Wen Reian

2019 years after The Long Night

Hêi’àn Palace

The man held his breath as he stepped inside the dimly lit room. He’d assumed Kai-Le had gone to sleep by now, as Reian had been gone for nearly a whole hour after showing him up here. Strangely enough, the hunter wasn’t in bed...

In the flickering candle-light, Wen Rei squinted his eyes, suddenly freezing as he thought he saw movement. Peering closer at the dark shape curled up under the desk, his voice came out a touch alarmed-

“Lan Kai-Le?!”

As he approached, Reian felt his heart tighten and warm all at the same time, simply at how small the man had made himself. Kai-Le had folded himself up, wrapped his arms around his knees, and fallen asleep right there on the cold floor!

Why is he sleeping here?! Doesn’t he know I don’t mind sharing a bed-

Reian bent down, reaching his hand out and calling gently…

“Why are you down here, silly?”

When Reian’s fingers softly brushed against Lan Kai-Le’s back, he felt the man stiffen, then shuffle even closer to the wall. Seeing him like this made Reian both concerned and deeply amused. He really was starting to enjoy all of Kai-Le’s strange moods and behaviors. He was unpredictable. Sweet…

“Hey,” Reian whispered as he patted the man’s back. “Come to bed… Kai-Le, are you awake?”

He thought he heard the faintest exhale, like a grumpy sigh, and then a few moments later, Lan Kai-Le was turning his head and gazing at Reian out of the corner of his eye. He seemed ever so distraught. Reian only inched closer…

“What’s gotten into you?” He tried to smile but it was tinged with worry. “Do you not like this place?”

Lan Kai-Le frowned and curled up again, mumbling softly; “Don’t like… them.”

Reian blinked, startled. Then he laughed-

“Who? Yi-jun?! Songcai? Whatever did they do to you?! Come here, look at me.”

After a while of coaxing him, Reian finally got Lan Kai-Le to flip over onto his other side and meet his eyes. The man seemed deeply conflicted about something, but when Reian reached out to stroke his cheek, Kai-Le moved closer.

“Not what they did to me…”

His words came with a sharp glance up at Reian, who until then, honestly had no idea why Lan Kai-Le would dislike either the King or his husband. As he heard Kai-Le speak however, Reian recalled something. A faint memory of their time in the forest with The Wanderers.

What I said to him… while I was drunk? Hang on-

Wen Rei’s cheeks flushed brightly as he slapped his own hand over his mouth to stifle his gasp.

“You remember?! What I told you?!!”

Lan Kai-Le frowned even more, staring up at Reian with shadowed and very frustrated eyes. Wen Reian was trying to recall fully what he’d said, when the hunter put him only partially out of his misery.

“They were yours and you were theirs,” then the man seemed to visibly deflate, scooting away from Reian again and toward the wall.

“Don’t want to think about it…”

Wen Reian was having a hard time piecing together his thoughts let alone his words. He almost remembered their conversation beside the fire that night; Reian sharing with Kai-Le about his past. Namely, his two former lovers.

I think I mentioned how Yi-jun was my first… everything. And that Songcai was the first person I-

Oh. Oh no…

Reian couldn’t believe he’d told him that! He’d been drunk, and hadn’t at that point seen any sort of friendship develop between them. It had all slipped out in a rush when Lan Kai-Le asked about his life!

How could I have done that?! It was Yi-jun, Songcai and I’s secret! And Kai-Le… is he really hurt by it?!

Carefully trying to keep his words from seeming too panicked, Reian said slowly;

“It was a long time ago. They’re still special to me, but we don’t have that kind of relationship anymore. We haven’t in over ten years...” He paused, thinking.

“That’s what you were reacting to at the banquet? You wanted to keep me away from them?”

Kai-Le looked up at him.

“Don’t know what I want,” the man seemed very upset now, his voice rising. “Didn’t like him touching you, don’t want anyone to touch you!”

Wen Reian blinked as Lan Kai-Le’s hand suddenly shot out and grabbed Reian’s wrist-

“Wanted to kill him when he touched you!”

Reian’s heart was racing now, mostly because of Lan Kai-Le’s words but also how hard he was gripping him.

“That-” Reian gasped. “That hurts!”

