The air grew electric as Lucas leaned closer, his breath ghosting over Dimitri's ear, igniting a fire under his skin. The cold detachment in Lucas's eyes softened ever so slightly as his lips brushed the shell of Dimitri's ear.
"Tell me," Lucas whispered, his voice low and teasing, "is this what you wanted?"
Dimitri shivered as Lucas's hand, once firmly gripping his waist, began to drift downward, his fingers grazing the curve of Dimitri's hip with an almost painful slowness. The tension in the room tightened like a noose, leaving Dimitri breathless as Lucas's touch lingered, his palm moving deliberately lower until it rested just above Dimitri's groin.
Dimitri's lips parted, a sharp intake of breath betraying the war raging within him. He wanted to recoil, to resist the overwhelming intimacy Lucas wielded like a weapon, but his body betrayed him. Lucas's touch was fire and ice, teasing, commanding, stripping him of any pretense.
"Look at you," Lucas murmured, his voice a velvet caress that wrapped around Dimitri's fraying composure. "So desperate to pretend you don't need this, but your body knows better."
Dimitri's reflection burned in the mirror, his flushed face and wide eyes a stark contrast to Lucas's calm and calculated demeanor. Lucas's fingers pressed slightly harder, drawing a shuddering gasp from Dimitri as the faintest stir of arousal began to betray him.
"Don't fight it," Lucas whispered against his ear, his lips brushing against his skin before lightly nibbling it. His free hand slid upward, trailing along Dimitri's chest, the weight of Lucas's presence pinning him in place.
Dimitri clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he struggled to hold on to whatever shred of dignity he had left. But Lucas's touch was relentless, his hand now hovering just over Dimitri's growing arousal, the pressure light enough to tease yet firm enough to make Dimitri's knees weak.
"You're trembling," Lucas said with a low chuckle, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "How far will you let me go, Dimitri? Or are you hoping I'll stop before you completely unravel?"
Dimitri closed his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps, every nerve in his body alight with a mix of shame and desire. But Lucas wasn't about to let him escape.
"Look at me," Lucas commanded softly, his fingers brushing over the growing heat beneath Dimitri's waistband. "Don't close your eyes. Watch yourself give in."
Dimitri's eyes snapped open, meeting his own reflection in the mirror. The man staring back at him looked unrecognizable—flushed, vulnerable, exposed in a way that Lucas seemed to take a sadistic pleasure in creating. Lucas's smirk deepened as he finally let his hand dip lower ,sliding into Dimitri's pants and grazing over Dimitri's arousal with deliberate intent.
Dimitri gasped sharply, his body jolting as his resolve began to crumble completely. Lucas's touch lingered, a mixture of torment and temptation that left Dimitri teetering on the edge of surrender.
Dimitri's pulse thundered, every nerve in his body screaming to either escape or fall completely into Lucas's grip. He forced himself to swallow, to steady his voice, though it came out as little more than a strained whisper. "I'd go as far as you'd let me." His gaze dropped, fingers twitching, that obsessive edge gleaming in his eyes as he looked back up to the mirror.
Lucas tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in the icy depths of his eyes as he regarded Dimitri and slowly took out his hand.
"Is that why you killed your aunt."
Dimitri's body went rigid, his breath catching as Lucas's words sliced through the air like a blade. His mouth opened, but no sound came out, only a shallow, strangled gasp. The confession he'd been holding back was nothing like this—this was something he'd buried deep, something he'd never meant for Lucas to find out,but today everything he kept hidden was being revealed.
Lucas's gaze held his in the mirror, unwavering, probing with an almost predatory patience. The room felt smaller, the walls pressing in around him, the weight of his guilt growing unbearable under that icy stare. He wanted to turn away, to hide, but Lucas's grip on his waist was unyielding, keeping him anchored in place.
"I—" Dimitri stammered, his voice thin and hollow. The memory clawed its way up, unbidden, haunting. He could still feel the cold, calculated steps he'd taken, the distance he'd put between himself and his own actions, a thin thread he'd hoped would never fray.
Lucas's lips twisted into a dark smile, his fingers tracing up Dimitri's side with deliberate slowness. "You're just full of surprises aren't you?" he whispered, his tone dripping with fascination. "Was it worth it? Did you enjoy taking her life?" The question was almost gentle, yet it held a lethal edge.
