Zhuo Yixuan/Li Lun
Soon the silence between them became too thick, and it was up to Yixuan to break the ice that had formed between them, as Li Lun was certainly, not in the mood to please a human.
"So... did you really get drunk last night?" Yixuan asked nonchalantly, trying to get something to talk about, but Li Lun only seemed to tense up further.
"That's none of your concern." He replied coldly, but Yixuan wasn't put off in the least by his coldness.
"You know, humans have many remedies for a hangover. I don't know if demons get it after drinking enough to pass out, but if you want, I can make one for you." He offered.
"I don't eat human food, nor do I need it."
"Sure, but since Zhu Yan seems to like our variety of tea, it won't hurt to try it too. And since you like our wine enough to drink a lot, perhaps a cup of warm ginger with honey won't do you any harm and will help with your hangover if you have one. I'd like to make you congee, but that would be too much for you."
"Oh, so you know how to cook?"
"Are you surprised?" He asked as he walked into the kitchen, closely followed by Li Lun. "Demon hunters mainly do three things in their lives of duty; training, patrolling, and hunting. And since we spend most of our time outdoors, all of us hunters must learn to survive without the comforts of cities or towns. If we don't learn to cook, we don't eat, then we starve and die."
"You say it so simply, but don't you always work in units?"
"We work in units to have a better chance of survival, but the demons are strong and often massacre us. When you become the sole survivor, things get complicated, so you need to know how to survive on your own."
"They kill because you hunt them."
"We hunt them because they kill us. In the past, many villagers were slaughtered by demons for no reason, which is why the gods intervene, hence the war."
"I disagree. Human hearts have always been tainted, and they tainted the energy cultivated by demons, hence the gradual change in demon behavior toward humans. They cause their own downfall."
"In a way, we did, but it wasn't our fault. We were created tainted, and it's not that every human being couldn't suppress the darkness in their hearts; otherwise, we wouldn't have survived and thrived until this moment and age. I agree that there are many humans with malice and wickedness in their hearts, but there are also many more who simply want to live in peace, to be able to take care of their families, protect them, give their children the chance to grow up and be happy, get married, and keep the family strong and united. I grew up in that kind of circle; as descendants of Bing Yi, we don't give in to malice or the dark side of humans, we train ourselves to protect and love our world. As you have already seen before from our harmless snow fight, we can release more than just darkness into the world, but also positive energy that can heal it."
"I will give you credit for the fun display you all put on playing in the snow. It was childish, but at least it made Zhu Yan happy..."
"Just Zhu Yan?" Yixuan stopped just as he was about to pick up a teapot, to look at him.
"He's in tune with your ways, I'm not."
"Oh? But I saw you looking at us with a smile on your lips at some point. Did I imagine it?" At that, Li Lun looked away, and Yixuan smiled.
"Would you like something sweet? I see wine doesn't affect demons the way it does humans. Perhaps ginger is too strong for your first time, so how about some peach tea? Bai Jiu, our young healer, had divine tree blood, so he can make plants and trees grow exponentially fast, and he made one grow in our garden, always in bloom, always with peaches for Zhu Yan to eat. I know you two are different, but since I don't know your tastes yet, I can only go with what Zhu Yan likes. If you'd rather try something different, just let me know."
"Are you really going to go through with that tea ceremony you mentioned earlier?"
"Will you allow me to do that?"
"Hell no!"
"Then you have the answer. I want to do something good for you and I don't need a reason for it. Not all humans had ulterior motives."
"Then surprise me." He said, and Yixuan smiled even wider as he decided to make him some tea with the sweet blackberry leaves Ying Lei brought from the Citadel. It was a rare tea, but since he liked rare ingredients, he brought some for them to enjoy. Zhu Yan liked it too, so perhaps it was his way of introducing him to their tea customs.
