Yu sat—one leg crossed on top of the other—on the vanity chair. He opened the oversized scrapbook across his lap. Page after page revealed versions of himself he hadn't known—ribbons, lace, themed outfits, each photo lovingly decorated with doodles and stickers.
Some shots were sweetly innocent, others playfully mischievous, and one or two were so striking he had to pause, blinking at just how well the camera had captured his softness.
His fingers hovered on a page with him in a pastel blouse, his lips parted in a gentle smile, cheeks tinted pink.
'She really kept all of these… she really cared for the original…'
Yu thought, both touched and unnerved. Outwardly, though, he kept his face neutral, flipping casually as though he'd seen them all before.
Behind him, Theo stood silent, tray forgotten in his hands. His blue eyes devoured every page Yu turned, each photo drilling deeper into him, showing sides of Yu he'd never even imagined.
'How many other men have seen him like this? How many could want him like this?'
The ache in his chest sharpened.
Joy's muffled humming drifted from her closet, clothes hangers clinking as she searched.
Theo moved. Quiet as a shadow, he set the tray aside and stepped closer. His hand slid around Yu's narrow hips, possessive and sure, pulling the smaller form back against him. Yu stiffened, fingers freezing mid-page, the glossy photo reflecting the dim lamplight.
Theo leaned down, his breath hot against Yu's neck. His lips brushed over faint marks along his collarbone—marks he, himself, had left during their night at the hotel. The sight of them, pale and fading, stirred something primal. He wanted them darker again. Fresh. He wanted the world to see, to know.
"You say it was a mistake…"
Theo's low voice rumbled near Yu's ear, thick with restrained hunger.
"…but your body still carries me."
His lips grazed one mark, teeth threatening to close and claim it red all over again.
Yu's pulse leapt.
Yu's body went rigid the moment Theo's arm cinched tighter, drawing him flush into the warmth of the older man's chest. His fingers twitched nervously on the scrapbook pages, his reflection staring back faintly in the glossy surface—wide-eyed, lips parted, panic rising.
'This is bad. This is too much. If Joy comes back—'
"Stop—"
Yu started, voice catching in his throat. He tried to squirm, to shift sideways out of Theo's hold, but the man's grip only firmed, his palm spreading across Yu's hip like it belonged there.
Then Theo bent lower. His lips hovered for a beat above the faint, yellowed mark at Yu's collarbone—one of many, still echoing with the ghost of their hotel night.
Yu froze, breath trapped in his lungs.
Theo's teeth sank in, gentle but sure, dragging heat and sharpness over the fading mark.
"Ah—!"
Yu gasped, the sound sharp, startled, pulled from somewhere deep in his chest. His hand shot up instinctively, gripping the edge of the vanity table for balance, knuckles blanching white.
The scrapbook slid from his lap, falling shut with a dull thud on the carpet.
Theo lingered at the bite, lips pressing against the fresh bloom of red now glowing on Yu's pale skin. His voice was low, possessive, almost reverent.
"Better."
Yu's breath hitched, chest rising and falling too fast as heat from Theo's teeth still burned against his collarbone. His ruby lips parted, and in a sharp hiss he spat the only words he could manage through his panic.
"Theo—stop!"
But the command carried no weight, not against the iron circle of his arm. Yu squirmed harder, his shoulder jerking, but Theo only shifted, one hand sliding up with unnerving precision. Fingers grazed the front of Yu's neck, stroking lightly before pressing just enough to angle his throat closer.
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
35 - 36
DK01's cool voice buzzed in his head.
[Host, your at risk of getting caught. The Love-o-meter is is climbing which is good, but not at the expense of messing around behind Joy's back. If caught, it could constitute as "bad best-friend" behavior. Be cautious, Yu.]
Yu bit back a curse, nails digging into the vanity as Theo's lips hovered so dangerously close to his pulse.
Theo's voice came, low and molten against his skin.
"Later. My study. Or else."
