[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 228: A chance To Woo You

Cold was a double-edged sword.

It either meant trembling under layers of clothing, the cold seeping into your bones despite the fire crystals held close — just like Xion had experienced over the last few days.

Or it could be an absolute haven. And that was precisely the case for Xion now.

With his body warm and cozy under the heaviness of the soft duvet, the room’s chill felt almost pleasant.

He had no idea when he’d fallen asleep or when someone had carried him here.

His face was pressed against the pillow, inhaling a faint, familiar scent woven deep into its fabric.

Cedarwood. Xion’s foggy brain picked up the scent that had taken root in the recesses of his mind. He drew a long breath of the aroma tinged with sweetness before burrowing deeper into the thick, fluffy pillow.

His long eyelashes trembled, then fluttered open as a large sigh escaped his parted lips — proof of just how comfortable he was.

Even when he blinked at unfamiliar surroundings, his boneless body didn’t stir to explore.

For a moment, he did nothing but breathe it in.

His half-lidded eyes, still heavy with sleep, took in the room without hurry. Everything looked expensive but not ostentatious. The kind of space that exuded power through restraint.

Deep blue hues painted the walls. A flickering fire danced within a stone hearth a few steps away. Thick velvet curtains shrouded the windows in twilight, regardless of the hour.

Where am I? he wondered, then remembered his earlier stunt. I’m definitely at Darius’ home.

The fact that he wasn’t scolded or punished for hurting the northern sovereign was a miracle on its own, and now he was hoarding one of his rooms as well.

But Xion wasn’t panicked, nor was he afraid. It was strange to say that after he saw Darius, his uneasily empty heart suddenly fell back in its place.

Even if people would betray me, there are those who stay by my side — who coddle me, who’d take a punch for me without reason.

A smile tugged at his lips.

Gathering courage, he tried to sit up, only to find it far harder than he expected. Simply lifting himself felt like a chore.

He glanced at his bandaged fingers, then down at his body. He wore an oversized shirt and comfy trousers. He was spotlessly clean as if someone had bathed him or cast a cleaning spell.

But... who changed my clothes?

If it was Noxian, that’d make sense. Yet no one answered, and his cheeks warmed at the other notion tugging at his thoughts.

Just as he wriggled upright, the door clicked open.

Xion felt a flutter of excitement as the tall figure entered.

Darius paused slightly, then moved forward. He held a cup in his hand, still emitting steamy fog as he made his way toward the bed.

"Xion?" Darius seemed to coo, and that only made the barely awake Xion stare at those gleaming green eyes in a trance.

In seconds, the Archduke was sitting before the sluggish healer. Then he gently tucked a lock of slightly long black hair behind Xion’s ear.

Seeing his baby — naïvely dressed in his clothes, cheeks flushed with sleep — made Darius’s heart race and desire pulse beneath his skin.

Oh, my Xion, he silently thought. So, so beautiful...

"How are you feeling? Any pain? When did you wake up? I left a bell for you to ring."

Under that onslaught of caring questions, Xion’s frozen mind finally stirred. He spotted the little copper bell on the table.

"Ah...I just woke up," he mumbled, nearly coughing from a dry throat.

"Here, I brought something for you." Darius smiled and handed him the warm cup.

"Thank you," Xion accepted it with a shy smile. He took a sip of dark brown liquid, the thick, chocolaty sweetness melted in his mouth.

Its warmth slid down his throat, and he instinctively moaned at the deliciousness of it.

"I knew you’d like it." Darius’s fingers drifted to the raven-black hair that was now fluffy and soft again.

Xion hummed, taking a deeper sip. Waking to a handsome face and hot chocolate was one of the best mornings ever. Not to mention the free hair rub.

A certain kitten was about to purr and moan in comfort, but thinking about his dignity he held back.

"What about you, Your Grace? Have you eaten?"

Darius ran his fingers through Xion’s messy hair. Although it made Xion look so adorable, he didn’t want to miss the chance to touch him. "It’s evening, and yes. I ate lunch on time like you asked me to."

He chuckled at the way Xion was leaning into his touch.

His hand slid down to Xion’s slender neck. The pulse thrummed beneath his fingertips. Really here...

"Ah? Already? How long have I been sleeping?" Xion asked, wide-eyed while his mouth was smudged with brown liquid.

Darius seemed to smile but his gaze was narrowing on those stained lips. I want to clean them with my tongue.

"Not too long. Just a few hours. Don’t worry, I’ve settled everyone into their respective rooms."

Xion exhaled in relief. Finally safe, he could plan in peace. I’ll start looking for Mycrosa Tenberis tomorrow, he thought, licking the drop of chocolate from his lips.

What could he do when it tasted so good? He really didn’t want to waste any drop.

"Little greedy kitten," Darius teased, amused by the way Xion was gulping the hot beverage down.

His words intensified the blush on Xion’s face, but the shy baby still refused to leave the cup. "I am hungry," he mumbled.

Darius’s eyes softened. "Of course you are," he murmured, almost to himself. "You burned yourself down to embers. It’s only natural you’d need to be filled again."

There was so much warmth in that look that Xion felt he might burn if he stared longer. Shyness fluttered through him, eyelashes trembling as he lowered his gaze and watched the barely there liquid swirl at the bottom of the cup. freeweɓnovel.cøm

He fiddled with the empty cup only to have a large hand gently take it and set it on the table.

With nothing else to focus on, Xion’s eyes traveled back to the Archduke. His fingers curled into the duvet, nearly tearing the fur.

The room suddenly felt too silent, so much so that his own heartbeat was making his ears deaf. For a second, he wondered if Darius could hear it too?

"I—"

"I—"

They spoke in unison. The comical incident somehow managed to lift the heaviness hanging in the room. It made Xion smile slightly as he waited for the Archduke to finish speaking.

Darius sighed. "I’m sorry, Xion."

"Huh?" Xion tilted his head, confused, until Darius’s strong palm cradled his cheek.

"I was a fool back then. I scared you, and you left me..." His thumb stroked Xion’s cheekbone. "Can you give me another chance?"

Xion’s big blue eyes blinked in obvious confusion. "What chance?"

"To woo you. To make you my lover."