"Where's Li Lun?" Yichen asked his brother when he returned to the mansion and found him alone. The others had go to their respective rooms to either work on their gifts or prepare for the celebration. Yichen, however, unlike the others had run directly to his brother, finding him alone in his room. He hadn't expected the great demon to stay with his brother for so many hours, but he at least hoped he would be there when they arrived and he didn't sense his demonic energy inside the mansion.
"Ah, he went to the gate to make sure it was okay like he promised, but I'm sure he'll be back soon or at least before dark. Don't worry about it. Did you have a good time in the town?" Yixuan asked, and if the deep blush on his little brother's handsome face was any indication of his joy, then his brother had had a very wonderful time, so he smiled at him.
"Yes, I guided Zhu Yan around the best spots in the Citadel, and the hunters around us were very kind to him. They even gave him a bunch of gifts when he gave a performance at the training grounds with an umbrella. I even did my sword dance, and they cheered us on a lot. I bought him more fruits, and I also got some for you, Ge. Are you hungry? Of course, you are, we left you alone here, but I brought food from the place where we eat and..."
"Xiao Chen, calm down. I can take care of myself, and as you know, I'm no stranger to cooking."
"But I brought you something delicious, your favorites, and some fruit too. I think I brought too many for Zhu Yan to eat on his own, and he still has the peach tree that's been bearing fruit nonstop. Do you know how to make another fruit soup? Or maybe some peach wine? Should I ask Ying Lei? Ge, I'd love to make some for you too. It's been so long since I've cooked for you, and..."
"Didi, it's fine." Yixuan smirked and stopped Yichen from rambling for a moment, pleased to see him so happy.
"You know I'd love anything you make for me, but you must be tired from all the walking and practicing on the training grounds. I know how enthusiastic you get about sword dancing. You love it so much that the last time you did it, you barely noticed me watching you, so go freshen up first."
"Ge, I'm not tired. In fact, for some reason, I feel full of energy. I haven't felt this good in a while. It's strange, isn't it?" Yichen asked as he took his brother's lunch out of his dimensional pouch.
"It's not strange, Xiao Chen, you are just filled with the excitement to go out and have a good time with the person you love..." He said softly, and Yichen stopped placing the food he had brought on the nightstand next to the bed to look at him in surprise.
"Ge, please not you too. I've had enough with Zhu Yan teasing me like that all day. I swear, he just likes to embarrass me, so please, no more."
"Xiao Chen, did I seem like I was teasing you? Do you think your dear brother would be so cruel to you?" Yixuan asked seriously, and Yichen lowered his gaze, realizing that he had indeed misunderstood his brother.
"No, I'm sorry. Ge is always the best... he will never hurt me physically or emotionally." He confessed.
"Then you should believe what I said is true, because I see how much my little brother has come to love the great demon. Haven't you realized it yet?" Yixuan asked, seeing a hesitation that shouldn't have been there at that point in their relationship. He figured he should thank Zhu Yan for not pressuring his brother too much, as he was still too innocent and unsure of his own feelings.
"I... I don't know... I've never been in love before."
"Then let me help you figure it out. Tell me honestly, do you like spending time with him?"
"Yes." Yichen said after a few seconds of thought.
"Do you like it when he gets close to you?"
"Well... I guess so. He always finds an excuse to sneak into my bed at night and snuggle up with me until morning, right before I wake up, and I... don't mind his warmth next to me, it's better than shivering from Bing Yi's energy." Yichen blushed, a little embarrassed to confess this to his brother. They never did anything inappropriate, but he was still his Ge.
"Does your heart beat faster when he's around?"
"Definitely." Yichen admitted, as his heart raced out of control all day, but he thought it was because he was having such wonderful free time.
"You wanted to buy him a gift at all costs?"
"Yes... I even... offered him something, so he wouldn't know what I picked out for him."
"Oh? So what did you offer him to make him so obedient?" Yichen blushed even deeper.
"A... A kiss... but it was on his cheeks, don't get me wrong."
"Why would I get you wrong? But Xiao Chen, tell me, did you expect him to actually kiss you? Before, you seemed like you didn't mind, even if you were interrupted. Would you like him to kiss you for real?" Yichen's face was totally on fire by now, because he certainly feels the heat rising more and more.
"Ge, do I really have to answer that?" Yichen asked embarrassingly, and Yixuan smiled.
"No, you don't. I already know the answer."
"So... Can I ask you something back? Have you fallen in love before, Ge?" Yichen asked shyly.
"Yes."
"With whom?"
"Huang Yiming." At that, Yichen was stunned.
