[TRIGGER WARNING: HOMOPHOBIC SCENES WILL HAPPEN, SKIP IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE]

The next day after the training and after Silver dropped by to visit him, Anthony was feeling a bit uneasy as he headed into the male locker room at the Royal Guard Station. He knew that his fellow peers had seen Silver coming to visit him and he was sure that they would have questions. Anthony had never been comfortable discussing his personal life with anyone, let alone his colleagues at the Royal Guard Station. But he knew that his relationship with Silver would eventually become the topic of conversation, especially in the male locker room where gossip spread faster than wildfire.

Anthony walked into the male locker room to get ready for practice today. He was greeted by a simple "hey" and "sup!" as he walked through. His locker was towards the back of the room, giving him some time to mentally prepare himself for the inevitable questions that were about to come his way.

As he was changing, one of his colleagues, Greg, approached him. "Hey man, can I ask you something?" Greg said, his tone casual but his eyes intense.

Anthony braced himself, knowing what was coming. "Sure, what's up?"

"We saw Silver coming here yesterday. What's up with that?" Greg asked, leaning in closer.

"Wait, Silver came to the Royal Guard Station?" Anthony heard Chris yell across the room.

"Of course he did." Another of his colleagues, Victor, said. "I saw him greeting him and the Prince."

Anthony took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check. "Oh, he wanted to drop by to visit me and then we ate refreshments with my mentor, the Prince."

There was a moment of silence as Greg processed the information. Anthony could see the gears turning in his head, the questions forming on his lips.

"So, are you like… gay or something?" Greg asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

Anthony looked at him who seemed to be waiting for an answer. "I'm Bisexual actually."

"You're bi?" Victor repeated, popping his head out and looking confused.

Anthony sighed. "Yes, bisexual. It means I am attracted to both males and females. But mostly male."

Another silence filled the room as the guys digested this new information.

Jake spoke up next. "So, you and Silver are… what… together?"

Anthony nodded, feeling a knot form in his stomach. "Yes, we're in a relationship."

There were murmurs of surprise and curiosity from the group, and Anthony braced himself for more questions.

Chris, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "I don't get it. How does that even work? I mean, you're both guys."

Anthony took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. "Love doesn't have a gender, Chris. Silver and I care about each other, just like any other couple."

"But isn't it weird?" Jake asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.

Anthony shook his head with a sense of frustration. "No, it's not weird. It's just who we are. And honestly, it's not really anyone's business but ours."

There was a moment of awkward silence as the other guys looked at each other, unsure of what to say next.

Finally, Greg spoke up. "Look, man, I don't really care who you love. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

Anthony felt a sense of relief wash over him. "Thanks, Greg. I appreciate that."

But as expected from a group of guys, the teasing began.

"Oooohhh, Anthony's got a boyfriend!" Jake exclaimed with a laugh.

"Yeah, and they probably hold hands and skip through fields of flowers together," Chris added, earning a few chuckles from the others.

Anthony felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment but couldn't help it but smile and rolled his eyes. "Guys, come on. Seriously?" He chuckled.

Victor put a hand on Anthony's shoulder, trying to ease the tension. "Don't worry about it, man. They're just messing around." But Victor soon joined in on the teasing. "Soooooo, does Silver call you his prince charming?"

Anthony groaned, but couldn't hide the laughter that lit up his face. "No, he doesn't….. yet."

Jake grinned. "Do you guys have a cute couple ship name? Like Ant-Silv or something like that?"

Anthony shook his head, laughing softly. "No, we don't have a couple names."

The guys continued to tease him for a few more minutes, but it was all in good fun. Anthony couldn't help but feel grateful that they were accepting of him and his relationship with Silver. After they teased him, someone in the locker room didn't approve of his romantic relationship with Silver and began to make… unacceptable remarks.

One of male guards comes from around the corner and leans on the locker.

"So you and Silver are together, hmmmm?" He questions him.

"Yup." Anthony responded with the "p" sound at the end, not even bothering to look at him.

"So you choose to be…. gay?" He spat at the word "Gay".

This is just great.

Anthony felt his face flush with anger and embarrassment. "It's not a choice, Nick. I like who I like," he said defensively.

"Come on, man. You're not really gay, are you? This is just a phase," said Nick.

Anthony couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No, it's not a phase. And even if it was, it's none of your business," he said firmly.

"Yeah okay, not a 'phase'." He says sarcastically. "I just don't want to hear about it,"

Anthony stops and turns to look at him. "What's that supposed to mean, Nick?" He sneered at him.

