gurabad | 052 » imaginary fitting lyrics for the time being

[lelouch's sacrifice has made a world without the britannian monarchy, but even democracies and republics are not free of conflict. inequality is still a pressing issue; without appropriate laws, oligarchies are inevitable. the world may be focused on solving hunger and poverty, but these problems are not easily solved, and zero keeps proposing policies designed to impose serious sanctions on companies found to be flouting the law when the real problem lies in regulating companies who have not technically done anything illegal. they need to draft bills. they need to pass tax reforms.

so schneizel fights different wars now, but one thing remains constant: kanon is still by his side.

nevertheless, it is evening, and the work day is over. kanon and schneizel have rules for one another, and leave work at work is paramount for two men who have been addicted to conquest for most of their adult lives. the aide — an earl no longer — stares after schneizel in mild puzzlement, waiting to be handed schneizel's coat.]

It is the thirty-first of May.

[and tomorrow is the first of june. kanon does not move to acknowledge this.]

Edited 2018-12-13 23:10 (UTC)

So it is. Thank you, as always, Kanon.

[ Yes, Kanon is still by Schneizel's side, as he has been all these years. His work is largely unchanged, and when the work day ends, they have their evenings to themselves, no different from every night that Prince Schneizel el Britannia and Earl Kanon Maldini spent together in times past. That their titles are stripped away means nothing, really, when they have ever been who they are behind closed doors.

His back turned another moment longer, Schneizel shifts slightly where he stands, a movement of his right arm before his hand lowers to his side. Then he faces his aide again at last, slowly slotting coat buttons through buttonholes until the garment's front slips fully open. Schneizel leaves it at that, crossing the room again to approach Kanon, if not to hand him the coat.

Behind him, a flat box sits atop the nightstand's varnished surface. ]

We have nothing pressing scheduled tomorrow, I believe?

Edited 2018-12-14 02:48 (UTC)

I've made sure both of our schedules are cleared. No one should be able to reach us tomorrow.

[this is tacit acknowledgement of the unspoken issue between them, but kanon continues serenely pretending that he doesn't expect what's coming. he half-raises his arm to take schneizel's coat as he unbuttons it and approaches — but the prime minister doesn't shrug the garment off his shoulders, and kanon blinks, genuinely bemused.

he waits. kanon has no small degree of pride, after all, and he expects his prince (still his prince if no one else's) to be the first to say it.]

Barring any national emergency, of course. But there should be no cause for one.

[ With a thoughtful hum, Schneizel draws closer and closer, steps finally coming to a stop when he stands directly in front of Kanon. He lifts both hands, sliding his fingers down Kanon's lapels, as if he plans to reverse their roles tonight, and take Kanon's coat for him, instead of handing Kanon his own. ]

Perhaps a contingency plan is in order — although I'd like to think that it will be quite unnecessary, myself. After all, it seems we're both well prepared.

[ Schneizel's fingertips trace a seam; his thumb rests over a button. He leans in, just past Kanon's cheek, his mouth inches from Kanon's ear. Kanon's hair flutters against his skin when Schneizel takes a breath, in and out through his nose. ]

Have you mislaid something?

[ The clock hasn't struck midnight, and Kanon isn't in the habit of mislaying things, but Schneizel glances back over one shoulder, at the nondescript box. ]

[kanon figures maybe it’s just one of those nights — the ones where schneizel prefers to keep all of his own clothes on, and strip his aide completely nude, the better to pleasure or thoroughly humiliate him by the evening’s end — but the prince is being rather too gentle for that. any britannian once-noble woman would take schneizel’s gestures for coy yet distant flirtation, but kanon recognizes them for affection, barely contained.

his heart flutters in his chest. what have i done today, he wonders, to make him so sweet?

after all, the second prince of britannia is not in the habit of rewarding his retainers for jobs they have yet to complete.]

That isn’t mi...

[kanon follows schneizel’s gaze to the nondescript box, identifies it as something he hasn’t mislaid, but he catches himself at the end of his own sentence. of course. schneizel generally doesn’t ask questions he doesn’t know the answer to, at least not so blatantly. kanon’s lips form a wry smile.]

