The Selection (1x1 with AnnaCat17)

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Eleanor shrugged his hand off, getting up and moving away. "I need to be alone right now," she muttered, escaping down the hallway so she could break down in private.

"I didn't ask." Atlas didn't even feel guilty for not asking. He had been too busy with everything with Matteo. "I'm sure Abril knows, though."

Abril was asking the doctor what was wrong with Pavel, why he was coughing so much. Was he sick? She was afraid to hear the answer, but she needed to know.

Karter laughed, then stopped. "Oh. You're serious. No, Your Highness. You're anything but a childish brat."

[AnnaCat17]

Romeo watched her go sadly. He didn't know how to help her. Once again he was reminded of how much she needed a mom, how much he needed gentle Elliott back so that someone could help in situations like this. he sighed and ran his hands through his hair, feeling lost to help his daughter.

Victory nodded. "Its probably nothing since they haven't said anything and he hasn't been down here."

The doctor shook his head. "Im sorry, your highness. He hasn't been down for any of us to examine him so I don't know what is going on. If you get him down here id be happy to give you an answer."

Matteo smirked and kicked water at him. "Don't lie. It makes you as naughty as me." He said with a flirty wink before going back to watching the fish. "SO do people actually still care about the selection or is everyone just exaggerating how big this is? The king keeps talking as if its some huge event or something like the olympics only better."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Alright," Abril sighed. How was she going to convince Pavel to get a doctor to check up on him?

Karter laughed, trying his best not to blush as Matteo winked at him, but failed. "Well, Selections are usually to keep up the nation's morale, which is why Princes have Selections to marry a woman of the people. So, it's kind of important. It gives someone a chance to join royalty and provide for their family. It also gives someone a chance to be famous and important, which is something some people really care about. And it distracts people from other things, like how poor they might be or how unhappy they are. It also gives people a look into royal life." Karter looked thoughtful as he concentrated on answering his question, tying his long hair behind his head. "I think the Olympics are much better, though, to be honest." He smirked faintly.

[AnnaCat17]

Pavel laid on one of the couches in the main living room. He wasn't asleep but he felt like at any moment he could drift off if it wasn't for the pain stabbing through his chest every time he inhaled. He would be fine after he rested. He had just worn himself out with all of the arguing, he lied to himself.

Matteo chuckled. "Agreed. Id much rather watch a couple of guys race around a track than watch a bunch of silly girls swoon over someone." He looked over at the guy and considered him for a few moments. He was definitely his type and the blush he now had encouraged him to be reckless again. He waded out of the water and walked over to the where he kneeled, the dirt sticking to bare feet and turning to mud. He ran his fingers through the guy's hair, testing to see how he would respond to his touch since he didn't want to push himself on someone who didn't swing that way. "What would make them more interesting?"

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Infirmary. Right now," Abril said firmly. "Either that or I'm getting a doctor to come here. You're not fine. You don't have allergies. Something is wrong with you and the more you delay getting help, the harder it will be to fix it."

Karter laughed. "Yeah. I'm not a fan of Selections." He smiled at Matteo as he approached, but swallowed nervously. He sucked in a sharp breath as the Prince ran a hand through his hair, instinctively tilting his head towards his touch. He couldn't help but blush by the contact, and had to take a moment to rethink what the Prince had asked him to fully comprehend the words. "Uh.." He looked down, blushing. "Sorry. I, uh..." Why couldn't he concentrate enough to form a sentence? All he could focus on was the Prince and his hand running through Karter's hair.

[AnnaCat17]

Pavel didn't move from where he lay, keeping his eyes closed. "Im ok, Abril. It just stress. once the selection starts and Matteo is controlling it Ill be back to normal." he lied to her, not wanting her to worry over him. "Its just a cough." and pain, and constant exhaustion, and a bunch of other stuff he wouldn't tell her since it would just make thing worse.

Matteo smirked and looked at the castle to make sure no one was watching them. "Come on." He said and nodded for him to follow before heading off to the maze.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"No. It's not. Stay there." Abril told a maid to get the doctor and she sat down beside Pavel. She gently brushed his hair out of his face.

Confused but curious, Karter stood up and brushed himself off before following him. He found himself nervous, and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm not in trouble, right, Your Highness?"

[AnnaCat17]

Pavel sighed and sat up, looking at her annoyed. "You worry too much. Isn't that why we had the kids? So you would ahve someone other than me to worry over?"

Matteo smirked slyly over his shoulder at the guy. "Quite the opposite actually." once they were hidden deep within the maze Matteo leaned back against the tall hedges and grabbed the guy's shirt collar, pulling him to him. His mouth was soft as it pressed against Karter's and he could feel one of Matteo's arms wrap around his waist to pull him closer as the other slid into his long hair and gripping it tightly.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Abril shook her head, frowning at him. "Come on, Pav. I worry about you because I care about you." Doubt crept into her mind. Was that really why Pavel had kids with her? She looked up as the doctor entered the room and took a step back to give him some space to examine Pavel.

Karter melted against him, his hands gripping Matteo's waist as he kissed him back. His lips were softer than he had imagined, and the kiss was so much better. He sighed against his lips, wanting to close his eyes as he enjoyed the kiss but he wanted to keep them open in case this was all a dream. He never wanted this moment to end. He felt like he was in love with Matteo, which maybe was true, but Matteo probably didn't even know his name. He rested his forehead against his, happiness filling his heart. He hadn't known that Matteo liked guys. He had hoped, but hadn't known.

[AnnaCat17]

Matteo is way too good at getting people to fall for him)

The doctor managed to get Pavel to go back to the hospital wing for some testing. Several scans amd blood tests later the doctor came back into the room with a grim expression. "Are you comfortable with her being here?" He asked Pavel, nodding towards Abril. Pavel nodded and gripped Abril's hand tightly, waiting with a scared expression for the results. The doctor pulled up an image of the scan they had done of Pavel's lungs which had dark spots scattered across them. "Its lung cancer. Its later stage but we should hopefully ne able to fix it if everything goes right." Pavel's face paled as he looked at the image of his speckled lungs. "No one outside of us hears about this." He muttered. He was terrified for himself but was even more worried about what this diagonsis would do to his family. He regretted even letting Abril find out.

Matteo pulled away after a little bit, grinning happily as he held the guy. "How have i never found you before?" He teased as he kissed his brow.