Author's note; A bit of Male intimacy, I'd say around 16+ stuff.

The corn was harvested, dried out and stored to become seed for the following year or corn flour for the winter. A few cobs were greedily savoured prior to that, each bite a sweet sensation, despite only being boiled and without garnish.

The second set of fluffy chicks were born, this time all of the eggs beneath the hen successfully cracked open and the community looked forward to being able to eat eggs more often during the winter months. During that time also, it was decided that the hens would be moved into the third property to keep them sheltered better from the winter snows, just in case they happened to be as strong and deep as the year before.

Thus as the work in the gardens wound down and there was nothing to harvest outside of the first properties gardens, work became more focused within the property and patrols once more increased upon the walls; small crowds of humanoid zombies had reappeared at the walls as the temperatures began to fall.

If the walking corpses had been frightening before, these appeared more so. Their green-grey skins had noticeable charred edges as parts had peeled away from the body. Essence no longer oozed from the cracks within the flesh, instead was crusted into a thick, blackened layer. Eyes were no longer reddened and bloodshot, but the whites had yellowed and the veins were dark, the black pupil shone grey whenever the light hit them, yet despite the fogginess, their vision was still sharp enough to catch movement. Few had ears, the extraneous skin having been lost, maybe deemed unnecessary or burnt by the summer sun until they flaked away unheeded. In all honesty, finding just one that retained the four limbs, two hands, two feet, two eyes, ears, nose and jaw thus resembling the human they had once been was difficult.

The zombies were more vicious as well, their joints appeared less stiff than before the summer overall and many more seemed to have abilities. Fortunately, as the two strongest of the defenders were able to stave off a few more frightening attacks and there were others who could stand on par in strength against the rest, they were able to fend off these small assaults against their walls.

However, fearing what was to come, the ability users spent every spare moment cultivating in a bid to get stronger in fear of what could follow.

In the dead of the night, two men moved in unison, savouring the taste of each other's bodies joined as they were with the larger man settling between the smaller man's thighs. Sweat glistened on their sun-blessed skins, the man beneath gripped the formed muscles on the other's arms, but did not unleash his full strength in fear of hurting the other. There were still moments that he couldn't help but squeeze those arms, especially when the man covering him touched numerous unspeakable places within his body with his hardened member. Bruises formed, adding to the bruises he'd left behind on other occasions.

Cole also understood he would feel the tenderness of blackened marks come the morning, but at this time buried as he was in his lover's welcoming body, he really did not care. He and Chang Min were not like the patient Ren Zexian and innocent Nathan; once feelings had been established, they were quick to explore the physical side of their blossoming relationship. Likely they would have tumbled after the first confession was made, if not for the bloody wound on Cole's back at that time.

There was also no distinguishing who would attack and who would receive, they'd explored both sides of the coin, but it just so happened that Chang Min preferred being able to curl his legs around Cole's sturdy waist while Cole plundered his body at a steady pace as was happening now. It did not mean that tomorrow he wouldn't want to press Cole down and enjoy what else his lover's body could offer him.

The two entwined until sticky and sated, their bodies having released their essence and fallen into the relaxing afterglow of love making. Chang Min curled into the other's warm chest, listening to the slowing heartbeat within it. He was exceedingly happy. Memories crossed his mind of his journey to this point, where he finally found the person who he felt best matched him in body and soul and he could finally shed the vestiges of loneliness that had shadowed him for so long.

It was true that he'd not been truly alone much in his life; he'd had the parents that raised him and siblings, there had been the other youths in the outer sect before it had fallen. Then there had been his master and the others... It was just that, his parents had given him up, though he'd always reassured himself that it was for his survival. And then the other youths left his side one by one due to promotion or vanished as they scattered after the Sect fell. Then when the realm crumbled to dust, he'd lost track of his master and the wandering cultivators he'd become close to. He'd blessed his luck that he had found his master again and even more that the master had found his heart in this place... but the shadow of people leaving him was etched upon his mind and couldn't help cause endless doubts. He feared losing this latest group of people to enter his life.

He feared losing Cole.

So when Cole had become hurt, he could no longer hold back his feelings and spilled them only to receive them back not in rejection but in mutual affection. To be joined in physical expression of their love was even more perfect. Cole truly was his, he felt and he was Cole's. That they were both men never once crossed his mind, the Cultivation world didn't really discriminate, such biases were just a waste of time and energy that could better be channeled into getting stronger, into reaching the elusive goal of immortality.

He felt Cole's lips press upon his forehead and the warmth within him swelled further. He loved this man. Thinking about it, why not further their relationship? He couldn't help but hesitate, biting his bottom lip as he dwelled upon it.

