marlowemuses | Fools in Love, for gentry

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Fools in Love, for gentry

[From here.]

"You're sensitive everywhere," Laurent teased, demonstrating by tickling his fingers along Gansey's sides. He grinned shamelessly down at him, relenting quickly enough because he couldn't hold out any longer without kissing him.

"Gansey," Laurent murmured against his lips, soft, brief kisses that he couldn't quite pull away from, kiss after kiss.

Utterly infatuated, Laurent gave him a hopelessly adoring smile as he finally lifted his head, bending to press a reverent kiss to Gansey's collarbone. "I've never... I've never been like this. With anyone. My heart aches constantly with longing for you, even when I'm already in your arms."

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"Gansey," Laurent complained, yelping and laughing. He pressed closer, shivering, because under the cold wet of Gansey's shirt was the warmth of Gansey's broad chest, and Laurent was already wet now. "Is this how you Ravens treat your betrotheds? Shocking." He nuzzled at Gansey in return, whining softly and still shivering. "Bully. I never said you had to put the shirt on."

"If I'm going to play the part, I must commit," he laughed, rubbing his hands up and down Laurent's arms in an attempt to give him a little warmth. Luckily it wasn't the cool season, and they weren't too far from the castle.

"Let's go get washed up. And I'm feeling particularly ravenous," Gansey admitted, making his way toward the horses. They were pleased to see them, snorting and prancing a little, ready to get some more exorcise.

"Looks like they missed us."

Laurent stole another quick kiss before they parted, and then went with him to retrieve their horses. He greeted his horse warmly, breathing in the reassuring, honest scent of horse, and then he mounted up.

"I love you," he said, with a smile flashed over his shoulder, and then he put heels to his horse and darted on ahead. He wasn't racing this time so much as just riding for the sheer pleasure of it, challenging himself and his horse as they raced through the meadows, taking the more challenging routes for the thrill of the risk and the jumps.

Gansey stood with his horse and watched as Laurent dashed off on his. On horseback, truly, Laurent was a striking figure. Slim and fair haired, looking every bit the handsome prince he was as he rode that clumsy horse with impossible grace.

Only when Laurent was out of sight did Gansey stop watching. Swinging up on his own mount, he likewise took off, this time moving at a more leisurely pace. The horse didn't seem to mind, having gotten its run earlier.

Back at the castle he handed off the reigns to one of the new stable boys. There were certainly looks: why is the prince wet? but Gansey paid them no mind. He ordered a hot bath be run for the both of them and requested that a snack might be prepared posthaste, and sent a messenger to Helen to ask for her company.

"Do you want to see the rooms?" Gansey asked once he had met up with Laurent again and given him a proper kiss.

Laurent greeted him with a thrilled grin, throwing himself into Gansey's arms and kissing him enthusiastically. "Yes, please," he murmured against Gansey's lips, brushing the tips of their noses together soft and teasing before he gave in to temptation and kissed Gansey again, playful and unrestrained with his love, allowing himself to be distracted even though he knew perfectly well that they had things to do.

Gansey loved being distracted. With Laurent, it might very well be his favorite thing.

Laughing and kissing, he pulled back so he could join their hands, threading their fingers together as he lead the way to where Helen's rooms were. It was quite the walk: flowers, fountains, a quiet area where people didn't normally pass through unless they were looking for something more scenic.

"I've always liked this part of the castle," he admitted, rubbing his thumb against the back of Laurent's hand. "It's quiet. I used to come here to read when I was young because no one would bother me. A relief, between the parties and guests." Sending his lover a curious glance, "What was it like? Growing up in Vere." He had some understanding from what Laurent had already told him, yet he always longed to know more about his fiance.

Laurent was still laughing as Gansey pulled him down the hall. Though he appreciated the wonders around them, his focus was always primarily upon Gansey, utterly entranced by him at all times.

Shrugging at the question, Laurent glanced away. "It's hard to say. To me, it was always simply the way things were, so it's hard to describe what it was like. What was it like growing up in the Raven Kingdom? It's hard to say, since I never grew up anywhere else. I don't have a basis for comparison."

Turning his attention to a fountain, Laurent skimmed his fingers through the water. He didn't let go of Gansey, though he didn't look at him as he spoke. "The court, as I've told you, was a dangerous, subtle, vicious place. I avoided it as much as I could for my entire childhood. Auguste always tried to protect me from it, but he didn't really understand what it was that I faced, so different from his own challenges. I hid in the library as often I could, and ventured forth only reluctantly unless I was at Auguste's side."

"I see," he mused, slowing when Laurent paused at the fountain. "Then we weren't very different." Of course, he understood that their situations were vastly different. Sitting down on the ledge of the fountain, Gansey looked up at his lover, hands clasped over a knee.

"Though... I think I'd like to more about the things you liked—those exclusive to Vere, or not. Like... hm." He paused, thinking of an example to give of his own, "Around mid-summer, in the busiest cities, the bakeries will make raven pies. Not made with ravens, of course. They're stuffed with blackberries and sugar, though the children like to say they're made from raven feathers. Helen told me that they actually were made with ravens, though, when I was small. I cried for days."

The pies were something he expected did not exist outside the kingdom, nor the pranking of siblings about eating a pie stuffed with the sacred birds.

"Helen actually threw me into this fountain a few times. She liked to do that if I was in one of her favorite painting spots. Of course, I'd never want to give them up to her freely. They were my favorite reading spots."

