After Transmigrating, I Raised Cubs in the Insectoid Clan - Chapter 16

It was washed away. Why had he washed it away?

Samuel naturally reached out and brushed the side of the youth’s neck. His fingertips lightly traced the reddened skin as if he had performed this action countless times before. “Why did you wash it off?” he asked. “Did you not like it?”

He wondered if Suter no longer liked it, had grown tired of it, or if there was another reason entirely. Now that Suter had regained his memories, perhaps he felt that Samuel had taken advantage of him by exploiting their unequal relationship.

Samuel did not dare to think further. The skin beneath his fingertips suddenly became scorching hot, and the heat caused his hand to recoil instantly. He took a confused step back and spoke again. “I am sorry.”

He had lost count of how many times he had apologized that day. He worried that Suter might already be tired of hearing it, yet he truly could not think of any other way to express himself. He felt he should say something, anything at all, to improve Suter’s opinion of him. However, no witty remarks came to mind that suited the current situation.

He found himself thinking of his sister at this inappropriate moment. She was a lively person who could strike up a conversation with anyone. If she were there, she would likely mock him for becoming a mute when he was usually so well spoken.

Samuel’s thoughts continued to drift, and he failed to notice that the look in Suter’s eyes had changed. Those eyes were now fixed on him like a predator locking onto its prey. His pupils contracted slightly and grew dark and heavy.

Suter realized that Samuel’s step back was an attempt to create distance. He realized that Samuel was afraid of him. That idea pierced Suter’s nerves like a blade. His jaw tightened, and his expression instantly turned cold.

He took a sharp step forward, closing the distance between them so abruptly that Samuel could feel the heat of his breath. Suter reached out and his rough fingertips brushed the back of Samuel’s hand. The thin calluses, earned from years of handling weapons, scraped against Samuel’s skin with a vivid and trembling intensity.

Before Samuel could react, Suter grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward. Their noses nearly touched and their breaths intermingled. Samuel caught the lingering scent of gunpowder on him. It was not a scent that body wash could cover; it was the smell of the battlefield, soaked into his very marrow.

“I washed it off because,” Suter’s voice was low and hoarse as his breath brushed against Samuel’s lips, “I do not want you to keep treating me like a cub.”

Suter pressed his thumb against Samuel’s Adam’s apple. The pulse beneath his fingertip was racing, and the blood vessels throbbed against the skin. Suter stared at that spot with a burning gaze, then leaned down and pressed his lips lightly against that vulnerable skin.

Samuel’s breathing stopped instantly. He had not expected this action at all. His mind went blank, and the small patch of skin being touched felt incredibly hot. Suter’s lips were softer than he had imagined, yet they carried an undeniable strength. The warm breath fanning across his sensitive neck made Samuel’s entire body go rigid.

He knew he should push Suter away or say something, but his body felt as if it had been paused. He remained frozen in place. It was only a light kiss, so brief it almost felt like a hallucination.

Suter pulled back slightly to observe Samuel’s reaction. He saw a rare flicker of panic in those eyes that were usually so gentle and smiling. Samuel’s eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and his lips parted slightly, though no sound came out.

This reaction only deepened Suter’s gaze. He leaned in again, and this time, he kissed Samuel directly on the lips. Samuel’s body began to tremble. His fingertips grew cold, and his back felt pained from the tension. He raised the hand that was not being held by Suter and pressed it against the other’s shoulder, attempting to push him away.

However, this small amount of strength meant nothing to Suter. Samuel’s palm did not even leave a wrinkle in the fabric of the pajamas. Suter tilted his head slightly, his dark green eyes staring unblinkingly at Samuel’s reaction.

Their lips were only lightly pressed together, yet Samuel was already shaking. The corners of his eyes and his ears flushed red, and his breathing became rapid and chaotic. He looked like prey driven into a corner, where even struggling seemed futile.

This sight made Suter’s blood boil. It burned so fiercely that he nearly forgot his original purpose, leaving only one thought screaming in his mind. He wanted to hide Samuel away.

He caught Samuel’s lip between his own and suddenly bit down hard. A sharp pain shot through Samuel’s nerves, and the taste of blood spread between them. Samuel jolted as if he had been yanked out of deep water, and his chaotic thoughts were torn open by the pain.

He gasped for air and pushed Suter away with all his might. He staggered back until his spine hit the wall behind him. “We cannot do this. We cannot do this,” he said breathlessly, the wound on his lip still throbbing. His head was a mess because of the sudden kiss and Suter’s words.

Suter’s expression darkened. “Why can we not?” He moved closer and gripped Samuel’s jaw, his thumb pressing against the bleeding lip and dragging across the wound with firm pressure.

Samuel hissed in pain, but the sight of the blood only seemed to make Suter lose his patience. He wanted to taste it again.

Samuel turned his head away, his breathing still unsteady. “No, we cannot. At least, not now.”

“Then when will it be okay?” Suter’s voice dropped.

