Happy Birthday, Nate
Relationship: Nate Kulina & Jay Kulina, Nate Kulina & Lisa Prince
Rating: General audiences.
Warning: Use of "faggot" once
Summary: Nate celebrates his birthday with Jay, Lisa, and his younger brother, Shayne.
Author's Note: This is an AU where Lisa doesn't lose the baby and Nate doesn't die. Shayne is the Kulina/Prince baby - named after Shane Gray and Shayne Topp. Luke is a completely original character and is Nate's love interest in this AU I have created. Depending on the reception of this, I might post more from this AU.
Words: 1,626
March 15. Nate’s birthday. Jay and Shayne crept into his room. Jay tossed him on th bed, startling Nate awake.
“Wha-” Nate rolled over to see his little brother. “What are you doing in here?” He asked.
“Happy birthday!” Shayne threw his hands up in the air.
“You couldn’t wait til I was awake?” Nate asked, slightly annoyed.
“He wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday,” Jay explained.
“Thanks, bud.” Nate rustled Shayne’s hair, before playfully pushing his head, making him fall backward on the bed.
“Hey!” Shayne giggled. Nate rolled over, hoping to fall back asleep. “Mama’s making breakfast!”
“Yeah, so get your ass up.” Jay pulled the pillow under Nate’s head, making him groan.
“Can’t a guy sleep in on his birthday?” Nate asked, looking at Jay.
“No.” Shayne giggled.
“It’s almost eleven. We did let you sleep in. Come on.” Jay grabbed Shayne and pulled the cover off of Nate. “Happy birthday. If you’re not in the kitchen in ten, I’ll be the one jumping on top of you,” Jay warned, carrying Shayne under his arm into the kitchen where Lisa was making breakfast.
“I told you guys not to bother him.”
“You’d let him miss breakfast on his birthday?” Jay asked. “How cruel.”
“Yeah, how cruel,” Shayne repeated. Jay high-fived his baby brother.
“I need to stop letting you two spend so much time together. He’s becoming your mini-me.” Lisa teased. The decision to move to the East Coast was an easy one when Lisa got the job offer. There wasn’t much left for her in Venice after Alvey refused to meet her demands for being in Shayne’s life. Then when Jay and Nate had decided to come along for the cross-country move and help her with Shayne as they had since he was born, she found it impossible to turn them down. Shayne loved following his brothers around and they adored him. While their family dynamic was far from conventional, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You hear that, Shay? Your mom doesn’t want us to hang out anymore.”
“Why?” Shayne asked.
“It’s too early for this,” Lisa replied. Nate walked into the kitchen. “Happy birthday!”
“Thanks, Lisa.” He smiled.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop those two from waking you up. Trust me, I tried.” She told him.
“It’s okay.” Nate sat at the kitchen table, going through and responding to the birthday messages. Opening Alvey’s, he scoffed, turning his phone to show Jay.
Alvey: happy birthday
“Can’t believe he remembered this year.” Jay laughed dryly.
“What?” Lisa asked.
“Alvey actually wished him a happy birthday this year,” Jay reported.
“Wow.”
“He’s making an effort,” Nate replied, deleting the message. Nate still acknowledged that Alvey was his father who did his best when Christina walked out. But Nate’s relationship with his dad ended the night he came out and Alvey called him a faggot. No apology was ever given.
“So what are you doing? Did you make any plans with friends? Or Luke?” Lisa asked.
“I don’t have any plans. I was going to just sleep in and work on the pieces for the show next week,” Nate explained. He quit fighting and took up painting. Christina’s art skills turned out to rub off on him. Having been invited to show his work at various galleries and art shows. Selling his art didn’t pay as much as fighting did, but he enjoyed it more. He didn’t feel like he had anything to prove anymore. “And then dinner with you guys like we planned.”
“Did you invite Luke to dinner?” Lisa asked.
“No. Why would I? It’s a family dinner.”
“You’re allowed to invite your boyfriend to your birthday dinner.” She told him.
