Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Wúmeng

Reian would have been content to rest there in the water for half the day... the heat and steam relaxing him to the point where Xie De had to wake him up several times over the course of an hour. Jin Yu was sulking in the deepest part of the spring, just his eyes and nose peeking out.

Xie De was grinning at him, "Look at A'Yu... he's all grown up and doesn't want us to see him naked!"

Reian rolled his eyes as Xie De continued pestering the younger one-

"I'll have you know! Up until you were eight years old, you would run around the dorms without trousers, and I put up with it all!"

Wen Rei smiled when A'Yu splashed Xie De. The two began to fight each other, Xie De crying out while A'Yu sent water droplets all the way onto Reian's face.

Xie De gasped in mock surprise and raised a finger, strands of damp black hair falling into his eyes-

"How dare you?! A'Yu, Reian and I are your seniors, you must respect us! Isn't that true Wen Rei?"

Reian grinned and then made a quick non-verbal pact with his little brother. The two of them only had to lock eyes with each other before launching a joint attack upon their eldest.

"Ahh!!" Xie De screamed, raising his arms uselessly as Reian and Jin Yu pelted him with handfuls of water.

"Mercy!"

Reian giggled.... the three of them flapped around like that for several minutes, kicking and slapping and sending up tall sprays of steam and droplets. Even Jin Yu was laughing, each of them enjoying being together on such a beautiful day. The sound of approaching footsteps, and a soft clearing of the throat pulled the boys from their fun.

Reian watched as Xie De and Jin Yu immediately ceased moving, their eyes lowering. Jin Yu blushed bright red, and when Reian glanced up to the bank he realized why...

"Don't mind me," Yi-jun said.

Though it was difficult not to mind him. Not only were the three young disciples very nervous around the man in the first place, but to make matters worse, none of the boys were wearing an inch of clothing.

Reian's eyes widened even more when Xie Yi-jun began untying the sash at his waist, taking off his outer robes. Both Xie De and Jin Yu turned around, not daring to look... Wen Rei couldn't help but stare.

Yi-jun paid him no mind at all, laying those clothes neatly on the ground, and then removing his shirt as well. Reian realised with a nervous swallow that he'd accidentally been caught staring. The King's dark eyes fixed upon his own, and for several seconds the boy thought maybe Xie Yi-jun knew what he was thinking...

That would be incredible, since my mind feels as empty as a corrier's nest-

Reian only got a few more moments to study Yi-jun's upper body, before the man suddenly dove into the pool. Ripples sending the water higher, Reian swayed, eyes still affixed to the King as he swam underwater for a while, resurfacing several feet away with his dark brown hair suddenly darker and untangled from its messy braid.

Xie Yi-jun didn't look at them as he said softly, "Feel free to continue. I'll be finished in a moment..."

Reian had no idea what he was supposed to do. Close by, Xie De and Jin Yu stared awkwardly at the King's back as he washed himself, neither of them uttering a word.

Perhaps this is something normal to him, Reian thought. Maybe in the past, Kings and apprentices bathed together. Or he's crazy-

Desperate to fill the strange silence with anything at all, Reian swallowed again and tried to engage in light conversation with his friends. They spoke like they were being listened to, and it was very obvious. Reian knew Yi-jun could hear them.

Xie De blinked a few times as they talked, occasionally shooting odd glances toward the intruder in their midst. Not that the three boys would ever say such a thing out loud.

"I... think we should head back now," Xie De murmured.

Jin Yu nodded in approval and both started to slowly creep toward their clothes as if being spotted by Xie Yi-jun would be a crime punishable by death. Maybe it was-

"Wen Rei?" Xie De said, "Aren't you coming?"

Reian was still having a hard time not staring at the King, and strangely enough, he didn't feel like stopping. Taking a chance, he shook his head.

"No. I'll stay for a bit, you go on."

He knew Xie De and A'Yu were sharing looks now as they hurriedly dressed. Neither of them wanted to linger though, so with a soft goodbye the two scampered off through the trees, leaving Reian alone with Xie Yi-jun once again.

The King still didn't turn, so Reian stayed silent, indulging in what he knew was a horribly disrespectful act. His eyes moved over Yi-jun's broad shoulders, his back covered in scars. Reian swallowed the lump in his throat at seeing sword, fire, and whip marks across the man's skin.

How did he get all of those? It couldn't have been during the barely three year period during the war... that would be enough to kill someone-

Distracted by the way Xie Yi-jun's fingers ran through his hair, across his arms, and shoulders, Reian was stunned when he realised that his own hands had started mimicking the actions.

