Bermuda

Ha—Leonardo let out a short, breathy laugh. It seemed he had no intention of hiding it anymore.

Tilting his brows crookedly, the corner of his lips trembled faintly. As if determined to somehow outmatch the other man’s shamelessness, he dragged the sole of his foot against that firm abdomen, his tone laced with quiet mockery.

“I figured you had voyeuristic tendencies, but I didn’t know you were into exhibitionism too.”

“Seems I’ve developed tastes even I wasn’t aware of.”

But the provocation of a reckless upstart didn’t land. Hugo, who had been playing along just enough, suddenly seized the teasing ankle in one hand. Then, in the same motion, he yanked it sharply toward his waist.

“Hey—wait!”

A lean thigh, left carelessly open, was abruptly caught tight between his arm and side. Hugo pressed in through that gap, their lower bodies meeting in a slow, deliberate press.

Dragged helplessly along, Leonardo’s eyes widened as his hands came up against Hugo’s chest. When his thighs instinctively tightened, Hugo leaned in and whispered with a trace of laughter,

“That’s quite the enthusiastic welcome.”

“...Are you seriously a pervert?”

“If you’ve figured that out, then you’ll have to deal with it. After all, I’m your lord.”

With that, Hugo lowered himself and pressed a deep kiss to the already damp corner of Leonardo’s eye. His tongue moved broadly, licking up along his cheek as though parting soft, sweet flesh.

Leonardo felt heat rush up his neck. He said things like that without the slightest change in expression. Truly, a thick-skinned noble if there ever was one.

The soft sounds brushing against his ear were unsettlingly intense. That composed, refined face looked pure enough to appear in a dream, yet what he did belonged to an entirely different man. Pressed repeatedly by those lips, the fullness rising along Leonardo’s cheek distorted the shape of his eyes.

It made it impossible to read the true color of the irises staring back at him. And yet, the phrase your lord, echoing in his mind like a mantra, sounded strangely pleasing—as if it were some twisted compensation for the confusion.

“Ah... mm....”

“...Mm.”

Drunk on that sweetness, the hand that had been pushing against Hugo’s chest lost its purpose and hesitated. Taking it as a signal, the solid presence between his legs gradually swelled with intent. The unmistakable weight of another man pressed against him, and Leonardo flinched for a moment.

“Ah—”

In that instant, a metal buckle brushed against the sensitive skin beneath his groin. The chilling sensation made his shoulders draw in involuntarily.

“Ugh—cold.”

“Cold?”

Hugo, who had ignored every protest until now, immediately caught onto that reaction. Dropping his gaze, he quickly found the cause at his own waist and eased his lower body back slightly.

Click. Clack. The sound of metal striking echoed a few times. As he undid his belt with both hands, the motion looked almost like preparation for foreplay on a bed. Watching him, Leonardo’s thoughts stalled.

No way... right now?

Heat surged through his entire body. Because of it, strands of blond hair clung damply to the mirror behind him, leaving faint, misted trails.

Hugo found it fortunate that his reflection there was blurred.

Facing himself—having lost his composure—in front of the beautiful man lying half-reclined and looking up at him in flustered confusion would not have been easy.

Gripping the buckle and pulling it free, he extended his arm to the side. The leather strap slid loose, glinting under the lights—threatening, almost like an instrument of punishment.

Leonardo’s gaze followed it, instinctively freezing. This man had used a whip before. Even if not that, there were countless ways it could be used. Like last time—binding him.

His face stiffened under that fearful imagination as he looked up.

“What are you trying to do?”

Hugo studied him for a moment, then slowly opened the hand gripping the belt. With a heavy clatter, the metal ring fell to the floor.

He even nudged it aside with his shoe, clearing it away, before leaning in again.

“Shall we continue?”

“I was still talking—mm—”

The man bent over him pressed down on his unfinished words, silencing them with his lips. Leonardo’s eyes trembled faintly as his voice trailed off. A hot tongue pushed past the thin membrane of his lips, sweeping through every corner, sucking and teasing. The sensitive ridges tangled together, coaxing every nerve.

Moisture gathered at the corners of his eyes like tears, though it wasn’t even his own. Every time, it felt honestly like he was being devoured.

Ah, this isn’t good.

Leonardo clenched his fist, trying to hold onto his slipping consciousness. The fabric he gripped carried the scent of refined aristocratic perfume. Yet the low sounds spilling near his ear belonged to nothing but a man steeped in desire.

His breathing grew uneven, accelerating the blood rushing through him. The muscles along his inner thighs tightened, and in the heated atmosphere, his arousal rose halfway beneath his clothing. The solid presence pressing down over it grew heavier, revealing its intent.

He had to stop this from going any further. Why today of all days? The man who usually slipped away like a cunning snake whenever things got heated—why was he suddenly so intent on flustering him now?

