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Bermuda Chapter 301
🕑 Added 2024-09-19 11:42:20 +0000 UTCChapter 301
Dismissing the two members guarding the tightly closed door, Hugo stood alone in front of it.
Although it was his own space that he usually entered and exited, today it was particularly difficult to step in. As he placed his hand on the door's surface with a deep breath, a blue magic circle recognized its owner and stood out like a relief.
A pair of magic circles, interlocked like two clockworks, rotated in opposite directions to unlock the door. Opening the heavy door and entering, the room was filled with the scent of sunlight despite the windows being tightly shut.
It's quite amazing how the presence of just one person can fill this spacious room.
He was about to head straight to the bed but instead drew back the long, flowing curtains at the window and opened it. The afternoon light, tinged with sunset, colored his upper body. He didn't intend to disturb Leonardo's sleep, but he hoped that he would emerge from the darkness soon.
"...Ugh."
At that moment, a sound that might have been sleep-talking broke the silence with perfect timing.
Hugo, who was loosening his tie while welcoming the fresh air, watched the figure covered in bedding.
"Hm..."
As if to confirm he hadn't misheard, a small groan followed immediately. Convinced, he hurriedly moved towards the bed.
It was the first time he had taken such care not to make a single sound from his shoes in his personal space. Carefully gripping the bed's headboard and looking down, he saw Leonardo frowning and breathing heavily.
True to the report that he occasionally tossed and turned, there were busy pupil movements visible beneath his eyelids. Moreover, not only was he curled up as if cold, but his face and clothes were damp with sweat.
"Leo?"
The fine eyebrows crossed by golden hair twitched repeatedly. His drooping eyelashes were clumped together with moisture, whether sweat or tears.
'What's wrong?'
This was a situation he hadn't heard about from Flynn, who had just returned. Sensing something was amiss, Hugo gently cupped Leonardo's cheek with his hand.
'...!'
However, for some reason, his body was like a fireball. Hugo immediately half-pulled back the blanket and slipped his hand behind Leonardo's neck to support his head.
"Leo, where does it hurt? Hm?"
"...Ugh."
"Look here, let me see your face."
The pillow he had been resting on was already soaked with sweat, and the patient gown he was wearing was twisted, constricting his entire body.
Hugo continued to talk to him while unbuttoning a couple of buttons on the patient gown. However, Leonardo only groaned and whimpered, burrowing into the blanket like a caterpillar.
Seeing his distressed appearance, Hugo thought he should urgently call the medical staff and fumbled on the bedside table. He was looking for the communication magic tool, but before that, his hand found the rustling medicine envelope. It was the medicine that the counselor had come to deliver, which he had placed on the bedside table not knowing when Leonardo would wake up.
Come to think of it, he belatedly recalled what the counselor had said.
"Nightmares are a common symptom, but if he seems to be in distress, it's better to wake him up. However, wake him gently so as not to startle him, then have him take a sedative..."
"...Ugh, no..."
At the word 'no' heard midway, Hugo was certain that Leonardo was wandering in a nightmare. While soothing and comforting him, he tore open the medicine packet with one hand and mouth, temporarily placing it on the bedside table so it could be given at any time.
Meanwhile, as if the situation in the dream was reaching its peak, Leonardo began to feel his own neck with the hand that had been gripping the blanket.
Hugo's eyelids twitched at the familiar action. It reminded him of Leonardo's bizarre behavior of choking himself amidst the erupting discharge.
"Leoβ!"
Suddenly chilled, Hugo raised his voice without realizing it. At the same time, he firmly grabbed both of Leonardo's wrists, pulling them away from his neck and restraining him strongly.
"Ahhhβ!"
At that moment, as if responding to the action, Leonardo, who had been wandering in unconsciousness, suddenly twisted his body and screamed.
Hugo was equally startled by the sudden reaction. Flinching, he tried to soothe and calm the struggling Leonardo.
"Leonardo, calm down. It's a dream, a dreamβ"
In that instant, Leonardo suddenly opened his eyes wide, sat up, slipped out of Hugo's grasp, and strongly gripped the collar of his shirt. With tremendous strength, as if grabbing him by the throat, he pushed Hugo's upper body back with a terrified expression.
"Get away!!"
The scream-like shout that followed changed the atmosphere of the space occupied by just the two of them into a chilling one.
Bloodshot eyes glared as if to kill, while his lips exhaled rapid breaths. Hugo's expression stiffened in an instant.
Due to the other's tremendous killing intent, bewilderment and tension preceded the realization that he had safely awakened. Looking down at the hand stretched towards him with wide eyes, Leonardo's nails were scratching his collarbone, as if to leave fingerprints beyond the shirt collar.
As the heat gradually pressed down even on his artery, Hugo instinctively gulped. It was a pressure that felt like his neck could be snapped at any moment.
