A New Lease on Life

[Fabian Bartholomew]

Fabian put his desk on his desk, heedless of the ink stain that was steadily growing on his cheek. His normal nine-to-five shift had only started two hours ago and already he was beginning to pass out from the monotony. His one consolation was that he was now permitted to take Ludovic into the office with him after the craggy feline started following him to work. The elderly gents who presided over his work were fond of cats and enjoyed feeding tidbits of their greasy lunches to him. The ginger cat was looking fatter every day. Fabian made a mental note to send him outside in an hour to make the lazy moggy catch a bird. He looked up as a bell began to trill at the owl-flap on the windowsill. A haughty barn owl with gold links on either foot pecked impatiently at the faulty lever to be let in, and Fabian groaned quietly before shifting to unlatch it. The owl glared at him out of one amber eye before sticking its leg out where a particularly heavy scroll lay attached. He bit his lip in sympathy for the bird; this order was huge. His sympathy waned as he realised that he would be the next to sort through the list, and he absently tossed the owl a treat before unrolling the parchment with a sigh. The very next moment, his heart stopped cold.
'The Royal House of Evans requests these items as part of the Royal Itinerary for Office Supplies and SpellCrafting, as to be delivered at the time of ...'
Fabian swallowed as he glanced down the list. All of the items were in stock, but not in such numbers and that was hardly the point ... his accountant-trained brain began cataloging each item even before it had even registered that the due date was late this afternoon and that, written in perfect penmanship in the bottom right-hand corner of the scroll, lay the words 'Received care of His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince at 4pm, Monday the 16th of May.'
Eric. Coming here. was all that Fabian could think. He hunched his slender shoulders in the stiff outer robes of his station and instinctively called out for Ludo. "Come here, puss." he said in a small voice and gathered the obliging feline into his arms, inadvertently covering them in cat hair. There was definitely no wriggling out of this meeting. The order should go to his superiors immediately in order to prepare for the emissary to receive, and he would be the one to introduce his Royal Highness. Fabian swore, which he very rarely did, and looked at the clock. It was going to be a long afternoon of trying not to be noticed.
4pm rolled around far too quickly, and Fabian found himself swept up along with the excited older wizards in the building. He was shuffled down the marble steps of the Grand Quill Company and further herded into the main atrium where a flock of royal assistants waited to introduce their Prince. What a stupid job, thought Fabian, furrowing his golden brows as he slid behind a pillar. It seemed that Eric had been stuck with some of the most pointless chores in order to practice his sovereignty. He now felt sorry for the both of them, though he was certain he would not express it in front of His Highness. Suddenly the noise in the room escalated as the man himself stepped through the heavy brass doors. Fabian, despite his supposed ingenious hiding place, was a soft blonde head amongst short, gray and balding craniums. He hunched a little and tried to melt into the business suits, to no avail. Please don't look this way, please don't look this way ...

 

[Eric Evans]

Eric was not so thrilled when his grandmother had decided that while he was going through the royal ropes it would be wise for him to set up his royal estates and begin investing in his future early. So she ordered that he invest in a business that he found appropriate yet lucrative to his bank account and so instead of investing in some muggle company he decided to put his money into a wizard business, A small quill factory that produced some of the finest quills on the market. From there Eric could build a business by making lucrative contracts with high end clients such as the ministry or even on of the magical schools but today it seemed he had to pick up a shipment and have it delivered to his royal estate and to have a simple meet and greet. However his Grandmother had a sense of humor and instead of going in a simple tux he would go in the finest threads along with an honored escort as it was official business he was to be shown off and to be on his best behavior. After getting dressed in a rather expensive suit and with wand in hand he headed first to the castle to meet his guard and then from there he would head to the factory by limousine as it seemed that he was still part muggle and as such should travel like one.

