The Winter's Servant {Stucky AU} COMPLETED

~Chapter Twenty-Four~

                 A/N Guess who's back

       James didn't feel he had the physical strength to carry Steven back to his room, being as tired as he was, so he picked Steven up after uncomfortably getting up from the piano bench without waking Steven.  Tucking his arm under Steven's head,  his soft hair tickling James's forearm a little,  he carried him over to where the quilt laid on the floor and gently put him down on it. 

Steven stirred a little,  but made no sign of waking. 

James laid down next to him, engulfing Steven's dedicate,  sleeping body in his arms. 

He wanted to stay there for eternity.

Just Steven and him,  alone,  together. 

It was an ethereal, blissful heaven that would end much too soon when the sun would come up and they would be forced to part, once more assuming their roles of a prince and his servant.

It made James hate his status a little more than he already did.
If he were a commoner,  born without a royal title to his name,  his relationship with Steven would be so much easier.

Still illegal of course,  yet they would be hidden under the cloak of anonymity instead of James's every breath being broadcasted to the world.

Steven let out a precious little whimper from his pink lips and turned around in James's grasp,  nuzzling his face against his chest.  James looked down to see that Steven's eyes were still closed -he was still sleeping soundly. 

It made James smile ever so slightly. What he would give to see Steven like this always- in a state of peace,  not a care in the world,  and safe in his arms- was unfathomable. 

It hurt him to think that there had been times when Steven had gone hungry, or couldn't pay for a medication for his sickness.  It hurt him to think that Steven had been hurt at all. 

James put his chin down on Steven's head,  resting his face in the soft tresses of his hair as he pulled him closer. 

"I'll always protect you,  my love. " He whispered softly to the sleeping boy.
"Until we reach the end of the line. "

~

             Hours later,  James jolted awake. panicking for an unknown reason, he looked frantically around the library.  He doesn't know what woke up him. 

The moon was still high in the darkened sky behind the glass windows of the library,  telling him there's a few hours of night time left. 

Steven is still nestled comfortably against his chest,  his breathing even,  his eyelids closed. 

Despite the breathtaking sight of his baby bundled up against him,  James felt oddly uneasy.  Something was wrong. 

His heart began to beat rapidly in his chest,  though he felt he was being silly for being worried. 

But he couldn't shake the feeling.  His instincts inside screamed and begged him to get out of there,  to get Steven safe. 

That did it.  If he felt that Steven was in danger,  whether he was or not,  James was taking precaution.

Gingerly,  he positioned Steven's sleeping body away from his,  carefully unlatching his skinny arms from around his neck. James then stood up, only to crouch back down and scoop Steven up in his arms.