"That Prince Hans would've failed, you know. Any kingdom has plans against things exactly like what he was trying to do," Austin says, looking down at where Ally is snuggled up next to him on their bed.
"It's a movie for kids." Ally looks up at him.
"Well, they should at least try to be accurate."
Ally rolls her eyes and turns off the TV. "You'd think that after—what, four years?—in America, you'd be used to inaccurate portrayals of royalty. Especially since I'm making you watch every Disney movie ever."
"That's compared to eighteen years, plus every summer since then, of being royalty. And I'm surprised you like these movies, since you're so…" He trails off at her death glare and clears his throat. "Realistic."
Ally snorts and shifts in bed, draping her arm over his stomach and entangling her legs with his. "Right," she says. "That's the word you were gonna use."
"You are!" he says defensively. "And you're smart."
"Now you're just lying."
"You just graduated university with a degree in astronomy!"
She sits up a little and searches his eyes for a moment. "You have more faith in me than you probably should."
He grins at her and shakes his head. "I have exactly the right amount of faith in you."
Ally kisses his cheek and turns off the light before laying back down. He follows suit.
"You know you can't argue," he continues, turning on his side to face her and pulling her into him. "Especially because my political science classes were ten times easier than your astronomy classes and you still got better grades than me."
He can just barely make out the twinkling stars in her eyes in the darkness. "That's only because I was actually interested in the subject matter, and you weren't. Even though you really should be, because you're gonna be a freaking king in three years."
"That's still up for debate," he says.
"No, it's not," she laughs. "If you say things like that when we're in Ocheria, your parents will have simultaneous aneurisms."
"That's why I'm getting it all out before we leave next week."
"But while we're on the subject, twenty-five is an insane age to become King."
"I know, right?"
"It's already way too young to be getting married, much less rule an entire country."
The marriage comment makes him hesitate. They've had brief conversations about it before, although they've been getting more frequent as they get older. But those conversations don't usually go very well.
"Trust me, if I could change it, I would."
"Other countries do it differently, right? Isn't it usually just when the current ruler dies?"
"Yeah, but my parents are never gonnna die, and I'd hate to make them rule forever."
Ally snorts, and he smiles. "Right," she says. "My bad."
"I've been trying to talk to them. I have a plan," he tells her.
"Do enlighten me, Your Highness."
"Can't. I don't wanna jinx it." And because he doesn't have a plan at all. But he knows how often she thinks about this and how much it freaks her out, so he'll say just about anything to ease her mind. Plus, he's still got three years to figure something out.
"Fine. And besides, who knows if we'll even still be together three years from now?"
He narrows his eyes, though he doubts she can see it in the dark. "I believe I remember you saying that same thing four years ago. And then again three years ago. Yet here we are."
"Yeah, I'm still not entirely convinced you didn't use some sort of royal manipulation on me to get me to stay with you all this time."
"I did," he says. "It's called love. You should try it sometime."
"Doesn't really sound like my thing."
He laughs, and then she laughs. "You should've thought of that before we renewed our lease."
"Speaking of which—"
"I know," Ally interrupts. "Emphasis on the two-bedroom aspect of the apartment if it comes up."
The only reason Austin's mother even sort of implied that she'd be okay with the two of them living together was if they slept in two separate rooms. But it actually kind of worked out, because the otherwise unused bedroom in their apartment makes a perfect art studio for Ally.
"We've been together four years and lived together two," Ally adds. "I've mastered the art of lying to your mother. It's you I'm always worried about, Mama's Boy."
"I managed to hide my identity from you until we were on the boat to Ocheria," he reminds her. "I'm a great liar."
"Except I knew you were full of shit the entire time leading up to it."
"You have trust issues."
"I was right, though."
"And you love me anyway."
"Mmhm," she hums, and then her lips are on his. He can feel her smiling, and he pulls her closer.
"I love you, too," he whispers when they pull away. "Goodnight, Ally."
She shifts in his arms as if she's trying to find a comfortable position. Then she exhales, and he can feel her body relax. "Goodnight."
A week and a half later, Austin finds himself standing outside Ally's guest room in the palace. He checks his watch and then knocks impatiently.
"Come in!" she calls, evidently not picking up on his frustration.
He sighs and walks in the room, shutting the door behind him and looking around. They've barely been here four days, but Ally's room is already a mess of clothes and snacks and various belongings and art supplies and drying paintings. He smiles a little at how easily Ally settles in here now, while the first few times he brought her here, she was afraid just to pull back the covers on the perfectly-made bed.
"I know, I know," Ally says, snapping him out of his thoughts as she walks out of the bathroom. She easily steps over and around the clutter on the floor without even looking at it, fidgeting as she tries to pull the delicate, gauzy sleeves of her gown over her shoulders. "But this is your mother's fault. She dresses me up like a Barbie doll for every public event. Zip me?"
