Chapter Text
“You’re not fine,” Da Qing had said helping Zhao Yunlan go through an endless pile of documents late into the night.
The prince paused long enough to glance at his friend perched on the desk. “Don’t know what you’re talking about about.”
Da Qing just rolled his eyes. “Sure you don’t.”
Thankfully, he dropped the subject letting Zhao Yunlan finish his work in peace. But that didn’t mean he was through with his pestering. Honestly, it took a lot longer for it to be brought up again than the prince thought. Two whole days in fact.
Xiao Guo was helping him get ready for the day in a rush after the youngster “accidently” let him sleep in an extra thirty minutes. Tying his hair up into something that somewhat resembled someone who knew what he was doing and getting dressed while scarfing down breakfast he barely tasted lead to Zhao Yunlan nearly choking on his food. A couple minutes of hacking up a lung and gulping down some water threw Xiao Guo into such a spiral of worry Zhao Yunlan had to grabbed his arm from running off for help that wasn’t needed.
“I’m fine,” he said when he could finally breath properly again.
The attendant bit his lip not looking convinced. “I don’t think you are.”
“I said I’m fine,” Zhao Yunlan snapped. He ignored the startled, teary-eyed look and walked out of the room without looking back. Guilt immediately began eating at him. He knew Xiao Guo was just trying to help; just trying to be a friend but he couldn’t deal with feelings right now. He’d apologize later.
However, snapping at Xiao Guo seemed to be the last straw with his friends. That same night all of them cornered Zhao Yunlan together in the king’s – now his temporarily – office with threats of tying him to the chair if he didn’t shut up and listen.
“It’s been over three months, Lao Zhao.”
“Everything has pretty much settled down as much as it can.”
“You need to take a break before you wear yourself to the bone.”
"You can’t keep going on like this.”
His weak attempts of convincing them otherwise were not tolerated and easily refutable. It only took twenty minutes for the first tears to fall allowing the flood gates to open. Every emotion and thought about Shen Wei and his father and everything between rushed out at once. All of his friends stayed with him for the rest of the day and through the night forcing a proper meal and a decent bed time on him. Not that he really protested much. The ordeal was extremely draining.
That’s how he found himself, merely a week later, wandering the woods outside the city alone. No council meetings to worry about. No paperwork to read. Just him and the chilly autumn fresh air. Winter was just around the corner – which was mainly why there was so much work to do preparing for it – yet the trees still barely clung to half their colorful leaves. The rest covered the ground like a blanket announcing every movement from every creature.
If he listened hard enough, Zhao Yunlan could still hear the bustle of the city as he dared not travel too far no matter how much he wished to visit the waterfall where he first kissed Shen Wei. His heart constricted as the memory pushed to the forefront of his mind anchoring his feet in place. It was one of the happiest days of his life. Tears welled in the princes eyes as he swung from the love and joy he felt that day to longing and what could only be described as grief.
Shen Wei wasn’t dead, he knew that. If anything happened to Dixing’s emperor, the news would have reached Haixing in record time. Since nothing even close had been reported, Shen Wei had to be perfectly fine reigning in the chaos the whole ordeal left his nation in. But the heart rarely listened to reason
Gods he was a mess.
The crunching of leaves nearby violently ripped Zhao Yunlan from the pit he’d unexpectedly fallen into. Scanning the area gave no answers at first. The sound continued in a rhythm of footfalls letting him know it was two legs, not four. A person then. They drew closer and louder finally giving Zhao Yunlan a direction to turn and look. Movement of a dark figure weaved through the trees much closer than expected.
Zhao Yunlan didn’t notice the simple travel clothes under a black cloak with billowing sleeves. Not the long hair falling over strong shoulders. All he could see was the beautiful, unmasked, perfect face peeking out from underneath the embroidered hood.
Shen Wei smiled at him brightly. “Zhao Yunlan.”
His feet moved before his mind could catch up swallowing the gap in a blink. Zhao Yunlan barely registered a flash of surprise on the Dixingren’s face before he barreled straight into the man never slowing his pace. He threw his arms around Shen Wei’s shoulder’s locking them in place with zero intention of letting go any time soon and buried his head into the crook of his neck.
Shen Wei was strong even by Dixing standards. But even he couldn’t stay upright after the full-on tackle Zhao Yunlan just did to him. The prince heard the breath rush out of Shen Wei’s lungs at the impact followed by a grunt as he failed to keep gravity from taking hold. Arms wrapped around Zhao Yunlan’s back as they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs, the prince landing on top.
“Zhao Yunlan?” Shen Wei asked, a hint of worry now coloring his breathless tone.
