"Darling, you're far too tense."
"You're way too rough, Noctis... ow!" Isaac groaned, burying his face deeper into his pillow.
Noctis continued massaging him unfazed. Had he known Isaac's neck was this incredibly stiff, he would have given him a massage much sooner.
Though that wasn't going to interfere with what he had planned for Isaac. The main course was still yet to come.
"Relax, Darling," Noctis murmured, easing the pressure of his hands slightly. "Is that better?"
"Mhm."
Isaac sank a little deeper into the mattress, making himself more comfortable. Slowly, he surrendered himself completely to his partner's skilled hands.
Noctis let his fingers glide over Isaac's neck and shoulders, working out knot after knot before moving down along his back. With steady, unhurried motions, he massaged Isaac's sides, stroked his arms, and finally traced his fingertips from the back of his head up to the crown before following the same path back down.
Little by little, he could feel the tension leaving Isaac's body.
His shoulders relaxed and dropped lower. His breathing grew calmer. Every now and then, a soft, contented moan escaped him, drawing a small smile from Noctis.
There we go.
He leaned down until his lips brushed Isaac's ear. He kissed his earlobe and ran his tongue over it before giving it a gentle nip. His hands continued massaging Isaac's side, making him squirm slightly beneath his touch.
A shiver immediately ran through Isaac's body.
Noctis let his hands wander to the front. Using the oil still coating his palms, he continued rubbing it into Isaac's skin. He massaged Isaac's chest muscles, brushed over his nipples, and played with his ear at the same time.
"Noc..." Isaac breathed.
"I like you much better like this, Darling," Noctis grinned in satisfaction.
"How are you so damn good at this?"
"I practiced specifically so I could spoil you," Noctis replied. "The Boss wanted me to learn something useful for charming people and wrapping them around my finger. I chose things that might benefit you. Do you like it?"
"You wanted to give other people massages while naked?" Isaac muttered.
"Other people? You're not listening to me, Darling," Noctis purred, biting the back of Isaac's neck. "Though I do like that you're focusing on what I'm doing to you."
Isaac let out an aroused sigh. "It just feels good."
He continued letting his hands roam over Isaac's back and enjoyed how relaxed he had become. The initial stiffness was almost gone. Instead, Isaac felt pleasantly heavy and loose, as though he were savoring every single moment.
A satisfied smile crept onto his face. Noctis leaned his lower body against Isaac's bare backside and rubbed himself against his skin. It didn't feel particularly good yet; it definitely needed more oil. The friction stung slightly at the tip of his penis.
But... that could be fixed quickly.
"It's still far too dry down here, don't you think?"
Suddenly, he felt Isaac's foot against his backside, nudging him slightly so that Noctis's penis slid across Isaac's rear once more.
"Hmm... you're right..." Isaac said. He sounded as though he were thoroughly enjoying all of this. "Did you know I'm incredibly tense there too?"
The challenge in Isaac's voice was impossible to miss. Immediately, Noctis stopped working on his chest, poured more oil into his hand, and began kneading Isaac's buttocks. He pressed his thumbs into the soft, muscular flesh, drawing another moan from Isaac.
"Oh, you're right, Darling," he replied with amusement. "Whatever are we going to do about that?"
Isaac made a quiet sound that suspiciously resembled suppressed laughter.
Thanks to the fresh oil, his fingers glided much more easily over Isaac's skin. His hands wrapped around each cheek and kneaded them. Nothing there was actually tense at all, but that was part of their little game. He let his movements travel outward toward Isaac's hips.
Noctis straightened up, sat astride Isaac's legs, and spread his cheeks to get a better look at the most intimate part of him. He watched as Isaac's anus pulsed. He brushed a thumb over it before immediately pulling away. Then his hands slid along the insides of Isaac's thighs.
His lover twitched and squirmed, letting out a moan.
"Noctis, please..." Isaac pleaded softly.
Noctis ignored him and continued massaging his thighs up to his backside. Then he slipped one hand between Isaac's legs, gently cupped his testicles, and applied light pressure. With the thumb of his other hand, he massaged the place he most wanted to be. He traced small circles around it before finally pressing his thumb inside Isaac.
