Arriving in Noctis' room, Isaac let himself sink heavily onto the bed. For a moment, he said nothing. His gaze rested solely on the old photograph in his hands — the only picture of his parents he still had left.
They looked so kind, happy, and full of life that Isaac found himself wishing he could have known them, even just once, with conscious memory.
Carefully, he brushed his thumb over the glass. So his mother had been blonde and his father brown-haired, while she had gray eyes and he had green ones. Neither of them had been an albino like him.
And yet he could see that his eyes and lips came from his mother, while his build came from his father. A mage and an assassin. Almost reluctantly, Isaac found himself thinking about how similar their relationship must have been to the one he had with Noctis. Two people from completely different worlds who had still found each other.
Inevitably, he wondered what they would have thought of him.
Would they have been shocked? Or would they have taken it calmly? Maybe they would have disliked Noctis and the way he was, or worried whether Isaac had made the right choice in choosing his partner.
Would he have tried to follow in his father's footsteps as an assassin?
Isaac closed his eyes briefly and exhaled slowly.
It made no difference anyway. They were dead, and no matter what he imagined, he would never find out. Just like he could no longer take revenge on the Boss. There was simply no point in letting his thoughts drift in a direction that made no sense.
Instead, he should focus on his mother's notes and use them to drive away the bitter aftertaste of his unfulfilled revenge.
"Darling?" Noctis asked carefully. "Do you need a little time to yourself?"
Isaac looked up and shook his head tiredly.
"I'll read through everything after I've slept," he muttered. "Before that, there's no point trying to cram anything else into my head."
Noctis nodded wordlessly and sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight. For several seconds, silence hung between them.
"About what you said earlier… do you suspect one of our people?"
Isaac firmly set the books and the photograph down beside him and looked directly at Noctis. The uneasy feeling from earlier returned to his stomach at the thought of Levi and everything swirling through his mind.
"I don't want to just point fingers at anyone," he said slowly. "But don't you think it's strange too? On the exact night your plan is carried out, some stranger suddenly appears and kills the Boss. And precisely at the moment the police take him into custody."
Noctis fell silent for a moment. It was obvious he was thinking it over.
"Noctis," Isaac said quietly. He took his lover's hands into his own. "Back then, only the Boss, Constantine, Noah, Ashe, and you knew about my secret — no one else. And yet Levi not only knew I existed, even though I was supposed to be dead, but also knew about my abilities. We still haven't figured out who talked."
Noctis cursed under his breath and lowered his head.
"Damn … I completely forgot about that," he muttered at last. "But the Boss and Levi worked together, didn't they? Don't you think Levi might've known about your abilities much earlier? Maybe the Boss just couldn't keep his mouth shut."
Isaac slowly raised his eyes.
"I'm twenty-five."
"I know, but what does that have to do with—"
Noctis fell silent mid-sentence. You could practically see the realization hit him.
"Fuck," he cursed again, dragging a hand over his face. "Okay. I get what you're saying."
Isaac said nothing.
"Levi has known you since you were seven," Noctis continued darkly. "If he'd really known about your abilities back then, something would've happened a long time ago. Someone must've told him within the last few months."
Isaac nodded slowly. His fingers tightened slightly.
"Either that, or he saw me working at the café. But if that were the case, he definitely would've approached me directly. He wouldn't have hidden behind Nico," Isaac growled angrily. "He would've used the situation back then already and done something to corner me."
The thought alone made anger rise inside him.
Noctis studied him silently.
"That definitely wouldn't fit him. Not after everything you've told me about him."
Isaac gave a brief nod and ran a stressed hand through his hair.
"I don't even want to think about the other possibility," he said. "Because the Boss and Noah are dead, Constantine doesn't have anything to do with the Webster clan as far as I know, and you wouldn't betray me."
At least not like that. Isaac knew Noctis loved him. He would never simply hand him over to Levi — that idiot would sooner protect him with everything he had and possibly die trying.
"Do you suspect Ashe?" Noctis asked seriously. All at once, he radiated a coldness that sent a tingling sensation down Isaac's spine.
"…She wouldn't have a reason to," Isaac answered in frustration. "Besides, she wouldn't—"
He broke off.
Because even as he spoke, he realized how unconvincing his own words sounded.
"Damn it," he muttered, briefly closing his eyes. "Just forget I even brought it up. Maybe Levi really just wanted to amuse himself. That would at least fit him."
Noctis slowly brushed his thumb over the back of Isaac's hand.
"Let's just keep an eye on Ashe for a while," he said calmly. "Just to be safe."
Isaac nodded reluctantly.
He didn't want to voice the suspicion out loud, yet the thoughts could no longer be pushed aside. Ashe was the only one with connections to both clans. She had assured Isaac that she wasn't working with any other clan, but trust rarely meant anything in their world.
