Bound by the Mark of Lies (BL)
Chapter 124 - 119: Mates (1)

Chapter 124: Chapter 119: Mates (1)

Between them, the frantic urgency began to fade, giving way to something more gradual and profound. Their bodies no longer moved in a frantic rhythm, but in a steady, unhurried manner. Every touch, every press of their skin against each other, became an unspoken conversation; neither of them required words to understand.

Gabriel traced his hands down Damian’s back, feeling rather than demanding or clawing for control. The ridges of muscle, the warmth of his skin, the way his breath hitched against the lightest brush of fingers. It was intoxicating in a different way, not through desire, but through peaceful acceptance. He let out a slow breath, pressing a lingering kiss to Damian’s shoulder, his lips barely grazing against sweat-slicked skin.

Damian had expected Gabriel to back off, to retreat once the heat of the moment had passed. But instead, he stayed. His touch didn’t falter; his body remained close, pliant but present.

The Emperor exhaled, his hands gently settling at Gabriel’s waist, his grip now reverent rather than possessive. He pressed his forehead against Gabriel’s, their breaths mingling in the silence of the room. The world outside ceased to exist. It was just the two of them, the rise and fall of their chests, the slow hum of their heartbeats in unison.

Gabriel did not say anything, but the way his fingers tangled loosely in Damian’s hair, and the way his lips ghosted over the corner of Damian’s mouth in a featherlight touch, said more than words could.

For the first time, Damian did not push for more. He did not demand or claim. He just let himself feel, letting Gabriel’s presence wash over him. Allowed himself to be held.

There was only the silent assurance that Gabriel was with him at that precise moment, without any throne, duty, or war. A choice, not an obligation.

---

Morning came gently.

The first thing Damian registered was warmth. The kind that seeped into his bones, not just from blankets or body heat, but something deeper. He shifted slightly, and the weight against him moved in response.

Gabriel.

His dark hair was tousled, with a few strands falling across his face and his lips slightly parted in slumber. He was still here.

Damian let out a slow exhale. The thought of Gabriel vanishing in the night had been gnawing at the back of his mind, and he had been unaware of how much he had dreaded waking up alone. But now, with the soft morning light casting a golden hue over them, he could see it clearly, Gabriel hadn’t left.

Damian reached out carefully, brushing a stray strand of hair away from Gabriel’s face. The touch was delicate, almost hesitant.

Gabriel stirred slightly but didn’t wake. His body curled closer instinctively, pressing against Damian’s warmth. The gesture caused something strange to curl in Damian’s chest, something dangerously close to tenderness.

Damian allowed himself a rare moment of stillness and quiet reflection. His fingers traced absentminded patterns on Gabriel’s back, mapping out his shape and memorizing the steady, unguarded breathing. Trusting.

’Mine.’

The thought came unexpectedly, and for the first time, it was not about dominance or possession. It wasn’t about securing an Empress, about claiming someone who was bound to him by fate or circumstance.

It was just Gabriel, the man who had surprised him every time, the man who had pushed him, defied him, and yet remained.

And Damian realized, in that moment, he didn’t want to let go.

Not now. Not ever.

---

Gabriel shifted into wakefulness, letting out a gentle sigh as he did so. His body felt strangely light, and his muscles relaxed unexpectedly. The warmth beside him, the steady presence was unmistakable. Damian was still there, his breathing calm and even.

Gabriel blinked, his mind gradually waking from the haze of sleep. It took him a moment to process something strange: Damian’s rut had ended. ’So soon?’ His brow furrowed slightly as he turned his head, taking in the Emperor’s face, more relaxed than he had ever seen it before.

A quiet hum of curiosity escaped Gabriel’s lips. "Your rut... it’s over?" His voice was still heavy with sleep, but the surprise in his tone was clear.

Damian let out a low chuckle, the deep sound vibrating through his chest. Gabriel felt an odd shiver run down his spine as his golden eyes flickered open, filled with warmth. "Of course it is," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "I marked you... and knotted you. Plus, I took suppressants the other day. It only sped up the process."

Gabriel’s breath caught, heat rushing to his face as the memories of the previous night fully settled into his mind. His fingers curled slightly against the sheets, his lips parting as if to form a retort, but no words came.

Damian smirked as his fingers traced slow circles against Gabriel’s hip. "You look surprised," he mused.

Gabriel scowled, more in embarrassment than irritation. "I just... I figured it would last longer."

Damian’s grin deepened, his thumb brushing against the delicate skin just above Gabriel’s hip bone. "Disappointed?"

Gabriel’s glare was immediate, but it lacked any real bite. "Shut up."

Damian simply laughed, his grip tightening slightly as he drew Gabriel closer, his lips briefly pressing against his temple. "Next time, it won’t be this easy. It’ll take at least two days."

Gabriel groaned, burying his face against the pillow. "I regret everything."

Damian laughed, totally amused. "No, you don’t."

Damian only laughed, his grip tightening slightly as he pulled Gabriel closer, his lips pressing briefly to his temple. "Go back to sleep," he murmured, his voice softer now, filled with something dangerously close to affection. "We have time."

Gabriel groaned, rubbing his face against the pillow before forcing himself to shift. "No, we don’t. There’s a meeting in a few hours—Blue Ether project."

Damian hummed, clearly unbothered. "That can wait."

Gabriel scoffed, attempting to sit up, but the moment he did, Damian’s arms tightened around him, pulling him right back against his chest. "Damian," Gabriel warned, voice caught between exasperation and something softer.

The Emperor only chuckled, burying his face against Gabriel’s hair. "Stay. Just a little longer. We have the perfect excuse."

Gabriel sighed, his resolve already faltering as the warmth of Damian’s embrace settled over him. He muttered something about irresponsible Emperors under his breath, but he didn’t move away.

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