@hcirlooms - Tumblr Blog

"i'm fairly certain i've been blacklisted by margot," edward whispered, propping a hand under his neck to lift it comfortably. The smile on his lips grew wider, his dimples digging deeper into his cheeks. more recently, whenever sabi and edward were together, something always happened that sent their staff into a panic. he couldn't blame margot if he actually was on some sort of list. "are you not terrified of margot? because i am," letting out a chuckle as he pushed a stray piece of hair away from her face, gazing at her tenderly. strong arms pulled sabine’s small frame closer, as though he feared she might slip away. after this afternoon, edward knew he would do everything in his power to keep her near. "i do tend to keep you on your toes, don't i?" grinning smuggly. "who knew i was a romantic? i could give shakespeare a run for his money." it had only ever been her — it would only ever be her. “looks like i’ve been a bit too… thorough in proving myself, haven’t i?” english prince leaned into lover's delicate touch, savoring the warmth that spread through him with every brush of her fingers. he leaned in closer, voice low only for sabine to hear. "and trust me, this is only the beginning of what i can do to keep you convinced." a bold claim but one he promised to uphold. there was something so serene and ethereal about sabine in this moment. the way she moved, each gesture delicate yet deliberate, as if the world itself paused to admire her. even in the quietest moments, she held him captive—every glance, every breath, every subtle smile weaving a spell he had no desire to break. "us." edward echoed, still wrapping his head around the idea of them being a togther. "what happens now?" not to ruin the moment, but edward knew this question had to be asked—needed them both to linger on the same page, in the same space, together.

#no gifs i can't get any pages to load on my work laptop xx #interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + edward 004.

she nestles closer when he pulls her in, feeling safe and wanted in a way she hasn't felt in a long time. "margot is absolutely terrifying," she agrees with a soft laugh. "but she's also fiercely loyal. she'll give me looks and probably reorganise my entire schedule as punishment, but she won't say anything to anyone. that's why she's been with me for so long." when he mentions keeping her on her toes, she rolls her eyes affectionately. "shakespeare? let's not get carried away. you flew to luxembourg and declared your feelings. romantic, yes, but hardly sonnets and star-crossed lovers." there's teasing warmth in her voice, and she feels lighter than she has in weeks. his promise about this being only the beginning makes her pulse quicken again, and she has to resist the urge to pull him back down to her immediately. "careful with those bold claims," she murmurs. "i might hold you to them." but then he asks what happens now, and the weight of reality settles back over her slightly. she's quiet for a moment, her fingers still tracing patterns on his chest. "now we figure out the logistics we were arguing about earlier," she says honestly. "we keep this private while we work out how to actually make it function with our schedules. we communicate instead of going silent when things get complicated." she pauses, meeting his eyes. "and we accept that it's going to be messy sometimes. that we'll have to work harder than most people to make this work." she shifts slightly, propping herself up on one elbow to look at him properly. "but bertie? i want to try. properly try, not just hope it works out. so yes, us. whatever that looks like."

please ? she must've actually broken that glass on his head and he was hallucinating, it was the only plausible reason for the princess before them to be offering caio polite words without any traces of sarcasm hidden behind them. it made him frown while retrieving the key, too stunned to be as subtle as he'd been delivering it. “ you love making my life difficult, don't you ? ” he concluded. if she decided to change her mind and come knocking on his door later, he would not get up to open it. the thought alone made the smirk find its way back to his lips while he listened to her explain how they'd first met to edward. “ that's right, i'd forgotten about that. then again, it just blurs together with the thousand other times we've met after that. ” the man shrugged. events like these and the party mentioned were the reason there likely wasn't a duo of people with royal titles yet to cross paths. “ are you two close ? ” ― @seraphaics

"she making your life difficult as well?" jesting tone in his voice, taking a sip from his drink, as she glanced at sabine. edward stood there, half-amused, mostly confused. a smile was plastered on his face behind cerulean eyes, observing keenly, dissecting the situation, and both caio and sabine's reactions. despite the confusion, he had to give the benefit of the doubt, royals were bound to cross paths one way or another; their circles were smaller than most thought. "you meet frequently?", attempting to hide the slight discomfort with a chuckle. "we grew up together. sabi is a dear friend." that word physically hurt him, calling sabine a friend. especially after the bahamas, she was more than that to him. "though it seems that you two seem closer," head going back and forth between the two. / @hcirlooms

#no gifs i can't get any pages to load on my work laptop xx #interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + edward + caio 001.

