“…! Luke?”
Startled by the voice from behind, Iberis let go of the coat sleeve he was holding. As he turned his head, he saw a familiar face.
“Wh-when did you come?”
Iberis stammered, unable to look directly at Lucas. Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, his face burned as if he’d been caught doing something bad.
“Just now.”
Lucas replied calmly as he approached Iberis. His gaze briefly rested on the slightly wrinkled doctor’s coat before returning to Iberis.
“I didn’t sense you at all…”
“The door was open, wasn’t it?”
“Ah, I guess I didn’t close it properly. Sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Major. So, what were you doing?”
“Huh?”
“Is there something on my coat?”
“No! Just, well, you weren’t here… I was going to wait inside, and your coat caught my eye…”
Feeling awkward, Iberis fumbled for words before trying to change the subject by asking Lucas a question.
“Where did you go, anyway?”
Iberis’s eyes darted around as he observed Lucas. He could sense that Lucas’s mana, usually neatly contained except during guiding, was rougher than usual.
Guiding?
The word that flashed through his mind made Iberis unconsciously furrow his brow. Though he didn’t think Lucas would have guided someone else, it oddly bothered him.
“Ah, I was briefly in the basement… I meant to return before you arrived, but I ran a bit over time. I apologize.”
Lucas checked the wall clock, explained the situation, and apologized. Roman, exhausted from long confinement, quickly succumbed to his reverse guiding. After leaving Roman, who agreed to cooperate actively, with Caleb, Lucas hurried back but was about 10 minutes late for their appointment.
“The basement? Why?”
“To help Lieutenant Denver. I just came from briefly interrogating Roman Gorsky, who led this terrorist attack.”
“You did?”
Iberis reacted as if he’d heard something strange. It was hard to imagine Lucas forcefully interrogating a vicious criminal. His face seemed more suited for an office piled with paperwork than a bloody scene.
“Yes. The conversation ended well… We should be able to get some good information.”
“Did you really just talk? Your mana seems quite disturbed…”
Iberis finally voiced what had been bothering him. Mana wouldn’t be this rough from simple questioning. Something must have happened in the basement, but he couldn’t easily guess what.
“Oh, is it that noticeable? I did use a bit of force to get a statement.”
“What…”
“It’s called reverse guiding, a method guides use to subdue or interrogate villains. Roman won’t be able to complain about illegal interrogation, so don’t worry.”
“Reverse guiding?”
Iberis tilted his head at the unfamiliar term. He remembered hearing it somewhere, but couldn’t recall immediately as he’d never seen a guide actually use it.
“It’s a technique that forcibly overloads an Esper’s mana… Anyway, it’s not something you need to worry about, Major. Once Lieutenant Denver organizes Roman’s statement, I’ll report to you immediately.”
“Hmm, alright.”
Iberis nodded at Lucas’s explanation. He felt relieved thinking that at least Lucas hadn’t guided someone else, but then paused, unsure why he felt relieved.
“Now, shall we return to our earlier conversation?”
“Huh?”
“Why were you touching my coat enough to wrinkle it? Why were you looking at a coat you see every day? Were you cold? If so, you could have just worn it.”
“Wh-why would I wear yours?”
Iberis fumbled for words, caught off guard by the persistent questioning. He was already confused, and Lucas bringing up the topic he’d hoped to forget made it hard to gather his thoughts.
“You wear it often, don’t you? As a blanket substitute.”
“That’s only when working… No, anyway, I don’t know. It just happened.”
Iberis stepped back, trying to avoid Lucas who was closing in like a hunter cornering prey. He stopped abruptly when his back hit the protruding rod of the coat rack. There was nowhere left to retreat.
“Hmm.”
Lucas’s golden eyes gleamed as he watched Iberis, trapped between him and the standing coat rack, at a loss for what to do. Every time he saw Iberis being conscious of him like this, a pleasant excitement welled up.
With a small chuckle, Lucas raised his hand and grasped Iberis’s slender chin. He decided to stop teasing for today, knowing Iberis would surely try to run away if he pushed any further.
“Well, let’s leave it at that. We’ve wasted time, so let’s start the guiding.”
