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"Oh? Wonderful, I'll keep in mind to do that again." Herbert shifts a little to stretch out half on top of Alfred, fingers playing lightly over his chest as they talk. "I liked you being forceful. I liked that you moved the bed about a foot forward."
"Solin," Herbert sighs. "Solin was leading you to me. To the castle. Telling you not to be afraid -- oh Alfred that's wonderful.
That means you were always meant to be here, someday, and to rescue this poor lonely prince."
That means you were always meant to be here, someday, and to rescue this poor lonely prince."
The affirmation, the way Herbert rolls on top of him - Alfred fairly purrs, a low rumbling in his chest, his hands moving to comb over and over again through his hair in a gentle motion.
"I'm...glad you liked that part, because I... couldn't help it. I can't quite, ah...always control my strength, yet."
"I'm...glad you liked that part, because I... couldn't help it. I can't quite, ah...always control my strength, yet."
"I think if we shifted the bed against the wall, we might end up cracking the headboard. But I wouldn't be too terribly sorry about that, if I'm perfectly honest."
"It's just - I know it's time. Right? It feels like time. To me. But...but is it too fast? It's only been a year."
Alfred's voice is timid but distinct in the dark - an unexpected sound in the graveyard, lit by the waning light of the moon. It isn't the first time he's come out here, but usually he isn't caught in the act, sitting on the ground, leaning upon and talking to Solin's headstone.
"I know I should trust myself here, but...but this is big. I'm afraid to mess it up."
He tilts his head back, shutting his eyes and basking in the night as he thinks.
"What should I do? And what do I even say to Georg?"
Alfred's voice is timid but distinct in the dark - an unexpected sound in the graveyard, lit by the waning light of the moon. It isn't the first time he's come out here, but usually he isn't caught in the act, sitting on the ground, leaning upon and talking to Solin's headstone.
"I know I should trust myself here, but...but this is big. I'm afraid to mess it up."
He tilts his head back, shutting his eyes and basking in the night as he thinks.
"What should I do? And what do I even say to Georg?"
Herbert is sitting at his vanity after a bath one evening, still in his robe, carefully brushing out his hair. And singing to himself as he does so. A simple little tune he's been humming to himself for centuries, but that may sound very familiar to Alfred.
Edited 2022-01-23 23:57 (UTC)
Alfred had been on his way down the hall, passing by to go take a run through the night - but the song reaches him, making him stop short.
What would Sarah be doing in Herbert's room?
It's moments before he's tapping at the door, poking his head in with a puzzled expression.
"Hey, I - oh - hallo, Herbert. Was - was that you, just now?"
What would Sarah be doing in Herbert's room?
It's moments before he's tapping at the door, poking his head in with a puzzled expression.
"Hey, I - oh - hallo, Herbert. Was - was that you, just now?"
"There you are, mon chaton. Please, do come in." He gestures for Alfred to come join him, patting the bench next to him.
"Was what me, just now?"
"Was what me, just now?"
Smiling sweetly, he slips through the door, shutting it behind him and coming to sit beside his lover. Almost automatically, he holds out his hand, a silent request for the hairbrush.
"The singing? The - the, ah-"
He tries to mimic the tune, but it sounds...well, a bit silly. Less silly than the Professor, maybe, but silly.
"The singing? The - the, ah-"
He tries to mimic the tune, but it sounds...well, a bit silly. Less silly than the Professor, maybe, but silly.
"Oh yes, that was me. Just a silly little tune I started singing to myself when I was young," he says, handing the brush over happily. He loves when Alfred brushes his hair.
"You may have heard it before," he says, thinking of that first night, when Herbert sang up to Alfred's window to try and catch his attention.
"You may have heard it before," he says, thinking of that first night, when Herbert sang up to Alfred's window to try and catch his attention.
Without missing a beat, Alfred takes the brush and starts to work, brushing out Herbert's long blonde locks in steady, gentle strokes. As he does, however, his face furrows just a little further in confusion as he tries to think back.
"I - yes, I have, but - when I heard it first, I thought-"
Oblivious.
"I found Sarah singing it, so - so I thought it was her. It was you?"
"I - yes, I have, but - when I heard it first, I thought-"
Oblivious.
"I found Sarah singing it, so - so I thought it was her. It was you?"
"Sarah?" He bares his fangs a little in obvious distaste. "You mean you didn't hear me that first night at the inn? I was calling to you so you'd notice me, perhaps look out the window and see me. Which you didn't and that's fine, but Sarah?
Don't tell me she's been singing it, too."
Don't tell me she's been singing it, too."
