[ he whispers it back, giggling quietly as they make their way past the various servants. it's-- there's a lot of them, yuri can't help but notice. it's not as though his own family didn't have any, but they certainly didn't have even a quarter of the number that seems to be around this estate. he wonders, vaguely, if or when he'll have his own that attend to him. he's gotten so used to doing things for himself...
yuri sucks in a breath at the spread, his eyes widening in sheer delight. he wants nothing more than to just dive into it but he can't, doesn't, instead taking his seat as it's pulled out. he lets out a slow breath, nerves suddenly spiking through his body as his eyes dart toward what he assumes is the door the lady of the house will be coming through. he'll be ready to stand again at a moment's notice, if it looks like he needs to. ]
I'm glad that you'll be next to me.
[ if finn was going to be sitting on the other side of the table, yuri's not sure how well he'd be able to get through this meal. ]
( finn gives his hand a squeeze before releasing it, getting up just as his mother glides through the doors. it's as if she can sense what has already transpired between the two of them and raises her eyebrows. the expression is indiscernible to finn, who shrinks under her gaze, stealing a quick glance at yuri before they take their seats.
dinner begins as normally as it can, filled with a few awkward pauses but otherwise genuine attempts to have some kind of formal-informal conversation.
finn stammers through most of it, his mind more interested in the food in front of them. if these foods are important to yuri, well! they're important to him now. )
[ oh, she definitely knows. yuri stands and gives an appropriate bow before settling back into his seat again, meeting her gaze for the briefest of moments. he feels like an entire conversation happens in that glance and his ears suddenly light up red, the color creeping down his neck when he looks away.
she knows. and she's probably already figured out more about their relationship than they have.
he thanks her profusely for the thoughtful gesture with the food, makes sure the compliment her on her beautiful home and the gardens, and does a good job of praising finn for being the perfect gentleman on their tour and oh, gosh, he is handsome, isn't he? it's been a long time since yuri's done proper etiquette training, but he still remembers all of the classes that he did take, down to which fork and spoon to use for which dishes.
when dessert arrives yuri can't help the grin on his face, his gaze sliding sideways toward finn. ]
He's got a bit of a sweet tooth on him, doesn't he? If his choice in teas is anything to go off of.
( at the mention of 'perfect gentleman,' lady aurora looks proud, though that doesn't stop the corner of her mouth from twitching upward, an expression shift so subtle that finn missed it entirely while he was blushing behind his glass of water. he doesn't drink alcohol that often, preferring to indulge himself in other ways.
and it's clear that yuri has figured out exactly what his vices are after spending a few hours together. )
Sometimes, I think sugar is the key to happiness, ( finn muses without thinking. his mother, much to his surprise, mentions that his father had said something similar when they met. the revelation isn't as stunning as the mere mention of his father's existence. is it meant to put finn at ease or something? he isn't sure.
he chuckles anyway and pulls the bowl of raspberry vanilla ice cream closer to him. )
[ oh, she's too observant. yuri makes eye contact with her at that little shift in her expression and almost immediately looks away, busying himself with fiddling with his own glass of wine. he's going to need to watch himself around her. and her staff.
a thought that leaves him later, as finn happily pulls his bowl of ice cream toward him. his eyebrow lifts just a little and he tilts his head, humming thoughtfully. ]
Noted.
[ oh he can give you all the sugar you wa--
AHEM.
and actually, this is a decent segue... ]
We've, um. Already had some thoughts, for the wedding. After walking around the grounds. Right, Finn?
[ is it weird to bring this up already? probably not, it's not as though the wedding is far off as it is. ]
One of the cake layers needs to just be a nice, simple vanilla. We both have notes of it in our scents, and thought it'd be nice to play into that commonality.
