Dante quietly closed the door behind him as they entered his secret appartment. The muted click of the lock echoed briefly in the space.
When he turned around, Helios was already standing in the middle of the room. With complete composure, he slid the heavy coat from his shoulders, the fabric falling to the floor with a dull thud. Immediately after came his battered turtleneck sweater, its fabric in places still stiff with dried blood.
His white skin was still flawless. Apart from the dried blood on his body, he looked as though nothing had ever happened.
"I really have nothing against blood, but when it's dried, the stuff is just downright annoying. I can't wait until we get fresh clothes," he muttered irritably. A mischievous grin played about his lips as he looked at Dante. "Not that we'd really need them in the next few hours."
He swayed slightly—just a hint, but enough for Dante to be at his side in an instant to catch him. Without hesitation, he sank to the floor with Helios in his arms.
"You okay?" Dante asked, concerned.
Helios leaned against him. "I just still feel pretty drained… Just now it felt like my leg suddenly fell asleep. Or rather, like it suddenly stopped existing at all," he explained. He gave a short, amused snort. "Seems my body still hasn't quite figured out that I'm alive again."
"It'll take time. Your body needs to get used to the new situation."
"How long did it take you?" Helios asked, glancing at the hand missing two fingers.
"A few days," Dante replied. He took Helios's hand gently, drew it toward him, and placed a soft kiss on the scarred stumps of his fingers. Helios's gaze softened, almost tender, as he watched. "They won't grow back, unfortunately."
A barely audible sigh. "I figured as much." He turned the hand, studied it, moved the remaining fingers, and curled them into a fist—as if testing how much the loss would hinder him.
"Will it limit you?"
"Not necessarily… but it still bothers me."
"Maybe I know someone who could help," Dante said.
"You can tell me about that later," Helios replied. He shifted slightly toward Dante, slipped a hand under his shirt, and pulled him down until their lips were only a breath apart. His gaze was smoldering as he looked at Dante, his voice soft as velvet. "Right now, I'd much rather be doing other things than talking."
Dante swallowed, his ears growing hot. "Your leg just gave out… shouldn't you rest first?" he asked hesitantly, even though his heart was already racing. "After all, I had to carry you here."
"Nope," Helios replied lightly, grabbing the hem of Dante's shirt and slowly pulling it upward. Dante let it happen, even helping him tug the fabric over his head. Still, a trace of conflict remained inside him—part of him wanted to make Helios rest, while the other wanted exactly what Helios had in mind.
Helios's fingers trailed over the scar running across Dante's heart—his stigma, the mark that proved he had once died and become immortal. Helios looked at him with a mischievous grin. "If my body gives out, I'm pretty sure you can take over."
Dante swallowed hard. Images of what he wanted to do to Helios flickered in his mind. His body reacted faster than his thoughts could keep up—the erection now straining painfully against the fabric of his pants was impossible to ignore.
Helios gave a quiet laugh and ruffled his hair. "Don't be so shy. It's just a little different from being with a woman… barely." His raised brow made the provocation all the clearer as his hand slid over Dante's chest, down his firm stomach, until it stopped at the waistband of his pants. Dante instinctively leaned back. Helios immediately followed, his gaze now challenging. "Or would you rather I be the one to…?"
Dante's abdominal muscles twitched under the touch of Helios's slender fingers. He was excited, but also intimidated. He'd had sexual experience, but this would be his first time with a man. At least his body wasn't betraying him—he was achingly hard, and though he hesitated, he wanted this to be a good first time for both of them. He wanted to live up to Helios's expectations. He wanted him to enjoy it—and to make sure that after this time, there would be many more.
Dante was the romantic type. Even with one-night stands, he treated his partner as if she were a queen. But this time, it wouldn't be just a one-night stand. He intended to enjoy eternity with Helios. They would be together for a very long time—until Helios found a cure.
Dante took Helios's hand.
He couldn't let him take all the control. With his free arm, he gripped Helios's waist and pulled him closer. He felt the warmth of Helios's skin against his own. His gaze locked onto those beautiful emerald eyes that had captivated him from the very first day.
"No," he said simply.
Helios looked at him in amusement. "No what?" he asked in a teasing tone.
Dante pushed him down to the floor. Helios's eyes sparkled with amusement, his expression more than inviting.
"I'm going to enter you and show you exactly what I can do with this body. Just like you wanted," Dante said in a rough voice.