Li Lun waited patiently as Yixuan carefully prepared the tea, and soon the sweet aroma of the leaves warming in the hot water filled him, and his mouth watered with anticipation, something he had never experienced before.
"You can also try the peaches; it will not interfere with your cultivation, and they're delicious. If you like them, you can pick them from the backyard." Yixuan said as he placed the teapot and cups on the table and opened the windows to enjoy the beautiful view of the forest, the peach tree with its soft pink flowers, and the still unmelted golden snow. Everything was covered in snow as far as the eye could see, creating an otherworldly scene, and Li Lun's gaze remained fixed on him, almost in admiration.
"Try it... but only a little, since it's still warm. Then tell me if you like it. I hope so, because I don't want to fail in my attempt to impress my Master on the first try." Li Lun chuckled.
"I see that humans really like to tease others."
"Only humans? Zhu Yan tease my brother all the time."
"He's a monkey-dragon in love, the fool..."
"Why fool?" Yixuan asked as he sipped his own tea.
"The relationship between humans and demons always ends in tragedy." Li Lun said as he tasted Yixuan's tea, the sweetness tasting quite delightful.
"He seems to think they're fated." And then he almost repeated Zhu Yan's mistake of spilling the wine he had just drunk the night before on him, but Li Lun didn't want to burn Yixuan, so he swallowed it with a cough, the hot, sweet liquid burning his throat as he force it down.
"Hey, are you okay?" Yixuan stood up and patted him on the back with genuine concern.
"I'll be fine... but I'm not used to this." He lied, and Yixuan quickly took the water jar from the table, used his cold energy to cool it, then poured it into another cup, and offered it to Li Lun.
"It'll help soothe the burning sensation a little, at least until your own demonic energy heals it. I'm sorry..." Yixuan apologized, looking at Li Lun with such compassion that it made his heart race for a moment.
"You didn't do anything wrong, so don't apologize."
"Even so..."
"Zhuo Yixuan, don't waste your kindness on me, I'm not grateful for it. I'll take a look at the gate, it's the reason I'm staying here anyways. Don't look for me, the gate is no place for humans." Li Lun said, storming out through the open windows in a cloud of leaves, fleeing in shame from a human, all thanks to his sudden treacherous heart.
"Perhaps he is indeed, a grumpy tree-head..." Yixuan whispered in amusement before laughing and sitting down to savor the rich sweetness of his tea. There was no need to worry about him, he was going to be back soon enough and leaving him alone give him the chance to work on his gift without having to make an excuse to to be alone. He smiled.
Zhuo Yichen/Zhu Yan + A Bit Of + Ying Lei/Bai Jiu
Zhu Yan had seen the Citadel grow from a set of hunter shelters, to a small village, to a town and citadel over the centuries, but seeing it with his enchanted vision was not the same as being there, smelling the air, less polluted with demonic energy, mixed with the aroma of food at the various stalls, along with the noise and colorful decorations of the market, where a few merchants sell their wares, from hunter uniforms, tassels, books, boots to weapons of all kinds, talismans and potions.
In front of them, Ying Lei and Bai Jiu were moving excitedly here and there, stopping to look at something that might interest them and running to another with their usual enthusiasm, which made the others smile. Everyone could see how much Ying Lei cared for Bai Jiu, he always kept him in sight, always pull him close when a horse ran down the street on an unknown errand, took his hand to guide him somewhere he liked, with a permanent smile on his handsome face.
Back in the mansion, Bai Jiu's plate was always the fuller, giving the fact that Ying Lei was the one serving them most to Cao Wei's protest of favoritism, even when Bai Jiu offered Yichen a piece of meat or vegetables, and when he was preparing medicine, Ying Lei was always the first to offer his help, even if it was just crushing herbs or keeping an eye on the pots. And when they were outside, he'll help Bai Jiu climb his peach tree, so he can eat some and make tea with them, using spells to dry them out.
