Work Text:
First, they go home.
Simon keeps his head on Wille’s shoulder, either looking at his boyfriend or the landscape passing by the car window as they sit in the backseat. There’s some new glow to Wille, some real aura of freedom emanating from him and Simon feels like he’s soaking it up too. There are many unknowns ahead of them but right now, as Wille squeezes their joint palms in his lap, nothing else really matters.
Sara stops the car on their driveway and they all hop out of the vehicle. It seems that Wille doesn’t want to step away from Simon even a bit, still keeping their hands clasped together and tugging him closer to his side. It’s not like Simon minds. Besides the freedom they both feel, there’s also this almost overwhelming sense of love coursing through Simon’s body.
Because Wille chose him. After everything, all the misfortunes and pain, Simon ended up being his choice. Maybe not his first choice since that was the freedom that abdicating offers for Wille, but a choice nonetheless. And Simon has never really been the chosen one so now it feels exhilarating.
“I was thinking, maybe we could have a picnic by the lake? Kick off the summer?” Felice proposes as they take the few steps towards the Erikssons' door.
Simon glances at Wille, finding him still smiling. He doesn’t think the smile has left his face since they spoke back there on the road outside of the car.
Still, Simon is fine with whatever they do today. He just wants Wille to finally be able to choose.
His boyfriend nods at his friend’s suggestion and Simon joins along. It does sound like a perfect way to start the summer.
Once inside the house, they rage the kitchen for all the snacks they can find. Sara snatches a blanket from the living room as Simon looks over the fridge, finding some leftover arepas that he decides to pack as well. Wille is standing next to him, leaning against the kitchen counter and smiling softly.
“What?” Simon asks as he closes the fridge’s door and notices him staring.
Wille only shakes his head, his smile unchanged, still wide and bright. He opens his mouth to say something but just then, there’s a jingle of keys sounding in the lock and soon after that, Linda calls out her greetings.
They all kind of freeze in the kitchen. So does Linda in the hallway, probably not having expected any guests. Especially Wille, since she knows about Simon and him breaking up, or not even Felice since she’s also aware of how rocky her and Sara’s friendship has been.
Well, things have changed. Even if very recently.
“Hi, Mrs Eriksson!”
“Hi, Linda,” Both Felice and Wille call out in unison. Linda gives a bit of a dazed nod.
“Hello,” she greets, stepping further into the dining room and still eyeing the situation curiously.
“We brought our friends,” Sara states then, explaining the obvious.
“I see,” Linda nods slowly.
“We hope you don’t mind,” Simon adds a bit nervously. “We are going to head out soon anyway.”
“Where?” Linda inquires.
“We’re planning to have a picnic at the lake, to start the summer,” it’s Felice who explains with a smile and they all nod along.
“That sounds lovely,” Linda tries for a smile but then clears her throat. “Would you mind if I just talked to my kids real quick?” She addresses Felice and Wille now.
“Of course,” they both easily allow and then Linda points Simon and Sara to the living room, with a clear intention to follow.
Simon gives Wille’s palm one more reassuring squeeze and throws him a smile before joining his mom and sister in the living room. He doesn’t like how tense the atmosphere is becoming, doesn’t like the nervousness making its way up to Wille’s face. He wants the peaceful expression to return there.
“Can you please explain to me what’s going on?” Linda asks in a lower tone once they’re standing in the middle of the living room, facing each other. She doesn’t sound angry, more like confused as she folds her arms upon her chest. “Have you and Felice made up?” She looks at Sara.
“Yes, kind of,” she admits. “I think we’re on the right track at least.”
Linda nods slowly, even flashing her daughter a smile. But then she turns to Simon.
“And Wilhelm?” She arches an eyebrow.
Simon sighs. He’s not sure how she’ll take the news.
“We’re back together,” he announces. His mom lets out a sigh and presses her lips together as if restraining herself from saying something. The room is quiet for a moment.
“Simon, are you sure of this?” Linda asks with concern in her voice then. “I mean, you just spent the whole weekend crying over him and what if-”
“Mama, it’s different this time,” Simon interjects. He really doesn’t want to listen about the heartbreak anymore, wants to put it behind them.
“Different how?” Linda questions, unconvinced.
Simon takes another deep breath.
“Wille has given up the crown,” he says and his mom’s eyes widen.
“Officially?”
“Yeah, I mean, he spoke to his mother. He wants to do this. He is doing this. It’s his choice, it’s settled.” He explains but Linda still glances at him worriedly. “Mom, I know this doesn’t fix everything but… It makes things easier, I think. We just want to try again, we… We love each other,” he shrugs helplessly.
Linda keeps looking both at him and Sara now, her expression being sort of unreadable. But soon, it breaks into a smile.
