The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 843: JUST... FULL

ASTRID fanned his face with his hand, trying to cool down his still warm cheeks. To keep his mind from wandering back to less innocent territory, he popped his plate of eggs, bacon, and toast into the food heater to reheat. It had cooled down while he was distracted, and he wasn’t a fan of lukewarm food. While it warmed up, he went back to steeping his tea, pouring hot water over fresh leaves and letting it sit.

Now that he had calmed down and the surprise of Wulfric’s sudden appearance had faded, he started to wonder why the other man was really here. Wulfric hadn’t said anything about coming to the capital. So what was he doing here? Maybe he had some kind of military business that required him to be in the capital. And since he was already here, of course he would stop by to see Astrid. That seemed like the most likely explanation.

Whatever the reason, Astrid was just glad to see Wulfric in person. Yes, they met through their avatars in VirtualNet and video called almost every night, but being together in reality was completely different. Seeing him, feeling him, being held by him, it was an entirely different experience.

He raised his hand and touched his lips, which were still tingling from the kiss. He had been kissed before, of course. It came with the territory of being an actor in his past life. He had shared quick pecks and passionate scenes with several people. But none of them compared to what he had just felt with Wulfric. Not even close.

The kiss had been overwhelming in a way he hadn’t expected. It wasn’t just the way their lips moved together or the way Wulfric’s tongue had slipped past his own. It was the intensity behind it, the way Wulfric had kissed him like he was trying to pour every bit of himself into it. Like he was trying to make sure Astrid felt exactly how much he wanted him. It had been consuming, the kind of kiss that made everything else fade away. That left him breathless and a little unsteady. And if he was being honest, he wanted to do it again.

Maybe even more.

The soft beep of the food heater interrupted his thoughts, signaling that his plate was ready. He took it out and started arranging everything on the kitchen island. There was no need to use the dining table when it was just the two of them. He set his plate on one side and the chicken sandwich plate on the other, with the bowl of salad in the middle. He poured tea into two cups and was just finishing up when the doorbell rang again.

He walked to the door, not even realizing he was skipping. When he opened it, he blinked at the sight of Wulfric. He had been expecting him, so that wasn’t what caught him off guard. It was Wulfric’s current state.

The other stood in the doorway with his white hair still damp, droplets clinging to the ends and slowly trailing down his neck. The wet strands were swept back from his face, like he had run his fingers through them without bothering to dry them properly. He was wearing a black shirt that hugged the broad lines of his chest and shoulders, the fabric stretched just enough to hint at the muscle beneath. His pants were loose and soft, hanging low on his hips. He looked like he hadn’t bothered to put much thought into how he looked. And yet he looked effortlessly good. Almost unfairly so.

”Sorry, did I keep you waiting?” Wulfric asked, offering an apologetic smile.

Astrid cleared his throat, hoping it would cover the fact that he had been staring openly. If Wulfric noticed, he would definitely smirk and say something smug about it. And while that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, it would probably lead to them getting tangled up in another kiss, and then their breakfast would be cold by the time they got to it.

So he kept his expression neutral and stepped aside to let him in. ”Not at all. Come in.”

Wulfric stepped inside, and the rich aroma of food enveloped him. Something savory and warm, mixed with the faint sweetness of fresh tea. His stomach gave a low growl, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything since the night before.

Astrid stopped at the sound and let out a small laugh. He turned to look at Wulfric. ”Go sit on the island. I just need to grab something from my room.”

Before Wulfric could respond, Astrid had already turned and walked off toward his room. Left with no other option, Wulfric made his way to the kitchen. The food was already laid out on the counter. One plate held what looked like a hearty chicken sandwich, the other had eggs and bacon. Since the sandwich was clearly for him, he slid onto the stool in front of it.

He looked down at his plate and felt his mouth water. He hadn’t even realized how hungry he was. He had been so focused on getting here, on seeing Aster, that he had barely stopped to think about food. But now, sitting in Aster’s kitchen with a plate of food right in front of him, the hunger he had been ignoring made its presence known.

He was staring so intently at the sandwich that he didn’t even hear Aster come back out. He only noticed when the other appeared at the edge of his vision, already near the island. Wulfric looked up, confused, when he saw Aster holding some kind of black stick in his hand. Before he could ask what it was, Aster had moved behind him. A moment later, he felt a stream of warm air against his scalp, followed by slim fingers running through his damp hair.

”You should have dried your hair,” Astrid said, his voice carrying a hint of scolding. ”What if you catch a cold?”

Wulfric’s throat tightened. No one had ever dried his hair for him before. He didn’t know why, but it made his chest feel tight in a way that wasn’t unpleasant. Just... full.