It is not, in the end, planned. Acatl doesn’t agonize over it for days, doesn’t bite his tongue and curse his fate and resolve to bury his desires forever. He could have, but he doesn’t. (Admittedly, this is probably only because Mihmatini comes to him a week after that horrible day in the courtyard and tells him, very matter-of-factly, “My husband is in love with you,” and it takes him an entire month to stop blushing whenever he thinks about it, by which time he’s fully accepted that yes, if Teomitl does want him he’s not even a little bit opposed to the idea.)

So by the time it happens, he’s entirely moved past the need to justify it to himself. He’s sworn vows of celibacy? Well, he swore vows to support the current emperor too, and this is a much less painful one to break. It will happen when it’s meant to.

Teomitl looks at him, smiling in the sunlight, and he thinks, Now?

Teomitl’s fingers brush against his as they eat a late dinner in his courtyard, and he thinks, Now?

Teomitl plucks an errant bit of something from his hair, and he thinks—

He doesn’t think at all, because Teomitl’s mouth on his has erased all thoughts from his mind.