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It was a Tuesday night, to be exact 2:30am, and Percy invited Franklin, his secret lover — of almost three years now — to his room because he was bored and couldn't sleep, too tired to move, just lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling as if it was the most beautiful piece of art, but it wasn't, it was plain and boring, as always, but his mind too busy – thinking of different poem ideas, how the public — and his family — are pressuring him to find a wife and have a family because apparently he's getting 'too old to be single', how people would react to his and Franklin's relationship, and how he loves Franklin so much – to care about how monochrome the ceiling is. He knows that if his relationship was ever brought to the public he'd surely be killed, along with Franklin, and as much as he hates having secrets, he would do anything to try to protect Franklin.
When suddenly he's knocked out his thoughts by a knock at his chamber door followed by it cracking open slightly, the light from a candle leaking into the room like a flood, and Franklin's head peaking in. "Franklin, come in" he says as the door shuts, "did you need something?.." Franklin asks, confused on why Percy wanted to see him at almost 3am now, "I-... I'm afraid it's a stupid reason, but I just missed you.." Percy half mutters the last part, as he sits up from his bed, "Oh... well, what are you doing up at..." Franklin starts as he glances at a clock that's hung above the door, "...5am?" "Franklin, it's 2:49am-" Percy says as he starts giggling slightly, since he's so exhausted he seems to have let his guard down slightly and seems more laid back, as well as weirdly finding a lot of things funny... "Oh... well despite that, you didn't answer my question, what are you doing up so late?" Franklin questions "...I just couldn't sleep, what about you?" "Me too"
Around an hour later, they're still not asleep, but now Percy's out of his bed and is now just looking through boxes, while Franklin is writing limericks, them getting more bawly as he continues, until Percy finds a beautiful ring that used to be his mothers, it has little diamonds on the band and one big one as the main attraction, it’s shimmers in the light as if it was from a fairy tail. He tries to put it on but it doesn't fit. He glances over to Franklin, taking in how cute he looks as he concentrated on his poem, and how he bites on the end of his pencil when trying to think of a word that’ll rhyme and fit in his poem. “Franklin,” Percy says, getting the other man’s attention, “what do you think of this ring I found?” He holds the ring up slightly, presenting it to him. “It’s gorgeous, darling.” Franklin says “Almost as gorgeous as you” Percy flushes, a light pink colouring his cheeks, as he looks away. “Oh Franklin…” he mutters, looking back into Franklin’s dark brown eyes, “you flatter me”
“I know, but you deserve it.” Franklin says’ lightly kissing Percy’s cheek and placing his hand on the other and rubbing gently circles into the skin, “Anyway, it's time to go to bed” “Can you stay?” Percy asks, leaning into Franklin's touch. “Of course.”
The next morning, Percy wakes up to see that Franklin is still there and he presses a kiss to his forehead as his eyes flutter open, "good morning, my love" Percy mutters to him, just as Franklin is about to respond, there's a knock at the door "Lord Cunningsworth, your father is here to discuss something with you" a butler says, startling both of them. "Okay... tell him I'll be right there!" Percy responds, "Will do" the butler says as he walks off, Percy waits until he can't hear his footsteps anymore, when they're out of hearing he turns to Franklin, who looks to be half awake "You... should probably leave..." he whispers, "okay, I'll see you later, love" Franklin responds, getting up, "I'll see you later, darling, love you" "l Love you too".