And orange and cherry blossom petals in frosting! The buttercream kind, ( finn manages to chime in while taking a spoonful of ice cream, smiling around the spoon.
his mom gestures to one of the staff who pulls out a small notepad to jot down any other notes. but, oh no, that just makes finn a little nervous and he can feel his ears and neck warming up. it's nice to dream but to see things through until they become a reality? terrifying.
still, he presses on. )
And an outdoor reception? In the gardens? ( he looks to yuri to make sure that's okay. )
[ yuri nods, dropping one hand below the table to rest it reassuringly on finn's thigh. it's as innocent as it gets, just a gentle pat pat to let finn know that he doesn't need to feel nervous talking about this. but it still feels intimate, somehow. or like they're slowly starting to build a united front, at the very least. ]
They're beautiful gardens, they should be showcased. With peonies in the bouquets, if there are enough.
[ when yuri looks toward finn again his gaze is soft, already distressingly fond. ]
He's really at home out there. It was absolutely delightful to watch him.
( it is comforting, just having someone immediately rushing to his side to support him. he's felt so lost navigating this new world, asserting himself in any situation seems like an ordeal.
flowers are important to this family, the lady tells him with a small nod. the garden hasn't held a full reception in goodness knows how long.
finn raises his eyebrows at that. )
The gardens should be celebrated more!
( his mother smiles and assures him he can tend to that when he's head of the household. gulp. another scary reminder. )
[ into flowers themselves and what sort of parties work best in a garden. they didn't have the space for a proper one at home, and as he'll be the... well, the lady of the house, really, it'll often fall to yuri to host these things.
with dessert aside, yuri leans back in his seat with a soft sigh, his eyes threatening to close. ]
This has been wonderful, Lady Aurora, and incredibly thoughtful besides. However, the day has worn me out, and I think I look forward to nothing more than sinking into bed, so please forgive my early retirement this evening. Finn, could you walk me back to my room?
( finn perks up suddenly, looking between his mother and yuri before nodding at once and scrambling to get to his feet. he stumbles over the leg of his chair before catching himself with a solid grip around the backrest.
with a flustered smile, he maneuvers himself to stand behind yuri's chair to help him up and out. )
Yeah! We all should get rest, right? ( aurora looks back at him amusedly, nodding as she gestures for him to go. )
[ yuri's lips curl inward as he tries very hard not to start giggling. because that was adorable, to say the least. when he catches aurora's eye across the table he sort of tips his head a little bit with a raised eyebrow as if to say see? a gentleman.
he stands as his chair is pulled out and he offers aurora a smile before giving her a small bow. ]
Thank you again for dinner. Until tomorrow.
[ yuri moves around the chair and reaches out for finn, settling his hand on his elbow again before turning toward the door and heading out. as soon as they're out of view of anyone still in the dining room he lets out a slow exhale and leans into finn a bit. ]
Really, really intimidating! I'm still getting to know her, honestly, ( finn admits in a whisper, actually covering yuri's hand on his arm for a second to squeeze his fingers. )
But I think dinner was okay! I hope everything was a good reminder of him without making you too homesick. ( as much as he wishes he could be back home where he grew up, he can't keep complaining about it. it's really not like him to dwell so much on it, but this has been a considerable upheaval to his life, in all fairness to him.
yuri is sweet and wants to be a partner to him and finn wants to do his best to make this new life good. )
[ yuri giggles quietly and lets his head drop sideways to rest on finn's shoulder as they make their way back through the hallways again. ]
It was wonderful, really. Almost as good as if I got it from the local family-run place. I'll have to reassure my parents that they'll enjoy the banquet.
[ he's almost sad when they reach his bedroom door, even with knowing full well that finn is right next door. yuri stops when they reach it and he lets his hand fall from finn's elbow, just to slide down and take the lightest hold of his hand instead, fingertips curled around fingertips. ]
Thank you for today, Finn. I had a lot of apprehension coming here, if I'm being honest with you, but... I feel like a lot of it has disappeared.
( his gaze is ever so soft when he looks back at yuri. he doesn't have the forsight to imagine the potential between the two of them but he can at least hope for a comfortable existance. )
To be honest too? I... I really didn't want to get involved with this, but I'm feeling better now that we've met. I'm really, really glad it's you and not someone else!
