A pleasant scent lingered in his nose. It was warm, cozy, and made him feel pleasantly sluggish. Noctis couldn't remember the last time he had slept so deeply and restfully. He should get up, but he didn't want to yet. Instead, he snuggled a little deeper into the cushion beneath him and let out a soft sigh.
Noctis was lying on his stomach and had something in his arms. Half asleep, he assumed it was his blanket. No wonder his back felt a little cool. But that hardly bothered him, because beneath him it was pleasantly warm—far too warm for a simple blanket, actually.
A smile played on his lips, though he kept his eyes closed. He wanted to doze just a little longer. After all, he had carried out his mission conscientiously and more than deserved the rest.
He hugged his blanket a bit tighter, only to draw a small, annoyed groan from it.
Wait a second. Noctis froze. Since when do blankets groan?
Slowly, his awareness surfaced. His hands moved over the material beneath him—far too firm and far too alive to be fabric. His fingers slid over clothing, then beneath it, where they met warm, smooth skin. A quiet shiver ran down his spine. How could skin feel so good?
Fingers tangled in his hair. Another groan followed, this time softer, gentler, barely more than a breath. Something moved beneath him, rising and falling steadily.
Damn it, it was time to open his eyes.
The first thing Noctis saw was red couch fabric—exactly the same shade as Isaac's couch. Then he noticed a hand resting loosely on his shoulder. Another was still gently tangled in his hair.
He blinked a few times as the memories of the previous night slowly fell back into place. The room was filled with the first light of morning, the rising sun painting soft contours on the walls. He didn't need to look around to know where he was.
He heard Isaac's breathing—steady, calm. Felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest beneath him.
How the hell had this happened?
He was still wearing his clothes. So had he simply fallen asleep on Isaac? The thought coaxed an amused smile from him. He would have loved to see the look on Isaac's face right now. He snuggled a little closer to him and simply enjoyed this moment—being close to him without being pushed away again.
"Who would've thought you'd make such a good pillow?" he murmured in amusement.
Isaac answered only with a grumpy grunt and shifted slightly, without truly waking up. Noctis had to laugh softly. That reaction alone had been worth it.
This was definitely a better reward than anything the boss would give him for the job.
He had spent the entire weekend tracking down that damn idiot and finally taking him out. The boss hated it when someone ran off with his money, and more often than not it was Noctis who got sent to "take care" of things. Some people he was only supposed to scare, threaten, or—like this little repeat offender—kill.
Some people just never learned. No matter how often you tried to do it the "nice" way.
Noctis closed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and stayed exactly where he was. Just for a few more minutes. Maybe longer.
Thanks to the job, he hadn't slept a wink the past two nights, and when he'd finally been home, a strange sense of longing had come over him. He had wanted to see Isaac. Since his last visit, they hadn't written to each other, nor had he received any sign of life from him at all.
They didn't have the kind of friendship where they constantly kept each other updated, and yet somehow they were friends—at least as long as Noctis kept showing up. He had to suppress another smirk, because if it were up to Isaac, he'd probably call it being haunted.
He'd been worried about that damn stubborn fool, and it wouldn't even have surprised him to find him half-dead in his bathroom without him ever once thinking to send a message. The surprise had been all the greater when he'd caught that far-too-serious guy standing in front of the mirror, pulling faces.
He was doing better than the week before, and that was all Noctis needed to know.
Still, there were a few things he absolutely didn't like. Chief among them was Isaac's plan to get closer to that cop. There wasn't just one reason why he hated the idea, and not all of them could be explained rationally.
He had meant it when he said it would be better to get rid of that guy—and even if Isaac didn't want to hear it and fought him on it, he should definitely make a few preparations. In an emergency, everything would happen fast, and he wasn't prepared to lose Isaac to anyone. In any sense.
Noctis swore to find out who that cop was and where he lived. He would get a look at what that annoying notebook was like and who that damn cop spent his free time with. He would find out every last thing about that guy and destroy his life if he so much as harmed a single hair on Isaac's head.