Why could I watch him like this all day? The boy frowned... it must be because of Xie De's potion that I drank. Yes, that must be it. Apparently it only takes effect when I'm around the King. How unfortunate-

Yi-jun finally turned slightly, still looking down. Reian suddenly thought that Xie Yi-jun and Jin Songcai would indeed make a lovely couple. If the Jin Songcai in his dreams actually was Songcai... they were just as beautiful as each other. It made sense.

Reian had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from imagining what the two of them must have been like.

Did they laugh together? Yi-jun only laughs with a bitter, distracted smile on his face...

Jin Songcai probably liked looking at him too. He probably stared at the King's dark eyebrows and red lips... just like I am-

Reian blushed and shook his head vigorously, ending up sending water all the way to Yi-jun, who finally turned.

The King looked different with his hair down and pushed back. Reian also thought he could see another scar on the man's forehead but before he could spend more time staring, Xie Yi-jun had disappeared under the water again. Reian blinked, frozen as he watched him swim closer.

Moments later, the King's dark eyes were fixed upon him, Reian unable to do anything but back away as Yi-jun moved forward... nearer and nearer, his tanned body dripping with water and causing Reian to swallow and look away.

What is he doing?!

Wen Rei's heart pounded as he tried to maintain the distance between them. This close, the boy was struggling to keep his gaze from falling to the King's bare chest. He looked before, but now Reian realised that if he wanted to he could reach out and touch-

What am I doing?! Ugh, Xie De will pay for buying that stupid potion...

Reian stopped short when he felt the edge of the pool against his back. Holding his hands up and starting to mumble incoherently, he ended up squeezing his eyes shut as Xie Yi-jun suddenly came so close that their skin touched! Holy-

Ah!

Curling himself up as small as possible, Reian held his breath, feeling the King reach over him. Mere seconds later, blinking, the boy frowned when he realised that Yi-jun had only grabbed his shirt. Glaring at the young King as he dressed, the boy's voice trembled.

"What was that about?! Why did you have to come over here?"

There were plenty of ways Xie Yi-jun could have done that without coming so close to me...

The King's expression as always was quite plain, but Reian felt his cheeks flame bright red at the spark of laughter in the man's eyes.

He's teasing me!

Wen Reian could tolerate that sort of thing from the younger boys at Jingshén, even usually Xie De was exempt. But Xie Yi-jun was not younger than him, and the King had even gone so far as to touch Reian! That, coupled with the fact that Reian knew he was visibly blushing, pushed him over the edge.

Anger and embarrassment exploding at once, he shouted, splashing water like a child throwing a tantrum-

"Xie Yi-jun!!"

When he opened his eyes, Reian realised he'd soaked the King entirely, as well as himself. Strands of hair hanging quite ridiculously over his face, the boy pushed them away only to find that Yi-jun was staring at him.

Oh, now I've really done it! So much for acting my age...

Reian bit his lip, but as embarrassment dissolved into something entirely more amusing, he suddenly grinned, ending up giggling as Yi-jun smiled too.

"Hey-"

In a split second, all thoughts of anger or awkwardness were gone, Wen Reian splashing the King again and again and laughing loudly when his attacks were returned. Heart pounding, eyes blurry from all the water, a feeling settled inside Reian's heart suddenly that he wasn't sure he'd ever felt before.

"Wen Reian!"

Hearing his name being shouted through Xie Yi-jun's laughter, as they splashed and dodged each other, making a loud mess, Reian had the stray thought that he'd never heard the King's actual laugh before now.

Seeing his genuine smile too, it was something special. Momentarily stunned by the brilliance of it, Wen Rei was caught off guard by a huge stream of water.

"Arhgh!"

Choking and rubbing his eyes, Reian realised after a few moments that Xie Yi-jun had grabbed his wrist, worry-lines appearing on his forehead as he stared down at him intensely...

"Wen Reian are you-"

Reian interrupted his sentence with another splash, then he wriggled free of Yi-jun's grasp and started trying to swim away, snickering gleefully.

Let's see him catch me now!

He assumed he'd have a good five or six seconds on the King, so when strong arms suddenly caught him around the waist and yanked him back, Reian screamed, still laughing wildly.

"Ah! Xie-jun-"

Reian had said the name without thinking, it had come as naturally as playing with the King, so when Yi-jun abruptly sat him down, pulling away suddenly as if stung by a bee, Reian had to think for a moment before he realised what his careless words had done...

Hands coming up over his mouth as his eyes went wide, the boy felt his ears turn fiery red. The look in the King's eyes was one of shock and pain, and Reian felt terrible for causing it.

"I... I'm sorry-" he started to say.

Just then, Xie De came tumbling out of the forest, his wild-eyes causing panic to immediately tighten in Wen Rei's chest.

