Two and a half months had passed since the group was reunited. Their journey; after many other castles, now led to the second to last castle in all of Vernal. Ivan had gotten really close to succeeding more than once, but in the end, the Kings and Queens always turned him down or the princess was already spoken for.
Matthew however, had a familiar problem come back to him over the course of their trip. Again his feelings for the prince came bubbling up against his will and he caught himself on more than one occasion displaying his wings to the prince. At first he felt embarrassed about it, but after a while he saw that it didn't matter. Ivan couldn't tell that the way he fanned or raised his wings was a part of a mating ritual or a signal of great interest in the viewer, if anything Ivan just saw it as the guardian stretching. So Matthew let the instincts flow, it kept him from stressing out and kept his emotions in check.
Though he did have Kumajiro telling him that Ivan didn't understand his advances and that he needed to verbalize them. The guardian just simply explained that if Ivan did see it, then he wouldn't do anything. To keep things more "traditional", Matthew told him and his partner seemed satisfied with the answer, leaving it be.
)*(
The town they were now at was less of a town and more of an ancient city of ruins that had gotten covered in overgrowth. Vines of various plants held many of the homes and buildings captive within their thin grasp, but in an oddly gentle way. Even with moss covering the brighter colors of both stone and paint, the town and its people seemed to be humble, cheery even. Not gloomy or forgotten as most would think at first glance. No, this place was well remembered. However, a few choice people remembered it even more.
Matthew became very tense when this city had first come into view and did not stray from Ivan's side; he had even pulled his hood up upon entry. Ivan glanced at Matthew briefly more than once, noting a change in his demeanor and closeness. It was very bizarre of the young man, as he was normally acting more open and cheerful even when in a new town.
The guardian all but seemed to have stopped breathing as they passed the main square statue; it was covered in vines, roots, and moss. Though the moss seemed to be more from lack of care than part of the age of the city; in the past it could have been a grand symbol or memorial. What it once was however was no longer visible to the world.
The castle seemed to be yet another challenge for the guardian to face, his nervousness became more like fear as he looked upon the castle wall's paintings of white angels, the carvings of marble wings and angel-like figures, and the delicate vases filled with an assortment of colorful feathers and flowers. The guardian being so frightful of such images was almost laughable; Matthew after all had feathers of his own and his partner was half-bird himself. He tried not to cling to Ivan's arm as they were lead down the long hallway to the throne room and he hid his discomfort behind a mask of calm composure as best he could. But that eventually cracked, just the tiniest bit.
As they entered the throne room, the young guardian lost all color is his face and Ivan was gravely wanting to know what was going through the other's mind; there was something that he did not know of that Matthew clearly did. But what was it? There was nothing out of the ordinary about this kingdom or castle, it was perhaps the most peaceful he had seen yet. The winter prince was obviously not from this country and he had yet to receive any sort of glare or look of discomfort from his presence amongst others as he usually did.
Along the walkway to the two tall thrones stood six life-sized statues of angels all with humble expressions on either side. Artful engravings covering any exposed skin from the cloth wrapped around their forms. Some even looked like they were singing the most beautiful song the world had ever heard. Each one had fully feathered wings in different sizes, shades of colors, and patterns. As they passed, Matthew had to force himself to look towards the two thrones, as looking for more than a moment was making him feel dizzy.
However, the thrones were no different than the statues before them really, other than that the backs of the chairs climbed higher and formed into figures; one female and the other male, again with great wings at their sides that touched the floor. Matthew swallowed heavily and cast his eyes to the carpet while Ivan held his head high preparing to address the royalty here.
The King was absent, but the Queen sat proudly in her chair, waiting for what was needed of her presence here instead of elsewhere. Her hair was dark and long, beads and feathers of all colors were braided into it, she was clearly older, but had aged well in her years. Her expression was calm and collected, but her thin, dark hazel eyes had a fierceness to them. Her gown was of many layers and colors; mainly shades of blue and green, fitting in with the room's colors in a nice complementary way. As for her crown, it was woven bronze with emeralds embedded in the twists.
Ivan could tell Matthew was clearly uncomfortable with being here, but it was not likely that they would be staying very long, so for the moment he directed his attention on the Queen. He gave her a pleasant smile and a polite dip of his head. "Greetings, Milady. I am Prince Ivan Braginski of Solstice."
