“By talking to the housekeeping staff?” Tiiran wondered between sips. He must be sicker than he thought because this was a nonsensical fever dream.
“If that’s what is needed, I’m happy to. But also anything you might ask for.” Nikoly stopped to stare down at Tiiran, still serious, but also expectant. As if he were waiting.
Tiiran stared back, slightly lost. More than slightly lost. “I can’t really taste the tea but I know there’s honey in it. Thank you.” That wasn’t what he’d meant to say, but his mind was still trying to catch up while struggling with the snuffles and the brilliance returning to Nikoly’s eyes.
He had assumed there was no point in talking to the housekeepers, but had not once considered that with all the others moving out, and no palace Head of House with their own staff to keep track, the housekeepers might have simply assumed his room was empty. In calmer times, Tiiran might have shown up to find someone else assigned to those quarters.
“It didn’t occur to me to ask,” he admitted next. “I can do it now that I know.”
“I know youcan.” Nikoly said it with a Po-like tone, as if he doubted Tiiranwould. “I’ll do it tomorrow morning. They’reunderstaffed, but you should at least have more blankets, if not new logs every day in the winter.”
“I’m barely there,” Tiiran insisted weakly. “That’s not really necessary. You’re confusing when you’re stern.” It wasn’t at all like when Orin was stern. Tiiran wasn’t flushed with nerves and arousal. Instead, it was like he’dwoundedNikoly by being too tired to get logs for his fireplace.
“I’m stern when it matters.” Nikoly raised a finger as if to tell Tiiran not to argue with him about that. “Warmth is a necessity. But what about what isn’t? I’m going outside the palace tonight. Would you like anything from the capital?”
His soft tones would have put Tiiran back to sleep if he hadn’t been so confused. “Like what?”
“Sweets? Flowers? A meat pie?” Nikoly suggested. “Anything you like.”
Tiiran scoffed lightly. “There’s no reason you should remember me while out meeting… while out having fun.”
Nikoly’s eyes were shining. “You could come with me. I’ve been inviting you.”
Tiiran startled, nearly fumbling the cup. “I already watch people flirt with you all day.”
The pleasure in Nikoly’s eyes was too much. ThenNikolywas too much, leaning down again to ensure he had Tiiran’s attention. “But who doIflirt with, Tiiran?”
Tiiran pulled in a strangled breath but thankfully didn’t cough.
“Orin,” he said after a moment, because the two of themhadbeen flirting right in front of him and he hadn’t even realized until later. Maybe. Probably. Tiiran was fairly certain anyway. Orin had been saying things deliberately as he did, and Nikoly had responded.
Nikoly expelled a breath through his nose but inclined his head. “That was different,” he allowed, not denying it. “Who else?”
He was looking right at Tiiran.
“Don’t tease me.” Tiiran’s voice was hoarse.
Nikoly gave him the slightest frown. “Why do you always insist that’s what I’m doing?”
Tiiran blinked several times. Nikoly stared back, waiting.
“You really were?”
Nikoly pushed out another breath, hinting at frustrations he was too well-trained to let show. “For a while now.”
“Sorry.” Tiiran shook his head. “I thought…”
“That I must be making fun of you? I was starting to think you were more like Mattin than you realize and didn’t notice. But you did notice.” Nikoly should have made Tiiran feel like the idiot he was. Notwarmlike this. “I was waiting for you to respond.”
“I wanted to.” Tiiran looked away before he did something foolish. He wasn’t thinking straight at the moment. Maybe thiswasa dream.
“I know.” Nikoly had that look about him again when Tiiran turned to him in shock, as if something had delighted him. “You spend a lot of time staring at my mouth. And my hands. And when I removed my shirt, you…”
“Shut up!” Tiiran lowered his eyes, hot all over again. “Please.”
Nikoly didn’t. “But you never said yes to what I asked. Never touched me. Never kissed me when we were alone.”
Tiiran jolted and looked up. He was staring at Nikoly’s mouth again but couldn’t seem to stop himself. “Kiss you?”
