![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
faded_laceSo, V and I decided to do a bunch of short, cute things looking into what it would be like if RP characters were going to get married. There's 4 short bits in here, each cut seperately, so you can pick and choose, if you like :D;; They're all pretty fluffy, and I'd say the rating is PG-13, just to be safe, for yuri and yaoi and all the good stuff. <3 You know the gist. XD;
Dragomir tied his cravat—the final piece on his nicest outfit—and bolted down the stairs, top speed. Niles was in the shower, so he only had a few minutes to double check that everything would be perfect for the coming evening. He burst into the kitchen and looked around frantically for the head chief. Spotting him on the far side of the room, Dragomir headed directly over to his side and didn’t even have to ask before the man assured him that everything would be ready on schedule and running perfectly according to plan for his dinner event. Dragomir smiled and thanked him, before heading out to the dining room to check on the musicians he’d hired. They were warming up still, but they were certain they’d be ready for the big event. Sighing happily, Dragomir went back up stairs and took a seat on the bed. Only one detail remained to be checked, and it was perhaps the most important of them all.
Dragomir fumbled for a moment before producing a tiny box. He held it carefully in his palm for a moment, before taking a deep breath and opening it. The ring was, of course, still there. He’d checked it a hundred times today already, but he couldn’t help him self. Dragomir had waited so long to be able to do this, to propose to Niles, and now that it was finally coming together, he was nervous beyond reason that something would go wrong. But everything was still in place, and the ring still looked dazzling. He’d saved up for months to be able to buy it for Niles out of his own money, and even still it wasn’t too fancy, but Dragomir thought it would suit him, and hoped he like it. Dragomir snapped the box shut hurriedly and stuffed it back into his pocket when he heard the shower shut off. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise, after all.
Niles stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly before wrapping a towel around him and wringing out his hair. He padded into the bedroom, anxious to see what Dragomir was up to. Earlier, they had been playing tennis in the yard, and, when they ha come in, Dragomir had made some excuse to shower alone and first. Niles had agreed, of course, but had been extremely curious and borderline worried as to what Dragomir so urgently needed to do while he was in the shower. Now that he was out of the shower, he wanted to see what Dragomir was doing.
When he got to the bedroom, however, it didn't seem as if Dragomir was doing much of anything, and he blinked. "Um...what's up?" he asked, lacking anything else to say.
“Nothing!” Dragomir said, way too quickly. Correcting himself with a little cough, he recanted his hasty response lamely by saying, “I mean, uh, nothing.” He smiled mildly at Niles and stood up. “I think dinner will be ready pretty soon, so I hope you’re hungry, and things.” Dragomir felt he must have been sounding incredibly stupid, and could only hope that his words would flow more smoothly by the time it actually became important.
Niles blinked. "O-okay..." Dragomir was acting strangely, and he wondered what was wrong. Still, whatever it was, they could discuss it over dinner, and he needed to get dressed now. Dropping his towel, he wandered over to his wardrobe and began picking out clothes. "Do you think I ought to wear the red or the blue?" he asked, wandering distractedly back over to Dragomir and holding up two jackets. It hardly mattered what he wore, but he was feeling indecisive and wanted Dragomir's input.
“The blue, I think.” Dragomir smiled, sitting back to watch as Niles dressed. He checked his pocket watch when Niles turned to fix his hair, and was pleased to see that they were exactly on time. He replaced his watch in his pocket and got to his feet, heading over to where Niles was tying his hair back, and slipped his arms around Niles’s waist, leaning to place a quick kiss on his cheek. “You look good tonight,” Dragomir murmured. The excitement was starting to catch up with him, and he couldn’t help but place another kiss on Niles’s neck before taking a step back and towards the door. “Are you ready to go?” Dragomir asked with a grin.
At Niles’s affirmation, they headed down the stairs together and into the main dinning room where a feast was already laid out and the musicians were already playing. Dragomir smiled hesitantly at Niles, checking for a reaction, and hoping his efforts were well received.
Niles's eyes widened at the scene before him; everything was so romantic. This must have been what Dragomir was preparing while he was in the shower. He couldn't believe Dragomir would go through all this trouble just for him on any day, and realized with embarrassment that he must have forgotten some occasion. "It's wonderful, Dragomir!" he said excitedly, turning to smile at him. "What's the occasion? Did I forget my birthday again or something?" He was pretty sure it wasn't his birthday, but he wanted to make sure. "Whatever it is, it's absolutely lovely."
“I’m glad you like it.” Dragomir grinned, but didn’t answer Niles’s question. It was a surprise, after all. He walked over to where the two of them usually sat and pulled Niles’s chair out for him before taking his own seat. He was so glad Niles seemed to like everything, but currently, he was back to feeling nervous, and didn’t know if he’d be able to eat very much of the extravagant feast the servants had put together as per his request. It was composed of all of Niles’s favorite foods, including a batch of éclairs Dragomir had managed to make a few days before for dessert. Dragomir also handpicked the very finest wine he could find in the cellar to be paired with the chicken dish the servants assured him was one of Niles’s favorites, and had asked the musicians to play only the most romantic pieces they knew. Everything had to be perfect for Niles, and Dragomir hoped he’d at least gotten close.
Niles was delighted at everything that had been prepared for him, and he tried everything, noting on how amazing it all was. The food was perfect, everything was exactly how he liked it, and he was amazed that Dragomir had gone to such lengths for him. The only worry he had was that Dragomir was not eating much, but he had assured Niles he was feeling all right, so Niles didn't question him again.
As soon as dinner was done, Niles excitedly indulged in his favourite desert, delighted that Dragomir had made it for him. As he finished, he smiled warmly at Dragomir. "This was all so lovely...thank you so much. But really, Dragomir, what's the occasion? I'm going to feel horrible if I've forgotten to get you a gift for something important..." He knew it couldn't be anything very important if he forgot it, he always went to great lengths to prepare things that Dragomir would like for gifts, but he was still feeling a little guilty.
Dragomir managed to smile at Niles through his insecurity. All though dinner he’d be trying to remember what he’d come up with to say to Niles, but he’d forgotten it all completely, and now he was quite at a loss. Now all that he could do was hope that he’d manage not to sound too ridiculous. “You haven’t forgotten anything.” Dragomir gulped, getting to his feet and taking the few short paces to where Niles was seated. He extracted the tiny box from his pocket before kneeling beside Niles and smiling sincerely up at him despite his anxiousness. “I-I wanted to do something special for you…” Opening the box, Dragomir held it out to Niles. “Because I wanted to ask if you would marry me.” He wasn’t quite sure if he’d done it all correctly, but he was trembling now with nerves and excitement, so it would have to do.
Niles's eyes widened in disbelief as the words came out of Dragomir's mouth. He had never, when he was younger, expected that anyone would want to marry him, and since he had met Dragomir, he hadn't really given it a second thought. But now...now he was surprised, amazed, beyond words. "I..." he started, his voice cracking slightly with his excitement. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, then started again, unable to contain his stupid grin. "Oh, Dragomir, of course I'll marry you!"
Dragomir grinned back, certain that he looked equally stupid for all his excitement. He slipped the ring out of it’s little box and set the container aside, leaning up and placing a kiss on Niles’s lips as he slipped the ring on to his finger. “I’m so happy!” Dragomir just about squeaked, in such a state of elation that he could think of nothing else to say.
Niles bubbled and giggled as he lifted his hand to look at the ring. It was a silver band with a sparkling blue sapphire and a small cluster of diamonds around it. It certainly wasn't the most expensive thing he owned, but to him, it seemed to be the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Holding it up to the light and admiring the way it show on is finger, he smiled back at Dragomir excitedly. "Oh, it's beautiful!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Dragomir and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I love you!"
Dragomir wrapped his arms around Niles, holding him tightly as he got to his feet, lifting Niles and spinning around out of pure joy. “I love you too!” Dragomir exclaimed, setting Niles down again and kissing him fervidly. “I’m just so happy! Oh Niles, I love you!” Dragomir said excitedly, kissing him again. “I’ve wanted this for such a long time but I was waiting till it could be perfect…Was it alright?”
Niles smiled. "It was perfect," he assured, kissing Dragomir back softly. He had never felt happier in his life, and it seemed as if nothing could ever be wrong again in his life, not now that he was going to marry Dragomir. Smiling warmly and resting his head on Dragomir's shoulder, he murmured, "Everything is perfect."
Corinne hurried home from the jewelry store, her hand unconsciously clutching her jacket pocket for safekeeping. She needed to get home before Viorica did from visiting her family; she had given her money for a cab so that she could run errands in the mean time. What she didn't tell Viorica was that she was running the most important errand in her life: she was out to buy an engagement ring. She had taken Viorica to the jewelry store months earlier and asked her to choose her favourite ring, then come back later to ask the jeweler to hold it for her. Now she was finally buying it, because today was the big day. Today she was going to ask Viorica to marry her.
Of course, preparations had to be made; when she got home, she hurried to the bedroom and began arranging things. She had asked the maids to bring up some fresh bluebells, among other flowers, and now quickly began arranging them in vases and setting them about in a way she hoped Viorica would like. She then rang for a maid and informed her to send Viorica up to the bedroom when she arrived him. Then, her work done, she sat down in a chair and tried hard to look nonchalant, fingering her pocket nervously to make sure the box was still there.