she feels her temper flare at bertie's comment, and she has to bite down the sharp retort that immediately springs to mind. "i make your life difficult?" she repeats, her voice dangerously calm as she looks at him. "interesting observation, considering recent events." she turns back to caio, irritation radiating from every line of her body. "and no, we don't meet frequently. we've crossed paths at various events over the years, that's all." she's acutely aware of how defensive she sounds, but she can't seem to stop herself. the combination of embarrassment from the broken glass, frustration with caio's assumption, and now bertie casually joking about her being difficult is making her head spin. "closer?" she addresses bertie's observation with barely concealed annoyance. "we're acquaintances at best. i dropped a glass, caio made an incorrect assumption about why i was here, and now apparently i'm making everyone's life difficult." she crosses her arms, the remaining champagne flute still in her hand, the liquid dangerously close to spilling. "though calling me just a 'dear friend' is certainly one way to put it." the staff had finished cleaning up the broken glass, but she was rooted to the spot, caught between the two princes and feeling increasingly frustrated by the whole situation. she came here to see bertie, to maybe discuss what barbados meant to her, to relive some of the more pleasurable aspects of that night, and instead she found herself standing there defending herself to both of them. ( @mcraki )

the eldest simply smiled, knowing exactly what her brother meant. “ well, if the harsh approach had worked on you, we wouldn't be in this predicament. maybe this is what finally does it. ” god, she really hoped so. four kids under seven and a troublemaking sibling might push her into pulling her hair out due to stress territory, and hell only knew how sacred she'd found her hair to be.

“ haven't you been in this world long enough to know all your good deeds are forgotten the second you mess up again ? just do what she asks, and everyone will have forgotten about it by the time the bruises heal. ” she sipped on her coffee, humming contentedly as the warmth it brought her.

but he didn't walk away, and now they were there, discussing the consequences of that choice. “ whether i approve of what you did or not, it has always been my job to protect you, rafe, and i take my responsibilities very seriously. plus, you will get the proper telling-off when mamma comes back, i just want to watch. ”

#interaction ── 𝐑𝐁.#rafael + barbara 001.

he grimaced at the mention of their mother. "mamma's going to lose it, isn't she?" it wasn't really a question. catarina had perfected the art of disappointment over decades, and he could already picture the look on her face. "maybe i'll just move to croatia with ilija for a while. before mamma comes back. let things cool down." he drained half the hot espresso in one go, savouring the burn. "and you're enjoying this far too much, you know. watching me squirm while you play the reasonable one." but there was affection in his voice, the kind that only came from years of her cleaning up his messes. he set the cup down, already dreading facing the press. "at least the press conference will be over quickly. get in, say the right things, get out." he ran a hand through his hair. "though knowing my luck, someone will ask exactly what he said and i'll have to answer without losing my temper all over again." he glanced toward the door, then back at barbara. "when do you think mamma's bringing the kids back? need to know how long i have before i'm subjected to her lecture."

her little jab was what brought him back to reality, and he chuckled at the words. because she was right, he was the kind to treat insults like compliments and bask in them. “ as they say: throw darts at it all you want, you still put a picture of me up on your wall. ” insufferable or not, she still chose to spend that night there with him. so caio just got up, put his underwear back on and moved to the kitchen to grab two water bottles, offering sabine the second one when he returned.

“ don't let it go to your head, i enjoy taking orders as much as i like giving them. ” at least in this particular scenario, he did. “ you just hadn't tried your luck before today to find that out sooner. ” he now wondered if knowing it would have her choosing to change the dynamic of their encounters. which he had no issues with, being the quite versatile man. “ everything's a good look on me. and from the looks of it, you enjoyed it just as much as i did, so we'll consider this a win-win. for future reference: i am game to try a lot of things if you ever want to... explore your desires. ” spoken with the casualness of someone mentioning trying rare fruits at a farmer's market.

#interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + caio 001.

she accepts the water bottle with a quiet "thanks," taking a long drink before setting it on the side table. his casual offer makes her raise an eyebrow. "future reference? as if this arrangement we have isn't already complicated enough without adding 'exploring desires' to the mix." but even as she says it, she's already mentally cataloguing the information he's given her, filing it away despite herself. she stands, smoothing her dress down properly this time, and begins searching for the pins that fell from her hair. "and for the record, i don't have any pictures of you on any walls. metaphorical or otherwise." she finds a hairpin wedged between the sofa cushions and holds it up like evidence before moving to the mirror to attempt repairs. "though i suppose i should thank you for proving my point earlier," she says, meeting his reflection in the glass. "about taking what i want instead of waiting for permission. very educational." she finishes pinning her hair back into something resembling respectability, then turns to face him properly. "right then. i should probably head back to my house before someone notices i've been gone too long." there's no softness in her tone, just the usual practicality that governs their interactions. "same time next frustrating meeting?"

