"Ah!" Brenner blushed, but chuckled at Lyra's jibe. "Mistake me not, Lyra... I have long since mastered my sexual appetites." There was a sternness behind that smirk as he said so. He'd have led a very different life-... been in a very different position today, if he had allowed his carnal desires to rule him. But he had chosen the civilised route over the bestial. "Besides!" He began spreading his hands in an open gesture,
"I'll not have you insulting both of us with the implication that you garnered this boon..." He gestured to their austere, but efficient surroundings, "...through harlotry rather than merit." The playfulness was back in his impish, ice blue eyes.
He softened at her apparent approval and his smirk became a warm smile.
"I'm pleased that you're pleased, but it were probably best that we didn't-..." He paused, as she claimed him in an embrace. His eyes darted to the officials and hirelings going about their work setting up the room, conscious of appearances- But in for a pfennig, he returned the embrace with a fraternal pat to her back. When she parted from him, he cleared his throat and straightened the new-formed creases in his uniform.
"Well, then." He pursed his lips and turned his eyes back up to the rafters. "I imagine you'll want to spend a bit of time exploring your new environs. I'll leave you to it. I've got work to do back at the Home Office, but if you'd like to pop by my apartments for a night cap you can let me know what you thought of the place after further inspection..." He trailed off, looking somewhat sheepish as he took a backward step toward the exit.
"I'll not have you insulting both of us with the implication that you garnered this boon..." He gestured to their austere, but efficient surroundings, "...through harlotry rather than merit." The playfulness was back in his impish, ice blue eyes.
He softened at her apparent approval and his smirk became a warm smile.
"I'm pleased that you're pleased, but it were probably best that we didn't-..." He paused, as she claimed him in an embrace. His eyes darted to the officials and hirelings going about their work setting up the room, conscious of appearances- But in for a pfennig, he returned the embrace with a fraternal pat to her back. When she parted from him, he cleared his throat and straightened the new-formed creases in his uniform.
"Well, then." He pursed his lips and turned his eyes back up to the rafters. "I imagine you'll want to spend a bit of time exploring your new environs. I'll leave you to it. I've got work to do back at the Home Office, but if you'd like to pop by my apartments for a night cap you can let me know what you thought of the place after further inspection..." He trailed off, looking somewhat sheepish as he took a backward step toward the exit.
