• Mature • [Venora] Two Gentlemen of Venora

[Teddy Venora]

21 Saun Arc 716

The morning was gorgeous. The suns were bright in the sky, and the warm breeze was enough to keep Teddy from sweating through his clothing. Dressed in a form fitting white silken shirt and black breeches with a maroon scarf to cover his neck, Teddy looked every bit the Venora that he was. His face was freshly shaven and his hair was immaculately in place, as if he’d spent far more time than he should have styling it. But he felt as good as he looked, and to Teddy, that was all that mattered. This was a very special trial. Earlier in the cycle, he’d sent a letter to his cousin Alistair, who was busy in the capital doing whatever it is that he did. But he’d agreed to meet him in Lamonte on the twenty-first trial of Saun to attend a coastal concert. Teddy’s heart had swelled when he received the reply, with the official-looking wax seal that denoted his cousin.

So he found himself unusually giddy this trial, with that concert only a few breaks away. Alistair should be arriving at any time, and Teddy had written to him that he could meet him by the water. That is where Teddy found himself, sitting on the beach as the suns rose higher in the sky. The sand was beautiful, and though he knew that he would get a disapproving look from his cousin, he let the grains slip between his fingers as he stared at the sea thoughtfully. It had been a long while since he’d seen Alistair, and he’d always admired him.

Alistair was intense, that was for sure, but Teddy always found him inviting enough. He was severe in his mannerisms, and Teddy knew that he was all business all the time, but he hoped that the two of them could enjoy the show together this trial. Of all of his family, Alistair was the most likely to enjoy the music, and though he never forgot that Alistair was the epitome of the statesman, Teddy knew that he would at least make the attempt to enjoy it. And to Teddy, that was what mattered. It’s more than his brother or sisters would do for him.

So he waited on the beach, sitting with his legs out and leaning back on both hands. The sunslight felt great on his face, and he closed his eyes and basked in the warmth and glow they provided. All he had to do was find the patience to wait for Alistair without getting himself into some kind of trouble. The thought brought a mischievous grin to his face. He could go find a nice red wine, drink way too much of it, and let his cousin find him facedown in the sand instead. He could see the look on Alistair’s face when he found him. The look of bemused disappointment that his mind conjured was almost all the reason he needed to go get drunk, but he didn’t. He needed to at least appear to have some self control. This was Cousin Alistair, after all.

So he sat in the sand, which would be enough to make Alistair purse his lips, for sure. He decided that was all the grief he needed to cause his cousin for the moment. He had plenty of time to embarrass his cousin at the concert, but for now, all he needed was some sun and to stay out of trouble. The morning was gorgeous, after all. Why waste it?

[Alistair]

The man wore a silky white vest. It was thin, wrapping around his waist and covering an almost see-through pale shirt that clung to his skin. His slacks were red, with red shoes, and the man sported a dark grey bowler cap. Alistair was always fashionable, but of a modern sort; he looked like a city boy. The greatness of Venora's fashion industry was its modern take on the old tropes; the silk brocade dresses of embroidered patterns and the doublets that kissed those awkward balloon-like trousers. They abandoned the unfortunate portion of the tropes - such as the awkward pants and the umbrella-like skirts - and replaced them with sleek, smooth, compelling outfits that complimented the bodies and the faces of those who wore them.

On this day, they would visit upon another great Venoran field: the industry of music that had grown in places like Sabaissant, Lamonte, Monroe, and had grown like wildfire in the city of Andaris. In the season of Saun, many of the affluent citizens of Rynmere fled to the coasts of Venora to experience the cool ocean breeze and the beauty of the cities come to life, set alight by the eternal daytime that dwelled in the season. As such, every year Alistair made sure to go on a venture to the coast himself, and for the first time since Theodore was a child, the man was to attend a showing with his young cousin.

