NSFW trash bc I'm Trash by: Thursdays

Part 13: Masquerade

Summary:

Alver dipped his head and kissed Taylor's hand.

"Let's see how good those legs I gave you are," Alver challenged.

"Gladly," said Taylor, accepting the dance.

Cale throws a pre-coronation party for Alver, inviting their closest allies. Alver ends up dancing (and more) with Taylor Sten, but in the process, one of his masks slips away.Notes:For : todoloey

Welcoming todoloey as the third writer in the Tayver tag! Our nation is growing!

When his sworn brother asked him to clear a time the night before his coronation, Alver had expected another headache, not something as pleasant as a surprise party. But Cale had gone above and beyond for Alver's sake:

It was a private occasion, just for adults who were of age and who were close to Alver. Everyone was an ally, so Alver had no reason not to let loose and relax. The moon was full and round in the sky, and the joyful atmosphere of the party was enough to get one high—though there were plenty of drinks to get one high the traditional way.

Wine flowed copiously out of a fountain in the center of the ballroom, and when Bud walked in carrying a case of beer, everyone cheered.

Happy and drunk, Alver's companions raised another toast in his name.

"To your last day as a free man," said Cale, swaying a little as he stood on top of a table. "Let's hope the paperwork doesn't bury you alive. You'll be a great emperor."

"You've said that three times already," Alver said with a smile, but he downed his drink all the same.

Music began to play from one of Clopeh's recording devices, a performance from one of the famous bands of the empire. The party guests began to line up two by two for a dance.

Cale sauntered over to Alver.

"Come on, Hyung," Cale said with a grin. "Time to dance."

Alver rolled his eyes but allowed Cale to drag him out onto the dance floor, and they giggled as they spun around in a pathetic imitation of a ballroom dance. Both of them were too tipsy to dance properly, so they were more or less falling on top of each other.

Then, the change of partners happened, and Cale spun away with Choi Han while Alver found himself nose-to-nose with Taylor Sten.

Taylor Sten was Alver's beloved ally. An amazing marquis, with whose support Alver was able to suppress his younger siblings' influence. In a way, it was thanks to Taylor that Alver was even having a pre-coronation party.

And it was with Alver's power that Taylor Sten was able to stand on his own two feet and dance. The platinum blond man was cutely bouncing side to side to the music.

Alver dipped his head and kissed Taylor's hand.

"Let's see how good those legs I gave you are," Alver challenged.

"Gladly," said Taylor, accepting the dance.

They fell into an easy waltz. Alver, as the one offering the dance, was supposed to take the lead; however, he was so inebriated that Taylor had to hold him upright. Taylor laughed in Alver's ear, his voice surprisingly deep.

"You shouldn't have drank so much," Taylor teased. "I had such high expectations for our dance, too."

Alver fumbled again, and he squeezed Taylor around his waist to keep from falling.

Taylor yelped, and they both fell to the ground.

Alver blinked.

He was on top of Taylor, and their lips were touching. It wasn't really a kiss, but it wasn't a kiss either, if that made any sense. Did that make sense? Alver thought it did, but then again, he was utterly smashed.