Persie and Cole descended the stairs of the ship, Cole laced their hands together as they approached the door. A row of attendants and a butler stood waiting, bowing as they arrived.
The butler greeted them with a smile, "Welcome back, master."
Cole smiled in response, "Thank you. Is everything ready?"
"It is," the butler replied, "All the guests are currently waiting for you in the dining room."
With a nod, Cole signaled the guards to open the doors, and they entered the castle. As they approached the elevators, Zoe tried to follow them, but Cole stopped her.
"Use the stairs and wait for me in my office," he ordered.
Zoe nodded, her anger evident as she shot a vicious glare at Persie before the doors closed. Persie frowned, unsure of the source of her anger. If he and Cole were more than friends, he would understand her anger but that's not the case.
Cole turned to Persie and pulled him into his embrace, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other around his nape.
Persie's cheeks flushed as he lowered his hand to ensure the bouquet he was holding wouldn't be crushed.
As a god, physical contact was something Persie wasn't used to. It wasn't common practice among the other gods too, and his entire life had been spent working, leaving him with few opportunities to socialize.
Although Persie referred to his acquaintances as friends, they were merely people his mother believed were suitable to be seen with.
The only person he was truly close to was Venus, and that closeness had led him to where he was now.
However, Venus wasn't one for physical contact, so it was a new experience for Persie to have a tactile friend.
"What is it?" Cole asked, noticing the look of confusion on Persie's face.
"Does Zoe always dislike all your friends?" Persie asked in return.
Cole smiled, "It's not my friends that she dislikes."
Persie looked at him, still confused, and Cole chuckled. He had never met someone as pure-hearted as Persie. How could Persie not tell that Cole wanted more than just friendship between them?
Cole let out a sigh. "You really have no experience, do you?" he said, his tone revealing that it wasn't a question.
Persie looked away uncomfortably. He had spent his entire life working, much like the original. They both had strict parents, who believed they should focus on work rather than having fun.
"My parents always made me focus on work," Persie murmured. "Unlike others, I didn't go out or make friends. I never got to experience life."
Cole then asked, "Have you ever kissed someone?"
Persie's cheeks flushed again, and he shook his head.
Cole nodded, realizing that all the people he had been with were far from innocent. He liked the idea of being Persie's first, although he didn't want Persie to expect more.
"How about I teach you?" Cole proposed.
Persie tilted his head inquisitively. "Teach what?"
Cole caressed his bottom lip. "The pleasures of the flesh," he replied.
Persie's cheeks flushed at the suggestion. He obviously wanted to experiment and discover why people enjoyed sex and relationships.
Although he had never been interested in it enough to try, being here and free allowed him to see what the fuss was all about and learn more about himself.
Cole might be the perfect person to try with. He didn't want a relationship, and in the original timeline, Cole had never fallen in love. That way, after their three times, they could remain friends.
"But what if it's weird afterward?" Persie murmured.
Cole felt surprised by the question but didn't show it. "After?" he repeated.
Persie clarified, "After the three times."
Cole smiled. Of course, Persie knew, the entire galaxy did. He was a public figure followed by paparazzi and photographers, on a daily basis.
Cole asked Persie, "Aren't you bothered by that rule?"
Persie shook his head and replied, "I just want to do things I wouldn't normally do and enjoy life for once. Unlike most people, I have never wanted to be in a relationship. It feels too restrictive. I would rather go out and enjoy nature. It's the only time I feel free."
It was true, Persie had never felt as close to anything or anyone as he felt towards nature.
To him, being in a relationship was like being enclosed in a small part of a meadow. Why wouldn't you want to explore the entire field?
He knew that meeting someone who would make him feel deeply and who would feel the same was unlikely, so he didn't want to settle during his TT, just like he planned on doing with Adonis.
He would have fun and explore while he was here, then go back to his life. But he couldn't tell Cole that.
Cole gazed into Persie's eyes and sensed that something was wrong about what he had said, but couldn't put his finger on it.
When the doors opened, Cole pushed the button and they closed again.
"It won't be weird, as long as you understand that I will never be in a relationship," Cole said.
"I do," Persie replied firmly.
"Then I'll be your teacher," Cole said.
Persie nodded, feeling excited but mostly nervous. He had never done anything, not even kissed.
"Let's start with lesson 1," Cole said.
Persie nodded, and as they stood face to face, their eyes locked in a moment of intense connection.
Cole looked up at him, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, and Persie knew that he was about to kiss him for the first time. He could feel his heart racing with excitement.
Persie had dreamed of this moment for what felt like an eternity, and now that it was finally here, he felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation that was almost overwhelming.
Even though Persie had never thought he would be with someone, he always thought about his first kiss.
Venus kept telling him that he was weird and didn't know what he wanted, because he kept saying he wanted to love, but was sure he would never meet anyone he would care for more than nature.
Yet he was eagerly waiting for his first kiss. As he leaned in, his heart pounding in his chest, Persie could feel Cole's breath on his face, warm and inviting.
Their lips met, and Persie felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his body. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before - a mix of tenderness and passion that made his head spin.
As the kiss deepened, he lost himself in the sensation of Cole's lips against his. Persie felt Cole's arms wrap around him, drawing him even closer.
For Cole, it was a moment of sweet surrender. Their lips moved together in perfect harmony, and he could feel the tension in Persie's body melting away, replaced by a warm glow of contentment and pleasure.
Cole had kissed before, but never like this. There was something different about their kiss - something that made him feel alive and whole in a way that he had never experienced before.
As they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless and flushed with emotion. Cole gazed into Persie's eyes, as though he was searching for something.
Persie's cheeks were flushed and he felt unsure what to say. He had never thought kissing would feel this good.
Why didn't mortal kiss more? He felt excited that he liked it so much. Persie tilted his head when Cole looked at him oddly.
"Was it alright?" Persie asked nervously.
Cole woke up and swallowed. He smiled and caressed Persie's cheek. "It was."
Persie smiled warmly, his lips curving upwards and his teeth gleaming in the light.
He asked, "So if I kiss someone like that, they will like it?"
Cole's eyes flashed and he nodded. Persie smiled happily. Cole pushed the button and the doors opened.
They both got out and walked in different directions. Cole stopped and watched Persie walking towards the dining room.
He thought that after a few steps, Persie would look back, wondering where he was, but he never did.
Cole couldn't help but have the feeling that something was seriously wrong again. He turned and left.