Wei YueQin knocked lightly over the door to ZhiYi's room. AhXin was restless in his little basket, and she couldn't calm him down no matter what. ZhiYi opened the door a moment later, and YueQin was startled by how much the man had withered within a few days. He had darkened rings under his eyes, there was a shadow of a stubble taking over his chin, and he had lost some of his untouchable air.
"Is- How is brother MingYu doing?" YueQin whispered as ZhiYi took hold of AhXin's basket.
"He is still alive," ZhiYi said tightly. He wanted to add 'unfortunately', but held his tongue.
YueQin thought his annoyance was aimed at her, so she shrunk back slightly. Peeking past ZhiYi into the room, she could see MingYu's withered outlines on the bed. She bit down on her lip before turning to ZhiYi. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault."
"It's not, don't worry. He will be fine," ZhiYi hurried to say. "You should find something to eat and then rest. Don't let hunger consume you. Otherwise, your bloodlust will resurface."
YueQin nodded and left after throwing a last worried glance at MingYu.
ZhiYi dug little AhXin out of his basket, and the boy gave a light squeal of delight upon seeing him.
"Can't sleep?" ZhiYi whispered as he gave the baby a little nuzzle. AhXin drooled as he stared at ZhiYi with something resembling worry.
ZhiYi smiled to himself. How could a baby worry? But AhXin brushed over his stubble with his tiny hands, looking like he was about to cry. ZhiYi rocked him gently as he sat down on the bed.
"Don't cry, AhXin. I beg of you. Let the crown prince of Wu sleep. He just passed out not long ago."
MingYu as young Wu TianLan had thrashed about and squealed like a pig being slaughtered. After he realised he was nearly bald, MingYu had fainted from the shock. ZhiYi didn't blame the man. Wu TianLan was terribly vain at the blossoming age of sixteen. Based on the way he spoke, this Wu TianLan couldn't be any older than that.
ZhiYi laid AhXin next to MingYu, and the boy clung to his lifeless hand, staring at MingYu. He made no move or showed any signs of hunger. AhXin only laid still, mesmerised. Then, MingYu took a shaky breath in, and his thumb brushed over the tiny hand. His eyes opened, and he turned to look at AhXin.
"Hi." MingYu's voice was rough. ZhiYi ran to fetch him a drink. Returning with a cup of water, he held it up, offering it to the prince warily. If he started screaming again, ZhiYi would stuff the water along with the cup in his mouth to shut him up.
But MingYu seemed more tired than before. He merely blinked, turning his gaze from the child to ZhiYi. When ZhiYi was sure the man wouldn't bite his fingers off, he brought the cup over his lips and helped him drink.
MingYu was awfully quiet, so ZhiYi had a flare of hope ignite within him, and he tried his luck.
"MingYu?"
"..." MingYu croaked, but nothing audible surfaced. His brows furrowed as he cleared his throat.
"Is it you?" ZhiYi said with more hope in his tone.
"I swear, if you call me by that name again, I will stab you." MingYu hissed.
Ugh, was the young Wu TianLan always this terrible? ZhiYi's brow twitched as he recalled their first meeting. Yes, Wu TianLan was terrible, there was no doubt about it. It only got better when he had matured, and that took many years. Looking at the man before him, ZhiYi wasn't sure if he wanted to relive those years again. They were good memories, and ZhiYi rather kept it that way, as memories.
"Whose kid did you kidnap now?" MingYu rasped as his eyes studied AhXin.
"He's my child," ZhiYi mumbled as he put the water cup away. AhXin was actually their child at this point since they were raising him together. But young Wu TianLan wouldn't take that lightly. And somehow, ZhiYi had a feeling that even MingYu wasn't aware of this. The man was terribly dense sometimes.
"He is cute." MingYu offered. His eyes softened as he let AhXin drool all over his fingers without a complaint. "Unlike his father."
This guy! ZhiYi counted to ten and tried not to strangle MingYu. The older Wu TianLan had thought different about his looks... ZhiYi paused. If the older Wu TianLan had thought this way, it must have meant that the young Wu TianLan from back then had already -
"You are a terrible person."