Uh-oh. Alfred's hands still for a beat before they resume, and he swallows hard.
"Well - I did hear it outside - but I didn't know it was you, because Chagal told me it was the wind, and then...ah, yes, Sarah was singing it, the night she left for here? And then again here, while I was trying to find her, and...."
His voice peters out, sheepish.
"Well - I did hear it outside - but I didn't know it was you, because Chagal told me it was the wind, and then...ah, yes, Sarah was singing it, the night she left for here? And then again here, while I was trying to find her, and...."
His voice peters out, sheepish.
"The wind! Oh that Chagal," he huffs, crossing his arms petulantly. "Well now you know. I've been singing that song for three hundred years. If she sang it, she stole it from me."
"Oh, Engel - I - I'm sorry, I thought-"
Well now he's done it, hasn't he? He cringes, and if he could be seen behind Herbert in the mirror, it would be a sight indeed. Maybe for the best he doesn't cast a reflection anymore.
"Well, she...I don't even know if she knows where she got it, then? And - and if it was you I heard the first time, then, well, I - I really liked it-"
It actually brings him a measure of happiness, knowing it was Herbert behind that moment that had stirred his heart so.
Well now he's done it, hasn't he? He cringes, and if he could be seen behind Herbert in the mirror, it would be a sight indeed. Maybe for the best he doesn't cast a reflection anymore.
"Well, she...I don't even know if she knows where she got it, then? And - and if it was you I heard the first time, then, well, I - I really liked it-"
It actually brings him a measure of happiness, knowing it was Herbert behind that moment that had stirred his heart so.
He's still sulking just a little, shoulders slumped. But not quite as much as they were before. But he wants to be coaxed out of his sulk just a little further before he gives in.
"Really? You liked my singing? Truly?"
"Really? You liked my singing? Truly?"
Even if Alfred could tell there's a bit of fishing happening here, he would still hurry to comfort his lover - the brush is set down, strong arms wrapping around Herbert from behind, cheek pressed against his back.
"Of course I did, Engel. It - it reminded me of the Sirens, from the Ancient Greek stories. I was mesmerized. It...it stirred something in me, when I heard it. When I heard you."
"Of course I did, Engel. It - it reminded me of the Sirens, from the Ancient Greek stories. I was mesmerized. It...it stirred something in me, when I heard it. When I heard you."
"Ooh, I stirred something in you, hmm?" He reaches behind him to squeeze lightly at whatever part of Alfred he can reach. "Then I can forgive you," he smiles, his pleasure clear in his voice. "That was my aim, you know. To sing you a siren song and hope to lure you to me. But you made me work to get you, and I don't mind that at all."
There's a ticklish little giggle as Herbert grabs at him - the tension of the moment passing and leaving Alfred with a little smile again.
"You did. All I could think about was what beautiful lips must be out there, singing those notes." He nuzzles into his lover a little before pulling back just enough to resume brushing.
"Believe me, it would have been much easier if I had known it was you in the first place! I might not have bothered with Sarah at all."
Maybe.
Of course, he knows full well that part of the problem was just him being gullible.
"You did. All I could think about was what beautiful lips must be out there, singing those notes." He nuzzles into his lover a little before pulling back just enough to resume brushing.
"Believe me, it would have been much easier if I had known it was you in the first place! I might not have bothered with Sarah at all."
Maybe.
Of course, he knows full well that part of the problem was just him being gullible.
"These lips. Which are yours whenever you want them. Any time of the night, you need only ask." Herbert hums contentedly and settles back in to let his damp hair be brushed.
"Well, you needn't bother with her any longer. Unless it's at family dinners, of course."
"Well, you needn't bother with her any longer. Unless it's at family dinners, of course."
"A-ah, well..."
Biting his lip for a moment, he leans forward, brushing his lips right against Herbert's ear to murmur, soft and low: "I'll have to take you up on that, Engel."
...and then once he recovers from trying to be sultry, he kisses the vampire at the base of his jaw, laughing softly.
"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to bother with me any more than I do with her at this point."
Biting his lip for a moment, he leans forward, brushing his lips right against Herbert's ear to murmur, soft and low: "I'll have to take you up on that, Engel."
...and then once he recovers from trying to be sultry, he kisses the vampire at the base of his jaw, laughing softly.
"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to bother with me any more than I do with her at this point."
"Just as well," he replies haughtily. "More of you for me."
After a few moments of quiet, he adds, "I used to sing all the time. When I was younger."
After a few moments of quiet, he adds, "I used to sing all the time. When I was younger."
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