[At that, at the unexpected threading of fingers, Albert's half uncertain smile turns radiant, if soft.
He's going to get him back.]
I'll do my utmost. You deserve only my best.
[And before he can stop himself, he presses a kiss to Mitsuki's forehead.
Heading out, he leads the way to a hotel somewhat nearby, fancy enough that Albert looks beautifully suited to the decor and the mood, but not so extravagant that they'll feel bad for not staying. It takes a few minutes to get there, and Albert makes little conversation, simply enjoying keeping Mitsuki's hand in his for the first time in what feels like an eternity. He can't hold it while they check in, but he takes it again soon after.
On the way to the elevator, his hand finds Mitsuki's again, almost as though he's afraid to let go.]
[He’s not expecting the kiss, and he flushes. Giddy warmth crosses their bond, Mitsuki unable to hide the way he feels in this moment.
Not that he wants to - he wants to be as open with Albert as he wants Albert to be with him, so the least he can do is let his feelings come across in Synchrony.
He’s quiet as they walk, but he stays close, even through the process of checking in.]
[The Synchrony has dulled over the month, and Albert aches for the intensity he always felt. It's slowly coming back, and feeling Mitsuki's happiness instead of the horrific dull ache he's felt all month is beautiful.
They step into the elevator and Albert turns to Mitsuki.]
I know. And I'm going to pay the faith you have in me back a hundred times over. You didn't have to ever speak to me again, but you chose to. You... you came back to me. And I will love you with all the passion and fierce devotion you've deserved. The only thing that stopped me was... this. The lie by omission.
[If he isn't the one being charmed all over again, instead of charming Mitsuki... Albert smiles again, soft, meeting Mitsuki's eyes. He covers the hand he holds with both of his own, and makes a quiet vow to himself to never look away from this man again.]
I don't deserve it, but I will treasure that love. I'll make this world better the right way.
[His smile turns a little sad, and he looks like he's about to say something else, but the door dings and opens. Down the hall they go to their room, then, though Albert keeps Mitsuki close. He opens the door, ushers Mitsuki in, and locks it behind them, and in true Albert fashion it isn't the most basic room in the place, either. They'll be comfortable no matter where they sit, and they'll have precious privacy... and a nice view.
Once the door is locked, he makes his way back over to Mitsuki and moves to finally embrace him properly. It's not suggestive in the slightest, nor is it casual at all. It's the hold of a man who knows he's almost lost what he held dearest.]
I'm the one who doesn't know where to begin this time. I thought I'd lost you forever. Nothing I could possibly say would express how I feel right now. You saved me, Mitsuki. I've said that for so long. I've meant it in every way.
[Well, that is how this whole thing started, isn't it?]
...I don't think that love is something that you have to "deserve". It's something that happens, that you feel, and you can't control it. You can try to deny it, and I really did, but... No amount of pretending or anger or betrayal could change those feelings. But it's not because you deserve it or not. It's because I've seen the kind of man you can be, and... I know you can be that man completely.
[Mitsuki clings to him, not giving a damn about the room or the view or anything else but the man in front of him. He doesn't want to let him go - that's the whole reason he reached out again. He wants Albert back in his life.]
I only gave you the means to save yourself. I really didn't do that much...
[He won't let go of him, and he's holding Mitsuki tighter than he's ever held anyone. This is still sinking in, that Mitsuki didn't give up on him. He obviously came so close to losing him for good.
And he knows those things about love all too well. When he says he doesn't deserve it, he means he deserves worse things more, really.]
You never should have had to feel those things. I should have never pursued my own feelings so recklessly. But... that being done, and you having decided, I'll work every day to be a man worthy of your trust and care.
[Sighing, Albert runs a hand up into Mitsuki's hair.]
[He wasn’t expecting to feel so comfortable around Albert - he was expecting that it would be awkward. That he’d not want to be touched by him, or held by him, and while there is still a bit of wariness there… He’s mostly just happy to be in his arms.]
[Albert wouldn't blame him if he was cautious or tense, awkward or distant. He earned that reaction from Mitsuki. Instead... he gets this wondrous brightness, and god help him, a laugh. It's enough to make him want to cry again, though he resists when he sees the smile linger for a fraction of a second after the laugh. His own relief finds its way out in an echoed laugh of his own.]
My goodness. I've given you leave to make demands and you're already demanding that I not work too hard? It's far too late for that. Oh, but you mean in this.
