Faolan's pounding heart eventually began to slow as he felt Lucien relaxing against him. No longer full of adrenaline, fear and arousal, he knew he would finally be able to let all the tension of the day go. He felt his mouth twitch into a smile at Lucien's response, and pulled him in closer as their fingers interlaced. Like the tumblers in a lock finally falling into place...this felt right.

Faolan wanted to close his eyes and drift off to sleep, but instead he forced them to stay open for just a little longer so he could watch Lucien relax into unconsciousness. He noticed through the darkness that Lucien was smiling, and after this he felt his eyelids slowly descend.

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Faolan didn't actually remember falling asleep. The first thing he thought of was Lucien's face, his hands, his lips. The events of the previous night had played over and over again behind his eyelids as he finally fell asleep. He dreamed that the two were on a boat, in a still placid lake cut only by the wake of their oars and keel. He was rowing them out under the stars, reflected in the black water below like a perfect mirror. They were smiling at each other as they pushed themselves into the unknown at Faolan's back, but there was no fear or trepidation. He felt that as long as Lucien was there, they would both be safe and sound.

Slowly, Faolan's eyes drifted open as the sun lanced through their room and onto his face. He was acutely aware that his neck hurt, just from the position he was laying in. The next thing he noticed was that his arm was still wrapped around Lucien, the other was tucked under his head as a makeshift pillow. He gazed down at the Frenchman as he slept, now facing toward him, and his face melted into serenity.

This lasted for a moment, before a spear of dread pierced his heart. They had kissed, and Faolan had started this entire domino effect. His head pounded with a hangover, his muscles ached, but he could not deny how completely at peace he felt in this moment. He did not want to move, to leave this space, with Lucien pressed so closely to him. But he knew, for both of their safety, that he must do so soon. He glanced at the door and remembered it to be locked, glad for his drunken foresight. They had a few more moments of peace and quiet, to be together, before the spell would be broken by the day. He didn't know now whether Lucien remembered their contact, or how he felt about it...had his brash and lustful actions ruined everything? What was in store for them now that they had crossed that line? Would they be safe...could he keep Lucien safe? As he looked down on the Frenchman, through all of his insecurities, he knew that he must remain safe. That was Faolan's duty, and his number one goal, and he would not compromise this for anything, even his own happiness.