The words branded themselves into Yu, dark and possessive, before Theo's hand at his neck withdrew. His other palm gave Yu's hip one last deliberate squeeze, a claim and a warning rolled into one.
And then, finally, Theo stepped back.
Expression smoothed, eyes shuttered, he bent to pluck the fallen scrapbook from the floor. He tucked it neatly under his arm, sparing Yu only one last, unreadable glance before striding to the door.
The latch clicked softly as he pulled it shut behind him.
"Sorry, Yu!"
Joy's voice rang out as she came bounding from the closet, a frilly blouse draped triumphantly in her hands.
"It was stuffed all the way in the back since it's out of season."
She held it up to Yu's frame, eyes sparkling.
"But honestly, you're so stylish I bet you could bring anything back into season."
Yu forced a smile, though his nerves still buzzed raw under his skin.
"You flatter me."
His voice cracked slightly, but Joy didn't seem to notice.
"I'll put it in your bag later."
She said, beaming.
"Right…"
Yu murmured, standing quickly.
"I'm… going to grab a snack from the kitchen."
Before she could ask why, he was already halfway to the door, his pulse hammering as he rushed out, every nerve still reeling from Theo's whispered demand.
---
The kitchen light hummed faintly as Yu opened the fridge, the cool air spilling over his bare legs. His fingers twitched against the hem of his skirt, tugging it absent-mindedly higher until his thighs gleamed pale in the cold glow.
He froze.
'What the hell am I doing?'
Face heating, Yu yanked the fabric back down, smoothing it flat against his hips. Dressing up was one thing—he loved cute clothes, always had—but to show up before Theo in this, alone? That was asking for trouble. And Yu knew, better than anyone, what kind of trouble that would lead to.
Sex. Intercourse. Fucking.
The thought made his stomach twist, not with disgust but with a deep, perilous awareness. He couldn't let it happen again. Not yet. Not like this.
Pulling out a cup of Greek yogurt, Yu peeled the lid and ate quickly, the tartness grounding him as he leaned against the counter.
'Okay. First thing: change. Second: when I see Theo, I stay near the door. Escape route ready. Third: keep my legs shut. No charm. No fooling around tonight, not when…'
His hand brushed his abdomen briefly.
'…not when I could be potentially pregnant. I don't want to make it a certain pregnancy.'
He sighed, shoving the spoon into the empty cup.
'Focus on Joy. Just Joy.'
Straightening, Yu headed back upstairs with the yogurt cup, his plan sharp but fragile.
---
Theo paced like a caged animal. Every second without Yu answering his summons gnawed at him, but it also gave him time to prepare.
The study smelled faintly of cedar and leather, but he wanted it perfect. He straightened the books on the shelves, adjusted the lamp so the light cast a warm, flattering glow, and smoothed the papers on his desk until they sat at exact right angles. Every detail was fussed over until the room looked less like a workplace and more like a stage.
Finally, he stepped back, surveying his work. Neat. Controlled. Inviting.
But it wasn't enough.
Crossing to the cabinet, he drew out a bottle of whiskey—deep amber, expensive. He set it on the desk alongside two glasses. Then, reconsidering, he added a small tray with other bottles: vodka, gin, a fine red wine.
His hand lingered on the corkscrew. The memory of Yu drunk at the hotel flashed—pliant, flushed, gasping, begging him for more. Theo's pulse quickened.
'If I can just… recreate that night. Show him what we had. Prove it wasn't a mistake.'
The thought anchored him. Theo poured a splash of whiskey into his own glass, holding it up to the light as though it might reflect the answers he craved.
'Tonight…'
He promised himself.
'He won't walk away… Damnit, why is he taking so long!'
---
Yu slipped back into Joy's room, yogurt cup long discarded. He forced his expression calm, not wanting her to catch even a flicker of his earlier encounter. Joy was already perched on her bed, hands folded under her chin like she'd been waiting.