"What? But isn't he your best friend?"
"Yes. Normally, we fall in love with the people we're closest to, first."
"But Ge... he... likes..."
"Women? Mei Lin, to be more specific? Yes, I was always aware of it."
"But then..."
"Don't worry about it, Xiao Chen. You could say it was puppy crush when I was a kid, a first love that didn't last long. However, it makes me realize that I like men. So, since your brother can fall in love with a man, there's nothing wrong with you falling in love with a great demon. As descendants of Bing Yi, who was in love with Ying Long... perhaps it's in our blood."
"But..."
"Yichen... we were born into a family of demon hunters, raised to fight, protect, and survive in a never-ending war, so our family never prioritized love. That had to wait until we'd done most of our duty as hunters. Therefore, the men in our family married late, and if they were lucky enough to fall in love with a female demon hunter or a healer, like our father, who met our mother early in his life while training hunters. You found love so young, Didi, so don't let it slip away. If you've come to love him, don't doubt it, because I assure you, despite all the teasing he plays, his feelings are real. Zhu Yan would give his life for you without a second thought. I know it's in his nature, so if your feelings are also sincere, then give yourself a chance. You've already tasted what it feels like to be with him, and you've never been happier, right?" Yixuan asked, and Yichen couldn't help but remember the feeling he had with Zhu Yan.
He was really happy and excited enough to go tell his brother about it, like it was the most amazing thing in the world, not to mention that although he usually only thought about buying things for his brother first, this time he had to admit that Yixuan had come in second while he was with Zhu Yan. So now he understood what he meant now.
"Thank you, Ge... I've been blessed with the best brother I could ever wish for. I just hope you find yours too... the one made for you, the one who can bring you this kind of happiness. If it's Li Lun, even when he leaves you alone, when he's cold and distant... so be it. I'll believe you can warm his heart, just as Zhu Yan warmed mine." Yichen hugged his brother for a moment, just before leaving him alone in his room.
"Oh, Didi but he is not as cold as you believe... not at all..." Yixuan smiled at he look at the wooden box he had prepared for Li Lun as a gift, hoping he will join them in their celebration tonight.
The next few hours were spent decorating the mansion with great enthusiasm. They moved some tables outside, as they were going to enjoy the beautiful golden view of Yixuan's spell, as well as the stars and moon in the sky. They placed red lanterns outside to illuminate the darkness of the night and created an open space for the performances. When Yixuan's unit heard about Zhuo Yichen and Zhu Yan's performance for the hunters at the Citadel's main training camp, they also wanted to show off their skills. So, it turned into a celebratory dinner with music (mainly provided by Ying Lei and Bai Jiu, who brought noisy instruments, as they weren't particularly good at playing them) and a performance.
When everything was ready, they helped Ying Lei with the trays of food, placing them on the two long tables and lighting the lanterns to create the celebratory atmosphere. Zhu Yan opened the evening festivities with a one-word spell for fireworks that neither went off nor made a sound. They cheered at the beautiful sight, ate and drank happily, and then watched the performance on the golden snow.
Mei Lin was the first, as Yiming had just gift her with a new metal fan she loved, and she danced in her elegant white and turquoise robes, along with her fan. She moved with unexpected grace to the awful noise Ying Lei and Bai Jiu made, displaying her skills with her fan and agility, causing Yiming to almost droll at the sight and the others to mock him endlessly, even though he knew she had performed mostly for Yixuan, but it didn't matter.
Next, the trio of Cao Wei, Huang Yiming, and Jiang Ren performed a skills demonstration with throwing weapons, showing to the others their unit's unbeatable coordination, the accuracy of their throws, and their mastery of the weapons. It was an amazing display from a unit that has been together for so long, to the point where they no longer need words to communicate. Yichen, impressed, cheered them, occasionally smiling at Yixuan to let him know that he believed his unit deserved to be considered elite. There was no doubt about their mastery.
Then Yixuan asked Yichen to join him in a sword dance of golden and blue radiance. Yichen's Cloud Light sword shone like a blue moon, while Yixuan's, imbued with his golden aura, shone like the sun. Zhu Yan was fascinated by the brothers' elegance, their delicate movements, the way they dance in unison or chased each other, while Yichen smiled warmly, not to mention Yixuan's gaze never leaving Yichen's. It was a dance born of family bonds, of two brothers who had trained together, learned together, grown together to become stronger, yet with a certain nobility to their gracefulness, soft and caring. Their swords merely displayed their differences in divine energy, yet they were in tune, like two halves of a whole.
