He wasn't sure how Lee Shaan had enough energy to manage to hunt, but when the man returned to their little hidden makeshift camp near the northern edge of the forest, he was carrying a large boar on his shoulder.

Huang quickly jumped up to assist him in preparing it to cook. They worked as quietly as they could since Qi was currently resting peacefully against the trunk of a large fir tree a few feet away, his little guard snuggled tightly within his arms. The man had refused to let him out of his sight for even a second ever since they'd been reunited, and Zen had even had to stop him from feeding him energy once Qi's steps began to falter with exhaustion.

I'm glad they're finally getting some rest.

Jumping slightly, Huang glanced down at the tiny rock Lee Shaan had just thrown at him, then lifted his eyes to scowl at the man. Instead of responding with words, Lee Shaan shoved a large boar's leg into his hands, then pointed to a pile of sticks off to the side.

He'd gathered them earlier, per Lee Shaan's request, while the man went off to hunt.

I got it. I got it.

Huang trudged over to the tiny pile and began focusing his energy toward it. Lighting them on fire wasn't hard, but he knew that they'd burn down to nothing in no time. There wasn't enough there to cook their full meal.

I'm going to go retrieve more.

Huang nodded at Lee Shaan's telepathic message as he got busy cooking what he could of the leg he was handed. As he tended to the task, his attention split frequently between the food and the two young men resting nearby. His heart thumped in his chest a few times after each glance.

What are you doing? he asked himself as he shook his head and poked at the meat he'd skewered.

You knew from the beginning that it would be hard to gain acceptance with Qi, and even after you began liking Zen, it would still remain be difficult.

Blowing out a tired breath, he leaned against the tree to his left and considered his options. He knew that he would return to Han with Qi, Zen, and Lee Shaan, and try to put an end to his father's stolen dynasty, but what could he possibly hope for after that?

He was the son of a traitor who murdered the previous king and took his position. He was also a murderer, himself, and had killed countless people across the kingdom. Hell, he'd even killed several of Lee Shaan's people, too. Which was why he was still unsure of the man's actual feelings. And honestly, his own were an absolute jumbled mess at the moment, anyways.

As much as he wanted to abandon his cooking duties and walk right over and wrap both Qi and Zen in his arms, he knew that he couldn't. Thankfully, Zen was able to break Lee Shaan's collar curse with little effort, and the man had relented trying to replace it since he'd told him that Zen would cause no problems as long as he was allowed to remain with Qi, but the fact was that Lee Shaan still had his distance curse on himself and Qi.

And yet he still thought that I would accept being treated like a concubine? And a chained one, at that?

Scowling at the struggling fire near his feet, Huang stared into the tiny flames, trying to pull some sort of logic from their flickering depths.

I've no interest in becoming a chained pet... even though I know that my other options are unlikely to allow me to continue living.

Could he honestly go back to Lee Shaan's tribe and live quietly, even with the man's protection?

I'll just have to accept that my life will end after we complete our goal.

Another rock, this one a little bigger than the last, smacked him in the back of the head, making him glare over his shoulder as Lee Shaan approached with an armload of sticks. He expected the man to chastise him for his way of thinking, since he didn't doubt that he'd picked up what he'd thought since he was already so close, but instead of saying anything, he simply built up the fire with what he'd brought, then settled himself down right next to him.

When neither of them spoke, either verbally or through their thoughts, for quite some time, Huang glanced sideways at the man.

Oh...

Lee Shaan was staring across the small area at Qi and Zen, his dark eyes calm but calculating.

They live for each other. If you try to harm either one, the other would never forgive you.

The man remained still for another few moments before turning his attention to him. Being so close, it was a little unnerving, but he wasn't going to move away.

And what do you live for now, Yuen Huang?

The man's question actually made him grin as he flopped backwards into the dead leaves scattered around them and closed his eyes.

Right now? I live to see Qi and Zen happy. After that... I won't live for anything.

He heard Lee Shaan move a little beside him, but didn't bother opening his eyes.

Well, what would make you want to live? I intend to kill your father... and any others that try to interfere. I'm not sure how much we will be able to get done, but would you not consider remaining alive to assist Qi retake the throne?

Huang shook his head amongst the leaf litter, getting bits of broken foliage mixed into his long dark hair.

Once he has the throne, if he even wants it, I will disappear from his life.

With the conversation seemingly ending at that thought, a calm peace fell over them for quite some time as they simply listened to the faint rustle of the wind and the crackling of the fire as it continued to cook their food. It felt so good to just do nothing and not have to worry about something suddenly appearing out of nowhere to attack you. Lee Shaan had quite a strong barrier up around their little area, making them practically invisible to the outside world.

This is nice.

He hadn't meant to broadcast that thought, but Lee Shaan seemed to pick it up, anyways, because he replied after another quiet moment.

I can give you this.

Huang blinked open his right eye just so that he could narrow it on the man.

You are a stubborn one, he replied, earning a grin from Lee Shaan, though the man would not open his own eyes. Taking the given opportunity, he looked at what he could see of the man beside him. He really was a very handsome person. Well built and well proportioned.