Dimitri's pulse raced, his skin prickling under Lucas's touch, his mind spiraling.The words echoed hollowly within him, stirring something raw and aching that he'd tried so hard to bury. He didn't want to answer, didn't want to dig up the reasons, the twisted motivations. But he could feel Lucas's demand, pressing on him, daring him to reveal more.
"Yes," he admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper. It was a confession and a surrender, an admission of the darkness he'd tried so desperately to conceal. His eyes met Lucas's in the mirror, the weight of his own guilt mirrored in Lucas's chilling curiosity.
Lucas's smile deepened, a wicked glint in his eye as he pulled Dimitri closer, pressing his lips near his ear. "Then maybe," he murmured, his voice like silk over steel, "there's hope for you yet."
Dimitri's eyes widened at Lucas's words, a glimmer of disbelief mixed with a strange, inexplicable happiness. It was fleeting and twisted, but for a moment, he felt seen, like Lucas had peered into the darkest part of him and hadn't looked away. Instead, Lucas seemed almost... amused like taking a life was something trivial.
Dimitri took a slow, deliberate breath, masking the dark satisfaction that threatened to surface. His voice was steady but cold, the weight of his actions apparent in every word. "I knew she was scared of me. I saw it in her eyes, the way she flinched, the way she tried to turn you against me. But to take it that far—carrying evidence to the police? Trying to separate us?" His lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. "That was enough for me to see red."
He leaned forward, his grip tightening on the edge of the table, knuckles white. "I'm young, yes. Too young to rot in a cell, don't you think? Sure, I've done things—broken into places, taken what wasn't mine, roughed up a few people who probably had it coming. Maybe even worse, but who's keeping count? Nothing worth losing my freedom over." His tone was eerily casual, as though listing off mundane errands rather than crimes and Lucas didn't want to admit it but it was funny seeing this side of Dimitri.
"But her? She wanted to make it all come crashing down. I couldn't let her do that. And besides, you didn't want Kane around anymore, so pinning her death on him? It just… fit." Dimitri's expression darkened, a flicker of malice in his eyes. "I shot her. Just like I did Kane. And his men took care of the rest." He leaned back, his voice calm, almost detached. "It wasn't personal. It was necessary."
Lucas didn't react immediately. His expression remained cold, unreadable, as Dimitri's words settled in the air like a heavy fog. He stood still for a moment, as though weighing the significance of the confession. Then, without a word, he tilted his head, his icy blue eyes meeting Dimitri's reflection in the mirror. "Kane," he muttered, the name slipping from his lips like it carried no more weight than a passing thought. "He was useful… for a time." His tone was detached, emotionless. "But I don't care about him. Not anymore."
As Dimitri's tension hung in the silence, Lucas moved, wrapping his arms around Dimitri's waist. He buried his face in the crook of Dimitri's neck, the warmth of his breath brushing against his skin. His lips barely moved as he spoke, his voice soft but laced with something unsettling. "You did the right thing. No one comes between us. Not Kane. Not her. No one."
Lucas's gaze flickered to the mirror again, his lips curving into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. His hands tightened slightly around Dimitri's waist, a quiet reassurance—or perhaps a warning. "It's just you and me now."
Dimitri's shoulders seemed to loosen as he spoke, as though the weight he carried was finally lifting. His voice, once uncertain, grew steadier, more resolute. "I was never really related to her," he murmured again, the bitterness in his tone deepening. "She wasn't family. She was just... a tool. A hired hand to keep me in check, to report back every time I stepped out of line."
Lucas tilted his head slightly, his interest evident as his piercing gaze met Dimitri's reflection in the mirror. His silence was deliberate, coaxing Dimitri to continue unraveling the tangled threads of his story.
"She wasn't here for my sake," Dimitri pressed on, his hands clenching into fists. "She was here for them. My family. She was terrified of me, sure, but she was more afraid of what they'd do if she failed. To her, to me, it didn't matter. She thought she could control me… but she didn't understand."
Lucas let out a faint hum of interest, his lips quirking into a faint smirk. "She underestimated you."
Dimitri nodded, the faintest flicker of a grin crossing his face, bitter but triumphant. "They all did. From the moment they sent me here, it was clear—they didn't care about me. They only cared about what I might become. My father's enemies would have killed for the chance to use me against him. And my family... they just wanted me out of sight. Too dangerous to let free, but too valuable to destroy."
His voice cracked, but only for a moment. "So they sent me to this town. Dumped me in their picture-perfect cage and expected me to stay quiet, to behave." He scoffed, his laugh devoid of humor. "She thought she was protecting me, or at least keeping me from turning into what they feared. But all she did was make it easier for me to see what I had to do."
