The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"Don't beg," Daphne murmurs, taking a deep breath and staring at him, unblinking.

"You're not in charge, Daphne," he whispers. "I'll beg if I want to."

"Not proper, for a Duke to beg."

He smirks. "Depends on what he's begging for. And whether it's worth falling to his knees."

She laughs a little. "Surely, one more day with me isn't worth such disgrace."

"Don't undersell yourself, Daph. You're worth a great deal more trouble than that."

Silence reigns between them as the pair just stare at each other for what feels like a long, long time.

But god, what a silence. Daphne feels that if she had her sewing sheers in her hand she could cut the silence up into bits and sew it into an elaborate cloak, sell it for millions. But she wouldn't - she'd keep it whole and just wrap herself in it when she's alone. In the stillness, the peace.

It's all ruined, of course, a moment later when the kitchen door bursts open. Daphne nearly jumps out of her skin as another blush rises to her cheeks. God, when did she start blushing so much for no reason?

"Unfair, Chase!" Bella calls out, chasing her older brother, her voice thick with tears. "Jesse, he stole all the syrup!"

"It's my syrup!" Chase bites back over his shoulder, rushing into the room with a sopping wet paper bag in his hands. "Mom bought it for me -"

"Ooookay," Jesse says, instantly getting to his knees when he sees the impending disaster before him, grabbing the roll of paper towels at his side - which Daphne suspects he always keeps by his side in this house - and reaching for the dripping bag. Chase gives it to him and Jesse instantly begins to wrap it up.

"Daphne didn't even get to see it," Chase moans, his shoulders slumping as his breakfast offering disappears into layers and layers of absorbent white paper.

"But I can smell it," Daphne says, her eyebrows going up as she nods, not lying at all as the thick scent of maple fills the room. "And it is...a valiant effort. Thank you so much, Chase."

The little boy beams at her, well mollified.

At Jesse's bidding, the other four children ring around, holding out their offerings, which range from the very practical - Caleb's croissant and after-dinner mint - to the daringly creative - Bella's banana-flavored yogurt with a lollypop instead of a spoon.

But Daphne's heart tightens when she sees the last one, held out in Seraphina's tiny hands.

Just a very small, shallow desert dish, wrapped in a cloth napkin and filled with red and white jellybeans.

"Well, they're all delicious options," Daphne says, beaming around at all of the kids, "but this one, I think, will keep me full all day." Softly, she closes her hands around Seraphina's breakfast, accepting it, and the little girl gives a squeal of delight before throwing herself into Jesse's arms.

He laughs, catching his sister and giving her a big hug. "Well done, Fifs," he murmurs, giving her a kiss. "Ten more minutes before lights out, you lucky thing."

The other kids moan good-heartedly about the loss, taking their makeshift breakfasts with them as they go back to whatever they were doing before Daphne came in.

"That was so cute," Daphne sighs, grinning at Jesse even as she glances to the door, knowing that she has to go. "But, um," she looks down at the bowl and the cloth napkin in her hand. "I guess I can just... put the jelly beans in my pocket?" She moves to spill them out in her hand. "No no," Jesse says, reaching out a hand to stop her. Daphne looks up at him in shock. "That's your bowl now. Your napkin too."

""What!?"

Jesse bursts into a grin. "It's part of the breakfast. Just take it, Daph, it's fine."

"Jesse," she laughs, shaking her head. "I can't just take your bowl."

"Oh no, you have to," he says quite seriously, his eyebrows going up. "You'll break her heart if you don't." He nods down at Seraphina, who likewise nods seriously, like it's a very real possibility.

"Break ma heart," Sera murmurs.

Daphne can't resist that - no one could. So she just smiles and ties the napkin in a knot, holding the whole package in her fist as she gets to her feet. "You'll make sure your mom gets that?" she asks, nodding towards the portfolio.

"I promise," Jesse says, standing with her, taking Seraphina with him, balanced on his hip. The little girl rests her head on her favorite brother's chest, perfectly content, gazing happily at Daphne as she does.

"You're the best," Daphne says with a sigh, glancing around the room at all the kids. "I wish I could stay - but I'll see you in a few days anyway."

Jesse nods happily to her and then walks her to the door. He frowns, though, when he pulls it open for her and sees the cab waiting there. "Rafe didn't send you in a car?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "Rafe didn't know I left," Daphne says, looking up at Jesse and giving a casual shrug.