[Mem Share] Not Alone

[unbreakable_king]

[OOC: Slightly nsfw thanks to adult situations and less than sufficient amounts of clothes.]

It's movement that stirs him from his sleep, which, after the night he's had, is pretty impressive. Rhy hums to himself as he rolls onto his side and watches as Alucard, by the dim light of the moon and stars through the windows, rises from Rhy's bed. Even in this light the man's tanned skin and rich dark curls of hair are stunning. Rhy can't help the stirring he feels in his body.

"Surely you don't mean to slip away through my window at this hour," Rhy muses, his voice light and teasing as his lover circles the bed, stopping only long enough to find his discarded pants and pull them on.

"Now now, my sweet prince, do you truly feel me so cruel a man as to leave you to your lonesome?" his beloved's voice nearly purrs as smart fingers move about the laces of his pants. "I merely wished you show you something."

Oh? More show and tell? The young Maresh heir delighted at the very idea, and he too slipped from amid the silken sheets of his bed, pushing through the rich curtains around it to find the nearby table where he knew he'd left a robe. The thing is pulled on even as he watches Alucard Emeric, roguish nobleman moving right to the doors to Rhy's patio and opening them. They are as silent as a breeze as they swing open, and his lover turns just enough to hold a beckoning hand out to Rhy. It would be rude, and foolish, not to accept. Rhy moved to catch the hand in his own, and found himself pulled swiftly against the older man's strong body. This close it was a wonder that he could breathe at all, and when he did he could smell the spice of Alucard's cologne, the natural musk of his skin, and under that the heavy mixture of sweat and sex. Oh what a temptation this man ever was for him.

"And one would hope that you meant to show me more than the glory of your bare skin," the prince chuckled, looking up to meet the quick, flashing wit of his lover's eyes as he was guided into the balcony with a side step.

Neither of them were appropriately dressed for this, and Rhy didn't care. From here the red light of the Isle River washed over them, and to look at the crimson of it lighting Alucard's skin was a temptation all its own. Rhy wished to lean in, to lick and suck and chase at the glory of that light. Instead he found himself being turned out toward the city and the myriad lights, both of oil and magic, that twinkled next to the powerful crimson of the local Source.

"What do you see, my pet?"

"Lights. The same lights there are every night."

The comment earned a chuckle, low and rich and sweet in that way that made Rhy want to press against his body, his lips, his hands. Instead he stayed watching, Alucard's hands on his shoulders, holding him toward the city.

"Each of those lights, my darling? Lives. A handful, at the least. Lives that one day shall be in your hands."

"Our hands," Rhy countered. "You will be at my side for that, will you not?"

Those hands on his shoulders turned to arms wrapped around his waist, and lips at his neck, kissing and sucking. Rhy shivered and pushed back against the firm, hot body, felt the growing firmness of Alucard's desire against his body.

"Of course, my darling. Of course."


[And a few minutes after the memory is up there, enjoy a very annoyed looking video of Rhy Maresh himself.]

Before anyone wonders aloud over the promise. He was not.

Comments

[gadaboutdetective]

Well, I hope that he reaches back, then...? That he surprises you and stays. It seems a poor choice to walk away from something as warm and close as what you had.

[It’s an honest opinion, Llewellyn can’t help but want to see the people around him happy with the ones they want to be with. Maybe it was because he cared, maybe it was because he wasn’t sure that he could ever have that, it was probably both.]

I’ve never seen anything like it? We have uh— we have beauty in my world, in some parts of it... But nothing like that? The river it— the light of it glowing is quite pleasing. It makes the night seem less dark.

[unbreakable_king]

[Rhy sighs, wishing he could reach for Alucard. Damn. He loved that man, and having him close again had ached. He's risked his life to find his lover and... And now he was left waiting. Waiting for home. Waiting for Alucard Emery.]

Warm and close. That describes Alucard so very, very well. He was a very special man. And frankly, if it was deemed I was unsuitable for the throne, it would have fallen to him, to his family at least.

[Though his love's brother would have made a horrid king.]

The light of the river is magic. The Isle is a great Source. My castle stands astride it. There's reason the colors of the Maresh family are Crimson and Gold. A chalice filled with the light of the river. My people are very lucky for it.