"Reian!" He called, nearly tripping and falling on the slippery bank.

"Xie De?! What's wrong?"

The older boy panted, gesturing back down the path, and Reian seemed to know before he'd even spoken-

"A'Yu is hurt!"

Already stumbling out of the spring, Reian didn't care who was looking as he pulled on just his trousers. Running alongside Xie De through the trees, heart pounding, the boy realised with a small shred of surprise that Xie Yi-jun was right behind them.

"Hurry! He's over here-"

Moving as fast as possible, it wasn't long before they reached the part of the forest where Jin Yu had fallen. The road here curved steeply to the left, with a steep drop-off over the edge covered in ferns and various greenery.

Reian peered over the cliff, seeing a small figure huddled at the bottom against a tree. Jin Yu was clutching his leg, and Reian's soul twisted in agony at the silent tears he saw falling from the boy's eyes.

A memory of when they were younger flashed in his mind suddenly, of the first time he met Jin Yu...

Reian had been brought to Jingshén as a baby, but A'Yu was rescued from his abusive parents at age five. Carried by Master Hao all the way from South Jiezhî, wrapped in a potato sack instead of clothes.

That was when Reian was already nine, Xie De ten. The two older boys had heard someone new was joining them, and had decided together under their fort of blankets that they would hate the new arrival. A mixture of jealousy, and fear of change...

Reian remembered it like it was yesterday, the first time Master Hao introduced them to Jin Yu. The boy was so tiny he looked like a baby, as he hid behind their Master's legs and sucked on his thumb. Xie De went right on to tease the child, but Reian couldn't.

Within Jin Yu's wide, sparkling eyes, was something that Reian recognised in himself. He saw it in all the apprentices at Jingshén, even Xie De.

It was the knowledge that someone didn't want you. That never-ending fear that one day, as improbable as it was, someone else would do the thing you feared the most... abandon you. Again.

Reian remembered immediately taking Jin Yu's hand, ignoring Xie De's angry glare, as he slowly showed the boy around the orchard. Jin Yu didn't speak for several years. Master Hao never explained why, and Reian didn't ask. Seeing the curious expression on A'Yu's face as Wen Reian pointed at things, was all he needed.

That very first day, Reian knew that no matter what happened, he would protect Jin Yu like a real brother. No one would ever abandon the boy again... not while he was alive.

"Wen Reian!"

Reian had just about launched himself down the hill, but he felt Xie Yi-jun's hand gripping his wrist firmly so he was forced to stop.

"Let go-"

This feels painfully familiar...

Yi-jun met his eyes, clearly pleading for Reian not to go down there and risk getting injured too, but the suffering he felt from not being there with A'Yu was more horrible to Reian than anything else he could imagine. Xie Yi-jun clearly saw that and his eyes changed, hand releasing the boy.

Reian turned to Xie De, who was already turning ghostly pale-

"Xie Ge," he said quickly. "Go get Master Hao."

Before he could argue, Wen Reian was jumping.

Head tucked, knees bent...

Reian grew dizzy as he rolled a few times, dirt and leaves getting in his eyes and sticking to his still wet skin, branches and pine-needles scratching at his arms. He finally stopped when he hit a tree at the bottom, his back taking most of it. Inhaling sharply, Reian winced... if you aren't prepared for a fall like that it would definitely hurt-

Blinking away his tears, Reian started to crawl toward Jin Yu several feet away. The bank sloped so much that he realised if he tried to stand here, he would probably just keep rolling...

"Reian?!" Jin Yu sniffed.

Wen Rei's eyes immediately latched upon the bruise on the boy's forehead. He winced sharply as he thought he felt his own skull throb-

"What hurts? Your leg?!" He crouched by the boy.

Reian saw the way Jin Yu was holding his right knee but the boy shook his head and cried silently...

"My ankle."

Gingerly, Reian took off the boy's shoe, rolling his pant-leg up. His breath halted when he saw the dark purple bruise, the bone clearly broken and causing a pale, yellow-ish bump to protrude on the outside of his ankle. Reian's own foot screamed at him, blood rushing away from his heart toward it as he bit down the inside of his cheek.

This is what Jin Yu is feeling?! I would be a sobbing mess-

"I'm sorry," the sixteen year old boy whispered suddenly.

Reian looked up into those wide eyes again and couldn't help but reach out, wiping A'Yu's tear-stained cheeks with his thumbs.

"Why are you sorry?! Don't be sorry-"

Jin Yu blinked. "You're soaking wet. I didn't mean to rush you. Xie Ge got scared..."

Heart softening and shattering at the boy's broken apology, Reian just stroked his hair and tried to smile.

