he was both everything you could ever want
and nothing you could ever have

The vampire regarded that packed sand before him with a hint of uncertainty as he so eyed it from several different angles. His imagination, as it so often tended to be, was restricted quite usually to notes and sounds and to melodies and sonatas. This crafting of a castle was decidedly out of his realm of expertise and yet, for Dorian alone he so busied himself with the effort all the same, working on removing small bits from sides as if he had any true purpose in mind (which he decidedly did not). Rather, the Englishman was vastly more attentive to the Monarch as he so picked up that conversation from before. He supposed he shouldn't have been terribly surprised, really, that the tabloids had so taken up the story of his boyfriend's legitimacy as King. They had a habit of tearing apart any flaw they could possibly find within anyone in the spotlight. It was only due time, surely, till they turned their attentions upon him in turn and truthfully, he cringed at the thought of what they might uncover. For now, however, the vampire was all too willing to offer some measure of reassurance that, regardless of what those gossip magazines might declare, everything would be okay. After all, the people of Italy largely adored the fae King, their curiosity of the man nearly insatiable, if such alone was not clear from the sheer number of fan man directed at the Monarch alone.

Despite that knowledge of the country's love for their ruler, he found himself inquiring all the same as to whom they suspected to have been Dorian's father, the vampire entirely content to merely play that supportive role of the listening ear all the same. In fact, it wasn't until the very mention of that French fae that Sebastian reacted in the slightest, his finger so slipping in that moment as his heart beat just a bit faster at that name. He was quick, however, to cover up that discover as a mere accident, the vampire near akin to nibble on his bottom lip as he so considered how to salvage that little castle he was so diligent to work on all the same. It was only once some notion of a plan settled in his mind that he saw fit to inquire finally after that question that truly burned within him - did he intend to ask Matteo? After all, surely the truth had to come out eventually. With modern science, hiding it for an eternity was near impossible. Would the Frenchman not rather Dorian hear such news from his own lips rather than the media at large? After all, if the vampire intended to pursue this relationship (and he did), he had every intention to near demand the Frenchman to be present at their union.

His gaze turned upward at that soft sigh that left Dorian's lips, his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly as he so listened to those lingering concerns that, truthfully, Dorian had every right to fret over. His head shook ever so slightly, at those clear troubles that had beset his lover, Sebastian entirely inclined to offer some measure of reprieve. He hated to see the man so fret over something that he knew the truth of, even if it wasn't in his place to so announce. "Ma Bichette, I do not think you are a coward. I don't think I could ever think you cowardly." He offered, a warm simper settled upon his features. "You are the strongest, bravest soul I know, Dorian, you should never forget that. I think it is only natural for you feel those things but....I think...perhaps..." He paused, his eyebrows furrowing as he begun work on that little door at the base, attempting not to topple the whole pile of sand. "I think that.....during that time you spent in your palace - it wasn't a father that you needed but..a friend. Perhaps he was just doing what he thought was best for you? I mean, if he is who they think he is." He made a point to add to the end of that sentence, making an effort to neither confirm nor deny the possibility all the same. He'd never asked after why Matteo had done what he had and yet, it was not him the man owned an explanation to.

It was only natural, however, for the vampire to so desire to change that conversation to something that might delight the King once again, Sebastian so immediately declaring his castle finished. Though he knew the structure was but modest in it's appearance, he was altogether delighted to show it off to the Monarch all the same, knowing well it would pale in comparison to whatever it was Dorian had so diligently crafted. He took that insistence that it looked just like it should with a well humored snort, knowing all too well exactly what it looked like. Nevertheless, his attention turned dutifully towards Dorian's own creation as the King admitted his was not nearly as imaginative. "I think you just insulted me." The vampire voiced, his eyebrow raising in an almost challenging fashion as he glanced over his lover's creation. In truth, he expected no less from the Monarch, the vampire perhaps even a bit prideful of those onlookers that eyed that sand creation with such awe. The vampire leaned back upon his elbows, simply watching that crowd with a good natured smile on his features, the man altogether brushing off any compliments with a small flick of his wrist all the same.

His attention, however, was decidedly dull compared to his undead senses, the man wholly oblivious to the presence of those waves until they veritably near collided into the pair. An entirely surprised look crossed his features as he found himself thoroughly soaked. It was with a soft huff that the vampire dragged himself back to a sitting position, shaking off his hands that were now entirely wet. This was not what he had expected in the least. The vampire wholly disliked the way that thin cotton shirt so clung to his fit figure, his concerns hardly focused on the survival of those sandcastles, at least, not until Dorian himself finally voiced his thoughts on the hardiness of his castle. "Hey! It was pretty too!" He exclaimed, quite near grumbling at it all the same. The vampire was wholly distracted, momentarily, by attempting to tug that cotton away from his frame, even if it hardly assisted in the slightest, the fabric so returning to his figure the moment he let go of it. A soft huff left his lips, his attention deviating only by his lover's inquiry.

Sebastian glanced upwards towards the children as they so practiced their acrobatic moves, his lips pressing together ever so slightly. "No, we were a bit more...rough-housey. My little sisters quite enjoyed things such as that though." He admitted, watching the child for a moment longer before that movement so drew his gaze. His attention drifted back towards Dorian as the man abruptly stepped away from him. He hardly expected the ease at which Dorian so effortlessly shifted onto his hands, balancing himself with decided ease while the vampire looked on with a brief glimpse of amusement. His attention shifted only to glance but briefly at the woman who had so seen fit to whistle at his lover, though his blue eyes merely rolling under those like tinted sunglasses. Sebastian, however, was altogether willing to take advantage of that situation, the man leaning forward to ever so gently place a single hand on that now bare chest, lightly pushing the man just enough to offcenter that precarious balance. "Oops." He muttered in a faux apology, and yet, he hardly seemed concerned with the notion that he might send Dorian tumbling to the ground. He was fairly certain sand made a soft enough of a landing.

It was the sound of a motor nearby that caught the vampire's attention, his gaze shifted but briefly to eye that white boat and the words printed upon them. Curiously his head tilted to the side as he considered that boat. Though he'd taken the fae to the aquarium before, there was nothing quite like the creatures in their natural habitat. "Dorian..." He inquired, a grin settled on his features, "How would you like to see the animals at the bottom of the ocean?" He inquired, nodding briefly towards that giant body of water that spanned before them. The vampire had every intention of ensuring today was wholly unforgettable, surely this too would only help in that goal.

Sebastian Ellington