When the Young Lord stepped from his bath, he realized he fancied something warm to drink. Still feeling awkward in the manor, he dared not venture to the kitchen alone, nor summon Sebastian for assistance. Tentatively, he stepped into the corridor and knocked softly at Nathan's door.
— "Come in," came the reply.
Alex stepped into the room and realized it was the first time he had entered here.
— "Please, make yourself comfortable," Nathan said, seated at the desk, scribbling something.
Alex walked further in, taking in the surroundings.
— "It seems you've never been in my room before? Sit wherever you like."
Alex chose an armchair near the desk, opposite the fireplace.
— "Shall I ask Sebastian to bring something?"
— "Yes, tea, if possible… but there's no rush. We can wait."
— "Very well. Wait a moment." Nathan left the room, leaving Alex alone.
The Young Lord's eyes wandered over the desk, piled high with papers. A small cat figurine — one he had made for Nathan long ago — caught his attention. His heart warmed to see that the Duke had not discarded it, instead placing it carefully on the desk.
The room exuded a restrained elegance, reflecting Nathan's taste and character. A deep armchair sat before the fireplace, its leather softened by years of use, and it was here that Alex now rested. The desk, cluttered with papers, faced a tall window overlooking the garden, letting in the soft light of the moon. On either side of the desk, shelves held rows of carefully arranged books, most of them in foreign languages: Italian, Spanish, German, and French. Alex himself spoke three of these—English, French, and Italian—and could also read Latin. Apparently, the Duke's passion for languages surpassed his own. To the left of the door leading to the bath stood a neatly made bed, draped in muted linens. A faint warmth lingered in the air — a subtle hint of the man who inhabited this room, measured yet quietly alive.
A few minutes later, the Duke entered, carrying a tray with a teapot, two cups, and a tiered plate of sweets.
— "Sebastian knows when to serve tea better than I do," Nathan set the tray on the small table beside the armchair. He then pulled up a chair and sat next to Alex, opposite the fireplace.
— "I noticed you have many books in foreign languages."
Nathan glanced at the bookshelf and replied:
— "Ah, yes. I try to maintain them; a language is quickly forgotten."
— "I would like to hear you speak someday. They say people change when speaking another language," Alex smiled. "I was taught French and Italian. How do you manage not to forget the others?"
— "Travel helps a lot. And all these languages are very similar to each other."
— "Please, say something in Spanish?"
Nathan paused, then met Alex's gaze with a languid smile and said:
— "Todo lo que aprecio pierde la mitad de su valor si no estás allí para compartirlo."
The words flowed like music to Alex's ears. He looked at his beloved with admiration. Knowing Italian, he could make out a few words.
— "Something about the value… of goods?"
Nathan laughed softly.
— "Not exactly. Everything I value loses half its worth if you are not there to share it with me."
Alex felt a wave of embarrassment and turned his attention to the crackling logs in the fireplace. Nathan kept watching him with a constant, gentle smile.
I adore how easily he blushes.
— "Es bello contemplar el mar desde el cielo, pero aún lo es más acariciar tu boca con un beso."
This time Alex understood much more clearly.
It is beautiful to behold the sea from the sky, but even more so to caress your lips with a kiss.
Once again, he felt as if the air in his chest were too scarce.
The Duke had deliberately chosen his words to sound similar in both Italian and Spanish, so Alex wouldn't need to ask their meaning, yet they retained a tantalizing, mysterious quality.
Nathan rose, came behind Alex, placed his hands on his shoulders, leaned over the armchair, and whispered into his lover's ear:
— "En todas partes te oigo, en todas partes te miro, no estás en todas partes, pero te llevo conmigo."
Alex shivered and asked timidly:
— "What… does that mean?"
— "I hear you in every place, I see you in every gaze; though you are not everywhere, I carry you within me."
Alex felt too warm by the fireplace and stood up.
— "Now I understand that you speak brilliantly, thank you! It's a bit stuffy — may I open the window?"
The Duke smiled: "Of course," his eyes never leaving Alex.
Alex approached the desk and opened the window. He lingered there in silence for a minute or two, then turned his head slightly to the right and, with incredible shyness, murmured:
— "Resti la prima cosa che penso quando mi dicono: 'esprimi un desiderio.'"
You're the first thing that comes to mind when I'm told: 'make a wish.'
A wave of emotion washed over Nathan from head to toe. He moved behind Alex and embraced him, gently stroking his abdomen. Then he buried his nose in his beloved's shoulder, inhaling deeply the faint, now-favorite scent of lavender. Then he lifted his head.
