Define The Relationship Novel - Chapter 85

Ash, who ran a hand through his hair as if troubled, continued.

“But when you came, I just… couldn’t hold back.”

Ash spoke as if he had always spent his ruts alone. Karlyle’s heart strangely fluttered at that fact.

“…Do you normally not let anyone in?”

“Yes. Hmm, at least for about ten years, I think so. It wasn’t like this from the beginning… It’s just hard to fully resolve a rut if you don’t meet an omega. At some point, it became once or twice a year. Like this.”

Ash hesitated, then carefully took Karlyle’s hand. Karlyle obediently offered his hand. He felt very good.

“Am I being dumped?”

Ash asked as if truly worried. The question was so cute that Karlyle ended up laughing.

“Huh?”

“Before you make a big decision, just know one thing. I love you, Lyle. What I said during the rut… well… only half of it was true.”

Karlyle quietly fell into contemplation. What had Ash said? Then, scenes that were beyond erotic and unbearable surged. His last memory was of knotting.

He blinked. Ash had knotted him. There were also several possessive remarks. Karlyle slightly gripped and released the blanket, then asked.

“Did you say only half of it was true?”

“I’ll admit it. Maybe all of it was true.”

Ash readily admitted.

“Still, I hope you know that I don’t usually do such things.”

Ash seemed to think that Karlyle would find his actions difficult to accept. He saw Ash’s anxious eyes. His chest felt a dull ache. Karlyle tried hard to pull down his twitching lips and said.

“It’s alright.”

“Really?”

“It was hard… but I didn’t dislike it.”

If he were to be more greedy, he wished Ash would say “mine” even normally. Karlyle usually thought such possessive statements were foolish.

However, Ash’s act of desiring him brought an indescribable mental pleasure. It felt good to know that Ash loved him.

“But… you knotted me.”

He was going crazy. Ash frowned and sighed.

“It hurt, didn’t it? I’m sorry.”

The third apology fell. Karlyle shook his head.

“…”

His lips parted. Was the knotting a mistake? Did he not want to leave an indelible mark on him? He wanted to know that.

“…Do you regret it?”

But Karlyle had also knotted. It was the second time for Ash. He loved Ash so much he couldn’t hide it. For Karlyle, knotting meant that.

“Me?”

Ash blinked, looking puzzled. Uh, the hand that had been rubbing his eyebrow came down. It touched Karlyle’s cheek.

“No. I told you everything I said was true. The knotting too…”

Ash said that, then got up. Ash opened the bottom drawer of the nightstand and took out a box. A black leather box tied with a light pink ribbon.

Karlyle froze for a moment, seeing the ribbon. A scene naturally came to mind. He shook his head deliberately and looked at the box. Ash, holding the box, sat next to Karlyle again.

“Knotting… it’s my first time too. I never intended to have children, so I was careful before. Even when I met other people. It just felt… like a restraint.”

Ash smiled gently. The box was placed on Karlyle’s palm.

“Will you open it?”

Ash’s words had a big impact. Karlyle thought his uncontrollably pounding heart was audible. He quietly raised his hand and untied the ribbon. The ribbon slowly came undone, and he opened the lid of the box.

Inside the box was a key. Karlyle’s name was engraved on the silver key. Karlyle blinked. The shape was familiar.

It was Ash’s house key.

“It might be late already, but I wanted to give this to you as a Valentine’s Day gift. It took a little longer to find one with your name engraved. What I want to say is…”

Ash spoke calmly.

“If you’re alright with it, I was going to ask you to live together.”

“…What?”

Karlyle, unable to believe it, foolishly asked again. Ash raised an eyebrow.

“Of course, right? You must have already found a house…”

Ash seemed to have misunderstood Karlyle’s reaction. Karlyle hastily shook his head. He gripped the key tightly in his hand and quickly opened his mouth.

“No. I haven’t found a house yet.”

“Really?”

Ash blinked, surprised.

“That day, I upset you… so I thought you had already signed a contract.”

“I…”

Holding the key precious in his hand, Karlyle said.

“I was worried… you might find living together… uncomfortable.”

“Me? No way.”

Come to think of it, Ash hadn’t said anything specific. Was this why he had bought him various things? Heat gradually surged into his face. The corners of his lips subtly lifted.

“If I thought that, I wouldn’t have bought furniture. I wouldn’t have done foolish things like following you around to look at houses.”

“What?”

“Nat’s right. I guess I really am a madman when my rut is coming. Actually, I worried a bit about that. If we lived together, I thought you’d be stuck experiencing this again.”

Ash mercilessly judged himself. Karlyle tried to calm his trembling insides, fearing Ash would withdraw his offer to live together, and replied.

“I like it.”

He had to say this first.

“I’m happy… that you thought of it that way.”

His eyes gently curved into a smile. He felt like he had received the best gift in the world. He was tens of thousands of times happier than when he had first received Alexander as a gift.

Considering that the gift he had loved most throughout his life was his first words, this was truly immense. To be happier than anyone else with just one key and one offer to live together.

“Knotting is good too. I also showed… such a side…”

As Ash revealed his true feelings, Karlyle also gained courage. Even beyond that, it was hard to suppress his joy, and words spilled out.

“I like you so much, Ash… whatever you do… I like it.”

Karlyle briefly averted his gaze, then met Ash’s eyes again. His lips shyly curved.

“I love you.”

It was ticklish. Ash blinked, like someone who had received an unexpected gift. His eyes contorted as if he was about to cry, then Ash pulled Karlyle tightly into his arms.

“I love you too.”

A soft chuckle escaped. Karlyle lightly gripped Ash’s clothes and nodded. He was so happy he couldn’t believe it.

“You’re so beautiful, I can’t bear to take my eyes off you.”

He still didn’t understand words like “beautiful” or “cute,” but he liked it when Ash said them. Karlyle quietly listened to his words. Ash slowly released his arms and met his eyes. A gentle smile beautifully graced his eyes.

“Let’s find a house to live in together.”

Ash’s fingers intertwined with his hand holding the key. Their palms met. The feel of the key inside felt warm.

“Let’s choose furniture together, make Karlyle’s room, my room… And while we’re looking, stay here. I’d like that if you’re alright with it.”

Ash’s words held a future. Words that made him feel as if their time would continue endlessly filled Karlyle with infinite joy. Karlyle smiled.

“I would like that.”

To his heartfelt answer, Ash smiled quietly. He raised their intertwined hands and kissed each knuckle of Karlyle’s fingers. With eyes that gently held him, Karlyle responded with a smile. The smiles on their faces somehow resembled each other.

As Karlyle had wished in the past.