It came as a grumble at first, so quiet Flynn barely noticed. But after a prolonged groan he realized his hand had come to rest atop Yuri's head, stroking softly along the strands of hair. The swordsman shifted slightly, curled up closer into himself, and Flynn couldn't help smiling before he moved his hand away to turn a page in his book.

"Go to bed." Yuri's voice escaped into his pillow and became practically unintelligible. But Flynn could easily discern all his grumbles and groans.

"I'm not done yet."

"Who the hell cares." Yuri moved to his other side and lay his arm across Flynn's waist. "Bed. Now."

"Just a few more minutes, okay?"

Another groan from Yuri and he buried his face into the mattress. Flynn could feel Yuri's head nudging against his hip, and with a soft laugh he began stroking the dark hair at his fingertips again. Yuri fell silent, giving in to his undesired fate, while Flynn returned to the words on the page lit by the soft glow of candlelight. It was rare Flynn had the chance to read for pleasure rather than poring over law books and other tomes for work—he was taking all the time tonight allowed. And if that meant grumbles from Yuri, he would take it.

All too soon the chapter came to an end. He reached across Yuri to return the book to his nightstand, and with a deep breath blew out the candle. At that Yuri shifted to let Flynn settle under the covers, pulling him in close until Yuri's lips were practically pressed to his throat. Breath sent shivers through him, swore Yuri was just doing it to tease him, but soon enough lips met skin and slid up and down his neck, pausing at his Adam's apple until he moved up to Flynn's jaw. The earlier shivers had grown into a low heat that hummed through his body until he couldn't wait any longer. Flynn nudged Yuri's face up to his and met his lips in a needy kiss, hand cupping his cheek and brushing hair away, keeping him close, close, never wanting to leave. The feeling was mutual, evidently, with Yuri keeping a tight grip on his waist. Yuri teased at his tongue until Flynn gave in and let him inside his mouth, moans rising in his throat as Yuri slid his tongue over his.

"Oh, god," Yuri gasped, parting from his lips, "god, Flynn."

Flynn merely hummed and returned to giving quick pecks to his lips. Soon they dragged out into long, lazy kisses, no more words exchanged between them, only soft gasps of pleasure until both felt the weight of sleep tugging at their minds. Flynn broke away and nestled against him. But he kept a hand curled around the back of Yuri's neck where he stroked long strands of hair, and Yuri pushed his head back gently to place a kiss at his forehead before finally settling down, finally drawing into his sleepy embrace. And that was all he needed, really—that familiar warmth at his side, the familiar cadence of Yuri's breath, arms wrapped loosely around him; the assurance that he wasn't alone. But it wasn't stifling, wasn't overbearing.

Come morning that presence had shifted to his back—but he didn't mind in the slightest, and though he didn't dare risk waking Yuri by returning to his warmth, he was content with the mere sight of Yuri at peace. He did risk a kiss to Yuri's forehead, which didn't even register in Yuri's mind. He continued to slumber along, with hair disheveled by sleep, strangely cute if not a sloppy mess. How he managed to tame that hair Flynn never knew. He was almost a bit jealous; Flynn himself seemed to be cursed with perpetual bedhead, even with how short it was. A yawn crept up through Flynn's throat and he stretched out his fatigued muscles. Yuri barely moved beside him. He gave Yuri's head one last pat before he carefully slid out of bed to get ready for the morning. Yuri still slept as Flynn left the stateroom for the kitchen to request a platter of breakfast from servants, and when he returned found Yuri up at last, yawning while he attempted to comb out locks of hair.

"Breakfast is on the way," Flynn informed him. He sat on the bed and Yuri fell back onto the nest of blankets and pillows, wrapping himself up to try and block out the light. "Oh, come on. It's not that early."

"Is for me."

Flynn felt around for what he assumed was Yuri's shoulder. But Yuri only scooted away, shoving at Flynn with his feet whenever the blond tried to prod at him. Flynn chuckled and slipped back under the sheets. His hand met skin, met Yuri's arm, both laughing and pawing at each other and tussling under the blankets. A knock at the door stopped Flynn in his tracks, but Yuri kept wrestling even as he attempted to free himself from the sheets. He finally surfaced just as the door opened and a servant entered with tray in hand. Their eyes met in a brief moment silence and Flynn hurried to his feet, trying to straighten his tunic and hair while Yuri snickered in the background. His face heated as he retrieved their breakfast, but the servant made no comment on Flynn's guest or his state of dress, simply giving him a small smile before he bowed and left the room.

Flynn took one glance at Yuri and the swordsman laughed before curling up with blankets again.

"Be quiet." Flynn set the platter at his end table—fresh pieces of bread, fruit, mugs of coffee with steam still wafting over the rims, all wonderfully warm and delicious. It was enough to summon Yuri from the blankets, and Flynn handed off a mug before picking the other up for himself.

Yuri still sat shirtless but couldn't care less, his hair tumbling in a dark mess over shoulders and chest, enough of a sight for the warmth to begin creeping up Flynn's cheeks again. He turned away and took a sip before Yuri had the chance to take in his expression. But it was too soon and too quick; the coffee burned his tongue and throat and he ended up a flushed mess anyway as he tried to nurse his scalding mouth.

"Smooth," Yuri commented. He blew gently at his coffee before taking a drink, pulling a face all the while. "Damn, that's bitter."

"Who's smooth now?" Flynn smirked and nudged at a little dish of sugar. "Here. I figured you'd want some."

"Gee, thanks for not mentioning that before."

Yuri took a heaping spoonful of sugar and dumped it into his coffee. Flynn watched the liquid turn lighter shades of brown as the sugar mixed in with it.

"How can you even taste the coffee with all that?" Flynn spoke.

"Trust me, it's still there." Yuri tried another sip. "Mmm. That's more like it."

"No wonder you're so hyped up all the time."

"Yeah, well, I wonder why you always act so bitter."

Flynn wrestled with his thoughts and opted for a drink of coffee in the meantime. He was not about to lose an argument to Yuri, not again, not like every other time before, but Yuri took his silence as surrender and gave Flynn a smirk. As they ate sunlight poured through the window and warmed the rug at Flynn's feet. It was about time to start work for the day, and yet Yuri remained in bed, totally relaxed and content.

"No jobs today?" Flynn said.

"Not til this afternoon. Judy'll swing by to get me."

"Alright. Just don't sleep in too late." Flynn set his mug back on the tray. "I have reports to work on, so I'll just be in my office."

Yuri had finished his breakfast as well and had started to doze off, and Flynn moved strands of hair from Yuri's cheek to give it a kiss. Just when he moved away Yuri reached out for his neck to pull him in again, gracing his lips with a sleepy kiss and retreating under the blankets again when they parted. Apparently the sugar and coffee hadn't kicked in quite yet. But soon enough he'd be up and out the castle, back to his own little world, until they finally gravitated back to each other once more.