✎ 1x1 ✐ discussion

Prince Maric took a deep breath as he rode into town, silently preparing to be swarmed with attention. He hated this, he hated all of this- he was being forced by his family to marry. It’s not that he didn’t want to settle down at some point, but he’d always imagined it being on his own terms.
He’d get so lost in his thoughts as he rode that he barely registered he’d gotten to town until there was a woman talking to him. He just nodded and laughed along. He’d learned that was generally an effective way to deal with this.

Matthew was busy getting his shop ready. He sold homemade sweets. A lot of the girls had went to his shop to buy sweets for the prince, as if they had made them themselves. Matthew was too tired and too busy to even do anything about it.
He sighed and cleaned all the leaves out of the front then flipped the sign to open. He stood there as everyone crowded around him. "It's not even that ig of a deal." he said as he set up the signs outside.

Trying to find a place to stop, Maric found his eyes catching on Matthew several times. He silently scolded himself for what he was considering, but he couldn’t shake the idea.
He waited a while until some of the attention had subsided, then tied the reigns of his horse to a nearby tree and walked over to the shop and right up to Matthew. He’d greet him with a bow.
“Prince Maric, sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you… what might your name be?”

Matthew wrote today's favorite item on the blackboard outside. He was glad that all these people were finally starting to leave. He didn't even know what the big deal was with him.
He looked up at him, he was still on the ground writing on the board. "Oh, yeah I know." he looked back at the board and wrote his favorite drink up there. He stood up and dusted himself off. "It's Matthew" he said softly.

He held himself with perfect posture, looking down at Matthew with his hands on his hips. Slowly but surely, his imagination was starting to run wild- his family wanted him to get married? Oh, he’d get married. And he would make sure they’d be mad about it.
He’d smile, smoothing out his hair. He was a little taken aback by how nonchalant Matthew was about this, and it showed, but he said nothing about it. “Well, Matthew, this is a cute little place you work at. Who owns it?”

Matthew stood there he didn't know Maric's intentions. He dusted the chalk off his hands. Matthew sighed and walked inside.
"Oh...Owns it? me I own it. It took a lot for me to get up to this point but I own it. I just hope I keep getting a lot of customers so I don't lose it." he always spoke softly. Like he was too scared to speak any louder.

He’d follow him inside as he talked. “Oh, you own it? That’s impressive!” He cooed, his eyes staying attentively on Matthew. “Do you have any workers, or do you run the place all by yourself? I’d imagine it’s hard work either way.”

He cleaned up the counters and swept the floor. "Clearly it's just me. But yeah it can be hard sometimes but nothing I can't handle." he softly sneezed from all the dust he just swept. "But I have no complaints. I don't really like working with people and besides, if it's just me then I don't lose money for paying employees or for the equipment."

“That makes perfect sense. You seem like an honest, hard-working man, I respect that.” He leaned against the counter and grinned. “And what do you do when you’re not here?” He’d smooth out his shirt and chew on the inside of his cheek slightly, a nervous habit of his.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. But it's no big deal." he shrugged and glared at him when he leaned against the counter. "Move it," he said as he lightly smacked him with the towel. "When I'm not here? I usually go shopping for my house or for the things I need here. Mostly for what I need here."

He seemed confused and a bit shocked, but he moved away from the counter. “Oh- okay, uh- do you live with anyone?” He asks, voice faltering slightly. He’s definitely not used to people acting like this around him, and while he doesn’t mind it, it’s going to take some getting used to.

Matthew sighed and looked at him. "You sure do ask a lot of questions, don't you?" he slightly shook his head. "No, I don't. I haven't lived with anyone for about...four years. I finished high school and went to college for two years...then opened this shop." he made himself a coffee and sat down. "Now it's my turn to ask questions," he said as he crossed one leg over the other. "Why are you here exactly? No more like why are you bothering me and not trying to find someone to marry? That's why you came to town, isn't it?"

