Chapter 351: Carry Me Slowly, My Sunlight

[FROLO]

"I know you’re awake," a rough voice snapped Katya’s internal relay of last night’s events. He had had one of the best nights, really, and the more he thought about it, the more he was determined to get what his alpha was still keeping away from him.

Last night had just proven how close Katya was, and frankly, right now, as he rested his head on Sergei’s chest, Katya couldn’t help the sly smile that rested on his lips.

He’d messed around last night and ended up in his alpha’s bed.

It was not something he was ashamed of.

If anything, Katya loved it.

The way Sergei had held him possessively and carried him out. The way Sergei had lost his shit in the club. It was something that made Katya feel giddy and, like the brat he was around Sergei, the omega let out a soft, knowing chuckle.

"Nope. Not awake yet," Katya said, as he pushed his head up before he rested it at the crook of Sergei’s neck. Right where Sergei’s scent gland was.

The rainforest was thicker at the source, and gods be damned if Katya didn’t feel like testing his alpha’s patience right now. But then he knew better than to try and play this early, so he just breathed Sergei in.

He felt his alpha stiffen when Katya rested his leg on Sergei’s thigh, like life was as simple for him. Perhaps that was what it was like these days. Because with Sergei, Katya was happy.

Stubborn, defiant, a menace, but happy nonetheless.

"You’ll have to wake up soon, Solnyshka. We still have a long day to go," Sergei said, and Katya snorted at that.

Right.

Long day.

"It’s the weekend," the omega grumbled, and Sergei pulled his hand to his lips, kissing it gently before he turned to the side so he was staring at Katya’s face so gently, hearts in his eyes like he was falling in love again.

"Which means we have more time to have fun. Planned a trip for both of us, but you need to wake up soon," Sergei said, smiling at the way Katya was determined to keep his eyes closed.

It was cute, really, a beautiful sight that he was never going to get used to, really. Having Katya in his bed, in a country house away from the city. A place where they could do whatever they wanted without having to worry about eyes on them all the time.

Granted, there would probably be people stalking them, but Sergei didn’t want to pay attention to that at the moment. All he wanted was a weekend with Katya, and he was not going to let anyone ruin it for both of them.

"Five more minutes, Vladimir," Katya whined, snuggling closer. He sounded like he was not ready to let go yet, and frankly, he couldn’t be blamed.

Sergei smelled good.

So damn good.

"You’ve been saying that for the past hour, Solnyshka. How about a compromise, hmm?" Sergei offered, and Katya chuckled.

"Are you bribing me, Chairman Moskowsky?"

"They’re really nice chocolate cakes, Lyubim," Sergei said, a smirk playing on his lips, and Katya sighed, opening his eyes.

"I don’t like chocolate cakes," Katya lied as he opened his eyes only to meet Sergei’s fierce yet tender ones.

Gods... this man.

"Ahh, I see... I’ll give them away to the villagers later then."

"Hold on, villagers?" Katya wondered before he looked around him.

Beyond Sergei’s chest and comforting scent, Katya looked up at the ceiling. It wasn’t the same bright gray ceiling with the ridiculously beautiful chandelier hanging above them.

This was different.

If anything, Katya dared to think that it was more homey.

"Vladimir..." Katya breathed quietly as he tried to understand where they were. He wasn’t supposed to be going anywhere with Sergei, but after last night, he had thought he’d end up either at his penthouse or at Sergei’s penthouse.

Not wherever this was, because it was most definitely not the old Romanov Manor Katya had introduced Sergei to before.

"Solnyshka," Sergei breathed, tracing the strands of hair from Katya’s face. His omega was still in his oversized shirt and smelled like him, something that Sergei would never get tired of.

The fact that Katya wasn’t even bothered about the clothes anymore had the alpha feeling a little more than he had thought possible.

"Where are we?" Katya asked, pulling back just to look into Sergei’s eyes.

His hold on Sergei hadn’t faltered, even when he was scanning the room. It was like he was not letting the alpha go, not that he cared about the possibility that last night had pushed Sergei beyond the brink of civilization.

"It’s way better to see for yourself than me having to explain... Also, you’re awake now. Let’s get you fed, hmm?" Sergei said, kissing Katya’s forehead before he got off the bed, making Katya grumble.

Then he carried the omega into the bathroom to start their day.

That weekend, Katya got to learn more about Sergei than he had ever anticipated. Like the fact that Sergei had taken them to his country house, loved hiking, which Katya was never going to do again with him, because Katya had not liked the feeling at all.

"I don’t like people not knowing you’re mine," Sergei had grumbled over the weekend a few times.

Katya had laughed quietly at that because this was the first time he was hearing Sergei admit that he did not like the idea of no one knowing Katya was his.

And of course...

"You can tell them if you want to. I don’t mind. Besides, I am yours, alpha. I never want to belong to anyone but you," Katya had challenged, and gods be damned if Sergei didn’t want to claim him down the hiking trail.

Katya had also learned that beneath the big bad Devil of Frolo and the man who was helplessly in love with him was a kind soul who was known so differently by the elderly in that village.

"Why are you making extra porridge today?" Katya asked the evening of their first day there.

"Old Maria likes it when I make her porridge each time I come over here," Sergei had explained softly. It was a stark contrast to the man Katya and the city knew. And frankly, Katya couldn’t have been more glad.

Because away from the persona he had known was someone kinder.

Someone who cared more than he let on.

Someone who had a heart he rarely showed anyone.

It was interesting, really, how the alpha had different sides, but Katya was only glad that he had been trusted to show that side of Sergei too.

The rest of the weekend had gone by so well. Until Monday came, and Katya and Sergei had to go back to work.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, ROMANOV?!" was the first thing Katya heard the moment he stepped inside Romanov Steel.

Svetlana looked like she was about to smack the living daylights out of him... and Sergei too.

"With my boyfriend," Katya giggled like he hadn’t just ghosted his friends and hadn’t left his phone with them the night Sergei had carried him away.

"With your... did you just ditch us a whole weekend for... Moskowsky?" Andre shook his head like a disappointed friend, and it was hilarious because Sergei was still standing there while they acted like he wasn’t.

"Have a good day at work, alpha," Katya kissed Sergei’s lips instead.

"I’ll pick you up for lunch, or if I’m not able to, I’ll send you lunch," Sergei said, hugging Katya tightly.

"We’re still here, you know?" Svet rolled her eyes at the barbarian.

"See you at home, Vladimir," Katya waved before Svet and Andre dragged him away.