About time I updated this. Wow it's almost like I originally planned to end this series on a smut cliffhanger! No way! I'd neeeeeeeever do that *tugs collar*

Happy new year everyone! I hope this year (and this decade) is kind to you, and you get all the love and happiness you deserve!

•••

People in stories always wake up like royalty. Maybe they're stirred by the sun streaming in on their face, or perhaps their partner turned in their arms. Or maybe they just wake up slowly and naturally, a smile creeping onto their lips.

Jeremy wakes up because the sprinklers go off.

He shoots upright in bed. His heart beats a tattoo into his chest in a rush of adrenaline. Jeremy looks up. Sprinklers. Water woke him up. Great. Wait- sprinklers go off because there's a fire. IS THIS FUCKING APARTMENT ON FIRE?!

He looks beside him for Micheal, but the tangle of sheets next to him are empty. Fuck Micheal. Jeremy's not gonna be medium rare in this overpriced oven.

The prince jumps out of bed- getting his foot caught in a sheet on the way. After stopping himself from plummeting to the hardwood floor, he notices something. He's still butt naked. Everywhere from his neck to his sore butt is naked. They mustn't have gotten time to put their clothes back on.

Jeremy can't run out of here naked! Think of the scandal! It'll be the most embarrassing walk of shame in tabloid history. He's gotta get dressed- oh God he doesn't have time to get dressed. He'll be cooked in two minutes! But he can't die here. Imagine being found dead, fried, naked in your friends apartment! The press will have a field day.

But that's the least of his worries. Who cares about his reputation when his life is on the line! Or- is his life on the line? Jeremy finally takes a second to stop and think. He doesn't smell any smoke. Smoke typically comes from fires. And now that he uses his single braincell, there doesn't seem to be any sign of a fire.

Could it be- no, it can't be. Is jeremy just really really over dramatic?

As if some shitty author decided to finally insert him into the scene, Micheal knocks on the door. He opens it immediately without waiting for a reply.

"Sorry Jeremy, that was just- woaaaahhhh you not dressed yet?"

That's when Jeremy takes a minute to notice himself. He stands on the far side of Micheals bed- the side furthest from the door but closest to the balcony where he seduced Micheal the night before. And in all his panic, he still hasn't put on clothes.

Jeremy looks down.

"Huh"

He looks up.

"I guess not"

Micheal chuckles. "Theres pyjama bottoms under my pillow- not that one the other one. Put those on to keep you decent"

As Jeremy covers himself as Micheal finally explains the sprinklers going off.

"I just thought I'd make you breakfast- a feeble attempt at romance I know. But apparently I can't cook. Hence the water"

It's Jeremys turn to chuckle.

"Don't worry. I'll take you back to the castle for breakfast. We can tell my parents about the engagement over pancakes and exotic eggs"

Jeremy ties the little string thing that goes through the waistband of pyjama bottoms, and looks up at Micheal. The other boy is pale, like he just saw the dead rise.

Micheal tries to form words, but he can't. He runs a hand through his hair.

"The-the engagement?"

Jeremy cocks his head in confusion.

"Yeah. The engagement. Figured my parents of all people should know about it"

"No no Jeremy- what engagement?"

The prince squints his eyes.

"Our engagement. We're gonna get married- what do you mean 'wHaT dO yOu MeAn MaRrIeD'. Micheal, I love you and you love me. And I need to get married- cause, ya know, I'm a fucking prince. And you fucked this prince. So we're getting married. It makes sense"

"Jeremy"
Micheal rubs his hands over his face, and Jeremys heart sinks.
"Have you ever seen Frozen?"

"Of course I have it's the best movie of the decade"

"Then you remember the main message of the movie; don't marry someone you just met!"

"Actually the main message is about sisterly love-"

"Yes I know but it also defied disney rules by saying that you can't marry someone you just met!"

"But I didn't just meet you, Micheal"
Jeremy crawls across the bed, only stopping to kneel in front of Micheal.
"I've known you for as long as I can remember"

Michael can barely meet his eyes.

"You know me as a friend. Not as a boyfriend. Let alone a husband!"

"But" Jeremy swallows. "You understand that I was a virgin, right Micheal? You took my virginity. You did. Believe it or not I don't get out much. And it's a sort of unspoken rule in the royal family that who beds you, weds you. You fucked me Micheal. Multiple times last night. Am I really so . . . . . . so repulsive that you don't want to marry me?"

