winderlust | i tried to think of a wind pun for this title

Goodnight, Gaius.

[Jusis heads to his own room, leaving Gaius to spend the night in his own empty chambers.

The next morning Gaius is served breakfast in his room but also accosted by an army of servants. If he thought he was scrubbed to death yesterday he emerges from the bath shining today. And then there's the dressing. His outfit is stiff and formal but also quite beautiful, though it takes three people and an hour to pin him into every layer and do his hair up while his coach goes over the ceremony with him again.

Jusis is receiving similar treatment not far away, but they won't see each other for another hour or two, as there's a parade through town to the chapel. Gaius goes with Rufus and Jusis rides next to his father. Everyone looks regal and resplendent, and the church is decked out in the most fancy way possible, while people in the streets throw flowers and seem quite happy for the royal holiday.

The church is packed by nobles, foreign dignitaries, and Gaius's own family. The ceremony is exactly as it was coached to Gaius, while Gaius stands next to Jusis in front of an altar and the king, reciting their vows. The parade back is met with more flowers and before Gaius can talk to Jusis he's whisked away to have some of the more ceremonial bits of his custom removed(like the cape) before he's unleashed in the great hall in a slightly more mobile, pared down wedding outfit.

His family is there, and mostly Jusis leaves him alone to talk to them. There's some crying and hugging, and then everyone is seated for a formal dinner. It's already been long and exhausting but they've still more to do, and at some point Jusis takes Gaius to meet a few lords who seem quiet friendly and eager to talk about horses or his homeland, and then he's introduced briefly to more lords and titles are given and Jusis quietly assures Gaius he can have a study guide for memorizing them later.

Jusis himself is stuck fielding the other nobles so Gaius is left in peace with his family some more, and then there's the long after party and dancing and socializing.

Jusis doesn't complain for as long as Gaius wishes to stay in the party, though technically at this stage they can leave. He wants to give Gaius as much time to his family as possible, though in all honesty he's stressed and exhausted. Today, at least, the nobles are all on relatively good behavior, most of them aren't so shameless as to be catty on the very wedding day. But Jusis doesn't trust that to last the more the wine flows.

Still, he stays in the party as long as Gaius does, trying to avoid socializing and pretty much failing as he fields congratulations and small talk that seems endless.]

[Everything about the wedding is beautiful, in an opulent, over the top way. To Gaius it's absolutely dizzying, but not enough so to completely distract him from nerves.

He manages not to flub it, though he wouldn't think to credit his own grace. It's just all the studying. He moves in all the right ways, says all the right things, and it's all perfect and romantic except where it sounds nothing like him. The vows are exactly as is appropriate for this political situation -- pretty, formal words praising Jusis, his king and his country, and expressing how dedicated he'll be in serving all of the above. There's nothing so grotesquely unbalanced as to cause insult to Gaius' family but there's no doubting this alliance is leaned heavily in the king's favor, and that Gaius is meant to be thoroughly loyal. It puts a bad taste in his mouth, but it could be a lot worse, so he smiles through it.

His smile is perhaps most dazzling when they're presented to the crowd as a wedded couple, but Jusis can feel Gaius' heart clench, hearing his name with his family stripped from it, replaced with a title he doesn't even understand.

He would have spent as much time with his loved ones as possible regardless, but he's extra determined about it after that. He doesn't know how much he'll get to visit but just in case it's not much he wants to make the most of this. He likes the people Jusis introduces him to, though. Hitting it off with someone other than Jusis definitely helps the homesickness.

He keeps at it til quite late. As Jusis might have expected he is remarkably good at charming anyone he talks to, and he likes being social. Small talk doesn't grate on him and he gets plenty of it, not just because he's royalty now but because he's so visibly foreign, and so is his family. They're easy to find, too, given his father is even taller than he is and his brother has nearly caught up.

Eventually they're all tired out though, and Gaius comes to find Jusis feeling much more cheerful than during the ceremony. He's had a few drinks but not enough to do more than add a glow to his cheeks and dull his nerves. His outfit has gotten a bit crumpled, and hair is starting to come loose from all the pins, falling messily around his face.]

I'd ask if you're ready to head out, but you look like you were ready three hours ago.

[Jusis wore out his politeness hours ago, that's for sure, and he's been nursing a glass of wine and basically being prickly at anyone who approaches until people have left him alone for at least an hour or two. He feels tired and grumpy across the link but he's trying not to put a damper on Gaius's own mood. The prospect of escaping the party, finally, does a lot to cheer him up, too, and he sets his wine down.]

I don't like parties much, but you seemed like you were having fun.

[And he couldn't leave alone, not today. He doesn't really resent having to stay longer, it'll be a while before he can send Gaius to his family again, so he wanted them to have as much time as possible. He's just not a social butterfly. In comparison, Gaius is already exceedingly popular with everyone who has talked to him.]

If you're ready to go, though.

[He's already heading out. Back to his rooms... His and Gaius's, now. He just wants to change and read a book or something, or maybe just sleep.]

Ready enough.

[He follows Jusis, feeling mostly content. There's a lot he's worried about, but the party resolved some of his fears so it's better than it was yesterday.

It's weird to think of himself as married, though. He's watching Jusis closely from behind, and with a few glasses of wine under his belt it's pretty easy to admit that he's lucky in ways some people might really appreciate.

He picks up his pace, just to keep himself from looking too hard at certain Jusis bits. Instead he plants himself at his side, elbows brushing a little mostly unintentionally.]

