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Assistant: Title: We Left Footprints When We Passed By
        Author: This_time_its_just_me This_time_its_just_me 
        Chapter: 1/12 
        Summary: Wilhelm broke Simon's heart twice.He really should hate him considering everything he's done. Simon has tried for so long to push this thing out of him, sever this connection and burn it away. He's tried to rip it out of his heart until his fingers are bl@@dy and his chest is open and raw. But it always finds a way to pull him back in. Wilhelm is a deep, vast ocean, and Simon is caught in his current. Caught in the swell of his inner storm. He is a planet in some dark expanse of galaxy and Simon is a moon trapped within his orbit. They continuously circle each other, again and again until one of them breaks. An endless cycle of wishful thinking that always ends the exact same way. Wilhelm turning his back and Simon left to pick up the pieces.................................................................It has been eight years since the video. Five years since Hillerska. Three years since Wilhelm disappeared from his life as quickly and as intensely as he had returned. Simon has done his best to move on from his past, but old ghosts are the hardest ones to exorcise.(Written Pre-Season 2; The Cheating Fic as dubbed by Twitter. No they aren’t cheating on each other)
        Contents: Chapter 1: Burbujas de Amor
    

    


      
        
          
          (See the end of the chapter for  notes.)
          
      
  

  
  
    
    “Hugo?” Simon calls out as he closes the apartment door, filing through the envelopes from their mailbox downstairs and frowning as he pulls the one from the power company out of the middle of the stack, “Didn’t we choose e-invoice for God El?” He calls out again, kicking his shoes off and putting his bag and the envelopes down on the side table in the hallway. It’s still bright outside despite the late hour, the peak of summer in Stockholm, but he feels the exhaustion of the day seeping into his bones all the same.There is Latin music playing, and something in the air smells amazing. He can hear his boyfriend singing loudly to music coming from the kitchen. Juan Luis Guerra, Burbujas de Amor, Hugo had always had a thing for the classics. Simon feels something tug at his heart and he smiles as he lines his white trainers next to Hugo’s Oxfords.
  
    There are footsteps behind him before he feels arms around his waist, strong and warm, a chin settles into the space between his neck and shoulder, the solid frame of his boyfriend encompassing him at his back. “I thought we did,” Hugo murmurs kissing him there, the low register of his voice in his ear sending a small thrill through him. Simon closes his eyes for a moment and leans back against him, feeling completely surrounded by his presence and the familiar scent of his cologne. Hugo hums the melody against the skin of his neck.
  

  
    “They sent us another paper bill. In the mail. Who does that anymore? It’s such a waste. I thought everyone is supposed to be like environmentally conscious now or something.” He brings his hands to rest on the arms encircling him and his lips curl into a contented smile as they slowly rock to and fro there in the hallway. He loves the differences in their height, loves how small and wrapped up he feels in Hugo's arms, “You’ll have to try setting it up again.”
  

  
    He turns in his boyfriend's embrace so that they are facing each other and slides his arms over the other man's shoulders, he has to raise himself up slightly to kiss him on his lips, “Hola.” he whispers, pulling back to share a smile with him.
  

  
    “Hola mi sol hermoso, welcome home.”
 

  
    Simon grins at the nickname and revels in the relief that it honestly feels good to hear those words. Welcome home. It’s only their first week in their new apartment and their first week of actually living together. Hugo had been asking him for months to move in with him but it was him who had kept putting it off. It should have been an easy decision considering all the time they spent together and how often he ended up sleeping over at his place anyway, but for some reason, the idea had just always felt a little intimidating. Simon wasn’t really sure why he had been so hesitant to just take the plunge and do it, but somehow it had felt too official and too adult. Moving in certainly wasn't the equivalent of getting married or anything but sharing a home, expenses and responsibilities was a big difference from the carefree, fun relationship they had always had.
  

  Simon had been perfectly content with the status of their relationship if he’s honest, with each of them having their own private space, sleeping over when nights ran long, keeping a toothbrush and a small selection of clothes at each other's places. There’s no pressure when you are able to move freely as you want and living together had always seemed like halfway to marriage and kids and all the things that Simon in his mid-twenties was definitely not ready to think about.


  Hugo is only a few years older than him, yet somehow feels more settled than himself. He just seems like more of an adult, or at least mature in the sense that he knows exactly what he wants and is so self-assured about it. Simon isn't sure he could ever be so certain about what he wants for the future as he is. They haven't really had a direct conversation about it their future yet, Simon is avoiding it, but he knows that Hugo is looking for things to get more serious. 


 It's not as though their relationship is exactly not serious. After a few months of seeing each other, they had decided to become exclusive and it had stayed that way for the past two years. However, as they both work in the music industry they both have jobs that keep them extremely busy and Simon knows that it's taken a bit of a strain on their relationship. 


  
    That was how they had met each other initially. After graduating from Hillerska, Simon finally left his hometown of Bjärstad and moved to Stockholm where there was more opportunity to study music professionally at KMH. At one point in his life, he had wanted to go into singing, had wanted the stage and spotlight and the attention, but that desire had quickly died with his first relationship, a consequence of becoming a much more private person. However, music was still his passion so he found his way into the industry itself, working behind the scenes instead. Stockholm, luckily, was a place of opportunity in this line of work, and through his own hard work and the connections he made while studying he had found a good starting position working directly with the head sound mixer in the same studio as Hugo, who was one of the studio’s record producers. Hugo was incredibly good at his job, he had an ear for current sounds and an innate sense of what did and did not work. Simon had learned so much from him during his time at that studio, and they had almost immediately clicked on a personal level as well.
  

  
    Hugo was also a child of immigrant parents, the son of a Cuban mother and a Dominican father. It had been good to find someone that shared similar roots and language in the city at that tumultuous point in his life. Hugo was easy to talk to, and they shared the ability to banter back and forth and laugh genuinely at each other's jokes. Simon had been in a bad place and it had been a relief of sorts to have something so uncomplicated with Hugo. It also hadn’t hurt that the other man was very easy on the eyes.
  