People lied. Constantly.
He had only recently experienced that fact firsthand.
Annoyed, Isaac let out a breath and grabbed his phone. Not wanting to think about it any further, he started putting together a shopping list. Something mundane felt preferable right now to this spiral of thoughts.
He needed a distraction.
"Are you making the list for Vincent?" Noctis asked after a moment.
"Yeah." Isaac let out a quiet snort. "If your brother really is as thorough as you claim, everything should be here by tomorrow morning at the latest."
Noctis raised an eyebrow slightly.
Then he smirked.
"He'll send Moz anyway," he grinned. "Write down as much as you want."
Isaac rolled his eyes.
"You just want to see him suffer while hauling everything here," Isaac said.
"That would only be a nice bonus."
"Don't worry," Isaac muttered dryly while his fingers continued gliding across the display. "I basically need everything new anyway. That's already enough to torture him. I really hope someone in your clan owns a large car."
Noctis laughed openly at that.
"That can be arranged. As you know, assassinations pay quite well."
Isaac shot him an irritated sideways glance.
"Yes, I'm aware that human life has a market value." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm on someone's list myself, after all."
Noctis shifted closer. Slowly, he leaned in and kissed the hollow of Isaac's neck. The touch was warm and calm, yet it immediately sent a shiver down Isaac's spine.
"No one will hurt you, Darling," Noctis murmured against his skin. "This place is safe. No one would be stupid enough to pick a fight with all the killers here."
Isaac leaned back slightly and lifted his phone higher.
"Wait. I'm not done yet."
"Okay," Noctis said obediently. "I'll wait."
However, he sat directly behind Isaac, placed a hand on his hip, and began trailing slow kisses along his neck again.
An immediate, pleasant tingling spread through Isaac's entire body.
"Can't you at least wait five minutes?" he complained, even though he liked what Noctis was doing.
"You know patience has never really been my strength," Noctis murmured with amusement.
His hands slowly moved over Isaac's chest. Even through the fabric of his sweater, Isaac could feel every touch far too clearly. Since they had started sleeping together, his body reacted more sensitively to Noctis than to anything else.
And Noctis knew that very well.
"Don't worry," he said quietly. "I just want to feel you a little until we go shower."
His hand slipped under the fabric of the sweater and slowly brushed over Isaac's warm skin. Even those careful movements were enough to make Isaac's breathing hitch. His fingers quickly found his sensitive nub, and Noctis began to tease it.
When Noctis pulled on it, Isaac let out an audible sound.
"You mean you just want to drive me completely insane while I'm trying to finish this damn list," Isaac muttered half-heartedly.
He could feel Noctis' touches making his body react immediately. Every kiss against his neck sent a pleasant shiver through him, an electric tingling that spread to his fingertips. And not just there — something lower was beginning to stir as well, something he wouldn't be able to ignore much longer.
And the damn list was only halfway done.
"Okay, you're right," Noctis said with an innocent tone. "Then I'll be patient and only touch you reeeally slowly."
Isaac let out a quiet sound as Noctis' other hand brushed over the fabric of his pants, deliberately teasing him in a way that made it harder and harder to think straight.
"Idiot," Isaac hissed, though he still leaned slightly back against him.
He could feel Noctis pressed against him from behind, clearly settling into the task of slowly unraveling him. Unfortunately, it was working far too well.
Isaac just wanted distraction — and what better way than briefly letting his thoughts shut off completely? All he wanted was to feel, not think.
And with how well they fit together, that usually worked.
By now, Noctis was moving against him in small, slow motions. Isaac hurried to finish the list.
"You typing faster, Darling?" Noctis asked innocently right by his ear.
Then he lightly nipped at it.
A quiet sound slipped from Isaac as Noctis' hand slipped lower and finally touched him more directly.
"One of us really isn't doing a great job of keeping it together," Isaac muttered, struggling to keep his voice steady.
Noctis hummed in amusement.
"That's true. Though I thought you'd have more self-control than this." His lips brushed along Isaac's neck. "You give in way too easily, Darling."
Isaac pressed his lips together.
Focusing on the list was becoming increasingly impossible.
"And whose fault is that?!" he snapped.
With deliberate calm, Noctis continued kissing along his neck before briefly sucking at the skin there.
"Ah! Then that must be mine. At least I know exactly which buttons to press on you."
As he said buttons, he tugged at Isaac's nipple, still massaging and teasing it with one hand. The other gripped Isaac's penis more firmly, and suddenly what Noctis was doing to him was no longer just teasing.
Isaac's body tensed all at once, then immediately relaxed again. What Noctis was doing to him felt far too good, yet there was still a place that urgently demanded attention.
His anus was throbbing, telling him it couldn't wait any longer and needed something inside it right now. Preferably, he wanted Noctis to penetrate him directly. But he also knew it wasn't possible without preparation.
