Bab 257: A Star's Secret Glow
Soren said, "I know, I know," but he didn't really hear what Clark had said. He pulled Clark from the windowsill into the room, worry etched on his face. "You're soaked! Look, your shoes are wet too!"
Clark glanced down at his damp red boots and the wet footprints on Soren's carpet, then promptly bent down to remove his boots.
Soren took out a dry towel and looked at Clark's dripping cape. "Why don't you just change into my dry clothes?"
Clark chuckled slightly at him. "It's fine; you know I can't catch a cold."
"But it feels so uncomfortable to wear wet clothes," Soren replied, clutching the bath towel. He confidently directed Clark to lower his head, helping to dry his wet hair. "You should go take a shower, and I'll find you a bigger shirt."
"I don't need to, Soren—"
Clark was still refusing, but Soren had already begun to push him toward the bathroom. Of course, with Soren's slight strength, he could never move Superman, but Clark didn't want to let Soren feel defeated, so he complied and walked toward the bathroom helplessly.
Soren bent down to turn on the showerhead, placing his fingers underneath the faucet to check the water temperature. Clark stood behind him, smiling, and said, "Even if you turn it to the hottest setting, it won't matter, Soren."
"That won't do. I can't let you take a shower with water that's too hot; even if you are Superman, you can't handle that," Soren said, leaning over the edge of the bathtub, arching his back and exposing a graceful, pale neck. He tested the water temperature for a while and finally found it suitable. Just as he stood up and turned around, his gaze collided with Clark's smiling eyes, which were just inches away.
His words caught in his throat; they were standing too close together. When he turned, he almost bumped against Clark's chest.
That handsome face, radiating the charm of someone older, was looking down at him from only a few centimeters away. The bright light in the bathroom made Soren's heart race with heat.
Soren's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he quickly mustered the courage to tiptoe and wrap his arms around Clark's neck, planting a passionate kiss on his lips.
The eager and sincere kiss made Clark's breath hitch; he instinctively wrapped his arms around Soren's waist, one hand pressing against the back of Soren's head as he deepened the kiss.
Their lips met fervently, and Soren felt dizzy as Clark lifted him by the waist.
His back pressed against the cool tiles of the bathroom, his feet lifted off the ground, even his slippers slipping off. He could only use his toes to touch the top of Clark's bare foot, his rounded, delicate toes resting on the raised veins, curling slightly.
"Mmm, mmm… mmm—" he whimpered softly like a purring kitten, his body growing weak under Clark's kisses. The warmth radiating from Clark's palm against his skin made him feel like his body wasn't even his anymore; he felt completely overwhelmed.
Clark supported his waist with one hand while the other cradled the back of Soren's head, enveloping him tightly in his embrace.
Soren struggled to catch his breath, his face growing redder as he rubbed his toes against Clark's foot. Clark frowned, the veins in his hand visible as he gripped Soren's waist.
Soren's head was spinning; he lifted his foot and gently kicked at Clark's calf. "Mmm… Clark, mmm…"
"Baby…" Clark's voice was gravelly, like sandpaper. He pulled away from Soren's lips, noticing a glimmer of saliva at the corner of Soren's mouth, making his lips look like two rose petals frozen in jelly, which made Clark's gaze grow even deeper.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he unconsciously tightened his embrace, about to lean down for another kiss when he suddenly heard footsteps coming from outside Soren's room.
The "knock, knock, knock" at the door seemed to awaken Soren. He abruptly opened his eyes wide, jumped out of Clark's embrace, and dashed out of the bathroom to open the door, his wrist trembling as he turned the doorknob.
Renee's face appeared behind the door.
She was wearing a crossover-collared bathrobe, holding a glass of milk, and smiling at Soren. "Did you forget to drink your milk again, sweetheart?"
"Ah, oh, yes, yes!" Soren hurriedly took the glass of milk, his eyes darting around, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
Renee looked at the wet hem of his short sleeve, puzzled. "What were you just doing?"
Soren's face turned bright red. "—I was just about to take a shower, Mom! Alright, I'll go shower now…"
He playfully pushed her back, turning away to close the door, while Renee continued from the other side, "Don't forget to drink your milk—"
"Got it, Mom!" Soren called back, his voice a little too loud as he nervously shut the door and locked it.