"Woah dude! Don't need to be hostile here." Nick says, lifting his hands in the air in defense.

"Well, if you would stop beating around the bush, then I wouldn't be so hostile." Anthony said harshly.

"Let me guess, you're confused."

"You're beating around the bush again!"

"You don't know what you want, boys, or girls."

Almost every guy in the locker room pauses and looks at the two and the scene that's about to unfold.

"Why are you feeling so disgusted by my relationship with Silver?" Anthony asks coldly.

"You know we don't accept people like that, Anthony. We don't need any guy loving guy in here." Nick said to him.

"Who cares what you want? Who cares about what you think about people? They're not gonna change for you, Nick." Anthony said boldly.

"Well I think a lot of people care about what I think and those other people should change for me." He said bitterly.

Oh that's it.

"I'm glad you are doing okay, Silver."

In one of the castle drawing rooms, Silver has decided to invite his friends over to see how he is doing. Ever since he left his home to escape the paparazzi, his friends grew concerned about him when he told them in the group chat that he's leaving to Cinderella's World for his safety and protection from the real world.

As they all settled into the plush couches with the staff placed in some snacks and drinks, Silver took a deep breath and smiled at his friends. He's dressed in this lovely light pink gingham trousers with a bright pink open cardigan jacket, white shirt inside with a classic collar peeking out of the jacket collar and sleeves and a pair of white boater shoes.

"We were all so worried about you," said Gabriel.

Silver nodded with a smile before grabbing a cup of tea, "I know, I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly two days ago. But I'm so grateful to be here in Cinderella's World where I can finally relax and without being paranoid of the paparazzi following me everywhere I go and taking pictures of me."

His other friend, Logan, looked at him with concern. "But what about your family back home? Don't they miss you?"

Silver sighed, "They do, but my safety is more important right now. Besides, my parents and I know what's best for me and understand that I need to get away from everything."

Toren chuckled before taking a bite off the small piece of strawberry cake. "Yeah, I bet. No more cameras following you around, huh?"

Silver shook his head. "Nope. It's been a relief, at least now I won't be harassed by them."

Rachel patted his hand, "We understand too, Silver. We just want you to know that we are here for you no matter what."

Silver smiled, "Thank you, Rachel. You guys mean the world to me."

They spent time together catching up and laughing about old times. The conversation continued on, with everyone catching up on each other's lives and sharing stories. As they chatted, Silver felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn't felt in a while. These were his friends, the people who had been there for him through thick and thin.

Logan's eyes began to wander around the drawing room. "I just realized something," he said, causing the head to look at him. "All of us are connected or have close ties to powerful or wealthy people."

"What are you talking about?" Toren asks him in confusion, drinking his tea.

Logan turns to look at the jaquin creature beside him. "Well, for starters, you, Toren, are adopted by the Jaquin royal family," his head turned and pointed his finger at Gabriel.

"Gabriel is dating Jasiri who is the hyena Queen, Adam is married to the wealthy ghost woman from the Victorian Era, Silver has a royal connection with the Disney Princesses and is literally bestie with them, Rachel is dating the duck who has magical power and is living with him in his Manor." His finger pointed back to him. "And me? I am working at Disney's Wrestling Discipline Center which earns me a lot of money which I kinda guess makes me rich soooooooooooooo." He took a sip of his tea while eyeing at everyone. "Do what you want with that information."

All eyes looked at each other, they were completely silent and paused by Logan's observation. All members of the Dream Defenders never once in their life realize that they are practically rich or have powerful connections.

Silver was the first to break the silence, "I never really thought about it that way. I mean, I have great connections to the royals, but I never really thought of myself as 'rich'."

Gabriel nodded in agreement, "Same here. I've been dating Jasiri for like… who knows how long exactly, but I never really thought about her being a queen and the power that comes with it. Then again…. One day, Jasiri and I will get married someday in the future and if I end up marrying the Queen… that would make me her King."

"Prince Consort you mean." Silver corrected him. "In real life, you would be her Prince Consort since the title King outranks the Queen."

Rachel spoke up, "I guess we just never really focused on the wealth and power aspect of our lives. We were too busy being friends and saving the world."

Toren chuckled, "Yeah, I guess being a hero can make you forget about those things."

Adam smirked, "Well, it's good to know that we have connections in high places. Who knows, it might come in handy one day."

Logan raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, like what? Using your ghost wife to haunt your enemies?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Come on, Logan, we're not villains. We don't use our connections for evil."

Toren laughed, "But maybe we can use them for some harmless pranks."

