The Majesty of Choice

Adventure

"Is this a good idea?" Mikey asks.

"Will you shut up?"

"Why? Who is going to hear me? It's nearly midnight, who are you expecting? A flock of angry bats?"

"We're near ogre country, you nimrod," Gerard says. It's like they're catching up on several years' worth of insulting each other, or at least, over the past few hours, that's what it has felt like. He supposes that they're brothers though, this is sort of implied.

"Dude, we live in the area designated as 'near ogre country.' We literally always have. Why is it different now?"

"Because we're about to go through it, and that is something we've never done before. It's kind of the stupidest thing that we've ever even thought about doing."

"Aren't you the guy who's supposed to be vocal about ogre rights and all that shit?" Mikey asks.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to be afraid of the unknown," Gerard says.

"Oh okay, so like how you're afraid of totally crushing on the Prince because it's unknown."

"Oh my god, you know about that?"

"Ray is a really good source of information, believe it or not. He's bad at keeping secrets. From what I hear, somebody is totally gaga over this guy. Mind you though, I've seen him, I understand. He doesn't have a bad face."

"I seriously do not want to talk about this," Gerard groans.

"So I hear."

"Please just let the subject go," Gerard pleads.

"You're going to have to embrace it at some point."

"What for? I'm never going to see him again. He's the Prince, for god's sake."

"Well yeah, but you have to deal with the fact that he was a boy at some point or another, or you are going to be miserable," Mikey replies. "The fact that he's ab oy is the only thing throwing you off, and we both know it. If this had been a Princess, you wouldn't have blinked twice at the idea of liking her, but it's the fact that he's a boy. You'd have the same reaction to him now if he weren't royalty. It's not about him being the Prince, it's about him being a him."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Is that your catchphrase? Do you have any other response besides that?"

"What do you want me to say Mikey?"

"Well I don't know. How about, 'hey Mikey I'm really scared of what I've been feeling lately for this guy who I might really like and I need your advice on the matter.' To which I would respond, 'no problem bro, I get why that is scary for you, but you're still a good person and it's okay to be who you are.'"

"It's not that simple."

"Well why the fuck not?" Mikey asks.

"Because he's a boy!" Gerard groans, self-consciously looking around him even though he wouldn't be able to see if anyone was near anyway. It really is dark at this time of night, and with only a candle for light, Gerard's range of vision is only a couple of feet. He's trying to keep an ear out for noises around him, but there's animals roaming around that pose no threat and they keep throwing Gerard's senses off. How is he going to know if someone is sneaking up on him to attack him? Especially when Mikey won't shut up. Sure he's glad the guy is back but he hadn't realized how much vacant space there should be between words until he'd met someone who hasn't talked to anyone in like six years.

"Lots of people are boys," Mikey says, "Literally half of the population are boys. Isn't it rather limiting to restrict yourself only to half the population. Actually, it's even less than that, because you're limiting yourself further by age range, as well as people who are already taken, and then you've gotta exclude the ax murderers so that's only like, I'm no mathematician, but like maybe ten percent of the population. If you were then to add boys who aren't taken, aren't really old, or really young, or vicious killers, then you've got like a whole ten percent more."