Dimitri's throat tightened. The bitterness in his voice was razor-sharp, cutting through the space between them. "They thought I'd fall in line. That eventually, I'd accept it. Believe I was 'safe.'" He let out a hollow laugh, one that held no joy, only emptiness. "But she... she underestimated me. They all did."
Lucas's eyes flashed with intrigue, a quiet fire igniting within them. He leaned closer, captivated by the rawness in Dimitri's confession.
Dimitri glanced back at him, a shadow of a defiant smile breaking through his stoic facade. "Maybe that's the only thing they ever got right."
Lucas leaned forward slightly as he watched Dimitri with a calculating stare. The room was thick with tension, the confession still lingering like a ghost between them. He hadn't expected this—hadn't expected the rawness of Dimitri's words, the brutal honesty laced with defiance. But it wasn't just the truth that unnerved him; it was the way Dimitri was, broken yet unyielding, offering himself as if seeking either judgment or absolution.
For a moment, Lucas didn't move. His fingers curled slightly against his thighs, his nails digging into the fabric of his pants as he studied the man before him.
"You're a mess," Lucas finally murmured, his voice low and smooth, laced with something unreadable.
Lucas had finally pulled away from Dimitri, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. His gaze remained fixed on Dimitri, silent, but filled with an unsettling intensity. He had come here to confront him, to determine whether what that woman had said about Dimitri—whether he had killed his aunt—were true. But now, as Dimitri's painful confession spilled out, Lucas realized that what he had expected wasn't what he felt. There was no satisfaction in learning the truth. Instead, a strange weight settled over him, the gravity of Dimitri's vulnerability pulling at him in unexpected ways.
Dimitri stood frozen for a moment, his breath shallow as Lucas shifted on the edge of the bed. The faint creak of the mattress filled the heavy silence as Lucas leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed but commanding. He spread his legs, the motion deliberate, exuding an effortless confidence that demanded attention. His blue eyes, sharp and piercing, locked onto Dimitri's, a silent invitation laced with an unspoken challenge. With a slow, almost teasing pat on his thigh, Lucas signaled him to come closer.
Dimitri's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of that simple gesture crashing into him like a wave. His knees felt weak as he hesitated, searching Lucas's face for a hint of softness, of reassurance. There was none. Only that hauntingly calm, dangerously alluring expression. Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground, his movements almost reverent, as if compelled by an invisible force.
He crawled forward, his palms pressing into the floor as his gaze never wavered from Lucas. There was something magnetic about the way Lucas sat there, legs spread, his dark hair slightly disheveled, and his lips curled into the faintest hint of a smirk. The dim light caught the sharp angles of his face, highlighting the dangerous beauty that had always both terrified and captivated Dimitri.
As he reached Lucas, Dimitri hesitated again, his hands trembling slightly as he placed them on Lucas's thighs. The fabric of his pants on Lucaspants was smooth under his fingertip. Slowly, Dimitri lowered his head, his breath hitching as he rested it against Lucas's thigh. The position felt unnatural, submissive, but he didn't care. He closed his eyes, the scent of Lucas surrounding him, grounding him in a way he couldn't explain.
Lucas didn't immediately respond, but after a long, drawn-out pause, his fingers slid into Dimitri's hair, threading through the dark strands in a slow, almost deliberate motion. Dimitri's breath caught in his throat as Lucas's fingers moved through his hair, the touch neither gentle nor harsh, but possessive. Lucas wasn't just touching him—he was claiming him, reaffirming that Dimitri was his. Dimitri leaned into the touch, closing his eyes as if Lucas's fingers were the only thing keeping him tethered to the world.
"I'm yours," Dimitri whispered, his voice fragile but resolute as he repeated the same phrase he loved to tell Lucas. "I'll do whatever you want. You can do anything to me... I don't care. I'm yours."
Lucas paused, his fingers stilling in Dimitri's hair for just a moment. The words didn't need to be repeated, but hearing them left a strange satisfaction curling inside him. Dimitri's surrender, his complete devotion, fed something dark within Lucas. A twisted sense of power that left him intoxicated.
Dimitri looked up at him then, his big brown eyes wide, filled with something almost like hope—desperate, needy hope. The vulnerability in those eyes, the way he clung to Lucas, even in his own brokenness, left Lucas with a strange sensation deep in his chest. It wasn't pity. It was something darker, a quiet thrill that pulsed through him.
Lucas's lips twisted into a smirk, a glint of darkness in his eyes as he looked down at Dimitri. He stroked Dimitri's face with the back of his hand, his fingers lingering just a little too long, as if savoring the feeling of ownership. Then, with a quick, possessive movement, he tugged Dimitri's hair back, forcing his head up. Dimitri's breath hitched in response, but he didn't fight it—he let Lucas control the movement. His chest heaved with a quiet anticipation.
"You never had to tell me that," Lucas murmured, his voice laced with both affection and a darker edge. He leaned in, lips brushing the top of Dimitri's head, a soft kiss placed there as if to seal his words. "You've always been mine to do with as I please."
Dimitri shivered under the words, his heart racing. Despite the pain, despite the torment, he found comfort in Lucas's cruelty—he always had. It was the only thing that kept him grounded in the chaos of his own existence. And in this moment, with Lucas's hand still gripping his hair tightly, Dimitri knew that, for all his suffering, he would never want it any other way.
For a moment, Dimitri hesitated, as though the words were clawing their way up from somewhere deep, a place he'd long kept buried. His eyes fluttered closed, and Lucas's fingers continued to move rhythmically through his hair, a silent anchor in the storm of memories.
"My father… Viktor Moretti," Dimitri began, his voice raw, laced with venom. "People speak his name in hushed tones, like saying it too loud will summon him. It's as if the very mention of him can bend the air around you, make the walls close in." He let out a slow, bitter breath. "He was always there, but never truly present. His love was more an obligation, a duty he didn't care to fulfill. When I was born, I wasn't a son. I was a piece on his chessboard. A pawn to be moved when it suited him."
Dimitri fell quiet for a moment, his fingers gripping Lucas's thigh with a desperation he couldn't quite mask. His eyes stayed shut, drawing strength from Lucas's unspoken support.
"He had a way of making you feel seen," Dimitri continued, the words coming out like a whisper laced with poison, "but only in the worst way. Every glance, every word from him was a reminder that I was nothing more than his tool. A thing to be used when he needed it." His voice cracked with bitterness as he spoke. "I grew up in his shadow, terrified of making even the smallest mistake. And when I did? When I slipped? He'd look at me like I was a disappointment. A weak link that couldn't even meet his expectations."
Dimitri's gaze darkened as he spoke, the flicker of rage behind his eyes unmistakable. He swallowed hard, a tight, almost imperceptible smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Tobias—my brother—he was the golden child. The heir. From the start, Viktor molded him for it. He played the game with all the precision of someone born into it. Obedient, cold, ruthless—everything my father wanted. Tobias was always the one Viktor counted on to take over."
Dimitri's chuckle was dark, devoid of humor. "But me? I was the outcast. The failure. I didn't fit into their world of rules and control. I didn't bow to Viktor's commands, not like Tobias did. And for that? My father saw me as a liability. A weakness in the bloodline that either needed to be shaped or erased."
He leaned in, his voice lowering to a near growl. "And then there's my stepmother. She's as dangerous as they come. She hides behind a mask of grace, a picture-perfect wife to Viktor, but beneath that? She's nothing but a snake. She's terrified that I'll challenge her precious Tobias for his place at Viktor's side. She'd rather see me destroyed than allow me even a sliver of power."
Dimitri's hand tightened around Lucas's leg, as if the physical contact were the only thing keeping him from slipping fully into the dark recesses of his mind. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "She's always feared me. Feared what I could become. Feared that, like Viktor, I might turn out to be even more dangerous than they ever imagined. But the truth? They made me this way. They all did. The hatred, the anger, the ruthlessness they see in me now? It's all their fault. They built the monster they fear."
Dimitri's eyes flickered up to meet Lucas's, and though his lips curled into a twisted smirk, there was no warmth in his gaze. "I learned from the best, after all."
He paused, letting the words settle in the silence between them, before adding, "And when the time comes, Lucas... I'll take what's mine. The empire they built? It'll be ours. Everything they ever wanted, we'll take. Together."
Lucas's hand continued its rhythmic movement, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken bond between them. Dimitri's words hung heavy in the air, a quiet promise of what was to come. The foundations of something far darker were being laid, and neither of them could see the full extent of it yet. But Dimitri's ambition was clear now. He wasn't just waiting to be molded anymore—he was preparing to take control.
As Dimitri spoke, Lucas's mind began to race, his thoughts twisting in strange, violent directions. At first, he couldn't fully grasp what Dimitri was describing—his father, Viktor, and the way they seemed to treat him like a mere pawn. But as the words kept spilling from Dimitri's lips, a horrifying image began to take shape in Lucas's mind. A big company? A massive, influential gang? A family, perhaps, all tangled up in a dark game of power. He couldn't tell what it was exactly, but what he did know was that Dimitri had been mistreated—forced to play by rules he didn't create, crushed by people who should have cared for him.
It didn't matter what they were, what this "game" was—they were all enemies. Enemies who dared to break Dimitri, and for that, they had to be destroyed. The sheer injustice of it made Lucas's chest tighten with an unfamiliar, possessive rage. Dimitri had been treated like an object, something to be used and discarded. No one had the right to do that, not to Dimitri. Not to his Dimitri.
Lucas's jaw tightened as Dimitri's words replayed in his mind, each one hitting him like a blow. The thought of the Moretti family—the cold, calculated cruelty of his father, the indifference of his stepmother, the arrogance of Tobias—stirred something dark within him. His anger simmered, growing into a violent storm. His fist clenched, nails biting into his palms, but his other hand had a different target. Without realizing it, his fingers tangled in Dimitri's hair, gripping so tightly that Dimitri let out a soft, involuntary whimper of pain.
Lucas froze, the sound snapping him out of his spiraling thoughts. He glanced down and saw Dimitri's face tilt up slightly, his expression a strange mix of discomfort and something else entirely. Dimitri's lips curved into a small, strained smile, his eyes glimmering with an emotion Lucas couldn't quite place.
"I—I'm fine," Dimitri stammered, though his voice quivered, betraying the truth. The smile remained, shaky but genuine, as if he was trying to reassure Lucas. As if the pain didn't matter—only Lucas's reaction did.
But Lucas wasn't convinced. His hand loosened, the tension leaving his grip, though his fingers stayed tangled in Dimitri's hair. His eyes darkened, a storm of guilt and rage swirling within them. "Why are you smiling?" he demanded, his voice low but razor-sharp, cutting through the fragile atmosphere between them.
Dimitri's smile widened, though his teeth scraped against his lower lip nervously. "Because... you're angry for me," he whispered, the admission carrying a weight that surprised even him. "No one's ever been angry for me before. Not like this."
Lucas stared at him, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He felt the anger surge again, but this time, it wasn't directed outward—it was at himself, at the way he'd hurt Dimitri without meaning to. He pulled Dimitri closer, forcing the boy to rest his forehead against his thigh again.
"Don't smile when I hurt you," Lucas murmured, his voice low and rough, though the way his fingers began to stroke Dimitri's hair was almost tender. "Don't do that. I don't like it."
Dimitri blinked, his smile softening into something more genuine, something full of understanding. "You're always so cruel," he teased lightly, though there was no malice in his tone. "But you care more than you want to admit."
Lucas's hand tightened in Dimitri's hair again, this time with deliberate force, yanking him up to his knees. Dimitri barely had time to gasp before Lucas's other hand gripped his arm, pulling him up to his feet. The sudden movement left Dimitri momentarily breathless, his wide eyes locked on Lucas's as if searching for a reason, a signal for what would come next. But Lucas gave none, his gaze sharp and unyielding as he pushed Dimitri backward with an ease that made the gesture feel natural, inevitable.
Dimitri landed on the bed with a soft thud, his body sinking into the mattress. Before he could fully register what had just happened, Lucas moved with a predator's grace, slipping onto the bed beside him, his weight making the mattress dip slightly. The room was silent except for their uneven breaths, the air between them thick with tension that seemed to pulse in time with their racing hearts.
Dimitri turned his head slightly, his hair falling messily over his forehead as his eyes met Lucas's.
They lay there for a moment, side by side but worlds apart, until Dimitri finally broke the silence with a soft exhale. His lips quirked into a faint smile, though his voice trembled. "You're not very gentle, are you?"
Lucas's lips curled into a smirk, the faintest flicker of amusement breaking through his intense expression. "You don't seem to mind," he murmured, his voice low, a quiet challenge lingering in the words.
Lucas's voice dropped into a low, menacing murmur, his lips curling into a cruel smirk as he let the words spill from his mouth. "Do you know what I think about sometimes, Dimitri?" he asked, his tone disturbingly calm, almost teasing. "I think about what it would be like to kill you."
The confession hung in the air, suffocating and heavy, yet Lucas didn't falter. If anything, his grip on Dimitri tightened, his fingers pressing into his skin with just enough force to blur the line between pain and possession. "I imagine it all the time," Lucas continued, his words dripping with sinister delight. "How easy it would be to destroy you. To watch the light leave your eyes, to feel you slip away... by my hand."
Dimitri's breath hitched, his body stiffening beneath Lucas's predatory gaze. Yet, he didn't pull away. If anything, he seemed rooted in place, as if tethered to Lucas by some invisible, unbreakable chain.
"But then," Lucas said, his voice dark and venomous, "the thought of never seeing that radiance in your eyes again angers me but what makes me even more furious is anyone else even laying a finger on you—hurting you, touching you—makes my blood boil." His jaw clenched, and his eyes flared with a dangerous intensity. "They don't get to kill you. They don't get to break you. That's mine. Only mine."
His hand shot out, grabbing Dimitri's chin with a force that made Dimitri wince. Lucas leaned in closer, his breath hot against Dimitri's trembling lips. "And do you know the worst part?" he whispered, his voice soft yet laced with menace. "I don't think I'd ever let you go. Even if I did kill you... I'd keep you. Every piece of you."
Dimitri shuddered, the twisted confession wrapping around him like a suffocating embrace. And yet, when Lucas pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, Dimitri didn't resist. His lips curved into a faint, almost broken smile. "I know," Dimitri whispered, his voice shaking but resolute. "I know you'd never let me go."
Dimitri's eyes burned with an almost feverish intensity as he stared at Lucas, his breath shallow and uneven. He couldn't quite control the frantic pulse of his heart as he pressed closer, needing to hear the words that would seal them together, that would make sure Lucas would never leave him. "Promise me you won't leave me," Dimitri whispered, voice shaking with a mix of desperation and hope.
Lucas remained still, his eyes dark, unreadable, like an abyss that didn't care about the pleas of others. Dimitri held his breath, waiting for something, anything—a flicker of assurance. But when no answer came, an icy knot of fear twisted in Dimitri's stomach. His grip on Lucas's arm tightened, and he repeated the question, this time with even more urgency, "Promise me, Lucas. Please. Promise me you won't leave."
For a long moment, the silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Lucas's gaze never wavered, his features hard and cold as he stared down at Dimitri, the murderous glint in his eyes speaking volumes. Dimitri flinched, bracing himself for an answer that might shatter him. But then, after what felt like an eternity, Lucas spoke.
"Yes."
It was a simple word, but the way it came from his lips—so calm, so terrifying in its finality—made Dimitri feel both relieved and more captive than ever. His breath hitched, his whole body shuddering with the realization that Lucas had given him that promise. But even as the fear ebbed away, something darker began to grow inside Dimitri, something twisted.
Dimitri's thoughts twisted, dark and possessive, as Lucas spoke. The words were just a starting point, the spark that ignited a fire within him. He imagined locking Lucas away, keeping him hidden in his house in the woods, where no one could find him. He could break his legs, make him completely dependent, so he would have no choice but to stay. The thought was intoxicating. The more he thought about it, the more his hands itched to act, to control, to claim Lucas in ways that no one else could. He had to keep him.
Dimitri's mind raced through scenarios—his heart pounding with excitement at the thought of Lucas trapped, his every move watched, his every breath controlled. No one would take him away. No one would ever dare. Dimitri would make sure of it.
He was lost in his fantasies, consumed by the idea of keeping Lucas all to himself, until Lucas's voice broke through the haze of his thoughts.
Lucas, sensing the change in Dimitri's energy, tilted his head, studying him. "Would you do anything to make sure I keep that promise?" His voice dropped into a low, dangerous whisper, sending a shiver down Dimitri's spine.
Dimitri swallowed, his lips trembling slightly as his heart pounded in his chest. There was no hesitation in his answer, only the unshakeable pull of his own dark desires. "Yes," he said, the word almost breathless. "Anything."
Lucas's heart pounded violently in his chest, the words he'd just spoken echoing in the oppressive silence. The room felt suffocating, as if the air itself was heavy with what he was going to reveal. He'd never dare to voice the darkness festering inside him, never allowed the monster lurking beneath his skin to speak. But now, in front of Dimitri, he wanted to confess all his dark urges aloud, as if the truth had been clawing to get out, to be acknowledged.
A twisted smile curled on Lucas's lips, its usual coldness turning into something darker, something more honest. But even that smile faltered, the weight of his own words anchoring him in a place he had never been before. He had always controlled the darkness, kept it hidden under layers of masks and pretenses. But now, as Dimitri's gaze pierced through him, he felt exposed, stripped bare in ways that terrified him.
