Chapter Text
Monarch was sitting at their kitchen table, their mother and father standing across from them. They looked anywhere but at their parents.
"Listen to us Mariana!" Their father snapped, "i will not ask you again."
Monarch kept their eyes down, staring at the table like it could save them from this.
Their mother spoke up, "We just want you to be safe, dear. Those people aren't ones we wish to see you with." Her eyes were full of warmth and hope; hope that her baby girl wouldn't go down the 'wrong path.'
"Please stop." Monarch whispered, they couldn't do this right now. It was a week before college was starting, they had been having this back and forth with their parents for years and had hoped that just this once, maybe they would realize that Monarch's identify wasn't a phase.
They had come out nearly five years ago now, when they were thirteen. Everyone else accepted them happily, using Monarch instead of Mariana, referring to them with they/them and not she/her. Everyone but their parents. Their father insisted it was just a phase and that they were confused because of the supposed 'bad influence' that their friends were. Their mother just went along with it, never even attempted to defend her own child.
Monarch had accepted now, they knew it would be hard but they had to. They needed to get out of this house, not tomorrow, not in a week, right now. Their father was still scolding them, their mother trying weakly to convince Monarch to reconsider.
They stood, running upstairs, their father yelling for them to come back.
"YOU ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED INSIDE OF MY HOUSE UNTIL YOU FIX WHATEVER THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR HEAD!" Their father yelled up the stairs.
They began packing, luckily most lf their things were already gone since they were packed up for college. All they needed to grab was their clothes, chargers, laptop, and a few plushies they kept out. They shoved everything into their backpack, the small charms and Keychain bumping against one another.
They threw on a hoodie over the stupid dress their mother made them put on for church earlier that day. They would change later, right now they needed out.
They went back downstairs, their father still seething, he glared at them. "You'll regret this when those faggots leave you, and when they do, don't come crawling back to us." He hissed, turning away from the younger.
Their mother was sitting down silently, she looked at Monarch for a moment before looking away, hurt clear on her face.
They didn't dwell on it for too long, leaving out the front door while fumbling with their phone, calling Harvey.
Harvey was their best friend since the 6th grade, he sat next to them in history and ever since they'd been attached at the hips. Harvey was openly bisexual, so he was disliked by Monarch's family, he didn't care though, he always said he only cared about Monarch's opinion about him. He liked that about Harvey, he didn't care what people thought of him.
Harvey picked up on the first ring, like usual.
"Hey Monny!" He cooed into the phone teasingly, the silly nickname always made Monarch giggle, but not right now.
They took a deep breath, finally inside their car. Monarch took a second before speaking, "Can I stay with you for a bit?" They asked with the steadiest voice they could muster in the moment.
"Of course handsome, when should you get here?" Harvey asked, his voice softening for his best friend.
Monarch thought for a minute, "Maybe twenty minutes? I'm gonna stop by the store and grab some stuff.." they said, mumbling the second part mostly to themselves.
"Alrighty cutie! See ya soon!" Harvey cheerfully hung up the phone, Monarch could hear the excitement in his voice. They giggled softly, Harvey always made them feel better.
Monarch was finally at Harvey's house(technically it was his parents, but they lived in a different state so he lived there), Harvey made them both some tea and let Monarch borrow some of his clothes.
Harvey's breath caught in his throat as he saw Monarch wearing a pair of his old shorts and his favorite hoodie, they were absolutely stunning, Harvey adored seeing them in his clothes. Monarch looked so much happier in his hoodie than in that dumb dress, not thaf he was complaining.
Monarch plopped down on the couch beside Harvey, cuddling against his side. Harvey smiled, wrapping his arms around them. He leaned his head on theirs, arms wrapped around their waist. Monarch grabbed a blanket and pulled it over the two of them, looking up at Harvey.
"Can we watch Coraline?" They asked their pale greenish-blond hair falling onto Harvey's chest, the latter smiled and brought a hand up to Monarch's hair.
"Of course Mon-mon, whatever you want." He cooed, ruffling his best friend's hair gently.
They got into a more comfortable position, Harvey was now sitting up, legs stretched out, and Monarch was curled up in his lap, their head nestled between his shoulder and neck. Their breath tickled Harvey's neck, but he couldn't care less, Monarch was asleep and in his arms, they were safe. The movie was still playing, but he paid no mind to it, his precious best friend was just so cute like this!
Harvey grinned, he grabbed his phone and quickly got a few photos of him and his darling cuddling. He saved the photos to a private gallery before setting his phone back down.
His arms tightened around the small form in his lap, pressing his face into Monarch's hair. He loved the smell of their hair, smelling the soft floral scent of their shampoo and body wash.
He hesitated for a moment before giving into his desires and kissing Monarch's temple. He let his lips linger for a moment before pulling away and going back to smelling their hair.
Eventually Harvey fell asleep as well, keeping a tight hold on Monarch even in his sleep. They both slept amazingly that night, wrapped in one another's warm embraces.