The last year of highschool. We will be graduating in another month. Wow. It's been 4 years since I have known this complex, sweet little boy in front of me: Wilhelm.

He was looking in the mirror, smoothing out his suit, a huge grin on his face. I smiled.

Two years back, I had moved out of Hillerska dorms to come and stay with my mom while Sara continued staying there. Sara and I have pretty much lost contact over the years. It's not like I hate her, but I can't bear it when she hangs around with August.

Wilhelm had managed to get August out in about 3 months after the trail and all. Nearly the whole school knows what's been going on between him and my sister now.

On the other hand, Wilhelm and I have grown pretty much inseparable over the years. We spend our spare time at school hanging out with each other and doing homework. And most of our dinners are together... sometimes at my place, and surprisingly, sometimes at the palace.

Wilhelm's mother barely tolerates me, but Wilhelm's father is the complete opposite. He doesn't talk with us a lot, but when he does, he makes sure we know that he supports us.

For instance, today, at Wilhelm's birthday, he has agreed to be the pianist at Wille and my private little dance.

"Do we really need to get this dressed?" I asked, futilely looping my tie into a knot for the hundredth time, "it's not like anybody except your dad is going to be here."

"Yes," Wilhelm said obstinately, "I am taking you with me to the royal balls in a couple of months. You need to be prepared."

I scoffed, looking at him helplessly, "Help?"

"Sure, handsome," he said, making his way to me. His hands moved swiftly along the thin strip of fabric and in a moment, he had tied it.

"Wow," I said, appraising myself in the mirror. Deep green really did suit me. "I really need to learn how to tie a tie."

"I'll teach you, don't worry," Wille said, wrapping his fist around my tie and pulling me up to him. I gently placed my hands on his hips, stealing a kiss from his warm pink lips.

I looked in awe at the beautiful boy staring down at me. Everything felt like a dream. Two years back, we were a pair of hot, messy, confused teenagers, but today, I could lay on the grass in the middle of a calm moonlit night with him, knowing we could fall asleep in each others arms without a care in the world.

"Let's go," he said, intertwining his hands in mine and raising it to his lips.

As we made our way to the ballroom, we met the Queen in the way. "You could be spending such special day doing something better than...wasting unnecessary electricity for no purpose," she remarked, barely able to keep the sourness out of her words.

"Trust me mom, there is no other way I'd want to spend such a special day," he pursed his lips speculatively, "apart from maybe doing donations to people who actually need it."

She did not hang around for any more words. "Have fun then," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

We walked along. "Do you know that half of the donations that are made through the royal palaces are, in fact, dead ends?" Wilhelm said bitterly, "Most of the money goes in the pocket of those who have two mansions and a fucking swimming pool."

"Trust me," I said, "I know that very well."

Wille gave me a sad little look and I immediately steered the conversation to a different direction, "Is that the ballroom?"

Wilhelm smiled at the open gate. "I guess someone has made preparations before us."

When we walked in, there was an immediate burst of music...the birthday song and Wilhelm's father was singing along. Wilhelm laughed and ran to his father to give him a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you dad," Wilhelm said, his voice muffled in his father's shoulder.

"I'm so proud of you, son," he said. My heart welled up with joy.

"So, are we ready for the dance?" he said, sitting back at the piano and playing a soft melody.

"Yes, we are," Wille said, placing his hands on my waist. I followed his lead, swaying to the music.

"Have you ever learnt dancing?" Wilhelm asked, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head. "Wow, you are doing surprisingly good then," he said.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him.

"I'm going to twirl you okay?" he said, holding his hand in mine and raising it above my head. I rotated, and when we were facing each other again, I buried my face in his shoulder, barely able to contain my laughter.

We stayed like this for a while, Wille's hand braced at the small of my back, tracing little circles with his thumb. I sighed into his clothes, burying my face in his neck.

"Happy birthday, love," I whispered softly in his ear. He raised his hand to my cheek, his finger tracing my jawline. "Thank you," he said, gently tipping my head up and pressing his lips on mine.

From the other end of the room, there was a whistle and Wille and I broke into giggles, watching his father beam at us.

Wilhelm went behind the bar and prepared three drinks...a non alcoholic one for me and two others.

"What is the third one for?" I asked. Wilhelm's father had left us a few moments ago to go to some official meeting.

"Well," Wilhelm said, "Erik and I had this tradition of having drinks here on my birthday. Since I was not allowed to, so, we snuck here secretly. The third one's for Erik."

"Oh," I said, swallowing a lump in my throat.

We finished off the dregs from our glasses in silence. I fiddled with my collar, "Do you, erm, do you want to come to Bjästa?"

"Yeah, sure," Wille said, beaming at me.

We took the bus and reached Bjästa. Wille covered up his face partly with a scarf and a hat and we went to the football field, hand in hand.

