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Bermuda Chapter 272
🕑 Added 2024-08-31 07:28:56 +0000 UTCChapter 272
Hugo's pupils dilated slightly. The thin eyelids under his protruding eyebrows twitched.
The change in the color of his cold irises wasn't solely due to the orange light.
There was an illusion that the pitiful rim of his eyes, visible through the fallen golden hair, had turned red.
However, there was another reason why Hugo couldn't move. The voice, still not cleared of its hoarseness, created a crack in the far reaches of his memory.
Following the sorrowful voice dispersing in the enclosed space, formless fragments stimulated Hugo's five senses. Soon after, it became someone's voice, wedging into his ears. A blurry memory overlapped the shimmering golden eyes.
"Don't go."
In that moment, Hugo's eyes widened.
A bluish vein bulged on his straight forehead.
'What was that?'
He stared intently at the other's eyes, retracing the afterimage that had flashed through his mind.
This sudden afterimage momentarily confused Hugo's consciousness. Because of this, Leonardo, who was facing Hugo's stiffened expression, also tensed up.
Reaching out to the other had been a simple impulse, but saying "don't go" out loud required considerable courage.
Of course, he hadn't intended to pounce like this... Fearing that the other might show signs of being troubled, Leonardo suddenly became afraid.
Because of this, as he lowered his head, averting his gaze, his unsteady head bumped against Hugo's chin and neck area.
Feeling the weight, Hugo took a small breath and glanced down at the golden head leaning against his chest.
The hair flowing along his jawline gently tickled his skin. As if telling him not to think of anything else, it shattered his thoughts, causing Hugo to let the fleeting afterimage slip away.
Instead, he unconsciously moved his Adam's apple. He used his arms to adjust his hold on the fellow in his arms, who was in an awkward position.
After not knowing what to do for a few seconds, he raised his body and sat Leonardo back down on the deck. Of course, he also gently sat down beside him. The outstretched arms wouldn't leave his shoulders and neck.
Rather, they were applying so much force as if to trap him, that there was no possibility of escape.
No, in fact, he had lost even the will to do so. Such is the power of a beautiful person's plea.
Hugo's hand, having lost its sense of self, slowly stroked Leonardo's back. At this, Leonardo, who had buried his forehead in Hugo's shoulder, raised his head with a noticeably flushed face.
"Are you going?"
The delicate golden eyelashes trembled. A deep sigh flowed from within Hugo.
At his age, he had faced the temptations of attractive individuals not a few times in the past. Yet, in a way that made his previously unblemished record seem meaningless, he felt particularly vulnerable to the fellow before him.
Even if he didn't want to admit it, seeing himself unable to push away, it wasn't wrong when the fellow who had smiled flirtatiously had declared that he was weak to him.
Whether it was feigned shyness or an innately seductive nature, there was no way to know. However, Hugo, having collected himself, calmly asked back instead of answering:
"You don't want me to go?"
"..."
Although he couldn't tell with what meaning Hugo was asking, Leonardo nodded transparently. At this, Hugo, who had been giving an unreadable look, asked in a kind voice:
"Why?"
Leonardo blinked. This wasn't in his expectations.
Why... was that important? But for those who were nothing to each other, each such justification was important.
The sensation that had touched the back of his hand under the midday sun was so vivid that Leonardo found himself still not awakened from the emotions of that moment. Fearing that he might once again get ahead of himself, his mind, which had been swept up in the atmosphere, suddenly put up a defense mechanism.
Leonardo slowly dropped his arm from the broad shoulder. Straightening his leaning upper body, he hesitantly answered the waiting other:
"...I think I'll have nightmares if I sleep alone."
The golden eyes that had glanced up wandered meaninglessly on the floor.
"I need someone beside me today. Flynn is somewhere else. So even if it's you... stay here."
Hugo stared at Leonardo's reddened earlobes and nape as he spoke. It was too heated just in those areas to blame it on the lighting, making it both cute and somewhat vexing.
Although he couldn't know Leonardo's intentions, it was an undeniable fact that this atmosphere was dangerous if one had any sense. But nightmares? It was truly something a young child would say. Hugo believed that Leonardo's answer wasn't sincere.
It was just a plausible excuse to achieve his goal while shifting responsibility. As he tried to hold him back with such insincere words, for some reason, Hugo didn't want to give in easily.
To manipulate someone much older than oneself, one should at least show honest feelings.
Hugo asked again with an expressionless face:
"Then should I call Flynn for you?"
Leonardo quickly raised his head.
"...Huh?"
"I'll call him right away. Go to sleep first."
Hugo tried to leave after offering a solution. Leonardo followed him with an urgent gaze, then furrowed his brow and grabbed Hugo's forearm.
"No, that's not it."
Hugo turned to look at the stubborn fellow holding his arm, trying hard to maintain his composure.