breathless and content. when edward decided to fly to luxembourg, he hadn’t expected to end up naked in sabine’s bed. well, if he was being honest, edward hadn’t known what to expect at all. all he knew was that he couldn’t let another day pass without speaking to sabine — he refused. the room smelled faintly of her perfume — something floral, sharp around the edges, like her. scent so intoxicating and addicting,it had him wishing he could stay here forever. they said memories could be tied to scents; if that were true, this one would stay with him. everything edward couldn't articulate, he showed sabine with every kiss, every whimper, every brush of his hand against her skin. words felt clumsy and unnecessary; his body spoke in ways his mind never could. edward pressed closer, letting the tension he’d carried for weeks melt into her, into this moment. and maybe, for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be. "you weren't kidding with the no interruptions," english prince finally breathed out. a breathy chuckle escaped his chest. he half expected margo to barge in like she always did and thank heavens that did not happen. "i feel sorry for whoever passes by your chambers," he added, aware of how loud they must have gotten. "you might have to pay your staff extra... a harzard pay of some sort," smile growing wider as prince turned to his side to face beloved. he traced idle circles on her back, letting the quiet stretch between them once more. this time, edward's gaze shamelessly lingered, not even daring to pull away, memorizing every inch of her likeness. "hi," edward whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss on the tip of her sabine's nose. "this isn't a dream, is it? you are my complete and utter undoing, sabine." letting out a soft laugh, partly in awe, partly in disbelief. "i don't know how else i can show that i want to be with you, sabi — and maybe that wasn't enough but i'll keep proving it to you."

#ughhh i missed them #interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + edward 004.

she's still catching her breath, her skin flushed and heart racing as she lies there beside him. when he mentions hazard pay, she laughs, a real, uninhibited sound that she rarely lets herself make. "my staff have worked for my family for generations. i'm fairly certain they've heard, or seen, worse from various nassau-weilburgs over the centuries. though yes, margot will probably give me one of her looks tomorrow morning." when he turns to face her, tracing circles on her back, she feels herself melting into the touch. the way he's looking at her, like she's something precious and devastating all at once, makes her chest tight with emotion she's not quite ready to name yet. "hi," she whispers back when he kisses her nose, a soft smile playing at her lips. "not a dream. though i have to say, if someone had told me this morning that you'd fly to luxembourg, confess your love, and end up in my bed all in one afternoon, i would have called them mad." she reaches up to trace the line of his jaw, studying his face in the afternoon light filtering through her windows. "and you don't need to keep proving anything right now," she says quietly. "what you just showed me was... well." she feels heat creep up her cheeks despite everything they've just done. "let's just say i'm starting to believe you're serious about this. about us." she pauses, then adds with a teasing smile, "though i wouldn't be opposed to you continuing to prove it. you know, just to be absolutely certain."

“ no, babe, i'm pretty sure she does. there's no other explanation for all these products she prescribed to not have given me glass skin yet. like what am i doing wrong ? ” the logical explanation was she'd sometimes skip some of those steps because she was too tired to spend the extra thirty minutes tending to her skin. “ mkay, because i'll follow you anywhere but i draw the line at― exactly that: lines. ”

“ can't she just have her sales associate send everything to her place ? it's not like the kids will be trying everything on anyway, she might as well save some time. ” physically shopping was exhausting, shanti would much rather just point out looks she liked at fashion shows to her stylists and let them do the rest. “ we can always rent one, right ? how do we do that ? ” there had to be some sort of agency one calls to rent private flights. for those who lived in the limbo between too rich to fly commercial and not rich enough to own a jet yet.

the ghanaian groaned, but actually did move away from the mirror to grab the spare phone somewhere in her room and immediately open tiktok to search for places to see in japan. “ like a chicken shop date type of episode ? wait, do you know what would probably do big numbers ? if we did that but also shared a bunch of stories from our trips. but, like, half of those would get us in serious trouble, so we have to reeeally pick the stories carefully. so nothing about malta could ever be mentioned. ”

#interaction ── 𝐆𝐃𝐒.#giorgina + ashantee 001.#finally editing this its literally been in my drafts for ages