“Well, yes, but I don’t exactly want to do that. Women just aren’t my thing.” He chuckled, eyeing the coffee for a moment before snapping his attention back to Matthew. “If I’m bothering you, I can leave, I just figured you’d be better company than the people who try to swarm me wherever I go.”

He shrugged. "What do you mean women aren't your thing?" he asked. He finished his coffee and threw the cup into the garbage that was half way across the room. "Not what I meant. If you want to stay you can. But while you're at it, maybe you can help me clean."

“I- I mean, I’ve just never really been interested.” He mumbles, silently cursing at himself. He seemed surprised at the question. “Uh… yeah, sure. I might not be very good at it though, I don’t usually do that sort of thing.”

"I mean, it's you. You do you. If you aren't into that then so be it." he shrugged. "You've never cleaned before?" he asked a little confused. "Oh...right of course you haven't." he scoffed and slightly rolled his eyes. "I'll just do it myself."

“Hey, I didn’t say I’ve never cleaned. I just said that I usually don’t.” He sighs and crosses his arms. “I generally have other things to be doing.”

"Yeah, So do I but I can't stand for something to be dirty. And lucky you. You have someone to do it for you so you can be busy doing other things." Matthew began to clean everything. He sounded like he was tired and upset but he stayed quiet.

“It’s more like I have so many obligations that I have to have someone do it for me. I didn’t choose to be a prince, y’know.” He says quietly, correcting his posture when he notices that he’s not standing straight. “It’s not as easy as all us royals make it out to be.”

Matthew didn't say anything at first. He just continued to clean. He stood up straight when he heard the next comment. He threw the towel on the floor and it made a loud slap. "Yeah?! And neither is living like this! You guys think you have it bad but your life was practically handed to you! I had to work for mine! I think that's the problem here! No, I'm sure being a royal isn't easy. But neither is this! I have a debt to pay off! Can you say the same!?" Matthew sighed and walked away, leaving the towel on the floor. Upset was now an understatement on how he felt right now.

He steps back, holding his hands up. “Whoa, whoa, I wan’t saying that you don’t have it hard too.” He thinks for a few moments. He has a lot to say, but he doesn’t want to upset Matthew even more, so he doesn’t say anything to defend himself. “Yeah, that was my bad, I shouldn’t have said that. You have money problems? I can help you with that, if you’d like.”

Matthew came back and picked up the towel from the floor. He slightly glared at him but didn't say anything. After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "Why? Is this out of pity? It's a huge debt." He sighed heavily. "Of course I do. What do you think I just woke up one day and just magically had the money for college and a shop?"

He sighs. “Not pity. I don’t need everything I have, and I want to do a good thing. Of course, you don’t have to accept. I just wanted to let you know that if you want help, I can do that.” After a moment, he smiles, hoping that he hadn’t said anything wrong. He’d never been good with words, but only now did he really wish he was.

"Hmm...I'll think about it. I was never one who asked for help." He shrugged and finished cleaning up. "I guess I can accept this once," he said softly. He didn't smile though. He wasn't in the mood to smile. He walked out and waited for him to follow before he locked up."

His smile would grow a little wider, and he followed Matthew out. “Glad to hear it.” As he walks, he tries to remain inconspicuous, not wanting to attract attention. He’d had enough of that already, and how he was finally getting the kind he wanted- he wasn’t eager to talk to anyone and bring his focus away from Matthew,

"Yeah, though I don't know why." he said as his stomach loudly growled. "Oh...I need to find something to eat. I haven't eaten all day." he mumbled.

“Are there any good places to eat nearby? I’d be happy to treat you to a meal.” He offered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, but you don't have to do that. I can pay myself." he walked to a nearby restaurant. "You may eat with me or leave. It's your choice," he said with a shrug. "And I don't need you to pay." he said again.

