The older was resting partially on top of the younger and the latter sought the other’s hand, finding and squeezing it gently.
it is definitely implied that there are three people in the bed. you should never use two epithets for one person within the same sentence; it's as silly as switching from ryoma to echizen in the same sentence! that's not by any means the only thing wrong with those epithets, of course. i don't think calling someone "the older" or "the younger" is really acceptable the way "the former" and "the latter" is. it's a somewhat logical extrapolation on the author's part, but it basically produces the reaction, "the older what?" (which isn't to say "the older man" or "the older teen" would be acceptable.)
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The older was resting partially on top of the younger and the latter sought the other’s hand, finding and squeezing it gently.
it is definitely implied that there are three people in the bed. you should never use two epithets for one person within the same sentence; it's as silly as switching from ryoma to echizen in the same sentence! that's not by any means the only thing wrong with those epithets, of course. i don't think calling someone "the older" or "the younger" is really acceptable the way "the former" and "the latter" is. it's a somewhat logical extrapolation on the author's part, but it basically produces the reaction, "the older what?" (which isn't to say "the older man" or "the older teen" would be acceptable.)