[ The kiss makes Bastien smile, unaware of the cause but still pleased. Relieved, too, that By doesn’t seem bothered. ]

I pulled it off longer than I should have been able to. [ He curls his neck up to rub his slightly chubby, stubbly, dimpled cheek against By’s forehead, to emphasize: ] Baby face.

Not forever, though, no. But there was always sex. People not realizing you can play an instrument and read their lips at the same time. Learning the layout of a place during a party and coming back in the middle of the night. And I didn’t work alone—that opens a lot of possibilities.

[ He pulls on Byerly’s earlobe, gently. ]

You know. You can’t have spent all your time drinking in corners.