Deep in my soul | Ateez

After the storm

It was warm in Hongjoong's bed.

The room's owner pulled the blanket down to his waist to get a bit of cold air circulating around.

An arm that wasn't his pulled the betas shirt down, hiding the exposed skin that got uncovered as his shirt had slid up somewhere between the hours of sleep.

"Is your arm still functioning?"

The beta's voice was hoarse in the dark room.

"It is." the man next to him said, moving Hongjoong closer.

He wasn't so sure about that since he fell asleep with the Archduke's arm under him.

It couldn't have been that comfortable.

Seonghwa's chest made a good pillow, Hongjoong had to admit.

"What time is it?"

"Judging by the silence, it's too early for us to be up. Go back to wonderland."

The male knew Seonghwa meant dreamland yet he couldn't help sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Alright. Let me get my bag and I'm off."

The arm that had been around him the whole night pulled him back in the sheets.

"No." the man murmured in Hongjoong's two colored hair as if telling a secret.

Hongjoong laid across the mans chest.

"No, it's alright, I'm really going."

His beta gave out yelps of happiness, feeling two arms around his waist. One held him in place while the other sneaked under his shirt.

"Hey! Just a minute ago you didn't let even a sliver of skin be visible. What changed?" he squirmed on top of the alpha, more awake now.

"My motivation."

The yelp that came out of Hongjoong was way too loud for his own liking but he couldn't close his mouth in time to silence it. Laughter tumbled over his lips, filling the dark room with beams of light metaphorically speaking.

The man gasped for breath while he tried to get away from the hand tickling his side.

His legs kicked the sheet to all the possible directions.

Hongjoong didn't see Seonghwa's smile only growing with each of his giggles behind him.

"Please stop it, show mercy!" Hongjoong heaved.

"Mercy!"

What startled Hongjoong and made him forget how to breathe for a minute due to lack of air was the mix of purr and growl from Seonghwa.

His alpha sounded highly satisfied.

Loud pants left the betas mouth when the tickling got reduced to smooth touches against his stomach.

He stared at the tower's ceiling in bliss, which was left there by laughter.

"Hongjoong..." Seonghwa called his name.

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"Oh, great, which daughter was it?"

The man chuckled.

"That's not what I mean."

"Go on regardless."

"How much do you know about Katolca?"

The name didn't seem to ring any bells.

"What is it?"