Immediately Kai-Le released him, folding his arms back in and sulking.

Wen Rei’s mind was spinning. On one hand, he wanted to explain to Kai-Le about his deep bond with both men, how they were his family. On the other hand, Reian was strangely, once again, a little… pleased?

Yi-jun was right. He is jealous! Why does that make me happy?! What’s wrong with me-

After several minutes of just staring at Lan Kai-Le’s striking features, his eyes that kept flickering closed, and the little worry lines on his forehead, Reian realized with a sense of both awe and fear, that what he wanted was for Lan Kai-Le to truly open up to him, like that had that night by the fire.

Express all his feelings, really trust me. He needs this too…

Going to grab the man’s hand, Reian said, “Come out. Kai-Le, come be with me-”

Before he could tug on him, the hunter practically growled from beneath the table.

“No! Don’t want to… think-”

Reian shook his head. “You don’t have to think. Just trust me,”

Lan Kai-Le’s response was said with a deep huff-

“I trust you. Don’t trust myself.”

Reian stopped tugging. He frowned.

“Why? Are you afraid you’ll do something to Xie Yi-jun-”

Lan Kai-Le blinked up at him with the most concerned and conflicted expression on his face, and Reian felt his breathing halt. Swallowing, he mumbled;

“Or… something to me?”

Kai-Le’s frown only deepened but all he said was, “I won’t hurt you.”

Wen Reian nodded. He knew that. He also knew that they both needed this now. They needed this time, after all the suffering and confusion and rage of the last few weeks. They needed to have a little bit of peace.

Finally, Kai-Le relented and came out from under the desk, but not until Reian tempted him at last with what they now had coined ‘affection’ however, Reian paused when they were finally standing face to face, and Kai-Le’s rumpled clothes and knotted hair caught his attention…

A soft, caring thing that existed inside Reian’s heart and longed to treat Lan Kai-Le with so much love, that it balanced out all the pain he’d been through in his whole life, grew strongly inside of him. Smoothing his hands down Kai-Le’s chest and noticing the gentle way the man was looking at him, Reian smiled, realizing what they should do first…

“You said you trust me,” Reian could feel Kai-Le hanging on his every word.

The man nodded, sending sparks racing though the healer’s head and dizzying him with their brightness.

He placed his palm over Lan Kai-Le’s heart, the warmth of his body already affecting Reian in ways he couldn’t even explain. Meeting the man’s eyes again, Wen Reian exhaled, all his hopes and fears and wants for them into these two small words;

“How much?”

It was many minutes later that they finally made it into the bathroom. Wen Reian tried again to explain, as Lan Kai-Le stared with much trepidation behind him at the tub filled with steaming water. Reian had led him in very carefully and turned the faucet on, not before taking off his own outer robes and tying up his hair. Lan Kai-Le was reasonably apprehensive…

“I want to take care of you tonight,” Reian said, gently running his hands down the man’s strong arms and feeling when he suddenly inhaled.

Kai-Le blinked and tilted his head quizzically, “Why?”

Reian smiled,“Because you take care of me. And because I… want to be with you.”

Wen Reian’s hands slowly drifted on their own to Kai-Le’s belt. He was already untying it when the man said softly; “Like I want to be with you?”

He was staring at Reian now with such innocent curiosity in his eyes that it made Wen Rei smile.

Nodding, he just chuckled. “Yes.”

Before he took off the rest of Kai-Le’s clothes, Reian made it very clear what exactly they were doing…

“I’m taking these off now,” he said. “You can get in the water, and I’ll wash you. Is that okay?”

Lan Kai-Le seemed particularly interested, his rare smile appearing for a flash of a few seconds before he whispered to a star-struck Reian-

“Okay… will you close your eyes?”

Reian nearly choked through his laughter at the man’s question, but then he remembered their time at the river, Reian’s insistence that Lan Kai-Le close his eyes while Reian washed all the mud and sand off.

He’s so… thoughtful. The way he remembers all this-

Fighting his smile, Wen Rei just shook his head and that seemed to be enough.

