Raoul is surprised and also not surprised, to see Erik arrive at his house early, he is surprised that there was a knock before he suddenly appeared, which is new. Raoul also remembers that he requested that Erik wait to be let in, however, small steps are being made, so he will not argue or press the issue.

"You're early by a few hours." Raoul says he heads to the kitchen, the catering staff will arrive in one hour.

"I came to offer assistance." Erik looks around.

"You came to help me? I'm hiring professionals to do all the things. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee,"

"Wine."

"Wine is it. What would Meg like?" Raoul looks around. He does not see her.

"Juice or a carbonated cancer." Erik is at the bar and looking for glasses, He finds something passable, passes it to Raoul who takes, and pours him some wine.

"Where is your, as you put it, progeny?"

"Upstairs. Exploring."

"Fantastic." Raoul pours a double gin for himself.

"Do you have a cleaning staff?" Erik touches some of the furniture, delicately. Raoul nods.

"Comes by twice a week."

"Twice a week."

"Why?"

Raoul sits down and Erik hesitates, he remains by the bar.

"You've been here before, why are you being so finnicky?" Raoul drinks slowly, he watches Erik, annoyed at his behavior.

"Different eyes. Three times a week would be better." Erik sips his wine.

"Three, you think?" Raoul is happy with his twice arrangement.

Erik nods.

"Well, when you move in, you can have the cleaning as frequent as you like, until then it's twice." Raoul settles this with raising his glass before imbibing in the gin goodness.

"Good to know."

"Is there a reason why you're being so closed off and distant? Oh. You came early to break up, didn't you?"

"What? No, don't—I mean, no, I'm content with furthering us."

Erik likes to note, that he is smiling, albeit, awkwardly, and though it cannot be seen, it is genuine. Realizing the, not being able to show off the smile, he moves closer to Raoul in show and attempt to be physically and emotionally closer.

"You say you want this, but your actions are so angry and cold." Raoul says.

"I'm not angry. If I were, you would know. I'll try this again." Erik inhales deeply and forces himself to sit down on the sofa next to Raoul. After a second of not dying, he deems it safe and tries to relax, and leans back. Still not dead, and in perfect health, he exhales and accepts that he will live while seated on the dusty sofa with his romantic lead.

"Thank you." Raoul swirls the gin around in his glass. Erik is dramatic and everything is extra with him, he needs to adjust to that.

"I came early to discuss certain things." Erik finds his white gloves of great interest.

"Discuss, what? Oh, god. If you're telling me about some sort of—"

"Marriage. Jules wanted marriage when we were together." Erik turns to him slightly.

"Oh."

Raoul closes his mouth, turns, and listens to the rest.

"Yes. It did not work out, obviously. We, uh, remained close, as we both moved on. Sometimes there is a pull, if you will, that brings us together. When you are with someone for almost eight years—we went through a lot, during our time together. It doesn't just fade away." Erik finishes his wine.

"You still have strong feelings for him, and are warning me?" Raoul is picking up what Erik is putting down, Erik nods.

"I wanted to clear the air." Erik looks down, he has no wine left, Raoul takes the hint, grabs the glass, and plays bartender.

"I'm happy with us, but I did-do still love him." The gloves again, he finds very interesting. He dares to make quick glances at Raoul.

"If you're not ready to move on and be in—"

"I am, I'm just being honest with you. I would not have pursued and persisted with you, if I didn't want you or this." Erik gestured the two of them. He accepts his refuel and drinks.

"Okay. So, you still love Jules, but you like me and want to keep it going, that's what you're saying?" Raoul is trying not to overuse his hands and is very aware that he gestures. He keeps sending shy glances at Erik to see if he is noticing the hands.

Erik nods.

"Understood. Air cleared."

Thought occurring. Raoul settles back on the sofa.

"Is that why Meri is so nervous around you? He's just waiting for you the two of you to elope?"

"Something like that." Erik shrugs.

Raoul can understand that.

"Well, thank you."

Erik practices breathing and nods.

"That was difficult."

"I suppose I understand, if I loved someone and it ended, and then I started something, and the first choice was a viable option, I'd probably dump me."

"I'm not ending things. I don't want to end things. That is my point. Despite how it looks, I want to be with you. Jules and I still have the same problems, no matter how attracted we are to each other, we still have the same problems. It will not work. You and I, we have potential." This time it sounds earnest, serious, that Erik believes he wants this. Raoul feels more confidant now.

"You asked me questions about my past and I also came here early to discuss, what I am ready to elaborate." Erik says.

"Oh, I'd like to know you." Raoul gives him his full attention, Erik responds by giving his wine, his mouth's full attention.

"I ran away from my mother when I was nine. I ended up meeting a gypsy traveling entertainment tribe, I suppose. I stayed with them until I was 11. We used each other. I had talents and skills, and they taught me things. I learned a lot about humans from my time with them."

Raoul picks up on Erik's use of, "humans," as if he views himself, Erik, a separate creature from humanity.

"The first six months they kept me in a cage, once I was able to manipulate my master, and had power, I was able to get my own tent and control what services I provided and what entertainment I brought to the tribe."

"They kept you in cage?" Raoul asks, voice quiet, he already knew this, but hearing it, makes it real.

Erik nods.

Raoul knows some things he's sure Erik is about to tell him thanks to the diary. Raoul has to keep close eye on his own tongue, so he doesn't betray himself or Denny, or Toni, as she is the one who gave him the diary in the first place. Raoul exhales, and he's got this.

"That's disgusting, I am so sorry." He reaches out to him.

"You didn't do it to me, you have nothing to apologize for."

"Then on the behalf of my fellow humans. I am sorry. That is wrong, and it should not have happened."

"Your words are pretty but meaningless. You did not wrong me personally, and you have nothing to make amends to or for, Leto." Erik pats Raoul's hand, he does not mean to be cold, he just doesn't understand why Raoul is trying to apologize.

"No one should be forced to live or suffer life a in cage."

"Do not apologize for those who wronged me." Erik has accepted his sufferings and the past.

"There are good people, and I wish you met more of them." Raoul wants to hold Erik sometimes, likes he the puppy who never got the hugs.

"I met you and Nettles."

"I appreciate your existence." Raoul says, he moves to the bar, more gin.

"Thank you."

Erik needs more liquid courage and imbibes.

"The last night I was there, my master, the last pathetic creature that dared to claim ownership of me, tried to take my innocence," Erik laughs something bitter, dark, humorless," by force. I disagreed. I gutted him. It was beautiful. Artwork. That is the night I learned; murder can be beautiful too. I took back my power. No one has power over me."

"He tried to rape you?"

Erik nods.

"He soon found he could only go so far." Raoul can hear the smirk behind the mask.

"After that I went to Italy for a bit. I met Nettles around then, before that I was in Persia. Persia, that's for another day."

"Thank for you this."

"It's difficult for me to discuss these things. Meg knows nothing. It's for the best."

They sit in silence. Raoul does like it, Erik welcomes. Raoul taps his hand.

"We could fuck around until the catering staff arrives," instead of a verbal response, Raoul is grabbed and pulled onto Erik's lap.

"You're not wearing this to dinner, are you?" Erik gently tugs at Raoul's shirt.

Raoul frowns, he likes to think he has impeccable fashion sense. He goes to the mall and orders online through Amazon like proper young adults.

"What wrong with this?"

"This weekend I'll take you where you'll learn to dress like a proper boy."

"I dress properly." Raoul is six again and the prep boys wouldn't shut up about how he was not going to be at a proper Eton—aaaaaah. All thoughts are then replaced by pleasure and white noise.


Raoul is upstairs, wearing his stripped boxers and white undershirt. Erik comes back into the room, holding a suit with a tweedy blazer, Raoul backs away from it, as if it's a foul fiend.

"This is the least offensive thing I could find. What's wrong with you?" He lays it out on the bed.

"Where did you find that." Raoul is not okay. He wants to throw holy water on the thing.

"I found it in the wardrobe of the room at the end of the hall."

Raoul shakes his head.

"That's his. I don't want it." Raoul tries to be as far away from it as he can.

"His?"

"Grandfather." Raoul wants to set it on fire. The man's clothing can set him off, that is how pathetic he is. Raoul tries the breathing exercises Reyer taught him.

"Oh. I'm sure I can find something else in yours." Erik goes to the closet and pushes and pulls back different blazers, coat, suit jackets. He finds simple black slacks, pink collar dress shirt.

"This will suffice for now."

He hands the outfit to Raoul. Meg runs down the hall, she runs back and stops.

"Am I allowed to eat the food?"

Raoul nods.

"Yes, it's food. You can have plate."

Meg salutes and then runs off again.

"The Canadian influence changed her. There's a lot I have to undo." Erik says through clenched teeth. He unclenches and clenches his fists and practices his own breathing exercises.

