Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Phil made his way down through the large archway of one of the many corridors he wasn’t allowed in. Most days he was only permitted to enter a wing or two on the bottom floor of the palace, but today was an exception. He had received a personal demand from The King to present himself at the royal study as soon as he was capable.

He was incredibly nervous. A palace guard was only ever invited to a private meeting when he was in a heap of trouble, and even then, it was never with The King. Normally it would be an irksome group scolding to discuss everything they did wrong during drills or their daily shifts. It was always with a military official or another high up in the palace staff. The fact that this was a request from The King himself made his palms sweat.

Phil rounded one more turn, nearly tripping over his own polished staff-issued shoes when he arrived at a massive wooden door, two guards posted at either side.

“Are you Philip Lester?” The guard at the left asked.

Phil nodded and fumbled into his waist pocket to retrieve his ID. The guard studied the card for a moment before looking back to Phil. Seemingly satisfied with the identical images, he nodded curtly to the guard at the right.

“King Marcus will see you now.”

The two men distanced themselves a few feet from the door, both with a sturdy mental knob in hand, allowing Phil to enter The King’s study. He had only seen pictures from news magazines or short clips from government broadcasts on television, but as he walked into the room, he realized suddenly that those scarcely gave it justice.

Every wall was plastered with floor to ceiling bookshelves, probably containing thousands of books that will never be opened, dolefully doomed to a stagnant life on a shelf collecting dust. The space was big enough to fit a house, but only contained a large desk cluttered with documents along with a small table or two containing maps, lamps and the occasional tea cup.

The King was sat at the center desk, fixated on the loose paper he was holding. The only light transpired by a large window on the far wall, allowing the last remaining moments of daylight in.
The fading sun haloed The King’s mousy brown curls, illuminating a soft glow around his frame. His face aging was set taught, his mind clearly in the middle of a burdensome thought. Hunched over his work, King Marcus only looked up when he heard Phil’s footsteps.

Phil stopped a few feet from the desk and worked his towering form into a stolid bow, wanting to show nothing but respect for His King. The man at the desk chuckled lightly, waving a hand towards the soldier.

“Please Philip, that’s not necessary. Take a seat.”

Phil did as told and took the chair across from The King, taking a deep breath as he placed himself onto the plush cushioned seat. Although His Majesty seemed troubled, he did not give off any aura of disdain or anger. The pit in Phil’s stomach lessened, but soon deepened when he realized the position he was in.

Sat face to face with a person so powerful he could get beheaded with a snap of the older man’s fingers. Phil was only ever this close to The King once, when his father was being promoted to the head of the security staff in the castle walls. That was a joyous occasion, one where Philip felt nothing but pride, but today he felt like a child who was getting reprimanded.

The memory of that event was pleasant. It was a fairly large party, every member of the guard staff was invited. Phil remembers his mother and father giggling like teenagers in love. They were so happy. His father was a good man, who was very dedicated to his work. He passed away a few years back, leaving Phil to take care of his mother at only 14 years of age.

Phil’s mother never truly recovered from the heartbreak of losing her beloved husband, so much so that when she got a deadly virus last year she didn’t attempt to fight it. It hurt Phil greatly to lose both his mother and father in the span of a few years, but he was sufficient at supporting himself at that point in his life.

“I suppose you are wondering why I called you in here.” The King glanced across at Phil, placing knitted fingers under his chin. The idea of Phil “wondering” why he was here was an understatement. He was about to drown from how much sweat he was producing.

“Yes sir, I am.” Phil said with as steady of a voice he could muster.

He loved his job, and didn’t look forward to losing it. When his father first got a job at the castle, Phil almost immediately got an apprenticeship working in the kitchen. He was so young then that he didn’t do too much besides mixing bread doughs and watching unattended pots, but his family needed the money and he was more than happy to help out.

When he turned 16 he applied for the guard staff. He liked the ladies in the kitchen an awful lot, but he really wasn’t the best cook and wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, hopefully maintaining the integrity of the Lester legacy. He was a lanky kid, so it took a lot of work, but eventually he bulked up thanks to his old friends in the kitchen keeping him full and daily strength training, and now he was one of the most favored members of the guard. His high reputation made him more unsure of what he could have done to disrupt his station enough to get him sent to a private meeting with the ruler of the country.

“Firstly, I want to start off by saying that your job isn’t in peril.” The King said with a soft smile, analyzing how Phil’s body immediately relaxed.

“As you know, Philip, your father was a very trusted man here. He was the head of my personal security and someone I deem a very dear friend of mine. He did some exceptionally admirable work here. Now, from what I have observed, you seem to be following behind very closely in his footsteps.”

Phil smiled humbly at this. He knew he was well liked, but he never knew The King paid any special attention to him. Compared to his father, who was a man of incredible intelligence and valiant strength and bravery, Phil always saw himself as considerably less noteworthy. Sure he had the physical strength to uphold a guard title, but he rarely had to use it. He did like to think that he was beyond proficient in all of his daily tasks, but his duties rarely took him outside of the palace, leaving little room to demonstrate his abilities.

“Now Phil, I have a proposition for you.” The King looked at him almost hesitantly. The man adjusted himself in his chair, seemingly unable to get comfortable. His next words came out slowly, almost as if he was trying to will himself into having more faith in what he was saying.

“Because your family is so trusted, I have a new job I would like to offer you. It’s quite different from the work you are doing now, but it is much more important. I need someone to be my son’s private guard, and you are the only person currently on our staff that I trust to do it.”

The King looked at Phil expectantly before changing his gaze to watch his hand drum against the desk with uncertainty. Phil’s eyes widened. Prince Adrian was going to be the king in a few years time and it made sense he would need extra protection, but why Phil? Surely he must have a whole slew of people waiting on him day and night. Phil didn’t want to argue though, The King already seemed uncertain enough and Phil wasn’t about to change his mind, or pass up this opportunity.

“Of course sir, I’d do anything to protect Prince Adrian from anything that-”

“Phil, it’s not Adrian.”

Marcus looked up to meet Phil’s gaze, tired brown eyes meeting Phil’s sapphire ones. Phil raised an eyebrow.

“It’s my other son; Prince Daniel. He is in need of a guard.”

Phil was slightly taken aback by this. Prince Daniel never made public appearances, and from what he’s heard, he hardly ever even leaves his room. Of course he makes the occasional television appearance alongside his parents, but he was never spoken about as much as Prince Adrian. He’s not the future king, so no one worried too much about him.

“Of course sir, I would do anything to help your family, but doesn’t he already have the guard staff looking after him?”

The King sighed and looked to the floor, momentarily forgetting to uphold the regal composure he always carried.

“There was an incident with Daniel recently, one that I will not get into, but he has expressed that he feels unsafe in the castle and I need someone to take care of him when I cannot be there.”

The King focused on a spot behind Phil’s shoulder, clearly trying to will away the tears threatening his eyes. Phil’s heart broke for the poor boy. Although Prince Daniel wasn’t super well known among the public, he was held with a very high esteem in the castle.

Every handmaid or housekeeper who worked in the prince’s wing spoke greatly of Daniel, and they were often seen leaving his quarters giggling quietly to themselves or walking the halls with a newly found spring in their step.

Phil had never met him, but he knew a little about him. Prince Daniel was the youngest in the family, only aged at 19. From the portraits he’s seen of the boy he was very handsome in a boyish way, with freckles covering his nose and a mop of curly hair on top of his head. His figure was lanky, which Phil always found odd considering how well fed the royal family must be. He had the same eyes as everyone else did in his family, soft brown with hints of honeyed gold flecks, but Prince Daniel’s always seemed more vibrant from his portraits.

Despite never meeting the boy, Phil found a huge sense of pride in being offered this position and wasn’t going to give it up.

“I accept your offer, sir. I’ll keep Prince Daniel safe.”

***

The next day Phil was invited back to King Marcus’ office, but was surprised to see he wasn’t alone. Stood in front of the mahogany desk of The King stood a boy significantly smaller than Phil, but clearly much braver. His hands were placed on the desk with a forceful grip and his full attention was turned to The King. He looked absolutely livid, and even Phil could sense his desperate anger from his distance at the door, backed by his hushed whisper-yelling.

“Please, don’t do this, you know how I-”

“Son, sit. We have a guest.” The King interrupted the boy’s winded rant, making exhausted eye contact with Phil. The small boy turned sharply to the door, large eyes studying Phil. Almost immediately it registered in Phil’s mind that this was Prince Daniel, the younger of the Howell brothers, second prince to the country of Arabella. Phil instantaneously dropped into a low bow, which was met with a scoff from the boy and the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor.

Phil stood up just in time to see King Marcus place a chair next to his own, motioning for The Prince to sit. Daniel gave his father pleading eyes, which was only acknowledged by a firm stare.

Daniel reluctantly gave up, coming to terms that he was not going to win this. He backed into the chair as far as he could and started to pick at his nails, seemingly wanting to be anywhere but where he currently was. His expression was a mix of anxiety and anger, a small blush accompanying his freckles.

“Philip, please take a seat.” The King said as he motioned to a chair. Phil did as he was told and took a seat across from the royals.

“This is my son, Daniel. Clearly he has already made a negative impression on you but I beg you to look past that. He’s quite a stubborn one.” Phil glanced at Dan, whose face was blood red with angry eyes glaring at his father.

“I wasn’t necessarily expecting your first introduction to go like this, but here we are nonetheless.” The King glanced at Daniel, who seemed to be trying to absorb himself into his chair. With an exasperated sigh he turned back to Phil, running his hands down his tired face.

“Philip, we are going to have a test trial on this arrangement so we can ensure this is a good fit. Does that sound alright with you?”

“Of course, sir. I want to make sure both you and Daniel are completely comfortable with this arrangement.” He looked carefully towards Daniel, who was staring at Phil with a calculated gaze. Phil wasn’t so sure why Prince Daniel already seemed to dislike him, but he was determined to get on the young prince’s good side.

Even though Phil knew little about the prince, he knew that everyone who got the privilege to speak with him seemed to adore him, declaring he was nothing short of angelic. Phil wasn’t so sure why he was the exception to this phenomenon, but he promised himself he would change the young boy’s opinion. The King seemed pleased with Phil’s response and kept explaining his proposal.

“Tonight we will be having a small gathering of some of the lower nobility in the surrounding countries. It is going to be a wonderful way to expand some of our current trading routes, and it is vital Daniel is watched over tonight. Typically only Adrian would join me, but having the whole family out tends to help paint a more friendly picture for our guests. Both of my sons will be having minimal security this evening so as to not offend any of our company, so Philip, you will be my Daniel’s only line of protection besides the emergency team on standby. If tonight goes well and Daniel reports back to me with a successful exposition, then this arrangement will be solidified.”

Phil felt nauseous as he fiddled with his hands, the pale color turning more ghost-like with every word exiting The King’s mouth. He was confident in his ability as a soldier, but beyond his basic etiquette and manners training every guard was required to attend, he knew nothing about interacting with nobles.

The King seemed to have read Phil’s expression loud and clear. With a small smile he stood up and walked over to Phil, handing him a small card with a number and some neat writing on it.

“Before you get yourself worked up, you should know that you are not required to interact with anyone besides Daniel and myself. Nothing else is to be expected beyond my son’s protection. Here is Daniel’s room number as well as the directions to the fitting room. Even if you won’t be associating with nobles it is still important you look the part.”

He gave Phil a firm pat on the shoulder before circling his desk back to his chair. Phil toyed with the card in his hand. How could he need directions to get to a place in a singular building? He knew he was only allowed in a few parts of the castle but he didn’t realize it was so big.

“Our guests will be arriving at 6 o’clock sharp. Please be ready to escort Daniel down to the dining hall 15 minutes prior to then. Once you’ve arrived, feel free to wait with the other guards until you get further instructions.”

And with that, he excused Phil, walking him to the door before quickly ushering himself out after Phil for a moment of secrecy. The King shut the door gently before turning to Phil, eyes wide with circumspection.

“Philip, I should warn you about Daniel. This is not a position he wants to be in and I would not put it past him to give you a bit of a hard time. Please, do not let this deter you, he truly is a marvelous boy. Just be kind and he will eventually warm up to you. I promise.”

Phil nodded and gave a smile to The King before bowing and heading down the large corridor. Although Phil’s first impression of Prince Daniel wasn’t exactly ideal, Phil was drawn to him. Whether it was just Phil’s protective nature appearing or Daniel’s shy persona, Phil felt immediately inclined to protect this boy, no matter what the cost.

***
Phil listened to his shoes echo down the white tiled hallway, rhythmically matching the beat of his heart. He checked that his new silver cufflinks were in order for the 50th time and checked his watch. 5:36. He was early but it never hurt to be punctual. He scanned each pristine door he passed for a room marked 106, Prince Daniel’s private sleeping quarters.

The evening came with a much more vigorous momentum than Phil had anticipated. He barely had time to collect his thoughts before he realized he was running behind. After a quick shower and a lot of processing of the events that had occurred just prior, Phil had gone down to the fitting rooms. The seamstresses were very nice, but there was a lot more poking from pins than he would have liked.

His stiff new suit made a swishing noise every step he took, which seemed to be louder than a gunshot in the silent hallway. Phil wasn’t sure if he was only hyperfocusing because he was nervous or because he was getting into his “palace guard” headspace. He was hoping it was the latter.

After what felt like a marathon worth of walking, Phil finally made it to room 106. The door somehow seemed more intimidating than the dozens of identical ones leading him here. He stood there switching his weight from foot to foot, unsure if he should knock or wait for Prince Daniel to come out, but he didn’t have time to make that decision. The white door swung open, revealing an annoyed looking Prince Daniel.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t show up.” The Prince looked Phil up and down, and with that, he slammed the door shut in Phil’s face. Not knowing exactly how to respond, Phil just decided to wait for Prince Daniel to come back out. King Marcus had warned him about his son’s potential temperament, but Phil wasn’t exactly expecting a face full of door.

He stood awkwardly outside the door, listening to the cacophony of muffled voices inside. Phil adjusted his dark hair again, wishing he had a better time waster. His nerves were really getting to him, and he found himself longing for the prince to hurry up just so he would have something to focus on.

Within a few minutes, Prince Daniel’s door opened again, revealing the young prince in a tailored snow-white suit, followed by a maid, who seemed to be a decent amount of years older than Phil.

“Hello, Philip! My name is Johanna, I’m Dan’s personal maid. I’ve heard so many pleasant things about you from King Marcus! Not so much from Dan, but as you can probably tell he’s a bit in opposition to this set up. I for one, think it’s a great idea.”

Johanna pulled Phil’s arm from his coat pocket and gave his hand a confident shake. She was nothing like what he would expect Prince Daniel’s personal maid to be. The Prince was such a mystery to the rest of the world that Phil could all but assume his staff would be the same way, but this woman had quite the assertive impression. She was a very tall woman with short curly hair and ebony eyes, her white teeth contrasting her dark skin. Her energy seemed to radiate confidence and friendliness, which Phil could already tell wasn’t Prince Daniel’s strong suit.

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Miss Johanna. I look forward to working this evening alongside you.” Phil said politely, his usual deep voice raising an octave, a trait he found himself possessing whenever he got particularly nervous. He glanced over to Daniel, who was fixing his tie on a wall mirror, evidently ignoring his escort.

Phil wiped his clammy hands on his expensive suit pants, trying to be inconspicuous, and extended his arm politely to Prince Daniel, wanting to follow the appropriate protocol he recalled from his etiquette training. Daniel merely walked past him, stealing one more glimpse at the mirror to adjust a stray curl off of his forehead as he bounded for the hallway.

Johanna interlocked arms with Phil without hesitation and began leading him down the hall after the young prince. Her heels marched in tempo with Phil’s polished oxfords, the loud smacking of leather slightly swaddled by the plush carpeting.

“Don’t you worry too much about him. He’s never liked these social events. Probably all of the teenage angst still building up in him.” Phil smiled at the comment and let out a small chuckle. This seemed to have caught Daniel’s attention, who originally seemed set to ignore both of his chaperones.

“Johanna, please! I promise you it’s not teen angst or a social event that’s putting me in a bad mood today.” The young boy glared over his shoulder at Phil, who returned his grimace with a smile.

“Don’t worry about me Prince Daniel. I’m here to help you. I’ll keep my distance if that’s what you please.”

The Prince’s ears seemed to redden as Phil said this, but the guard didn’t get the chance to see if the blush would spread across the rest of Daniel’s face before he turned away stubbornly.

Prince Daniel seemed to quicken his pace, skipping down a large staircase with steps two at a time down to the next floor below. Johanna snickered at the boy’s immaturity before returning to Phil with a story of the last event she attended. Of course being a maid she was only there to stand by in case anyone needed anything, but she fawned over the dessert The King had set aside for them to indulge in after everyone had left. She said it was the best German chocolate cake she had ever had.

Phil remembered some of the times King Marcus had done the same for the guard staff. Whenever a senior guard left, The King always made sure his staff had troughs of food for them. Whether they were eating out of sadness or celebration, no one ever left without eating so many sweets it hurt to walk.

Arabella knew their king to be affable and fair, but Phil wasn’t so sure if they knew the extent he went to for his staff. He truly was one of the greatest kings this country has ever seen. He was curious how a man so jovial and empathetic towards his people could somehow share the same genes as the lanky boy trying to escape from view.

Phil’s height gave him advantage and Johanna and himself quickly caught up with large paces, landing them right near the throne’s second heir.

“Your highness, I will willingly give you all of the space you need but please try to remain at least within eyesight.” Phil attempted a half smile at Prince Daniel, which was ignored entirely.

Even at their newly quickened pace, Phil had enough time to gawk at the beautifully decorated architecture around him. He had seen the main wing of the palace many times. As it was often the most trafficked area on the palace grounds, there was always a plethora of guards attending to it. Although it was basically the center of the royal home, it held no dominating decor. It was kept very plain, to be easily changed based on season and occasion. Besides that, Phil had only seen the gardens and the staffing quarters, but that didn’t prepare him for the true beauty of the palace.
Each corridor they turned into was lined with colorful rococo paintings, filled with more detail than the human eye could comprehend. Besides every piece of art was a vase filled with imported flowers, engulfing the air with a pleasant hue of sweetness. Chandeliers hung above them with candles and diamonds reflecting off of each other in a playful manner, illustrating a beautiful dance of light on the ceiling.

Phil was absolutely enamoured with the expansive handsomeness of the castle, and wondered if every wing was as lovely as this one.
He lost his train of thought when the young prince stopped abruptly in front of a large door with two guards at either side.

“Your highness, your father and brother have already arrived. We hope you have a wonderful evening.” After a subservient bow from each man, the door opened to reveal a small gathering of people around a large dinner table. The room was large and bright, an abundance of candles lit on every surface, glistening beautifully off the silver dinnerware. Food of every scent and flavor was set out for the guests, almost begging Phil to have a taste.

People dressed in jewel toned silk crowded the room, making a muddled rainbow of colors. The King and Prince Adrian were not hard to pick out. King Marcus had on traditional celebratory attire, a rich red suit with accents of gold and silver appliques, while Prince Adrian dressed similarly. He had an opulent shade of green, ornamented in medals of all statures. Daniel’s stark white was sure to stand out against the dimly lit colors the others adorned, but that seemed to fit his personality.

Having been too worked up on nerves that day to have eaten, Phil longingly wished he could be seated at the overflowing table of delicacies along with the nobles and royals, but unfortunately for him, he had protocol to follow.

He allowed Johanna’s arm, which was still linked within his, to drop to her waist before he stepped aside to join a silent group of guards at the rear end of the room. They were to remain in official standby formation until they were given orders, which was a rare case at these lengthy dinners. Across the room Johanna stood patiently with a group of maids, waiting to serve when needed. Phil prepared to be in one place for a while, longingly inhaling the smells of spice and wine being served a mere few feet away.

Chapter Text

After their guests had finished their meals, The King excused the chefs from the room and allowed the nobles to freely wander the room to mingle. Every once in a while, Phil would notice him butt into a group of people, clearly with the intent to win them over in hopes of securing a new trade partner.

The guard staff was allowed to socialize among themselves and with the maids. Phil already knew all of the guards. Because of his father’s status and his long term commitment to working at the castle, Phil knew pretty much everyone. It made socializing fun nonetheless; it took the nerves away from making new friends in an already very tense situation.

Phil was about to turn back to one of his fellow guards to tell him an antidote from the day when a mop of curly brown hair caught his eye. Prince Daniel was sitting quietly by the door to the dining hall by himself, allowing his brother and father to do all of the socializing for him.

As Phil was considering whether approaching the prince in an effort to make him feel less awkward would be kind or offensive to the young boy, Prince Daniel stealthily made his way up from his chair and out the door.

Phil blinked, looking around to see if anyone else had noticed the escapee. To his surprise, no one seemed to have paid any attention at all to the juncture. Without any hesitancy in mind, Phil made his way through the slew of men and women and out the door. As soon as he stepped out, the posted guards caught his attention with a small chuckle.

“He went that way.” One of them said with a pointed finger, trying to hide an amused smile.

Phil nodded and ran in the direction he was told. He didn’t have to go far to notice that the doors to the gardens were wide open. Phil felt himself panic. Of course he saw the prince leave on his own accord, but what if something happened between then and now? Why would he be outside in the garden of all places?

Phil hastily made his way out the doors, expecting to find Prince Daniel being hauled over the gate by masked burglars, but instead was met with a much more acceptable sight.
Sat on the grass in front of a rose bush was the young prince, flipping a page to an old book absentmindedly.

“You know, you really shouldn’t run off like that.” Phil panted, trying to catch his breath. Despite being one of the more athletic palace guards, the fit of panic wore him out more than he expected.

Prince Daniel looked up at him with a face full of displeasure.

“Well perhaps you shouldn’t be running at all. You look like you’re about to pass out.” He seemed inconvenienced by Phil’s mere presence, making no other attempts at conversation. Instead he folded his legs closer to himself and held his book to his nose.