Theodore - like Andraska - was precious to Alistair. He was charming, attractive, talented in the arts - yet also mischievous and wild like Ali's younger brother Andras. There was a sort of innocent beauty that he saw living inside both of them, far contrast to Alistair's pragmatic and intimidating outer demeanor and his cold and stagnant inner spirit. That was why he liked them. They reflected upon him a side of his self that could have been, perhaps a lifetime ago, if the events of his life had gone differently and he did not acquaint himself with Idalos' dark side so early. He wished to protect that innocence in them, and so he took it upon himself to offer the two young men the serenity that a young man should find themselves apart of. He would attend events upon invitation, and be a proper cousin - a good rolemodel. That was something he felt was necessary of him. It was his dear cousin, after all. If invited, how could he not attend?

He saw the young man dwelling on the beach, somewhat impatient based on what he could see from the distance. Alistair had chosen to leave his undead bodyguards far from here in an alcove south of Lamonte. Instead, the individual who ended up arriving with him was one he did not expect to come, and frankly it was someone he didn't want. Alistair was close to Damien - as close as a human could be to a Lich - but the fact that he was being followed around by his powerful undead instructor was not something he could very easily live down. There were already rumors of Alistair following a shady crowd. They had appeared ever since Ali's year long disappearance seven years past, coming back to the world of the living with a Lich by his side. This was that very individual. Damien Noch.

"Is this your cousin?" He asked the Venora. Alistair nodded. "I've never seen him before. Very cute. Do you think he'd mind the cold?" He was referring to the fact that Liches carried a somewhat colder touch than regular men. Alistair rolled his eyes. "You're nearly a hundred and five. I believe you're about eighty five years too old for him." Damien laughed. "Didn't stop me with that chap in Maybury, nor the farmer's daughter in Tou-la-Ford, nor..." He went on and on, though he silenced himself as they drew within earshot. Alistair approached Theodore with a faint smile gracing his lips, moving in for a quick hug. Damien trailed behind him, his black jacket tied around his waist. "Cousin Theo," Alistair called him, kissing his cheek.

"This is Damien Noch. A friend of mine." He wished to introduce him prematurely to prevent the man from offering a handshake, and yet with a smirk the Lich did so regardless. If Theodore accepted, he would have immediately noticed a chilling touch upon his hand. "Good to meet you, Lord Theo. Alistair's told me much about you. I hope at least half of it's true. Losing your virginity at the age of twelve? Dear, the youth of this country has gotten very zesty." He laughed. Alistair only shook his head. Since when did he claim that Theodore had lost his virginity before teenhood? Bloody demented Lich.

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy swiveled his head around as soon as his cousin called to him. A wide smile broke out across his face as he saw Alistair approaching. He rushed to his feet and brushed himself off. From afar, he admired the coordination that Alistair’s outfit necessitated. As he drew close, however, Teddy’s eyes fell on the man, attractive but strange in a distant way. After kissing his cousin’s cheek, the man offered a hand introduced him. Teddy met the hand with a firm shake of his own. Cold hands… He thought, but attributed it to his time spent in the sun for the last break.

”Theodore Venora. The pleasure is mine, Damien.” Teddy offered an immaculately groomed pair of eyebrows, raised, in Alistair’s direction. Apparently, telling stories was a part of politics that Teddy’s favorite cousin had come to master. His mischievous grin, however, played along with Alistair’s ruse. “Loose lips may sink ships, Damien. Best not to kiss and tell.”

With that, Teddy grinned at Alistair, his eyes as brilliant as the suns behind his head. His silhouette even seemed perfect, cast against the beautiful sky behind it. He wrapped an arm around his cousin’s shoulder and began to lead them along the beach.

”Have you eaten yet, cousin? We have a few breaks before the hall will permit even us, so if you’ve not eaten… Well, let’s just say I know a place with fabulous oysters.” He looked back to Damien. ”Standing around waiting is so dull, don’t you find? I’d prefer to preoccupy ourselves in some… other… manner.” While not overt, Teddy’s meaning was easy enough to decipher. The Lich, who Teddy thought was just a Man, was attractive, and he had this aura about him, this natural draw. Teddy supposed that’s what most normal people must have felt like when viewing a Venora in passing. His grin widened as he considered it.

He steered his cousin towards the small oyster shack, not much more than a plank and a man running it. It wasn’t extravagant, which Teddy knew would disinterest Cousin Alistair, and it made the discrepancy all the more poignant. He tossed a look back to Damien casually, a wink escaping a blue-grey eye.