  
    They had kept in touch even after he had gotten a new job as a producer himself at Studio ORION, a smaller, newer venture that was on a headhunt for fresh talent. Eventually, their friends with benefits thing had grown into an exclusive relationship thing. A go-to-dinner with each other's friends and spend holidays in each other's hometowns thing.
  

  
    His current studio was smaller but produced music that Simon was genuinely passionate about. Despite the fact he was working much harder and longer hours with a smaller team, he found the challenge exhilarating. Sure there were moments he daydreamed about what it would be like to be on the other side of the recording booth, but he did love his job. He was known as a perfectionist when it came to anything he oversaw and was very involved in every step of the process. He worked closely with his fellow producers as well as their artists themselves, both in and out of the studio, improving their lyrics and arrangements, selecting tracks as well as keeping tabs on what was happening in the industry. He really did a little bit of everything, as their team was small. Despite the long hours and immense energy the job demanded of them, they were all likewise committed to their projects, and this deep-in-the-trenches camaraderie they shared had made them into something of a small family.
  

  
    The time-consuming nature of their jobs is really what he suspects is part of what spurred the conversation with Hugo about moving in together. Simon was busy, busier than he had ever been before, which he loved, but it did take a toll on their relationship. He was always making appearances, being invited to events to headhunt new artists and rub elbows with industry insiders. There were some nights, increasing in frequency, where he never even left the studio at all.
  

  
    He and Hugo didn’t see each other as often as they once had and these days it was rare they both had a day off at the same time. Living apart had made scheduling time together that much harder and in the end, the guilt he felt in neglecting the other was probably a big part of what drove him to finally say yes to the whole moving-in thing. Simon had been trying to convince himself it was been the right decision the entire duration of the process leading up to the actual move because honestly it still made him anxious, even now. But being here and coming back to someone else did feel pretty good he had to admit, even if he was still worried about the whole thing.
  

  
    “I made dinner.” Hugo’s lips kiss intently below his ear, trailing down to his shoulder, to his neck.
  

  
    Simon closes his eyes and leans into him, fingers running through up his neck where his hairline begins. “I’m not really all that hungry anymore.” He murmurs, a soft sound escaping him when his boyfriend kisses his lips and grips his waist.
  

  
    “And after I took all that time making my Ropa Vieja?” Hugo’s tone is teasing, like he knows he’s making Simon impatient.
  

  
    “We can heat it up again? It tastes better the next day anyway.” He leans back slightly, enough to look up at him with a mischievous grin. “I thought one of the perks of living together was getting to jump my boyfriend's bones whenever I wanted to.”
  

  
    “Dinner later then” Hugo laughs against his lips and he grins triumphantly before he’s pulled back into a deeper, intentional kiss.
  

  
    “Take me to bed?” Simon whispers, breath coming quicker now, looking into Hugo’s intense dark gaze. He makes a surprised noise when the other picks him up suddenly, laughing when the other trips a bit in the doorframe, “Don’t drop me!”
  

  
    He catches Hugo’s wicked grin right before he’s dropped onto the mattress and before he can protest Hugo’s large body is pushing down into him, covering him, his lips are hot against his skin and Simon feels like he's burning up in every place he touches.
Okay, this is a nice thing about living together, he definitely has nothing to complain about when it comes to this.
  

  
    There isn’t much talking after that. Simon loses himself in the sensations as he lets the other man slowly and methodically take him apart.
  

  
    ——

  

  
    That weekend finds them both at yet another charity event for some cause Hugo’s studio is supporting. There’s already been so many this year that Simon is starting to lose count. Truth be told he doesn’t always join despite being invited, but being in the industry himself he knows it’s never a bad idea to show up and shake a few hands. Plus there’s free food, which he’s not one to complain about. 
  

  
    These things are always so posh and despite two years of being dragged along to these things on account of Hugo’s work Simon still always feels out of place. It seems like the more well-known his boyfriend is the more invitations he receives and the fancier these events become. There's always a gem here and there though, Simon loves a crowd that liked to dance, and the DJ at this current charity event for Barnens Rätt i Samhället or whatever organization rich people have chosen to focus on at the moment, is definitely one of the better ones.
  

  
    Hugo drags him to the dancefloor when a mixed version of that Selena Gomez song that he knows Simon loves starts to play, weaving between the crowd of people to find a spot on the floor. Hugo pulls him in, flush against his chest and the lines of their bodies find a familiar rhythm to the bass of the music. Simon has pulled his all-white suit out of his closet again for this event, satisfied with the way it stands out against the summer-soaked skin of his bare chest. His curls are cooperating tonight and the jewelry he’s wearing flashes under the lights as they move. He feels weightless and warm, the room is bathed in hues of blues and pinks and purples as the lights illuminate their faces in spinning colors. Simon laughs breathlessly when Hugo smoothly spins him around to his front, stretching backward to meet him in a kiss over his shoulder in return.
  

  
    He almost wishes they were at a club, one of their seedier haunts, then no one would judge him for making out with his incredibly hot boyfriend right here on the dancefloor However, he has a feeling the crowd here wouldn’t really appreciate such a scene. Maybe once everyone has had a little more alcohol in their systems.
  

  
    “Remind me to save this song to the bedroom playlist,” Hugo murmurs into his hair and Simon grins.
  

  
    “Oh, so you have a thing for Selena Gomez?”
  

  
    “I have a thing for how you move to Selena Gomez.” His boyfriend kisses that place under his ear that sends chills down his spine. “But if I don't take a break I’m going to lose my self-control and all these snobby rich people are going to really get a show.”
  

  
    Simon snorts and pushes at him with a teasing grin on his lips, “Go get me a cola then.” He still doesn’t drink alcohol himself, he had tried a few times while studying at KMH, but it always ended in situations he regretted so he had firmly put a stop to that almost as soon as it had started. He didn’t need it to enjoy himself anyway, and even if it made certain things easier it never helped in the long run.
  