“Luke’s not my boyfriend.”
“I beg to differ,” Jay looked at Nate.
“And how would you know?” Nate asked. “We’re just- talking. It’s nothing serious. If it’s not serious he doesn’t need to come to a family dinner even if it’s my birthday. What about you? Did you invite Zach?” Lisa narrowed her eyes at him. “Exactly.”
“I don’t know about you, Shay, but I actually like Zach and Luke. Maybe we should invite them to dinner.” Jay teased. Shayne nodded in response.
“No!” Nate and Lisa both said at the same time. Shayne giggled.
“We seem to have hit a nerve.” Jay looked at Shayne who smiled.
“Luke always has Legos.” Shayne pointed out.
“Can you pick up the cake before dinner?” Lisa asked, Jay. “I’ll be in Connecticut for a few hours.”
“For what?” Nate asked. “It’s the weekend.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Lisa told him. “Jay?”
“I know you think I’m irresponsible, but I do have my shit together seventy percent of the time, right, Shay?” Jay winked at his brother.
“Jay has his shit together,” Shayne assured his mom. Nate chuckled.
“You can’t say that. Remember? That’s a grown-up word.” Lisa looked at Shayne.
“Sorry!” He covered his mouth with his hand.
“Don’t worry. I will pick up the cake. You want to come with me to get the cake?” Jay asked Shayne who nodded.
Nate sat on the tarp in his studio. When they moved into the house, they converted the garage into his studio with some rogue workout equipment. His phone rang. It was Christina. Wiping his hands on his pants, he answered.
“Hello?”
“Happy birthday to you.” She began singing off-key, making him smile. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Nathaniel. Happy birthday to you.”
“Thanks, mom.”
“How are you?” She asked.
“I’m alright.” He replied. His relationship with her wasn’t the best, but it had gotten better in the last few years. “How are you?’
“I’m good. It’s good to hear your voice. I miss you. Are you planning on making a trip to visit? Maybe in the summer.” She suggested.
“Jay and I talked about it, but- there’s so much going on here.”
“Jay sent me some photos of your work last week. I’d love to see you in person.”
“You could always come to New York.” He told her. “I’ve got another art show next week.”
“That’s exciting! Maybe I will have to take a trip to go see you. How’s Lisa and the baby?”
“They’re good. Shay’s not a baby anymore. He’s getting huge. Sometimes he’ll come into the studio and paint with me,” Nate explained, looking up at the painting Shayne made that they had hung up.
“Aw. That’s adorable. He wants to be just like his big brother.”
“Yeah. He’s great.”
“I’m glad everyone is doing well. I miss you and your brother. Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday, but I’m sure you’ve got a packed day with celebrations and you’ve got things to do. So I’ll let you get back to it. I love you.”
“Love you too. Thanks for the call, mom. Bye.” Nate hung up and stood up. Checking the time, he figured he’d better clean up before dinner.
After dinner, Jay brought the cake to the table. It was decorated with Van Gogh’s Starry Night in frosting.
“Wow.” Nate couldn’t hide the smile on his face. “You went all out.”
“Wanted the best for our little Van Gogh,” Jay explained.
“I am nowhere close to Van Gogh, but I appreciate it. Thank you.”
“It was Shayne’s idea because of that Lego set you guys put together,” Lisa explained, putting candles on the cake.
“Oh, really?” Nate looked at Shane who nodded. “Thanks, bud.” Just as Jay was about to light the candles, the doorbell rang.
“Who’s that?” Lisa asked.
“Who knows?” Nate asked, opening the Ring camera on his phone. It was Luke. “Uh- I’ll be right back.” Getting up from the table, he walked outside to meet Luke who held something behind his back. “Hey.”
“Hi. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks. What are you doing here?” Nate asked.
“I didn’t come to crash dinner. Don’t worry. I just wanted to give you your gift.” Luke told him, pulling a box of a Lego set from behind his back. “Figured since you and Shayne had a good time with Starry Night, I’d get you your next project. It’s The Great Wave by Hokusai.”
