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"You know, I could help you out...if you'd let me." Quackity had a slight grin on his lips.

"What?" The brunette looked up at him in surprise, his head still resting on the other's shoulder.

"You heard me, Soot. Just...get me a job in the castle." He shrugged slightly, his hand tightening around his waist. "I can be an excellent personal advisor." He winked, making Wilbur hesitate.

"I can't just get you a job, everyone there hates me."

"So why would they care if you've got an advisor?" Quackity shot back, his feathers ruffling a small bit.

"Because they don't want me to have anything or anyone." Wilbur sat up to look at him properly. "You don't under—"

Quackity placed a finger on Wilbur's lips, quieting him. "Don't say that I don't understand. I know what I'm doing, trust me. Do you trust me, Wilbur?" He let his hand fall back down, leaning close to him. "Do you trust me?"

The Prince hesitated, fidgeting with a blade of grass. "I...I do." He sighed softly.

The ravenette gave a small nod, getting to his feet. "Good, now let's go." Quackity held a hand out for him to take. And he took it. The brunette let Quackity pull him up to his feet, brushing the grass off of his trousers.

"Wait, but they'll know that I've been outside of the castle if I just bring you back." Wilbur felt a pang of fear stab his chest.

"Look, I've got this. Just follow my lead." The golden-winged Prince gave him a look of reassurance. "Now, lead the way."

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Wilbur gazed up at his Father, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He half expected it to jump out and he'd just drop dead. Or maybe the floor would eat him first. Either of those are more preferable than risking everything just to help Quackity get a job. He didn't understand why the man needed the job in the castle so badly. Wilbur didn't think it was necessary.

Wilbur quietly walked alongside Quackity up to the throne where his Father sat. He gave a small bow, "Father," He greeted.

"Wilbur," The blonde responded, his tone firm. "Who is this? Why are you bothering me?"

"Th-this is Quackity, Sir." The Prince gestured to the ravenette.

He watched as Quackity gave an elegant bow in greeting. His Father's eyes flashed with surprise and intrigue, but Wilbur missed that. "Very well, what is it that I can do for this...Quackity?"

Quackity held a hand up for Wilbur to stay quiet and let him take it. Wilbur gladly let him. "King Philza, Sir, If it is to your liking then I would like to request a job within the castle. Specifically to be Prince Wilbur's personal advisor or servant." He spoke in a calm voice, he didn't seem bothered by the King's callous tone.

The King gave a laugh that echoed darkly around the throne room. A humourless laugh. "Who would want to work for him?" He stood up from his throne and stepped down towards them. That's when he saw the golden wings that came out of Quackity's back. "Oh, that's because you're exactly like him, isn't it?" He glared down at Quackity. "Let me ask you this, do you think you can protect him?"

Quackity met his gaze defiantly, his hands curling into fists. "If that's what I have to do, then I will. You have my loyalty, what more do you need?"

The King stepped back and trailed back over to his throne. "Very well, Quackity. You are to serve the cursed Prince, I expect your undying loyalty to him will be pledged. Run along now, I've got matters to attend to." Wilbur's Father waved the two off, and Wilbur didn't hesitate to usher the other Prince from the room.

"You could've gotten yourself killed." Wilbur said lowly, leading him through the long hallways.

"Philza doesn't scare me," Quackity scoffed. "You underestimate me...that's a dangerous thing to do." His wings twitched as if he were irritated, but his eyes held a cool calmness.

"I'm not saying that you can't handle yourself, Quackity." Wilbur mumbled, tentatively pushing open the door that led out to the gardens. The sun was rising.

Dew clung to the freshly cut grass, making the blades sparkle in the dawn light. The brunette quietly trailed his fingers over the silky petals of different flowers. White Roses, soft yellow Marigolds, Blue Cornflowers, pink Dahlias, pale purple Lilacs, and many different colours of Carnations.

Wilbur paused as he reached the old weeping willow tree, placing a hand on the rough bark. He traced over the notches in the wood, each one was marked with the letter W or T. For Wilbur and Techno. He didn't know when his older brother had stopped loving him. Sometime in-between Wilbur's birth and learning that he would be the crown Prince was when Techno had abandoned him. Became aggressive. Closed off. Cold. Distant. Every word in the book that could be a synonym of 'unloving'.

He hadn't noticed that Quackity had pulled him into a hug, but he also hadn't noticed when he had sunk to the ground either. Or that there were silent tears rolling down his face. Without thinking, he clung onto the shorter Prince, burying his head in his shoulder as he let out soft sniffles. He couldn't stop the tears falling down his face, but he wasn't sure that he really wanted to. It felt nice to finally let it out, to be held and comforted.

Quackity was holding onto him tightly, pulling Wilbur into his lap as he rubbed his back gently. "Let it all out, Wil..." The ravenette whispered gently. "That's it, it's okay."

Wilbur felt himself calming back down after a few moments, only letting out small sniffles every now and then. "S-sorry...I didn't mean...I didn't mean to breakdown like that." He shifted and looked up at Quackity, still in his lap.

"You don't have to apologise, it's okay to cry. It doesn't make you weak, if anything it makes you stronger. Letting yourself be vulnerable is okay sometimes, but only around certain people. Wil, you need to keep your guard up around your family." Quackity gently cupped his face. "I'm here now, I'm not going to let them hurt you. And you can't let them hurt you, Wilbur. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

Wilbur gave a small nod, gazing up into his soft brown eyes. He was confused as to why the man was so protective over him. They'd only just met. Quackity didn't know anything about Wilbur. Right? He couldn't. There was no way.

"Words, Wilbur, I need to know that you understand me completely." His tone was firm but still soft. It was unlike any tone he'd heard before.

"Okay...I- I'll try." He whispered.

"Good, that's good..." Quackity let out a sigh, running a hand along Wilbur's wing. "Trying is good." He murmured gently. "You trust me, right? You trust that I have your best interest in mind?"

Wilbur gave another small nod, though he was unsure of why he truly trusted him. What if Quackity betrayed him? He wouldn't do that...surely not... Wilbur shivered at the thought. "Yeah...I trust you." The brunette mumbled.

"And you'll listen to me when I tell you that you need to protect yourself from your family?" Quackity placed his finger under Wilbur's chin and lifted his head back up when the Prince looked away from him. "You know I'm only doing this for your well-being, right?"

Wilbur gave another slow nod. He felt a touch uneasy at the way Quackity was wording his questions, but he brushed it off. Quackity wouldn't hurt him. They were too similar. Plus, if he was gonna hurt him then he surely would've done it already.

He gently brushed his hand across Quackity's feathers, relishing the silky softness of them. "I trust you completely, Quackity."

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