He needed Noctis' fingers, a dildo, or… damn it, he was drifting off too much!
"Noc…," Isaac moaned softly, forcing himself back to reality with effort. "I'm not done yet. Give me a moment."
"Okay," Noctis murmured close to his ear. "Then you'll get a moment, darling."
And to Isaac's immediate frustration, he actually stopped. He no longer kissed Isaac, and his hands stayed still in place. Suddenly, the silence felt unbearable.
Isaac's fingers froze over his phone keyboard. His breathing was noticeably heavier than before, and his body did not seem pleased at all that Noctis had simply let him go.
Damn it, what was he about to type again? He was almost finished!
"What's wrong, darling?" Noctis asked in a strikingly innocent tone. "If you're done, you should send the email soon."
Isaac felt his warm breath against his neck.
He turned his head slightly and cast a narrow glance at Noctis. Noctis grinned that self-satisfied, completely unbearable, and damnably attractive grin.
And in that moment, Isaac realized that Noctis had done it on purpose—just to watch him become completely incapable of forming a clear thought.
He cursed quietly and quickly typed the rest before finally sending the email to Vincent without looking it over again. He threw his phone away, turned toward Noctis enough to meet his golden eyes. His cheeks felt warm, and his body wanted nothing more than to be touched by Noctis again.
"Come on, keep going," Isaac demanded, kissing Noctis.
"Finally," Noctis murmured, satisfied.
He deepened the kiss and continued what he had been doing to Isaac before. It felt far too good to simply stop. However, their current position didn't allow Isaac to pleasure Noctis with his hands as well. Instead, he was held in a grip that only allowed Noctis to touch him however he pleased and push him closer and closer to the edge of orgasm.
Noctis seemed to observe every single reaction carefully and was obviously enjoying watching Isaac completely lose control.
Isaac dug his fingers into the fabric of Noctis' sweater and pressed himself closer against him.
This was exactly what he had been missing.
This—right here—was exactly what he needed.
There was nowhere else he wanted to be in that moment more than here.
He didn't understand how Noctis managed to focus only on Isaac while being unable to relieve himself. How could it be enough for him to merely rub against Isaac? Didn't his erection hurt by now?
The thought shattered as Noctis rubbed the sensitive tip of his penis, pushing Isaac completely over the edge. Isaac's body tensed as he came in hot, pulsing waves, and even while he was having an orgasm, he realized at the same moment that it still wasn't enough.
More… give me all of you…
"Did you like that?" Noctis asked softly against his lips. His voice sounded deeper than usual.
Isaac let out a heavy breath.
"You mean your method of systematically torturing me?"
Noctis grinned faintly. Isaac brushed his fingers along the back of his neck and pulled him closer again.
"How about," he murmured against his mouth, "we continue this in the shower, and I repay you for your excellent service?"
A satisfied smile appeared on Noctis' lips. He kissed him gently before they stood, discarded their clothes, and stepped into the shower. Finally, Isaac was able to touch Noctis. Still, he couldn't take too much time. He had completely lost track of time while they had been sitting on the bed, and he wanted to give Noctis some relief.
So he only took enough time to kiss him thoroughly once more and deepen the kiss. Noctis pulled him closer against himself, their wet skin sliding easily together while his arousal constantly reminded him what it felt like to have Noctis inside him.
Isaac could barely wait to finally get to the main course.
Still, he enjoyed the feeling of their tongues against each other and the way his body responded to Noctis.
He really couldn't deny that they fit together well.
His hand slid over Noctis' chest muscles, wandering lower across every contour of his abs until he finally wrapped his hand around his shaft.
He pulled back from the kiss slightly and looked up at him. Those golden eyes watched him attentively, dark with arousal and at the same time filled with that intense calmness that stole Isaac's breath every single time.
Slowly, he lowered himself into a crouch in front of him.
Noctis' fingers immediately slid through his white hair, gentle at first, before his grip slowly tightened. Isaac could feel how hard Noctis was trying to maintain control — and how quickly he still lost it whenever Isaac touched him.
Isaac liked that more than he probably should have.
He teased the tip with his tongue before finally enclosing it with his lips and beginning to give Noctis a blowjob.
Isaac used his free hand to stretch himself open and relax his entry.
Noctis' cock was far too hard for Isaac to take him very deep into his mouth. Honestly, a shame, because Isaac knew exactly how much Noctis loved it when he took him completely inside. He loved every contraction of Isaac's throat and the way Isaac used his tongue and lips to stimulate him in exactly the right places.
Besides, Isaac couldn't deny how much it turned him on when it left him completely breathless.
It aroused him to the point that more than once he had imagined Noctis choking him a little during sex.
