Laertes learned early on not to wake him up, not to touch him at all until he asks for it, and Claudius in turn learned to recognize that golden cat’s-eye glow as safety – his brother’s eyes never did that.

But there’s really only so much that can be done in the dark and the heat, for the real work begins the next morning. That’s when Laertes sets the tone for the rest of the day, chatters about ordinary worries to keep the overwhelming ones at bay, and lets his husband squeeze his hand in thanks.