"Oh no"
Micheal takes a step away from the bed, his voice shaking as he lifts a finger at Jeremy.
"Don't you dare try guilt tripping me. You know I like you. You know that I think you're the hottest, smartest, funniest asshole I've ever met. But I'm not going to marry you because you need a fucking ego boost!"

"I don't want an ego boost!" Jeremy voice shakes. "I want you, and I only want you. I'm coming up on 21, Micheal. I need to be married by then and I want you."

"How can you want me when you don't even know me?" Michaels voice steadily gets louder.

"Because I love you!"

"HOW CAN YOU LOVE ME, HUH? WE SLEPT TOGETHER! THATS IT! YOU DON'T KNOW ME WELL ENOUGH TO LOVE ME!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

The room falls silent, accept for Jeremys shaking breaths. A tear falls down his face. He points a shaky finger at Michael, who stands shellshocked at Jeremys outburst.

"Don't . . . . . yell at me" Jeremy swallows.

He spots his black hoodie on the ground. He slowly reaches down and picks it up.

He looks dead into Micheals eyes.

"Fuck you, Micheal Mell"

He stands up and leaves. The door closes quietly behind him.

•••

Back straight. Jaw up. Smile.

Jeremy knows the secrets to chivalry inside and out.

Back straight. Jaw up. Smile.

Make sure to hold the tea cup between your thumb and forefinger, with only a hint of pinky as not come come off as pretentious.

Back straight. Jaw up. Smile.

Use formal language only, but leave room for light hearted banter. Laugh at jokes. Tell a few yourself. Don't forget to smile.

Back straight. Jaw up. Smile.

These are tricks he has known (and not cared about) for years. Looks like he is finally gonna have to use them.

Back straight. Jaw up. Smi-

Dammit.

Back straight. Jaw up-

Fuck.

You can do this Jer. Remember your half assed training.

Back straight . . . b-back straight. . . .

Jeremy puts his head on the table. The same table in the same room where Micheal taught him all his tricks. Taught him to have a good posture, to stand confidently, and to smile.

Jeremy chuckles bitterly. Posture can be taught, sure. Confidence can be improved over time of course. But smiling- actually genuinely smiling can't be faked. It can't be varnished and darned in robes and crowns. It grows from a soil that's irrigated with true happiness, with love seeping into the roots. You can't processed, churned and plastic water for something as pure as this. Jeremy wasn't taught how to smile. It came naturally to him every time he talked to him.

Everytime he talked to micheal.

Jeremy straightens up. Step one, done.

He lifts his head. Nearly there.

And he stops there for the day.

"We really should bring him back, sweetheart. Just to brush you up on the techniques and tricks" his mother had said. "Are you sure you don't want me to call Mi-"

Jeremy said something then. It was probably rude and snappy and maybe even sassy. Jeremy can't remember. His mind has been in a slow motion blur since he stormed out of Micheals apartment. He has been watching and letting his life fall apart ever since. Maybe it was Veronica Lodge who described it as a slow motion car crash. That pretentious yet accurate bitch.

So he sits at the table.

Back straight. Jaw up. Smi-

The door opens. Feet shuffle across the floor. The chair is dragged back. Someone sits down.

"Jeremy-"

There's a deep, shakey breath. Jeremy stares at his teacup.

"I'm worried about you"

"Mom-" he looks up at her.
She holds up a hand to silence him.

"I have no idea what happened. I don't know if it has to do with Micheal. I don't know if it has to do with you getting engaged. But I do know that you aren't okay and I-" her voice breaks. She stops, closing her eyes tight. "I just want you to be okay"

Jeremy swallows, his voice wobbling. "I'm so sorry Mom"

She laughs lightly, smiling at her son.
"Don't apologise for being sad and having a bad time. It's not something you can control. It happens. But it doesn't have to happen to you all alone. I'm-I'm here for you, honey. Please let me be here for you"

Jeremy takes a shaky breath, his trembling tear wiping away a falling tear.
"I fucked up Mom-"

'Language"

"I screwed up Mom. I . . . uh . . . I hurt someone by trying them to force them into a life they're not used to. I care about h-them so much I just . . . . ."

