The Sun Also Rises

Sebastian's near teasing insistence that he remembered near all of that terribly drunken night within Spain those few weeks ago so readily prompted that soft chuckle to the Monarch's lips once more. How utterly ridiculous he had been that evening! At least, how ridiculous he suspected he had been. His memories of that night limited to those vague considerations of music and dancing and people all about him along with that insistence he could surely keep up with Sebastian's own drinking. Dorian still rather horribly inclined to forget that modern day alcohol was far, far more potent than the near watery wine that had once filled the goblets off his own grand dining hall. How quickly those spirits had taken him! Dorian's head shaking softly now at even the thought and yet- how fortunate he had been to have had Sebastian that very evening. His husband, somehow, managing to have watched over him that night in all his silliness before at least managing to, somehow, guide him back to the safety of their hotel room where he had proceeded to fall asleep on his lover! That in itself a crime he was assured. That warm simper so suddenly finding the Monarch's features as he regarded the vampire beside him.

"I should be nothing but lost without you."

How very true those words were. That sentence so layered with that soft affection all the same before Dorian so moved to press his lips to his husbands cheek in that decidedly chaste and yet no less sweet gesture of affection. Those more public displays, even amongst their own family, decidedly rare for the Monarch and yet how readily he was trying, with each passing week and month and year to embrace those more open modern values. Small and simple though that gesture was. Dorian largely oblivious to the manner in which Sebastian's thoughts had so considered just that very thing only moments ago. His attention returned largely to Aiden in those moments then as his newfound brother settled into that seat across from him. Dorian quote unable to contain his simple....delight in Aiden's mere existence even if the pair had only but met this very night. How many questions he had! How many things he might be cause to wonder on. Dorian near caught off guard by that simple utterance that Matteo had spoken often off him to Aiden. That sheer surprise surely clear upon his features then as he regarded the other man.

How curious a tangle of emotions those simple words so promoted within himself. Dorian had, after all, never truly questioned Matteo's love for him and yet how often he had wondered if the Frenchman so merely....forgot him, sometimes, when the outside world so called to him. Aiden so promptly elaborating upon that very query then only to insist Matteo had not only spoken off his predicament within that palace but too he had remembered that day he had plastered the walls with gems out of sheer boredom and his adoration of art. Matteo apparently going so far as to insist Aiden need learn to flirt like himself! That look of baffled surprise upon the Monarch's features shifted then into a ready grin of amusement at the roll of Aiden's eyes.How surely he could assist Aiden in such a thing if the man so required it and yet it was that soft admittance that Matteo was stressed any time they argued that seemed to bring that near curious look to his features once more. Those words, clearly, quite unanticipated by the Fae, his gaze glancing toward that kitchen Matteo had disappeared within.

"He does care then."

How softly those words were uttered and yet how warmly in turn. Aiden's assurance, it seemed, having coaxed that smile to Dorian's features in turn. His mind readily considering all those very things Aiden had spoken off and yet, all at once, that decidedly new realisation so seemed to find him in turn. Dorian's gaze lifting readily to his brother once more then.

"Your very close to him, aren't you?"

Those very words so hardly lacked any warmth in turn. Matteo, after all, was nothing if not decidedly private. Dorian himself only now so beginning to learn about the life off his own Father and yet with Aiden, it seemed, Matteo had...shared perhaps more then he ever had with Dorian in turn. The pair so seeming to have had decidedly meaningful conversations- even about Dorian himself and yet the Monarch so hardly found any resentment within himself at such a realisation. Rather, he found himself only decidedly more curious of his brother- someone Matteo cared so much about and trusted enough to share his life, their life. Dorian perhaps inclined to feel even that faitest of touches of...jealousy, as un-regal as it surely was. Not for that affection the Frenchman had for Aiden but rather how....effortlessly close his Father and Aiden were. That relationship seeming so decidedly smooth, so perfectly easy. How very much he desired one just the same. Perhaps....in time. Surely it would come. Perhaps Aiden might even help him. The genuine simper lingering upon his very lips at those considerations before talk of Aiden's sister readily prompted that recognition within his gaze.

Aiden, it seemed, was perhaps not so decidedly keen to speak off his sister. Dorian, in that decidedly observant fashion, quite unable to miss the hesitancy and perhaps even...displeasure that so seemed to hint at the other man's features at the mention of Nadya. Truthfully he found he did not quote blame Aiden. Nadya had been a very loud sort of being. One he had found to be largely disagreeable. Dorian, in that moment, oblivious to the recognition that had readily occured within his own husband at that woman's name. The Italian instead querying Aiden upon his very species. Sebastian's assurance he suspected Aiden was a Were was all but confirmed a moment later. That clear curiosity overtaking the Fae King once more at that notion Aiden was a panther no less. How delightful! Dorian assured he had not seen such a creature since his childhood. Sebastian's comment upon the man's scent prompting Aiden's assurance Alpha blood so supposedly held a unique flavour. Dorian wholly inclined to query Sebastian upon that very thing only for Sebastian to insist he had never tasted Alpha blood. How decidedly curious. The Fae King readily content to consider just why that flavour might be different and yet, he supposed, it was perhaps unlikely Aiden would be willing to let Sebastian to taste his blood if only to satisfy that curiosity. Dorian content to dismiss such thoughts for now. The idea of so being able to see Aiden in that feline form readily capturing his attention.

