[ Ah. Ah - Hm. So accustomed is Byerly to the repressed and the ashamed that the first thought that crosses his mind is that Maine is, truly, a naif who did not understand the insinuations of touching like that or invading personal space like that. That's the thing about being a Barrayaran who likes to sleep with men (and who very often gets assigned to sleep with men, because sometimes the Imperial Service wants a bit of blackmail on certain persons and having screwed a man is generally blackmail enough for a Barrayaran). You grow accustomed to men who are coy, men in denial, men who either due to willful ignorance or genuine idiocy don't recognize flirtation when they see it. You don't really...encounter many men who say yes. Let alone flirt back. But...
But that touch is - unsubtle. Because, yes. Soldierly types. Unsubtle. Always unsubtle...
By licks his lips, a touch uncertain. And then he takes a swig from the bottle - and then passes it over again, this time without wiping the neck clean. He watches Maine carefully, his eyes steady, his gaze intense and unblinking. ]
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But that touch is - unsubtle. Because, yes. Soldierly types. Unsubtle. Always unsubtle...
By licks his lips, a touch uncertain. And then he takes a swig from the bottle - and then passes it over again, this time without wiping the neck clean. He watches Maine carefully, his eyes steady, his gaze intense and unblinking. ]