As we were about to depart to our separate rooms, Levi grabbed me from behind, nuzzled on my shoulder. He murmured near my ear. “Pulla… I miss you so much.”

A jolt of surprise, pleasant and unexpected, shot through me. I turned in Levi's embrace, a soft smile spreading across my face. "Hey," I murmured back, my hand finding his cheek. "I miss you too."

He pulled back slightly, his deep blue eyes was clouded with a hint of genuine distress. His brow was furrowed, a childlike frown. “It’s been three days, my stomach hurts, Raphael,” he stated, his voice a low complaint.

“Hm? What are you talking about?” I asked, my brow knitting in bewilderment.

“When we left the beach house, you didn’t… make me… remember?” he murmured.

Oh! He never finished that day.

Three days... the beach house... A pang of guilt mixed with a surge of desire. "Oh, that," I murmured, my thumb gently stroking his cheek. "You're right. I... got distracted." I leaned in closer, my voice low. "My stomach hurts too, now that you mention it."

My gaze, still softened by the intimacy of drying his hair, caught the discoloration on his ankle. A knot of concern tightened in my chest. "Levi," I asked gently, reaching out to lightly touch the purplish mark, "what's this bruise?" My fingers traced the edges of it, the skin slightly tender beneath my touch.

"It's... an old injury that occasionally resurfaces. It's merely superficial."

I nodded slowly, though a sliver of doubt lingered. If he didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't push. Instead, I shifted closer, my lips finding his in the soft lamplight of his room. The earlier playful mood returned, a gentle warmth spreading between us as our lips met.

It was such a tender kiss that basically melted me into a puddle. It wasn’t dominant, exploitative or whatnot. Just a warm kiss that sent heat all over my body, melting away any lingering tension from the day, leaving behind only a soft, yielding desire that resonated through my very being.

I wanted to tease him a little.

“Levi, you like being called ‘master’, is that true?”

He immediately flinched.

“Childhood nickname, you say?" I leaned in closer, my voice a low murmur against his ear. "So, little Levi liked being the master of something, even back then?" I trailed a light finger down his arm, enjoying the almost imperceptible shiver that ran through him. "Interesting… Now, tell me, would you like it if I called you ‘master’, hm?”

Levi's breath hitched slightly. His eyes, usually so direct and unwavering, flickered away for a fleeting moment, a shadow of something unreadable crossing his features.

"Raphael," he began, his voice a low rumble, a hint of a familiar steel returning. "As I stated, it was a childish appellation, devoid of any... significant connotation. To extrapolate such a... preference into our current dynamic would be... inaccurate. While I appreciate your... playful curiosity," he continued, his voice softening slightly, "I believe there are far more... nuanced and mutually agreeable terms of endearment we could explore."

A visible shiver ran through Levi as my breath warmed his ear. His eyes flickered shut for a fleeting moment.

"Raphael," he murmured, his voice a low, slightly unsteady rumble. "Your... methods of persuasion are... remarkably effective. Very well," he conceded, his gaze finally meeting mine, a mixture of exasperation and something akin to... surrender, in their depths. "Indulge your... peculiar fascinations. But do not assume this grants you carte blanche to... excessively utilize this... nomenclature."

“Oh, master? I do not even know half of the words you said. Excuse me for being a little… dirty.”

A low chuckle rumbled in Levi's chest. "Dirty?" he echoed, his voice a low murmur against my ear as I purred. "Your vocabulary, while... direct, is not entirely unfamiliar. However..." His gaze flickered down to my lips. "...I suspect the true meaning lies not in the words themselves, but in the intent behind them." He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against my skin. "Enlighten me, pulla."

“You were adorable today, master. You losing your entire composure because I pinched your nose? So, so cute, master.” I said while giggling.

"That was... a momentary lapse in decorum, induced by... unexpected physical contact," he mumbled, his voice regaining some of its usual precision. "And the term is Levi, Raphael. Not... 'master'." He finally met my gaze. "Though I concede, your... amusement was... noted."

“I noted your amusement, too, Levi.”

