Brandon/Stella - forehead/cheek kisses

Stella was ready for the cameras when she stepped out of the limousine and onto the red carpet but somehow they still surprised her a little nonetheless.

"Princess Stella! Princess Stella, over here!"

"Give us a smile, Princess!"

"Who are you wearing, Princess Stella?"

Usually Stella found the spotlight exhilarating and glamorous as she would preen and pose and feed that small part of her that thrived on the attention she'd always felt deprived off as a child. But tonight the lights felt just a little too bright, the noise just a little too loud, and for one, strange moment, she was struck by the unfamiliar feeling of wanting to turn around and go right back home again so she could curl up in her comfiest clothes.

Ahead, she could see Bloom and Sky, who had exited the limo ahead of her, enduring the same oppressive attention. But although Stella knew the depths to which Bloom hated this kind of thing, her friend looked totally at ease, throwing her head back with a beautiful smile as she laughed at something Sky said to her.

Before she could slip deeper into her bleak mood, Brandon stepped out of the limo behind her and slid a hand around her waist. Immediately the lights and the noise and the people and even her odd mood seemed to fade away and there were just the two of them as Brandon leaned in to murmur in her ear.

"Doing alright, sunshine?"

Stella felt the tension drain away and she leaned into his touch. Somehow Brandon always seemed to know just when he needed to lift her up, just when she needed his reassurance, just when his touch alone could comfort her.

"Of course," she whispered back, a smile finally appearing on her face. "I have you, don't I?"

"Always, princess," he said.

The cameras were still flashing, people were still shouting at her, everyone still wanted her to look this way, smile like this, answer this question, but in the right way, always the right way. And that would continue for hours yet. But she knew with Brandon by her side she would be able to withstand it and he would still be there to cuddle on the couch later.

"Princess Stella, Brandon, over here!"

Feeling happier, Stella gave the photographer crying out for her attention, a dazzling smile right as Brandon leaned in to press his lips to her cheek in a picture perfect moment that she knew would be splashed across the front page of a dozen gossip magazines the next day.

This one was for a guest reviewer. Reminder that requests for this series is now closed, I'm just filling the last few outstanding ones. I hope you enjoyed it x