Viorica thanked and paid the cab driver with a smile before heading up the steps to Corrine’s house. One of the maids let her in right away, and informed her that Corinne was waiting in the bedroom. Viorica nodded and headed up the stairs hastily, excited to see Corinne after the two of them had been out for most of the day. Visiting Tatiana had been nice of course, but she was eager to be with Corrine again. Reaching the landing, Viorica hurried to the bedroom and opened the door, grinning. “I’m back! I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
Corinne smiled back charmingly, uncrossing her legs and standing. "Not too long at all," she replied, striding over to Viorica before wrapping her arms around the other and pulling her close. "I hope your family was as charming as it always is?" She had to get her nerves down before she popped the question; though she was good at hiding it, she was extremely anxious.
“Yeah,” Viorica laughed, hugging Corinne back before leaning up and pecking her on the cheek. “Pierre was playing with Amelie while I was there, so he didn’t really say anything to me.” Viorica rolled her eyes at the thought of him as she continued. “And Tatiana was cleaning, so I helped her for a little while.” Viorica smiled. It was good to be back with Corinne. “What have you been up to today? Errands, right? What sort of things did you get?”
Corinne smiled. "I'll be sure to let you know, but first, I have a request to make." She grinned, took a deep breath, then pressed the ring box into Viorica's hand. "Open it up."
“Alright!” Viorica beamed excitedly. She loved gifts and surprises, especially from Corrine. She always knew exactly what she liked and what to get her to make her smile. With a final grin up to Corrine, Viorica opened the box and peered inside eagerly. Gasping, Viorica realized it was the ring she had picked out months earlier. “Oh wow, thank you Corrine!” Viorica exclaimed, throwing her arms around her delightedly. “I had almost forgotten about this ring…” Viorica admitted. “It’s so beautiful though, I don’t know how I could have. Thank you!” She repeated, pulling back to look down at the ring again. It was only then that she noticed all the flowers arranged around the room, and giggled embarrassedly at Corrine, grinning. “I get the feeling you have another surprise for me.”
Corinne smiled. "Ah, yes...that request." She took Viorica's hand in hers and looked into her eyes. "I was wondering if you would marry me?" She held her breath.
“Wait what?” Viorica asked, wide-eyed. “I-marry you?” She repeated excitedly. “I’d love to! Oh my goodness!” Viorica squealed, bubbling and kissing Corrine on the cheek. “This is like a dream! Corrine, I’m so excited, I almost can’t believe it! I love you so much, I can’t wait!”
Corrine smiled, pulling Viorica into her arms again and pressing a fervid kiss to her lips. "I'm so glad!" she exclaimed as they broke apart, grinning. She carefully extracted the ring from Viorica's hands before taking her left one and sliding the ring onto her ring finger. It was a gold ring, with a large ruby and a cluster of diamonds. She smiled, pleased, before kissing her hand and remarking, "You make it look good."
“Thank you,” Viorica blushed, flexing her fingers and admiring the way the ruby glittered in the light. Then, looking back up to Corrine and into her eyes, Viorica smiled brightly even as her eyes watered slightly with emotion after such exciting news. “Corrine, it’s all so perfect, I don’t hardly know what to say.” She wiped her eyes quickly, her smile broadening. “Oh but I love you so much, thank you for making me the happiest girl ever!” Viorica thought she must sound cliché, but she didn’t care, because she knew it was the truth.
Corinne smiled softly, pulling Viorica back into her arms. "If I can make you happy...that's all I could ever ask for."
Algernon tapped his fingers on the lid of the small jewelry box which sat on his desk. There were five minutes until Perceval was to arrive for a short, midday meeting, and he was anxious to see him. He had a little plan in store, and he wanted to go through with it. Though he was usually a very calm and collected person, he was as close as he came to being excited right now, and so he tapped his fingers, waiting for Perceval to arrive.
Perceval stood in front of Algernon’s door, straitening his jacket carefully and smoothing his knickers to perfection. He had arrived a few minutes early, and he wanted to take every opportunity he had to make sure he looked nice for he and Algernon’s meeting. Checking his watch, he noticed he had only one minute left and decided to be a little early. Perceval flicked his hair back over his shoulders as a finishing touch before knocking gently on the door and stepping inside with a lavish bow. “Good after noon, sir.” Perceval said straightening, before adding coyly, “You wanted to see me?”
Algernon stood with a smile. "Oh, yes, Percy, I did wish to see you..." Leaving the box on his desk, he made his way over to where Perceval stood. Pressing the lock quickly, he pressed a quick kiss to Perceval's lips, nipping lightly as he pulled away. "But first, tell me, Percy, how have you been today?" He certainly didn't want to waste any of his time with Perceval, no matter what his plans were.
Perceval quivered with delight, savoring the feel of Algernon’s lips against his as he raised his hand to his lips tenderly. Dropping it to his side quickly, he answered with a little bow and congenial smile, “It’s gone quite well today, sir; I spent all morning looking forward to my visit with you.” He wished Algernon would touch him again; he didn’t know quite what the purpose of the meeting was, but he hoped it could be settled quickly.
Algernon smiled, lowering his head a little to nip at Perceval's neck. "I'm so glad you look forward to me, Percy..." He ran his
tongue up along Perceval's neck and jawbone before sucking for a moment. "I certainly wouldn't want to disappoint..." He drew back abruptly with a teasing smirk. "But, then again, I certainly wouldn't want to keep you from your good day...I understand if you'd like to go." He took a few steps towards his desk, then looked back over his shoulder. "You probably want to get back to work, don't you?"
Perceval gasped as Algernon indulged his neck, but his already hastening breath caught in his throat when Algernon backed away, and he took a few steps forward after him without thinking. “No, wait, sir, I-” He caught himself, worrying that he was in the way of something important
and hoping Algernon wasn’t trying to get him to leave for some reason. Looking longingly after Algernon Perceval whined, “Please sir, my days are only good when I get to see you....” He made a pouting face and added, “I don’t want to go back yet, if you’ll let me stay.”
Smirking, Algernon shook his head. "Really, Percy, all you had to do was say so," he drawled, "I called you here, I certainly don't want you to leave." He took Perceval by the arm and pulled him over towards the desk, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing a hard kiss to his lips, deepening it almost immediately. After a few moments, he trailed down to Perceval's neck, sucking and kissing before letting his teeth brush the skin. Pulling back slightly, he smiled, pleased at the red marks that were forming.
"Now, Percy," Algernon began, punctuating his speech with kisses to Perceval's neck, "there is some business... to which I would like to attend..." He trailed the kisses back to Perceval's lips, placing one last kiss there before moving back only slightly. "I was wondering if you would do me the honour of marrying me." He smirked and waited for a response; this was sure to be fun.
At the mention of business, Perceval whimpered breathily with disappointment. However, as Algernon didn’t stop kissing him, he decided he didn’t mind, and tried to listen even though he found concentration quite difficult under the current circumstances. Perceval murmured incoherently in response to Algernon’s question, responding more to the fact that Algernon had pulled away rather than the information the sentence contained. It was only when Algernon didn’t return after a few seconds that the full meaning sunk in and Perceval opened his eyes abruptly, gaping at Algernon. He shut his moth and swallowed hard, unable to tell if Algernon was serious or simply playing with him. “Would I…would I what?” Perceval gasped incredulously.
Algernon smirked, pleased with his reaction. "Would you do me the honour of marrying me, Percy?" He reached back for the box on his desk and presented it to Perceval. "I have a ring for you, if you'll accept it." He was interested to see what Perceval would do next. He certainly hoped he would like the ring, if nothing else. It had cost him a great deal, but it was worth it, for Perceval.
“I…I-” Perceval took one look down at the beautiful emerald ring and knew Algernon was serious. “I-I would! I will! I want to!” It all flooded from him before he could compose himself, before he could even remember etiquette. Smiling with elation, Perceval threw his arms around Algernon and kissed him briefly on the cheek, acting quite out of control and not even caring. He was so ecstatic there was nothing, nothing, that would hold him back right now. It had been so long that Perceval was enamored with Algernon, he’d love him deeply for so long, but he never thought it would come to anything, that it would come to something so amazing and so perfect.
Not wanting to cry or anything too drastically emotional, Perceval got a hold of himself and stepped back, taking a deep breath and starting over. “I would be delighted, sir.” He bowed deeply, intending to stand up and present his hand, but finding himself quite unable to resist throwing himself at Algernon again with a squeak of glee. “I’m sorry,” He practically panted exuberantly against Algernon. “I can’t help it, I’m so happy. I’m sorry sir.”
Algernon was slightly taken aback; he hadn't seen Perceval act like this since they had first gotten together ten years ago. Still, it was touching, and Algernon, much to his own surprise, began to feel himself melt. Maybe, this once, it would be all right if it was a little like the old days.
"I'm so glad that you will," Algernon replied smoothly, wrapping his arms around Perceval's waist and pulling him closer. He placed a soft kiss on Perceval's cheek. "You're the only one I could ever want." As he pulled away, he took the ring from its box and held Perceval's hand, pressing a kiss to it before sliding the ring onto his finger. A smirk crept across his lips, and he kissed the slender hand again. "Soon, you'll be legally mine, Percy. What do you think of that?"