It was a better day than I thought it would be.

[Jusis has been doing his best to think of being married as a title and little more otherwise he'd be a bit more... Freaked out isn't the right word. It's weird though, even convincing himself it's a title and contract and political nonsense, it's still being married. He's been trying not to think about that really.

He is unfortunately aware of Gaius brushing elbows with him, but at least Gaius staring at his ass went unnoticed. He probably wouldn't know how to react to Gaius checking him out.

As it is he's at least glad Gaius seems relatively happy now and not exuding the sharp misery Jusis could feel across the kingdom just a few days ago.]

That's good. I believe this is the sort of day you're supposed to remember fondly, after all.

[It's said dryly, maaaybe half a joke. After all it wasn't much of a choice or romantic but... He's still glad Gaius feels better.]

I might, actually.

[It really wasn't that bad. Whether it becomes a fond memory, though, depends on how the relationship plays out.]

You were more radiant than I imagined, too.

[He didn't know how to respond?? He bristles on reflex, but he can tell the teasing isn't even mean spirited so he doesn't know what to do if a biting response isn't appropriate.]

You've clearly had plenty of the wine.

[He's going to ket them into his rooms as a distraction from having to respond to a sincere nice person, obviously the worst thing.]

Not that much. Is it really hard to imagine I find you attractive?

[He's had just enough that he can ask that question without being too embarrassed.]

[It's fine Jusis can be embarrassed enough for both of them. Why does Gaius ask questions like this??!]

I...

[No. Actually. No. No. He's not dealing with this gay panic!!]

Your things should all be here, I'm getting changed.

[He's going to grab his nightwear and flee behind a dressing screen.]

[Well that was a reaction. Gaius cant help it -- he bursts out laughing as Jusis tries to escape.]

And surprisingly shy, too...

[Never mind him thinking Gaius was nice, Gaius is clearly the biggest menace he's ever met in his life.]

I'm not shy.

[Snaps the guy hiding as he strips.]

You just have no shame.

[Jusis is definitely shy.]

What shame is there in liking someone? You're a good person, and you're good-looking. It's normal to be into that, isnt it?

[Why does Gaius make it sound so reasonable and Jusis so...Not? Terrible. He sighs aggressively and presses his knuckles to his forehead, not that Gaius can see.]

Very well. Fine. I accept the compliment. Can we move on?

[He's going to die. Maybe if he just accepts it Gaius will let him live. Because this is getting successively more direct than 'radiant'. Attractive. Good looking. Into. Help him.]

You can have the bed, I was going to take the sofa anyway.

I'm taking up your space already. I'm not taking your bed too.

[We can move on, sure. To this equally embarrassing and frustrating subject. Also Gaius is now just trying to figure out where they put his things so he can also get out of the wedding finery.]

[His things are in the closet with Jusis's. You know. Like a married couple. Though each of their things are divided easily. Jusis steps from behind the screen, barefoot in a long night shirt and that's it because I've decided that's really cute so it's the normal sleepwear here.]

You're the one who's making ask the changes. The least I can do is let you have the bed.

[Just slightly frustrated.]

Besides, you may be too long for the sofa.

[You're so tall.]

...That may be true.

[Also Jusis in a night shirt is adorable (enough so that it's distracting) but Gaius would feel way too awkward so he's rooting around for his comfortable things from home. They might have gotten relegated to the undesirable part of the closet but they exist and he's just thankful for pants.]

But I'm not used to the kind of beds you have, either.

[They're too big and soft. It's weird. He's much more at home with minimal, portable things.]

Are they not to your liking?

[You're a prince now you can demand a new bed.]

[He hasn't really grasped that idea yet ok?]

There's nothing wrong with them. I'm just not used to it.

[He's also trading places with Jusis so he can change. He is bold but not bold enough to just strip. Lucky for Jusis.]

[Thank God, his heart would give out.]

We can request a bed more to your liking tomorrow then.

--That's a nice thought, but it's not necessary.

[He doesn't want to inconvenience people. What a conundrum! An embarrassing one, at that.]

I was only trying to convince you not to sleep on the sofa.

[That's his real agenda.]

Well I'm certainly not letting you sleep on the sofa.

[He drags fingers through his hair. It's not like his bed isn't humongous enough for like four people but there's kind of a problem with that that's beyond awkwardly not knowing each other.]

It seems we're at an impasse.

[Gaius emerges from changing, dressed in loose pants and a sleeveless shirt. Let's trade bare legs for bare arms.]

We could share, I suppose.

[He has no such problems. None at all. Yep.]

[Please cover those guns, that's lewd. He does not want to stare and he doesn't want to look away and be accused of being SHY so he looks at Gaius's face but lets his eyes slide away a little to the left.]

That isn't a good idea. Not because of you. Rather... I find you distractingly attractive.

[It's hard to say that? It's absolutely the truth and yet it's embarrassing enough to make him feel utterly self-conscious. But he's fairly sure if he slept in the same bed as Gaius he wouldn't be able to actually sleep, he's be too aware of the other man.]

I had gathered that.

[Psychic boners and all. It's still embarrassing to hear up front, though. He blushes a bit, covering it with a thoughtful pose.]

It's really not something you can ignore?

[That just kind of sounds like a challenge that he definitely should not take up. But he's not really one to back down from challenges.]

I suppose I could try.

[This will be fine.]

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