[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 294: Pre-Marriage Jitters

Chapter 294: Pre-Marriage Jitters

Just as Xion’s hand gripped the knob, his wrist was grabbed.

The world tilted, and he found himself pressed against the hard door and equally hard Darius.

"Do you not like it?" The Archduke asked in a soft voice, but his words were full of implication. He tucked a loose black strand behind Xion’s reddening ear. "Should I buy something else?"

"That’s not—" Xion sputtered, words dissolving as warmth pooled under his skin.

His hands had instinctively landed on Darius’ mostly bare chest, and he could feel the thrum of his heartbeat. It was rapid, loud, and unpredictable.

Almost... uneasy? Was he really nervous?

The realization emboldened the young man just a little. His fingers slid downward, brushing the damp skin and pausing at the ribbon left half-tied.

It was as tempting as it was worrying.

Without thinking, he adjusted it, fumbling like a clumsy nursemaid.

"You just got out of the bath," he mumbled as he tightened the silken cloth around the strong waist. Big, doe-like eyes were fixed anywhere but the Archduke’s face as he made a bow. "You’ll catch a cold walking around like this. Honestly, do you know how to take care of yourself?"

But Darius didn’t reply. His eyes, sharp as emerald glass, watched the healer with obsessive hunger.

To him, this was a blatant act of changing the subject.

He easily caught the fumbling wrists, his thumb brushing over the delicate veins beneath the fair skin.

Xion couldn’t help but tremble slightly. The touch had sent sparks of electricity through his wrist to his chest.

His heart thumped loudly, mimicking his rushed breathing when Darius effortlessly pinned his wrists above his head. That too, using only one hand.

The free hand rose to Xion’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet.

"I’ve heard it all, Xion," came the smooth, lethal purr. "You want to run away."

Those beautiful blue eyes widened, long black lashes fluttered in panic, clearly depicting the inner turmoil of the owner. "That... I was...I didn’t..."

The silly kitten stumbled over his words, completely forgetting what he wanted to express when he was hit by the beauty attack from such a close distance.

All this while, the Archduke stared at him with infinite patience.

Darius was well aware of what he was. He had long given up on calling himself human.

His power killed anyone without a single hesitation and the fact that he could hardly feel any emotions felt like there was an insignia left on his soul.

A stamp of the curse that said he was not welcome even by the gods.

That was what he had been hearing all his life. But Xion changed everything.

It was as if the gods had carved a pit in his heart. The hollow that swallowed his feelings, his emotions leaving behind nothing but boredom.

It was something that could only be filled with the blessings of the divinities itself.

Years, it took him years to find that blessing. He finally understood that the crater in his heart was carved in the shape of Xion.

As long as he was with this divine healer, he felt full.

Darius felt alive.

This black-haired angel, whose soul he couldn’t peer into, had made him human.

Darius regarded Xion as his treasure. He desperately needed this very precious being as he would air to breathe. He wanted to shower Xion with every luxury, every comfort, anything this world could offer.

But more than that, he wanted his love to be made physical. Something that would leave his mark of ownership, something that would bind Xion to him for eternity.

The terrifying thing was that even after having Xion to himself for hours, his desperate hunger was still growing.

Because only this silly bashful kitten could make him so, so happy. It was also Xion, who could make him devastated just by saying a few words.

His reason to live would be gone the minute Xion disappeared.

So even if he knew his lover was nervous, he still rushed the marriage. His sweet darling was afraid, but he didn’t want to let him go.

The idea of tying Xion to his bed became more and more prominent.

His lips curled into a smile, dark and glinting with something dangerous. This time, he didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.

"You are thinking of leaving me." Darius gently caressed Xion’s pale cheek, "That must be a lie... After all, I’ve given you things even the royal family can’t have. Isn’t that right, my dear healer?"

Xion’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, yet Darius didn’t stop. His thumb brushed the soft lower lip, watching it with mirth at how it dented under his whim. All the while, a chilling smirk remained on his handsome face.

Xion felt he was trapped in the hot touch and the chill that crawled up his spine.

