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"It'll be fine Harold," Ryder assured as they drove to Barkingburg. Chase was behind them wearing a suit for the occasion. "I've known the Princess as a Knight of Barkingburg since I was ten. They just want to meet my partner."
"But royals are really traditional," Harold counterd. "What if they don't like that you, as a boy, are dating another boy?"
"Me and the pups have saved their lives more times then we can count," Ryder said with the same tone he would use to tell the pups he was going shopping. "If they can't look past who I'm dating just because of gender that's on them."
"But what if…"
"Harold." Ryder took one hand off the steering controls to place it on the hands wrapped around his waist. "It'll be okay. The opinions of others, even if they're royalty, won't change how I feel about you."
Harold's face lit up red and he buried it into Ryder back mumbling a thanks.
Ryder smiled, eyes still on the road.
Chase looked at the two and sighed. The police pup still couldn't bring himself to trust the blond teen, but Ryder did seem happy with him. So all Chase could do was keep watch over his owner and keep him safe. Doesn't help that Sweetie was gonna be there too.
"There it is," Ryder said, and Harold lifted his head to look. "Barkingburg."
Ryder and Chase pulled in front of the Castle to see the Princess and Earl waiting with smiles. Sweetie was beside them, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there.
"Sir Ryder," the Princess said with a smile. "You've come right on time!"
"Thanks for inviting us, your Highness," Ryder said, getting off the ATV, helping Harold off at the same time.
"Is your significant other coming separately?" The Earl asked. "We both wish to meet her."
Harold blushed, looking at Ryder for help.
He smiled at him with assurance before taking his hand. "Your Highness, Earl. I'd like you to meet Harold Humdinger. My boyfriend."
The two gasped with surprise, Sweetie's jaw dropping.
"Boyfriend?" The Princess asked.
"I told you," Harold muttered.
"I don't understand. I thought you had a romantic partner."
"I do," Ryder said, taking Harold into a side hug. "He's one of the most wonderful humans in my life." Harold's face became beet red as Ryder began to shower him in compliments. "Takes my breath away every single moment I." Ryder looks at Harold before pretending to grow faint. "Oh. There it is again. There it goes. Not enough oxygen"
"Stop my face is gonna be a fire at this point." Harold said, but Ryder could see the smile behind his hands.
"Let me tell you he is one of a kind. And he means so much to me."
Sweetie looked between the two, confused. Clearly not believing they were truly romantic partners.
"You hear that? You're one in seven billion."
Harold's face was rivaling a tomato as he attempted to hide behind his hands. "Not one in a million. That's way too many. There'd be a hundred thousand of you. No, you're one in seven billion. That's how special you are to me"
"Stooooooop."
"All that time helping everyone is more than worth it if the universe judged me worthy to have this handsome ball of sunshine as my boyfriend."
"You okay Harold?" Chase asked, actually worried the boy would faint at this rate.
"I need to find a hole and bury myself in it."
"Well then," the Princess said. "While… unexpected, I would love to get to know your boyfriend over a cup of tea."
"That's why we're here," Ryder said as Harold attempted to calm down his blush, not really succeeding. Ryder let go of Harold's shoulders, taking his hand instead. "Come on."
"Lead the way," Harold said, giving Ryder a bashful smile.
As the group made their way to the tea room, Sweetie backed away, leaving the group and making her way to her secret room. Busby followed her as she ran.
"There’s no way that this love is real. And I have just the thing to prove it."
Entering her hideaway, she went to a chest in the back. Opening it, she smiled to see a vial with green smoke swirling inside.
"This came from the Cauldron of Snores. Remember Busby? It took so long to perfect this concoction. The only way for the one asleep to be awoken is with true love's kiss. Not only that, but the one asleep needs to romantically love the one who attempts to wake them. I only have enough for one, but if I use it on that Harold boy, then when Ryder tries to wake him, it's sure to not work. Ryder will be heartbroken!"
Sweetie laughed mechanically with a snort and poured the fog into a smoke bomb that would release its contents immediately upon contact. After sticking a note to the bomb explaining the need for a mutual romantic kiss to wake the victim, she set off to release it on Harold.
"This place is huge!" Harold exclaimed, having been given a tour of the Castle.
"Indeed," the Earl agreed. "I've been caring for the royal family since my early years and I'm sure there's parts not even I have seen."
"Yikes," Harold said. "Don't you worry about setting off a trap door or finding something you didn't know about that could potentially be dangerous?"