“What are you reading?” Phil found himself curious. He knew the boy would probably shoot down his question, but he was determined to make a good impression whether it was wanted or not.

Daniel closed his eyes with a huff, clearly not wanting to indulge the older man in any type of conversation.

“Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. If I thought you were intelligent enough to know how to read I would give you a synopsis but I don’t think that would be worth my time.”

Phil ignored the insult and continued his small talk.

“Jane Austen, huh? I never would have taken you as the romantic type, your highness. Truthfully, I can’t say i’m the biggest fan. She’s a little too long-winded for me.”

Daniel tried his best to ignore his guard, only sneaking a small peak up at the man when he continued talking.

“You know, I can understand why you don’t like those dinners very much. Everyone there seemed so stuffy. I think some of them need to loosen their corsets a bit. They must be cutting off their ability to have an enticing conversation.”

He noticed a corner of the prince’s mouth rise slightly, only to be lowered when he remembered he was supposed to be shunning. Phil took a chance and sat down on the grass a few feet away from the prince, studying his gaze to gauge his reaction. The boy seemed to shrink back slightly, clearly a little intimidated by Phil’s casualness.

“Can’t you leave me alone for a little while? I promise I don’t need a babysitter.” Daniel muttered, slightly less confident than their previous interaction.

Phil smiled, hoping the warm expression would ease the boy’s tension.

“Unfortunately I’ve been given orders to do exactly the opposite of that. I’m quite literally supposed to be watching you at every minute tonight. That being said, I don’t see why we can’t make an arrangement that you may be more happy with.”

Daniel glanced up at Phil with curiosity, slightly confused at what Phil was plotting. Phil stood up and with long strides walked back to the garden door, now leaving a large amount of distance between himself and the prince.

“What are you doing?” Daniel whisper-shouted, clearly befuddled by what the guard was attempting to pull.

“I’m leaving you alone. While I can’t necessarily stop watching you, at the very least I can give you space. I told you, I want to make sure you’re comfortable in this arrangement. Anything you voice I will try my hardest to make happen. I’ll be right here until you’re ready to come back.”

Phil leaned against the doorframe, studying the boy in the grass. He looked genuinely perplexed. His thumb was grazing his bottom lip, brows furrowed in thought. He glanced up quickly at the guard before returning to his book, allowing some of the tension in his shoulders to relax.

They weren’t there for long, maybe another half hour or so before The Prince stood and made his way over to Phil.

“I think I have to go back now. Father would be furious if I didn’t make a parting round before the nobles left.”

Phil nodded and straightened his suit, making sure his tie didn’t get skewed during their detour. He extended his arm out of sheer politeness, expecting the prince to shrug it off like he had previously, but Phil was surprised when he felt a dainty grip on his bicep.

He looked down to see the prince shyly looking forward, arm wrapped with his, avoiding eye contact.

“Father would be mad if I didn’t follow proper etiquette in front of our guests. Don’t expect this to be a regular occurrence.”

And with that, The Prince set off, attempting to guide Phil towards the hall. Their height differences proved to be a challenge, and reluctantly the boy allowed Phil to guide them the rest of the way.

Although it was a short walk, Phil felt like it was a mile. He could feel Daniel’s fingertips through his suit jacket and he could smell the faint air of vanilla coming off of the other man, making his heart twist. The gravity of Phil’s position was weighing heavily on his shoulders, making his stomach turn in knots.

He had only known The Prince personally for a few hours, and the little he did understand about him was not helping his nerves. While this boy is clearly very strong headed and vibrant, his shyness and demure nature stood out boldly. Phil could understand why someone like him would need a personal protection unit.

However, the responsibility of taking protection over the young man seemed daunting, especially when you add his royal title into the mix, and Phil had to take a deep breath to ground himself before his mind got too out of hand. He had to remind himself that he was confident in his skills, and he knew he was capable of this task, no matter how much pressure it held.

The pair eventually made their way back to the dining hall, passing by the same two guards as they made their way in.

“Already giving him a hard time, your highness? The poor man’s only had this job for a couple hours. We were hoping you might go easy on him.” One of the guards said with a knowing smile.
Prince Daniel smiled a small grin back.

“It’s my job to keep everyone on their toes around here. Someone has to keep you guys in line.” Daniel chuckled as the guard placed a friendly hand on his shoulder, grabbing the door to allow the pair inside.

Evidently, no one else seemed to notice their absence. And if they did, they certainly didn’t make a big fuss about it. Prince Daniel merely removed his hand from Phil’s arm and went back to his seat, quietly waiting for his father to announce the end of the night.

Phil made his way back to the group of servants, smiling at Johanna when she noticed his presence. He slowly began to relax into a casual conversation, listening to one of the maids rant about her long list of chores for the following day.

Before long, The King declared the party’s end and announced his leave for the night. As he left the room, he looked expectantly to Phil, gesturing towards his son. Phil let out a short breath of realization before he hurried over to Daniel, who still sat boredly on his chair, while offering his arm for the third time that evening.

Daniel took it with the same delicate grip he had taken beforehand, barely grasping the suit fabric. Johanna accompanied Daniel’s other side, who exited after his father, with Prince Adrian and his own guard following close after. As soon as the doors had shut, The King turned to address his sons.

“I believe tonight was a success, but our hopes will be affirmed hopefully within a few days. We seemed to make quite a good impression, so we can assume trade offers will be sent in the mail promptly.” The King stood a bit taller, his already large frame growing in satisfaction.

“Daniel, Adrian, you two did some very excellent work tonight.” Daniel’s grip on Phil’s arm seemed to tighten slightly. When he looked down at the shorter boy, he noticed a slight smile across Daniel’s face, visibly taking pride in his father's compliment.

“I will be heading to my bedchamber now. I hope you enjoyed your night.” The King smiled at Phil, giving him an approving nod. The man sauntered down the hall, his private guards following after.

Phil let out a hushed sigh of relief. The night was over and he achieved his task. Of course there was still the subject of getting Prince Daniel’s approval, but for now, Phil had made King Marcus happy and that was enough for him.

Before Phil had the chance to escort the boy back to his room, Prince Adrian turned to them, a fox-like grin on his tan face.

“Good work out there, kiddo. Everyone at that table loved you. They took your sarcasm as wit. I told you that smart mouth of yours was good for something.” He ruffled Daniel’s hair with a little too much force, causing The Prince to stumble back on the tiled floor slightly before smiling at his older brother.

“I’m glad. Someone out there had to distract them from your stupidity.” Before Prince Adrian had the chance to rebut, Daniel dropped Phil’s arm and set to make way back to his corridor, a disgruntled Johanna and Phil staggering behind him.

Before long, the young prince had reached his room, darting in before saying goodbye to his escorts. Johanna looked at Phil with a sly smile.

“I’m proud of you, you know. Daniel couldn’t shake you off tonight, you must be real committed. He certainly was trying to get rid of you if you couldn’t tell.” She looked to the door, a knowing smile reminiscent of a fond mother painting her face.

“I hope he didn’t trouble you too much. I think he seemed to like you.”

Phil looked at his shoes, absentmindedly switching his weight between his feet.

“I don’t know about that, but he certainly made an impression on me. Whether he chooses to go with me or someone else for his security, I just want him to be safe. He seems like a really good kid.”

Johanna’s smile she gave Phil could have melted the rest of the arctic. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed some reassurance into him.

“Have a good night’s sleep, Phil. You deserve it after the long day you’ve had.” Johanna opened The Prince’s door and made her way inside. Phil let out his first genuine relaxed breath since his night had started and decided to head back to the servant’s quarters. As he spun to make his way down the hall, he swore he saw a flash of a snow-white suit watching him leave.

Chapter Text

“Philip, I have received Daniel’s consent to appoint you as his private guard.”

The sound of a pin dropping would have been deafening in the otherwise silent office.

Phil’s eyes widened as all of the breath left his lungs. His already snowy skin tone turned even paler as he clutched onto the seat of his chair, trying to will his ears to hear correctly. He swears he must have misheard the man, because he was certain that what he heard could not have been correct.

The King smiled kindly at Phil, brown eyes creasing at their points.

“I must admit, I am just as surprised as you are.” The King started avidly, circling around his desk.

“You did a phenomenal job last night, I would never deny that, but I was afraid Daniel was too set in his ways to see how necessary your position could be.”

Happiness encouraged The King to talk faster, allowing a smile to season his words with delight. He rested his hands behind him on the wooden desk, facing Phil with a look of satisfaction plastered on his face.

“Apparently he saw the error of his mindset, because he met me this morning with a much less resentful attitude. He told me that he spoke it over with Johanna last night, and they came to the conclusion that if Daniel should have a personal guard, which is non-negotiable to me, then it should be someone as willing to respect his space as you are.”

Phil’s heart lightened at hearing this. Of course he was always going to be respectful of Daniel’s introverted nature, but he hardly thought that would gain him such high points. The young prince must truly enjoy his private time, especially if a gesture as small as the one Phil had made in the garden last night was the deciding factor in this arrangement.

Above him, The King sat brimming with content. His shoulders were more relaxed than Phil had ever seen them, accompanied by a small smile gracing his usually furrowed face. Clearly the task of trying to acquire his son’s approval of a private guard had been a harsh battle on the aging man, but now that the war was won his features softened into a much warmer appearance.

As the king of a growing country, Phil imagined that stress was a common pest to the man in front of him, but it would seem that this feud with Daniel had tired him out more than years of military planning or economic negotiation ever could.

“Of course my son is still not pleased, but at the very least he said he would tolerate having a guard on hand. Phil, I’m not sure how you won him over, but I am very grateful for you, my boy.” King Marcus sighed softly before walking to a desk on the opposite side of the room, continuing to speak over his shoulder as he began gathering a hefty pile of papers.

“You’ve proven yourself to be a hard worker plenty of times since you’ve started working at my castle, but for this job you are going to have to work more diligently than you ever have before.”

Phil’s eyes followed the older man, watching him scan over sheets of paper before tucking them carefully into a brown folder. Every once in a while The King would stop to make a small note with his pen, scratching an important notation onto the crisp paper.

“I am gathering a collection of important information pertaining to your new position. It will contain everything from your uniform standards to Daniel’s medical history. I expect you to have it all memorized by this time next week, but you will be starting your shifts sooner. Hopefully as soon as tonight if you feel up for it.”

Phil nodded to himself before he realized The King was too focused on creating Daniel’s file to see the gesture.

“Of course, your highness. If you believe it would be the most sensible course of action, I will gladly start tonight.” Phil said, a newly found confidence painting his voice like a glittering suit of armor.

***

The first task on Phil’s list was getting into a proper uniform. Which is how he found himself in his current position, staring at his reflection while getting stabbed with pins with varying degrees of intensity. The seamstress clearly had their mind strictly on taking Phil’s correct measurements rather than worrying about the little pricks now littering the boy’s body.

Phil had been inside the tailor’s wing a few times since he had started working at the castle, but never was his presence taken with such gravity. The times he had been here prior were simply to replace a fallen button or broken hem on his standard-issued guard uniform, which was a rare occasion.

Though they were somewhat formal, the uniforms of the palace guard staff were specifically made simple and sturdy so the seamstresses wouldn’t have to deal with mineute issues every moment of the day. Each soldier was given the same set of garments: a plain undershirt, a navy blue tunic patterned with an infinitesimal amount of gold appliqué, and a pair of pants to match.
Shoes and other accessories were left to the administration of the royal cobbler and weaponsmith, both of which provided wares of equal durability. Every item was identical, though sizes varied slightly between soldiers, which meant little alterations were left on the seamstresses plates.

The uniform Phil was currently being fitted for resembled his old one, although this upgraded jacket had more gold embellishments. He also was told that he would get a bigger sword, which he was very excited about.

A lanky brunette boy, the facilitator behind the pin ambush, circled his way in front of Phil. With a pencil stuck between his teeth, he looked over his work before swiftly turning to make some notes.

“You know, we may have to order you another size up. Your biceps are huge, my friend.” The tailor said with a chuckle. Phil laughed too, thinking back to all of the carbo-loading he had to do to gain his muscle mass.

“They give us enough food over in the soldier’s wing that you would assume they were trying to feed a herd of elephants. It seems to have worked though.” Phil chuckled, jokingly flexing in the mirror. The tailor swatted at Phil’s arm with a laugh.

“Don’t do that! You’re going to move the pins.”

“I’m not too worried about the pins. You’ve stabbed me enough times that my skin could be a connect-the-dot puzzle.” Phil said with a grin, shrugging his arms back to his sides. As much as he joked, he really didn’t want to be stabbed more than he needed to. The tailor shook his head lightheartedly before etching another scribble into his notebook.

“If it helps at all, you’re almost done. I have a few more measurements I need but then I should be finished and you can be on your way to study Dan’s personal life.”

Phil looked to the tailor, observing him as he continued his calculated notes in his brown book. The boy had used Prince Daniel’s name with an obvious degree of informality, and Phil was intrigued. From what he understood, The Prince didn’t have too many companions, besides Johanna and his brother of course, and Phil was curious as to what role this tailor played in his life.

“Do you know The Prince well?” Phil asked, an air of apprehension in his voice. The tailor looked to Phil with green eyes shining with amusement.

“He hasn’t told you about me?” He asked with a smile before focusing back on his notes.

“No. Though honestly, he hasn’t talked to me much about anything. He doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

The tailor allowed a fond sigh to escape his mouth, a smile growing on his lips.

“That sounds like him. Well then, I suppose I should formally introduce myself. I’m Pj, the current head of staff in the textiles wing, and Dan’s personal stylist.”

Phil’s shoulders slackened, confusion written on his face.

“The Prince needs a personal stylist?”

“Of course! You think he made that suit he wore last night himself? Please, as much as I love Dan, the kid doesn’t have an ounce of fashion sense in his entire body.” Pj quipped.

“But to answer your question further, Dan and I have known each other for years. We met a while ago when I was only an apprentice. I was assisting my mother with one of his fittings, it was my first time around the royal family, and he noticed how nervous I was. Though we were only ten at the time, Dan had the boldness to make my mother stop in the middle of her project because he had to make an ‘important errand’”. Pj rolled his eyes in remembrance before continuing, his voice brightening as he recalled the event.

“A few minutes later he arrived back with a slice of chocolate cake. He handed it to me before telling my mother to proceed with her work. Apparently he thought cake would help calm my nerves. Later that night, he came to my family’s quarters to personally thank us for our work that day. Even as a kid he carried himself with more reverence than I will probably ever have. Ever since then, he and I became quite close.”

Pj’s freckled face lit up as he finished his story, wearing a doting expression. He stepped back up to Phil with a white pencil, marking select dashes between the pins. Phil felt his heart soften as he thought back of a little Daniel. His childish gesture was full of innocence and purity, and Phil was convinced that Daniel’s personality hadn’t changed much from when he was a kid. Though The Prince hadn’t let Phil push past his harsh exterior quite yet, he was certain that his heart still held an overwhelming amount of sweetness.

Phil could feel the light scrape of the pencil through his jacket fabric as Pj began to speak again.

“I like you, Phil. I think you’ll be good for Dan. Just try not to prod too much and give him space. He’ll warm up to you in no time.”

After a few more minutes of measurements, Phil was released from the textiles wing. He was sent out with a pristine new uniform, with the promise that another week’s set will be made for him within the next few days.

Now that the facile chore of getting a new uniform was done, Phil was ready to divulge into the overwhelming task of learning Daniel’s entire history. King Marcus had given him Daniel’s file, which was filled to the brim with information. Upon inspection, Phil saw there was a complete medical history, tutoring schedules, meal plans, and even the general likes and dislikes of the young prince compiled in the folder.

It was a daunting amount of information to learn in the span of a week, but Phil was filled with determination to not only complete his task, but to excel at it. He was not known to be a quitter, and he wasn't going to start now. Especially since this was the biggest job opportunity he had been given since his start at the castle. He decided to retire to the palace library to spend the remainder of the afternoon in a state of quiet study.

He pushed the large doors open with his shoulder as he held the file closer to him, worrying that something would spill out of the colossal collection if he loosened his grip. As he stepped in, he noticed the library was mostly empty, save the elderly librarian shelving books in the corner.

Soft rays of sunlight crept in through the inordinate floor-to-ceiling windows lining the walls, casting a beautiful golden hue onto the long lines of bookshelves. Phil walked across the polished floor to an empty table near a window which overlooked the garden. He sat with a thud and began shuffling through his assignment.

He decided to tackle The Prince’s medical history first, as this seemed the most essential to his overall well-being. He pulled a booklet out from the file titled with Daniel’s name, and the words ‘medical notes and accounts’ printed cleanly on the front.

The first page was short, listing a few allergies The Prince had acquired over the years. Phil made note to keep him away from pollen, grass, and cats.

It also held incredibly precise accounts of Daniel’s body measurements and normal vitals. This seemed fairly typical to Phil. Of course a prince would need pretty exhaustive notes regarding his overall well-being. Although Daniel was 19 years of age, his body weight appeared comparable to a child. Not only that, his height was significantly less than Phil’s, who stood at a towering 6’3. Despite saying Daniel was small would be the understatement of the century, it seemed that his growth was steady throughout the years, so Phil decided not to linger on it for too long.

The next few pages of the book held fairly unnoteworthy information. There were just a few overly-detailed yet comprehensive descriptions of small accidents leading to scrapes or sprains, and an especially lengthy account of a tree-climbing incident that resulted in a broken arm. Beyond the small collection of injury descriptions, nothing caught Phil’s eye until the last page.

It showed that Daniel’s most recent injury happened less than a month ago, right around the beginning of spring. Unlike the other accounts, this incident was kept very brief with hardly any description. All it read was: ‘March 3rd, 1:32 am, Prince Daniel James Howell was hospitalized due to an injury. He remained under the hospital’s care for the next eight days, until he was released on March 11th, 6:17 pm due to a personal request for leave from Daniel himself.’

Phil’s brain was going through every possible scenario that could have landed The Prince in the hospital wing for over a week, and none of them were particularly pleasant. He couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his gut, urging him to find more information on the event. Every other injury account, no matter how small, was pages long, describing everything from how he obtained it to the placement on his body. Whatever happened a month ago clearly was different somehow, and Phil made a mental note to ask Johanna about it when he had the chance.

Phil was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the large library doors open with a thud. He looked up to see a chipper looking Johanna with Prince Daniel following closely behind, holding an armful of textbooks. As Johanna made her way to a table towards the front, Phil caught her eye. She whispered something to Daniel, who was already setting up his study station, before making her way over to the guard.

“Good afternoon, Phil! It’s so nice to see you again! What brings you to the library?” She asked with a warm smile, taking the seat diagonal from Phil.

“I’m working on memorizing The Prince’s files. For such a young man, he certainly has a lot of information I have to look through.” Phil said with a grin, thankful for Johanna’s company. She reached over the table and started to sift through some of Daniel’s paperwork, before neatly stacking it and returning it to the file. She took it and tied it close before standing, smiling mischievously at Phil.

“Now that I have you all packed, you’re coming to sit with Dan and I.” She started to stand from the table, straightening her apron in the process. Phil’s heart started racing. He reached for Johanna’s sleeve and gently stopped her trek to the other table.

“Don’t you think The Prince will mind? I promised I would give him space, and even now that I officially have this job I still intend to keep my word. I don’t want to upset him”

Johanna rolled her eyes, a smirk gracing her face.

“While your virtue is admirable, it also makes you very hard to work with. Just come with me. I promise he won’t bite.”

She grabbed Phil’s arm with one hand and his file in the other and made her way over to her table, where The Prince sat quietly reading his book. When they arrived, Daniel looked up at Phil questioningly before turning sharply to his maid.

“Johanna, I came here to study French, not to make friends with my guard.”

Johanna took a poised seat next to Daniel before whacking him on the back of his head, using more force than Phil deemed necessary.

“You need to learn to be more gracious to the people working to help you. If you want me to help you study, you’re going to be nice to Phil. And to my knowledge, no one in this castle speaks French as fluently as I do, so I suggest you sit and be kind.”

Dan’s brown eyes glared at Johanna with an unsettlingly deep annoyance. He muttered something that sounded like a displeased submission to her request before turning back to his work. Johanna seemed pleased with herself and motioned Phil to take the seat next to her. He hesitantly sat down, immediately feeling ashamed that he had already upset his prince.

“Now Daniel, translate this phrase for me.” She pressed her index finger to the open textbook, pointing at a short sentence. Daniel’s displeased attitude seemed to subside as he took a look at what Johanna was pointing to. He pressed his fingers to his mouth, lost in a moment of thought.

“Les fleurs sont belles dans le jardin à cette période de l'année… that would translate to ‘the flowers are beautiful in the garden this time of year.’” Johanna nodded with a pleased expression.

“Very good! I knew you had been studying but that was a fairly complex one. Would you like to try another?”

Daniel looked as if he was about to agree before he locked eyes with Phil. He plastered on a small grin before turning back to Johanna.

“How about you translate this one for me? Je veux que cet idiot parte pour que je puisse meconcentrer.”

Johanna’s eyes widened and she slapped Daniel again on the back of the head.

“Ne parlez jamais ainsi de nos invités! C'est incroyablement impoli, mon enfant!” She screamed. Johanna continued lecturing Daniel in French, but he was too busy trying to fight his giggles to focus. Phil knew it was probably an insult about him, but the whole ordeal was rather amusing. He let out a chuckle before opening up Daniel’s file, hoping he could tune out Johanna’s scolding while he studied.

He drew out his next booklet, which appeared to be an assemblage of Daniel’s school and eating schedules. He began to read the first page when he felt something poke at his shoulder. When he looked up, his eyes met a doe-eyed Daniel watching him, looking curiously at the booklet.

“What’s that?” The Prince asked plainly, tucking his hands to rest neatly under his chin. Phil stared at him blankly. Was The Prince really initiating conversation? He knew that he would probably willingly talk to him at some point, but he never expected it to be so early on. He thought he was still on the silent treatment. He cleared his throat before speaking, willing his words to work properly.