Logan grinned, "We should start our own club, the Rich and Powerful Friends Club."

Rachel rolled her eyes at him, "Oh, Logan, please. Let's just enjoy our time together without any labels."

Logan raised his eyebrows, "Why not? It could be fun. We could have our own secret handshakes and everything."

Adam chuckled at him, "Come on Logan, let's just be the Dream Defenders, a group of friends who have each other's backs."

Silver nodded in agreement, "Exactly. We don't need labels or titles to define us. We are just a group of friends who care about each other and that's what all matters to us."

As the conversation went on, Rachel couldn't help but ask about Silver's boyfriend, Anthony. "So, how's Anthony doing? Is he doing well at the Royal Guard Station?" Rachel asked with a smirk.

Silver blushed a little when she mentioned his name, "Yeah, he's doing good after all. He's been busy with his royal guard training with his mentor, the Prince, but he's been making time for me since Saturday and Sunday are the guards' weekends off."

Rachel giggled, "Aww, that's so cute. You two are like a Disney fairy tale come to life."

"Yeah," Adam smirked, "but Silver's the one who's the real-life Disney Princess in this story."

"I can see it now." Toren chuckled, "Silver and Anthony, the royal power couple."

Logan chuckled along with him. "All he needs is to have one or both his parents to be dead, an evil witch to lock him away in the tower, an random old lady with an glowing stick, and a bunch of random animals who probably have rabies to be his animal friend and he's all set and ready."

Gabriel playfully nudged Silver, "So, when are you going to introduce us to your Prince Charming?"

Silver blushed even harder, "Well until Saturday or Sunday comes, I will introduce you guys to Anthony."

"Oh, come on," Silver. Logan grinned mischievously, "Don't be shy. We want to meet the Prince of your heart."

Gabriel chuckled, "Come on, Logan, let's not tease him too much. We're just happy for him."

Rachel nodded with Gabriel, "Yeah, we just want to meet him and make sure he's treating our Silver right."

"And if he's not, we'll have to have a talk with him." Toren added.

Adam smirked, "Yeah, we don't mess around when it comes to our friends' happiness."

Silver couldn't help but laugh at his friends' antics. "Okay, okay, I get it. You guys want to meet Anthony. I'll make sure to introduce you guys to him next time on Saturday or Sunday."

Logan grinned, "Awesome! Can't wait to meet the Prince Charming to our very own Disney Princess."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Logan, stop with the Disney references already."

Toren chuckled, "Hey, we can't help it. Silver is practically living in his own Disney Princess movie right now."

Rachel giggled, "Yeah, and we're all just supporting characters in his story."

Silver couldn't help but roll his eyes at his friends' teasing. "You guys are relentless," he said with a chuckle.

Rachel leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come on, Silver, spill the tea. What's Anthony like? Is he as charming as you make him out to be?"

Silver's cheeks turned red as he thought about his boyfriend. "Anthony is amazing. He's kind, loyal, and fiercely protective of me. He may be a bit reserved at first, but once you get to know him, he's really funny and sweet."

Logan smirked, "Sounds like a real catch. When are we going to meet him?"

Silver took a sip of his tea before he speak, "I already said I'll introduce you guys to him on Saturday or Sunday."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you're not going to introduce him to us tonight?"

Silver shook his head, "I didn't want to overwhelm him with too many people at once. Plus, I wanted to spend some time with you guys first."

Gabriel laughed, "We understand, Silver. But you better not keep him hidden from us for too long. We're dying to meet your dashing Prince Charming."

Toren grinned, "Yeah, and we will put him in a test."

Silver rolled his eyes at Toren's grin. "I'll introduce you guys to him when the weekend comes. And what test?"

"Oh, you know," Rachel grinned, "the test to see if he's worthy of being with you."

Silver shook his head, "I don't think that's necessary. Anthony is already worthy of being with me."

"Oh, come on, Silver." Adam smirked, "Don't be so uptight. It'll be fun to see if he can handle us."

Gabriel chuckled, "Yeah, we're not that scary."

Toren nodded in agreement, "And we just want to make sure that he's good enough for you."

Logan grinned, "Exactly. We need to make sure he's not just after your royal connections or anything."

Silver sighed, "Fine. What's the test?"

The group exchanged mischievous glances before Gabriel spoke up, "We're not telling you. It's a surprise."

Logan chuckled, "But don't worry, Silver. If Anthony is anything like you said, he'll pass with flying colors."

Adam nodded, "Yeah, we trust your judgment, Silver. If you like him, then he must be a good guy."

