Archive of Our Own ^beta

Albert really didn’t understand why he had to get married. Medda had already gotten Jack and Race married off, and Albert really didn’t see why he had to get married as well.

“Alliances.”

“So you can actually have a sex life for once.”

“For love, you nitwits.”

Of course his brothers were no help. Jack, the hopeless romantic. Race, the idiot. And Crutchie, who, like always, had the most reasonable answer.

“We’ve already got alliances with the Conlons and the Pulitzers, though. And why can’t she marry Crutchie off instead? He’s the older one!” Al exclaimed, flopping dramatically onto his bed.

“Because Crutchie’s supposed to be the Royal Wizard, dumbass.” Race said, for his place at the windowsill.

“Anyway,” Jack said. “You shouldn’t worry. I bet Medda’ll let you stay single, if you don’t even become friends with whoever gets to marry your ugly mug.”

Albert threw a pillow at him.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“None of them are hot,” Albert declared as he entered the room.

“What about personality?” Race demanded.

“Every single one of them has a personality that’s equivalent to a dead fish’s.”

“Oh, yiiikes.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Albert,” Medda hissed.

Albert jolted out of his thoughts. “Yeah?”

“Our next suitor is Prince Finch Cortes.”

“Which one is he again?” Albert tried to place the name to the pictures of the suitors he had seen the day before. Nothing came up.

“You’ll see soon.”

At that moment, Davey walked in. “Your highnesses, Prince Finch Cortes.”

A boy walked in behind Davey, and Albert’s heart leapt in his throat.

Finch was unbelievably gorgeous. A silver crown was perched atop his brown curls. As he got closer, Albert noticed that his eyes were the same brown as his hair.

“Albert,” Medda hissed.

“Huh?” Albert jolted out of his daze.

“Prince Finch, this is my slightly absent-minded son. Albert, say hello.”

“Um, hi?”

Finch smiled slightly. “Hello.”

Albert’s face was as red as his hair just from that simple word.

Medda cleared her throat, smirking. “I’ll leave you two to get to know each other.” She got up and left the room, Davey leaving with her.

“So…” Finch started. “We’re supposed to get married.”

Albert had regained some of his normal swagger by then. “I mean, you’re hot enough that I don’t mind.”

At that statement, Finch’s face flushed a very pretty shade of pink. Albert decided he’d like to make Finch blush like that much more.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Guys, I think I’m in love.”

“Ooh, spill the tea sis!” Race giggled like a little kid at the prospect of getting involved in Albert’s love life.

“The new suitor’s hot. And he’s smart, and funny, and kind, and-”

“Are you gonna marry him?” Jack asked.

Race smacked Jack with a pillow. “It’s an arranged marriage dumbass!”

“I know that! But Medda gives us a refusal option, Al could refuse if he wanted!”

“Al ain’t gonna refuse though. Right Albert?”

“I mean, I’ll refuse if he turns out to be a dick, but I’d happily marry him if he’s like what I’ve seen of him so far.” Albert said.

Race grinned like an absolute idiot. “My baby brother’s growing up!”

“Shut up.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

After three months, Albert was certain he was in love with Finch. He wasn’t sure how to take things to the next level, though. Neither of them had ever dated someone before, and Albert knew if they started dating and word got out to the public, they’d be forced to get married immediately.

Finch had an easy charm that endeared him to all of Albert’s brothers. Race and Finch had formed an easy camadrie, frequently having good-natured arguments over petty things. Crutchie and Finch bonded over a shared love of animals, and Jack was absolutely delighted when he found out Finch had been to Santa Fe. Of course, then he pestered Finch constantly with questions about Santa Fe. Was it pretty? Was it sunny? Was the moon as big and golden as Jack had heard?

As for the people who married into the family, Katherine and Finch hit it off immediately. Combined with Spot, the three of them gave Albert, Race, and Jack a run for their money on April Fool’s Day.

As for Medda, she had already welcomed Finch into the family, whether he and Albert got married or not.

Unfortunately, if he wanted Finch and him to actually be a couple, he’d have to talk to Finch about his feelings.

