Matteo

It's tough to be a god

It was, Matteo was inclined to admit, perhaps not the worst of ideas to share that veritable thankfulness as Dorian had suggested. Even if he was perhaps more akin to groan at that very idea in much the same fashion as his younger son. The Frenchman so managing to internalise that sound all the same, a feat Aiden was yet to master with any true skill. Dorian, in the wake of that groan, turning on that table at large. His elder son wholly determined to celebrate that holiday as those books so demanded. Dorian, for as long as he had known him, so liking to do things the 'right' way. Matteo, here and now, seeing little true need to deny him if it brought him so much pleasure. Sebastian the poor unfortunate being so sequestered into going first. It was almost endearing, truly, that very effort the vampire placed into pleasing Dorian. That answer, Matteo suspected, very near scripted and yet it was so exactly what Dorian had desired to hear, that bright grin adorning his elder sons face as Sebastian was rewarded with that fleeting kiss to his cheek. For all his teasing of the vampiric fellow he was not uninclined to admit those very truths. That Dorian had found within his Lover a near perfect match. A relationship that, were the future correct, would last for eternity. Both men having found within one another a soul mate. Matteo himself distinctly aware of the.....importance of that relationship- and the pain of its loss.

That conversation of thankfulness shifted to Aiden then. His elder son appearing distinctly displeased with the idea of uttering but anything he was thankful for. Aiden, even at the best of times, hardly one for sentiment. Matteo unable to blame the boy after the life he had led and yet he was assured Aiden could find something within the expanse of his thirty years upon this earth to be glad for. His youngest son so hardly disappointing with the insistence he was thankful for alcohol- and a lack of previous thanksgiving. Aiden, if nothing else, could be relied upon to supply any group with his dry wit. Dorian's attempts to scold his sibling were abruptly cut short by the Frenchman himself. Matteo seeing little need to instigate an argument between the pair here and now. His own words, laced in that sarcasm, so thanking Aiden for his contribution to that family moment. Matteo rewarded with a distinctly rebellious glare that reminded him rather intensely of a sixteen year old Aiden refusing to do near anything he had been asked if only because 'no' had suddenly become his favourite word all over again. That very memory, in itself, prompting a touch of amusement to his own features as Matteo so merely shook his head for now, as if to dismiss those very thoughts. His turn to speak off his own thankfulness so prompting that momentary consideration before offering the simple truth of those emotions. That he had waited.....years for this moment. To have his family together, at last, was nothing short of glorious in every sense of that word. This very evening meaning far more to the Frenchman then even he perhaps dared to admit. Matteo content to add to that very sentiment with those qualities he left behind to each of them in turn. That single utterance that Sebastian was permitted to keep his teeth prompting that near sharp glance from the vampire himself. Dorian abruptly demanding to know exactly what he knew about those fangs.

That ready chuckle so fell from his lips once more. Matteo's shoulders lifting in a simple shrug as if he so hardly knew very much about that manner in any sense. Sebastian, it seemed, as he had suspected, failing to remember a good deal of that incident some weeks prior. His vampiric companion, Arlo, so evidently having failed to fill him on upon those details. Really, he supposed, it was almost cruel to tease the vampire in this fashion and yet Sebastian so presented himself as a near terribly easy target. Aiden's abrupt declaration that Sebastian had gotten the 'short end of the stick' only prompted another chuckle from the depths of his throat. Matteo's silver gaze shifted to his son and son-in-law then.

"I have merely been told there is some issue with Sebastian's fangs. I am giving him permission to keep them, just in case there was any doubt."