“Your files. The King wants me to have them memorized by next week.” Daniel eyed the booklet nosily before plucking it from Phil’s hands, inspecting the page.

“He’s making you memorize my eating schedule? Does he know i’m not an infant?”

“You certainly act like one.” Johanna iritatidley spat, crossing her legs in her seat.

Phil laughed, feeling his lungs expand in his tightly-wound chest. Daniel scooted closer to Phil in his chair, nearly grazing Phil’s suit fabric with his own satin shirt.

“What else is he having you memorize?”

Phil opened the folder and pushed it closer to Daniel, allowing him to look inside.

“It’s mostly your medical and school records with some extra information mixed in. I’ve actually looked over a good portion of your medical documents already. Is it true you sprained your wrist twice in a month when you were seven?”

Daniel’s head shot up at Phil before shyly ducking back down. He tucked a curl behind his ear as he cleared his throat.

“I hope these records don’t share the details of how I sprained it?”

“They do actually. I’m not surprised you sprained it the first time while playing ball, but I didn’t know it was possible to sprain your wrist whilst grooming a horse, however I suppose you somehow managed to prove me wrong.” Phil joked with a smile. The Prince’s face flushed a light pink as he tried to look focused on the documents in front of him. After a moment his eyes met Phil’s again, this time accompanied by a small boyish grin.

“In my defense, horses are a lot more aggressive than you think. I didn’t realize brushing his face would cause him to headbutt me to the ground.”

Johanna let out a guttural laugh, eyes creasing into crescent moons. Daniel looked at her pointedly before giving her shoulder a light push. The woman sat up after containing her breath, smiling at the boy next to her.

“Sweet Daniel, animals don’t particularly like you, do they?” She asked with pity.

Phil smiled as he recalled another note in his chart.

“I do seem to remember reading about a certain incident with a cat when you were eleven.”

“I didn’t know I was allergic! How was I supposed to know playing with a stray would cause a reaction!” Phil smiled at the boy’s attempt to defend himself. Dan laughed quietly before passing Phil his booklet back. His smile was quickly replaced with a neutral, untelling expression. The lighthearted conversation seemed to have momentarily broken through his shell, and he looked eager to shield himself back into his study.

Phil’s heart felt lighter as he took his book from the boy. He was worried Daniel would be put off by the light humor, but he was satisfied to see his strategy had worked slightly. Phil thought this may be a good opportunity to ask a question still lingering in the back of his mind.

“I did have a question for you, Prince Daniel.”

Daniel looked up from his French textbook hesitantly, his eyes still shining with the same uncertainty that glistened the first night they met. Johanna looked to Phil as well after placing a bookmark in her work.

“There was one part in your medical accounts that had hardly no information and I was hoping you could fill me in, it looks like an accident happened a month or so ago-”

Before Phil could finish his sentence Daniel stood up from the table and started gathering his belongings. Johanna stood as well, a nervous expression painting her dark complexion.

“Actually, I cannot help you with that. Have a nice day, Phil.”

Daniel grabbed Johanna’s arm and practically sprinted out of the room. Phil was left by himself, dumbfounded and alone. All he did was ask a simple question, so what on earth could have offended The Prince so intensely that he had to make an exit of that degree?

Phil sat back in his chair with a sigh, his hands rubbing tiredly over his face. He hoped he hadn’t fucked up too bad, but he knew this certainly would stick on Daniel’s perception of him. Even if today wasn’t going as well as he hoped, Phil optimistically prayed that The Prince would take pity on him and give their arrangement some more time to become situated.

Phil was sure more awkward moments would come up, but he made note to strongly attempt to not speak of this conversation until Daniel was ready.

Chapter Text

Phil’s first few days of his new position went by quickly. He spent most of his time in the library tucked into a study corner, wanting to memorize the rest of Daniel’s folder to the best of his abilities. King Marcus had asked Johanna to keep an eye on Daniel while Phil was studying, which the guard much appreciated.

Although it was a lot to learn, Phil finally felt confident that he had learned everything in that damn folder, thanks to many sleepless nights, and he now found himself preparing to start working beside The Prince personally.

Phil knew the hard part of his work was just beginning. Even if he had won The King’s approval, Phil still had to work on gaining Daniel’s. He hoped that they would be able to brush off the incident in the library from a few days prior, but Daniel has yet to speak to Phil. He knew The Prince was a shy person, but Phil still felt the lingering hunch that he was being avoided on purpose.
Unfortunately for Daniel, he may have to make up with his guard sooner than he would have liked to due to Phil’s most recent instructions. The King had requested Phil to change rooms so he could remain closer to Daniel if necessary, and Phil had spent the whole day moving.

He didn’t have an abundance of momentos to move, but he did have a fair share of clothes and books he needed to transport to his new quarters. Thankfully, he was able to convince his old roommate to help him get set up in his new living space.

Chris let out a deep sigh as he dropped a box to the floor. He fixed his coffee-colored hair and smiled widely at Phil

“Jesus, Phil. You could fit our old room and the kitchen in here! I bet a giant like you couldn’t even touch the ceiling!” Chris exclaimed.

It was true, this new room was massive compared to his old one. The one he and Chris had shared only had enough space to fit a bunk bed and their small wardrobe, along with a desk to store some personal belongings. It was hardly enough space for two giant men like themselves to share, but they made do. This room, however, looked as if it could easily house half of the guard staff and their entire families.

It had marble floors that echoed every footstep you took, and beautiful wallpaper adorned the room. Paintings with every color you could imagine stood in contrast against the sophisticated white furniture. It all seemed a bit excessive to Phil, but he had expected that.

What he wasn’t expecting, however, was that him and The Prince would now be sharing a wall. The King did tell him that he would be moving to a closer proximity to his son, but Phil didn’t realize he would actually be in Daniel’s private wing.

The idea of sharing the same space as Daniel made it hard for Phil to breathe. He wanted nothing more than to give Daniel space, especially since that’s all he’s asked for since the very beginning, and now it felt like he was suffocating the poor boy, hardly giving him enough space to think.

Phil understood that as The Prince’s private guard he would need to remain within a close distance, but he hoped Daniel wouldn’t think of his presence as too overbearing. Phil noticed how apprehensive the boy was about this whole arrangement from the very beginning, even though he did agree to it, and he intended to stay out of The Prince’s way as much as possible. It was the least he could do for him.

Phil was brought out of his thoughts when a strong hand clapped his shoulder.

“Hey man, we gotta get this room a guest bed. I hope you know i’ll be staying over here a lot.” Chris said with a smirk. Phil playfully shoved his shoulder, rolling his eyes as he did so.
He wouldn’t mind Chris staying over all that much. He had loved the guy since he met him all those years ago at defense training. They both were the runts of the group, lanky and thin, and they tended to get pushed around by some of the bigger guys in the force. The two bonded quickly and became pretty dependable training buddies. Before long, the two men were breaking every record in their troop. From weight lifting to swimming, Chris and Phil were always at the top. The two had depended on each other for a long time, so Phil thought it was only natural for Chris to come by every once in a while for very manly sleepovers and such.

Right as the two were unboxing the last parcel, they heard a faint knock on the door. Phil walked over to the lavishly carved wooden door and opened it swiftly. On the other side stood the tailor from a few days ago, his curly hair just as unruly and boyish as Phil had remembered. Pj looked up at Phil with a smile adorning his freckled face, holding a set of garment bags over his shoulder.

“Hello, Phil! I finally had the chance to finish these up for you! They’re your sets of uniforms. I worked on them personally to ensure they were made perfect for you.”

Phil smiled at the petite man and opened the door further.

“Why don’t you come on in, Pj? I’m only finishing up unpacking.” Phil gestured to his room with a smile. The tailor shook his head lightly and adjusted the weight of clothes on his arm.

“Unfortunately I have to run to Dan’s room after this. He broke off one of the buttons on a jacket and I need to mend it.” The tailor said fondly. Before either of them had a chance to say another word, Phil felt the door whip open violently behind him, revealing a happy looking Chris. Phil’s friend smiled unashamedly at the smaller boy in front of him and extended a hand.

“Hi, I’m Chris.” Pj took the man’s hand softly in his small grip and gave it a quick shake.

“Hello, I’m Pj. I’m sorry, Phil, I didn’t realize you had company.” Pj said with a blush, looking sheepishly towards Phil. Phil opened his mouth to hush the boy’s concerns, he really wasn’t interrupting anything, but Chris quickly took the lead.

“Don’t worry, angel. You came at the perfect time. We were just about to send for tea and I would love it if you joined us. And let me take those from you, someone like you shouldn’t have to do heavy lifting.” Chris took the garment bags from Pj and swung them over his shoulder as if they were as light as feathers, and placed his hand on the smaller boy’s arm.

Pj looked up at Chris with wide eyes before changing his gaze to focus on the delicate hand on his arm. He swallowed nervously before looking back up to Chris.

“I really appreciate the offer, but I really must be going. Thank you for the invitation, Chris.”

Before Pj could step back, Chris softly tightened his grip on the other’s arm, careful not to frighten the boy.

“When can I see your pretty face again?” Chris asked smoothly, brown eyes studying Pj’s flustered expression. Phil hid his laughter under a small smile, smirking at his friend’s fantical attempt at flirting. He noticed Pj’s face only seemed to blush more at the compliment.

“I’m sure i’ll see you around Phil again. Have a nice day.” Pj uttered out, clearly trying to force more confidence in his voice than he truly had. Chris let the boy’s arm wiggle out of his hand without struggle and watched him scurry to the next room.

Phil closed the door with a chuckle, looking expectantly towards his friend. Chris had on the most dazed and bewildered smile he had ever seen, but it soon shifted into annoyance when he locked eyes with Phil.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me about him?”

“About Pj? We only met a few days ago at my fitting. I didn’t realize you would take such a liking to him.” Phil nudged his friend’s shoulder. Chris shook it off and smiled to himself.

“That’s the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen. I’m definitely going to have to hang around here more.” Phil rolled his eyes but smiled at his friend. Chris had always been a romantic, but Phil had never seen him so instantaneously enamoured with someone before. He certainly wouldn't mind if Chris somehow managed to get Pj to agree to date him. After all, he did need some serious help with dressing himself better.

Phil was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the soft trill of piano keys floating through the air. Chris seemed to notice it too and broke out of his love-sick trance.

“That music is almost as pretty as the tailor. Do you think The King hired a pianist?”

“I’m not sure. It is awfully pretty though.” Phil commented. He decided not to mention he thought the beautiful music was coming from The Prince’s room. That seemed like yet another breach on his privacy that he was unwilling to break.

***

The day had gone by fast and Chris had left for dinner with the other soldiers, leaving Phil to finish the last of his unpacking. It didn’t take too much longer than Phil had anticipated, but he was exhausted by the end of it. Despite being a well-trained soldier, heavy labor wasn’t necessarily one of his favorite activities.

He gathered a few soft towels from his wardrobe and undressed for a warm shower. As he stood under the steaming water, watching small drops trail their way down his pale skin, he noticed the soft music still playing from the other room.

Phil had concluded that the person playing was in fact Prince Daniel. He recalled part of Daniel’s folder listing piano as one of his hobbies, stating that he had been playing for the majority of his life.

As lovely as the music was, Phil couldn’t help but feel concerned. The music had started when Chris was still helping him unpack, and that had been hours ago. Now it was the late hours of night and it continued to lilt celestially through the walls of the palace, painting every inch of Phil’s room with melodies.

More than anything, Phil wanted to check on The Prince and make sure he was doing okay. He had missed dinner hour, and as enchanting as Daniel’s playing was, he could hear that the quality of his playing was slowly starting to decrease after hours and hours of practice.

Phil turned off the hot water and enveloped himself in a plush white towel, satisfied that the water relaxed his sore muscles. He changed into a plain pair of sweats and a cotton shirt and quietly made his way into his big bed.

Although he was alone in the room, he felt as if the tiniest noise would disturb the palace. He didn’t realize how late it was until he had the covers wrapped up under his chin. He took a peak at the clock on his side table and sighed. 3:11am. It was far too late for Phil to be up, but he couldn’t will himself to sleep with the euphonious piano still playing through his wall.

It wasn’t that the music was bothering him, actually it had been incredibly soothing, however it had made Phil more than a little concerned for Daniel. It was hard to sleep when he knew the person he was supposed to be taking care of wasn’t getting their needed rest. Phil wanted nothing more than to march over to The Prince’s room and convince him to get some sleep, but Phil wasn’t going to even consider crossing that boundary. Daniel wanted space, and Phil had promised that he would see to that.

Phil sat up in bed suddenly when he heard the music stop. He listened quietly as he heard the shuffling of feet from The Prince’s bedroom. It sounded like they were heading for the door, and Phil took this as the perfect time to check on Daniel without having to invade his personal space. He sprung out of bed and swung the door open just in time to see a sleepy looking prince leaving his room.

Daniel locked eyes with Phil and cocked his head.

“Phil, what are you doing up so late? You should be asleep by now.” Daniel said in a whisper, rubbing the sleep out of his tired eyes. He walked to Phil’s door with sock-padded feet and looked up to the taller man for an explanation through sleepy eyelashes.

Phil smiled at the younger boy’s attempt to be stern. His scolding words didn’t hold too much weight when they were spoken by a boy about to collapse from exhaustion.

“I was enjoying my private concert. Who knew Mozart and Chopin could be so exhilarating?” Phil joked easily. Daniel looked up at Phil with worried eyes.

“Oh God, I didn’t keep you awake, did I? I’m so sorry.” Daniel began to fiddle with his sleeves, clearly in distress at the concept of keeping Phil from a good night’s sleep. Phil shook his head and smiled at the shorter boy.

“Not at all, I was just finishing unpacking. Your music was quite nice to listen to while working.”

The Prince seemed to relax a little at this, allowing himself to rest on the wall adjacent to Phil’s door. Phil tried not to notice the fatigue painting Daniel’s face, or how his too-big sweatshirt was hanging off his shoulder, exposing his pronounced collarbones.

Phil found it quite odd that The Prince was allowed to wear such casual sleepwear. In his mind, he was picturing the royals to have nothing less than chiffon robes and satin pajamas, but Daniel broke that image. The Prince stood in nothing more than a pair of boxers and a sweatshirt nearly reaching his knees. Phil would never tell him this, but he found it quite endearing.

Daniel continued fidgeting with his sleeves, still not entirely convinced he wasn’t being a nuisance.

“I am sorry if I was bothering you with my playing. I’m glad you’re done unpacking now though, I know that can be stressful.”

Phil ignored The Prince’s comment and instead focused on his face. His expression was entirely dripping with exhaustion, and it appeared that he would topple over at any moment. Phil shifted his arms, hoping his concern wasn’t bleeding through as much as he thought.

“It really wasn’t a bother at all. Why are you still awake, though? No offense, your highness, but you look exhausted.”

Daniel met Phil’s concerned gaze and shook his head lightly.

“I just wasn’t tired yet. I was going to go get some tea to see if that would help.”

Phil narrowed his eyes, looking over the boy once more. Clearly he was lying, but Phil didn’t want to press it. Whether it was the sleep deprivation or just pure change of heart, Daniel was being willingly kindhearted to him and he didn’t want to screw it up.

“Do you want me to escort you to the kitchen? Or call one of the maids to get some for you? I worry about you wandering around so late.” Phil said quietly, not wanting to appear too overbearing.

Daniel shook his head with a yawn.

“That’s very kind of you, but I will go get it myself. Why don’t you go to bed? I’ll be done playing for the night so you can get some rest. Have a good night, Phil.”

Before Phil could respond, the young prince left for his tea. Phil really wanted to know what was keeping Daniel awake when he was so clearly tired, but he chose to keep it for himself. He was sure it was only his exhaustion, but Phil’s heart felt lighter when recalling their conversation. It was uncharacteristically kind, and Phil had hoped Daniel was finally warming up to him.

Phil slumped back into bed, practically melting into the memory foam mattress. After a few minutes he heard Daniel stagger back into his room. Phil only fell asleep when he heard the shuffling of bedsheets and quiet snores come from The Prince’s room.

Chapter Text

Phil eyed the heaping mound of pancakes on the table, letting the comforting smell of honey and toast sweep through his nose. In front of the royal family lay a delectable display of berries, sweet cream, baked goods, teas, and everything else that made Phil’s mouth water. Unfortunately for him, Phil couldn’t indulge in the delicious goods, no matter how wonderful they looked.

He currently stood guard at the entrance of the dining hall, watching the royal family eat to their heart’s content. He knew he was on duty, but the amazing smells made it hard not to pull up a chair next to them and dig in.

Luckily he had Johanna at his side, as she was accompanying Daniel as usual, standing nearby in case the young prince needed anything. She stood silently next to Phil, listening quietly to the nearby conversation.

At the table, King Marcus and Prince Adrian were talking quickly to each other, thoughts and debates shooting to each other like darts, but Phil was more focused on the smallest member of the royal line.

Prince Daniel sat quietly, eyes softly fluttering open and shut like butterfly wings, willing himself to stay awake. The sun peeking in through the sheer curtains seemed to do little to wake his heavy head, and his sweater was spilling over his hands and torso like a blanket, almost daring him to curl up and fall asleep in it.

Phil knew of course that Daniel hadn’t slept well the previous night. Playing piano into the early hours of the morning certainly would hinder anyone from feeling particularly ebullient, but The Prince looked like he was struggling to even lift a fork to his mouth.

Despite his worry, Phil decided to focus his thoughts on the King and elder prince’s conversation. Their tones were getting more exasperated and Phil was intrigued.

“Listen son, I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t worth getting you worked up about something so insignificant. No one was hurt and the civil military force handled it with haste; there is no more discussion to be had about the matter!” The King insisted, rubbing his aging temples with his thumbs.

Prince Adrian looked irritated at the other end of the table as he argued back.

“Insignificant? How on earth is a rebel ambush insignificant? I understand that no one was hurt but it’s still a threat to the monarchy! You didn’t even alert the palace guards! What if something were to happen?”

“The attack was two towns over! If it was a serious threat they would have come directly to the palace instead of wasting their time on burning a townhouse. Everyone is safe and that is all that matters. Don’t you understand that, Adrian? The rebels already think of us as weak, we can’t give them more reasons to believe that.” The King said pointedly, willing Adrian to see his point of view.

Phil had figured something like this would happen soon. There had always been small uprisings and riots throughout the kingdom, usually for something simple like people protesting large companies to give their employees better wages, or citizens calling for assistance during the more poverty-stricken months, but this was The Salvation Order, and they were entirely different.

The Salvation Order was a group of rebels fighting to destroy the monarchy, and they were willing to use any kind of violence, fear, or manipulation to get their way. Their main motive was to dismantle the current royal family and replace them, but Phil thought that was completely mindless.

Why would they even consider replacing a perfectly good monarchy for people with no experience? And who would they think to replace them with? Rebels? Anarchy would rain throughout the kingdom to the point where they wouldn’t even have citizens to rule over.

The reasoning behind their motivations also never quite made sense to Phil. They voiced that they were angry with the royals due to their lack of prioritizing the preserving the kingdom’s longevity. With King Marcus getting older and Prince Adrian seemingly not in a rush to marry, the rebels saw the family as careless.

Phil knew that Adrian was putting his focus into his humanitarian projects instead of wedding so young and King Marcus was still ruling with considerable precision and grace, but the rebels didn’t seem to notice that.

Thinking back, the royal family brought this kingdom up higher than it had been in centuries. King Marcus had almost entirely eliminated his citizen’s battle with homlessness, building dozens of shelters and providing thousands of job opportunities. The amount of schools and hospitals available to the public have doubled, and Adrian had been working endlessly on providing a sustainable food source that would stay plentiful during the winter. Phil couldn’t wrap his head around why people would want to rid the kingdom of their best rulers they’ve had in ages.

Phil was taken out from his thoughts when The King softened his voice.

“Daniel, are you doing okay, son?”

Daniel looked up from his sleep-depriven haze and blinked timidly.

“Yes of course i’m doing okay. Just not very hungry this morning.”

A small frown crossed The King’s face before he set down his napkin on the white tablecloth.

“Alright. Well then, Daniel you are excused. I set up an appointment for you with Pj so he can take some updated measurements. He’s going to make you some new stylings for our upcoming trip to Auberon. I want you to look your best.”

Daniel nodded quickly and stood up, walking through the large wooden doors into the hallway. Johanna and Phil followed closely behind, allowing The Prince to lead the way. Phil looked to Johanna and quietly cleared his throat.

“Johanna, what is this about an upcoming trip? Is this something I should be aware of?”

“Oh, it’s nothing you need to worry about right now. It’s still a few weeks away; I'm sure The King will give you all the details as the trip comes closer. We’re just doing Dan’s fitting early so Pj can have time to make alterations if needed.”

Phil nodded. If Johanna said he didn’t have to worry about it, he wasn’t going to. He was sure it was just a small vacation of sorts.

Soon the trio arrived at the tailor’s wing and Daniel swung the door open. A concentrated looking Pj stood at the other end of the room pinning some satin onto a mannequin, but looked up with a smile when they entered.

“Danny! I’m so excited I get to see you today!” The tailor set down his fabric and walked up to wrap Daniel in a bear hug. The Prince hugged tightly back and smiled, happy to see his friend. When he pulled back, a look of concern flashed across Pj’s freckle-strewn face.

“Dan. Why do you look like you have the plague? Did you sleep okay last night?”

Daniel rolled his eyes and pushed his friend off of him.

“Thanks Pj, you flatter me.”

Pj looked unamused and turned to Johanna and Phil. An expecting look crossed his face as he waited for them to spill everything they knew about Daniel’s well-being.

“Do either of you want to tell me what’s wrong? I know he won't fill me in unless I force it out of him.”

Prince Daniel huffed and took Pj’s arm.

