Free Web NovelChapter 70: _I Know I Want You
"What?"
"You heard the question, Ambrose."
"Yeah," Ambrose nodded slowly, keeping his voice low. "And I’m trying to figure out if you’re being for real."
Devon’s back left the sofa as he moved even closer, the sides of their bodies pressing against each other now. His warm breath prickled Ambrose’s face, making sweat drip down his forehead.
’Why am I feeling his emotions so intensely all of a sudden?’ Ambrose gulped, trying to keep his cool. "Devon. Viktor and I were only out for dinner. I explained how we got here to begin with and you were cool."
Devon scoffed. "Cool? No, I just didn’t want to be policing what you do and whom you do them with." He shook his head. "I warned you before you left. I don’t trust Viktor. Especially around you."
"At this point, I doubt you trust anyone around me." Ambrose couldn’t stop the words before they came out.
Devon’s frown deepened. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
Ambrose’s jaw worked. His eyes slid to the bedroom doors, settling on Orion’s. "The boy’s asleep?"
The Esper glanced back at the door as well. "Oh, you mean your son?" He brought his head back to him, his smile sarcastic. "Yes. He is."
"So you know we can’t be having this argument if we don’t want to wake him up."
"Argument?" Devon scowled. "Ambrose, you just said I don’t trust you around anyone. What’s that—"
"Do you?" Ambrose’s words had a sharp edge. "The night of the gala you seemed really uncomfortable with me being around Valentine."
Devon’s eyes narrowed. "Valentine. The SS Rank Esper who—as far as I know—is unaffiliated with the federation?"
Ambrose’s mouth parted with shock. "You... did you look him up or—?"
"Baba Yaga," the name came with unease. "He keeps himself private and hidden from the general public but his reputation—"
"Pretend I didn’t ask anything." Ambrose raised a hand. "My point is... You acted so jealous when I was around him. Now Viktor. It’s a pattern that... that..."
His words came out jumbled when he tried continuing, a faint ringing hitting his ears. The Guide lay back on the chair, his chest rising and falling with each shaky breath.
Devon noticed his distress immediately. "Forget about this," he got off the sofa. "You need to go to bed."
Ambrose shook his head. "I’m fine... It’s just a little headache."
"Then you still need rest for that headache," the S-Rank stretched a hand to his shoulder but before he could grab him, Ambrose’s fingers clamped around his wrist.
They both stiffened as the Guide stared into his eyes. "... Do you want a... do you want a... with me?"
He tried saying ’relationship’ but words had become so difficult for him by now that he couldn’t.
Devon went still.
For a brief second, something unreadable flickered across his face—shock, maybe. Or something deeper. But it vanished just as quickly.
"You aren’t making any sense right now."
Ambrose blinked, his grip loosening just a fraction.
"Not like this." Devon didn’t pull his wrist away. Instead, his hand shifted, turning to catch Ambrose’s properly. "You can barely keep your eyes open."
"I’m—" Ambrose tried, but the words slurred again, his vision dipping.
Devon didn’t let him finish.
With one smooth motion, he slipped an arm under Ambrose’s back and another beneath his knees, lifting him clean off the sofa. The sudden shift made Ambrose suck in a breath, instinctively clutching at his shirt.
"Devon—"
"Shh." His tone wasn’t harsh. Just final.
The world tilted slightly as Devon carried him toward the bedroom, steady and unhurried. Ambrose let his head fall against his shoulder, the warmth radiating from him almost overwhelming now.
It felt... safe. Annoyingly so.
Devon nudged the door open with his foot and stepped inside, lowering Ambrose onto the bed with surprising care. The mattress dipped beneath him, soft and grounding.
"You’re burning up," Devon muttered, brushing the back of his hand across Ambrose’s forehead.
Ambrose let out a weak huff. "I’m fine..."
"Yeah. You don’t look it."
His fingers moved to the hem of Ambrose’s white turtleneck, pausing just briefly—like he was giving him a chance to protest.
Ambrose didn’t.
He was far too tired.
Devon pulled it off carefully, tossing it aside before pulling the sheets over him. The cool fabric contrasted against his heated skin, drawing a quiet sigh from his lips.
He should say something.
Push the Esper away. Make a joke. Do something.
But instead...
’Why does this feel so... nice?’ The thought slipped in uninvited.
Devon’s presence. The way he moved. The way he stayed.
It stirred something soft in his chest—something he didn’t quite trust or want.
His eyes fluttered, growing heavier. ’Don’t get used to it,’ a distant part of him warned.
But the exhaustion dragged him under before he could listen, his consciousness drifting into sleep.
Devon stayed where he was, seated at the edge of the bed.
For a while, he just watched him.
Then he exhaled slowly, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair away from Ambrose’s face. His fingers lingered longer than necessary.
"...I don’t know what you’re supposed to be to me," he admitted under his breath.
No response.
Just the steady rhythm of sleep.
Devon’s gaze softened. "But I know I want you." A pause. "I’ll try to be patient."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"Don’t know how long I can keep that up though." He let his hand fall away, pushing himself to his feet. He gave one last glance.
Then he turned, quietly stepping out and closing the door behind him.
★★★★★
Norfolk Virginia
The sea stretching for hundreds of meters was unrecognisable. Waves rolled like giants, black and violent. The sky trembled, lightning crackling.
The harbour and all of the city were completely submerged in black water, bipedal beasts either lurking beneath the surface or crawling on the tallest buildings.
Hovering above all this was the black Echo Rift. For the past few days, it’s been pulsing softly. Subtly widening like something was trying to force its way out.
The three SS-Rank Espers were still in battle with the Leviathan—one that seemed unending. Flames licked over the water. Snow fell around parts of the sea. And space was locked within a localised area, preventing the beast from moving out.
Suddenly, the pulsing from the Echo Rift halted. The roaring sea around it stilled—
—Then out of it came a terrifying pressure that made the SS-Ranks and even the Leviathan pause, all their attention snapping to the Rift.
