Page 49 of Noble Charms

The bartender swept by with two fresh glasses of wine and a bowl of fresh-baked nuts. This particular bar was highbrow enough that it’d continue to aid in Noble’s perception, but it had a comfortable enough atmosphere that Aria didn’t feel particularly out of place. Even if most people—including their server—believed him to be an adame, and not Noble’s friend. Aria gave the bartender a smile in thanks and faced Noble again. “Prince Regent is attractive.” He was fourth in line to the throne, if Aria remembered right—the younger brother to Princess Regalia. Regent was known for the time he’d joined a mercenary troupe, risking his life, and helped negotiate peace with a neighboring kingdom. All without his father, King Agolde, knowing a thing. Until it was finished, of course. He was a hero, probably. Aria eyed Noble for a moment and said, “You were jealous.”

Noble scoffed in a manner that seemed far too exaggerated to be sincere. “Please.” He picked up his wine glass, and Aria stopped him with one outstretched finger. He Blessed the drink, as an adame would, with a small sparkling magic spell.

Aria chuckled. “There, there. Don’t worry, Noble. You can probably bed the next one.” He sipped his own wine⁠—

“Oh, we went to bed. That’s how I got sick.”

Aria nearly snorted the wine up his nose as he gasped. He put down the glass before he hurt himself and said, “You didn’t.”

Noble tilted back his own wine, drank the whole thing in one go, and placed it upon the bar top to be replaced. He exhaled and said, “Indeed we did.”

Aria said, “The date couldn’t have been that bad, then. Are you going to see her again?”

Noble looked genuinely baffled at the question. “What? No.”

“Why not? You already had sex.”

Noble snorted. “So?”

“You liked her enough to go to bed. Isn’t that enough? I can’t believe you wouldn’t even consider seeing her again. Was it…” Aria fished for the right words, and sighed. It’s not as if Noble needed delicate handling. “Difficult?”

Noble flagged down the bartender to get another glass of wine, and popped a cashew into his mouth, and finally said, between gritted teeth, “It was different. I kept thinking of—” Noble snapped his mouth shut, and still had yet to look at Aria again. After a moment, he said, “It was different, that’s all.”

Aria tried to read between the furrowed lines of Noble’s brow. It was Virginia, he was sure. “Not terrible. You could give this lady another chance.”

Noble shook his head and pointed at Aria’s heart. “You only think that because you’re considering far more than her compatibility with me in bed. You clearly weigh other things more in a relationship. Sex is important to me. It has to be good.”

Aria huffed in reply. “You're wrong. Sex is important. I consider it highly in my partnerships. Which is why I don’t go to bed with many people, Noble.” He said the last part with his own finger outstretched, aimed at Noble’s heart.

Noble scoffed. “Come on. You're telling me it was good with your duke? I know better.”

Aria flushed, embarrassed. This had come up twice now, and he didn’t want Noble to have the wrong idea about his relationship with Ellor. “I don't want to admit this.”

Noble's face fell. “Sumas be. What is it?”

“Sex with Ellor was sometimes so good that it kept me attached to him for longer than it should have. I knew, years before we split up the final time, that we weren't good together. One of my biggest grievances was that we didn’t do it often enough. I wanted him to—” Aria snapped his mouth closed, and his face went iron-hot. “Sorry. I know you don't want those kinds of details.” He busied himself by eating a few nuts, and hoped they would soak up a bit of the wine.

Noble grabbed the legs of Aria's bar chair and dragged his seat closer, the metal screeching unpleasantly against the marble floor. He then looked Aria squarely in the face, eyes flashing with deep sincerity. “If I ever tell you I don't want those details, you must swear to kill me dead. By blade or magic, but you must. Because I will have been replaced by an imposter.”

Aria laughed, hiding behind a hand. “Fine, then. You don't need those kinds of details, Noble Yves.”

“Right. Right. Details like…” Noble waved a hand to encourage Aria on.

Oh, fine. Aria rolled his eyes and couldn't help but grin. “It's nothing wild. Ellor was stronger than me and sometimes he’d do something that I could not. Once, he lifted this pail of water that I couldn’t even drag across the washroom. He picked it up by the handle, like it weighed nothing, and dumped it for me into the bath.” The way he’d done it casually—it’d been hot. “And when he caught me staring, he picked me up, and put me in the water, and climbed in after that, fully clothed. And… I demonstrated my thanks.”

Not to mention all the times Ellor had fucked Aria standing. That was no easy feat—when Aria returned the favor the few times he had, up against a wall, they wound up with Ellor riding him on the floor instead.

Ellor was well strong. And Aria had really liked it.

“Displays of strength? That's the kink?” Noble made a point of scoffing loudly, sitting back in his chair. “Hardly a kink at all.”

Aria laughed, truly amused at how his love life must contrast against Noble’s. They were different people—beyond Aria being kinsme, even. Noble’s sexual flexibility had no doubt left him with a colorful history, even though he married young. “Not everyone is like you, Noble. I shudder to think of all that you’ve done in bed.”

Noble tried, and failed, to hide a smirk. “I'll try anything once.”

“You say that as if you're owed a medal.”

“I made my lady date spend thrice.”