you were the answer to my dreams

There was something altogether serene about the comfort of the small space of the vehicle, the darkness within and the knowledge of their destination back to his childhood home. It brought with it a rush of exhaustion as the sun beat down on the darkened vehicle and though he knew well the rays of light could not touch him, the vampire was a peculiar mixture of exhaustion and anxiety. He preferred the safety of those bedrooms he saw were secured then such transitory spaces. Still, there was a measure of safety here, so nestled against the Italian King's form with Elizabeth and Charles in the front of the car. He trusted them to ensure he remained perfectly well. Still, the sound of Dorian's voice was enough to prompt his gaze to slowly rise to focus upon the man at his side. "Hm?" He inquired, noticing the way in which the fae's eyes were turned towards the window and slowly, his own blue gaze turned towards the cityscape that surrounded them. "Oh. It's snow." He commented, his voice laced with that lethargy as he settled back against the seat, still leaning against his King. "It's like.....rain...." He continued, his eyes fluttered close and yet, any further questions the man had on the ivory flakes were lost upon him as he dozed.

Thankfully, he was hardly the only soul so affected with the lengthy journey, in fact, it was within one of those few moments of half-wakefulness that Sebastian had noticed his lover too dozing within the warmth of that vehicle. The observation alone was enough to cause the smallest glimpse of a simper to cross his features. His lips brushed gingerly against Dorian's forehead before he nestled back within those seats, that simple moment somehow erasing his guilt at being so incapable of accompanying his companion the entirety of this trip. Regardless he was entirely determined to continue to fight that sleep, not wholly wanting to be lost to the sun's crushing, oppressive weight. Somewhere within that battle, however, the vampire had lost and, indeed, it wasn't until the sound of Elizabeth's voice that the Englishman found himself with any resemblance of wakefulness at all. His own dark cerulean gaze turned towards the windows with a hint of lingering excitement, those familiar sights once again reminding him of that nostalgic feeling of home.

It was the presence of that simple arch that brought that simper to his lips once again, his gaze falling with a dutiful appraisal upon that building that loomed ahead of them. How he had missed this place! How it had so called to him even whilst he was away! To return here simply felt right in the same way it always did every few years when he once again graced these halls. His dearly beloved Belton. Still, Sebastian hardly felt the need to comment as Elizabeth nearly abandoned the car in a sense of flurry, much less Charlie's own disappearance from the side of the vehicle. Instead, the vampire was content to momentarily turn his attention back to his lover. His fingers intertwined with Dorian's own as he slid out of the vehicle, the attentive vampire all too aware of that hint of hesitance that seemed to strike his lover. His eyebrow wrinkled momentarily and yet, Sebastian hardly recognized it was the snow that caused him such apprehension. His own fingers instead gingerly tightened briefly around Dorian's own, offering the King his best attempt at a reassuring squeeze before his attention was altogether stolen by an all too familiar voice.

His hand dropped from Dorian's before he turned with a grin on his features to the man who had so stayed at his side for the better party of forty years. "Giles!" He commented, so eagerly embracing his previous manservant before the man's inquiry turned to Dorian himself. The vampire's head bobbed, stepping back to his lover's side to so allow his head servant to introduce himself. He watched as Dorian stepped forward only to place a small velvet back within his servant's hand. Giles himself certainly looked surprised by the gesture, his gaze briefly shifting to Sebastian's own before back again. "Thank you, your majesty. We are delighted to have you." Giles responded with that measure of decorum his son was still working to achieve. That moment, however, was decidedly short lived before Giles' wife stepped to join the small congregation, "Sebastian!" She exclaimed as the vampire stepped forward to brush his lips against her cheeks in a far more customary greeting to his own culture. "When was the last time you ate? Have you slept recently?" The questions poured from her lips in a far more maternal gesture and for a brief moment, a glimpse of sheepishness crossed the Englishman's features. "Uhhh...." He muttered, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. "SEBASTIAN! You're going to die at this rate. Come along, let's get you both inside and warm." She commented, clearly willing to take control of the situation.

The vampire's head bobbed, hardly desiring to argue with her. After all, though he himself was hardly affected by the cold, he distinctly remembered the English countryside capable of being particularly bitter. "Charles! Bags!" He called over the shuffle, knowing well the younger man would hear him before, in turn, his attention shifted back towards his lover. "I'm sorry, it's been a few years since I've returned. They get...excited." He muttered softly to Dorian, a boyish grin still settled upon his features at the admittance. Still, he led Dorian with ease up the steps of the home and into the warm embrace of the Marble Hall. The large room itself was relatively empty, those checked black and white tiles beneath them shone, the walls were decorated with portraits of people of importance to his family and in the fireplace in the corner a warm fireplace glowed. The servants themselves were all too quick to disperse to their own portions of the house, leaving the vampire and his companion relatively to themselves. Here, however, it was only the large christmas tree in the center of the room that had so caught his attention, a entirely pleased glimpse crossing his features as he slowly moved around it to so appraise it. "She did well." He commented more to himself then his companion before gesturing for his lover to join him.

Sebastian moved from that hallway to the smaller accompanying room, this one intended quite clearly for the receiving of guests. The fireplace here too was roaring with life, those sofas and chairs surrounded it, basking in it's warmth. A dark brown piano was nestled in the corner of the room - the first of his line of 'Timothys'. It was here the Englishman quite literally collapsed upon the couch, a yawn still settled upon his lips as his attention turned fully to Dorian alone. "We've survived." He muttered with a teasing hint to his voice as he held out his hand, clearly requesting Dorian so joined him.

Sebastian Ellington