In most other situations, Crane’s attempted comfort might have actually felt pleasant. Instead, it just prickled at that rugburn-under-skin feeling that was urging to his stomach contents: up!

He gurgled and coughed.

He saw the candles, and felt the renewed desire to find out if he enjoyed him them. But before he could compose the words … Crane was calling him dirty? And telling him to undress? Hm, not especially romantic but-- oh, that smell was him.

Crane wanted him to take his pants off? That should have been more exciting than it sounded, but he began stripping pants-and-trousers first before Crane had even turned. Why did the buttons keep moving?

When Crane came back, Zechariah was, indeed, passed out. Passed out horizontally across the bed, and sprawled and completely naked. If it was any consolation, he did have underclothes chucked thoughtlessly across the room.

On the nightstand by one of the candles sat a bottle of expensive looking hand cream, tied with a ribbon.

Crane was shocked and blushed seeing a nude Zechariah unconscious on the bed. He placed the glass of water on the nightstand in case he woke and wanted it. He also pulled a blanket over to give the man some form of decency. While there were questions and certain assumptions about the hand cream, he decided to find out at another time. If Zechariah wanted to see him again after all of this.

He spent the next hour putting the flowers back in the vase and returning it to it's spot, cleaning the spot where the 'incident' occurred whilst ignoring the smell that came off of himself, and then he thought it was polite to wash the dishes. He was about to run out when he thought about something and went into what he thought was the study. He found some of the plainest paper he could, as he'd feel guilty using anything more expensive, and composed a letter to the sleeping man.

'Zechariah,

I had a lovely evening, despite how it ended. I hope I was not too disappointing as your companion for the evening. I hope you sleep well tonight and dream of wonderful things. If you enjoyed it at all and would like to share another meal or anything together really, please don't hesitate to let me know. You know my box and where to find me.

Hope to see you some tomorrow perhaps the sooner the better,

Elijah.'

He folded the letter and placed it on the nightstand , but not too close to the water just in case. Before leaving, he glanced to Zechariah once more before he turned and left the house quickly, hoping no one noticed him at such a late hour.