Eugene was still on cloud nine as Lucian tucked him to bed. They only kissed and did not go any further. After all, the sun was still high up. Not that they're planning to proceed later tonight.
"I'm going to cook lunch for us, so don't sleep just yet." Lucian moved himself out of bed before giving Eugene's head a small rub. "Wait for me, okay?"
"Hmm." Eugene nodded with a big smile. His crystal-blue eyes stared at Lucian attentively.
He was so cute that Lucian automatically leaned in to kiss the tip of Eugene's tall nose. "Be good." He then pulled away from Eugene and went out of the bedroom.
Eugene's flushed skin showed how flustered he was right now. A laugh escaped his lips as he buried himself in the pillow. 'Seducing Lucian was actually so easy?' he thought. It was so unbelievable for him to be able to pull such a bright man.
Either way, he was satisfied with what's happening right now. His happy thoughts came to a halt as he remembered something.
"Ah, Mr. Williams!" he exclaimed softly, sitting up from his previous lying position. He was itching to grab some paper to read or fiddle with. The workaholic spirit in him is starting to burn now that he's feeling much better.
Nevertheless, he tried to behave himself. Lucian told him to be good, so he has to be one. With pursed lips, he stayed still while waiting for Lucian to come back.
When Lucian finally finished preparing their lunch, he came back inside their bedroom carrying a tray of freshly cooked vegetables, chicken soup, a hot honey lemon tea, and a plate of fruits. Seeing that there was only one serving for this, Eugene's delicate eyebrows furrowed instantly.
"What about—"
"Hush. Mine's still in the living room. I'll go get it." Lucian interrupted Eugene because he knew that the older alpha would surely lash out if he didn't eat. He went out of the bedroom for a minute before coming back again carrying a smaller tray, which consisted mostly of cooked vegetables, chicken soup, and honey lemon tea.
Eugene nodded his head in satisfaction, finally digging in the food from his tray. The folding table came into use again as they ate in silence.
The blonde Marquis sipped on his honey lemon tea first before he opened his mouth to speak. "I would probably be better by tomorrow morning. Let's send a letter right now to inform Mr. Williams in advance."
"No," Lucian replied sternly. His golden eyes were glaring at the sick man in front of him. "You still need some rest. Perhaps a day or two." He then gestured towards the tray. "For now, eat properly and stop thinking about it."
Eugene had the urge to just pout at the bronze-skinned alpha, but since he was not that sick anymore, he could not act cute this time. He could only purse his lips helplessly while intentionally avoiding eye contact with Lucian to declare his indignation.
Lucian had to bear with these silent tantrums while eating their lunch. After they were done with that, Lucian watched Eugene drink the medicine first before he sat down near the blonde man.
Eugene scooted away, putting a safe space between their bodies. He must've forgotten that he was still weak, so before he could even make more distance between them, he was already pulled closer to the bronze-skinned man. He gasped in surprise as he felt his body being lifted before he dropped on Lucian's lap.
"Lucian!" he angrily whispered at the man he was sitting on. He was on top of Lucian sideways, so he had to move himself in a more comfortable position to properly face Lucian. Now, his legs were spread wide enough to cage Lucian's waist with his long legs. He was technically straddling Lucian at the moment.
Lucian only stared at the beautiful alpha in front of him. A smile escaped his lips as he wrapped an arm around Eugene's waist. He used his other hand to caress Eugene's flushed cheeks.
"I'm going to use this opportunity to touch you like this while you're still weak. Once you're fine, I know you'll treat me like a baby again," Lucian said, laughing lightly at his own remark. "You act like a dominant top outdoors, but in private, you're such a good boy," Lucian cooed, nuzzling his nose on Eugene's soft skin. "So good for me."
Eugene bit his lower lip as he turned his face away from Lucian. He can feel his cheeks heating up again. The way Lucian talked was just so sensual that it made his thoughts swerve in the wrong direction.
"You called me 'darling' earlier," Lucian mentioned casually, still chasing Eugene's soft skin by pulling the man's waist closer to his chest. "Give me a proper pet name, will you?"
Eugene finally stopped showing his avoidance at the mention of that. He gave in to Lucian's cooing, completely surrendering his face and neck for Lucian to smother with small kisses and sniffs.