“Well, I know you don’t need me to pay, I was just offering.” He says quietly, following Matthew. “I’ll stay. I’ve been meaning to try eating at new places anyway.”

"I know you were offering. And I'm letting you know that I don't want you to." Matthew had brought them to one of the best burger places in town. "I mean...it's just mainly burgers. Have you never had one?"

His eyes instantly light up with an almost childlike excitement. “No, I’ve never had one. Are they good?”

He softly smiled and slightly nodded his head. "Yes, they are. At least to me. But there are many different things you can put on them. They even let you pick from what they have. Or you can make your own." he shrugged like it was no big deal.

“Huh, that’s pretty neat. I’ve only ever been to a few restaurants, and they were all those kinds with ridiculously expensive and honestly underwhelming food that I could’ve just had at home.” He grinned as he spoke, glad that Matthew had smiled.

He slightly nodded as he listened to him speak. "Yeah, I've never been to a restaurant like that so I wouldn't really know." he shrugged. "Now see what you want."

He’d nod and look around briefly to find the menus. He took one and started to look through it. Almost nothing on there was familiar to him, so he took his time.

Matthew had already made his order. He sat there and watched Maric look through the menu. "Take your time." he said softly as his drink made it to them.

After a minute or so, he settles on something and orders, then sits down with Matthew. He takes out a notebook and a fountain pen, quietly writing something.

Matthew softly sneezes. "Ugh..." he slightly shook his head and took out his phone. He was quietly just scrolling through everything. When their food finally came he put his phone down.

“Bless you.” Maric says quietly when Matthew sneezes. Part of him wants to ask for Matthew’s phone number, but he doesn’t want to come off as weird. When the food comes, he takes a moment and looks at it carefully, setting aside his notebook and pen.

Matthew slightly bows his head as a thank you. After they ate their food, Matthew sighed heavily and stood up. "I should probably go now. But thank you for eating with me." he bowed to him, paid, and then left.

“Oh- uh, okay! Well, I’ll still be in town tomorrow, maybe I’ll stop by your shop?” He calls after him, standing up and following him out.

Matthew looked over at him. "Oh...what for? Like why will you still be in town if you aren't looking for anyone to marry?" he asked. "But you're always welcome to my shop."

“Well, I mean… I am looking for someone to marry, just less actively than my family might like. I’m looking to make a real connection.“ He seems relieved that he wasn’t turned away, smoothing out his shirt briefly.

"Oh...alright. Well, good luck with that then. Wish you the best." He bowed again then headed home. He was glad he wasn't as stubborn as everyone made him seem.

He sighed and went back to the tree where his horse was. He leaned up against her and groaned. “Sorry, girl… didn’t mean to leave you here for so long. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do..”
He stays quiet, leaned up against his horse for a moment, before mounting her and riding off to the small place he was staying in, right on the outskirts of town.

The next morning, Matthew woke up to open shop. He felt very happy and well-rested. "What a beautiful morning." it was seven in the morning and he had just finished setting up. He flipped the sign and lots of people already filled his place.

Maric walks into the shop. He’s dressed in less formal clothes than yesterday, not wanting to attract attention. He walks up to the counter and smiles at Matthew. “Hey again! I hope you had a good night.”

Matthew looked up at him. He was dressed in a fluffy sweatshirt and pants. He is almost like a teddy bear. "Oh, morning," he said. "I did thank you. Did you want to get anything?"

“Hm… do you have coffee?” He asks, tilting his head. He held back a smirk upon seeing Matthew’s clothes- he’d been worried this morning, thinking that the off-white button up and fitted mocha slacks he was wearing was too casual, but seeing this completely alleviated that worry. He’d never seen anyone wear something like that in public before, and he honestly found it cute.

Matthew nodded. "Of course I do. You literally saw me make myself coffee yesterday." seeing Maric's outfit made him feel like he dressed a bit too childish. His face kind of showed that but he just made him the coffee. "Here you are."