"You took forever."
She teased.
"What'd you find in the kitchen—your next runway look?"
Yu rolled his eyes, tugging lightly at the skirt she'd picked for him to wear.
"Very funny. Just a snack."
But Joy's gaze lingered, and when Yu followed her line of sight, he caught the tail end of Theo's silhouette in the hall—gone too fast, but not before she'd seen him staring.
A sly smile crept across her lips.
"You know…"
Joy leaned forward conspiratorially.
"Since you're always helping me and Izan, maybe it's my turn to help you."
Yu stiffened.
"Joy…"
"I think Theo wants to speak with you. Why don't you go see him!"
She said brightly, almost too brightly.
Yu crossed his arms, his expression flat.
"Want me to get back the album he took while I'm at it?"
Joy blinked, surprised.
"He took it?"
Her cheeks puffed up, and she stomped her slippered foot against the plush rug.
"That jerk! Taking my things without asking—ugh, I'll storm over there myself and knock some sense into him—"
She stopped mid-rant, cheeks pink as she caught herself. Clearing her throat, she tried to smooth over her slip.
"I mean, uh—yes, exactly. Go get my album back, please. Thank you, Yuvin. Oh, and… take as long as you need."
Her giggle was just a shade too mischievous as she marched across the room and, with a gentle but firm push, nudged Yu right out the door.
"Joy—wait! I need to change first—"
Click.
The door shut firmly behind him.
Yu sighed, tugging uselessly at the hem of his skirt.
"...Perfect."
The hall stretched quiet and heavy, every step drawing him closer to the one place he didn't want to be. The soft brush of fabric against his thighs only made things worse—the skirt stubbornly riding high no matter how much he fussed with it.
Each adjustment only seemed to flash more pale skin, and with every tug, Yu's scowl deepened.
'Joy and her schemes… she has no idea.'
Finally, he stopped before the study door. Yu hovered at the door, knuckles brushing the wood but not yet knocking. His heart thudded uncomfortably, every beat reminding him of just how much trouble he was walking into.
'Alright, focus.'
He coached himself.
'Get the album. Talk to him. Maybe even fix that jealous streak before it grows fangs. And whatever you do—'
A shiver ran through him, thighs pressing tight together as the ghost of memory clawed its way back. Theo's weight above him, the slow grind, the burn of being stretched full—
Yu's breath caught, and he bit his lip until it hurt.
'No. Don't even think it. Fumiko and Sakura drilled this into me—possessiveness is a red flag. I can't let him keep tightening chains around me. I'm here to work him, not let him… work me.'
[Warning!]
DK01's voice hummed in his head.
[Host, your arousal is spiking. Please maintain focus, I know your soul is that of an Incubus but have some self-control. The mission being in jeopardy increases with repeated loss of control.]
"Yeah, yeah."
Yu muttered under his breath, running a shaky hand through his hair.
"Don't sleep with him again. Got it."
He swallowed once, steadying himself, then raised his hand to knock.
The wood felt warm beneath his knuckles, like the heat of Theo's gaze had already seeped through.
He exhaled once, squared his shoulders, and pushed the door open.
---
Theo was ready.
The study smelled faintly of leather, cedar, and the warm bite of whiskey. The lamplight glowed just so, painting him in bronze.
He leaned casually against his mahogany desk, one hand tucked into his pocket, the other raising a glass of whiskey to his lips. His shirt was deliberately undone at the collar, a few buttons open to reveal the hard plane of his chest.
The picture of control. The picture of smoldering invitation.
His blue eyes slid up the moment Yu stepped in.
Theo's pulse quickened, though outwardly he appeared perfectly at ease. He had practiced this posture, adjusted it, honed it like a weapon. He knew he was handsome. And he was sure—absolutely sure—that this sight would unravel Yu.
"Yuvin."
He said smoothly, his voice low, touched with something darker.
"I was wondering when you'd come."
