Little Pink Starfish

Still catching his breath from the lingering sensation of release, Ishar hurriedly reached into his clothes.

His hand trembled pathetically from the aftershocks of pleasure, fumbling before he finally managed to pull out a handkerchief. He brought it to the corner of Veloan’s mouth.

“I’m sorry—really, I’m so sorry. Just spit it out, quickl—huh…?”

His usually sharp mind struggled to process the current situation, falling into confusion.

What…?

He was certain—he had just seen Veloan’s throat move. Even before he could piece together what that meant, Ishar’s eyes met Veloan’s, and he was left utterly speechless.

Veloan’s expression—his gleaming eyes and satisfied smile, like a predator that had just fed—was undeniably alluring. The slight flush around his eyes, made even more vivid by his crimson irises, drew Ishar’s gaze irresistibly. His lips, glossy with lingering fluid, looked so enticing that Ishar found himself wanting to lean in and kiss them.

Snapping out of it just in time, Ishar straightened himself.

This isn’t the time for that.

Realizing that the shock had him trying to escape into fantasy, Ishar forced himself to look at the situation objectively.

Did… Veloan just swallow my semen?

The answer was immediate: he swallowed it. Clearly, unmistakably—he had swallowed it.

And now, as if even that wasn’t enough, Veloan licked his lips with a hint of lingering desire, his eyes still fixed intently on Ishar’s member.

“Why did you swallow it?! You should’ve spit it out!”

Veloan, completely unfazed, stood up and fetched a tissue.

“Veloan!”

“Did I do something wrong?”

With that innocent-looking face and such a calm question, Ishar’s thoughts spiraled into confusion.

“Wrong? N-No, it’s not that it’s wrong, it’s just…”

Come to think of it, this wasn’t really a matter of right or wrong. It wasn’t something that had any clear judgment attached to it, even socially. If he wanted to swallow it, wasn’t that his choice?

That thought alone sent Ishar’s mind deeper into disarray.

Meanwhile, Veloan calmly wiped off Ishar’s member and neatly dressed him again, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

His movements were so natural and swift—almost brazen in how unaffected he seemed—that Ishar only snapped back to his senses when Veloan sat beside him and slipped an arm around his shoulders.

“That’s not something you’re supposed to swallow. Don’t ever do that again.”

“How strange.”

The hand that had embraced his shoulder slid down, wrapping firmly around his waist.

“Haven’t you swallowed a lot of mine, Ishar?”

“T-That’s not the same at all…!”

Veloan’s hand pressed gently against Ishar’s lower abdomen, then began to rub with slow, deliberate intent—leaving no doubt as to what he was aiming for.

“Even if it was with the lower mouth, it’s still eating, isn’t it?”

“…!”

The heat that had only just faded from his face came rushing back.

“You were really enjoying it, too.”

“…There’s nothing you can’t say, is there.”

Besides, wasn’t he the one who offered it in the first place, so he could receive his magic back? With a strange mix of emotion, Ishar lightly pinched Veloan’s cheek, and the way he acted like it hurt, letting out an exaggerated “ow,” was truly impish.

“Promise me. Don’t do it again.”

“That would be difficult.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m already holding back from putting every inch of your lovely self into my mouth, from head to toe. If you won’t even let me do that, how am I supposed to endure?”

“Are you threatening me right now?”

“A threat? Never. I’m just being clingy because I want to be with you all day, even though you’re so busy with state affairs.”

“Haa…”

“Please don’t sigh. It makes me want to kiss you.”

“…”

His tone was light, but Ishar knew he meant every word, so he shut his mouth right away.

Half-reclining against Veloan in a moment of laziness, Ishar suddenly voiced a question that came to mind.

“Earlier… you were very skilled.”

With his mind slightly at peace, he was able to objectively reflect on the situation.

Veloan knew how to control the pleasure Ishar felt. It was true during intercourse as well, but it became even clearer when he was on the receiving end of fellatio.

“Did you not like it?”

He asked shamelessly, knowing full well that if Ishar hadn’t liked it, he would’ve been thrown out of the room by now.

“Don’t ask things you already know. I’m just curious. It’s just… I never taught you that, did I?”

“No, you didn’t. Back then, you only taught me theory. It was such a shame. I had been really looking forward to the practical lessons.”

“…”

“If you glare at me like that, I’ll get excited, Ishar.”

Ishar quickly averted his gaze.

“I imagined it… a lot.”