"you have perfect skin, you're being ridiculous," nina said with affectionate exasperation. "but yes, yes, no lines, i promise. we're princesses, not peasants, we don't queue." she was already navigating to a charter company she'd used before. "oh we're absolutely renting one. there's this company, netjets or vistajet or something, they're used to last-minute bookings from people like us. i've done it loads of times when the family fleet is occupied." she entered the departure cities with practiced ease. "there! tokyo departure friday evening, easy. done. i'll send you the details." nina laughed at the chicken shop date reference. "okay but that would actually be brilliant! except you're right, we'd have to be so careful. malta is completely off limits, obviously. and that thing in ibiza. and probably half of what happened in singapore..." she paused, thinking. "but remember that time we got lost in the medina in marrakech and ended up at that random family's dinner? that's a good story. or when we accidentally crashed that wedding in santorini?" "this is going to be so good for your podcast numbers, you're welcome in advance."

“ a personal attack, clearly. they want to publicly embarrass me. ” not that it took much effort for that to happen, but it did look like whoever was in charge of this photo op thing was going the extra mile. “ i was gonna say fake an injury, but they'll probably be on your ass if you're too injured to play but not to travel to the netherlands for a grand prix. is the match on saturday ? you could still make the race sunday. ”

#interaction ── 𝐑𝐁.#rafael + ilija 001.

"fake an injury?" rafe laughed, shaking his head. "after the stunt i just pulled with my teammate? they'd see right through it. besides, my actual injuries are already giving me enough grief without inventing new ones." he took another sip, doing the mental calculations. "match is saturday, yeah. suppose i could fly out after if i'm not completely wrecked." he grinned. "watching you navigate a photo op with two exes does sound more entertaining than sitting around lisbon waiting for the press to stop talking about my right hook." "alright, i'm in. but you owe me for this. just promise me i won't end up in some tabloid montage as your emotional support friend while you're being paraded around."

" sabi, " edward breathed out, forehead rested against sabine's . if only she knew how much he's craved to be this close to her again, to feel her warmth . " do you want us to work? " the question was rhetorical, of course . " — because i do. i'll make it work, we'll make it work. i can't promise you anything because if there's one thing i hate to do, it's breaking promises. i don't know what the future will hold but trust that in whatever capacity i can, i will always try to make us work . " edward couldn't blame sabine's hesitation and fear. this, too, scared him but after these past few weeks, he's realized that fear was what held him back from even wanting sabi in the way he wanted her now and he couldn't let it dictate his life and his relationship any longer. "i'm here, aren't i? and we've barely scratched the surface. i'm afraid you're going to be stuck with me for a long time. if you'll have me." heir said with a slight chuckle. "sabi… look at me," he murmured, his voice soft but steady. "look at me. i don’t know what comes next, and i won’t promise you certainty… but right now, here with you, i’m not going anywhere. i'm not scared. we’ll figure it out together." slowly, he pulled away—just enough to look at her, to drink her in. his thumb traced the curve of her cheekbone, lingering as if she might vanish if he let go. silence wrapped around them, not the awkward kind, but the kind that charged the air, heavy with anticipation and aching with desire. "— so right now, i need you to turn off that brain of yours," finally, edward leaned in closing the gap between them. their kiss was just as electrifying and consuming as he remembered, if not, even more. edward's hands moved to cradle her face, fingers tangling in her hair, anchoring them both in the moment. carefully, he pressed sabine against the door, their bodies molding together. as he traced kisses down her jaw, he hoisted her up with a swift, confident motion, and her legs wrapped around his waist. "today," homme's murmured to her ear, voice rough with need, "i’ll show you every second i’ve wanted you. every thought, every ache — it all ends here." edward pressed her harder against her, his body flush with hers, hands roaming, memorizing, claiming. "how sound proof is your room?"

#she's def no less thirsty ASJDJSJ #tw: nsfw #ig #interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + edward 004.

when he tells her to turn off her brain, she almost laughs, as if that's ever been possible for her. but then he's kissing her, and suddenly thinking becomes secondary to feeling. the kiss is just as consuming as she remembered from barbados, maybe more so because this time there's no storm, no panic, just them and years of build-up finally finding its release. when he presses her against the door, she feels her breath catch, and when he lifts her, her legs wrap around his waist instinctively. the solid weight of him against her, the way his hands move with such certainty — it's intoxicating. "every second?" she breathes against his ear, her voice slightly unsteady. "that's quite ambitious of you." his question about soundproofing makes her laugh softly, and she pulls back to meet his eyes. "thick stone walls, built to withstand medieval sieges," she says, her hands framing his face. "but more importantly, this is my home, bertie. my staff, my rules, my privacy." there's something liberating about that admission — that here, in vianden, she doesn't have to worry about protocol or propriety or anyone else's expectations. "so yes, we can be as loud as we want," she continues, her voice dropping to something more intimate. "though you might have your work cut out for you if you're really planning to make up for a lifetime of wanting." she traces her thumb along his lower lip, studying his face with new permission to look at him the way she's always wanted to. "because i've been wanting you just as long, even if i was too stubborn to admit it. and now that i have you here, in my space, with no interruptions..." she leans in closer, her breath warm against his ear. "i plan to make the most of every single moment."

