Part Seven

It took a moment for Michael to place exactly where he was. He was lying on a stone bench beside a fountain, in a garden even grander than any at Robert's castle. He sighed. He was still there... wherever that was.

"Michael?" Oliver's cheery voice cut through the darkness. "What are you doing out here all by yourself? Where's Robert?"
The All Star grimaced, stumbling to his feet. "I- I don't know."
"You're hurt!" His companion exclaimed, noticing his bleeding hand. "We need to get you cleaned up, and then, I'm taking you home to bed."

He giggled as he linked arms with the American boy and led him back to the servants' quarters of the palace.
"Oh, I don't mean it like that... unless you want me to."

It was only sheer luck that one of Oliver's restaurants was catering the party. He had been so bored listening to Johnny and Enrique discussing the finer points of girls and cars - for the entire evening - that he decided to take a trip to check how his staff were handling the event.

"It's incredible I found you." He commented as he opened the kitchen's first aid kit and tended to Michael's wounded hand. "I didn't even know this was the J・gens' party until I got here."

He wrapped the bandage so neatly, it was like a work of art itself.

"There." He smiled, and gave the bandage a soft kiss. "Johnny is always punching things, so I've become really good at doing this."
Michael raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Even the kiss?"
"Especially the kiss - it's the most important part! How are you going to heal quickly if you don't know that someone loves you, and wants you to get better?"

It was the sweetest thing Michael had ever heard. The Majestics insisted they weren't a team, or even friends, but the more he got to know them, the more they seemed like a family. A really dysfunctional family, but still, they understood how each other worked.

His own team was... different. He would be too embarrassed to show any sort of weakness in front of Eddy or Steve. He always had to be strong, or suffer weeks of teasing. Emily was a little more sensitive, but if he wasn't anything but his perfectly arrogant self for her, it would mean hours of tests, whilst Judy lectured him about his lack of dedication.

"I thought you two didn't get along?"
"We don't." The green-haired boy replied flatly, not elucidating any further.

He sent a message with one of the wait staff to let Robert know where his guest was, without any details that would cause him to worry. That could be left until after they were all together at the castle.

"Man, I owe you one." Michael sighed with relief as the pair were chauffeured out of the palace grounds. "Are Robert's family all jerks?"

"They just take a little while to warm to new people." Oliver shrugged, "And you're quite different to what they're used to."

Michael never saw the arguments between Robert and his uncle, or the disagreements he'd had with Judy before signing the secret contract. He had done everything in his power to make sure his lover never found out just how much their circles wanted them apart.

Oliver didn't want to tell Michael how much his captain worried; how it played on his mind every single day. That, for the past two years, his entire focus was making sure Michael was as happy as he could possibly be.

He peeled back the bandage to give the wound another look.
"That's still no reason to go around punching things. Robert is going to freak when he hears you've been hurt."

"He should have said something. I wouldn't have gone if he'd told me how they really felt..."

The streetlights became further apart from each other, until there was only complete darkness outside. The journey seemed longer than it ever had before. They still had to travel through dense forest, and then up a winding road to Robert's castle in the mountains.

"Between you and me, I think he wanted to show you off." Oliver whispered, even though they were the only two in the back of the car. "He can't impress his family with his title and wealth, but... to be so in love with someone as handsome as you? I'd wager his cousins are jealous!"

With Duke Jurgens' words still ringing in Michael's ears, it didn't feel that way. He gave an unconvinced snort.

"Come on, you know he's never going to admit it." Oliver persisted. "Robert doesn't tell anyone what he's feeling. But... he has told you that he loves you, yes? That's a huge thing for him."

He said it all the time. It used to mean something, but Michael wasn't so sure any more. Just what was the truth in Robert's world?

The castle had sunk into an eerie quiet for the evening, with only a couple of staff still wandering the halls.

Michael headed to the room he shared with Robert, but stopped short in the corridor. No. Even though it had made his heart soar when he had been asked to make the transition from guest to lover, he could not sleep in that bed tonight.

He opened the door to the guest room he had stayed in for previous visits, comforted by the sight of those familiar tapestries that had witnessed the very first steps toward his relationship with Robert.

He had never been told he was no good before. His entire life had been filled with praise. Everything about him was perfect, wasn't it? He was blessed with incredibly good looks, and sporting talent... what was there to criticise?

Robert's entire family hated him just because of what he was. They didn't care who he was, or how happy he and Robert were together. All that mattered were their out-dated traditions.

This visit was supposed to be a happy time, but all he wanted to do was go back home and surround himself with his adoring fans and their endless streams of compliments. Michael had never felt so miserable or alone.

Safely surrounded by the room he knew best, he could not hold back his tears any longer. His knees buckled and he slumped against the wall, his shoulders shaking as he cried out all his frustration.

Upon their arrival home, Gustav was given a detailed report of what had happened in the castle during his and Robert's absence. He relayed the news of Michael's injury and current whereabouts to his master, before excusing himself to take care of the other household issues on the list.

Robert was as annoyed as he was exhausted. The party had dragged on into the early hours of the morning, and his family had badgered him for the entire time.

There seemed to be no end of eligible ladies who were "far more suitable" for him. He was sure his uncle had even lowered his standards for what constituted the elite - just so long as she wasn't a common boy, it seemed.

He could only imagine what sort of things Michael had been told, being that common boy.

There would be no avoiding it. He trudged up to the guest wing. He opened the door as quietly as the old hinges would allow, and peered inside. Michael's form was outlined in blue moonlight on the bed, curled up on top of the covers.

The knight watched him for a moment, wincing when the silhouette sniffled. He wasn't used to handling situations like this.

Sighing, he walked over to the bed, and crawled onto it. He didn't know what his uncle had said to Michael, and he didn't know what he was going to do to make things better.

The All Star stirred at the movement on the mattress beside him. Robert leant over him, tracing the streaks of dried tears with his fingertips,

"They hate me..." Michael stayed on his side, refusing eye contact, just staring sadly out at the night sky beyond the window.
"They hate everyone." Robert clarified, relieved when he heard the boy give a single snort in response.

There was silence for a moment, as Robert lay down, his head resting against Michael's; so close, the younger boy could feel his breath against his cheek.
"Whatever my uncle said is simply not true."

But it was true - every single word, and that's what made it so painful.

The nobleman ran his hand down his lover's arm, taking his bandaged hand in his. "Are you all right?"
"It's nothing." He mumbled. He felt so worthless; like he didn't deserve Robert's concern, let alone his love.

"I am so sorry. I knew what they were like, but I hoped they would understand how much you mean to me if they saw us together... I should not have put you in that situation."

Michael swallowed hard. His eyes were so sore, he thought he had run out of tears, but he could feel new ones welling up, and he was desperate to stop them.

He ripped his hand from the older boy's grasp. "I don't need protecting."
"I was not asking." Robert reached for his hand again.

"...Robert?"
"Yes?"
"What would your life be like if we hadn't... if you hadn't met me?"
"It would have been very boring, I am sure." He sighed, imagining it.

He would have laughed at those jokes that weren't funny. He would have danced with his gossiping, obnoxious cousins, and played the part of the perfect heir. It would have been a pleasant night... if he didn't know any better.

He would never have felt such spectacular highs, or devastating lows, as he did when he was enjoying the hobby his family didn't approve of... or when he was in the arms of the lover they hated.

They fell asleep together; Robert's chest to Michael's back, and his arms wrapped tightly around him.