all that you want's under your nose

Matthias couldn't stand many things. One of them being Tobias fucking Avington. 

He had been heading toward the palace from the stables due to his father's request for his presence, as he saw Tobias Avington leaving the Terilow house with the cheesiest fucking grin on his face.

He'd gone and seen Nicollette, and Matthias knew that. It didn't take rocket science to figure that out. Ever since the prissy prince noticed Nicollette that day at the brunch, he'd come to the Sutfcliffe residence to see Nicollette far too many times.

To court her. 

Matthias snorted, shaking his head as he walked toward the giant palace. Nicollette would never court a man like Tobias Avington, and he knew that. The Prince was wasting his breath; it was almost sad.

He twirled a small coin between his fingers that had been in his pocket, watching his feet as he walked. He didn't understand why he was even worried in the first place - Nicollette hated royals. The last thing she'd do was marry some stupid Prince. And if she did decide to? Well, maybe Matthias would pull a couple of strings and prevent that from happening.

Okay, maybe that's too much. He had nothing to worry about; he was just being dramatic.

He walked inside, greeted by the cool air. He heard chatter and laughter, his previous thoughts of the girl that consumed his mind 99% of the time disappearing. He was silent as he entered the giant family room.

The room was fuller than he expected it to be, but before he could make his presence known, a smaller body stopped in front of him.

"Of all times to follow the rules, you choose to now?" Maria asked, her brown eyes wide.

"What about it?" Matthias asked, his nose scrunching up.

Maria went to respond, but the sound of their father's voice cut her off. "Matthias, nice of you to join us!" 

All attention went to him, and it was then that Matthias finally got a good look at who all stood in the giant room. 

By the door was Merlin Terilow - Nicollette's father and his father's right-hand man. Then, his sister, mother, and father. Along with them was his aunt Trudy, whom he rarely ever saw.

His aunt was a rigorous woman. She was prim, proper, and nothing less. She had the personality of a cardboard box and looked down on anyone who wasn't royalty. 

Obnoxious laughter caught his attention, and it was then that he noticed the Gilcrest family. Candice stood next to his aunt, laughing about something that probably wasn't even that funny. Her parents were chatting with his, seemingly getting along as well.

"What's going on?" He finally asked, looking between everyone.

"Well, let's have a seat, shall we?" Gerald asked instead of answering his question. This only made Matthias more suspicious, but he wasn't one to usually stand up against his father's wishes.

Everyone except for Merlin obliged, sitting down in different chairs. Matthias sat next to Maria, who anxiously messed with her gloved fingers. It was silent at first, and Matthias wished more and more by the second that he did as Maria said and didn't show up. Why had he bothered showing up, anyway?

"Well, as you know, Sandria is a really good ally to Aradia." Gerald started, sipping on some wine.

"As for Aradia to Sandria." Candice's father spoke.

"Okay?" Matthias couldn't help but say. He didn't understand what they were getting at. So what if they were good allies? What about it?

Aunt Trudy sighed in frustration. "You men are taking too long to explain the good news. You two are engaged to be wed." She pointed between Candice and Matthias.

Matthias snorted, "Good one, Aunt Trudy." He shook his head in disbelief. It was only when everyone stared at him with wide eyes that he realized that they weren't kidding, and she was one hundred percent serious. "Wait... what?"

"Engaged to be wed. You are an attractive young man, and Candace is everything you need in a Queen one day." Trudy said, her narrowed eyes staring straight at Matthias. "It would be good for your titles, the Kingdoms, and everything in between."

Matthias shifted uncomfortably. He clenched his fists, "So- so I don't even get a say in who I marry?" His voice cracked, his finger tugging at the collar of his button-up.

"Son, you've never wanted to marry out of love anyway," Gerald said. "If you're to be King, you need a Queen. Your mother and I did it the same way, and look at us now."

Matthias shook his head, disagreeing. Sure, he'd always said he didn't believe in love. But maybe that was because he was a child. He had been a child who'd grown up with two parents who didn't love each other, and he was only doing as he'd seen. 

But maybe that had been changing. Maybe he'd been changing his opinions because he'd realized that not everyone did want wealth, power, or fame. Not everyone who was 'lower' than him only wanted his title.

He clenched his fists, trying to control his breathing. If they'd have had this conversation with him months ago - maybe even a year ago - he'd agree. He'd be nonchalant, not really caring because he would do whatever it took to be King. But now? He was angry. Angry because he's being put in a stupid arranged marriage with someone who only had an interest in him because of his title.