if edward was going to be honest, he hadn't thought the logistics part through — all he knew was he wanted sabi. call it a toxic trait but when edward wanted something, he made sure to get it one way or another. logistics was a non-issue to him, but she was valid for bringing it up. "i don't mind talking about logistics and protocol," he breathed out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "and you can call me an overly optimistic, madly in-love idiot, but we’ve always just… worked." His voice was steady, eyes never leaving hers. "we’ve been friends for heaven knows how long — and distance never stopped us before. maybe that doesn’t solve everything, but I need you to know—I’m not going anywhere. sabi, whatever it takes, i’ll figure it out with you." edward would move mountains and part seas if he could for her, and that was a fact. the grin on his face only grew wider as sabine took his hand and tugged him along—down the well-decorated halls, past staff who seemed to be minding their own business. edward couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, hands resting comfortably on the curve of her hips, ever so subtly pulling her close. "sabi," he mumbled, letting out a content sigh. "i’m fairly certain I poured my heart out to you not five minutes ago," prince said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "do I need to say it a dozen more ways before you believe me? i want you, sabine nassau-weilberg — i've never been more sure in my entire life." face inched closer as english heir spoke, his other hand caressing her cheek. cerulean eyes, laced with sincerity and desire, held hers unwaveringly. "what must i do," he whispered, voice low and deliberate, "to prove this to you?"

his confidence makes her breath catch, the way he says her full name like it's something precious. when he mentions moving mountains and parting seas, she almost believes he would try. "you're right, we have always worked," she admits, her hands sliding up to rest against his chest. "but bertie, friendship is different from... this. we've never had to navigate seeing each other while trying to be together. we've never had to figure out how to make time for a relationship when we're both constantly travelling, constantly busy with duties that pull us in opposite directions." when he asks what he must do to prove it to her, she feels torn between wanting to believe him and her very real fears. "i need to know you won't change your mind when it gets difficult," she whispers, her thumb tracing along his jawline. "when we go weeks without seeing each other, when people start speculating, when our schedules don't align and we're both exhausted from trying to make it work. i can't lose you as a friend if this doesn't work as something more." she rises up on her toes, bringing their faces even closer together, close enough that their breath mingles. "so prove it to me," she whispers, her voice dropping to something more intimate, more challenging. "not with words this time. i just need you to show me you want this badly enough to fight for it when it gets complicated. not today, but in time." her hands tangle in his hair, and she looks at him with a mixture of longing and determination. "but today... show me what a lifetime of wanting someone looks like, bertie."

strong arms wrap around sabine's petite figure, enveloping her in an embrace. it felt right, it needed — especially right now. breathing finally steadied, feeling sabine's warmth against him, the same one he's missed the past two weeks. edward was a fool for letting his feelings and pride get the best of him, and vowed he'd set them aside if it meant if it meant keeping her close. "those two weeks were not fun," he exhaled. "i'm going to be extremely cliche—and don't laugh—but let's not go two weeks without speaking. i would rather hear you yell at me through the phone than not hear you at all, sabi. it was maddening — i mean it, " english heir cupped saine's face, thumbs running cross her cheekbones. would it be improper for him to kiss her? can he kiss her? but there were cameras? it wasn't like luxembourg security team wasn't watching already. instead, he settled on kissing her on the forehead, warm lips lingering a little longer than they should before cerulean hues find her's once more. "is what the kids these days call — what was it," edward pondered for a moment. "a situationship?" brows furrowed in confusion and focus. "yes, i believe that's what it's called though i think we're a little too old to be in a situationship." his low chuckle reverberated throughout the room, realizing how silly he probably sounded. edward was never really up to date with pop culture and whatnot, having much bigger problems to worry about. "i'll take whatever you can give me, sabi. i just don't want o be 'friends' anymore." as edward spoke, he inched closer to her face, nose barely brushing against each other, voice low for only her to hear.