"Oh, football field," Wille said, pushing me up against a little shed, hidden in the shadows, "the things that you have witnessed."

I clutched at the sleeves of Wille's coat, kissing him fervently. After all these years, kissing him felt like the first time all over again.

As we sat down on a bench, fingers looped together, my mind raced back to the days we had newly come out. People used to target us in public, hurling profanities and pebbles at us. Yes, there had been a lot of love and support from the lgbtq community, but we have endured equal amounts of hate as well.

Wille, using his resources, had registered cases of violence and abuse on some of the people, and after a while, the abuse stopped.

When I was back to the present, I saw Wille's head tipped back, looking at the moon and stars, their light flickering on his face, making him look almost ethereal.

I nuzzled my face along his neck, and jawline.

"Dinner at my place?" I asked.

"Of course," Wille smiled, "If Linda doesn't mind."

"Oh, she would not mind even if you moved in," I said. He chuckled.

Wille wrapped his arm around my shoulder, warming up against each other in the cold air.

We went inside and were greeted by a knocking-air-out-of-lungs hug from my mom. She made dinner and chatted with us about her job and how our lives were going. After dinner we went to my room.

"No need to make excuses of playing games now," Wille smiled as I shut the door behind me.

I laughed and kissed him, letting my hands wander down to his trousers. Articles of clothing came off one by one until they were piled up beside our heels.

We tethered to the bed, my hands pushing him down on the bed. I pinned his wrists to the bed, very well aware of how much he loved it when I took control. And anyway, it was his birthday, he deserved it.

I kissed his lips, then down his throat to his chest. He gasped as my hands made their way down. Wille's lower lip was pressed down by his teeth, his eyes closed shut.

My stomach did a somersault as he exhaled. He reached out for my hair and pulled me up to him, kissing me deeply. "I love you so much, goddammit," he muttered.

I smiled into the kiss, "I love you too babes."

"I wanna cuddle," Wilhelm said, running his thumb across my eyebrow.

"Of course, birthday boy," I said. We sat up, backs against the walls. Wille tilted his body so it was facing me, and crossed his legs between mine as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. He buried his face in my shoulder, his knuckles tracing my collarbone.

"Do you know that erm," he cleared his throat, "when we are of age, you can um, like, be my suitor."

"Really?" I asked. He nodded, almost cringing at his own words.

"Suitor huh," I smiled. "Like in the movies?" Wille's face heated up against my shoulder.

I chuckled. "I would love to be your suitor," I said, kissing his hair. "How exactly is it done?"

He smiled shyly, then burst into an excited explanation of the formalities, his hands moving animatedly, his eyes glittering with a dream. His tone made me realize how much it meant to him.

"So?" He said, tracing his finger down my chest, "what do you think?"

"I think that," I paused dramatically and Wille gave me a look, "I would love to do this."

He sighed, punching me. "Bastard," he growled and I laughed.

"So, it is going to be after graduation right?" I asked.

"Yes," Wille smiled, his cutely crooked teeth visible below his lips.

"Hmm," I hummed. "You know, I want to move to some bigger city after graduation for higher studies." My heart was thumping, wondering how he would respond.

"Okay, I'll come along with you," he said, simply, making me laugh.

"Yeah?" I said.

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"What?"

"I thought you'd be dramatically upset."

"Well, as long as I can get good sex during weekends, I'll be okay," he said matter-of-factly.

I grinned into his cheek, "Dumbass."

He exhaled a long, lazy yawn, "This is so surreal right?"

"Mmhm," I nodded, wordlessly hearing his mind work, the knobs and gears clicking slowly, getting ready to stop for a good night's rest. "I had never dreamt we could come this far."

"A bit of bravery and eyes full of dreams, my boy," I said, with an air of a knight in shining armour, "and wonders can be achieved."

"Stop trying to sound smart," he grumbled, dragging a blanket over both of us.

"Why? Does it turn you on, Your Highness?" I said, mischief glinting in my eyes.

"It does, now shut up and sleep," he muttered into the nape of my neck, throwing his arms around my torso.

It was a bleak night, but the warmth that spread across my chest when I was with Wilhelm, was enough for me. The world is cold and cruel but...

"As long as I have you on cold nights like this," I said sleepily, "I'll be okay too."

"Oh, baby," Wilhelm said, pulling up my back against his chest in response.

I smiled, pressing my fingers into Wille's, and my eyes drooped shut.

---

*Author's note*

a peek into the future for ya'll (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

i really really hope they give a happy ending to these two cuties in season 2 :'(

also TACK SÅ MYCKET FOR ALL THE READS, VOTES AND COMMENTS <3

i wanna give u all Linda's signature knock-air-out-of-lungs hug so badly

tc lovies

yrs

(ps: yes, I'm learning swedish from duolingo wby?)