Beep beep beep...
The abrupt ringtone shattered the intimate atmosphere in the car.
Feeling lazy, Cohen Phillips spoke softly, "Answer the phone."
Baldur Morgan felt around in Cohen's coat pocket, retrieved the phone, answered it, and held it to his ear.
"Hello..."
"Did Baldur take you home?"
Kerry Phillips's voice came through, accompanied by some noisy music in the background.
Cohen Phillips looked up, meeting the man's dark eyes, and replied, "Mhm, I'm home."
Just haven't gone upstairs yet.
Kerry Phillips, distracted while holding his thoroughly drunk partner, didn't doubt him.
"Alright then. I'm taking Anthony home. Might not be back tonight. You go to sleep early."
"Got it."
Baldur Morgan ended the call.
Cohen Phillips grabbed his wrist, his bright eyes shifting, and issued a straightforward invitation.
"Want to come upstairs for a glass of water?"
Baldur paused for a couple of seconds, withdrew his hand, straightened Cohen Phillips's slightly disheveled collar, and pushed the car door open.
Cohen Phillips got out. A cold wind hit him, making him shiver.
The next moment, he was pulled into Baldur Morgan's embrace and led into the apartment building.
They took the elevator up.
After entering, Cohen Phillips took a new pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet.
"These are my brother's. Never worn. You're about the same height, so they should fit."
After changing his shoes, Baldur Morgan followed him inside, glancing around.
The minimalist decor was warm and comfortable, very homely.
"Have a seat."
Cohen Phillips took off his coat and walked towards the kitchen island.
"I'll get you some water."
Baldur walked over to the living room's floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the easel set up there with a portrait that only had a rough outline sketched in.
He raised a brow.
"I thought you said you weren't good at portraits?"
Cohen Phillips, who had just brought over a glass of water, halted his steps.
He stated frankly, "I lied. Portraits are what I'm best at."
Baldur chuckled.
"So you just didn't want to draw one for me?"
Cohen Phillips shoved the water glass into his hand.
"My drawings are very expensive."
"How expensive?"
"Depends on the person."
Cohen Phillips looked him up and down.
"If you want to buy one, you'd have to sell yourself."
Baldur Morgan pinched his cheek.
"Can you stop being so fixated on my body?"
He tilted his head and smiled.
"Aren't you fixated on mine?"
Baldur Morgan lightly flicked his forehead, sat down on the sofa, and asked, "Has Anthony Ferguson moved in?"
He'd seen shoes in another size by the entrance; it couldn't be anyone else.
"Sort of."
"Tch..."
He wasn't too pleased about Anthony Ferguson.
Cohen Phillips climbed onto his lap again, cupped his face, and pressed her lips to his.
Kissing was the most wonderful thing in the world, especially with someone you liked.
Baldur Morgan let him kiss, the arm circling his waist tightening its hold.
After a while, Cohen Phillips pulled back, panting, his moist eyes gazing at Baldur Morgan.
"Let's go to my room."
Baldur Morgan watched him for a moment, then closed his eyes, concealing the overwhelming desire.
He stood up.
"I should head back now."
Huh???
Cohen propped himself up, the amorous haze between his brows dissipating somewhat.
He watched as Baldur Morgan picked up his own coat.
An ache spread from the depths of his heart, almost overwhelming him.
Why?
Baldur Morgan, about to head for the door, suddenly turned back and tossed down the coat he'd just picked up.
Cohen Phillips pressed his lips together and lowered his eyes, trying to hide his helplessness.
The next moment, he found himself in a broad embrace.
Baldur Morgan sat him on his lap, gently kissing his reddened eyelids, his tone slightly regretful.
"I'm sorry, baby. Don't be sad."
A small temper flared in Cohen Phillips.
He pushed against Baldur's shoulders, trying to pull away.
Baldur held him tightly.
"Baby, not yet."
Cohen Phillips stopped struggling, holding back tears.
"Why?"
Baldur Morgan lifted his chin, looking at him seriously.
"Then why are you in such a hurry?"
He said stubbornly, "I like you."
"Then do you think I like you?"
"..."
Cohen Phillips fell silent, wanting to turn his head away.
Baldur Morgan held his chin, not letting him evade.
"Do you think I'm only with you because I want to sleep with you?"
His pupils trembled.
"I..."
"I think I was wrong."
Baldur Morgan sighed.
"I shouldn't have revealed my deep attraction to you so early on. I should have taken it slow."
Cohen Phillips asked hesitantly, "So... you do like me?"
Baldur smiled and pecked his crimson lips.
"Of course I do. Such a beautiful and proactive kid, who wouldn't be moved?"
Cohen Phillips's dazed eyes shimmered with fragmented light.
Baldur Morgan kissed his forehead.
"The way you look at me is so blatant. If I were only thinking about those things, that early morning at the resort when I brought you cake, I would have used the alcohol as an excuse to make love to you. You probably wouldn't have refused me then, right?"
He pressed his lips tightly together, a faint pink spreading to the tips of his ears, and said weakly, "I'm not that unreserved..."
"Aren't you?"
"..."
Fine.
In front of someone he'd liked for years, he couldn't be reserved at all.
Baldur Morgan ruffled his hair.
"I should have told you earlier too. Cohen Phillips, I like you. I seriously want to be in a relationship with you, not just sleep with you."
Cohen Phillips didn't really hear the words after that.
His mind was filled only with the echo of: I like you.
After being lost in thought for a long time, Cohen Phillips grabbed Baldur Morgan's collar, a misty haze rising in his eyes.
"I like you. I've liked you for so long."
Baldur Morgan gently pressed his lips to Cohen's.
"I'm sorry for making my treasure wait so long."
"And also..."
He leaned back a little.
"And also what?"
Cohen Phillips's expression turned serious.
"Before, I really didn't know if you liked me or just lusted after my body. But I thought it through yesterday."
Baldur Morgan rubbed his nose against Cohen's affectionately.
"Thought what through?"
"My sis-in-law told me I shouldn't use my body to test..."
"Anthony Ferguson?"
"Mhm."
"Then why were you still seducing me today?"
Cohen Phillips wrapped his arms around Baldur's neck, somewhat shy, but still expressed his thoughts plainly.
"I like you so much. I want to kiss and hug you."
"Baby..."
Cohen Phillips buried his face in Baldur's neck and said softly again, "Baldur Morgan, I like you."