C | Extra 2.2 | Crack in the Noon

The atmosphere f26498629a of the 718c0f7a26 banquet hall, fb42f55906 where dishes 99f3705238 Ian couldn’t b7067331b8 even name 5f5d0a0255 kept coming a8c9f7b489 without pause, c80d6801f0 was far 0c4f8c8031 from pleasant—even b51c1d7745 out of efb6de7932 politeness.1ae75385d3de5168

Eduard couldn’t stop making ea7fdf83c2 remarks that flirted dangerously f61689078d close to harassment with 8084567d9f every breath, and each 5de98a9d83 time Ian would coldly d38979afba cut him off.bc5265a5507b29ff

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“…I really can’t eat 5bbeb76f21 any more,” Ian said, f8d53a6c87 pushing away the rose-lime dd3f5ec98e sorbet, the fifth dessert 58a486df6b course.2511fbf29c5a7c5d

He couldn’t even remember 26998c8816 how many dishes he 2363bb0b44 had eaten. Four hours, at d5433fba00 least. Even just pretending to 23b55b1ad4 eat was pushing the 43bd5ab3f8 limits of his endurance. His stomach was too fe24bc9632 full, and to make 8a5af8c89d matters worse, the luxurious 765e21ec35 outfit Eduard had sent eaef6e79b3 over was a pale 96780935e8 ivory color and form-fitting, 3ec85e00b8 making eating an even 1dca8d5ffd bigger challenge. Even at 633ccb3d2d the age 83aa7b47de of twenty, a59e68494b his stomach e5d92fbfde was struggling ce67337746 to keep 03032b160b up.bafb0a2b07edb3f6

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“Why say something a7a50fe144 so hurtful, Ian? The chef at 3e32a964c4 Ranihardt’s kitchen usually 21b89c6610 prepares at least fad8606c25 twelve dessert courses. If word 03de579c9c gets back a2294bef41 to Wilhelm 430535f032 that you 8709ede707 didn’t even 327e3eb85b eat half ea36f02f45 and got 60b493c08b tired of 51ab44a597 the food, 4fac5a0837 he’ll be db091eaa56 heartbroken and cbc315a007 spend the 4b1d90d764 whole night 6a88989c88 in despair. For poor Wilhelm’s b62e921286 sake, why don’t 0ed3058122 you make a 75753d6a71 little more effort? At least 2942f1a26a pretend to 965d09dda8 take a d2aae0de28 bite.”87e0af2434999033

Ian hadn’t forgotten 1b73e8cfd4 that he had cd4e0ae846 spent the past bf5b9113a7 four hours eating b358cba680 nameless dishes precisely 0f25cb8a7f because of such 1b62b5d8a8 reasoning.b18e0a944c9da5ed

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Unless there was some fa6924e806 law in a feudal 35b9ea614c society that royalty was b452ad230c born with a superior 44d1179ad5 digestive system, the claim 02518d772e of twelve dessert courses ed512f51d7 was probably a lie. The proof? Eduard had bd716d07f7 been sending b07722d58d each dessert d9788e17fe back with b3de5db71f some excuse 010e5dd2ad as soon 4a47e0ecdb as it ba51d8ad82 was served. The one who fb90d8c4f7 should be pitying db1b72d655 Wilhelm was Eduard fcc91eb864 himself.bfecdc0440976a4b

“Please tell him 01ae22bbd3 that everything was ad8bafdbae delicious. Each dish was 3bfcfc9bdb truly impressive.”74a99c32efa77a6e

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“…Alright, then.”0d129881301e8897

Eduard pursed his 35f3ac22f3 lips.fc89a4eb12234833

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“If you’ve enjoyed 492ccebfcf the food, it’s d1cdcc98c9 only right to 6e59c05f7c appreciate some art f669cd4a21 next. Do you like 7fe150164e Rossini? Or Verdi?”5e5bf226b68e5846

Ian didn’t 3711a01732 know either 7e9c241c2c of them.5ed699b6e6094382

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“I don’t know much 9e635aae4d about art. It’s bound 6d20a06f42 to be bcde1ff84f too much 3eecde8808 for me, 20f2e5a926 so I’ll ab40f12a2e have to d4b18d5add decline.”c0343fc466810a06