"I'm bad at naming," Eugene answered in a soft voice. "Think for your own, Lucian." He then poked Lucian's forehead away from his skin. "At this point, I'm very sure you'll get sick too." The bronze-skinned alpha did not budge, though.
Instead, Lucian planted his face even more on Eugene's neck. "It's your fault. If you're not this adorable, I would have left you alone to rest already," he whispered before giving a tentative lick on the bare skin.
Eugene groaned before pulling Lucian's dark hair so that he could face him. "Stop seducing me, Alpha," Eugene warned with gritted teeth.
"Why? Will you do something bad to me, Marquis Fergus?" Lucian taunted with a wide grin.
The term 'Marquis Fergus' and the grin on Lucian's face only made Eugene more annoyed. He moved his fingers from Lucian's hair down to his nape before pulling him for a kiss. "You better not blame me if you'll get sick after this," he whispered in between their lips before shoving his tongue inside Lucian's mouth.
"Mm... Give it to me good, Marquis..."
Eugene cursed under his breath before pushing Lucian into the soft bed. His hand on Lucian's nape searched for the patch before deftly removing it with his fingers. The bronze-skinned alpha below him groaned as the vivid sensation of air seeping into his skin flooded his senses. He shivered even more as Eugene's skillful fingers grazed at his sensitive protruding glands.
Eugene watched all of Lucian's reaction, his crystal-blue eyes darkening at the lewd sight of his lover shivering in his touch.
"You're so beautiful, Lucian," he praised the man in a daze before placing a soft kiss on Lucian's exposed collar up to his neck. His lips then planted small kisses on Lucian's chin before diving in for another sensual and long kiss.
Lucian tilted his head to give Eugene more access to his mouth. Their tongues fought as if there was a war that couldn't be won by either side.
Eugene licked Lucian's lower lip first before he panted heavily. "Let's stop at this, Lucian. I don't think it's the right time to do it yet," he whispered, nuzzling Lucian's cheek with the tip of his nose. "Is that alright with you?"
"As long as you're ready, Eugene, I will always respect your decision," Lucian answered with a smile, his loving gaze directed to Eugene. He hugged the man's waist as he took a deep breath. "How are you feeling right now? The pheromones..."
"Hmm, it's fine," Eugene replied with a sigh. "I'm starting to get used to it. But for now, wear a new one first." He reached out for the table near the bed before opening the drawer.
Lucian obediently sat up and let the other alpha put it on for him. Once Eugene was done, he immediately pushed the blonde man against the mattress before settling himself on top of him like a starfish.
"You like cuddling?" Eugene asked softly, wrapping his arm around Lucian's waist. "I never thought I'd get to hug you like this," he added in a whisper.
"Like what?" Lucian probed with a meaningful gaze.
Eugene smiled. "Like a lover."
"We are lovers, Eugene," Lucian corrected him seriously. "From now on and onwards, you're my lover."
"You're only supposed to be my assistant and editor, though?" Eugene teased with a bright smile.
Lucian chuckled. "I'm your assistant, editor, partner, and lover."
"But you still don't love me, no?"
Lucian frowned at that, but he soon removed it from his face by burying his head in Eugene's neck. "I just know I'll come to love you soon."
"What an alpha. You're already claiming sovereignty over me?" The golden-haired man chuckled, his fingers raking over Lucian's silky, dark hair.
The younger alpha shook his head. "Not really. You are still your own person. More like, I'm going to be by your side from now on. Maybe not physically at all times, but I'm still there. I don't know how to explain it properly, but I hope you get my point."
Fuck Cheng Ge's past life for being single since birth 'til the day he died. He's so bad at this.
They stayed silent like that, feeling their beating hearts against their chests. Lucian took a deep breath first before he peeked at Eugene's face. Seeing that he was also staring at his face, he slightly felt like he was a thief caught stealing something from Eugene. So he hid his face back again in Eugene's neck.
"Why? What are you thinking?" Eugene asked calmly, caressing Lucian's waist up to his back. Skin-to-skin contact has become a part of their relationship; caressing and rubbing each other has become a normal occurrence for them. Lucian did not find it irritating, though; rather, it was more comfortable for him.
