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[beaudebelgique]

"the university? or the hospital? or parliament?" hadn't he done it all? gone and turned into a proper little representative for his family in a way he had simply never expected, and he thinks the people around him felt the same. disbelief in his sudden stepping up had been all too common in the belgian court. everyone seemed to be under the impression he would never grow up, he thinks his parents shared that thought too, and he wondered what they would think of him now. "she's a belgian countess. her father needed to be brought back into the fold. i'm the sacrificial lamb if you will." the smile he flashed her was tight, terse, he wondered if she still recognised when he was struggling to produce a genuine smile. "she's awful. i've had one dinner with her and i faked stomach problems to leave." but it was too late to reneg on the deal, a ring had been brought from the vaults, a photoshoot scheduled. "i just," he sighed and looked up at her. "i wanted to make it clear to you that this isn't a rebound or... i don't even know. it isn't anything. i wish it wasn't happening at all."

he looked older, somehow, as if he had aged into a man she no longer recognised within the time they've been apart. the boyish smile he once wore felt a little mismatched to the sharp features he now had. it squeezed her heart in the way she thought she would never feel again. "i saw you at the— um... there was an article about you opening the— ..." she racked her brain for something she hadn't fully erased after reading. although she could muster up another word, his revelation rushed upon her like a particularly vicious wave in an otherwise calm sea. "oh!" what else is there to say? ariel had to set down her mug, worried that her shaking fingers might spill the coffee. "oh..." it was an unfortunate reality of their world, but it doesn't make things any less difficult. "congratulations, i... suppose... well—" ariel ran her fingers through her hair. "did your sister have to... i thought that there are better ways to do politics nowadays." she stayed silent for a few moments before continuing. "who is it?"

[beaudebelgique]

"publicly engaged, privately... i don't fucking know." he still went out with his friends in brussels, he still took girls home, but it didn't mean anything anymore, it wasn't what he wanted. "lou is doing the best she can, and mélanie's dad was halfway to waging another fucking war, so if i have to get married to keep us all safe then... it's a sacrifice." not one he wanted to make, but someone had to fall on the sword and his fiancée's father didn't have any sons. "ah ari is... i hear she's dating some italian artist. very up her alley i suppose. and as for her kissing aurel... it was for a dare, 'raya. who cares? i don't anymore." he leans back in his seat, glancing over at her, "might as well send me her details then, i've got to keep entertained somehow, right? we can't all be swept up with german crown princes, now can we?"

" well, like i said, i don't know what your relationship status is and fuck louise! i told you not to listen to her. she literally never has a single good idea. " araya was still pissed about the arrangement. " honestly... would rather you end up with ari at this point because at least you were happy or whatever even if she kissed my boyfriend who wasn't my boyfriend at the time when you two were together, but that's all in the past! " araya glances over at her phone to view the profile once more and shrugs. " i doubt she'd run to the press. she's not one of those influencers. her dad is some big oil guy. old money, y'know? "

[beaudebelgique]

he resisted the urge to reach out and hold her hand, old habits certainly died hard. "hm, well enough considering." could one be good after becoming an orphan, dealing with his little sister's health scares and still having to project a happy front to the world? he wondered when, if, the world would ever be kind to him again. "you know me, i keep myself occupied," when he's busy he doesn't have to think. beau held onto his mug like it was a lifeline, alternating between watching the steam billow from the coffee, and watching ariel, hoping words would spring to mind that would make this conversation easier. but she was the writer, and he was hardly eloquent. "i'm engaged," the words tumbled from his mouth, and then it was there, laid out on the table. "you deserved to know first, before the news breaks. and you deserve to hear it from me, in person." he took to busying himself, instead of looking at her, he sipped his coffee, fixed his collar, and then looked up at her again. "it's not... i didn't choose this."

she would, and probably mumble awkwardly throughout the call — it was an unfortunate reality that made her wince pronouncedly. "yes... well, as well as someone could be after..." one abduction was too much for a lifetime, let alone two! "pretty well, considering. and you've been alright, haven't you?" truthfully, everything she had heard about him had not been of her own choice. an offhand comment from biel, or an article regarding central european politics with him on the cover photo that appeared on her feed. "keeping busy, looks like." it was his excuse, wasn't it? ariel handed him a mug of steaming coffee, and sat gingerly upon her sofa with her own. "so... what's up? are you just visiting... erm— araya? biel?"