[gadaboutdetective]

Mm... It’s a rare thing, to find someone who you can connect with so well as that.

[And he certainly hoped that when Rhy made it home that he would be able to find that closeness with his heart’s desire again. It’s not pleasant. To want that with someone and be unable to do anything about it.]

Oh— I suppose that would make sense, then. I just thought the colours suited, never gave much thought to the meaning behind them... Is the water enchanted, or are magic glowing rivers natural?

[He’s quite taken with the idea, Llewellyn wasn’t fond of nightfall and the dark that came with it.]

[unbreakable_king]

[Ah, but he hasn't had a chance to connect with the man since. Except that one night, when Alucard had snuck into his room, and of course when he found him on the ship. Oh what a thing that had been.]

He could see magic. It's a very rare gift back home. I'm not sure he'd want me after the taint he has seen in me. But others tell me he never left my side when I nearly died again.

[Oh dear, he needs to move on from this. It's unfair to Llewellyn to talk about his lost love when the man could never have such love in an open manner.]

It's not enchanted, it's just... like that. A place of power. Magic, in its purest and uncorrupted form, beats red. Like the blood of our bodies. And we beat in time with it, for the whole of our lives. And when we die, we return to it.

[gadaboutdetective]

[And yet, for all his loneliness and the challenges that he faced surrounding his love life, Llewellyn never really begrudged another for the relationship they had. He was envious sometimes, yes. Llewellyn was human still human, with wants and needs like anyone else (repressed as they had been).

But... Llewellyn was also a man who went out of his way to push people together if he saw them dancing around one another. He wanted those around him happy, and delighted (somewhat wistfully perhaps) in seeing those he cared about happy and secure in their relationships.]

That sounds... promising then? That should mean something, I would think. Mm... That whatever he sees, he sees past it to what’s important.

[His tone has shifted to one of interest, thoughtful and soft.]

Really? That’s... quite beautiful, actually.

[unbreakable_king]

Oh, there is one complication of course. He and my brother loathe each other.

[It would make things a mess, would it not? Oh well.]

IT is. Magic is the source of all, and it is from magic we draw our power. I'm... sorry my world denied yours your birthright. But there is no way to reopen the doors.

[gadaboutdetective]

Ah, that can be a bit difficult to work around... I’ve seen it once or twice before, but generally they put their feelings of dislike aside for the mutual care for the other person. A coworker married a local socialite, her cousin that she’s closest to uh— well, she despises him. But! They both care for Ruth and that... seems to make them play nice when necessary?

[The Newsome family drama was forever a mess, and one that he watching play out from afar aside from the one or two times he’d gotten involved for specific reasons.

He makes a small, curious sound at the apology. Llewellyn appreciated the thought, but... there was little point in dwelling on what-ifs. There were too many of those in his life as it was, and...]

A sorry is unnecessary Rhy, that is a matter that is well outside your control. There is no way of knowing what my world would be like with it, there are too many... variables to consider. Mm... And one can’t miss what they’ve never known? I am curious of course, there are many things I find myself of a similar mind about; but... It is what it is.

[unbreakable_king]

[Well, Kell and Alucard have worked together before, but he's pretty certain that Kell threatened Alucard's life once. Which was absolutely silly. All the man had done had been to shatter Rhy's hard and make him wonder if he was worthy of being loved. You know, nothing important.]

Perhaps you can't miss what you haven't known, but your world can. It once knew it very well. And King George is a fussy little magpie that wants the shiny little thing for himself. What a fool.

[gadaboutdetective]

[Which, if Llewellyn knew that was the specific reason Kell was so dead set against Alucard, he might not blame him for it. Not a violent man, he still knew how to be cutting with his words when someone he cared about was hurt. In another life. Well, perhaps not. One got in trouble for telling off nobleman and socialites, they had far more power in the world after all.]

Mm... I suppose that’s a good point, one I hadn’t considered... Still, it isn’t something you are responsible for.

[And he’s going to be stubborn about that point, as many times as he needs to make it when Rhy apologizes for the matter of the doorways and how it cut the flow of magic off from the ‘grey-world’ or however his friend referred to it. There is a small smile in his voice though as he responds,]

The world is quite full of fools, I’m afraid. Clearly he didn't get his way, given how things in my world have continued to progress, I think?