At 59 pm the Limousine rolled up outside of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse but to him and his magical gaurd it was massively beautiful building. After the first guard opened the door two more entered the building ahead of Eric so as to announce his arrival to whoever was to greet him and to make sure it was safe to enter which it was to Eric's annoyance as he was a muggle prince and had nothing to fear from the wizarding world what so ever. Eric entered the front doors and was bombarded by hands seeking a hand shake and feeble old men with smokey breathes and hungry eyes as they saw him as galleons and nothing more. Eric smiled and gritted through it as he shook everyone's hand except for one... the accountant which the CEO had not forggotten as he walked Eric to a blonde hair man hiding nearby which seemed odd but then Eric heard a familiar meow. Ludo?!?

"Your Highness let me introduce you to one of our finest accountant and the man who will be managing your accounts as long as you are with us, Fabian Bartholomew." The one of the oldest men and the one who was most likely the CEO announced which caused Eric to take a step forward and as he laid his eyes on his Blonde hair angel, the rather chunky Ludo meowed slightly and inquisitively. Eric was breathless and it seemed the room could also feel the tense as no one spoke. It seemed that Fabian was now the center of attention.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

Fabian was staring hard at his shoes that his baby blue robes were trailing around. It was a very nice business robe from the new Gladrags outlet down the street and had pleasant gray and white trimmings to compliment the blue and, oh no he's coming over ...
Fabian managed to stay under the radar as the Prince was bombarded by eager Quill Crafters, but he couldn't avoid the majestic glow that Eric cast on the surrounding people forever, and soon that piercing spotlight was directed at him. Fabian's section manager gave him a discreet nudge in the ribs and he finally lifted his eyes to the face that he'd unsuccessfully not thought about over the last year. If anything, he was more handsome than ever, and he seemed to have grown a few inches as well (or maybe he was always that much taller than Fabian). His hair was slightly longer and curling at the edges, and Fabian felt himself go weak at the knees at the look in the crown Princes' eyes.
Meanwhile, Ludo, who had a determined disdain for propriety, uttered a delighted "Mrrrp!" as Eric approached and leapt out of Fabian's arms. Everyone watched in horror as, almost in slow motion, the rotund cat's leap had him sailing in wobbly, furry abandon into his Royal's Highness' arms. Ludovic seemed to have misjudged his dwindling acrobatic skills as he scrambled for purchase after having missed Eric's shoulders and attached himself by the claws to that expensive, beautifully-tailored set of robes he was adorned in. The silence was shattered by numerous appalled gasps. Ludo dug in with all four paws and began climbing up to be scratched under the chin, trailing snapped off buttons and embroidered crystals all the while. No one looked more horror struck than Fabian, who felt that not only was his career was bouncing over the marble and carpet like the scraps of velvet falling from Eric's shoulders, but his entire life as well.
Furious mutterings began around him, and finally Fabian found enough wit to collapse forward and wrench the reluctant cat away from what it obviously thought was its biggest fan. His manager was giving him the 'You're so fired' look out of his watery blue eyes, and Fabian felt like shrinking into his expensive blue robe.
"W-Welcome to the Grand Quill Company. I ... I hope I can be of service to your Highness during your ..." he looked down at Ludo, who was purring happily at Eric with scraps of fabric still clinging to his claws- " ... brief ... visit." A heavy blush was forming on his pale cheeks, which was nothing compared to the nausea churning his stomach at the utter disaster that was now his life. He didn't know whether or not to make his escape now before it could get any worse, or grab Eric and kiss him breathless. Option one sounded the most likely.

 

[Eric Evans]

Eric, along with everyone else in the room, could not have guessed that Ludo in all of his excitement would decided that it was now the proper time to give Eric fashion tips. Eric closed his eyes as the cat claw and scratched his way to his shoulder as he fought back tears of laughter which he knew was far from appropriate for such an occasion and the look on Fabian's face was priceless. Eric knew better than anyone else that Bart could at times be far to over analytically and as if Eric was inside the Blonde's head he could see that he was already kicking himself while imagining the worst the world had to offer. Eric after a moment of muttered outrage from all the on lookers raised a single manicured hand demanding silence that came with his rank and in one fluid motion removed the dress robe that was now destroyed much to his hidden delight. Hanging the robe to one of his men, he know stood in a simple pair of dress pants with a white vest complimented by a white tie and a black button collard dress shirt. All the while he never for one second ever looking away from his former lover and partner as it seemed that Eric had found what he lost so long ago and was more than willing to reclaim what was his after all. He knew what laid before him would be a difficult thing to acquire but at the ended of the day it would be worth it as it was Fabian who deserved to be at his side and no one else.

