Artificial Love (Thiam)

Chapter 21

"So what's your plan exactly?" Corey sat cross-legged across from Theo, who was sitting opposite him and leaning against the post of his bed.

He wasn't entirely sure how he'd come to be hanging out with just Corey, since he'd met him the least of any of Liam's friends, but everyone else had been busy that morning except for them, so there they sat, talking and finding that they actually got along quite well.

"Um, I'm going to win over Liam's entire country, make his little sister love me and then go home." Theo said, as confidently as he was able.

Corey blinked at him, and Theo had the creeping sense that Corey thought he was stupid for this. "What for?"

"What do you mean what for?"

"Well... if you and Liam aren't together and never will be together, why do you need to win over his people or his sister?"

The question was phrased innocently enough, but Theo knew he was being probed for information. Prompted as though it should be obvious. And Theo really had no good answer to it, because Corey was right. He had no justifiable reasons to really care if he didn't want more with Liam. About his sister particularly. And sure, Theo knew he was fighting a losing battle. He knew everyone, maybe even Liam, could guess how he was feeling, but until he said it out loud (to someone in Liam's camp rather than his own), there was no going back. He'd have to deal with the repercussions of Liam knowing and he wasn't sure he could do that.

"Well." He began, "Their people liking me is just... good diplomacy. And uh... y'know, the Dunbar's have always been a second family. Ellie should be too."

"Technically, Ellie's a Geyer."

"No, she isn't. They take Jenna's name because she's the Queen. Her bloodline takes precedence." Theo said softly, shrugging his shoulders. It had been the same for him. His father had taken Caroline's name, and so had he.

Corey shrugged, "Either way, being so concerned with winning his people and his sister over seems..."

Theo sighed. Corey didn't have to say it, he knew. He didn't care though. He hadn't told anyone else about it, and he doubted it was interesting enough for Corey to repeat to anyone.

Instead, he asked Corey a question. "Liam's never told me how you and Mason came to be?" Though it was phrased like a statement, his tone made it clear he was trying to ask. He figured maybe he could take his mind off his own bullshit by hearing about theirs, and figured it might be nice to have more of an idea of Liam's friends. He hadn't told Corey, but maybe that was part of his plans too. Properly winning over Liam's friends. He knew that Mason liked him, they had been friends since they were kids at this point, but Corey and Brett? Uncertain.

"Uh... well, I was friends with them when I was a kid. A bit later, I wasn't like... I don't have the exact history they do." He paused, ran a hand through his hair, "But my parents were technically a Lord and Lady, so I was at a lot of the same functions. Mostly people ignored me, but uh, Liam and Mason hung out with me. And we got closer. And then when we were... I don't know, fourteen or fifteen, the three of us snuck into a kitchen to hide out from some ball and Liam went off to get us something, drinks maybe, I don't remember, but while he was gone Mason kissed me. And that's pretty much been it since."

Theo stared at him for a long moment, "Since you were fourteen? So you've been together... what, eight years already? At twenty-two?"

"Yeah." Corey nodded, smiling warmly.

"And uh... how do you... how do you know that you love him? How do you know it's worth it all?"

Corey shrugged, "I wish I had some wild, eloquent answer for you about the poetry of love or something, but actually, it's... kind of simple." He admitted in a soft voice. "My life is better with him. It's been eight years and I still miss him if I wake up without him. I still want to text him first when something cool happens." He explained, and Theo felt a rush of some emotion in the pit of his stomach. There was warmth towards Corey, fondness, but something else too. Jealousy, maybe? Not of the angry, bitter sort. He was happy for them. Genuinely. He just wished he could have the same.