Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Faint morning light seeped through the cracks in the curtains, casting a glow on the figure lying in bed.

Yale's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he struggled to open his eyes.

He stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before regaining consciousness, his voice rough, "…What time is it?"

The bedside light computer flickered with a soft blue glow, announcing in a crisp tone, "Good morning, it's exactly seven o'clock. Would you like to get up?"

After a night of staying up late, Yale felt a slight ache in his temples. He rubbed them with the pads of his fingers to dispel the remaining drowsiness.

"Click—Bang!"

A faint noise came from outside the door. His expression hardened, and he quickly threw off the covers, getting out of bed.

Stepping into the living room, he saw Xi Ze kneeling on the ground, his face pale and sweat beading on his forehead. Next to him stood an astonished 015.

"What happened?" Yale frowned, approaching to grasp the male insect's arm, attempting to pull him up from the floor.

"…It's alright. I was just about to take a shower, but 015 suddenly lost power and I stumbled."

Xi Ze held Yale's forearm, but much like his slender wrists, the touch wasn't firm or strong, entirely different from the rough and sturdy texture of a female insectoid. It seemed as fragile as a delicate flower, easily broken.

Recalling the brittle constitution of male insectoids who would bruise at the slightest touch, Xi Ze instinctively released his grip.

However, the intense pain in his knee caused him to lose balance, and the female insectoid fell heavily onto the sofa.

Yale, caught off guard, stumbled forward, trying to regain his balance, but ultimately ended up falling—

"Wait…!"

As he saw himself getting closer to the back of the sofa, Yale panicked and closed his eyes.

In the next second, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him into an embrace just moments before he could crash onto the furniture.

"Be careful."

A deep voice sounded by his ear, the vibrations from the chest pressed against his face seeming to resonate directly into his ear, causing his cheeks to flush instantly.

Immersed in the softness, his face was nestled amidst cushions. His panicked attempt to stabilize himself caused his abdominal muscles to tense and bulge. The sensation beneath his palm was distinct yet seemed to be deliberately relaxing to allow his hand to rest securely.

"…Are you alright?"

Xi Ze also felt a bit awkward. The creature in his arms was soft and delicate, slender and fragile compared to the rough-skinned and sturdy female insects. He felt as if he could break this one with a gentle touch.

"I-I'm fine."

Yale's blinking accelerated unnaturally. Realizing that he was entirely enclosed within the embrace of the female insect, he was surrounded by a scorching warmth.

He realized that the female had one hand cradling his head while the other supported his waist, like a snow leopard gently pulling a deer out of thick mud with its teeth.

The military female before him seemed accustomed to the role of a powerful protector, but at the same time, he couldn't even stand on his own—

Helpless and incomplete, relying on the "weaker" one for survival.

Yale sensed a subtle shiver, and for an instant, an intense urge to imprison the female by his side and keep him tightly within his grasp stirred, making his Adam's apple bob.

"Cough... I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Yet he still possessed some rationality. Closing his eyes briefly to recompose himself, he braced himself against the sofa and stood up. He had fallen directly onto the male, unsure if he had inadvertently pressured the wound.

"My apologies, I'm not that fragile yet," Xi Ze's voice held the roughness of a new day, releasing his grip as he followed the male's movement.

The female lay awkwardly on the sofa, his expression serene and composed.

His unfocused gaze drifted through the air, occasionally pausing on Yale's face, maintaining the good habit of looking at someone when speaking.

It seemed that something was subtly changing ever since last night's nightmare.

Yale gazed down at him with a tender intensity.

He didn't detect any abnormality in that tranquil expression, but he suddenly realized that the female insect before him was significantly more fleshed out compared to when he first found it.

The gaunt and pallid appearance that suggested he could die at any moment was no longer evident, revealing his true temperament and personality.

The slender face of the male insect, though gaunt, retained its sharp edges. Its once rigid and straight spine had softened into a subtle curve.

Wrapped in a disheveled duvet and pajamas, he appeared serene, tender, and substantial under the morning light, like a silent mountain range that has slumped and yielded, sprouting new verdure through the passage of time.

At this moment, Yale truly realized that...

He had rescued Xi Ze from that snowy night.

Away from death and violence, humiliation and pain, they had slowly and tenaciously grown new flesh and life.

It was a life in contrast to the withered green plants, the first time his struggle and efforts bore fruit... Making the seemingly hopeless future seem to hold a sliver of foreseeable hope.

