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It was around three in the afternoon when it happened.

Yves wasn't really sure how to explain it,as they had only gone back from school after a long day.What,with the exams coming up and the constant stress creeping into their person every time they think of the possibility of failing.That was a sure way of stirring one's attention from the current situation they had just walked themselves into.

Which was definitely why it took them awhile to notice that someone was inside their flat; the couch and sofa's pillows were slightly askew,as if they had been sat on and tampered with.Even the kitchen utensils were not on their correct order,and it looked like the toaster and coffee maker were used incorrectly.Yves could see that there was still excess coffee dripping on the counter and onto the floor,and felt a small wave of cringe wash over them at the thought of having to clean it up.

Just they set down their bag on the table and was moments of considering in going to one of the rooms just in case the assumed burglar hadn't left,they heard a sudden crash from their bedroom upstairs.They wasted no time and bolted to the source of the commotion,their heart pounding with anxiety and perhaps even fear.With their pepper spray in hand,finger ready to press down the moment there was danger,they cautiously approached the door to their room.It was slightly ajar,and was a confirmation to their suspicions of someone being in their apartment.

They took a deep breath,and carefully pushed the door open,bracing for the sound of a bullet or even feeling a punch.

It......didn't happen.

Instead,they found that their bedroom had become a murder scene,minus the blood and all the other kinds of nasty.That was the first thing they noticed.The second thing was more or less in the spectrum of "what the hell?" than anything else they could think of right now.

Kneeling over their bed,cautiously poking on some object they couldn't identify yet,was a person.It was a man,dressed in the strangest clothes Yves has ever seen,and one that they wouldn't have expected.The outfit resembled those stereotypical king costumes they remembered seeing children wearing during Halloween and some other events,and occasionally,over at a musical if it tackled history; red velvet fabric and spotted white fur making up the cape that draped over him like a cloak of protection.The look was finished with a rather beautifully crafted crown sitting on top the man's hair(wig?It looked like a wig; the color didn't match his eyebrows).

Just as they walked in,he reacted almost instantly; with wild eyes,he let out a scream that sounded like the shrieking of an abused animal,before recoiling away from the bed.The action startled Yves,and they quickly backed up to the wall,the same time the man continued to crawl away in an attempt to distance himself from them.His crown toppled to the ground,rolling a few meters away before stopping near Butterball's enclosure.He paid no attention to this as he kept his eyes on their small and vulnerable form; they still looked wild,insane even.The thought sent a chill down their spine,but they forced the feeling away in order to focus on the situation at hand.

Unfortunately,it escalated much further when the man shrieked again,this time his face really showed a horrified expression.Yves could hear him gasping for breath,and realized that he was hyperventilating.Though they were scared themselves,they were still concerned over the man's behavior.They had to do something to calm him down.

Everything else that happened was a blur; they decided to take action and approached him slowly,only for him to let loose a blood-curdling scream as he backed away even more.He began to spout gibberish,though Yves caught on to a few phrases such as,"Charlotte...Amelia....Frederick...where are you?","It's so cold and dark.","Ring around the rosie,pocket full of posey....","Where is he...?"."He usually comes when I'm like this.","What sorcery is this?Get away from me!"."The kingdom...my people...the revolution...".He kept crawling away,his body shuddering as he was seemingly overcome by another wave of....whatever it is that's causing him to be this way.But it was obvious that he was drowning in a panic attack of sorts.That wasn't good.Before they could go ahead and move any further,the costumed man tripped on his own cape,sending him falling down to their nightstand,hitting his head over it before slumping on the floor.lights completely knocked out.

Yves stared at him for a few minutes,at lost of what just transpired and what they had seen.

Umm......yikes?

At least he stopped,which they were grateful for; he really did make a huge mess.

A small movement from their bed caught their attention,and they blinked in surprised as Butterball emerged from the pillows and uncurled from her defensive position.Yves half-heartedly wondered how in the world the hedgehog escaped from her enclosure,but figured it wasn't really the best time to do that.

"Heated,huh?" they asked her,even though it was unlikely she would respond.Butterball simply sniffed the air and crawled all over the sheets."Please don't pee.I already have a lot on my plate."

.•°  ೋღ  ♔  ღೋ  °•.

It took awhile and an immense amount of effort for them to tidy up everything again.Beforehand,they had gotten the strange man on their bed and tucked him in while they worked(and also removing and folding up his cape and setting it aside).It was the only right thing to do for someone who just passed out moments ago.They also put Butterball back inside her container and cleaned the kitchen counter and floor,making sure that the toaster and coffee maker weren't damaged.They even placed the crown on a clear space on their nightstand,just in case he woke up and would be probably looking for it,if his body language wasn't already a dead giveaway to some things they knew all too well.

Yves sighed softly as they glanced at his direction,trying to think of what to do next.It had been a really hectic day; not only did they have to prepare for whatever they had learned during the entire semester,but they also had to deal with this unprecedented intruder that got into their apartment without their knowledge.Plus points for grasping ideas on what to do with him after he wakes up,because they were definitely sure he wasn't going to be just a simple inconvenience for them.

'Try not to think about it too much,' they thought.'Bath first,then I make my next move.'

And so,that was what they did.

The entire time they stood under the showerhead and letting the water run in rivulets on their small form was almost the whole length of how they ironically did not follow their own advice; Yves found themselves still dwelling on the thoughts of the man,and how terrified and disoriented he was earlier.They never noticed it before because they themselves had been equally scared and caught off guard,but now they could recall that his movements and gestures weren't those of a drunk dude or someone high on weed,but of a person who looked like they were seeings they wanted to stop seeing.

Like...like a hallucination.Or something.They had no idea,but couple that with hyperventilation and the fearful shrieking,they could wager a guess that it was along the lines of an anxiety attack,or maybe more.But of course diagnosing things when you're not a professional isn't enough to narrow down the cause.

Either way,they were going to find out soon.

Letting out another sigh,they switched off the shower and got out of the tub.They proceeded to dry their hair in front of the bathroom mirror using a cotton shirt(They recalled reading an article saying you shouldn't use towels to dry your hair,as its course texture damages the hair fibers),specks of water flying in the air as they moved.They even dried a bit of their face by patting the cloth all over their forehead and cheeks and around their nose.When that was done,they wrapped a towel around them and stepped out to their bedroom,though made sure to peek from the door beforehand just in case the man was already awake,and so that they didn't make things much more awkward than how it's been going.

Thankfully,he wasn't,and was still out cold under the sheets.He looked oddly peaceful,now that they took the time to observe him.It was a huge change from the crazed expression they had seen earlier.

Making sure their steps were careful,they made their way towards their dresser and wardrobe to get dressed.They opted for something loose and comfortable,like a baggy light grey T-shirt four times larger than their own size,and black sweat pants.They also made quick work of combing and drying their hair(again)in front of the circular mirror next to the dresser.As they did these things,they began to hum softly to a song in their head; they couldn't recall what its name was,but it was something they just knew by heart,even if they couldn't completely remember most of the lyrics.

The sound of a small gasp interrupted them,and they looked away from the mirror to find the source.Their eyes landed on the man once more,and saw that he was staring at them as if he were lost.It startled them a bit,but they did their best not to make any kind of movement that might send off the wrong signal.There was,after all,the possibility that he still was kind of disoriented from his outburst.Yves bit their lip nervously as they waited for what he was going to do.

Nothing.The silence dragged on,and he kept staring oh so intensely at them.It was making them uncomfortable.

All of the sudden,his lost look contorted into some form of apprehension.Or was that disgust?They had no idea,but they didn't appreciate it.Bad enough that he trashed their apartment in his hysteria,and now he was giving them the snobbish look as if they weren't worth his time.Well,at least now they know he wasn't really drunk or high in the first place.Then again,they never really did find out how he got here,with everything that's happened so far.

Oof.

"What....on earth?" he suddenly spoke,his tone a dead giveaway to his displeasure,if his face didn't speak enough volumes of it already.His voice was a silky and notably breezy tenor,with a distinct English accent."What business does a slave girl have in my presence?"

Slave girl?

