The Sun Also Rises

In all that Dorian had so anticipated might come from this very evening he had not, in any fashion, so considered that they might find themselves joined by another. One whom Alexander so insisted Matteo was near nervous to introduce. The entire notion of Matteo being nervous in any sense was perhaps equally as precarious and baffling as the notion of a fifth member to their evening altogether. How such words might alight his curiosity! The Monarch turning quickly to his beloved Godfather then in search of further information only for the Hunter to insist it was not for him to say. Dorian wholly inclined to find such principals terribly respectable and yet horribly curiosity-inducing all at once. The Fae King, so eternally, unable to help his decidedly inquisitive nature. His own silver gaze glanced briefly toward Sebastian in turn, his husband appearing as equally baffled by this announcement as he himself and yet, neither Fae nor Vampire was truly given any chance to discuss that very topic before that knock at the door saw Matteo himself rise and proceed into the hall. Dorian so peering after him with apt intrigue. It was fortunate, perhaps, that Matteo so hardly took long to return. The Frenchman wandering back into that living room a moment later with another man at his side. One Dorian could not help but note was decidedly attractive in every sense. His eyes a near impossibly exquisite shade of emerald green he would have so adored to paint. How terribly sinful a thought! Dorian quick to near internally abash himself for such considerations as the attractiveness of another man when his husband stood right beside! Even if he had so surely hardly considered acting upon such attractiveness in any sense. Dorian so continuing to eye the newest man curiously as those introductions were made first to Alexander and then Sebastian in turn. His lover as decidedly polite as always before Aiden was directed to himself. Matteo's insistence that Aiden too lived within this city was decidedly curious, Dorian content to wonder still as to just how this very man might hold relation to them when he appeared to be of decidedly more.....exotic breeding when that simple utterance of brother seemed to see near the entire world pause with baited breath.

His brother? That look of shock was surely decidedly clear upon his features. Dorian finding himself near utterly speechless in the wake of that announcement as a veritable cataclysm of emotions so assaulted him with such speed and rapidity he so hardly knew which to feel first. A brother. Had he not already suffered the veritable wrath of fifteen siblings? Yet surely....surely Matteo would not bring into their family a being whom held but any of the traits off his own previous half-siblings? Dorian quite assured of that if nothing else. How he had longed for a sibling of the same ilk as Sebastian's dear John, Dorian unable to prevent that faint, flickering hope that maybe, perhaps, Aiden might prove to be just that and yet such a hope was decidedly entangled with a great deal of confusion that so surely danced upon his features. He was aware, to some extent, of Sebastian so reaching for his hand in those moments and yet it was not until the vampire offered his hand that gentle and yet firm squeeze that the Monarch was prompted to seem to remember his manner once more. Sebastian's touch, in that moment, decidedly grounding and desperately appreciated.

His utter shock, however, had not gone unnoticed. Aiden so seeming to round on Matteo then, only to speak to the Frenchman in a manner so casual and so berating Dorian was assured his eyes had lifted once more in an entirely renewed shock. How.....wonderfully intriguing. How many questions he had for this Aiden! The Monarch so at last prompted into action as his own hand was held outward to fit into the warmth of Aiden's own. His features shifted quickly into a warm grin as Matteo so insisted an introduction was still an introduction no matter when it occurred. Dorian wholly inclined to offer the Frenchman a near pointed glance before his attention returned to Aiden entirely as the man insisted it was hardly his fault, those questions already upon his lips as his words near stumbled and that sudden desire for a drink so followed after. Each being in that room, it seemed, equally as inclined to partake of that liquor. Dorian shifted but readily toward that liquor cabinet then, his hand so offering but another light touch to Sebastian's own if only to reassure his lover he was quite alright....mostly. Aiden's request for whisky met with a firm nod as Dorian so inquired after his appearance in some fashion. Aiden, surely, took heavily after his Mother and yet he was near assured in turn he could see some similarity between Matteo and Aiden both. An assumption that was quickly eroded by Aiden's insistence he was not related by blood and that Matteo was still his Father alone. Dorian rather assured that here and now he did not mind disowning the Frenchman even but a little. The Fae so selecting the finest of the whiskys they owned to offer Aiden but a moment later, his silver gaze meeting that emerald hue at that short tale the younger man offered on the passing off his own parents and Matteo's subsequent raising off him for near twenty years.

"Oh, I see! Matteo adopted you. I am so sorry for your parents though. Ten is a terribly young age to be orphaned. One is still far more boy then man at ten and the world is a hard enough place for men."

How readily that adoption so explained Aiden's distinct lack of.....frenchness and yet too- how curious those emotions he so found himself afflicted with. His gaze shifted but briefly to Matteo once more as he so poured that gin for Sebastian, handing that glass to his lover a moment later. Adoption was not at all uncommon even within his own time. Indeed it was near expected in some cases. Dorian quite unable to find but even an ounce of disdain in the knowledge his Father had....taken in a young boy left so alone in the world. Even if he was quite assured Matteo should surely have spoken of Aiden well before this moment! Sebastian's words, layered in politeness as they were, held just such a sentiment nestled within them. Dorian moving then to hand Alexander a new glass of brandy and Matteo his own share of that whisky before the Fae King retrieved his own brandy glass in turn. His attention upon Aiden once more as the younger man insisted he had been born in this very city and owned the 'Ark' within the West- that name so terribly familiar. Dorian lifting that drink to his lips then- only for his eyes to widen.