The untimely staring contest created a tense atmosphere between them.
"..."
"..."
After a few seconds, as the other's silent staring continued, Leonardo slowly loosened his grip.
His hand, sliding down, barely clung to the end of Hugo's sleeve. Leonardo, with distorted eyes, reproached the heartless other as if hurt:
"You're really too much."
Hugo looked down at the precariousness of the pulled sleeve end, as fleeting as falling raindrops. Soon, he closed his eyes tightly and let out a silent sigh.
'What am I doing to this kid now...'
Inwardly, he regretted his childishly petty behavior.
Leonardo was weak to human bonds and goodwill. It was the warmth that someone who had been ignored craved, and like the instinct of someone always trying to protect others. So even if Leonardo sought a strange affection from him, Hugo thought it was more of a complex psychology rather than affection in the literal sense.
It was a longing for a person in power who could pull him out of the mire, and like the only oath he had to believe in to be free in an unfamiliar space.
So, like a passing shower. Even if a child who had mistaken his own feelings sought affection, he, as an adult, shouldn't be easily swept away by it. Rather, it was the virtue of an elder to be a pillar, maintaining distance while helping the clumsy emotions stand straight.
But this act of encouraging him to confess his true feelings in this way was the worst, even in his own opinion. Didn't Leonardo have a lover in the first place?
If he were to hear a sincere confession made by mistake, what would he do afterwards? This was no different from being a scoundrel interfering in a love affair. Hugo rubbed his eyes and forehead with his free hand.
'Haa...'
To be honest, his behavior so far had been far from virtuous. Rather, it felt like he had regressed to the same age as Leonardo. Like back then, imperfect and immature, swept up in momentary emotions. He hadn't been able to rationally view the warmth that a wounded child craved.
Hugo calmly organized his thoughts. With age comes the advantage of becoming more cautious, even if more fearful.
He believed that his reason, which he had barely held onto this time as well, helped him remain an adult.
His large hand grasped the remaining edge of the sleeve and detached it without hesitation. But at that moment, Leonardo, having lost his grip on the collar, blurted out what he had been holding back.
"I waited for you to come."
Hugo's gaze, momentarily hesitating, lingered on him.
"Today, yesterday, and back then too-. I kept waiting."
Although his tone was calm, his breathing was subtly trembling. His unstable breath was clearly felt.
Even though it was clearly an impulsive statement, upon hearing the words "I waited," Hugo once again found himself unable to move, as if caught in a bind.
He held onto Leonardo's hand that he had tried to detach, unable to let go. So it was natural that Leonardo, unable to suppress the fluctuation of his emotions, raised his voice in frustration.
"And yet, you're just going to say you're leaving? That's not even sincere."
Comments
Jesse Gibson
Hahahahahhahaha
Bodacious
Lol, I don't think Hugo's double Leo's age. He'd faint if that were the case. Ice is a main attribute of his, but he knows no chill. 😆
Jesse Gibson
Ah so Hugo is maybe 10 or so years older? He’s actin like he’s double Leo’s age… like nah bruh. A child brought up in the battlefield is not a child and he certainly isn’t clingin to you like a needy baby, chill … I swear Hugo all over the place with his lame excuses
Jesse Gibson
Right! I felt that too
Bodacious
Ah. That, that. I've been wondering a lot about their respective ages. The novel has an age gap tag and according to their bios, Leo is in his early 20s and Hugo his mid-30s. Don't know if everyone is comfortable with that.
Katsura Kureha
Hmm, we still don't know enough about Bermuda, so they might have known each other when they were young, since they both have connections to that place. As for past lives, we saw that image of the previous king when Leo was wielding the lance and defeted the mother body, so maybe?
Katsura Kureha
Right? I thougth Leo was around 23 or so and Hugo in his early 30s, but he's talking like Leo is small kid. I think this is just Hugo's mental gymnastics to convince himself he is not attracted to Leo, but all it does is make me want to call their equivalent of the FBI 🤢
IzetIsa
Sorry, l want to slap this elder/as an adult discourse out of Hugo ✋️🫱 like he doesn't even realize how childish it is to stubbornly cling to one's assumptions
IzetIsa
Either my memory is really bad or l have the slight right to suspect that they were pastlives soulmates, or there's "memory loss" in this bl novel too 🫣 bcs l don't remember that "don't go" line hmmm
Jesse Gibson
Hugo be testing my patience and I thought they were similar in age? With Hugo only being just slightly older? He’s acting like he’s 30 or so years older wtf
Bodacious
I feel bad for Leo, but wasn't Hugo leaving him alone for the night because he's trying to prevent any harm the imperial knights might cause our hero when they arrive?
Mkslushi
Someone smack Hugo upside the head - for someone so smart, he’s so dumb 😭