A visible shiver ran through Levi as my teeth gently grazed his ear. His breath hitched, and his hands, which had been resting on the sheets, clenched slightly. His eyes fluttered shut for a fleeting moment.

A knot of genuine fear tightened in my chest. "Levi...?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, barely a breath.

His gaze remained locked with mine, that chilling fury still present, yet… something else flickered beneath the surface. He began to move again, his pace slow and deliberate. A wave of relief washed over me, tinged with a lingering unease. He was still there, somewhere beneath the anger, a sliver of his usual control reasserting itself.

...

Levi's journey through the night was a turbulent one, a relentless cycle of shifting intensities and unfulfilled urges. He moved through phases of raw, almost brutal need, to moments of a more controlled, deliberate exploration, but the ultimate release remained elusive for him. I lost count of the times my own body shuddered with the sweet release, each wave leaving me more drained, more thoroughly sated, while he pressed on, driven by a frustration I could only begin to comprehend. His relentless pursuit of release manifested in a constant barrage of sensation – the deep, insistent pounding, the fervent suction of his mouth, the sharp sting of his teeth, the slick slide of his tongue – a desperate symphony of touch that seemed to bring him no closer to the edge. By the time the first rays of sunlight touched the room, I lay beside him, utterly exhausted, my body humming with the afterglow of multiple climaxes, while he remained coiled and tense, a storm still raging within him.

Then his phone rang.

A frustrated groan rumbled deep in Levi's chest. He snatched his phone from the bedside table, his fingers tight around the device, and brought it to his ear. "Yes. I am listening," he bit out, his voice rough with sleep and an edge of irritation, eyes half-closed. He remained inside me, an absentminded rhythm continuing as he listened to the voice on the other end. A long silence stretched, punctuated only by his uneven breathing and the soft sounds of our bodies moving together. Finally, he spoke again, his tone clipped and decisive. "I will not come to the office today. Please resume your duties." He ended the call abruptly, and tossed the phone back onto the table, his gaze distant and unfocused, already retreating into his own thoughts.

One might reasonably assume, after hours of relentless sucking and pounding, that the intensity would finally subside. Just over. But no. It was never over.

“Levi, I am gonna pass out. I am actually surprised that I didn’t till now,” I mumbled, my voice thick with exhaustion, my body heavy and sated.

"I warned you. I do not even remember half of it." His gaze seemed distant, unfocused, as if he were trying to piece together the fragmented, dreamlike memories of the long night.

"You don't?" I murmured, my voice a mere whisper, laced with sleepiness and a touch of surprise.

"Not necessarily, no. I remember some pieces... flashes, sensations... but there's no real chronological order to it. It's all a bit... hazy." He looked down at me. "Did I... did I hurt you, Raphael?"

“You kinda lost your shit, like completely lost it. Like in that council room,” I said, the memory of his raw fury from hours ago still sharp in my mind.

“Did I? I… I truly don’t remember. That’s not good… I apologize,” he said, a troubled frown deepening on his brow.

“It was kinda weird. You flipped instantly. At first you were dazed, then anger, then fury, then daze again…” I explained, tracing the line of his jaw, trying to make sense of the erratic shifts.

"The daze... the anger... the fury... all cycling like that? I... I have no recollection of that progression. It's like... pieces of a broken mirror, reflecting distorted images." A shiver seemed to run through him. "That council room incident... that was about a specific trigger. This... this sounds more... unhinged. God, Raphael... that sounds... deeply concerning. To lose control like that... especially with you… I am truly sorry.”

"It's okay, Levi," I reassured him gently, my hand reaching out to caress his cheek, feeling the slight dampness of his skin. "You really weren't yourself. Like I said, you were mostly in a daze, lost somewhere else."

His brow remained furrowed as he sat up, finally separating our bodies. "No, Raphael, it's not alright," he insisted, his voice laced with self-reproach, as he ran a distracted hand through his already disheveled dark hair. "I should have been more aware, more in control. My apologies, again."

He looked down at his still-erect member with a mixture of confusion and frustration in his eyes. "How can this still be... active?" he muttered, more to himself than to me, his voice barely audible. "I truly do not understand. Perhaps... perhaps I should call a physician."