[He strokes Mitsuki's hair gently.]
A shame that I cannot honor that request. I'll work myself to the bone for you, and be thoroughly content while doing so. You are my liege, and I am but your humble servant.
[He's done killing people. He swore it off the day he met Mitsuki, and it is in fact slightly related to that very meeting. In a roundabout way, all the things that happened in Albert's first few days on the surface convinced him that this was a second chance, a fresh start, a place where he could live honestly and earnestly. There was an element of naive optimism in that conclusion, of course, but he couldn't help but see that optimism grow as he met more people, and learned to love differently than he ever had before.
Dragging light fingertips along Mitsuki's cheek, looking at him with all the wonder he had the first time they kissed, he sees him anew, commits every curve to memory again, more devotedly and sweeter than even before.]
Shall I talk, tonight? Though I would hear what you have to say, too, even if it hurts me, or casts me in an unfavorable light. Your heart and mind are precious and important to me. More than that, selfishly... I fear that if I don't know precisely how you feel, I'll continue to nurse this horrible heaviness in my heart, and a peculiar knot between my shoulder blades.
[Mitsuki, is it clear yet that you've fallen in love with a man who's as masochistic as he is anything else? The time he's had to brood on his failings as a man, and as a lover and partner, has worn him thin. It's clear up close, though he's taken to hiding it in various ways. There are dark circles under his eyes, too, and he does seem almost to have aged more than usual in the span of a month.]
[He leans into the touch, letting out a tremulous breath. Albert... He does everything with his all, doesn't he? It's a feeling Mitsuki understands whole heartedly. What's the point of being alive if you can't live life to the fullest, if you can't chase after your hopes and dreams and see them to fruition because you've given the world everything you can?
It worries him, in some ways, but in other ways he understands. In other ways he knows he would do anything for Albert. He wants to make this work. He wants Albert to be happy, he wants to see those soft, genuine smiles again, he wants... What they had before, but he knows that there's a new life ahead of them.
That... Doesn't mean that life will be bad, though. It'll be better for them, he thinks, with the shadows of Albert's past no longer a mystery. He's not sure he will ever understand all the things Albert has done, but maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe he should just focus on the man Albert is now and the man he will become.
His gaze falls to Albert's chest as he contemplates what he wants to say, before he lifts his chin and meets Albert's eyes. A small, sad smile crosses his face.]
Please. Talk to me. Tell me everything you want to say.
[He reaches for Albert's other hand, wanting even more contact, and when he speaks next his voice is soft. Softer than he's probably ever heard Mitsuki, who's always so bright and exuberant.]
[When his other hand is taken, Albert's heart leaps again. He knows he should be cautious, not throw everything he is and everything he feels out into the open. But this is Mitsuki. This man has never been anything but himself with Albert, genuine and true, honest, pure, and vibrant. He has more right than anyone to the truth about Albert.
But still, he has to take a moment to look Mitsuki over again, again, again... Searing everything about him into his heart and soul after a month without. He remembers how their hands fit together. Just what angle he has to tip his head to get Mitsuki's attention. This was almost lost to him...]
I love you. [He says it breathlessly, softly, ardently and adamantly.] I would turn this world on its head to keep you safe. Know that, to begin with. The rest...
[It's so hard to know where to begin.]
...My God, I've no idea where to start. [He laughs faintly, then guides Mitsuki over to the plush sofa in the room. Once they're comfortable, with Mitsuki's hand in his, he looks up to the ceiling as though it will tell him what he needs to know.] It's funny... I don't know if you'll find any of this palatable to hear. Apparently some people think having a past full of intrigue and danger is exciting, and some people are more sensible. I will say, though, that other than my brothers, only you and Ignis know any of this about me. I... told some of it to another dear friend, but she's since left here.
[And with that... His free hand combs through Mitsuki's hair, gently rearranging it and smoothing it down in turns.]
I began life as a noble, of course, and my position in the House of Lords was hereditary, by virtue of being the eldest Moriarty son. This much is common knowledge and factually correct.
[He smiles faintly at him, apologetic but sincere.]
William and Louis... are adopted, actually. I met them when I was a young man and they were charges at an orphanage I frequently visited for charitable causes. Through a series of circumstances, it came to be just the three of us against a world we found bitter and shameful. We trained under an elite retired soldier as teenagers and attended Eton College, and when I came of age, I joined Her Majesty's military, as required of me.
