Chapter 102: Granting The Reward

Basil blinked up at Darius, momentarily caught off guard by the unexpected request. Then he let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head at Darius’s shamelessness. "A reward, you say?" he repeated, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Well, I suppose I could consider it. After all, you did keep your promise, and you certainly went through a lot of trouble to find your way back to me." He tilted his head, regarding Darius with open curiosity. "So, what would you like as your reward? Just name it. If it’s something within my power to give you, I don’t mind."

The moment the words left his mouth, Darius’s expression changed. The playful smile remained, but there was something different in his eyes now, a glint of mischief that made Basil’s own smile falter slightly. Darius slowly leaned toward him, closing the small distance between them as his gaze settled on Basil’s lips before returning to his eyes. "Anything you say?" he asked softly, his voice dropping into a low, deliberate murmur.

Basil’s breath caught for a brief moment. He had expected Darius to play it off like a joke, to laugh and ask for something ridiculous he was so sure that Basil couldn’t refuse. Basil hadn’t expected that look, or the sudden intensity with which Darius was watching him right now. His cheeks grew warmer as he realized he might have just handed the man an opportunity he had every intention of taking. Nevertheless, he lifted his chin, determined not to let himself be intimidated by a little flirting. "Within reason, of course," he added quickly, pointing a warning finger at Darius. "Don’t go getting any strange ideas."

Darius chuckled, catching Basil’s finger gently between his own before lowering their joined hands. "I wouldn’t dare, my prince." His tone was innocent, but the amusement in his eyes betrayed him. He leaned closer still, speaking softly enough that his words felt meant for Basil alone. "But since you’re being so generous, perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I asked for something simple. Something I’ve been thinking about for a long while now."

Basil swallowed, his gaze flickering between Darius’s eyes and the faint smile playing on his lips. "And what, exactly, would that be?" he asked, trying to sound composed despite the sudden flutter in his chest.

Darius’s thumb traced a slow circle against the back of Basil’s hand as he tilted his head slightly, his dark gaze locking onto Basil’s with a raw, unshielded hunger. "A kiss," he said. The words landed between them like a stone dropped into still water, and Darius watched Basil’s face with an attentiveness that made the silence feel louder than any sound. "Can I kiss you, my prince?"

Basil’s heart gave a violent lurch against his ribs. The air suddenly felt entirely too thin, and the space between them seemed charged with an electric tension that made every nerve ending hum. A soft, breathless shiver ran down his spine. He didn’t know whether Darius had realized what those two words did to him, but every time Darius called him ’my prince’ in that low, intimate voice, Basil found himself struggling to remember how to breathe. His lips parted, but no sound came. His heart hammered against his ribs, a wild, insistent rhythm that seemed to drown out everything else. He could have laughed it off, pretended to be embarrassed by the request, or even teased Darius for having the audacity to ask for such a reward. But the way Darius was looking at him, patient, hopeful, and certain, made retreat feel like the greater risk.

"Yes," he whispered. The word barely escaped him, soft as breath, but it was enough.

Darius closed the distance slowly, giving Basil every chance to pull away. When their lips finally met, the kiss was gentle at first, a tentative brush of warmth that sent a shiver down Basil’s spine. Darius’s mouth was soft against his, questioning, and Basil found himself leaning into it before he could think better of it, his initial hesitation melting away as he realized just how much he wanted this. His free hand rose, fingers curling into the fabric of Darius’s nightshirt, anchoring himself.

Then the kiss deepened. Darius tilted his head, parting Basil’s lips with his own, and the gentle brush became something hungrier. Basil made a small sound, half surprise, half pleasure, and Darius answered with a low hum that vibrated against Basil’s mouth. The hand that had been holding Basil’s fingers released them, sliding up to cup the back of his neck, his thumb pressing just beneath Basil’s jaw. Basil’s grip on Darius’s nightshirt tightened, his knuckles whitening.