“Stop bothering them. Let’s just do my measurements so you can get back to your actual work.” Daniel pulled Pj along into a small room blocked by a curtain.

Johanna linked her arm with Phil’s and led him to a velvet-covered couch against the wall. She sat down and gestured for Phil to take the seat next to hers. She looked pensive for a moment, as if contemplating her thoughts, before she spoke.

“Phil, do you know if Dan got any sleep last night?” She asked. Her gaze was worried but severely determined. Phil considered lying for a moment in case Daniel got mad for outing him to his maid as he would surely get a scolding from her, but he knew nothing would get past her.

“No... I'm afraid he didn’t. He was up until early morning playing piano. He took a break to get some tea and I happened to be in the hall so I encouraged him to go to sleep, but i’m not sure how well he took my advice.” Phil said. Technically he was telling a little white lie about ‘happening’ to be in the hallway, but he didn’t want to tell her he had stayed up worrying about the poor boy. She was already fussing over Daniel, he didn’t want her to worry about him too.

She sighed and looked down to her hands in her lap, fiddling with a loose thread from her apron.

“Thank you, Phil. I figured he probably didn’t sleep well.”

Her mood shifted as she plastered on a smile, telling Phil she had to fill him in on some of the gossip from the other maids. Phil wasn’t so sure what caused the change in mood, but he had a feeling it was her way of getting out of the conversation.

Before long, Daniel and Pj reappeared from the fitting room having finished with measurements, and joined the two at the couch. Johanna gave a broad smile at the boys and suggested they take a walk in the gardens.

“Please, Dan? You have some free time today and I think it would be good for you to get some fresh air. Pj and Phil will come too, right?” She looked to the two expectantly. They nodded and looked to The Prince.

“Fine, but if it starts raining we’re coming right back inside. I don’t like the cold.”

Johanna grinned happily as she once again hooked Phil’s arm with her’s, leading the way out the tailor’s doors. The morning sunshine glowed delicately through the large windows, illuminating the palace halls. The marble busts and refined paintings took the light with life, allowing it to further emphasize their mastership. The group couldn’t have been walking for more than a minute before a hand clapped down on Phil’s shoulder.

Phil turned to see Chris with his usual wide grin on his face.

“Crazy seeing you here, stranger.” Chris said, patting Phil’s shoulder with vigior. Phil was about to respond but Chris suddenly seemed way more interested in the curly-haired tailor standing next to him.

“I wasn’t expecting to run into you today, beautiful. I hope Phil’s been treating you well.” Chris said, sending a wink towards the tailor. Pj quickly ducked his head to hide his reddening cheeks. Chris gave Pj a sappy smirk before turning his attention to Phil again. His smile lessened as he lowered his voice.

“Phil, do you have a moment? I need to discuss something with you.”

His eyes were hard and evoked a sense of urgency, leaving nervous chills running down Phil’s spine. Phil turned to Johanna, who nodded and led the other boys further down the hall to give the guards some space. Phil’s full attention was on Chris, who was nervously looking around the room.

“I needed to talk to you about something. I don’t know much, but I think you should be informed. We just hired 100 more members of the guard staff. Normally we would hire one or two a month, not a hundred. No one’s telling us what’s going on, but I think something bad is happening that we don’t know about. Do you know anything?”

Phil’s mind was racing miles a minute. He bit his nail roughly as he paced back and forth. He must have missed something The King had told him. Surely if something was wrong he would be informed, right? After all, it was his responsibility to look after The Prince. Of course he should be kept in the loop. But he wasn’t recalling anything of vital importance, and if what Chris is saying is correct, then clearly he wasn’t being fully kept up to date.

“I overheard King Marcus talk about a small riot over in Claridicate County, but nothing that should be of too much worry. Besides that, I know just about as much as you do.” Phil said with a frown.

Chris’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment before he sighed and looked back to Phil.

“Thank you for filling me in. Maybe just keep an extra eye on The Prince. Hopefully they’ll tell us more later. Come on, I’ll escort you back to your group. I want to see that angel of a tailor again.”

Phil chuckled at his friend as they walked over, interrupting Johanna reciting the long-winded history of a painting on the wall. Pj looked to Phil with relief, but his blush soon returned when he noticed Chris standing next to him, still looking at him with those lovesick eyes and enormous grin.

“I’m afraid I must continue my rounds, but it was an absolute gift to see you again, my dear. I hope to see your lovely face again very soon.” Chris took Pj’s hand lightly and placed a small kiss on his knuckle. He flashed him a shy smile before waltzing away to join the rest of his crew.

Pj stood as red as a rose gazing at his hand with disbelief. Daniel laughed and nudged his friend’s shoulder lightly, breaking the tailor out of his trance.

“So, are you going to tell me about your new boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend! He’s just… “

“Just the love of your life?”

“Oh, shut up.”

The Prince giggled and intertwined his hand with Pj’s, leading him to the gardens with Johanna and Phil following closely behind. Phil liked seeing Daniel like this. He seemed carefree and happy, like how a person his age should be. He knew Daniel was raised with an abundance of maturity for his age, he had to be, but Phil enjoyed seeing the moments when his true character could peak through.

Once they reached the garden, Daniel immediately strode to a rose bush, the same one he escaped to the night of the dinner party. Phil smiled as he watched Pj sit down and hand Daniel a daisy as he took his seat next to him. He watched as Daniel’s hand fumbled through the grass and plucked another white daisy.

The Prince carefully started weaving flowers together to create a strand. Phil chuckled when he realized the boy was making a flower crown. It’s certainly a change from the crowns he usually wears, but it’s a welcome change.

Phil and Johanna sat together on a patch of grass not too far away from the others and chatted absentmindedly, allowing the rays of sun to rest on their skin. Phil was in the middle of telling a story to Johanna about his last training when he felt a presence behind him. Phil turned around, senses on high alert, only to see Prince Adrian.

“Hello Philip, do you mind if I speak to you for a moment in private?”

Phil turned back to check on Daniel, who was still peacefully linking daisies together, before standing to join the older prince. He was getting a little worn out by all of these ‘private conversations’ everyone seemed to want to have today.

The pair walked silently for a few minutes, Adrian, as poised as ever, walked silently with his hands at his sides, every so often glancing down to inspect a flower. Phil on the other hand, was trying to calm his raging nerves. The beautiful sights and smells of the garden did little to calm his anxious mind. First he’s questioned by The King, and now the eldest prince. Phil should be used to speaking to royalty by now but his nervously racing mind said otherwise.

After what seemed like an eternity, Adrian finally spoke.

“I asked you to accompany me privately so I could ask you a question. Do you know if Daniel slept okay last night?”

Phil swallowed and shook his head.

“No, your highness, he didn’t. I heard him playing his piano for most of the night, and it only stopped around 3’oclock in the morning. I ran into him in the hallway and encouraged him to sleep, but judging by the bags under his eyes this morning i’m not sure he took my advice.”

Adrian seemed to think on this for a moment, eyes concentrated and firmly looking to the ground, before he looked back to Phil and gave a curt nod.

“Alright. Thank you for your help, Philip.” Adrian began to leave, but not before Philip placed a gentle hand on his arm. There had been something on his mind all day and he thought Adrian might be his best bet of getting an answer.

“Is the late night piano playing normal for Prince Daniel? It’s quite beautiful and it’s not a bother at all, but it worries me that he was up so late last night.” Phil said timidly. He didn’t mean to be so casual with his conversation with The Prince, but if it’s job to be Daniel’s guard, he was going to make sure Daniel was healthy and well.

Adrian sucked a breath in before slowly letting it back out, locking eyes with Phil.

“As of recently, it has been a habit of his. I will not tell you more, I don’t want to invade Daniel’s privacy, but I do appreciate your concern for him. I know this must be a lot to handle for you, but if something in the future concerns you about my brother, please do not hesitate to come to me. My room is right across from his and I am often up late, so if he needs anything, I'll be there. Have a nice day, Philip.” Adrian nodded and swiftly walked away, allowing Phil to re-join the others.

***

Phil stepped out of the blistering shower onto the cool tiles of his bathroom floor. He wrapped his waist in a towel and took another to his ebony hair, wringing the droplets from the strands and onto the floor.

It had been a few hours after his walk he took with the others, and as lovely as it was, he was looking forward to having some solitary time in his bed to recharge. The clock on the wall showed it was nearing midnight. It was slightly later that Phil would have hoped, but he knew he would sleep extra well that night.

He walked over to his wardrobe and changed into a simple pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, ready to resign for the night. Right as he was pulling back his bedsheets, he heard a piercing scream echo through his wall.

Phil, suddenly wide awake, completely abandoned his promise to give Daniel his space. Pure panic was steering his actions, and at this moment, he didn’t care if The Prince got mad at him. He just needed to make sure he was safe.

His sock-covered feet sprinted to the next room over, and he was quickly bolting through the young prince’s door. Everything looked normal for a moment. No one was breaking in and nothing seemed astray, but then Phil noticed the small bundle of blankets on the bed.

Daniel lay on his side, curled into the tiniest ball possible, sobbing his heart out. Phil ran over to the boy and started to place a gentle hand on his shoulder but quickly moved it away, wanting to preserve as many boundaries as he could.

“Daniel, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Phil started looking over the shaking boy, searching for any form of injury, when he noticed The Prince’s eyes were still softly shut. Though thick tears were streaming down his pale face and small sobs were leaving his mouth, the boy seemed to be asleep. Phil’s mind went to every possible outcome that could arise from this situation. Daniel was clearly having a nightmare, and Phil knew it wouldn’t stop unless he was awoken. But would Phil being this far in Daniel’s space be seen as a breach of trust by The Prince? The boy seemed to finally be easing up on Phil, and he would never be able to forgive himself if he made Daniel return to his original state of malice and distrust.

Phil’s mind was made up when another blood-curdling scream left The Prince’s mouth. Worry shot through Phil like a bullet and he knelt by Daniel’s bed. With a firm hand he shook the boy’s shoulder, praying he would wake up.

Before long, Daniel’s eyes shot open. His small frame jumped to sit up and tried to inch it’s way further back into the headboard, his eyes searching for any sign of danger.

“Hey Daniel, it’s just me. It’s okay.” Phil said softly. He kept a light hand on Daniel’s shoulder, hoping it would be soothing enough to bring him back to a normal headspace. Daniel’s hazel eyes met Phil’s blue ones for a moment, before the boy lunged onto Phil with a deep sob. His thin arms wrapped around Phil’s neck tightly, his face hidden behind his mop of brown curls.

“Daniel, can you hear me? Are you okay? How can I help?”

The Prince did nothing but bury his head further into Phil’s shoulder, cries leaving his body in trembling convulsions.

Phil stood frozen, trying to figure out what was happening, but soon small tear trails were staining his shirt and Phil was brought back to the present. This couldn’t be a result from a nightmare, could it? The Prince seemed inconsolable, barely hearing what Phil was saying.

Phil carefully lifted Daniel and sat the two on the bed. Daniel immediately clung onto him harder, his small fingernails clutching the back of Phil’s shirt as if he was his lifeline.

Phil rubbed small soothing circles on Daniel’s back as he thought back to his medical history, his brain looking for any possible explanation for what was happening. He remembered reading that Daniel had panic attacks when he was in elementary school, and he recalled the symptoms looking very similar to these, but that was over ten years ago and he didn’t read anything about them happening recently.

Nonetheless, Phil decided he would treat this situation the same way he would a normal panic attack. He held Daniel tight against his own body, with one hand cradling his back and the other combing through his hair.

“It’s going to be okay, Daniel, I promise. Nothing is going to hurt you.” Phil whispered softly, hoping the boy might be able to hear him through his cries. He continued rubbing Daniel’s back, hoping it would help calm his shaking body.

When The Prince let out another loud sob, the doors swung open, revealing a pajama-clad Johanna and a terrified looking Adrian. The two looked out of breath, like they had sprinted here just as Phil had. Johanna made eye contact with Phil before she ran to the bathroom, loudly rummaging through cabinets.

Adrian bolted over to his brother, who lay crying into Phil’s chest, and took him in his own arms with haste. Daniel immediately started screaming and flailing around even louder than he had been, trying to work his way out of his brother’s grip, but Adrian only held on tighter. With a swift motion, Adrian flung Daniel onto the bed and pinned his small arms against the mattress.

Phil arose from the bed and stumbled forward, desperate to calm The Prince down. He tried to push his way closer to Daniel but Adrian shoved him out of the way. He wasn’t sure what Adrian was doing but it certainly wasn’t helping. Daniel was in hysterics, deafening screams leaving his mouth and legs kicking against his brother’s unbudging body.

“Johanna, hurry!” Adrian shouted. Johanna swiftly emerged from the bathroom with a small vial and syringe filled with clear liquid.

“No! Adrian, what are you doing to him?!” Phil cried, using all of his willpower not to bodyslam the older prince.

“Phil, please trust me.” Adrian yelled fervently. He locked eyes with Phil, pleading with him to cooperate. Phil only nodded, summoning all of his strength to help him stay out of it. It was going against everything his body was telling him, but he wanted to trust Adrian.

Johanna ripped the sleeve of Daniel’s shirt and jabbed the needle violently into his skin. Within seconds, The Prince’s body was completely pliant, limbs limp and small breaths leaving his nose. Adrian sat back with his head in his hands while Johanna quickly moved to clean the medical supplies.

Adrian sat back up with a deep sigh and picked his little brother up, holding him tightly to his chest. He moved him to the other side of his bed and maneuvered his drugged body under the blankets. He softly brushed a stay curl off of Daniel’s forehead before turning to Phil, exhaustion painting his face.

“I am sorry you had to see that, Philip. I imagine that was incredibly nerve-wracking for you.”

Phil stood aggravated, eyes wide and searching Adrian’s face for a better answer.

“I don’t care about that. I just want to know what happened to him! Nothing like that was described in his notes, even though you’re clearly aware of what’s going on. I just want to make sure he’s okay, I don’t care about anything else.”

Adrian looked to his feet with an expression of shame and sorrow on his usually spirited face. He looked lost for words, but Johanna returned from the bathroom just in time and took a gentle seat by Daniel, petting his hair softly as she looked up to Phil.

“Daniel gets night terrors every so often, and they can result in some pretty dramatic panic attacks. They only started recently so they haven’t been added to your notes, but I do apologize. I realize now that I should have filled you in sooner.”

Johanna looked worriedly down to Daniel and tucked a strand of curly hair behind her ear.

“They’re usually fairly violent episodes, so we use a sedative to help calm him down. It prevents him from hurting himself while he’s thrashing around, and it helps calm his mind faster and puts him back to sleep. I’m sorry, Phil. I should have told you.”

Phil’s jaw tightened but he gave her an understanding nod. He was frustrated that he wasn’t filled in sooner, but he was relieved he knew about it now. Phil looked over to the sleeping boy with worry.

“Can I have more details? Do you know what causes him to have night terrors? What can I do to help? I need more information.” Phil said, his chest still sore from the anxiety. He didn’t think he could ever forget the expression on Daniel’s face when he woke up. Pure terror and panic. Phil wasn’t sure what was hurting the boy so badly that he had night terrors, but he was certain that he never wanted him to go through something like that again.

Adrian adjusted his suit jacket and cleared his throat, trying to re-conduct himself. He locked eyes once again with Phil before shaking his head firmly, his lips pressed in a hard line.

“We are not going to tell you that information. That is only for Dan to explain once he’s ready.”

Phil stepped forward, about to argue, when Adrian held up a hand to halt him.

“What I will tell you is that I find it incredibly fascinating that you were able to hold him. Every time I’ve tried to hold Dan while he’s been in one of his episodes it always seems to make it worse. He would kick me, punch me, do everything he could to keep me away. He’s usually inconsolable. But for some reason he seemed okay with you holding him. Calmer, even.”

“Maybe this one wasn’t as bad as the others?” Phil suggested. Adrian looked thoughtful for a moment before giving Phil a resolved nod.

“Perhaps you are right, Philip. Now, I will be heading to bed. I suggest you two do the same.” He bowed slightly to Johanna and Phil before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Phil focused back to Daniel, who was wrapped snugly in his comforter. Tear streaks still stained his face but the color had returned to his skin, which was a relief for Phil. Johanna still sat perched on the bed next to Daniel, brushing his hair with her slender fingers. Her dark skin glowed in the moonlight, illuminating her downcast expression.

“You know, Phil, I really appreciate you being so patient with Dan. I know it must be frustrating being kept in the dark, but you’re doing a wonderful job. Things will work out with time, and I’m sure he’ll let you into his head soon. We just need to wait.”

She stood from the bed and adjusted her nightgown.

“Thank you for your help, Phil. Now, I am going to be heading to bed. I hope you follow my advice and do so as well. Have a good night, Phil.” She walked over and gave Phil a warm hug. Her boney arms wrapped tightly around his waist, giving Phil the comfort he craved after such a long night. She pulled back with a smile before retreating to her own quarters.

Phil was now the only one left with Daniel. As he looked to the sleeping figure he felt a pang of anxiety fill his chest. He trusted that Johanna and Adrian wouldn’t have left if there was a chance of something happening again, but what if it did? Phil didn’t want to take any chances of leaving him to deal with another nightmare alone.

Phil picked up the wooden chair from Daniel’s desk and left his room, making sure to silently close the door behind him. He moved the chair just to the right of the door and took a seat. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but Phil felt much better being closer to The Prince. He closed his eyes and prepared for a long night.

***

Phil awoke the next morning to a poking in his left shoulder. His eyes stung when they opened, the lack of sleep and searing sunlight temporarily paining him. He looked around for a moment, not recognizing the pale walls and marble floors. It took him a moment to remember last night, memories flooding back to him.

A voice cleared their throat beside him. Phil looked up to see Daniel, hair messy and unkempt with eyes lined with red. He still looked tired, but it was an improvement from the day prior. The sedative must have helped more than he anticipated.

Daniel picked at his fingernails as his face slowly flushed.

“Were you here all night?”

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, waiting for the other’s response. Phil let out a deep yawn and stretched his back, earning small popping sounds in the process. He wiped the remaining sleep from his eyes before nodding.

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Daniel looked down to his feet.

“Adrian filled me in on what happened last night. I’m sorry you had to deal with all of that. And I probably should have told you sooner about the night terrors. I thought I would be able to manage them myself but I see now that’s not the case.” The Prince whispered.

Phil stayed quiet for a moment, thinking over his words before he spoke.

“Is that what the late-night piano playing was about?”

He watched as Daniel’s face lit up a cherry red. The Prince bit his lip harshly before giving a small nod.

“Yes, actually. I thought a distraction would help. I’m sorry, I can’t believe I've kept you up two nights in a row now. I feel terrible.”

Phil shook his head. He loves listening to music and he certainly didn’t mind helping Daniel last night, but The Prince seemed quite ashamed about the whole ordeal. Phil looked up into his rich brown eyes and gave a small smile.

“You haven’t been a bother at all. Besides, i’m doing my job.”

Daniel still didn’t look entirely convinced but he nodded and gave Phil a small smile back. Phil got up from his chair and ran a hand through his thick hair.

“And Daniel,” Phil started. The Prince looked up and locked eyes with the taller man.

“I’m never going to force you to talk to me about something you’re uncomfortable with, but please know that I am always an option if you need someone to talk to. I know i’m only your guard, but I also think I can be a pretty good friend in case you ever need one.”

Daniel smiled gently at this. His hand moved to tuck a brown curl behind his ear.

“Thank you, Phil. That means a lot to me. Do you think you could accompany me to my fitting this morning? Pj sent me a note that my first set of outfits are ready.”

Phil nodded happily. The Prince smiled before retreating back into his room, presumably to get ready for the day. Phil ran down to the kitchen, skipping every other step, and grabbed a quick breakfast. When he got back to his room, he took a brisk shower before changing into one of his uniforms.

By the time he was done, Daniel was already waiting outside of his door. Phil walked over to the boy and offered his arm like usual, earning a laugh from Daniel.

“If you want to be friends, you’re going to have to drop the formalities. I’ve never been a big fan of following the traditional etiquette.”

Phil nodded hesitantly. He wasn’t used to not following rules, but all of the fear washed away when Daniel nudged his shoulder and began making his way down the hallway, a content smile plastered on his face. Phil followed obediently, wearing a similar smile on his face.

The two shortly arrived at the tailor’s wing. Pj greeted the two with his usual cheery hellos and hugs before whisking Daniel away behind a curtain. Phil was left to take a seat on one of the velvet couches, waiting for further instruction.

He tried to pass the time by admiring some of the works displayed on various mannequins around the room, but Phil shortly realized he didn’t know much about fashion and they all looked fairly similar to him. It was all gaudy fabrics draped to create angular cuts and folds, and Phil wasn’t a huge fan; he much preferred something simple.

Before Phil could make any more critical comments about fabric choices, the curtain swung open, revealing The Prince wearing a new, and very cute outfit. It consisted of a white chiffon blouse with a bow right around his neck, tight eggshell pants adorned with silver appliques, and a pink colored cardigan that hung loosely off his small frame. To put things simply, he looked adorable.

Phil was a little taken aback by Daniel. He knew The Prince was quite attractive, but he never quite noticed how pretty he was. The pink complimented the permanent blush on his cheeks. The pants showed off his slender but generous legs. He looked like perfection, all wrapped up by the white bow around his neck. Phil felt his face heat up, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off of the boy in front of him.

“Phil, why are you staring at me?” Daniel asked with a small tilt of his head. Phil was broken out of his trance and cleared his throat, trying to re-compose himself. Pj let out a laugh and patted Daniel’s head.

“That’s the reaction we were looking for! First outfit is a success!” Pj whisked Daniel back behind the curtain again, allowing Phil a moment to collect himself. He let out a deep breath and shook his head, trying to rid his thoughts of The Prince. Before long, Daniel was back standing in front of Phil in another gorgeous piece made by Pj. Outfit after outfit was shown, making Phil’s heart race with every new ensemble.