”You must tell me what you’ve been up to, Cousin. It’s been dreadfully boring here as of late. Did you know that even the same immaculate faces look plain with time?” As he finished the sentence, there was a somberness in his voice, as if saying that pretty faces that aren’t pretty are just sad. Which he considered to be true, in honesty. Of course, Alistair more than likely agreed, and Teddy assumed that by bringing Damien Noch, he was showing off the pretty faces he’d found on his way.

”Because quite honestly, I’m likely to go mad here. This show is the first I’ve been to in ages.” Disdain, this time, layered his voice. It was as if he were less concerned with what he was supposed to be doing, and more concerned with what he wanted to be doing. He was still young, but men his age were often married and well on their way to their first child by then. He nearly rolled his eyes when he thought about it. Marriage seemed boring. The same face, every day, until it withered? No wonder Alistair wasn’t married yet. Then he couldn’t bring new, beautiful friends home with him.

And then they were standing next to the oyster shack. Well, shack-ish. The oysterman scrambled to his feet when they approached, immediately sweeping the ones that had been sitting on the plank off into a pail, and put fresh ones out, on the half shell. They were raw, but the oysterman could steam them with a little contraption he’d set up over the fire. Any way they wanted them.

”Well, Cousin? Would you and… your friend… like to eat before we enjoy the concert?” Teddy held up hand to signal that he wanted a few himself, anyway. He’d not eaten for quite a few breaks, and why not? They always made him feel… well, just feel more. He looked at Alistair and then Damien with a smile. When in Venora…

[Alistair]

His cousin's excitement to see him pleased him, but the oddly coy manner with which he responded to Damien was discomforting. Not because he minded his young cousin having a sexuality, but rather because of the fact that Damien was six times older than him and undead. The man was attractive, surely. Alistair would have likely desired him if he hadn't known the distinction between Lich and man. However, that distinction was there, and powerful - and even with Damien being the trustworthy individual he was, Alistair could not fully trust his ability to know empathy or compassion. He was a cold, dead man with a cold and dead heart. Not an individual suitable of his cousin.

Which was something Alistair pondered upon greatly. Who then was suitable for Lord Theodore Venora? Was it merely whoever made him happy, considering the man would not inherit much more than perhaps an estate? He did not have weighed upon him the burden of the Duchy of Venora, so did he have to marry? Have to reproduce? Have to pick the "correct" companion? He supposed in some way he was jealous of how Theodore could speak in such a way to Damien, who as far as his cousin was concerned was but a penniless commoner. The line was drawn for Alistair, and he could never cross. He couldn't even see himself attending such a show with a mere peasant. Damien was a different story, though, he supposed. He wasn't a noble, but his power was far more direct and ancient than any Noble's power was. Nobility was power, but so was power itself. Alistair respected Damien more than he did even the Duchess Ebony herself.

But that did not make this apparent flirtation appropriate. Alistair interjected in after Theodore recommended preoccupying themselves in 'some other manner', said in such a way that made him wonder what that 'other matter' was. "Theo, don't forget your present company," the man said, referring to himself. Damien merely grinned. "Perhaps later," he said, to which Alistair responded with a glare.

Honestly, he'd known of Theo's... unique preferences for a time. That was perhaps a big reason he'd grown so close to him, despite the evident gap in age and the fact that he was so far removed from the other courtiers in Sabaissant. He felt comfortable around someone who understood his own 'affliction' he called it - despite the fact that he hadn't even informed Theodore of his lack of interest. Perhaps it was evident due to the fact that he was almost thirty and a virgin, or by the fact that he was unmarried, childless and that he utterly avoided women that many others considered to be beautiful. He was once to be engaged to the charming Lady Burhan, and yet due to his disinterest it was called off. Such things pile up and thus the rumors circulating among the nobles and peasants alike. Just the other day he'd read a rumor in the Rynmere Gazette, one implicating he and Damien of being in a lustful dalliance.