"She's cool."


Reyer immediately heads to the bar as soon as he enters the house. Raoul smiles and follows him, already needed.

"You good?" Raoul whispers. Reyer leans into him.

"Just picking wine to bring became a thing. Do you like Merlot? Because I like Merlot, but no. no," Reyer laughs through his teeth," that is wrong. He chose some bullshit that cost 400 dollars. I wanted to die." Reyer drinks vodka from the bottle. Raoul smiles, and gently takes the vodka bottle away, and he goes through the motions of mixing him a proper drink.

"Please don't leave me in a room alone with him." Reyer smiles before he downs the drink in one gulp and then hands the empty glass to Raoul.

"I need you to pace car and it's a dinner, so we're all eating together at the table, at the same time, in the same room, so no one will be left alone with anyone." Raoul tends the bar, hands Reyer his drink and watches him closely.

"I can pace car," he takes baby sips, Raoul nods in approval. Raoul takes Reyer's arm and leads him to the sofa.

"Sit and enjoy, slowly, the pre-dinner cocktails." Raoul raises his glass of gin and leans back.

"Give us a tour?" Jules asks, he's on the other side of the sofa. Raoul looks up and nods and stands.

"Tour, tour, tour." He opens his arms wide.

"Favorite, the bar and entertainment lounge. I have a wine cellar down the steps, through that door," he points to a door by the bar itself," and grandmother had this atrium thing, come on, she was obsessed." Jules and Reyer follow Raoul as he leads him to a different part of the house

After wasting about forty minutes of touring, Raoul circles back to the entertainment lounge.

"Dinner should be set up now, we'll eat through here," Raoul leads them to the dinning area, and yes, the table is set with food, steak and salad. Raoul is a remarkably simple young rich man, with very simple wants.

As a favor to Reyer though, he did make one odd request: ten red balloons as the centerpiece, with a copy of a certain book as the weight.

"Why would you do this?" Jules wants to punch Raoul, and very much had to resists. He literally almost punched Raoul. He walks away from him and to a seat, to prevent violence.

"I don't understand your obsession with balloons and cats," Erik says to Raoul. He doesn't want to strike him; he just doesn't understand his lover's mind sometimes.

"I killed a cat on accident once. There was a lot of blood." Raoul blinks away the memory.

"Is there a story there?" Erik asks, he half wants to hear it. He wants Raoul to sit down, so he can decide where to sit. He gestures for him to do.

"Later," Raoul takes the hint, sits across from Jules. Erik sits next to Raoul and Reyer panics, he must sit across from Erik. He stares down at the plate, refusing to look at the masked man.

"I don't usually pray before food, but I know that both of you came from France, so I'm assuming Catholic?" Raoul says. Jules shakes his head; Erik scoffs and laughs darkly.

"I wasn't raised religious, and we never spoke before we ate." Jules says, his voice kind. Reyer's head is still down, intensely looking at the plate. Jules elbows him to look up.

"We prayed growing up, but I don't before I eat now." Reyer says softly. He's growing paler by the minute.

"I belong to the church of Erik."

"Well, tuck in everyone!"

They do. Reyer pokes his food, not hungry. Raoul watches him with sadness.

"Meri, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I love the balloons." He smiles, it doesn't fit his face.

"Do you do this every night?" Jules asks. Raoul shakes his head.

"I have frozen food, or pizza. Or if I stay at Erik's, he has food." Raoul nods to the man next to him. Jules laughs and leans forward.

"Has he let you see him eat yet?" Raoul, leaning forward shakes his head.

"Have you?"

Jules sits up straight.

"I'll never tell." He says playfully.

"So, wedding next month! Exciting!" Raoul says, trying to keep the mood light, Reyer to get in a good, better place.

"Oh, it would be if the venue hadn't called. They lost their license! I have to use my second choice and I'm not getting my money back. I got everything sorted, but that was a headache." Jules remembers wine exists and drinks from his glass.

"Meri, you didn't say anything," Raoul would have helped Reyer through a panic attack if he called. Reyer starts to eat.

"It was handled, everything is fine." Reyer says, he stares at the balloons like a shark waiting in the shallows.

"I told you." Erik says smugly.

"Yeah, yeah." Jules waves his hands dismissively.

"Doughnut station though." Raoul says happily.

"Doughnut station, is that your influence?" Jules is about to stab him.

"What is wrong with a simple cake? Erik, you had cake, right?"

