He was not particularly used to failing. Not in any sense. Dorian had, for the better part of several centuries, spent his life surrounded by those determined to see him succeed even if often only for their own benefits and yet, more than that- it was simply not in his nature to fail at anything. He had, in his younger years, so been subject to the taunt and tease of siblings as so many were. He had learned to lose, to be bested, to share and for those lessons alone he was perhaps grateful to his long-gone siblings. Yet, Kingship was another matter entirely. To fail at anything within a political sense held consequences that may well afflict his very country as a whole if not show some sort of weakness to those who would see him fail. There was, after all, always someone to benefit from his downfall just as there was someone to gain from his success and as such Dorian had simply learned not to fail or at least, not to appear as if he had. No matter the activity. Even something as simple as ice-skating. It held no political reason, no deeper meaning and yet he simply did not like to perform poorly in any sense. He was strong-willed by nature, determined, even reckless at times and yet beneath it all existed, perhaps, a simple desire to know just how far he might push himself along with that utterly irrevocable sense of fun that had forever underpinned his personality. He was, at heart, a decidedly good natured being even despite the worlds pressures upon him. It was that complex array of layers that so seemed to result in his love of this very challenge. Dorian determined to skate if only because he had not done it before, because it was something new to master, because he hated to fail and too- because it was a delightful thing to do even if he could do no more, yet, then stumble and shuffle about with that occasional glide.

Though how he marvelled at the way Sebastian moved! The vampire shifting to skate backwards as easily as he did forwards, his feet sliding atop that slick surface with the same fluid assurance as when he danced. Dorian almost envious in a sense, of just how easy the man so made it appear when it was surely anything but! Yet, too, he was hardly discouraged by his own progress. The Fae King having very near completed a half circle atop that frozen rink with Sebastian at his side. His form was still a little tense, his balance a little prone to wobble and yet considering he had spent the first five minutes of his skating lesson upon his back atop the ice this was, indeed, considerable progress and but a taste of what he might, one day, be capable off. That soft sound of Sebastian's laughter seeing his gaze glance upward, if only briefly, Dorian hardly willing to look away from the ice before him lest he become unbalanced again as Sebastian offered something of an explanation to his own skating skills. Glaciarium was a decidedly new word, one the Monarch found he quite liked the sound off, his head tilted quizzical at the mention of such a thing as this being a social event! How foolish his own court would have looked attempting to slip and slide about! His lip quirking just so at this touch of his imagination and yet too- he could well understand how such a thing as this, like a new show at a playhouse or composition by a composer, might so bring the masses in that flair of social and cultural celebration. What a pity it was, to have been closed and yet too- it so explained just how his lover had learned to skate as he did now, one eye raising just so. His words distinctly teasing.

"I should liked to have seen you fall, even just the once. Just so I might have laughed at the sight of you being anything less than graceful."

A chuckle of sorts finds his lips all the same, his mind content to think on just how Sebastian might look when sprawled across the ice as he himself had been. Dorian so very rarely ever afforded the sight of his lover moving in any fashion less than poised- save perhaps first thing in the evening when sleep still clung to him and his dirty blonde hair was worried and mused from his pillow and Dorian was quite sure he was gorgeous all the same if only for how utterly lost he often looked when trying to wake. Ah, but perhaps while he might never admit it, there was a delight all its own to those waking moments in which Sebastian so finally stirred and so often pulled him closer in that tangle of limbs and sleepy eyes and hair far too wild for the outside world to see. Those moments that were just for them. How he relished them, even if he had never said as such aloud. It is that mention then, of Sebastian so being a good boyfriend that softly passes his lips. Dorian assured the man was nothing but that for all the time and patience that had been required of him in so assuring Dorian's own happiness in so much these past weeks. Such words of gratitude however seemed to prompt a far greater concern within his lover then he had truly intended to afflict with that title. That subtle change within the vampires features and too- that thrum of his heart hardly missed and yet for now at least Dorian is content to allow it to pass. Perhaps he was simply not used to being appreciated in such a sense? The vampire prone to any number of worries and yet for tonight the Monarch was perhaps content to allow him one less.

Dorian so willingly permitting to that distraction of his offered hand and those teasing words. That question of trust was a simple one, there were few beings he trusted more and yet he knew well that impish grin the man wore. The Fae King so assured he might well regret the manner in which he placed his hand in his lovers own. That request not to lift his skates sees a frown touch his features once more, the man hardly afforded a moment to inquire as to why before Sebastian turned effortlessly backwards to grasp his other hand. He could do little else then, save for let the vampire pull him easily towards the centre of the rink and those much faster skaters, a flutter of nervousness dancing within his chest as his frame tensed but slightly in a ready anticipation for whatever it was his lover intended. Dorian so noting then that Sebastian was skating faster, the Fae King pulled so readily along with him. This was not at all what he had anticipated! Dorian so caught somewhere between fear and exhilaration at just how fast one was capable of moving atop that icy surface. He was very near flying, his panic steadily giving way to an excitement of sorts as they flew around that rink as fast as any other before Sebastian finally came to a stop, Dorian colliding with his chest, his arms so instinctively wrapping about his boyfriend's waist to stop himself stumbling. His hair was entirely windswept, his breathing as uneven as that beat of his heart surely felt though that ring he never took off. Sebastian's inquiry as to whether or not it was fun so seeing those wide silver eyes return to him. That grin so suddenly adorning his features.

"It was terrifying, Mon Cher- but glorious! Might we do it again? Can you go faster?

There was, after all, little about Dorian that was ever inclined to true fear. The Fae so seeming to enjoy that taste of chilling speed even if he was not capable of achieving it himself. The Monarch so requesting Sebastian take him around several more times before at last coming to rest back within the centre of that ice. Dorian pausing then to reach into his pocket and fish that phone from within. The man becoming quite skilled in its use even if its ringtone so often confused him with its urgency and saw him become overly flustered. He held it up with ease then, one hand resting on Sebastian still to balance himself, capturing that image of the pair of them upon ice before turning it for his consort to see with great satisfaction.

"I should like to show some of my court, they will never believe this ice-skating."

It was perhaps one of the few things he had mentioned about his home with any great excitement, some part of him looking forward to showing those he had lived beside for so long all that he had seen while away from them. They moved then back towards the walls of the rink, Dorian stepping carefully back out onto those rubber mats before collapsing onto that bench and beginning to undo his skates, handing them back to his lover as he did. He leaned over then, lips pressing in that entirely chaste kiss to the man's jaw before leaning away.

"Thank you, Mon Cher, I enjoyed this. Although, I fear my feet and my legs might ache all the more come tomorrow evening. Are they supposed to ache like this?"

He was, simply, unused to having his feet and legs in such a position and too so engaging those muscles required for skating, Dorian rubbing at one leg now before reaching to return his shoes to his feet. It was only then that the silver of his gaze drew upward, paying attention, at last to the towering London Eye above them. He had been terrified of that Ferris Wheel Troy had shown him at the beach, far too much to ride it despite the other Fae's coaxing, this time, however- even despite the sheer size of it- the King is inclined to feel otherwise. The man gesturing towards it now, his free hand working to attempt to flatten his ruffled hair.

"Bastian, have we time to go on that?"

Dorian Aragona