"To you as well Milord. Please state the business that has brought you to my lands." She said calmly, but a small flash of interest crossed her eyes.
"To put it simply, I am travelling around looking for a wife. I do not have one as of yet, and I was wondering if you had any daughters who are of age and not yet betrothed?"
"Oh?" Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "I do have a daughter that has not been betrothed. But for you to make such a journey out here for one of my daughters, I must say that I feel honored." She smiled, pleased at what she was hearing. "For a noble family of your stature, I would happily give you one of my daughters."
"And I would be honored to have one of your beautiful daughters as my wife." He replies, smiling back. "I have no doubt that all of them are just as beautiful as their mother is."
She gave a small chuckle. "Well enough with your flattery, I shall have someone send for my eldest right away. But keep this in mind Prince of Solstice, while I have high respect for your lineage and would be more than happy to have ties with the King, should my daughter see you as unfitting, I will not have her wed to you. Is this clear?" Her voice a little firm making Matthew even more uneasy.
"Yes Milady, it is clear." Ivan says with a firm nod as he watched the Queen send a servant to fetch the child she spoke of.
After that her eyes fell onto the young man standing behind him. "And he is...? A servant of yours, Prince?"
"Yes. He is my personal servant. I take him with me when I travel."
She nodded and long silent moments had passed before one of her servants came in, bowing before her before proceeding with informing the Queen that her daughter was waiting just outside. "Ah good, send her in will you."
A moment later a young woman dressed in black and red came walking in with her head held high and a displeased look on her face. On her headdress hung silver disks that softly chimed as she walked and long dark hair like her mother's hung in a large braid down her back. She stopped short at her mother's side. "Why have you called for me mother? I was in the middle of my lessons."
"Don't be so brash, we have a guest that has travelled a long way just to see you. I think your lessons can wait."
"And whom might this guest be?" The princess turned slightly to look at those she had passed before; she hadn't paid any attention at first, thinking they were merely nobles from a neighboring kingdom. They changed so often it didn't matter about keeping track of something that was not hers.
"This is Prince Ivan Braginski of all Solstice, second born and the only son of the Great Winter King." The Queen told her daughter before gesturing to the princess for Ivan. "My eldest daughter and first born, Princess of the twenty-sixth kingdom of the Greater Kingdom of Vernal, Princess Khutulun Khan."
Princess Khutulun gave a deep bow of respect after her name was given and Ivan bowed in return. "It is a pleasure to meet you Princess Khutulun."
"The pleasure is all mine Prince Ivan." It was a simple reply as she was at a loss for words as she thought of everything that she knew about this man. The Queen gave a knowing smile at her daughter's words.
"It would seem as if you have caught the attention of my daughter, young Prince, you are off to a grand start. Khutulun, Prince Ivan has come all this way for a chance to have your hand in marriage. What say you?"
Khutulun looked at her mother before returning her gaze to Ivan, her eyes wide with shock. Ivan gave the princess a charming smile and respectfully waited for her to answer her mother's question.
"I... I will make a decision after getting to know my suitor." She turned from Ivan to face her mother. Her stance was strong and proud like a tree, unlike so many queens and princesses of Vernal that were like flowers for the picking. Princess Khutulun was becoming interesting, very interesting.
"Do you accept my daughter's offer, Prince of Solstice?"
"Yes, I accept." Ivan says with a nod.
The Queen then clapped her hands together as she stood with a small, pleased smile. "Then it is decided and I shall have a room set up for you."
"Excellent. I appreciate your hospitality and thank you for taking time from your schedule to meet with me." Ivan says with a respectful bow towards the Queen before turning to the princess. "And I thank you for taking time from your studies to come meet with me Princess." He says smiling and repeating the bow, though not quite as deeply as he had for her mother. He then turned back to the Queen. "If it is not too much trouble, I would like for my personal servant to room with me rather than elsewhere."
"No trouble at all." The Queen beckoned to one of the maids and gave them instructions before turning to the pair. "This woman will see to your room, if there is anything that you have brought with you in your caravan that you need, take as many menservants as you need; your horses many be brought to the royal stables for your stay."