( he covers their joined hands with his, palm large enough to cover most of their fingers. )
Sleep well tonight! I'll see you for breakfast later. I think we're having cinnamon buns.
yuri does a good job of schooling his expression because goodness it has been a long time since he's heard that inner voice speak up. he manages not to look stunned by it, even if his hands maybe tense up a little. he will not be inviting finn in, thank you, but there is something else he can do.
he steps in and leans up, letting his lips brush ever-so-lightly against finn's cheek. yuri hovers there for a moment, just so he can drop a quiet good night into finn's ear, before he finally steps back and turns around, disappearing into his room with one last quick look over his shoulder before the door clicks closed behind him. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-06-08 10:41 pm (UTC)[ he whispers it back, giggling quietly as they make their way past the various servants. it's-- there's a lot of them, yuri can't help but notice. it's not as though his own family didn't have any, but they certainly didn't have even a quarter of the number that seems to be around this estate. he wonders, vaguely, if or when he'll have his own that attend to him. he's gotten so used to doing things for himself...
yuri sucks in a breath at the spread, his eyes widening in sheer delight. he wants nothing more than to just dive into it but he can't, doesn't, instead taking his seat as it's pulled out. he lets out a slow breath, nerves suddenly spiking through his body as his eyes dart toward what he assumes is the door the lady of the house will be coming through. he'll be ready to stand again at a moment's notice, if it looks like he needs to. ]
I'm glad that you'll be next to me.
[ if finn was going to be sitting on the other side of the table, yuri's not sure how well he'd be able to get through this meal. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-09 05:56 am (UTC)( finn gives his hand a squeeze before releasing it, getting up just as his mother glides through the doors. it's as if she can sense what has already transpired between the two of them and raises her eyebrows. the expression is indiscernible to finn, who shrinks under her gaze, stealing a quick glance at yuri before they take their seats.
dinner begins as normally as it can, filled with a few awkward pauses but otherwise genuine attempts to have some kind of formal-informal conversation.
finn stammers through most of it, his mind more interested in the food in front of them. if these foods are important to yuri, well! they're important to him now. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 03:03 am (UTC)she knows. and she's probably already figured out more about their relationship than they have.
he thanks her profusely for the thoughtful gesture with the food, makes sure the compliment her on her beautiful home and the gardens, and does a good job of praising finn for being the perfect gentleman on their tour and oh, gosh, he is handsome, isn't he? it's been a long time since yuri's done proper etiquette training, but he still remembers all of the classes that he did take, down to which fork and spoon to use for which dishes.
when dessert arrives yuri can't help the grin on his face, his gaze sliding sideways toward finn. ]
He's got a bit of a sweet tooth on him, doesn't he? If his choice in teas is anything to go off of.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 01:30 am (UTC)and it's clear that yuri has figured out exactly what his vices are after spending a few hours together. )
Sometimes, I think sugar is the key to happiness, ( finn muses without thinking. his mother, much to his surprise, mentions that his father had said something similar when they met. the revelation isn't as stunning as the mere mention of his father's existence. is it meant to put finn at ease or something? he isn't sure.
he chuckles anyway and pulls the bowl of raspberry vanilla ice cream closer to him. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 03:17 am (UTC)a thought that leaves him later, as finn happily pulls his bowl of ice cream toward him. his eyebrow lifts just a little and he tilts his head, humming thoughtfully. ]
Noted.
[ oh he can give you all the sugar you wa--
AHEM.
and actually, this is a decent segue... ]
We've, um. Already had some thoughts, for the wedding. After walking around the grounds. Right, Finn?
[ is it weird to bring this up already? probably not, it's not as though the wedding is far off as it is. ]
One of the cake layers needs to just be a nice, simple vanilla. We both have notes of it in our scents, and thought it'd be nice to play into that commonality.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 03:39 am (UTC)his mom gestures to one of the staff who pulls out a small notepad to jot down any other notes. but, oh no, that just makes finn a little nervous and he can feel his ears and neck warming up. it's nice to dream but to see things through until they become a reality? terrifying.
still, he presses on. )
And an outdoor reception? In the gardens? ( he looks to yuri to make sure that's okay. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 03:56 am (UTC)They're beautiful gardens, they should be showcased. With peonies in the bouquets, if there are enough.