...If you want me to open it, you could just ask, you know.

Ask, Kanon?

[ Changing subtly, as if in warning, Schneizel's tone hints at his meaning as his gaze returns to rest on Kanon; he plays the prince assessing whether his retainer has forgotten his place, imperious, cold. His fingers remain still, preventing Kanon's stepping past him to open the box just yet. Bringing it to the forefront of Kanon's attention is enough.

This is Schneizel's move, for the moment, and he expects Kanon to make good use of the opening before him. ]

What do you think it contains?

You could order me.

[relenting, though not so much so that he will allow schneizel to have his victory without a fight, kanon humbles himself without debasing his dignity. he hums, standing still; he is content to be in his prince's comforting, intimidating presence even if it means he must wait in suspense for his gift.]

It seems like a jewelry box. Another necklace, perhaps?

[a necklace was kanon's gift last year, or rather one of several gifts last year. they are too disciplined (and frankly, too classy) for collars, the sort one gives to pets — but kanon knows that schneizel gives him jewels and baubles not to flaunt his wealth, but to remind the aide that he belongs to someone.

kanon wears his prince's favor with pride, of course. even now, he is wearing one of the fine pieces schneizel acquired for him beneath his suit.]

But it's smaller than the rest... A set of earrings? I would consider it an honor to be pierced for any reason you deem fit.

Edited 2018-12-15 04:43 (UTC)

[ Schneizel's smile reveals only that Kanon's guesses are on the right track, getting warmer, though that should hardly come as a surprise, given that he has amassed a collection of extravagant gifts over the years. Schneizel lavishes them upon his aide because he has the means to package messages to convey in expensive gestures, because each one is different, possessing some unique feature, much like Kanon sets himself apart from the rest of the world. They are beautiful things, and things that most would find difficult to obtain.

This year's gift appears significantly smaller, but perhaps it's more interesting for it. ]

The same sort of item over two consecutive years? Come now.

[ Affably chiding, Schneizel sounds amused rather than affronted, and one hand wanders to Kanon's cravat, catching a corner between its index and middle fingers, in lieu of placing another necklace around Kanon's neck or visualizing earrings adorning his ears. He looks down at Kanon, eyes half-lidded. ]

We'll leave the box for now. It is the thirty-first of May, and besides, the both of us are overdressed.

[ Schneizel withdraws his hands, steps back just beyond Kanon's reach. Curling his fingers around the edges of his coat's front panels, he begins to slip free of the garment with leisurely movements, allowing for an opening here and there to let Kanon take over the task, should he seize the chance offered. ]

True. You have never failed to exceed expectations, Your Highness. I shall brace myself for something... nonpareil.

[again, this touching, this strange staring. kanon tries to maintain a calm and unruffled exterior, but his prince will no doubt notice a slight touch of pink around his cheeks, where his foundation's coverage is lighter. again, he wonders what he's done to deserve such desirous affection from his prince, who can often be cold and reserved and distant.

which is why it often falls on kanon to seal the distance between them, lest his highness grow bored of him, and so the aide steps forward to help the prime minister of britannia out of his coat. he is always eager to help his prince — and always excessively eager to help him undress.

when the coat is removed, kanon takes it in hand to a nearby coat rack, wearing the faint smugness of a trained dog successfully performing some elaborate trick. he moves to remove his own coat and hang it up beneath his master's.]

Shall I interpret that as an order to undress, my liege?

Edited 2018-12-15 19:39 (UTC)

[ Kanon's gift isn't confined only to the small box awaiting him — this evening's unusual turn is part of it. Affection between them is an undercurrent, rarely so blatantly on display as it is now, in these touches and looks that do away with distance before Kanon seals it himself, but Schneizel can see that Kanon is sufficiently intrigued, that Kanon wants this. That Kanon will fall into step with his prince, matching the mood set, or else pushing back.

And so, the next move is to tone it down, permitting countermoves on Kanon's part. Schneizel raises his arms only to facilitate the smooth removal of his coat. Then, when Kanon busies himself with putting their outer garments away, the former prince claims an armchair by the window, elegantly seated there to watch his aide from this distance easily crossed. He leans his chin upon his palm. ]

I'll give you a few minutes.

