"Pete."
"Patrick?"
The two were tangled up in a hug the second the reality set it. The people around them were nonexistent; the room around them was empty. They were right back where they belonged, in the arms of each other.
"I missed you," Pete sighed as he pulled Patrick as close as possible.
"Missed you too, Pete."
It was just like their first meeting. Except this time Pete was doubting Patrick's words—after all he wasn't on any pain medication this time around.
"I find that hard to believe," Pete laughed.
Patrick pulled away just enough to meet Pete's eyes. "I really, truly, honestly did."
This time their lips met in a kiss; everyone else directed their attention elsewhere until Brendon cleaned his throat obnoxiously loud. "Pete, why don't you show Patrick where your room is?"
Patrick flushed red at the obvious suggestion—Pete loved that he still got embarrassed about that type of thing.
"But—"
"It can wait," Pete encouraged as he pulled Patrick down the hall.
Patrick could hear Dallon scolding Brendon from behind them as they hurried along. He didn't care though. Pete was all over him as soon as they threw themselves into a small room, securing the door behind them.
"How are you alive?" Pete wondered in between kisses.
"She let me go," Patrick answered. "But I don't want to talk about that."
Neither of them had any relations with anyone else during their time apart. Both had never given up hope that the other was alive and that they'd find each other again one day.
"Please," Patrick begged.
They were struggling to remove their clothes while trying to maintaining their kiss. Hands blindly groped everywhere as shirts and pants and underwear came off.
Bright purple bruises blossomed on their skin; long scratches ran down their backs.
Patrick let out a moan as Pete sunk into him. Pete couldn't help but groan. He couldn't remember the times he'd felt this good with anyone but Patrick.
"Faster. Harder."
Pete was all too eager to comply despite the fact he'd wanted their reunion to consist of slow, sweet love that lasted hours. With Patrick there, he reminded himself, there would be time for that later.
Their bodies rocked together as the sun disappeared from the sky. Pete had more scratch marks; Patrick had more bruises.
"I love you," Pete moaned. "So fucking much."
"I love you, Pete," Patrick said, and wrapped his hands around Pete's neck, guiding his head closer.
The fiery kiss they exchanged sent both of them over the edge.
"Do you really love me?" Pete asked once they were under the sheets. He wanted to believe it, but Patrick had never said it before. For all Pete knew Patrick still hated him. After all, he'd been the cause of what Patrick had gone through for most of his life. Pete wouldn't blame him if he never said it again.
"I do."
And that's all Pete needed to hear.
He gave Patrick one last kiss on his head and closed his eyes.
*
"We leave today," Joseph said as he and Astoria shared a private breakfast that morning in Astoria's new room.
The king had decided the small room she'd been in was far too unsuitable for her and went about having a larger one furnished for her. It had been completed the previous evening, and to celebrate the event Joseph had decided on breakfast for two.
"For what?" Astoria asked absentmindedly as she poked a piece of strawberry with a fork.
"The engagement tour. We're traveling to the main districts of the kingdom. Don't you remember?"
"I completely forgot about that," Astoria gasped. "I've been so busy with the wedding. Oh, I have to pack!"
Joseph couldn't help but laugh. "Dear, it's already been taken care of."
"Oh." Astoria flushed. "I'm not used to all of this yet." She gestured to the large room surrounding them. "You figured I would be with how long I've been here."
"I think it's endearing."
Astoria turned her attention to the window in an attempt to hide her red face.
He reached for her hand, and she let him take it. "No need to be embarrassed." His other hand found her face and gently turned it to him.
The table between them was just large enough to cause him to have to stand up ever so slightly in order to lean forward, but he never got the chance to kiss her.
Jakob had barged into the room without knocking, effectively causing the other two to pull away awkwardly.
"Gross," Jakob muttered as the king and queen stepped through.
"And that's why you knock," Joseph scolded.
The queen shook her head and smiled at her two bickering sons. Astoria resisted the urge to play with her fingers. She figured she should've curtsied by now, but it seemed like a lost cause.
The king seemed to have noticed. "You've finally stopped curtsying."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You should've stopped a long time ago."
"Yes, your Majesty."
"And stop with that, too. You can call me Billie. After all, you're to be my daughter-in-law soon."
"The same goes for me, sweetheart," the queen said. "Just call me Adrienne."
Astoria nodded. They'd told her this before, but she'd never felt comfortable doing so.
"We were just finishing up breakfast, Father. And then we were going to change into something more presentable to greet the people before we're off."
"I saw," the king said pointedly. His eyes trailed to the spot of jelly on Astoria's hand, the exact place where his son's thumb had been earlier.
"We'll leave you to finish. We leave at ten."
Joseph had his clothes brought to him and Astoria struggled to put on her dress single handedly in the grand bathroom. Her ladies in waiting had been busy ensuring everything she needed was properly packed, and she didn't want to drag them away just to put a dress on.
"Victoria," Joseph called. "You almost ready?"
"Nearly!" She sighed in defeat.
The bathroom door opened, causing Astoria to shriek. "What're you doing?"
"Helping you. Now turn around," he ordered.
Timidly she obliged, and she couldn't shake the sparks his fingers left on her skin.
