Little Pink Starfish

Baluf’s tongue slithered across Asher’s body, sending shivers of revulsion down his spine.

Sharp fangs suddenly dug into his skin, drawing a strangled cry from his lips. Baluf chuckled in amusement, sinking his teeth in deeper.

Despite the pain, Asher’s body burned with unbearable heat.

His ragged breaths came faster.

And the more his body reacted, the more cruelly Baluf tormented him—his tongue tracing over the same spot again and again.

He kneaded and twisted Asher’s nipples, then suddenly bit down, sending a sharp jolt of pain through him.

“Ah—!! Hngh… ah…”

Terrified and disgusted, Asher struggled, only for Baluf to grab his arms and pin him down.

A low growl rumbled near his ear.

The stench made his stomach churn. His head spun.

The fever in his body refused to subside.

Black shadows loomed over him, bringing nothing but pain. Each time he screamed, they wavered like a mirage.

He wanted to run, to fight—

But instead, his core throbbed with unbearable heat.

“You’re dripping, despite all that struggling.”

“Your hips are shaking.”

“Look, even your mouth is open, drooling… Now, spread your legs.”

Baluf’s voice slithered into his ears like poison.

Shaking violently, Asher whimpered.

Hands wrenched his legs apart, forcing his muscles to strain painfully.

He tried to resist, but his body refused to obey.

“Ah… no…”

When had his clothes been stripped away?

His bare skin burned.

Pain. Heat.

──It hurts.

Then—

A sudden touch sent a violent wave of nausea crashing over him.

“…Huh? You a virgin?”

A sickening pressure probed at him, making his stomach lurch.

His body convulsed.

Reflexively, he vomited.

“Gah—”

His body rejected everything.

“Ugh, disgusting,” Baluf sneered, roughly wiping Asher’s face.

“Gotta loosen you up, or I won’t fit.”
“…No…!”

A foreign intrusion pressed against him.

Terror overwhelmed him.

It hurt. It hurt.

No. No. NO!

The sheer horror snapped something inside him.

Asher squeezed his eyes shut.

He reached out, desperate to hold onto something—

──Theodore.

──Theodore…!

The images before him blurred, losing their form.

His mind detached.

Baluf’s object continued its assault, but Asher no longer struggled.

His body lay limp.

At some point, the invasive object withdrew—only to be replaced by something hotter.

His blood ran ice cold.

His instincts shrieked.

Darkness swallowed his mind.

His heart sealed itself away.

---

When Asher opened his eyes, he stood alone in an endless, dark space.

“…Huh?”

Where was he?

Why was he here?

What had he been doing?

He turned, searching for answers, but only emptiness stretched around him.

“…Wait. Why… am I…”
“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Startled, he spun toward the voice—

A small boy with golden hair and blue eyes gazed up at him.

“You…?”
“Me? I’m Asher. Third Prince of Dias, Asher.”

The boy smiled and gently took his hand.

“Asher… Then, you’re…”
“Hm?”

Was this… the past?

A fragment of his own heart?

Or another dream?

He hesitated.

But the boy only giggled and tugged him forward.

With no choice, Asher followed.

“Where are we going?”
“Who knows? I don’t.”

They walked along an invisible path.

Then, out of nowhere, the boy spoke again.

“You know, humans have really strong survival instincts.”
“…Survival instincts?”
“Yeah. Sometimes, people do things they can’t even explain just to protect themselves.”

Asher frowned.

The boy continued.

“Some people, when faced with unbearable trauma, create a separate personality to carry the pain for them.”
“…”
“That’s not exactly what happened to us, though. I wonder why we’re remembering all this now…?”

The boy’s voice sounded far too mature for his appearance.

Asher couldn’t find the words to respond.

Then—

The boy abruptly stopped, turning to face him with a bright, radiant smile.

“Anyway—don’t come back here again!”
“…What?”
“You finally got out, so don’t slip back in!”

Confusion clouded Asher’s mind.

The boy’s face darkened with a strange mix of amusement and sorrow.

“Not that I ever had to go through something this awful, but… You’ll be fine! Just stay strong!”

“…I don’t understand…”

The boy grinned.

“You don’t need to rely on my memories anymore. You can stand on your own now.”

Then—

With a sudden push—

Asher fell backward, weightless.

“Wait! What are you—Asher?!”

He twisted in midair, searching for the boy—

But he was gone.

Instead, standing in his place—

Was someone else.

A man.

With jet-black hair, glasses, and a simple suit.

