marlowemuses | Fools in Love, for gentry

"Oh no," Laurent said, laughing. He went with Gansey, trying not to grimace.

Hanging back, since he didn't want to get in the way of people who might actually know what they were doing, Laurent leaned over the stall door to watch. He was nervous, and slightly squeamish. Blood and violence he could handle. Birthing? That was another matter.

Gansey hung back as well—he may have been a practiced hand with horses and loved them dearly, but helping one give birth was not on his list of talents.

But he was utterly fascinated. The hands worked quickly, but Butternut did most of the work by herself. Within fifteen minutes the hands were working on wiping down a beautiful new black filly. She was pure black, aside from the smattering of white circles along her backside.

"Huh," Gansey mused, rubbing his thumb across his lip, "I guess she takes after her father. You'll have to think of a name for her."

Laurent waited until the hands had finished wiping down the baby horse, and had left mother and child alone to recover. Then he stepped into the stall, taking a seat by Butternut and petting her, speaking softly to her while the filly dozed against her side. "She's lovely. You did very well."

Butternut looked rather pleased with herself and the compliment. She closed her eyes as she was pet, relaxing in the new hay that the hands had given her. Gansey smiled as he lingered just outside the stall, leaning over the door and watching his fiance.

"We can adopt the filly," he declared, "and my mother won't be able to argue. She never said we had to have a human baby." Teasing, of course, but he did love baby animals immensely. Like kittens and puppies.

"I like that idea," Laurent said, grinning. "She gets a granddaughter, and we can have a horse as our heir. I don't see anything wrong with it."

He petted Butternut for a few more minutes, then got up so that she could get some sleep. Letting himself out of the stall, Laurent stepped into Gansey's arms, smiling contentedly as he leaned in for a kiss.

Gansey laughed brightly, "Our family portrait would be one for the ages." Stepping back, he gave Butternut and the new filly one last affectionate look before kissing his fiance.

"This was a nice surprise. I'm glad we made it in time."

Slipping his hand in with Laurent's, he lead his lover down the line of stalls. Some were empty, some were housing some horses that looked eager to grab their attention.

"Pick whichever you like," Gansey said happily, reaching out to pet one particularly excited horse. "This stallion, Blackberry, is the new filly's father. He and Butternut had a bit of a romp when one of the new hands left them in the field together unsupervised." The handsome pure black horse nodded his head in agreement and stomped his feet, clearly having some energy needing to burn.

"All right, all right. I'll take you out today."

Laurent laughed in delight, greeting Blackberry and then going to pick a horse of his own. He was drawn to an awkward, long-legged pale horse, mottled white and light tan. A stablehand warned him that the horse was clumsy, which just made Laurent shrug. "All right, then. A challenge."

He smirked at Gansey, expecting that he would be thoroughly outmatched by Blackberry, but unable to turn down a challenge. Saddling the horse, named Ghost, he patted his neck, leading him out and mounting up. The horse was gangly, all legs, and seemed distracted by everything that was going on around him. Laurent clucked at him and gave him a light tug with the reins to get his attention.

Leaving the castle was slow going. Laurent's horse was incredibly difficult, not from temper, but because it seemed interested in everything going on around it, and then it would fail to look where it was going and trip over its own feet. It almost threw Laurent twice, and after the second time Laurent's cheeks had reddened a little in embarrassment and frustration. He looked like he didn't know how to ride, because the horse was wildly inattentive. It wasn't that the horse was badly trained, since he responded quickly and eagerly to a light touch on the reins or with Laurent's heels.

But as they rode along the road outside the city, Laurent started figuring it out. He started to distract and challenge the horse, pulling him suddenly off the path or forcing him to navigate around large rocks. He stopped suddenly, turned suddenly, backed up, goaded Ghost to jump a fence and then turn sharply and jump back over it. Ghost did all of it flawlessly, suddenly not clumsy anymore. Within fifteen minutes, Laurent had his distractible horse alert and attentive, though still skittish and troublesome.

When Laurent chose Ghost, Gansey's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing. It was one of the more absentminded horses. Awkward, shy, a little out of place. As they rode Gansey only chuckled at Laurent's struggles. The horse was... trying, but there was so much to see, Gansey couldn't blame the poor thing for being so distracted. All the horses received excellent training. It was simply a matter of disposition.

"It looks like you two are getting along," Gansey called back, having his own troubles with his horse. Blackberry was restless. He wanted to bolt down the road, bolt over the stream, bolt through a fence. He had so much pent up energy, and Gansey had his hands full keeping the horse at a peaceful trot rather than a reckless streak through the grass. He had spirit.

Gansey managed to goad Blackberry to a slow trot so that he could move beside Laurent. "He probably needs more attention than he's been getting. Think he's just bored in the stalls? The trail around the castle isn't exactly challenging, either."

"I think that's only part of it," Laurent said. He walked the horse sideways, then the other way sideways. Ghost did it with tidy, high steps, mincing delicately. "I think the problem is that he doesn't focus well. I think he needs a rider who knows how to get him to focus. I don't think he's actually clumsy or distracted. I'd like to work with him more."

Putting his heels to Ghost's sides, Laurent drove him forward across the field. It was more dangerous off the path, strewn with obstacles. Laurent drove the horse with a firm hand, pushing him forward, forcing him to focus, to trust.

They struggled at first, whenever Ghost balked or shied and then stumbled, but the horse quickly learned that it was in its best interest to trust Laurent's control. Then the two of them started to move in unison, smooth and controlled, and Ghost very quickly showed that his long legs let him step fast and delicate on the rough ground.

Looping him around, Laurent caught up with Gansey, smirking wide as he showed off his new harmony with his horse.

Gansey smiled, charmed by both Laurent and Ghost.

"I think he's found the right hand," he said with incredible affection. "I think it's a good idea for you to work with him more. We could take him out more frequently." Blackberry huffed and moved head, trotting quickly with his head held high, and Gansey laughed.

"He really wants to run. Shall we meet at the ruins? I need to wear this fellow out a bit. I'll go around, through the fields." Sending a wink, "Unless you'd like to try to keep up?"

Blackberry eased into a run and Gansey leaned forward, going off the trail and into the tall grass where trees were scarce. They moved as one, effortless, sleek and handsome.

Laurent nudged Ghost into a run after him, though he was still struggling to control the horse and he knew he'd have to meet up with Gansey at the ruins, as promised. He guided Ghost back to the trail, taking the one through the forest that had twists and turns. At high speed, it was plenty of challenge for Ghost, and he managed it gracefully, darting along the sharp switchbacks until they reached the ruins.

Exhilarated, he tied Ghost where he could graze, and then wandered into the ruins, climbing up on a pile of stones and looking around to find out if Gansey had already arrived.

Gansey ran Blackberry as much as the horse wanted. When he was satisfied, he gently lead the stallion to the ruins, where he tied the beast up so he had access to both water and grass. The horse huffs and calmed, pleased to have ran and content to relax now that he had gotten the work out he wanted so badly.

Having arrived first, Gansey began weaving between pillars and stones, simply admiring the ruins he'd known for so long. Once he was married and taking on more responsibility as heir, he wouldn't get to visit them as often. Time would stretch and his attention would be consumed. But those were the facts of life, weren't they?

When Laurent arrived he was lounging on the steps they had shared the last time they came. He waved, smiling, patting the spot beside him.

Laurent approached slowly, eyes wary, lips parted. He walked to the base of the steps where Gansey lounged, and sank to one knee, gazing up at him through his lashes with a look that was seductive, devoted, and guarded all at once. "Are you the king of this place?" he asked, voice quiet but resonant.

He tightened one of his fists, feeling nerves, hope, excitement, love. His heart thudded in his throat.

That was certainly a seductive look.

Gansey's lips curled into a smile as he leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee and looking every part the king he would someday be. Neutral yet slightly guarded expression, the delicate life of an eyebrow, lips pursed, putting on just a touch of lofty airs.

"I was, and am, and will be. Only when the last stone has been buried beneath the earth, no longer meets the sun, will I fade."

Tilting his head, he leaned a bit more, so that he could lord over his lover. "And who, pray tell, are you?"

"I am Laurent of Vere," he answered, proud and determined and yet still yielding, every line in his body offering himself only to a man confident enough to take him. He didn't look away, knowing that Gansey would rule him and possess him, that he belonged utterly to his lover, and that Gansey would take him wholly.

Rising to his feet, Laurent stood before his king, chin lifted slightly. He was imperious and pleading, come to give all of himself in order to make one single demand. "I crave a boon."

"Oh?"