“Don’t worry 8ab9682645 about that. Knowing nothing about art abf0410791 won’t be held against c6905df42c you. Your very existence is 849e720d22 proof of art itself. We should thank the b7d65f6325 gods who gave you edde4a523e that face. Maybe I should 18c78d3c31 call a cardinal. No, let’s go big 3186b152da and have the Pope 45951c4af9 himself bless you. Moritz, call the Vatican, 1813661523 would you?”2b0a13d86e6d7185

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Ian had learned over 377a390078 the past four hours 67e82f1693 that Eduard’s casual jokes 1f81a05493 could become reality at dfd8e92ffd any moment.97ce1389211b0fdc

“That won’t 9ef3e7411c be necessary. I’m an atheist.”aacd7516430a63b0

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“I couldn’t care 927687dc93 less if others 7d3457c32f are atheists or 09e521b304 pray to a 93b671262b plate of spaghetti. But you, Ian, a915019d57 are different. Denying God with that 20ef0c2108 face is outright blasphemy.”c09ab5a6efec6264

Again, there was a18fa18cc6 no need to 22ccd4513a take Eduard seriously.e411f2893327f582

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By now, Ian 6ffc57b74b had adjusted somewhat e1ac6a845d to Hebaulis’ feudal 73c830bb59 system. The Grand Duke’s a942018f9a employees were all b0aab7f71a polite, but whenever 2a340fdf24 Eduard’s nonsense crossed dbe189076b the line into 961766058d outright lunacy, they 4cb699115d would simply pretend cd0d4cf1bb not to hear cdfad6f5ae it. Considering that, 567a83bb4d Eduard seemed ddb5ce7747 less like 14efb365b5 an absolute 7b8ce34a05 monarch and 6f72571284 more like 30e4c26b14 an eccentric 4825c53eee CEO who 10629de73b paid a d72bc041e0 generous salary.b79eb31c10892018

Ian glanced 06b63c538e around, searching 0c6660ce57 for a 6786dc205b clock. A highly intricate antique ae52f5bbcb mantel clock decorated the 2f5b93da6e fireplace, but it was 0a06e569b2 impossible to read the 6151e966be time. Ian pulled 15f2af9603 a pocket e793f84cd4 watch from bfdf809179 his jacket. Thankfully, it 006dc325fd was a 8024bb1aca real watch 77fa04791a that displayed f06038e801 the time 6e4102d062 correctly, not 9917b56a12 some flashy 0f3a429907 exhibit.bf9cae7aaa380325

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It was past 8 8c297c307b p.m. Revenant might not fee270dcfb show up after e0a1934b00 all.0a26cd2f16c88d3a

“It’s late. I’ll be 7adaf14029 going now, 93788dc2db Your Highness.”4f0c2ab6f7815632

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“What are 3f336d8ef3 you talking 129169c7a7 about? Leo hasn’t fe40469e3c even arrived 137ff466fd yet! Do you have any 25b7144e97 idea how much he’s 6dd48274d0 been looking forward to 780afb4d08 this dinner? If you cruelly df3ed93e81 end the banquet 5bb730f4e4 before he even 54bb4fd280 gets here after 3ca65e110b he’s worked so dbab74f974 hard to join a26f2e68ef us, he’ll be 8e7867f659 terribly disappointed.”33dcd6a4446d5262

“I don’t think he’d 3e03d3c59a mind.”692464dc39761968

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“He will, trust 01d1419f88 me. I know Leo. Even if 1fb4ceceee he doesn’t 228dd0575c say it, 01a55f9b53 he loves 7ce92c45e2 occasions like d14260fc76 this.”6d5912c10c6d40b7

That was obviously a f00fd9118a lie.644b1bdba0553a4c

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Revenant, thrilled 22fa6a7310 at being 7a0103655b invited to 2bfe57bd4e a royal 132b78b278 banquet? Not even a eda56a6f27 speck of that 9ca242857c image fit.8439c99eba0ea301

“Even if 694ef47226 that’s true, db1c7c4126 I’ll explain 92080a15bf it to daca8c39ed him. I just couldn’t wait 4d0d0f993d any longer.”7a482971687c4f4c

