Totrium

Chapter Nineteen: Home Bound

"No, you're a fucking idiot, thinking we should leave the portal open." They scoffed at that. "As for how I got back... I'm not really sure. I followed soon after sending Adrian through and deactivated it, but apparently, I was too hasty 'cause I became trapped in that in-between realm. I was lucky though, because I was still connected to the Totrium in that place, so I just sort of felt my way back out to here, I guess."

"That... doesn't make a whole lot of sense," Zuri said, "but I guess it doesn't really matter since you're here and you're safe. You have no idea how stressed I was when Ian told me... er wait no, Adrian?" They glanced between Jacques and Adrian then frowned. "Uh, sidenote, when were either of you going to fill us in on the fact that Ia— er, this man, is in fact the king of Nebrasia?"

"I was getting around to it," Adrian replied sheepishly.

"Oh, yeah, just take your time revealing something that monumental. Do we call you, Your Highness then?"

"Please don't. Just Adrian is fine."

"Fine? No, that's not fine. You're royalty for fuck's sake! Andre, back me up here. Andre? Why aren't you more upset about this?"

The large man shrugged. "I was mostly shocked when I first found out, but now I'm good."

"What?"

"He wanted to keep his business to himself. I can't fault that, and he's still the same man we've always known. Plus, considering how foreign and out of place he is, it makes sense."

Their jaw dropped. "How are you so calm about it?"

Jacques chuckled, then stumbled forward, and Adrian caught him again. "Jacques! Are you okay? You weren't hurt, were you?"

He was met with a small smirk. "Were you worried about me?" His face fell slightly upon seeing the expression Adrian was making. "I'm fine, really. What about you? Are you alr—"

Adrian's lips cut off the rest of that sentence as he pressed them firmly to Jacques's. Zuri let out a dramatic gasp, and the king was already pulling away to look back into those surprised brown orbs he'd never in his life get tired of.

"Oh, Jacques," he said weakly, stroking his jawline, "when you were trapped on the other side with those people... I thought... I thought..." His lip trembled, and he kissed him again. Jacques leaned into his lips this time, sighing in response.

They pulled apart again, and Jacques gently wiped a tear from the pale cheek. "Sweetheart... I'd never leave you."

Adrian pressed their foreheads together, exhaling a shaky breath. "I love you."

The bronze cheeks flushed. "I love you too," he whispered before lifting his head up and locking lips again.

"Andre, Andre!" Zuri squealed, tugging on the black man's arm while pointing at their kissing companions. "It's happening! It's finally happening!"

He looked unimpressed. "Actually, they've already kissed before today."

"Eh?" They eyed him with their mouth wide open. "Wait, really? When?"

"Several weeks ago."

"WHAT?" They scrunched up their face. "Does no one tell me anything? I mean, of course, I'm happy for them and everything, but also, I'm gonna kill both of them once they stop kissing."

ϟ ϟ ϟ

Adrian's hair nearly reached his waist now, the golden strands pulled back into the usual half ponytail. He walked beside Jacques down a cobbled street, their fingers occasionally brushing past each other's.