Damon didn't watch the procession, he watched Aria. And the more he watched, the more disconcerting his reactions seemed to be to him. He squeezed his shoulders briefly before starting to step away, sure he wouldn't even notice. And, as such...if that man was his husband? He wouldnt want to be seen with Damon.
Aria didn't notice, not really. His entire focus was on Narim, he could feel his own heart beating loud and fast in his chest.
As the carriage drew level with them Narim's gaze met Aria and he froze - the older man stared at him a moment, then looked away as though he hadn't seen him at all and continued to wave to the crowd.
Aria's heart physically ached, it was an actual pain inside his chest that felt like it might kill him. As the carriage went on it's way and passed them Aria took a deep breath, swallowed, then looked down and closed his eyes to blink back the tears threatening to spill.
He didn't touch him; to offer comfort would be looked upon as pity. Aria was just like that. But he remained close to him, quiet, simmering. That...bastard.
Aria's mood had changed so suddenly, before he had been content, happy even, enjoying himself. Now he felt miserable. Now Narim was out of sight he could hear snatches of conversation from the chattering people around him. "... blonde like the last one, must be his type. She's quite lovely." "Not as lovely as Aria, I was at the ceremony when his Highness wedded that lad, saw him with my own eyes." "Let's pray Rased will look more kindly on his Highness with this one, she doesn't look like the betrayin' kind." "You'd of said that of Aria had you seen him, goes to show there's wickedness in the most unlikely places."
Aria had heard enough, he felt dizzy. " Damon... can we go home... please...? " he begged, quietly.
Damon wanted to rip all their throats out...slowly. Precise. Because he had been on the recieving end of such vitoral himself in his youth - he knew. Words were just words. But they could linger, hurt.
"Yes, love." He held out his arms to him, willing him. Let him be there. Take care of him. "Come."
Aria went to Damon, letting him put an arm around his shoulder. He curled into him, almost burying his face in his shoulder as they walked together. In that moment he wanted to hide from the whole world and never come out again.
He walked them home in silence, paid the carriageman and when they reached the entrance, Marriana bit her lip in soft distress at her older master's mood and his other master's apparent sadness... He told her gently but firmly, not to disturb them.
He carried Aria inside, murmuring softly to his ear and lips, gentle soothing words that probably made no sense...and undressed him, laying him on their bed.
"You should rest, pet. Too much excitment, I expect," he remarked, lying smoothly, saving him from explaining when he knew anyway. "I shall be here..."
Aria pulled a pillow towards him and hugged it close for comfort, partially burying his face in it as he curled up on his side. " ...I'm sorry Damon... " he murmured, not looking up at him, " ...we should never have gone..."
Aria felt terribly, both upset by that evenings events, but also ashamed because he knew he'd deliberately gone behind Damon's back to do this.
"Yes, well...I could have told you this, love." He slowly, carefully removed the pillow, slipping off his jacket and shirt and replacing it with himself, drawing him close, kissing his cheek. "I am here, love...try not to dwell on it."
Aria said nothing, there was nothing to say. He cuddled closer to Damon, resting his head against his body. He clung tightly to him, then closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but there were too many thoughts rushing through his head.
Aria nodded. "Thank you. Goodnight." He kissed him, then rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.
Aria knew where Narim would be staying, and though every sense in his body was telling him that this was a stupid idea, he wanted nothing more than to visit him, to try to explain things, to beg forgiveness. On the one had he didn't want to sneak out without Damon's knowledge, it felt wrong. But, on the other hand, he needed to see Narim so badly. It was something even the most rational part of him couldn't talk him out of.
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As the carriage drew level with them Narim's gaze met Aria and he froze - the older man stared at him a moment, then looked away as though he hadn't seen him at all and continued to wave to the crowd.
Aria's heart physically ached, it was an actual pain inside his chest that felt like it might kill him.
As the carriage went on it's way and passed them Aria took a deep breath, swallowed, then looked down and closed his eyes to blink back the tears threatening to spill.
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He didn't touch him; to offer comfort would be looked upon as pity. Aria was just like that. But he remained close to him, quiet, simmering. That...bastard.
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Now Narim was out of sight he could hear snatches of conversation from the chattering people around him.
"... blonde like the last one, must be his type. She's quite lovely."
"Not as lovely as Aria, I was at the ceremony when his Highness wedded that lad, saw him with my own eyes."
"Let's pray Rased will look more kindly on his Highness with this one, she doesn't look like the betrayin' kind."
"You'd of said that of Aria had you seen him, goes to show there's wickedness in the most unlikely places."
Aria had heard enough, he felt dizzy.
" Damon... can we go home... please...? " he begged, quietly.
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"Yes, love." He held out his arms to him, willing him. Let him be there. Take care of him. "Come."
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He carried Aria inside, murmuring softly to his ear and lips, gentle soothing words that probably made no sense...and undressed him, laying him on their bed.
"You should rest, pet. Too much excitment, I expect," he remarked, lying smoothly, saving him from explaining when he knew anyway. "I shall be here..."
He started to get up again, leave if he wanted.
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" ...I'm sorry Damon... " he murmured, not looking up at him, " ...we should never have gone..."
Aria felt terribly, both upset by that evenings events, but also ashamed because he knew he'd deliberately gone behind Damon's back to do this.
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" ... mmm?"
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Simple, to the point...and he meant it. "I will always be here for you. Do not...hide it."
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He hoped Damon would know what he meant by that.
He kissed Damon's cheek, gently, then offered him a weak smile. "I think I may sleep now, if that's alright?"
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"Thank you. Goodnight."
He kissed him, then rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.
Aria knew where Narim would be staying, and though every sense in his body was telling him that this was a stupid idea, he wanted nothing more than to visit him, to try to explain things, to beg forgiveness.
On the one had he didn't want to sneak out without Damon's knowledge, it felt wrong. But, on the other hand, he needed to see Narim so badly. It was something even the most rational part of him couldn't talk him out of.
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