Since he was actually capable of doing so, Hugo, instead of moving rashly, met Leonardo's eyes again.
"...Leo."
Extreme fear was etched in his fiercely raised eyes. Whatever nightmare it was, it seemed to have thoroughly tormented him.
Probably reaching out his hands as a defense mechanism, Hugo slowly wrapped his hands around Leonardo's forearms and spoke gently.
"Calm down. It's me."
Although he conveyed his lack of resistance in a solemn voice, Leonardo's fingertips only gripped his collar more tightly.
The two continued their standoff for about 30 seconds.
Only the sound of panting breaths circled in the silence, and Hugo calmly waited for the other.
"Hah, hah..."
Soon, the unstably shaking golden eyes slowly regained focus. The tempo of his breathing also slowed considerably. Leonardo, who had been quite confused, dropped the hand he had been gripping and tightly clenched his fist, pulling it to his own chest.
Looking around as if having a panic attack, he pushed the bedding away with his feet and pressed his back tightly against the headboard, as if trying to escape this situation. Then he rubbed his face, drenched in sweat, with his hands and trembled violently like an aspen leaf.
Instead of speaking to the anxious Leonardo, Hugo carefully held out a cup filled with water along with the medicine.
Leonardo, who flinched pitifully at the outstretched hand, saw the oddly colored medicine and snatched it at once, roughly pouring it into his mouth.
As he hurriedly stuffed it in as if eating to survive, a few pills fell to the floor and rolled into blind spots. Hugo quickly tore open another medicine packet and picked out only the fallen pills to hand them over. The golden eyes glanced at him, then gulped down the medicine and water cup.
His Adam's apple, revealed by the unbuttoned gown, bustled up and down, wearing a black choker. Water trickled down both sides of his mouth, soaking his abdomen, but Hugo didn't stop him for now and just watched quietly.
"Haβ"
Leonardo, who had emptied a glass of water in no time as if suffering from dehydration, leaned his back and head against the headboard with a tired look.
"Huu..."
"..."
His body, slumped as if about to collapse at any moment, looked as if he had just come out of water. The thin front of the patient gown was completely soaked, and the clear contours of his flat abdomen rose and fell with his breathing.
Even the shape of the reddish protrusions on his chest was nakedly revealed. The fabric precariously draped over the stiffly standing shadows, creating a precarious situation. Along with his wet hair, it was a decadent, even erotic sight, but Hugo quickly gathered his gaze.
Although better than before, his breathing was still rapid, and his face was so pale it was very concerning. He slowly reached out and caressed Leonardo's cheek. His powerlessly drooping eyelids immediately raised, but he showed no signs of aggression or resistance.
"Are you alright?"
Hugo gently rubbed Leonardo's wet mouth and cheek with his thumb.
With his other hand, he brushed back his sweat-soaked hair. He also gently placed the fallen pillow beside him, as if telling him to lean on it. Leonardo just stared at Hugo with fierce eyes while breathing raggedly.
Although no answer came, he could feel that Leonardo was finding stability.
As if to prove this, his sorrowful eyes slowly closed, and he tilted his head towards Hugo's palm.
"..."
Hugo didn't show it, but he inhaled silently. It was surprising enough that the small face had leaned in on its own, but a large droplet rolled down from between his lowered eyelashes.
Hugo was momentarily speechless at the jewel-like sparkle that wet his pitiful eyes. The dew that flowed down his pale cheeks settled on Hugo's palm via his quivering lips.
"Get out."
Then it wet his thick forearm, following the strongly beating pulse that stretched out on the veins protruding on his wrist.
Hugo swallowed hard. Leonardo coldly muttered again.
"I said get out."
He clearly said to get out, but the true feelings glimpsed from his tilted face were saying something completely different from his wicked lips. Don't go, stay by my side. He pleaded with a choked moisture in his voice.
Hugo's eyes crumpled slightly.
"You're lying."
He had tried not to provoke him, but his inner self ignored reason.
"You don't really mean it either."
His hardened lips deliberately pointed out the contradiction.
Leonardo laughed bitterly with an exhausted face. He was always a cruel man who repeated his words when things were unfavorable.
One drop, two drops. Tears flowed down one after another, rolling down his pretty cheeks and gathering at the tip of his chin. Meanwhile, the distance between them closed by a finger joint, a span, a strand.
Hugo tenderly caressed his reddened eyelids. He repeatedly rubbed the space above his neat eyelashes, creating an opening for himself to approach.
Impulsively burying his lips in the heated golden eyes was merely the contradictory gentleman's duty to comfort a sorrowful beauty.
Comments
IzetIsa
not the tears π₯Ήπ’ first thing in the morning too, that's the worst
Jesse Gibson
Well.. Iβm not one to be against comfort spicy times
