99+ Messages (ESMP S1 Highschool AU)

That Feeling When I Met You (Part 2)

Scott stared at the boy in front of him, his eyes wide. "You're a part of the Ocean Empire royal family?"

"Oh no, s-sorry I'm not-" The boy was about to respond until he looked over at Scott, "Oh. OH! You're Prince Scott! Y-yea, I am a member of the royal family."

Ok, that was suspicious. But would such a pretty person really lie? There was no way.

"T-thank you? But uhm, I really am a royal, I just don't like all the attention. M-my names James, uh, call me Jimmy."

Scott wasn't aware he'd said that out loud. He wanted to feel mortified, but he was glad he did. The boy—who he now knew was Jimmy—was blushing so cutely that it should've been a sin. The way his cheeks turned pinked and the tips of his ear fins darkened made Scott's heart flip. Hell Scott was sure that even Aeor himself would fall from divinity just to see this absolutely angelic being in front of him. I mean seriously, was it even legal to be that beautiful, Scott just wanted to-

Ok, deep breaths, Scott. Calm down. Pay attention to the situation at hand and not his adorable face.

"Y-you're welcome, Jimmy. You're an odd one, huh? Most people love the attention and worship that comes with being a royal." Scott was honestly just trying to get Jimmy to forget that he called him pretty.

"W-well, as long as my people are happy, then I'm happy." Jimmy said with a slight smile on his face, "I don't need the attention or worship. And besides, I don't think I'm the type to be worshipped."

Holy Aeor, this guy was seriously an angel sent down from the heavens above to bless Scott and purify his soul. "I'll worship you..."

"Pardon?"

Fuck, Scott, stop talking out loud.

"I-I mean, did you remember passing by anyone in the halls on your way here? Somebody had to have killed these poor fish." Perfect covering Scott, he definitely did not hear you basically say that you would bow down and kneel by his feet while offering your eternal love and life to him.

.....

Definitely.

"Well there was somebody running down the malls—a maid. She had emerald green eyes and her hair was brown with a bluish, purple streak in it. Oh, and her apron had a rip in the front, d-does that help?"

What a good natural memory...Jimmy would be such an amazing ruler to be by Scott's side. He's sure his people would love Jimmy; he's humble, kind, and really, really gorgeous. And- wait. Scott knows that description. He knows who the person is. Always protesting for servant rights—Scott's family isn't monsters, they treat their servants well and give them great benefits—and just generally causing disruption in the castle. It's a miracle she hasn't been fired yet, the most annoying servant ever,

"Willa. Not sure on her last name, but regardless, there's no doubt it's her. She's a bit of a protestor."  Scott told Jimmy.

He stood up, reaching a hand out to Jimmy and almost short-circuiting when Jimmy accepted the hand to be pulled up because holy Aeor, his hands were perfect. Soft, slim, perfectly manicured...does he do hand modeling on his time off? Scott's never cared for people's hands before, but he sees the appeal now.

"Come on, I believe she should be cleaning the foyer right now."

"You have it memorized where your servants are all at times?" Jimmy asked, shocked.

"Haha, yes, I do." Scott replied, feeling proud that someone took notice of his knowledge. It took him more than 3 weeks to memorize the schedules of the entire castle staff—the servants, advisors, knights, everyone. Scott even made kahoots to make sure he remembered.

"Wow... you're really not how I thought you'd be."

Huh? Scott was confused. He knew he was probably the most popular of the teen royals and therefore the most media covered, but Jimmy didn't seem like the type to listen to gossip mags or anything like that.

"You're not a bad person."

"W-what?" Jimmy actually thought Scott was a bad person before this???

"Everyone—online at least— talks about you as if you're above it all, no issues, no problems, always on target, never fumbling even for a second. I've seen your interviews and photoshoots, seen you at the parties and the meetings for the faction, and well... I just always thought there was something about you that didn't seem right. Your posture was always too perfect, your tone of voice was always too even, your movements were too practiced. You just didn't seem real." Jimmy started explaining,

"And well considering your brother, I thought that you were also a bad person. Just a manipulative one...so I avoided you."

Scott was stunned, did he really appear that way to some people? Did everyone just secretly think that? Scott was near about to panic when...

"But I was wrong, really wrong! I thought I was good at reading people but you're actually really good, Scott! Your body language is so casual and free, yet there's still something so elegant about it. And you obviously care so much about everyone, I mean I don't even have all of my servant's names memorized, let alone their schedules." Jimmy said, speaking in awe as if Scott had hung the moon himself.

"You also didn't have to concern yourself with my crying, and yet, here you are, about to help me get justice for some fish." Jimmy then laughed, a beautiful, melodic laugh as he smiled, more brightly than the sun itself. "I guess we all act a bit differently in the public eye, but I hope that we, as our true selves, can become really close!"

Tears almost formed in Scott's eyes and he just smiled right back at Jimmy, mentally declaring that at least in front of this boy, Scott would never act fake again. He'd be himself, because for once, he wanted someone to like him for him.

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Scott smiled to himself as his memory ended, letting out a giggle as he thought about how afterwards, Jimmy had chewed out Willa for killing the fish as a protest for the fact the servants were never served fish for their meals. It was really dumb.

But it was a happy memory, the first happy memory he'd had as a teen, and it let him know exactly what he should say to Jimmy.

"When we first met, Jimmy, I believed that if I wasn't perfect, I was nothing. Every action I made was planned out and practiced to perfection. I even locked myself in my room once until I thought my smile was good enough." He started, Jimmy was looking at him with an expression that almost said 'your point?'.

"Meeting you was the day that all changed, Jimmy. All of a sudden, I didn't care if my posture wasn't bad, if my hair was a bit messy, if I didn't act all perfect and princely, because well...you liked me."

"I-I don't understand..." Jimmy murmured, staring up at Scott with wide, confused, still beautifully sparkling eyes.

"Just how could I care about being perfect when somebody like you liked the real me?" Scott took a step towards Jimmy and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. "If it's you, then I'd gladly throw it all away."

Scott felt his heart flutter when Jimmy hugged him back.

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(1239 words)

CHAT I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO POST I'M SO SORRY 😭😭
The sleep deprivation got to me 💀
Anyway, have a good day!!

(Naturewives and Gem x Pearl coming in the next chapter 🗣️🗣️)