"Heavens above but this is strong!"

That surprise was clear upon his features as he eyed that brandy near critically, this his very first try of such a liquor. The Monarch, in his shock, having near failed to recall that he had not yet tried such a drink. Perhaps smaller sips would be better. The taste, after all, was not...unpleasant. Alexander appearing decidedly amused all the same. Indeed, his Godfather appeared terribly amused by the entire evening so far. It was Aiden's sudden query on just what Matteo meant with his own words that so prompted Dorian's attention in turn. Matteo content to throw his arms upward in clear flamboyance and apparent disdain at so having every eye in that room suddenly cast suspiciously upon him. The Frenchman so at last admitting to those 'chance' happenings that had seen Aiden and himself come terribly close to meeting on so many occasions. Aiden the very boyfriend Samantha had so often spoken off! The very one whose pants he had been given his first night here! The one who had been killed in some sort of horse riding accident and yet....that could so hardly be true. After all- Aiden stood before him here and now. Had he been misinformed? Perhaps Samantha had lied to him. His previous roommate still something of a sore-point for the Monarch and not one he cared to consider now as his gaze shifted from Matteo to Sebastian and back to Aiden once more. Those very memories so turning rapidly within his mind. That look of disbelief clear upon his features.

"You were Samantha's suitor? I think I saw you from the window once, did you own one of those....how you say....engine bikes? The motocicletta?"

Motobike, it seemed, was not a word he found himself capable of recalling in that moment. That word offered in Italian then toward Sebastian in the hopes the vampire might offer that better translation that Aiden might more readily understand. Those very thoughts still turning within the Monarch's mind.

"Do you know i quite think I still have those pants? Samantha spoke of you so often I...had no idea I.....I do not think she called you Aiden though. I don't recall her saying that name though perhaps I recall wrongly. I have been to this Ark though, it is a boat, is it not? I found the name terribly misleading, it was not at all a holy place..."

Dorians own features frowned but slightly at that very memory of that iron-covered boat that had been nothing short of terrifying in far more ways than one- before the very realisation that Aiden might take some slight at having his home referred to as 'unholy' seemed to dance within his thoughts. The Fae King quick to attempt to right those words as he took but another sip of that drink.

"I found it very....unique though. I am sure it is quite a pleasant place to live. I fear Matteo is correct though, after Samantha left I had some....difficulties with the apartment. If it were not for Sebastian I fear I might have destroyed it entirely- though surely not on purpose. I am sorry for that, Aiden. Had i known sooner you were my own brother I might have had the mind to ask for help. I still cannot work a washer or dryer."

That faint touch of amusement so found his features all the same. His gaze lingering on Aiden still as he so tested that word. Brother. How nice it might have been to have known so much sooner that he was hardly as alone in the world has he had once thought. Matteo so suddenly declaring it was time to sit down. Dorian rather assured the elder fae was merely trying to prevent that conversation so returning to him as he strode toward that kitchen- only to stop and accuse Alexander of moving the plates. The Hunter proclaiming his very innocence and utter lack of knowledge on such things as Matteo returned to the kitchen and Alexander so took his own seat at the head of that table. Dorian moving to to sit to Alexander's right with Sebastian beside him, the Monarch gesturing for Aiden to take that seat across from him and yet it was to Alexander his attention so shifted.

"Alexander, how long had you known of Aiden before this evening?"

Alexander, it seemed, was no more likely than Matteo to escape Dorian's questioning in that moment. The Fae so allowing one eye to lift in expectation before his hand reached toward one of those soft white bread rolls- only to pause abruptly and return that hand to himself. Matteo, he knew, would surely not forgive him for taking something from that table before he was permitted. The Fae so choosing to focus upon his drink once more, another sip taken as he turned toward Sebastian.

"Do you know I think I like brandy?"

That taste had become decidedly pleasant. That alcohol working near marvellously to...settle him, in a fashion, even if his mind was positively filled with questions he so desired to ask of the man who sat across from him!

"Forgive me, Aiden- but there is such a great deal I wish to know of you. You need not answer anything you don't wish too of course and you may surely ask anything you like in return. Did you live in France with Matteo as a child? Have you other siblings?"

He surely had but a lifetime of things to catch up on! Surely he could be forgiven such questions for one evening, as improper as it was. Another question so suddenly seeming to settle within his mind.

"Might I ask, if it should not displease you, what....species are you? You are not Fae nor vampire nor Hunter I am assured of that. I hope you do not think me terribly improper for asking I just.....have not had a sibling of any kind in.....quite a long time."

Matteo's sudden emergence from that kitchen with a rather large dish of...pasta and....cheese and...sausage? That was placed in front of Aiden readily saw Dorian's eyes lift in surprise once more. The Monarch blinking in clear confusion. This the very first mac and cheese the Monarch had ever seen.

"Matteo, what on earth have you done to that pasta?"

Dorian Ellington-Aragona