Work Text:
It had finally happened. Lucette had a suitor. And Rod felt like he’d been dropped into an abyss.
Even without the presentation ball she had stubbornly refused to throw, even with her mother’s reputation holding the nobles back, it was only a matter of time before the offers of marriage started coming in. And now the prince of a neighboring country was staying at the palace. Rod hated the bastard, with his charming smiles and flawless manners. Not everyone could be born into royalty; the man didn’t have to flaunt it. Or to make his intentions toward Angielle’s crown princess so abundantly, unmistakably clear.
As if that prince could ever be worthy of her. As if he could know how precious her hard-won smiles were. As if he could see beyond her defensive mask and truly appreciate her honesty and determination. The man had no idea how strong and loyal and loving she was. He saw a royal title and a pretty face and thought that was enough. But she deserved more; she deserved to be understood and treasured for every particle of her being. This fop, he wasn’t the one who could give her that.
At least the prince hadn’t offered an actual proposal. Yet. But the way he looked at Lucette, as if he had some kind of right to her, was infuriating enough.
Rod knew he shouldn’t be hiding. Lucette would want to talk to him. And yet here he was, holed up in the library, stubbornly avoiding the outside world.
He needed time to think.
Of course, he’d always known this time would come. They both had. The woman he loved was the crown princess, future queen of Angielle, with all the duties and responsibilities of her title. She would need to bear children. The kingdom needed an heir. That meant finding a husband.
And that husband… could not be him.
Rod pressed a hand to his chest. This must be what drowning felt like.
He could never marry her. It was a truth that he’d always known but had never allowed himself to face. He’d buried himself in the present, in their love, in his need for her, and forced all thoughts of the future into a tiny corner of his mind. Now that future was here, glaring him in the face, and he couldn’t ignore it anymore.
She would marry another man, and there wasn’t a single thing he could do.
Despite his attempts to confront this reality, something within him kept shutting down, bringing up a wall to protect him from the truth. Against his will, his mind returned to the fantasies he’d always known he shouldn’t have. Lucette in a wedding dress, walking down the aisle towards him, her beautiful smile lighting up the room. Days and nights spent in her company, simply loving her, without the need to hide what they had. He imagined playing with their children, just himself and Lucette and the little ones that looked like her, and he wanted it so badly it hurt.
As if to torture him, the visions transformed, and now Rod saw that wretched prince in his place, holding her, kissing her, making her happy. His chest ached, and it was hard to breathe. Would he ever remember how to breathe comfortably again?
He didn’t notice that she had entered the room until she sat down beside him. His body tensed, but he couldn’t look at her. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from throwing his arms around her. And he didn’t have any right to do that.
She said nothing. He said nothing. They sat there, so close they could touch, neither of them moving an inch. Her presence filled his senses. Despite all his attempts to calm himself, his fingers itched to reach for her. If only he could take her in his arms and forget the world. If only…
…if only…
She was the one to break the silence. “I am going to refuse him.”
He swallowed the lump rising in his throat. “Why?”
“You know why.”
There were so many things he wanted to say. Thank you. I love you. Don’t ever leave me. I want to be with you forever.
He closed his eyes. “That’s not enough reason.”
“It is to me.”
“And how long are you going to put it off?” At last, he found the courage to look at her. She was watching him solemnly, her jaw set in determination. Gods, he loved that look of hers, the one that said nothing in the world would stop her. With an effort, he remembered what he was going to say. “You know this can’t last forever.”
“There has to be a way.”
When she said things like that, he couldn’t help but hope. It was impossible, but — how could he give her up? How could he let go of a love strong enough to shatter both their curses? Surely she belonged with him; surely it wasn’t insurmountable; surely, surely—
A choked noise escaped his throat, and in the next moment, they were in each other’s arms. He didn’t know who had moved first. It didn’t matter. She was warm and soft and beautiful, and right now, she was his.
And he was hers. Whether she was married to another man or not, he would always be hers.
Her fingers clutched the back of his shirt, holding him tight to her body. “I am not giving you up.”
“Lucette…”
She shook her head, her cheek next to his. “I do not care.”
“But—”
“I do not care.”
He forced the words out. “You have to care. The kingdom needs you.”
“And I will not abandon it. Or you. There is a way, and I will find it.”
He couldn’t fight anymore. Turning his head towards hers, he captured her lips in a kiss so sweet it sent shivers down his spine. It was wrong, he knew it was wrong, but he didn’t have the strength to resist her anymore. “Lucette. Are you sure?”
“Completely.”
There was a time when she would have accepted their fate. He knew that to be true. When they had first started this, they had not lied to themselves about what the future held. Now, it was different. He’d loved her so much, even back then, but he’d never known how utterly essential she would become to him, like the air he breathed. How impossible it would be to lose her.
“I shouldn’t be in love with you,” he whispered.
Her answering smile was wry, just a tiny quirk of her lips. “And I should not love you. Yet here we are.”
He kissed her again, gently, savoring her lips just a little longer before pulling away. “What will we do now?”
“Perhaps—” she started, then stopped, then started again. “Perhaps it is time to tell the king.”