Bermuda

Why is he here?

The question rose, but it did not leave his lips. With one hand braced against the wall, Leonardo stared blankly at Hugo. Then, almost unconsciously, his gaze shifted to the pile of clothes set beside him. He had tossed them aside and gone straight into the shower, so he could not remember what shape they had originally been in.

But now, as if someone had rummaged through them, their arrangement had subtly fallen apart.

Something about that stirred a strange unease.

No way... did he go through those? Where did my underwear even end up?

There was no way His Grace would do something like that, but just moments ago, the mask had been hanging from his fingers, hadn’t it? If so, there was a good chance he had looked through other things as well. A wave of indecent thoughts rushed in, but Leonardo forced himself to hide any sign of fluster.

Damn it, I should’ve worn my better pair.

Meeting Hugo’s eyes, Leonardo returned the gentle smile and stepped toward him.

“Hello, Commander.”

He lifted the corner of his lips, then draped the towel he had been rubbing with around his neck. With both hands now free, he idly tightened the belt of his gown.

“What brings you all the way here? I was going to wash up and come greet you.”

He asked it naturally, as if he had known all along that Hugo would be there.

Blue eyes slowly swept over his flushed face and damp body, fresh from the shower.

“Did I intrude?”

“Mm... not really.”

Crossing the dark line at his throat, droplets trailed down along his neck, slipping past his collarbone and disappearing between his chest. The long stretch beneath was filled in by memory alone. As the gaze lowered further, the stream of water slid more thickly along the inside of his smooth calf.

Hugo’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew the temperature of the water that flowed there.

Then he lifted his gaze again and reached out a hand, as if beckoning him closer.

“Were you coming to find me first?”

“Yeah, well....”

Leonardo stepped forward, following the outstretched hand. In that instant, Hugo caught his wrist and pulled him gently.

“How did you know where I’d be?”

Drawn in by the firm grip, Leonardo found himself standing awkwardly right in front of him.

More precisely, between his legs.

“Uh....”

The sudden closeness made Leonardo widen his eyes as he placed a hand on those broad shoulders. The other man’s thick thighs, woven with muscle, pressed subtly against his own from both sides.

What is this?

The hand gripping his wrist was careful, yet there was something simmering beneath it. His tone was slightly stiff. The way he sat, bent forward just a little, created a strange symmetry—as though they were facing each other on equal footing, but with Hugo looking up from below.

Perhaps because he was usually the one looking up, this position felt unfamiliar. Hugo’s gaze seemed colder than usual, sharper, and his eyes burned more intensely today.

Did something happen?

Did he find out something about me? Did I slip up somewhere? Instinctively assuming the worst, Leonardo swallowed dryly. At that moment, a bead of water rolled from his hair down onto his golden lashes. Pretending to wipe his damp eyes, he subtly averted his gaze.

“We always met after the matches. Today too—we didn’t exactly promise, but... I just figured we’d look for each other. Like last time.”

He fumbled as he spoke, fingers brushing the back of his neck. At that earnest answer, Hugo’s brows lifted slightly.

Of course, he said. He had assumed they would naturally seek each other out. This meeting, which had quietly become a routine, sounded unexpectedly pleasant.

Perhaps because of that, his hand rose on its own and brushed beneath Leonardo’s eye.

“Look at me.”

Leonardo closed his eyes briefly in response, then moved them as instructed.

“...That’s why you came all the way here, isn’t it?”

The sideways glance he gave made it seem as though he was urging him to say yes. The expression was oddly endearing, and Hugo observed him for a moment with a detached face. Feeling like he might get swept along otherwise, he calmly shifted the topic.

“What do you mean, ‘here’?”

“A place that doesn’t suit a duke.”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

“You’ve never taken a shower in a place like this.”

Hugo’s eyes drifted upward for a moment, then returned.

Mm, that was true. With private quarters available, there was almost never a reason for him to undress in a shared space.

“You seem to know me very well.”

He deliberately put on a faintly displeased expression as he answered. It was also an indirect confirmation of the certainty Leonardo had been seeking. Because of that contradiction, Leonardo blinked a few times—then, as if nothing had happened, let a sly grin curl his lips.