He kissed the back of his neck, wrapped a hand around his shaft, and slipped a second finger inside him.
Isaac lifted his hips slightly—at least as much as Noctis allowed. Looking over his shoulder, Noctis saw one of his hands clutching the bedsheet.
"More..." he breathed.
Noctis grinned at him. "As you wish, Darling."
He slipped another finger inside him. His movements were slow—just enough to keep Isaac worked up, right on the edge of losing his mind. Noctis kissed his lower back while maintaining the same steady rhythm. Isaac clenched around his fingers, and all Noctis wanted was to thrust into him properly.
But he had frightened Isaac the night before with his injury. Besides, he still hadn't told him that Levi was the one who had wanted him dead. He didn't want to burden him with every piece of bad news at once, and, on top of that, he would never be able to convince Isaac to stay hidden afterward.
So instead, he devoted himself entirely to Isaac's relaxation.
With a loud moan, Isaac tightened around his fingers. He seemed close to climaxing. It was becoming harder and harder for Noctis to restrain himself.
"Do you like it here?"
Isaac nodded. He was practically writhing beneath Noctis.
"Noc... I want to come when you're inside me...!" he moaned breathlessly.
As you wish, Darling.
Without warning, Noctis withdrew his fingers. Then he grabbed the oil and rubbed it over his own chest, stomach, hips, and penis. Afterward, he bent down to Isaac again, kissed the back of his neck, and pressed himself close against him. His hands returned to Isaac's chest while his hips moved slowly back and forth, allowing his penis to slide between Isaac's buttocks.
Isaac let out a frustrated sound, and only then did Noctis enter him. He kept the same slow pace. He kissed, sucked, and nipped at Isaac's neck and throat while continuing to massage his chest and tease his nipples. At the same time, he rubbed his own chest against Isaac's back.
"Why are you rubbing your chest against me?" Isaac breathed.
"Because I'm giving you an erotic massage," Noctis whispered against his ear.
Isaac laughed softly. The sound of his laughter was like music to Noctis's ears.
"An erotic massage? Seriously?" he asked, breathless.
"Why else do you think I covered us in oil?" Noctis replied with amusement. He bit gently at Isaac's earlobe. "Or stripped us both completely naked before I even started?"
"Because you're the most impatient man I know?"
I suppose I am, he thought to himself. Not that he was ashamed of his impatience; it had saved him valuable time more than once before he had the chance to waste it.
Isaac arched back toward him as their bodies rubbed together. He lifted himself slightly and turned his head so that Noctis could kiss him. How could he make his beloved wait? The moment their eyes met, their lips were already pressed together.
They kissed passionately.
It didn't take long before Isaac came.
You feel so good.
Noctis felt his heart begin to beat faster.
He kept kissing Isaac. Even now, Isaac was still pulsing around him.
Give me more of you.
He let himself be carried away by that wonderful rhythmic tightening. The kiss deepened, the sensation intensified, until he finally spilled himself deep inside Isaac. Only when the pulsing subsided did he pull his lips away.
Isaac looked at him with unmistakable desire, and Noctis found himself unable to resist. He looked tired as well, but Noctis knew exactly how much stamina Isaac possessed, and his lover had only climaxed once so far.
I wonder what it would feel like with him sitting on my lap like this, covered in oil.
Isaac collapsed back against the sheets as he caught his breath. Noctis turned him onto his back, pressed himself deeply into him, and lifted him onto his lap without withdrawing.
Satisfied with his accomplishment, he began making slow circles with his hips, trying to encourage Isaac to continue. But Isaac maintained the same pace they had been keeping before. At that moment, that slow rhythm was the last thing Noctis wanted. He wanted them to move faster, harder, to ignite the familiar passion in which he so gladly lost himself.
He shifted a little more, trying to set the pace, but Isaac seemed to have no interest in speeding things up.
Isaac held onto him, and eventually rested his forehead against Noctis's shoulder.
Then he stopped moving altogether. His breathing was still strained.
"Darling? Is everything okay?" Noctis asked.
He kissed Isaac's collarbone and stroked his lower back. His hands settled on Isaac's hips.
