AU-gust Day 31: Any two previous AUs
Roommates + Pretend Relationship
Modern AU. Damen/Laurent. Continuation of Roommates & Pretend Relationship
Of course, Ancel is sporting the finest clothes and jewellery money can buy. Of course, he’s engaged to a man almost ten years his senior. And of course, the said man simply happens to own a fleet of merchant ships. None of that comes as a surprise to Laurent (Ancel had always been looking for a sugar daddy who could provide him a lavish life). What comes as a bloody surprise, however, is running into Ancel and his fiancé in this goddamn wedding convention of all places.
‘Damen, is it?’ Ancel asks, looking Damen up and down appreciatively. ‘What are you studying again?’
‘Fitness,’ Damen replies, guilelessly falling into Ancel’s sugary trap. ‘I’m looking at sports and related injuries.’
‘Of course you’re,’ says Ancel, flipping his ridiculously long hair over his shoulder, ‘After all, you’re Laurent’s type to a T.’
At that, Damen turns to Laurent, eyes wide with surprise. Whether Damen’s surprised that he’s Laurent’s type, or Laurent even has a type, Laurent doesn’t know. He hadn’t dated anyone — or even considered— in all the years he’d been Damen’s roommate.
In a bid to divert the topic and fend off the blush spreading across his cheeks, Laurent turns to Berenger for a conversation. ‘What did you think of the food and wine tonight?’
‘Ah! It was splendid!’ Berenger beams. ‘The coconut cake, especially. It was brilliant. We’ve even ordered it for our engagement party next weekend. Haven’t we, Ancel?’
‘Yes, sweetie,’ Ancel replies, accompanied by a— surprisingly— genuine smile.
‘In fact.’ Berenger grins at them. ‘You two should come, too. Our estate is just an hour’s drive from here.’
‘We don’t want to impose,’ Laurent says.
‘Oh no, I insist. After all, it’s not every day that I run into Ancel’s childhood friend.’
Damen turns a questioning look at Laurent, as if to say: I’m game if you’re.
Pretending to be engaged when they’re best friends is dangerous. They’ll be in a pickle if someone finds out; especially when Ancel’s and Laurent’s families run in similar circles. But Laurent doesn’t want this to end. He doesn’t want to stop this now; not when he knows what it’s like to be Damen’s boyfriend. What it's like to have all of Damen’s magnetic attention on him. What it’s like to have Damen’s heavy arm draped around his waist, Damen’s heat against his chest, and Damen’s breath whispering in his ear: What do you think, sweetheart?
Laurent wants it again. Even if it’s just for a weekend. Even if it’s all a pretence.
Laurent loops his arm around Damen’s and says, ‘In that case, we’d love to.’