[ when yuri looks toward finn again his gaze is soft, already distressingly fond. ]
He's really at home out there. It was absolutely delightful to watch him.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 04:32 am (UTC)flowers are important to this family, the lady tells him with a small nod. the garden hasn't held a full reception in goodness knows how long.
finn raises his eyebrows at that. )
The gardens should be celebrated more!
( his mother smiles and assures him he can tend to that when he's head of the household. gulp. another scary reminder. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 03:54 pm (UTC)[ into flowers themselves and what sort of parties work best in a garden. they didn't have the space for a proper one at home, and as he'll be the... well, the lady of the house, really, it'll often fall to yuri to host these things.
with dessert aside, yuri leans back in his seat with a soft sigh, his eyes threatening to close. ]
This has been wonderful, Lady Aurora, and incredibly thoughtful besides. However, the day has worn me out, and I think I look forward to nothing more than sinking into bed, so please forgive my early retirement this evening. Finn, could you walk me back to my room?
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 12:06 am (UTC)( finn perks up suddenly, looking between his mother and yuri before nodding at once and scrambling to get to his feet. he stumbles over the leg of his chair before catching himself with a solid grip around the backrest.
with a flustered smile, he maneuvers himself to stand behind yuri's chair to help him up and out. )
Yeah! We all should get rest, right? ( aurora looks back at him amusedly, nodding as she gestures for him to go. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 03:13 am (UTC)he stands as his chair is pulled out and he offers aurora a smile before giving her a small bow. ]
Thank you again for dinner. Until tomorrow.
[ yuri moves around the chair and reaches out for finn, settling his hand on his elbow again before turning toward the door and heading out. as soon as they're out of view of anyone still in the dining room he lets out a slow exhale and leans into finn a bit. ]
She's intimidating, isn't she.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 03:41 am (UTC)But I think dinner was okay! I hope everything was a good reminder of him without making you too homesick. ( as much as he wishes he could be back home where he grew up, he can't keep complaining about it. it's really not like him to dwell so much on it, but this has been a considerable upheaval to his life, in all fairness to him.
yuri is sweet and wants to be a partner to him and finn wants to do his best to make this new life good. )
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 04:44 am (UTC)[ yuri giggles quietly and lets his head drop sideways to rest on finn's shoulder as they make their way back through the hallways again. ]
It was wonderful, really. Almost as good as if I got it from the local family-run place. I'll have to reassure my parents that they'll enjoy the banquet.
[ he's almost sad when they reach his bedroom door, even with knowing full well that finn is right next door. yuri stops when they reach it and he lets his hand fall from finn's elbow, just to slide down and take the lightest hold of his hand instead, fingertips curled around fingertips. ]
Thank you for today, Finn. I had a lot of apprehension coming here, if I'm being honest with you, but... I feel like a lot of it has disappeared.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 05:22 am (UTC)To be honest too? I... I really didn't want to get involved with this, but I'm feeling better now that we've met. I'm really, really glad it's you and not someone else!
( he covers their joined hands with his, palm large enough to cover most of their fingers. )
Sleep well tonight! I'll see you for breakfast later. I think we're having cinnamon buns.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-12 05:27 am (UTC)yuri does a good job of schooling his expression because goodness it has been a long time since he's heard that inner voice speak up. he manages not to look stunned by it, even if his hands maybe tense up a little. he will not be inviting finn in, thank you, but there is something else he can do.
he steps in and leans up, letting his lips brush ever-so-lightly against finn's cheek. yuri hovers there for a moment, just so he can drop a quiet good night into finn's ear, before he finally steps back and turns around, disappearing into his room with one last quick look over his shoulder before the door clicks closed behind him. ]