"Physician for morning wood? C'mon, Levi," I repeated, a teasing lilt in my voice, my eyes twinkling with mirth.

He sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair again, the strands springing back stubbornly. "I will pursue other ways then... your body it appears," he muttered, his gaze still troubled as he looked down.

My amusement faded, replaced by a sudden jolt of confusion, a cold knot tightening in my stomach. "Wait, what? Like with someone else?" I asked, my voice sharp.

His head snapped up, his eyes widening in what looked like genuine offense, his jaw dropping slightly. "What? Raphael, how dare you even suggest that?" he exclaimed, his voice rising in indignation, a clear note of hurt in his tone. "I am truly offended that you even considered that."

"But... you said you'd pursue other ways... and then you looked..." I trailed off, a knot of uncertainty tightening in my chest.

Levi's expression softened from offense to something akin to exasperation, a slight weary sigh escaping him. He reached out, taking my hand in his, his fingers intertwining with mine. "Raphael," he said, his voice gentler, earnest, "I meant... other ways to deal with this," he gestured pointedly downwards, a hint of a wry smile finally touching his lips, "as in... perhaps a cold shower. Or... some vigorous exercise. Not... not another person. Gods, Raphael. After last night... the thought of anyone else..." He shuddered dramatically, a genuine tremor running through him, squeezing my hand in reassurance. "You are quite enough, believe me. More than enough."

A wave of relief washed over me, like cool water over heated skin. "Oh," I murmured, a sheepish smile touching my own lips. "Right. Of course." The events of the night had clearly left me a little more sensitive and prone to misinterpretation. I watched as he gave me a reassuring nod, his gaze lingering on mine for a moment before he finally turned and headed towards the sound of running water in the en suite bathroom.

I drifted in and out of sleep, the exhaustion from the long night clinging to me like a heavy blanket. Through the haze, I caught glimpses of Levi, a restless energy still emanating from him. I saw him shaking his legs vigorously, a frustrated grimace on his face, his movements agitated. Then came the sight of an ice pack precariously balanced on his crotch, followed by the sharp hiss of the shower running cold. At one point, a strange, medicinal scent filled the air, and I saw him applying some sort of spray to his lower body. Despite his efforts, the persistent tension remained, a coiled spring within him, and the next thing I knew, the hushed tones of a phone call filled the room, and shortly after, the quiet murmur of unfamiliar voices. A physician had indeed been summoned to the house.

Since Levi did his best but nothing worked, they were going to drain the blood with a syringe.

A wave of nausea rolled through me, chasing away the last vestiges of sleep, replacing it with a cold dread. The image of a syringe, its needle glinting, sent shudders wracking my body. Over and over again, the involuntary tremors coursed through me.

The procedure was surprisingly swift. Less than a minute passed, and then Levi’s sharp, guttural gasp echoed through the room. His body convulsed against the chair, a violent thrashing that spoke volumes of the agony and frustration he had endured, finally dissipating in that single, raw cry.

“Gods… Finally. Finally,” he rasped, the words laced with profound relief.

A serene air surrounded him as he fully relaxed into the chair, the tension visibly draining from his frame. He closed his eyes, a peaceful sigh escaping him, and muttered, “Raphael. It is over.”

"Yeah, Levi," I murmured softly, my gaze drifting downwards, noting the visible change. "'He definitely looks less... agitated."

The corner of my mouth twitched slightly at the understatement. The aggressive rigidity was gone, replaced by a more peaceful appearance.

“I. Will. Never. Ever. Let. Alcohol. Do. That. To. Me. Again,” Levi vowed, each word delivered with a low, fervent intensity, his gaze fixed on some unseen point as he punctuated his solemn promise with a deliberate kiss to his ring finger.

"Vow on a ring finger, huh?" I murmured, my voice laced with a teasing affection. "Duke Blake making an appearance again?"

“Old habits die hard. I am seriously considering donating my entire reserve.”

“What? No. I am also drinking that. And… last night was kinda my fault. I mean we pressured you into drinking.”