“I’ve got you in the palm of my hand.”

“Hm. Confident, aren’t you?”

“So you don’t like that?”

When those triumphant golden eyes curved into a smile, the corners of Hugo’s eyes softened in response.

“It’s not that.... But there’s nothing more helpless than having all your moves read. Especially in front of you.”

As he said that, Hugo rubbed Leonardo’s cheek with a gentle touch. The softness of it made Leonardo clearly feel that his mood had eased.

You were already helpless to begin with.

He did not know exactly what had made the initial greeting so tense, but he wanted to keep this softened atmosphere. Instinctively, Leonardo leaned his chin into the hand cupping his face. The fact that this man’s emotions shifted moment by moment because of him was, frankly, quite enjoyable.

Sure enough, Hugo’s gaze softened further as he asked warmly,

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? The match went well?”

“Yeah. You were watching me fight, weren’t you? You already know.”

“...How would I know? Did you spot me?”

“I didn’t see you. I just felt it.”

Slowly closing and opening his eyes, Leonardo raised his hand and placed it against Hugo’s cheek as well. There had been hesitation once, but now he moved without restraint.

“I can tell just by looking at your eyes where you were.”

The curve of his eyes turned teasing as he added that. Hugo’s lips parted slightly—then pressed shut.

He probably had not meant anything by it, but... it felt like hearing an answer. The same faint sense Hugo had always felt—Leonardo could feel it too.

Hugo’s left thumb rubbed lightly over his lips.

“I see.”

Those well-shaped lips moved faintly, then parted. As he slipped just slightly between them, a glimpse of a particularly warm-looking red tongue appeared. It soon came forward, brushing against him as if inviting him in, and Hugo’s blue gaze deepened.

“This is a problem.”

With his other hand, he lifted the towel that had been draped over Leonardo’s head and shoulders. The damp fabric fell back like a veil, revealing that lustrous blond hair under the light. As expected, it was far too much of a waste to show this sight to others. They would lose their senses and rush him.

“Then try guessing what I’m going to do next.”

Hugo wrapped an arm around Leonardo’s lower back. The hand that crossed diagonally pressed into the curve he had once watched sway before his eyes, pulling him closer. Leonardo’s lower body came flush against Hugo’s thigh. Through the thick gown and the tension in the fabric, a different kind of heat began to spread.

The lowered golden eyes narrowed for a moment, and his head tilted slightly. The hand that had been resting on Hugo’s shoulder slid like a snake, gripping the back of his heated neck.

“Open your mouth. Then I’ll do it.”

A soft laugh slipped from between Hugo’s teeth as he looked up at him. The lips that had been pretending composure slowly parted.

“As you command.”

“Why the hell is the infirmary so far away? Who even planned this layout, seriously.”

Carrying an armful of spray painkillers, compression bandages, and anti-inflammatory patches, Ero hurried along. He had nearly burst into tears saying his boss’s wrists were stiff—what if he could not even hold a fork?—and the medical team had taken forever gathering everything, then it had taken forever again just to get here.

At this rate, the shower room time would be up too.

“He said he hates waiting....”

Muttering anxiously, he kept up his pace. At least Asher’s match was in full swing outside, so the reporters had all flocked there. Thanks to that, he reached the locker room relatively easily, and the Cleaning in Progress sign was still hanging neatly on the door.

No one had touched it. Relieved, Ero carefully pushed the door open with his shoulder.

As the heavy door opened halfway, the still-empty locker room came into view. There was no sign of Leonardo.

Is he still showering?

Gathering the things he had brought, Ero stepped inside. He did not forget to push the door closed again with his back, just in case someone else might follow him in.

The heavy door slid shut with barely a sound. Passing the rows of lockers, Ero headed toward the powder room connected to the shower area.

He shook the spray can in his hand, about to call out loudly, “I’m back!”—

“Ah, wait.”

“...Why?”

Huh?

A strange sound suddenly came from inside. At the same time, there was a faint, warm, damp breath in the air.

“Is someone here?”

Ero froze instinctively. Holding his breath, he rose onto his toes and pressed himself tightly against the wall.

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