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

There was a certain level of orderliness that had been instilled within the vampire at a distinctly young age. Their home had always been nothing short of meticulously tidy, that very perfection an expectation of any soul of English aristocracy. It was an indication of wealth and status - to have other's to clean the dirt and grim so relentlessly. Even in the tight grasp of immortality, those estates were still kept to such a pristine status and yet...there was but one thing that seemed capable of even seeing that usual spotlessness falter, at least for a moment. He was entirely assured he would clean up after himself after those little chocolate eggs had been discovered and obtained from their particularly secretive hiding spots. What Sebastian hadn't realized, however, was just how much of that once glorious suite he had disheveled in his efforts to fulfill that challenge that Dorian had placed before him. A part of him was aware, as he shook at those books, that perhaps he should return them immediately to their spot and yet, he hardly trusted those chocolate eggs to not roll by his own efforts to find them and get lodged behind one of those novellas he had already searched. It had seemed perfectly reasonable - until the vampire had a small stack of books surrounding him.

A sheepish look crossed his features as his crystalline blue eyes fell upon the stacks of books he so carefully stepped over. Those four eggs were clutched within his hand, deposited upon the top of that piling tower of chocolate delicacies he had already found. Forty-nine. There was exactly one of those sweet pieces of chocolate left. A small frown crossed his features at his lover's assurance that there was little chance of the vampire finding that final prize without some level of assistance. Frankly, he quite near doubted that and yet he hardly had any intention of disrupting that game Dorian had taken such effort to put together for him. Truthfully, he should have known that suggestion to strike a deal was coming. Although Dorian seemed to enjoy taunting him with those 'next times', his husband was dreadfully poor at being on the receiving end of such surprises. His patience, it would seem, was eternally lacking in the face of unknown gifts. This, he was sure, was one thing he could eternally count on.

Sebastian readily embraced Dorian's proposal, providing the Monarch with nothing short of a conundrum in return for the location of his final treat. Even though he fully expected that glimpse of bafflement upon his husband's features, the sight of pleased him perhaps more than it should. He had, admittedly, made every effort to coax that curiosity within the fae without truly satisfying his lover in the slightest. After all, he was not quite yet ready to reveal exactly what he had in store for them. It was, as he had said, something Dorian had though of before, merely taken to a level the fae himself hadn't contemplated. That gift, he was assured, would be readily embraced and quickly utilized, if not tonight than surely at some point during their honeymoon. It was the exact sort of gift neither man could truly resist for long, if only for the distinct challenge of sorts it presented. As silly as he knew it was, it was that larger box that the vampire looked forward to giving the Monarch the most. The corner of his lips twitched upwards ever so slightly as Dorian's head tilted to the side, the man clearly inspecting that box with a sort of determined intensity, as if that stare alone might provide some greater hint than Sebastian himself already had.

The corner of his lips twitched upwards at that inevitable inquiry of what was inside. Sebastian could hardly help that soft chuckle as his head shook from side to side in refusal. The terms of that arrangement were but for a hint! Still, it seemed rather good timing to provide his lover with those very surprises. Dorian had gone through such distinct effort to provide that hunt for him, the least he could do was to bestow those very birthday presents upon the man in return. At the least, Dorian deserved that! Although he already knew well what the Monarch's answer would be, Sebastian still found himself offering that suggestion of trading that final chocolate for a present. His bright blue eyes watched the features of the fae Monarch as he considered that exchange, those silver eyes still so focused upon those mysterious cardboard boxes and their equally as enigmatic contents. That defeated sigh was all that was required for the vampire to know he had won and in return, that warm simper spread across his features even in spite of Dorian's assurance that this was nothing short of blackmail. If this was blackmail, than it hardly seemed all that awful, he was certain.

That sudden declaration that the final piece of chocolate was in front of him, however, prompted a clear glimpse of confusion upon the Englishman's features. He was quite certain that was hardly possible. He was certain Dorian hadn't turned himself into chocolate, that basket was already filled with the sweet substance and he was equally assured the wicker material itself was hardly edible either. All that was left were the pillows behind the King and the very mattress the man sat upon! His eyebrows furrowed in slight consideration. Perhaps Dorian truly had gone through such lengths to make the whole bed out of chocolate? As unlikely as that certainly sounded even to him. His head tilted to the side as he inquired after that very thought, the vampire almost oblivious to that roll of Dorian's eyes. "I would have been impressed." Sebastian admitted at his lover's insistence that he had hardly taken this chocolate hunt quite to that level. Truly though, he would have been terribly impressed if the King had managed such a feat. Regardless, it still left that inquiry of just where that final piece of chocolate was!