Utterly charmed by Gansey's stories, Laurent tapped his lover's knee to get him to make space on his lap so that Laurent could sit, curling his arms around Gansey's neck. "I'd like to take you to a Veretian patisserie one day. They make the most beautiful, delicate, sumptuous concoctions, all spun sugar and cream."

He thought for a moment, casting about for a story he wanted to tell, but pain lurked behind so many of his memories. Distracting himself, Laurent took a kiss, letting his fingers skim ticklishly against Gansey's side as he leaned his weight suddenly onto his lover, hoping that the combination of distractions would be enough to dunk Gansey backward into the fountan. He was perfectly aware that, ensconced on Gansey's lap as he was, he risked going along with him. It was worth the risk.

Laurent was a creature of distraction. Gansey was easily goaded, lowering his eyelids in that kiss as fingers brushed along his side, light enough that it wasn't enough make him break into laughter. Enough that he was thoroughly distracted, however.

Naturally, Laurent's little prank was successful. Tipping, Gansey's eyes opened in vague alarm and humor, hooking his arms tight around Laurent's waist as he fell back into the fountain.

"You minx," he accused without heat, "you're just as full of pranks as she is." Laughing, he swept his wet hair back. "Using my love of kissing against me. Clever as always."

Laughing and thoroughly splashed, Laurent extricated himself, helping pull Gansey back to his feet and soothing the prank with a kiss, then another one, rubbing his hands along Gansey's sides to warm him. "I'm sorry you're all wet," he said, eyes glinting with mirth. He certainly wasn't sorry for dumping Gansey in the fountain, but he was a little bit sorry that now they were both dripping again.

"Come on, let's go meet Helen. If she won't be too insulted at us being dripping wet. Again." Smirking, he tucked himself against Gansey's side for more affection and warmth.

Gansey did not miss how Laurent had sidestepped his question. Not one to press, he merely sighed and smiled gently, letting Laurent warm him.

"This seems to be today's theme," he agreed pleasantly. "If I'm lucky, perhaps we'll be able to throw her into a fountain, too." Even if damp, he wrapped his arm around his lover as he began to lead the way to where Helen was waiting for them.

The pathway to the garden room was excellently done. Blooming roses, hedges, lilies, all sorts of flora leading along to where Helen was waiting for them. From the distance she studied them, mouth turning into an o at the sight of their dampness. Gansey laughed under his breath, "She'll think we've been getting into trouble."

"I think that might be accurate," Laurent murmured in return, kissing Gansey's cheek and then letting go so that he could bow deeply to Helen. "Your highness," he said, polite but with a healthy dose of friendly mirth. "I beg your forgivenes for our current state, I'm afraid I was overcome with the compulsion to throw my fiance in a convenient fountain."

Helen laughed as she approached, skirts fluttering about her as she regarded her brother and soon to be brother-in-law.

"Oh, we've all had that compulsion before," she said with a wave of the hand. "Next time, do try not to get caught with him. It's much more fun that way."

Gansey made a face and shot it at his sister. "I'll remember that tip, too. Anyway, Laurent and I came to propose a... deal. An exchange, of sorts."

Helen looked curious. "Come, this way, I have tea set up," she said as she turned, walking down the path to where the gardens opened up, "and you can wipe yourselves off. You're lucky it's warm."

Gansey smiled at Laurent and said, in a low whisper, "I'll be counting on you to charm her into agreeing, I hope you know. She's not weak to me."

"Everyone's weak to me," Laurent flirted in return, kissing the spot--still damp--behind Gansey's ear. "While I have only one weakness."

Laurent gladly took a seat at the table, effusively admiring the array of pastries and little sandwiches set up along with the beautifully painted tea set. He then took Helen onto a tangent discussing different styles of porcelain painting for a full twelve minutes, both of them happily chattering about historic and modern porcelain technology and fashion, and almost entirely ignoring Gansey.

It was the longest twelve minutes of Gansey's life. The young heir had no interest in porcelain or fashion, so he nodded along, resting his hand on Laurent's thigh about half way through the conversation. In this, he was fine being ignored—there was nothing he wanted to add to this conversation.

Eventually Helen gave her brother a smile before turning her attention back to Laurent, "So what is it that my charming soon to be brother-in-law and his hopeless fiance want to talk about, really? Much as I love talking about fashion."

Gansey gave her a smile in return. "Well, you see, Helen," he began, giving Laurent's leg an affectionate squeeze, "Laurent doesn't like my tower room. Isn't that right, dear?"

Laurent grimaced with horror, then tempered it into a pained smile. He tilted his head toward Gansey, soothing and apologetic. "It isn't that I don't like it." Another barely-contained grimace. "It's a very nice... sort of workshop for you." He laid his hand over Gansey's on the table, toying with the fingers as if searching for words about how to let his lover down gently. "But it simply isn't the sort of place where civilized people abide."

He let go of Gansey's hand, looking away as though they'd been having a bit of a lovers' spat on the topic. "We can't seem to come to an agreement. I liked the rooms on the South wing, but Gansey won't have it since he says they have a draft in the winter. He likes the rooms on the third floor, East wing, but I won't endure it because they look like the sort of place you'd house disliked third cousins, not the heir to the kingdom."

Laurent wrinkled his nose. "I wanted to ask your advice on the topic. I simply don't know enough about the customs and environs of the Raven Kingdom to have a good sense of what is suitable, and Gansey..." Laurent cast his fiance a fond but long-suffering glance. "I knew you'd have the sense to recommend something perfect, Helen. Please help us."

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Fools in Love, for gentry

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