"It is a Pleasure to meet you Fabian and I must agree with your little friend as I truly despised that dress robes." Eric said with a smile as he effortlessly dispelled all of the tension in the room buying him a moment to take a small closer, leaning into Fabian just enough so that the others could not here what he was about to say to the sexy Blonde. "I will take great pleasure in getting to work with you both professionally and personally as I am sure that you will perform gallantly in my service." Eric said in a husky whisper that caused his mind to flash to images of the two of them intertwined intimately as they once were. Eric took a step back as he straighten his tie and winked at Fabian before turning to his boss to ensure that Fabian would not be punished in any way what so ever. That is where the old man though on a verge of a heartache due to shame and embarrassment decided that now would be a perfect time for a tour. Eric turned to his security and told them to wait with the car as he walked around the building to their great protest. However in the end it was Eric who got exactly what he wanted and with brief bows the armed guard vanished from the building as Eric motioned for the older man to lead the way as he told the man he wished to discuss a few things with the account as they walked. The old man agreed and so the great assembly of men where on the move leaving Eric and Fabian to lead the rear of the group much To the Prince's mirth.

"Hello Mr. Ludo I see that these old fools have fallen for your charm like I did and you have gained a few pounds in my absence!" Eric said as he tickled the cat under the chin as he looked at Fabian and felt a pang of desire as he wanted nothing more than to kiss the man but he knew that it was he who left Fabian behind not Fabian who refused to go while Eric furthered his education. Eric would take whatever Fabian had to throw a him if it meant that they could simply be in the same room together. Eric walked silently alone as he allowed Fabian time to speak and think clearly though this time Eric was not simply going to give up on the man.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

Fabian's heart was hammering in his chest as Eric raised his hand for silence. A small part of him recalled what those hands had done to him once upon a time, and his cheeks grew redder and redder as he fought for calm. Ludo gave a disgruntled meow as he squeezed him to his chest too tightly, but he barely noticed the cat's plight as he watched Eric's face. The Crown Prince may have been infallibly calm, but Fabian knew him too well and could see how hard his former partner wanted to laugh. He pursed his lips in a cherubic fashion as he tried not to join in. No matter how serious the situation was, he couldn't help but laugh whenever Eric did. He allowed himself a little intake of breath as the Prince added 'personally' to his gratuitous speech. A little sliver of outrage coupled with excitement slid through him, and he loosened his hold on the irritated Ludovic in order to lean back when Eric moved in.
"It will be my personal pleasure," he said finally, fighting not to return the wink. He simply mustn't get caught up in this little game in front of all of his superiors, even if it meant losing his last chance at having Eric to himself. No, no! That's not what I want, he insisted to himself, even as his stomach began to tremble in something far more delightful than nausea. He is far too busy, far too rich and far too beautiful to have time for more than business here today. he thought firmly, although the last two points were irrelevant to anyone but himself. Fabian allowed himself to be toted along behind the mixed jumble of servants and quill-makers as they scoured the place for things that may be of interest to the Crown Prince. Eric, meanwhile, did nothing save hang back till he walked beside Fabian, who felt like his feet were on autopilot. Every time Eric looked away, he went back to staring at his face and the moment he looked back, Fabian's eyes were once again fixed on Ludo. He was distracted when a hand ventured over to scratch his tubby cat under the chin, who looked very pleased with himself after the day's entertainment. "Pirrup," purred Ludo as if in response to Eric, and had the gall to look proud for having gained such a rotund physique.
Fabian felt obliged to say something since he could not allow such an honored guest to become bored, so he settled with a formal,
"I trust Your Highness had a pleasant journey to our humble workshop." Humble, indeed. Everything was covered in brass and velvet, which seemed the epitome of style in the still-lagging Wizarding world. Every man and woman was dressed in their finest work robes especially, as previously noted, Fabian. He regretted choosing such a flattering cut lest it make him seem pretentious ... but Eric had never cared about that kind of thing. After all, when they had first met, he had been wearing hardly anything at all. Speaking of which, he could remember exactly what Eric had looked like without the form-fitting shirt and jacket he was wearing. He blushed again, hating himself for the inappropriate thought. Ludo, who didn't think much of his embarrassment, continued to meow at Eric as if making conversation.