“How official...I like the sound of it.” Perceval cooed amorously, looking adoringly up into Algernon’s eyes before gazing down at the white gold ring. “It’s so beautiful, Algernon…” Perceval said under his breath as he reflected on what it all meant. The idea of being Algernon’s, of belonging to him in every possibly way and fully under the law excited Perceval and he looked up at Algernon with a sultry expression. “I always want to be yours...because I love you.” Perceval didn’t think Algernon would say it back, but that wasn’t what mattered, he wanted to say it, even if Algernon already knew, as Perceval did, that it didn’t need to be said.
Algernon couldn't help but smile as Perceval expressed his affection; he loved Perceval just as much, but made a point of not telling him on principal. Still, it was a special, occasion, so, maybe, the rules could be bent slightly. "That's quite fortunate," he replied softly, pulling Perceval back into his arms, "Because I'm going to keep you forever. You're my prized possession, my love." He pressed a soft kiss to Perceval's lips before letting his mouth roam once again to his neck. Sure, Perceval had the ring, but Algernon didn't see any reason not to leave a few other marks of possession, as well.
It was the third day of October—Faustino’s birthday—and he was turning fourteen at last. Finally, he was of legal age, and Donavan was going to celebrate, damnit, in a big way. A really big way. So big in fact, that he’d never thought he’d do it—ever, but that was before Faustino, before today. Now however, he knew it was what he’d always wanted for the two of them; he wanted to be able to promise Faustino that kind of stability Donavan knew he deserved, and Donavan knew it even before he’d decided on the perfect ring.
He’d spotted the ring in a jewelry store months ago and was immediately attracted to its ostentatious and yet somehow still practical design. Of course, he didn’t have enough money to buy it, but that had never been an issue. It was only yesterday that Donavan had gotten the chance to drop in on the little old jeweler, place a prank order under a fake name for something that would never sell, and lift the masterpiece from the window display. It had been a work of genius, but it left him with the problem of finding a box for the little thing.
It was still very early and Faustino seemed to be sound asleep, but Donavan knew he had to hurry, and manage to be quite about it, too. So far, all the boxes he’d found however, were far too big for the ring, and Donavan was beginning to lose hope. He’d have to find another way to present the item. Donavan wrapped the tiny jeweled object carefully in a handkerchief and placed it in his pocket for temporary safekeeping while he thought about the best means to ask Faustino the big life-changing question.
Faustino slowly awoke and rolled over in bed before opening his eyes. Sunlight streamed in around the bed curtains, and he realized that Donavan was already up. Yawning, he sat up and moved to open the bed curtains before sliding out into the bedroom. Looking around, he realized that Donavan was over in the sitting room, and smiled to him sleepily. “Morning, Donavan," he called with a smile before wandering over to the wardrobe and getting dressed. He was not yet fully awake and fairly mussed from sleep and the previous night, and he hated to try and hold a conversation before he was presentable.
“Morning,” Donavan called, resting his chin in his hands as he continued to think over the situation. He wanted to do something special, for someone as special as Faustino, and not just any thing would do. Sighing, Donavan pushed the issue out of his head for the time being. Something would come to him, something perfect. In the meanwhile, the needed to get some breakfast and then there was some training Donavan had in mind to put Faustino to work on. There was a large operation at the end of the month, and Donavan wanted his best asset in top form. Hmmm, training… He mused. That could work. Smirking with satisfaction, Donavan got up and wandered nonchalantly into the bedroom were Faustino was still dressing. “Happy birthday, Faustino.” Donavan smiled, leaning against the bedpost casually to watch as Faustino pulled on his shirt and wishing he’d leave it off.
Faustino smiled over his shoulder. "Thank you!" he replied, remembering it was his birthday as he buttoned up his vest and tied his cravat before pulling on his jacket. He moved to the dressing table to fix his hair, then turned to face Donavan. "I'm sorry, did I hold you up from breakfast? You should have woken me up earlier." He smiled apologetically, cocking his head to one side.
“Nope, I wasn’t hungry.” Donavan smiled. “Besides, I wanted you to rest up as much as you could for today. I have some training planed before we celebrate.” Donavan popped his fingers as a joke and went back to smirking as he admired Faustino’s choice in outfit. It suited him perfectly, of course, and Donavan no longer regretted that Faustino was dressed; he always looked good, no matter what. “I hope you’re hungry though, birthday boy, because I am now.” Donavan grinned before turning towards the door and starting down the stairs. Now that he knew what he was doing, his stomach had unclenched, and he was starving. Things would go smoothly, and what mattered now was acting natural so as not to spoil the surprise. Donavan wouldn’t have any trouble with that though; acting was his specialty after all.
Faustino grinned at Donavan's statement. "All right! I'm hungry!" He followed Donavan happily down to the dining room, where breakfast was laid out for them. "Oh, and we're training today? I suppose that's a good idea, because of the big thing coming up and all...what kind of training are we doing?” he asked eagerly. Though it was technically work, Faustino liked training; it was fun and often took place outside, and, of course, it was with Donavan.
“Oh, mostly the usual…” Donavan said offhandedly, reaching for and helping himself to one of each of the kinds of fruits that had been laid out for them by their servant. The backed food wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was bland, and Donavan much preferred fruit for breakfast than anything else to heavy, especially with a full day planned. He took a bite of his apple and chewed slowly, debating weather or not he should say much more. Setting the fruit down, he smirked. It wouldn’t hurt to drop a hint. “I have something else special planned, too. It’ll be a surprise, though, for your birthday.”
Faustino clapped his hands together excitedly. "Oh, a birthday surprise? That's so exciting!" He figured it was the Donavan-jumping-him-and-screwing-him-into-the-grass sort of surprise, but he certainly wasn't going to complain about that. Any excuse to have sex more than once a day was good, especially when it was a surprise for him. But all that aside, he was looking forward to training; fencing and target practice were always fun, and anything else Donavan came up with was always exciting, too. He finished breakfast hurriedly then waited for Donavan, eager to get outside.
Seeing that Faustino was already finished, Donavan drained his cup of juice and got to his feet. “Are you ready?” he asked unnecessarily. Faustino was eager as always, and Donavan smirked at his readiness when he got up excitedly to follow him out onto the grounds.
The manner Donavan had acquired was ancient and rickety, but it served its purpose well enough and had enough space for a small shooting range as well as all the other necessary training spaces. To make up for its lackluster appearance, Donavan spent most of the money he embezzled from the Berceuse Malheureuse on furniture and fineries, and of course, he delighted in spoiling Faustino lavishly. Nevertheless, Faustino was in his employment, for a variety of services, and Donavan liked to put him to work.
Donavan lead Faustino over to the small circular sandy area they used for fencing practice and drew his rapier, opening the two large buckets of paint on either end of the field as he passed them. Then turning to Faustino with a smirk, he slipped out of his jacket and set it aside, removing his vest as well. “Let’s count points today, Faustino.” Donavan grinned, running his fingers over the edge of his sword fondly before affixing a foam ball on the end. He dipped it into his bucket of red paint then shook off the excess before drawing it up into an elegant line in en garde.
Faustino drew his rapier as well, also placing a foam ball on the end and dipping it in paint. "All right," he agreed with a hesitant smile. Though he knew he was a very skilled fencer (after all, he'd been training under the best since he was eight) he also knew that Donavan was definitely better than him. Still, if he could get a few points on Donavan, he'd be happy with himself. He also moved into en garde, waiting for Donavan to begin.
Donavan opened dramatically with a balestra, hopping forward nimbly and lunging with a second intention. Faustino saw through the move, parrying and countering effectively, but Donavan ducked around the blade, narrowly avoiding a hit, and flashing a smirk at Faustino as he moved around to reestablish the measure.
It seemed that with each passing year, Faustino got better and better with the sword, and Donavan had taken to the opinion that their training sessions were for him just as much they were for Faustino. After all, Donavan never knew when Faustino would surpass him, and he didn’t want to fall from the high esteem in which he knew Faustino held him.
Faustino engaged Donavan’s blade in a conversation, advancing forward with confidence and leading him to believe he was starting an attack au fer. Donavan knew that his phrase was not quite as simple as Faustino would led him to believe, and waited for him to make his move, keeping Faustino’s blade engaged as he prevented his line of attack from being swayed. Faustino’s preparation came to a head suddenly when he changed engagement and preformed a stunning coupe, cutting in past Donavan’s guard.
Donavan hopped back nimbly, but it still wasn’t quite enough to avoid the touch completely, and he looked down at his blouse to see a spot of green paint, bright against the stark shirt. “Nice touch,” Donavan smiled, getting back into his en garde and altering his stance into one that signified more aggression. He’d have to mix things up a little to come out on top, and he had no intention of going easy on Faustino because it was his birthday.
This time when Faustino attempted to take his blade in a prise de fer with an elegant envelopment, Donavan used deception, moving his blade aside easily in derobement. From there, Donavan was inside of Faustino’s defense, and the counter attack was a sure, strong hit to his torso—a killing blow outside of practice. Smirking, Donavan withdrew and dipped his point in the paint again. While he knew Faustino would surpass him one day, he still had a lot to learn.
