calderamemes | TDM #4

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!mod post,
!tdm

TDM #4

ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

And you most certainly do.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU

WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.

JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.

S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.

MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!

HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.

CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.

GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

FANNING THE FLAMES

The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.

SEASON OF LIGHT

The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.

Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.

One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.

The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...

THE GRAND MASQUERADE

Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.

The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.

Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.

As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.

THE SKY'S ASCENSION

At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.

Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.

The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.

Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.

THE SEA'S SECRETS

On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.

Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.

The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.

Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.

As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.

THE LAND'S EMBRACE

In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.

Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.

Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.

As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.

QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.

For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

All locations are available to be explored!

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Was that innuendo? Alex was impressed. "Oh it is. I'm happy to provide a demonstration if you'd like." Because Alex would like. He would very much like to kiss the prince's obnoxiously perfect mouth until Henry had no words left in him.

He laughed at the string of, well, he was going to consider them compliments. "Oh please yes, by all means, what other destructive forces do I bring to mind, your majesty?" He was prodding now, deliberately. "Because you should know you are a rip tide, a flash flood, a blinding light and I can't seem to take my eyes off you. So what does that say about me?"

Was this squabbling or flirting? Was it both? God he wanted to kiss him.

All of these things, Henry would not have thought of such about himself but perhaps he was not thinking of exactly what those phrases entailed; studying at Cambridge and that neverending stream of classes and he should know was that everything that Alex mentioned were not destructive on their own, but to the people caught within them.

Very carefully, this was considered. "I would imagine that it says that you are both danger and attracted to danger.. but I do not consider myself dangerous in the slightest." he'd always been obedient and mild-mannered, always ignoring the intensity underneath.

It was the intensity that expressed his passionate ideals, who went on long tirades about Byron and Oscar Wilde, it was a vein of lightning within him that when it struck water, it destroyed everything in its path. But he did not see these things, because he was those things.

"That's what makes you dangerous. You don't see it. I didn't at first either. I saw what you wanted me to see, I think, what you show everyone. All that calm still water, reflecting what you think you're expected to." The metaphor was crafting itself as he continued, the dance forgotten even if their feet were still moving, sweeping along the dance floor, dark and light, day and night. "But you're so much more than that. I thought you were shallow, but your waters run so deep, I'm not sure I'll ever find the bottom."

But he wanted to try, would take the risk -- the very real risk -- of drowning in Henry, in all that hidden passion and intensity and the gentle kindness in him. Damn it, he was starting to sound smitten in his own head.

"It's your fault too. You let me actually see you. What did you expect to happen?" Besides Alex going and deciding that Henry was a beacon that he needed in his life.

Well bloody hell, Alex was talking and Henry was listening; he had no choice but too. And not in a chance in hell that he could survive those beautiful words of someone who saw him for who he was and not just who he presented to the world. Henry made eye-contact, those ocean eyes looking as if they were ready to drown in the words that waterfell from Alex's mouth.

"I did not expect anything to happen, not really. But I am glad it did, I am glad that cake fell on top of us.. humiliating though it was. Because my life changed irrevocably and I am better for it."

Sharing moments with the other guy, sharing text conversations. He had gotten Alex's cellphone number through underhanded means because he'd seen something in the other guy and he'd wanted to be closer; he wanted a warmth that he'd never really gotten. And here he was now, basking in the sun that was Alex, the radiant fire. "The cake was still your fault, however."

"So am I." So much better for it. He'd never known how much he was missing until he found it in Henry, in someone who understood him in all his mess and disaster that he usually tried to rein in as best he could. Those eyes met his, and Alex was lost with no hope of rescue.

They were still dancing, and Alex stepped in closer, closer than was appropriate for a proper ballroom hold and posture. To hell with proper though. Alex didn't care about proper, he cared about chasing the warmth that was building between them, the pull that urged like his heart had become a magnet drawn inexorably towards Henry's. He was close enough that he could lean their foreheads together, so he did.

"I'll take the credit for the cake, since it got us here. Favorite mistake I ever made."

The moment that Alex stepped in closer, he felt it-- the way that the other man infiltrated the space; back in his world this would've been immediately remarked upon and promptly censured, but they were not there at this moment. This was a place carved out that felt as if it was infinitely more accepting; he looked into those whiskey eyes and felt himself grow a little bit drunk with it.

