Boyfriend. It was a word for schoolchildren who held hands on the playground. Aaron wouldn’t know. He’d never had one. The times the crown prince allowed himself to be seen in public with another man were years ago when he was fresh out of university and nowhere near staring his future in the eye. Aaron could barely remember who they were. Especially not when he was in another man’s apartment (a first), sitting on his lap and facing a grin that was inexplicably genuine, paired with a challenge for Aaron to be just as honest. Boyfriend. It struck him that the word claimed a new meaning when he looked at Maddox, something affectionate and threatening to be sweet.
A grin to match curled the corners of his mouth and he leaned down, hovering near Maddox’s face enough to taste the hint of whiskey on his breath. “I want you to be my boyfriend.” He wasn’t asking. Aaron knew what he wanted, and right then he was sure that Maddox wanted the same thing. The pirate slowly opened up for him like a book of texts needing multiple translations, meanings complicated in things said and things left unsaid. “And the king of Germany wants to be your boyfriend, Maddox Keyes.”
Aaron settled a hand on the side of his face, brushing a thumb along the high cheekbone, prickly stubble sharp on his palm. He couldn’t resist dipping in for a kiss, shifting his hips forward and digging his knees down into the couch cushions to bring himself flush against Maddox. He broke away, brushing his lips against Maddox’s cheek until he reached an ear to murmur: “I adore you.” Aaron was one word away from complete combustion, a bright star ready to let go, to burst into a million colors. He’d told him that once before, but he wanted Maddox to know that he adored him whether he was spread out on his bed or sitting beside him in a limousine or answering his text in the middle of a meeting.
For all Aaron did to try and make his needs known, he’d done a tremendous job failing to do so when it came to Maddox. They enjoyed their quips too much to let their guard down, or they let themselves have one too many drinks so they fell asleep pressed up against each other rather than laying awake talking. Aaron would not change anything about their nights together, except maybe Maddox was right–Aaron was unusually guarded around him. Still afraid he’d slip and reveal something Maddox wouldn’t like, even then. Boyfriend. Aaron had been the best he’d ever been even under the pressure, but it would be inevitable if he made Maddox his boyfriend that he’d fuck it up somehow. Terrifying.
Being teased about his low key clothing choices brought out a little chuckle and Aaron took another long sip of whiskey. “I will wear whatever you want me to wear. Even if it is gym shorts and a blazer. And fine, no more sunglasses at night.” Aaron loved sunglasses though. “We should try this stunt in Berlin first, it will be easier for us to sneak away. Next time you can take me to your favorite place in London.”
Aaron traced his fingers down along Maddox’s jaw, pressing up on his chin so he could kiss him again. Lingering in the kiss for longer so he could invade his mouth and feel the soft velvet tongue against his own. He absently reached over the edge of the couch and set his glass down so his hand could work open Maddox’s shirt. His heart raced the same as it always did when he gained access under Maddox’s clothes but something different sparked inside him that made everything feel more real. As real as the heat radiating from under Maddox’s skin and the beating of his heart as Aaron pressed his hand flat against his chest and squeezed.
“I will definitely take you to Versailles so we can fuck in that palace,” he added with a smirk. His eyes half closed into dark slits to match even darker thoughts. “I am thinking you would find fucking a king there very appealing, Maddox.”
The obvious requirement for Maddox to give another man the key to his apartment. Or (hopefully) for Aaron to drop a car costing a small fortune on someone else. As the year had progressed it seemed clear enough. No matter how much Maddox would’ve snickered if any other royal on the island used the term. Despite how they both tended to avoid any almost-slips of larger decisions surrounding what they had become.
I want you to be my boyfriend. Aaron was as wide open as his clear blue eyes, as upfront as he had ever been, so Maddox would not cheapen it with anything other than doing the same. He mustered courage to speak and was a little scared to realize it wasn’t so difficult. “I am your boyfriend.” And in a relationship with a king. He wouldn’t think about that part yet. His younger self would be crowing about the score of the century. Locked on an island he would not be able to comprehend the traitorous notion of solidifying anything with royalty.
He only thought of that, royalty, when it forced its presence into their lives. All Maddox wanted was Aaron Herzog. Aaron Herzog leaning into him and to return the hot pass of the kiss. The man broke away when Maddox wanted more of him in order to say words which hammered at his chest. Hearing Aaron say I adore you surprised more than making a relationship official. The mix of sultry and sweet the sounds formed coming out of his mouth took off in both directions pulling Maddox two ways, leaving him breathless and ringing his collar (and below the belt) in heat. Ticking up his pulse with the fear of ultimately having his heart ripped out and stomped on, as tended to happen with these things.
People grew bored and fickle, they grabbed what they wanted and moved on. But excitement sparked like static on his skin knowing he would risk it to be with this man one more day, one more hour. Next Christmas. When Aaron spoke near his ear all Maddox wanted to do was tell him. Finally, tell him. A hand squeezed firm over a shoulder, head tilting as if to trap the man’s voice in his ear, then saying in the same low tone. “I adore you too. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
And then he could barely respond to the man’s ‘disguise’. His head filled with helium and floated into the rafters. They had been apart too long and the night had been filled with more than he could react to individually. He managed to bring himself back down if by a string. “Berlin it is. If you want to wear glasses with a fake nose and penciled in ‘stache I could care less. We could even rent a hotel room nearby to make a getaway to if needed. But no security detail. No limo waiting outside. Just us. And you, having a bit of fun. Because you’ve been too serious lately.”
The weight of the world was very literally on Herzog’s shoulders. Stolen nights cloistered in palaces and now Maddox’s very drafty small flat were everything. Going out in public.. even this night it had been openly royal. The thought of an evening closer to real life appealed to him.
As did Aaron guiding their mouths together again and Maddox found the closest place to blindly leave his glass. Hungry, tinged in whiskey, but not a kiss as rushed as it should’ve been. He unbuttoned the top of the man’s shirt-- his boyfriend, now, officially --and then his hands fisted at the buttoned edge of the fabric, pulling enough to threaten strain on the next button in line.
“I’ll fuck the king anywhere he wants-- but you’re in my flat now. My house, so you have to obey my rules.” A tug, a pop, a little more royal skin showed. “Who repairs the king’s clothes when I ruin them? Or will you do some stitching tomorrow yourself?” Another, harder breach of a button, and a brow lifted with a grin. “I wasn’t going to offer but considering... I might be persuaded to let you keep a few changes of clothes here.”