"Thank you for the kind offer your highness, but I will not be needing any menservants." He replies with a knowing smile. "I travel light on longer journeys to reach my destination quicker. It is just my personal servant, our packs, and a horse I purchased from one of the kingdoms of Vernal that shares borders with Solstice. My usual steed is at home in Solstice as he does not fare quite as well as I do in such warm weather."
The princess looked a little impressed that he had come on his own, but did not linger as she had a lesson she wanted to finish on time. She took her leave after biding her suitor goodbye and informing him that she would see him again at dinner tonight.
)*(
Once everything was in order, their things brought to the room, and the horse set in the stable, Kuma and his partner exchanged tweets before the hippogriff trotted off into the woods. Matthew now stood in the room, still not having spoken a word since they entered the town. He held his arms against his chest, with his head hung a little and eyes closed. He was breathing in and out, slowly and softly.
Ivan sat down on his bed; Matthew had one of his own as well, though closer to the windowsill than this one. The prince removed his boots and then changed into something nicer than what he had been travelling in. After that, he looked up to see Matthew still standing where he had been beforehand. "Matvey?" He called out to the guardian quietly, not wanting to startle him. The boy tensed at first before slowly looking over, giving a soft hum of acknowledgment.
Ivan beckoned him over with a wave of his hand and Matthew moved to stand next the man, but still didn't say a word. Ivan tilted his head a little as he gazed at the guardian curiously. "Matvey, is everything alright? You have been very tense and acting a bit oddly ever since we arrived here."
Matthew was quiet for a moment as he collected his thoughts before then giving a small nod as he relaxed.
"Are you sure?" A concerned frown appeared on Ivan's face. "You went very pale in the throne room earlier." He lifted a hand and gently pressed the back of it to the boy's cheek to check and make sure that the guardian did not have a fever. Matthew wanted to pull away, but instead leaned into the touch. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to remain still. However his body lightly trembled like a pulse, unseen by the eye, Matthew had been this way since they entered the castle.
"Matvey, what is wrong?" Ivan gently stroked Matthew's cheek with the back of his knuckles without even thinking about it, the concerned look still in place. "Are you not feeling well?"
The guardian shook his head and slumped down next Ivan on the bed. His hands grasped the covers tightly, though that only helped in making the tremble visible.
"Matvey…" Ivan gently placed his hand over one of Matthew's. "Please tell me what is wrong."
The young man jumped at the touch and opened his eyes to look up at him, gaze wary and uncertain, before looking down at their hands. Matthew slowly opened his mouth to speak. "This city..." He whispered as quietly as he could, as if he feared someone was listening.
The look Matthew had given him did not sit well with Ivan; it made him feel uneasy. "What about it?" Ivan asks, lowering his voice to a whisper as well.
"I...I was... born... here." His voice was barely heard as his shakes became harsh and had his whole body trembling as he tried not to panic.
Ivan's eyes widened, shocked speechless for a few moments. Noticing that Matthew was on the verge of panic, he pulled him close, wrapping his arms around the guardian and holding him to his chest as the young man held on to him tightly. "Calm down." He whispers softly in a soothing tone. "Do not panic Matvey. You are fine. I am right here. I will not let anything bad happen to you. Alright?"
"What... what if someone... recognizes me?" Matthew choked out against Ivan's shoulder.
"I do not think they will." Ivan hums. "And even if they do, you are my personal servant, hm?" He says, continuing the charade of who Matthew was. He didn't think anyone was listening in, but it couldn't hurt to be safe. "They can not take what is rightfully mine. Especially when I am much higher in rank than they are."
"But couldn't you lose your chance at getting a wife here?" He pulled back slightly, fears finally easing from him as he fiddled with the collar of Ivan's vest.
"I could."
"I don't want that to happen, not because of my fears."
"It is alright Matvey." Ivan smiled a little. "Do not worry about me."
"It's not alright." He pulled back enough so he could see Ivan's face. "It's not alright- maybe I can just stay in here the whole time?"
"Yes it is." Ivan responds with a smile. "And if you think it would be better for you to stay in here the whole time, then I will ensure that everyone else will leave you alone, alright?"
Matthew nodded gratefully, though still felt much of the gloom of his memories. "I think it would work fine. Just let me know if you need help, with anything."
"I will Matvey." Ivan smiled a bit more as the guardian remained sitting on the man's lap quietly, the pair just looking into the other's eyes. It felt like hours had passed, until Matthew felt a stirring inside of him that made him snap back.
