By Zephyria 
Ha, Leonardo let out a short, derisive laugh. It seems he no longer has any intention of hiding it.
With one eyebrow cocked sharply upward, he twitched the corner of his mouth. As if trying to somehow overcome the other’s shamelessness, he subtly mocked while rubbing the sole of his foot against the firm abdomen.
“I knew you had voyeuristic tendencies, but I didn’t know you were an exhibitionist too.”
“It seems I’ve developed a new taste I wasn’t even aware of.”
However, the fledgling’s provocation didn’t work. Hugo, who had been playing along appropriately, grabbed the ankle that was teasing him with one hand. In that state, he pulled it sharply toward his own side.
“Hey, wait!”
A nimble thigh, caught off guard, spread open and became firmly wedged between the forearm and flank. Hugo pushed into that gap and pressed his lower body snugly against it.
Suddenly dragged close, Leonardo’s eyes widened and he pressed both hands against his chest. As his thighs reflexively tightened, Hugo whispered in a tone laced with laughter.
“Such enthusiastic hospitality.”
“…Are you really a pervert?”
“If you know, then you should handle it. You’re the one who started this, Your Excellency.”
Saying that, Hugo bent down and planted a firm kiss on the already moist corner of his eye. He even used his tongue broadly, licking up the entire cheek as if parting soft, ripe fruit.
The nape of Leonardo’s neck, which had been flushed, instantly grew hot. To say such things without even a change in expression. Truly befitting a thick-skinned noble lord.
The force of the lewd sounds ravaging his ear was menacing. His handsome face was impeccably pure, enough to appear in a dream of innocence, yet his actions were utterly incongruous. Pressed repeatedly by the lips pushing against him, the plump flesh swelling over his cheekbones distorted Leonardo’s eyes.
Because of that, it became difficult to gauge the original color of the irises facing him. However, the phrase ‘Your Excellency’ repeating in his mind like a mantra sounded pleasant, as if it were a reward for the confusion.
“Mmm, ngh…”
“…Hmm.”
Intoxicated by the sweetness of that conquest, the palms that had been pushing against his chest lost their purpose and hesitated. Perhaps taking that as a signal, the thick outline that had entered between his legs gradually swelled, inflating its form. Startled for a moment by the emerging presence of the man, Leonardo flinched.
“Ah—”
In an instant, a metal buckle grazed the tender skin below his groin. At that chilling sensation, Leonardo’s shoulders instinctively hunched.
“Ngh, it’s cold.”
“Cold?”
Hugo, who had been adept at ignoring protests, immediately caught that particular reaction. He promptly lowered his gaze and soon found the cause at his own waist, then slightly pulled his lower body back.
Click, clack. The sound of metal clashing rang out several times. The sight of him undoing the belt with both hands was reminiscent of preparing for foreplay on a bed, causing Leonardo, who was watching, to freeze in shock.
‘Don’t tell me, now?’
Heat surged through his entire body. Because of it, the mirror surface he leaned his head against left damp trails where strands of blond hair stuck in clumps.
Hugo considered it fortunate that his own reflection in those smudges was blurred.
Facing his own unsettled self before a beauty lying half-reclined and looking up in flustered confusion was no easy task.
Gripping the buckle with one hand and pulling, he stretched his arm out to the side. The leather belt that slid out shimmered under the light. It looked threatening, as if it were an instrument of punishment.
Leonardo’s eyes, following its movement, instinctively froze. The other had a history of wielding a whip. No, even without that, its utility was considerable. Using it for restraint like last time.
His face, steeped in fearful delusion, looked up rigidly.
“What are you going to do?”
Hugo, who had been observing him, pondered for a moment before opening his clenched palm wide. Thud, clang. The heavy metal rings tumbled to the floor.
After pushing them aside with the tip of his shoe and tidying them up neatly, he leaned his head in again.
“Shall we continue?”
“My story isn’t finished yet, mmm…”
The Excellency, bending his upper body, pressed down on the lips that were mumbling unfinished affection. Leonardo, whose words trailed off, trembled slightly under his eyes. A hot tongue penetrated the thin mucous membrane, sucking and licking every nook and cranny. Tiny, erect bumps tangled together, soothing and teasing the sensitive nerve endings. Saliva, not even his own, beaded at the corners of his eyes like tears. Honestly, every time like this, he felt like he was being devoured.
‘Ah, this won’t do.’
Leonardo clenched his fist, trying to grasp his fading consciousness. The scent of a noble’s lofty perfume rose from the crumpled fabric in his grip. In contrast, the low moans penetrating his ears were filled with nothing but desire for the man before him.
Leonardo’s own breathing, which had also grown ragged, accelerated the flowing bloodstream. The adductor muscles on the inner thighs gradually tightened, and his member, rubbed by the charged atmosphere, half-erected through the gap in his clothes. The other’s outline, draped over it, revealed its desire and pressed down with a heavy weight.
He had to somehow prevent them from getting any closer than this. Why is he acting like this today of all days? The person who always slips away like a weasel whenever he tries to set the mood is now frantic to fluster him like this.
Leonardo’s outstretched hand fumbled to block the greedy lower jaw.
