Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Gush—"

Cold water trickled between his fingers, turning the fair knuckles a slight rosy hue.

The stickiness was washed away, but the peculiar sensation lingered on.

A secret itch crept between his fingers, making Yale crave more cold water or a vigorous rub to soothe it.

The sudden onset of the Omega's rut had seriously disrupted his plans, leaving him utterly perplexed.

They hadn't properly conversed, yet their relationship seemed to have progressed inexplicably. What he was doing now barely differed from what the Omega had previously suggested.

But the rushed knowledge from last night flashed through his mind—

According to societal norms, it was the Alpha's duty to alleviate his Omega's rut, regardless of the reason behind bringing Xi Ze back. Yale, with whatever intentions, had an obligation to fulfill this responsibility.

Yale leaned on the sink with both hands, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Well, let's take one step at a time.

...

When the scent of the omega from his body had dissipated, Yale left the bathroom and returned to the living room.

The omega was still in the same position as when he had left, quietly curled up on the sofa with his back to Yale.

The rut had been fierce, but due to its timely discovery and mitigation, it hadn't run rampant. Like a tide threatening to overwhelm a fragile levee, it had been abruptly arrested, receding gently and slowly.

The drone's expression was somewhat dazed, with the slightly flushed corners of his eyes softening his features.

He resembled a snow leopard lying on his stomach, his body adorned with numerous scars, yet he was gently licking his paws in a weary respite.

"Are you alright?"

Yale hesitated to disrupt the tranquility, but he needed to ensure the drone's well-being. "Is the wound bleeding?"

Xi Ze silently opened his eyes but didn't respond to Yale's question, perhaps still recovering from his thoughts. It wasn't until Yale reached out to press on his shoulder blade, attempting to examine the injury, that Xi Ze seemed to come back to reality.

"..." He shuddered sensitively, his voice strained. "Don't touch me."

Yale paused in his action, looking at the male insect with some surprise. He keenly sensed the insect's unease, as if the towering and sturdy wall it had erected was showing a faint crack.

"But we have to change the dressing. The wound might get infected otherwise."

He carefully chose his words, probing, "Or would you like to take a bath? Let 015 assist you."

"....No need."

The male insect's tone was even more hesitant than Yale's. After declining, he pursed his lips in silence for a moment before softly uttering a word of thanks. "Thank you."

Yale was unsure why the male insect's attitude had softened, but it was clearly a good opportunity to discuss certain matters without provoking intense conflict.

"Is there something you're worried about that you can share with me?"

Xi Ze was slightly taken aback.

What was he worried about?

The collar around his throat choked him to the brink of suffocation, his entire heart held effortlessly in the palm of a hand.

But his struggles, intense as they were, seemed like mere petulant complaints, easily subdued by that one hand. The male insect remained calm throughout, always leaving an escape route.

Now, he was being asked what he was hesitating about.

This was precisely what he was hesitant about.

Xi Ze tugged at the corners of his mouth in a self-deprecating manner. His vision was shrouded in an inky blackness that felt like an eternal night without the promise of dawn.

... Yet, he couldn't deny the inappropriate gratitude filling his heart.

The male insect hadn't whipped him until blood splattered or turned away, leaving him to suffer alone. Instead, it had awkwardly yet gently soothed him, generously releasing its pheromones.

It was already unbelievable enough.

In the haze of the overwhelming pleasure just now, the intense joy had transformed into agony. He'd momentarily believed he was still being tortured in the interrogation room.

When the unfamiliar tide engulfed his head, he let out a desperate cry amidst the intense suffocation. The suppressed fear and hidden longing tore his soul in two...

Upon regaining consciousness, those embarrassing moments played back frame by frame in his mind.

Amidst the overwhelming embarrassment and self-loathing, the only thing perhaps worth gratitude was the male insectoid, who seemed oblivious to it all at the time and later chose not to mention a single word about it.

"..."

Xi Ze breathed in exhaustion and silence.

The male insect sitting beside him remained silent, neither urging nor impatience visible in his demeanor, as he waited patiently for a response.

He abruptly released the pent-up breath in his chest, surrendering silently in their wordless standoff.

"…At least tell me what the cost will be."

Xi Ze's voice was deep and raspy. "And why, exactly, did you pick me up, Sir?"

"I'd rather die knowing than blindly without understanding, no matter whether I can bear it or not."

It spun back around to the same point – this question was indeed the unavoidable crux of the matter.

Yale paused, his expression turning increasingly earnest as he recollected his feelings from that time. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

"I did save you on impulse back then. Whether it was taking you to the hospital or deciding to bring you home, those actions were driven by my own will. There were no hidden insects pulling the strings behind the scenes – that much I can assure you."

Yale spoke softly, stealing a glance at the male insect before quickly averting his gaze.

"It's not entirely without purpose; I'm no philanthropist. However, the compensation I seek isn't in the form of material possessions."

"In other words – I want to derive emotional value from you."

A smile tugged at Yale's lips. "I've encountered you three times, and each encounter was too coincidental, don't you think?"

"The life here is rather dull. It needs something new to infuse vitality and freshness into it."

"I wanted to save you, to nurse your injuries gradually, and find joy and satisfaction in the process of your recovery. I believe that, in a sense, it's a mutual exchange of needs."

His gaze shifted away from the male insect, settling on an empty small balcony not far away.

