The Wings of a Butterfly

.:19:.

“What will we wear, the first hours of our arrival?” In his mind, Frederick had already arrived in the 21st century. “Will we order your fashion in advance, or have you prepared the house?”

“No, and no,” Julian said. “When we go through, we’ll be wearing what we are wearing now. We can ask someone to deliver us clothes at the mansion. What will you tell your family and friends…?”

“I have been pondering about that,” Frederick said. “I imagine I will tell them we are going on a long travel abroad. We can always come back, can we not?”

“If all goes well, then yes,” Julian nodded. “Greg will go first, just in case something damages in the 21st century. I believe Simon will go last.”

“Simon is very quiet and saddened, lately…”

“You noticed that too? I thought it was my imagination. I have no idea what’s wrong with him. All I know is that he visits London every weekend, and he’s more and more sad every time he comes home.”

Frederick’s eyes grew wide. “Do you think he has a sweetheart in the city?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me. If he has, I wonder if he has met a lady or a man…”

“We should ask him when he comes back. Perhaps we can help him?”

Simon could do with some mental support, but he never asked for it. He just arrived on the square again, and stepped out of the coach. Charles was waiting for him.

“Love,” Charles said quietly, beaming happily. “I could barely wait.”

Surprised, Simon smiled a bit. “I can see that,” he murmured. “Don’t you want to go to your home?” Charles often took him to his workshop, to see what he was making. Or better, what he had ordered his workmen to make, because he only made the better parts.

“Oh, aye, I wish to go home, my love. I have a gift for you. Come quick.”

“A gift?” Simon followed Charles through the streets, walking fast to keep up. Once in the man’s quarters, he repeated his question. “What gift…?”

“This gift.” Charles took a box from a cabinet, and sat close against Simon on his sofa.

At first, Simon didn’t want to open it. It was a flat box, and rather heavy. At least it would be no ring. As Charles urged him to take a look, he lifted the lid.
It was no ring. Still, it was just as special.

“A chain watch…” Simon whispered, staring at the golden case. “You had it engraved…”

It said, ‘S., my sweetest angel, my love, mine for eternity, Ch.’

Simon had felt like crying for weeks, but had been able to keep control. Now, he lost it. Tears ran down his cheeks, and his hands trembled as he took the watch out of the box. “Yours for eternity,” he sobbed. “Oh, Charles…”

The furniture maker was startled. “These are not tears of joy,” he said, quickly pulling Simon close against his chest. “My love… what are these tears? Do you not love me also?”

“I love you!” Simon cried out. He clung to the stronger man, desperately gasping for air. “I do love you… I want to be yours. But I can’t!”

Making soothing sounds, Charles didn’t try to understand all his lover said. He rocked him, caressing his hair and back, tenderly mumbling sweet words until Simon stopped sobbing. “My sweet… Now tell me; why can you not stay with me?”

Simon couldn’t care anymore. His heart was broken already; it couldn’t get any worse. “I’m not from here. I’m not from this time! I invented a time machine, and I come from a different century…”

Charles’ first reaction, after a brief silence, was a snort. “A different century? Do you mean the past or the future, Simon?”

“The future.” He didn’t look up. “Please, believe me… It’s the only reason why I can’t be with you, and I want to. I so want to be with you, Charles…”

Being silent for a moment, Charles gave it some thought. “Why can’t you be with me?” he then asked. “You are here now. You could stay. I want you to stay, Simon.”

“But we’ll go back soon… Everyone will go back. It’s just that…” Simon sighed, trembling. “I miss my stuff, Charles. I miss my computers, my car, my family… I miss my freedom and my house…” He pulled his arms a bit tighter. “But I will miss you even more, and I don’t know what to do!”

Still holding him between his arms, Charles was quiet again. He leaned with his cheek against Simon’s hair, staring at the distance. Idly, he stroked the man’s neck with his fingers.

Again, Simon calmed down. He took his glasses off his nose, and dropped it carelessly on a table nearby, but he didn’t leave the other’s arms. “I come from the 21st century,” he said quietly. “My friend Greg and I created a machine to travel through time, using wormholes. Time is like a spiral, and we found a way to jump a few curves down, so to speak. We came here to make the way back, so we will be able to travel up and down…”

Charles was an intelligent man, with enough imagination to see what Simon meant. “How many people of your time have come here?” he asked quietly.

Simon finally drew back, but he still leaned against Charles. “Greg, Julian and I. Julian fell in love with a nobleman in this century. He will take him back to our time.”

“What do you mean?” Charles asked. “Your friend Julian will take someone from this era, to yours?”

“Yes,” Simon nodded. As he was short-sighted, he didn’t see the man’s face sharply. “Maybe it’s only temporarily, like a vacation, but he’ll go home with Julian.”

“I understand,” Charles said, even quieter. “And can you explain to me why you cannot be with me?”

“Because I… I…” Simon’s voice faded off. “Because I don’t belong here…?”

“You belong with me,” the man stated firmly. “We should be together, always.” He tapped the golden watch between Simon’s hands. “Yours for eternity, my love… And you travel through time. What better can it be, to stay together for centuries?”

It dazzled Simon a bit. He squinted as he looked at Charles, trying to determine if the man meant what he said, and if he understood it correctly. “Do you mean you want to come with me to the future?”

Charles rolled his eyes, and threw his hands in the air. “Simon!” he said accusingly. “How can you even ask me such a question? I love you! You are the best, the sweetest, and the dearest of my life. Yes, I want to come with you. I will happily leave my life behind, and start anew, if it means I can be with you.”

In a matter of seconds, Simon saw happiness, but also a lot of problems in his mind. It took his breath away. Frederick had prepared himself for life in the 21st century. Charles knew absolutely nothing. “You have no idea what you’re saying,” he said breathlessly. “You don’t know what life is like, in my time!” He was at the edge of a panic attack. Of course, he was more than delighted with the idea of taking Charles with him. But he saw so many problems… Not just with the man’s ability to adapt to modern life. Gay men were much more handsome, in the 21st century, and most were very openly gay. What if he lost Charles?

“Do not weep again, Simon, please?” Charles pulled him against his shoulder, looking at him from close by. “You seem gravely concerned, my love… I am certain you will introduce me to your life in your time. You will take care of me, will you not? And do you not need furniture in your time?”

“Yes. Yes, I will, and we do, yes.” Simon nodded, but not to fast. He felt dizzy. “I would be very happy to take you with me, I swear…”

“Excellent. I will come home with you when you leave my house. My personnel is working on the biggest of orders, and they can work without my supervision for a while. It will give me the opportunity to be with you for a while. Maybe I will enjoy your time, my sweet…”

“Perhaps I should tell you a little about it, then…” But Charles pressed a finger against his lips.

“I will enjoy the surprises, I am sure. Now, smile at me, my love.”

Simon wasn’t so sure at all, but he didn’t protest. He tried to smile convincingly. “Thank you for your present, Charlie,” he said softly. “Yours for eternity.”

Charles laughed. “I did not foresee what it would bring us. I could not have chosen better words, I believe.” He kissed him lovingly. “Yours for centuries to come, Simon.”

“Two and a half, at least,” Simon nodded. This time, his smile was genuine. “And I hope for many years to come.”