Masked Emotions // Dream6d

Epilogue (+AN)

‼️‼️WARNING: THIS IS THE EPILOGUE THE MASKED EMOTIONS SERIES, WHICH INCLUDES OUR SPOT AND MASKED EMOTIONS BOTH‼️‼️

PLEASE READ OUR SPOT BEFORE CONTINUING

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     Darryl smiled in the mirror, setting his crown down on the table next to him. The wind blew in from the window, a soft summer breeze. He walked over and leaned on the windowsill. The ocean mist mixed with the morning air, making the brunette hum with delight. From his view, he could see two men chasing each other around the courtyard.

     Though it was quite the distance, the sound of their laughter made it known to Darryl that it was Vincent and Clay, messing around as they usually did first thing in the morning. Even as they ran, Darryl could tell how careful Vincent was being, clutching his hand to his chest.

     The King chuckled. The younger man had been worried he'd lose his engagement ring since the moment Clay had proposed, just a few days ago. Darryl was glad to see that little had changed, turning away from the window and shrugging off his royal garments in favor of a simpler black cloak. Though tattered and torn from age, it had seen him through the best of his days.

     He snuck through the halls, careful to avoid any problematic royals seeking his wise counsel, and servants trying to attend to his every need. He ran down a hallway, the plaque on the wall flashing as he passed, the letters spelling 'A6D'. A window was left open there, as always. Darryl hesitated as he slipped by the throne room, pausing for just a moment to take in the sight of his brother's portrait on the wall, next to his father's. On the other side of the room, a brand new tapestry hung, a wedding gift from his mother.

     He smiled and carried on, getting a fright when he bumped into someone, but calming down when he found it was just Finn and George. The young servant had been promoted for his hard work, now boasting the rank of Head Servant. George on the other hand, had recently returned from out of the kingdom, where he'd lived in a tiny village and where he'd hidden the old queen of Trimid when he escaped all those years ago. Darryl waved goodbye and took a shortcut through the servant's hallways.

     Once again, he paused to peak in the kitchen. The chefs were hard at work, and he felt a swell of pride in his chest, knowing he'd trained them well. On the counter, a platter of brownies sat undisturbed, cooling. With a snicker, Darryl moved quickly. They wouldn't notice two of their pastries missing, he was sure.

     His eyes caught on a bowl, and he stole one more thing before slipping out, unseen. He ran up a staircase and out the door, to where a garden resided in all of its glory. Darryl took a deep breath, feeling the sun on his face. The roses bloomed, happy and healthy against the wall. Darryl unconsciously glanced to the corner of the garden, where a stone bench sat beneath a canopy of leaves. Hidden from the world, unless you knew to look for it.

     Darryl's eyes softened as he watched a man sit with a familiar little girl in the grass. The girl made motions with her hands and the man nodded, grinning in response. He looked up, feeling Darryl's gaze, and smiled. They were a refreshing sight, the King mused to himself.

     After living in the countryside alone for so long, the man seemed happy to be back at the castle. And his daughter, though adopted, was beyond ecstatic to have such a large garden to play in. Darryl lifted a hand, waving to his friends, and the two waved back.

     The brunette turned his eyes to the wall, behind a particularly extravagant rose bush, where a hole just big enough for one person gave him a means of escape. He wriggled through, careful not to disturb the flowers too much. He laughed and ran through the woods, which eventually thinned to reveal a bustling town. The marketplace was overflowing with people, and Darryl decided to take a shortcut through the center of town. He passed a restaurant, smiling at the memories it brought.

     He turned down a side street, casting a glance at an orphanage, where an older woman sat with a younger girl on the porch, the latter of the two had her nose stuck in a book. Darryl kept going, eventually finding the traffic was so bad that he had to go practically all the way around it.

     He ran through an alley, which let out into a part of town where most would be scared to go. Darryl peaked through the window of an old potion shop, though the sign on the door said it wouldn't be open until lunch time. He looked up, seeing how the sun had moved along the sky, and jumped. He was late!

     Darryl ran faster now, cutting a few corners, and nearly tripping along the way. He passed a house, where a father and a mother now grew old, both of their kids married and moved out. He ducked around a few traveling merchants and their carts, and finally, saw his destination in the distance.

     Taking a deep breath, Darryl climbed the hill, to where a giant oak resided. Under the tree, sat another male, his raven hair messed up by the wind. He gazed off into the distance, not yet aware of Darryl's arrival. The brunette cleared his throat and the smaller of the two jumped.

     " You're finally here," Zak said, exasperated. " I was starting to think you'd ditched me!"

     Darryl held out a brownie, taking a bite of his. " How could I forget?! It's our three-year anniversary, that's kind of a big deal."

     The brunette settled into the grass next to him, giving his husband a peck on the cheek, the tree welcoming him with a shaking of its leaves. They ate their brownies, laughing about a joke Zak had told. Darryl remembered his surprise and jumped to his feet. " Oh, I got you something!"

     " Darryl, I thought we agreed no gifts," Zak sighed. " Now, I'm going to look stupid because I didn't get you anything!"

     " No," Darryl chuckled. He reached in his satchel and pulled out two ruby red apples. Zak's eyes widened, and it took one from the brunette's outstretched hand. " I just thought it might remind you of the first time we hung out here."

     Zak bit into it, savoring the sweet taste. " How could I possibly forget, that was the day I met the love of my life."

     " Stop, I'm blushing," Darryl teased, falling over so his head was set in Zak's lap.

     They stared up into the sky, the leaves waving in the breeze. Leaning against the tree, they felt safe. The tree where years of memories, good and bad, dangerous and beautiful alike were etched into the scenery. The tree where they'd dreamed of the future, reminisced about the past, and enjoyed the present. The tree that served as a support for them when the other was away, and stayed standing when their worlds crumbled. The tree where they could be themselves, away from the world.

     The tree that would forever remain their spot.