The Sun Also Rises

Sebastian's assurance that the food and too that brightly decorated, gilded hall was nothing short of exceptional so managed to stir that grin to his own lips once more. Dorian daring to hope in that moment that whatever it was that had so afflicted his lovers thoughts had found some resolution and yet still his companion seemed wholly distracted. The vampire accepting near every food the servant suggested until his plate was little more than a collection of oddities. Dorian allowed both eyes to rise ever so slightly as nothing short of that traditional pig's trotter was placed in the centre of his consort's plate before being handed back to him. Sebastian proceeding to pick at is food for several moments in a manner Dorian is assured he had never truly seen the man do before. The Monarch drew his attention then to his own plate, as if the answer to Sebastian's distress might lie somewhere within a poorly served meal. The look and scent of it was nothing short of delicious and yet for a moment even Dorian dared not hope it might be real after all these centuries of being subject to that falsified, faked food. Perhaps it had sustained his court and yet it was that very false food that had turned the man off eating entirely until he had forgotten the pangs of hunger. Smell could be deceiving. His mind unwilling to believe it was not about to be fooled again here and now and yet, still, Dorian so bravely lifted that slice of roast meat to his lips. The flavour that struck his tongue was nothing short of exceptional, his silver eyes widening in delight as the taste of true meat seemed to overtake him. Relief flooding every part of his system as that all-too glorious grin drew across his lips. Dorian exclaiming to his Consort in that moment that it was entirely real as Sebastian softly chuckled, assuring him he suspected no less.

The soft voice of the nearest woman to him, the Lady Mirabella, momentarily drew Dorian's own thoughts away from the meal, the man finding himself almost eager to continue with it and yet he allowed himself to be drawn into that conversation as Sebastian too, found himself engaged by the Lady Audrey as she heartily began to detail to him her thoughts on the English Countryside. There was a particular sort of joy to be had in those moments, Dorian finding himself falling into that age-old routine and the simple familiarity of the life and court he had once known. A distinct sort of pleasure settling within him and yet it was once more decidedly short lived as he leaned at last away from the Lady only to find Sebastian attempting to make his trotters comfortable upon that bed of lettuce rather then eat them. How he loathed to pry and yet how he could not stand the thought of his companions distress! The idea that Sebastian might be upset in any fashion was surely more then he could bare, Dorian assured he could take it no longer, his desire to alleviate whatever it was that afflicted his lover far stronger than any social nicety in that moment as he at last allowed himself to lean but slightly forward, fingers resting on the vampires arm to draw his attention to Dorian alone and away from that wine he seemed to be enjoying far more than the food. Dorian instead choosing to broach that topic of just what was bothering the man, hoping perhaps, that it was the food entirely and assuring him all at once he hardly need eat it if he found himself feeling otherwise inclined. Trotters, after all, were not for everyone. Dorian surprised he had agreed to them at all. Sebastian's admittance but a second later that he hadn't known what he was accepting stealing a grin to the Monarchs features as he chuckled softly.

"You need not say yes to every food the servant suggests, it is entirely alright to say no."

He would remember however, this apparent inclination his lover had to be agreeable lest any further food-based situation arise in the future where Sebastian found himself utterly incapable of saying no and thus ending up with a plate off....everything as he had done now. The vampires assertion a moment later that the food was fine however did little to alleviate Dorian's own worries. Truly he found himself hoping it had been the food. After all, bad food was repairable. His lovers worries apparently less so as apprehension settled firmly within the Monarch now. For all those years spent controlling his own emotions, in presenting the world with just that façade he wished them to see, when it came to Sebastian it seemed he was entirely want to crumble. His own distress painted upon his features. In all those months he had known his boyfriend he was assured he had never seen the man quite this distraught. He had known Matteo had said something in those minutes he had left the room, that the only true explanation he was left with as that sigh at last fell from his lips in something akin to defeat. Matteo. It had to be Matteo. His gaze lifted from his own plate then, meeting Sebastian's own before asking, at last, just what had been said. Had the Frenchman shown his lover the future? Had he seen something terrible? Dorian finding himself growing all the more worried at that plethora of possibilities before attempting to reassure both Sebastian and perhaps himself that those visions were as fickle as the man who offered them. A possibility of one future and so rarely set in stone.