He sighed quietly. Why was he thinking about that stupid cop at this very moment? He should much rather focus again on the person he was lying on.
Carefully, he pushed himself up a little, bracing himself so he wouldn't touch Isaac or accidentally wake him. Gently, he let his fingers glide over his flawless skin, which seemed to shimmer even in the faint morning light.
So, Isaac… he thought with amusement. Tell me—what should I do with you?
He could make a game of stripping them both down to their underwear and pretending they'd had a hot night together. The thought alone was tempting. Unfortunately, they hadn't drunk nearly enough alcohol for that, and Isaac would definitely not give him the reaction he was hoping for.
Noctis discarded the idea, even if he tucked it away in the back of his mind for a later moment.
Option two was simply to stay where he was. He could just wait and see how the situation developed—above all, how Isaac would behave when he woke up. Absentmindedly, Noctis brushed his thumb over Isaac's soft lips.
There was nothing he wanted more than to find out how he would feel if he gave himself to him completely.
How would you react if I woke you with a kiss? Would you push me away—or would you refuse to let me go?
But no matter what the answer might be, he would unfortunately have to find out at a later time.
Someone had the audacity to call him early in the morning. His phone vibrated loudly, tearing through the silence. He could count himself lucky that it wasn't lying on the table—and that he hadn't set it to loud.
A quiet curse slipped from his lips. Of course he had to be interrupted yet again just as he was about to enjoy himself. One last time, he looked at Isaac's smooth, flawless features before finally straightening up to take the annoying call.
After all, he didn't want Isaac to wake up because of it—not after he'd spent the whole night serving as his pillow.
He crept quietly and quickly into the bathroom and closed the door behind him before answering. The nuisance turned out to be his boss. Why the old man was awake at four in the morning was anyone's guess.
"What is it?" Noctis asked without preamble.
"I have a job for you. Come to me immediately so I can give you the details," the boss ordered in his typically authoritarian tone that allowed no "no.""I don't need to remind you that you're not allowed to talk to anyone about the jobs, do I?"
Noctis clenched his teeth in irritation. So once again he wasn't even getting twenty-four hours to rest? Still, there wasn't much he could do but obey the boss. A job was a job.
"Of course not. I'll be there as fast as I can," he promised, and hung up before the boss could say anything else—or before Noctis said something he shouldn't.
"Damn asshole," Noctis muttered softly.
He put the phone away and crept back into the living room. Isaac had turned onto his side in the meantime, fast asleep, his features relaxed. Noctis took a blanket and carefully draped it over him, pulling it up a little higher as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
He would have liked to stay. Really liked to.
The sleep he'd gotten thanks to Isaac had been better than anything the past few nights had offered him.
Finally, he turned away, ready to leave—but after a few steps he stopped. A thought crept into his mind, and a crooked grin played on his lips. Quietly, he turned back once more, stepped closer, and bent down.
Gently, barely perceptible, his lips touched Isaac's.
"We'll see each other again soon, darling," he whispered.
Isaac murmured something unintelligible in his sleep, his face twitching slightly as he stirred. Noctis chuckled softly, then straightened up and left the apartment.
___
When he arrived at the boss's, he was met by Constantin, the boss's runner…—secretary. He looked as if he had just been thrown out of bed. Of course, no one was allowed to sleep when the boss was awake.
Constantin appraised him with a look somewhere between envy and dislike.
"You arrived faster than expected. The boss will be pleased," he said without so much as a greeting.
Noctis twisted his mouth into a crooked smile. "Of course he will. After all, I'm his loyal dog, to be worked to death at his whim." His gaze met Constantin's gray eyes, which held no trace of sympathy. "So? What does he want this time?"
"He'll tell you himself shortly," Constantin hissed irritably. "You really ought to work on showing others a certain amount of respect."