The silence stretched long between them, thick with unspoken understanding. Dimitri's eyes were locked on Lucas, unblinking, as though he could see straight through to the very core of him. He didn't flinch, didn't show fear. If anything, there was something almost hungry in his gaze. It made Lucas feel small and big at once—small for being seen, big for daring to say the truth aloud.
"Even if I killed other people?" Lucas's voice dropped even lower, the question more of a dark musing than anything else. His eyes flickered briefly to the floor, as if ashamed to meet Dimitri's gaze. "Not in self-defense. Not for protection… but because I wanted to. Because I wanted to see them suffer. To see their bodies twisted, displayed like trophies. To keep them, to break them." His fingers curled into fists, nails digging into the skin of his palm as if to ground himself. "Would you help me, Dimitri? Would you stand by my side as I do it?"
The words hung in the air, tainted with the scent of madness, waiting for Dimitri's response. There was no doubt in Lucas's mind that he would carry out these fantasies. He had already started. His heart quickened at the thought. He wasn't a person anymore—he was becoming something else, something darker, a predator in a world that had never seen him for what he truly was.
And Dimitri? Dimitri was the only one who could truly understand. He had always been on the edge, teetering between love and obsession, and Lucas was about to drag him even deeper into the abyss.
The room felt colder now, as if the walls themselves were closing in, the darkness growing thicker as Lucas waited for Dimitri's answer. Would he accept him? Would he embrace the twisted future Lucas envisioned, a future where their every action, their every move, would be one of destruction? Would Dimitri be his partner in crime, his accomplice in the darkest of deeds? Or would he flee from the monster Lucas was becoming?
Dimitri's expression shifted, the obsession in his eyes ebbing into something more dangerous, more complex. His lips parted slightly as he moved closer, so close now that Lucas could feel the heat radiating off him. For the first time, Lucas's heart raced, not out of fear or anxiety, but something else—something he tried to deny when he felt it for the first time. Dimitri's presence was magnetic, almost suffocating. He was no longer the timid, hesitant boy Lucas had once known.
"You—" Dimitri's voice was soft, almost teasing, as though testing the waters. "You think I'm that weak? That easily turned?" His lips twitched, a smirk threatening to break through his calm demeanor. There was no hesitation in his words, no fear. It was like he had been waiting for this moment all along.
Lucas's chest tightened, the tension building inside him. He wanted Dimitri to be disgusted, to recoil in horror. He wanted him to run, to scream ,so he could have a reason to stop the warm feeling in his chest. But instead, Dimitri had come closer, not backing away from the darkness Lucas had confessed to. He had leaned in, embracing it. That was what Lucas craved but didn't dare admit: Dimitri's acceptance. Validation. And in that moment, Dimitri gave him exactly that.
Dimitri's hand reached up, his fingers brushing Lucas's jaw, the touch gentle yet firm, a silent command to stay in the moment. "I'm not afraid of you," he whispered, his voice low but sure, sending a jolt of heat through Lucas's veins. "I never was. And you're not as lost as you think."
Lucas's throat tightened, the words sinking into him like a drug. His breath caught, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. What did that mean? What did Dimitri mean by that?
Before he could ask, Dimitri leaned in, his lips hovering just beside Lucas's ear. Lucas could feel the faint tremble in Dimitri's breath, his excitement. He wasn't afraid. He was excited.
"It means," Dimitri whispered, "I'll help you. Not because I'm afraid of what you'll do. But because... I know what you are, Lucas. And for some twisted reason... I love you for it."
The words hung in the air, thick with unspoken promises, a darkness they both shared now, like a secret pact. Lucas couldn't suppress the twisted thrill that coursed through him, the satisfaction of knowing that Dimitri understood. That Dimitri wanted this, wanted him, even if it meant becoming something they could never come back from.
There was no hesitation in Dimitri's voice, no revulsion in his eyes. He wasn't like everyone else. He wasn't scared. And for Lucas, that was all he needed.
"I've always known, Lucas," Dimitri continued, his voice steady, his gaze unwavering, "we're both monsters. But together... we'll be unstoppable."
Lucas's lips curled into a smile, sharp and dangerous. He didn't have to hide anymore. Dimitri was the one person who could understand him, who could stand by his side as they sank further into the darkness. They weren't broken. They were perfect. A pair of monsters, bound together in a world that would never understand them.
"Good," Lucas whispered, his voice low, cold. "Then let's make sure they never forget us."
