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"Shizun." The person standing before him is familiar but unfamiliar at the same time. Jing Yuan still has the same ruffled white hair, still tied with the same red ribbon that Luocha had gifted him. However, the innocent and young look has been replaced by the devious, careless aura of a king.
Jing Yuan prowls forward from his throne, entirely with the grace of a lion, lazily approaching his ensnared prey with all the confidence of a ruler who knows his power.
Luocha looks at him from behind his long hair, his clothes in disarray and his hands chained with a reinforced seal. He looks at the boy he had taken in and had given shelter and healing to once upon a time.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" The white-haired demon king smiles, sharp teeth catching on the light, his singular eye not covered by his fringe closed in a happy curve.
Jing Yuan's steps echo in the wide, empty hall. Luocha meets the unsettling bright golden eyes of the demon with his green ones. The tension seems thick enough to be able to be cut with a knife.
"Well?" The demon drawls, hands behind his back as he steps closer, slowly, as if relishing the short moments before pouncing on his prey.
The long-haired blonde turns his level gaze away from him, not deigning a response.
That gets Jing Yuan's annoyance. "Tsk." He stalks forward, stopping before Luocha's knelt figure.
Luocha sees the gold-lined black boots –likely custom-made with the pelt of some rare demonic creature– stop before his line of sight.
It's the only warning he gets before a rough hand grasps his chin, tilting his head up to meet the annoyance-filled golden eye of the man who used to be his disciple.
The roles are reversed. Once, Luocha had been the one far away, out of reach from the boy he had saved. Now, he is kneeling before the ruler of the Demonic Realm.
How easy it would be for the demon to kill him now. One hand on his chin, the other one through his chest. It would be simple, just a matter of seconds for it to happen– for the once bright, distant star to flicker out without a trace.
Yet, the demon king does not. The thought does not even cross his mind. Only the quiet hum in his chest, happy at finally being close to his shizun once more, after years in the Demonic Realm without him.
" Shizun," Jing Yuan practically purrs, "I missed you."
Luocha blinks at the feeling of being held close to a broad chest, firm arms wrapped around him. He tenses, not knowing what the demon king is trying at.
"You… You've changed." Luocha says, stiff as a board. Jing Yuan chuckles, throaty and low.
"Of course I have, shizun. But, it doesn't change anything between us, does it?"
Luocha can feel a weight on his shoulder as the demon king leans down from towering over him, face near his neck. His shoulders rise at the feeling of his personal bubble being invaded, Jing Yuan's sharp teeth close enough to him that his throat could easily be ripped out in one bite.
He would like to argue that it does change things, but the feeling of arms tightening around his waist distracts him.
"Jing Yuan…" He says instead. A name once so familiar, now strange on his tongue from disuse.
The hum of contentment comes out easily from the white-haired man's throat. A steady rumble that Luocha realizes to be purring reverberates through the layers of the king's clothes.
It's… endearing, in a way. Something that while unexpected, would not be surprising for the Jing Yuan that Luocha knew before, but something entirely out of character for the Ruler of the Demonic Realm to be doing.
Yet, Luocha cannot help but feel the edges of his lips rise as he closes his eyes in Jing Yuan's hold. The thrum of Jing Yuan's power is comforting, in a way.
The white-haired man breathes Luocha's scent, a floral tea and incense that is neither heavy nor faint–something uniquely Luocha.
"Won't you stay with me?" Jing Yuan's voice is low and quiet, unlike the lazy confidence that he wears easily. His voice is on the edge of pleading – as if this was a request worth more than his dignity as a king.
Which, to Jing Yuan, it was. He wanted to stay with his shizun forever, to never be forced apart as fate had planned. He was stronger now, more than able to protect both himself and his shizun.
"I...I'm not so sure." Luocha says quietly. How did it become like this? He had not planned for such a thing to happen when he had set foot in Jing Yuan's territory– he had not meant to see Jing Yuan at all. He was merely trying to go through the quickest and safest path to get to where he wanted to go.
Perhaps it was cruel of him, to leave his only disciple to this, not even bothering to greet him even after finding out his whereabouts.
However, he knew what it had looked like. It seemed like he had left Jing Yuan alone intentionally during the opening of the portal. He would understand if Jing Yuan held resentment against him for that– expected it, even.
And then, he had been captured by demons brandishing the Cloud Knights symbol. He had met the lieutenant that had taken one look at him, as if mentally checking off his characteristics, before sending him to the hall of the King.
He had been preparing himself for a painful death as soon as he was sent, only to be met with… this.
Although… he didn't have a specific clan he was tied to, not anymore. He was a wanderer, alone for decades, picking up some bounties and offering his healing services to other wanderers on the road. Then, he had accidentally entered a portal that sent him to the Demonic Realm with no way out. Needless to say, he had not planned this.
Though, could he trust Jing Yuan?
He was cut out of his thoughts by his center of gravity being shifted in someone's arms, his legs leaving the floor as he was raised into a bridal carry.
Luocha looks down to meet the satisfied expression of the king staring at him as he was carried out of the throne room.
"Jing Yuan-?" He questions, slightly confused.
"You were silent for so long, so I took that as a yes." Jing Yuan smiles innocently, setting a brisk yet steady pace to…. Somewhere.
"I'll still have to think about it. Who knows if this is an elaborate scheme you made?" Luocha replies steadily.
The air around them drops several degrees. Jing Yuan stops, eyes narrowing at the accusation. He presses Luocha against the wall, a growl forming from his throat as he spoke.
"I would not."
"And how would I know that?" Luocha couldn't help but challenge, emerald green eyes fixating on the visible golden eye of Jing Yuan.
"Because-" Jing Yuan huffs in annoyance, cutting himself off.
"Because?" Luocha raises an eyebrow, holding his ground despite the demon king towering over him.
"Because, well-" Jing Yuan turns his head, refusing to meet Luocha's gaze.
The blond merely stands there, back against the wall.
"Agh, you're always like this!" Jing Yuan growls, hands folding over his chest.
"I'm just asking if I'm actually safe staying here. If you wanted to kill me, you had many chances already." Luocha deduces rationally, mirroring Jing Yuan's stance.
"Of course you will!"
"Oh? Care to give me a reason, at least-?"
The demon king tsks before leaning forward, grabbing Luocha's cuffed hands in one hand, his face in another.
Luocha's eyes widen at the proximity, unable to move as Jing Yuan presses their lips together. It's a ferocious, rough kiss that leaves him out of breath when the demon king moves away, but also one that makes him yearn for more .
"There, shizun ," Jing Yuan says, face out of Luocha's sight. His hair brushes against Luocha's neck as he speaks. "Happy?"
Luocha reels back–at least, he tried to, but forgot he was still pressed against the wall– and averts his eyes.
"J-Jing Yuan?" He asks, his ears flushed, mind spinning.
“You’re really making me say it?” The demon grumbles, arms wrapping around Luocha once more. His breath ghosts over the blond’s red ear.
“I love you, shizun."