Respectable Adults
Requested Anonymously | Sentence Prompt
âCan you explain to me exactly why weâre pretending to be married, or are you going to save that explanation for our golden anniversary?â you exclaimed.
Julian sighed, scratching at his neck in a nervous tic. "It's notâ we're not pretending to be married, we're pretending to beâ engaged."
You frowned at him. "Why?"
"Because, my parentsâ"
"The parents who broke Federation law by having you genetically modified without your consent as a child? Those parents?"
"Yes!" Julian exclaimed, throwing his hands up and turning away to pace the room. "They're coming to visit, and I need to... I mean, I need..."
What Julian needed was a nap. You'd seen him tired in ways that no one other than a doctor could be tired, but this was different. This was a type of tired dragged down even further by anxiety. He looked like life had chewed him, shaken him back and forth, and then left him in a labyrinth to find his own way out.
So maybe that was what he needed. A way out.
When he suggested this whole idea, you had thought he was joking. But no, Julian had not only suggested, but practically begged for you to be fake-engaged to him in front of his parents. You knew about his big secret and he trusted you to pull it off. Unfortunately, it also broke your heart, because being engaged to Julian sounded sort of wonderful. But it wouldn't be real. Wouldn't that be... terrible, in the end?
âWhat problem are you actually trying to solve by doing this, Julian?â you asked, trying to remain the calm, easy voice of reason despite feeling like you were being dragged into Julian's labyrinth.
"... I need to look like I'm successful here,â he admitted after a long pause. âNot just as a doctor but as a... person."
That makes so much sense, and yet, it really wasn't what you thought he would say.
âYou think being engaged to me will make you look successful to your parents?â You had to ask. It was a pressing question for you, personally, but also a distraction from everything else he had just implied about his concept of personhood in relation to his parents.
âWell!â Julian stopped pacing suddenly and swayed on his heels, appearing flustered by the question. âWell, yes! Youâ You're successful in your chosen career and respected by our peers, for one thing. That would probably be enough for my parents, actually, but I think you're reallyââ
A blush darkened Julian's cheeks. The swaying stopped.
â... I think,â he began again, slow and even, âthat you are a beautiful, kind young woman who anyone would be lucky to even call their friend. To be allowed to call you more than that should certainly impress my parents, with all their exacting standards. And even if it didn't, I would still be⌠proud. You're very⌠youâre⌠I'd be lucky, that's all.â
There was no way to know if you were blushing, but your face was hot enough to suggest it was. You sat down and leaned back.
âHow about we don't lie to your parents,â you dared to propose. You weren't comfortable with the idea anyway. Lies like that always caught up to people. Pretending you had an entire dating history with Julian would be a whole lot of lying. âWe could just⌠tell them we're dating.â
âBut we're notââ He stopped mid-sentence and gave you a questioning look.
âWe're not.â You had to be very careful right here. âBut we could be. Real dating would work better than fake engagement.â
âYou mean, you would be willing to⌠date. Me.â Julian looked as careful as you were trying to be.
âYes, you. You just said you'd be lucky, so...â You shrugged, discomfort making the movement stiff. If you were wrong, and Julian wasn't actually interested, it would be okay, but you would be pretty embarrassed. And disappointed. âI'd be pretty lucky too. And if⌠I mean, after this whole thing with your parents blows over, if you're not interested, it's way less drama to just stop dating than it is to tell your parents you broke off an engagement.â
"That's..." Julian nodded, contemplative, but he had that funny little crease between his brows he always got when he was really seriously considering something. "That's sensible. But..."
Julian swung back into his pacing. His movements were more frantic this time. He didn't try to hide his augmentation in front of you and you watched his hands dance too quickly for a normal human as he gestured through some secret thought process. He kept glancing back at you, anxious and searching, until he finally stopped pacing altogether.
Kneeling in front of your chair, Julian took your hands.
"And, after my parents leave, what if I don't want to stop?" he asked. "What if I wanted something real?"
Your heart tumbled out onto the floor somewhere.
"I think that sounds worth trying," you said, squeezing his hands. "If it's real."
Julian laughed. Not because anything was funnyâ he sounded relieved, more than anything. He looked up at you with a little shine to his eyes, and that fairytale prince's smile you had always been charmed by.
"Yes, I think it would be."