The golden snow at their feet, which occasionally rose as the energy of their swords pulsed with power, sent golden particles swirling around them like a god blessing. It was enchanting, beautiful, magically perfect, a heavenly dance, and Zhu Yan was simply more in love with the young man than ever... and not far from them, another great demon was also entranced by Zhuo Yixuan's beauty and grace, feeling that their dance was, in a way, an invitation to both Zhu Yan and him, a pull on two great demons, by two brothers who shared the same divine blood.
Though he was almost certain that Zhuo Yixuan had something more to him, something he might not even be aware of, something his brother didn't seem to share. Perhaps he need to talk to Zhu Yan later and see if he noticed anything unusual about the older brother while he was undoing his seal. However that would be for another day, because tonight, he was caught in the enchantment the humans place on them.
After the brothers' heavenly display, Ying Lei and Bai Jiu put on a comical performance and they laughed while they make fools of themselves. Finally, Pei Sijing and Wen Xiao danced together, not in perfect harmony like the brothers, theirs was more clumsier, but very fun, just enjoying an free dance to off-key music as they laughed. That was because Ying Lei played a drum without tempo and Bai Jiu a similar instrument, but made from a piece of bamboo, equally out of pace. It was loud and horrible, but also fun. A night without restrictions for real fun.
After eating, drinking, and enjoying the night events, they exchanged gifts. Bai Jiu gave Ying Lei a set of kitchen knives; Yichen, hair bells; Wen Xiao, a book; Pei Sijing, a hairpin, and the elixir he promised to Yixuan's unit, one for each member on behalf of the entire unit. Ying Lei gave Bai Jiu a beautiful set of bowls and bottles for his medicine and elixirs, with a wooden box he could carry for traveling, Wen Xiao a novel, Yichen a jade tassel, and Pei Sijing a set of enchanted arrows. Wen Xiao gave Yichen an interesting book, Bai Jiu medicinal herbs, Ying Lei rare spices, and Pei Sijing a sturdy bow. Pei Sijing gave Wen Xiao a beautiful purple orchid hairpin and another book she liked, Bai Jiu a remedy book, Ying Lei a recipe book, and Yichen a set of three headbands.
Yichen gave Wen Xiao a set of calligraphy brushes and ink, Bai Jiu a bigger bell for his hair and medicinal seeds to grow, Ying Lei rare tea leaves and pompoms for his braid, and Pei Sijing a set of beautiful earrings. To Yixuan he gave hair bells, a set of headbands in every color, a long tassel with a golden dragon on it, fruits he liked, sweet teas, and a promise to make him and everyone else peach wine as soon as he learned how. Yixuan gives his brother a special set of hair bells with a protection and clarity spell on them, a white monkey pendant (which makes Yichen laugh and Zhu Yan pout), a blue dragon tassel, and for their unit, the kind of knives everyone loves so much, since their unit was specialized in combat, so the rest of the unit exchanged similar gifts between them, all weapons of different styles and uses. For Yichen and Yixuan there were also special gifts, but they would be given privately.
In the end, they cleared the tables and put them back in their places inside the mansion, said goodnight, and returned to their rooms to rest. Yichen wasn't surprised when Zhu Yan followed him to his room and even opened the sliding door for him, waiting for him to enter before closing it at his back. It was better for him to enter through the front door, than the balcony door to sneak in like a thief in the night, though since it was a beautiful cloudless night, Yichen opened the door to Zhu Yan's magic tree and let the pleasant breeze in.
"Are you tired, Xiao Zhuo? You drank a lot tonight." Asked Zhu Yan, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him.
"You drink more than me, which reminds me, I also have something for you, a gift." Said Yichen as he moved away from the door to one of the shelves, where he picked up a reddish wooden box and offered it to Zhu Yan.
"It's not another white monkey, is it? You should know that I am a powerful white ape, and also a dragon. It was very mean of your brother to give you a monkey."
"Come on, Zhu Yan, don't be so sensitive. It was a gift for me, not you, so stop pouting. It's not like there were many things to choose from on the market street, and my brother went alone after we got back."
"What do you mean, alone? He had Li Lun following him like his shadow. I could feel his demonic energy spike so many times while he was in the Citadel."
"Wait, what? But Li Lun hasn't appeared since he left this morning."
"He still hasn't gotten used to being around humans, but that doesn't mean he's not present. I assure you, Zhuo Yixuan hasn't left his sight today, and I assume he's still watching him as we speak."
"I don't understand. Why don't he just show up and stay with him at the mansion? My brother is so kind..."
"And that may be precisely the problem. Li Lun hates humans, but he can't hate your brother for any reason, especially when your brother welcomed him so openly. He must be at a loss for how to treat him, which is why he ran away from him this morning."