  
    Hugo nods and heads toward the bar, while Simon goes to find an empty table. There are many standing tables off of the dancefloor, crowded with people in their expensive clothes, holding their glasses of wine and champagne. He smiles at the wait staff who clears the empty glasses away once he finds an unoccupied space and leans his weight against the table. He does a quick sweep of the room while he waits, reaching up to fix his hair and taking a sip of the drink he plucked off one of those trays floating around prior.
  

  
    “Oh wow.”
  

  
    Simon hears a woman at the table next to him say to the man she’s standing with, “I didn’t think he’d actually show up. I mean I knew Elin was the organizer and all, but I don’t think she's ever managed to drag him to one of these things. ”
  

  
    Simon looks up out of curiosity as to who they are talking about and nearly chokes on his cola due to the instant regret. He feels like the wind has been knocked out of him when he sees a familiar figure descend the industrial staircase and cross the room with a blonde woman on his arm.
  

  He feels incredibly stupid, of course, of course it's his luck that the Elin they were speaking of is Elin Blomqvist. As in the Elin Blomqvist the philanthropist daughter of the CEO of a Tech Giant Fortune 500 based in Sweden as well as the Swedish Ambassador to Switzerland. The same Elin Blomqvist who was currently quite well known for her charity and fundraising work for different social issues as well as her socialite lifestyle. Not that he knows that much about her.
  

Oh right, not to mention the small tiny detail that she is dating the Crown Prince. Okay, so maybe he knows a little more about her than he's letting on. But it isn't hard when they have been dubbed “the media darlings” of Swedish high society and their faces keep popping up on every media site, and every magazine and gossip rag in every Pressbyån or 7-11 he went into these days.
 

  
    Simon hasn’t seen Wilhelm in nearly three years now if you don’t count the fact that his ex’s face is quite often plastered somewhere in the media. Simon has never cared much for the business of the royal family and that hasn’t changed as he has gotten older but it’s always unnerving to be suddenly reminded of Wilhelm in the most everyday of places, on gossip magazines in the grocery check-out line, and on his social media feeds.
  

  
    It never fails to be odd hearing the name of a person you had such an intimate history with used so casually on the lips of a stranger. It always rubbed raw at old sores that seemed too stubborn to properly heal.
  

  
    “Oh, she’s coming over here.” The woman to his right said, waving. “The last time I saw her she was quite p@ss@d with him but I guess they’ve made up.”
  

  If he wasn’t more focused on the fact that they were getting closer he would have paused at that comment, but Oh f@ck, they were coming in this direction. There's a tight, sickening knot forming in his stomach, the fizzy cola he’s been drinking all night makes him feel nauseous. He feels absolutely unprepared to be anywhere close to Wilhelm in any capacity and he immediately turns on his heel to escape to anywhere that's the furthest away he can manage while not completely ditching his boyfriend. On second thought, he can text Hugo, he can find him later.


  
    The only thing in his mind now is that he has to leave. He doesn’t want to see Wilhelm, or talk to him or be anywhere near him. Just the quick glimpse of him brings up things he’s worked so hard to push down, things he can’t allow himself to remember or think about anymore. No, he has to leave. Maybe he can find Hugo and convince him to ditch the party with him, or maybe he should just leave and let him know once he’s already halfway home.
  

  
    Hugo, of course, is not far behind his thoughts. As Simon turns sharply, oblivious in his urgency to escape, Hugo must have been approaching from behind, a glass of white wine in one hand for himself and another glass of cola for Simon. “Whoa!” He exclaims having just managed to avoid spilling both drinks on the front of Simon’s very white jacket. If he hadn’t been on such a one-track mindset he would have been glad that his clothes remained dry seeing as how he wasn’t wearing anything underneath. “That was close, what’s going on?”
  

  
    Simon grabs the cola from him, dropping it on the table as he pulls at his wrist. Hugo must see the slightly wild look in his eyes because his gaze is questioning and he lets Simon direct, willing to follow as he begins to lead him away. Then, like a tragically bad plot device in a movie, they both hear a voice call out, “Hugo?”
  

  
    Oh, f@ck. It’s too late to back away unnoticed now. It all feels like a bit of a train wreck. Hugo, who had been looking at him with dark, worried eyes turns instinctively at the sound of his name, and in doing so, Simon can see how his eyes shift beyond the woman and her boyfriend who has spoken, can see them widen briefly and something that he recognizes as understanding pass over his features. Hugo looks back at him, eyes searching and Simon feels like he could expire right then and there. He clenches his jaw, responding to his boyfriend's unspoken question with a tight shake of his head.
  

  
    “Hugo! Hey man!” The man is speaking again, oblivious to the awkward tension. Simon knows he’s lost control of this situation and he takes a deep breath, steeling himself and channeling all of the confidence he’s managed to gain over the years, wrapping it around himself like a shield. He can f@ck@ng do this. He can be an adult and ignore everything. He will deal with the repercussions later, but he won’t back away like a scared animal. He can feel the weight of a particular set of eyes on his back, heavier than it has any right to be. Hugo answers the man, Simon’s pretty sure he’s seen him before, a long time ago, but right now it’s not important. Slowly Simon turns, grateful for the steadying hand Hugo has on the small of his back.
  

  
    Logically he knows he’s acting odd when ninety-nine percent of the people here have absolutely no context for why. But when he finally meets Wilhelms's eyes, he realizes his old secret high school boyfriend/secret college boyfriend doesn’t seem too surprised to see him. Not that anyone knows the fine details about their history. That stupid video from eight years ago is practically forgotten, and the rumors about Wilhelm have died down, especially under the flurry of media and gossip surrounding him and Elin.

