Coveted Love (Lams Royal AU)

We Can Fix This

A/N - I'm dying holy shit

John's POV

I yawned and squinted in the bright light. Francis stirred next to me and his grip on my waist tightened a bit. I poked his cheek and his eyes shot open. I laughed and he glared at me. "Why?" He asked groggily.
"I dunno." I shrugged, still laughing.
"Wow...Thanks." He chuckled, I sat up and stretched out. I grabbed my phone and sighed. I stared at the missed call from Alex and bit my lip. Francis sat up and I glanced at him. "Call him back, babe." He hummed, I sighed and noticed Alex had left a voicemail. I pressed play and put the phone to my ear.
"Um-...I have to talk to you. Please call me back when you can? Um-...yeah. Goodnight, John." I bit my lip and Francis rubbed my back.
"Call him." He hummed, I sighed and pressed the phone to my ear as it started ringing.
"Hello?" A very groggy voice asked.
"Hey...um-I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"Yeah but it's fine. I should've been up like three hours ago." He managed through a yawn.
"Very nice. Um-...You said you had to talk to me?" Francis laid back down and started pulling me with him. I entwined our fingers to make him stop and he kissed my hand.
"Oh...yeah. Can we meet somewhere?" He asked shakily.
"Yeah...definitely. Uh...somewhere in mind?"
"I don't...Coffee shop?"
"Sure."
"Ok...I'll see you in a bit."
"Yeah...see you in a bit." I hung up and sighed. Francis played with my fingers as I stared at my phone and pulled on my hair a bit. "Francis?"
"Hm?" He hummed.
"Thank you."
"For what?" He frowned.
"I'm not really sure." I sighed.
"Well...You're welcome for whatever it is." He hummed, I got out of bed and unhooked my glucose monitor from my waistband. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "High or low?"
"Neither. I'm good." I smiled, Francis stood up and stretched. He leaned in for a kiss and I put a hand on his chest, stopping him. "I'm not having second thoughts. I just...I don't want to hurt you." I sighed, Francis sighed and sat back down.
"I don't wanna get hurt." He huffed, I sat next to him and took his hand. "It's not like I think we're gonna get married or something. I just want to be with you while I can." He hummed, I nodded and kissed his cheek.
"I should go meet Alex."
"Yeah...Don't wanna keep the Prince waiting." Francis joked light heartedly, I smiled and softly pecked his lips.
"Thank you for understanding." I got up and grabbed my shoes and clothes from last night.
"Yeah. I'll see you later?"
"Definitely." I smiled, Francis walked me to the door and I squeezed his had goodbye.

I sighed as I sat down in a booth and ran my fingers through my hair. I spun my cup on the table and someone slid into the booth across from me. I looked up to see Alex and smiled. "Hey."
"Hi." He sighed, fixing the smaller tiara on his head.
"New tiara?"
"Huh? Oh! It's temporary. My other one got broken yesterday."
"Oh shit. How'd that happen?"
"Uh...I fell." He sighed.
"Nice." I chuckled. "Um-...I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was such an important part of your freedom and I didn't realize I was taking it away from you." I sighed, Alex blushed and sighed.
"I shouldn't have told you that. I'm sorry. I just-...I've never had someone like me back before and I forgot for a moment that I-..." He took a deep breath and started fiddling with his skirt. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at the law and Eliza and I sorry." He sniffed, trying to blink his tears away.
"I shouldn't have told you I liked you. I just made it awkward and a thousand times worse." I huffed. "I'm sorry I told you to forget it. I know it was wrong...I just-...I just don't want to get-..."
"Hurt?" Alex whispered, I nodded and he sighed. "I know the feeling." We sat there awkwardly and I rubbed the back of my neck.
"This is all my fault. I'm really sorry." I whispered, Alex didn't say anything. I sat next to him and took his hand. "I want to fix this." He looked at me and I saw that his eyes were full of tears he was trying to hold back.
"I wanna fix it too." He managed, his voice breaking and a tear running down his face.
"Why don't we stop pretending? Let's just get everything out in the open?" Alex nodded and I smiled. "I'll go first. To me you're just Alex and you always will be. I think you're beautiful and smart and funny but you're with Eliza and I respect that." I hummed, Alex blushed and wiped his eyes.
"I don't wanna marry Eliza. I don't wanna marry you but it's the better option. You care about me and you make me feel normal." Alex sniffed. "I just wanna be free to make my own decisions and I know I can't. It's like I'm locked in a box and you're the key but the key is on a hook and I have to climb over Eliza, Martha, George, Congress, and the law to get to it." He huffed, I chuckled lightly and hugged him.
"I'll always be here for you, Alex. Through thick and thin."
"Thank you, John." He smiled, burying his face in my neck and holding on tightly.
"Um-...on the topic of everything being out in the open..." Alex pulled away and frowned a bit. "Last night, I-...I kissed Francis." I spat out, Alex shifted and sighed.
"Ok."
"Please don't be mad?"
"Why would I be mad?" He frowned.
"I don't know...because-...ya know." I huffed.
"I'm with Eliza. It doesn't matter." He sighed.
"It's ok if you're ma-"
"I'm not mad, John!" Alex snapped. "I just-..." He trailed off and I hugged him. "I wish I could do what I fucking want." He cried, I rubbed his back and sighed.
"I wish you could do what you wanted. I wish we could be together but we can't. We just have to accept that. I'll always be your best friend, Alex." Alex smiled at me and his phone started buzzing. He sighed and we pulled apart.
"It's Eliza." He huffed. "I'm sorry. I have to go."
"Oh, yeah. Definitely." I smiled, getting up with him. "I'm glad we worked this out." I smiled.
"I'm glad too." He smiled, we hugged and he paused before leaving. "If you want to be with Francis don't let me stop you. You should be happy, John." He smiled, I smiled lightly and nodded.
"Thanks, Lex." Alex left the coffee shop and I sighed. I pulled out my phone and called Francis.
"Hey! How'd it go? Everything ok?"
"Yeah...uh...we got it figured out." I smiled.
"Back to friends?"
"Who? Me and Alex?" I frowned.
"Yeah."
"Uh huh. We're good." I smiled.
"That's good."
"Um-...Are you my shift buddy later?"
"Yeah, I'll see you then, babe."
"Yeah, bye."
"Bye."