We need to have a proper talk.
In television dramas, a reunion should involve spotting each other from across a crowd as time stands still. Everything around them falls silent, and the two individuals gaze into each other’s eyes before running toward one another.
Unfortunately, the reality was that Sirius could not find him, nor was he particularly looking.
Julian did not arrive with Sirius. He was there in his capacity as the Council Secretary General and a candidate for councilor to oversee the handover between the fleets.
The first person Sirius encountered was the Vice Commander of the Sixth Fleet, Victor’s former rival. After greeting Sirius, the officer stood silently behind him, instinctively assuming a guard position.
“Where is Victor?” Guided by a female officer, Sirius navigated through the dense crowd of soldiers to find several commanders gathered in a circle.
Three fleets were assigned to guard the Central Star System, but only one was stationed directly on the Central Star; the others were based on dedicated military planets. Of the three returning fleets, only the Seventh Fleet was stationed within the Central Star System.
They could not withdraw all defenses from the Central Star System at once; typically, one fleet remained in each of the three sectors. Therefore, the current handover was only between the Sixth and Seventh Fleets. Ordinarily, only the commanders of those two fleets would be present, but surprisingly, all six fleet commanders had arrived in full force.
When Sirius found Victor, the commanders stopped talking simultaneously. The officers, who had been arguing until they were red in the face, fell silent and turned to look at Sirius with wary expressions.
Victor let out a scoff and glanced at his colleagues. Ignoring their dissatisfied glares, he walked toward Sirius. On the other side, the soldiers inexplicably cleared a path. Thanks to his keen eyesight, Sirius spotted the dark eyes of the purple haired commander.
Most of the soldiers present belonged to the newly returned Seventh Fleet. They were aware of the relationship between Sirius and Lex. Perhaps hoping for some entertainment, they did not leave.
Under the collective gaze of the soldiers, Lex walked forward one step at a time, his gaze steady and fixed directly on Sirius.
“You said you were going to cancel the engagement with him, right?” Victor was closer, so he reached Sirius first, subtly positioning himself between the two.
“He likely will not accept it willingly. Do you need me to help you control him, partner?”
“I do not need you to interfere, Victor. You are overstepping.”
For some reason, Sirius felt irritable. Victor, who was busy fanning the flames, became the perfect target for his frustration. Sirius consciously looked at Victor with cold disgust and brushed past him to face Lex.
Lex was still wearing his specialized uniform. Unlike the peaceful aura Julian exuded in his uniform, Lex appeared cold and lethal. However, when those eyes met Sirius’s, they were bright, soft, and perhaps a bit apprehensive.
Lex’s uniform was dark blue.
Inexplicably, Sirius’s heart skipped a beat. “You should know that I intend to cancel our engagement.”
Sirius suppressed his emotions and spoke directly. He kept his voice low to avoid embarrassing Lex in front of the other soldiers, but perhaps he spoke too softly. Lex acted as if he had heard nothing and pulled Sirius into a tight embrace.
A cheer erupted from the crowd.
“Oh!”
“Wow!”
“May Your Excellency father many sons!”
The soldiers were unaware of the current status of Sirius and Lex. They likely assumed Sirius had come to welcome Lex home and cheered for their commander.
Sirius was not happy.
From their previous chats on the light brain, he could tell Lex was unwilling to end the engagement. Now that Sirius had arrived in person, the commander was still pretending not to hear.
It was intentional. Sirius could have heartlessly pushed Lex away, which would have silenced the crowd instantly and made it public knowledge that Sirius did not like Lex and intended to break the engagement.
Although engagement cases were rare, the species had regulations. A female was not permitted to unilaterally occupy a position; if a male wished to cancel the engagement, the female had to comply. This was a decree issued by the Council.
As long as Sirius spoke up under the watch of so many witnesses, Lex could no longer feign ignorance.
By dissolving this engagement and settling this contract, he could finally become a single individual. Human morality would no longer bind him. The loyalty and promises represented by Lex could be completely discarded.
From then on, words like insidious, greedy, and selfish would become a part of his life. He could forget human fantasies and fully integrate into this species. Even if it occasionally caused him pain, he would no longer be a lonely, drifting individual.
Sirius placed his hand on the commander’s neck, moving it to the side.
This was a vital point for a soldier. Even for this species, the carotid artery was the most vulnerable area. Lex was not wearing armor. If Sirius squeezed with enough force, the arms currently pinning him would immediately release their hold.