Oysters sounded good, though. He realized he'd become lost in his mind, almost, while Damien proceeded to flirt with his cousin. Alistair wasn't even paying enough attention to stop it all.

"Do you like shows such as these?" The Lich asked. "I myself have always been a fan of Sylvenia Leone, the artist who was born and raised around here and now performs practically nightly in the concert hall of Andaris. It's pleasing to meet someone of similar interest in the musical arts, especially one with such an inherent attraction." The man smiled like the flirtatious shit he was, and Alistair grabbed onto his collar from the back. "Shut it, Damien. That's enormously inappropriate. Need I remind you he's yet to come of age?" He almost knew that the Lich was just doing this to irritate him. However, another part of him thought perhaps conversely it was his strangely active undead libido, and the possibility of Theodore fraternizing with a Lich in such a way was greatly alarming.

"I'll gladly have oysters. Damien's not hungry though." He was dead, after all. "He ate before we came here to see you. And I understand where you're coming from, my darling. I grew mad with boredom and wide-eyed with curiosity for all of my youth. As you get older however you begin to realize that home is truly where the heart is, and after a while of Andaris you'll start to find it drab and will miss Venora more than you expected. Trust me on that one." He didn't wish to sound too preachy, but he was older and some would dare say wiser than Theodore, and while he admired the boy's passion and curiosity he did not wish to see him far from home too soon. After all, he was one of the only pleasant familiar faces that remained.

As he walked with his cousin to the shoddy oyster shack, Alistair thought of what he said regarding the immaculate faces. The man wasn't necessarily shallow, but he could see that. Though he did feel that the average person in Venora was significantly more attractive than elsewhere. Their fashion industry was a significant portion of their cultural identity. He could only imagine that if Theodore was searching for beauty, he'd find it here the most, as displayed by the three evidently attractive men walking side-by-side on the beach. On the beach near Andaris he swear he spotted only landwhales.

"I'll have whatever you're having," the man said. He - perhaps surprisingly - didn't care about the fact that the place was so rudimentary. Normally such a place would be beneath him, if mostly due to his public reputation. On days like this though, and in being hosted by his young cousin, he couldn't simply reject his preferences and force him to a more fancy establishment. Alistair looked at the menu and smiled faintly. This place, these sands, were very quaint. He enjoyed Lamonte. It was often a home away from home.

Damien ordered nothing. He didn't need to eat. He parroted that he wasn't hungry, and sat at a shabby wooden table by the stall. Alistair stood with Theodore. "I hope you're doing well outside of the boredom, Theo. I can't have you being depressed - we've got enough depressed Venoras laying around," he rolled his eyes. "I met with you because I wanted to, but additionally so that I could speak with you. I want you to know that I am there for you if you need me. It's time for me to take a more active part in raising this family to prominence, wouldn't you agree?"

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy could feel the tension in Alistair’s being, sensing that it had something to do with his banter with the Damien Noch. It was curious to Teddy that Alistair should worry about the company around them, for what does the most prominent young Venora have to fear from the youngest son of the youngest son? Certainly, Alistair couldn’t feel threatened by Teddy’s flirtatious nature, not when he was so obviously much more important. The commoner, for that’s what Damien Noch was, was rumoured to be a plaything of Alistair’s, and if the rumours were to be believed, as they often were, then perhaps Alistair was jealous of Teddy flirting with Damien. As much as he liked the intrigue of it, Teddy wouldn’t dare make his favorite cousin uncomfortable. Even if the commoner was as delicious as Damien Noch was.

But Damien Noch did not make it easy for Teddy to refrain from flirting. He took a genuine interest in the show that Teddy had chosen, and that immediately put the youngest Venora at ease. He loved music, and going to the auditorium hall of Lamonte was quite possibly his favorite past-time. The flowery sounds that the music produced, the crystal-clear drift of notes on the sweet summer Venoran breeze was as close to being an Immortal as Teddy could find on Idalos, and Teddy savoured every moment he could basking in the apotheosis of pure music.

