[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 332: Seduction Triggered By Certain Catalysts

Chapter 332: Seduction Triggered By Certain Catalysts

"Xion?" Darius’ low voice sounded almost like a purr as he closed the short distance between them in a few strides.

Xion felt the cushions dipping beside him. That familiar, infuriatingly sexy voice rang in his ear again. Even without looking, he could tell Darius was amused.

"Why aren’t you eating?"

Before Xion could even muster a response, he and his makeshift duvet cocoon were effortlessly hauled into Darius’ lap.

"Was my darling waiting for me?" Darius chuckled, brushing back the covers with ease. "How sweet."

The duvet was peeled back with gentle fingers, revealing a flustered, red-faced kitten.

Xion’s blush hadn’t even fully faded from before and now it bloomed right back to full force, thanks to the proximity of the ridiculously gorgeous man cradling him.

"You’re evil," the black-haired healer muttered, his lips still tugged in a pout.

To Darius, it looked so cute. Even the way those eyes were lowered, silently refusing to look at him was adorable.

His baby was so, so cute.

"A perverted beast."

Darius only grinned, thoroughly enjoying himself. "Am I? I thought I was your angel." He tilted Xion’s chin up, coaxing those sulky eyes to meet his own.

"Ah, is my little lord angry?" Long, calloused fingers—still cold from the morning air—cradled his blushing cheek, thumb brushing over the cheekbone. "Shall I apologize properly?"

He was trying to look remorseful, but the persistent smile tugging at his lips gave him away.

Xion blinked, then sighed. Pressing his face against the broad shoulder, he said, "...Don’t do it again."

A kiss landed gently on his forehead, while those fingers trailed down from his cheek to his neck.

The heart was beating beneath his fingertips, telling him that his beloved was here.

"Honestly, darling, it was your fault for seducing me," Darius stated with all the seriousness of a man confessing war crimes.

"I wasn’t—" Xion started, then caught himself. Actually... that had been the intention. Funnily enough, he couldn’t even lie about it.

He huffed and muttered instead, "How was I supposed to know you’d turn into such a beast?"

Darius laughed while adjusting the divine healer more securely in his lap.

"Well," he drawled, picking up a piece of soft bread from the tray, "it’s a deeply hidden trait. Usually only triggered by very specific... catalysts."

"Like?" Xion asked, suspiciously narrowing his eyes.

"Like... when my pretty husband decides to dress like a seductress."

He held the fruit up to Xion’s lips, coaxing the kitten to open up. Nonetheless, his gaze lingered on the swollen lips a bit longer than it should.

Answering the call of his loudly protesting stomach, Xion parted his lips just enough to bite down.

"Or when my baby climbs into my lap like he belongs there. Which, by the way, he does."

Xion, still snuggled comfortably in the same lap, "..."

"Or when you tilt your head like that. Or pout. Or glare at me with those sparkly eyes."

Chewing silently, Xion refused to meet his husband’s eyes.

"When you cling to me in your sleep. When you say my name in that tiny voice." Darius listed all the things while feeding Xion. "Or when you threaten me with things you never mean."

The blush returned full force and the flustered kitten nearly choked on the congee.

"And most dangerous of all..." The Archduke paused before leaning in close.

Then he dropped a playful kiss on the red nose.

"When my beautiful darling breathes. Honestly, that’s enough to seduce me."

"You are hopeless." Xion shook his head, exasperated, but his lips tilted upward.

The great northern lord was actually worried about his out-of-control behavior. He had spent all his time thinking of the ways to coax Xion.

Much to his relief, it was more like his sweet darling was just shy and not really enraged.

He happily sneaked bites for himself between teasing Xion with morsels of sweetened bread and congee.

Only after making sure that Xion’s little tummy was full, did he say something important, "We might need to travel the territory in a few days."

"Hmm?" the confused healer tilted his head, his black hair falling over his forehead. "Why? I want to rest. I am still sore."

While tucking the loose strand behind a soft ear, he cooed with adoration, "I’ll carry you everywhere."

"Don’t you dare." Red-rimmed blue eyes widened, then narrowed at the culprit. "You are not allowed to touch me for a month."

"No." The refusal came faster than Darius even realized. "I can hold for a few days at most."

Xion, "... Shameless!"

His angry rebuttal was only met with laughter and airy kisses all over his face.

"It was supposed to happen after our wedding," Darius continued while giving Xion a glass of honey milk. "But things got... delayed."

Xion held the glass with two hands and simply nodded. "Okay."

Just like that—with no complaint, no fuss.

Darius looked at him for a moment longer, as though waiting for resistance. But all he got was a sleepy kitten yawning.

His arms instinctively tightened around the small form nestled against him.

Why are you letting me do whatever I wish, hmm? You are spoiling me too much, darling.

It was exactly this indulgence, this pampering, that emboldened him to do all of those things to Xion.

Even now when the black-haired angel was bonelessly slumped in his arms, with all the trust he had, his thoughts were spiraling out of control.

If it wasn’t to solidify Xion’s position as the lord of the north, he would have never let his baby leave the room again.

To go against the royal court and that princess of the Nocturne, he needed to put Xion into the eyes of everyone.

Xion should be the being so high up that no one would dare to think about hurting him.

He gently kissed the forehead where the red bead had been gleaming last night.

His gaze drifted to their intertwined hands, where two gorgeous couple rings gleamed, then up to Xion’s collar.

The slender neck was densely marked with hickeys, but even they were outshone by something far more eye-catching.

It was the mermaid tear. With that, even if Xion moved only a few meters away from him, he would be able to sense it.

With this, his baby would always be where he wants him to be.

Feeling his paranoia ease, if only slightly, Darius carried the sleepy Xion back to bed.

Only after tucking him in properly did he leave for morning court.

...Though it was already nearing evening.

By now, those poor ministers were probably losing their minds.