Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 34: The Reveal

"What?"

It was all Ezra could say. He was awe-struck.

"You're the one who said you'd show me whenever I wanted!" Oberyn screeched defensively, throwing the blankets over his head in shame.

Ezra blinked. He did say something like that, didn't he? Back when they first met - when he was still in the throes of 'new world syndrome' and thought his playful banter with Oberyn was all pre-ordained destiny set aside by the Storyteller. But now, after having lived in this world a few days, his perspective had changed - on everything.

"I wouldn't even be thinking about it if it wasn't for that dumb Ferin," Oberyn whined. "But then he saw me naked, and...well, it reminded me that I don't even know what I'm supposed to look like down there."

Ezra was at a loss for words, but that didn't seem to bother Oberyn any. The Nephilim continued to rant and attempt to justify the incredibly vulnerable comment he'd just made.

"It would just be for science, anyway," Oberyn went on. "Otherwise, how could I ever - what if I have to go to a hot spring, and I want to blend in? Or...or..."

"I would show you," Ezra said quietly. "But not for 'science'. That's...way too clinical-sounding."

"Hmph."

"Do you still want to see?"

Silence.

It took many moments for Oberyn to reply, and even then, he remained defensive.

"You just said you didn't support my scientific endeavor, so I'm not sure."

"I'll show you. But only if it's because you want to see it. Science be damned, Oby."

"Oby?" the Nephilim responded.

"Oh," Ezra laughed nervously. "My bad...it's just something I've been calling you in my head. Must've slipped out."

"Oby..."

The Nephilim thought about it for a moment. Two letters - a simple nickname.

"Reminds me of 'Ez'," Oberyn recalled. He heard Deek call him that once, when they went to fight the Manticore.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

"Yeah. I guess that's where I came up with Oby. We can have matching nicknames. E-Z and O-B."

Ezra smiled nervously as he said it. He hoped he wasn't sounding too clingy.

"I like it."

Ezra sighed, relief washing over him. But the next thing Oberyn said immediately put Ezra back into an anxious state.

"Well, Ez...can I see?"

Ezra exhaled. How could he say no, especially when the cute Nephilim was using his favorite nickname?

"Yeah. But...some ground rules. Or explanations. Whatever you want to call it."

"Okay."

"Nephilim don't have sex, right? So I'm imagining you don't feel any sense of lust or anything like that."

Oberyn tilted his head, staring at Ezra in the dark room. "Lust. The desire to slap genitals together and produce offspring. Can't say that I do."

"Well, when you put it like that, lust sounds like the least sexy thing on the planet."

Oberyn shifted, anxious. "What's your definition, then?"

Ezra gulped. This was going to be a doozy, for sure.

"Lust is...something only humans have, I suppose. Well, Ferin, too, if Rav is any indication..."

He cursed himself. Why's he thinking about Rav at a time like this?

"ANYWAY, it makes people want to see each other naked. Not for science purposes. For...arousal. And when that arousal is strong, it makes people want to touch each other, or do things for each other, that feel really good..."

Oberyn nodded along at the pandering explanation. "Yes, I understand. I too 'feel good' when I am touched in certain ways."

"But, the one thing that's different between you and I, is the thing that feels the best when it's touched," Ezra chuckles, nervous. "And for humans, that's a really intimate kind of touching. Something you only do with someone who you love."

"Love...?"

Oberyn felt a tightness in his chest. Images of his former life flooded his brain. He was in love, once. Her name was Tiana, and she was the Magician of the Moon. But she broke up with him and sent him down to the Earth to live out the rest of his life...

"You okay?" Ezra asked, noticing the distant flicker in the Nephilim's eyes.

"Yeah. Just thinking about love."

The conversation stalled. Clearly there were some things they didn't know about each other.

"What I'm trying to say is..."

"You don't want me to touch it. I understand."

Ezra bit his lip. That wasn't exactly what he was trying to say.

"I...just want you to understand the implications," Ezra said, trying to clarify. But Oberyn had already shaped his own understanding.

"I should be able to devise a suitable replica without touching," Oberyn quipped. "If that is what you wish."

Again, Ezra knew his words were misunderstood.

"Only if you really, really, really want to touch it. Because...if you do...I don't think I'll be able to control myself."

"I understand. Humans are weak-willed, after all."

Ezra could have gone without the diss to all humanity, but at least he and Oberyn were somewhat on the same page.

As much as he'd tried to not make it clinical, as Ezra removed his shirt, he felt like Oberyn was watching him for very non-sexually motivated reasons.

"Must you remove your shirt as well?" Oberyn asked.

"I'm just trying to get comfortable!"

"Right, of course. I was just curious, I'm sorry."

Ezra then removed his pants and underwear, but he kept the blanket over him, covering his manhood. He hesitated to pull back the sheets.

Oberyn inched closer. If not for the conversation they just had, Ezra would have sworn that Oberyn wanted this. Not just for knowledge's sake - but to satisfy some deep and curious pleasure.

'In case I need to visit a hot spring, what a crappy excuse.'

"What are you waiting for?" Oberyn whispered, unable to wait.

"Damn. It's a shame this wasn't under better circumstances. You look so cute with that impatient look on your face."

"Don't say stuff like that, it's embarrassing," Oberyn whined.

'Alright, Ezra. You can do this. You're just...a life model. Yeah, that's it.'

Or at least, that's what they called the people in his world that posed nude for artists. At that moment, he was just a muse for Oberyn's unbridled curiosity about naked humans.

Ezra pulled back the sheets, and Oberyn's eyes widened as his anticipation reached a crescendo.