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

The Englishman could hardly deny that comfort he drew from the sheer proximity of his lover. There was some sort of peace that so invaded his soul at that touch of skin on skin, at being nestled within the King's arms and against his chest. His breath was slowly dwindling back to that usual rise and fall, his heart slowly calmed within his chest only to leave an overwhelming sense of exhaustion within the vampire. He suspected, truly, that such had much to do with his lover's newfound use of his ability. Though truly, he was inquisitive if his skin could be brought back to life by mere touch alone when the rest of his body was dead. It was a curious thought, and one he dwelled on during that comfortable silence where the men simply contented themselves in the sheer existence of one another. It was that soft brush of Dorian's lips against his shoulder that drew his gaze, those idle playful words met with a hint of complaint, mock though it largely was. After all, though he was utterly spent, he could hardly deny he was not wholly satisfied either. Although there was a gnawing sense of hunger within the pit of his stomach - it was a real hunger, one he'd too forgotten and though it had begun to claw at him, Sebastian found himself enjoying even those little inconveniences of life. They were, after all, things the man had once taken for granted.

Even so, he could hardly help that simple inquiry as to how Dorian had so managed to do this for so long, particularly if so many of their couplings often ended with the application of his fangs upon the Monarch's skin. It was rare, truly, when the King was free of some such wound, even if Sebastian took particular care to ensure those bites hardly marred the man for life in any fashion. That ready shrug drew the vampire's gaze as the man insisted that, truly he had simply excelled at living while Sebastian so floundered with the smallest brushes of life and sensations. He supposed he could hardly argue that point at all, and yet, Dorian was all too willing to follow such a notion with an equally as curious idea. Sebastian could hardly help that chuckle that left his lips, his head shaking ever so slightly. He had not considered, truly, that it might take an effort to so keep up with his pace as a lover on a regular basis, much less how utterly fit such couplings near demanded out of the fae King. The vampire drew the fae's arms closer around his figure, enough that his hands could feel the firmness to those biceps. "I'm lucky I'd chosen such a delicious crumpet then." He commented, squeezing lightly at those muscles beneath the man's flesh as if he was but admiring the strength he knew rested within the Monarch.

Truly, Dorian's own physique was nothing if not exquisite. That pale flesh was without even the slightest taint, his figure was fit in all the most desirable places, those muscles firm and chiseled - he was nothing if not admirable in every facet. It was no astonishment, really, that the majority of the Monarch's mail consisted of women and men alike announcing their utter infatuation with the man. He was easily the most attractive royal alive, a fact that Sebastian suspected would hardly change even as the years continued. Such thoughts of that physical perfection the King so embodied, however, were distracted by Dorian's efforts to so explain that similarities to what he had just endured to those the vampire could so inflict with his venom alone. His lover's insistence that the touch of that venom racing through his veins was much akin to that feeling of those nerves so being brought to life caused the vampire's eyebrows to furrow in consideration of how utterly exhausting such couplings with him must surely be then for the man who so wholly embraced his pale figure. It was almost a reassurance, perhaps, that Dorian had so 'cheated', in a manner of speaking. After all, as the Monarch pointed out, that intensity that he gifted his lover was usually only just to push the man over that veritable edge, to make those orgasms all the more extraordinary than it might have otherwise been. What tonight had consisted of, he supposed, was hardly any different to that idea that he'd subjected his lover to back in his bedroom of his house seat. Perhaps it wasn't all that bad, he supposed.

The fae's assurance that his bite was glorious brought a warm simper to his features, his eyes rolling at the idea that he too was just as amazing as that venom that so laced those sharpened pointed canines. Sebastian shifted within Dorian's embrace, his lips pressing ever so gingerly against his lover's in a small show of affection as those soft words of appreciation were voiced yet again. It was silly, perhaps, to linger upon that which Dorian had done for him and yet, it was purely out of his love for the man that he was so determined to ensure Dorian knew how utterly appreciated he was. He needed to ensure Dorian knew how much Sebastian had noticed everything the man did from him - from those small gestures like the pillow to ensure his comfort to those grand declarations of care like providing him with that one thing that so eternally thwarted him. How the vampire so missed life and yet, he was willing to accept that death that would surely embrace him by the end of the evening if only for the promise of eternity it gifted him to remain at the immortal fae's side. That ready return of that gratefulness cause his eyebrow to raise and though he truly saw no reason for such a glimpse of appreciation, the vampire's head bobbed ever so slightly in acceptance.

