The fire here is lower than in the other room; he and Avery slept together as often as not, as they had even before Alecto had gone away, to share warmth as the days grew colder, layers and layers of blankets and quilts above them. He'd removed his clothes while waiting, folded them neatly, and his eyes continue to follow Alecto through every small movement he makes, drinking in the sight of him thirstily, as though he could never get enough of him. His gaze catches, again and again, on the glint of gold in the snowlight reflected in through their windows, on Alecto's pale, perfect body, revealed as he sheds the sealskin entirely, utterly naked and always always the perfect shape of all Joshua's desires.

He's not fully aware of making a soft pleading noise, low in his throat, as Alecto offers the sealskin up to him, giving it to him, in a way that had never been possible before when Joshua had only ever been an interim custodian after its initial theft, stroking it in a stolen moment until he'd locked it away in a mix of cowardice and attempted self-control. His own fingers flex at his sides as though to recall that remembered soft silken warmth, before he slowly reaches out, burying his fingers in it and seeking Alecto's hands within the luxurious folds as they stand together. He feels warmth throughout his body, completely ignoring the slight chill in the air.

"Yes, dearest," he murmurs, soft, obedient, the flush in his cheeks spreading down through his neck and throat and chest. He takes hold of the sealskin, reverent and awed, and then lays it down on the neatly made bed before he climbs up on top of it, sighing out a breath like a prayer, settling to his knees, legs spread slightly for balance, before he rests his cheek down against the sealskin.