Not once had Andrew ever gone hiking, but he had always known that he didn’t want to. The bugs, the sun, the overall exertion of his leg muscles that would cry just from making a trip to the store sometimes.

He didn’t care for it in the slightest, so when he found Elias and was told they would be heading out into the woods on foot, he threw a little bit of a fit.

“I can’t have you carrying me the entire way, but I also don’t want to walk all the way to wherever it is you said we’re going. Do you guys not have horses, or something? I’ve never ridden one before, but if it means I don’t have to walk, then I’m willing to learn.” Andrew leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. The cold water had helped his hand quite a bit, but it was still stiff and ached more than stung, so he didn’t mind tucking it against his chest.

“I could carry you the whole way if you would prefer that. Or, if you’re more comfortable with it, we can always fly,” Elias laughed. “But I understand that might not be ideal either. How about I carry you whenever you’re tired, and you can walk at whatever pace you’d like? I’ll match it, and we can take plenty of breaks, too.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. “Sure, fine, whatever. If this is the only way to get me home, then I’ll make it work. I did already run through the forest once, I guess walking through it won’t be so bad.” He got off the wall and pointed a finger at Elias. “But if I want to be carried, you’re picking me up.”

Elias snorted and gently grabbed Andrew’s hand. “You know, it’s sort of rare for someone to boss me around. It’s new to me. But I think you’re pretty good at it.”

All the fight left Andrew’s body, and his arm went limp in Elias’ grasp. “Uh, w-well, it’s just because you could be making this easier and you’re not. I have a pretty strong feeling that we’re going to walk out past the city limits of this place, back into civilization, then you’re going to pretend like you’re sending me back to ‘my own world’ when really I’ll just have the ability to call a cab. If you’d just tell me the truth, then I wouldn’t have to be so bossy.”

Another laugh came from Elias, and he tugged Andrew closer. “We’ve been over this, I don’t want us both to end up repeating ourselves, Andrew. For now, just keep trusting me, okay? I’ve enjoyed your company a lot, and it will pain me to send you home before we can get to know each other better, but I’m doing what I can to make you happy.”

“I don’t either, and I… I can see that. You’re uh, you’re doing fine.” Andrew took his hand back and stepped away. “So, when are we going on this trip?” He couldn’t bring himself to look back at Elias because what he said had started to make his head spin.

Elias was enjoying his company? No one had told him that before. Or made as much of an effort to keep him happy. Surely it had to be because he was playing up his part as a prince. A good prince of the people would be super friendly, just like he had seen in movies and cartoons his entire life. Andrew looked down at the bandages on his hand again. They were still damp, though they had dried a lot since he came back inside. None of them had come loose or were so tight that they hurt his hand. A chivalrous prince would know how to do that, too, so he doubted he had done any of it especially for him.

“Tomorrow, if that’s alright? And if the rain is done by then. I know you said it would be nice to stay here for a few days to take a break from work, but I can also tell that you’d like to get home as quickly as possible.” Elias sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The horns on his head didn’t budge at all, though the ponytail in the back did, and he had to stop to fix it while he spoke. “However… Andrew, I must admit, this little adventure we’re going on might only yield some answers. This is the mages’ best guess at where we’ll find answers, and that’s because you came from the forest. They think there might be a place where the veil between our worlds is thinner, and if we can find it, then we may be able to reactivate it. But, if we can’t, then we’ll have to come back and think of something else.”

Andrew grabbed the bottom of the shawl Elias was still allowing him to wear, rubbing it with his fingers to give him an excuse not to look up at the other. “Right, magical crap and all that. I guess there’s not a huge rush if it doesn’t work. Not like I had some big weekend plans anyway.” He had started to grumble towards the end of his sentence, hoping that Elias hadn’t heard what he said. “Anyway, we’re leaving tomorrow. Sounds good to me. What do we need to do to get ready for that?”

“I asked a few people to put some bags together for us, and since it won’t be a long trip, I think that’s all we’ll need.” Elias nudged Andrew’s shoulder. “Until then, would you like to soak in the hot springs with me again?”

“I am feeling a little gross after the hand in the water things, so I’m alright with that, sure.” Andrew moved away from the wall, starting to walk towards where the hot springs were. At least, where he remembered they were.

Thankfully, Elias began to walk as well, taking the lead to make sure they’d get to the right place. “I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” he chuckled. “Why did you go outside? You’re allowed to, of course, but it seems odd to me that you would go out into the rain.”

Andrew shrugged. “The blue stuff showed me again, though I feel like you should know that. Whatever you’re using to make it look real is kinda neat, by the way, I will admit that.”

“The blue stuff? You mean the magic?” Elias turned to face Andrew better while they walked. “It just… Took you outside? Did you ask it to?”

“No? I mean, maybe kind of? I just wished there was something to stop my hand from stinging, and it led me out to this big garden thing that had a fountain, and then it told me to dip my hand in there.” Andrew shivered, remembering the bugs and moss on the surface of it. “Looking back, it probably wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done. It did stop the stinging, but I’m probably going to get some kind of infection now.”