[ Momentarily, Schneizel's gaze flicks away from Kanon, toward the clock. ]

You are generous, my liege.

[it won't take kanon more than a few minutes to finish his business here. he doesn't wear a hat and uniform anymore, courtesy of his technical release from the britannian military, so kanon strips himself of his coat and the jacket of his suit, hanging these items, too, upon the hooks of the coat rack. his belt and watch are removed. socks and shoes are put aside. they have been instructed not to wear white gloves — an enduring symbol of the aristocracy — but kanon and schneizel both continue to wear their cravats, and the former earl sets his upon the desk after he has untied it. discreetly, he wipes away the day's makeup with a bit of remover.

by the time kanon pads over to schneizel's armchair, he is fresh-faced, dressed in nothing but his white shirt and his crisp grey pants. a couple of his top buttons are undone, revealing the richly seductive pigeon's-blood ruby pendant schneizel gifted him last year; it swings upon his golden chain as he climbs onto the seat of the chair, straddling his prince's lap.]

Might I make of you a selfish request?

Edited 2018-12-16 05:49 (UTC)

[ Schneizel remains overdressed. As if present to supervise Kanon at work, to evaluate his performance, he sits back in his seat as he follows his aide's every movement, though none are especially noteworthy, merely a routine series of steps until Kanon has carried out his interpretation of the implicit order issued. Kanon's decision not to undress, exactly, despite his phrasing, is no doubt deliberate.

When the former earl seats himself in Schneizel's lap, boldly seeking his prince's undivided attention — a thing he has in fact already secured tonight — Schneizel does not touch him, not directly. His eyes lower to the pendant nestled against pale skin, only for a second, before his fingertips intercept the chain's swinging. The pendant's gemstone gleams, catching the light. ]

You've finished sooner than anticipated. [ Now Schneizel's fingers take the ruby between them, his hand a barrier staying Kanon. ] Let me hear your request, Kanon, but I wonder — have I spoiled you?

[kanon tips his head backward ever so slightly, the better to allow schneizel to examine his flawless gift. as it turns out, he has simply chosen to re-interpret the time limit on his prince's order; given a few minutes, kanon has elected to continue undressing in schneizel's lap instead. beneath the glittering ruby, kanon unbuttons his shirt clean through, then dips his fingers into the waistband of his pants. he undoes the buttons, pulls the zipper open. a hint of red lace peeks out beneath his open fly.]

Have you? [he teases, settling his weight more firmly on schneizel's hips.] Perhaps I need to be disciplined?

[instead of pulling his trousers off, however, kanon's hands rest lightly upon schneizel's chest. topless and pleading, he looks anything but innocent — though the sweet expression on his face speaks of at least something chaste.]

Will you stay with me all through tomorrow?

Perhaps.

[ Schneizel counters with smooth, silken syllables. Kanon is never in need of disciplining, nowadays, at least not in that sense. Desiring it at his prince's hands is another matter, a familiar exchange between them that nevertheless retains its appeal.

In seeming contemplation, Schneizel turns the pendant this way and that, casting a hint of red onto Kanon's skin. The chain slides back into place when he releases it, coming to rest neatly centered against Kanon's bare chest.

Schneizel's gaze moves on, lifting to Kanon's eyes as his aide touches him, not innocently, but with remarkable restraint tempering his sudden neediness. The former prince tilts his head. His hand, placed on his chair's armrest, taps its fingers against the upholstery beneath. ]

Is that not a given? Regardless of any national emergency.

Perhaps.

[kanon counters in the same smooth fashion; he has learned his master's games.]

But I know how well my prince keeps promises made... and how well he slides out of them if they are never spoken aloud.

[schneizel releases his necklace, giving him freedom of movement, and most importantly, he does not shy away from kanon's touch. the aide takes it upon himself to undo schneizel's buttons for him, spreading the folds of his shirt open once his task is done.]

[ Another man might have taken Kanon's remarks for insolence, but from Schneizel, they elicit amusement, evident in a flicker of fresh interest that has the effect of softening the look with which he regards his aide. Only Kanon, who knows Schneizel as no one else does, enjoys the special privilege of teasing his prince and attaining precisely what he hopes to derive from it. ]

I promise to stay with you, Kanon Maldini, all through tomorrow.