 

[Eric Evans]

So playing hard to get? Eric thought to himself as he allowed his blonde friend to set the current pace for the conversation as they both were in the public eye and therefor had to behave though he had a feeling that it would not last as long as it should considering that Eric had found that his visit was far more interesting with Bart here to keep him company. One of the men shouted back information that Eric pretended to listen to as he once more found himself looking at nothing else but Fabian, heck the whole building could be on fire and Eric would not notice unless Fabian told him about it first. Eric would humor his charming friend with small talk though he was not above flirting with the man as there was nothing in the rules that said that Eric could not flirt with whom ever he desired as he was the honored guessed and Crowned Prince. Eric petted Ludo slightly as he meowed a mile a minute as if he was attempting to fill Eric in on everything that had happened since they last saw each other.

"I swear Ludo acts more like a human than a cat but if he is anything like his master then that is not necessarily a bad thing all things considering.As for my journey here it was mediocre at best as I was forced to ride here in a limo and you know how I hate being dragged around but now that I am here I find myself drooling over a sexy..." Eric started in once more with his husky southern draw when one of the men in the group turned around to look at them causing Eric to get that "kid with his hand in the cookie jar look" as the old man looked especially old as he dark eyes warned the Prince to listen. Eric scratched the back of his head as he fidgeted nervously until the old man turned back around which allowed Eric to once more to ease back into his oddly aggressive behavior. "As you can see my servants have been around since before Hogwarts was created and have a look that screams that they would make perfect History Professors that could make Professor Binns seem alive." Eric whispered as out of nowhere a woman and a cart ran by causing Eric to wrap an arm around Fabian as he pulled him out of the way with ease as if the man weight nothing at all. Eric could not help but smirk as he once more put the proper distance between the two of them.

"So why are you working in a place like this? When I went away I had set up an account at Gringotts for you so that you did not have to work another day in your life but I return and find you and ludo gone without a trace. Now here you are working as an accountant which I can hardly see you enjoying as the thought of numbers make even Ludo sleep!" Eric said in a low tone as he began to walk once more as he attempted to make up the distance between them and the group.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