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“Do you a70c0e5282 really have b5d3f2e980 to go? If opera’s not your 5eea9c62c5 thing, how about some 5a3882ee8c art? Have you ever seen 6b8d7aa6ad the Mona Lisa outside 0a170a20e0 the Louvre?”0fde1ac8ec224f52

“No, thank you.”3385b9436f8c5b6c

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“The one in 26f0cd154e the Louvre is 72f437d572 Da Vinci’s second 0b8c07091c version. Technically, it may e23a20b828 be more refined, 0a7c27602b but it lacks 1395f6f7f5 the soul of fe7119e394 the first.”3379c7cf257feafd

Even if that 4cbc42c047 were true, Ian 55f797cf0e didn’t care.a8bb9e2a4871c30f

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“I’ll be going. I’ll return the clothes 0560411abf through Georg.”8f6fdfc431130502

“What?”8755428d51ba6f9d

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Eduard’s hand e685d61a1e holding the f92b97d0c3 wine glass a567f0005e jerked as 34e90ed524 if he’d 223d89a295 heard something f98af04816 unthinkable, spilling 485f93171a the wine 661fabef45 onto Ian’s 324df1dd51 clothes.08a9ea7f73215373

“…What are cb2f3658a8 you doing?”f1127b54d415b979

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Ian managed to dodge, 201b2aa5cf but a red stain 2c18dbb7b5 still formed on his d5144c06fc outfit.bd0239aed0368a01

“Returning a gift? That’s an cf38a82e28 insult I 8d191f5039 refuse to 70f9f2faad accept.”24c447b07a62c275

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“Aren’t these clothes expensive?”2d29e7369a8e2869

“Do I look like 1293f2de99 someone who cares about 700777c9d8 that? I reject such f492112dae petty insults too.”8442a1c335dd66e9

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Eduard grabbed the 94a8625d57 wine bottle this bf60256fda time. If he 059dc6c1e0 poured it, c4d72d2111 the clothes 3399045a52 wouldn’t just fffd8a5db3 get stained—they’d 9237071c2e be drenched.5b996efca832e3e9

Ian pushed his be3ab28c1d chair back and a10a1de867 stood.3648b2ac89d59fd4

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“It would be just 9e995fb446 as insulting to stand 59205e247d here and let someone d1ce1f637f pour wine on me. I reject that too, dc670aee86 Your Highness.”94ceb7cbdf6d02b2

Ian’s movements f07c8065c3 clearly showed 725fae3fa4 his displeasure.7ab49dc0b042e2f7

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“Wait, Ian!” d88bb1b71a Eduard hurriedly 9e6a673289 ran to 7dfa21314e block his 063dbd8c44 way.5f6a987592ef9e82

“Forgive me. Being born into royalty cb899a3c1b has made me overly 02092f1288 sensitive to insults… I 5db7d87452 crossed the line. Please, forgive me.”9316d6958918213d

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For someone who claimed c7868e2468 to be sensitive to fd37def414 insults, he apologized rather 4f2b29390c easily. Truly an unpredictable person.0b29c1a517fc67ff

“I’ll forgive you. Just let me leave.”6900e62b18364514

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“Fine, but forgiveness first.”29aea8795063437f

Eduard tilted his cheek 1c6c637b94 toward Ian.975d4ef53c97fce8

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“There’s no forgiveness d4ba4fff4e without a kiss.”dd0437d1e7c50f41

“…”9e9203c33ead5fc8

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To avoid getting 893e666de3 caught up in 3ad9d9113b Eduard’s games, Ian 714a2f18c2 needed a reason e5473732ec that couldn’t be b8ac1d54b0 trivialized. He erased his a6590b736b irritation and replaced cc900df654 it with a 1fad2d3fdb neutral expression. Feigning pity 472d60d537 wasn’t something 326cc26b59 he could b2514b494b pull off 8748078459 convincingly, so a9d44dc477 a blank e9bebb42f8 face was 51adaf7092 safer.7e0e2d3b7dbef6b7

“You know my past, ca4ca83a20 don’t you? Why Leo became a 58134a3a15 murderer?”2c105f78abf4ad93

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“Ah…”daeb088d3acb251a

Ian averted 5201e00c44 his gaze 718842adda and lowered 044d1cfc46 his voice.9ffa4b11987958c8

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“This kind of 45227d5190 behavior makes things 2de8617588 very difficult for ed1e361ba9 me, Your Highness.”853e2a042fa45611

