forum Love Knows No Crown nor Throne | oxo | closed

Started November 23, 2022 by @knightinadream group

tune

"Hmm," Henri hummed, as if thinking over the statement. "I believe they do. Incredibly well. They are very close."
And if it was even possible, he stepped even closer into Félix. They were so close air couldn't get through them. There wasn't a single crevice he wasn't pressed up against. They were one and the same.
Henri's thumb brushed along his cheek, stroking it affectionately. It should not be only receiving a loving touch. Félix deserved to feel as he did. He leaned his head forward, just to brush his nose against Félix's.
Sinful.
This was sinful and yet he couldn't look away. He couldn't move. He found himself not wanting to move if he could. This was where Henri wanted to be. This was where he would stay.
Henri had been with lots of people, but nothing had been long term, not in over a year. There were few people he found themselves wanting to be in a relationship with Henri just for Henri. He found several people wanted to be with him for the fame, money, or even title. Very little wanted to be with him just for who Henri was. So he found it easier to meet strangers in the dark, have a tumble, and be on his way. It was easier. Honest. They were both using each other for something. Instead of Henri being blindsided.
This was somehow different with Félix. He couldn't explain it but somehow he just knew, in his heart, that Félix was good and pure. That ge wouldn't try to win Henri's affections purely for what he was, instead of who he was. He longed for him, for this. He longed for the relationship he could have.
Félix seemed to be making no move of moving away. And yet, Henri felt compelled to say, "You're missing class. I hope you're not in a hurry to get back."
He was looking for validation. He wanted to make sure this was what he thought it was and not some concoction made in his head.

"Very close…" He breathed. This fantasy, he likes it. No no no, he loves it. Their tight proximity, the brushing of his cheek, and their foreheads touching…All of it will leave him speechless and full of a million words at the same time. This was too good to be true.

Not in a million years would he ever to have dreamed of something like this. Being so close together that they are breathing each other? Never ever. He always found himself praying to God in church just to find a boy who he could love and would love him back.

To be with someone like Henri, that was what he dreamed of. He doesn't mean like Henri in the context of him being a prince, but rather, the way Henri is holding him and how they are sharing this moment together.

"Huh?" Class? Félix needed to collect his thoughts. Sure, he is missing class, but oh well. Well, technically he is supposed to be showing Henri around still, yet neither of the two mattered. They are here now, and if Félix is missing class because of this then it is fine. If anything, he can catch up; he's good at getting back up on his feet anyways.

He smiled, laughing a little. Moving his head a little, he kissed the side of Henri's nose. "It is alright," He whispered. "I am in no hurry at all." No hurry at all. If only time could slow down so then he would be able to spend more of it with Henri.

When realization of his little kiss came to mind, he directed his eyes looked off to the side as his face became flushed with pink. He whispered, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I should've asked if I could kiss you, Henri…I-" He slightly shook his head. Everything is still warm for him. Félix knows how he feels for Henri, but he doesn't know how Henri feels; he must be careful and gentle with that fact, with Henri of course.

Henri hummed softly at his answer. No rush. Thay was good. They would have time. The only worry would be whether or not someone would come to his door, either searching for the bath of them, or needing some time with Henri to discuss things. Hopefully, neither of those happened. But with the door closed, if someone did knock, hopefully it would give them enough time to separate and come up with an excuse.
He hoped no one did come. He hoped they were left to themselves. He found he didn't want to separate from Félix anytime soon. Not in a sexual manner, just intimate as they were now. However, it did make him wonder how long he could hold onto Félix. How long could they stayed holed up in his room until someone came knocking. Maybe he could convince him to lay down on the bed and watch a movie off of his laptop.
That would be nice.
Henri smiled and let out a small laugh. The small kiss had been the last thing he had been expecting but he welcomed it more than anything.
He placed a finger over Félix's lips, silencing him. The rambling was cute but unnecessary. He wasn't mad. Quite the opposite in fact. He enjoyed it, the small kiss. However, Félix' blush was adorable and vowed to make a habit of making him blush. "You don't need to ask to kiss me." He murmured in a low voice. "You can kiss me whenever you'd like."
With both of his hands on his face, Henri tilted their heads, just the right angle. All they had to do was lean in and their lips would touch, but that was something he would let Félix do. It was his silent way of asking permission. He had no doubt he would say yes, but he wanted Félix to have at least this bit of control. Henri wanted to know how Félix wanted to kiss. Did he want it slow? Did he want little bites? Did he want it faster?
Besides, it was attractive to his partner take some control.

