Luca had never thought of it that way.
And no one ever told him that it was one way to look at things.
So now, he sat stunned, unable to even speak, as the weight of Xavier’s words settled in his chest.
How different everything felt the mont he replaced himself in the story with soone else.
"We’re surrounded by adults now," Xavier said gently, his thumb brushing over the back of his wife’s hand. "After being with everyone, how do you think they would have reacted if they had been around instead of the people from your past?"
Luca’s brows furrowed faintly, his lips parting as he tried to imagine it.
Not like that.
While he couldn’t say what exactly they would do, as soone who had felt utterly helpless during that ti, there was one thing he was sure of.
They weren’t going to act like that. Especially not the people he knew today.
"Or similarly," The prince continued, his voice calm but steady, "should all the rchants who owned contaminated cargo that entered Planet Nova be branded as monsters?"
The question sank deep, striking sowhere Luca hadn’t even realized was vulnerable.
"The outskirts marketplace was damaged because of one such shipnt," Xavier reminded him. "And there was considerable loss. But had you not been there, this entire planet might have succumbed to a worse fate."
Luca rembered it. That day. The chaos. The fear. The loss.
But even then, no one had called the rchants monsters. The people had lost so much but blad no one.
They had done their due diligence. The rchants were unaware that the cargo was contaminated. It had always been a risk of trade, but it wasn’t deliberate.
It was an accident.
And suddenly, Luca thought back to his own past. Those eyes that looked at him with hatred. Those whispers. Those accusations.
He clenched his hands in his lap.
"No..." Luca whispered at last, his voice soft but clearer than before. "No, because it was an accident. No one wanted it to happen."
"That’s right," Xavier said, his lips curling into a faint, approving smile.
He continued, his tone still asured. "It actually happens more often than you’d think. Soldiers coming ho for a short trip and unknowingly bringing sothing back."
"Despite all precautions, contamination can still happen. But no one would call them monsters for it."
The Imperial Crown Prince was well aware of this. Even he ca back contaminated. But even then, if asked, he was certain he would have done it again for his uncle.
Luca’s breath hitched. He looked up at Xavier, really looked at him this ti, as if seeing him properly for the first ti tonight.
"So Luca," Xavier murmured, his gaze unwavering, "I hope you’ll look at it differently now. Because accidents happen. And no one should have to pay for them forever."
"And while accountability for accidents is important, you’ve more than paid your dues. You endured imprisonnt. You even gave your life to protect them. And even after death, you kept atoning."
Luca’s chest felt tight in a different way this ti. A warmth blood sowhere inside him, fragile and unfamiliar.
Hope.
It was... hope.
He never thought he’d feel sothing like this after everything.
And for the first ti in years, he wondered.
What if his parents thought the sa way?
Would they allow him to remain as their son?
He hesitated, then asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Then...my parents...Do you think they’d still want ?"
The question tugged at sothing in Xavier’s chest.
He almost chuckled—because honestly, even if Luca decided to turn into the worst villain the universe had ever seen, Duke Leander and Duchess Alia would probably still want him.
They would likely scold him. Discipline him. Condemn his actions.
But stop loving him?
Never.
Insanely unlikely.
So Xavier leaned closer, his golden-eyed little fox staring at him like the world depended on his answer.
And he spoke with quiet certainty.
"Definitely."
Xavier’s hand lingered for a mont longer on Luca’s cheek, his thumb brushing away a faint trail of tears.
"Have faith in them," he said softly, his voice steady. "You owe it to yourself to tell them. They deserve your honesty. And you deserve to hear their answer."
Luca swallowed hard, feeling the weight of that thought settle deep in his chest.
"You’re right," he murmured at last, his voice quiet but sure.
Even if it hurt, even if things changed, he owed his parents the sa sincerity they had always given him.
He straightened slightly, his resolve firming.
Only then did he notice Xavier watching him.
Those gentle, steady eyes—eyes that no one else in the entire Empire would ever dare describe as gentle—were fixed on him with quiet warmth.
