It had been weeks since Siyoon found himself trapped within Lewis' body, and in all that time, one thing became impossible to ignore.
The Duke of the Silvaris Household had attached himself to Lewis in a way that felt constant and quietly overwhelming.
Draen was always there.
Even in moments that should have required distance, he allowed none.
His study, once a place of strict boundaries and unspoken rules, had gradually opened its doors to Lewis without resistance. No one entered that space freely before aside from Alon, the man Draen trusted above all others.
Yet now, Lewis could walk in without question and permission even being spoken. Draen would simply acknowledge his presence with a glance or a quiet word, as if it had always been meant to be that way, as if there had never been a time when Lewis was not allowed beside him.
And, mornings carried the same strange intimacy.
The dining hall was always prepared in full with its long table set with more than enough chairs, more than enough space yet none of it was ever used as intended.
Without fail, Draen would draw Lewis into his lap before the meal even properly began, one arm settling around his waist with an ease that left no room for argument.
At first, Lewis had been painfully aware of it but over time, his body no longer resisted the contact as much as it once did, settling unconsciously into the hold he had once found suffocating.
Lunch was no less deliberate.
Every dish was prepared with care, arranged not just for display but for purpose. Meat, fish and vegetables are balanced and detail considered.
By night, the routine softened but never disappeared.
It became something almost ritualistic, something repeated with such consistency that it began to feel inevitable.
Draen would even bring the supplement himself, holding it out with quiet patience, waiting without needing to say much at all.
And Lewis, no matter how many times he questioned it internally, would always comply. The act itself was simple but what followed lingered far longer than it should have. Each time, without exception, Draen would lean in and press a kiss against his lips as if it's a price for taking the medicine which Lewis hated before because it was bitter.
Then, days passed like that.
Woven together by routine, presence and by a closeness that never quite loosened its hold. Draen's attention covered every part of Lewis' life so completely that there was no moment left untouched and entirely his own.
And yet, despite how tightly it all wrapped around him, it didn't feel suffocating in the way Lewis expected.
Because beneath it all, beneath the structure and the quiet insistence, there was something else threaded through every action.
And that was what unsettled him the most.
Because it was far easier to resist something harsh.
Far easier to reject something forceful.
But this… this was neither.
And Lewis was beginning to realize just how difficult that made everything.
Especially now, things between them were starting to change.
Before, Draen had been careful. His touches were limited like gentle kisses in the morning, soft ones at night and the quiet way his hand would rest over Lewis' stomach as if it belonged there. It had been intimate but never overwhelming.
Now, it felt different.
That morning, Lewis felt it clearly.
"U-ugh… Your Grace… what are you doing this early in the morning…?" Lewis asked softly with unsteady voice as he felt Draen's hand slowly move along his lower abdomen, lingering a little too close to a place that made his breath catch.
Instinctively, Lewis reached down and held Draen's wrist, stopping him before he could go any further. His grip wasn't strong as it felt more like hesitation than refusal.
Behind him, Draen only let out a quiet hum.
"Hmm… can't I?" he murmured with low voice and calm as his lips brushed against Lewis' nape, leaving slow, warm kisses there. "I've been holding back for days… can you give me at least this much? I won't do anything more."
His tone wasn't forceful but it was hard to ignore.
"Hngh… Your Grace… n-no… I…" Lewis swallowed with his fingers tightening slightly, though not enough to truly push him away. "I'm n-not ready yet…"
His voice came out softer than he intended and a little breathless as he turned his head slightly, meeting Draen's gaze with uncertain eyes.
For a moment, Draen didn't move. Then, he sighed quietly.
"…Alright. Alright," he said, almost as if giving in, though there was a hint of disappointment in his voice. "What a shame… I really wanted to do it today."
Slowly, he withdrew his hand and the sudden absence of it made Lewis feel strangely aware of the warmth that had been there just seconds ago.
Before Lewis could fully process it, Draen lifted his chin gently, guiding him to face him properly letting their eyes met. Lewis looked unsure, still a little flustered while Draen's gaze remained steady.
Then Draen leaned in.
The kiss he gave him was different from before.
Not the usual brief, gentle kind because this one lasted longer.
Slower.
There was something restrained in it, something he was holding back but it was still enough to make Lewis' breath hitch slightly.
