Little Pink Starfish

In the dimly lit room, Asher, held in Theo’s embrace, buried his face in Theo’s chest.
The strong, rhythmic thumping of Theo’s heartbeat was comforting.

“…From this point on, there’s no turning back.”

Asher, hearing the whispered words close to his ear, slightly opened his closed eyes.

“Even so… are you sure?”

Instead of responding, Asher wrapped his arms around Theo’s back and held him tightly in return.
He could feel his own heartbeat growing louder. His face was hot, and he felt an intense thirst.

Theo seemed to catch his breath at Asher’s reaction. The arms around him tightened, and Theo’s lips brushed against Asher’s neck.

With a quiet chu, he pressed a kiss there before his lips quickly descended upon Asher’s own.

“Nh…!”

The kiss was deep, and Theo’s tongue invaded Asher’s mouth. His tongue traced along the roof of Asher’s mouth, entwining with his own.

“…Nnh… mhh…”

Theo’s hands, which had been holding him, moved to Asher’s waist, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed together, sharing warmth.

I… can’t breathe…

“—Hah… nnh…”

Asher tried to take a breath by parting his lips, but Theo only deepened the kiss further, leaving him bewildered.

“Nnh…! Mmh—”
“…Hmph.”

When their lips finally parted, Theo let out a short breath, as if amused.

“You… just laughed?”
“No.”
“…You laughed.”

Asher furrowed his brows and looked up at Theo with a glare. Theo’s eyes softened, and for the first time, he smiled gently.

“I didn’t laugh.”

Seeing an expression he had never witnessed before, Asher’s eyes widened in surprise. But Theo, ignoring Asher’s reaction, picked him up and carried him toward the bed.

“I was… planning to give up…”
“Huh?”

Laying Asher down on the bedding, Theo leaned over him. Looking down at Asher, whose face was flushed, Theo gave a troubled smile.

“I hated you. More than any other prince, I hated you the most.”

Asher blinked in shock at the sudden words.

“Ah… um…”
“The way you treated beastmen… I was sick of it. Because I also have beastman blood in me.”

As he spoke, Theo reached for Asher’s clothing, slowly undoing the buttons. Confused by both his words and actions, Asher remained frozen, unable to move.

“Why didn’t I realize your scent sooner? It wasn’t until we escaped the bandit attack and reached the Notovis Forest that I finally noticed it.”
“…Huh…?”
“At first, I didn’t understand. I never thought I had a mate. But when you were injured in the garden, and I saw your blood… I knew without a doubt. You are my mate.”
“Theo… dor… ah…”

Theo continued speaking, but his hands roamed over Asher’s bare skin, slowly stroking him.
Asher instinctively tried to resist being undressed, but it was meaningless.

“…When I found out the person I hated the most was my mate… do you know how much despair I felt?”

With a chu, Theo pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, then gazed straight into Asher’s eyes.

“Just because you’re my mate… doesn’t mean I have to love you. That’s why I tried to push you away.”
“…!”

Asher was overwhelmed by Theo’s confession, and he began to wonder if he had made a terrible misunderstanding.
Theo gently caressed his cheek.

Theo had said before that he hated him. Asher already knew this, but hearing it directly from Theo again still hurt.

Maybe Theo still hated him. Maybe even though they were mates, he was resisting because of it.
Now that he thought about it, had Theo ever actually said he liked him?

“…Don’t make that face. I told you before, didn’t I? You’ve changed.”

Cradling Asher’s face, Theo pressed his forehead against his.

“At first, I thought it was just because you were my mate… but that wasn’t it. Watching you up close, I realized it.”

Theo smiled right in front of him and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

“I love you, Your Highness.”

Asher felt his eyes grow hot, and he desperately held back his tears.

“…I love you too, Theo.”

At the same time as those words, the bed let out a creak. Theo removed Asher’s half-open clothing and bandages, exposing his bare skin.

Trailing his fingers over Asher’s body, Theo gazed at the lingering bite marks.

His brows furrowed slightly before he leaned in and ran his tongue over the marks.

“…Ah…”
“These will take time to fade completely.”
“Huh…? Wa— ah…!”

The ticklish sensation made Asher let out an unconscious sound, his face growing even redder.