Sebastian's gaze remained on his meal, his words uttered at last before the man seemed to pause as if to consider his vegetables before so finally admitting just what Matteo had told him. Dorian stilling almost instantly beside him, that smile upon his lips faltering as he found himself near frozen with these uttered words of marriage. A wedding? A Union? Between Sebastian and himself? Had Matteo truly foreseen this as but one possible future for the pair? So much of his lovers behaviour suddenly seemed to make sense, Dorian himself awash with more emotion then he truly knew how to contain, the man unable to seize upon one single sensible thought as Sebastian murmured about the pleasantness of the zucchini before attempting to hunt further pieces from his plate- as if vegetables were suddenly important. His own lips parted, several times, falling closed each time without truly managing a syllable, his own eyes trained upon watching the vampire hunt for that zucchini as if his life so depended on that action. It was that sudden shift in the pulse at his own finger that, somehow, managed to cut through that moment of shock. That normally steady, even pulse of his lovers heart having shifted into something erratic and uneven- giving the man away even if his features refused to do so. Dorian becoming so aware in that moment that he did, in every sense perhaps, hold his lovers heart within his very hand. His own heartbeat quickening then to become just as erratic as his own nervousness clawed at him and settled upon his chest.

"Bastian, I...."

Yet still the words would not come. Dorian pausing once more to consider them, to truly consider them in this all-too precarious moment in which it seemed a great deal might hang in the balance of that response. His hand, resting still upon his lovers arm, tightened momentarily, seeking to draw his companions navy eyes to his own once more. Dorians features softening entirely when they finally rose, a simper so impossibly seeming to have found his lips in that moment, tugging gently at the corners. His words soft and for Sebastian alone.

"I should look forward to our being wed too if that is what we had so chosen together."

Such words were perhaps unexpected and yet the Fae continued with little pause to allow Sebastian to only worry further else be caught in some belief of expectation. Dorian attempting then to explain just what he meant, a soft and yet almost pleasant sigh falling from him then as he continued.

"Perhaps, one day, we might be married. It is a possibility, it seems. One that I did not know existed for us. Yet it is a possibility only if we choose it to be. Perhaps too we might instead choose to travel the entirety of the world and stay as we are- for what we have now is the most glorious thing I have ever had. Maybe we will do both. That is for us alone to decide, Mon Cher."

The softest of chuckles rose to his lips then, that near brilliant grin touching his features, his words thick with that simple and untainted love and adoration he held for that man before him. Marriage was an immense undertaking, one Sebastian had already attempted at and indeed how such an experience as that might only add to the vampires worries now! Dorian so seeking to assuage them, his words distinctly honest for Sebastian deserved no less.

"Do you know, that it does not displease me to consider this possibility exists? I find it a pleasing thought for it means that within those days to come you are still beside me and the truth of it is that I do not mind if you are beside me as boyfriend, consort or husband, so long as you are there. The modern world affords us more choice than either of our own ever did and I think that is glorious. Either way, whatever our future, we will choose it ourselves."

Not Matteo, nor his visions, nor any other. Marriage was no longer a requirement, an expectation, a necessity and yet still were Sebastian to ever ask it off him Dorian was wholly assured that his would be the only proposal in all those years he would ever care to accept. The idea was a pleasing one and yet too was what they had now not just as pleasing? They had a world to see still and a veritable plethora of possibilities to explore. Dorian content to embrace each and every one of those possibilities. The Monarch so seeking to push aside each of Sebastian's worries and so find the heart of that matter in that choice still existed and surely, within these modern times they might discuss any future marriage rather then merely stumble into it as in days gone by out of some sense of misguided duty? It was easy then to simply lean forward, Dorian hardly caring for whom might see, allowing his lips to press to Sebastian's own in that sweet kiss and yet one that held every bit of affection for the perfect fool of a man whom he, somehow, impossibly, had come to love even more in that moment- worries and all. He lent at last away then, one hand moving to gently push Sebastian's wine away from him in the same moment, silver gaze appearing so suddenly impish.

"The dessert has some of this in."

He gestured softly forward then. Sebastian surely having failed to notice the appearance of that multi-layered cake in its vast array of colours and warm chocolate, the scent of brandy sweetly entwined with that chocolate decadence. Dorian pushed aside what remained of his own meal, gesturing all-too eagerly for that servant to bring him that traditional Italian layer cake, his fork neatly scooping a mouthful from his slice, one elbow leaning atop that table in a manner the King alone would surely get away with. That teasing ever-bright simper was still in place as those far softer words were uttered beneath his breath to be heard by the vampire alone, his tone holding something far more intriguing within it, despite the man continuing to appear as if he had not spoken at all. Dorian so effortlessly seeking to return them to that manner they often shared.

"Now will you please finish your cake so I can take you upstairs?"

Dorian Aragona