[ Schneizel delivers this line in the same tone as before, and Kanon's fingers work uninterrupted; his magnanimous prince, lounging in his stand-in throne, keeps perfectly still. If Kanon wants even more, gentle or less so, he will be required to make a new request. ]

Will that be all? Or did you have conditions to specify?

[his highness is teasing kanon with this careful inaction, and the earl knows it. pursing his lips, kanon resolves to be still more assertive, still more ravenous as he presses a kiss to schneizel's jawline, his neck. slowly, he makes his way lower and lower, over schneizel's broad chest, his narrow waist.

he cannot ask schneizel to love him, this kanon knows, because even after all their years together they have never discussed the matter of whether or not they love each other. love has always been a matter for the common man, not aristocrats like they once were. but they are both only men now, and the trappings of nobility no longer confine them even if responsibility shackles them all the same — and words spill out over kanon's lips before he can help it.]

Treat me as your queen.

[he spreads his fingers over schneizel's shirt. anxiously, his stomach curdles in advance of his punishment — he is asking too much, demanding something far above his station. kanon breaks their eye contact for a moment, returning it soon after, but that one moment of weakness is more than enough.]

— For the day, Your Highness. Please.

[ Schneizel's expression turns unreadable, but his eyes are steadily trained on Kanon, and his posture is open to Kanon's touch. In all their years side-by-side, Kanon has never asked for anything that leaves him quite so vulnerable; he has never pleaded with Schneizel in so candid a manner. This year's request is an oddity indeed, a novelty.

Schneizel stirs. The hand on the armrest beside him snakes toward Kanon's, fingers set against Kanon's slender wrist, gliding from there to the center of his palm. Lightly, Schneizel lifts Kanon's hand from its spot laid upon his shirt; at the same time, Britannia's Second Prince bows his head over Kanon's knuckles.

By no means is Kanon's birthday wish difficult to grant, but Schneizel moves no closer yet, eyes flicking upward. ]

In a game of chess, which piece would you say represents you?

[ What is Kanon to Schneizel, if not his most versatile asset? ]

Represents... me?

[kanon's fingers curl slightly as schneizel nearly kisses the back of his hand, and ultimately doesn't. it isn't often that the earl maldini is caught off-guard, but he does look somewhat perplexed as he considers the question his prince has posed before him.]

Am I not one of your loyal pawns?

[if schneizel ever had a queen before this request, it was cornelia — his dear sister, beloved both as a flawless general and a fearsome soldier. and of course schneizel was surrounded by knights of all sorts — he used suzaku, euphemia's knight, for a time, and then he had other knights who belonged to his father, like bismarck waldstein. scientists and researchers like lloyd and nina were his bishops, of course.

and kanon does not think himself strong or resilient enough to be a rook.]

Edited 2018-12-21 03:09 (UTC)

[ Kanon is loyal, certainly, the only person to remain so steadfast across the years, and he is indisputably useful. But to call him a pawn... Fixed on Kanon, Schneizel's gaze seems coolly appraising.

His aide occupies a unique role, and his presence is not interchangeable with others — pawn falls short of encompassing these things.

Again, Schneizel hums a thoughtful sound. ]

If so, it must be high time to promote my pawn.

[ He leans back in his seat, taking Kanon's hand with him — still he does not kiss it, slipping it inside a shirt pocket instead. Within, Kanon will discover something that wasn't there before, its unmistakable shape to trace. The box on the nightstand could well be empty. ]

[kanon's fingers twitch within schneizel's pocket, fumbling against his chest; they find the cold metal ring inside. immediately, the aide freezes in place. his pulse quickens in his chest, but he does not dare react. he does not dare hope. still, some traitorous, girlish part of his heart whispers in his ear: it's a ring, kanon. it's a ring for you.

it isn't like schneizel to go this far in jest.

it isn't like schneizel to go this far at all.

in all the years that they have known each other — with everything they have done for and to each other — this is the first time, truly, that kanon has looked this shocked, this anxious. fear and longing mingle and flicker in his deep blue eyes.]