Before his thoughts could drift any further, Noctis took control. He grasped Isaac's head with both hands and pushed deeper and deeper into Isaac's throat, taking exactly what Isaac hadn't been able to give him without hurting himself.
It was difficult, but not impossible. Isaac relaxed his jaw and took every inch Noctis pressed into him. The air was driven from his lungs while Noctis fucked his mouth exactly the way his mind needed right then.
Never before had Isaac been so grateful not to have a gag reflex. Otherwise, this experience would surely have been denied to him.
His thoughts blurred until there was nothing left except the feeling of Noctis deep in his throat and the sensation of slowly running out of air. Noctis watched him intensely until he cursed softly and came in pulsing waves down Isaac's throat. Isaac's hand dug into Noctis' hip.
But instead of pushing Noctis away, he wanted more.
It was frightening how much he desired this man.
Noctis pulled out of Isaac just as little black spots began dancing at the edges of his vision and everything felt wonderfully hazy and soft.
The sudden emptiness made him cough.
Noctis gently lifted his chin.
"Did you spit it out?" he asked breathlessly.
Isaac shook his head.
"Good," Noctis grinned in satisfaction. "How are things looking down there?"
Isaac stood up and turned his back to Noctis, bending forward and presenting his ass invitingly toward him. With one hand, he spread himself open and glanced back over his shoulder.
"I can barely take it anymore, Noctis," he breathed.
Noctis stepped closer, rubbing his softening erection against Isaac's ass. He leaned forward, wrapped an arm around Isaac's waist, and kissed him.
"Give me a moment," he murmured, though Isaac could already feel him growing hard again.
Isaac followed his movements and pressed himself closer against him.
"Doesn't look like you'll need long."
Noctis chuckled softly.
"Is that a complaint?"
"Absolutely not. I can hardly wait to finally feel you," Isaac murmured. He cupped Noctis' chin and gave him a challenging look. "I want it hard."
The expression in Noctis' eyes darkened instantly.
"When did you become so erotic?" Noctis asked as he pushed into Isaac.
A sigh escaped Isaac as Noctis stretched him open and finally filled him completely. This was exactly the moment he wanted to be in.
Noctis devoted himself entirely to Isaac's request and thrust hard into him again and again until stars seemed to flash before Isaac's eyes. He focused on the sounds they created together. One of his hands was braced against the wall, though it kept slipping because of the water.
The grip around his waist tightened. Noctis' breathing grew heavier. He took Isaac's hand while his other hand wandered lower, coming to rest against his lower abdomen. He pressed lightly against it, and suddenly Isaac could feel even more clearly where Noctis was moving inside him.
Noctis intertwined his fingers with Isaac's.
Their lips met in a passionate kiss.
Isaac couldn't take it anymore. His lower body tightened, and he began trembling wildly around Noctis. He never wanted to let him go again — that was exactly where Noctis belonged, and there were still many hours left in the day before Isaac would truly be satisfied.
He cried out as he finally came, while Noctis still massaged his most sensitive spot. His body shuddered through the orgasm.
When the aftershocks faded, Noctis pulled out of him, turned Isaac around, and lifted him up. Isaac immediately wrapped his legs around Noctis' hips and savored the feeling as Noctis entered him again. This time, he took a little more time and stimulated Isaac in a way only Noctis could in this position.
Their lips found each other once more.
They didn't need words to understand what the other needed.
Isaac held onto Noctis no matter how much the water tried to make him slip. Shortly afterward, he felt the cold tiles against his back. He didn't mind. He simply enjoyed the moment and the way his mind kept shutting down more and more as he lost himself in Noctis' utterly selfless distraction.
His own body weight kept dragging him downward, and his legs had long since lost the strength to stay properly wrapped around Noctis. At that moment, his lover's hands were the only thing keeping him in place.
"I love you, Noctis," he breathed against Noctis' lips as he felt the next orgasm building.
Noctis' grip tightened, his fingers digging into Isaac's ass hard enough that the marks would surely still be visible later. His breathing was heavy, and yet he still whispered sweet words to Isaac that made his whole body tremble.
His brows drew together as he finally moaned and spilled himself deep inside Isaac. Isaac came shortly after him. Their lips met again. Noctis kept moving until the pulsing subsided and the orgasm finally faded.
Noctis broke the kiss and looked at Isaac with raw desire. His gaze told him they were far from finished, and that alone made anticipation tingle through Isaac's lower body. He could feel exactly where Noctis was inside him and how deep he reached.
He was fairly certain that even his innermost self would remember for a very long time who had worked his way all the way to his center.
"You are, without a doubt, the best thing that's ever happened to me, darling," Noctis whispered breathlessly.
Isaac smiled back at him just as breathlessly.
"Can you still keep going?" he asked provocatively.
Noctis laughed.
"Find out," he said.
A moment later, they lost themselves in each other once again.