"Ah... never mind then, open your gift." Yichen urged, and Zhu Yan sighed, expecting a full size white monkey. But upon opening the box, he found inside, carefully wrapped, a beautiful bottle of wine, with a soft pink background, and peach blossoms exquisitely painted in vibrant colors around it. It was beautiful.
"Xiao Zhuo..."
"For when I make you peach wine, but promise me you won't drink too much.
I know it seems a little feminine, but you like peaches so much that I thought... it looks pretty and I will make the wine smooth..."
"Wine doesn't affect me the same way it does humans, it's more like a sweet juice to me, a delicious juice that my beloved Yichen will prepare for me. I love this, just as much as I love you." Yichen blushed, with his heart racing, as Zhu Yan stood up and walked over to place his hands on the young man hips.
"I accept your gift. It's beautiful, just like you..." Zhu Yan closed the distance between them until he was almost kissing him.
"Xiao Zhuo... it's such a magical night... can I..." But then, Yichen grabbed Zhu Yan by the collar of his robes and brought his lips together in a kiss. Since he was inexperienced with kissing, he hesitated about what to do next, but Zhu Yan wrapped his arms around his waist, taking control of the innocent kiss and turned it into a passionate one for both of them.
Yichen let Zhu Yan guide him, let himself be carried away by the intense sensation he was experiencing: the heat coming from down his belly, the softness of his lips, the warmth, the rush of blood, the excitement, the wetness that tasted of the sweetness of Ying Lei's wine. It was all new to him, and he moaned under Zhu Yan's lips, unable to contain himself, which pleased Zhu Yan immensely. Because it was something they both desired so intensely, they kissed for a long time, absorbed in their feelings, wanting more of each other, until they ended up on the bed, wrapped in each other arms, then Zhu Yan kiss down Yichen's neck, having a taste of his fair skin, feeling the blood pulsating on his main vein, taking in his icy scent, enjoying the way he moaned and trembled at under his touch.
"Xiao Zhuo... if you let me continue..."
"Don't stop..."
"I know this feels good, new, exhilarating, and wonderful, so I don't blame you for wanting more, but I still can't let myself get carried away by passion. It's your first time experiencing this... So I'll be the one taking advantage of you if we end up making love right after our first kiss, which is wrong. I don't want to ruin this, because you're very special to me...
"You're special to me too..."
"Then let's enjoy it a little longer, one new thing at a time, before we dive into deeper waters. I want you to experience a lot more of what feels to be loved before that. Let me give you my gift now."
"Let me guess, a blue dragon? It seems you like them everywhere near me. The door, the walls..." Zhu Yan kissed him to silence him. A long kiss that made Yichen pull the great demon on top of him to feel his weight pressing down on him, their closeness almost melting together.
"Xiao Zhuo... I'm already about to lose control, so please don't take advantage of me..."
"Stupid monkey..." Zhu Yan laughed as he gave him a soft kiss on the forehead before pulling away from Yichen to sit on the bed.
"You should already know what I do best, right?"
"Yes, dimensions are your specialty... Would you give me one?"
"Yes. It is a place where you can practice all of Bing Yi's techniques, as I have created a mirage of him inside. There, you can meditate better and, with a little persuasion, also interact with your sword in its human form. This way, you can learn directly from him the best way to maximize his power, the best moves, or create your own. In case of emergency, you can use it to escape danger, as only you can enter."
"Why does it sound like you're preparing for the worst-case scenario? We will find Bing Yi and you won't fight that kind of war again."
"Indulge me, Yichen. It's a gift I made with the intention of protecting you, as well as making you stronger. There is nothing wrong with that." He said as he use his one-word spell to manifested a teardrop-shaped pendant with what looked like clouds moving inside it, border it with glowing gold.
"It's beautiful, Zhu Yan... will you put it on me?" He asked as he sat by his side, so he could place it on him. It felt a bit cold the touch but unexpectedly lightweight.
"I'm glad you like it, now... we can kiss some more..." Zhu Yan pulled him closer and kiss him for a while longer before they lay down on the bed to rest. However, the night was still far from over and there were other pairs feeling the enchantment of the celebration and good time as well.
AN: Yep, the next chapter will cover the romance of Ying Lei/Bai Jiu, Wen Xiao/Pei Sijing, Li Lun/Zhuo Yixuan, and a bit of the other unit, so what do you think of Zhu Yan/Yichen? I found Zhu Yan protection of Yichen's innocence quite amusing. Yixuan would be proud of him. Lol. See you next time, thanks for reading.