The Young Lord breathed heavily, moving in sync with every stroke of the Duke's hands, which slowly traced over his body through the fabric. Even through the clothing, each movement seared his skin, igniting a craving for more. He longed for Nathan to go further, to touch him without barriers, yet he could never bring himself to ask — the very thought still felt unbearably shameful.
— "Alex… what do you want me to do?"
Oh, stop tormenting me with such questions!
— "I… I don't know…" Alex whispered, gasping.
— "Shall I guess again?" Nathan asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
— "Y-yes," he breathed, feeling a surge of relief. It was far easier to let the Duke lead than to voice desires aloud.
Nathan leaned forward slightly, forcing Alex to steady himself on the desk. He unbuttoned the Young Lord's shirt and pulled it down, exposing his neck and back. A trail of kisses followed from ear to shoulder blades, punctuated by the occasional nibble that drew a shivering sigh from Alex.
— "Am I succeeding?" Nathan asked quietly.
The boy felt a flicker of irritation at being made to voice such shameful things. Surely Nathan could understand without words. Yet the Duke could not resist teasing him further. Summoning the courage to speak aloud, Alex murmured a timid:
— "Y-yes."
Nathan returned his hands to Alex's chest, tracing gentle circles over his nipples while simultaneously letting his tongue glide along his back.
— "Am I still guessing right?" he murmured.
— "Yes!" Alex replied more firmly, a hint of irritation in his voice. But Nathan only seemed more aroused by it.
The Duke let his right hand glide down Alex's stomach. Then, inching slightly lower, he slid a single finger beneath the waistband of the Young Lord's trousers, gauging whether Alex would resist or grant him permission to continue.
Alex held his breath at the realization that Nathan was about to touch him there for the first time without restraint, yet he could not bring himself to stop him. The Duke's hand boldly drifted lower and shivered slightly, feeling the heat radiating from Alex's cock.
The Duke began to trace a slow, teasing line with his finger, deliberately drawing out the sensation. A soft moan escaped the lips. Alex bent his elbows, bracing them against the desk rather than his palms. Instinctively, he leaned back, pressing his hips against Nathan, and felt the Duke's arousal in return, making him flinch.
Nathan finally ceased teasing and took hold of Alex, stroking him slowly, up and down. The Young Lord had done the same before, but this was unlike anything he had experienced — each movement sent shivers through him, his control faltering as he moaned with every stroke, while the Duke gradually increased the pace.
Suddenly, the sensations became so intense that Alex felt his legs might give out. The Duke sensed it and steadied him with a hand, preventing him from collapsing. Alex, however, straightened and turned toward Nathan, pressing his hips against the desk. The Duke kept his hand in place, gazing into Alex's desire-filled eyes as he continued. Then, as he felt Alex's hand slip into his trousers, Nathan let out a soft sigh and rested his head on Alex's shoulder. He had been waiting for this moment the entire time, yet dared not ask, so as not to frighten the boy.
Alex did not expect it to be so hot inside, and he instinctively pulled back, as if touching boiling water. But almost immediately, he returned his hand, grasping Nathan just as Nathan held him.
They moved together, breaths coming fast, each exhale warming the other. Alex felt his legs weaken once more under the intensity, and Nathan lifted him into his arms, making him gasp at the sudden motion.
The Duke laid his treasure gently on the soft bed, covering him with his body, leaning on his hands, and pressed a searing kiss to his lips before lowering his hand again. Alex mirrored him, responding with equal fervor.
The orgasm hit so intensely that Alex arched his back and neck, bending his legs. Without giving himself a moment to recover, he quickly regained control, continuing to move his hand, intent on bringing pleasure to his beloved.
Does it feel as good to him as it does to me?
Nathan buried his face in Alex's shoulder, leaving the Young Lord to guess whether his movements pleased the Duke solely from his soft sighs. In a moment of bliss, Nathan nipped Alex's shoulder, and the boy gasped in surprise. Both paused briefly, trying to catch their breath. The Duke lifted his body slightly to drink in the haze of pleasure in his beloved's eyes.
The ribbon had loosened, his hair fanning across the pillow, arms half-bent with wrists resting lightly on the cushions. Alex's gaze was hazy, lips glistening, cheeks flushed.
I could watch him like this forever.
Alex's eyes met Nathan's, and he thought just the same: tousled hair, a languid unbearable gaze with those emerald-like eyes, slightly parted lips drawing in a breath, a hint of blush — an image seared itself into the Young Lord's mind for eternity.
They melted into a slow, heated kiss, holding each other close for a long, lingering moment.
The next morning, Alex had to return home. As he entered his room and set down his bag, something slipped out. He turned and saw a familiar piece of blue fabric. Heart skipping a beat, he picked up the cravat, closed his eyes, and pressed it to his face, inhaling deeply his favourite scent.