[He lets Albert speak, leaning into his side and looking at their joined hands. He's not quite sure what to make of all of this, but he thinks he understands it well enough.
Albert wants to change the world. He's seen the way Albert works, the way he's trying so hard to navigate the political climes of Noctium, and it seems that's always been something he's wanted to do. In a way, it explains a lot. It doesn't excuse the measures he's taken, but...
Does having good intentions override everything he's done? The lives he's taken? Do corrupt people deserve to die?
Mitsuki doesn't think he has the right to decide that, but... The world he comes from, the world he's familiar with, it all seems so frivolous compared to Albert's.
He won't press about his brothers - there's more there, but everything is complicated enough, and he doesn't want to pour salt in the wounds. So, instead, he goes for the topic that seems... Maybe a little bit safer.]
So you went straight into the military?
[The fact it was expected of him... It gets Mitsuki to frown, as he can't imagine doing something like that. It must have been awful.]
More or less. Considering there were only the three of us young men, there were complications when it came to our inheritance. Most first sons did serve the Empire, and I wasn't any exception. I served in the military until... Well, I would say a year or so before I came here? I had a slight change of profession after being noticed...
[Oh, how in the hell does he explain Mycroft? Maybe he can come back to that. After all, his relationship with Mycroft grew deep and rather tangled in certain ways, ways that become more relevant later in his timeline. This is somehow just the beginning, in Albert's mind. It's when William's plans began to truly pan out.]
While I was an ordinary officer, I discovered and dismantled an opium operation, you see. It had some ties to high ranking officers and officials, so I suppose both to shut me up and to utilize my talents, I was transferred from the military into Her Majesty's more direct service.
[He laughs faintly. There's distinct fondness when he speaks again, nostalgia and a hint of sadness.]
If you remember Colonel Moran, formerly of my world and a short visitor in this one... The man technically outranked me. It did drive him crazy to take orders from me thereafter, as it turned out, but he was a good man and a fine shot.
[There’s a lot to unpack here. He wasn’t expecting Albert’s life to be so… Much.
He turns to look up at Albert, raising an eyebrow.]
Are you saying you were a spy?
[…Are all people born into royalty and nobility like this?
He presses his lips together, brows furrowing. It… Is kind of cool, he has to admit, but he also imagines it’s not as glamorous as it is in the movies.]
[Albert smiles, then laughs faintly at the reaction.]
I was. And then I became the unofficial head of MI-6, upon discovering some rather nasty secrets about the French Revolution and certain royal involvement. Yes, technically it was blackmail... But I saved lives in doing it, so I have no regrets.
[Even if only Bond's life was directly saved, the many underclass people Albert knows suffered less because of their actions outweighed blackmailing the very Queen. It was never an eye for an eye. It was all machinations and plotting to degrees even Albert often simply left to the genius of the family. He could hold his own in business and war, and he knows people like few can, but William to this day knows systems more intimately. The balance of talents is why the Lord of Crime worked.
Thoughtfully, he strokes Mitsuki's hair again, then smooths a fingertip over his furrowed brow.]
I wonder if I ought to regret other things, however. I think... I accepted very early on that we had to go to extremes to get extreme results. Though dear William and Louis will insist otherwise, our deeds were something I started, and something I saw through with all the gravity and seriousness it deserved. I never took joy in our crusade. To be frank, I thought I would die before we created the revolution that was needed. I'm told, however... [He shifts uncomfortably.] That it is my brother, William, who may have instead died. I remanded myself to the custody and mercy of Her Majesty's guard and was locked up quite soundly for my crimes. So I am told. Nothing is without consequence, and I knew this from the first step I took. I saw the mercy of this world bringing you and I together as a sign that I should continue to use my skills to help others, but in a way that harmed no one, if I could avoid it. A second chance, if you will.
[With a genuine, soft smile, he looks into Mitsuki's eyes.]
The man who did those things isn't the man who now loves you, with all of his heart. My crimes weigh on my conscience, and they torment me, but my heart and soul were saved by you.
[Are things going to get less wild at any point in all of this? Being a spy, leading MI6, blackmailing the Crown… It’s all so much…
It’s almost unbelievable, but with the way he speaks he had a hard time not believing him.
Still…]
So if you go back, you’re going to end up imprisoned and your brother might die…
[He can’t imagine how heavy that knowledge must weigh on Albert. He knows that if he was told that in his future, Iori would be killed… It would break him, he thinks.]
