The Idea of You (Bdoc Royal AU)

Chapter Five: A Familiar Sight

[Day Two]

Prince Doc was just minding his own business, wandering the halls of the castle when Etho and Prince Bdubs' friend Beef appeared in front of him. They handed him a picnic basket, explaining how it was lunch for him and his betrothed, courtesy of King Scar. When he pointed out he didn't even know where the prince was, Beef explained he was in his garden.

-

The freckled prince wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm before going back to pulling weeds. He hummed, ripping the parasite of a plant from the earth, and covered the hole left behind. Bdubs moved over to a nearby plant, gently peeking into the closed blue bulb. The magic inside was still growing bright and he sighed into a small smile. Standing up, he picked up the silver watering can with small flowers engraved on its side and sprinkled the water over some nearby plants.

His dark blue pants were stained with dirt at the knees, along with bits on his loose tumbleweed-colored blouse. Whenever he worked in his garden, he looked far from royalty, but no one cared. Tending a magical garden was the highest privilege anyone could receive in the kingdom.

Crouching back down, he pulled out another weed and added it to the pile in the brown paper bag. Just when he was thinking about how much he enjoyed being in his garden, away from all of his other responsibilities, he heard footsteps approaching.

Prince Bdubs remembered his father telling him he'd bring him a picnic lunch today, so he assumed it was him and didn't bother to look up. As he pulled another weed, a voice spoke up and he froze.

"When I was told you were in the garden, I assumed they meant you were reading or just admiring the flowers," the hybrid prince bluntly admitted.

Standing up, he raised an eyebrow. "You love to say what's on your mind, don't you?" he scoffed.

"So do you," Doc pointed out. He placed the basket down on a bench and scanned the garden. "Don't you have gardeners or something who can do this for you?"

This ticked off the prince more than anything he had said the day before. He wanted to be polite, truly he did, but he couldn't stop himself. "Are you serious right now? What, you think because I'm also a prince that I have everything done for me? Just because I'm royalty that doesn't mean I can't do things for myself. I've been caring for this garden since I was eight. You have no right insulting me to my face again!"

The taller brunette was shocked by his outburst and opened his mouth to respond but Bdubs refused to listen.

"Y'know I had assumed you were some genius who knew everything, but clearly you know nothing about human decency. If you think for one second I'm going to let you belittle the things I like or do anymore you are dead wrong your highness."

The two stood there in silence for a moment, before the lighter brunette cleared his throat and pulled off his moss green gardening gloves. Despite wearing them there was still dirt on his hands, though his ring managed to stay clean. He walked over to the smaller fountain on the wall of the garden plaza and cleaned his hands and his face. After tightening the red bandana on his forehead, he sat down on the bench near Doc - the one with the picnic basket - and pulled it into his lap.

When he opened it, he realized there was enough food for two people. Of course. Exhaling, he looked over to the taller, who awkwardly sat down next to him. Bdubs plopped the basket back down between them and pulled out one of the containers of tea sandwiches.

They ate in silence, the only noise coming from the occasional servant passing by.

-

Doc played with the ring on his green finger, swallowing his last bite of sandwich. "I'm sorry," he quietly said, peeking over. His betrothed raised his eyebrows slightly but said nothing. "I'm sorry for insulting you multiple times. I promise to be more mindful in the future and show you more respect."