“Thanks. He’s going to love this. We’re both going to have a good time doing it.” Nate smiled, looking at the box. “They actually got me a cake with Starry Night on it because of the last set you got us. You know we’re about to cut the cake. Do you want to come inside?” Nate asked.
“No. It’s okay.” Luke understood Nate’s hesitation to bring him around his family.
“Come on. You came all this way. They got a cake for like twenty people, but it’s just the four of us.”
“Are you sure?” Luke asked.
“Yeah.” Nate welcomed him into the house. “We have a guest.” He announced, leading him to the dining table.
“Hey, Luke. What are you going here?” Lisa asked, giving Nate a look.
“Wanted to drop off Nate’s gift, but he said I could join you for cake if that’s alright with everyone.” Luke sat down cautiously next to Nate.
“Yeah! We have more than enough,” Jay replied.
“Look, what I got.” Nate showed Shayne the box.
“More Legos?”
“More Legos.” Nate laughed.
“Alright. Ii hope everyone has been practicing and has warmed up their voices.” Jay lit the candles.
“I thought you weren’t going to sing.” Nate looked at his brother.
“We don’t turn our backs on tradition, Nathaniel. You’re just going to have to suck it up.” Jay told him. They began singing excruciatingly, but Nate appreciated it. Not that he’d let them know that. After everything had happened, he was finally happy. The happiest he’d ever been. Surrounded by the people he loved most.
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Behind The Scenes...
Thebe Palace, Tartosa, 1:31pm
Part II
Jonas: Oh? Hello…?
???: Captain Julius Albrecht, Your Majesty, at your service.
Jonas: Albrecht… Oh! You’re Lord Grimwald’s son!
Capt. Julius: Yes, sir. May I present my younger sister, Lady Johanna Albrecht.
Jonas: Pleasure to meet you, Lady Johanna.
Johanna: The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty.
Jonas: Please, just Jonas is fine. May I introduce Princess Phoebe Kalogera.
Capt. Julius: Deposed Princess, I believe, Sir.
Phoebe: …
Jonas: Show some respect, Captain. This is her home you’re standing in. Just because we’ve taken power, doesn’t mean we have to be rude. Now why don’t you tell me what you’re both doing here?
Capt. Julius: We were sent here by order of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Victor. I’m to aid you in governing and paperwork, and my sister has come to keep you company.
Phoebe: (scoffs) What, like he’s a little boy who can’t make his own friends? I don’t think Jonas needs-
Capt. Julius: King Jonas, to you. You’d do well to remember your new place here.
Jonas: There’s no need-
Phoebe: -to say anything else. I’m out of here. Have fun with your Windenburg cronies.
(Phoebe walks away)
Capt. Julius: The insolence of that-
Jonas: Captain I hope I don’t have to keep reminding you of your manners.
Capt. Julius: … No, Sir.
Johanna: Your Majesty, would you mind giving me a tour of the palace? It’s so beautiful here…
(Daphne finally arrives)
Daphne: Woah, where’d all the blondes come from?
Phoebe: Jonas got a posse from Windenburg.
Daphne: Huh… And here I thought I would only have to fight you for his attention…
Phoebe: …
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KAS, I AM ON MY KNEES.
You can't just write about Siegenthischier royalty AU in your tags without continuing!!!
Okay so I did three of the things on my very lengthy to-do list and drank a cup of coffee and a litre of black tea so let’s do this
FIRST of all, fuck monarchies, there is no divine right of kings, second of all this is MY sexy imagine and EYE want to see Jonas in a crown.
So Jonas is a crown prince of a country in the style of Luxembourg with a constitutional monarch and representative democracy and the military of Switzerland. This is as much thought as I am willing to put into the politics of this post, thank you 🙏 He’s expected to take over as monarch after his grandpa dies — he’s one of only a few grandchildren but he’s the oldest and his parents died tragically, so it’s basically always been him. He bears it gracefully, always stays the course, never does anything to bring disgrace upon himself or his family, unlike his cousins. Basically perfect and everyone loves him and feels confident that their country will be fine with him, especially as his grandpa gets older and his health starts to fail.