They continued in the same vain for a long time—through lunch—until they were both exhausted and Donavan ended the bout falling back into the sand. They were both covered in multitudes of little dots of paint, but it was a clear victory for Donavan. Smirking, he called Faustino over to him and grabbed him roughly by the arm, pulling him down to the ground on top of him. “I won,” he gloated. “So I get a prize.” Donavan wrapped his arms around Faustino’s waist and pressed a bruising kiss to his lips, relishing the way he could feel Faustino’s muscles quivering against him from exhaustion and savoring the smell of his sweat in the afternoon sun. Like everything else about Faustino, it turned him on.
Faustino let out a noise of surprise as he was pulled down on top of Donavan, but the squeak was quickly muffled against Donavan's lips. As they pulled apart, he grinned. "Congratulations," he replied, placing another kiss on his lips before smiling down at Donavan. "So, what now?" He hoped it would be shooting, or something; he was tired now.
“Target practice.” Donavan said simply with a grin, rolling so that Faustino was underneath him and kissing him hard on the lips again briefly before moving a little lower to his neck. Really though, he shouldn’t be dawdling, or else he’d get distracted. There was a lot more to come after all, so he had to be patient. Reluctantly, he pushed himself up off of Faustino and used his toe to pick up his rapier, scrape the foam off the tip, and then flicked the blade to remove any excess paint, before sheathing it and heading over towards the designated shooting range.
At the opposite end of the long stretch of open ground were two dark silhouettes already riddled with bullet holes, and just waiting to be pumped with more. Donavan unholstered his pistol quickly and took an experimental shot as he walked, not stopping to aim. The hit was a solid one to the gut; the target would die, slowly, but he would die, and that was good enough for Donavan. Grinning with self-satisfaction, he turned to watch Faustino take a shot.
Faustino stopped beside Donavan and also drew his gun, taking aim briefly before firing. He couldn't allow himself too much time, because if he were ever needed to protect Donavan from a sneak attack, he would have to aim quickly and still be deadly. His shot was all right; it certainly would disarm his opponent, as his shot went straight through the target's shoulder, but it wouldn't necessarily be deadly. He sighed and shook his head, looking up to Donavan apologetically. "I must be out of practice..."
“Don’t rush it.” Donavan smiled kindly, taking a step closer to Faustino. “If you try to move too fast, when you pull the trigger you lose your target.” He loved instructing Faustino in marksmanship; it always provided a convenient excuse for generally undo closeness. Donavan moved behind Faustino and slipped his arms around his sides, wrapping Faustino’s trigger hand carefully in his. “If you move more like this, slower, and take aim from here,” Donavan instructed, moving Faustino’s arm as he talked him through the process, “Your shot should be more effective and won’t veer so far to the left.” He bent a little lower so that he was at Faustino’s eye level and kissed him on the cheek before moving Faustino’s arm to take aim. Donavan pressed Faustino’s finger to the trigger, and sure enough, it was dead center. Donavan smirked and released Faustino, straitening and moving back a few paces. “Try it like that and see if it’s any easier.”
Faustino nodded obediently, taking aim again. Donavan always made it so hard for him to pay attention when he was giving him corrections on his shooting, but he managed to listen to what he was saying somehow, and so, after repeating the process that Donavan had just taken him through, he fired. Sure enough, the bullet went straight to the center. It was a little bit higher than what Faustino had aimed for, going through the target's neck, but that was a deadly shot, anyway, and he was still excited for his success. "I did it!" he exclaimed happily, turning back to Donavan and grinning.
They continued to shoot for a while, and Faustino soon became even more confident of his shot. By the time they had gone through two rounds, if Faustino aimed for the hole that Donavan's shot had just made, he could almost hit it. He was extremely proud of himself, but by the end, his arms were beginning to ache a little from holding them out. Donavan seemed to be feeling the same way, so he turned to him with a smile. "What now?"
“Now,” Donavan smirked, holstering his pistol, “Now I have an assignment for you.” He took a step back from Faustino to get the starting distance he wanted and then folded his arms over his chest. “I have something special in my pocket for you. I want you to try and get it by the time we get back to the dining room for your birthday cake.” With a final grin to Faustino, Donavan turned and started walking back towards the house. Now that it was all about to happen, he was feeling nervous again and didn’t want Faustino to see. Hopefully, he could complete the task soon, before Donavan got too jittery. Even so, he wasn’t going to make it easy for Faustino, either, he was going to have to catch him off guard if he wanted his surprise.
Faustino wondered what the surprise could be, but he didn't have much time to ponder as Donavan began walking away. He took a deep breath, then sprinted to catch up with Donavan. As soon as he was in arm's reach behind him, he tapped Donavan on the shoulder to distract him before, sending the other hand out quickly for his pocket, hoping to get in and out before Donavan reacted. He knew it was unlikely, but it was worth a shot.
Donavan laughed, catching him roughly by the wrist and then pushing him back. “You’re going to have to be cleverer than that to get it, you know.” Donavan smirked, patting his pocket tauntingly. “I’m not letting you off easy on this one, even if it is your birthday.” Donavan turned again and started walking. He was glad he didn’t think it showed, but he was now trembling a bit with anticipation.
Faustino pouted, letting himself fall behind Donavan again. How was he going to be able to catch Donavan off guard in such a short amount of time? It seemed as if Donavan was always on guard, even when they were...wait, that was an idea! Faustino grinned, pleased with his idea, before running up to catch up with Donavan again. Taking a few steps in front of him, he put on a coyly obedient look. "You're right, Donavan...It was silly of me to have even tried that on you...I know you're far smarter than to ever fall for something like that..." Placing his hands on Donavan's shoulders and standing on his toes, he pulled Donavan down slightly into a fervid kiss. That ought to distract him.
Donavan knew better than to fall for flattery, though he enjoyed hearing it from Faustino nevertheless. The smug remark he was about to make however, was cut off completely as Faustino kissed him. Donavan let himself become enraptured, slipping his arms around Faustino’s waist and relishing the sensation as he deepened the kiss. It was just the sort distraction he needed to keep himself from getting too caught up in worrying about how his plan would play out in the end.
Faustino was glad his plan was working, and had to make sure not to get too wrapped up himself. He kept a level head, however, and was able to slip his hand carefully into Donavan's pocket and retrieve what appeared to be a small item wrapped in a handkerchief. He slid it into his own pocket before wrapping his arms around Donavan's neck, letting himself enjoy the kiss a moment longer. When they broke for air, however, he took a step back and grinned. Pulling the item out of his pocket, he held it up for Donavan to see. "Gotcha~!" he exclaimed, proud of himself.
Donavan blinked with surprise and checked his own pocket to make sure. Sure enough, it was empty; Faustino had taken him completely by surprise. Laughing, Donavan ginned. “Nicely done, you had me completely fooled.” His amusement was short-lived however, now, he was back to all nerves. “Why don’t you…I mean, um, open it and see what it is.” He smiled slightly, no longer feeling very confident in the slightest. What if, after all, this wasn’t what Faustino wanted? Donavan could stand to think about that possibility and quickly pushed it from his mind; something would have to work, somehow, because Donavan didn’t want to live without Faustino always by his side.
Faustino unfolded the handkerchief and peered inside excitedly, eager to find his surprise. Sitting in the cloth, he found a small, white-gold ring. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was inset with a number of diamonds, gradually going from a bright blue diamond in the middle to pure white ones on the sides. He held it up to get a closer look, then looked back up to Donavan, bubbling excitedly. "This is for me? Oh, Donavan, it's beautiful!"
“I’m glad you like it.” Donavan smiled, hardly breathing; he had to ask now, or forfeit the whole thing, and that he couldn’t bear to do; he wouldn’t give up without trying. “Because I’ve been waiting until today, Faustino, to ask you something important.” He moved a little closer to Faustino and took both of his hands in his own, drawing a deep breath. “I was hoping that maybe…Well, I wondered if you would marry me.” At least he’d said it. Now it all depended on how Faustino would answer, but either way, Donavan knew this exchange would be life-changing.
Faustino's eyes widened at Donavan's words. "M...marry you?" Could Donavan possibly be serious? As much as Faustino loved him, he didn't ever imagine that Donavan would ever want that sort of legal binding. After all, wouldn't being married hold him down? Faustino knew Donavan knew that he would follow him no matter what, and he could barely allow himself to believe that Donavan would want to marry him. Before he let himself be overjoyed, he had to make sure Donavan wasn't tricking. "...A-are you joking?"
“N-no.” Donavan said quickly, blushing, and feeling foolish for it. Should he be? Was it really that unbelievable? Of course it was. But he was serious, and he’d stick to it until Faustino rejected him. “I mean it.” Donavan knelt and looked up at Faustino, taking the ring from his hand and slipping it on to Faustino’s ring finger. “Will you marry me?”
Faustino stared down at Donavan in disbelief. As he felt the ring slide onto his finger, he could hardly believe what was happening, but, before he knew it, his face was melting into a smile. "Oh my goodness..." Breaking into a ridiculous grin, he dropped down as well to throw his arms around Donavan. "Of course I'll marry you! Oh, Donavan, I love you!"
“I’m so glad!” Donavan breathed a sigh of relief and smirked as he slipped his arms around Faustino’s waist, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “I love you,” Donavan murmured against Faustino’s skin as he pulled apart just barely. Then, abruptly, Donavan pushed Faustino backwards into the grass and crawled over him, kissing him hard on the lips. At a time like this, a celebration of sorts was in order, and birthday cake would have to wait.