“Ngh, Hugo, stop for a moment.”
Hugo, who had been so focused that veins stood out on his temples, reacted to the sound of his own name.
“…Why?”
“Aren’t you worried at all? Is it okay for you to be doing this now?”
Leonardo, who had barely created an opening, pushed away the Excellency’s pressed lips. Pushed back by that hand, Hugo frowned but suctioned the folded skin in his palm with his lips. Leonardo, scowling, gritted his teeth and twitched his fingertips. Only then did Hugo detach his lips and ask.
“You don’t like it?”
Leonardo, lying in an uncomfortable, half-slumped position, exhaled only rough breaths.
After observing for a few seconds, Hugo slipped an arm behind his waist and embraced him. Soon, he lifted Leonardo’s upper body and set him upright, just as he had been seated initially. The waist that had been swaying over his forearm regained its own strength and supported itself well.
As the gap between his thighs closed, the strangely visible flesh also crumpled. Only then did Hugo withdraw his arm and gently rub Leonardo’s cheek with the back of his hand.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”
He swallowed the lingering regret with reason.
“And there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll handle it definitively.”
His voice and touch were exceedingly gentle, yet the word ‘handle’ sounded particularly cold. Unconsciously, Leonardo drew in a breath instead of answering.
Perhaps because he had repeatedly betrayed humanity under a once cruel and merciless Monarch, the simplest and most frequent method of ‘handling’ came to mind. He didn’t know about the righteous Duke Agrizendro, but he too was the head of the Imperial Faction nobility.
Thinking it might mean removing Ero’s tongue, which could spread scandal, Leonardo was suddenly frightened and grabbed his wrist.
“No, don’t.”
One of Hugo’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Don’t?”
“I like him, I’m telling you. Don’t hurt him.”
He knew that considering his own past, he wasn’t in a position to make such a request of anyone, but Leonardo put on the most pitiful and sorrowful expression he could. He believed the man, who had always been weak only toward him, would listen this time too.
“I’ll talk to him properly…”
Drooping outer corners of the eyes, curved eyebrows, a pleading gaze. It was a face he often made when asking for something. Knowing this, Hugo could guess why he was making such a request, yet he felt a subtle twist in his feelings.
‘He likes him?’
He was astonished that another being could so easily draw out the sincerity he himself had barely been able to hear, and only at the moment of parting. Of course, he knew the feelings implied by those words were distinctly different from his own.
But honestly, hearing a plea for someone else’s protection in this situation wasn’t exactly pleasant.
For a moment, the back of Hugo’s neck felt stiff. He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them. Soon, he looked down steadily at Leonardo.
‘Now I see, the problem wasn’t that orca.’
The eyes that didn’t know what they had done responded with an anxious gaze. Hugo, who had pointlessly tried to set the mood, finally sighed. The always audacious beauty was only lovely when acting audaciously. Though he had much to say, he decided to let this matter pass quietly to ease his worries.
Slowly bracing himself with his hands, Hugo bent his waist and matched eye level.
“Don’t hurt him, you say. How have you seen me all this time?”
“…That’s.”
“Don’t worry. I meant I’d resolve it on a humane level. Of course, if you don’t even want me involved in that, I won’t step in. I’ll follow your wishes.”
A large hand gently brushed the fallen bangs behind his ear as he spoke calmly. Instead, the gaze that fell upon his face was endlessly affectionate.
“Shall we do that?”
With that single question handing over the decision-making power, the tension melted away. It was as if he had received a clear promise: I won’t do anything you don’t want. Only then did Leonardo’s stiff neck and shoulders relax loosely.
“Mhm.”
Nodding his head twice, Leonardo stretched out one arm as if in repayment to the Excellency who had respected his opinion. Though he showed no particular outward expression, a warm feeling swelled and spread in a corner of his heart. Perhaps it was because it had been a long time since he received such consideration from another.
He wrapped his arms around Hugo’s neck and buried his nose and lips in the man’s cheek. He slipped his fingers into the back of his head and stroked it softly.
Peck. Was a peck on the cheek such a heart-melting form of skin-ship? The tickling sensation against his cheek also caused Hugo’s eyes to relax in turn. He pretended nonchalance, watching Leonardo’s actions from the corner of his eye. Then, he similarly raised a palm and gently stroked the golden back of his head.
“Do you like your teammate?”
“Mhm, he listens to me well.”
“That’s fortunate. Is he any help in the matches?”
“Hmm… Well, he doesn’t get in the way. But he talks too much.”
Contrary to the earlier conversation, a rather harsh evaluation followed. Hearing it, Hugo chuckled.
“At least you won’t be bored.”
Leonardo laughed along. The atmosphere, which had nearly become stiff, softened.
The time spent embracing grew quite long. Leonardo, who had been showing small affections, seemed to think the mood had dissipated by now and hesitantly pulled his head back slightly.
Soon, testing the waters a bit, he cautiously broached the subject.
“But… I should get going soon.”
Hugo, who had been soaking in the warm atmosphere, suddenly paused.
“Why?”
“I promised to have a team dinner today.”
When he answered with an almost innocent tone, the Excellency’s expression, which he had just managed to soften, rapidly hardened.