“Imagined…?”

“In my dreams, and in reality. I imagined constantly—where to touch, where to lick, how you’d react, what you’d like. Whenever I had a moment, I imagined holding you. Especially during the time we were apart.”

Violet eyes gazed at red ones that had never once looked away. Veloan quietly held Ishar’s gaze.

‘Liar.’

Ishar was certain. Not a complete lie—but not the whole truth either.

‘What is he hiding?’

Even if Veloan had spent the three years they were apart hunting dragons and sleeping with people of every age and gender, Ishar had no intention of interrogating him.

Veloan, both in presence and appearance, was extremely attractive, even sexually. Ishar could easily have nodded and said, “I see.”

Honestly, if Veloan had said that, Ishar might have felt a little… upset. But that would’ve been better than keeping secrets.

‘Wait, why would I be upset…?’

As he reexamined that thought, startled by himself, a knock came from outside the inner chamber. It was Elam.

Ishar reached for the bell to summon him, but recalling the lingering scent that might still be in the room, he cast a spell instead.

Watching this, Veloan let out a soft laugh from deep in his throat, as if amused by Ishar’s behavior.

‘Even his laughter is so clear,’ Ishar thought, as he rang the bell and Elam entered.

“Your Majesty, Sir Glen de Superzen is here to see you.”

At the unexpected name, Ishar’s brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly wiped the expression from his face.

“Did a knight bring him?”

Before coming into the chamber, Ishar had seen a servant from the House of Superzen searching for Glen and had given orders to the knights.

Since he hadn’t yet received word that they had found the boy, he could be sure Glen had come to see him on his own.

“No, um… Sir Ibnshina discovered him hiding inside the wagon that carried your refreshments and brought him out.”

“…”

‘He’s lucky.’

If someone other than Rekayan—say, a knight or magician—had found him first, Glen likely would’ve gotten stabbed before having the chance to explain who he was.

“Did he say why?”

“He didn’t. But he was very anxious. He repeatedly asked that no one see him and insisted he must meet Your Majesty without Duke Superzen finding out. So I’ve brought him to the second drawing room.”

Ishar glanced at Veloan. Since Veloan had once frequented House Superzen and knew Glen, he might know what this was about.

But Veloan, still holding Ishar’s hand, simply shook his head—he had no clue.

“Bring Glen here. And… also bring the chocolate drink and snacks he liked.”

“Understood. I’ll also have refreshments brought up for you and Lord Veloan.”

“No alcohol. Oh, and didn’t we recently receive flower candies from Bioyen? Bring those too.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Once Elam left, Veloan wound a strand of Ishar’s hair around his fingers and leaned in.

He was clearly aiming for Ishar’s lips, but Ishar quickly turned his head to avoid him.

“Glen will be here soon. Go sit over there.”

“You call him by name so casually.”

“…?”

At a loss, Ishar gave him a blank stare. Veloan, lowering his eyes sadly, added,

“You said it so familiarly. I wonder… while I was away, did you keep Glen close to your side?”

The tone was unmistakably coaxing, full of obvious sulking. Ishar, exasperated, snatched his hair back from Veloan’s fingers.

“Of course not. And haven’t I always called you by your name? People will think I’ve never called you that once.”

“I just got jealous hearing another name come from your mouth.”

“If you’re going to get jealous over something so small, I suppose you’d get jealous if I called for Rekayan, too.”

At that, Veloan tilted his head, as if confused by the notion.

“Rekayan is just Rekayan.”

“…”

He wasn’t wrong. Rekayan was just Rekayan. There was no point in being jealous, and no real value in pretending to be jealous of him either.

‘So Rekayan really did tell Veloan everything about me.’

Ishar already knew, but confirming it now brought a strange feeling.

“In any case, don’t get jealous over whose name I say. Because in my life, there’s no name I’ve said more often than yours.”

“Ishar…”

Veloan’s face, overcome with emotion and even teary-eyed at those simple words, was quite a sight.

Honestly, any expression on his face looked good—but if Ishar ever said that out loud, Veloan would pounce on him without hesitation, so he kept it to himself.

“…Don’t leap at me. You’ll wrinkle my clothes.”

As Veloan clearly prepared to pounce, Ishar grabbed him by the collar, trying to push him away—but didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Glen, so he settled for a firm push on the shoulders.

“That’s cruel… You tempt me with such lovely words, and then tell me not to touch you?”