Dragomir tied his cravat—the final piece on his nicest outfit—and bolted down the stairs, top speed. Niles was in the shower, so he only had a few minutes to double check that everything would be perfect for the coming evening. He burst into the kitchen and looked around frantically for the head chief. Spotting him on the far side of the room, Dragomir headed directly over to his side and didn’t even have to ask before the man assured him that everything would be ready on schedule and running perfectly according to plan for his dinner event. Dragomir smiled and thanked him, before heading out to the dining room to check on the musicians he’d hired. They were warming up still, but they were certain they’d be ready for the big event. Sighing happily, Dragomir went back up stairs and took a seat on the bed. Only one detail remained to be checked, and it was perhaps the most important of them all.
Dragomir fumbled for a moment before producing a tiny box. He held it carefully in his palm for a moment, before taking a deep breath and opening it. The ring was, of course, still there. He’d checked it a hundred times today already, but he couldn’t help him self. Dragomir had waited so long to be able to do this, to propose to Niles, and now that it was finally coming together, he was nervous beyond reason that something would go wrong. But everything was still in place, and the ring still looked dazzling. He’d saved up for months to be able to buy it for Niles out of his own money, and even still it wasn’t too fancy, but Dragomir thought it would suit him, and hoped he like it. Dragomir snapped the box shut hurriedly and stuffed it back into his pocket when he heard the shower shut off. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise, after all.
Niles stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly before wrapping a towel around him and wringing out his hair. He padded into the bedroom, anxious to see what Dragomir was up to. Earlier, they had been playing tennis in the yard, and, when they ha come in, Dragomir had made some excuse to shower alone and first. Niles had agreed, of course, but had been extremely curious and borderline worried as to what Dragomir so urgently needed to do while he was in the shower. Now that he was out of the shower, he wanted to see what Dragomir was doing.
When he got to the bedroom, however, it didn't seem as if Dragomir was doing much of anything, and he blinked. "Um...what's up?" he asked, lacking anything else to say.
“Nothing!” Dragomir said, way too quickly. Correcting himself with a little cough, he recanted his hasty response lamely by saying, “I mean, uh, nothing.” He smiled mildly at Niles and stood up. “I think dinner will be ready pretty soon, so I hope you’re hungry, and things.” Dragomir felt he must have been sounding incredibly stupid, and could only hope that his words would flow more smoothly by the time it actually became important.
Niles blinked. "O-okay..." Dragomir was acting strangely, and he wondered what was wrong. Still, whatever it was, they could discuss it over dinner, and he needed to get dressed now. Dropping his towel, he wandered over to his wardrobe and began picking out clothes. "Do you think I ought to wear the red or the blue?" he asked, wandering distractedly back over to Dragomir and holding up two jackets. It hardly mattered what he wore, but he was feeling indecisive and wanted Dragomir's input.
“The blue, I think.” Dragomir smiled, sitting back to watch as Niles dressed. He checked his pocket watch when Niles turned to fix his hair, and was pleased to see that they were exactly on time. He replaced his watch in his pocket and got to his feet, heading over to where Niles was tying his hair back, and slipped his arms around Niles’s waist, leaning to place a quick kiss on his cheek. “You look good tonight,” Dragomir murmured. The excitement was starting to catch up with him, and he couldn’t help but place another kiss on Niles’s neck before taking a step back and towards the door. “Are you ready to go?” Dragomir asked with a grin.
At Niles’s affirmation, they headed down the stairs together and into the main dinning room where a feast was already laid out and the musicians were already playing. Dragomir smiled hesitantly at Niles, checking for a reaction, and hoping his efforts were well received.
Niles's eyes widened at the scene before him; everything was so romantic. This must have been what Dragomir was preparing while he was in the shower. He couldn't believe Dragomir would go through all this trouble just for him on any day, and realized with embarrassment that he must have forgotten some occasion. "It's wonderful, Dragomir!" he said excitedly, turning to smile at him. "What's the occasion? Did I forget my birthday again or something?" He was pretty sure it wasn't his birthday, but he wanted to make sure. "Whatever it is, it's absolutely lovely."
“I’m glad you like it.” Dragomir grinned, but didn’t answer Niles’s question. It was a surprise, after all. He walked over to where the two of them usually sat and pulled Niles’s chair out for him before taking his own seat. He was so glad Niles seemed to like everything, but currently, he was back to feeling nervous, and didn’t know if he’d be able to eat very much of the extravagant feast the servants had put together as per his request. It was composed of all of Niles’s favorite foods, including a batch of éclairs Dragomir had managed to make a few days before for dessert. Dragomir also handpicked the very finest wine he could find in the cellar to be paired with the chicken dish the servants assured him was one of Niles’s favorites, and had asked the musicians to play only the most romantic pieces they knew. Everything had to be perfect for Niles, and Dragomir hoped he’d at least gotten close.
Niles was delighted at everything that had been prepared for him, and he tried everything, noting on how amazing it all was. The food was perfect, everything was exactly how he liked it, and he was amazed that Dragomir had gone to such lengths for him. The only worry he had was that Dragomir was not eating much, but he had assured Niles he was feeling all right, so Niles didn't question him again.
As soon as dinner was done, Niles excitedly indulged in his favourite desert, delighted that Dragomir had made it for him. As he finished, he smiled warmly at Dragomir. "This was all so lovely...thank you so much. But really, Dragomir, what's the occasion? I'm going to feel horrible if I've forgotten to get you a gift for something important..." He knew it couldn't be anything very important if he forgot it, he always went to great lengths to prepare things that Dragomir would like for gifts, but he was still feeling a little guilty.
Dragomir managed to smile at Niles through his insecurity. All though dinner he’d be trying to remember what he’d come up with to say to Niles, but he’d forgotten it all completely, and now he was quite at a loss. Now all that he could do was hope that he’d manage not to sound too ridiculous. “You haven’t forgotten anything.” Dragomir gulped, getting to his feet and taking the few short paces to where Niles was seated. He extracted the tiny box from his pocket before kneeling beside Niles and smiling sincerely up at him despite his anxiousness. “I-I wanted to do something special for you…” Opening the box, Dragomir held it out to Niles. “Because I wanted to ask if you would marry me.” He wasn’t quite sure if he’d done it all correctly, but he was trembling now with nerves and excitement, so it would have to do.
Niles's eyes widened in disbelief as the words came out of Dragomir's mouth. He had never, when he was younger, expected that anyone would want to marry him, and since he had met Dragomir, he hadn't really given it a second thought. But now...now he was surprised, amazed, beyond words. "I..." he started, his voice cracking slightly with his excitement. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, then started again, unable to contain his stupid grin. "Oh, Dragomir, of course I'll marry you!"
Dragomir grinned back, certain that he looked equally stupid for all his excitement. He slipped the ring out of it’s little box and set the container aside, leaning up and placing a kiss on Niles’s lips as he slipped the ring on to his finger. “I’m so happy!” Dragomir just about squeaked, in such a state of elation that he could think of nothing else to say.
Niles bubbled and giggled as he lifted his hand to look at the ring. It was a silver band with a sparkling blue sapphire and a small cluster of diamonds around it. It certainly wasn't the most expensive thing he owned, but to him, it seemed to be the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Holding it up to the light and admiring the way it show on is finger, he smiled back at Dragomir excitedly. "Oh, it's beautiful!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Dragomir and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I love you!"
Dragomir wrapped his arms around Niles, holding him tightly as he got to his feet, lifting Niles and spinning around out of pure joy. “I love you too!” Dragomir exclaimed, setting Niles down again and kissing him fervidly. “I’m just so happy! Oh Niles, I love you!” Dragomir said excitedly, kissing him again. “I’ve wanted this for such a long time but I was waiting till it could be perfect…Was it alright?”
Niles smiled. "It was perfect," he assured, kissing Dragomir back softly. He had never felt happier in his life, and it seemed as if nothing could ever be wrong again in his life, not now that he was going to marry Dragomir. Smiling warmly and resting his head on Dragomir's shoulder, he murmured, "Everything is perfect."
Corinne hurried home from the jewelry store, her hand unconsciously clutching her jacket pocket for safekeeping. She needed to get home before Viorica did from visiting her family; she had given her money for a cab so that she could run errands in the mean time. What she didn't tell Viorica was that she was running the most important errand in her life: she was out to buy an engagement ring. She had taken Viorica to the jewelry store months earlier and asked her to choose her favourite ring, then come back later to ask the jeweler to hold it for her. Now she was finally buying it, because today was the big day. Today she was going to ask Viorica to marry her.
Of course, preparations had to be made; when she got home, she hurried to the bedroom and began arranging things. She had asked the maids to bring up some fresh bluebells, among other flowers, and now quickly began arranging them in vases and setting them about in a way she hoped Viorica would like. She then rang for a maid and informed her to send Viorica up to the bedroom when she arrived him. Then, her work done, she sat down in a chair and tried hard to look nonchalant, fingering her pocket nervously to make sure the box was still there.