Henri's laugh left him speechless. The nervous feeling leaving his heart shutting down ceased to continue. Sure, the laugh was small and soft, but he loved every second of hearing it.

His nervousness calmed down once Henri rested a finger on his lips. It took quite some time for his heart to settle down a little. If he was already completely red and a mess of heat, then imagine what he would be like when they do actually kiss. Sadly, he does not know what that will be like. His knowledge is as vast as his experience in kissing or anything intimate; it's not.

All he has learned about kissing comes from movies, shows, books, and whatever Gaspard told him. So many times has he blushed at the thought of it or hugged his pillow while butterflies fluttered in his stomach. And let's not forget the amount of times, he has woken up holding his face after dreaming of kissing someone. Now here he is, but this is no movie nor is this a dream. No this is actually happening.

It is happening.

"Really?"

Silence competed with the sound of his heart pumping up into his eardrums. His head moved gently with the help of Henri. He doesn't even know what he is doing and at the same time he does. Aside from that, Félix knows that he is curious. Curious about what Henri's lips would feel like. Curious about

And so, he did it. His eyes fluttered shut. Félix leaned in, letting his lips delicately press against Henri's. They moved slowly and tenderly. His mind buzzing as sparks flew.

Henri resumed stroking his cheek, gently, softly, affectionately. Félix's naivity made him smile. He would teach him, he decided then. Henri would teach him how to kiss, how to be with someone, however far he wanted to go.
"Really."
He never took his eyes off Félix. He was watching him, searching for any uncertainty, any doubt. Henri was a lot of things but he would never force anyone to do anything with him. He never once thought to use his rank, his title to get anyone. While it was his title that attracted people to him, he never actively used it. People sought him out, not the other way. And he would never blame anyone for backing away.
However this wasn't the case
No. Félix leaned right in and then suddenly, their lips were touching.
It was like sparks were flying for Henri. Anywhere they were touching, his skin was on fire. He was warm and fuzzy and on cloud nine. Félix's lips were soft and plump. It was everything he had imagined. Better, even.
It was like time stopped for him. Everything around him froze except for them. His hands gripped the sides of Félix's face, gentle but firm. He wanted to take things slow, he wanted to easel Félix into this.
To test the water, Henri pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled on Félix's lip. Just a small little love bite. He wanted to gae the reaction, see what he could do, what he needed to be slow with.
Henri walked them backwards until the bed hit the backs of his knees and he was forced to sit. He looked up at Félix, his hands now fallen to his waist. He made no move, despite desperately wanting to pull him into his lap. Henri only gazed up at him.

So much was going on all at once. His entire body was covered in flames. He felt weightless; the only thing keeping him on the ground was the touch of Henri. Those hands delicately holding his face while their lips moved together. And Henri's lips were smooth as silk. They felt so satisfying, so sweet.

A soft whimper echoed in his throat. His body shivered. The little bite was something he had not expected, but he kind of liked it; he welcomed the sensation of it. Obviously all of this is new to him, yet he found himself enjoying every single moment of this and he wants to enjoy more with Henri.

He followed Henri. When his lips were pulled away, he looked down at him. He breathed deeply. Eagerness filled every single nerve in his body. Blood rushed to his face.

Something inside him awakened. Feelings he never knew were unearthed. It wasn't just the kiss that had caused this but also the placement of Henri's hands on his waist and the look in his eyes. There was this beautiful gleaming light in them. He could not dare to look away. It only drew him in closer.

Félix carefully got into Henri's lap. When relaxed, he loosened his tie a little more then threw it onto the desk. He did the same with his jacket. Not that he expects things to escalate this quickly; he's just really warm. Like really really really warm.

Lowering his face, he gave Henri a small peck on the lips. Pulling away a little, he let his hand run through his hair while staring into those blue eyes.

