If anything, Barcus telling Bel that he felt safe with him caused Bel to smile even more. Because Bel knew that he had not been starting from a neutral position there. Because growing up, Bel hadn't seen many examples of the difference between 'safe' and 'incapable of harming you' (with the latter equated to weakness), so he'd had to figure it out.

Bel was going to respond, but Barcus's pull made kissing the other man far more urgent. At first, he just focused on the kiss itself: the sensations of Barcus's mouth on his, the lingering taste of the brandy, and their close position and the privacy meaning Bel can actually enjoy having Barcus's body held against his own. A sigh of contentment actually escaped his lips in between breaths.

Bel had started just wrapping his arms around Barcus's waist, but it was difficult to keep them still. He let one slide down Barcus's body a bit, not exactly grabbing but definitely resting on ass. (Should he used a more refined word? He couldn't think of one.) He was still going what he'd consider slow and focused on how Barcus responded, as if the path towards sex was full of hazards that might snare an unwary hand. Call it the learned caution of a man unused to getting what he actually most wanted, and was still having trouble believing it could be this easy.