"Oh... um. You should get going to that dinner, being late is improper for a prince."
Ivan blinked and chuckled, gently moving Matthew from his lap to the bed and putting his own boots on before standing up. "I should, wouldn't want to leave a bad impression now would I?" He fondly ruffled Matthew's hair a little and smiled. "I shall see you later then."
"Yes, I won't be going anywhere. Do you... mind if I lock the door after you leave?" Matthew pulled his boots off shyly, feeling childish for wanting to lock the door.
Ivan chuckled softly. "No, I do not mind. Go ahead and lock the door if it makes you feel better."
)*(
The next day at noon, the princess was sitting in the castle garden with Ivan, a table set up to dine for the two. It was their first time alone and she didn't know where to start.
Ivan smiled at her. "How are your studies going Princess?" He asks after a moment. "I hope I did not interrupt a particularly important lesson yesterday with my arrival…?"
"Not at all, it was merely a strengthening exercise. Had I known it was you that was waiting on me, I would have not been so rude." She smiled softly and smoothed the material of her clothes, a tad worried that her gown today was not to the prince's liking.
"Ah, it is fine. My visit was sudden to say the least." Ivan says, smiling back and noticing her slight fussing. "That is a beautiful outfit you are wearing today." He let his gaze look over the entire ensemble briefly before returning his attention to her face. "It suits you very well."
"Thank you, my mother's side of the family was originally from Solstice and we've done our best to keep the traditional look from the motherland."
"Oh?" He was clearly intrigued by this. "I had noticed the similarities, but thought them mere coincidence at first. How many generations has your mother's side of the family been in Vernal?"
"Three, it was my grandmother who was married into the Vernal bloodline." She said with a small sigh, almost looking disappointed.
"Most interesting. I wonder if she or your mother knew my old tutor." He muses.
"Who was your old tutor?"
"His name is Yao Wang. The last I heard of him was that he is living in one of the castles on the other side of Vernal, I believe."
"Oh, well I am afraid that I do not know of any man by that name. My apologies." She gave a small dip of her head.
"It is quite alright." He says, giving a slight nod. "Tutors and studies aside; what activities are you particularly fond of, Princess?"
"Horseback riding has to be my utmost favorite." Her hands came together in delight and then an almost too eager smile graced her thin lips. "Next to that I would have to say, is archery."
He gave a delighted smile. "Both are excellent activities. Perhaps we should go out riding or shooting together sometime in the next few days."
"That would be wonderful. But what are some activities that you enjoy?" She asks, what she was learning about her suitor was so far, not so bad. But she was looking for many particular qualities in her future husband and that was no easy task to obtain.
"Well, I do enjoy both horseback riding and archery. I am rather fond of falconry and hunting as well." He says, pausing for just a moment before adding. "One of my milder interests however, is dancing. Though I must confess that I only know a few dances. Until recently I had never had much of an interest in learning."
"What about wrestling?" Khutulun asks enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming, not seeming to care that she had ignored a bit of what the winter prince had told her.
"Yes, I enjoy that as well." He says chuckling softly, a bit surprised from the jump to sport once more. "I must say, I very much approve of your interest in sport, Princess."
"You do? I'm pleased to hear, I was beginning to fear that all the suitors only wanted delicate little princesses that only had interests in crochet, parties, and fashion. But… of course that is why you want a Solstice bride." She was more relaxed around the man now, not needing to hide her strong passions seeing as he approved of her sport skills. "A prince like yourself does not need a woman who can not hold her own, or a woman who fears a blade. Am I correct Prince Ivan?" Khutulun gave a sly smirk, her eyes just as fierce as her mother's.
"Yes, you are exactly correct Princess Khutulun." Ivan replied with a sly smirk of his own. "There are many princesses to choose from, but ones with the traits of a Solstice bride are few and far in between."
She chuckled a little. "I say we get along nicely, wouldn't you agree?"
He chuckled as well and nodded. "Yes, I agree completely."
)*(
Later that evening, Matthew waited to hear how Ivan's first day alone with the princess went. He could not shake the feeling of being, oddly... a little jealous. It didn't make sense. After all, he and Ivan had been traveling for five months alone together, even sharing a bed together. Matthew had even lost count of how many princesses Ivan had seen, so what was it about this one that was different than all the rest?
