The days passed in a strange blur. Sea barely remembered how long he'd been at Boss's estate since the rescue—five days? A week?
Time didn't move right in this place.
Too quiet. Too grand. Too haunted.
Every hallway he walked through echoed with marble silence. Every night, he dreamt of muffled screams, gloved hands, ropes, and darkness.
But worst of all… he began to crave the only warmth that didn't hurt.
Boss.
It started slowly.
Sea found himself sitting in the living room, even when Boss wasn't there. He'd eat small meals, only if Boss made sure he watched him. He hated being alone now—even if the alternative was being near the man who tore the world apart to save him.
Because… despite everything…
He felt safe around Boss.
And that realization scared the hell out of him.
That evening, it rained.
Sea sat near the wide glass window, watching droplets trace paths down the smooth surface. He was wrapped in a blanket, his knees to his chest.
Behind him, Boss stood in silence. Watching.
Always watching.
"I know you hate me sometimes," Boss finally said, his voice rough, "but I never want you to be scared when I'm near."
Sea turned his head slightly, not meeting his eyes. "I'm not scared of you," he whispered.
Boss's brow twitched. "Then what are you scared of?"
Sea exhaled. "Of what I'm becoming."
Boss moved closer and knelt in front of him. "Tell me."
Sea stared at him. "I should hate you. After everything. After the pain. The control. The chaos you bring." His voice trembled. "But I feel… safe with you. That's not normal."
Boss reached up, slow and careful, brushing a strand of hair from Sea's face. "Maybe nothing about us will ever be normal," he murmured. "But it doesn't mean it's wrong."
Sea's chest rose and fell unevenly.
Their faces were close now. Too close.
"You shouldn't want someone like me," Sea whispered.
Boss's eyes darkened. "But I do. I want only you. Broken. Shaking. Confused. I want all of it."
Sea should've pulled back. But he didn't.
Their lips met—slowly, painfully, like two fractured souls trying to fit.
It wasn't lust this time.
It wasn't heat.
It was a silent scream. A desperate need to feel anything that didn't hurt.
The kiss deepened, and Sea's fingers gripped Boss's shirt, his eyes shut tight. Boss held him like he was scared Sea would vanish again.
Their bodies didn't move past that kiss… not yet.
But the line had been crossed.
The bond sealed tighter.
Sea knew… no matter what happened next—he could never truly escape Boss.
Not anymore.
---
To be continued