Brimsley and Reynolds

Chapter 15

A/N: This chapter is in Reynolds' perspective, enjoy ;)

By the time Reynolds' had begun leading Brimsley to his room, it was already growing dark. He didn't know what to say, how to speak, especially after the way he treated Brimsley the last time they spoke. Reynolds' room was at the end of a hall, isolated save for one other room adjacent to his. He caught Brimsley staring at it as he pushed open his door.

There was still anger, their bitter fights far from forgotten. Somehow, after what they had witnessed with The King and Queen, it felt to Reynolds as if it could be let go. They had a way of allowing things to pass, and Reynolds prayed over and over again that this would be no different. 

Slowly, silently, they began to undress, leaving on just their undergarments. Brimsley sat on the bed, holding his arms open to Reynolds. They sat the same they had the night with the wine and sweets, Brimsley holding Reynolds tightly. Reynolds had never felt safer in his life. He felt hands in his hair, and he began to speak.

"It started when his father died," Reynolds began slowly. "He would wake up, and be somewhere else, someone else. He couldn't recognize people, and he became someone unrecognizable," Brimsley squeezed his hand, urging him to continue. "It was worrisome, but manageable. It didn't happen very often, and when it did, it wasn't very difficult to get him to come out of it. Then it began to worsen, slowly at first, but after Princess Augusta announced that she had found him a Queen, his mind it.....it was," Brimsley leaned down, whispering in his ear gently, "It's okay," He nodded, forcing himself to continue.

"But everything fell apart when Princess Augusta put him under the care of Dr. Monroe. At first, he...he would just yell it him. And sometimes, for whatever reason, it would work, snap him back to himself. But when he married The Queen and his episodes were still happening, The King became desperate to be well. So, Dr. Monroe began other forms of treatment. He began to....to torture him. He'd hold him under water until he couldn't breathe, strap him to a chair and burn him, hit him, whatever he could to put him in the most pain as possible without killing him." Brimsley drew in a sharp breath, "What?" he said, unbelieving. Reynolds' hands were shaking slightly, and Brimsley held them both in his, squeezing them tightly as he continued.

"I....I tried to stop him, but what could I do? The King had made up his mind, there....there was nothing I could do except listen. Listen to his screams over and over and over. Watch as The King, the man I had grown up with, spent every day with for years, loose his mind in the most painful, horrific way possible. And I watched, I stood by and watched," he said, his voice breaking, breaths coming out in short panicked spurts. Brimsley leaned his cheek on Reynolds' shoulder, pressing his chest against his back and wrapping his arms around his torso. "Oh Reynolds, that was not your fault, none of this was," he comforted him softly. But Reynolds knew that wasn't completely true.

"I wanted to tell you, I nearly did a hundred times. But I couldn't, because as soon as I did, you would feel responsible. It would not just be me hearing his screams in my sleep, in my dreams, it would be you. My burden would become yours, and I.....I couldn't make you bear it. I couldn't," 

Brimsley shook his head, whispering into Reynolds' ear. "You would not have made me bear you burden, you would have simply stopped bearing it alone."

 Brimsley let out a shaky breath, sounding strange suddenly, almost nervous. "I am The Queen's man Reynolds, but....." he paused slightly, Reynolds holding on to his every word. "But I am also your's," Reynolds looked at him, eyes shining. "Truly?" Brimsley smiled, kissing him softly, "Truly,"

Brimsley's eyes crinkled as he laughed lightly, "And what of you Reynolds, are you my man?" Reynolds sat up, pushing Brimsley down so they were lying vertically on the bed, Reynolds' hair hanging over Brimsley's face. He kissed him, tasting the strawberries that he knew Brimsley was so fond of. "I am yours, and you are mine,"

Reynolds followed The King into the sitting room. He had been in extremely good spirits since The Queen had moved to Kew, but Reynolds couldn't help but wonder how long could it possibly last. King George kissed his wife his wife as she sat working on her needlepoint, jokingly asking her to join him as he farmed. Reynolds, glanced at Brimsley, and couldn't help but remember when The King had asked him to farm, that day was the first time- His thoughts were cut off as The Queen mentioned there was a letter for The King. "From Princess Augusta," Reynolds told him as he handed The King the letter. He took only a few seconds to look at its contents before decidedly tearing it up and disposing of it on a small table.