"Thank you, guys. That means a lot to me." Silver smiled at his friends, feeling grateful for their support and love. As the conversation continued, Silver couldn't help but feel grateful for his friends. They were always there for him, even in the toughest of times. And now, with Anthony in his life, he felt even more blessed. He couldn't wait to introduce him to his friends and see how they would all get along.

But their conversations soon came to the end when Prudence entered the room, her presence immediately catching the attention of everyone in the room. "I do apologize to interrupt, but I'm afraid that visiting time is over. It's time to say goodbye to Mister Willow and head back to your respective world."

Silver's smile faltered a bit, he looked at his friends with a grateful smile. "Thank you all for visiting me, it means a lot to me. I'll miss you all, but I'll be sure to invite you all over next time every Wednesday."

Gabriel stood up, "Of course, Silver. We're always here for you."

"Yeah," Adam nodded, "don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything."

Toren added, "And if you ever need protection, I've got your back."

"We love you, Silver." Rachel hugged Silver, "Don't forget that."

Logan grinned with his arm wrap around on Silver's shoulder, "And if you ever need a loan to buy something, just let me know. But make sure you pay me back."

They all laughed and said their goodbyes before hugging him goodbye and heading out of the room. Just as Gabriel was about to be the last one to leave, Silver quickly stopped him.

"Oh and Gabriel," Silver called out his name.

The raven bird turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"Before you leave with the others, would you do me a favor for me please?" Silver asks him.

"Of course!" Gabriel smiled. "Anything for you!"

Tiffany steps up between these carrying a silver tray with white envelope on top before Silver grabs it with a "thanks you" and hands it over to Gabriel. "Would you be so kind as to deliver this letter to my family back home?" He asked.

Gabriel's smile faltered slightly as he took the envelope from Silver's hand. "Sure, I can do that. Is everything okay?" he asked, concern etched on his beak.

Silver hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, everything's fine. I just… haven't had a chance to send a letter back home since I have arrived and I want to make sure my family knows I'm doing well here."

Gabriel didn't look convinced but he didn't press the issue. "Okay, I'll make sure it gets there safely," he said, tucking the envelope into his jacket pocket inside. "Also, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, what is it?" Silver replied.

"How come you didn't think about texting your family about your well-being? Would it be easier for you to just…. I don't know… text them?" Gabriel asked, genuinely curious.

Silver smiled sheepishly. "I know, I know. It's just that if I do," he said with a soft tone. "I fear that someone from the media might hack into one of our phones and leak my message to my family knowing that I am in this world."

Gabriel nodded understandingly. "I see. Well, I'll make sure to deliver this letter safely and discreetly," he said reassuringly. "You don't have to worry about anything, Silver."

Silver smiled gratefully at Gabriel. "Thank you so much, Gabriel. I really appreciate it," he said, curtsy at the raven as Gabriel turned to leave. Silver couldn't shake the feeling of gratitude and happiness that filled him.

He was lucky to have friends like these, and he knew that no matter what happened, they would always be there for him.

"Oh gosh, you're selfish," Anthony yelled at him, causing attention from the other guards. He felt the weight of their eyes staring at him, judging him for his outburst.

"So what?" He shrugged and rolled his eyes, trying to dismiss Anthony's accusations.

Anthony couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So you expect people who are born differently to be like you? That's ridiculous!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the halls.

The other guards started to crowd around them, intrigued by the commotion. Anthony and the other guard, Nick, had been arguing for a while now, but it seemed to be escalating quickly.

"They choose to be like that, they want to be like that-" Nick started to explain, but Anthony cut him off.

"Are you that serious?!" he shouted. "Why would anyone want to be like that if they have to be bullied or harassed every day by people like you?"

"Well, I'm pretty important, so they should care about what I want," Nick said with a smug smirk.

Anthony felt a knot form in his stomach. He knew where this conversation was headed, and he didn't want to have it.

"Oh really?" Anthony turned to Derek, hoping he would help diffuse the situation. "Derek. Do you really give a crap about what this guy thinks or wants?"

Derek's eyes widened, and he stumbled over his words. "O-oh heck no! Don't you dare drag me into this, I don't want to be in the middle of this argument."

Anthony rubbed his temples, feeling the headache coming on. He didn't want to argue with Nick, but he also couldn't let him get away with his bigotry.

"Look Nick, whatever I do with my life has nothing to do with you," Anthony said as calmly as he could. "My relationship with Silver is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I will be damned if anyone ever tries to say something negative about him, me, or us."

