Xie Yi-jun

1303 years after The Long Night

Hêi'àn City

It was past two AM. Xie Yi-jun was still sitting with the commanders, everyone seeming to have differing opinions on what their next move should be to the point that the King was beginning to think he was more of a mediator to other people's arguments than a leader.

"Ridiculous! There's no reason to send half of our troops South, that would leave the city defenseless!"

"Half! You bloody imbecile! I said half, as in fifty percent! Defenseless... my god-"

A chorus of voices that both agreed and disagreed rose up, many even having entirely separate ideas. Xie Yi-jun had his head in his hands and was wondering when he should begin sending people home-

"Pardon me?"

Blinking, Yi-jun realizing the entire room had gone absolutely silent. He also knew why, the moment Jin Songcai stepped inside. The commanders' postures softened and the King even watched a few exchange polite smiles and nods with the young healer. Songcai's effect was once again his saving grace...

Yi-jun's mood also brightened considerably. He sat up in his chair, admiring the way Jin-cai's hair was loose and untied, flowing down comfortably. He never wore it like this except to sleep.

"Jin Songcai," Yi-jun smiled, sighing. "Why have you graced us with your presence?"

The healer only blushed softly, lowering his eyes as if apologizing...

"Forgive me, but I must borrow you."

The King blinked, then realised everyone else was looking at him-

"Me?!"

Songcai nodded, going to open the tent and gesturing for Yi-jun to follow.

"There's too much work to be done!" Someone called.

A few others quietly agreed with faint nods, then Songcai narrowed his eyes and the voices died down.

"I'm afraid it's urgent," he said. "A matter of life and death."

Hearing that, Yi-jun frowned. If it was truly that serious Songcai would not be wasting time explaining to these people, he would have just grabbed him and left.

Something's going on...

Intrigued and highly grateful to be pulled away from what was starting to feel like torture, Yi-jun stood, nodding to the men who all but seemed to swallow their tongues after that look from Songcai. Internally the King was glowing, positive that his lover's command of the room was only making him more attractive.

Xie Yi-jun followed him outside, leaning in to whisper; "What's this about? You never interrupt a meeting."

Songcai just took his wrist gently and murmured; "Follow me..."

Yi-jun saw they were headed towards Jin-cai's tent so he didn't resist, but when he stepped inside after him, the King's heart halted in an instant as he took in the small room, and what Songcai had done.

The healer watched him as he stared at the candles across the floor; the blankets, flowers, and food he'd laid neatly on the bed. The whole place was lit with a gentle purple glow, Songcai having taken the time to bring down lanterns from the palace, to cover the flickering flames.

Yi-jun was even more speechless to find that Jin-cai had somehow hung up thin silks over the top and sides of his bed, covering it like a fortress...

The entire room looked like something out of a dream! It was intimate, safe. Alluring-

Yi-jun realised after several more moments that Songcai was staring at him, waiting to see what he thought. All he could say as his heart raced and ached in his chest was;

"Life or death?"

Jin Songcai lowered his eyes mischievously and grinned. Yi-jun was helpless to resist such a smile, especially when his lover was lit by the light of the candles, his face even more enchanting and beautiful than during the day. If such a thing were possible...

"Don't be mad," Songcai said, as Yi-jun pulled him into his arms.

Jin-cai flowed towards him and nestled against his chest perfectly, sighing. A subtle hint of laughter in the healer's voice hinted that the man actually knew Yi-jun hated those meetings. The King smirked, leave it up to Jin-cai to be my savior in all things...

Staring deeply into his lover's star-like eyes, Yi-jun felt like crying and laughing all at once. No one had ever shown such love and devotion to him in his life, he didn't know where to begin to express what it meant. How Songcai's act of caring made him feel, and how much he adored him for it.

"Did you bring wine?" Yi-jun asked.

Songcai nodded, "Of course."

"Then how could I be mad?"

Jin-cai's soft laughter stirred Yi-jun's soul to life, and it wasn't long before the two of them were lying together on the bed, drinking out of the same glass and sharing secrets and stories from their childhoods.

Yi-jun was unable to take his gaze away from Songcai's face; his clever eyes and the way the wine made his cheeks turn rose-pink. The King took hold of his lover's chin suddenly, pulling him close enough to kiss the blood-red drops from his lips...

Songcai sighed, opening wide enough for Yi-jun to slip his tongue inside and stroke. Once, twice-

When he leaned away, his lover was already panting, eyes dark and half-closed. Yi-jun could feel his own desire reflected in Songcai's gaze.

He knew what the man had planned for tonight, Yi-jun wasn't dumb. Their relationship was at a turning point, and after so many instances where the King had wondered how their bodies might move together, communicating without words, he found that more than nervousness he was joyfully anticipating it...

Startling him out of his daydreams of being locked into a tight embrace with Jin Songcai, the man in question reached out and began skillfully unlacing the King's shirt.

Feeling his body shiver and shake as Songcai's fingertips merely grazed his skin, Yi-jun began wondering just how he was going to be able to survive what was yet to come-

"Xie-jun?"

Songcai's husky voice fluttered past his ear and the King blinked...

"Sit up, put your feet on the floor."

Songcai spoke with such caring and curious excitement in his voice, Yi-jun was helpless to resist. A smile tugged at the King's lips as he did what his lover asked, placing his hands on his knees and holding his breath as Songcai went to sit behind him on the bed, carefully sliding the King's shirt off.

For a while, there was silence. No voices, no touch, and Yi-jun tilted his head, wondering what Songcai was up to.

"I want to tell you a story, Xie-jun..." he finally breathed. "Is that okay?"

The King closed his eyes and nodded. Just the sound of the man's sweet voice was all he needed to be content. This was what crossed his mind, just before Jin Songcai placed his hands on him.

Yi-jun's eyes flew open, a soft gasp escaping his parted lips. Songcai's hands were warm and soft upon his shoulders, and the King could feel some kind of liquid dripping down his back. No, oil!

He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes again, finally recognizing the scent as sunflower and jasmine. It smelled like summer...

Songcai's hands began to rub gentle circles behind his neck, pinching softly with his thumbs, moving the almost scalding warmth across the King's back and shoulders as Yi-jun felt all the muscles in his entire body relax. It was too good-

Then, Songcai began.

"Once upon a time in a small village in the North, a baby was born."

As he spoke, Songcai's hands continued to move over Yi-jun's body; across his back, his chest, down his arms...

The King leaned into his lover's touch, awash with sensation and the peace that came from hearing his soothing voice. Everything in that moment drifted away. It was only Songcai-

"From the moment he came into the world, there were signs. He was... different. A few would say it was a curse, for he was born with blue eyes instead of brown. White hair, instead of black. And whenever anyone would hold him, they would cry, as if their emotions were no longer their own. The elders of his village saw this and took him into seclusion, away from his parents. As was the custom there, he was trained from then on as a healer. He was brought up being told that his purpose was to ease the suffering of others, and it felt like the truth. He didn't question it. This boy, who grew up with both the fears and hopes of his entire clan on his shoulders, always believed that life was a trial of how much you could withstand. How hard he could hold on, and how much pain he could bear. He was disciplined, patient... but he was alone."

Songcai was untying Yi-jun's braid now, and the King could barely suppress his groan of pleasure, feeling Jin-cai tugging gently, running the strands through his fingers and leaning close enough to continue his story as a whisper in Yi-jun's ear.

"And then I met you. And I recognised you, your soul, which was my missing piece. I understood finally, that it was never about how hard I could hold on, but how easy it was to let go. How to let go and love you, despite all my fears-"

Yi-jun could feel Songcai's lips against his ear now...

"For what you have given me and in the name of that love, I am willing to do anything. I will be your secret keeper. The healer of all your wounds. Every power and breath my body holds is yours because-"

And Xie Yi-jun didn't even realise that Songcai had gotten off the bed, suddenly he was just staring down into the man's eyes as he held the King's hands, kneeling at his feet, promising to give him the whole world and the stars beyond...

Songcai smiled, though he seemed to be deep in thought. He placed a hand over his heart, the words coming from deep within, and all Yi-jun could think about was how much he wanted him, right now, in this exact moment.

Songcai grinned, though his eyes glittered with tears;

"You have shown me that my purpose here is not to heal. My purpose is to love..."

In an instant, Yi-jun had caught Songcai in his arms, so fast that the man blinked in surprise as he fell on top of the King and their lips met.

Yi-jun wanted to bow to him, to bend- to break for him. To give him some token or promise even vaguely similar to what Songcai had just given. But the only thing Yi-jun could think to do in that moment, his tears just barely contained, was to pull Songcai close and then roll-

Gasping, Jin Songcai muttered quickly in between heated kisses;

"Take these off, Xie-jun. My clothes-"

Not needing to be told twice, the King sat up, staring in awe at Jin-cai who was all splayed out on the bed with heavy lidded eyes, lips parted and glistening.

Eager hands slid down Songcai's chest, unfastening his belt and hastily tugging his robes off. As if Songcai's skin itself was magnetic, Yi-jun immediately bent down and was tonguing the hollow at the base of his throat. He felt his lover tilt his chin, gasping, right when Yi-jun at last realised his tears had overflowed.

Clutching and tightening his hands on Songcai's bare shoulders, the King kissed and licked breathily, all down the man's chest, vision blurring as he practically sobbed aloud.

How pathetic, he scoffed at himself. Look at me, shaking like a leaf in a storm. If only I could express my feelings as eloquently as Jin-cai. Alas...

He felt like all the words he longed to say were trapped in his throat, everything trying to come out at once. Instead of garbling out some crazy sentence, he just continued exploring Songcai's body with his lips, feeling as the man began to gently stroke his hair.

It was more than love to Xie Yi-jun. He knew that if anyone ever hurt Jin-cai in any way, he would burn their entire life down while listening to their screams and bathing in their blood. That didn't seem like the sort of thing you did when you simply loved someone.

No, what Yi-jun felt for Songcai was almost verging on obsession, a thought he'd had at least a few times now.

Shaking and shivering from the intensity of his emotions, he breathed onto Songcai's skin, not really meaning for him to hear, the only thing he could which was;

"I love you with everything I am..."

Perhaps the truest words ever spoken and yet nowhere near enough, Xie Yi-jun slowly raised his head. When he saw the tears in Songcai's eyes too, the King's heart began to ache. Then Jin-cai smiled.

It was a matter of a few seconds, which of course felt like an eternity for Yi-jun. Songcai and him had tumbled around in a frantic race to see who could get undressed quicker.

Upon finally laying down side by side, gasping in breathless wonder, Yi-jun had only a handful of thoughts in his head. All of which revolved around the fact that he was now naked in a bed with an equally as bare Jin Songcai, and he was going to burst into flames if he didn't touch him soon!

Xie Yi-jun was watching every flicker in Jin-cai's starlit eyes while the healer's hands explored his body, his gaze traveling up and down. Being like this, being so undeniably seen was both terrifying and comforting-

"Ah," Yi-jun exhaled, Songcai's hands sliding down his stomach, curling and scratching and causing his muscles to tighten in response.

The way his lover touched him was with utmost care, utmost respect, and unbridled curiosity. Jin-cai seemed as if he might just spend the entire night tracing Yi-jun's body, mapping it all out in his head...

As his lips fluttered up to Songcai's, Yi-jun felt the man's hands come up to his shoulders, gripping hard. Songcai didn't regularly stop for breaths, so when they kissed like this Yi-jun was normally quite dizzy by the time they stopped...

Tonight it seemed neither one of them wanted to pull away first. Yi-jun's hands had wandered into Jin-cai's hair, softly running his fingers through it while his lover kneaded his shoulders.

Songcai slid his tongue in, forcing deep inside. At the same time, Yi-jun felt his lover's nails on his shoulders dig in so hard that he nearly winced in pain...

Heart racing and entire body aching with what he knew to be untamed desire, Yi-jun held Jin-cai's arms, sipping at his tongue and receiving a beautiful heated moan as Songcai suddenly rolled on top of him

Breaking away from him with a gasp, Jin-cai appeared fluttery and quite distracted as Yi-jun gazed up at him. Songcai was sitting upon his bare thighs, and Yi-jun shifted around without realising, trying to get just a little closer-

Yi-jun's eyelids fell shut once more as Jin-cai's fingertips slide past his stomach.

Want him, want him now-

Perhaps the man could hear him because suddenly he was reaching down, cradling the King's aching erection with both hands.

Xie Yi-jun fought to contain his moans as Songcai touched and stroked him, the only sounds in the room becoming the King's heavy breathing. Songcai gazed down at that part of his body with visible appreciation, licking his lips and humming softly...

They had done this before, and everytime it was both incredible and embarrassing to Yi-jun, who had found that all Songcai had to do was touch him so simply and he devolved into a shaking mess.

It's because it's him, Yi-jun reasoned. My hands down there don't have the same effect. It's all because it's Jin Songcai...

"Hhht-" the sound was a strangled cry from Yi-jun's throat as his hips arched up, body desperately moving closer. Fingers gripping the sheets, the King watched closely as Songcai wet his lips once more, then bent his head and slid his mouth overtop of him.

"Ah! Jin-cai!!"

