I felt like I was trapped deep in a maze for a long time. I kept trying to find my way out, but no matter how much I ran or turn, it felt as though I was simply going deeper into the maze. It was exhausting being reminded of a part of my life — be it an important scenario or a trivial one — at each turn in the maze.
Until... I heard a familiar voice calling me Rinrin. The voice was faint, but I instantly recognized whose voice it was. So, I followed his voice, believing I would get out of this seemingly endless loop I was stuck in all night. When the end of the maze came into sight, I winced when I felt something on my shoulder.
That slight pain pulled me into the light, making me moan as I opened one of my eyes. I looked back on instinct when I felt the familiar heat behind me.
'Hugh,' I heaved a sigh of relief, turning around to embrace him. 'I missed you.'
My first thought was... I was still in a dream. That my nightmare finally shifted to a good one.
"Rinrin, don't go back to sleep," he complained in a low tone. "Well, I guess it's just me and my feelings."
I smiled as he sounded just like Hugo, but when I heard him say goodnight, I opened my eyes. My hands that were on his back, carefully curled, clutching his back. I stayed silent for a minute, letting my brain register whether this was still a dream or reality.
When I was certain this warmth wasn't an illusion, a subtle smile resurfaced on my face at the same time as my eyes softened. He returned, I thought, relieved to know he came back sooner than expected.
"Welcome back, Hugh," I greeted under my breath, burying my face in his chest while clutching his back tightly. "Are you really back? This is... not a dream, right?"
I felt him stiffen for a second before he continued on brushing my back. "Were you having a dream?" he asked me out of plain curiosity.
"Mhm."
"I hope it's a good one."
"Not until you came," I replied weakly, pressing my body against him as I was scared. At some point in that endless dream, I felt so scared. I was terrified that I wouldn't get out of there and see Hugo again. I was afraid that I would be stuck there, just like how I was kept in that castle in Everfell.
Just the sheer thought of it sent a chill down my spine.
"If I knew you were having a nightmare, I would've carried you to the bath so you can join me," he grumbled, while I let out a weak chuckle. "I'm not joking, Rinnie. I really..." Hugo trailed off as he suddenly lifted my body until I was on top of him.
My eyes popped out of their socket, blinking twice as I planted my palms on his chest and gazed at him underneath me. The abrupt movement cause me to feel lightheaded but recovered easily as I fixed my attention on him.
"Hu — Hugo?" I gasped in disbelief, staring at him in confusion.
"You should've stayed asleep, Rinrin. Why did you wake up when I already gave up in waking you up?" he asked with a frown, holding my hips as I sat on his lower abdomen. "Now I don't want to sleep anymore. By the way Rinnie, can I ask permission to touch you when you're asleep?"
"Earlier, I want to wake you up, but you slept like a log. So I thought kissing you will wake you up. But then, I didn't know if you will get angry or feel violated if I did. So, I want to ask you, what will you do or feel if I did it?" he explained and then dropped his follow-up question tonelessly. "It, meaning kiss and grope you, obviously. Those things you might call perverted."
I blinked countless times, trying to make sense of the words he was spewing. My brain could barely recover from the sudden shift in our position, and he was speaking too many words early in the morning! I couldn't register everything in one go, as my brain wasn't ready for anything.
"So?" he tilted his head, staring at me as his eyelashes batted ever so tenderly.
A shallow breath slipped past my lips as I collapsed on him, getting a whiff of his scent as the apex of my nose touched his neck. "Hugo, it's so early to understand everything you said."
To my surprise, Hugo tilted his head and drew his neck away from where I was breathing. My brows raised at this reaction, a bit surprised, as it seemed he was a bit sensitive in that area.
"Tickles?" I asked and gazed up, catching his quick glance at me.
"No. It's arousing." Blunt as usual, Hugo squeezed the side of my knee lightly. "I actually have many things to tell you. That's why I was trying to wake you up. But now... I forgot everything and only want one thing."
"That's you," he added in the same lazy tone, leaning his cheek against my forehead. "Rinrin, let's continue where we left off yesterday."
I froze at his suggestion, drawing my head back a little to look at him blankly. "Hugh, are you frustrated because you have to go somewhere yesterday?"
"What do you think?" he quirked a brow while cocking his head, tracing circles on the space above my knee with his fingertips. His gaze held mine, pressing his lips until its corner curved down.
"Were you?"
I looked away with a frown. "You didn't answer me yet." Before I could grasp the situation, Hugo raised his hand and snaked around me. I couldn't react quickly as the next second, his pair of golden eyes hovered over me.
"I was very frustrated and in pain," he said in a deep voice, bending over until his face was a palm length away from mine. His eyes were a bit shaky as they moved quickly while staring at my face. He licked and smacked his lips, letting out a deep breath as he stroked my cheek with the back of his hand.
"Rinrin, do you want to know the source of my pain?" he asked while batting his eyes slowly. I pressed my lips, letting him hold my hand, and guided it down. I flinched when I touched something solid, staring into his golden orbs, wide-eyed.
"That is your effect on me, Rinrin." His face lowered, eyes glinting dangerously while something throbbed under my palm. "This is what you do to me."
I gulped down as I bit my lower lip. Any trace of sleep just all disappeared as the heat on my face increased. That hard thing on my palm also felt hot.
"Mhm... are you curious?" he asked, making me widen my eyes. "Stroke it and you know what will happen… or not.." Hugo smiled — a smile that was akin to a devil while tempting someone to sin.