Morning crept in quietly, the pale wash of light slipping through the curtains and catching on the edges of the room. Elias stirred first, his lashes parting against the weight of sleep, and found himself exactly where he had fallen asleep, Victor's arms wrapped firmly around him, his chest rising in steady rhythm against Elias's back.
It was warmer than it should've been, more comfortable than Elias had any intention of admitting. The kind of comfort that had nothing to do with silk sheets or the absurdly expensive mattress and everything to do with the heavy, grounding press of another body refusing to let him drift alone.
'God damn it. Why do I like this so much?'
He shifted slightly, testing the strength of the hold. Predictably, Victor's arm only tightened, a silent command even in sleep. Elias stilled, jaw tightening, then exhaled through his nose. 'Of course.' Even unconscious, the man behaved like possession was a reflex.