The prince tried to answer, yet the words crammed in his throat in a lump. A shaky breath passed his lips into the collar of Shen Wei’s tunic as tears began soaking the fabric. The arms around his back tightened their grip as tremors ran through his body in earnest at the swell of emotions. A soothing hand stroked down his spine calming the shivers.
“It’s okay. I’m here.”
Sobs broke through Zhao Yunlan’s throat at Shen Wei’s words. He’s not sure how long they laid there and didn’t care. By the time he calmed down, the arms pinned beneath the Dixingren tingled. Taking a deep breath, he shifted and pulled until they were both sitting upright still pressed chest to chest and arms locked around one another. Zhao Yunlan ended up on his knees straddling the other man’s lap.
It wasn’t until they settled he finally pulled back enough to look at Shen Wei’s face. Equally red-rimed eyes stared back filled with unbridled joy. Zhao Yunlan cupped a hand on that perfect face relishing as the other leaned into the touch.
Finally finding his words, the prince whispered, “I missed you.”
Their lips met in a gentle embrace; smiles breaking through as they moved in tandem. It was exactly what Zhao Yunlan needed. Far too soon, the need to breath broke them apart again. Shen Wei reaching up wiping the tears from the prince’s face then resting both hands on his waist.
“I’m sorry,” he said looking down and away. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you.”
Zhao Yunlan just kissed him again. “Don’t apologize for that. Both of our nations were unsettled big time. I know you would have come earlier if you could. All that matters is that you’re here not.” He paused, brows creasing. “Wait, how are you here now?”
“I received a letter from Da Qing yesterday. He’s really worried about you and asked me to come as soon as I could,” he explained. “My advisors didn’t want me to leave again so soon, but I refused to take no for an answer. I used a portal this morning.”
Da Qing was going to get all the fish he could eat. “And how did you know I was all the way out here and not the palace? Got some dark energy marker on me or something?”
Shen Wei huffed. “I did go to the palace first. Chu Shuzhi pointed me in the correct direction.”
They stayed on the ground for a few more minutes before choosing to walk around hand in hand. Zhao Yunlan’s heart thumped in his chest light as ever; like he was able the breath properly again. He knew this was only a visit and Shen Wei would have to leave by morning at the latest, but now the prince felt as if he could shoulder the world.
“So how is Dixing fairing?” he asked breaking the silence.
The sigh and slumping of the other’s shoulders told him enough. “The situation is starting to stabilize now. The news of my return didn’t spread as quickly as that of my death. Even after getting back to the city, various nobles were coming to the palace to present themselves as candidates to take the title.”
“Must’ve been quite a shock for them to see you then,” Zhao Yunlan teased.
Shen Wei hummed in agreement. “As annoying as they were, those moments actually acted as a break from everything else. As predicted, the Regent’s disappearance invited the most chaos.”
The prince blinked at him. “The Regent is gone?”
“I gave him an ultimatum in private. He has left Dixing and Haixing for good in exchange for his life.”
They continued to talk for hours updating one another on everything. The nature surrounding them acting like a protective barrier against the world and one man acting as a barrier for the other against the sadness and anger and hardship. At one point, Shen Wei used a portal to take the to the waterfall so they sat on the tallest rock just dangling their feet above the water.
Zhao Yunlan’s head had been resting on Shen Wei’s shoulder when it suddenly popped up. “Damn I’m an idiot. I can’t believe I almost forgot!”
“Forgot what?” the Dixingren asked watching as the prince fumbled with something around his neck.
“I needed something to do when I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to make something for you.”
He pulled the leather cord over his head and held it out for the other to see. Dangling from the cord was a jade pendent; round in shape with a piece of metal resembling a claw at the top. The sunlight made it seem like it was glowing amber in color. It also brough attention to the object held inside.
Shen Wei squinted obviously recognizing the pattern. “Is that…”
Zhao Yunlan nodded. “A candy wrapper. The ones Lao Li used when we went to his shop together for the first time and taste tested.”
The smile sent his way was so full of love he couldn't have drowned in it faster than if he jumped in the lake. He slipped the necklace over Shen Wei’s head adjusting the cord until the pendent sat just above his heart. Shen Wei rubbed his fingers along the smooth surface and looked up smiling.
“Thank you, Yunlan.”
The prince kissed him. “Anything for you, my Xiao Wei.”
Many would have heard the story. A stern and powerful emperor and the always smiling crown prince coming together and becoming guardians of peace. Embellishments were made and details changed with every retelling yet the end result always stayed the same.
Falling in love despite the lies told and the hardships that tried pulling them apart. An eternal flame of devotion never to be extinguished. A love so strong it could transcend lifetimes.