being wrapped in his arms feels like coming home after the longest journey, and she melts into the embrace despite herself. "those two weeks were awful for me too," she admits against his chest. "i kept reaching for my phone to text you or writing messages, then deleting them. i hated it." when he cups her face, she leans into the touch automatically, her eyes fluttering closed for just a moment. the forehead kiss is gentle and reverent, and she feels something in her chest settle completely for the first time in weeks. "a situationship?" she laughs softly, the tension finally breaking. "bertie, you sound like you're trying to speak a foreign language. and you're right, we're far too old for whatever that is." when he moves closer, when she can feel his breath against her skin, her pulse quickens. "i don't want to be just friends anymore either," she whispers back, her hands finding the lapels of his jacket. "i just... i think we need to consider what us looks like. not to be terribly boring, but logistics ended my last relationship. i don't want to get invested before realising logistics would ruin us too." suddenly the formal sitting room feels far too public for what she wants to do next. without warning, she takes his hand and pulls him toward the door. "come with me," she says with urgency, leading him quickly through the familiar corridors of vianden. her heart races with anticipation, and she's grateful that here, surrounded by her own staff who've known them both for years, there's no need for too many protocols. when they reach her private chambers, she closes the door and turns to face him, suddenly aware of how intimate this space is — her sanctuary, filled with personal touches that reflect who she really is. " i didn't want to let myself believe you could want me the way i wanted you," she says quietly, reaching up to touch his face. "are you sure about this? because once we cross this line properly, everything changes between us." but even as she asks, she's already moving closer, drawn to him like gravity.

it was as if edward could finally breathe, the weight lifting from his shoulders. sabine was the very air he needed, and those two weeks without her had been suffocating. now bolder, more certain, the prince stepped forward, hands reaching for hers. he could have gone on about everything he loved—what it was, when exactly he knew—but he held back. in time, he would tell her everything. for now, sabine knew all she needed to know. "you don't need to say it back," edward breathed. his gaze lingered on their intertwined hands, tracing up her arms before meeting her eyes. "i just ... need you to hear it. it was time you knew what i truly feel for you—fully, wholly." his words were quiet, low—a stark contrast to the raised voices of moments ago. they were meant for her, and her alone. "sabi, i’d never do anything to hurt you. i never wanted to. i hope you know that." one way or another, he had hurt her with the words left unsaid, and edward was willing to do whatever it took to make it right. silence enveloped them once more, but this time, edward looked at sabine with a tenderness that lingered, heavy with all the longing he’d kept buried. he brought her hand closer to his lips, kissing the inside of her palm sofly, "i'm here, sabi. i'm here. i've crossed the finish line, im not going anywhere. i'll be here as long as you'll have me." and suddenly, every fear, every misunderstanding, felt so small compared to what they had—fragile yet unshakable, something neither of them could walk away from. "what happens now?"

when he takes her hands, the warmth of his touch grounds her in a way she desperately needs. the tenderness in his voice, the way he's looking at her like she's something precious — it's overwhelming in the best possible way. she's never seen him quite like this, so open and vulnerable and certain all at once. "i know you'd never hurt me intentionally," she says quietly, her thumb tracing over his knuckles. "and i know i hurt you too, with my own silence. we both made mistakes." when he kisses her palm, her breath catches, and she feels something settle into place between them. for the first time since he arrived, she feels herself truly smile. "now we actually talk to each other. properly. no more assuming we know what the other is thinking, no more letting pride get in the way of honest conversation." she steps closer, close enough that she has to tilt her head up to meet his eyes properly. "we figure out what this looks like with schedules and staff and keeping this between us while we work out what we are. and we promise each other that when something bothers us, we say it instead of going silent for two weeks." she pauses, her free hand coming up to cup his cheek. "because if we're going to do this, bertie, we need to actually be together, not just when it's easy, but especially when it gets complicated."