"!!!"
He was still curled against Xavier’s chest, his arms resting against him as though they belonged there.
Heat rushed up his neck, blooming across his face in an instant.
"Ah—!"
He scrambled back, pulling himself out of Xavier’s arms so quickly that he nearly tripped over his own feet.
The prince, for his part, simply chuckled softly, a faint smile playing at his lips.
At least his little chipmunk seed more like himself again. That was all that mattered.
They walked slowly toward the door and decided to go to the next room to see the Duke and the Duchess.
But just as Xavier reached to open it, he felt a light tug on his sleeve.
He turned and caught sight of Luca standing there, his golden eyes shy and unsure, his face still flushed.
Before he could say anything, the little fox rose on his toes and pressed a quick, featherlight kiss to his lips.
It was fleeting, soft enough to feel like a whisper.
And then Luca stepped back imdiately, his voice barely above a murmur.
"Xavier. Thank you. For always finding ."
"And for always taking care of ."
The words were so quiet they barely reached him.
And then, true to form, Luca darted toward the door, his quick steps betraying his embarrassnt.
But Xavier was faster.
His hand shot out, catching the escapist gently by the wrist just as he reached the door.
The little fox froze, startled, and turned back with wide eyes.
Xavier tugged him back, his smile crooked but his gaze serious.
"You really thought you could leave with just that?" he murmured, his voice low and smooth.
Luca’s knees went weak.
He hesitated, looking nervously toward the door before finally wrapping his arms around Xavier’s neck.
He kissed him again, longer this ti, his lips lingering against Xavier’s.
But to his surprise, the giant did not let him go.
Instead, he lifted him easily, his strong arms holding Luca close until his feet no longer touched the floor.
And like the wolf that he was, his thumb brushed over the corner of his little guide’s lips.
"For good luck," he murmured, his voice low and warm against Luca’s skin.
And then he kissed him.
And boy was it nothing like the shy little peck Luca had given him earlier.
This was deeper, hungrier. Filled with what felt like longing that made Luca’s chest ache.
At first, he stiffened in surprise, his golden eyes going wide as Xavier’s lips moved against his with quiet command. But then sothing in him lted, the tension bleeding out of his shoulders as his fingers instinctively gripped his husband’s coat like a lifeline.
He felt the heat of Xavier’s breath, and those large hands cupping his face, thumb stroking gently at his cheeks, even as the kiss deepened.
Luca’s heart slamd against his ribs. His knees threatened to give out entirely, and he let out a quiet, shaky gasp into Xavier’s mouth.
Oh.
It had been too long since they’d kissed like this.
Since they’d shared sothing so raw, so wordless, yet said everything at once.
Xavier’s lips parted slightly, coaxing Luca’s open, and when their tongues brushed, a faint whimper escaped Luca before he could stop himself. He felt Xavier’s arm tighten around his waist, anchoring him, pulling him closer, as if he could imprint him into his very being.
The kiss was long and unrelenting, slow but consuming. Xavier kissed him like he was morizing him, like he was afraid to let go, like every second counted.
And Luca’s thoughts scattered.
Suddenly, there was nothing else.
No past.
No dark mories.
Just this.
By the ti Xavier finally drew back, Luca’s breath was coming in shallow, trembling gasps. His golden eyes fluttered open, unfocused and hazy, his cheeks flushed crimson. His lips tingled from the intensity, slightly parted as though even now he couldn’t quite catch his breath.
He could still feel Xavier’s hands—one cupping his face, the other firm around his waist—as if promising not to let go.
Xavier’s forehead rested against his for a beat longer, his own breathing low and heavy.
"That," he said quietly, his voice thick with restrained longing, "should last ...for a little while...I hope."
Luca could only nod faintly, still clinging to him, his heart hamring in his chest as he tried to steady himself on legs that no longer seed to want to hold him.
Was he going to be lucky like this? he thought, mistakenly assuming that Xavier was wishing him luck.
But between the two of them, Xavier was rather sure it was he who was going to need all the luck.
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