”Of course I do. There is no sweeter feeling in this world than the high, crystalline notes of a harp or piano penetrating one to his very core, wouldn’t you agree?” His smile was warm and heartfelt, and he tried his hardest to keep his flirtatious nature at bay. Damien Noch was attractive, sure, but it was the allure of something taboo that drew him most to Damien Noch. If the man was truly Alistair’s lover, the draw was even sweeter. But again, his love and admiration for his oldest cousin helped him maintain his tongue.

”Oh, Cousin, I dare not see what the rest of the world has to offer if Venorans are the most beautiful and even they grow stale. Perhaps I will just become a stableboy and stare at the arses of horses my whole life. Spare myself the disappointment.” His grin was contagious, easily spread to his companions. For one of his age, Teddy had an acute perspective of the world, perhaps honed by jealousy of his brother and desire of his place. He raised a shell to his mouth and slurped the oyster out, letting his slide down his throat at the fishy juice dribbled onto his chin. With a sheepish grin, he wiped it away and looked out over the ocean. It was a gorgeous trial, made better by the food and company. Not a care in the world…

Until Alistair brought up the family. Of course, Teddy expected it, but so soon? There was a twinge of disappointment in his eye, but he smiled through it radiantly. He put a dainty hand on his cousin’s shoulder and nodded, sincere in his unspoken reply.

”Of course, Cousin. And you know that I will always cherish that support, no matter what. But I must ask, if only for curiosity’s sake… What plans do you have to… raise this family, as you say? Do they involve me? And if so, to what degree? Am I to come back with you to Andaris?”

There was a mixture of dread and excitement in the youngest Venoran’s visage. Though he did not want to leave the beauty of Venora, he knew that eventually he must venture out and attend to the family’s business of political influence. Tristan had never shown much interest in it, which made Teddy’s involvement all the more paramount, he figured. That was also likely a main reason that Alistair liked him so much; Tristan was more interested in his own goings-on than the family’s, and Ever The Statesmen Alistair was the opposite. Teddy supposed he wouldn’t mind being groomed by Alistair, though he’d never have as much political influence as him. Still, the thought excited Teddy. Andaris was sprawling and busy, but he supposed he could find beauty in The Game rather than The Players. He’d have to see what Alistair had in mind. Hopefully it was something interesting. He’d hate to be bored from the start. The dullness would drive him to misbehave… He grinned thinking about it.

[Alistair]

The Lich nodded. He'd met Immortals previously, and it wasn't all that. So his response could only be as thus: "Trust me, listening to a compositional masterpiece while laying on the beach of Lamonte in the season of Ymiden is something I'd prefer a thousand times over to coming face to face with one of those arrogant twats." The man said with a grin at the curve of his lips, and an even larger grin as he mulled those words over in his head - 'penetrating a man to his very core'. "The penetration part is indeed the best of it, though; music penetrating your ears, human genitalia penetrating other parts of you, it's what I imagine as the perfect Venoran summer."

By this time, Alistair was ready to knock himself upside the head to escape this putrid conversation, even if it required his unconscious body laying about by the oyster stand. "Perhaps both of you are quite too obsessed with pleasures and trinkets of beauty. I'm the renowned twenty seven arc old virgin, and I live an enormously fulfilling life, without the need for any horse-arse staring or manure piling. When fate wills it, Theodore, you will find an individual out there who will desire you and you will desire in turn. I guarantee it." He spoke almost as a parrot of Grandmother Ebony, but his words were true nonetheless. Damien merely laughed and interjected, "Alistair's saying this from experience, surely."

The heir sighed. "You're extra catty today."

Theodore's question was, of course, far more important than Damien's bickering and ridiculous behavior. The man shifted his thoughts to align with the question his cousin had studiously asked: what was Alistair's prerogative, and how did that involve Theodore? It was a wise question, and he was glad to know that the young one had shared an interest in the family's design. The man brought his hands together and looked the young one straight in the eye, being ever businesslike while still regarding him with the closeness of family; a brightness in his eye that relayed only that whatever Theodore said and did, and however he felt about the family mission, Alistair was his cousin and dear friend nonetheless.