he was pulled out of his thought process by the loud noise of glass shattering that interrupted his short speech to the english heir. caio, like everyone else in the room, looked to the general direction of the noise and found sabine there, which brought a smirk to his face. a couple of seconds of silence followed while the staff rushed in to clean up, and other guests went back to minding their businesses before he decided to say anything. “ that was physically painful to watch. ” was she trying to be subtle ? he turned to edward, muttering a low “ give me a second. ” while digging into the pockets of his suit's jacket to find the key card to his hotel room ― he could just claim to have lost it and ask for another one latee ― and subtly slip it to the princess. it was the sole reason she'd ever get close to him at events anyway, he was just cutting the whole interaction short. “ i'll text you later. ” then turned fully towards the english once more. “ as i was saying: that's the exact reason the privatization of government businesses can only end in the decline of product and service quality. ” ― @seraphaics

brows furrowed at the sound of glasses shattering, causing his conversation with caio to take a pause. eyes narrowed at the source, worry creeping in at the sight of crystal shards across the floor. "sabine?" english heir called out. just as he was about to approach, caio beat him to it, which made edward freeze. prince stood there utterly confused at what he had witnessed. what was that he slipped to sabine? i'll text you later? questions started swirling in his head, hesitating to voice them. a part of him wanted to let it slide, why was he adding malice to such a brief interaction. it could hardly mean anything right? "sorry—" edward adjusted his stance, cutting off caio. "do you — do you two know each other?" obviously they did, most royals seem to, but edward could not help but ask. there wasn't any harm in doing so right? // @hcirlooms

#interaction ── 𝐒𝐍𝐖.#sabine + edward + caio 001.#sabine + caio 002.#sabine + edward 003.#this thread got me literally screaaaaamin

the mortification of the shattered glass is nothing compared to the horror of caio approaching her. when he slips the key card into her palm, she immediately tries to press it back into his hand. "i don't need this," she says quietly, her voice urgent as she attempts to return the key. "i'm not here for that. please, just take it back." she looks directly at bertie, addressing his question while still trying to deal with caio's unwanted gesture. "we met at one of your birthday parties a few years ago." she's acutely aware of how this must look — her making a scene and then having this kind of exchange. which would have been fine before, but not anymore. not when she came here specifically to see bertie, not when she's finally admitted to herself that she wants him. ( @mcraki )

maybe that was what he needed to hear, the reassurance, the confirmation. what was he afraid of? he's thrown caution to the wind when in came to sabine in the past few weeks but what was he worried about now? he was walking on eggshells, afraid to cause more damage than what was done. "i—" edward stammered, tearing away from her to look out the window, needing reprieve from the urges that was threatening to overtake his sense. "you're right." he admitted. "i shouldn't have gone radio silence. i'm sorry." he didn't want to keep fighting, sabi. he didn't want to fight at all. looking at it now, edward wished he handled it differently but it was too late now and there was no going back. only forward. sigh was softer this time around, weighted not with anger but with worry—weariness at what this conversation had become. The fight had drained out of him, leaving only the raw truth he’d been circling around. edward's shoulders slumped slightly, the rigid posture he’d held onto loosening. "i don't know how much obvious i need to be sabine," edward’s lips pressed into a thin line, his hands tightening at his sides. "my feelings for you have been as clear as day from day one. when will you ever see it?" brows furrowed as he finally returned his gaze onto her, eyes softening. "how much do i have to keep repeating that i want you, sabine. it's always been you, don't you get it?" finally, he stepped closer, hands wanting to reach out to her, but hesitated. edward didn't want to push it, not when they were still in the heat of the moment, respecting the conversation that needed to be had. "i'm going to say what both of us refused to say outloud — i love you, sabine. i always have and even if you tell me you don't feel the same, i always will. this is exhausting—this back and forth we’re doing, the refusing to address it, the assumptions and miscommunications." shaking his head as he spoke. "thirty years was never ruined. it was a risk i — we — took, a risk i well never regret because it was worth it. and its a risk i will keep taking if it means i get to have you in my life longer." and then there was silence. the only sounds edward could hear were his hitched breathing and the steady thrum of his heartbeat in his ears. his gaze never faltered, fixed on hers, waiting, hoping, desperate for even a flicker of response. “this,” he said finally, voice low and deliberate, “is the boundary we are yet to cross. And if you let me, I will ever so gladly—sprint through it.”

when the word love hits her, she almost stumbles, and for a moment she can't breathe. thirty years of friendship, of wondering, of telling herself she was imagining things, and here he is finally saying what she'd been afraid to hope for. her knees feel unsteady, and she's grateful for the door still at her back, giving her something solid to lean against. "bertie," she whispers, and there's something broken in her voice, something raw and overwhelmed. because he's right — his feelings have been clear as day, haven't they? she's just been too scared to believe them, too terrified of losing him to risk seeing what was right in front of her. she watches him step closer, sees the way his hands twitch like he wants to reach for her but doesn't dare, and something in her chest cracks wide open. "you love me," she repeats quietly, like she's testing the words, seeing how they feel in the air between them. "you actually love me." her breath comes out shaky, and she finally pushes off from the door, closing half the distance between them. "i've been terrified that i was reading too much into everything, that i was ruining us by wanting more. but you..." she shakes her head, still processing. she stops just out of reach, her hands trembling slightly. "i'm not ready to say it back yet," she admits, the honesty coming easier now that he's laid himself bare. "not because i don't feel something, but because when i say those words to you, i want to be sure. i want to mean them the way you mean them." she takes a shaky breath. "but that boundary you're talking about? sprint through it. please. because whatever this is between us, i want to find out."