The King was not to be stood over or anywhere close, so Gansey stood in turn, slipping his index finger under that slightly lifted chin to lift it a touch more. One foot dropped down one step, knee bent, a gallant picture. With Laurent's face tilted up he was able to admire all the delicate features his fiance possessed.

"Laurent of Vere," Gansey mused as he brushed the pad of his thumb over Laurent's bottom lip. "What boon would you have? State what you desire."

Laurent's eyelashes fluttered at the touch on his lip, yielding a little more to his king. "I wish," Laurent murmured, eyes low-lidded and soft, "more than anything in the world, to be loved."

His skin tingled with affection and anticipation, knowing himself entirely in Gansey's power and thrilling in it. He knew that he would have what he desired, to be loved and possessed entirely by his king.

Gansey's other hand rose to cup Laurent's cheek. The man was always beautiful, even when wearing his strict clothing. Or working on a puzzle. Teasing, he was lovely. His smiles were Gansey's sunlight. However, Gansey loved the vulnerable Laurent most. When he was utterly himself and open, trusting, melting into Gansey's love.

"Then you're in luck," Gansey breathed, "because I happen to love you more than anything in the world."

Closing the distance between them, Gansey kissed Laurent. Fully, passionately, with the strength a man could only have when he had strong feelings and understood them. Holding Laurent's face between his hands, his kiss was deep, searching, thorough with the roll of his tongue. There was none of the shyness he had when they had first kissed on these stairs.

Laurent whimpered with contentment as Gansey kissed him. He parted his lips automatically, meeting Gansey's tongue with his own to welcome him. Caressing Gansey's lips and tongue, Laurent moaned louder as Gansey searched his mouth, claiming him. He hollowed his cheeks around Gansey's tongue, remembering the pleasure of sucking on Gansey's cock.

Reaching for Gansey, Laurent yielded to him, moaning and whimpering without holding anything back as Gansey claimed him.

He was breathless when Gansey released him, eyes wide and dark with arousal and focused faithfully on Gansey's eyes, ready to obey any whim from his lover.

The sounds Laurent made were heavenly, sending a charge of arousal through Gansey's body. They were somehow even more prominent among the ruins than they had been in the Tower, the only noise to join them other than the soft rustle of grass in the morning wind.

Stepping down, taking each step slowly, Gansey slid his hand into Laurent's.

"Come with me."

He lead Laurent a little farther into the ruins. There were other pillars and, deeper in, there were arches. One was half broken and stood only about three feet tall from the grass to its rounded edge. Kneeling onto the ground, laying out beneath the arch, he opened his arms to his lover.

Laurent followed, trusting and obedient, and crawled at once into Gansey's arms. The place was beautiful, and combined with his fond memories and love of Gansey, he found himself more attached to the ruins than anywhere else he had ever been. Smiling with adoration, he watched Gansey's eyes, nestling close for a kiss and to offer himself, heart and body, to his beloved. He felt as though everything in him was glowing with affection and warmth.

Once Laurent crawled into his arms, Gansey held him close. So warm, so perfect. The grass was soft beneath them and the breeze was pleasant. The trees and pillars blocked any direct glares from the sun.

Lovingly, Gansey smoothed his fingers through Laurent's hair. Cupped his cheek. When their lips met it was with all the affection in the world, yet firm, with parted lips. There was no rush; he wanted to appreciate every golden moment. Slowly, the young heir moved his lips and tongue. When their lips parted it was only a second before they were rolling into the next kiss,

Laurent followed his lead, giving him everything and sighing with contentment. His mind was quiet, leaving only trust and love. He wound their legs together, hands clinging to Gansey's shirt as they kissed.

"Gansey," he sighed once, like a prayer, and then moaned as Gansey drew him into another lingering kiss.

"I like," he muttered against Laurent's lips, "when you say my name. Very much."

Gansey claimed Laurent's mouth in another demanding kiss as his hands wandered. Pressed down against the fabric of his shirt and then sliding up underneath it to tickle belly. Thumbs tracing along the handsome contours of Laurent's body. Eventually his fingers found the fastenings of Laurent's pants and he tugged them free, coaxing the offending fabric down over his lover's hips.

Laurent dissolved into the laughter at the tickling, squirming against Gansey and pressing even closer. He moaned into the kiss, shifting his body in order to help Gansey pull him out of his trousers.

His tongue flicked at Gansey's lips, playful and inviting, thinking of nothing but the way their bodies moved together. "Gansey," he murmured between kisses, smiling with pleasure each time he said it.

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