"Ah, silly child." Jinde had hugged him, ruffling his copper-colored hair while he was at it. "You don't have to be afraid. I would never leave you."
Jin Ling snorted at that memory. He would never leave him … What a nice-sounding promise. But hadn't he still thrown him out of his palace and banned him from the dragon realm? Even worse, hadn't he died before him, leaving him all alone in this world?
Jin Ling lowered his hand and closed his eyes, lifting his face to the sky for the rain to fall onto his skin. "Liar. You didn't stay with me. You abandoned me. How could you just sent me back to my father and ignore me? I wanted to stay with you forever …"
Ah, those happy memories, they were way too far in the past. Thinking back now, it felt like he had only spent a few short years with him. That wasn't enough. It was by far not enough. The thing he had dreaded most, in the end, it had still happened. His favorite person had abandoned him and flown away.
He sighed and thought back to the next time he had seen Jinde transform. That day, it had also been pouring. One of Jinde's aides had just reported a disaster that hadn't happened far away and Jinde wanted to go and check on it.
He probably couldn't fault him. He was the king and he had to make sure his people were alright. Jinde had even remembered to say goodbye to him and assure him that he would come back soon so he wouldn't worry like the last time.
But naturally, Jin Ling hadn't been content with that. His Jinde had flown away just like that back then, leaving him behind. And even until now, he hadn't figured out how to transform himself so that he could follow him. He didn't want to let him go!
Thus when Jinde ran outside and transformed in a hurry, he also ran out, stubbornly clinging to his robe first and then to his tail. He was determined not to let go and follow him wherever he went. His little feet slapped onto the puddles and splashed the water around.
Jinde might have been in a hurry and the thunder from above was loud but he still noticed that something was off. Maybe he was already so attuned to having a little child clinging to him that he immediately turned around and looked at the ground. Even in his dragon eyes, it could be read how stunned he was when he actually noticed Jin Ling.
He hurriedly transformed back, caught him and rushed back inside. "Child, what were you doing out there?! Do you want to worry me to death, is that it?"
Jin Ling shook his head and hugged Jinde's leg, pressing his cheek against his thigh without caring that he was soaked wet and would dirty Jinde's robe. Even if Jinde scolded him, he wouldn't let go. What if Jinde just flew away? How would he catch up to him then? After all, he couldn't transform. He only had his feet to walk after him.
Jinde really seemed as if he wanted to scold him for a moment but finally, his caring side still won out. He crouched down and held Jin Ling in his arms, gently kissing his temple. "Ah Jin, you've really worried me just now? What were you thinking of doing? Holding onto my tail and flying to the area with the disaster? What if you had fallen down? Or gotten caught somewhere? Or …" Jinde shook his head and pressed him against his chest. "I don't want to lose you. You're the most important person to me, don't you know that?" He looked at Jin Ling and smiled, nudging his nose. "Even though, I do have to go and see what is happening over there. Can't you stay here alone for a bit? It won't take long."
Jin Ling shook his head and clung to Jinde's neck. He didn't want to stay here alone! He didn't want to be alone ever. He only wanted to be with his Jinde.
Jinde might have been great at caring for a child but he had no idea how to handle one that was throwing a tantrum. Since he had no idea, he could only turn to somebody else for ideas. The someone in that situation …
"Do you want me to go and take a look at the disaster area, Your Majesty?"
Jin Ling scowled at the stupid man with the mask but the person in question didn't even look at him. He only looked at Jinde, his gaze not wavering in the slightest.
Jin Ling scowled even more but it didn't have any effect. In a last effort, he hugged Jinde tighter to show the stupid person that he was much more important to his Jinde!
Seeing the child behave like this Jinde sighed and patted his head before turning back to face Xin Lan. "I'm sorry. I also don't know what's with him today. Would you mind very much?"
"Of course not. Just leave it to me."
The stupid person didn't say anything more and turned around, leaving the palace and flying to the place where Jinde had originally been supposed to go. On one hand, Jin Ling was angry that that man was able to help his Jinde while he couldn't do anything but on the other hand, he was happy that his Jinde had stayed with him and that he even had him all to himself now.
Jinde looked like he originally wanted to scold him but when Jin Ling blinked his caramel-colored eyes at him, all resistance seemed to melt away and he sighed. "Alright. It's late and the weather isn't nice. How about going to bed now?"
Jin Ling continued to hug Jinde's neck and blinked at him. "Can I sleep with you?"
"But —"
"It's so loud outside! I'm afraid." The person that had run outside just a couple minutes ago and normally refused to admit even if he was scared, shamelessly pretended not to remember any of that.
Face? What was that? Would it let him sleep snuggled up to his Jinde? If not, then he didn't need it.