"Everything's okay," Isaac murmured. "I'm just feeling a little dizzy."
Noctis immediately stopped as well.
"From the massage?" he asked, puzzled. "Or from the sex?"
"No idea. Maybe I'm just more tired than I thought," Isaac sighed. "Can we take a break?"
By now, Noctis was hard again. He would have liked to continue. However, it was rare for Isaac to admit that he wasn't feeling well, and every alarm bell in Noctis's mind began ringing at once.
Isaac was a master of deception when it came to his own condition.
If Isaac wanted to rest, then he would rest.
"Of course, Darling," he said. "Lie down. I'll clean us up."
He kissed Isaac on the forehead and helped him lie down. The moment he was settled, he blinked up at Noctis with sleepy eyes.
"Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me," he apologized.
Noctis stood up.
"Don't worry about it, Darling. Get some rest."
He went to the bathroom and returned with a washcloth and a towel, but by the time he came back, Isaac was already asleep.
Noctis brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.
Did he really push himself that hard during his magic training?
Whatever the reason, he wanted Isaac to have the rest he needed.
"Sleep well, Darling," he murmured softly.
___
"Have you packed everything, darling?" Noctis asked as he pushed open the door to Isaac's room.
It was slowly becoming time to bring the last boxes to the entrance hall and load the truck. If everything went according to plan, they would be at the new hideout before nightfall.
But to his surprise, Isaac wasn't there.
The wardrobes were empty, his bed was made, and the bathroom was spotless. The boxes he had packed were gone.
That left only two possibilities: either Isaac was in the kitchen grabbing one last coffee before the move, or he was with Vincent. Noctis pulled out his phone, but it slipped from his hand. He bent down to pick it up, only to discover a box beneath the bed.
Hm?
Noctis pulled the box out from under the bed. It contained all the lovely gifts his brother had given Isaac. He chuckled softly. Had Isaac hidden the box on purpose so it wouldn't come along to the new hideout?
In a good mood, he closed the box again, scribbled his mark on it, and carried it with him. In the entrance hall, he placed it with the other boxes that were already stacked there. His brother was already there, organizing everything.
"Hey, Vince. Have you seen Isaac?"
Vincent shook his head. "No."
"He wanted to make himself a coffee," Moz said from behind him as he set down one of his boxes.
Noctis glanced around. "Lucy and Ashe still aren't back?"
Vincent shook his head again. As far as Noctis knew, Ashe had managed to convince Lucy to go with her to that tech store. Vincent had laid down strict rules for the new hideout. Once they arrived, only those assigned to a mission would be allowed to leave or enter. No shopping trips, no casual walks—nothing until they had taken Levi out and continued working through their list.
The move itself had already consumed far too much time.
"They should have been here by now," he said, glancing at his phone. He let out a mildly annoyed sigh. "Hurry up and bring everything downstairs. Those two should be packed as well. Lucy knows where the hideout is, so we're sticking to the plan. Noctis, go get Isaac—we need his help."
"Got it," Noctis said. He looked around briefly. "Where's the cop?"
"Resting in the car," Vincent replied. "He's not exactly thrilled about having to stay with us, but he's accepted that it's dangerous for him out there."
It didn't really surprise Noctis that Vincent wasn't letting the cop leave. He seemed to have taken a liking to him, and besides, Levi was after him. He wanted the cop dead, just as he wanted Noctis and the entire Webster clan dead.
Then again, it didn't surprise Noctis that the cop didn't want to stay with them, either. Hell, if it were up to him, he'd leave the cop here—or just leave him to fend for himself. The guy was nothing but a burden.
"At least he's got a shred of common sense," Noctis scoffed. "I'll go get Isaac."
Vincent nodded before turning to the other clan members.
"Start loading everything up. The sooner we get out of here, the better!" he ordered.
Everyone immediately set about carrying out Vincent's command. Noctis nodded to his brother and headed for the kitchen, where Isaac was busy cleaning the coffee machine. Two travel mugs stood beside him, ready to be taken along.
"Are you ready, darling?" Noctis asked from the doorway.
