you were the answer to my dreams

Sebastian had, admittedly, rather enjoyed the opportunity to share with Dorian a glimpse of what his own life had consisted over for a great many years. For decades he had bounced from party to party, bringing back to his hotel his fair share of prey, all whilst relishing the drunken stupor he was more than capable of obtaining at such festivities. It had been a grand life, he supposed, albeit lonely with the numerous faces that warmed his bed for but a few nights at a time, if even that. Sebastian would have hardly gone back to such a wanton lifestyle for the world, however. He had adjusted strikingly well to that married life - his adoration for his husband entirely eclipsing. That warm simper upon his lover's features was all but infectious, prompting a subtle grin to pull at the corners of his own lips. "I'm sure that's not so." He responded with a soft chuckle and yet, Sebastian hardly anticipated to find Dorian's lips pressed ever so gingerly against his cheek. It was, albeit, entirely chaste compared to the extent of the ardor the pair so often shared between their bedsheets and yet, he knew well his lover's reservations for such public glimpses of affection. It was distinctly difficult not to return such a kiss and yet, the Incubus knew well how incapable he was of dancing on the edge of innocence when fae was concerned. Denying himself was, perhaps, the better choice if only for the presence of Dorian's family.

It was, perhaps, a blessing that Dorian's attention had largely returned to his newfound brother in those moments after. Frankly, the fae had taken the newest member of their little family in stride far better than Sebastian had anticipated. That initial shock had, admittedly, worried the Englishman and yet, Dorian seemed nothing short of elated now. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly as the conversation turned towards his husband's own father. He had known, naturally, of Dorian's hesitance to approach the Frenchman on the truth behind his birth and yet, Sebastian had thought that things were distinctly better now that the pair's relationship was able to foster as it should. He had been largely ignorant of the concerns that still lingered within the fae on the very extent of Matteo's care for him. He could hardly help that small glimpse of appreciation upon his features as Aiden clearly made some effort to reassure the Monarch. He watched with such distinct perception as his lover's features shifted from confusion to surprise to ready amusement only to shift to something far more...delicate. A small frown crossed his own lips as he followed Dorian's gaze towards the kitchen, only to prompt a soft sigh on his lips at his lover's words. Had Dorian truly questioned Matteo's devotion to him? Perhaps it might be a...necessity to voice to the Frenchman that, perhaps, Dorian required more from him, as displeasing as the very thought of such a conversation might be to consider. Sebastian himself was eternally stuck between attempting to please his father-in-law and so ensuring his husband's needs were met, even at the risk of a difficult conversation with the fae.

A soft breath left his lips, the vampire hardly looking forward to the possible conversation that lay before him, and yet, his thoughts were interrupted by Dorian's sudden comment that, clearly, Matteo and Aiden were...strikingly close. Sebastian's own eyebrows knitted together and yet, how he felt for his husband at that tender moment. He knew well just how much his lover desired that very sorts of relationship with his father - even if it presently seemed to be a rather slow-moving connection. How he wished he was capable of giving Dorian exactly what he desired and yet, Sebastian was stuck merely being the soul standing ever faithfully at the King's side. He was glad that the conversation had shifted, if only for how much it tugged at his heart to witness his husband so desperately desiring the very close sort of relationship Aiden clearly had with his own father. What he hadn't anticipated, however, was that Aiden's sibling might be someone he knew -- intimately so. She had spoken before of her brother, albeit briefly, and the man that she had taken to her bed. The choice between the two seemed to have lingered upon her mind even though Sebastian himself had impressed upon her that family always came first, the vampire very much a man of his own time. Clearly, it had seemed she had chosen her lover over her blood relation - if that glimpse of discontent upon the man's features was anything to go by. It was best, he suspected, to simply not mention his own experiences with the woman.

It was, perhaps, his own eagerness to see that conversation shift that prompted the vampire to take part in those queries of Aiden's species. It was, perhaps, not surprising that Aiden was the same feline as his sibling and yet, Dorian seemed nothing short of delighted at the prospect of the large ebony cat. Still, it was Aiden's almost distinct scent that piqued Sebastian's own interest. Though, arguably, Dorian's 'family' of sorts was a near smorgasbord of delectableness for the vampire. From the delightfully sweet taste of his husband to the ever-alluring scent of Matteo and the aged full-bodied tannins of Alexander - Aiden was yet another temptation to tease the undead Englishman. The Were's admittance that the Alpha within his blood held a unique flavor on further intrigued him and yet, he suspected that tasting such blood was as off limits to him as Matteo and Alexander. How....dissatisfying. Nevertheless, he attempted some sort of nonchalance as Sebastian admitted he had never before tasted the blood of an Alpha. He was well aware of that telling glint of inquisitiveness upon Dorian's features and yet, the Monarch was quick to instead lett his attention become captivated by the idea of the ebony panther resting just beneath the man's caramel skin. He hadn't realized his lover's fascination with panthers prior to now.

