Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Jingshén

Humming softly to himself as he pulled the weeds from each box, Wen Reian smiled as he realised he was the most content he'd been all week. Master Hao had sensed his stress the last few days, suggesting that the boy busy himself with something outside, some task that needed doing.

At first, Reian was dubious. How could he possibly forget the mortification, the regret he felt whenever he passed by Xie Yi-jun's door? Or when he caught the King's nervous glances in the halls? Now that he was here however, dirt streaked on both his hands and forehead, Wen Rei was starting to believe his mentor was right.

Unfortunately, Reian not only had to bury seeds, but also his sadness and heartbreak, when he thought of how Xie Yi-jun would likely never speak to him again.

Perhaps it's better this way-

Sighing, he stood, finding that the breeze he'd felt was in fact not due to the window he'd cracked, but the greenhouse door being held open.

Reian just about dropped his spade, heat already rising on his face when Yi-jun stepped inside, not looking directly at him.

Awkward! It's awkward now! Why did I say anything?!

Trying his best to appear unbothered, the boy blinked a few times as the King approached him. When they finally met eyes, much to his own surprise, it was Reian who spoke first!

"Is everything okay?"

He'd meant it casually, as it had been several days since they'd talked. Yi-jun however looked as if he was battling with himself, searching for the right words to say.

Kicking himself internally, poor Reian was forced to stand there again, feeling like a fool, a feeling that only grew when Xie Yi-jun finally said what he wanted...

"I've been thinking about this for a while, and there's only one fair conclusion I keep coming to," the King seemed to inhale as if to gather strength.

"Do-over."

Wen Reian smiled as politely as he could in that instance; "What do you mean?"

When Yi-jun's hand came up nervously to the back of his neck as he bit his lip, Reian felt his heart skip a beat...

"I mean, if you want to... I'm offering a second-chance-first-kiss."

Reian stood statue still, watching the way Xie Yi-jun's eyes kept anxiously flickering away as the man stepped closer.

Feeling guilty and embarrassed, Reian muttered softly; "Yi-jun you don't need to do this."

His heart, however, was saying something very different...

Yi-jun swallowed, finally looking up into Reian's eyes. When they met, it was clear that the King didn't necessarily want to do this at all, more like he felt he owed it to Reian. That made the boy feel even worse-

"You didn't know who I was, and you were asleep." Reian reminded him, "We can just forget it."

Please, please just forget it-

Xie Yi-jun shook his head, hand slowly coming up to Reian's shoulder. When he touched him, the boy's breath audibly caught in his throat and the King heard it.

"I always pay back my debts," he said. "Think of it as a thank you, for healing me. And an apology..."

Wen Rei blinked. An apology for taking my first kiss, by kissing me?

Yi-jun shook his head, awkwardly stepping closer to Reian-

"I just, I don't want to be the reason you didn't have a beautiful first kiss. You deserve someone who's awake, someone who knows who you are-"

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"And that person is going to be you? Now?"

Xie Yi-jun blushed. The sight warmed Reian's heart.

"Only if you say yes, otherwise I'll leave..."

Wen Reian thought for a moment. And while he wasn't really sure that the King's logic made sense, the sensical part of his brain had long since checked out, replaced now with only the understanding that Yi-jun was offering something he'd been growing steadily more curious about for weeks.

Am I a bad person if I want this?

Before he could talk himself out of it, the boy simply nodded; "Okay, yes."

Our relationship is never going back to the way it was anyway, all thanks to my stupid mouth!! I might as well satisfy my curiosity!

Reian felt Yi-jun's hand on his shoulder tighten ever so slightly. It was a gentle squeeze that felt like reassurance. Then he watched, captivated, as Xie Yi-jun swallowed, carefully leaning down and bringing their faces closer together.

Reian was proud of himself for not tearing away, though his heart was racing like mad.

He wanted to do this, wanted to know... he wanted to kiss Xie Yi-jun and have it be about him.

Maybe I'm a really bad person-

When the King's lips were merely an inch away from his, Reian, already able to feel the King's warm breath on his skin, reached out a hand suddenly to steady himself. It caught Yi-jun's sleeve and the man felt it.

Staring deeply into each other's eyes, so close and yet so far, Yi-jun's gaze flickered down to Reian's mouth.

The boy felt his hand on the King's arm tense up-

He held his breath...

And Wen Reian's eyes closed when Yi-jun pressed his lips to his. It was feather-light and shy, but it was meant for him and he nearly cried then and there because of how tender and perfect it was.

