Re: Halcyon [Mister + Assi] - R-18

[Mr. Kirkland]

“Mmph, how boring,” Arthur rolled his eyes. He moved off of Alfred and lay on his back, feeling his eyelids growing heavy although he wasn’t tired. If Alfred didn’t want to, then Arthur wouldn’t pressure him. It had only been implied, anyway. “So what do you want to do, then?”

He folded his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He glanced across at his lover in the candlelight and gave him a look, trying to prompt him.

[Assistant Jones]

Honestly, Alfred had no idea what to do. There really wasn't all that much they could do in a bedroom, especially when Arthur was drunk.

He couldn't help but gape at the other when he said that he was boring.

"I am not boring!" He argued, cheeks a bit red as he leant closer to the other. "A-And I don't know."

He wasn't all that tired either.

[Mr. Kirkland]

“Mhm,” Arthur arched a thick eyebrow, looking across at him sceptically. “Of course not, love.” He watched him carefully for a few moments before heaving a sigh. He hauled himself upwards and stumbled across the room to change into more comfortable attire.

“You don’t think they’ll call us back down unexpectedly, do you?” he didn’t really wait for a response as he undressed, clothing himself in a long robe to sleep in. He removed all of the jewellery and such that he’d been forced to wear that day and placed them in the box they belonged in.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred shook his head.

"Nah, I don't think so. They saw how drunk you were. Even if they needed you, I'm sure with what you said back there to that entertainer, they really wouldn't value your opinion or anything," He chuckled at the thought of it. Sometimes his prince was absolutely endearing.

Though of course he was never going to say that out loud to Arthur.

He soon watched as Arthur undressed and he sighed a bit, beginning to take off his own extra clothes that weighed too heavily on him. It really was never fun dressing in things much too fancy for his own tastes.

He preferred something more simplistic. So he just started taking off most of his clothes, assured that the bedroom door was locked.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur was thinking about how Alfred would have to return home soon. And it was not a pleasant thought in the slightest. He wanted Alfred to stay with him for as long as possible. Which, unfortunately seemed to be the spring, which was fast approaching.

“When… when do you have to return to Columbia, Alfred?” he asked softly, barely audible, really.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred looked over at Arthur for a long moment before sighing.

"In the spring of course. Probably at the beginning. My parents seem rather adamant in me coming back and your father probably wouldn't appreciate my company for much longer. There's only so much he could probably stand of me."

He gave him a small yet withering smile.

"It'll be alright though. I won't be gone as long as I was last time."

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur gave him a watery expression and hurried over to Alfred, flinging his arms around him, uncaring if he’d finished dressing or not. He buried his face into the crook of Alfred’s neck.

“I don’t want you to go. Please stay. Please. Don’t leave me again,” he pleaded, alcohol spurring on his sudden wave of emotions. “Please, please, please. I love you. Don’t leave.”

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred wrapped his arms around Arthur, feeling a bit choked up himself. He...he really didn't want to leave Arthur.

He really, really didn't. He just wanted to stay with him.

But he had his responsibilities as the prince of Columbia, as the one next in line.

He simply held Arthur close, nuzzling against him and trying not to get a bit teary eyed himself.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I have responsibilities though. I...I can't just ignore my kingdom," He murmured softly, a bit brokenly. He would do anything to stay with Arthur. "I love you so much. I'm really sorry. Just...my visit here will only be tolerated for so long."

[Mr. Kirkland]

“Noo,” Arthur protested childishly, holding on tighter to Alfred. “You can stay. Stay with me. We’ll work something out!” But he knew that it was too good to be true. “I… I’ll come with you, instead. We can spend the summer in Columbia together. Please. I love you. I don’t want to be alone again.”

It wasn’t as though Arthur had a lot of company in Albion.

“I hate this!” he complained. “Why can’t we just be together? I… I want to be with you, Alfred. I want us to grow old together and to be at your side, no matter what. Why can’t people understand that?” he asked brokenly, getting himself worked up in his drunken haze.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred just looked at Arthur with some regret and he soon leant forward to peck him on the lips.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered. "I don't think your father will be all that happy about you going with me to Columbia for the summer when Madeline is pregnant."

After all, even if the child wasn't Arthur's...he was still expected to be there for her.

He tried his best not to tear up but it was just so damned hard when Arthur was looking at him like this.

"I want to be with you also. I would kill for that to happen but...you know it's not accepted. We still have many years ahead of us."

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur’s eyes were shining with tears which he refused to let fall. He didn’t want to blubber in front of Alfred. But with the alcohol, that was proving to be increasingly difficult.

“Fuck my father!” he bellowed before remembering himself. He flushed. “I don’t care what he thinks!” he continued. “All he cares about is making the kingdom look good and his own reputation. I despise him!”

He tore away from Alfred, wiping his tears away frantically. He wanted to feel all warm inside when Alfred had kissed him, but instead he was faced with a bitter reminder that the moments between them were limited.

“But Columbia will force you to marry, Alfred! Have you not thought about that?!”

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred bit his lip at that and he really, really did hate seeing Arthur like this.

He really, really did.

He swallowed thickly as he continued on holding the other. "Maybe...just possibly...I could convince Madeline to come with me to Columbia. ...Maybe you can come along as well. I'm sure that my parents would want to tend to their own daughter while she is in pregnancy."

He looked over at Arthur anxiously.

He really, really didn't want to leave Arthur and so...this was the only way he could think of going through with this. God he loved this man so much and he hated seeing him in such a state.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur took notice of how Alfred didn’t try to argue that he wouldn’t be made to marry. That stung. Perhaps he’d already accepted his fate?

“What is she miscarries on the journey there?” Arthur frowned. “It’s a long way there. And the infant would be unable to return for at least a year, lest it got too cold or caught an infection…” after all, it wasn’t uncommon for babies to die.

