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⠀⠀╲⠀╲⠀☆⠀ ╲⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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april 1859
"George! Oi, ye there?" A sable-haired boy slammed a fist on the door impatiently, other hand shoved in a trouser pocket, fiddling anxiously with a loose string, foot tapping nervously on the rotting wood of the porch. It looked like it was about to break then and there, poor Paulie falling right through and into the gross dirt below, but miraculously, it didn't.
It had been about two days since John had paid a visit to the younger boy, and since then Paul had pretty much gone insane. The fiery-haired (it wasn't really orange, but the auburn locks flared a dark red in the sunlight, Paul had noted) prince hadn't left his mind, not for one minute. Every time he thought about him, butterflies would explode in his stomach and flutter in his chest, cheeks going red for no reason. Lying awake the past two night, thinking about how John felt in his arms.. the look they had given each other while John stood there in his own clothes for christ's sake. Everything reminded him of Lennon. He would see a fucking tree and think of seeing John there in his hideout spot. He had found his box too.. he was glad that he hadn't seen what was in it. It was special, private stuff. John knew where his hideout was now though.. he didn't know if he minded though.
John had left late that night, once the storm had died down. It had been about 1am, and they had stayed up talking all night, about music, piano, books, and everything in between. Paul had watched him go with a weirdly heavy heart, so many emotions flying through him at that moment when he watched John's figure disappear into the darkness. It was so.. casual, fun and just really interesting. John was so interesting, so human. He didn't expect that in someone like him. The way he felt around him was so foreign, but really familiar at the same time. Scarily familiar. But he couldn't hold it in anymore, he had to get it out. And who else to turn to but his best friend, the food guzzler George Harrison.
Speaking of, the young boy flung open the door, clad in just lazily pulled on trousers and nothing else. He gazed down at Paul in dizzy, tired confusion, hair sticking up every which way. Paul noticed love bites scattering across his neck down his chest and he grimaced at the sight.
"Paul? Aye, what are ye doin' 'ere?" His voice was husky with sleep, and a face popped out from behind him. It was Ringo. He looked similar to George, dishevelled and tired, but there was a lazy smile on his face as he spotted Paul.
"Mornin', Paul."
"I..." Paul fell silent. Did... were... George and Ringo...? "Uh."
"Oh. Ringo-" George turned to the older boy, more awake with sudden anxiety and shooed him back inside, suddenly self conscious of his bare chest as he realised they were both very much out in the open. "Fuck. Paul, get 'ere." He grabbed his best friend's wrist and dragged him inside, slamming the door behind him. "Shoulda put a shirt on. Ringo, I told ye ta stay in bed!" George glared at him, who shrugged sheepishly. He was wearing nothing but boxers and a half done up shirt.
"Sorry, sorry. Wanted ta see who was at th' door!" Ringo held up his hands as they made their way to the kitchen.
"If it was anyone else they woulda bloody killed us righ' then an' there! Wha' if it was th' neighbours-" George continued to rant angrily, making angry gestures at his .. lover?
"Guys." Paul tried to interrupt, utterly dumbfounded, speechless, at the sight in front of him. George and Ringo are fucking. Oh my god.
"Well it wasn't! So let's jus' forget about it-"
"I can't jus' forget abou' it, Ringo! Wha'-"
"Guys!" Paul yelled, eyes bugging out of his head. Both of them fell silent and looked at their best friend, as if they forgot he was here. "Can someone.. please explain to me what THE HELL is going on??" Paul gestured wildly to them both with a shocked expression, eyebrows raised high on his forehead.
Silence followed for a few moments, Ringo turning embarrassed and ducking his head to look at the floor, wriggling his toes slightly and staring at them. George just sighed and rubbed the back of his neck slightly, turning to look at Paul with a serious stare.
"Ok well... Paul." He placed hands on the older boy's shoulders. "Don't freak out, but... me and Ringo are together. Romantically. Boyfriend and boyfriend. Lovers. Sweethearts. Dating-"
"I get it, I get it!" Paul shut him up with a nod. "Right. Well." Paul leaned against the counter, processing the large amount of information that he had just been given a few seconds ago, tapping incessantly on the wooden surface, catching his bottom lip in his teeth. He could feel the two's anxious gazes on him, and he knew that they were terrified of him rejecting them. "How long?" He looked up at them, wanting to reassure that it was okay with him.
