CHAPTER 586: REWARDS AND DISCOVERIES

Well, how could he not celebrate when not only did he have such people in this life, but also that they could even profit from such a thing?!

Back in Tesseris, he had been called all sorts of names and labeled as promiscuous when he had not even so much as had his first kiss.

But now that he had actually done all that, no one even thought he was a pervert—except himself.

Was this what it meant to be in a secure relationship?

Because sure enough, when Luca heard about it, his initial thought was not about being scared. Or about being avoided, or worse, about whether or not he should come out and talk to people.

No.

This time, his concern was whether they had hurt his loved ones in the process.

And that was why, upon retiring for the night, a certain golden-eyed guide sat in front of his husband while asking if he was really all right.

Because Luca knew what it was like to be ridiculed in public. And while he had been earlier concerned about physical injuries, he was also worried about Xavier’s heart.

It was just that it was not something he could have asked earlier. After all, he had already learned how some things could only be spoken about in private.

"I was angry, of course."

"Angry that someone thought of doing something like that to you, even though I thought I had mentally prepared for it," Xavier said, surprising Luca, who looked like a baby deer caught in headlights with that expression.

"I’m sorry," whispered Luca, who felt that in this life there were really people who got angry on his behalf.

"Don’t apologize for something that isn’t your fault."

"But somehow it is, isn’t it?"

"Is that so? Then if it were me who experienced such a thing, then it would only be right for me to apologize, no?"

"Oh no!" Luca, who had been hugging a pillow, straightened up in panic as he refuted such words. Only then did he realize what had happened.

Oh.

"I see."

Then Xavier brushed off a stray lock of hair from his wife’s face and said gently, "While you shouldn’t be stingy with apologies, they only hold weight when used properly."

"What do you mean?"

"If you use apologies as greetings, then what makes it feel heartfelt when you actually need it? Won’t it sound just like another hello?"

He leaned closer. "Don’t apologize for existing. Don’t apologize for taking up space. And don’t apologize for things you didn’t do or for when you don’t really mean it."

"It is one thing to sympathize and empathize, but another to think that you owe everyone everything."

Luca stared at him, eyes wide with awe. The gears in his head were clearly turning, his expression glowing with wonder as he whispered, "Then if I shouldn’t apologize, can I just help to make you feel better?"

Xavier paused, genuinely caught off guard. Where did his fresh-faced little wife learn to say things like this?

Luca, cheeks flushed, clutched the pillow tighter. "I figured that while I don’t need to apologize, I can contribute positively to someone who made it so I don’t have to feel sad today."

His voice dropped, almost shy. "Like a reward..."

"You want to reward me?" the prince asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

The little chipmunk nodded eagerly, only to regret it immediately when Xavier’s expression shifted. Because why did it suddenly feel like he was the one being rewarded?

Because in the dimly lit room shared by two people, one guide was discovering a different kind of reward.

"Xa-Xavier, is this really the type of reward you would want? How exactly would this be a good reward for you?" asked the original rewarding party, whose back was now pressed against the bed while his arms were pinned above his head.

"How could I not want this reward?" said the wolf, his hair falling forward like a curtain that framed their world.

If only that curtain could hide Luca’s embarrassment... and the obvious pleasure stealing over his face.

"Because why am I the one feeling g-good!" he exclaimed shyly, twisting his head away to muffle his voice as warmth spread across his cheeks.

"What do you mean?" came the low reply. "I feel good when I see you like this."

Xavier’s eyes gleamed. "And I feel especially great when I know it is because of me that you are like this." His words deepened as his free hand teased down Luca’s chest until his fingertip flicked lightly against a peaked nipple.

It was the smallest of touches. Yet with Luca’s enhanced suit amplifying every sensation, it was as if sparks ignited under his skin. All his nerve endings screamed awake.

"Ahn—" Luca moaned helplessly. He tried tugging his hands down to cover his mouth, but Xavier’s hold was firm, keeping Luca stretched beneath him.

"Are you alright?" Xavier asked, voice uncharacteristically gentle.

Was he alright? Luca’s thoughts scrambled. He was fine, technically. He was alive, breathing, clinging to his sanity. But at the same time, he felt like he was about to combust, because every brush, every flick made his entire body twitch on the edge of something too intense.

"Luca," Xavier said, lowering his head toward his chest, "this suit... you’ve truly improved it. How wonderful."

At first, he thought the prince only wanted to rest his head against him, like Luca often did against Xavier’s chest.

But then—

His hips bucked violently when sudden pressure sealed over his nipple.

"Wha—!" His back arched, arms straining against Xavier’s grip as the prince’s mouth worked through the thin fabric. The sensitive material transmitted every pull and suction, every flick of pressure from Xavier’s tongue pressing against it, until Luca thought his heart would leap out of his chest.

It wasn’t warmth or wetness he felt, but the maddening tug and vibration echoing right through the suit, concentrated and relentless on his sensitive peak.

The newness drove the little inventor crazy. It was something they had not tested in their earlier suit experiments, and he swore he saw stars exploding behind his eyelids.

"Ughhh—Xavier!" His thighs trembled, and he nearly came from that single overwhelming sensation.

And yet the wolf was not finished.

Xavier’s hand played with Luca’s other nipple, pinching and rolling it, while his mouth moved greedily against the first, alternating between licks and sharp, playful bites. The contrast tore Luca apart, sending his body spiraling into a frenzy.

"N-no, too much—!" he cried, though his hips betrayed him, jerking up uncontrollably. The suit clung to him tightly, every jolt pressing his hardness against the fabric until friction burned sweetly, and his vision blurred from how close he was already.

The wolf paused just enough to look up at his trembling wife. Xavier’s gaze bored into him, drinking in every expression, every quiver. Then he leaned up and claimed Luca’s lips in a deep kiss, swallowing his broken whimpers.

When he finally drew back, his voice was low but steady. "Tell me if you want to stop, alright?"

Stop?

Luca’s hazy mind reeled. Stop? That was impossible. If they stopped now, he was certain he would explode from sheer frustration.

"I-I can’t," he confessed, voice trembling with need. His golden eyes glistened as he looked up at the man holding him. "I can’t stop."

He bit his lip, then whispered, shy yet bold, "Can I... can I give another reward?"

That stunned Xavier for a moment. The prince stilled, staring down at the flushed guide beneath him. Luca was trembling, yet his boldness shone through the tears brimming in his eyes, and it was enough to make even the wolf pause.

Finally, Xavier’s lips curved. "I would be glad to receive as many rewards as you want to give."

Luca’s eyes widened, his face glowing hotter. But then, as if encouraged, he shifted slightly, angling his body until his torso pressed against Xavier’s, rubbing his hardness against the prince’s thigh.

"Yes," Luca gasped out, clinging to him, his voice sweet and determined. "You deserve all the rewards."

And how truly blessed he was.