Prince Among Men

[helpdesk_hero]

Frankly, he hadn't expected to get this chance. At all. Didn't matter that he was the top of his class. That he learned things mostly instantly. Sure there was a lot of reasons that this shouldn't have happened. Yet here he was, two days in to an internship at the Genoshan royal palace. And David's been moving through things carefully, juggling a large pile of folders and binders. A lot of stuff went on behind the scenes he'd learned, working as he did under a minister of commerce and trade.

And as an intern his main jobs seemed, at least for these first few days, carrying things back and forth and fetching coffee. He'd networked with someone who did the internship the year before and learned that yeah, it sucked the first few days, but then you started doing cool stuff, so he had his fingers crossed.

Okay, not actually, he was too busy moving quickly through the halls, trying not to trip and drop a massive pile of reports that he was certain had only been given to him because hazing the new guy who had already turned out to be smarter than half of the undersecretaries. Oops.

The big problem, of course, is taking a corner too quick. It wasn't that he meant to run into someone, but there it was happening anyway.

Comments

[helpdesk_hero]

Should he? Yes. Does David want him to? A whole other answer entirely. But how do you really come to terms with wanting nothing more than to give a Prince a chance at your heart? Dammit, David was supposed to be the charming one. He had decided that as he’d grown up. That one day he’d be ready for a relationship and when he was he’d charm someone off their feet. he just... well, he hadn’t expected it to go this way.

Not that he’s complaining. Just he’s off balance.

“I don’t know. I won’t know until I see what he leaves me on Saturday. Of course unless there is an emergency or the King insists, the office will be empty except for me.”

[wearingthestars]

He doesn't say yes, and so the Prince stays as he is with a coy grin, one that speaks very much to the fact that he's very used to getting his way. Not that this confidence will extend too far beyond this playful teasing.

"Sounds lonely," he notes, wondering if he might be able to visit. But really, he ought stop ambushing the man while he's trying to work.

[helpdesk_hero]

It wasn’t like Billy wasn’t pleasing David with the teasing. Not like that at all. And he actually enjoyed the time they were sharing together right now. But mostly, mostly he didn’t want to pull away, even if he was worried it would get him in trouble.

No guy had ever shown this much interest in him before.

“I mean, it will be,” David agrees. Maybe, just maybe, he’s fishing for some company.

[wearingthestars]

"Seems like there'd be no one there to get mad if you were to have some company..." the Prince muses, looking to David to see if he's interpreting that correctly.

He gives a shy grin, and laughs, not quite sure about how forward he's being, but pulling David along regardless.

He does at least spare him further interrogation when they approach the kitchens, releasing his arm and putting a bit of space between them so no can tattle before David's meeting.

[helpdesk_hero]

Oh sweet Prince the walls have eyes. And ears. There is no way that there hasn’t been tattling at this point. No doubt their time together is being chaperoned from a distance until King Magnus is certain that this isn’t David trying to sneak his way into the Prince’s company. As if this wasn’t entirely and completely Billy’s fault. And like he won’t be a very serious and strenuous instructor for Billy outside of their casual interactions.

“I suppose there might not. Not unless someone decides to drop in. I don’t know, how likely is your brother to show up just to make sure I don’t make untoward motions to you.”

It’s a joke. He couldn’t even fathom doing a thing like that right now. Literally. Damn telepaths.

[wearingthestars]

He really is blessedly unaware of just how well watched he is at any time. He can on occasion manage to truly sneak around, but most of what he thinks he gets away with is in fact allowed.

He laughs softly, thinking he wouldn't mind at all if David did make ~untoward~ motions.

"He's very protective..."

[helpdesk_hero]

Too bad. All toward motions. Toward the kitchen door, which David holds open.

“So I should expect him to show up with a shovel?”

Everyone has heard that the princes are rather co-dependent. David doesn’t know if that’s true, but if it is, it’s impressive he hasn’t been threatened yet.

[wearingthestars]

William lets him, stepping inside, looking back with a smirk and shrugging a shoulder as though he really can't be sure.

"...I might keep an eye out," he teases.

