Avenue Princesse Grace
Up in the hills of Monaco lays the most expensive street on earth, so expensive only 6 elite families could ever afford to live there.
Or
An alternate universe where the drivers are billionaires and cause scandals up in the hills of Monaco.
Chapter 4
The palace halls were empty and the quiet felt haunting. Daniel knew he should be sleeping. He did in fact have school tomorrow, but he didn't care. Daniel skipped school most days anyways, which came as a huge displeasure to his parents. Personally the boy didn't think school was teaching him anything important anyway, it's not like Daniel had “how to be a royal” classes in his high school.
He doesn't know how he got so lucky, or unlucky if you held the same beliefs as him, to be born a royal. He was definitely the worst possible fit for the job. He got bad grades, always skipped school and gave zero shits about anything that came with ruling a country.
His dad Jensen is the son of an English princess, who for some reason unknown to Daniel, decided to marry his grandpa King Albert II of Monaco. He doesn't know what exactly led a person as beautiful and kind as his grandma to choose someone as cruel and boring as his grandpa, but here they were. His dad then fell in love with his other dad Mark who is the owner of Liverpool FC and has made Daniel play football since he could walk.
Don’t get him wrong it's not that Daniel doesn’t like football, he quite enjoys it actually it was more so how much is expected from him. The wind was howling outside as he made it to their private living room, not the one where they usually sat guests. He usually stuck to his room. But he really wanted to play FIFA and his dads took away the PlayStation in his room because he was staying up too late. It was 3:00 a.m. when he booted up his PlayStation, school started in 5 hours. He played for a few hours but decided to quit when he saw 6:00 a.m. flash on the screen. He should at least get some sleep. He thought to himself and made it back to his room as quietly as he could.
Morning came quickly, the sun rising above the vast ocean surrounding the country. Daniel’s head pounded as he opened his eyes; his body making sure he was aware it didn't enjoy the lack of sleep. He already dreaded the scolding his parents would give him once they saw his state.
As expected, his parents were already downstairs eating breakfast when he emerged from his room. He got dressed in haste and ended up with a wrinkled blazer, an unbuttoned and untucked shirt, trousers with grass stains on them from yesterday's football game and unkept tangled curls on his head. He looked a right mess which his parents felt the need to comment on the second he entered the dining room. “Daniel Joseph Webber I, why do you look like you got run over by a truck on the way here?”
“Full name already, sheesh.” Out of the corner of his eyes he could see his dad looking like he's about to pop an artery. His other dad Jenson started with a softer tone, always the calmer of the pair.
“You're a royal and second to the throne. You're required to look presentable.” Daniel was about to say something along the lines of “I look fine” but Jenson just shushed him.
“Now go back to your room and get yourself looking proper. I'll have someone pack your breakfast for the car.” Jenson said it in such a way that showed no room for argument.
So he trudged upstairs. He can't understand how anyone could possibly wish to be a royal. It was just being rich, but taking away all the fun parts. In his room he fixed up his hair with some water to reduce most of the frizziness and pulled a brand new uniform on which his parents had hidden in the back of his closet for emergencies. He takes the staff elevator to the garage and gets in the black SUV he took to school. A ham sandwich is waiting for him in the backseat like promised. The car then drives out of the palace followed by two trail cars. He’ll never understand why he needs to have a full Motorcade follow him every time he goes to school. Yes, he is a royal he knows this, but who in the world wanted to murder the Prince of Monaco of all people. He wasn't even the heir even though his dads reminded him almost daily that due to the fact he was second heir it was guaranteed he would be king in his lifetime.
Daniel didn't like thinking about that. He always found the line of succession grim. How could someone be excited to be a ruler if it meant one of their parents had to die? He could understand why his dad wouldn't care, his grandpa was an asshole and he highly doubts anyone would miss him much. But Daniel loves his dad. Yes, he is tough on him but he is also the best dad Daniel could hope for. So he wasn't one bit excited or awaiting his opportunity to rule because it meant losing his dad.
The car came to a halt in front of the school and Daniel hopped out quickly followed by two bodyguards. He walks through the doors of the entrance, the cold chill of the school ac giving him goosebumps. The guards stayed outside. They used to follow him to classes too but after years of pleading his parents agreed to let them stay outside.
He couldn't be bothered to go to his economics class instead turning down the hall to the boys bathroom. He found Charles sitting on the ground watching TikTok. He sat next to him and took out his own phone. Him and Charles have been friends since he was a sixth grader and Charles a fifth grader. They were both skipping in the bathroom as they were now. They kept skipping together, getting closer every time.
