood up from his chair as soon as Wilhelm entered. Simon followed shortly after and the man had just a moment to nod to the tenor before his son spoke.

“Where is she?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down.” Ludvig grabbed Wilhelm’s arm, centering the Crown Prince as he spoke. His tone was calm, but he looked tired.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure, exactly. We were eating dinner one moment, and the next she was struggling to breathe and felt chest pain.” Wilhelm settled, making the man pat his son affectionately before letting him go.

“Where is she now?” the prince asked. Surely something was happening if they were being made to wait in an isolated wing of the hospital. He had to give the hospital staff credit for their “royal emergency protocol.” Their entrance had been lacking paparazzi or curious civilians, which was a significant difference to the swarms of people out front. He and Simon had been led swiftly into a secured wing of the hospital building. They had been escorted to an empty exam room, security stationed on all sides.

“The doctors are doing some scans to see what’s happening,” Ludvig explained. “They said they would update us when they could.”

“Ok, but what will—"

 “Wille,” Simon cut in, grabbing his partner’s arm. “Take a breath. I’m sure they’re doing everything they can.” The prince did as Simon said, sighing before finding the seat next to where his father had been waiting.

“We came as quick as we could,” Simon told Ludvig.

“I appreciate you being here,” the man smiled. Simon nodded before going to sit next to Wilhelm. Ludvig followed suit, and the waiting game began.

💜👑💜

“A heart attack?”

Wilhelm felt his own heart nearly give out after asking the question.

“No. Not a full-on heart attack. Her Majesty was experiencing the signs of one beginning to start. It’s good you got here when you did,” the doctor explained. When he was met with silence, the man continued. “We were able to get clear scans, and Her Majesty will be taken into surgery as soon as she is prepped. This should reduce the chance of this happening again”

“Thank you, doctor,” Ludvig replied. He looked tired.

“Of course, Your Highness,” the doctor said, bowing his head slightly. “Do you have any questions?” At Ludvig’s nod, the doctor walked with him to the other side of the room, talking animatedly. They spoke for a while before the doctor bowed his head again, leaving through the double doors he emerged from. Jan-Olof followed Ludvig to the next room over, giving the young couple a glance before closing the door behind him.

“A heart attack,” Wilhelm echoed. Simon followed a beat after, sitting close enough if Wilhelm needed him. The tenor saw his partner start to clench his hands, the prince’s breathing becoming more strained. To quell the impending panic, Simon reached out to hold Wilhelm’s hand in his own. It was shaking, but this lessened after a few moments. The prince wouldn’t meet his eyes, his gaze trained on the tile floor of the room.

“She’s going to be ok,” Simon said softly. His attempt to soothe his partner backfired almost immediately.

“How can you possibly know that?” Wilhelm snapped. He untangled his hand from his Simon’s, standing up in a rush and putting space between them. “Have you even met my family? Ok isn’t exactly part of the job description. She almost had a fucking heart attack. Don’t tell me she’s alright.”

“Wilhelm,” Malin chastised, but her reprimand fell on deaf ears.

Simon fought the urge to snap, doing his best to tame the spark of hurt Wilhelm’s tone provoked. “Wilhelm, what I meant was that the doctors are doing everything they can. She got here in time. You heard the doctor say that.”

“Yeah, and what if we didn’t?” Wilhelm asked. Simon hoped it was rhetorical. He didn’t exactly trust what would come out of his mouth.

“Calm down, Wilhelm,” Malin asserted. The young prince spun to face her, anger and anxiety visible in his stance. It did nothing to sway her. The woman put a hand on the prince’s shoulder, grounding him. “Sit. Drink this.”

Surprisingly, the Crown Prince listened. Wilhelm took the offered bottle of water before sitting down. Simon noticed that he sat two chairs away. Feeling someone’s gaze on him, he looked up. Malin gave him an apologetic look. It’s not you, the woman mouthed. This settled Simon a bit, but the tension in his shoulders remained. After Wilhelm settled, a tense silence filled the room.

Now, all they had to do was wait.

💜👑💜

“The surgery was a success,” the doctor smiled. Simon noticed he looked stressed. He guessed operating on the literal queen of Sweden could do that to you. “We feel strongly the graft we placed will prevent further cardiac episodes, but it will need to be monitored.”

“That’s great news,” Ludvig replied. The two of them exchanged a handshake. Simon could practically see a weight lift from both of their shoulders. “Can we see her?”

“Yes,” the doctor nodded. “This way.”

The doctor, Ludvig, Simon and Wilhelm, Jan-Olof, and three security guards went down the empty hall to an exam room at the end of the corridor. The doctor paused at the closed door, turning to address them.

“I do ask that you prepare yourself. Her Majesty is just out of surgery, so she may be a bit groggy. You’ll see her IV hooked up, and there will be bandages on her torso. After the visitors nodded, the doctor opened the door to let them in.

“You have some visitors, Your Highness.”

Wilhelm followed his father inside, thanking the doctor. Simon followed him, lingering by the door as the doctor gave them some privacy.  

“We were so worried,” Ludvig told Kristina softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than before,” the Queen sighed. She looked tired, but comfortable.

“The doctor said the surgery went well,” Ludvig smiled. Wilhelm watched as his mother nodded before taking his father’s hand. It looked like she might have fallen asleep.