Nick scoffed. "Fine, whatever you say."

Anthony watched as Nick walked away as the other guards who watched the whole thing went on to their business, his heart racing with anger and frustration. He punched the locker, feeling the sting in his knuckles.

"Dammit," he swore under his breath. As he leaned against the locker, trying to calm himself down, Greg approached him. He could see the concern in his friend's eyes, but it did little to ease the anger that was coursing through him.

"Hey." Greg calls for him. "Uh... Dude."

Anthony looked at his concerned face.

"Let's do some laps around the courtyard," he suggested, "it'll help you blow off some steam."

"Alright." Anthony says, taking his offer. The redhead man is too mad to even see straight. So he ended up running into most of the lockers and he also didn't care that he wasn't dressed in his royal guard uniform, instead he was wearing his white shirt, light black trousers and boots.

The prince will probably get mad at him for not wearing his uniform.

As the night wore on, Silver couldn't shake the feeling of gratitude and happiness that filled him. He was lucky to have friends like these, and he knew that no matter what happened, they would always be there for him. Now in his bedchamber, Silver sat in the vanity while Tiffany brushed his curls with the comb as Urban had already left after picking out his nightwear to give Silver some privacy once Tiffany was finished with his curls.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Anthony walked in, looking exhausted. "Hey, Silver. Mind if I crash here for a bit?" he asked, throwing himself onto one of the couches in Silver's room. He is wearing this white loose fitting shirt that has a collar and open neck slit. It features long slightly puff sleeves with regular cuffs each with a single white button. A pair of black light trousers pants are worn with the shirt tucked in and a pair of black boots is also present.

Silver turned around, smiling at his boyfriend. "Of course not," he said, Tiffany then finished up his hair and left the room so they could have some privacy. "How is the Royal Guard Station today?"

Anthony let out a heavy sigh. "Just a lot of training and drills. You know how it is," he said, closing his eyes and resting his head on the armrest of the couch.

Silver walked over to him, sitting down on the edge of the couch and placing a hand on Anthony's shoulder. "I'm sorry you had a rough day," he said, leaning in to give him a gentle kiss on the forehead before getting up and heading toward the closet room to change into his nightwear attire.

Anthony smiled up at him, feeling instantly comforted by Silver's presence. "Thanks, Silver. Also, you never guess what's happening in the locker room."

"Oooh," Silver's voice can be heard inside the closet room. "What happened?"

Anthony hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "There's a guy, Nick, in the locker room who was pretty much being negative about our relationship," he admitted, his voice low and strained.

Silver's heart sank at his words. He had feared something like this might happen, but he had hoped that it wouldn't. "What did he say?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"He was just making snide comments about how it's not right for two guys to be together. He said that we're going against nature and that it's disgusting," Anthony said, his voice laced with anger and hurt.

Silver felt his own anger rising at the thought of someone insulting their relationship. He knew that they would face prejudice and discrimination, but it still stung to hear it firsthand. "I'm so sorry, Anthony. You don't deserve to be treated like that," he said, walking out of the closet room wearing his nightgown. This ivory nightgown dress features a scoop neckline empire bodice with double darts on either side of the bodice and puffed sleeves and a circle floor-length skirt with pleated style.

There's an ultra violet silk ribbon wrap on his arms, underneath his gown was a pair of black flat slippers. His black curls cascading down behind him with some sitting on both shoulders.

Anthony gave him a small smile as he watched him walk toward the tall golden mirror. "Thanks, Sil. I know that we'll face challenges, but I'm not going to let anyone come between us," he said, looking at him.

"Soooo, how was your day?" Anthony changed the subject.

Silver shrugged, a small smile on his face on the reflection of the tall stand mirror. "Oh my day is good. I invited my friends over to visit me to see how I am doing since my departure."

Anthony chuckled as he turned his body over to look at Silver. "Well, that sounds like a nice change of pace from my day."

Silver chuckled back, wrapping the ribbon underneath the chest to make this nightgown into an empire-waist style. "Hehe, yeah. Sorry that my day sounds better than your rough day." He then makes a small bow in the back.

Anthony laughed. "Apologies accepted." The redhead man watched him for a moment before getting up from the couch and walking over to where Silver was standing. He wrapped his arms around Silver's waist, which caused Silver to yelp by surprise, resting his chin on Silver's shoulder as he looked at their reflection in the mirror.

"You know, I love you," Anthony said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Silver felt his heart skip a beat at Anthony's words. He relaxes himself, looking up into his eyes at the mirror. "I love you too," he said, his voice filled with emotion.