brows furrowed and expression shifted from despration to confusion to hurt all in mere seconds. a scoff escaped prince's lips, just to let out the pent up emotion brewing in his chest. "alright," he began, surprisingly calm. "so i was just going to let that go, that's what you're expecting sabine? that i was just going to let it slide that one of my closets friends just so happened to be previously sleeping with the woman i ... " he cut himself off, holding his tongue. "the woman i cared about." sabine was more than just the woman he cared about, edward knew in the heart of his hearts that he loved sabine but before they could even begin, cracks were showing. and that scared him. "yes, it was months ago, but you also can't blame me for trying to process the information. i needed space, sabine. space to figure out… what it meant, how I felt, and what I could do without losing myself in it.” edward wanted to go on about the questions and what ifs. he ran a hand through his hair, struggling to steady himself. "i pulled away because I had to make sense of it all. i needed to act within my limits because we weren’t — weren't together." yes, they were more than just friends at that point, but neither of them defined what they were. edward let jealously over something that wasn't worth getting jealous over consume him, and that was his fault. "you would take the tabloids' word over mine? believe them over me? i meant every word i said in barbados." the hurt was evident in his voice, defeated almost. "sabine, i just happened to sit next to her at wimbledon. that’s it. nothing more. it doesn’t mean anything—it didn’t mean anything—except that I was next to her for a few minutes, talking, nothing else." edward stood his ground, hands on his hips, eyes shut for a second with a loud sigh. "you don't ever get to say you're not worth the effort. i decide. because if it were up to me, i would spend every waking moment with you," his jaw clenched, the muscle tensing ever so slightly. cerulean hues catch hers, looking down at her with intensity, pleading. his chest rose and fell with the effort of holding back, yet his eyes gave him away—raw, open, desperate. the hurt shifted to exhaustion, limp from fighting the stubborness. “i’ve held back,” edward continued, voice rougher now, the words spilling out despite himself. “not because I didn’t care, but because I had to… respect the boundary we've yet to cross. but that doesn’t mean I didnt want to. so go ahead. argue, doubt, yell at me. say whatever you need. i’ll take it. i’ve tried to stay within my limits… tried to be reasonable, tried to think before i acted but don't ever say you're not worth the effort."

the word cared hangs in the air between them, and she catches how he cuts himself off, how he almost said something else entirely. something bigger, more terrifying. her anger doesn't dissipate exactly, but it shifts when she sees the way he's standing there, the weight of these past two weeks written across his face. "you know what? i'm done talking about caio," she says, cutting through whatever he might say next. "it doesn't mean anything. it never did. you want to know the difference? with him, it was just... physical. meaningless. but with you..." she stops herself, pressing her lips together before she says too much. "the point is, you're torturing yourself over nothing. absolutely nothing." she shakes her head, frustration still simmering beneath the surface. "you're right, i shouldn't have let the tabloids get in my head. but you gave me nothing else to go on, edward. radio silence for two weeks, and then suddenly there you are, looking perfectly content with someone else. what was i supposed to think?" but then he's talking about spending every waking moment with her, about holding back and respecting boundaries, and her breath catches. "boundaries we've yet to cross?" she repeats quietly, her voice suddenly smaller. "we were naked on a hotel room floor, bertie. we crossed every physical boundary there was to cross that night. so what boundary are you talking about? the one where we actually admit what this is instead of dancing around it?" she takes a shaky breath, her anger finally giving way to something more vulnerable. "because you're not the only one who's been holding back. these past two weeks have been awful, wondering if i'd imagined how you looked at me that night. wondering if we ruined thirty years of friendship on a whim, if i'm making a mistake, if you were just telling me what you thought i wanted to hear." she wants to step forward, to close the gap between them, but instead finds herself smoothing her skirt again, fidgeting with the fabric. "we need to discuss moving forward. stop hiding behind politeness and boundaries and tell me what you actually want." her chin lifts slightly, that familiar stubborn tilt he knows so well. "because i don't want to play games, and if you can't decide what you want from me, i'll find someone who can."