He had to resist the urge to sniff haughtily at Eric after all that had happened. It wouldn't have been very impressive coming from his button nose, but he so hated how he was being played with in this whole situation. Even his cat wouldn't mind him, and continued to be thoroughly buttered up by the man who had left them both in the lurch. It wasn't very fair of him to think that Eric had much of a choice, but he wasn't feeling very fair after having nearly lost his job: was he supposed to be grateful as the Prince took pity on him and spared him his career? Fabian was feeling more and more ruffled though he kept an impassive face.
"Hn," he said noncommittally as Eric spoke of his car ride. A small pang in his chest reminded him that he'd never seen the interior of a limousine in his life. Neither he nor his mother ever would, as far as he was concerned, since it was such a fancy Muggle extra that didn't endear itself to a wizard like him. He kept half an ear to Eric's conversation until he heard 'Drooling over a sexy-" that was promptly cut off. Fabian's lips grew tighter as he casually glanced around the room to see who Eric may deem 'sexy'. There was a sweet receptionist that had just started two weeks ago, walking with tiny steps on tiny feet and looking for all the world like a china doll in her magenta robes. No doubt he has some wannabe princess hanging around to occupy his time now, thought Fabian sourly, and his mood grew darker. He barely heard his Prince whisper something about Professors when he felt those smooth, caramel-coloured arms grasp him and lift him bodily out of the way. Fabian was too shocked to do anything but stare, open-mouthed at Eric who smirked down at him.
"Sorry, Your Highness, Mr Bartholomew!" chittered a harassed trolley-boy as he sped past with the first order or quills. Fabian didn't notice. He could smell Eric, feel him with his trembling white hands ... and suddenly he was gone again, taking with him the fat Ludo who had taken the opportunity to climb into the Prince's arms again, this time without claws.
Fabian found that they had lagged behind the touring royal assistants and hurried on shorter legs to catch up to Eric, whose long strides ate up the carpet with ease. Once again, he was unnecessarily affronted by Eric's suggestion, and fought to keep his tone even.
"I prefer to keep myself busy, your Highness, as it breaks the monotony of ..." Being a kept yet unvisited man! he thought furiously, before saying "... unemployment. It is not a terribly exiting position, but it is necessary. I hope you will not be displeased with my work." said Fabian in an even tone. He would, he would be calm about this! A professional relationship only. He needn't find out where you live now, nor about your second job. The thought of what Eric might say if he saw his dilapidated counsel flat that replaced his beautiful seaside cottage made him ache with foreboding. Even worse, if he knew that Fabian was waiting tables at night, which only added to his general look of pale exhaustion. He really had gone a mile and a half to get away from his empty bed. One year without Eric, and just when he thought he'd stopped falling apart at the seams ... No, he wouldn't go through it again.

 

[Eric Evans]

Eric watched as an internal battle raged inside the young Barts head as it seemed to play across his face for all to see, it was one of those charming things that Eric found about Fabian and admired since Eric at times could be emotionless. There was pain in Fabians tone though it was masked well and it was Eric's fault that the man had went from free spirit to such a low place but now that he was back maybe he could return the life that was so wrongfully taken from Fabian. However it seemed that Fabian was not going to make the same mistake twice and so Eric would truly have to work for the young man's affection. Eric crossed his hands behind his back much to the same way his grandfather did when he use to take the two of them to the museum when he was growing up, it sorta reminded him of the wisdom and patience.

"Yes I agree that work keeps boredom away but it is slightly unbecoming to have the lover of a Crown Prince working as an accountant when you should be doing the whole kissing babies and feeding the poor thing that the other girlfriends slash boyfriends are doing. I told you that night that I want only you and no one else I just do not understand why you find that so hard to believe. If I can not marry you then I will marry no one else." Eric said as he his annoyance was not easily masked like it was for Fabian. However after a deep breath Eric decided to take a different approach, "Besides you are the sexy account I was referring to before I was interrupted, oh and before you try and fight me on that I knew that you thought I was talking about someone else by the way your purse your lips!" Eric sad with a slight arch of his eyebrow as a look of triumph spread across his face. Ludo however did not like to be ignored as the small feline pawed at Eric's ears to get his attention. Eric chuckled a deep hearty laugh as he reached up and gave the cat a small scratch behind the ear as the group stopped before them to marvel at the large room where all the birds where kept to supply the feathers that made up the end quills.

"I am sure you will make a wonderful accountant but I much prefer you as my full time lover as my cottage is just not the same with out you and ludo there to welcome me when I get home. Where have you been staying since you left the cottage? You seem so tired how late are you working at night?",Eric add with concern in his voice as he noticed bags under his former lovers beautiful eyes. Fabian was an overworked and did not seem to be some one who did anything sweet and simple but more like someone who attempted to juggle everything they could until they passed out due to exhaustion.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