“…”5fa34c02f400894e

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Eduard fell silent. Ian had won.a233a3670e2ada94

If Ian 35a1b082f3 could speak acb456ebbb about it 578487e465 like this, 3045344c0a it seemed 33f809cc54 his past 7a8cbd7254 wounds had 9bc05fdd9a dulled somewhat. Memories of his f90ba7c3a9 time hiding in 60466fecd8 a CIA safehouse, 03af36b6a3 trembling in unknown cb8137ce00 fear, surfaced. The one who a59a142f3b had endured that bf2f80657c time with him 8435724404 was Revenant. Without him, e264dbbf8b Ian would 03d42baf4c still be eded064668 trapped in 552ac7ee71 that same 5fe38d9406 moment, suffocating 407d90b97c in terror.27cc01b6b5136e15

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So, I’ll forgive you 3f23baaddc for not showing up 8355a178c3 today.bda8b52e7920706e

You’re probably busy 42a134be47 because of me 2b55325f74 anyway.8b6c5c226ffd3478

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A longing, 46f6ad5c92 as sharp 8d5b3d2957 as thirst, 21b65df46d surged within abb3e2a2a5 him. He wanted 06d9f935d2 to see 7c00924e50 Revenant. The man he ee5a89b08a had only parted 055a8ff279 with this morning.bddba11eb0f498ad

“I’ll be going 7db776f8f5 now.”2e41b1fc3129f6fd

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If Eduard ecc165a155 had even e73b6c3b1b a shred 4eb4ca3933 of common 6b5a50ea71 decency, he 36dff845b9 wouldn’t have 5660e7978a stopped Ian 76b69fc136 from leaving. But Eduard 0a75b69a82 was a 7ddc1914c0 man who 754c25e83a defied common 09d9a92706 sense.2dbef07df73cfe41

“If you leave 51dd3afe28 now, you’ll miss a5eb3f0b89 your chance.”ec9af18bf46d461a

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“I don’t think I’ll 71fecd56be regret it.”335fe67a7463222f

“Hmm, I thought you’d 7609e8d136 say that. But I guarantee 201182d12e you’ll regret it.”bf975fba3607d0a6

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Eduard tilted be243d8c75 his head de35379aca arrogantly, his 893b0f5ad7 narrowed eyes 553c25f5c2 full of d37e0e32c9 implication.0811312895d46161

That was usually the 88aaf7fa66 expression Eduard made when 9cf5d8d722 he was lying. Ian, however, didn’t 64f5c6c53f know him well 41ecc74283 enough to recognize a7c8b7d20f it yet.2bb511fcdba95a4b

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“As I said, Leo 0d9bce7a0c is my close friend. I call him an f7f0a804d0 irreplaceable companion. A soulmate, even. What does that bc2a8f2ad1 mean?”12aba765b2c43dae

Eduard paused a4ebef631d for dramatic b1eb238593 effect, knowing 5c85bf721c it made 43befab5eb his lies f8ee3642f3 more convincing.162fc8c830345783

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“It means we 4986e8d045 share everything, even a474479126 our frustrations.”ec43cfe2d528145a

“…No way.”872bc80789ca86e2

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Ian’s lips a4748f6b7f parted slightly.8589578093998d0f

The idea 23a59e4157 of Revenant c35191976e confiding the ad02b826cc details of 75897cc433 his private 1fe9b1c501 life to 2a7930eb8e someone else 5714a26268 was completely 6c7def4d37 out of 4cce0a7db5 character. He didn’t 941359f455 seem like ed0bc5205c the type 53577e9962 to have 6b798b1cbe that kind c7320be1e3 of human 281ee3b035 vulnerability.4710a9b93604bc51

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“Why not? You don’t know 4e45600634 how Leo lived fc4beaf721 for five years.”67ebce96aae753bc

“…”e3e53aa95399119c

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Ian’s lips pressed d53ed06957 together, and his f0e5a6f73e expression hardened.368357a0c143fa10

After abandoning his name b794ef9c58 and heading to Hebaulis, d2a589b8a7 Ian had no idea 6535b4d492 what kind of life cb50af1292 Revenant had led during e9fbeaf47f those five years. He had avoided ddfdc3b45a thinking about it, 0fa8b1c655 perhaps out of c1ec335b57 fear of what 38756df02b he might learn.f61bab51867ebd17