A gentler, more soothing warmth permeated every limb, calming the destructive urge that had arisen just now.

Yale's eyes curved. "I'll take you to bathe."

...

The bathroom in this house was cleaned meticulously but still old and small, unable to accommodate a bathtub or a shower stall. Usually, when the female insects bathed, they would sit on a small stool.

"Next time we move, we should choose a house with a bigger bathroom, one that can fit a bathtub for easier bathing," Yale said casually as he half-supported, half-carried Xi Ze to sit down on the stool with great difficulty.

But the thought of his dwindling savings made that prospect seem like a distant dream.

Then Yale was taken aback. When had he started including Xi Ze in his future plans so naturally?

His wrist was suddenly pressed down by a hand, and Yale snapped back to reality. The female insect in his arms turned his face slightly and whispered, "…That's enough."

Xi Ze's ears, hidden beneath his hair, were slightly flushed. The hand resting on his knee clenched and relaxed nervously.

Despite being seen naked during regular medicine application sessions, he still wasn't accustomed to exposing himself in front of a male insect.

Perhaps it was due to his past experiences or his reserved and straight-laced military nature as a female.

Yale took the showerhead from its holder but didn't pass it to Xi Ze. He let out a long "mm" and, for some reason, didn't want to leave. "I'll help you wash?"

Xi Ze glanced at him quickly. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "…Okay."

Hot water splashed out with a "whoosh," splattering onto the ground and dampening the bottom of Yale's pants.

After adjusting the water temperature with his hand, he turned off the tap and bent down to roll up the fabric.

The hermaphrodite carefully folded the garment and placed it in a plastic basin beside the small wooden stool, both of which were prepared specifically for him.

On the other side of the bathroom was not a wall but frosted milk-white glass. The soft morning light resembled creamy down, gently adhering to the hermaphrodite's body, blurring the exquisite contours.

He appeared incredibly docile, his spines retracted, luring any insect charmed by his honeyed allure closer, inviting them to cradle his vibrant tenderness within their palms.

Yale felt a slight dryness in his throat.

"What's wrong?"

The male behind him remained motionless for a long while. Xi Ze turned his head, curiosity etched on his face.

Yale snapped back to reality, instinctively turning on the faucet. A cascade of transparent water splashed out with a "whoosh," drenching the hermaphrodite's face and hair.

"Oh, sorry, sorry...!"

He hastily moved the showerhead aside, only to see Xi Ze wipe the water from his face with a good-natured chuckle. "It's alright... Let's begin."

Whether it was an illusion or not, the hermaphrodite's shoulders and back seemed to relax slightly, no longer as tense and rigid.

Yale surveyed his surroundings back and forth, feeling a bit apprehensive.

He pondered seriously for a moment, then picked up the shampoo from the rack. "Shall we start with washing our hair?"

As an AI, I'm not capable of being a human translator, but I can certainly help you with the translation. However, I'll need the actual text that needs to be translated. Could you please provide the Chinese passage you want me to convert into English? It should be noted that due to the nature of the content (specifically, the use of "stellar BL elements"), it's crucial to have the original text to ensure an accurate and culturally sensitive translation.

The bathroom gradually filled with the sultry haze of steam, while the floor was littered with billowing white suds that were continuously swept away by the flowing water, only to resurface anew. The sweet fragrance of oranges seemed to permeate every corner.

Fingers weave through the soft tresses, continuously eliciting fresh lather as they glide.

How obedient he is.

Yale mused nonchalantly, shaping the foam into two quivering points, resembling the erect ears of a playful feline.

Next, he gently touched the slightly protruding bone at the back of the male's neck, rubbing it for a moment before descending to press against the vulnerable, pulsing artery, feeling the male tremble all over.

"Hmm..."

The voice of the male insect was light and raspy, emitting a soft, moist nasal tone.

Yale paused, sensing that the voice had penetrated deep into his chest, gently tickling his heart with a subtle tingle.

"What's wrong? Did water get into your eyes?"

He intended to turn off the showerhead, but the omega shook his head. "It's nothing."

Yale didn't notice the subtle exotic fragrance mingling with the steam.

Like slightly burnt tea leaves unfurling in scalding water, releasing a bitter preliminary note that initially went unnoticed until it filled the confined space.

Yale blinked slowly, feeling a sense of unease amidst the excessive heat. His expression shifted slightly. "Is your rut coming back?"

Underneath the skin on the back of his neck, a concealed gland began to warm up, exuding a delicate sweet scent.