Before he could think about it any further, he kissed Helios. His heart refused to calm down—Helios could surely hear how loud it was beating.
It took him some effort to say something like that, and by now his face was burning with embarrassment. He just wasn't made to play the great seducer. Normally, he simply let himself be swept up in the moment, making sure it was as pleasurable as possible for both partners. So why did he feel so challenged with Helios? Was it because he was a man? Or simply because of the way Helios managed to draw out every last reaction from him?
Helios smiled and wrapped his arms around Dante's neck, pulling him down until his lips were close to Dante's ear.
"Can't wait," he breathed.
His voice, so close to Dante's ear, was like a warm breath sending a pleasant shiver through his body. Dante's muscles tensed as Helios kissed him—demanding, yet with that quiet tenderness that could sweep the ground from beneath his feet.
His hand slid lower, brushing over the hardness still trapped within the fabric between Dante's legs. It felt indescribably good—so good that Dante could barely think about anything other than finally getting out of these blood-crusted clothes.
With quick, practiced movements, Helios undid his belt, then the button, and finally the zipper. When the fabric gave way, Dante nearly groaned aloud—finally, more room, no suffocating tightness. Helios's mouth was on his again, this time nibbling at his lower lip while his fingers were already working on his own pants.
"Shower. Now." His voice was hoarse, almost commanding, leaving no room for argument.
"Okay…" Dante breathed, almost out of air.
His heart pounded in a fast, heavy rhythm. Just the kiss and Helios's touch had nearly driven him insane.
They pulled away from each other only reluctantly, undressing in haste—each movement accompanied by the rustle of fabric and the dull thud of clothes hitting the floor. The air between them was charged, warm, full of unspoken promises.
Naked and moving in fluid sync, they rushed into the bathroom. The room greeted them with cool ceramic and the distant echo of their steps. Helios turned on the tap, and soon the steady patter of the shower filled the space. The metallic scent of dried blood mingled with the rising steam.
Without hesitation, they stepped under the warm cascade, the water running over their skin, loosening the encrusted red and washing it away in thin streaks down the drain. Helios's hands moved over Dante's body—not just to clean him, but to explore every line, every scar, every contour.
___
Dante groaned as Helios's lips closed around his tip and he lowered his head, taking more of him into that warm, wet mouth. His whole hand moved in the same rhythm, while his tongue teased with every motion. Dante sat at the edge of the bed, fingers clenched tight into the sheets, while Helios knelt between his legs.
His still-damp hair clung to his forehead, tiny droplets running down his cheeks and dripping onto Dante's thighs, mixing with the heat of his skin. They hadn't bothered to dry off properly.
A fresh flush crept into Dante's face as images from the shower flashed back into his mind: how the dried blood had loosened in the warm water, revealing the pure, pale skin beneath. The deep, hungry kiss they had shared there. Helios's hands gliding over his chest and abs—lower, more deliberately.
They had barely spoken a word. Words had been unnecessary. Only feeling. And Dante still felt pretty damn good. His head seemed to be somewhere else entirely.
He had wanted to devour Helios right there in the shower.
The small, erotic sounds Helios had made when Dante had taken his time preparing him with his fingers still echoed in his ears. Helios was incredibly sensitive in that area. Dante would be lying if he said every moan hadn't felt like a reward.
At first, Helios had needed to guide him in a quiet, breathless voice, showing exactly where to touch to really make him lose control. But once Dante had found that spot, any restraint was gone. He had watched how Helios's body yielded under his touch, how his head tipped back, how his fingers dug into Dante for support.
It had given Dante a new kind of confidence to push him so far—far enough that Helios's legs had buckled beneath him. The orgasm had been so intense his whole body had trembled, as if for a moment he had lost the ground under his feet. Dante had savored that moment—the feeling of power mingled with the certainty that it had been him who had given Helios that pleasure.
Dante himself had come there as well—Helios had brought him over the edge with such skilled, quick movements that Dante almost felt embarrassed afterward at how little control he'd had.
But now, with Helios between his legs and those emerald-green eyes studying him intently, Dante realized that Helios was entirely attuned to his reactions. He responded instantly to even the faintest sign of discomfort, adjusted the rhythm if something didn't feel right, and lingered longer on every motion that Dante clearly enjoyed.
With almost uncanny precision, he had figured out exactly how Dante worked in no time.
