The lecture theatre isn't exactly filled to the brim, on the first day in weeks that Grace decides to show up. Until now, she'd been making the most of the university's online resources; watching videos, reading books. But her final year exams are mere months away, so perhaps now is the time to get what she's paying for.

She and Elina walk up the stairs, looking for a seat far back enough to be away from the ruckus, but close enough to the front to pay attention. Sliding into a space against the wall of one of the middle rows, Grace pulls out her laptop to take notes.

"Um..." Elina starts quietly, though the noise in the room is enough to drown her out at a normal volume, "I know you would rather to sit on your hands until you die instead of make a decision on Arthur..."

"But?" Grace prompts, wary her friend's tone.

"But it looks like he had the same idea as us, showing up to study lectures." Elina continues, gesturing toward the door where Arthur and Will have just entered the back of the room.

"Shit me." Grace groans, sinking down in her seat. It's a futile attempt at concealment, especially considering that the room is laid out so that everyone is visible at all times.

Elina rolls her eyes, smacking her friend on the side, "You're one of... Scratch that. You are the smartest person I know-"

"That's disappointing."

"I don't have a lot of friends," Elina smacks her again, "You're the smartest person I know, in almost every walk of life. But as soon as the topic turns to you, your brain goes to mush."

Grace huffs petulantly, folding her arms across her chest. She sneaks a glance up and finds Arthur's eyes already on her. He and Will are making their way down the centre aisle, looking for a seat... Well, Will is looking for a seat, Arthur is scanning the room for Grace.

When he catches Grace's eye, he gives her small, shy, one-sided smile. She returns it just as gingerly, her inner anguish not dampening her sunny disposition.

To Grace's relief, Arthur and Will move closer to the front of the room and sit down.

~~~~~

"You know you can't avoid me forever, Sunshine."

Grace halts, squeezing her eyes shut and turning around. She walks over to Arthur where he's stood by the wall in the crowded corridor.

"Uh, hey, no. I'm not avoiding you, silly!" Grace laughs slightly too hard for it to be convincing, "W-why would I do that?"

"Because I basically declared my love for you after telling you that I'm-" He cuts himself off and brings his voice down to a whisper, "a prince."

Grace closes her mouth tightly, avoiding Arthur's gaze, "I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be." He tells her, rubbing a hand on her forearm, giving her a tight-lipped smile, "What happens is all up to you. I just..."

"Just what?" She prompts, lifting her eyes.

"I just want to know what's going to happen." He sighs, "If you're gonna say no, just say it and spare me the agony. And- And if you can't decide, then tell me what I can do to make the decision easier."

Grace huffs out a frustrated, hopeless breath, grabbing Arthur by the hand and guiding him out of the building into the blistering cold. They walk over to a low wall, taking a seat and turning to face each other.

"Arthur, I-I do like you... A lot." Grace tells him, her teeth capturing her bottom lip, "I just don't know how this, the way we are now, is going to work after uni."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"You know it doesn't work like that. Not with you, not with this." She rolls her eyes, looking away from Arthur.

"Then we'll make it work." He whines, "Look, I understand your concerns. You're afraid that our feelings for each other won't be enough to take us through whatever may happen in the future."

Grace is silent.

"I'm right, aren't I?" At her shallow nod, he continues, "Then let's be sure."

"Be sure of what?"

"Our feelings." He smiles, then he hops up from where he's sat, and holds out his hand. It's shockingly similar to the time he invited her out to lunch. The thought forces her into a few beats of stunned silence. Then she allows him to take her hand.

"Where are we going?" She asks, as he helps her stand and pulls her to walk in step with him.

"We're having a movie night at my place." He tells her, his signature cheeky smile lighting up his face, "Call it our first date."

~~~~

Arthur's flat isn't half as extravagant as Grace had expected. To be completely fair, when Grace had thought Arthur was a normal, stinking rich person, she still didn't take him for the extravagant type. But now that he's a prince...it just didn't seem right.

"Excuse the mess." He tells her, taking off his jacket and hanging it on a coat hook by the front door.

Extravagant or not, Arthur is a clean freak. The place is spotless, the only evidence of life being the coats on the hanger and shoes by the entrance.

"Yeah... It's a pigsty in here." Grace teases, handing her jacket to Arthur.

"Har har har." He rolls his eyes, leading her into the sleek, modern kitchen. He opens a drawer by the window, taking out a stack of leaflets, "Pizza, or Chinese?"

Grace shrugs timidly, "Either."

Arthur raises an eyebrow and cocks his hip to the side. He looks so comical that Grace can't help but let out a delighted laugh.

"Okay! Okay!" She says between giggles, "Pizza is movie night food."

"You're right." Arthur grins, picks out the pizza leaflet and then smirks at her, "That's for the third date."

Grace blinks at him, an adorably confused expression on her face, "What?"

"Nothing." He laughs, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and dragging her to sit on the sofa, "Nothing."

"Where's Rich?" Grace asks, settling down next to Arthur, "He lives with you, doesn't he?"

"He's out." Arthur replies, taking a sip of the water he had gotten from the kitchen, "At least that's what he told me. What that really means is that he's gone for a shag."

Grace loves that Arthur can do that. Put her completely at ease with a witty comment. His outward appearance doesn't match his personality. He's goofy and funny and kind. It makes Grace feel warm; the thought of people looking at Arthur and not knowing him the way she does. This version of Arthur is all hers.

"Can-can I ask about your hair?" He says, eyes trained on the braids hanging from her head.

She raises an amused brow, "Depends on what you ask."

"What does it look like? Without the...plaits." Arthur struggles to find the word.

Grace smiles fondly, always happy when Arthur shows genuine interest in the things that make her... her.

"Shorter. Frizzier. More delicate." She lists off, taking a braid into her hand and rolling it between her fingers, "I just leave them like this for convenience... I don't have time to take care of my hair the way it needs, so I use this style to protect it."

"That makes sense." He says with intrigue, he reaches a hand out to touch a strand, but hesitates, waiting for permission. Grace nods, leaning closer so Arthur has better access.

"Do you want to see?" She asks him, reaching for her phone, "My natural hair, I mean."

"Uh, yeah, I'd love to." Arthur says with a sincere smile.

She hands him her phone, which is open on a picture taken the last time she had her hair out. It was a simple photo, of a wash day. She had just deep-conditioned and her hair was air drying. It was soft and fluffy, and clearly had a healthy shine. Grace remembers being so proud of herself, managing to get it back to health after all the damage she had done trying to tame it in her earlier years.

"It's amazing." Arthur says in awe, "You look beautiful like this." Then he scoffs, shaking his head slightly, "You look beautiful all the time."

Grace blushes, looking down at her hands that are now wringing in her lap, "Thanks."

"Will you wear it out one day? So that I can see?" He asks hopefully. His brown eyes are light and childlike. The wonder in his eyes giving Grace butterflies. He's so invested in her life, wants to know everything about her. She realises immediately that she likes Arthur a lot. More than likes him. And that would be enough to get through whatever the future brings.

"Yeah." She tells him, taking his hands in hers, "Of course."