Chapter Text
Norton Campbell had never been one for games.
Not when his childhood was stolen by hard labor and endless responsibilities. Even as he grew older, his bad luck only deepened. His previous employers, with their twisted sense of power, took pleasure in playing sick mind games with him, dangling promises of rewards just out of reach, only to snatch them away at the last moment.
It was a cruel reminder of the power imbalance, a twisted game where Norton was always the loser. And now, here he was, trapped in yet another game — a survival game — where the stakes were higher than ever before.
So when it came down to his feelings, Norton did not like his being messed with. However, it seemed like a certain professor in his life had other ideas.
It began innocently enough. One evening, after a particularly long day, Norton had wandered into the manor’s library, seeking for a moment of quiet respite.
Curled up in his favorite armchair secluded away from the rest of the room, Norton began thumbing through the pages, quickly getting lost in his reading. His fingers moved in a careful rhythm, turning each page with a reverence born from years of longing for this very moment.
The rhythmic ticking of a clock on the wall was the only sound in the room, each tick marking the passage of time as Norton became more absorbed in the words before him. The world outside his little haven felt distant, muffled by the walls that surrounded him. It was just him, the pages, and the quiet satisfaction of immersing himself in knowledge he had been denied for so long.
As he read, the soft light accentuated the burn scar that marred the left side of his face, the jagged lines of old wounds standing out against his skin. Norton had long since stopped thinking about the scar while he read; it was just another part of him, another thing that defined who he was. But despite the calm he found in his books, there was always a part of him that remained aware, that knew the world saw him as a hot-tempered and avaricious person.
His concentration was so deep that he didn’t hear the door open, didn’t notice the familiar presence that slipped into the room, silent as a shadow. It wasn’t until he felt the warmth of someone standing behind him that he realized he was no longer alone.
Norton looked up from his book, his fingers pausing mid-motion as he turned slightly to see Luchino standing there, a soft smile playing on his lips. The sight of him was a welcomed interruption as he quickly returned the professor’s smile.
“You’ve been in here for hours,” Luchino said, his voice low, the teasing lilt unmistakable.
Norton shrugged, glancing back at the book in his hands. “It’s a really good book,” he replied, his tone nonchalant, though he couldn’t quite hide the way his heart seemed to beat a little faster at Luchino’s presence.
Luchino stepped closer, his hand coming to rest on Norton’s shoulder, a gentle pressure that sent warmth radiating through him. “You should get to bed, it’s getting quite late,” Luchino murmured, his voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone.
Norton could feel Luchino’s breath against his neck, and the proximity was both comforting and distracting. “Then why are you here?” Norton asked, though there was no edge to his words.
Luchino’s smile widened, a playful glint in his eyes. “Why am I here?” he repeated, his hand moving from Norton’s shoulder to gently cup his cheek, his thumb brushing over the rough skin of the scar. “I just wanted to check on you.”
Norton raised an eyebrow, the surprise in his face evident. “Check on me?” he echoed, though a small part of him was touched by the concern. “But I’m just fine. I’ll get to bed soon.”
Luchino chuckled, leaning down slightly so their faces were level. “Is it so wrong for me to want to look after my boyfriend?” he whispered, his lips hovering just inches away from Norton’s.
Norton’s breath caught in his throat, his eyes locked on Luchino’s, and for a moment, the rest of the world fell away. But just as he leaned in, just as he expected Luchino to close the distance between them, Luchino’s lips diverted at the last second, landing a soft kiss on Norton’s forehead instead.
Norton blinked in surprise, his momentary anticipation dissolving into confusion as Luchino pulled back with a smirk, the teasing glint in his eyes even more pronounced. “What was that for?” Norton asked, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“What was what for?” Luchino replied innocently, though his smirk betrayed him.
Norton narrowed his eyes, suspicion brewing in his mind. But before he could press the issue any further, Luchino stepped back, a mischievous grin on his face as he casually changed the subject. “You should continue your book tomorrow. It’s important that you get enough rest.”
Norton watched him for a moment, trying to decipher the meaning behind that smile. But Luchino was already turning to leave the room, leaving Norton with more questions than answers.
The game had begun, though Norton didn’t yet realize it. He only knew that the kiss on his forehead had felt wrong — no, not wrong, but unsatisfying. It wasn’t what he wanted, what he needed.