OOM -- for Jack Benjamin

[capture_eternity]

Dorian's room is of late, late Victorian opulence bordering on Art Nouveau, and encompass in its small space a little bit of everything that a gentleman of leisure might keep in his home.

The walls are papered in deep jewel-toned hues and covered with paintings -- portraits from all times of history, but no landscapes or still lives -- there is a small writing desk, a book-case filled with books bound in linen, silk, or leather, two chaise-longues arranged around a small table that, at this moment, only holds a potted orchid but has enough room for drinks, even a small repast, and a rococo bed in the corner, head and foot curved gently as if to encompass those that will rest, or play, upon it. There is a fire in the fireplace, a view of the greenhouse behind the rich, purple drapes on the window, and chandeliers to light the room.

Dorian holds the door open for Jack with his free hand, and bows. "Welcome to my home away from home."

Comments

[holy_or_broken]

"No, no," says. Jack, sitting up a little. "Quite the opposite."

[capture_eternity]

"A had seen a few chapters circulated in private, at home," Dorian says. "Here, I caved in to my curiosity and simply got the printed book."

[holy_or_broken]

"Circulated in private? Is it banned?"

[capture_eternity]

"It's obscene," Dorian says, almost gleefully. "It becomes much more descriptive later."

[holy_or_broken]

"Shocking!" says Jack, grinning.

[capture_eternity]

"Very much so," Dorian says. "So the point is to not even get it noticed while it is published quietly. A gentleman prefers to enjoy in silence."

[holy_or_broken]

"The poor author, though," says Jack. "Just a few copies, privately circulated...what a disappointment it must be."

[capture_eternity]

"They knew," Dorian says. "Of course they knew when they started writing that this was not a book to be hailed by the critics and devoured by the masses."

[holy_or_broken]

Jack has another drink.

"Your world's like mine that way."

[capture_eternity]

"No latitude for those that openly stray from the straight and narrow?" Dorian says.

[holy_or_broken]

"Very little," says Jack. "It's another thing people pay lip service to--their tolerance, their open-mindedness--but in the end, if I tried to have a Prince Consort he would never be accepted. A king must have a queen."

[capture_eternity]

Dorian looks into his wine glass. "You need a queen who leaves you enough latitude in private," he muses, "one with unusual interests of her own."

[holy_or_broken]

"A woman like that would never pass muster with my mother."

[capture_eternity]

"Well, she would have to be as discreet as you yourself," Dorian says.

[holy_or_broken]

"According to my father, I'm not that discreet."

[capture_eternity]

"That's unfortunate," Dorian says. "It's not the kind of thing anyone would want his father to know about."

[holy_or_broken]

"It was something of a shock," Jack admits quietly, with another sip of wine.

Perhaps it's no surprise that he really doesn't want to talk about it.

He puts the glass aside like he's making up his mind, and meets Dorian's eyes. "I am the Crown Prince of Gilboa and I would crawl on my hands and knees to kiss you if you asked me to.

"Are you going to ask me to?"

[capture_eternity]

Dorian puts down his wine.

Well.

"Why don't you come over and find out?" he says, clearly an invitation.

[holy_or_broken]

"On my hands and knees?"

[capture_eternity]

"In whatever way fits you best," Dorian says, leaving the choice to him.

[holy_or_broken]

Jack thinks about it for a moment, then walks across the room, upright. When he reaches Dorian's chair, he kneels, and lays his head on Dorian's thigh.

"Make me forget myself for a while," he murmurs.

[capture_eternity]

Dorian runs a finger down Jack's cheek, gently, following the line of his jaw and touching his lips.

"Yes," he answers, "I can do that."

He bends, and his lips follow the trail of his finger.

[holy_or_broken]

Jack inhales sharply, and then leans into the kiss.

[capture_eternity]

"You have lovely lips," Dorian murmurs, appreciating them at greater depth with his own.

[holy_or_broken]

"You've got a lovely everything," Jack replies, smirking as well as he can while he's being kissed.