The world narrowed. Sound faded into the background. Basil was aware only of the warm, insistent press of their mouths, the taste of Darius, salt and something faintly sweet, and the heat spreading through him. His other hand came up, fingers threading through Darius’s hair as he tugged him closer. Darius groaned into the kiss, and the sound shot straight through Basil like lightning. Their clothes began to come off without either of them noticing how it happened.

One moment, Darius’s nightshirt was bunched in Basil’s fists. The next, it lay forgotten on the floor, and Basil’s own shirt had been discarded beside it, his trousers pooling around his ankles. Bare skin met bare skin, both of them lost in the heat of the moment, and the sensation of Darius’s chest pressed against his own made Basil gasp into the kiss. Darius swallowed the sound, his hands roaming down Basil’s back and over his hips before gripping his backside and pulling their bodies flush. Basil broke the kiss with a shuddering breath, his forehead resting against Darius’s. His lips were swollen and damp, and he could feel the rapid thud of Darius’s heartbeat against his own chest. "Don’t you think that’s enough kissing for one night?" Basil asked breathlessly, trying to sound composed despite his flushed cheeks and unsteady breathing.

"Not even close." Darius pulled back just enough to look at him, his eyes dark and heavy-lidded. "I want more," he said, his voice rough with desire. "We’re too far gone to stop halfway now."

Basil couldn’t suppress the low chuckle that escaped him, shaking his head at Darius’s shameless insistence. However, his amusement quickly faded when he became aware of the cool air brushing against his exposed skin. Only then did he realize that both of them were wearing nothing but their briefs. They must have been so lost in the kiss that neither had noticed how far things had gone. His throat suddenly felt dry as Darius’s gaze settled on him again, carrying a warmth and intensity that made his heart race. Basil swallowed, then gave a small, jerky nod, and it was all the permission Darius needed.

Darius pressed him back onto the bed, mouth trailing down his throat. Teeth grazed Basil’s pulse point, and Basil arched into the touch with a broken moan. Darius worked his way lower, tongue tracing the line of Basil’s collarbone, then the flat plane of his chest. When his lips closed around one nipple, Basil’s hands flew to Darius’s shoulders, nails digging in. "Your nipples are so sensitive," Darius murmured against his skin, and the words made Basil’s face burn. He turned his head away, embarrassed by how much he liked it, but Darius caught his chin and turned him back. "Don’t hide from me."

Basil’s reply came out as a whimper. Darius sucked the nipple into his mouth, tongue swirling, while his fingers found the other and pinched—gently at first, then harder. Basil bucked beneath him, a string of broken sounds falling from his lips. The dual sensations—wet heat and sharp pressure—made his thoughts scatter like startled birds. Darius lingered there, sucking and biting, alternating between the two nipples until they were both swollen and aching. Basil writhed under the attention, his cock twitching against his stomach, leaking steadily. Darius kept going, drawing out every gasp and moan until Basil’s chest was flushed and his breathing ragged. Only then did he release the nipple with a soft pop and kiss his way lower.

He stopped at Basil’s navel, tongue dipping in to taste the sweat gathered there. Basil shivered at the wet intrusion, hips jerking. Darius circled the sensitive skin with his tongue before sucking lightly, then kissed past it to the trembling muscles of his stomach. Basil’s breath hitched when he realized where Darius was headed. He propped himself up on his elbows, eyes wide.

"Darius you don’t have to—"

But Darius didn’t stop. He settled between Basil’s thighs, hands hooking under his knees to spread him open. He looked at Basil’s pink twitching hole and watched it clench under his gaze. Basil felt exposed, vulnerable, his face burning hotter. He tried to pull away out of embarrassment but Darius held him firm, stopping him from closing his legs.

"Why are you trying to hide from me?" Darius asked, his voice low and steady. "If only you could see how pink and hungry your hole wants to be licked and fucked by my tongue," he said, his voice rough with want.