"Lover?" spluttered Fabian, a little bit too loudly. Some small part of him was flattered, but it was engulfed by a tide of anger at the gall of his former partner. "Unbecoming for whom? I daresay a normal, nine to five job might be beneath the heir to the throne of Narnia or whatever, but for an average Joe like me it's a perfectly respectable position!." Kissing babies, indeed. What was even more frustrating was the way Eric was reading him like his thoughts were popping up in a speech bubble above his head. He pursed his lips again in exactly the same way that the Prince described and was all the more furious because of it. He was practically jogging to keep up with the tour group, and luckily the titters and squawks of the bird room masked their angry conversation. It was too much to expect that Eric might have come crying back to his arms after having a desperate and lonely year without him. His boyfriend had never been that kind of person and Fabian still loved him for it. He wouldn't think about it, though. Not like this, when he was open to any kind of hurt that the handsome Prince might toss at him at any time. Suddenly it was all too much, and Fabian took hold of Eric's wrist and dragged him unceremoniously into a nearby storeroom. By the maintained cacophony outside, it seemed that their surprising exit had not been noticed, but it was only a matter of time. Fabian didn't care to think about it while he gave his partner a good shove on the shoulders and into the wall.
"I don't know who you think you are, or why you think you can just dance back into my life after barely a letter for a year, but you can take your stupid babies and charity and Gringotts account and ... and ..." Fabian was breathing heavily as he struggled to finish the sentence without making himself look like more of an arse. This was where all the frustration and poor wages had driven him, into a half-starved physique and a man desperate for contact. Eric had seen him at his best, and now he was at his worst. To his horror, tears began to prickle at the corners of his eyes, and he turned his head away despite still gripping Eric's sleeves with both hands. Something broke inside him, and suddenly he drew himself up to the tips of his toes, clamped his hands on His Royal Highness' cheeks and kissed him like the starving and desperate man that he was. If he had wriggled out of dismissal before, this would certainly get him fired if they were discovered but at that moment, he didn't care. If Eric ever dared leave him to his own devises again, not the Royal Guard or a whole team of Aurors would stop him exacting revenge. Ludo found himself squashed between two frantic bodies, but he didn't seem to mind at all.

 

[Eric Evans]

Eric was mildly turned on by the way Fabian had decided to man up and put him in his place as hindsight was now showing him the true follies of his ways. He was harsh to think that Fabian was some arm ornament that he could prance around in front of everyone but back home and in the royal court it was common and nearly expected for the "female" in the relationship to be shown off however Fabian was far from "female". Eric felt a pang in his stomach as Fabian pursed his lips clearly hurt by his words not only that but by the way that Eric had pranced back into his life and asserted himself without so much as an 'I am sorry' or 'I missed you' so it was no wonder why he was playing hard to get all this time. Eric was about to call to the group so that he would not hurt the man he loved anymore but then out of nowhere he was being dragged off to some dank dark mop closet that would shame his grandmother to death if she ever caught him in such a 'common' place ever. However what happened next wiped that all away as the closet went from stuff to intimate in no time at all and if his grandmother caught him what he was about to do in this 'common' place she would die a second death as it was far from appropriate for such an important meeting.

As Fabian stopped in mid sentence to kiss Eric he was transported back to that very first night that the kissed beneath the stars and for the first time in a long time he felt truly happy once more. Eric was soon kissing back with the same passion that Fabian was displaying as he wrapped his arms around his fragile lover and kissed him through the tears as if he had never kissed anyone in his whole life. Eric however knew that he still needed to right a wrong and so pulling out of the kiss with a small gentle nip to his lover's slightly pink bottom lip he looked into those deep pools of foreverness and spoke with words that under pain of death no man could make him hide, "I love you and have missed you more than life itself! I will never leave your side again unless you ask me to climb the heavens and bring you the moon! I am so so sorry... I was stupid for leaving you!" Eric said as he fought back tears of his own that he must have been carrying for the year that he did not see his prince. in the middle of tear and passion Eric heard a small meow of protest coming from the folds of his suit and that of Fabian's robes as an angry Ludo emerged with bent whisker accompanied by frizzled hair as the cat seemed to look like he was gasping for air. Eric could not help but laugh with another round of deep mirth not caring if anyone found them all in here as it was an advantage of being a royal diplomat and that was what he said was followed with almost zero question or protest.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

