Eirian had been planning to change before dinner, but when she reached her rooms, she found Chenzhou pacing in her solar, his face red, his hands shaking with nerves.
For one terrifying heartbeat, she thought something had happened to the Camelia. That someone had tried to retaliate against Mingzhe and he'd been hurt. That something had happened to Finn or Brendan.
But then his head jerked up, and he looked at her, and Eirian realized he was embarrassed, not afraid. His eyes were wide, pupils blown, not narrowed in worry.
"Chenzhou, what-"
"I kissed Mingzhe!" He seemed just as surprised by his outburst as Eirian was. She jumped as the door swung shut behind her.
"You what?"
"I kissed Mingzhe!" Chenzhou repeated, just as shrill as the first time. "I'm sorry. I should have spoken to you first, but it just happened."
Eirian blinked, absorbing his words. "Oh."
"Oh?" Chenzhou stopped pacing, but he shifted from foot to foot and she had the strange urge to reach out and hold him still. "Is that a good oh or a bad oh?"
The innocent concern in his question made her snort. What did he think they'd been doing these past couple of months when Mingzhe had become an integral part of their relationship? Did he think Eirian would be upset that they'd finally reached that point?
Maybe she was a little upset that he'd gotten there first, but really, that was just her pride, and it was a small thing. It was already starting to amuse more than annoy.
"Eirian?" The poor thing was clearly so nervous. It was a contrast to who he was as leader of the Camelia, as Lord Ye. Here he was just Eirian's husband. Her sweet, to kind for his own good husband.
Despite how they'd started, he wanted so badly to be a good husband now. To be a good partner and a good leader.
He really was nothing like what he'd seemed when Eirian had first come to the Camelia.
So, she kissed him. Grabbed him by the front of his robes and yanked him in and managed to keep them both standing as she pressed her lips to his.
It wasn't great at the start, because Chenzhou was surprised and Eirian was too caught up but after a second it settled. Chenzhou got his footing and Eirian's grip relaxed. Chenzhou's hands fell to her hips and squeezed, the most scandalous place he'd touched so far, aside from that night he kissed the mark on her back.
Eirian let go of his robes and slid her hands up his chest, neck, and into his hair, enjoying the feel of the silky locks between her fingers. Their lips moved together, figuring out how to move against each other and they found it after a few moments.
A warm wave of pleasure washed over her, and Eirian gave herself over to the moment, enjoying the start of the age-old dance between lovers. Those first blushes of those feelings poets and bards spent their lives trying to share.
***
The wall was cool and solid against Yuze's back. Kai Low was warm and solid against his front and his tongue in Yuze's mouth was like an invading force, bringing pleasure instead of pain.
Distantly, Yuze was confused, again, about how he'd ended up in this position, but he didn't feel strongly enough to stop. Instead, he pulled Kai Low closer, tilting his head to give the Bandri warrior better access.
This wasn't smart. It wasn't the time. It wasn't even the right person, but it silenced the dark voices in Yuze's head.
It was an inspiring feeling, the strange freedom that came from a quiet mind.
And no one had wanted Yuze like this since Akari, though there'd been a few times when he thought Fox might. They'd never know now.
But that voice, quickly went silent as well.
***
Finn crouched behind the settee and kept his breathing shallow, as quiet as possible.
Footsteps moved across the carpet, so light he had to strain to hear them. Only a few candles were still lit, the room was cast in huge shadows that drowned out any movement.
Finn crawled silently to the other end of the settee and peered around the edge into the darkness.
No matter how hard he strained, he couldn't see anything in the darkness.
The footsteps continued and Finn tried to focus his hearing and follow them, but his blood was pounding in his ears too loudly to hear anything of use.
He crept further around the settee, heart pounding. He held his breath and something grabbed his leg.
Finn shrieked, jumping in fright and smacking his head into the arm of the settee.
Brendan's giggles filled the silence as Finn lay sprawled on the ground, head pounding. "Got you!"
Finn groaned. "Yes, you did." Brendan crawled over him, knees and fingers digging into several sensitive areas until Finn's breath turned to a wheeze. "Good job, little prince."
Brendan reached his chest and dropped down, yawning against Finn's chest.
"I think it's bedtime, little one."
"Nooooo." The word broke on another yawn and Finn could feel his little body go still. He'd be out before Finn even got him to his bed.
He managed to roll to his feet without jostling him too much, but after a long day of lessons and probably more playtime than Min would be happy with, Brendan was so tired he didn't do more the snuggle closer, the heat from Finn's body helping to lull him to sleep even faster.
Min was turning down his sheets when Finn stepped into the bedroom and Finn put a finger to his lips when she looked up. She smiled and stepped back to let him lay Brendan in bed, and then she quickly stripped him down to his pants and shirt and tucked the blankets around him.
The creak of a window made them both turn.
"I'll get it," Finn whispered. "Must have left it open earlier."
Min frowned but nodded.
Finn was careful to step quietly as he crept out.
Min double checked the blankets, then the windows in the bedroom, before extinguishing the last candles.
A thud from the other room made her turn.
~ tbc