W-what is this…?
Before, I thought it was just the effect of that strange drug, but… my voice is coming out on its own…

Embarrassed, Asher moved to cover his mouth, but Theo stopped him.

“…Leave it.”
“B-but… I keep making sounds— ah!”

Theo suddenly touched his lower body, causing Asher to flinch. His hands gently caressed him through the fabric, slowly kneading.

“Ah… mmh…”

Kissing Asher’s trembling eyelids and flushed cheeks, Theo unbuckled his belt and slid his hand inside his underwear.

His hand wrapped around the already hardening member and began stroking it slowly.

“Nh—nnhh…!”

Theo silenced Asher’s whimpers with another kiss, his tongue exploring his mouth as his fingers moved faster.

While continuing to stroke him, Theo used his other hand to remove Asher’s underwear completely, leaving him completely bare.

As their lips parted, Asher gasped for air, struggling to breathe.

“Ah… nn… ah!”

Clear fluid dripped from the tip of Asher’s penis onto Theo’s fingers.

“S-stop… n-no…!”

He tried to pull away, but Theo only increased the speed of his hand.

“Aah…! Nn… no…!”
“…It’s alright.”

Whispering sweetly into his ear, Theo used his fingertips to gently toy with Asher’s nipple.

Asher, startled, grabbed at his hand, trying to stop him, but Theo didn’t budge.

“Ah… no… mmh…!”

After circling the sensitive spot several times, Theo took it into his mouth, teasing it with his warm tongue.

Simultaneously, he stroked Asher’s penis even faster.

“Aah… ahh…!”

Asher’s hips trembled as he climaxed, his release spilling over Theo’s hand.

Panting heavily, he turned his flushed face away in embarrassment.

“I don’t… want this anymore…”
“…Do you really?”

Theo watched Asher with an affectionate gaze before sitting up and removing his own clothing.

“If we’re both bare, then there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

With a rough motion, he tossed his clothes aside, now just as exposed as Asher.

Seeing Theo’s bare chest before him, Asher hesitantly reached out, placing a hand against his skin. He could feel the strong, rhythmic beating of his heart beneath his palm.

As Theo leaned back over him, he brought his own fingers to his lips, coating them with saliva before slowly reaching for Asher’s lower half.

Asher knew exactly where those fingers were headed. But this time, he didn’t try to escape—he simply lay still.

Theo’s fingers brushed against the small, tightly closed bud, causing Asher to twitch involuntarily.

“I promise… I won’t hurt you.”

With those words, Theo gently traced the delicate folds with his fingertips, slowly coating the area with the moisture from his saliva.

“…Nh…”

After circling the area several times, he pressed lightly against the tiny entrance. Then, after wetting his fingers again, he repeated the motion, patiently and carefully.

“…Mmh… ah…”

Asher’s body gradually relaxed, and the once-tight entrance began to soften. Bit by bit, it accepted Theo’s finger, allowing him to slowly push inside.

The shallow movements created soft, wet sounds as Theo carefully worked to prepare him.

Once the surrounding muscles had loosened, he gently pushed his finger all the way in.

“Nh… ahh…”
“Does it hurt?”

Asher furrowed his brows slightly but gave a small nod, prompting Theo to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Theo carefully rotated the inserted finger before pulling it out and wetting it again. He repeated the process, taking his time to ensure Asher’s body fully adjusted.

For a moment, Theo considered using oil, but he decided against it. If they were truly mates, then his own saliva should be the most natural substance for Asher’s body to accept.

Unlike women, men’s bodies didn’t naturally prepare themselves. It required time and patience.

So Theo continued, ensuring Asher was thoroughly relaxed before gradually adding another finger.

He moved them separately, coaxing the small bud to open even further.

“Ah… nn… nhh!”

At first, Asher’s voice carried hints of discomfort, but gradually, his moans were filled only with pleasure.

Then, suddenly, a thick, sweet scent filled the air.

“Hah… ahh… mmh…”
“…!”

A shudder ran down Theo’s spine, his body reacting instinctively to the overwhelming aroma.

He abruptly stopped moving.

Asher, panting heavily, turned dazed, tear-filled eyes toward Theo. Though Theo’s fingers remained inside him, they had stilled completely.

“…Nh…”

It wasn’t intentional.
But without meaning to, Asher’s body clenched, squeezing around Theo’s fingers.

