The Sun Also Rises

It was one of the first mornings since his arrival in this city that Dorian had found himself utterly too restless to sleep. He was almost envious, in a fashion, of the manner in which Sebastian slept so soundly, even if the vampire had little choice in the matter. How pleasant it must be, sometimes, to simply be reduced to the pleasantness of nothingness and yet how the King found he desired his companion's wakefulness now! It was a foolish notion and an utterly selfish one at that. Waking Sebastian would surly do little save for see the vampire tumble back into unconsciousness several times over and more than that- Dorian was assured there was little his lover could truly do to ease his anxiety in this. He had considered, for the umpteenth time, that Matteo had surely already foreseen much off the coming conversation and surely- were it to go poorly the other Fae would attempt not to allow it, or in the very least simply not show up and yet really what on earth would that achieve? Such a tangled web of thoughts! The Fae King so rarely given to this sort of anxiety that he was truly at a loss as how best to conduct himself. Lying in bed was achieving terribly little save for allowing that quiet darkness an endless amount of time to be shaken with his thoughts. Perhaps simply getting up would be better. His alarm was set to ring in less than an hour all the same.

He sat up almost reluctantly, hands running through his hair, the man assured he must look utterly abysmal- lack of sleep was rarely a becoming look on any being. A sigh of sorts was at last drawn from his lips. Dorian assured he could no longer put off that inevitable, the man rolling slightly to press his lips in that chaste kiss to Sebastian's cheek before rolling from that bed to begin that process of showering and dressing. What on earth one wore to an afternoon tea he hardly knew, Dorian attempting several different shirts before reminding himself once more of the foolishness of his own behaviour, the man pausing to apply that favoured cologne and assure that room remained dark and sun free before making his way down stairs. Elizabeth, in her always bright manner, was the first to greet him, that pair of servants having clearly gone to effort while Sebastian and he had slept. Elizabeth proudly displaying that neatly laid table so adorned with those fine china tea cups and saucers and plates, linen napkins, a tray of small sandwiches and a stand of sweet cakes and other small desserts that stood beside what Dorian was assured were scones. It was so very English that the Monarch quite found himself unable to prevent that smile.

"Did you and Charles bake all these things yourself?"

He inquired thoughtfully, Elizabeth nodding readily then, the woman seeming positively delighted for a chance to use that tea set. Even Dorian himself was perhaps willing to admit there were at least several things he was inclined to try, the man given to feel Sebastian's absence even more so in that moment. He made his way into the kitchen then, if only to busy himself with seeing what Charles was doing in some effort to waylay his nervousness, Dorian fiddling with the buttons on his shirt until Elizabeth had assured him he was going to rumple it. When that knock at the door so finally came the Monarch was assured it was far too soon, that nervousness gripping at his heart all over again as he moved to open that door. This surely one of the few times he had actually seen his oldest companion wear a shirt and tie, those ever present sunglasses in place, the other man fixing him with a grin that saw at least some of that nervousness dissipate as Dorian invited Matteo in. I took it upon myself to walk here today, I'd have been on time too, but your security stopped me for nearly ten minutes at those gates.

"Oh! I quite forgot to tell them I was expecting you, I-"

Matteo easily waved off that concern, amusement tugging at the elder Fae's features as he removed those sunglasses, hanging them casually form his shirt as Dorian led the way from the hall and towards the table. I think Alexander is still there fighting with your head of security. The Frenchman commented idly, amusement lacing his voice as surprise touched Dorian's own features.

"Alexander was here?"
Yes, he dropped me off. He told me he fancied the walk, though I'm quite sure he was making sure I came. He considers me a flight risk I'm sure.
"A flight risk?"
Yes, it means- oh never mind it now. Tell me, are you sure you're Italian, or have you become English in my absence? This is perhaps the most authentic English tea party I've attended in a long time.

The Frenchman gestured to that table then, a simper of amusement upon his lips, Dorian allowing that soft chuckle to fall from his own, both men pausing beside that table then, that silence, though momentary, seeming far too heavy as if neither quite dared to venture into that very thing they both so knew they were here for.Dorian, I-.

"Do you care to see the house? Sebastian is sleeping upstairs but I can show you the rest and then we can have tea."

Talking, after all, was so often easier when done in that more casual fashion. The Monarch unwilling to press to much formality on that moment, those questions so finding themselves more naturally broached somewhere between the garden and stables, Dorian's hand running along those hedges almost idly as he found even more questions slipping from his lips. Matteo, for once, affording no riddles to those answers he gave, the pair at last returning for that tea a half hour later to continue with those conversations, not all of them pleasant, Dorian so finding some of those words were harder to say and harder to ask. It was some several hours later after the sun had finally set that the Monarch excused himself from that table, Matteo so enjoying what Dorian was sure was his tenth cup of tea from Florence, that favoured tea pot Dorian had repaired and spent a good few minutes explaining to his Father just why the tea pot had a name at all. The Fae climbed those stairs readily, slipping into his bedroom then to find those curtains opened and Sebastian seated upon the end of the bed in some effort to wake himself. Dorian entirely inclined to cross that floor then, sliding onto his lovers lap, letting his arms wrap about the other man's neck before pressing his lips to his own.

"Good morning."

How much he so adored his lover in those few early moments just after he'd woken with his mused hair and sleepy eyes. Dorian assured the man was nothing but adorable even if Sebastian so often disagreed. Dorian uttering softly then if only to dispel any worries Sebastian may have had in turn.

"Everything went fine. I have much to tell you, but Matteo is still downstairs so I shall wait till after he leaves. I know now that he is my Father though."

He smiled softly then, Dorian assured he had but a thousand things to tell Sebastian off all he had learned and yet to leave a guest waiting was distinctly impolite, even if the Monarch made no attempt to remove himself from his lovers lap just yet.

"I did not yet make mention of your wanting to speak with him, just in case you had changed your mind, though I do think we should hurry downstairs. I have fear for Elizabeth being left alone with him. I've never seen a woman blush so much. She continues to serve him cups of tea and he continues to drink them and I'm quite assured he does not love tea that much."

Dorian Aragona