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Chapter 19 - Safe(House) Pt.2

Will drifted slowly into consciousness, feeling a heavy warmth wrapped around him. His shoulder ached, but it was the steady, familiar weight against his chest that held his attention. He looked down, his breath catching as he found Xavier resting beside him, head leaning against his shoulder, one arm draped protectively across him.

For a moment, Will lay still, heart pounding as he took in the sight. It was a vulnerable, unguarded side of Xavier he rarely saw, and Will found himself holding his breath, afraid to break the fragile peace. He'd woken next to Xavier before, sure—but this time felt different, charged with a quiet intimacy that made his chest tighten.

Something cold pressed against his finger, and he glanced down, his breath catching as he spotted a ring. Not just any ring—it was the Blake family heirloom, the one Xavier's mother had worn, a symbol of their family's power and loyalty. And now, it was on *his* finger.

A flood of confusion hit him, his mind scrambling for an explanation. This had to be part of the arrangement, part of the "fake dating" setup, right? But then... why had Xavier given him *this* ring, something so personal, something meant to carry meaning beyond duty and strategy?

As he lay there, watching the morning light dance over the ring's surface, doubts and questions churned inside him. Was this all part of their alliance? Or did it mean... more? He glanced back down at Xavier, his mind torn between the comfort of duty and the terrifying possibility that this gesture was something deeper.

The weight of everything seemed to press down on him at once. In a week, he would be named Xavier's official partner, his *queen*, and the title alone felt foreign, like a role he'd tried to prepare for but hadn't realized would come with this depth of vulnerability. As queen, he'd be expected to stand beside Xavier, to protect him, to represent strength and unity. But this ring—it changed everything. It blurred the line between their duty and what he feared might be real.

He fought the emotions welling up inside him, tears slipping silently down his cheeks. The weight of the betrayal, the danger, and now, the possibility that Xavier's feelings might not be entirely driven by duty all collided in his chest, leaving him raw and open in a way that scared him.

Just then, Xavier stirred, his hand instinctively tightening around Will's, his fingers brushing against the ring. His eyes opened slowly, meeting Will's gaze with a softness that seemed to momentarily break through his usual stoic guard.

Xavier's face shifted as he took in the tears on Will's cheeks, concern flickering in his gaze. He seemed about to say something, his mouth opening slightly, but he hesitated, his expression uncertain. His hand remained on Will's, his thumb grazing over the ring, as if trying to steady himself.

Will held his breath, heart pounding as he waited for an explanation, some reassurance that would ease the whirlwind inside him. But Xavier's eyes dropped, his lips pressing together in a silent, strained hesitation. He looked almost... afraid, as if the words he wanted to say were too difficult to reach.

The silence stretched on, charged with tension. Xavier's fingers lingered on Will's hand, his grip warm and grounding, but his eyes remained averted, his jaw tightening with something unsaid. It was clear that he was struggling, that there was something he couldn't bring himself to voice.

Will's heart twisted, caught between hope and fear. The ring, the silence, the way Xavier's touch lingered—it was all so confusing, each gesture holding a depth he couldn't untangle. He couldn't shake the fear that this was just another layer of duty, something Xavier was doing to protect their alliance, to strengthen the facade of their relationship.

And yet... there was something in the way Xavier held him, in the way his hand stayed on Will's, fingers brushing the ring almost reverently. It felt more tender, more real, than any duty could explain.

Xavier's gaze finally lifted, his eyes meeting Will's with a flicker of vulnerability that sent a fresh wave of confusion through him. The silence hung thick, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as if Xavier might speak, as if he might finally shatter the uncertainty.

But then he pulled back slightly, his lips pressing into a faint, closed-lipped smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, as if he had chosen to stay silent instead. He gave Will's hand one last, gentle squeeze before pulling away, leaving Will with a strange ache that felt both profound and empty.

Will bit his lip, fighting to keep his composure as he looked down at the ring, its weight now feeling like both a promise and a question he couldn't answer. He was left wondering, caught in the space between what he knew and what he desperately hoped might be real.

A/n 2024 - I'm updating this cause I told my bstf to read this