As I walked out of the palace in the morning, I saw journalists and people with signs that said things I certainly didn't want to read, crowded around the gates.

I got into my car and put dark blinds on the windows as the driver drove me to school. Throughout the classes, I looked around anxiously for Simon, but he was nowhere to be seen. A million worries flooded my mind and before even completing all the classes, I rushed out of the school building and called my driver.

"Take me to Bjasta," I said, sitting inside, biting my nails to give myself some form of comfort.

As soon as the car came to a halt, I jumped out, rushing through the streets I had memorized by heart in the past few months. Some of the passerbys looked at me, so I increased my pace to a jog and quickly reached Simon's home and knocked on the door.

Simon opened the door, and I took a sigh of relief on seeing him alright.

"Simon, oh god, you're okay," I breathed, "Why didn't you come to school today?"

Simon looked slightly taken aback. His eyes took in my stressed out reactions and he said, "Sorry. Rosh and Ayub had come over so I thought of spending some time with them. I thought I should let the news simmer down too. I messaged you," he said.

"Sorry," I said, rubbing a hand over my face, "I thought maybe someone was troubling you or maybe I said something wrong again. I-"

"Wille, come inside," Simon tugged my wrist and closed the door, then pulled me into a tight hug.

"Calm down, baby," he cooed in my ear, "everything's okay. You did a very good job yesterday."

I immediately raised my arms and wrapped them around him, burying my face in his shoulder, taking deep controlled breaths as my therapist had taught me to.

"I wanted to publicly announce you as my boyfriend, but that would be too much. Your name would be in the international news. I thought it would be too overwhelming for you..."

"Yes, you did the right thing," Simon said, "we should take it slow." The storm in my mind settled down.

Simon, pulled away and gave me a doting look. He rubbed his hands up and down my arms, then let them rest at the nape of my neck, pulling me down and pressing his supple lips on mine.

"Simme?"

Simon quickly pulled away, letting his hands drop down and intertwined them in my hands instead. I looked at my left and saw Rosh and Ayub standing there.

"Uh, guys Wilhelm's here," Simon said, flustered. He looked at me and said, "Ayub and Rosh, you met them..."

"At the football game," I nodded, "I remember. How can I forget your friends?" I took a step forward and shook hands with them cordially.

"Well, we were playing some board games before you came," Simon said, scratching the back of his neck, "Wanna join?"

"Of course," I said, "Let's go. I am free for a while."

After a couple of games and a whole lot of giggles (and a lot of silent eye contacts between me and Simon) Rosh and Ayub stood up to leave.

"It was a lot of fun with you man," Ayub said, giving me a kinda bro hug.

"You two enjoy now," Rosh said, her eyes twinkling with humour. Simon grinned in response.

We saw them off and walked back to Simon's room. Back pressed against the wall, and Simon's head leaned against my shoulder, we sat in silence.

Simon took his hands in mine, interlocking our fingers together. "Have you eaten something?" he asked, kissing my knuckles tenderly.

"Umm," I tried to remember, "I don't think so."

Simon sighed, "Come on then, I'll make you a sandwich. You shouldn't skip meals."

"Yeah sorry, I completely forgot," I said, following him out of his room. Simon went to the kitchen and took out a loaf of bread and other required material. I asked if I should help but he refused. 

"Isn't your mom at home?" I asked, noticing the lack of her cheerful voice. 

"Nope, at work," Simon replied.

"Oh, right," I said, "And Sara's at school?"

"Yup."

"Didn't she stay here with you?"

"Nah, she's too much in love with Hillerska," he scoffed. 

"Good for her," I said, gently placing my hands on either sides of his waist from behind. I propped my head on his shoulder, watching his hands work with a relaxed dexter. The veins on the back of his hands popped out, weaving into each other like deep green rivers, making me want to trace them with my fingers.

"Sara betrayed me," he said out of the blue.

"How?" I asked, tilting my head so that my ear was pressed against his shoulder, admiring his side profile.

"She told August about the Alexander thing," he said bitterly, "and Casper helped August out."

"Shit," I said, "I could tell that Casper was rotten...but Sara?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either," he sighed, "but she told me herself."

"God," I said in disbelief, "How did all this happen?"

"Long sad story," he replied, "I don't want to be sad right now."

"It's okay," I said, "whenever you feel up to it."

Simon placed the last bread on top and leaned his head back, "Your sandwich is ready, sir."

"Mmhm," I said, sneaking my arms around his waist "it's looking good." I clasped my hands in front of his belly, my chest flushed against his back.

"It is," he said, raising his hand and entangling it in my hair, "taste it yourself."

"I'd like to taste something else first," I murmured, planting a kiss in the crook of his neck. Simon exhaled, making my stomach burst into butterflies.

I turned him around and pushed him against the kitchen shelf, my hands on the back on his neck, pulling his lips to mine in a hungry kiss.

"Mm," Simon moaned, his hand hitting the cutlery on the shelf. He raised his hands to my waist, his fingers digging into my clothes, pressing our bodies together.

I grabbed his waist and yanked him upon the shelf, never breaking the kiss. I rubbed my hands on his thighs, an arousal stirring at the pit of my stomach. Simon clutched my hands, "No," he said, "eat something first."

"Ugh," I groaned, "come on."

"No," he said, jumping off the shelf and dragged my whining ass to the dining table. I ate the sandwich, giving Simon pouty looks. 

He chuckled, "Wait, I'll bring you some juice." He brought two glasses and poured some juice for himself as well. I don't know from where, but a thought popped in my head, making me smile.

"What?" Simon asked, pinching his eyebrows at me curiously.

"I was wondering," I said, swallowing my bite, "How good you would look in a suit."

Simon chuckled.

I appraised him, "You'd look good in something like...royal blue? Or red? No, deep green. Yes, perfect."

I imagined him in a deep green suit, walking with his arm looped in mine. "Fuck," I breathed.

Simon could not stop smiling.

"We could go to some ball together some day," I continued; I remembered going to the royal balls with my parents when I was younger, "We could wear matching suits: me and my partner."

Simon stood up and walked over to me, pressing his forehead against mine, fiddling with my collar, "Do you really want to go do that?"

"Yes, of course," I said, without a trace of hesitation.

Simon sighed.

An idea popped in my head. "Do you want to come to the palace?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked, giving me a nonplussed look.

"We could sneak in," I said, "mother isn't home yet. You could see what the palace looks like on the inside."

"You're kidding," Simon scoffed.

"No, I'm serious," I said, "Let's go tomorrow."

Simon gave me a look of amused disbelief.

---

*Author's note*

The happy moments these two cuties deserve<3