He didn't expect for that final piece of chocolate to be pulled from behind his lover, clearly burred somewhere within those pillows behind the Monarch himself. The very reveal of that hiding place prompted a soft gasp upon the Prince's lips. That laughter that poured from the fae King only further served cause for the vampire to declare this truly cheating! How was he ever supposed to find that! That shrug brought a mock pout to his lips, the man shook his head quite firmly in protest. "It was not confused! You were laying on it! Next time I'm going to check you for chocolate first!" That threat was one Sebastian fully intended to follow through on. He was certain he had never considered hunting in that very area Dorian had sat - after all, Dorian himself was a distraction enough that even if he had checked, it was entirely likely that hunt would have hardly gotten much further to begin with. That sweet press of Dorian's lips against his own was engrossing enough as it was. That soft utterance of 'Happy Easter', however, prompted those soft words of appreciation from Sebastian's lips in return. How lucky he was, truly, to have Dorian as his husband alone.

Those bright blue eyes glanced down at that foiled rabbit within his hand and yet, he was hardly given a chance to further examine it before his own name was quite near whined. The simple sound coaxed a chuckle from his lips as he assured his lover he had every intention to follow through with that promise. The chocolate rabbit was discarded upon his own basket of sweets as the vampire carefully navigated through that mess he'd made to pick up those boxes resting upon the dining room table, all the while informing the King of what a true English Easter consisted of. The very mention of that chocolate festival seemed to ensure Dorian quite to the same extent it had so captured Sebastian's own attention the first year it was announced. His head bobbed ever so slightly in return to that inquiry. "Mmhm, it's in the Chocolate Quarter near Bristol. There's a chocolate factory there." The vampire continued as he returned to the bed where Dorian sat with boxes in hand. "It smells absolutely heavenly there, Ma Biche," Sebastian continued, settling one again upon that bed.

He handed his lover that smaller of the two boxes, even though such a gift was not the one of the two he knew so intrigued the fae. After all, he had all but teased him with the contents of that larger box and yet, he was certain that it was better left for last. He plucked a smaller egg from that basket as he watched Dorian pull out from that cardboard a smaller faux leather box, the name of the store that jewelry was purchased from was written in gold lettering upon the exterior. They had spent nearly two hours within that store when they had first visited it, the variety of those calligraphic pens had been tested near extensively before the Monarch and Sebastian in turn chose one of their own. Sebastian had been afforded a chance to inspect the rest of their exquisite wears whilst Dorian had tested the ink and writing style of each of those fountain pens. That bracelet, he was sure, was a breathtaking find, even despite the sheer cost of it. That soft gasp upon Dorian's lips prompted a soft simper of satisfaction upon his own. He knew well Dorian's love of gold, the vampire entirely inclined in the past two years to splurge upon gifts holding that very substance from those vibrating rings upon their fingers to now, this.

Sebastian hardly hesitated to inform his lover exactly what made this bracelet so unique, beyond the rows of diamonds and the hefty price tag that accompanied it. He watched as that glimpse of curiosity so crossed his lover's features at the suggestion that this bracelet was hardly able to come off easily after it was put on. That soft press of Dorian's lips against his cheek only furthered that grin as his head bobbed. "I know it is, I'm glad you like it, dear." That sudden inquiry of how it worked, however, prompted the Englishman to reach for that original cardboard box. He riffled through that protective paper for a small bag which held a singular, small golden hued screwdriver. Sebastian plucked that bracelet from those outstretched hands, continuing to suck on that quickly melting chocolate in his mouth as he turned it around and around until he found that small slot for the screwdriver. It hardly took but a few moments to undo that screw and open the bracelet upon hidden hinges. He held that piece of gold jewelry out to his lover, waiting only till the King's wrist was settled inside before it was closed and that screw tightly refastened. "There it is, what do you think?" Sebastian inquired, simply watching the Monarch as he invited the man to inspect that very item that now was nestled upon his wrist. It was only once Sebastian was certain that Dorian still like the very gift that he turned to reach for that far larger box, the vampire finally offering that very present that had so intrigued the King.

Sebastian Ellington-Aragona