Anthony turned his head and kissed him, his lips soft and gentle against Silver's cheek. "You're beautiful," He said, his eyes locked on him.

Silver blushed. "Stop it, Anthony. You're making me blush."

"I can't help it. You're just so lovely." Anthony tightened his grip on Silver, his own smile widening. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me," he said, slowly working his way down from his cheek to his neck. He gently moved aside the puff sleeves of Silver's nightgown, revealing his shoulders, which he kissed softly.

Silver let out a soft gasp as he felt Anthony's lips on his skin. He leaned back into him, feeling his body respond to Anthony's touch. "Are you trying to make me feel good?" he whispered, his eyes closed in pleasure.

Anthony chuckled against Silver's skin, his hands trailing down to Silver's ribbon. "I aim to please," he said, kissing Silver's collarbone.

Anthony wrapped his fingers around Silver's black curls as he placed a kiss on his hair. He released it and placed his hands on his waist and his hands slowly touched the bow of his nightgown. "I want you to see yourself the way I see you," he said softly.

Silver's breath caught in his throat as he felt Anthony's hot breath on his neck. He closed his eyes and then his eyes flew open, and he watched as he moved his lips down to his collarbone.

In the same night, Gabriel arrived at the Willow family's front porch, holding the letter that Silver had entrusted him with. He took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell, feeling a little nervous about delivering such an important message.

After a few moments, the dog barked inside and the door opened and Silver's mother, Paula, stood there with a smile on her face. "Gabriel! What a surprise! What brings you here?" she asked, hugging him warmly.

Gabriel smiled at her. "I have a letter from Silver," he said, handing her the envelope from his jacket pocket inside. "He asked me to deliver it to you all."

Paula's smile faltered slightly as she looked down at the envelope in her hand. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "How is my boy?"

Gabriel nodded, "Yes, everything's fine. Silver is doing well and he wanted to let you all know that he's safe and happy in Cinderella's World."

Paula let out a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank goodness. We've been so worried about him ever since he left."

Gabriel nodded sympathetically, "I know. He told us all about it when he invited us over to visit him."

Paula smiled gratefully at him, "My family and I thank you and your friends for being there for him, Gabriel. It means a lot to us that he has friends like you."

Gabriel smiled back, "Of course. We all care about Silver and we just want to make sure he's okay."

Paula nodded before turning to her husband, Roberto, who had come to the door as well. "Roberto, come and see. Gabriel has a letter from Silver."

Roberto walked over, looking curious. "What's this?" he asked, taking the envelope from Paula.

"It's a letter from Silver," Gabriel said. "Silver asked me to deliver it to you personally."

Silver's father raised an eyebrow, "Is everything okay? Why didn't Silver just text us?"

Gabriel explained, "He didn't want to risk the paparazzi hacking into his phone and leaking any information. He wanted to make sure you received this letter safely."

Paula looked up at him from the letter, "Gabriel, would you like to stay for dinner? We were just about to start cooking."

Gabriel felt his stomach grumble at the mention of food. "I'd love to, thank you. What are you having?"

"Tacos Al Pastor!"

"Ooooohhhhh!"

Once everyone is gathered around the Dining Room with Silver's younger siblings, Valentina and Amelia, along with the family dog, Buster, eagerly opening the letter from Silver. Gabriel sat at the table across the twins, patiently waiting for their reaction.

Roberto nodded before opening the envelope and taking out the letter. He cleared his throat before reading it out loud for everyone to hear.

"To My Family,

May this correspondence find you in sound health and high spirits. I, myself, have become accustomed to my new surroundings, having formed an acquaintance with two esteemed associates within the castle walls. Allow me to assure you that I am safe and content in the enchanting realm of Cinderella.

His Majesty, the King, along with his son and daughter-in-law, Prince Charming and Cinderella, have extended the most gracious hospitality and kindness towards me including the castle staff upon my arrival. You need not fret for my well being, for I am under the watchful eye of the Crown. Despite the warm reception and newfound friendships, I do long for the company of my beloved family. Yet, my stay in this world is but temporary, and I shall be reunited with you in mere weeks' time.

Please extend my fondest regards to those back home. Until we meet again, until I can go home, I remain your devoted correspondent.

With love,

Silver."

As the Dad finished the letter, there were tears in Paula's eyes and a proud smile on Roberto's face. "Our boy is doing so well," he said, his voice filled with emotion.

Paula wiped her tears away, "He's always been so brave. I'm just glad he's happy."

