kingdom ; minishaw

eleven.

harry had been silent the whole journey back.

simon had collected koko from the stables, who was strangely happy to see him and now they were on their way back to the castle. he wished things didn't have to be this way but he only had one day off and if he did not return, suspicion would be raised and he could only imagine what punishment he would get for all the laws he broke, taking harry outside.

harry was leaning into simon, breathing in the familiar smell of trees and rain, the smell he decided was the best because it was home. for most of his life, he considered the room being his home but now he knew and understood, his home was a person rather than a place.

he did not ever want to go back to that prison of a room he was kept in, he wanted to explore the beautiful world, alongside simon. harry was so miserable in that room, he felt empty- a burnt out candle. simon made him feel alive with the magic he sewed in him, he made harry feel like a brightly lit flame, harry was alive and simon made him feel like he was living.

"simon, stop!"

simon almost fell off the horse, startled by the sudden noise. he halted koko, and turned his head so he could look back at harry.

"are you okay?"

"no." harry said, numbly.

simon sighed. "we have to go back."

"i don't want to."

harry spoke, the words spilling from his lips, as he tightened his grip around simon's waist.

simon started, his breaths becoming shorter at the contact between them. he still did not know how to react when they acted like this. what did it all mean?

he looked away, unsure of the reaction that would please harry most, instead he directed his gaze to the path side.

"harry," simon said, "it's our tree, look!"

harry unwrapped himself from simon, stretching as he followed simon's gaze. a smile tugged at his lips at the sight of the willow tree, it was glowing with the light of the moon and harry never thought nature could leave him in absolute awe like this.

"i have an idea." simon mumbled, slipping and almost falling off the horse, as he ran towards the tree.

harry immediately followed him, giving koko a pat and then darting behind the curtain of leaves.

"what are you doing?" harry asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity at the sight of simon crouched down near the bark of the tree.

"what's your last name?"

"lewis, why- oh." harry went over to where simon seemed to be scratching the bark of the tree with a sharp stone, it became clear what he was doing, and it made harry so immensely happy. without even realising it, simon could make everything better with his ideas that always made harry smile.

"s.m + h.l." harry read out, beginning to smile.

simon watched his eyes sparkle, reading out the letters, in the dimness of the november night his hair looked darker than usual and even so, simon admired how it curled and stuck up in an impossibly beautiful manner.

"may i?"

simon blinked, and then realised harry was holding out his hand for the stone. he handed it over to him and then watched as the pretty boy dug it into the wood, tracing a distinct shape around the two names.