The rain beat heavily against the apartment window, sealing the small room off from the rest of the world. Inside, the quiet hum of the electric heater faded into background noise, overwhelmed by the sound of their ragged, synchronized breathing as their bodies frictioned against each other.
Lucien's grip around Kagen's waist didn't loosen. If anything, the initial surge of tears gave way to a deeper, far more desperate hunger.
"Kagen..." Lucien's voice was a low, rasping murmur against Kagen's skin.
He pulled back just enough to look at him. His eyes, dark with weeks of grief and exhaustion, searched Kagen's face as if trying to memorize every line, every shadow, every warm detail he had dreamed about in the dark. He was not the prince he knew in Edrath but still he was the very soul he had been yearning for. The different appearance didn't matter in Lucien's eyes, the different shape of his body also didn't matter because the soul and the heart were what he fell in love with at the first place.
This was the soul he had crossed dimensions for and right now he'd embrace him whichever form he was in.
Kagen's hands slid up from Lucien's chest to frame his neck, his fingers tangling into the cold, damp strands of silver hair.
"I'm right here," Kagen whispered, his voice trembling.
"I'm not going anywhere Lucien. So please don't rush yourself and take your time."
Lucien didn't answer with words. He leaned in, closing the agonizing space between them, and captured Kagen's lips in a kiss that tasted of rain, salt, and raw emotions.
It was not gentle—it was the kiss of a man who had walked through hell, tore through the boundaries of space and time, and refused to let go. Lucien's mouth moved over Kagen's with a fierce, possessive longing, drinking him in as if he were a dying man finding water in a desert. Kagen let out a quiet sigh against Lucien's lips, his body instinctively melting into the knight's broad, solid frame.
Lucien shifted, his large hands slipping under the hem of Kagen's cotton shirt. His palms—calloused, warm, and trembling slightly—pressed against the bare skin of Kagen's waist and Kagen gasped at the contrast of Lucien's warm touch, his back arching slightly into the contact.
"I neary lost you," Lucien murmured against Kagen's neck, his lips tracing down to the sensitive skin of his collarbone, leaving a trail of fiery heat in their wake. He nipped softly at the base of Kagen's throat, eliciting a sharp, breathless moan that echoed in the quiet room.
"Every night in that empty palace... every step through the rift... I only kept moving because I needed to touch you again."
"Lucien..."
Kagen's fingers tightened on Lucien's shoulders, his nails digging through the fabric of the oversized hoodie. His mind was spinning, overwhelmed by the familiar weight of the man pressing him down onto the soft cushions of the couch.
"I am yours,"
Lucien breathed, pulling Kagen closer until there was no air left between them. "Body and soul and in every world. I am completely and utterly yours."
Lucien's hand tracked slowly up Kagen's spine, pulling him flush against his chest. Every point of contact felt heightened, electrified by the months of aching separation. The dark, faint veins of corruption along Lucien's neck pulsed with a low heat, but Kagen didn't pull away—instead, Kagen reached up, his thumb lightly pressing against the dark mark on Lucien's jaw, leaning up to press his lips against it.
Lucien shuddered violently at the gesture, a low groan rumbling deep in his chest.
"Don't hide from me," Kagen whispered softly into the small space between their lips, his brown eyes wide and glowing with affection.
"Not any part of you."
Lucien's gaze deepened, dark with intense desire and reverence. He cupped the back of Kagen's head, bringing their lips together once more in a slow, lingering kiss that deepened with every passing second, completely consuming the lingering cold of the storm outside.
Lucien shifted his weight on the couch, his powerful hands gripping Kagen's waist to lift him almost effortlessly. Kagen let out a soft, surprised breath, instinctively wrapping his legs around Lucien's hips as the knight stood up.
Without breaking eye contact, Lucien carried Kagen down the short hallway into the quiet darkness of the bedroom. The faint glow of streetlights filtered through the sheer curtains, casting long shadows across the small bed.
Lucien lowered Kagen gently onto the mattress, following him down until Kagen was completely framed beneath his broad body. The dark cotton hoodie Lucien wore felt out of place against the intense, ancient devotion in his eyes, but as Kagen reached up to pull the garment over Lucien's head, every trace of the modern world slipped away once more.
Bare-chested, Lucien's body bore the pale scars of countless battles alongside the faint, pulsing dark veins of demonic corruption. Kagen didn't hesitate. He reached out, his warm palms tracing the strong lines of Lucien's chest and shoulders, lingering over every mark.
"You carried so much..." Kagen whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
"None of it mattered," Lucien murmured, leaning down to press a reverent, lingering kiss against Kagen's lips.
"Only getting back to you mattered the most."
The kiss deepened, slow and deliberate, filled with months of built-up longing and unspoken pain. Lucien's hands slid down Kagen's sides, gently tugging Kagen's shirt over his head and tossing it aside. When their bare skin finally met, both of them gasped at the sudden, electrifying warmth.
Lucien's mouth moved down from Kagen's lips to the line of his jaw, tracing down his throat to the dip of his collarbone. Every press of Lucien's lips left a trail of fire, making Kagen's breath catch in his chest. Kagen arched into the touch, his fingers tangling tightly in Lucien's damp silver hair, pulling him closer.
"Lucien... please..." Kagen breathed, his eyes heavy and dark with desire.
Lucien looked up, his breathing heavy, his expression a mixture of fierce protectiveness and raw hunger.
"Tell me what you want, Kagen. And I will give it to you."
"Then–.." Kagen murmured, reaching up to cup Lucien's face, pressing his thumb gently against his bottom lip.
"I want to feel you deep inside of me. Take all of me."
A low groan rumbled deep in Lucien's chest. He captured Kagen's mouth again in a possessive, deep kiss, his large hands carefully shedding the rest of their remaining clothes.
When they were finally joined, the world narrowed down to the sound of their shared breath, the faint rustle of the sheets, and the overwhelming heat between them. Every movement was a slow, agonizingly tender affirmation of their reunion—a silent vow that space, time, and different dimensional rifts could never truly sever the bond between them.
Kagen buried his face into the crook of Lucien's neck, his nails digging into Lucien's back as a wave of intense pleasure washed over him.
"Ah!...e–easy–"
Lucien held him with fierce strength, his forehead resting against Kagen's, his eyes locked onto Kagen's face through every breathless second.
"I love you," Lucien whispered against his skin, his voice cracking with emotion. "In every lifetime... And in every world. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Lucien," Kagen gasped softly, tightening his arms around the knight as they lost themselves entirely in the warmth of the night.
Hours later, the rain had settled into a gentle, rhythmic patter against the glass.
Kagen lay curled against Lucien's chest, one arm draped over the knight's waist. Lucien was awake, staring quietly at the ceiling, his long fingers absentmindedly stroking Kagen's hair. The dark marks on Lucien's skin were quiet, subdued by the peace radiating through his body.
For the first time in months, both of them slept without fear of what tomorrow would bring. And Lucien couldn't help but to let sleep properly take over him for the first time in months.
*****