Chapter 188 – I really can't.

Cordia daddy shared a look with the Astar daddy and wiped off the cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Levi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. His face broke into a mesmerizing smile, seemingly unfazed by Noah’s slight delay; however, his shaking hand betrayed his true mood as he signed the marriage certificate.

Noah’s hand didn’t shake. His ears were neon red, but the movement of the pen in his hand was decisive and smooth as silk. Just like the fluid movement of his mental power now that he remembered to wrap the premises in his SS-ranked soothing. He could hear the two mothers blowing their noses, so he wanted to help them feel better. But mostly, he wanted to soothe the unrest within Levi’s heart that he had inadvertently caused with his earlier pause.

Maery walked out from beside Noah, carrying a deep red cushion with two elegant golden rings. Her smile was so wide she looked like a cross-breed between an orange tabby and a Cheshire cat.

Wishing to silently convey to Levi the decision he had made, Noah took the initiative to pick up the larger of the two rings with his right hand. Noah shook his left hand that had been holding Levi’s, signaling the other to let go. When Levi obediently released it, Noah changed his hold to bring Levi’s right hand in front of him.

As he slid the wedding band on Levi’s ring finger, he dared not meet Levi’s fiery gaze. So he was taken off guard when Levi’s head leaned in closer to murmur into his pink ear, “Baby, do you remember what we talked about two days ago? You warned me to be careful this play-pretend doesn't turn into reality.”

A shiver ran down Noah’s spine upon hearing the husky chuckle which escaped the taller man, “Actually, back then, I really wanted to tell you that you need not worry.”

Noah’s body stiffened, and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Was Levi implying he need not worry because his play-pretend would not turn into reality?

Levi seemed not to notice Noah’s unusual pause. He reached to take the smaller of the two rings but did not move to put it on. Instead, he continued to speak softly so that his words would only reach the person in front of him. “I said if I fall for you, you should take responsibility and fall right back at me. And at that time, you questioned whether I could do the same – if you fell for me, could I fall back at you?”

Levi held the ring up between his thumb and forefinger. Amongst the golden shimmer, Noah noticed that there seemed to be an inscription on the inner side of the ring.

“I had been clear on the answer to that for a long time now. The answer shall never change, so, if you ever forget it, let the inscription remind you.”

Noah squinted his eyes to make out the inscribed answer, his heart thudding painfully against his ribcage. But the real pain only came a moment later, upon recognizing the words.

“I really can’t.”

Noah’s heart abruptly stopped and then clenched painfully. His vision blurred, and he fluttered his eyelashes furiously to blink away tears. ‘…I know I said I am not afraid to love, but do you have to shoot me down so decisively before I even managed to take the first step?’

Levi took Noah’s hand in his and deftly slid the ring onto Noah's ring finger while the other was in a daze.

From start to end, the little one kept his head down, refusing to look him in the eye. Levi pinched his baby’s chin, forcing the other to face him, and then dropped his head down towards Noah until their noses were almost touching.

“Actually, I really can't.” Levi whispered with a good dose of helplessness, “I'm sorry, I really can't do it. How can I fall for you again when I've never even gotten up from the first tumble?”

Their eyes met, and Noah froze in place. Intense, overwhelming emotions spilled out of those two blue eyes. They stared back at him as if he was the only thing in the entire world. Sucking him in like a whirlpool, wanting to devour him whole and never let go.

Noah’s watery eyes widened, and he forgot to breathe.

Yet, Levi didn’t give Noah’s sluggish mind the chance to process what he had said before delivering the finishing blow.

“My ‘play-pretend’ can never turn into reality because it had never been anything less. Baby, can't you see? I've already been at your feet for a long time, unable to get up.” Levi’s low and serious voice dropped down to a sexy groan, “Also… I think that I broke my legs real bad in that last tumble; I don't think I'll be able to stand up ever again. Now that I’m crippled, baby, you must take responsibility for me, ah!”

Noah’s brain completely crashed at that moment. He couldn’t come up with a single word of response. As if captivated, he only knew to stare wide-eyed at those two fiery whirlpools of blue, only vaguely aware that the city lord of Concordia seemed to be saying something in the background along the lines of “We now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss the groom.”

Levi wasn’t expecting a response, to begin with. He acted the very moment the celebrant’s last line had left his mouth. He wrapped an arm around his baby’s waist and pulled the other into his embrace possessively. The two’s noses touched, their hot, rapid breaths intertwined.

Levi spun the two of them around, showing the guests only the sight of his broad back. Only then did his head duck to capture those lovely pink lips he had been dreaming of every night.

When those two pairs of lips met, in a single moment, the entire world clicked into its rightful place.

With the last shred of pretense torn off, so was the last shred of Levi’s restraint. His mouth plundered and ravaged with uncontrollable, hungry fervor. And yet, it also licked and nipped gently, adoringly. As if he wanted to devour the person in front of him whole, but at the same time, did not dare harm that which was the most precious to him. Yet, it was precisely this impeccable balance of the two contradictions that gave birth to perfection.

The crowd cheered, but the only thing Noah could hear was white noise. All the strength in his body seemed to be sucked out of him, and he slumped weakly against Levi. He couldn’t remember where he was or who he was; he couldn’t even remember to breathe. The only thing he remembered was to instinctively respond.

However, his flustered yet sincere mix of weak resistance and gentle approval was a deadly enticement. Levi’s body temperature spiked, and he held his precious darling tighter as if he wished to forever embed the other into himself.

Noah’s already watery eyes teared up further due to lack of oxygen, and he involuntarily gasped. This whimper was swallowed down into Levi’s stomach, fanning his flames until they threatened to consume him from within.

Levi refused to let go, and instead, he took this opportunity to invade Noah’s mouth. His wet and warm tongue explored every corner, rubbing itself against the other pink little tongue, whose resistance was pitifully weak.

So very sweet. Far more delicious than what he had imagined.

Levi thirstily licked and sucked as if Noah’s saliva was the tastiest of nectars.

Finally, his baby was all his.

Noah’s white fingers clutched at Levi’s shirt, holding for dear life. His muddled brain couldn’t form a single coherent thought. It could only react on instinct.

And his instinct told him that everything was… just right.

The pleasant scent traveling up his nose was familiar, and the foreign taste in his mouth sweet. The touch on his lips shot warm tingles of pleasure down his spine. And those two strong arms fit so snugly around him as if that was exactly where they were supposed to be all along.

So comfortable, so intoxicating, so very right.

As if their very souls were trembling in delight.