Sirius applied a slight amount of pressure.
The sound of a racing pulse traveled through his fingers to his ears. It was loud and strong. Lex closed his eyes as if offering himself up as a sacrifice, submissively tilting his neck to make it easier for the male to apply pressure.
Sirius’s hand froze. He stared intensely at the officer.
Lex opened his eyes. His dark pupils were shimmering with tears and filled with a sense of grim determination. He looked steadily at Sirius and nodded slightly, as if telling him that it was alright and that he could do anything to him.
The loyalty of a soldier meant that even if a male wanted him dead, he would do it without hesitation.
Sirius instinctively avoided those eyes, and the strength in his hand gradually loosened.
He could not bring himself to do it.
“Follow me.”
The Seventh Fleet had been stationed at the Central Star before they left. Since their cruise mission had ended, they would stay at the Central Star for ten years before moving to another system.
Of course, if a soldier found a male partner during this time, they could choose to transfer to a different fleet, provided they did not hold a position like commander. For now, Lex still lived on the Central Star.
Upon entering the military district, Sirius noticed it was several times larger than it had been during his first visit. There were more apartment buildings, which surprised him.
Lex took the initiative to explain.
“This was likely the work of the Sixth Fleet. Since we have to share a military district, they probably used folded space technology to add these new apartment dormitories.”
Following Lex’s gesture, Sirius looked toward the new apartment buildings. He could see many soldiers standing at the entrances. They sat on the ground quite leisurely, watching the busy Seventh Fleet as if they were watching a show.
Perhaps because Sirius looked for too long, many soldiers looked back. Because Sirius was there in his official capacity as a male, his mental power was active. He could feel the weight of the many gazes landing on him.
They exchanged a few words, and one soldier stood up amidst laughter and began walking toward Sirius.
Lex’s expression darkened as he stepped between them. “Your Excellency, please come to my apartment.”
Lex’s expression was exceptionally stubborn, as if Sirius had to agree. Sirius watched him for a few seconds until Lex’s facade cracked, revealing a pleading look.
Sirius nodded.
He allowed Lex to take his hand as if he had been granted a reprieve. Lex gave a cold look to the soldier who had been approaching, and another cheer erupted around them.
They had been secretly watching the entire time.
“Lex.”
The layout of the apartment was the same as before. The curtains were still tightly closed, and the sofa where he had briefly stayed was still in the same spot. Sirius sat down, and Lex immediately followed, kneeling on the floor before him.
“You do not need to do this.” Sirius looked down at him and blocked the commander’s lowered head.
Lex looked up. The loyal soldier said nothing but silently rested his hands on Sirius’s knees, gently parting the male’s legs. He was still wearing his commander’s uniform. He leaned back to avoid the hand Sirius used to stop him.
Sirius exhaled slowly.
He remembered the last time he was here. In the same position, Lex had knelt like this, clumsily and earnestly trying to please him. At that time, Sirius found it interesting. Lex had exposed his soft, most vulnerable underside to him, so Sirius had accepted his advances.
Perhaps things should end where they began.
With that thought, Sirius placed his hand on the back of Lex’s head, gripping his hair.
Lex worked hard. Perhaps the reliable commander had trained for this, or perhaps he had practiced every day on the journey back, waiting for this moment to win him back. His tongue was strong, precise, and sensitive. He kept his eyes open, working devoutly.
Sirius’s hand was buried deep in that soft purple hair. He did not use force; he just held it loosely, yet he could clearly feel the tension in Lex’s neck. He was afraid.
What a troublesome person he was.
Sirius closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the sofa, resting his right hand on the commander’s neck. Lex shivered, then worked even harder.
“Enough.” Sirius’s voice was somewhat raspy. He patted Lex’s head.
Lex looked up, a red mark around the corners of his mouth. His dark eyes were moist as he gazed at Sirius. He did not stop.
Sirius repeated himself. “I said, enough.”
His tone sharpened, and he withdrew his hand from Lex’s hair. He sat up straight and adjusted his disheveled trousers.
“Lex, we need to have a proper talk.”
Lex’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He stood up submissively and sat down right next to Sirius, his body turned slightly toward him.
Sirius did not look at him. He leaned back and stared aimlessly at the opposite wall. “Lex, you know. You know what I intend to do.”
Lex turned pale and bit his lip as he looked at Sirius.