The study door clicked softly shut behind him, and Yu found himself standing in the threshold like a guilty trespasser.
Theo looked carved from light and shadow against his mahogany desk, glass raised, shirt artfully undone—radiating a heat Yu felt even from across the room.
Yu swallowed hard. His thighs pressed together instinctively, trembling with remembered hunger, before he forced them apart, straightening with deliberate nonchalance.
'Don't sleep with him. Don't sleep with him. Don't sleep with him.'
The mantra pulsed in time with his heartbeat, fragile and defiant.
He didn't dare step fully inside. Instead, he lingered just a breath past the door, close enough for politeness, far enough to escape if things went sideways.
Theo broke the silence first, the practiced smoothness of his voice curling low.
"I'm so glad you came."
He said, pushing off the desk with easy grace.
"This is good."
He poured amber whiskey into a second glass, and turned toward Yu. The golden liquid caught the lamplight as he approached, deliberate and slow, like a predator shortening the distance.
"For you."
His hand extended, the glass hovering between them like an unspoken dare.
Yu's fingers twitched at his sides. He could already taste the burn of it, could already feel the dizzy warmth that would blur lines and decisions, dragging him down the same path as before.
DK01's voice pierced sharp in his mind.
[Warning! Consumption of alcohol during possible early pregnancy endangers the child's survival. Any action resulting in the child's demise will lead to permanent termination, in other words: death. So don't even try it, Yu.]
Yu's breath hitched. The mantra in his head faltered.
'Great. One more leash.'
He forced his lips into a small, apologetic smile and shook his head lightly.
"Not thirsty right now."
He murmured, voice deceptively soft.
Theo's eyes narrowed, not in anger but in quiet calculation, the glass still hovering between them for a long moment, whiskey glass catching the light. When Yu's soft refusal finally registered, something flickered behind his blue eyes—surprise, then a quiet edge of frustration.
He didn't let it show on his face, though. Instead, he gave a low hum, pulling the glass back and setting it down on the edge of his desk next to the album with deliberate care.
"No whiskey, then."
He murmured, already moving toward the tray with other liquor on it. His hand brushed over the necks of gleaming bottles.
"What about gin? Or I can make you a cocktail? I remember you liked the wine last time, would you like that perhaps—something sweeter this time?"
Each suggestion was casual, effortless, but beneath it lay a sharp intent. He wanted to bring Yu back to that same fevered haze, to recreate the hotel night until Yu couldn't deny it anymore.
He looked over his shoulder, lips tilting faintly.
"I'll open whatever you like."
Yu stiffened, his pulse hammering, but he forced himself to remain steady. His fingers flexed against his thighs, and the mantra screamed again in his head.
'Don't sleep with him!'
He drew in a slow breath and met Theo's eyes, tilting his head slightly, almost playfully.
"I'm not here for drinks, Theo. I want Joy's album back."
The light words carried a steel edge beneath them. He stepped further into the study now, skirts swishing faintly, putting himself closer to the desk but keeping his stance taut and ready.
"Whatever you want to say to me…"
Yu continued, his voice smooth but sharpened by resolve.
"Say it now. Otherwise, hand over the album, and I'll be gone."
The quiet click of the ultimatum hung heavy between them.
Theo's hand froze over the bottles. Slowly, he straightened, blue eyes locking onto Yu with a force that nearly pinned him in place.
He could bring him the album. Pretend this was about Joy. Pretend this was ordinary.
But the words he'd overheard upstairs thundered louder in his mind.
"It won't work out with your brother."
Theo's jaw clenched. His fingers curled loosely at his side as the weight of the question burned inside him.
'Was that night really just a mistake?'
The silence between them thickened, charged and dangerous, as Theo debated whether to speak the question aloud—or to bury it until he could drag the truth out of Yu another way.
Theo leaned back against the desk again, one hand braced against the polished wood, the other sliding into his pocket as though this were casual conversation. But his gaze never wavered, sharp and searching.
