Once upon a time there lived a prince named John. This young lad just so happened to be the heir of the Kingdom of Breath. For the past week, his father has been nagging him about finding a spouse so that he may rule the lands with someone at his side. But John wasn't really into that thing.

No, this heir wanted to stay inside, reading books upon books about the adventures of heroes. About tales of embarking on epic quests and meeting a guardian along the way. So no, John Egbert was most certainly not going to marry any time soon.

Knowing this, his father took matters into his own hands. For centuries, the Breath Kingdom maintained close relations with the neighboring kingdom, Light. Because of this, John kept in touch with the young fortuneteller, Rose. The king of breath rejoiced upon remembering this. Perhaps Rose shall be John's suitor.

Concocting a plan, the king held a ball the following week on April 13, John's 18th birthday. Nobles from across the lands were invited to try to steal the heart of the young heir and to, of course, eat and dance as much as they desired.

During the beginning of the event, John sat upon the throne as his father introduced him to many new and exotic faces. However, no one really caught his attention therefore he excused himself. After sneaking away from any prying eyes, the dark haired teen stood stock still behind a stone column, checking to make sure the coast was clear.

John then worked his way through the maze of the palace until he reached the door to the gardens. The wind whipped against his navy blue tunic, the fabric billowing in the breeze. For some reason, John always felt at peace out doors with tiny gusts of air caressing his pale skin.

Upon exiting the palace, his sapphire orbs locked onto a flash of red turning the corner in the hedge maze. How did one of his guests end up all the way out here. Deciding to turn this into one of his fantasy stories, the heir trailed after the mysterious figure. After twisting and turning, he finally stumbled into the clearing right in the center of the maze.

Standing in wait for him was the very person he followed in here. Instantly, John recognized the uniform that only knights wore: a hooded cape with two layers of shirts. That's when John took in the color of the outfit, red.

"Are you a Knight of Time?" He wondered, his voice echoing through the night. "As in, a hero who fights brave battles?" John's curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Depends, who's asking?" The Knight turns around and his hood falls back revealing platinum blond locks underneath. He sends John a lopsided smile. "The Heir of Breath finally shows himself. I must say it is an honor," the blond says approaching John, "Your majesty." The Knight takes Johns hand and brushes his lips against his knuckles.

"U-uh..." John stutters, a rosy hue dusting his cheeks.

"Don't swoon over me yet, I'm just getting started." He declares, giving John a pointed look, crimson eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What? I mean I'm flattered, but we just met, and I don't know your name." John rambles on, trying to push back the jitters in his stomach.

"Dave Strider, at your service." He mock bows. The name Strider registers with John.

"You're Prince Dirk's cousin, right? You know, from the Kingdom of Heart." Dave groans at the name.

"Yes, I'm related to that heartless bastard, but you're messing me up here." Dave huffs, perching onto the stone bench. John awkwardly scratches his head, feeling out of place.

"Sorry..." John kicks a small pebble across the cobblestone walkway. "It's sweet and all, but I'm not looking for someone right now." Dave's head perks up at this new information.

"Then why the hell are you throwing a ball in order to pick up ladies then? I mean honestly, John, I planned out this entire monologue and now you blew it." John slowly strolled over to stand in front of the Knight.

"Okay, then I'll make it up to you."

"Oh really, how?" Dave asked, ruby red eyes meeting sapphire.

"Um... Not sure yet. I mean, I feel really bad for letting you down and all." John shuffles his feet a bit. Dave's eyebrows shoot up.

"Yep, I'm all bummed out now. Looks like this party's over then." He stood up and smoothed down his trousers. Just as he was about to reenter the maze, John grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" He all but shouted, unsure as to what he was even doing. "Can we stay here a bit longer? I mean, I really hate the ball going on, and my father planned it and stuff. And besides, it's really nice just talking out here where it's quiet-"

"John?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." And then Dave pulled John closer to him, lips locked. At first, the Heir had no clue what to do. If he was being honest, this was his first kiss. Ever.

And it felt amazing. Dave's soft lips moved against his own, creating friction between the two. It was like a spark igniting through John, warming him up from his core. And he liked it. Really liked it. He wanted to fan the flames more, start a wildfire. He needed to remember this moment, memorize every movement they made against each other. Like Dave's hands tangling themselves in John's messy hair. Or the feel of Dave's shoulder muscles rippling beneath his palms. And holy crap, this Dave guy knew what he was doing.

Before he knew it, the kiss was over and the cape he once followed into the maze disappeared into the sea of green. The Heir was too stunned to move or call out. He merely stood there, among the crisp air of April, trying to grasp the concept of what just occurred. As he moved forward, he heard a crumpling sound.

Under his foot was a sliver of paper. When did that get there? John picked it up and then read the note inscribed on it.

'See you around' -DS