"Uh... four days or so." Ringo piped up, arm snaking around George's bare waist to rest a hand on his hip. George struggled to suppress a smile.
"Oh. That's okay, really." He pushed off the counter with a warm smile at his friends. "It's okay with me. Yer both still George an' Ringo." He held out his arms and shortly after he was pulled into a tight group hug, George grinning up at him as they basically hugged the breath out of him. It was kind of weird, knowing his friends were now dating basically .. but he was okay with it. They were still people.
"Thank ye so much, Paulie, really. Yer th' best friend a guy could have." Ringo grinned at him widely, slightly teary eyed as they all pulled out of the hug.
"Of course I am." Paul stuck out a hip and waved them off with a sassy grin. "But, why didn't ye tell me sooner?? Was I not trustworthy ta know this?" He leaned back against the counter with a smirk. "How'd ye guys get togeva'?"
"Well, I dunno... it's hard ta tell people this stuff, y'know? Even if they are trustworthy people." George shrugged. "Wait a sec, 'm jus' gonna get a shirt-" He hurried away down the hallway to his room.
Paul nodded at the words, turning to Ringo, who was getting some water and chugging it with unnecessarily loud noises, causing the sable-haired boy to grimace, kicking the older boy in the shin, who protested and kicked him back playfully.
"Oh, and.." Ringo put down his cup. "George 'ad come to me 'ouse late at nigh', like at me window. I was all confused as ta why 'e was there, but 'e said nuffin' an' jus' kissed me." A grin spread across his face. "It was bloody bonkers, I never thought 'e'd like me back."
"Wha' about Pattie?" Paul's brows furrowed as he remembered the blonde girl from the party.
"'e broke up with 'er tha' very same day. She was really upset, bu' not mad. Confused, felt like it was 'er fault an' she wasn't good enough. Felt really 'orrible fer 'er, really. Sweet gal." Ringo nodded sadly as he took another sip of water. George came back at that moment, a button up on now, covering the things Paul didn't really want to see in the first place, the lanky boy hugging Ringo from behind, burying his grin in his lover's shoulder. Ringo grinned and pressed a kiss to George's mop of hair, and Paul couldn't help but smile too. They were bloody cute together.
I want that. Paul thought to himself.
"Yeah, feel bad fer 'er too. I always thought somethin' was going on between ye two anyroad. The way ye guys acted 'round each other, I knew somethin' was up. An' not jus' recently, I mean fer ages ye both were pinin'!" Paul threw his hands up incredulously. "Surprised it didn't happen earlier."
"Same here, mate. Honestly, we were jus' dumb!" George giggled as he leaned his head on Ringo's shoulder, gazing up at him with a grin. Ringo grinned back at him and they connected lips, the older wrapping his arms around the younger tenderly.
"Oi, get a room, bastards! 'm still 'ere!" Paul playfully glared at them as he flicked a bit of fluff towards the couple, smirking slightly. The azure-eyed man pulled away with a sigh, then looked out the window behind Paul.
"Fuck! 'm meant ta see John today, 'e's been pesterin' me fer ages! See ya babe." He pressed one last kiss to George's lips, the two exchanging lovesick smiles before he went and hugged Paul, pressing a wet kiss to his best friend's cheek with a grin. "See ya, Princess Paulie!" He called before dashing into the bedroom to fetch pants, coming back a few moments doing them up and dashing out of the house with a wave.
"Fuck off, wanker!" Paul wiped the saliva off of his cheek and threw a stray crumpled piece of paper at the older boy, missing unfortunately as it didn't go very far.
"Nice throw, mate." George guffawed.
"Shut up, grot bastard." Paul rolled his eyes at him before sassily strutting to the lounge room and throwing himself on the tattered couch. "Ye couldn't throw any better if ye bloody tried."
"Try me." George grinned before plonking onto the floor in front of the couch, gazing up at his friend as he rested his chin in his hands. "So."
"So." Paul repeated, turning to look at his best friend.
"Why'd ye come 'ere so early, huh? What's up in th' world of Princess Paulie?" The younger tilted his head curiously, raising an eyebrow.
Oh right. That. Paul sighed softly, and he swore he could see John's almond eyes staring down at him from the ceiling, expression kind like they were when he put the money into his hand, closing his fingers around it with his own.