I hope you stay.
[He squeezes his hand gently.
He laughs weakly, shaking his head.]
You keep saying I’ve saved you, but I really haven’t done anything special. I think you’ve saved yourself.
[It would be more unbelievable, he's certain, if he wasn't so very obviously baring as much of his soul as possible to Mitsuki. Nothing in this world or the previous one made Albert feel quite the way he feels about Mitsuki. It's a feeling he's lived without for a month and learned that he never wants to be without again.
Death is a strange thing to Albert. Death was a potential endgame for himself, for William--though never, never for Louis--so he accepted it without hesitation. To think that William would die... it only hurt him profoundly once he saw there was another way. Now he can't abide that end. It's too cruel, even for them.
He nods at Mitsuki's correct analysis, and brushes some of his hair back gently.]
The man I am now may not have existed if we hadn't met so early on. You see, I saw something in you right away, a lightness, a cleverness and heart that I'd never seen in anyone before. Had you not stolen my own heart so quickly, I think I might've not been so passionately devoted to making this world better.
[He smiles.]
This world... I want it to be better for you and others like you, so that all the dreams and things you might be missing by being here will seem less tragic. So that you may shine as brightly as the very sun. I spent so very long in the dark.
[Tipping Mitsuki's chin up, he looks down at him with the gentlest expression.]
[He mulls over Albert’s words, taking this moment to just consider everything. He can’t imagine Albert as a cruel man - knows he must have been, once, to do everything he’s confessed to, but the Albert he knows is so… Passionate and driven and so focused on bettering the lives of everyone around him.
It feels egotistical, to say it’s because of him, even if those are Albert’s own words, but in a way… Isn’t this exactly what he’s always wanted? To be able to impact people, change people, just like Zero had done?
He’s always wanted to bring people joy, and… It seems like he has.]
Albert…
[He meets his eyes, searching.]
…You know, if you kiss me right now, I won’t be mad.
[He's going to treasure every time Mitsuki says his name from now on, a hundred times more than he did before. He's going to cherish every glance, commit every smile to memory.
And he's going to kiss him just as graciously and passionately as he deserves, every single time.
He lets out a little huff of breath at that, then leans down to capture Mitsuki's lips with such gentle thoughtfulness that it may as well be an oath of its own. Albert might as well be promising Mitsuki the entire world right now, with how he pulls him close and doesn't let up for a moment. It isn't desperate, nor as bittersweet as Albert expected.
It feels right.
This is right.
It's calm, sweet, but not passive or hesitant. It's the sort of kiss he always should have given him, and that he'll always give him, each and every time, from now until the end.]
[He's almost expecting that Albert won't kiss him, that maybe things are too tense and strange between them, but then Albert is leaning down and everything feels okay again. He knew he had missed him, but kissing him again...
Everything feels near perfect. It makes him feel like this is a fresh start between them, with no more secrets and no more lies.
It's a good feeling. This might be the best he's felt in the past month, if not the best he's felt during his entire stay in Noctium. The feelings coming through their bond are warm and content and happy.
He pulls back with a watery laugh, tears trailing down his face.]
Ah, sorry.
[It's overwhelming, but in the best way possible. He rubs at his eyes, shaking his head.]
[Feeling that happiness and warmth, with no reservation, with no fear, makes Albert's own heart twist. How many times had he wondered if he'd ever feel the joy Mitsuki can have in him coming across their connection again? How many times in the past month had he convinced himself that only feeling duller happiness, held back, controlled, safe was better?
He's wrong. This is worth everything. This is the only thing he wants to feel right now. That bright, vibrant life is the only thing that matters in his world in this moment.
With gentle hands, he curves his fingers along Mitsuki's cheeks, looking at him and witnessing tears that he caused. After a few moments, he swipes what falls away with his thumbs, as gently as his bloodstained hands can manage.]
Do you understand how dearly I love you? That an eternity with you wouldn't even begin to be enough? So help me, I would kneel before God and man to beg for the strength and kindness and prudence to be the man you deserve.
[Albert is gentle with him, so kind, and it reminds him of the beginning of their relationship. Albert was always the perfect Victorian gentleman, considerate and charming, and…
He laughs again, leaning into his touch.]
Remember the first time we kissed?
[The tears haven’t stopped just yet, but Mitsuki isn’t bothered by them. Not right now.]