Yves blinked in surprise.Slightly offended of course,but confused as well with what they just heard.

"Ex....cuse me?" they sputtered.

"Surely,you must have good hearing," he went on,his mouth forming into a frown."I asked you a question,girl.What are you doing here?"

Aaaaand this is the part where an imaginary cartoon vein would have formed on their temple.The nerve of this guy!

"I should be asking you that question!" Yves managed to reply with any stuttering on their end."You're the one who's in my room in such a terrible time!Scratch that,you're in my flat,and you have the gall to ask me what business I have with you?"

It was the man's turn to blink.He then proceeded to take his eyes off of them,now taking in his surroundings as he moved his head a bit to grasp every detail he could spot in his line of vision.Just as he did so,his face slowly began to morph into a look of realization.For what,they had no clue.But it was there,and it was clear as day that he just understood that.

"My dear God....." he breathed,before closing his eyes and covering his face with both hands.Yves could hear him shaking a little bit."Where in heaven's name am I...?"

They were about to reply with a fully detailed explanation of their specific location in a sarcastic manner,but remembered that he was probably not in the best condition to catch the joke,and it looked like he wasn't going to anyway,based on his expression upon learning that he wasn't in the place he was expecting to be.....whatever that is.

So instead,they sighed internally and made the resolve to calm him down.Maybe ask him afterwards about his identity,once the situation was handled.If it was handled,that is.

"Look,um...sir?" They made a tentative step towards him.When he didn't react to that,they continued to walk towards him slowly,kneeling by the bedside to make themselves look smaller."I don't exactly know what's going on,and why you're behaving like this.But....if you could just......t-take a deep breath and relax,th-then maybe we can figure this out together."

Ack,they weren't the best with words,but this had to do.They didn't know how else to keep someone from falling into an anxiety attack.That was usually Ken and Adrienne's jobs,since they had more experience when it came to dealing with these kinds of things.What was Yves supposed to do in this situation?

The man seemed to take that message well,as he tried to follow their instructions,clumsily keeping his breathing steady.He seemed uncomfortable when they reached out a hand to pat his shoulder comfortingly,which they retracted immediately upon noticing that their gesture was not wanted.Around a few minutes or so,he looked like he was calm enough for a small interrogation.But then....

"Are you hungry?" they asked him."I'll get you something to eat,and also some water.Please wait here; I'll be right back."

And with that,they stood up and left him to his own devices,closing their door behind them as they went for the kitchen.They searched through the fridge,sorting among its contents which was edible enough for the costumed man to eat.Something that wasn't cold and hard as stone,that's for sure.They regretted having to have eaten the chicken arroz caldo they got the other day,as it could have been really handy now given that it was a great comfort food and was easy to warm up by the stove fire.Oh well.

They inspected the cupboards and drawers,closing them once they saw there were only pots and pans and silverware inside.However,when they opened the second to the last cupboard,they found a small stash of instant cup noodles inside.Rummaging through it,they found four different individual flavors: beef,chicken,and three seafood variants of regular,creamy,and spicy.Yves decided to pick the one that was less imposing on the taste buds and grabbed the beef flavor,making haste to prepare it by the counter.They also got the drink ready; they ran out of Darjeeling tea yesterday,so they made do by cutting up some calamondin and adding its juices to a mug of turmeric.Of course,water came in last since it was supposed to act as the last resort,in case the man scalded his tongue or something.

Once they got everything set,they carried them all back to the bedroom.

He was still sitting there when they returned to his side.He stared at what they'd brought with a look of distaste,as if it's the first time he's seen it.Yves didn't think on it too much and set down the cup,mug,and pitcher along with the glass on the nightstand.They then gently opened the foil covering the cup and let the steam escape from inside.The scent of beef wafted into the air,inciting in them a small pang of hunger and the realization that they hadn't eaten yet either.

"What...what am I supposed to do with that?" The man was extremely snobby over beef flavored noodles.Go figure.

"You eat it," they replied,picking up the fork and mixing the contents inside."I couldn't find anything else that's edible in my apartment.Sorry about that.This will have to do for now."

He watched as they lifted a hand to feel the temperature,before frowning once more.However,he didn't complain again when they brandished the cup in front of him and scooped out the noodles from inside.

"You think you can hold it?" they asked him." 'is pretty hot.And do you think you can eat by yourself fine?"

They'd known from experience that sometimes it was hard to grasp objects properly after coming out of an attack,and that they had to sometimes ask for aid in feeding in fear of dropping their meal.They didn't want him to be having a hard time,especially with how shaky and tense he was.

The man pursed his lips in uncertainty,eyeing the cup noodles in their hands.

"I'd....like some help," he mumbled."......please."

That one word seemed a bit forced,but Yves supposed he wasn't very used to it,so they let that slide.At least he said "please" at all,which was already a sort of progress in their communication.They sure hoped so.

They smiled at him kindly,and proceeded to help him eat.

Slowly,he managed to finish the meal and even braved small sips on the calamondin-mixed turmeric,expressing an emotion ranging from disgust and intrigue,though he didn't bring up any complaints about it.The water soon also met its demise as it was subsequently drained from the pitcher.Yves was impressed that he was taking this really well,and had stopped shooting them dirty looks every time their eyes met.

The both of them were currently sitting in silence.Yves had brought in a small stool while the man had been drinking turmeric,and was observing him on their peripheral vision,though for awhile they glanced over him again.He did the same,but his attention was mostly focused on all the objects in their bedroom.

"Are you feeling a little better?" they asked him softly,breaking the ice.

He snorted.

"Hardly." He sighed and let his head fall and slump on the pillows."I still don't know where I am,and what these strange things I see here are."

His word choice made them double take,and they attempted to process what he was trying to mean by that.

"Well...for starters,you're in Williamsburg,Brooklyn,inside one of the apartments," they replied."This is the cheapest one I managed to snag off online,since my pockets aren't exactly lined with unlimited money.Besides,it's close to my school."

He stared at them.Really hard.

"Brooklyn?" he inquired."What part of the colonies is that?"

Um....what?

"It's...it's in New York,though?" Yves had a strange feeling rising on their gut.They looked at his face carefully."And um,New York is a city in America,so...."

Another moment of silence.The man had a gobsmacked expression.

"America....." he breathed,covering his face with a hand as he began to mutter again."No,no....that can't be....I....I was at Windsor Castle....I.." He began to tremble."E-Everything was dark......I couldn't see..and....a-and...Amelia....my little Amelia....I.....I didn't even get to say goodbye....And Charlotte....dear Charlotte...she must be so worried...."

Yves wasted no time and leaned beside him,making soothing circles on his shoulders with their fingers.

"Take a deep breath,sir," they whispered gently to him."Relax..."

"One moment,I was so weak and frail," he continued through shaky breaths."And when I closed my eyes,waiting for death,I.....I ended up here....."

They said nothing.opting to just comfort him with their actions.It was concerning to see him this way,even if they didn't know who he was.They felt their heart aching with every tremor his body made,and couldn't help but let a small wave of empathy wash over them; whatever he was feeling,it couldn't be easy.

"Everything's so different," he mumbled."I...I was so old.I knew I was.I could feel the wrinkles on my skin......I....Lord Almighty,I had completely forgotten who I was and who my loved ones are for that entire time......I can't even remember how long I had been that way until I wasn't anymore....

"Their names...I can remember everything now.It's all coming back to me,but I don't know what is going on.I'm not at Windsor anymore.I'm in New York,in that...infernal 'nation' that chose to rebel against me...for...for what?Dissatisfaction?They couldn't even respect the boundaries of the natives that lived in their land.....Curses....all of them."

He kept talking,but Yves was unable to gather the rest of his muttering.They still didn't say anything to disrupt him,since they figured he was probably trying to get his thoughts out and straight.Adrienne had done a similar tactic when she was close to losing her cool,they recalled.Just keep talking,let it all out.It wasn't always the best chosen solution,but it was one of the options.

Speaking of thoughts,they had begun to get lost on their own,until they felt a hand clutching on theirs.They looked up again and saw that the man was staring at them with desperate eyes,the edges reddening a bit.He was probably close to crying.