[unbreakable_king]

Yes, If things in your world have progressed as they have, my brother and I have quite clearly succeeded in ignoring George with all his rudeness. If my brother even deigns to return to his presence.

[gadaboutdetective]

Nothing suggests otherwise, at least based on my own knowledge of how things have progressed. Is it ah... customary for you both to keep touch with the royalty of other worlds? Even those without magic?

[Because it seems a bit strange, not that he considered himself an expert on the habits of royalty. Rhy was, after all, the only example he had to go off of.]

[unbreakable_king]

We attempt to, the best we can. Antari can walk between the worlds, and will carry missives. My parents corresponded quite regularly with the Georges after my brother was of age.

[gadaboutdetective]

Ah, I suppose that would be something George would be quite envious of.

[A power like that in the hands of the wrong ruler would be a terrible thing.

He almost asks if Antari are a common magic in his world, but thinks better of it. He’s not stupid, if it were a common thing then there would probably be reports of people appearing in unexpected places in his world. There would likely be more awareness on the idea of alternate worlds, which there was not.]

You have... a few more Georges down the line from your current George, then a William, and then Queen Victoria. Victoria was an interesting woman. Her son is currently in power after her passing.

[unbreakable_king]

[There was only the one Antari of Gray London so far as Rhy knew. And she lived in Red now.]

Oh no. We're already on our fourth George if the way they sign these letters is right. Are there names OTHER than George over there?

[gadaboutdetective]

[Llewellyn pauses for a moment, taking a moment to think about his first conversation with Rhy and try to recall again which year he said he was from. With a frown, he supposed that was just his memory again. He was prone to forgetting details, it was why his notebook was so important on investigations. The man had occasionally forgotten entire conversations, after all.]

Oh, my mistake. Then there is only William, Victoria and Edward ahead.

[He does laugh a little though at the question, the subject of naming was one that he often found rather absurd. Did it not get confusing to have the same name as your father?]

You would wonder with as many Georges as you’ve had to deal with, it’s a... strange tradition when one considers how many names there are to choose from.

(ooc: I got the year the book took place mixed up >_>;;... I’m a potato. Lucky for me Watts’ memory is canonically spotty has heck.)

[unbreakable_king]

Victoria? Interesting. I haven't heard of a Queen of England before.

[His world's renewed contact with the other London is so recent. He is quiet intrigued. Then again, he doesn't know much of the Gray London's world. So it would continue to shock him. All he knows is that sometimes the land seems very backwards.]

Strange indeed. Though my brother says the George that recently passed was a lovely man, his son sounds tiring. I think I shall deprive him my brother's company for a year at the least, and see if there other lands my brother can learn of."

[gadaboutdetective]

Mm... That probably isn’t a bad idea, it might teach the man a much-needed lesson to make him wait a little longer for more contact. It sounds as though your brother would appreciate that as well.

[unbreakable_king]

Yes. I fear there will be attempts to contain him in the future.

[gadaboutdetective]

I uh— can’t imagine that would go well. It seems foolish to try to contain someone with magic, when in a world with no magic. Not to mention rude considering you don’t have to remain in contact with another world to begin with.

[Really, how stupid did one have to be to entertain such an idea. Still... it was a rather troubling notion.]

They couldn’t though, right?

[unbreakable_king]

Blades are still a thing, my dear. But he could defend himself and most likely escape. I think he'd be fine.

But I don't like risking it.

[gadaboutdetective]

[A grimace, because they certainly were a thing. Llewellyn certainly agreed with Rhy’s caution on that front.]

You are right, and it’s certainly smarter to not take an unnecessary risk in that case.

[unbreakable_king]

I shall endeavor to protect him.

[gadaboutdetective]

I’m sure you will, Rhy.

[That’s what family is for, after all. At least proper family... And he can tell how much they care for one another.]

[unbreakable_king]

Thank you. But I shall attempt to actually believe that myself.

[gadaboutdetective]

[Llewellyn smiles sadly at that, he knows how his friend doubts himself sometimes.]

Well... Until you do? You know where you can find me to remind you to, and some pretzels to snack on if you need it.