And that apology letter you sent me?
[He’s sure Albert hasn’t forgotten - how could he have?]
[It summons up all kinds of emotions in Albert... Thoughts of how he tried to talk himself out of courting Mitsuki, of the way he was so certain he would ruin any chance he had at even being his friend well before they got anywhere else. Being in love with him was unfathomable then, for Albert, who was still so convinced that he wasn't capable of this kind of affection. Yet he fell so, so quickly after that kiss. And... the letter. He can't forget it, of course he can't.]
[He loves Mitsuki. With all of his heart and soul, with every salvageable part of him, he loves Mitsuki. He fell so hard and so quickly, and he regrets none of it.]
There was never a good time to tell you the truth, and I didn't want you to despise me. I didn't set out to win your heart. But the every time you laughed, or smiled, or scolded me... I felt lighter. I felt human.
[He smiles, painfully and gently, the bond between them overflowing with sentiment that holds steady, true as Albert's faith in Mitsuki.]
I'm so glad I fell for you, and that you found it in yourself to allow me to court you. To know that someone as remarkable as you can love someone like me, and... to know that you have seen me at my best, me being the man I wish to be and not the one whose hand was forced... And God knows I do plan to love you until the very end.
[If Albert somehow leaves this place, he will leave Mitsuki knowing he was treasured above all else. And should Mitsuki leave, he'll send every bit of that love to him, wherever he is, in hopes that it will fuel even the most impossible dreams. Mitsuki always seems to make the impossible real for Albert.]
...You know, months ago you told me that men of your profession at home aren't really allowed to date. Men of my station were expected to form unions based on connections and social advancement, for the most part.
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He's going to get him back.]
I'll do my utmost. You deserve only my best.
[And before he can stop himself, he presses a kiss to Mitsuki's forehead.
Heading out, he leads the way to a hotel somewhat nearby, fancy enough that Albert looks beautifully suited to the decor and the mood, but not so extravagant that they'll feel bad for not staying. It takes a few minutes to get there, and Albert makes little conversation, simply enjoying keeping Mitsuki's hand in his for the first time in what feels like an eternity. He can't hold it while they check in, but he takes it again soon after.
On the way to the elevator, his hand finds Mitsuki's again, almost as though he's afraid to let go.]
Thank you for coming with me.
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Not that he wants to - he wants to be as open with Albert as he wants Albert to be with him, so the least he can do is let his feelings come across in Synchrony.
He’s quiet as they walk, but he stays close, even through the process of checking in.]
I am the one who asked to talk, you know.
[He bumps his shoulder against Albert.]
I wanted to see you again.
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They step into the elevator and Albert turns to Mitsuki.]
I know. And I'm going to pay the faith you have in me back a hundred times over. You didn't have to ever speak to me again, but you chose to. You... you came back to me. And I will love you with all the passion and fierce devotion you've deserved. The only thing that stopped me was... this. The lie by omission.
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He lifts Albert’s hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.]
I want to understand why you’ve done the things you’ve done, and I…
[He huffs.]
I love you, even after all of this.
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I don't deserve it, but I will treasure that love. I'll make this world better the right way.
[His smile turns a little sad, and he looks like he's about to say something else, but the door dings and opens. Down the hall they go to their room, then, though Albert keeps Mitsuki close. He opens the door, ushers Mitsuki in, and locks it behind them, and in true Albert fashion it isn't the most basic room in the place, either. They'll be comfortable no matter where they sit, and they'll have precious privacy... and a nice view.
Once the door is locked, he makes his way back over to Mitsuki and moves to finally embrace him properly. It's not suggestive in the slightest, nor is it casual at all. It's the hold of a man who knows he's almost lost what he held dearest.]
I'm the one who doesn't know where to begin this time. I thought I'd lost you forever. Nothing I could possibly say would express how I feel right now. You saved me, Mitsuki. I've said that for so long. I've meant it in every way.
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...I don't think that love is something that you have to "deserve". It's something that happens, that you feel, and you can't control it. You can try to deny it, and I really did, but... No amount of pretending or anger or betrayal could change those feelings. But it's not because you deserve it or not. It's because I've seen the kind of man you can be, and... I know you can be that man completely.
[Mitsuki clings to him, not giving a damn about the room or the view or anything else but the man in front of him. He doesn't want to let him go - that's the whole reason he reached out again. He wants Albert back in his life.]
I only gave you the means to save yourself. I really didn't do that much...