"Tell me,girl," he croaked out."What....what year is it?I noticed....that your clothing,and all the objects in your quarters are.....rather unfamiliar."

Huh.Smart guy.Figured he would have caught on soon.Where on earth that thought process came from,Yves had no clue.But they decided it was best to be honest with him,because they had a gut feeling that he wasn't going to take it well if they stalled any further.

"It's 2015," they replied."Um,12th of May specifically."

Now he really looked disturbed.His breathing was becoming quicker.

Oh no.

"S-So....." He gulped,a pained expression on his face."That's why....It...It all makes sense now.Why you're.....here.Why everything is.....strange."

"Will you be alright?" Yves pursed their lips nervously,worried for what would happen next.

His laugh was small,and without humor.Lifeless.Desolate.

"I hope so," he murmured."This all feels like a nightmare.A...A dream I can never wake up from.I should be back home with my family.Not....here,where my failures haunt me."

"Failures?"

Another dry laugh.It sounded more like a cough,though.

"Ah,yes....my failures." His face was taut,the same wild glint dancing in his eyes as he spoke."I must admit,I believed I was over such endeavors,having to put up with those conniving French and their Spanish allies.But I still feel....bitter.After all those years."

What?

"I don't understand." He was just talking in riddles now."I'm afraid I can't relate with what you're saying,sir.What exactly do you mean by that?"

Maybe he was crazy.Some dude off the street who lost his mind and never quite seemed to grow past the age of seven,with the way he behaved and how he dressed himself.It could explain all the weird,borderline insane words he was spouting.It wasn't that Yves was trying to be mean,but technically some people suffered that kind of mental illness,and it was really sad.It's why they felt really sorry for him.

'Or maybe you should stop assuming things and keep an eye on him,' a voice in their head said.'Seriously,out of all the people in your dumpster fire of a country,you yourself understand how it feels to be thought a madman the most.For your beliefs,and for your identity.Stop judging him,and start helping.'

They sighed softly.Yes,that was wrong to do.They should just focus on taking care of him.Clearly,he was very distraught about something,even if they couldn't understand why.

He was looking at them again,his brows furrowing in deep thought.

"Why,the Revolution,of course.Led by that general from Mt. Vernon,George Washington." He frowned."It was quite a struggle,I might add.He and his men were elusive,and soon,they drove off my army and get this,'liberated' several territories.They won the war,and I lost hold of my colonies.An embarrassing tragedy."

Yves blinked at his words,completely puzzled with what he just said.

"But George Washington is dead," they replied,shifted on their seat."He died a long time ago,around 1799.There's no way you could have met him,much less command an army to go against his soldiers." What drugs are you on?!

The man scoffed,raising a brow at them rather snobbishly.

"You still don't recognize me,do you?Even after all that context I gave you.God,you're slow."

"E-Excuse me?" And he was being really rude again.Jeez.

He rolled his eyes,making a "tch" sound before slowly getting up from his position(Yves tried to hide the fact that they instinctly leaned over to assist him).

"Obviously," he continued,crossing his arms,again with that snobbish attitude."I am George William Frederick the Third,of the United Kingdom.His Majesty King George,if you will.Really,for an educated looking peasant girl,you don't seem to quite get it.You're in the presence of royalty,slave.A little respect is in due payment."

Ano daw?

Yves didn't know whether to laugh or scream.

"You must be out of your goddamn mind," they spoke slowly,the offense they were harboring since earlier finally breaking out from its restraints.",if you think you can waltz into my apartment and just say whatever you want with me.I can take my whole living space being thrashed by some guy having an anxiety attack,but I will not tolerate your treatment of me,as if I am nothing but a mere animal you can talk down on.No,you are not pulling that tomfuckery with me.I won't allow it.

"You didn't even apologize for making such a mess.Some king you are,huh?Shit manners and all.I bet you don't even think about how much you affect other people.regardless of how they treat you in their life.You're probably too selfish to even think of others,so caught up by your own importance  as if you're hot shit when you're not.I have had it with your elitist bullshit,demanding things when in reality it can never come easy.I won't let you belittle me this way.You can't insult my identity and get away with it.Shame on you."

Again,Yves didn't know where all these words were stemming from,but whatever it was about,it was definitely letting off a lot of emotional baggage that had been accumulating within them since the first semester.They were angry,sure,but they weren't that angry on a personal level.

So why on earth did they feel like it was?

At this point,"King George" had a change of demeanor.He was aghast by their outburst,almost cowering even,as they yammered on and continuously scolded him for his garbage behavior towards them.For a guy who looked highly of himself,he was kind of timid now,with the way Yves spat words that could and have begun to cut through his ego.Seemed like he never accounted for someone so small and unknowing to have a mouth that could pull the ruthless of opponents to their knees.

They sighed softly when he flinched at the last of their critique.

"Look," they said,softening their tone."What I'm saying is,you really shouldn't treat me like that.I'm human just like you.I have emotions.I have hopes and dreams.You can't subvert me into something lower than you.That's not how you treat other people.I'm sorry if I frightened you or hurt your feelings,but it's just not right that I let you continue to bear down on me like I'm not valid.I am.You need to understand this."

He avoided their eyes,looking down on his lap.He was slumped on the bed again.

"We got off on the wrong foot,so let's go and start over." They held out a hand towards him."My name is Yves.Yves Hermedilla Salvernon Malkin.I'm seventeen years old and I like books and mashed potatoes.You are...?"

He glanced at their direction,before slowly taking their hand.

"G-George William Frederick," he sputtered.",the Third,of the United Kingdom.I am crowned king,from the royal family.I uh,would tell you my exact age,if I only figure out how I got from blind and old to...to this."

They smiled at that,and shook hands with him.

"It's nice to meet you," they told him gently."I hope we keep going this way and get along well.I'm looking forward to knowing you better hereon out."

"Likewise," he muttered.The left side of his face was twitching.

"Well,now that's one problem solved..." Yves stood up and stretched,letting out a relieved noise."I better make some dinner for myself.I am positively starving." They contemplated the Kit-Kat Clock as it showed them the time of the day,and remembered that they wouldn't have enough time to make something edible,especially when they still have to finish their homework."I think I'll just order a pizza."

.•°  ೋღ  ♔  ღೋ  °•.

George was beside himself when he had woken up.

He was sure his death had been final.He was so sure that his heart had stopped beating in that very moment,and what was left of his senses were gone forever.That he was going to meet his dead loved ones.That he was going to see him again.Oh,how awfully wrong he was.

Instead,he found himself in a situation where he was in the mercy of a brown skinned girl wearing odd clothing.Everything around him seemed different.So foreign.So otherworldly.His panic and fear of not having it under control caused him to talk her down,make her feel uncomfortable.He could see it in her eyes; she was so scared of him.

And when she spoke in such a threatening tone,he couldn't help but be afraid in return.He had never felt this way with anyone in his life.Ever.Not even that one assassination attempt at the theatre inspired such feelings in him.He was a king,after all.It's his priority to remain calm under fire in order to reassure his loyal subjects that he was in control.

But he was not in his home country anymore.He was here,in New York city,inside the sleeping chambers of this small but intimidating girl whose face caused his heart to ache,for reasons he hated himself for feeling so.This same bloody location where those Patriots planted the seeds of doubt to aspire a revolution none of which history has ever seen the likes of before.

He hated it.He hated being here.

The girl had gone back out to the main room,saying something about a thing called peets-uh.But not before chiding him to stay in bed and finish his drink while she was going through some errands,whatever it is that she meant.She seemed to have inadvertently taken him under her wing,making no qualms and only calling him out for his unsavoury attitudes toward her person.That was fair.He felt terrible for doing such a thing,and hoped there was a way to make it up to her.Despite popular belief,the so-called mad king who lost America was not a heartless monster.Charlotte wouldn't have wanted that.He wouldn't have wanted that.

God,he didn't know what to do.This was not he had been expecting when he died.Surely,this was just part of the afterlife?But he can feel and touch and see again,which he could do when he was younger.Then again,he didn't really know what it was like after death.

Argh,so confusing!

