Why Not Us

Bailey's POV

 When they were done picking up their clothes, Tanner left. Bailey found himself alone again. Greeted by the cold air he sat down on the floor against the foot of his bed. He sat there thinking about what he would do now that he could place a label on what he felt for Tanner. Love.

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Bailey woke up to his back aching and knocking at his door.

"Your Highness? You have a meeting in ten minutes," A voice said.

"Okay, thank you!" He called back.

He slowly stood up and walked to his closet to get dressed. He looked at the gold-plated mirror against the wall to his right to be greeted by two bright purple spots on his neck clashing with his pale skin.

"Shit," He muttered

Bailey quickly went looking for something to cover his neck and settled on a black turtle neck under a chunky blue sweater. He swiftly put his black slacks on and his air forces then shuffled over to his bathroom to fix his hair and brush his teeth. Bailey double-checked that those two bruises weren't noticeable and rushed out of his room for his meeting. He quickly replied to the text from Tanner agreeing about having to talk soon before arriving at the meeting room's doors.

When he sat down next to his mother he was already sweating. It looked like they turned the heat on too high. He'd just have to bear it to avoid someone noticing the purple marks.

"Oh dear, are you okay? Why don't you take off your sweater, your sweating," His mother urged.

"Don't worry mama, I'm fine," He panicked.

"If you say so..." She said, "What is on the agenda for today's meeting?".

A brunette man stepped up, "The next gala Your Majesty,".

"Okay, oh, before we start I have to ask real quick," She said, "Bailey would you like to attend the charity event with me and your father? The day after your third gala,".

"Of course mama," He smiled.

The meeting went to the topic of the second gala held the next month in December.

"Could I change my second suit to a burgundy color? Brown doesn't suit the holidays," Bailey stated.

"Yes we can make that happen, I assume we'll go with red decor then," A black-haired woman said.

He quickly agreed and the meeting continued. Bailey made sure to have Maisie on the guest list while everybody else he left up to the secretaries to decide.

"We have Om Du Inte Fanns by Omar Rudberg for the opening and Ingen Annan Rör Mig Som Du by Molly Hammar as the closing correct?" The woman from earlier said. He nodded and then they were dismissed. Bailey now had a fitting with Boris in half and a half so he jogged over to his family's kitchen to enjoy some leftover tomato soup.

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"Good to see you again Boris," Bailey chirped.

'You too Bailey," He said walking in at exactly twelve-thirty.

Boris wheeled a small selection of three burgundy suits behind him.

"Please take a look and then I'll tailor it for you," Boris said.

Bailey nodded and examined the suits. There was a plain burgundy one with a slightly darker tie and matching handkerchief made of polyester. There was another made of black polyester with a dark red satin shirt and a rose to match. Lastly, there was a velvet one like the suit he'd worn the previous gala but burgundy and with the same shirt and tie being black.

He couldn't figure out which one to wear, but eventually, he decided on the last one because it felt the most Christmassy to him.

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Bailey left the tailoring room about half an hour later. His schedule was free for the rest of the day so he wandered out to the freshly watered gardens belonging to his family. He was wrapped in his navy wool top coat when he sat on the cold marble bench dusted with snow. He waited for Tanner to be finished with what he was doing.

Bailey turned his head to the sound of snow crunching. He was met by Tanner in his grey puffer jacket.

"Hey," Bailey started, "I don't know about last night, Tanner,".

'What do you mean exactly?" Tanner asked.

"I- I can't be into guys... But you-" Bailey whispered, "I felt so happy last night,".

They sat in mutual silence thinking. He knew that he shouldn't be agreeing to meet Tanner anymore, at least not like that but his heart took over his thoughts.

"Let's keep meeting up," Bailey stated.

"Are you sure?" Tanner asked.

Bailey nodded and Tanned muttered an okay. Bailey leaned his head on Tanner's shoulder watching the water from the fountain trickle and splash out. It comforted him.