Maybe it was because of the city they were in? That he wanted Ivan's comfort, to be next to him? No. The guardian shook his head and stood to pace by the window; the same window that he had been watching some of Ivan's interactions with the woman from earlier. He really shouldn't have been watching, but he couldn't help it. His gaze saddened as he looked out towards the garden. Matthew wondered if there had been more going on than he could see. But the more he thought about it, the more pained he felt.
He had no choice but to pull himself away from it in order to cease his mind. The young man sat on the end of his bed with his head in his hands. It's happening all over again... Isn't it? Even after seeing everything that has always been so ever clear in front of me, I am still wanting Ivan as a mate...
Maybe it was hopeless and the only way to stop his instincts from pulling him towards Ivan was to mate with him so his body would allow him to move on and find a different mate; one he could have a family with. The guardian sighed and ran his fingers slowly through his hair. He had a lot to think about before deciding on what to do; he had plenty of time to think alone anyways with Ivan gone the whole day.
Ivan, however, did not return to his room until after his dinner with Princess Khutulun and the Queen, bringing some food for Matthew with him. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, happily humming a little. He closed the door behind him and locked it before going over to the table and setting the plate of food down on it. "Hello Matvey."
"Oh." Matthew's his head came up quickly, but he had a big smile on his face. "Someone's rather happy, I take it things went well?"
Ivan grinned and nodded. "Yes, everything went very well!" He chirps happily before he then pointed out the plate. "I brought you dinner."
"Thank you." The guardian walked over to have a seat at the small table to eat. He was famished, as he had not eaten since dawn. "Tell me about your time with the princess, what is she like?"
Ivan smiled happily and sat down across from Matthew, taking off his boots as she spoke. "Well firstly, she is the first available princess I have met with qualities befitting a Solstice bride."
"Oh?" Matthew looked up from his plate with large eyes. "That is something and we're so deep into Vernal too."
"I know! Her grandmother came from Solstice, that's why."
"What else?" Matthew asked before taking another bite.
"She enjoys sports! Her favorites are horseback riding and archery." He looked quite pleased and relieved. "It is wonderful to have found a princess that enjoys sports over things like crochet."
"She does? That is very surprising for a Vernal princess, they are usually more laid back." Matthew was taken aback by this information; she had obviously gotten Ivan's attention and within a single day too. If the guardian didn't know any better, he'd say that Ivan had most likely found the perfect woman to have. If only I could get Ivan's attention like that. It's like she just snapped her fingers and Ivan became hers.
Ivan's chuckling brought him quickly back to the conversation that they were in the middle of. "I think they are trying to keep Solstice traditions as much as they can here in Vernal. They certainly have tried to keep the traditional look. There are differences of course; adapted for the warmer weather of course, but the clothing is somewhat similar to what women in Solstice wear."
"Ah that explains a bit. I thought the clothing looked off." Matthew says with a tilt of his head before eating a little more.
Ivan nodded. "I noticed it right away, but I thought it mere coincidence at first."
"I see. What else went on? Or is that pretty much it?"
"I told her some activities I enjoyed as well and then we continued on with the details of her sport lessons compared with mine. But that was about it, yes." Matthew nodded and ate for a little while, just looking over at the man every now and then.
After a few minutes, the prince got up to go bathe and dress in sleepwear. Matthew had finished eating and changed while Ivan had left, waiting for his return before he planned to retire for the night. Ivan came back with his hair still a little damp from his bath though the pleased smile was still in place.
When the guardian noticed that Ivan was still smiling, he couldn't help but feel happy for him even though he felt so alone. "I can say it's safe to assume that you have taken a liking to this girl?"
Ivan nods happily as he sat back down at the table. "Mhmm! And I am feeling quite optimistic about this."
"Well... I'm happy for you and I hope she's the one. I don't think you've ever been this excited for a bride before."
"Yes, I hope so as well. And you are right, I have not been this excited for a bride before." He wasn't actually sure why he was so excited now. Perhaps it was because after all of his hard work, his goal finally seemed within reach and he could not help but get a little excited over that.
Matthew laughed and grinned. "Are you going to be able to sleep tonight or are you going to be tossing and turning as you look forward to tomorrow?"
Ivan laughed as well. "I think I will be able to sleep tonight. But I am not sure yet."