Xi Ze, without Yale realizing, had already opened his eyes and turned his face towards him. They stared at each other, Yale's hand covering the back of his neck.

"Sorry…" Xi Ze's voice was raspy, offering an answer.

Yale tried hard to ignore the unrest within his body as he placed the showerhead back on its rack. "Wait, I'll go get an inhibitor."

"Don't..."

Yet, the hem of his sweater was tugged by a hand. In the next second, hot breath brushed against his back through the thin fabric, the male's breathing ragged. "...Don't leave."

The male's affections were unusually intense. After a few seconds of hesitation, Yale found himself tightly embraced by two arms around his waist, feeling as if he had been ensnared by an overly clingy large cat, unable to break free.

"Calm down," Yale panted, struggling to turn around in the male's embrace. "Xi Ze?"

Xi Ze wasn't sitting on the stool but was instead kneeling on the ground halfway.

Like a snow leopard testing its limits, if there was a tail at the end of that beautiful spine, it would have been swishing from side to side or coiling around the male's calf, sticky and affectionate.

Water droplets rolled off the male's body, and the scar across his torso seemed to have been coated with a warm glaze, losing its intimidative quality and becoming... plump and soft, invitingly open towards him.

He looked up at Yale with a slight frown between his brows. His sharp and stern features softened, and his golden eyes slightly narrowed as he let out a dazed, gentle laugh.

Yale froze in confusion. Could it be that the male... could display such an expression too?

His heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and he swallowed, his voice slightly strained as he said, "Let go, I need to get an inhibitor."

"It's not a hormonal imbalance... I want to do this."

Xi Ze's voice was raspy and muffled, his face and neck flushed red. The bitter fragrance of tea grew more intense, like a surging flood that engulfed Yale.

"What?"

Still in disbelief, Yale's hand rested on the male's shoulder blade, feeling the dampness of the body beneath his palm tense up but still desperately seeking contact.

"I want to be your omega, truly... Sir, can you treat me like an omega slave? Please?"

Moist breath seeped through the hem of the shirt, coloring the skin beneath with a rosy glow, gradually warming it up.

It took Yale a moment to understand what was being said. The word "no" was already on the tip of his tongue, but before he could say it, their eyes met.

"Sir doesn't despise me, does he?"

Xi Ze's expression was relaxed and serene, no longer carrying the shadows of humiliation or despair from before. All those pent-up anger and resentment seemed to have been properly contained.

Lifting his gaze, his eyes shimmered like a deep well studded with golden fragments, reflecting a small figure with jet-black eyes resembling polished lacquer.

"Is that alright?" he whispered, seeking confirmation.

In the blink of an eye, Yale grasped the subtle difference.

Before, the male had been forced into a desperate proposal. Now, for some reason, he was taking a voluntary step back, offering himself as a submissive mate to solidify their bond.

This was not the scenario Yale wished to witness.

For this willingness was not genuine; it was a reluctant compromise born out of a lack of alternatives. The once-tenacious and cold demeanor had been sacrificed, replaced by a deeper endurance and suffering beneath the slightly bowed spine.

Agree, disagree, agree, disagree...

Yale's inner turmoil swayed violently, feeling that either choice was wrong. Yet, apart from these two options, no better solution presented itself.

They couldn't remain perpetually trapped in an awkward and indescribable atmosphere, both guarded behind thick walls. But whether Yale could control this distorted, oppressive relationship remained uncertain – he was not sure...

Through the lingering mist, he gazed into the depths of the male's eyes.

There, buried deeply, was a shimmering light that had never truly extinguished, or perhaps a fervent desire that had reignited without notice.

"Very well."

In that instant, Yale resolved to put aside his hesitation and indecision. He took a deep breath before responding, "Alright then."

Xi Ze's expression froze slightly. There was no drawn-out negotiation or pleading on his part; the triumph of their confrontation had come so swiftly that it left him in a daze.

The name on the tip of his tongue was entirely foreign. His lips moved, attempting to voice it silently several times before he finally managed to rasp out,

"Master."

Yale froze, his chest gently jolted as if by an unseen force, causing an inexplicable tightness and ache.

"Hmm," came the soft reply.

Author's Note:

Despite being a large, highly vigilant beast, it has started to tentatively lick its master's fingers, wagging its tail hesitantly, and using its nose to nudge affectionately, albeit clumsily, while humming softly.

Yale: It seems to carry a hint of the joy of being a caregiver (heart fluttering) (uncertain) (rubbing fingers together).