She turns around and pulls her hair out of the way, and he pulls up her zipper in a daze before snapping back to reality when she faces him again. The gown is a summery yellow to match the season and flows softly to the floor in the same material as the sleeves, with a more opaque layer beneath it. He gives her a small smile and tugs the sleeves off her shoulders so they fall slightly down her arms like they're supposed to. Her hair is in its usual curls, except now she's added two small braids holding it away from her face, along with the symbolic tiara he knows she hates.
"You always look beautiful, though," he tells her.
"Yeah, well," she says, walking over to a random pile of art supplies and pulling out a tube of lip gloss from underneath it, "if your mom's gonna make me play dress-up, I told her I at least wanted to do it myself this year instead of dealing with those poor handmaidens she always sends. They always overdo it."
He watches her swipe the lip gloss on over her slightly tinted lips to finish her make-up look. "I'm happy to see you two are compromising." He clears his throat and looks away. "Although the party started nearly an hour ago, and she isn't very happy."
"Hasn't she ever heard of being fashionably late?" Ally asks, leaning forward to look in the huge mirror in the corner of the room while she puts in the earrings his mother must have included with the dress. Then she hands him a matching necklace and turns around again.
"Pretty sure that doesn't apply to royalty. Especially not to the person the party is celebrating." He clasps the necklace, his knuckles just barely brushing the back of her neck.
She meets his eyes in the mirror, a sarcastic smile on her face. "I didn't realize I was the guest of honor."
"I mean, technically, we both graduated university. If you don't think about it too hard, it's kind of like a grad party for the both of us."
"I'm pretty sure half the country isn't swarming to the palace to celebrate my graduation."
"Either way, we really need to get going," he reminds her.
"Your mother should really expect this from me by now."
"I think she does. But that doesn't mean she isn't gonna try to change it."
Ally snorts and turns back around to face him, reaching up to tilt the perfectly-placed crown on his head. He frowns and fixes it, even though he already knows nobody will even notice how he looks compared to how brightly she's shining next to him.
"I'm surprised she keeps letting me come back every year," Ally says. But his mother has grown fond of Ally, and Ally her, whether either of them admits it or not.
"She still thinks you're a good influence," he tells her.
"She also still thinks you're a virgin," she replies, raising an eyebrow. He hates the heat that rises to his cheeks as he looks away. Still, he can see her resulting smirk in his peripheral as she pats his chest. "Pretty sure we all know she's just telling herself what she needs to in order to accept the fact that her little prince is becoming his own person."
"She will never have any reason to think otherwise," he says.
"What about when you're married?" Ally asks.
"Marriage doesn't automatically mean that."
"And when you have a little prince or princess all your own?"
"Storks."
Ally bursts out laughing in that bright way she does when all her walls come down unexpectedly, and he smiles as the room seems to light up around him. "You've got it all figured out," she says, slipping her arm through his as he leads her out of the room.
"I spent half of my first and only American high school prom worrying about it," he says. "Of course I figured it out. At this point, I'm pretty sure I could talk us out of almost anything."
"I'd hate to hear what you spent the rest of prom thinking about."
"I think you can probably guess."
"I did look sexy as hell that night."
"Language," he reminds her, glancing down the hall at the guards by the staircase. "But…I mean, yeah."
Ally giggles and hugs his arm. "He admits to being human! Alert the presses!"
He rolls his eyes, but the effect is ruined by his smile. "So much for you being a good influence."
They descend the stairs—well, he descends. She practically floats. As much as Ally complains about his mother's seemingly always perfect poise, she develops a great deal of royal grace herself whenever she's here.
"I am a good influence," she argues.
They quietly bicker their way down another hallway before stopping just outside the massive, open double-doors of the Grand Ballroom. She squeezes his arm once, the only indication that she's nervous, and they walk in, stopping on the landing just inside.
Austin surveys the partygoers below them as the guards announce Prince Austin and Lady Ally and all the attention is turned on them. This is Ally's least favorite part, he knows, so he gives the crowd a quick smile and wave before leading Ally to the staircase at the left of the landing, which leads down to a quieter area of the ballroom than the right staircase. It isn't much, but the small things add up to get her through things like this.
"Just think of other royal balls," he says quietly so only she can hear. And even though he uses the same cheap, inappropriate pun at every single ball they attend together, it still makes her giggle every time. Although he suspects her laughter has more to do with anything suggestive coming out of his mouth than the actual joke itself. But it works, and that's all that matters.
"One day, you're going to stop thinking that's funny," he says as they step down onto the ballroom floor. "And then I'm going to be at a loss for how to get you to relax at these events."
"Well, good thing that day isn't today," Ally replies, and they make their way to the raised dais where the King and Queen typically spend the majority of their time.
