every king had a story, of ancient glory,sweetly told

It was, Dorian had decided, a terribly pleasant place to be- nestled within those sheets and within his lover's arms in turn. How he had ever spent five centuries alone within his bed or residing beside whatever woman or occasional man he had managed to coax into sharing it with him he hardly knew. Not when such simple intimacy as this had surely existed. How satisfying it was to fall asleep beside another with whom that emotional connection ran so deep and too- how glorious it was to wake beside them within the embrace of their arms and pressed against their figure. Those subtle gestures of affection so having a way of spreading that warmth throughout his entire chest. It was foolish, surely, just how glorious he found those simple moments they spent together between those sheets- even when they were not engaged in any more intimate acts. The simple delight he took in lying beside his lover so assuring that this was by far one of his most favoured places to be. One made all the more glorious by that lack of pressing affairs to attend to this evening. The entire night ahead of them to spend however Sebastian might like or indeed, to spend entirely within that bed however they saw fit.

That singular press of his lips to his lover's cheek readily saw the vampire shift slightly, his head turned gently away in some effort to re-find that sleep that, on most occasions, Dorian would have been all to content to allow him to embrace. Tonight however, he was quite assured he needed the man awake to present to him those gifts he had seen to organising and Sebastian had, in turn, near reluctantly agreed to accept even despite those reservations Dorian knew so instinctively turned within the man all the same. He had never truly sought any detailed explanation of just what exactly about his birthday Sebastian seemed to find so deeply distressing, rather, that which he had come to understand of his fiancé's nature and too those few words Elizabeth and Charles had spoken to him in regards to that event had so allowed the Monarch to piece together a picture clear enough. Sebastian's birthday running terribly close to the day in which he had become a vampire. Dorian hardly requiring any further detail than that to understand the man's guilt over that day and yet too- the Fae King found himself utterly unable to go without at least some small celebration of that birthday itself. Dorian having made every effort to rein in his normally more lavish ideas of any celebration to something the vampire would find acceptable. If it ever was he managed to wake up at all.

That soft chuckle rose within his throat as he leaned gently forward a second time, subjecting that sensitive flesh of Sebastian's neck to that press of his lips now. Dorian teasing a pattern upon it in a fashion he quite knew the man adored. That state of half-sleep that still clung to his lover surely prompting that more physical reaction in turn. Dorian entirely aware of that newfound press against his own figure. The Monarch wholly pleased to gain such a reaction from the man, easy though it surely was at such a time of the morning. That soft sound of amusement stirring from him once more as he continued that near affection assault, that favoured nickname falling from his lips so at last seeing the vampires eyes flutter open. Dorian regarding him with that ready grin then, one that was easily returned as he shifted to rest upon his stomach. That inquiry of just what day it was so seemed to prompt just the response Dorian had anticipated it might. Sebastian sleepily declaring it to be a Thursday, the Monarch allowing his eyes roll softly before leaning over once more to press his lips, at last, to Sebastian's own. Dorian entirely content to pilfer that singular kiss from him with that utterance of 'Happy Birthday'. His figure shifting just slightly to allow his hands to run through his lovers tousled locks and deepen that kiss to something far more satisfying. He was aware of that singular hand that travelled down his own side, the gentle touch of those fingers so having a fashion of stealing near all his attention even if he knew, quite assuredly, just what Sebastian was searching for. The vampire's hand coming to rest at his indecently bare hip as he pulled softly away from the man to meet his gaze.

"Pensavo potesse piacerti una sorpresa." (I thought you might like a surprise.)

That near impish grin so readily seemed to find him then. Dorian so holding but every intention of having Sebastian explore that utter lack of undergarments later on. After all, should Sebastian prove entirely resistant to joy one surely required on a birthday the Monarch was assured that singular decision to remove his boxer shorts might surely prompt some level of delight from the vampire all the same. That query as to whether or not he was ready for his gifts seemed to inspire a simple wrinkling of the man's nose and yet, that singular sound of that falling water seemed to capture the vampires attention then- Sebastian so suddenly seeming aware of it before the inquiry as to whether or not it was raining inspired that simple nod off his own head.

"Yes, I am quite assured it is. I looked a little earlier. I find it a very pleasant sound, don't you?"

It was not truly raining, not exactly and yet the Monarch was entirely content to distract the vampire from what lingered outside with the assurance it was surely as mundane as the weather if only to allow those finishing touches to be applied to it while Sebastian was otherwise occupied. That near reluctant assurance that he quite desired that small gift first so prompted the Monarch to shift once more and toward that bedside table that rested at his side of the bed. Dorian opening that second draw to rummage for a moment before at last producing that neatly wrapped and perfectly rectangular little parcel so adorned in white wrapping paper and fitted with that golden bow Dorian had spent several lessons with Elizabeth attempting to perfect.

"I fear it might be a little silly but I quite think you need it and it is not to terribly excitable like you asked. In the least, it is not another city."

That near wry grin found his lips then as he held that little package out to his lover, Dorian watching as the man tore open that wrapping paper to reveal what appeared, at first glance, to be a neat little bundle of different sized papers. Dorian shifting once more to offer some explanation to that gift, the man plucking those little cards from the top of the pile, turning them over to display that decorated surface.

"These are personalised 'Thank You' cards. See? It has 'Thank You from Sebastian' already written on it, I left a little room for you to write a few more words for each if you desire but I thought it might save you a great deal of time to have your Thank You cards already half written out. I also have some that just say Thank You without any other writing space for those people you merely might want to simply send a card too. I designed the decoration myself."

His finger lifted then to point to that neat little decorative brown that surrounded the otherwise pale blue card, that border so designed to appear just like the entwined antlers of a stag. That lion that so represented Sebastian himself drawn laying almost luxuriantly across the bottom of the card, its head, so adorned in that dark mane turned back as if to eye Sebastian's name so neatly done in calligraphy at the bottom. Each card printed just the same. The vast majority in that blue or a simple white, a few others done in other colours if only just in case the vampire so required another colour at any time. Those small cards so simply done and yet those images surprisingly ornate when studied more closely. Dorian leaning slightly forward then to point to the rest of those small papers.

"I also had them make a notepad with the same design and I quite think there are matching envelopes in there as well as invitation cards you need only add a few words to as well. It is perfectly silly I know but I thought it might save you some measure of time without losing any formality."

That grin rested upon his features once more as he regarded the man. Dorian knowing entirely well how important those small notes were and too- just how seriously his lover dedicated himself to that task of assuring each and every being whom sent them anything was appropriately thanked himself. Dorian hardly finding he disagreed with Sebastian's dedication to it, after all, it was a matter of principal in every sense, those small notes speaking volumes of themselves. It was simply the done thing. Dorian so simply attempting to offer some assistance in that, at least for those slightly less significant notes that did not require a royal seal or their new joint crest to be fixed upon it. Dorian quite assured such cards might prove equally as useful for those members of the public whom continued to send them engagement presents. Dorian continuing to rest upon his stomach then, that sheet fallen down to cover him from just below the hips alone, his head resting once more in his hand with that ever present warm smile still in place.

"I do hope you like them."

dorian aragona