Xie Yi-jun

1304 years after The Long Night

The banks of Darkling Pond

Songcai always smelled like herbs. Medicinal, sweet scents, like wild yarrow and ginger. Yi-jun could smell each individual plant he had used that day, thus deducing which patients Songcai had treated.

Mhmm… inhaling deeply with his face tucked into the curve of his lover’s neck, Xie Yi-jun smiled. Chamomile and black poppies… must be Di Bao-ren and his insomnia acting up again-

Feeling Songcai laugh from the King’s nose and lips pressed against his skin, Yi-jun hugged him even tighter, nuzzling his face into his neck. Songcai stroked his back gently, and in that moment all of Yi-jun’s stress vanished.

“You’re feeling playful today,” Songcai’s melodic voice echoed past his ear, as seductive and delicate as always.

Yi-jun wanted to explain that with the scouting mission he was about to go on, this was his attempt at soaking up enough of his lover to last him the whole trip. A single day spent without the company of Jin-cai was like a whole year without seeing the sun...

Releasing him at last, Xie Yi-jun kept his arms around Songcai’s shoulders as he gazed into the man’s light eyes. Crisp, and icy blue.

“Promise me you won’t push yourself too hard while I’m gone?” The King begged.

Yi-jun already knew the answer, and it wasn’t one he liked very much…

Jin Songcai worked too hard, whether it was acting as resident physician to the troops, or helping Yi-jun with all manner of things. He put everyone and everything before himself. And it hurt Yi-jun’s heart to know that Songcai would never admit that he’s struggling...

With sparkling, starry eyes, the healer slowly slid his hands from Yi-jun’s back to his waist, pulling their bodies closer with a sweet smile.

Yi-jun knew the man was trying to distract him again… and it was working.

Already falling deep under his lover’s spell, the King tried hard to stand his ground. He frowned to the best of his ability before Songcai’s gorgeous smirk made his heart begin to race ahead foolishly.

“You’re worth it...” Jin Songcai said breathily, of course causing Yi-jun’s eyes to flicker down to the man’s peach-colored lips.

Knowing full-well he would never leave here in time if they started something now, Yi-jun fought with himself as his fingers twitched. Aware of his effect and the blooming tension between them, Songcai batted his eyelashes and pressed closer to Yi-jun, providing the King with ample opportunity to admire his lover’s slim frame.

With Songcai’s soft lips against his ear, warm breath sliding past his cheek, Yi-jun could only close his eyes. Memories of their heated encounters flashed in his mind, and it was a few moments of breathless patience later that Jin Songcai finally relented and whispered the sweetest phrase; “I promise.”

Kissing the shell of Yi-jun’s ear, then his cheek and chin, the man fluttered delicate sighs and touches all across the King’s blushing face, before pulling away at last and opening his eyes.

Xie Yi-jun noticed with a bit of secret thrill, that right under the man’s eyes his skin had turned a lovely shy pink.

Without meaning to Yi-jun moved closer to Songcai, their lips meeting at once, pulled together like magnets that simply had no other choice.

Songcai’s aura of pure devotion twined around them, strings around their hearts, driving Yi-jun crazier and making him extra late. Like that they kissed until Xie Yi-jun realised he had already started feeling absentmindedly for the sash around Songcai’s waist-

“I must go...” he panted.

“I-I’ll see you soon-” with effort, Yi-jun stopped, breaking away from the place of heat that was his lover’s mouth.

Jin Songcai was blinking dazedly and Yi-jun grinned, pressing their foreheads together and leaving Songcai with a short prayer, or hope, or promise; be good, Angel… my Love… be safe.

Yi-jun had to pry himself away. Not daring to look back at Songcai, fearing it would cause him to turn around for one more kiss, he forced himself out of the tent, swaying with sudden dizziness and a hollow sick feeling in his stomach as he entered the outside world.

Straightening his clothes, especially his collar that had gone slightly askew, he took a deep breath, smiling to himself as he realized the scent of chamomile still lingered warmly on his cheek.