"Andaris is in a vulnerable position right now, Theo," the older man said. That was clear, even to someone with little political interest. It was soon to be sieged by the rebellion, and if he'd heard correctly, there was information circling about the death of the Queen. "It is too dangerous for me to bring you there of my own free will. I would not endanger you to the risk of being slaughtered as a result of the carnage that could very possibly commence after the siege. You and I know both where the cruelty of mankind's heart can lead - to rape, to pillaging, to murder. The death of man, woman and child for the amusement of the sadistic warrior who believes himself or herself above them. No. I cannot in good conscience bring you there until at least a few days after the siege, hopefully with the news that Veljorn has been executed and set to the torch."

Would that mean Zvezdana's death as well? Possibly, though Alistair wasn't sure if that would be a benefit or setback to the family. After all, she had sort of made their public reputation the worst it's been in centuries, turning her own family into what was only to be described as traitors. Either way, that was not for Theodore to concern himself with. The death of Zvezdana - if it came - would be sad for the family nonetheless, and Alistair did not wish to foresee a negative outcome. He would rather the rebels lay down their arms and see the truth of their foolishness. Perhaps then he and his sister could finally reconcile.

"You are perhaps our key into maintaining a positive public reputation," the man began to explain. "You are handsome, charming and filled with talent and potential. You are more the man that I was at your age, and I know you can become much greater as well. I am proud of you as a cousin. You care about our family. I need not share this burden alone thanks to you." The man smiled faintly at his young cousin. Although his tone was cold and dull as ever, he spoke the truth, and Theodore knew him well enough to see past his stoic personality and venture to the truth of his words.

But how did this translate into Theo's future?

"I want you to write a song, a ballad of our love for the House of Andaris and the people of Rynmere. Proof that Venora is still loyal to the Kingdom, despite what others would say. Coming from you, one surely beloved to the people of these lands, these words could inspire millions to see us as we really are: the people of love and life, not of betrayal, extortion and schemes. Our house has fallen from grace as a result of my mother and sister. It's up to the rest of us to restore it to glory."

[Teddy Venora]

As he spoke the words, Teddy watched his face. Alistair was always hard to read, but never more so than when giving compliments. Due to his stoicism, the words could sometimes come off as insincere or mocking. But Teddy knew Alistair well enough, and knew that he would be as candid with him as he would himself. Or so he hoped. Teddy's smile burst across his face, beaming at the thought of writing a song for the people of Rynmere.

"Oh, of course, Cousin. I'd be delighted to do so. Should it be modern and upbeat, and beg them to join us in our effort to rebuild? Or should it be slow and macabre, an ode to those that have passed in these troubling times? Should I include all the houses, or just our own? Oh, don't tell me! Let me see what I can come up with on my own!" The excitement was pouring out of Teddy in short bursts, threatening to overwhelm the three as they walked.

There was an extra spring in Teddy's step as they approached the concert hall. In all honesty, he was leagues away in his own mind, already mulling over the words and melodies he would use in his song. It was likely that Alistair would laugh at him for his head in the clouds, but Teddy didn't mind. As they walked, he slipped an arm in Alistair's and walked elbow in elbow with his favorite cousin.

"Have no fears, Cousin. I will have one prepared, maybe two, even! You never know where the mind will take you when you let it wander off. In Zvezdana's case, it's as if it never came back." He laughed, a high crystalline sound that tinkled from his mouth like a windchime. He never minded making jokes at her expense, and knew that Alistair would share in his mirth. He likely wouldn't show it, but he could appreciate the joke nonetheless.

For the moment, in fact, Teddy forgot that Damien Noch was there. It was as they were when they were younger, with Alistair leading Teddy around, and Teddy dreaming of things that they could accomplish. It was childish, but Teddy didn't care. The smile plastered on his face was one of pure ecstasy.

"I won't disappoint you, I promise. But for now, no more politics. Let's enjoy the evening, and the music, and we can talk more of this another time." With a smile, Teddy led them inside. The concert hall was open-aired, and there were rows of seats. Rather than take a box, which most of the nobles did, Teddy excitedly lead them down the rows to one near the front. He'd seen the particular strings player before, and wanted to be close. And if he knew Alistair, which he thought he did, he would want to be close too. The musician was very attractive, so much so that Teddy had specifically chosen this trial just to see him again. Teddy sat and pulled Alistair into the seat next to him, allowing Damien Noch to choose his own seat. Teddy could feel the palpable excitement in the air.