[beaudebelgique]

"you've forgotten my... predicament," he spoke, tone about as bored as he felt in his godforsaken engagement. how on earth he'd let louise talk him into it, he didn't know, or rather he did but hardly wanted to admit he'd allowed himself to be a royal puppet. "how cute are we talking though? and what about her likelihood to run to the press if i spend a night in her bed instead of my fiancée's?"

oct 2024

" don't know what your relationship status is, but i met someone super fucking cute at fashion week and i think you'd really get along. she likes pizza and i think you really like pizza so you already have like one thing in common. i can send you her instagram if you want to creep. her ex was some duke from lithuania. he's like a solid 2, and that's totally being generous. " ( @beaudebelgique )

[beaudebelgique]

"i..." he didn't know how to respond. he'd thought the same thing, he loved ari and he loved biel, in different ways perhaps. but they were both there all the time when he'd been in the program, and then... "i had to go home, after dad died lou and lola needed me." they had been broken, needed to mourn their loss, even though their father hadn't really been there for years. "you could have visited, you're always welcome."

For once, he learned not to middle, especially in his sister's relationship, and kept to himself to not ask questions. "When you got with my sister I thought it meant I'd get to see you more ––– What happened?" He doesn't bother with a hello when his eyes fall on his best friend.

@beaudebelgique

[beaudebelgique]

it was a strange situation to fly to a new continent to discuss his relationship status with his ex. how was he meant to even begin broaching the conversation? all he knew was that it was, if nothing else, an in-person conversation. there was no respectful way to tell his ex-girlfriend that he had a fiancée over the phone. so, it wasn’t even a question, he got on a jet and he flew to casablanca, to the program, to her. “i didn’t know if you’d take my call.” he could have told biel, he could have asked araya to tell her, he could have done a million things, but none felt right. “thank you, it was a long flight, i came here right off the plane.” beau followed after her awkwardly, how was it that they once lived together, hardly separating, and now he felt like an outsider again in her home. “how have you been? are you well?”

APRIL 2024

"oh." she hadn't pictured him in the threshold of her casablanca villa. it was one of the few places in the programme that hadn't been infused with the memory of him — somehow she thought that she would be safe in this place that she claimed for her own. "when they told me i had a visitor, i didn't think that it would be you..." it had been close to a year since they've seen each other in person, and enough time for her to feel as if she could face him again. however, the mere thought did not prepare her for the actual man standing before her — ariel suddenly realised that she did not feel anywhere close to ready, at all. "come in, i'll . . . i was making coffee, i'll pour you a cup." @beaudebelgique

[beaudebelgique]

hiii, just stopping in to update ig!

when i rejoined the group i was on a week off work because i wasn’t feeling 100%, i ended up deteriorating and now i’m at the point where i’ve been hospitalised for nearly 2 weeks. 

i’m gaining strength back and i’m going to putter through what replies i have, but chances are i probably won’t write any new starters for a bit, unless the muse strikes. 

ooc replies may be slow too, but i promise i’m here!

[beaudebelgique]

aribraganca​:

her smile rivalled the sun, and she wanted nothing more than to hold him close. ariel felt a sudden burst of shame rippling in her stomach, how could she have felt unsure about the feeling of being with him? “you could’ve gone to them,” she murmured against his cheek, before leaning back to hold his face in her hands. “i would’ve been right here when you got back, i don’t mind waiting a bit more.” what must his family think of her! it was with a small pang that she realised now that she must stay in spain for longer bursts of time, a discomfort that settled to the pit of her stomach that she dutifully ignored. beau was here! and that was all that mattered. “what do you want to do today, hm? are you still terribly tired?” 