Suddenly Fabian's fierce dominance degenerated into a battle of passion and wills as he kissed Eric for all he was worth. His cheeks were wet with the escaping tears but they were too hot to notice and altogether unimportant in the moment he had with his Prince. Two desperate paws hooked themselves into his shoulders and Fabian pulled away just in time to see Ludo looking more bedraggled than he. He opened his mouth to apologise (foolishly) to his fat tabby when Eric left him with a last nibble to his lip, and he quivered again. Ludovic took the opportunity to drag himself up and drape himself around Fabian's shoulders. He didn't dare think what he and Eric looked like, wrapped around each other in a storage closet and looking thoroughly kissed, with a grumpy cat acting as the middle man. Fabian took a deep breath and looked at the ground.
"I knew all the time that you had to go ..." he said. A few tears squeezed themselves out again and he grit his teeth. Man up, Bartholomew. "It's not like I had any right to ask you to stay." Fabian's soft Irish accent began to shudder in time with his hands, and he buried his cheek in Eric's chest as if it were only yesterday that they'd been so close. "The world is a lot bigger than you and I." Finally he managed to look up again, and his eyes had never looked so blue with fear and regret. "But I wish you hadn't. I ..."
He worried on his bottom lip.
"I need you." After so long, those three words were enough to say what he needed to. It was a plea, a confession and a bribe all at once. Come back to me. Fabian drew himself up to full height in order to transfer his affections to Eric's gently curling hair, which he breathed in like it was oxygen. It was the smell of wheat, Summer, velvet and lace. It was both new and familiar all at once.
Suddenly Fabian was intensely aware of several noises at once. Ludo was purring in greeting to someone he couldn't see, and there was a susurration of muffled comments. He dared peek over his Highness' shoulder and was walloped over the head with another attack of mortification. There, hovering in the doorway like curious pigeons, was the rest of the tour group. Half of the audience, both royal and craftsmen alike, were looking scandalised and the other half looked like Christmas had come early. Fabian let out an undignified squeak. It was the cue for the susurration to grow. 'Well I never,' heard Fabian. 'At last! I wondered whose letters his Highness kept having returned to him!'. 'An accountant? That will never do.' 'A man, at that!'. 'But he is rather genteel looking, don't you think?' 'That's not the point.' 'I rather think that is the point.' 'Oh, they look so happy.' 'Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.' 'He'll lose his job, for this.' 'The accountant or the Prince?' 'Don't be absurd.'
Fabian's trembling began again and he clutched Eric's shoulders for all he was worth. Go away, go away, please ...

 

[Eric Evans]

Eric felt as though his heart was going to simply give out under the weight of Fabian's words as emotion that was comparable to love or even more intense then that filled Eric's very being leading him to want nothing more than to hold Fabian in his arms until the world ceased to exist. In all of his life Eric had never been moved to such a raw emotional state then when he was with Fabian as if nothing matter but to be there for such a timid and beautiful man in the entire world. It was a feeling that both terrified and excited him to no end and was something worth fighting for no matter the cost which was a dangerous thing as Eric would do whatever it took to keep his blonde hair angel safe and happy. As if a test to this philosophy of such a love the door of the small closet was thrown open as both those of the royal court as well as the old feeble vultures of the quill company stared at him and Fabian with judgmental eyes and hushed whispers of support or disapproval which filled the room threatening to destroy all that the two had created. Eric however was now not in a very good mood as he watched his lovers face fill with discomfort and fear as his trembling hand's reached out for him which caused Eric's instincts to flare up.

With a single fluid motion Eric picked Fabian up and placed him gently behind him as he took the man's hand into his own as he walked out of the closet with a look that silenced the whole crowd as the royal court back out of the way with a simple bow of their heads while the old men fled in uncertain only to regroup a few steps out of arms reach. Eric lead Fabian out of the crowd and once he was a good distance away he stopped and kissed the Irish man on the lips softly before turning to the crowd that had followed behind a few feet away. "For those of you who do not know... I am gay which should not come to any surprise of those in my royal court however for those who are not blessed to be in that court then I can see why you are acting in such away. Fabian here is my lover and if he and I ever decided to get married he will be my Prince Consort so it would be wise for you to hold your tongues in our presence if anyone here has a problem with it you may leave now!" Eric said in a commanding tone that left no room for doubt or questions as he stared down the on lookers with sheer authority rolling off him in waves. Eric would not stand for intolerance and hateful attitudes in his presence whether or not he was of royal blood or common blood it was something he did not tolerate at all gotten in many fights in his time for people outdated thought processes and beliefs.