"I would have to say, that was my favorite of your mistakes." he chuckled and Alex could likely taste it, the taste of champagne and also something giddier. "Though I promise I will never hold it against you, that mistake.. though I may tease you, a little bit."

He remembered the conversation that they had, about everything. The confession and the acknowledgement to Alex's inevitable hitting on him-- the safety he felt here in those arms as he was swept up, and how he wanted to bask in it like the sun. "You know..." oh gods he was going to open his mouth and ruin it all, wasn't he? "When you overheard me telling Sean to 'get me out of here'; at that point I thought you were the most beautiful guy I'd ever met and if I hadn't been so very overwhelmed and exhausted, I would've wanted to stay and well.. show you the ropes."

He had the wild thought that if he closed the distance between their lips that Henry would taste like home. It was dangerous to start thinking that way, but the thought was there, and he couldn't shake it. Maybe he didn't really want to. He liked the sound of Henry's laughter too.

"You? Tease? I'd never have guessed." Feigned shock preceded a quiet laugh of his own. God he really wanted to kiss him, but he wasn't sure that once he started he'd be able to stop until one of them was backed up against the nearest wall and they were both flushed and breathless.

He wasn't expecting what Henry said next though. His eyes widened in surprise behind the gold feathered mask at the mention of their first meeting -- a charged topic as that was. But this was certainly a different piece of it than Alex had ever known guessed. Henry thought he was beautiful? "Guess we lost a little time then, huh? But maybe we've found it now. You can show me any ropes you want to, any time."

That felt charged and loaded, it also felt like an invitation for something further and he was not sure if he had the courage to cross that distance but it was like Alex was leading him to that point, held aloft by a compulsion. He could nearly taste the cologne on Alex, it was Santal 33 but also held a spice to it that was likely all Alex's own body chemistry.

"You have proven that you are a rather quick study, all things considered."

It felt as if the dance could go on forever, but it started to get slower and far more intimate which meant that it was easier to linger closer together. "We did lose time, but I suppose there is no time like the present; and it seems as if we cannot get back to where we are for the time being so it's best to make the most of what we have right here and now."

"Was that a genuine compliment?" It was Alex's turn to tease. For all that the affection they felt for each other as their friendship grew was obvious, they also had always tended to wrap it in traded barbs, as if that somehow made it more acceptable for it to exist, if its edges were slightly sharp.

Here they were though, and Alex wasn't feeling sharp-edged. He was feeling like Henry was the only other person who existed, despite the dancefloor full of people, despite the extravagant gala going on around them. The music slowed and they slowed, and Alex gravitated closer.

He gave a little nod, like he'd come to some internal conclusion. "I think so too. All we really know that we have is right here and now. So... let's make sure we don't waste it."

Alex was so full of hope and optimism, whereas he was full of anxiety and worry. But around the other guy he almost felt that the First Son was rubbing off on him, he leaned in closer and then he did nearly the unthinkable, his fingers move up to graze against a high cheekbone, lightly caressing the skin there.

It was a little bit bold but there it was, it was the Prince reaching out in a subtle form and fashion. "I do not want to waste it, especially a little pocket of freedom like this."

That touch felt like it should have burned with the way it lit a fire in him, but there was no pain to it, only a warm rush that seemed to flood over him, through him. Such a small, innocent touch. Alex turned into it ever so slightly, the movement entirely unconscious, as if all of him was simply drawn to Henry by some rule of physics that he couldn't hope to understand.

"I want to kiss you so bad right now..."

He hadn't meant to admit that, and certainly not in the breathless whisper of words that it rushed out in, but the words apparently needed to be spoken because they did not give him any choice.

"I would not stop you." Henry said, and it felt equally as breathless.

He never would've said this in the middle of a crowded ballroom; but then no one knew he was a Prince save for the people that Alex told and possibly whoever brought him here. It was likely allowed that Alex could kiss him, and he in turn could return the favor. His heart started to hammer in his chest at a precarious beat and suddenly he was entirely aware of everything in the moment.

The hushed breath, the heartbeat in his ear and also the scent of Alex's proximity. "You know when you shoved an entire ice cream cone in your mouth, I wanted to kiss you then."

