Greetings for the new year! Hope you have a wonderful, healthy and prosperous year ahead.
...
"Mr. Frazier, have I ever told you how I absolutely adore the hue of your eyes?"
"Elizabeth, stop it."
"Mr. Frazier, did you paint the sky red today? Because that is all I see."
"Eliza. Beth."
"Mr. Frazier, can you help me? I seem to have fallen down and cannot get up."
"Lizzie."
"Mr. Frazier-" The girl was cut off by a pillow in her face.
"That's it!" Alvin snapped. "He did not say any of that!"
"Not so much in words." Lizzie shrugged, putting the pillow in its rightful place on the bed. "But his eyes, brother, they speak volumes."
"Maybe too much." Alvin sulked.
"Oh, so you've noticed?" Lizzie crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. Only a fool wouldn't."
"Alvin." Lizzie shook her head in exasperation. "That man is absolutely besotted with you!"
"It would seem so."
"Then, why, oh why would you deprive yourself of something as beautiful as love? Just say yes already."
"We have a month still."
"Oh, that's ridiculous. You're being ridiculous."
"I'm not! See it from my perspective for once!"
"I'll try, brother. So tell me, what really bothers you."
"Well, it's not the idea of him as a person, more so his intentions..." Alvin sighed and laid back down on his bed. "Doesn't he seem too good to be true? Be honest."
Lizzie stood in silence for a moment. "Maybe he is too good, but you deserve that, brother. You deserve good, Alvin. You deserve the best."
"Thank you, Lizzie. You're a treasure, truly." Alvin smiled. "But you are too optimistic and far from realistic."
"Oh, come off it!" His stepsister turned to leave.
"I'm just saying, sister, I've seen more world than you!"
"You're a novice in the world of nobles!" She said just as she exited the room.
"And he's not! That's the whole point, Elizabeth!" He shouted as the door closed behind the girl.
Turning on his side, Alvin glanced at his unfinished painting sitting in the middle of the room, covered by a white cloth. Inspiration struck him out of nowhere and he got out of bed. He walked to his vanity, forgoing his watercolours and oil paints once again. He opted for a stick of charcoal instead.
The red from the rouge had long since dried, and he set to work, defining the red background with solid black lines of charcoal.
...
Alvin took a deep breath and nodded to Wilhelm, who in turn, rolled his eyes at him. The young boy walked out with his back straight, nose stuck in the sky.
The older man sighed.
There was no saving to their brotherhood.
As soon as he stepped out the door, a carriage awaited him. The duke was not in it, evidently, he had sent his carriage to pick up his entourages. And what a carriage it was, big and bold and gleaming from polish, drawn by two brown stallions.
The coach driver tipped his hat at them as the stepbrothers loaded themselves into the carriage. Inside was as lush as the outside, the seats were wide and spacey, the leather new and firm, and a grey carpet was spread out between the seats. Both of them avoided sitting next to each other so as to limit their contact as much as possible, and sternly looked out the window as the carriage started to move, Wilhelm in silent aggression, and Alvin in passive mindfulness.
It was only a horse-riding session and yet, his heart beat faster than ever. Maybe it was the fact that he was horrendous at horse riding, having being introduced to it for less than a month. Maybe he was afraid of falling from his horse mid stride and making a fool out of himself in front of the duke. Ruining his proud image and seeming like a damsel in distress would be bad. And if he does fall, then the duke would help him up, which would decidedly be even worse.
He doesn't know for how much longer he can ignore the duke's very apparent affection,
During their little after luncheon walk the day before, Duke Presley had been nothing but a perfect gentleman, not touching him, not chasing him with words, but had instead asked him about his interests, his career plans, the books that he liked to read. And even though he did not have a concrete answer to any of those questions, as he had never thought outside the boundary of poverty and minimal wages before, it was refreshing, and it had taken everything in him to not reciprocate those questions.
He couldn't help but wonder what kind of a person Mr. Vincent Presley was beyond his duchy duties.
It felt like with every day, Elizabeth's silly romance novel was coming to life right before his very eyes. The reluctant, headstrong princess falling for the big, charming prince. And while he knew he was the farthest from a headstrong princess, he knew that Duke Presley was not so far from a prince. He was big, he was charming, and handsome on top of that.
Alvin was definitely not so headstrong, and he didn't know how long his reluctance would last.
Before they knew it, the brothers had arrived at the _ Park. As London's largest renowned sight, __ Park was awe-inspiring with its huge trees and glimmering lake. No wonder it was most popularly chosen by courting couples for promenades.
"Mr. Frazier." Duke Presley's voice reached his ears as soon as he stepped out, Wilhelm getting out after him with a huff. "Mr. Wilhelm Frazier." The duke greeted, his smile warmer than the sun.
"Duke." Alvin nodded at the same time as Wilhelm greeted, "Your grace."
"I had my stablemaster prepare two of our best horses for you. I hope they will perform to your expectations."
"I am sure brother and I won't have any complaints." Wilhelm said, smiling in that forcedly polite way of his.
"Indeed." Alvin could not muster up a smile of his own, for his stomach was twisted in knots.
"Shall we?" Vincent gestured to the cobbled trail that led to the horse riding area. He waited till the brothers walked in front, and then followed.
