Molun’s expression was stubborn. “It’s not too bad tonight.”
“Please let me help.”
Molun’s expression went wooden. Trill knew what it was like to feel like you couldn’t do what you were supposed to do. So he put on his best leer.
“Wouldn’t you rather save your energy for what you’re going to do in bed with me? I promise I can make it worth your while.”
Molun huffed a laugh that sounded a little frustrated, and then he sighed and leaned back against Arvus, who had been carefully shadowing him the whole time.
“All right,” he whispered. “Just this once.”
Trill hoped it wasn’t just this once, because he wasn’t going to be able to heal him fast enough to make sure the stairs weren’t painful the next time Molun needed to use them. There were at least four levels in the castle—he hadn’t been able to tell for sure—but it was pretty clear that Molun couldn’t simply stay on one level all the time.
Arvus swept Molun up into his arms, and Molun clung to him, that heartbreaking mixture of frustration and relief on his face. Trill pressed his hands behind his back, curled them into fists, and didn’t let himself touch the other man the way he wanted to. He’d be able to touch him all night, and he could release acareful, controlled amount of energy then. Now was not the time to do something stupid and put his blissful night and the small chance of seeing his uncle in jeopardy.
No, Trill was going to be smart, even if it pained him.
They took the stairs more quickly now, even with Arvus carrying his partner, and Trill thought of all those muscles and what he could do with them.
“Could you fuck someone while carrying them up the stairs?” he asked curiously.
Arvus faltered slightly, and Molun made a happy noise.
“Ooh, we haven’t tried that, have we? I thought we’d tried everything.”
“We’re not going to try it right now,” Arvus said firmly.
Molun pouted, and Trill barely managed not to laugh. Arvus rolled his eyes.
“No,” he said firmly.
Molun’s lip quivered. Arvus now looked like he was trying not to smile.
“Baby, we’re in the middle of the castle, and anyone could come up or down these stairs at any point. Remember that we agreed to try not to get caught having sex?”
The pout just got more pouty before Molun said, “We promised Brannal we’d try not to get caught having sex. I don’t care if Cormal yells at us.”
Trill perked up at the mention of his uncle. Maybe—
“Baby,” Arvus said, and his voice was a little sterner now.
Molun was petting his chest. “But Arvus—”
Arvus shot him a look.
Molun let out a big sigh. “All right.”
Now Arvus shot Trill a look. “No more big ideas today, all right? Or only ones that are confined to the bedroom.”
Trill nodded, feeling a bit bad. “All right. Sorry.”
Molun reached out, and Trill put his hand in the other man’s.
“No, no, he doesn’t mean it like that. He just worries about me. I would probably have been able to convince him if I wasn’t hurt, because we could have run off if we heard someone coming. I can’t really run off now. He worries too much.”
“No such thing,” Arvus said gruffly.
Molun smiled, but his eyes were sad again.
