After dinner, Elys practically tackled Yuliang with the force behind his hug.
"I missed you, Yuliang," Elys whined looking up at him with big blue eyes.
"Elys! Is this how a proper omega should behave?" The Second Lord scolded in the background, with more exasperation than heat behind his words.
The teen ignored his parents and excitedly grabbed Yuliang's hands and dragged him out of the dining room.
Yuliang rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, missed you too squirt."
"You say that, but I bet I'll be taller than you in a few years," the blond said, looking up at him smugly, though the bright flush on his cheeks lessened its effectiveness.
Yuliang snorted, shaking his head fondly, "I'll believe it when I see it."
"Well, let's make it a bet. If I win, I inherit your Healer's robe."
What Elys didn't know was that 'inheriting a Healer's robe', was a euphemism for meant becoming a Healer's apprentice.
Yuliang was aware that Elys was speaking about his robes in more literal terms, but no fucking way was he parting with the physical representation of his efforts for something as silly as a bet.
Yuliang laughed, "Sure, why not. And if you're wrong? What will I get?"
"Well, you get to keep your robe," Elys said, as he dragged Yuliang into a large rose coloured bedroom with a canopy bed, massive walk-in closet and other luxury furnishings he couldn't imagine any other average thirteen year olds possessing.
"That doesn't sound very fair, but you're a kid, so I'll be nice and let you have your way."
Elys stuck his tongue out at him, too happy with a successful deal to make a bigger deal of the 'kid' comment.
"Hey Yuliang, there's something I wanted to ask you about," Elys said, sitting cross-legged across him on the massive king-sized bed, fidgeting with the hem of his skirt.
"Something related to classwork?"
Elys shook his head, "No. Nothing like that. Just that... there's this thing called the Winter Solstice Ball coming up. AndIwashopingyou'dbemydateforit."
Yuliang blinked. "What?"
Elys took a deep breath. "I was hoping that you would be my date for the Winter Solstice Ball. It's my first time being old enough to bring a date for it, and I was hoping that as my Pack Leader you would be the one to accompany me."
Elys looked like he was bracing himself for rejection, but he still looked at Yuliang with so much hope that Yuliang's instinctive 'no' got trapped in his throat.
Twisting the end of his braid in his hands, Yuliang averted his eyes, "Uh. This will be during the holidays?"
"Yes. On the 20th night."
Yuliang sighed, "Am I expected to wear formal clothes? 'Cuz, I don't have any. I can barely afford a shirt let alone something nice to wear for a... ball."
Elys grabbed his hands, and looked up at him with a pleading look, "You won't have to worry about any of that. I've already discussed it with my parents. We'll take care of everything. All you have to do is to be there with us for fittings and join us on the 20th to get dressed for the event itself. Please, Yuliang? I don't want to go there without you. I hate everyone in Society. The omegas and girls there always pick on me when I'm alone and I thought that if you came with me, it could actually be fun to go for once. Please, Yuliang?"
After a long internal battle, Yuliang sighed and gave the smaller pair of hands in his grip a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah alright, sure. If your folks are really okay with it, I guess it should be fine for me to come."
Elys gasped, "Really? You'll actually come? You'll be there with me?"
Yuliang rolled his eyes, "Yeah. Sure. Relax, squirt. You're going to catch flies if you keep your mouth open like that."
He'd only just managed to get into good terms with the Rydels. This would probably be a good opportunity to further establish their good relations. Prove how much he cares for his youngest Pack member and show them how far out of his comfort zone he is willing to go for Elys.