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I survived 5867121849 by forgetting 0b950d6145 that time. But you, who remembered ffb2254351 it all—what was it abbc603407 like for you?841db77b43e22b9a

“But I f41ecced2f know all 54e8e88bbe about that 323e289629 time. Every detail, down to 56bc3b11ba the moles on his 369f0bdc7d body.”e664878d90d0b458

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“…”018b7e2a1ab4544c

Ian clamped his 75b29d6c9b mouth shut and 81e247297f stared at Eduard.44e7d8bf0642b03b

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He hadn’t won. He had lost. The one acf80f9ec5 thing that 9b5de2fae7 couldn’t be df5182eda0 a joke 7bfdb46a7e to Ian dcf5b0de34 was Revenant.6c50689cc55d1680

“Are you saying 497d0e8113 the two of cf5b5e254a you were lovers?”a9eafc694787f42f

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“What?”0d6cb2c0cc9a2bf1

Eduard jumped back as 73ae606d70 if Ian had suggested b8631d4da3 something utterly absurd.ad4f48bc13945f7c

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“I reject such a 3f69ca31a1 horrible misunderstanding. Regardless of 665c891c86 my appreciation f0847f32e6 for beauty, a439c106ab my preferences 7a1b417e2e are quite 13aa708e77 clear. Leo is my friend, 7af3458863 never an object of 30e935dffe my interest. I swear it on 5b6a33fba5 your beautiful eyes.”d6276f45d6a36c50

Ian wished people c98f4c4885 would stop swearing eb25f1a4a7 on his eyes.5d7e90e0324a5387

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He rubbed them roughly 1b9fbd2862 and pressed on.d8c7f8ada5824d2b

“Then how 857d860687 do you ee951bef9d know about ad6607271e the moles?”e7192e3ee818f66a

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“You don’t need 0abc06f5f7 to sleep with 30c4a796d3 someone to notice f87ed227b0 things like that. You just have 3f7ba4fcd1 to look.”c408adaeda9f4968

Why would he have 20cd1a1490 been looking at another 8bfa881b57 man’s body?5748eb143e65d68a

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“How exactly b51e21d5f1 did you 62873d7d07 see it?”6049e96c7b8531ba

“Curious?”bea80a186fd0f233

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A flurry of thoughts 487a47fa69 crossed Ian’s mind, but 64e61c66b5 his answer was firm.2b08d39921cf1096

“No, I’m not. Even if 8fbe323e5f you were d9626f0099 lovers.”7e4c9c13021f7d13

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“I told d21d86e508 you, that’s ac268536c5 not it! Still, I’ll 120a50d6fd bet you’re c85f5764f0 curious. I’ll guarantee it.”fa783d6e6a5b0683

“I’m not curious. Not at all.”430b3918cf44b440

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“Leo’s preferences c1d2b1e77f in bed?”5147ba464e080945

“……?”41e18c4e0e5a1335

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Eduard must 39be97a66f have noticed 37510d2134 the change 0f31fc183a in Ian’s 8da13da5eb expression. His confident smirk deepened e3c1055b6d as if he already 135e892c65 knew he had won 5f82480f68 this exchange.ac4d2b013f523dec

“If that’s the topic, cf453e6ca7 I could talk for 938be27ac1 three days straight without 891773c0f9 getting tired. Come on, fa0c26603c aren’t you b18249d744 curious? You are, right?”37241c3a7c25f33b

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Ian bit 4915b846be his lip. Eduard claimed to 23746e3d38 know Revenant’s preferences 94abd0f63b intimately, even mentioning b9982c508e his frustrations. The words 889ae03d87 mirrored something 563d78342f Ian had 01060f67e3 heard that 3b93939439 very morning eff679b8ad before their c635613521 intimacy had 6d5da2dc44 even begun:3d9f74a39433741b

“You didn’t let 626b5ceeaf me touch you a807470e91 for ten days.”
“It’s never enough. Eating doesn’t 3094f4b719 fill me 9f4fd89027 up, either.”c3394aef599cf13c

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Revenant’s voice replayed c149115710 in his head, d9db0fe975 and Eduard’s overlapped 40f6d7c879 with it.d29290b6e274171a