[And he almost ruined everything.]
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And he knows those things about love all too well. When he says he doesn't deserve it, he means he deserves worse things more, really.]
You never should have had to feel those things. I should have never pursued my own feelings so recklessly. But... that being done, and you having decided, I'll work every day to be a man worthy of your trust and care.
[Sighing, Albert runs a hand up into Mitsuki's hair.]
I've been numb without you. Lost.
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Don’t work yourself too hard, okay?
[He laughs, as if he’s told a great joke.]
I’m here for you, and just… Talk to me.
[And also don’t kill people. Please.]
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My goodness. I've given you leave to make demands and you're already demanding that I not work too hard? It's far too late for that. Oh, but you mean in this.
[He strokes Mitsuki's hair gently.]
A shame that I cannot honor that request. I'll work myself to the bone for you, and be thoroughly content while doing so. You are my liege, and I am but your humble servant.
[He's done killing people. He swore it off the day he met Mitsuki, and it is in fact slightly related to that very meeting. In a roundabout way, all the things that happened in Albert's first few days on the surface convinced him that this was a second chance, a fresh start, a place where he could live honestly and earnestly. There was an element of naive optimism in that conclusion, of course, but he couldn't help but see that optimism grow as he met more people, and learned to love differently than he ever had before.
Dragging light fingertips along Mitsuki's cheek, looking at him with all the wonder he had the first time they kissed, he sees him anew, commits every curve to memory again, more devotedly and sweeter than even before.]
Shall I talk, tonight? Though I would hear what you have to say, too, even if it hurts me, or casts me in an unfavorable light. Your heart and mind are precious and important to me. More than that, selfishly... I fear that if I don't know precisely how you feel, I'll continue to nurse this horrible heaviness in my heart, and a peculiar knot between my shoulder blades.
[Mitsuki, is it clear yet that you've fallen in love with a man who's as masochistic as he is anything else? The time he's had to brood on his failings as a man, and as a lover and partner, has worn him thin. It's clear up close, though he's taken to hiding it in various ways. There are dark circles under his eyes, too, and he does seem almost to have aged more than usual in the span of a month.]
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It worries him, in some ways, but in other ways he understands. In other ways he knows he would do anything for Albert. He wants to make this work. He wants Albert to be happy, he wants to see those soft, genuine smiles again, he wants... What they had before, but he knows that there's a new life ahead of them.
That... Doesn't mean that life will be bad, though. It'll be better for them, he thinks, with the shadows of Albert's past no longer a mystery. He's not sure he will ever understand all the things Albert has done, but maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe he should just focus on the man Albert is now and the man he will become.
His gaze falls to Albert's chest as he contemplates what he wants to say, before he lifts his chin and meets Albert's eyes. A small, sad smile crosses his face.]
Please. Talk to me. Tell me everything you want to say.
[He reaches for Albert's other hand, wanting even more contact, and when he speaks next his voice is soft. Softer than he's probably ever heard Mitsuki, who's always so bright and exuberant.]
I love you.
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But still, he has to take a moment to look Mitsuki over again, again, again... Searing everything about him into his heart and soul after a month without. He remembers how their hands fit together. Just what angle he has to tip his head to get Mitsuki's attention. This was almost lost to him...]
I love you. [He says it breathlessly, softly, ardently and adamantly.] I would turn this world on its head to keep you safe. Know that, to begin with. The rest...
[It's so hard to know where to begin.]
...My God, I've no idea where to start. [He laughs faintly, then guides Mitsuki over to the plush sofa in the room. Once they're comfortable, with Mitsuki's hand in his, he looks up to the ceiling as though it will tell him what he needs to know.] It's funny... I don't know if you'll find any of this palatable to hear. Apparently some people think having a past full of intrigue and danger is exciting, and some people are more sensible. I will say, though, that other than my brothers, only you and Ignis know any of this about me. I... told some of it to another dear friend, but she's since left here.
[And with that... His free hand combs through Mitsuki's hair, gently rearranging it and smoothing it down in turns.]
I began life as a noble, of course, and my position in the House of Lords was hereditary, by virtue of being the eldest Moriarty son. This much is common knowledge and factually correct.
[He smiles faintly at him, apologetic but sincere.]