Lucian tilted his head to show a little bit of his face. "Hmm?"
"Why did you suddenly look at me?" Eugene patiently asked again.
"Why, I can't?" Lucian asked back, feeling wronged by being called out as 'someone who peeped at Eugene like a pervert'.
Eugene chuckled softly, his crystal-blue eyes filled with so much fondness for the young man lying on top of him. "Of course, you can. Look at me for as long as you like."
"Even if you're naked?"
"Even better, Lucian," Eugene whispered sensually in Lucian's exposed ear before slowly chewing the soft cartilage. He stuck his tongue out to lick the sensitive and ticklish part of Lucian's ear, earning a soft moan from the bronze-skinned alpha.
"Stop it," Lucian hissed with gritted teeth. 'If this damned Eugene continues what he's doing, I'm pretty sure I would have to deal with a boner later,' he added in his mind.
Eugene laughed with joy before pulling his tongue away from Lucian's flushed ear. He used his fingers to gently rub at the dry parts of the younger man's ear first before he moved his hand to caress the slightly shivering back.
"You're so sensitive. Was that your erogenous zone?" Eugene inquired, a hint of tease laced in his voice.
Lucian bit his lower lip out of embarrassment. He then slapped Eugene's shoulder without moving his face away from his favorite hideout. "Don't tease me anymore. Please," he pleaded in a slightly shy voice, burying his face even deeper on the crook of Eugene's delicate neck.
Eugene nodded his head despite the fact that Lucian can't see him doing so. Thus, he said, "Alright." His calm voice sent vibrations not just to his body but also to Lucian who was literally attached to him like an octopus.
The vibration of Eugene's voice that Lucian felt from Eugene's neck slightly tickled him. A laugh escaped his pinkish lips as he tried to move even closer to Eugene, if there was any space that he could occupy just to be closer to him.
'Hah... This is nice. To have somebody hug you like this, talk to you like this, and just stay like this...' he thought, a satisfied smile creeping up his soft lips. 'That reminds me—'
"The fortune-teller," Lucian unconsciously uttered the phrase he was thinking of.
Eugene looked at Lucian's dark hair in astonishment. "What about her?"
Lucian finally moved to show his face to Eugene, a grin planted on his lips. His golden eyes stared at Eugene cheerfully. "She said I would find true love, right? And you said it was probably you. You're not wrong at all!"
"And how am I supposed to be your true love?"
Lucian winked at him. "Just my intuition."
"Then that's good. Your intuition is on my side," Eugene said, a charming smile on his handsome face. "Anyway, I feel so much better now. The medicine's effectiveness is great. What's the physician's name again?" Eugene tilted his head with squinted eyes. He truly forgot about the doctor.
Lucian laughed. "Henry Davis."
"Right, Mr. Davis. It seems like he admires you." Eugene pointed out the physician's blatant infatuation to Lucian with raised eyebrows. "Hmm... I don't know if you being this gorgeous is a good thing or not," he added, pinching Lucian's ear lightly.
Lucian swatted the hand near his sensitive ear. "He probably developed an attachment to me after I offered him a rare herb in exchange for a year's worth of free consultations," he said thoughtfully.
The herb was actually so expensive that he thought it was worth it. Investing in professional services isn't bad after all. See? Eugene got a free check-up from the physician because of Lucian!
"Oh," Eugene uttered with a nod, his expression filled with amazement. Is this how businessmen do things? Just... negotiating everything?
Lucian had the urge to laugh again, but he decided to just let the blonde man think of it in peace. He laid himself comfortably on top of Eugene before closing his eyes to take a small nap.
The small nap turned out to be quite longer than expected. They both woke up when the sun was already gone from the sky, replaced by the bright moon and twinkling stars. It was dark outside, although the street lamp provided a little bit of light for the people to walk freely on the pavement.
Lucian moved his hand to touch Eugene's forehead, feeling the temperature there. A sigh of relief escaped from his lips as he discovered that the fever was already gone. He slowly climbed down from Eugene's body before going out of the bedroom.
He had to cook again.
...
After eating their dinner, Lucian and Eugene spent the rest of the night playing board games. Particularly, checkers.
