Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 90: Shared Secrets

"I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been," Leonide said softly. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Theo scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "Meanwhile, I had been practically giddy to meet a real Earthian. Even the servants noticed my excitement. Thinking back... it’s mortifying."

"There were times I’d just linger around, unsure of what to do, waiting for Damien to come out," Theo admitted, chuckling at the memory. "Hmm? What would I have done if he had come out? Honestly, I hadn’t thought it through at all."

Leonide raised an eyebrow, amused. "So you were just... waiting?"

"Exactly!" Theo laughed, shaking his head. "And when he eventually rang the bell, all I could manage was to call for Sebas. What on earth was I doing back then?" He sighed, smiling to himself. "But then... the real issue came after that."

Leonide looked at him, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Well, not knowing what else to do, I arranged a meeting to discuss his future here. I figured we’d clear the air. But when he finally arrived, he was completely unfazed." Theo paused, remembering. "For a second, I thought I might have imagined seeing him cry. But every ’I’m fine’ he told me... it was just another lie."

Theo’s eyes softened. "That’s when I realized what kind of person Damien really is."

Leonide nodded thoughtfully. "He does try to hide things, even though he’s not as good at it as he thinks."

Theo chuckled, nodding. "Over time, I found out he was older than I’d initially thought. And... well, I found out he was a man, too." He let out a small laugh, looking almost embarrassed. "But by then, I was already captivated. Yes, I know," he said with a chuckle. "I suppose I’m just as easily smitten as Damien, really. If I’m being honest, it was pretty much love at first sight."

Leonide’s eyes widened in surprise. "Love at first sight?"

"When I confessed this to Damien once, I told him the truth," Theo continued, leaning back with a smile. "I’d always been attracted to women before him. I’d never even questioned it. I assumed I’d marry some noble’s daughter and maybe have a lover on the side, as my father intended. But Damien... he changed everything."

Leonide listened quietly, sensing the honesty in Theo’s voice. "How did you realize your feelings, though?"

Theo chuckled, shaking his head as if at a private joke. "Oh, come on. Even Sebas isn’t here, so I don’t have to be embarrassed, right?" He glanced around, realizing Sebas had indeed tactfully disappeared, likely to give him and Leonide some privacy.

With a sigh, Theo continued, "Fine, I’ll share. At first, it was nothing more than a bit of teasing. Damien looked like the type who’d take care of things on his own. So, I thought I’d spook him a bit."

"Spook him?" Leonide asked, smirking. "How so?"

"Just a little trick or two." Theo shrugged, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "But as time went on, that idea... it really grew on me." He chuckled to himself, feeling the weight of the confession. "I’d honestly never thought about these things before Damien. I’m usually not one to dwell on... physical matters."

Seeing Leonide’s raised eyebrow, Theo waved a hand defensively. "Believe me! Of course, knowing me now, that’s hard to believe, but back then, I was just so... disinterested." He smirked, shaking his head. "But truly, Damien’s just... well, he’s to blame. He’s far too captivating."

Leonide grinned. "I’ll take your word for it."

Changing the subject, Theo cleared his throat. "Oh, and about your friends, Leonide—how are they doing?"

Leonide blinked, caught off guard. "Oh... they’re well, thank you."

"Good to hear," Theo said, nodding. "Though Damien claims it’s all a dream, I’m sure he remembers fragments of it. But you don’t need to worry—Damien hasn’t shown any dislike for it. If anything, he’s enjoying himself, and I don’t see any need to stop."

Leonide tilted his head, thoughtful. "But... if things were meant to stay casual, wouldn’t it have been better to hold back a little?"

Theo sighed, a hint of resignation in his eyes. "Perhaps. But it’s already too late, isn’t it?" He and Leonide shared a laugh, both knowing exactly how things had unfolded.

"Oh, this is all absurd, isn’t it?" Theo chuckled. "A year ago—even a month ago, really—I’d never have imagined any of this."

Leonide nodded, a fond exasperation on his face. "Yes, indeed. Damien truly has a knack for keeping us on our toes."

Just then, as if on cue, the door creaked open. Damien stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes and blinking in surprise. "Oh, Theo, you’re here? Why didn’t you call for me?"

Theo exchanged a knowing smile with Leonide. "I only came to see your face, Damien. When I heard you were napping, I thought I’d let you rest peacefully."

Damien waved a hand dismissively, a warm smile crossing his face. "You don’t need to worry about that. Besides, you look a bit tired yourself, Theo."

Theo’s eyes softened as he took in Damien’s appearance. Damien likely hadn’t realized it, but his eyes were still a little red, with faint tracks of dried tears on his cheeks. Theo and Leonide exchanged another glance, both struggling to stifle their smiles.

"You two look pretty chummy. Did something happen?" Damien asked, glancing between them with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Theo grinned, barely able to contain his amusement. If I told him we’d been swapping stories about him, he thought, I’d probably get to see that adorable blush of his. But he kept it to himself, savoring the moment between friends who cared deeply for the same person.

He shrugged casually. "Oh, nothing much. Leonide and I were just talking about... some plans for the estate."

Damien raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced but too tired to press further. "Alright... if you say so."

Theo and Leonide shared a quiet laugh, their eyes twinkling with a shared secret as Damien watched them with a mix of curiosity and confusion, his brow furrowed ever so slightly.