[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 261: The Most Beautiful Fool

"Xion!"

Xion’s vision was blurry. His ears were ringing, and somehow, when he heard the familiar voice, he didn’t even have the urge to scold his system for its mischief.

His mana was slowly replenishing, knitting his frayed energy back together, but it was agonizingly slow. At this rate, it would take him another half an hour just to push this ugly, grey monstrosity off his body.

"Xion, are you okay? Hey, Xion? Love?"

That voice was closer now. Desperate. Frantic. Very low as if afraid to disturb his rest.

He almost scoffed. Since when did his system get so dramatic? But then again, it had started acting weird since it got in touch with other systems.

Maybe I should stop that system forum?

Xion didn’t open his eyes. Well, he didn’t have extra energy to waste on the system’s antics.

The ache in his ribs felt sharper with each breath and he suddenly wondered if they were broken. Maybe fractured?

He could certainly taste the horrible taste of iron lingering in his mouth.

The crushing weight over his chest suddenly lifted, air rushing back into his lungs with a harsh gasp. He instinctively dragged in a breath only to cough violently, the force rattling his ribs.

"Xion? Look at me..."

The voice was familiar, but the pleading? The system was overdoing it now.

Forcing his eyes open, Xion blinked away the fog. Through his muddled vision, he saw it. That familiar silhouette crouching near him, those long silver strands were spreading over his head like a canopy.

His attention and his breath were taken away by those wide green eyes.

Is it possible to hold so many emotions in one glance? he mused as he leaned into the warm touch over his cheek.

Xion could comprehend some of them if not all. There was so much hate in it. Yes, hate, blended with worry and concern. There was a clear murderous urge, forcing Xion to swallow hard.

However, a thick layer of love wrapped all of them inside.

Like the sun on a crisp winter morning, so deceptively inviting, luring others to forget how easily it could burn if they ventured too close. A fool would even yearn for it, crave it on his skin.

And Xion was such a fool.

His hand moved before his brain could catch up, his trembling fingers grazing over Darius’ face. Cold. It was so cold.

"So beautiful..." he muttered in a daze.

The way the Archduke’s lips trembled, his expression wavered between joy and agony, how he didn’t dare to move Xion recklessly — it all made Xion’s heart warm.

Darius’ hand, big and calloused, came up to cover his frozen ones, pressing them tighter to his cheek. Xion could even feel the tremor in them.

"X-Xion..."

Xion smiled weakly, the first smile since he had left Darius. "I’m fine... just tired."

His hand was still grasped tightly by Darius’, the warmth seeping into his frozen fingers. Without hesitation, Darius brought his knuckles to his lips, pressing a desperate kiss there.

Xion chuckled, though it came out more of a pained rasp.

Ignoring the tingling sensation that ran through his fingers, he joked, "My feet aren’t usable anymore though. You might have to pick me up—"

Before he finished his words, he was engulfed in a fierce embrace.

"Oh, Xion," Darius whispered into his hair, breathing him in, his arms wrapping around Xion so tightly it almost hurt.

He rocked him back and forth as if the motion alone could confirm Xion was still breathing, still alive.

"Thank the goddess, you are fine."

The person who had once destroyed the churches was willing to thank the goddess when he nearly lost his treasure.

Darius, in essence, was just a man drunk on love. The other drunken fool was silly Xion.

Xion’s face was pressed against Darius’ chest, the thundering heartbeat beneath his ear louder than the howling wind. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed that sound.

The archduke’s embrace was nearly crushing, yet he found himself leaning into it, soaking in the warmth that seeped through the thick layers of fur and leather.

It was as if Darius was trying to mold their bodies together, to erase the space that had existed between them for too long.

"You fool," Darius’ voice was hoarse, strained with unspoken anguish.

He pulled back just enough to cup Xion’s face in his hands, eyes scanning every inch of him as if confirming he was real. "What were you thinking, Xion? To fight a monster of this calibre alone?"

Xion chuckled weakly. "If I recall, it started with my brilliant idea to split up."

"And I was a bigger fool for agreeing," Darius growled, his thumbs brushing the frost from Xion’s cheeks. "You’re freezing."

He looked down at those bare feet, catching sight of the torn, bleeding skin, half-frozen and still dripping with remnants of green blood.

His jaw clenched with raw fury, and Xion had the vague suspicion that if the monster wasn’t already dead, Darius would have torn it apart with his bare hands.

Or maybe he was just overthinking it?

Xion shrugged, the motion sending a ripple of pain through his ribs. He winced, and Darius’ eyes snapped back up to his.

"You’re hurt," the archduke whispered as if he were the one in pain. While saying so, he wrapped his scarf over Xion’s feet, tying a knot on them so that the cloth wouldn’t slip away.

"Just a little," Xion whispered back, lips quirking up into a grin that was more grimace. "Still pretty enough to be your lover, right?"

For a heartbeat, Darius stared at him with his bottomless eyes. Then, a slow smile spread across his lips — soft, relieved, and so heartbreakingly tender that Xion felt something in his chest crack open.

"More than pretty," Darius whispered, brushing a strand of damp hair away from Xion’s forehead. "The most beautiful fool I’ve ever laid eyes on."

His thumb brushed over the corner of Xion’s crimson lips, wiping away the trace of blood. "When we get back, you’re not leaving my side again."

Xion only smiled, reckless and radiant, stealing the very breath from the Archduke’s lungs.

So precious, my love. Darius mused. You are so damn precious to me.