They had become so close over the past few weeks that it wasn't unusual to see them holding hands now as they walked in lively conversation and while it was mostly innocent, sometimes Ying Lei would look at Bai Jiu like a man would look at someone he loved and even if Bai Jiu joked around mostly around Ying Lei, he too would sometimes blush when they got too close.
"I think we should leave them alone for a while. It's not like they're paying attention to the rest of us, or even Bai Jiu's dear older brother..." Wen Xiao said mischievously.
"It's because Zhu Yan is by his side, which makes him shy away. If the great demon weren't here, he'd be all over his beloved Ge." Yiming said in return.
"Not on a date. He likes Ying Lei more in that regard." Wen Xiao insisted.
"I agree with her... but can you tell me why people are staring at me like that?" Zhu Yan asked, noticing some hunters walking through the small market looking at him, and Yichen chuckled at his side.
"Don't you have as good an ear as Commander Pei Sijing? Word has spread that the great demon was going to appear in the Citadel, so, many want to catch a glimpse of you. Surrounded by two elite units of demon hunters, with those white streaks in your hair, do you think you've gone unnoticed?" Yichen asked as he looked at Zhu Yan.
"Should I change my appearance then?"
"Why? Aren't you proud of your good looks? Let them stare at you all they want, and let's see how much this encounter becomes a legend." Yichen said, and Zhu Yan smiled at him, finding his approval charming.
"Then we can hold hands and make the legend even better? Imagine the poems that could be written about a handsome great demon and his beautiful young demon hunter lover."
"What lovers? We're not there... yet.." Yichen added very, very faintly, but Zhu Yan still hear him and smirked.
"Yet? Does that means that I finally have a chance? We can turn our legend into an epic tale of love, devotion and..."
"You two are also a couple to be left behind. You're practically lovers now. Who's with me? We can meet up later with the many lovebirds in our group for lunch." Cao Wei asked.
"Then if that's the case, I'm sorry, guys, but the Commander and I have a date. See you later..." Wen Xiao said as she dragged Pei Sijing with her, while laughing.
"Look at her... so daring and shameless, just like you, Zhu Yan. Just what did you teach her when undoing her core layers..." Cao Wei pointed.
"And while we're at it, how about we get Xiao Xuan something good, Xiao Mei? We can get something to eat later, and I swear I'll buy you that metal fan that turns into daggers you liked so much from the last time we were here."
"You'll pay, right?" She asked cheerfully.
"Sure, let's go!" And taking her by the hand, they strode off too, leaving Cao Wei with his jaw dropped.
"What was that? Are you all on dates? Then..." He turned to Ren Jiang.
"No way in hell! Get away from me, Cao Wei, go date a pole..."
"But is only the two of us now!"
"I don't care! Get lost!" The serious man walked away as Cao Wei followed him in protest, making Zhu Yan and Yichen laugh, finally alone, while other hunters looked at them curiously, and women even giggled as they passed.
"Did you see him? He's the great demon. Who knew he was so handsome?" "Yeah, what a waste to be alone for so many centuries." "Will he come to the city more often?" "I wish..." "Maybe he will be looking for a bride soon?" "That will be too good to be true, but I so hope for it!" These were just a few of the comments Yichen overheard as they walked down the street together, making him feel a little out of place about Zhu Yan's attractiveness to the opposite sex. He was also a man, and while male-male relationships weren't totally uncommon among demon hunters, who spent most of their time living in units comprised primarily of men, it wasn't too common either.
"Xiao Zhuo... take it..." Zhu Yan offered his hand, and Yichen stared at it as if it were on fire. He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to take that step in front of the Citadel citizens, who were sure to spread the news all the way to Tiandu. They hadn't even kissed, though Zhu Yan had already tried that morning.
"Zhu Yan, I..."
"Not sure? Then let me give you a little encouragement. Fan Ying knows how I feel for you, so your superiors probably already know it too, plus I have the approval of your brother, your unit, and the gods. This... can't be helped, Yichen, only postponed. Do you want that?" Zhu Yan asked seriously this time, pausing to give him a chance to think.
