He was going to reach the limits of his self control. Between Greengrass' breath on his neck, the suggestiveness in his tone, and the way their bodies were were pressed together in every way except the way Valerian needed them to be, he was going to go mad before they could climb up the stairs. Had they not just been involved in a side-along apparition accident he would have apparated them to the bedroom without another word, but he knew Greengrass well enough to know he'd probably react poorly to that.
Despite his quickening heartbeat and despite the strain in his trousers, Valerian knew this was different. Greengrass was acting different. He was bolder, more willing to taunt him; he usually reached this point once they were already in bed and their shame disappeared with their clothes, but Greengrass wasn't waiting for him to take the lead. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to push back and reassert himself as the dominant one in their dynamic or if he ought to tease Greengrass and see how long it would take for him to fully take matters into his own hands.
Better to save it for the bedroom, though, because he didn't have the patience to continue the game from the drawing room. None of the servants would be about, but anyone who thought to come through the fireplace (as unlikely as it was) could find them. "Tell me," he said, his hand back in Greengrass' as he led them out of the drawing room, "Do the stairs count as the first first floor?" The mental image of their clothes dangling from the railing and scattered across the steps brought a smile to his face, and he couldn't help but stop at the bottom of the steps to press a kiss against Greengrass' lips before they began their climb.
Despite his quickening heartbeat and despite the strain in his trousers, Valerian knew this was different. Greengrass was acting different. He was bolder, more willing to taunt him; he usually reached this point once they were already in bed and their shame disappeared with their clothes, but Greengrass wasn't waiting for him to take the lead. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to push back and reassert himself as the dominant one in their dynamic or if he ought to tease Greengrass and see how long it would take for him to fully take matters into his own hands.
Better to save it for the bedroom, though, because he didn't have the patience to continue the game from the drawing room. None of the servants would be about, but anyone who thought to come through the fireplace (as unlikely as it was) could find them. "Tell me," he said, his hand back in Greengrass' as he led them out of the drawing room, "Do the stairs count as the first first floor?" The mental image of their clothes dangling from the railing and scattered across the steps brought a smile to his face, and he couldn't help but stop at the bottom of the steps to press a kiss against Greengrass' lips before they began their climb.
