"I surrender to it," he mumbled back between loving kisses. Theo dozed a bit but startled awake some time in the night for the fourth or fifth time and decided enough was enough. Reluctantly he slunk back into his own bed, shivering at cold sheets after having scrubbed himself of his lover's scent for the second night in a row.

The following day was a peaceful blur for him. Post breakfast he had kicked off his shoes and coat in favor of sprawling out in his bed to read. The hours whittled away as he rolled this way and that into each new comfortable reading position. 

He was so engrossed in fact that come afternoon, he completely missed Fletcher's arrival into the room as he lay there kicking his legs and enjoying the adventures of a streetrat who had managed to gain the attentions of a cold-hearted Duke. 

Nose still in his book, Theo got up and distractedly poured himself some more water. He leaned against the side table, half sitting on the edge as one hand held the book and the other raised the cup to his lips.

"That simply cannot be physically possible," he exclaimed quietly to himself. He dropped the book down against his leg and was halfway to taking a gulp of water when he caught sight of Fletcher from the corner of his eye and let loose a high-pitched squeal of surprise that resulted in him defensively chucking the book at the other man. 

"Oh I'm sorry I'm sorry," he claimed immediately afterwards, while trying to reclaim the book before his lover did. "How long have you been sitting there?"

Fletch stole another kiss, this time lingering in it, besotted with whiskey and the man alike. What Theo had said — his fear that Fletch would want more than the man could ever give — echoed in his mind. It scared him, too, to burn this badly for someone. To ache for them and wonder if what he got would ever be enough to quench his thirst. To hold so much back that he thought he might burst. He stole another, and another, until he was sure he'd worn out his welcome. "I'm not real? You take the words out of my mouth, I'm going to steal them right back," he smirked, just barely readable for how close he'd remained to the man. "You've been warned."

He snugged up close, pulling Theo in to rest the man's head on his chest. "Balls," he muttered as he immediately began to drift. "Going to fall asleep like this. You really do it to me."

The next thing he knew, he awoke to an empty bed again, and to Theo's lingering scent on his pillow. He rolled over and buried his face in it and breathed deep, grinning like a happy cat. Today, at least, would be simple: there were no visits or piano lessons or obligations. He could be near Theo without the whole exhausting bullshit affair of playing the game. Maybe he could even make the man blush again for the fun of it. Besides. His shift would start that afternoon, and that meant that he had just enough time to run into town and fetch what Theo had been referring to: a means to allow them both some time to sleep without the fear of being caught.

He was late in relieving Niles. "Are they even open at this hour?" the man teased him mildly. "He's just reading. Nothing to report."

"I was shopping, you cock," Fletch snorted, holding up a bag as evidence that he had, indeed, not been out whoremongering for once. "Afternoon, then."

"Aye, afternoon."

He waited for his fellow bodyguard to disappear down the stairs and completely out of sight before he ducked into Theo's room. The nobleman had flopped down on his bed and appeared to be deeply invested in a book. Fletch wondered if it was one of the scandalous ones this time. He dropped the bag off next to the nanny door and found himself a chair to rest his feet. It was just by coincidence that that chair allowed him to watch the man in his quiet contentment for as long as the moment would allow.

He was lovely. Soft and sad and achingly beautiful. Fletch thought he liked Theo best like this: at peace in his own world, with nobody to impress and no expectations to uphold. No makeup, hair a bit of a mess, clothes picked for him and not for the day. He wasn't stiff, either. He was so at ease. Maybe Fletcher wanted the pretty boy he'd seen before the ball, but he thought this was the one he loved.

Theo openly and pointedly dragged his eyes open and down Fletcher's form with an appreciative hum. "You have no idea how many mornings I've woken up dreaming of your warmth and realizing I'm all alone. Devastatingly crushing.

"And now...knowing I'm allowed to, it still feels like a dream," he commented immediately moving to worm in close. "You're not real. You're too wonderful."

"Is it so bad that I want you?" Fletch replied earnestly. "The line's there, love. There's just a lot between here and there, that's all. As for the clocks...let me handle that, would you? It'll make sense if people see me doing that. It'll raise eyebrows if you tell a servant to. I won't say no to falling asleep next to you every night, though," he added. "I think I've been wanting that since...since I did it by accident."

He laid back down, head propped up on one hand, and pulled his eyepatch off with the other. "Don't mind me, just stripping right in front of you," he quipped as he flung the thing across the room to land on the floor in the corner. "Now come here, gorgeous. Let me hold you."

"You worry me that there are no lines for you. Cuddles and kisses until you fall asleep for now? We have a quiet day tomorrow at least. Have less to worry about being up early and bothered."

Slowly he moved in closer and adjusted to lay down while reaching for Fletcher to join him. "I'll see about getting us some candle clocks this weekend so we can actually get some sleep together instead of worrying about falling asleep. We'll have to test first of course that they'll wake you even. I can confirm that they'll do nothing for me," he chuckles softly. "Sorry about that."

He chuckled, cheeks creasing as he beamed. "I think you know exactly what I want, love. But seeing as I'm being a good little doggie, you show me where the line is. It's all your call, now. That's how it's got to work."

"No? I didn't realize. I'm sorry I've been withholding it from you then. I just got excited by the idea of pleasing you, of making you the umm—" he cut off and blushed deeper, looking away completely bashful. 

"I don't blush all the time I don't know what you're talking about. And you are very charming, and attractive, and intentionally impolite to get a rise out of me."

Theo looked up more confidently, his expression softening at the sweet words and gentle touches. "You're not the only one he reaffirmed. Far from it," he added before leaning in to give a sweet kiss. "You're exhausted. As much as I would enjoy...what I suggested earlier I think you're right and simple is best right now. There's always tomorrow. What do you want though? Your wants matter to me, dear heart."

Olwyn took a bath, sighing with relief. Finally she didn't smell like an abomination. 
It dawned on her then what Fletch had said. He wanted to leave tonight?!?!
He was probably right though. They couldn't afford to sleep. 
So she went into the room and fixed herself as best as she could so she didn't look like she had just practically swam in a sewer, then, sighing, opened the door. 
"You're right," she half grumbled to Fletch. 
"We should leave now, before—"
A commotion out in the tavern sounded. 
The guards had found them.

"Yeah, but...it's just not the same if it doesn't go both ways. I want to do the same for you, love. It won't feel right if I can't. Wait. Is...is this why you blush so much?" He smirked, basking in the glow of the man. "Here I thought I was just that charming. But no, every little thing sets you off, don't it? 'S never going to get old."

He returned his hands to Theo's and ran a rough thumb over the man's knuckles. "You know I know what I'm talking about with this. And it wasn't me being pent up. The way you touch me drives me wild. It's not like anything I've had before. You're...you're not like anyone I've known, Theo. You've got me falling so hard for you."

Fletcher's smirk had softened to a tired smile as he gazed lovingly at the beautiful man before him. They'd come full circle back to simple. This was what he'd wanted. This was where he needed to be. "What do you want tonight? I'm all yours."

The kiss as it often did threw him off guard and by the time Fletcher was pulling away he was a blushing mess again. But it was the smile that eased his worries and his tension. He didn't know how Fletcher did it but every time he smiled like that it just made Theo melt. He knew everything would be okay in the face of it.

"You can be a fiend," he replied softly. "It is not as if you will not be receiving attention from me. I enjoyed treating you."

Theo blushed again and sat further back after he had been unconsciously leaning closer towards the other man. He nodded in response unable to meet his eye. "You have been without for some time is all. But thank you for the compliment."