Chapter 225: A pleasant return

"Wah, I’m back...!"

Blake barely managed to get the words out before he practically collapsed onto Myles.

Myles caught him without difficulty, one arm securing him around the waist before lifting him slightly off the ground.

Blake immediately wrapped both arms around Myles’ head, letting out an exhausted sigh.

"I’m tired..."

Myles hummed.

"Did you eat enough?"

"Yeah."

Blake loosened his grip just enough to breathe properly.

"There was a lot of stuff you would’ve liked, actually. They had super fresh fish."

Myles carried him the remaining distance to the bed before gently dropping him onto the mattress.

Blake bounced once before sprawling onto his back.

Myles looked down at him.

"Did someone run their mouth?"

Blake laughed weakly.

"You should already know that. You can hear everything."

"I can, but I want to hear it from you."

Myles sat beside him.

"Your heartbeat was steady enough. It sounded uncomfortable at times, though."

Blake turned his head toward him.

"Well, you heard them... they couldn’t shut up. Even at their beloved grandson’s birthday, they still found ways to point out my flaws."

Myles’ expression remained neutral.

"You don’t have any flaw they can judge."

Blake smiled faintly.

"For them, even my birth was a misfortune."

Myles’ fingers moved through Blake’s hair, brushing it away from his forehead.

Blake sighed.

"Anyway, as I was saying, they mostly paid attention to Alexander for the rest of the night. It’s not like they were constantly trying to beef with me."

"Even so, I want to know what you think."

Blake hummed.

"It was weird, because this time, my grandparents were there."

Myles’ eyebrow twitched only slightly, but Blake noticed.

He immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Do you know them?"

"Yes."

"Are they related to AL-TECH or Alfred?"

Myles sighed.

His hand came up and gently cupped Blake’s cheek, fingers pressing into it enough to make his face squish.

"Don’t change the subject. Continue."

"I wasn’t changing the subject!"

Blake tried to speak normally despite his cheek being held.

"I’m just saying, it’s not every day I see your eye twitch."

"It isn’t relevant. They had close ties with the previous CEO of AL-TECH."

Blake’s expression changed.

"Oh."

He stared at the ceiling for a moment.

"Then maybe I should try digging up some information through my grandparents."

"No."

The answer came immediately.

Blake looked at him.

Myles’ hand remained against his cheek, fingers slowly sliding toward his jaw.

"Considering your position, that would be pointless."

Blake narrowed his eyes.

"Well..."

He couldn’t really argue with that. His position within the family was hardly one that gave him access to anything useful.

"Fine."

Myles released his face.

"Finish what you were saying."

Blake shifted onto his side.

"They were impressively subtle with their insults."

He laughed quietly.

"They were saying all sorts of things about me being a freeloader with no shame. Nothing directly aggressive, though. More like little comments."

Myles listened.

"They also seemed to say something shady about my dad lying."

"How do you think exactly?"

Blake frowned.

"Well. It’s not like it was that clear for me to theorize."

He thought about the conversation.

"From what I understood, my father wasn’t exactly honest about... my existence, maybe."

Myles’ gaze sharpened slightly.

Blake shrugged.

"I don’t know. They never outright said it."

He sat up.

"Anyway, I’m going to take a shower."

Myles nodded.

Blake stood.

"You can lie down if you want."

"I’ll wait."

Blake gave him a tired smile.

"Suit yourself."

He walked into the bathroom.

The moment the door closed behind him, Blake’s shoulders dropped.

"I feel my skin crawl..."

He muttered it to himself.

The entire dinner had left a strange residue on him.

He undressed quickly, washed his hair and body, then lowered himself into the bathtub.

The warm water immediately loosened the tension in his shoulders.

Blake leaned his head against the edge.

He closed his eyes. For several quiet seconds, there was nothing.

His breathing slowed.

Then, the door opened.

Blake’s eyes snapped open.

"Myles?!"

He stood in the doorway.

"Don’t close your eyes in the tub."

Blake immediately pulled his arms over himself.

"I wasn’t going to fall asleep!"

"You’re tired."

"I know."

"You’ve fallen asleep sitting upright before."

"That happened once!"

"On a bench."

Blake flushed.

"That doesn’t count."

"It does, since it was for an hour."

Blake sighed.

"Okay, I get it. Can you go out now?"

Myles nodded.

"Get out, or you’ll fall asleep."

He closed the door.

Blake stared at it, his face burning.

"..."

He slowly covered his face.

"That’s embarrassing."

Myles wasn’t short by any means.

Blake sincerely hoped he hadn’t seen anything.

He sank lower into the water before abruptly reconsidering.

’Nope.’

He put his head underwater.

The muffled silence helped for approximately three seconds.

Knock.

Blake surfaced.

"Keep your head out."

He stared toward the door.

"...I’m getting out now."

He climbed out of the tub, then stopped, his eyes widening.

’Ah, I forgot my clothes!’

He’d forgotten them.

"..."

Blake grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist.

"Myles?"

"Yes?"

"Can you pass me my clothes?"

"I have them."

Blake blinked.

"Already?"

Blake stared at the door.

’So he knew I’d forget them? Why didn’t he bring them in earlier?’

Blake’s mouth fell open.

"You’re such a perv."

"Open the door."

Blake sighed as he tightened the towel.

"Fine."

The door opened. Myles stood there holding his clothes.

"Put the slippers on."

"It’s fine. I can at least walk."

Myles gave him a look.

Blake stepped forward.

His foot immediately slipped against the wet floor.

"Whoa—!"

Myles caught him.

Blake’s towel nearly slipped.

His hands immediately shot down, grabbing it.

He froze.

Myles stared at him, completely unimpressed.

Blake slowly looked up.

"There is no need to look at me like that."

"You should listen when I tell you something."

Blake sighed.

"Yes, sir."

Myles placed the clothes on the basket.

The two stood there for a moment.

Blake cleared his throat.

"You can go out now."

Myles did, the door closing behind him.

Blake immediately facepalmed.

’God.’

He stayed there for several seconds.

’So fucking embarrassing...’

Eventually, he dressed and stepped outside.

Myles was sitting on the bed.

Blake immediately threw himself onto it.

"I’m beat."

Myles lay down beside him, propping himself up on one elbow.

Blake noticed and smiled.

Then he reached for Myles’ hand, his fingers slowly fidgeting with Myles’ fingers.

"I’m sorry."

"For what?"

"For making you worry enough to come here."

Blake’s voice became quieter.

"I didn’t mean to make you lose your time. We didn’t even do anything. I slept for most of it."

"It wasn’t a waste of time."

Blake hummed.

"You shouldn’t say that just to make me feel better."

"I’m not."

"With everything we have to do..."

Blake squeezed his hand.

"Finding time for me is touching."

Myles hummed as he leaned down, his face slowly approaching Blake’s.

Just before their lips met, Blake blinked.

"Wait."

Myles stopped.

Blake stared at him.

"Should you really kiss me this much?"

"Why?"

"Well..."

Blake looked away.

"We’re not technically dating, are we?"