After an hour or so, Pj announced he was done and ready to make alterations. Phil walked Daniel back to his room and wished him a quick goodbye before he retreated to his own quarters. He let his head rest against the wall, the cool plaster bringing his thoughts back.

Why did he suddenly find Daniel so enchanting? The question had been circling his mind since he saw Daniel in that first outfit. He couldn’t possibly like The Prince in that way, he was his guard, so what was it? Was it simply because his job was to protect him and that gave him an innate sensation of possessiveness towards him, or was it something else?

Phil shook his head trying to clear the thoughts. All he knew was that he wasn’t going to let whatever feeling he had get in the way of his job. He was going to ignore them and never tell anyone how he felt, or how good The Prince’s butt looked in those pants.

Chapter Text

Phil was awoken from his deep slumber by his bedsheets being yanked off of him. He groaned as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, ready to fist fight whatever woke him up so early. He watched the culprit stride over to his window and tug the curtains open, allowing the burning sunlight into his bedroom.

Johanna turned around and smiled at him, seemingly unaware of how displeased she made Phil by pulling him out of his peaceful slumber.

“Rise and shine, beautiful! You have an important morning today!” She announced, too chipper for the ungodly hour.

Phil turned to his other side and covered his face with his pillow, desperate to go back to dreamland. Johanna laughed at his childness and pulled the pillow from him.

“Now Phil, you have a meeting with The King today. You don’t want to be late, do you?”

Phil sat up in bed, suddenly alert.

“A meeting with King Marcus? I wasn’t aware of this.”

The girl made her way over to the wooden wardrobe and sifted through the hanging garments. She smiled when she found what she was looking for and handed the simple uniform to Phil.

“I know, I’m sorry for the late notice. King Marcus requested you met with him this morning to brief you on the family’s upcoming trip to Auberon. Unfortunately I won’t be attending; my wife will be returning from her station in Leviathan that weekend and I’ll be picking her up, but I know you’ll be able to handle it!” The woman gave a broad smile and a nod before leaving the room, allowing Phil to rush to get ready.

He dressed himself in the uniform Johanna had selected and ran a comb through his thick hair. He left the room with haste and made his way down the hallway in long strides, then tackled the stairs two at a time. Before long, he was standing in front of the heavy wooden door he knows all too well by now.

The two guards positioned at either side of the threshold open the doors smoothly, allowing Phil to wander inside. The King sat at his desk like usual, but looked up from his papers and smiled when Phil walked in.

“Philip, It’s good to see you, my boy. Please, take a seat.” King Marcus folded his reading glasses as he spoke and tucked them into his coat pocket.

“I could not be more happy with this arrangement, Philip. Not only have I personally observed you following orders with the accuracy and urgency I could have only hoped for, but my sweet Daniel seems pleased as well! He has told me very good things about you.”

Phil felt his face heat up. Daniel thought good of him? Not only that, but he spoke well of him to his father?

“Now, I’m sure you’ve heard that my sons and I will be going on a trip to Auberon next week. Our goal is to secure a better relationship with the monarchy over there, and hopefully form an alliance. In view of the fact that this will be a trip intended for personal expediency regarding a personal bond, we will be staying at Auberon’s royal palace. Philip, please review and memorize a map of the castle as well as their security system. I want you to be in the loop. I’m sure nothing will happen but it’s better to-”

The sound of the door creaking on it’s hinges made King Marcus stop mid-sentence. Phil followed his gaze to see Prince Adrian standing with his normal stiff stance in the doorway. Next to him stood Daniel looking especially beautiful that day. The air in the room seemed lighter when Phil saw him. Daniel flashed a small smile at Phil before walking over to his father’s desk and taking a seat. Adrian followed after his brother, taking the seat between him and Phil, which Phil was slightly disappointed about. He wanted to sit next to Daniel.

The King greeted the boys and made his way back to his chair, sitting with a soft sigh.

“Boys, I’m just finishing up my run-down with Philip about our upcoming trip. There’s a few things I need to discuss with you both as well. Adrian, during this visit you are to stay by my side. This is going to be an exceptional way for you to observe how making alliances work and I want you to be present and learning at every moment. And as I’m sure you both know, we will be staying at the castle so you need to be on your best behavior. That includes you, Daniel.”

Daniel let out a groan and picked at his nails.

“You know It won’t be hard for me to stay out of trouble. These trips don’t ever involve me anyways; it’s always just you and Adrian doing stuff with other royals. I’ll just stay in my room like usual.”

“Actually, Daniel, you won’t be able to do that this trip.” The King started.

“The King of Auberon has a son roughly around your age, so you will be required to socialize with him throughout the duration of our trip. We have to make a good impression on the entire family, and that includes The Prince. He seems like a very friendly young man so I have no doubt you two will get along nicely.”

Phil felt his shoulders tense. Another man hanging out around Daniel? For an entire trip? Phil knew it wasn’t his place to be jealous, he had only just discovered the feelings recently, yet his mind turned red when he thought of Daniel laughing and conversing with another man that wasn’t himself.

Daniel shifted in his chair uncomfortably and let out an annoyed whine.

“Dad, please don’t make me hang out with this guy. I’d be much happier in my room, and besides, I really don’t think I’d make a good impression for our family. I would be grumpy the whole time.”

The King gave an exhausted sigh as he rubbed his temple.

“Please, son. Just try? For me?” King Marcus looked up at Daniel with a tired expression. The Prince rolled his eyes but gave a blunt nod in agreement. Phil hated to admit it, but it did make him feel better that Daniel wasn’t in favor of this arrangement either.

“Thank you, Dan. Now, you boys are free to go. Please make a packing list and hand it off to one of the maids by tonight. I want to make sure we are prepared to leave by the end of the week. And Phil, I have faith you will finish your tasks with great vigor.”

Adrian and Daniel said their goodbyes to their father before departing to their respective rooms while Phil gave a diplomatic bow as he always did. Phil saw The King smile slightly when he stood back up, and with that, Phil left to get to studying.

***

Hours had passed since Phil’s meeting with the royal family. He had studied right through lunch and dinner to peruse through the detailed floor plans and dense books containing the details of Auberon’s security system.

Phil assumed he would be tired after an entire day of work, but he found himself gaining motivation whenever thoughts of Daniel crossed his mind, which was often. Whenever the lull of sleep started calling to him or he felt his mind wander off to more compelling ideas, he just told himself it wasn’t an option to half-ass Daniel’s safety. He blamed it on his job title, but Phil knew deep down it was an emotional need of his to keep The Prince safe.

Phil had just started a new chapter when he heard an ear-splitting scream through his and Daniel’s shared wall.

‘Another nightmare.’ Phil thought as he stood up and rushed to the door. He entered Daniel’s room hastily to find exactly what he was expecting. The Prince lay on his bed curled into his covers, streaks of tears shining down his still-asleep face, slight shivers emitting from his tiny frame.

Phil considered getting Johanna or Adrian, just in case the poor boy needed a sedative, but Phil couldn’t bear leaving Daniel by himself. Phil crouched down knee-level to the bed and gently shook The Prince’s shoulder. Phil hoped that he wouldn’t scare Daniel, but his plan quickly failed when Daniel woke up with a panicked jump, wide brown eyes searching for any cause of danger.

“Daniel, it’s okay, it’s just me. You were having another nightmare.” Phil spoke softly, reaching out an arm to hold Daniel tightly to his chest, praying that his words and actions would help soothe The Prince. Daniel’s grip was tight on Phil’s shirt as he cried, wrecked sobs leaving his mouth in clusters.

Phil was sure he felt his heart breaking with every cry leaving The Prince’s mouth. He shushed him and held Daniel closer, cradling the man in his grip, softly petting his hair. Before long, Daniel’s sobs turned into hitched whimpers instead of guttural weeps, and his grip slowly eased on Phil’s shirt.

After a few minutes of comfortable quiet, Daniel pulled back from Phil abruptly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to grab you.” Daniel whispered with a blush. Phil watched as The Prince wiped the tears off of his face with the back of his sweater sleeve. Phil’s chest lightened with relief. Daniel seemed okay. Maybe a little shaken up, but he was calmed down and didn’t even need a sedative. Phil was quite proud of him.

“Don’t apologize, your highness. I’ll always do whatever I can to help you, and besides, I really don't mind hugs.” Phil said with a smile, hoping his joke would lighten up the mood. Daniel smiled too, rubbing the remaining tears out of his eyes.

“Will you be able to go back to sleep?” Phil asked. The Prince shook his head no.

“I don’t think so. But don’t worry, I won’t keep you up with my piano playing or anything. I’ll read a book or something.”

Phil frowned. He really didn’t like the idea of Daniel being on his own after a night terror.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Phil asked hopefully.

Daniel smiled sleepily and shook his head once more.

“Unfortunately, unless you can make a plate of cookies and milk magically appear, I don’t think you can. That’s what my mother used to bring me when I had nightmares when I was little. But I might call for a maid for some tea. That could help.” Daniel said tiredly, adjusting his position on the bed so his knees were curled up to his chin.

An idea popped into Phil’s head. It was a dumb idea, but it was one that would take Daniel’s mind off of whatever nightmare he had and that was enough for Phil.

“Daniel, I have an idea. Will you come on a quick trip with me downstairs? I think I can help.”

Daniel looked to his guard suspiciously, but curiosity flamed in his eyes. He nodded hesitantly before lifting the covers off of himself. Phil smiled widely. He didn’t think Daniel would actually agree to come with him.

Phil opened the door for the young prince and led the two down the empty corridor, sock clad footsteps emitting the only noise in the entire castle. Moonlight shone through the windows of the palace, glowing beautifully over Daniel’s features. Phil found it difficult not to stare at The Prince while they walked. Though he looked tired, the moonlight softened his features and highlighted his lovely appearance. Phil shook the thoughts away and kept walking.

The whole castle was asleep, which made it easy for them to walk to the kitchen undetected. Phil opened the sturdy door for Daniel and felt the wall for a lightswitch. He flicked it on, illuminating the cozy room with golden light. Phil gestured for Daniel to take a seat on a stool sat next to the counter as he began rummaging through the pantry.

Dan smiled skeptically as he watched Phil pulling various ingredients out of cabinets.

“Phil, what are you doing?”

“I’m making you cookies. You said they would help. Besides, I used to work in the kitchen so I have a good bit of knowledge when it comes to cooking. Especially cookies and sweets.” Phil explained as he pulled a sack of flour out from a lower cabinet. When he stood back up he glanced at Daniel, who had a smile plastered on his face.

The Prince shook his head softly and took a seat at the stool Phil had offered. Phil felt eyes follow him as he made his way around the kitchen, grabbing any spoons, measuring tools, or bowls he might need. He made his way over to the table Daniel was sat at and started making his dough. Daniel leaned forward to watch Phil as he threw a pinch of salt on the mixture.

“Phil, can you tell me about your upbringing a bit? I know you were a palace guard for a while and now I know you worked in the kitchens, but I don’t know much else.” Daniel spoke softly, almost as if testing the waters. Phil smiled at the man’s shy attempt at conversation. Truly he would have talked to Daniel about anything, but the fact that he was initiating a personal conversation himself made Phil’s heart flutter.

“Well, I suppose there’s not a lot to know, really. My father passed away when I was fourteen, so nine years ago now. I took care of my mother for a while but she fell into a depression after my father was gone and passed away last year. I did have to grow up fast, but I do remember my childhood quite fondly. While my parents were here, we had lovely times together.” Phil said. He wasn’t incredibly sad about his parents anymore, they had been gone for so long, but he liked thinking back to when the three of them were a happy family. Daniel gave a sad nod.

“I’m sorry about your parents, Phil. I remember losing my mom. I struggled horribly. I was always closer to her than my dad growing up. I can’t imagine losing both parents though, that must have been very hard for you.”

Phil shrugged his shoulders as he cracked an egg into the bowl.

“It was in the moment, but it’s been a long time. I’m sorry about your mother, too. I remember when The Queen passed away, the whole staff was in ruins. We loved your mother a lot, Daniel.”
Daniel gave a small smile.

“She was wonderful, wasn’t she? After she died, my father had to take over as the role of our mother as well as a father. He struggled at first of course, but he’s grown so much as a man because of it. I think that’s why he gets along with our people so well, she wore off on him.”

Dan rested his chin on his hand, watching Phil meticulously pick egg shells out of the batter. Phil wiped his hands and spun around to grab a bag of chocolate chips off the counter.

“Chocolate chip cookies were her favorite too.” Daniel said with a grin. Phil smiled and passed the bag of chocolate to Daniel.

“Why don’t you pour these in for me then?”

Daniel took the bag and leaned over the table, careful not to get any dough on his sweater. Phil was just about to pass him the measuring cup but before he could give it to him, Daniel was emptying the entire bag into the bowl. Phil let out a laugh and took the empty bag from Daniel.

“You know, I didn’t mean the whole bag.”

“Well, I like chocolate.” Daniel said with a giggle as he plopped back down on his stool. Phil shook his head warmly and mixed his batter.

“I’ll remember that next time I make cookies for you.” Phil shot Daniel a smile, which was returned with a flustered blush from The Prince. He discreetly covered his cheeks with his sweater-pawed hands, watching Phil shyly as he plated the cookies and put them in the oven.

He’s so cute when he blushes.

Phil shook the thought out of his head and tried focusing back on the task at hand. The cookies were out of the oven quickly, and Phil passed the whole plate over to The Prince. Daniel eagerly grabbed one and took a bite, a content expression spreading over his face.

“Phil, these are amazing. I’m going to have to save one for Pj, he loves sweets.”

“Then I'll have to save one for Chris. Then him and Pj can talk about how great they are together. He’s been looking for a reason to talk to him again.” Phil said fondly.

Daniel took another bite of his cookie, letting a small giggle escape his lips.

“I think Pj really likes Chris. He won’t tell me anything, but every time I bring him up Pj gets so embarrassed and blushy. It's quite cute.”

“Well, I know Chris is super into Pj. I’ve never seen him more infatuated with another person. It’s like every time I see him he won’t shut up about it.” Phil chuckled. He brushed his hands on his pants and looked up to a clock on the wall.

“Daniel, It’s nearly 3’oclock in the morning. Do you think you’ll be able to sleep if I walk you back up to your room? I want to make sure you get some rest.”

As if on cue, Daniel let out a soft yawn. He looked up to the clock Phil was studying and nodded his head.

“I think I can. Your cookies did actually help a ton.” Phil tried to ignore the fluttering feeling in his chest and opened the door for Daniel once more. He locked up the kitchen and escorted The Prince back to his room, wishing the walk would take longer than it did on the way down.

Despite Phil’s hopes, the two made it to Daniel’s door shortly. Daniel put his hand on the doorknob and looked up at Phil with those beautiful brown eyes.

“Thank you for tonight, Phil. You really did help a lot.” Daniel whispered. He gave Phil a wide smile that showed off his dimples, and went inside his room for the night. Phil swore he would have to wipe his heart off of the floor because he was sure it melted at that smile meant just for him.

Phil let out a deep sigh before retreating to his own room for the night. He crawled in between his soft sheets and tried to sleep, but his mind kept bringing him back to images of the beautiful prince, and that smile he himself had put onto his beautiful face.

Chapter Text

The days flew by quickly for Phil. Hours seemed to blur together as he assisted the royal family in planning their trip to Auberon. From memorizing the castle’s floor plan to escorting The Prince to yet another outfit fitting, Phil never seemed to have had a moment of rest.

The resting couldn’t start now though, as he currently stood by the door of a carriage, watching bags and parcels of various sizes be loaded in. Phil peered over to Daniel, who stood arguing with his father. The smaller man huffed as King Marcus fiddled with a stay curl on his son’s forehead.

“You need to look presentable, Daniel. We need to make a good impression.”

Daniel rolled his eyes and batted his father’s hand out of the way.

“It’s a six hour carriage ride. None of us are going to arrive looking presentable. Our clothes will be wrinkled and we’ll all be exhausted, so why should I even try?” The King ignored his son and continued to fix his curly hair, finally satisfied when the footman announced the carriage was packed.

The King and Prince Adrian entered the carriage with haste, anxious to get on their journey, but Daniel went back to the castle entrance to give Pj one last hug. The family would only be gone for a week, but clearly even seven days was too long for Daniel to leave Pj’s side. Phil watched as he hugged the tailor tightly before giving Johanna a prolonged squeeze as well.

The Prince hurried back to the carriage and took a seat next to his brother. Phil entered after and sat by King Marcus, the only empty seat left. He felt a twinge of sweat on his neck but eased up when The King gave him a broad smile.

“Don’t worry son, I’ll try not to fall asleep on your shoulder during the ride.” Phil chuckled at the comment and tried to get comfortable as the carriage wheels started to rumble beneath his feet.

They had been traveling for less than a half hour when Daniel fell asleep. Phil had been too absorbed in his book to notice, but he looked to the boy when he heard Prince Adrian give a soft chuckle.

Phil smiled too. Daniel was curled into himself, his feet propped on his seat and his suit coat wrapped tightly around his small frame, with his head resting on the window. With every soft exhale that left his mouth, Phil felt his heart warm just a little bit more.

With a fond expression and no hesitation, Adrian adjusted his position on their shared carriage bench and maneuvered his arm around Daniel. He carefully rearranged his brother so that his head was rested on his shoulder and his own jacket was added over Daniel’s body.

Phil wished more than anything that he could be in Adrian’s position.

Adrian let out a fond sigh and turned to Phil, a gentle smile on his tan face.

“I swear my brother’s still a toddler. Dan will use every chance he can get to take a nap.” Adrian joked. Phil chuckled warmly at the remark.

“Have you ever been to Auberon, Philip?” Adrian asked. Although Phil was surprised at his attempt at casual conversation, Prince Adrian genuinely looked curious, his eyes glinting with interest.
Phil shook his head.

“I haven’t, Your Majesty. I’ve never gotten the chance to travel around much, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

Adrian nodded understandingly.

“You would be correct; it is quite beautiful. And Philip, I hope you know that we greatly appreciate your dedication to your work here, but you really need to cut it out with the ‘your majesty’ crap. The formality is making me uncomfortable.”

Phil felt his face flush a deep red, but Adrian merely laughed. He only stopped his giggles when his father gave him a stern glare.

“I’m just messing with you. But seriously, just call me Adrian. If you’re going to be a permanent fixture in our private security, I want us to be able to converse like normal acquaintances. It’s nice to forget titles with the people we’re close to.”

Phil nodded sheepishly and gave The Prince a small smile. He imagined it would be quite exhausting keeping up formalities 24 hours a day, but it would be a hard task for Phil to quit the habit.

The carriage ride took up most of their morning and afternoon, but Phil didn’t mind. The view was breathtaking. Glassy rivers guided them along their path, adorned with multi-colored foliage, and they ascended mountains that looked perfectly sculpted of ivory clay.

The scenery alleviated some of Phil’s stress about the trip, and he was grateful.

Before long, the royals and their staff approached their destination. At the very top of the mountain line’s crest sat a sandstone castle, surrounded with miles of gardens. It’s windows were made of stained glass, and beautiful granite peaks topped the pillars and towers. It was older-looking than Arabella’s castle, but it was still vastly impressive.

Daniel had woken up a few minutes prior, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes, but he perked up when he saw the castle. Phil watched as the boy admired the architecture, and secretly tried to commit his awe-struck expression to memory.

The carriage driver pulled up to the front gates and briskly showed his ID and papers to the guard, who let them inside cheerfully. The carriage rattled along the curvature of the cobbled path before it stopped at the front of the palace, where visitors seemed to be waiting outside to greet them.

The driver opened the door and nodded at King Marcus. The King stood up and made his way out of the carriage, with his two sons following closely behind. Phil exited last before helping the rest of the staff unload the luggage. As Phil was unhooking a suitcase from the trunk of the carriage, he couldn’t help but look over to the group of royals.

Beside King Marcus stood a stoic looking man, grey streaking his otherwise perfectly manicured hair. He stood taller than Marcus, but much lankier. And at his side stood another man, clearly his son, who Phil was instantly put off by. He was tall too. Almost as tall as Phil, but not quite. He was good looking too. He had ink-black hair that shone under the sunlight, and almond shaped eyes that were warm and kind, contrary to Phil’s blue-ish dead looking ones.

Phil kept his gaze focused on the parcel in front of him, trying to avoid sending a glare to the handsome man he and Daniel would be staying with for the next several days. His plan had been working well, all of the bags were unloaded and he hadn’t immediately offended his hosts with threatening eye contact, but then The King ruined it and called him over.

“Philip, come over here, son. I want you to meet our hosts.” The King beckoned. Phil plastered on a polite smile and made his way over to the men.

“This is King Delorean Takada, Ruler of Auberon.” Phil gave him a deep bow, which King Delorean returned instead with a welcoming handshake. The laxity of the gesture slightly frightened Philip, but it was a welcome contradiction of what he thought the royals would be like based on looks.

“Welcome to our kingdom, Philip. King Marcus has informed me that you are the head of Prince Daniel’s security; is that correct?” The King spoke, a pleasant smile still adorning his face.
“Yes, Your Highness, that is correct. Thank you for welcoming us into your home, sir, I am truly honored.”

King Delorean gave a broad smile and gentured to his son, clapping him on the shoulder as he spoke.

“And this, Philip, is my son Prince Eliot Takada. He will be showing Prince Daniel around the palace, so I’m sure you’ll get to know him well as you’re accompanying them.”

Prince Eliot extended his hand eagerly, quick to introduce himself.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Philip. I’m really hoping you enjoy your time at Auberon.”

Phil shook his hand disturbingly firm, hoping it would intimidate him a little but it didn’t seem to do much good, because The Prince only turned to King Marcus with an excited grin to continue their conversation.

Phil almost scoffed at how much of a suck-up this guy was being, but his annoyance was turned into nausea when he saw Prince Daniel. Daniel was watching Prince Eliot with wide eyes and a small blush creeping over his cheeks. His bottom lip was tucked firm between his teeth, and he fiddled nervously with the hem of his jacket.

