Regiphobia

The Fall

Goda woke up alone for the first time in a week. He looked to where Juan would have been laying and sighed. Today was the day Gabe would walk back into the palace. He didn't want to get out of bed, to be perfectly honest, but he knew he'd have to sooner or later.

His thoughts were cut short by a buzzing sound on his nightstand. He sat up, reaching over to look. His phone was buzzing with a call from... Gabe. A bit unexpected, but he didn't really mind.

He pressed the accept button, making sure he wasn't holding the phone backward. As Gabe's face popped up, he put on a smile.

"Good morning, my love," Gabe said, voice soft and lips upturned in a loving smile, "Did you just wake up?"

Goda nodded in response with a small noise of affirmation. Gabe's quiet chuckle fell on his ears. "You're adorable, dearest. You know that?"

"N-Now I do," he mumbled, and Gabe's smile grew ever so slightly. As the relieving feeling of doing something correctly settled into Goda's stomach, Gabe spoke again.

"Well, I'm going to be arriving back this morning, as you know. I just thought I'd check up on you, seeing as it's been a full day since we called," he stated, "I hope you're doing well. See you soon."

Gabe turned off the call, and Goda's smile fell. So today it was over. No more freedom, no more spending every minute with Juan, no more lunch with Gabe's siblings, nothing. It felt awful to be given a taste of what he longed for only for it to be ripped away just moments later. To be handed the freedom he'd wanted just to lose it.

Goda stood up and moved to get ready for the day. Shower, change, go downstairs to eat. Come back up, sit on his bed, waiting for the moment that Gabe walked in and things changed back to how they were before.

He waited for what felt like years, the seconds feeling like hours as they slowly ticked by on the clock opposite him. He counted, waiting yet longer.

Then, the door creaked open. Goda sat up, looking his fiancé in his piercing, bright blue eyes. Gabe had a slightly tense smile, one Goda had seen too many times before. "There you are, my love. I missed you."

"I missed you, t-too," Goda smiled, getting up. Gabe walked over and wrapped his arms around him, kissing him softly. Goda leaned into him, closing his eyes and relaxing. Soon after, Gabe pulled away and simply held Goda against his chest.

"I hope you enjoyed your week anyway," Gabe said, "Mine was nothing but work."

"Oh," Goda said, resting his head on the other's chest as he did, "I hope it wasn't t-to much."

"Perhaps. Either way, I'm glad to be home," Gabe said softly, "Especially since you're here."

Goda gave a tiny smile, a bit of color coming to his cheeks. Gabe's own smile widened as he moved one of his arms to brush his hand over the other's cheek. There was silence for a few moments, then Gabe pulled back.

"Have you eaten lunch?" Gabe asked. Goda shook his head and was then handed his crutches. He walked with Gabe out of his room, down the elevator, through the halls, and to the dining hall. He took his seat with the other at the head of the table.

"So, my angel, how did you spend your week?" Gabe asked, holding the other's hand.

"Mostly in my room or st-tudy avoiding people," Goda admitted, lowering his head. Gabe moved his free hand to catch the other male's chin, tilting his head back up towards him.

"You don't have to be so anxious, doll. You did the right thing," he leaned in, kissing him for just a moment before pulling back and dropping his chin. Goda seemed to be a bit shocked by the sudden kiss but smiled a little. He'd said something right. Even if it was a lie, there wasn't any way Gabe could know. There wasn't any way, they hadn't done anything that would leave footage or clues.

Goda turned back to the table before asking, "How about you? What d-did you do?"

"Work. Talked to some other rulers, worked on documents, nothing interesting," Gabe shrugged, "Nothing you need to worry your gorgeous little head about."

Goda blushed a bit at the comment on his appearance. He said nothing, however, as the meals were being placed in front of people. He stayed silent, just eating and thinking. Thinking about the day, the week behind them, the inevitable future and the distant one that he couldn't even imagine anymore. All the clarity in his mind about his path in life had been destroyed the day he kissed Juan.

"Come along, love, let's head to my room," Gabe stood. Goda followed suit almost immediately. He got his crutches placed under his arms and started following his fiancé. Almost an exact reverse path to how they got there.

However, on the second floor, they turned and entered Gabe's room. The man in question sat down on his bed, gesturing for Goda to join. After setting his crutches to lean against a set of drawers, he limped over and sat beside Gabe.

"Why don't we finish catching up?" Gabe said. It was phrase as an offer, but Goda knew better. He nodded, and the conversation began.

They talked long into the night, stopping Goda from leaving the note tucked into his sleeve for Juan.