Morning crept in with a new chill. Even when the hour ca to rise, the sun remained hidden behind dark grey clouds, shy, like a maiden after her first night.
The North stayed cloaked in darkness as if coaxing its people to remain curled beneath their warm, cozy furs a little longer.
But Darius was already awake. Not from restlessness, rather, he’d slept so soundly, so deeply, that his body stirred before the morning call.
Despite the dimness, the slight light from the crystal lamp was enough to make out the figure beside him.
Xion.
Soft breaths ghosted against Darius’s chest as Xion’s face tilted slightly toward him, the younger man still lying comfortably on his back, deep in sleep.
The Archduke didn’t know how it happened, but half the blanket had slipped to the floor, and the rest barely covered their feet.
Perhaps Xion was looking for warmth, one of his legs had hitched over Darius’s thigh, and his arms... gods, his small hands were holding onto Darius’ arm as he would to a pillow in his sleep.
But what made Darius go still, frozen even, was the way Xion’s shirt had ridden up, revealing the soft plane of his lower stomach.
Pale and smooth, it glead under the golden firelight like a delicate pastry enticing him to lean in and take a bite.
Worse still, his own hand was resting exactly there, half-hidden beneath the hem. The warmth of the delicate skin gave him tingles of heat.
Did I do that?
Darius inhaled sharply, trying not to let the hitch in his breath beco a groan. He should imdiately move his hand away. He thought so, but his fingers refused to listen.
Instead, they inched up slowly, reverently until they brushed along the delicate curve of Xion’s ribs and the dip of his chest... so soft and fine like porcelain.
He could feel every breath Xion took, every slow beat that thumped under the fragile bones.
His fingertips drifted higher, skimming just beneath the thin fabric that shielded Xion’s chest buds from his gaze. Just a little more... Gods, he was being such a degenerate.
Just then Xion squird.
The motion startled him and he stilled. The younger man murmured sothing unintelligible, face scrunching slightly as he turned in his sleep and now he was facing Darius directly.
Close. Far too close.
Xion was now curled up against him, his knee was brushing over Darius’ thigh, higher than before.
And now, it wasn’t just his hand that rose. The familiar pressure beneath his waistline stirred, awakening sothing primal, pushing against the fabric of his pants.
Shit. He clenched his jaw, shutting his eyes as if it would sohow force the sensation to go away. It didn’t. Not with the heat of the naked skin tingling under Darius’s fingertips.
Control yourself, he hissed silently. He’s not ready. You promised.
He sucked in another breath, deeper this ti, and forced his arms to wrap over Xion’s torso and not to move even an inch.
But gods, he wanted to. He wanted to drag his hand over that back so badly it hurt.
His gaze drifted up, from the prominent collarbones that were looming in his sight, to that neck he wanted to sink his teeth in, and then to that face. The sa face that had haunted his mories.
His eyes stayed over those cherry lips, slightly parted. His adam’s apple bobbled, his jaw beca more taut.
Like a soft little creature, even in his sleep, Xion could feel the icy chill seeping through his bones. It was as if he was being stared at by so beast. He involuntarily shivered.
That brought so sense back to the Archduke. Using his mana, he picked up the blanket and draped it over Xion and him, perfectly hiding the beautiful sense underneath.
He also adjusted Xion’s leg properly.
His actions didn’t go unnoticed. Xion shifted again, this ti blinking awake. His lashes fluttered as his hazy gaze t Darius’.
Sleep-drunk and utterly unaware of the danger, he was in he mumbled in a groggy voice, "... Good Morning."
Darius bit the inside of his cheek to anchor himself. "... Morning." the Archduke said after a considerable amount of ti.
"Did you sleep well?" The hoarseness in his voice couldn’t be hidden.
"Hmm," the sleepy kitten mumbled lazily. "Best sleep."
If one discarded the ti when he was out cold for hours due to his coma, this was truly the nicest sleep Xion had gotten in days or even the last couple of months.
"Does this an we can sleep like this every night?" Even with heat coiling low in his belly, Darius couldn’t help but be greedy. "I will let you hold for as long as you want."
Xion blinked again, brows furrowing faintly as he noticed their position. Then oddly, unexpectedly he didn’t pull away.
"Warm," Xion nuzzled against Darius, holding the archduke closer to him. And then he giggled sheepishly, "I will let you hold too."
Darius’ eyes glazed over. That soft chuckle was absolute heaven to his ears.
Whether it was the cuteness of sleepy Xion, or the gentle way he was clinging to him for warmth, or the breathlessness of that giggle...
it would be so pleasing to hear what kind of sounds could spill from those lips when I kiss you, when I...
Darius kept deadly silent. He feared if he moved slightly, he might lose control. All the heat was already pooling, making it hard for him to hold on.
So, the archduke just lay there, paralyzed.
Utterly dood by the sweet torture of his beloved, who had ignited hunger in his veins... and promptly drifted back to sleep.
Outside, the snow began to fall in slow, lazy drifts, dropping the temperature even further. Yet, beneath the blanket, it felt as though fire itself was burning.
It wasn’t just Darius’ body that blazed, his sanity burned too.
Every inch of him scread to stay, to remain tangled in the warmth of Xion’s embrace, but he forced himself to move. He had to leave the bed.
Because if he didn’t move now, he feared he might do sothing terrible.
Date. The thought rang in his mind.
With the snowstorm looming and ti pressing down, the Archduke made a sudden decision.
Perhaps it was ti to heed Xion’s wishes after all. Why not take him to the caverns he’d been so curious about?
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