Henri looked up at Félix. Yes, there was lust in his eyes but it was second to everything else. His eyes were open wide, wanting and twinkling. He wanted Félix. Not intimately, it was too early for that, but just with him.
His smile grew to a wide grin, teeth showing and all, once he slip into his lap. He watched as Félix pulled off his tie and jacket. His own fingers itched to take his shirt off next but he didn't dare. He didn't touch his own clothing either. He decided he would leave that Félix to do as well.
Henri's hands slipped under the material of his shirt, his hands splaying on his back, pulling Félix closer to him. His eyes lingered close for a moment after that small kiss before opening them once again. He head was tilted back to look up at him. Standing, Henri and Félix were about the same height. Now, with Félix on his lap, he was several inches taller than Henri. He had to crane his neck up.
He hummed softly at the feeling of hands in his hair, running their fingers through and scratching at his scalp. It was soothing. He felt as though he could fall asleep to the sensation. But perhaps another time.
Henri leaned his face forward and pressed a soft kiss to his Adam's apple. He kissed up to the underside of his chin, around his jaw and up his cheek. He danced around Félix's lips, playing, wanting to see how long it would take for him to snap and just kiss Henri.
Félix's skin was softer than he could imagine. One day, he vowed, henri wanted to strip him bare and glide his lips across his skin, kissing any beauty mark or scar that may litter on his skin. Not today. Not tomorrow. But someday.

In all honesty, Félix would have unbuttoned his shirt or done the same to Henri. The only thing that was stopping him was the fear that someone will knock on the door soon. While he has little to no experience with all of this, he still knows that buttoning his shirt will take longer than putting on his tie. If they do become a thing, and they do do this again, he will. Félix swears to God that he will.

Being pulled in was enough to take his breath away. As if they could not be any closer. They are practically one in this moment. A cool breeze overcame him as he felt fingertips brushing against his back. He smiled while staring back, taking in the mesmerizing pools that stared back into him.

Henri's lips glided on top of his skin like water. Underneath his breath, a soft moan crepted out. The voice in him wanting more made him wonder if he was being greedy secretly (or perhaps not so) asking, wanting for more kisses all over. He just wants to kiss Henri more and do a lot more things with him. In his mind, he already has a list ranging from cuddling to kissing to watching movies together.

Whether it was out of impatience or just eagerness, Félix lowered his face just so his lips crashed onto Henri's. He didn't mean for them to. He had to have his one hand rested on the back of Henri's head to protect him from bumping it. Okay….Maybe Félix was a little impatient. At first his kisses were quick, but the more they progressed, the speed returned to the slow, tender one he had before.

As much as he already loves kissing Henri on the lips, Félix had gotten curious. Soon his kisses started to lower down to the bruises, below the ear, and all the way down Henri's neck. He did his best to crane his own neck in order to reach every single spot he could place kisses. Anywhere he is able to feel that petal-soft skin against his lips.

Henri smiled at the small noises that Félix was making. Those little moans filled his ears until it was the only thing he heard. It was like music and he was going to make Félix make those sounds many more times. One of his hands snuck out of his shirt and buried itself in his hair, gripping the locks. He had a firm grip but he was careful. He didn't pull or otherwise cause any harm. While Henri himself liked it when his hair was pulled, that did not mean that others did.
Henri let out a small noise of surprise was lips were slammed on his. He wasn't expecting it but it was a nice surprise. It showed there was more to Félix than he had originally thought. He was going to have fun exploring things with him. Henri was going to find everything that made him tick. He matched the energy of the kiss, following Félix's lead this time. He kissed with as much intensity and slowed it down as the heat lessened.
He had also not been expecting Félix to kiss down his neck. Another nice surprise, one he certainly didn't deny. He tilted his head to the side, granting him better access of his skin. His eyes were shut closed, letting him feel the sensation wholly. His hand left his hair and went back under his shirt, stroking his skin. Henri sighed softly in pleasure. He hadn't had intimacy like this since, well, forever. It was a nice change. It was overwhelming.
The tear fell before he could do anything to stop it.
But this was not a tear of sadness or regret. This was of hope and happiness.
Henri removed his hands entirely, only to place them both on Félix's face, gently removing him from his path of kisses. He held his face, stroking the skin on his cheeks, tracing his lips with his thumb. Henri leaned forward and kissed him once, twice, then pulled his face back. He knew it was time to put an end to this before they went too far. Henri needed to slow down. He wanted to do this right and he couldn't if they continued at this pace.
But instead of dismissing Félix entirely, he said instead, "Would you like to help me unpack? I'm not very good at these things." he murmured. And it was true. He had maids that did his cleaning. They arranged his room and he never corrected a thing. He did not have an eye for such things.

In the back of his mind, Félix was rather surprised about himself. Being this bold, this eager right away. Never did he expect it to be hidden in him. These new sensations, he wants to keep exploring them. He wants to do so many things with Henri: intimate or not.