Gabriel nodded, "He's been telling us all about his time in Cinderella's World. He's really enjoying it there and feels safe now without the paparazzi following him like some stalkers."

Roberto chuckled, "I'm not surprised. He's always been fascinated with fairy tales and magic."

Paula smiled, "Yes, he used to love hearing bedtime stories about princesses and dragons when he was a little boy."

"Princesses and dragons, huh." Gabriel spoke with mischievous tones that no one in the room noticed. "That is very interesting to hear..."

Amelia began to speak with a sign, "I miss him so much. Do you think we can see him again?"

Paula smiled but yet a sad look, "I'm sorry Amy but I'm afraid we can't."

"Why not? Valentina whines.

"Your brother is under protection and we do not want to draw any media attention if they find out." Roberto responded to the girls. "Do you girls understand?"

The twins nodded their head at their dad. "Si, Papa."

Gabriel smiled at the family's close bond and how much they loved Silver. "It sounds like Silver is doing really well and he's happy. That's all that matters."

Roberto looked up at Gabriel with gratitude, "Thank you, Gabriel, for delivering this letter to us. We appreciate it more than you know."

Gabriel smiled back, "Of course. Anytime."

The family continued their dinner, laughing and chatting about Silver's adventures and all the things they wanted to do when they visited him. It was a night filled with love, family, and hope for the future. The night came to an end when Gabriel finally bid the Willow family goodbye as it's time for him to head back, promising to pass along any future messages from Silver.

As they cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen, Roberto spoke up, "It's hard not having him here with us. I miss him so much."

Paula nodded, "I do too." She said while she was washing the dishes in the sink. "But at least we know he's safe and happy. That's all that matters."

"I just wish he didn't have to leave like this." Roberto sighed, "It's not fair that he had to run away from his own life just to feel safe."

Paula put a hand on his arm, "I know, Roberto. It breaks my heart too. But we have to trust that he knows what's best for him and his safety. And we have to support him no matter what."

Roberto looked at her, "I just don't want him to think we're giving up on him. We'll do whatever it takes to protect him."

"I know we will." Paula nodded, "And we'll be there for him when he comes back."

"Thank you, mi amor." Roberto smiled at her, "You always know just what to say."

Paula smiled back, "That's what I'm here for. We'll get through this together."

The couple continued to clean up the kitchen, their thoughts filled with their love for their son and their hopes for his future. They knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would always be there for him, supporting him and loving him with all their hearts.

"Do you think Silver will be homesick when he's in that world?" Roberto asks his wife, putting the plate off the side to dry out for the night.

Paula patted her husband's cheek. "Don't worry Roberto," she answered. "I'm sure our son's partner Anthony is doing his best to make Silver feel very comfortable."

"Anthony," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Anthony stopped and looked at him in the mirror. "Yes?" he asked.

"This is all… all so new to me," Silver said.

"I know," Anthony said. "But you don't have to be scared. I'll take care of you." He groaned. "I want to see you like this," he said, "so I can see them full and lovely. And then I want to crawl behind you." His lips found Silver's ear and his voice dropped to a whisper.

"And I want to do it in front of a mirror."

"Now?" Silver squeaked, his ear was tickled by Anthony's breath.

He seemed to consider that for a moment, then shook his head. "Later," he said, and then repeated it in a rather resolute tone. "Later." His hands slowly untied the bow around Silver's waist. But as his kiss deepened, Silver's mind began to race. He had never been this close to a guy before, and the thought of what might happen next made him nervous.

"Anthony, wait!" he said, pulling away slightly. "Maybe… maybe we shouldn't do this."

Anthony looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, I'm not quite comfortable with… with what we're about to do," Silver said, his voice shaking slightly. "It's just that…. I don't want to lose my…. innocence… so soon all of a sudden." He said to the redhead. "I just feel like we shouldn't be doing this since I alway believed that married people can only do this."

Anthony's expression softened, and he placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "It's okay," he said. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

Silver breathed a sigh of relief and leaned into his touch. "Thank you," he said.

Anthony smiled and kissed his cheek before taking him toward the couches. "I'll always respect your boundaries, Silver," he said, with his head resting on the armrest with Silver laying his head on his chest. "I just want you to feel safe with me."

Silver nodded, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. He realized that Anthony truly cared about him and wasn't just using him or taking advantage of him for his own pleasure.

"Can we just… stay like this for a while?" Silver asked, snuggling into Anthony's arms.

"Of course," Anthony said, holding Silver close. "As long as you need."

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company and the warmth of their embrace. Silver felt a sense of peace wash over him, knowing that he had someone who would always be there for him no matter what.