  
    

  
Hugo knows a good portion of the truth though, which would explain the way he wraps an arm around Simon’s waist, and pulls him closer. Simon can see that the Prince doesn’t miss the very purposeful gesture and he takes up the cola again that he dropped to the table, taking a long sip even though it makes him queasy.

  
    He had told Hugo about what had happened between them almost a year into their relationship. It happened so rarely these days, but someone at a work function had recognized Simon from that cursed video that had gone viral and it had sent him spiraling. Hugo had been so good about comforting him, so non-judgemental. He hadn’t asked him questions about Wilhelm, hadn’t seemed scandalized or made it into a big deal. Simon hadn’t known how badly he had needed to just talk about everything until he was spilling it out to Hugo, it had been such a relief, it had felt so good to hear someone removed from the situation to tell him that it had been so unfair, that he hadn’t deserved any of what happened.
  

  
    He had never told anyone before, who hadn’t already known that is. It had felt huge to be able to open up to him like that, and Simon had felt as though a small part of the trauma he still held from that time had been healed by being able to just talk about what had happened to him. To them. How it had changed his life and fundamentally changed him as a person.
  

  
    At the time everyone had been so focused on the royal family being involved in something so “scandalous” that the core of the matter had fallen by the wayside. Every paper, gossip rag, and media outlet had loved the shock value of the story regarding the s@x lives of two freaking children, (because despite having been sixteen going on seventeen at the time, they were still children), but didn’t bother to condemn the one who had filmed and posted something so violating online. The fact that as a teenager he had had to live with being recognized by complete strangers who had seen him in such a vulnerable and exposed way. How he as a minor had had his face printed on gossip magazines in multiple countries, and had people speculate and theorize about the most intimate details of his life. It had changed him in ways that he was still coming to terms with, it had tainted his relationship with intimacy for such a long time. Hugo had understood him. Hugo had been so patient through all of his baggage.
Elin Blomqvist and the two other people at the table of course fail to notice the odd sort of tension that blooms in the moment Simon meets Wilhelms gaze. Wilhelm looks over at Hugo, his gaze lingering on the arm his boyfriend has settled at Simon’s waist.
  

  
    “Sh@t man, I haven’t seen you in ages.” The man speaks again, still addressing Hugo, who turns finally at the voice.
  

  
    “…Bosse, It’s so good to see you.” Hugo answers squeezing Simons's arm in what he knows is support. Elin turns her attention to greeting the other woman, Magdalena, apparently. She introduces Wilhelm to the group as if anyone there doesn’t already know who he is. And then suddenly everyone's eyes are on Simon.
  

  
    Bosse, as he’s called, turns to Simon with a congenial smile, “So you must be Hugo’s partner then yea? I’m Bo Ahlstedt, everyone knows me as Bosse. We worked on a few projects together a few years ago but I’ve always had mad respect for this guy.” Bosse clasps his boyfriend's shoulder and grins at him, 
  

  
    “So cool to meet you…”
  

  
    Oh, he’s waiting for his name.
  

  
    “I’m Simon. Simon Eriksson. Actually, I think we’ve met before, not that we spoke much. I’m a producer at ORION.” He speaks finally, it’s easy to talk about his job, and he hopes the confidence finds its way through his voice. “Glad to hear you have a good review of this guy.” He nudges Hugo's side with his elbow, trying to seem cool and nonchalant, but it’s not so easy when he can still feel Wilhelms's eyes linger.
  

  
    “Oh? Sh@t, I’m sorry I didn’t remember that Simon,” he says his name like he’s filing it into his memory, “but I did hear that ORION is having a good year. We are keeping an eye on you guys.” Bosse seems like he might have more to say about work but the woman at his side nudges him meaningfully.
  

  
    “I’m Magdalena, the unfortunate woman attached to this one here” She gestures over at Bosse teasingly, “Nice to meet you two, I guess you both should meet our host this evening” Magdalena motions over to Elin, “Elin Blomqvist, we know each other from childhood actually.”
  

  
    Simon looks over at the woman on Wilhelm's arm. He knows who Elin Blomqvist is, he’s seen her face in different magazines and gossip columns. She’s really quite perfect, tall, svelte, attractive and rich. Exactly the type of woman to marry into nobility one day. She carries herself in a way that almost reminds him of a politician, controlled, as though she is used to people watching her. He supposes she has to be considering her very public life and persona.
  

  
    “Hello, it’s nice to meet the woman of the hour.” He gestures around at the event space, “you’ve really outdone yourself here.”
  

  
    She smiles at him and he’s surprised in a way at how genuine it feels. “Thank you so much, Simon, our team has put so much work into making sure this goes smoothly and that we are making sure these funds are truly allocated to where they should so it really makes me happy to hear you say that.” She looks over at Wilhelm and he squeezes her arm and returns it with a small smile of his own.
  

  
    “This has truly been a passion project of hers.” Wilhelm speaks for the first time and once again Simon feels his eyes going back to the Prince.
  

  
    Three years really shouldn’t make such a big difference, but the man standing in front of him seems so different all the same. So adult and mature, that it's almost jarring how the image competes with the gangly, boyish version of Wilhelm from their Hillerska days. This man standing here with the sharp jaw and the intense profile, the enticing line of his shoulders and tapered waist in that incredible (incredibly expensive) designer suit…it’s hard to believe he is one and the same with the sweetly awkward and quietly introspective boy that had snuck out of school to spend time with him in the middle-of-nowhere Bjärstad and eaten dinner in his small family home. The same boy who had laughed at his mother's jokes and beaten Ayub at Uno. Of course, he supposed Wilhelm hadn’t been that boy for some time now. Not even the last time they…well he was different enough from then as well. This person standing here now looks the consummate archetype of wealth and nobility. Devastatingly handsome, but hardened and cold. Untouchable. All sharp, clean lines, with no hint of anything flawed or soft beneath the glossy exterior. It’s almost like looking at a stranger.
  