 

[Fabian Bartholomew]

Just when Fabian thought he was going to burst with the shame of being caught in such a situation, Eric took over and the weight was lifted off his shoulders once more. He felt lighter, almost as if his feet were no longer touching the ground ... oh. "Eep!" said Fabian as he was placed behind his human armoured shield. He shuffled himself awkwardly out of the closet and refused to meet anyone's eyes, favouring instead his position at Eric's side. Fabian managed to lift his head to speak to Eric, but found his lips covered briefly before having them disappointingly torn away before he could take advantage of their proximity. Then he remembered where he was.
'I am gay ... '
'My royal court ...'
'Fabian is my lover ...'
'Married ... Prince Consort ...'
Fabian listened to Eric's small but powerful speech from a far away land. It was a nice land really, filled with cats and Erics and plenty of caramel and swimming. Or something like that. The world he was currently in couldn't possibly be real, because one couldn't be feeling the height of mortification as well as desperately in love at the same time. That was too much feeling for one small frame. He managed to register the grave nods of the people around him, as well as an encouraging wink from his boss's secretary. Ludo was doing what cats did best: stealing the limelight by being suddenly disinterested in the proceedings and doing his best to pick the rest of the stray jewels off of Eric's white shirt. Everything came into focus with a jarring halt, and Fabian found himself blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
"Married? Is that a proposal?". Gasps and titters followed that outburst, and he felt only a breath away from fainting with the embarrassment. Gone again was the angry, dominant Fabian from the steamy moment beforehand. He was now cowering behind mortified, blushing Fabian who made regular occurences when Eric was in show with his royal entourage. Perhaps he might return at a later, more private date.
"Ah, ah, that is to say ..." he stuttered. "Y-yes. Eric and- oh, I mean His Highness and I," said Fabian, blushing furiously. "Were together. Are. Shall be. From now on ... again." He could see his manager giving him a furious 'Why did you never tell me?' look, which he ignored. "So long as he would have me." With a supreme amount of courage, he nestled his way into the crook of Eric's arm and placed his hand on his chest. Ludo stopped playing to look down at his two masters approvingly. "So, if you don't mind, I think the tour is concluded. His Highness will send further instructions as to the delivery of the Crown's order and will respond with the necessary papers at a convenient date. Thank you." Back to the blushing. Fabian leaned up hurriedly and pressed his lips to his lover's ear. "Now take me home! Please!" he muttered, having exhausted his daily quota of rawr.

Phew! Got my muse. Sorry about the super-long reply. Feel free to respond as per usual. I have a feeling there's a bit more to explain about Fabian's terrible night-shifts and where he's living, don't you?

 

[Eric Evans]

Proposal?!? Eric was not expecting to propose to Fabian under such awful circumstances but it seemed that now was not the time to postpone the idea any further especially when he had given such a powerful speech not to mention Ludo was once more trying to destroy his royal suit even further. All of a sudden the room was far too much for Eric to handle alone and slowly his defenses were crumbling but then out of nowhere Fabian nuzzled into him and gave him the strength to continue forward was more as the young Blonde took charge giving out orders in a slightly more aggressive manner which caused Eric to smile as he gathered himself.

"I love you my Prince, now let us be out of here since we have much to talk about now that you have agreed to be mine forever more." Eric said as he pulled the man in for a kiss before the three of them vanished in a white cloud as they made their way back to Eric's cottage by the beach. The royal advisor followed Fabian's orders as if he was in charge and once business was all tied up the royal guard would depart and return to the royal estate where Eric would meet them after he had talked Fabian first and had everything in order there first.