A soft sigh escaped Levi's lips, a subtle softening of his stern expression. "Perhaps not the entire reserve," he conceded, a small smile finally touching his lips. "But maybe... a significant portion. A reminder to exercise more restraint in the future." He looked at me, his gaze softening with affection in the warm morning light, a genuine warmth radiating from him. "And you're right, Raphael. We were all a bit too enthusiastic last night." He squeezed my hand gently, his touch firm and reassuring. "Lesson learned, for all of us, I think."

“Levi, the only lesson I learned was how cute and adorable you were last night.”

"Oh, is it?" he murmured, his voice laced with a fond amusement, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Yeah. And one other thing, ‘master’.”

Levi visibly jolted from his chair, as if struck by an invisible force. “Please refrain from using that word.”

A surprised laugh escaped me at Levi's sudden, dramatic reaction. "Aw," I teased gently, unable to resist the urge. "Do you even remember what Finn said? He said you basically 'purred' last night."

"Purred? Good gods. Remind me to have a very serious conversation with Finn later. And you... you're enjoying this far too much."

"Of course I'm enjoying it," I admitted with a playful shrug, a wide grin spreading across my face. "It's not every day the stoic Levi lets his... inner kitten out." I sobered slightly, my gaze softening as I looked at him. "And don’t scare Finn too much. But you're right. There were... many other things that happened last night. Things you should probably piece together on your own, in your own time."

Levi's sudden shift from embarrassed amusement to a dramatic plea caught me off guard. He sat forward, a hand pressed earnestly to his chest, his posture one of exaggerated sincerity. "Raphael," he implored, his voice laced with mock solemnity, "I am being utterly humble when I say this. For the sake of... the stability of this nation, please explain in excruciating detail the events of last night." A theatrical sigh escaped his lips, a performance for my benefit. "My memory is... fragmented, as you know. And the potential implications of me purring..."

As I recounted the events of the previous night, a kaleidoscope of images and emotions flickered through my mind. I described the unexpected vulnerability he had shown, his passionate food aversions, and the surprising candor with which he had spoken about his marriage to Julia. I touched upon how he opened up about his nature, and the almost childlike earnestness with which he had... well, pleaded for those ridiculous heart stickers.

He buried his face in his hands, a groan of pure mortification rumbling from deep within his chest. "Gods. Please tell me I didn't actually plead for heart stickers."

A nervous laugh escaped my lips, a slight tremor in my voice. “Well..." I hesitated, choosing my words carefully, "you did. Quite enthusiastically, actually. Ask Finn; he was thoroughly amused."

Levi's head snapped up.

"Raphael," he said, his voice dangerously low, each syllable enunciated with chilling precision, "fetch me my revolver from the study."

My amusement faded instantly, replaced by a sharp pang of concern that iced through my veins. "Levi," I said, my voice losing its playful edge and becoming genuinely worried, "are you... are you serious?" My gaze searched his face, looking for any hint of distress beyond the mortification over the heart stickers. "What's really going on?"

A forced chuckle escaped Levi, a hollow sound that didn't reach his eyes. His gaze didn't quite meet mine and held a flicker of something unreadable, a fleeting shadow. "You wound me, Raphael," he said, the sarcasm in his voice not quite reaching the usual sharp edge, sounding strained. "Do you truly think I'd resort to such melodrama over a few childish affections?" He gave a short, insincere laugh, then abruptly stood and walked towards the door, his movements stiff, almost hurried.

Levi's hand was already on the doorknob. "This has been... illuminating," he stated, his tone clipped, the earlier warmth completely absent. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have pressing matters to attend to."

"Where are you going?" I asked, a knot of unease tightening in my chest. "You specifically said you were taking the day off."

He paused, his hand still on the cool metal. Without turning to face me, he said, "I will go to my study, Raphael. It was a poorly timed joke, nothing serious."

One moment Levi was there, a strained dismissal in his voice, and the next, he was gone. I stared at the closed door, a sense of bewilderment washing over me. The speed of his exit, the abruptness of his departure, left me feeling slightly adrift. The fact that I didn't know the pass code to his study...