Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 94
“Hey, let’s go back to Milantu.”
Joshua opened his eyes to the morning light. The sun was already high in the sky. A gentle breeze lifted the curtains, letting sunlight stream through the gaps, leaving patches of light on the floor that shifted with time. He yawned, catching a glimpse of Alois curled up in the blanket, staring with alert blue eyes like a wary animal. The morning sun cast a faint shadow on his eyelashes.
Both of them were completely naked, facing each other with the passionate marks from last night still visible on their bodies. Joshua, still a bit groggy, kissed Alois on the lips. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Alois propped up his head and repeated. “Let’s go back to Milantu.”
“Why go back? Isn’t it good here?” They were currently staying at Joshua’s “old home”, sleeping in Joshua’s former bedroom, with a peaceful and tranquil Neo Athens morning outside the window. This life was almost like a fairy tale.
“It’s great here,” Alois said, reaching out to play with Joshua’s hair, twirling the silver strands around his fingers. “But I want to go back to Milantu.”
“Okay,” Joshua said, wrapping his arms around Alois’s waist and pulling him close. “Then let’s go back.”
“Really?”
“Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
Alois suddenly jumped up, throwing off the blanket. “Then get up! We need to pack!”
“Is it that urgent?”
There was a spaceship departing for Nutalin in the afternoon, stopping by Olympus. Alois planned to transfer to another ship heading for the Empire border and then find a way to contact Milantu near the Binary Flame system. Leo would handle everything, even though he was currently trapped in a chip installed in a communication terminal, only able to use minimal functions—chatting. Because he was so bored, he constantly complained about everything in Neo Athens, from food to the Governor’s new robe. Sometimes Alois had to turn off the communication terminal to escape the chatter, leaving Leo unable to use even the minimal functions. It made him very sad.
In the morning, they went to say goodbye to Lord Giorgione. The old man was puzzled by their hurried departure and urged them to stay longer. Joshua declined his kind offer because Alois was eager to leave.
Mona Lisa, the AI of Neo Athens, personally escorted them to the spaceport, which startled Alois. “To be honest,” he whispered to Joshua, “seeing her smile gives me the creeps. Does turning from 2D to 3D make such a big difference?”
As soon as he said that, Mona Lisa turned back and gave him a slight smile, making Alois shiver and fall silent. The AI could undoubtedly hear their whispers. This was one of the reasons Alois was eager to leave—in Neo Athens, they had no privacy! The AI knew everything!
With an all-knowing AI accompanying them, Alois felt uneasy throughout the journey. As they boarded the ship, he saw Mona Lisa waving a white handkerchief in the farewell crowd, with the Neo Athens governor, Nolin Titian, standing beside her. This made Alois’s anxiety peak. It wasn’t until they were in their cabin and the ship had set sail that he finally relaxed.
“Finally away,” he said, sprawling on the bed. Joshua sat on the edge, playing with his hair.
“You don’t like Neo Athens?”
“I always felt awkward there, like I didn’t belong,” Alois said, pressing Joshua’s hand to his cheek. Joshua’s hand was cool, but his palm was warm. “You don’t belong there either,” he said. “You always looked so worried in Neo Athens.”
“Did I?” Joshua raised an eyebrow. His hand brushed Alois’s cheek, slipping inside his shirt. “Then where do you belong? Milantu?” He unbuttoned the young man’s shirt, caressing the chest still bearing the marks of last night. “Why are you in such a hurry to go back?”
“We need to return Leo’s chip.” Alois narrowed his eyes, enjoying Joshua’s touch. “Shouldn’t we go back? I don’t recall being kicked out of the pirate crew.”
“Joanna is dead,” Joshua said. “The pirate crew survived until now because she led it. No one can replace her. So, after her death, the crew will inevitably…” He didn’t finish his sentence.
Alois turned his back to him. He knew Joshua was realistic and right, but he didn’t want to think about what would happen to the crew after Joanna’s death. No one could replace Joanna—no one could unite the proud and arrogant pirates like she did. Alois didn’t want to see the crew disintegrate and didn’t know how to keep them together.
Unless Joanna came back to life. He thought. But that was impossible. So he preferred to avoid the issue.
Joshua didn’t let him off the hook. “What will you do after returning to Milantu?” he asked softly. “Continue being a pirate? Can the crew still operate? Will the Lady of the Night sail again?”
“Don’t ask me. I don’t know,” Alois mumbled. “I’m not like you, Joshua. If you stop being a pirate, you can still be a great assassin. But I’m different. I have nothing left. I…”
“Except me,” Joshua interrupted him. “You still have me.” He leaned down to kiss Alois’s ear, his hand slipping inside his clothes, moving lower.
“Yes, except you,” Alois smiled.
“If one day, we’re neither pirates nor assassins, what will we do?” Joshua asked. “Have you thought about it?”
“I haven’t thought that far. Is it even possible?”
Joshua continued, “We could leave everything behind and find a place to hide. Neo Venice is a good choice. We could buy a small island, drifting with the ocean currents to any part of the planet. We’d build a house on the island, raise a cat and a dog. On sunny days, we’d fish by the sea. During storms, we’d stay indoors, making love on a soft bed…” He grabbed Alois’s cock, stroking it slowly. “Would you like that life? Would it be too peaceful, not exciting enough?”
Alois suddenly felt tears welling up. He longed for a peaceful life, to spend his days quietly with his beloved, but fate seemed to enjoy tormenting him, making his life turbulent and never peaceful. Could they ever have a day where they left all conflicts behind, forgot all pain and sorrow, and lived peacefully? Could he beg the capricious and cruel God of Fate for such a day?
Joshua, seeing his lack of response, thought he wasn’t interested in the idea. “If you don’t like it, never mind,” the assassin said with a hint of regret. Then he put the idea aside and focused on the present.
In the heat of their passion, he heard Alois murmur, “The cat is Schrödinger. What about the dog? Are you planning to kidnap Pavlov?”
Joshua laughed.
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