"Nettles likes these tiny tart things. We had a dessert tray of those stupid tarts." Erik did not enjoy certain aspects of his wedding, but overall, it was fine.

"Cake is tradition." Jules says.

"A doughnut station would be fun and unique." Erik says, Raoul wants a stupid doughnut station, what the hell, why not, says he.

"You think?" Jules sighs. Erik nods. Jules turns to Reyer.

"Doughnut station?"

Reyer nods.

"I'd love it."

Jules takes out his phone and taps several keys.

"The things you do for your future husband and wedding guests."

"Thank you," Reyer says, the first genuine smile of the evening.

"Do you cook, Raoul?" Jules asks, Raoul feels his spine tingle. There is something off about the question.

"I can, but I'm lazy. My mother and grandmother collected recipes, and I have them around somewhere. Do you cook?" Raoul's something tense is about to happen, senses are buzzing.

"I do. I was just curious, I used to cook for Erik all the time. He loves my pasta."

"Lovely."

Is he trying to make jealous and insecure?

Raoul casts a quick glance at Erik, hard to read a completely masked face, but his body language? Raoul frowns, he can't tell much either.

"I bake," Reyer says, he smiles. Raoul nods.

"Baking is fun, we could have a baking party." Raoul tries to remember where the cookie sheets and Bundt pans are.

"Baking and movie night?" Reyer suggest, Raoul agrees.

"Your people do that each Halloween, at the Opera. They use the Pink Room. I let them as long as they pay for the night." Erik says.

"They have a baking party?" Raoul asks, confused. They bake at the Opera?

"No. They bring in sweets and watch movies. They have someone bring a computer and the film is projected on the wall or a white sheet." Erik explains.

"That makes sense. We could join them." Raoul wants to be active with his players. They seem to respond well when he is.

"They invite me, but I lack the interest. I'm content with the money they leave." Erik says, his plate is untouched, the others are halfway through.

"Erik's favorite movie is about those clowns." Jules says with an evil smile. Erik chokes on his wine. He slams his fist on the table.

"False." His voice hoarse.

"You love it." Jules grin grows.

"The second worst thing Denny brought into my house." Erik hisses.

"Did he ever finish his nursing program?" Raoul asks, Jules shrugs.

"I wouldn't know about that." Jules starts on his plate again.

"How'd you know he was in a nursing program?" Erik asks.

"Hm?" Raoul realizes the mistake too late.

"In fact, I don't think I've ever mentioned Denny to you." Erik says, curious now.

"Uh, Toni. She briefly mentioned him." Raoul says, it is not a lie.

"Why." Erik forgets about the others in the room. It is an Erik and Raoul world now.

"I asked about previous relationships and she mentioned his name." Raoul drinks all the gin.

"Interesting." Erik interlocks his fingers and rests his chin on his closed hands and watches Raoul.

"Who's Denny?" Reyer asks, completely lost and out of the loop.

"My ex." Erik's attention is still entirely on Raoul.

"Oh, he die or something?"

"Meri." Jules kicks him under the table. Reyer wines and curses as he grabs for his leg.

"I wouldn't know." Raoul feels hot. He is sure his face is changing color.

"Are you feeling all right, lover? Your face is turning such curious shades." Erik tilts his head. Raoul stands and he leaves the table.


Raoul is pacing in the kitchen trying to get some air, trying to breath. Failing the breathing techniques.

Erik grabs him, stops him, steadies Raoul.

"I will ask you one more time, how do you know about Denny?"

"Toni told me a little, like I said. I'm not lying." Raoul says this and is able to look into those burning golden feline eyes.

"And what did she say?"

"That you had an ex named Denny. She liked him, that's it." Raoul tries to play nonchalant.

"That's it?" Erik repeats. Raoul tries to break free, he cannot.

"Is this a trigger for you? Is there something I should know about him?"

"He was special." Erik lets Raoul go.

"Special, eh?" Raoul rolls his shoulders and stretches his arms.

"Yes." Erik says, he's far away. Raoul starts to leave,

"I'm sorry. I wasn't going to hurt you," Erik says quietly.

"No harm, minor foul." Raoul says playfully, Erik accepts that.

"Denny is a topic I'm not going to discuss with you, don't ask about him."

"Fair enough."


"Nightcap?" Raoul frantically closes the diary and shoves it in between the mattress. Erik watches him and hands him a wine glass.

"Thanks!"

After dinner, Raoul retired early to bed, and by bed, he was catching up with Denny's Diary, or was until Erik found him just now.