"I want... to try, but..." He blushed as he open his hand slightly.
"Don't be shy, we've been sleeping together for almost a month now, haven't we?" Yichen blushed even deeper and closed his hand into fists.
"Not like that, you perverted monkey! Don't say it like we've been doing something else!" He stormed off, and Zhu Yan smiled. Yichen was too young and innocent, so he didn't mind waiting a little longer.
"Xiao Zhuo!" He followed him and did his best to calm him down, asking him to buy him some fruits since he couldn't buy them himself. Yichen finally stopped sulking and bought him persimmons, yangmei (bayberries), and loquats. Since Bai Jiu wanted dragon fruit, he got those too and let Zhu Yan try some as they walked closer than friends, but not exactly holding hands.
They stopped at a few stalls to buy things for Yichen's unit and Yixuan. The hunters' market didn't offer as much variety as in ordinary cities, but Yichen got at least one thing for each member and his brother, except for Zhu Yan, who stood there like a shadow, enjoying the view and the friendly atmosphere of the hunters, who sometimes dared to speak to him a little, offering their thanks for keeping them safe.
Some of the more daring female hunters flirted with him, but Zhu Yan placed a hand on his lower back to keep him close and dismissed them in record time, saying they needed to go meet up with the others, which truthfully pleased Yichen quite a lot.
To prolong their time together, Yichen showed Zhu Yan beyond the market street. He showed him the place where they had stayed when they first arrived, the Demon Hunting Bureau building, the training ground (where he performed a short sword dance for him), which earned him high praise from the hunters that were training there. Zhu Yan also showed off his skills with an umbrella someone gave him for the task, and they became a sensation in no time.
Many of the demon hunters gave them gifts, such as the umbrella he used for his dance with Yichen, and Zhu Yan thought it would serve him well as a defense. Once they left the training ground a little warmed up from exercising, Yichen bought them something cool to drink, with sweet desserts, and they rested for a while while simply chatting or interacting with curious demon hunters that never believe they could stand that close to a great demon. Afterward, he showed Zhu Yan the spots with the best views of the forest before heading back to the market street. In such a good mood, he was set about buying Zhu Yan something special, and they walked down the long street to the very end, where something finally caught Yichen's attention.
"Zhu Yan, please wait here for a moment. I need to buy something very fast."
"But..."
"If you stay here and promise not to look my way, I'll kiss you." Yichen said with a mischievous smile and Zhu Yan turned around in a flash to let Yichen do what he had to do and wait patiently for him. In the process, he saw Ying Lei and Bai Jiu approaching with happy faces.
"Zhu Yan! Come with us, we'll meet up for lunch with the others!" Ying Lei shouted, and Zhu Yan was about to decline the invitation when Yichen grabbed his hand and hold it as he passed by him, dragging him towards them, leaving him sulking for not having received his promise kiss.
However, after eating and buying some decorations and other things, they decided to return to the mansion to start decorating it. Just as the others entered before them, Yichen closed the door and gave the great demon a soft kiss on the cheek just before opening the door and entering, madly blushing. Outside the mansion, Zhu Yan's heart melted, as he laughed. At the end he did got to hold hands with him, dance with him and got his kiss, although not the one he expected, but there was still time before that day ended.
AN: I initially wrote a different interaction for Li Lun and Yixuan but it turn out too plot heavy, so I decide to rewrite it as I want them too have a good happy time before things start to get messy. Because there are so many pairs, I decide to focus and the mains and a little bit of the others when the celebration start. I hope you like it and see you next time, with a bit more fluff and perhaps some kissing.🫣🤭💖💖
Chinese Tea-Fruits: Warning, I know very little of Chinese teas or fruits, so I found this Chinese sweet tea made of blackberry leaves with mellow flavor and fruits on a google search.