"You're late," his mother says as soon as he and Ally stand up from their respective bow and curtsy.
"Apologies, Your Majesty," Ally says with a too-sweet smile that makes Austin nervous. "I told Prince Austin that royalty doesn't get the luxury of being fashionably late, but His Highness always has a bit more trouble readjusting to Ocheria than I do."
The Queen lifts her chin and narrows her eyes, but Austin's father swoops in to save the day. "Well, you're here now," he says with a warm smile. "This is your party, Austin. You two go have fun."
"It's like you enjoy antagonizing her," Austin mutters as he and Ally make their way to the food table.
Ally shrugs. "She puts me in frilly dresses and tiaras, and I tell her blatant lies where she can't react. It's what we do."
"I think both of you have finally met your match."
Ally shrugs, pulling her arm out of his to pick up a little plate and pile it with hors-d'oeuvres. "I think we just have a silent understanding," she says as Austin grabs a random one off her plate and pops it into his mouth. When she glares at him, he smiles.
"She asks me about my future with you sometimes, you know," he says after swallowing the food. "Like if I can see myself marrying you."
Ally snorts. "And then gives you all the reasons why it would be a bad idea?"
He shakes his head, meeting her eyes. "She sounds…hopeful."
"Really?" He nods, and Ally suddenly seems very interested in the tiny sandwich she's holding. "She probably shouldn't be. Especially since that would make me Queen, and I can't even keep a family of Sims alive for a week."
Austin chuckles and rests a hand on her back, rubbing up and down gently as they fall into a comfortable silence. She sways slightly to the music, picking at the little concoctions on her plate while he steals one every so often. A bunch of people Austin only vaguely recognizes approach to congratulate him, and he desperately wishes Dez and Trish were here. The four of them have formed a solid little group over the past four years, and he's still more than a little annoyed his mother said they couldn't come.
He's brought out of his thoughts when his eyes land on Lady Brooke, the daughter of one of the most powerful noble families in the country. Brooke's eyes are locked on him as she makes her way over, her hips swaying a little too much as a secretive smirk makes its way onto her face.
Ally stiffens beside him, and he tries to inconspicuously remove his hand from her back to hold his arm out slightly in front of her. He notices her grip on the tiny plate tighten as Brooke gets closer.
"Easy, tiger," he says to her under his breath.
"Bite me," she hisses back, then quickly plasters on that unnervingly sweet smile as Brooke stops in front of them.
"Lady Brooke," he says, giving her a smile of his own as she curtsies. He holds out the hand that isn't currently in front of Ally, and Brooke places her hand in his. She lets out a clearly forced giggle when he kisses the back of her hand, and he can practically hear Ally mentally cursing her out. "It's always a pleasure to see you."
"You are far too kind, Your Highness. I just wanted to give you my personal congratulations for such a great achievement."
"Thank you."
"I've been looking all over for you, since usually you're always on the dance floor or socializing. I suppose I forgot about your American girl and her…" Brooke glances pointedly at Ally's plate, then at her face with open distaste, then looks back at Austin with another smile. "Affinity for the food here in Ocheria."
"Nice to see you too, Brooke," Ally says through clenched teeth and her diplomatic smile. "The American girl's name is Ally," she adds. "And the food here is really good. I wonder if you'd like to try some—"
"Okay," Austin interrupts before any hors-d'oeuvres end up in Brooke's face, "speaking of the dance floor, I was actually just about to ask Ally for a dance." He looks at Ally, but Brooke speaks first.
"Prince Austin, you wouldn't want to make a fool of your lovely lady by making her dance in front of all these people, would you? I, for one, would be happy to take her place. To save her the embarrassment."
"How…thoughtful of you," Austin says. "But you don't need to do that."
"I really wouldn't mind."
"Jesus fucking Christ, Brooke! Just leave us the hell alone!" Ally bursts, throwing her arms out in exasperation and sending her food flying all over Brooke, herself, and Austin. About fifty people turn to look at them, which turns into a hundred, which turns into the whole room.
Brooke looks down at herself, then up at Ally, her lip quivering and eyes filling with tears. Austin resists the urge to roll his eyes. Ally glances around at all the eyes on her, nose twitching with anger, before spinning around and marching back up the stairs with the dangerous elegance of a lioness.
Well, she sure knows how to make an exit, he'll give her that.
"This is why she will never be like us," Brooke says quietly before running off, presumably to cry to her mother and father about what the evil Lady Ally did this time.
Austin locks eyes with his parents across the room. His father looks concerned, but his mother…
She simply looks on with a lifted chin, her face blank and unreadable.
this is plotless and completely self-indulgent, but i really loved the original fic and i miss the story and characters terribly, so here we are. this prob won't have more than 3 chapters also sorry if this ruins the original for u once again i simply missed this fic kay thanks love you bye