...Your Highness?

[kanon's voice is breathless. it wavers, the way it does when he has been well and truly swept off his feet.]

[ Schneizel's hand, covering Kanon's knuckles, is patiently unmoving while Kanon takes in this year's surprise. Curiously, Schneizel observes the warring emotions that cross Kanon's features — never before, even in their most intimate moments, has Kanon looked at him as he does now, eyes wide and darker with something undefinable. Tentative yearning, perhaps, distinguishable from desire.

Love and marriage were never topics to broach, irrelevant to their perfectly functional situation. Less so because of certain unspoken rules and expectations. Yet somewhere within Kanon, Schneizel concludes, there are latent human hopes and dreams, buried.

Once Kanon's fingers have grasped his gift, Schneizel's close around his hand, drawing it out to pluck the piece of jewelry from him, holding it proffered near the end of Kanon's ring finger. In the light, the ring's intricately patterned band of white gold comes into view, and the diamond that decorates it glitters, eclipsing Kanon's pendant. ]

We are in agreement?

[ Perhaps this is unlike them, a highly unusual and unnecessary step away from everything they have done since the beginning, but what reasons are there not to proceed? ]

[all at once, kanon feels dizzy; his heart feels like liquid in his chest, though it beats so loudly in his ears that he can barely hear anything else. a ring. a ring for him?

the diamond sparkles in the light with a fire unlike aught else, but kanon remains frozen in place, cheeks flushed, as his eyes glitter with guilt and desire.]

I... I could never... refuse you, Schneizel. Only...

[only: he didn't have to do this. kanon would have followed schneizel to the ends of the earth as his aide, his simple assistant, his second, his mistress. a lesser, subservient being. even deposed from his throne, deprived of his divine birthright, schneizel el britannia was as a god to kanon maldini.

and yet this would make them — almost — equals.]

...Why?

Edited 2018-12-26 00:24 (UTC)

[ Unsurprisingly, Kanon questions the prospect of his wish fulfilled beyond a single day. Marriage, after all, serves a range of purposes, each depending on the parties involved. It is a contract. It may symbolize alliances forged. For some people, it signifies a personal bond.

Princes of Britannia do not marry earls, not for ties to strengthen, certainly not for love — but that isn't why Kanon asks his why. Even now, he and Schneizel are not men like all others, so why should they need engagement rings and wedding bands and the like to affirm what they have cultivated across a decade?

Conversely, however, why shouldn't Kanon have what he desires? Now, there are far fewer obstacles to expect.

Schneizel cocks his head. He holds his hand and Kanon's still. ]

Isn't it in keeping with your request, Kanon?

I want this more than anything.

[kanon is quick to answer, with an unusual eagerness that reflects his intensity of feeling; he looks between the diamond ring and schneizel's deceptively calm face with an expression approaching mild panic. his teeth bite into his bottom lip.]

But I thought — it was just more advantageous —

[the aide breaks off, takes a breath, recomposes himself.]

...Prince or prime minister, you are still a public figure, Schneizel. It may no longer be prohibited, but this will bring unwanted attention to your role. And people — the people will see you differently...

[ Kanon is right, of course — people will notice. People will talk. But Schneizel's role does not dictate that he enter into a strategic marriage himself, or produce an heir, or anything of the sort, and his private affairs made relatively public have no bearing on his day-to-day tasks, nor Kanon's. The most significant difference may be that all eyes would focus on Kanon, too.

Schneizel's calm, collected demeanour doesn't falter. ]

Do the people really take such an interest in things that have no impact on their own lives? I would expect them to move on within a week at the most. [ He shrugs, dismissive. What is at stake here, truly? ] And I doubt that Zero has cause to interfere.

No, nor I. In fact, I think Empress Nunnally would actually jump at the chance to celebrate anything. She might even allow us a bit of privilege and decadence.