His lips kept going till he felt Henri's hands touching his face. While he held his face, Félix sighed deeply. He smiled at the kisses given. This moment must be over. For now, at least.

Opening his eyes, he stared down at Henri while taking deep breaths. His mind had to somewhat return to the state it was before. Oh it was everywhere from the moon and back. Even his heart was doing its best to return to its normal pace. He kept trying to gain control of his breathing again.

He made a small smirk. "Did the crown prince of France just asked me to help with unpacking after kissing me on his bed?" Félix laughed then kissed Henri on the forehead. "I'll help you, Henri."

As cautious as before, he got off then took a few steps away from the bed. He tried to make himself look the same as before with putting the tie back on, tucking his shirt in, and so on so forth. The only thing he had given up on was his hair. This morning he spent fifteen minutes fixing it with some hairspray; so much for that. The thought of Henri holding his curls came to mind. He sheepishly smiled. Oh well, it was worth it.

"Shall we get started?" Félix turned to Henri while adjusting his collar. He fluffed his hair then walked over, doing the same to Henri. "I find it to be quite fun, especially while listening to music."

Henri wanted with all of his hear to continue what they had been doing. But he knew himself and his self control. He knew he would lose his grasp on it should they continue. He was a Seventeen year old boy after all.
He hadn't made any plans to unpack. He didn't want to unpack. He wasn't good at those things nor did he want to be there very long. But he needed an excuse to keep Félix with him, and to keep them both busy so they wouldn't start making out. Watching a movie would only invited wondering hands and lips. That was dangerous. They weren't going to finish the tour. Henri didn't care for it. And he would likely have Félix with him showing him around until he left.
Henri did still plan on getting kicked out. The plan hadn't changed at all. He was just making a slight detour. As long as he got Félix's contact information everything would be fine. He would find some excuse to see him for for Félix to come to him.
He fluttered under the forehead kiss, eyes closing and smiling for a moment. Instead of getting up immediately, he sat there and watched, admiring Félix. He had a goofy, boyish smile on his face as he watched him fix his clothing. He itched to mess it up again but he held himself back.
Henri final stood, not bothering to fix his clothes. He had half a mind to change into some pajama pants but he was sure how his company would react to him undressing in front of him. Better henri keep his clothes on until he's alone.
"I'll follow your lead. Whatever you think is best." Henri wasn't ready to admit he had no idea how to do this. He didn't know how to fold clothes, how to decorate. The only thing he could do is hand stuff up and even that knowledge was limited. He didn't take care of his room, he had people for that. He had people for everything.

In the back of his head, he wondered, what are they now? They went from strangers to making out in Henri's room. He isn't complaining. But he always had wondered what this (being in some sort of relationship or just intimacy) was like. Félix worries about being abandoned or just left in the dust. It's hurt him too many times before, but he doesn't know what to say to Henri. He doesn't want to ramble on with his stupid brain.

But they are still together now, meaning he doesn't need to leave. Till someone knocks on the door or whenever one of his teammates texts him, he gets to be with Henri, and that makes him more than happy. He doesn't want to go back to what they did before. (Even though, he wants to.) For someone who feels inexperienced, that is enough for him and his still very overwhelmed heart. Besides, he knows his mind is going to wander back to those kisses and touches.

"Okay!" His usual brightness has returned. Taking out his phone, he scrolled through his library scanning through all the playlists. There's a lot of them. Half are for football or the gym. Another is kids' songs while he has one filled with Queen and David Bowie. Let's not forget classical, kpop, and Eurovision ones. Surprisingly, he doesn't have one for cleaning or unpacking yet.

He frowned then handed his phone over to Henri. "Pick something us to listen to while we unpack. Anything you want, okay?" Félix kissed the side of Henri's cheek then picked up one of the bags. Holding it by the straps, he lifted it onto the bed. This isn't even his room, but he already has a whole plan laid out. Go through each bag and trunk, put them in its place, and set the bag or trunk in a nice spot. Making the room comfortable and cozy, that's the mission.

Henri took the phone wordlessly and scrolled through the songs. Eventually, he looked up one of his favorite albums and pressed play. The album will be left not described because this rper does not listen to music like that.
He did decide to chucke the best off of his body, his own shirt rising and exposing the skin around his waistband as his arms lifting taking the vest off. He threw the vest on his bed and it was then that Henri realized his room was going ti be in a constant state of messiness. He wasn't a clean person. He had people for that.
This was going to be an adjustment for sure.
He looked around his room, at his trunks. Where should he start? His clothes? His things? Where to start? What ti start?
It was all so new to him and nothing what he was used. Perhaps that was the point. Give him a taste of reality, as best they could for him being the crowned prince.
He was revolting against the very idea.