There were three horses, one that was stark white, and the other two were varying shades of brown. Alvin guessed that the white one belonged to the duke, as it seemed the most regal. He walked to one of the brown horses, and Wilhelm did the same.
"Actually, Mr. Frazier." Vincent called out before Alvin could touch the horse's snout. "If you will, I have especially prepared my most beautiful mare, Allie, for you." He said, nodding to the white horse.
"Oh." Was all Alvin could let out as he let go of the straddle and walked over to the white horse instead, looking up into Vincent's dark eyes as he went. They were mesmerizing in the daylight.
His legs suddenly felt as liquid as the rice pudding he had in the morning.
"A beauty, isn't she?" The duke asked, stroking the mare on the underside of her neck.
Alvin nodded mutely, forcing his legs to work. But they refused to work, and his heartbeat was too loud in his ears, when Vincent stepped forward to help. The man had so much as put a hand on his waist to help him up on the straddle, and the action caused him to take a sharp breath in. The hand was impossibly warm, it felt outright burning even through the many layers of his clothing.
He was going insane.
"Ready?"
He nodded again, wondering why he was holding his breath in. It was only a horse-riding session. It was only a hand on his waist. It was only a burning gaze.
It was only the duke.
Vincent walked over to his own horse, mounting it with ease. Even the unassuming brown horse seemed royal when paired with the duke's dark features.
With a whistle, they were off.
While Alvin was not a complete novice when it came to horses , he was definitely no master of the craft either. The horse, Allie, however, was docile and yielding. It was clear that she had been trained especially for beginners. It was deeply thoughtful of her owner.
He wondered if he would get to call her his own if he married...?
Yes, he was very much going insane.
After a round of riding around the park, Wilhelm called for a break, claiming his feet to be sore, even though he had put them to no use. Alvin could only roll his eyes.
But then, as if a candle in his brain, he was struck with an idea. Yet again.
"Wilhelm." He called his stepbrother, who had plopped himself on a nearby bench, while the duke tended to the horses.
"What is it?" Wilhelm raised a suspicious eyebrow at the uncharacteristically sweet voice.
"Can you leave us alone, for just a moment?" Alvin asked, straight to the point. "Please."
"What?" The other asked incredulously. "Grandpa will kill me!"
"He won't find out." Alvin reassured. "I promise."
"But..."
"I will owe you for it." Alvin bargained. "It would be the hugest favour to me. Please."
"What do you want to do with him that you can't in front of me? Fuck him?" Wilhelm said, crass and unabashed.
"Something along those lines." Alvin relented while his face burned in indignation.
"Oh, you little harpy." The younger chuckled. "Don't you move quick."
"If you want me out of your hair soon, it is very, very important."
"Fine. Fuck him in the bushes. I could care less." Wilhelm sighed and stood up, walking away languidly towards the area where the major crowd of the park was strolling in. "But you owe me big time."
"I shall repay my debt with full interest."
As soon as the boy was out of sight, Alvin took a quick look around.
Before the duke could notice what was happening behind him, Alvin yanked the man by his arm and dragged him behind the nearest big tree that would shield them from the public view.
"Mr. Frazier- what is the meaning of this-"
"I need to test something." Alvin cut the indignant man off, bracketing him against the trunk of the tree.
"And what would that be?" Vincent rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Oh, don't tell me, you still cast doubt on my feelings? Do you want to test my feelings for you?"
"No." Alvin's gaze lowered to the man's plump lips. "I want to test my feelings for you."
"What-"
Without a moment to spare, Alvin grabbed the back of Vincent's neck, pulling him down into a bruising kiss, his eyes shut closed so he missed the look of abrupt surprise on the duke's face.
Alvin breathed into the kiss, finally able to rush air into his lungs properly. His hand moved to caress the duke's dark locks as he relaxed into the body in front of him.
Vincent resisted with every fibre of his being, but found that he couldn't, and he too, melted into the kiss, a hand moving downwards to pull the smaller body against himself.
"Oh." Alvin breathed when he pulled back, but soon, reached out for more and they were kissing again, hands roaming over each other's bodies, the heat between them pulsating.
The older man pulled back, only to move to the pale, slender neck underneath; and Alvin let him, with grace and gratitude.
He was in heaven.
A force beneath his skin urged him to rock against the hard body, and he did, only to find out-
"Oh." He froze, consequently leading to the mouth sucking at his skin to freeze as well. "I'm- you must- your grace, I-"
Vincent let go of his neck but kept his hand on his waist. "Do you still deny this?" The hand tightened around his waist. "Do you still deny us?" Burning dark eyes searched his for answers. "Do you still deny me, Alvin?" Hips brushed against his hard length ever so slightly and he had to bite down on his cheek to resist his moan.
"Please."
Vincent chuckled darkly, letting go of the heated body and stepping back, He ran a frustrated hand through his sweaty locks, dark hair shining in the overhead sun.
"Everyday, you test my patience, Mr. Frazier. Every. Day."
...
What are your plans for the new year, lovely people?
Is Alvin testing feelings or is he testing Vincent's restraint? Is Vincent too much of a prude or is he putting up a front?
When will Wilhelm collect his debt?
Is Alvin the one being wooed or his grandpa?
One thing is for sure, they all have their own reasons for their actions ;)