Jihoon lied on the bed crawling up in a ball. He had bloody tears falling from his eyes soaking the white bedsheets in red.
The door opened and in walked Reqing in with a black, white and red ball of resentful energy groaning and screaming as it floated behind him.
He walked up to the bed and looked down at Jihoon who was trembling in fear and had a distraught look on his face.
Jihoon's eyes moved to the right looking up at Reqing, "Please, no more," he whispered.
"You ungrateful brat. Here I am suffering to make sure that you can live, all you do is beg me to stop. How about you show me some respect and thank me for saving your sorry ass from death!" Reqing said with disgust written on his face.
"I DON'T WANT TO SUFFER ANYMORE!" Jihoon yelled as he sat up and held his hands over his ears.
Reqing tsked and sent the resentful energy into Jihoon's body.
Jihoon froze for a moment then screamed at the top of his lungs.
Reqing did nothing to stop Jihoon from screaming because he felt that it would just be a waste of his time and energy.
After the resentful energy settled and merged with his soul, Jihoon cuddled up to Reqing as they lied in bed together.
Reqing ran his hand up and down Jihoon's back as he comforted him.
He still had tears falling from his face but this time it was not because of all the souls that were fighting inside him before because they were now settled.
"Why are you still crying?" Reqing asked him.
Jihoon shook his head, "I remember everything."
"Everything?" Reqing asked curiously.
"I was supposed to marry someone that my father arranged for us but then I told the family in front of everyone that I was interested in men and not women. He was so angry with me and hit me with so much force that it shattered my cultivation - all my hard work was taken away just like that. Not only did I suffer but he sentenced me to my death using a curse, he tried to revoke it but it could not be removed," Jihoon explained.
Reqing wiped Jihoon's tears away using his robe and said, "Everything is well now, you have your cultivation core back now and you have me."
Jihoon sat up on the bed and looked at Reqing with his bloody face, "But you had to kill so many in order to get me to stabilise."
Reqing nodded his head, "I could have removed all the good in you but I did not and instead I gave you my love and because you did not love me back, I had to use other means to make your soul whole again and that was by slaughtering the innocent. Only the souls of the innocent are worthy to revive an innocent soul from death."
"And all those other souls? There are many within me that cry for revenge," Jihoon said.
"You need to control that vengeful spirit, never let in control you and instead embrace it. Let them know who owns this body and you will live peacefully, let their resentful power be your strength and you will never be the weakest," Reqing said as he wiped the blood off of Jihoon's face.
Jihoon pouted and shook his head, "What should I do when I cannot control them?"
"You have me within you and I will never be tamed," Reqing answered arrogantly.
Jihoon could tell that Reqing was being arrogant but there was this feeling inside him that told him to let Reqing be.
Hugging Reqing tighter, Jihoon looked at the doorway and said, "Someone is coming."
Reqing thinned his lips with a curt nod and said, "Of cause, you are seeing what I see."
"How do I turn it off? There are weird things walking around in the field not too far from the house," Jihoon said as he slipped his hand up into Reqing's sleeve for no reason.
Reqing's lip twitched and his eyes trailed down to his arm and watched as the restless hand fiddled around.
He raised his free hand and tapped Jihoon lightly on the back and Jihoon's vision of the surrounding's switched off.
The door opened and Jihoon smiled. Lanhua walked in with a raised brow and said, "I have prepared what you asked for Master, also I have a message from your mother, she wants to see you as soon as possible."
Reqing closed his eyes and relaxed into the pillows as he continued rubbing his hand up and down Jihoon's back, "I will take care of it late. Let my mother know that I will visit her tomorrow and prepare something for Jihoon to eat."
Lanhua nodded her head and winked at Jihoon while she closed the door.
Jihoon looked up at Reqing and said, "I like her, where did you find her?"
"She was my father's companion for over a thousand years until he met my mother. Lanhua met her husband in the fairy realm and she too was born of a lowly family, she's had her troubles but luckily met someone she loved. Once she joined back with my father and mother, my mother gave her the ability to turn into a human from a fairy," Reqing answered.
"Where is her husband and why is she here?" Jihoon answered curiously.
Reqing tilted his head and looked at Jihoon as he answered, "Well, Lanhua married him but her loyalty lies with my father. She gave up her family to serve us so I do not really know. I've asked my mother several times but she said it is best that I do not ask."
Jihoon thought about it then looked at Reqing and asked, "What about you? When will we marry?"
Reqing wanted to scoff but did not and instead answered, "We do not need to get married ritually because you and I have already bonded in so many natural and unnatural ways that we will eternally be together."
"Oh," Jihoon mumbled and lied his head back down on Reqing's body. He yawned a couple of times and asked, "Are you tired? I am tired."
Reqing looked at the strands of Jihoon's hair that were dancing in the wind and said nothing. The only reason why Jihoon was always so tired was because Reqing was transferring his exhaustion over to him. Jihoon slept it off while Reqing continued working continuously but now he could finally rest because his darling husband was finally coming together after a year of being dead.
*
Jihoon groaned and opened his eyes. He sat up on the bed and saw that Reqing was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at the floor with a frown on his face.
Jihoon got on his knees and crawled towards Reqing and lied down beside him on his back and looked up at him.
Reqing turned his gaze over to Jihoon and asked, "Awake?"
Jihoon nodded his head in response.
"Did you rest well?" Reqing answered and Jihoon shook his head.
Reqing raised a brow and asked, "Why not?"
"I dreamt of the past," Jihoon said sadly.
Reqing nodded his head and said, "I am just glad you are alive and well."
Jihoon nodded his head in agreement and asked, "Why are you frowning?"
Reqing smiled weakly at him and ran his hand through Jihoon's hair and said, "I was thinking of us."
"Did something bad happen?" Jihoon asked worried and sat up on the bed.
Reqing shook his head and said, "I was thinking of our future. You already ran away from me once and I don't know if you will run away again."
"Reqing, you killed the people I befriended so many times over, how did you expect me to react," Jihoon said.
"They were using you Jihoon," Reqing answered.
"Just because you can, does not mean you should," Jihoon countered.
Reqing looked at Jihoon sadly then turned around.
Jihoon looked at this husband of his and asked, "What is troubling you Reqing? It surely cannot be because I ran away."
"I want a child Jihoon," Reqing said surprising him.
Jihoon remained silent. He could understand why Reqing wanted a child but with him? How?
Reqing turned to look at Jihoon then climbed on the bed and hugged Jihoon down. Lying on top of him he said, "But it will be impossible for you to carry our child."
Jihoon sighed deeply and said, "I have thought of it too. Having a baby will just end up hurting us both and it will be wrong for us to bring a child into our toxic lives."
"But I really want a child Jihoon, I did everything I could to find us a way but it will hurt you, I just need your permission," Reqing said.
"Permission for what?" Jihoon asked him and pushed Reqing off of him.
Reqing sat up and looked at his husband, he managed his thoughts then started, "Your body is not yours but I have a way to make it yours, once that is complete, you will be able to carry our child."
Jihoon's head lowered to his body and he touched his stomach, it would be amazing to have a child, let alone giving birth to him or her. He looked back up at Reqing and thought about what their child would look like, if it was a boy, he'd be handsome and if it was a girl, she would be the most beautiful in the world.
Reqing reached over his arm and brushed his thumb over Jihoon's cheek to wipe away his tear that fell.
Looking at Jihoon who leaned his head into his hand he said, "You know I can hear your thoughts right? So you agree?"
Jihoon gazed into his eyes and nodded his head without any words. Silently he agreed to live through Reqing's torture once more, hopefully, this was the last time.