How warmly those very words were offered, as if by his own generosity he was so kindly attempting to alleviate the very worry he had been the cause off to begin with! Matteo so meeting Sebastian's gaze for a singular moment before gesturing for Alexander to take over those speeches with his own. His age old companion so seeming to consider that thankfulness a moment before offering a truly....meaningful sentiment. That genuine, warm simper so finding the Frenchmans lips in the wake of those words. A near imperceptible nod offered toward his own father figure then in a silent gratitude for those very words and how much they might mean to that table at large. Dorian, in turn, thanking his Godfather for that fitting ending contribution before offering his own. Dorian's own words nothing short of heartfelt and yet.....such was the very being Dorian was. The boy, somehow, despite it all, so managing to view the world with a love and compassion and kindness so many others at that very table simply....did not. His eldest son, in his own way, presenting the world with a very different kind of strength. Dorian's words prompting the return of that warm grin to his own features. How subtle that....appreciation and yet Matteo was not uninclined to enjoy hearing it. That near soft sigh from the man beside him however readily prompted his silver gaze sideways. Matteo so hardly having to ask to guess at those thoughts that tugged at his younger son over those brotherly sentiments Dorian offered. Matteo so merely allowing his knee to bump agianst Aiden's own beneath that table. His word a soft mutter to Aiden alone.

"Dorian's other brothers used to beat him black and blue for not being like them. When it comes to being a good brother, Mon Amie, you need only not lay a hand upon him and he will consider you the greatest brother. You will be better at this brother business then you think, believe me."

Whether or not Aiden would so take to heart those reassurances he hardly knew. Matteo reaching for his own drink then to raise it in that suggested toast with the others. The Frenchman throwing back what remained of that drink then before eyeing what remained of that meal. The group, at large, having all but decimated that feast until very little of anything remained. Matteo inclined to find himself rather satisfied with their efforts as he slowly pushed back from that table to stand.

"I think it is time we added to our celebrations. Would you all like to see a party trick?"

Whether or not that table desired to see such a gimmick he hardly knew. Matteo nothing if not a showman in every sense of the word. Alexander, he knew, likely to anticipate just what was about to come next. Dorian appearing nothing short of near fearful as he reluctantly agreed that he would, indeed, like to see such a trick. Matteo's hand reached easily for the corner of that table cloth then. The Frenchman gripping it securely before abruptly hosting that entire cloth upward in an action that so should have sent the remains of that meal veritably flying. That shout of alarm from Dorian was cut abruptly short as the entire contents of that table, instead, seemed to abruptly disappear. The table cloth itself held smoothly in Matteo's arms as if every dish and plate and scrap had somehow disappeared within it. Nothing but that bare wooden table before them now. For several moments the Frenchman merely seemed to consider what rested before him before so abruptly flicking that cloth out once more. The table re-setting itself instantly. Each dish having been replaced by a myriad of different desserts and a copious amount of varying alcohols. That gasp of surprise from Dorian prompting a ready grin from himself. His eldest son peering under the table curiously in search of those other dishes and remains that had seemingly disappeared.

"Now, it is a party."

Matteo reached smoothly for the nearest bottle, the Frenchman content to take the entire bottle at that, his free hand plucking a chocolate chip cookie from the veritable pile that had appeared before that affinity for teleportation so saw the Fae reappear near sprawled upon that sofa in clear contentment with dessert and alcohol in hand.

"If anyone has a better party trick I would like to see it."
I have one.
"Dorian? You have a party trick?"
Why do you say it like that? I am a delight at parties.
"Son, you are the King of Italy- you could take food from other people's plates and they would tell you that you were a delight."
Why would I ever- it does not manner. Do you care to see my trick? It might take me a moment though. Sebastian, may I have you linen napkin? Yours too Aiden and yours Alex.

Matteo's gaze lingered readily upon his eldest son then as Dorian so gathered those napkins, the younger Fae so rising from his own chair then, his free hand reaching for a chocolate-dipped strawberry as he did before Dorian so abruptly cross that floor to seat himself cross-legged in the middle of that living room. The Italian so diligently beginning to lay those napkins out upon the floor before starting to....roll them.

"What are you doing?"
It shall take a moment, perhaps someone else has a better trick in the meantime?
"I don't think Alexander is quite drunk enough for any of his tricks just yet. Aiden does an impressive cart wheel."

That near sheepish glance was so afforded toward his elder son then. Aiden and Sebastian both so seeming to have become decidedly enraptured with that spread of desserts.....