Félix took the vest that was thrown onto the bed. His eyes squinted. Picking it up, he felt the texture of the fabric before gently folding it. When he was finished, he set it off to the side. Satisfied with the folding, he patted the vest gently then returned to the bag. He hummed along with the music as he opened it up.

While Félix always returns home with grass, sweat, and dirt stains on clothes, he is quite clean for being a teenager and all. Saturdays are for cleaning and laundry. Whenever he is stressed, sometimes he'll just go around his room to pick a few things up or dust the place. It is another secret of his, but he'll admit that he finds it to be relaxing as much as it is rewarding.

He placed a few things down. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Henri just standing there and gazing around. Oh how the light reflects off of those blue irises. He shook his head. It's easy for him to get distracted doing these things as much as it's easy for him to get into them.

"So many options." Félix grinned. He wondered if Henri was unsure of what to do. There's always a lot to do with unpacking. Thankfully the crown prince doesn't have to go to class till tomorrow anyways. Perhaps he can turn him to a direction. Just a light suggestion maybe.

Glancing over at the pile of bags and trunks, he noticed there were some drawers and a wardrobe closet. "Why don't you take some of the things I'm setting out, then organize them into drawers over there?" He suggested then gave an assuring smile. "You can do it…It's easy."

Henri watched Félix take his discarded sweater vest and fold it. His mouth was agape until he realized and closed his mouth. He hadn't been expecting that. Then again, how else was his room clean at home. Someone else always did it for him.
It wasn't that he was ungrateful or rude. On the contrary, he was always quite nice ti the staff. Bit he had little care in the world, or at least, he used too and now it was a stuck habit. Habit to just throw his things about. He never had a reason to care. Someone else was always picking it up for him.
"Oh, um, sure," Henri stuttered, stuttered. He was a prince. The heir at that. He did not stutter and yet he did. This was all out of his element.
Henri stride to one of his trunks and opened it. There was clothes inside. Enough, he hoped, for at least the semester. Following instruction, he began to pull things out, organizing them in pikes. If it could be called organized. It was really all over the place and he had crumpled several of the already folded clothes. It was a mess really. He wasn't purposely doing it, he just wasn't good with these things.
He had never felt insecure or incompetent before when it came to anything really, but he did then. He felt useless. Part of him was cursing his parents for not forcing him to clean up after himself. They had suggested it, heavily implied, but never forced him to do it. He was a stubborn boy who didn't like to do as he was told.

Watching others' reactions is something Félix finds himself enjoying. The look on Henri's is enough to make him giggle. His stutter made Félix look away as his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. He tried to make it go away while setting mini piles of things and figuring out where to put it all.

Just as he turned to go to the wardrobe, he paused. His jaw dropped at the sight of the piles of clothing. Shit. That's all he could think about. Shit. While he did say "organize", this was not what he meant. Nope, not all. If anything, what Henri is doing is also disorganized, but he's not going to say that. Actually, in some strange way, it's kind of cute.

Félix placed the jacket down then rushed over to Henri. "No no no no…" He rested his hand on him for a second then picked up a shirt. "I should have been more specific. I'm sorry." Folding it up, he took it over to a drawer and sat it inside. He repeated this process three more times before returning to Henri's side and giving him a little kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay. We are always learning." This is what his dad always preaches to him. Bending at the waist, he picked another article of clothing up then folded it. This time he handed it over to Henri. "Go put this in that open drawer next to the shirts." He proceeded to point, hoping that this instruction would be more specific, more helpful.

"And when you're done with that, I can teach you how to fold then we'll put these away once we're done folding them. How does that sound?"

Henri flushed a shade of pink as Félix came over to correct him. It was more of a reprimand disguised as a correction. He was smart enough to know that. His mother did it frequently. A bit more under handed and petty, but all the same.
He tried to listen but there was a ringing in his ears. He folded his hands in his lap, looking down. It was happening again. He wasn't good enough. He would never be good enough for the throne. He would never been a good ruler. He would never replace his brother. And apparently, he was never going to be good at cleaning. He couldn't do it.
Henri swallowed visibly, nodding his head like he'd been listening. He took the folded material and placed it in a drawer. Was it the right drawer? Was it the right way to out it in the drawer? He didn't know but it was there and now his job was done.
He walked back over to Félix, the flush having faded from his cheeks. He took a seat next to him, crossing his legs underneath him. He was silent, waiting.

