The Sun Also Rises

It is his mention of his own inexperience in the use of wine for the purpose of cooking that seems to draw his lovers attention, that query upon Sebastian's lips seeing the softest of simpers tug at Dorian's own in turn before his head simply shook. The wine of his own time, after all, had been decidedly less complex than those that had been presented to him during his time in this city. Italy was and indeed, always had been, so famed for its wines and yet even then, those he had once partaken off were a poor cousin to the robust flavours and myriad of choices wine seemed to have now. One, in the least, would surely not have considered cooking with it. Yet this is hardly the only reason Dorian might offer such ignorance upon the topic, that simper still upon his lips as he so regarded his lover once more.

"Do you recall that evening we spent at those markets and we partook of the food of your country, those fish and chips? Prior to you offering such food to myself I had not eaten in, oh, at least several hundred years. The wine of my time was not as the wine now and yet even if one had considered to cook with it in all that time I remained in Naples I surely would not have tried it because I simply do not eat. Fae do not actually have to eat, as I am sure you have noted, though many do- especially if they were born human originally- because it is more comfortable to do so I suppose."

His own shoulders shrugged ever so slightly, Dorian so rarely given to afford any discussion upon his own species and yet it is that very obscurity of species that so seems to turn within his thoughts. His ever curious mind finding a ready fascination with this notion of blood, be it animal or of the human persuasion and whether or not such difference might hold any true significance to his vampiric companion outside of that mere difference in taste. The dish Sebastian had selected certainly sounded appealing all the same, the mention of the dessert he had chosen too so seeing the softest of chuckles hum within the Monarchs throat at his consorts thoroughness in this. Dorian taking but a moment now to turn his own attention to those listed desserts before placing the menu on the table before him, his features frowning softly in consideration of just those questions that had turned earlier within his mind. It is a subject broached with at least some amount of care, Dorian unsure as to the perhaps improperness of it, the Fae King entirely willing to allow such queries to go unanswered should Sebastian find distaste in such a topic and yet the ready shake of his lovers head at that apology readily assuages any such concerns. Dorian perhaps, one of those decided few whom saw little concern in so discussing such things. After all, blood, in any sense, hardly concerned him. It was what it was. The vampire's assurance that his own was by far superior readily seeing that simper of pleasure return to his lips.

"I find it pleasing that I should appeal to your tastes."

He chuckles softly once more at the absurdity of it. After all it was silly perhaps, just how pleasing it was to so be assured he might be his companions favoured of tastes. It was, nevertheless, important- somehow. Dorian so finding himself wholly satisfied with this before he is given to consider this notion of animal blood and whether or not it might fully sustain a vampire. That such a thing, among vampire in the least, might be considered something of a social ineptitude however had hardly been considered, a look of surprise so touching his features before the waiter arrived. Dorian reaching for that glass of wine, Sebastian seeming to assess his own with dutiful care in the interim. The Monarch's thoughts taken in that moment by his own realisation that of all that surrounded them, decidedly few couples were comprised of two vampires, his curiosity once more seeming to press at the forefront of his mind, his query voiced but a moment later. He had considered perhaps, those benefits Sebastian listed to a relationship that involved but one vampiric partner and yet it is the notion of two vampires that was of decided newness to him. Dorian never before having thought upon such an idea with any true depth and yet how logical it was when so presented to him in such a fashion! To hunt and feed together was, surely, the benefit of a vampiric partner, such meals shared together with frequency surely, understanding so seeming to dawn upon his own features.

"Ah but of course! This is very logical, I did not consider this. Though I wonder still- do vampires ever feed from their own kind or is this too so considered a breach of your custom as with the animal blood?"

How his own curiosity so readily seemed to blossom when allowed to do so! It was displeasing perhaps, if only in the smallest of ways, that he might so deny Sebastian that thrill of any hunt and subsequent feeding with a companion if only by way of his own distinctly non-vampiric design and too- that the man might be forced to hold back in some activities. Yet, truly, Dorian felt little insecurity over such things, after all, he was assured, entirely so- of what they had. Some things simply did not matter. It is the subsequent arrival of dinner that sees the silver of his gaze turn from his lover to focus instead upon the duck placed before him, the presentation of such a meal seeing both eyes widen in momentary surprise and yet awe nonetheless, a simper returning to his lips as he reached for his cutlery. That duck meat parts with distinct ease beneath his knife, Dorian so eyeing it critically a moment before lifting that first piece to his lips, that spiced wine sauce adding the most unusual and yet pleasing of flavours!

"We have decided we like wine in cooking."

His attention turns briefly to Sebastian's own meal, eyeing it was a ready curiosity now, the dish hardly looking as if it was so comprised of blood in any real fashion and yet the Fae so suspected it had been layered within- the man watching his companion for several moments, curious as to how the vampire might find the taste. His attention returning again to his own meal, Dorian taking the time to run that slice of duck though that sauce before bringing it to his lips. It had been far, far too long since he had recalled this taste.

"Bastian."

He pauses only so long as it takes the vampire to finish his bite, his silver gaze lifted to the navy hue of his lovers own.

"When it is so next month that we travel to your England, might it be possible, before we return here, that we might somehow go to Italy? I should like to show to you my home and yet too I think perhaps I have been away so long that I worry for my Palaces and the state of my affairs. I should like to check on them in the least- if that might be possible?"

Just how they were to get to England to begin with was a mystery to him and yet surely if Sebastian held this capability it was possible to travel that far shorter distance to Italy?

"I think too we must speak of Christmas, the giving of gifts is not done in my country until the seventh day in January- is this too the custom in your country? I should like to do things in the English fashion, if that is where we are to be this year."

It would, after all, be terribly improper to present the vampire with a Christmas gift on the wrong day, Dorian wholly determined to be correct in this. A simper teasing at his lips once more at this mention of 'this year'. After all, had they not an eternity to spend a plethora of Christmases anywhere they desired?

Dorian Aragona