Kalix lifted his head to look at Alexander. No matter how difficult everything was, he had said there were good things somewhere. Finding them didn’t make the difficult things disappear, but good things were still good things. Kalix had found that. Alexander. Kalix’s best thing was Alexander.
“Then are you going to the science department?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you tell your family about that?”
“It was easier to get permission by saying I’d just play around a bit.”
When the topic of family came up, his voice dropped a little again, but Alexander asked warmly as if he knew all such signs.
“Then which detailed department will you go to?”
“Botany.”
At that answer, puzzlement lingered on Alexander’s face.
“Why?”
After just talking about barometers and then suddenly saying botany, it must have seemed strange.
“That was just the reason I wanted to come here, not that I actually wanted to research that field.”
That was actually true. He hadn’t really thought deeply about studying anything in the first place. Originally it was to return to the territory anyway, and now the reason was a bit different.
“Then why botany?”
“Because I don’t have to meet people. And I thought after graduation I could work collecting specimens and sending them to research labs.”
Kalix carefully observed those eyes looking at him. Was it okay to say such things?
“Then wherever you are, I can be with you too.”
It was something he should be careful about saying, but Kalix couldn’t quite grasp it well. Kalix was always careful with Alexander, but that didn’t always lead to good results. What Alexander wanted was rather honesty, so Kalix no longer wanted to hide anything from Alexander.
He didn’t know how far Alexander thought about things with Kalix, but Kalix thought about the future with Alexander. Continuously, ongoing forward. While part of it was that Kalix couldn’t do without Alexander anyway, now more than that, he just wanted to keep seeing Alexander in the future.
But even so, they hadn’t been dating very long, and actually they hadn’t known each other that long either. They met when he enrolled, so it had only been a little over a year. Still, Kalix somehow felt certain. It seemed like he would continue to be with Alexander in the future.
Just like that revelation by the riverside.
“If that’s the case, you don’t really need to work.”
Seeing Alexander naturally accept Kalix’s words made it even more so. Kalix probably would continue to be with Alexander. Like now, or in an even better way than now.
“That’s true too.”
Since he had wealth, that was also correct. Kalix liked just lying quietly and talking with Alexander like this.
“Then Sasha, what will you do after graduation?”
The Marquis Clifford family all did frontier duty for a few years after graduation as a form of service. Alexander’s brother was currently doing it. Moreover, listening to what other people said, they spoke as if Alexander would naturally do the same.
“Are you asking if I’ll do duty?”
At that question, Kalix nodded.
“I could wait.”
He had never known such concerns would arise before meeting Alexander. But actually, Kalix had been continuously worrying ever since he learned that Alexander might do frontier duty.
While Kalix didn’t know such things well, looking at Frederick’s case, it seemed people could only move to other places during certain vacation periods. Even then, someone always had to remain at the duty station, so if unlucky, the period might have to be postponed.
“I would wait though.”
Still, within the duty station, it seemed possible to rest on weekends. There were times when weekend duty was required, but that seemed to be on rotation.
“I could be nearby too.”
So couldn’t Kalix follow along? Since they could see each other on weekends. While it wasn’t usually done, they said commuting was possible for those with families if desired. That would seem fine.
“You won’t have graduated yet then, right?”
That was certainly the problem. But Kalix just needed to be able to stay with Alexander. Moreover, he would be in upper grades then, and they said there were ways to connect with research institutes. Alexander hadn’t said he would take him along, but Kalix had already looked into everything.
“Still.”
At Kalix’s words that he would follow anyway, Alexander bit Kalix’s ear gently without hurting him.
“But I’m not going to do duty.”
Those words immediately lightened his heart.
“Really?”
Following along was natural so that wasn’t the problem, but he had been worried Alexander might have a hard time. No matter if it was family tradition, Kalix really disliked Alexander having difficulties. He should always only be happy.
“Yeah. Where would I go leaving you behind? Since Freddy is doing it, I don’t really need to.”
Kalix didn’t know well, but since Alexander said so about his family affairs, it must be so. Kalix immediately hugged Alexander tightly.
“Then we can continue to stay together.”
Kalix hugged Alexander and placed his hand on his stomach. Actually, Alexander seemed to have the most pain in his back, but he was worried because he kept his hand on his stomach too, wondering if it also hurt.
“Does your stomach hurt too?”
When he asked while gently rubbing his stomach, Alexander interlocked fingers over Kalix’s hand.
“It’s okay now.”
Seeing that his complexion had recovered quite a bit as he said, he finally felt relieved.
“But your eyes aren’t swollen.”
Alexander kissed around Kalix’s eyes. It would have been embarrassing if they had swollen too, but fortunately that hadn’t happened. Kalix quietly accepted Alexander kissing around his eyes in small touches, then soon pulled that face close and kissed him firmly. While Kalix liked facing Alexander closely like this without gaps, he was actually still shy.
Alexander’s eyes were warm, his touch was always soft, his voice was nice, and the way he naturally drew Kalix in was cool. It was the same now. When Kalix gently parted his lips, Alexander invaded Kalix’s mouth.
As he gripped their joined hands a bit tighter, Alexander tickled Kalix’s tongue root teasingly. Kalix instinctively inserted his leg between Alexander’s legs.
“Sasha, tomorrow’s the weekend.”
When he whispered suggestively, Alexander, unlike when kissing, just smiled and withdrew his leg from between Kalix’s legs.
“What about during vacation?”
At that following question, Kalix kissed Alexander’s jaw. Come to think of it, winter vacation was coming soon. Last year they had gone to the villa together.
“I want to be with you.”
Anywhere he could be with Alexander would be good.
“That’s obvious.”
It was obvious. When Kalix smiled and clung to Alexander again, Alexander moved toward the wall and created slight distance. At that sight, Kalix slowly erased his smile. He was avoiding. No, it wasn’t avoidance, but.
Kalix obediently waited for Alexander’s words. Kalix must have done something wrong. But Alexander just looked at Kalix without saying anything. Kalix carefully retraced his actions.
It had definitely been fine just moments ago. They had even kissed. Alexander had initiated that. So that wasn’t the problem. Alexander had separated Kalix after Kalix had pressed his body closer and deeper.
“Was it not good? Yesterday.”
When he asked while gauging the reaction, Alexander was silent for a moment.
“It’s not that.”
Kalix anxiously waited for Alexander’s words.
“Just, well.”
Just? Well?
“More than I thought.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