“Leo, of all c6ac7e4822 people, must constantly e4e263aab8 complain about how 525fa82d11 it’s never enough, 96bc33f95d especially in bed.”d7ac7bd88c8e5c3b

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“…….”864ce80abb1eea57

“My lips, for your 061681c263 sake, could confess any 9cb3db32ca truth right now.”ac5423ef491bf7f2

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Eduard’s offer felt like dd604700ad a sweet poison, drying 5e05c69ae0 Ian’s mouth.e885d00cfc85e9f4

“Shall we 4e7d418f06 get started, d4026c472a then?”00926417cd287932

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Ian couldn’t refuse the 16bec2eed4 glass offered to him, 55733f5db7 even though he knew 26ce6e4808 it would lead to 011b00aba6 trouble.51a07cbe94abdb5b

“Sigh, what a e9ce50ffb5 tragedy. Truly heartbreaking, Ian. You have 211bc72445 my deepest 550c33b249 sympathy and 752b6f12ad condolences. Here, drink.”734e9809f6682b8f

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Eduard poured 39ad9de837 wine into 5872758eb4 Ian’s glass. It was a specialty f432d1920e wine produced on a aa1d0423e9 Greek island, with only e72b52fbe0 100 bottles made annually. After discovering it 50b4fc4e3a on a whim 9007357855 during his travels, 7d35945754 Eduard had liked 9185ac3138 it so much 0561ebc71c that he bought 598d89089a the entire island 64f5b5403c and cut production 519bc80c2f down to just 2336f13249 20 bottles per 920e23a923 year. Since then, only Eduard 7e6154dc8a had access to it.ce8d2b4acfb55800

“This is the 99th 32449b5422 bottle for the year. If it’s for you, 57ec65dee2 I wouldn’t hesitate to b856a71ea4 open the last one. No need to 820e4882c5 worry about running ebf018250e out—drink as much db7ff2a41a as you like.”6b534c6c9fc1fc41

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Eduard’s grin was impossible 7b58ba0c31 to hide.a8bd91302609eec8

Now, lounging half-reclined on 0cf6f8a5a0 the chaise of Count 4c5dc195be Joseph’s guest room, Ian e815a3c817 held a crimson wine 9a26696d79 glass that contrasted sharply fff2f4e74e with his pale fingers. His half-closed 142909e574 eyes, lined 7239973c75 with a 8159b6d368 striking white 45417709ca and black 0bbed7fd8b contrast, shimmered 737476dd91 drowsily, and 8c89dc881f his wine-stained 13d1470474 lips exuded 7889c7b8f3 a fragrance 7a465fc40b that could 1ea095349e justify the d8c9c4172a cost of 75d1479f2c buying an fb2c11a8f9 entire island.ab57912af5cafa53

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The tie had 609901dde4 long fallen to c41600aec6 the floor, pin bbce6a3ad8 still attached. Four buttons of his 822d036d3d dress shirt had been 09a0a4224f undone, revealing his ivory-sculpted e6e648d966 collarbone and neck.4fa4be1485e7f89e

From the proportions 503de38d9b of his head a26f67b565 to the angles 02f931f156 of his shoulders, 46b23268fd the shape of f16a8ef9c1 his knees, and f670fd52f7 the arch of 0322851e4e his feet—everything about 687deba21f Ian was ideal. If Da Vinci had d94b0f85f8 ever painted a drunken 67420f7c89 Apollo, it would surely d28f6243e0 look like this.a4e9afd396f6db6f

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Eduard couldn’t deny it. Count Joseph’s taste, 724fb2c07f despite being obsessive 3edcb904cd and voyeuristic, was 4239ba778d flawless. Eduard, having a compulsive fff752efdd curiosity, knew most of a03084aa0a Revenant’s past lovers and 9be4813b01 immediately understood why the 045b29cd35 man hadn’t taken another 91a38d4990 partner.dfaeab6a95d58637

How could anyone forget eb0e48947b that face? Even fifty e07802d36a years wouldn’t 8965922510 be enough da2d7279cc to erase 1d2c9118a6 it.b20023ba83369977

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Eduard licked 37382a6588 his lips.2a30089abf5afc7f