"Honestly, Cousin, I expect you'll enjoy this immensely. I didn't want to say until now, but the man who plays the strings is... exquisite." His grin showed his intent, and he leaned into Alistair's shoulder as others began to seat themselves around them. Some of the patrons studied them, trying to figure out why they were dressed so nicely. After they figured it out, they left a few seats between them, but Teddy was no longer focused on the crowd. The musicians were setting up, and sure enough, the strings player was there. His clothing was tight and he kept a neatly trimmed beard. Teddy could feel his body temperature rising.

[Alistair]

The Venora couldn't help but enjoy his enthusiastic and rambunctious cousin's presence. One, maybe two, he offered him. Alistair cracked a smile and nodded eagerly. "Two it is, then," he said with a chuckle. The following Zvezdana joke only continued his odd behavior - laughing that was, something he didn't do considerably often. He caught the look of his young cousin as the boy joked and planned out the near future, and witnessed an expression of pure bliss.

Theodore truly loved to be around Alistair, somehow, despite the man's stoic mentality and cold behavior. His business approach. His commanding and delegating of tasks to the boy who surely would have wished to be partying and enjoying life instead. Theodore had a respect for Alistair, and a fondness for him. A fondness had been developed in turn, and to express this fondness, Alistair acted instinctively. He stepped forward and stopped Theodore from continuing on, placing an arm firmly on his shoulder. With but a short pause, Alistair wrapped his cousin in a firm hug, his arms wrapping around the boy's upper abdomen as he led the boy's head into his chest.

"You're an excellent man, Theo," the mage told him. "I know you won't disappoint me. You never have." With that, the familial embrace ceased, and Alistair's hands waved over the young Venora's head to mess up his hair. He cracked a laugh, allowing himself to be led inside of the concert hall. He would certainly enjoy the evening, the music, and his cousin's presence too - though somehow he'd lost track of Damien and he could see the man flirting with boys and girls from across the hall. He supposed the Lich didn't care for the dullness of familial bonding.

Alistair ignored his disappearance, following Theodore into the first few rows and seating himself next to the boy. The man wrapped his arm around his cousin's shoulder as Theodore leaned into him, his eyes looking at the stage. That was when the fairly attractive musician came about - and Alistair learned of Theodore's tastes. He laughed. "Did you really come here to observe the musician's physical attributes?" The man shook his head. He could never possibly underestimate the jovial youthfulness of his cousin, and it had always brought him comfort.

"What kind of man do you like, Theo?" he asked. "I've always had difficulty understanding attraction. Is it not a science? Smells, tastes, sight, touch, even the sound of one's voice." He shrugged. The science on that was still raw and underdeveloped. Even among his peers in the University they knew not of the cause of attraction. Alistair as a medical professional knew even less among them. "Everyone has a type, they say. I don't seem to have one. Perhaps my senses are a bit defective," he said with a slight grin. "I don't mind, I suppose. Life isn't all about that, I've learned, though many your age would disagree. Talent bears more of a gift - so I hope this man's talent matches his appearance," the man whispered as they set the stage.

[Teddy Venora]

Teddy had not expected the hug, but he embraced Alistair with all the strength in his considerably weak arms. He nuzzled into his cousin's chest, absorbing the familiar scent of his cousin's musk. When they pulled apart, Teddy's face was alight with delight, and his mood was boosted even higher.

Teddy grinned at Alistair when asked if he'd come to the concert to observe the musician's looks. Of course that was part of the reason, but Teddy was not quite so shallow as to waste an entire trial on physical appearance. Granted, the man was attractive, but his talent was real as well. Of course, being a musician himself, Teddy would appreciate that more than Alistair.

"Honestly, Cousin, not everything has to be so black and white. Facts and science are so boring sometimes. When it comes to matters of the heart, it's about the... feeling." Teddy squeezed Alistair's hand, the one connected to the arm around his shoulders. He ran a fingertip over Alistair's palm, tickling it slightly. "Why concern yourself with the attributes more than the experience? Perhaps we are biased from birth, being the more attractive of our race. But beauty is only skin deep. It's pleasure that is universal."