He breathed deeply, kissed Queen Charlotte once more, and left remarking on how 'his wife is beautiful'. Reynolds stayed behind, trying to catch The Queen's eye as he picked up the tattered remnants of the letter. When he did, he immediately felt nervous. He hadn't realized how intimidating The Queen could be. "Did you want to say something Reynolds?" She asked calmly, not bothering to look up from her needlepoint. He glanced at Brimsley before looking back at The Queen. "No your Majesty," he said, but cleared his throat pointedly. She looked up at him, a small smile playing on her lips. "Speak," she said.

"His majesty has good days and down days," Reynolds offered, trying to make his point clear.

"He did. Now that I am here, his days are good. He is well, he is better, is he not?" She asked, her voice calm as ever.

"He is better now," he paused, "But perhaps caution would be-"

She cut him off, "Reynolds, let him be. All he needed was his wife, and a routine, and to get rid of that dreadful doctor. He is well," she said firmly, and Reynolds could tell that was the end of it. He glanced at Brimsley again, receiving a reassuring smile.

Reynolds and Brimsley sat in the bath, feeling the hot water relax their tired bodies. They spoke briefly of The King as they washed each other, Reynolds mostly playing with the water. "Reynolds," Brimsley said softly. The way he said his name always made him feel butterflies in his stomach, it sounded so smooth and sweet, like honey on his lips. "If it lasts, they would have each other," Brimsley reached out his hand, placing it on Reynolds' knee. "They would be together, have a marriage, grow old as one. We would serve them together," He finished with a smile. Reynolds couldn't help himself, his smile was already becoming ridiculously large. "A lifetime," he added softly.

"Yeah, a lifetime," Brimsley agreed. 

Reynolds reached for his hand that rested on the side of the tub, "It is possible," he said. He knew that Brimsley could hear the hesitation in his voice, "but truly possible?" He asked quietly.

 Reynolds' hand continued stroking Brimsley's, "I do not know. Perhaps," he said in a near whisper, directing his gaze downwards. He wished to lie, he wished to say he knew exactly wat was going to happen with The King. 

He looked back at Brimsley, "Great love can make miracles," They stared at each other, taking in this moment. "It can," Brimsley nodded. They reached for each other, kissing deeply. Reynolds loved this, feeling Brimley so close to him, his hands on him, his body pressed against his own. Sometimes it felt as if his heart didn't truly beat until he was with Brimsley, like he wasn't fully himself without the dark haired man with the kindest smile he'd ever seen standing beside him.

Brimsley pulled away, looking at him with a sly grin. "What?" Reynolds asked, laughing. Brimsley shook his head still smiling, "Nothing just..... has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" He asked, running his hands through Reynolds' hair. Reynolds felt heat rushing through his face, "Umm, not that I can think of," he said, embarrassed. Brimsley leaned in, kissing the soft spot below Reynolds' jaw, hot breath tickling his sensitive skin, "My pretty boy,"

Later that night, Reynolds lied awake. Brimsley was next to him, getting settled in to sleep. He could feel his mind spinning with thoughts, thoughts of the future, for what felt like the first time ever. "Brimsley?" He started, feeling doubts creep in as he began. Brimsley snuggled under the covers, pressing next to Reynolds as he looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"Would...Do you think we will stay like this, you and I?" Brimsley sat up, a strange look on his face. "I don't know Reynolds, I would like to think so," Reynolds felt his mind go back to the days when they first met, when he first starting feeling things. It had been a rush, exciting and scary. But now, the fear was deeper, because now he had something to loose. "I just, I don't want to loose you. I want to stay with you, be with you, for as long as I can," Reynolds said softly. Brimsley laid down on his side, his face a breath width's away from Reynolds' own. "Then that is how we will stay, you and I, Reynolds. The King and Queen's men, being with each other for as long as we can"