“You look like you haven't slept in a year.” Charles says and looks him up and down.
“It can't be that bad.” he retorts and opens his camera on his phone to use as a mirror. He has prominent dark eye bags and he looks paler than usual, almost sick. “Okay, maybe it is that bad,” he resigns himself. Charles pulls his schoolbag towards him and pulls out a light blue Dior makeup pouch out of it.
“Don't even try!” he warns and tries to snatch the pouch from the younger boy.
“Don't be so dramatic. I'll just fix those eye bags.” The younger says and starts emptying the contents of the pouch on the floor.
“Why is there so much of it?” Daniel questions once most of the space between them is filled with brushes, palettes and tubes of things he can't recognize.
“How do you think I look so beautiful everyday?” Charles jokes. Realistically, Charles doesn't need any of the products he uses, to look pretty. Half the school was crushing on him way before he started doing his makeup.
“Okay now stay still and don't move!” Charles commands in a sing-songy voice, then adds more quietly, “this time I’ll have your shade hopefully.” Daniel is about to pull away but Charles works quick, already spraying his face with something.
He then rubs sunscreen into his face making sure to get at least a handful of it in Daniel's mouth. After his face is ‘prepped’ as Charles calls it, comes the time for the makeup. As much as Daniel complains, he does trust Charles to do this. Charles has always been talented when it came to these things. He is great at fashion and spends most of the lessons he does attend sketching ideas for clothes. He also has his own studio at his house where he makes his own clothes. Charles is also gifted when it comes to hair styling, he often cuts his own hair but also Max’s from what he's learned recently. Charles does his makeup as roughly as he can, beating Daniel up with the beauty blender.
After what feels like hours though it couldn't have been more than 45 minutes as the bell didn't ring yet, Charles announces he's done. He grabs one of Charles’s compacts and looks at himself. He looks way more healthy than earlier, his eye bags are gone and his face looks more lively.
“I told you I wouldn't do anything crazy. I can still do some proper makeup for you if you want?” Charles says and throws on his best puppy eyes.
“I think I'm good.” Daniel chuckles, way too used to Charles’s puppy eyes to fall for them.
“Boring old man.” He doesn't bother to comment on how he's just a year older. They sit out the next two lessons in the bathroom, Charles laying on the bathroom floor, which would be disgusting anywhere else but their school cleans so often that the bathroom floor is probably more polished than the one in his room.
The bell for recess finally rings and they both get up to go find their friends. All the Avenues, as the rest of the school calls the kids from APG are sitting on one of the football pitches. Daniel is considered an Avenue as well even though he doesn't live on the street itself. He is close to all of them but he is closest to Carlos. Carlos had been his best friend since forever, he never has to worry that Carlos or any of the other Avenues are using him for money or status as their families already have both.
“Carlos, are you coming to extra training?” He asks his best friend. Him and Carlos play football for the school team. They are both star players and they both fight for the team captain position every season. For a month every year it seems like they are enemies, they fight and argue until the team roster comes out at the end of the month and it is announced who is the team captain. After that whether the role goes to Daniel or Carlos they stop fighting as if nothing ever happened.
“Yeah dad’s been pissed with me so the longest I can be away from home I will be.” Daniel nods back and lays down in the grass to tan a bit. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Charles and Max talking. Max looks a bit nervous and Charles keeps teasing him for it.
“Do you guys want to go out after school today?” Daniel addresses the younger Avenues.
“Sure to our usual spot?” Charles asks. He joins the year tens on their escapades often enough to know where they usually go.
“Yeah, but someone else has to bring the snacks because if Carlos comes home there's no way he's being let back out.”
“I can go get some.” George volunteers from the back where he and Alex are doing some homework.
“Yeah you're going to come back with apple slices and carrots are you.” Max teases causing George to go red.
“Come on boys, be civil. I'm sure Georgeo is more than capable of bringing a couple of snacks.” Daniel quickly intervenes as he doesn't want to mediate World War 3 again. Max just rolls his eyes and goes back to focusing on Charles. After school Daniel heads to the changing rooms with Carlos.
“Did you get new cleats?” He asks when he sees Carlos pull out new bright red Nike cleats.
“Yeah my old ones were practically falling apart every week.” Practice is tiring as coach Grosjean forces them to run all practice because a few boys forgot their team kit and coach Grosjean was big on the one for all, all for one rule.
After football practice, running practice if you ask Daniel, ends they go change into the locker room, both rushing so that they can go to the park and meet the rest of the Avenues. Him and Carlos stick their gym bags in their lockers, neither of them wanting to carry them all the way to the park.
