real boy (ish)

Alaric happily hugged the smaller male into his lap, against his chest as he felt Pinocchio slide in deeper to him. His hand moved to the inside of the other's thigh stroking along it with an expert touch, gentle fingers tenderly teasing him. "Here you are with me." he cooed in Pinocchio's eat gently kissing him softly again on the ear. "Pinocchio, may I have you? I promise to be gentle with you. I won't break you, unless you ask me to." he said softly.

The kiss made him hum once more and Pinocchio nodded silently, soft and shy smile on his face. "I'm surprised you feel the need to ask, I figured you'd just take what you want when you want it." he said, leaning closer to press his own lips to Alaric's neck. Slowly, he moved up, until he too met with the man's ear, "You may have me, any way you please."

Alaric's hand slide down from Pinocchio's waist to between his legs gently massaging him with a light and expert touch. "Are you sure sweet boy? Are you sure the only thing I can make grow on you is your nose?" he purred wondering if the other was understanding his meaning more now. The king's eyes slight with desire for the young man. "Mmm you are just so lovely. I cannot help myself. What do you think of me sweet mischievous little Pinocchio?"

"Oh…" Pinocchio gasped, biting on his bottom lip, his legs parting slightly from Alaric's touch. "I suppose not… Not just my nose." his arms wrapping over Alaric's shoulders, "I suppose there's also my um…"

Pinocchio pushed further into Alaric's lap, smiling at him instead of answering him at first. "Well, I am here with you, aren't I?" He looked down to his own thighs, a bulge had appeared, running along his left inner thigh, trapped under the fabric. "And I think your charms are working on me."

Rory clears his throat, embarrassed by being caught.

"Sorry, I just... never mind. I'm Rory."

Rory squints suspiciously at the mischievous expression. He's wary but also interested. That look on his face reminds Rory of before getting bitten. Just having fun, running amok and meeting up with other boys for not so innocent fun.

"What kind of jolly fun?"

"Well, the explosive kind." the boy admits, grinning even more, mischief and mayhem oozing from him. "Nothing too bad or dangerous, mind you. Just enough to get these elves to jump up a little." he snickered, his eyes leaving Rory to find the still busy workshop.

"I think they're due for a little break anyway, they've been working all day haven't they? Probably spent too much time sitting, it'll do them good to stand up a little."

Then, as he's about to light the match, Pinocchio turns his head back to Rory, smirking. "Why don't you do it?" Echoes of his dear Lampwick come to his mind, reminding him of times when the roles were reversed.

There were a lot of things that were intriguing about the other man. Enough that St. Nick was convinced that he was going to have to spend some time with him to get those answers. His mannerisms were particularly interesting. The way that he held onto his nose like it was going to come off or his reaction to being called cute. That made the older man smile a bit. He was so happy that he opened up part of the North Pole for people to visit. At least he still had his manners about him. People often got so shy around him that they forgot how to act.

"You don't have to worry about my teeth or my appetite, Mr. Santa." Pinocchio said almost too proudly, gladly taking the candy that was offered to him, "I suppose there's no harm telling you, of all people, but I don't actually need to eat. I just do it because it's fun!" His lips parted and quickly welcomed the candy, softly sucking on it as he looked up at the older man. "But please don't go 'round telling other people, or else they'd stop offering me treats!"

Alaric pulled Pinocchio to him by his hand linking his arm with the other's so they could walk side by side. "It is the most marvelous place crammed with multitudes. And we all seem to have a sweet tooth." he said with a little laugh. "But for all it's splendor we do not have beautiful boys like you running around." he said with a smile as he caressed Pinocchio's hand with his own gently.

"Oh my perhaps I will ask him to make a sculpture for me then." he said with a little hum as they came to his chambers, unlocking the door he led Pinocchio in, his pawns running around to attend to him and his guest.

He pulled Pinocchio to a couch draped in furs and soft sumptuous blankets. Sitting down he held a blanket up and offered his lap to the smaller male. "I was quite serious in my offer to you earlier. Please sit in my lap, and perhaps tell me darling boy, what else on you grows hm?"

"Oh I'm sure he would love to! I don't know if he gets that many commissions, yours would for sure brighten up his day." Pinocchio wasn't really much of an assistant to his father, he didn't really know how to handle a carving knife, and it always felt somewhat odd to him to carve into wood, it was like he was hurting his own kind in some way, so he didn't really help that much in Geppetto's workshop.

The boy's eyes widened when he stepped into the room with Alaric, quick to notice the many people at his service. "Oh wow…" he whispered in surprise.

When sat down, he looked even smaller, his limbs tightened around himself, a bit awkward as he tried to look around and felt a bit intimidated by it all. When Alaric spoke again, offering his lap, he smiled and scooted across the couch closer to him. "If you so insist…" he nodded along happily, then made his way to sit on the older man's lap. Once again, if he could've, the boy would've been blushing, "Um… I- Well, my nose is the only thing that does." Though he didn't mean it as a lie, it was in fact far from being true and so his nose pushed forward, growing an inch longer once again.

"I cannot wait to feed you treats from home. The ones here are nice but I promise you exotic and delicious delicacies." he said with a soft smile as he took the smaller male's hand in his own pulling him closer to him so they could go together.

"An atelier you say? Why kind of art does your father make? Are you gifted in craftsmanship as well? Your hands look far too beautiful to be a worker's hands. I suppose you might be a painter though."

A shiver ran through the boy's back as Alaric whispered to his ear, an "Oh…" running from his lips against his will, flutters of excitment beginning to grow within him, he tightened his jaw for a brief moment trying to focus on something else, he didn't want to look too eager, and certainly didn't want to embarrass himself with something other than his nose growing in public. However, Alaric seemed to have other plans, the kiss on his cheek certainly didn't help the boy cool down.