Something about the way Henri blushed made Félix stop and think. His mind had wander off from the importance of putting everything away in order to help Henri settle in. There is something else that Henri needs help with and it doesn't involve with these piles of clothes.

The energy in the air changed. And not in a good way. At first, he couldn't tell why. As he folded up clothes and made organized stacks, he pondered about it. In the corner of his eye, he watched Henri and the way that he moved.

Was it something that he had said? It probably is him giving instructions. Henri must not be used to such a thing and having to do simple tasks like folding and putting away things must not be simple for him. No, it must be more than unfamiliar for him.

When Henri had returned to his side, he was just finsihing up with another shirt. He stopped then rested his hand on Henri's back, gently patting it. A beam appeared on his face, but the more he stared at him, the more his smile had turned into a look of concern.

"It's okay, really it is." He looked at the different piles. "You did organize these, that's good. You should be proud for your effort. It really is good. Now let's work together to fold and put them away."

Henri raised his head just enough to look at Félix's face. He wasn't sure if he believed him. He wasn't very good at things. He wasn't very good at anything, other than riding horseback and archery. Hobbies He had picked up at home. Hobbies his brother had taught him ever since he was old enough to ride a horse.
He folded into himself more. He was in over his head. The highs of their kiss was fading and now he was falling low. What was he doing? Why was he doing this? He shouldn't be happy. He didn't deserve to be happy. His brother was dead and he could be next and yet his mother sent him away anyways. Did she want him to die?
Henri waited silently. Félix said he was going ti show him how to fold. So he waited quietly. Expectedly. It looked complicated. He had seen the maid's pressing his clothes once and his eyes almost bogged out of his head. He had no idea that's how it happened. It all looked complicated. He wasn't cut out for this. Maybe if he called his mom she could at least send him a maid to do his laundry. This was too much.

Oh he knew that look. Staring at Henri, he did his best to observe the traits held within his expression, within his eyes. It was like staring back into his reflection almost. Everything he had said was with full sincerity. He doesn't bs with it like how others naturally tend to, and yet, he understood the expression. He, in a way, understood Henri in this moment.

"Before we start, promise me this one thing, you do not judge yourself while learning. It took me three years to do this, but I think you will be a pro in no time." It only took Félix three years because he started at six when he was practically by himself outside of school and football practice. He tried learning by himself, but all his clothes would have wrinkles or he ended up losing pairs of socks. And it was little Félix doing the job. Henri will do much better.

He wanted to give Henri a kiss for motivation, yet for the sake of time and learning, he held himself back. Now wasn't the time to think of it anyways. In his mind, he is still thinking about it. God, he never is going to get over what happened mere moments ago.

Félix pulled two dress shirts out of a pile. He sat one in front of Henri then another in front of himself. They can do this bilateral, but he would leave that up to the crown prince. He clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "Let's get down to business!"

While explaing the process, he did everything he spoke at the same time. "So what are going to do is make sure that all the buttons are buttoned up. Then turn this shirt around….fold the sleeves across the back so they're making a weird x….then fold them up so the cuffs reach the collar…and fold the sides across the middle in thirds….then fold the shirt up from the bottom in thirds…and then…voilà!"

Shifting a little, he turned to hold the folded shirt up with his hands holding from the sides. "See? Now you try. I will be here for every step." Félix looked at Henri with wide bright eyes.

Henri didn't move at his words, even as they sunk into him. He found it hard to believe. Félix seemed to be good at everything. He didn't believe that it took him three years to learn how to do laundry. It sounded excessive and exaggerated just to make him feel better. He didn't see himself ever getting the hang of it, laundry. Or cleaning for that matter. It wasn't that he was ungrateful. He would always thank his maids. He had several conversations with them if he managed to catch them in the halls. Whenever he ate, he made sure he didn't leave a mess. He would stack his things and wipe off the counter. But that was easy. It took no more than thirty seconds to do that. This was so much more and so much longer. Time he could be using doing anything else.
Despite the words circling in his head, he tuned them out to listen to Félix. He didn't want to appear rude. He looked down at the dress shirt, grimacing. He hated wearing those clothes. Dress clothes, nice clothes. It was over the top, uncomfortable, and the complete opposite of him. That was his brother, not Henri. He preferred jeans and graphic tees and sweats. And no one cared what he wore as long as he dressed up when it mattered. But now everyone was watching him. He had to dress to impress at all times.
His hands moved with Félix's, folding the shirt as he did. And while Félix's shirt looked nice and folded, his just seemed off. It was better than his haphazard throwing into piles, but it wasn't a clean and crisp fold. It was just there. Folded but not perfectly. He felt frustrated it didn't look exactly like Félix's. He felt like a failure like he was at everything else. He was never going to be good at anything.
He was never going to be his brother, no matter how everyone around him wanted him to be.