Ten minutes later Percy goes down to see his father "Hello, son" Percy's father, Alexander, says "Hello, father, is there something you needed?" He responds, "Yes, to put it shortly, I only have one question, why haven't you got a wife, or at least a girlfriend, yet?" His father asks, Percy hesitates slightly before responding "I've just... not found the right woman yet" which technically isn't wrong, but it feels wrong to lie to his father, "Son," his father says, standing up to meet his height, though standing taller then the younger man "you know you can be honest with me, right? Are you seeing someone? I promise I won't be mad" he places a hand on his shoulder, "I don't mind who it is, I'm sure they'd make a wonderful wife either way" Percy opens his mouth to respond, but closes it, he's never lied to his father before so this is new to him, he's unable to even make eye contact with him, "Percy, it's okay to be honest... I just have one question, are you seeing someone?" His father asks, trying to sound reassuring, "well... they- they wouldn't be able to be a wife, but maybe... a husband instead?" Percy says nervously, scared of what his father might say, "What?" Percy's dad says, letting go of his shoulder and stepping away from him, the reassurance bleeding out of his tone faster than a gunshot wound "what do you mean 'husband'!? No son of mine will be a dirty faggot!" His father’s voice raising with anger and disgust, then his hand collides with Percy’s cheek, causing a stinging pain to blossom. "Father, please, I-i wasn't being serious, i-I was just joking-" Percy tries to fix this situation, "No, you are not my son, you dirty little queer, I'm leaving." His father says before leaving, "wait! Please... don't tell anyone!" Percy calls out, trying to be quiet to not let anyone hear. His father looks back for a second, but Percy could tell that he wouldn't tell anyone, because it'd be a shame to his family to have someone like him in his bloodline. His father leaves the room and he's just left to sit in silence, his head throbbing from being hit earlier. Suddenly shooting pain throbs through his head, nausea flooding upon him as his vision blacks out and he faints with a loud bang
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Franklin, hearing the loud bang from the other room, as well as the other butlers / maids, and Percy’s father angrily leaves the manor, decides to go check in on him. When he walks in he’s met by Percy falling to the ground, Franklin stands there shocked for half-a-second before rushing to catch him before he falls, and managing to secure his head and neck with a mostly decorative pillow, but it still works. “I need help here!” Frank calls out, distressed but with an obvious tinge of concern snuck in, “Lord Cunningsworth has fainted!” A group of maids and butlers (around 5 of them in total) come rushing in, “Oh dear!” One of the maids, Helga, says, walking over and checking if he’s okay, “I’ll call a nurse!” She says as she hurries out. “Does anyone know what happened?” A newly hired butler, Devin, asks (for some reason everyone hates Devin) “What do you think, shithole?” The other maid, Linda, says “if we knew what happened don’t you think we’d have said something?” “Okay…” devin mutters sliding farther away from her
A couple minutes pass and the other maids and butlers that were there all leave, leaving Franklin with Percy. As he looks down at him he notices a bruise start to form on his cheek, turning an ugly greenish-purpley colour, when Percy starts to wake up slightly. “Hi,” Franklin says softly, in case Percy had a headache from falling, “how do you feel?” “What… what happened?” Percy mutters, sitting up slightly but winces from pain and lays back down. “You fell. Quite hard.” Franklin says “do you remember what happened before you fell?” “Not…” Percy says, hesitating slightly when he remembers some of it, but it mostly being a blur.
“well... they- they wouldn't be able to be a wife, but maybe... a husband instead?" I say hearing how nervous I sound (“pathetic” my father would say, all men are supposed to be tough), secretly being terrified how my father would react. I knew his views on queer people. “They should all be killed” my father used to say. "What?" My father says, letting go of my shoulder like I’ve told him I have the plague and stepping away from me, disgusted, he must be so disappointed, but he has every right to be. "What do you mean 'husband'!? No son of mine will be a dirty faggot!" He yells, I could see the disgust in his eyes, the previous concern and warm dying and being replaced with cold, malice. My father then hits me so hard in my head that I could hear it ringing so loud I felt deaf for a spilt-second,"father, please, I-i wasn't being serious, i-I was just joking-" I beg, trying to fix an already shattered situation, knowing it’d be no use. The damage has already been done and the bomb has exploded. "No, you are not my son, you dirty little queer, I'm leaving." My ‘father’ says before leaving, for the last time ever I'll get to see him, it’s with hate and disgust towards me. Maybe it was stupid to tell him. Stupid me, as always…
“Percy!?” Franklin says, raising his voice slightly with worry. “W-what?” Percy says, snapping back into the moment, his eyes slightly watery, “sorry, what were you saying?” “Percy… what happened?” Franklin says gently, brushing his hands through his hair gently, “you can tell me… it’s okay” Percy, leans his head on Franklin's shoulder, “I-I…” Percy begins but fear claws at the back of his mind, causing him to pause and feel unable to speak. “It’s okay,” Franklin says gently, stroking his hand through Percy’s hair which always helps with his anxiety, “you don’t have to tell me now, just know I’ll always be here for you.” Percy’s eyes begins to water even more and tears start falling down his face. Franklin pulls him closer, holding him close to his chest. “Everything’s okay,” Franklin mutters, pressing a kiss to the top of his head’ “I’m here”