None of the group noticed Sweetie in the rafters, aiming the smoke bomb at Harold's head.
"I've learned to accept the knowledge I have and be open to learning more," the Earl answered honestly.
Once the bomb launched, Ryder noticed it and he pushed Harold out of the way, but unfortunately was hit in the face with the bomb and imediendly fell to the floor, asleep in seconds.
"Oh my Goodness!" The Princess exclaimed as Harold rushed to Ryder’s side, checking his head for bruising.
"What happened?!" The Earl asked, alarmed as Chase sniffed at a piece of paper that fell from the green mist Ryder breathed in.
"I don't know exactly, but this might be a clue."
Ryder asleep in his arms, Harold snatched the paper and unfolded it, reading the message out loud.
"This smoke bomb contains an altered sleeping gas from the Cauldron of Snores. While the original smoke was weak and those effected could be woken with a loud enough alarm, those under the influence of this Gas can only be woken with true love's kiss."
"What!" Chase exclaimed.
Sweetie was now out of her mission wear, approaching the group as though she had no idea what was going on.
Harold read on. "Not only that, but the love must be mutual between the one waking them, and the sleeper."
"What's going on?" Sweetie asked, an innocent tilt to her head. She then saw Harold very much awake, but Ryder fast asleep and had to resist a sigh that she hit the wrong person. No matter. When the kiss fails Ryder will still be out of the way.
"Sir Ryder’s been hit with an enchanted sleeping gas," the Princess told her. "But not to worry. Harold. You're Ryder’s true love. It was made more clear the more interactions we saw. Your kiss will wake him for sure."
Sweetie scoffed at the faith the princess showed in this love that was probably all fake, but quickly covered it with a cough. No need for Chase to be on her tail yet again.
"I-" Harold hesitated, looking at the sleeping form of Ryder with longing, but surprised everyone by saying, "I can't."
"What!?" Chase exclaimed. The Princess gasped, the Earl's eyes widened, and Sweetie smirked.
Harold looked down. "We discuss boundaries with each other whenever one of us feels the need. We agreed we weren't ready for any kissing. Even on the cheek. I want to wake him, but I don’t want him to be mad that I violated that boundary."
"It is literally the only way we know that will wake him up," Chase said, frustrated. "I'm sure he'll understand that it was only to break the spell."
"I can't…"
The Princess stepped forward. "Perhaps we should bring Sir Ryder to a guest room so he can be more comfortable. Then we can discuss more."
Harold nodded and lifted Ryder, struggling slightly, so the Earl helped and the Princess led the group to the nearest unused guest room.
Ryder was on top of the covers of a fancy bed, sleeping peacefully. Harold sat by his side, holding Ryder’s hand with worry. Chase and Sweetie were on the side Harold was, with the Princess and Earl on the other, facing him.
"Now," the Princess said, in a tone Harold could imagine her using in political debates. "Why do you not wish to kiss him?"
"We talked about kissing and decided we wouldn't do it yet," Harold answered imediendly. "I could never take advantage of him like that."
"Take advantage of," Sweetie muttered. "You make it sound like kissing causes pregnancy."
"Are there any other reasons?" The Princess asked. "Surely Ryder will understand if it means him being able to wake."
After a long pause, Chase admitted, "My pup tag records everything. If you're scared of how he'll react, I can show him what happened since he fell asleep."
While that calmed him down, Harold stayed silent for a really long time before admitting quietly, "We haven't even used the L word yet. What if it doesn't work?"
Face kind, the Princess stood and looked down at Harold. "There's only one way to know for sure, but the love you two share is obvious."
Thinking it over more, Harold looked at Ryder’s sleeping face with a torn expression before nodding. "Could you give us a moment?"
"Of course," The Princess said, the Earl standing to make his way out of the room. "Come sir Chase. Come Sweetie."
Sweetie leapt up to leave the room immediately, while Chase hesitated and only got up after looking at Harold's pleading face.
The two were left alone and Harold looked down at Ryder’s face, heart racing and face flushed.
"Just one kiss," Harold whispered to himself. With nervous energy, he stood and went to a chair on the opposite side of the room. Not noticing Sweetie and Chase Spying on him.
Harold picked up a heart shaped pillow that was on the chair before looking back at Ryder, scared longing in his eyes.
"Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out," Harold whispered to himself, pacing back and forth. "I think we feel the same, but I don’t know! What if I'm just too bad!?"
Sweetie looked at Chase, confused and he told her, "I'll explain later," as quietly as he could.
"Just stay calm," Harold said, taking deep breaths. "I can do this. It's just one kiss."
Harold bravely approached the bed then just as quickly backed away, fear on his face again. But with one last deep breath, Harold approached Ryder’s side, gazing into his eyes.
Harold sat on the bed, took one of Ryder’s hands, reached across Ryder to cup his face, and leaned in. Before they could make contact, Ryder yawned and Harold paused, a little further back as Ryder finished. Then with one last deep breath, went in to allow their lips to meet.
Chase and Sweetie watched as the kiss lasted a few seconds before Harold pulled back, looking at Ryder with hope and a touch of fear.
A few tense moments passed before Ryder groaned, eyes scrunched, and he woke up slowly, imediendly seeing Harold's relieved yet nervous face.
"Harold?" Ryder groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "What happened?"
As if in response to the sound of Ryder’s voice, the door to the room opened to show the two pups in front of the two humans.
"You were affected by an altered version of the fog from the Cauldron of Snores," the Princess explained. "According to a note attached to the device that exposed you to the smoke, the only way to wake you is true love's kiss. And a mutual love between the sleeper and kisser."
Ryder imediendly looked at Harold who was looking anywhere but at Ryder’s face, but holding his hand as if his life depended on it. "Harold?"
Chase jumped onto the bed and without a word touched his Pup tag bow and it broadcasted a screen, showing the events that transpired since Ryder fell asleep.
Chase ended the video with Harold asking for a moment alone with him and looked at Ryder to see his face void of emotion.
"Your Highness? Can you take Chase and Sweetie to where we had tea earlier?" Ryder asked. "Me and Harold will meet you there."
The Princess nodded, standing once again and beckoning the two pups. The Earl followed her, closing the door behind him.
Harold was still avoiding eye contact, gripping Ryder’s hand tight. "I understand if you're mad."
"I'm not mad Harold."
That got him to look at Ryder, surprise clear. "But…"
Ryder placed a finger over Harold's lips to sush him. "You did what you had to to ensure my wellbeing. I would have done the same if it was you asleep. Internal conflict and all."
Harold nodded, taking a shaky breath of relief and looking down at the blanket.
"Harold. Look at me."
He did so.
Ryder smiled kindly. "Do you want to rediscuss boundaries?"
Nodding, Ryder tugged on the blond and he obliged, sitting next to Ryder on the bed, being wrapped into a hug.
"Did the kiss change your mind about anything?"
Thinking it over for a bit, Harold said, "I'm not sure. I liked it, but I don’t know."
Ryder nodded, thinking hard as he played with Harold's hair. "Anything else you want to tell me?"
Thinking more, Harold said, "I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of your kindness after all I've done to you. I'm okay with a change, but only if you are."
Ryder hummed. "I'll propose this. And remember, you can alter anything you want to."
Harold nodded to show he was listening.
"We'll continue as we were before, but if either of us feels the need to kiss the other, simply ask. The one being asked has every right to say no, even if it's just on the cheek. Should the unlikely event happen where a kiss is the only, or easiest, way to fix a problem again, then we can do it. How does that sound?"
After thinking it over, imagining Ryder asking that question, or him asking, Harold nodded. "Sounds good to me. Thank you."
Ryder smiled, hugging Harold closer. "I love you Harold." Harold's breath caught at the sentence and Ryder patted his back. "You don't need to say it back yet."
A few moments of the hug pass before Harold says a quiet, "I love you too."
Ryder’s smile widened and the hug grew tighter.
Both were content in their current position, and while some may have expected a certain question to be asked, neither felt the need.
The Princess looked up from her tea and smiled, seeing the couple walking over hand in hand.
"You're both well?"
Ryder nodded, squeezing Harold's hand and giving him a loving smile. "Better than ever."
"Does this mean you two are gonna be kissing around the Lookout now?" Chase asked with dread.
Ryder chuckled. "No. If there is any kissing at all there will need to be verbal permission before each one. Unless something like this happens again and a kiss is the easiest way to fix the problem."
The Princess smiled at the two. "Well despite the… hiccup I believe you call it, this was a pleasant visit."
"Thanks for inviting us, your Highness," Harold said with a smile.
Chase was the first back to the Lookout as Ryder went to drop Harold off at Foggy Bottom. Imediendly the five pups who stayed at the Lookout were asking Chase how it went.
Chase took a deep breath before he answered. "I still don't trust him completely, but you'll be happy to know that Harold will never violate a clear boundary and vice versa. When Ryder gets back we can explain more."