Does Spring Come Even for a Dying Esper

What if he opened his mouth and bit into Iberis’s tender flesh? Would drinking the blood from that pale skin quench the strange hunger tormenting him?

Lucas clenched his jaw and tightened his arms around Iberis to suppress the intense urge rising within him. Otherwise, he might really do something he’d regret.

“Ugh, it hurts…”

Iberis squirmed and groaned at the strong grip squeezing him as if about to crush him. The constant flow of Lucas’s mana, the warm body heat transmitted from the tightly pressed body, and the heat rising from his own core in response were all too much to bear.

“Can’t breathe… Hah, it’s hot, Luke, please…”

Once he started, calling Lucas “Luke” wasn’t difficult. Iberis pleaded with Lucas to stop, moaning in discomfort. However, the pressure on his body only intensified.

“Huff.”

This is dangerous. Lucas realized he was quite aroused. The pitiful whimpers curling around his ears kept triggering his instincts. A sadistic desire to keep hearing Iberis beg him welled up.

Sensing his own unusual state, Lucas slightly loosened his arms around Iberis. He wanted to continue, but Iberis seemed to be struggling too much, so it was better to stop here.

Pushing aside his reluctance, he brushed back Iberis’s black hair, disheveled from his thrashing. Then he noticed Iberis’s lips, darker than usual.

“Hng, hah…”

Lucas stared at the lips exhaling ragged breaths. Suddenly, he wondered what it would be like if Iberis called him “Lucas.” If those small lips called out his real name…

Gulp.

Lucas’s Adam’s apple bobbed visibly. The mere imagination made him feel good, but it was impossible. Once he achieved his planned revenge and returned to being Lucas Lowell Blake, there would be no need to stay in the Defense Force anymore.

Then Luke Illum would completely disappear from the world. And that meant with Iberis too…

Lucas paused as he thought of the inevitable parting. His heated mind cooled as if doused with cold water. He gritted his teeth, feeling an inexplicable irritation. For a moment, his vision turned bright red.

“Luke?”

Iberis looked at Lucas with puzzled eyes as his aura turned fierce. The next instant, an explosive burst of mana erupted from the body pressed against him.

“Argh!”

Iberis let out a cry that was almost a scream as waves of mana crashed violently into his body. An electrifying shudder ran up his spine to the top of his head. As the sensations intensified, even his hands gripping the broad shoulders lost strength.

“St-stop, Luke, ah, hic!”

Iberis’s entire body trembled like it was convulsing from the unbearable pleasure. He couldn’t understand why Lucas suddenly changed his mind when he seemed about to let go. He thrashed about like someone caught in rapids, then curled his fingertips. Lucas’s clothes crumpled with a crunching sound under Iberis’s desperately curled fingers.

“Ugh.”

Lucas winced as the nails digging into his back scratched him hard enough to tear the fabric. The pain rising from near his shoulder blades brought him back to his senses. He hurriedly reined in his mana and checked on Iberis.

“…Major?”

“Huff, gasp…”

As if too dazed to answer the voice calling him, Iberis breathed roughly. His head was spinning and his spine tingled. Even though Lucas’s mana influx had stopped, his body still twitched involuntarily.

“Are you alright?”

Lucas, having completely separated his body, stroked Iberis’s feverish face. Unlike his fierce mana assault moments ago, his touch was now as careful as if handling a fragile ice flower.

“Not, okay.”

Iberis collapsed onto the bed like a puppet with cut strings, sending Lucas a reproachful look while panting heavily.

“I told you, to stop… hah… I even called your name…”

“I’m sorry.”

Lucas apologized readily to the whining Iberis, wiping away the moisture—sweat or tears—from around his eyes. Seeing the tears pooling in those silver-gray eyes made him feel thirsty again. Swallowing dryly, Lucas answered in a low, husky voice.

“I got excited when you called my name.”

“Excited? Why?”

“Well… Because it felt good?”

“What kind of reason is that…”

Iberis made a deflating sound, his expression suggesting he’d heard something ridiculous.

“So from now on, always call me by my name even when no one else is around. So I don’t get excited like today.”