Jonas does his required 2 year military service and then goes to Kings College London for his university education. He’s studying international relations and modern languages (I don’t know how bachelor’s degrees work in Europe so let’s just go with the idea that he is Smart and Studious) but takes philosophy classes when he can because he wants to. Everyone expects him to spend all his time partying with British royalty in London and like he’s supposed to be spending time in the UK to find a wife in one of the many royal branches, but he mostly keeps his head and sticks to hanging out with his classmates. He’s not big on partying or wild nights out at clubs, prefers a normal night out at a pub with classmates or going to football games with his friends. Again he is VERY aware of the pressure on him when he takes the throne in a couple years and he’s not interested in rocking the boat. Better him than any of his dipshit cousins, basically. He loves his country and he won’t fail his people.
ANYWAY, he goes out to a pub one time with some guys from one of his philosophy classes and they’re all complaining about the grades they got on their papers and arguing with Jonas because he got the highest marks despite not even being in the program, that’s so unfair!! And he agrees to buy them a round of drinks “to make up for being smarter than all of you” which no one takes gracefully, but they’re all laughing and it’s a good night out.
Goes up to the bar, it’s crowded. You see where this is going. Guy gets shoved into him, spills beer all over his shirt. It’s Nico. “Oh god,” says Nico. “I am so fucking sorry.”
Jonas isn’t even that bothered because he knows an opportunity to meet someone when he sees it and he’s, well. He’s not stupid. Nico’s cute and flustered and his eyes are very dark. He spends the next fifteen minutes chatting up Nico, who he leans very quickly is an absolute delight and VERY funny, until his classmates start hollering at him across the bar to hurry up with their drinks. Jonas buys the entire bar a round of shots and goes home with Nico.
AND THEN OF COURSE THEIR GREAT ROMANCE BEGINS. Nico is an international student at LSE getting a BSc in Politics and Economics so he can go home to Switzerland and work in the UN or in some related think tank – he did an internship over the summer with Economic and Social Council working on sustainable development in small rural communities in central Europe and he’s VERY excited about the future he’s creating for himself – working hard to help people, being involved in international politics, doing his best to help the world develop into its best self. Jonas finds out very quickly that Nico has SUCH a big heart – for his family and friends, but also his country, and for the world. Nico wants to help people! Jonas is unclear why he chose the UN if he wants to make an immediate difference int he world – Jonas’s country has had to work with UN and he knows how slowly the wheels of change turn. But he won’t crush Nico’s spirit for anything.
They fall in love so fast that it’s actively embarrassing for both of them but man, when you know, you know, right? They meet each other’s friends, they spend so much time together for the next three years. Nico knows who Jonas is bc a) politics nerd, b) hard to miss the bodyguard trailing them home that first night. Nico spends approximately five minutes being starstruck over it that first time and he gets over it because it’s Jonas.
They don’t spend summers together and they keep it pretty tightly wrapped because if they do get engaged and married, it’s going to be HUGE news for the monarchy when Jonas and Nico aren’t able to have children of their own. No one even knows Jonas is gay except his brother – and Nico. There are always rumors of course, but most people who pay attention to such things just think Jonas is probably secretly dating a Belgian princess. Jonas misses Nico so much during the summer though, beause Nico sends him updates all the time on what’s he’s doing, and meanwhile Jonas is doing royal stuff. Watching anxiously as his grandfather’s health declines. Meets heads of states who slyly introduce their daughters. Is forced to go to a dance class, which kills him, bc Nico is literally doing micro-economics stuff in Romania and having a blast and Jonas just wants to be with him so bad, anywhere in the world. He just wants to be at Nico’s side, always.