Tommy won't actually hurt him. Not unless David hurts him first. But he may toss about some threats.

[helpdesk_hero]

Well, threats are just part and parcel at this point.

“Ouch. Never good when you’re spending time with a twin and the other is protective.”

[wearingthestars]

He laughs and nods. "At least you can tell us apart relatively easily," he notes. There will no tricking David. But Tommy's not going to love sharing his brother with someone else.

[helpdesk_hero]

Well of course they can’t trick David. Even if they were identical he would know. Their minds wouldn’t be the same.

“Your mind is... I know people by their minds. I could never get confused.”

[wearingthestars]

He keeps forgetting. He smiles curiously.

"What does mine feel like?" he wonders.

When they were still little the twins could trick people. Only their mother could tell them apart 100% of the time before their appearance changed.

[helpdesk_hero]

“It’s less a feel and more a...”

Understanding, strange and sweet. Like knowing a person. But that’s too intimate, in David’s opinion, if he isn’t trying to find something specific.

“I try not to use my power, Your Highness,” David admits as he steps into the kitchen. With people around he’s not just Billy. “To just open my gift to others feels like a violation. Like using telepathy without an okay. So frankly, I try not to feel too deeply in other people. I can do enough of a cursory thing, a... pinging if you will. It makes people feel unique, and I can’t put it into words because there aren’t words for it. It would be like describing color to the blind. It would have to be all in the poetry of other senses.”

[wearingthestars]

The Prince's head tilts, but he gets it in a way. Powers are difficult to explain.

"I've all ready told you you have permission," he reminds gently, and maybe he means more than just using his gifts. He greets the staff, moving to sit at the table.

[helpdesk_hero]

But it's not something he wants to do anyway. David follows and sits with Billy.

"How about you pick something for me to try today.

[wearingthestars]

The Prince seems intrigued by that idea, thinking for a moment before asking for a particular dish their mother enjoyed a lot. It was something she'd had a lot when she was girl, before Genosha, before meeting her real father. Not what someone might picture being served in the palace, but it was a comfort her, and therefore a comfort to her sons.

"Will you tell me about America?" he asks as they wait, "I've never been allowed to travel that far."

[helpdesk_hero]

America... David’s expression falters a little bit.

“I... miss it sometimes. There’s more balance between mutant and human power structures there. That being said, there was more racism there, not just for mutant versus humanity. There’s... still old hate structures about people who look like me. African Americans. And a lot of spite over your grandfather. It was, after all, the American Government who had a serious hand in trying to kill him with that first Sentinel attack. On the other hand there are great innovators there, like the Stark family.”

[wearingthestars]

He frowns, nodding lightly. All of that is something he hasn't really had to deal with in his lifetime, and that does tend to lead to some semblance of guilt. Especially given his seat of relative power.

"Do you think you'll go back?"

[helpdesk_hero]

Go back. David sighs.

"This... this is where power is. Where purpose is. Why would I leave?"

[wearingthestars]

"...your family...your people?" William suggests uncertainly, "You could help make your country a better place."

Maybe even better than Genosha.

[helpdesk_hero]

His people? David’s a mutant. Mutants ARE his people.

“Billy, you have to understand, what happens in Genosha, what Genosha decides, affects the rest of the world, more or less. If I wanted to help people, then I can do more here than I ever could there. And... My family doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

He gets that, and he hates it. He even cringes to acknowledge it.

“When I first came to Genosha for school, I wrote my family regularly. They’ve never replied.”

[wearingthestars]

He meant Americans more than mutants vs. humans, but he nods regardless, frowning as David explains further.

"...why?" He really can't begin to understand why they wouldn't want anything to do with their own son.

[helpdesk_hero]

Americans are just arrogant and self-centered assholes. Which David might be to a degree as well.

“I don’t know. It just... it’s like I stopped existing when I left.”

[wearingthestars]

The prince's brow twists, not liking that at all, and he offers a sympathetic look.

"...I'm sorry. I can't...imagine..."

[helpdesk_hero]

"You really don't have to. Your family is all there for you, always. Mine... Is a mess," he shrugs.

So Genosha had become his home, and his only option.

"I still miss them."