Julian waited until the lights were low and Lucian's hand was already resting on his hip before he asked it.
They were in the sitting room, the one with the wide sofa and the single lamp that always left half the space in soft shadow.
Lucian had pulled him down beside him without a word, the way he did most evenings now, like the space between them had quietly stopped existing. Julian let it happen.
He had been letting a lot of things happen lately without naming them.
He kept his voice casual, almost offhand, tracing a slow line along the edge of Lucian's sleeve with one finger.
"Something strange happened today."
Lucian's thumb moved once against Julian's side, a small acknowledgment, but he didn't speak. That was usual. He never rushed to fill silence.
Julian continued, eyes on the slow movement of his own finger. "One of your people brought me those shipment reports. The new guy. Marcus, or Michael. Whatever his name is."
A pause. Just long enough.
