To Wear The Crown

18

"I'm going to kill you." Charlie lets out a shaky breath as his eyes meet the others. "I'm going to fucking kill you. Then bring you back to life, and kill you again. And I'm going to keep doing it until I'm satisfied." Charlie punches at Ben's chest. Charlie didn't recognise Ben because he's got a black cloak on, to hide the knight uniform underneath.

"Oww. What did I do?" Ben laughs as he helps Charlie to a sturdy footing.

Charlie looks at Ben with disbelief, whisper-shouting as he rants. "What did you do?... I thought I was about to be mugged, raped, attacked for fun, or outright murdered. You were walking behind me for one too many streets and you didn't even say my name, so I thought someone was stalking me. Jesus Christ Ben, you really scared me. I almost shat myself when I fell."

Ben doesn't say anything as he cups Charlie's face to wipe away a stray tear with his thumb from under Charlie's eye. "I did say your name, silly." He coos. "You must've been too scared to hear me and for that, I am truly and dearly sorry. I didn't want to walk too close at first because I wasn't completely sure it was you I was following and not some stranger." He laughs as Charlie pouts between his hands.

"You know we are in public right. Wait actually... why are you here, and how did you find me?" Charlie mumbles while struggling to keep eye contact with Ben.

"Not long after you left, I decided I don't want you to walk back to the castle alone and in the dark, so I left through the main castle gates and when I asked any guardsmen if they'd seen you until I ended up here. I did scare someone else actually before I met you." Ben talks all peacefully as if he doesn't see what he's done could go wrong.

"Ben," Charlie says with a sigh as he removes Ben's hands from his face. However, Ben stares at him with wide eyes and a smile on his face. "The reason I left through the side gate was that no one was meant to see me leave." Ben's face instantly drops, and his mouth makes an 'o' shape as he comes to realise what he's done. "Anyway apart from that, I wasn't going to walk back to the castle because I'm going home, to my house, where the rest of my family lives."

"So I came out here not looking like a hero..." Ben tries to smile and make it all seem good.

Charlie gives in and laughs. "I know this lower town a lot better than you, so I know I'm safe. Until you appeared, I thought that was it— I'm done for."

"Can I walk you home at least?" Ben juts out his elbow for Charlie to link his arm around.
"Very well then." Charlie does as Ben likes, the two walk arm in arm along the quiet night streets of the lower town.

"This feels nice. Feels like we are a normal couple." Ben blurts out as they reach the street Charlie lives on.

"I guess it does." Charlie hums back. "Though do you know how to get back to the castle?" Ben had asked guardsmen for directions to find Charlie, so Charlie doubts Ben remembers his way back.

Ben points to an excessively large building in the distance. "I think if I walk over there and ask the people in that building, they may be able to give me directions to the castle." Ben jokes, knowing that the building is the castle.

"Good because this is my house." Charlie is cautious at first to show Ben where he lives, especially so suddenly. Charlie relaxes when he notices Ben looking at the house with no negative expression. Ben is a prince, and he has lived his whole life in a castle, a house like Charlie's will be about the size of his bathroom.

"Charlie? You'll be coming back to the castle tomorrow, right?" Ben looks back at Charlie with puppy eyes.

"Of course. I have to be back to cater to the prince's every need."

Ben is hesitant as he bites his bottom lip and takes a quick glance at the street on either side of them, before leaning down to kiss Charlie on the lips. This time it's deeper and longer than a quick peck. "That's a good night kiss." Ben kisses Charlie again. "That's because I'm going to miss you." And again. "That's because you're so cute."

Charlie and Ben smile at each with no worrying thoughts in their heads as they're alone with no one to disturb them. "I need to go in now and sleep." Charlie's voice fades and the urge to sleep overcomes him.

"You do that and I'll see you tomorrow." Ben gives one more kiss on the forehead before turning away towards the castle and then back to Charlie. "Sleep well and dream of me as I dream of you." He says, walking backwards so he can keep an eye on Charlie.

Charlie chuckles as he opens the front door and steps into his home. Tip-toeing up the stairs he makes his way into his little brother's room and carefully climbs into the bed, trying his best not to wake his sleeping brother who'll start screaming in excitement. Resting his head on the pillow, Charlie lets his tired mind drift to sleep as it replays the delicate kisses with Ben on repeat.