The Sun Also Rises

It had been Sebastian's assurance that he had, in fact, so brought a rock with which he intended to present him on Christmas day that had resulted in Dorian finding himself wakeful for at least a half hour longer then he had intended. A rock was an entirely unexpected gift. Dorian unsure as to whether his lover was merely seeking to tease him for so attempting to discover his gift else this was some sort of English tradition. Either way the Fae King found himself utterly unable to query it further. Once Sebastian had fallen into that vampiric sleep, waking him was near impossible, Dorian left to wonder of it in silence now before, at last, rolling onto his own side and against his lover to sleep. Exhaustion, after all, had a way of so pulling one under and into sleep even when their minds were full of curiosity. It was an utterly deep sleep in which he found himself, Dorian so entirely exhausted even dreams hardly found him here, the man failing to stir even once during those daylight hours. It was not until perhaps an hour from sunset that the Fae King found himself awake, those slowly fading rays of light illuminating those curtains that kept such sun at bay, assuring him of the time even without a clock present. His form shifted, entirely intending to snuggle back into those sheets and back against Sebastian to return to another hour of sleep in the least before his lover woke. Yet- how curious his mind still was, now that it was awake enough to remember to be curious, of that gift the vampire had so told him he had. It was with a diligent care all the same that Dorian slid silently from their shared bed, pausing briefly to find himself jeans and a clean shirt once more, pulling them on and over his form lest he terrify Elizabeth or Giles Wife. It is in a surprising show of something almost akin to boyishness however that sees him leave his feet bare and hair thoroughly uncombed, Dorian slipping silently out from that bedroom and back into the library before heading for those main stairs that lead down to that large Christmas tree and tapestry room.

He had never, in all his life, so snuck down to a Christmas tree as millions of children surely had. After all, his own childhood, well certainly containing Christmas trees, had never held the sort of tree that had actual gifts beneath it. It was childish surely and yet a part of him with almost inclined to an excitement of sorts at the very prospect of merely this alone. The lower part of the house was blissfully warm, that fire well ablaze, Dorian assured he could merely peek at that tree and those gifts and return to bed well before anyone was given to see him. A simper he can hardly help so adorns his features at the sight of those neatly wrapped boxes, arms folding behind him as he was want to do, Dorian circling that tree in its entirety. How splendid it was! How even the mere sight of something so simple might cause a flutter of sorts within his chest, the Monarch so finding himself ensnared with an emotion he is not entirely sure how to label as he so dared to see if, perhaps, even one gift beneath that tree might truly be for him. It was frivolous of him he was sure. After all he had spent a lifetime as a Prince and later a King, surely he wanted for nothing as his Father so often said. Ferdinand so declaring that Christmas was entirely for religious observance alone and not for gifts they had no need, to want after such a thing was nothing short of sinful and how Dorian had berated himself for it! Yet, even that had so ceased to stop that desire that even once, someone, anyone, might be inclined to give him something on Christmas day. What it was hardly mattered. Dorian simply longing to be a part of just this very celebration as he never had before. His very breath catching within his throat at the sight of at least one package beneath that tree labelled for him. Just for him!

It is with an almost delicate care and something akin to disbelief that the Fae so moves to pick up that box within his hands. The very first Christmas Gift he had ever had! Dorian so desperately attempting to keep back the tears that threatened to well within his gaze lest anyone see him acting so entirely childish and improper as he turned that box about, daring even, to shake it just slightly. It didn't sound like a rock and yet were it to prove to be just that the man is assured he should treasure it anyway. The sudden sound of his own name readily sees the man replace that box beneath the tree, one hand reaching to rub at his eyes as if he merely sought to wipe the sleep from them, his other hand so attempting to fix his hair as he turned to find Giles wife situated behind him. The woman looking almost worried before asking him if he was quite alright. His assurance that he was hardly seemed to have convinced her, Dorian so eyeing the flour on her apron and the wooden spoon within her hand. The woman evidently having been within the middle of baking something which he hardly desired to keep her from and yet-.

"What will we do this evening?"

The question had so evidently caught the woman off guard, confusion touching her features a moment before asking him just what he meant, Dorian so attempting to explain once more that he was merely curious as to just what they would do this evening and in what order they might do them. The woman smiling readily now before assuring him there would be a Mass within that little church before everyone would surely return here to sit about the tree and hand out gifts before a dinner with all the right foods and an evening walk about the gardens. How thrilled she was too, to have Sebastian home for such an event and too himself and yet really Sebastian should have told him just how the evening would go, not that she was surprised he hadn't, he was a hopeless boy sometimes. Dorians features so daring to shift into a simper of sorts at just this, the man struck once more at the affection she so seemed to hold for the vampire. Dorian pausing for a moment before asking whether or not it was, in fact, customary to gift people with rocks in the English culture.

If the woman's features had appeared confused before then they were surely doubly so now. The woman waving her spoon about as if she might threaten to strike Sebastian with it for telling him such a thing before asking just how things were done in the Italian fashion. Dorian so assuring her that within his time it had been, for him at least, quite the uneventful affair. There had been decoration and food and yet it had been, for the most part a religious event. Women, it would seem, were strikingly observant creatures- that Dorian had, never before, had a real Christmas becoming plain to her within moments. The Monarch so having prevented telling Sebastian just that if only for the assurance the vampire would surely fuss. Dorian assured his lover had done more than enough as it was in so bringing them here at all without having to worry about this being his first. The sudden embrace within which he found himself was nothing short of shocking. Dorian tensing near immediately as he was pulled into that hug if only for how....unusual it was. The Monarch entirely unsure as to how best to react to such a gesture as this. The woman hardly seeming to notice before she turned to hurry off and up the stairs.

It was within that silence once more that Dorian so returned his attention to that glorious tree, one finger reaching out to trace the surface of a shining decoration, silver gaze flicking yet again to those gifts beneath and too that crackling fire and falling snow outside. That strange swell of emotion lingering within him once more before a far softer set of footsteps became readily apparent, Dorian entirely aware of just whom this was without needing to turn.

"Secrets, it would seem Mon Cher, do not stay as such for very long in this house."

There is little save for amusement in his voice, Dorian allowing his gaze to flicker at last to his lover- the Fae King somewhat relieved to see Sebastian had not been struck with a wooden spoon despite the woman's threats to do just that. Dorian entirely aware she had told Sebastian all the same, hoping indeed the man was not cross with him for so having not told him the truth of this Christmas. His own lyrics soft now, fingers still teasing with that decoration.

"I didn't want you to go to any trouble, you had done more than enough and I simply wished to see how a real Christmas might be without any worry to make it special. It is entirely special just as it is. I've never even had a gift before you see....I didn't open anything though. I simply....perused."

Ah, but how that near sheepish look had found its way onto his features now!

Dorian Aragona