His thoughts wandered off to that girl again(calling her a slave or peasant was just out of the question,now that she voiced her concerns).He chastised himself for even doing such a heinous thing,to a lady no less.He was raised to treat all of his fellow men kindly and with respect.What devilry drove him to behave in this manner?So he decided thereon,he would call her by her name: Yves Malkin.

What a strange name,really.He heard two other names before she brought up her family name,but he was unable to process it completely and had no idea how either of it was spelled.It sounded a bit....Spanish,if that made any sense.Well,at least it did,based on his few encounters with lords,nobles,and ambassadors from Spain prior to the country siding with France and declaring war against him.

Yves was,for a lack of a better word,peculiar.She bore the same family name as Sir Benjamin Heath Malkin,who was a notable scholar and writer that authored the book A Father's Memoirs of His Child(which George had been lucky to own during the first few days of its publication.He remembered reading it with Charlotte and the family,and the servants during their off days).And yet,she didn't resemble him at all.Perhaps they were not truly related and it was a simple coincidence that she shared Sir Benjamin's name.

Hmm.He should pose a small query to her later in regards to what other information she could indulge him.The least he could do is adjust to his new environment,as daunting as it is at the moment.After all,if this was truly the year 2015,he would have to make do with understanding how this new world works.It's of no doubt that several things could change within the span of what,two hundred years?Lord Almighty,that was rather surreal.He could only hope and pray all will fall into place,and that everything will be well.

As his thoughts continued to flit from one subject to another,his eyes landed on the nightstand where Lady Yves put the food and drinks,and saw that his crown was inches nearby.Letting out a small cry of relief,he snatched it up and cradled it close to him.

This thing was the symbol of his reign.Of his authority over the Empire and its colonies by God's grace.He didn't even notice he wasn't wearing it until he was put to bed by his kind host,and had been only vaguely worried of its whereabouts as he was busy fussing over other things,like how he wasn't dead and how he was suddenly young,rejuvenated,and able to see again.He was grateful that Lady Yves showed consideration once more by keeping his possessions safe while he was incapacitated.Truly,she was an honourable maiden.It made the returning memories all the more painful.

He sat there silently,staring down the once reveled icon of his glory,and thought of simpler days,when the wars he was forced to deal with hadn't occurred yet.He thought of his darling Charlotte and the children they raised together,who then grew up and started to take responsibilities he had once taken when he was still prince.He thought of  his younger years,before he became king,and sighed as he replayed those beautiful moments in his mind; of soft kisses and lovely black eyes that gazed up at him adoringly and with devotion.He could still feel the silky strands that shimmered like gold between his fingers when the early morning rays hit it just right,and the feeling of arms tangling with his own as he drowned into a hazy bliss.

It hurt his heart again,but it was the only solace he had in the reality of his unusual situation.His only comfort,like it had always been when he fell onto the edges of his insanity.Sometimes he would forget,especially when he was too deep in his ravings.But then he would hear that voice,and suddenly,he saw light and within it,the same golden strands of hair.Everything would be alright again.

But now he was well and could think clearly,he was slowly realizing that perhaps even that was just a trick of his then-fevered mind.So desperate was he to assume that the spirit might persist to keep watch over him,to soothe his inner demons like before.What a fool he had been.

He's gone.He won't be back.George needed to accept that.

'I suppose it is only right to do so,' he thought to himself.'There is a reason I am here,and not anywhere else.I must make do of what I have,and cooperate with Lady Yves.Otherwise,I can't hope to achieve anything.'

The meek and mild-mannered(yet terrifyingly uncouth)maiden was the only good thing to have happened to him when he first got here.He wanted to make up for his lack of respect towards her,and understand her.She was just....surprisingly kind,despite his offenses.Anyone would have kicked him out,really.

But not her,it would seem.Why is that?

So many questions swam inside his head,and he desired an answer to all of them.However,it would have to wait given that there was so much to learn about.Really,where was the pressure?

The sound of the door opening shook him away from his deep thoughts,and he looked up to see the aforementioned girl(as she was clearly not a woman yet),her eyes lighting up with a sort of glee he found himself unable to look away from.She appeared to be lifting a large,thin box with just her outstretched palm,which was quite a remarkable feat might he add,a wide smile making up most of her expression.

"I'm back!" she chirped enthusiastically,making her way toward his bedside."Sorry I took too long; the delivery guy was dealing with traffic―it's been pretty hectic for the past few days here in the neighborhood,and with how popular the food chain where he works is,he's forced to go all over Brooklyn and to an extension half the entirety of Queens.No worries,though,since the pizza is still as fresh and hot as when it was first made.I hope you didn't have to wait for so long; I'd be a terrible host if so."

"It's quite alright," George replied reluctantly,eyeing the box skeptically with furrowed brows."There was no trouble at all,I assure you."

"That's a relief." She set down the box on a free space he wasn't sitting on,and sat on the small stool nearby herself.She then proceeded to open it by a lid he wasn't able to spot before,and almost instantly he was hit by the pleasant aroma of melted cheese and delicious meats."I figured I'd buy us both a family size considering that you didn't really eat a lot,even with the beef flavored noodles.Besides,I'm hungry myself,so I thought,'Where's the harm?' and just went through with it."

Most of what she said made no sense to him,but he didn't say anything and just stared at the contents inside of the box,which only made him more puzzled than before.Within it was a circular object,cut into six pieces all oozing with yes,cheese.There were brown specks here and there as well,along with some pieces of meat that looked suspiciously like bacon.The scent was absolutely divine,and the moment it wafted to his nose,his stomach began to growl and his mouth watered.

Lady Yves seemed to have noticed this,because she smiled at him.

"What're you waiting for?" She took a slice and leaned back."Dig in."

He didn't need to be told twice.

They were silent as they ate,though George was sure it was both for very different reasons.For his case,he was savouring the flavors that were bursting on his taste buds,while also being indecisive with how he would bring up an apology to her.Which sort of made him guilty for not saying anything to lighten the mood.He occasionally spared glances to her direction,and from time to time,their eyes would meet,and he would quickly steer his head away,heat burning onto his cheeks as he pretended nothing happened.

The colours were different,but the gaze was painfully the same.

'Snap out of it!' he told himself.'What did I just bloody say about moving on?That's not the way to do it,lad.Not the right way at all.'

"Sir?" Curses,she caught on to him.Perhaps he was being to obvious with his dismay."Are you okay?You've been really jumpy the entire time we're eating."

Don't look at her.Maybe that would help stop the quiver that's threatening to affect his tone the moment he opened his mouth.That way,it would be less painful to see another person sitting on her place.

"I―" He cleared his throat,lowering his head.He refused to meet her eyes again."I...I would like to say...that is,I am most regretful of my offences to you―I mean....I deeply apologise for acting dishonourably." Letting out a small breath,he picked on his 'peets-uh' as he continued to speak: "I have realized that my actions were inexcusable and unfair.You have been a very gracious Samaritan despite my shameful treatment of you.I feel an indescribable amount of guilt for what you must be going through now,to house a complete stranger such as I.

"It was never my intention to offend you.All of this is just....unbelievable.I understand now that what I've done must be very detestable,but I do hope you would forgive me for my moment of weakness.I will try my best to better myself,and to be more compassionate in the foreseeable future.You have my word,as a king and as your guest."

She was quietly listening to him in all this,and when he had the courage to glance at her again,she held a contemplative expression on her face.The fact that he didn't know what could possibly be racing in her mind made him uneasy.

He flinched a little when her eyes landed on him,but relaxed when she sent him one of her kind smiles again.

"I'm glad to hear that," she said.Her face crinkled with contagious happiness,one that made him return a hesitant smile of his own."And,I accept your apology.I'm sure you didn't really mean to do any of the things you did to me.Everyone makes mistakes." She picked up another slice of food."But for now,let's just have an early dinner,so that I can help you find some accommodations if you're staying with me for the meantime.Um....you are staying here,right?"

George blinked,before shrugging a little.

"I don't have anywhere else to go," he said a tad too tightly."Everybody I knew and loved are probably dead now."

"Oh."

She stared at the slice in her hand before looking at him again.He could tell she wanted to ask more questions,but for some reason chose not to do so despite it.He was grateful for that.

