[ Until Byerly looks, Bastien’s thinking, face serious in the dim light. But he’s watching By’s face while he thinks, and when he looks Bastien smiles.

Maybe he should be bothered. But if it’s a relatable fear, if not one Bastien walks around with day to day. And he’s not really worried in the least—or maybe in the least, but only in the least—that Byerly would ever use him in any way he wasn’t eager to be used. ]

Ah, joke’s on you, By. If you only wanted something like that, you could have skipped all of this.

[ This: Bastien wraps an arm around him, and he swiftly wedges and wriggles and wrangles to get half-under him, like a body pillow. ]

All you had to do was pay me.