"Do you find me attractive, Yuvin?"
He asked smoothly.
Yu blinked, suspicion sparking immediately.
'What kind of question is that?'
Still, he forced a coy little smile, tilting his head.
"Of course. Anyone would."
Theo's eyes narrowed faintly, satisfied but not done.
"Do you like my family?"
Yu nodded.
"Joy's the best thing about this place."
He said easily, careful to leave his tone warm but neutral.
Theo's lips pressed together.
"And the dinner…"
He went on.
"You enjoyed it?"
Yu arched a brow, catching the thread of where this was going.
"Yes, Theo. I liked the dinner."
Theo's breath hitched, heat darkening his gaze. He pressed further, voice dropping low.
"Do you like men who make lots of money?"
Yu laughed softly, though his suspicion deepened.
"I find the…security nice, but not necessary."
Theo shifted, closing the gap by an inch. His last question was nearly a growl, heavy with hunger and restraint.
"And… was the sex we had good?"
Yu's body stiffened, his thighs tightening reflexively at the memory before he forced himself to breathe.
'He's cornering me.'
Still, he nodded, his voice a whisper.
"Yes. It was… good."
The air in the study went taut. Theo straightened, stepping closer now, his presence overwhelming.
"Then why…"
He demanded, voice cracking like thunder in the quiet room,
"Do you think it won't work out between us?"
His chest rose and fell heavily, the careful mask of composure shattering into raw intensity.
"You admit you're attracted to me. You admit you like Joy, my family, the time we spent together, the money, even the sex—every piece of me you like. So why?"
His hand shot out, gripping the edge of the desk beside Yu, caging him in. Blue eyes blazed down at him, furious and pleading all at once.
"Tell me, Yuvin! Why do you think we can't work?!"
The Love-o-meter ticked down:
36 - 30
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
30 - 35
The Love-o-meter ticked down:
35 - 30
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
30 - 34
Yu's heart raced, his chest tight beneath the soft blouse Joy had him wear. Theo's words hammered at him.
Panic threatened to swallow him.
'He's not ready. He's too possessive. Too unstable. If I give him everything now, I'll never fix that. I'll never free Joy. I'll never finish the mission.'
[Warning!]
DK01's voice cracked sharp in his head.
[Host, your emotional stability is slipping. Theo's feelings are also spiking all over the place, and the Love-o-meter is becoming dangerously unstable. Move carefully—don't say anything that could break him past the point of recovery.]
Its voice, panicked and static, gives one last piece of advice before fading out.
[Hint: Theo has based his life around the role of Joy's caretaker and guardian, shielding her from the duty of birthing an heir by planning to marry a woman. Conducting marriage interviews and multiple dates that never went beyond an introduction and even keeping a dossier of women.]
Yu's breath shuddered. His fingers curled tight in his skirt.
'Don't give him too much. Don't let him cage you.'
He shoved lightly at Theo's chest, shaking beneath the effort of forcing the words out.
"It's more than just those things!"
Yu's voice cracked high, raw.
"Since I've known you, Theo, you've gone on and on about marrying a woman. Always looking at women, talking about women, planning your life around them."
His ruby-hazel gaze flashed, pleading and sharp all at once.
"I get it. Sometimes men get confused when they drink too much. So you can protect your ego, your pride, and just… forget our night together. I'll forget it too. We can go back—back to just being Joy's friend and Joy's brother."
The words ripped through Theo's composure like claws. His jaw tightened, eyes blazing.
"Forget it?"
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
34 - 35
He growled, his voice low, dangerous.
Before Yu could back away, Theo's hand shot forward, gripping his wrist hard. In a rush, he dragged Yu closer, blue eyes burning with something fierce and desperate.
And then he crushed their lips together.
Yu's breath hitched sharply, surprise breaking through his panic. His body trembled, caught between instinct to push him away and the undeniable pull of the heat in Theo's kiss.