"You're angry..."

His voice, a soft whisper. Carried by the nightly wind. The cool ocean breeze, sweeping his hair. Letting it dance under the gentle moonlight.

The man who stared at him slightly narrowed his eyes. "My anger has passed... " He didn't deny it.

With furrowed brows, the youth released a chuckle. His lips parted like the petals of a blooming rose. "I do not regret being with you. I could not leave you. Although, it now sounds foolish after our previous conversation. I am not regretful. You can be angry at me... I can understand."

His lids lowered. Silver pupils gleamed as it quietly peeked at the expression of the man beside him. Calm golden eyes, filled with gentleness, met Moulin's gaze. The youth held his gaze, almost unwilling to look away. He was unaware of how similar their thoughts were. So similar.

Moulin openly took a deep breath as he continued to look at Hadrian. And as he hastily exhaled, he shook his head. His heart was pounding loudly that he could almost hear it. He swallowed as his hands clenched. "I was scared... " His brows furrowed. "So what if I jumped in and was stuck with you? So what if we are stranded here without our abilities? I am not regretting anything. I could not bear it. It was better to go through all of this together than to be stuck wondering all the dreadful possibilities that had happened to you."

Moulin felt his eyes moistened as he recalled the cracking portal and the hundreds of Veialeans charging towards Hadrian and blocking their entry to the other end of the portal. Although he knew how powerful Hadrian was, he could not trust it in that situation. It was abrupt. Frightening. He felt like being trapped and unable to help, achingly watching as the man faded from his sight. Unconsciously, Moulin hugged himself. His slender arms around his body as if shivering from the cold of the night breeze.

"I do not regret it..." He spoke as if to solidify the sentence in his heart. Speaking as if defending himself. Bringing out a reason for his actions. Hadrian probably felt fearful the moment Moulin stepped into that portal, running through the masses of enemies with poisonous nails.

Moulin sighed.

Suddenly, he felt an arm slip around his slender waist and abruptly pulled him towards a warm body. Heated lips pressed on his own and it felt like a river of soothing water had filled him. The arm around his waist was like a huge iron cuff. The long fingers on his hair were weaving through the strands of silver, coiling it around the digits. However, Moulin's whole focus was on the connection of their lips. It wasn't gentle nor was it too harsh. It was filled with deeply buried emotions that had burst out from the forbidden heart in their chests. Tongues caressing each other in a heated dance. It was sweet, comforting yet seductive.

When they separated, a string of silver stretched from the separation of their lips. Moulin drew near to briefly kiss on the parted lips before him. His kiss was soft and gentle. He repeated it three times before a merry chuckle escaped from his mouth when he pulled back. Hadrian's eyes were bright, almost a luminous gold. Reflecting the gentle smile on the youth's face. His brows were raised, revealing a surprised expression, the reason why a bubble of laughter was released from Moulin's lips.

Eyes forming into crescent moons, Moulin smiling as he spoke, "You look like you haven't experienced someone kissing you. Honestly, your face is amusing..."

"..." Hadrian furrowed his brows as he pressed Moulin to his body. The heat between them was distracting. With a narrowed gaze, a corner of the lord's lips lifted. There was amusement layering his deep golden eyes. Moulin looked at them, captivated. "Naughty..."

Moulin chuckled. His cheeks were rosy as a beautiful smile formed from those lips

"What you felt when you entered the portal to aid me was how I felt when I saw you hurt and injured within the saferoom of the fortress..."

"Worry?" MouIin lifted his hand. His palm resting on the warm cheek of his lover in front of him.

"Worry..." Harris slightly lowered his lids as he too, brought a hand to caress Moulin's cheek. "Although, it was mostly fear..."

"I could sense anger too..." Moulin whispered as he helplessly sighed. He was reckless at that moment. Hadrian's words had not deeply penetrated his mind during that time. A sense of guilt flowed in his chest.

As if seeing the emotions inside the youth's heart, Hadrian turned his head and kissed the palm that had rested on his cheek. He breathes in them and felt the softness of its skin. His actions made Moulin stop. The youth flinched when he felt the wet slide of the man's tongue...