He went about ridding Kai-Le of his belt first, then his outer robes, aware the whole time that the man was watching him with fascination. It took Wen Reian a minute or two to undo the knots holding Kai-Le’s shirt together, and when he finally finished, the fabric was easily pushed off his shoulders to reveal the man’s upper body.

Reian’s gaze was immediately captured by the hunter’s tattoo. It curved across his left shoulder, halfway down his arm, and across his chest. The same ink peaked out from underneath Kai-Le’s trousers, equally graceful lines snaking up his right hip.

What Reian noticed next were all the scars. Thin, thick, purple and white-

I wasn’t there for any of these…

Sadness tightening his throat once more, Reian realized that he was gently touching one of the scars on Kai-Le’s bare chest when the man inhaled sharply, causing Wen Rei’s eyes to flicker up. Lan Kai-Le gazed at him, rapt.

Kai-Le’s lips were parted softly, a familiar and yet startling hunger inside his eyes that only worsened when Reian went to unzip his pants-

He’s beautiful, but I knew that already…

“In you go,” Reian swallowed, his voice hoarse as he tried to keep from looking at the tattoo on Kai-Le’s hip, or what he saw out of the corner of his eye to be the man’s long and half-erect penis.

It’s fine. It’s… I just won’t worry about that for now-

After Lan Kai-Le sank into the bath, having no complaints about suddenly being completely exposed like this with Reian in an unfamiliar place, Wen Rei bent to his knees and reached to grab the sponge from beside the tub.

Lan Kai-Le, as always, watched Reian’s every move with fascination. Even when Reian motioned for him to come closer and began to dip the sponge in the water, ringing it out over Kai-Le’s shoulders, the man just stared back with gentle trusting in his eyes…

The sound of the water splashing mingled with their breathing. It quickly became Reian’s favorite melody. He spent a while scrubbing Kai-Le’s chest, under his arms, and then when he asked him to turn around, he realized he’d been about to pull the man’s hair over his shoulder to wash his back.

I should ask. He might not want me to…

“Can you move your hair for me?” Reian bit his lip. “Or, can I touch it?”

He saw Lan Kai-Le tilt his head slightly, as if he was trying to see Reian. Eventually, after a long while where he figured the man just wouldn’t answer, Kai-Le surprised Reian again by saying; “You can.”

Unable to stifle his excitement, Reian added quickly-

“If you want, I can wash your hair too…”

No way he’d-

“Yes.”

Blinking in surprise, it was with great tenderness and care that Reian reached out and gathered Kai-Le’s hair together. He marveled at how soft it was, how the strands felt silky and cold running through his fingers.

“I’ll leave these in,” Reian held one of the man’s braids, gently twirling a metal bead.

Lan Kai-Le seemed to think for a moment, then he shook his head matter-of-factly.

“No, take them out. I don’t need them.”

Unable to sit there and process what such a sudden decision meant, Reian ended up fighting back his tears at this simple, and yet brave act. For some reason it moved him beyond words.

Not only is he letting me touch his hair, he is trusting me to help him take out these braids, these tokens that have been his shelter and his family for almost his whole life.

He is trusting me with his life…

What could I ever do that would equal such a thing?

Very slowly, and after checking again to make sure it was really what he wanted, Wen Reian began to untie the first one. Setting the beads, rings, and coins to the side, Reian undid every single braid reverently, feeling as if they all held such deep meaning, and that the untangling of decade-old knots was not only going to be deeply healing for Lan Kai-Le, but for their relationship and future together.

I’m so proud of him…

Reian was finally able to run his fingers all the way through Kai-Le’s hair and to his surprise, when he did, the man tilted his head back and groaned softly.

Smiling and more than a little pleased upon hearing he was enjoying it, Reian gently scratched his scalp, feeling the little shivers work its way through Kai-Le’s body and down his spine.

“That’s better, huh?”

Lan Kai-Le let out a soft sound like a little “mmph” and Reian grinned. He was so relaxed, so fulfilled in this moment, being able to intimately take care of the man. It made his heart ache if he thought about it too deeply.

“I’ll wash your hair and then we can go to bed. Are you tired?”

As Reian filled his hands with water and raised them, careful not to spill any on Kai-Le’s face, the man made him falter suddenly by turning around.

