What basically happened here was me randomly suggesting a writing week, and my buddy bud T. indulging me with this idea... so here we are!

What you'll see is a week worth of stories, each with a different prompt, set in a different fandom. T. is also participating in this challenge and I'll leave his profile link listed down below; however, his stories are written in Italian, so maybe not all of you lovely people will be able to read them. In case you are, though, please check him out! [edit: this dumb site doesn't allow me to actually post his link, so I'll just let you know it's "Wise_Boy" on EFP]

I also understand you probably won't be part of every fandom chosen, but if you're still interested in reading something written by me (for whatever far-fetched reason), I'll be trying to avoid big spoilers (and they'll be marked if there are any), so feel free to read and then leave a comment, advice or critique, as well as any random thoughts whatsoever; reviews and kudos are always welcomed.

These very stories are also available on my AO3 account, so come meet me there if you want, or invite anyone who might be interested.

Lots of love,

L.

Laurent felt absolutely ridiculous. Never in his life had he ever thought he would find himself in the type of situation that involved him hiding in the small supply room just outside the infirmary, ear pressed against the hard wood, trying to catch every single word that was being spoken on the other side of the door.

There wasn't much to say in his defense, except that, when he had been about to enter to check on Damen and had found he already had a visitor, he'd felt the unusual need to see if he was in any way part of the discussion.

Laurent knew well enough what Nikandros thought of him and didn't blame him in the slightest, for he felt as though he deserved all of the Kyros' hatred and then maybe some more. But he wasn't completely sure about Damen's own feelings. Despite all of the times they had been together and saved each other's life, Laurent wasn't completely sure that part of Damen's love didn't depend on his fair looks and his resemblance to the other's past lover, Jokaste. Laurent didn't know why, but he wanted reassurance. Needed it.

There was a reason why he hadn't left for Vere yet, even though everyone around him had tried to explain the advantages of doing such a thing. At first he just needed to know Damen would live and become the king he was meant to be. When that proved to be the case, Laurent still didn't leave, and yet didn't go to see him either. Paschal kept him informed on Damen's well-being, of course; but he couldn't bring himself to make his way to the infirmary and look him in the eyes, too fearful of what he might find there.

That day wasn't supposed to be any exception. Laurent had planned a perfectly boring and uneventful day, mostly programmed to be spent in the royal library or closed in the rooms that had been given to him, and that was to be that. Until Damen called for him. Admittedly, Laurent had thought about ignoring him and simply going on about his own day, but after almost two weeks he had felt the vivid need to so much as glimpse at him. And, it had occurred to him in a second moment, as he was already moving through the hallways, Damen wasn't just Damen anymore: he was King Damianos of Akielos, and not even Laurent had the luxury to turn down his invitation.

But then he had seen Nikandros and completely blacked out. He didn't want any more interactions with him after those that had been inevitable. Sitting with him during the first days of Damen's infirmity and discussing the next moves had been a complete nightmare and Laurent didn't feel like amending to him now just because Damen was the one asking. And so he had moved past the main entrance and accessed the infirmary though the supply room attached to it, the one only Paschal had the keys to, taking advantage of his position as the doctor's Prince to be let through. And now he was listening in on the two of them.

Although this was clearly meant to be a group reunion, Damen and Nikandros were already talking, the latter perched on the edge of the bed of the former. Laurent didn't let himself think they were obviously too close, focusing instead solely on the words spoken.

"I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I?" Nikandros was saying.

Damen chuckled at that, wincing a bit at the pain it produced, but kept his smile plastered on his face even when Nikandros's tone turned darker.

"Seriously, Damen, I thought you knew better." Laurent could only guess what he was referring to, if he was focusing on trusting Kastor, or being so foolish as to do something as stupid as helping Laurent himself, or something else entirely.

"Then again, maybe I didn't," Nikandros went on.

"You know how I am." Damen's voice sent oxygen flowing more freely in Laurent's lungs. He thought of those days in which he had been so certain he wouldn't get to hear it again, and he almost broke out of his forced confinement.

When he focused back on the conversation, he saw that Nikandros's face wasn't matching Damen's. The Kyros wasn't smiling in the slightest, wearing instead a severe expression that didn't leave much space to speculation.

"I'm serious, Damen," he said. Then he brought an arm around Damen's shoulders and drew him closer. "This time I thought for sure that I'd lost you."

Damen was still smiling faintly when he leaned in the hug, sighing a bit. He didn't say anything for a while, just closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of his lifelong friend.

"I still can't quite believe it, you know," he said. "That he would do something like that."

"Of course you don't," Nikandros scoffed loudly.

"Nik…" Damen trailed off. Laurent cringed at the nickname.

"What?" Nikandros raised his voice but still kept Damen engulfed in his embrace, careful not to touch his still-healing wound. "I warned you about Kastor and you didn't listen to me. Now I'm warning you about Laurent and you're still not listening to me. How many times does he have to stab you in the back before you realize he can't be trusted?"

For a brief, terrifying moment in which Damen remained silent, Laurent feared he was just going to leave it at that. But then he moved away from Nikandros and looked him straight in the eyes. His smile was gone now.

"Nik," he began, apparently not too bothered to call his friend by his full name. "You know I trust your opinion more than anyone else's, but Laurent is not Kastor. I need you to understand that. He saved my life, you said it yourself just the other day." He held up his hand when Nikandros made to reply. "I know how you feel about him and I know you probably will never get along, but… I want you to try. Take it as an order if you might," he finished. "For me?" he then added with a sheepish smile.

Laurent heard Nikandros sigh and mumble something that sounded like "You could have anyone,", and decided he couldn't take this any longer. He opened the door to the infirmary, acting like it was perfectly normal to enter that way. Both Damen and Nikandros turned to look at him, stopping their conversation abruptly.