“i could have,” he admits, nodding along. “but if we’re going back to canada soon then maybe we can make a pitstop, hm?” his family would probably be happier if he brought ariel back with him, even happier if he could convince araya and lola to join them. “or we can go back to portugal? i’ve seen biel’s version of the country but i’m sure yours is much less... debaucherous.” he was less inclined to spend time in spain if she didn’t want to be here. “i slept on the flight, i’m good. i don’t want to derail your plans for the day, what did you want to do?”

[beaudebelgique]

aribraganca​:

“you’re here!” she practically launched herself from the desk and into his arms, a grin threatening to tear her face in half. a few kisses on his cheek as she held him close, lips trailing to his jaw and neck. “you look so good, chéri — i’m glad that you’re feeling alright.” it was a daring step, one borne out of courage and trust, ariel could not be prouder. “i just arrived this morning from lisbon, your timing is impeccable.” 

he sighed in contentment, how did he last nearly three months without her? it was too long, much too long, he silently vowed to never suffer through it again. beau let her lay her kisses all over his face before seizing her lips with his own. “i feel like...” he paused, gathering his wits, “like myself, for the first time in a while.” not a shadow of the person he was, not the version he played around other people so it seemed like nothing was wrong. “oma and louise wanted me to come home first but, i had to see you, i couldn’t wait one more minute.”

[beaudebelgique]

@arayamahidol​

“so, what did i miss? everything fun to ever happen in the program, or was it the most boring three months of your life?”

[beaudebelgique]

@loladebelgique​

beau pressed a kiss to his sister’s forehead before releasing her from his firm grip, “how have you been? is george stuart still lurking around you?” he’d spent the last three months alternating between yoga, health sessions and the gym, maybe he could finally get the annoying scot to leave his sister alone, with words or force, if necessary. “i spoke to louise on the plane, she’s with oma in liège, no plans to join us yet but i’m sure she’ll return soon.”

[beaudebelgique]

@aribraganca​

“mijn lief, are you home?” the relief he felt at seeing ari’s books and other belongings scattered throughout the room settled in his chest, warming his bones. but seeing her things was nothing in comparison to seeing her for the first time in months in person, facetime couldn’t possibly do her justice. 

[beaudebelgique]

well well, i couldn’t help myself with him, so here’s revamped beau ! he’s still…. well, he’s just a pretty himbo and i love him 🥰

&&. announcing his royal highness, LÉOPOLD BAUDOUIN CHRISTIAN MARIE DE SAXE-COBOURG ET GOTHA, the TWENTY-SEVEN year old PRINCE  of BELGIUM. he is often confused with DAVID CORENSWET. some say that he is FICKLE & IMPETUOUS, but he is actually PASSIONATE & CAPTIVATING.

Keep reading

[beaudebelgique]

@arayamahidol​

“so are you guys like, dating?”

[beaudebelgique]

@aribraganca​

wrapping his arms around ari from behind proved slightly difficult when faced with the sheer volume of her dress, but he gave it his best shot nevertheless just so he could press a kiss to her cheek. “has my oma nabbed you yet? i’m pretty sure she gifted ani and viggo some type of baby rattle so if anyone asks, she’s senile and not implying this is a shotgun wedding.” a laugh slipped easily from his lips, he knew this was the most lighthearted and high-spirited he’d been in months, perhaps it was the proximity to belgium. 

[beaudebelgique]

@armanicatherina​

“i actually can’t believe you guys did it.” he’d almost thought that ani and viggo would just be betrothed forever. “you’ll spare a dance for your second most adoring fan, won’t you? i’ve earnt special treatment, i shaved and cut my hair just to look decent for your nuptials.”

[beaudebelgique]

viani wedding — 06.22.