The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 9

Xie Yi-jun

1304 years after The Long Night

Hêi'àn City

<Soldiers Barracks>

For several minutes, Xie Yi-jun entertained the idea that he was actually dreaming. It felt almost beautiful enough; his lover asleep in his arms, in his bed. Both of them still glowing from a tryst that had lasted hours...

I'm either dreaming, or I am the luckiest person in the world-

As he thought this he must have moved, because Jin Songcai slowly stirred, raising his head from where he had passed out on Yi-jun's bare chest moments before. When the man's sapphire colored eyes found his brown ones Yi-jun simply smiled, whispering;

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Songcai blearily blinked his eyes, seeming to take a few seconds to remember where he was. Yi-jun found it adorable to watch the man first notice the naked body that he was lying atop of, then Songcai gradually remembered.

Flushed cheeks growing warmer, the healer's eyes closed again as he collapsed with a dramatic sigh onto Yi-jun's shoulder.

"Not for too long I hope," he pouted.

Yi-jun squeezed his shoulder tightly, listening to Songcai groan.

"What is it?"

His lover huffed, quickly sitting up enough to gesture to the finger-shaped bruises on his arms. Yi-jun couldn't help the overwhelming pride he felt at seeing them...

"You were too rough, Xie."

Gazing openly at the way Songcai's long pale hair flowed down over his shoulder, the smooth flats and curves of his body and of course the love-bites on his neck and chest, Xie Yi-jun exhaled softly the only thing he could.

"You are so beautiful,"

Songcai smiled brilliantly, clearly pleased at the abrupt compliment, then his shining eyes narrowed with a mischief that the King knew quite well.

Yi-jun held his breath as the man suddenly moved, tossing a knee over his waist and pressing the King firmly against the bed while he grinned.

Songcai was staring at Yi-jun like he was still so curious about him after everything he knew, tracing the sharp angles of Yi-jun's jaw as if painting his face.

Yi-jun stayed as still as he could, "What are you doing... Jincai?"

Sighing contently, the healer bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to Yi-jun's cheek, after that his lips drifted away and the King had to close his eyes, hearing Songcai's whispered words in his ear;

"Don't you think it's only fair that I give you some bruises too? We can have a matching set..."

Chuckling, Xie Yi-jun could only smile with Songcai's lips upon his chin and neck-

Definitely dreaming, he thought smugly. Definitely never waking up.

After a little while of this, Yi-jun's aching heart became too much for him to bare. He carefully grabbed Songcai's face, bringing the man's eyes back up to his.

Why do I always feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest when he looks at me? I've got it bad...

"Hmm,"

Songcai raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

Dragging his thumb across the man's wet, kiss-stung lips, Yi-jun's words tumbled out in a desperate rush; "Marry me-"

Songcai scoffed, "Ridiculous!"

Grinning, the King went on to stroke the bridge of his lover's nose, something that never failed to make Songcai shiver and twitch.

"Marry me and I promise to bother you with endless worry for the rest of your life," Yi-jun tried again.

"You were going to do that anyway..."

"Yes, but when people ask you why you're worried, you can say my husband instead of my King."

Songcai finally smiled at this, lovely sapphire eyes darting away shyly as if he'd just been told something far more indecent and wonderful.

Xie Yi-jun gently held him, knowing that a marriage would only be a formality at this point, since he and Jincai were of one heart...

Still, he couldn't help but feel delighted by the mere idea.

Something someone else can see, not just him and I. A thread tying both of us to each other for the world to witness. Gods, I am blessed just to imagine-

Finally with a soft shrug, Songcai nodded.

"Alright," he replied. "I'll call you my husband. But I won't ever stop calling you my King."