Chapter Text
“oooookkkkkaaaay,” the party king finally sputtered after watching Sage’s man‑hawk clobber the franken‑sage into scattered chunks. A few seconds of stunned silence hung in the air before Julien snapped out of it.
“That’s my cue to check on Ted,” he announced, already bolting off before the others could shake free of their confusion stupor.
“You guys! Y’all got some work to do!” Julien bellowed, his voice sailing across the canopy in a sharp echo. That finally jolted Maurice out of his daze, and he scowled irritably.
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“URRRGGGH!!!” Julien groaned, annoyance simmering under his fur.
“TED!!! You’re supposed to distract Clover! How did you get yourself distracted?!” he cried out as his features tightened in frustration.
“I’m so sorry, your majesty, but how could I not? Look at this gorgeous wedding gown!” Ted said, gesturing dramatically toward the dress, palms splayed as if presenting a masterpiece (which it was, the gown truly was a masterpiece). He clearly hoped that would soothe the king.
It did not. Julien didn’t even spare the dress a glance, despite it sitting right in his peripheral vision. He just flicked his hands upward, head shaking in brisk dismissal.
“Never mind that. Ted, you should be keeping Clov—” Julien cut himself off, eyes sweeping Clover’s place. No aforementioned of the owner in it. No sign of her at all.
“Uh… where is she?” he asked.
“She isn’t here yet. Even when I came, the place was empty,” Ted replied.
“And you just let yourself in?” the king pressed; his tone edged with disbelief.
“HEY! I knocked first!” Ted protested, paws on his hips, offense sparking in his stance.
“And for a while, too!” he added. “No one came to the door, so I let myself in. I was going to callout to her, thinking she was sleeping in late after the bachelorette party she had last night”
His inflexible stance melted flexibly to a loosening nervous posture.
“Theeeennnnn the wedding gown caught my eye,” Ted admitted sheepishly, giving an awkward chuckle.
Julien stared at him; puzzled, a touch amused, but indignance held firm.
Then Julien blinked, his features sketching into a questioning look weaving alongside his vexedness.
“Wait… how did you get in?” asked the king.
“I have a spare key to Clover’s hut,” Ted replied, showing the key to Julien; it dangled from a ring set cluttered with other keys.
“Since I’m the assistant captain of the Ringtail Guards, Clover gave it to me in case of emergencies. And I only use it for emergencies. Not for coming into her hut to read her self‑published fantasy novels. Nothing like that. Nothing of that sort,” Ted added quickly.
Julien’s features eased just a fraction, but the indignation remained stubbornly strong.
Some of Ted’s earlier attitude crept back in. “I don’t want to get on your case, your highness, but… may I ask why you’re here?” he asked, politely pointed.
Julien’s earlier edge dropped entirely as embarrassment prickled through him like goosebumps. “I was here to check on you, actually,” he replied flusteredly.
“Oh,” Ted said, genuinely surprised and feeling a bit bad for how rudely he’d asked the king. “Well, you can check that off your to‑do list and be on your merry way then,” he added brightly.
Julien’s demureness blinked out, his mood brightening with no trace of earlier harshness.
“Alright then, Ted. I’m gonna head back to the guys. Remember, Ted. Keep Clover distracted. Not you distracted. Got it?” said Julien.
“Roger that, King J!” Ted replied with a serious face, straightening his back and giving a salute.
Julien nodded with matching seriousness, turned around, and started heading for the door but froze mid‑step when Ted called out to him. Julien turned back to face him.
“Since you’re heading back, can you pick some flowers along the way?” Ted asked, all sweet‑voiced and earnest.
“What for?” Julien asked, genuinely curious.
“For Clover’s wedding, of course!” Ted replied.
“Aah! Right.” Julien said, scoffing at his own forgetfulness.
“I was going to pick them myself and fashion them into a wedding bouquet for her, but you gave me a duty,” Ted added.
Julien considered this for a moment, brows scrunched in dramatic contemplation. “Oooorr…” he drawled as his thinking bits finally cooked up an idea.
The idea: switch places with Ted. Julien would stay here and keep Clover occupied (when she finally arrived), and Ted would go pick the flowers. It sounded like a decent enough plan.
He was about to offer it when he actually thought it through. If I pick up the flowers, that’s extra work. I don’t want extra work. I’ve already got too much on my plate, but...If I stay here and Clover comes, she’s gonna ask me questions. Questions that’ll have my booty crack under pressure. And if she senses I’m hiding something…
Julien mentally deflated. I guess I’m picking up those flowers, he grumbled internally.
“Or?” Ted asked, looking at him inquisitively.
That snapped Julien out of his spiralling thoughts. “Nothing. Lost my kingly train of thought there,” he replied. “I’ll go get them,” Julien added as he nodded.
Ted smiled at that and watched Julien spin around, dashed to the door, and out to the wild. “Now where was I…” Ted muttered as he turned away from the door.
“Oh! Right,” he exclaimed as his eyes landed on the dress. He sighed dreamily, cupping his hands together and pressing them near his cheek as he gazed at the gown in awestruck delight.