Chapter Text
'your hair was soft and perfect
and your heartbeat stained my shirt'
- calahan skogman
Despite the fact that they had so far been granted 2 years together, 730 sunrises and sunsets, Wilhelm honestly believed and prayed he would never get over the sight of the golden Swedish sun acting as a veil over Simon's tan skin. There had been few moments in their relationships where Simon would wake up first, whether it was due to insomnia or a celebration, like Wille's birthday or Christmas, either was desirable. However, the majority of the time, Wilhelm woke up first. It didn't matter though. Either scenario meant that Wilhelm awoke to the sight of the love of his life.
The minutes of silence that always seemed too short gave way to some of the only constant peace Wille had known. The early morning sunlight accompanied by birdsong and Simon's sleep-induced steady breathing allowed Wilhelm to reflect on anything that seemed pertinent. Most mornings were filled with thoughts of how undeserving he was of Simon's love, how the first year of their relationship had broken them both down into decaying shells of who they truly were, how Wilhelm's cowardice and position in the royal family had meant he almost lost the only genuine experience of his life.
He sometimes didn't know how he managed to get him back. Linda had mentioned, offhandedly, of the deities that her mother used to pray to and teach Simon and Sara about, when they were young and their ears cared only to hear of stories of the divine. Perhaps a deity took pity on them, or decided to interfere out of pure suspicion or boredom.
Regardless, now that their souls were enchained once again, he would bring the heavens crashing down in flames if it meant they were together and Simon was happy.
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The final, sun-filled weeks of April and May that lead to the third-years graduation passed with anticipation and anxiety. Every graduate stressing over their grades and university, parental and personal expectations for the future and the day of graduation itself.
All except for Wilhelm and Simon.
The ex-Crown Prince and his boyfriend have received their grades; Simon was top of the class in almost all subjects (him being arguably the more studious bewteen the two) and while Wilhelm did not, he was content; his grades allowed him to pursue a course in mental health and psychology in the future. The pair spent time outside of class wrapped up in the comfort of the other, whether that be in Wilhelm's dorm or by the lake, or even when sitting with Maddie, Felice, and Sara in Manor House (to many exclamations of 'get a room!').
Despite their lack of duties and stress, Wilhem had had a small part of his brain remaining on constant alert since the end of the Christmas holidays. Looking at his and Simon's relationship from the outside, they were obviously young and in love, but many would argue that this was just a teen romance and 'it'll pass', but after little self-deliberation, Wilhelm came to the conclusion that Simon was it for him. He has never known a truer life and likely never will.
He also came to the conclusion that even though they were only 18, and everyone knew how serious their relationship was, he wanted their devotion to each other set into stone and written into all future history books.
Wilhelm came to the conclusion that he is going to propose.
For the past 5 months, he has been going over the process in various different regards.
Firstly, even though he is no longer part of the royal family, he was raised to be a gentleman. He would not propose if he didn't have Linda's permission first. Secondly, he needed a ring. This was easier said than done. The ring that he wished to present to him was once owned by Karl XII; meaning it was kept under lock and key in the Swedish treasury. Thankfully he had an advantage. Since Simon and he started dating, Wilhelm had become aware of his position and privilege. He vividly remembers a conversation they had in regards to the way the staff at Drottningholm were treated, even if 'it was their job'. Simon brought up how even though that's what they were employed to do, they are all still human beings with emotions and histories. Since then, he always treated his and his mother's staff with utmost respect.
The knowledge of his kindness spread through the staff quickly, with many of them taking a liking to the young ex-monarch. This meant that when the moment arose, he simply needed to send malin to the Swedish Royal Treasury with a request from the Crown Prince, and the next day end up with a small, black-velvet box on his bedside table in his dorm, containing a symbol of his future.
Until the right time dawned on them, the box remained hidden, at the back of the top shelf in his wardrobe where he knew for a fact Simon couldn't reach.
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"Hey, mi amor."
The rasp of Simon's morning cadence pulled Wilhelm out of his thoughts. They always would.
"Hey. How are you?"
"Hungry," The sudden rumble of his stomach confirmed his words, causing them both to giggle. "Can't wait to take you home tonight. You can finally taste good food for once. No offence to whoever cooks at Hillerska and the palace, but I don't think any of them have heard of spices and seasoning in their lives."
Wilhelm's head tips back as he laughs, wishing to defend himself. "Hey, I used to be a prince, remember? I've had good food."
"Oh, really? Tell that to the flavourless, dry-ass chicken and potatoes we ate at that charity dinner at the palace last month. Not even any salt and pepper. Those poor birds died for nothing."
Simon yelped in surprise as Wille chuckled and grabbed him by his bare waist and flipped him on top of them, making them both laugh in the process.
"In all fairness, I am very excited to try your mother's authentic Venezuelan food."
Simon didn't know if it was his skin's exposure to the cold without a blanket, or Wilhelm's genuine interest in his heritage and family, but that comment made his heart flutter.
As a smile adorned his mouth, he grabbed Wille by the chin and pulled him in until they were separated by pure will and a hair's breadth.
"I'm glad."
Wilhelm decided that, as usual, he couldn't stand not having their lips entwined. The initial softness of the kiss was then overpowered by an innate desire to eliminate all space between them, to be completely enraptured by their physical and emotional proximity. Hands traced over skin, dips in collarbones, deep purple bruises left as a reminder of their previous escapades, every dip and curve memorised like syllables on the end of ones' tongue.
Wille's hands made the familiar path from Simon's shoulders, to his sides, to their final resting place on his waist, fitting in the curve of his torso like that of a puzzle, all while Simon's made their way to the back of Wille's head and throughout the strands like he had done so many times before. Given the opportunity, Wilhelm would give anything in an instant just for him and Simon to be able to stay in bed all day. They would graduate highschool and move to a small property in the country by the riverside, and they would lie in bed all day, accompanied by the taste of fresh fruit and honey and the smell of sex and only take breaks to sleep and accommodate the others' needs. A dream Simon had recently, in great detail.
The two were pulled out of their revelry by a high pitched electronic ringing.
Wihelm groaned in annoyance; 2 years and they were still being unintetionally interrupted by anything and everything. Simon found the culprit: his phone lying underneath their discarded clothes from the night before.
"It's Mama."
He answered and put the phone to his ear, quickly engaging in a conversation in rapid Spanish that Wilhelm couldn't keep up with, despite his years of practice with royal tutors. He decided on dragging his finger along Simon's torso, tracing familiar patterns between freckles and making a note of anything he hadn't noticed previously. He made it his mission to have memorised his lover's form with his eyes closed.
As he traced, his mind wandered to the box he knew was hidden at the back of his closet at that very moment. The knowledge that the catalyst for their future was lying in this room, with Simon wholly unaware, allowed a warm feeling to spread through his chest, thick and slow and certain.