Do you think Han Qi will actually wish to take the throne if we manage to remove your father?

He wasn't sure why, but Huang replied without hesitation as he returned his gaze to the canopy far above him.

No, I do not think he will take it.

Lee Shaan made a quiet sound of agreement as he sat up and turned their food on the stick it was situated on, then lied back down.

I was thinking... what if you took the throne?

Huang's eyes went wide as he snapped his attention back to the man. Lee Shaan was staring at him calmly, a serious expression on his face.

Not interested.

The throne was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

I'm serious, though. It would be much easier to transition the throne to someone who is in line for it than to give it to someone completely random, or try to force Qi to take it.

He didn't want to hear it. There was not a single moment, a single second in time, that he had wanted to sit upon that chair. He never dreamed of becoming a ruler. The only thing he'd wanted in his life was to lay low and do his father's bidding so that he had a reason to be away most of the time. Thus allowing him to keep an eye on his love so that he remained safe.

Think it over. If you took the throne, you could give Qi the peace and quiet that he wants.

He was about to say that he still wasn't interested, but his mind decided to wander and change his words.

You need to find yourself a concubine or a wife as soon as this little coup is done.

He heard Lee Shaan move in the leaf litter a little but didn't bother looking at what he was doing until he felt something slip into his hair.

What did you just do?

Huang reached up to remove whatever had been put into his hair, but his wrist was gently grabbed, halting his fingers' search.

I found a magnolia flower while collecting more firewood and thought it would suit you well.

Now that the man mentioned it, he could definitely smell the flower's scent mixed in with the faint smoke from the fire. But still...

Pulling his hand from Lee Shaan's, Huang reached up and removed the flower from his hair, then used it to tap the other man's chest twice.

I don't need flowers from you.

Instead of answering him with words, Lee Shaan just turned his body to face him and leaned up on his elbow with a grin.

Huang just scowled back, making Lee Shaan give a silent chuckle.

For someone with such a fearsome reputation, you sure don't look evil when you're mad.

Huang frowned at his words, confused. He looked angry when he was angry!

You look like an angry kitten, especially with all of those leaves in your hair, Lee Shaan said as he reached over and gently removed a large dead leaf from his hair and held it up for him to see.

Huang rolled his eyes and turned around, giving Lee Shaan his back.

Stop flirting, you annoying man. I am not a woman.

I do not want a woman, Lee Shaan replied without skipping a beat.

They were just going in circles... and yet he couldn't make himself stop replying.

You want me, then why don't you show it? Get rid of this distance curse around my neck.

He expected the man to just ignore him and consider the conversation over, but to his surprise, Lee Shaan's fingers pressed against the back of his neck right before an abrupt zap of spiritual energy surged around it, then dissipated, taking the curse with it.

He actually removed it... just like that.

Huang sat up and turned so that he could face Lee Shaan as he stared down at the stoic man.

"Why did you do that?" he questioned quietly, the shock he felt easily audible in his words.

Lee Shaan slowly pushed himself up and reached over, removing a few more leaves from Huang's hair as he spoke.

"You said to remove it to prove that I was serious."

Huang opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out, so he slowly shut it and simply stared at the person still holding a length of his black hair between his fingers.

"I granted your request... now I have one of my own," Lee Shaan said seriously, his eyes never leaving his confused ones.

Forcing his heart to calm, Huang straightened his shoulders and licked his lips.

"What is it?"

Lee Shaan reached forward with his hand and pressed his palm against the side of his face along with the length of hair he'd already been holding.

"Let me cast Drain of Death on you."

What...?

The man had just done a complete one-eighty on his requests. He wanted him to stay with him after their mission was complete, and yet he wanted to cast one of the worst curses in existence upon him now?

Lee Shaan clearly read his shocked expression because he offered him a calm smile and spoke again.

"I need you to trust me. I won't use the curse against you, but it needs to be on you before we set out again... please."

Huang shook the hand from the side of his face and narrowed his eyes on the man.

"You need a sacrifice for such a strong curse."

Lee Shaan straightened and shook his head.

"Not if it is cast with permission."

What?

He'd never heard of such a thing... but at the same time, he couldn't think of a single curse that someone would willingly want cast upon themselves.

"You... won't use it against me?" he asked, needing the man's word that he wouldn't.

He'd intended to die after they took care of his father, but he definitely didn't want to die by that curse. It was one of the worst forms of torture that one could inflict upon another living person.

"I will not use it against you, and I will remove it as soon as we have freed Han," Lee Shaan said earnestly.

He was still hesitant, but honestly, what did he have to lose? Lee Shaan could have killed them all by now, but instead, he'd nursed him back to health, unlocked his spiritual energy and broken his distance tether. So he clearly wasn't wanting the curse to try and weaken him.

As long as Qi and Zen are happy by the end of all this...

Huang swallowed down his nerves, then gave a firm nod.

"I give Lee Shaan, leader of the Didui tribe, permission to cast the curse Drain of Death upon me."