He lowered his head slightly, an act that looked like a sign of weakness, allowing his forehead to rest against the side of Samuel’s neck. From behind, it looked as though he were burying his face in the crook of Samuel’s neck. In reality, his arm was still locked firmly around Samuel’s waist, leaving no room for escape.

Samuel could feel Suter’s breath on his sensitive carotid artery. It was warm and slightly trembling, like a wounded animal. Yet, when he tried to pull back, he found the arm around his waist was as unyielding as an iron band.

“We have only been together for half a month,” Samuel said with a hint of exhaustion. “The time is too short. Even if you have your past memories, it is not the same.”

He spoke with difficulty, as if each word was scorched out of him by Suter’s breath. “Even if you really do like me a little bit,” Samuel’s Adam’s apple bobbed, “this is moving too fast. At the very least, we should go on a few dates first.”

Suter suddenly tightened his grip. He pressed his nose into the crook of Samuel’s neck and took a deep breath, as if trying to memorize his scent. The action made Samuel shudder so hard he nearly bit his tongue.

“Then we shall date,” Suter said as he pulled back a short distance. “Can we start today?”

When Suter looked down, his eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes. When he looked up again, a restrained sense of anticipation flowed within his emerald pupils.

Samuel had indeed planned to take Suter out to buy new clothes. His browser history was filled with dozens of clothing pages, and his bookmarks were even categorized by color. However, hearing the word “date” come from Suter’s mouth gave the plan a sudden, ambiguous tint.

“I remember you told me yesterday that you would take me out to choose suitable clothes,” Suter noted.

“Yes, but…”

As Suter straightened his back, the fabric of his shirt made a slight rustling sound. His lips curled into a perfect arc. “I am very much looking forward to it.”

Those words were like a stone dropped into Samuel’s heart, creating a ripple of emotion. Samuel found himself momentarily speechless.

Breakfast passed in silence. Samuel ate very slowly. Every time he chewed, the small wound on his lip gave a sharp sting. The pain acted like a key, constantly unlocking memories of Suter’s fluttering eyelashes, their mingled breaths, and the lingering touch on his waist.

After the meal, both went to change their clothes.

Suter closed his bedroom door and stood with his back against it for a moment. His fingertips unconsciously brushed his lower lip, where the metallic taste of Samuel’s blood still lingered. That realization made his throat tighten.

He did not go to the closet immediately. Instead, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the optical computer he had swiped while Samuel was distracted. The metal casing still held the warmth of Samuel’s body.

With practiced ease, he disassembled the casing and embedded a transparent chip into the core processor. The entire process took less than thirty seconds. When he reassembled it, there was no sign of tampering on the surface, which matched the calm expression on his face.

Sunlight through the window cast fragmented spots of light at his feet. Suter stared at them and suddenly recalled how Samuel’s eyelashes had trembled when they kissed. It had felt so real, yet it also felt like a carefully designed performance.

He wondered what Samuel would do if he knew that Suter had truly fallen in love with him. He walked toward the wardrobe, his blurred reflection appearing in the mirror. “I will know soon enough,” he whispered to his shadow, and a cold smile touched his lips.

Samuel stood before the full-length mirror, adjusting his tie for the third time. His fingertips were cold, and he tried to regulate his breathing. Xiao Su rolled into the room through the half-open door, its mechanical arm holding a bottle of perfume.

“According to the social etiquette database, the recommendation rate for using light perfume on a first date is ninety-two point three percent,” Xiao Su stated.

Samuel was amused by its serious tone. He took the perfume and noticed a label that said “Date Special,” which Xiao Su had clearly attached itself.

“How did you know we were going on a date today?” Samuel asked as he sprayed a little on his wrist.

Xiao Su’s display suddenly flashed, showing a series of precise data charts. “Analysis is as follows,” it said, tilting its metal head at a forty-five-degree angle. “During breakfast, you made eye contact six times, with an average duration of two point three seconds. The probability of eye avoidance was one hundred percent. The frequency of dropping utensils increased by three hundred percent compared to the daily average. Furthermore…”

Samuel looked at the bar graphs and line charts scrolling across the screen and was momentarily speechless. This cold data exposed all the secret heartbeats, avoided glances, and knocked-over water glasses. Samuel’s ears burned.

“Conclusion!” Xiao Su’s electronic voice jumped an octave. “According to the Human Romantic Behavior Analysis Model established by Doctor Shen Jixing, you two are clearly in the early stages of a passionate relationship but are still in the adjustment phase.”

Samuel knelt down, and his knees made a soft thud against the floor. He did not argue with the little robot that he and Suter were not actually in a relationship yet. From Samuel’s perspective, he was currently pursuing Suter.

Samuel reached out and stroked the top of the robot’s head. His voice was as gentle as a breeze. “Then wish me luck.”

Xiao Su’s indicator light turned from blue to pink, and it let out a soft hum. “Based on historical data, Samuel, your success rate is ninety-nine point nine percent. The remaining zero-point one percent variable lies in one thing.”

It suddenly lowered its voice. “It depends on whether you are willing to take the initiative to hold his hand.”

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