Damen looked considerably better than the last time Laurent had visited him. He still wasn't quite healed, he still bore a paleness that didn't suit him and he had dark circles beneath his eyes, but now at least he was able to properly sit up on his own and it didn't look like he would collapse at any second. Laurent's breath caught in his throat; as much as he wanted to deny it, he has missed him. A lot. Now that he was smiling again, he was making it all the more difficult for Laurent not to run to him and bury his face in the crook of Damen's neck. Not that he would do it with Nikandros in the room.

"You called for me," Laurent said quickly, not wanting to have to account for his behavior just yet. Damen's eyes clung to his face, his body motionless. Nikandros, on the other hand, stood up and fiercely approached Laurent, who had to really concentrate on not taking a step back.

"You took you time," he said. Laurent kept his eyes on Damen. "I was busy," was his only reply. Before Damen could make excuses for him, Nikandros shot back at him. "When the King calls for you, you go to him. Instantly."

Laurent finally turned his gaze on the Kyros. "I'll keep that in mind for future needs."

An awkward silence soon settled in the room, none of them knowing exactly what to say to one another. Finally, Damen spoke.

"How are you?" he asked.

Laurent almost burst out laughing, Nikandros just shook his head in a very defeated way.

"You got stabbed and yet you ask me how I am," Laurent said. "You're unbelievable."

Damen gave a shrug, as if to say that he knew and still couldn't help himself, but repeated his question.

"I'm fine," Laurent answered. And then, after considering the effect that his words would inevitably provoke, added: "now."

Damen's face lit up and his smile grew a bit wider, while Nikandros snorted loudly enough to break their moment. But when he spoke again, his face wasn't as set as it had been only moments before.

"Let's just get this over with, shall we?" he said. "I agreed to this, but I don't want to spend any more time than necessary with him." He glanced suggestively at Laurent.

Laurent was about to reply, but Damen held up both of his hands before he could.

"Okay, I get it. I just wanted you both here because there are things to be settled. With both Kastor and the Regent dead we need to regain the control on those who sided with either of them. Nikandros already told me what you both did while I was… unavailable, and I wanted to thank you for it."

"Everything is under control," Laurent interrupted. "All that could be taken care of has been. We can talk about strategies later; you need to rest now."

Damen glanced at Nikandros with something like amusement in his eyes. "You're more similar than you may realize," he laughed.

The Kyros rolled his eyes, then said: "Since my work here is done, I'm going to leave you two to sort things out between yourselves." He turned to look at Laurent. "There are guards outside, so you'd better behave."

Laurent held his gaze. "Don't you think I had plenty of opportunities to hurt him in the past weeks?"

"You've already hurt him." And with that statement he left.

Laurent felt a huge weight lift off his chest, but he still had a funny taste in his mouth that he didn't dare name.

"He'll come around," said Damen. "Eventually."

Laurent didn't leave him the time to add anything else, because he launched himself onto the bed and pulled Damen close, embracing him tightly.

"I…," he tried to say, but words failed him suddenly and he just breathed in the scent of Damen's hair. It smelled of salty air and honey, and Laurent didn't want to ever let go.

He had to, when Damen emitted what clearly were wincing noises, but he still didn't move too far out of reach.

"I know," Damen simply said.

Laurent longed to just leave it at that, but Damen deserved better. "No," he said. "I need to say it. You need to hear it."

"Okay."

"I thought I had lost you," he mimicked Nikandros's words. "I didn't deem you so stupid as to try to save me like that. Akielos was yours, you just had to go and claim it."

"And let you die?"

"Yes," said Laurent honestly. "I didn't think there was another option…"

"I gave you one." Damen smiled for what must have been the hundredth time in that day only, and Laurent couldn't help himself from thinking how beautiful he was.

"Yes, you gave me one. Thank you for that."

Laurent and Damen were holding hands now, fingers intertwined and shoulders barely touching.

"Why didn't you come earlier?" There wasn't an accusation in Damen's words, of course there wasn't; his voice only held curiosity and unearned concern.

"I wasn't sure you wanted to see me."

"And what ever made you think that?"

Laurent turned to properly look at him. "Damen… I know you trust me, but maybe… maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you should listen to Nikandros and find someone else, someone more like… him." He had said more than he wanted to, he realized too late. He bit his lower lip, but Damen's eyes were already widening, and then he outrageously burst out laughing and didn't stop until his pining wound forced him to.

"You're…"

"Don't," Laurent warned, though he was sure that blushing and menacing eyes didn't go well together.

"You're jealous of Nikandros?"

Laurent felt himself redden further. "I'm not jealous," he said, trying to sound convincing.

Now it was Damen's turn to pull Laurent close, who came to rest his head on the other's shoulder.

"I love you, Laurent," he said. "And even if you've never said it, I know you love me. I know it's not easy for you, considering…" He trailed off and Laurent tensed, not ready for this particular conversation. Damen understood and didn't press it. "I know your feelings," he just finished.

"You deserve someone who can also voice them."

But Damen was shaking his head. "You're the only one I want. I just need to know what you want. And if by any chance you want me, then I'm ready to rule this new kingdom with you."

"I want… I want you, too, Damen." He wasn't sure he could push out more words, and thankfully Damen seemed to understand that, because he leaned in and touched Laurent's lips with his own.

Damen's lips were as soft as Laurent remembered, and he gave himself up completely to the kiss, savoring the gentle brushing of tongues and feeling a pleasant warmth spread down his whole body.

When they pulled away, they looked at each other for a while, smiling and slightly breathless. And as Damen dragged both of them down onto the bed, hand coming to rest in Laurent's hair, Laurent felt the need to say it again.

"I want you."