William and Louis... are adopted, actually. I met them when I was a young man and they were charges at an orphanage I frequently visited for charitable causes. Through a series of circumstances, it came to be just the three of us against a world we found bitter and shameful. We trained under an elite retired soldier as teenagers and attended Eton College, and when I came of age, I joined Her Majesty's military, as required of me.
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Albert wants to change the world. He's seen the way Albert works, the way he's trying so hard to navigate the political climes of Noctium, and it seems that's always been something he's wanted to do. In a way, it explains a lot. It doesn't excuse the measures he's taken, but...
Does having good intentions override everything he's done? The lives he's taken? Do corrupt people deserve to die?
Mitsuki doesn't think he has the right to decide that, but... The world he comes from, the world he's familiar with, it all seems so frivolous compared to Albert's.
He won't press about his brothers - there's more there, but everything is complicated enough, and he doesn't want to pour salt in the wounds. So, instead, he goes for the topic that seems... Maybe a little bit safer.]
So you went straight into the military?
[The fact it was expected of him... It gets Mitsuki to frown, as he can't imagine doing something like that. It must have been awful.]
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More or less. Considering there were only the three of us young men, there were complications when it came to our inheritance. Most first sons did serve the Empire, and I wasn't any exception. I served in the military until... Well, I would say a year or so before I came here? I had a slight change of profession after being noticed...
[Oh, how in the hell does he explain Mycroft? Maybe he can come back to that. After all, his relationship with Mycroft grew deep and rather tangled in certain ways, ways that become more relevant later in his timeline. This is somehow just the beginning, in Albert's mind. It's when William's plans began to truly pan out.]
While I was an ordinary officer, I discovered and dismantled an opium operation, you see. It had some ties to high ranking officers and officials, so I suppose both to shut me up and to utilize my talents, I was transferred from the military into Her Majesty's more direct service.
[He laughs faintly. There's distinct fondness when he speaks again, nostalgia and a hint of sadness.]
If you remember Colonel Moran, formerly of my world and a short visitor in this one... The man technically outranked me. It did drive him crazy to take orders from me thereafter, as it turned out, but he was a good man and a fine shot.
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Wait.
[There’s a lot to unpack here. He wasn’t expecting Albert’s life to be so… Much.
He turns to look up at Albert, raising an eyebrow.]
Are you saying you were a spy?
[…Are all people born into royalty and nobility like this?
He presses his lips together, brows furrowing. It… Is kind of cool, he has to admit, but he also imagines it’s not as glamorous as it is in the movies.]
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I was. And then I became the unofficial head of MI-6, upon discovering some rather nasty secrets about the French Revolution and certain royal involvement. Yes, technically it was blackmail... But I saved lives in doing it, so I have no regrets.
[Even if only Bond's life was directly saved, the many underclass people Albert knows suffered less because of their actions outweighed blackmailing the very Queen. It was never an eye for an eye. It was all machinations and plotting to degrees even Albert often simply left to the genius of the family. He could hold his own in business and war, and he knows people like few can, but William to this day knows systems more intimately. The balance of talents is why the Lord of Crime worked.
Thoughtfully, he strokes Mitsuki's hair again, then smooths a fingertip over his furrowed brow.]
I wonder if I ought to regret other things, however. I think... I accepted very early on that we had to go to extremes to get extreme results. Though dear William and Louis will insist otherwise, our deeds were something I started, and something I saw through with all the gravity and seriousness it deserved. I never took joy in our crusade. To be frank, I thought I would die before we created the revolution that was needed. I'm told, however... [He shifts uncomfortably.] That it is my brother, William, who may have instead died. I remanded myself to the custody and mercy of Her Majesty's guard and was locked up quite soundly for my crimes. So I am told. Nothing is without consequence, and I knew this from the first step I took. I saw the mercy of this world bringing you and I together as a sign that I should continue to use my skills to help others, but in a way that harmed no one, if I could avoid it. A second chance, if you will.
[With a genuine, soft smile, he looks into Mitsuki's eyes.]
The man who did those things isn't the man who now loves you, with all of his heart. My crimes weigh on my conscience, and they torment me, but my heart and soul were saved by you.
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It’s almost unbelievable, but with the way he speaks he had a hard time not believing him.
Still…]
So if you go back, you’re going to end up imprisoned and your brother might die…
[He can’t imagine how heavy that knowledge must weigh on Albert. He knows that if he was told that in his future, Iori would be killed… It would break him, he thinks.]
I hope you stay.
[He squeezes his hand gently.
He laughs weakly, shaking his head.]