In that instant, Theo abruptly pulled them out.

“Aah—!”

The sudden emptiness made Asher cry out.

His body, as if unwilling to let go, twitched, the small bud opening and closing instinctively.

“…Theo… nn—!”

Before Asher could say anything more, Theo captured his lips in a forceful kiss.

At the same time, something hot and solid pressed against the entrance.

“Nh…!”

The spot that had just been carefully prepared now throbbed, welcoming the new sensation.

Theo’s restrained breathing mixed with Asher’s own rapid gasps.

Without breaking the kiss, Theo slowly pushed forward.

His thick, burning cock began spreading Asher open, forcing the small entrance to yield.

“…Ah—”

Compared to Theo’s fingers, this was on an entirely different level. The sheer thickness of it made Asher’s body tense, but—

The saliva that had been rubbed in earlier eased the pain, allowing it to slide in without resistance.

Once the tip had fully entered, Theo paused, letting Asher adjust. Then, with deliberate slowness, he pushed further inside.

Asher clung to Theo, the foreign sensation making his body tremble.

“Hah… uhh…”

A sheen of sweat broke out across his skin as he struggled to breathe. With each ragged inhale, the presence inside him became even more apparent.

But Asher wasn’t the only one struggling.

“…Damn…”

Theo, too, was panting heavily, his expression tense as if he were restraining himself.

“Theo… dor…? Ugh—!”

Without warning, Theo thrust the rest of the way in, fully burying himself.

The sudden stretch forced a strangled noise from Asher’s lips. He tried to focus on breathing, but the pressure inside made it nearly impossible.

Instinctively, he braced himself for movement.

But Theo didn’t move.

Instead, the only sound in the room was their unsteady breathing, mingling together.

…He’s waiting for me to get used to it…?

Slowly, the clouds outside shifted, and moonlight spilled into the room through the window.

The dimly lit space grew slightly brighter, allowing Asher to see Theo’s face more clearly.

His expression was filled with agony, his forehead slick with sweat.

“…Damn it… what is this scent…? This…”

Theo’s words didn’t make sense to Asher.

…Scent…? I don’t know… my body just feels… hot… it’s buzzing… and tight…

Through blurred vision, Asher gazed up at Theo, who was still frozen above him.

Then, just as slowly as before, Theo began to pull out.

“Hah… ahh…!”

Once only the tip remained, he pressed forward again, pushing back in at the same unhurried pace.

A shiver ran through Asher’s body at the sensation. There was no pain. Instead, it felt… unbearably frustrating.

No… I can’t control it… my hips are… moving on their own…
It’s embarrassing… but still…

As Theo continued the slow movements, Asher felt something change inside him. His body was growing wet, the area between them slickening with each movement.

Soft, obscene noises began filling the air.

The scent growing stronger in the room was coming from Asher himself.

Theo gritted his teeth, his self-control slipping.

“…Damn it… I don’t want to hurt you, but…”

He came to a halt once again, his entire body trembling with restraint. A thin line of blood trickled from where he had bitten his own lip.

“Theo…”

Reaching out, Asher looped his arms around Theo’s neck.

“…You don’t have to be so careful.”

Asher tightened his hold around him.

“…I’m selfish. I know you’re my mate… and that means you’ll never abandon me… But if my father and mother ever gave up on me… I’d be completely alone… but with you, I—”

A single tear slipped from Asher’s eye.

He then pressed his lips to Theo’s, his tongue gently tracing over the spot where Theo had bled.

When he pulled back, he checked to see if the bleeding had stopped, then gave a small, troubled smile.

“…I’m afraid of being alone. That’s why… I’m holding onto you like this. I do love you, but…”

Before he could finish, Theo suddenly slammed his hips forward, forcing a choked moan from Asher’s throat.

“…You really don’t understand.”
“Ah—! Ahh—!”

Their bodies met over and over, filling the room with harsh, wet sounds.

“…If you were truly alone… then I could take you far away… you could be mine and mine alone…”

Asher barely processed the words. His mind was spinning from the relentless rhythm, the way something deep inside him was steadily building.

“Ahh! No… ah… no…! Ahhh—!”

With one final deep thrust, Asher’s vision went completely white.

His body arched, convulsing as he released between them.

As his consciousness faded, he heard Theo whisper:

“I wish you were only mine.”