  
    He had always known there were two sides to Wilhelm. The quiet, curious, pensive side that only existed between the two of them, when he had felt comfortable just being himself. Then there had been the version of Wilhelm that had been raised in the spotlight and with the pressures and expectations of the monarchy to uphold. Simon isn’t quite sure where the lines blur now or if they even do at all anymore. He doesn’t know the person in front of him and he hates that for a moment it feels like he’s lost something irreplaceable. He should be relieved to see how he has grown into his role, relieved that whatever they were to each other is in the past, but he’s not. He just feels the sick feeling in his stomach twist further, wondering if Wilhelm had truly given up all of himself to become who they wanted him to be.
  

  
    “Right, this is Wilhelm of course,” Magdalena says again even though he’s already introduced himself to the others.
  

  
    Hugo cuts in at that moment, “Wilhelm this is my partner Simon.” His voice is amiable, but Simon can hear the edge to it. If it wasn’t such a surreal experience watching the two of them speak to each other, he would have rolled his eyes at him introducing Simon himself. Simon knows Hugo is setting a boundary and while he appreciates his boyfriend's protective nature, it makes him a bit uncomfortable. He’s twenty-five years old, and Wilhelm isn't the only one who has grown up. Of course, it’s incredibly awful to meet like this without a chance to prepare himself, but Simon isn’t the same person he was before either and he’s not going to back down. Why should he? He hasn’t done anything wrong.
  

  
    At Hillerska he had always been the poor one, the non-resident, the gay kid, the outsider. Later on, he had been the kid from the s@x tape that everyone knew slept with the Crown Prince. And then the kid everyone knew the Crown Prince had left to deal with the fallout alone.
  

  
    But moving out of that small town and that bubble environment where everyone knew all these deeply personal things about him had done a lot for his personal development. In Stockholm, he had become one of the many and even though he had still been recognized here and there, the friendships and opportunities he had built around himself protected him in ways that had allowed him to grow as a person.
  

  
    So now at 25, a much better dressed, confident, and unapologetic version of himself. Somehow it didn’t feel so scary to meet Wilhelm again. It brought up a lot of painful things of course, but Simon was confident in himself. After all, he had grown up too, he knew who he was, he was no longer an awkward teenager, he was a successful man who had worked his ass off to get where he was now. No one had handed his life to him, he had molded it with his own hands.
  

  
    Not saying that he wasn’t surprised when Wilhelm spoke next, “Actually we already know each other, we went to Hillerska together.” It’s said so smoothly as the Prince turns to look at him then, with an unreadable expression on his face. Simon meets his gaze steadily. It’s not a lie, but Simon isn’t ready for how casual this information sounds coming from Wilhelm himself.
  

  
    “You did!?” This piece of background seems new to Elin and she turns to him with new eyes, “I’m so jealous of you! I would have loved to go to Hillerska but my parents sent me abroad, wow I had no idea you two would know each other were you in the same year?”
  

  
    “Yea.” Simon starts, raising an eyebrow, he realizes then that she has no idea who he is, and she hasn’t made any connection to him and the video that had leaked so many years ago. It’s been a long time ago, but surely since she was dating the Crown Prince she would have known…something? Has Wilhelm just dropped that whole time in his life completely? Did it just not mean enough for him to be able to talk to her? “Yes, we were in the same year. We knew each other pretty well actually.” He sips his cola, looking over at Wilhelm over the top of his glass. She doesn’t seem to pick up on anything deeper than the surface meaning of his words and he’s surprised that she could be publicly dating him and not have even heard a single rumor about his gymnasium days, or the boy his name had been linked to.
  

  
    “Oh, it must have been so nice living there at the school and having so much fun with your classmates, judging from Wilhelm’s stories about school there was always something happening.”
  

  
    Simon blinks at her and he can’t help but laugh quietly, this is uncomfortable, but really it's in the past so theoretically, he shouldn’t mind talking about it. “Well actually I didn’t live on the campus, I commuted every day by bus but yea….it was um very interesting times. Wouldn’t you agree, Wilhelm?” He smiles at the both of them around his glass feeling almost glad to see the Prince’s veneer of perfection crack slightly when he refers to him directly.
  

  
    Elin doesn’t seem to notice however, maybe only Simon has, and continues on, too interested in this new angle of information, “I bet you have some good embarrassing stories of Wilhelm.” She grins, looking toward him expectantly.
  

  
    Simon snorts and raises the glass to his lips, “Oh there were definitely a few I could tell.” Hugo next to him coughs a bit and he catches a glimpse of Wilhelm's neutral expression.
  

  
    Magdalena next to them suddenly has an odd look passing over her face, looking at Simon again with a thoughtful glance, but he doesn’t really care if she's piecing things together. He’s never outright admitted anything to anyone other than Hugo and obviously his friends and family back in Bjärstad had known the truth, but he’s never denied anything either. He wasn’t the one who had lied after all and there was no point denying his involvement when everyone had seen his face.
  

  
    Elin suddenly reaches over for the other woman, “Well see you boys later, Magda and I have catching up to do, but please enjoy the party." Elin smiles at them and links arms with the brunette, "Now come on I want to hear about your trip to Ibiza, I was so jealous of your stories on Insta…” Their conversation fades out again as they move away from the table, excusing themselves. 
  

  
    Bosse turns to Hugo and looks between Simon and Wilhelm, “Shall we get a drink?”
  

  
    “Simon doesn’t drink.” Hugo supplies, looking down at Simon and then over at the crown prince.
  

  
    “You go on,” Simon says, Wilhelm is hanging close as though he wants to talk and even though Simon just wants to rip the bandaid off, he would rather have this conversation in private. He’s had enough people involved in his personal affairs to last a lifetime.
  

  
    “Crown Prince Wilhelm?” Bosse asks, the offer hanging in the air as he looks between Simon and the Prince.
  

  
    Wilhelm shakes his head giving him a practiced, diplomatic smile, “Go ahead I think I’ll stay here and catch up as well.”
  