Their education is wrapping up, it’s a couple nights before graduation, and Jonas and Nico are MUST MAKE A DECISION. Do they stay together? Do they break up? They can’t keep it under wraps as easily once they graduate. It’ll be harder. Jonas will start taking a more active role in his country’s politics; Nico has multiple job offers lined up already. Jonas confesses to Nico how lonely he’s been growing up, how isolated he’s always felt being told he’ll be king, how empty the thought of being king is, how devoid of meaning his life feels as it rolls out in front of him, decades of isolation and loneliness like he felt growing up. He loves his country and his people and he knows they love him but – it’s a terrible thought to do it alone. He would like to be able to see Nico sometimes. He can’t face the rest of his life with nothing. It doesn’t have to be permanent, it doesn’t have to be big, but he doesn’t want to NOT be with Nico.
Nico’s like, okay! Let’s get married. Jonas is like, well that is not REALLY what I meant, but Nico’s already kissing him so okay, they’re getting married. Jonas calls his brother and is like, hey, I need dad’s ring. his brother, who knows all about Nico bc Jonas got extremely drunk last summer when they were at the lakehouse hiding from their cousins and told his brother all about Nico, just laughs. Sends an overnight courier with both their parents’ rings. Jonas gives his dad’s ring to Nico the next afternoon, who looks so happy he’ll burst.
They go out to a pub that night to spend some time with friends and maybe they’re a little too cosy because, hello, they just got engaged?? And the British tabloids, who always have a couple people trailing Jonas these days as he graduates, because they’ve figured out there is definitely SOMEONE in Jonas’s life, just have not figured out who, catch Jonas and Nico in a very quietly intimate moment through a window. Dig up as much info on Nico as they can. Publish it. The story explodes.
Jonas basically has to go IMMEDIATELY home, skip his graduation, and have a series of the worst conversations in the world with various royal advisors, various politicians, and, most awful of al, his grandfather, who is shattered that a) Jonas is gay (no heir) and b) Jonas didn’t TELL HIM he was gay so he couldn’t support him (he loves Jonas), and c) Jonas got engaged without even talking to him first (THEY ARE A ROYAL FAMILY.)
Meanwhile Nico graduates without Jonas in the crowd :( weh
Things are a liiiiiittle rocky for a couple weeks until Nico can make it to Made Up Not!Luxembourg for a press conference. Jonas is so glad to see him that he could collapse and they have the LONGEST hug in the airport that unfortunately so many airport employees take pictures of. But like it’s Jonas! The whole country loves Jonas! And all they know about Nico is what press offices have been able to dig up on him! And Nico seems like a nice guy, they think? He’s smart and he’s engaged in the world? Someone found a photo of him volunteering at a youth hockey camp in Switzerland and he looked like he was kind?
The press conference is extremely well attended not just by local press but by foreign press and Jonas is so glad he speaks so many languages and he considers it a blessing that Nico is Swiss and speaks three languages. It’s a mess. So many questions all at once. The media coordinator is hollering at them all to shut up. The whole thing is being livestreamed on local TV AND the internet. Who is Nico? Since when is Jonas gay? Why is he marrying someone who isn’t royal and isn’t from their country? Is his grandfather ashamed of his decision or his sexuality? What are Nico’s intentions for the crown? Do they think Nico is equipped to rule alongside Jonas.
“Nico will be a good leader for our people,” says Jonas, when the press relations people threaten to shut the entire conference down if people don’t give Jonas a chance to speak. “He has a degree in politics and economics from London School of Economics and has done extensive work with the United Nations.”
He takes Nico’s hand. The ring on Nico’s hand is very visible in the light of the cameras. Jonas is wearing a ring too – it’s much plainer than Nico’s, but it belonged to Nico’s grandfather. Nico gave it to him last night after they got back to the palace, when they got a quiet moment to themselves in between the chaos.
“And I love him very much,” Jonas says simply.
Nico smiles so brilliantly at him in that moment that no camera in the world can miss how much he loves Jonas. When Jonas looks back, the whole world sees the same.
FIN!!
I love them….
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