Don't Come Near Me, I'm Just a Background Character [BL Harem]

62 - Blonde Confession

The sun gracefully descended, casting a warm, golden glow on the horizon, surrendering the sky to the embrace of night. Remis lay on the bed, unmoving, his eyes delicately shut while his chest rhythmically rising and falling, its tranquil air infecting the corporate room. The subdued lantern light traced his silhouette, and the lengthy, black lashes created a gentle shadow on his still-pale cheeks.

Four hours had passed, and yet the ebony-haired youth's eyes remained sealed shut. The room enveloped itself in a somber silence, interrupted only by the soft cadence of Remis' breath. Beads of sweat adorned his forehead, and his eyebrows knit tightly as his eyelids quivered, betraying the unrest within his slumber.

Outside the infirmary, Lucius hesitated at the doorstep, his steps faltering. His gaze bore into the wooden door, as if attempting to pierce through to the person inside. Quivering with flustered hesitation, his hand hovered over the door handle. After a tense moment, he released a shallow sigh, bit his lip, and pushed the handle down, entering the room.

The scent of Remis, who had lingered in the clinic, wafted into Lucius's senses. Frozen in place, his face bloomed into a rosy hue. He grew increasingly aware of the black-haired youth's presence as it became progressively challenging for Lucius to maintain his composure as he approached the resting youth.

The room was devoid of company at this time. Theodore and Cyrus both left in an attempt to find the culprit for the enormous monster in the forest. The area which they were brought to was only supposed to have low-leveled close to harmless monsters. Yet, a creature the size of a redwood tree was somehow there, and it had severely injured Xenith's young master. There must have been a culprit behind the attack for this monster to be so misplaced.

Just as both Theodore and Cyrus left, Sylvien received an urgent correspondence from his home country. The Nyiel royal family had detailed a rapidly growing epidemic in the southern parts of his kingdom. Sylvien was skeptical, but the letter bore an authentic royal seal. He had no choice but to go.

Lucius knelt beside the infirmary bed, his hand lightly resting on the foot of the mattress. His gaze lingered on Remis' pallid face before he hurriedly peeled away, his eyes flitting away to the floor in embarrassment. Then, slowly, he worked up the waning courage to inch closer to the youth, his heart skipping catching as the scent of the youth grew stronger.

Summoning his courage, Lucius lifted his arm towards Remis' head, his shaking hand inching closer to the sleeping youth. His fingers brushed past Remis' forehead, feeling the softness akin to a baby cloud. Startled, Lucius recoiled, holding his hand to his chest, as if scalded. Yet, despite this, the warmth from Remis' skin remained, enveloping his tingling hand in a blanket of soft warmth, filling his mind.

His gaze fixated on his forefinger, his eyes glazed. His long, slender fingers were dipped in a hazy pink hue, trembling with the memory of Remis' touch. In a subconscious gesture, he felt his hand being brought to his lips. A subtle sigh escaped his lips before he pressed a gentle kiss on the skin where Remis' warmth stayed.

He snapped out of his daze and immediately felt a sense of extreme abashment. I cannot believe this is happening... Lucius thought, his eyes frantic and ecstatic. He slowly slumped onto the floor, curling into a small ball and gawking absentmindedly at the sterile floors. Even the scent of him is rattling me, he laughed incredulously to himself at the thought.

I... Lucius longingly gazed at the bed. He wanted to get closer, so much closer. When he didn't realize his feelings, he thought he would just be satisfied with Remis behind his aide, by his side for the rest of his time as king. But now...

I want to kiss him. Lucius stared at those soft, pink lips, as pretty as a ripe peach, and felt his heart pound out of his chest. I want to...

He took a step closer, then another. Tap, tap. Remis' beautiful yet slightly impish features were revealed beneath him. He leaned over, his head hanging over Remis. He held his cheek in the cup of his hand and moved closer.

Lucius' nose brushed against his. He felt the shallow breathing of the black-haired youth caress his chin, tickling him with a pleasant and zipping sensation. "I..." Lucius murmured, staring intently at Remis' slightly opened lips.

But before he could touch them, he bit the inside of his cheek, jumping back and shaking his head. "No, I..." He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with vexation.

In the end, all he could do was rest his head against Remis' hand, pressing the warm palm against his own forehead and letting the tears pool in his eyes. Tears trickled down his skin, landing softly on the white fabric and disappearing as fast as it came.

After a long period of silence, Lucius sighed and took a ragged breath, his eyes resigned as he stared blankly into the cloudy white sheets. His eyes drifted to the youth's hair, which was a jet-black color. That color was always strange, yet Lucius loved the feeling of touching the smooth strands, watching the black hair shine brilliantly in the sun. He loved his hair; even in a crowd as big as the capital, he could find Remis in a flash.

Lucius felt a lump in his throat and took a forceful gulp, opening his mouth. "...I like you." He mumbled, pulling closer and resting his head on the other's arm. He breathed in sharply, his heart tight. "I really, really like you..."

He pulled away, his gaze tenderly lingering on Remis' figure. "...so when I'm ready to confess... Please, accept me and no one else."

The door clicked shut behind him.

----

Remis' eyes snapped open and his eyes quickly darted around the room, looking for a trace of that familiar tall figure in panic.

He practically catapulted out of the covers, but the sharp pain shooting through his body from the sudden movement stopped him from rushing towards the door. Doubt and irritation swirled in his mind as a hurricane, a cacophony of thoughts dancing and jumping through his mind, driving his attention to all four directions. So he could only sit there, his face contorted in unparalleled bewilderment as his glazed eyes fixed absentmindedly at the closed door. "Huh?" he muttered. The sound echoed in his chest, a stifling feeling rather than a liberating one.

If only he wasn't stuck to the blasted bed, if only he wasn't injured, if only he was awake for longer so he could understand the situation and have the context to stop his rampant, unkempt thoughts from spiraling.

A touch, warm and gentle, had originally woken him up. His cheek was gently cradled in the man's course yet soft palm. His heart had practically dropped to his stomach as soon as he felt the tickling warmth seep into his skin. Yet, despite his inner panic, he kept his eyes closed. Perhaps it was a reflexive response, born out of either fear or panic. Or, maybe it was because he had been in this blasted otome game world for so long he had learned to play dead when the scenarios of the capture targets somehow jumped to him instead of his sister. Either way, his eyes remained tightly shut, his breaths remaining regular albeit a bit strained.

A warm breath brushed by his nose, spilling a sultry zephyr across his skin. His mind had long emerged from the haze of slumber, moving a mile a second as his attention remained hyperfocused on the sensations on his body. With a surge of courage, his tightly shut eyes fluttered open, wide enough for him to see a slit of the person's profile. A lock of platinum blonde hair fluttering here, a hint of emerald green eyes there. Yet, it was just for a moment, because the next sentence the man retreated hastily.

The room shuffled with movement, the floorboards creaking under an invisible weight. Then, cutting through the silence like a knife, a pure, resonant voice filled the space. "I really, really like you..."

Wasn't that Lucius' voice? The fleeting thought passed through Remis' mind at that moment, pressing the insides of his subconscious in curiosity and guilty interest.

It sounds just like him. The air hung heavy with the weight of the unspoken, and Remis felt a rush of emotions, a whirlwind of thoughts.

Did Lucius truly just confess his feelings? Yet, before his mind could grapple with what he just stomached, the next sentence sent him into another spiral of agitation.

"So when I'm ready to confess... Please, accept me and no one else."

(Sorry, this was a rambling chapter; I'll edit it later. There'll be a double update soon to make up for my lack of uploads.)