Pot and Kettle

He feigned a bemused look, as if he couldn't possibly know what she was talking about. Lies? Hardly. Deflection... absolutely. Details. Totally different things, of course.

Sebastian, barriers dulled slightly by now, couldn't avoid rolling his eyes. And they could replace me faster than my family before me. He shrugged. The throne wasn't something he'd taken because he wanted it. He'd done it because it was the right thing to do. Knowing he could do more for both Starkhaven and the Free Marches as a whole, than some distant cousin that probably couldn't walk and talk at the same time. Didn't make him think himself any more important than others.

After a moment he sighed, nodding in agreement. He couldn't exactly disagree. The people who'd not fled to city-states he'd annexed were not doing well, from what he'd heard so far. Fine, fine. You can coordinate with my military advisor. I'm sure they'd have some suggestions for you to consider.

Offering a bit of a teasing grin, Sebastian chuckled. Failing what? Keeping your nose out of every citizen's business? Wasn't exactly her fault back in the day that every person living in Kirkwall somehow managed to make their business the business of the Hawkes on a regular basis.

Looking up at Aoife's returned sentiment, he smiled again. This time straightening up off the desk he'd been leaning on. She'd moved and he began to consider it might have been time for him to leave her be to settle in. The conversation had gotten heavier than he expected, though perhaps he should have - considering what was asked of him to get to this point.

Briefly, oh so briefly, everything slowed down to a crawl. She'd shifted, moved. Upward and closer until...

Shock crashed over Sebastian when their lips made contact. This wasn't, exactly, the first time she'd given him such a thank you. But this was... different? Not that he was sure what was different. That was, perhaps, a question for later. For now... now he regained his mind fairly quickly in the grand scheme of things.

Hands reaching for either side of her face, he pulled her back into another kiss. More passion lingering behind it, years of unspoken affection for Aoife barely held in check. Even in his current state of mind, he reigned himself back and broke away with a breath. Aoife, I... Crossed a line? Should go? The previous composure started to erode in a slight moment of panic at leading his guard down so far to reach this point.