"Thank you for being so understanding," Silver said, breaking the silence. "I really appreciate it."

Anthony smiled and kissed him gently. "Of course, Sil. I love you, and I want you to feel comfortable with me."

"I do," Silver said, looking up at him with a smile. "I feel really lucky to have you in my life."

Anthony leaned down and kissed him again. "I feel lucky to have you too," he said. "You're amazing, Silver."

They hugged each other tightly, enjoying the feeling of being close to one another. Silver felt a deep sense of contentment and happiness, knowing that he had found someone who truly cared for him.

Silver smiled, thinking about his friends and how they had been asking to meet Anthony. "Hey, Anthony," he said, looking up at him. "My friends want to meet you on one of the weekends."

Anthony raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? When do they want to meet me?"

"On one of the weekends," Silver said. "I'll have to check with them and see when they're available."

Anthony nodded. "Sounds good to me. I'm looking forward to meeting them."

Silver smile sweetly, knowing that his friends would love Anthony just as much as he did. "I'm sure they'll love you," he said. "But just a heads up, they're a little protective of me, so I think they want to give you a test to make sure you're worthy of being my boyfriend." He chuckled.

Anthony grinned. "Worthy, huh? Well, I'm up for the challenge. What kind of test do they have in mind?"

Silver shook his head. "I have no idea. They said it's a surprise."

Anthony raised an eyebrow. "A surprise test? That sounds… interesting."

Silver laughed. "Yeah, they can be a little unpredictable sometimes. But I'm sure it will be fun."

Anthony smiled and pulled Silver closer to him. "I'm looking forward to it," he said. "And don't worry, I'll pass whatever test they throw at me."

As they held each other, Silver felt his eyelids start to droop. He was exhausted from the event of the day, and he knew that he needed to get some rest.

"Anthony, I think it's time for me to go to bed," he got off his chest and let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes.

Anthony smiled down at him, seeing the exhaustion in Silver's eyes. "Okay, let's get you to bed," he said, standing up and lifting Silver into his arms in a bridal carry.

Silver snuggled into his chest, feeling safe and comfortable in his arms. He watched as they passed through his room, the moonlight casting a soft glow on everything through the windows.

Anthony couldn't help but smile at how peaceful Silver looked. He gently placed him on the bed and pulled the covers over him, making sure he was comfortable. He then sat on the edge of the bed, watching Silver for a few moments before leaning in to give him a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Sleep well, my love," he whispered.

Silver smiled, his eyes already starting to close. "Goodnight, Anthony," he said, before drifting off to sleep.

Anthony smiles, he strokes his finger down against his cheek before standing up and blowing out the candles. He made his way to the door, but before leaving he turned back to look at Silver one last time, feeling grateful for having him in his life.

As he closed the door behind him, Anthony couldn't help but think about how lucky he was to have found someone like Silver. He knew that he would do anything to make him happy and keep him safe, no matter what the future held. With that thought in mind, he headed to his own bed, feeling content and at peace. As he walked down the hallway to his own quarters, he couldn't shake the feeling of happiness and contentment that filled him.

He knew that they had their challenges ahead, but he was willing to face them as long as he had Silver by his side.

I must say, the beginning of this chapter left me feeling quite conflicted. On one hand, it was heartwarming to see Anthony and Silver's relationship blossom despite the challenges they faced. But on the other hand, the ignorance and bigotry displayed by one of Anthony's colleagues in the Royal Guard Station was truly disheartening. It's a shame that in this day and age, there are still people who refuse to accept others for who they are. Love is love, regardless of gender, and it's time that society must reconsider as a whole and embrace that fact.

But, as always, there were those who stood up for what is right and defended Anthony and Silver's relationship. It's those individuals who give us hope for a more tolerant and accepting future.

Also, Logan's observation is based on my observation when I soon realized that all of them have some sort of connection to power and wealth - from being adopted by the royal family to dating a hyena queen, and even having a rich ghost wife from the Victorian Era. I had never realized this until it hit me when I first wrote this scene. And yet, they remain humble and grounded, focusing on their friendship and their shared desire to save the Magical world.

While his friends tease him about his fairytale romance as all friends do, they are all eager to meet his beau and make sure he is worthy of their dear Silver. But what is this test the Dream Defenders had mentioned to Silver before during their visitation? You will have to wait and see.

Next Chapter: Silver finally introduced Anthony with his fellow friends, the Dream Defenders. But do the Dream Defenders approve of him? Lets see if he can pass their test they have planned out for him.