[smoothing his lips over with his tongue, kanon's hand at last remembers to move again. his fingers curl ever so slightly around the ring's beautiful white band. he wants it. he does. he has envisioned this many times — schneizel proposing to him, affirming their love at last...

but it would change much, even if schneizel has deduced that he is no longer responsible for strategic marriages or producing heirs. foreign dignitaries, especially women, will be far less susceptible to his charms if they know that he has a husband. given the sheer size of the royal family, schneizel will not be the first prince to take a male lover, but he will most certainly be the most high-profile, and the first to be so public with it. his name will forever be plagued by the footnote that he took a husband and not a wife.

somehow, this bothers kanon more than anything else.]

I'm not exaggerating anything, you know. I expect we'll be the focus of some very intense scrutiny for some time, even if we're married in secret. And you would... you would do this all the same?

[ Despite Kanon's loyalty, he has questioned Schneizel before, albeit never so persistently, so anxiously. He is clearly embroiled in his conflicting thoughts, and he isn't exaggerating, no, nor is he wrong to express his concerns that taking such an unprecedented step might prove to the detriment of a particular tactical advantage — but a perceived status as a charming eligible bachelor hardly acts as Schneizel's chief strategy. Foreign dignitaries can be persuaded into considering mutually beneficial outcomes in other ways.

Though Schneizel continues to regard Kanon calmly, unflappable, he draws back in the armchair, a wider gap between them. The ring stays poised where it is, touching Kanon's fingertips. ]

As you can see, I would. [ The former prince inclines his head, nodding at Kanon's gift. They wouldn't be here, if he had reason to share Kanon's objections. ] If you're opposed to it, on the other hand, nothing will change — you'll have tomorrow, of course, as promised.

I just... I want you to be sure.

[then again, the white prince is always sure. that is why he employs an aide and not an advisor.

kanon gnaws upon his lip one more time, but at last he, too, draws back. he releases the ring, leaving it between schneizel's fingers. demurely, he smooths out the fabric of his pants above his thighs, and then — then he extends his left hand, palm down, for schneizel to take.]

...Will you do me the honor?

[ The implication that Schneizel isn't sure — that he hasn't already identified all possible sides to his decision — earns Kanon an elegantly arched brow that wordlessly echoes the former earl's thoughts. His prince seems to withhold his gift, abruptly, as the thirty-first of May creeps toward its final minutes; the ring glints between Schneizel's index finger and thumb, but they bring it no closer.

Midnight. The first of June has arrived.

Schneizel's left hand, palm upturned, brushes against Kanon's, holds it steady. His right nears Kanon's ring finger, sliding the ring onto the digit, past nail and joints until it sits in its intended place, a perfect fit.

Not for a moment does Schneizel's gaze turn away from Kanon. Evenly, Schneizel makes his offer explicit: ]

Be my queen, Kanon.

[ An unconventional proposal, all in all — particularly considering the lack of kneeling, as well as their state of partial undress — but better addressed here and at the day's very start than somewhere that would have constrained the conversation. ]

[it is an unconventional proposal for unconventional men — there is no mistaking the way kanon's breath hitches as schneizel slips the ring over his finger, and this close, schneizel can no doubt feel the full-body shiver that overtakes kanon as he drinks deep of the covetous look in his prince's eyes. he feels suddenly dizzy, weak-kneed.

the once and former earl maldini doesn't quite cry, but a thin film of moisture glistens over his irises and weighs upon the ends of his eyelashes. he blinks and smiles.]

I shall strive every day to please you, my liege.

[ This is new, too, that telltale shimmer veiling Kanon's eyes until he blinks, but Schneizel's lips curve with a knowing smile. What they are to each other won't change dramatically — Kanon's words alone are a vow to do what he accomplishes as it is.

