Justice wasn't always so cruel. In fact, Patrick thought her to be beautiful. Initially, he hadn't planned on pressing charges on Gabe, but Pete encouraged him, saying that if he were in prison he wouldn't be hurting anyone for that time, and that was an assurance Patrick truly needed. No one deserved to be a victim, so if he had the chance at preventing countless future assaults from one man he knew he had to take action.
It made him uneasy having to face Gabe in court, having to sit up on the stand and recall what happened. Pete would have come to the proceedings to support him, but it would have raised questions in the eyes of the public if he had. Nevertheless, Patrick felt his consolation even if his boyfriend couldn't be right by his side. At the outset, there was much doubt in his mind about whether or not there would be enough solid evidence for a conviction, but the best lawyers were appointed to the case by the King himself. They gathered witnesses to Gabe's unruly behavior and past victims who, like Patrick, had been too afraid to step forward immediately.
He welcomed the added appeal of his being recognized as a hero by jurors. The recent mold of his reputation helped gain sympathy points from the jury, and in the very end of it all, Gabe was found guilty, being sentenced to seven years. News spread like rapid fire, and the world was calling his attacker, the man who would assault the nation's most darling bodyguard and knight, a vile excuse of a human. His sorority dropped him, his scholarships were canceled, and a restraining order was practically gifted to Patrick for when Gabe was to be released. He'd wished for more time to have been added to the sentence, but he was appreciative of what had been done, anyhow.
It was a few months after the fact that Parliament officially passed the act Pete had proposed, and it became such jubilant news for the couple that they thought it the perfect occasion to throw a ball in celebration. Patrick had greatly improved in the waltz, but to dance with his boyfriend was out of the question. Men didn't dance with other men at balls, and to have done so in a sensual expressive dance, due to the close body contact, would have easily revealed their relationship when the two weren't prepared for the scandal to break yet. Neither said it to the other, but they were aware of the hetero-normative culture surrounding every aspect of royal life. To be a same-sex couple immersed in it, was a difficulty like no other.
They couldn't predict how the world would react to a gay king, especially one who had fooled them into thinking that he was far from such. There would be a backlash of insult from every side most definitely. It sickened them both to their very cores how awful the world was to treat them if they ever found their relationship out, but they reasoned that they would have some supporters. Where there was ugly there was always beauty that outshone it all, and in this day and age they could take all the beauty society could grace them with. This affected Pete the most in which he wondered at all hours in his duties if he were doing the Crown a great disappointment in being attracted to men when in all the centuries proceeding him there had never been such a case.
His ancestors would have had him burned at a stake for such a heinous "crime". That wasn't mentioning the fact that once he was to die God would damn him straight to Hell, supported by all accounts against homosexuality from the Bible he was taught to memorize in his youth. One would think he was in a hopeless position that could only be salvaged if he were to break up with his boyfriend and find a suitable wife, but Pete would never in a million years deem his country more important than the man he loved ever again. It was a mistake he once made and had learned from, and it did not matter how many difficulties should arise because the King would wade through the marshes of trouble for his own happiness. He did not care if the god he served under nor the country he ruled over would not accept him, for they did not matter as much in his life as did Patrick, his main source of bliss.
Times seemed to have changed, though. Parliament wouldn't have even considered the marriage act if the public wasn't more open to it. However, grudges were still held by most. If he was known in history books as the most disgusting, shameful king to ever sit on the throne simply because of his preference of sex then he would be more than glad to embrace the title. He could not love without starting a war in his society, and that was his country's biggest flaw.
Though he loved her with his entire heart and only wished to see her prosper, she was a nation that couldn't entirely welcome a man as him, but it caused him little bother, for he was preparing for the day they'd both announce their love in front of her despite whatever her reaction would be. The moment he knew that Patrick would be worth all the future strife was when he'd seen him finally live out his dream. It was fairly easy to be convinced that the blond was too talented for his own good. To hold back such talent would be a misdeed to the world.
Pete finally told his lover whilst they were in bed together that he should reconsider the possibility of performing for others. He hadn't thought the words to have done much impact, but a few days later he overheard from his office Patrick discussing such a hypothetical occasion with Brendon during their music session. His friend was encouraging of the idea, and by dinner Pete could practically see the gears turning inside of his boyfriend's head. The planted idea must have sparked some sort of confidence inside of him because not too long had passed when the topic was brought up yet again but by Patrick himself.
"Have you ever been to a concert or live show before?" he asked.
"A few, not many. Why?"
"What were the venues like?"
"Mm. Well, they were mostly fancy places like opera houses and theatres and such."