Félix watched as Henri followed. Some parts he did perfectly while others were okay. Again this is his first time. He is only learning. The folding was good. Great for someone where it's their first time doing so actually. Six year old Félix would be ecstatic about this. Félix now is ecstatic.

"Awesome!" He carefully took the two shirts then placed them neatly in the drawer side by side. There was still enough room for more to be placed side by side then eventually they'll have to start stacking. More practice for Henri and the two of them will have more time together.

Sitting back down, he took another shirt and went ahead by taking care of it. Then he did the same about a few more times. All that really mattered to him when folding was that the shirt would not have so many wrinkles, but that didn't mean he wouldn't care if there were some. Perfection is rare, and also unrealistic is so many ways. For him, he just tries his best and tries to block out all the thoughts that leave him drained.

Turning to face Henri, he took one of his hands. His thumb rubbing the side of it. Then with his other hand, he softly cupped his cheek. There still that expression that really concerned him. He doesn't want to fix it; you can't do that. But he wants to help in any way that he can. He wants to be there for Henri and for him to know that.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. "We don't have to fold clothes, there's other ways of unpacking and settling in. It doesn't matter…You did a good job with that shirt too, especially it being your first time. Really, I'm proud of you."

Henri felt his lips rise just slightly as Félix continued to praise him. He wasn't used to such praises, from anyone, perhaps Phillippe and it was never in this manor. It was riding or shooting or archery. He scratched at his hair, soothing a imaginary itch.
He looked down as Félix grabbed his hand. He watched as his thumb rubbed his hand. Henri leaned his head further into his palm, eyes closing. He sighed softly before his eyes opened and looked at Félix. He drew his bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled on it, biting at the loose skin.
"Nothing's wrong," besides the obvious of his dead brother "I just, I'm not used to this. I'm not good at it. Nothing else." There was so much else but nothing he felt comfortable explaining. Ever. To anyone. He didn't like talking about his feelings. They were usually swept under the rug for something more important. Phillipe was always more important than he was to their parents. It's just how it was. There wasn't anything he could have done about it. He learned to accept it.
"I appreciate it, though. You don't have to do this if you don't want too." He shrugged his shoulders, aloof. He felt he was forcing Félix to stay there with him and he didn't want him to feel that way.

There was a soft look in his eyes. He wrapped his fingers around Henri's hand, giving it a light squeeze. The weight of perfection, needing to be good at everything, must be heavy on his shoulders; Félix can only imagine. How it must have become greater with Phillippe passing then his family send him here to deal with it on his own.

"You don't need to be good at it. You don't have to be good at everything." Félix was unsure of what else to say. Sometimes he isn't good at speaking, giving reassurance. Words have failed him before and he only wants to say what's true, what's best for Henri. "This will take time to get used to. I'll be here for you."

Félix smiled. Headmaster Sauveterre gave him a pass till lunch so he is free to do whatever. That whatever he wants to do is spend time with Henri and if part of that includes folding his clothes, then he is more than happy to spend it so.

"But I want to." It is true. "I want to stay here with you. I enjoy bring in your presence." Also true. He certainly enjoys it more than others. Sitting on the floor beside him while organizing all these clothes is clearly better than being in class.

Letting go, he shifted himself to go back to folding the clothes. "You can put your head on my shoulder while I finish this." He pulled a pile of clothes closer to him. He isn't the best at this or anything really, but he knows that he is pretty okay at some things. Folding clothes, football, and being good company, those are a few. He hopes he is decent at being good company.