Phil wanted nothing more than to grab Daniel by the collar and shove him back in the carriage so they could be on their merry way back home, but unfortunately he was forced to stay in his place, watching Daniel fawn over this Eliot guy.

One of The Kings suggested dinner, Phil didn’t pay attention to which one, and Phil was sent away to help carry their bags inside. It only took one trip with all of the staff helping out, but Phil felt his urgency to get inside to be with Daniel certainly quickened the process.

Phil was able to catch a quick glance to The Prince, who was still stupidly smiling at Prince Eliot, before he was ushered away to his own room by a maid. His quarters, much like his own back at the castle’s, were connected to Daniel’s suite.

He didn’t pack much, but he did take his time to get everything organized in their proper places. Before he could get too comfortable, Phil heard a muffled door open in the other room, Daniel’s room. He heard his soft footsteps make their way around, presumably unpacking just as Phil was.

Phil tried to get the rest of his uniformes unpacked quickly, but it was difficult to concentrate when he could hear Daniel’s shuffling and soft giggles through the other side of the wall.

Chapter Text

Phil had finished unpacking his belongings fairly quickly. He thought of exploring Auberon’s grounds while he waited for the royal family to unpack, but he was unsure if that would be considered invasive. He was a guest, of course, but he hadn’t been given any further instructions besides to make himself comfortable in his room, so he decided to wait it out in fear of being impolite.

One might think that sitting alone in a room you’re unfamiliar with for nearly an hour would be boring, but Phil found it was quite the opposite. Maybe it would be boring to him in an ordinary situation, but he could clearly hear Daniel’s soft movements through their shared wall, and the thoughts of him kept him entertained.

Phil was finding it quite difficult to keep Prince Daniel from his thoughts recently. His original plan of ignoring his feelings for the boy was failing. Miserably. Phil wasn’t sure where his fondness for Daniel had sprouted from, but he had found so much comfort in dreaming about him that he found his infatuation impossible to ignore.

Everything from the way his mousey curls fell around his freckled face to the way his pixie-like smile illuminated his eyes made Phil absolutely and completely fawn with adoration.

Everything around him redirected his thoughts to the boy he was in charge of protecting. A lilting song of a blue bird, the soft sugar in his coffee, even now, as he sat on the window sill of his room, the golden beams of sunlight hitting the window reminded him of the beauty that was Prince Daniel Howell. He was falling. Fast.

What made it even worse was that now he felt like he was in competition against this Eliot guy. Of course, it was still too early to tell if the other man had feelings for Daniel, but The Prince seemed to take a liking too fast for Phil’s comfort. And sure, he seemed friendly enough, but Daniel’s love-struck expression made him an enemy. A very charming enemy, but still an enemy.

Luckily for Phil, he didn’t have too much time to dwell on his thoughts before he heard a knock on his door. He quickly got up from his spot on the window sill and opened the door, hoping to see Daniel awaiting on the other side. But to his disappointment, it was only a maid. The woman straightened her apron and nodded rigidly towards Phil in greeting.

“The Royal family has announced that dinner will begin in ten minutes sharp. They have requested that you and Prince Daniel will be in attendance. I have already alerted The Prince; he said that he will be ready as soon as he is finished freshening up. Please be prepared to escort him.”

The maid brushed a strand of her blonde hair back into place under her cap before nodding politely at Phil again, and turned to finish making her rounds. Phil walked back to the floor length mirror in his room to check his appearance once more before going out to his and Daniel’s shared hallway. He picked at his nails restlessly, anxious to see The Prince again.

While waiting, Phil noticed that the atmosphere of Auberon Castle was very different from his own kingdom’s. Instead of the pristine marble floors and colorful decor on the walls that he was used to, he was surrounded with tan plaster floors and solid brick walls. Every few feet hung an elaborate chandelier or a skillfully woven tapestry, but the castle otherwise remained understated. It was nice though; very simple, but it still kept an aura of respectability and warmth.

Phil felt his heart jump when the heavy door opened across from him, and it certainly took him a moment to recompose himself. In the doorway of his room stood Prince Daniel. He was wearing a simple blush suit with silver embellishments, which looked beautiful on him, but Phil was more focused on something else.

Daniel smiled, bringing attention to the shiny gloss on his pink lips. His beautiful chocolate eyes were lined with a light brown shadow, and his eyelashes seemed longer and more intense than usual. He was wearing makeup, and fuck did he pull it off well.

Fuck.

Mother of Jesus.

I’m fucked.

Daniel smiled unknowingly at Phil, unaware of the effect his beautiful features had on the guard.

“You ready? We’re going to be late.” Daniel asked, adjusting his cufflinks. Phil gave a curt nod, praying he hadn’t been staring for too long. He put his arm out to Daniel, which The Prince accepted with a chuckle.

“I guess we probably should keep the formalities up while we’re here, huh? I hope you know I'll be dropping the etiquette as soon as we’re home. My arm gets too tired reaching up to hold yours.” Daniel smiled, allowing his hand to wrap around Phil’s bicep. Phil laughed softly. He certainly wasn’t going to fight Daniel to keep up his formal behavior forever, but it sure felt nice to have him this close.

The two began their walk through the castle, once in a while stopping to admire an art piece or old relic on display.

“This piece is interesting isn’t it?” Daniel asked as they passed a painting in the foyer. Phil nodded absentmindedly, but truthfully he didn’t hear a word The Prince had said. He was focused more on the way the younger’s painted lips looked as he spoke and how he smelled so beautifully of vanilla and sage.

Daniel gazed at the art in the intercite frame for a minute before turning to smile back at Phil. His grip slightly tightened on Phil’s arm as he led the pair down through the rest of the foyer and main wing, polished shoes slapping on the wooden floor as they walked.

Before long, the two made their way to the dining hall. The guards posted on either side opened the door easily, allowing them inside the warmly-lit room. It seemed that the rest of the party had already arrived.

The others stood to greet them, bowing politely as they entered. Prince Daniel and Phil each gave a well-mannered bow back to the group.

“Daniel, come have a seat over here son. You too, Philip. I bet you’re hungry from our journey.” The King beckoned. Phil froze as he watched Daniel confidently stride over to the seat between his father and Prince Eliot. He fought back a grimace before taking the seat on the other side of King Marcus.

Phil had never been invited to join the royals for dinner. He was expecting to have to wait by the door as he usually did, but he was pleasantly surprised to see Prince Adrian’s guard sitting at the table as well. With such a small protection force this trip, perhaps it did make more sense to have them join in.

Across from Phil sat Prince Adrian, his fox-like smile illuminated by the candles adorning the table. The dining hall was quite beautiful. Tall windows with rich velvet curtains that matched the table cloth were stitched closed for the night, and soft violin music ricocheted off the sandstone walls. Thick napkins and elaborate flower arrangements garnished the table, and golden utensils sat in front of each of the guests, almost begging Phil to eat to his heart’s content.

Phil felt himself relax into his cushioned chair slightly, before he tuned in to a conversation happening down the table.

“Really? You can play nine instruments? That’s tremendously impressive.” Prince Daniel said with his chin resting on his hand, his attention fully turned towards Prince Eliot. Phil felt his chest heat up. Prince Eliot nodded with a smile, the candlelight enhancing his dark features.

“Yes, although I have great teachers, they’re really the ones who deserve your praise. I hear you play the piano? That’s one of the instruments I never could pick up. Perhaps you could play for me sometime? Your father said you are quite extraordinary.” Prince Eliot asked, a gleam of hope flashing across his onyx eyes. Daniel blushed softly and shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know about extraordinary. I think my father is too complimentary of my hobbies.”

Phil wanted to stand up and declare that Daniel was the most beautiful musician he had ever heard, but his decency kept him seated. He distracted himself by fiddling with his hands under the table, wanting to hide his jealousy of Prince Eliot.

“Please son,” King Marcus started, “You are very talented. Perhaps sometime this week you could play for King Delorean and Prince Eliot? I’m sure Eliot would be more than content to accompany you with one of his instruments, if he wished.”

Daniel smiled bashfully at his father.

“If you insist. It’s the least I can do after you so kindly invited us to stay here, Your Highness.” Daniel spoke, addressing King Delorean with a polite smile. King Delorean beamed back and nodded in response to Daniel’s praise.

The conversation quickly dwindled out as the food was brought out by the palace chefs. The smell of buttered rolls, garlic, and spice filled the room as a plate was placed before Phil. Gorgeous steaks, heaps of vegetables and an assortment of baked goods were placed in front of the royals and their guests.

Phil found it difficult to keep up with his etiquette when the food was practically asking to be inhaled, but he tried his hardest to eat civilly. He glanced over at Daniel to see how he was enjoying the food, but he noticed that The Prince’s plate was hardly touched. The royal was far more interested in talking with Prince Eliot, who currently sat with a huge, stupid grin on his stupid face.

Phil’s grip tightened on his fork as he fought the harsh scowl threatening to spread across his face. His mind was only distracted when King Delorean announced that dessert would be served.

Phil’s empty plate was quickly replaced with a dish of chocolate mousse and a golden pastry. The sugar did admittedly help his mood, but it soured as he saw the smile that still shone on Daniel’s face, surely put there by Prince Eliot.

After dessert, King Delorean invited the royals on a tour of the palace. Phil had started making his way to join them, but King Marcus told him that he was excused for the night. Phil understood that his services probably wouldn’t be needed on a walk inside the castle, but he had secretly hoped he would have been included so he could keep a closer eye on Daniel and Prince Eliot.

Begrudgingly, Phil made his way back to his guest suite. He took a warm shower, which felt wonderful after his long day, and changed into some comfier clothes. He tried to sleep, but he just couldn’t turn his mind off. Every time his heavy eyelids shut images of Daniel appeared. It felt wrong to go to sleep without knowing The Prince was safe in his own bed and not wandering the palace with some other guy.

With a heavy sigh Phil gave up his sleeping attempt. He needed to clear his head. He got out of his warm bed and decided to explore. His sock-clad feet padded their way to the door and out into the hallway. Phil walked along the corridor until he made it to a dimly lit room at the end of the hall.

He went in and felt the wall for a light switch, flipping it on hesitantly. When the warm lights illuminated the room, Phil smiled softly. It was a small living room of sorts. It had a television, two comfy couches, and a massive array of movies to choose from. It even had a little kitchen tucked in the corner.

It appeared to only be connected to him and Daniel’s wing of the castle, which Phil was grateful for. Having his own space away from the rest of the group would be nice, although he was sure having alone time like this would be rare on this trip.

Phil went over to the movie collection and picked an old black and white film off of the shelf. He popped it in the television and took a seat on one of the couches, prepared to settle in for a while. He planned on going back to bed as soon as he felt tired enough to sleep.

His movie choice was all wrong, though. It was a romance, and Phil felt himself sympathizing with the love interest of the film a little too much. Despite all of the man’s attempts, it seemed that his love was still too far out of reach.

Daniel of course, would always remain out of his reach. Phil was a guard. That was it. That was all he meant to Daniel and all he ever would. Daniel was royalty. He was pure, and sweet, and much too lovely for the world. Much too lovely for Phil.

Phil shook his head and tried to focus back on the movie. A half hour later, Phil was so invested in the film that he didn’t even hear the door open behind him.

“Why are you awake so late?” Daniel asked.

Phil jumped slightly and turned to the boy behind him. Daniel’s entertained smirk was lit by the light from the television, his arms crossed lazily in front of his chest.

“I wasn’t tired yet. I thought a movie might help. Are you just getting back now from your tour of the palace?” Phil asked, hoping the scarlett flush on his cheeks would disappear quicker.
Daniel sighed and leaned against the side of the couch.

“Yeah, it was a little too much walking for my taste. I was already pretty worn out from the carriage ride, I really didn’t need exercise to top it off.” Daniel said, his lips quirking up.

Phil chuckled.

“Well, your highness, why don’t you go to bed? I’m sure you have a long day tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me. As much as I like our hosts I would really much rather prefer sleeping in.” Daniel said.

Phil smiled sympathetically.

“That’s understandable. I imagine these visits get awfully tiring for you. Can I get you anything before you head off to bed? Some tea maybe? I was just going to get some myself.” Phil asked politely. He wasn’t actually very thirsty, but he wanted to make sure Daniel got something to help him destress after his long day.

Daniel nodded slowly, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. Phil smiled at the boy and got off the couch, cracking his back in the process. He heard Daniel follow him into the kitchen, his loud dress shoes sounding like thunder claps in contrast to Phil’s socked feet.

Phil found a kettle under the stove and placed it on a burner before turning to the higher cabinets to search for some tea leaves. Daniel was a step ahead of him, already rummaging through the drawers and pulling out various tea packets. He picked a herbal blend for himself while he gave Phil a choice between an herbal or earl grey. Phil took the earl grey out of the man’s hand and turned back to the kettle, waiting for the water to start bubbling. Daniel took a seat up on the counter and let out a sigh, seemingly content in his tired state to just watch Phil work for a moment.

Before long, small tufts of steam started floating through the mouth of the pot, signalling Phil that their tea was ready to be poured. He took the kettle off of the burner and turned to find some mugs.

He reached above his head for the handle of the glass-windowed cabinet in a less than graceful motion. Right as he was grabbing the handle of a green mug, the porcialen cup chipped against the side of the cupboard, leaving a ridged cut along the length of Phil’s palm.

“Shit…” Phil mumbled under his breath. Daniel’s eyes widened at the cut.

“Phil, are you okay?! That looks fairly deep.” The Prince asked frantically. Phil chuckled at Daniel and shook his head.

“I promise I'm fine, your highness. It’s only a cut. It will go away with time.” He shook his hand slightly, hoping the movement would rid the pain faster. Daniel got off his seat at the counter and hurried over to Phil, taking the guard’s large hand in his own. He prodded carefully at the edges of the wound and frowned when Phil let out a hiss of pain.

“Phil, this is a pretty big cut. I don’t think you’ll need stitches but we need to get it cleaned up.” Daniel said quietly, still carefully inspecting the damage. Phil just nodded dumbly. He truly didn’t think his hand needed any attention, but if it meant Daniel would hold his hand and fuss over him, then Phil was more than happy to shut up and follow the man’s instructions.

Daniel looked up at Phil with wide eyes and then back to the wound.

“Just stay here for a minute, okay? I’ll be right back with a first aid kit.” Daniel ordered, leaving the room hastily in search of medical supplies. Phil didn’t move an inch from his spot leaning against the kitchen counter.

Daniel soon came back with a small white box in hand. He set the container down by where Phil was standing and got to work. He took a white cloth from the box and poured a strong smelling liquid onto it.

He took Phil’s hand in his once again and took a deep breath, meeting Phil’s gaze.

“Okay, this will hurt a bit, but we need to clean this out.” Daniel said hesitantly. Phil only nodded and spread his finger out wider, allowing him more access to the injury. He didn’t mind the sting too much, he was much too focused on watching Daniel fret over his hand. Pain was the least of his concerns when a beautiful boy was standing so close to him.

Daniel continued to work calmly, mumbling quiet ‘I'm sorry’s’ when he hit a tender spot with the alcohol. It didn’t take too long, and soon Phil was getting bandaged up with some gauze supplied by the kit

The Prince patted down the last strip of medical tape into place with a smile.

“There we go, all done. I hope that wasn’t too bad, but I feel better knowing it’s cleaned out.”

Phil grinned shyly and admired Daniel’s handywork. Everything about The Prince was delicate and sweet, even his medical care. Phil shrugged the sleeve of his sweatshirt down over his forearms and returned to his original task.

Soon he held a mug in his uninjured hand and passed it to Daniel, who accepted it with a grateful smile. He quickly made a mug of his own and took a sip.

“Well, your majesty, I think it might be a smart idea for you to get some sleep. It’s getting late.”

Daniel groaned and kicked the bottom of the counter with his shoe.

“I don’t think I can sleep now. I’m all hyped up from saving your hand.” The Prince complained. Phil rolled his eyes.

“Thank you for fixing me up, but I don’t think it was all that serious.”

Daniel looked up to Phil with a horrified expression, placing a hand over his heart in mock surprise.

“Hey, you could have bled out or something! Be more thankful.” Daniel scolded, although a smirk crept his way onto his face.

“Oh yes, thank you so much Prince Daniel Howell. I owe my life to you.” Phil eulogised. He bent his tall body into a sarcastic bow, which earned a playful shove from Daniel.

“You are very welcome, Phil. Now, as your payment, I get to finish your movie with you. After that I’ll head to bed so you don’t get too cranky about me getting enough sleep.”

Phil wasn’t too happy with the idea of Daniel not getting a proper night’s sleep, but he was practically floating with ecstasy from the idea of having a movie night with The Prince, so he shoved his worries down for the moment.

He nodded in submission and gestured to the couches on the other side of the room. Daniel giggled as hurried to his seat on one of the couches, clearly not thinking his plan was going to work. Phil took a seat across from him, wanting to keep as much distance between the two as possible. Wanting to preserve Daniel’s boundaries.

He clicked play and the movie started up again. Phil offered to start it over so Daniel could see the whole story, but The Prince simply waved it off. Apparently he had seen it before and thought the beginning was boring anyways.

The two sat like that until the credits rolled. Sipping their tea and getting cozy on their respective couches. Phil turned to ask Daniel if he liked the movie but smiled when he saw that he was asleep, rolled into himself like a kitten.

Phil knelt down by the couch and nudged Daniel softly on the shoulder.

“Your highness, you need to get up now. It’s time for you to go to bed.” Phil whispered. Daniel groaned and turned to face Phil, his face still buried in the couch cushion.

“I’m too tired to walk.” The Prince mumbled. Phil smiled at his stubbornness and lightly shook his arm again.

“Daniel, I really think you should go to your room. You’d sleep much better there than on the couch.”

“Can you carry me?” Daniel asked, voice muffled from drowsiness. Phil felt his face flush and his chest heat up.

“Of course, your majesty. If you’re okay with that.” Phil said hesitantly. Daniel simply nodded and extended his arms out like a toddler. Phil chuckled and hooked his arms under The Prince’s knees. Daniel’s arms wrapped around Phil’s neck loosely as Phil folded his other hand behind his back.

Daniel truly didn’t weigh more than a child. It should have been slightly concerning to Phil, but he couldn’t think straight when he was holding the boy so firm against his chest and could feel his soft breaths on his neck.

Phil carried Daniel to his suite without trouble and laid The Prince down on his bed. He debated for a moment on making Daniel change from his dress clothes into something more comfortable, but it seemed like he was already fast asleep, so Phil settled for removing his shoes and placing a blanket over his small frame.

Phil looked over Daniel once more, deciding he would be comfortable enough with his blanket draped over him and left the room quietly. He made it to his room speedily and collapsed onto his bed. His chest still felt warm.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly, finally able to relax knowing Daniel was safe in bed.

Chapter Text

The sun warmed Phil’s skin through his uniform, the soft rays falling in a cozy embrace on the guard. He knelt over to pick up the two corners of the picnic blanket, folding them together, before glancing over to the princes.

Daniel and Prince Eliot were sitting a few feet away, chatting happily to each other while they packed up the picnic basket.

Eliot had invited Daniel on a breakfast picnic this morning. He seemed to be hoping that it would have just been the two of them, but Daniel had asked Phil to escort them.

‘Come on, Phil, you’d be worrying about me all morning if you didn’t come with us and I want to make sure you get breakfast.’ The Prince had said. Phil was sure Daniel was just being polite, but he was secretly relieved that he was invited. He wanted to keep an eye out on Eliot. He seemed friendly enough, but he wanted to make sure his actions didn’t exceed their cordial conduct.

Phil placed the folded blanket on top of the now-organized picnic basket and grabbed the handles, only to have Daniel stop him.

“Let me carry that. I don’t want you using your injured hand.” Daniel said, nodding towards the cut he had bandaged for the guard last night. Phil rolled his eyes and stood up, grabbing the basket back from The Prince.

“I think I can handle a basket. I promise I won’t hurt myself more.” Phil said sarcastically, but a kind smile shone on his face. Daniel sighed before holding his hand out expectantly.

“Please, Phil? It would make me feel better.”

Phil felt his face warm slightly before nodding, sliding the basket into Daniel’s grip. Daniel seemed happy with the outcome, ready to turn back to the castle, but before he could walk more than a few feet Eliot had placed a light hand on his arm.

“Allow me, Daniel.” Eliot smiled, gesturing to the picnic basket. “A man of your preeminence shouldn’t have to do any heavy lifting.”

Before Daniel could respond, Eliot placed his tan hands over Daniel’s and took the basket from him, a pink flush present on his face from the interaction. Daniel only smiled and led the way back to the castle.

Phil was quite content in continuing their walk in silence, but Eliot decided to start a conversation.

“So, Phil, my father told me that you are the head of Prince Daniel’s security. That’s quite impressive! How did you get a position like that?” He asked, sending Phil a polite grin. Phil grimaced slightly at the notion of talking to this man, but he decided it was best to play polite.

“Well, my family has been held in very high esteem at the palace for a while now. My father was the head of security before he passed. King Marcus noticed by training scores and excellent reputation and decided that those things plus my family’s history with security would lead me to be a good match for his son’s guard.”

Eliot nodded and adjusted the basket in his hand.

“Marcus did tell me he likes you quite a lot. I imagine you do some great work.”

Phil’s chest lightened slightly at the compliment but he did not want to let his guard down. A compliment would do very little to change Phil’s opinion. They walked further towards the castle and Eliot continued his lighthearted conversation, occasionally drizzling in admiration for Phil’s dedication to the kingdom when needed.

After a few minutes Phil could feel his walls slowly coming down. He rarely got compliments on his work from others besides the royal family, and his ego was eating it up. Apparently Eliot had found Phil’s soft spot fast.

Soon the trio made their way to the castle. Daniel began to climb the stairs that led to the sturdy wooden doors, but he didn't make it far before Eliot was at his side, offering his hand.