“I’m gone for a few hours and look what happens,” she states and they all chuckle. She steps closer, putting one palm on Simon’s cheek and the other on Sara’s. “My kids truly are growing up,” she retorts in a bit of a dreamy tone. “Well, have fun at your picnic.”
Simon grins and pulls his mom into a hug, Sara joins in too. It feels like the best day of his life.
They reenter the living room then, both of them smiling widely and joining Wille and Felice in the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” Wille asks, still somehow worried. Simon nods.
“Everything is perfect,” he assures.
“So, your mom isn’t mad-”
“Wille,” Simon lays his palm on his boyfriend’s cheek delicately, stopping his rambling before he can spiral even more. “She’s not. Everything is great, I promise.”
Wille lets out a relieved breath and nods, clearly choosing to believe him. As he should.
“Ready to go?” Sara prompts then. She has a bag full of food in her hands while Felice is holding the blanket. They all nod and head to the door.
“Have fun!” Linda calls out for them as she watches them pack all the stuff into the trunk from the doorway.
“Gracias, mama,” Simon says and then they all offer her a wave, calling out their goodbyes before climbing into the car. Once they’re inside, Wille presses as close as he can to him again.
“Let’s go!” Felice retorts and turns on the radio. Sounds of some summery song fill the air as they drive down the road. For Simon, it feels like a summer full of love already.
During the way to the lake, they sing along to the songs on the radio they know, letting the wind and sun wash over their faces. Simon and Wille get called out, only twice but still, on making out in the backseat but it’s not like either of them cares too much. They are too happy to be concerned by it. In the end, Simon knows that both his sister and his friend are happy for him.
When they make it to the little beach, Simon is hit with a wave of nostalgia. The last time he was here, only a day ago basically, he thought Wille and him were over for good. He was sure those were the last moments they would share together and thought he was ready to let go. Now as he looks at the spot where he and Wille laid and talked about how they didn’t make it, he feels weirdly emotional but also happy that it wasn’t true. That the when it was us still lasts, that they made it against all the odds. Because there he is, with his boyfriend by his side, sliding his arm around his waist and holding him close.
“Are you okay?” Wille asks as Felice and Sara venture onto the beach. Simon is still staring at the shore, trying to get the sad images out of his head and focus on the now.
“Yeah,” he turns to Wille and offers him a smile. “I’m great.”
Wille steals a quick kiss from his lips. Even if he notices how emotional Simon is, he doesn’t mention it. But once Wille’s gaze wanders to the horizon too, he can sort of read from his face that he’s thinking about the same thing.
“Hey, a little help here?” They can then hear Sara calling out from where Felice and she are handling their picnic setup. Simon chuckles but just takes Wille’s hand again and tugs him towards the girls.
“Come on,” he encourages as they step towards the beach, chuckling softly.
Once everything is set up, they settle on the blanket, eat the snacks and discuss plans for the summer. Since Felice decided to stay and not go to New York, Sara and her are planning to hang out often. Felice even extends an invitation for a sleepover at her place in Stockholm and Sara beams. Simon can’t help but smile as he watches them discuss stuff. He knows that Felice is a real friend and is glad to see that she and Sara seem to be moving past all the wrongs that went between them. His sister deserves a good friend like her and it feels that Felice could use someone as honest and genuine as Sara too.
Wille doesn’t know a lot about his summer plans yet. He supposes he has to go back home at some point and face the fallout of his decision, make it official. But it’s not something any of them wants to think about yet, not tonight, so they quickly cut this topic short.
Sometime later, when the sun begins to set, Wille takes Simon’s hand and they venture on a little walk near the lake. Despite everyone being in such good spirits, it feels that there are still some serious conversations to be had between the pairs.
While walking though, they don’t really talk. Both of them bask in the quiet, only the sounds of pure nature filling the air. The sun is low on the sky now, almost touching the surface of the lake, but it still gives some pleasant warmth. Simon can’t help but realise how the lake has sort of become their place. How Wille and he were wandering just like that back at the beginning of the school year, with his bodyguards following close behind as Wille was stealing kisses from him. How on the camping trip they were huddled together in a hammock and watched the lake, finally having a peaceful moment in the middle of this whole storm. How they talked about important things here, about their differences as well as their love. About the ends and the beginnings. Now it feels like this moment is kind of both.
As the sun begins to dip into the water, they lay down on the beach similarly to how they did the last time. This time though, Simon lets himself press close to Wille, settling in the crook of his arm as his boyfriend’s arm wraps around his shoulders. He closes his eyes and breathes in, feeling only Wille around him. It’s so nice and peaceful to be like this.