  
    Hugo’s face is neutral, but when he leans over and kisses Simon on the cheek, he murmurs in Spanish against his skin, “You sure you’re good?” Simon has never been happier for their shared language than he is now.
  

  
    He replies quietly, “Go on, catch up with your colleague, I’m a big boy I can handle myself.” Simon even believes himself, which is a feat Simon from a few years previous would not have managed. He smiles in what he hopes is an encouraging way and leans up on his toes to kiss him on the lips this time. Hugo looks more relieved.
  

  
    “I’ll be back then.” His eyes travel back to the Prince and he nods, “Nice to meet you, your highness.” There's no denying the slightly cool tone of his voice as they size each other up.
When Hugo leaves with Bosse there is a quiet that settles over them, Simon sets his glass down on the table and looks up at the taller man. “Well, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He says, meeting Wilhelm's eyes. It feels awkward to speak with him, considering their last conversation on the phone.  
  

  
    “How have you been?” Simon finds that despite everything the question is genuine. Wilhelm feels further away now than he ever did before, yet there is still a part of Simon that will always care about him no matter how badly things had gone. Even if they stood across from each other like strangers these days he did genuinely hope that Wilhelm was doing okay. 
  

  
    “I’m doing good Simon.” Wilhelm says carefully, taking a step forward and putting a hand on the table between them. “I wasn’t expecting to see you either. It’s been…a long time.” 
  

  
    Two years and ten months. Thinks Simon, but he doesn’t say it out loud. “Mmm, something like that.” 
  

  
    He takes in the figure of his ex, in an all-too-expensive suit. Everything about him looks perfectly put together. Simon hasn’t been following the news or gossip of the royal family much but from the little that he does know, Wilhelm has seemed to have thrown himself fully into his role as Crown Prince. He seems more mature, more adult, more serious. In fact everything about him seems a little more rigid and straight-laced. In more ways than one.
  

  
    When they had gotten back together during Simon's time at KMH it had been messy and an incredibly stupid decision on his part. But when Wilhelm had contacted him, wanting to be friends again he foolishly believed that that was possible.
  

  
    However, they would never be able to be just friends, the two of them. No matter how they had tried they were just like magnets, unable to resist the pull of tension. So when Wilhelm had told him he knew what he wanted now, that he still loved Simon and wanted to be with him. Simon had believed him, because he had been desperate for the very same thing. Of course, it wouldn't last. Wilhelm was too weighed down by the expectations of the crown and his own fears to fight for them the way Simon had wanted him to, had needed him to. It had felt in many ways that they had come so far and Simon had really, truly believed that their love could conquer all. But apparently, he hadn’t learned from the past, because everything Wilhelm had promised, had kissed into his skin, all of it had fallen to pieces at the first sign of resistance from The Crown. 
  

  
    They had never really managed to end things concretely on either end after their Hillerska days, but at that time Wilhelm had made it very clear where they stood.
  

  
    
      I don’t want you Simon. We were never meant to be together. I’m sorry I led you on. Please don’t contact me again. 
    
  

  
    With those words, Wilhelm had ripped the very breath from his throat and crushed his windpipe with his own fingers. 
  

  
    Simon had once believed that he knew what pain was. But he really never could have expected how consuming and desperate the pain of being abandoned by him again would be. It had nearly destroyed him. Debilitated him with agony beyond what he thought was even possible for one body to handle and not physically break apart. 
  

  
    And yet. Here Simon was. He hadn’t been destroyed or broken. Somehow he had found the strength to pull himself back up out of his pit of misery, with the help of his friends and his family and the consuming drive to prove to himself that he didn’t f@ck@ng need Wilhelm. That he would be okay. That he owed it to himself to flourish without him and start defining his life on his own terms. He had come out of the fire built of harder and stronger steel than ever before. Steel which he coated himself in now like an invisible armor wrapped around his vulnerabilities.
  

  
    “So….Hugo seems…nice.” Wilhelm’s voice is diplomatically neutral, but the way he runs his hand through his hair betrays some of his nerves. “...He’s a good dancer.”
  

  
    Simon's gaze sharpens on him, realizing that Wilhelm must have seen them earlier on the dance floor. In the back of his mind, the petty part of him wants Wilhelm to feel uncomfortable about it. Wants Wilhelm to understand without a single hesitancy that Simon has someone who isn’t afraid to show him to the world, to touch him and kiss him openly and publicly. 
  

  
    “Well…he is Cuban after all. It would be a tragedy if he couldn’t dance.” He looks over at where the figure of his boyfriend stands by the bar, chatting with a small group of people. “We go out pretty often so he gets plenty of practice.” Simon then finds himself looking back at the prince who nods. Maybe he is imagining the fleeting tightness in his jaw. 
  

  
    “How long have you two been together?” He detects an undercurrent of curiosity in his voice despite how he’s tried to hide it.
  

  
    “Almost two years now. We actually just moved in together recently. A nice place in Söder.” He leans against the table, watching him. It feels like a cosmic kind of joke to be talking like this with him, about such everyday things when their last conversation was still burned into his mind. He wonders if there’s any part of Wilhelm that feels the same way.
  

  
    “That's good to hear.” His voice is cordial, but he’s quieter. Simon sees that his fingers drum nervously against the tabletop, can see how he seems to be turning something over in his head.
  

  
    “Simon…” his voice is low when he finally does speak, raising his gaze to find his. For a moment his face is softer, more familiar and the dark brown of his eyes is so vast. But Simon doesn’t want to hear what he’s going to say next so he cuts him off quickly, before he has a chance to speak.
  

  
    “Elin is really beautiful.”
  

  
    Simon lifts a hand to his hair, pushing his curls back, his gaze never faltering from Wilhelms. “I’ve seen your photos on socials.”
  

