Abe stepped out of the shower, feeling a mix of reinforcement and sheer exhaustion. Today had been a whirlwind at the office, filled with the challenge of recruiting inexperienced soldiers. He loosely wrapped a towel around his hips and moved to the closet for clothes.

His lover, lounging on the bed with a cigar in hand and a robe that revealed toned flesh, didn't escape his notice. Abe suppressed a sigh, pushing those distracting thoughts aside. He had work in the morning.

"You should be asleep by now, you know," he said in a monotone voice.