"I should like that very much."

It was the sudden appearance of that Mac and Cheese however, that so seemed to send that family gathering to a decidedly new level. Dorian's near innocent query of what Matteo had done to that pasta prompting that expletive filled outrage from Aiden in turn. The Fae King and his husband both left staring in the wake of that passionate tirade. Aiden, it seemed, held decidedly strong opinion on that pasta. Matteo content to correct the emerald eyed man with his own colourful language until Dorian near choked on the Brandy. Sebastian, in the least, quick to assure him this was not a religious event. How very fortunate. Dorian rather assured he might so be required to attend church all the same. It was Alexander whom spoke then. The Dark Hunter acting as the veritable patriarch of that family then with his own ruling on Aiden's use of language. Matteo seeming ill inclined to fight his own Father-figure on the matter, the Frenchman choosing instead to continue to argue with Aiden over why Dorian had never been given that pasta until now. The elder man promptly pointing toward Aiden then if only to insist Dorian was not ever allowed to take up this degree of...eye rolling. The Fae King unable to prevent that soft simper of amusement that found him so especially at Alexander's insistence Aiden's posture appeared almost familiar.

"I shall endeavour not too."

The rest of those dishes were so readily brought out then. That simper so hardly fading from the Monarch's features as he saw fit to inform Aiden of his thorough like of him. Dorian helping himself to that pasta the emerald eyed man so seemed to adore before his attention turned to that very dish Sebastian was so presented with. That decidedly obscure relationship that so existed between his husband and his father had always baffled the Monarch to some extent. Dorian so often assuring Sebastian that Matteo did indeed find favour with him. Sebastian rarely inclined to believe it. The appearance of that Black Pudding surely some display of the Frenchmans favour? Dorian wholly content to offer his lover that simper of encouragement in turn before the arrival of that thoroughly glorious turkey. How utterly wonderful that smell! Each of those sides so perfectly complimentary in turn. Matteo, for all his obscurities, nothing short of a decidedly talented cook. That sudden insistence however, that Aiden and himself should refer to their Father as 'sir' so seemed to earn the amusement of both Alexander and Aiden in turn. Alexander decidedly quick to assure the table that Matteo himself had long struggled with that very concept. It was surely sinful, that very amount of pleasure he so took in hearing of those times in which Matteo had so failed at something. The Frenchman so inherently masterful at near all he did that it was nothing short of amusing to hear of the man's shortcomings. Alexander surely witness to the vast majority of them in his time. Matteo having taken up a pout so decidedly like Aiden's own in that moment that, adopted or otherwise, the pair appeared truly similar.

Dorian reached eagerly then for his own offered turkey before assisting in passing Sebastian's plate forward in turn even if his lover appeared decidedly more taken with that Black Pudding then any other dish. The Monarch settling within his seat then before asking after just one of those very tales of Matteo's own youth, Aiden quick to agree with the sentiment before Matteo promised one of Alexander in turn. Dorian so struck in that very moment with the notion of how simply.....nice this was. Loud and ridiculous perhaps and yet for how many centuries had he so waited to have that very family returned to him? How long had Sebastian in turn so spent without before they had met? How wonderfully fortunate he was to gain not only a husband, but a family in turn within the space of those few years- no matter how oddly they had all been brought together. His own silver gaze shifted quickly to Alexander then as the Hunter offered that very tale, the names of those rivers in the least familiar to the Fae King. Matteo, it seemed, distinctly responsible for leading near the entirety of the French army to a battle twenty one years early. How readily that genuine laugh erupted from the Monarch then. Matteo, for his part, so hardly appearing impressed with that story.

"What on earth did you do then, Alexander? Did you have march all the way home? I am quite sure Matteo never shared this battle with me before."

That chuckle so continued to hum within his very throat in turn. Dorian reaching to pour that gravy over his turkey in a clear delight at both that food and good company he had found this evening. The Fae King taking a little more of that pasta Aiden adored before offering it toward Sebastian in turn. Dorian so speaking to that table at large then.

"I should like to see more of Eastern France I think and Sebastian and I have not been to Scotland or Wales yet. Did you ever fight any battles there? There is a terribly great deal of the world i should like to see. We need go back to Italy in the next few weeks though, I am attempting to reform the education system, it is an utter shambles..."

That distinctly british phrase of 'shambles' fell readily from the Monarch's lips then without Dorian so truly noticing it at all, his head shaking lightly in that consideration before his gaze fell to Aiden once more.

"If you should ever like to see Italy you would be most welcome to come with Sebastian and I, Aiden. I know it is so we have only just met and I should surely understand if you should not like to spend so much time in my company just yet but I should very much like to show you my palace one day. We have our own plane so it would be no hassle for you to join us. We are going over for about two weeks or so in a few months, we have to open several new buildings but Lamborghini is constantly asking us to do a factory tour with them, do you enjoy cars? You could come with me if you like? They are always asking me to drive their cars but I cannot drive..."

Dorian Ellington-Aragona