Viorica thanked and paid the cab driver with a smile before heading up the steps to Corrine’s house. One of the maids let her in right away, and informed her that Corinne was waiting in the bedroom. Viorica nodded and headed up the stairs hastily, excited to see Corinne after the two of them had been out for most of the day. Visiting Tatiana had been nice of course, but she was eager to be with Corrine again. Reaching the landing, Viorica hurried to the bedroom and opened the door, grinning. “I’m back! I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
Corinne smiled back charmingly, uncrossing her legs and standing. "Not too long at all," she replied, striding over to Viorica before wrapping her arms around the other and pulling her close. "I hope your family was as charming as it always is?" She had to get her nerves down before she popped the question; though she was good at hiding it, she was extremely anxious.
“Yeah,” Viorica laughed, hugging Corinne back before leaning up and pecking her on the cheek. “Pierre was playing with Amelie while I was there, so he didn’t really say anything to me.” Viorica rolled her eyes at the thought of him as she continued. “And Tatiana was cleaning, so I helped her for a little while.” Viorica smiled. It was good to be back with Corinne. “What have you been up to today? Errands, right? What sort of things did you get?”
Corinne smiled. "I'll be sure to let you know, but first, I have a request to make." She grinned, took a deep breath, then pressed the ring box into Viorica's hand. "Open it up."
“Alright!” Viorica beamed excitedly. She loved gifts and surprises, especially from Corrine. She always knew exactly what she liked and what to get her to make her smile. With a final grin up to Corrine, Viorica opened the box and peered inside eagerly. Gasping, Viorica realized it was the ring she had picked out months earlier. “Oh wow, thank you Corrine!” Viorica exclaimed, throwing her arms around her delightedly. “I had almost forgotten about this ring…” Viorica admitted. “It’s so beautiful though, I don’t know how I could have. Thank you!” She repeated, pulling back to look down at the ring again. It was only then that she noticed all the flowers arranged around the room, and giggled embarrassedly at Corrine, grinning. “I get the feeling you have another surprise for me.”
Corinne smiled. "Ah, yes...that request." She took Viorica's hand in hers and looked into her eyes. "I was wondering if you would marry me?" She held her breath.
“Wait what?” Viorica asked, wide-eyed. “I-marry you?” She repeated excitedly. “I’d love to! Oh my goodness!” Viorica squealed, bubbling and kissing Corrine on the cheek. “This is like a dream! Corrine, I’m so excited, I almost can’t believe it! I love you so much, I can’t wait!”
Corrine smiled, pulling Viorica into her arms again and pressing a fervid kiss to her lips. "I'm so glad!" she exclaimed as they broke apart, grinning. She carefully extracted the ring from Viorica's hands before taking her left one and sliding the ring onto her ring finger. It was a gold ring, with a large ruby and a cluster of diamonds. She smiled, pleased, before kissing her hand and remarking, "You make it look good."
“Thank you,” Viorica blushed, flexing her fingers and admiring the way the ruby glittered in the light. Then, looking back up to Corrine and into her eyes, Viorica smiled brightly even as her eyes watered slightly with emotion after such exciting news. “Corrine, it’s all so perfect, I don’t hardly know what to say.” She wiped her eyes quickly, her smile broadening. “Oh but I love you so much, thank you for making me the happiest girl ever!” Viorica thought she must sound cliché, but she didn’t care, because she knew it was the truth.
Corinne smiled softly, pulling Viorica back into her arms. "If I can make you happy...that's all I could ever ask for."
Algernon tapped his fingers on the lid of the small jewelry box which sat on his desk. There were five minutes until Perceval was to arrive for a short, midday meeting, and he was anxious to see him. He had a little plan in store, and he wanted to go through with it. Though he was usually a very calm and collected person, he was as close as he came to being excited right now, and so he tapped his fingers, waiting for Perceval to arrive.
Perceval stood in front of Algernon’s door, straitening his jacket carefully and smoothing his knickers to perfection. He had arrived a few minutes early, and he wanted to take every opportunity he had to make sure he looked nice for he and Algernon’s meeting. Checking his watch, he noticed he had only one minute left and decided to be a little early. Perceval flicked his hair back over his shoulders as a finishing touch before knocking gently on the door and stepping inside with a lavish bow. “Good after noon, sir.” Perceval said straightening, before adding coyly, “You wanted to see me?”
Algernon stood with a smile. "Oh, yes, Percy, I did wish to see you..." Leaving the box on his desk, he made his way over to where Perceval stood. Pressing the lock quickly, he pressed a quick kiss to Perceval's lips, nipping lightly as he pulled away. "But first, tell me, Percy, how have you been today?" He certainly didn't want to waste any of his time with Perceval, no matter what his plans were.
Perceval quivered with delight, savoring the feel of Algernon’s lips against his as he raised his hand to his lips tenderly. Dropping it to his side quickly, he answered with a little bow and congenial smile, “It’s gone quite well today, sir; I spent all morning looking forward to my visit with you.” He wished Algernon would touch him again; he didn’t know quite what the purpose of the meeting was, but he hoped it could be settled quickly.
Algernon smiled, lowering his head a little to nip at Perceval's neck. "I'm so glad you look forward to me, Percy..." He ran his
tongue up along Perceval's neck and jawbone before sucking for a moment. "I certainly wouldn't want to disappoint..." He drew back abruptly with a teasing smirk. "But, then again, I certainly wouldn't want to keep you from your good day...I understand if you'd like to go." He took a few steps towards his desk, then looked back over his shoulder. "You probably want to get back to work, don't you?"
Perceval gasped as Algernon indulged his neck, but his already hastening breath caught in his throat when Algernon backed away, and he took a few steps forward after him without thinking. “No, wait, sir, I-” He caught himself, worrying that he was in the way of something important
and hoping Algernon wasn’t trying to get him to leave for some reason. Looking longingly after Algernon Perceval whined, “Please sir, my days are only good when I get to see you....” He made a pouting face and added, “I don’t want to go back yet, if you’ll let me stay.”
Smirking, Algernon shook his head. "Really, Percy, all you had to do was say so," he drawled, "I called you here, I certainly don't want you to leave." He took Perceval by the arm and pulled him over towards the desk, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing a hard kiss to his lips, deepening it almost immediately. After a few moments, he trailed down to Perceval's neck, sucking and kissing before letting his teeth brush the skin. Pulling back slightly, he smiled, pleased at the red marks that were forming.
"Now, Percy," Algernon began, punctuating his speech with kisses to Perceval's neck, "there is some business... to which I would like to attend..." He trailed the kisses back to Perceval's lips, placing one last kiss there before moving back only slightly. "I was wondering if you would do me the honour of marrying me." He smirked and waited for a response; this was sure to be fun.
At the mention of business, Perceval whimpered breathily with disappointment. However, as Algernon didn’t stop kissing him, he decided he didn’t mind, and tried to listen even though he found concentration quite difficult under the current circumstances. Perceval murmured incoherently in response to Algernon’s question, responding more to the fact that Algernon had pulled away rather than the information the sentence contained. It was only when Algernon didn’t return after a few seconds that the full meaning sunk in and Perceval opened his eyes abruptly, gaping at Algernon. He shut his moth and swallowed hard, unable to tell if Algernon was serious or simply playing with him. “Would I…would I what?” Perceval gasped incredulously.
Algernon smirked, pleased with his reaction. "Would you do me the honour of marrying me, Percy?" He reached back for the box on his desk and presented it to Perceval. "I have a ring for you, if you'll accept it." He was interested to see what Perceval would do next. He certainly hoped he would like the ring, if nothing else. It had cost him a great deal, but it was worth it, for Perceval.
“I…I-” Perceval took one look down at the beautiful emerald ring and knew Algernon was serious. “I-I would! I will! I want to!” It all flooded from him before he could compose himself, before he could even remember etiquette. Smiling with elation, Perceval threw his arms around Algernon and kissed him briefly on the cheek, acting quite out of control and not even caring. He was so ecstatic there was nothing, nothing, that would hold him back right now. It had been so long that Perceval was enamored with Algernon, he’d love him deeply for so long, but he never thought it would come to anything, that it would come to something so amazing and so perfect.
Not wanting to cry or anything too drastically emotional, Perceval got a hold of himself and stepped back, taking a deep breath and starting over. “I would be delighted, sir.” He bowed deeply, intending to stand up and present his hand, but finding himself quite unable to resist throwing himself at Algernon again with a squeak of glee. “I’m sorry,” He practically panted exuberantly against Algernon. “I can’t help it, I’m so happy. I’m sorry sir.”
Algernon was slightly taken aback; he hadn't seen Perceval act like this since they had first gotten together ten years ago. Still, it was touching, and Algernon, much to his own surprise, began to feel himself melt. Maybe, this once, it would be all right if it was a little like the old days.
"I'm so glad that you will," Algernon replied smoothly, wrapping his arms around Perceval's waist and pulling him closer. He placed a soft kiss on Perceval's cheek. "You're the only one I could ever want." As he pulled away, he took the ring from its box and held Perceval's hand, pressing a kiss to it before sliding the ring onto his finger. A smirk crept across his lips, and he kissed the slender hand again. "Soon, you'll be legally mine, Percy. What do you think of that?"
