Happy Ever After

Metawin

"I am not going up there."

"Scaredy cat."

"I'm still not going up there."

I look up. What was the big deal? "It's just an old tree house."

"You have a very loose definition of house."

"It's perfectly fine. You're just a spoiled Royal who wouldn't know a good tree house if it hit you."

Just as I said those words a branch fell unceremoniously to the ground.

"It's one branch -" I try to defend.

But then another branch breaks off and starts to fall. A branch just above my head. I am sure I'm about to be rushed to the emergency room for the world's dumbest reason -

Oh fuck.

I close my eyes, bracing for impact.
But instead I feel myself being yanked to the side. An arm enveloping me like a shield. I press into it, hoping for safety.

I hear the dull thud of wood hitting soil.
A moment passes then another.
I finally open my eyes to find myself nose to nose with Prince Bright. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it was trying to escape my chest and bore into his.

Bright puts his hand over my wild heartbeat. "Breathe," he whispers. "You're okay."
I try to inhale only then realizing I have been holding my breath.

"Metawin, I know you like getting your way but maybe this is a sign for us to eat indoors?"

He was right of course. He'd been right about this from the start. But our house - the thought of others seeing the state of it...Add to that my father wandering around and -

I suddenly can't breathe again.

"Meta?," Bright asks, his breath tickling my ear. I realize he was still holding me.
I should jump back and shove him away. I really should. But I needed so badly to be comforted that I lean close instead.

We both go quiet for a few seconds. He breathes in and out deeply as if silently telling me to do the same.

It works. I could feel myself relax.

"Let's go indoors, Meta."

"Take me to your castle then."

He blinks. But then nods. "Whatever you need."

- - -

You got to hand it to extremely expensive take out boxes. That sushi tasted like it was prepared seconds ago.

Not that I should have ever worried about food shortage in the Royal Palace if it went bad.

In the short journey it took from my house to his, Prince Bright's staff had already prepared a whole table filled with food. There were different kinds of onigiri, a choice of meat or cheese korokke, and even a tray of sweet anpan bread.

"Did you have some footman fly to Tokyo or something?"

"I told Mindy I needed something that would go well with sushi. We have stopped using footmen in the 1900s," Bright said matter of factly. Like it was common place to ever have had a footman. Or to name a country and expect your cook to be able to replicate their cuisine.

"How much would I have to earn to afford to pirate Mindy?"

"Don't even try. Over my dead body, Metawin."

"Not even if I say pretty please?"

"What is it with you and never accepting a no?"

"Pleaaaaase?," I say in my most high pitched whine. Poking the bear that is Prince Bright I decide is myself new favorite past time. I wonder what it would take to get Mr. Perfect to snap?