Alex had not told anyone that Henry was a prince. He was trying to let that be the other man's secret to tell, if he chose. After all, hadn't Henry told him when they first arrived that he was looking forward to not being a prince here, to maybe having some taste of normalcy? ...that did not mean Alex wouldn't accidentally let it slip if his mouth got away from him, but it did mean that he was trying.

"Then? How about that..." He knew he had sex appeal.

Right now though, there was no royal family, no reelection campaign. There was nothing but the two of them, together and wrapped up in one another. He smiled at those words, soft and spoken like a secret, as much as his own admission had been.

But before he did, he reached up to push the mask up and off his face. Then he oh so carefully, slowly did the same for Henry's easing it up to reveal the prince's face. It was his turn to touch his fingertips along the fine angle of Henry's cheekbone, soft and reverent before dropping down to cup at his chin, tilting it up just sightly (because Henry was not six-foot-two).

"There you are." Not that kissing a sexy owl was unappealing, but for their first kiss, well, he wanted to see Henry. A smile before he finally -- god fucking finally -- pressed his lips to his prince's.

The matter of their heights was going to be a topic that they would revist for time immemorial, though honestly he was not noticing that Alex was tilting his chin upward, all he could see was Alex's dancing eyes and the way they caught and held-- he wanted to kiss the other man and allow it to linger, to savor.

And then their lips met and there were sparks, such beautiful fireworks with the press of mouths. It was second nature to cling to those lips while they were now stranded in the middle of the dance floor, a whirl of movement around them and yet they were only swirling in the momentum that wrapped them up.

He would chase those lips, chase them if they tried to escape, a strange sort of desperation seizing him that he may attempt to downplay at a later date. And his mouth parting under Alex's as his arms wrapped around waist.

Oh they'd revisit it time and time again, without a doubt. Henry should resign himself to a life of Alex's commentary on his height and other common squabbling issues. It was who they were. They were too wise to woo peaceably, to paraphrase some old British bard.

Right now though there was no quipping, no banter, there was the warmth of Henry's lips against his own, soft and full and sweet, and Alex wanted to disappear into the taste of him. The dancefloor moved on, but in their small sphere with just the two of them, they were still and caught up in each other.

He had no plans of trying to escape this kiss just yet, nowhere near satisfied when the feeling of Henry's arms around him only spurred a hunger he hadn't realized he possessed, ravenous and unquenchable. Those parted lips were impossible to resist, though Alex made no attempt to anyway, instead taking the invitation to deepen the kiss, tongue dipping past Henry's lips, plundering his mouth like this might be the only chance he had.

His hands came to frame the prince's face, one sliding back to bury in soft blond hair, holding him close, holding him for dear life.

'My god, you are fun to kiss' did not even remotely begin to encapsulate that which Henry felt as their mouths collided, further electricity at the touch of tongue which he was all for, and then he was tasting the unique taste of the other man, it was bright and citrus, a morning kiss full of light and warmth and he would find himself quickly growing addicted to the taste and feel.

Such intimacy was not something allowed, public intimacy even more so. Alex had given him a gift even though he probably did not understand how big it was.

Henry pressed his tongue against Alex's sliding underneath, the taste of champagne was there and lent a certain fizz to it, he answered that hunger quite readily with one of his own that was greedy for the other guy.. starved even.

Alex was not a stranger to kissing, not a stranger to enjoying kissing, to makeouts. He had never had a kiss make his knees feel weak, but here he was not entirely certain he could trust his feet beneath him. Maybe that was why his hold tightened on Henry, or maybe it was because there was a growing sense of desperation, of need to kiss the prince utterly breathless.

He'd forgotten where they were forgotten everything beyond Henry and that effervescent taste of champagne on the other man's lips, now on his own, and going straight to his head. His fingers were still buried in Henry's hair as he finally broke from his lips, though did not draw back far, lips still nearly touching.

"Oh..." Eloquence at its finest. "Wow." Alex Claremont-Diaz struck speechless. Somewhere pigs were sprouting wings.

Wow, indeed.

Henry was very eloquent but somehow the First Son had kissed all of the rational logic out of him, he never thought it would happen but here he was. Though he was perhaps the first to come to his senses, but only barely. "I take it that it was ah, favorable?" a huff because it sounded ridiculous to his ears, what he'd just spoken. "Because I ah, well I quite liked it."