"I-I think I should leave, Your Grace." Even the title slipped back—’Your Grace’—just like Darius had gone back to calling him ’healer’.

"I’ve overstayed in the room... I-I should go and check the clothes."

The room grew cold, and struggling Xion shivered even more.

Darius’s green eyes dimmed before lighting up with a treacherous gleam and Xion felt a pit growing in his stomach. The Archduke’s smile was so... vulgar.

This seductive demon never smiled like this. And whenever he did, it only meant trouble for his body.

"You’re right," Darius said calmly.

But before Xion took take a breather, he heard the rest of the sentence that made his hair stand at its end.

"So, let’s get married right now."

Xion "...!!!!"

The struggle increased along with the force of the grip, keeping his hands pinned against the wooden door.

"Answer me, Xion. Is it now, or..." The green eyes narrowed as Darius threatened without any shame.

"On the original date!" Xion blurted out in haste. He didn’t have any other home to return to. So where would he even go? "I am not going anywhere and... Aren’t you my home now?"

His words finally soothed Darius’ fury. As the grip loosened, Xion quickly freed his hands.

However, just before he could speak again, his lips were captured in a hungry kiss that demanded all his attention.

His eyes fluttered shut, and for a split second, the world shrank to nothing but heat and the overwhelming taste of Darius.

His heart thudded wildly against his ribcage, caught in something dangerously close to yearning.

The kiss wasn’t gentle. It was searing and possessive.

He’s scared too, Xion realized as Darius’ mouth moved against his with desperate insistence. He’s afraid to lose me... and this is how he begs.

His fingers curled helplessly into Darius’s robe before he kissed back.

His legs lost the sense of gravity. Soon he felt his body being pressed against the softness of the mattress.

Darius moved from his lips to his neck, biting until he left a blatant mark on the pale skin.

The atmosphere became charged, and the breath of desire fanned over Xion’s neck, sending numbness rippling through his entire body.

Darius sure had learned the sensitive spots on his body. And the great Archduke was actually using these cheap tricks to keep his mouth shut from saying anything that would fill him with rage.

His wide blue eyes were erratic as he asked, "You... What are you trying to do?" The sides of his cheeks were completely stained with blush.

Instead of moving back, Darius sucked just beneath the red ear, forcing Xion to take a shaky drag.

"What am I trying to do," he whispered against the bobbling throat knot before giving a slow lick over the bite mark. "Don’t you know?"

Xion’s breath stagnated, and the familiar tingling feeling spread from his spine to his curled toes.

Of course, he knew it!

However, he wasn’t shameless enough to indulge in his desires in broad daylight! With how intense the look was in those green eyes, he wouldn’t be able to step out of the bed tomorrow.

As to how he managed to push the silver-haired elf away before his clothes got stripped off, he had to thank the urgent knock on the door.

While gasping heavily, he tugged Darius down into another gentle and soothing kiss before speaking, "Go on. I’ll wait for you." He gently cradled the handsome face in both hands as he smile brightly. "I’ll wait for you. Always."

Darius had to take a moment to get his breathing under control. Reluctantly he moved to the door, but not before stealing another kiss.

When Xion was left alone, he felt his heart overflowing with a flood of emotions.

Although it sounded bad, he felt a bud of satisfaction blooming in his core when he recalled the expression on Darius’ face.

He liked it, he liked the look on Archduke’s face, he liked it when those green eyes were filled with happiness as if Darius wouldn’t be able to live without him.

For Xion knew that after all this, he possibly wouldn’t be able to survive without the embrace of his lover.

"Damn these pre-marriage jitters..." he mumbled only for the system to happily chime in his mind.

[It’s alright, host. You humans all feel these feelings. But that’s not important right now.]

Xion had a guess what this system was going to say. Sure enough, the system’s greed was getting insatiable every day.

[Can we have the Mermaid’s Tear now? His Grace will not allow you to return it. Better yet, we take it and prepare a special gift for him. Who knows, we might get even more presents!]

Xion rolled his eyes, but the thought stayed with him. Present, huh?