With a grin, Teddy leaned forward suddenly, causing Alistair to fall behind him slightly. He spun around and leapt over his legs, landing in the seat next to them. The other patrons looked at them through sidelong eyes, but Teddy ignored them. He pushed Alistair over and slid into the seat he was in, effectively switching their positions. With his arm around Alistair's shoulders, Teddy nuzzled against his surprised cousin's hair.

"Perhaps it's the weight of your station, cousin, but you need to learn to relax. Venoras are known for our revelry. So come, Cousin, revel." As he said that, the musicians on the stage finished setting up. The attractive guitarist plucked a few strings, testing the sound, and smiled. Deft fingers played over the strings for a moment as they warmed up, and Teddy looked at Alistair with raised eyebrows.

"Is he as attractive as you, Cousin? No. But I don't see his sound. I hear it. I feel it. And I feel what it makes me feel." Goosebumps rose on his arms as the notes flowed out, and the crowd was enraptured. Teddy looked over and saw even Damien Noch was eyeing the man with interest, having completely lost it in the two men he was speaking to previously. Teddy's eyes found their way back to Alistair's face, and he watched his cousin's reaction to the music with more than passing interest. His grin slowly crept back across his face as he watched, before he once again pulled his cousin close with dainty arms. And there they sat as the music played, goosebumps still on Teddy's arms.

[Alistair]

The man paid no mind to Theodore running his fingers over his palms. They had always been somewhat familiar with one another, and Theodore had a way of making his cousin feel comfortable regardless of what he did and said. The Venora responded in turn, taking the boy's hand and waving it around playfully. "The feeling," he said with a coy grin. "To feel is a science, love. It is the stimulation of parts of yourself that you don't recognize - that you can't see. The science behind that is underdeveloped as well, but the truth of it remains." He listened to the boy as he spoke of the experience - of the pleasure. The Venora shook his head.

"I know not what that sort of pleasure is, truthfully," he said. In many ways he was correct. He'd never felt the sensation of physicality. He'd never examined what it was to feel truly good, in a way that stimulated the body more than just the mind, or perhaps both. "As a result, I can only examine as a scientist."

As he spoke, his cousin moved circles around him. He shifted the two, exchanging seats and taking over; his arms around Alistair's shoulders, his face nuzzling against the mage's hair. Theo was, perhaps, even more familiar than usual. But Alistair didn't mind. He really felt at comfort, even with his young cousin so dominating the atmosphere that they had been entrenched into. He was Alistair's senior in all things music, love, exploration. A pioneer of a lifestyle that the older Venora had never allowed himself to life.

Revel, he said. You need to learn to relax. Revel.

So true, it was. He acknowledged that fact. He had needed to know pleasure for a long time, but he'd avoided it and cast it aside. He allowed his ears to embrace the sound of the music, the tunes calming him as evidently as his cousin's presence. He allowed Theo to pull him closer, the two leaning into each other. Alistair's head rocked ever so slightly as the music resounded throughout the hall.

Alistair allowed himself revelry. He enjoyed the music for the short time it would last, and he allowed his mind to entirely ignore Damien's presence. Instead, he responded to Theodore's playfulness with his own. He shuffled slightly and locked his arms around Theo, leaning forward as he grabbed the boy's back and spun him in his arms. He brought his cousin to be seated atop him against his lap, Alistair embracing him. "I enjoy my time with you," the man admitted. "You're one of the few people I can stand in this world."

The song ended, and a pause deafened the room as the musicians prepared their next song. Alistair could still hear it all, though - playing throughout his head. The tunes. The voice. He couldn't give a care about the odd looks he'd invoked from others who likely suspected him of fondling the boy seated on his lap. Instead his eyes were trained on the stage. He wavered in his awareness of everything else.

"Theo," Ali began to ask, "do you think I'm normal? I feel like I can be normal around you. I want you to give me a try. I want to prove that I can be fun, like everyone else. Are you willing to give me a chance?"