“Oh my goodness!” Kristina said, her sudden exclamation making the others in the room jump. The Queen looked at Wilhelm. “It’s your birthday. Your birthday, Wilhelm.”

“It’s fine,” Wille replied softly, his response quite nearly automatic.

“It’s not,” Kristina said firmly. “We’ll have to celebrate soon. We will.” It seemed that each word she spoke was drawing energy from her.

“Yes, we will,” Ludvig agreed, his eyes meeting Wilhelm’s before he turned back to this wife. “Hush, now. How about you get some rest?”

“Yes. Ok,” the Queen said, sounding rather disappointed. “But don’t let us forget to celebrate as soon as we can.”

“I’ll be sure of it,” Ludvig replied.

“Ok good,” Kristina said. “Now all of you need to get some rest. You look awful, and I’m the one who just had surgery.” Her attempt at dark humor had them force a laugh.

“Ok, dear,” Ludvig said. “Make sure you hit the button if you need anything.” Kristina nodded before adjusting on her pillow. The three of them left the room, closing the door behind them.

“I have to make some calls” Ludvig told the boys. “Don’t go far.” At the teens’ nods, he smiled tiredly and slipped into the next room over. Not quite at her bedside, but not too far away either.

Wilhelm and Simon retraced their earlier steps, finding the exam room where they had first been waiting. Wilhelm held the door for his partner, closing it behind them. Simon chose a seat with a sigh before texting Linda with a quick update. Wilhelm stood uncomfortably at the door, watching the tenor sink into a chair, eyes trained on his phone. After a moment, the prince pushed away from the door and walked over to him. He took the seat next to his partner. Normally, this would cause Simon to lean into him or to join their hands together. This time, he got no response.

“I’m sorry,” the prince said softly.

“It’s ok,” Simon said, even softer.

“No. It’s not,” Wilhelm went to grab Simon’s hand, but the tenor moved it away. Wille really thought hard about his next words. “I was scared. And angry. And I took it out on you.”

“It’s ok,” Simon repeated.

“No, Simme. It’s not ok,” Wilhelm stressed, trying to keep his tone calm.

“I know you were scared. You had every right to be.”

“But that’s not a reason to take it out on you,” Wilhelm replied. He swallowed hard when he saw a hint of tears well up in his partner’s eyes. “You’re amazing. You organized this little party, and it was perfect. And now we’re...here...and you just came here with me. You held my hand. You spoke with my dad. You listened to the doctor. You put up with my bullshit.” Wilhelm paused as Simon laughed. “I’m sorry.”

Simon went to speak, but Wilhelm cut him off. “I swear, if you say it’s ok again—”

“I won’t. I promise,” Simon laughed, wiping the tears that fell as his eyes crinkled. Wilhelm was quick to wipe them before they marked Simon’s cheeks further.  Wilhelm felt the tightness in his chest loosen as Simon grabbed his hand as it retreated.

A moment of silence hung between them before Wille spoke. “I guess...” He breathed deep before continuing. “I guess I was just thinking...what if she wasn’t ok? What would happen to me? To us? I’d have to—I’d be King.” As he spoke his future title, he felt his chest tighten again. “And that all felt so real and so sudden. And I know I’ll be King one day, but I just—”

As his partner struggled for words, Simon’s gaze stayed trained on their joined hands before helping. “You weren’t ready for what it would mean if she wasn’t ok.”

Wilhelm wondered how Simon always knew what to say. “Yeah.”

“She’s going to be ok, and this surgery will help her heart be stronger,” Simon said firmly. The prince nodded, his gaze trained on his fingers tracing nonsensical patterns on the back of Simon’s hand with his thumb.

“I’m sorry,” Wille sighed. He scooted as close to Simon as his chair would allow. Simon, always a step ahead, leaned his head on the prince’s shoulder. This time, the silence between them was a comfortable one, the sounds of their breathing as it synchronized the only sound in the room.

💜👑💜

“I’m sorry your birthday was ruined,” Simon said, closing the door behind them. Wilhelm felt like had come home from another world, sinking down in Simon’s bed. He sighed deeply before replying.

“There’s always next year,” he replied in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Wille,” Simon scolded. The prince smiled before letting out a yawn. “Move over.”

“Hey, you have to be nice to me. It’s my birthday,” the prince said. Simon rolled his eyes before kicking off his shoes. He nearly forced the prince to make room, ignoring his partner’s complaints until he got comfortable.

“It’s your birthday,” Simon smiled before pressing a kiss to Wilhelm’s cheek.

“You missed,” the prince laughed.

“Oh my god, could you be more cliché?” Simon’s laugh was cut short by the prince’s lips meeting his. After the heat of kissing and some wandering hands settled down, the two of them snuggled into a comfortable embrace.

Wille had nearly fallen asleep when he heard Simon’s voice. “Wille?”

“Hm?” Wilhelm hummed.

“I have one more present for you.” Something about the way Simon said those words had the prince looking at him. 

“Yeah?” Wilhelm asked, wide awake now. He looked at Simon, whose cheeks flushed slightly.

“Yeah,” Simon said, nearly a whisper.

Wilhelm shushed Simon’s laugh as he shifted to crawl on top of the tenor. The prince took a moment to take in his partner’s beautiful face, haloed in the red light of the lava lamp. He swept a stray curl behind Simon’s ear, watching as the gesture made his partner smile. After what felt like forever, their lips met once again, and they were lost to the night.