Free Web NovelChapter 235: _Heart Sanctuary
The next morning came fast.
Absolutely no pun intended.
Ambrose’s eyes lazily fluttered as memories of the previous night flooded his mind. His thighs tensed subconsciously when he recalled how Viktor... Jesus Christ.
The mental image of the ice Prince’s flushed face as he ate out his ass made him want to melt into his pillows and never come back.
Not like it was his first time getting a rimjob. But there was something special about last night.
Maybe it’s because—
—Hold up.
[That’s right, sweetheart. You exceeded all expectations and confessed your true feelings to Viktor and Devon. I swear, hearing you say ’I love you’ made me briefly understand why those words incite such emotions in you mortals.]
Ambrose scoffed. ’Okay, Ultron, ’ he groaned, sitting up as the bed sheets loosened off his chest. ’Ugh. Those two are already awake and running while I’m here contemplating my life choices.’
[By the way, mission rewards loading...]
Oh, right.
[REWARDS GENERATED: +2000 EP and unnamed reward.]
Then the screen flickered, reflecting the unnamed reward in question. Ambrose arched a brow instantly.
[Permanent links of Devon Ferguson and Viktor Morozov have evolved, giving the host access to a new passive skill.]
[PASSIVE SKILL: Heart Sanctuary.]
[Whenever the host is low on EP or HP while around either Devon or Viktor, these points come back three times faster. If it usually took the host an hour to get back full points their presence would increase that to 20 minutes or less.]
[Also, their presence will provide mental fortitude and increased resistance to psychic attacks. The host can now feel their emotions more intensely and even initiate telepathic communication with enough concentration.]
Ambrose was in utter awe.
These... these were fucking incredible.
’It’s basically similar to the benefits Espers get around their permanently linked Guides... but way more evolved.’
[Precisely.]
’Wait, but these only apply to Viktor and Devon? What about Val?’
[Aww. You called him ’Val’.]
’Shut up and just answer the question.’
[No, it doesn’t apply to our resident hot boogeyman. Yet.]
’What do you mean yet?’
[I mean the host would have to form a deeper emotional connection with Valentine to make his link evolve as well.]
Ambrose blinked blankly for a few seconds.
Well, shit.
A knock sounded on the door just then, making him straighten. His head snapped to the door as it opened, Viktor stepping in with a bright smile.
"Good morning, sunshine." He beamed, folding his arms across his chest.
For once his outfit of choice wasn’t snow or frost-themed. Just a simple form-fitting black singlet that made his chest muscles pop, over a pair of dark blue jean pants.
His icy blue eyes gleamed as he waltzed in. "Devon said I should come wake you up. It’s already past nine and you’re still in bed."
Ambrose clicked his tongue. "Sorry, Mom. I had a rough day yesterday and needed the extra shut eye. You know... surviving a dungeon way above my pay grade and all."
"By ’and all’ you mean the way my tongue danced in you last night?"
The Guide flinched as though he got slapped. "Vik, you—"
"Or maybe when I made you writh like a cute little worm while I fucked you. Or when Devon joined in—"
"Viktor!" Ambrose flung a pillow at his head, only managing to draw a laugh from the ice Prince. "Christ, you’re so lewd. What if Orion walked in and heard you?"
"The hypocrisy is staggering," Viktor snorted. "You didn’t think about that last night when you were howling for us to go harder. Besides, it’s past nine, remember? The kid’s already in school."
Ambrose was going to retort with something sarcastic when he realised something.
He missed Orion going to school.
Just like he’s been doing for a few days now.
The mental image of the first time they dropped the boy at school—the way he waved with those little hands, his smile as he disappeared into the building.
It ripped at his heartstrings.
Viktor immediately noticed the change. "Did I... make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry, I’ll stop talk—"
"No, no..." Ambrose shook his head, burying his face in his right palm. "It’s not you at all. I just... I low-key feel like a bad dad right now."
That wiped off the carefree expression on Viktor’s face.
He strode to the bed, lowering himself until he was sitting beside the Guide. Taking one of his hands, he muttered.
"You’re not a bad dad."
"I totally am," Ambrose’s jaw tightened. "Ever since I began letting you around him. Those times when I went into a coma or disappeared randomly. Instead of being there with my kid... no offence, by the way."
"None taken, little bird." Viktor chuckled lightly. He rubbed his knuckles with the gentleness one would give a golden egg. "But I still insist you aren’t a bad parent. Sure, you don’t spend as much time with him as you used to. But do you want to know something?"
Ambrose lifted his head, meeting the warmth in those orbs.
"Orion LOVES you. Even before leaving this morning he was going on and on about how he can’t wait to be old enough to take you to those castles you’re always telling him about."
That made Ambrose’s ears heat up. "I just remembered I technically still owe him a trip to at least one of those castles. That damn Echo Rift saga stole all the time."
"You could always still make time. Just one day or even a single night—no work, no Hunter drama. Just you and the boy who I still have no clue where you got him from."
Ambrose laughed, his head falling until it pressed against Viktor’s shoulder. The latter laughed as well.
After a few seconds, Ambrose’s heart eased.
"You’re right," his eyes slid to the ice Prince’s face. "Thank you, Vik."
Viktor planted a kiss on his forehead. "I love you."
"God, I love you too." The lack of hesitation when he said it back surprised even Ambrose.
Their lips were millimetres away from brushing when he felt someone else coming in.
"I said wake him up," Devon stood at the room’s entrance, lips twisted like a scolding mother. "Not rolling into round two."
Viktor swung his head back. "It’s really telling that your mind would go there."
As the two S-Ranks began bickering, Ambrose found himself sitting there, doing nothing but smiling from ear to ear, recalling how he swore off love before ever transmigrating.
To think he’d spent two lifetimes running from love.
And all it took was one bastard meddling with his soul to ruin that plan...
