"Aren't you supposed to be going to a meeting today?"

Slick hummed as he laid back lazily against the side of the Great Tree. He had been looking up at the sky, just enjoying the nice weather and the presence of his favorite earth nymph. Bloom had been sitting in his lap, laying back against his chest and just enjoying the silence.

But then a thought had suddenly crossed her mind. She had remembered his sister Muddine saying something about a royal meeting his family was supposed to be attending. She knew her boyfriend had a bad habit of skipping out on such events, but this one had sounded pretty important.

The prince yawned before wrapping his arms around her. He leaned down and rested his chin on top of her head. "Yeah, I'm not going to that. Way too boring…"

Bloom frowned. "Slick…"

"It's just a stupid meet and greet with some new noble house. They don't need me there," he said. The heir wasn't needed just to give a toast for some family that just happened to either get rich or make a big enough name in battle. The king and queen were more than enough. Plus his sister was bound to go in his place anyway.

She sighed. "You know, at some point you really are going to have to start taking your royal responsibilities more seriously," she said.

Slick smirked. "Me, being serious about that stuff? No way. I'm only serious about important stuff," he said hugging her tighter. "Like you."

Bloom pouted. "Well, I think it's important. And so does your family," she said. "Being a leader is a really important job. I know you may not like it, but it is-"

"My responsibility," Slick finished rolling his eyes. "God, I'm so tired of hearing that. It really doesn't make any sense. I was born into the family so I automatically have to do all this boring crap I don't want to do? How's that fair?"

"Slick…"

The boy leaned back against and sighed. "Yeah, I know. Me bitching about it isn't gonna change anyway. But it's still bullshit," he said. The idea of being a king wasn't that bad to him. It was all the formal crap that went with it. Keeping up dumb apperances, going to stupid events he wasn't needed at, having their hands tied with every little issue.

Why the hell shouldn't he be allowed to let everyone know he liked fighting? Why did he have to pretend to be some prim and proper guy just so everyone else felt comfortable? Why should he have to wait when he could just track down those malchemist bastards and end them?

Being a royal meant turning every simple little thing into a goddamn event or spectacle. It could never be just taking the simple route. Honestly he would have given up the throne without a second thought if it hadn't been for his sister.

Muddine cared much more about this royal etiquette than he did. She was way better suited to it than he was. And honestly he wouldn't have minded passing on the throne to her. But he had realized at a young age that… well, there was only so much the girl could handle. She got stressed out pretty easily if things didn't go according to plan.

He couldn't count how many times she had freaked out or had a panic attack because he ditched some dumb meeting or something. The few that he did attend he only did so she wouldn't freak the hell out. If she was like this now, he couldn't imagine how panicked she'd be with a crown on her head.

So until she ever learned to relax and chill out, he was stuck with the title of heir, and all the boring responsibilities that came with it.

Bloom reached up and grabbed his face. "You know, I think if you actually tried you'd be pretty good at it. Being a leader I mean," she said.

Slick hummed. "Maybe, but I don't really care enough to find out."

"But I just… no, nevermind. It's nothing."

Had it been almost anybody else, Slick would have dropped it at that. But it wasn't anybody else. It was Bloom. And he actually gave a shit about what she was thinking and feeling. "C'mon, talk to me. What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"

"I was just thinking… what will we do in the future?" she asked. "I'll eventually have to become the leader of my tribe. And you'll have to become king. It's going to be sort of difficult to work around our roles, don't you think?"

Slick shrugged. "It's not like we're that far apart from each other…"

"But still."

The look on her face told him this was really bothering her. It sort of surprised him that she was thinking this far ahead about the both of them. He'd always been the sort of guy not to dwell on things like that. He just figured it would all work out. But clearly she couldn't brush her worries off as easily. "I don't know," he said simply.

Bloom looked up at him surprised. "I wasn't even thinking about all of that to be honest with you. But I'm still not worried." He hugged her even tighter, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Whatever crap happens, whatever stuff we have to deal with, it won't matter. We'll do whatever's best for us."

She frowned. "Slick, things can't be that simple…"

"Yes they can," he said. "Maybe you don't feel the same way, but when it comes down to it I really only have a handful of people I give a shit about. If i have to give up the throne and live here, or I have to move my whole damn kingdom here, I will."

"You can't move an entire Kingdom Slick…"

"Bullshit I can't. I'll do anything for us."

Bloom giggled and reached up, patting the side of his face. "You can be shockingly sentimental sometimes. Do you really think our people would be able to prosper alongside one another?" she asked.

"Crazier shit has happened. I mean look at the new monster kingdom," he said yawning.

"That's true." Everyone knew that any species was welcomed to the new monster kingdom. And there had never been any rumors of any inner conflict inside of it. If they could find a way to work things out, then maybe their people could too.

She smiled as she looked up at him again. "You know Slick… I love you." There was a faint on her cheeks. She had known just how she felt for some time now. She had a feeling they both had. But this was the first time she'd said it out loud.

The prince smiled right back. If he was at all surprised to hear the words, he didn't show it. "Love you too." He rested his chin back on top of her head, and Bloom wrapped her arms around his. The two sat in a comfortable silence.

They were sure that whatever problems the future brought, they would find a way to deal with it. This may have been new territory for the both of them, but they were confident in their strength to handle it.

Off in the distance, Bud sat and watched his daughter and the prince. He let out a pleasant hum. He was happy to see the youths willing to face the future with such vigor and spirit. It eased his old mind knowing that after he was gone, they'd be able to take care of themselves.

The idea of his people and the and the mewmans coexisting… oh how he wished he would be around to see such a sight...

A/N: A little bit of some wholesome Slick and Bloom content to sooth the soul!