Even more insufficient words for how he was really feeling about the whole thing. Oh no, he'd kissed Alex once and now he'd want to kiss him again and again. This was a true 'if you give a mouse a cookie' conundrum.

"Yeah. Real favorable. You're polling incredibly well right now," Alex teased, but it lacked any real bite because his voice was still a breathless near whisper. His hand lingered against Henry's cheek, holding, thumb tracing in an absentminded arc along his cheek.

And he couldn't stop himself from claiming those lips with his own again. Then again, briefer this time. "I did too. A lot. You are umm.." Infuriatingly handsome? Incredible? Delicious?

Too many things, too many wonderful delectable things, so instead Alex just shook his head ever so slightly, at loss for how to truly put it into words.

If Henry had been more lucid, he would've mentioned the House of Lords, which likely would've caused Alex some true panic; you know stuffy monarchy and all. Those damn british and their traditional titles and land-holdings of which was the only way in to the neoptism of the House of Lords.

But Henry was too kiss-drunk to think properly.

"You've kissed me, and for good or bad-- I will never be the same again." he murmured softly, yes there was the romantic drivel now, and it was heartbreakingly sincere.

Don't ruin the mood with the talk of titles, Henry. Alex would squawk, and there was so many more interesting things to do with his mouth right now that weren't squawking, and were kissing Henry or smiling an utterly smitten smile at Henry. Because there was the other man saying those ridiculous romantic things to him.

"Me neither." Time would be measured in terms of before he had kissed Henry and after. The world's axis had shifted, moving to revolve in a way where the man in front of him was the point on which it turned.

He did remember they were in public, that they were surrounded by other people. That was the only thing that stopped him from pulling Henry closer and trying to properly devour him whole. For now. It was clearly on his mind. "Come home with me tonight?"

Oh.

Oh.. oh.. oh~

Well this was a development though perhaps he should've expected it. Of course he should have expected it with the way that they have been dancing and flirting around each other. His fingers lightly danced up against that spine until it reached the wings that had been shimmied on. He felt breathless with what that could mean but, he was trying not to place any expectations on this. "I would like to come home with you, and whatever that entails." there was no buts or any pauses that meant that he had something to add onto it, it was just a simple answer that communicated a very complex want.

"You will.. still argue with me in the morning, right?" because that was an important aspect to their relationship, he loved the arguing and the jibing-- it made them who they were.

A smile broke over Alex's face at that answer, pleased and maybe just a little relieved. They were figuring out this -- whatever the hell this was and would be between them. He had enough faith in them to believe they'd manage it, together, but it was new ground. Alex wasn't the type to let anything stop him once he had something in his sights. And Henry was all he could see.

When Henry continued, Alex's smile only widened as he very deliberately wound his arms around the other man. "I think... that it's really cute you think I'll wait until the morning to argue with you."

It was who they were, the banter and the barbs, the gentle (and sometimes less than gentle) ribbing. "What we are doesn't have to change. We're just adding something new."

Perhaps he was a bit of a Hufflepuff because at times the other man could absolutely cause him to become speechless with the whirlwind of his words, the banter. Well if he couldn't get the last word in (a very hard thing indeed), he decided on something a little bit more concrete.

Hand sliding down, and then he pinched Alex's rear, a nice firm pinch, and then he said with a snort. "Brat..." which the First Son was, a unmitigated brat who could not watch his mouth to save his mouth.

"I cannot take you anywhere, can I?" though he managed to rest their foreheads together, to breath the other man in until he nearly exhaled sunshine and light. A light that the other man had rained down into his world.

Puffs were gonna puff, it was true. Alex was a talker, so Henry should at least be aware of what he'd gotten himself into, first with friendship and then with... whatever this was. Friendship plus? The premium subscription? The one where he wanted to -- and was allowed to -- kiss Henry breathless, maybe take the prince to bed, learn all the things that drove him wild.

Alex had plans, and he was far too smug in that moment about those plans coming to fruition. Then he was pinched, and he couldn't stop a startled sound escaping. His expression softened back into a smile.

"You really can't. I'm barely housebroken."

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