Work Text:
“Oh my god, Willie, I was kidding!” Simon said with a laugh as he felt his boyfriend pull him down the sidewalk. The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, a perfect backdrop to their post-graduation road trip adventure. Simon glanced at the horizon, realizing they should head back soon; Felice and Sara would be waiting.
Despite a few weeks having passed since graduation, Simon still found himself marveling at their newfound freedom. Being with Wilhelm was natural, but being officially together felt like a dream, free from the weight of royal expectations and constant scrutiny.
Wilhelm didn't reply with words, but his smile spoke volumes as he guided Simon to a stop in front of a charming little shop.
A tattoo parlor.
A place Wilhelm never could have previously stepped foot inside.
Simon's eyes widened in surprise, his heart skipping a beat with excitement. Wilhelm's intentions slowly dawned on him, filling him with warmth and affection.
"And I'm not kidding," Wilhelm finally declared, his eyes shining with determination and love.
As they stepped into the tattoo parlor hand in hand, Simon's heart swelled with gratitude for this
newfound sense of freedom and the endless possibilities it offered. He remembered the playful heart he had once drawn on Wilhelm's hand back at Hillerska, a whimsical gesture that felt forbidden in their former lives as prince and commoner.
The heart had been on Wilhelm’s mind since that day, since telling his parents he no longer wanted to be the crown prince.
The same heart he’d made clear at the time would never have been allowed as a crown prince.
But now he wasn’t the crown prince.
And now he could get a tattoo .
“How can I help you guys?" The lone remaining artist, Elias, emerged from one of the tattoo rooms, his name on the banner on the door.
"I'm looking to get a tattoo." Wilhelm stated, his voice a touch uncertain. Despite his practiced royal demeanor of outward calm, inside, he was a whirlwind of nerves. He clung to Simon's hand for support, watching Elias closely. Elias sported tattoos covering more skin than Wilhelm had ever seen, a stark contrast to the strict rules against permanent ink within the palace walls.
For a second, Wilhelm was afraid Elias would ask his age, considering he didn’t know if seventeen-year-olds could get a tattoo or not, but he relaxed when Elias simply nodded, beckoning both of them over to his workstation and gesturing for Wilhlem to take a seat.
“Are you going to get one, Simon?” Wilhelm asked, looking up at his boyfriend. Yet, as he did, a small smile played on his lips.
Simon looked nervous. His normally calm, confident boyfriend, the one who was more confident on stage than Wilhelm could ever dream of being, looked nervous. "Wait, are you afraid of needles?” He asked with a hint of teasing.
“Shut up.” Simon mumbled, his cheeks going pink. Everybody had secret fears, and this just happened to be the idea of needles.
A small laugh escaped Wilhelm’s mouth as he held his boyfriend’s hand. ‘I can’t believe you of all people have this fear.” He was a bit nervous, considering he didn’t know what to expect, but he was also excited.
He liked getting to make his own choices and decisions. Choosing his happiness over the crown, Simon chose a life hidden away behind palace rules and expectations.
He sat in the chair, his arm out towards Elias, as he watched and waited. Wilhelm grimaced a little when the needle finally hit the skin of his hand, but the feeling of making his own choice was a powerful combination.
“You’re doing great.” Simon said, his voice soft as he held his boyfriend’s other hand. Running his thumb over the top of Wilhelm’s hand in a calming manner. Secretly, Simon had always thought about getting a small music note tattoo, a reminder of his passion and what he was working so hard towards.
But he also wasn’t ready, and if Simon had learned anything from Wilhelm the way Wilhelm had from Simon, you had to be ready to do things on your terms.
When Elias was done, the buzzing of his pen stopped. “You’ll need to keep it dry. I’ll include some instructions on how to properly take care of it.” He said this, grabbing his equipment to wrap the tattoo. Sitting on the top of Wilhelm’s hand, between his thumb and index finger, was a small heart, almost identical to the one Simon had drawn.
“Now you’ll always be with me.” Wilhelm said it with a small but satisfied smile. Despite making his own decisions, he was still love-sick for Simon. And that included always having a little piece of his boyfriend with him.
Simon smiled, leaning over to kiss Wilhelm’s cheek for a moment, admiring the new tattoo on Wilhelm's hand. It was small and noticeable enough, but it would only make sense to the couple. Something private just for the two of them.
For them, the tattoo was almost bigger than just their relationship; it was the idea of finally getting the privacy they’d desired for so long.
“I can’t believe you actually did that.” Simon said with a large smile when they left the tattoo shop, holding Wilhelm’s other hand tightly in his own.
“I wanted to.” Wilhelm said quietly, “It’s important to me how far I’ve come. How far *we’ve come.” He said he had no regrets, considering he never planned to let Simon go.
Simon just smiled, pulling Wilhelm closer to him and resting his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder. “I love it, and I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Wilhelm said quietly, resting his head on Simon’s shoulder.
He’d never felt like this before. Despite having been in love, he was happier with Simon now than he ever was previously. The few happy moments no longer mixed in; they no longer had to outweigh the bad because, since his adolescence, their relationship had never been stronger.
This was a different feeling. It was something more, something deeper. He could be just Wilhelm, and he loved the feeling.
“Simon, have you noticed whatever is going on with Sara and Felice?” Wilhelm asked as they walked, and Simon hit his shoulder playfully with a laugh.
“We are not discussing my sister and another one of her relationships,” Simon said as they went down the quiet street.
“Hey, I’m just saying.” Wilhelm said it with a small smile. He’d never really been allowed to gossip before, and it felt nice to be normal. “Of course, I’m happy for them either way.”
Felice was one of his best friends, and he only wanted her to be happy. Of course, despite this light feeling, seventeen years under the strictness of the crown didn’t just go away. But it was lighter and more manageable. And with Hillerska shutting down, since he was no longer able to see Borris, he’d considered finding his own therapist outside of school.
Despite his reservations, it ended up being much more important than he’d ever expected.
Simon leaned over to kiss his cheek again, finding himself unable to stop, squeezing his hand. “They’ll be expecting us back.” He said quietly.
Wilhelm nodded. “Can we just take five more minutes?” He asked quietly before Sara and Felice would be looking for them at their next place for the summer.
“Of course, we can.” Simon agreed as they walked. Neither of them were in a hurry, after all.
With Simon’s hand in his own, the new tattoo permanently on the other, and his best friends just ahead waiting for them, the world felt all the brighter.