Patrick laughed, perhaps thinking of himself playing a formal setting, and turned over to sleep, but when Pete was on the verge of going into his own slumber his boyfriend faced him again.
"How does a bar sound?"
"A bar? I guess, it's sensible. It's where most artists perform."
He hummed to himself in satisfaction at the statement and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before finally resting.
It was the days that followed the conversation the King could barely recall that he noticed the other looking far more occupied than usual with his instrument. The electric guitar that he had recently purchased was constantly in use even after Brendon had left. He would have gone to ask him what the meaning of it all was, but he was always whisked away to his duties and would forget to bring it up afterwards, only to remember it when Patrick was fast asleep. The answer came sooner than expected in the middle of his rare day off whilst he was enjoying a sunbath in the balcony.
Gerard approached him and pulled Pete's sunglasses up over his eyes to get his attention. The other was fairly annoyed to have been disturbed from his relaxation, demanding to know why he was being taken away from the activity.
"Sir, I failed to mention that you have an appointment in an hour."
"How on Earth could you have forgotten to tell me that? What's it for?"
"Erm...the Prime Minister has requested an audience," Gerard said, clearing his throat.
Pete rose to his feet quickly in a panic and ran back inside his room toward his closet.
"You did this to me on purpose, didn't you? You love to see me suffer from anxiety over big meetings like this, so you tell me last minute."
A small smile formed on his assistant's face that he failed miserably to conceal to which the King rolled his eyes and asked what was suitable to wear.
"This is a bit less of a formal meeting. A casual style would be most appreciated."
"Casual? Are you sure?"
"Of course, I'm sure, Pete. Now get dressed into some awful jeans and a t-shirt now."
"He won't mind my tattoos?"
"No. Everyone knows about your tattoos by now. Well, not in exact detail seeing that you never show them, but the public is very aware of them."
"I'm not even going to ask how that's possible."
"Rumors catch on."
"Is it popular among the people?"
"What is?"
"The tattoos. Do they care much about the fact that I have ink on my body?"
"It did cause a stir among the older generation, but the rumor has graced the Crown with a more youthful image."
Pete nodded to himself, having a bit of hope that put his mind at ease about what he was afraid of unleashing to them in the future. If society didn't make much of a hassle about one of his personal choices then perhaps they could come to love the other ones.
"Where's Patrick?"
"Oh. He's with Brendon. They're practicing at his house."
"Don't they always practice at the palace?" Pete questioned.
"Today it was decided they wouldn't."
The idea seemed to float into his mind right then, this awful idea that poisoned his brain. The sessions that had grown increasingly longer, the more time he was spending with his friend. It all added up to one conclusion that Pete didn't want to admit because he trusted his boyfriend and best friend.
At least, he thought he could trust them. The evil jealousy raged inside of him when he thought of the secrecy that might have taken place behind his back. There was no possible way, though, that they could be together in that sense with Brendon's very apparent heterosexuality and Patrick's undying loyalty. Yet, Pete's mind was to blame for thinking it anyhow. He supposed he could manage without his bodyguard for the time being, but he still wondered what the two were doing without his knowledge.
Gerard escorted him to the garage where he took to driving his Lamborghini Veneno that was in such a wonderful shape since it was repaired. He let his fingers crawl along the leather wheel as if welcoming the feeling again and introducing his touch to all the mechanics that he came to miss. The location was put into his GPS so he wouldn't get lost, considering it was in a different part of the city, and he went off after waving to his assistant. It was discussed with him about his means of travel as king, and there was the suggestion of being driven around for his protection, but Pete argued that he would only be driven to events. Otherwise, he was fully capable of going anywhere on his own. Halfway through the drive, he began to notice something rather peculiar.
A prime minister wouldn't hold a meeting downtown near the clubs and restaurants. He looked at the address typed into the tablet and figured it to be the bar down the street. Gerard wouldn't answer the phone call Pete dialed out once he parked in front of it, but the text he received from the assistant encouraged him to go inside. The security guard stationed at the front door spotted him immediately and went up to him before he even had the chance to walk more than a foot away from his car.
"Right this way, His Majesty."
The King was taken to a backdoor and led through a dark hallway. There were voices that obscured his focus until he reached a wing of a small stage where he could hide behind a curtain from the audience in the pit but be clearly seen by the performers. He was about to ask the security what the occasion was, but the man disappeared and was replaced with another person he knew very well. Patrick stood there dressed in an acid wash button down, a black denim jacket that matched the color of his jeans and boots, and a most fitting fedora upon his head. Pete's heart was struck by Cupid's arrow at the very sight of his lover looking more handsome than usual.
"What's this all about?" Pete asked, smiling wide.