For the first time in a long while, Lucas felt a deep, undeniable pull in his chest, a strange ache that made him want to hold on, to keep this feeling. To hold onto Dimitri. But he didn't know if it was love. He didn't know what it was.
But Dimitri's presence, his touch, his words… they were enough to make Lucas believe in something. Something he didn't understand. Something real. For the first time, Lucas wasn't just the monster in the shadows. He was... someone to Dimitri.
And that terrified him more than anything else.
The promise lingered between them like a breath held too long—heavy, raw, and unbreakable. Lucas let out a shaky exhale, the walls around him crumbling just enough for Dimitri to see the broken pieces inside.
"I'll never leave you, either," Lucas muttered, his voice barely audible, but honest in a way he didn't know he was capable of.
Lucas's smile deepened, revealing his straight, white teeth, so perfect, so alluring, that it sent a sudden flush through Dimitri. It was a smile that should've been chilling, yet in that moment, it was soft, almost tender—a fleeting glimpse of the boy beneath the madness. Dimitri couldn't look away, his chest tightening as Lucas's eyes met his, filled with something that wasn't just darkness. It was something raw, something that made Dimitri feel like maybe, just maybe, Lucas wasn't as far gone as he believed.
In that instant, Dimitri realized it—Lucas wasn't just letting him see this side of himself; he was trusting him. The weight of that trust crashed into Dimitri like a wave, and for the first time, he wasn't afraid. He wasn't scared of the monster Lucas could be, because for all the darkness that wrapped around them, Dimitri saw something else there, something softer, something broken and searching for acceptance.
The room was silent except for the ragged breaths they shared, and Dimitri, without thinking, leaned in, the magnetic pull of Lucas too much to resist. His lips hovered just an inch from Lucas's, and for a second, he hesitated. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many words he didn't know how to speak. But in the end, it was enough just to be here, with Lucas, in this moment.
Lucas's eyes flickered with that familiar wicked gleam, a smile curling on his lips as if he knew exactly what Dimitri was feeling.
Dimitri closed the distance, his lips meeting Lucas's in a kiss that was soft and tentative, but electric in its intensity. It was everything Dimitri had never allowed himself to imagine, and yet, it was exactly what he needed. His heart hammered in his chest, a wild, unsteady rhythm, as he tasted Lucas for the first time—sweet, familiar, and so terribly, wonderfully Lucas.
Lucas's eyes fluttered closed, a shiver running through him, and for a moment, he forgot the world. His hand reached up, gently cupping Dimitri's face, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. Dimitri, trembling in Lucas's embrace, responded without hesitation, his hands instinctively finding their way into Lucas's hair, pressing him even closer.
For the briefest moment, Lucas felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: needed. The walls around his heart cracked, just a little, and that same strange warmth unfurled deep inside him. He pulled back slightly, his lips curling into a genuine smile, his eyes glimmering with something beyond cruelty—something fragile, something human.
Dimitri, with a flush on his face, looked up at him, his breath shallow, but there was no fear in his eyes—only a longing, a raw desire to know everything about this boy who had somehow captured his heart.
Before Lucas could speak, before he could let the moment slip back into the dark place it always had to return to, Dimitri leaned in again, his lips brushing against Lucas's cheek, tasting the salt of the tears that had welled up without warning. It was strange—Lucas, the one who had never allowed anyone to see the cracks in his armor, was now here, with Dimitri, letting him in. And Dimitri kissed the tear away like it was the most precious thing he'd ever touched, his lips lingering there for a moment longer, as if trying to inhale all of Lucas—every part of him, every piece of his darkness, his pain, his beauty.
He kissed Lucas's other cheek, his hand gently cradling Lucas's face, as if he was holding something delicate—fragile. His thumb brushed over Lucas's lips, so soft, so careful, as though he were memorizing the sensation of this kiss, this moment that had shattered everything they thought they knew about themselves.
"I'm not going anywhere, Lucas," Dimitri whispered against his skin, his voice barely audible, as if he were afraid the words might break the spell. "I'm yours. Always."
Lucas's heart skipped a beat, the words sinking into him like a vow, a promise he hadn't realized he needed to hear. Dimitri, with all his imperfections, his obsession, his twisted love—he understood. He wasn't running away.
Lucas kissed him back then, his lips soft but hungry, pulling Dimitri closer, pressing their bodies together. For once, the monster inside him quieted, and the only thing left was the boy in his arms—Dimitri. And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he thought.