You keep saying I’ve saved you, but I really haven’t done anything special. I think you’ve saved yourself.
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Death is a strange thing to Albert. Death was a potential endgame for himself, for William--though never, never for Louis--so he accepted it without hesitation. To think that William would die... it only hurt him profoundly once he saw there was another way. Now he can't abide that end. It's too cruel, even for them.
He nods at Mitsuki's correct analysis, and brushes some of his hair back gently.]
The man I am now may not have existed if we hadn't met so early on. You see, I saw something in you right away, a lightness, a cleverness and heart that I'd never seen in anyone before. Had you not stolen my own heart so quickly, I think I might've not been so passionately devoted to making this world better.
[He smiles.]
This world... I want it to be better for you and others like you, so that all the dreams and things you might be missing by being here will seem less tragic. So that you may shine as brightly as the very sun. I spent so very long in the dark.
[Tipping Mitsuki's chin up, he looks down at him with the gentlest expression.]
Do you understand how alive you make me feel?
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It feels egotistical, to say it’s because of him, even if those are Albert’s own words, but in a way… Isn’t this exactly what he’s always wanted? To be able to impact people, change people, just like Zero had done?
He’s always wanted to bring people joy, and… It seems like he has.]
Albert…
[He meets his eyes, searching.]
…You know, if you kiss me right now, I won’t be mad.
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And he's going to kiss him just as graciously and passionately as he deserves, every single time.
He lets out a little huff of breath at that, then leans down to capture Mitsuki's lips with such gentle thoughtfulness that it may as well be an oath of its own. Albert might as well be promising Mitsuki the entire world right now, with how he pulls him close and doesn't let up for a moment. It isn't desperate, nor as bittersweet as Albert expected.
It feels right.
This is right.
It's calm, sweet, but not passive or hesitant. It's the sort of kiss he always should have given him, and that he'll always give him, each and every time, from now until the end.]
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Everything feels near perfect. It makes him feel like this is a fresh start between them, with no more secrets and no more lies.
It's a good feeling. This might be the best he's felt in the past month, if not the best he's felt during his entire stay in Noctium. The feelings coming through their bond are warm and content and happy.
He pulls back with a watery laugh, tears trailing down his face.]
Ah, sorry.
[It's overwhelming, but in the best way possible. He rubs at his eyes, shaking his head.]
I didn't think that would make me cry.
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He's wrong. This is worth everything. This is the only thing he wants to feel right now. That bright, vibrant life is the only thing that matters in his world in this moment.
With gentle hands, he curves his fingers along Mitsuki's cheeks, looking at him and witnessing tears that he caused. After a few moments, he swipes what falls away with his thumbs, as gently as his bloodstained hands can manage.]
Do you understand how dearly I love you? That an eternity with you wouldn't even begin to be enough? So help me, I would kneel before God and man to beg for the strength and kindness and prudence to be the man you deserve.
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He laughs again, leaning into his touch.]
Remember the first time we kissed?
[The tears haven’t stopped just yet, but Mitsuki isn’t bothered by them. Not right now.]
And that apology letter you sent me?
[He’s sure Albert hasn’t forgotten - how could he have?]
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...I remember.
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[He turns his head, kissing Albert’s palm.]
I remember saying we were still friends. I didn’t think then that things would end up like this.
[He closes his eyes, the feelings through the bonds turning briefly melancholy and contemplative.]
I’m glad we fell in love.
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There was never a good time to tell you the truth, and I didn't want you to despise me. I didn't set out to win your heart. But the every time you laughed, or smiled, or scolded me... I felt lighter. I felt human.
[He smiles, painfully and gently, the bond between them overflowing with sentiment that holds steady, true as Albert's faith in Mitsuki.]
I'm so glad I fell for you, and that you found it in yourself to allow me to court you. To know that someone as remarkable as you can love someone like me, and... to know that you have seen me at my best, me being the man I wish to be and not the one whose hand was forced... And God knows I do plan to love you until the very end.
[If Albert somehow leaves this place, he will leave Mitsuki knowing he was treasured above all else. And should Mitsuki leave, he'll send every bit of that love to him, wherever he is, in hopes that it will fuel even the most impossible dreams. Mitsuki always seems to make the impossible real for Albert.]
...You know, months ago you told me that men of your profession at home aren't really allowed to date. Men of my station were expected to form unions based on connections and social advancement, for the most part.
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