Chapter 42 #2
Matty nodded, setting his bag down and disappearing. It was a lavish space, far bigger than any bathing room had any need to be, though he could see why Claudio had wanted the bath here. It was more than large enough for two, with plenty of room to stretch out for one.
Matty used the toilet, washed his hands, and came back out to find Claudio had stripped out of his suit, down to his underthings.
He was hanging up the jacket for future wear and depositing the rest in what must be a laundry basket.
Then he turned, kissed Matty deliberately, and went off to run the bath.
Matty listened to the sounds for a little, and then worked on getting changed himself, letting the unfamiliar but comfortable domestic noise carry him along.
By the time Claudio reappeared— half an hour later— Matty was yawning a bit and in bed with a book.
It was also a ridiculously large bed, far more than any one person needed, and likely more than any two would fill.
Claudio had somehow acquired silk pyjamas, a rather immense luxury, but also one that made Matty want to run his hands all over them. He shrugged the top off as he got into bed. “We should talk, but—”
“But you’ve had a legendary sort of evening.” Matty said. “What’s urgent? That I need to know now?”
There was a moment while Claudio snuggled against him, warm and relaxed, and that made everything else better.
Whatever had happened to Claudio, it hadn’t changed anything about the two of them, and the more time Matty had like this, the more certain he was of that.
Changes, yes. But not to this. Claudio waved a hand at the charm lights, dimming the room.
Finally he said, “You don’t mind that I was exceedingly public and it’ll be in all the gossip papers tomorrow? ”
“I did say you could,” Matty pointed out.
“I didn’t ask that specific thing.” Claudio said too softly.
There was a note there that made Matty peer at him, then cup his cheek.
“I said yes. I certainly had an idea of the range of things you might do. And what the gossip’s been.
Mum will— well, I suppose I can imagine her and your mother both disapproving in their own ways.
And be a little amused as long as they aren’t doing it directly at me.
” He had to figure out words for this. “We’ll make it work.
And people did point out that, um, nasty slander has new legal consequences now, and reminding people of that might be handy. ”
“Mmm.” Claudio shifted to rest his head on Matty’s shoulder.
“You are very encouraging. And, well.” He let out a huff of breath.
“There were a lot of things in the Challenge. I don’t know what I want to talk about yet.
I think I need to talk some of it out with Gabe first, because he’s been through that?
And a bit with Orion, but I think Gabe might be more specifically relevant.
But she approved. The Lady. Of you and me, and the fact I said you were my lover and partner out loud. ”
“Did you?” That was, frankly, even more shocking than the kiss. Or at least the social implications of the kiss. “That’s why you came out, and the first thing you wanted to do was kiss me?”
“That.” Claudio said just the one syllable. “Are you good?”
Matty inhaled, held his breath for a second or two, and let it out more slowly.
“If, um. Is this the sort of thing where you can tell her things later? Or is that something only for a Challenge?” He did not expect Claudio’s reaction at all, which involved laughter into his shoulder.
Claudio made an inquisitive noise when he could breathe again, and Matty said, “Taking that as a yes. Would you tell her I’m glad she approves? Whatever way you want to put that.”
“Will.” Then Claudio wriggled. “And thank you for last night. The sex was exactly the right thing. Tell you more about that later. Probably when we can work ourselves up about it enjoyably.”
That was definitely not tonight. Matty’s thighs were in fact still complaining, despite some deliberate and vigorous training to be up to the task.
He ran a hand down Claudio’s shoulder. “All right. Tomorrow we should talk about the Ministry and the gossip. That’s tomorrow.
I have the day off. You have the day off? ”
“Do.” Then Claudio did one of the little shifts he did, like a kitten claiming a spot to curl up in. “Sleep now.”
There was no arguing with it, not that Matty wanted to. He arranged himself to be comfortable and found he was tired enough to drift off promptly once the conversation was done.
That lasted until sometime in the middle of the night.
Still truly dark outside, the thing that woke Matty was Claudio thrashing.
He knew the risks of waking someone in the middle of a nightmare, but he also didn’t need an elbow in the ribs or nose.
That would be extremely difficult to explain.
Healers could do a lot about many things, but bruises and noses were both tricky to fix quickly.
He managed to get a hand on Claudio’s shoulder.
“Claudio? Bad dream. Can you wake up?” It sounded far too rational, but his voice must have worked.
Claudio shivered several times, curling in on himself, and Matty just settled behind him, chin hooked over his shoulder, both of them on their left sides.
It let him get his right hand around Claudio’s chest, fingers touching his hand, until Claudio laced his fingers through.
They lay like that, not talking, until Claudio’s breathing evened out again.
Not everything in the Challenge had been approval, then. Or at least that was the logical analysis, given the evidence Matty had.