"I find it rather adorable with how you are reacting to all of this." He said sweetly as he relaxed against one of his hands.
He blushed a little, though realized this was an unusual reaction for him, and chuckled softly. "Ah, really?"
"Yes, truly." A sweet little smile crossed his lips.
Ivan blushed a bit more and smiled back. "Oh."
Matthew giggled. "You sure are the bashful one tonight Ivan."
Ivan laughed softly. "Well I am not normally described as 'adorable', yes?"
"I think it suited the moment."
"If you say so."
"Oh I do say so, in fact it was so adorable I could have kissed you." Matthew grinned playfully.
Ivan blinked in surprise before laughing some more. "Matvey! That is highly improper considering the fact that I am courting someone." He says with an amused smile.
"Yes, well." He recoiled a bit as he sat up in the chair, trying to keep his grin, as he laughed a bit. "I still want to tease you while I can. Once you're married I don't think you'll be quite as fun."
Ivan gave a short laugh. "Matvey, you are right, but it will not be marriage that will change me that much."
"What do you mean...?" His voice and expression softened.
Ivan smiled knowingly and lowered his voice. "Matvey, do you recall how I acted around Kirkland that first day, how I acted towards Francis the first day you met him, and how I acted towards the vampires in general while we were in that place?"
"Yes." Matthew said in a puzzled tone. "What about it?"
"Those are all prime examples of how I acted pretty much all the time whether at home or on the go." He says calmly. "How I acted when visiting the kings and queens are also part of how I acted when manners are in order." Matthew just sat and listened, trying to see where Ivan was going with this.
"My point is…" Ivan leaned in a little, lowering his voice like it was some sort of secret, and in a way, it was. Matthew slowly leaned back a little as Ivan came closer, though it wasn't much. His cheeks became slightly red and he did his best to keep his eyes locked with Ivan's as he listened. "…That I did not start acting "fun" until after I had met you." He paused for a moment before adding. "And I highly doubt that I will continue acting "fun" once we have both returned to our own homes."
The guardian swallowed before finding his voice to speak."So what you mean is I'll have to visit often?"
"If you want to." Ivan replies, sitting back in his chair with a somewhat sad smile. "I am simply saying that it will be the absence of my only friend, not my getting married, that will be the reason for me no longer being as "fun"."
"O-of course I'd want to visit you! Why wouldn't I?" Matthew somewhat leaned forwards as he rested his arms against the tabletop.
Ivan shrugged a little. "I do not know. The weather possibly? You do not exactly fare well in the cold."
"I can get proper gear and keep myself warm! That won't be happening again!" The guardian blushed from embarrassment.
"Yes, I know." Ivan gave a slight smile.
Matthew huffed and sat back in his chair. "Well it's settled then. I'll come visit you often once you're mat-m-married." Matthew smiled, trying to hide the slip up. Humans don't call their intimate partners mates.
Ivan chuckled a bit. "I will look forward to your visits then."
"As do I... I'm really going to miss you though, Ivan." Matthew said quietly, letting his defenses go weak.
"And I will miss you Matvey." Ivan says just as quietly, his smile fading quite a bit.
Matthew was quiet for a while before he stood up abruptly, wildly messing up his hair. "Gah! Why are we getting so down about this!? It hasn't even happened yet and we're already acting like it's goodbye!" Matthew paced a bit back and forth. Ivan started at Matthew's sudden outburst, eyes widening a bit in surprise as he watched the boy.
"It's not like it's the end of the world. Or we're never going to see each other again- a-and it's not like we didn't know this was going to happen. You'll get married and reclaim your kingdom. And I will go back to my healing studies, m-maybe even find someone of my own." While the young man had a smile on his face and his words were cheerful, it all seemed choked out. Ivan felt like he should say something but he wasn't sure what. He just knew that Matthew smiling despite the words and tone of voice he was using made his heart ache.
Matthew took notice of Ivan's gaze and realized that he was a bit out of line. His hands dropped to his sides as he clearly fought for something to say. "I... I-I think I need some fresh air." He quickly and awkwardly moved to the window. First just breathing in the night wind, before deciding to sit on the windowsill, hanging his feet over the edge.
