Letting go of the dark.

Adonis felt warmth beside him so he snuggled near it. 

A hand moved on his waist, holding it.

He opened his eyes and saw a broad bare chest.

The memories of several nights came storming in his head, making him blush.

His every bare skin being conscious of the embrace of another bare skin, making him hotter by every second.

Adonis tried turning around and hiding his face from the sleeping man but couldn't due to two reasons.

One, the embrace around his waist.

Two, the unmovable body.

This monster exerted every bit of his strength at night while remaining like a power house.

Magnus opened his eyes hazily and instantly a beautiful smile appeared on his face as he saw the beauty, covered in marks painted with his lips with puffy cheeks and pursed lips.

He leaned and kissed Adonis's forehead and then his lips.

Adonis snuggled into the embrace that was the safest sanctuary in the whole world.

Magnus snuggled into Adonis's neck.

"Duke."

No response.

"M-Magnus."

"Hmmm."

"We should wake up."

Magnus propped his hands and stared at his love below him, in all his glory.

He kissed him on his eyes one more time and sat up.

He carefully made Adonis sit up too.

"Are you okay?"

Adonis blushed and nodded his head.

Magnus chuckled and picked the beauty up.

Adonis widened his eyes and tried wiggling, but unfortunately couldn't.

"Where are you taking me? Put me down."

"To clean up, babe."

"I can walk."

"Why walk when your husband can carry you?"

Adonis blushed.

Magnus headed to the bathroom, chuckling.

"Mommyyyyyyyy."

Osiris ran down the hallway with teary eyes.

Adonis too walked and caught him in his embrace.

"Mommy."

Adonis patted his little angel on his back and said,"Was my baby scared?"

Osiris nodded his head.

"It's okay. Mommy is back. I won't leave you."

Osiris looked at Adonis with his pinky extended towards him.

Adonis smiled.

Magnus took Osiris in his arms and Adonis linked his own pinky with the little one's, making him smile.

The three of them went to the breakfast table.

Everyone asked Adonis about his well being, looking concerned.

Only after he assured them that he was good they looked relieved.

After having breakfast, Adonis went to meet his siblings who had come to meet him.

Juno hugged him and turned him around to look.

"Did that bastard put his hands on you? I'll add to his charges."

Adonis held her and said,"No, sister."

"Then, what's these on your neck? All these marks-"

Juno stopped midway after looking at his brother slowly turning as red as a tomato.

Holt cleared his throat and spoke.

"Please have some tea and refreshments."

All of them nodded and sat down at once, having the refreshment in one go.

Juno took out a letter with the Royal Seal on it and put it on the table.

Adonis looked at it.

"This is an invitation to the First Prince and Sister Isolde's trial."

She looked at Adonis hesitantly and asked,"You're going, right?"

Adonis looked at it for a while.

Tension in the room.

Adonis pushed the letter aside.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Adonis.

Adonis breathed and said,"I am not going."

"Are you sure-"

Adonis smiled at Mila and said,"I am sure I don't want to. I don't want to see them again. They have been the reason for the heaviness of my heart even when they weren't near me. But now, I want to make it light. I want to not be on edge or scared of someone. I want to be at peace. So I don't want to care about them. I want them to be neutral. Because that is the only way I can give real peace to myself. That is the best way I can treat myself. By not caring what happens to them."

Everyone looked at Adonis with their breath held.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to."

Everyone looked at Magnus who walked to Adonis, perfectly wrapped his hands around Adonis's waist.

They looked at each other and Adonis smiled beautifully.

The tears pooling in Juno's eyes fell down at the sight before her.

She smiled.

Holt looked at the people and his Duke.

What, What should be taken care of by him?

Even his Master's gesture in public.

"Duke, it is time for your appointment."

"Cancel it."

The professional smile on Holt's face disappeared quickly to be replaced by distressed.

Has his Master became one of those people who ignored all their duties for love?

He expected better.

Holt shook his head.

Juno spoke.

"You should probably go, Duke."

Magnus looked at Juno with his blank face.

Juno smiled and said,"We're also here to take our little Ado back to Arnall State."

Magnus tightened his arms around Adonis's waist and pulled him closer making all of the others want to laugh.

"It's custom."

Still black face.

"He shouldn't stay with you till the wedding."

Magnus shook his head.

Everyone laughed by covering their mouths.

Adonis held the hand on his waist and said,"It's custom. We cannot deny it, Duke."

Magnus looked at Adonis with the same blank face but Adonis could see those soft eyes.

"Please, Magnus."

Magnus's eyes slightly widened.

Adonis removed the hands from his waist and took them in their hands.

"I'll take Osiris with me. I promised him that I'm not going to leave him again."

Magnus tightened the hold of his hands.

"Just three days now."

Magnus took a deep breath and nodded.

Adonis turned towards Juno and said,"Give us some time sister. We'll go and bring Osiris."

Hold wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Juno smiled and nodded, making Adonis blush.

They went through the hallway, hands in hand.

Adonis was suddenly pulled back and trapped between a wall and a person in front of him.

Magnus let out a loud breath and put his head on the shoulder.

Adonis hugged the man tightly.

"I'll be back after three days-"

He cupped Magnus's face and said,"and be here, forever."

Adonis placed a soft kiss on Magnus's lips.

Magnus smiled into the softest, purest and most beautiful kiss.

They pulled back and smiled at each other.

"Let's go and get Osiris quickly."

"Ummm." 

Adonis was about to go when Magnus grabbed his hands.

Adonis looked back curiously at his man, behind him.

"I love you."

Adonis smiled.

"I love you so much."

Magnus opened and closed his mouth, time and again.

He finally spoke.

"I will miss-"

His mouth was sealed with the softest and sweetest lips in the world.

They looked at each other with the eyes filled with all the love in the world and smiled.