"Now that the news is out, we should really get going to go home and begin planning accordingly," Candice's father said, rising to his feet. His wife followed, along with his daughter.

Matthias didn't even look in their direction. He didn't want to, and didn't care to, despite how rude he looked. His aunt Trudy stood as well, insisting on walking the family to the door.

Carolyn noticed the look on Matthias's face and let out a breath. "Come, Maria. Let's go plan for the next ball."

Maria glanced between her brother and her mother, beginning to protest. Before she could, her mother was already pulling her up and out of the room.

The room was now cleared except for Matthias, Merlin, and Gerald Sutcliffe. Merlin stood by the door still, his face stoic as he acted as if the tensions in the room weren't rising by the second. Gerald sat in his chair, swirling around whatever brown drink was in his glass.

"Matthi-"

"I'm not marrying that girl," Matthias quickly cut his father off, shaking his head. "I won't do it."

"It's not an option," Gerald sighed, setting his glass to the side. "You're nineteen now, the no marrying ever nonsense needs to go away."

Matthias rolled his eyes, holding his hands out in exasperation as he looked at his father. "Don't you get it? It's not about marrying, I'll marry one day, but I'm not marrying Candice Gilcrest."

"So, who will you marry then, Matthias?" Gerald calmly asked. He was almost too calm for how upset Matthias was, as if he weren't even bothered by his son's anger.

"I don't know!" Matthias exclaimed as he stood, "I don't know, okay? Just- just not her!"

"I don't know isn't a good enough answer, Matthias," Gerald said, leaning forward. "I don't understand, you never had any issue with eventually marrying off when it's needed. Now that it's needed, you don't want it."

Matthias ran a hand through his dark hair, tugging at it. He paced slightly, "I'm not marrying her. I'm not marrying her, okay?"

Gerald watched as his son panicked, at the panicked look in his eyes. Matthias continued to pace, his hands tugging at his hair as he shook his head, mumbling to himself. He'd never seen his son like this - so worried, so anxious.

"Son..." Gerald started, slowly sliding from his chair. "Are you seeing someone?"

"What?" Matthias asked, "No! I just- I just don't want people marrying people they don't belong with. No offense, but I'd much rather marry for love than marry someone who wants me for my looks."

Gerald was shocked, unsure of how to respond. Merlin watched from the doorway, still stoic, as he always was. But a flash of something - possibly respect, possibly pride - flickered across his dark eyes.

"The Gilcrest family understands what it's like for us. They understand our struggle with keeping a Kingdom afloat. Candice knows how to be prim, proper. She knows what to say and when to say it. What would be better for you than that?" Gerald asked.

"Maybe I don't want prim and proper, you ever think of that? Maybe- maybe I want late-night visits to the rooftop to watch the sunset or- or maybe I want karaoke nights or- or visits to the town to do something that actually makes an impact on people like- like serving bread. Maybe I want something simple. Maybe I want L-" He stopped as he realized what he was about to say.

Maybe I want Lettie.

He inhaled, shutting his eyes. Her father was in the room, witnessing this. The last thing he needed was to tell both of their fathers that he was madly in love with her, especially knowing she didn't feel the same way. He shook his head, dropping his hand. "It's pointless. It's all pointless." He murmured.

"What's pointless?" Gerald asked, not picking up on anything that Matthias had been saying. "You need to talk to me for me to know what's going on with you, Matthias."

"I need to go." He muttered despite his father's request. He stepped back, turning and making his way out of the room.

Matthias felt like his heart was going to explode. He paced up and down the halls of the mansion, finding it harder and harder to breathe. He didn't know what to do, or who he'd even go to in this situation.

Admitting his feelings for Nicollette was like admitting his deepest darkest secret, and, in a way, it was. He'd never actually hated her. He knew this. But what turned into secret admiration was slowly turning into something more open - something he couldn't control. He was at a point where he didn't care who saw him with her, who saw him looking at her - all he cared about was her.

"Dude, you're so hard to get a hold of nowadays-" Zacharias's words were cut off as he entered his best friend's bedroom, his eyes widening as he saw the scene in front of him.

Matthias paced his bedroom. His hair was messed up from tugging at it, his shirt partially unbuttoned from feeling too hot and stuffy. His clothing was wrinkled as well, and it was only when Zacharias got a good look at the other boy that he saw them glistening with tears.

The dark-haired boy stopped, his mouth opening and shutting as he looked at the blond. "Zach," He said.

"Are you okay, Matt?" Zacharias asked. He slowly stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "You look like you just went through a tornado. Or three."

"No, n-no I'm not okay," Matthias chuckled, shaking his head.

