Roots and Oxygen

Chapter 61 - Liars Lending Credence

"The tabloids say that you're doing this for attention and that you're probably not even into men," Taro grumbled.

Sage sat in the rocking chair by the bookshelf with a stern frown. Everyone else sat on cushions around him. Sage did his best not to grumpily rock back and forth. "They've said that I'm doing this just so I don't look like I've dumped Lady Liniana, and they're also saying that Taro is my victim and that I've seduced you."

Taro scoffed. "If anything, I seduced you. You're my victim."

Sage's gaze flicked from Katie's laptop to those cheeky green eyes. "Pleased don't say that aloud ever again."

Taro's mother scoffed and Taro waved his hand in dismissal. "See, they made all that up from a single photograph. This'll soon be a conspiracy that it's some big cover up to stop Lady Liniana's parents from talking about you."

"They make everything into a conspiracy," Sage muttered. "No wonder the public never know who to believe when they're so easily being lied to."

"The magazines seem to be split though," Mrs Beecham added with a blue pair of glasses on the tip of her nose, and her phone held out at a distance, so she could read. "They're either ripping you both to shreds, or they're wondering where you are, or they're angry that they've invaded your personal life in such a violating way. One reporter describes this as sickening that it should even be labelled as a scandal. She says that it's not the worlds right to know what goes on in your life. She also says how damaging the scandal is to those who are a part of the LGT . . . The LGB-" she held her phone even further. "LGBTQ+ community. . . what are all those letters for?"

Bell and Canto glanced at each other. "We'll educate you later," Bell said with a grin.

"Please do." Mrs Beecham smiled. "So, she says that labelling your relationship as a scandal shows how homophobic your institution is, and your relationship with another man will likely be a refreshing change."

"Not sure about refreshing. More like slapping everyone in the face with a thick slab of ice," Taro said.

Sage couldn't help but to smile at his choice of words. He wasn't as hurt as he thought he would be by reading all the tabloids. With each mean report, there were hundreds of supportive comments under each article. He wasn't used to that. People were angry and worried on his behalf. Many comments questioned where Sage and Taro were, and whether they were protected, and whether Sage was at the Palace.

Many assumed the photograph had been taken at the Palace. Sage wondered what was going on inside his home. He wondered where Oxley was and if he was still sneaking out. He wondered if his father was angrily pacing his office, or whether his mother planned to show herself in public with a smile to pretend that all was well. Were his family there- his grandparents and uncles and aunts? What would they be saying about him? Did they know about Patrick too?

"So, it looks like my family have said nothing, done nothing, and are yet to leave Pothos Palace." Sage shut the laptop, sick of seeing his own name. He linked his fingers and looked around the room. "I can honestly say that I don't know what to do next."

"You have options," Taro said, sitting up on his knees next to Sage's chair. "You could go back to the Palace and see if they're willing to support you or kick you out. We could keep moving around houses in the area until the paparazzi eventually find us and drive us all mental. We could just make a run for it and live the rest of our lives in the woods, which is my favourite option. Or you can phone your family now so then you can make any of the options I've just talked about."

Sage raised a brow. "Living in the woods is your favourite option?"

"Obviously."

"Yes, obviously," Sage mimicked. Some of the guards glanced to each other with surprise, never seeing Sage speak in such an informal way. He sighed heavily as though the weight of one thousand hearts pressed against his chest. "I need to call them, don't I?" He directed his question to Taro, who offered pursed lips and a gentle squeeze on his forearm.