Fallen General's Omega (BL)-Chapter 176: Beautiful

Thorne felt the warm droplets hit his face, and for a moment, he froze. Looking up, he saw Noelle’s tears streaming down, silent and unchecked. The sight unraveled something in him, a surge of panic blooming in his chest.

"Hey, hey, hey," Thorne said quickly, his voice soft but urgent. He sat up, reaching for Noelle’s face with trembling hands. Gently, he began wiping the tears away, his thumbs grazing over damp cheeks.

"No, don’t cry, my beloved star," he whispered, the nickname trembling on his lips.

Noelle tried to say something, but Thorne wouldn’t let him. "I’m sorry, okay?" Thorne said, his tone earnest as his hands worked to catch every tear.

"Please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I—I just didn’t know how else to say what I needed to."

Noelle’s watery gaze met his, and the vulnerability in those green eyes made Thorne’s heart twist painfully. He cupped Noelle’s face, his touch reverent, and pressed their foreheads together.

"Listen to me," Thorne began, his voice low and steady. He traced a stray tear down Noelle’s left cheek with his thumb, as if erasing every sign of his pain.

"When I got upset, it wasn’t with you. I was angry at myself. At the thought that you could ever question your worth in my eyes."

Noelle blinked at him, lips parting as if to argue, but Thorne pressed on, refusing to let him interrupt.

"When I call you beautiful, I don’t just mean your appearance," Thorne said, his voice growing quieter but more intense with every word. "Of course, you’re stunning—so much so that I forget to breathe sometimes when I look at you. But that’s not why I say it."

He lifted his hands, cradling Noelle’s face as if he were something fragile and precious. "When I call you beautiful, I mean the twinkle in your eyes when you tease me. The sound of your laugh—it’s the most comforting thing I’ve ever heard. The way you scrunch your nose when you’re annoyed. The soft snores that escape when you finally let yourself rest. It’s all of it. It’s you."

Thorne exhaled shakily, brushing his lips against Noelle’s forehead. "You’re like the most breathtaking sunset—something one would see every day, yet every time, it leaves you in awe. That’s your existence to me, Noelle. Ethereal. Unbelievable. I wake up every morning grateful, unable to believe someone as extraordinary as you chose to stay by my side."

Noelle let out a soft, shaky laugh, his tears slowing but not stopping. His hands came up to rest on Thorne’s, holding them close as if grounding himself in his husband’s warmth.

Thorne pulled back just enough to look into Noelle’s eyes, the intensity of his gaze making Noelle’s breath hitch. "And the most beautiful thing about you, my star, is the love you hold for me. When I look into your eyes, and I see the affection there, it humbles me. It terrifies me. Because I don’t know what you see in me to make you feel that way. But I’m done questioning it. I’ll spend my whole life proving myself worthy of it."

Before Noelle could reply, Thorne leaned forward, capturing his lips in a kiss. It wasn’t hurried or desperate but slow, filled with unspoken promises and gratitude.

When Thorne pulled back, his hands slid down to Noelle’s shoulders, his fingers brushing over the jagged scar low on his abdomen. Noelle tensed instinctively, but Thorne didn’t pull away. Instead, his touch became even gentler, tracing the mark with care.

"No," Thorne said firmly, his voice soft but resolute. "That scar is not ugly. It’s not an imperfection. It’s you. It’s your courage, your strength. It’s the proof of what you endured to bring Mirelle into this world. How could something so powerful, so full of life and love, ever be ugly?"

Noelle’s lips trembled, more tears welling in his eyes, but this time, they weren’t from pain or insecurity.

"And I won’t allow such slander against it," Thorne continued, a small, teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Even if it’s coming from you."

He leaned forward, brushing his lips against his lips before playfully biting Noelle’s cheek, eliciting a surprised laugh from him. Noelle swatted at Thorne’s shoulder, his giggles filling the room like a melody Thorne wanted to hear forever.

"You’re impossible," Noelle murmured, shaking his head with a smile.

Thorne broke the serene silence, his voice rough but tinged with urgency. "Now, my beloved star," he began, his tone shifting to something teasing yet desperate, "may we please continue where we were heading in the tub? You know the direction. I’ve been so hard, it’s starting to hurt. Literally."

Noelle blinked, stunned by the abruptness of Thorne’s words. For a moment, he could only stare at his husband, incredulous that he could so easily shatter the tender atmosphere they had just shared. The audacity of this man was boundless.

"You’re unbelievable," Noelle muttered, shaking his head. But even as he tried to maintain his composure, his gaze betrayed him. His eyes drifted downward, curiosity getting the better of him, and there it was—Thorne wasn’t exaggerating in the slightest.

The imposing sight before him made Noelle’s breath hitch. Thorne’s erection strained painfully against his skin, veins prominent along its impressive length, and the tip glistened with wetness. Each pulse seemed to echo the unspoken need in Thorne’s blue eyes, which were locked on Noelle, filled with a mix of longing and raw hunger.

Noelle swallowed hard, his composure faltering. He could already tell this was going to be a long night—rest would not come easily, if at all.

"That..." Noelle began, his voice soft as his gaze flicked back up to Thorne’s face. "That does look painful." His tone was tinged with reluctant amusement, but his cheeks flushed as he spoke.

Thorne didn’t miss the faint color blooming across Noelle’s face, and his lips curled into a wicked grin. "Oh, it’s more than painful," he said, his voice low, almost predatory. "But you could make it better."