“Please, your majesty. Allow me to help you. These stairs get quite steep and I don’t want you to take a trip.”

Daniel took the hand lightly and smiled in appreciation before ascending the sandstone stairs once more. Eliot looked like he could explode from joy. Phil wanted to butt in and tell him about the times he hugged Daniel after nightmares or how he had to carry him to bed after his long day yesterday (which Eliot had caused) but he decided against it. As much as he wanted to rub it in Eliot’s face he didn't want to upset Daniel. Besides, he quite liked keeping those private moments with Daniel to himself.

Once inside the castle, Eliot bowed and excused himself from the group. Apparently he had a meeting with his tutor that he couldn’t miss. Phil wasn’t going to complain. He was going to suggest watching another movie or something with Daniel to pass the time but The Prince told him he also had to go. Apparently he had some school work to get done for Johanna before they returned back to Arabella.

Phil nodded and extended his arm, which Daniel took graciously. The pair made it through the stony castle walls and up to Daniel’s room.

“Thank you for escorting us, Phil. I had a lot of fun.” Daniel said, removing his arm from Phil’s.

“Me too. Hopefully I wasn’t intruding at all.” Phil said. Daniel shook his head fervently.

“You weren’t at all. I’ll always enjoy having your company.” He spoke, sending Phil a grin before entering his room and closing the solid door behind him.

Phil felt his shoulders relax and he composed himself in the hallway. It had been a long day of trying not to punch Eliot in the face and he was exhausted. He seemed polite enough but his intentions seemed a little too hedonistic for Phil’s liking and it put a sour taste in his mouth.

The guard made his way to his room, but stopped short when he saw a maid waiting for him just outside his door.

“Can I help you, miss?” Phil asked respectfully, eyebrow cocked.

The maid nodded and stood up straighter, making stern eye contact with Phil.

“I was sent to request your presence in King Delorean’s office. He wanted to discuss something with you. I do not have further details.” She spoke with a pointed tone.

Phil sighed and gentured for the maid to lead the way. He wasn’t sure what he had done to upset King Delorean after only a few days of being in his castle, but he suspected it might have something to do with his attitude towards Prince Eliot. He thought he was being subtle enough that he wouldn’t have noticed.

Soon the maid was knocking on a set of large wooden doors. A small call of ‘come in’ was heard and she left Phil to converse. Phil opened the doors hesitantly and found King Delorean joined by King Marcus. The pair sat around his desk with glasses of an amber liquid, smiles plastered on their faces.

“Oh, Phil! Come in here son, we have been waiting for you.” King Marcus beamed, pointing to a chair next to his. He sat quietly, mildly confused about what was happening. Was he not here to get reprimanded?

King Delorean leaned across the desk and passed him a glass of the liquid the pair had been drinking. Phil muttered a thanks and held the glass between his fidgeting hands. King Marcus sat forward in his chair excitedly, full attention on Phil.

“Alright Phil, please tell us, how was the picnic this morning?” The King asked, voice illuminated with giddiness. Phil’s brows furrowed. This couldn’t be the reason he was brought here, could it? To retell his day? There had to be a different answer for what was going on.

“It was nice, thank you for asking, your majesty.” Phil said politely, a hint of caution still lacing his voice. King Delorean laughed and shook his head.

“No, Phil. We mean how were the boys? Our sons? How was it?”

Phil shifted uncomfortably in his seat, still unsatisfied with his lack of knowledge of what was happening.

“They had fun? Prince Daniel seemed to enjoy being outside and Prince Eliot was very talkative. I imagine it was a pleasant outing for them.” Phil said.

King Marcus shook his head, but a fond smile fell to his lips.

“That’s not what we mean, Phil. Perhaps we should fill him in, Delorean?” The King asked, looking at his friend sitting across from him. The other king nodded, a light of anticipation in his dark eyes.

Marcus adjusted himself in his chair, the same gleeful smile still on his lips.

“I suppose it is time I tell you the real reason we are visiting Auberon. We are genuinely here to form an alliance, but I have been keeping the means of how we are planning on doing so hidden from you. We are planning on marrying our sons, Daniel and Eliot. They will be wed hopefully by the end of this year, solidifying our countries bond permanently. It’s the perfect way to form an alliance!” King Marcus announced, his aged face painted with merriment.

No.

Phil felt his chest drop to the floor. His eyes widened and his breathing stopped. He had to remind himself to allow the air to pass through his lungs. This couldn’t be happening. There is no way on this God-given earth that this could be happening.

His eyes flashed with images of his prince. The way his soft curls caught the sunlight. The look in his beautiful eyes when he was about to poke fun at someone. His lovely smile, one comforting even to the most heartbroken people. There was no way this could be happening.

But the more he sat with the ache in his heart, the more everything started to line up. The way Adrian was always away with The King, leaving Daniel and Eliot by themselves. How Pj was instructed to make a whole new wardrobe for their trip. How nearly every free moment they had Daniel was encouraged to spend it with Eliot. It was a perfect way to encourage a courtship.

Phil knew that he truly would never have a chance with Daniel, but the shock in his heart felt nothing short of a spear, taking every ounce of hope he had away. He could barely hear the kings over the painful pounding in his ears.

“Eliot has spoken so well of your son, Marcus. He told me that he has never been more enchanted with someone. Apparently he is completely taken with him.” Delorean said encouragingly, taking a swig from his glass. Marcus followed suit, taking a drink of his own amber liquid, before nodding his head.

“Daniel hasn’t been quite as open with his feelings to me as your son has been with you, but I can tell that he enjoys Eliot’s company very much. He woke up this morning happier than he had in ages. I asked him what he was so pleased about and he said that he had a wonderful night last night. He didn’t give me details, but I know it has something to do with your son!”

The mention of Daniel brought Phil’s mind back to the present. He cleared his voice, trying to form words.

“If you don’t mind me asking, your highness, I am still having some trouble understanding this courtship. I’m sure Prince Daniel and Prince Eliot would make a lovely couple,” Phil said, fighting back the bile rising in his throat. “But why is this the best way to form an alliance?”

Marcus nodded as if he had gone over the reasoning in his head a hundred times, clearly already prepared to explain this to Phil.

“Well I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that my son isn’t necessarily interested in women. Of course I don’t care about that, and Eliot has had his eyes on Daniel for a while. They saw each other at a gala years ago and apparently Eliot’s crush never dwindled. It’s a perfect match in my eyes, Philip. Eliot is strong, determined. He will always take care of my Daniel. Protect him. That’s what my son needs. Someone to take care of him.” Marcus explained, looking into Phil’s petrified eyes with an expression of profound affection.

He continued, “And it gets even better. Daniel was always going to be second in line for the throne, he was never going to surpass Adrian. My eldest is too stubborn to let his brother get a go at ruling the kingdom, and Daniel doesn’t seem to mind that too much, but now he will get to rule a kingdom of his own. Auberon’s crown will be passed down to Eliot, and in turn, Daniel. Both of my sons will be able to rule, side by side in allied countries. It truly is a perfect outcome for a father.” The King finished, pride flashing across his face.

Phil took a moment to process this but his mind simply could not understand. He was feeling too many heavy emotions for him to find a way to plaster on a faux mask of joviality for the kings. He needed to leave.

“Excuse me, your highnesses. I have some work I must attend before dinner tonight.” Phil stood up and fought the urge to faint. Marcus nodded and stood as well, escorting the guard to the door.

“Philip, would you mind keeping this between us for now? I don’t want the good news to prematurely spread.” He whispered, glee still filling his brown eyes. Phil nodded and left the room, willing the stale air to enter his lungs.

Chapter Text

Four hours had passed since Phil’s meeting with the kings. He was hoping he would have enough time to process everything before he was forced into another conversation with the royals, but that proved to be an unrealistic wish.

He was now in the castle parlor, standing with Marcus and Delorean and sipping negligible amounts of alcohol. Phil was going to need a whole barrel of vodka to get through tonight. The trio was currently watching Daniel, who was playing a mellifluous piece on a gorgeous white piano, accompanied by Eliot on the violin.

Phil was assuming he should be watching both of the boys play, but his eyes were glued only to Daniel. The prince’s fitted suit looked incredible as always, but the deep black of the fabric standing out against the snow-colored piano made him look ethereal. 

Memories of his earlier conversation with Marcus and Delorean kept repeating through his head, willing for some answer to appear to make them make sense, to take some of the pain away, but they merely stuck to his brain like fresh bruises.

He wished more than anything that he could just avoid the situation all together, but he was far too emotionally involved to run away. Besides, he could never leave Daniel like that.

And that brings the problem back to The Prince. How was Phil supposed to be keeping this from him? Marcus had requested that Phil kept this to himself, but how could he possibly hide something so big from Daniel? One that literally would alter his life forever.

Phil wanted nothing more than to tell Daniel everything, to let him know what his father was planning, but he feared that would cause more harm than good. Marcus had told him to keep quiet, and Phil feared that breaking a promise this important could result in losing his position.

He selfishly didn’t want to leave simply so he could stay with Daniel, but also because he wanted The Prince to have an ally. Perhaps he can be a friend while Daniel navigates through this strange situation. Even if this is what Daniel wanted, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have some support. Especially if things move as fast as the kings were hoping.

Phil sighed and took another chug of his liquor, the drink burning his throat. As he watched Daniel, he solidified a plan. He would keep the marriage scheme a secret until Daniel started demanding answers. If he asked what was going on, Phil would tell. That way, he wouldn’t have to lie to his precious prince and he could keep his promise to the king.

He was relieved from his spiraling thoughts when King Delorean clapped his hands together, standing up with the elegance of a rich wine being poured. He sent a large smile to Eliot before speaking.

“Thank you, Daniel, so much for sharing your talents. Your musical abilities truly are one to behold. I would like to now excuse you all to prepare for dinner. I will be sending the maids to fetch you in one hour sharp.”

Once Dealorean finished his orders, Phil started making his way over to the piano, ready to escort Daniel back to their castle wing, but he was stopped short before he could get there when he heard Eliot speaking under his breath quietly.

“Excuse me, Prince Daniel, do you think you could accompany me on a short walk before dinner?” Eliot asked, hope and nerves present in his voice. Daniel stood happily from the piano bench with a nod, clearly oblivious to the other’s cowardice demeanor.

Phil cleared his throat loud enough to get both of the royal’s attention. He stood firm, glaring at Eliot, who looked like he was about to shit himself.

“Prince Daniel, shall I accompany you on this outing?” Phil asked, trying to keep an air of authority in his voice. But Daniel shook his head with a smile.

“No thank you, Phil. We’ll be back for dinner.” Daniel said, linking his arm with Eliot’s.

Phil watched the two make their way through the arched parlor door, presumably on their way to the gardens. Phil was apprehensive about leaving Daniel alone with Eliot, but he knew he would never cause any harm to the boy on purpose so he tried to relax.

He tried to focus on his breathing as he made his way up to his room, mentally preparing himself for a very anxious hour.

***

Phil wanted to jump out of a window. What was supposed to be only an hour of restless worrying about Daniel was now turned into a whole ordeal. Phil had heard a knock on the door when it was time to go down to dinner but was surprised to see only one maid waiting in the hallway.

When he had asked where Daniel was she told him that he was feeling ill and wouldn’t be joining them. Phil had insisted on staying to watch over him and make sure he was taken care of, but the maid said she had an order from King Dealorean for everyone else to be down at dinner. Apparently it was non-negotiable. And heaven above, did Phil try to negotiate.

He tried pleading, begging, and even told her that he was ill himself, but she still demanded that he come down. He finally gave in with a promise to himself to visit Daniel as soon as he was excused from dinner. Or sooner if he found a way to get out of it.

Dinner was slow and awkward. The food was fine but everyone seemed so aware of Daniel’s absence that it ruined the atmosphere. King Marcus and Delorean sat silently, only muttering a few polite words back and forth when the silence demanded it. Eliot sat next to his father and didn’t touch his food once. Unlike his father, he had turned himself out from all pleasantries, keeping a silent, worried frown on his face.

But the worst was Adrian. He kept fidgeting with his utensils and sending panicked looks to the door, ready to bolt out as soon as he was excused. His face was pale and anxious, and his eyes kept glazing over, barricading himself in his thoughts.

Phil wasn’t much better himself. He could only think of Daniel, cold and sick up in his room all alone. He wanted to be there with him, taking the illness away from his prince; not down here, pretending to enjoy his meal.

When King Delorean announced that dinner had concluded, Phil swore everyone in Auberon could have heard his sigh of relief. He was about to bolt straight up for Daniel’s room, but he was stopped as soon as he stood up from his chair.

“Phil, do you think you could do a favor for me?” Eliot asked quietly, a hand resting on Phil’s arm. Phil tried to descritley shake his arm off. Adrian had already left the room, and Marcus and Delorean were following slowly after, still absorbed in their dreary thoughts.

Eliot fumbled with his waist pocket and pulled out a smooth letter. He held it out to Phil with a shameful expression on his tanned face.

“Can you deliver this to Prince Daniel for me?” He asked, placing the folded parchment in Phil’s hand. Phil nodded and shoved the letter graclessly into his jacket, wanting to hurry up their conversation and get to Daniel.

Eliot nodded solemnly. “And please tell him I am very sorry. Will you tell him that for me?” He asked, watery eyes meeting Phil’s. This stopped Phil for a moment. His shoulders tensed as he glared at Eliot.

“Tell him that you’re sorry? What did you do?” Phil asked, voice harsher and deeper than he was anticipating. 

Eliot’s eyes widened and he took a step back, clearly not expecting that tone from the usually polite guard. 

“He didn’t tell you?” The Prince asked. Phil shook his head and grit his teeth, eyes still tracking Eliot’s every move.

“Well I suppose I should fill you in. I’m sure Prince Daniel will tell you soon anyways.” Eliot started, staring at the ground.

“Tonight I proposed a courtship to Prince Daniel... and he refused me. I thought for sure that he felt the same way for me as I did for him, but I must have misread his intentions. I don’t know how to fix this, but I feel horrible putting him in this situation. I’ve written an apology so he can understand how truly sorry I feel. Please give it to him, Phil. I don’t want to have caused him discomfort in any way. And tell him that I will never pursue him again, unless he shows true, honest interest.” Eliot said, genuine guilt shining in his dark eyes.

Phil nearly crumpled the letter and threw it back in Eliot’s face, but confusion started clouding his anger. Of course he was beyond angry that Eliot would overstep Daniel’s boundaries, and of course he was unbelievably jealous of this man, but one thought kept circling his mind. Why did Daniel refuse?

Ever since they got here, Daniel had seemed completely taken by this man. Given his status and hospitality, there truly was no reason Phil could see for Daniel to refuse his proposal. Phil had accompanied the two on every outing they had, and Eliot had never once been any less than a gentleman. Phil couldn’t understand.

Although he didn’t get it, Phil wasn’t unhappy about Daniel’s refusal. He looked back at Eliot and saw that the man now had streaks of tears lining his face. Phil felt slight pity for the man. He nodded sharply and tucked the letter further into his jacket.

“I’ll make sure Prince Daniel receives this.” Phil said, irritated tone evident. He turned and left the dining hall without waiting for a response from Eliot and climbed the grand staircase two steps at a time. His polished shoes hurried over the carpeted hallway lining, eager to get to Daniel’s room.

As soon as he turned into the wing, he heard shouting from Daniel’s room. He moved closer and could make out Adrian’s booming voice, littered with colorful language. He knocked hesitantly, worried to interrupt a fuming Adrian, but more so concerned for Daniel.

The shouting subsided for a second before Adrian whipped open the solid wooden door.

“Look, Phil. Now’s not a good time. Can you please leave?” He asked coldly, his usually freckled face flushed in red.

Phil was about to argue but he was interrupted by Daniel.

“Come on in, Phil.”

Adiran shot a warning glare at Daniel, but held the door open for Phil anyways. The guard stepped inside, eyes immediately meeting Daniel’s, who was currently sitting on the edge of his bed.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, but I was asked to bring this up for Daniel. It’s from Prince Eliot.” Phil said, pulling the crisp envelope out of his jacket. Daniel stood up to grab it but Adrian beat him to it.

“What the hell does this guy have to say?” Adrian scoffed, beginning to tear the opening of the letter off. Daniel ran over to his brother and snatched the letter from him.

“That’s my mail, dipshit. Let me read it.”

Adrian’s face grew redder as he held his palm out, silently demanding that Daniel give it back.

“He should have nothing to say to you. If you give it here I’ll handle it and go have a little chat with him. He needs to stay the hell away from you, Dan.”

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep inhale, clearly annoyed by his brother’s outburst. He glanced back up to Phil awkwardly.

“I suppose I should fill you in.” Daniel said, his voice exhausted.

“I’m afraid I already know a little bit. I ran into Eliot on my way up here and he cued me in on the gist of it.” Phil admitted sheepishly.

Adrian crossed the floor angrily and stood in front of Phil, an accusing finger pressed against the guard’s chest.

“What did that fucker tell you?” Adrian seethed. “What did he say his side of the story was?”

Phil blinked down at Adrian and took a step back, not enjoying the feeling of being prodded through his uniform. He cleared his throat nervously, not wanting to further anger the man.

“He just told me that he proposed a courtship and Daniel refused. He didn’t give me more details than that, but he did ask me to tell Daniel that he is incredibly sorry and that he never intended to make him uncomfortable in any way. He also wants you to know that he misread the situation and will never make any moves again, unless you initiate it.” Phil said, his eyes pleading at Daniel to never initiate with any man ever again during the last part.

Daniel sat quiet for a moment as he contemplated. His chin was balanced in his palm as he looked at the letter in his hand, brow furrowed in thought. He shook his head lightly as ripped open the letter in a fluid motion.

Adrian and Phil sat quietly as Daniel read the letter, their anxious eyes glued to the boy to gauge his reaction. Soon Adrian got uncomfortable in the silence and let out a frustrated sigh.

“I don’t think he should be forgiven. What he did was inappropriate and beyond presumptuous given the circumstances. I say I alert father and we should go home at once. Get out of this place as soon as we can.” He said, arms crossed against his chest.

Daniel finished the letter and looked up. He folded the letter back into the envelope and tossed it on the bed beside him.

“I’m going to forgive him.” Daniel said firmly.

Adrian’s eyes could have fallen out of their sockets from how wide they got.

“Are you mad?! What he did is inexcusable! Why on earth should he be granted your forgiveness?” Adrian shouted incredulously. Daniel sighed and looked up at his brother.

“He sounds genuinely sorry, Adrian. He’s actually a very nice guy and I don’t think he deserves this treatment. I can tell that he feels awful about this.” Daniel said.

Adrian held the bridge of his nose tightly as if warding off a headache.

“Dan, I’m going to trust you on this, but I still don’t think he should be forgiven. I won’t say anything crass but I will be keeping a closer eye on him. I’m still going to talk to father about leaving early. I don’t think we should stay here any longer than we have to.” Adrian sighed. He walked over to the door but stopped before he opened it. He turned around and looked at Daniel, subtly gesturing to Phil. Dan shook his head.

“No, he can stay.”

Adrian looked over Phil skeptically before leaving, sending one more glance to Daniel. The Prince rolled his eyes and waved him away, watching the door close behind his brother. As soon as the door closed, Daniel groaned and laid back on his bed, covering his face with his hands.

Phil hesitantly made his way over to him and nudged his shoe with his own.

“Are you alright, Daniel? I imagine today was quite draining for you.”

Daniel scoffed and moved his hands to his temples, slowly massaging circles into the tense skin.

“Yeah, you could say that.” He said, sarcasm seeping in his voice. Phil nodded and took a seat on the far corner of the bed, allowing plenty of space between him and The Prince. He gazed across the room to the large balcony window. The golden sun was changing to an orange-lilac hue outside, painting the pastel walls of the bedroom in vibrance. As the light was dimming in the room, he could feel Daniel calming down.

“Is there any way I can help?” Phil asked. Daniel looked less frustrated, but more tired than Phil had ever seen him. His eyes were rimmed with red and they had bluish bags hanging underneath them, standing in stark contrast against his feathery pale skin. The Prince looked at Phil from the place he was laying down and nodded.

“Yes, but it’s kind of an effort so you don’t have to.” Daniel said, allowing his eyes to roll up to a spot on the ceiling. 

Phil chuckled. He was prepared to literally break apart the world piece by piece if Daniel had asked him to, so he was more than ready for whatever The Prince came up with.

“If it will help you in any capacity, I'm more than willing to help out, your highness.”

“First of all, stop calling me that. It’s either Dan or Daniel, okay?” Daniel said, glaring at Phil. Phil tried to smile back at him but his warming face made it hard to cooperate.

Dan.

The Prince had permitted him to call him an informality. In Phil’s mind, that was practically as good as gold.

“Secondly,” Dan continued, “I want to go to the gardens for a couple hours. I need to be outside.”

Phil was already standing up when Dan looked at him to gauge a response. Phil extended his hand, which Dan gratefully took, and pulled him off the bed.

“We can definitely do that, but I have a few conditions, okay?” Phil said. Dan looked at him skeptically but nodded, an eyebrow quirked.

“Go get your jacket. I don’t want you getting actually sick. I’m also going to send a maid to put together some food for us. I bet you’re hungry having skipped dinner.” Phil said, already making his way to the door. Dan smiled and nodded.

“Those are some conditions I can agree to. Just come get me when you’re ready.” Phil nodded and stepped out into the hallway. Once he flagged down a maid and got his food request sent to the kitchen, he went to his room and grabbed one of his warmer jackets. He also changed from his uniform into something comfier: just plain sweatpants and a hoodie.

When he arrived back at Dan’s room, he saw that he had done the same. The Prince was now wearing joggers and a sweater. He looked so comfy that it made Phil want to melt.

The two made their way through the castle quietly, only stopping once at the kitchen to grab their basket of snacks before leaving to the gardens. It was night now. The only light above them was the glowing moon and the flickering stars.

