Free Web NovelChapter 26: _The Link Felt Everything.
"So this is what you meant by ’freshening up’." Devon breathed, eyes assessing Ambrose a little too hungrily.
Although he tried keeping cool and smiling through it, his heart pounded like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Ambrose was naked.
Actually naked and now struggling so hard to hide himself that he accidentally showed off too much. His bare back. The way it depressed into the curve of that round ass.
Devon had to lower his head, blinking himself back to focus. ’What’s this...?’
He didn’t mean for this to happen. He didn’t mean to be here.
Shortly after Ambrose left to go bathe, as he said, Orion got exhausted. The kid had played so much that he got sleepy. And Devon quickly noticed that, carrying him to his room and tucking him into his bed.
"My papa used to read me bedtime stories," The little boy had told him when he attempted to leave.
"Your... papa?" Devon hesitated to say the word.
He’d noticed the way Orion’s cheeks reddened. "Not you though." His head shook vehemently. "The one from my..."
Then the kid stopped himself like he’d almost said something he wasn’t supposed to.
That puzzled Devon. Increased his suspicion about the boy’s origins even more. So after making sure he was asleep, he headed for Ambrose’s room.
Hoping to get him to come clean about Orion.
Who would’ve thought — well, THIS would be happening here?
"What the fuck?!" Ambrose finally found his voice enough to yell. "Have you ever heard of knocking? What the heck is—"
Without warning, Devon broke the distance between them, placing a hand on his mouth. Ambrose’s eyes bulged, his body stiffening as the Esper whispered:
"Orion is asleep in the other room."
All Ambrose could do was blink.
His mind was a storm as he scolded himself mentally. ’What was I thinking? Why was I masturbating in the same suite as a child? God, I’m screwed in the head!’
Seeing Ambrose’s shoulders drop, Devon’s gaze wandered.
The Guide’s skin was flawless. No freckles. No pimples. Lean muscles that seemed like they’d been perfectly sculpted for him.
Soon, his eyes travelled further. From his chest. To his shaking stomach... and finally, what stayed hidden beneath the water.
Dazed, he let go of Ambrose’s mouth, back straightening as he cleared his throat. "Sorry for not knocking. I... got curious about something but now there’s no need."
Ambrose’s previous embarrassment vanished. "What do you mean by ’no need’?"
All Devon did was smirk as he placed his hands in his pockets, inching backwards. "It means I don’t feel like asking. You’ll probably hoard information to yourself. As usual."
His expressionless face brightened with a knowing smirk. "I’m curious though. If this is what happens when I’m not in your vicinity... imagine what would happen if I were here earlier."
More embarrassment hit Ambrose’s stomach. "I was not thinking about you one bit!"
"Right," Devon snorted a laugh. "I’ll leave you to it then." As he turned to the bathroom’s wide-open door, he paused for a beat. "Do remember that the link is very much active. And I can... feel things."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving Ambrose sitting in the bathtub. Feeling like an absolute idiot.
"Fuck." He slapped himself on the face when his room’s door shut with a click. "Fuck my life. Of all the things that could’ve possibly happened. Really?"
Frown lines appeared on his forehead. ’Aura. Why didn’t you warn me that he was coming?’
[Because I found it unnecessary.]
’No.’ he snapped mentally. ’It’s because you’re a fucking pervert who wanted to watch what would happen.’
[You didn’t seem to mind my presence when you were pleasing yourself, sweetheart.]
Mumbling something under his breath, he scrubbed his limbs and back. He no longer felt like lingering here for more than a minute.
Devon would probably be grinning to himself now, thinking he was still trying to please himself.
That jackass and his terrible timing.
Upon getting out of the tub, he found a towel and went into his room. "Don’t tell me that interaction got any attraction points from him."
[Devon’s Attraction Points: 50.]
His mouth parted. "I... I shouldn’t be surprised at this point."
After dressing up in a black hoodie with white lightning-shaped lines trimmed at the edges, and then blue jean trousers, he crept out of his room.
Trying to pretend that nothing happened.
However, he paused a few feet away from his room door when he saw Devon picking up his jacket from a sofa. The Esper had his back facing him, flexing his arms as the jacket slipped into place.
"Uh..." Ambrose took another step forward. "You’re leaving already?"
Devon’s eyes gleamed over his shoulder. "Don’t worry, it’s not because of what happened there."
The Guide choked on his own breath, coughing. "W–Who said it was?"
With a casual smile, Devon placed a finger on his lips, pointing at Orion’s door. Another reminder. Except this time it was more deliberate.
"The Guild Master pinged me earlier than expected," he went on to explain as he smoothed out the jacket. "Said I should come give him reports on the raid now."
He made a humourless laugh after that. "Typical of the old man."
Ambrose watched the S-Rank spin fully to face him, that serious stone cold expression he’d grown used to popping back like it never left.
Words were left unsaid for several seconds. The link thrummed like it was waiting to snap.
Then, "I had a good time today." Devon blurted, his voice softer than he intended.
It took him by surprise but Ambrose still managed to nod. "I–I did too."
"Don’t say that just because."
"I’m not," Ambrose countered. "I mean it. I really did."
That earned a small smirk from Devon.
The Esper nodded, pivoting back to the door. "Tell Orion I’ll see him another time," he got to the hallway before murmuring. "Next time. Lock it properly."
As the door shut and a hollow silence filled the room, Ambrose couldn’t help but wonder.
Did he mean those last words for Orion? Or for him as well? And if the latter was the case... what was in store for them if they shared the same space again?
He huffed a breath, about to walk to the door when he realised something.
He was still hard.