Elias let out a loud laugh, one with a bit of a strain behind it, as if he was trying his hardest not to let it turn into crying. “I see. That makes some sense, then. I guess it would take you there.”

Andrew raised a brow at him. “Why does that make sense?” He shook his head, waving his hand at the other. “Never mind, I’m not going to try and pick that apart. I’d kind of like a soak to hopefully get rid of some of the pond water I stupidly dunked my hand in.”

“Alright, that sounds good to me.”

Not much longer into their walk, they made it to the hot springs, where Elias began to strip again despite the rain. That time, however, he kept on the simple, cotton boxers he had on.

Elias dropped himself into the water with a deep sigh. “This is going to become a favorite place of mine again. I forgot how nice it is. I take it you enjoy coming here as well?” He looked up at Andrew, who was carefully taking off the shawl and putting it on a dry rock away from the water and out of the rain. “Even if all you’d like to do is soak your feet again, I’m sure it feels nice.”

Andrew huffed and stepped closer to the pool, his shoes and the shawl left off to the side. “I… I think I’d like to maybe sit in it fully this time. If we’re going to be walking tomorrow, then I want to relax today. I just, uh, I mean, I don’t usually take off my shirt in front of other people.”

“Oh? I’m sorry, Andrew, if you’re uncomfortable at all, then I can turn away and-”

“No, it’s fine,” he sighed. “I’m a grown man, I can be in my boxers around someone else.” Andrew took his time peeling off his shirt and then tossing it over by the shawl. All that was left was his pants, and Andrew took even longer to get those off. His boxers were spandex, thankfully a newer pair, and they had some old cartoon characters printed on them.

Andrew looked back at Elias, prepared to tell him not to laugh, only to see the prince keeping his gaze straight ahead. A smile crept onto his face as he lowered himself into the water, careful not to let his hurt hand dip into it too quickly.

“Are you comfortable with me looking now that you’re in the water, or would you prefer I continue to look elsewhere?”

“Y’know, I think I can handle you seeing my head and shoulders,” Andrew laughed. He had his arm resting on the edge of the pool, keeping his wrapped hand up for the time being. “The water covers a lot more of me than it does you, seeing as you’re a lot taller than me. How tall are you anyway? I’m only five-six, give or take an inch. You look like you could be nearly a foot and a half taller than me.”

Elias hummed, turning to face Andrew. “You know, I haven’t measured in years. If you think that sounds right, then I think it is. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll check before we go.”

“A man being this humble about his height? Wow, never thought I would see the day,” Andrew snickered.

“Are people so worried about height where you’re from? Here, you’re either just tall or you’re not. I don’t see any issues with it either way.” Elias grabbed Andrew’s hand from the side of the pool, holding it gingerly. “Of course, being a dragon makes me bigger than most people, which is part of why we’re the ones tasked with protecting the people. I have a lot of power, and using it wisely is the only good way to live my life.” Carefully, Elias lowered Andrew’s hand into the water, watching his face as he did it. “This is soothing your hand, yes?”

Andrew nodded, though he had been ready to smack Elias if the water hurt his hand. It didn’t, though, so instead he just smiled at the other. “Are you saying great power comes with great responsibility?” he snorted.

“Yes, that’s a perfect way to put it.” Elias laughed too, though Andrew could tell that he didn’t find it funny for the same reasons. “And I hope I can always use that power for good. Everyone who has been gifted power should do the same.”

“I guess, yeah.” Andrew let out a slow breath, letting his body go lax in the water. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought much about that sort of thing since I never wanted any kind of power. It sounds exhausting to be in charge of things, which is why I’m fine just writing tabloid crap that people sometimes read. Some say I’m not nice about the things I post, but no one believes those things anyway, so it’s not my fault if they think those words hold any weight in the real world.”

Elias nodded along as he spoke, still holding his hand under the water. “I think even small amounts of power like that should be used wisely, Andrew. Regardless of the size of your audience, or how many of them believe the things you say, don’t you think it might still be a bad thing to be putting negative things out there?”

“Well, that’s not- I mean, it’s different. What I do is just some stupid fun.” Andrew’s gaze snapped down to the water, staring his reflection right back in the eyes. The occasional droplets of rain shook the water, but not enough to keep him from seeing himself. “I… I don’t look at it that way. But I guess you might be kind of, maybe right. Only a little bit, though.” People did often get upset with him, but he always figured it was because they just liked to argue. A lot of people argued for the sake of it, wasn’t what he did the same?

“I don’t want to be right, I want you to feel good about your decisions. That’s something a prince should help people do.”

Andrew looked back to Elias, biting the inside of his cheek. “Right. Anyway, we should relax now. I want to be able to sleep decently before tomorrow.”

Elias hummed, holding his hand a little tighter. “Of course. But please, keep what I said in mind.”

“Yeah, yeah, I will.”