"I wanted to surprise you with my very first public performance."
"You're serious? This is what you've been practicing for?"
Patrick nodded and indicated to the instruments on stage being tuned by the stagehands, and his boyfriend felt a bit dumb for letting his jealousy get the better of his thoughts. He was filled with so much pride and joy that he immediately brought the other into a deep kiss to congratulate him.
"Dude, everyone's going to love you more than me," Pete said.
"I doubt that. No one can love me as much as you."
"You might be right about that actually."
"If you two lovebirds are done I think we should get this show going, don't you think?" Brendon told them as he came from the hallway.
With another kiss, they parted, and Pete watched from the wing as the applause sounded out from the crowd of no little than fifty. Though it wasn't much, Pete knew that this was just the beginning of a long road if Patrick was serious about pursuing music. This was the start of a journey Pete wouldn't hesitate to support once the ball got rolling. The sounds from the amps bounced through the entire bar and made Pete's hairs stand on end.
His clothes danced to the vibrations wiggling about inside his chest. He stared at Patrick singing into the microphone and strumming the guitar as skillfully as he'd ever witnessed, legs bouncing between feet to the rhythm. When he saw the love of his life embody that amount of passion, prancing about the stage, Pete couldn't have been any more happier. He wanted the whole world to know of that happiness too.
***
The orphanage had been something the King had been planning since he was given his title. It hadn't felt right to him to have gone to Rio after promising to help parentless children, and that guilt stuck with him through everything. Though his family wasn't perfect, he believed himself to have been lucky to have even had a family to call his own. There were people that didn't have the same privileges he did. The only reasonable thing to do was to use those privileges he had been born with for good. He announced that he was working to improve the orphanages in the country, and that he would tirelessly campaign to promote adoption as an option for couples.
The media latched onto this like a newborn baby to its mother's teat. Pete was dishing out quality news that the public was eating right up. They praised him for his generosity many monarchs of the past did not possess. Yet, Pete couldn't care less of what they had to think. It wasn't a publicity stunt or something to gain approval from Parliament for future acts he would want to pass. The King genuinely believed it to be his duty to help his country, and it was that simple.
He allowed for Patrick to have a glimpse into his planning to free up his workload. Pete slowly learned over the course of this planning that the duties did not have to be held on his shoulders only. The burden could be shared, and his boyfriend did a marvelous job at each task. There was a thought that came into his head that Patrick would make a wonderful king consort, and it was as true as anything. For when the right time was to come, Pete was certain Patrick wouldn't disappoint in the title. Gerard arranged for there to be a grand ceremony for one of the updated orphanages where the King would cut a ribbon and smile for a few pictures.
Pete only hoped that more of the public would see his efforts and bring these children into their lives. Patrick and he were driven to the area hours prior to the press arriving so that they could receive a tour of all the work that had been done. The children greeted them most politely, and Patrick couldn't help but engage in their play and activities during the entirety of it, which Pete was glad for. It only proved he had just as much enthusiasm for the cause.
They were brought outside with the kids, and a large blue ribbon was tied to the poles in front of the doors. It was all for show honestly, but everyone loved the excitement the ribbon brought on even if they had already seen the finished product. A pair of scissors were handed over to the King right around the time the paparazzi began to gather. Patrick stood by his side while the blades sliced through the fabric and the cameras went off in a frenzy. The crowd rejoiced in applause.
He began to be bombarded with questions, most concerning the orphanage itself, but there were a few that greatly bothered Pete. They were asking of his future, of a future wife more specifically. Since the wedding it had not been spoken of if Pete would ever try his hand at engagement again, but the media was now hungry for those details. He ignored them the best he could, only answering anything that had to do with their location.
Once the chatter died down and everyone got to socializing Patrick leaned in to whisper into Pete's ear.
"How do you feel about kids?"
The King smiled and replied, "I like them very much. You know that."
"Would you ever want any one day?"
They made eye contact as the question settled for a few seconds.
"Yeah. One day."
Their eyes looked out upon the mass of paparazzi before returning to each other. They exchanged a look that meant something no one but themselves could understand. There wouldn't be an exact perfect moment when they could be truly ready to reveal their relationship. Life wasn't set up to work like that especially for them in their situation.
It was decided through that look that they would walk straight into the storm of uncertainty because they had each other to fall back on. Whatever was to come was out of their hands, so the two of them, in the midst of all the attention, pulled each other close, angling their faces just right and locked lips. They could feel each other's smiles through the caressing of their mouths as the flashing lights immortalized them into history.
.•°The End.•°
A/N: wowee. it's over. i cry a little every time i end a story my life was consumed by for so long but it was fun. thanks for reading. :')