When Draen finally pulled away, he didn't say anything more but the quiet tension between them remained.
And Lewis couldn't ignore it anymore.
After the kiss, Draen lingered close for a moment longer.
He slowly licked his lips, almost absentmindedly but the way his eyes stayed on Lewis made it feel like teasing. Then a faint smile followed, subtle yet teasing, as his fingers rose to gently brush over Lewis' lips, tracing the place he had just claimed.
His other hand remained firm on Lewis' hips, steady and possessive, keeping him from pulling too far away.
"Hmm… it's barely enough, but it's fine," Draen murmured softly.
His thumb continued to caress Lewis' lower lip before he leaned forward, resting his forehead against Lewis'. His eyes slipped shut that it made Lewis flinch slightly from how natural it all seemed to him.
"We have every hour in the world, my bride," Draen added quietly. "I can wait until you're ready."
Lewis froze for a second. Without realizing it, warmth crept up his face making his cheeks flushed as his lips parted slightly in surprise.
'Damn… how can he say things like that so easily…?'
"Uh… h-hmm…" was all Lewis managed to respond, unsure as he swallowed nervously.
When Draen finally pulled away, Lewis instinctively shifted back as well, putting just enough distance between them for Draen to move.
For a brief moment, Draen didn't move.
He simply looked at him.
Slowly, his eyes moved from Lewis' face down to his body, to the loose silk robe that barely covered him, exposing more than it hid. There was nothing rushed in the way Draen observed him and that alone made Lewis feel even more aware of himself.
"Then… I shall take my leave and entertain that bas…" Draen paused, shifting for a split second before smoothing out. "…the visitor."
'I'm so sure that he's about to say bastard though…' Lewis just averted his gaze for a split second.
His tone returned to its usual calm, though there was a hint of reluctance beneath it.
"You can call the guards outside, Leo and Edrik or Alon, too. They are all under your command, so use them as you wish."
As he spoke, Draen reached for Lewis' hand, lifting it gently before pressing a soft kiss against his knuckles.
"Haa… I don't really want to go."
Lewis blinked at that, caught off guard.
"B-but… you have to, right, Your Grace?" he asked, still a little flustered.
Draen let out a small laugh.
"Right. Haha… alright. I'll go." He gave Lewis one last look, something unreadable flickering briefly in his eyes. "Yes… I'll go now."
And yet, even as he said it, he didn't immediately move and lingered just a second longer, as if leaving was the last thing he truly wanted to do.
When Draen was finally gone and no longer in sight, Lewis stayed still for a few seconds.
The room suddenly felt too quiet. Then, he slowly pulled his knees up and hugged them with his face still red.
"Shit…" he whispered.
His cheeks were burning and he buried his face a little, trying to calm down.
"I'm really going to turn gay at this point…"
He muttered to himself, sounding frustrated but also confused.
'We already kissed many times but the problem was…I… I never hated any of it. Damn it…'
His voice became softer at the end. Slowly, without thinking too much, Lewis lifted his hand and touched his lips. His fingers moved gently, as if he was remembering something.
Draen's lips.
"…What am I even doing…" he mumbled but his hand didn't move away right away.
He just stayed like that for a moment, quietly thinking.
Meanwhile, outside Lewis' room, just by the door, Leo and Edrik stood in silence.
Both of them were clearly confused. They had been there the whole time, guarding as ordered but the moment their Liege stepped out of the room, the atmosphere around him had changed completely.
The warmth he usually carried inside… was gone.
Instead, there was a sharp edge to him now, something cold and controlled that made them straighten without thinking.
Draen's expression was calm but his eyes were different.
"Make sure not to let Lewis meet the Prince," he said firmly.
His voice was firm but there was clear hostility hidden underneath it.
"Do everything so he won't get bored. Give him whatever he wants. Listen to what he says."
Leo and Edrik exchanged a quick glance but didn't dare speak.
"His needs and wants come first," Draen continued with tone leaving no room for mistakes. Then, after a brief pause, his voice dropped slightly colder.
"But… don't let him out of your sight." The air felt heavier with those words.
"Understood?"
"Yes, Your Grace," the two answered at the same time as they bowed their heads and Draen gave a small nod, satisfied but the tension around him didn't fade.