“How official...I like the sound of it.” Perceval cooed amorously, looking adoringly up into Algernon’s eyes before gazing down at the white gold ring. “It’s so beautiful, Algernon…” Perceval said under his breath as he reflected on what it all meant. The idea of being Algernon’s, of belonging to him in every possibly way and fully under the law excited Perceval and he looked up at Algernon with a sultry expression. “I always want to be yours...because I love you.” Perceval didn’t think Algernon would say it back, but that wasn’t what mattered, he wanted to say it, even if Algernon already knew, as Perceval did, that it didn’t need to be said.
Algernon couldn't help but smile as Perceval expressed his affection; he loved Perceval just as much, but made a point of not telling him on principal. Still, it was a special, occasion, so, maybe, the rules could be bent slightly. "That's quite fortunate," he replied softly, pulling Perceval back into his arms, "Because I'm going to keep you forever. You're my prized possession, my love." He pressed a soft kiss to Perceval's lips before letting his mouth roam once again to his neck. Sure, Perceval had the ring, but Algernon didn't see any reason not to leave a few other marks of possession, as well.
It was the third day of October—Faustino’s birthday—and he was turning fourteen at last. Finally, he was of legal age, and Donavan was going to celebrate, damnit, in a big way. A really big way. So big in fact, that he’d never thought he’d do it—ever, but that was before Faustino, before today. Now however, he knew it was what he’d always wanted for the two of them; he wanted to be able to promise Faustino that kind of stability Donavan knew he deserved, and Donavan knew it even before he’d decided on the perfect ring.
He’d spotted the ring in a jewelry store months ago and was immediately attracted to its ostentatious and yet somehow still practical design. Of course, he didn’t have enough money to buy it, but that had never been an issue. It was only yesterday that Donavan had gotten the chance to drop in on the little old jeweler, place a prank order under a fake name for something that would never sell, and lift the masterpiece from the window display. It had been a work of genius, but it left him with the problem of finding a box for the little thing.
It was still very early and Faustino seemed to be sound asleep, but Donavan knew he had to hurry, and manage to be quite about it, too. So far, all the boxes he’d found however, were far too big for the ring, and Donavan was beginning to lose hope. He’d have to find another way to present the item. Donavan wrapped the tiny jeweled object carefully in a handkerchief and placed it in his pocket for temporary safekeeping while he thought about the best means to ask Faustino the big life-changing question.
Faustino slowly awoke and rolled over in bed before opening his eyes. Sunlight streamed in around the bed curtains, and he realized that Donavan was already up. Yawning, he sat up and moved to open the bed curtains before sliding out into the bedroom. Looking around, he realized that Donavan was over in the sitting room, and smiled to him sleepily. “Morning, Donavan," he called with a smile before wandering over to the wardrobe and getting dressed. He was not yet fully awake and fairly mussed from sleep and the previous night, and he hated to try and hold a conversation before he was presentable.
“Morning,” Donavan called, resting his chin in his hands as he continued to think over the situation. He wanted to do something special, for someone as special as Faustino, and not just any thing would do. Sighing, Donavan pushed the issue out of his head for the time being. Something would come to him, something perfect. In the meanwhile, the needed to get some breakfast and then there was some training Donavan had in mind to put Faustino to work on. There was a large operation at the end of the month, and Donavan wanted his best asset in top form. Hmmm, training… He mused. That could work. Smirking with satisfaction, Donavan got up and wandered nonchalantly into the bedroom were Faustino was still dressing. “Happy birthday, Faustino.” Donavan smiled, leaning against the bedpost casually to watch as Faustino pulled on his shirt and wishing he’d leave it off.
Faustino smiled over his shoulder. "Thank you!" he replied, remembering it was his birthday as he buttoned up his vest and tied his cravat before pulling on his jacket. He moved to the dressing table to fix his hair, then turned to face Donavan. "I'm sorry, did I hold you up from breakfast? You should have woken me up earlier." He smiled apologetically, cocking his head to one side.
“Nope, I wasn’t hungry.” Donavan smiled. “Besides, I wanted you to rest up as much as you could for today. I have some training planed before we celebrate.” Donavan popped his fingers as a joke and went back to smirking as he admired Faustino’s choice in outfit. It suited him perfectly, of course, and Donavan no longer regretted that Faustino was dressed; he always looked good, no matter what. “I hope you’re hungry though, birthday boy, because I am now.” Donavan grinned before turning towards the door and starting down the stairs. Now that he knew what he was doing, his stomach had unclenched, and he was starving. Things would go smoothly, and what mattered now was acting natural so as not to spoil the surprise. Donavan wouldn’t have any trouble with that though; acting was his specialty after all.
Faustino grinned at Donavan's statement. "All right! I'm hungry!" He followed Donavan happily down to the dining room, where breakfast was laid out for them. "Oh, and we're training today? I suppose that's a good idea, because of the big thing coming up and all...what kind of training are we doing?” he asked eagerly. Though it was technically work, Faustino liked training; it was fun and often took place outside, and, of course, it was with Donavan.
“Oh, mostly the usual…” Donavan said offhandedly, reaching for and helping himself to one of each of the kinds of fruits that had been laid out for them by their servant. The backed food wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was bland, and Donavan much preferred fruit for breakfast than anything else to heavy, especially with a full day planned. He took a bite of his apple and chewed slowly, debating weather or not he should say much more. Setting the fruit down, he smirked. It wouldn’t hurt to drop a hint. “I have something else special planned, too. It’ll be a surprise, though, for your birthday.”
Faustino clapped his hands together excitedly. "Oh, a birthday surprise? That's so exciting!" He figured it was the Donavan-jumping-him-and-screwing-him-into-the-grass sort of surprise, but he certainly wasn't going to complain about that. Any excuse to have sex more than once a day was good, especially when it was a surprise for him. But all that aside, he was looking forward to training; fencing and target practice were always fun, and anything else Donavan came up with was always exciting, too. He finished breakfast hurriedly then waited for Donavan, eager to get outside.
Seeing that Faustino was already finished, Donavan drained his cup of juice and got to his feet. “Are you ready?” he asked unnecessarily. Faustino was eager as always, and Donavan smirked at his readiness when he got up excitedly to follow him out onto the grounds.
The manner Donavan had acquired was ancient and rickety, but it served its purpose well enough and had enough space for a small shooting range as well as all the other necessary training spaces. To make up for its lackluster appearance, Donavan spent most of the money he embezzled from the Berceuse Malheureuse on furniture and fineries, and of course, he delighted in spoiling Faustino lavishly. Nevertheless, Faustino was in his employment, for a variety of services, and Donavan liked to put him to work.
Donavan lead Faustino over to the small circular sandy area they used for fencing practice and drew his rapier, opening the two large buckets of paint on either end of the field as he passed them. Then turning to Faustino with a smirk, he slipped out of his jacket and set it aside, removing his vest as well. “Let’s count points today, Faustino.” Donavan grinned, running his fingers over the edge of his sword fondly before affixing a foam ball on the end. He dipped it into his bucket of red paint then shook off the excess before drawing it up into an elegant line in en garde.
Faustino drew his rapier as well, also placing a foam ball on the end and dipping it in paint. "All right," he agreed with a hesitant smile. Though he knew he was a very skilled fencer (after all, he'd been training under the best since he was eight) he also knew that Donavan was definitely better than him. Still, if he could get a few points on Donavan, he'd be happy with himself. He also moved into en garde, waiting for Donavan to begin.
Donavan opened dramatically with a balestra, hopping forward nimbly and lunging with a second intention. Faustino saw through the move, parrying and countering effectively, but Donavan ducked around the blade, narrowly avoiding a hit, and flashing a smirk at Faustino as he moved around to reestablish the measure.
It seemed that with each passing year, Faustino got better and better with the sword, and Donavan had taken to the opinion that their training sessions were for him just as much they were for Faustino. After all, Donavan never knew when Faustino would surpass him, and he didn’t want to fall from the high esteem in which he knew Faustino held him.
Faustino engaged Donavan’s blade in a conversation, advancing forward with confidence and leading him to believe he was starting an attack au fer. Donavan knew that his phrase was not quite as simple as Faustino would led him to believe, and waited for him to make his move, keeping Faustino’s blade engaged as he prevented his line of attack from being swayed. Faustino’s preparation came to a head suddenly when he changed engagement and preformed a stunning coupe, cutting in past Donavan’s guard.
Donavan hopped back nimbly, but it still wasn’t quite enough to avoid the touch completely, and he looked down at his blouse to see a spot of green paint, bright against the stark shirt. “Nice touch,” Donavan smiled, getting back into his en garde and altering his stance into one that signified more aggression. He’d have to mix things up a little to come out on top, and he had no intention of going easy on Faustino because it was his birthday.
This time when Faustino attempted to take his blade in a prise de fer with an elegant envelopment, Donavan used deception, moving his blade aside easily in derobement. From there, Donavan was inside of Faustino’s defense, and the counter attack was a sure, strong hit to his torso—a killing blow outside of practice. Smirking, Donavan withdrew and dipped his point in the paint again. While he knew Faustino would surpass him one day, he still had a lot to learn.
