Raine stayed curled on the couch, eyes glued to the flickering TV like it was the most interesting thing in the world. The blanket was pulled up to his chin, a pathetic shield against the man hovering near the doorway. His chest felt tight, the hurt from two weeks ago still sitting fresh like an open wound.

Daniel shifted his weight, the floor creaking under him. “Raine… come on. Talk to me.”

Nothing. Raine turned the volume up another notch.

With a heavy sigh, Daniel moved closer and dropped to his knees in front of the couch. He rested his hands lightly on Raine’s blanket covered legs, thumbs brushing back and forth in a careful rhythm. “I’m sorry. The way I spoke to you that day, grabbing your jaw like that, threatening to ruin you… it was fucked up. I was pissed off at everything else and I dumped it all on you. You didn’t deserve that.”

Raine’s jaw clenched. He could feel Daniel staring at him, but he refused to meet his eyes.

“I know I said don’t expect me for a few days,” Daniel continued, voice low and rough. “But I stayed away longer because I was still spinning. Didn’t know how to come back without making it worse. I should’ve handled my shit better instead of taking it out on you.”

The apology hung in the air, sincere enough to crack the ice around Raine’s heart just a little. But the memory of Daniel’s cold eyes and slammed door kept him silent. He swallowed hard, staring at a random stain on the carpet.

Daniel leaned in, pressing his forehead against Raine’s knee. “Please, baby. Yell at me. Hit me if you want. Just don’t shut me out like this.”

Raine finally glanced down. Daniel looked wrecked, dark circles under his eyes, hair messy like he’d been running his hands through it for days. Part of Raine wanted to stay mad, to make him feel even a fraction of the loneliness he’d carried these past weeks. But another part, the bigger, stupid part, just missed him.

He didn’t speak, but he didn’t pull away either.

That seemed to be all the permission Daniel needed. He rose up, cupped Raine’s face with both hands, and kissed him. It started soft, almost hesitant, like he was testing if Raine would push him back. When he didn’t, the kiss grew deeper, warmer, Daniel’s tongue sliding against his with a familiarity that made Raine’s stomach flip.

“Missed you,” Daniel murmured between kisses, his breath warm against Raine’s lips. “Missed this.”

He scooped Raine up effortlessly, blanket tumbling to the floor, and carried him to the bedroom. Raine’s arms went around his neck on instinct, legs wrapping around his waist. Their mouths never fully separated, trading slow, needy kisses the whole way.

In the bedroom, Daniel laid him down gently on the sheets, like he was something precious. He peeled Raine’s clothes off piece by piece, dropping kisses everywhere his hands touched, along his collarbone, down the center of his chest, over the sharp jut of his hip bones. No rush tonight. Just careful, reverent touches that made Raine’s skin tingle and his breath come faster.

“You’re so beautiful,” Daniel whispered, voice thick as he slicked his fingers and worked Raine open. One finger, then two, curling just right until Raine was arching off the bed with soft gasps. Daniel watched him the whole time, eyes dark but tender, like he couldn’t get enough of the sight.

When he finally pushed in, it was slow and deep, filling Raine completely. They both groaned at the feeling. Daniel held still for a moment, forehead pressed to Raine’s, just breathing together.

“Fuck, you feel good,” Daniel breathed. “Always so tight for me.”

He started moving then, long, rolling thrusts that dragged against every sensitive spot inside Raine. Their bodies moved in sync, skin sliding against sweat qdamp skin. Daniel kept one hand laced with Raine’s, the other stroking his side, his thigh, anywhere he could reach. He dipped down to kiss him again and again, swallowing every moan and whimper like they were oxygen.

Raine’s free hand clutched at Daniel’s back, nails digging in as pleasure built low in his belly. It wasn’t the usual rough, frantic fuck. This was slower, sweeter, Daniel’s hips grinding in these deep circles that made Raine’s toes curl and his eyes flutter shut. Every thrust felt like an apology, every kiss like a promise.

“Look at me, baby,” Daniel said softly.

Raine did. Their eyes locked as Daniel kept that steady rhythm, sweat dripping from his brow. The intensity of it, the closeness, sent a warm flutter through Raine’s chest that had nothing to do with the building orgasm. For a moment, it felt like more than just sex. Like they were the only two people in the world.

Daniel reached between them, wrapping his hand around Raine’s cock and stroking in time with his thrusts. “Come on. Let go for me.”

Raine came with a broken cry, back bowing off the bed as pleasure crashed through him. His walls clenched tight around Daniel, pulling him over the edge too. Daniel buried himself deep, groaning low and long as he spilled inside, hips jerking with aftershocks.

They stayed connected afterward, Daniel carefully rolling them so Raine was draped across his chest. He pulled the covers over them and wrapped his arms around Raine’s smaller frame, one hand rubbing slow circles on his back. Raine’s eyelids grew heavy, the emotional exhaustion and physical release finally catching up.

“Sleep,” Daniel murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple.

Raine drifted off within minutes, curled trustingly against him.

Daniel didn’t sleep. He lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling while Raine’s steady breathing warmed his neck. The room smelled like sex and Raine’s shampoo, a combination that usually brought him peace. Tonight it just made his chest ache.

He’d meant the apology. The way he’d lashed out that day had been cruel, and Raine hadn’t deserved any of it. But coming here tonight, letting things get this intimate again… it only made what came next harder.

His parents’ threats loomed like shadows in the corner of the room. The frozen accounts. The apartment that could be seized. The scandal that would destroy Raine’s life if he didn’t fall in line. Marry Betty. Secure the alliance. Play the part of the dutiful crown prince.

He had to end this. Break the contract clean, before his family made good on their promises. Before Raine got caught in the crossfire and paid for Daniel’s selfishness.

Raine shifted in his sleep, pressing closer with a soft, contented sigh. Daniel’s arm tightened around him automatically. He swallowed hard, throat tight, and closed his eyes against the burn building there.

One more night. That’s what he told himself. He’d give Raine this peace, then do what needed to be done.

The thought sat heavy in his gut as the hours ticked by, the first faint light of dawn already creeping toward the horizon.