While he was certain in his heart and was certain of Cole's, he also understood that the latter was not a man who could stand being caged and while the step of becoming Dao Companions was not entrapment, it did creating a binding connection that could not be undone. He didn't want Cole to feel that he no longer had freedom.

Closing his eyes on this thought, his sleep that should have been blessed as he lie in the comfort of his lover's arms became restless and that was obvious as he roamed the walls the following day. Cole even had to tug him back as a fireball flew in his direction from a child sized zombie that wildly unleashed its ability. Cole nudged the earth beneath its feet, spikes burst from the ground, but Cole's cultivation was still only in the primary stage and his speed was lacking. The zombie child sensed the danger and leapt back with ease.

"What's wrong?" Cole questioned his lover, worriedly, his eyes not filled with chagrin but concern.

Chang Min guiltily withdrew his line of sight and attempted to reassure him with a small smile. "Nothing, just overthinking," he said after a moment.

Cole wasn't reassured, even though Chang Min became refocused and sent a flurry of sharp rocks to rain upon the gathering zombies. A few of the weaker ones fell, crushed by the assault that was many times more deadly than Cole's. After the two soldiers (who had remained by request) took over from their patrol, Cole grabbed his wrist and tugged him, without giving Chang Min a chance to refute him, back to their room.

"You've been a little off all morning," Cole accused him, though it was in a matter of fact way, not harsh and deriding. "Tell me what's wrong." In order to show his sincerity, he took Chang Min's hands into his own and was unable to help himself from stroking the smooth palms. These hands should be rough with callouses from handling a sword yet were more like marble, he always marvelled over the contradiction of the silky skin that lie flush on a body that was more like steel in strength.

Chang Min sensed that Cole would not be satisfied with a perfunctory explanation, but didn't know what words to use, so he could only look at him, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

Cole almost panicked, unable to interpret the depths of feelings within those black eyes. There was love, fear, as well as a shadow of something else and Cole gathered him tightly to his chest, worried that Chang Min wanted to leave him. Cole's feelings for Chang Min had been developing for so long, since he became interested in the adorable, yet untouchable man on seeing him last summer. On the one hand, he was brimming with youth, his round face still plush with collagen and his eyes clear and bright, yet he claimed to be older than any of them, even Jonah. Then there was his slender frame, his height a little shorter than Ren Zexian's, his seemingly untrained form, with little obvious muscle, though not skinny and malnourished either. And he could easily pick up weights with one hand that took Cole both arms and braced back and knees to deal with.

Interest had deepened as he was personally trained to manage his new found abilities with Chang Min's help, the need to be standing equal or of use to the other blossomed in his heart. The need to be with him warred with the need to escape the four spread out walls that always seemed to enclose him as the days passed and lengthened. Everything was teetering on a fine edge as he tried to balance his emotions that pressed at him from many directions. After all, what if Chang Min found the idea of being with him repugnant? He was a man after all. Although he accepted easily the feelings his Master had for another man, did not mean Chang Min would accept a man pursuing him. But he so wanted to openly love Chang Min, yet he also feared ruining the close friendship they had now. Discovering Chang Min cared for him as well simply allowed him to unleash the affection locked in his heart, he'd never be able to step away from him now. To ask him to do so, might as well ask him to step out of these walls separating them all from the monstrous existences outside, never to return.

"Don't leave me," he blurted out the core fear tearing him asunder.

Chang Min stiffened within his arms unable to fathom what he had just heard. Cole's arms tightened about him and he melted into the warm embrace. "I never planned to," he told him as he wrapped his own arms about Cole's waist. "You won't leave me either, right?"

Cole's hands cupped his face and Chang Min looked up to see the panicked expression etched there, his own worries faded with the need to comfort the other. "Not leaving, not leaving," Chang Min repeated until he soothed the other, soothing himself unknowingly at the same time.

A sigh escaped from the other as his shoulders relaxed, his lips then descended to press kisses on Chang Min's face, reassuring himself with the sensations of touch. "I need you in my life," Cole told him, pulling him once more into his embrace. "Have you been worrying that I would not want you for some reason?"

"I guess, I was overthinking," Chang Min admitted sheepishly.

"Why? What brought this on?" Cole listened as his lover explained that he'd been left alone many times before and suddenly had become startled at the thought of Cole doing the same in the future because... his words tapered off. "Because what?"

Two rose blushes darkened Chang Min's face as he shyly admitted; "Because I want to become Dao Companion's with you." He held Cole tighter, still scared he might flee.

Cole did stiffen in his arms, but not for the reason he thought; "What's a Dao Companion?"