♤SPRING SHIELD (MxM) ~fantasy~♤

Do you like him?

Elijah

When the music starts to play again fully and Kristian smiles at me with the aim of making me more angry than I already am,I instruct him.
"Follow my lead,don't try to do anything yourself. You have to give yourself to me,mind and body,less you make a fool of me."I roll my eyes as I take him through the first motions,
"I think you're already quite a fool putting a woman whose been pestering you for years on your direct team and your enemy as your partner in business."He tilts his head as he criticises me,scrutinising my very tactical and planned advances reducing them to nothing but surface level blundering.
"Oh,I'm a fool? If that's true what are you? Busy conversing with the said enemy and making light talk with the heir to a financial empire. You know what you look like to the outside eye?"the tune intensifies as I stare him down. When were this close,the overpowering scent of citrus flavoured candy is chocking me half into my grave,
"I don't know,a normal person? The complexity of the royal families and nobel feuds don't really concern me,"he shrugs with his eyes closed and only then do I realise that he has makeup on. His entire appearance tonight is extremely flashy and in no way modest. His red hair paired with an even more red,blood red I might add suit. That is fully crimson,don't get it twisted.
"Oh,sweet summer child,of course it doesn't concern you. So why meddle in it? The rest of us spend decades,if not our entire lives tip toeing around it and you simply shrug,"I'm angry because he doesn't know what he's getting himself into.
One more public interaction with an influential figure and he's done for. The public will cook him alive. Who knows what happens then?
"Must you always lecture me? I'm sorry I didn't care to spend another second in your brooding,Lewis."He rolls his eyes and nearly messes up the next dance number,"Are these social complexities the reason you're not happy anymore?"
No,Red,its much worse than that. It's something that I can't understand. Something that's refusing to be contained.
"Not happy? Do you know who Brent McConnell's maternal uncle is?"he makes a face,
"Why would I?"
"This isn't some game,Kristian. His uncle is Howard Gunther,the head of the High Board. They're close,extremely."
"Yeah but that has nothing to do with me,"
"Oh it has everything to do with you,because something about you have completely enamoured the guy and he'll stop at nothing to get you."he keeps quiet as we run through the other sways and twirls. He's doing surprisingly well for someone's first time.
"You should quit your job and become a professional nagger."he quips,I scoff. Our usual never ending cycle.
"One day,you'll understand what I tried to warn you about."
"Then what I come begging you for forgiveness?"he raises a brow,trying to purposely step on my toes. I dodge and when we look up from the floor,we exchange a glance. Rather a challenge,
"Why bother? You can always ask Brent,you've been spending an awful amount of time with the guy."
"Why are you saying his name like that? And what do you mean?"
"I mean do all the frolicking you want,it's your funeral."When the violin grows louder I dip him,his eyes still glimmer even under the darkness of my shadow as I hold him by his waist,
"You're not the great guy Relish makes you out to be."he mutters,annoyed with me. I bark out a laugh as I lift him back up,
"I thought by now you'd be aware. Trusting his word so easily... do you fancy the guy?"I want to smack myself in the head for asking,but still I want his answer. By now he can choose from this huge list he's created for himself without a care.
He pretends to make a thinking expression,"He's sweet,has a nice smile,he's funny and he's financially stable. I'm not getting any younger,do thanks for the good idea."
"What's that supposed to mean?"I pull him in closer so he has no option but to look directly at me,our chest right up against each other. The contact throws him off but he tries to keep his expression indifferent,
"What else,Lewis? You can find someone willing no matter how old you are,but me? I have to get my marriage prospects in order before the scurry away."the thought. Just the goddamn thought of Kristian walking down an aisle does something to me. Its pathetic,its ridiculous and its infuriating.
Letting go of him as the song comes to an end,I walk away from him not turning back. "Lewis?"he calls after me as I nearly run out of there,"Lewis!"he calls,once I've made it all the way down the stairs,"What's gotten into you?"he scolds,his hands at his hips as he regains his breath. I watch him as he struggles and wait before I say anything,
"I don't believe it's a crime if I wish to catch my children before they sleep. I promised them a bedtime story."
"So you're dumping me here?"
"If you want you can hitch a ride with Relish,"
"Oh my gosh! You jerk-"He starts coming down the stairs pointing an accusatory finger right at me until he's all the way down and it's pushing into my chest. I suck in a breath at the contact,"Say you're lying."He demands,I roll my eyes,opening my car to find it in the darkness.
"I said if you want. Kristian come with me if you want go with him if your heart desires more time with your fleeting marriage prospects."as soon as I say this he locks his arms with me as we start to walk away into the dark.
"Mr White! Wait,before you go."a woman's voice calls from the height of the stair case,I don't know who she is from this angle,even if I try to check,
"I'll be right back."Kristian says before going up the stairs and talking for a while and coming back after he's done.
"What's the matter?"
"Oh,nothing. Let's hurry,I'm starving."
"It's always about food with you,isn't it?"