A Certain Winter’s Tale Chapter 4.4 - That Winter

“But Noah is……”

“Master Noah will need time to pull himself together alone. It won’t be too late even if you come back after speaking with me for a moment.”

“Heuk, that’s right. El, go ahead.”

Perhaps because he had poured it out once, the tears gradually stopped. Feeling as if he had wailed like a child, a sense of embarrassment began to rush in this time. Thankfully, Matilda seemed to intend to take Elia out for a moment, having noticed that.

Noah gently let go of Elia’s collar. Elia hesitated, not knowing what to do, but since Noah let go of his arm, he followed Matilda out of the room.

Whether they were having a long conversation while Noah stopped his crying, Elia did not return immediately. Fanning himself with his hands to cool the heat that had risen sharply to his face, Noah let out a long sigh.

He would have to steel his heart just a little more to not cry helplessly again in front of Elia. Wouldn’t that prevent Elia from being flustered and allow him to fully feel the joy of having a child?

While Noah was firming his heart again and again, the door swung open.

“Huck!”

Noah was startled and covered himself with the quilt up to the top of his head, huddling down with a flop. It was only a few seconds ago that he had resolved to show a smile and say he was fine when Elia returned. Why did he just want to hide away as soon as he saw him returning?

Finally, a familiar presence approached Noah’s side. A good fragrance that made the heart comfortable and drowsy was with it. And just as that fragrance seeped deep into his lungs, a voice that rang sweetly in his ears was heard.

“Noah. Show me your face.”

The man, who lay down beside him with a flop before he could even push back the quilt, pulled Noah into his arms. Without any hesitation, the man’s hand came inside the quilt. The hand that rummaged between the quilt and slid between Noah’s clothes was chillingly cold from the outside air, causing goosebumps all over his body.

“Haue……”

At a chill resembling a tickle, Noah trembled and relaxed his body. As if having aimed for that, Elia immediately snatched and pulled away the quilt covering Noah’s face.

As soon as his vision brightened, sweet and moist lips pressed a kiss, mwah, on top of Noah’s lips.

“El, your hands are cold.”

“You are warm. You still have a bit of a fever.”

Even while answering, Elia, who did not let go of Noah, kept rubbing his lips, mwah, mwah, on top of Noah’s lips. Never mind when he was about to burst into tears and flare up with anger. Noah had become unable to pin down his own heart as he wondered why only smiles kept leaking from his lips at Elia’s seductive pestering.

“Why were you crying like that?”

“…….”

“Tell me, Noah.”

Even while pressing for an answer, Elia’s lips hovered ceaselessly over Noah’s lips, cheeks, and the bridge of his nose. His hands, too, constantly caressed the bare skin inside Noah’s clothes.

Should he ask firmly? Or should he speak in a voice excited and high-spirited? Either way, he had wanted to set up a sturdy fence around his heart before bringing the story up, but Elia’s affectionate behavior kept making Noah’s heart soft and mushy.

“El? El, you won’t, um, lie to me, will you.”

Between Noah’s words, Elia’s lips came down and made constant mwah, mwah sounds. He had tried his best to maintain his composure in his own way. For a moment, Elia, who was acting playfully and was completely distracted elsewhere, felt detestable. So Noah ended up biting Elia’s plump, pretty lips, the ones clinging to his own, just hard enough so it wouldn’t hurt.

Of course, Elia acted as if it didn’t even tickle. He simply let out a short, pfft, laugh.

“Pretty. Where did you learn to bite a man’s lips?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I learned it because Snow bites me so much?”

With a mischievous face, Noah nibbled on Elia’s lips. Then he climbed on top of Elia’s body and lightly bit the tip of his boastfully straight nose. Finally, as he wrapped his arms tightly around his neck and gave the earlobe a firm bite, ang!, Elia tensed his body and pulled Noah away.

“Stop.”