“You think George will remember the snacks?” Carlos asks once they make it out of the school and past the apartment buildings.
“For sure, knowing him he's set like 50 reminders.” He jokes back and starts to crawl below a few shrubs that surround their meeting spot. His guards stay outside the shrubs and start patrolling the area. The hangout spot in question is a little space between some shrubs that Carlos found on accident one day when they were playing football and their ball rolled under some bushes. It was a giant empty space surrounded from all sides by bushes that was only accessible through a little space where the bushes parted. It was perfect for kids like them. They could be dumb teenagers without a risk of being spotted. Charles and Max are already there kicking around a football when they arrive.
“Where is Georgie Boy?” Daniel asks in his characteristic loud manner causing Max who didn't notice him to flinch away. Daniel winces at the reaction he caused and is quick to apologise. Daniel spreads a picnic blanket on the ground to sit on.
“I bet George got hung up on doing extra homework. Or whatever else teacher’s pets like him do.” Charles sneers. Daniel and Carlos both roll their eyes knowing nothing they say could stop the apparent hatred Max and Charles held for George.
An half hour later George and Alex show up, crawling under the bushes. George whines the whole time about staining his clothes.
“Where were you for so long, princess?” Max grins.
“Shut up Max!” George screeches back.
“Calma boys. You don't have to fight over everything. Now more importantly show us the snacks.” Daniel says and reaches for the bag George brought along. The bag is filled with different kinds of sweets and chips and a pack of Coke.
“Is there any Red Bull?” Max asks from his spot on the blanket.
“Nope, but there's some Coke Zeros.” Daniel replies and goes to throw the can towards Max before reconsidering and handing it to him gently.
“You brought a nice stash.” Carlos tells George and grabs a bag of Doritos.
“Oh, oh yeah. I tried to grab a little of everything.” They kick a ball around for a few minutes but eventually Charles gets bored and suggests they play spin the bottle.
“What Charlie, you don't have enough drama in your life.” Carlos laughs but grabs one of the empty Cola cans.
“Is this really a good idea guys?” George asks warily.
“Don't be such a killjoy, princess.” Charles is quick to retort.
“Okay well what rules are we playing?” Alex speaks up and joins the circle they formed.
“My rules.” Charles says with a conspiratory smirk.
“And what exactly are your rules?” the thai-brit asks, already worried about what they could possibly be. Charles is well known for liking drama. He's always starting up Truth or Dare, never have I ever or similar party games to try and figure out all the tea. He is essentially Gossip Girl.
“Okay so my rules are simple.”
“Here we go. I've warned you.” George adds in
. “Shush George. So basically we play like it's truth or dare. Mouth of the can means you give the truth or dare.
“That all?” George sasses.
“No it's not. Now someone shut princess up so I can finish. You can't ask for two truths in a row, you have to ask for a dare in between. And now for my favorite final rule: if you refuse a truth or a dare you have to kiss the person who gave it to you.” Charles finishes with a smirk
.“Shush princess. Don't even start complaining.” Charles says and jokingly puts a hand over George's mouth.
“I wasn't going to.” he protests but everyone there knows that's a lie.
“Okay who goes first?” Charles asks as he places the can between them.
“I'll go.” Daniel volunteers with the wildest grin on his face. “The can spins for a while before landing on Alex.
“Okay Truth or Dare?” Alex asks.
“Truth, let's leave the fun things for later.”
“Okay have you ever had a crush on anyone in our group?” Alex starts with an easy question.
“Yessir.” Daniel says unashamed as always. There's a few hollers from Carlos and Charles.
“Okay settle down boys. Alex it's your turn.” Daniel says as he passes the can to ALex.
Alex grabs the can and spins it. The can lands on Charles and Alex rolls his eyes at how excited the other boy looks.
“I take dare.” He says in hopes that since it is early on in the game Charles will go easy on him.
“Okay all of us will close our eyes, and you'll tap the head of the hottest guy here.” Alex blushes lightly but stands up as everyone closes their eyes. He walks around the circle a few times hoping to distract anyone who may be trying to figure out who he tapped based on his footsteps. He quietly stops in front of George. He reaches his hand towards his head tentatively. His palm feels sweaty as he gently places his hand on George's head. He enjoys the feel of George’s silky smooth hair before pulling his hand away like he was burned. The action almost feels wrong. He can hear George's breath hitch and a beautiful rosy pink spread through his cheeks. Alex waits for George to somehow compose himself before he tells the others to open their eyes. He notices when most of them start to look around and try to spot anyone acting off. He tries to distract them as fast as he can by moving the game along.
