Chapter Text
Jing Yuan returned to his home later than usual, he sighed as he closed the door behind him, locking it out of instinct behind him. He made his way up to his bedroom unclipping his cape and draping it over his arm as he walked. Jing Yuan opened and closed his bedroom door behind him, finding the balcony door open and the curtains moving slightly in the gentle breeze. He breathed another sigh, stepping over to his dresser and taking off the daggers concealed in his boots. He also took off the one hidden on his upper right arm. Placing them all down on the dresser. Jing Yuan moved to sit down on the edge of his bed, looking over at the corner of the dark room.
“Do you really remember anything?” he asked the shadows expectantly, there was a small huff of surprise. Before a familiar voice responded,
“It's all just little flashes… mostly of you and me…” he said quietly. Jing Yuan nodded, turning to face the man in the shadows, he beckoned him forward and Blade stepped cautiously out of the shadows. The stellaron hunter was holding his sword close to his chest, an old habit of his with a conflicted expression on his face.
“Why haven't you tried attacking me yet..?” Blade asked the general with genuine confusion, Jing Yuan laughed a bit at this,
“#1 I don’t want to hurt you #2 I’m too tired for this.” Jing Yuan explained with a small yawn. Blade managed a small smile and approached him,
“Well, I came here in part because I knew you wouldn’t immediately kick me out.” Blade said and he moved his sword to be leaning against the bed frame. Jing Yuan met his eyes in confusion.
“I actually broke the script by responding to you earlier, Elio got mad and kicked me out for a bit,” Blade said with a small chuckle, Jing Yuan blinked in surprise at this. He stood up and closed the balcony door pulling the curtains closed. Blade watched him do this closely, Jing Yuan turned on the bedside lamp. The general approached the Stellaron hunter, bending down eye to eye with him.
“I trust you… Ren… never forget that…” Jing Yuan said to him using his true name as he reached out and rested a hand on one side of the swordsman’s face. Blade flinched away a bit at first but leaned into the comforting touch when he allowed Jing Yuan to touch him. This wasn’t Blade in front of him anymore, this was his Ren, the man he’d entrusted his heart to in the past. Ren met his gaze with an apologetic look,
“I’m sorry I forgot so easily… I don’t know what happened… to make me forget you…” Ren said as tears formed in the corners of his crimson eyes. Jing Yuan sat down next to him again and pulled him into a hug, the swordsman tensed up a bit at first before melting into the general's embrace. Tears flowed freely down his face.
“I’m sorry… I’m so so so sorry….” he said as a choked sob escaped his throat. Jing Yuan sighed and rubbed circles on the man's back gently as he cried his eyes out. When the quiet sobs slowed to an eventual stop Jing Yuan pulled back a bit to see Ren’s face, he wiped the stray tears from his eyes gently. Placing a gentle kiss on his forehead, Jing Yuan smiled at him kindly. Ren didn’t meet his gaze at first,
“Ren… look at me…” Jing Yuan said to him. The swordsman met his gaze hesitantly, his eyes a bit red from his recent outburst.
“I love you… I know you may not feel the same anymore… but I love you…” Jing Yuan said in a quiet voice his hands resting on either side of Ren’s face again with Ren resting his own hands on Jing Yuan’s wrists. Ren nodded tentatively,
“I love you too… Jing…” he whispered to him. Jing Yuan pulled him into another hug, this one tighter and more for Jing Yuan than it was for Ren.
The two stayed like this for a while, just comfortable in each other's arms. Until Ren sat up from where they had fallen on the bed when Jing Yuan pulled him into the hug. Jing Yuan rolled onto his back with a small yawn,
“Jing, you should get some sleep…” Ren said to him, moving the man's hair out of his face gently. The general shook his head slowly,
“When I wake up you might not be here anymore…” he said to Ren, resting a hand on top of his. Ren smiled a bit,
“I wouldn’t leave without telling you,” he pointed out to him. Jing Yuan nodded and sat up slowly, Ren blushed a bit as Jing Yuan kissed the back of his hand gently. Jing Yuan allowed a small smirk to make its way onto his face, the general moved Ren's hand to rest on his shoulder. He leaned in closer to Ren, causing the man to look around nervously. Jing Yuan smiled as he captured Ren in a gentle kiss. Lips danced together, reminding the two of them how the love between them felt. Ren gasped a bit as the kiss turned more passionate, Jing Yuan pushed him back into the bed to get more leverage in the kiss. Ren let out a small moan at this, his arms wrapping around Jing Yuan’s neck. The general teased Ren's bottom lip before breaking the kiss trailing small butterfly kisses down to his neck.
“Jing…” the swordsman said quietly to the general, causing the man in question to stop the small kisses. Jing Yuan looked up and locked eyes with Ren once again.
“N-not yet…” Ren murmured with a small head shake, Jing Yuan nodded and pulled Ren up into his lap. The swordsman rested his head on Jing Yuan’s shoulder with a content sigh.
Unfortunately, this moment wouldn’t last forever, no matter how hard Ren tried he knew Elio would find out about this, and punish him accordingly. He flinched a bit when his earpiece rang, it was Kafka. He gave Jing Yuan a shushing gesture and answered the call.
“What?” he said with slight annoyance in his voice, Kafka made a clicking sound and said
“Bladie, Elio’s calmed down and has asked that we call you back,” Ren flinched a bit, biting his lip nervously.
“It was barely an hour ago that he kicked me out, he always takes longer than this to calm down,” Ren said flatly, Kafka breathed a sigh
“Bladie… he took his anger out on Silver Wolf… she is unconscious right now…” emotion slipped into Kafka’s tone, she sounded… scared? Ren tensed up and said,
“I’ll be back soon… just keep an eye on her…” his voice rang with regret as he glanced up at Jing Yuan who was watching him in concern.
“Thank you Bladie,” Kafka said before ending the call.
Ren looked at Jing Yuan with an apologetic look on his face,
“I have to go,” he said to him. Jing Yuan sighed and nodded understanding that Ren needed to help Kafka and Silver Wolf. The General untied one of the red strings in his hair and tied it around Ren's left wrist,
“To help you remember… please come back to me…” Jing Yuan said as he leaned forward and kissed Ren’s forehead gently. The swordsman took Jing Yuan’s hand in his and held it close,
“I love you… and I promise to come back…” the general smiled at his lover and helped him to his feet. Ren picked up his sword hesitantly, he didn’t want to leave… he wanted to stay in Jing Yuan’s arms… but if the two people he considered his closest friends were getting hurt because of him… he had to go… he had to help them…
“Hey don’t worry, I’m patient enough to wait for you…” Jing Yuan said, moving his hand to rest on Ren’s face. The swordsman nodded and kissed the palm of his hand with earnestness, before turning away from Jing Yuan and opening the balcony door again. The wind was chilly on his face, but Ren welcomed the cold.
“Goodbye for now Jing, I’ll be back soon…” Ren said to him, glancing at the general over his shoulder with a reassuring smile on his face. Jing Yuan nodded as he returned the smile. Ren stepped out onto the balcony and jumped up on the railing.
“I’d wait for another several centuries if I have to.” Jing Yuan’s voice said goodbye as Ren leaped from the railing and vanished into the night.