The warmth was what really got to Reian. The heat of Yi-jun's breath and mouth, and before he knew what he was doing or why, Reian was parting his lips, innocently wanting to feel more.

When Xie Yi-jun suddenly sighed, shaky and beginning to ease away, the boy felt his heart lurch in his chest-

It wasn't enough! He wanted more.

When Yi-jun pulled back, just enough for Wen Reian to open his eyes and see that the King's still closed, the man breathing shallowly, he felt the words well up from deep inside his soul. A secret part of him that ached with longing and need;

"Please, more..."

Clearly not expecting him to say that, Reian was elated when Yi-jun sighed and leaned in once more. It wasn't a sigh of reluctance, nor one of boredom. Xie Yi-jun sighed as he kissed Wen Reian, and he sighed in between soft gasps. He sighed after drawing Reian's lip between his teeth, and before he slipped his tongue inside Reian's mouth.

Whole body pulsing with energy, Reian could practically feel his soul unspooling from his rib-cage to become a living thing inside the room.

He'd somehow wrapped his arms around Yi-jun's neck, the King holding his waist and pulling him tight against his body, pulling him up until his feet lifted off the ground...

Reian could feel the King's heart beating loudly, and when he ran his fingers through Yi-jun's hair, the man made a soft sound in his throat that sent Reian to heaven and back.

This feels... exactly like how I knew it would feel, but better!

Reian's mind was having trouble regulating his thoughts. It seemed impossible to remember what he should be doing, when Xie Yi-jun's tongue was between his lips and Reian was sucking on it like it was a piece of candy.

They kissed until his head spun, until his heart ached, until Reian no longer wondered if he loved, liked, or hated Xie Yi-jun.

Who cares, I love what we do together...

Suddenly the King's hands slid down, further down his back until they held the top of Reian's thighs.

Heart pounding in response, the boy was unsure what possessed him to do so, all at once he was holding on tight to Yi-jun's neck and drawing his legs up to wrap around the man's waist-

As he did so, Yi-jun seemed both prepared and shocked because his hands gripped tighter and he groaned, but he stumbled slightly. Reian's right hand shot out behind him as the King roughly sat him atop of one of the turned over planter boxes.

Like this, they kissed and touched and held each other...

Reian discovering new things about himself and about Xie Yi-jun as every second passed.

Gently stroking Yi-jun's ears caused him to inhale sharply. When the King would take Reian's bottom lip between his teeth, the boy's response was to whine.

It was a while later that the heat mellowed, their urgent need softened, and what was once a desperate exploration of each other, turned into a mutual soothing, caring and understanding...

Where Reian had expected to feel guilty and awful, all he felt was safe and taken care of. Losing track of time, the sun had begun to set and when at last they parted, Wen Reian opened his eyes to a sight more beautiful than any he'd ever seen before.

Xie Yi-jun was lit with the sunset behind him through the glass, his eyes glowing a deep shade of violet and his mouth an even deeper shade of red. The King was gazing at him, a sort of puzzled fondness in his eyes, and Reian's soul ached for him, even as he understood why Yi-jun looked so confused.

I am not Jin Songcai, so he isn't sure why he wants me-

Reian's assumption of the King's desires were not assumptions, as he could feel Xie Yi-jun's lower half pressing against his stomach, a fact which the King seemed unaware of. When Reian reached his hand up to softly stroke the man's hair back from his face, Yi-jun nearly trembled...

Somehow finding his voice, Wen Rei managed to whisper;

"It's okay. You're okay..."

He said it just like he'd said it the night he had healed the King. The night he'd stayed with him until the sun rose, until he was sure the man was safe.

Yi-jun's eyes closed, and Reian smiled softly when he felt the man lean his face into his palm, nuzzling his cheek against Wen Rei's hand. After several moments, Yi-jun seemed to collapse, hugging the boy close as he shivered and sighed;

"Wen Reian... I don't know what to feel."

Reian knew what he meant.

Perhaps Yi-jun cared for him, but Reian was not who the King loved. His love had died, seven hundred years ago. Despite knowing this, knowing the man he held in his arms was conflicted and confused about what they had just done, possibly regretting it, possibly thinking about Jin Songcai, Reian felt not a single ounce of jealousy or anger or sadness.

All he could feel was Xie Yi-jun's soul, alive inside the room with him, and all the brilliant colors and shapes of it, as it danced and sang in joy.