"With a name like Wonderland, I can only hope things taste delicious over there." he said, his tone nearly dripping with admiration, the boy was truly enthralled. Once his hand was taken, he simply followed.

"Yes, papa is a… he tried to find the right words, he couldn't lie, but he could dance around the truth. He makes sculptures out of wood. He's very talented, they almost seem lifelike! You'd think they would start moving and talking." The irony was not lost on little Pinocchio, and he bit his tongue trying not to smile too hard. "Well, I can certainly try to draw you, but you'll have to promise not to laugh, I'm not as talented as my father."

"How curious." Alaric said as he held the other's hand in his own gently kissing over it as he thought, lips moving from his knuckles and turning it over to kiss his palm gently. Inwardly he was thinking about how horrifying it would be to not be able to lie. A well placed lie was more effective than any blade and he felt the young man had been done a terrible disservice by this fairy.

"Did the fairy also make you the most beautiful boy in your entire realm? Or did you just happen to be born so captivating?" Alaric mused a smile on his face as he reached to cup the other's cheek now, his thumb brushing against his cheekbone gently. "How about this hmm? You come back with me to my chambers, I wrap you up in something warm and soft, you can sit in my lap and whisper some truths in my ear while I feed you something sweet hmm? I promise I have the most wonderful treats to share."

When Alaric liked something, he liked it a lot. Already enamored with the pretty boy he decided he would like to spend his afternoon doting on the smaller male. He had such a sweet face.

"Oh, um." If he could, he would've probably blushed so hard his entire face turned the brightest of all reds. "Well, I wasn-" he paused, unsure if he should be open about his nature, about what he really was. "That wasn't part of the wish I made, no… I suppose I owe it to my papa." he said with a grin, looking away for a moment as a chuckle escaped him briefly. His gaze quickly firing back up to meet the nobleman's own when he felt his hand on his cheek.

"You… You want me in your chambers?" The boy's artificial breathing stopped for moment as he pondered the offer, staring up into Alaric's eyes, and repeating each and every word that were offered to him, considering the implications - or the innuendos.

Rory stares at the guy with surprise and awe.

"Your nose... it..."

Rory takes a surreptitious sniff of the air, smelling a strange blend of oak and human. He's never smelt anything like it before. There is definitely something strange about this guy.

"Who are you, and what are you doing?" he asks, tone curious and a little excited.

The sudden gesture takes Pinocchio completely by surprise, to the point he absolutely forgets what was going on around him, even forgets about his nose that usually embarrasses him, his eyebrows rise then furrow, then rise up again. Confusion quite obvious on his face, as is surprise. "Did you just sniff me?"

"Who would bring themselves to be mean to such a handsome boy like you?" Alaric cooed as he closed the space between them the tall elegant king, reached a manicured hand up to gently take a hold of Pinocchio's hand and let his thumb slide over the back of it, a tender gesture. "You are so charmingly cute. You must be careful or that lovely smile of yours will melt the snow."

The man told him he needed to be careful about his smile or it'll melt the north pole, and yet in the same breath he continued making it grow, all the while Pinocchio was left just staring up at him and feeling his cheeks flush - as if they could. "You're really quite charming yourself..." He said and slowly stopped covering his nose away.

"Ah so you are a bit sensitive about your height huh? You're so cute, so are the elves, I wouldn't take it as an insult." Of course Alaric would never have to worry about someone saying anything about his height, standing at aa tall and willowy 6'3. The white king licked his own candy cane, not wanting to risk his teeth by biting into it like the other male had.

Eyebrows furrowed further when the much taller figure commented on the obvious, "Sensitive about my hei-? No I'm not!" He was. And his nose grew another inch. The sudden shock and frustration making him completely oblivious to the compliment he had just received.

Rory takes in the massive workshop in wonder. The children in his village of course had stories of a Papa Klaus that brought gifts to bring joy in the cold winter months. But to see the expansive place where a version actually works? It's incredible.

And confusing. He's definitely lost and it's an unusual feeling. He's run through woods where every tree looks nearly the same but he never gets lost.

He slips past great hairy beasts - Yetis he believes he was told - and nearly trips over small men - elves? - trying to find a way back to the kitchen. He's starving.

Despite the loudness of the workshop (and it is extremely loud to his sensitive ears), he catches an odd sound. Snickering. He tracks it down until he finds a young man hiding behind a tower of tin soldiers. Crouching, Rory quietly sneaks up behind him.

"Are you hiding from someone?"

This was kind of a once in a lifetime experience, getting to see Santa's workshop. And although he promised his father he wouldn't get in trouble, Pinocchio quickly fell back into his old habits when he noticed how easy it was to sneak around the place. He wouldn't do anything bad, sure, but a little joke wouldn't cause any harm to anyone, if anything - he thought - it would liven up the place a little bit and give those hard working elves a little bit of something to chuckle about. Hopefully. A trusty firecracker slid under a stool, its fuse trailing across the floor and back to him, behind a tower of tin toys, waiting to be lit. As much as he did try, he couldn't help himself but grin and laugh about it already.

If he had a real beating heart, Pinocchio probably would have felt it stop for a sharp second when he realized the man of the house himself had heard him. Surely he wouldn't appreciate hearing such things coming from a guest, but to the puppet boy's surprise he didn't really seem to take offense himself either, apologizing in the stead of whoever it was that had mistook Pinocchio for one of the elves. Hearing Santa say he was cute made Pinocchio almost feel a blush coming to his porcelain cheeks - which was not possible, surely..? -