Henri turned his head away. he couldn't bare to look at Félix. Not because he had done anything wrong, but because Henri felt a rush of shame. He was the crown prince now, he shouldn't behave like this. He should be strong and confident. This should be the other way around. Him comforting Félix. He should be good at this. And yet Henri wanted nothing more than to curl up on his bed and waste away.
He took his advice and laid his head down on Félix's shoulder. His eyes closed shut and welcomed the soothing feeling he provided. It was calm, quiet. He liked that. He liked this. He didn't want to leave this bedroom. He shifted until he was fully curled against Félix. It could be a bit of an amusing sight to see. Henri himself was taller and bigger than his counterpart and yet he was the one curled up on him, clinging to him. At some point, he decided he was tired of Félix folding his clothes up. He pulled the material out of his fingers and tugged on his hand for attention. He wanted to do anything else than this. Perhaps he could put on a movie. Or they could climb out the window and go do something. There was a slight pout on his lip and a pitiful look in his eyes, hoping that he could get Félix to agree to anything else but this.

(It's all good! I was gonna ask if you wanted to continue this or start a new one, but I'm so down to continue this.)

Somehow folding all of Henri's clothes settled the storm in his mind. Although, his whole body melted against Henri when the crown prince rested against him. For so long he has seen things like this in shows and movies: two characters cuddling, he always wondered what that felt like. His pulse coursed through his veins as he placed a shirt by the other folded clothes. The moment he picked another one up, he felt it being tugged. "Oh….Henri…" He paused.

There's still some time before lunch, but they only have fifteen minutes left. Sauveterre and him agreed that Félix would take Henri to lunch then Félix would return to class after break. He wondered if he will ever be successful in asking Henri to tag along with him to lunch. He wondered if he truly wanted to go to lunch then to class. Félix does have to go to class eventually; he is a scholarship student after all. Alas, staring at those glittering royal eyes was enough to make his heart deeply sigh. Still, he cannot get over the fact that he had kissed the crown prince. It is unbelievable how much his face is warming up right now.

Félix was unsure of what to say, of what to do. The cotton material of the white shirt slipped through his fingers then onto the floor. Afterwards, he placed the crown prince's hand over his heart. He wasn't sure what made him do this. It was something his dad used to whenever Félix needed comfort. Now here he is doing it for the boy…no- crown prince…that he likes/just kissed.

"You know, it's probably time we should go," He muttered, "Surely His Royal Highness is hungry, right? I promised Headmaster Sauveterre I would take you to lunch."

(I'm down to continue this unless you had something else in mind.)

Henri looked up through his eyelashes, hoping to resemble a kicked kitten. He would milk all the attention he could get. He liked the way that Félix looked at him. He liked the way that Félix gave him attention. And perhaps it was because he was attention starved, he yearned for it. He wanted more. He wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever. Henri wanted him to stay with him as long as he could.
At the mention of his words, Henri's stomach rumbled. Perhaps he could eat. It was the first time in a while that he truly had an appetite. It left since the news of his brother's death and never really seemed to come back, even when he took illegal supplements to try and bring it back. He had lost weight over the weeks and while his mother had fretted over his appearance, he couldn't seem to give a damn. At least his mother cared about something about him, even if it only was the way he looked.
"Just a bit longer," Henri pleaded. His legs pulled up so he was tucked firmly against Félix's side. He hid his face into his neck, his breath caressing the skin. He wanted to freeze at this moment and stay in this room forever. He didn't want to go for lunch where everyone would likely stare. They'd look at him sympathetically and tell them they were sorry and it would only make Henri relive the worst day of his life over and over again. No, he would rather stay here.

The pile of unfolded clothes had irked him, yet he tried his best to not think of it. On the other hand, he became preoccupied with a million of other things. From Henri to Henri resting against him to lunch, he could not stop. Honestly he had been looking forward to lunch since he got on the public bus. All the adrenaline had begun to wear off; it was not a pleasant feeling, but the comfort of Henri against him made up for it.

Félix sighed while hearing the prince's plea. The longer he stays, the less likely he will be able to get back to class. He is unsure if he would be able to stand up after having Henri snuggled up against him for so long. Sure it has only been mere minutes but he cannot get over feeling of Henri's breath against his skin or the way he was melting into him.

"Fine," He whispered, "Five minutes, non-negotiable, my dear prince." With his free hand, he checked the time on his phone. Five more minutes should be fine. He should have enough time to walk over for lunch then collect his things for class then get to class with ten minutes to spare. Even in this moment of serenity, his mind was running through today's schedule; it was planning each and every single detail. His head began to feel heavy. So much to do, yet he would rather be here.