"..." ZhiYi nearly coughed up blood. Where did that come from?!
"If you don't have money, don't have kids! Now you sunk so low to kidnap people!" MingYu continued. He seemed to have found a new source of energy to complain as his voice became stronger and more shrill with every word.
"I told you I didn't kidnap you," ZhiYi grumbled, but MingYu's brow arched up, giving him a doubtful look.
"I barely recognized you from all that grime and - whatever that is! It looks like something crawled up your face and died! As if I would willingly go with someone like this!"
"I look like this because I was busy taking care of you!"
"You are probably the one who hurt me in the first place!" MingYu snapped, then groaned. His eyes crinkled in pain.
ZhiYi tensed and hovered over the injury. No matter how annoying young Wu TianLan was, he didn't wish for him to die or feel pain. Not much, at least. He gently raised the injured arm and undid the bandages.
MingYu stayed still, biting his teeth as he watched ZhiYi check over the black mass of flesh before he wrapped it up with new gauzes.
ZhiYi could feel the intense stare, so he raised his lashes, and their eyes met.
MingYu's skin flushed, turning into a ghastly combination of blotchy red and dead grey, alarming ZhiYi. He pressed his palm against MingYu's forehead, and the redness deepened into almost purplish. MingYu was burning to the touch. ZhiYi swiftly pulled the bedcovers away, and MingYu screeched in surprise.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"You are burning up, I'm trying to cool you down," ZhiYi said as he reached up to undo MingYu's undergarments. He was met with a sharp slap on his hands.
"Don't touch me!"
ZhiYi raised his brows. They were both men, there was nothing he hadn't seen before. And, well, ZhiYi had touched Wu TianLan indecently enough of times to know how to avoid it. He thought it best not to inform the young Wu TianLan of this, or he might receive a kick in the face. Instead, he tried coaxing the little vixen.
"If I don't undress you, how can I wipe you down to cool off your fever?"
ZhiYi's words seemed to add wood to the fire, as MingYu looked to be on the brink of exploding. His voice was shaking when he said,
"You! I rather die than let you touch me, I'm the prince!"
Well, you never had a problem with it before, ZhiYi thought, but he pulled his hand away and honoured MingYu's wishes. He would wait for the man to either fall asleep or faint to take care of him. Hopefully soon.
MingYu tightened his loosened undergarments over his abdomen with his healthy hand. Sweat droplets gathered at his hairline as a slight shiver shook through his entire body. He bit down on his lower lip, holding back a groan. The defiance in him shined through his tear brimmed eyes.
ZhiYi's fist tightened with worry, but he sat still. Wu TianLan was a proud individual. It was his way or no way. He rather bit his tongue off and died than gave in once he had made up his mind.
ZhiYi would not touch him as long as Wu TianLan was set on suffering by himself. Fighting back the urge to comfort and care for MingYu, ZhiYi reached for AhXin and held him instead.
The silence was disrupted by a sharp knock over the door.
"Can I come inside? I brought some food." YueQin's voice rang clearly through the room door, and MingYu shot ZhiYi a questioning look. Before ZhiYi could answer, the latch on the door cracked in two, and the door swung open with a slam, startling both men.
YueQin stood by the opening, her hand still lingering in the air. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Sorry, I- it was an accident." YueQin squeaked. She wasn't used to her new strength. Apparently, what felt like a simple push could break the door.
"This... is your wife?" MingYu's voice was laced with poison, but it was distorted with so many layers of pain, it was barely noticeable. Since ZhiYi had attuned himself to detect every little notion Wu TianLan was prone to over the years, he caught it and hurried to deny this accusation.
"No! She is just an acquaintance."
"What kind of female acquaintance breaks the door to a man's room?!"
Without realising it, ZhiYi broke into a smile. The little vixen sounded a lot like the jealous, mature Wu TianLan. Had he actually liked ZhiYi since his youth? Adult Wu TianLan never admitted it, though. His smile only widened when MingYu heaved,
"The hell are you smiling about?"
ZhiYi had to admit, the young crown prince of Wu had his cute moments, from time to time.
"Keep grinning, and I will kick your teeth in!"