Isaac glanced over at him, a smile appearing on his face. He still looked tired. They had slept together two days ago, and ever since then Isaac had seemed too exhausted to focus on anything for very long.
Whether it was painting, magic, meetings, or anything intimate between the two of them, Isaac seemed far more interested in cuddling and otherwise occupied himself with things in a quiet, almost stoic manner.
Noctis blamed the past few weeks for his condition.
Isaac desperately needed a vacation, a good cocktail, and some time to clear his head.
"Can you help me pack up the coffee machine for a moment? Vincent said the other hideout only has drip coffee, so I refuse to leave this beauty behind."
Noctis laughed.
"I can get you a new one anytime," he said. Even so, he walked over and helped him.
Isaac shot him an irritated look. "Absolutely not. This baby is coming with us. There isn't a better machine on the market than this one. Besides, I always look forward to brewing my coffee with this masterpiece."
Noctis lent a hand. Together, they lifted the heavy machine into a cardboard box.
"Wow, you praise this machine more than you praise me," he remarked with a grin.
Isaac raised an eyebrow. "You're not seriously jealous of a coffee machine, are you?"
"Hmmm, who knows~?" Noctis replied with a smirk.
Isaac laughed, but at that moment the coffee machine slipped from one of his hands. He caught it again quickly.
"You got it?" Noctis asked.
"Yes," Isaac replied through gritted teeth. "Quick, into the box."
Together, they lowered the machine into it. Noctis studied Isaac with concern. He looked strained.
Normally, he could carry much heavier things without breaking a sweat. Just a few nights earlier, he had carried Noctis all the way from Vincent's office to his room. He hadn't even blinked, complained, or shed a single drop of sweat.
Now he seemed weak.
Which, of course, was ridiculous. His gunshot wounds had healed completely, and he hadn't been working hard enough to be this exhausted.
Maybe he was pushing himself too hard during his magic training...
Isaac nodded at him.
"Let's take it downstairs," he said confidently, though his eyes told a different story.
Before Noctis could say anything, loud noises erupted from the entrance hall. Their heads snapped around almost simultaneously. They exchanged a quick nod and immediately took off running.
The coffee machine and mugs were left behind in the kitchen. Noctis tossed one of his knives to Isaac, who caught it effortlessly.
He looked focused, so Noctis didn't question it further. The exhaustion seemed to have vanished from Isaac entirely.
They sprinted down the hallway until they heard someone groaning in pain. Instantly, they slowed their pace as Vincent's calm voice reached them, speaking to someone in a soothing tone.
"What hap—" Noctis began.
But Isaac was already rushing toward the scene.
"Ashe!" he shouted in shock.
Noctis blinked, and sure enough, there she was. Partially obscured by Vincent, Ashe was sitting on the floor, clutching her bleeding upper arm.
What the hell...?
Lucy stood beside her. She appeared unharmed.
Isaac immediately dropped to his knees beside Ashe.
"What happened, Ashe?!" he asked, clearly distressed. "You were only supposed to go shopping!"
Ashe lifted her head and managed a weak smile despite the pain.
"It looks worse than it is, Isaac," she said in a trembling voice. "If Lucy hadn't been with me, I'd probably be dead."
"Who the hell attacked you?!" he demanded. "Can I do anything? Have you taken anything for the pain?"
"Let me take a look at the wound first. Move your hand away," Vincent said.
Ashe nodded. She pulled her hand back and hissed out a curse as a fresh wave of pain shot through her arm.
Isaac laughed, but at that moment the coffee machine slipped from one of his hands. He caught it again quickly.
"You got it?" Noctis asked.
"Yes," Isaac replied through gritted teeth. "Quick, into the box."
Together, they lowered the machine into it. Noctis studied Isaac with concern. He looked strained.
Normally, he could carry much heavier things without breaking a sweat. Just a few nights earlier, he had carried Noctis all the way from Vincent's office to his room. He hadn't even blinked, complained, or shed a single drop of sweat.
Now he seemed weak.
Which, of course, was ridiculous. His gunshot wounds had healed completely, and he hadn't been working hard enough to be this exhausted.
Maybe he was pushing himself too hard during his magic training...