Albert hated talking about feelings.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“So, remember how we talked about the fact that we’re supposed to get married?”

“Yeah, why?” Finch was perched on Albert’s desk, as Albert sat cross-legged on his bed.

“Do you want to get married? Like, we’re supposed to…but do you want to?”

Finch looked at Albert oddly. “You realize I have a crush on you, right?”

“Wait what?”

“I have a crush on you.”

“Oh-” Albert felt his face heating up.

Finch quickly got to his feet. “I shouldn’t have said that.” He quickly turned and headed towards the door.

“Wait!” Albert was on his feet before he realized what he was doing, striding across the room. He grabbed Finch’s wrist, pulling Finch around to face Albert.

Then his lips were on Finch’s and he was kissing Finch. And Finch was kissing him back, and pretty soon both of them were smiling too hard to properly kiss.

Albert pulled back, gazing up at Finch. “So do you want to marry me?”

Finch burst out laughing. “Yes,” he gasped out. “Yes.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“So, what do you two think? Are you guys willing to get engaged?” Medda smiled at the two of them.

“I’d like to.” Albert glanced at Finch. “You?”

Finch grinned. “Ditto.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Albert wiped his hands on his pants for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“You’ll be fine.” Jack reassured him. “Just stay calm.”

“But what if I forget my vows?”

“Calm down, Albert.” Race grinned. “Besides, if Jackie here can remember his vows, then you definitely can.”

“Hey!” Jack tackled Race in mock outrage.

Crutchie hobbled over to sit next to Al. “Ignore them. You’re going to do great.”

Albert smiled at Crutchie gratefully.

Medda poked her head in the room. “Albert? It’s time.”

Albert shakily got to his feet, following Medda out the door and into the gardens.

There were a staggering amount of people in the gardens. Just seeing them made Albert dizzy. Then Finch came out, and Albert’s head immediately cleared.

The minister droned on and on, finally coming to the vows part. Finch would go first.

Finch cleared his throat. “Albert DaSilva, when I came here, I never expected to fall in love. I thought I’d come here, find some boring dude, call off the deal, and leave. But instead I found you, and decided to stay long enough to fall in love with you. I never expected any of this to happen. Didn’t expect to become friends with your brothers, to become friends with you. I definitely didn’t expect to become comfortable enough to play pranks on you on April Fool’s Day. But I did, and I couldn’t be happier.”

“I have to say, I also did not expect to fall in love with you. I thought you’d likely have the same personality as the others; that of a dead fish. And I remember, I was incredibly bored at the start of our first meeting, when it was just you and my mom talking. Then you made an actual joke, and I was so surprised. Suffice to say, from then on I just got more impressed with you. And somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you.”

The minister cleared his throat for what had to be the dozenth time. “Finch Cortes, do you take Albert DaSilva to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Albert DaSilva, take Finch Cortes to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Albert’s heart was overflowing with joy. “I do.”

“Then I pronounce you husbands. You may kiss.”

A beaming smile lit up Finch’s face as he leaned forward to press their lips together.

Albert could hear Jack and Race wolf-whistling, and Crutchie cheering. He drew back, gazing up at Finch.

Finch beamed at him. “We’re married, Albie.”

“We’re married,” Albert echoed. “We’re married.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Albert’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. He was married to Finch. Finch was his husband. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of saying that word.

“Thinking hard?”

He grinned at Finch. “Just happy.”

Finch smiled at him, gesturing towards the dance floor. “May I have this dance?”

Albert took Finch’s offered hand. “You may.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Finch seemed to glow in the moonlight, the soft silver washing over his face. It suited him.

Albert propped himself up on one arm, studying Finch’s features. Little things he hadn’t noticed before. He had a pale, jagged scar on his shoulder. Albert wondered how he got it.

As Albert watched him, Finch rolled over in his sleep, tossing one arm over Albert’s waist.

Albert simply smiled and closed his eyes, soon slipping into slumber.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Albert woke up the next morning in Finch’s embrace, the sunlight washing over both of them.

He’d never been happier.