Dan weaved through the garden quickly and found the place he was looking for. It was a large stretch of grass between some lilac bushes and an aging cherry blossom tree. He plopped himself down in the grass and gazed up at the stars, leaning back on his hands.

Phil sat down next to him, placing their basket in between them.

“Alright Daniel, eat something please.” Phil asked kindly, placing a porcelain plate in front of The Prince. Dan rolled his eyes but took some fruit and a roll from the basket. It wasn’t quite enough for Phil’s liking, but he would make sure he got more in his system as the night progressed.

As Daniel nibbled on an apple slice, Phil pointed out some of the constellations he could see. He wasn’t a very talented astronomer, but he knew the most famous ones. He made Dan laugh when he said that the big dipper looked like a pencil with legs.

The two made their way into a comfortable conversation, chatting idly about their hobbies and daily work duties. But as the night progressed, Phil felt a question nagging in the front of his brain, one that he had been thinking about all night.

“Daniel, can I ask you something?” Phil asked. He was scared to ruin the light-hearted banter they had going, but Phil needed to know the answer. Dan nodded and looked at Phil expectantly.

“Why did you say no to Eliot’s courtship proposal?” Phil asked, looking down to his hands folded nervously in his lap. Daniel looked down too, suddenly remembering what he had tried to avoid all night. He picked at some grass and swallowed.

“W-Well… He’s nice and all, but I'm really not interested in him that way. Sure, he’s kind and handsome, but I was hoping more for a friend in him, you know? And besides, I'm not ready to do that sort of stuff again.” Daniel said, nearly whispering the last part. 

Phil looked up. Daniel said he wasn’t ready to do that stuff again. As in, he’s had a romantic relationship before. Or at the very least he’s had romantic experiences. Phil had read every word of Daniel’s life discography and never once did it bring up a romantic partner. Phil suddenly felt his chest get tight again and he had the need to learn more about whoever this person was.

“Again?” Phil asked. Dan’s face paled. He looked down to his hands and started picking at a hangnail, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry about it, Phil.” Dan said quietly, still not making eye contact. 

Phil’s brow furrowed, and he scooted closer to Daniel. He placed one of his large hands over Dan’s hesitantly, only the thin layer of his sweater separating their chilled hands. Dan looked up nervously, anxious eyes meeting Phil’s.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but you seem upset and I’d love to help, if you’d let me.” Phil said gently, lightly squeezing Dan’s hand through the material of his sweatshirt.

Dan looked down at their intertwined hands and took a deep breath. His eyes flickered from Phil’s watching gaze to the dew-covered grass. He separated their hands and scooted a little further away, movements seeming small in the silence of the night. Phil frowned and was about to apologize, but Daniel beat him to talking.

“I think it probably is time I told you.” Dan whispered, small hands fiddling with his sleeves.

“Told me what?” Phil asked, chest heavy.

“Told you about Nathan.”

Chapter Text

“Nathan?” Phil felt his throat dry out when he said the name out loud. The cool night air, typically refreshing, now felt suffocating and freezing, jolting an uncomfortable chill down Phil’s spine. Dan nodded his head once before looking back down to the grass.

“Look Phil,” he started, panic spreading across his soft facial features, “What I'm about to tell you is something I'm not particularly comfortable sharing, but I think it’s important for you to know. So just be patient with me, okay?”

Phil nodded carefully and sat up straighter, full attention on Dan. Seeing Daniel in so much discomfort made his chest ache. He wasn’t going to pry anything out of Daniel, but the sour bubbling in the pit of his stomach glowered with curiosity. The Prince took a deep breath and locked eyes with Phil.

Small drops of mist were already beginning to form around his ochre irises but his fluttering eyelashes broke them apart before they could fall. “Nathan was my first, and only, boyfriend. He was a scholar and was hired to be my tutor whilst Johanna was away with her wife this past spring, but we got along much better than anyone had been expecting. He was so charming; I was instantly taken with him. We spent practically all of our time together, inside and outside of the library. He was tall, smart, handsome… every day I spent with him I felt my heart grow fonder.” Dan said with a small smile, eyes drifting unfocused down to his hands.

“He told me that he felt the same. Our study sessions would be littered with longing gazes and sparing touches; filled to the brim with blooming love. I was enamored. He was so sweet to me, always making sure I was safe and cared for. He would sneak up to see me before bed to check in on me and kiss me goodnight. He would bring me small gifts to our study sessions. I was so, undoubtedly, in love. After a while, though, things started changing.” Dan said quietly. The small smile he had been wearing dropped, and he cleared his throat before he continued.

“He stopped being so gentle with me. If I spoke out of turn I would get a slap on my wrist or he’d hold my hand so tight it would bruise. He often would lecture me on how fortunate I was to have him around because only he could love me the way I so desperately craved. It lasted a lot longer than I’m proud of, and months went by of me following him like a lovesick kitten and only getting punished in return. I liked him so much, I was willing to look past the abuse if it meant I could feel loved. I even hid our relationship from my father and Adrian. But after a while, I got sick of it, and I think he could tell. I had been slowly distancing myself from him, and one night he snuck into my room and asked if I could take a walk with him. He said he wanted to talk about something important with me. I almost didn’t go, but I had hoped that maybe he would apologize and try to save what was left of our dying relationship,” Dan said, allowing a sad chuckle to leave his mouth in a short breath. Phil didn’t know what to do except offer his hand to Daniel, who took it with a small smile. Phil’s brain was racing a mile a minute, not sure exactly how to process so much information. All of the hurt Daniel endured made a plethora of emotions swim through his blood, and he wasn’t sure what to do to comfort Daniel besides squeezing gently into their interlocked grip.

“Of course,” Daniel continued, “that wasn’t the case. He and I walked out into the gardens, but he really wasn’t talking much. It was almost like he was stalling… but then when we made it just deep enough into the gardens, he led me off the path, to the far gate where the guards make their rotations in the morning. I didn’t think it was intentional, but it’s one of the areas that’s not overly supervised and none of the guards on duty that night had rounds that far out. When he got me pulled away from watching eyes, he struck. He hit me so hard that I blacked out. When I came to again he was still hitting me. I tried to fight back but he pinned me down and held this saturated cloth, it was soaked in some sort of liquid, up to my nose and I lost all control of my body. I couldn’t move an inch but I could hear, see and feel everything.” Dan whispered. Tears were trickling steadily between his eyelashes. Phil could feel his own eyes stinging as well. He clutched his hand tighter, his thumb rubbing soothing circles onto the back of the other man’s hand. The gesture was meant to comfort Dan, but Phil truly needed to hold him for his own benefit as well.

Dan took a deep breath and cleared his throat, seemingly determined to continue. “One of the things I never allowed him to do was anything sexual in nature. I wasn’t ready for that, he knew it, but he took me being knocked out to his advantage. He left so many hickies on me I looked like a poorly colored painting... he didn’t stop there, though. He was violent with… taking my innocence,” Phil had to look away from The Prince when he said that. He didn’t want his deathly expression and laboured breathing to scare him when he was in a state of such vulnerability, but Phil didn’t think he would be able to conceal it. Daniel only glanced down softly and continued. “He was grippinging me so harshly that the bruises on my wrists took nearly a month to heal. I had never once wished I was dead before until that moment… it just wouldn't end. He didn’t take a break until he was finished. I was hoping that he would be done with me, but apparently that was only the beginning of what he was planning. He told me we ‘only had a few more minutes to wait,’ I’m still not sure what he meant by that, before he continued to paint my neck in hickies again, touching me in places I don’t want to think about. I think I got some feeling in my arm back around this point because I was able to try to push him off again, but he snapped it at the elbow when I hit his chest. I don’t remember much else after that. I think the pain of breaking my arm made me black out again, but I know I heard shouting. That’s when the guards stepped in. Apparently they saw us leave the castle and were looking for us. Thank God because I don’t know much more I could take. He was pulled off of me and I was carried inside by one of the guards to be taken up to the hospital wing. I was put under anesthesia pretty quickly so they could fix my arm up, so I don’t remember much else from that night. I didn’t wake up for a couple days actually.” Dan whispered, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve and sniffling quietly.

“A few days?” Phil choked out.

“Yeah. They wanted to keep me sedated for the first few days of my recovery so they could assess the damage done to the more… intimate... parts of my body. Apparently I was in pretty bad shape. They thought if I was awake while they were doing their check-ins I might panic and not let them work on me. They were probably right.” Dan said with a sad chuckle. “About a week later I woke up, and I felt so horrible. Every bone in my body hurt and my arm was a broken mess. The pain wasn’t even the worst though, it was Adrian and my father. They were both destroyed. Father stayed with me for the first few days, but he’s The King. He had to leave often, but he spent every free moment he had with me. Every lunch break, meal, and before bed he would be in my hospital room. Adrian was worse though. He couldn’t even look at me for a while. The love bites on my neck and face, the black eye, broken ribs, and my casted arm were too much for him. He blamed me being hurt on himself. He said he should have done a better job protecting me, which is total bullshit. Of course it’s not his fault, but he treated it that way. He didn’t leave my side until I requested leave from the hospital myself. I was tired of having everyone look at me like I was dying.” Dan shook his head and closed his eyes.

“The first few weeks were really rough. Emotionally, I was devastated to be betrayed and hurt so much by someone I loved. I could handle the physical pain, but the emotional scarring was a lot harder to overcome. Adrian had to sleep in my room every night because of the night terrors. They used to be even worse than they are now. I was scared to leave my room alone, and I was so tired of feeling unsafe. I went through a lot of counseling after that, and that helped the emotional aspect of things a lot, but I still felt physically unsafe. That’s why father hired you.” Dan opened his eyes and looked to Phil, resting his head on his knees.

“As soon as my cast was off and everything was as back to normal as it could be, father told me he wanted you to step in and be my guard. I was terrified at first. No offense, Phil, but I wasn’t too sure about having another man so close to me so quickly. He seemed so certain about you though that I decided to give you a chance. I’m glad I did… you respected my space so much, and that’s all I really needed to keep healing. Respect and space really did wonders for me. So thank you for that.” Dan said, squeezing Phil’s hand lightly.

Phil reached his other hand out and gently brushed the remaining tears from Dan’s cheek, his skin burning at the touch. He hesitated for a moment before extending his arms, silently asking Dan for a hug. The Prince compiled instantly, as if waiting for the offer, and slotted himself in the older man’s grip. Phil clung to him as if he would be ripped from his arms, a large hand cradling Dan’s head to his neck and another arm wrapped securely around his slim waist. He felt angry tears burning behind his eyes and his shoulders tensed to the point they were shaking. The only thing grounding him, keeping him remotely calm, was knowing that Daniel was safely tucked in his arms.

How could someone harm someone like Dan. Phil didn’t understand how a person could be so vile to do that to anyone, but why Dan? Someone so sweet and gentle, soft enough to break under a frown. How could they do that to him? Who would ever want to hurt an angel on earth? Who could be so evil?

Seething red crowded his vision until nothing was left but the steady heat of anger.

Typically Phil would entertain every option available before he resulted in violence, but this was an exception. Never in his life did he ever want to hurt, no, kill someone more than he had in that moment. The name ‘Nathan’ bounced around in his head like a grenade with its pin pulled. Phil was certain that if that bastard was here now, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from ripping his arms off his body and concocting a slow, treacherous, searingly painful death.

He wouldn't let his anger get out of control, though. Not right now. Not when he had Dan in his arms, tears starting to wet the shoulder of his sweatshirt where his head was laying. Phil untangled his tense hand from the boy’s hair and gently rubbed Dan’s back, encouraging another small cry to leave his mouth. Phil held him tighter.

After a while of encouraging deep breaths and soothing words, Dan seemed to have calmed down. His breathing was regular and his nails were no longer pressing into Phi’s back. Instead he sat comfortably by Phil, allowing himself to be hugged by his guard.

“Thank you for telling me.” Phil whispered into the top of Dan’s head, dipping his nose into his curls.

“Of course. I probably should have told you sooner.”

“Don’t say that. I’m so glad you told me when you were ready. I would have never forgiven myself if you were forced to tell me.”

“Well, I’m glad you know now.” Dan said, his voice muffled in Phil’s sweatshirt. Phil nodded his head and maneuvered his body to allow him to somehow hold Dan even closer.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. What you went through is absolutely horrific. And to still have the kind heart you have today… You are incredible. I cannot imagine the strength and courage it took to start resolving the effects of that event. You, Daniel Howell, are my hero.”

Phil felt Dan smile against his shoulder.

“Thanks Phil,” Dan mumbled, untangling himself from Phil’s arms. He took a deep breath and smiled sheepishly through his remaining tears. “But do you think we can maybe change the topic to something else now? I’ve had enough of reflecting on past trauma tonight.”

Phil smiled warmly and nodded. The hot anger in his chest still stood stagnant but he knew it wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, so a distraction would probably be best for the both of them. Before he could drop the topic completely though, he needed to know one more thing.

“...Dan?”

“Yes, Phil?”

“What happened to Nathan? When the guards found you?”

Dan stilled and looked forward to the stars, as if tracing constellations in his mind. His chest rose and fell with a deep breath as Phil noticed him mentally grounding himself.

“He got away. One of the guards shot at him and got a pretty good hit in his abdomen, but apparently he was able to scale the wall. He had a rope set up and everything. He clearly had planned that night down to every last detail. I’m still not sure where it was going to go if the guards hadn’t found me, and quite frankly, that’s a question I’m alright not having answered. The senior guard force searched the surrounding woods for a few days but no one ever found anything. If you remember some guards being away for “training” in March, that’s where they went. My father kept this whole ordeal under the radar for security reasons. He didn’t want Nathan to believe we were after him. It clearly wasn’t any use considering we never found him, but I like to think that he bled out somewhere in the woods. That sounds dark, but it makes me feel safer.” Dan whispered, resting his head on his knees.

Phil nodded solemnly and adjusted his position next to Dan so their shoulders were touching. He didn’t want to be overbearing with the physical contact, but he needed to feel some part of Dan, just to calm his brain down enough to assure that he was safe. Right now, at this moment, he was safe.

Dan didn’t seem to mind the touch and leaned into it, resting his head against Phil’s shoulder. He sighed deeply and looked back up to the stars, expression thoughtful.

“I wasn’t lying, you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“About being happy I met you. I am truly very glad you’re with me now.” Dan said, voice so soft it could have been a whisper. Phil looked down at where Dan’s head was resting and beamed. He felt warmth spread over his wind-bitten cheeks and he swore he could hear his heart from how loud it was beating.

“I’m glad I met you too, Dan.”

Phil watched as Daniel hummed contentedly and closed his eyes, his soft eyelashes resting on his freckled cheeks. Phil wanted nothing more than to stay there and study the boy for the rest of the night. He wanted to memorize every honey-colored dot, count every one of his eyelashes… just do anything to help him stay in this moment forever. He needed something to look back on when his feelings unquestionably ruined whatever bond they had.

But his logical side told him to ignore his heart and look out for his prince in a more unselfish way, despite the pain in his chest.

“Dan, you seem exhausted. Do you want to head back to your room? I can get you tea, have a maid run a bath, or anything else that could help you unwind. I worry about you being well rested.” Phil whispered, almost hoping Dan was too tired to hear him. Unfortunately The Prince did hear him, though and sat up, cracking his neck in the process.

“I am absolutely so fucking tired, but I don’t think I can sleep tonight. Every time I talk about Nathan I get more nightmares than normal, so I’m just gonna try to fight it off for a bit. Maybe watch some movies until the others wake up or something.”

Phil nodded.

“That’s okay, Dan. I don’t want you having any nightmares either,” Phil said, hoping he sounded as sincere as he felt. He held his breath and hesitated before he continued, worried he was making a wrong step.

“If you don’t mind though, may I join you in the main room? I worry about you being by yourself.”

Dan looked up at Phil with soft, yet calculating eyes. He seemed to be having an inner-debate with himself as he studied his options.

“I want you to. I-I mean, I would like the company, but I will not have you staying up again to baby me. It seems like I've done nothing but keep you up at night with my problems and you need to get some sleep, Phil.”

If Phil was being honest, he didn’t think he could sleep either knowing Dan was next door and potentially hurting. But besides that, there was quite literally no place he would rather be right now than watching movies with Dan, so his mind was already set.

“If that’s your concern, your highness, then I will be accompanying you in the main room. I’m not tired at all and I promise you are nothing of a bother. I’ll stick around there as long as you’ll have me.” Phil said sternly, hoping Dan wouldn’t press it any further. Luckily for him, Dan looked relieved that Phil agreed to come with.

“If you’re sure. And if you get sleepy at all, you need to promise me you’ll tell me and go to bed, okay?” Dan said, extending his pinky to the older man. Phil’s brain could have exploded from the cuteness.

“Of course.” Phil said, with no intention of fulfilling that promise. He linked his pinky with Dan’s and squeezed snuggly, locking in his promise. His legs cracked when he stood up from his comfortable place on the grass and extended a hand to Dan. The Prince took it gratefully and brushed the stray strands off of his joggers.

Phil packed up their basket before turning to follow Dan, who was waiting patiently a few yards away, sleepily gazing across the dimly-lit field.

“Are you ready, Dan?” Phil asked, hoisting the basket into his grip. Dan responded with a soft nod and led the way across the grass. The two made it into the eerily silent castle in a matter of minutes and quickly made their way into their shared living space, not wanting to bring awareness to themselves.

As Phil started to empty the remainders of their picnic into the pantry, he watched as The Prince made himself cozy in front of the television, mindlessly flipping through screens until he found a movie he was happy with.

Phil crossed the room and arranged his lanky body on one of the couches, his tall form taking up the majority of the cushions. He had assumed Daniel was going to take the other couch, as that one had a closer view to the television and truthfully looked a lot more comfortable, but instead he strode over to Phil and sat himself daintily on the other end.

Phil was about to move, not out of the want to leave Dan, simply only to make him more comfortable, but Dan eyed him shyly.

“Do you mind if I sit here? Adrian sometimes sits with me and watches movies to help me calm down after nightmares… I know I didn’t have a nightmare or anything, but I'm a little on edge. If that’s okay with you of course.” Dan said nervously, eyes preferring to focus on his fiddling hands rather than looking at Phil.

The guard nodded happily and adjusted himself so he was sitting upright to give Dan some more space.

“Sure, of course, your highness,” Phil started, studying the way Dan immediately relaxed into the plush lining of the couch when those words left his lips. “Just let me know if you want me to move, okay?”

Dan nodded with a small grin and turned his attention to the movie. Not long after, Phil noticed The Prince starting to doze off. The lull of sleep seemed to have captured him in an iron fist, and Dan had to shake his head every few seconds to keep from drifting.

“Dan,” Phil said quietly, placing a hand on The Prince’s shoulder. Dan looked up sharply, as if to prove he hadn’t been lilting off. “Do you think you could try to get some sleep? I know you don’t want to, but you look utterly exhausted and I worry about you. You know, getting enough rest and such.”

Dan shook his head worriedly, wide eyes pleading with Phil.

“Please don’t make me, Phil. I don’t want to be alone.” Dan said in a voice so small Phil’s heart could have shattered. Phil turned his full body to Dan and rested his other hand on his arm, tracing patterns into his small bicep, attempting to rub as much assurance into him as he could.

“I won’t leave you alone. I can go get Adrian for you. I can even have him come in here and stay with you, he told me he would do anything to help you feel better if I-”

“Can you stay with me?”

Phil thought his ears may have stopped working for a moment. Either that, or his brain short-circuited.

“What?”

Dan bit his bottom lip.

“I don’t know exactly why Phil, but I… the last few times you were able to be with me while I had an e-episode, you calmed me down really fast. I just feel safe with you, I guess, and if you’re okay staying with me I think that could really help.” Dan whispered his words so quietly Phil had to strain to hear them, but his racing heart felt the impact all the same.

Dan feels safe with me? Do I actually help him? Do I make him feel safe?

Phil wanted to cry tears of joy and bounce around the room like he won the lottery, which he basically has, but he didn’t think that would do him much good right now. Pride swelled up in his chest. Not only had Dan approved of his job, but he genuinely feels safe and secure around him. Phil wanted to vomit and laugh and hug his prince all at the same time.

But instead, he smiled and took the blanket from the back of the couch, before draping it over Dan’s boney shoulders.

“I’ll stay with you as long as you want me.” Phil said earnestly. Dan wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders before resting his head on Phil’s chest, slim arms wrapping around his sides.

“Thank you, Phil.” He said, voice muffled in the fabric of Phil’s shirt. Phil wrapped his own arms around Dan, hoping some of the warmth he was feeling could be transferred to the boy. After a few minutes of congenial silence, Phil felt Dan’s head lull against his shoulder.

“Dan?” Phil asked, nudging the boy slightly. Dan’s eyes were closed shut and even breaths were leaving his lily-colored lips. Phil considered leaving him in this position for him to rest, but his brain eventually caught up to him and he figured it wouldn’t be the safest idea for Dan’s mental state to wake up in this situation.

“Can you wake up for me, Dan?” Phil asked kindly, softly shaking Dan’s arm. The Prince woke up just enough to groan and push his face further into Phil’s chest.

“Just go to sleep, Phil. I’m comfortable here.”

Phil hesitated for a moment, body still as he mulled over what Dan was asking him to do. The pair were cuddling. Or at least, very nearly cuddling and Phil wasn’t sure how to think properly. For a moment he thought about moving him to the other couch and ignoring him entirely in favor of watching from a distance, but Dan’s arms then snaked tighter around his chest and a content sigh left his mouth and Phil couldn’t possibly move the sleeping angel in his arms.

With a bit of a struggle, Phil managed to get the two situated in a half-sitting and half-lying position on the couch, with Phil’s back supported by the armrest and Dan nestled cozily into his chest, body settled between his legs.

Phil’s body was aching and he was a million percent positive that he would wake up with the sorest neck he had ever experienced, but it was worth it to have Dan bundled in his arms, safe and sound, smelling of sleep and chamomile and utter beauty.