There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 708

Chapter 708: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 43

Their patience only lasted until the end of the stairway to the bedroom gallery. When Radia stumbled on the last stair because he kept trembling, Han Joon did not just catch him, but picked up the man in his arms.

There was no gap in reactions; the moment Radia felt himself getting carried, his shaking hands grasped his husband’s--yes, his husband’s--face and pressed their lips together. It had been too long. Far too long.

They had been separated twice before Joon fell into a coma, and both times, it was longer than these mere few months. And yet, these mere few months felt like a crueler torture.

During the first eight years, Radia was mainly angry. During the second three years, he had a lot of distractions in his hand. But these few months...he had to see Joon’s life slipping out slowly, and while his presence was not forgotten, their long relationship was.

As much as Han Joon felt impatience, Radia had to hold back a lot more. Way more.

Radia, who hadn’t been able to have this kiss for a long time, and Joon, who had thought he wouldn’t be able to have this kiss for a long time...both of their longing tasted like decades had passed between their separation.

And they could taste the impatience, the longing, in the way their lips trembled against each other. They had kissed thousands, ten thousand, millions of times--and yet, they were fumbling clumsily like it was their first time. Their stuttered breath mingled as Han Joon hurriedly walked to the bedroom, and their wet gasps echoed loudly even against the sound of a slamming door.

Their kiss was clumsy and all over the place because Radia kept on gasping as if he were choking. At some point, tears were dripping from the crimson eyes, soaking both of their cheeks and lips, flavoring their kisses.

Through eyes glistening in tears, Radia gazed at the man between his hands. While yet his ’husband’, at the very least, this Han Joon was already his. Already the man he poured his young heart in; the one he made promises with.

The one who called him Dee and Darling and made his whole world shaken up with just a gaze and a smile. The same gaze and smile that he saw through his tears at this moment.

Yes. This Han Joon was already his.

"Joon..."

That name, uttered with a softness that only a decade-long relationship could produce, a softness that he heard the morning he woke up in the hospital, made Han Joon’s lungs cease functioning for a second.

He had been longing for that tone, for his name to be called that lovingly, ever since. It was enough to make his legs wobble and crash against the side of the bed.

That didn’t stop them from slotting their lips together, even as Han Joon fell and slid to the floor. His grip never loosened--if not tightened--around the man who was heavier than the nineteen-year-old in his available memory.

Ah...it reminded Joon that time had passed between them--time he didn’t know. Twenty years was gone from his memory, longer than the time he knew Radia currently.

He held Radia tightly, pulling the man into a heartfelt hug. As he buried his face on the other’s neck and inhaled the gentle scent deeply, his chest shook from both thrill and sadness. "How long--"

"Eleven."

"Months?" _{freewёbnoνel.com}

"Years."

"Fuck!"

The curse brought a bitter smile to Radia’s lips. Fuck, indeed. "And three years more while you’re in prison."

"Even prison? Haa..." Han Joon let out a hollow laugh before leaning back against the side of the bed. He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "I didn’t think...it would be that long."

"Because you’re stupid," Radia grumbled, all the while caressing the regret in Joon’s face; the furrowed brows, the stiff lips, the shadow under the closed eyes...

Han Joon opened his eyes and chuckled. "I guess," he smiled bitterly and leaned into the touch while sighing in both regret and relief. "Haa--Dee..."

"Mmh," Radia leaned forward and cradled the pitiful young man.

Young man. It was funny, but it was the only time Radia could act like he was older. He wanted to indulge his man, his lover, his savior. And at that moment, as he tried to digest leaving Radia for eleven and three years, Han Joon looked vulnerable and pitiful.

In a weak voice, Han Joon whispered miserably. "Do I really manage to hold back for that long?"

"No," Radia chuckled. "You caved a little bit after I established Trinity."

"Ah..." Han Joon nodded. "I could guess a little why I did that."

"You said it wouldn’t matter anymore since the threat became so extensive that you couldn’t help but stay as close as you could," Radia informed him, but Han Joon snorted in response. "Was that not the truth?"

"It is," Han Joon smiled. "But I don’t think it was the whole truth."

"What was the other half?"

Han Joon narrowed his eyes as he tried to recall the time he heard ’Trinity’ when he was still mentally fifteen. At that time, he only knew it was a guild that Radia established to support Mortix. He did not have any thought about it other than a slight bitterness because he, a non-esper, wouldn’t be able to work there.

But hearing it after he regained more memory...it was different.