"Guess that settles it," she murmured."You're my roommate now."

Again,he had no idea what that meant,so he simply gave her a small smile and hoped it wasn't obvious that he was helplessly clueless with all the information he was receiving.Then again,he had a feeling she knew that.

"Huh," was his only reply,before taking a bite on his food.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Surprisingly,things managed to settle down for the next few days.

During this span of time,George was beginning to realize that yes,everything had changed since his apparent death one hundred and ninety-five years ago(yes,he calculated it properly).So many new discoveries in all fields and so many opportunities for everyone to take.It was a whole new world he could have never imagined.Lord Almighty,mankind had even reached the moon!Really,an astounding achievement since the century he was born into.

There was so much to learn,and he didn't know where to begin.

But of course,in order to progress into the next phase,he had to start from the bottom.Which is exactly what he had been trying to do right after he had dinner with Lady Yves the day he woke up in this year.She gave him a crash course on the basics of handling objects such as the light switches which were all over her living space,and how to use accommodations like the square box called a television.He found glee in the fact that there was an appliance that could store food inside it,called a refrigerator,which apparently kept its content under a cold temperature in order to slow down the process of them becoming spoiled.

The next step of the basics,however,he wasn't very fond of.

"Absolutely not!" he exclaimed in a panicky voice."I refuse to be even three feet near the bloody thing!"

Lady Yves sighed as she fiddled with valve connected to the tub.

"It's just water," she told him."It isn't going to kill you."

"That's where you're wrong!Do you not have any idea how your body will become vulnerable to germs after you dip even a finger into the water?And the chances of getting a small fraction of cold!Heavens,you're insane,woman!"

At first,he expressed confusion with the reasons she asked of him,such as removing his wig and articles of clothing(that in itself felt inappropriate considering they've only just met).But the moment he heard a splash of water from another room adjacent to her sleeping quarters,he immediately realized with a horror what she was intending to do.

Really,what on earth was she thinking?

She sighed again,rolling her eyes at him.

"People don't think like that anymore,George," she said."It's scientifically proven that taking a bath with water can help improve your personal hygiene.We even have soap and shampoo now,which we use to clean our bodies.You should try it."

"Never in my life!"

He flinched when a dark expression fell on her face.

"Alright,fine," he muttered."I will give it a try."

Her face subsequently brightened and she proceeded to teach him how to work the valves that functioned in order to draw out water that would fill in the tub.He found himself impressed that there was a new invention called a "shower" which allowed for a simulation similar to standing under a waterfall.

Needless to say,he spent around an hour or so trying to get used to proper bathing methods,which Lady Yves was once again generous enough to demonstrate for him.She only left him alone in the washroom when he was actually going to bathe for himself,something he couldn't quite understand yet.Once again,he was suitably impressed and instantly remembered just how relaxing it was,and certainly not what he had been expecting when he thought of water as a catalyst for illness and death.Both the soap and shampoo smelled like the herbs and essential oils he used to cover himself with during the rare occasions he partook on luxurious baths.

Of course,that initial memory brought him back to the very person who first encouraged him to take a bath more,which immediately ruined his good mood.

His next biggest discovery involved potty training.

Lady Yves had a rather disgusted expression on her face when he inquired to her about hiring a person to become his Groom of the Stool.She deliberately turned down the suggestion,being very vocal with how er,gross it was.Again,he didn't understand why.

"We have a toilet for a reason," she insisted."If you're seriously going to need somewhere to go,it's there.And Jesus Christ,wipe your own ass,please.You're a grown man and can handle yourself just fine."

George later learned,once again with her help(though she was extremely repulsed by it)how to clean himself via a book she gave him.She explained to him that it was one of her old textbooks when she was younger,but it detailed the proper way to maintain one's personal hygiene.

"Showing you how to bathe is one thing," she said as she hid her face with a hand."I'm drawing the line with teaching you how to shit properly.While being in the same room as you.While you're shitting in front me.That's honestly just plain nasty."

Thankfully,neither of them had to deal with that,as George didn't exactly feel the need to go any time soon.

Anyway,she taught him how to use the toilet after that debacle.He was fascinated with how the flush system worked,and thought that perhaps Lady Yves was right about not accepting his suggestion.This was much better than having someone to dispose your excrement for you.And much cleaner,he thought as he listened to her talk about using either water or toilet paper to clean afterwards.

Very ingenuous.

With that done,he moved on to other matters.Such as the wonders of the modern age,he fancied calling it.

Lady Yves,he remembered,was a student.Which meant she must own several books in her possession,whatever their contents may be.That was proven to be true as she showed him all the books on the shelves,all in different genres.All in various fields of interest.He couldn't help but pore over every single one of them over the course of two days,absorbing whatever new information he found and adding it to his growing plethora of knowledge.He was even more grateful when she introduced him to a series of books called the Encyclopedia Britannica,which gave quick but well-detailed summaries of common knowledge regarding the world today.He had also gotten into reading several annual editions of the World Almanac,and he had learned much from it.Well,as far as he could understand it,anyways.

"Did the entire world really have two wars?" he asked Lady Yves as they both sat on couches in the living room one day.She had just returned from attending her school,and was doing homework by the coffee table.

"Unfortunately," she responded,looking away from her textbook.

"Why in God's name would they want to do that?Twice,even?"

"People are like that,George.Sometimes they disregard what happened last time and do it again,all for some greater good they believe they're doing for everybody else.The context is different,but the reasoning is always the same."

He stared at her blankly,a bit surprised with her answer.

"And what made you think so?" he asked.

She simply shrugged and looked back to her scattered notes.

"I guess spending a lot of time at the squatters makes one act that way," she mumbled,before resuming to write again.

He decided then not to ask any further questions.

That same day,he ended up having more inquiries than what he was able to process.For example: what on earth was that strange animal in her bedroom?It turned out to be a creature called a hedgehog,which he had heard of before but never actually got the chance to see in person.The bloody thing had been hissing at him whilst curling into a ball of prickly nastiness.It only calmed down when Lady Yves encouraged him to let Butterball(the animal's name,apparently)sniff his hand,to get used to his scent.

He strangely found it adorable as it crawled over his lap.He winced a bit when he felt the spines prick his skin,even with the texture of his clothes.It made him wonder how his host could stand handling this everyday in her life.Then again,she was very fierce for a small lady.She could do anything with that disposition.

George's thoughts unintentionally drifted to her again,and silently cursed himself for even considering the possibility.Not only did it sound insane,but it also didn't make much sense.If any,it felt like a poor attempt of projecting the past onto someone who most definitely had no connection to the person he had been bemoaning about.

It was painful,and yet he did it.Why though,he honestly had no clue.

Perhaps reading this strange book entitled The Third Horseman: Climate Change and the Great Famine of the 14th Century might allow him to dwell on other thoughts,which would then steer him clear from the depression slowly creeping towards his heart.

Well,hopefully at least.

.•°  ೋღ  ♔  ღೋ  °•.

Teaching their strange guest how everything worked was interesting,to say the least.

Sure,it was tough getting him to understand all the basics of everyday life(at least in this century,considering he claimed to be from another time period),but Yves found it really fun and amusing to see him making an effort to learn more about what is going today.Once he got over the shock over the new things,he gradually became enthusiastic in regards to the knowledge the world has to offer him.Soon,he was practically devouring their books by the shelves in both their bedroom and living room.

He read up about almost anything he could get his hands on; from nonfiction books such as educational texts,biographies,magazines,historical documentaries,and essays to fictional works crossing over more than one genre like fantasy,science fiction,thriller,comedy,and etc.But what enthralled him the most were writings pertaining to agriculture and science,which he mostly read from Yves' old textbooks back in their freshman days.It was kind of hard to pry him away from all of it,to be honest,as he was super into it.

It was all a slow progress,but they could tell he was eager to try.