At last, Schneizel completes the gesture begun earlier, sealing his promise to honour Kanon's request: with a light tug on his aide's hand, he pulls it closer, within easy reach. His eyelids lower, and he leaves a kiss upon Kanon's knuckles, the way a prince might greet his intended in the earliest stages of courtship. ]

[a small smile steals its way across kanon's lips as his prince kisses his hand the way he's imagined it a thousand times before. in the quiet dreams he sometimes entertains when he rests in bed alone, kanon has danced with schneizel in grand ballrooms; he has spent entire evenings on his prince's arm instead of simply being at his side or close enough to keep careful watch. he still can't quite believe that schneizel isn't somehow testing him. any moment now, he thinks, the dream will end, and perhaps he will wake up in his own villa, alone.

but the ring around his finger is real. schneizel's skin against his own is real, as is his pounding heart — and the innocently pink blush on his cheeks is his own blood rising toward the surface of his skin, not a powder chosen to mimic the same effect.

they have been together a long time, and schneizel knows that kanon is no chaste and virginal maiden, but all the same, the aide smiles to himself with a tenderness he reserves only for schneizel as he turns his hand atop schneizel's fingers, admiring the sparkle of his ring.]

...I'm going to be Schneizel's bride.

[he giggles girlishly, with a kind of self-indulgence he does not generally allow himself. in public, usually, kanon strives to be more masculine, but now and then this side of him leaks out.]

I'm going to be Schneizel's wife! ♪

Edited 2019-01-01 03:22 (UTC)

[ Appropriately chaste to woo a future queen according to custom, kissing the back of Kanon's hand ends within a span of seconds, inevitably teasing as Schneizel straightens against the armchair's backrest, watching serene joy suffuse his aide's expression. It speaks for Kanon, confessing the innermost wishes that he has harboured for however long. Most likely, out of good sense, he would never have breathed a word to admit it aloud, save the request to play out a fantasy on his birthday this year.

To see Kanon's surprising cravings stilled is satisfying, Schneizel finds.

They won't stay up into the morning hours in this armchair, but neither has moved to relocate; the warmth of their bodies where they touch should confirm to Kanon that these moments are as real as anything else between them. Schneizel is solid against him, and the ring doesn't dissolve into hazy remnants of a dream. ]

Shall I call you that from now on?

[ Schneizel's hands release Kanon's, the left withdrawn for the former prince to lean upon. Again, he seems to take his time appraising his aide. ]

We ought to wait, I suppose, although we have flouted other conventions...

[ Not that they are concerned with such things in the least — their entire relationship flouts conventions. ]

[another girlish giggle escapes kanon as he hides his smile behind the hand that bears his sparkling ring. bashfully, he shakes his head.

as schneizel's aide, kanon endeavors to be without flaw — indeed, he is downright beautiful, even their shared enemies would have to admit that much — but now, radiant and happy, kanon looks young. he looks young in a way that he never was, even when they were sixteen and sharing feverish kisses in the privacy of their dorm rooms; he looks hopeful and gleeful and filled with joy.]

Yes, we're a very unconventional pair, you and I.

[one side effect of schneizel's leaning against the back of his armchair is that he pulls ever so slightly away from kanon. doggedly, the aide decides that this will not be borne; he closes the distance between them, pressing his lithe body against the broader expanse of schneizel's chest.]

Such a shame, though... Consort is such a fine, gender-neutral term.

[ Kanon presses closer as expected — they are a very unconventional pair, and there is nothing chaste about their open secret, and Kanon was won over long ago, courted with a taste of unlikely kinship. His comments draw a low chuckle from Schneizel.

And as they sit here, Kanon astride Schneizel's lap instead of Schneizel on one knee before his consort, the former prince bids his loyal aide welcome, not only permitting the contact sought, but reciprocating. His hands frame Kanon's slim waist, settling above the glimpse of red lace where Kanon's trousers, unbuttoned and unzipped, ride lower. ]

Consort... [ As if to contemplate the word's sound on his tongue, Schneizel holds the syllables in his mouth like a sip of wine to savour, especially indulgent. ] A shame indeed. Fortunately, another convention flouted would hardly be the most egregious instance.

[ They're quite ahead of consummating their union, for one. ]

[kanon closes his eyes to concentrate on the warm pressure of schneizel's hands as they slide down his waist towards his hips. something like a purr escapes his throat as he cocks his hips backward, encouraging his loose trousers to ride further down his legs; his lacy red panties give way to garter straps and thigh-high stockings — a secret that only schneizel gets to enjoy.

with torturous sensuality, kanon leans in, pressing hot kisses against the delicate pulse in schneizel's neck. on a whim, he grazes his teeth against the sensitive skin there, but he does not bite, and his touches are gentle. his husband. schneizel — his king, his god, the man he always considered unattainable — is going to be his husband.]

