highly new, slightly improved open post

[appliances]

assorted morons

☆ @ the muselist

optional prompts/ideas

☆ caught in the rain meme ☆ little steps meme ☆ affectionate physical contact meme ☆ picture prompt also acceptable but link them so it's tidy ☆ AU ideas: soulmates AU, reincarnation AU, Bad End AU, canon divergent/roleswap AU, dorky college AU, crossover AU, super indulgent high fantasy AU ☆ melodrama is ultimate tier ★ SHIPPING AND FUCC: ☆ non-fluffy relationship types I'm down for: codependent, master/servant power imbalance type ships, "we're bad for each other but worse for anyone else," other things I am failing to think of tbh ☆ things I am not into: noncon (includes "dubcon"), incest, tsundere shit if your tsundere is just verbally abusive, gratuitous torture porn, you'll probably have to ask me about harder kinks and they will vary by character ☆ I don't have a kink list so pitch me an idea if u thirsty ☆ if you would prefer a locked post I can also make that happen

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setting: ye olde zone

[takeroot]

[Politics, speaking frankly, are such a bore. Constantin has so many ideas— so many things he wants to do with this city, his city, and so much of his time is spent all but literally leashed to his desk or in front of a crowd of diplomats and representatives and other assorted Important Guests, so he gets nothing done that he really wants to. Politics! What a chore.

And the politics are in rare form lately, for whatever reason that has people trying to break his door down to get his attention. If he has to loiter around his Official Chambers, he would at least like some pleasant company, but no— it's just Constantin sitting at his desk and watching the pile of letters he's meant to be reading get larger each time one of his advisors comes through. They look concerned every time, but of course no one will ask him to hurry it up.

The latest scuffle outside his office door doesn't perk him up at all, not until he hears that all-too-familiar voice rising above the polite murmurs about who's busy (supposedly, Constantin himself) and whose duty it is to interrupt busy people's hard work. Ah—

Ah, good god, his doors could take a nosy noble's fingers off the way Felix shuts them as abruptly as he pushed them open. Constantin will lie to half a dozen people later and assure them that yes, of course he spoke up in their collective defense within the privacy of his own office. The ever-gracious governor is very interested in the delicate egos of his richest citizens, much more than he's interested in the grumpy man lurking in his doorway. For sure.]

My sun and stars! [boy is it lucky he closed the door, because Constantin has No self control--] You've returned just in time to save me from losing my mind. Look at this!

[He holds up the letter he's been pretending to read for, say, half an hour, gesturing for Felix to come and see what he endures.]

This is the third request this week for my attendance at some terribly dull affair with some lord who wants to know my father. As if I could help him!

[Does he literally throw this letter dismissively over his shoulder? Yes. Don't look at it, actually, look at him instead.]

You must tell me everything you've seen while you were away from me!

[brothered]

[My sun and stars, Constantin says, and even though this is far from the first time Felix has heard such nonsense—well! He is, unfortunately, used to people bringing up his (dead) older brother, to people comparing him to a ghost he can never, ever hope to match; he still isn't used to the idea that someone genuinely likes him for him, which is why there's no way to prevent a hint of color from creeping into his cheeks. To think that he's spent years developing this shell of his, and all it takes it, like, four words to tear right through it...

Ah, well. He'll continue to play it cool as long as he's able, hence his quiet snort as he watches Constantin throw that letter behind him. That is... endearing, in a way. Almost as endearing as his eagerness to hear what, exactly, Felix was up to during his long stint in the wilderness, but for some odd reason, Felix doesn't feel like describing victory after victory. He's tired... and Constantin is so lively, so sweet, that Felix suddenly feels the need to busy himself with making sure these doors are really, truly closed.]

Trees, [he dryly responds, giving the door handles one last shake before turning back to Constantin.] Idiots who thought they could kill me. The usual.

[So it was boring? By which he means there was a good deal of action, but as he finally makes his way to that stupidly large desk, there's no reason to fuss about that. He's busy (hungrily) studying the other man's face, trying to see if everything remains just as he remembered it—because of course he thought of Constantin while he was slumming it in the wilds. That's just an unspoken fact..]

But you've certainly had a time of it. Three requests! [So sarcastic! He doesn't even try to hide it as he places both hands on the desk, scowl giving way to a hint of a smirk as he barely leans forward. It's all to make up for the blush, please don't @ him.] Did you refuse the others?

[Felix certainly would have. Felix would have sent back a single word in response: NO. There's a reason his father sent him here, even though the Fraldarius family is, ah, rather influential.]

[takeroot]

Oh, [Constantin says, followed by a little hum, followed by,] Trees.

[Not a thing in the world could really dampen his mood, not with Felix here and notably not out in the wild, but he affects a brief pout to show just how much he really would like to hear about the usual, actually! It's not his own usual, letters and conversations and being stuck in this big house all day, so even trees are fascinating - as are fights against some... bandits? Some local brigands? He wants to know every detail!

But no, apparently he's really going to have to beg for crumbs of adventure this time, how cruel. His gaze is locked on Felix while he takes his sweet time coming over, and if Constantin delights in seeing him blush (he does), it doesn't show on his face. No, he's all big eyes and please-tell-me-more-about-trees pouts right now. Please...