Not that Dante would ever complain. This was better than anything he had ever felt or experienced during sex. Normally, he was the one who made the effort to please his partner. But here was Helios, who seemed determined to send him into another dimension with nothing but skill.
Helios pulled back and ran his tongue slowly from the base of his shaft to the head, where he sucked gently on the tip. His hand moved lazily, almost idly, along with it. He wasn't pushing him any further, but it was still so good. Dante groaned again.
He wouldn't be able to last much longer like this.
Before Helios could close his mouth around him again, Dante gently slid his fingers into his black, still slightly damp hair. With his other hand, he tilted Helios's chin up until their eyes met. Helios's gaze sparkled—an expectant, seductive bedroom look that robbed Dante of his senses. That expression was meant for him alone. No one else should ever get to see it. Dante could only imagine how Helios would look when they actually made love.
"Ready?" Helios asked, his voice rough.
"If you keep that up, I won't last much longer," Dante admitted breathless.
He smirked, his grin triumphant. "Even if you came, I have my ways of getting you hard again," he said with promise. He licked his lips, making Dante's cock twitch in anticipation. God… this man was going to be the death of him.
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," he murmured, slightly embarrassed.
Helios straightened up, grabbed the lube, and warmed it between his hands before generously slicking Dante's cock and himself.
Dante never would have thought it was a good idea to bring Helios's suitcase in this sense—but now he was grateful. Helios seemed to have everything in it and could, with a few quick motions, concoct something that came very close to actual lube.
Not that Dante had any experience in such matters. Helios, on the other hand, hadn't needed a minute to mix something together.
Finally, Dante took his hand and pulled him close until Helios was seated on his lap. One hand gripped his waist firmly, the other slid into his black hair—normally so messy and soft. He drew Helios as close as possible—feeling the warmth of his skin, the solid press of his thighs at his hips.
He wanted him. Without any distance.
Dante pulled him in for a deep kiss, this time initiating it himself. He could never get enough of kissing Helios—the taste of his lips, the gentle pressure that sent a rush of heat through him every time. There was nowhere else he would rather be than here, with the man he had fallen in love with.
Helios began moving his hips in slow circles. He rubbed against Dante's hardness, heavy between his legs, and a soft, pleasured moan escaped him as Dante's tip repeatedly brushed over his sensitive entrance. Then he broke the kiss and looked at Dante with eyes filled with nothing but desire.
"I can't take it anymore," he breathed.
Dante brushed a damp strand of hair from his forehead, his other hand gliding down his back until it rested over the curve of his ass.
"Me neither…" he replied hoarsely.
Helios lifted himself up as Dante positioned himself so that all Helios had to do was lower himself down. Dante's hands rested on his hips to steady him. His heart was pounding, and he couldn't tear his gaze away from Helios.
He was so close to finally joining with him—yet the young pharmacist didn't move.
"Helios?" Dante asked carefully. "Is everything alri—"
But Helios pressed a finger to his lips. "It's okay… I… sorry… it's just the first time since…" His voice faltered, and there was a flicker of pain in his eyes.
A sharp ache spread through Dante's chest. Of course Helios was thinking of Davis now. And he wondered if Helios would ever truly get past it.
"We don't have to go on," he whispered, even though just the thought of stopping felt like it was tearing him apart inside.
Helios shook his head. "No, I want this," he said softly.
Slowly, he lowered his hips until Dante's tip was enveloped by the warm, tight heat of his body. A single tear slipped free and trailed down Helios's cheek. Dante brushed it away with his thumb without a word. He wanted Helios to know—he could stop whenever he wanted.
Helios leaned his cheek into Dante's palm, exhaled deeply, and whispered, "Kiss me, Dante."
Dante leaned forward, their lips meeting once more, and in that kiss was everything—desire, tenderness, a silent promise.
Helios began lowering himself, inch by inch taking more of Dante's length into him. His fingers dug into Dante's shoulders while Dante's hand stroked gently over his back, the other holding his ass in support when he paused briefly.
"You okay?" Dante murmured between kisses.
"You… are just too well built…" Helios panted, sinking lower onto him. His breathing was uneven, but in his eyes burned something that sent a surge of heat through Dante like fire.
Dante began moving his hips slowly to meet him halfway. Their lips found each other again, and this time Dante deepened the kiss until their tongues moved together in a slow, passionate rhythm. Helios let out a soft moan as he finally took all of him inside.
