A Prince's Harem

Low

That night, after dining with his husband and their friends, Will had slipped out of his husband's embrace once Scott, Tango and Impulse had fallen asleep and cuddled together.

Scott whined a little as he sleepily reached out for his husband when his warmth left his side, "Baby..." he muttered through his sleepy haze as his hand grabbed out weakly.

Will hesitated for a brief moment, pressing a kiss to Scott's temple before placing a pillow under Scott's arm where he had been moments prior.

Scott, not quite comprehending that the pillow was not his husband, cuddled the pillow with the same love and affection he had shown Will earlier.

Will's footsteps were quick and quiet as he made his way back to his own chambers and when he finally reached his rooms he dismissed his staff and locked himself in the chamber.

His movements seemed mechanical as he wandered his room absently in laps, trying to occupy his mind long enough to tire himself out enough to sleep soundly, or at all.

He paused for a moment when he saw that Apo was still asleep in his bed, curled up on top of the blankets in one of Will's spare nightshirts, yet to vacate to his own rooms, not that Will minded.

He decided to pull a warm woolen blanket over the top of him and crash on his own couch with a spare blanket and pillow.

Before he fell asleep, he wrote a brief note and set it beside his sleeping courtier asking him to not wake Will in the morning and lock the door behind him if he left before Will woke up.

~~~

Relatively early the next morning Scott knocked on the door gently, "Love, are you awake?" He called softly after he lowered his hand.

He was growing more and more concerned as he had not woken up beside his husband and Apo had said that Will requested to be locked in his rooms after the new member of the palace staff had bumped into the prince.

There was no response from the other side of the door, not that Scott had truly expected one to begin with, but he still wanted to try.

"My dear?" He tried once more to no avail before taking a deep breath, he didn't want to overthink anything, Will was probably just sleeping in on his first free day after the wedding, "If you can hear me then please take care dearest."

~~~

Impulse tapped on the door a few times, "Will, are you in there?" He asked kindly.

There was a shuffling noise on the other side of the door, but no verbal response came from the demon's boyfriend's husband.

Impulse sighed softly, "We are worried but I won't push you."

There was still no response from the inside of the room, though the shuffling had stopped momentarily.

Impulse nodded a little to himself before stepping away from the door.

~~~

"Flame?" Tango called, knocking on the door with his foot, holding a giant stuffed bear in his arms with a blue ribbon and Nightingale pendant around it's neck.

The soft sobbing noises on the other side of the door halted abruptly, "Go away." That was the first verbal response that anyone had gotten all morning or early afternoon.

"Nice try, I'm a lot more stubborn than Scott or Impulse. Look, I understand that you want some time to yourself but we are worried sick about you. If you just open the door then you can have this present," Tango was absolutely not above bribing his boyfriend's husband if it meant guaranteeing his safety.

After a few seconds of baited breath, the door opened just enough for a disheveled Will to appear, dressed entirely in black, "I just need to be alone right now."

Tango nodded slowly, "Alright, do you want Mr Bearington to keep you company?" He offered his present out with a kind look in his face.

Will took the bear into his arms tightly, "Thank you Tango," his voice was scratching and his eyes were glistening with tears.

Tango gave him a warm hug, "Promise me you are safe?"

"I... I promise."

~~~

Scott was pacing anxiously in his own bedroom, waiting for his last hope to arrive.

"Scott, my flame, I know you are worried but please, you worrying yourself like this will not help anyone in this situation," Tango grabbed Scott's hand and helped him sit down in a nearby armchair.

Scott had long since dismissed any staff as he waited in stressful silence, head snapping up as his cousin entered, dressed entirely in black, "Graecie!" He shot up from his seat.

Graecie's face was hidden beneath a black veil, "Is everything alright? Where is Will?" She asked anxiously.

"He has locked himself in his room and only came out on a bribe from Tango! And he was in mourning clothes and you are too! Oh void did someone die?!" Scott started panicking as it hit him what black clothing meant, "Graecie..."

"Scott!" Graecie lifted her veil, cutting off her cousin's nervous rant, "I can tell you haven't been out of your room much today because everyone is in black because it would have been Will's mother's birthday today."

Scott's eyes widened in shock, "Oh void. Graecie, I feel horrible for not knowing."

"Will doesn't tell many people, the only reason the staff know is because a lot of them are children of the late Duchess's courtiers," Graecie reassured gently, "I can get him to let you in if that's what you want?" She offered quietly.

~~~

"Will, my dear," Graecie knocked slightly on the door, "Scott, Impulse and Tango are really worried about you. You don't have to talk about it but please let them in."

The door cracked open after a few moments of silence, on the other side was Will still holding the giant stuffed bear loosely in his arms.

"My love I am so sorry that I didn't know," Scott dropped his head in shame only to find a pair of arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Love you so much," Will muttered into Scott's shoulder with a small yawn.

Scott pulled Will against his chest, "My darling, do you want to lay down?"

The taller male nodded tiredly, pointing absently towards the three others that were still stood near them.

Graecie watched as the others shuffled into Will's room with a sad smile on her face, she expected to be left now that they had gotten into the half born's bedroom.

"Do you want to come in?" Scott asked as he lingered by the door, "You are very welcome to, you are Will's best friend and I think you both need each other right now."

Graecie lifted her veil over her face and removed it completely as she followed the boys into the room where she was quickly pulled into Will's arms, "You feeling alright?"

Will didn't reply, instead he pulled her down onto the bed, cuddling up against the stuffed bear while settling between Tango's legs, leaning gratefully into the blaze hybrid's natural warmth.

Graecie sat at the foot of the bed, settling into a random conversation with Impulse as Scott laid in his lap to nap whilst gently holding his husband's hand in his own.