So far,they managed to have him practice a proper hygiene.They even gave him a spare toothbrush they didn't use yet and taught him how to brush his teeth.George was amazed by the results and remarked about how he never felt so fresh and clean in the mouth before."The closest thing I used to keep my teeth clean were dentifrices," he'd said.Now that he wasn't as suspicious of water as he had been previously,he was often found occupying the bathroom by Yves whenever they walked in to wash their hands by the sink; for some reason,he seemed to really enjoy washing his hair and slathering it with shampoo and conditioner.

"It feels quite relaxing," he told them when they asked why."While I do admit taking a few baths here and there in my time,it wasn't as frequent as it was now.Most of us in the royal family don't really bother with such things unless it was necessary."

"But baths are always necessary," they replied."You know that,right?How harmful bacteria can form overnight if you don't wash off all the dust and grime and accumulated sweat?Especially with what you're wearing,that's definitely the case."

He frowned."How come?What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Well for starters,it looks really heavy duty.The fabrics,I mean.You royals tend to use more expensive ones for your clothing,right?" Yves had no idea why they were going along with this,considering the thought of a person from the past showing up in the future was an absurd science fiction trope you only find in literature,but there was something in their gut that told them he wasn't fooling around when he said whatever he said.That he was really the King George III.Either way,it didn't lessen their resolve to be kind to him,regardless of who he was."And you always wear it so tightly too,around the collar.Doesn't it make you feel stuffy?"

The showerhead stopped as he turned it off,before facing them with a thoughtful expression.

"I suppose it does," he admitted.

His brown hair,still noticeably curly despite the wetness,was dripping continuously,some drops landing on his shoulders and dampening his clothes.His eyes,they realized,were a lovely shade of blue,as they looked back at their own with a spark of curiosity.Yves found it endearing.

They giggled softly,bringing up a towel to dry his hair.The action startled him a little,but he quickly recovered from it.

"We should get you some clothes," they suggested."While your outfit is really fancy and stuff,it's kind of getting old.Plus,you can't wear it forever since we'll have to drop it by the laundry along with the other used ones in my basket soon."

"Out of the question!" he protested lightly."This is the symbol of my status,along with my cape and crown.I can't part with it."

"So you're just going to wear it all the time?"

"Yes."

"Ew."

He wrinkled his nose and pouted at them,which only made them laugh harder.

"C'mon,Mr. King Dude,let's get you something to wear for the meantime," they prompted,taking his hand and leading him out of the bathroom."Maybe once my exams are done and Mom sends me another allowance,we'll go out and shop for something nice that'll fit you.Now,however,you're gonna have to wear one of mine."

He only grumbled under his breath,but did nothing to stop them from doing what they planned for him.

It was easier to relate with him after that.

When they weren't stressing over their homework and studying for the exams(even if it was still a few months away),they usually found themselves having a deep discussion with George,answering his inquiries and curiosities with the best of their abilities.It allowed them to think of what to say first before voicing it out,and knowing when to add or retract a statement.So far,their talks led them from the history of the world to the current events going on in 2015,which was a huge roller coaster ride of emotions and thoughts.He was especially reactive when the topic was about the mass immigration of Europeans and other ethnic groups to the United States during the years 1880 to 1924; he was on the edge of the seat as Yves did a recap of the events one by one,with as much detail as they could muster.

"Unbelievable," he said with genuine fascination."You mean to tell me that over a million immigrants made an arduous journey from their homelands to find a new life here in America?"

"It wasn't easy for them all the time," Yves replied,taking a small sip from their hot cocoa."In the year 1882,the Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act,which severely restricted immigration from China.Then there's also the 1907 'Gentlemen's Agreement' to extend the government's hostility toward Asian workers and families.Meanwhile,Mexicans victimized by the Revolution,Jews fleeing from Eastern Europe and Russia,and the Armenians escaping massacres in Turkey,were all provided refuge.And then the first world war broke out and everyone's loyalty to America was put into question,especially concerning the immigrants and the possibility of them being spies."

It was a little fragment of history that they could never really forget; they had,after all,relatives who lived in that time frame.They couldn't recall the details,but their mother often alluded to one of their predecessors being heavily oppressed by the Americans when he was still alive.Something along the lines of being segregated to a bachelor society or a Chinatown despite not being Chinese himself.They weren't sure,but it was enough to remind them that it will never be easy,no matter how much you've been told that America was the land of opportunities.

George didn't say anything,staring down the table in deep thought.He was silent for awhile,until he looked at them again and carried on the conversation.

"It seems that even though they've been freed from my rule,they still exercise a large amount of hate for foreigners," he spoke dryly."Or at least,those who are not like them in the slightest.I may not have lived long enough to see slavery completely abolished in my reign,but I knew it was right to oppose it.Now that I think of it,I feel like one of the core reasons for their rebellion against me was to gain freedom.....freedom to own slaves.Really,they've just gotten things out of their control since their independence."

'You have no idea,buddy,' Yves thought glumly,the more recent happenings repeating in their mind like a broken record.

Oof.Try not to think about that.Those were one of the things that cause you to feel tired of everything again.

As they did their best to shake away from those intrusive thoughts,their eyes caught George staring at them once more.He quickly looked away,clearing his throat and pretending to be interested with the bonsai sitting innocently on the table.

"You know," they slowly said."It's pretty obvious when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Looking at me when you think I'm not paying attention.You don't need to do that,really.I'm all ears for whatever you want to tell me."

A small frown formed on his face,but he did meet their eyes again.Though his cheeks were a bit pink for some reason.

They sat patiently as he seemingly mulled over what he was going to say,if he was even in the mood to open up.From what they learned about him in the previous days of his stay with them,was that he wasn't one for conversations when it came to his personal feelings.He was extremely shy of admitting things he knew were true,which he would either brush off or deny entirely.Yves could understand that,since they had similar problems with others,but they found that they'd rather him getting better than them if it meant to see him feel happy.

He pursed his lips,his soft blue eyes averting away from theirs for a few minutes before aligning his gaze again.

"Your face," he began."I've been thinking about it since our meeting.You look very familiar,and like someone I have considered my most loyal companion since my younger days.You're...you're..." He blinked,turning his head away once more,his expression turning melancholic."You have his face.The exact same face,and yet the only difference that stands between you and him are the hair and skin complexion."

Yves was very confused with his words.

"I'm sorry,I don't understand what you mean," they told him softly."Who are you talking about?"

"M-My page boy!" he exclaimed with a coarse voice."He―you―both share the same likeness and temperance!A-And it's been haunting me for some time now; what,with the way you speak to me as if I were someone you know very well,and also the fact that I am incredibly uncertain if you are actually him or by coincidence you only bear his face but aren't actually him and―" At this point,he was becoming a nervous wreck again.The poor guy looked like he might start crying any second now,if his raw and choking voice wasn't a dead giveaway enough.

They didn't understand why they did it,but they rolled with it anyway and gently held his frantically swinging hands and clasped them together with their own.His panicking stopped altogether at their action.

"I really don't understand why you're telling me this," they told him softly."But whatever it is that's causing you to feel this way,I want to make sure you don't fall to that kind of  abyss.A lot of us in this world have been in the darkness for too long anyway.I just want you to know that I'm here,even if what you say makes no sense to me most of the time."

He breathed slowly,staring at them with the rims of his eyes a little red and glistening with unshed tears.Yves felt a swell of pity seeing him this way.

"That smile." he whispered weakly."It looks so much like him."

They squeezed his hands reassuringly for a moment.

"I would know if I ever met you before," they replied."It's not easy to forget someone like you."

He laughed a little,the sound bitter and despondent.

"And yet you did," he mumbled."I am still convinced that it's you."

"I doubt he would be alive,if he was supposed to be from the 1700's just like you especially."

"There it is again: you act as if you know me."

Yves gave him a small grin."I just empathize with a lot of people."

Neither of them said anything else; they simply spent the rest of the hours sitting on the couch,basking in each other's presence in contemplative silence until Yves had to get up and order dinner again.

.•°  ೋღ  ♔  ღೋ  °•.

The next phase of adapting to the modern world was a bit difficult at first,as it involved Yves' own personal identity.

It all started when George had been referring to them as "Lady Yves",no doubt still under the notion that they were a girl.Which was definitely not the case,so they tried to explain that,even if they were unsure of how he was going to react.They were aware that in his time,the concept of gender spectrum was close to ludicrous,and that suggesting otherwise would often get you ostracized,or worse: executed.