“Right Charles spin it.” Charles does and then lands on Carlos. He chooses dare and is dared to show his search history to the group. It’s mostly fashion sites and makeup brands not as interesting as he was hoping it to be. When Carlos spins it lands on Daniel. “Truth or Dare Carlito?”
“Truth.”
“How many people in this group have you kissed?”
Carlos seems to contemplate his answer for a few seconds. “Three.” he answers without batting an eye. Charles looks a bit shocked before answering back,
“damn Carlos who'd you kiss?”
“That's a different question already Charlo.” The group eyes each other suspiciously. Most of them were expecting the answer to be two, Charles and Daniel. He kissed them both at a party last summer during Truth or Dare. But no one expected the answer to be three. That left George, Max and two kids from the sixth house on APG. None of them were friends with them but it would make sense if Carlos kissed one of the two. They are twins both year 10’s. They live on APG but none of them ever fit into their group. Their parents work in the oil business and are hated by all the other APG parents.
None of them know why. Because anytime they ask they are told they are too young or it doesn’t concern them. The game continues with a few more questions and stupid dares until it is Max's turn. “Well Max, truth or dare?”
“Of course with my luck I got George.” Max grumbles.
“Just choose already.” George whines.
“Alright, be patient, truth.”
“How many people in this group have you kissed?”
George asks, waiting for Max to answer something like zero or maybe one if the jerk got a sympathy kiss from Charles.
“I don't want to answer that.” Max stutters a bit with his words.
“You know what that means Maxie.” Charles says with an amused smirk. No matter how much Charles hates George, seeing Max and George kiss would be the highlight of his year.
“Ew, I don't want to kiss him.” George says exasperated.
“Trust me, me neither.” Max answers with a scowl.
“Well boys get it over with.” Daniel says and smiles wide. Max groans and reluctantly crawls forward towards where George is sitting. He leans in slowly and places a peckish kiss on George's lips, before pulling away as fast as he can.
“That was beautiful.” Charles laughs from where he's sitting and recording.
“Charles don't you dare!” Max screeches and lunges towards Charles's phone
. “Send me that!” Daniel says as he laughs at Max who's grappling with Charles. George sits at the side looking like an angry cat
“All right. I think it's time for all of us to head home.” Alex says, always the voice of reason in the group. Alex and Carlos start packing up their belongings. Daniel is too busy dying laughing at Charles and Max to help. Once everything is packed up Alex pulls a sulking George out of the shrubs, and Daniel and Carlos separate the fighting boys.
Back at home Daniel lays in his bed and scrolls on his phone. He finds the photo Charles posted of their hangout and chuckles a bit at how aesthetic Charles could make everything seem, even their stupid hangout spot in the bushes.
An hour into his scrolling session there’s a knock on his door. “Come in!” He calls expecting it to be one of the house staff telling him his parents want him to sleep. To Daniel’s surprise it’s Jenson who walks in.
“Hi Kiddo.” His dad says and takes a seat on his bed. “I think it’s time to head to bed. I know you always complain but you’re running on fumes Danny. I saw you this morning, you looked like a zombie.” Daniel felt the need to rebel but stopped himself when he saw the look of genuine concern on his dad’s face.
“Okay dad I promise I’ll go to sleep.” Jenson smiles warmly and brings the comforter higher over Daniel.
“You don’t have to tuck me in, dad!” Daniel says a mix of embarrassment and fondness plays in his voice. “I’m not a kid anymore,” he chuckles. Jenson just smiles again and kisses Daniel's forehead fondly.
“You’ll always be my little boy.” His dad whispers so quietly he can barely catch it before leaving the room and turning off the lights. The comfort of the words seems to lull him to sleep as he feels his eyes slowly closing and the world go dark.
Downstairs in the living room Jenson snuggles up to Mark under the soft light of the fire which is burning in the fireplace. Mark pulls his husband closer and runs his fingers up and down his back. He knows how worried Jenson has been over Daniel’s recent behaviour. His husband who used to be able to sleep all day now barely managed to sleep through the night. It pained Mark to see his husband suffer so much. So when he feels his husband’s breathing slow and his muscles relax under his hold he feels relief flood him. He doesn’t know what happened upstairs to make his Jenson’s brain calm and allow him to sleep, but he doesn’t need to know. All that matters is his husband who is currently sleeping in his arms, a sight he never thought he’d long after.