“Really now…”

Iberis shook his head at Lucas seizing the opportunity to request being called by name even in private. Then he buried his face in the soft pillow. His whole body felt sticky and he wanted to wash, but his eyelids were heavy. He felt lethargic, perhaps from receiving guiding before the fatigue from the battle had dissipated.

“Are you sleepy?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then take a nap.”

Realizing Iberis was drowsy, Lucas got up. They had about three or four hours to spare, so there was no rush to rest.

“Sleep again?”

“You only slept for 40 minutes earlier. It would be better to wash before sleeping, but…”

Lucas trailed off, looking Iberis over. His eyes suggested he was considering whether to take Iberis to the bathroom to wash.

“Just in case you’re thinking about it, don’t even consider dragging me to the bathroom to wash me.”

“…I wasn’t. I’ll bring a towel soaked in warm water, so you can at least wipe yourself down.”

Though he answered a beat late, contrary to expectations, Lucas didn’t try to force Iberis to wash. Living together had taught him that Iberis extremely disliked showing his naked body to others.

“Go wait in the living room while I clean up.”

Iberis took the wet towel Lucas brought and dismissed him.

“I’ll just turn around.”

Lucas obediently turned his back, as if he had expected this. As he heard rustling sounds from behind, he slowly clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly. Though he tried to act calm, Lucas was still aroused from the mana shower.

“Phew…”

Iberis sighed languidly after wiping his face, hands, and feet with the wet towel. Lying on the bed with a tired expression, he looked at Lucas, who was still standing with his back turned.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I’ll wash up first and then rest on the sofa in the living room.”

Iberis narrowed his eyes slightly at Lucas’s response that he would rest separately. After hesitating for a moment, he moved his lips.

“Together… um, never mind.”

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

Lucas easily guessed what Iberis was about to say. He turned around and sat on the edge of the bed, ready to lie down next to Iberis if he agreed.

“If you want, I’ll shower and come back to the bedroom. Your body temperature might drop a bit after washing, so it might be uncomfortable…”

“It’s fine. I’ll sleep alone, so you rest comfortably too.”

Feeling strange at Lucas’s soothing tone, Iberis pulled the blanket up abruptly. It felt like he was the one acting childish.

Feeling inexplicably embarrassed, he covered his face completely with the blanket. But when he didn’t sense Lucas leaving, he slowly lowered the blanket.

“Aren’t you leaving? Didn’t you say you were going to wash up?”

“I’ll leave after I see you fall asleep, Major.”

As Iberis peeked his face out from under the blanket, Lucas reached out to tidy his hair. Then he tried to cover Iberis’s eyes as if telling him to close them.

“…You try it too.”

Turning his head to avoid Lucas’s hand, Iberis met his eyes. Then he demanded abruptly.

“Try what?”

“Call my name.”

“Pardon?”

Lucas’s eyes widened at the unexpected request.

“It’s unfair that you always call me ‘Major’ while constantly asking me to call you by name.”

“For me to address you familiarly would clearly be insubordination, but…”

“It’s fine because I’m allowing it.”

Iberis glared at Lucas, seemingly annoyed by his unwillingness to yield. It was an impulsive request, but Lucas’s reluctance to call his name made Iberis oddly stubborn.

“It’s an order, so try it. My name.”

“Sigh…”

He didn’t expect this kind of sleep-deprived whim. Lucas let out a small sigh and showed an uncharacteristically troubled expression. Actually saying Iberis’s name made him strangely nervous.

“Hurry up.”

“Umm…”

Lucas hesitated at Iberis’s urging. Then his lips moved, and a somewhat awkward voice came out.

“…Ibe, ris.”

“Yes.”

“Iberis.”

“Yes, Luke.”

Finally getting what he wanted, Iberis answered with a satisfied expression. His gentle eyes curved softly, and his small lips drew a slight smile. His clear face regained some vitality.

But unlike Iberis, Lucas couldn’t smile. The moment he saw those lips curling into a fresh smile, like a flower blooming in spring sunlight after a long winter sleep, his heart skipped a beat. He sat still as if rooted to the spot until the satisfied Iberis slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep. His heart was beating so irregularly that he couldn’t take his eyes off Iberis’s sleeping face.

Beep…

As if his instinct was warning him that falling any deeper would be dangerous, a sharp ringing mixed in with the loud heartbeat echoing in his ears.