After speaking, Lucas lowered his head. As he lightly kissed Iberis’s slightly chapped lips, the lean shoulders flinched. Instead of devouring his lips immediately, he showered them with small kisses. It was intended to help Iberis relax.
Chu, chu.
Lucas’s strategy seemed to work, as Iberis’s tense body gradually began to relax. Sensing this, Lucas wrapped his arm around his slender waist and pulled him closer.
“Ah, hnn.”
As his body was suddenly drawn in, Iberis reflexively placed his hands on Lucas’s shoulders. Then, Lucas’s muscular thigh wedged between his legs.
Gently, Lucas tilted his head, parting his lips to capture Iberis’s soft lower lip, tugging it slightly before releasing it. Then, pressing his lips against Iberis’s again, he murmured,
“Stick out your tongue.”
“Mmh.”
At Lucas’s request, Iberis’s gray eyes trembled slightly. Each time the soft warmth brushed his lips and sweet breath tickled around his mouth, the back of his neck tingled.
“L-like this?”
“Yes, you’re doing well.”
As soon as the small, cute flesh peeked out between his slightly parted lips, Lucas eagerly enveloped it with his tongue. As the moist flesh rubbed together, saliva quickly intermingled. Along with this, Iberis’s mana and Lucas’s mana also began to mix, craving each other like the north and south poles of a magnet.
It’s cold.
Lucas bit down gently on his small tongue, then sucked the stiffened flesh into his mouth. At the same time, he firmly grasped the back of Iberis’s round head with his hand. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth as if melting ice, occasionally nibbling on it.
“Mmm, mm.”
Iberis helplessly succumbed to the sensations Lucas was giving him. Each time Lucas sucked on his tongue, his vision blurred. As the warmth retreated with a soft smacking sound, Iberis unconsciously parted his lips, yearning for more.
“Haa…”
“Does it feel good?”
Lucas smiled faintly, seeing Iberis’s expression soften from just one kiss. Unlike the first stage that required careful control, or the mana shower that needed occasional adjustments, the second stage allowed for this kind of exploration of Iberis, guiding itself naturally.
“Do you want more?”
Lucas met Iberis’s half-focused silver-gray eyes and brushed his thumb over the glistening lips before kissing him again. As he slowly explored Iberis’s mouth with his thick tongue, the body pressed against him trembled slightly.
“Ah, Luke…”
Iberis moaned, his breathing becoming rapid. His mind grew hazy from the mana seeping into his body like warm water and the heat rising in his mouth. Unable to resist the growing pleasure, he dug his nails into Lucas’s shoulders, which he had been clinging to. At that moment, the gentle kiss turned rough.
“Hngh!”
Iberis squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden aggressive act. A shiver different from the cold ran from his nape to the top of his head as Lucas’s tongue ravaged his mouth.
Lucas alternated between rubbing the sensitive mucous membrane with the tip of his tongue and pressing down firmly. He seemed intent on devouring not just the saliva, but also Iberis’s moans and labored breaths. Slowly, he pulled his head back.
“Haa…”
After catching his breath briefly, Lucas lowered his hand from Iberis’s chin to remove his jacket and loosen his tie. He then unbuttoned Iberis’s shirt, revealing a pale, slender neck. On the snow-white skin, untouched like fresh snow, was a kiss mark Lucas had left a few days ago, like a solitary footprint.
Considering the exceptional healing abilities of power users, such marks should have disappeared in a day or two. However, as Iberis’s physical condition had deteriorated, his self-healing ability was also compromised, leaving the mark visible for days.
“It’s faded quite a bit.”
Feeling a mix of concern and strange satisfaction, Lucas smiled wryly as he slowly caressed the smooth neck. Then, he pressed his lips to the faded kiss mark.
“Agh!”
Iberis shuddered as Lucas sank his teeth into the faint trace. A stinging pain and an odd heat arose simultaneously. As his legs suddenly weakened and he stumbled, the arm around his waist tightened. The thigh between his legs also pressed further inward.
“I told you not to bite there… Ah!”
Iberis’s complaint was cut short as he moaned when Lucas’s knee mischievously pressed and stimulated his groin. An electrifying thrill shot up his spine.