Xie Ge got scared because your ankle is broken and you have a head wound, Xie Ge did the right thing-

Reian didn't say that, yet every second that passed he knew was another second of Jin Yu being in pain, his injury potentially becoming even more dangerous than it already was. Knowing he had no other option, Reian breathed deeply and silently prayed that he had enough strength and knowledge to bide time while they waited for their Master.

"A'Yu..." he said, voice trembling.

The boy was hiding his pain, but Reian saw it in the way his fingers gripped at his knee, knuckles white.

"Yes?"

"Do you trust me-"

"Yes."

No hesitation. Reian sighed, I wish I had as much confidence in myself as Jin Yu does.

"Close your eyes,"

As the boy did so, Wen Rei realised that the pain he'd felt in his own ankle might not just be compassion, but a connection.

Gritting his teeth against the overwhelming, stomach-churning ache, he carefully steadied his breathing and focused on that. The feeling that where Jin Yu hurt, he hurt, and where there was something broken, now there was something fixed...

Drawing on what little he remembered from his Herbalist Healing and Telepathic Communications classes, he first tried to send a bit of his own aura outside of his body, and directly into Jin Yu's.

Some sense of having done this before came over him, and between deep gasps of air to manage the pain, Reian realised that it was because he had experienced such soul-connection with Xie Yi-jun on the day he'd woken up.

Why was that so effortless and this is feeling so hard?

Struggling with himself, his worry for Jin Yu drowning out all common sense, Reian accidentally pushed too hard on his own energy, sending it in a tumultuous whirl of color, straight to A'Yu's heart-

Ah!

Clutching at his chest as if he'd suddenly lost all of the air in his lungs at once, Wen Reian blinked the tears from his eyes and quickly extended two fingers, feeling for the young boy's pulse on his wrist. Upon finding that it was not only strong, but normal, Wen Reian's eyes drew down finally to Jin Yu's foot.

What the-

"Reian?!"

Hearing Xie Yi-jun's voice from above, the boy jumped up suddenly, still blinking in astonishment at what he'd just seen.

Feeling no residual pain from Jin Yu, and no problems with his own aura as it settled very comfortably back inside his soul, all Reian was left with was the overwhelming joy that came from seeing Jin Yu's flawless, un-broken foot, and the bruises on his forehead that were nowhere to be seen.

Standing so quickly he almost blacked out, Wen Reian was just about to shout for Yi-jun's help when he heard a commotion up above. Turning, his heart leapt at Xie De and Master Hao's concerned faces, peering down at him over the bank, as well as several healers calling loudly-

"Quick! Someone fetch a rope..."

"Reian, is A'Ju okay?!"

"Hold on-"

Before Reian could answer, a strange, bright orange cord fell beside his feet. It was not made of anything he'd ever seen before, and seemed as if it might be hot to the touch with how it glowed. He didn't even have time to reach down and grasp it,before two unknown healers were using it to join him.

"Is he... sleeping?" One of them blinked, as they saw Jin Yu still passed out against the tree.

Wen Reian swallowed shyly and then nodded, not knowing how to explain what had just happened and only wanting to focus on helping the others carry the boy back up the cliff. As he held onto the glowing cord and climbed up behind them, Wen Rei thought how it wasn't that the rope was hot or cold, but that he thought he could feel it softly humming...

"A'Ju!"

Xie De's voice rang out loudly, but as everyone gathered around Reian and the sleeping boy being held up gently by the two cultivators, it quickly became a curious circle of puzzled frowns and widened eyes.

"Reian, what happened?" Master Hao asked.

Holding his arms shyly over his naked chest, Reian lowered his gaze.

"I... don't know... his foot was broken, but it seems to have healed now."

All that came from Xie De was a softly spoken; "Thank god-"

But everyone else seemed intrigued.

"I didn't know you trained healers at Jingshén," one of the cultivators said.

Master Hao blinked. "We don't..."

All eyes were on Reian once more until Jin Yu began to stir and Master Hao quickly called for him to be brought back to the infirmary. Xie De followed after them, and Reian could see the older boy gripping A'Yu's hand. Wen Reian didn't notice as he went to keep up with everyone, that lingering at the edge of the cliff, soundlessly untwining a cord from the tree, was an extremely lost, and baffled looking King.

When Reian remembered Xie Yi-jun catching his wrist before he'd jumped, the boy glanced back. Upon meeting those dark brown eyes, it seemed there were far too many things that Xie Yi-jun wanted to say, and an equal amount of things that Reian didn't have the answer for.

If you're a healer... are you mine?

But all Reian might have responded with were only more uncertainties;

And if I'm not? How much would your disappointment hurt you?

How much would it hurt me too...