Noah pushed away Elia’s hands that had pushed his body. Lifting those hands, Noah nibbled on Elia’s fingers. Only then did Elia realize that Noah was being grumpy in his own way and let out a sigh. Having heard from Matilda that Noah seemed very heartbroken even if he didn’t show it, he was inwardly concerned.

“Noah.”

“What.”

“I don’t lie to you.”

“…….”

Only then did Noah spit out the hand of Elia he had been biting. Noah’s gesture of hesitatingly holding that hand was cute. Elia had to suppress the hot sensation starting to gather in his lower body. Instead, swallowing hard as if anxious, Elia intertwined his fingers with Noah’s and squeezed tight.

Seeing Noah hesitating with his lips moving made Elia’s heart ache, yet at the same time, loveliness toward him tickled his heart. Ah. I want to put those lips in my mouth once more. I’m about to talk seriously, so if I do that again, Noah will get angry, right?

Soon, Noah’s shining purple eyes looked straight into Elia’s eyes, which were beginning to soften.

“How do you think you’ll feel when Elia has a baby?”

Noah had asked with great effort, yet Elia smiled brightly and lay down, pulling him into a sudden hug. As his sturdy chest leaned against his back in a back-hug position, Noah relaxed his tension as if reassured.

The hand that had entered inside Noah’s clothes was now carefully stroking and fiddling with his lower abdomen, causing goosebumps. Although Noah was the one being held by Elia in bed, he was also a man, so it became difficult to ignore the ticklish sensation gathering toward his lower abdomen. Near the ear of Noah, who was trying not to be conscious of the touch that resembled a caress, Elia whispered.

“How do you think you’ll feel, Noah?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Elia’s hand continued to stroke Noah’s lower abdomen. Once the hand that had been cool became similar to Noah’s body temperature, Elia’s large hand was instead warmly enveloping his lower abdomen. Noah gently stroked the back of that hand and confessed his true feelings.

“If they resemble Elia, they will be very pretty.”

“Will they really?”

“Of course.”

“Then how do you think a child resembling you and me would be?”

Noah’s hand, which had been stroking the back of Elia’s hand, stopped abruptly. Elia kissed the back of Noah’s neck and ear, pulling Noah even closer into his embrace.

However, Noah felt even more miserable.

Noah knew better than anyone that Elia had not yet withdrawn his love for him. There was never a moment when the gaze toward Noah did not hold love, and the touch that handled Noah was as careful and soft as touching fragile flower petals. He whispered ticklish words into his ear and kissed him countless times. Every time he was held in his arms, the heart thumping and pulsating caused a strange excitement.

Because of that, Noah thought Elia was feeling regretful and distressed. While it was a pity that he couldn’t have an heir from a commoner like himself, it probably wouldn’t feel very good to have to father a child through someone else. Noah, who could not have a new life no matter how much Elia sowed his seed. Therefore, how much must the situation of having no choice but to share flesh with someone else have pained Elia’s heart?

Thankful, lovely Elia. He hoped he wouldn’t be sad.

Finally, Noah turned around and lay facing Elia. Just like that, he left a long, deep kiss on Elia’s lips before pulling away. Elia smiled brightly and wiped the saliva remaining on Noah’s lips with his thumb.

“Are you forgiving me now, Noah?”

Noah shook his head.

“What is there to forgive or not. I’ve never been angry. El. It’s just……”

Noah hugged Elia’s waist tightly and tucked his slender legs between Elia’s legs. Elia was flustered, but he pushed away any erotic or lewd thoughts as much as possible and hugged Noah back.

Only then, as if relieved, Noah whispered.

“I’m okay, Elia. So you don’t have to lie. Congratulations on having a baby.”

Noah immediately read the calm guilt dwelling in Elia’s gaze. However, he only thought it was because of the apology for having secretly made a child.

To think it was actually a heart of apology for having kept the fact that he himself was pregnant a complete secret. It was something Noah Glory could not even begin to imagine.

“Having a baby is something to be very happy about. I’m satisfied just thinking that someone else did what I couldn’t do for Elia.”