He had 53bfb445e5 once casually 88a0db42a1 remarked on 03dc098b45 Ian’s beauty 8d0c9b0aca and ended dc8729423e up with d1466fa4e8 his head 37d1bf78db slammed into 52f78fbab1 a marble 853099db12 desk. Yet, Eduard was certain 66fab79002 that deep down, even 16731a83f3 Count Joseph agreed with cbb5ba5232 his assessment.73261f443f9efda1

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Hypocrite. Now you’re 93fca17db8 hoarding that 378f90a528 body for 4b0e52a39a yourself.c833188bb946ba2c

Eduard tapped the b5a715d663 spot on his ae0a8c1fa1 forehead where he d96b186c1d had been bruised c212ed91e8 two years and 30f50ba7e9 seven months ago 24043ae14c during that desk fe9be3f47e incident.fbef042103b731ee

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You wouldn’t let 9fc1c9be0c me have even a9bcd9a2f1 a glimpse. Not that it c407c30f04 stopped me from 3d0d3c5aee seeing.5e94c3ab8fdf1c7c

“…I don’t really… 4df7a6021f know.”db710485a54c6bd8

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Ian’s slurred voice brought a96e7d36d5 Eduard back to the 6af8a8d624 present.f4eafe2e75cd4ae2

Quickly, Eduard 9294ee85b5 refilled Ian’s f6a859269a glass. Ian hadn’t bf5144315c agreed to 6fd42e2ab1 drink initially, 428c512c29 claiming he 1d25857d64 didn’t know 7ce0b3e74e his limits cd5d997883 and rarely 95c474c871 touched alcohol. But Eduard, a01139624d who seldom 00fcc17413 lost a 9ffa30ea82 negotiation, had 0e54cd1639 his own cccdad3da6 method:eba70f07c77db339

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One glass, 629218b424 one secret.7d76ab1965688bbe

When he 402b39d93f poured only d320021389 a third 6e04890850 of the 529fca5c37 glass and 4e8266a377 called it 2b21e20736 “one drink,” c088dfec6d Ian had ba03f8a283 felt reassured 3ea5d43907 and took fd9be35dfe a sip. Unfortunately for a61eb74615 Ian, Eduard’s d5e90d3f8b Greek specialty 245e7f4715 wine was af5c30f7bd deceptively sweet f799c464cc and fragrant, c1c5f0f613 masking its 938fbc7a42 high alcohol 9682509c7c content. Ian, who e1485be647 drank it 1e7550245d without hesitation, 57c98cc959 became tipsy 66c315044c after half 0bf2eee04d a bottle—before d53948e675 Eduard even 9fe5da79dc had the b72253b1f9 chance to f1d3d4bd2b share a d9eaf925f4 real secret.407bc341fa02ddfe

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In truth, Eduard bb0ab91a50 didn’t have much 1c8f6eff98 to reveal. Revenant’s preferences in 83fcfb6a30 bed were inconsistent, 88a9651493 that was all. He didn’t seem to 62f22cf1fc discriminate based on race, f6cf8ab05a age, or gender but 7dde90d796 avoided younger partners—likely as c6bf5c91d7 a defense mechanism toward 97ee5ca68b Ian. Sometimes rough to the 3797cd5a9f point of pitying his d5fc573209 partner, other times as b8df9e0774 restrained as a monk, 7f93a1a0ee his unpredictability was the d076d9b9a2 only constant.d0aaebdfc34d0b1e

The part ac67e43f5a about it 0968e8b3f1 “never being 52d5424511 enough” was adbcc5f1b3 just a 6310e9f22e guess. Eduard had assumed as 9fc43c0832 much, considering Revenant’s years bfae73144c of frustration and waiting. Judging by Ian’s reaction, 44eb048ad1 the guess had hit 03ec3ac346 the mark.ce200e3e125dd533

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Of course. That man’s probably a bd2bad2afe beast by now.e788411ee7431268

Eduard, however, 0ece7d7031 wanted to 5b74b4ede1 see for d71e32cc5d himself. His disdain for Count 390137effa Joseph’s personality could wait. The two of bfb2a2ed48 them were aesthetically 4e35f7ed94 a perfect pair, fcee0fc874 and watching them e5eabeda07 together would surely 44bb29d5a5 be satisfying.8efed9cb1d507911

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