Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

Chapter 63

Some time earlier...

"Wait! Sorry...can we turn around?"

Wilhelm hadn't been thinking straight when he spoke the first time and now he realised that if he went back to Hillerska they would immediately notify his mother.

The driver asked where he'd like to go, he gave her the address and she deftly turned the car around and headed the opposite direction.

He decided it would be best to hide out until he could rest, think straight, and figure out what to do next.

Wilhelm had the taxi drop him down the road in case the neighbors were snooping around. They often had since Wilhelm's speech.

He hurried past the other houses, his eyes downcast, pulling the lapel of his coat up as high as he could to make himself less recognizable.

He assumed the Court were already on their way, searching for him all over Bjärstad and at Hillerska, but he thought that at least his mother was unlikely to involve the police in the search.

He turned the corner and his heart sank. There was no car.

He paused then continued up the wooden walkway anyway and finally reached the front door.

He closed his eyes, leaned against the doorframe and whispered to himself as if it were a prayer.

"Please let someone be home."

He pressed the doorbell and waited, struggling to hold himself up. He heard muffled footsteps inside. The door was pulled open in one quick movement. Relief washed over Wilhelm. Simon gave Wilhelm a blank stare and nothing more at first.

Wilhelm beamed at Simon then scoffed when he didn't react. "Can I come in?"

Wilhelm saw the disbelief cross Simon's face first. His mouth fell open. He hurried forward and wrapped his arms around Wilhelm's waist.

"Oh my God..." Simon whispered into Wilhelm's shoulder. Wilhelm heard Simon give a halting sigh of relief as he encircled Simon's shoulders and squeezed him back. "How did you...?"

"Can we go inside?" Wilhelm whispered ugently back to Simon, still holding him close.

Simon stepped back and looked at Wilhelm again as if he still didn't believe he was actually there. He took Wilhelm's hand and pulled him inside, shoving the door shut and locking it behind them.

Simon could see that WIlhelm wasn't doing well. He led Wilhelm to his room and took his coat, draping it across the chair next to his desk.

"You found my scarf?" Wilhelm asked, catching a glimpse of it and the orange sweater before they were covered by his coat.

"Yeah...you forgot it at the hospital." Simon shook his head, smiling bashfully at Wilhelm, then teasing him. "You forget things a lot."

"I didn't forget it." Wilhelm chuckled at Simon and shook his head.

Simon pursed his lips, trying to hold back a smile. "Mm..."

He couldn't look Wilhelm in the eyes. He smiled as he realised that Wilhelm had intentionally left the scarf knowing Simon would find it and that it would make its way back to him.

Without hesitation Wilhelm wrapped his arms around Simon again, looking down and resting his forehead gently against Simon's. Simon lifted his chin to look up at Wilhelm and inhaled deeply, remaining motionless.

"You should rest." Simon finally suggested.

Wilhelm nodded softly, still touching his forehead to Simon's. He slackened the embrace and rested his hands at the back of Simon's neck, interlacing his fingers there.