[ alina starkov coming undone is a sight to behold, even if he feels it more than he sees it. his hand slides from her thigh to the cut of her hip, fingers spread over her soft skin as he gently braces against the way she bucks against him. it's beautiful and it's overwhelming, a laugh nearly bubbling in his throat at the sound she makes, because he knows the servants have to be listening by now. nikolai is an early riser, preferring to begin his days with the sun, and the fact that alina has come in and he hasn't come out will certainly stoke the flames of gossip.

he stays between her legs until he feels her muscles relax, listening to the sound of her breath while he trails kisses higher up her body until her gown will allow him to go no further. he's hard himself but not quite sure if he wants anything done about it — it's been quite some time since he's been with anyone, and somehow breaking that wall with alina feels premature.

or perhaps now his brain is finally kicking in and he's well on his way to overthinking it.

he slips back up, wiping his fingers carelessly on the sheets before finding her mouth again, his eyes sliding shut with a contented sigh as he kisses her, still tasting her on his tongue. swiping his thumb across her flushed cheek, he smiles gently against her lips, murmuring softly. ]

Now you've really given them something to talk about. [ funny to him. perhaps not to her. he pulls the sheets back up, settling beside her with his elbow propped beside a pillow. his fingers idly trace her brow, then gently tousle her hair. saints, she's ridiculously pretty always, but even more so like this, flushed and practically glowing. ] It is with my deepest regrets that I inform you that I really must be up soon. It's almost as if I'm so important that the day can't truly begin without me.