"Well.." He then explained everything that had happened that night. From going out to save his special box from the rain to how he felt when he watched John go.
"Well, tha's a bloody lot ta take in." George spoke eventually, letting out an incredulous chuckle before running a hand through his unkempt hair. "So... I think ye might like John. Like, 'ave a crush on 'im." He stood up and placed his hands on hips, knowing exactly what was coming next-
"No! No way-" Paul sat up, gazing at George in shock and anger that he would even suggest something like that! How dare he! "I could never be like tha'! I like girls! Not tha' there's anythin' wrong with likin' guys-" He fumbled slightly, cheeks warming, but he stood up, running a worried hand through his hair as he began to pace. "I could jus' never like guys. I never 'ave. An' 'm certainly not startin' now, with someone like 'im!" He made crazy gestures as he began to ramble, continuously running a hand through his hair and messing it up worse and worse as he went, pacing frantically back and forth. George could see he was going to work himself up into a state, and he got ready to jump in when Paul got too anxiety-ridden to function properly. "I like girls, an' girls alone. I like tits, vag an' arse. G-girl arse! Girl arse, may I remind ye!" He pointed to George with a furious glare, the younger sporting a small smirk and having been about to say something. "I knew wha' ye were gonna say, 'arrison, an' don' ye bloody start now!" He hissed, pressing fingers harshly into the sides of his temple angrily. "Fuck... 'm doin' me own 'ead in! I like girls. I like girls." He crossed his arms as he continued to pace, trying to affirm to himself that he did, in fact, like girls.
"Paul.." George started, getting more and more worried as time went on.
"I like girls! Tha's all there is to it! That's all there is to it... I only like girls." Paul didn't respond (probably not having heard him), instead still chanting to himself frantically. "I could never like boys.. I would be kicked out. I-I don't like men, that's sodomy! I don't... I don't-"
"Paul! Paul!" George hurried over and grabbed onto Paul's shoulders, spinning the frantic boy around to face the younger, eyebrows raised. "Paul, calm down. Deep breaths, okay?" He guided the boy gently to the couch, sitting him down and kneeling onto the stone floor. "It's okay, Paul.. just calm yourself." Eventually, Paul had calmed himself down, knees pulled up to his body and head buried in them, arms wrapped around his legs, back rising and falling slowly.
"I'll be back in just a sec, alrigh' Paul? Jus' gettin' some water fer ye, okay?" George's places a hand on his best friend's knee, gazing at him earnestly, and Paul murmured consent, George standing up and hurrying to get water, coming back a few seconds later and handing it to the doe-eyed boy. He drank it quickly, letting out a sigh once done and wiping his mouth. His eyes were filled with tears and his bottom lip trembled slightly, refusing to look at his best friend before he buried his face in his knees again.
"Paul.. 'm sorry. I really am." The sharp-cheekboned boy sighed, slowly sitting down on the floor in front of Paul.
There was dead silence in the house except for the older boy's erratic gasping breaths, back shaking up and down irregularly, and George realised then that he was crying. His heart ached horribly for his best friend, knowing exactly how he was feeling; he pulled him straight into a hug, Paul stiff at first but melting into the touch, burying his head into the lanky boy's shoulder.
"Paul.." George sighed.
"I can't-can't deal with this, George. It's too mm-much. I hate this feelin' so much... I-I feel so bloody helpless, as if 'm watchin' me life fall a-a-apart from th' sidelines. I.. I don't know wha' ta do. 'm.. 'm seriously at a loss." Paul sniffed and wiped his eyes, pulling away to look George in the eye.
"I know." George spoke eventually. "Trust me... I know th' feeling well. I went through tha' all by meself. It's such a horrible feelin'... ye feel like yer so disgustin' and 'orrible fer bein' gay an' knowin' tha' if ye ever, ever get caught yer gonna be slaughtered in fronta th' entire city an' yer own family." His voice was quiet and hoarse by the time he finished his sentence. "An'... yer probably destined ta be alone fer a long time."
Paul let out a sob and buried his face in his hands.