He shrugs about the requests, leaning forward to put his elbows on the desk and look up - so rare - at Felix.]

No. I put them back into my pile of work— I might just forget all about them until it's too late! I'm extraordinarily busy, as you well know from my eager assistants.

[What will his father do if he finds out? Send him across some other sea? He'll run out of seas eventually. And Constantin might go to one stuffy party, if the mood takes him...]

I've missed you with a hole in my heart, you know. It's been so long since you were home, I was this close to sending a search party! Imagine the web I'd have to weave to pull that off!

[It's 50/50 on whether or not he would really do this, but He's Been Lonely.]

[brothered]

[Only idiots brag about themselves and/or the things they've supposedly accomplished. Felix knows what he's done! That's enough—for him, anyway, but as he looks down (weird!) at Constantin, he's reminded of... himself, in a way. His younger self, eager to hear tales of heroic knights defeating all manner of foul beasts. Childish!

But oddly endearing, in a way. Almost as endearing as the way Constantin can look him in the eye while saying the stupidest things, because you know, while Felix takes pride in his honest, blunt demeanor? This is an entirely different level of honesty, one that sends him glancing off to the side, face flushing an even deeper shade of red. He was... missed. He knew that, to some degree, but to hear it phrased like that...

Or: Felix is as weak to even the tiniest displays of affection, but he does his best to hide it with an incredulous sort of huff as he looks back Constantin's way. Shut up! He's so tough!!]

A search party...

[Felix knows he wouldn't do such a thing? Couldn't, because Constantin is right—that involves some serious maneuvering, and he's not worth all that fuss. He is perfectly capable of handling himself, thank you. They both know it, but while he could be snippy about this perceived slight... hmm.]

Then you're an even bigger fool than I realized. You'd be accepting invitations for the rest of your life. Returning favors, [he adds, distastefully, as he reaches one gloved hand out to carefully cup Constantin's cheek. He can't maintain eye contact while someone is throwing soft words his way, but he certainly isn't immune to them.] However would you survive?

[Much like he does now, really, but still. It's easy to say such gently mocking things when there's a desk between them.]

[takeroot]

[Calling him a fool is so romantic, wow. Constantin doesn't seem to care; he's been called worse, and the hand on his cheek is much more distracting than hypothetical name-calling. Part of him wants to lean all the way across this desk and drag Felix back over it with him, but he's resisting! The self control here is off the charts!

He settles, then, for covering Felix's gloved hand with his own with a light touch, thoughtfully raising his eyebrows. How would he survive such a difficult life that is just like the one he already has...]

First I would scale down the wall outside the window in my chambers in the dead of night, [he says, like he's thought about it before.] And down below, there'd be a dashing savior waiting to spirit me away! Surely. At least for the evening.

[Hmmm? Yes? Adventure and romance, nudge nudge? He purses his lips and hums. Well!]

Several evenings, actually.

pretend this isn't weeks late... it's fine

[brothered]

[Surely this soft gesture more than makes up for the lack of soft words on Felix's end, especially once he runs his thumb along that cheekbone. He doesn't always know what to say—or what to do, really, but as awkward as he (often) feels around Constantin, he's undeniably... fond? Of him? And that's not quite right; like, there's definitely more to it, but—

—well! Felix's face is warm enough, thanks; it's a wonder he's managed to keep cool ("cool") this long, so forgive him for allowing his smirk to grow as he listens to this fanciful tale. Foolish... and so perfectly Constantin...]

Hm. Your "dashing savior" must have no responsibilities to speak of.

[How nice for that mystery man, says the mystery man. He's hilarious.]

Perhaps he could spare one evening. [Let him just bring the hypothetical into the actual, here, as he moves to straighten back up—and, you know. Pull his hand away in the process, because while they both know one can easily become many, he has to try to preserve this Coolness for as long as he can? Damn.] But no scaling down anything.

[Constantin, you will break your head open? Use the front fuckin' door.]

that icon is cute....i guess i can forgive

[takeroot]

[Ohhh, mystery man, you always know just what to say. Constantin is ready to protest - responsibilities are for people who haven't just come back from being so far from him for so long - but, ah! One whole evening! Even if scaling down the wall is an important part of the romance, he supposes he can make the terrible sacrifice of using the door...

Dramatics(tm) aside, he can't help but lean forward just a smidge, way more eager than is reasonable for something as simple as sneaking out at night. More accurately it's going to be walking out like a grown adult, but details! The dazzling prospect of one evening makes his theatrics slip just so, and the simple desire to be around Felix because he's been Lonely shows all over his face.]

Would that one evening be this evening? You know nothing in the world could stop me from making time for you.

[He will shut the whole city down if he must... No, hardly, but governor working hours are about to mysteriously stop right the hell now, if he has his way. If he must sacrifice scaling down the wall, he will have this—]

Ah— but are you rested? [He shifts, reaching for Felix's hand again with new concern. The evening excitement is huge, but only if his dashing savior is awake enough to enjoy it with him...] Perhaps I ought to be the one spiriting you away, this time.