Hands coming up suddenly to hold his lover's hair, Yi-jun groaned loudly. His head fell back as the man licked and sucked, squeezing the base gently with his hands while his tongue swirled and fluttered across the tip.

Unable to contain himself, the King felt his whole body shaking, pleasure slicing through him sharper than a knife as he pulled Jin-cai closer...

Atop him, Songcai worked quickly but skillfully, tending to the King's burning need with a passion that made Yi-jun's head spin.

How is he doing this?! I'm almost there-

"S...Songcai!" He hissed, his lover pulling him right over the edge in a pitiful few seconds.

Fuck!

Panting, sweating, his whole body hot and achy in the best way, Xie Yi-jun realised shyly that after coming, he'd momentarily passed out. When he at last opened his eyes again, Songcai was kneeling atop Yi-jun's body with the darkest purest smile on his face...

And Xie Yi-jun almost swallowed his tongue when he saw the faintest traces of white lingering on the corners of the young healer's mouth-

Swallowing, blush rising on his neck and cheeks, he ended up freely scanning Jin Songcai's body, mouth going dry at the flawless curves and planes of it. Yi-jun's gaze lingered on the man's small waist, his flat stomach, defined hips and of course his own erection that was not as thick as Yi-jun's but longer, curved and pulsing. It was all the King could do not to gasp; fuck, you're so fucking beautiful!

Adding fire to his already burning blush, was the look in Songcai's eyes. The look in them that said even though he'd just tasted Yi-jun's pleasure, he was far from finished making him moan.

Hands beside his head, feeling like a lustful teenager at the whim of a vengeful god, Xie Yi-jun whispered a heartfelt; "Mercy?"

Songcai grinned, lashes fluttering as he glanced down. Yi-jun watched with interest as his lover grabbed hold of one of the King's hands, bringing it up to his lips and kissing his palm sweetly.

That's when Yi-jun finally noticed that Songcai was moving. He hadn't felt it before but now he could; the subtle shifting of his lover slowly grinding down against his thigh, seeming as if he couldn't help himself.

The King swallowed, "Jin-cai... can I? I want to, just-"

He watched as Songcai bit his lip and nodded, carefully moving off of Yi-jun's lap to lay beside him on the bed. Songcai turned his head as the King leaned over, both of them talking with their eyes. Then his lover gestured to the nightstand where several lanterns had been set.

Yi-jun saw immediately what he was pointing to and the King huffed out a desperate curse, making his lover laugh as he hurriedly reached over him and grabbed the bottle, warm from the candles near it.

He was already pouring some of the golden oil into his hand by the time he felt Songcai beside him, pulling his knees up. Yi-jun faltered. To touch him was to experience heaven. To be inside him? Yi-jun didn't know if he could-

"Xie-jun..."

Songcai pulled his eyes up again with his breathy voice, a gentle smile upon his lips, as if he could tell precisely what the King was thinking.

"I love you with everything I am."

Yi-jun felt his heart catch those words in mid-air, burrowing their meaning deep inside his soul, and he knew for the rest of his life he would never forget them.

The King swallowed his rising need, heart hammering as he coated his entire hand in the fragrant oil, stopping only when his fingers were dripping...

Lying beside Jin-cai, he mostly relied on touch, watching his lover's eyes flutter closed as Yi-jun slid his hand down the man's thigh, and it was all he could do not to utter a lustful groan as he pressed two of his fingers against the soft puckered skin.

He touched gently at first, only rubbing, growing more aggressive when he saw Songcai's lips parting in a silent gasp, his forehead creasing.

Yi-jun moved his other arm so that it was pressing down on Jin-cai's legs that were raised to his chest. He helped him keep them down and like that, Yi-jun felt his fingers slide inside...

He heard Songcai stifle a groan, the King pressing into him slowly, marveling at his beautiful, remarkable body. All he could focus on was how it felt, the heat of him squeezing down hard on his fingers, and the way Songcai's toes curled when Yi-jun twisted his wrist.

Panting heavily, Songcai doing the same, Xie Yi-jun listened to and watched his lover's reactions. He saw how Jin-cai's fists tightened on the mattress when the King extended his fingers; the lovely way he cried out when he circled them carefully.

Yi-jun was so concerned he might be hurting Songcai, that he even pulled out momentarily to pour more oil on his hand, which of course prompted Songcai to moan again when Yi-jun went back in...