"But.. yer not alone Paul. Yer not. Ye have me, and Ringo. Probably Mike too." George wrapped an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "We are here ta get ye through anythin', we'll protect ye through everythin'. We love ye so much. An'.. Ye'll find someone. I know ye will. Ye won't be alone forever, that's fuckin' bullshit. There's always someone out there." He lifted Paul's head by his chin, locking eyes and raising his eyebrows with a warm smile. The boy sniffed again, staring up at his best friend with almost childlike wonder, taking in everything George was saying.
"Ye will find someone. Yer amazin', Paulie. Anyone would be lucky ta have ye."
Eventually, a large grin spread across Paul's face, cheeks puffing up and eyes crinkling with happiness, a giggle escaping from his lips.
"I highly doubt tha', but thank ye, Geo. Really... thank ye. Yer my best friend, yer th' bloody best too. Dunno how I managed ta come across such an awesome friend. I love ya." He pulled the lanky boy into a tight hug, giving one last squeeze before they both sat there on the couch, Paul's head resting on George's shoulders, George's on top of Paul's head.
"Love ye too."
They were both thinking of the same person at George's previous words.
A certain John Lennon.
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"'m goin' outta me fookin' mind, Rings!"
Speaking of, that same John Lennon was pacing up and down his room, clawing at his hair and pulling it out of its perfectly-styled place.
"I can see tha'." Ringo raised an eyebrow as he watched his best friend. He was splayed out comfortably on John's massive bed, head buried between an unnecessary amount of pillows.
Ringo had come to John's place straight from George's, and the prince had questioned him on the obvious hickeys on his neck and his overall dishevelled look; he told him about his night with George, of course - John knew about them being together already because Ringo fangirled about it to him for hours the day after him and the dark-eyed boy got together. They always told each other everything.
"I jus'- man I like 'im so goddamn much!" John groaned and flopped onto the bed with a dramatic sigh. "'m so fuckin' whipped, mate."
Ringo chucked mischievously, poking him incessantly in the cheek.
"Awwww, John's soft fer McCartney!"
Pack it, will ye?" The auburn-haired boy shoved his older friend's hand away with a grin. "But..." He huffed again, smile fading. "'e's th' straightest guy in existence, so.." He slipped a crumpled paper from his pocket and threw it in the air repeatedly, catching it each time. "Lucky me."
"I wouldn't be so sure.." Ringo hummed, expression turning serious as the thought to himself, the cogs turning in his head.
"What'd'ye mean?" John raised an eyebrow as he glanced towards his friend, not noticing the crumpled piece of paper that was thrown in midair and fell onto his chest. "There could be a chance??"
"Welllll..." A mischievous grin slowly made its way onto the shorter man's face before he glanced towards the prince. "I could find out fer ye."
"Wha'? Ye serious? Yer gonna find out if Paul would be ... y'know ?" John sat up and grinned excitedly at his friend.
"...Perhaps." He pressed a finger into his own cheek before looking back at the prince with a smirk.
"Oh, aye! I owe ye, mate! Thanks so much, honestly!" John pulled him into a bear hug, Ringo shoving him away with a half-grin, half-grimace.
"Watch th' back, mate! George was a little rowdy.." He hissed slightly and rubbed at his back. They both exchanged a glance before bursting into laugh, echoing loudly throughout the room before John shoved Ringo off the bed, who groaned in pain as he hit the carpeted floor.
"Yer both fuckin' naff, mate! Don't want tha' kinda influence fer me!" John peeked over the edge of the bed with a devilish grin.
"I'll influence ye, mate... influence yer fuckin' face into being bashed in!" Ringo laid there for a second before leaping up and pinning John down, both wrestling playfully and throwing pretend punches to each other's face.
For the rest of the morning, they both just laid on the bed, John on the floor with his legs on top of the bed, Ringo splayed out and taking up every inch of space on it, and talked about everything and nothing.
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author's note.
_____________
yo waddup gamers !! hope
yall enjoyed this chapter,
decided to give it out early
bc 69Gwhore69 's comments
legit made my week holy shit
so I HOPE U ENJOY DUDE i
gave the chapter out earlier t
than usual :')) also omfg yall
this is nearly at 3k holy shit
im so fuckin happy thank u
all so much!! and also almost
at 200 votes aahhh thank u
guys fr it means sm to me :'))
anyways enjoy this chap it
was so fun to write !!! its now
5:20am and i prolly should
sleep omfg lmaoo ok now ima
shut up bye bye ily all <333