"Hey, hey, hey. You're cheating!" Lucian swatted the fair hand away from the red "men" or the flat and round piece on the board. "Touch-move rule, Eugene!"
Eugene smirked at him. "Why, did you see me touching it?"
"I did. You touched that piece earlier and then you suddenly shifted to another piece! You can't fool me," Lucian was adamant in calling out Eugene's lie.
Eugene sighed in defeat. "I now understand why people say you shouldn't play with your lover."
"Why?" Lucian challengingly raised an eyebrow at him.
"Because I'd rather surrender to you than win the game," Eugene answered smoothly, even crossing his legs to act like a gentleman.
Lucian scoffed. "There's no fun in that. Fight with me fair and square. You don't need to please me in games. Even if I lose, I'm not going to hate you or anything."
Eugene paused at that. His crystal-blue eyes heatedly stared at the bronze-skinned man in front of him. He suddenly had the urge to just carry him into their bedroom and smother him with licks and kisses. And so he did.
Lucian was so surprised when Eugene suddenly stood up from his chair, reaching out his arms to wrap around Lucian's waist, before assisting his butt to carry him on. The younger alpha instinctively clung his legs on Eugene's waist so as not to fall over. This action made things easier for Eugene.
The older man entered their bedroom while carrying Lucian, peppering soft kisses on Lucian's neck. The bronze-skinned tyrant had to grasp tightly on Eugene's shoulder for support.
"What are you doing? So suddenly carrying me like this?" Lucian asked despite being kissed all over by Eugene. He couldn't help but sigh. 'Where's your 'I hate all alphas' agenda now?' He must've been really special for Eugene to treat him like this despite being an alpha.
Eugene planted a soft kiss on Lucian's chin first before placing him down on the bed. His pinkish lips grazed the soft, bronze skin as if it was a precious jade. Eugene gently nudged the necklace on Lucian's neck with his nose, playfully biting the crystal-blue pendant before planting another feathery kiss on Lucian's collarbone.
"You're just so irresistible," Eugene whispered in reply to Lucian's previous question. "I want to feel your skin on my lips."
Lucian cupped Eugene's face away from his neck, his golden eyes meeting Eugene's crystal-blue ones. "If you continue being horny like this, I'm going to be sucked dry by the end of the month."
"That's the plan, Lucian."
And so, Lucian had to deal with Eugene's persistent kisses before finally falling asleep. He had to thank Eugene for his ultimate self-control which ended up with them just cuddling each other to sleep.
Then...
Morning came when a letter was sent to their doorsteps by the apartment's tenant.
It was Oscar Williams' letter to meet with them at the coffee house that was indicated on the card they gave him before.
Lucian couldn't help but feel nervous all over. The pink bubbles and clouds that accumulated in his head since yesterday turned into dark clouds of upcoming thunderstorms.
He looked at Eugene who was peacefully drinking his morning tea. "Don't come with me. Just stay here and take a good rest," Lucian said with a stern expression.
"No." Eugene's short reply came as soon as Lucian finished his sentence.
Lucian's lips frowned at his response. "Eugene, listen to me. You don't need to force yourself into this. I can handle it." He walked closer to the man, leaning forward so that their nose would bump into each other. "Don't you trust me?"
"I trust you. Of course, I trust you. More than anyone in the world! It's just that... I want to be with you while you're doing this. I promise that I won't interfere. I won't push my body harder as well, and even if you're worried, please know that I will immediately tell you once I don't feel fine anymore." Eugene stared back at him. Firmly. As if nothing could budge him out of the way.
Lucian took a deep inhale first before he bumped his forehead on Eugene's own. "You're so stubborn."
"I know."
"Just know that I would literally haul you up and leave Mr. Williams once you feel uncomfortable, right?" Lucian raised his hand to caress Eugene's fair and soft cheek.
"Hmm." The blonde man nodded with pursed lips.
"Make sure to be honest. Tell me if something's wrong or if you need anything."
"Alright."
"Promise me."
Eugene chuckled softly. "I promise."
"Good. Then let's go." Lucian pulled him up, planting a kiss on Eugene's forehead before picking up his coat.
What 'Take care of me, Eugene'? The situation was now reversed into 'I'll take care of you, Eugene'!