Tempted beyond belief by his lover's exquisitely pained face, the King went a little faster, suddenly growing dizzy and hot from the amount of noises coming from there, when he heard Songcai hiss out between gasps;

"Xie-jun... Xie... both... put another in-"

The King shook his head, swallowing and finally saying in a low, broken voice...

"No. It will hurt,"

Songcai might not think he knew but he did. Three fingers already would be too painful, even if he wanted it, and Yi-jun didn't want to hurt him at all. He wouldn't.

Jin-cai's pale blue eyes fluttered open and the King swallowed again. He'd slowed his pace once more, but Songcai was taking his two fingers fully; nail to knuckle...

Yi-jun himself was aching painfully, his cock already fully hard again and begging to know what it felt like to be inside his lover at last.

God, this is torture-

Songcai panted, gritting his teeth as Yi-jun continued;

"For heaven's sake, I know it will hurt. But do it, please!"

It was the please that got him. Knowing that his Jin-cai wanted it. Was begging for it.

I can't withhold anything from him...

Drawing in a deep breath, the King pressed his arm down a little firmer over Songcai's tucked in legs, watching the man's face contort briefly and then Jin-cai moaning loudly as Yi-jun pushed in a third.

Hell-

Like this it almost seemed as if Jin-cai was ready for him now, but Yi-jun still hesitated. Spending several more minutes pushing Songcai to the brink over and over. He wasn't trying to be cruel. Eventually, the way his lover was pulling at the sheets, biting his lip so hard it was turning white, Xie Yi-jun couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you-"

He couldn't even ask if the man was ready or not because Jin-cai was groaning too loud, arching his hips frantically, trying to get closer...

Yi-jun's heart tightened as he drew his hand away, listening to his lover's desperate cries and pleas. He tried to soothe him gently, with soft kisses on his forehead, but Songcai was already grabbing Yi-jun and pulling him on top of him.

With his waist caged inside his lover's sweat-slicken thighs, the King could no longer understand anything but the blood pounding in his veins, causing his ears to ring.

It was a bit of a mess, Yi-jun pouring another handful of the oil out and then inhaling sharply. His hand ran down the length of his cock, and he was shaking by the time he finally managed to press Songcai back onto the bed.

His lover was already so high strung he was raising his hips, holding Yi-jun by the arms and brutally digging his nails in...

Yi-jun felt the head of his cock pressing against the opened entrance, but he still held back, his breath not leaving his lungs as he bit out-

"Ready?"

Songcai couldn't even respond, he just nodded and sighed.

With a shiver that passed through his whole body, the King pushed, gasping as he slipped inside easily.

Too good, it's too-

Blood pounding in his eardrums, Yi-jun slid forward, feeling every glorious inch. Deeper than he could have imagined and yet still too far away, he reached down to hold Songcai's waist.

Buried halfway, he flexed his hips, grinding upwards so he could feel exactly how Jin-cai's body held him...

"Ah!"

Eyes immediately going to his lover's open, crystal-blue ones, Yi-jun forced himself to stop, his voice rough as he choked out; "Hurts?"

When Songcai bit his lip and nodded, his eyes squeezing shut in pain, Xie Yi-jun's entire body reacted. He stopped. His hands slipped around Jin-cai's back, cradling him in his arms as he slid out a little, carefully and slowly.

Leaning down over the man, Yi-jun felt panic stirring inside him when he noticed the tears welling up in Songcai's eyes-

The King's throat tightened...

"You're crying," he shook his head, gazing at Jin-cai's lovely flushed face in the candle-light.

Jin Songcai heard him somehow through his daze and suddenly smiled, his eyes closing and arms moving to hug Yi-jun's neck.

When the man raised his hips, squeezing his legs tightly around the King and in that movement pulling him closer, deeper into his body, Yi-jun stifled a startled cry as he felt his own tears begin to spill.

Jin Songcai only hushed him softly and pulled him down, lips by his ear, hands pulling his hair back over his shoulders gently.

"These are tears of joy, Xie-jun. I love you, please... it's okay."

Hearing those sweet whispered words, Jin-cai easing him inside even faster, and so greedily that he felt his whole body tremble, Xie Yi-jun pressed a desperate kiss to the man's chin, as in his hurry he missed his lips.

Sighing, relief and love overwhelming him, Yi-jun nodded.

As he tucked his face into Songcai's shoulder, their bodies pressed together and began moving as one...

Yi-jun finding over and over again the center of his lover's pleasure, and Songcai meeting him there with joyful abandon. Between them grew their auras, a tangible energy that pressed into their skin, soaking up their love and shining.