That conversation was all but quickly derailed by Matteo's emergence from the kitchen with the first of a great many dishes cradled into his hands. The very sight of Mac and Cheese caused his eyebrows to raise, the dish entirely atypical of those Thanksgiving feasts he had attended in the past. Sebastian was hardly the only one astonished by its presence. Dorian himself had clearly hardly seen such a dish before judging by his inquiry and yet, Sebastian hardly anticipated quite the outrage this prompted from Aiden in turn. His own crystalline gaze turned inquisitively towards the Were as he listened to the harangue the man provided Dorian's father and yet, any efforts Matteo made to escape such...passion was seemingly futile, only for the man to choose instead to correct Aiden's near vulgar language. Sebastian was, admittedly, almost curious of the way the dynamics of Dorian's unexpected family so easily fell together in place. Alexander seemed all too content to intrude as their Patriarch and yet, that distinct light-hearted teasing so keenly reminded him of himself and his own sibling - all those great many years ago. How he missed dinners such as this when his father was chastizing John and himself for whatever the duo had involved themselves in, all whilst being nothing but abysmal role models for their sisters - at least, behind the closed doors of their familial home. It was nice, that Dorian was finally given a glimpse of what Sebastian considered to be a true family, even if it so prompted that pain of longing within his own heart.

His own thoughts were momentarily interrupted by the sudden placement of a very specific dish in front of him, the very likes of the sort almost prompted several seconds of a blank stare upon his features. It was peculiar to see such a distinctly British dish at what was a rather American event and yet, the vampiric side him could hardly deny that near-immediate twitch of his nose. He knew, innately, what the dish was, his own gaze briefly turned questioningly towards the Frenchman only to be met with an unexpectedly warm simper. He could hardly help the suspicion that such a gesture provoked within him, if only for how...out of place it was when compared to Matteo's usually aloof demeanor towards him. His gaze slowly turned back down towards the dish as Matteo informed him of the blood that filled that sausage. His attention deviated only at the arrival of that turkey, though Sebastian's far more sensitive senses had been subjected to the scent of the bird ever since Dorian and himself had awoken. His gaze shifted back towards the pudding in front of him, all too aware of the weight of Dorian's gaze upon him. Briefly, his crystalline irises flickered upwards only to eye that almost encouraging simper upon his husband's features. Frankly, he wasn't quite sure what this gesture meant and yet, tentatively Sebastian reached for a piece of the Blood Sausage for him presently pristine but bare plate.

His attention remained steadfast upon the sausage as his fork cut through the meat, that conversation hardly including the vampire and as of such, he was more than content to inspect the pudding he was given. The vampire was entirely ignorant of just how Matteo's gaze had shifted towards him as if hunting for some show of support when the rest of the table had so effortlessly ganged up on him. Slowly, Sebastian placed a piece of the sausage within his mouth, savoring that taste that so appealed to both sides of the man. The vampire glanced back towards the pair, only for his gaze to fall upon the pair of pouting men in front of him. His name upon Alexander's lips, however, near immediately earned the Dark Hunter his attention only for the Monarch to gesture towards his plate - one his husband was all too quick to pass towards his Hunter Godfather. He watched as that turkey was served, only for his plate to be passed back towards him before Alexander began to offer them a tale of his own, albeit brief and, Sebastian expected, rather abridged. The vampire could hardly help the simper that twitched across his features at the very notion of Alexander and the entirety of the French army on the banks of an otherwise quiet and bubbling river - with naught an enemy in sight.

That offered pasta briefly drew his attention as Sebastian helped himself to a serving. It had, admittedly, been ages since he'd had any sort of Macaroni and Cheese that hadn't come from a cardboard box - not that Sebastian often ate Macaroni and Cheese or food from a box often, to begin with. The vampire was altogether content to nibble on his own meal as his lover informed the table at large of their plans in the next few weeks - Italy had, sadly, become quite the center of attention within their lives in the aftermath of their honeymoon, particularly when Sebastian had come to discover the very extent of Dorian's ignorance of his state of finances in general. The last thing he had anticipated, however, was the look upon Aiden's features at the very mention of the Lamborghini factory. Admittedly, far too many invitations had fluttered across Dorian's desk that Sebastian hardly was attentive to the sheer number of places they had been invited to visit, most of which, like this one, had been extended even without his knowledge.

Sebastian Ellington-Aragona