Once again, words have betrayed Jeremy. His head bows as he fight backs tears. A warm hand wraps around his.

"I don't need to know what happened if you don't want to tell me. I do want to help you fix it. How-how can I help?"

Jeremy meets her warm, caring eyes. His mothers eyes. He melts like an icecap.

"I need to apologise to Micheal"

She nods understandingly, not pressing the issue.
"How do you want to apologise to him?"

Jeremy chuckles. "I have absolutely no idea"

"Okay well I don't think you'll have to serenade him or anything-"

Ha.

"-you just have to sit down with him and tell him how you feel. No excuses, just an apology"

"I highly doubt he'll ever want to sit down with me" Jeremy sniffs.

"He will. I'm royalty I'll force him" She smiles. "I'm not joking. I can call him in to . . . . um . . . . settle complications with his paycheque or some other bullshit like that"

"Mom!" Jeremy laughs, eyes wide.

She just grins in response.
"The only time I will ever use profanities is to make my beautiful son happy"

Jeremy smiles. Genuinely smiles.

"I love you mom" his voice breaks.

She places her hand on his cheek.
"I love you too, sweetheart. Now I'm going to call Mr Mell and you're gonna make it up to him"

She gets back on her teeth, wiping her wet cheeks with her hands. She steps over to the door, pausing at the handle.

"Micheal didn't grow up in the royal life, but he was basically groomed into it. He knows the inner workings of a royal family, the ins and outs of socialising with royals and how to behave in front of press as well as a million other things. He knows a heck of a lot more than you- don't object you know I'm right. What I'm saying is, he'd always be a nice addition to the family"

She leaves without another word.

Jeremy is a little dumbfounded.

•••

Back straight. Jaw up.

Show him that you learned something.

Back straight. Jaw up.

Show him that he made an impact on your life.
Show him that he matters to you.

Back straight. Ja-

The door opens. Jeremy looks up.

He smiles.
"Micheal"

How do you describe Micheal right now? Clean and neat, would be a place to start. But his tidy facade is clearly a condition of visiting a royal family.

He's . . . disheveled, to say the least. His hair could only be described as sex hair, causing Jeremy's stomach to churn. His eyes are worn, his face tired. He looks like hasn't slept in weeks.
Maybe he hasn't.

Micheals tired eyes take in Jeremy, sparkling slightly in the process.

"Jeremy" the name rolls off his tongue more naturally than breathing. It sends shivers of euphoria down Jeremy's spine. But Micheal saying it is like blowing dust off an old book. It's been too long since he has said the name. It's almost rusty.

Jeremy realises that they've just been staring at each other since he came in the door.

The prince coughs, and looks around him.
"You know we're basically on a big balcony right now"

There's a beat.
"What?"

"This porch" Jeremy hits the beam he's leaning on with his hand. "Is pretty much a big balcony. And a balcony- I'm sure you'll remember- is where I went to you and busted out some very romantic moves. And all that of course was followed by sex and fighting"

Micheal chuckles, but Jeremy keeps looking around at the wooden porch.
"I don't know why a palace even has a porch to be honest" the prince admits. "It's just kinda . . . . here. It's very old timey I like it"

Jeremy leans back against the beam connecting the porch to the porch ceiling.

"I'll address the elephant in the room" Micheal says. Jeremy traces his eyes on the wood around him. "You proposed and I yelled and you yelled and it all went to shit"

Jeremy chuckles awkwardly. "Yeah we didn't really handle that well"

There's a beat.

"So what do we now?" Michael asks.

"I've been thinking of nothing but what I want to say to you. Mom said I should speak from my heart or something I wasn't really listening" Jeremy mumbles.

Michael looks down at his feet. "I can't marry you- or yet anyways"

"I shouldn't've pressured you into marrying me"

"What do we do now then?"

"Well our love story would be pretty pointless if we didnt get together in some way or another"

"Does that mean . . ."

"How about a date? We can figure it out later"

"Yeah. That sounds good"

"Romantic balconies fix all problems"

"Shut up you weirdo"

•••
I f i n a l l y finished this! This is the sixth ending I typed out for this series it took way too long. I'm not too sure how I feel about this ending so I'll edit it later. But until then, I hope you all enjoyed!