For a moment he stayed still, adjusting to Dante's size. In that brief pause they held each other, kissing as if they wanted to shut out the rest of the world. Dante's hand pressed firmly to the small of Helios's back, feeling the warmth and the subtle push of every breath. Helios's arms were looped around his neck, his body pressing close and tight against him.
Dante wasn't in a hurry. He had waited so long for this moment that he could hardly believe he was finally united with Helios. He drank in every nuance of it—the way Helios clung to him, how light he felt on his lap, how perfect the lines of his body were. His lips tasted of heat and desire. Dante kissed him almost desperately.
Sex with a man was different, and yet, once he'd reached that point where Helios's warmth completely enveloped him, not so different at all. It felt good. Dante's hands kneaded the firm curves of his ass—the perfect shape he had so often secretly admired in those tailored trousers.
Helios began to roll his hips, moving in a slow rise and fall. His arms stayed wrapped around Dante, his forehead resting on his shoulder. His breathing came in short bursts as he gradually increased the pace until he found a rhythm that pulled them both in.
Dante held him close, kissed the top of his head, showing he was there, doing his best to make Helios feel comfortable. He wanted Helios to focus on him, not on Davis anymore.
The tightness around him made it hard for Dante to keep control. Every muscle in his body tensed to stop himself from coming too soon, to keep from ruining this moment.
God… he feels so damn good…
Then Helios threw his head back and let out a loud moan as he tilted his hips just right, hitting the same spot inside that Dante had worked with his fingers earlier. Dante seized the moment, kissing under his chin and trailing his lips down Helios's neck, tasting the salty heat of his skin. Helios's body trembled, and soft, breathless sounds escaped him as the muscles inside him pulsed around Dante's length in gentle waves.
A deep sound rumbled from Dante's throat—raw and dark, like a suppressed growl.
He wanted to hold back? That was going to be damn difficult.
He gripped Helios's hips more firmly, starting to thrust into him—slowly at first, then with more intent, meeting him halfway each time. When Helios shuddered and faltered for a moment, Dante took over, guiding him without breaking the rhythm.
"Dante…!" Helios's voice broke into a moan, his fingers digging into Dante's upper arms.
A fine sheen of sweat glistened on his skin under the warm light of the bedside lamp. His brows were furrowed, eyes shut tight as he rode Dante, his rhythm growing increasingly erratic, his breath ragged and uneven.
Dante could feel he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. He surrendered himself to the moment, to the movements, to the way their bodies fit together like two perfectly matching puzzle pieces.
All initial shyness had vanished. Despite the small difficulties at the start, Helios hadn't taken long to adjust to Dante's size.
It felt good.
It was perfect.
As Dante felt himself nearing release, he leaned forward and kissed Helios on the side of the neck, close enough for his warm breath to brush against his skin.
"Come for me, Helios…" he murmured in his ear, deep and full of desire.
"Y-you… don't need to tell me that…!" Helios moaned breathlessly.
He bit down on his lower lip so hard the delicate skin split, a thin bead of blood trailing down. The next moment he came—in intense, shuddering waves that racked his entire body. His insides clenched rhythmically around Dante's length with such force that Dante could no longer hold back his own climax.
He kissed Helios again as pleasure tore through him. The taste of blood mixed with their kisses, but he didn't care in the slightest.
Even as he came, he held Helios close, letting his hips move in a much slower, lingering rhythm until the last waves faded and their bodies trembled only with the aftershocks.
Breathless, Helios finally pulled back. Dante brushed his thumb gently over his injured lip—only to be surprised that the wound had already healed.
"Your wound is already closed," Dante whispered in surprise.
Helios's breathing was still uneven. "Yours always healed fast too," he murmured, resting his head on Dante's shoulder and wrapping his arms around him.
"Not at the beginning," Dante whispered. "My healing was slower back then… it took days before it was like it is now."
Helios's lips curved faintly. "Maybe… I tweaked the formulas a bit," he admitted, as if sharing a small secret. "There was still room for improvement."
Dante chuckled softly. "Of course you did…"
He wrapped his arms tightly around him, pulling him close, as if to make sure he was really here. The fact that the cure had worked was already a miracle—but the fact that Helios was his now seemed even more unbelievable.
Helios lifted himself slightly, their foreheads touching, a warm glimmer in his eyes.
"Want to go again?" he whispered, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Dante laughed quietly, scooped him up without warning, and laid him gently back onto the bed. "I think you still need a little distraction," he murmured, leaning down to kiss him again.