Wilhelm’s face shutters and he nods again, looking down at his shoes for a moment before taking a large sip of his wine. “She’s great...I knew her from when I was younger, but we lost contact when she went abroad for school.”

You mean when you were with me. He wants to say but again holds his tongue. 
  

  
    
  

  
    
  

  
    “You’re still wearing makeup.” The remark takes him out of his thoughts suddenly and he raises an eyebrow, an odd laugh springing forth from the surprise. Of all the things Wilhelm might want to say to him, he hadn’t expected that. Wilhelm smiles, the softness of the expression reaching his eyes. Some of the ice between them melts a bit and for a moment he looks so much like Wilhelm that Simon remembers that he has to break eye contact.
  

  
    It would be easy to just let down his guard around him. They’ve always been like two halves of the same whole so it’s so simple to feel comfortable with him. He was so sure that the distance between them was too great, but for a moment Simon catches a glimpse of the person he had fallen in love with twice. Simon has to remind himself that for all Wilhelm is a good listener, is sweet and kind and funny, he is also selfish and he is a coward. 
  

  
    He takes a breath and tightens his armor, checks for gaps and holes. 
  

  
    “Yea. I do. I like the way it looks.” 
  

  
    He had started experimenting more with fashion and self-expression during his time at Hillerska and he liked the way makeup gave him confidence and how he could use it to influence people's perception of him on his own terms.
When they had met again during Simon's university years, Wilhelm had been so intrigued by the different products and how they enhanced or changed his features. Simon remembered how he would sit next to him, watching him do his eyeliner in the mirror while they hung out in the bedroom of his apartment. How Wilhelms eyes would follow the quick, deft movements of his fingers.
  


    At the time he had always wondered if this fascination stemmed from the rigid environment he had grown up in, the expectations of masculinity that could not be bent or twisted when one held such a role as he did.
Despite the fact he was dating a woman now and had never talked much about sexuality in general, Simon knew better than anyone else that he was definitely more fluid than the world he lived in allowed. Wilhelm had never been allowed to express anything outside of what was expected of him. Self-expression was not exactly a priority for the royal family after all. They represented tradition, they were the epitome of rigidity.
  

  
    “It suits you,” Wilhelm says and Simon frowns. He's not sure if the Prince has the right to say something like that to him anymore. 
  

  
    “Elin doesn’t know anything??” He asks bluntly, the curiosity has been killing him since he introduced himself and she hadn’t even batted an eye. And he wants to make it clear to Wilhelm that they aren’t at the point they can just talk like friends again. He isn’t allowed that anymore.
  

  
    His question seems to remind the Prince of their circumstances because he straightens up and his body language becomes more closed off, “mmm no I don’t think so. She’s never brought it up before. She was abroad then and maybe she missed something.”

  
    

  

Simon gives him a dubious look, “So you didn’t tell her?”
  

  
    “Hugo knows I guess. He didn’t look too thrilled to see me, not that I blame him...”
  

  
    Simon almost doesn’t catch how low he says the last part, how he sounds so bitter. Almost.
  

  
    “She doesn’t know about your past? About you?” He frowns, ignoring whatever else is happening and focusing on himself. “That seems like an important thing to discuss with your partner Wilhelm.”
  

  
    “Why?” He suddenly asks, tense as though Simon had touched a nerve. “Why does it matter as long as we're happy? My past relationships are my own business.”
  

  
    Simon looks down, away from him. Here he goes again, more excuses and more deflecting for why he shouldn’t have to be honest, about why Simon should compromise. “Well Hugo knows. Because it would be a sh@tty thing to keep from him.” He says with a frown and shakes his head. “You really can’t accept this about yourself, can you? Do you really think she would care that you were in a relationship with a man? It doesn’t mean you can’t also be attracted to women, Wilhelm. I know it didn’t mean much to you, but it’s sh@tty to keep her in the dark. I thought you would have learned that by now.”
  

  
    He sighs, looking down into his near-empty glass. This is really a stupid idea and he’s not even drinking alcohol. There really is no excuse. “Look Wilhelm, you told me not to contact you again so let’s keep it that way. I should go-”
  

  
    “No…wait.” Wilhelm has reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket, the stark white blinding even against his pale fingers. “That's not..that’s not what I meant” He seems to be fighting some inner battle within himself, he closes his eyes and takes a slow breath before opening them again to find Simon. Their eyes are locked on one another and for an aching moment, Simon is reminded of that time, long ago in the narrow dark hallways of Manor House. The first time they kissed. The first time he had a glimpse of how deep and wide the depths of this boy were. How he could drown in him if he wasn’t careful enough. “I haven’t told her because I’m just…not really ready to let her that close yet. Maybe I didn’t let you know it enough but our relationship was…the most important thing, the most personal and impactful thing I’ve ever had and I’m just not ready to share that with another person. She doesn’t know because I’m so tired of something that changed me so intimately being everyone’s common knowledge. I’m just so tired of people talking about it when I’m not even…” He shakes his head, staring at Simon’s sleeve where his wrist is poised to pull away from him, fingers curled loosely into a fist.
  

  
    Simon in turn stares at him for a long moment, unsure if he’s actually breathing or not. He wasn’t really sure what he was expecting to hear, but that wasn’t it. 
  

  
      You denied it though. You told me you didn’t want me. 
   

  
    He bites back the thought. 
  

  
      You weren’t the one who ended up having to suffer the fallout. That was me.
  

  
    He knows this isn’t really true though. Wilhelm was trapped in more ways than one, and his twenty-five-year-old self knows more now than his sixteen-year-old self had about the intensely impossible nature of that whole ordeal. But his twenty-five-year-old self also knows that he can’t be that person who excuses him again and again at the expense of his own heart.
  

  
    “She’s not everyone though, is she? She is your partner. Or is it not that serious?”
  

  
    Wilhelm frowns, straightening, his eyes flicker between the people around them in a move that Simon recognizes. He knows Wilhelm has always been very wary of people listening to his conversation or scrutinizing him in public. He sighs, biting his lip and tearing his eyes from the prince. Nothing ever changes.
  