Sebastian hardly expected the Italian's sudden shift from his side, a groan of regret left his lips as Dorian left him alone on that bed. That assurance that he would return was, perhaps, the only thing that kept Sebastian from rising himself, even though those blue eyes remained so steadfast upon the Monarch as he moved around that room towards that small bag. He watched inquisitively as the man flipped through the contents, only to withdraw a leather bound book from its depths. His head tilted to the side as the King quickly returned to that bed, settling once again at his side only to open it and reveal it was hardly a book at all. Rather, he was quite surprised to see that it was a photo album, one that consisted entirely of them. His eyebrow rose ever so slightly and yet, rather than commenting on it, he simply waiting for some sort of explanation from his lover, even if, he supposed, he should hardly be surprised by the sheer number of photographs of himself that likely existed in the world. It was still something Sebastian was getting used to - the fact that he was known now as Italy's Crowned Consort when for so long he'd flittered through lives of others as nothing but a memory of a good time.

Still, he could hardly find fault within that photo album as Dorian so explained it's inception. After all, the vampire had, unnecessarily so, taken quite a fondness to several of those servants. The man had, on more occasion than just one, broken protocol to speak to them directly and, in turn, demand some sort of word of them. After all, they had spent nearly as long as Dorian himself trapped behind those walls. Was it that great of a crime that one amongst them should have discovered an art she enjoyed? "We should send her a gift and a letter to say thank you." He stated quite determinedly. It was within the man's very nature to show gratitude for those gifts others bestowed upon them, regardless of his new found position within the social hierarchy. Nevertheless, he fell silent as Dorian flipped through the pages, those pictures told much of those nearly insignificant moments of their stay in Italy. It was little things like this he often forgot and yet, to be gifted with a whole album of them was certainly meaningful. He could hardly help the grin that crossed his features at that photo upon the balcony, the vampire pausing to let his finger run over that surface. "This one might be my favorite so far." He stated simply, entirely assured that none could best that simple warmth that something so small as a picture of holding his boyfriend.

He watched as Dorian turned the page to one of their more joyous moments in the palace, though what had so amused either of the men had entirely been lost upon the vampire even now. His head bobbed in agreement at Dorian's softly spoken conclusion and yet, he said little as Dorian flipped to the next photograph of that near archaic piano, that he had clearly been so focused upon attempting to tune after all those centuries of disuse. How he missed Bernard and yet, he was assured if they'd brought him home, Timothy would have certainly been jealous. He hardly commented on that photo other than a grin upon his features, letting the King flip the page to yet another picture. This one was entirely unique, if only for how it lacked color, the focus clearly settled upon the two men in the center, even if they were hardly at each other's side. He was hardly oblivious of that look upon the Monarch's features, one in which Sebastian himself had never seen before - reserved clearly for when he was not aware of the King's gaze upon him. That love that existed within those softened features was near undeniable and yet, Sebastian found himself almost too overwhelmed with those emotions to offer even a word on it.

Those words that left his lover's lips brought a snort from his nose, a look of clear dubiousness crossed his features. "I doubt that, look how obvious it is." He commented, attempting, perhaps, to play off those emotions that afflicted him perhaps as much as Dorian himself seemed to. That soft press of Dorian's lips against his cheek drew a softened simper to his features and yet, the vampire returned those celebratory words with something else entirely. "I love you, Dorian." He uttered softly, rolling onto his side to nestle against his lover, his head placed upon the man's shoulder as he looked up at that photo book, only to comment in a tone far softer, "I'm glad I found you."

Sebastian Ellington