"Scandalous book?" Erik's tone is playful, but Raoul is getting better at being able to read Erik and how to translate what he is really saying.

"Grandmother's diary. I feel weird when others see me reading it, like it's rude."

"You ask about my life story," Erik moves pillows on the bed, and organizes a space for himself.

"Yes, thank you for the willingness to tell me." Raoul smiles, he means it.

"Tell me yours, it's what's fair. Equal exchange." Erik jumps onto the bed. Raoul wonders if he'll make an indentation on the bed, because of his skeletal frame. He's surprised there's weight, when he jumped on.

"My story?" Raoul doesn't think there's much tell.

"Yes."

"It pales in comparison to yours. I haven't done much in my life." Raoul struggles to think of anything remarkable.

"We're not comparing, we're, what is it you call it? Relationship building. I told you a lot of my past, you told me nothing." Erik turns to look at him, and Raoul looks away, masked face or no masked face, Erik's intimidating as all get out.

"My family left England when I was about 11. My parents died in an accident when I was 15. My brother raised me after that. He's seven years older than me. I was supposed to join the Navy, that was the plan. Everyone in my family has served in some way, but instead of attending the American Naval Academy I went to Columbia and after I graduated, I did society stuff and then found my way to Opera Popularie."

Erik shakes his head and makes strange bitter sounds.

"I gave you painful details. Not spark notes." He turns his body to give Raoul his full attention. He props himself on his elbow.

"Why did you join that cult? When did you join?"

Raoul inhales sharply. There is that bit about his life. That one could argue was interesting.

"I was sixteen and I got into a stupid argument with Phillippe, my brother. He wanted me to start to train, to get in shape for my future with the Navy. I told him I did not think I had the interest anymore, we got into argument about duty and legacy. He's the head of the family and he had certain responsibilities and I had my own."

Raoul pauses to drink some liquid courage.

"I said stupid hurtful things, he said stupid hurtful things. I don't remember leaving, but I did. I went into this blind manic panic run. I remember sitting at bench outside a park. Someone started to talk to me, we went to a diner, and it was nice."

Raoul stops, he needs another minute or two. He stares at his hands; he inhales and exhales and starts again.

"I didn't want to go to Phillippe, I was still hurt, my new friend said I could stay with them, they had a group home, that's how they made it sound, so I went with them, and I met everyone. They were nice, very welcoming. Something was off from the beginning. They way they said things."

Raoul can see his sixteen-year-old ghost mingling in that house, talking, and forgetting the hurt.

"I stayed. Even I after I figured out what they were, It felt good to be there, I didn't owe any dead relatives anything, my family name didn't matter there. I had a role, and what I did with that role is what mattered. But the closer it came to officially be in the family, I saw how insidious it was. Some of the children were removed, I do not know if they were killed or just abandoned somewhere, but once they left the house, you were not allowed to talk about them. They simply did not exist."

Raoul closes his eyes and tries to fight back certain memories.

"I was close to some to the "bad batch," kids. I don't understand why they were considered wrong or a failure. I think I could have helped them, but I didn't."

Raoul shakes his head, trying to clear the bad, and think of something shallow and pretty.

"You eventually left," Erik says. Raoul nods.

"I was Seventeen. I dropped out of high school, so I had a lot of catch up to do. It was mentally exhausting, but I was able to catch up to my year." Raoul is proud of that fact.

"So, that's my cult life."

"Was it consensual."

Raoul had not expected that question.

"What?"

"The children, I assume, they had sex to have these batches, as you put it. Was that rape or consensual? Is that part of the insidious nature of the cult?"

"I think it was both. Or they thought it was consensual? Like, they were conditioned."

"So, no."

"When you put it that way."

Raoul feels sicker.

"Thank you." Erik leans over and kisses Raoul's nose though his mask.

"Oh!"

Erik snaps his head and turns to the doorway, Jules is there.

"I see we're comfortable."

He makes a hasty exit.

"Was I rude earlier? I thought I made a polite exit." Raoul is not used to hosting multiple overnight guests in such a manner. Sleepovers were easy, just did whatever, but this was more, tweedy. Raoul feels stiff and stretches and moves his shoulders.

"No, I think he's more upset with me." Erik sighs.

" .Oooh." Raoul again, feels delated and wants to hide inside himself. He wraps the blankets around him and tries to hide, to get swallowed.

"Stop it." Erik pulls the covers back.

Raoul wants them back.

