Barcus only sleeps for a few minutes. Most of his time lying there with them is taken up with just listening to the slow breathing and soft, steady heartbeat under his ear. And thinking. About them, about Bel, about lovers past and present, about passion and worship and the quiet moments in between them.

He doesn't stir until Viktor does, unwilling to be the one to wake them. When he does lift his head, he's flushed from the heat of being pressed so close for so long, and his eyes are a just a little red. Sleepy, teary, bit of both? Either way he smiles at them and gingerly begins to disengage, starting with his lower body.

"How do you both feel?"