It's Martin who draws back next, giving both of them a moment to catch their breath. John gazes down at Martin's reddened face, realizing with some embarrassment that he's the one nearest to getting carried away, and he pulls in a deeper breath, willing his heart to pound a little less wildly. They have time, and Christ, Martin deserves some extra care, considering the circumstances. Better for them to slow down a bit, both because it lessens the odds of things going a bit too far, and because he doesn't want to stop. He wants to patiently introduce Martin to everything he's missed, wants to show him everything he doesn't yet know that they've discovered, wants to give Martin enough time to appreciate each one before he hurries him along to the next.

He hums quietly when Martin's fingers curl in his hair, then leans back down — not for a kiss, this time, but to let his forehead gently rest against Martin's while he continues to breathe. "You're all right?" he murmurs, leaning back and tipping his chin up a fraction, his nose brushing against Martin's in a fond little nuzzle. "This is okay?"