Isaac nodded at him.
"Let's take it downstairs," he said confidently, though his eyes told a different story.
Before Noctis could say anything, loud noises erupted from the entrance hall. Their heads snapped around almost simultaneously. They exchanged a quick nod and immediately took off running.
The coffee machine and mugs were left behind in the kitchen. Noctis tossed one of his knives to Isaac, who caught it effortlessly.
He looked focused, so Noctis didn't question it further. The exhaustion seemed to have vanished from Isaac entirely.
They sprinted down the hallway until they heard someone groaning in pain. Instantly, they slowed their pace as Vincent's calm voice reached them, speaking to someone in a soothing tone.
"What hap—" Noctis began.
But Isaac was already rushing toward the scene.
"Ashe!" he shouted in shock.
Noctis blinked, and sure enough, there she was. Partially obscured by Vincent, Ashe was sitting on the floor, clutching her bleeding upper arm.
What the hell...?
Lucy stood beside her. She appeared unharmed.
Isaac immediately dropped to his knees beside Ashe.
"What happened, Ashe?!" he asked, clearly distressed. "You were only supposed to go shopping!"
Ashe lifted her head and managed a weak smile despite the pain.
"It looks worse than it is, Isaac," she said in a trembling voice. "If Lucy hadn't been with me, I'd probably be dead."
"Who the hell attacked you?!" he demanded. "Can I do anything? Have you taken anything for the pain?"
"Let me take a look at the wound first. Move your hand away," Vincent said.
Ashe nodded. She pulled her hand back and hissed out a curse as a fresh wave of pain shot through her arm.
"It's only a graze," he said with obvious relief. "I'll put a pressure bandage on it and take a proper look once we're over there, okay? The box with the medical supplies is buried too far back in the truck—I can't get to it right now."
Vincent tore a strip of fabric from his shirt and immediately wrapped it around Ashe's arm. Then he got to his feet and started barking orders, telling everyone to hurry up and finish loading.
Noctis walked over to them and immediately met Lucy's gaze.
"How many were there?" he asked.
Lucy understood at once what he meant.
"Two. Both of them are dead, though. I didn't bring anyone back with me."
"Don't worry about it, Lucy. If you hadn't acted so quickly, I probably wouldn't have gotten away so easily."
An undamaged box sat beside Ashe, displaying the image of a brand-new laptop. Apart from a few bloodstains, it looked untouched.
Noctis studied her carefully, but she behaved exactly as someone with a gunshot wound should.
Besides, she had been attacked. Even Noctis was convinced that Ashe would be dead if Lucy hadn't gone with her.
So she isn't a spy?
"Can you stand?" Isaac asked worriedly.
Judging by the way he looked at her, his own doubts seemed to have vanished as well.
Noctis, however, found his thoughts racing because of the incident.
She was the third person in three consecutive days to be attacked by Levi's assassins.
Someone was definitely leaking information.
Or they were being watched at this hideout.
Either Levi's men were doing one hell of a surveillance job, or someone among them was feeding information directly to Levi.
He looked around for his brother and headed straight toward him.
"Vince..." Noctis said quietly.
His brother gave him a questioning look but allowed himself to be led aside.
"What is it?" he asked in a low voice.
"As soon as we get over there, we need to talk. Urgently," Noctis replied just as quietly. He glanced around quickly. Fortunately, no one was close enough to overhear them.
Vincent studied him carefully.
"I don't like that tone, little brother. What's this about?"
Noctis leaned closer.
At least he needed to give him a brief explanation.
So he quickly outlined his suspicions about a possible informant within the clan.
When Noctis finished and leaned back again, Vincent let out a sigh.
Then he nodded.
"We'll take a different route and use a different hideout," he said. "I prepared two of them anyway. No one knows about the second one. That should buy us some breathing room."
Noctis nodded.
His brother rarely left anything to chance, and although Noctis often found Vincent's meticulous planning irritating, it was exactly what they needed right now. He could have kissed him for it.
"As soon as we get there, come see me," Vincent said. "We should talk about this in more detail later."
"Got it," Noctis replied.
With that, he headed back to Isaac and the others.