"I meant what I said earlier. He's never seen me with anyone else, so it's, real." Erik explains, he's ready to get out of bed, but pauses.

"I'm not ending things, you know that, right? I'm just going to talk to him."

Raoul feels a little better.

Erik growls a little, and then he grabs Raoul's shoulders and kisses him, though the mask again, because of course he does, and rests his masked face against Raoul's.

"I'm coming back." Erik says half angry. Raoul accepts this. Erik gives another quick masked kiss before he leaves the bed and room.

A minute later Reyer pops by.

"Quick sleepover party?" Raoul asks. Reyer nods, asking for permission with his eyes, Raoul flips the covers over, Reyer wastes no time and jumps onto the bed.


Jules finds the bar very lovely. He opens the bottle of wine he brought and pours a very generous helping.

"I told you I was seeing someone." Erik is behind him. Jules can feel him, and he drinks faster than intended.

"I know." He breathes, he wipes the excess liquid from his lips.

"You're getting married next month." Erik reminds him.

"Which I'm excited about," Jules says, he drinks more. Erik holds onto Jules hips.

"Then why are you drinking and letting me do this?" He asks, mouth at his ear.

"If you like Raoul, why are you doing this in the first place?" Jules counters, after a minute he moves away.

"This has always been my personality." Erik leans back against the bar.

"I do want to marry him; I just have those usual doubts. This is the doubting time." Jules finishes his glass and keeps distance.

"Meri's the one who should have doubts, you're the one lowering standards." Erik casts a glance to Jules, who turns away.

"Maybe the same can be said for you," Jules snaps. Erik laughs.

"Everyone is a lower level, compared to me." Erik says bushing dirt off his gloved fingers.

"How nice!"

"It's hard to be me," Erik moans. Jules shakes his head.

"Yeah, poor baby. I suddenly feel very confidant now, I'm going back to bed, to Meri. Thanks." Jules drops the glass by the bar.

"Goodnight, darling." Erik blows him a kiss, and Jules hesitates for a minute.

"Did you want to?"

"Want to?" Erik tilts his head.

"A, uhm. Heh?" Jules is having trouble articulating.

"Fuck you? Here?" Erik looks around, feigning confusion.

"I mean," Jules feels terrible now, Meri is upstairs, and Jules does love and want to marry him, but Erik is right here, and he's so good at so many pleasurable things.

"No. I just wanted to fuck with you." He kisses Jules on the lips.

"Goodnight," Erik says, as he pats Jules's head, before leaving the lounge.

"So, that's a no?" Jules, still not quite sure.

"Goodnight." Erik says, more pointedly. He does not look back or stop.


"You what?!" Reyer's voice carries. Erik's jaw clenches, and he must keep his cool. He walks past the room, throwing a quick glance. Reyer and Raoul are in bed laughing over something inane, no doubt.

Meg is dancing around the room, wearing a wig, and jewelry that does not belong to her. Erik leans against the door and waits for her to notice his presence.

"Oh!" Meg stops and nearly dies from surprise.

"Put all of that back."

She nods.

"Did you eat?"

"I did! It was good, simple. Thought it would be something crazy like, I don't know, falcon eggs and bison." She is not sure what eliter people eat.

"Anyway, I'll check back with you later."

"Cool, cool, cool." She thumbs up. He shakes his head and leaves the post. Meg waits a few seconds before she gets back to her groove.

Erik could be cool and announce his presence, or he could grab Reyer's arm like he is and pull out of the bed, and half drag him out of the room.

"Goodnight, darling." He kisses Reyer, before he gives him a final push and closes the door.

"Kind of rude," Raoul says.

"Nighttime is our time."

Erik strides over to the bed, hops on.

"Good talk with Jules?" Raoul asks, Erik hesitates before he leans over.

"It was. "

Erik plays the collar of Raoul's shirt,

"I will play with others, but I'll come home to you."

"What does play mean here?"

"Socialize, tease, touch, play," Erik says, he leans in and starts to undo the buttons of Raoul's shirt.

"Oh, flirt! That's fine! Flirting fun, I do that all the time." Raoul feels relief, until Erik tears off some shirt. Raoul arches a brow.

"Ah. Yes. Flirt." He tries to laugh.

"You good?"

Erik nods.

"I'm good," he repeats, his tone and affect odd, he carries on with undressing his lover. Raoul relaxes.

Erik bites back his ire and swallows it down. He focuses on the fun tasks at hand, and will revisit his feelings later.