So they stood there uncomfortably as he kept talking about something they had completely forgotten the topic about: Yves' choice of clothing.

"I don't understand how you could wear these things." he was saying,his hand gestured toward their current outfit: a baggy pastel blue sleeveless shirt accompanied with  light yellow shorts."Showing even a small exposure of your ankle in my days was completely scandalous,even more so with a woman of your upbringing.And the length of your hair!Heavens,that is almost close to what the common peasant men would have."

"A-Actually...." they interjected timidly,the first time they ever did when it came to him."I'm not really.....a girl."

He blinked,a look of surprise plastered on his face.

"You're male then?" he asked,the expression quickly turning into a frown."That makes it more concerning since you're very feminine.which shouldn't be how you act."

"I'm not a boy either."

They shifted nervously on their feet as they watched him quietly,waiting for his face to completely morph into that of outrage.Which would be kind of depressing if he did,honestly.They had spent so much time trying to show him how everything was not the same anymore,and even went to great lengths to explain to him the things that incited within him a sense of disbelief and anger(like that one time he learned there were people who identified themselves as Wiccans).Admittedly,they had grown to like him as a person,and felt a sense of dread washing over them at the thought that he was probably going to cast them aside too for not adhering to the long-standing gender norms of society.

The silence made them uneasy,so they closed their eyes and simply waited for an angry shout―maybe even a hard slap on the face―to happen.

It never did.

"Oh," was all he said.He was looking at them from head to toe when they opened their eyes again."Then what are you?"

It was sort of an insensitive question,but Yves was only glad he hadn't reacted more violently.They didn't want a repeat of the memory of their swollen face in front of the mirror and the cold and dirty water matting their hair.And it didn't seem like George was the type of person to do that just because they weren't part of the usual cisheteronormative traditions he was conditioned to.But the fear was still there,even if it was only an intrusive thought as of now.

They trusted him,though,so they decided to push forward and share something they were unable to share with just anyone,the exceptions being her two best friends and Jade(as far apart as they all are from each other).

"I'm just....me," they told him slowly."It means I don't identify with either gender.We call that being non-binary.There's a broader meaning for it,but for me,it's a case where I don't conform to being a traditional male or female." They averted their eyes from his,choosing to focus on the same bonsai tree he had been looking at before."I understand if my entire existence offends you,now that I told you this.But I hope you still respect me just like how you did prior to revealing my identity to you.I hope...." They took a deep breath."I hope you still look at me as your friend."

Their heart was pounding insanely,to the point that it almost felt like it was trying to escape their rib cage.The urge to just turn around and leave the flat was suffocating,but their feet were glued to the floor in paralyzed fear.What if their decision was wrong?What if he'll push them away,like everyone else did?Those thoughts continued to plague their mind,and they stood there in agony as they awaited his response.

"It makes no difference to me,though," he spoke in a quiet voice."About who you are.I....see you as a human being,even then.You are a great companion to have,despite my difficulties in grasping most concepts you've been presenting to me.You existing doesn't offend me in the slightest,as....complex and new as it is."

Yves let out a shaky sigh of relief,their lips forming into a small smile.

"I...I'm glad to hear that," they replied.It wasn't a reaction they were expecting,but they were grateful,nonetheless."Thank you,for having me."

"Oh no,I should be saying that.It is you who bothered to enlighten me about everything,even when I was not always an agreeable person.If any,it is I who should be thanking you."

"I guess you're right....I'm actually surprised that you haven't started screaming about how there are only two genders,and that I'm an unnatural and unholy creature that should repent for my actions and whatnot."

He shook his head lightly."I would be a terrible man indeed if I treated you that way." A frown formed on his face once more as their words settled onto him.

"Did any of these happen to you?" he asked,concern subtly woven within his tone.

They bit their lip,putting their hands behind their back as they fiddled with their thumbs,more unpleasant memories flashing across their mind.

It was a lie to say that their life was easy; being born into a close-minded and awful family that encouraged a toxic environment which required the suppressing of one's identity and self love.They had been assigned a male at birth,and had to grow up believing that what they felt was a sin and a phase.Living in the slums close to the dirty and noisy streets of Tondo didn't help either; even kids in the area were aggressive and moved in packs,picking on the small,weaker ones for fun and sometimes,to feed their own need to hide their insecurities(as terrible as people are,they all have inner battles they need to fight off everyday).Yves was,unfortunately,one of their favorite targets.Why,you ask?Well,they have always preferred softer,feminine tones,as it was pleasing to the eyes and because it felt right.

Society hated that.

So it laughed and poked at them,mocking them and showering them with blades of degrading humiliation.

Bakla,bakla,it chanted.Ano ka,Vice Ganda?

Needless to say,it blighted their entire childhood.

Their family was even less supportive of them.Yves could still recall the harsh words of their uncles whenever they walked into the same room as them.Even during dinner times where everyone was supposed to be bonding with each other.

You see that son of bitch? Tito Jotz pointed to the news being broadcasted on the TV screen.The reporter was talking about a murder case; a trans woman had been killed in her own home by a man who used to be one of her acquaintances prior to her death. He fucking deserved it.That's what happens when you go against God's original design.To live this way is to sin and die painfully.

Yves kept their mouth shut,refusing to look at him.

Do you hear me,Emilio? he warned. If I see you wearing those skirts and makeup,I will do to you what that man did to that disgusting piece of shit.

What was once the delicious flavor of tocino became a tasteless cardboard in their mouth.

Opo, was their only response.

And that was barely scratching the surface.The insults came and went,but it still hurt to think about.The fear of never being safe anywhere continued to cling onto them despite the fact that they and their mother left the country and went for America when Yves finished elementary.Even though they had changed their name to start fresh,the thought of their uncles coming here to kill them was enough to send them into hysterics.

They snapped out of their dark reverie when they felt George's hand on their shoulder.

"...'m fine," they mumbled."Just...fine."

"It doesn't look like it." He gently took their hands and held them onto his own,the previous concern only growing as they noticed the glint of his eyes."I won't ask you to explain yourself.I imagine that opening up to me is harder than what I originally perceived,with how scared you look right now.It is my wish to inform you of my promise,that I shall not let such excruciating pain befall you again."

He didn't stop them when they finally gave out and leaned towards him for support,the tiredness from all the emotions they felt weighing down on them like an anvil.They were completely drained,which would have confused anybody who didn't have a good grasp on how emotional struggles were.But George somehow understood that,as he allowed them to remain in close proximity with him,even going as far as to encircle his arms around them to draw them closer.

"Come,poppet," he whispered."Let's sit down for a bit.I'll get us some tea,too,if that's what you like."

They giggled weakly."We don't have any yet.Just coffee for now."

He made a disgusted noise but relented anyway.

"Very well."

Their dynamic from then on had considerably changed,for better or for worse.

Yves didn't really know,and not that they really cared,but it was a nice and wonderful turn of events.Gone were those awkward glances and touches that usually prevailed their interactions; those times when neither of them were sure whether they should speak up or stay silent,in fear of upsetting the other.Both of them,they noticed,weren't exactly sociable people,and they never really liked to be expressive.So the fact that they were now more comfortable with each other just proved to be a breath of fresh air.It surprised them in a good way that George was actually more open with his feelings ever since they told him about themself.

That made their mutual arrangements in the apartment easier.Such as who was supposed to sleep in bed while the other had the futon.George used to make a big deal about it,complaining that his back would hurt if he slept on the floor.The couch in the living room was out of the question too,as for a few nights laying there he just couldn't sleep,which then sort of gave him insomnia.If it wasn't insomnia,then it was nightmares when he finally dozed off.

Yves was glad that he agreed with their suggestion of staying in the bedroom with them.Sure,he was extremely bashful about it,stating that it was too intimate for a man of his upbringing,but he relaxed a little when they explained to him that people did this all the time,and that they had friends sleeping on their bed or the futon whenever they stopped by to visit them.He was still uncertain,though he did make an effort to try out their suggestion.Soon enough,the poor guy was snuggling the pillows and was in the process of cocooning himself under the blankets.