There used to be a pot of a cactus-like, hardy plant that could withstand cold and drought, which he had specifically purchased and planted.

Back then, he thought that as long as the plant survived, he would too. However, it seemed that he was naturally incapable of nurturing living creatures; the sapling, known for its vitality, withered away in less than half a month. So, he bought another one...

In the end, fifty-four pots of dead plants filled the corner of his balcony.

Living without any emotional attachment was indeed lonely. Yale reckoned that his impulsive decision to take in the male might have stemmed from a ridiculous idea: "Plants die easily, so surely raising a resilient female would work."

He wished for Xi Ze to live on, to survive fiercely and stubbornly, like an indestructible weed that thrives even with just a hint of sunlight—giving him the courage to carry on as well.

Yale called out to 015, "That's about it. If there's anything else, there isn't. I don't want to deceive you."

It wasn't until the cold needle pierced his skin and injected the suppressant that Xi Ze finally regained his senses.

So... it was like this.

The male was nurturing him like a digital pet or a game character, deriving satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment from the process.

Promising not to vent his dark, endless desires on him, nor to devour his life force and flesh, might sound overly naive, but... it was still gentle and kind in its own way.

At least, for him right now, it was the best option.

"Or... can you cook?" Yale pondered for a moment before suddenly asking.

Xi Ze was taken aback again. "…What?"

"The cooking module of 015 is malfunctioning. Everything it makes has a burnt taste, but I'm not really keen on replacing it."

Yale imagined the scene after the male insect's injuries were healed. "You can stay here and take care of meals once you've recovered to offset the rent or food expenses."

"It would be like hiring you in advance as a chef, or something else. You'd work for food and shelter, and once all debts are settled, we can discuss whether you want to stay or leave."

His voice was resolute. "That would be a fair deal."

Silence fell abruptly after the male insect's words, so quiet that one could almost hear the thudding of their own heartbeat in their chest.

Xi Ze opened his mouth but found his throat constricted, unable to produce any sound.

The male insect had offered a third path between "being cast out to die" and "selling his body for gain."

Is the worm in front of him truly a male? This was not the first time he had sincerely doubted it.

"How about that suggestion?"

The expression on the female worm was peculiar, and Yale suddenly thought of another possibility. His tone held a hint of disbelief, "You're not also terrible at cooking, are you?"

Xi Ze snapped out of his stupor and licked his dry lips, "No, I'm actually quite good at cooking."

"That's a relief."

As his wandering mental energy sensed the diminishing aggression, Yale finally let out a sigh of relief.

He only realized then that he was drenched in cold sweat, which chilled him to the bone when the wind blew past.

It felt as if he had just walked a thin tightrope thousands of meters above a steep cliff, carefully cradling a fragile porcelain vase with a thousand cracks, and barely managed to set it down safely on solid ground.

Though still shaken, he gradually felt at ease.

*

The soiled sofa cover was promptly cleaned, dried, and put back onto the sofa.

The sofa was too small for comfortable sleeping, so Yale measured the height and purchased an additional elongated sofa. Placing them side by side, he managed to convert the cramped space into a makeshift bed.

Xi Ze, still recovering from severe injuries and with limited mobility in his legs, could only be confined to the sofa without the use of chains.

Fortunately, the charging station for 015 was right beside it. The little robotic butler needed to be plugged in for extended periods each day, making it easily accessible for Xi Ze to communicate his needs.

From that night onwards—

Yale yawned as he emerged from his room, the morning light just beginning to filter through the living room. He caught sight of the male insect on the sofa, adjusting the collar of his sleepwear.

"Why are you up before me? You don't have to work."

He sat down on the other side of the sofa, propping his chin with one hand as he gazed at the male insect with a lazy smile.

Xi Ze had a strict routine and was efficient in everything he did. By the time Yale woke up, Xi Ze would usually have already taken care of himself.

Beside him lay a quilt folded neatly into a square, like a block of tofu.

It was a particularly soft and fluffy silk-cotton blanket that obediently took on its geometric shape under the male insect's touch, resembling a newly enlisted soldier tidied up by a strict superior officer.

Yale patted the pillow with enthusiasm, and the flattened blanket regained its suppleness, bouncing like jelly in his hands. "Hm?"

"Good morning, Sir."

Xi Ze turned his face slightly, his expression neutral but not cold or distant; he was still somewhat uneasy.

He pressed his lips together and spoke in a low voice, "I'm just used to waking up early... It's hard to change that habit quickly."

It was only after that night that Yale belatedly realized—

The male worm wasn't particularly dull or gloomy. On the contrary, he was cautious and perceptive, inheriting the typical composure and seriousness of a military male worm. Only occasionally did he seem overly serious.

He was... quite amusing. Yale's lips curved in interest.

But for now, it could only be a thought. The male worm had improved since being found, but his severely damaged body was still on the verge of collapse and needed careful nursing.

"Sir?"

Xi Ze, having received no response, tilted his head in confusion.

"Ah?" Yale was still lost in thought, gazing absently at the female insect's delicate features. "What did you say?"

"I meant..."

Xi Ze was about to repeat himself when he suddenly halted his words —

The male insect reached out and stroked his hair, the slightly warm fingertips gliding across his temple and pausing on the scar healing around his earlobe.

"I forgot to mention," a smile filled Yale's eyes as he whispered softly, "Good morning."

Author's Note:

Duck head, have you been captivated ~ (dog head holding a rose)?