Ivan stood and walked up behind him. He hesitated for a moment before gently wrapping his arms around Matthew and tugging him back against his chest a little, holding the boy firmly but being as gentle as possible. "Matvey…" He says softly. "I know it is silly of me to worry, but please come away from the window... or at least do not sit on it like this." It really was foolish of him to worry since Matthew had been healed for quite a while; but for some reason, the sight of Matthew sitting on the windowsill brought the image of the guardian falling from the window of the vampire's castle to mind and it just made him feel uneasy.
Matthew's heart locked up from Ivan's words, but he placed a hand on Ivan's arm and gave a nod. "Alright... I'm sorry; I did not mean to scare you. Just pull me back in then." The guardian said just as softly.
"You do not need to apologize." Ivan gently pulled Matthew back from the windowsill and set him on his feet, though he did not let go of him just yet. "I am just being foolish and letting the thought of what happened in the Deadwoods make me uneasy..."
The young man then wrapped his arms over Ivan's and rested his head against the other's shoulder. "Don't say that...You are not being foolish, Ivan"
"I feel like I am." The prince mumbles, holding him just a little closer. "I know you are fully healed and would be fine even if you were to fall, which is unlikely… but even so I could not get the imagine of you falling from the Deadwoods castle out of my mind."
"You are never a fool Ivan. There's nothing wrong with caring for another's well being." He said softly giving Ivan a small nuzzle which Ivan quickly returned.
"Yes… you are right." Ivan says softly, smiling a little and feeling a little better from the guardian's words. "Thank you for reminding me Matvey."
"Anytime Ivan, anytime." He returns the smile as they continued with the small nuzzles; it felt nice to be held close and have someone to be affectionate to. Matthew moved from nuzzling with his cheek to gentle grazes with his nose against Ivan's jaw and cheek. He wasn't really thinking, just going with what felt right. It did surprise Ivan a little, but he didn't do anything, just letting Matthew do what he was doing.
Matthew continued his actions without noticing Ivan's minor change. He began to relax more and more, as this happened his wings slowly slipped out. But in a way that didn't push them very far apart, they neither moved up or out, but rather down, between their bodies. The feathery cape pooling at their feet had taken the taller man off guard for a moment.
However... this meant that his wings brushed against Ivan the whole time. It was not the same as if it were his hands, but it still made the guardian shiver, his cheeks tinted red as his calm breathing got offbeat more than once. At Matthew's shiver Ivan remembered how sensitive the guardian's wings were. "Ah, should I… let go…?" He murmurs questioningly. He didn't really want to let go just yet, but if it was making Matthew uncomfortable then he would.
Matthew softly shook his head and had he not been nuzzling Ivan, the man would have never known. But the question had been answered; Ivan just continued to hold Matthew to him contently. A soft smile on his face as he did so, both just focused on the other's comforting presence, the wings left as they were hanging limply and spread on the floor.
After a few moments, Ivan spoke up. "Getting tired Matvey?" He asks softly with a slight smile.
"Hm...?" He lazily opened his eyes stopping his movements before sighing softly and closing his eyes again. Not like he could tell him the truth so he went with it. "Mm, I think so..."
"Shall we get into bed and get some sleep now then?"
"You're right..." Matthew dropped his hands, but otherwise didn't move. He didn't want to lose contact with Ivan.
After a moment or two of thought, Ivan carefully scooped Matthew up and carried him over to the young man's bed. Matthew took in a sharp breath as Ivan's arms wrapped around him and his wings, mainly his wings. Thankfully his body submitted and allowed the touch... as strange and slightly concerning as it was. He bit his tongue to keep himself from making a sound as he was laid down. "Good night Matvey." Ivan says softly with a smile. He lingered by Matthew's side longer than necessary, not wanting to break contact, but eventually he pulled away and turned to get into his own bed.
The guardian gave him a sweet smile and bid him goodnight as well. His smile shriveling as Ivan left his side. But... it had to be this way and he hated himself for acting as he did in front of Ivan just now. Matthew was just lucky that Ivan didn't know what Matthew's body language was implying. The submissive placement of his wings, so low to the floor; the gentle caress along the underside of Ivan's jaw... It felt like a vice grip around his throat at just how bad he wanted to be with Ivan, for him to throw away his search for a female and take him instead. At least let me try. His soul seemed to scream that at him, at Ivan, but those words would not be heard.