Li Wang's words hung in the vast, glowing room like a fragile promise. "Please..." he'd whispered, his thumb still stroking Celaus's cheek.
The Farian's silence stretched, filled with a profound understanding that seemed to settle deep in his bones.
Celaus didn't speak.
Instead, he simply tightened his arm around Li Wang's waist, pulling him flush against his body. He buried his face in the crook of Li Wang's neck, inhaling deeply.
The scent of him—human, nervous, but undeniably his—was a balm to the possessive ache in his soul.
The gesture was meant to be comforting, but for Li Wang, it was a catalyst. A wave of guilt, hot and sharp, washed over him.
He saw the raw hope in Celaus's eyes, the way he'd visibly deflated at the mention of waiting years, and felt like a monster.
This being, this powerful, beautiful alien, wanted to give him everything—his name, his home, his heart—and Li Wang was hesitating.