They continued in the same vain for a long time—through lunch—until they were both exhausted and Donavan ended the bout falling back into the sand. They were both covered in multitudes of little dots of paint, but it was a clear victory for Donavan. Smirking, he called Faustino over to him and grabbed him roughly by the arm, pulling him down to the ground on top of him. “I won,” he gloated. “So I get a prize.” Donavan wrapped his arms around Faustino’s waist and pressed a bruising kiss to his lips, relishing the way he could feel Faustino’s muscles quivering against him from exhaustion and savoring the smell of his sweat in the afternoon sun. Like everything else about Faustino, it turned him on.
Faustino let out a noise of surprise as he was pulled down on top of Donavan, but the squeak was quickly muffled against Donavan's lips. As they pulled apart, he grinned. "Congratulations," he replied, placing another kiss on his lips before smiling down at Donavan. "So, what now?" He hoped it would be shooting, or something; he was tired now.
“Target practice.” Donavan said simply with a grin, rolling so that Faustino was underneath him and kissing him hard on the lips again briefly before moving a little lower to his neck. Really though, he shouldn’t be dawdling, or else he’d get distracted. There was a lot more to come after all, so he had to be patient. Reluctantly, he pushed himself up off of Faustino and used his toe to pick up his rapier, scrape the foam off the tip, and then flicked the blade to remove any excess paint, before sheathing it and heading over towards the designated shooting range.
At the opposite end of the long stretch of open ground were two dark silhouettes already riddled with bullet holes, and just waiting to be pumped with more. Donavan unholstered his pistol quickly and took an experimental shot as he walked, not stopping to aim. The hit was a solid one to the gut; the target would die, slowly, but he would die, and that was good enough for Donavan. Grinning with self-satisfaction, he turned to watch Faustino take a shot.
Faustino stopped beside Donavan and also drew his gun, taking aim briefly before firing. He couldn't allow himself too much time, because if he were ever needed to protect Donavan from a sneak attack, he would have to aim quickly and still be deadly. His shot was all right; it certainly would disarm his opponent, as his shot went straight through the target's shoulder, but it wouldn't necessarily be deadly. He sighed and shook his head, looking up to Donavan apologetically. "I must be out of practice..."
“Don’t rush it.” Donavan smiled kindly, taking a step closer to Faustino. “If you try to move too fast, when you pull the trigger you lose your target.” He loved instructing Faustino in marksmanship; it always provided a convenient excuse for generally undo closeness. Donavan moved behind Faustino and slipped his arms around his sides, wrapping Faustino’s trigger hand carefully in his. “If you move more like this, slower, and take aim from here,” Donavan instructed, moving Faustino’s arm as he talked him through the process, “Your shot should be more effective and won’t veer so far to the left.” He bent a little lower so that he was at Faustino’s eye level and kissed him on the cheek before moving Faustino’s arm to take aim. Donavan pressed Faustino’s finger to the trigger, and sure enough, it was dead center. Donavan smirked and released Faustino, straitening and moving back a few paces. “Try it like that and see if it’s any easier.”
Faustino nodded obediently, taking aim again. Donavan always made it so hard for him to pay attention when he was giving him corrections on his shooting, but he managed to listen to what he was saying somehow, and so, after repeating the process that Donavan had just taken him through, he fired. Sure enough, the bullet went straight to the center. It was a little bit higher than what Faustino had aimed for, going through the target's neck, but that was a deadly shot, anyway, and he was still excited for his success. "I did it!" he exclaimed happily, turning back to Donavan and grinning.
They continued to shoot for a while, and Faustino soon became even more confident of his shot. By the time they had gone through two rounds, if Faustino aimed for the hole that Donavan's shot had just made, he could almost hit it. He was extremely proud of himself, but by the end, his arms were beginning to ache a little from holding them out. Donavan seemed to be feeling the same way, so he turned to him with a smile. "What now?"
“Now,” Donavan smirked, holstering his pistol, “Now I have an assignment for you.” He took a step back from Faustino to get the starting distance he wanted and then folded his arms over his chest. “I have something special in my pocket for you. I want you to try and get it by the time we get back to the dining room for your birthday cake.” With a final grin to Faustino, Donavan turned and started walking back towards the house. Now that it was all about to happen, he was feeling nervous again and didn’t want Faustino to see. Hopefully, he could complete the task soon, before Donavan got too jittery. Even so, he wasn’t going to make it easy for Faustino, either, he was going to have to catch him off guard if he wanted his surprise.
Faustino wondered what the surprise could be, but he didn't have much time to ponder as Donavan began walking away. He took a deep breath, then sprinted to catch up with Donavan. As soon as he was in arm's reach behind him, he tapped Donavan on the shoulder to distract him before, sending the other hand out quickly for his pocket, hoping to get in and out before Donavan reacted. He knew it was unlikely, but it was worth a shot.
Donavan laughed, catching him roughly by the wrist and then pushing him back. “You’re going to have to be cleverer than that to get it, you know.” Donavan smirked, patting his pocket tauntingly. “I’m not letting you off easy on this one, even if it is your birthday.” Donavan turned again and started walking. He was glad he didn’t think it showed, but he was now trembling a bit with anticipation.
Faustino pouted, letting himself fall behind Donavan again. How was he going to be able to catch Donavan off guard in such a short amount of time? It seemed as if Donavan was always on guard, even when they were...wait, that was an idea! Faustino grinned, pleased with his idea, before running up to catch up with Donavan again. Taking a few steps in front of him, he put on a coyly obedient look. "You're right, Donavan...It was silly of me to have even tried that on you...I know you're far smarter than to ever fall for something like that..." Placing his hands on Donavan's shoulders and standing on his toes, he pulled Donavan down slightly into a fervid kiss. That ought to distract him.
Donavan knew better than to fall for flattery, though he enjoyed hearing it from Faustino nevertheless. The smug remark he was about to make however, was cut off completely as Faustino kissed him. Donavan let himself become enraptured, slipping his arms around Faustino’s waist and relishing the sensation as he deepened the kiss. It was just the sort distraction he needed to keep himself from getting too caught up in worrying about how his plan would play out in the end.
Faustino was glad his plan was working, and had to make sure not to get too wrapped up himself. He kept a level head, however, and was able to slip his hand carefully into Donavan's pocket and retrieve what appeared to be a small item wrapped in a handkerchief. He slid it into his own pocket before wrapping his arms around Donavan's neck, letting himself enjoy the kiss a moment longer. When they broke for air, however, he took a step back and grinned. Pulling the item out of his pocket, he held it up for Donavan to see. "Gotcha~!" he exclaimed, proud of himself.
Donavan blinked with surprise and checked his own pocket to make sure. Sure enough, it was empty; Faustino had taken him completely by surprise. Laughing, Donavan ginned. “Nicely done, you had me completely fooled.” His amusement was short-lived however, now, he was back to all nerves. “Why don’t you…I mean, um, open it and see what it is.” He smiled slightly, no longer feeling very confident in the slightest. What if, after all, this wasn’t what Faustino wanted? Donavan could stand to think about that possibility and quickly pushed it from his mind; something would have to work, somehow, because Donavan didn’t want to live without Faustino always by his side.
Faustino unfolded the handkerchief and peered inside excitedly, eager to find his surprise. Sitting in the cloth, he found a small, white-gold ring. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was inset with a number of diamonds, gradually going from a bright blue diamond in the middle to pure white ones on the sides. He held it up to get a closer look, then looked back up to Donavan, bubbling excitedly. "This is for me? Oh, Donavan, it's beautiful!"
“I’m glad you like it.” Donavan smiled, hardly breathing; he had to ask now, or forfeit the whole thing, and that he couldn’t bear to do; he wouldn’t give up without trying. “Because I’ve been waiting until today, Faustino, to ask you something important.” He moved a little closer to Faustino and took both of his hands in his own, drawing a deep breath. “I was hoping that maybe…Well, I wondered if you would marry me.” At least he’d said it. Now it all depended on how Faustino would answer, but either way, Donavan knew this exchange would be life-changing.
Faustino's eyes widened at Donavan's words. "M...marry you?" Could Donavan possibly be serious? As much as Faustino loved him, he didn't ever imagine that Donavan would ever want that sort of legal binding. After all, wouldn't being married hold him down? Faustino knew Donavan knew that he would follow him no matter what, and he could barely allow himself to believe that Donavan would want to marry him. Before he let himself be overjoyed, he had to make sure Donavan wasn't tricking. "...A-are you joking?"
“N-no.” Donavan said quickly, blushing, and feeling foolish for it. Should he be? Was it really that unbelievable? Of course it was. But he was serious, and he’d stick to it until Faustino rejected him. “I mean it.” Donavan knelt and looked up at Faustino, taking the ring from his hand and slipping it on to Faustino’s ring finger. “Will you marry me?”
Faustino stared down at Donavan in disbelief. As he felt the ring slide onto his finger, he could hardly believe what was happening, but, before he knew it, his face was melting into a smile. "Oh my goodness..." Breaking into a ridiculous grin, he dropped down as well to throw his arms around Donavan. "Of course I'll marry you! Oh, Donavan, I love you!"
“I’m so glad!” Donavan breathed a sigh of relief and smirked as he slipped his arms around Faustino’s waist, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “I love you,” Donavan murmured against Faustino’s skin as he pulled apart just barely. Then, abruptly, Donavan pushed Faustino backwards into the grass and crawled over him, kissing him hard on the lips. At a time like this, a celebration of sorts was in order, and birthday cake would have to wait.