Shall I wear virginal white for you all the same?

[with obvious greed, he takes schneizel's hands in his own, guiding them towards and pressing them into his soft, silk-clad thighs.]

I'd always thought you had a taste for harlot red...

Red does seem the more fitting choice.

[ Meaningfully, Schneizel's fingers trail from the outer curve of Kanon's thighs to the clips fastening his garter straps to his stockings, snapping them open one by one. The ends of his index fingers slide between the sheer material and smooth, creamy skin, and tug both stockings half an inch down Kanon's legs. At the same time, Schneizel leans lower, lips catching hold of the golden chain around Kanon's neck, just over one collarbone. Releasing it, he breathes warmth against Kanon's body, neither cold nor distant in this moment.

An echo of a purr threads through his murmured remark, too: ]

Or perhaps you'll wear the red concealed, just like this...

[ Just like the beast that still dwells within Kanon, most often roused when they are alone together, sometimes there in flashes of passion otherwise well contained behind his demure, dutiful aide's demeanour. It stirred moments ago, its awakening felt in the light pressure of Kanon's teeth against Schneizel's throat, and in the hunger with which Kanon drew his prince's hands towards his thighs. ]

Red beneath a pretty wedding gown, then?

[kanon likes to be the more assertive party, sometimes, but he yields to schneizel's meaningful touches when he can — he sighs contentedly, his hands tangling in schneizel's hair as the former prince presses his lips against his aide's collarbone. still, he keeps his voice deceptively casual as he speaks, even as his fingers scratch pleasantly at schneizel's scalp.]

Now that I think on it, Your Highness, would you prefer to have me in a dress or a suit?

[ As always, Kanon's touch evokes pleasurable sensations wherever his fingers roam: rubbing across Schneizel's scalp, shifting in his hair, they pull lightly at the strands, just enough to leave his skin tingling. His own hands, meanwhile, revisit the warmth of Kanon's proximity, baring another few inches of Kanon's shapely thighs. For now, tonight's pace remains slower, gentler — unusual, as if their objective is merely to express something tender, an appreciation for Kanon's existence. It could change entirely, the instant that Kanon no longer holds back.

Even then, he will have his wish.

His questions draw Schneizel's focus away from tactile exploration, though the former prince's fingers stay splayed upon Kanon's knees, warm. Schneizel tips his head back, against Kanon's palm, and considers the options laid before him.

Kanon wears suits of flattering colors and cuts — he could have a new addition to his wardrobe tailored for the day — but that isn't necessarily an accurate picture of what he himself prefers. Instead, he might like to indulge in a bridal gown fit for a queen, one piece of a perfect wedding. A bolder outlet for his beauty, he would wear it well.

The answer, in other words, is simple: ]

Have any dresses caught your eye?

Edited 2020-05-06 05:58 (UTC)

[at this question, kanon seems so delighted that he abruptly forgets their game; he just laughs, sweet and girlish and utterly besotted, as he leans close and rests his head upon schneizel's chest, eyes hazy with dreamy adoration.]

I don't know! I haven't the slightest idea. I've never looked — I'd never even dared to think...

[lapsing into flustered silence, he closes his eyes for a moment, the slight movements of his breaths now pressed against schneizel's chest. this is comfortable, and intimate, and warm — and kanon has truly never been like this in schneizel's presence, despite all the years between them. he's never been this giddy, this innocent, this happy. i am so happy, he thinks, hazily, that i am frightened. in days past, this type of happiness would have been exploited by their enemies as weakness. but he's smiling, even with his eyes closed. he can't bring himself to stop smiling.

once upon a time, he was a feral creature who hissed whenever schneizel got too near.]

Sleeveless, but high-collared, with a mermaid tail and a generous train — that's my first instinct. But then it would also be lovely to wear something traditional, long-sleeved, be your angel for the day...

[well, that might look too similar to the sorts of things princess euphemia used to wear. he hums contemplatively]

Edited 2020-05-06 14:56 (UTC)

052 » imaginary fitting lyrics for the time being

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