Zacharias was caught off guard. This wasn't the Matthias he knew. The man standing in front of him was the opposite of the boy he'd grown up with. He didn't say anything as Matthias panted, one of the tears falling down his cheeks.

Realizing that Zacharias was waiting for him to continue, he inhaled. "I'm getting married."

"What?" Zacharias asked, his brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"My parents are forcing me to marry Candice Gilcrest. And-"

"And you don't wanna get married, I know." Zacharias nodded as he cut him off.

"I want to get married, just not to fucking Candice Gilcrest." Matthias shook his head. "I don't want to get married unless it's to one person."

"Well..." Zacharias smiled, "That's the point of marriage, right? To marry only one person-"

"No, Zacharias, just- shut up, please. I need a second." Matthias held up a hand before running it through his hair. He turned away, pressing his hands to his eyes to stop the tears. "I wanna marry Nicollette. If it's not her, there's no reason to marry. I just want her and only her."

Zacharias didn't respond. It was making Matthias nervous, because he'd just admitted the biggest secret of his entire life to his best friend - who didn't always know when to shut up. So considering he was being silent threw him off, and he found himself slowly turning back to him.

When he turned, he was confused. Zacharias was smirking, his eyes narrowed. It reminded him a lot of the SpongeBob meme, only making his serious admission less serious. "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, his nose scrunching up.

"I fucking knew it, you lovesick dog!" Zacharias said with a laugh. He approached the dark-haired boy, shaking his shoulders. "This is fantastic!" 

"What?" Matthias asked in confusion, looking at the blond as he approached him.

"You're in love with Nicollette!" Zacharias shouted, causing Matthias to slap his hand over his mouth.

"Shut the fuck up, Zacharias!"

"I can't! I'm too happy!" Zacharias shouted from behind his hand. He then licked Matthias's hand, causing the other boy to cringe and pull his hand away.

"Why are you happy?" Matthias asked, making a face as he wiped his hand against his shirt.

"Because you're in love with Nicollette!" He exclaimed again, earning a slap on the head from Matthias. "Shit, sorry. Why are we keeping this secret?"

"Because she doesn't feel the same way, dumbass." Matthias groaned, stepping back. 

"And you know how?" Zacharias asked, "Because I've seen you two when you think nobody's looking. She looks at you with like... stars in her eyes. Or whatever the poetry books say."

"Shut up, she does not." Matthias denied, sitting on the couch in his room. "Look, it doesn't matter anyway. My parents are forcing me into this... marriage with Candice."

"Just don't marry her, then," Zacharias shrugged as if it were nothing. 

"Sorry, didn't try that. Let me do that now," Matthias sarcastically said, rolling his eyes. 

"No, seriously, Matthias. Just don't marry her. Since when have you ever given a fuck about what your parents say? Sure, you follow the rules, but not unless it has to do with something you really want. And you really want Nicollette, right?" Zacharias asked, sitting down next to him.

"Obviously I do." Matthias sighed. 

"So then go after what you really want. Who gives a fuck about anyone else?" Zacharias asked. 

Matthias stayed silent, thinking about it. His eyes bounced around the room, landing on his bed. He was immediately reminded of the night that Ryker had locked them into the storage closet when Nicollette fell asleep against him. He'd brought her back to his room and let her sleep in the bed while he took the couch.

"You're right," Matthias whispered. "Fuck it. What's the worst that can happen?"

Zacharias jumped up from his spot, clapping Matthias on the shoulder. "There's my guy! Now, I'm hungry. When's dinner?"

As if on cue, the sound of a soft knock on the door was heard. Matthias breathed in before standing up from his spot. He opened the door to see one of the servants patiently waiting, their hands clasped together behind their back. "I've been asked to come and bring you to dinner. The Terilow's have arrived."

"Thanks," Matthias breathed out, the mention of Nicollette's family making his heart skip a beat. 

Of course, he knew that Merlin was here. But he wasn't aware they were having dinner with her entire family tonight. That meant that Nicollette would be here, meaning-

"Now's your chance!" Zacharias cut him from his thoughts.

"Right," Matthias nodded as Zacharias began to help him fix his appearance.

"You're going to go in there and tell that girl you love her and I'll be there right behind you. For support, of course. Not the food. Definitely not the food." Zacharias shook his head, his lips pouting out slightly.

"Right," Matthias said again. "Gonna go down there, and tell her I love her. I got this."

"You got this," Zacharias said, pulling him along with him toward the dining room. "Just... don't panic if she rejects you."

"What?!"