"Happy birthday, your highness!"

That was probably the thirtieth time Ana had heard the phrase that morning. It was inevitable of course; if you were a part of the royal family it was practically guaranteed that everyone knew your birthday.

And it was even more likely that they would all try to get the chance to wish you a good day.

Roughly half the people she spoke to asked if she had anything planned for the special day, and she had replied to each one with a half hearted, "Oh I'm not quite sure yet."

After all, she didn't feel like there was anything to celebrate. Because - whilst today signified her twentieth year of living - it also meant that she hadn't seen Mason in five months.

That was a difficult pill to swallow.

Ana nodded with a polite smile, "Thank you," before sidestepping the two workers in her path.

She usually would have tried to start a conversation (the princess prided herself in being able to talk comfortably with the staff) but if one more person asked if she was going to have any guests she was going to scream.

The only person she wanted to visit was her boyfriend.

"Anastasia," she was stopped just outside of her room by the king and queen themselves. She sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment to compose herself.

It seemed that ever since Jeremy had mysteriously disappeared, she had become their new favorite person to pester. "If you've come to wish me a happy birthday, thirty other people beat you to it." And it was safe to say she was starting to become annoyed.

"You shouldn't speak so-," the queen abruptly cut herself off with a frustrated exhale. "I'm sure your brother would love to be here for your birthday, yes?"

Ana resisted to roll her eyes; so this was why they were here.

She shrugged evasively, "I suppose he could."

"Anastasia," the king reached up with one hand to rub at his temples. "Please, just tell us where he went."

"I don't know where he is, father."

That was a lie.

Jeremy had told Ana exactly where they would be traveling, but if it meant that he and Seth would be able to live together happily then she wouldn't be revealing anything.

"You realize he has responsibilities," her mother began firmly. "Duties that he must perform in order to become king and if he doesn't," she paused, "Then you will have to rule in his stead."

Ana knew this (of course she knew this), but it wasn't going to change a thing.

"I have a headache," the princess interrupted before either of them could say any more. "If you'll excuse me," she brushed past them to enter her bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed behind her she felt herself relax; she was not in any sort of mood to be dealing with them, especially today.

Couldn't they tell that she was still upset?

She might have been able to hide it from other people, but they were her parents, surely they knew how miserable she was. It was their job to know wasn't it?

Mason would be able to tell, she thought bitterly.

Her eyes started burning; she missed him. He'd know exactly what to say to make her feel better, and then he'd make fun of her for being sad in the first place.

God, he was perfect.

She moved forward to pull back the curtain draped over her bed (planning on taking a long overdue nap) only to stumble back with a gasp.

Ana had gone completely insane. She was hallucinating, she had to be.

Because if she wasn't then that would mean her boyfriend, the same boyfriend that she hadn't seen in almost half a year, was currently asleep in her bed.

"Mason," she muttered in disbelief.

He shifted at the sound of his name and Ana felt tears trail down her cheeks. He moved again, rolling from his back onto his side and she bit her lip because she could hear the sheets rustling.

Hallucinations didn't usually have sound, did they?

Then his eyes were blearily blinking open and he was staring at Ana with such a gentle expression that she thought she might melt right there. "Hey princess," he said, voice rough with sleep.

She wanted to jump into his arms, wanted to kiss him and cry with complete joy because he was here. Mason was really here and they were together.

But she was frozen, her mind going numb as she blinked down at him. Her throat felt dry, her face becoming slick from her tears. "Soon to be queen," she finally managed to get out and she felt like facepalming as she realized what she'd said.

As if that was important right now.

"Oh yeah?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking as he sat up and slowly began making his way towards her on the bed. "Your brother really fucking left, huh?" She nodded wordlessly as he stopped just a breath away, her gaze traveling down to look at his lips. "Is that what you want me to call you now," she swallowed when his breath fanned over her mouth. "My queen," he murmured before finally pressing his lips on hers.

It was an instantaneous relief.

Her body completely relaxed, her muscles loosening even as more tears spilled over. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him closer to feel him against her.

Just his warmth - and his smell - was enough to make her feel better, he was absolutely everything and so much more.

Ana was gasping for air when Mason eventually broke the kiss and she giggled as he rubbed his nose on hers; it really had become a habit. "You're here," she whispered before kissing him lightly once more, and then again, and again, and again. Until he was pushing himself away and collapsing back onto the bed.

This time she actually did jump into his arms and she heard Mason grunt as she landed directly on his form. "I love you," he suddenly said as his hands settled on her waist. Ana bit her lip, stuffing her face into his chest to hide the warmth on her cheeks as she straddled his waist. "Fuck. I can't even begin to describe how you make me feel, baby," he continued.

"You don't have to," she shook her head softly. "If it's anything near what I feel for you, then I know exactly what you mean." She lifted her head slightly from his chest, her heart skipping a beat when she noticed his smile.

He looked so happy.

Ana sighed with complete contentment, snuggling further into his hold. Then her eyebrows furrowed, "Wait- how did you get in?"

"Your security is total shit," he deadpanned and she laughed. "I told them you invited me and they opened the gate, just like that." He sounded totally baffled. "Do you usually invite random guys over or some shit?"

She rested her chin on his chest to glare up at him. She could tell it was a joke but still, "You think I would do something like that?" Mason only gave her a mischievous wink. "Whatever," she rolled her eyes with a small grin. "How'd you actually get inside though? We have guards at every door."

"I just climbed through the first damn window I saw. Like I said, your security is shit."

"Or maybe they just weren't expecting that a person who was walking in through the gate would use a window to get inside," she giggled. "But how'd you find my room?" She had to admit that even she got lost sometimes.

He gave her a confused look, "You gave me an entire tour of it over the phone, baby."

Ana sat up in surprise, mouth falling open as she looked down at him. "You were actually paying attention?"

"You have so little faith in me," he pouted. "I pay attention to anything that has to do with you; thought you would've known that by now."

She kind of did, but the admittance made her stomach flip.

"Enough about me," Mason tugged at the hem of her shirt and she only then remembered that it was his. "You're wearing my clothes," he noted as his eyes dropped to the sweatpants she was currently wearing (conveniently also his).

She forced her gaze away from his eyes - they were such an intense blue - as she said, "It's what I was wearing before I left."

She looked back up just as his face softened and he tugged her hips forward. She gasped at the sudden movement, her eyes dropping to where she was seated on his stomach and noticing that his shirt had ridden up.

But was that- ? Did he have a- ?

She slid back so that she was sitting on his legs, reaching down to further pull up his shirt. She felt Mason's thighs tense beneath her own and lifted her head slightly to peer up at him curiously. He only smiled in return so she glanced down and- she was right.

He had a tattoo.

It looked to be a sentence of some sort, scrawled across his hip in messy handwriting. "I never knew you had a tattoo," she told him because she was sure she would have noticed it before.

"I didn't before," Mason gasped out as she let her fingers trail over the ink.

She squinted slightly, trying to read what it said before ultimately giving up. "What is it for?"

Ana suddenly felt his thighs twitch as her hand moved only a bit lower and her eyes went wide with realization.

Was this turning him on?

It took a moment for him to respond and she left her hand on his stomach as she waited, appreciating the way his muscles would tense beneath her fingers every time she moved.

Finally he said, "You."

~~~