Heart nearly leaping into his throat at the sight of those glazed over eyes and rosy cheeks, Wen Reian was also caught speechless at seeing Lan Kai-Le in his most vulnerable state.

His whole body washed clean, dark auburn hair hanging down freely, every inch of his skin glowing with his youth, strength and purity. Lan Kai-Le was just twenty-nine, but right now, to Wen Reian, the hunter looked beautiful and ageless.

Spellbound the same way you are watching a shooting star; knowing that the thing you are witnessing is only the briefest of glimpses of a more magical, faraway world, Reian forced himself to pay attention to Lan Kai-Le’s voice when the man softly spoke.

“I am not tired.” He said, “I feel…”

As Kai-Le searched for the words, Reian found himself admiring the man’s broad shoulders, his chest which was riddled with scars, and the curve of the muscles in his strong arms.

I want to fall asleep with him holding me again. And tomorrow night as well…

Finally Kai-Le pressed his lips together, saying-

“Gentle.”

Reian giggled, covering his mouth and shaking his head at Kai-Le’s sweet attempt at describing how he felt.

Gentle, he means calm. Peaceful. Safe-

“Is that not good?”

Reian stopped, realizing Kai-Le was frowning again, reacting to his laughter. Standing up and sighing as he offered the man his hand, Wen Rei just smiled.

“Gentle is good, it’s alright. Come on-”

Lan Kai-Le didn’t waste a second, eagerly grabbing his outstretched hand and practically leaping out of the tub, water flying everywhere and causing Wen Reian to squeal in delight and surprise.

“Ah! Haha, hey!”

Reian caught the man in his arms and then before he could wrap him in a towel, or even so much as think about the fact that he was now pressed quite close to Lan Kai-Le’s naked body, Reian was being picked up and carried to the bedroom.

Finally startled back into reality when Lan Kai-Le tossed him into bed and climbed over him, Wen Rei blinked several times, his hands coming up to the hunter’s bare chest as he noticed the little water droplets which continued to run down his skin and drip from his hair. Heart pounding, Reian whispered…

“Lan Kai-Le?”

The man was crouched over him, arms flexing on either side of his head as he seemed fixated on Reian’s lips.

Ah, I did say we could kiss earlier, didn’t I? That was before I knew he wouldn’t be wearing any clothes…

Reian swallowed, realizing he could feel the man’s length pressing against his stomach.

“Lan-Le, I-”

Reian couldn’t even utter a word before the man above was suddenly hugging him tight, tucking his head against Reian’s neck and licking him again!

“Ahh!” Reian cried, laughing and screaming.

It tickles!!

His arms went around Kai-Le’s back as he kicked his legs up wildly and tried to roll away, but the man was holding him tight. Kissing and licking and even biting! Lan Kai-Le attacked Reian with so much affection, that by the end of it, tears streamed from the healer’s eyes due to laughing so hard.

Minutes later, blinking up at the ceiling, Wen Reian was stroking his fingers through Kai-Le’s damp hair absentmindedly, relishing in the feeling of his weight on top of him, Lan Kai-Le’s arms around him, the man’s breath warming his neck.

The hunter had practically passed out on top of him, every now and then, his lips fluttering soft kisses on Reian’s cheek and chin. Kai-Le nuzzled him softly, seeming to be getting comfortable to go to sleep, with Reian as his bed…

Wen Reian was more than a little surprised. Simply because he could still feel Kai-Le’s fully hard erection against his hip. He didn’t realize the man would just sleep with it instead of… trying something.

Did I only expect that because I wanted it?!

No, Reian was more than pleased. He’d wanted tonight to be calming and healing for the both of them, and that’s just what it was.

I’m falling asleep wrapped up tightly inside his arms, listening to his breathing and heartbeat, feeling his tired kisses and soft hair… it’s more than I hoped for!

Reian closed his eyes, Kai-Le’s breathing like the fastest and most potent sleep-inducer, a lullaby as Reian drifted off toward another lovely dream.

Happy and safe, Reian’s final thought for the night was one of Kai-Le’s answer. It made more sense than he dared to think…

“How much?” Reian said, wishing to know if Kai-Le wanted this too. If he trusted him.

The man had replied with only a moment’s hesitation as he searched for the words;

“The most.”