Redness crept into his face and he hastily moved to remove it but Hadrian held Moulin's wrist in a locking grip. The man's hold on his pale wrist was strong making Moulin completely helpless from the man's strength. The youth bit his lips as Hadrian continued his actions.

"Stop that! I-It's dirty!" Moulin tried to keep his voice low. He glanced at the woods as he if felt someone scrutinizing him. Moulin and Hadrian were exposed to the area. Anyone could see them. However, it was only Ordan who was the other person aside from the two of them.

No... He could not be secretly staring at them. It wasn't like Ordan as what Moulin had observed the man's personality.

"You smell divine..."

"I smell horrible!" Is his nose broken?

"Hmmm..."

Moulin felt shivers climb up his spine as he felt the vibration of the man's voice on his hand. The sensation shot through his arm down to his lower body. It made him tremble in a weirdly good kind of way. Moulin mentally shook his head. He wanted to deny the reactions of his body but how can he when he had already recognized the effects Hadrian's touch had given him?

"That reminds me..." Hadrian spoke. Moulin could feel a smirk forming on the man's lips. "I was left unsatisfied during our supposed coupling because of some disrespectful rat..."

Recalling their sensual round back at Hadrian's tent, Moulin red face grew even redder as if he would pop with a faint touch.

"I had discovered a cave beneath the cliff, not far from the shores..." Hadrian continued, aware of Moulin's reactions. Teasing the youth was as satisfying as watching him break apart beneath him, writhing breathlessly.

"You did?" Moulin's brows furrowed, confused by Hadrian's sudden shift of topic.

Hadrian planted a kiss on the slender fingers. His response was low, "Hm... It is desolate, quiet, and not a creature was in sight... It's the perfect place..."

When those words entered Moulin's ears, he froze. He knows where this was going!

With wide eyes, Moulin stared at the man. "Are you serious? In the situation that we're in?" Moulin witnessed a new level of homelessness from the man before him. His eye twitched as Hadrian only kept the smile on his face. Completely, enjoying their conversation and perhaps considering the thought of his own suggestion. Moulin's frown deepened. Stop thinking with your c*ck!

"If you do anything inappropriate, I will really skin you..."

A buoyant laugh noises in the night. The moonlight dazzled the handsome countenance of the powerful man. His golden hair looked majestic His laugh was real and hearty. Moulin only narrowed his eyes as he felt the arm around his waist grow tighter.

With amusement dancing within his bright eyes, Hadrian lowered his gaze and smile. "Are you afraid that Lord Cillius would know about us?"

"Are you not?" Moulin raises a brow.

"Let him watch if he wants to. I don't care less if he does..." Hadrian's eyes seemed to look elsewhere before locking his gaze on Moulin.

"Sew that mouth shut..." Moulin frowned as he finally stepped back when the arms around his waist loosened. "I don't want to hear-!!!"

Moulin abruptly inhaled sharply as pain suddenly erupts in his arm. It felt like being gutted and skinned before he was doused in boiling oil. His teeth clenched and his hands trembled violently as his hand clenched on his pained arm. "Augh!"

Hadrian immediately noticed the painful expression on the youth's face. Moulin paled as he bit his lip, trying to hold back a scream.

WHAT IS THIS?!

His thoughts were loud and erratic.

Hadrian held Moulin's sluggish body. His eyes darkened as if storm clouds were brewing inside them. He stared at Moulin's arm and had no hesitation as he ripped off the buttons on the youth's sleeve. The seams ripped from his actions and the youth's white skin was revealed to his eyes.

The dark marks the horned man had made. They were moving, wriggling like worms on MouIin's skin.

"It hurts, it hurts..." Moulin gasped as he breathed rapidly. His frame appeared vulnerable and pitiful as he leaned Hadrian's chest. The man's heart was pounding heavily.

"It will be fine... " Anxiousness rose in the man's chest as he spoke those words.

"It will be alright..."