An amused smirk escaped Noctis. He walked toward Constantin, looking down at him with a mocking grin.
"Respect is only earned by very few," he said so quietly that only Constantin could hear, none of the guards posted outside the boss's door. Noctis leaned in closer. "A slimy worm like you will never get it. Especially as long as you lack the ability to form a single thought on your own."
"Damn asshole," hissed Constantin.
Noctis pretended to ponder his words. Then he straightened up and shrugged.
"That I am. Too bad for you, I couldn't care less about your opinion," he said as he passed Constantin. He waved casually over his shoulder. "Sorry, I don't have time to play with you any longer. After all, I have a date with the boss."
Noctis still expected a biting remark, but Constantin remained silent. So he continued on, unfazed. Every time he showed up here, that man tried to teach him some kind of lesson—and every single time, he failed miserably.
It was amusing to see that helplessly furious expression on Constantin's face. Because he knew perfectly well that he wasn't allowed to openly antagonize Noctis—not as long as Noctis stood in the boss's favor.
With a self-assured grin, Noctis entered the office. The door was quietly closed behind him, cutting him off from the outside world.
"Here I am, Boss."
With casual strides, he walked over to the boss, who was currently absorbed in one document or another. The older man looked up, a smile playing on his lips.
"Noctis, my boy," he greeted him. "How nice of you to come so quickly."
He set the papers aside, folded his hands, and regarded him benevolently. "You carried out your last assignment in absolute perfection."
"Just as you expected."
"Of course," the boss replied calmly. "I always expect absolute perfection from my sons." His gaze darkened for a moment. "I would have liked to give you a bit more time to rest, but this matter cannot be postponed."
He handed Noctis a single sheet of paper, which Noctis accepted and skimmed.
Of course nothing can ever be postponed, Noctis thought irritably, but he didn't let it show. His usual easy smile remained in place. He really is trying to work me to death. Well—that's what happens when you're too good at your job.
"Don't worry," he said casually at last. "I had a really pleasant night."
Noctis read through the document the boss had given him.
A barely perceptible glint passed through the boss's eyes.
"Must be nice, being able to enjoy your youth," the boss chuckled amusedly and leaned back in his chair.
Noctis resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment. The boss acted as though Noctis spent his free time doing nothing but sleeping with someone. Which, admittedly, was probably exactly the image the organization had of him.
He raised an eyebrow once he had finished reading the document.
"Sometimes I really wonder why these idiots keep trying to screw you over. Maybe I should start carrying out my assignments less subtly," Noctis snorted. He met the boss's eyes and handed the document back to him. "So? How do you want me to kill him?"
"You really are quick on the uptake—that's exactly what I appreciate about you so much," the boss said with a smile. He folded his hands and gave him a cold smile. "I have to admit that it bothers me how these incidents are piling up. It shows me that my subordinates are losing their respect for me, and I want you to show them what happens to my enemies. Less subtle, if you understand what I mean."
"No problem," Noctis replied. "Give me two days and you'll have what you want."
"I'm counting on you. No one will steal from me again once you're done with them."
Greedy old bastard, Noctis thought to himself. Of course nothing is more important to you than your money. Well—maybe Noah.
"Any news from the other clans?" Noctis asked casually.
The boss tilted his head slightly.
"Nothing worth mentioning. They're keeping quiet for now. Still, stay ready."
Noctis nodded. A smug grin played on his lips.
"I'm always ready, as you know," he said. "You can expect your report in two days."
"Understood," said Noctis. He turned toward the door and cast one last glance over his shoulder. "After that, I'd appreciate a few days off."
The boss made a dismissive gesture. "We'll see how things look by then. If nothing comes up, you'll get your vacation."
"I'll hold you to that," Noctis said, and left the office.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, his gaze hardened. He would damn well hurry with this assignment.
He couldn't afford to waste time. He couldn't allow Isaac to grow too close to the cop in the meantime.