And for a long moment, they just stay like this. Simon focuses only on the sounds of their steady breathing, on the last rays of sunlight reflecting on the water. He snuggles closer to his boyfriend, still hardly being able to comprehend that only yesterday, he thought it was all over. That they were over.
Yet here they are now.
“It’s kind of hard to believe, right?” Wille speaks softly. When Simon looks up at him, he can see that he has his eyes closed. It’s getting darker now, the first few stars gracing the sky above now.
“What?” Simon questions although he feels like he knows.
“That we made it,” Wille says as if he was reading Simon’s mind.
“Mhm,” Simon just hums. He can’t speak because of the lump forming in his throat. He’d like to deny it, say that no, it’s not hard to believe, that he’s always known that they would make it but it wouldn’t be the truth. Because there were moments when he lost hope, when he felt it was all too much, when he couldn’t handle it. As much as he hates those, he can’t erase them.
“We made it although I was so stupid and blind,” Wille shakes his head then, sounding disappointed with himself.
“Wille…” Simon starts, prompting himself up on his elbow to be able to look at him. His boyfriend keeps staring at the stars above though. “You were not stupid. We just… went through something traumatic. Had some tough moments and had to make tough decisions no one our age should be forced to make but-”
“But I hurt you,” Wille cuts in. He turns his head and looks at Simon. There’s something close to tears in his eyes, Simon can see how shiny they are even in the impending darkness.
“I hurt you too,” he says because it’s the truth. They both hurt each other.
Wille snorts and shakes his head.
“You’ve never denied us,” he points out. “You’ve never-”
“You were forced to deny us,” Simon urges. “And you fixed it,” he reminds.
“Yeah but even then…” Wille sighs. “You’ve always seen me, Simon. Always. Even at my worst, you were there and you saw me. The real me and not the Crown Prince. You knew what to do, what I needed, how to make me feel better while I… I didn’t.”
“That is not true,” Simon shakes his head.
“It is,” his boyfriend urges. “You were going through shit too and I was too in my head to notice. I wasn’t there for you. You couldn’t lean on me the way I knew I could lean on you and that’s just so unfair.”
“Wille…” Simon trails off because he’s not actually sure what to say. He hates to admit that yes, there were moments when he could use some more support from Wille. When he needed him but his boyfriend chose to put the crown first but… He knows how incredibly hard it was for Wille to reconcile all that. He can’t hold it all against him. What matters now is that he’s seeing it and recognizing how he acted. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been going through since everything was dropped on your shoulders so suddenly. I understand that, I promise. It couldn’t have been easy.”
“It wasn’t but…” Wille sighs. He reaches out and brushes some hair away from Simon’s face, cupping his cheek gently. “I’m sorry. For everything. For not being there for you, for not seeing you, I… I promise I’ll do better.”
Simon leans into his touch as he watches him, sees the desperation on his face, the will to fight, to work on himself. For both of them and just for himself.
“You’re seeing me now,” he says quietly and the corners of Wille’s lips quirk a little.
“I love you so much,” the words are said with so much emotion, as if Wille was holding himself back from saying them back then, that last time at the lake. Now they can flow freely, at any and every time.
“I love you,” Simon replies, touching their foreheads together and closing his eyes, leaving all of the bad memories behind. They have to learn to move past them, not forget maybe, Simon’s sure there is no forgetting some of the things that happen, but they have to learn to live with those. To be there for each other whenever the memories return, to chase them away together.
Wille kisses him delicately and Simon feels like it’s a promise to do all that. To fight through whatever’s to come next together. They smile into the kiss as if it was a mark of a new beginning for them.
“Look,” Wille’s gaze wanders to the sky above again “a shooting star.”
Simon turns just in time to see it passing and he thinks just let everything be okay. For him, for me and for us together.
He hums, feeling as Wille hugs him a bit tighter.
“What did you wish for?” Simon asks as they both stare at the night sky, now full of shiny stars.
“I have everything I’ve ever wished for now,” His boyfriend follows his words with a kiss dropped on top of Simon’s head. Simon smiles a bit amusingly at the line but he still finds it sweet. “What did you wish for?” Wille shoots the question back then.
Simon lets out a breath, draping his arm over his boyfriend’s middle and snuggling even closer to him.
“Just for this,” he retorts and Wille hums, his smile being audible in the sound.
Because right here, laying on his back by the lake and stargazing, he’s okay. Wille is okay too and together, as a couple, they are doing okay as well He hopes it lasts forever, that they can always manage to grab such peaceful moments. No matter what storms will follow, let them always find some calm within them. Simon believes that they can. Right now, they are feeling pretty much invincible.
They stay like this, observing the stars glimmering in the sky, till Sara and Felice call them back and state that it’s time to go home. And although Simon feels like he has his home right next to him, they drag themselves up eventually and walk towards yet another new beginning.