Then he settled deeper into the armchair, adjusted the fall of his coat just enough to make the state of his body slightly less obvious without truly hiding it, and gave a single, slow nod.
"I'll stay," he said quietly. "I'm not finished watching yet either."
Elara's mouth curved one last time—small, cold, and entirely unsurprised.
She turned back to the two beastmen, raised both remotes another fraction, and listened to the overlapping, helpless sounds that filled the chamber as the toys answered her command once more.
Julian sat in the armchair and did not look away.
The heavy, shameless heat in his blood only grew.
But then....
Elara stopped.
