"Good thing I didn't, then," Selene laughed, reaching behind to surreptitiously lace his fingers with Helios'. "But I think you'll be pleased anyway."

It wasn't late enough for the castle to be deserted. Students still wandered, even after the supper rush died down; late class-goers, club meetings, library regulars and loiterers still plagued the halls. But Selene had done his part to ensure they would not be disturbed any time soon. They deserved a few solid moments alone. Maintaining a romantic relationship was more difficult in separate houses, more challenging by far to find time for themselves than if they simply shared a dorm.

But Helios was well-worth the challenge, and his smile was all the reward Selene needed.

The fifth floor played host to a very private bathroom, reserved exclusively for prefect use. That was their destination tonight. If nothing else, this relationship taught Selene how to think outside the box in terms of creeping about the castle. Before tutoring Helios, he wouldn't have imagined sneaking someone into forbidden territory like this. Now? He'd do just about anything to get Helios alone.

"Strictly speaking, you're not allowed to be in here," Selene pressed a finger to his lips. "So this stays between us, alright?"

Past a rather bewildered-looking statue, a few doors further on, and Selene stopped to whisper the password and lead them inside.

"But it looked like you needed a warm bath tonight. Unknot some of those muscles?" Selene rested his hands on Helios' shoulders as the door locked behind them. "Nothing like hot water to loosen you up."