The Selection (1x1 with AnnaCat17)

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

OOC: Hah yep. :3

Abril gripped Pavel's hand tightly, her face pale. "But you can fix it, right?" she asked desperately, wrapping her arms around Pavel. "He's going to be okay?"

Karter sighed happily, closing his eyes as he relaxed against him. He shrugged, smirking faintly at him. "I never knew you liked guys." He felt breathless by just looking at him. "I never thought I stood a chance."

[AnnaCat17]

"I will do my best, your highness, but you might want to start training your heir." The doctor said, knowing better than to sugar coat the situation.

Pavel swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to think of what to do but knew the situation was out of his hands. Abril was right, he should have seen the doctor sooner. He felt like he was too young to be dealing with something like this. He wasn't supposed to be facing death yet. "Whatever treatment we do I need to continue to look normal. Especially with the selection about to start I can't be looking ill."

The doctor pursed his lips as he looked at Pavel. "Your highness, that will make treatment very difficulty."

"Im a prince. Im not supposed to be gay which is why no one knows." He said casually as he played with his hair, enjoying feeling his cheek pressed against Matteo's bare chest. "Besides, I can only get married via selection so does anyone really stand a chance?"

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"The doctor is right. Just focus on getting better. I don't care how like looks. You need to do everything you can to get better." Abril held on to him desperately. "It doesn't matter if you look ill. You have to get better."

"Yeah," Karter sighed, tilting his head towards his touch. "I hate that. Not that you could be with me either way. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to." As if the Prince would be marrying someone like him. He knew Matteo could feel Karter's calloused hands against his skin as he held him. He was a Six. He worked for Matteo's family. Them being together was anything but possible.

[AnnaCat17]

"Abril, Im the king. If I look ill it will worry the people and put more pressure of Matteo to make sure nothing goes wrong with his selection, which we all know that he will probably cause enough problems of his own." He softly kissed the back of her hand and stroked her cheek. "Ill get better. I promise."

The doctor watched hem for a moment before interrupting their moment. "Get some rest and we will start treatment tomorrow once I have gotten the correct medication." He looked pointedly at ABril. "Please be sure he stays in bed today and doesn't over exert himself."

Matteo closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the guy's hands on him. "I haven't really thought much about what kind of person I would want. The only person I've ever really wanted I can't have. Its a cruel world we live in, isnt it?" He kissed the corner of his mouth before pulling away and giving him playful smirk. "It was nice meeting you. Hopefully we bump into each other again soon."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Yes, I'll make sure he stays in bed." Abril ran her fingers through Pavel's hair, watching him with concern. She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Let's get back to our room."

Karter wanted to kiss him again so badly, but he knew better than to initiate a kiss with the Prince. If Matteo wanted to kiss him again, he would. He watched him longingly, wishing he could spend longer with him. He forced a smile at him, smirking faintly. He couldn't get attached to him, well, not anymore than he already was. The Prince was just playing around with him. It wasn't like he actually had feelings for Karter. He didn't even know his name, and wasn't interested in finding out. Besides, he was having a Selection soon. He'd be spending time trying to find a wife.

[AnnaCat17]

Pavel nodded and held onto her as they went back to their room, hanging onto her more for comfort than support. "We will get through this. We have been through worse." he assured her quietly.

Matteo got dressed again, not bothering to fully button up his shirt and leaving his socks, shoes and jacket off, before setting off in search of Ellie. He was worried about her and knew she deserved some sort of explanation.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Abril didn't think that they had. She lied down beside him in the bed, tucking the blankets around him and hugging him close. "You'll get better," she whispered, more to reassure herself than him. "You have to."

Eleanor was hiding. She was in an empty guest room, crying beside the bed near the balcony door. Why hadn't Matteo told her anything? He let her go on thinking they might have the chance to be together. Now her heart was broken. If he had told her he liked guys earlier, she didn't think this would hurt so much. It at least wouldn't have happened to suddenly. When she found out about Matteo kissing the guard, she had thought it was just one time, that he still liked girls and he wouldn't ever go back to that again. But no, the whole Selection was being changed to accommodate him and she wouldn't ever end up with him.

[AnnaCat17]

"Yes ma'am" Pavel teased as he pulled her down into his arms. "Anything for you."

Matteo easily found her, knowing al of her hiding spots. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap to hold and console her. He gently kissed the top of her head. For the first tie he actually hated what he was. Her love for him was written all over her and he had failed to see it, failed to find an easier way to handle the situation, failed to be a better friend and find a way to give her what she wanted. "Im sorry Ellie... I should have told you, i just didn't know how. I thought you would hate me for it."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"I wouldn't hate you for it, Matty! I hate you because you didn't tell me and now I don't know what to do with myself. I bribed my way into the Selection already, which was a waste now because I won't even be allowed into it. I've been in love with you for years, and I always thought we'd..." Eleanor trailed off, unable to continue as her tears dripped down her face. She gripped his shirt tightly, wanting to push him away but also wanting to be near him. "You should have told me. Maybe it wouldn't be hurting this much if you did," she whispered, squeezing her eyes to hide the agony in them from her heartbreak.

[AnnaCat17]

Matteo watched her heartbroken. He knew he was a selfish person but this felt cruel even for him. How did he know he wouldn't be happy with Eleanor? She was his best friend and he knew he loved her, just not in the way he was supposed to. He wanted to give her everything she wanted, even if it meant he couldn't have everything he wanted to. Gently he tilted her face up towards his and kissed her tenderly. Instantly he knew he wasn't wrong about what he wanted. In the maze the kisses he had exchanged with the six had left him feeling breathless and like electricity was dancing across his skin. it had felt natural and blissful. Kissing Eleanor, he felt nothing. It felt awkward for him and no more exciting than kissing a statue. He tried not to let his feelings show as he tangled a hand in her hair, trying desperately to give her what she wanted. He pulled away slightly and kept his eyes closed as he whispered, "If you want me to marry you, I will. Ill call off the selection and tell everyone it was just another joke. I don't want to hurt you or be the reason you cry."