He heaved a sigh.

“It really is our only choice, isn’t it?” he swallowed thickly.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred had definitely thought about the fact that he was going to be forced to marry and he looked down.

"And...I know I'm going to be forced to marry. But being here won't change that fate."

He sighed. He really didn't want to think about Madeline miscarrying but...was there really a huge chance of that?

"As long as she is in the carriage, she should be fine. And if we take good care of her. I know she'll be fine. And wouldn't it be better for the child if they were first raised in Columbia? The health amongst out people is usually better than over here in Albion and it's warmer and less likely to suffer from the cold."

He looked at Arthur, cupping his cheek gently.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur harrumphed, turning away from Alfred for a few moments, knowing that he was being ridiculous but he was unable to help himself.

“Don’t remind me,” he muttered, dropping down on to the bed.

He tried not to look at Alfred too much so that he wouldn’t be able to see how red his eyes (undoubtedly) were. He sniffled and wiped at his cheeks, feeling incredibly small and feeble all of a sudden.

He was forced to look at Alfred, however, when the other cupped his cheek. He gazed up at him, trying not to cry again.

“Fine… but you must be the one to ask Madeline. She might not be happy to leave her lover and give birth without his presence.”

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred just sighed and wrapped one arm around Arthur so he could just simply hold him close again.

He really, really hated seeing the other like this. He really did. It broke his heart each time he stared at him with those puffy red eyes.

"I love you," He whispered.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow about it. Maybe we can bring him along with us as well as a few other servants just in case. Okay? I'll make sure that this will work."

He smiled at his lover, trying to be reassuring.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur’s expression crumbled somewhat.

“I love you, too…”

He let Alfred hold him and tried to pull himself together. He sighed quietly and leaned against him, closing his eyes.

“Okay… listen, I-I-I’m sorry. Sorry for this. For everything… I’m really bloody drunk,” he grumbled.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred sighed and he soon pulled Arthur on the bed with him, just so that he could hold him close.

"Don't be stupid, Arthur. It's alright. You...you really don't need to worry about it. It's nice to see a more sensitive side of you sometimes." He smiled slightly at him, looking at those lovely green eyes with his own blue.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

He really couldn't promise it though. In the end, he really didn't know if everything would be fine but...he would at least die loving Arthur.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur huffed and climbed into bed beside Alfred, settling at his side. He curled his limbs around him, holding him close with his legs and arms.

“I love you, my darling,” he repeated uselessly. He closed his eyes and rested against Alfred. He knew that nothing was guaranteed in their future together, all that he could hope was that his family would one day understand, that Albion and Columbia would realise that their love for each other was beyond sexual deviance, that they genuinely loved one another.

Arthur was asleep (and snoring from the alcohol) soon enough.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred smiled a bit.

"I love you too," He whispered softly.

Soon enough Arthur was asleep and he just laid there awake next to Arthur. He really did love him. He knew that the kingdoms wouldn't be all that accepting of their relationship no matter how much they loved each other.

It made him wonder what things would be like in the future. If this fear of sexuality between man and man would persist or leave.

He just wished that he could make a change. Even if their families did allow it, he knew that their kingdoms would most likely not want it.

So instead he just stayed curled up around Arthur until he too fell asleep.

[Mr. Kirkland]

It didn’t take long for the rumours to reach the King. Naturally, he was furious that such scandalous and illegal gossip was being spoken about his son, the future King of Albion. Initially, he blamed himself for allowing Arthur to grow up to be slightly effeminate like he was. But then his blame began to shift to what he saw as a more reasonable suspect.

One evening, as spring was coming, he found Alfred in Arthur’s room. As in, he’d banged on the door until Arthur answered it. The king had known that this would be where he found Alfred.

“I wish to speak with the Prince of Columbia alone,” he growled.

Arthur, of course, looked quite worried but saw no reason to say no.

“B-but father, we were merely playing chess,” which was not at all what they were doing. “Can we not finish our game and Alfred come to find you afterwards?”

“Poppycock!” the King bellowed. “Either he comes with me this instant or I have him exiled."

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred looked a bit confused when he heard the door being pounded by the king and he quickly started to dress up again as Arthur answered the door. By the time that he heard that the king wanted to speak with him, he had fully dressed up and he went to the door beside Arthur.

"It's alright, Prince Arthur," He reassured before standing in front of the king for just a few moments before stepping out of the room itself so he could talk with the king.

What could he be angry about?

Did he overstay for too long?

He just hoped that it wouldn't be anything too terrible.

[Mr. Kirkland]

Arthur spluttered and desperately tried to prevent Alfred from leaving, but the other reacted much too quickly for him to do anything of any real measure. The King shut the door and turned to Alfred.

“Follow me,” he said coolly, turning before heading off down the corridor, leading him towards the tower.

All Arthur could do was pace worriedly in his room.

[Assistant Jones]

Alfred just quietly followed the King, trying not to seem too nerved by everything. Though if he had to be completely honest, he was completely and utterly scared.

Why else would the King want to talk with him alone after all of these weeks of pretty much despising his presence.

He had been suspicious from the start.

What if he had seen them in the act and they didn't know?

They were being so much more careful this time around. He was certain that no one else other than that one servant knew.

[Mr. Kirkland]

“Have you ever been to the tower before, lad?” the King asked, expression unnaturally neutral as he let them along the corridor, when they came to stairs which he proceeded to climb.

“It is where our greatest criminals are remembered. From everything to stealing, treachery, homosexuality…” he looked back at Alfred, once before pausing at the door. “All very serious and dreadful crimes, for which they have been dutifully punished. I’m sure that you understand what I mean?”

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