The boy slumped softly against him, his body melting into his. When Calyx wrapped his arm around the boy’s shoulders, he wriggled and climbed right onto his lap. It seemed the habit of pulling the boy onto his knees every day had finally taken effect.
The boy, now perched on his lap, yawned with his mouth wide open before rubbing his head against Calyx’s chest. Every movement oozed affection. He must have been this charming at home, too—no wonder he had been so doted on. Calyx held the boy close, patting his back gently.
The warm, sweet scent of alcohol lingered on the boy’s breath—not too much, but not too little either. For someone who seemed to have no experience with drinking, he had downed a fair amount. The way he eagerly indulged in the alcohol, drinking more than a beginner usually would, suggested he might grow up to be quite the drinker. Calyx thought it wouldn’t be so bad to have him as a drinking companion now and then. The boy seemed to enjoy being treated like a grown man.
“Back… patron…” the boy mumbled into his chest, “scratch my back for me.”
Calyx chuckled softly and began stroking the boy’s back with his palm. The boy let out a contented hum, clearly enjoying the touch. He must have really liked it—even in his sleep, he had mumbled about wanting his back scratched before.
“K.”
Calyx whispered softly into his ear, then pressed a light kiss to his cheek before bringing his lips close to his small ear.
“Can I… kiss you?”
“…Kiss?” The boy blinked dazedly, his voice slurred.
Blink. Blink. After a few more blinks, he suddenly tapped his own thigh and nodded.
“Kiss… mouth… peck? A headbutt with our lips?”
The boy muttered, then suddenly scrunched up his face and shouted, “You wanna kiss again?!”
Calyx gently rubbed the boy’s back as he glared at him, his eyes sharp. Sure enough, the boy’s expression softened under his touch. After a moment of enjoying the attention, he narrowed his eyes and pouted, then raised a hand to poke at Calyx’s lips, grumbling.
“If you shove your damn lips at me again, I’ll kick you where it hurts. Got it?”
Calyx, undeterred, pressed another soft kiss to the boy’s flushed cheek. He knew the boy didn’t truly mind these little affections. And calling him by name always worked, too.
“K.”
He whispered into his ear, and the boy’s expression melted again.
Calyx continued to press gentle kisses to his cheek when the boy suddenly crossed his arms and put on a serious face.
“Hey. Patron.”
He looked at him, his face twisted in frustration. Tilted his head slightly to the side, hummed thoughtfully—every gesture radiated his inner turmoil.
After a moment of deep thought, the boy uncrossed his arms and tapped Calyx’s shoulder with one hand.
“Listen… patron.”
He stared at him, his expression troubled. The way he tapped his shoulder and hummed showed just how conflicted he was.
“You… you can’t keep being so nice and innocent, okay?”
Nice… and innocent?
Calyx nearly bit his tongue. But the boy’s face was still deadly serious. His usually precise pronunciation was starting to slur—signs the alcohol was hitting him hard.
“You keep… following me around like this… and I—”
He thumped his chest with a fist.
“I keep… I keep seeing you everywhere, got it? Huh? Got it?”
Calyx pulled the boy closer, steadying him as he swayed.
“So… so, so, so—!”
“So. So.”
Calyx played along, and the boy hummed again, lost in thought. Then, he reached out and started poking his lips again.
“This damn mouth! Yeah… mouth. Mmm… mouth.”
After a while of poking, the boy suddenly tilted his head, confused. The alcohol had made him forget what he was even saying. He scratched his head, then suddenly clapped his hands.
“Ah! A kiss! You wanna kiss, huh?!”
Calyx smiled softly and nodded at the boy. There was something endlessly charming about his drunken rambling.
The boy suddenly grabbed his collar and yanked him down.
Swwish—the warm, alcohol-laced breath hit him right in the face. Calyx held back, his eyes fixed on the boy’s small, flushed lips. He had promised himself he wouldn’t kiss him without permission.
“Hey. Patron.”
The boy, his face inches from his, called out to him.
“Do you… like me that much?”
“Yes. I like you.”
The boy went quiet, breathing heavily. His alcohol-loosened eyes blinked slowly.
“…How much?”
Calyx’s heart clenched with an overwhelming tenderness. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. When he finally exhaled, a soft laugh escaped him.
Where have you been all this time, you beautiful creature?
Calyx thought to himself.
How many kings and emperors had lost their reason and composure over a beloved concubine or a cherished mistress? He had always found such men pathetic. Yet now, he understood them a little better. If this boy asked for anything, he would give it without hesitation. That was how utterly lovable he was.
What am I supposed to do with you, my darling?
“How much?”
The boy asked again when he didn’t answer right away. Calyx, his heart swelling with affection, whispered into his ear.
“Enough to give you the world, if I could. That’s how much I like you.”
The boy blinked, then grinned. Maybe the answer pleased him. Or maybe he was just smiling because of the alcohol.
“Hey. If you kiss anyone else, you’re dead.”
He clenched his fist for emphasis, then snorted and lifted his chin, speaking with utter arrogance.
“Hey. Try me.”
Finally, the permission he had been waiting for. Before the boy could finish speaking, Calyx claimed those small, tempting lips. The boy flailed, pounding his fists against his back in surprise, but Calyx didn’t care. All he wanted was to savor his mouth.
“It hurts.”
When their lips finally parted, the boy whined. The pout on his face made it clear he really was in pain. Calyx looked closer—the boy’s lips were swollen and red, almost bruised. But he didn’t hesitate. He pulled him back in, kissing him again.
Every time he sucked on that soft, pliant tongue, the boy’s hands, clinging to his shoulders, trembled. The boy gasped for air, unaccustomed to the kiss, but Calyx swallowed even those breaths, unwilling to let a single sound escape.
The inside of the boy’s mouth was softer and wetter than he had imagined—so much so that he wondered if he might melt away entirely. Every time his small tongue twitched and tangled with his, his mind went blank. He knew his lips must be sore, knew he was whimpering, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
The boy was a quick learner. At first, he couldn’t even breathe, but now he was managing to move his tongue, clumsily mimicking his every action. He tried to return each kiss, each flick of the tongue, with awkward determination. Calyx followed along at first, proud of his effort, but soon, his own desire surged, and he took control again.
“Mmm…”
When he gently nipped at his tongue, the boy’s body jerked in response. The kiss had left him flushed, his body burning with heat—and Calyx was no different. He swallowed the saliva the boy couldn’t, his hand sliding down from his back. As he explored lower, he found the firm, round curve of his backside, just as he remembered. The boy, lost in the kiss, didn’t even notice his wandering hands. Calyx stroked him reassuringly.
While he was distracted by the feel of his body, the boy tried to tangle his tongue with his again. He was at that delicate age, on the cusp of adulthood, when every sensation was heightened. Overwhelmed by his first taste of pleasure, he threw himself into it recklessly, drunk on both alcohol and desire. Calyx encouraged him with one hand on his back, patting gently.
“Lyx…”
