SR 1421

They stumbled inside, arms about the other, wound so tight Ilberic wondered if they would notice, if they stumbled into the wall, or fell: but they hadn't tripped at the threshold, and they were pressed so tight that they likely would have gone down laughing, if they had. Minto drew back, lips glimmering and his eyes cast low. He whispered something, low, against Ilberic's cheek: and Ilberic felt his cheeks grow warm, though then he laughed and caught Minto about the waist, and pulled him closer still.

'Some things are old as habit,' he said, cheerfully, and he kissed Minto so hard he went dizzy, himself, and they did stumble into the wall, laughing and groaning. But the door was shut behind them, and Ilberic kissed Minto with thorough precision, reaching back to deal with the lock: and he went on to say, once the door was locked as well as shut, 'But some things can always be new.'

They were home, the house was theirs: Ilberic drew back, touched Minto's cheek, said he would love him for ever, and brushed his thumb over his mouth, and then across his chin. Minto opened his mouth to answer him, but Ilberic caught him up, and managed to lift him: and they almost went stumbling into the wall, again, but Ilberic laughed and kept himself steady, and Minto said, exasperated but laughing all the same, 'You are cracked, Ilberic Brandybuck. Full cracked.'

'Perhaps I am,' he said, kissed the tip of Minto's nose, and then went on down the hallway, humming as he carried Minto to their room. He deposited him on the bed with little ceremony (and with a certain lack of flowery words), and then joined him, making him laugh and then making him laugh again, louder, a giddy-sounding shriek.