He set the glass of milk aside, feeling jittery as he walked back to the bathroom, almost stumbling over his own feet. Just as he pulled open the bathroom door, he was immediately pulled into Clark's embrace around his waist.
He heard Clark chuckling above him, his chest vibrating with laughter. "Don't you like low-fat milk that much?"
"It's not that I don't like it; I finished the bottle of milk you prepared for me last time," Soren replied, his face flushed. "I just don't like having to drink the low-fat milk that Renee puts in the fridge every day because I always forget to do it."
Clark held him in his arms, gripping his waist firmly with both hands, and effortlessly lifted him onto the sink. The two locked eyes for a moment, and Soren's face felt hot, awkwardly trying to close his legs, but Clark pressed down on his knees.
Soren sat on the sink while Clark gently planted two kisses on his forehead and then squatted down, still holding his knees.
Soren's toes curled together, and his voice carried a hint of tears. "No, ugh, Clark… ugh ah…"
But he couldn't push Clark away; he lacked the strength even to hold onto Clark's head, his fingers trembling as he whimpered, nearly crying out, "Mmm, mmm… Clark…"
He felt soft and fragile, like a beautiful cloud in the sky, melting completely into Clark's embrace. Clark stood up, cradling him, fingers interlaced to support his body, lifting him off the ground. Soren quickly clung to Clark's neck, and Clark gently kissed his lips, sighing softly, "...Why are you so sweet, baby?"
That special scent made Soren's face flush. He anxiously whispered, "Don't, don't swallow it...!"
"It's fine," Clark kissed him again. "It's sweet."
Soren's heart raced almost uncontrollably as he felt dizzy from the contact with Clark's skin. Clark held him tightly, letting him rest against his chest like a small pony. Soren felt completely at Clark's mercy, tethered like a gentle pony, dizzy and seeking kisses from Clark.
He was like a patient suffering from dependence, not wanting to be apart from Clark for even a moment. His trembling eyelashes brushed against Clark's prominent nose, warming Clark's heart even more, as he carefully embraced this star, repeatedly kissing its cheeks.
Soren whimpered restlessly in Clark's arms, absently gripping Clark's collar, his fingers weak but still clutching the soaked red cape. He rubbed his heel against Clark, pitifully calling out, "Clark, Clark… Clark…"
He had no idea how everything had unfolded afterward. By the time he realized what was happening, he found himself being cradled by Clark, sitting in the bathtub, like a small boat caught in a storm, with barely a moment to breathe.
Clark continued to kiss him, his fingers running through Soren's hair. Soren cried, feeling like a floating weed tossed about, as the water splashed around them. Tears streamed down his face as he hiccupped and sobbed, "Wuwuwu... no, ugh, Clark…"
His sanity was nearly shattered, mumbling incoherently, not even aware of what he was saying. Tears and saliva were mingling in a mess, and he tenderly held his stomach, whining, "My belly, ugh, my belly is going to break, Clark... ugh—"
Clark quickly used his x-ray vision to check, confirming that Soren was just babbling nonsensically due to his hazy state of mind. Relieved, he continued to hold Soren's hand and kissed his cheeks.
During their time in Washington, aside from reading Soren the always soporific Phaedrus, Clark would also read him a fairy tale book called Joseph and His Star.
In the story, an ordinary farm boy named Joseph one day stumbles upon a little star that has fallen from the sky.
This little star, a soft yellow hue that radiated a gentle glow, cried in Joseph's palm, saying, "I don't want to be here, I don't want to, I want to go home…"
Joseph curiously asked the star, "Why? The fields here smell of wheat, the hills are dotted with lovely wild berries in the autumn, the winter snow is as soft as a blanket, and you can fish in the spring... why do you want to go back?"
This little yellow star was both beloved and delicate, batting at Joseph's palm and complaining softly, "Because there's no one here who loves me… I need love to keep my beautiful glow. Without love, I will become a dim star."
Joseph looked at his star and smiled.
Sitting on a haystack by the field, holding this proud star in his hands, he said in the summer night breeze, "It's okay; I'll love you. I will love you forever, until you no longer want to stay by my side. I will make sure you always shine, even brighter than the stars in the sky. Because from the moment I saw you, I knew you were my star."
Soren began secretly dating Clark behind Renee and Charlie's backs.
Like all teenagers who were strictly disciplined by their parents, he had to hide it to sneak away and meet Clark.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone