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With night quickly approaching, the chosen four opted to stay at a hotel in Fourside. They didn't have much difficulty getting a room; with Ness being Mr. Moneybags and all. The only downside being there was one room left with two beds. Usually the chosen four get two rooms that have two beds, but this'll have to do. The night started off simple by getting the arrangements ready. Ness and Paula were to share one of the beds, while Jeff and Poo take the other. The rest of their time was spent chatting and figuring a game plan to get the next sanctuary location.
The sun has now sent and everyone has gone to bed. Everyone except Jeff, who was working on one of his many projects. He was calculated with his actions, doing his best to stay silent and not wake the others. The three of them needed the rest more than he did. Their psychic abilities really takes a lot out of them after a long day of nonstop fighting. Jeff would occasionally look over at them and noticed how peaceful they looked while sleeping. They all seemed to have a tough exterior about them, which Jeff never seemed to understand. Could it be a defense mechanism? Or is this just how they are?
All was going well until Jeff heard a loud rumbling sound. It didn't sound close, but it soon would be. Jeff's heart rate spiked at a rapid pace. He thought he was over this, but weather like this never happened in Winters. The most they got was occasional blizzards, but never a thunderstorm. Jeff was too caught up in this thoughts that he didn't hear the shuffling coming from one of the beds. He only noticed that there was movement in the room when he felt a hand in his shoulder. The blond turned his head and saw his bedmate.
"It's quite late," the prince said. "you should know better than to still be up."
Jeff could tell just by looking that he was extremely tired. He was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open. Now that he thought of it, Jeff started to feel exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. He knew that deep down it wouldn't be that simple. Before he could say anything, Poo grabbed Jeff and dragged him back to the bed.
They took their positions in the bed with Jeff being the little spoon. He felt some comfort knowing his friend was so close to him. The storm was a lot closer now, practically on top of them now, and Jeff was silently freaking out. He tried his best not to let his friend know that he was scared. His friends would probably think differently of him if they knew he had such a stupid fear. Jeff shifted in the bed and way now facing his friend. He tried not to get too close to the prince, not wanting to invade his space. That all failed when the prince grabbed a hold of him and pulled him close. Jeff could hear his friend's heartbeat loud and clear. It was all that he could focus on. He cuddled into his friend, embracing the reality of the situation.
This feeling reminded him of Winters. There were times when he and Tony would cuddle like this. Mainly to keep warm. This feeling was so relaxing that Jeff had forgotten that he had forgotten who he was currently cuddling. That being his friend, Poo. Who was surprising okay with this. Jeff had assumed that an act like this would be forbidden to the prince. When Poo found out that Jeff had taken a liking to boys, he was slightly taken aback. He never seen anyone in his country engage in an act like that. It was all so new to him. The prince wasn't fully asleep by this point and took this limited time the two had together to ask a question.
"How did you know?" The prince spoke in a quiet tone so only Jeff could hear.
The blond didn't move. He was thinking too much about what he meant by the question. He could easily be referring to anything. After examining the situation, he understood what the prince meant.
"You just kind of know," Jeff stated, thinking about the boardinghouse. "Many of the older boys at the boardinghouse had experimented to figure out what romance was. It was only a matter of time until I realized I was quite fond of boys."
The blond could feel his checks heating up. He's never talked about this with anyone before. Then again, the only people in his life to this point have been the people in the boardinghouse. People who would understand his feeling. The blond looked at his friend to find him lost in thought. Most be curious about love and figuring out who he is. A stage of life everyone goes through.
The prince held onto Jeff a while longer. It was a nice feeling being this close to his friend. Someone who wouldn't judge him and would listen. Maybe someday he'll be able to freely express himself in his country. That will surely take time though. Trying to get his council to understand will be challenging, but it's a necessary change that has to happen. Finally feeling at ease, the two of them got some much needed sleep.