Being Barnaby's partner is always an exercise in extremes. From feeling the constant crush of lips against his mouth to the bashfulness Barnaby suddenly exhibits now, it's always on or off, stuttering rather than a smooth transition. Which is fine. These are things that Barnaby couldn't have learned on his own, and Kotetsu has plenty of the patience required to teach him.

He shuts Barnaby up with a long, searching kiss, reveling in the sharp gasp he captures with a nip against Barnaby's full lower lip.

"Yes, in the middle of. Because this is more important," Kotetsu rasps, drawing his hands underneath Barnaby's thighs until he's able to lift the other man a couple of inches from the ground, hooking long legs around his hips and pushing one hand up underneath Barnaby's shirt to hold him steady.

"Also a better hangover remedy," he murmurs, pivoting the both of them back in the direction of Barnaby's bedroom.