Leonardo reached out, his hand fumbling to block that greedy mouth.

“Wait—Hugo, stop.”

Hugo, wholly absorbed, veins standing faintly at his temple, reacted the moment he heard his name.

“...Why?”

“Aren’t you worried at all? Is this really okay right now?”

Finally creating a small gap, Leonardo pushed at Hugo’s lips. Even as he was forced back by that hand, Hugo pressed a kiss against the folded skin in his palm. Leonardo flinched, his brows knitting as his fingertips twitched. Only then did Hugo pull away slightly.

“You don’t want this?”

Half-slumped in an uncomfortable position, Leonardo only breathed roughly in response.

After watching him for a few seconds, Hugo slid an arm behind his waist and lifted him, setting his upper body upright as he had before. Leonardo’s unsteady form, which had been draped over his arm, slowly found its balance again.

As his thighs closed, the suggestive glimpse of flesh disappeared. Only then did Hugo withdraw his arm, brushing the back of his hand lightly against Leonardo’s cheek.

“If you don’t want it, we’ll stop.”

The lingering regret was swallowed by reason.

“And there’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll handle it properly.”

His voice and touch were gentle—but the word handle sounded especially cold. Leonardo inhaled sharply without meaning to answer.

Perhaps because he had once served under a merciless ruler who had cast aside all humanity countless times, the most straightforward and common meaning came to mind. Regardless of how righteous the Duke might appear, he was still the head of the imperial faction.

The thought that Hugo might eliminate Ero—the one who could spread scandal—made fear seize him. Without thinking, Leonardo grabbed his wrist.

“No. Don’t.”

One of Hugo’s brows lifted slightly.

“Don’t?”

“I like him. Don’t hurt him.”

Even knowing he had no right to ask something like this, Leonardo forced his expression into one as pitiful and pleading as possible. Hugo had always been weak when it came to him. He believed he would listen this time too.

“I’ll talk to him myself...”

Drooping eyes, curved brows, a helpless gaze—an expression he often wore when asking for something. Hugo knew it well. And though he understood why Leonardo was making this request, something twisted faintly inside him.

You like him?

Even a truth Hugo himself had barely managed to hear at the brink of parting was given so easily to someone else. Of course, he knew that the meaning behind those words was entirely different.

Still, hearing him defend someone else in a moment like this was, frankly, not pleasant.

Hugo closed his eyes briefly, tension tightening at the back of his neck, then opened them again and looked down at Leonardo.

So it wasn’t that killer whale that was the problem after all.

Leonardo, unaware of what he had done, met his gaze with quiet unease. Hugo, who had been trying to maintain the mood, let out a small sigh. The man who was usually bold was most beautiful when he acted that way. There was much he wanted to say, but for now, he decided to let this pass quietly and ease his worries.

Leaning down, Hugo braced a hand and brought their eyes level.

“Don’t hurt him? What exactly do you take me for?”

“...That’s...”

“There’s nothing to worry about. I only meant I’d resolve it in a humane way. Of course, if you don’t even want me involved, I won’t step in. I’ll follow your wishes.”

His large hand brushed Leonardo’s fallen bangs behind his ear as he spoke gently. The gaze that fell over his face, however, was endlessly soft.

“Shall we do that?”

With that simple question placing the decision in his hands, the tension melted away. It felt like a clear promise—that nothing would be done against his will. Only then did the stiffness in Leonardo’s neck and shoulders finally loosen.

“Yeah.”

Nodding twice, Leonardo extended an arm as if in gratitude for having his wishes respected. Even if he didn’t show it outwardly, warmth spread through his chest. It had been a long time since someone treated him like this.

He wrapped his arm around Hugo’s neck, pressing his nose and lips lightly against the man’s cheek. His fingers slid into the back of Hugo’s head, stroking gently.

A soft kiss—when had something so simple become this heart-melting? The ticklish touch against his cheek softened Hugo’s gaze as well. Feigning indifference, he watched Leonardo from the corner of his eye, then raised his own hand to stroke the blond hair.

“You like your teammates?”

“Yeah. He listens to me.”

“That’s good. Are they at least useful in a match?”

“Hmm... well, they’re not a hindrance. But he talks way too much.”

Contrary to his earlier words, the evaluation was harsher than expected. Hugo let out a quiet chuckle.

“At least you won’t be bored.”

Leonardo laughed along. The tension that had nearly turned stiff softened again.

The embrace lingered longer than expected. After showing that small affection, Leonardo seemed to think the mood had eased enough. Hesitantly, he pulled his head back slightly.

Then, carefully gauging the moment, he spoke.

“...But I should probably get going soon.”

Hugo, who had been slowly relaxing into the warmth, stilled abruptly.

“Why?”

“We made plans to eat together as a team today.”

He answered in an intentionally light tone—and Hugo’s expression, which had only just softened, hardened in an instant.