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Pete leans forward on the toe of his boots, sighing heavily with his arms crossed. Students mill around the open courtyard, some in conversation with their peers but all in their own little world. Nothing bad happens here, so he can understand why they’re less than aware of their surroundings but, even so, he finds their obliviousness unappealing.
There’s danger in being caught off guard, even if it’s not by someone trying to kill you.
Well that, and he’s seen the same ‘humble’ prince bow and kiss the hand of three different giggling princesses in the last twenty minutes. And they, he assumes, are unaware. It’s almost a pity that something like that is one of the things that are no different.
Maybe not completely different. Unlike on the island, these girls would probably be heartbroken to discover the boy’s wavering interest. Or at least, girls on the island know better than to show it so obviously on their faces, doe eyes shimmering.
Zoe certainly would never be caught in such a position. But then, thanks to Jimmy, they don’t have to be concerned about something like that. It’s fortunate.
The people here, they don’t really notice him. Not anymore than the people on the island did, and Pete was the focus of a lot of negative attention when the moment was right, but he found himself capable of skulking around unseen in the open just as much.
It’s not a bad thing, certainly. It allows for easy observation and the same action backed by thoughtful consideration that has kept him alive all these years.
Now though, he’s tired of watching these princes and princesses as they take advantage of the privilege they were born into. He’s tired of waiting and letting his mind wander to comparisons of this new home and the place that raised him.
Someone had best have a good excuse.
He dips his hand into the pocket of his coat, pulling out a silver compact etched with something he doesn’t know the name of but that sparkles pink in the morning and orange in the evening. It is precious, clasped tightly in his fingers as he pries it open gently, clock ticking the seconds off in a way that he’s always found soothing.
“That’s nice,” someone says, drawing his attention away and his fingers grip tighter unconsciously. It’s Jimmy grinning at him, hands in his pockets like it’s no big deal that he approached without Pete noticing him. His heart beats against his chest, but he hides it with a small smile that he doesn’t mean. “Who’s it really belong to?”
His smile falls and he looks down at the pocketwatch in his hand.
“My father gave it to my mother to propose. I’m not certain who they stole it from,” he answers, eyes making their way back to Jimmy’s. The prince’s own smile is more sincere now, reflected in his eyes. Pete’s never met someone who smiled with their eyes before. He’d thought it was something made up for stories.
“They gave it to you?” Jimmy asks.
He can’t help the laughter that bubbles up at that thought. To think that his parents would give him anything. Would think of anyone but themselves.
“My parents couldn’t care less about me having something to call my own,” he says, thumb tracing the edge of the watch. He can practically feel the magic humming through the gears that are just as much magic to someone like him. “Gary gave it to me.”
Jimmy’s stare turns disapproving, an unfair assessment in Pete’s opinion.
“It was not theirs before and it isn’t now,” he adds before Jimmy can do something stupid like berate him for something done years before they even met.
Something brushes his shoulder and he tenses, calming as Gary jumps from the half wall behind him. He’s happy to see the other boy, late or not. It’s certainly better than having Jimmy continue to look at him like Pete has failed him.
In his defense though, it’s unfair to put expectations on someone who’s done nothing to imply they’re realistic.
Gary glances at Jimmy, eyes rolling at the disapproving look he’s given. Pete doesn’t think they truly dislike each other, he’s pretty certain Gary enjoys Jimmy’s presence to some degree, but it seems like every interaction begins with unpleasant stares.
“You’re late,” he says.
His boyfriend grins, holding out a chain tangled beautifully in his fingers. It shines in the Bullworth sun, silver with the same magic twining through the links that the pocketwatch has. Pete gasps, fingers reaching out but not quite touching as if he’s afraid it’ll disappear.
And maybe he is. It’s happened before.
“Jewels for m’lady,” Gary teases, releasing the chain once Pete has a firm grasp on it. Gary’s never been one for trinkets and yet they’re his biggest haul in regards to frequency.
“It’s beautiful,” Pete whispers. “It matches.”
“Who did you steal it from?” Jimmy cuts in, crossing his arms. The picture perfect display of princely disapproval. He should know better by now. They’re not affected by such displays.
“Don’t worry about it, Hopkins,” Gary replies good-natured. He never takes offense to Jimmy’s attitude, a sure sign of his friendly intentions. Or as friendly as Gary can bring himself to be.
Pete busies himself with attaching the watch, sighing happily when the entire thing flashes with magic. They’re a set, as he assumed they might be, the watch clearly happy to have been reunited with its chain.
“Why can’t you just buy him something?” Jimmy complains as Pete tunes back into their argument.
“Where’s the romance in that?” he asks, sliding the watch back into his pocket. It sits with an additional weight that brings him more joy than it probably should. He can’t find it in himself to care. “There’s no consequence in buying something. No risk of self.”
Jimmy looks at him, confused. Expected of a prince.
“Spending money is always a risk,” the prince explains as if he understands anything.
“We’ve never had money. Who’s to care if there’s less or none at all?”
The prince looks shocked. He frowns, cocking his head as if contemplating. With a put-upon sigh, he shakes his head. “Alright,” he says, sounding anything but.
As he walks away, they watch him go curiously. It’s not like Jimmy to give up on a fight. Pete can feel the disappointment coming off of Gary.
“He’s not all that good,” Pete says once the boy has disappeared out of sight.
Jimmy’s not a bad prince, and he won’t be a bad king, but Pete feels as if his morals aren’t as shiny and and spotless as the people around him. There’s something about Jimmy Hopkins that feels familiar. Like the children of lesser villains. Rough around the edges but not cut out for the harshness surrounding them.
“Well, we wouldn’t allow him around Zoe if he was, would we?” Gary says with a shrug, wrapping an arm around Pete’s shoulders. He smells of a perfume popular with the girls off the island. Pete wonders what he did to get close enough to pocket the chain.
Thoughts like that will be his downfall.
“No, I don’t suppose we would,” he answers, fingers curling protectively around the watch ticking in his pocket.