Asher gasped.

He knew that face.

He could never forget it.

His past life.

The man—the Asher from another world—smiled softly.

“Now, your real voice can be heard.”

---

Warmth.

A comforting scent.

Asher’s senses slowly returned.

Soft arms held him, enveloping him in gentle heat.

“…Nngh…?”

He shifted slightly, but something felt wrong.

Pain spread through his body.

“…Ah…!”

The source of discomfort became clear—

A burning, aching sensation in his lower half.

His entire body flushed with heat.

He gasped sharply.

“…A-Asher?”

A familiar voice.

A familiar presence.

Slowly, Asher looked up.

“Theodore…?”
“Asher—Your Highness, are you alright?”

Relief flooded him.

Theodore was here.

He was safe.

“…Theodore… ah—!”

A sharp sting flared across his skin.

Blood trickled from the bite marks on his chest.

And in that moment—

The memories came rushing back.

Everything Baluf had done.

Everything he almost did.

Asher’s face twisted in anguish.

“Ah…”

Did he…? Did Baluf…?

Tears welled in his eyes.

Noticing his distress, Theodore’s hand gently brushed through his hair.

“…I’ll tend to your wounds now.”
“I… That man, he…!”

Theodore’s grip tightened around him.

“…I can’t say you’re completely unharmed. But…”

Theodore’s voice was firm.

“…He didn’t succeed. I stopped him in time.”

Asher’s breath hitched.

The relief was overwhelming.

And yet—

His body still burned with unnatural heat.

Even now, the effects of the aphrodisiac still tormented him.

Desperately, he tried to hide it—

Tried to curl in on himself, to shield the shameful reaction from Theodore’s gaze.

But—

“…Don’t look… Please don’t…”

His voice trembled.

Theodore’s golden eyes darkened with an unreadable emotion.

Then—

Gently, he leaned forward.

His lips brushed over the wound on Asher’s chest.

Asher shuddered violently.

“T-Theodore…!?”

Theodore said nothing.

He simply pressed his mouth to the bleeding wound—

And softly, tenderly, licked away the blood.

Asher’s body jolted.

The sensation sent heat coursing through him all over again.

And then—

For reasons he couldn’t understand—

A sense of déjà vu washed over him.

Theodore’s lips gently pressed against the wound on Asher’s chest, his warm tongue carefully sweeping across the broken skin.

Asher’s body jolted.

“Ah—!”

A strange sensation rippled through him, and his breath hitched.

His body, still feverish from the drug, reacted far too sensitively.

Theodore’s golden eyes flickered as he slowly pulled back, his lips still stained with Asher’s blood.

“…Theodore… w-why…?”

Theodore exhaled quietly, his fingers barely grazing Asher’s flushed skin.

“…Mates heal each other,” he murmured.

Asher’s eyes widened slightly.

A mate’s presence alone was enough to soothe their partner—but could they physically heal each other, too?

Before he could fully process the thought, Theodore’s hand trailed lower, pausing over another wound.

“You’re still burning up,” he noted.

Asher squeezed his eyes shut.

That much was obvious.

His body was still under the effects of the aphrodisiac, and even the slightest touch sent unbearable shivers through him.

“…D-don’t look…”

His weak voice trembled as he tried to pull the cloak tighter around himself.

Theodore didn’t move.

“Asher,” he said quietly, his tone firm.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

A warm palm cupped Asher’s cheek, tilting his face up until their eyes met.

The intensity in Theodore’s golden gaze made Asher’s breath catch.

“You didn’t choose this,” Theodore continued, his voice low and steady.

“And I will never—never—let anyone hurt you again.”

Asher swallowed hard.

The lump in his throat wouldn’t go away.

“I… I just don’t want you to see me like this,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

Theodore’s expression didn’t waver.

“Asher,” he murmured.

“You’re beautiful.”

Asher’s breath stuttered.

A tear welled up in his eye before slipping down his cheek.

Theodore caught it with his thumb, gently wiping it away.

“I’ll take care of you,” he promised.

“Asher… let me help you.”

His lips brushed lightly against Asher’s temple.

A soft, fleeting touch.

Asher felt something inside him tremble.

He weakly gripped the front of Theodore’s shirt.

“…Okay…”

The moment the word left his lips, Theodore leaned down—

And pressed a kiss against Asher’s lips.

It was slow. Careful.

Not demanding, nor forceful—

But warm.

And for the first time in what felt like an eternity—

Asher felt safe.