Just the sight of it warmed their heart.

The following days were a breeze; in every hour and in every minute that he spent his time with,George was getting used to the lifestyle Yves was living in.This meant he was now concentrating on other things,which of course meant easing back into his little space in the living room,reading books until evening or falling asleep before he could finish a chapter.At first,he favored the nonfiction genres more since it provided the most information,right until he ran out of content to read.That was when they introduced him to classic fiction like To Kill A Mockingbird and the Lord of the Rings series.They also had a copy of books such as The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe,Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov,The House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoyevsky,The Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood,and Lord of the Flies by William Golding.Out of curiosity(and to Yves' embarrassment),he had also gotten hold of the two books called Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo that had been hidden away from the farthest corner of the shelves,which he then reacted with "Those Spanish bastards!" before spending the next few hours investing himself with it.

Needless to say,he wasn't going to be doing anything else soon.

That was fine for them,since they had other things to do,which included homework and advanced studying since it was the only thing that helped motivate them into not being idle and a couch potato.George of course,was an adult,and already learned enough to render him a capable and functional human being.Yves,though?A simple,sad potato who is still afraid of going outside and meeting people.So yes,studying was important.

At least,that was what their brain told them.

It was around five in the evening when they finally looked away from the pages of their textbooks and modules,as they felt a growl emitting from their belly.Flushing a little in embarrassment,they stood up and made a beeline to the kitchen.They noticed George glancing their way on their peripheral vision,but otherwise he did nothing to hinder them from doing what they needed to do: find food.

They were never a great cook,but they did try their best whenever they were lucky enough to buy a frozen packaging of hot dogs and luncheon meat at the nearest supermarket.If they weren't failing miserably in making a decent meal,they would just resort to either ordering pizza(which was costly)or opening a package of instant noodles.At the moment,their fridge was dangerously low on edibles and a staple source of diet.During the course of the previous days,they and George had only been feeding off the flavored noodles from the stash Yves found.Currently,there were only four of those left,which was definitely a sign they had to get out and buy more rations soon.

They searched around cabinets and cupboards for something to snack on,and when they decided not to touch the noodles after contemplating on it for awhile,they went back to the fridge to double check.Lo and behold,they found some leftovers when they went to a nearby Arby's after school.They had completely forgotten about it after burying themself into their studies for several hours until now.

Oof.

They carefully brought out the doggy bags and peeked into one of them.What greeted them were roasted beef sandwiches.Yummy.The next option was corned beef and brisket,which was palatable enough for their tastes.Now,the only thing they needed to do was heat these up by the microwave; the stove took more effort,and was therefore out of question.

While they waited for the sandwiches to be ready,they proceeded to make some iced peach tea using a powdered mix and water.They hummed a small tune as they worked,swaying their hips a little as they imagined themself in a setting where the song they were thinking of would have fit perfectly.It was a very upbeat song,and involved a lot of tongue twisters and word play.Hell,it wasn't even in English!

They were definitely blaming those tricycle drivers back home for blasting it 24/7 en route to Tondo.

When they turned around to toss the ladle into the sink,they met face to face with George,who was standing in the doorway wearing an unreadable expression,and they immediately froze,the tune abruptly stopping halfway.Both of them just stared at each other,and almost at the exact same time a small tint of pink dusted his cheeks,Yves began to feel a warm and flushed sensation on their own.

"Um," they squeaked out."That was―ah,well―uh......" They cleared their throat,propping into a straighter posture."I didn't see you."

He nodded slowly,just as flustered as they were.

"I was checking to see if you were alright," he said."You seemed very haggard when you took a break from your studies.And err...you took awhile in here."

They shuffled on their feet,looking away from him.

"Yeah," they agreed softly."I was hungry and trying to find food to eat.Um,sorry if I had you worried.I promise I didn't faint out of starvation or anything." They gestured over to the microwave and the large pitcher of iced peach tea."I was just warming the sandwiches up."

"I noticed."

He glanced for a moment to what they were pointing,before sighing and walking in front of them.Yves only noticed how tall he was now,with their head barely reaching his shoulders(if they could at all anyway).Compared to his looming form,they were tiny.At best,it was like putting a Great Dane beside a dachshund,and that was really overwhelming(Okay,maybe a little funny too,considering both of their personalities).They tried their best not to look too affected by this fact,straining to keep a straight face and not succumbing to the ever growing urge to grin.So far,their lips only twitched.

It was quiet for a moment,with the both of them staring at each other again,until Yves decided to break the ice.

"That outfit suits you," they said.

They were referring to the sweater he was wearing,which had been taken from their wardrobe as a substitute to George's clothing for the meantime.It was sizes too big for them,and was a beautiful ombre of pastel mint green and rose pink.It complemented the pants they picked for him,which were a creamy beige.Both fabrics of the outfit itself were soft and comfortable,and they fit him snugly.That along with his actual hair down and not under that stuffy wig,he looked almost like he belonged to the 21st century.

Huffing,he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at the statement,as he himself found that hard to believe.

"The color scheme is atrocious," he replied."It's too mellow for my tastes.And it is very tacky by design."

"The clothes in your paintings were mellow and tacky too," Yves chirped back."I mean,seriously?What made you possibly think polka dots were a good match to all those frills?"

He snorted,clearly affronted by the statement.

"It was the painter's fault for not fully encompassing its true shades," he said in a somewhat clipped tone."I assure you,the colors had been wonderful in real life.It was tailored by one the Empire's most talented seamstresses."

"Sure,George.Those frills were great works of art right there."

"Now you're just making fun of me."

They grinned a little,putting their hands behind their back."Maybe."

"You are very cruel in your critique,poppet."

"I'm just saying; the frills were really awful,and yellow doesn't fit you."

"Then what on earth could possibly suit me?"

Yves made a thoughtful face before averting their gaze from his,the grin still playing on their lips as they shrugged rather dismissively.

"Something that doesn't turn you into a human pineapple,for sure." They giggled.

He huffed again at their words,but before he could say anything to continue the banter,the pinging noise from the microwave startled them both out of their conversation.Yves hastily went over to open it and take out the sandwiches from inside.The entire time,George was watching them quietly,looking interested with what they were doing.

They gestured to the doorway leading to the living room,a tiny grin playing on their lips."Join me at dinner?"

He chuckled a little,and Yves was eternally grateful when he picked up the pitcher for them.

"But of course," he said."Lead the way,poppet."

And just like that,they spent the next few hours sitting on the couch,eating their sandwiches and drinking a glass of iced peach tea.While Yves was watching TV,George was reading on the notes they'd been studying for,skimming through pages with a concentrated expression.He later on made a complimenting statement regarding the food,expressing to Yves that it tasted familiar yet so new to his taste buds.They only laughed at him and took a sip of their drink.

So far,George's integration into the 21st century was slow and steady,but it was progress.He was already learning so much in a short span of time,and they confident he would be able to keep up soon.They had a little spark in them that wanted to show him everything,especially after reading about his biography one night while he was asleep; the poor guy had a tragic end,and maybe now that he's alive again,he could enjoy the things he wasn't able to in his previous life?Yves didn't know,really.They just wanted to see him happy and living his second life to the fullest.Ironic,since they themself found it hard to even crack a proper smile unless it was genuine.

But,that was what life turned them into,and now they had to pay the price,for even existing.

'Don't be like that,' they thought to themself.'Just enjoy today,forget the things that hurt.George needs you.Be strong.'

They glanced towards the aforementioned man,who had grown comfortable watching the latest show being broadcast on TV,which featured a series of old classic cartoons made by Disney.He was chuckling softly whenever a character did something funny and ridiculous,and they saw a small grin forming on his lips.It tugged their heart with a strange feeling,and they looked away a little to stare down on their lap.

Yes.he was definitely something worth continuing the fight for.Even if the future isn't looking very favorable for the both of them due to Yves' situation,things seemed to feel more bearable than when it was only them.They didn't know what will happen afterwards,but they do know one thing,as it was what kept them going back then,and will definitely do the same now.

Stay determined.That was the lesson they kept close to their heart.