  
    Wilhelm doesn’t answer the question but instead, Simon hears him take a small breath, his body is so incredibly aware of Wilhelm, even when his eyes are purposefully avoiding him and he's pulling himself away.

“Simon I’m so…glad you have someone in your life you can share those kinds of things with.” His voice is low, the words coming slowly, “You really deserve that. All this time I’ve been…I just…I know I treated you terribly. So I’m glad you have someone who treats you the way you deserve.” 

  

  
    Simon’s eyes widen and he turns to look at him again. His expression feels frozen and he doesn’t know what emotion to land on amid the sudden rush of competing thoughts. 
  

  
    A part of him has been waiting to hear these words. The part of him who just wants closure, to move on from this part of his life and shut the door on his past with Wilhelm. A part of him wants to scream at him. How dare you say those words to me now, when you’ve already done so much damage!? Then there’s the part of him that Simon hates the most. The part that Simon keeps locked tightly in the furthest recesses of his mind, that he’s too ashamed to admit still lives like a whisper in the shadows. The part that wants to know if Wilhelm misses him, if he still thinks about him, even now. 
  

  
    It seems like Wilhelm still doesn’t really have anyone by his side. Not in the same way Simon does. Simon was born without the privilege and wealth that he had, but he had always had his family, a mother that loved him above everything else, friends to stand by him, and a support system to catch him. Wilhelm had never had those things. Instead, he had a giant home full of cold empty rooms, a mother who had never put her son above her crown, and a life that had trapped him and forced him to hide every true thing about himself.
  

  
    D@mn it. He can’t let himself get caught up in Wilhelms orbit again. A long time ago his sister Sara had accused him of trying to help too much, and in this moment where he feels himself wishing he could just hug his friend again, he knows that she had always been right.
  

  
    It’s so complicated to feel all of these things for a person who hurt him as badly as Wilhelm has. It makes Simon ache.
  

  
    “You did.” He says, hardening his gaze, trying to ignore the way he feels a bit sick when he meets Wilhelms vast eyes. “You were really horrible to me. You f@ck@ng killed part of me, Wilhelm. So…yes. I’m glad to have someone who treats me well too. Hugo is so good to me.” His gaze doesn’t falter and his voice doesn’t shake, he feels more exhausted than anything else. Wilhems eyes are open, deep and so d@mn sad. He wants him to be happy dammit, but he can’t help someone who won’t take the first steps. “I really hope that you find someone like that Wilhelm. I really, really want that for you.”
  

  
    Wilhelm smiles at him, the expression is painful to look at. There is so much left unsaid and Simon can almost feel the maelstrom of emotions swirling behind his brown eyes. “Thank you, Simon. That means a lot coming from you.”

 
Hugo comes back to the table, pressing a cola back into Simon’s hand. His boyfriend gives him a searching look, “Are you ready to leave mi amor?” He asks casually, but he has definitely picked up on the energy between them. Simon nods and takes his hand, tearing his eyes away from his ex and smiling up at Hugo. It feels fake, even to himself. “I’ll call us a taxi since you’ve been drinking.”
  


  
    
  

  
    
  

  
    “You still don’t have a license?” Wilhelm asks suddenly, causing them to both look over at him in surprise. The expression on his face has changed so quickly that it almost gives Simon whiplash. His face is mirthful, as though he wants to laugh but is holding himself back for propriety’s sake. It should feel wrong considering their earlier conversation, but it makes Simon laugh anyway. The tension breaks slightly as though someone has popped a bubble and allowed them to all once again breathe normally.
  

  
    “It’s expensive! And it takes forever, plus it's not like I have a car myself. There isn’t any point.” He bumps his hip against Hugo who is definitely slightly tipsy, but fortunately not drunk. “This guy is afraid I’m going crash his car anyway so I don’t even have a way to practice.”
  

  
    Hugo laughs and slides an arm over his shoulder, he’s almost a whole head taller than Simon, “You aren’t exactly the best driver, remember the golf cart at that resort in Havanna?”
  

  
    “Oh my god, Hugo that was one time.” He rolls his eyes, chiding him in Spanish, and shakes his head, looking back at Wilhelm. “Well, we should go.” He nods to him, “Tell Elin that this was really an amazing event.”
  

  
    “I left a donation, hopefully, the organizers meet their goal,” Hugo adds by way of farewell.
  

  
    “Of course, I will. Thank you both for attending and supporting.” Wilhelm says, and once again it’s the Crown Prince who addresses them now, his posture and even the tone of his voice changing to that of blue-blooded nobility, a person who belongs in these upper echelons of society, so far removed from Simon himself. “Please take care and arrive home safely. Both of you.”
  

  
    Hugo nods to him and turns them towards the exit. While he’s talking away about his chat with Bosse, Simon can’t help but cast a quick glance over his shoulder. His eyes meet Wilhelm’s to find that he is watching them leave. His heart gives a sudden and traitorous twist in his chest before he pulls his gaze away as they leave the party, still feeling the weight of Wilhelm’s eyes burning on his back.
  

  
  

    
      
        
        
          References:God El- My stupid power company that keeps sending me paper bills even though I've registered three times for digital.Ropa Vieja- A delicious dish of slow-cooked shredded beef in a flavorful tomato sauce with rice with black beans. Very Cuban. Go look up what the name literally means if you don't already know.Barnens rätt i samhället- AKA BRIS (Children's Rights in Society) is a politically and religiously independent children's rights organization that listens to, supports and strengthens children and young adults' rights in society.KMH- Kungliga Musikhögskolan AKA Royal College of MusicPressbyrån- A convenience store much like 7-11 that is ubiquitous in STHLMBosse actually is a nickname for the name Bo. I will never not find it funny that here in Sweden your nickname can be longer than your actual name.---'
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
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